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A73836 Seuen godlie and fruitfull sermons. The six first preached by Master Iohn Dod: the last by Master Robert Cleauer. Whereunto is annexed, a briefe discourse, touching, 1. Extinguishing of the spirit, 2. Murmuring in affliction Dod, John, 1549?-1645.; Cleaver, Robert, 1561 or 2-ca. 1625.; Winston, John, fl. 1614-1634. 1614 (1614) STC 6944; ESTC S109731 185,148 341

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of them that because they liue a ciuill life and pertake of the word and the sacraments thinke they haue gone farre enough and account themselues very good Christians this is but to be a builder one of the ill grounds one of the fiue foolish Virgins and therefore as yet their case is wofull Secondly if those that goe so farre be notwithstanding miserable then how cursed are they that haue not proceeded so farre that are not builders but destroyers of themselues and others by their corrupt speeches and by their leaud example and course of life that are not arable grounds but altogether a wilde waste that are not Virgins but doe still commit spirituall whoredome and that in the sight of all the world against the Lord God of heauen that is a iealous God If their fall shall be horrible and fearefull that build and that with the good word of God because they build on an ill foundation how terrible must their iudgement needs bee that come so farre behind such in any shew of goodnesse and goe so farre beyond them in euerie kinde of grosse wickednesse If these grounds that made shew of fruitfulnesse be accursed because they bring not forth ripe fruite then what shall become of them that will not endure any plowing at all but bring foorth bryars and brambles and all maner of poysoned weeds And if it went so hard with those that were Virgins and went with their lamps to meet the bride-groome then what must their doome be that are not Virgins but adulterers and adulteresses that loue the earth more then heauen and earthlie things more then heauenly things that would rather bee at a table of good cheare where their bodies may be pampered then at the Lords table where their soules might be fedde vnto eternall life Certainly these mens iudgement sleepeth not and when it ouertaketh them woe vnto them for their case will be most lamentable Neither neede they cry out against hypocrites for they are tenne times worse then hypocrites and their punishment must be sutable Thirdlie this is for instruction that sith hypocrites seeme to draw in the same yoake of sincerity with the Saints of God therefore we should search our hearts and our thoughts and not onely build aboue ground Ier. 17. but looke whether our foundation be good for the heart is deceitfull aboue all things yet the word of God tryeth it that setteth it as it were vpon the racke and is as a two-edged sword that diuideth betweene the heart and the reines and findeth out all shifts and excuses whatsoeuer But that we may more plainely perceiue the way how to get a sincere heart let vs obserue these directions following The first shall be taken out of the text namely How to get and tr●e an vpright heart that we must digge and search into our consciences and when we find any corruption therein we must cast it forth It is not sufficient to say indeed I find an ill foundation but there is no remedie I must build vpon it nay a good builder will not doe so but throw out euery thing that might endanger his foundation And so should wee deale with sinne and thereby may we try our plainnesse if we can soundly iudge our selues and be glad to be admonished of others it is a signe that there is vprightnesse in vs as it is an euident token that he minds to haue a good foundation that when his neighbour comes with a spade and tels him I see you haue much adoe heere and that you neede helpe I will ioyne with you is glad of this newes and thankfully acceps of him and of his labour This is contrary vnto the Scribes and Pharisies practise who had little to say against the gifts of Iohn Baptist and of Christ but when they came to digge at their pride and couetousnesse and cruelty they could not endure it Secondly another triall is at whose sinnes wee grieue most An hypocrite is the sorest and busiest digger of all but it is in other mens ground but he that would haue a good foundation must be most industrious in purging his owne soule from iniquitie That was a complaint that Ieremie made Ier. 8.6 that no man said What haue I done but all the stirre of hypocrites is what others haue done Whereas if we could come to this I haue liued in this sinne I haue broken promise I haue been vnfaithfull in Gods seruice what way may I take to get peace vnto my soule This were the way indeed to get a sound heart and this is a good argument of a sound hart when the sinnes of our owne soules doe more vexe vs then all the iniuries that men haue done or can do against vs and therefore we are euer busie in searching out the hidden corruptions that lye lurking within our soules that so our