THe godly mans vertues bee heere first set downe by a Ne­gatiue contestation in these words, Hee walketh not in the counsell of the wicked: Out of which wee may ob­serue that there is a counsell of the wicked: And this is either priuate amongst themselues, or else publike with others.

The counsell of the wicked which is priuate in themselues is a rumination,Doctr. There is a counsel of the wicked as of the godly. or some other prepara­tion in euery wilfull and intended sinne: And hence it is that the Schoole-men affirme that consilium, actus, exitus, must concurre in euery wilfull intended sinne: And this is very apparant by the example of Iesabel, 1. Reg. 21.8. that when she perceiued the King to bee so heauy for that he could not get the vineyard of righ­teous Naboth, shee counselled with her selfe what she might doe to the [Page 44] end she might obtaine it, and at last determined to write to the Gouer­nours of the Citie in Ahabs name, to proclame a fast,2. Sam. 12. and to cause Na­both to bee brought forth before the Assembly, and stoned to death. This is cleere againe by the example of Dauid, when hee walking vpon the roofe of his Palace had cast his eyes vpon the beauty of Bathsheba, hee did first take this counsell within himself concerning an enquiry what she was; secondly sent messengers vnto her to moue her to lie with him; and lastly committed the act it selfe. This might bee further clea­red by the example of Cain, Iudas; and all to confirme the truth of this point vnto vs.

Besides this priuate there is a councell of the wicked publique with other,Mich. 6.16. as in the daies of Omri, when cruell and wicked Statutes were made against the Lord and his people.1 Reg. 12.28. So in the daies of Ieroboam how did he take counsell, and at last concluded to make two Calues [Page 45] for Diuine worship, the one wherof he set at Bethel, the other at Dan? And in the daies of Nabuchadnezar what a Decree was gone forth by the King, the Lords and Nobles,Dan. 3.1. touching the worship of the golden image that was set vp in the plaine of Dura, in the Prouince of Babylon? So in the time of our Sauiour CHRIST,Iohn 9.22. vnder the new Testa­ment, the Iewes had agreed toge­ther, that all that confesse CHRIST should bee excommunicate;Acts 4.18. and forbad the Disciples from Prea­ching any more in his Name. And also in their Councell was our Sauiour CHRIST condemned to death.Mat. 26.66

And the reason is cleere for the further manifestation of the truth of this point:Reason. for as no man doth ga­ther Grapes of Thornes, or Figs of Thistles; so what other fruite can bee expected from such an vnsa­uory roote, whose very Mindes and consciences are defiled, Tit. 1.13. but that all their whole consultations and [Page 46] actions should be impure vnholy and vncleane.

Vse Hence then we may obserue that the doctrine of the Church of Rome, touching this point is most false; That Generall Counsells can not erre. But wee haue cleared this be­fore, that they may erre and doe erre: for what should I speake of the second Nicene Councell, which set vp Idolatry, and gaue bodies to An­gells, and the soules of men: Coun­cells therefore haue beene mis-led, and may erre.

Now the Prophet proceedes fur­ther to shew who is a godlie man, and what be his properties, and tea­cheth vs in these words, that the first step and entrance to the leading of a godly life is to renounce the counsel and company of lewd, wicked, and vngodly men: whence wee obserue this doctrine.

Doctr. 2. The occa­sions ef sin are to bee auoyded. That hee that would preserue himselfe from sinne, must carefully auoide all the occasions thereof: The Wise-man teacheth this Doctrihe, [Page 47] That he that walketh with the wise, shall be wiser, But a companion of fooles, shall be worser. This doth appeare by the example of Ionathan, who by the friendship and familiarity which he had with Dauid, changed his life to better:Pro. 1.13. whereas Salomon by societie and coniunction with the idolatrous wiues fell into idolatry:1. Reg. 11. and Rehobo­am by walking with his yong Coun­cellours, and following their ad­uice, became worse and worse: If then we would auoyde euill, we must beware of all occasions, and no oc­casion more daungerous then euill company, euery man therefore must take heede to himselfe, and beware how hee ioyneth himselfe with ac­quaintance with al men indifferent­ly, lest by their meanes hee bee cor­rupted. For euery man by nature is like dry wood, which is apt to kindle so soone as fire is put to it: so, giue a man the least occasion, and presently hee yeeldeth to sinne:Mecum est quicquid mihi nocere potest. Ber­nar. med. 11 There needes not indeede anie Diuell to tempt vs, but let the least occasion that is bee [Page 48] offered vnto vs, and straitway man becommeth a tempter vnto him­selfe: And this is that which the A­postle saith,Iam. 1.14. Euerie man is tempted when hee is drawne away and enticed by his owne concupiscence. The enemy by which wee are ouercome, is in our owne bosome, that is, mans naturall corruption,Genes. 36. which is fewell for the kindling of the fire of Sathans temptations: This appeares in Euah the Mother of vs all, in the first transgression: first, shee sawe the fruit; secondly, shee conceiued a li­king of it; thirdly, shee desired it; fourthly, shee eate of it: Dinah the daughter of Iacob wandring abroad, laid her selfe open vnto sinne, and so fell, which might haue been preuen­ted, had she auoyded the occasions thereof.

And Dauid, a man after Gods own heart, hauing set open the case­ments of his soule, his eyes, (by the which the Diuell did easily winde himselfe into his heart) and beheld Bathsheba washing her selfe,2. Sam. 11. but by [Page 49] & by he lusted after her, sent for her and lay with her: So violent is mans corrupt nature in apprehending eue­ry occasion that may draw him to sinne. It is therefore a point of great wisedome to discerne betweene the deceipt of sinne, and the fruite of sinne before it bee committed. O flattering enemy! In the action of committing it is as sweete as poy­son, after it is committed a biting serpent: It comes to a man with a smiling countenance, as Ioab to Amasa, Art thou in health my friend, but with all it strikes to the heart, and woundes vnto death.

This doctrine serueth for the re­proofe Vse 1 of those who are so farre from the auoiding of the occasions of sinne, as that they do freely and of their owne accord seeke and fol­low after them, they will not tarry with Ioseph till they bee temp­ted by others, but they seeke all occasions and watch all oppor­tunities to tempt others: Neuer ra­uenous [Page 50] beast did more eagerly pur­sue the prey, then some doe hunt af­ter the occasions of sinne: which is madnesse with a witnesse, as if the flesh were not proue enough of it selfe vnto that which is euill, but that paines must bee taken to helpe it forward to sinne. Oh then, how carefull ought wee to bee to watch ouer our waies, and to auoide all the occasions of sinne! Countergard thy heart (saith Salomon) and keepe it with watch and ward;Prou. 4.23. looke vnto the casements of thy soule, thy eyes and thy eares:Ps. 119.37. Eccl. 9.4.5. Pray with Dauid, Lord turne away my eyes from beholding vanity, make a couenant with them with Iob. Iob 31. What folly, nay what mad­nesse is it then in them that dare come into any company, that dare looke and pry into the beauty of a woman, as though they were so strong that they were out of all dan­ger to sin? But art thou more holy or strong then Dauid, Peter, &c. if not, thou maist fall?

Vse 2 Let all godly men and women [Page 51] take heed, let them feare themselues and doubt the worst, Blessed is the man that feareth alwaies but hee that hardeneth his heart shall not prosper: Wee must at all times haue especiall regard to the heart or else wee can­not stand; Such and so many are the assaults that sathan doth lay against our soules, this is that wholesome counsell that the Apostle Peter doth lay downe vnto vs, who was both acquainted with the frailty of mans nature, and the malice of sa­than, when hee saith,1. Pet. 5.8. Bee sober and watch, for your aduersary the deuill, &c. Where hee ioyneth vnto Sobriety, Watchfulnesse, for though a man be neuer so sober, yet if hee do not watch withall, and that against the occasions of sin, hee is easily made a prey to Sathan; And for want of this care and watchful­nesse, many of Gods children haue beene ouertaken, and haue fell into many horrible and grieuous sinnes, which they could not so easily haue done, had they beene watchfull [Page 52] ouer their owne affections. And thus much for the first Doctrine in the description of a godly man, hee must carefully auoide all occasions of sinne.

HEre the Prophet Dauid shewes who is a godly man, and what be his properties. First (as we haue heard) hee auoides all occasions of sinne: so now in the second place, the counsell and company of lewd, wicked, and vngodly men: A godly man, and such a one as shall bee truely happy and blessed indeed, doth distaste and dislike, yea vtterly renounce and abhorre their soci­etie and company, their counsels and consultations, so as hee doth shunne and auoid them as dange­rous and infectious; from whence wee gather a second point of Doctrine.

That men must carefully shunneDoctr. 2. Wee must shunne the company of wicked men. and auoid the company of the wic­ked, it is very apparant; Note: Num. 31.16 2. Sā. 10.3. Mat. 16.22 Acts 13.8. Psalme 15 Tit. 2.12 2. Cor. 6.14 if they them­selues will not be defiled with their abhomination: for that rule of Salo­mon will stand, Hee that toucheth pitch shall bee defiled: Bad company is ex­ceeding pernicious and hurtfull, ei­ther to disswade from that which is truely good, or to perswade to that which is naught and wicked. Dauid maketh it a marke of a true member of the Church, That in his eyes a vile person is contemned. And the Apostle willeth all Christians, who looke for glory through Christ; that they would haue nothing to do with the vnfruitfull workes of darknesse. And againe, This indeed is pure Religion and vndefiled, to keepe our selues vnspot­ted of the world. This the Apostle S. Paul vrgeth, Be not vnequally yoaked with infidels, for what fellowship hath righteousnesse with vnrighteousnesse? It is the exhortation of Salomon: Forsake the wicked and yee shall liue. Ioseph li­uing in the Court of Pharaoh, had [Page 54] quickly learned to sweare by the life of Pharaoh: and we know that it was in the common Hall, amongst the seruants of the high Priests, that Peter had learned to curse and to sweare. It were no lesse then trea­son in a subiect to liue in friendship with one that is a professed enemie to the King; much more is it treason in the subiects of the King of heauen to haue society with the wicked: and this is obserued to bee the fault of Iehosaphat, That hee would helpe the wicked, and loue them that hate the Lord. Such are euen odious vnto God,Psalm. 5.5. as Dauid saith, Thou hatest all them that worke iniquitie. Besides, their company is exceeding dange­rous, for the wrath of God hangeth ouer the head of the vngodly. This we may see in Lot, who for the fruit­fulnesse of the place was drawne to liue in Sodome where the men were wicked:Gen. 19. So when they were taken prisoners, Lot was taken prisoner with them; And, had not thē Lord beene exceeding mercifull vnto him, [Page 55] hee had perished with them in the generall ouerthrow of that Citie. And this was the voyce of God from heauen concerning Babylon,Reu. 18.4 Goe out of her my people, that yee bee not partakers of her sins, and that yee receiue not of her plagues. And this was the cause why the Lord gaue so streight a charge to the people of Israel, that they should haue no dealing at all with the Inhabitants of the land of Caanan; Thou shalt make no couenant with them, nor with their gods: Ex. 23.32. Neither shall they dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sinne against me. Deut. 7.2. Neither shalt thou make any marriages with them, neither giue thy daughter to his sonne, nor take his sonne to thy daughter, for they will cause thy sonne to fall away from me, and to serue other gods. And how true this threatning from the Lord was, the euent maketh it manifest; for they neglecting this Commandement from God, Wee are mingled amongst the heathen, and learned their workes, Ps. 106.35. as Dauid saith; and wofull experience doth proue this to be true of many [Page 56] who haue sometime beene indiffe­rently conformable to good duties, afterwards falling into wicked and lewd company haue beene corrup­ted and growne dissolute: Oh what stumbling blockes are such vnto a man from the performance of any good duety. This did Dauid know full well when hee said, Away from mee yee wicked, Ps. 119.115. I will keepe the Comman­dements of my God: Insinuating ther­by, as it may easily be gathered, that he could not set himselfe to the per­formance of any holy duty, as hee ought, so long as such wicked com­pany were about him. Yea it hath been a griefe vnto the godly to haue beene in the company of vngodly persons. As Lot liuing in Sodome where hee saw their filthy abhomi­nations,2. Pet. 2.7. It vexed his righteous soule: And this was it that made Dauid be­mone his estate in the time of his banishment, when he was constrai­ned to abide amongst the vncircum­cised people, Woe is me that I remaine in Mesech: and to dwell in the tents of [Page 57] Kedar, My soule hath long dwelt a­mong those that bee enemies vnto peace. By all this that hath beene spoken, it doth appeare, That the godly man who shall bee happy and blessed in­deed doth carefully shunne and a­uoid the lewd company of the wic­ked.

This Doctrine, in the first place, doth serue to reproue all such as Vse 1 are carelesse of their company, that can vse as much familiaritie, and shew as good a countenance to the worst, and make them as welcome as the best, be they what they will be, Papists or Atheists; yea let them bee as prophane as Esau, hee is not­withstanding for their company, but by this meanes they do little thinke, that they do hazard both faith and a good conscience, and cause the god­ly themselues to suspect them, that they are but prophane. And indeed it cannot otherwise bee, but if they themselues did make any conscience of sinne, they would likewise make conscience of the occasions of sinne, [Page 58] whereof what can bee worse then lewd company who are ready to make a mocke at euery good dutie, and whose nature is to haue other men to runne into the same excesse of ry­ot with themselues?1 Pet. 4 4. yea when a man or a woman hath some good things in them, as to loue the word of God, to like of Gods faithfull Ministers, to delight in prayer, &c. In comes a wicked man and breathes out his poison, seeking by bad counsell, and lewd perswasions, to disswade them and draw them backe, Oh you loue the Minister too much, he wil make you precise, you need not to take such paines, but take your libertie! what need you bee afraid of them? Oh when such wretches step in, and thus poure out their lewd counsels and perswasions, what doe they else but draw men to perdition, especial­ly when they do deale with such as be young Christians, but comming on in the wayes of godlinesse. And when they speake that to great Per­sonages, who by nature are most in­clined [Page 59] to libertie, O what lets are these to a young Christian in the wayes of godlinesse!

And when the Lord leaues a man or a woman to listen to such cursed counsell,Note. it is a great signe that the Lord loues them not. So it is said, that the Lord left Absolom, that hee should not receiue the good counsel of Achitophel, because the Lord would destroy Absolom. So it is said of Rehoboam, that he listned onely to the counsell of his young men, be­cause the Lord would bring his iudgements vpon the house of Sa­lomon.

This should admonish all men to take heed of such kind of men, as the Vse 2 very limbs of the diuel, and the mes­sengers of Sathan, who seek to draw men from God & from Iesus Christ, and from a godly life, to stoppe our eares at their lewd and damnable counsels, not to heare them, nor to listen to them: yea if it lie in our po­wer to remoue them, and to banish them our presence as the greatest e­nemies [Page 60] of our Soules, and the mes­sengers of the Diuel, seeking to per­uert and poison our poore soules, to put our mouthes out of taste, and to make vs dislike those that are sent of God, who ought to bee most deare vnto vs.Obiect. It will bee here obiected, whether it be not lawful vpon some occasion, to be in their company, or to haue dealing with wicked men? Respons. Answ. In some case it is lawfull, as thus: First, that it bee onely for ne­cessitie: as that we cannot auoyd it in ordinary matters of this life, vn­lesse we should go out of the world: secondly, that we haue a due calling thereunto: thirdly, that we be not silent at the committing of sin, but that euer we shew our dislike of their vaine courses; and lastly, that we labour with out selues to bee grieued at their sinnes, as Lot was at the So­domites.

THe original word signifies such wicked men as are neuer quiet in their mindes, but euermore mu­sing and deuising some mischiefe: which they may vtter and practise as occasion serues.

And in this note the very proper­tieDoctr. 3. Wicked men are euer deui­sing of mischiefe. of a wicked and gracelesse man: He is neuer at rest, but still plotting and deuising some mischiefe against God or good men: This we may see by diuers examples.2. Sam. 16. Achitophels coū ­sell was esteemed like as one had as­ked counsell at the Oracle of God: The like we may see in Herod when hee heard of the birth of Christ,Math. 2.7. as of a new-borne King, what policy did hee vse to destroy the Sauiour of the world? The Scribes and Pha­risees,Math. 26. how carefully did they consult and take counsell together against Christ, to put him to death; yea they brake their sleepe about it.Ier. 18.18. When the Iewes could not endure Ieremie [Page 62] to preach plaine, and to tell them of their sinnes, they therfore by and by say thus, Come let vs deuise and ima­gine some mischiefe against the Prophet of the Lord, Let vs smite him with the tongue, Let vs take no heede, nor giue any eare to his preaching. Hest. 3. So Haman deuiseth how to put Mordecai and the Iewes out of fauour, by deuising a most vile accusation. So Deog, that blacke mouthed Dog,1. Sam. 22.9. Dan. 3. deuiseth how to accuse Dauid to Saul. So those wicked Rulers did deuise to inuent some mischiefe against Daniel. And the Prophet Michai sheweth, that it is an old practise of wicked men, to deuise wicked things. In the Pri­mitiue Church the enemies of Gods children, that persecuted the Chri­stians, deuised this shamefull slaun­der, That they worshipped an Asses head, &c. So in these dayes it is ma­nifest, that the Diuell stirres vp wic­ked men to accuse Gods children, to deuise slaunders, and false accusati­ons against them: The Diuell hath one Doeg or other to accuse Dauid [Page 63] to Saul, to thrust him out of fauour, and to bring him into disgrace: And when as they can say nothing iustly against them, then they beginne to deuise how they may raise vp some false report or other, to smite them with the tongue.

And the reason of this is, because they are foolish and ignorant: For they not knowing the Lord, nor vnderstanding his waies aright, but being in this respect worser then the Oxe that knoweth his owner, And the Asse that knoweth his maisters Cribbe (as the Lord doth complaine of them) they cannot but doe as S. Paul did in the time of his igno­rāce,Esay 1.3. euen oppose themselues against God and his children. And for this cause the Lord doth make his mone for the foolishnesse and ignorance of his people, as of the wel-spring of all their rebellions against him, in these words; For my people are foolish, they haue not knowne mee, they are foo­lish children, and haue none vnder­standing: They are wise to doe euill, [Page 64] but to doe well they haue no knowledge.

Vse 1 Seeing wee are taught here, what is the nature of wicked men; name­ly, that they haue in them a restlesse desire to peruert the wayes of the godly, and to doe some mischiefe; This must teach vs first of all to deale wisely and warily with them, least wee bee corrupted by them. Wee are here set as vpon a hill or a stage, and professing Iesus Christ, a small spot will bee seene in our gar­ment. It behooueth vs therefore to be as wise as Serpents,Mat. 10.16 and as in­nocent as Doues, to the end wee may stoppe the mouthes of gaine-sayers, and cut off occasions from them that seeke occasions. And to this end wee must euermore bee mindfull in our prayers, to pray vn­to God to be deliuered from them: for vnlesse we be armed from aboue, we shall easily be ouertaken by their assaults, and through the corrupti­ons of our owne hearts, which are prone vnto all sinne, they deale wa­rily and circumspectly, they worke [Page 65] by all meanes to peruert our waies, and to make vs two-fold worse then themselues the child of Satan. How much more carefull ought we to bee to preuent them? which we shall do the better by shunning the occasi­ons of sinne.

