The soundnesse thereof both which are more fully laid open in that which goes before Thus much concerning the meaning and order of the words now let vs consider of such instructions as may thence arise for our learning Vers 11. And I will poure vpon the house of Dauid c. the Spirit of grace c. In that the Lord hauing promised that his Church shall bee brought to wonderfull excellencie doth set downe this as the meanes whereby he wil effect it that they shal haue the Spirit in great plenty powred downe vpon them this shall be the doctrine That the way to all happinesse and blessednesse Doct. 1 is to haue the Spirit of grace bestowed vpon vs. The Spirit of God is the author of all happinesse Whosoeuer hath not this though he bee neuer so great in the world hee is altogether wretched and miserable subiect to the curse of God and to continuall vexations and discontentments and on the other side whosoeuer hath this holy Spirit dwelling in his heart is an happy and blessed man though hee be neuer so much deiected and cast downe through outward afflictions and tribulations This point is euident in the prophecy of Isaiah Isa 32.13.14 c. where it is shewed that so long as the Spirit of God is withheld from men they haue grieuous ruines and desperate decaies among them and they still go from ill to worse being ill without and ill within but how long doth this continue Vntill the Spirit bee powred vpon them from aboue And what then The wildernesse shall become a fruitfull field That is those men and women that were like a wildernesse before bringing forth nothing but brambles and briars nothing but pride and worldlinesse and such like fruites of the flesh euen those men and women shall be as a fruitfull field being beautified and adorned with the vertues of Christ and with the graces of his Spirit and not onely so but likewise enriched with all good prosperity which the Lord seeth needfull for them Now the reasons why the Spirit maketh men so happy Reasons are these First Reas 1 because it doth mortifie and crucifie the flesh that is originall corruption Rom. 8.13 with all the lusts and fruites thereof It doth not lye still where it is suffering the soule of the party to be vnder the dominion of sinne but it abateth and consurneth it by little and little till at length his soule and body bee as cleare from sinne as Adams was before his fal So that looke how the Israelites did by degrees weare and wast the Canaanites out of the land till it was wholly brought in subiection vnto them so doth the holy Ghost destroy and root out the enemies of our soules not making them tributarie as Ioshua did some of the cursed Canaanites but spoyling them of their strength by little and little and at length vtterly consuming * This is to be vnderstood of the time of their dissolution as it appeareth by diuers other Doctrines of Master Dods as that on Isaiah Doct. 4. and Doct. 8. that God lookes not for perfection in this life See also the 3. vse of this Doct. Ephes 2.1 Rom. 8.11 1. Iohn 4.4 them so that they shall haue no place at all within vs. And as it killeth sinne so it quickeneth the dead soule and maketh the whole man apt and fit for euery good worke That Spirit which raised vp Christ Iesus from a naturall death doth also raise vs vp from the death of sinne to the life of grace and putteth more spirituall strength into vs then the flesh the world and the diuell can bring against vs. Further more in the third Chapter of the second to the Corinthians Reas 2 there are three speciall reasons to shew the happinesse of him that is endued with Gods Spirit the first whereof is this That whereas all men naturally are like the Iewes who as it is there said when they come to the meanes of saluation haue a voile vpon their minds 2. Cor. 3.14 so that they can see nothing to saue their soules to further their repentance to cause them to beleeue in Christ Iesus and to place their hope and happinesse in him as soone as euer the Spirit of grace entreth into them this blindnesse of minde and hardnesse of heart is remooued and then they are enabled soundly to vnderstand and truely to applie the word preached vnto their owne soules Verse 16. Againe it is said in the selfe same place That where the Spirit of the Lord is there is libertie Vers 17. Till such time as that doth set men free they are held fast in the cordes and chaines of iniquity and are miserable slaues vnto the vilest slaue that is euen vnto Satan himselfe who is an Apostata and a reprobate and in the most wretched slauerie that can be imagined viz. to serue sin in the lusts thereof and which is the most grieuous of all the rest they shall haue the worst wages that may be euen the curse and vengeance of God while they liue and eternall damnation of body and soule after they are dead Now when the Spirit of Christ taketh possession of vs it causeth vs to disclaime the seruice of Satan and to become seruants vnto the liuing God Rom. 6. it filleth vs full of good meditations of holy desires and spirituall affections it furnisheth vs with ability to performe the duties of religion of our callings in a word it maketh vs willing and able both to do all maner of good and to resist all manner of euill So that after wee haue receiued the holy Ghost into our hearts we shall not say This is my nature and I cannot doe otherwise but with the Apostle Paul I can doe all things through Christ that strengtheneth mee I wil neuer bee in bondage vnto my corruptions any more for grace shall haue the vpper hand of nature and the Spirit shall master the flesh and get the better of it Lastly it is added in the same place that by vertue of the Spirit wee see the glory of Christ in the Gospel and are changed into his image from glory to glory that is from one measure of knowledge and holinesse into another verse 16. Wee would thinke no price too great to be giuen for such a looking glasse as would make one that is deformed to become beautifull by the very beholding thereof how much then should wee esteeme the holy word of God which through the operation of the Spirit is made effectuall not to change the naturall visage which is a smaller matter but to alter the forme and shape of the soule and to make it very beautifull and amiable in the sight of God and of his holy Angels which was before time a most vgly and deformed creature This must needs be a maruellous great benefit for if the defacing of Gods Image be the cause of all our woe then the repairing thereof must of necessitie be the
to the lame at whose hands no reward was to be looked for Another most excellent and glorious propertie of pure zeale is Compassion to be ioyned vvith zeale to be humbled in our selues for those sins which we espie and censure in others and so to nourish an holy compassion towards them Heere is an excellent and infallible difference betweene godly zeale and fleshly heat viz. when our anger for our brothers falling doth not feed it self vpō the party because of our wrath but vpon his sinne because of our zeale we still retaining a tender affection towards the person of the offender When our Sauiour Christ went about to heale the man that had the withered hand the Pharises that stood by murmured because hee would heale on the Sabbath day herevpon it is said that he looked about him angerlie yet it is added that he sorrowed for the hardnes of their harts Marke here in this notable example Mark 3.5 how anger and sorrow meete together Anger that men should haue so little knowledge of God and loue of ther brother Matth. 23.37 Luk. 19.41.42 sorrow that through ignorance they were so foulie ouerseene So likewise in zeale of his father Christ looked on Ierusalem with an hatred to their sinne and yet with pittie of their miserie which was at hand which appeareth in that he wept ouer it Marke this in all the Prophets from time to time as in Isay Ieremie Ezekicl Daniel c whether they did not vtter their message in heauinesse of spirit and when they most threatned the people for their sinnes obserue if they were not most grieued and feared least they should be executed vpon them This is a blessed temperature thus to mingle griefe with zeale but that is an ouer-reaching zeale that feedeth more on the person then on the sinne Wherefore wee must craue this speciall grace at the hand of God by prayer to be gouerned by a right zeale and that we may trulie discerne the difference betweene fretting anger and pining zeale Which if all sorts of men would labour for receiuing this rule in iudgement and obseruing it in practise it would breede a great deale more conscience in ministers magistrates and masters when they are to admonish their inferiours Alas wee see manie who can mangle and martyr a man for some offence who neuer learned for conscience sake to mourne for those infirmities which so bitterly they inueigh against in others The Apostle Paul was of another temper 2. Cor. 12.21 1. Cor. 4. I feare saith he to the Corinthians lest when I come my God abase mee among you and I shall bewaile many of them which haue sinned already c he knew nothing by himselfe as hee telleth them in another place yet could he not but lament and be humbled for their offences who were a part of his Apostolike charge So Samuel in the zeale of Gods glorie spares not flatly to tell Saul of his sinne notwithstanding his great authoritie 1. Sam. 15.35 and yet in loue and compassion to his person hee was alwayes bent to lament Sauls case and earnestly to pray for him till the Lord forbad him to doe so anie longer 1. Sam. 16.1 If wee could keepe this golden mixture wee should stop the mouthes of the aduersaries who accuse vs to be full of rancour and malice if wee be angrie as enemies to their sinne but grieued in that for sinne they are become enemies to God Further wee must know that true zeale maketh vs as willing to be admonished as carefull to admonish True zeale maketh men desirous of admonition and that not only of our superiours which is an easie thing because there wee must of necessitie yeeld but also of our inferiours whom we may seeme to contemne All men will graunt that a childe ought willingly to be admonished of his father or a seruant of his maister but fewe will in practise giue this that a father should listen to the aduertisement of his sonne or that a maister should receiue an admonition of his seruant Howbeit Iob saith hee durst not contemne the iudgement of his seruant or of his maide Iob. 30.13 when they did contend with him because in a dutie of pietie he looked to them not as seruants but as brethren he looked not to the speaker onely which in respect of his calling was his inferiour but vnto the things spoken in the ordinance of God vnto whom Iob himselfe was an inferiour and before whom he knew there was no respect of persons Howbeit to correct the preposterous boldnesse of some wee adde thus much that inferiours must rather aduise than admonish aduertise rather then reprehend their superiours that so still they may offer their pure zeale of the glorie of God in vnfained humilitie lest through their corrupt zeale they do not only not profit their superiours but most iustly exasperate them against them Another rule is that in pure zeale wee be patient in our owne causes deuoure many priuate iniuries Wee must be most feruent in Gods causes but hote and feruent in Gods causes Manie can be as hote as fire in their owne priuate matters who are as colde as ice in things that concerne Gods honor and glorie But it was otherwise with Moses When anie priuate wrong was offered vnto him by the Israelites he was meeke as a lambe and would with wisedome speake mildly vnto them to pacifie them and pray earnestly vnto God to pardon them but when they fell to Idolatrie and worshipped the golden calfe a matter which neerely concerned the glory of God his wrath waxed hot Exod. 32.19.20 and he cast the tables out of his hands and brake them in peeces and burnt the calfe in the fire and ground it to powder and made them drinke of it being strewed vpon the water and after caused a great number of the principall doers in this wickednesse to be slaine by the sword This also is the commendation of the Church of Ephesus that they had much patience and yet could not forbeare those which were euill Reuel 2.2 but examined them which said they were Apostles and found them liars This rule well obserued would sow vp the lips of the aduersaries who though for a time they thinke vs to be cholloricke and men out of our wits madly reuenging our priuate affections yet one day they should confesse that we sought not our owne commoditie but Gods most precious glory And to stretch this examination of our hearts one degree further let vs beware of that corruption which springing from selfe-loue will giue vs leaue to reioyce in good things so long as they be in our selues but repineth at the sight of them in others which will permit vs to be grieued at euill things in our selues and yet make vs to reioyce to see the same in others True zeale hauing Gods glory for the obiect thereof loueth good wheresoeuer and in whomsoeuer it is true zeale hateth sinne
it a small matter for one to forsake the profession of the truth But the Lord esteemeth that a great fall yea greater then if the Sunne and the Starres fell from heauen so that the point is that of all fals the fall from religion is the most woefull Nebuchadnezzars fall was great when hee was stript of his Empire Doct. 4 Apostasie is a most grieuous sinne and in stead of ruling men was turned into the wildernes to liue amongst beasts to eate and drinke with the wilde asses and that for seauen yeeres together this was a maruellous great fall yet not comparable to theirs that of professors become prophane persons For whereas Nebuchadnezzar went from men to beasts they goe from godly men to wicked Atheists that are worse then beasts yea to the company of diuels and of all the damned spirits And whereas Nebucadnezzar had a stumpe left in the ground which after seuen yeeres should sprout forth againe and so he should returne to a better estate then he enioyed before those that are reuolts and backsliders haue no stumpe at all left in the ground but are vnrecouerable Heb. 10.26.27 For if we sinne willingly after we haue receiued the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinne but a fearefull looking for of iudgement and of a violent fire which shal dâ—uoure the aduersaries Nothing doth so prouoke the vengeance of God against men as this wretched apostasie doth For a man to fall from riches to pouertie from promotion to debasement c. it is a matter of nothing God loues him neuer the worse but to fall from profession to prophanenesse from God to the Diuell from heauen to hell from life to death this is a lamentable thing indeed Dauid did not sustaine the fal of his house but had onely some tiles and a part of the roofe blowne off yet was that a greater losse then if he had been depriued of his kingdome Psalm 51. neither would that haue so rent his soule and crusht his bones and grownd his heart to pouder as the committing of those offensiue euils did nay if he had been set vpon a steepe rocke with a milstone about his necke and from thence had been cast headlong into the sea it had been but a trifle in comparison of the other Oh then how fearefull must their case be that do vtterly forsake the liuing God If his deadnesse and hardnesse of heart and inability to do duties to God and men were more bitter then the most violent death vnto him if I say the very decay in grace did bring with it such torture what must they expect either in this world or in that which is to come or both who doe not onely part but wholly lose that taste of good things which once they had and doe not onely in a passion as Peter did deny Christ but quite and cleane forsake him Now the reasons to proue that this fall is the greatest Reasons are these 1. Because the things which they lose are most precious being spirituall things 2. The ruine in the soule which is the more excellent part And furthermore the effects wil proue as much which are 1. Monstrous shame for when any one falles from profession all the world sees hee was but an hypocrite at best and then prophane persons will insult and triumph These are your professors these are they that will heare Sermons they are as bad people as any liuing I will trust none of them all for such a ones sake and thus they purchase infamy and disgrace vnto themselues as Achitophel and Iudas did 2. And not only so but also euerlasting paines as we see in Iudas who did not only die a base kind of death being his owne executioner and hauing his filthy bowels that had been so full of couetousnesse and cruelty gushing out but also seeking to exempt himselfe from the paines and gripings of an euill conscience hee cast himselfe into the torments of hell which are easelesse and endlesse For instruction Vse 1 that wee should labour to set sure in the things of God for better is it to haue any decay then a decay in the conscience and to haue any losse and hurt then those which are in the soule Now if we would not haue a great and shamefull fall let vs take the direction of Iude Iude 20. which he giues as a preseruatiue against apostacie But ye beloued saith hee edifie your selues in your most holy faith That is the first thing that wee must still bee building vp of our selues and striue to bee better and better for we are like a boate that goes against the streame if wee labour not with might and maine to rowe vpward we shal be carried violently downeward A second thing is that we must pray in the holie Ghost Many will bragge that they say their praiers morning and night but doe they pray their praiers A parrot may say a praier but Christians must pray in the holy Ghost that is with such petitions as the Spirit warranteth with sighes groanes which it worketh in the heart These two things whosoeuer can practise namely to build vp himselfe daily and offer vp faithful prayers vnto God he shall be sure to stand fast and firme Secondly Vse 2 this is for comfort to those on whom the Lord hath bestowed his good Spirit for if it be the greatest fall to fall from religion then it is the greatest rising to rise vnto grace and if they be cursed that fal away then blessed are those that draw neare vnto God and with full purpose of heart cleaue vnto him growing daily in humilitie and in contempt of the world in conscience towards God and in care to leade a good and holie life before men This is indeed the greatest promotion and therefore Iames saith Let the brother that is of low degree Iames 1.9 reioyce in that he is exalted Exalted might some say what exaltation is that when they are as poore as euer they were A maruellous great exaltation it is for they are made Christians and so consequently kings both in respect of grace and glory Reuel 1.6 Caine and Nimrod and many other reprobates went beyond ten thousand of vs for outward things but al that aduancement was to their greater shame and confusion For earthly promotion is nothing else but an high stage and if one be an idiote itwere better for him to play his part on the ground if those that are in eminent places haue not power to master their owne lusts and carnall affections they are but great fooles vpon an high stage Therefore let vs seeke for spirituall things more then for earthly and bee more thankfull and ioyfull when we find grace in our hearts then if we should find many mines of gold which none could lay claime vnto but our selues The end of the second Sermon vpon the 6. of Luke THE THIRD SERMON VPON THE FOVRTEENTH PSALME PSALME 14. Vers
