not of it every houre of that day that you spend in common speeches and actions you rob the Lord of that houre for all the day is his And doe not thinke that men were tied to this observance onely under the Old Testament but know that it continues still for doe but consider with your selves if the Lord should have left it meerely in the power of the Church to appoint a Sabbath day it might have been brought from a week to a moneth and from a moneth to a yeare and so if of meeting together had bin no necessity put upon us by God himseâ—fe where would religion have bin And do you think God would not have provided for his Church better than so Besides why should it be questioned when it is transmitted to us from the most ancient times Iustin Martyr sayes that on the day which we call Sunday the Christians met together to worship God and the people came out of the Countrey for that end and it was a Solemne day Tertullian in his Apologie saith as much and therefore because they spent that day in worshiping God all the Heathen called it Sunday And in all ancient times it was never controverted never called into question Againe doe we not need such a day Therefore the Lord saith Sabbath was made for man as if hee had said I could have spared the Sabbath It is not for my owne sake and for my worship sake but for mans sake that is lest he should forget God and bee a stranger to him which would redound to our own hurt And therefore shall not wee be willing to keepe it when it was for our owne sakes that the Lord appointed it What gainers might wee be in grace and holinesse if wee would sanctifie every Sabbath as we should Should we be losers by it but this is a digression and I speake it by the way But marke it I say if you keepe the Commandements of God What meanes this bleating of the sheepe These acts of disobedience on his owne Day We will goe on in the examination If indeed we thinke that it is the Lord that doth good and evill why are we so inobservant and negligent of him why do we reckon it a wearinesse to serve him why turne wee Religion into formalitie posting over holy duties in a carelesse and negligent maner when we should be carefull and fervent in the same Why is there so little growth in religion so much barrennesse in good workes the price whereof is more than gold and silver In a word Why doe we turne the maine into the by and the by into the maine That is why goe we about all other businesse as our maine and chiefe scope and take in holy duties by the way more to stop the mouth of naturall Conscience as carnall men may doe than for any delight weâ— have in them If we thinke God to be the Author of good and evill why are these things so Every man is ready to professe his faith in the Truth hereof but if wee did beleeve it wee should be more carefull to please the LORD in all things Againe if we thinke that God only doth good and evill why have not wee our eyes on him altogether why doe wee not feare him and nothing els trust in him and in nothing besides depend on him and upon no other In all our calamities and dangers why doe not wee seeke to him as to one that onely can helpe us and heale us You will say we doe depend on God wee trust in God and none but him It is very well if you doe but consider that to trust in God is to part with all for his sake and to have an eye only unto the recompence of reward to be willing to deny our selves in our profits and credits and pleasures to be content to have him alone Thus Saint Paul expresses it 2 Tim. 1.13 Therefore saith he have we suffered these things for we know whom wee have trusted As if he had said we have parted with all we are content to be led from prison to prison we are content with God alone for wee know the power and faithfulnesse of him whom we have trusted Againe to trust in God is then to rest on him when the case is such marke it that if we faile we are undone then to build on him as a sure rocke that is the nature of true holinesse and exact walking when God puts us into an exigent removes from us friends takes away worldly helpes yet in this case to trust him Thus Hester trusted God when she undertooke that dangerous enterprize If I perish I perish when if the Lord had failed her shee had lost her life So Daniel trusted God when he would put himselfe upon him being in such danger for the open profession of his Religion which by death they would have forced him to deny Thus Asa trusted God when hee went with a small number against a great multitude the Text saith of him That he trusted in God Now doe we thus trust him Surely we doe not but when faith and sense come into competition when they meet together on a narrow bridge we are readie to byas our conscience the wrong way to goe aside and decline the blow that is we are ready in such a case though with breach of a good conscience so to trust in God that withall we will keepe a sure foot on some outward probable sensible meanes that if God failes us yet wee may know what to trust to The truth is we doe not leane to the Lord. For what â—â— it to leane to him You know a man is then â—â—id to leane when hee stands not on his ownâ—â—eet but so rests the buâ—ke of his body on a raâ—â—e or staffe or the like that if it faile him he fals downe To rest on God in this manner is to leane to him and did wee thinke that hee had all power to doe good and hurt to the Creature we should thus trust in him but in that we doe it so little and so seldome it it an argument that whatsoever wee professe we doe not indeed beleeve it Last of all to make an end of this examination if we think indeed that the Lord only is able to doe good and evill why do we not that which is a necessary consequent thâ—râ—of which you shall finde in Gen. 17.1 it is Gods speech to Abraham I am God all-sufficient therefore walke before mee and bee perfect Marke that when any man thinkes God to be Al-sufficient that he hath all power in his hands that he is Almighty for so the word signifies that which will necessarily follow on this beliefe is this he will be perfect with the Lord. You will say I hope we are perfect with God But if we be why are our actions so dissonant why doe wee serve God so by halfes and by fits why are we
When it is done without Temptation or with small Temptation 5 What it is done against Vowes and Covenants 6 When it is done against much meanes 2 To quicken our desires after Christ take away the Excuses of sinne 1 Excuse Good meanings Quest. 2 Excuse Badnesse of nature Answ. 5 The times are times of the Gospell not of the law Object Answ. Object 4 Excuse The good things we doe will ballance the evill Answ. Object 5 Excuse Others are worse Answ. Means to arme us against these Excuses 1 The Word 2 The Spirit of bondage How it worketh this in a man Doct. 2. There is a Revelation of wrath against all unrighteousnesse of men 2 Things to be observed 1 The certaintie of this wrath Proofes of it 2 What this Wrath is Three things observable 1 It is a Treasure 2 The power of it 3 The suddennesse of it Vse 1. See what Sinne is Vse 2. Labour for a Sense of the wrath of God Vse 3. Goe to Christ. Of with-holding the Truth in unrighteousnesse Three things considerable Doctr. Object Answ. 1 What this Truth is A three-fold Truth 1 The subject of this Truth 2 The Author of it 3 The extent of it 2 How this Truth is withholden Quest. Answ. Foure wayes of imprisoning the Light How great a sinne it is to with-hold the Truth in unrighteousnesse Vse 1. Vse 2. Sheweth the misery of thâ—se men that are neare the kingdome of God but not in it Their misery is in three things 1 The good things that they have doe them no good 2 They doâ— them much hurt 3 How farre they goe and yet how farre they fall short of that which is proper to the godly 1 In inlightning 2 In their Conscience 3 In common gifts 4 In their actions 5 In their Conflicts 2 How farre they fall short 1 In light and understanding In two things 2 In their Conscience Note 3 Morall Vertues 4 In Actions In two respects Object Answ. 5 In their Conflict in foure things Vse 3. Men sinne not out of want of information but out of love of unrighteousnesse How the Truth is with-held in unrighteousnesse Vse 4. Consider the danger of disobeying the Truth Object May not a man be too scrupulous Answ. Vse 5. Give the Truth leave to rule 1 The danger of restraining it 2 The benefit of setting it at liberty Object Answ. Means how to set the Truth at liberty Prayer 2 Practice the Truth 3 Communion Saints Act. 21.13 1 That there is such a Truth proved foure wayes Object Answ. 2 That they with-hold the Truth in unrighteousnesse Object Doct. 1. That Truth or Law or knowledge by which every man shall be judged is made manifest by God himselfe 1 What this Truth is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 How it is made knowne Foure wayes 1 By the light of Nature 2 By Gods workes 3 By the Scriptures 4 By the Saints 3 It is God that maketh this Truth evident Hence these Consectaries may be deduced Vse 1. To shew the hainousnesse of mens sinnes against this Truth Object Answ. Vse 2. Be thankfull for the Truth Vse 3. Doe nothing contrary to the Truth Object Answ. Seven Cases wherein men detaine this Truth in unrighteousnesse 1 In the Commission of knowne sins Case 2. In unwillingnesse to increase a mans Knowledge Two sorts of those Case 3. In not acting and practising the Truth by the use of meanes Object Answ. Case 4. In suffocating and suppressing it Two wayes Case 5. In removing impediments Case 6. Case 7. Object Answ. Vse 4. Object Answ. Object Answ. Point 