Part 8
glorious in this world. This is a second motive the apostle adds, to the
glory, &c.
3. For your brethren you ought to give thanks. It is your duty ; it is meet to do so. Ps. cviii., this David rejoiced in ; Acts xxiv., the Jews were thankful for their peace. Now I will shew you the greatness of the sin of unth.ankfulness, to press it on you.
1. Because the object is G-od s goodness ; we are unthankful immediately to God. In that you are unthankful unto God, you sin against the value of
goodness, for the despising of which there is a treasure of wickedness * and
wrath, Rom. ii. 4. Again, his goodness is his glory ; therefore it must * So in the MS. ; but qu. judgment ? ED.
184 APPENDIX.
needs be great. His mercy is the thing is most dear to him ; it is the ten-
derest part ; therefore called the bowels of mercy, and tender com
passion.
2. It is an unnatural sin, because the light of nature doth condemn it, Luke vi. 32, 33. Sinners love those that love them. He loads you daily with mercies ; but, Amos ii. 13, you do load him with sins. The cords of
love are called the cords of a man. The beasts will be thankful in their
kind ; nay, the insensible creatures. It returns fruit.
3. All goodness is included in this duty of thankfulness, Ps. cxlvii. 1.
This is profitable. It is the best way to obtain mercy. Unthankfulness
forfeiteth mercies ; it procures a blessing upon the mercies of God. An
unthankful man eats the curses of God.
It is pleasant to God, Eph. v. 19. You have heard it is music, Ps.
Ixix. 81. Pleasant to man. What is the ground of thankfulness ? A joyous
heart. Luke i. 46, 47, see, as much as she rejoiceth, so doth she thank God and magnify him.
It is comely, because it gives God his due, 2 Sam. vii. 19, 20. It is all we can do to God. What am I able to say more to thee ? It is a comely
thing to give God his due. It is an honourable duty. Modestissimum istud
verbum Piogo ; but to give thanks is more honourable, though it be a part of
prayer, &c. It moves God. What is it ? Thankfulness is a rendering of the glory of God s goodness,
through Christ, in all things and always, for the acknowledgment of his
goodness.
: Ps. cxvi. 12, What shall I render to the Lord
(1.) It is a rendering
for all his benefits to me? (2.) It is a free rendering, because that the
will is more than the deed in this duty of thankfulness. (3.) The glory of
his goodness ; not the substance of your estates, but the glory, Rom. xiv. 6.
(4.) It is the glory of his goodness. To glorify his goodness is more than to
glorify his mercy. (5.) Through Christ. That is, thankfulness ; through Christ let us offer the sacrifices of praise, &c., Heb. xiii. 5. (6.) In all
things, Col. iii. 17. Do it in the name of Christ ; that is, all within you, that is, in all conditions, glorify God. (7.) Always
: Eph. v. 20, Give
thanks always to God. (8.) The end, principally to acknowledge your sin, and testify his goodness ; for to do so out of fear is not thankfulness.
1 Chron. xxix. 14, David praised God for that he had a heart to give God
thanks. Even so should we have such hearts.
3. Mr GOODWIN of Katherine Hall, at Trinity, Nov. 8.
Neither were they thankful. ROM. I. 21. Now I must shew what unthankfulness [is], which I could not do unless
I shewed what the contrary is. It is a free rendering of the glory of God s
goodness principally, and the testification of our thankfulness and love to him. A larger definition : It is when, out of our own selves, we do acknow
ledge our own unworthiness, and God s free goodness, and our kindness* in
relation to him, in all things and at all times, principally to glorify God, and
testify our loves.
1. The genus is a rendering. It hath relation to good things we have
received ; it is he returns all.
2. It is a free rendering unto him. It is a property of thankfulness, an * Qu. dependence ? ED.
APPENDIX. 135
essential one. The chief thing looked at in kindness is good will : 2 Cor.
viii. 10, You have been willing a year before. This is an aggravation of
: 1 Chron. xxix. 13, 14, Who am I that I should offer so will
their bounty
ingly ? So the poor widow casting in a mite. Observe whether your sac
rifices come off willingly. Do you pray for fear of the whips of conscience ?
This is not thankfulness.
3. The object ; the glory of God s goodness, 2 Cor. iv. 15, God s glory ;
that through your thankfulness glory might redound to the glory of God. The schoolmen shew how to be thankful. If he be more excellent than thee, then the best way to be thankful is honouring him. Ps. 1. 12. But to one
that is poorer render that he wants : ver. 14, Offer unto God thanksgiving ;
i. e. God requires the rendering of his glory unto him. When God hath the
quintessence of the use of all these things, that is, thankfulness. He doth
not deny thee the possession of them. Sometimes the Lord hath need of our
credit ; that is, when the Lord s glory lies at the stake, and thou must part with thy credit, or else God s glory will die.
4. The glory of his goodness. When you consider the Lord s goodness to you, and it moveth you to pray, Rom. vii. 13, Render honour to whom honour is due, that is not thankfulness, but rather slavish fear.
5. Wherein we are to give God the glory of his goodness.
(1.) By acknowledging our own unworthiness, his free goodness, and our
obedience in relation to him. Deut. viii. 17. Thou shalt remember the Lord
thy God, and shalt not sacrifice to thy own parts. 1 Chron. xxix. 13, 14. Thus David did : We have given thee of thine own, for we are strangers here. We must acknowledge that there is nothing in yourself to move you thereto. Who am I, that thou hast brought me hitherto ?
(2.) Thou art to acknowledge thy own unworthiness ; not only that there
is nothing in thee that might move God to give thee life, but that thou art
unworthy of it, and say that thou art less than the least of God s mercies. The poorest creatures art thou less [than], and unworthy of.
(3.) Thou must acknowledge, i. e. thou must not rest in a sensibleness of
thy unworthiness.
(4.) It must be a real rendering. Thou must order thy conversation
aright ; hereby may you express your thankfulness to God : I will pay my vows unto him. Truly I am thy servant; i.e. I will devote myself to
serve thee. Think with thyself, What hath been done for the Lord ? as
king Ahasuerus for Mordecai. Shall I thus foolishly requite the Lord for
his goodness ? as Nathan to David. The Lord hath given thee this much, and
more, and yet are unthankful.
(5.) We may express our thankfulness, as David for Jonathan : Who is
left to do good unto? 2 Sam. ix. We should say, jWho is left of the
godly ?
(6.) The sixth is to be thankful to God in all things, and always. Look wherein God s goodness is, therein should you be thankful. So for afflic
tions, which we should not be thankful for, but inasmuch as they are for our good, and we believe it ; thus Job. For temporal, but especially spiri
tual, mercies ; and old mercies, and mercies to come ; all the promises made to you. David was thankful for a blessing to come, as you may read Ps. xxxi. 9.
(7.) At all times. When God leaves giving, then leave thou to be thank
ful. But God never leaves giving, as the river running. Be thankful while you have being, because you cannot be thankful enough unto the Lord.
(8.) Your end must be principally to glorify his goodness and testify your love. Thy thankfulness should equal God s kindness. David thanks God
136 APPENDIX.
for that he was able to be thankful uprightly. To testify our love : I love the Lord because of his goodness, and because he hath heard the voice of my supplication and prayer. Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call on him as long as I live.
