By vertue of Gods promise I grant it to be due For God hath promised heaven to good works as hath beene shewed already and promise is due debt as wee use to speake and all men do acknowledge Even a mans word tieth him to performance Gods word must needes tie him much more From hence it is that the Apostle speaking of the crown of glorie laied up in heaven for theÌ„ that serve God aright stileth God by the name of a righteous or just judge in bestowing of that reward 2 Tim. 4.8 And in an other place God saith hee is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love Heb. 6.10 Where 1. when hee saith that God doth not forget their good works hee meaneth that he leaveth them not unrewarded And 2. when he saith that God is not unjust to forget them he implieth that God should bee unjust if he did not reward their labour in his service But he speaketh more directly to the same purpose 2 Thes 1.6 7. It is a just thing with God saith he to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you and to you which are troubled rest with us Where wee may note that it is a point of justice in God as well to reward the patient suffering of Martyrs and Confessors as the wrong oppressures of persecutors and evill doers Be it granted then that a reward is due to well-doing by vertue of Gods promise who for our encouragement hath tied himselfe by this bond But yet notwithstanding there is no merit or worth in our best works by which wee may laie claime to such a reward This is cleare by the words of a S. Paul who speaking of Martyrdome and patience in persecution for CHRISTS sake which is one of the most glorious works to which CHRIST hath promised his reward yet even of this hee saith I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to bee compared with the glory that shall be reveiled Ro. 8.18 And 2 Cor. 4.17 Our light affliction saith hee worketh for us a more exceeding and eternall weight of glory Where by elevating our service in suffering for CHRIST and amplifying the reward that is given unto us for it he plainely sheweth that there is no equality or proportion betweene the work and the reward Our Saviour also when we have done all things that are commanded us And yet who is there that doth so but upon supposition that we have done all yet he teacheth us to say unto God Wee are unprofitable servants wee doe that which is our duty to doe Luk. 17.10 Hee meaneth that because it is no more then our duty doth binde us to therefore we cannot plead merit or desert God oweth us no thanks for it no more then a master oweth thanks to his servant when he hath done what he is bound by his place to do I conclude then that the reward of blessednesse promised to well-doing is due by Gods promise and not for the worth of any works And now out of all these things laied together the conclusion followeth which I propounded in the beginning that the keeping of Gods word is availeable to happinesse as a service to which eternall life is promised for a reward And hence we have these deductions for our further use 1. Seeing holinesse is a necessary condition required unto blessednesse this may be for an Admonition to all evill doers who live in any sin against conscience They may hence take notice how fearfull their state is for the present and how needfull it will be for them to begin a better life For I suppose there is no man living so desperatly madd but desireth that he may be happy nor is there any man among Christians but knoweth that happinesse is no where to be had but with God in heaven and now it appeareth by the declaration of this point that no evill doers shall ever enter into that place Take a view if ye please of all the ungodly men in the world and ye will not finde that ever any one of them hath been heretofore or shall hereafter bee received in at heaven gates In heaven I confesse there are a great multitude which no man can number of all nations and kinreds and peoples and languages but among all these there is not one drunkard nor one adulterer nor one slanderer nor one oppressor nor one deceiver nor one lier nor any one evill doer Again in heaven there is no defect or want of roome In my Fathers house said our Lord there are many mansions Ioh. 14.2 There is a mansion for the Prophets they are in the Kingdome of God Luk. 13.28 And there is a mansion for the Apostles They shall eate and drink with CHRIST in his Kingdome and sitt on thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel Luk. 22.30 And there is a mansion for the Martyrs they follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth Apo. 14.4 There is a mansion for the penitent thiefe this day saith our Saviour shalt thou bee with mee in Paradise Luk. 23.43 And in a word there is a mansion for every righteous man they shall shine forth as the sun in the Kingdome of their father Matt. 13.43 And in these mansions are lodged all nations and countries in the world They shall come from the East and from the West from the North and from the South and shall sit downe with Abraham and Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdome of God Luk. 13.29 But now on the contrary side search the book of God throughout from the beginning of Genesis to the end of the Revelation and see whether ye can find any mansion any roome any hole reserved for drunkards or harlots or whoremasters or deceivers or slanderers or any other such wicked