The True Convert, Exposition · Verse 30
VERS. 22. Loe, theſe many yeeres doe I ſerue thee,Text. neither tranſgreſſed I at any time thy commandement, and yet thou neuer gaueſt mee a kid, that I might make merry with my friends.
30. But aſſoone as this thy ſonne was come, which hath deuoured thy liuing with harlots, thou haſt killed for him the fatted calfe.
GOodly paint vponupon a rotten poſt: Heere is a glorious varniſh vponupon a bad action. Hee was indeede diſcontent and angry, and would not come in; but hoe giues the reaſon, and doth alledge the cauſe.
Hence learne,
What ſinne ſoeuer wicked men commit, Doctr. Wicked men hauehave faire pretences for foule ſinnes.they hauehave ſome colour for it: They hauehave faire pretences for their foule ſinnes. Saul, when hee offered ſacrifice contrary to Gods will, being reprooued for it, hee ſtraight alledgeth a reaſon, Becauſe I ſaw that the peole were ſcattered from mee, 1 Sam. 13.11, 12. Cap. 15.15.and that thou cameſt not within the dayes appoynted, &c. I forced my ſelfe therefore, and offered a burnt offering. So for his ſparing the ſheepe and oxen, and the beſt of the ſpoyle (which with the Amalekites ſhould hauehave beene deſtroyed) he hath ſome colour.1 King. 21.13. It was to ſacrifice vntounto the Lord. Thus Ahab and Iezabel couer the murther of Naboth with iuſtice againſt blaſphemy. Hee did blaſph…me God and the King (ſaid thoſe men of Belial, which witneſſed againſt him.) So Iudas pretended the poore, and his great care of them, when hee grudged his Maſter a little vnction;Ioh. 12.6. when as indeede, This hee ſayd, not, that he cared for the poore: but becauſe he was a theefe, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein. The like wee ſee in the cheefe Prieſts, who taking counſell together, for the putting of Chriſt to death, hauehave for their couer, the ſafety of the people.Iob. 11.48. If we let him alone, the Romans ſhall come and take away both our place and nation. And therfore it is expedient (ſayd Cayphus) that one man ſhould dye for the people, Verſe 50.and that the whole nation periſh not. Many other examples might be brought to prooue this,Gen. 34.31. as that of Simeon and Leui againſt the Sichemites, who had a pretence to couer that their cruell murther,Exod. 32.1. Should hee deale with our ſiſter, as with an harlot. So the Iſraelites touching their Idolatry.Matth. 2.8. And Herod, whoſe cruell intention wanted not a couer. But theſe that hauehave been brought, doe ſufficiently, prooue the poynt that hath beene deliuered. Heare now the Reaſons.
Reaſon 1 Wicked men would not be thought to be, a indeed they are, corrupt, abominable: neither would they hauehave their actions that proceede from them, to bee eſteemed as wicked and vniuſt: Hence is it, that they ſeeke for pretences and excuſes (as Adam for fig-leaues) to hide their ſinne and ſhame.
Reaſon 2 Secondly, Reaſon is one of the principall faculties in man; and therefore, though oftentimes hee denies the rule of reaſon, yet neuer will he abſolutely deny reaſon, (without he will deny himſelfe.) Hence it is, that men will hauehave ſome reaſon (though falſe reaſon before they will hauehave none) for eueryevery thing they doe, bee it neuer ſo vile or wicked. The vſes follow.
Firſt, this ſerueth the reprooue many,Ʋſe. Reproofe of two ſorts. who ſet godly ſhewes vponupon their euill doings, and varniſh their ſinnes with falſe colours.
