The Returning Backslider, Sermons · Sermon 15
THE FIFTEENTH SERMON.
HOS. 14.10.
Who is wiſe and he ſhall underſtand theſe things? prudent and he ſhall know them? for the wayes of the Lord are right, the juſt ſhall walke in them, but the tranſgreſſors ſhall fall therein.
AT length by divine aſſiſtance, we are come unto the concluſion of this ſhort Chapter, wherin the Holy Ghoſt from God hath ſhewed ſuch bowells of mercy and tender compaſſion unto miſerable ſinners, incouraging them to returne unto the Lord, by many and ſeverall arguments, being formerly inſiſted upon: our laſt worke was to ſhew you what Wiſdome and prudence was, the difference of them, and how that none without theſe endowments are able to know and make uſe of divine Truthes and miſteries of Religion. Who is wiſe and he ſhall underſtand theſe things? prudent and he ſhall know them? &c.
We came then to ſhew that there muſt be Prudence and Wiſdome, before wee can underſtand divine Truthes, there muſt be an illumination within: it is not ſufficient to have the light of the Scripture outwardly, but there muſt be a light of the eye to ſee: there muſt be wiſdome and Prudence gathered from the Scriptures. Now VViſdome and Prudence, if they be divine (as here is meant) it is not a diſcreet managing of outward affaires of our perſonall condition, but an ordering of our courſe to Heaven-ward. Wherefore a man may know whether he be wiſe and prudent by his reliſhing of divine Truthes, for otherwiſe he is not wiſe and prudent in theſe things, which are the maine.
Now having ſhewed, that onelyonly the wiſe and prudent can conceive and make a right uſe of theſe great things delivered, he comes to ſhew and defend the equity of Gods wayes, how crooked ſoever they ſeeme to fleſh and blood: theſe things ought to be hearkned unto, becauſe they are the wayes of God.
The wayes of the Lord are right.
By wayes heere he underſtandeth the whole Law and Goſpell, the whole Word of God, which he calleth right, not onelyonly becauſe
1. They are Righteous in themſelves, but
2. Becauſe they reforme whatſoever is amiſse in us and rectifie us, and
3. VVorke whatſoever is needfull for our good and ſalvation.
Now more particularly, Gods wayes are
1. Thoſe wayes wherein he walks to us: or
2. The wayes that he preſcribes us to walk in, and
3. Our wayes as they are conformable to his.
Any of theſe are the wayes of God, of all which more heereafter.
The wayes wherein he walkes to us,Gods wayes to us. becauſe many of them are untraceable as unſearchable to us, are not here meant. As thoſe of Election, Predeſtination, and Reprobation: the reaſons whereof, if we take them comparatively, cannot be ſearched out, why God ſhould take one and not another, it is an unſearchable way. But take a man ſingle (out of compariſon) the wayes of God will appeare to be right, even in that harſh decree which many men ſtumble ſo much at, for none are ever brought in the execution of that decree to be damned, but you ſhall ſee the wayes of the Lord right, who a long time together offers them a great deale of mercy, which they refuſing, and reſiſting the Holy Ghoſt, taking wilfully contrary courſes, worke out their owne damnation. So that at length the iſſue of thoſe unſearchable wayes will appeare to be right in every particular, howſoever the comparative reaſon at the firſt, why God ſingles out one man and not another will not appeare.
As for the wayes of his Providence, in governing the world and ruling of his Church,The wayes of his Providence, &c. this is the way of God which is right: all which wayes though we cannot in all particulars ſee in this world; yet in Heaven in the light of glory we ſhall ſee what cannot now be ſeene in the light of grace and nature. For there be miſteries in Providence, who can tell the reaſon why of men equally good, one ſhould bee ſorely afflicted, and the other ſhould goe to Heaven without any affliction in a ſmooth way? none can give a reaſon of it, but we muſt ſubſcribe to the hidden wiſdome of God, whoſe wayes are unſearchable in his Providence, yet are they moſt right, though they be above our conceit. If wee could conceive all Gods wayes, then they were not Gods wayes: for in his wayes to us, he will ſo carry them as he will ſhew himſelfe to bee above and beyond our ſhallow conceits.