Secondly, wee are taught heere, Vse 2 (that if we labour to bee the Disci­ples of Christ, and to bee bles­sed) what entertainement we shall finde in the world; namely, to haue wicked and vngodly men to stand in our way, and hinder vs, as they did stand in Zacheus way when hee went forth to see Christ.Luk. 19.3. If thou bee once in Gods presence, and dost beginne to call vpon him for mercy,Luk. 18.39 they will rebuke thee as they did the poore blind man in the Gospel. If thou bee sicke, yea dead in trespasses and sinnes, and Christ doth beginne to come home to the house of thy Soule to heale thee, and to raise thee vp from the death of thy sinnes, they will stoppe his pas­sage and entrance in, if possibly they [Page 66] can: As they did when Christ came to the Rulers Daughter that was dead.Matt. 9.23. But as Christ turned them out of doores, saying, Get yee hence: So must thou shake them off, and not communicate with flesh and bloud, in matters that concerne eternal life, and the saluation of thy soule; For if thou doe, thou canst neuer be saued: Neyther must we look after the loue and liking of the world, nor hang v­pon men for their applause and fa­uour; for where there is not the feare of God, surely such men are most vnconstant in their wayes, turning vpon euery small occasion, yea and the loue and fauor of such men must needes be bent towards the worst, seeing themselues are bad, and set themselues in no good way: Re­member what Christ said vnto his Disciples:Ioh. 15.19. If yee were of the world, the world would loue his owne: But because yee are not of the world: But I haue cho­sen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Wherefore, as they that run at tilt, looke not to the vul­gar [Page 67] people what they say, but to the Iudges; so care not thou for the world. But looke euer what the Iudge of heauen and earth doth al­low and approue of.

That hath not walked in the counsell of the wicked. By Counsell hee heere meaneth the subtilties and crafts of the wicked, by which they push themselues forward, and labour to draw others to be like vnto them­selues, according to that of Salo­mon, My sonne, if sinners intice thee, Prouer. 11 consent not vnto them. From whence wee gather a fourth poynt of Do­ctrine.

Namely, that it is a most horribleDoctr. 4. To giue e­uill coun­sell, is an horrible sinne. and grieuous sin to giue euill coun­sell. To commit sinne, is that which highly offends the Maiestie of God, and draweth downe vpon vs all pu­nishments both temporall and eter­nall; but to counsell others to com­mit sinne, is the very height of sin.

This is noted in the Scripture to be the sinne of Iezabell, who was a furtherer of Ahabs winkednesse,1. Reg. 21.7 for [Page 68] when hee could not by any law­full meanes attaine the Vine-yard of Naboth, shee said vnto him, Dost thou sway the Scepter, rule the King­dome, and manage the State? Arise and eate bread, I will giue thee the vineyard: This was the counsell of Achitophel vnto Absolom, 2. Sam. 16.21. fearing his reconciliation to his father Da­uid, and therein his owne iust con­fusion, hee giues such counsell whereby hee might take away all hope of agreement: Go into thy fa­thers Concubines, which hee hath left to keepe the house, and when all Israel shall heare thou art abhorred of thy fa­ther, the hands of all that are with thee shall bee strong. This is likewise set downe by Salomon in the Prouerbes, where he expresseth the sin of sedu­cers;Prou. 1.11. saying, Come with vs, let vs lie in waite for the bloud of the innocents, wee will swallow them vp aliue, like a graue, euen whole, as those that go downe into the pit: Cast in thy Lot amongst vs, we will all haue one purse, their feet runne to euill, and they make hast to shed bloud. And [Page 69] this doth appeare in the brethren of Ioseph, when they purposed the ouer­throw of their brother:Gen. 37.10 Come (say they) let vs slay him and cast him into some pit, and we will say a wicked beast hath deuoured him. And this appea­red to bee the malice of the High Priests and Elders of the people, who moued the people to desire that Barrabas might bee deliuered rather then CHRIST,Mar. 15.11 and perswaded Iudas, for a summe of mony, to be­tray him:Mat. 28.12 Inticed the Souldiers with a great summe of money to noise it abroad that his Disciples came by night and stole him away while they slept. All these testimonies, and ma­ny more, may serue for the confirma­tion of this doctrine, that it is a most horrible and grieuous sinne to giue euill counsell.

Seeing that it is a most great and Vse 1 grieuous sinne to giue euill counsell, this teacheth vs our duety: that whensoeuer they shall set vpon vs to draw vs away from GOD, that wee bee carefull that wee consent not [Page 70] vnto them: It is not enough for a man to say, Alas, I deuised it not, neither am I the first that haue com­mitted the like; for this shall excuse no man, that hee was not the author of an euill: For surely, if it bee so great a sinne to seduce, it is no lesse sinne to bee seduced, and GOD will one day finde them no lesse guilty, but shall partake with them of the same punishment: if a man should haue about him a great summe of money, or other treasure, and should willingly, and wittingly, put himselfe into the companie of thieues, and will be drawne by them out of the way, were this man to be pittied, if hee should loose all that he had? Euen so is it with a Christi­an, that doth carry daily about with him a rich Treasure, his Soule and conscience, which hee must keepe vnspotted of the world: If he listen to the charmes of the wicked, and will be drawne out of the way of Gods commaundements, to commit sinne, and so make shipwracke of [Page 71] faith, and a good conscience: is it not iust with God, that this man should perish for the same? So then wee see it standeth vs in hand to be­ware of consenting to sinne, and counselling others to commit sinne: For if wee giue our consent vnto them, we are partakers with them in their wickednesse, and shall be sure one day to haue share with them in their punishments.

Secondly, seeing the giuing of e­uill Vse 2 counsell is so euill a sinne, both in him that doth counsell another, as also in him that consenteth vnto it, both which we must carefully shun and auoyde: yet this is not all, but wee must also seeke for the societie of the godlie, that all our delight may bee in them, wee must by all meanes ioyne our selues in friend­ship with them, and make much of their assemblies;Pro. 13.20 for with the vpright thou shalt learne to be vpright: This Salomon teacheth vs, Hee that wal­keth with the wise, shall be wiser: It is in­deede a rare thing to finde a man [Page 72] that will counsell others to follow godlinesse, and therefore such as doe are much to be respected: loue him as the dearest friend that will direct thee in the wayes of saluation, and bee a guide vnto thee in the path that shall leade vnto life. Let it bee farre from thee to be ashamed to fol­low the counsell of such as are dis­creete and godly; it is not materiall who they be, whether our superi­ours or equalls, or our inferiours, for the Counsellour is not so much to be regarded as the Counsell. If it be holie, iust, and good, receiue it as from God, who thus speaketh vn­to thee by his seruant; If it be euill, reiect it, as comming from the Di­uell, who speaketh by his instru­ments.

THe last thing that we haue now to consider out of the first part of the description of a godly man is [Page 73] this, Hee hath not walked, &c. By walking, the Prophet Dauid heere meaneth (according to an vsuall me­taphore in Scripture) a common vsu­all course of a mans behauiour, or their ordinary trade of life. And the word which is heere vsed is rendred in a Tense or Time, which in the owne tongue noteth a continuance of walking euen all the dayes of their life: for otherwise who can say his heart is free, but that at some time or other the Counsell, or bad example of the wicked hath preuailed with him: but that is not meant heere in this place; when a man hath with-drawne himselfe from their lewd conuersations, and betaken himselfe to the wayes of Gods Commaundements. From whence wee gather a two-fold Do­ctrine: First, that the falls, slipps, and infirmities of Gods children are ma­ny & great, which many times they fall into, and yet cannot properly be said to walke in them, because they rise daily out of the same: And se­condly, [Page 74] That to walke, it is said of the godly, in respect of Gods Com­mandements, because as it is in the second Verse, Therein is their de­light.

Doctr. 5. The fals of the godly, many. It is most true, that there are the seedes of all sinne whatsoeuer, na­turally rooted and in-bred with vs, which if they be not preuented, are ready to breake out vpon any occa­sion that shall be offered: and how­soeuer the godlie do desire to please God, and indeuour to serue God in truth and sincerity of heart, yet do they often stumble in their race, through the burthen that presseth downe, and the sinne that hangeth on so fast. This trueth is confessed by Salomon in his worthie Prayer at the Dedication of the Temple: If any man sinne against thee (for there is none that sinneth not) if he turne againe with all his heart, 1. Reg. 8.46 Iob 15.14. &c. Againe, what is man that hee should be cleane: and hee that is borne of a woman that hee should be iust? Psalme 14 Againe, All are gone out of the way, they are all corrupt, there [Page 75] is none that doth good, no not one. Psal. 14. Most wofull and fearefull was the fall of Dauid, as the Scripture hath recorded it. It may seeme very strange that a man as Dauid was,2. Sam. 11. euen after Gods owne heart, could possibly fall so farre as hee did: For if wee consider the circumstances and degrees of his sinne, it will ap­peare, that (finall impenitencie excepted) a Reprobate could scarce commit a greater: For first be com­mitted adulterie with Vriah his wife, when this was done, hee glauereth and flattereth with the VVomans husband, and bade him goe home to refresh himselfe with his wife, thin­king thereby to father the Bastard on him: when this succeeded not, he went further, and vnto his adultery hee added murder, that hee might beare, as the griefe of it in his heart, so the shame of it in his fore-head; And in this hee wrought worse then Iezabell, for hee makes Vriah the messenger, to carry the letters for his owne execution. What shall I say of [Page 76] Noah, of Lot, of Peter, &c. I neede not to stand on this doctrine, seeing wofull experience in all the godlie doth proue it too true.

Vse 1 It may teach vs, that wee be not too rash in iudging and condem­ning our brethren: Wee see by this that hath beene deliuered, that the deere childe of God may fall most grieuously and fowly, and yet be re­stored agayne to the fauour of God, because hee doth not walke on in sinne, as the wicked doe. But when­soeuer through the temptations of Sathan, or the frailetie of his owne flesh, hee falles into sinne, forth­with with Peter hee goes out of that sinne, and weepes bitterly for the same. And therefore as Saint Iames saith, chap. 4. verse 12. who art thou that iudgest an other man? Wee may not set bounds and limits to Gods mercy, to say that any shall finally be damned. Howsoeuer a man may bee in the state of damnation for a time, this were to sit in Gods Chaire: Let vs all acknowledge our selues [Page 77] to be but men, and let none vsurpe the authority of Gods iudgement, Let vs therefore consider what wee our selues are, before wee cast our eyes vpon other men, for they are the most sharpe and se­uere Iudges of their brethren, that forget their owne infirmities: and I doubt not but all the Children of GOD do know by experience in themselues, how hardly sinne is subdued and maistered in them; How many sighes and groanes it requireth, how many prayers and teares it doeth cost them? What a striuing and struggling they haue within themselues to keepe it vnder, and yet for all this it is verie hardly subdued: So that the knowledge of our owne weake­nesse, and vnworthinesse, must arme vs with meeknesse towards our bre­thren.

By the rule of this Doctrine wee Vse 2 are admonished to bee verie warie and circumspect ouer our selues. Did Dauid fall, did Lot, Noah, [Page 78] Peter, &c. fall? Oh! whither shall wee fall if God doe but a little leaue vs to our selues? who dare presume of his owne strength and worthinesse, when such woorthie Pillars as these haue beene shaken? yea the lamentable shippewracke of such men as these, may make vs to feare a tempest before it doe come. It is the Diuells craftie counsell, and subtile pollicie, to make vs o­uer-weene our selues, and to make vs boast and presume of our selues, For the Diuell doth know full well, that this lifting of a man vp, is the very next way to tumble and throw him downe, as Salomon saith, Pride goeth before destruction, and an high minde before the fall: Prouerbs 16. ver. 18. And therefore acknowledging our owne want of strength, and our owne inability to stand without the assistance of Gods Spirit, Let vs not be high minded, but feare: Roman. 11.20. And thus we haue seene that the falls and slips of Gods children are many and great, which notwith­standing [Page 79] cannot hinder their happi­nesse, because they walke not in them, that is; they make it not their continuall practise, ro liue and de­light in sinne.

Now wee are to come to the se­cond,Doctr. 6. A godly man doth euer walke with God. which doth note vnto vs that the godly man, who shall bee truely happy and blessed indeed, is so farre from making his life a life of sinne, as that hee doth ra­ther in the whole course of the same, walke with GOD in obe­dience.

For therefore indeed is our course of new life compared to a way, to shew that the godly must alwaies bee walking in it, from the beginning of their course vnto the end of the same. It was the com­mendations of Enoch and Noah, Gen. 5.22.6.9. that notwithstanding the daies and times wherein they liued were dan­gerous: Yet They walked with God: That is, they considered more the Commandements of GOD, what he had appointed then what was pra­ctised; [Page 80] and desired rather to bee ap­proued of GOD through their obedience, then through their diso­bedience to purchase the fauour of men:Gen. 17.1. It was the charge giuen by GOD to Abraham, Walke before mee: That is, let it euer bee thy care, that seeing I am present euery where and priuy to all thy cour­ses, that thou walke as in my sight, And this was the best testimony that Salomon could giue of his fa­ther Dauid, 1. King. 3.6 That hee walked before GOD in truth, and in righteousnesse. Yea, this did minister comfort to godly Ezechias, Esay 38.3. when he thought he should die: Remember, O Lord, that I haue walked before thee in truth: And to this agreeth that of the Apostle Paul, Who forgat that which was behind, Phil. 3.13. and endeuoured himselfe to that which was before, and followed hard to­wards the marke, to the prize of the high calling of GOD in IESVS CHRIST. Hee was not like vnto a vaine and foolish man, who run­ning in a race, will bee euer and [Page 81] anon looking backe to see how much ground hee hath ridde; but his eye was alwayes vpon the marke or goale, to consider how much hee had to runne,Math. 24. how farre off hee was from perfection, and what hee had more to doe in his Christian course, that hee might finish the same with ioy. It is the end that makes all; Hee that shall endure to the end shall bee saued. 1 Cor. 9 24 Reu. 2.7. Rom. 13.11 1. Pet. 1.9. Our Sauiour saith not there, that hee that endureth for a season, but hee that continueth to the end; not euery one that fighteth, but hee that ouercommeth, shall receiue a Crowne of life: These examples doe shew vs how the godly haue walked. And these and the like precepts teach vs we should walke so as in the end wee may bee blessed.

Hence we are taught this lesson, Vse 1 that wee must neuer bee weary of wel-doing, seeing that perseuerance onely hath the promise of reward, wee must not depart out of the E­gypt [Page 82] of sinne, and then with the Israelites,2. Thes. 3.13. Ps. 92.13. and with Lots wife, looke backe to the Sodome of their sinnes, but remember that thou owest vnto GOD all thy dayes: The Trees planted in the Lords house, Mat. 3.10. bring forth fruit in their age, And they which doe not so, shall bee hewen downe and cast into the fire. It was the commendation of the Church of Thiatira, That her workes were more at last then at first. Reu. 2.19. A re­proofe of their folly, who hauing kept the path of righteousnesse for a time, doe after walke in no good way, but thinke with one iumpe to leape into heauen with a Lord haue mercy on me at the last: But know, O thou vaine man, that thou must walk in the way; that is, thou must vse all good meanes for the attaining of life and saluation, thou must heare the word diligently and carefully, pray, read, &c.

I doubt not but the serious thin­king vpon this, that God challen­geth euery day at our hands, yea all [Page 83] the daies of our life to bee spent in his seruice, will reforme many cor­ruptions in vs: For alas! the care of the most is, how they may keep cre­dit with men, though they purchase Gods displeasure, which will then stand such in little stead, when all things shall come to receiue their due triall: Euen euery worke done in the body, whether it bee good or euill: 2. Cor. 5.10. And thus much for the first part of the description of a godly man Nega­tiuely: Hee doth not walke in the coun­sell of the wicked.

THat is,The secōd part of the descripti­on of a godly man negatiuly. a godly man doth not settle himselfe to liue as wicked men do, nor frames his life after their lewd example: where we are to ob­serue two poynts: First, that there is a way of sinners, in which the vn­godly stand. Secondly, that the god­ly stand not in it.

First then, that there is a way of sinners, in the which they stand and [Page 84] liue, it is very apparant, called in the Scriptures by diuers names; as by the name of the way of the vngodly, The Lord knoweth the way of the righte­ous, but the way of the wicked shall pe­rish.

Doctr. 1. Wicked men de­scribed. It is tearmed an euill way. The way of lying, A wicked way, &c. And by these wayes wee are still to vnder­stand the course of life and con­uersation of the wicked; wherein wee are taught this Doctrine, that notwithstanding all the meanes that God and Man doth vse to the con­trary, the wicked man will still per­sist and goe on in sinne, which is heere vnderstood out of the word Stand. This appeareth in the exam­ple of Cain, Gen. 4.6. albeit hee were admoni­shed and reproued of God for his wrath and malice conceiued against his brother, yet for all that Caine will please himselfe in his owne way, and neuer rest till hee haue shedde the innocent bloud of his owne brother. This is seene likewise in the example of the old World, [Page 85] when the Lord saw that the wicked­nesse of man was great, and all the i­maginations of the thoughts of his heart were onely euill continually, and how they pleased themselues in this way, the Lord stirred vp Noah, Gen. 6.5. the preacher of righteousnesse, who warned them from God; yet they would continue still in their owne waies, giuing themselues to nothing but eating and drinking, and all ex­cesse, till the floud came and swept them clean away. This is cleare like­wise by the example of Pharaoh, Exod. 9.10 vpō whom all means were assaied for his conuersion: for what could the Lord do vnto him that he did not? He sent Moses and Aaron vnto him, warning him from God to let the people of Israel go, and to that end sent iudge­ment vpon iudgement, one vpon the necke of another, euen ten in num­ber, yet for all this, Pharaoh chose rather to continue still in his owne way, and would none of the Lords. So true is that saying of Sa­lomon: Bray a foole in a mortar, Pro. 27.22 yet will [Page 86] not his foolishnesse depart from him. And no maruell, for the spirit of slumber hath so couered their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts are so possest with spirituall fornica­tion, which makes them thus to goe a whooring from God, euen haled with the fury of their owne affecti­ons, snared of the Diuell, and taken of him at his will:Acts 7.51. Esay 63. Eze. 13.3. Oh miserable and vnhappy condition! Fearefull is the woe that lies vpon all those that thus walk in their owne waies. For most certaine it is, that they that are Christs, haue crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts, so far, as that they haue made choice of the Lords way, howsoeuer many times they may stumble, & fall, in walking therein. But of the wicked it may truly be sayd of them, the way of peace haue they not knowne.