5. There they shall be taken with feare because God is in the generation of the iust 6 You haue made a mocke of the counsell of the poore because the Lord is his trust IN the former part of this Psalme is set downe the iust complaint of the Prophet concerning the sinfull and corrupt nature and conuersation of all vnregenerate persons where is declared their horrible impietie against God in that they said in their hearts there was no God as also their bloudy crueltie against his seruants in that they deuoured them as greedily as an hungry man doth eate bread Both which their impietie and crueltie are sufficiently proued first by their abominable practise and behauiour both in committing euill and in omitting good vers 1.3.4 Secondly by the testimony of the Lord who tooke a suruey of their disposition and cariage v. 2. Thirdly by the euidence of their own consciences Do not the workers of iniquity know c Now in these words the holy Ghost sheweth what will bee the end and issue of such vngodly courses and what iudgement will fall vpon such irreligious and cruell persons describing it 1. Verse 5. First by the manner of it There they shall be taken with feare that is in the mids of their sinfull practises horrible terrours shall take hold of them so that they shall be full of trembling and amazement 2. Secondly by the principall causes for which this iudgement is sent which are two 1. One in respect of God viz. his fauor and loue vnto his people which he manifesteth by being in the congregation of the righteous that is among all righteous persons and that not with an idle presence but standing with them and for them to vphold direct and comfort them according to their need and to confound all such as lift vp their heads against them 2. Another cause is in regard of the enemies of God and of his people to wit their malice and sinfulnesse against which the holy Ghost inueigheth by way of insultation You haue made a mocke c. q.d. You shall assuredly be met withall Verse 6. and will you know why You haue made a mocke of the counsell of the poore that is at their resolute purpose to seeke God and their constant endeauors to depend vpon him as the words following seeme to imply Because the Lord is his trust q.d. You are so farre from taking good waies and resting vpon the prouidence and goodnesse of God your selues that you disgrace despite those that will do so and therefore without doubt woe and and misery shall ouertake and ouerwhelme you when you little imagine any such matter Vers 5. There they shall be taken with feare Wee may reade in the former part of the Psalme how forward these men were vnto al vngodlinesse and vnrighteousnesse Doct. 1 and now see how they are affected and thence learne this doctrine Boldnesse in sinne brings dastardlinesse afterward that those that are most bold to commit sinne are most cowardly when dangers doe approch Hardinesse and venturousnes in euill courses hath commonly dastardlinesse attending thereupon when any occasion of feare is offered There they shall bee taken with feare saith the Prophet that is in the very height of their impiety against the Lord and of their cruelty against his seruants euen there they shall bee surprized with horrour and astonishment albeit they in their follie say There is no God and therefore rush into all abominations vtterly casting off the yoake of obedience and delighting in nothing more then in deuouring Gods people yet will hee make them know that there is a God in heauen that takes notice of their workes and of their waies and if nothing else wil cause them to beleeue it the very torments and tortures which hee suddenly and strangely inflicteth vpon their consciences shall make them wil they nill they to confesse it For when they presume of all manner of safety and doe not so much as dreame of any perill that is toward because of the weakenesse and basenesse of their aduersaries then some vnexpected euill shall ouertake them and anguish shall come vpon them Psal 48.6 Euen as trauel vpon awoman that is with-child that is suddenly grieuously and vnauoidably This is denounced as a part of the curse to bee executed vpon those that would not obey the lawes of God nor feare the glorious and fearefull name of the Lord Deut. 28.65.66 That he would giue them a trembling heart and a sorrowfull minde that they should feare both day and night that in the morning they should say Would it were euening and at euening Would God it were morning Which very curse is expressed in other tearmes in the booke of Leuiticus where the Lord threatneth those that would not bee reformed but would walke stubbornely against him Leuit. 26.36 that he would send a faintnesse into their hearts in so much that the sound of a lease shaken should chase them and they should flie as flying from a sword though none did pursue them This point may bee made yet more plaine by examples 2. Chron. 18.23 King Ahaz was maruellous bold in his idolatrous and wicked courses reiecting the ordinances of God and bringing in heathenish abominations in stead thereof without any feare of God or of his iudgements But how was hee affected when danger was neere The Prophet Isaiah telleth vs that when the King of Aram and the King of Israel came against him Isa 7.1.2 his heart together with the hearts of his people that were like vnto him was moued as the trees of the forrest are moued by the winde That is both he and all his souldiers were euen as Aspen leaues or some such like that in a great tempest of boisterous winds are maruellously tossed and shaken the feare of their enemies that were neare at hand did make them hauing no faith in God exceedingly to quake and tremble The like whereunto the same Prophet foretelleth concerning the vnbeleeuing Iewes speaking of that which should bee as if it were already done The sinners in Sion were afraid Isa 33.14 saith he a feare is come vpon the hypocrites When Gods iudgements doe flie abroad in the world this is the vse that sinfull persons will make of them they will vexe their hearts with hellish and desperate feares and cry out Who among vs shall dwell with deuouring fire Who among vs shall dwell with euerlasting burnings For so they conceiue of God that hee is a consuming fire as indeed hee is vnto such as they are and that hee will not onely torment them presently but euerlastingly We may reade of Saul in what wofull perplexity he was when hee must part with his kingdome and his life at once In the time of his prosperity hee was a man of great courage and too too boysterous against Dauid yet when newes came vnto him that hee must die the very report of it caused him straight way to fall
to performe in his familie and the like we may boldly say except the Lord conuert this mans heart certainly he will neuer make conscience of performing these duties Now for the effect which they shall find from the Lord it is this that he will deale with them as with wicked and vngodly ones both in this life and afterwards 2. Thes 2.10.11.12 for because they receiue not the loue of the truth that they might be saued therefore God wil send them strong delusions that they should beleeue lies That all they may be damned that beleeue not the truth but take pleasure in vnrighteousnesse This doctrine maketh First for the terror of Papists Vse 1 and all such as are popishly affected as being liable to this iudgement and heauie stroake of God because they refuse to heare the word of the Lord and will rather hearken to erroneous and heretical doctrine then to the truth of God contained in the holy Scriptures and rather lie in prison amongst malefactors then bee in the Church amongst true Christians But though they doe not heare the word preached Obiect 1 yet will some say they pray very much What of that Answ doe they imagine to haue any benesit by their prayers if they doe they will bee much deceiued Prou. 28.9 for Salomon saith He that turneth away his eare from hearing the law euen his prayer shall be abominable Let them pretend what they will for their wilfull absenting of themselues from our assemblies as namely that wee corrupt the word and misinterprete and misapply the same yet they shall finde that they haue refused to embrace the loue of the truth 2. Thes 2. and haue beleeued lies and that therefore the Lord hath iustly giuen them vp to bee deluded by Satan and so to bee damned with him euerlastingly Secondly for the iust reproofe of many among vs who will come vnto the Church and sit before the Preacher as men and women desiring to obtaine the knowledge of Gods waies whereas in truth the Lord and their owne consciences can witnesse that they are altogether vnwilling to receiue any wholesome admonition and instruction and that no charge is or can bee more vnpleasant and distastfull vnto them then that of the God of heauen when he straitly enioyneth them with all speed to get out of their sins and to turne their feet into the way of his testimonies And because they will bee very loath to acknowledge thus much but are ready to harbour too good an opinion of themselues as if none were more forward hearers then they are let their owne hearts bee iudges what preparation they make before hand for the fitting of themselues for such a great worke what attention they vse when they are present and what meditation and conference they haue concerning it when they are departed Of which points if they would without partiality examine themselues they should easily discerne a great deale of backwardnesse in their nature and in their practise If a man should protest that hee goes to the market with a great desire to buy food for himselfe and his family yet if he alwaies played the vnthrift with his money and neuer brought home any prouision we would not giue credit to his words but account him a meere dissembler and the like censure may wee passe on such as pretend they are willing to reape benefit by the word to the intent they may bee able to helpe both themselues and their families and yet neuer carrie away any thing to the purpose but if they aske them what points were handled they can say nothing but this surely wee heard a very good Sermon God be thanked but my memory is very short or I cannot vtter all that I haue in my mind my heart I hope is as good as the best though I cannot talke of the Sermon as others doe what is this but to deceiue their owne soules with vaine words for certainely hee that hath a heart willing to heare will haue a tongue readie to vtter in some tolerable sort that which hee hath heard though not all of it yet a good part of it as God hath giuen to euery one the measure of grace Another sort are here to be reproued who doe in a more palpable and grosse manner manifest their vnwillingnesse to heare in that they wil take euery sleight occasion to absent themselues and that not onely on the weeke daies but on the Lords day also so that when the Lord commeth euen to their dores and offereth to powre downe his graces abundantly vpon them they refuse his gracious offer Act. 13.46 and so iudge themselues vnworthie of eternall life Thirdly this is for our instruction if we would be freed from the accusation and condemnation of impious and prophane persons then let vs labour to be willing and well affected hearers and come with a better appetite to the food of our soules then wee doe to the food of our bodies and be more desirous to get an encrease of spirituall graces by the one Remedies against vnwillingnesse to heare the word then of naturell strength by the other Now to the intent that we may do so we must vse these remedies following First purge our hearts by true and vnfained repentance from the venome of all grosse and presumptuous sinnes yea from the allowance and liking of the least infirmities for otherwise if our soules bee clogged with poysoned humours of sinne wee shall find no manner of appetite or affection to our spirituall food Wherefore the Apostle Iames exhorting the twelue tribes to receiue the word with meekenesse prescribeth them what course to take for the preparing of their hearts thereunto Iam. 1.20.21 viz. to put away wrathfull and violent affections to lay apart al filthinesse and superfluity of malitiousnes And the like direction the Apostle Peter giueth in his first Epistle and second chapter vers 1.2 thereby implying that it is in vaine for men to imagine that they can bee profitable hearers and receiuers of the doctrine of Christ till they haue done their best endeauour to cleanse their hearts and their hands from all manner of iniquitie Secondly let vs consider of the excellency of the word and meditate on the strange and admirable effects that it worketh as namely how pure and holy and perfect it is euery way Psal 19.7 c. how it enlighteneth the mind and giueth wisedome to the simple how it conuerteth the soule and frameth the affections vnto obedience 2. Cor. 10. Act. 26.18 how it casteth downe the strong holds of the diuell setteth men at libertie from the power of darkenesse Iam. 1.21 and translateth them into the glorious kingdome of Iesus Christ and in a word is able to saue their soules that doe in a conscionable manner attend thereunto and treasure it vp in the secret of their hearts Which things being well considered will set an edge on our affections Psal 119. and cause vs
to haue as great delight in Gods statutes as in all manner of riches Thirdly and lastly when wee feele within vs a great vnwillingnesse to hearken to the word as the flesh will alwaies bee vnwilling to that which will mortifie and kill the sinfull lusts thereof let vs say with the Prophet Dauid Psal 119. part 5. Lord encline my heart vnto thy testimonies Neuer discourage our selues by thinking surely I shall neuer bee able to master my affections and to bring my heart with cheerefulnesse to listen vnto holy things but goe vnto the Lord that is greater then our hearts and stronger then our sinnes and beseech him to giue vs a good affection to his testimonies and if wee aske in faith and humility wee shall bee sure to obtaine our hearts desire Psal 25. for the Lord hath promised to teach the humble his way and if hee vndertake it it is neither our sinfull nature nor Satans malice that can hinder his worke but he will by degrees accomplish the same in vs aâ—â—ee hath done in all his elect from the beginning of the world euen vnto this present time And thus much for the helpes that wee must vse that wee may become willing and cheerefull hearers of the word of the Lord. Vers 10. Which say vnto the Seers see not c. THe Prophet had charged them that they were vnwilling to heare Gods word but they might obiect Wee are as forward to heare as any other yea saith he you heare indeed but what doctrine are you most desirous of would you not be flattered rather then reproued would you not haue falshood preached vnto you rather then the truth Doe you not say vnto the Seers see not and to the Prophets prophecie not vnto vs right things but speake flattering things vnto vs prophecie errours not that they were so brutish as in words to say thus much vnto the Seers that is to their faithfull teachers which had an insight into Gods will but their actions testified so much for they would vilifie and persecute such as dealt faithfully with them Whence obserue Doct. 3 that the more wholesome and holy any doctrine is The most holy doctrine is most distastfull vnto vnholy persons the more grieuous is it vnto the wicked sinners As any man of God preacheth more soundly and commeth nearer the conscience so is hee more abhorred of vngodly men This we may see euidently in sundry examples of Scripture as first of all in those of whom mention is made in the Reuelation where it is said Reuel 11. that there were two witnesses that is a competent and sufficient number of faithfull Preachers which were like Oliue trees Vers 4. to distill the oyle of grace into mens hearts and like Candelstickes to hold forth the light vnto those that liued in darknesse and ignorance but what was the effect of their preaching Vers 10. It is said that these two Prophets vexed them that dwealt on the earth that is all earthly minded men all such as were ignorant and proud vnchast and couetous so that they could neuer be well till they had killed them and cast out their corpses into the streets of the city but then they were glad and reioyced and sent presents one to another in token of their ioy hoping that now these two witnesses were dispatched out of the way they should go on merrily in their leaud courses and liue at hearts ease So Ahab professeth that hee hated the Prophet Micaiah and could not abide him how came that to passe he could like well enough of those foure hundred false Prophets that were entertained at Iezabels table this was the very true cause Micaiah neuer prophecied good vnto him 1. King 21.20 but euill Hee would deale faithfully in deliuering Gods message and not flatter him either for feare or fauor but when God proclaimed warre against him as hee must needs being an impious Idolater hee would let him heare of it and giue him no allowance in his wicked enterprises whereas those foure hundred dissembling hypocrites had learned to frame themselues to the Kings humour and to speake not true but pleasing things vnto him and by that meanes they insinuated themselues into his fauour And as he was affected towards Micaiah so was hee also towards Elijâ—h Hast thou found me O mine enemy saith he 1. King 21.20 Now what was the reason he should professe such emnity against him euen this that the holy Prophet of God came euer furnished with sharpe rebukes and terrible threatnings from heauen which hee was to denounce against him for his monstrous impiety against the Lord and cruelty against his seruants The like may be seene in Paul who for deliuering the holy and powerfull doctrine of the Gospell was counted a pestilent fellow Act. 24. and a troubler of the whole world not of the Saints that were in the world but of such as were men of the world who could not endure to haue their ignorance their Idolatry their hypocrisie the ill gouernment of their tongues of their affections and of their families laid open and disgraced and the reformation of these corruptions vrged and pressed vpon their consciences To this same purpose we may obserue further how mad and outragious they were against Steuen Acts 7. when hee came with sound doctrine to their vnsound hearts Act 7.54 c. it is said when they heard the things that hee deliuered their hearts brast for anger and they gnashed at him with their teeth and so giuing a shout with a loud voice and stopping their eares that they might not heare him any longer they ranne vpon him with great violence and carrying him out of the city stoned him to death Reasons The reasons why pure and holy doctrine is so vnpleasant and vnwelcome vnto impure and vnholy persons are these First because it doth maruellously crosse their wretched lusts and goes against those euill affections and actions which they are determined to follow they would bee proud but the word tels them Iam. 4. that then the Lord will resist them and at length confound them bodies and soules they would bee alwaies rooting in the earth and scraping together the pelfe of this world Reuel 22. but the word tels them that such swine shall be without that is excluded from the heauenly Ierusalem and haue their portion in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for euer Now when they are resolued to bee proud still and to bee rooters still and the Ministers of God are euer and anon grating vpon their consciences for the same they are much imbittered and incensed against them and their doctrine and if they can worke them any mischiefe they shall be sure not to misse of it Secondly such kinde of doctrine doth much disgrace both their courses and persons for it is the square whereby such crooked peeces are discerned and the touchstone wherby wicked mens vnsoundnes is discouered Hence is it
