seeme to be wanting For what can be further desired then that after such a sweet and plentifull partaking of Gods benefits and that in his fauour while we liue here yet that the best should be behinde namely to inioy fulnesse of pleasures at Gods right hand after wee goe hence and that for euer Yea and this in the middest of the anguish and torture of the reprobate For so our Sauiour saith when the wicked shall bee at their wits end then looke vp saith hee to his and lift vp your heads for your redemption draweth neere meaning that the effects thereof shall then appeare And therefore S. Peter teacheth a most singular vse of this that the Lord shall come to iudgement in a fearefull manner to the wicked but to the euerlasting comfort of his elect agreeing with that which the Lord requireth here saying Seeing these things must be what manner persons ought we to be in holy conuersation and godlinesse Now it followeth to shew what the fruite of a godly life is to the children of them that leade it as I haue done alreadie to themselues who are parents for such a promise God maketh to them and so the Lord speaketh here that it may goe well with them and with their children So that Parents fearing God doe thereby prouide well for their children as well as for themselues and deriue Gods blessings to them aboundantly which promise is confirmed by the Lord in the second commaundement where he saith He will visit the sinnes of the fathers vpon the children vnto the third and fourth generation of them that hate him and shew mercie vnto the thousand generation of them that loue him and keepe his commaundements This is also further confirmed by the contrarie in Deuteronomie where God speaketh thus to the people of Israell Because thou diddest not serue the Lord thy God with ioyfulnesse and a good heart for the aboundance of all things therefore these curses shall be vpon thee for signes and wonders that is euident signes that he is offended with thee and vpon thy seeds for euer And if it be so then it followeth that if we loue our children we should indeuour aboue all things to leade a godly life Which is vrged by the Lord at mens hands in the entrance into their mariage that couples should be espoused to him before they be so one to another And it may be truly said that they set not by neither care for the welfare of their children who doe not first regard their own good and welfare of their soules by walking obediently vnto Gods commandements themselues And how vnnaturall a thing is it that any should bee the meanes to bring children into the world to send them to hell And that they should be so pitilesse as to cast their poore shiftles progenie vpon the curse of God more grieuous then if it were vpon the swords point and that through their sinne and wickednesse For thereby that is by bad example giuing they make them like themselues as much as in them lieth For as by a godly care in themselues and a christian education of them they commonly haue the fruite thereof in their children that by the blessing of God they be religious also so a thousand to one if in the profanenesse of themselues the children become faithfull and good christians but if they doe no thanke to them they did as much as in them lay to make them prooue otherwise Obiect And whereas many of them will be ready to obiect that they will bee vnruly and disordered howsoeuer they bring them vp in the feare of God and good instruction yea though they be carefull also themselues to walke vprightly in their whole course before them Answ they may be answered that it falleth not out oft to be so but we should trust God for that and commit the successe to him by doing our duties conscionably towards them And if it please God that the meanes shall not alwaies take effect partly lest wee should ascribe the good successe to our selues and so take the glory from him and partly for other causes vnknowne to vs let vs leaue Gods secrets vnto himselfe but there shall be alwaies cause enough why God doth so and to iustifie him seeing few are so carefull about the good education of their children but that they may be iustly charged with default that way This be said of the fruit that shall follow the godly life of parents in their children that they shall prosper and it shall goe well with them as with their parents in respect of other who liue among them and best of all hereafter when they goe hence For they shall be receiued with their parents into the paradise of God into an habitation not made with hands but euerlasting to the which our Lord Iesus is gone before to prepare a place for them and all his to the which he vouch safe to bring vs euen speedely to whom with the father and the holy Ghost be ascribed all honor praise and thanks for euermore FINIS TWO SERMONS VPON MATTH 13. vers 45.46 Vers 45 Againe the kingdome of heauen is like vnto a Marchant man that seeketh good pearles Who hauing found a pearle of great price went and solde all that he had and bought it THe summe and effect of this Parable is this that how base and vile soeuer the Gospell seemes in the eyes of men yet whosoeuer commeth to finde the worth price and excellencie of it will giue all that he hath to get it and will rather part with all then he will forgoe it For here by the kingdome of Heauen that I may shew what is meant by it wee are not to vnderstand the place of the blessed mansion of the faithfull after this life whither Christ is ascended though the words are thus to be taken sometimes as in Matthew I say vnto you that many shall come from the East and from the West and shall sit downe with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of heauen neither is it taken for the absolute kingdome of God whereby he guideth and gouerneth all the world and all his creatures from the greatest vnto the least of them neither lastly is it taken for that especiall rule and regiment which Christ as the head hath ouer the Church his bodie which is likewise called a kingdome after a more especiall manner but here by kingdome wee are to vnderstand the Gospell of the kingdome as it is called in Marke Iesus went forth into Galile preaching the Gospell of the kingdome and in diuers other like places And this Gospell of the kingdome is not only in many places of this Chapter but most euidently in the 21. Chapter of this Euangelist called the kingdome of God in these words Therefore I say vnto you the kingdome of God shall be taken from you and giuen to a nation that will bring forth the fruite thereof
soeuer he was in the beginning Concerning the first namely Gods dealing with his we may see in this Scripture that he doth not bring his seruants into the briars I meane great dangers and then leaue them to shift for themselues how they can as the manner of the diuell is to do as also his instruments do which learne of him But God vpholdeth and comforteth them in the middest thereof when a man which looketh but to the outward face of things would say they are desolate they are vndone and vtterly forsaken This is a point that may be clearly seene heere as it were in a glasse for Paul and Silas were brought into many and sore perils for doing their dutie and for casting the diuell out of the possessed maid all the citie both Gouernours and people were against them so that after scourging they were cast into prison vntill further sentence should be giuen vpon them They found no friends in the place what should I say they might a man would haue thought seuerally haue cried out and haue made that woful complaint which the Prophet made in the anguish of his soule saying there is no griefe like to my griefe And how farre were they off in mans iudgement from that woe which is not euery woe when it is said woe to him that is alone But heere we must looke vp higher and lift vp the eyes of our minds and behold whether God be absent from them also or against them as all men were But we see that to be far otherwise for we behold him so readie and present at hand that it might haue been said by him which had a good eye of Paul and Silas as Elisha said to his seruant full of feare when armies of the Aramites were about the house to take him that they had more with them then against them So the Lord being with Paul and Silas what hurt could they all do to them who were against them And that was so apparent that whereas men lying in prison are commonly filled with deadly sorrow and are at their wits end these were in the middest of ioy in so much that they expressed the same by singing a Psalme Euen as he did accompanie Peter with an Angell in the like condition and was present with Daniel in the Lions den so he was with Paul and Silas at this time So that though Satan comming first as a tempter to allure to sinne commeth afterward as an accuser to condemne for sinning and although the high Priests toled Iudas with money and faire allurements to betray his Master but when he being wounded in his conscience for his so doing brought the money againe to them and complaining in what distresse he was they left him in the snare and bad him shift for himselfe yet the Lord doth not so to his But if they suffer hardnes for his sake and at his commandement yet that may be verified in them which is written by the Apostle though they be afflicted on euery side yet they are not in distresse nor forsaken and though they sorrow in the world yet they alwayes reioyce to God-ward and though they haue nothing in their penurie yet they possesse all things by contentation And euen when they feele it not by reason of their weake faith yet it is with them as it was with Gedeon when great heauinesse was vpon him the Angell of God saying to him God is with thee