they vsed all diligence and armed themselues now while God gaue them this little breathing from persecution that so by their confidence pure heart good conscience loue and patience and other grace they might be fit to leade a godly life in the world with ease and strengthen themselues against falles and the baits of sin on euery side And it is manifest to all of vs who can iudge that by such meanes and a sound ministerie watching praying and the like the Church of God can grow in grace and no otherwise And that they did thus it is apparent by that which we reade in the second of the Acts where it is said that they were daily in the temple and continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and prayer And this vse should all true particular Churches and people of God make of their libertie of peace and of liuing free from persecution From the which God hath a long time freed many of his good seruants in this age howsoeuer some are much and oft vnder the crosse yea and that right heauie and sharpe such therefore should glorifie God by bringing forth fruit not in a common sort yea al possible good should be done of them and not omitted For as for priuate lets and those which are vsuall may more easily be ouercome either inward corruptions or outward ill examples or other discouragements as long as the word of God may haue free passage to be sincerely preached But if outward peace alone be counted so great a benefit and such holy and fruitfull vse made of it Note then how much more should we thinke so when that one is accompanied with abundance of other good things when health wealth friends and fauour of the godly shall go herewith and meet altogether in one person what manner of people ought such to be in all godlinesse And how God looketh for it that it should be so that place of Deuteronomie doth liuely shew Where Moses saith that we must serue the Lord with all ioyfulnesse and a good heart for the abundance of all good things The meditations of such mens harts should be acceptable to God and to follow the metaphor of building vsed heere a little the people that is so blessed of God should do as builders are wont that is to pull downe the ruinous corners set vp new frames in their roomes so should Gods seruants plucke downe the old ruines and breaches of their corrupt hearts as anger wrath impatience bitternesse and such like vncleane lusts and set vp mercie tenderheartednesse loue zeale faith and such like Yea and more particularly according to the diuers ages of Gods children they should exercise themselues that is to say the tender consciences and yong beginners should haue their thoughts and meditations about the fauour of God desiring aboue all things to be assured of it the middle aged Christians and such as are somewhat stayed in faith and the feare of God should chiefely be occupied in striuing against their lusts and fighting with them the ancient and experienced who haue done both these should much be taken vp in calling to mind what they haue heard of Gods manner of dealing in guiding his Church and the fruit thereof and in declaring to other and what they haue seene and found themselues worth the reporting to be in the seruing of God that thereby they may be encouraged to walke fruitfully and circumspectly still as they did long before and not to be led away from their stedfastnes in their Christian course by the error of the wicked as hauing found that course by long proofe to haue been the most gainfull of all other vnto them These vses and the like all sorts and ages of Gods people ought to make of Gods blessings towards them and of freedome from trouble But do the people of this age thus for that were a kind vse of peace and his other benefits and would well become them No for in this land these fiftie yeeres now fully passed what knowledge might haue been so that one might haue been able to teach another and there might haue been that grace of the spirit which might haue seasoned Christians hearts no lesse sensiblie then the dew doth moisten the mountaines So that our Church might haue been a paterne to others as the Thessalonians were examples to all that beleeued in Macedonia and Achaia and it might now haue been verified if euer in any age since the Apostles time that out of the bellies of beleeuers might haue flowed riuers of waters of life whereas except some persons heere and there there is great ignorance vnfaithfulnesse hollownesse securitie vncharitablenesse maliciousnesse and what not of that kind I speake not of the disorders of life for they are more fitly to be reprooued in the next vse which the Churches made of their peace but of the grosse distemperatures of the heart for although these times of prosperitie and peace haue been the fittest seasons for men to encrease in goodnes and grace euen as the haruest is to gather in the corne yet whether we enquire into particular Churches or persons we shall find nothing more true then this that peace and plentie haue poisoned for the most part the enioyers of them But if the people of God whom I teach now to make this vse of his blessings were not wound in by the diuels cunning sleights among the rest of the world it were the lesse maruel but euen they cannot be sholed out from them but haue their teeth set on edge with their courses by liuing among them and beholding how they runne headlong into all excesse by meanes of their prosperitie so that euen they forget their couenant made with God that is that they should endeuour to vse soberly in this present world all their lawfull liberties till with shame and sorrow afterward they are faine to returne againe to repentance And thus many euen of them not holding gouernment ouer their hearts breake out into offensiue life and become eye-sores to their brethren who will not be pent in to keepe the bounds of vnoffensiue walking till experience constraine them to wish they had been wiser and before their straying out so far to haue kept themselues well while they were well And this teacheth vs that Moses saw good cause to giue this warning to Gods people when they were to go to the land flowing in abundance of Gods blessings out of the barren wildernesse saying When the Lord hath brought you into that land with great and goodly cities which ye builded not and houses full of all manner of goods which ye filled not and welles digged which ye digged not and vineyards and oliue trees which ye planted not and when ye haue eaten and are full beware lest you forget the Lord which brought you out of the land of Egypt out of the house of bondage Now to make vse of this in
