point let no conceit in the world nor perswasion whatsoeuer hinder vs from a present conuersion vnto God but out of hand while it is called To day let vs turne vnto him Thus much for the Exhortation The Reasons follow For hee hath spoyled and hee will heale vs he hath wounded vs and hee will bind vs vp WE haue heard already the godly perswasion of the beleeuing Iewes one to another Reasons to inforce the former exhortation to turn to the Lord from whom they had departed by their sins Now followes the reasons of their exhortation and they are twofold The first is drawn from the iustice of God in these words He hath spoyled vs hee hath wounded vs. q. d. We haue beene plagued and smitten Well it is the Lord that hath layd these heauy iudgements vpon vs it is the correcting hand of God that hath brought these grieuous afflictions vpon vs therfore let vs now Returne vnto him The second is drawn from the mercy of God in these words Hee will heale vs hee will binde vs vp q. d. Though the Lord hath smitten vs yet hee will helpe vs and heale vs if we will seeke to him for succour And surely these two reasons ought to be of force to moue euery one of vs to turne vnto God if his iudgements cannot compel vs yet his louing mercies ought to draw vs and allure vs to turne vnto him Doct. 1 Whereas the people of God in this place do not onely perswade one another simply to Returne vnto God Mans nature so corrupt that it stands in need of many reasons to perswade to holy duties but vse reason vpon reason to induce and to perswade them thereunto Hence wee may obserue the frowatdnesse and the vntowardnesse and great backwardnesse that is in all men by natuae to perform any holy duty That wee thus stand in need of so many arguments and so many reasons to perswadr vs thereunto In the whole Scriptures it is the vsuall manner of the Prophets and Apostles and holy men of God when they exhort to any vertue or dehort from any vice to adde sundry reasons that by the force thereof they might draw men to obedience This is practised of the Prophet Dauid when hee perswaded his sonne Salomon to haue a care to learne and practise the will of God 1. Chro. 28.8 And thou Salomon my sonne know thou the God of thy Fathers and serue him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind And hee addes reasons to perswade him thereunto For the Lord searcheth all hearts and vnderstandeth all the imaginations of thoughts if thou seeke him hee will bee found of thee but if thou forsake him hee will cast thee off for euer Again when Moses doth exhort the people of Israel to obserue to keepe the commandements of the Lord how many forcible arguments and reasons doth hee alledge to moue the people and to perswade them thereunto some taken from the mercies of God If thou shalt obey the voyce of the Lord thy God Deut. 28.1.2.3 v. 15.16 c. Leuit. 26.14 Mal. 2.2 and obserue all his commandements which I command thee this day all these blessings shall come on thee and ouertake thee Blessed shalt thou bee in the City and blessed in the field c. Others taken from the iustice of God But if thou wilt not obey the voyce of the Lord thy God to keepe and to doe all his commandements and ordinances which I command thee this day Deu. 6.5 cursed shalt thou bee in the towne and cursed in the field c. And in all Pauls Epistles it is his vsuall manner Rom. 12.1 where he exhorts to any vertue or dehorts from any vice to adde sundry reasons that by the force thereof he might the better preuaile 2. Cor. 9.7 I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that yee giue vp your bodies a liuing sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto God And againe As euery man wisheth in his heart so let him giue not grudgingly or of necessity for God loueth a cheerefull giuer And in the Ephesians Eph. 5.22.23 exhorting diuers estates and degrees of men as husbands and wiues Parents and children masters and seruants to the performance of the duties of their seuerall callings he doth still second the same exhortations with diuers arguments and reasons Eph. 6.5 Col. 3.22 1. Pet. 2.11 Wiues submit your selues to your husbands as to the Lord and he ads a forcible reason thereto For the husband is the wiues head as Christ is the head of his Church and so likewise of husbands seruants c. This course is likewise practised of the Apostle Peter when he sayth I beseech you as Strangers and Pilgrimes abstaine from fleshly lusts which fight against the Soule These and the like examples whereof the Scriptures are plentifull serue to manifest vnto vs the corruption that is in our nature that are so backward in the performance of any holy duety that we stand thus in need of reasons to perswade vs to the same Now this comes to passe by reason that the Theoricke part of man his will Reason vnderstanding and knowledge since the fall of man is so blinded and corrupted that it vnderstands not the things that are of God but the will and vnderstanding are so depraued of grace that now they are direct opposite to Gods will And this is the cursed nature of all men vnregenerate as the Apostle sayth The wisdome of the flesh is enmitie against God Rom. 8.7 for it is not subiect to the law of God neither can be Where the Apostle shewes plainely that the wil of a natural man 2. Cor. 3.5 that liues in sinne vnregenerate Phil. 2.13 Gen. 6. Rom. 3.7 is flat contrary nay Enmity it selfe against God and neyther will nor can be subiect to Gods will So that whatsoeuer God wils man wils not Wee are not able of our selues to thinke a good thought It is God alone that must touch our hearts and worke in vs power either to will well or worke well Nay the Lord sayth more Pro. 14.12 That the whole frame of mans heart is altogether euill continually The whole frame of mans heart the mind will vnderstanding conscience reason affection yea the whole frame of mans heart is euill onely and that continually so that it is cleare our wils are contrary to Gods will by nature and wee can no more set our selues to the performance of any good duty then a dead man can of himselfe rise out of his graue and performe any action but our wils are so infected and poysoned with sinne that we now onely seeke and desire that which is euill and against the will of God and the good of our owne soules Vse 1 Oh how should this humble vr when we shall consider what wee are by nature Euen vnto euery good worke Reprobate that we are not able not so much as to moue one finger to
walke after other gods whom yee know not and come and stand before mee in this house c. Pro. 29.8 Ioh 9.31 Psa 50.17 The Prayers of the Wicked are an abhomination vnto the Lord. Againe If I regard wickednesse in my heart the Lord will not heare me So that what sacrifice soeuer wicked men offer vp vnto God as prayer thanksgiuing comming to the Sacrament all they doe is abhomination to the Lord when they stand vpon the outward Ceremony of Gods worship Mich. 6.6.7.8 and leaue vndone the duties of faith and repentance Wherewith shall I come before the Lord and bowe my selfe before the high God Shall I come before him with burnt offerings and come with Calues of a yeare old Will the Lord bee pleased with thousands of Rams or with ten thousand riuers of oyle shal I giue my first borne for my transgression euen the fruit of my body for the sinne of my soule Hee hath shewed thee O man what is good and what the Lord requireth of thee Surely to doe iustly and to loue mercy and to humble thy selfe and to walke with thy God Reade these places Marke here and see the state of an hypocrite they goe so farre with the child of God as that they aske how to please God and are content to offer sacrifice thinking thereby to auoyde Gods anger Ier. 6.19.20 Micha 6.8 Mat. 5.20 6.1.2.3 Amos. 5.21 but they will not bee brought to mortifie their sinnefull affections And therefore the Prophet enioyneth them in the eight verse to the obseruation of the second Table to performe the duties of loue of iustice and mercy In all which places the Lord shewes that hee hath no delight nor pleasure in these outward partes of his seruice when mens hearts remaine sinnefull and they seuer the same from the knowledge and obedience to his Word and from the dueties of loue and equity to men The reason of this Doctrine is cleare Reason The Lord will bee sanctified in all that come neare vnto him Numb 16. Hee is a holy God and all that will worship him must be holy and repent of their sinnes beleeue in Iesus Christ Besides this the Lord hath respect to the manner as to the matter of our sacrifices neyther is it inough to do a good thing as to offer sacrifice to pray to receiue the Sacraments to giue to the poore these bee good duties in themselues but they must bee done in a holy manner namely in faith repentance and true obedience vnto Gods commandements for otherwise The sacrifice of the wicked is abhomination to the Lord Cain and Abel performed both one action Pro. 15.8 yet God had no respect to Cain nor his sacrifice but to Abel hee had Peter preached the Word and prayed so did Iudas but the Lord hated all that Iudas did both his preaching and his praying The Scribes and Pharisies gaue much to the poore the poore Woman gaue but a little shee was approued they condemned So that we see it is not inough to doe a good thing or matter but wee must withall doe it in a good maner and to a good end namely Gods glory and the good of our neighbour as also in faith and obedience to Gods commandements with hearts humbled for sinnes past and hating sinne for the time to come Seeing the Lord esteemes no more of these outward things as Sacrifices oblations and burnt-offerings Vse 1 c. When as they bee seuered from true faith repentance and obedience Then let vs learne hence not to content our selues to come to Church to heare the Word to pray c. but especially let vs looke to our hearts to reforme them that wee may doe all in faith good conscience and obedience and ioyne with our duties of Piety to God loue to men else the Lord cares not for them Oh let not men then any longer blesse themselues in their fond deuotions as to think when they haue been at the Church haue heard the Word receiued the Sacrament prayed with the Congregation that therefore they haue pleased God as well as the best Alas all this they may do and yet as Salomon sayth Doe but offer the sacrifice of fooles which is abhomination to the Lord. Now what a lamentable thing were this that men should liue twenty thirty forty or more yeares in the Church of God and yet all this while doe nothing to please God this is the lamentable estate and condition of many of our ciuill honest men as we call them who want the knowledge of God and haue not repented of their sinnes so as they might performe these duties in faith repentance and obedience Secondly this condemnes the whole Lumpe and Vse 2 trash of Popery which stands indeed in nothing else but in a company of foolish Ceremonies and outward shewes inuented by man not warranted nor agreeable to the word of God as the abominable Sacrifice of the Masse Praier for the dead Inuocation of Saints worshipping of Images and a Thousand the like al which as they haue no footing nor warrant from the word of God being the cheefe part of their religion so they shall find that the Lord will neuer put vp this Sacriledge at their hands and that they haue in the middest of them all when they haue beene most deuoute in the performance of these things been so farre from pleasing God as that they haue rather stirred him vp to wrath against them Thirdly and lastly seeing those men that haue gone Vse 3 so farre as to offer sacrifice vnto the Lord according to Gods commandement haue notwithstanding beene cursed and miserable and euen by their sacrifices haue sinned highly and prouoked the Lord against them as wee see heere in this people Oh then how miserable and wretched must the estate of those men be that haue not yet proceeded so farre that are so farre from offering sacrifice vnto God themselues as that they despise those that doe or if that they do it themselues it proceedes from them but coldly and carelesly this people heere were very forward to performe the outward ceremonies of Gods worship but they neuer looked vnto the right manner of doing of them which made the same to bee abhomination vnto the Lord. Now if their fall shall bee so horrible and fearefull that build and that with the good Word of God doing those duties that God doth require as this people did though they fayled in the manner of doing of them how terrible must their iudgement needes be that are so farre from building as that they are rather pullers downe and came so farre euen behind these wicked Iewes themselues in the very shews of goodnes as that they rather go beyond thē in euery kind of grosse wickednesse If these men that made such shewes of godlinesse and piety were notwithstanding accursed because they wanted reformation of heart and life Oh what shall become of those that want euen outward ciuility it selfe whose liues rather
vaine incense is abhomination vnto mee I cannot suffer your new Moones nor Sabbathes nor solemne dayes it is iniquiry not solemne assemblies My soule hateth your New Moones and your appointed Feasts they are a burden to me I am weary to beare them Thus they came not short in any Ceremony of the law they were very strict in the obseruing of them but they looked after no other thing to examine themselues in what manner they came vnto them Againe Will yee steale murder Ier. 7 9. and commit adultery sweare falsly burne Incence vnto Baal walke after other gods whom yee know not and yet come stand before mee in my house Though they continued in most horrible and grieuous sinnes Mich. 6.6 yet so long as they came into Gods house and performed there the outward duties of his worship they thought all was well And again the Lord sayth of them thus This people draw neare vnto mee with their lips Esay 29.13 but their hearts are far from mee They did onely professe outwardly in hypocrisie and the Lord declares plainely that he regarded them not Againe in the Prophet Ieremies time the people there debate the matter with the Prophet and say Oh wee come to the Temple we pray wee offer sacrifice what would yee more Oh sayth the Prophet when yee liue in sinne this is but to make the Lords house a denne of theeues And by the Prophet Esay the Lord threatneth destruction to them that come vnto the seruice of God in hypocrisie and our Sauior Christ in diuers places doth threaten a woe to the Scribes and Pharisies because they did all in hypocrisie to bee seene of men and not of conscience towards God Well then wee see the Doctrine sufficiently cleared that it is the property of an hypocrite to content himselfe with the outward part of Gods worshippe Two sorts of hypocrites and neuer lookes after sincerity of heart within Now there are two sorts of Hypocrites the grosse Hypocrite and the close Hypocrite The first is hee that outwardly in words professeth the name of Christ and yet in heart and life vtterly denies him and these men are such as come to church heare the Word receiue the Sacrament and perform all outward actions of Gods worship and seruice as if they were true Christians but if you looke into their liues they are most vile and prophane The holy Apostle Saint Paul describes them thus They professe they know God Tit. 1.16 and yet by their works they deny him being disobedient and to euery good worke reprobate For they wil so professe Christ and the Gospell as still they wil liue in sinne in lying stealing drunkennesse whordome Three sorts of grosse hypocrites swearing couetousnesse pride or ignorance these be grosse hypocrites which will cry Lord Lord and yet their liues are vile and wicked And of these there are three sorts First the Atheist who professeth Christ in Word Atheists and yet in heart contemnes him these are they which for feare of the Law come to Church heare the Word and receiue the Sacrament of this sort are the greatest sort of our Church-Papists all contemners of the Word and the like professing Christ in shew but yet in heart they deny him contemne him make no account of God nor his Word but tread it vnder foot Secondly those which for feare and fashion sake professe Christ come to Church heare