Lectures Upon John 4

THE EIGHTIE EIGHT LECTURE, ON APRILL XXIII. MDCXI.

W E have already heard, that from the beginning of the 46. verse, to the end of the Chapter, the Evangelist sets down the History of the first miracle, that our Savior wrought after his return out of Judea into Galilee. And that this History stands upon four parts: first, the occasion that was offered unto Christ, to do this miracle: secondly, the manner how Christ wrought this miracle: thirdly, the fruit and effect of this miracle: fourthly, the conclusion of the story. The occasion is set down in the 46. and 47. verses, which I finished the last day. It followeth now that we proceed to the manner how this miracle was wrought, which is contained in these words I have now read unto you. And in setting down this, the Evangelist observeth three things: First, the check and reproof, that Christ gave unto this great man, and to his whole Nation, verse 48. Then said Jesus unto him, except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe. Secondly, the answer this great man made to Christ, when he had been thus rebuked by him, verse 49. The Ruler said unto him, Sir, go down before my son die. Thirdly, the comfort and satisfaction that Christ gave unto the Ruler, after he had thus reproved him, and received this answer from him, verse 50. Jesus saith unto him; go thy way, thy son liveth.

First, then we must observe here the course, that our Savior took with this great man. Then, when he saw him to be in great heaviness, for the extremity that his son was in; Then, when he saw him come in this humble manner unto him, to beseech him for help, when one would have thought, he should have pitied his case, and spoken comfortably unto him, and commended and fostered those good beginnings that he saw in him, and rejoiced, that he had so great a man come to him for help: even then, I say, doth he take a quite contrary course with him; he seems to be not at all moved with his misery, nor to regard his suit: but instead of comforting of him, and helping him, he checks and rebukes him: Then said Jesus unto him, except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe. As if he should say, I can do you no good, except you had Faith, and you (neither thou nor thy Country-men) have any Faith; no, you will not believe, you are obstinate in your infidelity. God hath by his Word, and by the Ministry of John the Baptist, sufficiently manifested me to be the Messias, yet you will not believe his Word, unless you may have miracles to confirm it: yea, I have already (by many miracles) declared myself evidently to be the Son of God, (which also you have heard of) yet that will not serve the turn, but unless you may see with your own eyes, you will not believe. Nay, you have (many of you) seen my miracles, yet will not that serve neither, but unless ye may see signs and wonders, that is, many miracles, miracles of all sorts; you will not believe. Mark, how roughly he deals with him, and yet for all this, he intended not to reject him, but he loved him dearly; even when he did thus upbraid and disgrace him, he purposed to help him, and to grant his request: yea, he purposed to convert and save his soul; as appears by that which followeth in the story. And therefore even in seeming thus to neglect him, in rebuking him after this manner, he sought his good. From hence then this Doctrine ariseth for our instruction:

That the Lord oft times seeth it to be good for his dearest children, to put them off for a time, and seem to neglect them, and their prayers.

Before I confirm the Doctrine, let me entreat you to consider well of the matter, and you will see cause to wonder at it, and so you will be the better stirred up, to attend unto the proof and confirmation of it. First, he hath bound himself by promise, to hear his servants when they call upon him, and to grant what they ask, according to his will John 15. 7. If ye abide in me, and my Words abide in you, ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you. Secondly, and specially hath he bound himself to hear them in those prayers, that they make unto him in their afflictions. Psalm 50. 15. Call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. Thirdly, yea this hath been the chief means, whereby God's people have sought comfort in all their afflictions, even to pour out their hearts to God in prayer. Psalm 109. 3, 4. They compassed me about (saith David) with words of hatred, and fought against me without a cause, for my friendship they were mine enemies, but I gave myself to prayer. And fourthly, the thing that hath encouraged, them, and given them heart in prayer, hath been this hope and assurance, that they should find audience and respect with God. Psalm 65. 2. Because thou hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come. And 86. 7. In the day of my trouble, I will call upon thee: for thou hearest me. Fifthly, therefore above all their afflictions, this hath most afflicted them, this hath gone nearest their heart, when they have prayed, and could not perceive that God hath heard them, or hath had any respect unto their prayers. Psalm 28. 1. O my God, my strength, be not deaf towards me, lest if thou answer me not, I be like them that go down into the pit. And yet for all this, the Lord hath seemed oft unto his dearest children, to fail in this his promise, to neglect them altogether, and to have had no respect unto their prayers, they have made unto him in their affliction. See the proof of this in four degrees.

First, when they have prayed unto him, and that also according to his will, he hath long forborne to grant them their requests; he hath made them wait and attend so long, till they have been almost weary with waiting, as here he holds off the Ruler. Psalm 69. 3. David complains thus, I am weary with crying, my throat is dry, mine eyes fail while I wait for my God. And 119. 8. Mine eyes fail for thy promise, saying, When wilt thou comfort me? And verse 123. Mine eyes have failed in waiting for thy salvation, and for thy just promise.

Secondly, he hath not only thus forborne long to grant them their requests, but hath even refused for a time to give them any answer at all, or to show any respect that he hath had unto their prayers. As here, he makes no answer at all to the Rulers suit, nor shows any compassion on him. This we shall find the faithful oft complaining of, that they could find no comfort in their prayers, they could not perceive they were ever the better for them. Lament. 3. 8. When I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer. And verse 44. Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that our prayers should not pass through. Job 30. 20. When I cry to thee, thou doest not hear me, neither regardest when I stand up. And Psalm 22. 2. O my God, I cry by day, but thou hearest not, and by night, but have not audience.

Thirdly, he hath not only forborne to grant their requests, and refused to give them any comfortable answer; but he hath seemed to frown, and hide himself from them, and even to shake them off in anget; to be more offended with them for praying to him, than he was before. So dealt he here with this Ruler, that came to him in his misery, and besought him for help and succor, he checks and chides him, as you have heard. So dealt he also with the poor woman of Canaan, Matth. 15. First, when the poor woman cried to him, verse 22. Have mercy on me, O Lord, the son of David, my daughter is miserably vexed with a Devil: it is said, verse 23. that he answered her not a word. Secondly, when his Disciples became suitors to him for her, verse 24. He answered and said, that he was not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Thirdly, when the poor woman came, verse 25. 26. for all this, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me; He answered and said, it is not good to •… ache the children's bread, and cast it unto whelps. And thus hath it fallen out with God's dear children, they have been so far from finding comfort in their prayers, and obtaining a gracious answer from God, that their discomforts and terrors have seemed to increase much thereby; they have been further persuaded of God's anger against them, than they were before. This the Church complaineth of, Psal. 80. 4. O Lord of hosts, how long wilt thou be angry against the prayers of thy people.

Fourthly, neither hath he seemed thus to refuse to grant their requests only, when they have begged temporal blessings of him (as the Ruler in this place) but even in those prayers they have made unto him for spiritual blessings. 2. Cor. 12. 8. Paul besought the Lord thrice, that the prick in his flesh, the messenger of Satan, that was sent to buffet him, might depart from him: But could not obtain it.

Let us now come to consider of the Reasons, why the Lord hath been wont to deal in this sort with his children.

To humble them the more deeply for their sins, and so to make them more capable of his grace, he seems for a time to turn away from them' and to stop his ears at their cries. We are apt to think, that a little sorrow for sin is enough, and that we should be undone, if we should continue in it any time; but the Lord seeth, that it is very profitable and necessary for many of his servants to be deeply humbled, and that it is not good for them to be comforted too soon. And what measure and continuance of sorrow is sufficient and good for us, he knoweth best. This the Lord had respect unto in refusing to grant Paul's request, 2. Cor. 12. 7, 8. he saw he would be in danger to be exalted and not be humbled enough, if he should ease him of that affliction so soon as he desired.

The Lord doth this to try and exercise the faith and obedience of his servants, that the same being found to be sincere, it might yield them the more comfort. He tries their obedience whether they will continue to seek unto him, and call upon him (because they know he hath commanded them to do it) though they feel no comfort in it. And he tries their faith, whether they will believe his promise, and wait for the performance of it, though he delay it long. This Christ had respect unto in those repulses he gave to the poor woman of Canaan; as appears plainly Matth. 15. 28. O Woman, great is thy faith, be it unto thee as thou desirest.

The Lord doth this to make his servants more fervent and importunate in prayer unto him, for his grace and favor, that so they may feel the more comfort in it, and make more account of it when they have recovered it. As when a man hath obtained a thing by long suite, and it hath cost him much, he will esteem of it the more, and think himself the more beholding to him that granted it. To this the Lord Jesus had respect in with-drawing himself so long from his dear Spouse. Cant. 3. 1—4. She sought him, first, in her bed by night, she sought him but she found him not; secondly, then she sought him in the City by the streets and open places, she sought him, but she found him not; thirdly, then she inquired of the Watch-men that went about the City, Have ye seen him whom my soul loveth? At length (when with so great pains and diligent seeking she had found him) she saith, She took hold on him, and left him not. This is the fruit of extreme affliction, to increase fervency in prayer. It was so in our Head, Luke 22. 44. being in an Agony, he prayed more earnestly: And so it is in all his members likewise.

This Doctrine serveth principally for two Uses: 1. For comfort. 2. For exhortation.

First, it serves to comfort such of God's servants, as the Lord shall at any time deal in this manner with, as he did here with this Ruler; that in their affliction pray, but obtain not: they pray long and often, and receive no comfort at all. If this be thy case (as it may be the case of any of us) be not discouraged, faint not under this temptation, cease not, nor give over to pray, and seek unto God, though he seem to turn away from thee, and to stop his ear, yea to be angry with thee for it. Consider it is thy duty to wait, rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him, Psal. 37. 7. I waited patiently for the Lord, and he inclined unto me and heard my cry, Psal. 40. 1. But for thy comfort and encouragement, observe these five points.

1. Thou art not the only man with whom the Lord hath dealt thus; but there have been many of his dearest children (of whom thou canst make no doubt that they were highly in his favor) whom he hath been wont to use in this manner; nay, with whom he hath dealt far more roughly than he doth with thee; as I have made it evident unto thee, in the proof of the doctrine. Nay, there is scarce one of a thousand of God's children, but (at one time or other, in one degree or other) they have been exercised with this temptation. This consideration hath great force to comfort God's children, in this and all other their afflictions. By this argument the Apostle comforteth the faithful, 1. Pet. 4. 12. Dearely beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is among you, to prove you, as though some strange thing were come unto you. and 5. 9. Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your Brethren that are in the world.

2. Be thou fally assured, that thou never calledst upon him in truth and with an upright heart, nor askedst ought according to his will, but he heard thee, and took it in good part, and regarded thy prayer, and will certainly grant thy request, whatsoever he hath seemed to thee to do. To this end think oft of these promises. Isaiah 30. 10. He will certainly have mercy upon thee at the voice of thy cry; when he heareth thee he will answer. Psal. 145. 18, 19. The Lord is near to all that call upon him, yea to all that call upon him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of them that fear him, he also will hear their cry, and will save them. 1. John 5. 14, 15. This is the confidence that we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will he heareth us. And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired. Yea, though thy prayer be imperfect and weak, yet remember that this promise is made to all. Rom. 10. 12, 13. He that is Lord over all, is rich unto all, that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved. See the proof of this in a prayer, made in much infirmity, when David said in his hast and passion (through the violence of his temptation) that he was cut off from before the eyes of God (that he was but a cast-away) yet for all that, God heard the voice of his supplications, Psal. 31. 22. Yea, be thou sure of this, that he is much more ready to give than thou canst be to ask. 1. Pet. 3. 12. His ears are open, as a kind mother or nurse; which use to be so wakeful, as they will hear the child so soon as ever it begins to cry. Dan. 5. 10. Fear not Daniel, for from the first day that thou didst set thy heart to understand, and to humble thyself before thy God, thy words were heard. And Isaiah 65. 24. Yea, before they call I will answer, and while they speak I will hear. This the faithful have gloried in, Psal. 4. 3. and 17. 6. and 38. 15. This reason is of great force to encourage and hearten us to perseverance in prayer, O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come, Psal. 65. 2. In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee, for thou wilt answer me, Psal. 87. 7.

3. It may well be that God regards thy prayer, and answers thee too, though he do not presently grant that, that thou desirest of him. If after thy prayer thou find the comfort and peace of thy conscience increased, thou art well enough, though thou obtain not that thou askedst: Yea, this is the most comfortable answer of all, that God useth to give to the prayers of his servants. By this (as by the fire which he was wont to send from heaven to consume the sacrifice, 2. Chron. 7. 1.) he doth testify, that he is well pleased with the prayers of his servants. And this kind of answer the godly seldom fail of. Psal. 35. 13. I humbled myself with fasting, and my prayer was turned into mine own bosom. This answer David received, even whilst he was praying, Psal. 6. 8, 9. Away from me all ye workers of iniquity (mark what case he was in before, from verse 1. to 7.) for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping, the Lord hath heard my petitions, the Lord will receive my prayer. This the Apostle speaks of, as a thing the faithful may be sure of, whensoever they pray aright, in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your request be made known unto God, and the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus, Phil. 4. 6, 7.

The fourth comfort against this temptation, is this, If the Lord do for a time with-hold, not only the thing thou prayedst for, but this answer also; yet be thou assured, he doth it for thy good: he doth it for one of those three ends thou heardest of in the doctrine. And if thou canst find that the Lord's delays have had those effects in thee (they have humbled thee, they have approved thy faith and obedience, they have increased thy desire and estimation of his favor) thou art a happy man. The Lord in granting our requests, respects not so much our words, as the meaning of his spirit in our prayers, Rom 8. 27.

A fifth comfort against this temptation, is this, That till the appointed time come, till God see it good to give thee, either the thing thou askest, or that sweet peace and comfort of conscience that I spake of, he will certainly give thee strength to abide this trial. This is the thing thou most fearest and complainest of, thou feelest thyself ready to faint and give over; but be of good comfort, though he let thee feel thy weakness, and how unable thou art to stand or go alone, yet (as the Nurse that dandles the Child) he holds thee, and will not let thee fall. Thus David speaks of himself in the time of a most grievous temptation, Psal. 73. 22, 23. I was as a beast before thee, yet was I always with thee, thou hast holden me by my right hand. Thus though God refused to hearken to Paul, in causing the messenger of Satan to depart from him (though he prayed thrice for it), yet did he hear and answer his prayer, 2. Cor. 12. 9. He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my power is made perfect through weakness. And this may be a certain argument to a man that God hath heard, and received his prayer (though he do delay to grant his request) when God's grace makes a man able to continue in prayer, and to hold out, though it be with much pain and discomfort. For this comes not of our selves, but is a singular gift of God. This is plainly proved, Psal. 10. 17. Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the poor, thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear. And this testimony every true believer may be sure to find in himself, even when to his own feeling he hath least grace, the spirit of God will help and sustain his infirmity, Rom. 8. 26. Therefore (to conclude this first Use) I will say to them, whom God exerciseth with this temptation, that which the Apostle doth to them that suffer persecution for righteousness sake, and fear they shall not be able to hold out, 1. Pet. 4. 19. Let them commit their souls to God in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

The second Use of this doctrine, is, to exhort all God's people that they would labor so to pray, as they may have assurance to be heard when they pray; for these comforts belong not to all, but to such as pray aright.

It hath been wont to be a matter of greatest discomfort to God's people (as we have heard) when they have prayed and could not find any audience with God, be not silent unto me, lest if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit, Psal. 28. 〈◊〉 . Therefore should we both mark well, what we have prayed for, and observe what entertainment we find when we go to our Father, listen and hearken what answer we receive from him. David prays oft for an answer, in thy faithfulness consider me, Psal. 143. 1. As he that is a suitor to the King, or any great man, when he hath delivered his petition, will be diligent to inquire what the King saith to it; so should we do. Psal. 8 •… . 8. I will hearken what the Lord God will say, for he will speak peace, &c. Two benefits we should receive by it: 1. It would work in us a great increase of comfort and assurance of God's favor, of thankfulness and love to God, if we might perceive that he had respect to our prayers whensoever we called upon him, so did it in David, as we shall find in many places of the Psalms, Psal. 6. 8, 9. and 28. 6. and 66. 19, 20. and 61. 4, 5. and 116. 1—4. 2. If by observing we shall find that he hath had no respect to our prayers, it would humble and drive us to search into the cause of it, and so enforce us to make peace with him.

Four things there are required in him that would so pray as he may have assurance to find audience, and to receive a good answer from God. 1. The man himself must be in God's favor, and know himself to be reconciled unto God in Christ, the Lord had respect to Abel and to his offering, first to Abel and then to his offering, Gen. 4. 4. 2. He must bring a heart that hath unfeignedly repented of all known sins, and resolved to do the will of God in all things, If I regard iniquity in mine heart, the Lord will not hear me, Psal. 66. 18. we know that God heareth not sinners, John. 9. 31. If thou wilt not hearken to God, thou canst have no hope that he will hear thee, as he cried and they would not hear, so they cried and I would not hear, saith the Lord of hosts, Zach. 7. 13. 3. He must take heed the things he prayeth for be such as God hath in his Word warranted him to ask, this is the confidence that we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us, 1. John 5. 14. 4. He must not pray coldly, nor drowsily, but fervently, I will pray and cry aloud, and he shall hear my voice, not for the loudness of his voice, but for the fervency of his spirit that made him cry so loud, Psal. 55. 17. The effectual servant prayer of arighteous man, availeth much, James 5. 16.

Lecture the eighty nine. June 11. 1611. JOHN IIII. XL VIII—L.

IT followeth now to consider why, and for what fault, our Savior thus rebuketh this Ruler. And we shall find, that his sin that he rebuked him for, was his infidelity, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe. As if he should say, I can do thee no good, except thou hadst Faith; but you, neither thou nor thy nation, have any true faith, you do not believe me to be Christ, the Savior of the world, as the Samaritans of Sychar did; nay, which is worse, you will not believe, you are obstinate in your infidelity. God hath sufficiently by his Word, and by the Ministry of John the Baptist manifested me to be the Messiah: but that will not serve your turn, you will not believe, except you have miracles to confirm it: yea, I have already by many miracles declared myself evidently to be the Son of God: which also you have heard of, but that will not serve your turn, neither; unless you may see with your own eyes, ye will not believe: Nay, you have (at least many of you) seen my miracles yourselves, yet will not that serve neither; but unless you may see signs and wonders, that is, miracles of all sorts, many miracles, ye will not believe. So that we have in this reproof that our Savior gives to this great man, four principal points to be observed: First, that the infidelity of the Jews is the only sin that Christ here reproveth in them, that alone had power to restrain him from yielding to this Ruler that help that he desired of him, when he besought him to come down and heal his son; Christ returns him this answer, You believe not, you have no faith. As if he should say, I can do you no good, unless you did believe in me. Secondly, the argument whereby Christ convinceth the Jews of infidelity, and proves them to have no true faith; which is this, because, except they might see signs and wonders they could not be lieue. Thirdly, that Christ aggravateth the infidelity of the Jews by their obstinacy in it, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe. Fourthly, that though this was the sin (not of this Ruler only, but) of all the Jews, common to him, with his whole Nation; yet Christ counts that no excuse to his sin, but checks and rebukes him for it nevertheless; nay, he so speaks of it, as it may appear he hated this sin the more, because it was vitium gentis, and he dislikes him the more, and judged him the more unworthy to receive help from him, because he and his nation were guilty of this sin. Therefore purposing to check him the more sharply, speaking to him alone, he speaks in words of the second person plural, Except ye see, &c. Now of these four points we will speak in order. And first, in that Christ speaks here of infidelity, as the chief sin of the Jews, as of that, that did most provoke God against them, that that did stop the stream of God's mercy, and (as it were) dis-enable Christ from doing the good that he desired: This Doctrine doth arise for our instruction.