3. There is so much revealed to every man as will make him inexcusable The Excuses whereby men endevour to purge themselves Excuse 1. Thaâ— they know not God Answ. Excuse 2. God requires more knowledge than men have of him Answ. The inexcusablenesse of ignorant Countrey people Pretence 3. We hâ—ve no ability to performe the things we know Quest. Answ. Object Answ. Pretence 4. From the corruption of nature which they cannot resist Answ. 1. Answ. 2. Answ. 3. Pretence 5. From Temptations of company businesse c. Answ. 1. Answ. 2. Pretence 6. From the want of meanes Answ. Other particular Excuses First by denying the Fact Secondly By sleighting the Fault Ob. It is a smal sinne Answ. Ob. I fell into by infirmity Answ. 1. Ob. But I am sorry that I so sinned Answ. 1. Answ. 2. Vse 1. Object Answ. Object Answ. Vse 2. Means whereby men are kept in their old condition First Inconsideration 2 Some Lust. Fastiug is no Arbitrary dutie Which is proved by â—exâ—s of Scripture The definition of a Fast. The defects which we are subject to in performing that duty 1 To rest in the work done 2 To doe it for a fit 3 Not to reforme upon the doing of it There is a double performance of duties 1 When they be performed as Fasts 2 When its affections are wrought upon in the duty Ver. 1.2 The Analysis of the Text. The Israelites disease Sin The consequent of sin is wrath Ver. 3. The effect of Gods wrath the Plague The remedy was the turning away of Gods wrath Which was done by zeale And that for two reasons Five generall points raised out of the text 1 Generall point God only doth good and evill Certaine convictions for demonstrations of the point 1 Conviction The frequency of our sinning A digression touching the Sabbath proving that it ought to be sanctified 1 Because it is a Holy Day 2 It is Gods day It is further convinced 1 From the hazard of Religion by leaving man at liberty 2 From the Antiquity of its celebration 3 From the usefulnesse of a Sabbath 2 Conviction is our neglecting of dutie 3 Conviction is our not fearing and trusting him alone Quest. Answ. Discovering the Nature of trusting in God which is to be content with God alone 2 To rely upon him in Exigents Which is instanced in Hester And Daniel 4 Conviction or not walking perfectly with the Lord. Reason 2. To prove the point Reason 1. If the creatures could do good or evill God were not God Reason 2. The Creature should be God Dan. 5.23 Object 1. From the operation of second causes Answ. 1. 1 The Lord workes by them Reason 1. Which is illustrate by some comparisons By their different effects By places of Scripture Vse 1. To labour to see God in his greatnesse Which would draw our affections to God The want of it carries us to the Creature and brings us upon the danger of Idolatry By advancing the creatures in our opinions Question concerning the use of the Creatures Answ. They are to be used with a subordinate affection To looke to God in all our businesse He doth instance in particulars Vse 3. Set Faith and the Spirit on work to judge of these things Two generall points Sinne câ—uses Wrath. Which he illustrates by a Compaâ—â—â—â—n Object From the
them hurtfull but grasse is good and usefull But corne and flowers of the chiefest sort the earth cannot bring forth without plowing and sowing so it is with mans nature Take it as secluded from Grace it is able to doe two things to bring forth Sinne and Lust which comes from the corruption of it and likewise many excellent vertues which proceed from common nature which is in a man unregenerate as well as sinfull nature These things be good and very commendable but this is their fault they goe no further there is no more than nature in them they are very like true Grace as false Iewels are like true ones and as your wilde corne is like true corne there is a great similitude betweene them but yet there is a great deale of difference if you looke on them with a curious eye and judge of them with a righteous judgement Fourthly for matter of Actions it is true they doe many things but they fall short in these two respects First they doe not all they are alway wanthing in something It is not said Herod did all but many things He heard Iohn gladly and did much this rule will not faile they are not general in their obedience there is not a generall change Now the effect cannot goe beyond the cause but it is true of the regenerate They are New Creatures every way and therefore there is a generall observation of the Law of God I speake of an Evangelicall observation competent to the Saints I say they have a respect to all the Commandements the other have not because their hearts are not fully not generally changed they have light but it is shut up within the compasse of one faculty it turnes not the soule into light and therefore they know many things and doe many things yet because the worke is not generall they have still some exception something there is wherein they favour themselves some duty there is that they omit and that constantly from time to time Againe as they doe not doe all so what they doe they doe not in sincerity they doe it not to the Lord but for other respects for themselves for credit or applause to winne love and good will among men or to avoid shame or they doe it to escape judgement and to attaine that safety which Nature it selfe may desire or else to satisfie naturall Conscience many other respects there be but they doe it not in sincerity to the Lord. But it may be objected when they do things in secret doe they not doe them to the Lord It is true they doe it to him as to a naturall good as a Iudge that punishes and rewards as a Dispencer of good and evill so they doe it to the Lord but not to him as a Father as holy and pure as abstracted from all punishment and reward they doe not fix their eye on the Person of God to love him to desire favour and Communion with him after this manner they desire him not and so they faile in the good actions they doe Fifthly and lastly there are two men in Civill men before Regeneration that is an instigation to that which is good and a reluctancie to it a renitencie against it something contrary thereto as well as in the Regenerate but you shall finde them to fall short of the Saints in these foure regards First this Combate in them differs from that in the Saints in respects of the subject it being betweene the Conscience and all the rest of the Soule The Conscience sayes such things must be done but the rest of the faculties rise in rebellion against it because as I told you the light is shut up there and all the Soule is not enlightned but in the Saints the Controversie is between every faculty and it selfe between the understanding and it selfe betweene the whole Soule as it is compared with it selfe there is something good in every part of it and something ill and these two conâ—end Secondly as it differs in the subject so likewise in the object the contention is about different things A civill man that is one that hath many excellent and good things in him but yet is unregenerate for that I meane by a civill man may have a controversie with himselfe about many things belonging to honesty vertue sins of the greatest extent such as he is able to see as in a darke night we see the Starres of a greater magnitude but the other are hid from us but there is something spirituall things that belong to the Image of God to the life of Grace which he makes not Conscience of cannot contend about for he understands them not He may be troubled about many evils and if he fall into grosse sins there may be a Contention in him after he hath committed them as well as before but the spirituall perfomance of duties which belong to godlinesse and true holinesse is not controverted and so they differ in the object Thirdly it differs in regard of the effect and issue of the Combate In a naturall man where there is a strife you shall finde this the issue the better is the loser and the worse is the gainer as it was the speech of Medea Deteriora sequor but it is not so with the Saints for in their Combate ordinarily they have the better as Paul when this combate and strife was within him he was still so sustained by the Grace of God that he had the victory and that I take to be the meaning of that in 2 Cor. 12.9 when there was that strife in him about the thorne in the flesh that is some strong lust that Satan had sharpned against him The Grace of God was sufficient for him and in the issue thereof he did Meliora sequi but the other goes away with the worst Fourthly and lastly there is a difference in regard of the Continuance and durance of this Combate in carnall men it continues not to the end but they give over and this you shall also finde they stand not at a stay but grow worse and worse for that is a generall Truth Evill men shal wax worse and worse there may be a contention for a time the two men may for a Time be in an Aequilibrio the ballance may hang equall for a while but at last they give the raine to their lust they are weary of contending but the Spirit in the Saints growes stronger and stronger as it was said of the house of Saul it waxed weaker and weaker but the house of David grew stronger and stronger And as it was said of Peter When he should be old he should be carried whither he would not shewing by what death he should glorifie God that is this strife should continue til he was old till the latter end of his dayes yea and about that which is hardest of all that is to resist the desire of life to be content to die for CHRIST So you see how farre they