The causes of thankfulness. We must be thankful through Christ and for
Christ. All come down through him, and therefore all our thankfulness must
go up to God through him also.
(1.) Because Christ is our high priest, and we cannot offer thanks without him.
(2.) All things come by him, therefore all things must be returned by and
through him again.
(3.) We must be made acceptable by the power of Christ.
4. Mr GOODWIN of Katherine Hall, Novem. 22. 1629.
Neither were they thankful. ROM. I. 21.
The point we have in hand is about thankfulness. I have shewn what it
is already. It is a free rendering of the glory of God s goodness unto him, in testification of our love unto him, and to glorify him principally. Now we may enlarge this ; for so far as God s goodness extends, so far must thankfulness reach. Eph. v. 20. It is omne ens et non ens. Express your thankfulness really to him by vows and prayers, and by doing the saints good. Render all in Christ, because all God s goodness comes to you through Christ ; so in your praises.
Now, the causes of thankfulness, and degrees of it.
1. You must take a due consideration of his mercy. Therefore I will praise the Lord with mine understanding. Marvellous are thy works, and that my soul knoweth right well. This is the reason that brute beasts cannot be
thankful. Deut. xxxii. 6, foolish people, &c. Study God s mercies to
your souls. Take note of small as well as great. It is a sign of an humble man. David did so. Ps. ciii. 2. As you confess your sins, so God s mer
cies ; and remember the Lord s mercy. David says, My soul, forget not
all his benefits. This is so necessary, that it is put for thankfulness, and so on the contrary. Lay charge on thy heart. They soon forgot the Lord, that had done great things for them, Ps. cvi. 21.
2. We should esteem God s mercies, 2 Cor. ix. 15. We must apprehend them as unspeakable. 1 Thes. iii. 9, What thanks shall I give to the Lord ? Such a mercy as this aggravates God s mercy. He hath not dealt so with any nation and country. Consider the number of God s mercies. Have a true estimate of them, and have an estimate of your own unworthiness. 2 Chron. xxxii. 25. They were proud, and murmured against God. Ps.
cvi. 24, 25. They despised that good land. This would set estimation on God s mercy.
3. We should get the sense of God s love in these in thy heart. Either thou hast a heart set on God, or set love on the creature in him. Acts
xiv. 17. Ps. Ixiii. 3, Thy love is better than life. When he perceived the Lord s love he was thankful. A small dinner of herbs will be pleasant to
thee, if thou seest God s love. Apprehend God as a Father, and then give him thanks : Giving thanks to God and the Father.
4. Get hearts loving of God again. This is the ground of that melody to
the Lord. Get your hearts warmed with godly love. Self-love is the cause
of unthankfulness. Loving the creatures inordinately will strengthen your
APPENDIX. 137
hate to God, and in love to his creatures we are nothing thankful, because
of the creatures love. Get your hearts weaned from the world. It is a
reflex act of the mind.
5. Get joy in him, and rejoice in him always. This opens the heart.
What, am I to offer willingly such a sacrifice to the Lord ! Get joy in his
goodness ; for joy in the things of this life will draw away your hearts from God. Rejoice in God s goodness. This is the complete definition of thank
fulness. That we might learn to be thankful, let me shew what is unthank-
fulness. Three degrees
1. When you are not thankful in your thankfulness ; when it is not done
out of a right end, or from a good ground. The pharisee took thanks to
himself in thankfulness to God. A man may pray amiss ; so a man may
give God thanks amiss. This is the first degree of thankfulness, Hosea iii. 5. Dost thou fear his goodness ? Then art thou thankful. Is thy heart quick ened in the sight of God s goodness ? The more thou hast, the more thank
ful shouldst thou be. This is a character of a thankful man : I will praise the Lord as long as I live. To be thankful unto God because of mercies to come ; this is good, but not the sign of God s . . .
2. Whenas you do not render unto [God] the glory of his goodness which
they are able to render ... in goodness ... In Hezekiah ; he had received many mercies, 2 Chron. xxxii. 2, 5. He did not live so much better. Now, are you living according to the means God hath given you ? He
requires meet thanksgiving as doth the earth, Heb. vi. 7. This was Solo mon s sin. He had from God, and rendering not according to his
mercy. How many are there among you that render nothing at all unto God. Every mercy of God should lead us to repentance. The rivers
return to the ocean, and dost not thou return thy life to God again ?
3. When we render evil unto God for his mercy, Neh. ix. 25, Do you thus
foolishly requite the Lord for his goodness ? You cast the Lord s laws be hind your backs. Do you render evil for good ? David was not stinted in a kingdom, and why hast thou dealt thus ? 2 Sam. xii. Thou hast wealth, and dost thou live in a greater sinning against God ? So for all the mercies
of God ; as strength ; and art thou strong to pour forth strong drink ? For which of all God s mercies do you requite him ? What ? Do you war
! God will heap coals of fire upon your heads. Because God doth defer judgment, therefore do you sin more and more. No greater sin of ...
against his will ? His own weapons
5. Mr GOODWIN of Katherine Hall, at Trinity, Decem. 6. 1629.
Because when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were
thankful. ROM. I. 21.
Sinning against knowledge is the highest aggravation of sin. Four times
it comes in the chapter; one in ver. 28, the other in ver. 21. I will shew you the aggravation of this sin by questions.
Quest. What is meant by sins of knowledge, and how many ways may we
sin this sin ?
Am. Two ways may we sin against knowledge
1. When knowledge is the object of sin. It is one thing to sin against a
knowledge of sin.
2. Sin and the knowledge of sin.
1. It is a greater sin that is directly against knowledge.
138 APPENDIX.
(1.) When they do abuse their knowledge, as Judas. When they do not
only abuse their natural knowledge, but against knowledge of the Scriptures ; when they have some shifts for their sin, as David had in killing Uriah. So
Saul, his sparing the fattest sheep is directly against knowledge. To use
the law to sin by the law. Men have shifts for their covetousness.
(2.) When men do neglect to get knowledge, herein men sin against it, Heb. v. 12. Though sins may be done out of ignorance, yet because they did not get it when they might have had, so God reckons up to the Gentiles
their sins of knowledge. You that have lived long under the means might have gotten much knowledge ; therefore the Lord will reckon them as sins
against knowledge, if you do not improve them.
(3.) When men refuse to get knowledge, as the adder stoppeth his ear at
the charmer ; or are afraid.
(4.) When they hate the knowledge and the light that is come into the
world, this is a high kind of sinning against the knowledge, so extinguishing this light, that they might sleep the quieter : Jude 20, But what they know, &c.
(5.) When they hold their sin against their consciences. They invent
lies in hypocrisy, 1 Tim. vi. 3, 4. They fashion their sins against God.
2. In regard of others : Sinning against knowledge,
(1.) When men do conceal their knowledge from others. Knowledge is
light, and men cannot hide light, but it will discover itself.
: Acts iv. 17, Let us threaten them, that
(2.) Suppressing of knowledge
they speak no more in his name.
* They cast him out.
