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earth_n	hear_v	heaven_n	speak_v	5,759	5	4.9238	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
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

fast vnto them and shall doe for euer So on the other side Paul was much slandered and reuiled counted a pestilent fellow a troubler of the world and the ringleader of heretickes Act. 24. and Tertullus made such a bitter oration against him and brought such witnesses to confirme his speeches that a carnall man would haue thought his name almost vncureable yet who more honourable then Paul his very name doth carrie a wonderful reuerence with it and that in the very hearts of wicked men But how commeth it to passe that hee that was then so shamefully traduced should now bee so highly magnified this is the true reason of it he did that which the word of God did commend though men did condemne it and therefore hauing a good testimony from heauen all the calumniations and slanders of men could nothing at all impeach his credit but did rather cause it to shine out more clearely The Scriptures abound with examples of this kinde but I hasten to the reasons which are these First Reasons 1 the word of God doth giue men neither more nor lesse then their due it passeth a righteous sentence and therefore it must needs stand The world commonly calles good euill and euill good light darkenesse and darkenesse light and therefore the testimony therof is little worth and of small or no continuance but the word of God pronounceth none good or bad vnlesse they bee so If the course of a mans life be such as the Scriptures doe commend though all the world speake against it it is commendable and if it bee such as the word discommendeth though men and Angels should speake for it it is to bee disliked and condemned Psa 12.6 for the words of the Lord are pure words as siluer tried in the furnace of earth fined seuen fold Secondly as the Scripture giues a sound testimonie so the Lord himselfe will backe it and make it good The word denounceth shame vpon all sinners therefore must God of necessity powre it vpon them for else hee should not bee true in his threatnings Earthly Princes doe enact penall lawes and statutes and yet many times doe not see them executed but God deales not so but whosoeuer doth persist in his wickednesse is sure to meete with disgrace in the end as godly men shall inherite glory Prou 3.35 though they bee vilified and debased for a time so shall sinners inherit dishonour as the Wise man affirmeth though they be exalted for a season Durable sinnes shall haue abiding shame and constant obedience shall haue euerlasting glory euery man shall receiue according to his workes whether good or euill This then may serue to discouer vnto vs their follie and madnesse Vse 1 that would faine haue credit in the world and yet seeke not for it in the word but are proud and ambitious vaineglorious and couetous full of hypocrisie and of all manner of iniquity is this the way to get good estimation and lasting credit nay the Lord saith Psal 119.21 that the proud are cursed which erre from his commandements Prou. 10.7 and that the name of the wicked shall rot Doe they thinke that if they can goe beyond others in wealth in command in outward dignity and the like that then they shall carrie away the reputation from them nay they are farre deceiued if they so imagine God makes no promise of commendation to them in the Scripture and therefore it is a vaine thing for them to expect it 2. Cor. 10.18 for none is praiseworthy but hee whom the Lord praiseth and therefore though men magnifie vs as they did Herod Act. 12. yet let vs thinke neuer the better of our selues for if we bee impious persons as he was the time shall come when the Lord will cause vs to bee abhorred and loathed Secondly if wee desire to haue a good name while we liue to leaue it behind vs when we die and to haue euerlasting honour before all the Saints and Angels for euer then let vs take such courses as God himselfe doth approue and commend Let vs get faith and loue in our hearts and let vs manifest the fruits thereof in our liues let vs be truly religious towards God and zealous in his seruice let vs be righteous towards men and carrie a liberall heart and a bountifull hand for good and mercifull vses Iam. 1.27 for these things God himselfe doth commend and therefore wee may assure our selues that they will procure vs eternall praise And though sinfull men may try vs by reproaches and slanders and seeke by all meanes to blemish our names as they dealt with our Sauiour and his Apostles and followers in former times yet shall our memoriall be blessed and our goodnesse bee had in euerlasting remembrance Pro. 10.7 Psal 11● Psal 37.6 God shall bring forth our righteousnes as the light and our iudgement as the noone day Vers 9. That it is a rebellious people This is the crime that is charged vpon them being full of infidelity and disobedience they are indited of high treason against the Lord which was the heauiest imputation that could bee laid vpon them Whence note this point that They are the most miserable and wretched rebels Doct. 1 Those that rebell against God are the worst rebels that are rebels against God Though it be an offence very grieuous and odious for a subiect to shew himselfe disloyall to his earthly