Vse 2 We heard before, that wee ought not to proceed so farre with any, as to iudge of their finall estate and condition; for that were to sit in Gods Chaire, and to take his office [Page 87] vpon him. Yet to say of some, that they are in the state of damnation, and (vnlesse they repent) shall pe­rish for euer, doubtlesse this is not vnlawfull: for as loue bids mee not to determine too soone, so not to be abused too late. God bids me looke vpon the tree, and iudge of the fruit, I may say thou art in the state of damnation, for I see thy heart through thy hand: But whether thou shalt finally be damned, there I leaue thee: for God may haue mer­cy vpon thee vpon thy last repen­tance. I may come to a tree, and say, Here is little fruit: or, Here is no fruit: or, Here is bad fruit; but I can­not say, Neuer fruit grow on it more. But alas, alas! this is not all, this is not al that wicked men are thus dis­couered to men, but that the Lord wil find them out, & giue them their portion in the lake of fire. And in­deed this is that that ought to bee a terror to all the wicked and vngod­ly to consider, that as their hearts are hardened, and their consciences [Page 88] seared, so the plagues and punish­ments of God attend vpon them. If thou walke stubbornly against mee, Leuit 26. and wilt not obey mee, I will bring seuen times more plagues vpon thee, according to thy sinnes. Let vs all then, as wee tender the saluation of our owne soules, take heed vnto our paths, that wee stand not in the way of sinners, that wee sinne not with delight and deliberation, it is the very brand of a reprobate, and such a one as God hath forsaken. Take heede therefore that there bee not in any of you an euill heart to depart from the liuing God. And thus much for the first poynt of Doctrine, that there is a way of sin­ners, in which the wicked walke which leadeth vnto death.

The second point of doctrine that Doctr. 2. Godly man sins not with delibera­tion. doth now offer it selfe to our consi­deration, is this, That a godly man doth not settle himself to liue as the wicked doe, nor frames his life after his lewd example, which is heere meant, when the Prophet saith: Hee doth not stand in the way of sinners. Yea [Page 89] it is, altogether impossible for a god­ly man, and one that is truly regene­rate, to haue in him a full purpose to sin, and to liue in sin with deliberati­on, and to delight in the same. For a purpose to liue in any knowne sin, is a signe of a wicked man, and a gracelesse heart, as when a man is tolde of his sin, of his ignorance and carelesnesse in Gods seruice, praying, hearing, &c. yet still he wil be carelesse and negli­gent in the same. So when a man is reproued for his swearing, yet still will sweare, when a man is reproued for prophaning the Sabaoth, yet will prophane it: when a man is reproued for his vncleannesse, drunkennes, malice, &c. and yet for all that will continue in those sins. Surely this purpose to stand in the way of sinners, is a fearefull signe of a wicked man, and is farre from a godly man, and one that is truly sanctified, which shall be bles­sed for euermore. It was a cursed speech of a cursed wretch,Exod. 5.12 I know not the Lord, neyther will I let the children of Israel goe. This was the case of [Page 90] those rebellious Iewes spoken of by Ieremy: Ier. 44.16. we will not heare, nor do, but as we lust, and as we haue done. And this was that that made the case of He­rod so fearefull,Mar. 6.20. that notwitstan­ding hee heard Iohn Baptist willing­ly, and did many things at his re­quest, all which were good things in him, yet for all that hee would not leaue his adultery, but conti­nue in it; which purpose to sinne, of all things is farre from a godly man,1. Ioh. 3.9 as Saint Iohn saith; Hee that is borne of God sinneth not: that is, with whole consent, but in part, and man being partly flesh, and partly spirit, as he is regenerate, sinne proceedes not from him, but as he is flesh. As for the wicked, it is not so with them: for it is meate and drinke to a wicked man to doe the workes of the Diuell. It is worth euen our best consideration what is sayd of the A­postle Paul, that hee once Breathed out threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord. Acts 9.1. But when was this? Euen in the time of his igno­rance: [Page 91] but afterwards hee preached the same Gospell which before hee persecuted, and laboured euer after all the dayes of his life, to build vp the Church of God which before hee laboured to pull downe. And this appeares in Dauid, in Peter, Luke 7. in Mary Magdalen, &c. who after they had once escaped the snares of the Diuel, dedicated euer after their whole life to the seruice of GOD. This exhortation doth the Apostle giue to the Ephesians: Col. 3 7. Ephes. 5.8 Yee were once darknesse, but now are light in the Lord; walke as children of the light. By these and the like examples it doth ap­peare, that the godly stand not in the way of sinners; that is, take no liberty to themselues to liue in the custome and practise of any knowne sin.

This may serue in the first place, Vse 1 to reproue such kinde of sinners, as are so farre from leauing their sinnes, and walking with God in obedience of life, that they are not ashamed to defend their sinnes. Tell the swearer of his swearing and [Page 92] blaspheming of the name of God, hee will answere, that hee hopeth he may sweare so long as he sweares nothing but the truth; tell the coue­tous man of his couetousnesse, hee will answere for it hee must make the best of his owne, and hee must be a good husband; so tell the drunkard of his drunkenesse and fearefulll abusing of the good cre­atures of God; his answere is, It is in kindnesse and good-fellowship: tell the prowde man of his pride, and strange attires: his answer is, It is the fashion, and hee doth but as o­thers doe. Is not this, To stand in the way of sinners? Is not this to commit sinne with delight, and to say as Pharaoh, Exod 9. Marke 6. Ierem. 44. Herod, and the Iewes, wee will not repent, wee will not leaue our sinnes? but continue in them, let God and man say what they will: yea, this is but to pay one debt by another, and as the Apostle saith, Heape vp wrath against the day of wrath, Rom. 4.

Vse 2 Wee are all heere admonished, as [Page 93] wee loue our owne soules, to take heede of this, that wee neuer sinne with an high hand against God, wittingly and willingly: But if wee heare sinne reproued, let vs leaue it, bee it neuer so pleasant or profita­ble, let vs bee like that good King Iosias, 2. Kings 22. who hearing the Booke of the Law read vnto him, his heart melted within him, and hee wept for his sinnes, for so long as we haue in vs a purpose to liue in sinne, it is impossible that wee should euer feare God, or truely repent, let vs pray with Dauid, Lord, Psal. 19.12.13. Prou. 8.9. keepe thy seruant from presumptuous sinnes! And let vs know, that if wee regard, that is to say, loue wicked men in our hearts, and haue a purpose to liue in sinne, God will not regarde our prayers: nay, all wee doe is abhomi­nation to the Lord. Say now there­fore vnto Laughter, Thou art mad: Pronounce the wayes of the wicked to be but vaine, say vnto thy owne Soule, I will haue nothing to doe with the wayes of iniquitie: And this will [Page 94] giue thee courage when thou shalt come to looke CHRIST IESVS in the face, when thou canst say with the Apostles, Lord I haue for­saken all to follow thee: Mat. 19.27 Mat. 24.46 Oh blessed is the seruant whom his Maister when hee commeth shall finde so doing.

Vse 5 Last of all wee learne heere a notable difference betweene the child of GOD regenerate, and a wicked man: Hee that is borne of GOD and truely regenerate, hee doth not commit sinne with full purpose and consent of will, but against his will; so as hee can truely say with Paul, Rom. 7.15. the euill that I would not do, that do I: That is, I am drawne, through the corruption of Nature, and the temptations of Sathan, to doe that euill which I hate and condemne. But the wicked man sinnes with full consent and pur­pose. I sinne and would not sinne, saith the godly man: I sinne and will sinne, saith the wicked man. Yea, what seruice soeuer the regenerate [Page 95] man doth giue vnto sinne, it is like that seruice which Israel gaue to Pharaoh in Egypt, compelled and wrung out from them by oppression, which made them sigh and cry vn­to GOD to bee eased of the same. But the seruice which hee doth giue vnto the Lord is voluntary and chearefull. Well, to end this point, this is the summe: know this whoso­euer thou art, that if thou Stand in the way of sinners: that is, takest li­berty to thy selfe to liue in any knowne sinne, thou canst haue no assurance that thou art yet within the couenant of Grace, Blessednesse is no part of thy portion: Hee must be­come a New Creature that shall enter into New Ierusalem. And thus much for the second part of the descripti­on of a godly man, Negatiuely; Hee doth not stand in the way of sinners.

The third part of the descripti­on of a godly man negatiue­ly. BY Seate of the scornefull: he mea­neth heere, the fellowship and society of the vngodly: So that the meaning of the Prophet Dauid heere in this place is, that the godly man, who shall be this Blessed Man heere spoken of, will not conuerse with those men, nor bee familiar with those that make a mocke of all Reli­gion, and openly professe all impie­tie: and the word sitting, doth im­part such an habite and custome in euill, that a man meaneth not to change his minde: In which words, as in the former wee are to consider these two poynts: First, that there is a seate of the scornefull, in the which the wicked sit: and secondly, that the godly doe not sit in it.

A three-fold seate. For the first, the Scriptures disco­uer vnto vs a three-folde Chaire, or 1 Seate, first of Iustice, and such a one may that Throne seeme to be which Salomon erected.1 Reg. 10.18.

The second is of Doctrine, as our 2 Sauiour CHRIST saith of the Scribes and Pharises, They sit in Mo­ses Chaire, Matth. 23.2.

Thirdly, wee reade of a Seate, or 3 Chaire, of the scornefull, spoken of in this Psalme.

This sinne of Scorning hath it first being from the roote of Pride, which is the roote from whence this sinne of scorning doth spring: and indeed it is the fruit of Pride, and it is the nature of men who are tainted with this sinne of pride, to suppose that they are better then others, and therefore in regarde of themselues they doe contemne and despise an o­ther. If they haue wealth, they des­pise an other that is poorer then themselues. Honour makes them swell in disdaine of their poore bre­thren, their wisedome, learning, strength, beauty, friends, eloquence, all these lift men vp with pride, and makes them to scorne those that are vnder them: and this comes to passe, not in respect of riches themselues, or [Page 98] honour, or beauty, or the like, but in respect of our corrupr nature, which is so ready to abuse them to our owne condemnation. But (O man) why art thou thus puffed vp with pride? thou wast but earth, thou art but flesh, thou shalt be but Wormes meate: what cause hath earth, or flesh, or wormes meate to be prowd? Wee were all borne in sinne, we liue in misery, and we shall die in corruption. What cause hath sinne, or misery, or corruption to bee prowd, but to bee humble? Besides the manifold infirmities that wee are subiect vnto heere, and the innume­rable diseases that are ready to hap­pen vnto vs: All teaching vs this lesson, To bee humble and lowly of minde.

And in this feare, the wicked and vngodly, doe ease themselues and take their delight, as sometimes Ba­bylon did, who vaunted so much that shee did sit as Queene, and should see no mourning: as it were in scorne of all that God could do vnto her.

And this was the case of cursed Pharaoh, who seemed to mocke God to his face, when he said, I know not the Lord, neyther will I let the children of Israell goe, Exodus chap. 9. So then the doctrine that wee gather hence from the Text, is this: That euill menDoctr. 1. Wicked men pro­ceed by degrees to be excee­ding sinful doe not vsually make a stay in sinne, when at first they haue committed it, but they proceede by degrees to bee worse and worse, Falling from one mischiefe to another. First, the Diuell will suggest euill thoughts into a man, his euill thoughts doe tole on consent, consent breedeth action, action bringeth custome, and custome begetteth a necessity in sin­ning, which is the fore-runner of death; This appeareth in Caine, in Pharaoh, and in Iudas, who by steps, and degrees in sinning, came at the last to bee hardened in sinne.Mat. 26.8. Iohn 12.5. Mat. 27.5. As in Iudas, who was at the first a cun­ning Dissembler; secondly, a secret Thiefe; thirdly, a bold Lyer; fourth­ly, a Traytour; and lastly, a Repro­bate: And thus a wicked man, as it [Page 100] is in the Psalme, They fall from one wickednesse to another; And as wee see it cleere heere in the wordes of this Text, from walking, to standing, and from standing stocke still in sinne, at length, through custome, come to lie downe and wallow in sinne. Oh happie then is that man that sinneth least! next, hee that re­turneth vnto God soonest: but most wofull is the estate of him that go­eth on in sinne, that with Ahab, Hath solde himselfe to worke wickednesse in the sight of the Lord: Psal. 69.17 Iere. 13.23 Heb. 10.26 Heb. 12.17 Roman. 2. For marke what followeth: Can the Blacke-Moore change his skinne, or the Leopard his spottes? Then may they doe good who haue accustomed themselues to doe euill. Where the Prophet sheweth, That custome in sinning is almost an in­curable disease. This is a lamenta­ble estate, and this is a fearfull iudge­ment of God, for a man thus to be left ouer to himselfe, to fall thus from one euill to an other, and to heape together a great measure a­gainst the day of wrath: Psalme [Page 101] eighty one, verse eleauen: And the cause of all this in a man, is his diso­bedience towards his God: For this doth the Prophet make cleare when he saith, My people would not heare my voyce, and Israell would haue none of mee: So I gaue them vp vnto hardnesse of heart, and they haue walked in their owne counsells: Where the Prophet Dauid sheweth, That seeing they would not be reclaymed and refor­med, as in mercie towardes them the Lord vouchsafed them the means of reformation, his word, therefore the LORD gaue them ouer to the hardnesse of their owne hearts, that so they might fill vp the Measure of their iniquities, 1. Thessalon. 2.16. and that the iust wrath and vengeance of the Lord might then fall vpon them.

Hence wee are taught, how dan­gerous Vse 1 a thing it is, to giue any en­tertainement vnto sinne at the first, it will bring a man to the height of sinne in the end, euen openly to pro­fesse it, and to practise it with de­light [Page 102] and greedinesse: custome in sinne taketh away all sence of sinne, so as by custome men come to iudge of sinne to be no sinne, yea it makes it very naturall to a man, so as such men who at first would haue beene ashamed to haue beene seene amon­gest lewd company, yet by custome haue gotten such an habite of sinne, that they haue growne to bee verie impudent and shamelesse, like Tha­mar, who at the first did play the whoore with a vaile, as being asha­med to bee seene, but afterwards grew more impudent:Iere. 6.15. so many a man would haue blushed to haue beene heard sweare, to bee seene drunke, to bee found in vnchaste companie, but through custome, haue growne so impudent, that af­terwards would blush at nothing. And when a man takes the chaire of sinne, and sits downe in it, and hath got a custome, and taken delight in sinne, how hard a thing is it for a man to leaue that sinne?Iere. 13.25 Hee that hath got an habite and custome of [Page 103] swearing, as hee growes shamelesse in it, so how hardly doth he leaue it? euen so of drunkennesse &c. A nayle knockt into a post with many blows is hardly pulled out, and sinne often committed, and growne familiar with a man, through custome, is hardly left: Custome is like a strong streame, it carrieth a man into all sinne with violence: And as a man by continuall labour so hardeneth his hand that it becommeth sence­lesse: so custome in sinne so hardneth the heart, that a mans conscience becommeth sencelesse. This must teach vs to repent betimes, not to suffer sinne to come to such an head, that it is more likely to master a man then a man it: For if thou doost not repent this day, thou wilt finde it harder to repent to morrow, thy selfe growest weaker,Note. thy sinne stronger: and Custome is a tyrant which will hardly be resisted: there­fore it shall be thy wisedome to re­pent with speed, to delay no longer, but while it is called, to day, to breake [Page 104] off thy sinnes, and to turne to God for mercy.

Vse 2 Wee are taught hence, that see­ing wicked men grow worse, and worse, adding sinne vnto sinne, and committing all iniquitie euen with greedinesse, so their damnation doth not sleepe,1. Pet. 2.3. but they draw nearer and nearer their destruction: yea, the iudgements of almightie GOD follow them at the heeles, and in the end will ouertake them. Thus it was with the old world. What an heap of sinnes had they gathered together, adding sinne vnto sinne, as drun­kennesse vnto thirst?Genes. 6. But when the measure of their iniquity was full, the Lord God was at hand with his iudgements, and they could not e­scape. This was the case of the sin­full Sodomites,Genes. 18. whose sins cryed vp to Heauen for vengeance, howsoe­uer they might glut themselues with sinne, and drinke downe iniquitie like water: it was but for a season, the Lord would bee no longer pro­uoked by their wicked and sinnefull [Page 105] liues, but sent downe fire and brim­stone from Heauen vpon them; eue­rie sinne doth helpe somewhat to in­crease the weight, and to fill vp the measure of a wicked mans iniquitie:Mat. 12.36 And that God which keepeth a Re­gister of the workes of all men,Reu 20.12 will one day giue vnto euerie man accor­ding vnto his workes: And when they shall goe the way of all flesh, they shall then say, what hath pride profited vs, and what hath the pompe of riches brought vs to? 2 Cor. 5.10 When they shall see, that all the dayes of their life, they haue vvearyed themselues in vaine, and then shall be plunged in­to irreuokable and intollerable tor­ments.

This may serue to reprooue such, Vse 3 as relying vpon their owne wittes, knowledge, strength, and goodnes, dare conuerse, and keepe companie with notorious Atheistes, Papists, Mocke-Gods, Swearers, Swagge­rers, Drunkards, and so forth. By which means it is iust with God, they not shunning the occasions of sinne [Page 106] are peruerted by them to their owne destruction. And no lesse worthy of reproofe are those kinde of men or women, that lincke themselues or their children, in marriage with such as be vile, wicked, prophane, and irreligious: Alas! what agreement is there betweene CHRIST and Belial, God and the Diuell, Light and darkenesse,1. Cor. 6. a Beleeuer and an infidell, to haue such neare coniun­ction and fellowship with them? How can such escape and not be pol­luted with their sinne? And because men and women in this match make no better choice, but marry for loue of money, beauty, or the like, rather then for Religion, Vertue, or the Feare of God, it commeth to passe, that they liue together most vncom­fortably, and in great discontent­ment.

BY Scorners, in this place, are meant such wicked men as are [Page 107] both hardened in sinne, and liue a wicked life; such as are become stubborne and rebellious sinners, professing all impietie, contemning God and man, such as being con­firmed with the long practise of sinne, and a bad life, haue got a ha­bite of sinne, and can doe nothing else but sinne, and despise all good duties, and make a scoffe at all Reli­gion.

Hence wee learne this doctrine,Doctr. 2. The mark of a lewd and wic­ked man. that this is the propertie of a noto­rious lewd and wicked man, to make a mocke of all pietie and godlinesse, to make a mocke of all Religion, and euery Christian dutie: And such a man is come to a wonderfull height of sinne, and is notoriously wicked and vngodly; So it is sayd that cursed Cham mocked his fa­ther Noah, Gen. 9.22. and Ismael mocked god­ly Isaac; because, as it is like, Ismael seeing godly Isaac performing some duty of Religion, Prayer, Thankes-giuing, or the like, hee laughed him to scorne: The Atheni­ans [Page 108] mocked Paul, Acts 17. what will this Bab­ler say? So the Scribes and Phari­sees mocked our Sauiour CHRIST, saying;Mat. 26.68 Haile King of the Iewes: The Iewes mocked Saint Peters Sermon, saying;Act. 2.12. These men are full of new wine: The children of Bethel moc­ked Elizeus the Prophet, saying; Go vp thou Bald-head: 2. Kin. 2.22 This was the complaint of godly Ieremie, O Lord I am in derision daily, Ier. 20.7. euery one mocketh mee. And as it was, so is it still, and will bee; the world is full of such lewd and wicked men, such Mock-gods that mocke and mow at all good duties scoffing and scorning all Religion, flouting and mis-vsing Gods faithfull Ministers, raile vpon them, and reuile them: yea if any man feare God, make conscience of good duties, to heare the word of God diligently and carefully, to reade, pray in family, &c. And will not sweare with the swearer, drinke with the drunkard, and run with wicked men into all excesse of ryot: this man shall bee mocked [Page 109] and poynted at, and called by the name of Puritan, and precisian, and I know not what, and can very hardly endure their company. Now these kinde of men, these scoffing Ismaels, and cursed Chams, though they seeme to be neuer so honest & ciuell, yet the word of God paints them out in their colours, as the most vile and wicked men that liue in the world, because they contemne and despise, they mocke and scorne Gods word, and those that be most deere vnto God.