That no sin offends God so much, as infidelity, when men will not believe his Word; no sin is such a bar to all God's mercies, as this. See the proof of this Doctrine, both in the examples of wicked men, and of God's dear children. For the wicked, we have two famous examples in the Old Testament, and two other in the New: The first is in the Israelites, that perished in the wilderness. Many grievous sins they were guilty of; but none provoked God to wrath so much, none were such bars to God's mercy towards them, as their infidelity. When the Lord had said, he would give them such abundance of flesh, as they should have enough to eat, Num. 11. 18,—20. Not one, or two days, or five, or ten days, or twenty days, but for a whole month together: they said among themselves, Can God prepare a table in the wilderness? Can he prepare flesh for his people? Psal. 78. 19, 20. They did not (as it may seem by the acknowledgement they made, Vers. 20.) absolutely deny that, that God had said (as many nowadays will do) but only made a question and doubt of it: but mark what followed, Psal. 78, 21. Therefore the Lord heard, and was angry, and the fire was kindled in Jacob, and also wrath came upon Israel. Why? what was the cause? He had told us before in the beginning of the 21. Verse. But because he would have us in any case mark this well, he repeats it again in the 22. Verse, because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his help. And whereas God did swear unto their fathers, that he would give the Land of Canaan to them and their seed after them, Deut. 1. 8. we shall find that there were but two only (Caleb and Joshua) of all those that came out of the Land of Egypt, that entered into it. What was the cause? Surely, they had many sins; they sinned in Idolatry, they sinned in Whoredom, and many other ways; but of all other sins, that that most provoked God, that that barred them out of the promised Land, was their Unbelief: as the Apostle plainly affirms, Heb. 3. 19. So we see they could not enter in, because of Unbelief. The other example we have of this kind in the Old Testament, is of a Prince of Israel, a great man under Joram the King, of whom we read, 2 King. 7. when he had heard Elisha (whom he knew to be the Lord's Prophet, and to speak from the mouth of the Lord) say (in the time of a great famine) To morrow this time, a measure of fine flower shall be sold for a sheckle, and two measures of barley for a sheckle, in the gate of Sa •… aria, 2 King. 7. 1. The Prince did not absolutely contradict that, which the Prophet had said in the Name of the Lord (as many nowadays will do) but only doubted of it, and made a question of it. Though the Lord (said he) should make windows in the heaven, could this come to pass? 2 Kings 7. 2. But mark what followed. The Prophet in God's Name threatened, he should see it (for the increase of his misery) but he should not eat thereof, Verse 2. and so indeed it came to pass; for he died a strange and base death: for the people trode upon him in the gate, and be died, Ver. 20.

The examples we have of this kind in the New Testament, are two: First, the men of Nazareth, of whom we read, that though Christ desired (out of the love he bare to the place of his education) to do good among them, yet he could do no great works there, Mar. 6. 5. viz. It was so much against his revealed will, that it was impossible even for him. And what was that, that disenabled so the Almighty Son of God, and so bound (as it were) his hands behind him? Surely, the Unbelief of the men of Nazareth, as it follows in the next words, Mar. 6. 6. And he marvelled at their Vnbelief. And more plainly, Mat. 13. 58. He did not many great works there, for their Vnbeliefs sake. The other example is of the Nation and Church of the Jews (though their privileges and perogatives were great every way, yet) we know, that when some forty eight years after Christ, or thereabouts, the wrath of God came on them to the utmost, so as it did never upon any Nation under heaven, though they were the natural branches of the Lord's Olive, yet did he break them off, and cast them away. And what was the cause of it? Surely, they were guilty of many heinous sins: but the Apostle plainly saith, the chief cause why God rejected them, was their Unbelief, because they did not give credit to his Word, Rom. 11. 20. Through Unbeliefe they were broken off, saith he.

So that in these four examples, God hath given evident demonstration how much he abhorreth this sin, and how it barreth him from showing mercy on men. But yet this will appear more plainly, if we shall look into some examples of God's dear children. I will only name two of them, one in the Old Testament, and the other in the New. The first is Moses (a man highly in God's favor, above all the men in the world) when God had bidden him speak to the rock before all the people, and promised that it should give forth water in that abundance, that the whole congregation, and all their cattle should have enough to drink, Numbers 20. 8. Moses did not absolutely refuse to give credit to the Word of the Lord, but only doubted, and made a question of it; and that not so much out of any distrust he had of God's power and truth, as out of the conceit he had of the great unworthiness of that wicked people. Numb. 20. 10. Hear now ye rebels (saith he) shall we bring you water out of the rock? But see how severely God punished his servant Moses for this. For this sin he shut him out of the Land of Canaan, Numb. 20. 12. Yea, though Moses earnestly sought to him for it, as we shall find, Deut. 3. 25. I pray thee, let me go over, and see the good Land that is beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain of Lebanon. But the Lord was angry with me (saith he) for your sakes, and would not hear me. And the Lord said unto me, Let it suffice thee, speak no more to me of this matter.

The last example is Zacharias (a man just before God:) when the Lord had promised him by his Angel, that his wife Elizabeth should bear him a son, Luke 1. 13. Zacharias did but doubt, and make a question of the matter, and said unto the Angel, whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife is of great age, Luke 1. 18. But see how sharply God punished his servant Zacharias for this. Though he were a Priest (and such a one, as whose tongue God might have had more use of, than of many others) yet was he smitten dumb for this, and so remained full forty weeks. Luke 1. 20. Behold (saith the Angel) thou shalt be dumb, till the day that these things be done, because thou belieuedst not my words.

The Reasons of this Doctrine are two.

As there is nothing wherein we so much give glory to God, as when we believe and give credit to his Word: so there is nothing wherein we do so much derogate from God's honor, and rob him of his glory, as when we refuse to give credit to his Word. When we believe whatsoever the Lord hath spoken, we do thereby give him the glory of his truth, his power, his justice, his goodness. John 3. 33. He that hath received his testimony, hath sealed, that God is true. So the Apostle saith of Abraham, that when he doubted not of the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in the faith, he gave glory to God, Rom. 4. 20. On the other side, he that cannot give credit to God's Word, dishonoreth him in the highest degree. 1 John 5. 10. He that believeth not God, hath made him a liar: and what greater disgrace can ye put upon any man of worth, than to give him the lie?

The second Reason of the Doctrine is this, Because Infidelity (as it was the first sin, whereby Satan got entrance into the heart of man, and drew him from God, Gen. 3. 4.) so is it still the root and mother of all other sins. Heb. 3. 12. The evil heart is called the heart of Unbelief; there it begins, that is the first thing that corrupteth the heart: As faith is the root and fountain of all other graces, that is it that purifieth the heart, Act. 15. 9. If we believe his Word, we cannot choose but love him, fear him, obey him, and put our trust in him; So on the other side, Infidelity is the fountain of all vngraciousnesse, and when once men begin to entertain a doubting of the truth of anything God hath revealed in his Word, then begins their heart to be poisoned and corrupted, then begin they to depart from the living▪ God, and fall from his fear, and love, and obedience.

Let us now come to the Use of this Doctrine, and we shall find it serveth, first, for exhortation: secondly, for reproof: thirdly, for comfort. First, seeing no sin offends God so much as infidelity, no sin is such a bar to all God's mercies, no sin hath that force to poison and corrupt the heart; we are therefore all of us to hearken to the exhortation, Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, Heb. 3. 12. Take heed of entertaining the least doubt of any truth, that God hath clearly revealed to thee out of the Word. And because, first we are all by nature full of infidelity, as appears by this, that Christ so often checks his elect Disciples for this. Matth. 6. 30. O ye of little Faith. And secondly, proportionable to the measure of faith, will our fear, and love, and obedience, and comfort be. Strive therefore by all good means, to obtain an undoubted certainty of the truth of God's Word, and to confirm thy heart against all doubts and infidelity. And four principal means I find that we are directed to in this case.

1 The consideration of the testimony which the Lord himself hath given of the undoubted certainty of his holy Word, Matth. 5. 18. Truly, I say unto you, till heaven and earth perish, one jot or one title of the Law shall not scape, till all things be fulfilled. Yea, it is a notable thing to observe how precise God hath been in this point, that as it is said of Samuel, 1 Sam. 3. 19. That God let none of his words fall to the ground: So hath he shown himself careful of the words and writings of all the rest of the Prophets; yea, of the least jot and title of them, that it might not fall to the ground, but be fulfilled, Matth. 〈◊〉 . 18. When the Holy Ghost will give a reason, why Christ's parents fled with him into Egypt, rather than into any other place, Mat. 2. 15. And why (after his return) he was brought up at Nazareth, rather than in any other place, Matth. 2. 23. Why at his death the soldiers cast lots for his garments, Matth. 27. 35. Why when he was crucified, the ungracious soldiers brake not his legs, according to the custom, but one of them with a spear pierced his side, John 19. 36, 37. This is only given for the reason of all, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the mouth of the Prophets, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. Now consider with thyself, that these things were but iots and titles in the Writings of the Prophets; and therefore if God were so careful to see these small things fulfilled, how much more will he be of the weightier matters of the Law, that concern mercy, and judgment, and fidelity? Mat. 23. 23.

2 The diligent and conscionable use of God's ordinance in the Ministry of his Word and Sacraments. For as Faith comes by hearing, Rom. 10. 17. so the constant use of it is appointed of God to this end, to bring men into certainty in the matters of their Faith. Ephes. 4. 14. That we henceforth be no more children, wavering and carried about with every blast of Doctrine.

3 Feruent and hearty prayer, when our Savior had taught his Disciples a truth that to flesh and blood seems most incredible; namely, that we are bound to forgive our brother (upon his repentance) though he wrong us never so oft, They said unto the Lord, increase our faith, Luke 17. 5. For no man can be undoubtedly assured of the truth of God's Word, without the revelation of the Spirit, Flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee, but my father which is in heaven, Matth. 16. 17. Yea it is a mighty work of God. Paul calls it, Ephes. 1. 19. the exceeding greatness of his power towards us that believe, according to the working of his mighty power.

4 An honest heart and care to please God. Mar. 1. 15. Repent and believe the Gospel. John. 7. 17. If any man shall do his will, he shall know of that Doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.

The second use is for reproof, and to discover the wretched estate of all vnbelieuers: First, if they had no other sin, yet this is enough to make their state miserable: Secondly, how civil soever they seem in show, doubtless, they are as painted sepulchers: for their heart must needs be corrupt and naught: Thirdly, neither the power of Christ's merits, nor the infiniteness of God's mercy can profit them; but the knowledge they have of the sufficiency of Christ's merit, and the infiniteness of God's mercy will but increase their misery, as in the case of that Prince in 2 King. 7. 2. Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.

And surely, this is the case of most men, even of such as live in the Church, and profess the truth. That that is said of the time, when Christ shall come to judgment, may be said of these times, When the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? Luke 18. 8. This appears by three apparent signs: First, the contempt of the word of exhortation, in the Ministry of God's servants; which, if they believed the Word, they would give credit unto, Believe in the Lord your God, so shall you be established, believe his Prophets, so shall ye prosper, 2 Chro. 20. 20. The people believed the Lord and his servant Moses, Exod. 14. 31.

Object. You cannot agree among yourselves; and how should we give credit to you?

Answ. In matters, the knowledge whereof is necessary to salvation, we all agree; against thee, and such as thou art, we all agree, Thou art convinced of us all, thou art judged of us all, 1 Cor. 14. 24. Secondly, the truths they seem to have received with greatest assurance, yet are they glad to hear ought objected against them: whereas the contrary is in them that believe, when occasion of doubting was given unto the two Disciples that went towards Emmaus, that that which they had believed concerning Christ, was not true, it made their hearts sad, Luke 24. 17. Thirdly, their hearts and lives are utterly unreformed, which were not possible, if they had true Faith.

Lecture the ninetieth. June 18. 1611. JOHN IIII. XLVIII.

IT follows, that we now proceed to the three other points, that I told you are to be observed in this Verse. And first, in that our Savior, charging them with infidelity, doth not say simply they would not believe; but saith, that unless they see signs and wonders they would not believe: therefore they had not Faith: This Doctrine ariseth, That true Faith is grounded upon the Word of God, and is able to give credit to the Word, though it see nothing else to confirm it. They that cannot believe except they see, have no true Faith. Before I confirm this Doctrine, I will explain it in four points:

1 True it is, that the Lord is wont by his works to give testimony to his Word, and to confirm it: yea, all the mighty works, that God worketh in his Church, are done to that end, to ratify his Word, and to gain credit unto it. Mark 16. •… 0. God confirmed the Word with signs that followed. And Acts 14. 3. God gave testimony to the Word of his grace, and caused signs and wonders to be done by their hands. Surely, the Lord would not do this, unless he saw it needful; and if he see it needful, why then doth he blame the Jews here for desiring this? And to this purpose it is, that though the Lord have appointed the day of general resurrection, to be the day of judgment, Acts 17. 31. Yet is there never a curse, that he hath in his Word denounced against the wicked, nor blessing he hath promised to the godly, but in every age, and in every place he hath made it good upon some, that men may sensibly see his Word confirmed unto them by his works. Psal. 7. 11. God judgeth the righteous, and him that contemneth God every day. In which respect it is said, Psal. 107. 42. The righteous shall see it and rejoice, and all iniquity shall stop her mouth.

2 It cannot be denied, but the heart of man may be notably prepared to the Faith, before his conversion, by many things which he may see: so the miracles which the Jews saw Christ work, were notable preparatives unto them, and made them much more willing to hear and receive his Doctrine, than otherwise they would have been Of this we have had an example before in the Galileans, Verse 45. So that is to be understood, John 2. 23. Many believed in his Name, when they saw the miracles which he did: viz. they had received some preparations unto Faith, they began to conceive reverently of his Doctrine, and were willing to hear him: and this was all, as appears; Verse 24. But Jesus did not commit himself to them, because he knew them all. So the good life that they have seen God's servants to lead, hath been a means to draw many a one to the Faith. The Apostle useth this as a reason, to persuade Christians to an honest life, That the Gentiles by their good works which they should behold, might have cause to glorify God in the day of their visitation, 1 Pet. 2. 12. That they that obeyed not the Word, might without the word be won by the conversation of their wives, 1 Pet. 3. 1. So the corrections of God, which they have seen and felt upon themselves, have been the mean to open many a man's ear, and to make him willing to hear, Job 33. 16. So the wonderful deliverances, that men have seen God give to his Church, and overthrows to the adversaries thereof, have won many a man to the liking of Religion. Hest. 8. 17. Many of the people of the land became Jews: As I nothing doubt, but the wonderful deliverance God gave us from the Powder-Treason, hath drawn many a one from Popery, to the love of the Gospel.

3 It is certain also, that the Faith of the best Christians may be much confirmed by the works of God which they see. So the Faith of God's children was greatly confirmed by the miracles of Christ, and of his Apostles, John 2. 11. This beginning of miracles did Jesus, and shown forth his glory, and his Disciples believed in him. So are the faithful greatly confirmed by God's corrections on themselves, when they are soundly humbled thereby, Job 42. 5. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but no •… ine eye seeth thee. So by the sensible experiments they have had of God's mercy in themselves, they are greatly confirmed in the Faith of God's promises. 2 Corinth. 1. 10. Who hath delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver us, in whom we trust, that yet hereafter he will deliver us: yea, the beholding of God's judgments on wicked men, and his mercies towards his faithful servants, hath greatly confirmed their Faith in the Word of God, when they can say, As we have heard, so have we seen, Psalm 48. 8. and 58. 10. The righteous shall rejoice, when they see the vengeance: and why so? Verse 11. And men shall say, Verily, there is a reward for the righteous; doubtless, there is a God that judgeth the earth. And in this respect men ought carefully to mark and observe the works of God, how God makes good his Word by his works. A principal point this is of Christian wisdom and piety, and great good might every man receive by it. Psal. 107. 43. Who is wise, that he may observe these things? for they shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord. Yea, say a man be never so diligent in the reading and hearing of God's Word; yet if he do not likewise observe the works of God, he is guilty of a great sin. Psal. 28. 5. They regard not the works of the Lord, nor the operation of his hands: therefore break them down, and build them not up.

4 It is not simply unlawful, or a sign of infidelity, for a man even to desire these sensible helps to confirm his Faith. Hezekiah was a true Believer, yet desired a sign, 2 Kings 20. 8. Gideon was a true Believer, yet he asked a sign of God, Judges 6. 17. And when God had given him one, he asked another, Verse 38, And when God had given him that, he asked yet another, Verse 39. and God was never a whit offended with him. When a man that doth in any measure truly believe, and give credit to the Word, shall desire that God would sensibly confirm to him the truth of his promises, by delivering him from any affliction he is in, by blessing him in his body, in his estate, in his children, especially by giving him the inward feeling of his favor, he doth no more than he may well do. Psal. 86. 17. Shew a token of thy goodness towards me, that they which hate me may be ashamed, because thou, O Lord, hast helped me, and comforted me. And Psal. 90. 16. Let thy works be seen towards thy servants, and thy glory upon their children.

Now though all this be so, as you have heard in all these four points, yet remains the Doctrine firm, That true faith is not grounded upon anything we see (upon sense and experience) but only upon the Word of God. Whatsoever the faithful man believes, he believes it, because God hath said it in his Word. This the Apostle makes the ground of Abraham's faith, Rom, 4. 18. He believed that he should be the Father of many Nations, according to that that was spoken unto him. This was the ground of the Apostles faith (not all the miracles they had seen) John 〈◊〉 . 22. They believed the Scriptures, and the Word which Jesus had said. This was the ground of the Ephesians faith, Ephes. 1. 1 •… .

2 Insomuch as though there be sundry truths in God's Word (as I shown you) which the Lord doth use to give us sensible proofs and demonstrations of in the world; yet he that hath true faith, believes those very things, not so much for anything that he seeth, as for that he knoweth God in his Word hath said so. So that he is able to say, I believe, that Goods unjustly gotten, will certainly come to naught; that Whore-mongers and Adulterers God will judge; that God will smite through the loins of them that rise against Levi, and of them that hate him; and that not so much because I see this confirmed in such and such examples (indeed I believe it the more for this) but not so much for this, as because God in his Word hath said it. Rom. 10. 17. Faith comes (not by sight) but by hearing. 2 Cor. 5. 7. We walk by faith, and not by sight. He that walks by sight, walks not by faith.

3 The true believer gives credit to the Word, though he see nothing to confirm it. The bare Word of God is of sufficient credit with him, and he believes as verily those truths which his sense nor reason can discern any proof of (such as are all the Articles of our Faith) only for the Words sake, as he doth those truths that are most confirmed unto his sense or reason. Heb. 11. 1. It is the evidence of things not seen. John. 20. 29. Thomas, because thou hast seen me thou belieuest, blessed are they that have not seen, and have believed. 1 Pet. 1. 8. Whom ye have not seen, and yet ye love him; in whom now though you see him not, yet do you believe, and rejoice with joy unspeakable and glorious. As if he should say, You believe nevertheless assuredly in him, though you did never see him.

4 The true believer gives credit to the Word, not only in those truths wherein he hath no help from sense or reason to confirm him, but even where they are both against him. Rom. 4. 18. Abraham against hope (of sense and reason) believed under hope (of God's Word) that he should be the Father of many Nations.

Let us now come to the Use of this Doctrine, and we shall find it serveth, first, for instruction: secondly, for reproof: thirdly, for comfort.

First, for instruction to the Teacher: secondly, to the Hearer. 1 To us that are teachers, since our Ministry is ordained to bring men to Faith, and there is no other means else ordained to that end, Rom. 10. 17. and faith is grounded only upon the Word; that therefore our chief care should be to bring good evidence from the Word, for everything that we teach. Mar. 4. 14. The sower soweth the word, that is the only seed of grace. 2 Tim. 4. 2. Teach the Word, improve, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering, and Doctrine.