may goe and yet how farre they fall short And now have I done with those three things that the good things that carnall men have doe them no good Secondly that they doe them hurt Thirdly that they may goe farre and yet that you may not be deceived in apprehending what men they are and what Condition we speake of that they fall short of that which is proper to the Saints and so much for the second use Thirdly if this be the Condition of men to with-hold the Truth in unrighteousnesse then this will likewise follow that commonly men sin not out of mistake not out of want of Information and conviction but out of the very love of unrighteousnesse And this serves to take away the Common excuse whereby men doe usually mitigate and extenuate their sins as if they were committed by accident out of incogitation or want of due consideration you see it is not so but that is the case of every man out of the state of Regeneration to commit sin out of love to unrighteousnesse And this is a point that needs much to bee urged because men are not humbled you know the scope of this Text is to humble men to convince them of their sins to shew them the Circumstances by which their sins are justly to be aggravated now because men will pretend they sin out of Infirmity and their meaning is good and they intend not to doe such and such evils or if they doe them it is not with an ill minde I advise you take heed you deceive not your selves you know it was Ionas his case when he had no minde to goe to Niniveh he pretends faire reasons God that searches the heart knowes your hearts howsoever you defend and dispute for your sins and there is a Truth within that tels you such and such things ought not to be done Therefore learne from hence to know your sins and the quality of them And if you object we doe not resist this Truth we obey it in many things Let me aske you Doe you obey it in those things that crosse that particular unrighteousnesse wherein you are delighted for there is the proofe there be some personall sins to which a mans nature is most enclined examine if out of love to them you doe not withhold the Truth for it fares commonly with Truth in this case as it did with Iohn Baptist all the while he preached Herod heard him willingly yea gladly but when he came to touch upon Herodias then he tooke away his head and as he dealt with Iohn so doe we with Truth so long as it suggests nothing to us that crosses our desires we are willing to obey it in all things that it shall dictate to us but when it tels us of sins that we are unwilling to heare of we first imprison it and then extinguish it as there be degrees in restraining of it first in one degree then in a greater degree and at last we put it quite out Therefore take heed to it labour to know your sins to see those which are most naturall to you whether in these you doe not with-hold the Truth in unrighteousnesse which is done after this manner When a man shall have his heart set upon any particular thing which he is not willing to part with and the Truth shal tell him something that is contrary thereto now let him trie himselfe Pilate the Text saith knew that the Pharisees had delivered CHRIST for Envie this he knew but yet to content the people sayes one Evangelist and out of feare of Caesar sayes the other he delivered him to them Out of those two respects because he would not part with his love of the people nor with the good-will of Caesar he would part with CHRIST Now here is the Triall Suppose thou esteemest credit and applause with men the Truth comes and tels thee thou art to doe a thing that crosses this marke what thou art ready to doe in this case you shall see an instance in Iohn 12.42 There were many among the chiefe Rulers which beleeved on CHRIST but for feare lest the Pharisees should cast them out of the Synagogue they durst not confesse him for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God They beleeved on him the Truth did its part they were thereby informed well enough what they were to doe but because they loved the praise of men they resisted this Truth out of love to unrighteousnesse So put case thy minde be set upon wealth and in that thou wilt not be crost This truth tels thee thou must doe one thing but it will crosse thee in matter of thy estate as the Young-man had that Triall put on him Goe and sell all thou hast and thou shalt have Treasure in heaven Compare thine owne with the Young-mans behaviour hee went away sorrowfull Whence we may gather that he was enlightned to see the Truth he knew it was best to follow CHRIST the Truth was thus farre revealed to him for otherwise why should he goe away sorrowfull If he had not beleeved him to be the Messiah he needed not to have sorrowed but in that sorrow was left in his heart it manifested what his minde was set upon Is it thus with thee Learne hence to humble your selves to judge aright of your sins and of your Condition by them And if all this will not perswade you take this one instance which I will give you Take a view of thy selfe as thou art affected at some apprehension of Death in some dangerous sicknesse in some good mood after some quickning of the Spirit in thee after some great trouble into which thou art cast and see what thou wilt doe in such a case See what libertie this Truth hath at such a time how ready thou art to obey it in all things how ready will the Truth be to informe thee these and these things thou oughtest not to doe and thou hast neglected these and these duties how imminent this Truth is to dictate to thee what thou oughtest to doe Consider againe what thy behaviour is in time of health and strength in time of Peace when thou livest in abundance of all things See how farre short thou art of performing what in those times thou wouldest doe and in the same measure thou with-holdest the Truth in unrighteousnesse in such measure thou imprisonest it for that declares what light is in thee Take a survey of one or two dayes goe through the actions that passe by thee in the same see what evill thou hast done and what good thou hast omitted and say thus Might not I have forborne this evill if I would have set my selfe to doe it Might not I have performed this duty if I would have gone about it and let this humble thee For this cause I have chosen this Text that you might be driven out of your selves and why should you be backward in it seeing it is the first
the Plague By the late faithfull and worthy Minister of IESUS CHRIST IOHN PRESTON D. in Divinity Chaplaine in ordinary to his Majestie Master of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher of Lincolns INNE LONDON Printed by R. B. for NICHOLAS BOURNE and are to be sold at his shop at the Royall Exchange 1633. A SERMON PREACHED AT A Generall Fast before the Commmons-house of Parliament Iuly 2. 1625. NUMBERS 25.10 11. And the Lord spake unto Moses saying Phinehas the sonne of Eleazar the son of Aaron the Priest hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel while he was zealous for my sake among them that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousie WE are met together you know to sanctifie a Fast to the Lord. I will therefore speake a word or two of that Dutie before I come to the Text which I have read to you But I will doe it briefly the Common place thereof being too large a subject at this time to enter into And first wee will say thus much to you That this duty is a necessary not an arbitrary thing which wee may doe or leave undone at our pleasures You know there be many examples of it many commands for it in Scripture but of them wee will onely repeate two The first is that in Ioel 2.15 a place you wel know Sanctifie to me a Fast call a solemne Assembly When the Lord began to send Iudgement on the Land he straitly enjoyned the performance of this dutie which showes that it may not be left undone at pleasure To which I will adde that in Esay 22.12 13 14. The Lord called in that day to weeping and mourning but because at that time they fell to rejoycing It was revealed by the Lord of hoasts that that sinne should not be purged away till their death When there is a time for Fasting and when there are Iust occasions for mourning and humiliation the Lord doth then so require it that if you doe it not but will doe the contrary the Lord will never forgive it it is a sinne that shall not be purged away till you die You will say then What is a Fast In a word a Fast is nothing else but the sanctifying or setting apart of a day for humiliation reconciliation and reformation I say it is to sanctifie a Day because the day of a Fast must be equall to the Sabbath the very word used in that place of Ioel Sanctifie to me a Fast shewes as much In that day you may doe no servile worke but must keepe it holy to the Lord. That you have to doe in that day is first to humble your selves as in that place of Ioel Turne to me with fasting mourning and weeping Secondly it is for Reconciliation Lev. 23.27 it is called a day of Atonement Lastly it is for Reformation and therefore in the day of fasting the whole people entred into covenant with God as in Nehem the ninth chapter and the beginning of the tenth verse you shall see the Princes and people came altogether and seale a Covenant to the Lord to reforme their sinne of taking strange wives and entered into a curse and an oath to walke in Gods law I will say no more of that but will onely tell you what are the failings which we are most subject to in this businesse for wee may know the disease by the medicine if