Let all such scorners, and scof­fing Vse 1 mates take heede: for as they bee most abhominable in the sight of God,Pro. 3.32 so they seldome or neuer escape vnpunished. Looke on that cursed Cham, scoffing Ismael, behold Gods vengeance vpon those two and forry yonkers that mocked the Prophet Elizeus: What became of them that mocked and mis-vsed the Prophets of the Lord? What be­came of those that mocked and mis-vsed our Sauiour Iesus Christ?

And let men but obserue it, and marke it well,Esay 37 and they shall cleerely see some token or other of Gods vengeance vpon the heades of such scoffing wretches: yea, let all such wicked men know that they be too much their owne foes, in that they hate the godly, mocke Gods Mi­nisters, raile vpon his seruants, they fare the better for them euery day they rise, whatsoeuer wicked and vngodly men haue and enioy, it is for the godlies sakes; for if it were not for them, and their sakes, the Sunne would scarce shine vpon them, the heauens would fall vp­on them, the earth would open her mouth and swallow them, the fire would burne them, the water would drowne them, and all the creatures of God would arme themselues against them: And therefore the children of God (as one saith) are like a peece of Corke cast into the Sea full of Nayles, the Corke beares them vp, which other­wise would sinke of themselues one [Page 111] by one. Now then what a folly and madnesse is this to hate them, to mocke them, and to mis-vse them by whom they fare the better euery day they rise?

Seeing wicked men are so ill affe­cted Vse 2 to God and his children, be­cause they loue the diuell, and bee his vassailes, and these belong to God: Let vs herein be like to God our Father, and most vnlike wicked men, let vs loue Gods children, and make much of those that feare the Lord, and let vs delight in their company; for as the former is a signe of a notorious wicked man, so this is a signe of a godly man: He despiseth a vile person, Psal. 15.4. and maketh much of those that feare the Lord. Againe,1 Iohn 3. Hereby we know that wee loue God, if wee loue the brethren. Againe, All my delight is in the Saints, and such as excell in vertue. Such as be religious, feare God, and liue a godly life: These be to be be­loued, be they neuer so poore. It is lamentable to see the course of the world, let a lewd man come into [Page 112] company, that is notorious wicked, an Atheist, a blasphemous wretch, one that laughes at God, and all goodnesse, a drunkard, or the like: this man shall be too too welcome, and we will eate and drinke, and bee mery with him. But let a godly man, a Prophet of the Lord, a faithful and zealous Minister come into our company, we are weary of him, wee cannot endure his companie, hee marres all our mirth, wee cannot be merry for him. Thus men say. Oh Hel-hounds, and wicked wretches! thou maist as well say thou canst not be merry when God is present: Hee that despiseth you, despiseth mee. These men onely delight in the Diuell, and his cursed instruments.

And thus much for the first part of the description of a godly man, negatiuely described: Hee doth not walk in the counsell of the wicked, Hee doth not stand in the way of sin­ners, nor hee doth not sit in the seate of the scorners.

THAT is, the godly man, who is truely blessed and happy, doth wonderfully loue, and is greatly af­fected with the word of Almightie God, and hath exceeding delight & ioy in the doctrine of God, because there is reuealed the will of God, whereunto men must bee carefull to frame and conforme all their desires, thoughts, words, and deeds, because [Page 122] heerein is chalked out and declared, the very high-way to eternall life and saluation.

Doctr. 2. A godly man per­formeth godly due­ties chere­fully. Hence then wee are taught this doctrine, that it is a speciall note and property of a godly man, to perform Christian dueties to God willingly and cheerefully, and to make them his delight and ioy.

Indeede it is worthy, yea thrice worthy to be delighted in, both in regard of the Author of this Lawe, which is God, as also in respect of the authority of it, which is manifold. In regard of God the author of it, it is to be delighted in, who is the only true & euerliuing God,1. Cor. 8.6. of whom are all things, and we in him. Secondly, in re­spect of the authority of the same, containing in it perfect wisedome, truth, iustice, wisdome, mercy, good­nesse &c. It is called by the Prophet Dauid, Psal. 19.7. Reu. 22.18 a perfect Law, to the which if any man shall presume to adde anie thing, God shall adde to him the plagues written in this book, and if a man shall di­minish any thing, God shall take away his [Page 123] part out of the Booke of Life, and from the holy Citty. Heere, and no where else is to bee found the true VRIM and THVMMIM, the VRIM that is, Light, and the THVMMIM, that is, Perfection: and the Saints of God in all Ages haue esteemed highly of it.

Thus did Iob, Iob 23.12. I esteemed thy word more then my appoynted food: Thus did Dauid when he said, Lord, what loue haue I to all thy commaundements, Psal. 119. all the day long is my study in them. And Da­uid shewes his wonderfull loue and account of it, by the names that hee doth giue vnto it, calling it Doctrine, Testimonies, Commaundements, Feare, Iudgements, Way, Statute., Word, &c. And in another place hee saith, That it is more to be desired then Golde, Psa. 16.10 Mat. 22.37 Rom. 12.8 yea then fine Golde: that it is, sweeter then the honny, and the honny-combe. And this is that which the Lord him selfe doeth require, when he saith:Leuit. 1.3. Heare O Israel, the LORD thy GOD is LORD onely: Deut. 6.5. And thou shalt loue the LORD thy GOD with all thy heart, [Page 124] with all thy soule, and with all thy might. And so the Prophet Dauid prayeth, O Lord, I beseech thee accept of the free offerings of my mouth, and teach mee thy iudgements. And this is the rule which the Apostle Saint Paul setteth downe when hee sayth:2. Cor. 9.7. As euery man wisheth in his heart, so let him giue, not grudgingly? or of necessitie, for God loueth a chearefull giuer. Now that which the Apostle speaketh of Charity and Almes, may truely be vnderstood of euery Christian dutie: when wee pray, wee must pray vnto God chearefully, when wee giue thanks to God, we must do it chere­fully,Genes. 4.5 and so of all other dueties of Gods worship layed downe in his Word. And indeede this is it which dooth put the difference betweene the godly and the wicked, the ser­uice of the one, and the seruice of the other. Caine will come with his Sa­crifice aswel as Abel; but he brought of the worst, thinking any thing to be good enough for God, and this he did very grudgingly: Whereas [Page 125] Abel brought of the best to sacrifice to God, & this hee did willingly and cheerefully. And all those dueties that are not thus performed, they haue no life nor vertue in them, to giue them any grace or acceptance with God. So that we see that out­ward profession is not enough to as­sure vs of our saluation, if it be not ioyned with sincerity of heart.

Now where it is said heere,Reason. that the godly mans Delight is in the Lawe of the Lord, there is great reason why the children of God should be thus affected to his blessed word and hea­uenly Doctrine aboue all things in the world, that it should be Sweeter vnto them then the honny and the honny-combe. Tit. 2.11.

First, because it is the bread of life, 1 it is the power of God to saluation. Rom. 1.16 And therefore is called, the Gospell of the Kingdome, and the Kingdome of Hea­uen. Mat. 13.44 because it is that whereby men are brought to eternall life, and the kingdome of Heauen.

Secondly, it is the effectual means 2 [Page 126] and instrument which the Lord v­seth and hath appointed to beget all sauing grace in the hearts of his chil­dren,Ro. 10.14. 1 Cor. 1.21 namely, knowledge, faith, hu­mility, obedience, and the like.

3 Thirdly, it is the bread of life, e­uen the heauenly Manna, whereby our faith is confirmed, and our soule comforted, yea it is the staffe where­to wee must leane in all dangers, as Dauid saith, I had perished in my trou­ble, had it not beene for thy word: Psal. 119. And, thy Rod and thy Staffe doth comfort me, Psal. 23.

4 Fourthly, the word of God is that direction whereby wee may square all our thoughts, words, and deedes, as Dauid saith, Thy word is a Lant­horne vnto my feete, Psal 119. and a light vnto my paths: And without this we can not liue well, but shall wander vp and downe as blind men in the darke.

5 And last of all, it is the two-ed­ged-Sword of Gods Spirit,Matth. 4.4 whereby wee must put to flight all the temp­tations of the Diuell, so as we can­not repell them, or withstand them, [Page 127] vnlesse we be skilfull and cunning to vse this weapon.

This Doctrine may seeme to re­proue Vse 1 the greatest part amongest vs as wicked and vngodly, because ge­nerally men haue no loue vnto the word of God, no delight in this heauenly Doctrine, it is not sweete nor precious in their eyes, but ra­ther it is irkesome and tedious vnto them, it is bitter and vnsauourie. It fareth with people in these dayes, as it did with those olde people of the Iewes, vnto whom should I speake and admonish that they might heare: Behold, their eares are vncircumcised, and they cannot hearken vnto it, the word of the Lord is a reproach vnto them, and they haue no delight therein, Ieremie 6.10. Now that men haue no delight to the word of God, which is the ve­ry power of God to saluation it may appeare.

First, because men and women take no delight in Hearing, Read­ing, and Meditating on the word of GOD, you shall finde a great [Page 128] number that will buy other profane bookes, that will hardly buie the Booke of all Bookes the holie and sacred Bible: And if they buie it, yet they spend no time in perusing of it, in reading and meditating of it: Other Bookes are delightfull and pleasant to flesh and bloud: and this is the reason they doe so much desire them, but withall, this she­weth that they be carnall, not borne anew, for if they were, then would they bestow lesse time in reading and perusing those prophane and vnprofitable Bookes, and would bestow more time in reading and meditating on this blessed Booke of God; yea, and the small account men make of Gods Ministers, whom the Lord calles his Messengers and Embassadours; yea, the Angells of the Church.

Vse 2 Secondly, seeing all the dueties that wee owe to God, either of hea­ring, praying, &c. must be performed of vs, not vpon compulsion, but willingly and cheerefully: we learne [Page 129] that euery action is accounted of by God, not according to the worke it selfe, but according to the affection of the doer. This the Lord himselfe doth teach, when he saith, This peo­ple come neare mee with their mouth, and honour mee with their lippes, but their hearts are farre from mee: Esay 29.13. And therefore were their Sacrifices abhomination to the Lord, as hee a­gaine saith in another place. I can not away with your new Moones, And this was it made the poore Widdowes mite commended aboue the rest that offered of their superfluity, Luke 31.3.4. He that shall giue a cuppe of colde water to a Disciple, Mat. 10.41 in the name of a Dis­ciple, he shall not loose his reward. Alas! what is the bestowing of a mite, a brasen token? or what is a cuppe of cold water? are they in thēselues anie thing worth to merite any thing at Gods hand? No, no, but God ac­cepteth the manner more then the matter, how they are doone, more then what is done.

Which may teach vs to labour [Page 130] to haue our affections tryed, that whatsoeuer we doe in the seruice of Almightie God, may bee done in truth and sincerity of heart. This was Iobs comfort when hee sayd, O Lord, I haue esteemed thy word more then my ordinarie foode! This was the Prophet Dauids comfort when hee could say, Oh, how doe I loue thy Law! it is my meditation continually, Psalme 119. verse 97. And this shall be our comfort, when wee shall goe the way of all flesh, that wee can say with good King Ezechias, Remem­ber O Lord, that I haue walked before thee in truth, and with an vpright heart: That we haue not beene painted se­pulchres, desiring to be accounted righteous before men, but within, full of all rottennesse and corrupti­on, but haue laboured rather to be approoued of God.

Oh how ought our hearts and soules to be inflamed in a holy and godly zeale towardes the word of God, the lawe of the Lord here spoken of, yea wee ought more earnestly to [Page 131] long for the waters of this well of life, then euer Dauid did for the waters of the well of Bethlem: and when we haue tasted how sweet the Lord is, neuer, oh neuer to deale with the Lord, as the people of Israel did,Io. 4.15. which loathed the Manna that was sent them from heauen. But much better shall it bee for vs to cry out with the woman of Samaria, Lord giue me to drinke of these waters: for these waters being once tasted of, will kepe a man that hee thirst not againe, but shall euer bee refreshed by the same to eternal life.

Lastly, let vs heerein labour to Vse 3 manifest our vnfained loue and li­king of the Word and Law of God, euen by our obedience thereunto, that wee desire to frame our liues thereafter, to obey the doctrine and word of God in heart and life, to be reformed by it, and to bee con­formed to it: CHRIST maketh this to bee the eare-marke of those that are his Sheepe, namely this, That they heare his voyce and follow him: And againe,Iohn 10. Heereby shall all [Page 132] men know that yee are my Disciples, and loue mee, if yee keepe my Commande­ments. So heereby shall men know that wee loue the Lawe of God, if wee studie to keepe it, to obey it in heart and life: But if wee haue in vs no care to liue thereafter, but breake the Lawe of God continu­ally, and rebell against his Com­mandements: how can wee be sayd to loue the Lawe of God? If a man should say hee loueth the Kings Lawes, and likes them well, and yet should euery day breake them wit­tingly and willingly, and bee euer playing the Traytor, would not all men condemne him as an hypo­crite and a lyar? So, though most men doe say they loue the Word of God, and delight in his Lawe, yet seeing they doe daily breake it, and rebell against it wittingly, and wil­lingly; by swearing, lying, propha­ning of his Sabaoth, drunkennesse, swilling, pride, vncleanenesse, &c. It is manifest they haue no loue vn­to it.

Thus much of the first part, she­wing that the godly man is well af­fected to the heauenly Doctrine of the word of God, it is the delight and ioy of his heart.

Now in the second part of the Verse, the Prophet Dauid sheweth the exercise of a godly man, that as in his heart he loueth and liketh the Word and heauenly Doctrine of the Lawe of God, so in his life hee is conuersant in the same, his Medita­tions are much spent therein, hee is said to meditate therein day and night. That is, the godly man doth much muse and meditate, often exercising his minde with calling to minde and remembrance the heauenlie Do­ctrines, comforts, and instructions of the word of God, and this hee doth not slightly and carelesly, but seriously and with good aduice, and to this end doth euermore set some time apart euery day, morning and euening, two times a day at least, for the performance of this godlie duetie.

Doctr. 3. The Lawe of god is a godly mās chiefe de­light. HEere wee see still, that a godly man, and one that shall bee truely blessed, the Lord requireth that he be no stranger, and such a one as seldome, or neuer, searcheth the Scriptures, but that hee be much and often exercised in the holy and seri­ous meditation of Gods Law, in the diligent searching, perusing, and par­ticularly applying of the heauenly doctrine of the word of God. And indeede this is heere set downe as a true fruit of our loue to the word, as the loue of the word is made a true fruit of a godly man: for as it is im­possible a man should be truely reli­gious, and feare God, & yet haue no sound loue nor delight in the word of God; so is it likewise impossible a man or woman should truly loue the word of God in their heart, that sel­dome, or neuer, bestow any paines in the serious and earnest meditation of the same. Dauid calls God to wit­nes, [Page 137] that the loue he bare to the law of God, was exceeding great, when he said, O how do I loue thy Law! Psa. 119.97 And in the same verse he seemes to proue the same to God, it is my meditation continually: which indeed is a note of true loue, to be euer thinking of the thing beloued.

And in very deed, the carefull and diligent study, the often and earnest meditation of the word of God, is the very life and strength of all our worship and seruice of God: for if men should reade much, and neuer meditate, it would doe them no good: if men should heare much, & often, & neuer meditate, they should be little the better. If men should pray much and often, and neuer me­ditate, they should finde small com­fort. If men come often to the Sa­craments, and doe not before and after meditate of the Couenant of grace, they should not receiue much good thereby: so that you see that Meditation is all in all, it puts life to our reading, hearing, praying, recei­uing; [Page 136] and without it, al our reading, hearing, praying, and receiuing, will stand vs in small stead.

For without this Meditation this Lawe, that is, the word of God, will eyther in time be forgotten, where­by wee shall become vnmindefull of it; or else it will prooue as a Talent hid in the ground, vtterly vnfruitfull vnto vs: for this Meditation indeed is the third steppe of a true conuert. The first is to heare the word of God readily: the second, to remember it diligently: and the third, to Medi­tate on it seriously, and this is com­pared to the Chewing of the Cud, Deut. 14.6.7, which is neuer found in the vncleane, but in the cleane beasts.

True it is, that hearing and rea­ding the Word, will beget know­ledge, but Meditation is the speci­all meanes to worke vpon the affe­ction, for else all our knowledge shall onely be in generall, idle and swimming in the brayne, which may well bee called braine-knowledge, but no heart-knowledge: but by [Page 137] serious Meditation wee doe applie that wee heare, to our owne selues in particular: laying the Doctrine to our owne hearts, applying it to our selues, to comfort our sad soules, to humble them for our sinnes, and to square our liues thereby, that wee may in all things keepe a cleare con­science before God and man. The Lord giues Ioshuah a straight charge to doe thus: Let not the Booke of the Lawe depart out of thy mouth: But me­ditate therein day and night: That thou mayest obserue and doe according to all that is written therein, for then shalt thou make thy way prosperous, and thou shalt then haue good successe, Ioshua 1.8. and Deuteron. 6. vers. 6.7.8. And thus the seruants of God haue been much exercised in meditation, and there­by haue growne woonderfull, not only in knowledge, but in practise, as we may see in Dauid, Psa. 119. who tooke great delight in Gods Lawe, and made it his meditation continu­ally. And of Isaac it is reported, that hee went out into the fieldes in the [Page 138] euening to meditate, Genesis cha. 24.

This reprooues the common fault Vse 1 in the world, that most men vtterly neglect this duety, seldome or ne­uer settle themselues to meditate in the Lawe of God, and his heauenly Doctrine. It is hard to finde a man or woman that makes any consci­ence of this duetie, to set themselues apart, and set themselues in Gods presence, to call to minde, that they haue heard and learned, to applie it to themselues in particular, to hum­ble them, or to comfort them. And this is the cause why most men hea­ring, and reading, so much as they haue, yet profit so little in know­ledge, faith, repentance, and obedi­ence. They can be content to heare the word preached and taught, and it may be, now and then to reade a chapter: but to thinke vpon it, to ruminate vpon the word of God, and as it were to chew the Cudde, to call the same to minde againe, to ap­plie it to themselues, to labour to profit by it: this they cannot indure, [Page 139] this they care not for. For if men did carefully meditate of the things they heard and read, how could they be so ignorant in Gods word as most be? So voyde of knowledge, faith, repentance, humilitie, zeale, pati­ence, and the like gifts and graces, which accompany godlie and holie meditation? For bookes of Statutes men wil not only haue them in their houses, but at their fingers ends: but Bible they haue none: And if they haue, it lieth vpon the deske or table, and they reade it not. And if sometimes they reade, yet they ne­uer meditate thereon.