thou valiant man This is the condition of Gods people so that as he shewed his presence to Paul and Silas euen in the deep and darke prison so doth he to all that trust in him in what affliction soeuer Let all such reioyce saith he in the Psalme who knew it so well yea let them triumph for euer yea let them that loue thy name O Lord reioyce for in what weake estate soeuer they be he is their buckler to defend them from their strongest enemies and when they be most contemptible yet they may be bold to beleeue it and to professe their faith and say they are in honorable account with him And wheras it is demanded why then are they so cast downe in their troubles dismaied and vncomfortable It is I answere all long of this that they faile in beleeuing as Thomas did because he saw not with bodily eyes Christ Iesus in presence but when their faith is set on worke then appeare they more then conquerors for by it only they preuaile according to the Apostles words This is the victorie that ouercommeth the world euen your faith And this of the first point namely how God forsaketh not his in their trouble but standeth by them The second is how the godly are affected in their sufferings vnlesse they forget themselues and faile through their owne default and that is as Paul and Silas were I meane ioyfull and comfortable No otherwise need they be minded if they did duely consider their libertie nay I say more if they did well weigh the commandement of the Lord which is that they should do so For thus he saith reioyce in the Lord alwaies and therefore in tribulation and lest he should be thought to speake rashly and not well aduised he doubleth his words saying againe I say reioyce Which commandement if it were obeyed they might find a great part of heauen that I may speake to their full comfort more then they do heere vpon the earth But as it is truly said of Paul and Silas that they sung for ioy when their feet were pinned in the stockes and that also in the inward prison and so of Dauid the Scripture affirmeth that when he was in ieopardie of death he comforted himselfe in his God so there is no let or cause on Gods behalfe why it should not be so now with the rest of his deare children he could willingly afford it them But as it commeth to passe that the things that are most precious are also rare so in this one it is most true that as comfort in affliction and specially in the greatest is more worth and more to be accounted of then gold or the best earthly treasure so is it also more hard to be found and enioyed How great was the glorie of it in the Martyrs the Aduersaries themselues being iudges and in others that in grieuous paines and sicknesse lie comfortable and ioyfull And so should it be still if it were more regarded and better looked to But in that it is not so what other reason can be alleaged of it but this that the Lord vsing his to a more liberall and full diet and giuing them more varietie of earthly benefits they find such sweetnes and sauour in them that when wants come or other hardship they are more hardly borne and stooped to euen as children daintily brought vp cannot away with bare and course commons Especially if this be added that because they are not much encumbred
nor rebels nor like to be dangerous persons but he most cruellie cast them into the bottome of the prison euen into a dungeon and yet euen there made their feet fast in the stockes The barbarous and sauage act of this Iailer is set downe to withhold all that heare of it from that sinne and to shame them that practise the same or the like crueltie not onely for that God hath threatened that with what measure men meat it shall be measured to them againe and that iudgement shall be without mercie to them that are mercilesse but also seeing it is vnnaturall to be cruell If any receiue sentence of death for his iust deserts as Achan or iniustly as our Sauiour did yet if thereto should be added other vexations as mocking railing c. that were crueltie therefore Ioshua shewed mercie on Achan to bring him to repentance when he was adiudged to die but the cruell Iewes and souldiers were accused of beastly crueltie and that most iustly when Christ being to be crucified was also handled despitefully and mocked of them Sauls crueltie to his sonne Ionathan who would haue put him to death for tasting a little honie with the top of his speare when he fainted to reuiue himselfe was most sauage and vnnaturall Not vnlike vnto it is that barbarousnes and vnmercifull dealing of step-mothers and step-dames to orphans and poore succorlesse children whom they vse worse then many a bad man will vse his beast when yet nature teacheth them that they can neuer shew kindnes and tender compassion enough to their owne children For which cause the Iewes in vsing correction were stinted by the Lord that they should not giue aboue fortie stripes at once And for the same cause to meete with their crueltie God commanded that an eye should be put out in him that had done the like and a tooth for a tooth to bridle them And how was that seruant dealt with in the Gospell who being forgiuen ten thousand talents by his Lord would not forgiue his fellow seruant an hundred pence but laid hands on him and throtled him saying pay me that thou owest His Lord was wroth with him and deliuered him to the tormentors till he should pay all that was due to him And as all crueltie is fearefull and monstrous so that which ariseth from enuie and hatred is diuellish According to that which Salomon saith Anger is cruell and wrath is raging but who can stand before enuy But not to say that which yet might to good purpose be said to make this sinne odious vnto vs let them who haue aduantage of their neighbours by forfetting their bonds into their hands and all superiours who may vse poore strangers fatherlesse ones and poore seruants at their pleasure and finally all whosoeuer they be beware of hard-heartednesse and crueltie which it bringeth forth especially of enuie knowing that they haue a Master and a Superiour in heauen who will recompence such brutish barbarousnesse and as they desire that all other should doe the same to them let them exercise and practise mercie and compassion kindnesse gentlenesse meekenesse and such like vertues The second sinne apparently to be seene in the Iailer was desperatenesse which was such that when he arose out of his sleepe by the fearefull earthquake at midnight and saw the prison doores open he drew out his sword and would haue killed himselfe supposing the prisoners had been fled Such a sinne is this desperatenesse that when men haue losses displeasure of their betters or other great discommodities or when they be but striken with the feare thereof they haue no stay of themselues but without all consideration are carried by it as by a whirlewind to very madnesse Oh if men be crossed hauing no grace to vphold them they are beside themselues and at their wits end Many maruaile when the storie is remembred in companie at the murmuring of the children of Israel when they had no food in the second month of their entring into the wildernesse their store being spent that they brought with them out of Egypt And it must be confessed that it was their sinne that they murmured against God when they were in need But alas we who are readie to censure them do much worse for we grudge when we haue no want but abundance if any thing go against vs. Indeed while all things go with vs to our hearts desire and we liue in prosperitie we can praise God as though we were not inferiour to the forwardest in religion but if God lay his hand vpon vs we will as Satan saith in Iob euen curse him to his face Examples want not euen of such as are of the visible Church The woman spoken of in the Iudges Micahs mother when she had lost her money what was her refuge to the easing of her heart but cursing When Achitophels counsell was refused of Absalom which had bin in great account was he able to put vp that disgrace No but he was so throughly vexed for it that he recouered not himselfe but went and hanged himselfe Saul had banished the witches out of his land according to the commandement of the Lord yet when he was in a strait for all the commandement he enquired for one and asked counsell of her But oh that we in this age had learned wisdome and constancie in the seruice of God to be faithfull to him in our troubles as we professe it to be our dutie in peace But I feare we are not behind the worst of these in the committing of this sin but before them rather For they murmured in great distresses but we in very small trials as though we could beare nothing neither suffer our selues to be crossed in the smallest things but we flie to our shelter which is by anger rage cursing impatience or threatnings if not by worse shifts to auenge our selues when we should rather be ashamed to be so disguised Especially considering who we are and from whence we come euen from worse then the dunghill and should maruell that we be not consumed rather then thinke much to be touched yea with the little finger when we suffer iustly whatsoeuer we suffer yea the most grieuous calamities according to the saying of the Prophet in the Lamentations Wherfore doth the liuing man complaine man suffereth for his sinne And this were more fit to be done of vs a wise man would thinke rather then that we should be led with such frenzie which I say not is monstrous in them that go for godly but an vtter shame for those that are meere naturall men being trained vp vnder true religion and liuing in the light of the Gospell And they that cannot submit themselues to this instruction which in their owne consciences they cannot but confesse they ought to doe let them see their bondage and acknowledge their sin that so they may make way to the obtaining of