and crushed in peeces with the vnsupportable weight of Gods vengeance heereafter Thirdly Vse 3 sith this inward touch for sinne is a thing so necessarie let vs hence learne to labour for it and to keepe tendernes of heart when we baue obtained it for that sorrow which breaketh the heart doth withall breake the necke of sinne and therefore when the Lord doth checke controle our consciences let vs esteeme it as a great mercie and not let such stroakes passe without their right vse but let vs goe to God and to his children for helpe and direction and then that little sparke of the fire of God in our soules being fed nourished will grow in the end to a great flame Now that our harts may be kept alwaies tender sensible of those checks which Gods spirit giueth vs let vs vse these meanes that follow First let vs in our hearts the weapon of God Meanes to get tendernes of heart euen the sword of the spirit whereby our hearts may be wounded as often as need requireth for vnregenerate persons wanting that weapon will rather defend then smite themselues when they haue offended and euery childe of God hath somewhat of old Adam in him in which regard he must be more carefull to vse the sword of the spirit for the piercing of his heart when any sinne is committed by him Iohn 16.8 withall praying for the spirit of grace which will conuince the conscience when it is guiltie so that it shall haue nothing to say in defense of it selfe but very much for the condemnation of it selfe as is euident Ezec. Ezeck 36. 36.27 whereby we may obserue that when God hath giuen his spirit vnto his elect and as it is in Ieremy Ier. 31. 31 33. withall written his lawes in their hearts then they shall remember their owne wicked waies and their deedes that were not good and shall iudge themselues worthy to haue beene destroyed for their iniquities for their abhominations What is the reason they should passe such a heauie sentence vpon themselues one would thinke they should rather reioyce now allow of themselues and of their workes so they doe reioyce at and approue of themselues and their workes so farre as they are spirituall but they proclaime war against themselues and their workes so far as either they are or haue beene carnall and sinfull and that because the word of God and the spirit of God doe beare sway in their hearts they are at vtter defiance with their pride and hypocrisie and all wretched lusts that fight against their soules being neuer so much tormented with those sinnes as when they haue attained to a great measure of humilitie and of sinceritie He that is most lowly is euer most vexed with his pride and he that is most vpright and true hearted is most of all troubled with the guilefulnes and deceitfulnes of his owne heart because the word and the spirit working together doe cause him both more clerely to see and more throughly to hate those corruptions than euer hee did before he had attained to that measure of grace Secondly we must not content our selues when once we haue gotten the word and spirit of God within vs but we must still striue to keepe our hearts humble and lowly for otherwise we shall not feele the strokes of the word and spirit of God therefore it is said Isay 30.20.21 Isa 30. that when the Lord had dieted his people a while giuing them the bread of aduersitie and the water of affliction and thereby taken downe the pride and stubbornenesse of their hearts that then their eares should heare a word behind them saying this is the way walke in it c. that is when they were thus humbled as soone as euer they had committed any offence they should presently haue a blow vpon their hearts for it and be full of feare and anguish though no man in the world tell them of it yet the word in their hearts will be like a good guide that is still following a little child and telling him this is not the right way leaue it there is the right way walke in it but many haue hearts pestered with pride and lust and couetousnesse and yet goe a whole moneth nay many monethes and yeares together and neuer feele any rebuke in their consciences How comes this to passe that others are full of griefe and full of teares for their sinnes and they are neuer troubled for them is it beause there is greater vprightnes in them then there is in others No surely it is because they haue a more blind minde and a more proud and senselesse hart then others haue for the more humble any one is the more often shall he heare the voyce of the spirit checking him when hee goeth out of the way moouing him to turne again into the right way Thirdly we must especially beware of presūptuous sins for if we liue therein our hearts will cease to smite vs or at least we shall be senselesse of these strokes as may be seene in the case of Dauid when he had cut off the lap of Sauls garment and numbred the people which were but infirmities forthwith his conscience rebuked him and he was humbled before the Lord but when he had committed adulterie and murder either the checkes of his conscience were none at all or else they were so weake 2. Sam. 12. that hee had no sense nor feeling thereof so that Nathan was driuen to fetch about as it were and to vse all the art that might be to make him see his offences and passe sentence against himselfe for the same Let vs therefore by his example learne to beware how we presumptuously sinne against our consciences especially in palpable and grosse offences least our mindes being by degrees blinded and our affections by little and little corrupted we become in the end very blocks and stones and haue our consciences so darkened that they will not accuse vs or our hearts so benummed that they will not be mooued with the stroakes of God and with the checks of his holy spirit After that he had numbred the people Heere is his speciall sinne that he numbred his subiects which may seeme to be no such great matter for which God should so plague the land and if there had bene that measure of hypocrisie in Dauid as there is in many of vs he would haue pleaded thus for himselfe What need I to be so troubled for this and what reason is there why God should proceede so seuerely against me for the same did not Moses and Ioshua holy men of God number the people in their daies and that warrantably and why then may not I doe the like hauing more absolute authoritie ouer them then they had but his heart staied him from all such reasoning of the matter and told him that though hee did the same action which they did yet the manner of doing thereof was
excellencie I wil poure vpon the house of Dauid and vpon the inhabitants of Ierusalem the Spirit of grace c. Signifying that he would vouchsafe vnto his Church vnder the Gospell a more plentifull measure of his Spirit that as they should haue more excellent and cleere and powerfull meanes so they should find a greater blessing vpon the vse of those meanes that whereas vnder the law they had but drops of grace distilling easily and by little and little now they should haue whole buckets full as it were yea whole flouds of grace poured downe vpon all sorts of Gods seruants By the Spirit of grace is meant the Spirit of adoption and of regeneration so called both because it is giuen out of Gods free grace and fauour as also because it worketh grace and goodnesse in all such as are endued therewith this Spirit is further described by a speciall effect viz. that it is a Spirit of prayers Till such time as men are made partakers hereof they may vse many words of prayer but they are altogether idle and vaine fruites of their flesh and not of their faith such as they haue great cause to be humbled for and no reason at all to be comforted in but when once they haue this Spirit put into their hearts they can call vpon the Lord in an acceptable and comfortable manner Then next is shewed whither this Spirit leadeth them to wit vnto Christ They shall looke on him whom they haue pierced When men begin to pray in a religious and conscionable manner they disclaime all fleshly helps and hopes betake themselues vnto their Sauiour whom they haue pierced by their sinnes for it cannot properly be said that the Scribes and Pharises or Iudas or the high Priests or the Romanes did put Christ to death-they being but instruments thereof but the iniquities of Gods elect did the fact and they were indeed the true and principall cause that brought vpon the Sonne of God all manner of affliction and persecution and execution it selfe In the next place it is said that when his children shall looke vpon him They shall lament for him or ouer him or concerning him all comes to one reckoning As soone as they see what euils and miseries they haue brought vpon Christ Iesus by their transgressions and how odious their offences are which could be healed by no other medicine but by the precious bloud of the immaculate Iambe of God the due consideration hereof will cause them to bee troubled and grieued at the very heart Which griefe is set out by two speciall circumstances to wit by the greatnesse of it and by the truth of it The greatnesse thereof is declared by two comparisons which yet are inferiour and lesse then the thing it selfe For the first comparison it is said That they should lament for him as one that mourneth for his only sonne and be sorry as one is sorry for his first borne If parents haue many children yet it will much grieue them to part with any of them but if they haue but one onely sonne who is likely to be the heire of the family and they lose him and so are disappointed of their hope then they vsually mourne with an exceeding bitter lamentation as the woman of the cittie of Nain did for the death of her onely son Luke 7.11 Such the holy Ghost saith shall be the sorrow of all true penitent persons when they apprehend the multitude and grieuousnesse of their sinnes whereby they haue slaine the Lord of life The second comparison here vsed to expresse the measure of their sorrow is taken from the example of the Iewes who when their godly worthy king Iosiah was slaine in the valley of Megiddo neere Hadadrimmon in fighting against Pharoah Necho King of Aegypt 2. Chron. 35. they lamented for him very bitterly and not onely the common people who haue not so good a gouernment of their affections mourned for him but Ieremiah the Prophet also and others of the best sort of men and women tooke this losse exceedingly to heart as seeing in the death of Iosiah the death and ruine both of Church and common wealth In which regard it was set downe as an ordinance that they should haue set times of mourning for that affliction which befell them through his death and such saith the Prophet shall be the lamentation of those that attaine to the sight and sense of their sinnes whereby they haue slaine the Lord Christ Iesus verse 11. Hauing thus set forth the greatnesse of their sorrow he commeth in the next place to expresse the soundnesse thereof The land shall bewaile euery family apart c. Not in the publicke assemblies alone where the teares of one may draw on the teares of another and so their mourning be either naturall for company or hypocritall for vaine glory but he saith that euery family should weepe apart and in priuate yea not onely the seuerall families but particular persons yea those that were most neerely lincked together viz. the husband and the wife should bee separated in this worke of humiliation and not content themselues to pray and bewaile their sinnes one with another but take some time each of them to performe this dutie in secret and if they that are so inward one with another should lament apart much more others that are further off one from another By the house of Dauid is meant as was before shewed the excellenter sort of Christians and the like is signified by the house of Nathan who was the son of Dauid of whom Christ came for the family of Salomon was wholy extinguished By the house of Leui is meant the ordinary sort of the Leuites and as for the family of Shimei it was one of the principall families of Leui. Whence we may obserue that all families without exception are tyed to this worke and ought iointly and seuerally to performe the same None are so good but they must weepe for their sinnes in secret and pray for the continuance increase of their goodnesse and as it is not needlesse for the best so neither is it bootlesse for the meanest but whosoeuer doth so shall haue a fountaine of grace opened vnto him whereby all his iniquities shall be washed away The drift then of these words wee see is to manifest and expresse the great goodnesse of God towards his seruants in the time of the Gospell and here is shewed 1 First what gift he wil bestow vpon them viz. aboundance of his holy Spirit 2 Secondly the good vse that they will make of it which is two-fold 1 First they will betake themselues vnto faithfull prayer and by the eye of faith looke vnto Christ through whom both they and their prayers must be accepted 2 Secondly they wil grow to a maruailous great loathing and dislike of their sinnes and sorrow for the same which is declared by two maine circumstances viz. 1 The greatnesse thereof which is illustrated by two comparisons 2
cause of all our happinesse A fifth reason why their state is so happy that are endued with Gods spirit is because that is it which comforteth and strengtheneth them in all their temptations and troubles Those that are destitute of this holy comforter when aduersity lighteth vpon them do either fret or faint either fall to murmuring or to desperation but those that haue their hearts replenished with the holy Ghost doe then most strongly reioice when tribulations and miseries lye most heauily vpon them as the Apostles when they were most grieuously persecuted are said then to be filled with the holy Ghost Acts 4.31 And what of that Acts 5.41 Then they reioyced that they were counted worthy to suffer rebuke for Christ his name And as Pauls sufferings did abound 2. Cor. 1.5 so did his consolations in Christ abound also So that when comfort is comfort indeed and when life it selfe would go vnlesse comfort came then doth the holy Ghost most plenteously refresh the heart with inward ioy and contentment 1. Pet. 1.6.8 according to that saying of the Apostle Peter Now for a season yee are in heauinesse and yet reioyce with ioy vnspeakable and glorious Hitherto the reasons alleaged haue tended chiefely to his euen to shew what good the Spirit of grace bringeth vnto our selues Now further there is a sixth reason for the confirmation of this point which is that it doth also make vs exceeding profitable vnto others which is a very great addition vnto our blessednes Al the wit learning and art in the world cannot make a man to bee a constant and conscionable doer of good but Gods spirit alone must doe that and therfore goodnesse is set downe as a fruit thereof Gal. 5.22 And in the sixth chapter of that Epistle ver 1. the Apostle saith If any man be ouertaken by any offence ye that are spirituall restore such a one not ye that are wittie or learned c. For no man can be a good Physitian vnto others but he that hath first wrought a cure vpon his owne soule in which regard the Apostle Paul saith 2. Cor. 1.4 We are able to comfort others with the consolations wherewith wee our selues haue been comforted Looke then who is most spirituall and wee shall find that he doth alwaies most good Therefore was it that when the Apostles were to conuert the whole world and to batter downe hell gates vpon Satans head they had the Spirit plentifullie poured downe vpon them Acts 2. which filled them so ful of heauenly wisdome and courage and zeale that they did that which al the Kings and Monarches of the earth could neuer haue effected by all their power and policie So also when Christ was to doe the greatest good that euer any creature did the Lord saith that his Spirit shall rest vpon him and thereby was he fitted to go through with the great worke of our redemption Isai 11.1 For as it is in that place the Spirit of the Lord is a Spirit of wisdome and vnderstanding making those that haue it to be of a sound iudgement and able to search into the hidden things of God a Spirit of counsell to guide and direct them and of power to strengthen and confirme them though they were neuer so feeble and weake a Spirit of knowledge and of the feare of the Lord to make such as are indued therewith prudent in his feare as there the Prophet speaketh Now seeing it is cleare by these reasons that the hauing of this holy spirit is the way to al happines First of al Vse 1 this may serue for the iust reproofe of those that would faine liue happily and comfortably and yet neuer had any feruent longing nor made any earnest request for Gods Spirit and the graces thereof they plainely manifest themselues to be ignorant and carnall persons that do not yet know what true happinesse meanes Secondly here are those much more sharply to be rebuked who thinke it best not to be led by the Spirit but rather by the lusts of the flesh and the lusts of the eyes imagining in their folly and madnesse that if they can heape together a great deale of wealth and aduance themselues and theirs to great places in the world then they shall be happy men and leade a merry and cheerefull life albeit they neuer take any care nor vse any endeuour to get the spirit of grace into their hearts but rather think them to be out of their wits that labor to be spiritual Wil these men know what their estate is the Apostle telleth them Rom. 8.9 If any man haue not the Spirit of Christ the same is not his and if hee bee not his 2. Cor. 13. he is for the present a bondslaue of Satan and in the state of a reprobate and if such can bee happy men then are they happy otherwise not If it were possible that for their outward condition of life they could be equal vnto Adam in paradise yet must they needs be very miserable as he was when the spirit of God was taken from him it was not the gardē of Eden that could then yeeld him contentment but he was in farre greater miserie and perplexity in that place then many theeues are in the dungeon or vpon the gallowes when they are ready to be turned ouer He that hath the spirit of God as Paul had shall find a heauen in prison in sicknesse in death it selfe whereas he that hath it not shall find a hell though he liued in as good a place as the very paradise of God was Thirdly here is an vse of instruction viz. that wee should search and try whether wee haue the Spirit or not for it is not a matter of small consequence but such as neerely concerneth vs. If then we would be resolued of this point How we may discerne whether we haue the spirit or not Gal. 5.17 let vs first examine whether there be in vs that continuall warre and conflict mentioned Gal. 5.17 between the flesh and the Spirit which al godly men do find and feele in themselues more or lesse for as the Apostle there speaketh The flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh Now this combat is generall throughout all the powers and faculties of the soule as to giue instance in the chiefe of them First in the vnderstanding part there is a conflict betweene carnall reason and the iudgement rightly informed by Gods word as in this particular A good man is railed vpon and vndeseruedlie traduced and vilified in this case reason will thus play its part Why should you beare it at his hand are not you his better haue you not him at an aduantage Why should you not take him downe and giue him as good as he brings Nay saith the Spirit you must not render euill for euill Rom. 12. Matth. 5. but rather ouercome euill with goodnesse and blesse them that curse you and
