teeth of wild beasts hot glowing fornaces caldrons of boyling oyle fiery braseÌ„ bulls powning to death in morters rouling in barrels of nayles roasting vpon spits boring with augers parting the nayles from the fingers ends with needles nipping the flesh with pincers renting asunder the ioynts with wild horses can we I say thinke of these and the like most mercilesse and pitilesse torments and not be moved Could we Our hearts certainely should be harder then the hardest yron Yet behold my text leadeth you to the sight of farre more grievous torments in regard of which all those foresaid agonies and as many besides as ever haue wrested or may wring the spirit of man are only shadowes and counterfeits It sheweth you though there be never so many already in the bowels of Hell to empty her storehouses and to part her punishments among them yet hath shee in store an vnmeasurable portion to bestow vpon her children that now liue or are yet vnborne such a portion as may not be refused a patrimonie of howling weeping and gnashing a patrimonie of darknesse blacknesse and obscuritie a patrimonie of fire brimstone and the wrath of God There shall they be tormented before the Holy Angels and before the lambe and shall bee a gazing stocke vnto the blessed Saints who shall not pitie them but reioyce to see their coÌ„fusion And the c Rev. 14.11 smoake of this their torment ascends for evermore giving them rest neither day nor night and it continueth for a time and times and no time even when time shall bee no more Rev. 10 6. When time shall bee no more yet then continueth their torment and that in such a measure as no eye hath ever seene the like no eare hath ever heard the like no tongue hath ever vttered the like no heart hath beene is or shall bee ever able to conceaue the like And this I hope may suffice for the explication of my text Now that we doe not like sleepy Adders passe our times in a dreame let vs awake our selues Why should wee bee that ground by the d Mat. 13.4 highway side or that e Vers 5. stony or that f Vers 7. bushie ground The good g Vers 8. ground it is that receaues the seed beares brings forth fruit Since we haue brought our eares to heare the word let vs keepe our hearts here also It is not meete our hearts should be like many of your waiting men who thinke their dutie fully done if they wait vpon their Masters to and from the Church though they heare not one word of the sermon themselues But so they shal never learne Christ Nor we if when we present our bodies in this and the like places wee send our hearts vpon other businesses to attend our private affaires Let vs therfore lay these things whereof we haue heard to our hearts and be assured they will be for our profit The consideration of the terror of the Iudge of Hell fire and of the torments there to bee endured may moue vs to thinke with our selues how neere that day of iudgement is and therevpon to provide our selues against the comming of the Iudge Touching this point if the day of iudgement were at hand sixteene ages since as the Crier in the wildernesse proclaimed Mat. 3.2 as the Disciples taught according to their charge Mat. 10.7 and as Christ himselfe preached Mat. 4.17 if in those daies the end of the world were come as S. Paule saith 1. Cor. 10.11 if then was the last time as S. Iohn tels vs 1. Iohn 2.18 if at that time the end of all things drew neere as S. Peter affirmeth 1. Pet. 4.7 Can we religiously thinke that yet this day of the LORD is farre of In the time of the Apostles there were two heresies concerning this second comming of Christ the one refuted by S. Peter the other by S. Paule S. Peter 2 Pet. 3.3 wisheth vs to vnderstand that in the last daies which then were come there shall be mockers walking after their own lusts and saying where is the promise of his comming For since the fathers dyed all things continue alike from the beginning of the creation Miserable men to bee perswaded that the day of the LORD shall never come because it is deferred But such iesting scoffing and mocking at that fearefull day vsed heretofore and hitherto practised by the whole progenie of vnbeleevers may be vnto vs a good argument that this iudgement shall speedely be hastned For so saith the Holy Ghost by the Apostle 1. Thess 5.3 when they shall say PEACE and SAFETIE then shall come vpon them suddaine destruction St Peter in his answere to such deceavers saith first that the LORD differeth not very long to come to iudgement For saith he verse 8. one day with him is as a thousand yeares and a thousand yeares as one day alluding to the words in Moses prayer Psal 90 4. A thousand yeares in thy sight are as yesterday when it is past and as a watch of the night as if he should haue said were it possible for a man to liue a thousand yeares yet those thousand yeares are assoone passed over in respect of God as one day only is in respect of a so-long-living man Yea those thousand yeares are but as a watch of the night that is they are of very short continuance For the old Iewes divided the night into foure watches and appointed to every watch three houres as may appeare by the conference of these places Mat. 14.25 Luk. 12.38 Exod. 14.24 The words then suffering this exposâ—tion that a thousand yeares in respect of the Lord are but as a watch of the