Fathers I say I will suppose them to be as it were Gyants and wee Dwarfes Yet set a Dwarfe upon a Gyants shoulders and hee will see further and so might certainely wee but for Slouth Idlenesse Worldlinesse Ambition and other such base and vile degenerations of these later Times It may be further objected That there was more necessity of the Fathers frequent Preaching especially in those Primitive Times for more plentifull publishing and propagation of the Gospel c. and suppressing Heresies c. Passingly weake and untrue There is farre more need of much Preaching now than in former times For wee live in the last dayes wherein those perillous times are come upon us which Paul fore-tells 2 Tim. 3. 1. c. and wherein iniquitie abounds and the love of many waxeth cold c. Math. 24. 12. And at this day wee oppose the Hydra of all Heresies Poperie which opposeth even the whole Body of Christianitie Againe their Homilies are against Drunkennesse Pride Swearing Luxury Covetousnesse love of the World Vsury painted Faces false Haire Anger Envie Ambition c. All which sinnes and many more reigne and rage at this day with more hainousnesse and an higher hand than heretofore 2 A second meanes whereby the Word may dwell plentifully in us is by a constant and conscionable reading the Booke of God This Exercise is commanded to Kings and Captaines Deut. 17. 17 18 19. Iosh 1. 8. who may seeme most priviledged by their intanglement in many and weightie affaires Christ bids the Iewes Ioh. 5. 39. Search the Scriptures as the well-spring of eternall life The Holy-Ghost commends the Iewes of Berea as more noble than they of Thessalonica because they received the Word with all readinesse of minde and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so Act. 17. 11. See Deut. 6 7 8 9. See many Motives to this dutie before It is the Word of Salvation of Truth of Life of Reconciliation a Letter from Heaven a Treasurie of all excellent things it shall judge us it onely can heale a wounded Soule it containes all our evidence for Heaven and it is the object of divine Faith c. Nay and because the Papists have wickedly dammed up this Fountaine of Life from the common people heare the judgement and zeale of Antiquitie in pressing this dutie First heare Chrysostome Heare I pray you all yee Lay-men saith Chrysostome get yet Bibles a Medicine for your Soules c. You cast all upon our shoulders You ought onely to be instructed of us but your Wives and Children should be by you c. But now adayes your Children preferre divellish Songs and Dancings even as Cookes and Caters and leaders of Dances but none knowes any Psalme The same Chrysostome to stirre up men to diligent reading the Scriptures maketh good this assertion There is no affliction or miserie of body or soule but may receive a Medicine out of Gods Booke 1 A man heavie-hearted and of a sad spirit saith hee takes the Bible in his hand after hee hath met with that place Psal 42. 11. Why art thou cast downe O my soule and why art thou so disquieted within me hope thou in God c. he is refreshed 2 Another saith he is oppressed with extreme povertie beholds the wicked wallow in worldly wealth and flourish like a greene Bay-tree But after hee hath cast his eye upon that Psal 55. 22. Cast thy burthen upon the Lord and hee shall sustaine thee c. he is comforted 3 Another is hunted with calumnies and insidiations c. and no humane helpe will be had the Prophet saith hee doth teach him what to doe in these words They did speake against me but I prayed 4 Another is forsaken even of his friends and kinsmen and contemned of those who were most beholding to him Heare how the Prophet behaved himselfe in such a case Psal 38. 11. c. 13. c. He concludes thus Thou hast seene whensoever any calamitie doth oppresse a man how convenient an Antidote he may take from the Scriptures and all care of this life may be driven backe neither should we be grieved for any thing that falls out Therefore I beseech you that you would come hither and diligently attend to the reading of the holy Scriptures not onely when you come hither but even at home take the holy Bible into your hands and goe reape the profit that is in them with great earnestnesse Moreover what that sensible Bread doth to encrease bodily strength that Reading doth to the soule for it is spirituall nourishment and makes the soule vigorous c. But wee may adde to Chrysostomes Antidotes these 16. more 1 Art thou wearie of the wayes of vanitie and comming on with a grieved and sorrowfull heart for thy sinne to meet thy deare Redeemer and doth the conceit of the number and hainousnesse of thy transgressions crosse and confound thy hopes of being received to mercy Why then looke upon Paul he shed the bloud of the Saints with extraordinarie rage and furie Act. 9. 1. upon Manasseh a man of prodigious impietie 2 Chron. 33. 6. upon some of Peters hearers who crucified the Lord of Life Act. 2. 23. If these will not serve the turne looke upon Adam who cast away himselfe and undid all and was the cause that all that issued out of his loines unto the Worlds end fell into the damnation of Hell and yet all these upon repentance were received unto mercie And therefore if thou canst now heartily repent feare no former sinnes 2 Hast thou by the violence of Sathans temptations the slie enticements of thine owne sinfull nature and the cunning insinuations of thy former bosome-sinne beene fearefully overtaken with some scandalous fall since thou wast converted and gave thy Name unto Grace and upon illumination of thy conscience remorse and meditation of returne thou art ashamed to look Christ Iesus in the face because thou hast so shamed thy profession and thou art so troubled with horror and conceit that thy case is singular that thou canst find no ease to thine humbled and sorrowfull heart Why then looke upon David Peter c. transcendent instances that thou may not sinke into despaire 3 Art thou plunged into the perplexities and fearfull apprehensions of a spiritual desertion Art thou deprived of thy former comfortable feelings of Gods favorable countenance Hast thou no comfort in prayer c. Looke upon David Ps 77. 4 It may be upon thy Bed of Death when Sathan will make thy sinnes appeare farre more ugly and horrible to the eye of thy Conscience than ever hee did before and will perswade thee all he can that all thy holy services unto God and new obedience was quite marred with Pride Hypocrisie and by-respects I say it may be then thy heart will quite faile thee and thy conceit of Gods wrathfull and angry countenance for thy sinne may so oppresse and confound thy soule that thou mayest