2 This serveth for the instruction of the Hearers, seeing the excellency and happiness of a Christian consisteth in his Faith. (By faith we are justified in God's sight, and have peace towards God, Rom. 5. 1. By Faith we are sanctified, Acts 15. 9. By Faith we stand and persevere in the state of grace, Thou standest by faith, Rom. 11. 20. By Faith we quench all the fiery darts of the Devil, Ephes. 6. 16.) And this faith is grounded only upon the Word of God. We are therefore to be exhorted to seek good ground in the Word, for that that we hold in Religion; and therefore both to acquaint our selves with it in private, and in frequenting the public Ministry thereof, to hear with judgment, and to mark well, how that that is taught us is grounded upon the Word. Every Christian should esteem it a singular favor of God, that we may have his Word in our houses to read on when we will, and a foul sin not to make our use of it: This God complains of as of a foul sin, I have written unto them the great things of my Law, and they were counted as a strange thing, that did not belong unto them, that they had nothing to do withal, Hos. 8. 12. And the Prophet, describing unto us the man that shall be saved, describes him by this, Psal. 1. 2. that his delight is in the Law of God. Every man will grant, that there is no hope a man should come to happiness, unless he be such a one as is described, Psal. 1. and such a one thou canst not be, till thou can delight in God's Word.

So likewise when we frequent the Ministry of the word, we should learn to hear with judgment, and not so much to regard the zeal or utterance of our Teachers, as to mark well, how they ground that that they teach upon the Word of God. Phil. 1. 9. This I pray (saith Paul) that your love may abound, yet more and more in knowledge, and in all judgment. For this those Noble-men of Berea are commended, Acts 17. 11, 12. They searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Therefore many of them believed.

The second Use of this Doctrine, is for reproof and terror of carnal men. He that wants faith, it is impossible for him to please God, Heb. 11. 6. but the wrath of God abideth on him, John 3. 36. And by this Doctrine it is evident, the most men want true faith, because the faith they seem to have, is grounded (not upon the Word of God, but) only upon sense, they believe no farther than they see.

This shall appear evidently in three Points.

1. The faith they have is grounded, not upon God's Word, but upon sense. Those truths that they see generally received, and allowed of by men, those they are content to hold; but those truths that are rejected by men, (though they have never so good a ground in God's Word) yet they cannot believe. I might instance this in sundry particulars, if time would permit. Whereas, he, whose Faith is grounded upon God's Word, likes never the worse of any truth God hath revealed to him, because he seeth it rejected by men: but even as it is in other cases; (This is the trial of our love to men, Pro. 17. 17. A friend loves at all times, and a brother is borne for adversity) so it is in this, It is time for thee Lord to work, for they have made void thy Law; therefore love I thy commandments above gold, yea above fine gold, therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate eve ry false way, Psal. 119. 126, 127, 128. He that indeed loves God's truth, will love it the more, because it is rejected by the world.

2 The faith they have in God's justice is grounded, not upon the Word of God, but upon sense only. When the heavy hand of God is upon them in some judgment, they can believe indeed he is justly offended with them for their sins. When they hear the terrible thunder, and see the lightening, they can tremble before the Lord: but so soon as this is past, they cast off all fear of God; nothing that they hear spoken out of God's Word against their sins, can move them one whit. Whereas the true believer, that grounds his faith upon God's Word, hath the fear of God in him at all times, Blessed is the man that feareth always, Pro. 28. 14. and is much more assured of God's justice and hatred against sin, by that that he hath learned out of God's Word, than by anything he can see or feel, They tremble at the word, Esa. 66. 2. So Noah being warned of God concerning things not seen, (though himself was expressly exempted from the judgment) yet was moved with fear, Heb. 11. 7. For this the Ninevites are commended, Jonah 3. 4, 5. By the preaching of Ionab they were brought to that fear and humiliation, though they saw not, nor felt anything that might cause them to fear.

3 The Faith that the carnal man hath in Christ, and persuasion of God's mercy, is not grounded upon the Word, but upon sense only: he is indeed oft very confident of God's favor, both for the present, and for the time to come, he saith to his soul, Eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart, for God now accepteth thy works, Eccles. 9. 7. But what is the ground of his assurance? He saith, he sees God's love, and feels it daily, The judgments of God are far above out of his sight, Psal. 10. 5. But alas, this will be found a false ground. Eccles. 9. 2. No man knows either love or hatred, of that that is before them. Whereas the child of God is assured of God's favor for the present and the time to come, by that which he hears and reads in the Word; though he see or feel little to persuade him to it, yet he hath the promise, Godliness hath the promise both of this life and of the life to come: this is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, for therefore we labor and suffer reproach because (upon this ground) we trust in the living God, &c. 1 Timothy 4. 8, 9, 10. And this promise is of great force and account with him, Having these promises, let us cleanse our selves, 2 Corinth. 7. 1.

The third Use of the Doctrine is for comfort to the godly, that know they fear God unfeignedly, and yet are often perplexed, because all sensible tokens of his favor, both inward and outward, are taken from them.

First, in thy outward affliction and distress, acquaint thyself well with God's promises made unto thee, namely such as that, they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing, Psalm 34. 10. Secondly, assure thyself, God with-holds from thee the sensible performance of them, to prove whether thou canst believe though thou see not, To humble thee, and to prove thee, and to know what was in thy heart, whether thou wouldst keep his commandments or no, Deut. 8. 2. Thirdly, give thou glory to God in believing, and say as Job 13. 15. Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him. And all will be well assuredly, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth, Mark. 9. 23.

In the affliction of thy mind, and loss of the feeling of God's favor, first, acquaint thyself with the promises: Whom Christ ever loved, he loves to the end, John. 13. 2. The gifts and callings of God (such gifts and graces of God as do accompany an effectual calling) are without repentance, Rom. 11. 29. He hath said, I will never fail thee, nor forsake thee, Heb. 13. 5. Secondly, rest assured, God doth this for thy profit, he always chasteneth us for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness, Heb. 12. 10. Thirdly, consider not too much of, nor reason too much with thy temptation, Abraham considered not (thought not much upon, nor reasoned with, or objected against the promise of God) his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred year old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb, Rom. 4. 19. Fourthly, though thou feel nothing, yet say with David, Psal. 56. 10. In God will I praise his word, in the Lord will I praise his word.

Lecture the ninety one. June 25. JOHN IIII. XLVIII.

IT remains now, that we proceed to the two last points observed in this Verse. The first thing then that we are now to observe, is this, That our Savior chargeth the Jews with obstinacy, and aggravates their infidelity by their willfulness: Ye will not believe, saith he. And this ye shall find oft charged upon them, and made the chief cause of their rejection. John 5. 40. But ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. And 8. 44. Ye are of your father the Devil, and the lusts of your father you will do. Matth. 23. 37. How oft would I have gathered you together, as an Hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, but ye would not. Rom. 11. 25. Obstinacy is come to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. They had had all good means to persuade them to believe in Christ: the Scriptures did bear witness unto him, and so did the Shepherds, and Simeon, and Anna, and John the Baptist, and the miracles that Christ himself had wrought; therefore it must needs be willfulness and obstinacy in them, that they did not believe. From hence then this Doctrine ariseth, That this greatly aggravateth every sin in the sight of God, when it is committed with willfulness and obstinacy. When men sin, not of simple ignorance, but (God having given them the ordinary means of knowledge, and faith, and reformation of life) they stand out against the means, and will not be reclaimed.

Observe the proof and demonstration of this Doctrine in all the ways, whereby the wrath of God is revealed from heaven, and ye shall ever find, he hates the man that sins willfully against the means, above all other. First, in the everlasting punishment and torments of Hell. Though Turks and Pagans, that never sinned willfully against the means of grace, shall be damned: and therefore it is said, Mar. 16. 16. He that believeth not (not he that will not believe)▪ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , shall be damned. And 2 Thes. 1. 8 In flaming fire rendering vengeance on them that do not know God. And Rom. 2. 12. As many as have sinned without the Law, shall perish also without the Law: yet shall there be certainly in those everlasting torments (the least measure whereof shall be such, as no heart of man is able to conceive; and because the least shall be vnconceaueably extreme, and everlasting, it passeth man's reason to imagine how there should be any degrees in it) great odds and difference. And the Lord (who is infinite in wisdom, and justice, and power) hath appointed far more grievous, and fearful torments in that Lake, for them that have sinned willfully and obstinately against the means, than for any other sinner. This is plain by that speech of our Savior, Matth. 10. 15. of every City that refuseth the Word, Truly, I say unto you, it shall be easier for them in the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that City. And of Capernaum, that (did not refuse to hear, but) did willfully refuse to believe, and obey the truth which they heard, Matth. 11. 24. I say unto you, it shall be easier for the Land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee. And that of the Apostle, Rom. 2. 8, 9. Indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, shall be upon the soul of every man that doth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Grecian. And why of the Jew first, or chiefly? Because (as I have shown you) obstinacy is come upon Israel; their obstinacy against the means of grace, which they had above the Grecian, is the cause of it. 2. In those corporal and temporal plagues that God is wont to bring upon men in this life, God shows this also evidently, in those he inflicteth upon wicked men in their bodies, and goods, and good name, in their children and posterity. For, first, though God in this life show wonderful patience, in bearing with sinners; yet some he cannot forbear, till the life to come: but (James 1. 15.) sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. And the thing that makes up the measure and perfection of sin, is this, when men grow obstinate in sin, and will not be reclaimed. Thus saith Daniel to Belthasar, of the King his Father, Dan. 5. 20. When his heart was puffed up, and his mind was hardened in pride, he was deposed from his Kingly Throne, and his heart was made like the beasts. And this is so certain a sign, that some judgment or other is near unto a man, when his heart is thus hardened, and grown obstinate in pride, or in drunkenness, or in uncleanness, or in oppression, or in any other sin; that the Prophet tells Amazia to his face, 2 Chron. 25. 16. He knew by that, that God had determined to destroy him; as you shall find he did indeed, ver. 27. And though the Jews had many grievous sins, yet you shall find there never came any strange and common judgments upon them, till they grew to this. Dan. 9. 6. We would not obey thy servants the Prophets, which spake unto us in the Name of the Lord. Verse 11. Therefore the curse is poured upon us. Secondly, God never is so fierce and terrible in his temporal judgments against any sinners, as against those that have enjoyed the best means, and obstinately neglected and rebelled against them, God is very terrible in the assembly of his Saints, Psal. 89. 7. Under the whole heaven it hath not been done, as hath been done unto Jerusalem, Dan 9. 12. Wrath is come upon them unto the uttermost, 1. Thess. 2. 16. Thirdly, and principally, in God's spiritual judgments we may discern this: 1. Such as willfully refuse to receive and embrace the truth, when it is revealed unto them, God is wont to take their judgment and understanding from them, hearing you shall hear, and shall not understand, and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive, for this people have closed th •… ir own eyes, Matt. 13. 14, 15. Because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved, for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, 2. Thess. 2 10, 11. 2. Such as use obstinately to sin against their conscience, God is wont to give them up to a reprobate mind, and unto beastly and vile affections. Maruaile not therefore to see such as have had the best means (if they prove bad) to become of all bad men the most profane and ungracious: if you see children of most godly parents, people that have lived under most faithful Pastors, prove such, wonder not. It is said of Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, that he wrought more wickedly, than all the Amorit •… s that had been before him, 2. Kings 21. 11. 3. God hath threatened against some sinners that he will never comfort them, nor show mercy on them, and consequently not give them grace to repent; which is the grieuousest plague of all plagues, the Lord will not spare that man, but the anger of the Lord and his i •… alousie shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, Deut. 29. 20. And the cause hereof you shall find in the former verse to be the presumption and obstinacy in sinning that was in that man. See this in Pharaoh, Exod. 9. 12. the Lord hardened his heart that he could not repent. But what was the cause? Exod. 8. 15. 19 32. He had hardened his own heart, and willfully refused to hearken to the message that was brought him from God, or to be humbled and moved with his judgments.

The Reasons of the Doctrine are two.

1. This obstinacy in sin, argues that sin hath the full possession of the heart, and that men love it unfeignedly; and that is one cause why God hates it so much. Psal. 11. 5. The wicked, and him that loveth iniquity doth his soul hate. And 66. 18. If I regard wickedness in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. Our sins are then become our idols and gods, these men have set up their idols in their hearts, Ezek. 14. 3. when we give divine honor unto them.

2. It argues a rebellion and proud contempt of God, when men will not be reclaimed by his Word. Job 34. 37. He addeth rebellion unto his sin. And 1. Sam. 15. 23. Rebellion is as the sin of Witch-craft. Yea, this obstinacy will bring the heart by little and little into that impardonable sin, that is committed in mere malice against God. Therefore when the nature of that sin is described, it is called a sinning willfully, Heb. 10. 26. And David, Psal. 19. 13. speaks of presumptuous sin as of the next step to the great transgression.

The Use of this Doctrine is both for Exhortation, and for Reproof, and for Comfort also.

We are all to be Exhorted by this Doctrine, to take heed of obstinacy in any sin, and to count it a great favor and grace of God (which we should pray for, and by all means labor to attain unto, viz.) to have tractable and teachable hearts. This is made a note of God's Elect, to receive the Word gladly, Acts 2. 41. and with all readiness of mind, Acts 17. 11. Four notes we may try this by: 1. When in going to hear the word we go with an open heart, willing to learn whatsoever God shall teach us. Acts 10 33. We are all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God. 2. When our reason is so captivated unto God, that we dare not dispute, nor cavil against any truth God hath clearly revealed unto us in his Word, seem it never so contrary to our reason and affections. Job 6. 24. Teach me and I will hold my tongue, and cause me to understand wherein I have erred: as if he should say, Reueale to me by thy Word, anything wherein I have offended thee, and I will lay my hand upon my mouth, I will not dare to reason in the defense of it. 3. When we are ready to receive God's Word, and be informed in his will, by any, how much soever he be our inferior; when we dare not reject good counsel and admo •… ition from any. Isaiah 11. 6. A little child shall lead them. 4. When the Lord having revealed his will unto us by any means, we show an earnest care and endeavor to obey it, Psal. 119. 34. Give me understanding, and I will keep thy Law, yea I will keep it with my whole heart.

For Reproof and terror of all wicked men that live in these days of light, Isaiah 33. 14. The sinners in Zion are afraid, saith the Prophet. And indeed, no sinners under heaven have so much cause to fear, as the sinners in Zion have; they that have enjoyed the best means. They cannot pretend ignorance, for excuse of their sins; all their sins will be judged to be done obstinately and willfully.

But two special sorts of sinners are reproved here: First, such as are willful and obstinate against the knowledge of the truth: Secondly, such as are obstinate and willful against the practice and obedience of the truth. Two sorts there be of them, that will not know the truth: as first, they that refuse to hear, because they think their ignorance will be some advantage to them; their conscience will be the quieter for it. And these are like Felix, Acts 24. 26. who, when he felt his conscience awakened and troubled by Paul's Ministry, would hear him no longer. But alas, this will be no advantage to them: for first, there is light enough in them by nature to condemn them, though they never hear Sermon, as many as have sinned without the Law, shall also perish without the Law, Rom. 2. 12. Secondly, the knowledge of the Word will not work unquietness, but peace in the heart of them that do obey it, learn of me—and ye shall find rest to your souls, Matth. 11. 29. Thirdly, willful ignorance shall no way lessen, but increase thy condemnation. The Apostle, 2. Pet. 3. 5. speaking of Atheists and Mockers, saith, This they willingly know not. Mat. 10. 15. It shall be easier for Sodom and Gomorrah, than for them that will not hear.

The second sort of them that will not know the truth, are they that can be content to hear, but yet will not be persuaded of many truths, that have oft been clearly taught them out of God's Word. They cannot be persuaded, that preaching is the only ordinary means of salvation; that we must so precisely rest from our own labors upon the Sabbath; that a man is bound to frequent every part of God's worship, both in Church and house; that every master of a family is charged with the souls of his whole family, and shall answer for the sins that are committed in it. These men I would have to weigh, first, that it is spoken to the praise of many, and noted as a mark of God's Elect, to receive the Word with all readiness, Acts 17. 11. and the very entrance of God's Word giveth light unto them, Psal. 119. 130. And the contrary is noted by the Holy Ghost to the dispraise of men, that they were long ere they could believe, ô fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the Prophets have spoken, Luke 24. 25. yea, it is spoken of as a mark of a reprobate, you therefore hear not (believe not, obey not) because ye are not of God, John. 8. 47. if our Gospel be hidden, it is hidden to them that are lost, 2. Cor. 4. 3. Consider the true causes of it, and they are said to be three: First, the badness and vngraciousnesse of the heart, women laden with sins and led away with diverse lusts, are ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth, 2. Tim. 3. 7. Secondly, the special work of Satan, the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not, 2. Cor. 4. 4. Thirdly, the just judgment of God upon thine own willfulness, as we heard before out of Matth. 13. 14, 15. Remember the Doctrine, and take heed of sinning willfully.

The second sort, that I told you were to be reproved by this Doctrine, are such as are willful and obstinate against the practice and obedience of the truth: and of them there are three sorts: First, such as will not obey the truth, when they see it, but glory in this, that they can give us the hearing, and yet are not such fools as to be ruled by us, they said we will not walk therein, Ier. 6. 16. as for the word which thou bast spoken to us in the name of the Lord, we will not hearken unto thee, Ier. 44. 16. Secondly, such as will not endure particular admonition, be it private or public. Thirdly, such as will be the worse for admonition, sin taking occasion by the Commandment, Rom. 7. 8. And such (for the most part) are our youths, whose outrages are usually committed in an opposition, and contempt to the Word: but let them remember, these youthful sins will be heavy and bitter one day, thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities (the punishment of the sins) of my youth. Job 12. 26.

The third Use of this Doctrine, is for the comfort of the faithful, who (though they have many corruptions, yet they) are able to say, that to will is present with them; their will, and the desire of their heart, is set to please the Lord, Rom. 7. 18. 20.

Lecture the ninety two. July 2. 1611. JOHN IIII. XLVIII.

IT followeth now, that we come to the fourth and last point, that I have told you is to be observed in this verse: in which (that we may the better receive our instruction from it) these things are to be marked: First, our Savior chargeth the whole Nation of the Jews with this sin of infidelity, and saith, that this was the common fault of all the Jews of that age; they would not believe, except they saw signs and wonders. Matth. 12. 29. An evil and adulterous generation seeketh a sign. 1. Cor. 1. 22. The Jews require a sign. Secondly, that our Savior, purposing to reprove this Ruler for his infidelity, and to humble him, and to show him, that for that cause he was unworthy to receive help from him, doth not say, Except thou see, &c. but in the plural number, Except ye see: as if he should say, If this were thy sin only, I could the better bear with it, but it is the sin of you all: and this he speaks, not to extenuate his sin, but to humble him the more. Hence then this Doctrine ariseth:

That the commonness of any sin, is no excuse for sin. No man hath cause to make the less account of any sin that he lives in, because he seeth it is common, and grown into fashion; but to fear it the more, to be humbled the more for it, because of that. A plain proof of the Doctrine we have, Levite. 4. from verse 13. to 35. where the Lord (prescribing a form, how atonement should be made for all sorts that had sinned of ignorance, he) requires more solemnity to be used, and more to be done, for the expiation of a sin, that a whole Congregation is guilty of, than either for the sin of any Magistrate, or for the sin of any private man whatsoever.