foundation may remaine still vnmoueable for this is the difference betwixt an earthly house and a spirituall that the one needeth but once to haue a sure foundation laid but the other requireth daily looking too There is some one corruption or other that must be cast forth so that Christians are searching and digging builders who albeit they seeme to themselues to bee very blind yet they get the greatest measure of knowledge and though they be very dead in their owne feeling yet they carrie away the life of God and the life of grace Verse 47. Whosoeuer heareth my words and doth the same c. is like a man that built an house and digged deepe or as it is in Matthew is like a wise builder who before he be at any cost wil be sure of a good foundation or else all his labour is lost Now the foundation of a Christian is his practise whence ariseth this point that They are the blessedest hearers of the word Doct. 2 that are the best practisers of the same Hearing and doing must go together Therefore is it that Christ Iesus pronounceth such blessed as heare the word and doe it Luke 11.28 Yea more blessed then the virgin Mary was for bearing Christ in her wombe for that alone could not haue saued her whereas the word of God heard and practised is sufficient to bring the soule to euerlasting life and not so alone but it also giues the parties right vnto and the enioyment of all manner of outward blessings whatsoeuer as is shewed at large Deut. 28. Leuit. 26. The reasons why such are blessed are these Reasons 1 First because they shal be able to stand it out in all manner of temptations so that though all the diuels in hell were turned loose vpon them they should be more then conquerours ouer them all Secondly this maketh for the increasing of their happinesse that they shal still grow in knowledge For our Sauiour saith Iohn 7.17 If any one wil do his wil he shal know of the doctrine whether it be of God or no. You shall haue many who before the receiuing of
to haue as great delight in Gods statutes as in all manner of riches Thirdly and lastly when wee feele within vs a great vnwillingnesse to hearken to the word as the flesh will alwaies bee vnwilling to that which will mortifie and kill the sinfull lusts thereof let vs say with the Prophet Dauid Psal 119. part 5. Lord encline my heart vnto thy testimonies Neuer discourage our selues by thinking surely I shall neuer bee able to master my affections and to bring my heart with cheerefulnesse to listen vnto holy things but goe vnto the Lord that is greater then our hearts and stronger then our sinnes and beseech him to giue vs a good affection to his testimonies and if wee aske in faith and humility wee shall bee sure to obtaine our hearts desire Psal 25. for the Lord hath promised to teach the humble his way and if hee vndertake it it is neither our sinfull nature nor Satans malice that can hinder his worke but he will by degrees accomplish the same in vs a●●ee hath done in all his elect from the beginning of the world euen vnto this present time And thus much for the helpes that wee must vse that wee may become willing and cheerefull hearers of the word of the Lord. Vers 10. Which say vnto the Seers see not c. THe Prophet had charged them that they were vnwilling to heare Gods word but they might obiect Wee are as forward to heare as any other yea saith he you heare indeed but what doctrine are you most desirous of would you not be flattered rather then reproued would you not haue falshood preached vnto you rather then the truth Doe you not say vnto the Seers see not and to the Prophets prophecie not vnto vs right things but speake flattering things vnto vs prophecie errours not that they were so brutish as in words to say thus much vnto the Seers that is to their faithfull teachers which had an insight into Gods will but their actions testified so much for they would vilifie and persecute such as dealt faithfully with them Whence obserue Doct. 3 that the more wholesome and holy any doctrine is The most holy doctrine is most distastfull vnto vnholy persons the more grieuous is it vnto the wicked sinners As any man of God preacheth more soundly and commeth nearer the conscience so is hee more abhorred of vngodly men This we may see euidently in sundry examples of Scripture as first of all in those of whom mention is made in the Reuelation where it is said Reuel 11. that there were two witnesses that is a competent and sufficient number of faithfull Preachers which were like Oliue trees Vers 4. to distill the oyle of grace into mens hearts and like Candelstickes to hold forth the light vnto those that liued in darknesse and ignorance but what was the effect of their preaching Vers 10. It is said that these two Prophets vexed them that dwealt on the earth that is all earthly minded men all such as were ignorant and proud vnchast and couetous so that they could neuer be well till they had killed them and cast out their corpses into the streets of the city but then they were glad and reioyced and sent presents one to another in