Barres of the Earth as in a Bed of hopelesse Darkenesse untill the Iudgement of the great Day And that Day will be unto you a Day of wrath a Day of trouble and heavinesse a Day of destruction and desolation a Day of Clouds and blacknesse as it is Zeph. 1. 15. And at the last you are to be cast body and soule from the presence of God and joyes of Heaven into utter Darkenesse there to be tormented amongst wicked Devils for ever and ever This is certainely the state of all ignorant men and those that will not be enlightened with saving knowledge out of his Word There is nothing to be expected of them but Darkenesse Sorrow Despaire and Horror A third Vse of this Doctrine may serve for admonition to all those who by the Light of Gods Word have alreadie found and are entred into the way to Heaven that they would suffer themselves with humilitie obedience and constancie to be led along in a course of sanctification by the holy guidance and direction thereof that they would shine dayly more and more in all Christian vertues exercises and duties For it is the propertie of all those which are become new creatures who are washed from their sinnes sanctified and new-borne by the immortall Seed of the Word and the Spirit of Grace to long after and earnestly desire the sincere Milke of the Word that they may grow thereby in knowledge comfort and new obedience A new-borne Babe will be pleased and satisfied with nothing but the Pap not Gold Pearles or any thing else will content it even so a new-renewed Soule doth ever hunger and thirst after the sacred and sincere Milke of Gods holy Word as Saint Peter calls it that it may dayly gather strength in grace otherwise as the Child so it would languish pine away and die He that growes not and goes not forward in grace had never true grace He that faithfully labours not to feed his soule with spirituall food never passed the new birth The way of the righteous saith Salomon shineth as the Light that shineth more and more unto the perfect Day Prov. 4. 18. For if the Day-starre of saving knowledge once appeare unto a man and the Sunne of Righteousnesse arise in his heart they never set untill they bring him unto that glorious Light above that no man can attaine unto He proceeds and profits in the great mysterie of godlinesse in faith repentance and sinceritie he growes from vertue to vertue from knowledge to knowledge from grace to grace untill hee become a perfect man in Christ Iesus It may be as the fairest Sunne may sometimes be over-cast and darkened with Clouds and Mists so the holinesse of a godly man may be over-clouded and disgraced sometimes by falls into a sinne upon infirmitie ignorance heedlesnesse or the like But if he be so overtaken after his passing through sorrow and griefe of heart for the same and his rising againe by repentance hee shines farre more brightly and pleasantly both to God and man in sinceritie and all holy graces he afterwards runnes a more swift and setled course in the race of sanctification So that ordinarily all Gods children shine as Lights in the World in the midst of a naughtie and crooked generation being once inlightened with saving knowledge and they still waxe brighter and brighter untill at last they come to shine as the brightnesse of the Firmament and the Starres in Heaven for ever and ever Looke to it then I beseech you whosoever hath alreadie given his Name unto Christ tasted of the good Word of God and received into his soule some glimpses of heavenly Light let him be sure to follow hard towards the Marke for the Prize of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus Let him set his best desires affections and endeavours to grow and proceed in all holy knowledge in the Light of Gods Word and chearefull obedience unto the same For it is a speciall note and marke of a man that is truly religious to goe forward and encrease in grace and understanding Hee must be like the Sunne which rising in the East enlargeth his glorious light and heat untill he reach the height of Heaven But as one well notes the true Christian must not be like Hezekiahs Sunne which went backward If a man back-slide waxe worse and fall away from good beginnings he addes weight unto the wrath of God and doubles his damnation Hee must not be like Ioshuahs Sunne that stood still It is so farre to Heaven and the way so narrow so rough and full of dangers and difficulties that he which stands at a stay will light short The Bridegroome will be entred in and the Gate shut before he come Hee that hath so much grace that hee desires no more did never truly desire any And he that endeavours not to be better will by little and little grow worse and at length become starke naught He therefore must be like Davids Sunne that great and glorious Gyant of the Heavens that like a Bridegroome comes out of his Chamber and as a Champion rejoyceth to runne his Race One grace in Gods child begets another and one holy action performed with sinceritie of heart doth inflame his affections with love and zeale with courage and resolution to undertake moe and to goe through-stitch with all the affaires of God and good causes For he alone knowes the invaluable worth and inestimable price of heavenly Iewels and therefore he is ravished with their beautie and growes unsatiable in his desires and longings after them He is still toyling and labouring in the Trade of Christianitie for more gaine of grace encrease of comfort and further assurance and securitie of the joyes of Heaven Sith hee hath alreadie tasted and fed upon celestiall and spirituall food he findes in that such unutterable sweetnesse and pleasant rellish that hee for ever after hungers and thirsts after it If then you would be assured that you are in the way to happinesse be sure to be led on by the Light of the Word in all heavenly knowledge spirituall wisedome and holy obedience A fourth and last Vse of my Doctrine is for instruction to all whether they be naturall or spirituall ignorant or instructed in the Word of God That they make it their chiefe and principall Christian care zealously and conscionably and constantly to heare attend and understand the holy Word of God and to be guided and conducted by the Light thereof in all the passages of their life and wayes of their conversation 1 And in this point I will first lay downe unto you certaine Motives that may induce and stirre you thereunto 2 Cautions or Caveats to fore-arme and fore-warne you of Lets and Temptations that may with-draw you there-from 3 Lastly some needfull instructions for your right carriage therein One Motive to stirre us up to a reverend regard and attention in hearing
But notwithstanding the prophanenesse of the Preacher is no priviledge to the hearer either of negligence or disobedience He that turnes his eare from hearing of the Law truly preached though by a Pharise even his prayer is abominable Prov. 28. 9. Hee that despiseth the Word shall be destroyed Prov. 13. 13. Hee that obeyeth not the Sonne in his Ministers lawfully sent though not sanctified themselves shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Christ himselfe in the Gospel bids his followers to observe and doe whatsoever they were bid by the Scribes and Pharises which sate in Moses Chaire but not to doe after their works for they said and did not Every Minister is to be heard received and followed so farre as he followes and delivers to the Church the Truth of God and Doctrine of the Apostles For therein he is an Angel of the Lord of Hosts and Embassadour in the stead of Christ. And all the parts of the Ministerie in his hand he following the Word shall as certainely be accomplished as if an Angel or Christ from Heaven should presently and potently execute them If hee denounce Iudgements against sinne it is as if the voice of God himselfe should be heard from Heaven as if the Lion of the Tribe of Iudah should roare If he poure the Oyle of comfort into a wounded and distressed Conscience it is as sure and certaine as soft and sweet to the beleeving soule as if the Angels should comfort him as they did Christ in his Agonie or as if Christ himselfe should mercifully reach out his glorious hand through the Clouds and binde up his broken heart and bruised Conscience with a Plaister of his owne precious Bloud If hee instruct admonish reprove exhort perswade from ground and warrant out of the Word it is all one as if Christ himselfe should doe it who