The Reason of the Doctrine is this, That the more common sin is, the more God hateth it, and the less can he bear with it. The more there be that do conspire in sin, the more fierce will God's wrath be upon them. Nothing hastens God's vengeance upon sinners more than this: as the generality of repentance, and joining together in the profession of it, is of great force to stay God's wrath; as we may see in two famous examples, namely in the fast that Israel kept for success against the Benjamites, and in that of the Niuites, Judge. 20. 6. and Jonah 3. 5. so is the generality of sin of great force, to hasten and increase the judgments of God. See the proof of this in three famous examples of God's vengeance upon sinners. First, in the destruction of the old World; mark the story, and you shall find, that the generality of sin then, brought that general flood. Gen. 6. 12. Then God looked upon the earth, and behold, it was corrupt: for all flesh had corrupted his way upon earth. And verse 11. The earth was filled with cruelty. The second example is in the destruction of Sodom: of that the Lord saith, Gen. 18. 20. The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and their sin exceeding grievous. But what made the cry of their sin so great? Look Gen. 19. 4. and ye shall find it was this; The men of Sodom compassed Lots house from the young even to the old, all the people even from all quarters, they were all corrupted with that beastly filthiness, they did all burn with that lust. The third example is that of the captivity in Babylon; before it fell out (when the causes of it are laid down by the Prophets) nothing is so much stood upon, as this, that all sorts and conditions of God's people had corrupted themselves. See this in Ier. 5. 7. How should I spare thee for this? And verse 9. Shall not I visit for these things, saith the Lord? shall not my soul be avenged on such a Nation as this? Why? What was the cause? verse 7. They assemble themselves by companies in Harlots houses. And verse 8. Every man neighed after his neighbors wife. Adultery was grown to be the sin, not of a few, but of all sorts. See this also, the children gather the wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead the dough to make cakes to the Queen of heaven, &c. Ier. 7. 18. 20. A conspiracy is found among the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my Covenant—therefore behold I will bring evil upon them, &c. Ier. 11. 9—11. The like complaint we shall find, Ezek. 22. 6. Behold, the Princes of Israel, everyone in thee, was ready to his power to shed blood. And verse 11. Everyone hath committed abomination with his neighbors wife, and everyone hath wickedly defiled his daughter in law, and in thee hath everyone forced his own sister, even his fathers daughter. And after the captivity was come, you shall see it was imputed to this chiefly. Dan. 9. 11. Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy. Law, and have turned back, and have not heard thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us. In all these examples we see, that whiles sin kept it self within any bounds, the Lord did forbear to bring these common and general calamities upon men; but when (like a flood) it overflowed the banks, and ran over all, then could God forbear no longer.

The first Use of this Doctrine is for Reproof: most men count this a sufficient excuse, and defense for anything they hold, or for anything they do, that they are not alone; they hold as most men do, and do as most men do; they make the example of men, the rule of their conscience: First, the good things they do, they do upon no other ground, but because it is the custom; they hold this Religion to be the truth, they keep the Sabbath, they come to Church only upon this ground. All men do so, even the wisest men we know; thei Faith stands in the wisdom of men, as the Apostle speaketh, 1. Cor. 2. 5. Secondly, let all the Preachers in the world speak never so much against some sins (as the resting upon a dumb Ministry, the superstitious observations of many Popish customs, giving and answering of challenges, following the newest fashions, the immodesty of women in their apparel and attire) yet will they not be persuaded that these are sins, only because they are so general, and in fashion everywhere. In this point our people are like those we read of, Ier. 44. 17. We will burn incense to the Queen of heaven: And why so? We have done so, both we and our fathers, our Kings and our Princes, in the Cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem. Thirdly, let us out of God's Word never so clearly prove the necessity of sundry duties (as to have prayer in our families, &c.) yet can they not be persuaded to it: And why? I pray you, who doth so? a few precise fools, whom everybody derides. John 7. 48, 49. Do any of the Rulers and Pharisees beleene in him? but this people that know not the Law are cursed. Fourthly, in such things, as they know to be sins (as swearing, whoredom, drunkenness, &c.) they bless, and secure, and quiet their consciences by this, that they are not alone. Ezek. 16. 54. Thou hast comforted them of Sodom, saith God to the Jews. And who is not in some degree or other guilty of this corruption? I will therefore give you some remedies against it out of God's Word:

1. Consider that we have just cause to suspect, that that way which the most men take, is not the right way; that if we do as the most do, surely we do not well. Matth. 7. 13, 14. It is the broad way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be that go in thereat: but the gate is strait, and the way narrow, that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. The most have ever swerved from the right way; yea, even the most of them, that have professed the true Religion, many are called, but few are chosen, Matth. 22. 14. Christ's true flock hath ever been a little flock, Luke 12. 32. Therefore Christ hath a strange speech, Luke 6. 26. Woe be to you, when all men speak well of you.

2. If we do swerve from the right way, and sin against God, it will not avail us to have all the men in the world on our mind, or to take our part: they cannot plead for us. 1. Sam. 2. 25. If a man sin against the Lord, who will plead for him? Those which by their example or otherwise, have drawn us to sin, will be far enough from pitying, or speaking a word for us, when God shall call us to judgment. What comfort can the companions of wicked men yield to them, when they are on their death-bed? Surely, as much as the Priests and Elders did to Judas, when they had drawn him to betray his Master, when he (in the anguish of his soul) cried to them, Mat. 27. 4. I have sinned, in betraying the innocent blood They say, What is that to us? see thou to it. But (say they were willing to take our part) alas, they can do us no good, when God shall call us unto an account, they cannot shroud us from God's wrath. Earthly Princes are fain oft to spare malefactors, because they are too strong, and have many to join with them: as David did Joab, 2. Sam. 3. 39. But the Lord will not do so. Pro. 11. 21. Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not go unpunished. What is the example of the whole world, to stand against God? It's as easy for him to destroy a whole world of men, as one man, behold the nations are as the drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance; behold he taketh up the iles as a very little thing. All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less then nothing and vanity, Isaiah 40. 15. 17. Yea (as we have heard in the Doctrine) he is so much the more ready to execute vengeance upon any sin, the more common it is, the more there be that join in it; as in the example of the old World and Sodom, it hath appeared. At the day of judgment, thou that art an adulterer, a drunkard, a swearer, &c. shalt see all that have been of thy fashion gathered together; then thou shalt have company enough, thou shalt then be able to say, thou art not alone: but a las, that shall yield thee no comfort at all. But in that day, thou shalt find that true, which the Prophet saith in another case, Isaiah 44. 11. Behold, all that are of the fellowship thereof shall be confounded,—l •… t them all be gathered together and stand up. yet they shall fear, and be confounded together. Yea (howsoever many desperate sinners are wont to jest at Hell, and say they had rather be there, than in Heaven; for there will be most good fellows to bear them company, yet) they shall find one day, that that will be no mitigation at all to their torment, but the more of their companions and fellows that they shall have with them there, the more extreme and intolerable shall their pains be. And that may seem to be the only cause, why Dives was so importunate with Abraham, that Lazarus might go to keep his brethren from that place of torment, Luke 16. 28. So that it stands everyone upon, to hearken to the exhortation of the Apostle, Gal. 6. 4, 5. Seek to have matter of rejoicing in thyself alone, and not in another: for every man shall bear his own burden.

The third remedy against this corruption, is, to consider that it is not safe to make the example of any, no not of the best man, the rule of our conscience. That honor is due only to God's Word: The example even of the best man, may deceive and mis-lead us. So did the example of the old Prophet deceive the young Prophet, 1. Kings 13. 19. So did Peters example deceive Barnabas, and many others, Gal. 2. 13. So that we cannot be sure we do well, if we have no better ground. Yea, it is a most high dishonor done to God, to make any man's example the rule of their conscience. Ier. 17. 5. Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and withdraweth his heart from the Lord.

The second Use of this Doctrine is for instruction and direction unto us all, how to carry our selves in these evil times, wherein most foul sins are grown exceeding common and general, and do overflow all places, all sorts, and conditions of men. This is the general complaint of all men, that sin was never so rife, never so common, as it is now. Prophanenesse and contempt of Religion, swearing, drunkenness, unmercifulness, murder, falsehood, and security. They that go into places of most common resort, as to Fairs, and Assizes, and observe the behavior of men, would wonder at God's patience, and think there were not a godly man left in the Land, as the Prophet complained in his time, Psal. 12. 1. Well, let us learn what is our duty to do that live in such an age; specially theirs, that live in the worst places. Four duties especially I find enjoined to God's people in such an age. 1. We should take this for a sign of God's vengeance approaching; this should work in us fear and humiliation. It is made the property of a wise hearted Christian, Pro. 22. 3. To see the plague, and hide himself, to observe the signs of a judgment coming. As God hath given us signs to discern a tempest, so hath he of his judgments. And the Lord blames his people, Ier. 8. 7. for that they had less sense and wisdom, to discern the approaching of his judgments, than the Stork, and Turtle, and Crane, and Swallow had, to discern their appointed times. Now this is one of our signs, that judgment is near, when sin is grown so rife and general, as I have shown in the Doctrine. Certainly, when a godly man considers of it, it will work fear and sorrow in him. Psal. 119. 53. Fear is come upon me, for the wicked that forsake thy Law. Thus the Prophet brings in himself, and all the godly, mourning and complaining, Micah 7. 1. Woe is me, for I am as when they have gathered summer fruits,—there is no cluster to eat. Mark one reason, verse. 2—6. viz. the generality of sin: And another, verse 4. the approaching of judgment. He that is thus affected with this generality of sin, shall find comfort in the evil day, and none but he, set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof, Ezek. 9. 4.

If any shall object, This needs not trouble us, neither is this such a certain sign of judgment approaching; for though sin were never so rife as now, yet did our Land never enjoy more sign of God's favor, nor more likelihood of the con •… inuance thereof, than now. Some twenty years since, when sin was nothing so common, yet were there more signs of God's wrath towards the Land, than now.

I answer: 1. Judgment may be at hand notwithstanding all this, that we boast of. Gen. 19. 23. It was a fair sun-shine morning when Lot entered into Zoar, yet that very day fire and brimstone came from heaven upon Sodom. And our general security (that we cannot see, nor feel any tokens of God's anger) is one of the fearfullest signs that can be, that judgment is at hand, 1. Thess. 5. 3. When they shall say peace and safety, then destruction shall ceaze upon them. 2. I will tell you the true causes, why God hath spared us all this while, and doth spare us still, though sin so abound; and it is good everyone of us should take notice of them, that we may not call God's truth and justice into question: 1. The Gospel, and the true Religion of God is soundly preached, and professed still in the Land. It is true, sundry faithful Prophets of God are much maligned, and sundry dangerous errors are broached & taught by some men; yet for the substance, the true Religion and Worship of God (blessed be God) we still enjoy it in a comfortable manner, yea in greater sincerity and power than any other Church under heaven doth; and that with public allowance, and countenance of Authority. And this is one chief cause, why God spares us. 1. Chron. 13. 14. While the Ark remained in the house of Obededom, God blessed Obededom, and all his household. This the Prophet useth as a most effectual reason to move the Lord unto mercy toward Judah, Ier. 14. 9. Yet thou. O Lord, art in the midst of us, and thy Name is called upon us, forsake us not. and Ezek. 20. 8. I thought to pour out mine indignation upon them, and accomplish my wrath against them: but I had respect to my Name, that it should not be polluted before the Heathen. 2. God hath still a great people in the Land, that fear him unfeignedly. It is true, that in many places he hath not so many as he hath had, their numbers decrease very sensibly in sundry places; yet hath he still a great people in the Land. And this is another chief cause, why the Lord spares the Land: God's people are a blessing unto it, thou shalt be a blessing, Gen. 12. 2. As bad as Potiphar's house was, Gen. 39. 5. The Lord blessed it for Joseph's sake, and the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field. Yea, as bad as Sodom was, if there had been but ten righteous men in it, they had saved it, Gen. 18. 32. And certainly of our Land it may be said, that neither the wisdom of our Counselors, nor the valor of our Soldiers; but as Job 22. 30. The innocent have delivered the Island, and it hath been preserved by the pureness of their hand. 3. There be many of God's faithful servants that pray unto him fervently day and night, and so stand in the gap, to keep out God's judgments from the Land. It is true, fasting and prayer is not so much in use as of old it was: yet still is it used by many: and this hath great force to keep away God's judgments. Psal. 106. 23. The Lord minded to destroy them, had not Moses his chosen stood in the breach, to turn away his wrath. and Exod. 32. 10. the Lord saith unto Moses, Let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them.

1. Every man the more he sees iniquity to abound, the more fervent should he be with God in prayer, that so he may be one of those that stand in the gap, to turn away his wrath. The increase of sin in the land should increase our fervency in prayer. So did it in Moses, Exod. 32. 11. and Num. 16. 4. And this the Lord looks for at the hand of all his people. Isaiah 59. 16. When he saw there was no man, he wondered that none would offer himself, Ezek. 22. 30. I sought for a man among them that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the Land, that I might not destroy it; but I found none. And this is the first thing we must do in such evil times.

2. Take so much the more heed to thyself, that thou be not plucked away with the common error, 2. Pet. 3. 17. and that thy heart be not by little and little drawn to the liking of sin. This is pure religion indeed to keep our selves unspotted from the world, I am. 1. 27. For it is a marvelous hard thing for a man not to receive infection where sin is common. Experience shows how hard it is for a man (that lives where swearing and drunkenness, or filthy talk, or Sabbath breaking are in continual use) to keep his heart in the detestation of those sins. Yea men shall be apt to think a sin to be no sin, when he sees it to be in general use. See the danger of this in two examples, Joseph had learned in Egypt to swear by the life of Pharaoh, Gen. 42. 15. And the Prophet complains he was a man of unclean lips, because he dwelt among a people of unclean lips, Isaiah 6. 5. This must therefore cause us to take the more heed to our souls. Ephes. 5. 15, 16. Take heed you walk circumspectly, not as fools; but as wise, redeeming the times, because the days are evil. Men must do in this case, as they that live in London, when the plague is very rife, they seek preservatives, and go not abroad without their Pomanders, nor till they have eaten and drunk something, that may preserve them. The worse the times are, and the less comfort thou hast in them, the nearer shouldst thou draw to God, when the Prophet had spoken in the two former verses of the extreme badness of the times he lived in, see what use he makes of it, therefore will I look unto the Lord, I will wait upon the God of my salvation; My God will hear me, Mich. 7. 7. the worse the places are thou livest in, the more diligently shouldest thou give thyself to reading, and hearing, and prayer. Obadia living in Ahab's house made use of God's Prophets in private, 1. King. 18. 4. And Daniel, while he lived in the Court of Darius was given much to secret prayer, Dan. 6. 10. They that live now in such like places, and give themselves never the more to praying or reading, declare plainly they have no care of their souls.

3. The third duty is, that the worse the times are and places we be in, the more careful we should be to preserve others from the common infection. Ministers must so much the more vehemently reprove sin, by how much the more common it grows to be in the place where they live. Titus 1. 12. The Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, &c. It is Vitium gentis. Therefore verse. 13. rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the Faith. Parents and Masters should do in such times, as Joshua did, he resolved thus with himself, but as for me, and my house we will serve the Lord, Josh. 24. 15. So one Christian should the rather stir up another, as they that feared God did, Mal. 3. 16.

The third and the last Use of the Doctrine is for comfort and encouragement of the godly, that are everywhere hated for nothing so much as for this, that they will not be content to do as their neighbors do, they think it strange that ye run not with them into the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you, 1. Pet. 4. 4. and (good souls) they are oft ready to faint, and give over an holy course even for this; as even Elia himself was, 1. King. 19. 10. because they are alone. I will therefore give unto such some encouragements out of God's Word, to confirm and comfort them against this temptation:

1. Remember the Commandment of God so oft given to his people in his word, to separate themselves from the world, and be unlike to them. The Lord instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying, Say not ye a confederacy to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy, Isaiah 8. 11, 12. Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters saith the Lord Almighty, 2. Cor. 6. 17, 18.

2. Remember the necessity that lieth upon thee, that thou must do otherwise than they do, or thou must perish. Better it is to go to heaven alone, and with the ill will of all thy neighbors than to go to Hell with company, and with the love of all men. Indeed you should desire their love, and to have peace with them so far as is possible, and as in you lieth, but no further, Rom. 12. 18.

3. This is not thy case alone, but hath ever been the condition of the godly, to go thus alone, and to be hated for it, if ye were of the world, the world would love his own; but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you, John 15. 19.

4. Consider that thou art not alone; but besides those, that thou mayest see by the eye of faith (God, and his Angels, and all the faithful that live already in glory, who are all of thy side, Heb. 12. 22. 24. In respect of whom, thou mayest say, as 2. King. 6. 16. They that be with us, are more than they that be with them) you shall also find, if you look abroad, and come into such assemblies as this, that thou hast a great number, even in this world, that are of thy mind. And thou shouldest esteem more of the love of one godly man, than of the hatred of a thousand such as scorn thee.

5. The fewer that thou hast to go with thee, and the more enemies thou findest for this, the surer thou mayest be, that thy heart is upright, and the more praise shalt thou have with God, Noah was a just man, and perfect in his generation, Gen. 6. 9. And that was the thing that highly-commended him unto God. Come thou and all thy house into the Ark, for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation, Gen. 7. 1. I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is, and thou holdest fast my Name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful Martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth, Reu. 2. 13.

6. Thy living among so many and bad neighbors, shall not hurt thee, if God have called thee to it, the woman which hath a husband that believeth not, if he be pleased to live with her, let her not leave him; for the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, &c. 1. Cor. 7. 13, 14. but advantage thee exceedingly. For first, it will make thee so much the more watchful over thy ways, ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God, because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies? Neh. 5. 9. Secondly, it will increase thy zeal, Lots zeal and piety was much increased by living in Sodom, 2. Pet. 2. 7, 8. Thirdly, if thou so live amongst them as thou oughtest, it shall much increase thy glory. God hath promised that the faithful shall be a blessing where they are, Gen. 12. 3. And what knowest thou, whether God hath placed thee there to that end thou mayest win thy neighbor? Who knoweth (saith Mordecai to Ester) whether thou art come to the kingdom, for such a time as this, Est. 4. 14. what knowest thou O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? and how knowest thou O man whether thou shalt save thy wife? 1. Cor. 7. 16. Labor so to live, as thou mayest stop their mouth, and win them also, as the Apostle exhorteth all the faithful that lived among the Gentiles, and Christian women that had unbelieving husbands to do, 1. Pet. 2. 12. and 3. 1.

THE NINETIE THIRD LECTURE, ON IVLY XVI. MDCXI.

W E have already heard, that from the beginning of the 46. verse, to the end of this Chapter, the Evangelist sets down the History of the first miracle Christ wrought, after his return out of Judea into Galilee; and that this History stands upon four parts: First, the occasion that was offered unto Christ to do this miracle: Secondly, the manner how Christ wrought this miracle: thirdly, the fruit and effect of this miracle; Fourthly, the conclusion of the story. First, the occasion is set down in the 46. and 47. verses. Secondly, the manner how it was wrought, is declared in the 48. verse, and in these two that I have now read. And in setting of them down, we have heard the Evangelist observeth three things. First, the check and reproof that Christ gave unto this great man, and to his whole Nation, verse 48. Secondly, the answer that this great man made to Christ, when he had been thus rebuked by him, verse 49. Thirdly, the comfort and satisfaction that Christ gave unto this Ruler, after he had thus reproved him, and received this answer from him, verse 50.

