hath thus spoken that no good words nor shewes of godlinesse shall do them good vnlesse they haue such an heart also as I haue described can yet walke merrie and locant through the day although they be destitute of it Euen as if they ailed nothing as though no danger were toward them but as though they had made a league with hell and a couenant with damnation that they might not come neere them If they thinke this will excuse them for that they are ignorant of such points and know no such matter who cannot tell them againe that it is preached amongst them and is as a Princes proclamation which all must take knowledge of If they will flie to another shelter that they haue other matters to looke after let them likewise take this for their answere that they haue alreadie their reward let those other matters be their comfort and stay but from God they may looke for none Now let vs proceed with the rest of Gods words to this people Oh that there were such an heart that they did feare me c. Heere ye may see to what end such an heart is wished euen to breed Gods feare For God plainely teacheth that there cannot be in any the feare of God without it This let vs a little consider of particularly We know all with what scorne and detestation this speech would be reiected of those that scarcely professe the Gospell if the grauest Diuine in the greatest aduisednes should vtter it that the feare of God is not in them All euen the worst are so strongly perswaded that they feare God And therefore they will be readie to say it were pitie they should liue if they did not so And yet behold without such an heart as hath been spoken of which also is the hardest thing in the world to attaine to without that I say God himselfe being witnesse the feare of God is not in them but farre from them For from whence should it come Is it a sudden passion of the heart that riseth and falleth or that with the tide it ebbeth and floweth Is it not rather a sanctified affection which continueth euen as the heart is sanctified in which it groweth And as it had need to be choice ground and well fitted and prepared that precious seed and fruit should be sowen and planted in so the heart had need to be made good ground in which this rare fruit I meane the feare of God should grow and be nourished And that none may maruell that I speake thus let all further know that this feare of God is such a gift of God as by the which a man is preserued and kept from euill neither dareth he that hath that come neere it therefore when the Lord spake of Iob and commended him for fearing God he added this that he eschewed euill also This will more liuely appeare by a similitude or two drawne from commō experience for this purpose note what force there is in naturall feare The blind and superstitious people in the time of Poperie were made so affraid of spirits walking that they durst not go thorow a churchyard in the fearful time of the night and he that carrieth a great summe of money dareth not passe alone by woods and mountaines so he that is well seasoned with the feare of God dareth not drink vp the draffe commit the sinnes of the times in the which he liueth but aboue all things doth carefully auoid them And he that shall liue among the common sort of bad people and will not be like vnto them nor dares not taste of their dainties had need to be well armed and to haue his hart well fenced against them And seeing the feare of God is such a grace and hath such force in whomsoeuer it dwelleth I may by this as a second argument conclude that the common professors of the Gospell and such as draw neere to God with their bodies hauing their hearts farre from him haue not his feare in them seeing not only they make no question in matters they doubt of to be euill for they rush and breake thorow them boldly but also in things which are apparantly wicked they do the same and neither blancke nor blush at it when they haue done whereas the feare of God bringeth foorth most contrary effects as hath been shewed Now let vs heare of another fruit which commeth from such an heart and from the feare of God also ioyntly together and this is a good and godly life and a keeping of Gods Commandements For so the Lord saith Oh that there were such an heart in them that they did feare me and keepe all my Commandements alwaies which to do what is it else but to lead a godly and Christian life For as the feare of God proceedeth from such an heart as I haue spoken of so a godly life commeth from both For they breed not dumpishnesse deadnesse and melancholy as the wicked world imagineth but an holy care and desire to please God in all things neither take they away delight from a man in doing the duties of this life but enable and strengthen him rather to do them in good sort Such a life goeth with the fear of God And though I mean as the Lord also doth by keeping his Commandements no perfection but an endeuour to keepe them nor any other life then is accompanied with infirmities such an one as without a constant watch may breake forth sometimes into dangerous offēces yet I mean such a life as endeuoureth to keep all the commandements of God in omitting euill and doing good as wel as any one of them and in the same to perfeuere and abide as well as to begin Which grace we must know is granted by God to be enioyed of such as delight in it haue it in great price euen in this life whereby they may shine as lights vnto others which is a rich portion in so wicked a world as this is and yet few hasten to bee acquainted with it But how safe and sweet a life it is and how free from many great calamities wherewith the contrary life is filled another place fitter for it shall declare and testifie Only let this be granted which cannot be denied the words of the text so cleerely prouing it without any straining of them that it is no godly life in which there is not conscience made of the particular actions of it neither is the feare of God there where there is not a faithfull endeuour and labouring to keepe all his Commandements constantly for so it is in the text all my Commandements and alwaies But this point I passe ouer more briefely and presse it not at large seeing in other places I handle it more fully And thus much of the second part of the text namely what God wisheth vnto the people and also of the second effect of a good heart namely a good life Now followeth the third
into his masters ioy But seeing this aduice and direction is not so soone receiued and vsed as giuen therefore there are many startings aside and goings out of the way and so they leaue their first loue as I haue said of the second sort to their small comfort And amongst many troubles and griefes which they bring vpon themselues thereby they complaine that they cannot haue the ioy that they first had at their beginning and what maruell seeing they haue waxed wearie of that esteeming and prising of faith and godly life which at first was in them Whereas they who with the good Philippians hold on their fellowship in the Gospel from the first day afterwards are alwaies readie to welcome death the Lords messenger For they thus growing on and abiding doe continue and shall be found faithfull and constant at their end whether by naturall or by violent death they be taken away all is one and they perseuering so shall be saued as Christ saith heere and receiued into heauenly habitations for euer FINIS TWO SERMONS VPON DEVT. 5. vers 28.29 Vers 28 Then the Lord heard the voice of your words when yee spake vnto me and the Lord said vnto me I haue heard the voice of the words of this people which they haue spoken vnto thee they haue well said all that they haue spoken Oh that there were such an heart in them to feare me and to keepe all my commaundements alwaies that it might goe well with them and with their children for euer MY purpose is beloued to shew what the things are which I intend God willing to deliuer to you at this time to the end ye may the better heare them and not wander vncertainely as ye must needes doe if ye know not what is intended to be taught you But yet so I will doe it as I may shew that the holy Ghost purposeth the same also in the words which I shall speake of The thing which I propound to teach is this That whereas the greatest part of people among vs doe thinke that if they can say Lord Lord they shall enter into the kingdome of heauen as our Sauiour giueth vs to vnderstand whereas they thinke also if they can vtter good words of the Scripture and professors of the Gospell that they serue God as well as the best and that God will blesse them accordingly and their posteritie they may know that it is nothing so for God requireth another and greater matter and that is that there be a true change both of heart and life and a constant holding out in both vnto the end To this purpose I intend to speake that which I meane to say of the words which I haue read vnto you And the same meaning had the Lord in speaking the words himselfe For to shew the occasion that moued him to vtter them which Moses repeated in the words before the text when the people of Israell had heard the Lord on mount Sinay to deliuer his law to thē out of the middest of the fire in clouds darkenes and were afraide to heare God speak vnto them any further they desired Moses euen all the chiefe of the tribes and elders to goe neere to the Lord and heare all that he should say to him and they would heare it againe at his mouth and doe it Then the Lord heard the voyce of their words when they spake to Moses and the Lord said to Moses I haue heard the words of this people which they haue spoke vnto thee they haue said well all that they haue spoken Oh that there were such an heart in them that they did feare mee and keepe all my commaundements alwaies that it might goe well with them and their children for euer Thus yee see also how the Lord in this text speaketh the same of the people to Moses which I am to deliuer vnto you This being done I will now shew in what manner I meane to handle the text and what order to follow therein and then proceede to the particulars This text deuideth it selfe most fitly into three parts The first is a mixed speech which the Lord vttereth to Moses commending somewhat and disliking somewhat of the peoples answere in these words This people hath said well but their heart is not sutable vnto their words The second thing is what the Lord wisheth to them and that is such an heart as might sute with their words from which onely and from no other heart this feare of God and obedience to his will which he liked of could come In these words Oh that there were such an heart in them to feare mee and to keepe all my commaundements alwaies The third is the fruite of such an heart and life and that is prosperitie and welfare to them and to their children for euer Now to begin with the first this mixed speech of the Lord which I so call because it commendeth somewhat in the peoples answere and disliketh somewhat in them it aloweth their words but condemneth their heart this mixed speech of the Lord I say teacheth vs clearely that men may possibly vtter good words and yet themselues bee without grace their words may be good but their hearts naught so that while they commend religion the preaching of the Gospell and the profession thereof yet for all that they may be vnprofitable in their liues and not sound and vpright in their hearts without which their speech helpeth them nothing And if it be said it is not sufficient for the proofe of this doctrine that is here said in the text for possiblie it may be gathered amisse let it be prooued by two or three witnesses that there may be no exception brought against it As that for example in the 50. Psalme verse 16. where yee may finde this Vnto the wicked said God what hast thou to doe to take my word in thy mouth and hatest to be reformed What needeth there any explanation of these words The Lord vehemently reprooueth them for speaking of his word as though they bare great affection to it when in the meane while they would not be subiect to it nor be directed by it To the which that may be added which our Sauiour saith This people draw neere to me with their lips but their hearts are farre from me in vaine doe such worship me And the Prophet Ezekiel agreeth most fitly with them both when he saith Sonne of man this people talke of thee by the walles and doores of their houses and say one to another come I pray you and heare what the word is that commeth from the Lord and they heare thy words but they will not doe them By all which it is manifest that to haue good words in our mouthes without the vprightnesse of the heart doth not commend vs to God And yet let not this be thought of any one to be spoken by me as though I made light of good
arrested thus by him in any wise we despaire not In both which we might be like easily to offend if we should not take this warning and watchword Both are very necessarie for as we are readie to run to extremities in all other things rather then to keepe a meane and that which is commendable betwixt both so do we easily encline thereto in these For either men are slie and subtill to shun all sorrow and checke of conscience for sinne or if they can no longer they are readie to despaire In the first they may fitly be compared to them who are taken with sicknesse and yet will beare it out too long as though they would driue it away by ill entertaining it rather then to betake themselues to their chamber or to fall into the Physitians hands euen so will they wind out of Gods hands I say rather then they will be holden vnder of feare and griefe In the last they are like to a theefe who being apprehended vpon stealing some twelue-penie matter fals to confesse that he hath stollen a horse without any examining and so brings him selfe into perill of his life So these men if they once be checked in their conscience iustly whereby they ought to accuse themselues and bewaile their sinne with hope of pardon fall to remember many other faults and so cast off all hope of forgiuenesse and so despaire For as men are verie hardly brought to yeeld to any wounding of their conscience be it neuer so iust so if they must needs commonly they haue no stay but go too farre whereby they are constrained to crie out they are damned and so lie long in woe and torment where they need not These two things therefore regard about the first point namely the pricke of conscience About the second which is faith these two caueats are to be marked The one that a man seeking faith for no other shall find it beleeue not too hastily and rashly that is without warrant of the Scripture and word of God The other that hauing warrant Note he refuse not to beleeue neither reason against it but applie it to himselfe and resist doubting Both are alike necessarie the first for the bold and such as feele their sin to be no great burthen to their conscience and yet of al other are most ready to affirme that they beleeue in Iesus Christ which he himselfe flatly denieth saying I came not to call the righteous that is such as feele as little burthen of their sin as if they were righteous but sinners who feele the burthē of their sin as a debter doth his debt vnto repentance The second caueat is as necessary for the afflicted conscience who though he haue right to the promise by Christs free grant yet through weaknesse and want of experience is holden from beleeuing and clasping about it and all because he doth not duly consider his libertie and the warrant that he hath from Christ for his so doing Wherein although I deny not but that Gods prouidence ruleth yet the partie offendeth for that he doth not embrace that which is freely giuen him by God and by meanes thereof he cannot praise and be thankfull to God for it About the third point that is necessarily required to make the heart good which is sanctification these two watch-words are to be receiued The one that he of whom we speak do loue goodnesse and loath euill not some one or few lest he deceiue himselfe about it but all nor in priuate respects but because it is euill and hated of God The other that these two namely to loath and loue be constantly setled in him for continuance The reason of both is manifest as of the former for if one sin should be loathed and another loued some disliked and shamed and other delighted in and embraced what could be more ridiculous and further off from the nature of true repentance For the offence to men and the dishonor which might arise to God thereby in some few euill actions Note could not be satisfied nor answered by many good actions A thing worthie to be noted seeing many take libertie against their conscience to doe what they desire to doe and yet will be counted repentant persons as well as the best and this be said of the first of these two caueats For the second if a man should be very forward in abhorring sinne at the first and afterward should grow slouthfull and carelesse and make no conscience of wicked desires and breake out into loosenesse of heart this were enough to blemish his sanctification how sound soeuer it might haue seemed if not to bewray it to haue beene meere hypocrisie which of the two would bee thought most likely Thus I haue said that which I thought meete of this matter to helpe him that desireth it to attaine such an heart as bringeth forth the feare of God euen that which God requireth And seeing thus much is necessary and no lesse Note to get such an heart namely to haue it broken healed againe by faith and mortified and seeing so great heede is to be taken that all these be wrought in the heart aright and indeede all may see good reason why God wisheth such an heart to be in all those who would be accepted of him and what a rich iewell and treasure such an heart is and by necessary consequence how ill it will go with all such as be without it THE SECOND SERMON VPON THE SAME TEXT I Shewed last of all what a iewel such a good heart is and in what wofull and dangerous estate they are in who are without it but more heauy it is that it is not regarded which is too common because the most are foolish and weigh nothing throughly if it agree not with their appetite when yet to speake as the truth is Note whatsoeuer wit eloquence or learning bee in any whatsoeuer nobility birth or dignity whatsoeuer manhood and stomack wealth or beauty they are all as nothing without this that is such an heart as I haue mentioned to make a man happie or to commend him to God Nay I say more whatsoeuer shew of Religion bee in any as that he could speake out of the Scripture plentifully if he could alleage all authorities out of the word of God and of Fathers yea if he could possibly speake with the tongues of Angels and had not this euen such an heart as God wisheth to be in them that shall please him it were nothing for such a one should bee but as S. Paul speaketh in the like case of loue a fruit of it as a sounding brasse and as a tinkling cymball And therefore how much is the estate of such to be bewailed as haue scarcely any whit of all this which I haue now named and are as farre from such an heart as the East is from the West And to come home to our selues how is the people of this age bewitched and blindfolded that when God
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