and ungodly mâ—n Oh then think upon this all ye that forget God turne unto him betime wash yee make you cleane put away the evill of your doings cease to do evill learne to do well that your sins may be made as white as snow and your soules deare in Gods sight and your selves my abecome citizens of the holy City which is above with God 2. Seeing Gods rewards in heaven are squared and proportioned according to our services good works this may be for the comfort and encouragement of all well minded people They may bee comforted in that good which they have done already as Ezekiah coÌ„forted himselfe with the remembrance of his upright life When he was in his greatest sorow and sicknesse he cheared himselfe by saying unto God Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight Is 38.3 And so Nehemiah Remember me O my God saith he concerning this and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God and for the offices thereof Nehem. 13.14 And so may every good Christian pray and expect a blessing from God for the
experienced in things of this kinde hath long since observed that among Orators and they were of like condition in the Common-wealth among them that Preachers are now in the Church among us the unlearned were many times best esteemed and he spendeth a whole (a) Lib. 2. cap. 12. pag. 108. Chapter in discovering and setting downe the reasons of this erroneous opinion in the vulgar S. Hierome also hath observed the like of Preachers in the Church (b) Verba volvere celeritate dicendi apud imperitum vulgus admirationem sui facere in doctorum hominum est Attrita froÌ„s interpretatur saepe quod nescâ—t quum aliis persuaserit sibi quo que usurpat scientiam c. Nâ—hil tam facile quam vilem plebeculam indoctam Concionem linguae volubilitate descipere quae quic quid non intelligit plus miratur Hieron Epist 2. ad Nepotian pag. 16. Vide etiam Jul. Nigronum in Regulam 2. commun num 67. c. pag. 175. It is the fashion of unlearned men saith hee by volubilitie of tongue and celeritie in speaking to raise an admiration of themselves amongst the rude multitude A bolde face will oftentimes teach that which himselfe doth not know and when he hath perswaded others hee usurpeth to himselfe the praise of learning Nor saith hee is there any thing more easie then to deceive the baser sort and unlearned multitude with volubility of tongue They when they understand not any point do so much the more admire it Nor is it any marvell if the rude multitude do mistake in judging of a Preacher they do so in matters that are more plain and more neare to their capacitie and apprehension Wee see it every day that an horne-pipe or a morrice dance and such countrey musick doth please the common sort more then any exact and artificial musick can do that those strokes tunes make them to leap frisk which would make a sober and skilfull man to laugh and deride them And so in this case If a Preacher be furious in his action and fluent in his words and vehement in exclamations and do mouthe it out with a throng of words which are as unable to beget notions of true religion as they are contrary to all rules of art and right reason yet the multitude do greedily embrace this musick dance after this pipe By all this I meane not to disable the gifts of any nor to censure their forme of teaching that may do good to Gods people Onely I advise every wise Christian not to esteem of a Sermon by the delight that himselfe or others of the vulgar sort do take in the utterance of it And I desire that insteed thereof they will rather consider what increase of godlinesse they have gained by it or wherein they have been profited either for understanding of the Scriptures and for conceving of some point of religion or for amending of their sinful life If they give an account of such spirituall profit to their soules I hinder not but with great reason they may esteem such a forme of teaching But if they can give no account of their profiting in godlinesse I can give no approbation of their vaine censures 2. Rule The second rule which wisedome requireth to be observed in the time of our hearing is that wee select and single out such instructions as do more especially concerne our owne practice and take more speciall notice of them then of others that coÌ„cern us not so nearly For the mind of man is of a finite nature cannot observe all things with like exactnesse and attention and our memories are feeble and fraile and cannot treasure up every thing that is spoken And therefore whatsoever ability and strength of minde and memory we have wee should husband them in the best manner and for our best advantage And so wee shall do if passing by things that bee impertinent and sliding through points of lesser moment wee fasten our minds upon such lessons and observations as do more nearely concerne our selves In the use of this rule the Prophet hath gone before us and shewed us the way Hee being to instruct the Priests in things of their duty beginneth with this Preface And now O yee priests this commandement is for you Mal. 2.1 And so if the Preacher tell Householders of their dutie to their sonnes and servants he that is a master of a family presently should say with himselfe This commandement is for mee And if the Preacher speake of the duty of servants to their masters hee that is a servant should say This commandement is for me And if hee insist