the Word Temporists receiue the Sacrament yet all for fashion and custome nothing for conscience sake and of these wee haue thousands amongst vs who performe all these duties for custome and fashion sake Oh let vs take heed that we doe not professe onely in outward shew but looke to our hearts that wee may doe all of conscience to please God in obedience to his commandements let vs not make it a matter of custome to come to heare the Word to receiue the Sacrament or for feare of the Law but of conscience towards God otherwise these things will turne one day to our greater condemnation And the third sort are the Epicures which make their pleasures sports and pastimes their God Epicures and will spend more houres in eating drinking sports and pleasures then in the seruice of God then hearing reading praying singing of Psalmes and holy meditaon all their profession of Christ is but in hypocrisie from the teeth outward the heart is not sound these mē may ptofesse Christ long inough come to church heare the Word and receiue the Sacrament yet so long as their heart is set so eagerly on the World on their profites and pleasures they doe but deceiue their owne soules Our Sauiour teacheth vs that men may come with open mouth Mat 7.21 and cry Lord Lord if they lead not holy liues and haue godlinesse and true obedience in their hearts they shall perish 2. Thes 1.7 It is not Lord Lord that will serue the turne but men must labour to know the Word and will of God and ioyne to their knowledge christian obedience Oh then in what a lamentable estate and condition Vse 1 bee most men and women seeing this is the common bane of our time that men and women content themselues with the outward naked profession of Christ onely to performe the outward parts of his worshippe and seruice though in heart they care not for him if they come to Church and here spend an houre for fashion sake or for feare of the Law they looke after no more though all the weeke after they contemne Christ and serue the Deuil the World and their own vncleane lusts and desires Oh let such men and women bee heere admonished that it will not serue their turne or goe for pay before God Oh let vs learne then to goe farther and in heart to beleeue in Christ and in our liues to obey him the people in Moses his time say Oh wee will doe all but what sayth the Lord Oh Deu. 5.27 that there were such an heart in them shewing indeed that they were but hypocrites they had Gods word Wee will doe all Wee will come to the Church we will heare the Word receyue the Sacrament and what yee will Here were goodly words golden speeches glorious promises but their hearts were naught Oh is not this our case wee haue goodly words wee can cry Lord Lord with open mouth What will yee more wee come to Church wee heare the Sermon wee receiue the Sacrament c. But tell me is thy heart sound is thy heart set vpon God doest thou hunger after Iesus Christ doest thou loue the Word of God aboue gold and siluer if thou find not this affection in thee thy heart is naught neyther canst thou bee saued vnlesse thou repent The second sort of hypocrites are the close ones Close hypocrites which make a goodly shew and a fayre outward profession of Christ yea haue sundry good gifts and common graces yet are but
plenty and aboundance how may wee remoue the anger of God and his iudgements eyther already vpon or else eminent ouer our heads Surely remoue the cause of Gods iudgements namely sinne else the hand of God cannot bee remoued And therefore let vs all practise this counsell and wisely consider what the Lord hath against vs and wherefore hee is angry with vs that so wee may bee reconciled vnto him and brought into his fauour againe This Doctrine Vse may serue to condemne that preposterous course that many men doe take eyther for themselues when they lye vnder the Crosse or with others For themselues If the hand of God lye vpon them with long and tedious sicknesse how many are there that leaue the Lord and resort to Witches and Wizards that looke againe more to the meanes then they doe to the Lord without whose blessing they can doe vs no good So in time of Famine Pestilence Warre and the like how many are the windings and turnings in the heart of man to preuent the iudgements of God they will leaue no attempt vnattempted for their deliuerance But to trie their owne hearts to find out their sinnes which are so many rebellious Ionasses in the shippe of their own soules that haue moued the Lord to send those stormes of afflictions Oh this they neuer thinke vpon And as they themselues fayle in the maine point of all that is to try their owne hearts to looke into their wayes and to turne vnto the Lord by vnfained sorow So deale they with others for what is the counsell else they giue vnto others in time of sicknesse but this Be of good cheare Eate warme meats Vse good physicke c. Oh! this is not the counsell we should giue but to say with the godly heere Come returne to the Lord Repent of thy sinnes beg the pardon of them at Gods hands This is the counsell wee must giue to the afflicted and not to seeke helpe from men before wee haue sought forgiuenesse of sinnes of God Come let vs returne vnto the Lord. Heere we may see the fruit of true conuersion they seeke not euery man his owne good but the good of their brethren and therefore vse godly motions and christian perswasiōs one to another to returne vnto God Doct. 3 From whose godly practise and religious example wee gather a further poynt of Doctrine It is the duty of euery christian to labor to draw others to god that it is not inough for a man to goe to heauen himselfe but it is the duty of euery Christian to labour to draw others with them as these holy Seruants of God say heere Come let vs returne these bee their godly perswasions one to another they labour to goe hand in hand in their repentance as we say to men women Come will yee goe to the Market fayre c. So in Religion we must call one vpon another to draw men to God and as one wicked man seeketh to make another like himselfe so hee that is truely conuerted will not rest in that inward comfort of his owne conuersion but will labour by all meanes to conuert others vnto GOD and labour to make them partakers of the same comfort which they themselues haue receiued from God This thing is very apparant in the conuersion of the godly when Andrew was brought to Christ hee found his brother Simon Io. 1.41.43.45 and said vnto him We haue found that Messias that is Christ So when Christ called Phillip and said vnto him Follow me Io. 4 28. Phillip found Nathaniel and sayd vnto him Wee haue found him of whom Moses did write in the Law and in the Prophets Iesus the sonne of Ioseph that was of Nazareth The like appeares in the woman of Samaria when Christ had reueiled himselfe vnto her and offered her to drinke of the water of life after which she should neuer thirst agane shee ran into the Citty and said Come see a man which hath told mee all things that euer I did is not hee that Christ being moued her selfe she labours to moue others And this doth the Prophet Dauid promise vnto the Lord that if hee would restore him once more vnto the ioy of his saluation that then he would become a Preacher Ps 51.12.13 Ps 66.16 Ps 116. Gal. 3 2. Cor. 1.4 Esay 38.19 Luk. 22.23 and Proclaimer of the same mercy vnto others And surely this is a speciall fruit of faith and true repentance to labour by all meanes possible to conuay grace vnto others and to shew them what God hath done for our soules and to draw out the blessings which God hath bestowed vpon our selues to the good and benefit of others The Prophet Dauid doth labour herein Come sayth he and I will shew you what God hath done for my soule And the Elect are called vessels of mercy because they being themselues filled with the mercies of God should draw out the same as good liquor for the vse and comfort of others Saint Paul sayth God had mercy on him that he might shew mercy vnto others The child of God is not like vnto Nabol All for himselfe but he is taught of God to loue his brother And thus wee see how wee ought to behaue our selues in respect of Gods gifts we must not hide them in the ground or in a napkin but wee must imploy the same to the good of others This may serue to reproue that common conceite Vse 1 in mens minds that so long as they doe well themselues they need not care how other◠doe whether they sinke or swimme whether they goe forward or backeward grow vpward or downeward to God or the Diuell but it is impossible for any Christian man or woman who hath truely tasted of the worke of grace in his owne heart but hee must communicate the same to the good of others Indeed most men little regarde this they cannot be perswaded that they bee bound to saue the soules of their brethren and therefore they say euery man for himselfe and God for vs all but the truth is that when euery man seeks himselfe the Deuill gets all To saue soules to draw men to Christ Oh wee thinke this is the Ministers duety it belongs to him alone it belongs not to vs. True it is that it belongs especiall to the Minister to labour to saue mens soules and therefore they are especially bound to labour by continuall teaching and preaching of the word of God as also by their godlie life to draw men to God to exhort them to call vpon them to turne vnto the Lord and if they bee negligent and carelesse the flocke of Christ must needs go to ruine yet many there are that feed themselues to the full but regard not to feed the flocke ouer which the holy Ghost hath made them Ouerseers These are they that liue of the Altar but care not to minister at the Altar They will bee sure to reape carnall things but they haue no
set thee as Zeboim my heart is turned within mee my repentings are rolled together So that the words shew vnto vs how that the Lord is as it were troubled and perplexed in himselfe that he could not tell what course to take when the sinnes of the people stirred vp his displeasure on the one side the hainousnes of the peoples sinnes prouoked him to punish them and to make them as Sodom and Gomor but on the other side his fatherly loue and tender compassion moued him to hold his hand Iudg. 10.16 and to stay his iudgements And in another place it is sayd That his soule was grieued for the miserie of Israel Euen as a tender hearted Father doth many times correct his child when the teares stand in his owne eyes Psal 89.33 So that we see that true of the Prophet That the mercy of God is ouer all his workes and that in iudgement he remembreth mercy yea hee hath promised that though hee whip and scourge his children yet his mercy hee will neuer take from them And howsoeuer for the present time no affliction is ioyous but grieuous yet if we haue grace to submit our selues vnto it It bringeth with it the quiet fruit of righteousnesse Thus haue wee seene with what affection the Lord doth chasten vs as also that all iudgements whatsoeuer layde vpon vs should moue vs to repentance And the reason is Reason because by repentance and amendment of life all perils and dangers are preuented and wholly remoued away from vs according to that of the Prophet But if a Nation against whom I haue pronounced turne from their wickednesse Ier. 18.8 I will repent of the plague that I thought to bring vpon them This appeares by the example of Nineueh whom we named before and the like and therefore let all such as lye vnder any chastisement alwayes search out their wayes and descend into their owne consciences to see how they haue moued God to wrath prouoked him against them This is the onely practise that the Prophet doth prescribe vs to take vnder any iudgement or calamity whatsoeuer Lam. 3.39 Wherefore is the liuing man sorrowfull Man suffereth for his sinne Let vs search and try our wayes and turne vnto the Lord. This is the right way to stop the breach of Gods wrath and to call in his iudgements when they are gone out against vs. This Doctrine may serue to direct vs Vse what wee ought to doe and how wee ought to carry our selues in all manner of iudgements and calamities whatsoeuer namely not to bee gazers to looke vpon Gods iudgements but to take them to heart and say surely the Lord is iust in his visitation for the Lord hath vsed al means to do vs good by his mercies and by his iudgements famine sword sicknes and the like but where is the man that makes the true vse of Gods chastisements that is humbled by them that doth meet the Lord by vnfained sorrow for sinne Alas this is little thought of by many as appeareth by their seuerall windings and turnings that are in their hearts to escape the iudgements of God but yet neuer resolue of this which is the onely way of all To turne vnto the Lord. Oh let vs therefore be admonished hereby to search our wayes to suruay our owne hearts and to proue by the touchstone of the Word our owne thoughts words and works that we haue conceiued spoken and done that hath moued the Lord to proceed so in iustice against vs and when wee haue found out our falles and infirmities we are in a serious manner to mourne for them and to turne vnto the Lord with all or hearts This duty is vrged by the Prophet Ieremy Lam. 3.39.40.41.42 Heb. 12.5.6.10.9 Wherefore is the liuing man sorrowfull Man suffereth for his sinnes Oh let vs search and try our wayes and turne vnto the Lord. Let vs lift vp our hearts with our hands vnto the God of heauen saying we haue sinned and haue rebelled therefore thou hast most spared for surely this is the onely marke that God shooteth at and this is the end of all his chasticements namely this to bring vs home to himselfe and not to destroy vs for euer He hath spoyled he hath wounded Doct. 3 Marke here how the people of God doe acknowledge that it was the correcting hand of God which had thus afflicted them All chasticements and afflictions come from God and brought all this wofull misery vpon them they do not say it was the Assirians that had spoyled and wounded them but they looke higher and attribute all to the Lord and say The Lord hath spoyled and hee hath wounded vs. From whence wee obserue a third point of Doctrine namely that all chasticements and afflictions iudgements and corrections come from the Lord alone hee sends them imposeth them and layes them on his people he moderates them at his pleasure for so sayth the Prophet Is there any euill in the City which the Lord hath not sent That is any iudgement or punishment sicknes Amos. 3.6 pouerty crosses afflictions or calamities but they come from the Lord he sends them and layes them on his people his Quiuer is full of these arrowes Exod. 9.32 Psal 148.8 Ier. 25.9.11 he hath the sword to strike vs he hath the pestilence to consume vs he hath famine to pine vs yea he hath all creatures at commaund to humble man and being sent of God they shall preuaile As the Flies Frogs Lyce did preuayle against Pharaoh his people yea Fire and Hayle Snow and Vapors Deu. 4.27 Stormes and winds doe execute his wurd If it hayle in Egypt God sendeth that haile on Pharaoh If an east wind bring in Grashoppers Hos 2.6 a west wind driue them out Moses tels vs that both come from the Lord what iudgements chastisements or afflictions soeuer light vpon man they come not by chance or any blind fortune but they come to passe through the soueraigne power of the Almighty Creator I will send sayth the Lord and take to me all the Families of the North and I wil bring them against this land And againe I beginne to plague that City where my name is called vpon And againe when the Lord would bring his Church from Idolatry hee sayeth Behold 2. Reg. 19.6 I will stoppe thy wayes with thornes and wake an hedge that shee shall not find her pathes So Esay comforteth the messengers of Hezechiah against the blasphemy of Senacherib So shall you say to your Master Iob. 1.12 2.6 Mat. 8.31 Thus sayth the Lord Bee not afraid of the words which thou hast heard Behold I will send a blast vpon him c. And wee see in the History of Iob that the Deuill could not slay the seruants of Iob with the sword burne vp his sheepe with fire spoyle him of his Cammels by robbers destroy his children with winds nor touch his person with byles