things straight do bow them a contrarie way that so they may the easilier bring them betwixt both which is to be straight and right so the Lord when he entends to make a proud man humble and meeke he will breake his heart with sorrow and affliction wherewith when hee hath been throughly exercised he is the fitter to be brought to the meane betwixt both that is broken-heartednes and humilitie For as a log in the deepe mire hauing long lien therein is so fastened to the place as it is impossible to remoue or pluck it out vnlesse it be loosened and turned into another place but being so handled it may with ease be taken out Euen so if a man set vpon his dregges I meane being riuited into his sinnes be not loosened from them by some terrour and heart-smart though hee be brought neuer the neerer to repentance thereby yet he shall if he be such a one as God wil shew mercie vnto hee shall I say much more easily be perswaded thereto According to that which wee say in our common speech and that truly of a wicked man bent to his will and to liue licentiously that hee is neuer like to amend and come to good vnlesse the Lord awake him by some great affliction This manner of Gods dealing with men to bring them to so happie an estate by so vnlikely meanes and so farre off should teach the men of this age that wisedome hauing knowledge which the ignorant cannot learne that in their troubles and astonishments they should not think that they are punished seeing God taketh delight therein and so wax hardened but to know that they not humbling their hearts to seeke the Lord by preaching and by Gods benefits they haue need to be awaked by his iudgements and that he doth therefore afflict them that they may know they are farre gone in their euill course that so they may lay surer hold of his word and take direction and counsell from thence to be brought to God But let vs see how God wrought by the second meane that was farre off and so how hee brought him on by degrees to true conuersion This second meane was Pauls care of him in his desperate estate to hinder and disswade him from offering violence to himselfe and his kindnes towards him in ouercomming euill with good For whereas the Iaylor had shewed himselfe cruell towards him when he had giuen him no cause so to doe and therefore looked for no good will at his hands if possibly he should stand in neuer so great need thereof behold hee had no greater friend then him whom he had deserued to be his greatest enemie for euen by him was his life preserued This when he weighed and considered which hee could not but see Paul so earnestly beseeching him to doe himselfe no harme who had not otherwise been held back from killing himselfe I say when he laid these things together he was againe amazed at this but in another manner and better then before For before his heart was troubled desperatly thinking what losse he was like to haue but now hee was moued in a more commendable manner to see Pauls vnlooked for kindnes towards him This began to draw his heart towards Paul which we know must needs be a great change from that which was before And by this we may mark the beautie of vertue and grace in Gods seruants how greatly it moueth the hearts euen of wicked men Surely if they were carefull that their light might shine in good conuersation among men they should not a little prouoke them out of their bad course and to bee in loue with a better I doe not denie but it most moueth them when it bringeth any benefit to them as heere Pauls loue and care did to the Iaylor they had double force to worke vpon him And although it helpe much I grant to the further drawing him on toward goodnesse yet that only was not to be seene in him but that did beate into him a perswasion that he was a good man and was able to doe him good also and therefore a little after he desired to know of him how he might be saued So that kindnes and harmelesnes and other fruits of loue if they were more vsually and plentifully shewed foorth by Christians they would vndoubtedly pearce the hearts of many wicked men and cause them to thinke that they are farre from the course which they should walk in For though many scorners and profane persons doe trample goodnesse and good men vnder their feete yet the beautie of pietie and Christianitie doth much moue and auaile with many As we see by Peters words to Christian women where he saith Let the wiues be subiect to their husbands that euen they that obey not the word may without the word be wonne by the conuersation of their wiues But especially if Gods seruants would as opportunitie is offered shew their loue in seeking to win them to God and to help them towards eternall life much more should they perswade them to forsake their bad course and to embrace a better As our Sauiour Christ talking with that woman of Samaria brought her to repentance And this be said of the second meane of the conuersion of the Iaylor though farre off which as it was a degree before the former so they who are moued as hee was are sensiblie set forward as he was though I denie not but that many comming thus farre and further from their euill course may yet be farre enough off from true conuersion But let vs heare the third meane which the second now spoken of procured and brought foorth and that is a neerer degree to goodnesse then the former And this it is that he conceiued so well of them of Paul and Silas I meane that for all the commandement of the Magistrate hee brought them out of the prison and fell downe before them in token of reuerence to them and so fell to neere acquaintance with them who being good men it gaue hope of his further good taking by them And here I will stay a while to teach how we may profit by this To this end this I say that as his neere clinging and cleauing to them was another meane to bring him to true conuersion euen so God vseth the familiaritie and acquaintance that wicked men haue with his seruants to this end that they may distaste their former course and bring them to heare the word preached and so in time to be changed Thus many become beleeuers in Christ by companie and acquaintance with Preachers who being appointed by Christ to be fishers of men doe shew the loue to them that Christ shewed to themselues before that if they be men of God indeed they will lay open to them their treasures which they haue gathered out of the hoard of the Gospell and impart the same vnto them For although many of that profession I meane the Ministerie
be blinde themselues in the mysterie of saluation and others who haue knowledge in the letter yet for want of loue are vnprofitable and rather puffed vp with their knowledge then carefull to doe good with it to the perswading of men to faith thereby yet they whom God hath trulie inlightened doe farre otherwise For they hauing daily before their eyes the words of the Lord Iesus that as they loue him they should feed his lambes and his sheepe and againe that they who turne many to righteousnes shall shine as the starres for euer and euer they labour through loue to perswade them to giue ouer their sinfull and bad course and to taste and see how good the Lord is in his word to such as turne to him And the people who conuerse with such if they be appointed to saluation shall embrace such kindnes offered vnto them and how farre off soeuer they haue been from the assurance of it and from true godlinesse yet by good instruction and example they shall most readily looke after both And thus God wrought in the Iaylor and thus he worketh in many As examples hereof are many in the booke of the Acts of the Apostles where Paul trauelled among the ignorant nations so I can truly say vpon mine owne remembrance almost fortie yeeres agone and yet in those times the light of the Gospell shined nothing so cleerely as it hath done since that by familiar companying betwixt the faithfull Minister of God and the ignorant people the Lord wrought wonderfully and mightily amongst them And I am sure the fruit of the Gospell that hath been since in those parts that I say no more and that is to be seene at this day did flow from that well-spring and had the beginning there The Lord did blesse weake meanes when they were vsed in simplicitie and that in admirable manner when the subtiltie of the wicked was not yet at those times growne to such an height to dismay the people in their first beginnings But since those daies some of them though seeking to grow vp in further measure of knowledge and grace and to bring on others by their example haue met with such discouragements that they haue not answered I speake not of all particular persons as many other haue done to the hope that they gaue so long before by many degrees But while I shew how the Iaylor and many other haue taken so great good by the companie and fellowship of Gods seruants it is not to be passed by how little vse many make of such good meanes now a daies Who although they dwel neere godly Preachers yea and are readie enough in ciuill manner to haue their conuersing with them yet in things pertaining to God and to eternall life they haue no appetite to them Which I speake to their shame seeing so much good might be gotten thereby For what though they dwel neere such and haue thereby acquaintance with them yet many further off seeking heartily to take good by them are in farre better case and shew themselues farre wiser because their desire is farre greater to benefit themselues by them For euen as the corne that is kindly sowen in the field though it be held backe by vnseasonable weather is in farre better case then that which groweth on the house top though it be forwarder in the blade and commeth sooner to earing Euen so it is with them wisedome is easie to finde of them that seek it diligently though they be further off from the meanes then they who may enioy them with more ease when there is not an heart in them to take good by them as they may Thus ye see the first three meanes though a farre off by which God brought the Iaylor and so doth many other by the like to conuersion All which degrees tending thereto though I grant that many goe beyond them all and neuer attaine thereto yet in those who haue been further off if they be such as God will call they haue brought them on in such wise that they haue set them forward to faith and repentance Ye haue heard lastly of the meanes of the Iaylors conuersion which are more remote and further off Now follow those which are more neere and did effect the same Of the which the first is that he questioned with them about his saluation saying Sirs what must I doe to be saued And that we may know that he asked not this question idlely vainly or curiously but seriously from his heart and being vrged by necessitie it is said that hee came trembling and fell downe before them and in that feare and terror hee moued the question Whereby it appeared that hee had heard somewhat from them that caused feare of Gods wrath and doubting of and about his saluation and thereby was brought so willingly vnto them to seeke helpe And this came neerer the matter I meane his conuersion then all that went before And now for our instruction this teacheth that when a wicked person who hath walked at his owne libertie ignorantly and profanely as the most part doe whether hee haue any light and wandring thoughts about his saluation or no I say when such a one beginneth to tremble and feare that all will not goe well with him but that his sins hauing found him out doe threaten his damnation and thereupon beginneth to make question about his saluation what hee should doe to attaine to it then hee commeth toward conuersion and true repentance then there beginneth to be some hope of him And although I know that such fearefull thoughts doe sometime vanish and come to nothing and in some they breake into raging and despaire when they bee not kindly and seasonably wrought vpon yet where no such tozing and breaking of the heart is there without all doubt the partie remaineth farre off from all likelihood of turning to God For notwithstanding we iudge charitablie of them who resort ordinarily and willingly to the preaching of the Gospell yea and conceiue hope of others also among vs though further off from goodnesse then they as being meere worldlings ignorant or vaine persons and we waite when God shall call such to repentance for he bringeth out of both sorts thereunto yet till such time that they beginne to complaine of their estate and to crie out not only suspecting that all is not well with them but also know it to bee so at leastwise feare and feele it and so aske counsell about it there is no sound approching neere vnto God to speake as the Scriptures doe namely that the whole need not the Physition and that it is the sick-hearted sinner which seeketh seriously for mercie and forgiuenes For as all that repaire to Markets and Faires goe not to buy but many are wilie wanderers who goe to gaze to see and to be seene as Dinah did but such as want prouision for their families both cheape and buy euen so they
himselfe that as he is made the adopted sonne of God so he endeuoureth to resemble his father in purity of the which more shall be said afterwards by a fitter occasion And this of their preaching And this which I haue said of the preaching of Paul and Silas to the Iailer doth likewise instruct vs that the same doctrine is to be preached to all such as are in his case and they must know it who heare that if at any time God exercise them as he did him with a troubled conscience for their sinne and an vnfained desire to be saued they may long for the same promise of life and as they see what need they haue of it may be readie to embrace it and by faith to rest vpon it that so all teares may be wiped from the cheekes of their soule and they may be soundly comforted or at least stayed for the time as their weaknesse will permit For this is the first and especiall fruit of preaching to such as groane vnder the burthen of their sinne and lament after God longing for pardon there is nothing able to ease their consciences and to giue rest to their soules besides this namely that they beleeue that Iesus Christ is as readie to release them of their sinnes as they be desirous of it and that they hold this as confidently as they beleeue any article of their faith Note But the chiefe difficultie about this matter is to be fit and prepared for this faith that is to feele indeed that they staÌ„d in need of it For hereby the Iailer was before many a thousand Protestants at this day euen before he beleeued in as much as he saw in what woe he was and earnestly deâ—ired to be deliuered out of it which is not only wanting in the greatest part of hearers but as hard to perswade them to it Euen so it was more then common and ordinarie in the most hearers that he so soone and easily beleeued in Christ that is to say while they preached to him For although faith come by hearing yet it is not alwayes attained at the time of hearing especially in such a measure that a man can affirme and professe that he beleeueth and so is able to crie Abba that is to call God Father No nor immediately after neither for the most part doth a broken hearted sinner receiue such light to beleeue but is holden in doubting and feare and troubled with the greatnesse of his sinnes and with many other obiections For though Lydia Zaccheus and some other by Christs and the Apostles preaching beleeued by and by yet with many it was otherwise euen a harder matter and namely with Paul himselfe who was not comforted nor released of his sinnes and burthen of griefe by Christ at Damascus gates wheÌ„ he was cast downe terrified by him but sent into the citie to receiue further light and satisfaction to his heauie heart from Christ by the ministerie of Ananias a disciple in the same citie he was his instructer who if Paul had not now by Christs gratious goodnesse been conuerted should haue haue bin his prisoner And this I thought good to say which may be in stead of an answere to such as obiect in these our dayes that many lie in sorrow and feare many daies and some whole yeeres before they beleeue and receiue comfort and seldome at the same time when they are wounded and troubled first for their sinnes I say God doth not alwaies keepe one and the same time in raising vp such as are brought low in themselues by the sight of their sins but sometimes doth it sooner sometimes later euen as the seed that is sowen commeth not vp alwaies together And some are stayed and eased of their feare and griefe before other both because they are not fit nor able to go vnder it any longer and also that their example may encourage other not to be dismaied and that they themselues being set at libertie may the sooner helpe their brethren out of bondage And some are holden vnder a longer time other because they haue not been touched deepely but only in a passion nor in good aduisednesse but in a rash heate and zeale whose hot pangs are soone cooled without any comfort or if they haue been truely humbled yet for example to others or some other end best knowne to God And yet this I say for the auoiding of scruple and doubt about this matter that he is kindly pricked who is kindly healed namely who is partaker of faith vnfained and prooues the same by a godly and repentant life after come it sooner or later And this be said of the meanes both further off and nearer by the which the Iailer was brought to beleeue and of his faith it selfe THE THIRD SERMON VPON THE SAME TEXT HAuing spoken of the points of the diuision that is of the meanes by which he was brought to beleeue and of his beleeuing it selfe Before I proceed to speake of the fruits of his faith I will note briefely such particular things beside as both the text offereth fit occasion of and also will illustrate the storie of his conuersion more clearely from the 28. verse to the 33. Paul seeing this miserable Iailer in this extremitie that he was at the point to haue killed himselfe what doth he It is worthie our marking He doth not suffer him to kil himselfe but cals to him to spare himselfe Paul might haue had a good pretence to haue let him go on to lay violent hands on himselfe For God had shaken the earth to shew himselfe angrie with the Iailer for his crueltie against his innocent seruants and now as it might haue seemed he would make this man a spectacle to persecutors and Paul if he had been many a man would haue said let him kill himselfe I shall the more easily escape But he shewed that his mind was farre from reuenge and readie to requite euill with good And therefore he cals aloud to him least through distance of place or his passion he should not haue been able to heare him Whereby we must learne not only to do no hurt but to loue our enemie according to Christs commandement euen as if he were our friend Therefore Moses saith If thine enemies oxe or asse fall vnder the burthen thou shalt helpe him vp againe And as the Apostle saith be not ouer come of euill but ouercome euill with good Also Paul takes away his feare saying we are all heere which he did that the Iailer might stay himselfe from hurt and be fit to attend further vnto good instruction for in great feare a man is fit to do no good thing Thus gratiously God doth deale with vs to release vs when we are bound fast and when we are as it were running vpon the swords point and rushing to our owne destruction Note he holdeth vs backe and in the extremitie of feare deliuereth vs that we may