token of their ioy hoping that now these two witnesses were dispatched out of the way they should go on merrily in their leaud courses and liue at hearts ease So Ahab professeth that hee hated the Prophet Micaiah and could not abide him how came that to passe he could like well enough of those foure hundred false Prophets that were entertained at Iezabels table this was the very true cause Micaiah neuer prophecied good vnto him 1. King 21.20 but euill Hee would deale faithfully in deliuering Gods message and not flatter him either for feare or fauor but when God proclaimed warre against him as hee must needs being an impious Idolater hee would let him heare of it and giue him no allowance in his wicked enterprises whereas those foure hundred dissembling hypocrites had learned to frame themselues to the Kings humour and to speake not true but pleasing things vnto him and by that meanes they insinuated themselues into his fauour And as he was affected towards Micaiah so was hee also towards Elij●h Hast thou found me O mine enemy saith he 1. King 21.20 Now what was the reason he should professe such emnity against him euen this that the holy Prophet of God came euer furnished with sharpe rebukes and terrible threatnings from heauen which hee was to denounce against him for his monstrous impiety against the Lord and cruelty against his seruants The like may be seene in Paul who for deliuering the holy and powerfull doctrine of the Gospell was counted a pestilent fellow Act. 24. and a troubler of the whole world not of the Saints that were in the world but of such as were men of the world who could not endure to haue their ignorance their Idolatry their hypocrisie the ill gouernment of their tongues of their affections and of their families laid open and disgraced and the reformation of these corruptions vrged and pressed vpon their consciences To this same purpose we may obserue further how mad and outragious they were against Steuen Acts 7. when hee came with sound doctrine to their vnsound hearts Act 7.54 c. it is said when they heard the things that hee deliuered their hearts brast for anger and they gnashed at him with their teeth and so giuing a shout with a loud voice and stopping their eares that they might not heare him any longer they ranne vpon him with great violence and carrying him out of the city stoned him to death Reasons The reasons why pure and holy doctrine is so vnpleasant and vnwelcome vnto impure and vnholy persons are these First because it doth maruellously crosse their wretched lusts and goes against those euill affections and actions which they are determined to follow they would bee proud but the word tels them Iam. 4. that then the Lord will resist them and at length confound them bodies and soules they would bee alwaies rooting in the earth and scraping together the pelfe of this world Reuel 22. but the word tels them that such swine shall be without that is excluded from the heauenly Ierusalem and haue their portion in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for euer Now when they are resolued to bee proud still and to bee rooters still and the Ministers of God are euer and anon grating vpon their consciences for the same they are much imbittered and incensed against them and their doctrine and if they can worke them any mischiefe they shall be sure not to misse of it Secondly such kinde of doctrine doth much disgrace both their courses and persons for it is the square whereby such crooked peeces are discerned and the touchstone wherby wicked mens vnsoundnes is discouered Hence is it
lead by him according to his will but it pearseth them thorow with many sorrowes for greedy wordlings are euer disconted and froward falling out with one and chafing with another so that those things which seeme to glad their hearts doe not indeed bring them any sound contentment because their desires can neuer be satisfied but especially because they are often times much crossed as when their sheepe or cattle miscarry their grounds prooue vnfruitfull their seruants vntrusty theeues set vpon them by violence to spoile them of their goods or subtill aduersaries by craft seeke to defraud them of the same with many such like occurrences which will neither let them rest quietly in the night nor liue comfortably in the day and the hearts of such couetous persons can tell them that manie times all other things doe them no good sithence they cannot haue some one thing which they would as the case stood with wicked Ahab in the matter of Naboths vineyard But suppose that these and the like sinnes should not bring men into snares in their life time yet at the time of their death when they must goe out of the world they will Iob. 27.8 for what hope hath the hypocrite when God shall take away his life though he haue heaped vp riches as the dust yet when God shall vnsheath his soule and put it violently from his body as a rustie sword out of the scabberd what good will all his substance doe him then It was his hope while he liued that he should still get more