wounded doth make no account at all of the same nor neuer seekes vnto God for mercy Hee will heale vs hee will bind vs vp NOw followes the second reason drawne from the mercy of God For though hee hath spoyled vs and wounded vs yet he will heale vs and bind vs vp againe And these be the most gracious words of God himselfe Behold I am hee and there is no God but I Deu. 32.34 1. Sam. 26. I kill and make aliue I wound and make whole againe And therefore this reason drawne from the mercy of God seeing hee offers himselfe to heale vs and to bind vp the wounds of our soules Oh it ought to moue vs greatly to turne vnto him So then the point of Doctrine that offers itselfe to Doct. 1 be considered of vs is this The mercy of God must lead men to repentance that as the iudgements of God must alluremen to repentance and to returne vnto God so must his mercies I remember the speech in the Prophet where the Lord is pleased to make vs the better to conceiue of his mercy to take to himselfe the affections of a man Ier. 31.20 Hos 11.8 His bowels were troubled for Ephraim And againe How shall I giue thee vp Ephraim how shall I deliuer thee Israel how shall I make thee as Admah how shall I set thee as Zeboim my heart is turned within mee my repentings are rowled together It is all one as if the Lord should haue said Oh it goes neare me O Ephraim Exod. 34.6.7 O Israel that I should euen be forced by thy rebellion and horrible impieties to deale so straightly with thee And the Lord tels Moses Psal 86.15 that he is a Mercifull and a gracious God slow to anger and abundant in goodnesse and truth reseruing mercy for thousands and forgiuing iniquity and transgression and sinne Hee is called againe of the Psalmist A pittifull God And the like is intended in the language of the new Testament That when hee saw the multitude dspersed as sheepe hauing no shepheard his bowels earned within him Mat. 9.36 These examples and the like whereof the Scriptures are full all serue to confirm the euerlasting truth of this doctrine that God is a God of mercy that his mercies ought to allure men to repentance for though the thundering out of the threatnings and iudgements of the Law be a meanes to awake a secure heart yet nothing will so much affect a mans mind euen melt a mans soule to make a man returne vnto God as the due knowledge and consideration of the vnspeakable riches of Gods mercy and therefore it is no maruell though the Prophet here doe vse this as one forcible reason to stir vp men to make their returne vnto God by vnfained repentance for that he will bee ready to Heale our sores and Bind vp the bleeding wounds of our soules which we haue made by sinne if we will repent and returne vnto him And indeed this is one of the maine differences betwixt the godly and the wicked The iustice of God doth sometimes so farre preuaile with the wicked as that they feare and tremble but it is not for the losse of Gods fauour but for feare of torment But on the contrary the goodnesse and mercy of God doth euen cause the seruants of God to quake and to tremble lest by any means they should depriue themselues of the comfortable enioying of his loue according to that of the Prophet Dauid Psal 130.4 There is mercy with thee O Lord that thou mayest be feared Oh blessed feare when the mercy of God doth beget it in a mans Soule So then we see that the mercy of God is infinite his compassion is higher then the heauens it is the greatest dishonour done vnto God that can be to doubt of his fauour and to call his louing kindnesse into question Let vs build vp his promises as a sure foundation that shall neuer be remoued Heauen and Earth shall passe away but his word shall not passe away We haue the Word and the Oath of God as two vnchangeable Witnesses so that it is impossible he should lye or be deceyued Againe we haue the Sacraments of God as two Authenticke Seales to ratifie his promises and to make them most sure vnto vs. Mat. 5.18 Heb. 6.18 Rom. 8.16 And we haue withall the earnest penny as a pawne left vnto vs and all to assure vs of his fauour and loue and therefore this reason of the Church and people of God drawne from the mercy of God seeing that he is so ready to pardon sinne and to entertain poore penitent sinners that sue to him for mercy it ought to be most forceable vnto vs to moue vs to Returne vnto him Now let vs come to the vses First seeing that the Lord as hee doth wound vs chastice man for sinne so it is he alone that is the spirituall Vse 1 Physitian of our soules Hence then we are directed to whom to seeke for remedy euen vnto God alone who as he wounds so he heales as he breaketh asunder so hee bindeth vp If a man haue some dangerous disease in his body or other deadly wound if hee know any man to be of skill and a faithfull Chirurgion he will seeke to him and let him out and laâ—nce him Well this is our case we bee spiritually sicke euen vnto eternall death in regard of ourselues our soules be grieuously and dangerously wounded what shall we now doe but runne to Iesus Christ the blessed Physitian of our soules who is most able and willing to cure vs and heale vs And as the poore Begget vnlaps his legges and shewes his grieuous sores to those that passe by and all to moue compassion So let vs not be ashamed to lay open our soules to Iesus Ghrist let vs confesse our grieuous and manifold sinnes Let vs not be ashamed to let him see our spirituall wounds but let vs make our moane to him and craue his help and begge as for life death for the pardon of them and if wee can get but one drop of his precious bloud it will bee a plaister to heale our wounds and cure the deadly diseases of our soules When the children of Israel had grieuously sinned Num. 21. the Lord sent fierie Serpents amongst them now many of them by the stinging and biting of them were so inflamed that they died and could not be cured But when they repented and cryed to God in their misery behold he commaunds that Moses should make a brazen Serpent set it vpon hie that so many as were stung with those fiery Serpents might cast their eyes immediately vpon that brazen Serpent and so might bee cured Euen so all of vs are stung by the fiery Serpents of our sinnes and we newly wallowing in the bloud of our soules Yet see Oh see the mercy of God who hath giuen vnto vs his owne sonne who is the brazen
thou haddest faith it would apply Iesus Christ vnto thy owne soule in particular though not at all times with the like assurance this Paul begged for the Colossians That they might bee filled with all wisedome and spirituall vnderstanding that they might bee able to comprehend what is the breadth and length and depth and height Col. 1.9 Eph. 5.18 and to know the loue of Christ So that wee see that the true knowledge of God and of Christ it is such a iewell that God will not trust all men with but onely the Elect. Now let vs see what vses this Doctrine may affoord vs for our further instruction Vse 1 This may serue in the first place to reproue those that rest vpon a confused and superstitious knowledge of God such knowledge as may bee had by the light of nature or such as may bee gathered by the sight of creatures but will some say are there any such amongst Christians vndoubtedly there be who hauing liued in the bosome of the Church and in the cleare light of the Gospell ten twenty yea thirty or more yeares together and yet to their shame be it spoken haue no more true sauing knowledge of God then the very heathen that neuer heard of Christ so that Heb. 5.12 whereas in regard of their continuance in the Church and the meanes that haue beene offered vnto them They might haue beene teachers of others yet haue they need to bee taught the beginning of faith and are such as haue need of milke and not of strong meat who can consider without griefe of heart in what state the greatest number of our people stand at this day how many haue wee amongst vs I will not say as God said of the Infants of Nineueh that know not their right hand from their left but men growne and of riper yeares which in regard of their time might haue beene teachers of other yet themselues are ignorant in the maine principles of Religion these are like to the Potters clay ready to take any form What false religion and idolatrous worship if it were authorized would they not subscribe vnto a lamentable case that wee should be still as babes and children ready to bee drawne away with euery blast of vaine Doctrine not being able to decerne the darkenesse of error from the light of truth seeing as our Apostle saith 2. Cor. 4.3.4 2. Thes 2.11.12 If our Gospell bee hid it is hid to them which perish in whom the God of this world hath blinded their minds Thus doth God send them strong delusions that they should beleeue lyes That all they might bee damned which beleeue not the truth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnes Io. 5.39 Let vs then seeke for knowledge as for treasures and let vs Search the Scriptures that in them wee may haue eternall life Let vs haue the word of God dwell plentifully in vs which is able to make vs wise to saluation Let vs vse all good meanes to beget knowledge in vs euen this sanctified knowledge which will bring a man to eternall life Let vs often call our own wayes to an account and labour to bee humbled for our sins beg hard for mercy and pardon of them at Gods hands then vse all good meanes as hearing the Word reading praying c. For if by these things we make not way to our knowledge whereupon it may be built as vpon a sure foundation Alas our knowledge it will be but vaine idle swimming in the braine and farre from leading a man to the Kingdome of grace or of glory Oh then thinke of this betimes whilest the day of grace lasteth Oh man thou art laboured with from Sabbath to Sabbath that thy heart may be seasoned with the knowledge of saluation and that now thou mayest bee prepared for Christ if now therefore thou reiect this kindnesse of his it shall at last bee iust with God to turne this thy great ingratitude as dung into thy face and because thou hast hated knowledge Mat. 1.23 Pro. 7.22 therefore the Lord may iustly say Depart from mee yee cursed I know you not And that wee may bee able to try our selues whether we haue this knowledge in our hearts which puts vs into the reall possession of eternall life it hath certaine notes and properties whereby it may bee decerned The properties of this sauing knowledge 1. Io. 3.3 Act. 15.9 The first effect and property of this sauing knowledge is this that being put into the heart of a Christian it will purge a mans soule mind will and affection Euery one that hath this hope speaking of this knowledge of God hee will purge himselfe as hee is pure And againe Faith purifieth the heart so then hereby thou mayest trie and proue thy knowledge whether it bee this sauing knowledge of God 1 It purgeth the heart or not if thou finde that it purifies thy heart purgeth thy mind will and affection from sinne this is an infallible marke and token that it is this blessed and sanctified knowledge that is begunne in thee whereas on the contrary part carnall knowledge puffes vp the mind but this knowledge expels pride and casts a man downe for his sins and therefore if thou finde thy heart filthy and thy will rebellious thy knowledge then is but fleshly and carnall and it is not this sauing knowledge that is within thee Secondly this knowledge is not a dead knowledge but it is a liuing knowledge 2 It will quicken those that haue it it is a quickning knowledge and therefore called Eternall life because it is liuing and will quicken those that haue it in their breasts it will not suffer a man to lye dead in sin and rotting in sin but it will rayse him vp and quicken him in all holy duties to doe the Will of God The third property of this Knowludge is 3 It is euer working to destroy sinne it is not an idle knowledge onely swimming in the braine but it is an operatiue and working knowledge it will worke in them that haue it the mortification of sinne and it will abolish naturall corruption by little and little it will be powerful to worke many graces in them which haue it as Faith Repentance Mortification and newnesse of life loue of God zeale of his glory sincere obedience to his Will in all things The fourth property of this sauing knowledge is this 4 It is permanent it lasts for euer that being put into the mind of any Christian man or woman it is durable and permanent and therefore our Sauiour cals it Eternall Life because this Knowledge lasteth not for a day or two or for a yeare or two but being begunne in this life it lasteth for euer Wee know in part onely in this life but our knowledge shall bee perfect in the life to come Now seeing what this Knowledge is and what properties Vse 2 and effects it hath namely that this Knowledge is such a blessed gift
the Word preached and taught read receiue or what duty else wee are to perform in Gods seruice chearefulnesse is required And indeed this is that which puts the difference betwixt the godly and the wicked in all Christian dueties whatsoeuer The wicked man with Cain comes with his Sacrifice as well as Abel And so for hearing reading prayer receyuing and the like the Hipocrite comes so maskt vnto these duties that the child of God at all times is not able to decerne betwixt them both the godly and the wicked yet if they would sit as Iudge ouer their owne hearts they might euen by the rule of this Doctrine Note perceiue a great difference for the one doth performe these duties for fashion sake for feare of the Law shame punishment or the like whereas the child of God doth performe them willingly and chearefully notwithstanding no temporall Law did require the same but onely in obedience vnto Gods most righteous lawes and holie commandements And surely there can be no greater ioy to any Christian soule then to know how God the Father is affected vnto him and loues him as his child to know that Iesus Christ hath been content to shed his owne heart bloud to saue his soule and to know the power of Gods Spirit weakning our corruption and making vs to cry Abba Father this knowledge passeth all knowledge in the world Rom. 8.15 this wil bring peace of conscience and ioy in the Holy Ghost Seeing that wee must seeke after Knowledge so willingly and so chearefully Vse as the Huntsman after his game And so that all duties in Gods worshippe and seruice are to be performed of vs willingly and chearefully we learn how God doth esteeme of our actions and that not according to the worke it selfe but according to the affection of the doer This is cleare by the Lords own words when he sayth This people come neare mee with their mouth Esa 29.13 and honour mee with their lips but their hearts are farre from mee Alas what the better to draw neare to the Lord with our lippes when our hearts are from the Lord It is the seruice of the heart that tht Lord looks after and this was Ezechias comfort and cheare when he was to goe the way of all flesh that hee could say in truth of heart Esa 28.3 Remember Lord that I haue walked before thee in truth and with an vpright heart And what is the cause why carnall men and women neuer seeke for this knowledge but come alwayes to the Ministery of the Word for custome and for fashion sake Alas they could neuer find the excellency of this Knowledge they neuer felt the power of this Knowledge they neuer yet tasted of the sweetnesse of this Knowledge then no maruell they prize it not nor heare it with any chearefulnesse at all Oh then let vs all labour to feele our spirituall want of it that so wee may hunger and thirst after it as the spirituall foode of our Soules Then shall wee endeuour our selues to know the Lord. One thing more may be noted from these words that seeing the child of God vpon his Repentance true conuersion vnto God Doct. hath not onely true sanctified Knowledge Gods children labour for an encrease of knowledge dayly in thē Then shall wee haue Knowledge but more then that Wee shall endeuour our selues to know the Lord that is not rest content with a small measure of the Knowledge of Gods will but to attaine euerie day to a greater measure of the same Hence wee are taught this point of Doctrine that the children of God are not content with a little knowledge but they still desire for more and labour to grow and to encrease in Knowledge The couetous man the more