on the duties of maried Couples the husband should say This commandement is for me and the wife should say That commandement is for me And if hee preach of true dealing in bargaining and contracts the merchant and the shop-keeper and the Artificer and the Customer and every man almost may say That commandement is for mee and to me it belongeth And in a word every one that heareth any rule that concerneth himselfe should make application of it to himselfe that that which is his for the duty may be his for the practice also Thus wee see all sorts of men that have care of their owne state do use to do in things of this life without any teaching If they heare of any medicine that is proper for an infirmity of their owne that they mark and either imprint it in their memories or write it up in a book of remembrance for their after-use when in the mean while they passe over many other better rules in their kinde onely because they are not so proper for their case and condition And againe if a man reade the book of Statutes and finde a Law which concerneth his owne Lands or his owne dealings he will either fold downe a leafe or mark the place in the margin or transcribe the words in a note-book that it may be in readinesse when the time serveth And so if in our hearing of the word either preached or read we meet with any lesson or rule of life that concerneth our selves in speciall we should consider wherein and how it may stead us and this consideration will bee as a mark set upon it to keep it in remembrance For if we should forget the rule it selfe yet the very application of it to our selves will put us in minde of it But as for other things which are not usefull and proper for us wee may passe them over with lesse care and attention For example if we heare some instruction which wee had learned as fully before wee may let that passe as having no need of it And if we heare somewhat not usefull for sanctification and a godly life wee may let that go as not worth the noting when better things are in place And if we heare good instructions that are usefull for others but concerne not our selves wee may dismisse them also as not
neglected or at least omitted to speake of The summe of which correction is as if hee had said Thou sayest Blessed is the womb c. Which though I deny not to be true yet I will tell thee of a farre greater blessednes then that is Blessed are they that heare the word of God and keep it 2. This woman made not so good an use of our Saviours doctrine as shee might have done When she heard him preach with great wisdome and evidence of the Spirit she brake out into the praises of the preacher which were justly deserved by him but she said nothing perhaps she thought nothing of amending her life or of performing what she was taught And herein our Lord amendeth her speech by telling her what better use shee might make of his Sermon Shee commended him for his good Sermon when she had done better if shee had amended her selfe by his instruction She said Blessed is the mother that bred such a Preacher but he said Nay rather blessed is the hearer that maketh use of his doctrine The Text being thus explained I now proceed to speake of the points that I propounded omitting other by-notes which though they bee profitable in their season yet are not pertinent to my purpose CAP. II. By earthly things a wise Christian may bee occasioned to seeke after heavenly blessings Cap. 2 OUr Lord from this womans speech concerning the happinesse of his mother for breeding such a childe taketh occasion to discourse of the true happinesse that accompanieth Gods service And hence I observe that it is a point of holy wisdome to take occasion for heavenly meditations by the mention or sight of earthly things My proofes for this are two the constant practice of our Saviour and the helpes that it yeeldeth us to a godly and an happy life I. The constant practice of our Saviour related and commended to us in Scriptures for there wee reade that when he saw Peter and Andrew busied in fishing he tooke occasion by the trade that then they did use to tell them of an heavenly trade of fishing for the souls of men He saw them casting a net into the Sea for they were fishers and he said unto them follow mee and I will make you fishers of men Mat. 4.18 19. Againe when some told him of his mother and his brethren desiring to speake with him he tooke occasion from the mention of his earthly kindred to instruct us in the spirituall kindred that is betweene him and every good Christian It was told him by certain which said Thy mother and thy brethren stand without desiring to see thee And hee answered and said unto them My mother and my brethren are these which heare the word of God and doe it Luke 8.20 21. And againe when the woman of Samaria came to draw water out of Iacobs Well out of this accident he fetcheth occasion to instruct her in the living water that would refresh her soule unto eternall life There commeth a woman of Samaria to draw water Iesus saith unto her give me to drinke Then said the woman how is it that thou being a Iew askest drink of me which am a woman of Samaria Iesus answered and said unto her If thou knewest the gift of God and who it is that saith to thee Give me to drinke thou wouldest have asked of him and he would have given thee living water Of which water whosoever drinketh shal