the comforts of Heaven in the life to come Now I come to a more speciall and particular consideration of every Verse in order and thence togather such Notes and Doctrines as may best instruct us in the way to Heaven First David tells us in the first Verse That Gods Word is a Lanterne to his feet and a Light unto his paths Which that you may better understand I will tell you the meaning of the words and explaine unto you the severall tearmes First the Word may be taken three wayes 1 For the substantiall Word of God the second Person in the Trinitie Ioh. 1. 1. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was God 2 It may be taken for the written and sounding Word as it onely strikes the eare and informes the understanding but it is not conveyed neither sinkes it into the heart by the powerfull assistance and sanctified concurrence of Gods Spirit it being not prayed for to the conversion and sanctification of the whole man And so the Word is heard and understood of many that shall never be saved but returnes unfruitfull 3 It may be taken for the working and effectuall Word as it is the power of God unto salvation as it is rightly understood applyed unto the heart and Conscience possest of the thoughts and affections and practised in the life and conversation This Word thus understood inlived managed and powerfully applyed by the Spirit of God was a Light unto Davids steps and so is a guide unto the paths of all true Christians to the worlds end That you may understand how the Word is a Light you must consider 1 That Christ is called Light Ioh. 1. 4. The Ministers are called the Light of the World Mat. 5. 14. The faithfull are Lights Phil. 2. 15 16. The way of the righteous saith Salomon Prov. 4. 18. shineth as the Light that shineth more and more vnto the perfect day The Word of God is also called a Light as in this place But first Christ is Light of himselfe and originally he is the Fountaine and everlasting Spring of all the Light of Grace and Glory both in Heaven and Earth Hee is called The Sunne of Righteousnesse The Sunne you know hath his Light rooted in his owne faire Body and receives that from none other and with that hee enlightens the Moone the Starres the Aire the Earth all the World Even so the blessed Sonne of God the Sunne of Righteousnesse hath in himselfe and from himselfe the Light of all Wisdome and Knowledge Mercie and Comfort and from him floweth and springeth whatsoever Light of Glory is revealed unto his blessed Saints and Angels in Heaven or whatsoever Light of Grace is shed into the hearts of his sonnes and servants here upon Earth 2 The Preachers of the Word are Ministers and Messengers of this Light and therefore are but Light ministerially They are as the Starres and so they are called Rev. 1. 20. They receive all their Light from the Sunne of Righteousnesse CHRIST IESVS and either doe or should convey and cast their borrowed beames upon the earthly cold and darksome hearts of the people of God that they might turne from Darkenesse to Light from the power of Sathan unto God Act. 26. 18. 3 The Word is Light instrumentally which being powerfully sanctified unto us for our salvation and being holden out unto us by a conscionable Ministerie is as a Candle or Torch to guide us through the darknesse of this World unto our eternall Rest 4 Lastly the faithfull are Lights Subjectivè because they receive this Light into their Vnderstandings whereby they see the Wonders of Gods Law the Secrets of his Kingdome and the great Mysterie of Godlinesse and the way to Heaven into their Consciences whereby they have their sinfull miserable estate by nature discovered unto them and the way to Christ for remedie and salvation into their affections whereby they are enkindled with zeale for Gods truth honour and service into their actions and conversation whereby they shine as Lights in the World amid a naughtie and crooked generation Phil. 2. 15. And after the Sunne of Righteousnesse once arise in their hearts like the Sunne in the Firmament they shine more and more in all holy Vertues unto the perfect day untill they reach the height of Heaven and the full glory of the Saints of God In the third place by Feet is meant his minde and understanding his affections thoughts actions his whole life all his wayes All these in David were guided by the Light of Gods Word Lastly by Paths are meant every particular step every turning and narrow passage in his speciall calling For this Light the Word of God doth not onely guide a mans feet into the way of peace and put him in the right way to Heaven but also goes along with him inlightens and directs every step that his feet doe not slide It so informes him with spirituall wisedome that hee layes hold on every occasion for the glorifying of God descries every little sinne and appearance of evill disposeth every circumstance in his actions with a good conscience and warrant out of Gods Word This then is the meaning of this Verse David the man of God had the Word of God working powerfully upon his soule as a Light that is As a Lampe is to the life and safetie of the body in darke and dangerous places so was this Light to the life and salvation of Davids soule in the darkenesse of this World and shadow of death To guide his feet and paths that is his mind affections thoughts actions his whole life all his wayes and every particular step and passage thereof This Verse being thus understood let us now come to gather some Lessons and Doctrines for our instruction The first shall be this There is no man can hit the way to Heaven or walke in the paths of Righteousnesse through the Kingdome of Grace in this World unto the Kingdome of Glory in the World to come except he be inlightened informed and instructed in the holy Word of God The second Note wee gather out of this Verse shall be this The Word of God is a Light not onely to guide us into the way to Heaven and instruct us in our generall calling of Christianitie but also to leade us along in a course of godlinesse and to direct us particularly in our speciall calling I will first follow the former Doctrine which in few words and plainely I thus propose unto you No man can at first finde the entrance or after hit the way to Heaven except he be enlightened and led along by the holy Word of God For David as here wee see a man of great worth and understanding otherwise excellently and extraordinarily qualified could not find out or follow any other Guide or direction to Heaven but onely the Light of Gods Word
the Word of God to a love and liking of the heavenly knowledge therein contained and to a sound and sincere practice of it in our lives and conversations may be this The Word of God is as it were an Epistle or Letter as one of the Fathers calls it written from God Almightie unto us miserable men published by his owne Sonne sealed by his Spirit witnessed by his Angels conveyed unto us by his Church the Pillar and ground of Truth confirmed with the bloud of millions of Martyrs which hath alreadie brought thousands of soules to Heaven and fills every heart that understands it and is wholly guided by it with Light and Life with Grace and Salvation Now let us imagine a man to have a Letter sent unto him but by an Earthly King or some great Prince in the World wherein hee should have a Pardon granted him for some capitall Crime and high Offence whereby hee were lyable to a terrible kind of death or wherein hee should be fore-warned of some great and imminent danger hanging over his head and readie every houre to fall upon him or wherein hee should have assured and confirmed unto him under the Kings Seale some rich Donation or great Lordship Now I say if a man should receive but a Letter from some high and mightie Potentate upon Earth wherein any of these favours should be conveyed unto him how reverently would he receive it how thankfully would he accept of it how often would he reade it how warily would he keepe it how highly would he esteeme of it Why in this royall and sacred Letter sent from the King and great Commander both of Heaven and Earth all these favours and a thousand more joyes and comforts are conveyed unto every beleever and practiser thereof In that we are fore-warned lest by our ignorance impietie and impenitencie wee fall into the Pit of Hell and everlasting horror In that we have promised and performed unto us the pardon and remission of all our sinnes whereby wee justly stand guiltie of the second death and the endlesse torments of the damned By the vertue of it we are not onely comforted with grace in this World but shall undoubtedly be crowned with peace glory and immortalitie in the World to come Such a Letter as this hath the mightie and terrible God most glorious in all Power and Majestie who is even a consuming and devouring fire sent unto us miserable men by nature wretched and forlorne creatures Dust and Ashes why then with what reverence chearefulnesse and zeale ought wee to receive reade heare marke learne understand and obey it A second Motive may be the precious golden and divine matter which is contained in the Booke of God and that true and ever-during happinesse to which it onely can bring us There is nothing proposed and handled in the Word of God but things of greatest weight and highest excellency As the infinite majesty power and mercy of God the unspeakable love and strange sufferings of the Sonne of God for our sakes the mighty and miraculous working of the holy Spirit upon the soules of men There is nothing in this Treasury but Orient Pearles and rich Iewels as promises of grace spirituall comfort confusion of sinne the triumph of godlines refreshing of wearied soules the beautie of Angels the holinesse of Saints the state of Heaven salvation of sinners everlasting life What Swine are they that neglecting these precious Pearles root only in the Earth wallow in worldly pleasures feede upon vanities transitorie trash and vanishing riches which in their greatest need will take them to their wings like an Eagle and flie into the Heavens Besides the Word of God is only able to prepare us for true happinesse in this world and to possesse us of it in the world to come It only begets in us a true intire and universall holinesse without which none shall ever see the face of God or the glory of Heaven for it is impossible hereafter to live the life of glory blessednes in Heaven if we live not here the life of grace and sincerity in all our waies It is called the immortall Seed because it regenerates and renewes us both in our Spirits Soules and Bodies in our Spirits that is in judgement memory conscience in our Soules that is in our will and affections in our Bodies that is in every member If the Prince of this world hath not blinded the eyes of our minds and that we be not reprobats as concerning salvation it only is able to inlighten our understandings to rectifie our wills to sanctifie our hearts to mortifie our affections to set Davids Doore before our lips that are offend not with our tongues to set Iobs Doore before our eyes that they behold not vanity to manacle our hands feet with the cords and bands of Gods Law that they do not walke or worke wickedly nay and it is able to furnish and supply us with sufficiencie of spirituall strength to continue in all these good things and in a godly course vnto the end And if we be once thus qualified we are rightly fitted and prepared for the glory that is to be revealed As before this holy Word did translate us from the darknesse of sinne into the light of grace it can now much more easily with joy and triumph bring us from the light of grace to the light of immortalitie and everlasting pleasures at Gods right hand A third Motive may be this Wee must be judged by the Word of God at the last Day If any man saith Christ Ioh. 12. 47 48. heare my words and beleeve not I judge him not for I came not to judge the World but to save the World He that refuseth me and receiveth not my words hath one that judgeth him the word that I have spoken it shall judge him in the last Day Whensoever wee shall come to judgement and appeare before Gods Tribunall and wee little know how neere it is two Bookes shall be layd open unto us the one of Gods Law another of our owne Conscience The former will tell us what wee should have done for the Lord hath revealed it to the World to be the rule of our faith and of all our actions The other will tell us what wee have done for Conscience is a Register Light and Power in our Vnderstanding which treasures up all our particular actions against the Day of Triall discovers unto us the equitie or iniquitie of them and determines of them either with us or against us Now we must not take any exception against the first that is the Law of God For the Law of God saith David Psal 19. 7. is perfect converting the soule The testimonie of the Lord is sure and giveth wisedome unto the simple Wee cannot against the second that is the Booke of our Conscience for it was ever in our custodie and keeping no man could corrupt it there