hee hath the more hee couets Euen so the Christian man and woman is right couetous of heauenly matters hee couets dayly for more knowledge in the Word to haue a greater part in this blessed Knowledge of God and of our saluation by Iesus Christ and in this regard the child of God is like vnto a man in a dropsie the more he drinks the more he is a thirst Euen so the more knowledge the child of God hath the more he hungers and thirsts after this Knowledge that he may grow in the same And this is a speciall point to bee noted that there is no standing at a stay in Religion for eyther wee must goe forward or backward eyther wee must grow dayly in Knowledge 1. Thes 4.4 or else we must needs decay in Knowledge And for this cause Saint Paul doth often pray for those Churches to whom hee writes that they may grow in Knowledge and spirituall vnderstanding and Saint Peter hee exhorts vs 1. Pet. 2.2 As new borne Babes to desire the sincere milke of the Word that wee may grow thereby Where hee layes down three most excellent points First that here wee be but as babes in Knowledge and children in vnderstanding of the Word Wee know heere but in part Secondly hee shewes the means whereby we must encrease in knowledge namely the sincere Milke of the Word of God the Preaching of the Gospell of Christ it is the foode of our soules whereby wee must bee nourished to eternall Life And thirdly the end of the preaching the Gospell namely that wee may grow in knowledge grow in faith grow in obedienc so that though men heare the Word yet if they grow not and are not bettered by it they are no good hearers the Word hath no good fruit in them This duty of growing and increasing in Knowledge and all spirituall graces is often vrged in the Scripture 1. Cor. 13.9 1. Thes 4.4 2. Pet. 3.18 Heb. 6.1 Pro. 4.18 We beseech you brethren exhort you in the Lord Iesus that yee encrease more and more grow in grace And againe Let vs bee ledde forward to perfection And the Prophet compares the graces of God in the Elect to the waters flowing from the Sanctuary Ezec. 47.3 which were at the first to the Ancles then to the Knees next to the Loynes and last to a Riuer that could not bee passed ouer So are the graces of God in the Elect though their beginning be but small yet they encrease dayly till they come to that full measure the which the Lord hath allotted to euery Christian The Doctrine being thus cleared wee will now come to the vses of the same Vse This Doctrine doth concerne vs all very neerely wee professe our selues Schollers in the Schoole of Christ now then let vs not proue Trewants after long teaching and preaching to proue ignorant of the Principles of Religion as the a.b.c. If our children goe to Schoole and learne nothing it must needs be that they play the Truants or else they haue a bad Master Euen so we being long taught in the word what shame is it that wee should still proue ignorant of the Word of God We are trees
troubles calamities in wife children goods good name the Lord hath many of these wayes to humble vs that by them perceyuing his angry countenance towards vs wee might be humbled for our sins and sue to him for mercy and whensoeuer the Lord is constrayned to take this course with vs hee doth it vnwillingly with griefe of heart as is manifest by that notable place in this Prophet Hos 11.8 How shall I giue thee vp O Ephraim how shall I deliuer thee O Israel how shall I make thee as Admah how shall I set thee as Zeboim my heart is turned within mee and my repentance is rolled together The iustice of God in this place requires vengeance the mercy of God requires pitty and compassion and betwixt them both God seemeth to bee straighted which shewes how hardly he is drawne to punish that notwithstanding the sinnes of Ephraim Israel did require that the Lord should punish them as he did Sodom and Gomorrah the Cities about them yet his fatherly loue and tender compassion towards them stayed his iudgements Vse 1 Now let vs come to the vses of this Doctrine This serues in the first place to reproue condemne the desperate behauiour of al wicked and vngodly sinners that neglect and contemne if not stubbornely resist all the meanes of their good that the Lord doth offer vnto them so as the Lord may iustly complain of them as of Ephraim and Iudah heere O Ephraim what shall I doe vnto thee O Iudah how shall I entreat thee His word his mercies his iudgements what means soeuer the Lord may vse for their conuersion they frustrate them all If hee doe cry in their eares by his Prophets through the preaching of the Word which is the power of God Alas how many be there amongst vs that Like the deafe Adder stop their eares at the voyce of the Charmer charme hee neuer so wisely Psal 58.4.5 but this Word the which now they seem so much to despise shal leaue such an impression in their soules and consciences that at the last day if there were no witnesse to accuse them for their contempt thereof yet their owne consciences would hayle them to iudgement or else if they doe hearken vnto it and attaine to some knowledge by it yet they hate to bee reformed by it Psal 50.4.5 and so by that means procure vnto themselues the greater damnation Againe if God allure them by his gracious benefites how many bee there amongst vs that most carelesly and most wretchedly abuse them That turne the grace of God into wantōnes or if the Lord proceed further to correct them they are neuer the better by it but with wicked Ahaz Trespasse yet more against the Lord 2. Cor. 28.22 so that the Lord may iustly complaine of them as sometimes hee did of the old rebellious Iewes I haue corrected them but they haue not been humbled And I would to God that this complaint might not iustly bee taken vp of vs the people of this land vnto whom the Lord hath vsed euery one of these meanes His faithfull Ministers that haue cryed vnto vs almost these threescore yeares together besides how many blessings haue wee enioyed liberty peace abundance euery man may sit and reioyce vnder his owne Vine besides this many times againe Hee hath hedged in our wayes with thornes as famines pestilences sicknesses Hos 2.6 vnseasonable weather as this Winter and Summer last doe testifie And now againe hath turned our sorrow into ioy by giuing vs a happy season this latter part of the yeare so that in these respects the Lord may say vnto vs as hee sayd sometimes of Israel What shall I doe vnto thee that I haue not done or as my Text sayth here Oh Ephraim what shall I doe vnto thee Oh Iudah how shall I intreat thee Neuer age had more experience of the goodnesse of God towards them then this age wherein wee liue if wee eyther regard the preaching of the Word his iudgements or his mercies by some of them the Lord hath still sought vnto vs and yet alas as though all this were nothing Esay 5.12 wee passe our time in carnall security and sinnefull pleasures Neuer regarding the works of the Lord nor considering the operation of his hands So that now the Lord may iustly take vp that complaint against vs Esay 5.4 as heere hee did against Ephraim Iudah O England what shall I doe vnto thee O England how shal I intreat thee And therefore we may well feare that he that thus called vpon vs Pro. 1.24.26 and that by so many meanes and wee refused that the time shall come that we shall cry and call vpon him euen till our hearts are ready to breake within vs and hee will not heare vs but bee so farre from pittying vs in time of our distresse as that hee will rather laugh at our destruction Secondly this may serue to admonish vs all in the Vse 2 feare of God that whensoeuer the Lord shall call vs by any meanes whatsoeuer be it by the Ministery of his Word bee it by his mercies or bee it by his iudgements or any other means whatsoeuer that we be not of a dead and senselesse heart that will not stoupe vnder Gods hand but labour to make a sanctified vse of euery one of them for if they preuaile not with vs to humble vs for sinne and to make vs seeke vnto God by true and vnfained repentance alas our case is most miserable and desperate Oh then in the feare of God let vs heare his voyce when he speaketh vnto vs in his word and pray vnto him that hee would open our hearts as he did the heart of Lydia if that doe not yet let his mercies wherewith hee doth as it were follow vs at the heeles most rebellious wretches as wee bee moue vs and mollifie our hard and stony hearts if not his mercy yet let his iudgements preuaile with vs to make vs to stoope vnder his mighty hand Otherwise if wee will needs bee desperate and harden our hearts against all such blessed meanes Oh then let vs assure our selues that that iudgement shall come vpon vs overtake vs Ver. 5. that heere hee threatned against Ephraim Iudah I haue cut them downe by the Prophets I haue slaine them by the words of my mouth that is because no meanes that I could vse would doe them good but they did harden their hearts against the same therefore now those threatnings of my Propbets shall come vpon them and I will make good the words of my mouth that is bring to passe all my iudgements threatned against them Secondly in that the Lord complaineth here that Doct. 2 no meanes that hee could vse Wicked men continue still in sinne notwithstanding all meanes to the contrary could doe them any good saying What shall I doe vnto thee how shall I intreat thee Wee may heete behold how desperate the case of
had beene done amongst them of Sodom they had remayned to this day But I say vnto you that it shall bee easier for them of the land of Sodom in the day of iudgement then for thee In this place our Sauiour declares vnto vs that such places as haue had the preaching of the Word amongst them and haue accounted light of the same shall receiue at the last day a greater measure of condemnation then those that neuer heard the sound therof You wil think it a harsh comparison if I should compare our land to Sodom Gomor wee know how the Lord destroyed them with fire brimstone from heauen And yet I say vnto you in the name of God from the warrant of his sacred word by the which wee shall all one day be iudged that if we liue in the open contempt of Gods truth ignorance blindnesse and prophanesse which sins are scarce the tenth that may bee found amongst vs at this day it had beene much better that wee had beene borne Sodomites and Gomoreans yea the time shall come when many amongst vs shall cry out and wish that they were Sodomites and Gomoreans Oh that I were a Sodomite Oh that I were one of them of Gomorah and that because wee knew not the day of our Visitation And this fauour and mercy of our God that now we enioy to heare him to speake vnto vs in his Word and that wee haue his seruice and worship amongst vs shall bee so farre at the last day from procuring vs any fauour or mercy at Gods hand as that wee hauing had the same amongst vs and wee most prophanely did neglect and contemne the same shall reape euen therefore the greater measure of condemnation Deu. 32.29 Oh that men would bee wise then would they consider their latter end Secondly seeing that most excellent prerogatiues Vse 2 and priuiledges will not serue to keepe backe Gods anger and to deliuer vs from destruction if wee liue in sinne and bee not reformed in heart and life then let vs labour to ioyne to our outward profession of the Word sound obedience true repentance and reformation of our wayes and marke then what will follow If yee will hearken and obey yee shall then eate the good of the land Wee must not stand so much vpon the largenesse of the leaues of our profession who should professe most as wee should vpon sincerity who should practise most I am sure it is our behauiour concerning the things of the world There is no man but had rather be rich then accounted rich be wealthie then seeme to bee wealthy And yet for that true riches that shall make vs rich vnto saluation wee can content our selues with shadowes and shewes of it and looke not after the substance Like Iehu who made great boast of the zeale hee had for the glory of God Come with mee sayth he to Ionadab And see the zeale that I haue for the Lord 2. Reg. 10.16 but yet for all this his heart was not vpright in the sight of God Act. 24.16 but the Apostle Paul was affected otherwise who endeuoured himselfe to haue alway a cleare conscience towards God and man And surely this is it that shall bee our comfort in life in death after death Esay 38.3 that wee can say with good King Ezechiah Remember Lord that I haue walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart Doct. 5 Againe seeing the Lord complaines here of Ephraim and Iudah that is of the whole body of the people and the generall multitude of both Kingdomes Though God doth offer the meanes of saluation vnto all yet few receiue them that they were wicked and rebellious and profited not by al the gracious means that he vsed to reclaim them we learne hence that though the Lord do offer the means alike to all as his Word iudgements admonitions corrections c. yet very few doe receiue them profite by them and the greatest part remaine ignorant vnrepentant and rebellious against the meanes as wee may see heere in this people they had the meanes al alike to call them to repentance yet the greatest part and the greatest number vnreformed still so that the Lord speakes heere of the whole Nation and people of the Iewes O Ephraim O Iudah those that resolued to Returne vnto the Lord as in the three first verses of this chapter their number was exceeding small in comparison of those that did neglect and contemne the same and therefore he speakes of them wholy together Ephraim Iudah This Doctrine is further cleared by the example of the old World that notwithstanding the meanes of deliuerance was offered to all men alike yet only Noah was moued with reuerence Gen. 6.3 Heb. 11. Gen. 19. to feare Gods iudgements when all the rest of the world were euen drunke in security and lay weltring in their sinnes So in Sodom one righteous Lot Elias sayth Hee was left alone hee could not see one open professor of Religion in his time Woe is mee sayth the Prophet For I am as the Summer gatherings and as the grapes of the Vintage Mich. 7.1 Ier. 3.14 Luk. 12.32 Mat. 27. there is no cluster to eate Alas when the haruest is in the gleaning it is very small heere an eare and there an eare One of a City and two of a Tribe And Christ cals his flocke a little flocke Feare not little Flocke All cried against the Sonne of God Crucifie him Crucifie him Reu. 13. All receyued the Marke of the beast This is plaine by wofull experience in our dayes how few true worshippers of God sound Christians though wee haue the meanes alike how few profit by them the greatest part remaine ignorant still vile rebellious and prophane and so few that they bee like a handfull of corne in a heape of chaffe many hypocrites many meere Laodiceans neyther hote nor cold Reu. 3.17 many halfe Christians with Agrippa onely those that profite truely by the meanes are exceeding few Hence wee see that Multitude is no note of a true Vse 1 Church And therefore it confutes the Doctrine of the Church of Rome who would make men beleeue that therefore they must needes bee the true Church because their Religion is so generally receiued and imbraced of many Kingdomes But here wee see Luke 12.32 that the greater part is the worst and Christs flocke is a little flocke and therefore this Doctrine beates and batters down one of the maine pillars of Popery whervpon they ground their religion and supplant their Church they ground vpon this sandy foundation the pillar is a number and multitude of men that many receiue their religion and few ours but if this reason be good then those few beleeuing Iewes that repented as in the three first verses of this Chapter should not bee the children of God but Ephraim Iuda euen the common multitude should be accounted the Church which is most false for