hath said He that heareth you heareth me Let men therefore pretend what they will if they will not heare beleeve and obey the Lord speaking in the Ministerie of the Word though the meanes and Messengers be never so base and vile fraile weake and sinfull Let an Angel come from Heaven a Devill from Hell or a man from the dead yet would they not beleeve For if a man were truly humbled hee would tremble at Gods Word of whomsoever hee heard it If hee had a spirituall taste hee would relish the heavenly food whosoever ministred it If hee had Gods holy Spirit hee would know and acknowledge his Sword which is the Word of God in whose hand soever he saw it And untill he have this spirit a spirituall taste and an humble heart hee will not beleeve especially with effect fruit and practice let him pretend whatsoever he will neither Angels nor men dead nor living Moses nor the Prophets Peter nor Paul not Christ nor God himselfe if the one were living againe upon Earth or the other would be pleased or it were possible to speake immediately to him For conclusion of this Point let us know That the Ministerie of the Word is Gods Ordinance which dependeth not upon the worthinesse of him who delivereth it neither is it made void and uneffectuall by his weakenesse and wickednesse but it hath it vertue force and power from the blessing of God and from the inward operation of his Spirit who applyeth it to the hearts and consciences of men and thereby illuminates their understandings begetteth faith in them and all sanctifying and saving graces I but will some say it is a very wearisome tyring and tedious thing to be tyed to the hearing of so many Sermons to meditate of them conferre of them with our neighbours teach them our families and practise them which are urged upon us as necessarie Christian duties It is a strange thing and sore case that some men will not be perswaded to take halfe so much paines to goe to Heaven and eternall Rest as many thousands to goe to Hell and everlasting torment How many tyre and torture themselves with carke and care with much toyle and travell to heape up those riches which in the meane time are matter of much vexation unto them and hereafter will be witnesses against them and eate their flesh as it were fire as Iames speakes How many spend their wits their spirits their time that they may become some-body in the World and climbe by indirect and unlawfull meanes and steps unto those high places from whence hereafter they must be hurled with greater confusion and a more fearefull downe-fall into the Pit of Hell How many waste their wealth weaken their strength consume their marrow fill their bones with rottennesse and their bodies with diseases with lust and uncleannesse with following the Whorish woman whose paths lead unto the dead with tarrying long at the Wine and pouring in of strong Drinke for which at length they shall be sure to be filled with drunkennesse and with sorrow even with the Cup of destruction and trembling they shall drinke of it deepe and large and wring it out to the dregges How unwearied have Idolaters ever beene in the wicked worship of their false gods And many Heretikes in the false worship of the true God In thrusting towards Hell they neither spared cost nor charge losse nor labour They have beene prodigall both of lives and living of bloud and children You know amongst the Iewes some mingled the rufull cryes of their dearest children with Musicke and melodie lest they should be moved to compassion while they were cast into the fire to be burned up in sacrifice unto the Idoll Moloch Scribes and Pharises compasse Sea and Land to make a Proselyte Baals Priests lanced and cut their flesh before their Idoll untill the bloud gushed out The blinded Papists at this day whip themselves waste their goods and consume their bodies with wearisome Pilgrimages to see some counterfeit Reliques and rotten Bones or to visit accursed Idols and Popish Saints Nay some of them transported with a more bloudie rage and furious spirit of Antichrist suffer as it were with senselesnesse with desperate and damned boldnesse most horrible and exquisite torments for butchering of Kings for which they hope to merit Heaven and to sayle through a Sea of Royall bloud to the Haven of endlesse rest though indeed and truth they justly light short and sinke before they are aware into the deepest Lake of the hottest fire and most consuming flame of Hell Now I pray you shall these services of Sathan be followed and pursued with such heat and eagernesse with such paines and patiencie of all miseries and vexations and shall not the Lords owne Ordinances and the true worship of the true God have power to make us step out of our doores with patience and pleasure to heare the Lords will revealed unto us to receive salvation to our soules and a Crowne of immortalitie to our heads Can some be
in actions and affections to serve God both in soule and body he will yet yeeld so farre that they may be rid of some sinnes both in heart and practice as perhaps of sinnes of custome but then he will be a suitor and solicitor unto them to retaine other sinnes as perhaps sinnes of nature For example It may be they may both forbeare the outward practice and also inwardly loath swearing drunkennesse and other such like sinnes of custome but they will nuzzle in the bosome of their affections pride lust anger and such other sinnes the naturall birth as it were of originall corruption 4. But if they also conquer these why then he tempts them mainly to continue at the least in worldlinesse For this in many mens hearts hath greater power and beares more sway than nature or naturall affection He will secretly suggest unto them that upon an eager and excessive pursuit of gaine and riches depends their life and livelyhood their credit and reputation their contentment and happinesse in the world so that perhaps at last of all after all this they rest and settle themselves upon sinnes of advantage as usury oppression unlawfull and excessive gaining earthly-mindednesse serving the Times and such like 5. But if by the grace of God any be so blessed from God above as resolutely to passe thorow all these traines and temptations and like strong Samsons breake through all these Cords and Cart-ropes of iniquitie and vanitie so that they will not yeeld an ynch to that cruell Pharaoh of Hell nor leave so much as an Hoofe behinde them in his Kingdome of Darknesse why then this spirituall Pharaoh presently armes himselfe with all the crafts and policies of Hell with Legions of Fiends and Princes of the Darkenesse of this World with all his malice against the salvation of the soules of men with the fire and furious rage of prophane wretches with the sharpe swords and impoysoned arrowes of lying and slanderous tongues and with all other advantages which either the lowest Hell or the wide wicked World can afford And thus appointed hee pursues and persecutes with bloodie and implacable furie all those who have escaped out of this captivitie farre more eagerly and enviously than ever Pharaoh did the Israelites That either hee may bring them backe againe into his bondage or else take them quite away and destroy them that they may not attaine the full Light of the Saints nor doe long service unto the Lord. And certainely if all the power of Hell the strongest temptations the scourge of tongues the Worlds malice the spightfull spirit of prophanenesse the frownings of friends the scornefull insolencies of enemies the cursed and enticing cryes of our old companions if wicked men or damned Devils be able to prevaile he will be sure to stay them before they enter into the state of grace and true blessednesse But yet if a man put on Pauls armour in Eph. 6. Davids royall courage Psal 3. 