(3.) When we force others to sin against knowledge
: John ix. 34,
II. When men sin collaterally against knowledge. Though a man know such a duty to be a duty, and yet doth it not. I will shew you the aggra vation of this sin also.
1. When we sin against light, and according to that, the greater sin, the more light. Some sin against the light of nature, the men with men sin
ning and doing uncleanly, Kom. i. 24 ; to be unthankful, and disobedient
to parents, and unmerciful. So lying and covenant-breakers, John viii. 44. Two sins he reckons up there. He sins against the fact done.*
2. When men sin against the light drunk in in their youth, Prov. xxxi. When Manasseh thus sinned against the sins (instruction ?) of his youth, Jer. ii. 3, 4, Cry unto Jerusalem, I remember thou wast thus and thus. Prov. xxii. 10, a principle gotten in youth will hardly depart. Your hearts
are tender in youth.
3. The more real and experimental knowledge is wrought in you, this is more grievous. Paul gives Timothy an admonition concerning his example. Note, thou hast the light of nature, word, and example, in Isa. xxvi. 10, The land of uprightness.
4. The more taste thy knowledge hath in the world to come, when thou
hast known the bitterness of thy burden, and yet go on, this is a high sin. Those that have been enlightened, and fall back, no more mercy for such afterwards.
I. Before the act done, we may sin against knowledge. 1. When thou knowest the issue and the end of thy sins. This sin leads
to death, Prov. viii. 6 ; as Judas, Woe to him that betrays him. He was told fully of it. The destruction of the city was foretold, Jer. xxxviii.
2, S.f * The meaning of this is clear, when compared with Vol. IV. p. 182-
t See Vol. V. p. 178.
APPENDIX. 139
2. The more consultations thou hast in thy heart, and yet dost it, the
greater thy sin. Darius had many consultations, Dan. vi. 14. He laboured
till the going down of the sun, to deliver him out of the lions mouths. Be
cause every motive should leave an impression on the heart.
3. When there is outward confirmation against it. Thus did Balaam, Num. xxii. 6. The ass reproved him. 2 Peter ii. 10. So Pilate ; he had
divers confirmations of Christ, and his wife sent to him not to meddle. God s providence witnessed against him.
II. In the act done three things.*
1. The less passion in sin thou hast.
2. The less hardness.
6. Mr GOODWIN, at Trinity, December 13.
Because when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were
thankful ROM. I. 21.
I shewed the last day when and how many ways a man might sin against
: Rom. ii. 18, Thou
knowledge. Sinning against professed knowledge
knowest the things of the law. You sin against the principles of knowledge, 1 Tim. i. 20 ; they were excommunicated that they should no more blaspheme. In the act of sin, three rules whereby we might examine our hearts, whether it be that sin.
1. The less passion thou hast in the heart, as Peter in a passion denied
his Lord and Master Jesus Christ ; for he knew him to be the Messias. When knowledge hath its full work, and yet that a man should sin, this is
a great aggravation.
2. The more sorrow of heart thou hast in the committing of a sin, it
augurs thy sin is the greater. From whence comes all the reluctancy in the
hearts of wicked men, but from their consciences telling them, as Herod in
* he was exceeding sorrowful. This aggravated his sin so much the more. Here was a bank of displeasure cast up, over which he broke.
beheading John Baptist. The text saith, that
3. So much the more hardness of heart that thou hast contracted in sin,
it is the greater. 1 Tim. iv. 4, They know these to be lies, and yet speak them ; because they had their consciences seared with a hot iron. When
you have light come into your hearts and reject it, it is the hot iron. Know
ledge makes men familiar with their sin. Judas had a hard heart, for much
knowledge had hardened his heart. Hardness of heart in contemning light and slighting sin, counting it as a small thing.
(1.) When men know they are in an evil way, and yet go on in it, as Pharaoh did.
(2.) Those that defer their repentance sin against knowledge. Your con
sciences tell you you are in a bad case, and yet live in it. Thus Balaam ; he desired to die the death of the righteous, but would not live so.
(3.) Those that do know the way of God, and yet for fear of shame will not come in ; for fear of being nicknamed thou wilt not come in. Some of the pharisees sinned against the Holy Ghost. God gave them up to it, be cause they sinned against the Son of God. Jesus Christ will gather such
at the last day to appear before him to condemn.
(4.) Those that know the grace of God, and have salvation offered, yet will not go to the price of it. The young man in the Gospel did thus. These three things are inaccurately stated. See Vol. IV. p. 180.
140 APPENDIX.
(5.) Some profess the truth and the fear of God, and yet fall back from
that way they have professed, that make a lie, and by them is the way of
truth [evil spoken of]. Use. See what a great engagement it is to [those that] have knowledge, to
take [heed] to glorify God with it.
1. Thou that hast knowledge canst not sin so cheap as others. Thy sins
are dearer.
2. Thou wilt have the more hardness of heart. How great is that
darkness.
3. The Lord will give thee up to worse sins, to despise his ways, hating his
children. These are the sins to which he will give thee up, because thy end
is seven times worse than thy beginning.
4. God will give thee up to more despair. Isa. lix. 1, 2, salvation is far
off from them, because they were sinners against knowledge. The more
presumption against God s mercy, so the greater &c.
5. The more knowledge here, the more terror of conscience thou wilt have
hereafter, when thou comest into thy place.
Obj. It is best to be ignorant, if knowledge, &c. Am. Thy sin will be the same as if thou hadst sinned against knowledge. Prov. i. 23, He will rejoice over them, and laugh at them when their fear
cometh, and mock at their ruin. Thou wert best to turn speedily to him, for the sentence of condemnation may come out speedily against thee. The Lord will bear forty years with an ignorant one, but not five with you.
7. Mr GOODWIN at Trinity, Jan. 30, An. Dom. 1629.*
Professing themselves wise, they became fools. ROM. I. 22.
I shew you wherein wisdom consists.
1. Wisdom enables a man to look to those things that are profitable for themselves. They fall into many foolishnesses.
2. It makes us do that that is good at all times and conditions. That is a wise man. A godly man only wise, for he pitcheth upon godliness, profit able for all things
: Jer. xvii. 8, 9, He shall [not] be careful in the time
of, &c.
3. It directs a man to do what is right ; to the means, Wisdom is profit able to direct, Eccles. x. 10.
4. It must enable a man to take the way, and to walk in it : Eph. v. 15, Be ye not unwise.
I shewed you the degrees of folly, which we will not repeat. The particulars wherein folly doth consist.
1. In wanting ability to consider things aright. A wicked man is a fool
in this regard in divers particulars.
(1.) They are unable to consider the goodness of God, and their badness, and therefore fools. They are unable to reflect on themselves. So mad men, for want of wisdom, their thoughts are dispersed ; they cannot call them in : Eccles. v. 1,
* When thou goest into the temple, offer not the sacri
* None
fice of fools, for they consider not what they do : Jer. viii. 6-8,
* What have I done ?
say,
(2.) He cannot consider the issues and consequents of things. He wants
* The substance of the sermon from which these notes are evidently taken will be found in Vol. X. p. 200, et seq. ED.
APPENDIX. 141
foresight, Deut. xxxii. 27, 28. This is an unregenerate man ; but a wise man foresees the evil, and hides himself, Prov. xxii. 3.