night but of three houres doe plainely shew that Peter meant not to speake any thing distinctly of a thousand yeares but of a long time so his meaning is that innumerable yeares are but as a short time with God He might as well and truely haue said two thousand eight or ten thousand years with God are but as one day And this is his first answere to such as aske where is the promise of his comming His second answere is verse 9. when he saith The LORD is not slacke concerning his promise as some men count slacknes but is patient towardes vs and would haue no man to perish but that all should come to repentance Where it being manifest that the LORD differreth his comming only for our good to giue vs time to turne vnto him is it meete we should mocke at the slacknesse of his comming You see the first Heresie refuted The second is quite opposite to this set abroach by certain false teachers who taught the Thessalonians that the daie of the LORD was so nigh as that it should happen within their age Where by the way note the exceeding subtilty of Sathan slyly leading vs into one of the extreams to make vs belieue either that the day of the Lord shall never come or else that it shall come within such a
saith the Apostle vnto the Hebrewes ch 6.8 where see how one plague followeth vpon the necke of another first reproving then cursing then burning and all for the ground that beares bryers and thornes The Apostle in the verse following modestly kindly qualifieth his speech But saith he beloved we haue perswaded our selues better things of you though we thus speake Should we thus speake of these vnprofitable dayes we are perswaded better things Doubtlesse wee should seeme to you to walke before you in the spirit of falshood and flatterie For you know that wee cannot but knowe that ignorance in the most and Atheisme in many growes to a head and doth advance it selfe I shall not need for ignorance to want witnesses I will content my selfe only with the servants of your families Some of them I doubt not are better learned in the schoole of Christ then their fellowes but I feare me it may too truely bee verified of the greatest part of them which Christ spake of the Samaritans that they worship that which they knowe not and it is credible that in their hearts there is an altar erected ignoto Christo to the vnknowne Christ For the advancement of Atheisme I need no witnesses Too many now haue put on the cloake of policie they finde so good patrons They are content to confesse Christ yea and doe willingly also receiue him into their vnderstanding that they may be able to talke of him they would forsooth be like Christians if for nothing else yet only for preferment sake Wo vnto such professours of Christ they are that bad ground which beares briars and thornes and therefore may looke for the plagues attending them they are reproved are neere vnto cursing and must be burnt As for vs beloved in the Lord let vs be thâ—t good ground spoken of by the same Apostle Heb. 6.7 The raine that most sweet raine distilling from no clowdy region but from Gods most gracious fâ—vour This Sermon was preached Ian 1599. hath now these forty yeares and better watred this our ground why then shoulde it not bring forth hearbs meete for the husbandman that dressed it Let vs doe our best to plucke vp by the roots â—ll briars and thornes and weedes that the hearbs may be seene For it is warranted by the Holy Ghost that the earth which drinketh in the raine that coÌ„meth oft vpon it and bringeth forth hâ—arbs meet for them by whoÌ„ it is dressed shall receiue blessing of God Since then by Gods gracious favour we haue receaved Christ into our mouthes to confesse him and into our vnderstandings to knowe him let our hearts be opened and enlarged to embrace him So shall we be sanctified in mouth in minde in heart and be most willing to runne forward in that race of righteousnes wherin through Iesus Christ God hath freely placed vs by whose spirit beeing guided to walke in good workes we leaving farre behinde vs all reprobates shall make our calling and election sure Now God graunt vs so to do for his welbeloved Sonne Iesus Christ his sake Amen THE EIGHTH SERMON HEBR. 10. VER 29. 29 Of how much sorer punishment suppose yee shall he be worthy which treadeth vnder foot the Sonne of God and couÌ„teth the blood of the Testament as an vnholy thing wherewith he was sanctified and doth despite the Spirit of grace OF the first marke by which the sinner against the Holy Ghost cannot be discerned from one truely elected and of the first question grouÌ„ded thervpon I spake vnto you in my last exercise out of this place as God enabled me At this time of the other three markes by which he may be knowne to be a vessel of wrath and not of mercy by Gods gracious assistance The first marke by which men swallowed vp of so monstrous a sinne may hence be knowne to be such as they are is proper to themselues Gods elect haue no part with them Everie one of them treadeth vnder foot the Sonne of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â— notable patterne of the disposition of those plants which must be rooted out Mat. 15.13 because they are not planted by God the Father They are among the number of those many that are called Mat. 2â— 14 but God never vouchsafed them his Holie Spirit in so great measure as to seale them vnto the day of redemption And therefore this calling hath not that effect in theÌ„ which it hath in Gods chosen The chosen of God wheÌ„ they are called do speedily answere and haue ready hearts to come vnto the Lord. The Lord can no sooner say of his little remnant which he bringeth through the fire and fineth as silver and tryeth as gold it is my people but they shall say againe the LORD is my God Zach. 13.9 And he shall no sooner say vnto them Seeke yee my face but their hearts shall answere him againe like Davids heart Psal 27.8 O LORD I will seeke thy face Farre otherwise it fareth with them whom the Father hath not given vnto Christ For when they are called either they readily make answere like one of those Lords who Ierem. 