God takes great care to prevent our falling into a sinne it argues that we are apt to fall into it And first we are very ready to rest in the worke done in opere operato to thinke that the very action will please GOD. Therefore it is carefully added in Ioel 2. Rend not your clothes but your hearts that is when you come to sanctifie a Fast doe not thinke that the very outward performance of the duty moves mee It is the heart that I looke to therefore you must take care that at this time your greatest businesse be with your hearts Lev. 23.29 He who in that day meaning the day of the annuall Fast which was then instituted doth not afflict his soule for so the word is to be translated shall be cut off from his people The outward performance is not the thing that God respects or accepts he doth not regard that for hee is a Spirit and beholds the behaviour of the spirit he considers how we are affected in secret before him A second thing werein we are apt to faile is to thinke that One day is enough and when that is done there is an end of the businesse but it is not so that is but the beginning of it Esay 58.5 Is this a Fast to hang downe your head for a day Is it to bow it downe as a Bulrush Bulrushes you know in a storme hang downe their heads but when faire weather comes they lift them up againe So when affliction is upon us we are apt to humble our soules for a time for a fit but when a little peace or prosperity comes we forget to be longer humbled whereas the end of a Fast is so to begin the worke of Humiliation that we may the better continue it afterwards A third defect is this we are perhaps content to doe the duty and with some affection too but there followes no reformation of life Therefore in the same Chapter see how carefully that is put in Is this an acceptable day to the Lord Will I accept such a Fast as this When you finde pleasure and continue in strife and debate That is the Lord regards not the bare performance of the duty unlesse the end of it be attaynd now the end of it is nothing else but that every man in particular reforme the evils he is subject to yea his particular weaknesses and personall infirmities the mending of which is carefully to bee endeavoured when we sanctifie a Fast to the Lord else we assemble together for Wine and for Oile Hos. 7.14 As if hee should say you have not sought Mee when you howled upon your beds but your Wine and your Oile That is men are affected with the Iudgements of the Lord they desire to have them removed they wish for ease and prosperity and for that they assemble themselves but to Me saith he ye returne not A beast will doe as much when it feeles any evill oppressing it and therefore God cals it howling on their beds an action proper to beasts but the Lord lookes that you seeke him in sincerity and that you labour to make your hearts perfect in him In a word to conclude this remember That there is a double performance of every holy duty one is when we doe the worke as a taske and are glad when it is over when we doe it as servants that doe eye-service to their masters another is when not onely the thing is done but your hearts also are wrought upon for that is the end of the outward performance and
of chaffe preserv'd from burning Is it not because there is some Corne some Wheate mixed therewith If the Corne be once out will not the Lord as men use to doe after winnowing set the chaffe on fire As women with childe are grieved to be delivered so the Lord stayes till the world be delivered as it were of all his Elect ones of all the Saints of all his holy and zealous ones and then shall be brought forth the Iudgement of the great day The World may cast out these men as the Sea doth Pearles among mire and dirt but they are Pearles notwithstanding God knowes them to be so and wise-men know them to be so yea Pearles excelling other men as much as Iewels doe common stones as much as Lilies and Roses doe Thornes and Bryers among which they grow What 's the reason that Elijah is called the Chariot of Israel and the Horsemen thereof but because hee was an holy man that did much for Gods glory that did more advantage the State at home and did more prevaile abroad than all the Chariots and Horsemen And may not we apply this to the zealous among us Therefore when we injury any of them doe not wee cut off the haire from Sampsons head wherein the strength of every Countrey and Nation and every Citie and Towne consists Yea the cutting off of them is like the cutting off of his lockes which the more the grow the more strength a Kingdome hath I say no more but commend it to every man in his place wishing that you would let it be your generall care to encourage true Religion and Zeale the omitting whereof I am perswaded is one of those things which causeth the Lords hand to be stretched forth against us Secondly if it be Zeale that turnes away the LORDS wrath then where is the Zeale that should be among us Are wee not rather fallen into those later times the Apostle speakes of which should have a forme of Religion without the Zeale and Power and Life of it And if Zeale turnes away Gods wrath certainly then this formalitie this overlinesse of Religion this coldnesse without Zeale and Power is it that brings on his wrath It is true and we cannot deny but knowledge abounds amongst us as the waters in the Sea But where is the Salt That is where is that Zeale and holinesse that should season all our knowledge Where is the Fire that should adde practice to our knowledge and make it an acceptable sacrifice to GOD Wee have the light of former Times but not their heat As he complaines Ignis qui in Parentibus fuit calidus in nobis lucidus The Fire which in ancient Times was hot is now onely light We thinke it enough to goe to Church to receive the Sacrament and so to keepe a round as it were to doe as most doe being carried about with the generall course of the World as the Planets are with the rest of the Spheres contrary to that which should bee their proper motion But I beseech you consider it Is this Religion Is this the Power of Godlinesse is this to be Baptized with the Holy Ghost which is as Fire Surely Religion stands not in these outward formalities but in changing the heart in making us New Creatures in mortifying our Lusts and thorowly purging out the love of every corruption Therefore if you will turne away Gods wrath turne your formality into Zeale that is content not your selves with the performance of the duties of Religion externally but get that wherein the power of godlinesse consists else the outside of Duties will not divert Wrath. Againe did Zeale turne away the wrath of the Lord then where are our zealous affections Why are we not zealous for the Lord and zealous against sinne You know Christ died for this end that hee might purifie unto himselfe a peculiar people zealous of good workes Titus 2.14 Men doe good actions as a Taske they are glad when they be over but doe you them with much intention much fâ—rvencie much desire be you a people zealous of good workes Therefore in Rom. 12.11 They are put together be fervent in spirit and serving the Lord implying that the Lord respects no service but as it is joyned with fervencie Therefore know that it is not enough to serve the Lord in an ordinary Tract you must mend your pace to heaven it is not enough to goe but you must runne the way of Gods Commandements And as you must be zealous for him so you must be zealous against evill For you must know this and marke it well it is not enough to abstaine from sinne it is not that alone that God will accept but he lookes that you should hate sinne As it is said of Lot his righteous soule was vexed with the uncleane conversation of the Sodomites that is his heart rose against them there was an inward distaste against them the like you shall see in David and Moses You will say I hope I detest sinne and am angry with it It may be so perhaps you are angry with sinne but Zeale you know is an intention of the affection of hatred and it is required that you hate sinne Revel 2.6 This thou hast that thou hatest the worke of the Nicolaitans which I also hate You will say How doe they differ You shall know hatred by this First it is a constant affection it abides with us Anger goes away as all passions doe it is but for a fit for a flash on some occasion Againe hatred is alwayes of generals the sheepe hates all Wolves we hate all Toads all Serpents I say wheresoever there is hatred it turnes to the whole Species Now doe you hate all sinne all kindes of sinne one as well as another Doe you not only abstaine from them but also hate them of what sort soever they bee Lastly Hatred seekes the utter destruction of the thing hated Anger would have but a proportion of Iustice as Aristotle sayes Now is it so with you Doe you seeke the utter destruction of sinne abstaining not onely from grosse sinnes but from all dalliances from the least touch of sinne cleansing your selves from all pollusions of the flesh and spirit If you will be zealous for the Lord then know that this is required that you not onely doe things but that you doe them zealously that you not onely abstaine from sinne but that you hate it Againe if it be Zeale that turnes away the wrath of the Lord then where is our boldnesse our courage our forwardnesse for the Truth Why are we so fearefull and shie of doing the thing that otherwise we thinke meet to bee done For Zeale hath that prâ—pertie among the rest it makes men bold the Zeale of the Apostles was knowne by their boldnesse But you will say A man may be too bold It is very true when the horse runnes up and downe and is at libertie