CERTAINE SERMONS PREACHED AND PENNED BY RICHARD ROGERS Preacher of Weathersfield in Essex directly tending to these three ends First to bring any bad person that hath not committed the sinne that is vnpardonable to true conuersion Secondly to stablish and settle all such as are conuerted in faith and repentance Thirdly to leade them forward that are so setled in the Christian life to bring foorth the fruite of both WHEREVNTO ARE ANNEXED diuers godlie and learned Sermons of another reuerend and faithfull seruant of God M r. SAMVEL WRIGHT Bachelor of Diuinitie late President of Sidney Colledge in Camebridge deceased tending also to the same ends with diuers particular points in both profitable and fit for these times 1. IOHN 5.13 I write vnto you that beleeue in the name of that Sonne of God that yee may know that yee haue eternall life and that yee may beleeue in the name of that Sonne of God LONDON Imprinted by FELIX KYNGSTON for Thomas Man 1612. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE EDVVARD DENNY Lord Baron of Waltam c. IT is recorded in holie Scripture right Honourable that Iehoshaphat King of Iudah much renowned for his pietie did send out his Princes to teach in the Cities of Iudah By which act of his and the setting downe of it by the holie Ghost although I goe not about to confound their office and dutie with the Prophets and Leuites yet they are not on the other side to be taken and counted as nothing I meane both his act and the report of it by the holie storie For though they did not preach to the people in the cities whither they came hauing Leuites with them to doe that seruice yet their countenancing authorizing and backing of the Leuites who did teach the people indeed is not without cause said to be a preaching seeing it made way to the people receiuing of it with much more readinesse and cheerefulnesse then otherwise they would haue done yea they were much more incouraged to the zealous embracing and professing of it with fruits following and that by the aduancing and magnifying of it by such noble and worthy persons then might haue bin looked for at their hands otherwise For though the word of God and the pure doctrine taught out of it be of sufficient authoritie to draw and perswade the hearers to submit themselues to it yet considering the blindnes vntowardnes and rebelliousnes of mans heart against heauenly things a number would neuer haue set foote in the holie place to heare for all the report that might haue come to their eares of the price and benefit of the glad tidings preached if they had not been incouraged and brought on by such worthie examples Oh wee know what force there is in such meanes In so much as euen with vs howsoeuer there are of the Nobilitie many who haue the preaching of the Gospel in singular account yet the people that dwell farre off from them and be not seated neere to them they I say hearken not after them neither are any thing moued by them But where such are seene by the people that liue by them to haue the preachers of the word in high account for the message they bring and to bee subiect to the holie doctrine which they teach euen that is a strong cord to draw the inferiour sort to shew reuerence to the ordinance of God and to cause them to think that if such great persons so highly esteeme of their ministery and message that there is doubtlesse some great matter that moueth thē to it And though that be not all neither is of any power to conuert the heart for that is the proper worke of the holie Ghost yet many are at the first brought on to receiue the preaching of the Gospell who after feele the power of it also and enioy the benefit of it when yet their first beginnings therein are chiefly occasioned by the zeale and forwardnes of such good patternes And this is one cause Right Honourable why we Gods Ministers doe much wish and pray for the superiours and great persons and especially those who are noble and growing toward the highest places that they may be sincere and zealous for the truth because though they be no Preachers as neither Iehoshaphats Princes were yet wee know how greatly they may set forward preaching and honour God in going before the people in their holy course I say we pray that many of them may be such euen as wee highly praise God for those who are such alreadie And as wee are glad to see them fauourers and followers of that which we preach by the authoritie of God one father of vs all so we desire which is the next thereto that they would be patrons of our writings which we set foorth with the same mindes for the common edification of the Church of Christ that when it is seene that such as are in high place and zealous professors of the truth also do make account of them there may be farre greater hope that many others will doe the same And therefore I humbly craue of your Honour that I who haue presumed to dedicate these few Sermons to your Honour may be with your good liking allowed so to doe The which though they be things of small account as they are commonly reckoned to be yet I would not haue offered them if I had thought they might not promise that good to the Church which I know your Honour is willing to further Besides if there be any thing in them worthy your accepting and reading they are your due by good right and the testimonie of my thankfull heart and the best that I haue to present to your Lordship who though you neuer saw my face yet euen vpon report of me to your Honour did giue me cause to haue you in daily remembrance while I liue But a word is enough of this To lay out the matter of the Sermons I thinke it not meete to bee tedious to you about it and the rathe for that it is in the short Epistle to the Reader done sufficiently further then thus to signifie that the thing which is chiefly aimed at in them among many other to good purpose is to giue helpe to the Reader as need shall require to make his calling and consequently his election as the Apostle Peter willeth sure And thus not to bee further tedious to your Lordship I end praying God that as hee hath honoured you in a double manner so he would accompanie your earthlie honour with abundance of such blessings as are wont to goe with it and multiplie your best honour with the varietie and increase of his heauenly graces From Weathersfield this 20. of Aprill 1612. Your Honours in all humble dutie to commaund in Christ RICH. ROGERS TO ALL TRVE CHRISTIANS AND WELWILLERS TO to the Gospel or such as yet are further off from the power of it whom the Lord in time may call Richard Rogers wisheth al good that they want to