As firſt the Papiſts,Firſt, the Papiſt. who ſet deceitfull colours vponupon their ſuperſtitious practices. As for their ſacrilegious dealing, in with-holding the Cup from the people, they hauehave this colour, The wine is in danger to be ſpilt, and what needes the pe…le to hauehave the cup, is not his bloud in the veines (ſay they) and doe not the people receiue whole Chriſt, body and bloud and all; when they receiue the bread? And ſo for their Idolatry, in worſhipping of Images; thus they colour it, we worſhip not the Image, but God in the Image, and Images are Laymens bookes, very needefull (ſay they) for their encreaſe in knowledge. The like colours hauehave they for their praying to Saints and Angels, they honour them (they ſay) but as the friends of God, and goe vntounto them, but as vntounto Mediatours; for it were great preſumption for them to come to God themſelues, conſidering their owne vnworthineſſe: and therefore, in humility, they goe to theſe, that they may entreat God, and make interceſſion for them. And theſe faire pretences hauehave they, to couer their abhominable Idolatry: And hence it is, that the dregs of that religion are ſo ſettled in the hearts of many, ſo that by no meanes they can bee rooted out, and all becauſe of this deceitfull varniſh.
But to our ſelues;Secondly, the prophane Proteſtant. D. Sclater. 1 Theſſ. 2.5. for who ſeeth not in what requeſt this Art of colouring is? Complexion makers wee hauehave (as one ſaith well) not onelyonly for withered faces of ouerworne Strumpets; but alſo for the vglieſt and moſt deformed ſins. What vice ſo odious, that hath not found a couer? What ſinne ſo groſſe, which (once committed) hath not ſome faire pretence? Gods Sabboths are broken; his name blaſphemed,Diuers ſorts of complexion-makers for ſin, reprooued. Firſt, ſuch as plead neceſſitie of liuing in their callings. his ſeruice neglected, our brethren defrauded, the poore oppreſſed, and all vnderunder pretence of neceſſitie of liuing in the world, and maintaining wife and children, with the reſt of our familie. Thus many (I ſay not all) of you Shop-keepers, perſwade yourſelues (as your practiſe teſtifieth) that you could not liue, if you ſhould not lie, and deceiue, for by this craft,Acts 17. you get your gaine: So other Tradeſmen, as Taylors, Shoomakers, Vintners, Butchers, Chandlers, and the like, thinke they may be diſpenſed with, though they labour in the workes of their callings on the Sabboth day, becauſe otherwiſe they ſhould looſe their cuſtome, together with their gaine, by which they are enabled to maintaine themſelues, and theirs. Yea, and vnderunder this pretence, many liue in vnlawfull callings, as Vſurers, Players, Gamſters, and the like: but what better pretence hauehave theſe, then Harlots, Theeues, and Pickpurſes, who vſe thoſe courſes, becauſe they hauehave no other meanes to liue and maintaine themſelues? If this be a ſufficient cloake for ſinne, then Tiburne hath the more cauſe to complaine, where many a one hauehave ended their dayes, for their robbing and taking mens purſes by the high way ſide, though they hauehave pretended, that they had no other means to liue by, and if they had not done this, they knew not which way to hauehave maintained themſelues. Away then with this ſottiſh excuſe, and fond pretence, for better were it for thee not to liue at all, then to liue in ſinne, to the diſhonour of God, and hurt of thy brethren; and farre better were it that thy bodie ſhould pine and famiſh in this world, then that thy bodie and ſoule ſhould for euer fry in hell torments.
Secondly, ſuch as plead pouertie, and therefore hauehave no time for good duties and religious exerciſesSo other-ſome being reproued for their neglect of good duties, and holy exerciſes which God enioynes; pretend their pouertie and meane eſtate; our whole time ſay they is little enough to prouide for neceſſaries; wee hauehave no leiſure to heare Sermons, read the Word, pray with our familie, as other hauehave; and if we ſhould do this we may beg our bread, except we ſhould vſe fraud and deceit, to ſupply our need. But let ſuch know, this is no ſufficient excuſe for the neglect of holy duties. For one thing is neceſſary, as our Sauiour telleth Martha, and we muſt rid our ſelues of worldly encumbrances, to chooſe the better part. If we would firſt ſeeke the Kingdome of heauen, and the righteouſneſſe thereof, all theſe things ſhould be giuen vntounto vsus. We hauehave Gods gracious promiſe for earthly neceſſaries.