that It is as if he had said They that were righteous more than others that were in all their Conversation unblameable that did more good and abstained from more ill than others these men did not come to Christ for they thought themselves in a reasonable good condition already But the Publicans and sinners resorted to him So these men that have many good things in them we have most adoe to drive them out of themselves and to bring them to Christ so that they that resist Christs righteousnesse which is Gods chiefe end must needs do themselves most hurt Againe they in whom Gods Iustice doth most appeare their condition must needs be most miserable but so it is with these men they that are acquainted with his will and doe it not in them at the day of Iudgement his Iustice shall most appeare Otherwise to what end did God send the Prophets Why sent he Isaiah and Ezekiel c. it was not onely to convert men to win their soules to bring them to Salvation What then To cleare his Iustice and to increase their condemnation How was that done by making knowne these Truths that knowing them and not practising them their Condemnation might be greater So we Ministers come not only to convert the soules of men not only to build but also to plucke downe not only to open the hearts of men to beleeve the Truth but to harden mens hearts to hate the Truth not but that we long for the salvation of men and that the proper end of the Word is to save men but the use they make of it serves to encrease their condemnation So that the more Truth is revealed if it be not practised accordingly the greater is the sinne Againe these men are of all others farthest both from Iustification and Sanctification this Truth puts them farther off both I say the more knowledge is revealed the more they are acquainted with the mysteries of Salvation if they precisely answer it not in their life they are further than other men from Iustification because as I said before they thinke not themselves to be as other men as the Pharisee said I am not as other men or as this Publican Therefore sayes Christ The Publican went to his house justified rather than the other Againe they be further from Sanctification than others for they be wise in their owne eyes and will carve out their owne wayes they are not willing to resigne themselves to God they chose wayes of their owne thinking the Word to be foolish and common for the more the knowledge the stronger is the resistance and therefore they are said to contend with the Truth Rom. 2.8 To them that are contentious and obey not the Truth The meaning is Men that know much that are much enlightned but not truly sanctified they quarrell with the Truth they except against it they have many things to alleage against the wayes of God the resistance is stronger in them than in others they are contentious men that is not men that contend with men nor simply with God but they contend with the Truth not onely in will and affections but in their understandings also men reason against it and therefore are apt to disobey the Truth and so of all others furthest off from Sanctification they will goe their owne course and will not be taught So you see the second thing That the good things that are in these men doe them much hurt The end of the Fifth Sermon CERTAINE SERMONS VPON HVMILIATION The Sixth SERMON ROMANS 1.18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodlinesse and unrighteousnesse of men which with-hold the Truth in unrighteousnesse NOw to come to that which remaines which is the third thing that is to set downe how far these men may goe and yet how farre they fall short of that which is proper to the Saints that shall be saved And thus farre they may goe First they may be enlightned to understand all the truths of God there is no Truth we deliver to you but an unregenerate man may understand it wholly and distinctly and may come to some measure of approbation he may be wel acquainted with the mysteries of Faâ—th and Repentance so as he may discourse thereof better than many that have the things indeed Secondly not only so but hee may have a Conscience that shall doe its duty in many things hee may make a Conscience of many duties as you shall finde of divers in Scripture who notwithstanding were not sanctified When God sent Rohoboam that message not to goe to warre against Ieroboam knowing it was Gods command he made Conscience of obey-it and likewise for some yeares he served the Lord. So when the Lord would have Amaziah send backe the Israelites hee durst not disobey the voice of the Lord although if he had looked on all probabilities it might have ruined him So Abimelech durst not meddle with Abrahams wife when God had given a charge to the contrary So Balaam in many things restrained himselfe and would not doe but as the Lord commanded him So that an unregenerate man may keepe a good Conscience in secret when no man sees it or knowes it Thirdly he may not only have his judgement enlightned and his Conscience enabled to do its duty in many things but likewise he may have many common gifts planted in his will and affections many excellent morall vertues of Iustice and Temperance and Patience and in these he may many times exceed the godly as many times Blazing-starres goe beyond true Starres for light so may these exceed the godly in outward appearance Fourthly there is not only all this wrought within them but they doe many times expresse it in their actions Come to their lives they are able to doe many things as it is said of Herod he heard Iohn gladly and did many things So the second and third ground as they knew something so they practised according to their knowledge In their performances they may not come short of any of the godly and may for a long time have as faire specious and probable showes of goodnesse as any Fifthly and lastly they may goe thus farre they may have two men in them aswell as regenerate men one that contendes for the Truth the other that resists it And what stronger signe is there in regenerate men to evidence their regeneration than this Contention betweene the flesh and the spirit yet this may be found in them there may be strong Inclinations to that which is good and a resistance of it This Truth may lye in their brest as a fire that would rise and breake out but much quench-cole and wet stuffe within may keepe it downe so that there may be and are two men in the Civill man as well as in the Regenerate Now to shew how farre they fall short of them that be truely sanctified First in matter of light and understanding
terrour of all others When a man observes this to be his case to lye in sinne and goe on in sinne and thinke there is no Iudgement nor greater terrour it is an argument that when God begins hee will also make an end As when one that is seldome sicke is seized upon by sicknesse hee is as one that is left by the Physitians there remains nothing but death But you will say to me If this wrath of God be so terrible and it be sinne that brings this wrath what shall we doe I answer It is your wisdome then to meet the Lord Amos 4.12 Therefore saith God will I doe thus unto theee and because I will doe thus prepare to meet thy God O Israel When the Israelites had sinned sayes Moses to Aaron Behold his wrath is gone forth runne quickly with Incense and stand betwixt the living and the dead It is our case Wrath is gone out the Plague is begunne amongst us therefore let every one looke to his owne privates and know that the way to prevent further Iudgement is to meet the Lord. But what is it to meet the Lord It stands in two things First in Humiliation of our hearts Secondly in Reformation of our lives First there must bee Humiliation and indeed till then no man will goe in to God We preach Reconciliation in the Gospell but men regard it not because they be not humbled men will only cheapen the Kingdome of GOD but they will not buy it they will goe through for it till they know the bitternesse of sinne Men doe in this case as the Israelites of whom when Cyrus made a Proclamation that every one that would might goe out of Captivity onely they went whose hearts the Lord stirred up and what should stirre up our hearts to goe out of the bondage of sinne Surely nothing but this sense of sinne Humiliation for and Apprehension of the wrath of God In the Iubile every man would not goe out of servitude some would continue servants still and why They felt not the yoke for if they had they would have gone out So I say this very Gospell that we preach is a generall Iubile every one may goe out from under the yoke of Satan if he will but till men feele the bitternesse of sinne the heavinesse of his yoke till men be humbled they will not goe out but continue servants still And therefore Humiliation is first required for as long as a man hath any thing to trust to he will not come in It was the case of the Prodigall Sonne as long as his goods lasted he thought not of returning home when they were spent he hired himselfe forth and if that could have afforded him a living he would not have come home nay if hee could have got huskes to maintaine life hee would still have stayed abroad but when all meanes of comfort failed him when he had nothing to support him then saith hee I will goe home to my fathers house And so till we be humbled throughout so that we can see no meanes of longer subsistance that our hearts bee throughly touched with the sense of sin we will never come