This may admonish all men, as Vse 2 they loue their owne soules, to make more care and conscience of the per­formance of this duetie, to call to minde that wee doe heare or reade, to thinke and muse vpon it, to chew the Cudde, to lay it to heart; yea, and to applie it to our owne soules and consciences in particular: This is like the rumination or chewing of the Cudde to lay it to bee found [Page 140] onely in the cleane beasts, whereas they which chewed not the Cudde,Deuter. 14 6.7. were vncleane: This is the marke and propertie of a godlie and Blessed man, whereas the not doing it, is the marke of a wicked & vngodly man. Let vs then remember that we make the word of God our Meditation continually. Many men meditate much, some in one thing, and some in another, as they are led by fond affection: some thinke of honours, some of pleasures, some of riches, some of one thing, and some of an­other. And of these they doate and dreame, talke, and speake continu­ally. But heere wee are taught ano­ther lesson, namely, that our mindes must especially be set vpon the word of God, that must be our delight, and the ioy of our heart.

3. Point. The last point in this Verse, is the circumstance of Time, namely, not by fittes: But the godly man keepes a continuall course in the study and meditation of the word of God, so as hee setteth apart some time for the [Page 141] worship and seruice of God, at least twice a day to meditate and study in Gods Booke.

Hence wee learne, that euery oneDoctr. 4. A godly man sets some time apart eue­ry day for Gods ser­uice. that will liue a godly life, and so please God, that he may find com­fort to his owne soule, and be bles­sed in the end, must set some time apart euery day for the worship and seruice of God, to reade, pray, and meditate: and at the least twice a day to call vpon his Name, to reade the word of God, and to study there­in. This is that the Lord comman­deth his people to offer vnto him e­uery day, the morning and the euening sacrifice, at the least twice euery day, they were commanded to worship God: and so the holy Patriarchs were wont to worshippe God mor­ning and euening. So wee reade in Gen. 24.63. That godly Isaac went out into the fields in the euening to pray or meditate, to make himselfe fit to pray. And,Iob 1.5. Acts 10.2. Iob rose vp earely to offer sacrifice, and called his family toge­ther: and this did Iob euery day: and [Page 142] Dauid in many Psalmes sheweth that he did set some time apart euery day, to worship God, in praying, reading, meditating, &c. Cornelius worshipped God continually, 1 The. 5.23 that is, euery day, ac­cording to the rule of the Apostle, Pray continually. And that we should not be weary of well-doing, Christ spake the parable of the vniust Iudge and poore widdow to this end, that we ought alwayes to meditate, pray, &c. and not waxe faint and wearie, Luke 18.1. The meaning is not that men should leaue their callings and other businesse altogether, to attend vpon hearing, reading, meditating, &c. but that wee should bee much and often in meditating, in prayer, in reading, &c. and in performing these blessed dueties vnto almightie God. And at the least, three times a day, to pray and call vpon the name of God: In the morning when wee doe arise, to giue vnto God hearty thankes, for keeping vs the night past, and to craue for a blessing at his hands ouer the day following: [Page 143] At noone againe, when when we re­ceiue his good Creatures: And at night when we go to rest: And this godly practise the word of God pre­scribes vs, and the examples of the godly doe teach vs:Dan. 6.10. Daniel prayed three times a day vpon his knees vn­to God and praised him, as his man­ner was, though the King had made a strict Law against it. Euening, mor­ning, and at noone, will I pray vnto thee, Psal. 55.17. And againe, Seuen times a day will I praise thee, Psal. 119.164. That is, many times. For the mor­ning, Earely in the morning will I direct my prayer vnto thee: Gen. 22.2. Iob 1.5. And thus did A­braham, Isaac, Iob. Secondly, at noone or mid-day: so did Peter, Peter went out to prayer about the sixt houre, Actes 10.9. That is, about twelue of the clocke, or noone-tide. Thirdly, at night in the euening when wee goe to bedde to take our rest,Genes 24. Psa. 139 11 Psal. 19.5. Mat. 13.23. Esa. 28.3.4 wee must then remember likewise to render the Lord thankes for the comfort of the day, and to craue his blessing for that night. Neyther is this all, [Page 144] but in the night time when sleepe is departed from a man, and Nature is sufficed with rest, he doth euen then call to minde the heauenly Doctrine of the word of God, and doth muse and meditate therein, as the Text saith heere, euen day and night. For God which hath bounded the day with the night, hath set no bound to a godly mans meditation. It is no­thing to be, first, one that heareth the word: secondly, one that receiueth it: thirdly, with ioy: if fourthly, it shalbe but for a time onely, if he shall not al­so continue, and constantly perseuer to meditate therein day and night.

So as we see this is our duety, to set some time apart euerie day to worship God, as to heare, reade, pray, meditate, &c. We see men doe set apart, depute, and ordaine some certaine time euery day, for the food of the body, at the least twice a day, to eate and drinke, how much more then should wee bee carefull for our Soules, euery day, to reade, meditate and to pray? Of all the time we spend [Page 145] in this world, none will be more comfortable vnto vs in death, when wee shall goe the way of all flesh, then that which wee haue bestowed in the seruice and worship of Al­mightie God.

There is not now one houre spent in the seruice of God, but will then minister cause of ioy and reioycing; neither is there now one houre spent in the seruice of sin and of Satan, but the remembrance thereof will then be a terrour vnto the soule, Oh that men would be wise, then would they vn­derstand this: they would consider their latter end, Deut. 32.29.

This seemes to reproue the com­mon carelesnesse of the world, most Vse 1 men and women spend al their daies in delights, and vanities, in sports and pastimes, in scraping and raking together the things of this life, and in the meane time finde no time at al to serue God, that in twenty foure houres hardly can spare one to serue God, one to reade, heare, pray, me­ditate; yea, how many be there that [Page 146] neuer open their books to reade one chapter in the Bible all the Weeke long: How many be there that neuer spend one quarter of an houre in Meditation, which neuer call vpon GOD from Sonday to Sonday: doth not this proue men to be carnall and vngodly? Do not these men do no­thing of conscience, or with delight and loue to GOD and his worship, but all for fashion sake, or feare of the Law? What difference is there betwixt those men, who seldome, or neuer call on the name of GOD, and the beast they ride on? The beast arises in the morning out of his den and streakes himselfe, goes to his meate, and so to worke: Euen so do they, neuer call on the name of God. In this thing wherein do such men differ from a very beast? How can such look for any blessing from God vpon their labours? Yea, how can they chuse but feare some fearefull iudgement and curse of God to ouertake them? And no doubt the cause why many ride and run earely [Page 147] and late (and do not call on God for a blessing vpon their endeuours) can­not prosper and thriue in the world: No, God sends sometimes iudge­ments, plagues, and punishments vpon them, and all for the neglect of this godly and Christian duety, it is iust with God both to crosse and to curse both them and their labours.Psal. 14.

Againe, by the rule of this do­ctrine they are no lesse to be repro­ued,Note. who can bee content now and then to Heare, Reade, Pray, and Me­ditate, &c. But this must bee at their leasure, when they haue nothing else to do; bur to keep certaine times Mornings, Noones, euenings, to leaue all sports, pastimes, delights, and businesse to go to GOD, and serue him, and call vpon his name, they cannot abide that, they will not bee so tyed and restrained; but as the man in the Gospell, when CHRIST called him, first he must go bury his father: and him that would go Bid his friends fare-well. [Page 148] So many could be content to serue God, and to pray vnto him, but they must keepe their friends com­pany: or as those that were bidden to the feast; One hath his oxen and gaine to hinder him, an other his wife, his pleasures and delights, which hee is married vnto, and so can finde no time to serue God, euen the least thing in the world is matter sufficient to hinder them from ser­uing of God, these men shew that they find no comfort at all in the ser­uice of Almighty God, no good, no fruit, no benefite: for if they did, they would not be such strangers vnto it.

Let euery one bee exhorted and Vse 2 stirred on to this duety, if we haue not begunne, now to beginne, and in the feare of the Lord to imitate Gods children, as Dauid and the rest. Let vs set some time apart euery day for the word and prayer, else wee shall neuer prooue our selues good Christians, else wee should neuer finde true comfort, else we can neuer [Page 149] looke for Gods blessing vpon vs: let vs then set apart some of our idle time that wee bestow in talking, in walking, in playing, in vaine de­lights, or else idlely, and bestow it on Gods seruice and worshippe, in hearing, reading, praying, medita­ting, &c. Dauid earely in the mor­ning preuented the day light, yea at mid-night would hee be so busied. The Eunuch in his iourney was rea­ding the Scriptures. Let vs then ne­uer arise in the morning, or goe to bedde, but as duely let vs euer be mindefull of this duety. Let vs not mis-spend our precious time. Let vs (I pray you) consider why wee liue heere in the world, not to spend and consume our time in toyes and vani­ties but to serue God, and to seeke for comfort and saluation vnto our owne soules: Let vs therefore so spend it as wee may haue comfort in the end.

Last of all, we are heere exhorted Vse 3 to be very carefull, after wee haue begunne a good course in godlines, [Page 150] to perseuer and to continue in the same, Day and Night, euen vnto the end; not onely in the day-time of prosperity, but in the night-time of aduersity, for vnto GOD The day and night are both alike. Ps. 139.12. Many make a faire beginning, but the end is very fearefull and dangerous: Many lay their hands to the Lords Plow,Luke 9.62 but in the end they looke back. Lots wife seemes as forward as her hus­band: shee goes out of Sodome as well as hee, shee takes her iourney with her husband, but shee did not continue and hold out to the end, but lookes backe, contrary to the commandement of God, and so was turned into a pillar of Salt: And shee being made a spectacle to all back-sliders, our Sauiour puts vs in minde of her, when hee saith, Remember Lots wife. Luk. 17.32 And Paul, when hee had Preached the Resurrection of CHRIST, Agrippa said vnto him: Thou perswadest mee almost to become a Christian, Act. 26.28. But there he stay­ed and rested and would proceed no [Page 151] further. These are fearefull exam­ples, It had beene better for such, They had neuer knowne the way of righ­ousnesse: 1. Pet. 2.21 for indeed in a Christian race there is no standing at one stay, for not to go forward in Religion is to go backward.

And thus much for the descrip­tion of a godly man affirmatiuely, shewing what hee doth carefully embrace and follow: But his delight is in the Law of the Lord, &c.

THIS part of the similitude, doth signifie vnto vs our im­planting and ingrafting into IESVS CHRIST his Mysticall Body, by the worke of GODS Spirit, and by the meanes of a true and liuely Faith.

This word Planted, it is a Meta­phoricall speech and borrowed from the practise of Husbandmen, who first take vp their plants out of the nurcery or place where they first spring vp, and then Plant them in the Orchard or Vineyard: So fareth it with man this Heauenly Plant. And the comparison holds good in di­uers things.

1 First, for the circumstance of time when the plants of the earth are thus remoued, and that not vsually in Sommer, when the heate of the yeare is vp, and the sap is gone vp into the plant, but in the winter [Page 167] time this is vsually to bee seene for the most part. Euen so, the time in the which the godly man is planted, it is in the winter time, that is, the time of sorrow and sore affliction; not in the Sommer of peace, when all things outwardly may seeme to go well with a man, & he saith peace, peace; but when God doth giue vn­to a man the sight of his sinne, and lets him see the reward of sin, euen eternall death: Oh,Rom. 6. when a mans sins doe thus muster themselues be­fore vs, and against vs; Oh this win­ter time, this time of affliction and sorrow: now is the season of the remouing of this heauenly Plant Man.

Secondly, as a Plant is remoued, 2 not when it is fruitfull, but remoued to that end it may be fruiefull: So fareth it with man this Mysticall Tree: Wee are not fruitfull by na­ture before such time as we are plan­ted and ingrafted into Iesus Christ, for till then wee bring forth nothing but bitter and vnsauory fruite; but [Page 168] wee are planted to that end we may bee fruitfull, and being once in Christ, we shall then as liuing Plants of that liuely Stock, bring forth fruit incontinently.

In particularly, this Planting hath in it two things

• 1 Plucking vp.
• 2 Setting downe.

The plucking vp shadowes out vnto vs three things in the conuer­sion of a sinner.

First, our separation from the world, hee cannot be in Christ that hath his rooting still in the earth, amongst the men of the world: and therefore, as wee haue heard before, wee must be carefull, that wee walke not in the counsell of the wicked, nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in the seate of the sconnefull: They are as so ma­ny noysome shrubs that will be rea­dy to fret the tender Plants of the Lord, and to annoy them, and there­fore wee must bee remoued from amongst them, that is, must haue no secret society with them.

Secondly, it signifies our deliue­rance from the power of originall sinne thus: For as a Plant once re­moued receiues no more iuice nor nourishment from the old earth, from which it is remoued, but from that soyle into the which it is plan­ted: So fareth it with this heauenly Plant, being regenerate and ingraf­ted into Iesus Christ, there will fol­low such a change of will, affecti­on, vnderstanding, and the like fa­culties of soule and body, that whereas before they were altoge­ther earthly, carnall, and vaine, so now they minde heauenly things, being sanctified by the Spirit of Grace; and the power of Nature,Rom. 6. that is, that old sap of sinne, being done away.

Thirdly, it signifies a Christian mans sorow for sinne: for as no Plant can bee remoued from one place to another, but the axe, and other in­strument, of the Husbandman, must bee laid vnto it, and many a roote must bee cut off before it can bee [Page 170] remoued: So fareth it with man this Heauenly Plant; the Lords Hus­bandmen, which are his Ministers, they must bring the Axe of Gods Word, and lay the same to the root of our consciences, and wee must haue many an vnprofitable sprout of nature cut off, before wee can be taken out of nature, and ingrafted into Iesus Christ; the rootes, that is thy affections, that haue taken such deepe rooting into thy profits, into thy pleasures, and the like; All these must bee cut off before thou canst be planted into Christ.

Doctr. 3. All men that are not ingraf­ted into IESVS CHRIST are mise­rable. Hence marke, in that the Pro­phet Dauid, compares a godly man thus to a Tree, not wilde but Plan­ted, and that by the Riuers of water, and that this is a signe of our insiti­on or ingrafting into CHRIST his Mysticall Body whereby we are made Members of the same. Hence I say, we are taught that all men out of CHRIST are miserable, one­ly they be blessed that be vnited vn­to IESVS CHRIST, and ingraf­ted [Page 171] into his mysticall body. Our Sauiour speaketh of this when hee compares his Father to a Husband­man, himselfe to a Vine, and all of vs to Branches: Now hee shewes, that those that bee not ingrafted in­to him, that they bee but dead and withered boughes, and therefore they must bee burned in the fire. We are all by nature wilde Oliues,Ioh. 15.1.2 Rom. 11. that bring forth nothing but sowre and vnsauoury fruit till wee bee trans­planted by the Spirit of God, and ingrafted into the sweet Oliue Iesus Christ. Wee see this plaine by common experience, take a sci­ene from a Tree, and vnlesse it bee ingrafted into another Stocke, it will die and neuer beare fruite: So, vnlesse wee bee grafted into Iesus Christ by faith,Ephe. 2.1.2.3. Iohn 5.6. Iohn 8.35. Rom. 3.13. Eph. 4.18. and the Spirit of God, wee must needs wi­ther and come to nothing, but proue fewell for the fire of Gods vengeance. And Paul shewing the estate of all men by Nature, out of Christ, saith, that wee are all dead [Page 172] in trespasses and sinnes; The children of wrath; Ioh. 3.3.5. 1. Cor. 4.4. 2. Tim. 2.26. Ioh. 8.33. yea the very vassals of the de­uill, and limbes of Sathan, heires GODS vengeance and eternall damnation, wee are without GOD in the world, strangers from the common­weale of Israel, in a cursed and dam­nable estate. Vnlesse a man bee borne anew hee can neuer enter into the King­dome of Heauen. Yea, the Deuill is called the God of this world, be­cause all men, by Nature, are his vassals and slaues, hee reignes and rules in them.Rom. 7.23. Exod. 1.11 Colos. 2.3. Wee are in the deuils clawes, and taken in his snares to do his will. This is the common slauery of all, high, low, rich, poore, noble, and simple. Let men boast neuer so much in outward respects, as some­times the Iewes did, wee were neuer bound to any; yet vntill the Sonne of Righteousnes Christ Iesus doe make them free, this is their captiuitie. We reade in what an intollerable bon­dage the people of Israel were in, in Egypt vnder Pharoah: But it can no way figure out vnto vs the misera­ble [Page 173] slauery and bondage that euery man is in vnder the spirituall Pha­raoh Sathan: for heere the soule, the will, the affection, and all are cap­tiued and held in his snares To doe his will.

The vse hereof may serue to hum­ble Vse 1 vs, and to cause the lofty to strike saile, which ioy so much in outward things, riches, honour, beauty, strength, authority, &c. Alas! what of all these when in the meane time thou thy selfe art but a slaue vnto sinne and sathan, a dead and withe­red Tree, reserued for the fire of GODS wrath, eternal death is thy surest inheritance: If thou hast thy right what canst thou expect but the fire of hell? It is Natures desert, and that which Nature doth aime at: Why art thou then (O man) so se­cure when thy sinnes haue cast thee into such a dismall estate: Oh let vs labour to come out of it, let vs not suffer our eyes to sleepe, nor our eye-lids to slumber till wee haue got the assurance that wee are taken [Page 174] out of the state of Nature into the state of Grace, and to be by faith in­grafted into this true Stock Christ Iesus.

Vse 2 Secondly, this shewes that all those that liue and die in the estate of Nature vnregenerate, not borne anew, not ingrafted into Iesus Christ, must needs perish and bee damned for euer. The Apostle shewes that all men by Nature bee starke dead in trespasses and sinnes,Ioh. 3.3 5. Eph. 2.1.2.2. and that all by Nature are the chil­dren of wrath, as well as others, high, low; rich, and poore; old, yong; learned, and vnlearned: This is that our Sauiour saith, Vnlesse yee repent yee shall all perish. Luke 13.5. And againe, If any man abide not in Mee, hee is cast off as a withered branch, Iohn 15.6. and men gather them and cast them into the fire, and they burne: Oh! how should this admonish all men to look about them: It is wonderfull to see how men go on from day to day, securely in their sinnes, and neither thinke of heauen nor hell, but perseuer and [Page 175] continue in their ignorance, vnbe­liefe, and hardnesse of heart, in swearing, contempt of the Word, prophaning the Sabboth, in lying, stealing, adultery, &c.Psalm. 50. O consider this yee that forget GOD! Oh consider the woefull and fearefull estate of all such as liue and die out of Christ in the estate of nature, they must needs perish and for euer bee dam­ned: Oh thinke of this, and the LORD giue thee vnderstanding in all things, that euery day thou ri­sest thou art in danger to loose thy owne soule, and therefore lay this doctrine to heart, and know that it is not good to dally in such points, God will not bee mocked: And therefore now beginne to re­pent and turne vnto God while it is called to day: Deferre no lon­ger, but repent and seeke to bee re­conciled to God while it is called to day.

The second part of this doctrine is, that as all those that bee out of Christ, are miserable and cursed, and [Page 176] if they liue and die in the state of Doctr. 4. Onely the regene­rate man is happy & blessed. Nature, cannot bee saued: So on the other side, all those that are Regene­rate, and borne anew, that bee in­grafted into Iesus Christ by Faith and the Spirit of God; so as they be the true and liuely Members of Christ his Mysticall Body, they are blessed and happy. Now that these are blessed it may appeare in that blessed prayer Christ made a little before his passion; Hee begs this at his Fathers hand,Iohn 17. That all the Elect might bee one in Him, and Hee in them: And this Hee begs often and earnest vnto his Father for; which shewes, that it is a matter of endlesse mo­ment and great importance. Now that such as be one with Christ, are truely blessed, let vs consider a little what great and incomparable bene­fites we receiue by this our planting and ingrafting into Christ his Mysti­call Body.