But the wayes eſpecially here meant are the wayes which he preſcribes us to walke in, and they are,
1. What we must beleeve, and then,
2. VVhat we muſt doe, there is,
Firſt, Obedience of Faith, and then Obedience of life.
Theſe are Gods wayes preſcribed in the word and only in the word.
Now our wayes, when they joyne with Gods wayes, that is, when our life,Our wayes joyning with Gods wayes. purpoſes and deſires of the inner man, in our ſpeeches, carriage and converſation agree with Gods wayes, then in ſome ſort they are Gods wayes, the juſt ſhall walke in them. They ſhall walke in theſe wayes, that is, in thoſe wayes which God preſcribeth. As for thoſe wayes wherein God walkes to us, we have not ſo much to doe here to conſider them. But by walking in the wayes which he preſcribes, we ſhall feele that his wayes to us will be nothing but mercy and truth.Pſal. 25.16. The wayes of the Lord are right, thoſe wayes that he preſcribes to men to be beleeved and done, they are right and ſtreight, that is, they are agreeable to the firſt rule of all. Right is the judgement and will of God: He is the firſt truth, and the firſt good, the prime truth and good, which muſt rule all others, Menſura menſurans, as they uſe to ſpeake in Schooles, the meaſure that meaſures all other things: for all other things are onelyonly ſo farre right; as they agree to the higheſt meaſure of all, which is Gods appointment and will. So the wayes of God are ſaid to be right, becauſe they agree to his word and will: they are holy and pure, as himſelfe is juſt, pure and holy.
The wayes of the Lord are right.
Right, as they agree to that which is right, and ſtreight, and right likewiſe, becauſe they lead directly to a right end. We know a right line is that which is the ſhorteſt betweene two tearmes, that which leads from point to point is the ſhorteſt of all other lines. So Gods wayes are right and ſtreight, there are no other wayes which tend directly to happineſſe, without error, but Gods wayes, all other wayes are crooked wayes. So Gods wayes are right, as they looke to God, and as they looke unto all other inferiour courſes: they are right to examine all our wayes by, being the rule of them. And they are right, as they looke to Gods will and are ruled by him.
The wayes of the Lord are right
Hence obſerve we in the firſt place, that the firſt thing wee ſhould looke too in our converſation, muſt be to know this for a ground,
Obſerv. That man is not a preſcriber of his owne way, and that no creatures will is a rule.
We muſt imbrace therefore no opinion of any man, or any courſe injoyned or preſcribed by any man, further then it agrees with the firſt truth and the firſt right, Gods wayes are right: right, as a ſtandard that is a meaſure to meaſure all other meaſures by. So Gods will and truth revealed is a right rule, and the meaſure of all other rules whatſoever. Directions therefore which we have of things to be beleeved and done from men, muſt be no further regarded then as they agree with the firſt ſtandard. Therfore they are miſtaken, and deſperately miſtaken, that make any mans will a rule, unleſſe it be ſubordinate to that which is higher, at which time it becometh all one with the higher rule. When a man ſubordinates his directions to Gods, then Gods and his are all one. Otherwiſe without this ſubordination, wee make men gods, when we make their will a rule of our Obedience. The wayes of the Lord are right. But of this onelyonly a touch by the way: the maine point hence is,
The Word of the Lord is every way perfect and brings us to perfection.
Obſerv. As we may ſee at large prooved. Pſalme. 19.7, &c. Where whatſoever is Good, Comfortable, Profitable, or Delightfull, either for this life or the life to come is all to bee had from thence. And the Wiſeman ſaith,Pro. 30.5. Every word of God is pure, &c. A ſimilitude taken from gold which is fined till it be pure, as it is expreſſed in another place, The words of the Lord are pure words, Pſal. 12.6.as ſilver tryed in a fornace of earth and purified ſeven times. 2 Tim. 3.16.And ſo the Apoſtle to Timothy. All Scripture is given by inſpiration of God, and is profitable for Doctrine, for Correction, for Reproofe, for inſtruction in Righteouſneſſe, that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furniſhed unto all good workes.