in to God and that is the first thing we must doe Secondly this is not enough but that you may meet the Lord there is required reformation likewise And herein I will say this briefly you must remember that this reformation be generall of greater sinnes and of smaller too You will say I hope there is some difference and every small sinne is not such a matter I will show the danger even of small sinnes and so will end this point You shall see what a small sinne is by that speech of Samuel 1 Sam. 15.23 when the Lord had bidden Saul to goe and slay the Amalekites and destroy them and theirs utterly but Saul did not so for hee spared the best of the flocks and Agag their King Samuel gives him this answer in effect Saul saith he be the thing never so small yet thy not doing of it is disobedience yea it is stubbornnesse and rebellion And so I say to every one be the sinne never so small instance in what you will is it not disobedience Suppose it bee the least Oath yea but a vaine speech suppose it bee carelesse performance of holy duties be they what they will yet is it not disobedience Is it not repugnant to what the Lord hath commanded As the Lord said to Adam the matter was not the action of eating of the Tree but hast thou eaten of the Tree of which I said Thou shalt not eate And if it bee disobedience whether it be in greater or smaller matters see what Samuel judgeth of that Disobedience and rebellion is as the sinne of witchcraft thou hast cast the Lord away by doing it The meaning is this When a man comes under the Lords government hee applies himselfe to him as the Souldier doth to his Generall alwayes to follow him and in all things to obey him now he that disobeyes his Generall hee casts his Generall away and leaves him And thus Saul was said to cast the Lord away because in that particular he would not follow him Againe why doe you cease to follow the LORD but that you set up some other god to follow And therefore Samuel addes stubornnesse and disobedience is as Idolatry that is you never disobey God but you take another god to you therefore it is no small sin because every sinne is disobedience And since God commands exactnesse since hee hath commanded mee to keepe the Sabbath to pray and to be fervent and frequent in it consider it shall I neglect what the Lord hath commanded me If there be a command to this or that duty am not I bound to endeavour to keepe it And if I goe aside ought I not to returne againe for else it is disobedience It is true the best of the Saints are not able to doe all this that we doe not deny yet this they doe they endeavour to doe it they carry a constant purpose of heart to doe it they desire to doe it they never come to give over striving to doe it they never say I must give liberty to my selfe in this I cannot choose but faile in this and so lay aside their wasters they have continuall warre with Amalek they never make peace with Sinne and that 's the difference betwixt spirituall men and others they are as a Spring for if an uncleane thing fall into a Spring the Spring is not uncleane because the Spring workes it out againe Indeed if it fall into a Pond or Pit of water that shall be uncleane because it lies there it cannot worke it out So it is with every godly man in every regenerate heart there is a Spring of grace though hee may sometimes fall into foule sinnes yet hee will worke them out and cleare himselfe againe whereas another man when hee
such change wrought in him doth delight in nothing but to doe evill to doe well he hath no pleasure Gods Commandements are burthensome to him therfore the Laws of God are too strait for him that he cannot march in them as David could not march in Sauls Armour for it was too heavie for him A man that is a New Creature doth things with facility and delight But this is not all If thy Soule be fashioned and cast into a new mould thou wilt not onely doe good things readily but well and handsomely to use our common terme when as other men bungle at good workes and know not how to turne their hand unto them They doe them indeed but as the Wiseman saith Prov. 26.7 As the legs of the lame are not equall so is a Parable in a fooles mouth When they come to doe any good Actions it is like a Parable in a fooles mouth the Parable is not fit for his mouth as when a man hath one legge longer than another he is lame so a Parable in a fools mouth is not equall to his mouth the action may be good yet he doâ—h it but lamely it is beyond his reach hee doth not doe actions as hee should but an holy man doth them as a workeman I speake not of doing of them before men but before God who judgeth righteously when he comes to performe an holy duty hee doth it as it is meet hee prayes fervently and consecrates himselfe unto the Lord with delight Hee shewes mercy with cheerefulnesse and every grace hath his peculiar property wherein the goodnesse of it consists as Faith Love and Hope are the concomitants of his actions wherein their excellencie consists whereas other men doe the same duties but not with that affection that they should and they doe it but with a dead heart they are workes of vertue and have the lineaments of true ones but they are dead workes because life is not in them Therefore consider how thou doest things the matter is not so much what thou doest as how thou doest them Againe if thou bee a New Creature thou shalt know it by thy doing of good constantly as a man that doth it naturally In Nature you know the habites and inclinations are close and neere unto us and growing in us therefore if thou doe good in thy constant practice it is a signe thy heart is changed This is the first thing there is a new frame all the bent of the faculties are changed and by this you may know it if you doe good readily with facillity and delight and constantly One thing more observe in this new Frame there is not onely a bending of the Soule to a contrary point as it were but moreover all must be changed as for example Cast any thing into a new mould there is not only one part altered but all so if you be New Creatures you must finde this in your selves that you doe not make choice in the duties of godlinesse but take all and omit nothing You must bee holy in all manner of conversation those words are added in all manner of conversation and they are much to be observed that is in all the turnings of a mans life As if he be a Magistrate hee must be exact in hearing of Causes neither to feare any mans face nor to be moved by any mans favour if hee be an husband his speeches and actions must be holy his speeches must be gratious If thou be a Subject in reverence to the King and respective to others thou must bee holy in all manner of conversation otherwise the frame is not altered this must be of necessity for that which God requires of us is the keepâ—ng of the whole Law as Iames saith Iam. 2.20 where hee speakes of keeping the Law Evangelically For whosoever shall keepe the whole Law and yet faile in one point he is guilty of all Goe thorow the whole Latitude of our obedience if in one part thou wilt favour thy selfe thou art guilty of all In the same Epistle Iam. 1.26 If any man among you seemeth to be religious and bridleth not his tongue but deceives his owne heart that mans Religion is in vaine That which is here said of the tongue may be said of any thing else Doest thou doe thus and thus doest thou sanctifie the Sabbath doest thou goe to God in prayer goe to all particular duties I know not what to name unto you and yet in any of these dost faile consider that the Apostle might as well have said unto thee for that thy Religion is in vaine hee speakes of keeping the Law in an Evangelicall manner a man must set himselfe to keepe every Commandement and if he doe but take liberty in any he is guilty of the whole Take this for a sure rule what God requires of us in the Gospell he gives us strength to performe but if our hearâ—s were not altogether new moulded the worke would be more than our strength therefore of necessity the heart must be altogether new moulded Therefore the Apostle saith and what he saith is common to all the Saints I can doe all things through Christ that strengthneth mee Every man that hath this new frame wrought in him may say so If thou be in Christ thou hast a new frame in thy heart which makes thee able to doe all things through Christ. Consider of this and apply it to your selves for it is a matter of much moment as the Apostle saith We are not ashamed to write unto you of these things againe and againe So it is a point we have touched before yet we will speake of it againe and again Consider with thy selfe whether there be such a generall change in thee or no for the goodnesse of a thing consists in the order else the whole is dissolved as in beauty there are two things wherein it consists the frame and order of it that we say is beautifull when the frame is good and no part is to bee admired above the rest so it is the frame and order of the Soule wherein its beauty consists when the whole frame is right and thou art inabled to doe the whole duties of new obedience Observe Gods dealing in this case when Saul had failed in one thing God cast him off But you will say this was an heard judgement did not David faile many times as well as he It is true but here is the difference Saul had a naturall heart to doe evill although his profession was good yet when he was put to the triall whether he would take the fat sheepe and the oxen he did it yet you must know it was not for that that God cast him off but because the frame of his heart was not good for hee would have done it againe and againe an hundred times over I say the disposition of his heart was evill Balaams eye unto the wages of iniquitie marred all though he kept himselfe aloft and