make them trulie happie for euer CHristian and gentle Reader I offer to thy view in this little booke certaine Sermons tending to the good of all that can finde time and willingnes to reade and regard them And more particularlie at this they aime some of them that they may helpe forward and perswade ignorant profane bad persons and hypocrites to distast and waxe wearie of their euill and dangerous course For out of all these kinds of wicked persons doth the Lord daily call home some effectually where the Gospell is soundly plainly and powerfully preached And I would they should know as much as I say to the end they may not harden their hearts against God as they may possibly and easily doe while they see many safely and happily guided in their liues and themselues nothing so but may heare his voice willingly by repairing to such wholesome Sermons wherein the Lord sheweth himselfe willing to be reconciled vnto them and wherein he thus speaketh O nation not worthie to be beloued yet for all this if thou wilt returne from thine iniquitie I will receiue thee graciously And what should make them like glad as the hearing of this as the Gentiles were when they heard first that God had granted vnto them as well as to the Iewes the glad tidings of saluation Euen this sort of people may haue no small incouragement by reading these Sermons and especially those among the rest which shew how they that wander out of the right way may returne and come home vnto it againe Some of these Sermons doe aime at this to keepe such as are drawne out of their sinfull course alreadie to the certaintie of saluation and to keepe such stedfast in their faith hope and repentance and that they may not fall from them And other some of them serue to helpe forward all such so stablished that they may grow in knowledge and grace and so bring foorth fruits beseeming the Gospell And I would they might finde no lesse fauour and acceptation with the readers then I am sure they found with them who heard them preached I haue shewed what the matter is that is handled in these Sermons now I will shew my reasons why I haue gathered not one but sundrie of the same argument together and set them foorth so And after I will declare to thee in what order I place them in this treatise and why The first reason why I set downe many in one booke of the same argument and not of diuers is this for that this matter and doctrine of the conuersion of a sinner is very hard to be perceiued and discerned of many hearers and especially so as they may cleerely see how to trace the way and goe in it Therefore that which could not so easily be perceiued in one sermon I haue thought good to lay foorth in many and out of diuers texts of Scriptures which tending all to this end to wit to set downe the conuersion of a sinner to God doe giue more light in this matter and offer occasion of more things about it then one alone can doe These therefore being read with consideration may through Gods blessing make this point cleere who how and when a man is conuerted and make him able to trie whither he himselfe be so or no. And if one be well grounded in the doctrine that teacheth this and haue the vse of this he shall much the easilier attaine to further knowledge and consequently to the vse thereof both which are meanly and of few attained to seeing so few are well setled in the other The next reason of this my thus doing is because this doctrine of the conuersion of a sinner is but little and too seldome taught I meane al the parts of it are seldome set downe together especially at one time and in one sermon All which were meete to be done and oft the weake capacitie slipperie memorie and many other defects in the most hearers requiring it and that they might see both how farre they are from conuersion while they are in their first condition of ignorance and vnbeliefe and how they are to be brought to it and also how contrarie their hearts and liues should be to that they were before when they be conuerted These parts of it are seldome handled altogether in preaching though one sometime another of them another time be taught and deliuered But it is a long time though the word be diligently preached as in few places it is before the most part of the hearers are able to lay one part and point of it with the other and to make the whole worke of conuersion of them all And to adde the third reason seeing all that the people know and practise without conuersion is nothing I meane either pleasing to God or profitable to saluation vnto themselues They may I denie not know many points and learne sundrie instructions as concerning the letter but to know so as they beleeue without which faith it is impossible for them to please God they cannot without conuersion and to practise so in their liues as that they may be said to repent and liue holily without which they shall perish and neuer see the Lord that is impossible without the same conuersion For these causes and some other of which this is not the least that by experience I haue seene great fruit come of this doctrine diligently and much taught and little fruite where it hath not been much in vse for such causes I say I haue of purpose set out many sermons of this argument desiring that the people may be made better acquainted with it and that such Preachers as thinke me worthie to be heard in this request would frame themselues to teach it in their owne or in other places where they come As for them that feare they shall glut the people with beating thus vpon the same things as though they could preach no other I answere if wee preach to the end the people may practise that which we teach and if the people also make vse of that which they learne about this matter it shall be found so hard and precious to know themselues conuerted that they shall themselues desire that doctrine concerning it to be taught againe and againe and namely of faith and repentance rather then to be wearie of it for they shall see that when the same thing shall be taught out of new texts euen the old matter shall be in manner new to them Now it followeth to shew why these texts are set downe in the order in which they are placed in the treatise The first texts are Acts 16.24 and Matth. 24.12.13 and the sermons on both tend directly to shew how a sinner is conuerted except the beginning of the Sermon in the 16. of the Acts which yet maketh a way to the doctrine of conuersion in the storie of the Iailer And in those two Sermons the reader may see the three parts of conuersion And diuers of