pardon and amendment The third sinne to be noted in the Iailer was the resting and pleasing of himselfe in his prosperitie when he enioyed it For this sensualitie is in carnall men that if they may haue their harts desire in the things that are of price in this world they are made drunken therewith And therfore much more he must needs be so who was a Pagan and knew nothing of heauen to hold him within compasse And although this sin be not expressely said to haue been in him yet by necessarie consequence it is gathered to haue been so by a reason drawne from contraries for whosoeuer is desperate in his losses and is brought to his wits end for the same he doubtlesse made his prosperitie and the enioying of his goods Note his heauen and his paradise Euen as the contrarie is said of Iob that he lost his riches without any great griefe therefore he enioyed them while he had them without any great loue And this sinne to become disguised and made drunken with the commodities which a man enioyeth is farre worse then to be impatient for the losse of them and bringeth forâ—h many greater inconueniences For such not only loue them and their pleasures which they follow thereby more then God which is idolatrie but also they doe by meanes of them more boldly commit any sinne that they delight in seeing they make their riches their strong hold It would not be thought to be true but that men haue bewrayed what lieth hidden in their hart by their tongue that many and those of no great patrimony neither so as they might enioy the estate they liue in heere they would with all their heart giue ouer all hope or interest in heauen which might possiblie abide them And what place is there for instruction in such This sinne is called the pride of life namely to glorie in that which men haue and that they may heare of no aduersitie but health wealth ease credit fauour with their betters and aduancement aboue others is their paradise from the which to be plucked is vexation to them and the most deadly tormenting that could befall them And by these three sins we may gather what the Iailer was in the whole course of his life in which these three bare sway and other sinnes which did accompanie them And like to him is the condition of all other while they be strangers and enemies to God and yet behold greater abomination then this namely that they waxe hardened in this estate and worse and worse rather then fit to be called backe and to be reclaimed Oh therefore what hope was there either of him that he might be made a Christian or of other like vnto him to be brought backe from such a disguised estate And therefore what a wonderfull worke of God is it to conuert such to a contrarie condition and course so that neither they would although they might without punishment wallow againe in that mire after they be washed neither can they in a long time be pacified nor quiet in themselues afterward to remember what manner of persons and how vile and odious they haue been And seeing the Lord did shew such a worke of mercie vpon this wretched man let vs see further into it and by what meanes he brought it to passe as shall follow in the next Sermon THE SECOND SERMON CONTINVED VPon the same text IN the former Sermon I said before some of these meanes of his conuersion were more neerely adioyned vnto it and some were further off I will speake of both as occasion is offered Of those which were further off this was the first that the Lord sent a mightie earthquake whereby he awaked him and seeing the prison doores opened such astonishment and feare of the runming away of the prisoners tooke hold of him that he was at the point to haue killed himselfe Obiect But what of this some man perhaps will say was this a meane to conuert him and to bring him thereby toward saluation when all may see that there was as one may say little more then a haires breadth betweene him and vtter confusion and desolation by killing himselfe whereto he was fully bent and hardly held backe Answ Whereto I answere that he was held back from that attempt by the prouidence of God who had prouided and set in a readinesse there not his wife or familiar friend to keepe him but euen Paul to whom he was a deadly enemie that he might be a meane to saue his life rather then that he should miscarie And for the other part of the obiection whether that desperatenesse of his was a meane of his conuersion I say it was though a farre off as God handled the matter For by this shaking and fearing him his iollity was abated his pride allayed and he was though not tamed yet in a good way to it and well prepared for it as appeareth by that which followeth when this was added thereto that Paul had so kindly disswaded him from hurting himselfe and in so fit a season And as we say in the prouerbe that sometime the furthest way about is the neerest way home so by Gods good hand it was in this that the trouble and vnsetling of him that was like to haue sent him to hell the Lord vsed as a meane of his conuersion and saluation There is no doubt but that many felt the earthquake as well as he and yet neuer were the better for it as he was neither should he haue been but that the Lord intended and purposed it And heere we may learne that God goeth about to doe them good who are his vtter enemies when they little dreame of any such thing and hee entendeth their good when they neither obserue nor consider it To speake more particularly in sending crosses sicknesse and sundrie visitations men at the first do in their rashnesse and haste rage against God and curse him whereby they shew that this is all the good that they can draw out of them But if the Lord do intend and meane their good by sending them he will pull downe their stomackes and make them see themselues thereby and how little they shall gaine by setting vp their bristles against him Yea he will make them glad of the helpe and counsell of such as they did before both scorne and abhorre as in the example of Saul we may see who for all his loftinesse and iollitie was cast downe as they who are most meane and miserable and full glad of Dauids kindnesse to him This bridling of the rage of wicked men and breaking of their hearts by afflictions though it be not repentance yet God vseth them as meanes to bring them thereto in time and by degrees I speake this of such as the Lord will honor and do good vnto And they that do well weigh it shall see that it may well be so For as they who will make crooked
adde this one thing as a watchword to them all And that is that they take speciall heed that they harden not their hearts to abide still in that which they haue ill done neither against the instruction that calleth them backe from it neither make light of their sins as Esau did who when he had sold his birth-right being a signe of eternall life he made a sleight matter of it saying what is this birth-right vnto me as if he should haue said what good would it haue done me But it shall be their wisdome to sift and search themselues as they haue been taught to do rather then go further and further seriously considering the words of the Prophet which are these Doth a man fall and not rise againe or go out of the way and not returne And they should say as the Apostle said when their master told them that one of them should betray him answering seuerally as fearing lest such a mischiefe might light vpon them is it I master and another is it I And they should as they which are wearie of their doings and willing to repent say euery one by himselfe the men apart as the Prophet Zacharie speaketh and the women apart what haue I done And so shall they see that God will soone turne away from his displeasure and be mercifull to them According to that in Osea where the Lord giueth a most sweet and plaine direction both to repent and obtaine mercie saying Vers 1. O Israel returne to the Lord thy God for thou hast fallen by thine iniquitie 2. Take vnto you words and turne to the Lord and say vnto him take away all iniquitie and receiue vs graciously so will we render the calues of our lips 3. Ashur that is the Assirians shall not saue vs neither will we ride vpon horses that is to trust in them neither will we say any more to the worke of our hands ye are our gods for in thee the fatherlesse findeth mercie 4. I will heale their rebellion I will loue them freely saith the Lord for mine anger is turned away from them Herein the Lord setteth downe his louing kindnes toward them sundry waies that they or any that price and highly set by it may the easilier be perswaded of it and beleeue it and he requireth of them repentance to the end they and all beleeuers may yeeld and performe it And thus much be said at this time and of this first sort heere which our Sauiour speaketh of namely of those which fill the world with sinne THE SECOND SERMON VPON THE 24. OF MATthew the 12. and 13. verses The second part THe second part of the text followeth in which is shewed that by the abundance of iniquitie the loue of many shall waxe cold that is when the simple harted and godly minded people who would most willingly go on in a holy course shall yet see the horrible abominations in the world on euerie side swarming and those also with boldnesse vpholden and defended bearing sway and preuailing though at first they vtter dislike them yet being continually annoyed with them and grieued therewith by little and little they are discouraged and weakened in their good course till time they be cooled and fall from it deseruing thereby the sharpe reproofe which was giuen to the Church