let this moue vs all to bee grieued for this sinne Let vs amend it Esay 1.16 Pro. 15.11 Let vs labour to come with penitent and obedient hearts else all our prayers and all things else that we doe in Gods seruice Ier. 7.7 is but Abomination to the Lord. And indeed when men are once come to this passe that they thinke they haue knowledge inough faith and repentance inough and are forward inough so long as they come to Church and heare the Word when men are once come to this passe many meanes and great meanes can doe them no good This people of the Iewes had many means the Lord sent his Prophets earely and late Ier. 7. but they could not conuert them and why because they cryed the Temple Mich. 6.6.7 the Temple and trusted in lying vanities So the Lord sent his Prophet Mica threatning them with iudgements yet they were not reformed and the reasons is because they contented themselues with these outward shewes of repentance and thought their outward worshippe was inough and that God would bee content with their sacrifices And again he heard the Prophet Ezechiel preach and denounce Gods Iudgements Ezec. 33.31.32 yea they commended him and were forward to heare him yet this vile thought and perswasion being in their hearts that it was inough to heare though they went no further stopt their hearts so as they could not repent Mar. 6. â—0 This was Herods sin who was come to this height of impiety that if Iohn Baptist would bee content with his hearing so it was but reformation of life especially of his beloued sinne hee should neuer see in him Reu. 3.15 And surely this is that that makes all good things vnprofitable to vs because men thinke they are wise inough and good inough Is it not a wonder that men should liue so many yeares vnder the meanes heare so much and read so much and yet profite so little Indeed it could neuer bee so if men did see their wants and come with penitent and obedient hearts Oh then I beseech you in the feare of God lay aside this proud conceit lay aside this vaine perswasion that you should thinke your outward seruice and worship of God is inough that you know inough and are good enough rather thinke the worst of your selues and desire more grace that yee may seeme good with more feeling and comfort Secondly in that the Lord compares their repentance and goodnes all their piety and seruice of God to a Morning cloud and to the dew before the Sunne he shewes that their Repentance was not onely vnsound but also vncertaine of no continuance some good motions came into their minds and some prickes of conscience for their sinnes but yet they would not leaue their olde sinnes and turne to God with al their hearts From whence wee obserue a further point of Doctrine Doct. 7 that the wicked themselues haue somtimes good motions in them howbeit they bee not lasting The wicked haue sometimes good motions in them but not lasting When Gods hand is vpon them by long and tedious sicknes how ready are many to make solemne vowes vnto the Lord of reformation of their liues but alas this is but while their consciences are vpon the racke but when that his iudgements are remoued it may be sayde of them as of wicked Ahaz 2. Chr. 28.22 They trespasse yet more against the Lord. This was the desperate estate and condition of this people the Lord threatned them with many great and grieuous iudgements as in the former chapter vnder the which they seemed to bee humbled for a time but alas it was but for a time for it quickly vanished away euen as the Dew when the Sun shines hote vpon it This was the case of the people in Moses time they made a fayre shew for a time Deu. 5.27 saying to Moses the seruant of the Lord Goe thou neare and heare all that the Lord our God sayth Num. 23 10. and declare thou vnto vs al that the Lord our God sayth vnto thee and wee will heare it and doe it Balam that false Prophet that loued so the wages of iniquity as that hee would haue done directly against the commandement of the Lord yet hauing his mind inlightned desired that hee might Die the death of the righteous which was in it selfe a good and a godly prayer had it not proceeded from a wicked and a gracelesse heart but it was not constant in Balam but as a sudden flashing of a lightning quickly vanishing away Exod. 9.27 What shall wee say of Pharaoh who cryed out I haue sinned the Lord is righteous but I and my people are wicked This appeareth further in the Iewes who wished to come to happinesse if that would haue serued the turne Io. 6.34 Lord giue vs euermore this bread they had grieuously sinned against the Sonne of God and yet in a certaine remorse of conscience they wished to be partakers of eternall life This the Apostle condemneth in the Galathians Gal. 5.7 Yee did runne well what did let you that yee did not obey the truth Was not this the case of Hymeneus and Philetus 1. Tim. 1.10 2. Tim. 2.18 2. Tim. 4.10 were they not held to bee great Christians in their times and obtayned a good report in the Church of God in the which they liued yet afterwards fell away making shipwracke of faith and a good conscience What shall wee say of Demas PhilemoÌ„ 24. who went so farre in Religion as that hee suffered imprisonment for the truthes sake and yet fell in loue with the world What did it profite Iehu to bee zealous for the Lord in slaying the Priests of Baal seeing he Departed not from the sinnes of Ieroboam 2. Reg. 10.25 v. 31. What did it profite Lots wife to goe out of Sodom commanded by the Angel Gen. 19.26 accompanied by her deare husband seeing shee looked backe and was turned into a piller of salt Wee must therefore contend for more faith for more knowledge and for more grace that wee may finde in our selues a dayly increase in the same for not to goe forward in Religion is to goe backeward and not to increase in spirituall graces is certainely to decrease and decay in them Wee haue in the Scriptures many lawes to incite and prouoke vs to goe forward to perfection to walke to labour and to striue for godlines but wee haue none to giue liberty to sit still to bee idle or to loyter to bee carelesse or secure This doth the Lord himselfe teach vs when hee sayth If a righteous man turne from his righteousnesse Ezec. 18.24 and do the thing that is euill all the righteousnesse that hee hath done shall bee no more thought vpon but in the wickednesse that hee hath done in the same hee shall die 1. Cor. 9.24 And this is taught by the Apostle Paul when hee sayth Know yee not
Gods Word Hard heart the greatest iudgement that can bee layde vpon man nor profite by the meanes of saluation Oh it is the heauiest iudgement that God can lay vpon man in this life and it is a sure and certain fore-runner of eternall condemnation in the end for when the Word of God doth light vpon a hard heart oh it wounds it and kils it and giues many a mortall and deadly wound though the wretched soule of the sinner see it not or feele it not The Scriptures affoord vs diuers examples and all to confirme the truth of this point vnto vs. Gen. 4.5.6 This is clearely to be seene in the example of Cain how did the Lord deale with Cain both before hee had murdered his brother and afterward and all to haue kept him if it had been possible from that most horrible sinne of his Before how did God deale with him Cain why is the countenance of thy face changed If thou doest well shalt thou not be rewarded If thou doest euill sin lyeth at thy dore Had not this beene inough if Cain had had but the least sparke of grace to haue kept him and stayed him from committing that horrible sinne but when this preuailed not but Cain would needs shed the innocent bloud of righteous Abel How did the Lord deale with Cain afterwards Cain where is thy brother Abel but what now did Cains heart relent did hee confesse his sinne with Dauid and say I haue sinned Did hee resolue into teares of repentance with Peter No no but rather despised God to his face saying Am I my Brothers Keeper Oh fearefull and horrible speech What was his conscience so seared that neyther the shame of the world the innocent bloud of his slaine brother nor the glorious presence of the Lord could any whit astonish him Behold here an example indeed of a heart that is hardned and let the remembrance of the same euer possesse our soules to make vs watchfull ouer our owne hearts how we euer contemn the means of grace when the same is offered vnto vs. This is to be clearely seen in Pharaoh vnto whom the Lord sent seuerall plagues and iudgements vpon him his people one vpon the necke of another Exod. 9. ten in number yet all would not humble Pharaoh Exod. 7.23 but answered stoutly saying I know not the Lord neyther will I let the people of Israel goe This is taught by Iob Iob. 18.5 Zeph. 1.17 when hee sayth The light of the vngodly shall bee darkned and the wicked shall become blind because they haue sinned against the Lord. And againe Their hearts being fat their eyes heauy and their eares shut they shall heare indeed but shall not vnderstand they shall see and not perceyue And the Prophet Ieremie doth mow liuely set out vnto vs the wofull estate and condition of such a soule that is thus forsaken of the Lord and giuen ouer to sinne saying Ier. 7.16 11.14 Because you haue done these things and I spake vnto you you would not heare therefore thou shalt not pray for this people nor lift vp cry nor entreat mee for I will not heare Though Noah and Iob should intreat mee though Moses Samuel should pray vnto mee yet will I not heare neyther bee intreated This is a lamentable estate this is a fearfull iudgement for a man to bee thus left vnto himselfe giuen vp to Sathan and forsaken of God for euer Oh wofull is the estate of such a one let that exhortation of the Apostle bee precious with vs Heb. 3.12.13 Take heed brethren lest at any time there bee in any of you an euil heart and vnfaithfull to depart away from the liuing God And of the Gentiles it is sayd Ephes 4.17 that they liued in the Vanity of their minds hauing their cogitations darkned strangers from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the hardnesse of their hearts So that you see that a hard heart it is the most fearefullest iudgement of God that can befall a man in this life for it is capable of no good eyther by the Word preached promises or threatnings mercies or iudgments The Word of God it is mighty in operation Ier. 23. â—9 it Diuideth the soule and spirit asunder This Word of God is called the Hammer of the Lord for by it the Lord doth breake in sunder the hard stony and flinty hearts of man This Hammer of the Lord is not able to breake the heart of a wicked man but as the bright beams of the Sunne doe harden clay and soften waxe so this most heauenly and eternall Word of God shall neuer returne in vaine but by reason of the different disposition in the Subiect it illuminateth it melteth the righteous it obdurates it hardens the wicked Now where the Word doth not preuaile with vs to humble vs there can bee no true repentance as the Apostle teacheth Rom. 2.5 when he sayth But thou after thy hardnes and heart that cannot repent heapest vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath Now where there is no repentance there can bee no saluation Luk. 13.5 for so sayth our Sauiour Except yee repent yee shall all perish This is a lamentable estate indeed this is a iudgement with a witnesse for a man to bee left thus vnto himselfe to be giuen vp to Sathan and to be forsaken of God for euer Oh this this is the estate and condition of euery hard hearted sinner Oh happy then is that man or woman that sinneth least next he that returneth home by repentance soonest but most wofull is the estate of him that with Ieroboam hath solde himselfe to commit sinne for this man Rom. 1.28 1. Tim 4.2 Zach. 1.12 though hee would weepe with Esau and shed euen a fountaine of teates yet all will not helpe woe alas there is no recouery This may serue in the first place to reproue those Vse 1 that iustifie the wicked as in Malachy his time The wicked prosper and they that worke iniquity are set vp Mal. 3.13.14 They seeme to bee the onely men of the World they enioy their pleasures they seeme not to be troubled for any thing and who but they Alas alas what of all this If the heart bee frozen in the dregges of sinne they are of all men most miserable and of all men most to bee pittied For thou after thy hardnes and heart that cannot repent Rom. 2.4.5 heapest vp vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath Their damnation sleepeth not all this while but still they runne in score in Gods booke and when their iniquity is once full the Lord will then come with his iudgements and they shall pay full deare for their sweet pleasures euen the losse of their owne soules for euer and euer No greater iudgement can God inflict vpon the sonnes of men in this life then such a stony heart of all Gods iudgements
Oh let my soule bee free from this for To whom will I haue respect vnto sayth the Lord but to him that is of a contrite heart and trembles at my Word Esa 66.2.5 This Word is to the godly heart that is humbled for sinne the sweet sauor of life vnto life but to the seared heart the woful sauor of death vnto death and in this respect the Word is like to the thunderbolt the thunderbolt is of that nature that if it light vpon any soft matter it hurteth it not wounds it not nor breaks it not But if it fall vpon any hard matter as vpon a tree a stone wall it breakes it in peeces and rents it in sunder it will breake the bones and hurt not a mans flesh Euen so the Word of God it is of that nature that if it fall vpon a soft heart and tender heart it will doe it good it will comfort it and instruct it it will burne vp the drosse and filth of sin in that soft heart But if this thunderbolt of the Word of God light vpon a hard and stony heart it will wound it rend it yea kill it euen to eternall death vnlesse they repent This is the state of a wicked mans heart and therefore of al men he is most miserable Vse 2 Secondly doth the Word of God wound and kill to death eternall such rebellious and stubborne sinners doth it hurt none but such stony hearts doth the Lords thunderbolt kill none but stony hearts Oh then let vs intreat the Lord to free vs from this great and heauy iudgement of hardnesse of heart which makes the Word of God and all other meanes vnprofitable vnto vs and let vs labour to haue soft hearts broken hearts and brused hearts Oh let the Word of the Lord enter giue it passage that it may cut down sinne in thee that thy sinnes cut not thee down at the last Note this well for this bee thou sure of O man whatsoeuer thou bee that if thou find not out thy sinnes now they will bee sure to find out thee hereafter When the Lord speaketh of a great mercy that he would shew vnto a people hee sayth thus I will take away their stony hearts Ezech. 36.26 and I wil giue them hearts of flesh Oh that the Lord would take away our stony hearts and giue vs fleshy and tender hearts that his Word might not kill vs and slay vs to death eternall But alas though this hard heart bee the most grieuous iudgement of God that can befall a man in this life yet who thinks so of it who feeles it who complaines of it No no men and women haue no feeling of it yea though this hard heart and heauy iudgement of God raigne in most places and most men bee possessed with hardnes of heart and carnall security and so dead a sleepe in sinne that the Lord may thunder from heauen and his iudgements rattle about our eares yet by reason of this deadnesse and hardnesse of heart men are like the Smithes dogge sleepe still snort still though the flame and sparckles flie about his eares and sindge his haire and though men can complaine and rore at the paine of the stone in the Kidney and seeke send farre and neare for ease and say they are neuer able to endure it yet of this fearefull and most heauy iudgement The stone of the heart men feele no paine neuer cry for helpe to be eased of it Wee know Oh wee know euery man in his owne bosome the sinnes the which wee most secretly foster and will not let goe But as Saint Paul exhorteth the Iewes euen so will I you To conclude this Doctrine Take heed Heb. 3.13 Ezech. 