would you take this Letter and how often would you reade it with what willingnesse of affection Now here is an Epistle sent from Heaven to advise you that you are all Traitors and Rebels against Heaven and yet here in this Letter God offers the bloud of his Sonne and you may be reconciled and will you neglect it This is the matter of this Epistle it brings matter of deliverance from the greatest Curse that can befall the creature and the greatest advancement 6 It is the bottomelesse Treasurie of all high sweet and excellentest things The Mysterie of the Trinitie the Majestie of God the Love of God and of Christ this sufferings the Spirits workings the happinesse of the Saints and the glory of Heaven c. 7 It must be our Iudge at the last day Ioh. 12. 48. Every honest Sermon is but the Word of God unfolded and a bunch of Arrowes wrapped up and unfolded are all one 8 It onely can cure a wounded Conscience the greatest calamitie that ever the heart of man was acquainted with and that which no Arme of flesh or created Power no man or Angel can ease at all 9 In it onely are to be had Deeds and Evidences to shew for eternall Life and Acquittances for discharge from eternall Death 10 It hath saved all the soules that are in Heaven Rom. 10. 13. 11 It onely is the object of divine and infused Faith Humane testimonies and authorities beget onely humane Faith Therefore you must reverence this Word 2 Some Motives taken from the most fearefull and cursed estate of those who neglect and reject the Ministerie of the Word hating to be reformed by it Marke and take to heart thine unspeakable miserie whosoever thou art that despisest the Ministerie Take a taste of it in these passages 1 They are deprived by this meanes of the love and favour of God the onely fountaine of all comfort peace and glory which is infinitely the dearest and most unvaluable losse that can be imagined 2 Of their part and portion in the bloud of Christ one drop whereof is incomparably more worth than Heaven and Earth men and Angels or the creatures of a thousand Worlds 3 Of the fatherly protection care and providence of the blessed Trinitie the glorious guard of Angels the comfortable communion of the blessed Saints and all the sweet contentments that follow thence 4 Of the quiet joy and tranquilitie of a good Conscience a Iewell farre more worth than the whole World were it all turned into one unvaluable Pearle of unvaluable price and of all the heavenly illuminations cherishments and comforts wherewith the Holy-Ghost is wont to visit and refresh the hearts of holy men 5 Of the sweet peace and true contentment in this life and of all comfortable right and religious interest to any of the creatures For without a good Conscience there was never found joy in any mans heart or sanctified enjoyment of any thing in the World and never shall any man have a good Conscience that gives allowance to any Lust or lives delightfully in any sinne 6 Of a Crowne of Life the unspeakable joyes of Heaven that immeasurable and endlesse comfort that there shall be had with all the children of God Patriarkes Prophets Apostles Martyrs all our Christian acquaintance yea with the Lord himselfe and all Angels with Christ our Saviour and Lambe slaine for us the Prince of Glory yea the Glory of Heaven and Earth and brightnesse of the everlasting Light c. To these privative consequents adde a serious consideration upon those terrible flaming places Deut. 29. 19 20. Prov. 1. 23 24. Isa 6. 9 10. 1 Sam. 2. 25. Act. 13. 46. By continuing thy contempt and rejecting the Light of the Gospel thou mayest come thou knowest not how soone to sinne against the Holy-Ghost as the Pharises did Math. 12. 24 31. For sinne against the Holy-Ghost may be committed as well 1 By those who although they doe acknowledge and confesse the Truth which they doe blaspheme yet they have not yet professed it or given up their names to it as were those Scribes and Pharises and there are many such in these dayes who have not as yet given their name to the Truth which yet notwithstanding being well knowne and acknowledged they doe blaspheme 2 As those who have not only acknowledged in themselves the Truth that they blaspheme but have professed the same before others that are the favourers of Truth as Iulian Porphyrius Alexander the Copper-smith and many others of which you may see Heb. 6. 10. So many amongst us at this day 3 Some taken from the survey of those judgements which contempt of the Ministerie may bring upon the place where it is planted 1 It may remove the Candlesticke and be plagued with the utter losse of the Ministerie Consider Math. 8. 34. 10. 13. 21. 41. 2 They may have Prophets but such as are fooles they may have men of the Spirit but those that be mad Hos 9. 7. By a foole is meant not a naturall but spirituall foole Prov. 1. 8. Ier. 4. 22. Isa 5. 20. By mad is understood not a man out of his wit or distracted in minde but he that like a mad Dogge rageth and rayleth against the Truth of God and sinceritie of his Saints which is a great judgement 3 They may enjoy faithfull Teachers but to their further hardening as the Israelites did Isaiah Isa 6. 9 10. Which of all other judgements that God can inflict in this life is the most fearefull 4 By this meanes they may make sad the heart and affections of their Teachers that they cannot with that chearefulnesse as they desire performe the offices of their Ministerie Which as it discourageth the Teachers and will one day light heavie on the causers and procurers thereof so it is unprofitable for the hearers and deprives them of much good they might otherwise enjoy as appeares Heb. 13. 17. 4 Some from consideration of those confusions and desolations which it pulls with great violence even upon whole Kingdomes Looke upon such places as these 2 Chron. 36. 16 17 c. Ier. 25. 3. c. Cap. 35. 15. Rev. 6. 4. c. The glorious Light of those seven Candlestickes in Asia mentioned in the Revelations was long since for their unfruitfulnesse coldnesse and contempt of the Word turned into the darke Midnight of Heresie Apostasie and Mahometisme Rome that was anciently the glory of the Westerne Churches lyes now drowned in Superstition soaking in damnable Idolatry and plunged over head and eares in the Doctrine of Devils Many strong and noble Limbes of the reformed Churches in high Germanie have lyen for some yeeres in their teares of bloud groaning under the mercilesse tyrannie of the bloudie Antichristians and have wofully received the marke of the Beast againe Now assuredly it was the loathing the heavenly Manna which made the Lord to utter his Voice before the Armie of the enemies at Prague
shew notwithstanding to have brought in all So it is in many by the malice of Sathan and bewitching enticements of naturall corruption in the forsaking of their sinnes In a true Conversion indeed when a man is about to buy the Pearle of great price unvaluable worth in the Gospel the Doctrine of Salvation the Way to Life and Graces of Gods Spirit he makes an universall sale of all his sinnes he selleth as the Text saith all that he hath not some piece of his sinfull Possession but even the very whole Lordship the entire Inheritance But it is otherwise with those whom Sathan inveagleth and ensnareth in this point Hee is well enough pleased that they shall seeme to be as forward in the reformation and amendment of their lives as any other and indeed that they shall be reformed in good part and carry some love and affection toward the Word and Ministers so that he may keepe hold and possession but in one corner of the heart For he knowes that that is enough to keepe the whole man body and soule his owne If he can stay but one sinne unsold he knowes the man continues still by the course of divine Law a bondslave of Hell By one little hole a ship will sinke into the bottome of the Sea The stab of a Pen-knife to the heart will as well speed a man as all the Daggers that killed Caesar in the Senat-house The soule will be strangled with one Cord of vanitie as well as with all the Cart-ropes of iniquitie only the more sins the more plagues and fiercer flame in Hell but he that lives and dies impenitent in one it will be his destruction One dramme of poyson will dispatch a man and one reigning sinne will bring him to endlesse woe and miserie Let us take heed therefore when we goe about reformation of our selves lest we be surprised overtaken by this malicious craft of Sathan Let us resolve upon a through-reformation which is only and ever undertaken with a purpose not to hold on in the willing practice of any one knowne iniquitie or sinfull course Which when we shall carefully earnestly go about Sathan will be sure to set upon us as Pharoah did upon Moses and Aaron When the Lord had commanded them to goe three dayes journey in the Desart to doe service and sacrifice unto him that by all meanes hee might hinder them in this holy businesse 1. He would have them to stay in the land and to doe sacrifice there Nay saith Moses it is not meet to doe so for then wee should offer unto the Lord our God that which is abomination unto the Egyptians 2. Sith this would not then serve but that they would needs out of the Land I will let you goe saith Pharaoh that you may sacrifice to the Lord your God in the Wildernesse but goe not farre away But Moses would yet none of this he would not abate a foot of the journey the Lord had appointed 3. Why then saith Pharaoh if you will needs goe so farre I am content your men shall goe but as it is fittest your children shall stay at home Nay saith Moses we will goe with our young and with our old with our sonnes and with our daughters with our Sheepe and with our Cattell will we goe 4. Well saith Pharaoh I will yeeld so farre unto you your children shall goe with you to serve the Lord onely your sheepe and your Cattell shall abide at home Nay saith Moses our Cattell also shall goe with us There shall not an hoofe be left Now when all this would not doe when Moses would not accept of any capitulations conditions restrictions or limitations in holy businesses and the service of God for he was at a point resolute he would not leave so much as an hoofe behinde Now I say when all the enticements and policies of Pharaoh would not prevaile to keepe Moses from serving and sacrificing unto God and that precisely and strictly according to his owne appointment and commandement but that to this end at length he wrung himselfe and all the Israelites out of the bloudy teeth of this persecuting Wolfe why then Pharaoh armes himselfe with rage and fury with six hundred chosen chariots and all the chariots of Aegypt with fifty thousand horsmen and two hundred thousand footmen as a Iewish Historian writes purposing with bloudy thirst to devoure at once and swallow up quicke even all the Israell of God But you know the conclusion was the Lord of Heaven gave a most glorious deliverance to his owne people wherein his bottomlesse goodnesse and infinite mercy shall shine cleare and bright for ever in all generations of the Church upon earth and through all eternity in Heaven But upon their enemies he brought such a strange and terrible confusion in the Red Sea which may strike astonishment and trembling into the heart and loynes of all prophane persecutors of godlinesse to the worlds end and amaze the very maliciousest fâ—end in hell while that Kingdome of darknesse stands Even iust thus doth Satan deale with all those who desire to bee conducted by the light of the Word out of the Aegypt and slavery of ignorance sinne prophanenesse and who are resolved frankly and freely to give themselves soules and bodies to Gods service and to enter a setled course of holinesse and sanctification hee useth all meanes and policies to keepe and detaine them in his Kingdome of darknesse If he cannot hold them in his chiefe palace and Court as it were where sinne especially raignes and revels it yet he will so farre hamper them that at least they still hover upon the confines and borders of the Regions of death If they will needs bee medling with reformation of their â—infull lives and that he cannot helpe it but something must be done he is content to yeeld unto them upon some termes or conditions that they cast him not quite out of their consciences but suffer him to sway and raigne in their hearts by some one gainfull or delightfull sinne or other 1. If they will needs feare God he stands not much upon it but that they may doe it outwardly and in profession so that they will continue in Aegypt within the Kingdome of darknesse and lie still in their sinnes and under the shadow of death 2. If this will not content them if they will not rest here but will needs out of the Kingdome of darknesse and dominion of death why he is not much against it but that they may goe the halfe way that is he will suffer them to forgoe and forbeare the outward practice and perpetration of many sinnes so that inwardly their heart and affections harbour nourish embrace them still and feed upon with a sensuall and delightfull remembrance the sinfull pleasures of iniquities formerly committed 3. If they desire and endevour to become new men both inwardly and outwardly to be sanctified