many other of like sort which where they are intertained can it be chosen but that iniquitie should abound there So that this second sort doth also fill the world with sinne And seeing this kinde of people is so common euery where that they goe for honest men and good Christians and they walke vncontrolled and vnpunished and thereby are the lesse noted to be so euill as they are the Lord doth oft take the matter into his owne hands to detect and bewray them So as either they fall to some sinne for which the Magistrate taketh them in hand such was Achan and he that blasphemed in Leuiticus who both were put to death and thrust out from amongst their neighbours or else God punisheth their sinne himselfe directly by letting them lay violent hands on themselues as did Ahitophel The third sort who cause iniquitie to abound are the hypocrites properly so called who professe religion and take the word of God into their mouthes but they hate to be reformed and boldly affirme that they know God but in their deeds they denie him and say Lord Lord but doe nothing lesse then go about to fulfill the will of the Lord. These cause the holy word of God to be ill spoken of which they heare and talke of more then the most of others do And will not sticke to commit sinne the more boldly vnder a colour and cloake of holines which behauiour of theirs being a practise and common course of liuing with them so that daily much euill is wrought by them all that list may see that these also as the two former sorts that I say no more of them as being so well knowne doe cause iniquitie to abound The fourth sort are they who are not properly called hypocrites with the former although hypocrisie beare much sway in them but they in many things doe obey God and the course of their liues is much more framed after Gods word then all the former if they were put together also they doe more streightly vrge good order in others as their place will giue thē leaue yet in some things they will not be brought within compasse but are wedded to their will and know that they do ill some sin they intertaine and take libertie to commit being not willing to search their hearts nor to looke into their waies and so they deale also about faith they hold a confused perswasion and hope that they shall bee saued but they cannot bee brought to trie it and therefore they are destitute both of it and good life Now these also howsoeuer they come neerer a godly life then any of the former and that by many degrees yet because they in some things giue themselues leaue to offend and dishonour God and doe not feare the Lord with all their hearts and in one thing as well as in another seeke to please him therefore God abhorreth their sacrifice of praise and prayer and curseth the obedience which they offer vnto him And therefore the Apostle S. Iames hauing to deale with such people said vnto them whosoeuer shall keepe the whole law and yet faileth in one point he is guiltie of all For hee that said Thou shalt not commit adulterie said also Thou shalt not kill Now then though thou doest none adulterie yet if thou killest thou art a transgressor of the law And thus whiles they haue all their doings reckoned against them for sinnes as it hath been proued that the best of them are no better they come within the ranke of them who multiplie iniquitie and cause sinne to be increased Obiect And if it be obiected that there be other sorts of people besides these foure who increase sinne in the land Answ I answere that some of Gods children by their infirmitie are in shew like the former yet because they would not sinne and doe breake out rather of infirmitie then wilfully and wittingly to lie therein and doe endeuour in one thing as well as another to please God therefore they are not said to increase sinne who doe faithfully labour to suppresse and keepe it downe both in themselues and others And such must the other foure sorts be before the Lord will count and take them for his Thus it is manifest who they be that fill the world with sinne that none can be ignorant of it who is not wilfully blinde Now it remaineth what these should doe that is before all things that they repent and seeke mercie and hold it by faith both which as they haue sufficient cause to looke after with all speed because without the one it is impossible to please God that is faith and without the other I meane repentance and amendment of life the vengeance of God cannot bee auoided so they haue two great incouragements to set them forward to seeke both this being added if they feele what neede they haue thereof as all may see they haue and that very great and then if they desire earnestly to be partakers of them they be not farre from them The first is that the Lord hath other sheepe which are not yet of his fold and hee counteth many to be his people who are not yet called to know that they are his who may by the preaching of the Gospell be added to his faithfull ones And in hope hereof they should giue all diligence to waite vpon the Lord in his ordinance for this blessing The second is this that they search and trie their waies what is amisse in them though they shall neuer finde out the hundreth part of the sinne that is in them and then consider the woe they are in thereby which if they can bee perswaded to doe it is the most direct way to make them turne to the Lord both in imbracing Gods promise of mercy which then belongeth to them by Gods free grant and also in reforming their liues from the which by their sinne they were estranged Both these kindes of turning to God the Prophet Ioel exhorteth the people vnto saying read your hearts that is by searching into them to see the foulnes of them and not your garments and turne to the Lord your God And Ieremy in his Lamentations doth the same when he saith Search your wayes and turne againe vnto the Lord. And this is the onely way for such as haue brought themselues out of fauour with God and drawne downe his wrath vpon themselues by multiplying iniquitie to recouer themselues againe that they may both break off the course of their wicked liues and also be healed and deliuered from that vengeance of God which tooke hold of them before This I haue thought good to say of this first sort of people and of the foure kinds of them all which doe fill the world with iniquitie who least they should too sleightly regard that which hath been said to perswade them to faith and repentance I thought it not amisse to
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
decay of loue to God and the best things is said of our Sauiour heere to be occasioned as otherwise so especially by the multitude of great sinners and the beholding of such wicked examples of men as fill the world with iniquity and offences For oh when men shall be alwaies cloyed with the loose and professed ill behauiour of such as they liue amongst as righteous Lot was with the filthines of the stincking Sodomites it is not easily seene what force is in it to dampe and quench goodnesse in them that behold it and that sometime at the first but when afterwards they shall not be able to wind out from their company and their prouocations of them but that they shall be alwaies crossing their good course disgracing their innocent liues cauilling at their zeale in seruing God and bearing downe all honestie as it were a streame yea and more then all this hunting threatning and disquieting them that cannot approue their bad conuersation what straits thinke we shall they be in yea how hardly shall they be able to withstand their leaud examples but rather in time be corrupted by them And especially if these that thus vex them be men of authoritie and haue power to hurt them as well as a mind to trouble thē they shall find how true this Scripture is through the abundance of iniquitie the loue of many shall wax cold And if euill words alone be able to corrupt good manners how much more wicked life also wherof bad talke is but limbe or arme and especially if this be in the wealthie and great men So that it may be rightly said O good companie and holy examples how much worth are ye How happie are they who may enioy you if they can see It is doubtlesse a corner of heauen to be associated to such both in mariage and neighbourhood in comparison of the hellish companionship of the other And this be said briefly of these three what this loue is that Christ speaketh of that it is cooled and how namely by much iniquitie in others Obiect 1 And although many may perhaps heere obiect and say thus cannot such as haue receiued the doctrine of the glad tidings with comfort and been purged thereby from their old conuersation can they not hold their confidence and reioycing of their hope vnto the end as they began Obiect 2 And againe if any hauing felt the vnspeakable loue of God shed into their hearts by the holy Ghost haue at the first enioying of this grace set their loue on God in a most feruent manner as they haue good cause so to do and haue in like manner loued his people who are fellow heires with them of the glorie to come and the Word and the Minister by whom they were begotten to the assured hope of immortalitie if they haue done this say they at the first is it not meete that they should much more do this afterward If when they did but taste of Christs louing kindnesse at the beginning they were thus affected should they not much more do this after long experience and proofe of the benefit thereof many yeeres after Answ To both these obiections one answere may serue Namely that it is meete it should be so that men should hold both their confidence in God and continue their vnfained loue feruently to all these mentioned as at any time they did neither can I excuse the contrarie But yet we must consider that it is verie hard and difficult so to do and that it requireth the whole heart to be taken vp with it and possessed of it And this is a great hinderance to it if there were no other but it that such must liue and haue to do with the prophane sort of people who doe many wayes prouoke discourage and worke vpon them Indeed it must be granted that the euill heart is a maine hinderer from this holy course which I doe not say as though I would take vpon me to excuse or defend them who are waxen cold in the duties of loue for which they had sometimes been commended but rather to aduise such as are to stirre vp men to continue their first loue Note that they may exhort and perswade them to it wisely and in all kindnesse not hotly roughly and rashly as though words may force it when all good encouragements are little enough to perswade to it For though Christ foretell heere that through the abundance of iniquitie the loue of many shall waxe cold as thereby casting a reproch vpon such as shall verifie his words yet we that are the Lords remembrancers and haue experience of the frailtie that is in our brethren being priuie to our owne must in shewing how easily they fall from this grace or any other by all good meanes labour and helpe them to preuent it or if they haue alreadie fallen to reclaime and call them back againe But if by none of these meanes we preuaile with them know they that they shall fall from this their loue to their cost and beare their burthen whosoeuer they be For to speake as the truth is what can they do either more vnbeseeming their holy profession or the Lords vnspeakable kindnesse then to reward him after such a manner And after an heartie acknowledging of Gods great loue to them at their first tasting the sweetnes of it afterwards to forget it or vnthankfully to bring it into a common and meane account The Hebrewes who had in like maner offended were reproued sharpely by the author of the Epistle written to them in this manner Now call to remembrance the dayes that are past wherein after ye receiued light ye endured a great fight in afflictions being made a gazing stocke to them in reproches and were companions with such as were so tossed to and fro and suffered with ioy the spoiling of your goods knowing that ye haue in heauen a better and enduring substance And will ye now cast away your confidence which hath so great recompence of reward The same reproofe though not in the same particular thing the Apostle gaue the Galathians who when they had receiued such manifest gifts of the holy Ghost by his preaching that they were cleere patterns of excellent Christians to many and after that were so bewitched by the false Apostles that they ioyned the obseruing of the law with faith he spake thus to them O yee foolish Galathians who hath bewitched you that after ye haue begun in the spirit ye will now bee made perfect by the flesh that is by the keeping of the law The redresse and remedie to recouer this decayed loue is that which saint Iohn giueth to the Church of Ephesus against the same disease when they had left their first loue saying remember from whence thou art fallen and repent and doe thy first workes Wherin he teacheth vs as he did that people that this decay in our loue to Gods ministerie and people must bee called to
they shall see in the world One of these reasons I haue handled and that is seeing it shall be the case of many to do so The other is this because they whose loue waxeth cold to God to the preaching of the Gospell and to his people they fall also from the duties which by that loue they should performe or which is all one with it they do them to no purpose so that God accepteth them not According to the words of the Apostle If I giue all my goods to the poore and my bodie to be burnt and haue no loue and though I speake with the tongues of Angels I am as sounding brasse or a tincking cymball So then if the best things which we do be sin without this loue it followeth that if that grace of loue be cold and dead in vs all that we do is abhorred of God I haue now spoken of the second sort prophes ied of by our Sauiour whose loue waxeth cold by the abundance of iniquitie which they see in the world and this I haue done as briefely as I might with any edifying I passe to the third namely of those who continue vnto the end in a godly life such he saith shall without question be saued Which words of Christ must wisely bee considered for hee doth not exclude from eternall life all such as haue left their good beginnings for a season if they do bethinke themselues better afterwards and returne againe to the Lord by true repentance for else none of the last mentioned sort could be saued neither doth he exclude such as haue a long time led a wicked race if they find mercie in their life time at Gods hands to be conuerted for if it were so then none of the first sort could obtaine eternall life But though he meane such as continue to the end in the good course in which they begun long before their death of which there is no question yet he meaneth also such who at their death shall be found penitent whether they begin then or whether long before and reuolted or turned aside againe so as in the truth of their hearts they returne at the last But let not this be taken as though it were a small matter to do the one or the other nay rather they doe both boldly and dangerously which dare tempt God after such a manner yet if any dare aduenture in that sort it is true that no man ought to debarre them of this libertie that if they confesse and forsake their sinne they shall find mercie Now to come to the words seeing they only who continue to the end shall bee saued and are blessed the chiefe point heere to be debated is who is he that continueth and how he groweth to it The answere whereto is at hand that they who begin well and daily go forward shall continue to the end and thereby and no other way we come to it that being excepted that I said before that they must not be denied mercie who repent at last Of both these therefore somewhat is requisite to be said which briefely shall be done And of the first the lesse seeing in shewing before in the first point how they who haue caused iniquitie to abound should repent I haue declared that such repenting is the right way to make a good end Therefore this onely I will say of a good beginning that it is requisite that all that intend and go about it be stedfast and stablished therein I meane in faith in loue in patience c. not flitting and inconstant This Saint Peter requireth when he saith Take heed that ye be not led away from your stedfastnesse in knowledge and grace This requireth truth care and wisedome therefore doe the fewer attaine to it to be builded and setled in their most holie faith but the most professors are off and on cheaping but not buying therefore in euery temptation or affliction for the most part they are doubting that they haue not repented aright and that they haue no faith neither euer had whereas a foundation well laid stands in stormes and tempests and is not throwne downe with wind nor weather And in speaking of this so worthie a point I cannot but bewaile a common and dangerous practise amongst people and those of the better sort that few by all their hearings and readings are able to collect and lay together a plaine path-way to saluation and a direction to a godly life but by halues or by shreds and pieces for either they faile in knowledge and so they are farre from the right way so that if they would neuer so faine enioy the benefit of both they know not how to go about it or else they seeke not with all their hearts to follow that which they know if their iudgements be sound and that maketh all that they pretend or go about as farre from a good foundation as the former And should men thinke we begin in faith and repentance in such a maner Is such a confused and raw entrance into it like to profit it This is all that I will say of the first of the two things that lead to a perseuering in a godly course to our end and that is a right manner of beginning For he that hath made a good entrance is halfe the way to a good end but he that begins erroniously and amisse shall the further he goeth the further go out of the way let this therefore be well regarded and looked to The second which being adioyned to the former wil most certainly bring continuance in a Christian course is a daily proceeding in and according to such a good beginning as I haue said to be required that is to build proportionably to it that as some true measure of knowledge faith hope patitience the feare of God and other grace is attained and stedfastnes therin so that they be vpholden maintained and preserued daily as precious things worth the cost and labor that is bestowed vpon them I meane that they who haue beleeued and repented do so still and endeuour aboue all things to hold out therin from day to day As the Fathers mentioned in the Epistle to the Hebrewes were said to liue by faith that is set it a worke after they beleeued and they that repented at Iohns baptisme were exhorted by him to bring forth the fruits of amendment afterward that so they might well testifie that they went on in repentance still And therefore must watching praying hearing and such other good meanes be vsed daily with as good appetite as at the first beginning that we may grow thereby The which course being obserued we cannot faile but be found of the Lord in peace whensoeuer he shall come for our deliuerance out of this vaile of miserie and happie shal that seruant be whom his master when he commeth shall find so occupied he shall bid him enter