The first of these three points were finished the last day; it followeth now that we proceed to the two latter: viz. the answer that this great man returned unto Christ, when he had been thus rebuked by him, and the comfort that in the end he received from Christ. And first, in the answer of this Ruler, it is to be observed: 1. That he neither denieth, nor confesseth the fault Christ charged him with: 2. He is neither troubled by it, so, as to bewail his infidelity, and seek pardon and help for it, neither doth he excuse or lessen it any way. 3. Nay (which is strange) he seems not at all to have regarded, or been moved with this sharp reproof of our Savior, though he so highly esteemed of him. And what was the cause of it? his grief and care for his son was so very extreme, that he could mind nothing else, nothing else could affect him. This had taken up all his thoughts, and all his affections. And from this example then, we have this Doctrine to learn for our instruction:

That extremity of worldly grief, will make the mind and heart of man incapable of heavenly things. The proof of this you shall observe in two points, which both Scripture and Experience doth confirm unto us: First, it makes the heart unfit to receive benefit by the Word: Secondly, it makes the heart unfit to pray. For the first, though it be true, that a man is never so fit to receive good by the Word, never so teachable and tra •… table, as when affliction and sorrow hath opened his ear, Job 3 •… . 16. yea if either affliction or sorrow be extreme, it so oppresseth the heart, it straighteneth and closeth it so, as it makes him unable to profit by the best teacher that shall come unto him. Tell a man, in such a case, of his sins, tell him of the rebukes and threats of God's Word, and you shall not m •… ue him; as we find in this example. So let the best Preacher come to a man in that case, and tell himof the promises of God, and apply unto him the consolations of the Gospel, he will be able to find no sweetness in them; yea, he will be unable to regard them. A notable example we have for this, Exod 6. 9. Moses and Aaron came to them with as glad tidings, as could possibly be brought to a people in their case, (verse 6. 8) yet, though first, the message was so comfortable: secondly, the persons that brought it were such, as they knew came immediately from God, Exod. 4. 30, 3 •… . thirdly, before when they brought them a message, that was not altogether so full of comfort as this, they received it, and praised God for it, Exod. 4. 31. yet now it is said, Exod. 6. 9. they hearkened not unto Moses, they made no reckoning of anything he had said. And the reason is given, for angui •… h of spirit, and for cruel bondage. And this was not their case only, but it is the very natural property and effect of extreme heaviness, to make the soul apt to refuse and reject all comfort. So is it said of Jacob, when he thought Joseph had been slain, Gen. 37. 35. All his sons and his daughters rose up to comfort him, but he would not be comforted. And David complains oft, that in this case his soul refused comfort, Psalm •… 7 〈◊〉 . Now for the second point: The man that hath had the best gift in prayer, shall be hardly able to make use of it in this case. Extremity of sorrow will make a man unfit, and unable to lift up hi heart to God in prayer, in any comfortable manner. True it is, that first, a man is best able to pray in affliction and sorrow, if it be moderate, L •… rd in trouble have they visited thee; they poured out prayer when thy chastening was upon them, Isaiah 26. •… 6. Secondly, no affliction can utterly quench the spirit of prayer in the child of God, even then when (through extremity of anguish) we know not what to pray for as we ought, the spirit it self helpeth our infirmities, and maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God. And the Prophet saith that he cry •… d unto God and sought him by prayer, even when his spirit was overwhelmed with sorrow, when he was so troubled that he could not speak, Psal. 77. 1—4. that he prayed in that case. But he did it without comfort, verse 3. I thought upon God, and was troubled; I prayed, and my spirit was f •… ll of angnish. In which respect, the man that is in extreme affliction, is compared to a drunken man. Isaiah 51. 21. Hear now thou miserable and drunken, but not with wine. And what good can a drunken man receive by the Word? O how can a drunken man pray?

The Uses of this Doctrine are four: First, to persuade every man to take heed of immoderate grief, and to fence his heart against excessive sorrow, specially for worldly things. I do not dissuade you from all sorrow: for I know that all sound Christians are given much to mourning, Blessed are they that mourn, Matth. 5. 4. John 16. 20. Verily, verily I say unto you, that ye shall weep and lament, and the world shall rejoice, and ye shall sorrow. And this exhortation must not be delivered without caution in this secure age, wherein men had more need to use all their skill to move men to mourning and lamentation. And know therefore, that first, it is a sign and note of an ungracious heart for a man to abandon all sorrow, and repose all his felicity in carnal joy. Luke 6. 25. Woe be to you that now laugh. Eccles. 7. 6. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. Secondly, there be sundry cases, wherein a man is bound to force his heart to grief and sorrow: as first, for his sins, when the faithful look upon him whom they have pierced by their sins, they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his only son, &c. Zach. 12. 10. secondly, for God's corrections and tokens of his anger, thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved, Ier. 5. 3. thirdly, for the dishonor that is done to God by the sins of others. Psal. 119. 136. Mine eyes gush out, &c. and fourthly, for the miseries and afflictions of others. Job 30. 25. Did not I mourn for him that was in trouble? was not my soul in heaviness for the poor? Thirdly, know that sorrow is not always hurtful for a man, but many times exceeding wholesome and profitable. Eccles. 7. 4. It is better to go into the house of mourning, than into the house of feasting: because this is the end of all men, and the living shall lay it to his heart. Yea, verse 5. Anger is better than laughter: for by a sad look the heart is made better. Though the grief be such which a man conceiveth upon this occasion, that it even troubles and disquiets the mind (for that is meant by Anger in this place; and in that also, 1. Chron. 13. 11. David was angry that the Lord had made a breach in Uzzah.) And though it be so great, that he cannot hide it, but make show of it in the sadness of his countenance, yet this will do the heart good. And of godly sorrow, the Apostle saith, 2. Cor. 7. 8. Though I made you sorry with my Letter, yet do I not repent. It were a fond conceit for men to think, that if they should give place a little to godly sorrow, it would bring them to despair. No, no, there is no such danger in it, no, it is the readiest and surest way to attain to true and sound comfort, Be afflicted and mourn and weep, let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into heaviness. Humble yourselves in the fight of the Lord and he shall lift you up, I am. 4. 9, 10. But though this be so, yet is this also the counsel and exhortation of the Holy Ghost, to moderate our sorrow, and to take heed of that sorrow that is immoderate and excessive, There is a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance. No man is bound to mourn continually, to spend all his time in sorrow, Eccles. 3, 4. sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof, men should not give way to unnecessary sorrows, Matth. 6. 34. They that weep should be as though they wept not, they should so moderate their grief, as it may no way hinder them in any duty to God or man, 1 Cor. 7. 30. yea, even of excessive sorrow for sin, 2. Cor. 2. 7. Ye ought to comfort him, lest he be swallowed up with over much heaviness. And this exhortation the Holy Ghost enforceth with sundry reasons:

1. Immoderate sorrow and heaviness of heart is a great curse of God. Deut. 28. 65. The Lord shall give thee a trembling heart and a sorrowful mind. And on the other side, a cheerful heart is spoken of as a great blessing, Act. 14. 17. Filling our hearts with food and gladness.

2. It is a great enemy to our health, which God hath bound us to have care of. Pro. 17. 22. A joyful heart causeth good health, but a sorrowful mind drieth up the bones. Psal. 31. 10. My life is wasted with heaviness.

3. It is a main hindrance to grace in the use of the word and prayer, as we have heard in the Doctrine. Pro. 15. 13. By the sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.

4. It gives great advantage to Satan. It is an old saying, that Melancholia est vehiculum Daemonum. And experience proves, that we are never so weak, so apt to receive the temptations of Satan, so unable to resist them, as when we are oppressed with melancholy and sadness of heart. And this is that that is said, Neh. 8. 10. The joy of the Lord is our strength. In this respect Paul chargeth the Corinthians to comfort the incestuous person, and take heed lest he were not swallowed up with overmuch heaviness, lest Satan, saith he, circumvent us. For we are not ignorant of his enterprises, 2. Cor. 2. 11.

Lecture the ninety fourth. July 23. 1611. JOHN IIII. XLIX, L.

THe last day we began to speak of the answer, that this Ruler returned unto Christ, when he had been rebuked of him, and charged with infidelity: which answer is set down in this verse I have now read unto you. And in it we observed, that he neither denies, nor acknowledgeth the fault Christ charged him and his Nation with. Secondly, he neither shows himself troubled with it, by confessing his infidelity and seeking pardon, nor doth he excuse or lessen it any way. Thirdly, though he esteemed highly of Christ, and counted him a Prophet, yet seems he not at all to regard, or be moved one whit with this sharp reproof he had received from him. Fourthly, no other cause can be imagined of his senselessness and stupidity, but only this, That his grief and care for his son was so very extreme, that it took up all his thoughts and affections; it did so oppress him, that he could mind nothing else, nothing else could affect him. And from hence we received this Doctrine; That extremity of worldly grief, will make the mind and heart of man incapable of heavenly things. It makes a man unfit to receive benefit by the Word, and it makes a man also unapt to pray with comfort. For the Word, though the heart of man be never so apt to profit by it, never so teachable, as it is in the time of affliction and heaviness, if it be moderate; yet when it is in extremity, it so oppresseth the heart, that neither the threats of the Law, though they be pressed upon it by a son of thunder; nor the sweet promises of the Gospel, though they be applied by such an one as Barnabas, a son of consolation, will be able to move it, or do it good. And as for prayer, though we are never so fit for it, as in time of affliction and heaviness, if it be moderate; and secondly, the spirit of prayer is such a grace, and of that immortal nature, as no affliction, be it never so extreme, is able utterly to quench it, or to deprive a man of it, that did ever truly enjoy it: yet if affliction and sorrow be extreme, it will make the best of God's children unfit to pray with that comfort they were wont.

And the reason of this, I shown you, is the great weakness and impotency of man's nature. Then came we to make our Use of the Doctrine. And the first Use was to persuade every Christian, to learn the right way how to prevent and keep his own heart from immoderate sorrow, specially for worldly things.

But because most men are apt to stumble at this exhortation, and this age is so secure, and so set upon jollity and carnal mirth, that it may seem more needful for us to use all our skill to humble men, and bring them to remorse of conscience, than to teach them to strive against sorrow: I did therefore propound unto myself this order, in handling of this first Use of the Doctrine. First, to show you how far forth sorrow is fit and necessary for Christians. Secondly, that yet they must take heed of excessive sorrow. Thirdly, how, and by what means a man may best preserve and confirm his heart against it. And of these three points, I finished the two first the last day; but the time would permit me to go no further. It now remains, that we proceed to the third and last, and so come to the second Use of the Doctrine. All men esteem it a miserable thing, to have a heart oppressed with grief, and seek to shun it by all means. And on the other side, all men esteem it an happy thing, to have a cheerful and merry heart: but most men are miserably deceived in the means, whereby the heart may be preserved from excessive sorrow, and brought unto true joy. But we must know, that true peace is the peace of God, as the Apostle calls it, Phil. 4. 7. and true joy is the gift of God. And every Christian should be able to call the Lord, the God of his joy and gladness, as David doth, Psal. 43. 4. and make no reckoning of that peace and joy, whereof God is not the author. So that if we would attain to true peace and joy indeed, we must seek it by such means as God hath directed us to use, and not by any other. Now I find four things especially, which God hath in his Word directed us to use, as remedies and preservatives against excessive grief, and means to bring us to true joy:

The first is, to get a true justifying faith, and good assurance of our salvation. This is a sure way to keep the heart from excessive grief, and make it cheerful: no joy comparable to this, Lord lift up the light of thy countenance upon us; thou hast put gladness in my heart more then in the time that their corn and their wine increased, Psal. 4. 6, 7. The joy that grows from this ground, is unspeakable and glorious, 1. Pet. 1. 8. This is able to make a man rejoice, when he hath never so many means to make him heavy, being justified by faith we glory in tribulations, Rom. 5. 1. 3. this made Paul and Silas sing so merrily even in the stocks at midnight, Acts 16. 25. For true faith gives a man many grounds and reasons of sound comfort: First, it assures him of the pardon of his sin; and when he knows that, no affliction need trouble him. Matth. 9. 2. Son, be of good comfort, thy sins are forgiven thee: for sin is the very sting of death, and of all affliction, 1. Cor. 15. 56. Secondly, he knows he shall never lose the favor of God, after he hath once obtained it, how many signs of God's anger soever may be upon him. Rom. 8. 38, 39. I am persuaded, that neither life, nor death, nor principalities, nor powers, &c. shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ our Lord. Thirdly, he knows God will have tender respect to his weakness, in whatsoever affliction he shall lay upon him, that it shall not exceed his strength: God will by the strength of his Spirit support and enable him to bear it, the spirit it self will help his infirmities, Rom. 8. 26. 1. Cor. 10. 13. God is faithful, that will not suffer you to be tempted above that you be able. Fourthly, he is assured, that whatsoever affliction God layeth upon him, it shall in the end tend to his good, and to the furtherance of his salvation, Rom. 8. 28. Fifthly, he knows the end will pay for all; and that after a while, all tears shall be wiped from his eyes, and he shall enjoy unspeakable comfort. Psal. 27. 13. I should have fainted, except I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Now on the other side, the man that wants this assurance of his salvation, though he have all the means in the world to secure and quiet his heart, and to make it merry, yet can he never attain unto true joy and comfort, nor keep off extremity of grief, when the evil day shall come upon him.

If any shall object against this, that many of God's children (that are assured of their salvation) are yet much oppressed with heaviness, and their lives are very uncomfortable: and on the other side, that many who want this assurance, are known to have the lightest and merriest hearts of all other men.

I answer. For the faithful, first, That they have much inward joy, though they show it not as other men; yea oft times when their life seems most uncomfortable to the worldly man, and most full of misery. Yea, as Solomon saith of wicked men's joy, Pro. 13. 14. Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful: so of the heaviness of the godly it may be said oft times, that even in weeping their heart is full of comfort. 2 Cor. 6. 10. As sorrowing, yet always rejoicing. That as Christ said, Vers. 32. of this Chapter, I have meat that ye know not of: so have the godly much comfort, which worldlings have no skill of. Pro. 14. 10. The stranger shall not meddle with his joy.

2 Though they be sometime in great heaviness indeed, yet it is not possible they should be overcome of it; but they shall certainly recover themselves: as 2 Cor. 4. 8. We are afflicted on every side, yet are we not in distress; in poverty, yet not overcome of poverty; we are persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but perish not. Because they have ever in them the seed and root of true joy. Psal. 97. 11. Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart. So that, as it is not possible for him that is once truly regenerate, to sin as other men do, because the seed of God, and Spirit of Sanctification abideth in him, 1 John. 3. 9. So it is not possible for him, that hath once attained to true assurance of his salvation, to sorrow as other men do, or to perish in despair; because the seed of God, the Spirit of Adoption (which is called the oil of gladness, Psal. 45. 7.) abideth in him. For this is that that Christ saith of this joy, John. 16. 22. Your hearts shall rejoice, and your joy shall no man take from you. And that makes David say so confidently, Psal. 37. 37. Mark the upright man and behold the just: for the end of that man is peace. And as for that which is objected concerning the joy of them, that have no assurance of their salvation, I answer: First, that many times their mirth is but forced and counterfeit; and when outwardly they make show of much mirth, their hearts within them are as heavy as lead. 2 Cor. 5. 1 •… . They rejoice in the face, and not in the heart. Pro. 14. 13. Even in laughing the heart is sorrowful. And secondly, though they seem very secure and pleasant in the time of prosperity (while like drunken, or mad men, they have no apprehension, nor sense of their own estate) yet in the evil day, when their conscience shall be awakened, their joy will fail them, and stand them in no stead. That which is said of riches, Pro. 11. 4. may be said likewise of merry company, good cheare, pastimes, and music; They will not avail in the day of wrath. While they are out of God's presence, and forget him, and their own estate, they are quiet and merry; but when God's glory shines but a little in their souls, they are troubled out of measure: as we see in the example of Balthazar, Dan. 5. 6.

O consider this, ye that forget God; esteem not of the joy of worldly men, give no rest to yourselves, till you have gotten good assurance of your salvation, and of the favor of God in Christ: For without this, nothing will be able to give you content and comfort in the hour of death, and in the evil day. Let this be thy desire, and daily prayer to God, that was David's, Psalm 106. 4, 5. Remember me, O Lord, with the favor of thy people; visit me with thy salvation, that I may see the felicity of thy chosen, and rejoice with their joy.

The second preservative against excessive sorrow, is the care of a good conscience. That man that in all things is careful to please God, and to keep his conscience pure, that he fall not into any known and grievous sin, shall ever have a quiet and cheerful heart. 2 Cor. 1. 12. Our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly pureness, we have had our conversation in the world. Yea, this will make a man cheerful at all times, and preserve him from sorrow; not in prosperity only, but even in adversity, he that is of a merry heart (he means, whose heart is made merry this way, even with the testimony of a good conscience) hath a continual feast, Pro. 15. 15. And in this respect, the Apostle, Ephes. 6. 14. calls righteousness the Brest-plate, that will defend the heart even in the evil day. But on the other side, the man that hath no care of a good conscience, but gives himself liberty to live in any one known sin, can never have any sound joy in his heart; but must needs be over-come of sorrow, and swallowed up with heaviness, when affliction shall come upon him. For sin certainly will bring sorrow, sooner or later, not only in the life to come, There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, Mat. 8. 12. but even in this life sin will bring sorrow: it is the proper and natural effect of sin, and cannot be avoided, Pro. 29. 6. In the transgression of an evil man there is a snare: that is, matter of sorrow and tears, as appears by the other part of the Verse: But the righteous doth sing and rejoice. They that have multiplied their sins, shall have their sorrows multiplied; yea, great sins will bring great sorrows: as we see in the example of Judas, Mat. 27. 3, 5. And many such examples God gives men in every age. Neither hath it been so with such as Judas only, but even with God's dear children, when they have neglected the care of a good conscience, and fallen into gross sins: great sins have brought them into great sorrows. The sins that have been committed with most jollity and pleasure, did of all other bring them to the most sorrow of heart in the end. This Job felt when God caused him to possess the sins of his youth, he saith, Job 13. 26. that he did write bitter things against him. He found much bitterness in the remembrance of those sins. And David, though he were of a sanguine constitution, 1 Sam. 16. 12. and consequently, cheerful naturally; though he were likewise an excellent Musician, and a King also, that had all outward helps to keep sorrow from his heart; yet when he had given liberty to himself to commit that sweet sin (as the world calls it) he lost his chearefulnes, and grew to that inward anguish of spirit, that he cries out in Psal. 51. 8. Make me to hear joy and gladness, that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. And Ps. 31. 10. My life is wasted with heaviness, and my years with mourning.

1 O think upon this, you Belly-gods and Wantons, that can find no pleasure but in offending God. As pleasant as you be now, you will have the heaviest hearts one day of any people under the Sun, Woe be to you that laugh now, for ye shall mourn and weep, Luke 6. 25. 2 And you, Beloved, Would you have a cheerful heart, and be comfortable even in affliction, in the time of your sickness, and at the hour of your death? have care then of a good conscience, take heed of known sins. Do you feel your hearts at any time begin to be oppressed with heaviness? Examine your lives, find out your chief sins, purge yourselves from them by repentance, and so shall ye keep yourselves from being overcome with grief.