6. Moses princely zeale and truly Christian valour that he will not leave a hoofe behinde that is that he will not leave one corruption unmortified one affection unsanctified one rebellious action unreformed one knowne sinne unrepented of and unforsaken one holy dutie unperformed one Commandement unobeyed Why then hee may looke for a more glorious spirituall deliverance than Moses had a temporall Hell and confusion shall swallow up all his enemies but into his heart in the meane time shall be shed and plentifully powred comfort joy and peace and upon his head shall a Crowne of immortalitie flourish for ever hereafter I have stayed very long upon the fifth plot and practice of Sathan whereby he labours to make the Word heard unpowerfull and uneffectuall for the salvation of our soules For I know it is much and often exercised and with great successe and by it he prevailes with very many When by diligent hearing of Gods Word faithfully urged upon them they are driven and doe addresse themselves to a reformation and amendment of their sinfull lives he mightily endeavours to hinder disquiet and interrupt them in it to make it a reformation unto them but in part and by halfes unsound and unsaving So that it may be they may forsake sinnes of Custome as Lying Swearing Drunkennesse and such like but keepe sinnes of Nature as Pride Lust Anger and the like Or it may be they may forsake both these two kindes of sinnes and yet keepe sinnes of Advantage as Oppression unlawfull Gaining grinding the faces of the Poore serving the Time and such like Or they may leave all these and yet keepe sinnes of Companie as idle and vaine Talking filthie Ieasting rayling against and slandering their Neighbours uncharitable judging and censuring their Brethren and the like It may be they may be carefull in their generall calling of Christianitie but carelesse and unfaithfull in those particular places and callings wherein God in his providence hath set them Or contrarily they may be of Christian behaviour abroad and in publike as at Sermons and in the Church but unconscionable at home and in their private families never teaching or praying with them They may seeme zealous in the Commandements of the first Table and about the service of God but in the second and towards their Neighbour unmercifull unconscionable and uncharitable Or they may deale justly and honestly with others but be utterly voide and destitute of the knowledge and feare of God They may bee outwardly reformed but inwardly full of hollow-heartednesse and hypocrisie They may leave all other sinnes onely keepe one behinde which is called a mans sweet delightfull and bosome-sinne If Sathan can prevaile with a man any of these wayes hee keepes him his owne for hee that is soundly converted justified and sanctified indeed must needs be out of love with every sinne with the whole course of iniquitie and with sincerity and chearefulnesse embrace the entire body of Christianitie and have a regard to all Gods Commandements 6 Now I come to a sixt sleight and devise of Sathan whereby hee labours to make the Word fruitlesse and unprofitable unto us If he cannot stay us in our reformation but that we will needs through and cast away all sinnes why then hee seekes by all meanes to hinder our continuance and constancie If the Seed of the Word be received with joy and spring up for a time that is be practised for a while he rayseth up some persecution tribulation or crosses whereby it is presently blasted withers and comes to nothing The uncleane spirit may for a time goe out of a man and walke throughout drie places but if it be possible he will returne with seven other spirits worse than himselfe and the end of that man is worse than the beginning A man may flye from the pollution and filthinesse of the World as it is 2. Pet. 2. 20. but by the policie of Sathan hee may be tangled againe therein He may be washed as it
carry and cast a man from a setled and sound course of holinesse and sinceritie upon the dangerous Rockes of singularitie and separation But understand me aright what I meane by singularitie I meane that onely which ariseth out of privie Pride is upholden by selfe-will and obstinatenesse and many times ends in separation and hath neither ground nor defence from sound judgement spirituall wisedome or true tendernesse of Conscience joyned with humilitie and willingnesse to be rightly informed I meane not singularitie in respect of holinesse and unspottednesse of life in respect of difference and distance from the sinfull fashions of the times For in this sense every man that will save his soule must be singular Hence it is that our Saviour asketh his followers in Math. 5. what singular thing they doe if they doe but as the Publicans doe As if hee should have said You that will be Christians must be of a more heavenly temper and higher straine than the most men and the greater part of the World You must be singular and shine as Lights amid a naughtie and crooked generation Hence is it that Gods children ever were and ever will be Signes and Wonders Miracles and Monsters in the opinion and censure of most amongst whom they live gazing stockes both by reproaches and afflictions Heb. 10. 33. Behold saith Isaiah Chap. 8. 18. I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are as signes and as wonders in Israel by the Lord of Hosts which dwelleth in Mount Sion I am become saith David as it were a monster unto many or to the great men of the World as some render it Psal 71. 7. And in another Psalme Psal 79. 4. Wee are a reproach to our neighbours even a scorne and a derision unto them that are round about us But especially you may see in Wisd 2. though the Booke be Apocryphall what is the counsell and conceit of the wicked about the oddenesse and singularitie of the Saints Let us defraud the righteous say the wicked for hee is not for our profit and hee is contrarie to our doings hee checketh us for offending against the Law and blameth us as transgressors of Discipline hee maketh his boast to have the knowledge of God and hee calleth himselfe the sonne of the Lord Hee is made to reprove our thoughts It grieveth us also to looke upon him for his life is not like other mens his wayes are of another fashion hee counteth us as bastards and hee withdraweth himselfe from our wayes as from filthinesse hee commendeth greatly the latter end of the just and boasteth that God is his father Thus as Gods children and godly men are indeed more excellent than their neighbours and singular in respect of their sanctification and sinceritie so they are scorned and reviled by the World and the greater part of men as odde fellowes and such as must have wayes by themselves and a tricke above others They are pointed at as matter of scorne and contempt they are set up as markes of slander and oppression and gazed upon as strange creatures Wee are made sayth Paul 1 Cor. 4. 