speech or thought it little worth which I acknowledge to be an excellent gift of God as Paul spake of it in the people of Corinth and I doe bewaile that the want of it is so great in so long continuance of the Gospell preached yea I say more that wee are commaunded of God to take vnto vs words to expresse our requests confession of sinnes thankesgiuing and our couenants of amendment of life and to be examples to others in our communication as well as in our conuersation and woe to them that indeuour not after it But to rest in it as if that were sufficient it is nothing and to stay our hope vpon it as if we thought it a testimonie of our happinesse it is no better then a bruised reede This therefore or any other such gifts of God are seemely ornaments in them that haue them for in most parts of the land ye shall not finde good words and godly speech common I need not say in Wales or Ireland but not in many places of England but dispised rather and laughed to scorne and rotten and filthie communication intertained with great applause in stead of it but yet as I haue said this alone of it selfe without other gifts of God is not currant nor that in which a man may haue contentment The reason is the heart of man is deceitfull and goeth not alwaies with the tongue and therefore we may well when we heare the one doubt of the other and yet the diuell can change himselfe into an angell of light and therefore can easilie perswade vs that euery good word or deed comming from vs is enough to saluation especially men being ready to thinke euery little to bee sufficient to serue God withall Whereas wee ought to search diligently and trie our waies and the whole course of our hearts and liues and pull downe the olde ruines of both and set vp the contrarie in stead thereof in both and all little enough to make a due proofe vnto vs that we are partakers of the promise of eternall life which to be necessarie to assure vs of the same and no lesse that saying of the Prophet Micah doth liuely shew where he bringeth in the wicked speaking thus when they sought how to be acceptable to God that they might please him Wherewith shall we come before the Lord and bow our selues before the high God Shall I come before him with burnt offerings Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of Rammes or with ten thousand riuers of oyle Shall I giue my first borne for my transgression Euen the fruite of my bodie for the sinne of my soule But the Prophet answered farre otherwise then they looked for saying He hath shewed to thee O man what is good and what the Lord requireth of thee surely to doe iustice and to loue mercie and to humble thy selfe and to walke with God Whereby he sheweth that man cannot direct himselfe in the great matters of pleasing God and seeking his fauour but God must guide him therein to the end hee may haue peace and consequently that good words are not sufficient to rest in for welfare and happines without better furniture of grace and goodnes And to goe a steppe further if good speech as commendation of the word praising of God and communication of his works and will be not to be rested in in what case are they who haue almost no good speech but rather that which commeth from them is profane foolish corrupt and such as ouerthwarteth and crosseth goodnesse But here a question ariseth about the people mentioned in the text for if their answere were good why was it not allowed meant they not as they spake I say yes but that freed them onely from hypocrisie but was no argument of their sinceritie for there is a middle sinne betwixt them both and may be called halting or not vpright and may cleerely be discerned by that which is spoken of the Israelites in the Psalme Who made a couenant there with God and had not to doe with men and therefore though they brake and went from it they could not be charged with hypocrisie but yet they dealt treacherously with the Lord in that they were not carefull to keepe and performe it The words are these in effect When he slew them they sought him yea they returned and sought God early but they flattered him with their mouth and dissembled with him in their tongue for their heart was not vpright with him neither were they faithfull in his couenant Now from this that hath been said in the answere to the question a good poynt is to bee obserued namely that wee take great heed when we couenant with God about amendment either in generall or to forsake any particular sinne in our life though we doe it in secret no man knowing thereof I say great heed is to be taken that we doe not afterwards waxe remisse and cold in going about to performe the same for then God will count it but flattering and deceiuing of him which he will not put vp at our hands for why men will not beare such indignitie one at anothers hands I speake this seeing many neuer suspect any danger to be comming toward them by breach of couenant to God if they cannot be challenged for hypocrisie before men Which indeed is the grosser of the two and it is the sinne of the most to vtter great words before men of their godlinesse when yet they deny the power thereof but yet the other is also odious to God when men so slightly regard the promise which they haue in their good moode made to him of obedience as though it were not to be looked after Such are al they who hauing in their trouble sicke bed or at their receiuing of the Sacrament professed seriouslie to turne to the Lord haue yet started aside afterwards like a broken bow I haue my selfe sometime had good hope of people when I visiting them in their likeliehood of death haue heard their franke and free promise made to God of forsaking their former ill life But when I haue seene so slight fruite to follow in many of them they returning after their recouerie to their wicked course as the dogge to his vomit tempting God thereby in a fearefull manner which is Pharaos sinne my good hope hath been much cooled and this I haue learned to bee so true by long experience that I dare not rest vpon such couenants And yet God forbid but that many couenanting the same by like occasions should looke conscionably to performe their couenant afterward though too many fall from them according to that which is said by Dauid in the Psalme I haue sworne and will performe it that I will keepe thy righteous iudgements Thus much of the mixed speech of God in the first part of the text Now it followeth what the Lord wished to the people in the second part And
that is first such an heart as they might feare him for therefore their answere was disliked although their words were good because they proceeded not from such an heart But this speech of the Lord in this manner vttered raiseth a doubt in the hearer what hee should meane by wishing such an heart as though the feare of God could not grow in any heart and likewise come from it and if it bee so what heart is that hee wisheth vnto them To the which may be answered that the feare of God and obedience to his commaundements doe not come from euery heart neither doth such fruite grow in euery garden Note and it must be such an heart indeede as cannot be matched neither hath any fellow or companion But what manner of heart is that you will say you doe not vnderstand what hee meaneth I answere therefore further that by such an heart he meaneth in one word an heart conuerted to God more particularly an heart broken with sorrow for sinne and the feare of damnation yet quieted againe and eased by beleeuing the remission of sinne and sanctified also to newnes of life Euen such an heart is fit to breed the feare of God and in such an heart it can dwell and in no other And that is called by our Sauiour a good heart which onely and no other can bring forth good things For so he saith a good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things and contrariwise so that if the heart be good that is truely turned to God then it is fitted for that which God here wished to his people that is to feare him and keepe his commandements and not else Now for proofe that it must be thus the scripture is cleare and plentifull As first that the heart must bee wounded for sinne and broken with sorrow and feare till it bee sicke againe is prooued by the words of our Sauiour where hee saith The whole haue no neede of the Physitian but the sicke And they in the Acts were pricked in conscience for their wofull estate before they came to Peter to aske how they might bee healed but then they came to him and the other Apostles though they had railed on them before and said Men and brethren what shall we doe As if they should haue said in this our distresse and dispayring in our selues what helpe can ye minister vnto vs or ease vnto our soules This contrition and sorrow is one of the three things which helpe to make the euill heart good And yet this without the other two is nothing to this purpose but fit onely to raise vp flashes and feares of hell to the tormenting of the conscience and the holding of it in slauerie and bondage for which cause it is called of the Apostle the spirit of bondage But this being rightly vsed maketh a most direct way to the renuing and changing of the heart that it may be good To proceede therefore the second thing required to make the heart good is faith vnfained that the afflicted minde may see and beleeue the sinnes of it to bee pardoned to the easing and quieting of it which then standeth in need of it and most earnestly desireth it and the Lord hath giuen a free grant of it vnto such as are thus prepared for it by earnest desiring it euen as in the forementioned place the Lord saith I am a physitian for the sicke and in another place I will giue the water of life vnto such as thirst which the sicke and troubled conscience hearing counteth it the happiest and welcomest tidings that could be brought vnto it and so by due and aduised considering it laieth holde of it though weakely and by little and little the Lord inabling the partie and so beleeueth that it is as effectuallie offered to him as to any of Gods children that haue already imbraced it And this mightily worketh both to ease and quiet and also to quicken him who was before so cast downe and troubled And thus to passe to the third thing requisite to the reforming and rectifying of the heart that the true feare of God may proceede from thence the partie being thus perswaded of the loue of God and the free remission of sinne and what vnlooked for contentment he hath thereby breaketh forth into the praise of God with admiring his kindnes and saith what thankes shall I giue vnto the Lord for his vnspeakeable mercy vnto me What shall I offer vnto the Lord for this his great goodnesse And so hee being constrained by the loue of God so shed into his heart is perswaded and inabled in good sort to goe about the dutie which God requireth indeuoring and purposing to walke before him in vprightnes and innocencie for euer after And this desire of his not being frothie and rash stirred vp of more and painefull feare as in many wicked ones it is but proceeding from faith which worketh by loue and from the certaintie of the fauour of God assured to him by the holy Ghost is not a suddaine passion in him which is hot and feruent for the present onely but comming from so good a foundation and ground sanctifieth him effectually by working a dislike of euill because it is euil and an heartie and vnfained loue of al goodnesse which grace being thus wrought in him is the third thing required to the changing of the heart and turning of it vnto God And this must go with faith as we are taught in the Epistle to the Corinthians where he saith Seeing we haue these promises let vs clense our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit and grow vp to full holines in the feare of God With this agreeth that of Saint Iohn that if we haue the hope which is the daughter of faith we purge our selues from sinne as it commeth to our sight Thus I haue shewed what graces of God must necessarily be planted in the heart that it may bring foorth this fruit I mean the feare of God that so it may become such an hart as God heere wisheth the people when he saith oh that there were such an heart in them Now that the Christian Reader may not be deceiued in iudging whether he hath such an heart or not I will adde some caueats about these three properties which make the heart good that he examining and obseruing them may see whether he haue them or no. And to begin let him know that about the first of them which is pricke or wound of conscience and feare of Gods displeasure for the same I giue these two caueats or watch-words The one is this that if God presse our consciences with the powerfull preaching of his word Note and accuse and arrest them thereby that we in no wise resist that worke of grace but submit our selues thereto seeing he vseth to do so to them whom he will saue The other that being
so highly price in their owne conceit And this vilenes and basenes is much more in all other pearles that is in all worldly things which men heere hunt and seeke after The vse of this doctrine is that no man please himselfe in the most precious things in this world but seeke for those which may make him happie And that these pearles are all so meane and little worth Our Sauiour Christ very euidently noteth vnto vs in the words following when he saith the merchant found one pearle of great price By the which is meant the Gospell giuing vs thereby to vnderstand that it is a pearle of great price and value he abaseth the other pearles and noteth them to be of no price nor value to rest vpon But of this afterward in the next point In the meane while we see and with that I will conclude this first point that in this first act of the merchant all men that are hearers in the visible Church agree with him namely that they seeke for pearles that is one way or other to be happie in this world I haue shewed also what vse we ought to make thereof Now it followeth that I come to the second act or propertie of the merchant and that is that he finds one pearle of great price In this propertie two things are to be considered First the thing that he is said to find secondly what it meaneth and importeth that he is said to find it First the thing that he is said to find is one pearle of great price By which pearle he meaneth nothing else as I haue shewed but the Gospell that is to say the glad tidings of saluation by Iesus Christ for the kingdome of heauen as elsewhere and so in this chapter is in diuers regards compared and resembled diuersly In regard of the manner of teaching and receiuing it and the diuers effects it hath in the hearers it is compared to seed cast by the hand of the sower In regard of diuers corruptions and errors that commonly spring vp together with it where it is taught it is compared vnto a field wherein tares are sowen and grow vp among the good corne In regard of the small beginnings and mightie encrease it is compared to a graine of mustard-seed In respect of the power and force it hath to change and to alter the heart it is compared to leauen In that God draweth by it of all sorts of men good and bad one and other into the compasse of the visible Church it is cōpared to a drag or draw-net that draweth as well weeds and stickes and other such vnprofitable baggage as it doth good fish In regard of the hidden and secret excellencie thereof it is compared to treasure hid in a field In regard of the inualuable worth and excellency of it in comparison of all other things it is heere compared to a pearle of great price That before he compared it to treasure it did in part set forth the excellency of it but this doth more amplifie and encrease it Treasure we know consisteth either in siluer or in gold which are of great account but yet pearles passe them both farre in value and estimation as both it is commonly knowne and if we knew it not Salomon could teach vs thus much Prou. 3.14.15 where he saith the merchandize of wisdome is better then the merch indize of siluer and the reuenue thereof better then gold It is more precious then pearles and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared with it First he preferreth wisdome before siluer Secondly he preferreth it before gold which is yet more excellent and in the third place as before the most excellent he preferreth it before pearles The meaning of our Sauiour then in this parable is to preferre the Gospell in regard of the excellencie of it infinitly before all other things were they neuer so rich rare or precious For if it be more precious then pearles then much more precious then gold then siluer then any other thing of lesse reckoning and account And this is the reason why Salomon hauing preferred it Prou. 3.14 before siluer and gold and pearles he addeth that all the things a man can desire are not to be compared with it as if he should say suppose either there be or you can inuent any thing more precious then pearles yet wisdome is more precious then it And Iob in the 28. of his booke 15. verse and so-on because hee would extol wisdome before al precious things he repeateth a great many of them Gold saith he shall not be giuen for it neither shall siluer be weighed for the price thereof It shall not be valued with the wedge of the gold of Ophir nor with the precious Onix nor the Saphir the gold nor the Crystall shall not be equall vnto it neither shall the exchange be for plate of fine gold no mention shall be made of the Corall nor of the Gabish for wisdome is more precious then pearles Now we see wherein the comparison standeth let vs a little consider wherin this great and inualuable excellency consisteth And that is in that it exhibiteth Christ vnto vs who were lost and had no way any hope of recouerie out of our deadly woe that euen then he is our deliuerer our iewell our life our ioy our happines and whatsoeuer our heart can desire All the pearles of the world do not so enrich a man as Christ enricheth all them that by true faith lay hold vpon him for if it do not so he hath not faith For Christ is a shelter where we that bee in tempests and stormes may shroud our selues and be safe from the wrath and vengeance of God that hangeth ouer and shal fall vpon the heads of other men He is our attonement and propitiation for all our sins so that we shall neuer haue them imputed vnto vs or haue any punishment inflicted which was due for them his death and his bloodshed hath deliuered vs from eternall death and condemnation yea Christ is our storehouse and treasurie in whom and from whom we haue all varietie of good things that may make men truly happie In Christ we are righteous our owne righteousnes being as a filthie and menstruous cloath because he by imputation doth cloath and couer vs as it were with the robe and vesture of his righteousnesse From him also we receiue inward sanctification and holinesse wherein we labour to be pleasing and acceptable to God in all things whereas otherwise we could not haue any true euidence of this faith From him we receiue succor and comfort in all our tribulations and wants and ioy in all our sorrow Hee hath all power giuen him in heauen and in earth and therefore he will supplie both our outward and inward necessities and powre vpon vs that store of his graces as shall be most for our good and best for the bringing of vs to eternall glorie
are hoarded vp in the word for vs to make vs happy forasmuch as they are drawne out from thence no other way but by thirsting after them and by it we are made partakers of them as the blessed Virgine saith in her song The Lord filleth the hungry with good things and sendeth the rich or full empty away which is the cause why the poore people of God doe shew their thirsting desire not onely many other wayes but also by this namely in their ordinary labour and trauaile to heare the word of God preached that sundry miles off from their dwelling place if they haue it not there though it be with mocking and taunting them for it by such as are far from thirsting after it themselues The third cause why God requireth thirsting is because we should otherwise neuer know how exceedingly we are beholding to him for the variety of grace and good things which we receiue thereby frō him as faith patience the forgiuenes of sins c. For so Salomon saith in the Prouerbs The person that is full despiseth an hony combe but vnto the hungry soule euery bitter thing is sweete So that we feeling such neede of them as that our soules should faint and be starued without them we see and acknowledge that which we could not haue done without it neither would easily beleeue it namely that the Lord loueth vs dearely and that his mercy is great towards vs yea and that in things of the best kind which others hauing offered them of God as well as we doe set no store by them and all because they feele no want of them but could as they thinke be well enough without them And thus much of the causes of thirsting The third followeth and that is how long wee should thirst For it seemeth vnreasonable to many that we should be held alwaies at one point as that either we should euer be thirsting for one grace or if that be not required of vs yet that we should bee thirsting still after some other To the which the answere is that we must alwaies be thirsting euen so long as God hath any good grace to giue and till he be wearie of bestowing vpon vs. Which seeing it shall neuer be while we remaine heere God being a wel-spring and fountaine of all good things neuer drawne drie and more readie to giue then we to aske it is for our singular benefit and not a bondage that we may be alwaies thirsting for so long there is stil some good comming towards vs and otherwise we were not liable to the liberall offer which God maketh heere by the Prophet neither were we the persons to whom he speaketh in saying Ho euery one that thirsteth come to the waters and drinke But yet this I say further that in this manner we should thirst namely for any grace till we receiue it if it be heere to be enioyed or a sure grant of it if we cannot partake it heere that in the life to come we shal haue it and we are not to thinke that when we haue obtained any gift or grace of God that we are commanded still to be asking of one and the same thing which to do were against common sense and reason but for a greater measure of it as encrease of faith loue and patience when we haue alreadie receiued a part in them and for such things as we yet