of Ephesus which was this I haue somewhat against thee euen for that thou hast left thy first loue This point laying out another sort of people to vs besides those who haue been spoken off to the end we may see our Sauiours mind the better therein and make our profit of it First I wil shew what he meaneth by this loue when he saith the loue of many shall waxe cold secondly that it is much decayed and waxen cold indeed in this our age as he foresaid it should and thirdly by what meanes and how namely by the abundance of iniquitie flowing round about them Fourthly I will set downe a remedie for such as haue fallen how they may rise againe and adde reasons to disswade from suffering their loue to waxe cold in them Now this loue heere spoken of is the same that Saint Iohn calleth our first loue which is a holy and heauenly affection stirred vp and wrought in our hearts as soone as we be perswaded of the loue of God in Christ to vs. And it causeth vs to set our loue on God more then euer we loued father wife or friend or any thing else of the greatest account and reckoning For this loue of God constraineth vs so to do and for his sake to loue our brethren For he that loueth him that begate loueth him also which is begotten also it draweth vs in a most feruent manner to loue the word of God as the Psalmist saith Oh how loue I thy word and the true Preachers of it for beautifull are the feet of those that bring glad tidings And what maruell For who can sufficiently haue his hart enlarged in this manner toward God who being by his former sinfull life brought euen to hell gates and that without hope of recouerie by any way that he could see did when he least looked for it and that of Gods meere loue and mercie obtaine deliuerance from the same and withall saw himselfe adopted and taken to be heire of euerlasting life This vnspeakable benefit as a spring sending forth and accompanied with many other blessings freely bestowed vpon him by Christ what can be too deare for him that hath bestowed it He is readie therefore for his sake that did all this for him to giue and consecrate himselfe againe to him and to be at his command in all things From whence it followeth that in great zeale and feruentnes he seeketh to do the will of God to the admiration of others euen as he himselfe saith if yee loue me yee will keepe my Commandements And this in few words is the loue that Christ heere speaketh of Now this loue is cooled or waxeth cold when this feruentnes is abated and this exceeding loue of Christ which before could neuer be thought great enough is now slaked as if it were almost put out Which commeth to passe when it is not daily and duely considered and remembred prised and valued aboue all other things as it is meete it should be and sometime also was in such account and reckoning with vs when we first beleeued And then also it is asswaged and decayeth when our loue fasteneth strongly vpon transitorie delights profits or preferments and especially if it be linked into any of these when they shall be sinfull and vnlawfull Thus I say when God his word faithfull Preachers and seruants of his with obedience to his will shall not be in the greatest price and estimation but thrust out by things of lesse and meaner value our loue is iustly said to become cold and that reproofe incurred which our Sauiour heere speaketh of And this
But heere I will stay and go forward with the rest in the next Sermon THE SECOND SERMON VPON THE SAME TEXT I Haue shewed in the former Sermon what it is that the hearer hath found when it is said of him that he hath found the pearle of great price Now let vs see what it is to find this pearle To find the pearle of the Gospell which is the next thing that I propounded to speake of in this second propertie of the hearer is nothing else but by the powerfull hearing thereof to see and to perceiue what excellent and worthie graces benefits and prerogatiues it conferreth vnto such as feele great need thereof and that Christ is thereby to be made theirs that hee may bee a defence and protection vnto them to shelter them from the wrath of his Father that he may loose the bands and chaines wherewith they are tied and fast fettered in their sinnes to the will of the diuell and that he may vnite them in soule and in bodie to himselfe and to God In a word the Gospell layeth out most plainly the way to eternall life The due and serious beholding and consideration of these and infinit other graces depending vpon these which God by the hand of the Gospell reacheth out and offereth vnto vs is the first finding of this pearle which many heare a long time and yet neuer see thus much I meane the beautie of it And so long as men do in hearing neuer see and behold this admirable and vnualuable treasure in it they haue not yet found the pearle of great price For the Gospell howsoeuer it be in the declaration of the many good things of it continually sounded in their eares yet it is a mystery hidde and secret to their vnderstanding The Gospell is to all such as yet as the light of the sunne to the man that is starke blind The sunne it shineth vpon the blinde man as it doth vpon the seeing man but the blinde he hath no greater benefit of the mid-day then hee hath of the midnight and therefore for himselfe he careth not for the sunne in respect of any light hee hath by it because hee is blind So the light of the Gospell it shineth vpon the blind and vpon them that see the faithfull and vnfaithfull but here is the difference The one hath the eies of his vnderstanding opened by the spirit of God though it be but a common gift of the spirit and hee sees the light of the Gospell and accounts and priseth it at a great reckoning But the other cannot discerne any whit of the excellencie of it The vse then that we are to make of this point is this because we see finding goeth in order before the getting and the purchasing of the iewell and pearle of the Gospell and that none findes it but he to whom God by his spirit reueiles it it is our duty when we come to heare the Gospell of Christ preached to lift vp our harts with prayer to the Lord that he would giue vs eyes to see into the riches and excellency of it that thereby our heart may be inflamed and kindled with an earnest desire and longing after the sweetnes of it For the reason why men are so cold and so backward in affecting the Gospell and why they take so small delight and pleasure in it and esteeme any pleasure and commodity of their owne before it it is this because they haue not yet found either the vanity of other things or the excellency of the Gospell And if we haue found that the Lord hath in part opened our eyes that we can but dimly and darkly discerne it as the man in the Gospel that at first sawe men but he sawe them as trees vntill Christ againe put his hands vpon his eyes let vs desire the Lord againe and againe to lay his hand vpon the 〈◊〉 minds vnderstandings that we may clearly see the excellencie of the Gospell whereof we have as yet but a darke and obscure glimpse So will it come to passe that that which now we haue a saint and litle desire vnto we shall daily growe more hoately and earnestly to affect and labour for it which the other cannot abide And such as God loueth shal though they haue not sometime looked after it but haue been worldly minded they shall I say haue their eyes opened to see into the beautie power necessity and comfort of this Gospell and what happinesse it bringeth by hearing it preached which to doe is to finde it Yea he whom God will saue shall bee brought to heare if not otherwise by father sonne friend neighbour himselfe not intending any such thing And thus hearing what the treasure is shall finde that which is hidde in it And so he beginneth to see consider weigh resolue of the all sufficiency of that which the Gospell hath brought to light vnto him and to wonder at the same Psalm 87.3 Ioh. 6.66 Psal 84. And wondring shall desire a part in it against all lets and discouragements and searching with Salomon and finding nothing like it Oh how shal he maruaile that he neuer sawe so much before And such a one hath found this pearle in the Gospel and may be said truly to haue found it and yet it may be he hath heard a hundred sermons before who yet neuer had his eyes opened to see that which he now doth Thus the woman of Samaria found it when she had heard Christ And Agryppa Acts 26. when he said to Paul almost thou perswadest mee to become a Christian Now when he hath thus beheld the beauty of the Gospell and seeth it to bee of such value as I haue said he is much before the first sort of hearers who haue their felicity in this world and yet commeth much short of and behind the last sort following who hath bought it Note and saieth with the Queene of Sheba I haue heard much of it but now I see farre more then I haue heard But if ye aske is he now that hath found it past the worst that is to say happy and hath he done all that is required I say noe till he hath bought it but he may fall away from his esteeming so preciously of it and become secure againe notwithstanding he is so well affected euen better then â—â—er he was for he is but of the second or third sort of hearers mentioned by our Sauiour out of this which hath bin said three things may be noted first let not such thinke they be conuerted that in this sort are thus reuiued and thus inlightned to see the price of it no though they sigh for sin or ioy for the hope that the Gospell offereth yea though they weep at a sermon for we must not more flatter then discourage men The second thing is that we maruaile not if we see some who haue bin so forward as these that I haue spoken of