(3.) They cannot consider the fit time and circumstances of doing good
Esth. i. 13, they were wise, knowing the time. The stork knows his
time, but my people do not. This is a great misery ; so where they are unable to discern the seasons of praying, of recreation, of study ; all this is
folly.
(4.) Fools are unable to lay things to heart ; therefore they are always
uneasy, for sad thoughts enter into them. They forget the afflictions of
: Isa. xlii, 25, He hath poured out the fury of his anger ; it burned
Joseph
him, and yet he laid it not to heart.
(5.) He is unable to use his rule aright ; he forgets his directions ; he cannot walk by his rule. His wisdom fails when he walks by his rule. He knows not how to pray ; he cannot use the rules of prayer
: Prov. xiv. 3, The wisdom of the prudent understands his way ; the folly of fools is de
ceit. 2. He wants wisdom to judge of things which are good for him, and
therefore he judgeth by false rules.
(1.) He sees what is present to be better than that which is to come, how
good soever. This is the part of fools, and the , as a little
child. The promises of God they lay aside, as it was [with] Demas, 2 Tim.
iv. 10. He loved this present world. The unregenerate, they are for pre sent things ; so the young man in the Gospel. It was his judgment. Rom.
viii. 18, Paul counted the afflictions as nothing. He looked at things not
seen. This is our rule, that false, &c.
(2.) He prefers that which is easy to be obtained, though worse, before that which is more difficult, though better. He is a sluggard, the wise man
is diligent. The ways of the wise are too high for him. A wise man will
set on the hardest duty and difficultest. Wisdom is too high.
(3.) A fool judgeth according to outward appearances. A fool would say that a man in gay apparel was best ; for the unregenerate judge outwardly, as children do the book best that hath most gays, and sermon that pleases best. They judge according to the quantity of a thing, or else by multi
tude. They follow a multitude to do evil. They are fools. They think to be heard for their much babbling. They never look to a broken heart, ay David did. He cannot discern between things that differ. They take tem
porary faith for true faith, because there is a likeness. A godly man hath wisdom to know this. They still follow their own minds and wills, and therefore all fools are self-willed. So will wicked men ; that way the wind
blows, they will sail, according to their lies.
3. In regard of their choice they make divers [mistakes].
(1.) They choose things that are less necessary for things that are neces
sary. Unregenerate men spend their time before they get pardon ;* a wise man seeketh the kingdom of heaven first. Mary had chosen one thing ne
cessary, but Martha busied in many things.
(2.) They choose uncertain for certain things. God gives richly all
things. What folly is this ! Charge them that are rich, that they be not high-minded, &c.
(3.) He is a fool that provides but for one event ; a wise man provides in omnem eventum. The steward had done wisely in making himself friends. This is a wise man ; therefore to provide for all events is wisdom.
(4.) He that will not choose rather a small inconvenience to avoid a
greater is a fool. To endure hardship for a time is wisdom. Thus Moses,
* The meaning of this appears on comparing it with Vol. X. p. 206.
142 APPENDIX.
Heb. xi. 25, Choosing rather to suffer affliction, &c. ; Job xxxvi. 21, Take heed of lies, for this hast thou chosen before affliction.
(5.) The bargains that wicked men make are foolish bargains
: Isa. Hi. 3, He sold himself for nought. The fool hath a price, but hath not a heart to use it aright.
(6.) In the issue and end, wherein in divers things he is foolish.
fl.J He believes everything, and the promises of his heart: Ps. xlii. 11, Their houses shall endure for ever ; this is their inward heart. They think prosperity will abide always
: Isa. Ivi. 12, He will take his own way; Come, say they, to-morrow shall be, &c.
[2.J He doth things in vain, Gal. iii. 3, Jer. xvii., as the foolish virgins had not oil in their lamps ; and so, when we suffer many things, and in the end fall away, Heb. x. 38, they are the worst fools of all the rest. The
Galatians are called foolish, therefore, because they fell away.
[3.] Those things that they choose for their happiness is made their ruin. He is taken in the snare of his own sin : 2 Chron. xxviii. 23, The gods he
sacrificed to were his ruin.
Use. You that are discovered to be fools, see that ye become wise. For
nothing be fools, since a fool inherits nothing. They shall inherit shame and dishonour. God hath no pleasure in fools. Get more wisdom before God delighteth in thee. Go, get thy understanding and wisdom changed. Honour is not fit for the fool. A rod is fit for the fool s back, a whip for an horse ; so conscience shall whip the foolish men. Do not go on in your
sins, to provoke God ; he is stronger than you. Get your hearts changed ; choose things rather which are certain and necessary and convenient for
you, before the fool s uncertain things.
8. Mr GOODWIN of Katherine Hall, at Trinity, Feb. 24. 1629.
The Jool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and become abominable. Ps. XIV. 1.
I lately discovered the folly that was in men s hearts by nature. Next comes vain reasonings. They are not those erroneous opinions in speculative knowledge, but in general of them ; those vain reasonings that guide men in
their actions. As in his judgment he followed reason, so in his practice. All reasoning consists of two things. The first is of some principle, the second of some induction of these, &c. So two things : 1. That there
is in men s hearts abundance of false principles, which are the root of all
other false reasoning. These possess their judgments. 2. All those vain argu ments whereby men do sheathe themselves in their evil ways. For the first
of them, to discover it unto you, it is my text. This is the fundamental
principle of all. As all being depends on God, so the belief of a God is the
upholder of all. Now, the fools, that is, all mankind, have said in their, &c. Kom. iii. 10, he applies it to all mankind. This is the ground of all im
piety in their lives ; it proceeds from this. This text lays open unto us the
unbelief in men s hearts, and the false principles that are in men, which break forth into action.
Doct. In all men s hearts there is a principle of unbelief, or secret unbelief
of all the principles of religion, and so consequently of corruption of manners
in their lives. I will shew you what these principles are. Out of principles are gathered both the doctrine of knowledge and religion ; so in the power of
God, Heb. xi. 6. But in these are principles. It is the foundation of
APPENDIX. 143
coming to God. See it in popery, which are the principles of the doctrine
of the devil, which being believed they will be [obliged to believe all the rest]. For their knowledge, as that the church cannot err ; so in practice, in works
of merit, they will practise it by giving away all their goods. So other
principles laid in the heart will overturn all popery. It will overturn practice and judgment, as in Luther ; and for godliness, if sound principles were ad mitted and laid in the heart, would make us conformed to the truth ; so, on the contrary, there is a general unbelief of all the principles of the truth. Here is the foundation : Heb. iii. 22, as belief makes us come to God, so unbelief is the foundation of our departure.
Demonstration 1. You that know your own hearts shall find as if his heart believed not concerning any demonstration of that there is a G-od, or that there is a day of judgment. It will at first seem as a strange thing ; as when Paul spoke to Felix, his words seemed strange. All men will say that there
is a God ; the principle is strange to their hearts ; this is the full demon
stration.
Reason 1. Because they are things not seen. The principles of religion are not seen. Who hath seen the reward of the righteous ? None think there is a world to come, and a reward for the righteous, because they see them not, they will not believe them : Let him come down from the cross, that we might see it. These things must be apprehended by faith, which
is the evidence of things not seen.