with afflictions and those that they haue laid on them be not sore nor grieuous therefore when any come vpon them of any waight indeed they cast them off as impatient in bearing the burthen Neither let any say to me this that the children of God are alwaies vnder the crosse neither are they long without some afflictions seeing their life is compared to a sowing in teares For notwithstanding this many are their outward blessings also especially where the pure preaching of the Gospell is enioyed for many troubles may be easily swallowed vp where that is to helpe to digest them And yet what poore and weake commendation may be giuen of the ioyfull welcoming of the troubles which are sent to such for the most part And this to be true which I say those times do proue wherein they haue some load of affliction laid vpon them for what earnest seeking to God is in them or patience to beare them Indeed if they continue or waxe more grieuous so that they can neither auoid them neither is there any hope of earthly helpe left vnto them to come out of them then perhaps and not till then for the most part when they see no other remedy it may be seene that God is sought vnto seriously and then they stirre vp their faith to lay hold of assistance from God with some confidence when all other helpe faileth For example when by some sore visitation and sicknesse that is like to be vnto death God awaketh any of his the disease permitting and giuing libertie to the partie afflicted for some sicknesse is more violent then other it may be seene sometime that he lieth more like vnto one that preacheth and giueth encouragement and exhortation to repentance ioyfully rather then as one readie to die but how rare is this to see for in many smaller troubles perhaps patience will hardly be found And whereas some of Gods corrections cause sorrow only to the afflicted without paine to the bodie as the losse of friends or goods some cause sorrow that commeth from paine as sicknesse and grieuous diseases it may be that the former may worke some good now or then but for the most part the latter if extremitie hinder not leaue the best fruit behind them Howsoeuer it be there is no doubt but that this grace is too much wanting and the rather it is the lesse sought seeing we leane too much to temporarie holds and stayes and for that our hearts runne after earthly things inordinately as health riches peace c. though we see by long experience that there is no hold of them nor any safe resting in them And this lingring heere like Lots wife must be purged out of vs and chased from vs or else we shall degenerate from the faithfull in former ages and shew too truely that we be not led with their spirit when we being so nestled heere can so hardly go out of our selues to welcome the troubles which God sendeth to weane vs from hence and do not rather pray that we may reioyce vnder them and be thankfull in them The third thing in this first part of the text is that euill persons shall haue small cause in the end to reioyce of their hard proceedings against the seruants of God howsoeuer they pursue them with great delight for God will surely take part with them against their enemies As heere we see in the Iailer whom he terrified while Paul and Silas sung for ioy in so much that he and other his companions when they heard it might see that they had a God that could and would comfort them when hee himselfe their wicked aduersarie thought he had loaden them with anguish and sorrow and that this their God could astonish him with feares and desperatenesse when they whom he oppressed were merrie How God doth this in the world to come it is cleere enough by that Scripture to the Thessalonians where it is said That it is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble his and to them that are troubled rest when the Lord Iesus shall shew himselfe from heauen with his mighty Angels in flaming fire Indeed in this world that is not alwaies seene but yet God doth it euen heere also while he professeth that he will blesse them that blesse his and curse them that curse his and while he sheweth fearefull iudgements vpon them who did sore vexe his good seruants and constraineth other to crie out and with their owne mouthes to acknowledge that he plagueth them for their sakes whom they hated and persecuted For examples of the first kind Zidkiiah is one the arch-prophet of Baal who did not only feed Ahab with lies and false messages as from God when he demanded of him what the will of God was in a doubtfull and waightie case but also smote Micaiah the true Prophet of the Lord and withstood him for speaking the truth For this very cause he was constrained afterwards with feare to hide him from chamber to chamber Another example of the first kind is Corah with his companie for resisting and rising against Moses the true seruant of God charging him to be an vsurper of the Priests office and to take too much vpon him and himselfe to bee Gods true Priest for the which as Moses witnesseth he was swallowed vp of the earth with those which were of his conspiracie Examples of the latter sort is Pharaoh who after ten warnings by God in strange punishments for not letting the people of Israel go to serue the Lord out of his land but pursuing them still euen into the sea was in the middest thereof drowned when he was constrained to confesse that the Lord tooke part with Israel against him all the Egyptians saying We will flie from the face of Israel for the Lord sighteth for them against the Egyptians Another example is Iudas who betraying his Master into the hands of the high Priests for money was compelled to confesse before them that set him on worke in a most heauie torment of conscience casting the money againe before them I haue sinned in betraying the innocent blood By all these it appeareth that they shall haue small cause to glorie of their winnings in the end who offer hard measure to Gods people the Lord himselfe crying out thus vnto them Touch not mine annointed nor do my Prophets no harme Neither let any obiect heere that they know them not to be such for so they will affirme in their mad mood and raile on them who yet when they will speake as they are perswaded in good aduisednesse will say of them as Saul did of Dauid that he was more righteous then he and as the King of Babylon said to Daniel thou art the seruant of the most high God So let faithfull Christians rest in their innocencie and in the witnesse of a good conscience and let them count it banquetting