Sundry other pretences doe many bring to defend their ſinne,Thirdly, ſuch as pretend preuention of further miſchiefe. as that they doe it to preuent a further miſchiefe. Thus doe the Papiſts excuſe the maintaining of their Stewes: we doe it, ſay they, to preuent a further inconuenience.
Others pretend, they doe this,Fourthly, ſuch as pretend triall. or this euill onelyonly for this end, that by their owne experience, they may ſee the vanitie and vileneſſe of it. So doe many of our Cittizens goe to ſee maſſe for trials ſake, and that againe & againe, yea, and for a need can bow their knee to Baal: tell them of this, they colour it with this pretence, they goe indeed to ſee it, but it is with a good intent,Such reproued as refuſe diligent hearing of the word, vnderunder pretence of hearing more in an houre then they can practiſe all their liues. And ſo others who refuſe comming to the Lords table, becauſe they are not in charitie, or not prepared. that they might learne the more to loath it. I might inſtance in ſundry other particulars, as for the hearing of the word, ſome will heare once a monethmonth, or at moſt once a day, but no oftner, for, ſay they, we can heare more then, then we can practiſe all our dayes. And the like, for their comming to the Lords table, they cannot come, becauſe they are not in charitie, or they are not prepared as they ought to be. Thus are we growne skilfull in varniſhing of ſin, thus doe we blaunch our vile blemiſhes, and putrified ſores, which euidently ſhewes that we are ranke hypocrites, and exceeding ſinners againſt the Lord.
Secondly, let this admoniſh vsus, that we colour not our actions, when we know they be euill, neither ſet a faire gloſſe on them as the wicked doe, alwayes remembring, that albeit colouring may ſerue vsus for aduantage Ʋſe. 2 amongſt men, yet to his eyes with whom we hauehave to doe, Heb. 4.all things are naked and vncouered, Hee cannot be deceiued by any pretence, though neuer ſo cunningly contriued, though man may be:1. Cor. 4.5. It is not pretence will ſtead vsus at that day, when God ſhall enlighten things that are hidden in darkeneſſe: then ſhall all things appeare as they are, and all coulourable pretences ſhall vaniſh away as ſmoake; then ſhall the very ſecret parts of thy heart bee diſcouered, and thy very thoughts ſhall be made manifeſt.
And thus much be ſpoken of the ſecond branch, wherin we hauehave ſeene, how this elder brother expreſſed this his diſcontent, viz. by his reaſoning with, and accuſing of his Father for vnkindneſſe; which accuſation he doth amplifie, by an Antitheſis, He had beene obedient, and his younger brother diſobedient.
Now we come to the third and laſt branch, wherein we are to ſee how this his anger is quallified: And that is done two wayes.
Firſt, by his Fathers kind intreatie of him. ver. 28.
And ſecondly, by the Apollogie, which his Father made, conteined in the two laſt verſes.
For the firſt, and from the firſt of theſe, we may learne thus much;
Doctr. God dealeth with ſinners in a mild manner, with quiet and peaceable termes.When God hath to deale with ſinners, he dealeth with them in a milde and meeke manner, and not in furie and rage. The Father we ſee doth deale with him in a peaceable manner, he commeth and intreats him to come in, and doth not in a furie will him to be packing, and come no more within his doores. Inſtead of chiding, he fals to intreating; and in peaceable termes, debates the matter with him. By whoſe practiſe, Gods gracious dealing with ſinners is ſet forth. For the further proofe of this truth, doe but remember Gods manner of proceeding with our Grandfather Adam, after he had eaten of the forbidden fruit, and had hid himſelfe amongſt the buſhes. Adam (ſaith he) where art thou? Haſt thou eaten of the tree whereof I told thee thou ſhouldſt not eate? Gen. 3.9.Thus in quiet and peaceable termes did God reaſon the matter with him, and did not with furie and violence come vponupon him. And after the ſame maner did he deale with Cain. Gen. 4.9.10.Where is Abel thy brother? What haſt thou done? The voyce of thy brothers bloud cryeth vntounto me from the ground.