that The lusts of your father yee will do As those that are willing to do the workes of God are assuredly the children of God euen so they that are ready to doe the workes of Satan are without doubt the children of Satan and if they will pray vnto their father they must pray vnto the Diuell Againe in that very place it is said that the Spirit helpeth our infirmities Rom. 8.26 for wee know not what to pray as we ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh requests for vs with sighes that cannot be expressed where it is euident that the best of Gods seruants without the helpe and assistance of the holy Ghost are ignorant both of the matter and manner of prayer but the Spirit doth informe their minds what to aske and frame their affections how to aske in an holy and acceptable sort so that albeit sometimes they want words to expresse their meaning yet they are ful of inward sighes heauenly desires But what are they the better for them will some say if they cannot poure them foorth before the Lord in an outward forme of prayer They are much the better because as it is in the 27. verse He that searcheth the harts knoweth the meaning of the spirit and he so knoweth it that he approueth of it and delighteth in it If there bee neuer so many good words and those vttered by the very Saints of God themselues yet if they proceede not from the Spirit but from the flesh as sometimes they may they are not pleasing vnto the Lord but abhorred of him And on the other side albeit there be no words at al as many times it fals out when the hart is oppressed through extremity of griefe yet if there bee a multitude of holy desires in the soule stirred vp through the powerful working of the holy Spirit they are accepted of him and shal bee rewarded by him for as it is added in the place aboue named The Spirit eueÌ„ at such times maketh requests for the Saints according to the will of God And therefore their suits according with his will he cannot but yeeld vnto the same Againe Iohn 16.8 it is the proper worke of the Spirit to conuince the iudgement of sinne and to humble the heart therefore without which there can no faithfull prayer be made vnto the Lord. Bring neuer so strong reasons to adulterers or gamesters or Sabbath-breakers or any that liue in the continuall practise of such dangerous and damnable sins and presse them neuer so forcibly to cause them to forsake their leaud and wretched courses and yet can they not see why they should leaue them but rather imagine that they may lawfully follow the same still And no maruell for till the God of heauen do set downe their carnall reason it can neuer be set downe and till he stop their mouthes they will neuer be silenced but still haue somewhat to say for their wretched and vile behauiour Seeing then it is euident Reasons collected from the former places that Gods Spirit alone can perswade vs of the loue and fauor of our heauenly Father towards vs that so we may be in case to pray vnto him and withal must furnish vs with the matter and helpe vs in the manner of our praiers and humble vs in the sight of our owne miserable wants that so we may bee more earnest and feruent in the requests that wee make the point now in hand may hence bee strongly concluded to wit that none can make a faithfull prayer without the speciall aide and direction of the holy Ghost which serueth First for the confutation of those senselesse people Vse 1 that will bee talking and bragging how they pray day and night They that know what it is to lift vp a feruent prayer vnto the heauens doe easily discerne that they are but meere braggers and boasters and that indeede they neuer made one faithful praier since they were borne because they are and still haue been sensuall and carnall and vtterly void of any sanctifying grace of Gods spirit and therefore so farre are they from hauing any cause of reioycing in regard of their good prayers as they cal them that they haue great cause to be humbled for them as being workes of the flesh and not of the Spirit such as doe rather prouoke the Lords displeasure against them then pacifie his anger or any way procure his fauour towards them Such are the prayers of all blind and ignorant Papists who pray in an vnknowne tong to whom it may bee said as it was by our Sauiour vnto the sons of Zebedeus Ye know not what ye ask They may speake what they list of their often praying and how readily they can go through with their stint and taske but they that vnderstand what it is to bring God and their owne soules together in earnest requests and feruent supplications cannot but iudge them to bee bragging Pharisees who thinke that the Lord is beholding vnto them and indebted vnto them for such prayers whereas in truth he may iustly condemne them vnto hell for the same and wil do so if they be not humbled for them as well as for the rest of their iniquities And therfore they that haue indeed the Spirit of prayer are of another mind for when they haue vsed the best preparation that possibly they can they find so many defects in their prayers that they are driuen to make a new prayer for the pardoning of those their wants and are stirred vp heartily to praise the Lord wheÌ„ they can in any poore measure powre out their soules before him as knowing that it is not from any strength that they haue in themselues but from the help and furtherance of his good Spirit Secondly let this be an instruction vnto vs that if wee would pray aright and speed accordingly wee labour as Iude exhorteth to pray in the holy Ghost Iude vers 20. For those be the petitions that pierce the heauens and bring peace and comfort vnto the conscience But how shall we know whether â—ur prayers proceed from Gods Spirit or not for our sinfull hearts are apt to deceiue vs on both sides viz. either to make vs thinke through Satans suggestion that wee doe not pray in the holy Ghost because we haue so many frailties when in truth we doe or that we pray as wee ought to doe because we haue matter and words at will when indeed there is no such thing but onely a naturall gift of vttering that which is in our mindes and memories in apt and fit tearmes and in a fluent manner of speech Therefore if wee would know what it is to pray in the holy Ghost it is this First Rules for prayer wee must haue a warrant for the things that wee aske and that from the word of God where the Lords will is reuealed 1. Iohn 5.14 according wherunto all our petitions must be framed In which regard we must acquaint our selues with
a sort the torments of hell that they might partake of the ioyes of heauen the sound meditation thereof cannot but wound the hearts of such as haue any sparke of grace in them When it was told Dauid that Abner was slaine by Ioab though he had formerly been a rebell and was now newly reconciled vnto him yet hee mourned for him till the euening because he was a worthy man albeit he himselfe was altogether guiltlesse of his death Oh then how much more should the Saints of God lament ouer Christ Iesus who was not a worthy man but infinitly more worthy then all both men and Angels and not murdered by the treachery of another but killed by the sinnes of their soules the sins of their lips and the sinnes of their hands and if he had not been so killed they had been euerlastingly damned Put case that a man had one onely sonne which was to bee the heire of the family and hee of a sudden should find him starke dead would it not inwardly touch him and strike cold vnto his heart especially if he himselfe had vnwittingly been the cause thereof yes certainly it would go through his heart euen like a sword and such will be the griefe of those who through their transgressions haue slaine their blessed Sauiour as this very text witnesseth when they by the eye of faith doe see him heauy vnto the death crying vnto his Father in the bitternesse of his griefe being ful of torment in his bodie and fuller of anguish in his soule and that for their sakes euen for their sinnes they cannot but be exceedingly moued hereat And a little to presse the other comparison vsed in this text if the people of God did so bewaile the death of their worthy king Iosiah who yet died vnwillingly and without any intent to benefit them thereby how much more bitterlie should wee lament the death of our blessed Redeemer who was a farre greater and excellenter king then Iosiah was and yet willingly and freely laid downe his life for our sakes that he might free vs from eternall death and destruction both of our bodies and soules Questionlesse if wee haue any spirituall life and sense in vs this will make vs loath our sinnes that brought our deare Sauiour so much woe and miserie and cause vs heartily to mourne for the same euen as a man would do at the sight of a knife or sword or some such like instrument whereby at vnawares hee hath slaine his child or wife or any that was neere and deare vnto him Especiallie if wee consider that God out of his meere loue gaue his onelie Sonne vnto vs when we deserued nothing at his hands but his heauie curse and vengeance to be executed vpon vs Iohn 3.14 and that the Son of God was content from the aboundance of his loue to bee so abased and vilified so afflicted and tormented for our offences this must needes worke vpon our soules if wee haue but the least drop of goodnesse in vs. But here some man may obiect and say Obiect Indeed if al this had been done for me alone you say wel if my heart were not altogether flinty and vtterly hardened I could not but relent at the consideration hereof but all Gods elect were the cause hereof as well as I. This doth nothing diminish the loue of God and of Christ toward you Answ and therefore it should no whit lessen your good affection towards him for your Sauiour suffered as much for your iniquities as if he had suffered for no mans else for your sinnes alone required an infinite satisfaction Againe Obiect it may be asked how the consideration of Christ his death can make vs mourne sith it is the happiest thing that euer fel out since the foundations of the world were laid and therfore may seeme to bring with it greater matter of ioy then of sorrow The answere hereunto is easie Answ because ioy and sorrow may very wel stand together as may plainly appeare in this similitude If any of vs had committed some notable offence and were thereupon apprehended and condemned and now going to the place of execution there to endure whatsoeuer torture the wit or malice of men could inflict vpon vs and at this instant some deare friend of ours in singular compassion toward vs should intreate that the execution might be staied that we might be set at libertie and hee come in our steed to suffer whatsoeuer our ill deeds haue deserued we could not but be glad that we speede so well in being freed from so much miserie and yet withall if we had but naturall kindnesse and common humanity in vs it could not but grieue our soules that so good a friend of ours should be put surety should be content to sel his lands and goods for the discharge of our debts we had iust cause to reioyce thereat and yet reason requires that wee should be touched with inward griefe for that we had been such bankrouts and prouided so ill for the state of our suertie Euen so the case standeth betwixt Christ and vs he did vndergoe those punishments which were to bee inflicted vpon vs and discharged those debts which otherwise should haue been charged vpon vs in regard of our freedome wee ought to take comfort and in regard of that which our Sauiour did and suffered for vs wee must bee humbled and grieued Which serueth for the great terrour of sundrie gracelesse persons Vse 1 who being rebuked for their sinnes will confesse that indeede they haue their faults and infirmities but did not the Sonne of God die say they to redeeme vs from the same Hee did so indeed if you belong vnto him and wil you crucifie him again by your wretched and sinfull behauiour Did Christ weepe and cry and sweate droppes of blood for sinne and will you make no better vse thereof then to turne the grace of God into wantonnesse and to take your swinge in sinning because Christ hath made himselfe an offering for the same You proclaime vnto all the world that you are not led by the Spirit of grace and that you haue not a liuely faith in the merites of the Sonne of God for if you were a true beleeuer you would bee so farre from continuing in sin because Christ hath redeemed you by his blood that you would therefore abhorre it and eschue it because it cost him so deere Euen as one that hath any sparkle of ciuilitie in him if his friend haue endured great tortures to free him from the imputation of treason or haue been at great charges to deliuer him being cast in prison for debt will walke more circumspectly and aduisedlie all the daies of his life and will be so farre from aduenturing vpon those bad courses againe that hee will bee so much more carefull to auoide them by how much more paines and cost his friends haue been at for his redeeming Secondlie Vse 2 let this teach vs to exercise our thoughts often
and earnestly in considering what euils wee haue committed against our blessed Sauiour and what he hath done for vs notwithstanding let vs looke vpon him by the eye of faith and see him crucified and hanging vpon the crosse for our iniquities Gal. 3.1 And this we may better behold in the preaching of the Gospell and in the administration of the Sacraments then if we had been standing by when hee was put to death betweene the two theeues for that would haue daunted and amazed vs as it did the disciples that were Christ his followers whereas in these ordinances of God viz. the Word and the Sacrament his sufferings are liuely expressed and represented vnto vs so that wee may more clearelie and fullie see the loue of the Father and of the Sonne through the working of the holie Ghost in our hearts then they could that were eye-witnesses of his bitter passion And they shall lament for him as one mourneth for his onely sonne c. In these words as also in those that follow is declared the measure of their sorrow viz. that it was exceeding great as the two comparisons heere vsed doe euidentlie expresse whence obserue this doctrine that It is not sufficient to mourne for sinne Doct. 5 Great sorrow for sin very requisite See M. Dods Sermon on Isa 1. Doct. 1. where this point is largely handled but wee must make our sinnes to be our greatest sorrow Nothing must so pierce the hearts of Christians as that by their iniquities they haue slaine their Lord and Sauiour This thorough and sound lamentation is required Ioel 2.13 and was found in Dauid Psalme 51. and in the people of God of whom mention is made 1. Sam. 7.6 who are said in the day of their fast to draw water viz. out of their hearts and to poure it out before the Lord whereby is meant that they wept very bitterly and aboundantly for their offences against the Lord. Reasons And the reason why we must thus lament is First because sinne is the matter of all our woe and smart it is that which doth vs most hurt Isa 59.2 and that which keepeth from vs all manner of good and haue we not iust cause then to grieue that we should lodge such a guest in our soules especially if we consider how beneficiall this holy griefe wil be vnto vs for First it wil be a means to make vs pure in Gods account and so to free vs from the guilt of sinne 2. Cor. 11. and also to purge our hearts and hands from the corruption thereof so that we shall not bee in bondage thereunto any longer Iam. 4.8 And hence it will come to passe that either crosses shal not at all light vpon vs or at least they shall not be burdensome vnto vs. If wee keepe an Assises at home in our owne soules and find our selues guilty 1. Cor. 11.2 and condemne our selues then shall not we be iudged of the Lord but because wee deale very partially in our owne matters therfore is the Lord driuen to helpe vs by laying his correcting hand some way or other vpon vs or if crosses do not fal vpon vs in that regard but our hearts tell vs that wee deale faithfully in this behalfe then will our troubles be more easily borne for when sin lyes heauy afflictions lye light And therefore when men are so vexed and disquieted at iniuries and indignities or any outward distresses that they cannot eate nor drinke nor sleepe it is sure that they haue little godly sorrow and store of worldly sorrow for if that holy griefe did possesse their hearts it would eate vp and consume carnall vexation euen as Moses serpent did the serpents of the Aegyptian sorcerers And this euery godly man shall find in his owne experience that looke what day or houre soeuer hee hath wept most bitterlie for his offences against God then hee esteemeth crosses to be most light and easie and finds matter of thankfulnesse in whatsoeuer grieuances befall him as knowing it to be Gods goodnesse that it is not worse with him Here then are those to bee reproued that will tell vs a long tale of their repentance Vse 1 and of their sorrow for sinne but what kinde of sorrow hath it been a shallow and hollow and sleight sorrow that neuer made them to shed one teare in secret nor to make one feruent prayer from a broken heart for the pardoning of their iniquities Let them heare that one of their kine is dead or one of their horses stolne or their barne on fire or the like and they will mourne in good earnest at such a casualtie and bee more mooued to heare that their goods are in danger to bee burnt then that their soules are likely to burne in hell This is a plaine argument that what shewes soeuer they make yet they haue not trulie repented for their euill works for if the holie Ghost had giuen them an inward touch for their sinnes they would grieue most for that which hurts them most and not for those things the hauing whereof cannot much benefit them nor the losse thereof prooue verie inconuenient vnto them Yet so beastly are many that if they be vrged to sounder repentance and greater reformation they presentlie aske What would you haue vs to doe more then wee doe alreadie wee loue God aboue all and our neighbours as our selues and repent continuallie for our faults What would you haue vs so melancholie and pensiue as some are that vse to runne to Sermons nay we will be aduised of that for they are so grieued for their sinnes that they are almost driuen vnto desperation on Miserable men little doe they know what sound repentance meanes for that is the thing which Gods Ministers must aime at euen to make men despaire in themselues that so they might rest whollie vpon Christ Iesus And happie is that Sermon and happie that day which maketh men so to weepe ouer Christ Iesus as that they vtterly fall out with themselues and with their naughtie and prophane courses for this will best prooue vnto their soules that they haue receiued the Spirit of grace and haue attained vnto true repentance Secondly Vse 2 this maketh for the sharpe rebuke of those who when the Lord doth knocke at the doore of their hearts and make knowne vnto them that they are liable to Gods wrath in regard of their vile and sinfull course of life they seeke by all meanes to quench these good motions and to driue away the feare of hel from their hearts Oh little doe such know what they doe for now they grieue the Spirit of grace which doth moue them to turne vnto the Lord and doe refuse to accept of his gracious offer of mercy and fauour and therefore it may be the Lord in his iustice wil deny them the like for euerafter and suffer them to perish in their iniquities without any sense or feeling thereof at all Thirdly heere is an instruction for vs