Vſe. 1 Since then the wayes of God are ſo Right, Juſt, Pure, and Perfect; this is firſt for Reproofe of them that adde hereunto: as our Romiſh adverſaries who doe heerein by their traditions and additions, condemne God either of want of Wiſedome, Love and Goodneſſe, or of all. So as all defects charged upon the Word, are charged upon God himſelfe, who did not better provide and fore-ſee for his Church, what was good for it. But the Wiſe man condemneth this their audacious boldneſſe, where he ſaith, Adde thou not unto his words, Pro 30.6.leaſt he reproove thee, and thou be found a lyar. They barre reading of the Scriptures, or to reade them in engliſh eſpecially, leaſt the people become Heriticks. They thinke it ſafe to reade their owne bookes and idle dreames, but reject the Word of God, and then (as Ieremy ſpeakes) What wiſedome is in them? Jer. 8.….Surely none at all, for the onelyonly wiſdome is to be governed by Gods moſt holy word.
Vſe. 2 Againe, it is for Inſtruction unto us, to reſt and rely upon this ſo holy, right, pure, and perfect word. Since it is ſo ſure and firme, we are to reſt upon the Promiſes, and tremble at the threatnings, though we ſee not preſent performance of them, becauſe not one of them ſhall faile.Mat. 5.28. For (ſaith Chriſt) Heaven and Earth ſhall paſſe away, but one jot and title of the Law ſhall not faile. What maketh ſo many judgements to overtake men, but their unbeliefe? what made their carcaſes to fall in the wilderneſſe, ſo as they could not enter into the land of Canaan, but their unbeliefe? for (ſaith the text of them) They could not enter becauſe of unbeliefe. Heb. 3.…9.Infidelity and not beleeving God, is the roote and cauſe of all our woe. It beganne with our firſt Parents, and it cleaveth too cloſe unto us, even unto this day. This commeth from our Atheiſme and ſelfe-love, that if a mortall man promiſe or ſweare unto us, we beleeve him and reſt upon his word: but all that the great God can doe unto us by Promiſes, Commandements, Threatnings, Allurements, and gratious Examples, will not make us give credit to his word, but rather believe Satan, and our owne falſe and deceitfull hearts. As for inſtance,Iſa. 1.18. Iſa. 50.10. Heb. 13.5. God hath promiſed that If our ſinnes were as red as ſcarlet, yet he will make them whiter then the ſnow, though they be never ſo ſtrong for us, yet he hath promiſed to ſubdue them. If our wants be never ſo great, yet if we will truſt in God; he hath promiſed to relieve us, and hath ſaid, that he will not faile us nor forſake us, if wee caſt our care upon him. So for the Threatnings, we muſt beleeve that there is never a one of them, but they ſhall come to paſſe, as ſure as the promiſes ſhall bee made good. If theſe thoughts were firmely fetled in us, that the wayes of the Lord are right, and therefore muſt be all accompliſhed in their time, it would make us reſtleſſe to flie from ſinne, and the puniſhments threatned, which all lye at the doore, Gen. 4.7.and will quickly be upon us, if they be not avoyded by ſound and hearty Repentance.
Vſe. 3 Laſtly, if every commandement be right ſure and juſt, then when God commandeth doe it, though the apparent danger be never ſo great and though it be never ſo contrary to fleſh and blood, pleaſure, profit, or preferment, yet know it is firme and ſure, and that our happineſſe ſtands in doing it, our miſery in diſobeying it. As we know it was with Adam: what a ſuddaine change did his diſobedience worke in himſelf, all the world ſince being leavened with that miſerable contagious fal of his. And for the whole word, this is a generall, we never want any good, but for want of love and obedience unto it.Pſal. 119.165. Great Proſperity ſhall they have (ſaith David) who love thy law, and no evill ſhall come unto them. And we never had nor ſhall have any hurt, but from our unbeliefe and diſobedience to the holy, pure, and perfect word of God, which is attended with comfort and proſperity heere, and …dleſſe Glory heereafter.
The wayes of the Lord are right.