Reason 2. The nature of man is apt to believe anything else besides the
things that concern God and godliness
: John xii. 37, they believed not Christ for all his signs. So God complains of it that men will believe things not seen, but not so of God.
Reason 3. Men will not believe the principles of religion, because they delight not [in them], for self-love hath possessed their hearts ; because they work against them, therefore they will not believe ; they have pleasure in
unrighteousness.
Demonstration 2. When a man is converted, he begins to learn all the
principles of religion again.
Reason. Because his former belief is not strong enough to resist sin. Their hearts are put to no distress all this while. He comes to see that there
is a God that he never saw before. He casts out all the false earth, and digs till he doth come to firm ground ; so of sound faith. Demonstration 3. Men do not believe the principles, and therefore this is a demonstration. The more a man grows in faith, he sees his unbelief more
certainly. It is unbelief. Our Saviour complains of the little faith of his
disciples, and God complains that there is unbelief ; and young in grace say it.
Demonstration 4. If any man s heart be converted, he calls in question these
principles, whether there is a God or not. Until then they are left in dark
ness, having some dissension.
Demonstration 5. Men s actions shew they do not believe, of the heart, as David said, They profess they believe God, but in deed they deny his own operation. Mai. iii., If I be a master, where is my fear?
if I be a father, where is mine honour ? Your unbelief is seen in your actions. When men do otherwise than God requires, they live in unbelief: Jer. v. 22, if ye believe that I am he that sets bounds to the sea, ye would say presently, We will fear him ; but, ver. 21, if you did believe that there
is a world to come, then you would not wholly provide for this life. When a traveller sees the sun almost down, he would make haste ; so if we believed that the time of grace is short, we would begin to make our calling and
144 APPENDIX.
election sure. These are the common principles of religion, which, if they
believed, as other things, they would do as in other things ; but the fool hath
said in his heart, There is no God. So if we believed that the enemy was
coming, we would put on the armour of God.
9. Mr GOODWIN, of Katherine Hall, at Trinity, Feb. 21.
The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Ps. XIV. 1.
5. Another demonstration. When a man is in a storm, then their hearts
fail ; as the disciples, when the wind arose, they being in the ship. Christ
said to Martha that she did not believe, John xi. 24. They mistrust God
in some small things, because their faith is put to it, and in general we fail many times. Now I intend to handle some principles more at length.
(1.) The first is, that there is no God, that in his thoughts, in all the crowd
of them, God enters not into his thoughts, that is not the meaning ; but in
all his presumptuous thoughts and crafty cogitations, God is not their coun
sellor, neither is that it ; but that the ground of all is that they think there
is no God ; in their thoughts and hearts they are far out of his sight, the
judgments of God ; and there is no sin, this principle being laid in their
hearts. Now, if no sin, none need to care.
(2.) All these glorious attributes of God, of justice, of power, omnisciency, men believe it not. Men believe that God is omniscient, and yet this is the
ground of all their secret sins. Would men commit sin if they thought that
the Lord saw them? Isa. xxix., I will confound the wisdom of the wise, who dig up to hide their counsel from the Lord ; so the greatness of God. Would men come to offer lame and blind sacrifices if they did believe that God was the great king of heaven and earth ? Isa. li. 12, 13, Where is the
fury of the oppressor ? Wouldst thou be afraid of a man whose breath is
consuming, and dost not fear him, thy Maker ? It is because thou forgettest me. I stand by and comfort thee, therefore thou shouldst not fear, but trust
in him. This God doth, that he might shew men that there is unbelief in
their hearts.
(3.) They think that God is slack, and this is the ground of their thoughts.
(4.) They think that God is not a strict God. They call every one good that doth evil. Thou thoughtest that I was like to thee. This is the
ground of their impiety, that they believe not God s attributes.
6. Demonstration. Men do not believe that the word of God is true. This
is the ground of sin. When the threatenings of God come in against drunk
ards, they will not turn from their drunkenness, because they will not believe
the word ; as in Dives. He desired one from the dead [to be sent] to them
that they might believe. Christ tells them expressly that they did not be
lieve. Azarias,* a wicked man, yet would not believe the word. So in
* let us see the word.
Isa. v.,
7. Demonstration,. Men do not believe that there is a world to come and
a day of judgment, a reward for the righteous. Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we shall die. Paul applies it to the resurrection. What profit in
holiness ? Men have not judgment speedily executed. All things happen alike to all. This is the greatest evil under the sun ; this is the cause that many go to hell. Therefore their hearts are full of evil ; because they shall
die, therefore they will take their pleasure.
* I am not sure of the reading here, but T suppose the reference is to Azariah
or CJzziah refusing to obey the priest, who forhade him to offer incense. ED.
APPENDIX. 145
Obj. This is strange. Do not all men profess that there is a God ? How
can this be, that the fool hath said in his heart there is no God ? Then all men would be atheists and heretics, and the like.
Sol. There is a twofold atheism, some expressed and direct, and others
indirect and by consequent, 2 Peter ii. 1, Rev. xii. 1. The papists pro
fess their religion, and yet they are called devils, 1 John iv. 1 the spirits.
Obj. We never thought such a thing. If there were such in their hearts,
they should know it certainly.
Sol. John v. 46: Moses is he in whom ye trust and believe, yet Christ
said, If ye did believe [him] ye would have believed in Christ. Yet we
should know that he will not be of them in the court of under
standing, but in the heart. Yet we should know that the heart is deceitful
above all things.
1. All principles seldom or never come forth into outward acts. Those
principles can scarce be drawn out, yet he is guided by those principles. Men that speak Latin do not always speak as thinking on the rules, and yet
they are guided by the rules ; so it is in this case.
2. Acts of unbelief are almost secret ; as of faith, all her acts are secret-
It is the foundation of all, which lies under ground. We live by it, and see
by it, and pray by it, and yet it is known by its effects and fruits. Many
live long, and cannot tell whether they have faith or not.
3. The bottom of corruption is much more secret than the bottom of
grace, which doth manifest and enlighten men in their ways.
Use. Here take notice of the desperate wickedness of the heart, that hath
so many cursed principles lurking in it, and abiding there.
2. Look at your lusts, and you may find them to be under these prin
ciples.
10. MR GOODWIN, of Katherine Hall, at Trinity, Feb. 28. 1629.
The fool hath said in his hearty that there is no God. Corrupt are they. Ps. XIV. 1.
Obj. Our hearts are filled with thoughts on the contrary, that there is a
great God, and that there is one God.
Sol. As it is in faith, so unbelief. Many a godly man that hath faith
will say that there is nothing but atheism ; but they walk very circum
spectly, and fear to ofiend, which shews that there is some acts of faith that
him ; so, on the contrary, some acts of unbelief.
Obj. Is it possible that one thought is apparent, and the other is not ; the one prevailing, the other not ?
Sol. Here the psalmist tells you that they have many thoughts ; they have said, There is no God. The principles of atheism are deep rooting in the heart, but good principles have not such firm rooting, and therefore
speak only for excusing. They confess most, because they cannot prevent nor do anything. False principles do all.