is in the same place for a while and yet after wallow againe in the myre of sinne He may be endued with an inferior sanctification of the Spirit Heb. 10. 29. and yet after by the malice of Sathan tread under foot the Sonne of God Hee may have a generall participation of the Holy-Ghost Heb. 6. 4. and yet after a time fall away to the very despiting of the Spirit of Grace I speake not this as though that any once effectually called truly sanctified possessed of the state of grace and enrolled among the Saints can possibly become a cast-away it cannot bee for if once by the power of speciall grace a man be built upon the Rocke not the Gates of Hell not all the powers of Darkeness nor strongest assaaults of Satan shall ever prevaile against him Heaven and Earth shall sooner be removed than any of Gods servants For if Gods eternall Decree of Election be unchangeable if his Covenant be everlasting and inviolable if his Truth cannot change nor his Mercie faile nor his Power be weakened if the sacred Seale of the blessed Spirit shall stand if the precious blood and fervent prayers of Christ Iesus can prevaile if his Scriptures doe not lye and deceive if his sanctifying Grace cannot die and perish if Himselfe cannot cease to be then undoubtedly if a man be once his he is his for ever if he be once truely his servant upon Earth he shall for ever hereafter be a glorious Saint in Heaven My meaning therefore in this point is onely this There is a glimmering Light of the Spirit some manner of taste of the sweetnesse of Christ a kind of change which may be wrought in a man by the preaching of the Word and yet he not truely and constantly converted but may by the malice and policie of Satan be repossessed by uncleane spirits and repolluted with the filthinesse of the World Thus we may discerne this changeable change that I may so speake and the saving change of Gods servants If after we have given our Names to Christ and begun to professe and practise sinceritie we passe on and continually grow in grace and stand for Gods honour and service against all commers friends or foes losse or disgrace oppression or slanders men or devils why then undoubtedly we have the sanctifying Spirit of God and saving grace which makes his Children like Trees betwixt the Rivers of Waters fruitfull in goodnesse and as bold as Lyons in good causes But if after wee have begun well wee looke backe with Lots Wife if we fall in love againe with those sinnes which wee have forsaken if Rubbes and Crosses in the World will turne us out of the way to Heaven and our righteousnesse be but as the Morning Deaw which a little heat of Persecution will drie up why then our change was changeable and not that of Gods children The Seed of the Word which wee received with joy was never deepely rooted in good and honest hearts wee were onely temporarie Converts not new creatures temporizing Professors not true Christians and our End is like to be worse than our Beginning and our Plagues more than if we had never begun Let every man take heed then in the Name of God lest by the traines and temptations of Sathan he be turn'd backe againe from any good course lest after he be washed he wallow againe in the myre of worldlinesse and worldly vanities and after hee hath escaped the filthinesse of the World lest he be againe entangled therein Let us beware of longing after those sinnes which we begun in some measure to reforme let us not lust againe after the flesh-pots of Aegypt like the Israelites after we be in some good sort enlarged from the bondage of sinne and tyrannie of the hellish Pharoah Lots Wife being delivered out of Sodome was surprised with a sensuall remembrance of the pleasures and vanities of the place which shee had left of the ease and prosperitie which shee there enjoyed and so look'd backe upon it But shee was therefore presently turned into a Pillar of Salt Gen. 19. 26. there for ever to be a monument and fearefull spectacle of Gods terrible judgements against all back-sliders If the uncleane spirit be cast out of a man by some degrees of reformation and good beginnings of amendment of life and have after leave and libertie to returne he brings with him seven Devils worse than himselfe and makes a man farre worse than he was before Much better were it for any man never to have knowne or stept into the way of righteousnesse than afterward to turne from the holy Commandement of God and out of a course of Christianitie It is a fearefull Curse to continue in hardnesse of heart prophanenesse of life and sinfull courses But to leave them for a little and to sinke backe againe is to have Gods Curse bitter against them if they repent not and the fire of Hell made more hot for them First sicknesses are curable but relapses are very dangerous if not irrecoverable If a man as it is Heb. 6. hath once beene enlightened and then fall away it is impossible to be renewed by repentance I know that place principally to be understood of the highest degree of Apostacie and falling away but hee that falls away from any good course and good beginnings falls towards that irrecoverable fall and makes himselfe more uncapable of repentance than if he never had been enlightened or stept into the way of Truth And it is just with God to punish such with a reprobate sense and hearts that cannot repent It then deepely and neerely concernes us for once wee have felt the sweetnesse of Grace and tasted of the Powers of the World to come to drinke deeper of the Waters of Life and to follow hard towards the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus When wee feele any good motions and purposes arise in our hearts let us labour to follow them to nourish them to blow them up to make a fire of them lest they onely but make a flash and passe away as the Lightning Let us put them in practise with zeale and constancie that we be not as the unfaithfull Waters which in the Summer are dryed up or as the dead Trees which perish in Winter but that we remaine whole and sound pure and perfect as the living Waters and Olives of the Lord that ever shed forth their sweetnesse and fatnesse Let us make a Covenant even a Covenant as the Scripture speaketh of Salt durable and perpetuall with the Lord to live before him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life For to him that goes through with his holy businesse that fights the good fight of Faith finisheth his course and overcomes to him and to him alone shall all those glorious Blessings be performed which are promised in the first Chapter of the Revelation To eate of the
The Reasons of this Doctrine may be these which follow The first may be taken from the insufficiencie and inabilitie of all other meanes to bring us to Heaven as 1 All the greatest Learning and deepest knowledge in the World will stand us in little stead in this businesse Otherwise it had gone well with many ancient Heathens and Philosophers of old who fadomed as deepe and reached as high in the depths and mysteries of all humane Learning and knowledge as the light of Reason and strength of Nature could possibly bring them And yet they were utterly strangers to the life of grace and without God in the World When they professed themselves to be wise they became fooles saith Paul Rom. 1. 22. They were puffed up with a little vaine-glorious knowledge here upon Earth and got them a Name amongst men But alas what was this When as for the want of the Light of Divine Truth they lost their Soules in another World and their Names never came in the Booke of Life Where is the wise saith Paul in another place Where is the Scribe Where is the Disputer of this World As if hee should have said All the knowledge of the greatest Doctors and learnedest Rabbins in the World without Grace vanisheth into nothing into vaine-glory emptinesse and aire nay casts them with greater horror and confusion into the Pit of Hell Every man saith Ieremie is a Beast by his owne knowledge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iere. 10. 14. Except besides all other knowledge he be enlightened from above and have that Divine knowledge sanctified unto him hee can come no neerer the happinesse of Heaven than a very Beast 2 Worldly wisedome and policie is so farre from making men wise unto salvation that it is not onely starke foolishnesse with God and good men but it doth strongly set it selfe and is at enmitie against God Therefore saith God I will destroy the wisedome of the wise and will cast away the understanding of the prudent 1 Cor. 1. 19. Ahitophel was so wise even in the affaires of Kingdomes and businesse of State that the counsell which he counselled in those dayes was like as one had asked counsell at the Oracle of God and yet all this great wisedome in the end ended in extreme folly for upon a little discontent and disgrace in the World he sadled his Asse and went home unto his Citie and put his household in order and hanged himselfe 2 Sam. 16. 23. 17. 23. Although the end of all worldly wisedome be not so shamefull in the eye of the World yet undoubtedly it is most miserable and wofull in the World to come except their wisedome be sanctified and over-ruled by the Light of Gods Word Carnall wisedome can neither preserve a man from death nor prepare him to die blessedly it cannot stay his Life from going neither can it stop the Curse from comming it cannot deliver him from damnation in the World to come but rather encreaseth the grievousnesse of his punishment for in this life it hath kept possession against heavenly wisedome it made him uncapable of all good instructions it made him impatient of any rebuke and held him in ignorance and disobedience all his life 3 No good meanings or intentions without knowledge and warrant in the Word of God will ever serve our turne for salvation nay indeed they are abominable and hatefull in Gods sight Howsoever thousands deceive themselves in this point Vzzah had a good meaning in 2 Sam. 6. 6. when hee put his hand to the Arke of God and held it for the Oxen did shake it but notwithstanding the Lord was very wroth with Vzzah and God smote him in the same place and there hee died Iames and Iohn had good meanings when they called for fire from Heaven to consume the Samaritan that would not entertaine Christ but Iesus rebuked them and told them they knew not of what spirit they were Saul in 1 Sam. 15. had a good meaning when he spared Agag and the best of the Sheepe and of the Oxen to sacrifice them unto the Lord but notwithstanding Samuel tells him that he had done wickedly in the sight of the Lord and that the Lord had rent the Kingdome of Israel from him that day Peter had a good meaning when in Ioh. 13. 8. he would not suffer Christ to wash his feet but Iesus answered him and told him If I wash thee not thou shalt have no part with me Good meanings then are wicked missings of the true service of God except they be guided by knowledge warrant and ground out of the Booke of God Let no man then tell of his good meaning if he be ignorant in the Will and Word of God for certainely it will never serve the turne it will never hold out in the Day of Christ Iesus 4 No will-worship or will-service or voluntarie Religion as the Apostle calls it Col. 2. 23. which is forged and framed out of a mans owne braine humour and conceit without ground or warrant in the Booke of God though it be performed with never so glorious a shew of zeale and paines yet it is not any way availeable for our spirituall good and eternall happinesse nay indeed it is most odious in the eyes of God and ever lyable to a very high degree of his wrath and vengeance Baals Prophets 1 Kings 18. 28. were so hot and hastie in their will-worship that they cut themselves with knives and launcers till the bloud gushed out upon them The Papists they whip themselves they vow Continencie perpetuall Povertie and Regular Obedience and yet is the profession and practice of both bloudie and idolatrous When the Iewes worshipped God after the devised fashions of the Gentiles though their meaning was to worship nothing but God yet the Text saith they worshipped nothing but Devils Deut. 32. 17. And God there protests that therefore a fire was kindled in his wrath that should burne unto the bottome of Hell and set on fire the foundations of the mountaines So hated of Almightie God is all service and worship devised by the wit and will of man without warrant in the Word of God 5 Lastly not the Word of God it selfe in the Letter without the spirituall meaning and the finger of Gods Spirit to apply it powerfully to our soules and consciences is any sufficient rule of life or able to bring us into the Light of Grace This appeares in Nicodemus who was a great Doctor in the Law and the Prophets a chiefe Master and Teacher in Israel yet was a very Infant and Ideot in the power of Grace and mysterie of godlinesse For all his learning in the Letter of the Law he had not yet made one step towards Heaven for hee was not onely ignorant of but had a very absurd and grosse conceit of the new birth which is the very first entrance into