In the next place, If the wayes of the Lord be right and ſtreight, ſo ſtreight that they leade directly to the right end, then it is cleere,
Obſerv. That the beſt way to come to a good and right end is to take Gods wayes. For it is a right way, and the right way is alwayes the ſhorteſt way. Therefore when men take not Gods wayes, preſcriptions and courſes, they goe wide about, and ſeldome or never come to their intended end. Gods way is the right way, and therefore brings a man to his right end. Sometimes men will have their turnings, their diverticula and vagaries, but they find by experience that Gods wayes they are the right wayes, ſo as they never attaine to comfort and peace untill they come againe into thoſe wayes. God untill then ſuffereth them to be ſnared and hampered, and to eate the fruit of their owne wayes, and then they ſee the difference of Gods wayes and theirs, and that Gods wayes are the beſt, and the ſtreighteſt wayes unto true happineſſe.
Indeed God ſuffers ſometimes men that will have their owne wayes, to come quickly to them, as ſome men haſten to be rich, and God ſuffers them to bee rich haſtily: yet they are none of Gods wayes which they take, but climbe up by fraud and deceit. I but that is only a particular end, which God ſuffereth them to attaine by bie wayes: but what will be the up-ſhot? Where will all theſe wayes end at length? ſurely in Hell. For when a man goes out of the right, and ſtreight, and direct way, to be great in the world, he is like a man vvho goes out of his way, vvhichwhich is further about, who yet when he is in that vvay goes on through thicke and thinne, becauſe he will gaine ſome way. He goes on through thickets and hedges, faire and foule where he gets many ſcratches, bruſhes, and knocks. Do any thinke in the world to attaine his particular ends, vvithout the direct vvayes of God, God may ſuffer him to attaine his particular end, but vvith many flawes, knocks and bruſhes upon his conſcience, vvhichwhich many times he carrieth vvith him unto his grave, and findes it a great deale better, both to attaine unto his particular ends by Gods wayes, and to have no more of any thing in the world then he can have vvith a good conſcience. For though they be good men, oft-times God ſuffers ſuch men to have bruſes in their conſcience all their dayes; that they and others may know, that the beſt way, is the ſtreight and right way, which at laſt will bring us beſt to our end.
Having thus made it good, That the wayes of the Lord are right; now for concluſion of all the Prophet begins to ſhew the divers effects theſe right wayes of God have in two ſorts of people, the godly and wicked.
1. That the juſt ſhall walke in them:
2. That the Tranſgreſſors ſhall fall therein.
Who be juſt men?The juſt ſhall walke in them; who be the juſt men here ſpoken off? Such are juſt men who give to every one their due, that gives God his due in the firſt place, and man in the ſecond place, whereby it is framed. The just ſhall walk in them; that is, they ſhall proceed and goe on in them till they be come to the end of their race, the Salvation of their ſoules. And more particularly.
They respect all Gods Commandements.Juſt men, firſt are ſuch, who have a reſpect unto al Gods commandements. Pſa. 119.6. Though in their diſpoſition they find ſome more hard to them then others, yet they doe not allow themſelves to breake any, but ſtrive ſo much the more earneſtly and conſtantly to obſerve them, as they finde their natures oppoſite to them. Now Hypocrites howſoever they doe many things in ſhew, yet like Herod and Iudas their hearts run in a wrong channell, they allow themſelves to live in, and like of ſome ſinne. The young man in the Goſpell, had not a reſpect unto all Gods Commandements,Mat. 19. though Chriſt loved his aimiable parts; to this purpoſe Iames ſaith,Iam. 2.10. Whoſoever ſhall keepe the whole Law, and yet off end in one point, he is guilty of all. That is, hee who alloweth himſelfe in any one ſinne, he is guilty of all. Aske Iudas, is murder good? he would have ſaid no: but he was covetous and allowed himſelfe in it, and ſo drew upon him the guilt of all the reſt. God is he who forbids ſinning againſt them all: he who forbids one, forbids all: and being rightly turned to God, the ſame authority makes us leave all: it is not ſinne, but the allowance of it that makes an Hypocrite.