Soueraigne yet this shall stand as a sure conclusion when heauen and earth shall fall that the greatest Sinner is the greatest Traitor Hence it is that when the Prophet Samuel would set out the hainousnesse of Sauls sinne in sparing Agag the King of the Amalekites and the best of the sheepe and oxen and of the things that should haue been destroyed E●●d 22.18.20 1. Sam. 15.22 hee compareth it with those crimes that were most hatefull and most punishable by Gods law saying Rebellion to wit against the Lord is as the sinne of witchcraft and transgression is wickednesse and Idolatrie and therefore Saul must needs bee a notorious malefactor that was found guilty thereof Isa 30.1.9 So dealeth Moses with the stifnecked and peruerse Israelites Heare yee rebels saith he shall wee bring you water out of the rocke Numb 20.10 as if more could not be spoken for the shame and disgrace of impious persons then to brand them with the note of rebels against the Lord of heauen and earth But that this point may be yet more cleare and perspicuous let vs weigh these reasons that follow for the confirmation thereof First Reasons 1 the lawes that they breake which notwithstanding they are more strictly tied to obserue Rom. 7.12 then any subiect in the world is the statutes of his Prince are most equall and iust and meet to be kept and therefore the presumptuous breach thereof must of necessity argue the most indigne and vnworthie rebellion that can be imagined It was no small fault

that built an house vpon the earth without foundation against which the floud did beate and it fel by and by and the fall of that house was great IN the words immediatly going before is declared how Christ rebuked those that would call him Lord Lord and make a profession of religion and yet not doe the things that he commanded them for if they would speake to their Lords they must speake to their lusts for to them they are in subiection Hauing bestowed such a reproofe vpon them he leaueth them not so but directeth them what they should do exhorting them to a conscionable practise of the word to which that hee might more throughly perswade them hee vseth two forcible reasons 1 One is taken from the great commodity that will redoune vnto those that doe practise it namely that they shall be inuincible against all temptations and vnmoueable in all the stormes and tempests that shall arise Vers 47.48 2 Another is taken from the great danger that will ensue vpon the contrary which is this that let men heare as much as they will if they doe not yeeld obedience vnto it they shall haue a desperate and feareful and vnrecouerable fall and therfore are they compared to an house that hath good stone and timber and workemanship bestowed about it but it is built on an il foundation on sand or on a quagmire which is shaken by euery blast of winde and if there arise any blustering stormes is vtterly ouerthrowne Verse 47. Whosoeuer commeth to me In that Christ sheweth that some haue recourse vnto him to heare his word and are builders as well as others 48 and yet are but dissemblers Doct. 1 which appeareth by their end Hypocrites in many things agree with Christians the doctrine hence to bee learned is that hypocrites may go as farre as Christians in many things They may come to Christ in the hearing of the word in the receiuing of the sacrament in publike prayer and yet bee false-hearted all the while A true Christian heares the pure word of God without mixture of popish or humane inuentions so doth an hypocrite A true Christian is a builder he edifies himselfe in knowledge and vnderstanding so doth an hypocrite Iudas as well as Peter can carry away many good lessons and yet the one go to hell for his falshood and guile when the other hath heauen for his portion because he had an vpright heart and a spirit without guile Thus farre wee see in the text wherein true Christians and hypocrites doe agree now 〈…〉 what difference there is betwixt them The one when he is to build digges deepe and casts out the loose earth that so his foundation may bee firme and sure implying thus much that the seruants of God know their hearts to bee hollow and false ground and therefore when they haue heard a Sermon they suspect their owne guiltinesse and so search their hearts and lament their corruptions for searching is digging and lamenting is casting foorth of the rubbish and loose earth They thinke their labour euen lost vnlesse their hearts can meete with such a promise with such a threatning or with such an instruction to make a right vse of the same Now on the other side an hypocrite makes quicke work all his building is aboue ground and therefore when hee hath talked a little of the Sermon he is well and thinkes all his worke is dispatched he spends no time in digging and searching nor in grieuing and lamenting for his corruptions nay hee censureth Christians as too melancholy and pensiue that will goe aside into a corner and there deale by praiers and teares betwixt God and their owne hearts what need all this adoe saith the hypocrite is not God mercifull Hee is so indeed yet will he haue vs to be seuere and vnmercifull towards our corrupt and euill lusts and therefore stil to be digging at them and casting of them foorth of our hearts And as in this place we may perceiue how farre true Christians doe both agree and differ so