The third preservative and means to keep a man's heart from excessive grief, (specially for any worldly occasion) is to make the Lord his treasure, and not any earthly thing. If a man do not over-value these earthly comforts (husbands, wives, friends, children, health, wealth, liberty, peace, &c.) nor count them his chief treasure, but esteem them, as they are indeed, transitory comforts; and count the Lord his favor and grace, his chief treasure: If a man set not his heart on these things, but love them only in the Lord, then shall he not be oppressed with immoderate sorrow for them, when God shall take them away. What a notable help it is against excessive sorrow, when a man can keep his heart from the over-much love of these things, we shall find, 1 Cor. 7. •… 0 where (when the Apostle had said, Let them that weep be as though they wept not) he adds presently, And they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not: as if he should say, Wouldst thou keep thyself from weeping and mourning too much for these things, when thou shalt lose them? then rejoice not too much in them, when thou doest possess them. And for the other point, what force there is in this, to stay the heart from immoderate grief for worldly things, when a man can make the Lord (his favor and grace) his chief treasure, you shall find, Esa. 33. 6. There shall be stability of thy times, strength salvation wisdom, and knowledge: for the fear of the Lord shall be his treasure: As if he should say, In all times, the man that hath made the fear of the Lord his treasure, shall have stability, and strength, and salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. And our Savior, when he dehorts his Disciples from that care for earthly things, as will bring grief and vexation to the heart, prescribes this for a remedy against it, Mat. 6. 33. But seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and the righteousness thereof, &c. On the other side, the man that makes these worldly things his chief treasure, and sets his heart upon them, cannot choose but be oppressed with sorrow, when he shall be deprived of them: as we see in the example of Ahab, 1 King. 21. 5, 6. When he could not get Naboth's Vineyard, his spirit was exceeding sad, and he could not eat his meat. And why so? His pleasure was his treasure; he loved Naboth's vineyard too well, and it was a death to him to be kept from it.

Then may I say to everyone of you, that have no felicity but in earthly things; in your wealth, your belly-cheer, your merry company, your pastimes and sports, your brave apparel, your credit and favor with men, you love them more than God, you affect them, and care for them more than for God: as our Savior in another case said, Luke 21. 6. Are these the things that ye look upon? Have you no better comforts than these? Alas, how woeful will your case be, when you must part with these things? Consider what is said, Job 27. 8. What hope hath the hypocrite, when he hath heaped up riches, if God take away his soul? Can he hope that God will hear his cry, when trouble cometh upon him? Will he set his delight on the Almighty, and call upon God at all times? Follow therefore the counsel of our blessed Savior, Mat. 6. 19. Lay not up treasures for yourselves upon earth; but lay up treasure for yourselves in heaven. And mark well the reason of our Savior, which he gives, Verse 21. For where your treasure is, there will your hearts be also: q. d. If you make earthly things your treasure, you will immoderately joy in them, when you have them; and grieve for them, when you shall want them.

Consider first, that these things are not our proper goods; but cast more plentifully on reprobates, than on God's children, If ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own? Luke 16. 12. But God's favor and grace is our peculiar portion.

These things are not durable, neither can we have any certainty in them, Trust not in uncertain riches, 1 Timothy 6. 17. But God's favor and grace is everlasting, The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever, Psal. 19. 9.

These things are vain, and can yield us no help, no comfort, when we shall most stand in need, Riches profit not in the day of wrath, Prouerb. 11. 4. Whereas the sense of God's favor and grace will yield us comfort, even in the greatest affliction, it will make us even to glory in the greatest tribulation, Rom. 5. 3.

The fourth and last preservative against immoderate sorrow, is, for a man to be rightly persuaded of his liberty in the use of the outward comforts of this life, as a good diet and good company, and following our worldly callings, and recreations, and such like. Let no man say this preservative might well be spared, as beseeming the Physician, much better than the Divine; for first, many a good soul have great need of this preservative, and give great advantage to Satan in the anguish of their conscience, by persuading themselves they should much offend God, if they should give liberty to themselves to enjoy the creatures of God for their delight; if they should keep company, or follow their callings, or be merry at any time, or use recreations. Secondly, in speaking of this Point I will keep myself in mine own element, and speak that which I have received, not from the Physician, but from the Lord. Yet have I reserved this preservative for the last place; because that which you have heard in the three former, will much help you to receive this with profit, and not with hurt. For, first, that which I have to say in this point, belongs only to such as know themselves to be reconciled to God in Christ Jesus; the rest must go to the Physician for comfort in this case: I have none for them. To such I say, as delight is not seemly for a fool, it is an unseemly and absurd thing in the eye of every wise man, to see an ungracious man so merry and iocund. Pro. 19. 10. God hath created all the comforts of this life to be received with thanksgiving of them that believe and know the truth, and of none else, 1 Tim. 4. 3. Secondly, If a man use things without sobriety, and affect them too much, as if he had no better comforts than these, he shall never receive good by them. It is made the note of a man that shall never go to Heaven, Psal. 24. 4. To lift up his mind unto vanity. It is easy for a man to surfeit, and take too much of these things, Prov. 25. 16. If you have found honey (saith Solomon) eat that that is sufficient for thee, lest thou be over full, and vomit it. Of the comfort and refreshing that many take in these things, it may be said, as Prov. 14. 13. The end of that mirth is heaviness: yet certainly, there is great force in these things, being rightly used, to keep the heart from being overcome with sadness, and to make it cheerful. This appeareth plainly by the contrary, even by the restraint God hath enjoined unto his servants, in the use of these things, at such times as he calls them to mourning. On the day of the Fast, because it was to be a day of humiliation, Levite. 23. 27. and 29. 32. men might not enjoy the liberal use of God's creatures. In those days I Daniel was mourning three whole weeks: I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all till three whole weeks were fulfilled, Dan. 10. 2, 3. Nor follow the works of their lawful callings, Whatsoever soul it be that doth any work in that same day, that same soul will I destroy from among his people, Levite. 23. 30. Nor allow to themselves the comfort of society, Let the bride-groome go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her bed-chamber, Joel 2. 16. In it men separated themselves from their wives, Zach. 7. 3. The husbands kept it (in a secret fast) apart, and their wives apart, Zach. 12. 12. Nor use recreation, nor the means of mirth; God's people in the time of their mourning for Jerusalem when they were in captivity, did forbear their singing, and all other means of mirth, preferring Jerusalem before their chief joy, Psalm 137. 4, 6. And indeed, it is very evident, that these are good means appointed of God, to refresh and comfort the heart of man.

First, for a liberal diet, we know what is said, Pro. 31. 6, 7. Give ye strong drink to him that is ready to perish. And 1 Tim. 4. 4. Every creature of God is good, and nothing ought to be refused (specially, not upon conscience, and conceit of unlawfulness) if it be received with thanksgiving.

Secondly, for society; what a comfort it is we may find by this, that Satan's best advantage to tempt Christ, was, when he was all alone in the wilderness, and utterly barred from all society of men, Matth. 4. 1.

Thirdly, for following our callings, the many promises of comfort and joy that are made unto them that walk diligently in their callings, prove it plainly, When thou eatest the labors of thy hands, thou shalt be blessed, and it shall be well with thee, Psal. 128. 〈◊〉 . Ye shall rejoice in all that ye put your hand unto, Deut. 2. 7. The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, Eccl. 5. 12.

And for them all, that a Christian, upon no pretence of humiliation for sin, or for too long a time, may altogether deprive himself of these outward comforts, may have a notable example of David, even then when he had as great cause to be humbled, as any poor sinner can have, 2 Sam. 12. 20. 4. 29. 31. When the child was dead (though the remembrance and sense of his sin died not with the child) he arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself; yea he used again the lawful comfort of the marriage bed, he exercised himself again in the works of his calling, and fought the Lord's battles, and shown great severity against the enemies of the Lord.

Lecture the ninety fifth. July 10. 1611. JOHN IIII. XLIX, L.

WE have already observed in the speech of this Ruler which is set down, Ver. 49 that his heart was so oppressed with care, and fear, and grief for his son, as he could not mind what Christ said unto him; he could not be troubled or moved at all with the sharp reproof he received from him; though he esteemed highly of him, yet doth he not regard what he said unto him. And from hence we have received this Doctrine, That worldly grief and affliction, if it be extreme and violent, is wont to make the mind and heart incapable of heavenly things; unable to receive any benefit by the Word, and unfit also to pray with comfort. And the first Use I told you was to be made of this Doctrine, is, to persuade every Christian to learn the right way, how to prevent and keep his own heart from immoderate sorrow, specially from worldly things. And thus far we proceeded the last day. It remaineth now, that we come to another Use, that is to be made of this Doctrine, and so we will proceed unto that that followeth. The second and last Use of the former Doctrine, is, to dissuade all men from putting off the care of their souls, and providing for the welfare and salvation of them until the evil day. It is wisdom for a man to seek reconciliation with God, and assurance of it, presently and without delay, while he is in his best health. And to make his best benefit of all good means of grace, and to get good grounds of assurance of his salvation, before affliction come; while his mind and memory is free, and his heart cheerful. This we know is the exhortation of Solomon, Eccl. 12. 1. Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil daeies come not, nor the years of affliction, wherein you shall say, I have no pleasure in them: q. d. Thou shouldst think of thy Creator, and make thy peace with him, serve and fear him now presently, even in the days of thy youth: for the evil day will certainly come upon every man (he speaks properly there of age and sickness, but the same may be said likewise of all times of bitter affliction) for at that time thou shalt have no lust or pleasure, to think or do anything. And this is that also which the Apostle meaneth, Ephes. 6. 13. Take unto you the whole armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day. When should they thus provide themselves of armor? Why, now before the evil day cometh. What means he by the evil day? Certainly, the day of affliction and temptation, which every man must look for. What man will have his armor to seek, when he is to go into the field, and buckle with his enemy? This is the wisdom we are taught to learn of the silly Pismire, Pro. 6. 7. She prepareth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in harvest. And indeed, there is not one of a thousand, but he is thus wise for his body. He makes provision for his corn, and fodder, and fuel, now in summer and harnest, and lays it up against winter. Who is so mad, as to have his provision to make in winter, or his seed to sow in harvest, when he should reap? And thus wise should we be for our souls. Prov. 10. 14. Wise men lay up knowledge beforehand: he treasures up such grounds of comfort through the knowledge of the Word, as he may not be to seek in time of need. What man will have his cuidence to seek, when his cause is to be tried? And what man is there that hath not need of this exhortation? What man is there that plays the good husband for his soul? that labors and takes pains to provide for it in the summer time, when the weather is fair: I mean, in the days of his youth, and health, and peace, and cheerfulness? that doth not fully purpose and resolve with himself, to go about his business far more seriously and carefully, when he shall be old, or when he shall be sick on his last sickness, than ever he did yet? Nay, it is certain, there is many a man, that would not for all the world die in that state that now he is in, having no better assurance of his salvation, than yet he hath, having no better repented than yet he hath done; and yet he never takes any course to better his estate, because he is persuaded in his heart, he may do that soon enough hereafter; and that the fittest time of all for this business, will be the time of sickness and affliction. And (quite contrary to Solomon's counsel) he saith this to his own heart, I will not remember my Creator in the days of my youth, before the evil day come, and the years approach, wherein I shall say, I have no pleasure in them. But then, loe, will I prepare myself for God, and make my peace with him; then will I send for the Preacher, and he shall give me good counsel out of God's Word, and pray for me; then will I repent me of all my sins, and take order by my Will, for restitution of all that I have unjustly gotten; then will I become a new man. I will therefore give you some reasons out of God's Word, that may enforce this exhortation upon the conscience of every man.

The first reason is the uncertainty of this life. There is no man but he may die suddenly. And it is certain, that no man can be assured when he lays him down at night, that he shall rise in the morning; when he riseth in the morning, that he shall ever go to bed again. Therefore remember thy Creator now: presently, without delay, repent and seek assurance of his favor, put it not off, no not for a day; for no man knows what may befall him before tomorrow. James 4. 13, 14. Go to now (saith the Apostle) ye that say, today or tomorrow we will go into such a City, and continue there a year, and buy, and sell, and get gain, and yet ye cannot tell what shall be tomorrow. For, what is your life? it is even a vapor. Confider with thyself that thou mayest die suddenly. For, first, what year is there wherein thou hast not heard of sundry good men, and bad, of all sorts, whom God hath taken away suddenly, and not given them one days, nor one hours respite to prepare themselves for him? And what assurance hast thou that he will deal better with thee? This Solomon speaks as of a thing that hath fallen out in all ages, and whereunto all sorts of men (as well good as bad) have been subject. Eccl. 9. 12. For neither doth man know his time; but as the fishes which are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in a snare; so are the children of men snared in the evil time when it falls upon them suddenly. But as every man (even the best) may die suddenly; so the carnal and wicked man (that presumptuously puts off his repentance, upon this hope, that God will not take him away so suddenly, but he will give him space and time of visitation before his death, as he doth to most men) hath just cause to fear, he shall die suddenly. For God hath oft smitten many such men in the act of their sin, he did so to Zimri and Cozby, Num. 25. 8. and with Elah the king of Israel, 1 King. 16. 9, 10. and with king Herod also, Acts 12. 23. and hath oft threatened this unto ungodly men, Psal. 64 7. God will shoot an arrow at them suddenly, their strokes shall be at once. and 73. 19. How suddenly are they destroyed, perished and utterly consumed. 1 Thes. 5. 3. When they shall say, Peace and safety, then shall come upon them sudden destruction. If any shall object, that if this were so, then most men should die suddenly, whereas experience shows, that not one of an hundred doth so. I answer, that as no godly man may be said to die suddenly (that feareth always, and is at peace with God, and ever prepared for death) so there is not one wicked man of an hundred, but he dies suddenly: for though the Lord gives him a great space, and he be never so long sick before his death; yet he is still ready to think he shall live a little longer: and so death comes upon him before he looked or prepared for it. This is that the Apostle teacheth, 1 Thes. 5. 4. But ye brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should come upon you as it were a thief. q. d. To no true believer it comes as a thief, but to everyone that is in darkness, it doth.

The second Reason that may justly make a man afraid to put off the care of providing for the salvation of his soul, till the evil day, is, That no man can tell how long he shall enjoy the means of grace, no man can meet the Bride-groome, unless he have oil in his lamp; and that he cannot have but of them that sell it, Mat. 25. 9. No affliction or sickness is able to save a soul without the Word, that made the Prophet say, Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest O Lord, and teachest him out of thy Law, Psal. 94. 12. Nay every Preacher will not serve the turn, but he had need to be a rare man that should do good in such a case, Job 33. 23. If there be then a messenger, an interpreter, one of a thousand, he had need have the tongue of the learned, that should know to minister a word in time to him that is weary, Esa 50. 4. And who can assure himself to have such a man to be with him in his last sickness? They only that have esteemed the Word in their health, may assure themselves to have it for their comforter in sickness. But the wicked man, that hath despised the ministry of the Word, in the days of his health and prosperity, hath just cause to fear, God will deprive him of the comfort of it in his sickness and affliction. For so God hath threatened such contemners of his Word, Amos 8. 12. They shall wander from sea to sea, and fr •… the North even to the East shall they run to and fro to seek the Word of the Lord, and shall not find it: and Ezek. 7. 25, 26 When destruction cometh, they shall seek peace and shall not have it. Calamity shall come upon calamity, then shall they seek a vision of the Prophet; but the law shall perish from the Priest, and counsel from the ancient: q. d. O then let every man make his benefit of the means of grace, now while he doth enjoy them; while God's merchant men are among you make you provision of oil for your lamps. No man can be sure to have the like means, when he would himself. 2 Cor. 6. 2 Behold now the accepted time, behold now the day of salvation.

The third reason to persuade men to reconcile themselves to God, and to get assurance of their salvation, presently in their youth, and in their best health is this, that though a man were sure he should have as good means for his instruction, and conversion, and comfort, in his last sickness as he hath now; yet he shall find himself most unfit at that time, to make his benefit of them. Sickness and extreme affliction will so dull the mind, and make the heart so heavy: yea, a man shall then have so many means to trouble and distract him, as he shall not be able to relish any sweetness in the best counsel that is given him, in the holiest prayers that are made by him. These are the days which Solomon speaks of, Eccl, 12. 1. Wherein a man shall say, I have no pleasure in them. Remember what case the best of God's servants have been in, in their extreme affliction. They have been unable to pray; they have been astonied and could not speak, Psal. 77. 4. yet thou sayest, thou wilt then pray. They have been unable to relish or profit by the best means, They harkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit, Exod. 6. 9. Yea, their souls have refused comfort, Psal. 77. 2. and thou sayest, then thou wilt send for the Preacher, and take his counsel. They have been oppressed with the burden of their sins; David saith of himself at such a time that his iniquities had taken such hold upon him, as he was not able to look up, that they were more in number then the hairs of his head, and that therefore his heart failed him, Psal. 40. 12. and thou sayest, then thou wilt cast off all thy sins, and get assurance of the pardon of them. They have been fain to spend upon the old stock, and to comfort themselves (not with that which they have found in themselves for the present, but) by calling to mind the good things they knew were in them in former times, Job seeks to recover his comfort this way, as is plain, Chap. 29. & 30. & 31. and so did David likewise when his spirit was overwhelmed within him, his heart within him was desolate, then he remembered the days of old, Psal. 143. 4, 5. They have sown before unto themselves in righteousness, as the Prophet speaketh, Hos. 10. 12. And all thy hope is in the comfort you shall find then: Thou deferrest to sow till that time when thou shouldst reap. O foolish man, deceive not thine own heart any longer; do not imagine thou shalt be in better case, when sickness and extreme affliction shall come, than the best of God's children have been.

Whilst thou art now in health, get assurance of thy salvation; for thou wilt be then unfit to do it. Seek and lay up knowledge now; for that will be a time of spending thy stock that thou hast gotten, not of increasing it. Give thyself much to prayer now, and get assurance that thou hast the spirit of prayer; for then thou wilt be hardly able to do it.

The fourth Reason to dissuade a man from putting off his repentance till sickness, is this, That though he were sure to have never so good means of repentance, and though sickness and grief it self had no force to hinder him from profiting by them; yet shall he be unable to receive good by them, unless the Lord be pleased to work with them, O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps, Ier. 10. 23. And every man that hath willfully deferred and put off the time of his repentance, hath just cause to fear, that God will not then work with the means to do him good. For first, as God hath in his counsel set and determined the day of every man's visitation, the just time and moment of every man's conversion, which, if he pass, he shall never be converted: So is every man to account, not the time to come, but the present time, when God by his Word and Spirit moves him to repent, to be his day, the time of grace and repentance to him. Therefore Heb. 3. & 4. this is four times repeated, To day if you will hear his voice. Secondly, the nature of sin, is, to harden the heart, and the longer that any sin is continued in, the harder it will make the heart, and the more unable to repent. No man that once gives liberty to himself in any sin, is able to say, Thus far will I go, and then I will stay myself; thus long will I continue in it, and then I will repent. The longer a man continues in this net and snare, the more he shall be entangled in it, and with the more difficulty get out: the deceitfulness of sin will harden the heart, Heb. 3. 13. Thirdly, the Lord hath threatened to punish the presumptuous sinner with hardness of heart. Ezek. 24. 13. Because I would have purged thee from thy filthiness, and thou wast not purged, thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness, till I have caused my wrath to light upon thee.

The fifth and last Reason, to dissuade from this putting off our repentance, is this, That though a man were sure, God would both give him as good means of grace, as ever he had in his age or last sickness; and also work effectually with them to his unfeigned conversion, yet can he not (ordinarily) have that comfort in it, as he might have had, if he had been converted sooner.

First, in respect of the cause and fountain, from whence this change of his doth spring: For he shall have cause to doubt and fear, that his repentance proceeds rather from a servile fear of God's judgments, than a sincere love of God himself Many (we know) have seemed in affliction very penitent, whose hearts have proved very unsound, When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned, and inquired early after God: nevertheless, they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongue; for their heart was not right with him, neither were they steadfast in his covenant, Psal. 78. 34, 37.

Secondly, in respect of the fruits of repentance; which are a singular testimony and evidence of the sincerity thereof; and consequently, a principal means of comfort, Bring forth fruits meet for repentance, saith John the Baptist to his hearers, Mat. 3. 8. This was Paul's great comfort, Our rejoicing is this, even the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world, 2 Cor. 1. 12. And this he saith will be a great comfort to every man, when he can approve the truth of his repentance by his works and conversation: Let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another, Gal. 6. 4. A great part of this comfort they are deprived of, that die so soon as they have begun to repent.