2.31 told God to his face we are Lords wee will no more come at thee or else in outward shew only they yeeld obedience to the calling of God I say in outward shew only for their hearts are not vpright with God He that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and sees and knowes their hearts knowes they are but hypocrites Hypocrits they are howsoever their conversatioÌ„ for a time yea even vnto the howre of their death may be such as that by vs they must be taken for true members of Christ This impossibility to discerne betweene such Goates and Christs Sheepe made St Paul to say of al the Romanes that they were Saints beloved of God Rom. 1.7 and of all the Galatians that they were the Sonnes of God Gal. 3.26 and of all the Corinthians that they were washed and sanctified and iustified 1. Cor. 6.11 It made St Peter also to say of those Iewes in Pontus Galatiae Asia Cappadocia and Bithynia of all of them with out exception that they were a chosen generatioÌ„ a royall priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people 1. Pet. 2.9 In this very regard the Holy Scriptures in many other places haue graced such sonnes of darknesse with glorious titles In Mat. 12.43 44. they are said to haue swept and garnished their houses after the departure of the vncleane spirit In Mat. 13.30 Christ saith of them that they heare the word incontinently with ioy receiue it St Peter Ep. 2. chap 2. ver 20. recordeth of them that they haue escaped from the filthinesse of this world through their knowledge in our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ The writer of this Epistle to the Hebrewes chap. 6 vers 4 5. noteth of them that they haue been once lightened that they haue tasted of the heavenly gift of the good word of God of the powers of the world to come that
against him from all eternitie To like purpose is it vsed by St Paul Rom. 1.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the anger and wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against al vngodlinesse and vnrighteousnesse of men The meaning is plaine By Gods iudgements wrought vpon vs the sonnes of men its evident that his everlasting decree is against all iniquitie Againe the anger or wrath of God betokeneth his menacings or threatnings Examples hereof are frequent David praieth Psal 6.1 O LORD rebuke me not in thine anger neither chastize me in thy wrath as if he had praied O LORD let not thy vengeance overtake my sinnes according as thou hast threatned Ionas asketh chap. 3.9 Who can tell whether God will turne and repent turne away from the fierenesse of his wrath that we perish not as if he had asked who knoweth whether God may bee intreated not to doe accordingly as hee hath threatned The LORD himselfe promiseth Hos 11.9 I will not execute the fiercenesse of my wrath against Ephraim as if he had promised I being a God and not man the holy one in the middest of thee hauing my heart turned within mee and my repentings rouled together I even I will not doe accordingly as I haue threatned I will not hold you with more examples in so plaine a matter Last of all the anger of God is put for the effects of his anger for punishment and revenge To such as despise the riches of Gods bouÌ„tifulnesse patience and long sufferance Paule saith Rom. 2.5 After thine hardnesse and heart that cannot repent thou heapest vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath Thou heapest vnto thy selfe wrath that is thou layest vp as treasure for thy selfe punishment against the day of the declaration of Gods iust iudgmeÌ„t To the Pharisees Sadducees which came to the baptisme of Iohn Iohn said Matth. 3.7 O generation of Vipers who hath forwarned you to flee from the anger to come froÌ„ the anger that is from the punishments hanging over your heads because of Gods anger One example more in soe great variety and no more To the childreÌ„ of disobedience it is warranted by Paule Ephes 5.6 that the anger of God shall come vpoÌ„ them The anger of God that is his vengeance the effectes of his anger shall assuredly light vpon the children of disobedience such as excuse themselues and set light by the menacies and iudgments of their God We see now that Gods eternall decree is to be avenged on the wicked that he threatneth as much in his holy word and dayly practiseth the same by punishing of sinners what remaineth but that we acknowledge confesse with feare humblenesse that vengeance truly properly belongeth vnto God and that he shall surely recompense The consideration