is nothing writ in it but with our owne hands Now in what a terrible fearefull case will a man be at that Day when he shall see the Booke of God layd open before him in the Light whereof hee should have led all his life and by which he is now to be judged and yet know himselfe to have had no knowledge but to have beene a meere stranger in it Though the great things of the Law were many times published and preached unto him yet hee counted them but as a strange thing Every mans Conscience is naturally corrupt defiled and uncomfortable and can endure and digest reasonable quietly the rage of disordered affections many vile corruptions and sinfull actions and therefore at the last Day when it shall be awakened opened examined it will bring forth nothing but the Worme that never dyes strange confusion and condemnation except it hath beene formerly in this World enlightened purged and sanctified by the Word of Grace and the Bloud of the Lambe Most accursed then and forlorne will be the state of every ignorant man when he shall appeare before the Iudge of all the World When he lookes upon his Conscience he shall finde nothing but guilt and horror when upon the Law and upon the Word of God after which he should have lived and by which he must now be judged it will be to him but as a sealed Booke hee will see nothing but his owne ignorance blindnesse and strangenesse in it And therefore all the Plagues and Curses denounced in it against ignorant wicked and unrepentant sinners shall be his portion in the Lake that burnes with fire and Brimstone for evermore This ought then to stirre up every man with all care and Conscience to store himselfe while he hath time with saving knowledge and holy obedience unto that Word which must be his Iudge in the last Day Nay and let him take heed unto his feet and looke unto his behaviour when hee enters into the House of God For in that Day he must answer and be countable for every Sermon that he hath heard and for every Lesson he hath beene taught out of the Booke of God If they have not enlightened his understanding they have hardened his heart if they doe not now reforme him they will hereafter confound him if he doe not profit by them he shall be sure to be plagued for the neglect of them For Gods Word is unto every man that heares it either the savour of life unto life or the savour of death unto death It is a two-edged Sword it either kills the sinne or the soule it must and shall prosper in the worke for which it is sent God will rayse glory hee will winne honour unto himselfe from every man If hee cannot be glorified by his conversion and salvation hee will glorifie his owne Name in his deserved overthrow and just confusion A fourth Motive may be That horrible and fearefull punishment and destruction which at length will certainely befall all negligent and contemptuous hearers and those that practise not the power thereof in their lives and conversations Whosoever saith our blessed Saviour shall not receive you or heare your words when yee depart out of that house or that Citie shake off the dust of your feet Truly I say unto you it shall be easier for them of the Land of Sodome and Gomorrah in the Day of Iudgement than for that Citie The infamous abominations the damnable and crying sinnes of the Sodomites are knowne unto all Who hath not heard of those flouds of fire and Brimstone which swept them away as the hatefullest creatures that ever lived upon the Earth How rufull then and how lamentable will be their condition who are lyable and subject to more horrible plagues than these Wee should therefore consider that the negligent irreverent and unprofitable hearing of the Word of God is a sinne of a farre greater weight and more fearefull consequence than we ordinarily imagine When wee heare the Ministers and Embassadours of God delivering his mind and revealing his Will unto us out of such places as these we are to conceive that in a neerer and more speciall manner wee stand in the presence of the great God of Heaven and Earth who is clothed with infinite terrour power and majestie and thereafter we ought to proportion our behaviour and carriage with reverence humility and obedience to so great a presence Earthly Princes will not endure contempt and disgrace at their subjects hands They cannot abide to have their Majestie and authority lightly set by their lawes and commands to bee neglected and troden under foot Why then should the Lord of glory of justice and power beare such indignities at the hands of sinfull men which are his most abject vassals and contemptible creatures Certaine it is if wee weight aright the greatnesse of that God before whom wee stand and our owne vilenesse wee should hold it most just if he should presently in the place where we stand punish and plague our sleepinesse talking wandring thoughts and irreverent carriage at hearing his Word with some sudden and markable vengeance to be a spectacle example unto others for neglecting so great salvation It is Gods great mercy that such plagues and judgements are respited suspended and deferred for even all the curses in the booke of God doe naturally deservedly and in the course of Gods justice belong unto the negligent hearer and disobedient unto the Word of God All these curses saith Moses Deut. 28. 49. shall come upon thee and pursue thee and overtake thee till thou be destroyed because thou obeyest not the voice of the Lord thy God I come now in the second place to the temptations and lets whereby a man may bee hindered from hearing the Word of God profiting by it and a conscionable practising of the same The highest in impiety and most horrible is a spice of Atheisme which Satan suggests into worldly men whereby they wickedly and very blasphemously thinke that the sacred Word of God is but a politike invention and devise to keepe men in awe and order in Cities and societies and to preserve them from wildnesse and outrages But I would gladly know whose worke and invention it is if it be not Gods Almighty It is not mans For it directly and strongly opposeth against the streame of his sensuall delights and earthly pleasures It curbs his most desired contentments and crosseth the naturall bent of his affections It is not Satans For he in all ages hath fiercely and furiously set himselfe against it and it is the engine that batters and beats downe his kingdome of darknesse It is not any Angels or other creatures For the Majestie excellencie miraculous efficacie and wonderfull power of Gods Word is farre above the reach and capacity of any creature transcendent to all created understandings and finite comprehension Besides the famous miracles the
above all I but where there is so much preaching there is much disquietnesse and discontentment for men are abridged of their former ancient pastimes and pleasures and urged unto more strictnesse of life When as all was well before in much quietnesse and peace the preaching of the Word breeds new stirres and contrary affections in men No marvell though there be much struggling and striving great noyse and stirre before the strong man in the Gospel can be dis-armed and dispossessed of his Holds that is before Sathan having long reigned in the hearts and sat in the Consciences of ignorant and prophane men will be cast out by the Preaching and Power of the Word This conquest costs full deare it will not be had without the losse of our dearest delights without shedding the very hearts-bloud of our beloved and bosome-sinne which flesh and bloud will not yeeld unto without blowes and bloudshed You may assure your selfe where the Light of Gods Truth begins once to peepe out and the power of grace to worke for the driving away darknesse and subduing prophanenesse you shall be sure ever there to have three fierce and implacable enemies and opposites to start up Sathan wicked men and a mans owne corruptions While men lye in sinne ignorance and under the shadow of death Sathan lets them alone meddles not much with them never troubles or disquiets them but procures them all temporall happinesse and carnall contentments that can be for he knowes full well if they so continue they are sure his owne and children of endlesse perdition But if once by the power of the Word they be enlarged out of the slaverie of sinne and death and lay hold upon salvation and the glorious libertie of the Saints why then he begins to bestirre himselfe like a madded enraged Lion and labors with all his malice and policie to hinder and dash such proceedings And in this Conspiracie hee joynes unto himselfe wicked and reprobate men to rayle revile and rage against sinceritie I and besides a mans owne corruption and sinfull flesh doth fret and fume when it feeles it selfe curbed and snaffled by the Law of the Spirit The Gospel indeed is a Gospel of Peace But of what Peace Of Peace with God with good men and a mans owne Conscience of the Peace that passeth all understanding But it ever proclaimes open warre against wickednesse prophanenesse and corruptions it will have no peace with impietie carnall securitie and rebellion unto the Lawes of God Hence it is that our Saviour tells us in the Gospel that he came not to send Peace into the Earth but rather Fire Debate and the Sword that is Wheresoever his Word is published powerfully and conscionably with fruit and effect upon the soules of his elect there by accident as they say it stirres up much rage and bitter opposition against Gods children For as there is no true inward peace unto the wicked so in this World there is no outward peace unto the righteous but commonly they are still exercised with one crosse and temptation or other either the Devill or wicked men are still plotting or practising mischiefe and miserie against them But you must conceive that the disquietnesses and troubles that arise at the preaching of the Word are not caused by it but by mens corruptions Would any man thinke that Saint Paul or his Preaching were in fault because there was much adoe and an hurly-burly almost wheresoever he came and not rather the wicked Infidels which could not endure to have their sinnes reproved Neither the Sower nor the Seed Math. 13. are to be blamed that it doth not prosper and fructifie it is the ground that is onely in fault which is either stonie or thornie or barren or else it is the envious man that soweth Tares The Sower doth onely his dutie and the Seed is pure and precious it is mens corruptions and prophane hearts that causeth all the stirre Amongst foure kinds of Grounds there is but one at the most as appeares in the Parable of the Sower Math. 13. in which the immortall Seed of the Word takes root prospers and fructifies Onely the good and honest heart profits by Preaching to all others it is the savour of death unto death And whom it doth not humble it hardneth whom it makes not so meeke as a Lambe and like a little Child in humilitie it makes as fierce and furious as a Lion against the power of grace wrought in others and against the profession and practice of sinceritie No marvell then though where the Word of Truth begins to beare sway there be many times much adoe and resistance by carnall and prophane men I but will some say this Word is brought unto us by weake and fraile men sometimes by those who are of notorious and infamous life and conversation and therefore wee have lesse heart to beleeve and obey them If wee had the Word published by an Angel or an Apostle or some more excellent and powerfull meanes and Embassadours wee should more easily and willingly heare beleeve and obey them It is Gods great mercie unto us that it pleaseth him so farre to condiscend to our infirmitie as to open unto us the rich Treasures of his heavenly Word by men of the same condition and frailtie and subject to the same passions with our selves Hee might by terrible and astonishing Voices out of Lightnings Thunders and Earthquakes able to breake the hardest Rocks and stony Mountaines as he did in the giving of the Law force us to obedience Or he might send his Angels armed with power and puissance to execute present vengeance upon all those which doe not presently submit themselves to the Scepter of his Christ and Soveraigntie of his Word But in great mercie and compassion unto us hee chuseth rather to teach us by a still and soft Voice by a more faire familiar and fit instruction for us even by such as our selves of our owne nature frailtie and condition Here in he shewes his great love unto us in that he vouchsafeth to put his fearefull and glorious Word into the mouth of a mortall and sinfull man What an honour and advancement is it unto mans nature unto mankind that the high and mightie God of Heaven and Earth should single them out for so glorious a service sanctifie their Tongues to deliver his good pleasure and newes of salvation unto the sonnes of men That hee should acquaint and put them in trust with such high mysteries and heavenly matters of so soveraigne and saving use both to themselves and others But it may be besides common frailtie and infirmitie the Minister and Messenger of the Word is of lewd and prophane life and condition If he be more is the pitty the scandall of the Ministerie is the greater and his owne damnation more smarting and terrible See Psal 50. 16 17 c.