many other of like sort which where they are intertained can it be chosen but that iniquitie should abound there So that this second sort doth also fill the world with sinne And seeing this kinde of people is so common euery where that they goe for honest men and good Christians and they walke vncontrolled and vnpunished and thereby are the lesse noted to be so euill as they are the Lord doth oft take the matter into his owne hands to detect and bewray them So as either they fall to some sinne for which the Magistrate taketh them in hand such was Achan and he that blasphemed in Leuiticus who both were put to death and thrust out from amongst their neighbours or else God punisheth their sinne himselfe directly by letting them lay violent hands on themselues as did Ahitophel The third sort who cause iniquitie to abound are the hypocrites properly so called who professe religion and take the word of God into their mouthes but they hate to be reformed and boldly affirme that they know God but in their deeds they denie him and say Lord Lord but doe nothing lesse then go about to fulfill the will of the Lord. These cause the holy word of God to be ill spoken of which they heare and talke of more then the most of others do And will not sticke to commit sinne the more boldly vnder a colour and cloake of holines which behauiour of theirs being a practise and common course of liuing with them so that daily much euill is wrought by them all that list may see that these also as the two former sorts that I say no more of them as being so well knowne doe cause iniquitie to abound The fourth sort are they who are not properly called hypocrites with the former although hypocrisie beare much sway in them but they in many things doe obey God and the course of their liues is much more framed after Gods word then all the former if they were put together also they doe more streightly vrge good order in others as their place will giue thē leaue yet in some things they will not be brought within compasse but are wedded to their will and know that they do ill some sin they intertaine and take libertie to commit being not willing to search their hearts nor to looke into their waies and so they deale also about faith they hold a confused perswasion and hope that they shall bee saued but they cannot bee brought to trie it and therefore they are destitute both of it and good life Now these also howsoeuer they come neerer a godly life then any of the former and that by many degrees yet because they in some things giue themselues leaue to offend and dishonour God and doe not feare the Lord with all their hearts and in one thing as well as in another seeke to please him therefore God abhorreth their sacrifice of praise and prayer and curseth the obedience which they offer vnto him And therefore the Apostle S. Iames hauing to deale with such people said vnto them whosoeuer shall keepe the whole law and yet faileth in one point he is guiltie of all For hee that said Thou shalt not commit adulterie said also Thou shalt not kill Now then though thou doest none adulterie yet if thou killest thou art a transgressor of the law And thus whiles they haue all their doings reckoned against them for sinnes as it hath been proued that the best of them are no better they come within the ranke of them who multiplie iniquitie and cause sinne to be increased Obiect And if it be obiected that there be other sorts of people besides these foure who increase sinne in the land Answ I answere that some of Gods children by their infirmitie are in shew like the former yet because they would not sinne and doe breake out rather of infirmitie then wilfully and wittingly to lie therein and doe endeuour in one thing as well as another to please God therefore they are not said to increase sinne who doe faithfully labour to suppresse and keepe it downe both in themselues and others And such must the other foure sorts be before the Lord will count and take them for his Thus it is manifest who they be that fill the world with sinne that none can be ignorant of it who is not wilfully blinde Now it remaineth what these should doe that is before all things that they repent and seeke mercie and hold it by faith both which as they haue sufficient cause to looke after with all speed because without the one it is impossible to please God that is faith and without the other I meane repentance and amendment of life the vengeance of God cannot bee auoided so they haue two great incouragements to set them forward to seeke both this being added if they feele what neede they haue thereof as all may see they haue and that very great and then if they desire earnestly to be partakers of them they be not farre from them The first is that the Lord hath other sheepe which are not yet of his fold and hee counteth many to be his people who are not yet called to know that they are his who may by the preaching of the Gospell be added to his faithfull ones And in hope hereof they should giue all diligence to waite vpon the Lord in his ordinance for this blessing The second is this that they search and trie their waies what is amisse in them though they shall neuer finde out the hundreth part of the sinne that is in them and then consider the woe they are in thereby which if they can bee perswaded to doe it is the most direct way to make them turne to the Lord both in imbracing Gods promise of mercy which then belongeth to them by Gods free grant and also in reforming their liues from the which by their sinne they were estranged Both these kindes of turning to God the Prophet Ioel exhorteth the people vnto saying read your hearts that is by searching into them to see the foulnes of them and not your garments and turne to the Lord your God And Ieremy in his Lamentations doth the same when he saith Search your wayes and turne againe vnto the Lord. And this is the onely way for such as haue brought themselues out of fauour with God and drawne downe his wrath vpon themselues by multiplying iniquitie to recouer themselues againe that they may both break off the course of their wicked liues and also be healed and deliuered from that vengeance of God which tooke hold of them before This I haue thought good to say of this first sort of people and of the foure kinds of them all which doe fill the world with iniquitie who least they should too sleightly regard that which hath been said to perswade them to faith and repentance I thought it not amisse to