36.26 Oh take heed lest in any of you there bee found a false and an euill heart to depart from the liuing God for of all the iudgements that Almighty God can lay vpon the sons of men this is the greatest from this estate the Lord of his endlesse mercy deliuer vs. Amen Amen Thirdly let vs marke heere how the Lord iudgeth Vse 3 of such as bee wounded and killed by his Word and cut downe by his iudgements published out of his Word the Lord accounts of this iudgement as that that is the most fearefull and terrible for the Lord heere inflicts it as the greatest punishment of all for their euill wayes their stubbornnesse and rebellion against the Lord and against all those gracious meanes that hee had vsed for their good for their hypocrisie and hardnesse of heart and the like horrible sinnes that were to bee found amongst them for the punishment of them all the Lord sayth I haue cut them downe and saine them but not with the sword not with the plague which are fearefull and terrible but with my Word q. d. I haue not onely taught and instructed you by my Word and shewed you what I would haue you to doe and what to leaue vndone but I haue by this plaine teaching of you and by my doctrine propounded vnto you euen pearced your very soules and consciences so as in spite of your teeth you must needs acknowledge though yee bee neuer so obstinate and rebellious that you haue been wounded and haue felt the force of my Word to kill you to conuince your consciences of your sinnes and rebellions and that my iudgements are most iustly brought vpon you Hence wee see what a fearefull iudgement of God it is for those which liue in sinne and delight in sinne when as they heare their sinnes condemned out of the Word of God they know that they doe euill they must needs confesse that the Word of the Lord hath conuicted their consciences of their sinnes and euill wayes so as they know it and haue felt their soules beaten and wounded and euen slaine by the power of the Word of God This is a grieuous sinne indeed to sinne against conscience to sinne against knowledge to sinne presumptuously with a high hand it is a high step to the sin against the Holy Ghost when men hearing and acknowledging the Word of God to bee true feele their consciences to checke them for their vile and wicked wayes and yet they will walke on still against knowledge and against conscience and so draw downe Gods iudgements vpon themselues Oh then if wee heare the Word of God and perceiue the Lord to touch our hard hearts so as we must needs acknowledge this Doctrine that the Lord smites thy hard and benummed heart as that thou canst say I am guilty of this sinne I heare God will punish it seuerely and cut me downe by his Word and slay mee I say Oh then especially take heed how thou liuest in thy sinne still against knowledge and against conscience It is the high way to the sinne against the Holy Ghost which cannot be pardoned but let vs rather leaue our sinnes and forsake them and take heed of going on in the same for certaine it is it is but
the fore-runner of some fearefull iudgement vnto the soule of that man I haue cut them downe by my Prophets I haue slaine them by the words of my mouth IN that the Lord doth threaten this iudgement of al Doct. 4 other as the greatest that hee could bring vpon them namely to Cut them downe and to slay them The Word of God is able to pearce the hardest heart and that not by an ordinary meanes or slaughter but by his Prophets and Word that is that he would make good his Word in their mouthes and bring to passe all those terrible and fearefull iudgements that they had denounced against them from the Lord. Hence we see the great power of the Word of God it is able to pearce the hardest heart that is The word of God makes mention of two sorts of swords The sword of the mouth and the materiall sword as that place in the Hebrewes The Word of God is liuely and mighty in operation and sharper then a two edged sword Heb. 4.12 entereth thorough euen vnto the diuiding asunder of the Soule and the Spirit and of the Ioynts and the Marrow and is a decerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart The people of the Iewes before that Peter spake vnto them were full of hardnesse of heart yea their hearts before were as hard as steele nothing could pricke or pearce them Act. 2.37 they had committed monstrous murder they shed innocent bloud euen the bloud of the sonne of God and yet they were neuer touched in their hearts for that sinne But when Peter came with his weapon namely the Word of God and told them that they were those that had crucified the Lord of life this wounded them to the quicke as that they cryed out in the bitternesse of their loules O men and brethren what shall wee doe to bee saued Oh tell vs tell vs whether there be not some course yet to be taken that wee that haue beene such desperate sinners might yet againe obtaine Gods fauour and bee saued This was a blessed battel that was fought with them behold then in them the wonderfull power of the Word of God It cuts the throat of sinne and makes men become dead vnto sinne that they might become a liue vnto God Ier. 23.29 Is not the Word of Iehouah like vnto fire It is able to melt and mollifie a heart of steele it is like a hammer that breakes the hardest stone euen so this Word of God is able to bruise a stony heart which is as hard as flint Rom. 15.16 I am not ashamed sayth the Apostle of the Gospell of God because I know that it is the power of God to saluation to all them that beleeue 1. Cor. 1.21 Yea it is compared to a sacrificing knife Ephes 2.1.2 which will kill and cut the throat of sinne and make the most rebellious heart to breake It will put spirit and life in the dead hearts of dead secure sinners euen such as lay dead rotting in sin If it enter not into thee to the rooting out of sinne and the cutting downe of thy vncleannesse for then it pearceth for thy good to life eternall It wil bee sure to wound and to pearce thy dead and benummed soule to the hardning of thee in thy sinnes to death eternall Esay 55. for it neuer returnes in vaine but is eyther the sauor of life vnto life or the sauor of death vnto death The Lord sent his word vnto Pharaoh againe and againe by Moses and Aaron but hee would not bee humbled by it Exod. 9. â—7 1. Reg. 22.8 therefore hee became the more hardned in sinne And Ahab was then the deadliest enemy to his owne soule Mich. 2.7 when hee hated Michai for not speaking to his fantasie but warned him faithfully of the iudgement which afterward came vpon him Zach. 7.11 The Word of God is an aduersary to none but to such as are aduersaries to themselues Note this well neyther doth it condemne any but such as without repentance assuredly shall one day bee condemned of the Lord. And therefore let the wicked wretches of the world stoppe their eares neuer so much from the hearing of the threatnings of the Word yet they shall neuer stoppe that iudgement which the Word hath threatned There is a cry that will come at Midnight and will waken the dead But Oh blessed are they who in time are wakened out of the sleepe of their sinnes before that dreadfull iudgement come This serues to commend vnto vs the excellencie Vse 1 and power of the Word of God which is able both to kill sinners and to make them aliue again and puts a manifest difference hetweene the Word of man the Word of God All the wisdom learning eloquence and wit of men is not able to wound the hard heart of a wicked obstinate and rebellious sinner onely the Word of God can doe it euen the plaine and simple preaching of the Word can doe it 1. Cor. 1.21 Psal 19. The Law of the Lord is perfect to conuert the soule There is more power in the plaine rude and simple preaching of the Word of God to conuert a sinner then in the most learned and excellentest eloquence in men nay Rom. 10.14.15 it is impossible for all the eloquence in the World to saue a Soule it is peculiar onely to the simple preaching of the Gospell nor all the Writings of men cannot turne the heart vnto God vnlesse the Lord doe blesse the preaching of the Word to doe it and though nothing bee so contrary to our Nature as the Word of God yet nothing is so powerfull to conuert as is this word by Gods blessing vpon it being his owne ordinance appointed to that end Secondly seeing the Word of God is of this power Vse 2 that it will enter and pearce into stony hearts and seeing if it cut not downe sinne and corruption it will wound to death eternall all rebellious and hard hearted sinners Oh then let vs submit our hearts vnto it let vs suffer the Word to pearce and wound our hearts for sinne to cut downe all sinne and corruption in vs here or else it will bee the Lords Sword of the Spirit to kill vs and to wound vs to death eternall Ephes 6.1 Hee will smite the earth with the rodde of his mouth and slay the wicked and rebellious with the breath of his lippes that is the Lord will make good all those feareful iudgements which his seruants haue denounced against them in his name Esay 11.4 And as the raine that fals makes the earth more fruitfull or else more barren so it fareth with the Word it eyther cuts downe sinne to our amendment or else leaues most deadly wounds in our soules euen to death eternall Now then seeing the Word of God is so powerfull Oh how should this stirre vp euery man and woman to the hearing of
the Word of God continually to frequent Sermons to listen to the Doctrine of God to beleeue that they heare to yeeld vnto it and to lay their hearts open and naked that this Sword of Gods Spirit way wound them for sinne for though thou beest a notorious sinner a monstrous blasphemer a common drunkard a filthy whoremaster yet if thou shalt heare this Word and giue credite to it it is able to wound thy Soule and to pearce thy heart and experience teacheth that the Word of God hath done great things it hath conuerted most fearefull and monstrous sinners as Dauid 2. Sam. 12.1 Act. 9. Rom. 1.16 Saul Peter Mary Magdalen Zacheus c. And therefore wayte on the meanes attend on the Word heare Sermons and thou shalt find in the end that the Word of God shall bee the power of God to saue thy Soule if thou doe not harden thy heart against it And as for those the which do despise the Word and will not goe to the dore to heare it truly such men and women doe euen wilfully cast away their owne soules and suffer themselues to bee led euen blindfold to hell but if with care and conscience thou wilt attend vnto it as Lydea did and not cast it vp againe as those that haue queasie stomackes doe wholesome Physicke surely thou shalt find great power in the Word to saue thy soule By my Prophets and the words of my mouth HEre is layde downe now the meanes and the instruments which God vsed for the effecting of his iudgements namely his seruants the Prophets The Instrument I haue cut downe by my Prophets that is I haue brought vpon you those plagues and iudgements which were threatned against you by my faithfull seruants the Prophets euen those iudgements the which they haue denounced against you in my name I haue inflicted and brought them vpon you to slay and to destroy you for your sins Seeing the Lord did effect and bring to passe Doct. 5 those iudgements the which the Prophets pronounced against his people for their sins to slay them The Word of God in the mouthes of his Ministers shall bee accomplished and to destroy them Hence wee learne that the Word of the Lord in the mouthes of his Ministers it shall be accomplished Looke what iudgement they pronounce against sinne in the name of the Lord if men will not repent they shall certainely bee accomplished and come to passe howsoeuer men regard them not and will not beleeue them Indeed many times his iudgements are deferred and his punishments are prolonged because hee is a patient God would not the death of a sinner Mat. 14.35 yet hee is euer iealous of his Word that not one iot or tittle of his Word shal not passe but shall hee fulfilled This is clearely to be seene by the examples of Gods iudgements in all ages Gen. 2.17 3.7 Consider this truth in our first parents God threatned them that if they tasted the forbidden fruit they should die the death and did not God accomplish the same yea all their posterity do to this day feele the smart of the same curse When all the World were disobedient in the dayes of Noah that Preacher of righteousnesse 2. Pet 2.5 Gen. 6.3 God gaue them time space to repent in euen a hundred and twenty yeares and when they repented not the Lord did not fayle to bring his Iudgement vpon them A most cleare and liuely example of this wee haue in the booke of Iosuah Iosu 6.26 The man is cursed there before the Lord that should attempt the rebuilding of the City Iericho and this is the curse that should passe vpon that man namely this That hee should lay the foundation of it in his eldest sonne and in his youngest sonne shall hee set vp the gates of it This was the irreuocable curse that almighty God had threatned against the man that should attempt the building of that City Now afterwards when this threatning seemed to bee quite forgotten God is still mindfull of his Word and time is not able to weare that out 1. Reg. 16.34 for when Hiel the Bethelite did goe about to erect the same God doth bring his former iudgement to passe vpon him What shal wee say of Ahab and of Iezabel vnto whom many fearefull and terrible iudgements were denounced by Elias the Prophet of the Lord 2. Reg. 9.37 That the carkas of Iezabel shall bee as dung in the field of Israel This did God in his due time bring to passe vpon Iezabel and vpon the whole house of Ahab according to the Word of the Lord. So that we may safely conclude this point Num. 23.19 Sam. 3.19 and say with Moses that seruant of the Lord God is not as man that hee should lie or the Sonne of man that he should repent Gods iudgements threatned may seeme to vs as vnlikely as the plenty the Prophet spake of seemed to one of the Princes of Samariah Though the Lord would make Windowes in heauen could it come so to passe But what sayd the Prophet Behold 2. Reg. 7.2 19.20 thou shalt see it with thy eyes but thou shalt not eat thereof and so it came vnto him for the people trode him in the gate and hee died Thus did our Sauiour foretell the destruction of the City Ierusalem which came so to passe accordingly within the space of forty yeares after our Sauiour his Ascention Mat. 24. And is not the Word of God as true now in the mouthes of his Ministers yea whatsoeuer iudgement they shall proclaime in the name of the Lord and by vertue of the Word of God it shall certainly come to passe As they haue a long time threatned famine pestilence and the like iudgements and hath not the Lord brought these iudgements and the like most iustly vpon vs for our sins doe not wee feele the truth of it yea this Winter and Summer last when the Lord seemed to stoppe his eares at the prayers of his seruants and would not a long time be intreated And therefore let all wicked and vngodly wretches lay this Doctrine to heart that are ready to say Where is the promise of his comming and where bee those iudgements our Preachers haue so long spoke of Oh they shall know euen to their eternall shame and confusion at the last that the Lord will make good his Word bring to passe all those iudgements that haue been denounced against them And as it is true of Gods iudgements against rebellious sinners so is it true of the gracious promises of the Gospell to all them that doe truely repent Iesus Christ was a Minister of the Circumcision for the truth of God Rom 15.8 Ps 89.33 And againe I will not falsifie my Truth my Couenant will I not breake nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lippes This was that worthy resolution of the Prophet long before Christ was