we should draw nearer to him Therefore labour to strengthen your faith So did Moses it was the strengh of his faith that made him cleave so fast to GOD as he did Fourthly get experience of him for it was Pauls experience that united him nearer to Christ the experience that he had of Christ in the mortification of his lusts in all the courses of his ministery in all the distresses and troubles that he passed thorow he still had experience of him and the more experience you have of the Lord Iesus the nearer you come to converse with him and the more you will love him and joyne to him Strangenesse disjoynes affections we say there is strangenesse when men salute not when there is not a neare conversing Strangenesse doth dis-joyne the heart Againe nearenesse of conversing and walking with him from day to day drawes us nearer to him and intends the will of desiring him to be our Husband Last of all there is a certain impression made in the spirit of man by the Holy Ghost which causeth him to draw neare to Christ that makes him prize him more As there is in the Iron a certaine naturall quality to follow the Load-stone so there is in the Saints towards Christ And if we seeke a reason why Paul and the rest of the Saints that excelled so were able to prize Christ above all things and to count all things losse in respect of him the true reason is it was the impression made upon their spirits by the Holy Ghost there is a certaine attractive vertue put into them enabling them to prize Christ above all and to draw neare to him therefore you must know it is the gift of the Holy Ghost to inable us to prize him Therefore to all the rest adde that seeke to the Lord that he would worke it in your hearts that you may learne to magnifie him Thus you must seeke to encrease the union to adde degrees to the will by which you are content and resolve to match with Christ and to be made one with him And this is the thing that you are to be exhorted to not only to know this but to exercise it when Paul had once tasted the sweetnesse in Christ he could relish nothing else he counts all other things as drosse So should we if we had once experience of it Therefore we should learne to renue this union from day to day and as I said before Wee should eat his flesh and drinke his bloud every day that is every time we renue the covenant with God we renue the match as it were betweene us we eat Christs flesh and drinke his bloud He is that Bread that came downe from heaven they ate Mannah in the wildernesse and died but hee that feedeth on me shall have life everlasting Therefore eat my flesh and drinke my bloud that is take me come to me for eating of his flesh is nothing but to come to him to take him to receive him Now saith he the very act of taking me is your duty as you renue that every day so you take me anew as it were and so there will come new strength to you as from bread or Manna when you eat it or from flesh and wine when you eat and drinke it so doth there from from me when you renue your eating of my flesh and drinking of my bloud that is when you renue your act of taking and receiving me there comes new strength to you that is you shall have new comforts and consolations you shall be encouraged the more herein you draw nearer to me than before For as your union with Christ at the first doth make way for the Spirit and causeth it to be shed in your hearts so the more this union is encreased the more you are filled with the Holy Ghost So you get new strength from day to day as this union is more confirmed It is like a new eating and drinking your Peace is more abundant and your strength is more enlarged you are more full of joy in the Holy Ghost every grace is more encreased and strengthned in you therefore exercise this union eat his flesh and drinke his bloud every day But you will say what needs that when we have once done is it not enough No it is not enough for there growes a distance betweene Christ and you from day to day a little neglect the very omission of duties yea though it were no sinfull omission may cause it As the body is subject to waste and needs eating and drinking that it may be repaired So doth the soule and inner man there is a continuall wasting of strength and you must eat his flesh and drinke his bloud every day to repaire it that is you must renue the union that grace may be strengthned and renued in your hearts that those spirits may be repaired that you spend every day that your very strength may be renued you shall find this true by experience the more you doe this more neare you get to Christ the more you renue that match and make a new marriage with him you shall and new strength comming to you you shall find your hearts draw nearer to him and further from sinne you shall finde your selves made more spirituall more heavenly minded you shal find your selves more strengthned you wil be ashamed to sinne when you stand in such neare termes with him there will be a secret influence of the Spirit in your hearts Therefore exercise this union and as you must exercise it from day to day so know the comfort of it and improve and husband it well If I have Christ for my husband shall he be my husband in vaine Shall I have him and not make use of him No you must learne to make use of him learne to use him as he is a Prophet a Priest and a King If you would be more enlightned goe to him as a Prophet beseech him to enlighten thee to give thee wisdome to give thee the Spirit of Revelation and he cannot deny thee If thou hast committed a sinne use him as a Mediatour as a Priest for he is thy Husband thou hast him for that purpose forget not that Christ is a Mediatour We fall into sinne from day to day but if we knew really what it is to have Christ an Intercessour to have him our Priest to make an attonement for our sinnes every day we should learne to prize him more we should be full of comfort we should doe in another manner than we doe If there be any strong lust which thou canst not subdue know that it must be done by him as a King he must bring it into subjection he must circumcise thy heart Therefore know what is in Christ for all that is in him is thine and he is full of treasure When thou hast the field what shouldest thou doe but digge the treasure to know what is there when thou knowest thou hast such a
there is a remedy if you will but see this sinne of yours and mourne for it for all that mourne in Sion and are broken hearted shall be comforted Therefore you must know there is a passive sorrow for sin when God shall affright a man with the Terrour of his wrath and that is a flash of hell fire if our end were only to kindle these sparks it were indeed to breed Torture in the soule but there is an active humiliation when a man labours to be convinced of his sin to know all hee can against himselfe and this is it which leads to life for this is the end of our preaching the end of our discovering of sin And this use you may make of the hainousnesse of sinne and so much shall serve for the first use Secondly if there be such a truth such a knowledge made evident by God himselfe then men should learne hence to be thankful to God for it for whereas all men might have perished as the Devils did as the Angels that fell did yet God hath shewed this mercy to mankinde he hath given them Secundam Tabulam post naufragium and that is this light which is the thing which you have cause to be thankfull for for this light is worth all the world beside nothing is so precious because it shewes the way to escape Hell and damnation therfore you ought to be thankfull to God for it You specially that live under the Sun-shine of the Gospell you must thinke you might have beene borne in other ages when darknesse covered the world or in another Nation and not in Goshen where the light shines and if in the Church you might have been ignorant as many of our Countrey people are even almost as ignorant as Turkes and Iewes but when God hath discovered light in great measure and hath given a great portion thereof to you you must know all this is not come to passe by accident but by Gods providence you are to take notice of it and learne to be thankfull not in show only but indeed and in truth that is by practising according to the knowledge you have for it is a thing most precious Mat. 7.6 An Admonition is compared to a pearle whereas the admonition is but one part of this light and what is said of a part may be said of the whole Salomon could not finde a fit thing to compare this Wisdome to It is more precious than pearles nay all that can be named or desired cannot be compared with it Therefore seeing it is a precious thing trample not these pearles under your feet know that God hath put a price into thine hand and that is thy light and it is a price that will buy heaven it will bring thee to salvation but if thou wantest an heart as the foole hath a price but he wants an heart it will do thee no good take heed thou doe not neglect it doe not abuse it take not the grace of God in vain but see thou use this light When the great promise of Christ his comming was made what was it but this that they should have a new light that the people that sate in darknesse and in the shadow of death should see a light they never saw before you that live in this light that enjoy that