9. meaning himselfe and other of Gods faithfull servants a gazing-stocke unto the World and to the Angels and to men And no marvell though it be so For besides that all prophane and unregenerate men are naturally ineagered and inraged with implacable malice and hatred against Gods Children they are in all places but few in number which makes them more noted and pointed at That they are but few besides many certaine demonstrative Reasons out of Scripture it may thus plainely appeare as a good Divine tells us First let there be taken from amongst us all Papists Atheists and scorners of godlinesse and Religion Secondly let there be removed all notorious and infamous evill livers as Swearers Drunkards Whoremongers Vsurers Worldlings Deceivers proud persons prophaners of the Sabbath Gamesters and all the prophane and ignorant multitude Thirdly let all those be passed over that are but onely civill honest men and meddle not with any profession or practise of holinesse without which no man must see God Fourthly set aside all grosse Hypocrites who for advantage or by-respects are outwardly religious but inwardly corrupt hollow-hearted and abominable Fifthly let there be sorted out and rejected all carnall Protestants formall Professors backsliders cold and unzealous Christians who falsely thinke that they may both enjoy the World and a good Conscience too live pleasantly on Earth and yet save their soules at last and that it is not necessarie to hold any such strict course of holinesse to come to Heaven Let all these kinde of men I say all which in one measure or other are in the state of death and under the power of Sathan be separated and shoaled out and how many doe you thinke will remaine amongst us sound sincere faithfull and zealous professors and practisers of saving Truth the power of Grace and holy Obedience to all Gods Commandements For such onely are Gods servants and in the state of Grace Let a man come into any Towne Village Citie or Corporation and let all such men as are before mentioned be removed and how many should he finde of these last They would certainely be thinne scattered and like the Grapes after the gathering of the Vintage two or three in the top of the upmost boughes and foure or five in the high branches Singularitie then of sanctification is no fruit of Pride but an inseparable marke and necessarie state of true Christianitie I come now to a third ground whence Sathan may rayse a temptation to privie Pride When a man is faithfull and diligent in the discharge and executions of his civill calling hee may cast a conceit into his head that such base earthly and worldly imployment and spending his time is disgracefull and derogatorie to the providence of God and his Christian libertie and that it hinders him in his calling of Christianitie and duties of Religion Whence may sollow dangerous effects of spirituall Pride quite leaving or neglect discontent or distaste of his civill calling And so his heart and affections may bee put quite out of order and deceive themselves in the very maine point of making towards Heaven Sathan by his subtill malice may worke out matter and occasion of spirituall Pride from the speciall providence of God conducting the Christian the best and the neerest way to Heaven To give example in some particulars 1 When God out of his great wisedome and mercie humbles him with afflictions and prickes the swelling of his Pride when hee cuts and loppes away his vanities excesses and superfluities with some visitation or other and fills him with bitternesse in this life to the end hee might long for the life to come Why then Sathan labours mightily to kindle in his corrupt nature a flash of spirituall Pride that hee may drive him to grumbling and impatiencie and so make
may be they may heare attend and understand what is delivered but it breedes no more reverence impression or spirituall reformation than an ordinarie Tale or humane discourse As though that holy toyle and sacred breath were spent onely to entertaine the Time and busie mens eares for an Houre and not as Christ tells Paul To open their eyes that they might turne from Darkenesse unto Light and from the power of Sathan unto God 4 Vpon some the Iudgement and Curse of comming without Conscience and due preparation doth so farre prevaile and hath such power that they become scorners and raylers against the Minister or his Doctrine or both at every Sermon they catch something that they may cavill at deprave and calumniate And so wickedly and wretchedly oppose their discourse wit and spirit of contradiction against the face of Heaven and heart of Divine Truth They wrangle and repine in deed and truth whatsoever their pretences or protestations may be to the contrarie against that Great Majestie whose Message it is against that Holy Spirit which should sanctifie them and the Word of Grace which should save them 5 Others there be even of good hearts and affections Professors and in some good measure practisers of the power of godlinesse yet because they are carelesse and neglective of this needfull Christian dutie of preparation are possessed with much deadnesse of heart and dullnesse of spirit at those holy Exercises Their zeale and fervencie which should be quickened and inflamed at every Sermon is dulled and benummed with senselesnesse and satietie They doe not so tremble or are cast downe with Divine Comminations and denouncements of Gods Iudgements against sinne or so refreshed with the gracious promises of Life and Salvation as they ought to be They doe not enjoy and reape the thousandth part of that delight comfort and benefit as they well might by the Ministerie of the Word because their hearts are not purged and prepared They doe not with that chearefulnesse receive with that sweetnesse taste and rellish with that life and vigour disgest the Food of Life The eye of their minde for want of premeditation doth not so clearely see and discerne the infinite beautie of that sacred Majestie represented unto them or that glorious grace shining unto them in the face of CHRIST IESVS Their hand of Faith doth not with that feeling and fastnesse lay hold upon and claspe about the rich Treasures revealed in the Gospell In a word they bereave themselves of much good blessing comfort and growth in grace which they might and ought to have by hearing of the Word for want of due preparing and disposing the heart thereto This dutie of Preparation then though that it be not much thought upon or ordinarily practised yet it is of great necessitie and speciall use for all those which looke for benefit or blessing by the preaching of the Word There is no great Affaire or of weight and consequence eyther in Nature or Art in necessarie businesses and civill Negotiations or in matters of Complement Ceremonie and Enterview but there is required some bethinking preparation and prae-dispositions for the more happie and successefull accomplishment execution and performance how much more in the affaires of God matters of Heaven businesses of eternitie and salvation of mens soules The Ground must be manured and prepared for the Seed if wee looke it should fructifie and prosper how much more should our dull and dead hearts bee stirred up and furrowed as it were with humiliation reverence and repentance that by the grace of God and the sanctifying power of the Spirit it may lodge and take deepe root in them and spring up to eternall life The Body must be fitted with a Preparative and the humours as it were gathered unto a head if wee desire the Physicke should worke forcibly and kindly and rid us of their noxiousnesse and superfluitie how much more ought our Soules with an impartiall and narrow inquisition to be searched and layd open before they receive the Water of Life and spirituall Manna that so they may more seasonably and soundly be washed and purged from corruptions and imperfections preserved in