hereof may moue our hearts to wisdome It may moue vs to beware of those crying sinnes vsually coÌ„mitted against the first table that we provoke not Gods vengeance against vs by Idolatrie in worshipping the creature aboue the Creator blessed for ever by tempting God in making tryall whâ—ther his word be true or not by murmuring against him in laying iniustice to his charge quod bonis male sit malis benè for afflicting the godly when the wicked liue at ease by rebellion contumacie in taking counsell together against the LORD and against his Christ by blasphemie in doing despite to the spirite of Grace It may moue vs also to beware of those other sinnes crying sinnes too vsually committed against the second table that we provoke not Gods vengeance against vs by dishonoring our parents and such as God hath put in place of government aboue vs by greiuing our children and such as are by vs to be governed by oppressing the fatherlesse and the poore by giuing our selues over vnto filthy lusts For the Holy one that is in the middest of vs the LORD of Heauen and earth whose sayings must come to passe he hath said Vengeance belongeth vnto me I will recompense I might here take iust occasion in many words to dehorte you from private revenge the sinne that eates and consumes vs in Colleges But dictum sapienti You are wise and touching this sore which much molesteth vs you will coÌ„mune with your owne hearts in your chambers Only I beseech you attend vnto the words of the Apostle Rom. 12.18 19. Giue me leaue to vse them as mine owne Dearely beloued if it be possible as much as in you lieth haue peace with al men Avenge not your selues but giue place vnto wrath for it is written Vengeance belongeth vnto mee I will recompenâ—â— saith the LORD Gracious Father let thy word abide plentifully among vs in all wisdome make vs walke worthy the same as it becommeth the sonnes of so high a God Giue vs thy grace good Lord that thy word in vs may multiply as seed sowne in good ground and we may ever vse it to the edifying of our consciences to the comfort of our soules and to the kindling of good motions within vs through Iesus Christ our Lord. THE ELEVENTH SERMON HEBR. 10. VER 30. 30 For we know him that hath said Vengeance belongeth vnto me I will recompense saith the LORD And againe The LORD shall iudge his people NOw are we to coÌ„sider of the last branch of this verse these wordes The LORD shall iudge his people Wherin wee may note 1 Who shall iudge 2 Who shall be iudged 3 The kind of iudgement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 IEHOVAH shall iudge his people So sings Moses in Deut 32. calling him that shall iudge by the name IEHOVAH the a See my third Lecture vpon Amos 1. p. 25. honorablest name beloÌ„ging to the great God of HeaueÌ„ Much might be spoken of it would I apply my selfe to the curiositie of Cabalists Rabbins I might say of it that it is nomeÌ„ b Zanch. de Nat Dei Lib. 1. c 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so reputed by superstitious Iewes a name not to bee pronounced not to be taken within polluted lipps In which regard when reading the Scriptures they meet with this name either they passe it over with silence making obeisance with their bodies in token of reverence or else for it they read Elohim or Adonai directed by the points it hath and when writing any place of Scripture they are to expresse this name they meddle not with the proper letters and characters of the word but they expresse it sometimes by points 3. or 4. disposed in some order agreeable to their fancies sometimes by 3. Iods and one Camets vnder them all included within a circle I might say of it that it is nomen Tetragrammaton a name in Hebrew but of 4. letters of 4. letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they say for that the name of God in all tongues and languages generally consisteth of 4. letters and those foure letters in Hebrew are al letters of rest whereout they gather a mysterie that the rest repose and tranquillitie of all
fire wherewith they must bee devoured Which being so it followeth that the places now alleaged must be vnderstood of that generall sanctity by which meÌ„ may be said to be sanctified iustified cleansed washed and the like though not truely nor before God yet in the face of the Church before men as it were sacramentally so must we expound this clause of my text where we see that hee that treadeth vnder foot the Sonne of God may bee said to bee sanctified with the blood of the covenant And so he may be sanctified but how The meaning is he may be sanctified not truely nor before God but in the face of the Church and before men Hitherto haue I endeavoured to make plaine the first mark by which back-sliders froÌ„ the truth are in my text noted namely that they are sanctified with the blood of the covenant The question arising hence may out of that which already is delivered easily be answeâ—ed The question is How farre forth a man may be sanctified with the blood of the Covenant and yet be a reprobate I answer thus in generall To be sanctified only in the face of the Church and before men doth not exempt a man from being a reprobate Or thus may the question be proposed How farre a man may goe in the profession of the Gospell and yet be a reprobate I answere thus in