of husbands and wiues that they shall lament apart euen they that are linked in the nearest bonds and might with most conueniencie lay open their harts each before other yet they should not content themselues with those seruices which they performed together vnlesse God and their consciences might somtimes meete in secret And as our Sauiour chose for himselfe priuate and solitary places where he might with more freedome pray vnto his Father so doth he giue the like aduice vnto others Matth. 6.6 When thou prayest saith he enter into thy chamber and when thou hast shut thy doore pray vnto thy Father which is in secret Whereby chamber hee meaneth any secret place where a man may freely lay open his wants before the Lord. Hence was it that Peter after the deniall of his master is said to goe out and there to weepe bitterly Now the cause why we must do thus is First because it wil be a witnes vnto our soules that we do duties in truth and not in hypocrisie for in secret albeit we shed teares aboundantly for our sins none can accuse vs of vain-glory neither will our owne hearts charge vs therewith whereas in publicke there may be some such suspicion in others or doubt arising in our selues And as our sorrow wil thence appeare not to be hypocriticall so will it also bee cleare vnto vs that it is not naturall nor for company such as may be in a ciuill man who seeing a great many weeping and mourning can hardly refraine himselfe from teares but will bee apt and readie to lament with them Secondly there is no man or woman but hath some sinne or other which is not meere for them to acknowledge before their nearest friends because such is the corruption of their nature they will be ready to thinke the worse of the party The most louing and wise husband that is if his wife should discouer vnto him all her thoughts and ill affections would entertaine somewhat a harder conceit of her then before he did and therefore God would haue many sinfull cogitations and motions laid open onely vnto himselfe who is infinitely mercifull and pittifull and not vnto any creature in the world beside This doctrine serueth for the iust reproofe of many professonis Vse 1 who are all in the Church and nothing in the familie or if they haue prayer and reading of the Scriptures twice a day publicke with their whole family they imagine that they haue gone as farre as they need to do though they neuer throughout the whole week performe any seruice vnto the Lord in secret neuer conscionably meditate on the word neuer earnestly bewaile and confesse their hidden corruptions neuer feruently cry vnto the Lord for the sauing graces of his holy Spirit nor performe any such duty apart as all Christians are bound to do Such kind of persons may assure themselues that their hearts are not right with God and that they are not led by the Spirit of grace which drawes those in whom it reigneth vnto the performance of good duties apart as well as with companie in their closets in their chambers in the fields or in some such priuate places or other as well as in the Church or with the whole societie where they liue How much more are those to be condemned who are so farre from seruing the Lord in secret that they either refuse to do it in publike or if they affoord their bodily presence yet they are idle or profane or wanton in their lookes and in their gestures letting all that are neare them see the vile disposition of their hearts by their leaud and abominable carriage These sinfull wretches are so farre from being excused by being at religious exercises that they are much to bee condemned for that in the land of righteousnesse as the Prophet speaketh they worke wickednes and in the places where they should shew al manner of holines they expresse such notable profanenes These are euen like Iudas who was plotting to betray his master euen then when he was at the Lords table to bee partaker of the holy Sacrament and they shall speede euen as hee did for when affliction and misery seazeth vpon them as come it wil sooner or later if they preuent it not by hearty repentance then shall they not bee able to stand before the Lord nor before the face of their accusing consciences but shall be ouerwhelmed with horrour and amazement and be moreready to lay violent hands on themselues then to seeke vnto the Lord for mercy whom they haue so hainouslie and presumptuously offended Secondly let vs hence learne to bee the same alone for matters of godlinesse as we are in company and to do duties when no body sees vs euen because God beholds vs as well as when many eyes are cast vpon vs. This will be a testimonie vnto our soules of great sincerity and vprightnes and these priuate exercises of religion wil maruellously fit vs for the publike And thence it comes to passe that many are so loth to appeare before God in the congregation or in the family and do feele the seruices of God so tedious and wearisome because their hearts haue not been exercised therewith in secret for he that deales with his owne soule alone shall find so many defects in himselfe that he will be very desirous of the helpe of the Saints in publike assemblies Therfore let vs tie our selues euery day to spend some time in meditating on the word in searching our harts in hūbling our selues for our offences past presēt in praying to the Lord to strengthen vs where we are weake to resolue vs where we are in doubt to shew vs our errours and to direct vs in the right way to let vs see our wants and to supply them of his rich grace let vs I say constantlie performe these and the like duties in secret and then shall it bee plaine vnto our soules that wee are guided by Gods good Spirit And howsoeuer the diuell will obiect that wee are not sincere because we haue many times more in shew outwardly then wee haue in substance inwardly yet hereby shall we be able to approue the sinceritie of our hearts that albeit we haue not that within vs which wee seeme to haue yet wee desire to haue it and striue to attaine to it and he only is an hypocrite which neither hath nor desires to haue that which he maketh semblance to haue The end of the first Sermon vpon the twelfth of Zechariah THE SECOND SERMON VPON THE SIXTH OF LVKE LVKE 6.47 c. Vers 47. Whosoeuer commeth tome and heareth my words and doth the same I will shew you to whom he is like 48. He is like a man which built an house and digged deepe and laid the foundation on a rocke and when the waters arose the floud beate vpon that house and could not shake it for it was grounded vpon a rocke 49. But he that heareth and doth not is like a man
that built an house vpon the earth without foundation against which the floud did beate and it fel by and by and the fall of that house was great IN the words immediatly going before is declared how Christ rebuked those that would call him Lord Lord and make a profession of religion and yet not doe the things that he commanded them for if they would speake to their Lords they must speake to their lusts for to them they are in subiection Hauing bestowed such a reproofe vpon them he leaueth them not so but directeth them what they should do exhorting them to a conscionable practise of the word to which that hee might more throughly perswade them hee vseth two forcible reasons 1 One is taken from the great commodity that will redoune vnto those that doe practise it namely that they shall be inuincible against all temptations and vnmoueable in all the stormes and tempests that shall arise Vers 47.48 2 Another is taken from the great danger that will ensue vpon the contrary which is this that let men heare as much as they will if they doe not yeeld obedience vnto it they shall haue a desperate and feareful and vnrecouerable fall and therfore are they compared to an house that hath good stone and timber and workemanship bestowed about it but it is built on an il foundation on sand or on a quagmire which is shaken by euery blast of winde and if there arise any blustering stormes is vtterly ouerthrowne Verse 47. Whosoeuer commeth to me In that Christ sheweth that some haue recourse vnto him to heare his word and are builders as well as others 48 and yet are but dissemblers Doct. 1 which appeareth by their end Hypocrites in many things agree with Christians the doctrine hence to bee learned is that hypocrites may go as farre as Christians in many things They may come to Christ in the hearing of the word in the receiuing of the sacrament in publike prayer and yet bee false-hearted all the while A true Christian heares the pure word of God without mixture of popish or humane inuentions so doth an hypocrite A true Christian is a builder he edifies himselfe in knowledge and vnderstanding so doth an hypocrite Iudas as well as Peter can carry away many good lessons and yet the one go to hell for his falshood and guile when the other hath heauen for his portion because he had an vpright heart and a spirit without guile Thus farre wee see in the text wherein true Christians and hypocrites doe agree now 〈…〉 what difference there is betwixt them The one when he is to build digges deepe and casts out the loose earth that so his foundation may bee firme and sure implying thus much that the seruants of God know their hearts to bee hollow and false ground and therefore when they haue heard a Sermon they suspect their owne guiltinesse and so search their hearts and lament their corruptions for searching is digging and lamenting is casting foorth of the rubbish and loose earth They thinke their labour euen lost vnlesse their hearts can meete with such a promise with such a threatning or with such an instruction to make a right vse of the same Now on the other side an hypocrite makes quicke work all his building is aboue ground and therefore when hee hath talked a little of the Sermon he is well and thinkes all his worke is dispatched he spends no time in digging and searching nor in grieuing and lamenting for his corruptions nay hee censureth Christians as too melancholy and pensiue that will goe aside into a corner and there deale by praiers and teares betwixt God and their owne hearts what need all this adoe saith the hypocrite is not God mercifull Hee is so indeed yet will he haue vs to be seuere and vnmercifull towards our corrupt and euill lusts and therefore stil to be digging at them and casting of them foorth of our hearts And as in this place we may perceiue how farre true Christians doe both agree and differ so there are other Scriptures to cleare the same as the eighth of Luke the parable of the grounds wherein it is euident that the stonie ground did heare the word of God and that with vnderstanding yea with ioy nay which is more the thorny ground did not only receiue the seed but brought foorth both the blade and the eare that is did not onely with readinesse receiue the word but also did somewhat in their manner which the word commanded thus farre the ill grounds agreed with the good ground But herein the good ground went beyond them that those that were signified thereby came with a good and honest heart and had patience to vndergoe persecution for the truth and contempt of the world that they would not bee choaked with the cares and pleasures therof wheras the other sort if they saw in likely hood that they might get more profit and ease by following the world then by cmbracing Christ they were gone Another place fit for the proofe of this point Matth. 25. we haue in the parable of the Virgins where we may obserue 1. That they were all Virgins that is such as did professe to separate themselues from worldly lusts and did not go a whoring after the common corruptions of the times but kept themselues within the bounds of outward sobrietie as Iudas and Saul for a time did who could not be charged with grosse couetousnes or cosenage or the like 2. Further they had all lampes that is an outward shew of good things And 3. Oyle in their lampes so much as could make a blaze to get them the credit of professors they could speake well and doe diuers works that were glorious in the view of the world 4. They all went to meete the Bride-groome that is all of them frequented the means of saluation as if they expected fauor and fellowship with Christ Iesus 5. Lastly it is said they all slumbred and slept that is those that were true Christians hauing sound fruits of pietie and sinceritie in their hearts and in their liues knew their estate was good and therefore waited for their Sauiour with quiet and peaceable hearts Hypocrites also seeing that they went beyond Atheists and prophane persons thought their case was good and thereupon they grew secure and neuer troubled themselues about the assurance of their election Thus farre the wise and foolish Virgins accord But here is the difference that the foolish Virgins haue no more oyle then they carry in their lamps the world may easily see al that is in them but the wise Virgins haue a lampe to carrie oyle and an heart to carrie oyle they haue two vessels one for practise and another for store that though the oyle in the lampe should be spent yet there might be a new supplie made Thus we see in how many things false-hearted dissemblers come neare the sincerest of Gods seruants Which serueth Vse 1 first for the reproofe
of them that because they liue a ciuill life and pertake of the word and the sacraments thinke they haue gone farre enough and account themselues very good Christians this is but to be a builder one of the ill grounds one of the fiue foolish Virgins and therefore as yet their case is wofull Secondly if those that goe so farre be notwithstanding miserable then how cursed are they that haue not proceeded so farre that are not builders but destroyers of themselues and others by their corrupt speeches and by their leaud example and course of life that are not arable grounds but altogether a wilde waste that are not Virgins but doe still commit spirituall whoredome and that in the sight of all the world against the Lord God of heauen that is a iealous God If their fall shall be horrible and fearefull that build and that with the good word of God because they build on an ill foundation how terrible must their iudgement needs bee that come so farre behind such in any shew of goodnesse and goe so farre beyond them in euerie kinde of grosse wickednesse If these grounds that made shew of fruitfulnesse be accursed because they bring not forth ripe fruite then what shall become of them that will not endure any plowing at all but bring foorth bryars and brambles and all maner of poysoned weeds And if it went so hard with those that were Virgins and went with their lamps to meet the bride-groome then what must their doome be that are not Virgins but adulterers and adulteresses that loue the earth more then heauen and earthlie things more then heauenly things that would rather bee at a table of good cheare where their bodies may be pampered then at the Lords table where their soules might be fedde vnto eternall life Certainly these mens iudgement sleepeth not and when it ouertaketh them woe vnto them for their case will be most lamentable Neither neede they cry out against hypocrites for they are tenne times worse then hypocrites and their punishment must be sutable Thirdlie this is for instruction that sith hypocrites seeme to draw in the same yoake of sincerity with the Saints of God therefore we should search our hearts and our thoughts and not onely build aboue ground Ier. 17. but looke whether our foundation be good for the heart is deceitfull aboue all things yet the word of God tryeth it that setteth it as it were vpon the racke and is as a two-edged sword that diuideth betweene the heart and the reines and findeth out all shifts and excuses whatsoeuer But that we may more plainely perceiue the way how to get a sincere heart let vs obserue these directions following The first shall be taken out of the text namely How to get and trâ—e an vpright heart that we must digge and search into our consciences and when we find any corruption therein we must cast it forth It is not sufficient to say indeed I find an ill foundation but there is no remedie I must build vpon it nay a good builder will not doe so but throw out euery thing that might endanger his foundation And so should wee deale with sinne and thereby may we try our plainnesse if we can soundly iudge our selues and be glad to be admonished of others it is a signe that there is vprightnesse in vs as it is an euident token that he minds to haue a good foundation that when his neighbour comes with a spade and tels him I see you haue much adoe heere and that you neede helpe I will ioyne with you is glad of this newes and thankfully acceps of him and of his labour This is contrary vnto the Scribes and Pharisies practise who had little to say against the gifts of Iohn Baptist and of Christ but when they came to digge at their pride and couetousnesse and cruelty they could not endure it Secondly another triall is at whose sinnes wee grieue most An hypocrite is the sorest and busiest digger of all but it is in other mens ground but he that would haue a good foundation must be most industrious in purging his owne soule from iniquitie That was a complaint that Ieremie made Ier. 8.6 that no man said What haue I done but all the stirre of hypocrites is what others haue done Whereas if we could come to this I haue liued in this sinne I haue broken promise I haue been vnfaithfull in Gods seruice what way may I take to get peace vnto my soule This were the way indeed to get a sound heart and this is a good argument of a sound hart when the sinnes of our owne soules doe more vexe vs then all the iniuries that men haue done or can do against vs and therefore we are euer busie in searching out the hidden corruptions that lye lurking within our soules that so our foundation may remaine still vnmoueable for this is the difference betwixt an earthly house and a spirituall that the one needeth but once to haue a sure foundation laid but the other requireth daily looking too There is some one corruption or other that must be cast forth so that Christians are searching and digging builders who albeit they seeme to themselues to bee very blind yet they get the greatest measure of knowledge and though they be very dead in their owne feeling yet they carrie away the life of God and the life of grace Verse 47. Whosoeuer heareth my words and doth the same c. is like a man that built an house and digged deepe or as it is in Matthew is like a wise builder who before he be at any cost wil be sure of a good foundation or else all his labour is lost Now the foundation of a Christian is his practise whence ariseth this point that They are the blessedest hearers of the word Doct. 2 that are the best practisers of the same Hearing and doing must go together Therefore is it that Christ Iesus pronounceth such blessed as heare the word and doe it Luke 11.28 Yea more blessed then the virgin Mary was for bearing Christ in her wombe for that alone could not haue saued her whereas the word of God heard and practised is sufficient to bring the soule to euerlasting life and not so alone but it also giues the parties right vnto and the enioyment of all manner of outward blessings whatsoeuer as is shewed at large Deut. 28. Leuit. 26. The reasons why such are blessed are these Reasons 1 First because they shal be able to stand it out in all manner of temptations so that though all the diuels in hell were turned loose vpon them they should be more then conquerours ouer them all Secondly this maketh for the increasing of their happinesse that they shal still grow in knowledge For our Sauiour saith Iohn 7.17 If any one wil do his wil he shal know of the doctrine whether it be of God or no. You shall haue many who before the receiuing of
the Sacrament and at such like times will deale with their Minister that he would not examine them for they are not booke learned and besides they are old their memories will not serue them And will you know the true reason hereof it is euen that of our Sauiour They will not do the will of God and therefore they know it not For their capacities and memories and all the faculties of their soules and bodies will serue them well enough for their couetousnesse for craftie and subtill dealing and for such pleasures as they are addicted vnto c. Thirdly this practising of the word will be a testimony of an honest heart Luke 8. for that is the propertie of it to heare and receiue to vnderstand and hold fast the word and to bring foorth fruite with patience Many doubt that they haue vnsound hearts let them bring themselues to this touchstone Do they grow to some fruitfulnes in good workes by the hearing of the word and are they not discouraged though some heat of affliction do arise Then our Sauiour testifieth that they haue good and honest hearts So long as one desires to do his duty and from his desire is drawne to praier and by prayer gets vertue from Christ whereby the commandements are made easie so long he needeth not to feare his estate for it is good and comfortable Seeing therefore that the doers of the word Vse 1 and not the hearers are blessed this should teach vs to make conscience to do as wee heare to practise euery duty that is enioyned and to eschew euery sinne that is reproued otherwise we shall bee cursed for our hearing when others are blessed and be beaâ—â—n with many stripes because wee knew our masters will and did it not Secondly here is a singular consolation for those that desire in their hearts to doe the whole will of God then they do it in Gods account for with him we are reputed as we are affected if one giue but two mites as the poore widdow did with a willing and cheareful hart it shal be accepted and commended yea though it be but a cup of cold water it shall not go vnrewarded A father doth not respect so much how exactly his child doth any thing as how obediently he performes it and though he cannot do as he would if he grieue and weepe and desire his father to helpe him to doe better it sufficiently contenteth a parents mind so if we be ready and desirous to do euery thing that is commanded and to beleeue euery thing that is promised and to auoide euery euill that is condemned Christ hath said it and wee shall finde it one day whatsoeuer we feele now that wee are blessed and happy people members of the Sonne of God temples of the holy Ghost and the sonnes and daughters of the euerliuing God Our Sauiour saith vnto his disciples Iohn 15.5 Without me ye can do nothing Doe we then something in truth of heart then wee are in Christ branches of the true vine and bringing forth fruit in him wee shall bee still purged to bring forth greater abundance thereof And when the waters arose the floud beate vpon that house and could not shake it In that he commendeth the goodnesse of this building because it stood when the stormes did beate vpon it the doctrine is that Euery man is that in truth out of temptation Doct. 3 Tryall sheweth what euery man is which he sheweth himselfe to bee in temptation A wise builder is wise before stormes arise though he be not put to it but how shall that be knowne by the standing of his house in extremitie of weather If in the midst of all trials hee hold his owne and stand it out and proue the same man still then is his wisedome apparant to al he that builds on the sand hath it may be as faire and goodlie a house in shew as the other but when the winds arise it quickely tumbles downe And so it is with hypocrites if troubles bee approaching towards them especially if they once begin to pinch them they are gone one puffe of temptation one shew of promotion one storme of affliction makes all their building in matters of religion to become altogether ruinous So for the grounds what could the good ground say for it selfe for a time which the ill grounds could not They were all plowed they all receiued the seede and brought it aboue ground those that did least Whence was the difference then The bad grounds had not the stones digged out nor the thornes grubbed vp and therefore the seede springing vp in the one sort when the parching heat came withered away and that in the other was choaked by the thornes and so came to nought each of them failing when their triall came whereas the good ground held out vnto the end Peter was a good house Iudas was an ill house therefore when a storme came though Peter lost a slate or two as the best house may yet the foundation and the side-wals stood firme he wept bitterly for his sinne and craued pardon for it and so all was repaired But what of Iudas he stood indifferently well for a while but at length when Christ rebuked him hee was full of wrath and when the high Priests offered him money he was full of couetousnesse and so thinking to gaine more by selling of Christ then by seruing of him he quite forsooke his Master and sought how to betray him to his most mortall aduersaries So Ioseph being good vnder his fathers gouernment continued good also vnder the gouernment of Infidels where he had al meanes of damnation but none of saluation yea though he were at first in an vnchast house where he was set vpon by his vnchast mistres and afterwards cast in prison amongst the notablest malefactors in all the country yet looke what manner of man Ioseph was in his fathers house the same he was still both in Potiphars house and in the prison and the same hee continued to be when he came to great aduancement in Pharaohs court which was the most dangerous temptation of all the rest Hereunto wee may adde that Ioseph was a young man and therefore more likely to be caried away but all was nothing when his heart was sound all the powers of hell could not preuaile against him On the contrary part it is said of Amaziah 2. Chron. 25.5 that he did that which was vpright in the eyes of the Lord but not with a perfect heart Therefore marke what came of it after that hee had ouercome the Edomites his heart was lifted vp and hee contrarie to common sense fell to worship their Idols whom he had vanquished in battell he would not bee so precise any longer nor be at the command of euery Prophet but would take his liberty and so being an hypocrite in the beginning he manifested himselfe to be a miserable hypocrite in the end So Ioash all the while the good