Polititian of France tels us that the common people are much deceived who thinke that the price of Corne Cattell and other necessaries should hold the same rate it did of old They doe not understand and consider that the price of things is more by ten parts saith he than it was anciently by reason of the plenty and abundance of Gold and Silver which is brought out of the West Indies into Europe whereby it comes to passe that money is lesse esteemed for plenty of any thing lessens the estimation of it Besides for our owne Countrey wise men have observed another particular reason For say they immediately after our coine in the time of King Henry the eighth the prices of all things generally among all sorts of people rose for that they thinke that the alteration of the Coine was the chiefe and principall cause of an universall dearnesse of things And why our English Coine being restored by our late Queene that blessed Saint of glorious memory to its former purity and perfection the prices of all things fall not backe to their old rate they give sufficient reasons As for pastimes Playes and other fearefull prophanation of the Sabbath it is a good signe the power of grace is there planted by the Word from whence they are banished and abandoned They are fit pleasures for Papists which have no comfort in the joyes above and well agreeing to the darknesse of superstition But the light of the Gospell dispels such vanities and Gods children have all their pleasures in holy exercises upon the Sabbath day This last objection then of Papists and prophane men That the world is worse since there was so much preaching is idle vaine and frivolous Many such like conceits perswasions and objections as these which I have now reckoned up unto you there are abroad in the world and in the hearts of prophane men by which they are hindred from hearing the Word of God with that heart zeale and diligence as they ought Now I come to acquaint you with some slights and temptations of Satan whereby he labours to bereave us of the blessings and benefits of profitable hearers and to hinder the effectuall working of the Word in our consciences and conversations A first plot and practice of Satan is to keepe men from diligent hearing the Word If he cannot that way prevaile in a second place he labours to make the Word in vaine fruitlesse and unprofitable unto them And that hee doth by such meanes as these I If by the grace of God we breake thorow all lets and snares which might withhold us from holy assemblies and hearing of the Word then Satan that he might make it uneffectuall for our conversion and salvation first labours to worke in us a negligent carelesnesse and heedlesnesse in listning to those things which are delivered and that by a kinde of heartlesnesse in holy things by dulnesse of spirit drowsinesse sleepinesse gazing about talking or such like And such hearers as these are never a whit moved or affected with the Word preached but remaine in the same state as they were before There is neither passion or impression wrought upon them for the present nor any thought of it profit or practice afterward 2 But if he cannot speed this way but that we rouze up and addresse our selves to heare the Word of God as desiring with care and good conscience to profit thereby Why then in a second place hee seekes by all meanes to fill our heads and hearts with idle musings and wandring thoughts which may distract and steale away our minds from attending to the Word And that he doth either by offering and suggesting to our consideration and memory the world and the vanities thereof as our affaires and businesse our profits and preferments those pleasures and delights wherein our corrupt affections finde most sensuall sweetnesse Or if this will not prevaile by casting into our mindes very craftily and cunningly things which in their owne nature may be good honest and religious But because they are thought upon out of due and convenient time they deprive us of the profit of the present holy Exercise which ought for the time onely and wholly to take up our mindes If this yet will doe no good but that wee marke diligently and attentively all the while what the Minister delivers unto us from God for our good why then in a third place 1 In some he makes it uneffectuall by nourishing in them a neglect of reading the Scriptures and ignorance in the Principles of Religion so that though they attend never so well and stare the Minister in the face yet they understand not the Sermons they heare Let the younger sort therefore to prevent this mischiefe acquaint themselves with the Scriptures from their youth by the example of Timothy 2 Tim. 3. 15. Salomon Prov. 31. 1 c. Samuel 1 Sam. 1. 24. See also Psal 119. Prov. 2. 1. And let the miserie upon Elies House terrifie negligent and indulgent Parents see 1 Sam. 2. 1 2. c. In this depth the Word is either buried as it is brought forth or dies at the Church doore 2 In others he earnestly endeavours utterly to extinguish and abolish all thought of it quite to drive and banish it out of their heads so soone as they have heard it And that thus If mens hearts be hardned through unbeleefe or custome in sinning and like the High-way in the Parable of the Sower then the Evill one comes immediately and catcheth the Seed of the Word so soone as it is sowen and stealeth it out of the heart As we may see many times Birds hovering greedily after the Sower to snatch away the Corne before it be covered with Earth or take root in the ground even so Sathan the ravenous Crow of Hell waites all opportunities to pecke up the Seed of the Word out of the hearts of men before it sinke into their affections or fructifie in their conversations Or otherwise if the World hath stolne mens hearts out of their bodies so that they have no hearts left within them for matters of Holinesse and Heaven but are wholly set upon Gaine and exercised in Covetousnesse then needes not Sathan much to bestirre himselfe he knowes full well that worldly Cares will presently choake the Seed of the Word As soone as the Sermon is heard and ended and they turned their backes upon the Church there comes immediately into their heads whole swarmes of earthly thoughts and they are presently plunged over head and eares into the cares and plottings of earthly businesses So that these men whom Sathan conquers by this temptation never meddle with meditation conference or talke about the points handled by the Preacher by which the Word of God should be better as it were digested and prepared for practise Nay they have no delight at all to heare others repeat the Sermon but are very wearie of the place
brought forth by the power of the Word in the Wombe of the Church he therefore casteth out of his mouth after him flouds of outward crosses and vexations If he cannot wound him in his soule yet he will vexe him in his body goods and good name if he cannot hinder him of Heaven he will give him little rest or quiet upon Earth if hee cannot bring him into disgrace and disfavour with God he will be sure to rayse him hatred enough malice and discountenance amongst men He will doe his worst to fill and loade him with all outward discomforts and discouragements as povertie sicknesse slanders scoffings raylings reproaches contempts and a thousand other persecutions But in such cases as these let every child of God comfort refresh and hold himselfe in heart cheare and courage by such considerations as these First it is a Decree of Heaven resolved upon and ratified by the Lord our God confirmed by the experience of all the Patriarkes and Prophets of the Apostles and professors of Christ of all the Saints and servants nay and of the Sonne of God himselfe that through many tribulations wee must enter into the Kingdome of Heaven So often therefore as wee shall see any miseries or afflictions comming towards us for our profession of sinceritie and righteousnesse sake let us acknowledge them to be as so many most certaine and infallible markes that we are in the right way to Heaven through which if we but walke a little further with patience we shall descry a Crowne of Glory which is our owne for ever of which all the afflictions and pressures of a thousand Worlds are not neere worthy Secondly though by this meanes by these outward crosses and afflictions Sathan dischargeth upon us the very gall of his bitternesse the poyson of his malice and arrowes of his spight yet by the mercifull and medicinall hand of God they are returned upon his owne head they strike through the heart of sinne and become as precious restoratives to repaire in us the decayes of spirituall life for in Gods children crosses and afflictions have these worthy effects and workings 1 They start us out of our securitie carelesnesse and coldnesse which by little and little may grow upon the best They breed in us a conceit and sense of our owne wants and the necessitie of Gods providence and protection They adde Oyle unto the flame of our first love put life into our religious exercises and power and spirit into our prayers 2 They curbe and controule the pride insolencie and impatiencie of our nature They coole and kill the heat headlongnesse and intemperancie of our affections They weaken indeed the whole old Adam in us with all his lusts concupiscence and venome but give strength to the new man with all his godly and gracious motions holy and heavenly actions 3 They make us with indignation to spit in the very face of this vaine deceitfull and flattering World the temporall love of which is the eternall losse both of bodies soules in the other World They happily weane us from the love of it and make us willing to part with her paps to bid all her enticements adiew and to trample under feet the fading pleasures vanities thereof they make us to teare our groveling hearts and rent our dull affections from the Earth to which they cleave and are glued so fast and to lift up both our heads and hearts to Heaven and to the glory which is to be revealed longingly to desire the comming of Christ the Life that lasteth and to be clothed with our House which is from above 4 Lastly they are as sharpe and precious eye-salves to cleare and enlarge the spirituall sight of our soules too much dimmed and darkened with earthly dust and with gazing too long on the painted glory of the World that so wee may see further into the great mysterie of godlinesse deeper into the masse and dunghill of our owne corruptions and frailties wider upon the vanities of the World and higher into the happinesse of Heaven and that great Beautie Glory and Majestie above They serve unto us as sowre Sawces and bitter Wormewood to bring us out of love with our sweet sinnes and to breed a distaste in our mouth against transitorie delights They are as sharpe pruning-knives to lop and cut away the excesses vanities and unnecessarie cares that grow upon us and so to trimme us that wee may bring forth more profitable plentifull and fairer fruits in godlinesse and Christianitie Thus Sathan is disappointed in his plots and policie his malice makes a medicine for our soules hee purposeth and hopes by crosses and afflictions to turne us backe or make us wearie in our course of holinesse but by the mercy of God they become as spurres to pricke us forward in our Christian Race and as hedges to keepe us in from wandering out of the way Now in a third place That Gods child may not too much be cast downe or put out of heart for crosses and persecutions raysed against him for a profession and the practice of sinceritie let him consider that howsoever Sathan and wicked men be the instruments and executioners which maliciously procure and immediately inflict miseries and vexations upon the children of God though they be the meanes to lay tortures and torments upon their bodies crosses and losses upon their goods and outward estates spots and impression and crueltie upon the face of their harmelesse innocencie slanders and disgraces imputations and staining aspersions upon their reputations and good names sometimes terrors temptations and amazements upon their minds Yet in all these our gracious God hath the chiefest stroke a principall hand and the greatest sway he directs limits and moderates the rage and furie of all our enemies whether they be Devils or men as it pleaseth him and ever certainely to the singular good of his children if they be patient and faithfull Miserie saith Iob chap. 5. 6. commeth not forth of the Dust neither doth afflictions spring out of the Earth Neither indeed principally and originally from Man the Lord of the Earth nor from the Prince that rules in the Aire nor from the Host of Heaven God himselfe is the chiefe commander guider and directer of all vexations and ill of punishment that befalls any man and inflicts it for our sinnes and corruptions upon the reprobates as appeares in Pharoah for their further hardening and confusion upon his elect for their conversion and correction Let us then in all our sufferings and afflictions stirred up against us for sticking to sinceritie and keeping a good Conscience lift up our eyes to the mightie Lord of Heaven and Earth who by the strong Arme of his Omnipotencie holds fast in a Chaine Sathan that raging Lion and great Goliah that hee cannot stirre one Linke further than hee will give him leave hee cannot goe a haires breadth beyond his Commission Nay and that