generall So cary thy selfe outwardly in the profession of the Gospell that no exception may bee taken against thee let thy life be such as that the Sons of God which liue with thee in the bosome of the same Church can iudge no otherwise of thee then of a rightfull heire to eternall happinesse be it that they thinke of thee much better then of themselues yet will not all this exempt thee from being a reprobate What thou art inwardly and in the sight of God God alone knoweth he alone is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and sees and knowes thy heart Since thou hast giuen thy name to Christ and hast had the washing of the new birth the Church in charitie must iudge of thee as of one truely grafted into Christ and truely regenerate but I say what thou art inwardly and in the sight of God God knoweth examine thou thy selfe More particularly I answer thus As I said before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a figure and according to the custome of the Scriptures all that are in the Church though they all be not of the Church and truely holy are notwithstanding called holy and are said to be sanctified with the blood of Christ Now of such as are said to be sanctified when indeed they are not saÌ„ctified there are two sorts Some there are that haue Christ much in their mouthes but nothing at all in their hearts or vnderstanding They knowe him not yet as they see others doe so doe they with others they worship and confesse him Much like them of whom our Saviour said to the woman of Samaria Ioh. 4.22 Yee worship that which yee know not And because this confession of Christ in such as are borne anew of water and of the Spirit is an outward testimonie of an inward new birth hence it commeth to passe that such mere talkers of Christ if their liues be not exceeding wicked may be said to be regenerate iustified sanctified These goe not beyond one step in the profession of the Gospell Others there are which possesse Christ not only in their mouthes but also in their vnderstanding These of all reprobates goe farthest in the profession of the Gospell So farre they goe as that it is impossible for man to discerne betweene them and Christs sheepe though they bee but goats betweene them and true Christians though they bee but hypocrites For they are kept in the same pastures and solded in the same fold with vs and doe so behaue themselues in obedience to the word and discipline of the Church as that by vs they must needs be taken for true members of Christ And because this their knowledge of Christ is in the elect the beginning of regeneratioÌ„ hence it coÌ„meth to passe that these men though indeed they are not borne a newe may yet be said to be regenerate iustified sanctified Thus we see how farre a reprobate may goe in Christianitie The elect out-goes him by one degree for he receaues Christ not onely into his mouth or vnderstanding but into his heart also he receaues the word not only into his mouth to talke of it or into his vnderstanding to knowe it but into his open and enlarged heart to embrace it And so is he sanctified in mouth in mind in heart and being so sanctified he chearefully runnes forward in that race of righteousnesse wherein through Iesus Christ GOD hath freely placed him that being conducted by his Spirit to walke in good workes hee may make his calling and election sure Now to consider that a man sanctified with the blood of the Testament may account that blood vnholy and prophane may trample vnder foot the sonne of God and may despite the Spirit of Grace will not this moue our hearts to wisdome To coÌ„sider that men living as we liue and professing as wee professe may vtterly and finally fall away from Christ and Christianity will not this in some measure cast vs downe Happily browes of brasse necks of yron and hearts of flint will here proclaime their stubbornesse But dearely beloued in the Lord if we are chosen out of the world if in Christ wee are annointed and sealed if our building be of God not made with hands but eternall in the heavens the consideration of these things whereof wee haue heard will remember vs that it is now time wee should arise from sleepe yea it will cause vs to vse all diligence in working our salvation in attaining vnto faith in dying vnto sinne in living vnto newnesse of life Wee see how farre reprobats may goe in the profession of the Gospell If we goe no farther but sit downe and rest with them yea if we be wearie before we haue gone so farre as they if we come short of them in the duties of religion can wee in reason looke to be rewarded better then they Shall Herod feare reverence Iohn Baptist and heare him gladly and yet be damned shall we nor feare nor reverence Gods Ministers not heare theÌ„ willingly and yet be saued Shall Pharaoh Saule and Iudas confesse their sinnes and yet be damned and shall we hide our sinnes and yet be saued Shall the wicked confesse Christ with their mouthes and knowe him in their vnderstanding and yet be daÌ„ned and shal we vse our mouthes only to sweare to blaspheme to lye to speake evill of others keepe our vnderstanding like a faire and cleane table booke without all godly knowledge and yet be saued Surely the ground that beares bryers and thornes is reproued is neere vnto cursing and in the end must be burned so