to fall away neither ought we to be discouraged at it if wee haue true faith our selues as though we must needes fall away too for such were neuer setled in beleeuing neither euer had sauing knowledge though they haue bin zealous Thirdly such as haue long prized the pearle and yet are now dazeled againe with pleasure and profit let vs bewaile them whether they be ministers or people Many learned men haue bin such who had the Gospell in an high account sometime Oh they haue profitted fairely Note and be come about commendably are they not thinke we that they bee turned to their first sottishnes when God had done so much for them as to reueale himselfe so farre vnto them All this danger they are come to seeing they did not nourish their sparkles of good desires which gaue good hope but they quenched them and suffered them goe out Therfore it followes that the wise Merchant went by and by and solde all that he had and bought that pretious pearle And here I will passe to the third point and shew how the good hearer is herein like to the merchant man as he hath resembled him in both the former that is in seeking good pearles and finding one of great price Now because the excellēcy of this pearle doth yet more appeare heerby that this hearer doth as the marchant go and sel al that he hath buyeth this pearle I wil first speak of this last action of his and then make vse of it It is said he went his way and sold al that he had and bought that pearle This going away first sheweth that he did not stand still to muse doubt and linger out the time but as a wise marchant soe soone as he seeth a penyworth to be bought which may inrich him he leaues all other things and sets himselfe about that busines And this teacheth vs that we are not to linger nor deferre the time when God reueileth any excellent fruite or benefit that the Gospell bringeth vnto vs but presently goe our way and endeuour to make it our owne But how rarely shal we finde this to be done when for the most part euery where men practise the contrary Many see and will confesse that there is in the Gospell most precious treasure and worthy to be imbraced but they thinke the time too soone as yet to goe about it when they haue followed their other pleasures and delights in their youthfull dayes or when they haue obtained these or those purposes of theirs then they will entertaine the Gospell and sell their other delights for it euen as he who would first goe bury his father which Christ reproued and then he would follow him And thus it comes to passe vsually with these men as it doeth with careles and vnthrifty marchants that slacke defer and driue off the time of their commodity whiles it is to be had and repent them after when it is too late So these men they defer and delay the time in which God setteth out the pearle of the Gospell as it were to sale that they may buy it at a small and easie reckoning vntill the market of God be done and the day of grace be past that they cannot then haue it would they neuer soe gladly For as wisdom calleth and crieth vnto men a long time and cannot be entertained of them for their owne good Soe wisdome threatneth that she will refuse to heare them in the middest of their trouble and in the day wherein affliction and anguish shall like a whirlewind come vppon them Though they cry neuer so loude and seeke her neuer so earnestly she will not answer nor be found of them Wherefore it is good for vs to follow the counsell of the holy Ghost while it is called to day to heare the voice of God and to hearken to wisdom whiles she calleth vnto vs for we know not how long the day of grace will last with vs. It may be not a yeere or a day or an houre and if that be past then it is too late for vs to seeke after it we must haue our lamps ready burning with the fiue wise virgins if we wil enter in with the bridegrome but if we linger and deferre the buying of our oyle till hee come wee may knocke and call but shall finde no entrance nor ingresse for vs as they in the Gospell that were bidden to the supper and refused of all other they were debarred from it So wee see then the wisedome of this marchant commended vnto vs. Hee doth not foreslacke nor foreslowe any time but presently goes about the purchase of this pearle So that in earthly delights we see we soone resolue but twenty lets are in the way to hinder vs in heauenly Let vs next see what course he takes to get it He sels all that he had and buyeth that pearle By selling and buying here we are to vnderstand not such a marchandise as Papists make that say by their goods and substance they thinke to purchase heauen to themselues For there is no equality betweene all that we haue or can haue and betweene the kingdome of heauen but in things that are bought there is some equality betweene the price and the thing that is bought So that if they by their almes or good works whatsoeuer be able to purchase heauen at Gods hand it followeth that they are as profitable to God and benefit him as much by their almes and other good workes as he by heauen doth benefit them But we know the doctrine of our Sauiour when we haue done all we can do though we giue al our substance yea and our owne life for Gods glory we must say and acknowledge as the truth is we are but vnprofitable seruants vnto him For we haue done no more then duty required at our hands And therefore marke how the Apostle Paul calleth death the wages of sinne but life eternall the free gift of God For the wages saith he of sinne is death but life eternall is the free gift of God in Christ Iesus our Lord. So that death and condemnation we may deserue for it is the wages of sinne but life eternall we cannot deserue because it is the free gift of God But to proceede by selling all he meaneth the same that he doth in other places by forsaking and leauing all and by buying the pearle and getting the right possession and assurance of it to our selues he meaneth that we should be sure of it euen as those things which we haue bought and paide for are our owne As for that which he saith first he selleth al this is not ment simplie as if the possession of our goods and the enioying of the Gospell would not stand together but he speaketh comparatiuely that rather then we will not get the Gospell when we may haue it we will abandon al whatsoeuer beside and retaine it The like speech is vsed by our
know that all such prosperings and iollities in persons whom God hath branded with the marke of infamie and miserie should be taken for more apparent tokens of cursednesse if they can be lustie and ioe and when God calleth to mourning and heauinesse Answ For so the Lord speaketh to such Clense your hands ye sinners and purge your hearts ye wauering minded suffer afflictions and sorrow ye and weepe ye let your laughing be turned into mourning and your ioy into heauinesse Would not any count him twise miserable who being led to execution should call his companions to laughing and drinking So he shewes his cursed estate manifestly to the world when he glorieth and walketh securely vnder the state of condemnation Obiect If ye say God would neuer forbeare him if he were accursed but would cause it to breake foorth by sicknesse diseases penurie and other calamities Answ To that I answere that it is the long suffering of the Lord and his speciall dispensation towards such in that hee doth forbeare them whereas he might iustly do all that and much more vnto them and this he doth both that they might thereby be brought to repentance and also for that if he should so pursue sinners as they do giue him occasion and prouoke him to do there should scarcely any be left to continue the generation of mankind in Church and Common-wealth But concerning this I may iustly complaine as the Prophet did in his time and say Lord who hath beleeued our report For to speake as the truth is who beleeueth this or careth for it that the wrath of God hangeth ouer the chidren of disobedience especially who applieth it to himselfe Oh the senselesse blockishnesse of man who passeth ouer these matters so slightly which are most weightie If he be told but once of a shrewd turne that is comming towards him in his cattell or goods hee beleeueth and preuenteth it with all speed possible But an hundred warnings of this spiritual danger maketh him nothing at all to beleeue it or if he do he dare expostulate and dispute with God that he is too seuere against man for so smal a matter whose boldnes is to be beaten downe as it were with mallets and hammers that so the conscience may be bruised rather then the whole person be rent in pieces as of a lion while there is none to deliuer him And because I know the feareful danger of vnbeleefe and that it shaketh off the wholesomest instruction I will heere stay a while and labour to perswade such into whose hands this shall come to beleeue and tremble at least for so much the diuels do and then to search better into themselues and try what depth of euill is in them and so turne againe vnto the Lord. To this end let them weigh duely what the Apostle writeth to them that are contentious and disobey the truth and obey vnrighteousnesse shall be indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish shall be vpon the soule of euery one that doth euill but to euery one that doth good shall be glorie honor and peace If the Lord say anguish shall be to such how are they blindfolded and hardened who stand against him and say it shall not be so Our Sauiour Christ saith to the like purpose He that beleeueth in him shall not be condemned but he that beleeueth not is condemned alreadie as if he should say euen while he liueth in this estate of vnbeleefe he is condemned and when