Such likewiſe was his dealing with the rebellious Iſraelites, continually from time to time, as is manifeſt in Scripture, and cannot be vnknowne to ſuch as are exerciſed (though but meanely) in the reading of Scripture.
The reaſons of Gods ſo dealing may be theſe; Firſt, Reaſon 1 that the ſinner might be brought to a ſight of his ſinne the better, and ſo either conuinced or conuerted: For this milde and gentle kind of dealing doth much ſooner cauſe the offender to ſee his fault, then a haſty and paſſionate proceeding doth or can.
And a ſecond reaſon may be this; Wicked ones (if Reaſon 2 they belong not vntounto God) muſt be let goe on to the height of impietie, and extremitie of prophaneneſſe, and therefore they are ſuffered to goe on without checke or controll (hauing no bands almoſt either in life or death) that they might fill vp the meaſure of their ſinnes to the very brim; and afterwards be filled with wrath, they being veſſels of wrath, as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh.
Now for the vſes. And firſt ſeeing this is ſo, that God Vſe. 1 himſelfe when he hath to deale with ſinners, doth deale ſo mildly, and in ſo peaceable a manner: this then ſerueth for the iuſt reproofe of ſuch, as hauing to deale either with friend or foe, grow hot & boyſterous if they be a little mooued or prouoked: Of ſo fiery and furious a diſpoſition are they, as if you mooue them but a little by a word, or the leaſt neglect that may be, they will be readie to reuenge it with a blow, or with a ſtab: too many ſuch haſtie and turbulent ſpirits are amongſt vsus, the Lord amend vsus. But let ſuch take notice of Gods peaceable dealing, and proceeding, euen with the veſſels of his wrath, who commeth not vponupon them with ſuch fury and rage, but reaſons with them in milde and quiet termes. How farre are theſe from imitating God, as good children ought to doe?Obiect. But I am croſſed and prouoked, ſo that I cannot forbeare, let me alone, prouoke me not, and I am meeke enough.
Anſw.A worthy commendation; The bruit beaſt will ſcarce ſtirre vnprouoked: and the Deuill himſelfe (according to the Prouerbe) is good, ſo long as he is pleaſed? And art thou good no longer? Why then let this be thy commendations; thou art as meeke as a Beare, or as a Lyon, or as a Tyger: and of as milde a diſpoſition, as the Deuill is, for theſe are quiet, if they be not croſſed, and ſo by thy owne confeſſion art thou, but not elſe, for if thou beeſt ſtirred, then thou muſt needs ſpeake, there is no remedie.Coloſſ. 3. Is this that Chriſtian meekneſſe which thou art commaunded to put on; and called vponupon to learne of Chriſt?Mat. 11.28. He dealt not roughly with his enemies, no, not with Iudas, when he came to apprehend him, and betray him into the hands of ſinners,Mat. 26.50. but called him friend: Chriſt Ieſus neuer taught thee to be ſo hot and haſtie in dealing with thy enemie, much leſſe in dealing with thy friend and brother: know then thy meekeneſſe is no Chriſtian meekeneſſe, but a brutiſh meekeneſſe, ſuch a meekneſſe as is to be found in the Beare and Tyger, as formerly I hauehave ſayd.