Obj. The reason why men do not live godly doth not lie in [want of] faith
in general, but in want of application, that there is a God, my God, and back it on that place^ Bom. i. 23, ii. 3. They knew there was a God, this
is all their faith.
Sol. Many things to be laid together. It is needful and it must be beVOL. XII. K
146 APPENDIX.
: Heb. xi. 13, Three acts of faith. Which place argueth that there is or ought to be an applying faith. A man may go to hell for all general faith.
lieved that a special faith is necessary
2. Though application be necessary, yet men fail in general faith, for the
belief of things general hath the main swaying and ruling the heart, and of
applying it to the soul. If a man believe truly that God is a rewarder, he
could trust in him. Though the lepers* believed that the king was a mer
ciful king, yet came with ropes about their necks. This hath a main influ ence into the hearts of men to sharpen.
Demon. 1. Because the Scripture doth promise faith to such as believe in
general. This is not enough. When Christ catechised Martha, he ques tioned whether her faith was sound in general. Dost thou believe ? This
is general. This is one of the main foundations of all other graces. 2. We fail most in believing the promises of general. So the counsellor
that would not believe it though God should make windows, &c. See the
excellency of Abraham s faith, Rom. iv. 17, 18.
3. The stronger his faith is in general, the stronger he relies upon God
by a special faith, that is strengthened. Wicked men do not only fail in
applying, but in general, that there is no God ; though they fail in both. To give you instances : If men believed that there was a hell, truly and fully, they would be wary and careful of coming to that place. But the reason why they fear not hell is not because they believe that there is not a hell, but because they believe it doth not concern them. But it is evident that is
for unbelief. It is evident they do not want special faith, but general also.
Obj. You say it is an easy thing to believe in general. Sol. The answer is in James ii. 20, Know, vain man, that faith with out works is dead faith. Heb. xi. 1, You shall find it evidently set down, ver. 6, comparing it with Heb. x. 37, 38, Faith is the substance of things not seen. All this argueth that a godly man believeth out of another prin
ciple ; for it stirs him and makes him active. The main thing men want is
belief in general that there is a God, or no God. Use 1. If this atheism be in all men s hearts, then search into your hearts
to find this unbelief, for it is in the bottom [of them] ; let men dig deep and
they shall find it.
2. When they have found out the place of unbelief, then be humbled. There is no rebellion or treason like this, that there is no God, for they deny his majesty and royal titles. As there are many church papists, so there are many church atheists. God is wearied with your atheism, Mai. iii. 14. Therefore did the King Ahaz provoke the Lord, Isa. vii. 13, 14. Ps. kxviii.
19, They spake against God in their hearts.
3. Is any exercised with doubtings that there is no God, as many are ? Do not think that thy case is desperate, such a case as never any had such
thoughts. Look to your lives in such cases, but not to your thoughts. So should wicked men on the contrary.
4. Let such as are free from such thoughts be thankful and bless God ; for we are all naturally troubled with atheism. It is an infinite mercy that thou
art going to perfection, whenas he might keep thee in thy atheism still.
5. Take heed of entertaining doubts in your thoughts. Do not cherish
or hide them. Wilt thou maintain a Jesuit ? These doubts weaken your faith.
6. Here you see what great necessity of coming to the ordinances : 1 Cor.
* There is here evidently a confounding of the story of the lepers going into the camp of Syria (2 Kings vii.) with that of the servants of the king of Syria going to King Ahab with these tokens of submission (1 Kings xx.). The reference is
to the latter, and not to the former. We should therefore for lepers read servants. ED.
APPENDIX. 147
xiv. 25, If one that believes not come in, he falls down. Do thou often and frequently ; and come with reverence also.
7. If men believe not in principle, no wonder if they fall back, seeing they believe not the first principles.
8. See what a great work grace is, what a distance there is between nature and faith. Gam prima negantur principia, non est disputatio ; so if you deny the first principles, how can you be taught in godliness ? Thou must
believe all by a new heart. Consider what a great work it is, and apply thy heart to it.
11. Mr GOODWIN of Katherine Hall, March 2. 1629.*
The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God, &c.
2 COB. X. 4, 5.
That I stood upon was to shew you what carnal reason was, and what its
assistance was. As the strength of a kingdom lies in two things
: 1, in a wise and able counsellor to plot, and 2, in walls, fences, and strongholds ; which is twofold, either soldiers in the field, or by setting up castles and
strongholds ; so lusts have first a field army, which, would be overcome
suddenly ; therefore there are strong reasons to defend yourselves and your estates. They are reasons and strongholds that exalt themselves against God. As the opposition lies in the knowledge of God, so the strength of
lusts in reasonings, which are the same. The pope is the model of all wicked men ; and it is set up to bring all in subjection unto it. As it hath
[by] reasonings invented the setting up of the pope, and these being backed by strong arguments, therefore are called strong delusions, 2 Thess. ii. 11, because they are to overcome strong understandings, as the kingdom of the pope is upholded by carnal reason, which hath invented reasons for its
upholding, &c.
To manifest that [there] are these strong reasons :
1. From experience. Come to the most ignorant wretch that is, and
question about his salvation, ye shall find that he hath somewhat to say ; and
if ignorant, then [much more] men of knowledge.
2. From the great work of conversion. He will tell you that he had many pleas before for his salvation. There are abundance of wrong wards in the
soul, which hinder the unlocking of their souls, unless by God s help they be unlocked.
3. By the preparation of the word, which hath many undermining reason
ings, which will overcome yours, though never so strong.
Quest. What are the grounds why there are such in the heart ? Ans. 1. Because the reason of men is so large. Micah vii. 3. Why are
kings so bad ? Because they have some flatterers that smoothe over their
doings. Self-love sets them on works. Quest . What is the reason why the heart of man is glad ? Ans. The embracing of evil out of self-flattery. John iii. 20. When their estates are naught, they are loath to come to the light, and are glad to entertain what is spoken for them.
Again, there is a great deal of pride in men s hearts, for the most ignorant thinks that they shall have heaven, because else they would not be quiet. As the dying man lays hold on everything, so these.
* The sermon from which these notes are taken will be found in Vol. X. p. 377, et
seq.
148 APPENDIX.
Heads from whence these reasonings are fetched, and are grounds of carnal
reason.
1 . From wicked proverbial speeches. The devil s proverbs are many, and they
having a stamp, so that they pass for current ; as Every man for himself, and Godfor us all, is a cursed [proverb]. Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we
shall die ; this is a common proverb amongst epicures ; but the apostle, Be not deceived, evil speeches corrupt good manners. He answers with
a proverb. There was a cursed proverb amongst the Israelites, Ezek.
xviii. 2. The Holy Ghost spends the whole chapter in confuting it. Another
proverbial speech amongst them, Ezek. xii. 22. To give another instance, Skin for skin ; all for life. This was a current proverb which was then
used, and men use them. As the papists have abundance of traditions, so
this is a tradition of the world.
2. The common opinions in the world. Therefore this is the apostle s
principal meaning in that place, Rom. xii. 2, Be not conformed to the world, but be renewed in your minds. Look, what most men think, and what the
wise men do, that will we do. So for estates, they will have their religion ; whereas the Scripture bids us not follow a multitude to do evil.