he dieth in the same estate it shall be executed vpon him Obiect If any will obiect but what if he repent before Answ I say then the case is altered that is the thing we looke for and desire to heare of such as I speake of but there are few of them that are hastie to propound that question as purposing to make triall of it for then they should remoue the wo farre from them and be deliuered out of the cursed estate that they were in Besides there are reasons forcible enough to draw them vpon their knees and to beleeue that it is no lesse then is told them and preached vnto them One is this that sundrie of them who haue been as farre off as they haue yet bin brought to change their iudgements and forsake their former boldnes which nothing but vnbeliefe had bred in them which is a strong motiue to appale them that shall heare of it Secondly they who liue heere in despaire doe feele it and that the wrath of God is so heauie vpon them to oppresse their soule that they cannot cast it off Thirdly the damned haue found it to be so without recouerie And lastly now is their time to whom I speake to preuent it or else it is most like that they shall go take part with the damned in it And if this curse and wo pronounced vpon them reached but to the end of this present life or were afterward but a losing and forgoing of the kingdome of heauen it were somewhat and yet who would let go his part in that for a whole world but when it accompanieth damnation and the casting of them into vtter darknes where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth for euer how terrible and intollerable is it to thinke of To see one to bee but famished to death by hanging in chaines is able to make a stonie heart to quake and tremble and what is it then to be tormented with paine more grieuous then any death and yet neuer to be dead Wherefore I conclude that if such woe be pronounced by our Sauiour Christ to them that profit not by his workes the greatest whereof is the sincere preaching of the Gospell and if it be impossible that Christ should lie I conclude I say that they in our age are in an high degree of miserie not onely which contemne this ordinance of God but who giue not all diligence thereto that they may make their calling and election sure thereby THE SECOND SERMON VPON THE SAME TEXT NOw followeth the first point in the second part and that is if many did enioy the meanes of their saluation which some others doe they would vndoubtedly repent Euen as our Lord Iesus saith heere If the great workes which haue been done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon they had repented c. Heere we must not make Christs words a stumbling blocke as though he meant to set himselfe against his owne word which saith that no reprobates such as Tyre and Sidon most dissolute cities were can be conuerted but we must looke to his meaning which was this that as many heathenish cities of the Gentiles were conuerted by Pauls preaching Christ to them as Thessalonica Philippos Corinth with many other were so is it as likely that these heere mentioned might haue done which if they had done then should they not haue bin reprobates for Christ speaketh by supposition euen
Lord and he will giue thee thine heartes desire As though he would shew that of our selues we hasted not after it but held backe from it Also Saint Paul to the Philippians thus writeth so that men be willing to reioyce in the Lord and so to imbrace the true ioy they may hold it as long as they will euen alwayes without loosing The which two Scriptures if they be duely considered doe shew that although the people of this world preferre the vaine pleasures of this life before the best things yet of Gods seruants this spirituall and holy reioycing is principally to be regarded and cared for And that doth so much the more commend the examples and practise of these Churches for y t in the time of their peace they so laboured this point namely to seeke for the ioy which the holie Ghost worketh insomuch that their commendation is set downe vnto all posterity And to say the truth what should more be regarded of vs then to follow their example and to prouide whiles we may liue in outward peace in the world that we may be comforted in God and make our dayes which otherwise are euill to be pleasant and sweet by abiding in his loue which maketh all things sauoury and sweet which we goe about or take in hand And if we neglected so weighty commandements as this is that we should reioyce in the Lord If I say we neglected this for greater and weightier causes it were another matter but what is of like weight vnto it or what is to be so much desired as that we may liue in sound comfort from day to day whereas yet we who lose our part therein which with Gods good allowance and liking we might inioy wee cast it away and reiect it for moone shine in the water as they say euen for nothing nay for lesse then nothing euen for the pleasing of our selues in that which is not a shadow of pleasure to him that can iudge and thereby make our selues as ridiculous as Esau who for his belly lost the greatest benefit and for a messe of pottage the kingdome of heauen For if we duely consider it what is it that men preferre before this precious iewell of sound ioy but the pleasures of sinne which yet last but for a season as whorishnes deceiuing and oppressing enuy reuenge c. which are properly so called the dreaming of the painted felicity of this world and drowning themselues in it till they be meerely besides themselues by it though I say not for all this that dealings in the world be in their owne nature euill A man would thinke that except people were bewitched they meeting with so many calamities as make their liues euen wearisome to thē and bring thēselues to their wits end should seeke out if there were not some way to abate their sorrowes and vexations and if they know how and can finde any then to ease themselues speedily without any stay Also whē they see that they walke among many poysoned allurements which they cannot but be snared and deceiued with and yet sting as the serpent and Cockatrice when they haue their fill of them who would thinke but when by experience they had found it so that they would be wise after and beware of being in like manner carried to their accustomed baits being their bane but being stung a man would thinke they would seeke to be healed especially knowing that there is such a soueraigne medicine as this heauēly comfort is that I speake of to heale al anoyance whatsoeuer yea and is it selfe able to giue them contentment aboue all other delights But when they shall not haue wisdome to helpe themselues against these two so sore anoyances namely calamities to moderate and asswage them and vaine pleasures to renounce them as this one reioycing in God will do both what wilfulnes or rather madnes may it be accounted And yet if it were the case of professed euill men only to do thus it might be the lesse marueiled at but when better then they yea euen such as desire to be reckoned among the best shall thus be besotted and thus disguise themselues to thinke that because they liue among thē that do so they must needs be like vnto them how can this be sufficiently bewailed Now if we haue not this care and wisdom to prouide wel for our selues when we may and to seeke to serue God with ioy and gladnes without the which our life is not so much as a shadow of a life but the best that can be inioyed is but a dainty misery how are we like to care for others our owne especially to the which yet we are streightly bound by the commandement of God But of this vse of their peace namely that they atteined thereby to a sweet and comfortable life and how we by their example should make the like vse of ours thus much The next point to be considered as in the entring into this third vse was mentioned is how and by what meanes they made this vse of it For all haue not this sound comfort in their liues who are free from persecution and haue outward peace in the world And how this came to passe is shewed in the text namely that they builded vp themselues in grace and walked in the feare of the Lord and hereby were comforted by the holy Ghost which to set it downe more plainly is thus much They liued godly and therefore they liued sweetly and comfortably This point though it be most cleare in it selfe yet the blinde multitude are of a contrary iudgement yea they fight with tooth and naile as they say against it vpholding among them that the pleasant life hath no greater enemie then godlines and therefore this must be well proued To this purpose read that saying of Dauid to Salomon his sonne a little before his death His wordes are these I goe the way of al the world be strong therfore and take heed to the charge of the Lord thy God to walke in his wayes and keep his statutes commandements and iudgements and his testimonies as it is written in the law of Moses that thou maiest prosper in all that thou doest and in euery thing whereunto thou turnest thee what doth he here teach to be the direct way to prosper but the looking to the charge which God giueth that is to liue godly And what differs his speech from the Lords owne word in Deuetronomie For thus he saith this people hath saied well all that they haue saied But oh that there were such an heart in them that they did feare me and keepe all my commandements alwayes that it might go well with them and their children for euer Loe what is mens prospering ioy or well liking in their liues but that which riseth from hence that they resolue to liue godly Agreeing with that which Paul speaketh This is our reioycing euen the testimonie of