spirituall health and prepared for eternall life The Ground must be layd and some imperfect Draughts Shadowes and resemblances premised before a Picture can be done to the Life or a full proportion and lively representation pourtrayed or presented to the eye how much more ought the ground of our hearts to be fitted and prepared that by the preaching of the Word the Image of Christ Iesus may with a lively and fresh impression be stamped upon them Were a man the next day to goe about a businesse that mainely concerned eyther his life or livelyhood the state of his Lands or danger of his life Would not his minde be troubled before-hand Would it not breake his sleepe the night before Would he not be musing and plotting by what meanes he might worke out his deliverance and safetie what behaviour and carriage might be fittest to winne favour and grace in so weightie an affaire How much more ought wee before wee intrude into the House of God where matters of our greatest and highest interest are proposed handled and debated by the Minister of the Word even life eternall and everlasting estate in another World I say how ought wee to thinke with our selves how wee may make our soules fittest to understand and accept the Covenant of Grace to receive the Seale of the Spirit and to get assurance of that glorious and royall Inheritance in the Heavens Nay yet further even in matters of complement and enterview there is wont to be preparation especially if the presence and persons were the greater Ioseph when he was sent for to goe before King Pharoah hee shaved his head and changed his rayment because hee was to appeare before so high and royall a presence Queene Hester durst not presse into the presence of King Ahashuerosh before shee had prepared her selfe How much more ought wee to fit and prepare our selves base and miserable wretches Wormes and no men as wee are with feare and trembling when wee come into the House and presence of the mightie Lord of Heaven and Earth before whom the Seraphins hide their faces the Nations are as a drop of a Bucket and the inhabitants of the Earth as Grasse-hoppers especially sith there hee offers and tenders unto us enlargement from the slaverie of sinne purgation from our pollutions and a Crowne of life upon that condition that wee repent forsake all our sinnes and resigne up our selves in sincere and humble obedience unto all his Commandements Inducements we have and Motives many both from Precept and Practice in the Booke of God for the performance of this Christian dutie of Preparation Take heed to thy foot sayth the Preacher when thou enterest into the House of God and be more neere to heare than to give the sacrifice of fooles for
they know not that they doe evill Before thou set foot into the Church to heare the Word of God be sure to settle thy affections that they be sober moderate and sanctified fit to entertaine the Word of life and salvation let thy heart be seasoned with first Softnesse secondly Humilitie thirdly Honestie fourthly Faith fifthly Teachablenesse First if thou doe not preserve thy heart tender soft and flexible the power of the Word will not make any such print or deepe impression upon it all holy admonitions reproofes and instructions will be unto thee as Arrowes shot against a Stone wall Secondly wee must bring with us an humble heart to the hearing of the Word for the Lord resists the proud and gives grace to the humble Them that be meeke will he guide in judgement and teach the humble his way The proud heart is so swelled with the winde of vanitie and vaine-glory of selfe-love and over-weening conceit that there is left no roome in it for the precious Treasure of saving grace If it eyther be puffed up with a conceit of knowledge or a perswasion of holinesse enough or a boisterous peremptorinesse against the power of the Word the Water of Life will be unto it but as Water poured upon a drowned man or as a Seale thrust upon Water which will receive no impression A lowly heart broken and bruised with Conscience of sinne is a fit Seat for the mightie Lord and his saving graces Isa 57. 15. Thirdly wee must come with a good and honest heart which hateth all corruptions both in it selfe and others which hath no delight in any sinfull pleasures or wicked vanities which hath no manner of purpose to live and continue in any one sinne whatsoever but is readie and resolved though it be much cumbred with it owne corruptions the Worlds enticements and Sathans craftinesse yet to serve and please God in all the wayes of his Commandements and that sincerely and continually All profitable and fruitfull hearers have such good and honest hearts and are resembled by the good ground Luke 8. 15. But that is a wicked and sinfull heart and not fit to be wrought upon by the Ministerie of the Word which purposeth and resolveth to cherish and maintaine but any one sinne whatsoever Fourthly our hearts must be seasoned with Faith otherwise it will not sinke and soake into them with power and profit The old Iewes heard the Word but it profited them not because it was not mingled with faith in those that heard it Heb. 4. 2. The fearefull threatnings and thunderbolts of the Law by Faith receive an edge to wound and pierce and strike through our soules with amazements and trembling And Faith it is that animates and inspires the promises of the Gospel with such a soveraigne sweetnesse and powerfull comfort that they are able not onely to rayse and revive us from the depth and extremitie of remorse and feare but also to put us into a Paradise of spiituall pleasures and possession of Heaven as it were alreadie But if the Word light upon a faithlesse heart it dyes it does no good Fifthly wee must bring with us into the Lords Sanctuarie teachable and hearing hearts that will willingly and readily open themselves to receive the Lord of glory with whatsoever hee shall reveale unto us out of his holy Word Sacrifice and burnt offerings sayth David thou wouldest not but mine eares hast thou prepared As if hee should have said Thou hast bored new eares in my heart that I can now reverently attend unto rightly conceive and with an holy greedinesse devoure the mysterie of grace With such hearts as these must wee come to the hearing of the Word if wee looke that it should be unto us a Word of power salvation and life and not to be of the number of those that offer the sacrifice of fooles and yet know not that they doe evill Many there are certainely which offer these foolish sacrifices I meane hearers without care and conscience Who if they come into the House of God and vouchsafe their presence in the place and lend their eares to the Preacher for the time they thinke themselves presently jolly fellowes for matters of Religion and that they are sanctified as it were by the Worke wrought and their onely presence in that holy place when as yet the Word hath had no more power nor wrought more alteration upon them than upon the Seats where they sate And that which makes these fooles much more miserable and foolish is this They know not that they doe evill as it is in the Text. They thinke their case good enough that they are in the right course of Christianitie and that no more is required for matters of Heaven when as in respect of saving grace they are wretched miserable and poore and blinde and naked Besides this place of the Preacher the Evangelist S. Luke Chap. 8. 