that in their distresses doe make flesh their arme and withdraw their hearts and hopes from Almighty God vsing sinfull shifts and vnlawfull courses for the relieuing easing of themselues or such as are neare vnto them and seeking vnto Witches and Coniurers in very deed to the diuel himselfe for helpe rather then vnto Almighty God that whereas in extraordinary crosses they should vse extraordinary good meanes of fasting and prayer and humbling of themselues they vse extraordinary ill meanes and so prouoke the Lord to inflict more grieuous plagues vpon them these shew themselues to bee impious persons and men of very ill consciences so should wee esteeme of them and so ought they to thinke of themselues in that they forsake the Lord who is the fountaine of all helpe and comfort and sue vnto his vtter enemie by vsing diuellish and abominable practises Secondly if wee would haue a contrary testimony vnto our selues and among Gods people to wit that wee are men of sincere and vpright hearts because we seeke vnto the Lord in our miseries and that in a religious and holy manner then let vs labour for good consciences in the time of our prosperity and for faith in the promises of God and then wee shall not bee driuen to those wretched and chargeable helpes which carnall men rely vpon but we shall be able to runne vnto God who will relieue vs freely and speedily Wee neede not bee such drudges as these Iewes were to toyle and trouble our selues in getting of money and then to take a long and tedious iourney to obtaine the fauour of our aduersaries but hauing true and faithfull hearts wee may make a better shift with a few words Hos 14. then these hypocrites did with all their Camels and Asses and with all their riches and treasures for the Lord is neare to all that call vpon him in truth Psal 145.18.19 yea hee will fulfill the desire of those that feare him hee also will heare their cry and saue them and that both from their sinnes and miseries Vers 7. For the Egyptians are vanity and shall helpe in vaine In that disswading them from resting vpon the Egyptians he telleth them that they were vanity and therefore such as they were such must bee their helpe either they should not doe their best to defraud them or if they did it should not turne to good because Gods blessings went not with them hence ariseth this doctrine that all the comfort and helpe that worldly things can afford vs Doct. 3 Worldly help◠vaine is vaine and of no worth The reasons hereof are these First because the meanes themselues are vaine Reasons 1 for such as the fountaine is such must be the streames and such as the tree is such must be the fruit If the Egyptians be vanity their helpe must needs be vaine And the like may be said of all other particulars Doe we rest vpon our friends they may die or their good affection may die Doe we rely vpon riches they are subiect to rust subiect to fire subiect to theeues neither can they helpe vs in the euill day Prou. 11.4 Doe wee trust vpon men and munition or any warlike force A King is not saued by the multitude of an hoast Psal 33.16.17 neither is the mighty man deliuered by great strength An horse is a vaine helpe and shall not deliuer by his great strength The same conclusion may we make of all other earthly things Eccl. 1.4 for of them al the Wise man pronounceth that they are vanity vexatiō of spirit Secondly no worldly meanes can helpe the soule against sin and therefore there is no sound comfort to be expected from them Euery mans ruine is from himselfe and bred in his owne bosome helpe that and helpe all and except that bee helped when a man hath done all hee can he hath done nothing for let a man haue neuer so many friends neuer so much wealth neuer so great credit or whatsoeuer else can bee named if his soule bee vncured hee is a miserable creature there is no peace to the wicked one vile lust or other will bee raging in his heart and disquieting his soule Psal 1. and hee will still bee tossed vp and downe as the chaffe that the winde driueth too and fro A sinful heart is euermore a restlesse heart and whosoeuer doth not beleeue whatsoeuer his outward props bee hee shall not bee established Isa 7.9 as the Prophet Isaiah auoucheth Thirdly no earthly helpes can keepe off the plagues of God from a man or remoue them where they are already Suppose that the Lord intend to shoote his arrow of pestilence to strike a man or a family a towne or a city what buckler can beare it off what wit or wealth or friends can shelter vs from his strokes and keepe vs from the graue when he calleth for vs surely there are no worldly meanes that can doe it and therefore we may wel conclude that all the helpe that commeth from them is altogether vaine Which should cause vs not greatly to seeke after Vse 1 nor much to rest vpon these outward things for though we haue them in neuer so great abundance we shal find them to be but miserable comforters when we stand in most neede Most men are of another mind namely that the treasures and promotions of the world and the countenance of great men are the onely things to bee looked after and that the promises of God and the comforts of his word are vaine and friuolous but when they haue made triall as Salomon did they shall finde that to feare God and keepe his Commandements is the only happinesse and that whatsoeuer the world can afford is meere vanity and vexation of spirit Secondly let this teach vs in all our griefes to say as the Prophet Dauid doth Lord helpe in trouble for vaine is the helpe of man q. d. I haue depended much vpon the arme of flesh but now I am growne to this resolution that if I had all worldly helpes I would not trust in them because they are vaine and if I want them all I would relie vpon thee that doest neuer faile such as seeke vnto thee Thus if we can doe we shall neuer bee disappointed of our hope Iohn 14. but God will giue vs such peace and comfort as neither the diuell nor the world can take from vs. Their strength is to sit still That is if they would be fortified and sensed against their enemies their best course was to put away all vexation and vnnecessary feare to tarry at home in their owne countrie euery one in his vocation and so to rest on the Lord for defence Whence the doct is that The best way for men to haue safety and protection is Doct. 4 All men are safest in their owne places to keepe in their owne places and callings He that would be freed from all hurts and dangers let him not runne hither
fast vnto them and shall doe for euer So on the other side Paul was much slandered and reuiled counted a pestilent fellow a troubler of the world and the ringleader of heretickes Act. 24. and Tertullus made such a bitter oration against him and brought such witnesses to confirme his speeches that a carnall man would haue thought his name almost vncureable yet who more honourable then Paul his very name doth carrie a wonderful reuerence with it and that in the very hearts of wicked men But how commeth it to passe that hee that was then so shamefully traduced should now bee so highly magnified this is the true reason of it he did that which the word of God did commend though men did condemne it and therefore hauing a good testimony from heauen all the calumniations and slanders of men could nothing at all impeach his credit but did rather cause it to shine out more clearely The Scriptures abound with examples of this kinde but I hasten to the reasons which are these First Reasons 1 the word of God doth giue men neither more nor lesse then their due it passeth a righteous sentence and therefore it must needs stand The world commonly calles good euill and euill good light darkenesse and darkenesse light and therefore the testimony therof is little worth and of small or no continuance but the word of God pronounceth none good or bad vnlesse they bee so If the course of a mans life be such as the Scriptures doe commend though all the world speake against it it is commendable and if it bee such as the word discommendeth though men and Angels should speake for it it is to bee disliked and condemned Psa 12.6 for the words of the Lord are pure words as siluer tried in the furnace of earth fined seuen fold Secondly as the Scripture giues a sound testimonie so the Lord himselfe will backe it and make it good The word denounceth shame vpon all sinners therefore must God of necessity powre it vpon them for else hee should not bee true in his threatnings Earthly Princes doe enact penall lawes and statutes and yet many times doe not see them executed but God deales not so but whosoeuer doth persist in his wickednesse is sure to meete with disgrace in the end as godly men shall inherite glory Prou 3.35 though they bee vilified and debased for a time so shall sinners inherit dishonour as the Wise man affirmeth though they be exalted for a season Durable sinnes shall haue abiding shame and constant obedience shall haue euerlasting glory euery man shall receiue according to his workes whether good or euill This then may serue to discouer vnto vs their follie and madnesse Vse 1 that would faine haue credit in the world and yet seeke not for it in the word but are proud and ambitious vaineglorious and couetous full of hypocrisie and of all manner of iniquity is this the way to get good estimation and lasting credit nay the Lord saith Psal 119.21 that the proud are cursed which erre from his commandements Prou. 10.7 and that the name of the wicked shall rot Doe they thinke that if they can goe beyond others in wealth in command in outward dignity and the like that then they shall carrie away the reputation from them nay they are farre deceiued if they so imagine God makes no promise of commendation to them in the Scripture and therefore it is a vaine thing for them to expect it 2. Cor. 10.18 for none is praiseworthy but hee whom the Lord praiseth and therefore though men magnifie vs as they did Herod Act. 12. yet let vs thinke neuer the better of our selues for if we bee impious persons as he was the time shall come when the Lord will cause vs to bee abhorred and loathed Secondly if wee desire to haue a good name while we liue to leaue it behind vs when we die and to haue euerlasting honour before all the Saints and Angels for euer then let vs take such courses as God himselfe doth approue and commend Let vs get faith and loue in our hearts and let vs manifest the fruits thereof in our liues let vs be truly religious towards God and zealous in his seruice let vs be righteous towards men and carrie a liberall heart and a bountifull hand for good and mercifull vses Iam. 1.27 for these things God himselfe doth commend and therefore wee may assure our selues that they will procure vs eternall praise And though sinfull men may try vs by reproaches and slanders and seeke by all meanes to blemish our names as they dealt with our Sauiour and his Apostles and followers in former times yet shall our memoriall be blessed and our goodnesse bee had in euerlasting remembrance Pro. 10.7 Psal 11â— Psal 37.6 God shall bring forth our righteousnes as the light and our iudgement as the noone day Vers 9. That it is a rebellious people This is the crime that is charged vpon them being full of infidelity and disobedience they are indited of high treason against the Lord which was the heauiest imputation that could bee laid vpon them Whence note this point that They are the most miserable and wretched rebels Doct. 1 Those that rebell against God are the worst rebels that are rebels against God Though it be an offence very grieuous and odious for a subiect to shew himselfe disloyall to his earthly Soueraigne yet this shall stand as a sure conclusion when heauen and earth shall fall that the greatest Sinner is the greatest Traitor Hence it is that when the Prophet Samuel would set out the hainousnesse of Sauls sinne in sparing Agag the King of the Amalekites and the best of the sheepe and oxen and of the things that should haue been destroyed Eâ—â—d 22.18.20 1. Sam. 15.22 hee compareth it with those crimes that were most hatefull and most punishable by Gods law saying Rebellion to wit against the Lord is as the sinne of witchcraft and transgression is wickednesse and Idolatrie and therefore Saul must needs bee a notorious malefactor that was found guilty thereof Isa 30.1.9 So dealeth Moses with the stifnecked and peruerse Israelites Heare yee rebels saith he shall wee bring you water out of the rocke Numb 20.10 as if more could not be spoken for the shame and disgrace of impious persons then to brand them with the note of rebels against the Lord of heauen and earth But that this point may be yet more cleare and perspicuous let vs weigh these reasons that follow for the confirmation thereof First Reasons 1 the lawes that they breake which notwithstanding they are more strictly tied to obserue Rom. 7.12 then any subiect in the world is the statutes of his Prince are most equall and iust and meet to be kept and therefore the presumptuous breach thereof must of necessity argue the most indigne and vnworthie rebellion that can be imagined It was no small fault
in the Israelites to renounce their alleagiance to Rehoboam and to stand vp in armes against him being their lawfull King and Gouernour albeit hee threatned to impose vpon them rigorous and sharpe lawes 1. King 12.14 to make his yoake more grieuous then his fathers so that whereas Salomon had chastised them with rods hee would correct them with scourges how hainous then is their offence that doe refuse to submit their neckes vnto Gods yoake who is a more absolute King then euer any was or shall bee to the end of the world whose lawes are perfectly good and righteous all of them tending not alone to his owne glory but to the present and eternall benefit and comfort of such as doe obey the same Secondly those are the most vile traitors that doe rebell against their Soueraigne that hath bin very bountifull and gratious vnto them which was it that made Achitophels treacherie against Dauid more inhumane barbarous now what Kings fauours can stand in the ballance against Gods fauours which he vouchsafeth to the basest of the sonnes of men for he it is that giueth them life and being Acts 17. and all things in him they liue and moue and haue their subsistence and without him they could not continue to breath so much as one houre nay nor one minute of an houre much lesse enioy the comfortable vse of any creature vnder the Sunne and therefore seeing the bounty and kindnesse of the Lord is so exceeding great their rebellion that doe lift vp themselues against him and cast of the obedience of his lawes is of all men most worthy to bee condemned and abhorred Thirdly their case doth hence appeare to bee very wofull and miserable that the punishment appointed for them is both very grieuous and withall vnauoidable First the grieuousnesse thereof is euident by this that whereas earthly Monarches can proceed no further against the most notorious malefactors but to the torturing and killing of their bodies the confiscating of their lands and goods and the defaming of them and theirs for a season so that if there bee vnfaigned repentance in the parties offending as there was in the good thiefe on the crosse their soules may be saued and their names healed and both body and soule eternally glorified iâ— is otherwise with the great King of heauen who will plague those that are traitors against his Maiesty with all manner of iudgements in this life and when hee hath done with them here will call them to a reckoning againe at that great Assises at the last day and there expose them to perpetuall shame and infamie and inflict vpon their bodies and soules such torments as shall bee easelesse endlesse and remedilesse Secondly for the vnauoidablenes of these punishments we must know though rebels against worldly Princes when they haue cast themselues into danger may by flying or hiding of themselues escape or if they bee apprehended make notable defences and apologies to serue their present purpose and so winde themselues out of troubles it is no boot to deale in that sort with the Lord for whither can they goe from his presence Psal 139. but hee will finde them out and what wittie and cunning deuices can they haue for the colouring of their treacherous practises but hee will descry and discouer the same and that to their greater shame and punishment Which being so Isaiah 29. the vse shall be First Vse 1 for the conuicting of many to bee notorious rebels that esteeme themselues as honest men as any in the countrey and will defie him that shal charge them with treason what say they to this Doe they not vsually take the holy name of God in vaine Doe they not prophane his Sabbaths doe they not defile their soules and bâ—dies with many horrible pollutions And whe as they haue been often told of these faults and sharpely rebuked for them doe they not for all that continue still in them and vndertake the defence of them Yea doe they not fret and fume and chafe at such as seek to reclaime them from their leaud courses If their consciences doe accuse them of these and the like crimes vndoubtedly they are guiltie of high treason against the Lord of heauen and earth they carrie the diuels badge and fight vnder his banner as professed enemies vnto God and his truth and whatsoeuer they thinke of themselues such the Lord will esteeme them to be and proceed against them accordingly Secondly let this teach vs to bee most fearefull of transgressing the sacred lawes of our heauenly King and if we be at any time put to that straite that wee must either violate the commandement of our earthly gouernours or of God himselfe let vs chuse rather to obey God then men and with a meeke spirit and peaceable cariage submit our selues to their censures rather then incurre the Lords displeasure and so become liable to his iudgements Thirdly this is for singulas comfort vnto Gods people who are charged to be factious and seditious vnquiet and vndutifull persons yet so long as their consciences tell them that they are willing to attend to holy and wholesome doctrine whereby their sinnes may bee reproued and their hearts and liues reformed and bettered they may be sure that God accounteth them good subiects and those that are such vnto him are of all other most loyall and dutifull vnto their rulers and gouernors neither indeed can any be truly faithfull vnto men that hath not first learned to be faithful vnto God Let vs not therefore be dismaied at the clamors of those that doe vniustly charge vs with disloyalty Athaliah cried out treason treason 2. King 11.14 but in truth she was the traitor her selfe and the like may be said of many that are so ready to traduce others in that sort whatsoeuer their outward behauiour towards Magistrates and such as are in authority be they are miserable and wretched rebels before the Lord and such they shall appeare to be in the end if they doe not in time submit themselues vnder his gratious gouemment THE SIXTH SERMON ISAIAN 30. Vers 9.10 Vers 9. And children that would not heare the law of the Lord. 10. Which say vnto the Seers see not and to the Prophets prophecie not vnto vs right things but speake flattering things vnto vs prophecie errours WE haue heard in the former words that notwithstanding the Iewes did professe themselues to bee the onely people that stood for God and for his worship yet the Lord doth proclaime them wicked rebels against his Maiesty Now in these words the Prophet goeth forward to proue them to be such and that hee doth by two maine reasons viz. First from their ill affection that they had both to the word of God which appeared in this that howsoeuer they did by occasion heare it yet they would not haue heard it Vers 9. if they could haue done otherwise for shame and also to the Prophets of God which brought