Thirdly, in respect of the Lord's acceptance: for he shall have cause to doubt and fear, lest when he hath bestowed on Sin and Satan all the best of his time, the Lord should refuse to accept of the dregs, and refuse of it, according to that, If ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand, saith the Lord, Mal. 1. 8, 13.

Lecture the ninety sixth. August 11. 1611. JOHN IIII. L.

WE have already heard, that in this Verse is set down the comfort and satisfaction it pleased Christ to give to this Noble-man, after he had rebuked him, in these words, Jesus said unto him, go thy way, thy son liveth. And herein the goodness of Christ is to be observed in two points: First, that he shown his divine power in the cure even of a bodily infirmity: Secondly, that he did it at the request of a man, that was so weak in Faith, as this Ruler was. This is (I say) first to be observed, that our Savior here shown his Divine power in the cure of a bodily disease. And because this is the first time, that mention is made of a miracle of this kind, in the harmony of the Gospel, and it is afterward oft spoken of; we will here (once for all) consider and handle this point, as the Doctrine which this Text gives us direct occasion to observe, That our Savior (in the days of his flesh) shown his divine power no way so much, as in curing the bodies of men. This is a point worthy to be observed, That whereas our Savior was sent into the world, not to do the office of a Surgeon or Physician to the bodies of men, but to give life and salvation to their souls, God sent his only begotten Son, to the end, that whosoever believes in him, might not perish, but have life everlasting, John 3. 16. and had the name of Jesus, a Savior, given unto him, in no other respect, but because he should save his people from their sins, Mat. 1. 21. and therefore also, when he gives himself the title of a Physician, he expounds himself, and saith, he was a Physician, not for the body, but for the soul; the physic he had to give, served to cure the soul of sin, by calling men to repentance, Mat. 9. 12, 13. Yet for all that, if we look into the story of his life, we shall find, that for one man, whose soul he cured, by bringing him unto repentance; there were many, whose bodies he helped, and restored unto health; yea, that the most of all the miracles, that he wrought upon earth, were done in the curing of the bodies of men. Indeed, after his resurrection and ascension, he declared his power wonderfully in curing and converting the souls of men, as Peter speaketh, Acts 3. 26. God hath raised up his Son Jesus, and h •… •… e hath sent to bless you, in turning everyone of you from your iniquities. A •… 〈◊〉 . 31. Him hath God lift up with his right hand, to be a Prince and a Savior, to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. But in the days of his flesh he did perform the part of a Physician, for the body rather than for the soul: for he did most diligently and carefully exercise him •… e, in d •… ng cures upon the bodies of men. This you shall the better understand, if you will mark six points, which I have observed in these cures that ou •… Savior wrought, which I will run over as fast as I can.

First, the persons whom he cured; he refused none, that came unto him for help: he excepted against none. Mat. 12. 15. Great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all. Yea, Luke 4. 40. He laid his hands on everyone of them, and healed them.

Secondly, the diseases themselves that he cured, Agues, Mat. 8. 15. palsies, Mat. 9. 2. dropsies, Luke 14. 2. leprosies, Luke 5. 12. issues of blood, Mat. 9. 20. blindness, John 9. 1. deafness, Mar. 7. 32. dumbness, Matth. 15. 30. lameness, Mat. 21. 14. lunacy, Mat. 4. 24. In a word, there was no kind of disease whatsoever, that he refused or failed to help men of, that came unto him for help. Mat. 4. 23. He healed every sickness, and every disease among the people.

Thirdly, observe the time he took for curing of men: he neglected no opportunity to do it: he cured very many on the Sabbath days, Luke 13. 14. yea, after he had spent himself by preaching in the Synagogue at Capernaum upon a Sabbath day, yet when Even was come, and the Sun was down, they brought to him all that were diseased thereabout, and he healed them, Mar. 1. 32. Yea, the Evangelist Luke, speaking of that very miracle, Luke 4. 40. saith, He laid his hands on everyone of them, and healed them.

Fourthly, observe the place wherein he did these cures, he did them oft times in the Synagogues and Church. assemblies, Matth. 21. 14. Mark 3. 3. Luke 13. 10. 12.

Fifthly, his readiness and willingness to help men in this case. He did not this only when he was sought unto, but of his own accord many times. If he did but see any that was diseased, he was ready to offer his help unto them, though they never desired it. This you shall find observed especially, in all those that he cured on the Sabbath days: whether it were for fear of their Teachers and Rulers, or out of a superstitious conceit that themselves had entertained of the Sabbath, there was not any one of them all, that sought his help this way upon the Sabbath day, but he sought unto them rather, and offered his help unto them, Luk. 6. 6. 8. & 13. 12. & 14. 2. 4. John. 5. 6. & 9. 1. 16. 14.

Sixthly and lastly observe, with what affection and compassion of heart he did these cures; even as one that had in himself a feeling of all those pains and miseries that they did endure. Matth. 20. 34. Moued with compassion (towards the two blind men) he touched their eyes. And Mark 1. 41. Jesus had compassion, and put forth his hand, and touched the Leper. And Mark 7. 34. He sighed, and said unto him, Ephphata.

Let us now come to the Reasons, that moved our blessed Savior thus far forth to debase himself, as to cure the diseases of the bodies of men in this sort. And I find three principal Reasons of it:

First, he did this to prove himself to be the Son of God. For the curing of such diseases, in such a manner as he did, was sufficient to convince the conscience of every man, that he was indeed the Son of God. John 15. 24. If I had not done works among them, which none other man did, they had not had sin. So doth he reason with the Scribes, Matth. 9. 6. That ye may know that the son of man hath authority upon earth, to forgive sins (then said he to the sick of the palsy) Arise, take up thy bed, and go to thine house. If any shall object against this argument, that the Prophets and Apostles did also miraculous cures upon all manner of diseases; I answer, It is true, they did so; yea, the Apostles did greater miracles than those that our Savior did; according to that promise, John 14. 12. He that believeth in me, the works that I do, he shall do also, yea greater than these shall he do: for I go unto my father. And Act. 19. 11, 12. God wrought no small miracles by the hands of Paul; so that from his body were brought unto the sick kerchiefes and hand-kerchiefes, and the diseases departed from them. Yea, it may appear, Acts 5. 15. That the very shadow of Peter di •… ure many.

But yet I say that though the Prophets and Apostles did the same, yea greater miracles than our Savior did, yet did not they them in the same manner that he did: he did them in that manner as never any other did, and as did evidently prove him to be the Son of God. Two notable differences therefore you shall observe between the miracles of the Prophets and Apostles, and the miracles of Christ. First, he wrought his miracles in his own name, and by his own power and commandment; and so did none of them. They were wont to use earnest prayer, when they were to do a miracle, that they might declare the power whereby they were to work, was none of their own, but to be received from above, so did Elijah in restoring of the widow of Sareptaes child to life, 1. King. 17. 20. 21. and Peter in restoring of Tabitha, Acts 9. 40. so did the Elders in the miraculous curing of the sick, by annointing them with oil, I am. 5. 14, 15. Or if any time they did not use prayer, but did their miracles rather by way of commanding, than of invocation; yet they ever professed they did them not in their own name, or by their own power, but only in the name of Jesus. Acts 16. 18. I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ, that thou come out of her. Secondly, he had this power at all times, and could do these miracles whensoever he would: so could none of them. The Apostles (though they had received the gift to cast out Devils, Matth. 10. 8.) yet could they not do it at all times, Matth. 17. 16. And Paul (though he had that marvelous power to heal all diseases, even with the hand-kerchiefes that were carried from his body, Act. 19. 12.) yet had he not this gift at all times; for then would not he have suffered Epaphroditus to have been so near unto death as he was, Phil. 2. 27.

The second Reason why Christ wrought so many miracles for the curing of men's bodily infirmities, was to prove himself to be that Messia and Savior that God had promised by the Prophets. When the Prophet had foretold the coming of the Messia, Isaiah 35. 4. Behold your God cometh, even God with a recompense, he will come and save you: He tells them in the next words, verse 5. 6. what manner of miracles he should do when he came, whereby they should know him: Then shall the eyes of the blind be lightened, and the ears of the dease be opened; then shall the lame man leap as an Hart, and the dumb man's tongue shall sing. And our Savior (when John the Baptist sent two of his Disciples unto him, to know whether he were the Messiah that should come, or whether they should look for another) he proves himself to be so, by the manner and kind of miracles which he wrought. Matth. 11. 4, 5. Go and show John what things ye have heard and seen, the blind receive sight, the halt do go, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf do hear, the dead are raised up. And we shall find this notable difference between the miracles of Christ, and those of all the Prophets and Apostles; that whereas some of their miracles tended to the hurt and punishment of man (as Moses miracles in Egypt, and Elias in calling fire from heaven, to destroy two wicked Captains, and an hundred soldiers, 2. Kings 1. 10. and Peters in the destruction of Ananias and Sapphira, Acts 5. 9. and Paul's in striking Elymas with blindness, Acts 13. 11.) Christ never shown his divine power in executing vengeance upon any man; but all his miracles tended only to the profit and benefit of man. They were all suitable to that office he had received from his father, and fit to declare him to be the Savior and Redeemer of the world; they were all agreeable to the Doctrine that he was to teach; namely, the glad tidings of the Gospel. Indeed, he shown in two mighty works of his, in causing the fig tree to wither, and the soldiers that came to apprehend him to fall backward upon the ground, Matth. 21. 19. John 18. 6. what he could have done this way; but he never did by his miraculous power hurt any man. The time he lived in was as corrupt as ever any age was, and he had many mortal enemies; and his own Disciples (even those he loved best, James and John) provoked him earnestly to it, after the example of Elijah: yet could he never be brought to do the least hurt to any man. But rebuking these Disciples sharply for their motion, he gives this for his reason, Luk. 9. 56. The Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them: as if he should have said, I must do only such works, as may show and declare me to be the Savior and Redeemer of the world.

The third and last Reason, why our Savior did so busy himself in curing the diseases of men's bodies, was that he might thereby the better draw men to seek unto him for the health and salvation of their souls. That as at that time when Christ lived upon the earth, the people of God were vexed with more and more strange diseases, than they were in any age before, that ever we can read of: there were more Lepers, and Lunatickes, and men possessed with Devils, than in any age before; that God might by this means humble men, and bring them to the sense of sin, and of the wrath of God, and so cause them to feel the need they had of a Savior, and to long after the coming of the Messiah: so by this marvelous power and willingness that they saw in him, to deliver them from all their bodily diseases and miseries, he sought to teach them, that he was indeed the Savior they were to look for; and to draw them to seek unto him for full deliverance from all their sins, and from the wrath of God, which they had deserved by them. That was indeed the chief end he propounded to himself in all his miracles; as we shall see plainly expressed in sundry places. When they brought one to him to be cured of the Palsy, Matth. 9. 2. he said unto him, Son, be of good comfort, thy sins are forgiven thee. So Matth. 8. when the Evangelist had said, verse 16. He healed all that were sick: he adds, verse 17. That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the Prophet, He took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses. As if he should say, This was done to signify unto men, and to teach them, that this was he, by whom should be fulfilled that which was spoken by the Prophet, touching the satisfaction that was to be made unto God for all our sins. So the end he aimed at, in feeding the bodies of men miraculously, was to draw them, to seek from him, a better food, even the food of the soul; as himself tells them, John 6. 26, 27. So when he was to cure the blind man, John 9. to show his intent in doing that cure, he saith, verse 5. So long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world, and verse 6. so soon as he had thus spoken, he cured the man: as if he should have said in plain terms, My meaning in doing this cure, is to teach men, that I am the light of the world. So we read, Matth. 11. 20. that he upbraided the Cities, in which most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not: whereby it appears, that the thing he aimed at in doing those mighty works, was to bring them unto repentance. So that by the mercy and goodness he shown upon their bodies, (which they were most sensible of) he sought to draw them both to the knowledge and desire of the salvation of their souls.

This Doctrine teacheth us what to judge of all Popish miracles, of which they boast so much, and wherein they think, they have so great an advantage against us. Surely, by this we may know they are no true miracles; either they are mere tricks of legerdemaine, or (at the best) they are such lying wonders, as the Apostle speaks of, 2. Thess. 2. 9. done by the working of Satan, and not by the power of God; because they are altogether unlike the miracles of Christ, they tend no way to the benefit or profit of men. For (to pass by the apish tricks that they observe and admire in sundry of their chief Images, the nodding of their heads, and rolling of their eyes, their weeping, and sweating, and bleeding) let us consider the chief of all their miracles in their sacrament of the Altar (wherein they say, that by the omnipotent power of Christ, the substance of the bread and wine after the words of consecration, is turned into the substance of his body and blood) let us I say examine this grand miracle by the Doctrine we have now heard; and we shall find, that this is no miracle of Christ; there is no such thing done in the Sacrament, by the omnipotent power of Christ, because it tendeth no way to the benefit or profit of men; for, first, there is no certainty in it, no Papist (I say) can be certain, that the Sacrament he receives, is the very body and blood of Christ, unless he were certain, that the Priest (when he consecrated it) did intend to make the body of Christ. If the Priest had his mind wandering upon any other matter, when he did consecrate (as why may he not have idle and wandering thoughts as well then, as when he saith his prayers?) then by their own Doctrine, here is no Transubstantiation made; but he that worships the Sacrament commits idolatry. Secondly, say they were certain there is indeed a Transubstantiation wrought, yet were this no benefit at all to the receiver: for (by their own Doctrine) the wicked and reprobate receive with their bodies, the very flesh and blood of Christ, as well as the Elect; and it is the spiritual receiving and feeding on him by Faith (not the bodily receiving and feeding on him) that profits the soul; according to that, it is the spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing, John 6. 63. Thirdly and lastly, it is so far from profiting the people of God, that it tends greatly to their hurt and prejudice: for whereas the Lord, for the singular help of our Faith, hath ordained in the Sacrament, sensible and visible signs and elements, most fit to represent unto us that invisible grace, which he offers us in it, this miracle of theirs takes from us those sensible and visible signs, and so deprives us wholly of that help our Faith might receive by them: For as for the color, and shape, and taste of the Bread and Wine, which they say, remain after Transubstantiation, they can be no fit signs to represent unto us the body and blood of Christ, and that spiritual nourishment and refreshing we have by it, because there is no analogy or proportion at all between them: seeing it is not the color, or shape, or taste of those elements, that do nourish or refresh the body, but the substance of them only.

Secondly, this should greatly comfort all poor penitent sinners, and encourage them, to go boldly to Christ for help in all their miseries and distresses. And in this Doctrine, such may find four notable grounds of comfort and encouragement: First, if when he was here in the form of a servant, he was able (though absent in body) to see and take notice of the misery of this child, and able to relieve and cure him; how much more is he able to do the like for us now, when he fits at the right hand of his father? Secondly, if he being on earth, had that compassion even of the bodily wants, and pains, and miseries of men, as to be troubled and grieved to see the people continue with him three days and had nothing to eat, Mat. 15. 32. and to sigh to see a man to be deaf, and to have an impediment in his speech, Mark 7. 34. if he were then so ready to help and give good success to them, in the labors of their callings, as he did to Peter and his fellows when they were fishing, Luke 5. 5, 6. what should move thee to doubt, but he will now also much more have compassion on thee, and be ready to relieve thee in all thy wants and distresses; specially in the anguish and misery of thy soul? Thirdly, if being on earth, he was so ready to offer his help to them in misery; if in his whole conversation he was then so meek and gentle towards all men, and all his miracles were done so for the profit of men, that he might encourage all poor sinners without fear, to come unto him for help: What should move thee to think, that he will reject thee that comest, and seekest, and prayest to him for help in thy distress? Fourthly, if he were so good and gracious to all sorts (even to wicked men, yea to his enemies; such a one as Malchus was, Luk. 22. 51.) why wouldest thou doubt, that fearest to offend him, and studiest in all things to please him, but he will be much more ready to do thee good?

The third and last use of this Doctrine is for instruction; that seeing one end Christ aimed at in curing and helping the bodies of men, was thereby to draw them to seek to him for help of their souls: therefore the weal and woe of our bodies should draw us to a consideration and care of the estate of our souls.

First, If the pain and misery that sin hath brought upon the body be so grievous and intolerable, think what the pain and misery of thy soul will be, if thou seek not help for it. Pro. 18. 14. A wounded spirit who can bear? For thy soul hath been the fountain, from whence all the sins of thy body have sprung, Mar. 7. 21. From within out of the heart of men proceed adulteries, fornications, murders, thests, &c. and thy body hath been but as a servant and instrument to thy soul in these sins.

Secondly, if thou find such sweetness and comfort in the blessings God hath provided for thy body, think how much sweeter and more desirable those dainties and pleasures are, that he hath provided for thy soul; what it is to be satisfied with the good things of his house, even of his holy Temple; as the Prophet speaketh, Psal. 65. 4. what that fullness of joy and pleasures are, which God hath prepared for them that love him, in his everlasting Kingdom, in thy presence is fullness of joy, at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore Psal. 16. 11.

Thirdly, if thou have such care to provide for thy body, that it may be kept free from all misery, and abound in delights of all sorts; how much more careful shouldst thou be to provide thus for thy soul? seeing, first, if it be well provided for and saved, thy body shall be sure to be saved also. Therefore we shall see, that both our blessed Savior at his death, Luke 23. 46. and Stephen also at his, Acts 7. 59. commend only their souls into the hands of God, and show no care, nor make any mention at all of their bodies. Secondly, even in this life the welfare of thy body depends on the good estate of thy soul, ye shall serve the Lord your God, and he shall bless thy bread and thy water, and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee, Exod. 23. 25. My words are life to those that find them and health to all their flesh, Pro. 4. 22.

Lecture the ninety seventh. August 20. 1611. JOHN IIII. L.

THe last day we heard, that the first words of this verse, contain in them the comfort and satisfaction, that this Ruler received from Christ, after he had been so sharply rebuked by him. And that herein the grace and mercy of Christ appeared in two points: first, that he shown his divine power, in the cure even of a bodily infirmity: secondly, that he did this at the request of a man, that was so weak in Faith as this Ruler was. The former of these we finished the last day, and now it remains we proceed to the latter; namely, that the wants and weaknesses of this Ruler notwithstanding, Christ granted his request, and healed his child. Now that we may the better receive instruction from this example, we must observe in it these three points: First, the great ignorance and want of Faith, that was in this Ruler at this time, when he craved help of Christ for his son. Secondly, the great goodness and respect that Christ shown unto him, notwithstanding this. Thirdly, the reason why Christ did show this respect to so ignorant and weak a man. For the first, how ignorant and weak in faith he was, you shall discern in five points: First, by the check and reproof that Christ gave him, verse 48. Secondly, in that he sought not to Christ for help, till all other means failed him, and his child was even ready to die, verse 47. Thirdly, that he thought Christ could not help his son, unless he went down to him, verse 47. 49. he thought, he must needs either pray with him, or anoint him, or touch him, or use some other ceremony and solemnity about him, or else he could do him no good; being in this (as it seems) of Naaman's mind, Behold (saith he) I thought, he will surely come out to me and stand, and call on the Name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper, 2. Kings 5. 11. Fourthly, in that he thought it would be to no purpose for Christ to go to his son, if he were once dead, ver. 49. Fifthly and lastly, being rebuked by Christ for his infidelity, he regarded it not, nor seems to be at all affected with it; but was more troubled with his affliction, than with his sin, verse 49.

Now for the goodness and respect that Christ shown unto him notwithstanding, we may observe it in three points: First, that he expostulateth no further with him concerning his infidelity, but perceiving that his mind was so oppressed with grief, that he could not regard, nor be affected with that which was said concerning his sin; he bears with him in it, and saith no more of his sin. Secondly, that he yieldeth unto his importunity, and healeth his son, as he had desired. Thirdly and lastly, he grants him more than he did desire, or could hope for at his hands: for whereas he desired only, that he would go down and heal his son, verse 47 49. and that would have required some time; Christ doth immediately deliver his child from all his pain and danger, and restoreth him to health.