18. bids us take heed how wee heare And good reason in a matter of such great weight and consequence For there is not a Sermon wee heare but wee must be countable for it at the Day of our Visitation God is countable unto us for every haire of our head is it not reason wee should be countable to him for those precious Lessons he reacheth unto us by the Ministerie of the Word Assuredly there is not a Sermon which wee have heard fruitlessely and without profit but it will be a shrewd and sore witnesse against us at that Day Besides these Precepts wee finde much practise in the Booke of God of this holy dutie of Preparation when any sacred businesse was to be undertaken Moses could not approach so glorious and sacred a Presence or tread upon the ground made holy by so great a Majestie as the Lord of Heaven and Earth before he had put off his shooes Neither ought wee to presume or presse into his Sanctuarie where he hath promised his Presence in a solemne speciall and powerfull manner and is readie to shower downe his blessings of salvation into all truly humble and prepared hearts before wee have shaken off and cast from us all earthly incumbrances and secret corruptions all dulnesse and deadnesse of heart whith makes us unworthy and undisposed to stand upon so holy ground and utterly uncapable of all that heavenly Wisedome and holy instructions unto eternall life that are there taught and tendred unto us nay turne the blessings of the Ministery into curses and condemnation unto us When Ioshuah was to make a strong and lasting impression in the hearts of the Israelites whom after the death of Moses he conducted to the promised Land of the power and providence of God for his people by that miraculous parting of the Waters of Iordan for the transportation of the Arke hee commanded the people to sanctifie themselves to prepare and compose their hearts to admire and reverence with greater
of the Conscience secondly Purgation of the heart thirdly Prayer unto God fourthly Readinesse of heart to receive every truth First for Examination of the Conscience Examination is a dutie practisable by all true Christians at many times and upon sundry occasions It is either more extraordinarie and that is either in the time of solemne Fast and generall humiliation for some publike Plague and calamitie that lyes upon the State or Church Wee are then seriously to search and ransacke throughly our Consciences that wee may throw that or those sinnes out of our affections practise and allowance which have their part in pulling downe those publike Psagues upon us Or secondly when our family is singled out and visited with some speciall and extraordinarie scourge and judgement and then must we make an impartiall inquisition into our hearts lest we be the Achans which by our secret sinnes provoke Gods causefull wrath Or when our selves in a more private and particular manner are afflicted with some speciall vexation as by some maladie and miserie in our bodies with some terrors and feares in our minds or with some slanders disgraces and imputations upon our good names when Gods hand is upon us any of these wayes wee are presently to conceive that the sinnes of our soules are the true causes of all the miseries and crosses which befall us any manner of wayes and therefore wee are narrowly and exactly to enquire into our selves and to cast out our secret beloved sinnes those lurking rebels the breeders of all our woe Besides examination of our hearts in these or the like cases there is also a more ordinarie and usuall examination necessarie and required of us and that especially every day that we may make the Score of our sinnes lesse and our account shorter against the Day of our Visitation that wee may more entirely and comfortably preserve and enjoy Gods favour and protection inward peace of Conscience spirituall joy and Christian chearfulnesse in all our affaires and passages 2 Before wee come to receive and be partakers of the holy Sacrament of the sacred body and bloud of Christ lest by neglect and omission of this dutie we become unworthy receivers and so eate and drinke our owne judgement and damnation nay be guiltie of the innocent and precious bloud of Christ Iesus which one day will be an heavie and unsupportable burthen to our Consciences To be guiltie of the sinfull bloud of prophane men is able to make the proudest heart and highest stomacke to tremble and quake like an Aspen leafe and to strike through his soule with restlesse horrour and gastly sights Who is able then to beare the guilt of guiltlesse bloud Abels innocent bloud cryed for and pulled downe strange and desperate vengeance upon cruell Cain How loud then will be the crie of the bloud of the innocent Lambe of God How will it ring in the eares of God the Father How fearefully will it fill Heaven and Earth untill it hath brought downe Plagues and Curses upon those wofull Soules who irreverently and unpreparedly prophane so high and holy a mysterie A third ordinarie examination is before wee presse into the House of God and present our selves before his Ministers and Messengers to be instructed in his will from Heaven out of his holy Word lest this blessed Ordinance should be accursed unto us You may see in the Prophet Ezech. 14. 7 8. how the Lord threatens that person that comes to his Ministers to enquire of them or to be informed by them and yet separates himselfe from the Lord and sets up any Idoll in his heart and stumbling-blocke of his iniquitie before his face that the Lord will set his face against him and make him a signe and a Proverbe and cut him off from the midst of his people Whence wee may well inferre that it will be very dangerous for any to come to the hearing of the Word without examination of his heart whether there be any such stumbling-blocke of iniquitie in it or no. 2 Because that examination of the heart to finde out our corruptions tends especially to the cleansing of it therefore the second dutie before the hearing of the Word is the purgation or cleansing of the heart first from sinne which the Scripture beats much upon Iam. 1. 21. Lay apart all filthinesse and superâ—luitiâ— of naughtinesse and receive with meekenesse the ingrafted Word c. It is not meerely lay apart but put away quite and cleane all filthinesse and this is a fit preparative for the hearing of the Word as appeares also by that paralell place 1 Pet. 3. 1 2. Wherefore putting away all malice all guile and hypocrisie and envie and evill speakings as new-borne babes desire the sincere Milke of the Word And there is the same reason for any other sinne to be put away that there is for these mentioned As it is with the body when the stomack is foule and clogged with bad humours wee should first purge it before wee feede it for otherwise whatsoever we eate doth but nourish and encrease the corrupt humours of the body So it is with the soule when it is stuffed or clogged with sinne whatsoever is heard in the Ministery of the Word shall be perverted and abused by it and wrested to the destruction of it It is no wonder therefore that those that live in dissolute or scandalous courses those that are drunk on the evening before the Lords day or spend it in gaming or company keeping or have bin acting of some soule sinne and then repaire unto the Word it is no wonder I say that such goe away never a whit the better but rather worse than they came Did you ever know any Salve so soveraigne that would cure a wound that had a splint or an arrow-head remaining in it Surely every knowne sinne unrepented of hinders the saving operation of the Word in any mans heart yea it will make the Word the savour of death unto a man See to this purpose Ier. 7. 9 10. Secondly the heart must also be purged from all worldly cares and thoughts which may divide or draw away the heart Math. 13. 22. The cares of the World doe choake the Seed of the Word Luke 21. 34. The cares of this life doe surfet the heart Now as it is with a man in a surfet hee is not fit to eat neither can he digest any wholesome food so when as the heart is surfetted with worldly cares it is unfit for any spirituall food You know how it was with Martha Luke 10. 41. Iesus said unto Martha Thou art troubled about many things but one thing is necessarie Martha had a clutter of many worldly matters that made a great noise in her head and hindered better matters that she cared not for hearing How then shall they profit by the Word that doe jumpe out of their worldly businesse and from busying their heads about