decay of loue to God and the best things is said of our Sauiour heere to be occasioned as otherwise so especially by the multitude of great sinners and the beholding of such wicked examples of men as fill the world with iniquity and offences For oh when men shall be alwaies cloyed with the loose and professed ill behauiour of such as they liue amongst as righteous Lot was with the filthines of the stincking Sodomites it is not easily seene what force is in it to dampe and quench goodnesse in them that behold it and that sometime at the first but when afterwards they shall not be able to wind out from their company and their prouocations of them but that they shall be alwaies crossing their good course disgracing their innocent liues cauilling at their zeale in seruing God and bearing downe all honestie as it were a streame yea and more then all this hunting threatning and disquieting them that cannot approue their bad conuersation what straits thinke we shall they be in yea how hardly shall they be able to withstand their leaud examples but rather in time be corrupted by them And especially if these that thus vex them be men of authoritie and haue power to hurt them as well as a mind to trouble thē they shall find how true this Scripture is through the abundance of iniquitie the loue of many shall wax cold And if euill words alone be able to corrupt good manners how much more wicked life also wherof bad talke is but limbe or arme and especially if this be in the wealthie and great men So that it may be rightly said O good companie and holy examples how much worth are ye How happie are they who may enioy you if they can see It is doubtlesse a corner of heauen to be associated to such both in mariage and neighbourhood in comparison of the hellish companionship of the other And this be said briefly of these three what this loue is that Christ speaketh of that it is cooled and how namely by much iniquitie in others Obiect 1 And although many may perhaps heere obiect and say thus cannot such as haue receiued the doctrine of the glad tidings with comfort and been purged thereby from their old conuersation can they not hold their confidence and reioycing of their hope vnto the end as they began Obiect 2 And againe if any hauing felt the vnspeakable loue of God shed into their hearts by the holy Ghost haue at the first enioying of this grace set their loue on God in a most feruent manner as they haue good cause so to do and haue in like manner loued his people who are fellow heires with them of the glorie to come and the Word and the Minister by whom they were begotten to the assured hope of immortalitie if they haue done this say they at the first is it not meete that they should much more do this afterward If when they did but taste of Christs louing kindnesse at the beginning they were thus affected should they not much more do this after long experience and proofe of the benefit thereof many yeeres after Answ To both these obiections one answere may serue Namely that it is meete it should be so that men should hold both their confidence in God and continue their vnfained loue feruently to all these mentioned as at any time they did neither can I excuse the contrarie But yet we must consider that it is verie hard and difficult so to do and that it requireth the whole heart to be taken vp with it and possessed of it And this is a great hinderance to it if there were no other but it that such must liue and haue to do with the prophane sort of people who doe many wayes prouoke discourage and worke vpon them Indeed it must be granted that the euill heart is a maine hinderer from this holy course which I doe not say as though I would take vpon me to excuse or defend them who are waxen cold in the duties of loue for which they had sometimes been commended but rather to aduise such as are to stirre vp men to continue their first loue Note that they may exhort and perswade them to it wisely and in all kindnesse not hotly roughly and rashly as though words may force it when all good encouragements are little enough to perswade to it For though Christ foretell heere that through the abundance of iniquitie the loue of many shall waxe cold as thereby casting a reproch vpon such as shall verifie his words yet we that are the Lords remembrancers and haue experience of the frailtie that is in our brethren being priuie to our owne must in shewing how easily they fall from this grace or any other by all good meanes labour and helpe them to preuent it or if they haue alreadie fallen to reclaime and call them back againe But if by none of these meanes we preuaile with them know they that they shall fall from this their loue to their cost and beare their burthen whosoeuer they be For to speake as the truth is what can they do either more vnbeseeming their holy profession or the Lords vnspeakable kindnesse then to reward him after such a manner And after an heartie acknowledging of Gods great loue to them at their first tasting the sweetnes of it afterwards to forget it or vnthankfully to bring it into a common and meane account The Hebrewes who had in like maner offended were reproued sharpely by the author of the Epistle written to them in this manner Now call to remembrance the dayes that are past wherein after ye receiued light ye endured a great fight in afflictions being made a gazing stocke to them in reproches and were companions with such as were so tossed to and fro and suffered with ioy the spoiling of your goods knowing that ye haue in heauen a better and enduring substance And will ye now cast away your confidence which hath so great recompence of reward The same reproofe though not in the same particular thing the Apostle gaue the Galathians who when they had receiued such manifest gifts of the holy Ghost by his preaching that they were cleere patterns of excellent Christians to many and after that were so bewitched by the false Apostles that they ioyned the obseruing of the law with faith he spake thus to them O yee foolish Galathians who hath bewitched you that after ye haue begun in the spirit ye will now bee made perfect by the flesh that is by the keeping of the law The redresse and remedie to recouer this decayed loue is that which saint Iohn giueth to the Church of Ephesus against the same disease when they had left their first loue saying remember from whence thou art fallen and repent and doe thy first workes Wherin he teacheth vs as he did that people that this decay in our loue to Gods ministerie and people must bee called to