abound with all maner of sinne and impiety And if it went so hard with those that were Virgins Mat. 25. and went with their lampes to meete the Bridegroome wanting the oyle of grace in their hearts then what will at last be the doome of all those that are not Virgins but Adulterers and Adulteresses euen those that haue committed spirituall fornication Iam. 4.4 with sinne and Sathan which yet neuer went out to meete the Bridegroome of their soules Certainely these mens iudgements doth not sleepe and when it ouertakes them woe vnto them Oh then seeing that hypocrites seeme to draw in the same yoake with the children of God in respect of the outward Ceremonies of Gods worship but want sincerity of heart life Let vs looke to our selues that those things may bee repayred in vs that is wanting in them that so the Lord may accept of vs and our sacrifices Againe in that the Lord sayth here I desire mercy Doct. 2 and not sacrifice condemning the outward sacrifices of his worship when they proceeded not of faith towards God and loue towards man Wee learne hence that lawfull things must bee done lawfully Lawfull things must bee done lawfully for the Lord looks not so much vpon the outward face of his worship as hee doth vpon the intent of the worshipper This appeares clearely in this people they seemed to bee humbled for sinne aswell as those beleeuing Iewes spoken of in the three first verses of this chapter they came into the Temple they made great shewes of humiliation for sinne yea they were very forward to bring in their Peace offerings vnto God thinking indeed that they had now done inough to satisfie Gods anger and to appease his wrath but because it was but as the Morning Dew neyther durable nor lasting nor sound and sincere the Lord doth reiect both it and them Gen. 4.5 This is further cleared by the example of Cain who offered sacrifice aswell as Abel but because hee performed not the same in a holy manner in faith repentance and true obedience the Lord esteemed not of it but the same sacrifice of Cain added vnto the number of Cains sins This may bee seene in that inditement which Christ brings against the old world Mat. 24.38 They did eate and drinke marry and gaue in marriage All which were lawfull in themselues yet because they were not done in faith and repentance they added vnto the measure of their sinnes for they minded onely their pleasures their heartes were onely set vppon carnall delightes they eate and dranke without feare without prayer and thanksgiuing Iude. 12. 1. Tim. 4.4.5 as if they were not beholden to the Lord for the same besides they abused the good creatures of the Lord to surfetting drunkennesse these and the like corruptions in vs do turne eating drinking into sinne And the like may bee sayd concerning Marriage Heb. 13. it is in it selfe a holy ordinance of God vnto those that are holy and vse the same holily but for the sons of God to ioyne themselues to the daughters of men for beauties sake riches honour Gen. 6.2 or any such carnal respects Luk 17.28 when the same is not found in the way of vertue this becomes an horrible sinne vnto vs. And the like is alleadged by our Sauiour against the Sodomites They bought they sold they builded things lawfull in themselues but when they bought and sold with couetous desires and oppressing their brethren and builded not for necessity sake but to shew their pride and vanity These made the same become sins vnto them These and the like examples whereof the Scriptures are full all serue to confirm the euerlasting truth of this point of Doctrine vnto vs that lawfull things must be done by vs lawfully otherwise the same become sinnes vnto vs. Now let vs come to the vses This serues for the exceeding terror of all wicked Vse 1 and vngodly sinners If these people in this place sinned so highly euen in offering of sacrifices which were duties required at their hands when they proceeded not in faith and repentance not done in an holy maner then how shall they bee able to stand hefore God in the day of his searching account that haue heaped sinne vpon sinne and one iniquity vpon another that haue not onely done good things in an euill manner but euill things in a worse manner Againe how many bee there that content themselues with an outward ciuill life that come to Church heare the Word and receyue the Sacrament thinking that all this while they haue done God good seruice neuer looking into the manner of doing them nor neuer disquiet themselues for their hidden corruptions alas what of all this when faith and loue is wanting Faith towards God and loue and mercy towardes our brethren when these thinges are wanting in vs Vse 2 This serues in the second place to teach vs aboue all things to take heed vnto the manner of our actions that wee content not ourselues with the outward matter of Gods worship and seruice but especially to looke into our heartes that wee come vnto them in true faith sound repentance and holy obedience for this is that that will cause the Lord to approue of all wee doe in his seruice as the Mite of the poore Widdow was accounted a maruellous great gift with our Sauiour and why not in it selfe for what is a brazen token in Gods account but because the same proceeded in faith the Lord doth therefore account most highly of the same the like may bee sayde of a cuppe of cold water that shall bee giuen to a Disciple of Christ which Christ doth promise shall not goe vnrewarded The manner not the matter of Gods seruice is that which hee especiallie lookes after I will haue mercy and not sacrifice THe Lord doth not heere complaine of them for Doct. 3 that they offered no sacrifice vnto him no for herein they were as forward as any Property of an hypocrite to content himselfe with the outward parts of Gods worship but for want of faith towardes him and loue towardes their brethren Hence wee may see a liuely picture of an hypocrite and a counterfeit Christian namely such a one that contents himselfe with the outward parts of Gods worship as this people did who thought themselues religious inough forward inough so lōg as they offred their sacrifices brought their beasts to the altar praied in the temple kept their holy daies times of prayers as our Papists doe at this day and performed the outward ceremonies of the Law but as for the knowledge of God as for faith repentance obedience reformation of their liues and iust and vpright dealing with men they made no bones of it Esay 1.12.13 had no regard of those things and yet thought all was well When yee come to appeare before mee sayth the Lord Who hath required this at your hands Bring no more oblations in
Couenant with our God when wee were baptized the Lord then receiued vs into the bosome of his Church vpon this condition that wee would become his people and walke in his wayes hee gaue vs his couenant a gracious couenant full of many gracious and heauenly promises of pardon of sinne of life eternall This Couenant hee sealed and confirmed by the heart bloud of his owne Sonne that he would bee our gracious God and louing Father that hee would pardon all our sinnes receiue vs to fauour and bestow eternall life and saluation vpon vs. Wee on the other side haue couenanted with our God that wee would bee his people and become his obedient seruants that wee would renounce the Deuill and all his works the stinking pleasures of the flesh and that wee would not suffer our selues to bee ruled by them but would manfully fight vnder the banner of our Lord Iesus Christ against the Deuill the world and the flesh Now if wee examine ourselues how wee haue kept this Couenant wee shall find that the Lord may iustly say vnto vs as hee did here vnto this people Yee haue broken my Couenant yea we haue denied our obedience to Christ Iesus and his Word and wee haue serued sinne and Sathan and the world Gods deadly enemies and we haue liued in pleasures in vanity in couetousnesse and in many other sinnes against our promise to God Oh then in the feare of God let vs take knowledge of this that wee are vile and miserable couenant breakers wee haue fayled in our promise to God and haue not walked in his wayes as wee haue made a solemne Couenant with him And now let it make vs ashamed that wee should deale thus vilely and decitfully with our most gracious God If it bee a matter of shame to breake couenant with an honest man and wee bee grieued for the same how much more should this grieue vs and make vs ashamed that wee haue dealt thus faithlesly with our gracious God And thirdlie as wee must bee grieued that wee Vse 3 haue thus fayled and broken our Couenant with God heretofore so now wee must bee more carefull to keepe our Couenant with him in time to come manfully to fight vnder his banner against sinne Sathan and the world his vtter enemies and yeeld him obedience in heart and life to deny all obedience to the Deuill and our owne lusts and say with the Prophet Dauid Psal 119 10â— I haue sworne and am stedfastly purposed to keepe thy righteous iudgements Oh let vs take a solemn oath of our selues and purpose both in heart life to keepe his righteous iudgements neuer to sinne against our God as wee haue done but in all things to do his will and to walke in his wayes And there is good reason to perswade vs hereunto for if wee shall keepe our Couenant made to God in our Baptisme then the Lord will take vs for his people and will bee our gracious God and louing Father then hee will performe all those gratious promises of pardon of sinne Deu. 28. and life eternall and euery other gracious promise that hee hath layde down in his Word for our good and the further increase of our happinesse it shall then goe well with vs in life in death and after death But if wee refuse to heare his voyce and will not regard our vow and couenant made to him in Baptisme then hee will withdraw his mercy and gratious protection from vs he is no longer tyed vnto vs to doe vs good then wee shall keepe his Couenant and then what shall become of vs if the Lord once forsake vs if hee leaue vs alas wee shal then lye open to all misery both of soule and body if God bee angry with vs who can do vs good Fourthly and lastly this may serue to reprooue Vse 4 those men that vpon some particular occasions as in time of warre sicknesse necessity trouble or any other danger haue beene ready to enter into couenant with God so that God would free them and deliuer them they will become new men if they haue fallen into whoredome or fornication they vow they will bridle their lusts and they will neuer delight in the Harlots company any more If they haue fallen into drunkennesse they will vow and enter couenant with God Luk. 14.8 that they will abstaine from the hatefull house of that sinne and all other prouocations to the same The Oppressor is ready to promise more mercy to the poore and so of all other sinnes Dan. 4.24 the sinner is ready to enter Couenant with God when his conscience is vpon the racke that hee will leaue his sinne and that for the time to come they will walke with God in better obedience so that God would but deliuer them set them on foot againe When a man hath most vainly and sinfully spent his time in drunkennesse riotousnesse idlenesse wantonnesse enuy hatred contempt of Gods Word c. If God strike such men with sicknesse as I haue known many that they haue feared death for vnto such is the remembrance of death a terror Oh how then doe they tremble and quake Note then send for Moses and Aaron in haste send for the Minister who before this time of all men they esteemed the most vile and then good people pray for me Oh I haue beene a great and grieuous sinner I haue offended God many wayes I haue been a most beastly drunkard a most vncleane liuer I haue dishonoured God many wayes by my vsury oppressing of the poore vniust and vnconscionable dealing with men by fraud and deceit I haue made no conscience at all how I haue spent the Sabbath but haue been at bowles and Tables or drinking in vaine company when I should haue beene present in the Congregation of Gods people Oh if God vvill but now forgiue mee this sinne onely I will neuer offend in the like againe I will become a new man for no mans pleasure will I be brought to dishonour God any more by these sinnes These and the like are the clamours and the crying out of many men when God doth touch them by sicknesse or some other calamity and then are they very forward to enter into Couenant with God euer to bee thankfull and obedient vnto him and then to begin their repentance and amendment of life But O alas is not this the best day that God hath of them and the best seruice that euer they performe vnto him It is it is for when God doth free them and set them at liberty 2. Pet. 2.1.2 they Turue with the Dogge to the vomite and with the Sowe to the mire Well God will neuer put vp this great ingratitude at their hands but being found to bee Couenant breakers with their God all those iudgements which Almighty God hath threatned against such sinners shall most surely come vpon them Deu. 28. and ouertake them Like Men. HEre is layde downe the manner
of their sinning Like Men. That is The manner when I meant to make my Couenant with them and promised that I would bee your God and to this end gaue you my lawes to traine you vp in obedience you most vnthankfully and rebelliously haue cast off the yoake of obedience haue broken my Couenant would not stand to your promise So that the Lord doth lay this to their charge that they were most vnconstant and light yea most vnfaithfull I meant in good earnest to do as I said but alas you for your part soon went away out of the way and forgot your Couenant In their example wee may note what is the nature Doct. 2 of man namely most vnconstant in anie holy dutie Man by Nature vnconstant in any holy duty verie vnfaithfull and easilie drawne away from obedience to the law of God and easilie drawne into sin and wickednesse yea so weake and vnconstant are wee of our selues that if the Lord leaue vs but a while to our selues Oh into what foule sinne shall wee not easilie fall into This is clearely to bee seene by the example of our first Parents who Gen. 3.6 though they were created in a most excellent estate yet being left to themselues they fell away from God incontinentlie yea weake and small meanes are of force sufficient to batter our faith if God but euen a little doe withold his grace This wee may clearelie behold by the examples of Noah and of Lot that notwithstanding they had experience of Gods wrath against sinne sinners by the destruction of the old world Gen. 8. Gen. 19. and of Sodom and Gomon yet both Noah and Lot fel incontinentlie from God the one in the sinne of drunkennesse the other committed incest with his two daughters All the strength that is in the best not being supported by Gods grace it is but as smoake which is vanished away with the least blast of wind Looke on Dauid a Prophet of the Lord 2. Sam 12.1 a man after Gods owne heart yet being left vnto himselfe fell into those great grieuous sinnes of Adultery and Murder yea and continued in the same a long time till the Lord sent vnto him his Prophet Nathan to awaken him This the Prophet plentifully teacheth by the examples of the Israelites Psa 78.40.41 saying How oft did they prouoke him in the wildernesse and grieue him in the Desert Yea they turned and tempted God and limitted the Holy one of Israel Exo. 9.27 28 This is cleare by the example of Pharaoh who sometimes could crie out and say I haue sinned the Lord is righteous but I and my people are wicked Pray yee to the Lord for mee and I will let you goe These were goodlie words and faire promises but alas they were nothing for what followed When the Hayle was gone and the Thunder ceased and the iudgement was remoued his heart was hardned and hee continued in his sinne Who could cleare Dauids innocencie more then Saul 1. Sam. 34.17 Thou art more righteous then I for thou hast rendred me good I haue rendred thee euill c. Yet did Saul afterward persecute Dauid Sometime wee are bold and couragious in a good cause as Peter was Though all men deny thee yet will not I deny thee but when the least temptation is laid vpon vs wee faint and are quickly discouraged It fares with vs as it did with Peter hee would needs walke vpon the water to go to Christ but presentlie hee beganne to sinke and so had perished had not Christ reached out his hand and staied him Euen so fareth it with vs if the Lord reach not out his hand to stay vs wee must needs sinke vnder euen the least temptation that Sathan laieth against our poore soules Hereunto commeth that Parable propounded by Christ A certaine man had two sonnes Mat. 21.28 and came to there 〈◊〉 and sayd Sonne goe and worke to day in my Vineyard but hee answered and sayd I will not yet afterwards hee repented himselfe and went Thou came hee to the second and sayd so likewise and hee answered I will sir yet went not Hee seemed forward â—â—t presentlie hee hung backe hee promised much but performed nothing at all The like may bee seene in the rich man that came to Christ and said vnto him Good master what good thing shall I doe that I may haue eternall life This man no doubt had a purpose to bee a Disciple of Christ he was well perswaded of Christ and his doctrine Tell me Oh tell mee saith he what course I must take to that end I may bee sâ—â—ed and that eternall life may bee my portion yet when he was tried Mat. 19.16 Hee went away sorrowfull and his good beginnings were but As the Morning Dew not durable and lasting So these places of the Apostle Paul do directlie proue the same where hee saith That many sinne againe after the receyuing acknowledgment of the truth Heb. 6. acording to the saying of the Wiseman As the 〈…〉 againe to his owne vomit so a foole turneth to his foolishnesse Pro. 26.11 So that wee see the Doctrine sufficientlie proued and confirmed vnto vs that man of himselfe is exceeding fraile mutable and vnconstant especiallie in holie and heauenlie businesses vnlesse wee bee staied and sopported by God as his people here that though they had entred Couenant and reade a solemne promise to God that they would become his people yet Likemen fraile and weake they fell away And the reason of this Doctrine is cleare Reason Euery good and perfect gift it of God It is not of our selues or in our owne power but it is the proper gift of God as the Apostle teacheth Rom. 12.18.19 Beast not thy selfe against the branches for if thou beast thy selfe thou bearest not the roote but the root beareth thee Bee not high minded but feare The Apostle in this place taketh away all matter of boasting from the Gentiles reasoning from their changeable condition not being firmelie fastned and deeplie grounded as the root it selfe but mutable and changeable easilie to bee broken off as boughes from a tree So then it is God alone that is the Author of constancie and perseuerance Who worketh in vs both the will and the deed And wee of our selues without the same helpe of God are vnconstant in any holie dutie Vse 1 Seeing this is the state and condition of vs all that we are by nature very vnconstant in the performance of any holie duetie when the Lord shall but a little leaue vs to our selues Wee may from hence conclude that woful is their estate and condition that the Lord leaueth thus to themselues they shall shrinke away and melt as the waxe before the Sunne and in the end such shall become very dogs and swine for God giues many times such ouer to a reprobate sense and tabes away his spirit from them whereby they grow worse and worse