that when our Sauiour had inueighed against the hypocrisie of the Scribes and Pharisies an expounder of the law answered Luk 9 45.46 and said vnto him Master thus saying thou puttest vs to rebuke also as if hee should haue said Be aduised what you speak for this doctrine of yours tendeth to our disgrace as wel as vnto theirs But what doth our Sauiour forbeare them hereupon nay hee commeth nearer vnto them and driueth the naile to the head saying Woe be vnto you also ye Interpretors of the law as if he should say Will you play the dissemblers and must not a man speake against your sin for feare of disgracing you Yes surely sin must haue shame wheresoeuer it is and therefore woe vnto you also yee Lawyers for without repentance your case is very dangerous Thirdly the diuell is much disquieted with right and powerfull doctrine If a man come with the sword of the Spirit to strike down right vpon the sinnes of mens soules and to summon their drowsie consciences before the iudgement seate of Iesus Christ that is the next way to thrust the diuell out of possession Luk. 10.18 and to cast him violently out of their harts euen as the lightening fals from the cloud And this we must make full reckoning of that whatsoeuer dislikes the diuell Iohn 8. the same will dislike the children of the diuell And therefore we may obserue Act. 16.17 c. that when Paul at Philippi had cast out the diuell of the maid that had a spirit of diuination Satan himselfe being enraged thereby all the city was in an vprore against him and Silas and commanded them to be grieuously scourged with roddes and after to bee laid fast as close prisoners with their feet in the stocks This point serueth Vse 1. For instruction to Ministers that if they be faithfull vnto the Lord in teaching right things in a right manner they must make full account that euill men will be grieued and tired and quite wearied out therewith they will be vnwilling to come to the Church and think euery houre two while they are there Christ himselfe could not please carnall men nay he displeased them most because his teaching was best But what saith hee for his owne and others comfort Luk. 7.35 Wisedome is iustified of her children so that albeit fleshly minded men dislike and reiect pure and plaine doctrine yet those that are wisdomes children that is truly and spiritually wife will approue it and embrace it Secondly this is for instruction to all Gods people that they should labour to bring their hearts to bee willing to heare and receiue sound doctrine that they may from a plaine and faithful desire say vnto the Prophets Isa 30.10 prophecie vnto vs right things tell vs plainely of our faults make vs to see them and to be ashamed of them if you perceiue vs to be couetous or voluptuous or riotous c. let vs heare of these our corruptions and of the iudgements of God due vnto them that so we may be terrified and reclaimed from them And when we feele in the duties of piety or mercy or of our callings let vs bee admonished and exhorted let vs haue forcible and vnanswerable reasons for the conuincing of our iudgements and the winning of our affection to the loue and liking of those good duties which wee haue been formerly negligent to performe If wee can come thus prepared to the preaching of the word wee shall receiue abundant fruit and profit thereby and hence bee assured to our comfort that we are not rebels and traitors against the great King of heauen but his true and faithfull subiects and seruants in that we are glad to know his statutes and willing and desirous to yeeld all loyall and dutifull obedience thereunto and howsoeuer our owne misinformed consciences or Satan our subtill enemie may perswade vs that we doe not loue and feare the Lord but that we haue vnsound and vnsanctified hearts yet let vs stand vpon the contrary for if wee haue no other argument of our true and sincere loue towards God yet this may bee sufficient viz. that wee doe vnfainedly loue and embrace his sacred word it is an vndoubted testimonie of a good stomacke to bee delighted and refreshed with wholesome food neither is there a surer and better signe of a sound heart thē to be wel affected towards a sound ministery Vers 10. But speake flattering things vnto vs prophecie errours IN that they desire such kind of preaching wee might note this doctrine that Our sinfull nature loues nothing so much as that which will do vs most hurt But of this point See vers 6. Doct. 1. before Our wretched nature is neuer so forward vnto any thing Doct. 4 All men are naturall most prone vnto cuill as vnto that which is sinfull and vtterly vnlawful All men are naturally exceeding slacke in attempting and executing that which is good but very swift in setting vpon and going through with that which is euill Therefore is it said of all the sonnes of Adam without exception Rom. 3.15 that their feet are swift to shed blood Many there are who if they should be prest io fight in lawfull warre for God and their countrie would be fearfull and dastardly and if they could with any credit or safety they would betake them to their heeles and yet the same men in a priuate quarrell or in robbing by the high waies side or in stealing somewhat out of their neighbours grounds will bee very forward and swift to shed blood Againe there are diuers that are exceeding slow in going to a Sermon or to any such holy exercise or seruice but to runne to a Bul-baiting or a Beare baiting or to a Whitson-ale none shal rise more early nor hasten more speedily then they Examples will make this point yet more cleare When Nebuchadnezzar was minded to passe an vniust sentence of death vpon the Caldeans and Astrologians Dan. 2.14 for that they could not bring to his minde his dreame which he himselfe had forgotten he made great speed in the matter in so much that he adiudged all to die not onely those that had bin examined but all such as were of that profession yea not onely those that were Sorcerers and Coniurers indeed but Daniel and his companions that were but onely supposed to be such whereas they did in truth abhor all those vnlawfull and diuellish Arts. If it had been some matter tending to Gods glory or the good of his Church hee would not haue been so ready to yeeld vnto it and if such a sentence had been past there would haue been many obiections and oppositions so that the execution thereof would hardly haue followed so speedily as this heere did in which regard Daniel taketh exception against it saying Why is the sentence so hastie from the King The like forwardnesse was there in the vnbeleeuing Israelites vnto the foule and abominable sinne of
aduenture vpon such places and such companie where the winde of false doctrine or of diuellish counsell and perswasion may blow vpon vs. Men will yeeld that the flesh is fraile but why then will they rush vpon the occasions of falling if the flesh bee so subiect to euill why doe they not crucifie it by prayer by applying the threatnings of the word to their owne soules by keeping good companie and the like This is it that maketh a number to fall into Poperie into Brownisme into some such dangerous sects or other that when they giue themselues to the profession of the Gospell they finde it to bee crosse and contrary to their corrupt and finfull nature and therefore they are full of contradiction and gainsaying and at length fall to reading of the bookes of Papists or Brownists or the like and then they are carried vnto their opinions with such eagernesse and violence as a ship on the sea that goes with winde and sale Now what is the reason hereof because the flesh is neuer strongly bent vntill it meet with an ill obiect but then it passeth on amaine without any stop or let Therefore let vs bee carefull that wee doe not rush vpon any such inducements vnto Idolatrie or schisme or any manner of impiety for otherwise wee shall be sure to bee intrapped and insnared Oh but this is too much nicenesse and scrupulositie Obiect will some say I hope we are not so weake nor so simple but we can chuse the best and leaue the worst be present at any popish worship and yet keepe our hearts to God conuerse with any company and yet continue honest men still Haue you so good a perswasion of your flesh Answ certainly you doe thereby giue mee iust occasion to haue an ill perswasion of you and to suspect that in truth you doe not much care of what religion or of what conuersation you be Others haue bin as well conceited of themselues as you and thereupon haue been bold without any calling or warrant to trauell into strange countries and being there to see Images and to heare Masses and to vse familiarity with men of all sorts But what hath been the euent thereof they haue returned home either of no religion or of a false religion This lamentable experience doth shew to be most true in many young Gentlemen of the greatest houses in this our land whose atheisticall and prophane carriage should bee a warning vnto others not to presume vpon their owne strength nor to tempt the Lord by casting themselues vpon the occasions of euill Thirdly this may serue for a caueat vnto vs that when we finde our selues very eager and forward vnto any thing wee make a stay and a pause examining whether the thing be lawfull good yea or no and if it be so yet let vs search whether our flesh be not set a worke in that spiritual action which we are about whether there bee not in it some mixture of corruption and some caruall respect or other that maketh vs so nimble and ready in the performance of it let vs I say looke well vnto our hearts in this behalfe for all is not fire from the altar that seemes to bee such it is a rare thing for vs to bee truly zealous of good workes and much of our heate proceedeth rather from our owne flesh then from Gods spirit and therefore when wee perceiue our violence and eagernesse to arise rather from some inordinate lust then from any good and holy affection let vs curbe and restraine the same and beseech the Lord to moderate our desires that wee may doe all our workes in meckenesse and modestie and with that good temper which beseemeth Christians Fourthly sithence there is in euery mans nature such pronenesse vnto sin and iniquitie this should be a singular comfort vnto Gods childrē when they finde many motions vnto euill and much dulnes and backwardnes vnto that which is good they need not be dismaied hereat if so bee they see their corruption and bee grieued for it Rom. 7. and striue against it But why should Heretikes bee able to cleaue more earnestly Obiect and firmely to superstition and idolatrie then wee can to true religion and pietie There is good reason for that Answ because they haue all helpes that Satan the flesh or the world can affoord them and we haue all the hindrances that may bee from them all for it pleaseth the Lord that while we haue a natural life we should haue also naturall corruption and albeit the flesh bee in part crucified yet will it still rebell against the Spirit and the diuell and the world will take part with it But what then is the difference between Gods seruants and the seruants of the diuel Obiect seeing there is in them both an vnwillingnes vnto that which the Lord commandeth and a pronenes vnto that which he forbiddeth Herein standeth the difference Answ that the godly take notice of the corruptions of their nature bewaile them and labour to suppresse them not fulfilling the lusts of their flesh either for the omission of holy duties or the practise of any manner of euill Galath 5. for they haue the spirit in them which doth alwaies resist the sinfull motions of the flesh so that as they cannot doe the good which they would because the flesh lusteth against the spirit that is against the regenerate part in them so neither can they doe the euill that sometimes they would because the spirit strugleth and fighteth against the lusts of the flesh Now concerning wicked men they are altogether fleshly and therefore when they haue vile motions from nature or bad suggestions from Satan they like of them and nourish and cherish them and if meanes and opportunity be offered proceed to the execution of them Herein then may Gods children reioyce that they are farre vnlike the limmes of the diuell in that they mortifie the deeds of the flesh by the spirit Rom. 8.13 and therefore shall liue whereas others walke after the flesh and satisfie it in the lusts thereof and therefore shall die In the meditation whereof they should raise vp their discouraged hearts and fainting spirits to sound ioy and due thankfulnes for that the Lord hath by his good spirit and powerfull word wrought a change in their hearts and made them that were naturally set on mischiefe and did drinke in iniquitie with delight euen as beasts drink water to be in any measure tractable vnto holy duties and to carrie a perfect hatred against all impiety and vnrighteousnesse albeit they cannot get that masterie of their sinfull lusts as they should and as they would This is a wonderfull worke of God for which we cannot sufficiently praise his name and therefore we should doe as the Prophet Dauid did when the Lord had put it into his heart and into the hearts of his subiects to bee liberall towards the building of the Temple 1. Chro. 26.13.14.18 Now therefore our
God saith he we thank thee and praise thy glorious name But who am I and what is my people that we should be able to offer willingly after this sort c. O Lord God of Abraham Isaac and Israel our fathers keepe this for euer in the purpose and thoughts of the hearts of thy people and prepare their hearts vnto thee From which words it is apparant that it is an admirable and supernaturall worke to haue a well disposed minde and a well affected heart vnto any thing that concernes the worship of God and his glory to bee franke and free-hearted in bestowing ones substance vpon sumptuous buildings costly apparell great house-keeping setting vp Lords of misrule and the like is a thing not worth the speaking of because a meere carnall man in arrogancie and vaine-glory may bee very lauish and prodigall to such ends and purposes But to haue a liberal heart for good vses either for the furtherance of Gods seruice or for the reliefe of the distressed Saints is a matter that we should take speciall notice of and be carefull to magnifie the name of the Lord for it and earnestly to entreate the continuance of it as Dauid doth in this place And though we be not alwaies alike but now and then dull and heauie and lumpish and drowsie when it pleaseth the Lord for our humbling to let the flesh play it part yet if wee sometimes and for the most part finde spirituall motions and affections and from thence proceed to holy speeches and actions as occasion and ability is offered wee haue great cause to blesse the name of God for his singular fauour and goodnesse towards vs in that behalfe THE SEAVENTH SERMON ISAIAH 30. Vers 19. Vers 19 Thou shalt weepe no more hee will certainely haue mercy vpon thee at the voice of thy cry when he heareth thee he will answere thee THe purpose of these words is to comfort the elect Iewes against those sorrowes and miseries that should fall vpon the Church and Common-wealth Wherein is declared 1. First what fauour the Lord would shew them viz. 1. That albeit they should tast of the common distresses which befell the rest and so be in heauinesse for a time yet at length they should be comforted and refreshed Thou shalt weepe no more 2. More generally the Prophet affirmeth that hee will haue mercy vpon them not naming the particulars because he intended to inrich them with euery good blessing needfull for their soules or bodies 2. Secondly what duty they were to performe namely to craue this fauour at the Lords hands and that not coldly and sleightly but vehemently and earnestly and then at the voice of their cry God promiseth to heare them yea so to heare them as to answere them in granting that which they should desire of him hee could no sooner heare their crying voice but they should feele his helping hand Vers 19. Thou shalt weepe no more Whence obserue this doctrine that All the sorrowes and teares of Gods Children shall end in ioy Doct. 5 All the afflictions of the Saints shall end in consolations Isa 30.20.29 Psal 30.5 As they haue their times of feeding vpon the bread of aduersity and the water of affliction so haue they also seasons of reioycing and of singing Psalmes of praise for their happie deliuerance out of troubles and miseries Heauinesse may abide at euening but ioy commeth in the morning They may sow in teares for a time but they shall reape in ioy Eccles 2. vlt. This is the very patrimonie and inheritance of the Saints as the Wise man saith Surely to a man that is good in his sight to wit through Christ God giueth wisdome and knowledge and ioy this he may build on and make full account of euen in the middest of all his sorrow and anguish And there is good reason why it must needs be thus First Reasons 1 because the afflictions of the Saints do exceedingly humble them for they looke vpward in their distresses and behold Gods righteous hand smiting them and thereupon descend vnto themselues and diue deepe into their hearts to search what corruptions doe lurke there whereby the Lord is incensed against them that so those being remoued by sound repentance his heauie displeasure may bee turned away from them and his louing countenance may shine vpon them This is it that Gods children will sooner or later come vnto albeit for a fit they bee passionate and discontented they will at length turne their eies from looking vpon their crosses to see the true cause thereof and so be grieued for their offences against God Ier. 31.19 and smite vpon their thighs in a holy indignation against themselues in regard of their pride and vnbeleefe and vnthankfulnesse and other the like corruptions They then leaue off musing on other mens iniuries and begin to bethinke themselues of their owne transgressions that so casting downe themselues by godly sorrow 1 Pet. 5.6 the Lord may raise them vp to pure and holy ioy which he will certainly doe in due season neither shall all their sinnes and sorrowes bee able to keepe them downe when once they are thoroughly humbled vnder the holy hand of God It is his promise then to lift them vp and Christ his office to comfort them that mourne Isa 61. and therfore as those that in their miseries are passionate and desperate full of murmuring against God and of fretting against men cannot expect any ioyfull issue out of their troubles so on the other side they that are lowly and broken harted much deiected and abased in the presence of the Lord and milde and peaceable in their carriage before men they may be assured that all their sighs shall end in songs that all teares shall bee wiped away from their eyes and that in stead of the spirit of heauinesse they shall in due time be clad with the garments of gladnesse Secondly Gods seruants doe pray in their afflictions which is the very high way vnto sound comfort Psal 50. Call vpon me in the time of trouble saith God and I will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me This Asa and Iehoshaphat had good experience of for when they being in a great straite 2. Chron. 14. 20. had humbled themselues by fasting and prayer their hearts were full of ioy and their mouthes full of the praises of the Lord for their wonderfull deliuerance from their enemies And the like may be said of Hester and Mordecai Hestor and the rest of the Iewes in his time Iohn 16.20 And our Sauiour telleth his Disciples Verily verily I say vnto you that yee shall weepe and lament but your sorrow shal bee turned into ioy But by what meanes should they attaine vnto this the words following doe make it manifest Ask saith he and ye shall receiue Vers 24. that your ioy may bee full When Christians doe enioy wealth and credit and ease they are oftentimes made so dull and