3. From observing God s common dealings in the world. Therefore because such and such courses prosper, therefore their estates are good in
the sight of God, and if they be not rich in the world, they think that God
them. Jer. xliv. Since we have left burning to the queen of
heaven, we wanted nothing, but now want many things. As Ahaz, 2 Chron.
* My feet had well nigh
xxviii. This was that made David to stumble.
slipped, because he had carnal reasons in his heart. Judges vi. 22, If
the Lord be with us, why is all this befallen us ? This was carnal reason
in saying this.
4. From outward spiritual privileges, God suffering men to be baptized, and to be at the Lord s supper, and to hear the word. It is not circum
cision that availeth anything. As Micah said (Judges xvii.), Certainly the Lord will bless.
INDEX.
INDEX.
A B C in Christianity, is to be nothing in a man s self, vi. 489. Abel and Cain, the prototypes of regenerate and unregenerate men, vi. 308. Was of the election, Cain of the non-election, ix. 29, 191.
Abilities and endowments of mind, the gift of God, x. 94 ; are good in the
sense in which every creature is said to be good, 95.
Ability of Christ for the work of reconciliation, demonstrated, v. 68.
Abimelech, the acknowledgment of his integrity not a proof of the sufficiency
of natural conscience, vi. 288, 352.
Abounding of grace, i. 128. Abraham, his faith, i. 463.
Christ his seed, that he might be made under the law, v. 62. Wherein his justification by works consisted, vii. 181. Why specially called the friend of God, vii. 186. Assurance given to, the greatest that heaven could afford, vii. 235. Before his call, an idolater, ix. 33 ; election of grace most conspicuous in his example, ib. The circumcision of his Gentile servants and their children, a type of
the extension of the blessing to all the families of the earth, ix. 433. Abstinence from sin, mortifies lust, iii. 493.
Acceptance in the beloved, blessedness of, vi. 180.
Is in Christ as the beloved of God, rather than in Jesus as a Saviour,
ix. 347.
Acceptation , what, i. 100.
Acquaintance with Christ, a means of purging, iii. 479.
Actions, chief difference of, in the motives, iii. 442. Derive their worth from the persons who profess them, v. 120.
Cannot be good unless they be done from love to God, and aiming at
his glory as the chief end, v. 411 ; unless they flow from a pure heart, ib. ; from a good conscience, void of base ends, 412 ; unless
they be out of faith, which engrafts a man into Christ, 413 ; objec tions answered, 415. ACTS OF FAITH, viii. 257. Adam, his corruption, how transmitted to us, ii. 127 ; we are guilty in his
sin, ii. 129 ; a common person before his fall, ii. 131 ; not so after
it, ii. 132 ; a type of Christ, ii. 415 ; his marriage a figure of Christ s union with his church, ii. 419.
Inferiority of his grace to the Christian s, iii. 449. Was not a surety for all mankind, but a common person or representa
tive, iv. 27 ; in this respect a type of Christ, 31.
152 INDEX.
^ condemnation and death in, parallel with justification and life in Christ,
iv. 40. And Eve, the ringleaders of the rebellion, pardoned, iv. 222. In his marriage, a type of Christ, iv. 504.
His righteousness, though conveyed to his posterity, would not have
justified them eternally, v. 83. His will had perfect command over his atfections, v. 322. His righteousness could never have brought him to heaven, v. 510. In what sense he had the Spirit, vi. 54. His humility as a creature different from that which is wrought in the new creature, vi. 244 ; his justification different, 225 ; his love in
ferior, 226 ; was without self-denial, 227 ; his motives to obedience
less noble, ib. ; his assistance from God less, ib. His best estate but a type and shadow of that which Christ was to bring
in, vii. 41 ; infinitely surpassed the best state that has been, since
the fall, on earth, 42 ; his knowledge of God natural, 44; had inbred notions of the attributes of God, 46 ; had the principles of his mind and will sown in his heart, 47 ; had no promise made to him of any better state, but only of a continuance of that in which he was, 50. Had no supernatural knowledge of God by revelation, vii. 54. A type of Christ, vii. 70 ; in what respect, 74, 92 ; points of difference, 95. His body, free from external injury, vii. 99 ; and from sickness or
disease, ib.
If he had continued in grace, uncertain whether he would have been
after a set time taken to heaven, ix. 328.
If he had stood, might have conveyed holiness to his posterity, but not
confirmation in it, ix. 355. How he was led into sin, x. 7. How constituted a public person, representing us, x. 17 ; by the ap pointment of God, ib. ; yet not by absolute prerogative, but by cove
nant, and that in accordance with the law of nature, 18 ; his actual
righteousness not being conveyed to his posterity, 19 ; nor the guilt of any of his sins except the first, ib. ; justice and equity of the im
putation, 21 ; parallel with the imputation of Christ s righteousness, 23. Covenant made with, on behalf of mankind, justly imposed, x. 24 ; remained no longer a public person after the commission of the first
sin, ii. 26 ; heinousness of his sin, 27 ; undervalued the Lord in his
heart, ceasing to think him to be the chiefest good, 29 ; thinking that he was not faithful and true, 30 ; was jealous of God, thinking he had unworthy designs in prohibiting their enjoyment, ib. ; sinned
against God s sovereignty, in aspiring to be as gods, ib. undoubtedly laid hold, by faith, on the promised Saviour, 36 ; in this, an en
couragement to convicted sinners, 37. His nature corrupted, and the image of God extinguished, by his first
sin, x. 48. His sin in eating the apple, two aggravations of, x. 58. And Christ, the only common roots of all sin and grace respectively, x. 62. Lost all grace at his first sinning, x. 87. His sin, in what sense a subject of repentance by us, x. 340 ; we should
judge ourselves for it, or pronounce a sentence of condemnation on
ourselves for it, 344 ; fear and tremble before God for it, ib. ; lament
INDEX. 153
and bewail ourselves for it, 845 ; confess our guilt in it, 846 ; exer
cise contrition or brokenness of heart for it, 349 ; all these acts to be mingled with faith in Christ for its pardon, 351 ; in what manner the act of repentance, which is a turning from sin to God, is to be exercised about, 354 ; the effects which godly sorrow for sin wrought in the Corinthians may all be produced with relation to, 356.
Adherence, faith of, distinguished from assurance, iv. 208.
Adoption, what is included in, i. 88.
Advocate, Christ an, in opposition to Satan as an accuser, v. 327 ; his
pleas, ib. The devil is sin s, to plead against us, Christ ours, to plead for us, v.
511.
Affections may be stirred to spiritual things in the unregenerate, vi. 435 ; difference between carnal and renewed, 437.
Afflictions sweetened when regarded as sent by a Father, v. 223.
God s end in, is to take away sin, vii. 567. AGES, THKEE SEVERAL, OF CHRISTIANS, IN FAITH AND OBEDIENCE, Vli. 473. To come, 2, 268. And generations, distinction between, iv. 281. AGGRAVATION OF SIN, iv. 151. AGGRAVATIONS OF SINNING AGAINST KNOWLEDGE, iv. 163. AGGRAVATIONS OF SINNING AGAINST MERCY, iv. 188.
Alexander, the royalty of his gifts, vi. 178. Alexandrian MS., value set upon, iv. 288.