never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall bee in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life Ioh. 4.7 9 14. And yet againe when the people followed after him that they might eate of his bread he taketh occasion from their desire of earthly meate to instruct them concerning the bread of life When the people came to Capernaum seeking for Jesus Iesus answered them and said verily verily I say vnto you Ye seeke mee not because you saw the miracles but because ye did eat of the loaves and were filled Labour not for the meate which perisheth but for that meate which endureth to everlasting life Iohn 6.26 27. Thus our Saviour by a constant custome taketh occasion by the words that are spoken and occurrences that happen in the world to raise mens thoughts from earth to heaven and from things that concerne this life to teach them spirituall lessons for obtaining of eternal life By which practice of his hee lifteth up men to heaven while they remaine upon earth and breedeth in them heavenly mindednesse while they are occupied about their worldly businesse And this being his constant practice who is the wisdome of his father it proveth the truth of my conclusion that it is a point of holy wisdome to take occasion for heavenly meditations by the mention or sight of earthly things II. The same point is further proved by the helps that we may receive from it towards holinesse and an happy life In which kinde I may reckon these that follow 1. It will make every creature that we see and every occurrence that wee meet with in the world to serve us as Schoolemasters to lead us unto Christ and as a Monitor to remember us of some duty The meat on our tables will teach us the necessity of the meate that never perisheth and our hungring after that will admonish us how wee should desire the food of Gods word that we may grow and bee strengthned in grace by it The clothes we put on will remember us of putting on the Lord Iesus and of the glorious robes of righteousnesse with which Gods children are adorned The tender affection which we shew to our children will bring to remembrance the great love of our heavenly father towards his sons and daughters The duty and service that wee require of our servants will tell us what greater duty we owe to our Lord in heaven and their failings towards us will remember us of many defects of our owne in Gods service and of our rebellions against his commandments And the like may be said of all other the like occasions and occurrences so that not a crumme of bread nor a corne of salt nor a drop of drinke but as they serve to refresh nature so they may serve also to increase and confirme grace in us And all the creatures will have not onely a naturall use for this life but also a spirituall use towards eternall life and the happinesse of the world to come 2. This practice of gathering holy meditations from worldly occurrences will help to preserve us from abusing the creatures in a sinfull sort Hee that when he eateth his meate for refreshing of his body shall think withall Yea but how much more necessary and comfortable is the food of Gods word to the famished soule will not likely abuse the creatures to surfetting and excesse And hee that when he putteth on his best clothes shall think Yea but how much more glorious are the garments of righteousnesse and the fine linnen and silkes with
somewhat hereby that may direct us how to serve God how to honor our Superiours how to governe our inferiours and how to behave our selves towards all men For though the full distinct unfolding of these points bee left to the learned preacher who is therefore brought up in Scholasticall studies that he may be able to instruct the people in the sense of Scriptures and in the duties of their calling more perfectly then they could possibly learne by their owne industrie Yet even of them selves by hearing the word read with attention they may understand a good part of their dutie both towards GOD and men For who is there even among the meanest Christians but if he heare the 20. chapter of Exodus read will presently resolve with himselfe that hee is bound to reverence his parents not to kill or strike his neighbour not to wrong him in his wife in his goods or in his good name Or who that shall heare the 13. chapter to the Romans read but will presently conceive that it is his duty to obey the Magistrate Or if he heare the 5. and 6. chapters to the Ephesians but will know by the very words that he is bound to do faithfull service to his master if he bee a servant to be kinde to his wife if he bee a maried man and dutiful to his parents if he be a childe that is under government and carefull for the education of his children if he bee a father of sonnes or daughters And the like may be said of other the like cases All which shew that the hearing of Scriptures read may availe a man much to the leading of an holy life The further illustration whereof may be had out of some few examples First then Athanasius an ancient Doctor of the Church Athanas in vita S. Antonii pag. 445. telleth of S. Antonie that having first revolved in his minde how the Apostles forsooke all and followed CHRIST he came into the Church and in the Gospell which was then read he heard the saying of our Saviour to the yong rich man If thou wilt be perfect sell all that thou hast and give to the poore and come and follow me