want with the like appetite to desire and thirst for them as at the first anguish of mind and wound of conscience we did long for the forgiuenesse of our sinnes And this of the time how long we ought to thirst which is the third point in this first part The fourth followeth namely how we should come to thirsting and how it should be vpholden which being such a worthie gift of God had not need to be neglected but as an appetite to bodily food for the preseruing of health is by all meanes to be maintained and sought The meanes are neither costly nor hard to come by as in bodily dainties it fareth but readie and at hand Euen to see our wants in grace and emptines thereof as how weake our faith is how faint our hope how cold our loue and how hardly we haue proofe of our patience Also to obserue our corruptions as touchinesse frowardnes vncleane desires wrath desire of reuenge c. and in what bondage they hold vs. If we obserue these in our selues they will make vs desire the sincere milke of the Word to guide vs aright also to watch and pray sigh and groane that we may resist the euill and nourish the good For as the husbandman by toiling and sweating at hay and haruest prouoketh the bodily thirst so we labouring with our hearts to plucke vp and to plant as there shall be cause shall thirst till wee obtaine that which wee goe about and desire And God who calleth vs to it and promiseth largely to satisfie vs will not mocke vs but do as he hath said that is to say satisfie our soules with good things And thus we come to thirst But when we see our hearts thus possessed and taken vp with the feruent and constant desire of the good things which we would haue we must also be perswaded to labour readily and willingly as need shall require whether it be by prayer conference or the like to obtaine them remembring that which is said in the Psalme that wisdome and so all the parts thereof is to be sought out that is with all diligence of those that haue pleasure therein But one obiection heere I will answere which troubleth some and that is that they say In the beginning when men turne to God first they thirst and cannot be satisfied to their quiet and contentment but they see no such thing in them after I answere though all shew it not after as they did at first by complaining asking questions and lamenting their wants to other yet they long and thirst for that which they see needfull for them and yet wanting but they do not shew it so much and that is wisdome which other vnexperienced and more weake in knowledge and faith cannot do but must shew their thirsting as I said and it may be perceiued of themselues to be so by their daily care and diligence to nourish the old grace they haue alreadie and to obtaine new and by the course of their life it may be perceiued of others but if they grow full they be in ill case Thus the first branch of the three in this first part hath bin handled namely who they are whom God calleth out by the Prophet from the rest of the people to take part in the best tidings that euer were or can be brought from him and that is all such as thirst The second branch followeth and that is what are the good things that they shall haue which thirst The benefit which they shall enioy is answerable to their thirst
words of the Prophet fall vpon them and with a mighty weight presse them downe when hee saith why doe ye bestow your cost and care and yet not for that which will doe you good neither is able to satisfie your soules with the foode and bread of life All which the best that can be said of it is this that it is but lost labour And they in so doing may iustly be compared to them who bestow their money vpon their lusts in sundry mispending of which should be imployed vpon them and their families But to passe from them there is another kind of men whom the Prophets reproofe doth reach vnto as well as vnto those And such they are as although they hold the truth in iudgement and doe worship God in outward maner yet they draw neare to him with their bodies their hearts being farre from him who say Lord Lord indeed but yet doe not the will of the Lord neither being naturall men can be obedient vnto it With their lips they confesse him but with their deeds they denie him and therefore are farre from the happinesse which I now speake of Among whom this I say as of the former sort that though some of them doe simplie desire eternall life as they seeme to doe yet they preferre the commodities and vaine pleasures of this present world and make their commings to Church to be either but couers for their prophane and loose liues or at least they abide in them still And yet the forwardâ—â— sort of them both who meane more simply are iustly reproued by the Prophets words heere in complayning thus why doe you lay out your money and not for bread your labour and yet not to be satisfied For euen these follow not the word of God as their guide to bring them to that which they seeke and therfore are neuer like to attaine it seeking it after their owne fancie and opinion and not thirsting after it as without which they cannot be satisfied So that as the Apostle spake of Israell so I may speake of these What shall we say in the Epistle to the Romans saith he that Israel which followed the law of righteousnes yet could not attaine to the law of righteousnesse wherefore because they sought it not by faith but as it were by the works of the law Euen so they who seeke saluation and the blessednesse that is laid vp for Gods chosen euen that is enough to depriue them of it in that they seeke it amisse that is to say not as the word of God directeth namely that they should thirst for it as hath beene said Ye haue heard the reprehension the exhortation followeth in which he laboureth to draw them from their owne wisedome which deceiued them to hearken to another maner of wisedome which was able to lead them to that which he called them to enioy that is the true happinesse which he layeth out vnder these speeches to eate that which is good and delight their soules in fatnesse And heere it is worthie to be marked that when hee hath told them to what their owne wisedome bringeth them in leading them to seeke saluation and happinesse and that is to nothing but to deceiue them and to lose their labour for which he reproued them now he willes them to heare him diligently who taught them to seeke the same by the light and direction of Gods word Whereby he cleerely sheweth that there is no other way to find that which they seeke By no wisedome of man by no learning much lesse by any other means of blind deuotion and sond zeale without knowledge And yet as the word of God onely doth it so we must further marke how and when it doth so That is as hee saith heere when we harken diligently vnto it as declaring therby that we be willing to be guided by it For so hee requireth saying hearken diligently vnto me in that which I shall say to you from God For as Salomon faith of seeking wisedome that there is a seeking of it sleightly negligently and slothfully by which men neuer find it and there is a seeking of it as siluer is sought of the Merchant that is with all diligence and by all good opportunities not resting till they find it if it be to be had so there is an hearing of the word coldly without profit and there is an hearing which will draw and perswade him that heareth neuer to giue ouer till he hath found and bought the pearle which is hidden in the Gospell because he knoweth that it is there to be had This hearing the Prophet requireth and hee that heareth not with this mind nor to this end he loseth his labour and bestoweth all his trauell in vaine Quest But it will be asked heere what is that which the Prophet would haue them heare of him to the end they might prosper attaine the assurance of eternall life and the happinesse which they desired For hee doth not expresly mention in this verse wherein hee would haue them heare him Answ For answere to this we are to remember that in the first verse he spake to all the people and asked among them all who they were that thirsted to whom he gaue an answere from God according to their hearts desire that they should be satisfied with all such good things as they thirsted for Now in this verse wee heard hee reproued all the rest of them that sought for pardon of their sins and eternall life or other graces of the spirit amisse euen by their owne wisedome and fancie not longing after and thirsting for it as Gods word teacheth them to doe Therefore these hee exhorts to heare him that they would also with the other set their hearts vpon it and thirst after it Euen this is that which he requires their diligent attention about that so seeking it as their brethren did they might with them find that which they sought euen as they had done And this if they doe they shall enioy he telleth them that good diet yea and banquetting cheere which bee meaneth by the allegoricall speeches which he vseth heere when hee saith then they shall eate that which is good and their soule shall be satisfied with fatnesse Whereby he meaneth that as a man which is kept at a good diet with wholesom good sauourie meats is healthfull and well liking in body euen so shall his soule be satiate and filled withal variety of heauenly dainties and be made ioyfull and well liking thereby which with an appetite doth seeke the same And so all they find it who are euer thirsting after one good thing or other this being added that they beleeue God vpon his word and doubt not but that it shall bee so Which I adde to quicken vp many of my deere brethren and sisters heereunto Who I deny not thirst feruently after sundry graces of God and yet for all this comfortable promise of the Lord published heere by
as he saith to the like purpose in another place Harlots and publicans shall enter into the kingdome of God before the chiefe Priests and the Elders of the people which yet was nothing likely in the sight of men So we reade that they who were mockers and railed on the Apostles so farre were they from sauouring their heauenly doctrine yet when the Lord in his mercie towards them caused them to attend to Peters sermon reproouing their sinne they were so pricked in their consciences that they came to him and the other Apostles for further instruction and comfort and obtained it Samaria that had long been bewitched by Simon Magus the sorcerer yet at the preaching of Philip a thing very vnlike to come to passe was conuerted to Christ so as the fruit thereof appeared not to be small namely that it brought great ioy into the citie so they who were notorious offenders came flocking about Christ to heare him when the Scribes and Pharisies not only did not so but scorned that they should And therefore it may iustly bee lamented that the preaching of the Gospell is not with credit and authoritie in a sound and plaine manner planted in such places where it is wanting and where it were like to do much good as our Lord Iesus bewailed it when he saw the people scattered as sheepe without a shepheard and willed that prayers should be made to the Lord of the haruest that he would scud labourers into his haruest For it is very probable if it were so that numbers would embrace it ioyfully who now for that they know not the power and worth of it passe by it and scorne it as nothing or little worth Obiect And whereas some will bee readie to say wee may easily guesse what good it is like to do if it were in such places by the small account that is made of it where it is Answ I answere that where the Gospel is with due reuerence beseeming such an holy ordinance of God preached it doth not returne in vaine but draweth them which were dispersed to one bodie of the Church And doubtlesse if the Prachers themselues be men of sinceritie loue grauitie and will put on the person of the people to consider their ignorance forgetfulnesse loosenesse vnsetlednesse and other infirmities and applie themselues vnto them as their needs do require and would seeke to winne them rather then set vp themselues none need to doubt but that they should perswade many to become true Christians and to bee tractable to good duties when they be kindly and wisely aduised and directed Oh they that haue not experience will hardly be perswaded how much vnfained loue and labour in the Minister is like to preuaile with the people to winne them from folly vanitie ignorance and the common sinnes which through custome and company they haue been drowned in And what maruell when they shall by wise and friendly dealing be made to see how they were deceiued and that very dangerously whiles they following the desires of their euill hearts walked after the sinnes of the times in which they liued and when other manner of pleasures and delights shall be offered them which they neuer had tasted of before I meane heauenly I may speake the more boldly because I know I speake the truth that almost fortie yeeres agone when I came yong from the Vniuersitie to a people blind and farre gone in the sinnes that were then commonly committed in the world sauouring no whit of pietie and I had little in mee to commēd me vnto them my knowledge being not much though my desire I may say was feruent in seeking it and to do them good and my authoritie small as being then vnder another which was Pastor to them but resident in another charge hard by euen so long ago I say I remember that which is not vnworthie the mentioning and speaking of in this place And that is how maruellously God wrought among vs that when there was no president nor example in the corner thereabout of diligent repairing to the place of Gods worship on the Sabbath in the afternoone but all disorder in dancing playing haunting the Ale-house and other like and little power of godlines to be seene or heard of round about it pleased God by care and diligence in example giuing among them and labouring in that weake manner that I was able to teach and exhort them with familiar conuersing with them in priuate who were more teachable then the rest in good communication drawing them on that in two yeeres space I might haue perswaded them to any good thing that I saw meet the bodie of them I meane and a louing consent might haue bin seene among them to that which was good neither can I say any worse of them for the time that I could stay amongst them which was full six yeeres Which I say not for vaine glorie God is record and well nigh fortie yeeres is a reasonable time to despise that and yet I would haue said more but for auoiding the suspicion of it but I speake this to moue some of my fellow brethren in the Ministerie such as in an honest and good heart desire to see fruit of their labours to thinke of the way of obtaining the same And that is no doubt to such as hartily seeke it to labour for the gift of perswading the people and familiar applying the Scripture to the persons particularly in a right and wise manner as well as to teach them the truth generally and to vse diligence and constancie in both and withall to take all occasion to commune and confer of good things in companying with them and not to spend the little time that they are with them in play nor to vse to talke of worldly things to them whereto the people be so readily carried nor idlely and vainly to keepe them company which dulleth and maketh blunt the edge of their Ministrie amongst them and raiseth a meaner conceit of the persons themselues and by consequent of their Ministerie which had little need to be This manner of liuing amongst them with an especiall care to auoid iust suspicion of couetousnesse and loue of this world and other offences which are too common is like through Gods blessing to knit them so in firme and true loue together that they shall call home to true repentance such as God hath in those places ordained to eternall life and they shall by such manner of liuing with them be like with loue and readinesse to receiue their doe at the peoples hands about the paying and requiring of the which the greatest pritches are taken and the sorest conceits arise betwixt them which are the beginnings and occasions of continuall broiles and contentions afterwards or at least of strangenesse or hollow and hauerly loue betwixt them whereby it commeth to passe that preaching doth little good vnto them And thus by occasion of answering this obiection I haue
they vsed all diligence and armed themselues now while God gaue them this little breathing from persecution that so by their confidence pure heart good conscience loue and patience and other grace they might be fit to leade a godly life in the world with ease and strengthen themselues against falles and the baits of sin on euery side And it is manifest to all of vs who can iudge that by such meanes and a sound ministerie watching praying and the like the Church of God can grow in grace and no otherwise And that they did thus it is apparent by that which we reade in the second of the Acts where it is said that they were daily in the temple and continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and prayer And this vse should all true particular Churches and people of God make of their libertie of peace and of liuing free from persecution From the which God hath a long time freed many of his good seruants in this age howsoeuer some are much and oft vnder the crosse yea and that right heauie and sharpe such therefore should glorifie God by bringing forth fruit not in a common sort yea al possible good should be done of them and not omitted For as for priuate lets and those which are vsuall may more easily be ouercome either inward corruptions or outward ill examples or other discouragements as long as the word of God may haue free passage to be sincerely preached But if outward peace alone be counted so great a benefit and such holy and fruitfull vse made of it Note then how much more should we thinke so when that one is accompanied with abundance of other good things when health wealth friends and fauour of the godly shall go herewith and meet altogether in one person what manner of people ought such to be in all godlinesse And how God looketh for it that it should be so that place of Deuteronomie doth liuely shew Where Moses saith that we must serue the Lord with all ioyfulnesse and a good heart for the abundance of all good things The meditations of such mens harts should be acceptable to God and to follow the metaphor of building vsed heere a little the people that is so blessed of God should do as builders are wont that is to pull downe the ruinous corners set vp new frames in their roomes so should Gods seruants plucke downe the old ruines and breaches of their corrupt hearts as anger wrath impatience bitternesse and such like vncleane lusts and set vp mercie tenderheartednesse loue zeale faith and such like Yea and more particularly according to the diuers ages of Gods children they should exercise themselues that is to say the tender consciences and yong beginners should haue their thoughts and meditations about the fauour of God desiring aboue all things to be assured of it the middle aged Christians and such as are somewhat stayed in faith and the feare of God should chiefely be occupied in striuing against their lusts and fighting with them the ancient and experienced who haue done both these should much be taken vp in calling to mind what they haue heard of Gods manner of dealing in guiding his Church and the fruit thereof and in declaring to other and what they haue seene and found themselues worth the reporting to be in the seruing of God that thereby they may be encouraged to walke fruitfully and circumspectly still as they did long before and not to be led away from their stedfastnes in their Christian course by the error of the wicked as hauing found that course by long proofe to haue been the most gainfull of all other vnto them These vses and the like all sorts and ages of Gods people ought to make of Gods blessings towards them and of freedome from trouble But do the people of this age thus for that were a kind vse of peace and his other benefits and would well become them No for in this land these fiftie yeeres now fully passed what knowledge might haue been so that one might haue been able to teach another and there might haue been that grace of the spirit which might haue seasoned Christians hearts no lesse sensiblie then the dew doth moisten the mountaines So that our Church might haue been a paterne to others as the Thessalonians were examples to all that beleeued in Macedonia and Achaia and it might now haue been verified if euer in any age since the Apostles time that out of the bellies of beleeuers might haue flowed riuers of waters of life whereas except some persons heere and there there is great ignorance vnfaithfulnesse hollownesse securitie vncharitablenesse maliciousnesse and what not of that kind I speake not of the disorders of life for they are more fitly to be reprooued in the next vse which the Churches made of their peace but of the grosse distemperatures of the heart for although these times of prosperitie and peace haue been the fittest seasons for men to encrease in goodnes and grace euen as the haruest is to gather in the corne yet whether we enquire into particular Churches or persons we shall find nothing more true then this that peace and plentie haue poisoned for the most part the enioyers of them But if the people of God whom I teach now to make this vse of his blessings were not wound in by the diuels cunning sleights among the rest of the world it were the lesse maruel but euen they cannot be sholed out from them but haue their teeth set on edge with their courses by liuing among them and beholding how they runne headlong into all excesse by meanes of their prosperitie so that euen they forget their couenant made with God that is that they should endeuour to vse soberly in this present world all their lawfull liberties till with shame and sorrow afterward they are faine to returne againe to repentance And thus many euen of them not holding gouernment ouer their hearts breake out into offensiue life and become eye-sores to their brethren who will not be pent in to keepe the bounds of vnoffensiue walking till experience constraine them to wish they had been wiser and before their straying out so far to haue kept themselues well while they were well And this teacheth vs that Moses saw good cause to giue this warning to Gods people when they were to go to the land flowing in abundance of Gods blessings out of the barren wildernesse saying When the Lord hath brought you into that land with great and goodly cities which ye builded not and houses full of all manner of goods which ye filled not and welles digged which ye digged not and vineyards and oliue trees which ye planted not and when ye haue eaten and are full beware lest you forget the Lord which brought you out of the land of Egypt out of the house of bondage Now to make vse of this in