And for the Reason that moved Christ to show such respect to this weak man (which is the third point I told you is to be observed in the Text) though it were chiefly in himself, even in his own mercy; he shown mercy on him, because it pleased him so to do, Rom. 9. 18. yet had he (doubtless) respect unto those small seeds and beginnings of Faith and uprightness of heart, which he discerned in him. He saw, first, that he came to him for help, with an honest heart, and persuasion that he was able and willing to do him good: secondly, that he was constant, and importunate, and would not be driven away by the repulse he received from him. And for this cause had Christ so great respect unto him, notwithstanding all the faults and weaknesses, that he discerned in him. Then from these three points, thus observed in the Text, this Doctrine ariseth for our instruction:

That the Lord is not wont to reject his servants for any of their infirmities. True it is, the Lord is not so blinded with affection towards his children, as he cannot see any fault in them; or doteth so upon them, as to delight in their blemishes; or is so indulgent towards them, as he is loath to grieve and displease them, as many foolish parents are: for first, he mislikes, and is displeased even with the least fault he sees in any of his children. Hab. 1. 13. He hath pure eyes, and cannot see evil, he cannot behold wickedness. See this in the angry reproofs, that Christ hath been wont to give, even to his best beloved Disciples, even for their ignorance, are ye also yet without understanding? Do ye not yet understand? Matth. 15. 16, 17. and for their weakness of Faith, ô faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? Matth. 17. 17. and therefore none that hath grace, may please himself in the least of his corruptions, but ought to be grieved and humbled for it. Yea, if his children do slip into any foul faults, he will as sharply correct them, as he will do any other. Amos 3. 2. You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will visit you for all your iniquities. See an example of God's severity towards Moses, for delaying the circumcision of his son, in the June the Lord met him and sought to kill him, that is, he did break forth upon him by some grievous judgment that was so sensible, as both Moses and Zipporah took notice of it and of the cause of it too, viz. the neglect of circumcising their son, Exod. 4. 24. yea, the Lord will sooner bear with gross sins in others, than with the appearance and show of evil in his own. The Lord your God is a jealous God among you, Deut 6. 15. and a jealous husband, cannot endure so much as the shows of unchaste love in his wife towards another; in looks, or talk, or gesture, or secret company. And therefore the nearer any man draws to God in a profession of piety and religion, the more careful had he need be, to look to his ways. And he is a mad man, that imagines, because he is a professor, God will bear with him in his sins. And yet for all this, the goodness of the Lord is (certainly) wonderful this way, in bearing with his servants, and not rejecting them for their infirmities: for (besides, that none of all their frailties shall be imputed unto them to their condemnation, Rom. 8. 1.) He seeth no iniquity in Jacob, nor transgression in Israel, Num. 23. 21. He doth so pass by many of the foul infirmities of his children, as he doth not so much as correct them in this life for them, nor check them, nor make any mention at all of them. And this is surely very admirable, considering how just the Lord is, and how he hates sin, which made the Prophet to burst forth into that admiration, Micah 7. 8. Who is a God like to thee, that taketh away iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? This we shall the better believe to be so, by considering three points: First, that though the Lord hate all sin even in his own servants, and they dislike themselves for it, yet he liketh never the worse of them for their frailties. Job, we know, shown great impatiency, Job 3. insomuch as afterwards, when he considered how he had carried himself, he saith, Chapt. 42. 6. I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes: but God seeth no such matter in him, God counteth him a most patient man; when he condemned himself, God justified him, John 42. 7, 8. and twice chargeth his friends thus, Ye have not spoken of •… e the thing that is right, like my servant Job. The like we shall see in David, he complaineth of himself, Psalm 40. 12. that his sins were more than the hairs of his head: therefore his heart failed him. But the Lord had a far better opinion of him, than he had of himself; for thus God saith of him, 1 Reg. 14. 8. that he had followed him with all his heart, and done only that that was right in his eyes. Secondly, these very works, wherein his servants have shown much frailty, he hath accepted of, and taken them in good part, and hath not been wont to reject the good works they have performed, because of the corruption they have shown in them, 2. Chron. 6. 8 Whereas it was in thine heart, to build an house to my Name (saith the Lord to David, yet was it ignorantly and fondly done of him, to purpose such a thing without warrant from God, as appeareth, spake I a word to any of the judges of Israel (whom I commanded to feed my people) saying, why have ye not built me a house of Cedars? 1. Chron. 17. 6.) thou didst well in that thou wast so minded. The like to this we may see in a prayer David made, Psal. 31. 22. I said in my haste, I am cast out of thy sight (and what more wicked or corrupt thought could any man have in prayer?) yet mark what followeth, Yet thou heardest the voice of my prayer, when I cried unto thee. God rejected not his prayer, though it were tainted with so foul a corruption. But what speak we of David? Isaiah 64. 6. All our righteousnesses (saith the Church) are like filthy clouts. But doth God therefore reject them? No: first, he accepteth them, and takes them in good part, they are acceptable to God by Jesus Christ, 1. Pet. 2. 5. secondly, he delighteth, and taketh great pleasure in them, sweet is thy voice, Cant. 2. 14. thirdly, yea he will also reward them, not only in this life (yet godliness hath promises even of this life, 1. Tim. 4. 8.) but even with the reward of the inheritance, as the Apostle speaketh, Col. 3. 24. When the dead shall be judged, he will give reward, not only unto his servants the Prophets, and to his Saints, but to all that fear his Name, both small and great, Apoc. 11. 18.

Thirdly and lastly, he is so far from rejecting his servants for any their infirmities, that of all other he hath most care of them that are most troubled with their infirmities; he showeth most tender respect unto them. In this respect, it pleaseth the Lord to compare himself to a careful and good shepherd, that showeth his care most of all towards those sheep, that are most weak and feeble in the slock. Isaiah 40. 11. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd, he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall guide them that are with young. And Ezek. 34. 16. I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that that was driven away, and will bind up that that was broken, and will strengthen the weak. In this respect it is said of Christ, Mat. 12. 20. Abruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench. See an experiment of this in those two Apostles, which above all shown most weakness of Faith, Thomas and Peter; and you shall find Christ shown more tender respect to them two, than to all the rest. For Peter, Christ was most careful, that his resurrection should be revealed unto him, Mark 16. 7. Yea, 1. Cor. 15. 5. He was seen first of Cephas, and then of the twelve: yea, to him specially he gives the commandment to feed his sheep, John. 21. 15. And for Thomas, see the care Christ had of him, John 20. 24—26. first, he appeared again to his Disciples, when he was among them, and for his sake chiefly: secondly, he singles him out from the rest, and gives him sensible helps and means to confirm his Faith.

The Reasons of this Doctrine are principally two: first, the love that the Lord beareth to our persons through Christ. Gen. 4. 4. God had respect to Abel, and to his offering. Through Christ, God is become our father, he beareth a fatherly affection to us; yea a far more tender affection than any of us that are parents can bear to our little ones, yea a mother may forget to have compassion upon the son of her womb, yet will I not forget thee, Isaiah 49. 15. And yet even we that are evil stand thus affected to our little ones, that we cannot loath them, or neglect them for any out-breach, or looking asquint, or any other such like deformity; yea many a thing which in another man's eye is a great blemish (as the pocke-holes in the face, or such like) to us seemeth none at all; yea the weaker and more feeble any of our children are, the more tender we are over them: And this is much more so with the Lord toward his children, Psal. 103. 13. As a father hath compassion on his children, so hath the Lord compassion on them that fear him. Mal. 3. 17. I will spare them, as one spareth his own son, that serveth him.

The second Reason is the respect the Lord hath to the work of his own spirit that dwelleth in his children, and to the uprightness of their heart. Psal. 51. 6. Behold, thou lovest truth in the inward affections, therefore hast thou taught me wisdom in the secret of my heart. Uprightness of heart is the chief work of God's spirit, therefore David begs this so earnestly of God that he would renew a right spirit within him, Psal. 51. 10. and describes the man whose iniquities God hath forgiven to be such a one as in whose spirit there is no guile, Psal. 32. 2. Where God discerneth this, he will bear with many other wants. Though Asa had many foul faults, yet is he for this commended, Asa his heart was perfect with the Lord all his days, 1. Reg. 15. 14. But on the other side, it is said of Amazia, that (though he had not so many faults as Asa, but did in many things much better than he, yet) the Lord rejected him, and made not that account of him, as he did of weak Asa, he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart, 2. Chro. 25. 2.

The Use of this Doctrine, Before I can deliver it, I must labor to prevent the abuse of it. For whereas this is the children's bread, many dogs, and whelps will be snatching at it, many a wicked and ungracious man will be ready to abuse this Doctrine to the blessing of himself in his ungodly ways, and say, The best have their faults, God is not so severe as to mark everything that is said or done amiss, he will bear with the infirmities of his children, my heart is good, &c. But to such I say, they have nothing to do with this doctrine; but first, as of the godly I have said, that none of all their foulest sins shall ever be imputed to them: so to thee I say, that all, even the least sin that ever thou committedst, shall be laid to thy charge, know thou that for all these things, God will bring thee to judgment, Eccles. 11. 9. of every idle word that such men shall speak, they shall give account at the day of Judgment, Matth. 12. 36. Secondly, As the duties the godly have performed, even those that have been most full of blemishes, shall be accepted and rewarded; so the very best things▪ that ever thou didst, are abominable to God, and shall increase thy condemnation, the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, Pro. 15. 8. Thirdly, As the foulest sin that ever a godly man fell into, was but his infirmity, so the least offense that ever thou committedst is a reigning sin. And because thou comfortest thyself so much in this, that the godlyest have their faults, and thy sins are but thine infirmities; I will show thee sundry differences between the faults of the godly, and thy sins, between the infirmities of the one, and the reigning sins of the other.

First, Before the committing of it; The regenerate man doth not commit any foul sin with purpose and premeditation of heart, but he is overtaken before he be aware, and slippeth suddenly into it through the violence of temptation. Thus Paul describeth the sin of a regenerate man, Gal. 6. 1. If any be fallen by occasion, overtaken with any fault. So David speaks of himself, Psal. 39. 22. I said in my haste, I am cast out of thy presence, and 116. 11. I said in my haste, all men are liars. The purpose and desire and resolution of the heart in every regenerate man, is to please God in all things. Isaiah 26. 8. The desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee. See an example of this in two that fell into the foulest sins, of any regenerate man we read of in Scripture, David and Peter. What the purpose and full resolution of David's heart was, you may see, Psal. 119. 106. I have sworn, and will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments. How fell he then into so foul a sin? Surely he was suddenly overtaken with some passion of lust before he was aware, and so he fell. So likewise of Peter we may see, what the full purpose and resolution of his heart was, Matth. 26. 33. 35. Though all men should be offended by thee, yet will I never be offended: though I should die with thee, yet I will not deny thee. How fell he then into so foul a sin? Surely he was suddenly overtaken with a passion of fear, before he was aware, and so he fell. Now it is quite contrary with the unregenerate man; For he fears not to sin, Pro. 14. 16. The fool rageth and is careless, he commits sin with prepensed purpose and determination of heart. Psal 364. He imagineth mischief on his bed; he setteth himself upon a way that is not good, and doth not abhor evil, Rom. 13. 14. He takes thought for the flesh to fulfill the lusts of it. Yea (as if their inclination to evil by nature were not strong enough) They draw on Iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as with cart ropes, Isaiah 5. 18.

The second difference is in the diverse disposition of their heart, even at that time when they do sin. The regenerate man never falls totally into any sin, nor commits it with the whole sway of his soul, with full consent of his will. But when the flesh tempteth and draweth him to sin, the spirit resisteth the motion, and draws another way, even when they sleep their heart waketh, Cant. 5. 2. 1. John 3. 9. He that is borne of God sinneth not, neither can he sin; because the seed of God remaineth in him. Gal. 5. 17. The flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the fl •… sh; and these are contrary one to another; so that ye cannot do the same things that ye would. He obeys sin as the slave doth his master. Rom. 7. 14. This (though it be not always felt by himself, yet) to another that is a spiritual man, it will appear by two notes:

1. Try them even when they are at the worst, and some grace will appear in them; blow away the ashes, and ye shall discern some sparkles of grace in them, see this in David's readiness to yield to the reproof of Nathan and to confess his sin even when he had fallen so fearfully, and lain so long in his sin, 2. Sam. 12. 13. And in praying and crying to God, and calling him most affectionately his God, even when he thought (in his passion and temptation) that God had forsaken him, Psal. 22. 1. As if thou come to the poor distressed Christian, that complains he is but an hypocrite, and utters many words, savoring of nothing but infidelity and despair; and ask him whether he be not afraid to offend God, and love not his children, &c. and he cannot deny this; or if he do, yet mayest thou evidently discern, that he speaketh falsely against himself.

2. Observe them, and thou shalt find their joy is not as it hath been, after once they have yielded to the temptation, that made David cry, Make me to hear joy and gladness that the bones that thou hast broken, may rejoice, Psal. 51. 8. so we shall find the two Disciples that were going to Emmaus, when they began to doubt and waver, were made sad in heart by it, Luke 24. 17. It is with them in this case as it was with Rebecca when she felt the two twins struggling with her, Gen. 25. 22. When they say, they have no Faith nor Grace in them, ask them whence then comes this sorrow, and paleness, and loss of sleep, &c. Now the wicked man is of a quite contrary disposition: for he is all flesh, and hath no such resistance in himself, (unless it be, first, from the light of his natural conscience, for the effect of the Law is written in their hearts, as the Apostle speaketh, Romans 2. 15. or, secondly, from the repugnancy of his lusts between themselves, their lusts war in their members, James 4. 1.) Luke 11. 27. All things are at peace: he sins willingly, and with all his heart, John 8. 44. Ye are of your father the Devil, and the lusts of your father you will do.

A third difference is the diverse disposition of heart, after they have committed sin: For the godly is wont to find much pain and grief in his heart, much remorse of conscience, even for the smallest sins he hath committed against God; as we see in David, his heart smote him for cutting off the skirt of Saul's garment, and for giving commandment for the numbering of the people, 1. Sam. 24. 6. 2. Sam. 24. 10. and in Paul, the remnants of original sin in him, made him cry out, ô wretched man that I am, &c. Rom. 7. 24. If sin be an infirmity, it will put the heart to this pain, as all bodily infirmities will the body. And though David lay long in his sin, before he could recover himself by sound repentance, yet from the day he committed his sin, this remorse began in him, and he never found true joy again, till he had effectually repented, Psal. 51. 8. Now it is not so with the wicked, but after many foul and heinous sins their hearts are as quiet, and as iocund as before: An example of this we have in Joseph's brethren, after they had conspired to slay him and (being dissuaded from it) had stripped him of his cote and cast him into a pit, they sat down to eat bread, Gen. 37. 24, 25.

Another difference there is in the diverse disposition of their hearts, after they have committed sin; which is the fourth and last difference. The godly cannot continue in sin, but after he hath fallen, he riseth again: yea, he obtaineth further strength against his corruption, and power to forsake his sin; so that he will not be so apt to fall into it again, as he was before. True it is, a regenerate man may fall into the same sin again, neither can any man define how oft, and into how heinous sins a man that is soundly regenerate may fall: yet do we not find, that any child of God hath fallen oft into the same heinous and scandalous sins. Indeed, in a smaller slip of concealing his wife, and causing her to say she was his sister, we find Abraham taken twice, Gen. 12. 13. and 20. 2.

But for their foul sins we shall find, that Noah was never drunk but once; nor David committed adultery but once; neither Peter returned ever again to his Apostasy; nor Paul to his persecution, after they had once repented. This is expressly said of Judah, after he truly saw his sin, he knew Tamar again no more, Genesis 38. 26. Secondly, it's made a property of them that are in Christ Jesus, in the state of grace, that they walk not after the flesh, Rom. 8, verse 1. Though they cannot kill or restrain all outward lusts, yet they are made able to keep them from reigning in them, so as willingly to obey it in the lusts thereof, as the Apostle speaketh, Rom. 6. 12. but they (by little and little, at the least in the unfeigned desire and endeavor of their hearts) do mortify the deeds of the body by the spirit, Rom. 8. 13. And it is a shrewd sign, that it reigns, when it hath once the body at command, which made the Apostle say, Let not sin reign in your mortal bodies, neither yield you your members as instruments of vnrightonsnes unto sin, Rom. 6. 12, 13. On the other side, he is called an enemy of God, that (Psal. 68. 21.) goes on in sin. And 2. Pet. 2. 19. its made a note of a graceless man, when he cannot cease from fin. The Reason is plain, because the virtue of Christ's death is never separated from the merit of it. When the merit of it is effectual to justification, and pardon of sin, then the virtue of it is effectual to sanctification, & to the destroying of the power of sin, when once the Lord hath sprinkled clean water upon us, and (through the imputation of Christ's sufferings and righteousness) made us clean; when he hath thereby cleansed us from all the filthiness of our sins, then he will also give us a new heart and a new spirit he will put into us, he will take the stony heart out of us, and give us a heart of flesh, Ezek. 36. 25, 26. He so speaks peace unto his people, and to his Saints, that they may not turn again unto folly, Psal. 85. 8. Now the unregenerate man continueth and walketh in sin; yea, like the dropsy man, the more he sins the more he may: one foul sin, being as a shooing-horn, to draw on another.

Lecture the ninety eighth. August 27. 1611. JOHN IIII. L.

NOw (having the last day, prevented the mistaking and abuse of it) it remains that we proceed to the Uses, that are to be made of this Doctrine, and they are principally three:

The first is for instruction, to teach us, that for as much as the Lord rejects none of his children for their infirmities, but loves and esteems of them nevertheless for their weakness: Therefore we should learn, not to despise or reject any child of God, because of his infirmities: for therein the perfection of a Christian shall appear, even in following and striving to be like his heavenly father, Matth. 5. 45. And we are his children, when we resemble him, and are of his disposition, be ye therefore followers of God as de are children, Epes. 5. 1. And will any of us seem to be holier than God? to dislike sinners more than he doth? That were gross hypocrisy.

Object. But you will say, there is small consequence in this reason: seeing they that are God's children, and upright in heart, are perfectly known to him, so are they not to us. If we knew who were God's Elect, and who had upright hearts indeed, we would hold our selves bound to love and bear with all such, notwithstanding many weaknesses that we discerned in them; but we know the world is full of hypocrites, that will make a good profession, and yet have but false hearts.

Answ. I answer, that if a man profess the fear of God, and his course of life be agreeable thereunto, though he have many frailties, we are bound to esteem him the child of God. Rom 8. 1. They are in Christ Jesus that walk not after the flesh. And 1. Sam. 16. 7. Man judgeth according to the outward appearance. And though we may well be deceived in this, because men's hearts are deceitful, Ier. 17. 9. yet this is a safe and holy error, I may say: Our judgment, though it be erroneous in this, yet it is the judgment of true charity: and therefore such as God commands, and we may have comfort in 1. Cor. 13. 5. It thinketh not evil, verse 7. It believeth all things, it hopeth all things. Now it cannot be denied, but in many of these there be sundry infirmities; in some, error in judgment; in other, much frowardness, unthankfulness, pride: nay, in some, foul faults and slips in their conversation. I say not, that thou art bound to think well of all that professors do: No, we heard the last day, the Lord favors not the faults of his dearest children.

But three duties thou owest to everyone, that so profess the fear of God.

First, thou must delight, and gladly take notice of the good things that are in him; observe him well, to see if you can discern any one testimony of soundness of heart, any one sign of the life of grace, and gladly take notice of it,