and thou shalt have treasure in heaven Matt. 1921. And as soone as hee had heard that sentence hee went home and sould his possessions and gave them to the poore and leaving all further care of the world he betooke himselfe wholly to a devout life Secondly August Confess lib. 8 cap. 12. pag. 37. S. Augustin telleth of himselfe that having heard of this storie of saint Antonie how he by hearing the Gospell read was converted to God hee in imitation of this holy man tooke up the booke that lay by to reade for hearing of Gods word read and reading of it do not much differ in this respect and opening the booke at all adventure he read what first came to hand and that was the saying of the Apostle Let us walke honestly as in the day not in rioting and drunkennes not in chambering and wantonnesse not in strife and envying c. Rom. 13.13 Part of which words did so strike his heart that he presently forsook his loose life and betooke himselfe to Gods service Thirdly the booke of God it selfe telleth us that Iosias having heard the words of the Law read which threatened judgment against such sinnes as were then too common among them He humbled himselfe rent his clothes and wept before the Lord and caused the booke to be read in the audience of the people and both hee and they moved by the hearing of the booke read made a covenant with the Lord for conversion and amendment of life as is recorded in the 2. booke of Kings in the end of the 22. and in the beginning of the 23. chapter By these examples wee learne that if men come to the hearing of the word read with honest teacheable hearts as these good men d d they may heare that by the sole reading of the text by which they may be brought to repentance for their sins and a carefull and devout service of the Lord their God as these holy men were before them 3. Thirdly the hearing of the word read if it bee heard with attention and reverence as it alwaies should will prepare and fitt peoples mindes for a profitable hearing of Sermons For when the Preacher in handling any point shall alledge the Text he that hath beene an attentive hearer of the word read and hath imprinted the sayings of Scripture in his minde will remember and acknowledge the words as they are cited explained and hereby hee will gaine these helps towards a godly life 1. Hee will learne the sense and meaning of hard places if any be expounded unfolded by the Preacher which himselfe understood not before 2. he will be able as his minde goeth along with the preachers words in part to judge of the truth soundnesse of his allegations and afterward more fully and exactly to examine the things that were spoken as the Bereans examined S. Pauls doctrine whether those things were so as hee had said And lastly he will be enabled to remember every thing that is said the better a good part of the Sermon being setled in his memory by his former reading and the rest having neare coherence with it and dependance on it And he that is furnished with these abilities will easily profit by all that the preacher teacheth But contrariewise he that heareth Texts alledged in a Sermon which he had never heard of before can neither judge of the sense that is put upon them nor understand the sequels that are deduced from them nor remember to any purpose what hath beene alledged out of them I conclude then that he who will profit by the word preached must not neglect to heare the word read that hee may imprint the sentences of the Scripture in his minde 4. Fourthly by hearing the word read though sometimes we understand not the meaning yet we may at least fasten the words in our memories if we carie away but the words and phrases onely we may thereby bee occasioned to ask direction from others who understād them better The Eunuch when he read the Prophecie of Isai understood it not but was hereby moved to enquire of the meaning of the Text. I pray thee saith he of whom speaketh the Prophet this of himselfe or of some other man Act. 8.34 And upon this occasion Philip explained him the text preached unto him the Gospell of Christ and converted him unto the faith brought him by baptisme into the bosome of the Church And so it will bee with us If when we heare the Text read wee meete with some thing which we understand not yet even that if we do but cary away the words onely will lie by us till we meete with some more skilful then our selves and of whom we may ask as the Eunuch did of Philip I pray you Sir
excluded thence 2. Arg. A second Proofe or argument to shew that the keeping of the commandements is a necessary condition required of them that shall be blessed is because God hath assigned hell as the proper habitation of all ungodly persons It is said of Iudas that when in despaire of mercie hee had hanged himselfe hee went 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to his proper place or as our Translation hath well rendred the word to his owne place Where there is no doubt but hee meaneth hell whither Iudas went for his transgression and he calleth hell his owne or his proper place 1. because he had deserved and purchased it by his sin For as it is said ver 18. Hee purchased a field with the reward of iniquity so it is true that he purchased hell with the practice of his iniquitie 2. It is called his own place because God had assigned and appointed that place to Iudas and all such as Iudas was who sell