there are other Scriptures to cleare the same as the eighth of Luke the parable of the grounds wherein it is euident that the stonie ground did heare the word of God and that with vnderstanding yea with ioy nay which is more the thorny ground did not only receiue the seed but brought foorth both the blade and the eare that is did not onely with readinesse receiue the word but also did somewhat in their manner which the word commanded thus farre the ill grounds agreed with the good ground But herein the good ground went beyond them that those that were signified thereby came with a good and honest heart and had patience to vndergoe persecution for the truth and contempt of the world that they would not bee choaked with the cares and pleasures therof wheras the other sort if they saw in likely hood that they might get more profit and ease by following the world then by cmbracing Christ they were gone Another place fit for the proofe of this point Matth. 25. we haue in the parable of the Virgins where we may obserue 1. That they were all Virgins that is such as did professe to separate themselues from worldly lusts and did not go a whoring after the common corruptions of the times but kept themselues within the bounds of outward sobrietie as Iudas and Saul for a time did who could not be charged with grosse couetousnes or cosenage or the like 2. Further they had all lampes that is an outward shew of good things And 3. Oyle in their lampes so much as could make a blaze to get them the credit of professors they could speake well and doe diuers works that were glorious in the view of the world 4. They all went to meete the Bride-groome that is all of them frequented the means of saluation as if they expected fauor and fellowship with Christ Iesus 5. Lastly it is said they all slumbred and slept that is those that were true Christians hauing sound fruits of pietie and sinceritie in their hearts and in their liues knew their estate was good and therefore waited for their Sauiour with quiet and peaceable hearts Hypocrites also seeing that they went beyond Atheists and prophane persons thought their case was good and thereupon they grew secure and neuer troubled themselues about the assurance of their election Thus farre the wise and foolish Virgins accord But here is the difference that the foolish Virgins haue no more oyle then they carry in their lamps the world may easily see al that is in them but the wise Virgins haue a lampe to carrie oyle and an heart to carrie oyle they haue two vessels one for practise and another for store that though the oyle in the lampe should be spent yet there might be a new supplie made Thus we see in how many things false-hearted dissemblers come neare the sincerest of Gods seruants Which serueth Vse 1 first for the reproofe

yet did they set their tongues to schoole as it were that they might be artificiall in their leaud practises carry out their lies vnder a colour of truth and so sinne with lesse disgrace which was a thing that the Lord could not abide and therefore he threatneth to plague them therefore And good reason is there that it should be so Reasons 1 for First such persons are extreamely hurtfull Neuer is euill practised with such mischiefe as when it is contriued by craft and polished with deceit The Apostles were neuer so troubled in dealing either with the idolatrous Gentiles or with the superstitious and malicious Iewes as they were when they had to doe with those that pretended to be Christians to be Ministers of the Gospell yea to be Apostles and therefore Paul expostulateth the matter with the Galathians saying O foolish Galathians Gal. 3. who hath bewitched you c. As if he should haue said No man could deale so dangerously as these false Teachers who haue as it were charmed your affections and bewitched your mindes And in the Epistle to the Corinthians he greatly complaineth of such deceiuers 2. Cor. 11.2.3 I am iealous ouer you with a godly iealousie for I haue prepared you for one husband to present you as a pure Virgin to Christ But I feare lest as the Serpent beguiled Eue through his subtiltie so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicitie that is in Christ Vers 13.14.15 For such false Apostles are deceitfull workers and transforme themselues into the Apostles of Christ And no maruell for Sathan himselfe is transformed into an Angell of light Therefore it is no great thing though his Ministers transforme themselues as though they were the Ministers of righteousnes Paul had taken great paines to make a match betwixt Christ and them and to fit them for such a glorious husband but he was much afraide lest it would be broken in regard of manie of them and that as the Diuell deceiued Eue so the false Apostles would deceiue them and that by transforming themselues into the Apostles of Christ making shew as the Diuell doth of the greatest loue and care of their good and of their eternall saluation when the truth was they intended no such thing but onely the seruing of themselues in their carnall credit and commoditie Secondly albeit such kinde of persons doe worke much mischiefe yet they seldome passe vnder the censure of men for the same and therefore it stands the Lord vpon to rebuke and punish them Nay they are so farre from being condemned by men that they haue great thankes many times for their