to teare the wounds that we ought to heale and to bind vp But this do the wicked when they seeke to vex and grieue the faithfull that be alreadie wounded and cast downe with sorrow in their soules yea and for that they carry corruption still about them I say not he is the happiest that reioyceth most for that no doubt many times he may do which is but in a verie wofull case as our Sauiour Christ saith wo be to you that laugh but he I say is the happiest man that hath the greatest cause of ioy For this is the argument of all those blessednesses which our Sauiour Christ pronounceth Matth. 5. the poore in spirit are pronounced blessed because they haue cause to reioyce So they that mourne they that be meeke c. are blessed because these though they do not reioyce yet they haue euery one of them iust cause to reioyce But to proceed hath the faithfull and righteous alone iust cause of ioy Then if thou desirest soundly to reioyce practise carefully and constantly a iust and righteous life for without this faith and vprightnesse it is impossible though thou hast made a beginning therein alreadie euer to find any state that will giue thee cause all things well weighed to take any ioy in it It is not the throne of a Prince nor the treasure of the earth nor the pleasures of the world that can afford it Vse 4 Lastly hath the righteous man cause to reioyce then ought he to stirre vp himselfe vnto the dutie following namely that he do reioyce indeed This nature it selfe teacheth euen naturall men that if they see iust cause why they should be glad they will stirre themselues vp to be ioyfull and merrie And the rather are the righteous to be mooued to this dutie because they haue the Lords commandement heere by the Apostle to stirre themselues vp vnto it For is the Lord so carefull of his that he cannot endure to haue our hearts possessed with sorrow but will haue it to be expelled thence by his heauenly ioyes and shall we be behind in this duty Shall he command and shall not we obay shall he exhort and shal not we attend to that which wholy tendeth to our owne ioy and comfort If the King or prince command their subiects to be merry as Salomon 1. King 8.64 Ester 5.1 this alone stirreth them vp to mirth though there were noe other cause but the kinde speeches and greetings of the prince And ought not Gods voice much more to preuaile with vs to this ende But I come now to the limitation first and then in due place to the enlargement of this ioy It is limited first by the manner of it that it must be in the Lord and then secondly enlarged by the time that it may be alwayes to reioyce in the Lord is to reioyce for that we know him to be our God alsufficient and Christ Iesus our Lord also to reioyce for the Lords cause who alone giueth ministreth vnto vs cause of reioycing as 1. Sam. 21. in the thanksgiuing of Hanna Mine heart reioyceth in the Lord mine horne is exalted in the Lord So Mary my spirit reioyceth that is my heart reioyceth because of the Lord who hath giuen mee this cause of ioy and mine horne is exalted in the Lord who hath bin fauourable and gratious vnto mee By this limitation then we see the ioy of the faithfull which only is true ioy to be distinguished from other sorts of ioyes which are many For some there are who reioyce in themselues and in that seruing of God that liketh them and not in the Lord as first many naturall men if they haue a good meaning and liue quietly and ciuilly among men they thinke they cannot chuse but be saued These men ioy but all the ground of their ioy is not from God but from themselues from their owne blinde reason and the presumption of their owne heart Secondly Papists and such as follow the ancient Pharisies These men not onely doe many ciuill good duties but they fast they pray they pay tythe of all they haue they giue almes they abstaine from iniustice extortion c. They are very strict and very precise in many things they wil not marry they wil not eate such and such meates and at such times These men they reioyce also yea and boast themselues not only before men but before God as the Pharisie did Luk. 18. But their ioy ariseth from themselues and from their owne good deeds and meritorious actions as they hould them They reioyce not in the Lord. Others yet there bee who reioyce in the things of this world For which indeed it might be lawfull for a man to reioyce but this their reioycing is altogether after a sensuall and a carnall manner They reioyce in riches in honor in pleasure but this their ioy it neither ariseth from God nor endeth in him but either it proceedeth only from the creature and resteth in it or els it is ascribed to their own paines and labour or for that they haue attained to this wealth or that place by their owne industry or some friend or other is magnified for it or els rather theÌ„ any part of their ioy should seeme to proceede from God it is ascribed to good lucke and good fortune these all offend in this that they reioyce in these things but not in the Lord as the author of euery good thing they haue Againe there are some that ioy in lawfull things but their ioy is not taken lawfully they neuer waigh whether they vse them in such a manner as God in his word hath giuen them warrant for or not They delight and ioy in duties of their calling to looke vnto their businesse This is well But to be taken vp with them as the chiefest matters and on the Lords day the day of the Lords rest when they should assemble themselues in the congregation of Gods people to heare his woâ—d and to learne his will or when they should priuately be holily occupied this is not to reioyce in the Lord for it is against the Lords will and commandement who hath giuen vs charge to rest the seauenth day So many other thinges in themselues are lawfull and a man may reioyce in them I meane recreations and refreshings of body or minde after labour but to spende whole dayes in them is euil also the fellowship of marriage and the liberty of eating and drinking but if we doe them without thanksgiuing without keeping a measure and moderation and if we reioyce in any of these actions though lawfull of themselues not banishing the sinnes that accompanie them in the world and obserue not a holy and a righteous manner in the doing of them neither doe them by faith all this our reioycing is vaine and wordly and not in the Lord because it is not with those circumstances obserued which he hath prescribed in his word But of all other the
worst sort is of them that reioyce in actions simply euill as in vncleane and filthy talking in swearing in drunkennes whoring and blaspheming of the name of God Reproue and rebuke those men for it Their answere is ready what may we not speake may we not bee merry Yes mirth is lawfull The Lord by the Apostle stirreth vp here children vnto it but marke to what mirth not that which is taken in the sore mentioned sinnes and other like vnto them but in the Lord. Complaine not therfore without a cause as if God were too strict and precise to thee to restraine thee from all mirth Here indeed is a restraint but it is from vngodly mirth from reioycing as I may say in euil thy ioy must not be vnchast dishonest sensual earthly beastly The Lord is bountifull enough to thee in lawfull ioyes vouchsafed vnto thee to take thy part in Learne therefore hence to try thy mirth for when thou art reproued for thy lewd mirth it is no sufficiēt excuse to say we were but merry For know that there is a double mirth a holy mirth and an vngodly mirth a mirth in God and a mirth in the deuill Try therefore and examine thy mirth of whether sort it is If it be in God First God is alwaies in the one ende thereof and the heart is lifted vp in praise and thanksgiuing to God but for other he wil bring thee to a straight account reckning Againe if thou wouldest know that thy mirth is in the Lord try and examine whether thou thy selfe art in Christ For none can reioyce in the Lord but he that is already in Christ Be the thing wherein thou reioycest neuer so lawfull obserue neuer so strictly the time and measure in it this thy ioy is but a prophane and carnall ioy and not in the Lord. Euen the very delight thou takest in moderate eating and drinking and recreation if it be not of faith as it cannot be if thou be not in Christ it is sinne and therefore not in the Lord. And by this we see that only the righteous man can be truly ioyfull The worldly and the carnall he may reioyce in lawfull things but he cannot reioyce lawfully but in a carnal and fleshly manner this ioy neither proceedeth from God nor tendes to God but resteth in the matter neither is it ruled by the direction of Gods words but is disorderedly carried by the sway of his profane and wicked heart And as I haue said that we must beleeue in Christ and know that our names are written in heauen before we can reioyce in the Lord so there are other signes whereby we may know it for it being a thing of such worth and excellency I thinke it good to set downe more euidences of it We shall therefore better know that our ioy is in the Lord if we loue God greatly that is more then all that is precious in the world for the perfection of loue is ioy and therefore be carefull to obey him and if we loue our brethren for his sake And further if we sigh to be vnburdened and long to be with Christ which is best of all for by our reioycing that we haue in Christ Iesus our Lord we die daily And therefore by daily growing more ready to die we doe well testifie the ioy that we haue in him Lastly if our ioy haue vnfained thankes and feruent prayer for the continuāce of it as her companions for so doth the Apostle require that it should be accompanied it shall well appeare that we reioyce in the Lord. And here an other thing shall not be out of season to signifie to the reader that while he is commanded to reioyce in the Lord he must know that it nothing derogateth from it to delight in the word of God which Dauid oft professed that he did and that it was more sweet to him then the hony to his mouth for the word and the preachers that bring glad tidings out of it are the instruments and meanes whereby we delight in the Lord. And when we are taught to reioyce in the Saints which are on the earth and such as excell in vertue it hinders nothing our reioycing in the Lord but furthereth it seeing they are heires of the promise of life with vs and therefore helpers of that ioy The same I may say of reioycing in a good conscience For that is a testimony of our reioycing in the Lord. These and the like concurre with our ioying in God and are all helpers of that ioy And so that remaineth still firme that he that will reioyce should reioyce in the Lord. Now I come to the time when and how long this our ioy is to be in God and that is alwaies the Lord so that we wil be contented but to limit our ioy within those bounds we haue seene is liberall and bountifull for the time he doth not stint and limit vs to any set and certaine time but he will haue vs to reioyce in him euermore Herein differeth the ioy of the faithfull from the ioy of the world that worldly ioy is neuer constant and perpetuall but euen in laughing as Salomon teacheth the heart is sorrowfull and the end of that mirth is heauinesse But the ioy of the faithfull flourisheth at all times and in all seasons it is like to the Laurell tree that neither winter nor summer casteth the leafe For this ioy hath continuall meanes to feed it withall neither can the righteous man if he consider it euer want cause to ioy and be merrie in God We haue seene the righteous man hath cause to reioyce in affliction and so much more hath he in prosperitie Hee hath cause to reioyce when he prayeth because God is neere to heare his prayer and when he readeth because he seeth God to speake to him in his Word and to giue peace vnto his conscience And so in euerie thing the righteous go about they haue cause to go ioyfully about it their calling especially be it neuer so base yea euen the poorest labouring men if they be Gods children they are then imployed in Gods businesse when they are about their calling he hath set them in the seruant when he is about his masters businesse he may reioyce in doing it For reade Ephes 6.6 you shall see that which their masters set their seruants about is called the will of God and that in seruing their masters with care and in a good conscience they serue God and Christ. And God will giue them a reward and pay them their wages for it They reioyce also when they haue occasion to giue and distribute for they are assured that what they giue to the poore and needie brother they giue to Christ and that in feeding him they feed Christ in cloathing him that they cloath Christ yea they reioice in death it selfe For they know it is not to them
as to the wicked the end of ioy and the beginning of sorrow But it is the end of all labour and sorrow and the beginning of great and eternall ioyes Vse 1 The vse of this last point may be first to teach vs to acknowledge the tender respect that God hath ouer his children that though hee weane them from the ioyes which heere men take in toyes and trifles of this world yet he leaueth them not destitute at any time of ioy and comfort but willeth them to reioyce alwayes for we know that euerie commandement of the Gospell hath a promise annexed vnto it if by faith we lay hold on it If he command vs to repent in the Gospell this commandement hath a promise annexed that is if by faith we endeuour to repent we shall repent So when he commands vs to loue our enemies he giues with all to his a promise which being by faith apprehended enables vs to that dutie In like fort God commanding vs to reioyce alwaies promiseth if we be not wanting in our faith we may euer continue to reioyce Vse 2 Secondly if this be a dutie which the Lord requireth of vs at all times that we reioyce in him we ought continually to looke and haue an eye into our hearts to see whether this ioy in the Lord be there to be found or not Note and if we find it not neuer to rest vntill we find it wrought in vs yea we are to looke in whatsoeuer we set our selues vnto that we find this ioy to carrie vs and accompanie vs in the doing of it For as it is said 2. Cor. 9.7 The Lord loueth a cheerefull giuer so the Lord loueth a cheerefull seruer and worshipper of him a cheerefull hearer and cheerefulnesse in euery good duetie If we had more knowledge we might better reioyce if wee pray he requires cheerefulnesse in prayer if we be employed in our calling he requires that this also be performed cheerefully and with a glad heart Heere then commeth to be reprehended Note that naturall dulnesse and deadnesse of men when they come to pray and to do any dutie of Gods worship For we should come vnto them with our hearts filled and replenished with ioy So should we to whatsoeuer good thing and busines of our calling we set our selues about We must not go heauily about our businesse as a beare that had need to be haled and pulled to the stake Neither wish Oh that this busines or that worke were done If God in thy calling appoint thee vnto it thou must go about it cheerefully Thus Ministers Heb 13.17 must watch ouer their flocks with ioy cheerfulnes though the duty be very full of care and sleightly rewarded of men And Iacob we reade though his seruice was very laborious and toilsome which hee did vnto Laban being pinched with the frost in the night and the heat in the day yet the time of his seruice seemed but short vnto him One cause whereof no doubt was because he willingly tooke ioy and delight to walke in the duties of his calling with painfulnesse and diligence So should Masters reioyce in prouiding for the familie and doing the duetie of Masters Seruants in pleasing their Masters and doing the duetie of seruants Oâ— how happy and ioyfull a sight were this to see euery man thus to trauell with ioy and cheere in his calling To ioy I say not after a naturall and carnall manner but with a holy and religious ioy in doing both the generall dueties of Christianity and the particular dueties of his owne proper and peculiar calling This would cause both great ioy to euery man in his owne conscience that thus walketh and giue much encouragement to all that shall see and behold it THE THIRD SERMON VPON THE SAME TEXT NOw to goe forward in the Text the repetition which followeth after thus Againe I say reioyce briefely sheweth vs first the earnest affection the Apostle had to draw them to this dutie which proceeded from the abundance of his loue whereby he thought euery one of their ioy to be his owne as ye may reade 2. Cor. 2.3 He accounteth both the ioy and sorrow of the Corinthians to be his as they tooke his to be theirs Secondly this proceeded from the reason I touched before because himselfe was filled with this ioy and it is of that nature that in whose heart soeuer it is it cannot but dilate and communicate it selfe to others As we reade of the Iailer he reioyced and he could not keepe this ioy to himselfe but communicated it to his whole house Act. 16. For it is said he reioyced hauing beleeued with his whole house So Lydias heart being opened and dilated by the holy Ghost and the ioy of the Spirit she made her whole houshold partakers so farre as she could of the same grace The end whereunto this repetition tendeth is to make the exhortation more forcible and to imprint it the better and deeper in their hearts minds and memories and to make them more carefull of the practise of it For where the Spirit of God vseth these often doubled exhortations we must and ought to employ our greatest care and as it were our double diligence to learne them Obiect But you will say wherefore was the holy Ghost so earnest to repeat and redouble this precept aboue others Answ I answere First because this is a dutie as we see that is necessarie and requisite in a Christian at all times As without the which he can neither heare the Word aright nor pray aright nor do any dutie of his calling as he ought And if it be asked how other do that haue no part in this ioying in the Lord I answere they ioy in sinne And it would be seene that the wicked would be vtterly wearie of their life but for their goods and delights that they haue Secondly this dutie of reioycing thus in the Lord is the ground of all our thanksgiuing vnto God which is a maine and principall part of Gods worship For no man can truly be thankfull to God for any thing but he who hath wrought by one meanes or other some holy and heauenly ioy and delight in his soule Againe thirdly this reioycing in the Lord is a dutie very hard to performe for though it be easie for a man in worldly prosperity to reioyce after a natural and worldly manner yet to reioyce in the Lord and in a righteous and sound manner this is a most heauenly dutie and as crossing to the dumpish and earthly spirits of men as any thing can be And therefore we need as it were the more prickes and spurs to quicken vs on to this dutie being of our selues so flow and dull vnto it Dauid though he had an extraordinarie measure and portion for the most part of this ioy was wrought in his hart by the Spirit of God yet he complained oft of the losse and decay and absence of these heauenly ioyes