CHRIST either for profit or pleasure And for this cause it is that the Judge at the last day will say to the wicked Go ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Divell and his Angels And if hell be the place deserved by the wicked and destinated to them by Almighty God then heaven can be no place to receive such persons in And therefore if these men go out of the world without repentance they go to hell without all redemption And by this it appeareth that the keeping of Gods word is a necessary condition required to the qualifying of that person that shall bee made partaker of blessednes an happie life And this is the first consideration in respect whereof the keeping of Gods word is availeable to eternall life II. A second is that the keeping of Gods word is availeable to salvation as a service or worke whose reward is blessednesse and eternall life For the clearing of this I will set downe three conclusions 1. Concl. Blessednesse is the reward of well doing or which is all one of the keeping of Gods commandements This may be proved first in generall and then in particular 1. In generall thus David saith The judgements of the Lord are true and righteous altogether And then he addeth Moreover by them is thy servant warned and in keeping of them there is great reward Ps 19.9 11. And Ps 58.11 Verily saith hee there is a reward for the righteous verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth And so our Lord saith of himselfe that when hee cometh to judge the world he will reward every man according to his work Matt. 16.27 And S. Paul God saith hee will render to every man according to his deedes To them who by patient continuance in well-doing seeke for glorie and honour and immortality eternall life but unto them that are contentious and doe not obey the truth indignation and wrath Rom. 2.6 7 8. Where 1. when he saith God will render according to works he sheweth what the rule is by which God will proceed in judging of the world namely according to mens works 2 When he saith To them who by patient c. he explaineth that rule by particular instances He will render to men according to their workes 1. to them which continue in well-doing he will render eternall life as their reward and to them that are contentious and disobedient shall be indignation and wrath By all which thus much is apparent that in generall God rewardeth well-doing with blessednes and eternall life 2. Now in the 2. place let us consider how God rewardeth particular and speciall vertues and wee shall finde 1. that hee rewardeth Martyrdome and patience in suffering for CHRIST with blessednes and eternall life So saith our Saviour Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousnesse sake for theirs is the Kingdome of heaven Blessed are yee when men revile you and persecute you c. for great is your reward in heaven Matt. 5.10 11 12. 2. Hee rewardeth mercifulnesse to CHRISTS Disciples or Confessors He that giveth a cup of cold water onely to a Beleever in the name of a disciple he shall in no wise lose his reward Matt. 10.42 3. He rewardeth almsdeeds to the poore and needie So our Saviour When thou makest a feast call the poore the maimed the lame the blinde and thou shalt be blessed For thou shalt bee recompensed at the resurrection of the just Luk. 14.13 14. 4. Affiance in God and his promises hath a promise of reward So the Apostle Cast not away your cōfidence which hath great recompense of reward Heb. 10.35 5. Faithfulnesse and obedience in servants toward their earthly masters hath a reward from God farre more then their service is to men Servants saith the Apostle obey in all things your Masters not with eye service as men-pleasers but in singlenesse of heart fearing God And whatsoever ye do in your service to your masters do it heartily as to the Lord and not unto men knowing that of the Lord yee shall receive the reward of the inheritance Col. 3.22 23 24. Thus the Scripture goeth before us in diverse particular duties shewing how God doth reward them and by these giveth us example how to judge of all the rest And from hence the conclusion is apparent and cleare that both in generall and in each particular heaven and happines is the reward of well-doing 2. Concl. This reward of blessednesse allotted to good works is for the measure of it squared proportioned according to the goodnesse of the works For though all good works are rewarded with blessednesse Yet all are not rewarded in the like measure and degree Those good works which excell other in goodnesse shall exceed other in the greatnesse of the reward For every man saith the Apostle shall receive his owne reward according to his owne labour 1 Cor. 3.8 Hee speaketh there of some that planted and some that watered and of them he saith that every one shall receive his owne reward Hee meaneth hee that planteth shall receive the reward of a planter and he that watereth shall have the reward of a waterer To the like purpose our Saviour saith He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophets reward and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous mans reward Matt. 10.41 By which speeches this is implied that there is one kinde of reward belonging to a prophet doing his dutie in his place and an other belonging to a righteous man as hee is righteous And hereto agreeth that of the prophet They that be wise shall shine as the firmament and they that turn many to righteousnesse as the starres for ever and ever Dan. 12.3 The conclusion is cleare the greatnesse of the reward is squared according to the goodnesse of the work 3. Concl. This reward of well-doing is due to it not for the worthinesse of the work but by vertue of Gods promise