which was so many yeares ago promised to the Gentiles and is now fulfilled take heed of abusing it use it to the purpose for which it is given that is to guide your feet into the way of peace Againe thirdly to joyne that with it As you must be thankful so in the third place you must take heed of doing any thing contrary to this Truth it is a very dangerous thing to neglect it There is not a sparke of it not a beame of this light which is conveyed to you by the ministery of the Gospell which shall be in vaine Though you doe not prize it it shall set you a steppe nearer heaven or hell even every sparke and beame of this and this is it which may make men afraid and looke about them seeing that when this light is made knowne it is so dangerous to neglect it Therefore thinke this when God hath sent a right Ministery Consider who hath sent this light God hath done it and will GOD send a vaine mâ—ssage A wise man will not doe so if then God send it not in vaine it is to some purpose to doe either good or hurt Now suppose that this light have done you no good that you have lived long under this light but have attained no good you have knowne much but practised little then know this shall exceedingly encrease your condemnation Paul saith We thanke God that he hath caused us to triumph in IESUS CHRIST in making manifest the savour of his knowledge in every place What is the reason he should rejoyce that this was made manifest seeing to some it did no good Yes saith he it shall encrease their condemnation it shall be the sweet savour of God in them that are saved and in them that perish So when wee preach if the light doe you no good it doth you hurt As Isaiah his Commission was Goe preach to this people and shut their eyes lest they should see with their eyes and heare with their eares If we are not sent to enlighten men we are sent to make their hearts fat and their eares heavie Thou shalt doe no good by thy ministery yet I have sent thee that they may know there was a Prophet among them Therefore take heed you to whom this is sent that it be not sent onely to this end that it may be knowne there hath beene a Prophet among you Those to whom God hath revealed much let them know it shall not be in vaine If the King send a Message and men will obey it so it is if not if they make his authority worth nothing he will elevate his Authority and will inflict a Penalty So God sends not in vaine if you will not obey him God will not suffer any to sleight his Authority but he will be surely revenged Therefore take heed how you detaine this Truth in unrighteousnesse that when GOD hath discovered this knowledge you doe not practice it But every man will be apt to say and indeed they that are most guilty but I hope we doe practise it and not detaine it Therefore I will set downe though not all yet many of the Cases wherein they detaine this Truth and with-hold it in unrighteousnesse wherein they doe not practise according to this knowledge and these are seven in number First in the Commission of all knowne sins there you detaine this Truth there you imprison it whensoever you finde this to be your Case that you commit any knowne sinne therein you are a detainer of the Truth an imprisoner of it As for example when a man shall know that these duties ought to bee done I
ought to pray fervently and frequently I ought to sanctifie the Lords Sabbath but out of an unlistinesse to it out of love to ease and pleasure that carries him another way he neglects it and so the dutie lyes undone This is the Commission of a knowne sinne So againe I know I ought not to remember an injury I ought to forgive mine Enemy yet thou invitest him to doe thee a new injury when this is knowne and not practised in this case men commit a knowne sinne so againe dost thou not know that thou oughtest not to use any dalliance any touch of uncleannesse any chambering or wantonnesse if a man know this and yet will commit it because his lusts intend his minde to such a sinne and it is a thing to which he is strongly inclined this is a knowne sinne so in many other things in cases of election or in doing of businesses this man ought to be chosen and businesses ought to be carried thus but yet out of some by-respects a man will have it carried otherwise this is committing of a knowne sinne so in case of Envie this mans preferment may be profitable but because his eminencie may be hurtfull to me I cannot affect him this is a knowne sinne so in Case of the Sacrament doe you not know you ought to receive often and not to neglect it in the Congregation where you are Are you not bound to that You thinke it a sinne not to heare the Word and is it not so not to receive the Sacrament If he shall be cut off that came not to the Passeover shall not he be cut off that comes not to the Sacrament So you know you must renew your repentance are not these Truthes knowne and yet will you commit these sins Goe thorow any knowne sin and in this Case you doe with-hold the Truth in unrighteousnesse But what is it to commit a knowne sin because it may be I am not convinced sufficiently of that By this thou mayest know it if thou finde thy Conscience to give a secret intimation that it is naught it is a signe it is a knowne sin though thou hast got many Arguments for it and canst dispute for it for thy Conscience shall witnesse against thee as in case of Vsury and inordinate gaine and matters of the Sabbath many of which things be in question see what thy Conscience saith and take heed of disobeying the secret intimations of thy Conscience whatsoever thou hast to say for thy sin before men Men think a sin not to be a knowne sin because they are not willing to search it out Now if thou finde this to be thy Case that thou art not willing to search it out to see all that can be said for it or against it thou shalt finde it a knowne sin And this is a notable difference betweene the faithfull and others A godly man whose heart is set to serve God with a perfect heart in all things there is nothing that comes under the name of a sin nothing that hath the shadow of a sin but he is willing to search it out to examine it to the full he is willing to let all say what they can against it and when all is done he desires God to try him Another is not willing to search because he is willing to lye in some sin or because he will not have his Conscience troubled with it This is a signe of a false heart though they doe not know that this is a sin yet it having the shadow of a sin and they being unwilling to examine it to the full it shewes it is no lesse Secondly the second Case wherein a man with-holds this knowledge and detaines this Truth which God hath made manifest is when he is not willing to enlarge it a man that hath already some knowledge as every man hath some and is not willing to adde to this knowledge to encrease it that man properly with-holds the Truth in unrighteousnesse For he that with-holds fewell puts out the fire as wel as he that casts water on it and he that takes away food from a living Creature kils it as well as he that takes away its life with violence so if thou dost not feed this with fewell with that which may make it grow and encrease if thou dost not labour to inlarge it thou dost extinguish it And of these men there be two sorts First such as doe not care for any knowledge at all or if they doe come to heare yet they recall it not meditate not upon it and so as good never a whit as never the better some things they must doe for fashion sake but if they doe heare they doe it in a negligent manner they be ever learning and never come to the knowledge of the truth These be the first sort of men But there is a second sort and that is those which have knowne much have heard much have gone very farre in the knowledge of this Truth yet will not goe to the uttermost I may resemble them by Felix he went not farre but I use it as a resemblance when Paul preached and began to know some measure of this Truth when some of these sparks began to be revived and stirred up in him he bade him goe away and said he would call for him another time but he was not so good as his word so when a man is loth to be brought to that strictnesse and exactnesse that is required as our duty when he is not willing to be strait laced that lives at liberty and thinkes he will doe it before he dies but puts it off this man imprisons the Truth when the Truth is brought to their doores to such an high degreee that it is almost loose yet they let it lye there still when they shall come to Agrippa's Case to be almost a Christian this is to with-hold it the uttermost end and finishing of the worke is all and that is the reason men are so shie of it So when we care not for admonition to live exactly and perfectly in all things when there shall be little reservation when we wil have a little liberty in this or that I say the not admitting of this the not going through with the work is an imprisoning of the Truth When men shall come to be unwilling to be called on it is as if a man shut the doore and draw the curtens about him it showes that he delights to sleepe that he meanes to sleepe and to continue so when a man puts off the Truth and will not be brought to the uttermost this is the second way of imprisoning the Truth when he is not willing to adde fewell to give that which may strengthen and encrease it Thirdly I will name but the third and that is when a man is past this degree and is come to be willing to know all Truths doth not desire to have any concealed from him doth not say to