Vſe. 2 Secondly, is God thus meeke and milde, euen when he hath to deale with ſinners? This then commendeth vntounto vsus the grace of meekeneſſe towards our brethren much more.1. Pet. 3.4. A vertue which is acceptable to the Lord, and much reſpected of him. A vertue oft commended to all eſtates and degrees, and commanded both by precept,Meekeneſſe muſt be ſhewed by all. and by practiſe. As to the Magiſtrate, the Miniſter, the Maſter, the Wife, the Seruant, and the like. The Magiſtrate muſt ſhew it, euen when iuſtice is to be executed, and puniſhment inflicted on malefactors; as Ioſua did, who (when Achan was apprehended, and his ſinne diſcouered, whereby he had offended God and troubled Iſrael) dealt after this milde and gentle manner. My ſonne, Ioſu 7.19.I beſeech thee giuegive glory to the Lord God of Iſrael, and make confeſſion vntounto him, and ſhew me now what thou haſt done, hide not from mee. Thus in a milde and peaceable manner muſt they bee dealt withall: Mercy and louelove is to be ſhewed to offenders, even in puniſhing of offenders. The Miniſter alſo muſt remember it. Paul enioynes Timothy to vſe it towards oppoſites,2 Tim. 2.25. In meekneſſe inſtructing thoſe that oppoſe themſelues, if God peraduenture will giuegive them repentance, to the acknowledging of the truth. That haſty hot-ſpurre humor of many Miniſters, becauſe they ſee not preſent ſucceſſe of their labours, and endeauours, ſorts not with that Chriſtian meekeneſſe that Gods word requires. Maſters alſo are enioined the ſame taske by the Apoſtle Paul, Epheſ. 6.9.when as he ſaith, Ye Maſters doe the ſame things vntounto them (viz. your ſeruants) forbearing threatning. The like charge is giuen vntounto Wiues, by the Apoſtle Peter, 1 Pet. 3.4.that they put on the ornament of a meeke and quiet ſpirit, which in the ſight of God is of great price. How doth that tetchy peeuiſhneſſe which is too too apparant in many wiues agree with this iniunction? and if not that, then much leſſe thoſe bitter words and reproachfull termes which many vſe.1 Pet. 2.20. Seruants likewiſe are charged with it, For what glory is it, if when you be buffeted for your faults, ye ſhall take it patiently: but if when you doe well and ſuffer for it, you take it patiently; this is acceptable with God (as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh.Motiues to meekneſſe and mildneſſe. 1. It is the pathway to bleſſedneſſe. Math. 5.5.) Thus, all degrees and conditions whatſoeuer muſt put it on. We want no motiues to induce vsus hereunto: For firſt, this is the path-way to bleſſedneſſe, Bleſſed are the meeke (ſaith our Sauiour) for they ſhall inherite the earth. Would wee then be happy and enioy all good bleſſings needfull for vsus? then let vsus get the ſpirit of meekeneſſe and mildneſſe into our hearts,2. It doth cauſe vsus to heare the word profitably. Iames 1.2. and expreſſe the power of it in our liues.
Secondly, It will much auaile vsus in the profit and power of the word, and therefore the Apoſtle S. Iames willeth vsus to heare and receiue the Word with meekeneſſe, which is able to ſaue our ſoules: without this wee cannot heare the Word with comfort, it will become vtterly vnprofitable vntounto vsus.
3. Such are vnderunder Gods protection in a ſpecial manner. Zeph. 2 3.Thirdly, The meeke are in a ſpeciall manner vnderunder Gods protection, Seeke ye the Lord all ye meeke of the earth which hauehave wrought his iudgement, ſeeke righteouſnes, ſeeke meekeneſſe, it may be you ſhall be hid in the day of the Lords anger. Theſe ſhall be hid in the day of the Lords wrath, when it ſhall bee woe with others, it ſhall bee well with theſe, reade Pſalme 147.5.6. and 149.4.
4. It is an excellent peece of armour againſt incenſed wrath. Pro. 15.1. Iudg. 8.2. 1 Sam. 25.Fourthly, A milde ſpirit pacifieth wrath: Such is the effect of this vertue, that it doth not onelyonly keepe wrath from breaking out, but it alſo quencheth it being once enkindled. This was Gideons armour againſt the rage of the Ephranites; and this was Abigails armour for her ſelfe, her husband, and her houſhold; when Dauid (being incenſed by Nabals churliſh dealing) was comming with a purpoſe to ſlay them all.