wise counsell and good aduice though it be most vile and diuellish in incensing mens mindes against such as haue wronged them and putting it into their heads how they may bee auenged of them which is a thing most detestable before God and therefore shall not goe vnpunished Thirdly their hearts are maruellously hardened for when they can fetch ouer men according as they list they intertaine an opinion of singular witte and vnderstanding of a deepe reach in themselues and so begin to contemne others and will not admit of a reproofe or admonition from any and therefore being growen to this height of pride and this exceeding hardnesse of heart they are the more fit for Gods iudgements to be executed vpon them Fourthly Gods wisedome is much magnified by proceeding against such they are fit aduersaries for him who scattereth the deuices of the craftie Iob. 5.12 so that their handes cannot accomplish that which they enterprise as Iob speaketh and that taketh the crafty in their craftinesse causing those that are cunning hunters and fowlers to fall into the pit that they haue digged for others and to be insnared in the works of their owne handes Psal 7. 9. so that when they goe about to take others it falleth out by the righteous and wise prouidence of God that they are taken themselues Sith it is so dangerous to haue a crafty and cunning head Vse 1 closely to plot and contriue mischiefe let this admonish vs to beware of that vice for assuredly it will bring shame vpon the fauourers thereof The wise man saith Prou. 24.8 Hee that imagineth to doe euill men shall call him an authour of wickednesse All men shall point at such a one There goeth a crafty fellow a subtill Foxe c so that the name of a vagrant is not more odious then his euery one hath such in detestation euen the most contemptible of the people Doe you see yonder man will they say he is a perillous fellow able to set a thousand together by the eares If any haue an euill cause hee is a man for his turne Let him make him his Soliciter and hee will goe as farre as diuellish and craftie wit can reach And as it is a blemish to the name so it is the bane of ones estate to bee a fraudulent dealer The bread of deceit saith Salomon is sweete to a man Prou 20.17 but after-terward his mouth shall be filled with grauell Howsoeuer deceitfull persons doe snatch heere and there and get much from others yet few of them thriue but the curse of God lighting vpon that which they haue makes hauocke of all And therefore as wee tender our estimation and good estate in the world let vs beware of such practises Secondly Vse 2 let vs hence learne not to be discouraged at crafty aduersaries that haue winding wits plotting heads and flattering tongues and acceptance with great ones euen as they would wish let vs not bee dismayed heereat but let this be our comfort when they fawne and flatter and lie and traduce vs most shamefully that the Lord will cut off the lying lips Grant that we haue not libertie or skill to encounter them yet the Lord hath There is no wisedome nor vnderstanding Prou. 21.30 nor counsell against him that is none of these shall take any effect against him and therefore the Psalmist saith Psal 33.10 The Lord breaketh the counsell of the Heathen and bringeth to nought the deuices of the people Though all the wisedome of all the nations in the earth were laide together yet God would bring all their consultations to nothing if they made against him When Achitophel fell from Dauid to take part with Absolon it much troubled Dauid for his words were as Oracles and none could speake more in matters of policie then he and he knew all Dauids heart and the state of the whole kingdome and therefore he turneth himselfe vnto God O Lord saith he I pray thee turne the counsell of Achitophel into foolishnesse and God heard his request and did so insomuch that no creature could deale more foolishly for the procuring of his owne euerlasting woe and shame then he did in hanging himselfe The diuell is still labouring to worke mischiefe and he wants not craft nor subtiltie besides the experience that he hath had

of husbands and wiues that they shall lament apart euen they that are linked in the nearest bonds and might with most conueniencie lay open their harts each before other yet they should not content themselues with those seruices which they performed together vnlesse God and their consciences might somtimes meete in secret And as our Sauiour chose for himselfe priuate and solitary places where he might with more freedome pray vnto his Father so doth he giue the like aduice vnto others Matth. 