may be they may heare attend and understand what is delivered but it breedes no more reverence impression or spirituall reformation than an ordinarie Tale or humane discourse As though that holy toyle and sacred breath were spent onely to entertaine the Time and busie mens eares for an Houre and not as Christ tells Paul To open their eyes that they might turne from Darkenesse unto Light and from the power of Sathan unto God 4 Vpon some the Iudgement and Curse of comming without Conscience and due preparation doth so farre prevaile and hath such power that they become scorners and raylers against the Minister or his Doctrine or both at every Sermon they catch something that they may cavill at deprave and calumniate And so wickedly and wretchedly oppose their discourse wit and spirit of contradiction against the face of Heaven and heart of Divine Truth They wrangle and repine in deed and truth whatsoever their pretences or protestations may be to the contrarie against that Great Majestie whose Message it is against that Holy Spirit which should sanctifie them and the Word of Grace which should save them 5 Others there be even of good hearts and affections Professors and in some good measure practisers of the power of godlinesse yet because they are carelesse and neglective of this needfull Christian dutie of preparation are possessed with much deadnesse of heart and dullnesse of spirit at those holy Exercises Their zeale and fervencie which should be quickened and inflamed at every Sermon is dulled and benummed with senselesnesse and satietie They doe not so tremble or are cast downe with Divine Comminations and denouncements of Gods Iudgements against sinne or so refreshed with the gracious promises of Life and Salvation as they ought to be They doe not enjoy and reape the thousandth part of that delight comfort and benefit as they well might by the Ministerie of the Word because their hearts are not purged and prepared They doe not with that chearefulnesse receive with that sweetnesse taste and rellish with that life and vigour disgest the Food of Life The eye of their minde for want of premeditation doth not so clearely see and discerne the infinite beautie of that sacred Majestie represented unto them or that glorious grace shining unto them in the face of CHRIST IESVS Their hand of Faith doth not with that feeling and fastnesse lay hold upon and claspe about the rich Treasures revealed in the Gospell In a word they bereave themselves of much good blessing comfort and growth in grace which they might and ought to have by hearing of the Word for want of due preparing and disposing the heart thereto This dutie of Preparation then though that it be not much thought upon or ordinarily practised yet it is of great necessitie and speciall use for all those which looke for benefit or blessing by the preaching of the Word There is no great Affaire or of weight and consequence eyther in Nature or Art in necessarie businesses and civill Negotiations or in matters of Complement Ceremonie and Enterview but there is required some bethinking preparation and prae-dispositions for the more happie and successefull accomplishment execution and performance how much more in the affaires of God matters of Heaven businesses of eternitie and salvation of mens soules The Ground must be manured and prepared for the Seed if wee looke it should fructifie and prosper how much more should our dull and dead hearts bee stirred up and furrowed as it were with humiliation reverence and repentance that by the grace of God and the sanctifying power of the Spirit it may lodge and take deepe root in them and spring up to eternall life The Body must be fitted with a Preparative and the humours as it were gathered unto a head if wee desire the Physicke should worke forcibly and kindly and rid us of their noxiousnesse and superfluitie how much more ought our Soules with an impartiall and narrow inquisition to be searched and layd open before they receive the Water of Life and spirituall Manna that so they may more seasonably and soundly be washed and purged from corruptions and imperfections preserved in spirituall health and prepared for eternall life The Ground must be layd and some imperfect Draughts Shadowes and resemblances premised before a Picture can be done to the Life or a full proportion and lively representation pourtrayed or presented to the eye how much more ought the ground of our hearts to be fitted and prepared that by the preaching of the Word the Image of Christ Iesus may with a lively and fresh impression be stamped upon them Were a man the next day to goe about a businesse that mainely concerned eyther his life or livelyhood the state of his Lands or danger of his life Would not his minde be troubled before-hand Would it not breake his sleepe the night before Would he not be musing and plotting by what meanes he might worke out his deliverance and safetie what behaviour and carriage might be fittest to winne favour and grace in so weightie an affaire How much more ought wee before wee intrude into the House of God where matters of our greatest and highest interest are proposed handled and debated by the Minister of the Word even life eternall and everlasting estate in another World I say how ought wee to thinke with our selves how wee may make our soules fittest to understand and accept the Covenant of Grace to receive the Seale of the Spirit and to get assurance of that glorious and royall Inheritance in the Heavens Nay yet further even in matters of complement and enterview there is wont to be preparation especially if the presence and persons were the greater Ioseph when he was sent for to goe before King Pharoah hee shaved his head and changed his rayment because hee was to appeare before so high and royall a presence Queene Hester durst not presse into the presence of King Ahashuerosh before shee had prepared her selfe How much more ought wee to fit and prepare our selves base and miserable wretches Wormes and no men as wee are with feare and trembling when wee come into the House and presence of the mightie Lord of Heaven and Earth before whom the Seraphins hide their faces the Nations are as a drop of a Bucket and the inhabitants of the Earth as Grasse-hoppers especially sith there hee offers and tenders unto us enlargement from the slaverie of sinne purgation from our pollutions and a Crowne of life upon that condition that wee repent forsake all our sinnes and resigne up our selves in sincere and humble obedience unto all his Commandements Inducements we have and Motives many both from Precept and Practice in the Booke of God for the performance of this Christian dutie of Preparation Take heed to thy foot sayth the Preacher when thou enterest into the House of God and be more neere to heare than to give the sacrifice of fooles for
they know not that they doe evill Before thou set foot into the Church to heare the Word of God be sure to settle thy affections that they be sober moderate and sanctified fit to entertaine the Word of life and salvation let thy heart be seasoned with first Softnesse secondly Humilitie thirdly Honestie fourthly Faith fifthly Teachablenesse First if thou doe not preserve thy heart tender soft and flexible the power of the Word will not make any such print or deepe impression upon it all holy admonitions reproofes and instructions will be unto thee as Arrowes shot against a Stone wall Secondly wee must bring with us an humble heart to the hearing of the Word for the Lord resists the proud and gives grace to the humble Them that be meeke will he guide in judgement and teach the humble his way The proud heart is so swelled with the winde of vanitie and vaine-glory of selfe-love and over-weening conceit that there is left no roome in it for the precious Treasure of saving grace If it eyther be puffed up with a conceit of knowledge or a perswasion of holinesse enough or a boisterous peremptorinesse against the power of the Word the Water of Life will be unto it but as Water poured upon a drowned man or as a Seale thrust upon Water which will receive no impression A lowly heart broken and bruised with Conscience of sinne is a fit Seat for the mightie Lord and his saving graces Isa 57. 15. Thirdly wee must come with a good and honest heart which hateth all corruptions both in it selfe and others which hath no delight in any sinfull pleasures or wicked vanities which hath no manner of purpose to live and continue in any one sinne whatsoever but is readie and resolved though it be much cumbred with it owne corruptions the Worlds enticements and Sathans craftinesse yet to serve and please God in all the wayes of his Commandements and that sincerely and continually All profitable and fruitfull hearers have such good and honest hearts and are resembled by the good ground Luke 8. 15. But that is a wicked and sinfull heart and not fit to be wrought upon by the Ministerie of the Word which purposeth and resolveth to cherish and maintaine but any one sinne whatsoever Fourthly our hearts must be seasoned with Faith otherwise it will not sinke and soake into them with power and profit The old Iewes heard the Word but it profited them not because it was not mingled with faith in those that heard it Heb. 4. 2. The fearefull threatnings and thunderbolts of the Law by Faith receive an edge to wound and pierce and strike through our soules with amazements and trembling And Faith it is that animates and inspires the promises of the Gospel with such a soveraigne sweetnesse and powerfull comfort that they are able not onely to rayse and revive us from the depth and extremitie of remorse and feare but also to put us into a Paradise of spiituall pleasures and possession of Heaven as it were alreadie But if the Word light upon a faithlesse heart it dyes it does no good Fifthly wee must bring with us into the Lords Sanctuarie teachable and hearing hearts that will willingly and readily open themselves to receive the Lord of glory with whatsoever hee shall reveale unto us out of his holy Word Sacrifice and burnt offerings sayth David thou wouldest not but mine eares hast thou prepared As if hee should have said Thou hast bored new eares in my heart that I can now reverently attend unto rightly conceive and with an holy greedinesse devoure the mysterie of grace With such hearts as these must wee come to the hearing of the Word if wee looke that it should be unto us a Word of power salvation and life and not to be of the number of those that offer the sacrifice of fooles and yet know not that they doe evill Many there are certainely which offer these foolish sacrifices I meane hearers without care and conscience Who if they come into the House of God and vouchsafe their presence in the place and lend their eares to the Preacher for the time they thinke themselves presently jolly fellowes for matters of Religion and that they are sanctified as it were by the Worke wrought and their onely presence in that holy place when as yet the Word hath had no more power nor wrought more alteration upon them than upon the Seats where they sate And that which makes these fooles much more miserable and foolish is this They know not that they doe evill as it is in the Text. They thinke their case good enough that they are in the right course of Christianitie and that no more is required for matters of Heaven when as in respect of saving grace they are wretched miserable and poore and blinde and naked Besides this place of the Preacher the Evangelist S. Luke Chap. 8. 18. bids us take heed how wee heare And good reason in a matter of such great weight and consequence For there is not a Sermon wee heare but wee must be countable for it at the Day of our Visitation God is countable unto us for every haire of our head is it not reason wee should be countable to him for those precious Lessons he reacheth unto us by the Ministerie of the Word Assuredly there is not a Sermon which wee have heard fruitlessely and without profit but it will be a shrewd and sore witnesse against us at that Day Besides these Precepts wee finde much practise in the Booke of God of this holy dutie of Preparation when any sacred businesse was to be undertaken Moses could not approach so glorious and sacred a Presence or tread upon the ground made holy by so great a Majestie as the Lord of Heaven and Earth before he had put off his shooes Neither ought wee to presume or presse into his Sanctuarie where he hath promised his Presence in a solemne speciall and powerfull manner and is readie to shower downe his blessings of salvation into all truly humble and prepared hearts before wee have shaken off and cast from us all earthly incumbrances and secret corruptions all dulnesse and deadnesse of heart whith makes us unworthy and undisposed to stand upon so holy ground and utterly uncapable of all that heavenly Wisedome and holy instructions unto eternall life that are there taught and tendred unto us nay turne the blessings of the Ministery into curses and condemnation unto us When Ioshuah was to make a strong and lasting impression in the hearts of the Israelites whom after the death of Moses he conducted to the promised Land of the power and providence of God for his people by that miraculous parting of the Waters of Iordan for the transportation of the Arke hee commanded the people to sanctifie themselves to prepare and compose their hearts to admire and reverence with greater
intention and amazement that omnipotent Majesty that wrought such wonders for his chosen For hearts emptied of worldly thoughts and sanctified by heavenly meditation are fit subjects for workes of Heaven and divine impressions How much more ought we to prepare our soules before wee come into the Sanctuary of the Lord sith there they are either to be hardned for the Scepter of destruction and made ready for the flames of Hell if wee doe not prepare our selves hearken and obey or else to be softned and sanctified with saving grace and fitted for a Crowne of Glory if with reverence humility and obedience wee submit our selves to the power of the Word There if wee be unconverted the great and miraculous worke of the new-birth is to bee wrought upon them if wee be new-borne they are to be fed with the spirituall Manna unto everlasting life The same Ioshuah when the excommunicate and execrable thing was to be found out and put from amongst them which was the cause they could not stand against their enemies he commanded them to sanctifie themselves that the Lord might prosper and poure his blessings upon that necessarie and weightie search and inquisition How much more ought wee to prepare our selves before wee step into the House of God sith there is to be discovered and cast out those hatefull sinnes that fearefully incense Gods wrath against us and make us weake in the Lords battailes and not able to stand against our spirituall enemies the corruptions of our owne flesh the enticements of the World and temptations of Sathan Before the sacrifice and anointing of David King of Israel Ishai and his sonnes were sanctified How much more ought wee to be prepared before wee come before the Lords Prophets and Embassadours that there wee may be anointed Kings and Priests unto our God Iosiah before the eating of the Paschall Lambe did bid the people not onely sanctifie themselves but also prepare their brethren How much more ought wee when wee come to the Ministerie of the Word to seede by faith upon that true Bread from Heaven which giveth life unto the World which if wee once soundly taste with beleeving hearts wee shall not hunger wee shall never thirst But the most famous and fittest place for my purpose and preparation in that particular holy businesse of hearing the Word is that in Exod. 19. 