are hoarded vp in the word for vs to make vs happy forasmuch as they are drawne out from thence no other way but by thirsting after them and by it we are made partakers of them as the blessed Virgine saith in her song The Lord filleth the hungry with good things and sendeth the rich or full empty away which is the cause why the poore people of God doe shew their thirsting desire not onely many other wayes but also by this namely in their ordinary labour and trauaile to heare the word of God preached that sundry miles off from their dwelling place if they haue it not there though it be with mocking and taunting them for it by such as are far from thirsting after it themselues The third cause why God requireth thirsting is because we should otherwise neuer know how exceedingly we are beholding to him for the variety of grace and good things which we receiue thereby frō him as faith patience the forgiuenes of sins c. For so Salomon saith in the Prouerbs The person that is full despiseth an hony combe but vnto the hungry soule euery bitter thing is sweete So that we feeling such neede of them as that our soules should faint and be starued without them we see and acknowledge that which we could not haue done without it neither would easily beleeue it namely that the Lord loueth vs dearely and that his mercy is great towards vs yea and that in things of the best kind which others hauing offered them of God as well as we doe set no store by them and all because they feele no want of them but could as they thinke be well enough without them And thus much of the causes of thirsting The third followeth and that is how long wee should thirst For it seemeth vnreasonable to many that we should be held alwaies at one point as that either we should euer be thirsting for one grace or if that be not required of vs yet that we should bee thirsting still after some other To the which the answere is that we must alwaies be thirsting euen so long as God hath any good grace to giue and till he be wearie of bestowing vpon vs. Which seeing it shall neuer be while we remaine heere God being a wel-spring and fountaine of all good things neuer drawne drie and more readie to giue then we to aske it is for our singular benefit and not a bondage that we may be alwaies thirsting for so long there is stil some good comming towards vs and otherwise we were not liable to the liberall offer which God maketh heere by the Prophet neither were we the persons to whom he speaketh in saying Ho euery one that thirsteth come to the waters and drinke But yet this I say further that in this manner we should thirst namely for any grace till we receiue it if it be heere to be enioyed or a sure grant of it if we cannot partake it heere that in the life to come we shal haue it and we are not to thinke that when we haue obtained any gift or grace of God that we are commanded still to be asking of one and the same thing which to do were against common sense and reason but for a greater measure of it as encrease of faith loue and patience when we haue alreadie receiued a part in them and for such things as we yet want with the like appetite to desire and thirst for them as at the first anguish of mind and wound of conscience we did long for the forgiuenesse of our sinnes And this of the time how long we ought to thirst which is the third point in this first part The fourth followeth namely how we should come to thirsting and how it should be vpholden which being such a worthie gift of God had not need to be neglected but as an appetite to bodily food for the preseruing of health is by all meanes to be maintained and sought The meanes are neither costly nor hard to come by as in bodily dainties it fareth but readie and at hand Euen to see our wants in grace and emptines thereof as how weake our faith is how faint our hope how cold our loue and how hardly we haue proofe of our patience Also to obserue our corruptions as touchinesse frowardnes vncleane desires wrath desire of reuenge c. and in what bondage they hold vs. If we obserue these in our selues they will make vs desire the sincere milke of the Word to guide vs aright also to watch and pray sigh and groane that we may resist the euill and nourish the good For as the husbandman by toiling and sweating at hay and haruest prouoketh the bodily thirst so we labouring with our hearts to plucke vp and to plant as there shall be cause shall thirst till wee obtaine that which wee goe about and desire And God who calleth vs to it and promiseth largely to satisfie vs will not mocke vs but do as he hath said that is to say satisfie our soules with good things And thus we come to thirst But when we see our hearts thus possessed and taken vp with the feruent and constant desire of the good things which we would haue we must also be perswaded to labour readily and willingly as need shall require whether it be by prayer conference or the like to obtaine them remembring that which is said in the Psalme that wisdome and so all the parts thereof is to be sought out that is with all diligence of those that haue pleasure therein But one obiection heere I will answere which troubleth some and that is that they say In the beginning when men turne to God first they thirst and cannot be satisfied to their quiet and contentment but they see no such thing in them after I answere though all shew it not after as they did at first by complaining asking questions and lamenting their wants to other yet they long and thirst for that which they see needfull for them and yet wanting but they do not shew it so much and that is wisdome which other vnexperienced and more weake in knowledge and faith cannot do but must shew their thirsting as I said and it may be perceiued of themselues to be so by their daily care and diligence to nourish the old grace they haue alreadie and to obtaine new and by the course of their life it may be perceiued of others but if they grow full they be in ill case Thus the first branch of the three in this first part hath bin handled namely who they are whom God calleth out by the Prophet from the rest of the people to take part in the best tidings that euer were or can be brought from him and that is all such as thirst The second branch followeth and that is what are the good things that they shall haue which thirst The benefit which they shall enioy is answerable to their thirst