Reade the fourth Psalme vers 43. Why art thou cast downe my soule and why art thou disquieted in me Trust still in God c. His soule was so vexed cast downe and disquieted in him that he could not raise it vp to any ioy and comfort so it is with the best at sometime Further obserue whom hee heere exhorteth thus often to reioyce in the Lord and that is the faithfull that alreadie had this ioy begun in their hearts These men that alreadie do reioyce they must reioyce and againe reioyce in the Lord. It is not for a righteous man to beginne a good thing but he must labour to perfect and encrease it to the end of his life Marke a notable place to this purpose 1. Ioh. 5.13 These things haue I written vnto you that beleeue in the name of the Sonne of God that yee may know that yee haue eternall life and that ye may beleeue in the sonne of God He writes to them that beleeue that they may beleeue And in the first chapter and fourth verse he writes these things to them that reioyced alreadie that their ioy which was begun might be full So thus our Apostle in this place writes to them that alreadie reioyced that they reioyce in the Lord to them that reioyce in part and in some measure that their ioy might be full Heere then we see first what is the dutie of the Minister and that is that he content not himselfe to haue laid a good foundation of saith in his people and of ioy and hope and such other good vertues But he is to build them vp that they may grow from faith to faith from hope to hope and from ioy to ioy euen so long as these or they may grow which is as long as men liue in this world it is the Ministers dutie to continue his exhortations vnto them It is not for him to say as many retchlesse and godlesse Ministers I haue taught them more then they haue learned alreadie when they haue learned that I will teach them more No thou must teach and exhort them the same duties againe and againe and neuer giue ouer exhortations till thou hast by the mercy of God euen filled them with ioy and faith and patience And with all we see the duty of the people It is not enough for them to say They beleeue already they need not more preaching to exhort them to beleeue and they reioyce in God already and therfore need not to be exhorted to this ioy But rather it is meere and necessary for them to haue with the father of the possessed child Mark 9.24 at least one eye vpon their infidelity as well as the other vpon their faith and to say I beleeue Lord helpe my vnbeleefe Beleeuest thou well yet thou hast remaining a great deale of vnbeleefe Doest thou reioyce yet remember thou hast need againe and often to be exhorted to this duty that thy small ioy may grow in the end to be full and compleate that euen thou maiest with peace resigne thy soule into the hands of God The text being thus vnfolded and the vse of it set downe yet two things I see of necessary vse to be added before I make an ende The first is the answering of some obiections rising from the former doctrine The next is that seeing the necessitie the profit and the difficultie of performing this duty is such as I haue in some sort shewed I thinke it not amisse to spend a little time in teaching how a man may both procure this ioy if yet he neuer had it and keepe and increase it if he haue it and recouer it if at any time he haue lost the sense and feeling of it Obiect 1 For the obiections these are some why Christians cannot alwayes reioyce to wit seeing many of them are vsually heauy and sad yea so farre that they cause other to be so and they make many to thinke that their religion alloweth no ioy which holdeth some backe from it and therefore such are farre from reioycing in the Lord alwaies Answ To this I answer that examples are not to be alleaged against rules for such as are sad of Gods children haue not yet learned to know their liberty that they may reioyce as I haue said but would most willingly and shall in time doe so but in the meane while are to be pitied and helped forward and therefore these hinder not the truth before mentioned that the righteous cannot reioyce Obiect 2 Againe it is obiected that some who did reioyce in the Lord haue left and giuen it ouer and take vp their ioy in other things as though either their heauenly ioy could not be held and as though they had done more then they could defend Answ To the which I say that either they had no good ground nor warrant to reioyce so at first or if they had they sinne in leauing it off and must returne to it againe Obiect 3 Other say they cannot reioyce as they did when they were first inlightned to beleeue To whom I say that either they labour not to preserue it so carefully nor their faith from which it commeth neither prize them both as they did when they first beleeued or if they doe then they may still reioyce as they did at the first if otherwise then what maruaile is it that they cannot reioyce as sometime they did let them repent their negligence and sinne and doe their former workes and God will restore their ioy to them yea and that rather more soundly which they were wont in him to finde Obiect 4 And where it is demanded how can they reioyce in tribulation Answ I say with the Apostle they may through hope For though no affliction be for the time present ioyous but greeuous yet the sense of heauenly ioy is onely abated for the time but shall returne againe and as S. Peter sayeth it is meet if need be that we be in heauines for a season that the triall of our faith being much more precious then gold that perisheth may be found to our honour And yet when God will he giueth ioy in heauines as to Paul and Silas who sung in the dungeon at midnight and more then that as Daniel was inabled to reioyce in the Lions denne the three children in the fierie fornace and the Martyrs in our remembrance did at the stake Obiect 5 As for such as aske at the hearing of this why may not any reioyce in the Lord as well as these before spoken of Answ I answere seeing they haue set their delight in other things transitory or euill For as the Prophet aduiseth the rich may not reioyce in their riches nor the wise in their wisdom but he that will reioyce let him reioyce in the Lord. For no one of those reioycings can stand with this Thus much for answere to the obiections the other thing is how this ioying in the Lord is to
what the Scripture sayeth the stone that the builders refused is made the head of the corner He that readeth let him consider And Reuel 3. Blessed is he that readeth and heareth the words of this booke And without this reading often of the word it is impossible to resist readily the tentations of Satan For the deuill will bring such colour of Scripture for his tentations as we cannot resist if we haue not by diligent reading the Scripture ready at hand and vpon our fingers ends that we may answere with our Sauiour out of the Scripture It is written and againe it is written and so against euery tentation Some will here excuse themselues from their ability They are poore men and they are not able to lay out the mony to buy them a Bible withall But alas this is easily answered For there is no man I take it not among you that are of the poorer sort but he will finde spare money at least once in the yeare to make merry withall and to refresh himselfe for al the labor and trauaile of the yeare why canst thou theÌ„ find money to lay out to make thee merry for a day and wilt thou not find money to bestow vpon the Bible and booke of God which may make thee merry the whole yeare and make thee euery day as it were a ioyfull feast in thy conscience Reade therefore and to this end if thou wouldest heare more of reading reade a Chapter of this argument in my booke the third treatise But yet also to thy reading holy meditation and conference of the word of God is to be ioyned For examine and thou shalt finde them that haue attained to the highest degree of ioy in the word to haue been continuall meditators and conferrers of it and by meditation and conference to haue nourished and fostered this their ioy Dauid that was a man euen filled with this heauenly ioy in the word and therfore crieth out Psal 119.13 part How sweete is thy law vnto my mouth yea sweeter then honey vnto my mouth This Dauid I say was a man of daily and continual studie and meditation in the word vers 1. hee saith Thy word it is my meditation continually And in the sixth part I will talke of thy testimonies before Kings and will not bee ashamed The presence of Kings and great Princes should not abash him but euen before them he would conferre and talke of the word of God Reade an excellent place to this purpose containing both an exhortation and a promise Iosh 1.8 The Lord commandeth Ioshua that he let not the booke of God go out of his mouth It must not goe out of his mouth that is he must be talking speaking and conferring of it Secondly he must meditate therein day and night that he may obserue and doe according to all the law of Moses that so hee might prosper whither soeuer he went So that wouldest thou prosper and reioyce in whatsoeuer thou goest about the way is to meditate talke and conferre of the word of God And in the first Psalme they that meditate in the law of God day and night are pronounced blessed For whatsoeuer they doe shall prosper Which prosperitie hath alwaies ioy as an attendant vpon it But as all meditation of the word is a meane in some sort to continue and increase our ioy in God so especially meditating and conferring of the most gracious and comfortable promises of the Gospell The meditation and conference of these are as it were bellowes to blow and kindle the spâ—â—â—es of our ioy which are in our soules So then we see the hearing of the word preached and the reading of the word written and the meditation and conference of both and especially of the comfortable promises of the Gospell are singular meanes to continue and to encrease our ioy in the Lord. But withall let vs remember to ioyne to these the practise of the word thus heard and read and meditated and conferred on In that place I quoted Iosh 1.8 The law must be in his mouth he must speake of it and hee must meditate in it But to what end to rest there No but that he may obserue and doe according to all the law of Moses c. and then he should prosper For this is a most certaine truth that without the practise of the word neither hearing neither reading neither conferring neither meditating can cause or continue any sound ioy in the heart Reade 2. Ecclesiastes Surely saith the Preacher to a man that is good in his sight God giueth wisedome and knowledge and ioy but to the sinner he giueth paine c. God giueth ioy saith the Preacher to him that is good in his fight Reade againe Ioh. 15.10 If you keepe my commandements you shall abide in my loue as I haue kept the commandements of my father and abide in his loue And then immediatly hee addeth in the next verse These things haue I spoken vnto you that my ioy may abide in you and that your ioy may be full Our Sauiour giueth charge to his Disciples to keepe and to practise his commandements that his ioy may abide and that it may grow to be full in them Many places might easily be alleaged to this purpose Prouerbs 29.6 In the transgression of an euill man is his snare but the righteous doth sing and reioyce The wicked man by his transgression insnareth and intangleth himselfe in sorrow but the righteous that directeth his way by the word hee shall be merrie and sing for ioy The scripture in sundry places beateth vpon this point and therefore I will not stand so vpon it Doe we therefore desire to leade and liue a ioyful life Let vs become good men by the practise of Gods word Otherwise let vs not looke to haue our ioy continue But rather let vs looke for sorrow yea for sorrow vpon sorrow As it is written Psal 32.10 Many sorrowes shall come to the wicked man To these meanes that I haue spoken of may be added some that are touched by this our Apostle 1. Thes 5.17.18 c. For hauing exhorted them in the 16. verse to reioyce alway In the words following he sheweth by what meanes they may continue this their ioy And that is first by continuall prayer For we haue the promise of Christ that whatsoeuer we aske of God according to his will in the name of Christ it shal be giuen vnto vs. Now this we know and are well assured of that it is according to the will of God that we should reioyce so that if we pray for it earnestly and continually he will be most willing and ready to grant our petition Seek therefore the continuance and increase of this ioy at Gods hand and thou shalt finde it knock for it by prayer at the doore of Gods mercy and he will giue it vnto thee But alas this duty of prayer for ioy is carelesly for the most part neglected Men presume
as it should seeme they can keepe it well enough though they neuer sue and seeke to God for it the fountaine and author of it If they that haue continued a long time in Christs schoole should trie and examine how small proceedings they haue made in this Christian duty and search to finde out the cause of their so little profiting they shall finde by triall one maine cause to haue bin the neglect of prayer for so excellent a grace as this is Next vnto prayer the Apostle in the place before named addeth thanksgiuing For though we craue and beg neuer so much this ioy at Gods hands yet if he send vs ioy according to our desire and we be not mindfull to returne thankes vnto him he will withhold and withdraw his hand from giuing it to vs. God indeed hath bound himselfe to giue grace and to giue ioy vnto them that aske it but yet so that they be thankefull after without which thankefulnesse for benefits receiued they that come to God plainely declare that they pray not as they ought For when we pray for ioy or pray for any grace wee are not simplie to rest in the desire it selfe but our desire must aime at a further ende and that is that we receiuing these may praise and blesse God for them Marke the Prophet Dauid in the sixth Psalme in the thirtieth Psalme and in diuers others he desireth that the Lord would giue him life but he asketh not life simply that he might liue but because the dead cannot praise God here as the liuing doe And therefore desireth life that liuing he might praise God After the same manner is framed also the prayer of Hezechiah Esay 38. So therefore we are to pray for life that liuing we may praise God and pray for ioy that reioycing we may praise him we are not to aske life simply to liue but that liuing we may praise God neither are we to aske ioy simply for it selfe but that reioycing in God and in his goodnes we might haue cause and be the fitter to blesse God for it And thus if we come to God for supply of new ioy with thanks for the former obtained God is ready and willing to heare vs But seeing I cannot goe through all the meanes of preseruing our ioy at this time I will here stay for this time THE FOVRTH SERMON VPON THE SAME TEXT NOw to proceed where I left the next duty prescribed by the Apostle for the continuance and encrease of our ioy is That we quench not the Spirit Where by the spirit I take to be meant the good motions of the Spirit of God in our hearts For when these good motions caused in vs by the spirit are cherished the spirit of God is cherished and being cheared so he cheareth and filleth our hearts with ioy and annointeth vs with the oyle of gladnes On the contrary quench these good motions and thou quenchest the spirit of God which should cause this ioy in thine heart Therefore commeth there at any time any good motions into thine heart be carefull by all meanes possible to entertaine them to cherish and to make much of them So shalt thou make glad the good spirit of God and hee shall giue peace and ioy to thy soule But is this commonly practised Nothing lesse For as it was said of the Israelites fortie yeares long they grieued the Spirit of God so may it be said of the most among vs our whole life hath bin a continuall grieuing and prouoking the good spirit of God For which of vs can excuse our selues but that we haue had diuers good motions sometimes from others sometimes from our selues and yet we haue resisted them Sometimes we haue bin moued to heare the word of God yet either for some vaine pleasure or small profit we haue neglected it Many times we haue had a motion to leaue swearing cursing lying and some especiall sinnes we haue bin giuen vnto yet haue we not cherished these motions nay we haue banished them away and shut as it were the doores of our hearts against them No maruell therefore the spirit of God affordes vnto vs so scanty measure of heauenly ioy when we thus daily and continually grieue him when as fast as he kindleth any grace or good thing in vs we are readie to quench it and as it were to cast water vpon it Note If we will haue ioy we must make much of the Spirit of ioy that we shall doe if we neuer crosse any good motion but be readie with all cheerefulnesse and alacritie to foster and to cherish it in vs so that of a good motion it may grow to be a setled and a constant affection in vs otherwise looke for no ioy from that Spirit whom thou carest not to grieue Rather feare as iustly thou mayest that heauie sorrow or at least a deadly and senselesse numnesse will befall thee For experience hath shewed most fearefull examples not only of them that haue lost their ioy for a while but of them that haue died in most lamentable despaire by resisting these good motions and others that for all the time of their life with all the meanes they could vse were neuer able to recouer the feeling of their ioy againe lost by the resisting sometime of one good motion quench not therefore the spirit that is the good motions of Gods Spirit But yet if thou wilt keepe thy ioy remember and be carefull to quench another spirit that is all the motions and suggestiōs that he seeketh to put into thy mind For as the Spirit of God is the Spirit of ioy and being cheared by thee will cheare thy heart in God So Satan is a spirit of heauinesse and a spirit of despaire entertaine him and follow his motions and thou fallest into the way of despaire and heauinesse resist him and his suggestions and thou shalt both cheare the Spirit of God and free thy selfe from all that sorrow and heauinesse that the diuell seeketh to bring into thy soule Againe that thou mayest keepe thy ioy in God remember it is not sufficient for thee to keepe some kind of ioy and delight in good things but thy ioy in these things must be a predominant Note an euerlasting ioy For if thou suffer the delight of any earthly matter to possesse to occupie the chief place in thy heart thy true ioy is gone Herod he had some kind of ioy in hearing Iohn Baptists preaching whereupon also he did many good things but because his ioy was not predominant but the ioy of pleasures did exceed it which he tooke in his incestuous adulterie therefore he lost euen that ioy he had And this experience teacheth vs that the setting of our ioy vpon one thing remoueth it from other things he that hath his chiefe delight taken vp in his profit is the lesse set vpon pastimes he that is chiefly set vpon one pleasure is lesse bent vnto another But