our conscience that in simplicitie and godly purenesse we haue our conuersation in the world By all which testimonies it is cleere that the godly and Christian life is the only sweet and comfortable life which is worthie to be marked to the shame of all such as barke against the innocent and holy seruants of God Note affirming that none are worse then they that I say no more And secondly to the no lesse shame of them I note it who patch vp and peece their comfort they care not with what shreds and fragments of their owne vaine and fleshly desires banishing away godlinesse as that which in no wise can stand with their delights And thirdly it might please all such as maruell why some cannot bee content to serue God as others euen the most do to take answere from hence that there being no sound comfort but in godlines they desire to liue comfortablie though it be to the little liking of such as maruell at them And this comfort is so much the more precious by this that it may continue and cannot be taken from vs according to that which our Sauiour saith This ioy shal no man take from you And further also because the godlesse can haue no part in it neither be partakers of it For so saith Saint Iohn None knew what that song meant but the hundred and foure and fortie thousand which were redeemed from the earth And so saith Salomon The heart knoweth the bitternesse of his soule and the stranger shall not medale with his ioy But this be said of the third vse which the Churches made of their peace and consequently of all the three vses that the godly made thereof Now it followeth to see how euen the bad sort vsed it For the holy Ghost teaching that the Churches encreased and were multiplied sheweth that it was by this that they were added vnto them and brought into the way of saluation who were before farre from it As if he should say euen the bad while the Churches had rest were mooued and drawne by the examples of the godly to follow them and to do as they did that is to say they heard the word of God and they ioyned themselues in fellowship with them and the Lord wrought thereby in such wise that they disclaimed their former euill course and were conuerted vnto him This is a most famous and notable example to teach euen the bad how they should behaue themselues in the dayes of peace and what vse God looketh that euen they should make of it They haue not libertie to liue as they list nor to trifle out their precious time as though neither any good were to be done in it and as though they should giue no account how they haue passed it But that they should look vpon them whom God hath set as examples among them to be moued thereby to be out of loue with their owne course and to like the good which they see in them and long to haue their part in it For to this end doth the Lord raise vp many good examples in sundrie places and giues them ofttimes peace to the end that when they haue both these with the pure preaching of the Gospell they may haue nothing to complaine of why they should not embrace the Christian course as others do And therefore the estate of all such is dangerous in no common sort who neuer aske wherefore all these good examples serue but rather scorne and dislike them or at least haue no fellowship with them And againe if any who as yet sauour not the precious Gospell should thinke that they shall neuer profit by it to come to faith and repentance they are to know that not only they may but also that God looketh for it at their hands For why did God giue Ahab great victories ouer his enemie Benhadad but to the end hee should know the Lord to be God and acknowledge him beleeue in him loue and feare him And did God prouoke him an Idolater and wicked man to forsake his euill way and will he reiect other who would draw nigh to him if they durst No God is readie to receiue yea he seeketh such as flie from him and which wander out of the right way yea and beseecheth them to be reconciled to him so that none shall need to feare that God will turne from them if their chiefe care be that they may turne to him And seeing I haue gone so farre in this matter I will proceed a little further and put on the person of such as are yet in darknesse and would willingly see light Such I know would aske how they may come home and be receiued into the fauour of God To such I answere they must be mooued by the reports of them who are in Christ alreadie and be perswaded what beautie is in the Gospell how precious it is and how many who haue been farre off haue by the power and perswasion of it come home to true repentance as the Publicans and great sinners who heard our Sauiour preach to them Secondly they must heare the word of God diligently as Salomon willeth that they who will be blessed should watch daily at wisdomes gates and giue attendance at the postes of her doores yea and further they must with the good people of Berea receiue the word with all readinesse They must also draw to good companie as Paul cleaued to Barnabas at his conuersion and the people both Iewes and Gentiles who embraced the Gospell did wheresoeuer he preached And by these meanes God worketh so in those whom he will saue that he changeth their hearts and maketh them new persons For though many people haue sundrie kinds of lets to hinder them from beleeuing yet they to whom God hath a fauour he will draw them by some excellent thing that they heare or by means of some doubt that troubleth them of the which they desire to be resolued that they shall not breake off their hearing till they receiue that chiefe and most excellent light by preaching which bringeth contentment and resolution of that which did most trouble them and that is faith vnfained And this is that which ought most of al to occupy and take vp the minds of vnstaied persons who haue no sure hold of eternall life and this is the vse which they ought to make of their liuing in peace and beholding the good example of those who are better then themselues to waite in their hearings and long for this namely that they may know they shal be saued As for al other taking vp of their thoughts and desires the best of them are but deceiuable that I say nothing of further mischiefes which they bring vpon themselues But doe the common sort of the ignorant and prophane make this vse of their peaceable liuing among Gods seruants Indeed God be praised some do for how should the number of penitent persons otherwise grow
greater daily But for the most part euen where the Gospel is purely preached they looke after no such thing but as though they knew not to what end God hath set godly Christians among them they giue them leaue euen they who are of the forwarder sort of them to walke alone rather then to conuerse and haue fellowship with them but some thinke other speake euill of them and which is worst of all because they are such which sort of people for the most part grow hardened and waxe worse and worse so farre it is off that they take good by them And this be said of this latter sort who liued among the godly what vse they made thereof FINIS FOVRE SERMONS VPON PHILIP 4.4 Reioyce in the Lord alway againe I say reioyce NOw I adde this as the last text of the rest to shew you y t they who obey the former doctrine may be ioyfull persons and therefore a seasonable time it is now to teach such doctrine and so to stand vpon the vnfolding of this exhortation It is a dutie much iterated and stood vpon by this Apostle in other of his Epistles but especially in this in euerie chapter whereof either by his owne example or by speciall precept he stirreth vp to this reioycing In the first chapter verse 18. Christ was preached and therefore he did and he would reioyce chap. 2.17.18 he reioyceth and reioyceth with them and wisheth them to reioyce and reioyce with him In the 3.1 Furthermore my brethren reioyce in the Lord and yet heere againe reioyce in the Lord and that with a double exhortation againe I say reioyce And the Apostle Saint Iohn 1. Epistle 1.4 professeth hee wrote his whole Epistle to this end that he might replenish and fill vs with this ioy and these things that is this whole Epistle I write vnto you that your ioy may be full And we are not to thinke that these excellent Apostles would haue taken so great paine in often exhortation to this dutie and writing so much to this end but that it is of especiall waight and moment indeed such is the necessity of it that without it we cannot performe any good duty well whether it be of our particular calling or of our common calling as we are Christians no place no time no dutie may be without this ioy whereunto we are in these words exhorted as hereafter in the particular handling of them I shall haue iust occasion to shew To come therefore more neere vnto the matter in hand The occasion of this exhortation by considering the circumstances which go before and which follow after should seeme to be both to confirme and arme them the better against the iniuries of false teachers or whatsoeuer trouble else and to prepare them to the duties whereunto he after exhorteth them of moderation patience confidence c. In the words themselues we are for orders sake to consider them as they lie First the exhortation it selfe Secondly the iterating or doubling of it And the exhortation is fully laid downe in these words Reioyce in the Lord alwaies redoubled in those that follow againe I say reioyce In the first exhortation as also in the second for they are both one and that which is not fully set downe in the second is to be supplied out of the first In both of the exhortations I say are to be obserued these principall and especiall points First who it is that exhorteth saying I say vnto you reioyce