while some that take vpon them to preach are vnsound in religion some ignorant some stuffe their sermons with authorities of men whereas it is the word of God that hath authority ouer mens consciences some go aboue the peoples capacity and reach few preach diligently constantly and carefully that I speake not of the lose and dissolute behauiour that is not tolerable amongst their hearers how should preaching keepe the credite that it ought to be in and bee like to drawe or perswade people to faith and repentance Nay what greater cause is there of the generall ignorance carelessnes and profanes of life in the people then these and such like abuses seene in the Ministery And while they he thus farre out of the way them selues they are yet more bold to open their mouthes against the diligenter sort who knowing that Christ requireth it at their hands that as they loue him they should feed his sheepe and his lambes doe of conscience seeke to discharge their duties and they are therfore cried one of as doing more then they need And whiles this is suffred what hope is there that any great remorse for sinne or pricke of conscience should be wrought in the people by their standing vp amongst them or any true hope of eternall life wrought in many But these things being remoued and good preaching and liuing in stead thereof interteined and practised such a Ministery as it is highly pleasing to God and commanded by him so it giueth good hope of gathering a plentifull people vnto him As for the profane speeches of them which count the preaching of Christ and suffering for his name to be foolishnes let Saint Paul put them to shame if not to silence who hath taught them if they will learne their answer from him that they whom God wil saue shall and must by this obtaine it or else they shall neuer haue it I haue now spoken of the first point that the end of this great worke of Christ namely preaching is to conuert the bearers thereof to God now the second in this first part followeth and that is this Though that be the ende of it yet the most part commonly regard it not neither consider it but goe away without that blessing Euen as our sauiour here chargeth these cities for their contempt saying If some yea such as in your own iudgement are profane and worldly had seene and hard the great workes of God that haue been done among you they had repented but ye haue not done so vnto this day The complaint is iustly made of the like carelesnes in all ages that when the people had the Prophets and Apostles yea our Sauiour himselfe by whom they might haue beene made happy and with the eyes of faith seene the saluation offred them yet they sought not to know the things that concerned their peace Noah the preacher of righteousnes was dispised and laughed to scorne when he told them of the destroying of the whole earth by water and yet he gaue them an example by his preparing the Arke and so they had a double motiue to beleeue it Esay crieth out when he saw the people made a mocke at his preaching and a iest of his children whom he begat to the Lord thereby saying turne away from me and let me weepe bitterly and labour not to comfort me because the people perish Ieremy to whom they of Anathoth answered preach no more to vs in the name of the Lord for we will not heare thee but preach vnto vs pleasant things bewailed them thus Oh that mine eyes were a fountaine of teares that I might weepe bitterly for the losse of this people Iohn Baptist when he saw the Pharisies come to his Baptisme of whom Christ said to his Disciples except your righteousnes exceed theirs ye cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen said to them O ye generation of vipers who hath taught you to flie from the vengeance to come Bring forth fruites of amendment and say not with your selues we haue Abraham to our father And how our Sauiour lamented the people as many places testifie so that one doth liuely proue O Ierusalem Ierusalem which stonest my Prophets and killest them whom I haue sent vnto thee how oft would I haue gathered thee together as the henne doth her chickens but thou wouldest not Behold thy dwelling shall be left to thee desolate And againe O that thou haddest knowne in this thy day the things that belong to thy peace but they are hidden from thee And Paul oft turned from the Iewes and refused to teach them because of their contempt All the which with others many like vnto them doe proue euen as our Sauiour foretold that it should be in these latter dayes as it was in the time of Noah and Lot that for all the cost the Lord bestoweth vpon the people in sending the glad tidings of saluation amongst them yet admirable and fearefull to say few receiue and imbrace them but it commeth to passe what by mens rebelliousnes and vnthankefulnes and all the ingines and allurements that stand vp in their way that they that come forwardest a very few excepted be but as Agrippa that is almost Christians One would thinke that when God hath done more for one place and people then for others And that he hath giuen to it for a long time sound and sauory instruction while others haue wanted it that he should looke both for much people there and those also well seasoned although it be not so among others but when they shall faile there how iust cause shall he haue to expostulate with them and to complaine as Christ doth here that they contemned and set light by his kindnes And yet where almost shall hee find it otherwise If not as he found it among the Iewes to whom he spake in the tenth of Iohn verse 32. where he sayeth many good workes haue I shewed you from my father for which of these workes doe ye stone me yet at least as is mentioned in the fifth of Esay vers 4. that when after great cost bestowed vpon his vineyard he looked that it should bring forth grapes it brought forth wilde grapes So it was with them of whom we read in the Prophet Michah who acknowledged that they owed much to God and desired much more at his hands but what fruit did they yeeld him euen wilde grapes euen false and feined repentance for that which was true and sound For that they could not hitte vpon when yet excepting that they offred him seruice with their great cost For thus they say as one man Wherewith shall I appeare before the Lord and bow my selfe before the high God Shall I come before him with burnt offrings and with calues of a yeare olde will the Lord be pleased with thousand of rammes or with ten thousand riuers of oile Shall I giue my first borne of