10. The people were sanctified and washed their clothes and prepared themselves for two dayes and the third day they were readie to attend what the Lord would say unto them As in that extraordinarie promulgation of the Law the people were to be prepared extraordinarily so from proportion of that practice and precedencie ordinarie preparation is necessarie for the ordinarie preaching of the Word if wee looke that it should powerfully and profitably worke upon our Consciences and affections Their washing of their bodies and clothes their abstinence from their wives and such solemne and ceremonious purifications were typicall significations and representations unto us that wee should weane our hearts from earthly thoughts purge them from secret corruptions and bring them faire and free from sinfull spot and worldly entanglement when wee come to heare the Lord speake unto us by his Ministers Holy men of God were wont addressing themselves to prayer to have their ejaculations lifting up of their hearts certaine short prayers before they entred into that sacred and solemne action Besides Precept and Practice in the Booke of God for Preparation the profit is great the benefits and blessings that redound unto us and fall upon us by it are excellent and precious Looke in the latter end of the eleventh Chapter of Iob. If thou prepare thine heart and stretch out thine hands towards him If iniquitie be in thine hand put it farre away and let no wickednesse dwell in thy Tabâ—rnacle Then truly shalt thou lift up thy face without spot and shalt be stable and shalt not feare c. Preparation of the heart is here the foundation and first step unto many glorious blessings The heart must be first prepared before other holy duties can be fitly performed or Gods blessings expected In the first place first prepare thine heart secondly then poure it out in prayer before the Throne of Grace thirdly then purge it from corruption banish farre and barre out all iniquitie fourthly next be sure to reforme instruct and pray with thy family or those that are about thee Let no wickednesse ignorance prophanenesse swearing swaggering drunkennesse or the like dwell in thy Tabernacle harbour in thine house or rowst neere thee And then open thy heart and hands for the Windowes of Heaven shall be set wide open that all manner of spirituall comforts all the blessings of peace and happinesse may in abundance be showred downe upon thee the rich Treasurie of everlasting Glory and Immortalitie shall be unlockt unto thee and thou shalt row and tumble thy selfe for ever after amid mountaines of heavenly pearles and golden pleasures through Rivers nay Seas of endlesse joyes that no heart can comprehend but that which is weaned from all worldly pleasures and set apart and sanctified for holy services and businesses of Heaven Then truly shalt thou lift up thy face without spot Though thou hast lyen among the Pots yet thou shalt be now as the wings of a Dove that is covered with Silver and whose feathers are like yellow Gold Though thou be like the Kedarims which dwell in Tents the black-Moores that is by reason of thy sinne subject to the condemnation of God and deprived of his glory yet shalt thou be in Christ goodly and glorious as those that dwell in exceeding glory under the Curtaines of Salomon Though thou be black with the remnants of originall corruption and present infirmities though the Sunne have looked upon thee and parched thee with the scorching heat of sore affliction and chastisements yet shalt thou now shine like the Sunne in his strength with the royall Robe of Christs righteousnesse with fresh comfort and lasting chearefulnesse Thou shalt be stable and shalt not feare Though the wicked tremble many times at their owne shadowes and the sound of a Leafe shaken doth chase them and strike a faintnesse into their hearts and a trembling into their loynes yet thou shalt never be afraid of any evill tidings whether they be forged by the spightfull and impoysoned tongues of prophane men to defame and disgrace thee or fetched out of the bottome of Hell by Sathans malice to terrifie thee though the messengers of miseries and mischiefes come thicke and three-fold upon thee as they did upon Iob though the Earth be moved and the mountaines fall into the midst of the Sea nay though the whole World be on flames about thine eares and the Heavens be rouled together like a Scrowle yet shalt thou be stable and shalt not feare because thy heart is fixed and beleeveth in the
Lord. Thou shalt forget thy miserie and remember it as waters that are past Thy happinesse and comfort shall be so entire and unmixed so absolute and overflowing that the very remembrance of former miseries and terrors shall be drowned and devoured in the excesse and excellencie of that even as the travels of a woman in her joyes for a new-borne sonne Or if it be that thy former discomforts sometimes steale into thy minde they shall not be able to rest or remaine there by reason of the predominancie of spirituall pleasures but glide away as swiftly as the head-long streame of the most hastie Torrent Thine age also shall appeare more cleare than the Noone-day thou shalt shine and be as the Morning The Morning is the very Crowne of Time and the beautie of the Day the Poets call it the Rosie-finger'd Morning When they labour to describe corporall Beautie to the life and set it out in the best perfection and freshest colours that the utmost power and highest straine of wit and art can possibly devise they take their Metaphors and amplifications from the ruddinesse and brightnesse of the Morning And yet thou shalt be as faire as the Morning with all Divine Graces spirituall brightnesse and beautie of thy Soule nay a Soule set thicke with spirituall Graces is farre more faire than the Firmament with all those Eyes of Gold and fairest Lampes that shine from it Neither shalt thou be onely as the Morning but as the Morning Sunne thou shalt rise higher and higher in degrees of holinesse and strength of Grace untill thou commest to the highest point of perfection in this Heaven upon Earth the Kingdome of Grace And after thou hast finished thy course and left behind thee the comfortable heat of thy gracious zeale much Light from thy good example and the sweet influence of thy holy life upon thy death-bed thou shalt sett with the sweetest and brightest beames of all heavenly comfort into the immeasurable Ocean of endlesse joyes Thou shalt be bold because there is hope and thou shalt digge Pits and shalt lye downe safely Thou shalt be assured of Heaven and a Crowne of Glory hereafter that thou shalt walke through this Valley of Miserie like a Lyon nor Devill nor man nor beast nor any creature shall affright or amaze thee Cast thine eyes supernaturally enabled and enlarged with the Light of Faith from East to West into the bottome of Hell and glory of Heaven and thou shalt clearely see that all is thine by the purchase right and conquest of the Sonne of God The stones in the street shall be at league with thee the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee The creatures shall be all sworne to thy safetie the purest spirits the ministers of God shall be thy Guardians Saints and Angels are alreadie in thy sight Immortalitie hath lengthened thy dayes and the glory of God is before thee in a Glasse When thou doest take thy rest none shall make thee afraid yea many shall make suit unto thee When the darkenesse of the Night encompasseth thee thou shalt not be affrighted with terrors and apparitions when blacknesse and silence the habitation of feares and astonishment shall pitch round about thee thou shalt be lightsome with inward comfort when all thy Sences the scouts and watch-men for discovering dangers and preserving thy safetie shall be locked up his providence that neither slumbers nor sleepes shall tenderly and carefully watch over thee Whether thou die or live whether thou sleepe or wake thou art the Lords And therefore when thou sleepest thou shalt not be afraid and when thou sleepest thy sleepe shall be sweet Thou shalt not feare for any sudden feare neither for the destruction of the wicked when it commeth for the Lord shall be for thy assurance and shall keepe thy foot from being caught Yea many shall make suit unto thee Thou shalt be so encompassed with the blessings of God so protected from above so high in Gods favour that many will come for shadow and shelter unto thee they will looke for reliefe and comfort under the shadow of thy wings thy power and authoritie shall be a refuge and repose for oppressed and disgraced innocencie All these blessings and a thousand moe are built upon a through preparation of the heart as upon the first foundation stone Preparation is the very first step to all these degrees and height of happinesse But on the contrarie part if a man neglect preparing his heart praying unto God forsaking his sinnes reforming his family let him looke for nothing but Curses and Plagues But the eyes of the wicked saith Iob shall faile and their refuge shall perish and their hope shall be sorrow of minde They thinke their formall and customarie service of God will serve the turne and thereupon with great greedinesse and confidence expect and looke for the salvation of their soules after this life but they shall waile and gaze untill their eyes sinke into their holes and yet shall never be able to taste of true comfort They may crie untill their tongues cleave to the roofe of their mouth with the foolish Virgins Lord Lord open unto us Math. 25. but the Gate of everlasting happinesse shall for ever be shut against them They may struggle and strive by the strength of their good meanings and formall Christianitie to enter in at the strait Gate but shall never be able Their refuge shall perish They have stayed themselves upon broken staves of Reed and â—ow they will runne into their hands and hearts too unto their vexation and horror And their hope shall be sorrow of minde Their end shall be despaire and horrible confusion I have stayed long upon the motives and inducements to preparation before we come to the hearing of the Word or undergoe any sacred bâ—sinesse and upon the necessitie blessings and benefits of so holy a dutie The reason is I would gladly stirre you up and my selfe too to a through and constant practise and performance of it and because the neglect and omission of it is the cause that the Ministerie of the Word is not onely fruitlesse and in vaine unto thousands but which is a fearefull thing the savour of death unto death unto them I come now to the speciall points considerable in preparation before wee present our selves in this place to the hearing of the Word This preparation is an holy action or exercise which by examination of our Consciences purgation of our hearts prayer unto God and private reading the Scriptures maketh our soules fit Vessels to receive and entertaine the spirituall Treasures of Grace and food of eternall Life offered and tendered unto us by the Ministerie of the Word that so they may be the more effectually and fruitfully wrought upon and happily subdued to the power and practice thereof In this preparation I consider and require especially these foure things first Examination
of the Conscience secondly Purgation of the heart thirdly Prayer unto God fourthly Readinesse of heart to receive every truth First for Examination of the Conscience Examination is a dutie practisable by all true Christians at many times and upon sundry occasions It is either more extraordinarie and that is either in the time of solemne Fast and generall humiliation for some publike Plague and calamitie that lyes upon the State or Church Wee are then seriously to search and ransacke throughly our Consciences that wee may throw that or those sinnes out of our affections practise and allowance which have their part in pulling downe those publike Psagues upon us Or secondly when our family is singled out and visited with some speciall and extraordinarie scourge and judgement and then must we make an impartiall inquisition into our hearts lest we be the Achans which by our secret sinnes provoke Gods causefull wrath Or when our selves in a more private and particular manner are afflicted with some speciall vexation as by some maladie and miserie in our bodies with some terrors and feares in our minds or with some slanders disgraces and imputations upon our good names when Gods hand is upon us any of these wayes wee are presently to conceive that the sinnes of our soules are the true causes of all the miseries and crosses which befall us any manner of wayes and therefore wee are narrowly and exactly to enquire into our selves and to cast out our secret beloved sinnes those lurking rebels the breeders of all our woe Besides examination of our hearts in these or the like cases there is also a more ordinarie and usuall examination necessarie and required of us and that especially every day that we may make the Score of our sinnes lesse and our account shorter against the Day of our Visitation that wee may more entirely and comfortably preserve and enjoy Gods favour and protection inward peace of Conscience spirituall joy and Christian chearfulnesse in all our affaires and passages 2 Before wee come to receive and be partakers of the holy Sacrament of the sacred body and bloud of Christ lest by neglect and omission of this dutie we become unworthy receivers and so eate and drinke our owne judgement and damnation nay be guiltie of the innocent and precious bloud of Christ Iesus which one day will be an heavie and unsupportable burthen to our Consciences To be guiltie of the sinfull bloud of prophane men is able to make the proudest heart and highest stomacke to tremble and quake like an Aspen leafe and to strike through his soule with restlesse horrour and gastly sights Who is able then to beare the guilt of guiltlesse bloud Abels innocent bloud cryed for and pulled downe strange and desperate vengeance upon cruell Cain How loud then will be the crie of the bloud of the innocent Lambe of God How will it ring in the eares of God the Father How fearefully will it fill Heaven and Earth untill it hath brought downe Plagues and Curses upon those wofull Soules who irreverently and unpreparedly prophane so high and holy a mysterie A third ordinarie examination is before wee presse into the House of God and present our selves before his Ministers and Messengers to be instructed in his will from Heaven out of his holy Word lest this blessed Ordinance should be accursed unto us You may see in the Prophet Ezech. 14. 7 8. how the Lord threatens that person that comes to his Ministers to enquire of them or to be informed by them and yet separates himselfe from the Lord and sets up any Idoll in his heart and stumbling-blocke of his iniquitie before his face that the Lord will set his face against him and make him a signe and a Proverbe and cut him off from the midst of his people Whence wee may well inferre that it will be very dangerous for any to come to the hearing of the Word without examination of his heart whether there be any such stumbling-blocke of iniquitie in it or no. 2 Because that examination of the heart to finde out our corruptions tends especially to the cleansing of it therefore the second dutie before the hearing of the Word is the purgation or cleansing of the heart first from sinne which the Scripture beats much upon Iam. 1. 21. Lay apart all filthinesse and superâ—luitiâ— of naughtinesse and receive with meekenesse the ingrafted Word c. It is not meerely lay apart but put away quite and cleane all filthinesse and this is a fit preparative for the hearing of the Word as appeares also by that paralell place 1 Pet. 3. 1 2. Wherefore putting away all malice all guile and hypocrisie and envie and evill speakings as new-borne babes desire the sincere Milke of the Word And there is the same reason for any other sinne to be put away that there is for these mentioned As it is with the body when the stomack is foule and clogged with bad humours wee should first purge it before wee feede it for otherwise whatsoever we eate doth but nourish and encrease the corrupt humours of the body So it is with the soule when it is stuffed or clogged with sinne whatsoever is heard in the Ministery of the Word shall be perverted and abused by it and wrested to the destruction of it It is no wonder therefore that those that live in dissolute or scandalous courses those that are drunk on the evening before the Lords day or spend it in gaming or company keeping or have bin acting of some soule sinne and then repaire unto the Word it is no wonder I say that such goe away never a whit the better but rather worse than they came Did you ever know any Salve so soveraigne that would cure a wound that had a splint or an arrow-head remaining in it Surely every knowne sinne unrepented of hinders the saving operation of the Word in any mans heart yea it will make the Word the savour of death unto a man See to this purpose Ier. 7. 9 10. Secondly the heart must also be purged from all worldly cares and thoughts which may divide or draw away the heart Math. 13. 22. The cares of the World doe choake the Seed of the Word Luke 21. 34. The cares of this life doe surfet the heart Now as it is with a man in a surfet hee is not fit to eat neither can he digest any wholesome food so when as the heart is surfetted with worldly cares it is unfit for any spirituall food You know how it was with Martha Luke 10. 41. Iesus said unto Martha Thou art troubled about many things but one thing is necessarie Martha had a clutter of many worldly matters that made a great noise in her head and hindered better matters that she cared not for hearing How then shall they profit by the Word that doe jumpe out of their worldly businesse and from busying their heads about