upon any part of Gods Word on God himselfe his Wisedome Power his Mercie or on the infinite varietie of good things which wee receive of his free bountie upon his workes and judgements upon our sinnes and the vilenesse of our corruption that wee yet carry about us upon our mortalitie and changes in this World upon our manifold afflictions of this life and how wee may in best manner beare and goe through them and the benefit thereof upon the manifold and great priviledges which wee enjoy dayly through the inestimable kindnesse of God towards us upon the foure last things but especially of those things that wee have most speciall need of Of the thing meditated upon consider First The definition or description Secondly The distribution sorts kinds or parts Thirdly Causes especially efficient and finall Fourthly The fruits and effects which it bringeth forth Fifthly The subject wherein it is or about which it is occupied Sixtly The qualities or properties adjoyned And know that oftentimes in common practice these three the finall cause the fruit or the effect the use or propertie of a thing are often confounded Seventhly The contrarie Eightly The comparison Exemplifie in the joyes of Heaven of which see Hall In sinne of which see Practice of Christianitie pag. 293. Vpon this occasion let us peruse in this manner Fasting and the Plague 5 A fifth meanes to profit by the Word is Teaching Praying with and Catechizing your children and servants To which Dutie be stirred up and strengthened by First Scriptures Deut. 4. 9. 6. 7. 11. 19. Psal 78. 5 6. Exod. 12. 26 27. 13 14. Iosh 4. 6 7 21 22. Deut. 6. 20 21. Eph. 6. 4. Secondly By the patterne and practice of holy Parents from time to time Consider for this purpose the carriage of Abraham Gen. 18. 19. David Prov. 4. 4. Bathsheba Prov. 31. 1. Lois and Eunice 2 Tim. 1. 5. Thirdly By the authoritie of the ancient Fathers 1 Heare Austin Notwithstanding my deare friends in so great a difference of manners and such abominable corruption governe your Houses governe your Children governe your Families As it behoves us to speake to you in the Church so it pertaines to you to doe in your Houses that yee may be able to give a good account of those who are under you Againe I pray thee my Brother I pray thee shew to all under thee of meere good will from the least to the greatest in thy House the love and sweetnesse of Heaven the bitternesse and feare of Hell and be thou solicitous and watchfull because thou shalt render an account to the Lord for all those under thee that are in thy House Declare charge command perswade them that they would take heed of Pride of Slandering of Drunkennesse of Fornication of Luxurie Anger Perjurie Covetousnesse which is the root of all evill 2 Nazianzen Hast thou a Child Let not wickednesse take advantage and occasion Let it be endued with sanctitie and consecrated to thy spirit from the very Cradle I know he meanes it immediately of Baptisme but by Analogie that binds also to have a care of religious education Fourthly by Reasons First Thy Children sprung from thy Loines and came into the World to encrease the number of Gods people to learne the way to Heaven and walke in it not onely to uphold thy House inherite thy Possessions and convey thy Name to future Generations The glorifying of our God serving our Brethren in love salvation of our owne Soules are the chiefe ends why we live a little while in this World Now Parents should be most solicitous to further their Children for the attainement of the maine end and most soveraigne good Secondly Neglect of this Dutie makes Parents worse to their Children than to their Beasts For 1 They provide for their Beasts all things necessarie for them but in their owne deare Children they neglect that One necessarie thing 2 They procure for and put their Beasts to all things of which they are capable Their Children are capable of Grace and Immortalitie and they never meddle nor move them to looke that way or lay hold upon eternall Life Thirdly Let the remarkable and rufull example of Eli be for ever a keene spurre in the sides of slouthfull Parents to quicken them to this Dutie Fourthly Thou art farre more cruell than the Ostrich and the Dragon and mayest be said to have suckt the brests of Tygres and to be hewed out of the hardest Rocke if having brought thy Children forth into this World limbes for the Devill and fewell for Hell-fire thou labour not might and maine to get them new-borne the members of Christ and freed from everlasting flames Fifthly Grace onely is able to make thy Children truly obedient serviceable and everlastingly thankfull having now a double tye first birth secondly new-birth Then onely and never before doe they begin to pray for their Parents to deale faithfully in their businesses not to long for their death Sixtly A conscionable and constant performance of this Dutie in their life time will fill Parents hearts full of sweetest joy and heavenly comfort upon their Beds of Death when they see by their care and zeale for their spirituall good that holy knowledge and wisedome planted in their Childrens hearts which will bring them after them to eternall blisse or how soever consciousnesse of a conscionable discharge of their Dutie in this respect will infinitely refresh them Seventhly It is the way to make thy posteritie truly honourable and to meet thee in Heaven Those Children which are taught by thee may teach the same things unto theirs and those to others c. Eightly Thy Children neglected in this point and so dying impenitently will curse thee everlastingly in Hell for thy bloudie inexpiable crueltie towards them in this kind Ninthly Besides innumerable sinnes of thine owne the least of which merits eternitie of Hellish torments thou hast justly set upon thy Score by this unconscionable murthering negligence the sinnes and sinnefull courses of thine owne Children which will lye full heavie upon thy Conscience when it shall be ragingly enlightened by the long provoked wrath of God 6 The next meanes is Prayer Prov. 2. 3 4 5. 7 The seventh meanes is Practise See Iohn 7. 17. 8 The eight is Experience See Dike of the heart pag. 69. 3 Be none of the reprobate grounds Math. 13. of which see Dike Taylor 4 Be none of those who invited to the Marriage of the Kings Sonne Math. 22. either first wilfully contemne Vers 3. secondly or carelesly dis-esteeme Vers 5. thirdly or cruelly persecute Vers 6. 5 Reject all those Hellish temptations which doe mightily keepe off the dint and power of the most piercing Word and being entertained will cause the Word preached to be but as the breath of the Minister scattered in the Ayre and