6.6 When thou prayest saith he enter into thy chamber and when thou hast shut thy doore pray vnto thy Father which is in secret Whereby chamber hee meaneth any secret place where a man may freely lay open his wants before the Lord. Hence was it that Peter after the deniall of his master is said to goe out and there to weepe bitterly Now the cause why we must do thus is First because it wil be a witnes vnto our soules that we do duties in truth and not in hypocrisie for in secret albeit we shed teares aboundantly for our sins none can accuse vs of vain-glory neither will our owne hearts charge vs therewith whereas in publicke there may be some such suspicion in others or doubt arising in our selues And as our sorrow wil thence appeare not to be hypocriticall so will it also bee cleare vnto vs that it is not naturall nor for company such as may be in a ciuill man who seeing a great many weeping and mourning can hardly refraine himselfe from teares but will bee apt and readie to lament with them Secondly there is no man or woman but hath some sinne or other which is not meere for them to acknowledge before their nearest friends because such is the corruption of their nature they will be ready to thinke the worse of the party The most louing and wise husband that is if his wife should discouer vnto him all her thoughts and ill affections would entertaine somewhat a harder conceit of her then before he did and therefore God would haue many sinfull cogitations and motions laid open onely vnto himselfe who is infinitely mercifull and pittifull and not vnto any creature in the world beside This doctrine serueth for the iust reproofe of many professonis Vse 1 who are all in the Church and nothing in the familie or if they haue prayer and reading of the Scriptures twice a day publicke with their whole family they imagine that they haue gone as farre as they need to do though they neuer throughout the whole week performe any seruice vnto the Lord in secret neuer conscionably meditate on the word neuer earnestly bewaile and confesse their hidden corruptions neuer feruently cry vnto the Lord for the sauing graces of his holy Spirit nor performe any such duty apart as all Christians are bound to do Such kind of persons may assure themselues that their hearts are not right with God and that they are not led by the Spirit of grace which drawes those in whom it reigneth vnto the performance of good duties apart as well as with companie in their closets in their chambers in the fields or in some such priuate places or other as well as in the Church or with the whole societie where they liue How much more are those to be condemned who are so farre from seruing the Lord in secret that they either refuse to do it in publike or if they affoord their bodily presence yet they are idle or profane or wanton in their lookes and in their gestures letting all that are neare them see the vile disposition of their hearts by their leaud and abominable carriage These sinfull wretches are so farre from being excused by being at religious exercises that they are much to bee condemned for that in the land of righteousnesse as the Prophet speaketh they worke wickednes and in the places where they should shew al manner of holines they expresse such notable profanenes These are euen like Iudas who was plotting to betray his master euen then when he was at the Lords table to bee partaker of the holy Sacrament and they shall speede euen as hee did for when affliction and misery seazeth vpon them as come it wil sooner or later if they preuent it not by hearty repentance then shall they not bee able to stand before the Lord nor before the face of their accusing consciences but shall be ouerwhelmed with horrour and amazement and be moreready to lay violent hands on themselues then to seeke vnto the Lord for mercy whom they haue so hainouslie and presumptuously offended Secondly let vs hence learne to bee the same alone for matters of godlinesse as we are in company and to do duties when no body sees vs euen because God beholds vs as well as when many eyes are cast vpon vs. This will be a testimonie vnto our soules of great sincerity and vprightnes and these priuate exercises of religion wil maruellously fit vs for the publike And thence it comes to passe that many are so loth to appeare before God in the congregation or in the family and do feele the seruices of God so tedious and wearisome because their hearts haue not been exercised therewith in secret for he that deales with his owne soule alone shall find so many defects in himselfe that he will be very desirous of the helpe of the Saints in publike assemblies Therfore let vs tie our selues euery day to spend some time in meditating on the word in searching our harts in hūbling our selues for our offences past presēt in praying to the Lord to strengthen vs where we are weake to resolue vs where we are in doubt to shew vs our errours and to direct vs in the right way to let vs see our wants and to supply them of his rich grace let vs I say constantlie performe these and the like duties in secret and then shall it bee plaine vnto our soules that wee are guided by Gods good Spirit And howsoeuer the diuell will obiect that wee are not sincere because we haue many times more in shew outwardly then wee haue in substance inwardly yet hereby shall we be able to approue the sinceritie of our hearts that albeit we haue not that within vs which wee seeme to haue yet wee desire to haue it and striue to attaine to it and he only is an hypocrite which neither hath nor desires to haue that which he maketh semblance to haue The end of the first Sermon vpon the twelfth of Zechariah THE SECOND SERMON VPON THE SIXTH OF LVKE LVKE 6.47 c. Vers 47. Whosoeuer commeth tome and heareth my words and doth the same I will shew you to whom he is like 48. He is like a man which built an house and digged deepe and laid the foundation on a rocke and when the waters arose the floud beate vpon that house and could not shake it for it was grounded vpon a rocke 49. But he that heareth and doth not is like a man