surely be avenged of them for this sinne as we may see in the denunciation following Fifthly Ier. 7. 4 8 9 10 11. Trust not in lying words saying The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord c. They rested upon the outward formes of Gods worship without reformation It is just our case Many amongst us satisfie themselves and thinke it will serve the turne for salvation if they rest upon the Sabbath heare the Word receive the Sacrament and conforme to the outward exercises of Religion though they abide in their sinnes and have no acquaintance at all with the power of the Word the Mysterie of Christ conversion to God or holy conversation Sixtly Isa 6. 9 10. Goe tell this people Heare yee indeed but understand not see yee indeed but perceive not make the heart of this people fat and make their eares heavie and shut their eyes lest c. Oh this is heavie that a Minister should be sent to a further hardening of a people And yet it is just with God and they shall feele it on their Bed of Death The Theefe on the Crosse was converted with a piece of a Sermon they are not wrought upon after many yeeres therefore it is just with God as an act of judgement because they would not come in after so long a time to give them over to such judiciall hardnesse Consider these things and tremble all yee that have any wayes strucke at the face of Christ by contempt of his Ministerie For the humbling of your soules into the dust for this horrible sinne peruse in bleeding hearts in secret that blacke and bloudie Catalogue of fearefull provocations which are ordinarily to be found in and certainely set upon the Score of such as hate to be reformed under a conscionable Ministerie Which made Christ say Ioh. 15. 22. If I had not come and spoken unto them c. 1 Despising it shutting their eyes against that glorious Light erected in their faces to leade them to Heaven See Math. 10. 14. Whosoever shall not receive you nor heare your words when yee depart out of that house or Citie shake off the dust of your feet Here is a notable place to affright all those that are unworthie partakers of the Ministerie For the understanding whereof take notice of these five points 1 It is as if they should say Here I have gone a long journey and have contracted dust and sand by my travell and taken a great deale of paines and loe here I shake off this dust in witnesse that you had Christ offered you and you would not accept him 2 To intimate unto them I care not for any of you or yours but onely I seeke the good of your soules I respect not so much as the dust I prize more the conversion of any of your soules than all yours and this dust shall witnesse it 3 They shooke off the dust as a witnesse I will have nothing to doe with this Citie for I know the Plagues and Iudgements of God will seize on this place as it was with Sodome and Gomorrah I will have no communion and societie with these wicked people 4 They did shake off the dust to intimate that destruction should come upon them For it is said Psalme 1. That they should be driven away as the dust As that is shaken with the winde so shall they be with the wrath of God 5 In testimonie and witnesse against them This very dust shall be witnesse against them Doe you thinke then that their Sermons and Catechising shall not If the dust that they gathered by their paines will be witnesse what will all their Sermons and praying and such paines be Now this sinne of despising the Word is a sinne above that of Sodome Vers 15. Verily it shall be more easie for Sodome and Gomorrah in the Day of Iudgement than for that Citie 2 Murmuring against it Iob. 6. 41. Luk. 15. 2. 3 Cavilling against it Act. 13. 45. 4 Contemning it Ier. 44. 16. Act. 17. 18. What will this Babbler say They accounted Pauls precious preaching vaine babbling 5 Mocking and scorning it 2 Chron. 36. 16. Act. 2. 13. 6 Persecuting it Math. 10. 23. And so they become like mad Dogges throwne into a River or tyed up in a Chaine which doe snarle at bite and teare those that put out their hands to helpe and set them free fearing they come to torture and to trouble them more Iust so it is with many prophane wretches which lye drowned in sinne and chained in Sathans fetters If a man put out his hand by the Ministerie of the Word to save them from sinking into Damnation and to free them from the Snares of everlasting death they rage and rayle they barke and bite like mad Dogges holding themselves to be disquieted disgraced and tormented before their time Thus you have seene the sixe Curses and the sixe Sinnes that the not profiting by the Word doth bring upon a people 2 Now in the second place let me tender to your most serious thoughts some quickening Motives for the stirring of you up to profit by the Word 1 Some taken from the Word it selfe the Ministerie whereof you have slighted What then is the blessed thing you have so wickedly abused It is 1 The Word of Salvation Act. 13. 26. No other Word or created Power can save your soules from Hell 2 The Word of Truth Eph. 1. 13. There is error in all other Truths whether Naturall or Morall or Politicall and goe to any Art there is weakenesse and infirmitie in the braine of man that there can be no certaintie but here is all Truth and here is infallibilitie you need not doubt of any 3 It is called the Word of Life Phil. 2. 16. All other Learning whatsoever when it hath furnished you with ornaments and parts it leaves your soules starke dead in sinnes and trespasses But this is a Word of Life it inspires spirituall Life and brings eternall Life 4 It is called a Word of Reconciliation 2 Cor. 5. 19. Let the Sea runne nothing but Gold and let Heaven and Earth be turned into Gold and Silver and offered unto God it could not reconcile us If all the creatures would lose their being be annihilated and come to nothing yet this could not save Iudas or any one reprobate but the Word hath beene a blessed instrument for reconciling many soules to God 5 It is as it were an Epistle or Letter as one of the Fathers calls it written from God Almightie unto us miserable men wherein hee writes his Will and Word and sends it to us the Ministers are the readers of it and they bring the newes from Heaven And what is the matter of it Concerning eternall life or eternall death concerning the good of your soules Now if you had a private Letter come from the King concerning your advancement or your deliverance and forgivenesse for some dangerous Treason or both how
and other places It was their spirituall coldnesse which sharpened the Papists swords against them It was their not entertaining the Truth with the love and power of it which gave the Imperiallists power over them 3 In a third place take some helpes and remedies to become profitable hearers and saving proficients by the Ministerie your enjoy which hath thus long beene it is a reproachfull and rufull thing I speake the savour of death unto death unto the most 1 Be perswaded to beleeve and obey the blessed Commandement of our Saviour himselfe Math. 6. 32. Seeke ye first the Kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof in the first place and all other things shall be added to you To which bee quickened by considering 1 To what end wee came into this World What a wofull and bewitched people are they who being reasonable creatures having an understanding Light like the Angels of God having eyes in their heads to fore-see the wrath that is to come hearts in their bodies that can tremble as the leaves of the Forest which are shaken with the winde Consciences that are capable of unspeakable horror bodies and soules which can burne in Hell for ever and yet some have lived twentie some thirtie some fortie some sixtie yeeres and yet to this day have not learnt one sound spirituall Lesson for the true good of their soules either out of the Booke of God the Booke of Nature the Workes of God or any other way Why to what end doe you thinke were you created and put into this World To eate and drinke and sleepe to lye and sweare and root in the Earth to Dice and Card and goe in the Fashion to contemne the Ministerie shamefully to belye slander and rayle upon Gods people as too precise to die and then not to be damned Assuredly thou wast not borne and placed upon the Earth for to serve thine owne turne to please thine owne heart to follow thine owne wayes to live for a while like a Beast in sensuall contentments and then to goe to Hell Certainely thou wast sent into this World for some other end for some greater businesse and important affaire even for that One necessarie thing Luke 10. 42. to know serve and obey thy God and to save that precious Soule of thine in the Day of Christ to seeke first the Kingdome of Heaven to know and feele the vertue of Christs death and resurrection This I say is that One necessarie thing All other things are but respectively necessarie so farre as they further this end ought onely to be subordinate and contributorie nay to be accounted but drosse and dung to this Phil. 3. 10. 2 Consider that upon this moment depends eternitie 3 What is a man profited if he shall gaine the whole World and lose his owne soule Math. 16. 26. 4 The difference of the life and death of the Christian and Carnallist 2 Take the counsell of the holy Apostle Col. 3. 16. Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly c. 1 By hearing it in season and out of season 2 Tim. 4. 2. Preachers and hearers are relatives Christian hearers in ancient times heard their Pastours day after day 1 Because yesterday wee made mention of the Theefe c. saith Ambrose Which implyes his preaching the day before 2 You that were here yesterday c. Which implyes his preaching the day before In another place I suppose you remember how farre me discoursed yesterday from that very place let us to day begin Elsewhere he saith From whence we spake much yesterday Againe Yesterday we came even to that Verse c. Yesterdayes Sermon was protracted c. The latter part of the Psalme of which wee spake yesterday c. Yesterday a shorter Psalme was handled 3 First therefore let us perswade you that you would amend and abandon your Oathes For although I spake of the same matter yesterday and the day before that yet notwithstanding I will not cease to day nor to morrow nor the day after that to perswade the same things Whence it appeares that hee preached the day before and the day before that and would preach the day following and the day after that 4 Yesterdayes sight Brethren provoked me to this Sermon c. This Sermon was made upon Easter Monday and no doubt he had preached on Easter day 5 Yesterday c. To day wee will discourse briefely of Baptisme and the benefits that flow from thence to us Although yesterday our speech did flow more hastily from us both because the time did urge as also least length of speech should beget disdaine and satietie for the satietie of speech is no lesse an enemie to the eares than too much meate is to the body These Orations were divine and as Sermons and this was made on the day immediately after an holy-day The Greeke Church at that time celebrated the day of Christs Baptisme 6 If you remember in yesterdayes Sermon c. Chrysostome in his tenth Homily upon Genesis expostulating with his people because they were so few tells them That every houre of the day is seasonable to heare a Sermon nay the very night is not unseasonable for such a purpose urging for proofe thereof the place I prest before 2 Tim. 4. 2. and Pauls practice Act. 20. preaching untill midnight These are his words What meanes it that there is a lesse assembly of you to day and not so frequent a multitude of those who flocke to us For it is not so with spirituall things as with humane which are divided to determined times Every time of the day is fit for a spirituall Sermon And what doe I say the day time yea if the night should come upon us it doth not prejudice or hinder spirituall teaching For both Paul writing to Timothy said Be instant in season and out of season c. And againe heare blessed S. Luke saying Paul being about to depart on the morrow prolonged his Sermon to the middle of the night Tell mee I pray thee did the time hinder Was therefore his word of Doctrine hindered Austin sometimes preached thrice upon the same day Doe not wonder deare Brethren if I have preached thrice to day God assisting me There hath happened to day a fearefull chance c. Chrysostome in the Evening as we may see in his eleventh Homily upon 1 Thess 5. saith hee Even as if any one should cast water on the wicke of this Candle or should onely take away the Oyle hee would put out the Light so is it with the gift of the Spirit He tooke his example from the Lampe that burnt by him when he was preaching and sayes You may quench this Lampe by putting in water and you may quench it by taking out the Oyle And great Basil also the like The Evening and the Morning saith he is made one Day