Secondly whom he exhorteth and that is the Philippians whom he called in the first verse louing longed for brethren And also thirdly whereunto he calleth them that is to reioyce which is first limited by the manner in God that is to say reioyce in God secondly enlarged by this word alwayes saying reioyce alwayes Of these briefely in order And first for the person he was such a one as did as well practise this dutie as exhort these to the practise of it In the third chapter 17. first he propoundeth his owne example I reioyce and reioyce with you and then in the eighteenth verse he exhorteth them to reioyce and to reioyce with him and by diuers other places both in this Epistle and others I could easily shew and shall haue occasion to shew afterward that the Apostle was as well a forward practitioner of this duty as an earnest exhorter of others vnto it he himself was filled and replenished with ioy and then he laboured to fill and replenish others with it Hence then by the example of this our Apostle we are taught an excellent duty and that is looke what we exhort and perswade others vnto wee exhort them according to the rule of our owne practise It is not for a drunkard so continuing to exhort to sobriety for a glutton to exhort to temperance nor for an adulterer and vncleane persons to exhort to chastity nor for a swearer so continuing to reproue swearing nor for an impenitent man to perswade to repentance these exhortations though good in themselues in the mouthes of such men are but parables in the mouth of fooles that is as Salomon compareth them Prou. 26.9 as thornes in the hands of drunkards they hurt both themselues and others with them And therefore Psalme 50. the Lord asketh of these men what they haue to doe to take his word and these good exhortations in their mouthes and hate to bee reformed by them And this Apostle in the second to the Romanes earnestly reasoneth against this kind of men saying thou that teachest another teachest thou not thy selfe thou that teachest a man should not steale stealest thou thou that teachest a man should not commit adultery doest thou commit adultery as if he should say if you teach these things you should not practise the contrary or if you will doe the contrary ye may not be teachers of them but first we must haue receiued the grace our selues and then labour to communicate it to others I haue beleeued saith this our Apostle 2. Cor. 4.13 therefore I haue spoken Hee taught faith vnto others but it was when faith was first wrought in himselfe And in the first chapter of the same Epistle God first comforted him that hee might be able to comfort others Remember him thirtie seuen yeeres agoe who durst not preach contrary to his owne practise In like maner our Sauiour Christ said to Peter when thou art conuerted strengthen thy brethren first hee must bee conuerted and strengthened himselfe and then hee must labour to conuert and strengthen others And Dauid in Psal 51. somewhat after the middest of the Psalme desireth God to conuert him and then hee would teach the waies of God vnto the wicked and sinners should be conuerted vnto him this example if it were well considered and obserued of al exhorters and teachers of others there would be more hope that more good should be done then commonly is their exhortation would
man to consider first throughly with himselfe how fearefull a thing it were to fall into the hands of the liuing God And how terrible a thing the wrath of God is which shall be reuealed vpon the wicked and disobedient euen this shall giue him great cause to reioyce that by the pardon of his sins he hath escaped the wrath that is to come And secondly let him consider how great is the glorie prouided for all them that feare the Lord in which they shal be like the heauenly Angels alwayes beholding the face of God in heauen Yea their bodies shall become like the glorious bodie of our Sauiour Christ and wherein no part of miserie shall remaine but all teares shall bee wiped from their eyes and no part of blessednesse shall be wanting vnto them Thirdly let him consider how sweete the loue of God must needs be euen heere vnto the faithfull soule when he hauing loued him euen when he was his enemie and not yet reconciled to him and that he gaue his only begotten Sonne to the death for him that he might not perish but haue eternall life and that he hath now adopted him and giuen him the title and priuiledge to be called his sonne and to be the heire of God and coheire with Iesus Christ that he hath giuen vnto him and put into his heart his Spirit the seale and earnest of his adoption Fourthly let him also consider what a couenant and league of friendship he is now entred into with the Lord that he can but call and aske of God and God is readie to lend his eare to him and grant his suit that he can but knock and God stands at the doore as it were readie to open and to welcome him that he cannot seeke any good thing at the Lords hands but he is readie to minister vnto him Nay that God not only is readie night and day in season and out of season to heare his mone and to fulfill his desires but his eyes are euer vpon him to do him good euen then when he thinkes not vpon it and that which we neuer minded to craue at his hands yea that the Lord will vouchsafe to come to him to abide with him to sup and to dine and to conuerse with him as he promiseth Ioh. 14.23 and Reuel 3.20 Behold I stand at the doore and knocke if any man heare my voice and open the doore I will come vnto him to carrie him as it were into my heauenly closet and impart to him of my dainties But heere I stay for this time THE SECOND SERMON VPON THE SAME TEXT I Will proceed where I left The priuiledges of the faithfull set downe before as the peace of a good conscience cleared and clensed by the blood of Christ the hope of so great glorie to come and the so blessed communion with God that they may talke as it were friendly and familiarly and conuerse with him and he with them howsoeuer the men of the world imagine them all to be but dreames and conceits yet can they not but make the righteous man that hath the true and liuely sense and feeling of them leape and shout for ioy of heart I will not stand by further reasons which are many to enlarge the proofe of this point that the righteous as they haue need to be stirred vp to ioy so they haue iust cause notwithstanding all that may seeme to make to the contrarie to be merrie and glad in heart It is not thus with the wicked for though they haue peace with Satan and peace with the corruption of their owne hearts yet want they the pardon of their sin and therefore are at warre and enmitie with God though they labour to forget the same and all that fearefull wrath to come hangeth ouer their heads and may fall they know not how soone vpon them Secondly they want that imputation of Christs righteousnesse to couer their shame before God so that they cannot assure themselues that they haue any part or portion in the glorie of the sonnes of God that is to be reuealed They cannot behold God as a louing Father as their redeemer in Christ Iesus They are wholly possessed with the spirit of feare and bondage that they cannot with boldnesse call vpon God They haue no promise nor assurance that God will heare them nay his eares are stopped that he will not heare them his eyes are turned from them that he will not regard and pitie their miserie He will haue no communion no societie companie nor fellowship with them I cease to speake of those hellish terrors of an accusing conscience that cannot but expell all ioy and comfort foorth so oft as their sleepie conscience is awakened and omit many other things which might be added to this purpose By this little which hath bin said the truth of this point is cleere that the righteous and they alone haue both need and iust cause wherefore to reioyce we will now come brieflie to some few vses of this point and passe to the next in order Vse 1 First therefore if the righteous only and the faithfull haue need of this ioy as we haue shewed It is not for the Ministers of God to comfort and cheere vp any but these For we know the Minister is a Physition of the soule to cure the diseases and a Chirurgion to cure the wounds of the soule Now it is not for a Physition to prescribe to the whole but to the sicke nor for the Chirurgion to plaister that which is sound but that which is hurt and wounded The wicked are whole they are not sicke or wounded with sorrow No need therefore haue they of the Chirurgeon to bind vp that which is broken neither of the Physition to restore health when none is lost but the righteous man and he that truly feareth God he is cast downe with sorrow and hath need therefore to be raised vp when he is sicke of sorrow and hath need of heauenly chearing to restore him he is wounded in soule euery day and therefore hath need to haue the oyle of gladnesse to be powred into his wounds Vse 2 Againe haue the faithfull and they only iust cause to be merrie let the bad learne then to magnifie the life of the faithfull as the most happie and blessed life For this is certaine he is most happie and most blessed who hath in deed and in truth greatest cause of ioy and to reuerence their gifts that they may haue a part in them Vse 3 Thirdly haue the godly alone need of comfort and chearing because they are sicke and wounded alreadie with sorrow Then marke the Tyger-like crueltie of the wicked that are so farre from comforting and releeuing them as they ought that they adde sorrow to their sorrow and affliction to affliction what they can This is besides all bounds of common humanitie as we know and sauoureth of a diuellish nature to rend and