5. It is a fruit of the ſpirit. Gal. 5.23.Fiftly, It is a fruit of the ſpirit, and the contrary is a fruit of corrupted nature: If then we would hauehave a teſtimony that we are of God, and that wee hauehave his ſpirit in vsus, let vsus manifeſt the ſame by our mildneſſe and meekneſſe, in dealing with others, and in bearing wrongs.
6. The example of the Saints, and of Chriſt himſelfe who hauehave gone before vsus. Math. 11.29. Ioh. 13.5.15. 1 Pet. 2.23.Laſtly, The examples of the Saints are many that hauehave gone before vsus. And Chriſt himſelfe ſetteth forth himſelfe as a patterne of this vertue, leauing himſelfe an example of it by waſhing the feet of his Diſciples, and by bearing the reproaches of the vngodly.
Thus hauehave we ſeene how many and how forcible motiues, wee hauehave to cauſe vsus to exerciſe this grace of meekeneſſe and mildneſſe towards ſuch as we hauehave to deale withall, yea euen towards our very enemies; for ſo doth the Lord deale with his as we hauehave ſeene.
Obiect. 1 But if we be thus meeke and milde, when we are iniured and wronged, we ſhall be laughed at, and counted milkſops, daſtards, cowards, and the like.
LoueLove not thou the praiſe of men,Anſw. more then the praiſe of God The praiſe of God is true praiſe indeede, ſeeke after it; as for the eſtimation of man; without the eſtimation of the Lord, it is but a ſhadow of glory, if it be ſo much, In this and ſuch like caſes, ſay with the Apoſtle: With me it is a very ſmall thing, 1 Cor. 4.3. Verſe. 4.that I ſhould be iudged of you, or of mans iudgement: he that iudgeth mee is the Lord.
But if I be ſo milde and meeke, they will neuer hauehave Obiect. 2 done; they will raile and reuile the more, the more they are ſuffered.
The more milde thou art,Anſw. the ſooner will they deſiſt and end: If a dog barkes at thee, thy beſt courſe is to paſſe away, for if thou turneſt againe and flingeſt ſtones, hee wi…l neuer hauehave done. The ſtrongeſt reſiſtance is by oppoſition of contraries; as fire is ſooneſt quenched by water; and a ſoft woll-packe is leſſe penetrable at a Canon ſhot then a hard ſtone wall.
But it is hard for fleſh & blood ſo quietly to ſit downe Obiect. 3 by iniuries, and ſo eaſily to digeſt wronges that are offered,
True; it is hard indeede; nay more,Anſw. it is impoſſible for fleſh and blood to doe it; but let me tell thee if thou art no more then a lumpe of fleſh,1 Cor. 15.5. Ioh. 3. there is no poſſibility of obteining heauen. If thou beeſt Gods thou haſt ſpirit as well as fleſh, what is wanting in the fleſh let grace make a ſupply off. And thus much ſhall ſerue for a ſecond vſe of the poynt.
Now we come vntounto a third and that ſerues for Conſolation; Ʋſe. 3 will the Lord deale ſo mildly euen with the wicked and vngodly? with ſuch as are children of wrath and firebrands of hell? then may Gods children aſſure themſelues that he will vſe meekeneſſe and mildneſſe towards them: he is not haſty or paſſionate, in his proceedings with drunkards, ſwearers, and the like rabble of reprobates, but he doth deale with them in quiet and peaceable tearmes; and will he then be haſty, and violent towards his owne children? This cannot be, certainely if vngodly ones, fare ſo well Gods children may looke to fare far better. To them he will abound in all riches of grace and conſolation.
And thus much of the Fathers kind intreaty of this his elder ſonne; now for the apologie which he makes vntounto him: and that is conteyned in theſe words.