contrary marke the dealing of God with the wicked he spareth them here because he meanes to punish them in hell He feedeth them in fat and good pastures because he meaneth to kil and to slaughter them after Doth God therefore call thee to trouble this is the way he hath prepared to bring thee to ioy if thou wilt follow it Reade an excellent place to this purpose Acts 20.22 And now behold saith the Apostle Paul to the elders of Ephesus I goe bound in the spirit to Ierusalem not knowing what shall befall me there saue that the holy Ghost in euery city witnesseth that bonds and afflictions abide for mee Marke now his resolution but I passe not at all saieth he neither is my life deare vnto my selfe that I may fulfill my course with ioy He saw many dangers and many troubles before him but yet he would not auoide them for in so doing he should haue bereaued himselfe of former ioy and depriued himself of much comfort that by these he assured himselfe of I speake not this that I would haue men to rush themselues into needles dangers No if God giue meanes to auoide them lawfully and with a good conscience it is presumption in vs and a tempting of God to cast our selues into them But when we know and are assured we are called vnto them by God Note as Paul was for he went vp to Ierusalem bound in the spirit Then we may and ought willingly to vndergoe them And when we are thus called it is easily knowne For if trouble be before vs no meanes with safety of a good conscience to auoide them then God calleth vs. And we if we wil with Paul finish our course with ioy we may not go about to auoide them Heb. 12.11 Thus then we see how this blessed ioy is to be gotten and also how it is to be maintained and encreased in vs. In the last place we are to see how it is to be recouered when we haue lost the sense and feeling of it in our hearts In this case the remedie is to be prescribed according to the occasion thereof that is the loosing of it For sometime it is taken away by God to try our patient and constant mindes Sometimes againe either by some great sinne committed against God or by continuall neglect of the meanes whereby we should continue it In the former kinde there is required of vs both a more diligent and carefull continuance in all good duties and exercises of Christianity and a patient attending and waiting for the restoring of this continuall ioy Psalme 5.8 For God doth not take away the sense of our ioy to bereaue vs cleane of it but to keepe and exercise our patience and stirre vp our faith and to make vs to long and desire after it thus he tooke from Iob the feeling of his ioy and troubled him with feares and terrors but it was to no ill end neither that he tooke away al he had For when he had tryed him he restored double to him againe And no doubt but he gaue him also a double portion of ioy for that he had taken from him Here it may be demanded how we may know when the losse of our ioy is by the former occasion of Gods tentation I answere sift and try thy heart narrowly whether some speciall sinne or some want of practise of good duties hath not caused this losse of thine If thou examine diligently and finde thy conscience before God to excuse thee thou maiest then take it as a fatherly triall and tentation sent from God to try thy patience with Yet this know withall though thou canst finde nothing in thy selfe yet Gods eyes are sharper sighted then thine are and he can see iust cause in thee to punish thee for that thou thinkest thy selfe the clearest in And therefore euen in this case thou must humble thy selfe as Iob did before God and then God will restore thee thy ioy with aduantage as he did vnto Iob whatsoeuer he had taken from him but especially this humiliation is to be put in practise when by triall we finde either some grieuous sinnes or our continuall negligence to haue bereaued vs of the treasure of our ioy For without this humbling our selues before God and harty confession of our sinne it is impossible euer to recouer it againe Looke into the example of the Prophet Dauid he had committed adultery with Batsheba and murder vpon Vriah and this lost his ioy as we reade Psal 51.12 Restore vnto me the ioy of thy saluation What did Dauid first reade Psal 32.3 He hold his tongue at y e first But what came of it came his ioy againe No his very bones consumed with griefe and he rored all the day long Gods hand was heauy vpon him day and night his moisture turned into the drought of summer In the next place therefore he be thought himselfe to acknowledge his sinne and to confesse his wickednesse against himselfe and then he found comfort God remoued from him his heauy hand the bone which God had broken in him then reioyced and God forgaue him the punishment of his sinne But often yet it falleth out that some men for want of a sufficient vnderstanding of the word of God and their owne case cannot by this meane receiue any comfort For these men therefore it is a good course to restore either vnto the minister if he be a man of knowledge and learning in the word of God and of conscience and fidelity accordingly or els to some other of trust and experience in the word of God And reueale and discouer vnto them what it is that maketh them either troubled in minde or dead and blockish for want of spirituall ioy and comfortt For not only we are like to haue the help and benefit of their counsell for our particular case but euen the very discouery of the cause of this our deadnes and helpe how to remedie it is a meanes oftentimes to begin againe the sense and feeling of our ioy To these meanes if they alone will not serue it were good to adde fasting and prayer For these are of that power that they are able being rightly vsed to cast out the deuill himselfe out of those in whom he hath taken corporall possession As our Sauiour teacheth Mat. 17.21 And much more no doubt will it be able to expell that heauinesse and deadnes of spirit that possesseth vs. And to raise vs vp againe to the sense of our former ioy But here it will be good especially to haue regard of that which I spake of before to obserue most dilligently euery good motion of the spirit of God and to giue them the best and the kindest entertainment we can For as we commonly leese our ioy by resisting the good motions of the spirit of ioy and comfort so by a harty and kinde entertaining of them one time or other thy ioy is likest to returne vnto thee againe But to draw
to a conclusion of all we haue seene how earnest the Lord is by the Apostle to call and exhort vs to this duty of reioycing in the Lord we haue also seene by what meanes we may attaine to this ioy if we yet haue it not and how many and speciall meanes God hath giuen vs to keepe and to encrease it when we haue it and to recouer it if we haue lost the sense and feeling of it What then is our duty but that we try and examine our owne hearts to finde whether euer we felt in our hearts any true reioycing in God and in good things and if we neuer knew what it meant let vs learne in that sort that I haue shewed to get it and so after to keepe it And especially by weaning our selues for the loue of this ioy from other delights pleasures and profits wherein we haue bin taken vp and willingly vndergoing troubles and crosses when God hath called vs vnto them for the same and so to keepe it And if we haue by carelesse negligence suffered the deuill to bereaue vs of this so rich and pretious a iewell of our ioy yet let vs by al meanes possible labour vncessantly day and night to renew and recouer that we haue lost and let vs neuer giue any rest vnto God nor vnto our owne hearts vntil we feele the heauenly sparkles of our former ioy againe kindled in vs. And when it hath pleased God againe to restore it to vs let vs beware greatly of a second relapse It is very easie without dilligent care taking to be lost and many enemies lie in waite to take it from vs. But it is not so easie to be found againe when it is lost The thiefe is not so chary to keepe thy gold from thee when he hath stolne it as the deuil is to keep away and to hide thy ioy from thee that thou mightest neuer finde it againe Now though I haue already vsed some reasons to perswade vs to be carefull of this duty yet considering our dulnes and vntowardnes vnto it it shall not be vnfit to adde for a finall conclusion a few motiues to make vs the better to remember and to put in practise these meanes whereof you haue now heard And to omit to speake of that which before I touched that al other ioy besides this vanisheth away and nothing in the end remaineth but sorrow and vexation of Spirit As Salomon hath left his owne experience to teach vs. And that this ioy is of it selfe the most compleate and absolute ioy that can be possessed as being founded in God himselfe consider besides it selfe what excellent priuiledges this ioy bringeth vnto vs It bringeth vnto vs comfort aboundantly against all the crosses that can befall vs and against all the enemies we can haue in this life Let famine Let nakednesse Let danger assaile vs we haue God yet to reioyce in to feed vs to cloath vs to protect vs so far as shall be for our good Let wicked men banish vs Let them hate vs let them imprison vs let them take our liues from vs yet we haue God to reioyce in who will accompany vs in banishment in prison or in what place soeuer whose loue shal more then counteruaile all the hatred of the wicked And the life that he hath hid and treasured vp for vs shall be better then a thousand liues which they can take away This ioy is as salt to season and to sauour al our other ioyes whatsoeuer they be for without this our pleasures are vnsauourie and haue no taste nor sauour of pleasure in them Againe lastly marke what an excellent promise the Lord maketh to this ioy Psal 37.4 Delight thy selfe saith the Psalmist in the Lord and he shall giue thee thine hearts desire There is no man but would bee glad to haue his desire satisfied Loe then the way Delight thy selfe in God be carefull to keepe this blessed ioy and God who cannot lie hath promised to giue thee whatsoeuer thy heart can desire so ready is the Lord to fulfill the desire of them that reioyce and delight themselues in him It was a great fauour of the Lord vnto Salomon 1. King 3. to aske him what he should giue him and he would be readie to giue it yet God made him promise but for one request what a fauour of God is this then vnto thee that there shall be no good thing thy tongue can aske or thy heart desire but the Lord will giue it to thee so be it thou delight thy selfe in him But consider for thy further care yet of this dutie that this promise implieth also a threatning in it And that is if thou refusest to delight in God and wilt take thy pleasure and delight in vanitie in sin in the breach of the Sabbath and of other duties God will deny thee euery desire of thy heart In that which thou desirest ioy in God will send thee sorrow in that thou desirest a blessing in God will blow vpon it with his curse The not regarding this duty is a plaine and euident token of an hypocrite whom God hateth For read Iob. 27.10 The hypocrite saith Iob will he set his delight in the almightie will he call vpon God at all times making both these alike to be notes and brandes of a dissembling hypocrite that he will not at all times call vpon God neither will set his constant and continuall delight in God A fearefull thing we know it is to be an hypocrite whose portion is hell fire Mat. 24.51 it is said the Lord of the euill seruant shall cut him off and shall giue him his portion with hypocrites where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth If thou wilt haue no part nor portion in this lot of hypocrites bee no hypocrite delight in the Lord which hypocrites doe not neither can doe and so thou shalt auoid it On the contrary this holy ioy is a note of a man renued and regenerated by the Spirit of God Read Gal. 5.22 The fruite of the spirit is loue ioy peace long suffering gentlenes goodnes faith meeknes temperancy And against these is no law They that find this ioy in their hearts from the Spirit of God There is no lawe or curse of God to seaze vpon them For they are guided by the Spirit of God FINIS 2. Chron. 17.7 The vnfolding of the text The parts two The sfirst part The behauiour of Paul and Silas in prison wherein three things are to be considered First that God standeth by his seruants in their troubles Lament 1.12 Eccles 4.10 2. King 6.16 Act. 12.11 Dan. 6.22 Matth. 27. 2. Cor. ◠8 and 6.10 Iudg. 6.12 Psalme 5.11 Psalme 3.4 Iohn 20.25 1. Iohn 5.4 The secōd point How Gods children are affected in their troubles Phil. 4.4 1. Sam. 30.6 Why troubles are so vnwelcome to vs. Psalme 73.14 Psalme 126.5 As our outward troubles are many so are our blessings also Gen. 19.26
The third point They that pursue Gods seruants shall haue small cause of reioycing in the end 2. Thess 1.6 Gen. 12.3 Examples 1. King 22.25 Numb 16.30 Exod. 14.25 Matth. 27.4 Psalme 105.15 1. Sam. 24.18 Dan. 6.20 The second part of the text The conuersion of the Jailer Three things heere to be marked The estate of the Iailer before his conuersion Ephes 2 12. and 4.17 Ezech. 16.6 Iohn 4.18 Luke 19.7.8 1. Tim. 1.13 Lament 3.22 His particular sinnes 1. Crueltie Matth. 7.1 Iames 2.13 Iosh 7.19 Matth. 27. vers 28. c. 1. Sam. 14.44 Deut. 25.3 Exod. 21.24 Matth. 18.28 Prou. 27.4 His second sinâ—â— Desperatenesse Exod. 16.3 Iob 1.11 Iudg. 17.2 2. Sam. 17.23 1. Sam. 28.7 c. Lament 3.39 His third sinne Sensualitie in prosperitie To be sensuall in prosperitie a greater sin then to be impatient in aduersitie 2. Tim. 3.4 Prou. 18.11 1. Iohn 2.16 The meanes of his conuersion The first meane a farre off Doctrine 1. Sam. 24.17 The second meane Pauls care of his life Rom. 12.21 The beautie of vertue grace in Gods seruants 1. Pet. 3.1 Iohn 4. The third meane His cleauing to the Apostles The benefit of familiaritie with Gods seruants Matth. 4.19 Iohn 21.15 Iohn 21.15 Dan. 12.3 Psal 34.8 Many that may enioy this benefit looke not after it The meanes of the Iaylors conuersion which are more neere 1. His question about saluation Doct. WheÌ„ a loose person doubteth that all is not well with him he is in the way to true conuersion Matth. 9.12 Gen. 34.1 Vnto whom such should repaire Acts 2.37 Acts 10.33 The second meane The Apostles answere Faith is not in our power but the free gift of God Luke 19.10 The third Their preaching of the word of God vnto him What things they taught him out of the word Rom. 10.17 vers 10. 1. Iohn 3.3 That he so soone beleeued was more then ordinarie Rom. 8.15 Act. 16.15 Luke 19.8 Act. 9.8.9 c. Why some are holden vnder heauines longer then other He is kindly pricked who is kindly healed Verse 28. Rom. 12.21 Doctrine Exod. 23.5 Rom. 12.21 Verse 29. Verse 30. How the Lord can change a vile sinner Reuel 3.9 A great comfort to all faithfull Ministers Verse 31. Faith alone saueth 1. Ioh. 5.11.12 Rom. 3.28 Galath 2.16 Popish doctrine erronious Iames 2.24 Paul couetous to winne soules The duty of masters of families Exod. 20.10 Verse 32. An excellent example of pain in teaching Iohn 4.32.34 Rom. 10.14 Gods word the foundation of faith The effects of his faith Good workes follow faith The first fruit of his faith He receiued Baptisme Rom. 4.11 Doct. Desire to haue faith confirmed The second fruit of his faith Ioy. Luke 8.13 Rom. 5.1 Matth. 11.28 Hose 14.3 The difference betwixt true ioy and counterfeit Rom. 5.5 Act. 8.8.39 Why Gods people want this ioy Psal 51.12 Iohn 16.20 2. Cor. 12.7 Psal 126.5 Philip. 4.4 The third fruit of his faâ—th his loue to the Apostles Doct. Cruell men coruerted be kind Esay 11.6 c. Act. 2.13.37 Isai 11.6 Psa 12.4 2. Pe. 2.3 Particular fruits of his loue Psal 51.3 2. Cor. 7.11 Luke 7.38 Luke 19.8 Matth. 10.41 1. Cor. 13.2 Isai 1.12 Doct. The fourth fruit Luke 159.10 The summe and scope of this Sermon The opening of the text Three parts thereof Three points handled in the first part The truth hereof proued by Scripture and experience Matth. 24.37 2. Tim. 3.1 Iniquity aboundeth among all sorts Yong men Old men Rich. Poore Ierem. 5.4 Ministers and people The second point Application of the former to foure sorts of people The first sort of those that multiplie sinne Rom. 13.13 The second sort Ios 7.25 Leuit. 24.10 2. Sam. 17.23 The third sort Psal 50.17 2. Tim. 3.5 Matth. 7.21 The fourth sort Iam. 2.10.11 1. Kings 8.46 The third poynt The vse Heb. 11.6 Matth. 3.7 8. Two incouragements to draw all these sorts to faith and repentance The first Iohn 10.16 The second Ioel 2.13 Lament 3.40 A watchword to all the former sorts Gen. 25.32.33.34 Ierem. 8.6 Zach. 12.12 Osea 14.2.3.4 The second part of the text Reuel 2.4 Fiue things handled in this part Reuelat. 2.4 1. What our first loue is 2. Cor. 5.14 1. Iohn 5.1 Psalme 119.97 Rom. 10.15 Iohn 2. How this loue is said to be cooled 3. By what meanes If euill words corrupt good maners wicked life much more Hebr. 3.6 How the Minister should deale with such as are fallen from their first loue Hebr. 10.32 Gal. 3.1 4. How to remedy it Reuel 2.4 Two reasons why we must labour to preuent this sinne The first A caueat Examples of zeale without knowledge 2. King 3.17 Marke 16.1 The second reason 1. Cor. 13.1.2.3 The third part of the text Of the third sort Who may be truely said to continue to the end Prou. 28.13 They who shall continue First begin well 2. Pet. 3.17 Iude 20. Matth. 7.27 Secondly They grow accordingly Hebr. 11. Matth. 3.8 a Matth. 26.41 b Luke 18.1 c 1. Pet. 2.2 Matth. Philip. 1.5 The scope of this Text and whole Sermon Matth. 7.21 The occasion of these words The parts of the text three The first part The Lord commendeth the peoples words but condemneth their heart Doct. Psal 50.16 Matth. 15.29 Ezech. 33.30 Good speech commendable yea commanded Hos 14.2 1. Tim. 4.12 But it must not goe alone without other gifts Ierem. 17 9. 2. Cor. 11.14 Micah 6.6 There is a middle sin betwixt hypocrisie and sinceritie Psalm 78.35 Great heed to be taken to our couenants with God Psal 78.57 2. Pet. 2.22 Psal 119.106 The second part and doctrine out of it The feare of God cannot dwâ—ll in euery heart Three things requisit in a heart fitted to feare God Luk. 6.46 First that it be troubled for sin Luk. 5.31 Act. 2.37 Rom. 8.15 Secondly that Faith must be adioyned Luk. 5 31. Iohn 7.37 Thirdly that Sanctification must goe with both 2. Cor. 7.1 1. Iohn 3.3 Two caueats about wound of conscience Two caueats about beleeuing Two watch-words about sanctification 1. Cor. 13.1 The end why God wisheth that there were such an heart in the people First that they might feare him The feare of God a rare iewell Common professors want this feare Secondly that they might keep his Commandements 1. Chron. 28.7 This must be in particular and constantly The third part The fruit of such an heart and life First to the parties themselues Heb. 12.16 To haue peace with God a singular treasure Psalm 23.1 Iohn 13.1 Psalm 73.14 Prou. 10.9 Gal. 6.16 1. Pet. 3.12 1. Tim. 4.8 The fearefull estate of such as are not at peace with God Iob 21.14.15 1. Pet. 4.18 1. Pet. 4.4 Hap of Gods children euerlasting Psal 16.11 Luk. 21.28 2. Pet. 3.11 Secondly to their children Parents fearing God prouide wel for their children after them Comman 2. Deut. 28.46 Wicked parents are also vnnaturall towards their children Why good education hath not alwayes like effect What is meant