wealth but when death sets vpon him he is past that hope and for better hopes he hath none and therefore must needs be full of woe and full of perplexitie Then though he call vpon God he will not answer Pro. 1. ●6 8 and though he seeke him early he shall not finde him but God will laugh at his destruction and mocke when his feare commeth Because God called and he refused he stretched out his hand and he would not regard therefore when he crieth the Lord will shut out his prayer But set the case they be not in such perplexitie at the time of their death but that they die securely and goe suddenly downe to the graue as senslesse blocks or stones yet must they come before the iudgement seat of Christ and then they shall be paid home for all Ordinarily they meet with extremitie of anguish while they liue or when they die but if they doe not they shall not misse of it when they appeare before the Iudge of heauen and earth Rom. 2. but tribulation and anguish shal be vpon euery soule that hath offended of what estate and degree soeuer he hath beene Then their distresse and honour shall be such that when they arise out of their graues they shall wish to returne thither againe yea they shall desire that the mountaines and rockes might fall vpon them couer them from him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lambe Then they would thinke no paines nor torment too much so they might perish euerlastingly they could rather desire that an huge rocke or great mountaine might crush them in peeces and that they might perish as beasts than to appeare before Christ Iesus to receiue that fearefull sentence Goe ye cursed c This is the proper wages of sinne and of disobedience against the Lord it castes the committers of it into a wofull Labyrinth of distresses and miseries and good reason is there that it should be so because otherwise the hatefulnes of it and the hatred of God against it would not cleerely appeare so men would like better of the broad way than of the narrow and chuse to be rebells against the Lord rather than obedient subiects vnto him euen the best would doe this as well as the worst Which serueth First Vse 1 for instruction that we should beware of all kinds of sinne and consider what will come of it before we presume to rush vpō it let vs looke before we leape lest afterwards we repent vs when it is too late Sinne will make goodly shewes of delight and preferment and commoditie that it will bring vnto vs that if we will giue entertainement thereunto it will neuer be a meanes of any disgrace vnto vs but will hide it selfe from the view of the world But what doth the Lord say of it Doth not he tell vs that it will breake out and flie abroad at length The adulterer would haue his wretched pleasure but not the iust reproach of his filthinesse But what saith Iob Iob. 31.3 Are there not strange punishments for such workers of iniquitie And though they may hide it from the eyes of men Verse 4. doth not God behold their waies and tell all their steps If Adam and Eue had considered what mischiefe would haue ensued on their eating of the forbidden fruit they would neuer haue tasted thereof but when they would beleeue the serpent rather then God did not they and shall not their posteritie for euer smart for it The Prophet Micaiah bid Ahab take heede of his iourney to Ramoth Gilead yet he would haue his owne minde let the prophet say what he would but when the arrow was shot into his side then he saw that Micaiahs counsell had beene worth the following but then it was too late and such is the folly and madnesse of most men they must haue their owne wils and their owne waies and will neuer hearken to those instructions that are giuen them either by God or by godly men till miserie haue ouerwhelmed their soules and they be past recouerie But let their follie teach vs to be wiser and let vs take heede of Sathans baites and of his sugred poyson Math. 4. he will make vs profers as he did vnto our Sauiour of maruellous great honour and pleasure and gaine that may be gotten by such and such sinfull courses but let vs neuer giue credit vnto him Iohn 8. for he is a lyar from the beginning but Secondly Vse 2 if we haue harkned too far vnto him already and haue fallen by our iniquitie let vs withall possible speede get out of that which holds vs in bondage and wrappeth vs in miserie and chaineth vs in many sorrowes and calamities let vs get sound repentance for it and striue for a reformation of it let not sinne keepe possession in vs and then iudgements shall not long continue vpon vs He that hath committed any grosse sinne is as it were a prisoner according to that of Salomon Prou. 5.22 His owne wickednesse shall take the wicked himselfe and he shall be holden with the cords of his owne sinne There is a iudiciall proceeding against him sinne commeth as an officer and chargeth the partie to stand then it apprehendeth him and bindeth him hand and foot as a malefactor it spareth not the mightiest Monarch in the world that is found guiltie before the Lord after there is a