First, hereby it comes to passe that euery true Beleeuer hath sweet vni­on and communion with God the [...] [Page 179] houre, and which shall one day as certainely be executed vpon the wic­ked, as now they liue.

Now in Iesus Christ, by being vnited to him, and being members of his Mysticall Body, we haue three wonderfull remedies, against these three fearefull miseries.

First, for the bond of obligation against vs, Hee hath taken it away,Col. 2.14. and nayled it to his Crosse, and cros­sed and canceled the same with his owne Heart Bloud.

Secondly, for the stinking filthi­nesse and corruption of sinne, Christ hath both perfectly obeyed the Law for vs,Rom. 8.1. and also couered vs in his owne righteousnes, as Iacob in Esaus garment.

Thirdly, for the most iust and in­tollerable punishment,Esay 53.5. Gal. 2.20. Reu. 1.6. Hee stood in our steed vpon the Crosse, and paid the full price and punishment for our sinnes: for when Christ suffered in our steed, it was as much as if we had suffered.

The fourth maine benefite which [Page 176] [...] [Page 179] [...] [Page 176] [...] [Page 179] [...] [Page 180] euery godly man hath, by being one with Christ is, Sanctification: which is a wonderfull and supernaturall worke of Gods holy Spirit, whereby euery godly man, that is a true and liuely Member of Iesus Christ, is freed, both in mind, will, and affecti­on from the bondage and slauery of sin and sathan, and is by little and little inabled and strengthened by the Spirit of God, to will, desire, and approue that which is good, and ho­ly, and to walke in it.

And this Sanctification hath two parts, Mortification, and Viuificati­on: by the former is sinne euery day more and more mortified, weakned, and consumed: by the later, inhe­rent righteousnesse is put into them, whereby they walke with God in newnesse of life.

Now both these parts of Sanctifi­cation are wrought after this maner. First, after the Christian man is vni­ted to Christ, planted into him as in­to a Stocke, and become a liuing member of his mystical body, Christ [Page 181] Iesus then by his Spirit workes in him two blessed workes.

First, the godly man ingrafted in­to Iesus Christ, receiueth power and strength from the death of Christ to die to all sinne: So as the power of Christs death and passion doth kill sinne, and mortifie their corrup­tions, For as many as are baptised into Iesus Christ, are baptised into the simili­tude of his death. Rom. 6.4. So as the death of Christ is as a corrasiue to eate vp and to consume all rotten flesh, and the corruptions of our hearts, it eates out sinne and frets it away by little and little, till it bee vt­terly abolished by death when our Sanctification shall be perfected.

Secondly, euery godly man re­ceiueth power and strength from Christs resurrection to rise out of the graue of sin to newnesse of life to walke with God in holinesse and righteousnes. Euen as we see all the parts of the body being ioyned to the head, receiue life & motion from it: Euen so euery Christian, as so [Page 182] many parts and members of Christ Iesus the Head, receiue from him spirituall life and motion, whereby they walke with God in new obe­dience.

Vse 1 This doctrine doth first of all con­demne the doctrine of the aduersary, That man hath free-will in himselfe: wee see here, that this mysticall Tree Man, must bee planted, hee can not plant himselfe. Indeed man at his first creation had free-will in him­selfe, but since his fall, that blessing is now fallen away and vtterly lost in man. And the proofe of this point may appeare vnto vs, if we will rest vpon the testimony of God him­selfe, who professeth thus of man, that The imagination of mans heart is euill, Gen. 8.21. from his youth vp. Now what good can bee willed of him who is first euill? Secondly, whose heart is a fountaine of all euill. Thirdly, whose imaginations, as streames of that fountaine, are euill, and that not for a time, but euer from his youth vp. So that now since the fall [Page 183] of man, the freedome of mans will to goodnesse is so inthralled and eclipsed, as that of our selues wee cannot plant our selues into grace, or into Christ: for wee are as Trees, not planting our selues, but must bee planted by God, For hee shall bee as a Tree planted.

This magnifieth the free grace of Vse 2 God aboue mans free-wll, or merit; for whereas we do faile to plant our selues, yet,Lam. 5.21. as it appeareth by the Text, wee are planted. It is the Lord that must worke in vs both the will and the deed; he must turne himselfe vnto vs, before wee can turne vnto him. This is acknowledged by the Prophet Daniel in that worthy pray­er of his when hee saith,Dan. 9.9. Rom. 6.23 Ephes 2.8. Luk. 12.32 Compassion and forgiuenesse is in the Lord our God, albeit we haue sinned against him. This is taught by the Apostle when hee saith, that Eternall life is the free gift of God. Yea our Sauiour Christ himselfe doth confirme the truth of this when hee saith;Mat. 15.13 Ephes. 1.6. 1. Pet. 2.10 Euery plant which my heauenly Father hath not planted [Page 184] shall bee rooted vp. Yea it is worth our best obseruation, That the whole worke of mans saluation is called by the name of the worke of Grace or of Mercy. And therefore on what part soeuer we cast our eies, we shall see the free grace and mercy of God: Beginne wee at the foundation of all Gods eternall election, and come from thence to the period of all Mans glo­rification, and still aske the question from what root each part springeth? The answere must bee, From the free Grace and Mercy of God: It was the free grace and mercy of God, that he should elect vs: It was the free grace and mercy of God, that hee should send Christ to redeeme vs: It was the free grace and mercy of God that he should call vs, that he should iustifie vs, that hee should sanctifie vs; and what can it be but the free grace and mercy of God, that wee shall be ad­mitted to an Inheritance immortall and vndefiled? 1. Pet. 1.4. So that wee see here in the whole work of mans redemption by Christ, There is no footing left for [Page 185] humane merite: For the free grace and mercy of God and mans righte­ousnesse cannot possible stand toge­ther, they will neuer admit any com­position, and therefore we must con­clude for the whole worke of mans Redemption, and say; Not vnto vs Lord, not vnto vs, but vnto thy Name giue the glory.

Lastly, seeing all men out of Vse 3 Christ bee miserable, and those one­ly that bee in Christ be blessed, let vs labour while wee liue, to bee assured of this, that wee are regenerate, that wee are the true, and liuely members of Iesus Christ. All men say they hope to bee saued, but those that be planted and ingrafted into him, none but they that bee regenerate and borne anew,Iohn. 3.6. Rom. 1.16. 1. Cor. 1.21 none but such as do re­pent and beleeue in Christ Iesus, and bee the true and liuely members of his Mysticall Body.

And to the end that wee bee not deceiued in so weighty a matter, but that wee may assuredly know whe­ther Christ dwell in our hearts by his [Page 186] Spirit, and we dwell in him by faith, so as we be true and liuely members of his mysticall Body; let vs try it by these two waies. First, by the power of Christs death: Secondly, by his re­surrection. If thou bee a member of Christ, thou shalt finde the power of Christs death, daily crucifying the old man, and eating out the cor­ruption of thy nature: for as wee see in a mans body, when there is much dead flesh in a wound, they lay cor­zie medicines to it, to eate it out: so the death of Iesus Christ applyed to our hearts by faith, doth fret and eate out as a corzie, the corruption of Nature,Rom. 6.1.23. Rom. 6. & 7.8. our dead flesh: So as Christ by his death maketh all his members die vnto sinne, so as they can not liue in the bondage and sla­uery of sinne.

Now then proue your selues, you hope to bee saued by Christ Iesus: But bee not deceiued, Christ died for none but such as bee vnited to him, his true and liuely mem­bers: And none are his members [Page 187] but such as find and feele the power of his death, to mortifie, kill, and weaken the power of sinne, and na­turall corruption. Doe you then find sinne to die in you? Doe you finde the strength of your corruption to bee abated, the heate of it to bee a­layed? Doe you feele Christes death fretting it out, so as you can say; I hate sinne, I abhorre sinne? It is as bitter as Wormewood vnto mee. Doe you finde this change in your liues, that you leaue your old sinnes, labouring to get out of ig­norance, to leaue swearing, lying, stealing, drinking, whooring, &c. then your case is good, it is an eui­dent token that you are ingrafted into Iesus Christ. But if on the con­trary part you finde that sinne is as strong now as euer it was, and that you are the same now that you were seuen yeares agoe, now dying to sinne, and rising to newnesse of life. Oh deceiue not youe owne soules any longer! your case as yet is fearefull, you bee not the liuely [Page 188] members of Iesus Christ; but wilde Oliues, dead branches, good for no­thing but fewell for the fire.

This Tree whereun­to the god­ly man is compared is most like to bee the palme tree Maler. in Psalm. 1. THis is the second property of that Tree whereunto a godly man is compared: namely, as it is wel planted and seated by the Riuers side, where it hath continuall iuice and nourishment, and is well watered: Euen so likewise it is fruitfull, and yeeldeth sweete and pleasant fruit to him that planted it. And that In due season. Euen so the godly man being ingrafted into Iesus Christ,Palma gau­d [...] rignis totoque ani­mo bibere gaudet. Pli. lib. 13.4: Psal. 92.12 as by a riuers side, and being a liue­ly member of his Mysticall Body, hee bringeth forth much good and pleasant fruite, and that in Due sea­son: When as it may best stand for the glory of God, and the good of man.

Heere wee see then who are the [Page 189] true and liuely members or IesusDoctr. 5. Members of Christ are euer fruitfull. Christ, who is a true godly man: and who is planted as this good Tree in Iesus Christ the true Vine. Name­ly, such as bee carefull and endeuour themselues continually to bring forth the blessed fruite of a godly and Christian life; Euery Tree is knowne by his fruite: A Tree is not knowne by his rhinde, nor barke, nor branches, nor yet by his leaues, But euery Tree is knowne by his fruite, Matthew the twelfth chapter and the foure and thirty verse: a good Tree cannot but bring forth good fruite, and a bad tree cannot but bring forth bad fruit: So euery man is knowne by his fruite: Hee that is a godly man, and a true and liuely member of Iesus Christ, can not but bring forth good fruite, euen the fruit of good workes, and a godly life: so a wicked man can­not but bring forth bad fruit, the workes of darkenesse, of a wicked and vngodly life. We see if a grift or sciene bee set into a good Stock, and [Page 190] take aright, it will appeare by the yeelding of fruit. But if it doe not prosper, then it withers and dies, and is good for nothing but the fire. So if any man seeme to bee a Christian, and to be a member of Christ Iesus, and yet bring not forth good fruite; Surely his estate is fearefull; while he is vnfruitfull, he must be pulled a­way as a withered branch, and to the fire he must go.Mat. 21.19 A true Christian must not be like the tree which Christ Ie­sus cursed, which had leaues and no fruit, but he must be like to the Tree planted by the riuers side, that will bring forth fruit in due season. Yea that which is more, They bring forth fruit in their age. Psal. 92.14. whereas euill men, as the Apostle S. Paul saith. 2. Tim. 3.13 wax worse and worse, and fall away from God daily more and more: this was the summe of the Doctrine of Iohn Baptist to his hearers, that they would Bring forth fruit worthy amend­ment of life. Mat. 3.8. And the like is vsed by the Apostle, Let your conuer­sation be such, as becommeth the Gospell [...] [Page 193] thing else but that grace of God in a mans heart whereby he beleeues the promise of saluation and the promi­ses of the Gospell, and applies them to his owne soule, and therfore Saint Iames saith;Iames 2. Shew mee thy faith by thy workes: Dost thou delight in the Law of God, and loue his Word? Dost thou delight in his worship, and calling on his Name? Dost thou find thy faith to Purifie thy heart? Acts 15.9. This is some part of that fruite which God requireth of thee: This fruite Peter brought forth, Thou art Christ the Son of the liuing God: Math. 16.16. This was the fruit that the Disciple Iohn brought forth:Ioh. 6.69. Ioh. 11.27. Wee beleeue and know that thou art Christ the Sonne of the liuing God, And indeed this is the first stone that is to bee laid in the building vp of a Christian, and therefore very fitly called a Founda­tion: and the Collossians are said to bee Rooted, and Built, and Stablished in the Faith; Col. 2.27. And indeed, this is that sure foundation that shall beare vp the whole frame of our [Page 190] [...] [Page 193] [...] [Page 190] [...] [Page 193] [...] [Page 194] soules against all windes, and wea­thers. It is the first worke of change in the heart, and the first difference betwixt man and man, when God by faith purifieth the heart: Act. 15.9. It will suffer no vncleane thoughts, vnlaw­full lusts,Note. or wandring motions to harbour there, it guideth the affecti­ons, loue, hatred, sorrow, &c. Such a man loues nothing more then God, hates nothing more then sinne, reioyceth in nothing more then in doing the will of God, and sorrowes for nothing more their that hee should offend so good and gracious a God. Againe, it is the foundation of all our obedience; For without faith it is impossible to please God: Heb. 11.6. And without it wee can neither pray, heare, or performe any duety that shall bee acceptable with God.

2 Of repen­tance. The second is the fruite of Repen­tance, whereby a man is humbled for his sinnes past, and is affraid of sinne in time to come. This fruit of Repentance is of absolute neces­sity [Page 195] to saluation, according to that of our Sauiour, Except yee repent, yee shall all perish. Luk. 13.5. And onely godly sorrow must worke this true repentance in a man: Godly sorrow causeth repentance in a man to saluation: 2. Cor. 7.10 And therefore in the Scriptures are recorded the mournings of the god­ly in the daies of their humiliation. Dauids Fainting: Psal. 6.6. Ezechias chattering like a Crane: Esay 38.14. Iob abhorring himselfe in dust and ashes. Peter weeping bitterly. Math. 26.75. Mary Magdalene washing Christs feete with her Teares: Luke 7.38. And Paul crying out, O wretched man that I am! Rom. 7.24. Wee must mourne with these heere,Psal. 126.5 if wee will reioyce with them heereafter: And surely if there were neither heauen nor hell, neither reward nor punishment, yet the godly would sorrow for sinne; for offending their good and graci­ous God and louing Father. Besides this sorrow in a godly man for his sins past, he is exceeding affraid of sin in time to come: as Dauid was, who [Page 196] prayed vnto God so earnestly, that hee would Stablish him with his free Spirit: Psalme fifty one, and the tenth verse: That seeing hee had such woefull experience of his owne weakenesse, he prayes vnto the Lord that hee would giue him his preuen­ting grace that hee might neuer fall into the like sin againe. So the godly Israelites in Ezra his time, Ezr. 9.10.3. when they had with griefe of heart bewailed their sinnes vnto God, they resolue to make a Coue­nant with God, and solemnly to bind themselues to put away their strange wiues, whereby they had so much dishonoured him. And so it is with all the faithfull, euen as a good child hauing by his vntowardnesse vexed his father, is carefull after­wards to please him againe by all meanes possible. Well then, dost thou finde these fruits of true repen­tance in thee? art thou grieued, and euen payned at thy heart for thy wicked life, for thy ignorance, vn­beleefe, hardnesse of heart, thy neg­lect [Page 197] of prayer and calling on Gods Name? Art thou grieued for want of reuerence in Gods worship, for thy abusing Gods Name by swearing, cursing, and banning, for contempt of his Word and Sacra­ments, for prophaning of his Sa­boaths, carelesse gouerning of thy Family, for thy malice, vnbeleefe, vncleane, proud, and couetous thoughts, drunkenesse, vncleanesse, and the like? Againe, dost thou finde in thee an earnest desire to walke with God, in obedience to all his Commandements, to liue in no knowne sinne, but in all things to please God to the vtmost of thy power. These be the fruites of righ­teousnesse whereby wee are knowne to bee of God.

The third is the fruite of New O­bedience, or of a godly life,3 Of Obe­dience. both in the obedience of Gods Lawes in the first and second Table: Christ makes this the eare-marke of his sheepe, To heare his voyce and follow him. Ioh. 10. And wee are willed by the Au­thour [Page 198] of the Epistle to the Hebrews, to cast away euery thing that presseth downe, Heb. 12.1. and the sinne that hangeth so fast on, and to runne with patience to the race that is set before vs. This was godly Dauids resolution: I will runne the way of thy Commandements; Psa. 119 32 and Dauid describing the true worship­pers of God,Psa. 119.1. Psal. 15.2. saith; They goe on from strength to strength, seruing God in truth of heart, without hypocrisie: And it is said here, That the fruit of a godly man doth neuer fade: And howsoe­uer the worke of mortification is neuer perfected in this life, but that the remnants and reliques of sinne will still remaine euen in the godly themselues, yet they euer sinne with griefe of heart, and CHRISTS death doth set such a worke-against all sinne, that the regenerate man can truely say; It is not I, but sinne that dwelleth in mee: So then, if thou desi­rest to please God in all his Com­mandements, at all times, and in all places, and to doe all duties of loue vnto men required in the Comman­dements [Page 199] of the second Table, shewing thy fruites in doing good to the poore distressed Members of Iesus Christ, feeding, cloathing, and comforting them in their need: In thy generall calling to bring forth the fruit of godlinesse, to bee much and often exercised in Prayer, Hearing, Reading, Meditating, &c. As also in thy particular cal­ling to do thy duety with faith and a good conscience, without fraude, guile, deceipt, &c. These be the fruits that are required in all those that are the Members of Iesus Christ, and ingrafted into his mysti­call body.

This Doctrine doth flatly con­demne Vse 1 all such, as vnfruitfull and barren Trees, as bring forth no fruit of a godly, righteous, and re­ligious life, such as liue in continu­all ignorance, blindnesse, hardnesse of heart, in contempt of the Word, prophanation of the Sabaoth, our ciuill honest men which are so much admired; if they bee not [Page 200] good Christians, who should? And if they bee not saued, I know not who should goe to heauen: Well, euery good Tree brings forth good fruite;Math. 7.17 Where bee your good fruites? No fruit of faith, no fruit of repentance, nor new obedience; but in stead thereof the fruites of infidelity, hardnesse of heart, and disobedience: Alas! that poore soules should thus goe blinde-folde to hell, to thinke that such should be saued; what then should become of hell? As though a man might be a true member of Iesus Christ, and ingrafted into his mysticall body, and yet bee barren of good fruite: No, no, it cannot bee: for there is such a liuely power in this stocke of life, Christ Iesus: That they who are once ingrafted into him, bring forth fruite incontinent; As wee may see in the Theefe vpon the Crosse,Luke 9. what fruite hee bare in an instant of time: confessing first his owne sinnes: se­condly, reprouing the sinnes of his companion: Thirdly, cleering Christ [Page 201] to be innocent; Lastly, praying that Christ would remember him when hee came into his kingdome: And this wee may see in Zacheus, Lydia, &c. Math. 22. Actes 16. Who were no sooner conuer­ted, but brought forth fruit inconti­nently: And yet wee see how many dry, fruitlesse, and barren trees de­ceiue the world, as the figge-tree Christ: Oh hee is a very honest man, keepes a good house,Math. 3.10 doth no body harme, a very kinde and euill honest man, &c. Well, is this all? This will not serue to proue him a good Christian:Iohn. 15.6. Esay 5. For now is the Axe put to the roote of the tree, euery Tree that brings not forth good fruite, is hewen downe and cast into the fire. Wee know what became of the fig-tree that had goodly leaues and faire shewes, was it not accursed? And the tree that the Husbandman digged, and pruned, and watered; was it not in the end hewen downe and reserued for no other vse but fewell for the fire; and this will be the end of many of our ciuill honest [Page 202] men (so called) whatsoeuer they thinke of themselues, or others con­ceiue of them.