work of the Lord deceitfully and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood Ier. 48.10 In this sentence wee have two things 1. A Commination of judgement and 2. an application of it to the present occasion The Commination is this Cursed be he that doth the work of the Lord deceitfully the former Translation readeth it negligently The meaning is in both the same For he that doth Gods work negligently doth do it deceitfully also because he giveth God but one part of his due and keepeth back an other part from him or for that hee gives him a worse thing instead of a better In which sense hee is said to bee a deceiver who having a male in his flock voweth and sacrificeth to the Lord a corrupt thing Mal. 1.14 And in this maner Saul was a deceiver when being commanded to kill all the Amalekites hee saved some of the best of them alive 1. Sam. 15. And so Ananias and Sapphira were deceivers when having offered to God all the money that the land was sold for they kept back part for themselves And in the same sense may every one among us be called a deceiver who giveth God a part of his service and keepeth from him some other part or who affoordeth him part of the time that is due to his worship and depriveth him of the rest Such a one is both a negligent workman and a deceitfull dealer with God 2. The application of this threatning in the Prophet is this And cursed be hee that keepeth back his sword from blood The meaning is that God had now commanded a work to bee performed against his enemies the Moabites which was to slay and kill and destroy them and he that did not slay and destroy them accordingly was hee that did this work of the LORD both negligently and deceitfully though he should pill and poll and impoverish them The like application of this generall rule is proper to this occasion also The hearing of Gods word with the other duties belonging to it are GODS work which hee requireth to be done in their time and season and if any man do willingly and unnecessarily withdraw himselfe from any part when hee oweth to God the whole hee doth Gods work deceitfully and may feare the curse that is denounced against deceivers in the Prophet 2. These men who think to please God with a part of his due either comming too late to his Service or departing from it too soone do runne upon this danger that by their absence they may lose that blessing which GOD hath appointed for that part of the service wherein they had no share More particularly they may misse that prayer by which they might have obtained the assistance of Gods Spirit or they may misse the reading of that Chapter which might have converted them to God from some evill way or they may misse that passage in the Sermon which might have done them good all their life long In respect whereof as he that commeth too late to his dinner or is called away before his time may chance to rise hungry or unsatisfied so they that come too late or depart too soone from divine Service may go away destitute of that blessing of God which might nourish their soules with grace to eternall life Hee therefore that will be a profitable hearer of Gods word must not carelessely neglect any part of Gods service wherein wee may take for our paterne the example of Cornelius a man much commended in the Scriptures He expecting the comming of S. Peter who should tell him what he should do did in the meane while call together his kinsmen and neare friends and they altogether waited for the Preacher and when Peter was come to preach the Gospel unto thē Wee saith Cornelius are all here present before God to heare all things that are commanded thee of God Act. 10.24 33. Where 1. when it is said that Cornelius had gathered and called together his kinsmen and neare friends wee may hence gather that Cornelius thought it a speciall benefit which he desired his chiefe friends might be partakers of to heare the word of God preached by the Apostle 2. When Cornelius saith Wee are all here present to heare hee giveth us to understand that all the Hearers were present and met together to wait for the Preacher before the Preacher came there was not one that came tardie or after the exercise was begun 3. When hee saith wee are all here present to heare all things that are commanded of God to be said unto us he implieth that they meant not to lose or misse any part of S. Peters speech there was not a man among them all that meant to depart before all was ended The like affection and diligence should be shewed by every Christian It is an argument of little devotion and respect to Gods service when we come slowly and go away quickly and think every houre too much that is bestowed in this duty But if wee bee ready aforehand and stay till the full end and hearken to every thing that God hath sent his servant to tell us as Cornelius and his friends did then wee may hope that as the holy Ghost fell upon them that then heard the word vers 44 so God will give us his Spirit to guide us in the truth and to lead us by a holy life to eternall glory Which God grant for CHRISTS sake Amen FINIS