Againe, they doe things to a good end,They doe things to a good end. the Glory of God, and the good of man. For want heereof, the almes, prayers and faſting of the Scribes and Phariſees (becauſe they did nothing out of love to God or man, but for vaine glory and carnall reſpects) are condemned of Chriſt. So ſome are brought in at the laſt day ſaying, Lord, Lord, have we not in thy name prophecied, Mat. 7.22.and in thy name caſt out Divels, and in thy name done many wonderfull works: and yet Chriſt profeſſeth not to know them, but calleth them workers of iniquity. They had Gifts and Calling and delivered true doctrine, &c. But heere was their failing, They prophecied in his name, but not for his Name. Their actions were good in themſelves, and for others, but the end of them was naught, and therefore both they and their workes are condemned. Yet this is not ſo to be underſtood, but that Gods children have ſome thoughts of vaine glory which accompanieth and creepeth into their beſt actions, but they doe acknowledge this for a ſin, confeſſe it, and deſire the Lord to pardon and ſubdue it, and then it ſhall never be laid to their charge. Becauſe having of infirmities is not contrary to ſincerity, but allowing of them, and living in them, in which caſe the Lord is more pleaſed with our Humiliation for our ſinne, then the motions to vaine-glory did offend him.
Thirdly a deſire to grow in grace and to become better and better is a ſigne of uprightnes:A deſire to grow in Grace. Chriſtian Righteouſnes, as it ſees ſtill need, ſo it ſtill deſires more grace and leſſe ſin, becauſe hee who hath a true heart, ſeeth both the want and worth of grace, and feeleth his want. A man feeles not the want of Faith, Humility, and Love, till he have it in ſome ſort, as it is ſaid Philip. 3.15. As many as are perfect are thus minded, to wit ſo many as are upright, all is one.
By love of the Brethren. 1 Joh. 3.14.Laſtly, this juſt uprightneſſe is knowne by love of the Brethren: By this we know we are tranſlated from death to life, becauſe we love the Brethren. Contrary to which is that diſpoſition which envieth at all things which ſuites not with their humours,Jam. 2.2. as Iames ſpeaketh of thoſe who preferre men and have their perſons in admiration in regard of outward things deſpiſing inferiours.
Vſe. 1 If therefore we will ever be counted righteous perſons let us keepe theſe rules ſet downe here, have a reſpect to all Gods commandements, doe all things to the glory of God, deſire to grow in grace, and love the Brethren.
Vſe. 2 And ſo it is alſo for Conſolation unto ſuch who are thus qualified: for unto them belongeth all the promiſes of this life and of that to come, They are in a bleſſed eſtate,1 Cor. 3.22: for all things are theirs, becauſe they are Chriſts, therefore it is their bounden duty having an upright heart to rejoyce in God, as the Prophet ſpeakes: Rejoyce in the Lord yee righteous, Pſal. 33.1. Pſal 52. ult.for praiſe is comely for the upright. None have cauſe to rejoyce but upright men. 1. Becauſe they of all others have title and right to joy: 2. Becauſe they have command to doe it, ſeeing Heaven is theirs, all the promiſes are theirs, and they are heires of all things: it is a comely ſervice and the worke of Heaven.
Object. Againſt this ſome object. O but I find many ſinnes, paſſions, and infirmities in my ſelfe, how then can I joy in God.
Anſw. To this we anſwer briefly, that the paſſions and infirmities of Gods ſervants, are not contrary to Chriſtian uprightneſſe, and righteouſneſſe: for Saint Iames ſaith,Jam. 5.17. that Elias was a man ſubject to like paſsions and infirmities as we are, yet he was a righteous man, though a man ſubject to the like paſſions as we are. Therefore the paſſions of Chriſtians are not contrary to Chriſtian, but to legall Righteouſneſſe. But we are not under the Law but under Grace. Rom. 6.15.The firſt Covenant of works bids us have no ſinne. The other Covenant bids us allow no ſinne, this much is for that Queſtion what is meant by juſt men. It remaines now that we ſhould further enquire into that myſterie, how it is that juſt men walke in the wayes of God, and proſper therein: when yet wicked men called Tranſgreſſors, fall therein. But this being a miſtery by your patience wee will take time to unfold what we have to ſpeake heereof the next time, if God bee ſo pleaſed.
The end of the fifteenth Sermon.