Oh then how fearefull a thing is it to bee trees bringing forth leaues and no fruite, as is the condition of all hypocrites: For they shall finde at last what it is to bee as a barren Tree in the Lords Vineyard; For that shall bee taken away from them which they seeme to haue, as proud Iesabell and her painted face shall both of them perish together: On the other side, the elect of God that bring forth fruite as well as leaues, they shall both bee preserued toge­ther, and grow in grace and know­ledge heere in this life, and at the last, when these daies of sinne shall haue an end, they themselues shall bee gathered into the place of rest, the Syon of the Lord, and their works shall follow them: Reu. 14.13. And howsoeuer workes iustifie not a man, being the best of them weak and imperfect heere, yet by our workes, as the euidence of our ver­tues, [Page 203] wee shall bee iudged at the last.

This shewes that their estate is Vse 2 ten times worse and more fearefull, that brings forth nothing but cur­sed and bittter fruite of sinne and disobedience: A Husbandman will not suffer a Tree to grow in his Or­chard, if it either bring no fruit, or else bitter, sowre, or vnsauory fruite, so bad as none can eate them, nor there is no vse of them, but will hew it downe, and cast it into the fire Oh! then Consider this yee that for­get God; yee that liue in continuall practise of sinne; you that bring forth no other fruite but horrible Oathes, Blasphemy, Drunkenesse, Whooredome, &c. That by the Axe of Gods vengeance, yee shall bee hewen downe and to the fire yee must go. If Trees as bee barren and bring forth no fruit shall be destroy­ed and cast into the fire, how much more, such miserable wretches,Math 3.10 & 25.41. Heb. 6.7. whose whole life is nothing else but a heaping of sinne vnto sinne, and [Page 204] all prophanesse against God, and man? If the rich man were damned that did not giue of his bread to poore Lazarus, good Lord what shall become of those that take away and (as it were) grind the faces of the poore? In a word, if the not being fruitefull in good workes shall bee punished so sharpely and seuerely, what shall then become of those that euen abound in all manner of most abhominable sinne and iniquity? Oh! consider this yee that forget God, least I teare you in peeces, and there be none to deliuer you.

Vse 3 Let this admonish euery man to try himselfe to looke vnto his owne soule. Thou art a Tree in Gods Or­chard, the Lord hee husbands thee, dost bestow cost on thee, to water and dresse thee by his Word and Sa­craments, Mercies and Iudgements. Well, Hee comes to seeke fruit of thee, it may bee hee hath come three, foure, seuen, or ten yeares to­gether, and still thou hast no fruite, but remainest still a barren Tree: [Page 205] Well, the Lord will not alwaies stay and waite for fruite at thy hands: Luke the thirteenth chapter and ninth verse: But wil say to the Vine­dresser, Cut mee this fruitlesse and bar­ren Tree downe, why doth it couer the ground and keep it barren? as it is in the fifth chapter of Esay. The ground that receiueth the raine that comes often vpon it, and brings forth fruite meete for him that dresses it, receiues a blessing: But that that brings forth Thornes and Bry­ars is sentenced with a curse, whose end is to be burned. Hebrewes the sixt chap­ter, and the seuenth and eigth verses. If yee haue not yet begun, beginne now to bring forth fruite, I meane the fruites of Faith, the fruites of Repentance, and the fruites of Obedi­ence, of a godly life and conuersati­on: If yee haue begun already, oh la­bour then to do it more, bring forth more, and more better fruit to a­bound in good works: such trees as these are, shall be spared, and not de­stroyed: Deuteronomy the twentieth chapter and the ninteenth verse: But [Page 206] such trees as bring forth no fruite, Hew them downe, why cumber they the ground?

The time described when a godly man doth bring forth fruit THat is, in time conuenient when it may most serue for GODS glory, and the good of our Neigh­bour. So that here wee haue a further condition of this Tree set out by the circumstance of the time: That it bringeth forth fruite in due season; And wee know it is a commendable thing in our grounds, and so in our trees, that they bring vs out their fruite in their season. If our Corne should not bee ripe till the Summer were ouer, or our Trees beginne to bud in the Spring before Summer come, men would looke to reape but small fruite: Well, as this is commended in our ground, and in our Trees; so is it no lesse commendable in our selues, and a true note of a godly man, [Page 207] and a blessing proceeding from his ingrafting into Iesus Christ, that hee likewise bring forth fruit in due season.

In this obserue the godly care,Doctr. 6. True note of a godly man to waite all opportu­nities to do good. and the heauenly wisedome of a godly man, and one that is the child of God: that hee waites and wat­ches his time, and then readily takes the occasion to doe good. Euery thing hath his time and season: Seek the Lord while hee may bee found, and call vpon him while hee is neere. Esay. 55.6.7. Out of which words wee gather that as there is a time when the Lord will bee found of them that seeke him (which time is a god­ly mans Season, for now doth hee seeke the LORD) so there is a time when the Lord will not bee found, and that a blessing cannot be obtai­ned at his hands; though a man seek it with teares, as Esau did, for so saith the Lord: Because I haue cryed and called vnto you and yee would not heare: Therefore the time shall come, that yee shall cry and call vnto mee and [Page 208] I will not answere, Prou. 1.24.28. A­gaine, Exhort you one another daily, while it is called to day. Heb. 3.13. For our Hearing, for our Reading, Pray­ing, Singing, and meditating, &c. There are times for each of these, which the godly man doth in no wise omit. And of this there is great reason: for shall we not be as care­full of the performance of our due­ties herein, as wee are in our owne affaires? In our plowing and sow­ing, our reaping and gathering in, our putting off of our cattell, and tilling our ground: men know their times, and take their opportunities, euen then when it shall stand with their best aduantage: Oh that wee could bee as wise for our soules, to purchase the true treasure which wil make vs rich vnto saluation, as wee are for these temporall things which doe last but for a time? surely it is the care of the godly man:Esay 1. Gen. 43. as the mariner watches for the winde, and when it comes, hoyses vp saile: as the Captaine and Souldier in the [Page 209] field waite their time: yea, and as the Birds, Swan, and Crane, the beasts, Swallow, and Pismire, waite their times, and then take the occasion and season offered; so the childe of God doth in his heauenly wisedome waite the time, and take the occasion to doe good. As Ioseph in the seuen yeares of plenty, prouided for the seuen yeares of dearth; so the godly man bringeth forth fruite in due sea­son, that is, in time conuenient. As when the Lord cals man to repent, hee repents; when occasion is to pray, hee will pray; when the season is to heare, hee will heare; when to reproue, hee will reproue; when to giue to the poore, hee hath his hand ready: so as when occasion is offered hee takes it. Yea hee waits and wat­ches for it, as Lot did to entertaine strangers at his Tent doore, Gen. 17. and as that poore man in the Gos­pell, who lay at the poole of Bethes­da, waiting for the mouing of the water. Ioh. 5.

This reproues the folly and care­lesnesse Vse 1 [Page 210] of most men, who neither wait the time, nor yet take the occa­sion offered; The Lord cals men to prayer, to calling on his Name, they make light of it; the Lord cals men to heare his Word, men con­temne it; the Lord offers occasion to reproue sinne, they will not open their mouth to reproue the swea­rer, blasphemer, cursed speaker, &c. The Lord offers occasion to releeue the poore, they shut vp the bowels of mercy against them. In the mat­ters of the world, Oh men are wise to take their time, the merchant, the mariner, the Husbandman, &c. But in the matters of God, which con­cerne the saluation of our soules, we are like that sicke man that let euery man step in before him. Well, if we belong vnto God, it will grieue vs at the heart, that wee haue not done our duety, that wee haue omit­ted our occasions of doing of good; whether to heare, reade, pray, re­proue, or to giue vnto the poore: Well, let vs now seeke the Lord while [Page 211] hee may bee found: let vs not with the slouthfull seruant, deferre till our Maisters comming. How many bee there that say, that they will now liue in ease, in ioy, and will take their pleasure, and follow their sports, and when they be old, then they will re­pent and serue God, and giue them­selues to prayer; but let none thinke, if they do spend the flowre of their youth in lusts and pleasures,Eccl 12.1. in the seruice of sinne and sathan, that God will accept of their rotten old age: no, the deuill shall haue the dregs as well as the wine.

Hence wee obserue in the second Vse 3 place that Gods children are neuer voide of the fruites of faith, but haue them in them continually to their endlesse comfort. Other Trees oftentime fall to degenerate and to grow out of kinde, and if they doe hold out a long time, yet age at the last makes them to decay and to die, albeit you dig and dung and water them neuer neuer so much, it cannot keep them from wasting and withe­ring: [Page 212] but it is not so with the godly men, which are planted by the riuers of water in Gods Church; for euen in their old age, they bring forth aboundance and store of friute, al­beit they be neuer so old, yet when­soeuer the Season requires some fruit of a godly man hee is euer ready to performe the same, being that hee is continually watered by the working of his Spirit: and this is confirmed by that of our Sauiour Christ,Ioh. 15.1.2 I am the true Vine, and my Father is the Hus­bandman, euery branch that beareth no fruite in mee hee taketh away, and euery branch that beareth fruite hee purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruite: So that being once Planted by these Ri­uers of waters, wee shall then incon­tinently bring forth fruite.

THis is the third point of the de­scription of this Tree, to the which a godly man is compared; namely, by the flourishing estate of [Page 213] it, That her leaues do not fall: They wither not, nor dry not, but alwaies flourish and are greene: of this sort is the Oliue tree, the Bay tree, the Lawrell tree, and the Box tree, they are alwaies greene and flourishing, the heate of the Sommer, nor the cold of the Winter, doth not parch or wither them, but they keepe their vigor and colour at all seasons. Now this doth signifie vnto vs the con­stancy and the perseuerance of the godly:Psal. 92.12. For as the Tree planted thus by the fresh springing waters doth alwaies flourish, and is euer greene, neither is it nipped either with the heate of Sommer, or cold of Win­ter: So the godly man that is truely regenerate, hee is constant and doth perseuer euen vnto the end.

Hence wee learne that it is not e­noughDoctr. 7. Perseue­rance re­quired in each child of God. for a man or woman to begin well, or to take some liking of Reli­gion, to haue some good motions, as to reuerence Gods Ministers, to desire to heare them, to ioyne with the people of God in prayer, to bring [Page 214] forth some good fruit in outward re­formation of life, &c. vnlesse he per­seuere, persist and go on vnto the end.Mar. 24 13 He that indures to the end shall be saued: Reu. 2.10 And, Bee thou faithfull vnto death, and I will giue thee a Crowne of life. Eze. 18.24 If a righteous man leaue his righ­teousnesse, &c. Hee that puts his hand to the Lords Plough, Luk. 9.62. and looketh backe, is not worthy of the Kingdom of Heauen. Againe,2. Pet. 2.21 it had beene better for them that they had neuer knowne the waies of godlinesse, then afterwards to fall away. And therefore in the Scriptures such as haue had some beginning, and after fallen away, are noted to haue beene exceeding wicked men: As wee see in Iudas, first a Preacher and an Apostle,Math. 27. a man well esteemed, that had excellent giftes to Preach, Pray, and cast out deuils, afterward an hypocrite, a thiefe, a traytor, a re­probate:Mar. 6.20. Herod had many things in him at first, reuerenced Iohn Baptist, heard him gladly, did many things at his request,2. Tim. 4.10. yet afterwards a bloudy persecutor. Demas once a sound pro­fessor [Page 215] as it seemed, and one that was deere vnto Paul: but afterwards left his profession, and fell in loue with the world,Reu. 2.4. Col. 2.6. like the Church of Ephe­sus, lost their first loue, and grew worse and worse. So that let all men know, that though they haue many excellent gifts and graces of Gods Spirit, Knowledge, Faith, Repen­tance, Zeale, Patience; yet all is no­thing worth, vnlesse they hold out in faith, repentance, and obedience, and maintaine faith and a good con­science, euen vnto the end. If a soul­dier should be cunning and skilfull, knowing how to fight and handle his weapon well, and yet should turne his back and play the coward, hee is but a cowardly souldier, and not worthy of the Crowne. And therefore it, is a speciall duety requi­red of euery Christian to continue stedfast; Be thou faithfull vnto the end, Reu. 2.26. and I will giue thee a crowne of life.

Hence wee see that it is a dange­rous Vse 1 thing to reuolt and goe backe­ward in matters of religion to loose [Page 216] our first loue; it is a fearefull signe of a Reprobate & Cast-away, when men slacke hand, and slip necke out of collar, grow carelesse in the ser­uice and worship of God: for a man to grow there is some hope, though hee doe but creep on in Religion: But for a man to goe backeward, or to stand at a stay, is dangerous: For it is certaine, not to goe forward in Gods matters, is to go backeward; not to increase, is to decrease; not to grow better, is to wax worse. It is a hard matter to make a good be­ginning, wee are not easily brought to set foote forward in the waies of godlinesse, but then to trippe while we are in our iourney, and to waxe weary of well-doing; this is a feare­full sinne. Well then, lay this Do­ctrine to heart, examine your selues, see how yee grow, whether as good trees in Gods orchard,Ezech. 47. being so wa­tred with the riuers of water of the Sanctuary, and fed in the greene pa­stures. If a child goe to Schoole and do not increase in knowledge, [Page 217] learning and education: all money and paines is ill bestowed. If a Tree be planted, and doe grow worse and worse, it is time to cut it downe: Well, we be trees in Gods orchard, The Lord hath planted vs by the. Ri­uers of waters; when a great number about vs bee in a barren soyle, and haue no meanes: And for vs not to grow, but rather to decay, it were the next way to prouoke God to bring his Axe and to hew vs downe: And therefore proue how you hold your owne, how you grow in know­ledge, faith, repentance and obedi­ence. And aboue all things, take heede that you decay not in grace, goe not backward, loose not your first loue. I feare me it may bee said of vs, as Christ said sometime to the Church of Sardy, Thou hast a name that thou liuest, take heede thou bee not dead, Reuelation chap. 3. vers. 1. Repent therfore and amend, that the things in thee ready to dye may bee recouered.

Heere is a notable meanes to try Vse 2 [Page 218] hypocrites from good Christians, hee that is sound-harted, and truly hum­bled, and regenerate, will perseuere, and grow in grace, hold out to the end, so as their workes shall be more at last then at the first; yea the godly man is like the tall Cedar, the more it is shaken with stormes and tem­pests, it takes the deeper roote, and growes the faster, like the Camo­mile, the more it is troden on, the more it growes; or like some preci­ous stones, neuer shine brighter then in the darkest night; or like perfume, neuer so sweete as when it is rubbed and chafed; or gold, ne­uer brighter then when it is fined in the fire. The word of God is plaine, for this Abraham in all his iourneyes and trauels, though he met with ma­ny and dangerous enemies, yet hee was most constant in his faith. Da­uid in all his troubles, yet still was religious. The children in the fire, most glorious conquerours. Daniel in the Denne, a blessed man: Iob in his greatest extremity, a patient [Page 219] man. Paul, Peter, and the rest of the Apostles neuer shewed themselues more worthy men then in great tri­als, and stormes of persecutions: so that you see a godly man is wel com­pared to a strong Oke, or Cedar, or rather a Palme Tree, that neuer loo­seth his leaues, fruite, and greene­nesse, no not in the bitter stormes and blasts of Winter. So the godly man doth not shrinke in the wetting like vnto a peece of sale-cloth, but doth perseuere, and is constant euen vnto the end, His workes are more at last then at first.

But come to an Hypocrite, a counterfeite Christian, a false pro­fessour of the Gospell, you shall see they be like painted Sepulchres, faire without, but foule within, like to emptie vessels, which make great noise, and haue no liquor in them, like a peece of sale-cloth, which be­ing drawne out, and set on the Tein­ters, will quickly shrinke in the wet­ting: they bee like to false friends, that will hang on like burres, while [Page 220] there is some gaine to be gotten, but they will faile a man when hee hath most neede of them: so long as it is faire weather, and there is no dan­ger in professing of the Gospell, they wil seeme forward, and very zealous, as though they were the onely men in the world: but if there come any matter of danger, if the Sunne grow hote, or if stormes or tempests do a­rise, that is, troubles and persecuti­ons for Religion sake, and the Gos­pell sake, they will then hide their heads, and professe no longer. All the goodly leaues and shewes they made will wither and come to nothing, then they will appeare in their kind. Such our Sauiour Christ likeneth vnto Corne in the stonie ground, which makes a faire shew for a time: But when the Sunne ariseth it wi­thers away:Luke 8. Euen so these kinde of Professours, if any tryall or trouble do come for the Gospel sake, or that for their profession they should loose the fauour of some great men, Oh! then they thinke it the safest way to [Page 221] sleepe in a whole skinne; then they wither away, and then they shewe they did professe the Gospell, not in truth and syncerity for loue to the Gospell, but for some other respect, namely, for some hope of gaine, or honour, and fauour of men, or for praise of the world.

Let this admonish vs all, as wee Vse 3 doe loue our owne soules,Mat. 24.13 Reu. 2.10. Luk. 24.26 Math. 7.26 2. Chron. 24.17. to la­bour for Constancie and Perseue­rance, that wee may hold out vnto the end, that our workes may bee more at last then at first; that we cast our account afore-hand what it will cost vs to be religious indeede, that wee bee sure to digge so deepe, that we lay the foundation of our Faith vpon the Rock Christ, and for want of this godly care and circumspecti­on afore-hand, many haue at the first giuen their names to Christ, who afterwards when they were to take vp the Crosse of Christ, haue gone out and turned their backes vpon Christ. Saul beganne well, but afterwards he waxed worse, and [Page 222] in the end became an open persecu­tor. Ioash behaued himselfe vpright­ly all the dayes of Iehoiadah, and re­paired the house of the Lord; but af­ter his death hee fell to idolatry. What did it profit Lots wife to goe out of Sodome, insomuch as after­ward she looked back, and was tur­ned into a Pillar of Salt? So then we see here, that it is not enough to pur­pose well; it is not enough to begin well, neither is it enough to pro­ceede well, it is required of vs to perseuere well, and to continue in a constant and setled course euen vn­to the end.

Doctr. 8. By our v­nion with Christ we are made sure of perseuerance Last of all, in that it is said heere, that the Leaues, that is to say, the faith of a Christian, shall neuer fall. Hence I gather, that no elect Childe of God, that is truly regenerate and borne anew, and a liuely member of Christs mysticall body can perish and finally fall away. For whom God predestinateth, him hee calleth, whom hee calleth he iustifieth, whom he iustifieth, he glorifieth. Rom. 8.30. The gift and cal­ling [Page 223] of God is without repentance. My sheep heare my voyce, and follow me. And I giue vnto them eternall life, and they shall neuer perish, neither shall any man take them out of my hands, Ioh. 10.27, 28.29. And the reason is, Wee beare not the roote, but the roote beareth vs. Our saluation doth not depend vp­on our selues; for then indeed wee were in danger to fall away euery moment of an houre; but it depen­deth vpon him, because we are in him: and through him we grow and increase: yea, the older wee bee in Christ, the more doe we fasten our roote and flourish. They which are planted in the Courts of the Lord, shall flourish in their old age, and bring forth much fruit.