by Ieroboam for as the King is so will the Subiects be They are not onely to informe their inferiours and giue direction vnto them by Word but by their example and practise to go before them Now then if they bee Idolaters prophane and superstitious you shall then see the whole Body of the people to follow them Againe if they bee religious and deuoute in the seruice of God the whole people that are vnder them in shew at the least will bee the same And as the oyntment that was powred on Aarons head ran downe to his beard and so to the very border of his garments Euen so the impiety and wickednes of the Superiour runneth about through the whole Family and all that are vnder them infecting and corrupting them This is cleare by diuers examples in the booke of God Luk. 23.11 When Herod begunne to offer indignitie to Christ all his traine were ready to doe the same And when wicked Ahab desired to bee vpholden in his purpose to goe vp against Ramoth Gilead 2. Reg. 22.8 all his seruants were ready and at hand to feede him in his humour for when the King sent them to call Michaiah they were readie to tell the Prophet what he should say to the King All the other Prophets say they declare good to the King with one accord let thy words be like theirs and whē the good Prophet would not flatter but tolde the King plainely the truth from the Lord Zidkijah the Kings Chaplaine smote him on the cheeke So true is that saying of Salomon Of a Prince that hearkneth to lyes all his seruants are wicked Pro. 29.12 Their example is a Law and by their lewd example they strengthen other mens hands in sinne so that it is in a common wealth as one sayth as it is in a Fish that if the head bee once corrupted and putrified the whole body certainly is no lesse And if a man would know vhether the body of the Fish be corrupted or no hee must smell the head Euen so if the heads of Church and common wealth be corrupted the whole body of both must needs be infected And therefore what great cause haue we to blesse God who hath set ouer vs a Religious King Vse a Fauourer of the Gospell an enemy to Popery and superstion Oh let vs giue God the honour of it and let vs pray for him that the Lord would vse him to bee a further instrument vtterly to roote out all the Reliques of Poperie and deface all the monuments of Idolatry that Idolaters and those that haue giuen their names to the Pope that Antichrist of Rome may vtterly bee rooted out of this Land that our Kingdome may bee disburdened of them that wee may neuer see the fornication and Idolatry of the Whore of Rome set vp againe that this Church of England may neuer bee polluted with it any more Secondly this should serue as an instruction to all Princes Magistrates and Mighty men that they endeuour by all meanes possible by their godly life and good example to draw on others that are vnder them to the knowledge and feare of God for certaine it is if great men bee backeward in good things whole multitudes are readie to presume by their example Wee see in our small Parishes and little Villages if there bee but one or two that are of the chiefest in the Parrish that are negligent and carelesse in the seruice of God Children of Belial Idolaters Drunkards or the like what a poyson are they to pester a whole Congregation It is too apparant The Lord lay not this sinne to their charge one day that should haue giuen better example for as there is a happie and blessed vnion in Religion and Christian obedience when Magistrate and Minister goe hand in hand to build vp an holy Temple vnto God Note and are both of one mind and of one mouth to seeke to set forth the glory of God so I haue found by my own experience that though the Minister bee neuer so laborious in preaching the Word yet when other Gouernors and such as are the chiefe of a Parish haue no sappe or seasoning of the feare of God in them the hands of the wicked waxe strong in such a place Oh that our Magistrates and great men would lay this to heart that as their place is eminent in the common-wealth that they would giue such good example by their godly and religious walking their sanctifying of the Lords Sabbath their countenancing of godly and painefull Ministers that so they might prouoke and stirre vp others to godlinesse VERSE 11. Yea Iudah hath set a plant for thee whiles I would returne the Captiuity of my people IN this last verse the Lord comes to shew the vile dealing of Iudah that when the Lord purposed to bring again the captiuity of Israel then Iudah laboured to conuey their Idolatry amongst them and tooke as it were plants of their Idolatry and set them vp amongst the Tribes of Iudah For at this time though Israel was polluted miserably with Idolatrie yet the Lord had preserued Iudah from that abhomination but as soone as the Lord had deliuered Israel out of Captiuity then Iudah was infected and polluted with their Superstitions Hence wee may learne how apt wee bee by nature Doct. 1 to sucke in Popery and superstition Iudah was pure Men by nature are apt to sucke in Popery and superstition but so soone as the Lord brought Israel home againe they beganne to take grafts of their idolatrie and to ioyne with them So now though wee are by Gods mercy freede from the filthinesse of Popery and superstition yet if the Lord should returne it and suffer it to bee brought in againe amongst vs wee are by nature exceeding apt to receyue it to take plants of it and to loue and like it This is clearly to bee seene in diuers places of the Scriptures Iudg. 4.7.32 4.1.2 especially by the example of the Israelites in the Booke of Iudges They committed euill againe and againe by Idolatry they knew what that sinne was yea they had experience of the seuerity of Gods Iustice against it and more still they confessed it and cryed for mercy yet the same people and the children of the same people not remembring their former fals nor admonished by Gods former iudgements fell a fresh into the same sinne and prouoked againe Gods wrath against them Againe Moses laboured much vvith this people Exod. 32.3 to peswade them to make a Couenant with their God and to cleaue to him in faithfull and constant obedience Yet when they had beene but a while out of the way they would needs haue a golden Calfe in stead of Moses to goe before them and therefore they came in all haste to Aaron vrging him to make them one Which in carnall policy hee sought to stay calling for their golden Eare-rings thinking indeed they would in no hand haue parted with them But
when it was to the erecting of Idolatry he could no sooner aske for them but he had them This is clearely to bee seene by that of our Prophet Hosea where hee shewes how bountifull the people were in bestowing their Corne and Wine Hos 2.8 and Oyle together with their gold and siluer vpon Baal They thought nothing good inough that was giuen that way Now this is no strange thing Gen. 6.5 considering that All the imaginations of the thoughts of our hearts are onelie euill and that Continually Reason So that whensoeuer wee are about to commit sinne especially to set vp Idolatry Wee haue the whole streame and current of our hearts and nature with vs and indeed wee are neuer exercised in things naturall vnto vs till wee haue our hand in some plotte against GOD himselfe Vse 1 Well seeing wee are so apt by nature to set vp Idolatry and superstition It stands vs all in hand to be acquainted with the vilenesse of our Nature herein as also what the Lord esteemes of Popery and superstition namely Villany and Whoredome no better and therfore howsoeuer the Papists stand vpon their good meaning and their honest dealing yet they worship the Deuil and not God as Moses tels the Israelites that they offered not to God as they intended but vnto Deuils euen the Idols of Canaan Euen so the Papists though they brag of their good intents and meanings the truth is they offer not to God but to the Deuill neyther doe they worshippe God but the Deuill and therefore wee must take heed that wee neuer take liking to Popery though the same seem neuer so pleasing to flesh and bloud For all men are naturallie most inclinable vnto that which is euill And therefore most men being so prone vnto Popery what can bee concluded but this but that it is an euiil and a damnable Religion Oh then let vs labour to bee rooted and grounded in the truth of God to be builded vpon the rocke Iesus Christ that wee may neuer put out the hand to entertaine or to receyue any dregges of Popery and Idolatry but euen remember what Christ sayeth Reu. 18.4 Come out of her my people least yee partake of her plagues Oh let vs euer stand out against their abhominable Idolatry as no better then villany and whoredome in Gods sight Secondly seeing wee are so apt by Nature Vse 2 to receyue Idolatry and Superstition and to embrace Poperie it may bee a very good reason vnto vs to prooue that all the Religion of the Papists is most wicked and abhominable because it agrees so fitte to the corrupt heart and Nature of man for since Adams fall our Nature being corrupted wee hate GOD and hate his Truth Now touching the Religion of the Papists there is nothing in it but that which Nature it selfe doth desire Let vs instant the same by one thing for all What seemeth more against Nature practised by them then their Whippings and Scourgings and that of themselues This wee may thinke to bee against Nature But yet if wee examine the end of this punishment as rhe same is inflicted vpon them it will appeare otherwise that Nature it selfe may in some sort desire the same for that man that shall bee taught and assured Note that when hee hath committed some great and grieuous sinne as Adultery Theft Drunkennesse or the like that after such a punishment inflicted once vpon him his sinne shall bee done away and neuer after layde to his charge Who would not vndergoe such a punishment better in reason vndergoe that for a time then the guilt of an accusing conscience For as Salomon sayth A man may beare his sicknesse and infirmity but a wounded conscience who can beare And therefore seeing that by Nature wee loue Popery and Idolatry and that there is in the same nothing contrary to Nature this proues that it is not the Religion of God but the deuice of wicked men for what can delight our corrupt nature more then to see a Crucifixe the picture of Christ on the Crosse To pray to Saints Angels the Virgine Mary c. all this is very agreeable to the corrupt Nature of man and therefore cannot bee good Last of all wee may here behold the nature of Doct. 2 sinne it is like the plague easily conuayed from one to another Sinne is very fruitfull easily scattered and spread abroad as wee see a naughty and a stinking Weede it is easily spread and will runne abroad so will Idolatrie and of all other sinne that is like vnto the Lappewing it will runne as soone as it is hatcht and as a man that liues in the house with them that haue the plague is in exceeding danger to bee infected so is it with them that liue in Idolatrous places all to nothing they will bee infected The Istaelites when they came into Canaan the Lord suffering a small remnant of the Cananites to remaine still in the land for the tryall of the Israelites it is sayd Psa 81. They were mingled amongst them and learned their works It is the nature of sinne to bee euer encroaching giue it an ynch and it will take an elle It is like the Gangren or Canker it fretteth and eateth further and further as here Idolatry was onely to bee found in Israel and not in Iudah but it quickly set footing there and spred it selfe in a short time ouer all Iudah Wheresoeuer it findeth entertainement it enlargeth and spreadeth it selfe Psal 26.4 Bidde sinne home to thy house once and like a bolde and shamelesse Guest Psal 15.4 â— it will come the second time vninuited How carefull then ought euery man to be to shun and auoyd the company of Idolaters and al other wicked men Pro. 9.6 It is the graue counsell of Salomon Forsake the wicked and you shall liue Yea the Apostle labouring to confirme his new Conuerts amongst many other his Exhortations hee vrgeth this Saue your selues from this froward Generation Act. 1.40 So then wee see how dangerous it is for men and women to bee present in places of Idolatry Vse to liue and conuerse with Idolaters it is very like they shal hardly escape from being tainted with Superstition For herein the Papists haue the aduantage against vs If they perswade and intice they haue our Nature to helpe them And as wee vse to say the Wife in the bosome is the best Sollicitor But let vs deale with men eyther to perswade or disswade wee haue both Sunne Moone and Starres against vs neyther Reason nor Nature will take our part till the Spirit of God doth strike the stroke to perswade the heart of man But Oh say some this is too much nicenesse Obiect I hope wee are not so weake nor so simple but we can chuse the best and leaue the worst bee present at the Masse and yet keepe our hearts to God Conuerse with Papists and Idolaters Answere and yet bee Christians still But what haue you so good a conceit of your selues you doe thereby giue mee iust occasion to haue an ill perswasion of you that indeede yee care not much what Religion yee are of therefore they that can bee present at the Masse and thinke they are so strong that they cannot bee taynted such men doe no better then tempt God Euen so for those that make choyse to dwell in houses knowne to bee infected with Popery they shal easily bee carried away with the streame of Poperie When Iudah conuersed with Israel they were quickly poysoned with their Idolatry Then let vs take heed how wee conuerse with the wicked and like of their Company for we shall soone bee infected with their sinnes but rather shunne and auoyde their Company as noysome and hurtfull The Father of all mercy and God of all Consolation strengthen vs with his grace and keepe vs in his holy feare vnto the End Amen Gratias tibi Domine Iesu FINIS