Allegory, in illustration of true and false peace, vi. 806.
Alm.anac, God s, calculated for eternity, shews no setting of the Father of
lights, and no winter, ix. 304.
Ambition, pitched right, God allows, vi. 494.
* Amen, the force of it, iv. 373. Amor beneplaciti, i. 109 ; complacentice, ib.
Angel, in Rev. xi., is Christ himself, iii. 110.
Angels, their ranks, i. 155, 171 ; their immutability not by nature, 158 ; their fellowship with the elect, 160 ; and with Christ, 164 ; are
part of Christ s family, 159 ; their association with men, 162 ; Christ their head, 164 ; reconciled to men by Christ, 188 ; how sons of God, 97; not elected in Christ, 111; not members of
Christ, 167 ; not brethren of Christ, ib. ; their mutability, 178 ; confirmation of, 179 ; judgments executed by them, 187 ; subordi nation among, 486 ; their share in the affairs of this world, 489 ; called gods, ib.
Evil, their different degrees and orders, i. 486 ; their first sin, ii. 37. Praise God for the redemption of men, iii. 13, 215. Are all our guardians, iii. 15. Executioners of all God s great designs, iii. 82. Capable of love and pity, iv. 140. Glad to get a glimpse of the way of saving men by Christ, iv. 229 ; see in the gospel all that they ever saw before of the attributes of God, and much more, 230. Not clothed with so glorious a robe as that which the gospel dispenseth
to men, iv. 245.
Metaphorically called, in Job, fowls of heaven, iv. 286. Taken with the wisdom of the gospel, saints with its riches, iv. 313. Are poor beggarly creatures in comparison with a poor sinner clothed
with Christ s righteousness, iv. 328.
154 INDEX.
Angels, those who came to Abraham before the destruction of Sodom, iv. 357.
Often called the heavens, from their place, iv. 389. Have thrones, that is, kingly dignity and dominion, among them, iv. 394. Not made before that beginning mentioned by Moses, iv. 410.
Folly in, is their possibility of change, iv. 544. The fallen, if saved, might have been more profitable to God than man, v. 14. Unable to satisfy for the sins of men, v. 80 ; in what sense charged with folly, ib. Need a mediator to reconcile them to us, v. 90. Both good and evil, give accounts to God of their proceedings, v. 309. Do not receive righteousness through Christ s mediation, v. 504. A question whether they would have been ministering spirits to us in a
state of innocence, v. 543. Their ministry not used to convert, or to work saving faith in any, vi. 374. Made under the same law, for substance, that men were, vii. 26 ; those that sinned liable to the same punishments to which men are liable, 27. Why called morning-stars, vii. 90. Praise God s wonders, the congregation of saints his faithfulness, viii. 65. Could not stand by merely such assistance as was due to them in the
implied covenant of their creation, ix. 4. The grace they had by creation, a mutable and changeable good, ix. 300.
Anger, God s with his people, proceeds from love, iv. 277. Angry, God is, with the sins of wicked men, and grieved with those of be
lievers, iii. 416. Annas, called Annanas by Josephus, v. 231 ; why Christ was first sent to him, 232.
Anointing, of Christ was by the Father, with the Holy Spirit, v. 44.
With oil, xi. 458 ; a standing ordinance, 459. Answer to prayer, not heeding, is letting God speak in vain, iii. 361 ; will
provoke God not to answer, 362 ; prevents thanksgiving, ib.
Antichrist, his kingdom contrasted with Christ s, i. 471 ; ii. 47 ; why the
pope is so called, i. 471 ; claim to be the head of the church, a mark
of, i. 547. The pope, iii. 67. To recover power just before the fall, iii. 166. Rose by degrees, and shall be destroyed by degrees, iv. 291. Antinomians hold one side of the truth and reject the other, iv. 277.
Antiochus, his three and a half years, a type of the three and a half years of
the witnesses lying dead, iii. 199.
Apostates to Romanism, their great guilt, iii. 107. And saints, grew together in the primitive church, ix. 195. Abound most where true religion abounds most, ix. 206.
Apostles, office of, i. 5 ; marks of, 10 ; authority of their writings, 6. Shared the prejudices of their countrymen against the Gentiles, v. 468 ; perhaps at first understood the commission to preach the gospel to
all nations, as restricted to the Jews and proselytes scattered among
all nations, 469 ; this mistake how corrected, 474. Had a double coming of the Spirit, the one to regenerate them, the other as a Comforter, to lead them into all truth, vii. 142.
INDEX. 155
Apostles, their office and power extraordinary, xi. 368.
Appeals, not of absolute necessity to the government of churches, xi. 232.
Application of Christ s remedy specially attributed to his intercession,
iv. 63. Of redemption is all comprehended in Christ revealed in us, iv. 343.
Apprehending of sinner by Christ, his calling, ix. 357 ; is in order to his
receiving all that Christ purchased for him, and all that God intended
for him, ib.
Arians, the foundation of their error, iv. 276.
AriuSj his views of the person of Christ, iv. 540.
Aristotle, his distinction of sins of ignorance, of passion, and of deliberation,
iv. 165. His answer to the complaint of Alexander the Great, iv. 294. Ark of the covenant, a type of the gospel, iv. 253.
Called the glory of Israel, iv. 323. Of the covenant, typified the person of Christ ; the wood his humanity, the gold his divinity, v. 435. And mercy-seat, placed at the upper end of the holy of holies ; the former the type of Christ s person, the latter of God s grace joined with Christ s person, viii. 141 ; these two cannot be separated, 142. Of Noah, a type of Christ, ix. 49. Armada, Spanish, discomfiture of, iv. 254.
Arminianism, founded upon a want of reconciling apparent, but not real,
contradictions, iv. 277. Arminians mistake the nature of regeneration, vi. 188.
Their views of election, ix. 7 ; could not be saved according to their own
system, 12. Doctrine of free-will makes the salvation of all men uncertain, ix. 419 ; their election is no election at all, 420. Deny inherent corruption to be a sin distinctly^considered, x. 325. Armour of the Christian is all defensive, v. 321.
Ascension, Christ s, a support of faith, iv. 44 ; compared to the Roman tri umph, 46. Of Christ, great purpose of it, to prepare a place for his people, iv. 50 ; in it, as well as in his death and resurrection, Christ to be regarded as a common person, 51.
Assembly of the saints, need of coming often into, x. 255.
Assessors, saints shall be Christ s, in judging the world, iv. 54.
Assisting grace, God generally gives in proportion to the measure of grace acquired and gained, vii. 512. Assurance of salvation, two kinds of, i. 233 ; a higher light than faith, 236 ; if true, makes a man holy, 250 ; by the seal of the Spirit, 234 ; every believer called to have it, 304. Want of, compatible with faith, iii. 238.
Distinguished from recumbency, iii. 368. Doctrine of, if not abused, is no dangerous doctrine, to make men secure and presumptuous in sinning, iii. 417. May be lost, iii. 422. Of God s love, a means of praying, iii. 480. Is a persuasion that God and Christ are prepared to save a man s own self in particular, iv. 207. Of perseverance does not make the Christian less resolute in resisting temptation, v. 325.