And whereas other Branches are many times pulled from their stocke either by the violence of the wind, by the hands of men, or at the least consumed by length of time; It shal not bee so with them that are in Christ: for they are kept by him, as the root bearing branches. Because [Page 224] I am not altered nor changed, there­fore are you not consumed, Oh yee sonnes of Iacob! And therefore right happy is the state of that man who is in Christ Iesus: For neither life nor death, things present, nor things to come, shall separate him from the loue of God. Rom. 8.38.

And this comfort is confirmed to vs by most sure Arguments.Argumēts to proue a Christians perseue­rance. Phil. 1.5.6 The first is taken from the Nature of Al­mightie God: Hee is faithfull which hath promised. And, I am perswaded, (saith the Apostle) that hee who hath begun this good worke, will performe it vntill the day of Christ.

The second is taken from the na­ture of that life which Christ com­municateth to his members,Rom. 6.5. We know that Christ being raised from the dead, dieth no more: this life of Christ is communicated to vs, so that it is not we that liue now, but Christ that li­ueth in vs.

The third is taken from the na­ture of that seed whereof we are be­gotten:1. Pet. 1.23 Wee are borne anew, not of [Page 225] mortall seede, but of Immortall: Now as the seed is, so is the life that comes by that seed, our life therefore must needs bee immortall.

This confuteth a damnable Do­ctrine Vse 1 of the Papists, who hold and teach, That a man elected, called, iu­stified, and sanctified, may for euer fall away and bee damned: That hee which to day is the deere childe of God, to morrow may become the childe of the deuill: To day a mem­ber of Christ, to morrow a limb of the deuill; to day an heire of sal­uation, to morrow an heire of dam­nation: Now what doctrine can bee more deuilish and vncomfortable? this is nothing else but to set vp a gibbet to torment the poore soules of Gods children, to ouerthrow the nature of Faith, to make God feeble and weake, or foolish and vnwise, which is manifest Blasphemy;2. Pet. 1.10 Psa. 15. vlt. Rom. 8.1. & 8.36. but we see heere the Word of God tels vs this cannot bee: For what shall separate vs from the loue of God in Christ: No­thing?

Vse 2 This may serue to reproue ano­ther sort of men, who are ready to abuse this doctrine. Tush; saith the carnall and loose Christian, it skils not then how a man liues, whether well or ill, hee that is Elected, and is a Member of CHRIST shall bee saued, and hee that is reiected shall bee damned, though hee liue neuer so well; therefore they take liberty to sinne, and make conscience of no sinne whatsoeuer. But they must know that God decrees a man as well to the meanes as to the end: And it is impossible a man should be Elected and Called, but hee must liue well; so he that is not Elected and Called cannot liue well: And it is all one as if a man should neuer eate or drinke, and yet hope to liue and like well; or lying in the fire or water, and vsing no meanes to come out, should not perish. But we must know that the end and the meanes must go together: And for a man to neglect, or reiect, the meanes, it is in vaine for him to hope to bee [Page 227] saued: For if thou belong to God thou shalt in time bee Called and Sanctified: And where this work is not as yet already wrought, that man is as yet in the state of damnation.

Heere is matter of endlesse com­fort Vse 3 to euery true child of God, that truely repents and beleeues in Iesus Christ, that howsoeuer, through the malice of Sathan, and the temptati­on of the deuill, the allurements of the world, and the corruption of our flesh, we may grieuously sinne and fall, yet There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ. Rom. 8.1. The gates, that is, all the power of hell, shall not preuaile against vs: Math. 16. If euer thou foundest the sound worke of grace in thee, foundest Ie­sus Christ to dwell in thy heart by faith, so that thou hatest all sinne, and desirest in all things to please God, though sathan rage and storme, and all the gates of hell rise vp against thee, yet thou maist comfort thy selfe in the Lord, and say with Paul, [Page 228] There is no condemnation to mee that am in Christ, which walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit: Thou maist tri­umph with Paul and say, Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods cho­sen? And if God bee with vs, who can bee against vs? And a gaine, I am per­swaded nothing can seuer mee from the loue of God in Christ Iesus: No not sinne, nor death it selfe. Oh happy then, and blessed, is the estate of that man who is in Christ! Neither life nor death, things present, nor things to come, shall separate him from the loue of God.

Doctr. 9. God doth euer blesse the godly endeuours of his chil­dren. HEere is described another part of the blessednesse of a godly man, containing the mercy and goodnesse of God to him, in the lawfull things wherein hee hath to deale, that God doth of his infinite mercy and loue direct and prosper [...] [Page 237] soule to the day of slaughter.

This should admonish all godly Vse 3 men to take heed how they fret and grieue at the vaine and vncertaine prosperity of the wicked and vn­godly, it is that which troubles the godly much, as it did Iob, Ieremie, Dauid, and Asaph, who wondred and were much grieued at this to see the vngodly flourish, and to abound in honour, dignity, wealth, authori­tie, the onely men of the world; and on the contrary part, the godly in­miserie, trouble, &c. But when they went into the house of the Lord, Psal. 37.35 Iob. 21.13. Psa. 37.1.7 then vnderstood they they the end these men; namely, that God did set them in slip­pery places, and that their end was feare­full. And as Iob saith; They spend their dayes in pleasure, and suddenly goe downe to hell. Let vs then consider well of these things, & not to grieue at the wicked because they prosper, or to be drawne hereby to think the better of them, or their vile courses, because they flourish a while; or the worse of the godly, because they [Page 228] [...] [Page 237] [...] [Page 228] [...] [Page 237] [...] [Page 238] endure some trouble, but consider their latter end; and in the meane time to possesse our soules with pati­ence, notwithstanding the iollity of the wicked, for it is but for a time, like a great thistle, which starts vp in the Summer, and at the comming of Winter is gone, or the poore estate of the godly, for in the end they shal be exalted.

Vse 4 Last of all, if wee desire to thriue in the world, to prosper, and to haue the blessing of GOD vpon our la­bours; the best, yea and the surest way is to become religious, to walke with GOD, to leade a god­ly life; The examples of Abraham, Ioseph, 1. Tim. 4.8 Deut. 28.1.2. &c. Iosh. 1.7.8 Psal 127. Iosua, Dauid, Iob, &c. may per­swade vs hereunto. Wee see many take great paines night and day, toyle and moyle all the yeare long, euen wearing out their bodies early and late, and yet doe not thriue, doe not prosper and come forward, but rather goe downe the winde. The reason is, God doth not blesse them and their labours, because they bee [Page 239] wicked, and liue in the practise of some knowne sinne: And there­fore if thou wouldest finde Gods blessing vpon thee and thine, vpon thy soule, body, goods, good name, wife, childe, corne, cattell, &c. The best way is to serue God, to call on his name, to lead a godly life, and then certainly thou shalt finde that God will blesse thee, and make thee to prosper.

THe Prophet Dauid hauing she­wed the difference betwixt the godly and the wicked by a generall Introduction, It is not so, commeth now to set out their estate by a Si­militude and Comparison, where hee compares the wicked to Chaffe, And it is all one as if hee should say: The wicked and vngodly man is not like a tree well planted and watered, that beares good fruit, and alwaies flourisheth, but like vnto Chaffe, which hath no root at al in the earth, no iuice nor sap, but wants all kinde of good fruit and greenenesse, so as it is easily scattered and dispersed with euery blast of winde: Euen so the wicked are not rooted nor graf­ted into Iesus Christ, and are al­together voide and destitute of all fruite of good workes, and of all sa­uing grace, haue no iuice nor sap of goodnesse in them, and in time [Page 254] of trouble and temptation, they fall away; yea, euery blast of false do­ctrine, euery storme of temptation, triall, or persecution, yea the least blast of Gods anger driueth them hither and thither, they know not which way to turne them.

So that in this Similitude or Com­parison there are two things to bee considered of vs.

First, the matter whereunto the wicked are compared, vnto Chaffe.

Secondly, the condition of Chaffe, which the winde driueth away.

In the former of these wee are to consider how the wicked resemble Chaffe, naturally, and accidentally.

Wicked compared to Chaffe, How? Naturally Chaffe is light and vn­profitable.

First, it is light, containing in it, no solide and weighty matter, but a ve­ry sleight and frothy substance,1 Light. sub­iect to many alterations; euen so the wicked are not solide in their purpo­ses & enterprises, & weighty in their carriage and courses, but as Chaffe, light, easily tossed, & blowne away.

It may appeare vnto vs, that the wicked are as Chaffe, light, because they bee light of their words,Ecclesia­stic. 12.26. they haue not their mouth in their heart, like a wise man, but they haue their heart in their mouth, like a foole. Do they promise any thing? their words are as wind, as the Prouerb is. Doe they vow any thing? they keep their vowes, like those that vowed Pauls death. Do they sweare any thing? they are but as belles and bubbles in the water, broken in a moment of time: So that the wicked, in respect of their words, vowes, or othes, may well be compared to Chaffe, light.

Againe, the wicked may well bee cōpared to chaffe, light; because they are light of their minds, entertaining and excluding, one while admitting, another while reiecting, infinite pur­poses and thoughts of heart. Againe, they are light of their bodies, by cō ­mitting many fornications. Yea, let their vertues be compared with their vices, it will then appeare, That they are lighter then vanity it selfe.

Secondly, as the wicked are like Chaffe, light; so are they vnprofita­ble, and that two waies. First, in mat­ters temporall concerning this life, wherein though they haue ability, as they haue for the most part; yet they want wil to do good with the same. Secondly, in matters spirituall, wher­in though they haue a will, which is a rare thing to bee found in the wic­ked, yet they want ability.

Vnprofi­table. First, the wicked are as chaffe, vn­profitable, in regard of matters tem­porall; For, who doth regard the af­flictions of Ioseph? For either their will is wholly bent vpon Couetous­nesse, or Prodigality. This is an e­uill which the Preacher saw vnder the Sunne;Eccl. 6.2. A man to whom God hath giuen riches, and treasures, and honours, and he wanteth nothing for his Soule, of all that he desireth, but God giueth him no power to eate thereof: but a strange man shall eate it vp. Yea, such is the case of many a man, that where hee locks vp his riches from others with one locke, hee lockes them vp from [...] [Page 271] all power is of God: Hee doth bring downe the mightie from their seate. Yea hee hath all creatures at a becke, and at a call, to humble man; yea, and the least of all creatures, when it is armed and sent of God, is sufficient to destroy the wicked, as Frogges, Lice, Flies, and the like creatures did Pharaoh and the Egyptians;Exod. 10. and as the Palmer-worm and the like kind of Caterpillers did the men of Iu­da and Israell: Ioel. 1.3.4. And therefore this must needes bee a terrour vnto the wicked, who are no stronger then the chaffe to resist the wind of Gods iudgements. This may teach them humllity, and pull downe the haugh­tinesse of their hearts, when they shal heare the irreuokeablenesse of their destruction.

Secondly, seeing the destruction Vse 2 of the wicked are irreuokeable, and that the iudgements of God come suddenly: we are taught heere that it is our dutie to awake out of sinne, and to bee watchfull ouer our owne soules. We must not sleepe in sinne, [Page 256] [...] [Page 271] [...] [Page 256] [...] [Page 271] [...] [Page 272] neither giue your selues to securitie, but be carefull and circumspect that we be not suddenly ouertaken. This is that charge which our Sauiour gi­ueth:Math. 24. watch therefore, for you know nei­ther the day nor houre in the which the Sonne of Man will come. The iudge­ments of God are threatned to come vpon thee suddenly, as the Winde: thou knowst not whether thou shalt haue an houre, or a moment of time giuen thee to repent, thou mayst bee smitten with sudden death: When thou risest out of thy bedde, thou knowest not whether thou shalt lye downe againe; When thou lyest downe vpon thy bed, thou knowest not what may happen vnto thee ere it be day.Prou. 27.1 Boast not of to morow, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. And therfore while it is to day let vs repent and labour to bee reconciled to God in Christ, that when his iudg­ments shall come as the winde sud­denly, the destroyer may passe ouer vs, and wee remaine safe vnder the shadow of the Almighty.

Hitherto hath the Prophet descri­bed the wofull estate and condition of the wicked heere in this life. Now in the next verse by way of prophesie, or threatning, he sets our their estate and condition in the Life to come.

Doctr. 2. All Man­kinde di­uided into two ranks. HEere then we learne, that there are two sorts of men in the world, Good and Bad, Sheep & Goates, Elect and Reprobate: and heere in this world they liue together, but after death in the last iudgement, there shall bee two places appointed for them;Mat. 25.34 one on the right hand, ano­ther on the left; one in honour, the other in shame; one in ioy and com­fort, the other in feare and horror. And as wicked men in this life could neuer abide the company and socie­ty of the godly, but did mock and scoffe at them, and shun their compa­ny as much as they could; so in the great day of account, in that great and generall separation. The sinners shall not appeare in the assembly of the righteous, but shall bee seuered and sundred by the great Shepheard of the sheepe, the Iudge of the whole world.

Now that wicked men shun and auoid the company of the godly, and do desire and seeke the company of the wicked, it is plaine by experi­ence, and therefore it is iust with God, that at the last day they should bee seuered and secluded their com­pany: and as they loued and deligh­ted in the company of wicked men, and such as haue no feare of God be­fore their eyes, so now they shall haue their belly full of their compa­ny. How did Cain hate Abel? Pha­raoh, Moses and Aaron? Saul, Dauid? the Iewes our Sauiour Christ? Elymas the company of Paul? And on the contrary part, how one wicked man doth loue the company of another like himselfe,Psalm. 50. common experience doth proue it.

And heere wicked men bee noy­some and troublesome to the godly, as Goats to sheep, they tread downe their pasture, they trample in their water,Ezek. 34. and they push them with their hornes: Christs sheep now su­staine sundry wrongs and iniuries, [Page 288] and are much annoyed and vexed by those stinking and vnruly Goates. But there will come a day of separati­on, Mal. 3.18. to the horror of the wicked, and comfort of the godly.

Further, in these words wee may consider the estate of the righteous at the last iudgement: that is, of the elect of God, such as haue truely re­pented of their sinnes, by faith, be­leeue and embrace Iesus Christ, and are iustified through his obedience in the sight of God; surely their estate shall bee blessed and happy, and so great, that the very wicked shall be ashamed and astonied to be­hold it. First, they shall be set on Christs right hand, which is no small honour and ioy for poore silly soules to bee aduanced to sit on the right hand of Iesus Christ, the Son of God, and the great Iudge of the world. Secondly, they shall heare the blessed sentence, Come yee blessed, &c. Mat. 25.34 Thirdly, they shall be put in reall possession of eternall saluation of the kingdome of Heauen, and liue in the blessed presence of [Page 289] God the Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghost, Reuel. 21. & 13.14. the elect Angels, and blessed Saints, where there shall be no sorow, paine, sicknesse, &c. Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord, for they rest from their labours: So then after death they haue a sweet quietus est; and a generall dis­charge and freedome from all ene­mies of soule and body, from all trouble, paine, and griefe. Whereas the wicked and vngodly shall bee in a cleane contrary estate and conditi­on; for they shall not come into the company of the righteous, nor shall haue no part in that place of their Comfort, Honour, Ioy, and Dignity, but shall be set on Christs left hand, a place of exceeding sorrow and griefe, shame and confusion, horrour and trembling.

This might admonish all wicked Vse 1 and vngodly sinners to repent, in time to turne to God by true repentance and amendment of their liues, to esteeme better of the company of Gods faithfull ser­uants and righteous Children in [Page 290] this world, and to make much of them. But if they will still proceed to hate them, to set themselues against the godly, to shunne their company, and to hate them aboue all the things in the world: Well, yet re­member the time will come that yee shall thinke it the greatest misery in the world, that they shall be seuered and sundred from their company, and in so being they shall be seuered and sundred from the company and society of Iesus Christ himselfe, of God the Father, and all the blessed Saints and Angels of God in hea­uen:Wis. 5.1.2.3.4. Then in that day shall the righte­ous stand in great boldnesse before him that persecuted him, &c. Thus yee see the madnesse and extreme folly of wicked men, they hate them whom they ought most to loue, and loue them whom they ought most to dislike.

Vse 2 Let men take heed with whom they ioyne themselues in society: Seeing with whom they keepe com­pany in this life, in death they shall [Page 291] pertake with them, and after at the last iudgement shall be ioyned with them. Hee that now is familiar and a companion of vngodly men, A­thiests, Papists, Swearers, Drun­kards, Scorners, &c. certainely in death he shall bee punished with them, and after death haue his abode with them for euer.Reu. 18.4. So he that is now a companion with all those that feare God; surely, hee shall haue a part with them in death, and at the last iudgement shall bee placed with them in ioy and happinesse for euermore.Heb. 11.25.26. It is thought to be a mat­ter of little or no moment what company a man keepes, to liue amongst Swaggerers, Swearers, Drunkards, Athiests, Papists, &c. But the truth is, it is a fearefull signe of a reprobate; and he that is now a companion with them in their sins, shall after death take part with them in their plagues.

But the way of the wicked shall perish.

Doct. 2 The Lord hates a wicked man, and al he doth Esay 1.11. HEere we learne that the whole life of a wicked man, and what­soeuer he doth, is abhominable, the Lord hates him and all he doth. What haue I to doe with the multitude [Page 299] of your Sacrifices, saith the Lord. And againe,Esay 66.3. The Sacrifices of the wicked are abhominable vnto the Lord. Now if the best actions of a wicked man, his Hearing, Reading, praying,Ier. 7.8. Prou. 15.8. and Re­ceiuing, be abhominable to the Lord; how much more their swearing, cur­sing, banning, prophaning the Sab­both, drunkennesse, vncleannesse, ly­ing, stealing, &c. Againe, without faith it is impossible to please God. Heb. 11.6. Now no wicked man can haue true faith, be­cause Faith purifies the heart, Acts 15.9. and is ne­uer seuered from true repentance and amendment of life. And therfore the way of the wicked, seeme it neuer so goodly and glorious in the world, all their studies and endeuours shall pe­rish and come to destruction in the end.Pro. 20.17 Iob. 20.29. This is the portion of the wicked man, and the heritage that he shall haue from God for his workes.

This shewes the state of most men to bee miserable and vnhappy. Vse. For onely those bee blessed, whose liues do please God: Now alas, what de­light can God haue in the filthy liues [Page 300] of most men, whose whole delight and study is in sin and wickednesse, in all kinde of lewdnesse and pro­phannesse, haue no care to please God, but euen obstinately rebell a­gainst him, surely the Lord hates them and all they do. O wofull con­dition of such sinful men, that betake themselues thus vnto the way of sinne. Not as though they walk therein but for a time, but as such as purpose to tread therein for euer. From this wofull e­state the Lord deliuer vs for his Christs sake. Amen.