secure therby that they haue little mind to powre out their soules before God in prayer but when once they are throughly pinched and pressed with miseries and calamities then they begin to renue their acquaintance with God and so bringing before him abundance of holy and heauenly prayers hee replenisheth them with store of sweet and celestiall comforts A third reason hereof may bee taken from the end of Gods afflictions which is as hee himselfe testifieth in the booke of Deuteronomie that hee may doe his children good in the latter end that hee may make them partakers of his holinesse Heb. 12.10 and so by consequent of the consolations of his spirit Whē God will doe his enemies a notable displeasure hee setteth them aloft in slippery places Psal 73. that so their fall may bee more fearefull and vnrecouerable euen so on the contrary when hee purposeth some extraordinarie benefits vnto his seruants hee will lay them full low and afflict them full sore as he did Ioseph and Dauid that so they may bee more capable of his fauours Here commeth to be reproued that faint-heartednesse that is in many of Gods children in the daies of their affliction Vse 1 who seeing that they haue many and great and strange crosses lying vpon them begin to be cleane out of heart and out of hope and to make these or the like desperate conclusions Surely I shall neuer winde out of these distresses my state is past recouerie I neuer looke to see ioyfull day more These are base and naughtie and vnbeleeuing speeches which doe dismay the soule and cause the parties that vse them to desist from seeking vnto the Lord for helpe and reliefe and wretched is that sorrow that driueth vs from hope and from prayer What can the Lord wound and can hee not heale can hee cast downe and can he not raise vp can hee kill and not make aliue shall our faults bee more forcible to procure his displeasure then Christ his merits to recouer his fauour Away with these vnbeleeuing conceits and distrustfull thoughts and speeches for he that saith hee shall neuer liue a comfortable life more doth in effect say thus much that either he is no true Christian or the Lord no true God of his word who hath said Psal 97.11 that light is sowne for the righteous and ioy for all that are vpright in heart Why then should wee not sustaine our selues with the expectation of deliuerance to come and why should we not sweeten our present teares with the hope of future comforts The Apostle Iames presseth the example of the husbandman who though his barne bee emptie and his seede that he hath cast into the earrh not yet appearing aboue ground Iam. 5.7.8 yet he waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth and hath long patience for it vntill he receiue the former and the latter raine And what of this Be ye also patient therefore saith hee and settle your hearts c. And indeed all Christians haue reason so to doe for they are good seeds-men that are euermore sowing prayers and teares in the bosome of Iesus Christ and therefore they haue a crop growing that cannot possibly miscarrie howsoeuer it fall out vnto others they shall be sure to speed well and to haue an happie issue out of all their temptations Oh but my crosses and trials are strange and extraordinarie Obiect What of that were not Iobs so Answ in so much that no instance could bee giuen by him of any of the Saints that had endured the like yet the Lord made a good and happie end of all his distresses and miseries and so will he doe of yours if in faith and patience you can waite vpon him And in truth it is a great dishonour and indignity that we offer vnto the Lord when wee imagine that hee can doe somewhat for vs in small and light afflictions but if our case bee any thing extraordinarie that then there is no hope of helpe and succour from him for thereby wee make the Lord such a Pilot as can doe somewhat vpon a shallow riuer where there is little or no danger but vpon the maine Ocean especially if the Sea begin to swell and rage wee dare not trust vnto his skill what vile and base vnbeleefe is this The Prophet Dauid was otherwise affected when hee saith Psal 46.1.2.3 God is our hope and strength a helpe in troubles ready to bee found Therefore will we not feare though the earth be moued and though the mountaines fall into the middest of the Sea Though the waters thereof rage and the mountaines shake at the surges of the same And therefore let vs be ashamed and grieued that wee haue been so heartlesse and hopelesse in great extremities Secondly is it so that all the perplexities and anguishes of the righteous shall end in ioy Is this a priuiledge and prerogatiue peculiar vnto them then how wretched and wofull is the condition of al the vngodly ones of the world whose sorrow shall end in sorrow and who shall goe from their present paine and griefe vnto perpetuall tortures and torments in hell fire let them make merrie and bee as iocund as they will for a time and seeke to put away melancholie fits as they tearme them they haue a crop growing as well as Gods children but what is that euen a crop of shame and horrour and anguish which shall seize vpon their soules at vnawares and that to their euerlasting ruine and the vtter destruction of their bodies and soules for euermore And therefore as the godly are to bee exhorted not to enuie the prosperity of the wicked though they flourish for a season so are the vngodly to bee admonished that they doe not esteeme Gods Children to be miserable albeit they be in heauinesse for a time 2. Cor. 4. for their light and momentanie afflictions shall be recompensed with a farre most excellent and eternall weight of ioy and of glory whereas the short and vaine delights of wicked sinners shall bee infinitely ouerpeised and weighed downe with the vnsupportable miseries which if not in this world yet in that which is to come they shall most certainely meete withall Thirdly heere is matter of very great consolation to all such as are mourners in Sion though they be weeping when others are reioycing and fasting when others are feasting yet a time shall come when sorrow and trouble shall flie away and comfort and peace shall succeed in the roome thereof God hath said it and they shall finde it that it shall goe well with the righteous Isaiah 4. Psal 37. and that the end of such men shall be peace But if we would be assured of this good effect of our afflictions wee must practise these two rules The first is to search whether the crosses that lie vpon vs doe come for any speciall sin of omission or commission whereof we are guilty and if wee vpon examination finde it to bee so
let vs with all speede remoue that from before Gods eyes otherwise we may be sure that the more he loues vs the more hee will afflict vs. If wee bee men or women after Cods owne heart yet if we liue in such iniquities as are condemned by his word he will still pursue vs as hee did Dauid till hee haue reclaimed vs and healed our sinfull soules of those wounds that Satan hath giuen them The second rule is that if vpon triall made wee can see no speciall sin which hath procured Gods correcting hand vpon vs or at least haue truly repented for the same if there haue been any such committed by vs then we should take the affliction to be sent of God to try our faith to perfect our patience and other vertues of the spirit in vs and therefore we must possesse our soules in quietnesse and labour to sow plentifully vnto the Spirit that so at length we may reape abundantly of those comforts which the Lord hath treasured vp for vs. He will certainly haue mercy vpon thee at the voice of thy cry Whence this doctrine may bee gathered that The way to haue mercy from God is to cry vnto God But this point hath been handled else where See the second Sermon on Lament 3. Doct. 6. When he heareth thee he will answere thee Hence note that wee are not more ready to aske then God is to grant our requests See booke of the tenne Sermons the fourth Doct. of the 4. Sermon where this point is handled FINIS A BRIEFE DISCOVRSE TOVCHING the extinguishing of the Spirit Of extinguishing the graces of the Spirit THe Apostle vpon great and weightie consideration 1. Thes 5.19 deliuereth this precept vnto the Thessalonians Quench not the spirit for though all those be worthily and iustly condemned that neuer tasted of the spirit of God yet a more fearefull condemnation is like to come vpon them that hauing once receiued some gifts thereof doe afterwards lose the same againe Now as concerning this Church when the Apostle saith Quench not the spirit it doth euidently appeare that they had receiued the Spirit For as fire cannot be said to bee quenched where it is not so neither can the spirit in those that haue it not Wherefore let vs know that this precept doth properly belong to them that haue receiued the spirit of God and they especially are to make vse of it As for others it cannot profit them vnlesse that as the seed lying in the ground a long time doth afterward bud and become fruitfull so this continue in their mindes till they haue tasted in some good sort of the spirit of God and then breed in them some carefulnesse that they doe not quench it But for the further clearing of this text two Questions may be answered The first is Question 1 how wee may know whether wee haue the spirit or no For answere to which we must vnderstand Answ that as he knoweth best that he hath life that feeleth it in himselfe so it is for the spirit of God c. yet if we would know this more particularly by the effects thereof let vs marke these that follow First of all Effects of the Spirit if there bee nothing in a man but that which by nature and industrie may bee attained vnto then surely he hath not in him the spirit of God for that is aboue nature and worketh supernaturall effects in which regard the Apostle doth set the spirit of God in opposition against the spirit of the world saying We haue receiued the spirit not of the world but of God 1. Cor. 2.24 Secondly consider whether there bee in thee any alteration and change for in regeneration there must be a corruption of sin so that as seed in the ground so sinne in our soules may decay that the new man may be raised vp the spirit of God taking possession of our soules Ioh. 16.8 Therefore the Euangelist Iohn maketh this the first worke of the spirit that it shall conuince the world of sin which is so needfull that without it Christ Iesus can neuer enter into the heart for hee promiseth to dwell only with them Isa 67.25 that are humble in spirit and contrite in heart through the sight of their iniquities and of Gods displeasure iustly deserued for the same and calleth those alone vnto him that are wearie Matth. 11. and heauie laden groning and sighing vnder the burthen of their sinnes Thus wee see that to be rebuked in our consciences in this sort is the first worke of the Spirit The Spirit worketh by degrees which is also wrought by degrees For first there is a great and general astonishment by reason of all those great and enormous sinnes that wee haue committed A generall astonishment Rom. 8.15 and this doth strike vs downe it doth terrifie vs and hold vs amazed wonderfully Then it dealeth with vs more particularly it bringeth vs vnto a special griefe for speciall sinnes it doth bereaue vs of our chiefe desires Rom. 7.8 and bringeth vs out of conceit and liking with the best things that are in vs for then it doth display before vs the vanity and darknesse of our vnderstanding Weakenes of vnderstanding 1. Cor. 2.14 how vnfit and vnmeet wee are to vnderstand and conceiue those things which doe aboue all other most concerne vs Then doth it let vs see the corruption of our iudgment Corruption of iudgement Phil. 1.9.10 how in things belonging to God wee bee as bruit beasts not able to discerne things that differ nor to put a sound difference betweene good and euill Rom. 8.6.7 The vnreasonablenes of reason then doth it let vs see that our reason is vnreasonable nay that it is hurtfull vnto vs a great enemie to faith and a great patron of infidelity and vnbeleefe Then it commeth to our affections and turneth them vpside downe The sinfulnes of our affections Act. 2. Iam. 4. it turneth our mirth into mourning our pleasure into painefulnesse and our greatest delight into most bitter griefe If it doe proceed further and come once to the heart and to the stomacke and courage that is in vs then it cutteth vs to the quicke then doth it at once east vs downe in humility vnder the hand of God whereas when wee had to deale with men we were as stout as any and would nor start for the best Wee had reason to say for our selues and courage to defend our selues against all them that did deale with vs but now the spirit draweth vs into the presence of God it letteth vs to see that wee haue to doe with God and that our strength is weakenesse in respect of him Then do our hearts begin to faile vs then doe wee lay our hands vpon our mouthes and dare not answere Iob 39.37 Behold heere how the spirit worketh in conuincing mens consciences of sin which whosoeuer can finde in himselfe hee may assuredly say that the
naturall child loueth his father naturally and though his father beate him yet he beareth it and still loueth him 2. Pet. 1.2.3.4 They haue powred and infused into them a godly nature so that they doe freely loue God their father and though hee afflict them or crosse them in their desires yet they loue him and in loue performe their obedience vnto him continually Iob 13. Therefore Iob saith Though hee kill me yet will I trust in him And this is the third marke or rule whereby to proue and trie our selues The last rule is in considering the effect of Gods mercies receiued For herein do the wicked shew their wickednesse two waies First on the right hand the mercies of God do worke in them a wonderfull contentation but not such as causeth them to returne the glory vnto God but rather to ascribe it vnto themselues for the graces of God do puffe them vp make them conceited in themselues Hereof there ariseth a great security which bringeth first neglect and after contempt of all good meanes On the left hand others offend being neuer pleased nor contented with that they haue nay indeed forgetting or lightly esteeming that they haue and still desiring new These men besides that they are vnthankfull they doe also murmure and grudge against God and are neuer pleased with him Betweene these two doe the children of God hold a middle and euen course and therefore wee shall see these things in them First a sight and acknowledgement of their wants which cause them to long for the sincere milke of the word that thereby their wants may bee supplied and their graces encreased and so farre are they from being lifted vp with pride that they reioyce when their pride may bee pulled downe whether by rebukes or threatnings or corrections from the Lord. For they know that if Paul needed meanes of humbling 2. Cor. 12. much more doe they Besides as they desire the word so they waite vntill it please the Lord to worke further in them thereby and this waiting is as earnest as theirs who hauing watched all night do wait and looke for the dawning of the day Secondly as they see their wants Psal 119.10 so doe they also see the graces they haue receiued and are for that time well apaid and contented therewith and therefore as their wants doe humble them so Gods graces doe comfort them and as their wants do call vpon them to seek more so the gifts they haue prouoke them to be thankfull for that they haue receiued And thus much for the last rule of triall These forenamed properties whosoeuer can find in himselfe he may bee assured that the spirit hath wrought in him so effectually as that it shall neuer be taken from him But what then may such cast off all care No the Apostle saith vnto such Quench not the spirit And not without cause for though the spirit it selfe can neuer bee vtterly taken from them yet doubtlesse if pride security or any other sinne begin to take place in them the graces of the spirit may decay and their cleare vnderstanding and comfortable feelings may be gone so that in their own and others iudgements the spirit may seeme to be quite extinguished Neither must this seeme strange for if the Image of God which was more perfectly placed in Adam might be quite lost then no maruell if the graces of the spirit bee drowned in vs for a time The Galathians were truly regenerated and had receiued Christ into their hearts yet their graces were so choked and quenched that hee was as it were without fashion or forme so that the Apostle did as it were trauell againe Gal. 4.19 vntill Christ was fashioned anew in them Dauid also vpon the committing of his sinne was brought vnto that case Psal 51. that he prayed God to create in him a new spirit What was the spirit quite gone No for by and by after he prayeth that God would not take his holy spirit from him but the graces thereof were wonderfully decaied and therefore he desireth that they might be renued But that none may abuse this doctrine Euils that follow vpon quenching of the spirit let vs consider what punishments doe follow vpon the quenching of the spirit in this sort First of all we must know that though the spirit bee not gotten by our labour yet that is required for the obtaining of it and it must cost vs much paines ere we can get it into our hearts all which seemeth to be lost when the graces of the spirit are withered Secondly all that peace and ioy before spoken of is gone with how great griefe and woe they know that in any measure haue tasted of it Thirdly for that time they haue no heart to do good but are made vnprofitable burthens to the earth Moreouer such are in danger of falling into reproachfull euils and so to procure the sharp correcting hand of God vpon themselues who hath said that though hee will not take his mercies vtterly from his children yet hee will visit their sinnes with the rod and their iniquities with scourges as he dealt with Dauid Last of all when the graces of the spirit of God are once decayed they cannot bee repaired but with very much sorrow for what a griefe will it be to call to mind our former transgressions to aggrauate them by all circumstances to apply the terrible threatnings of the law to our stonie harts and the like The consideration of all which discommodities should cause vs to beware how we quench the spirit Yet here is matter of comfort also for though we may suffer a great decay of Gods graces yet by the rod or by the word or by both they shall be renued in vs againe A Discourse of murmuring in the time of affliction MAny men hearing of the often murmurings of the Israelites doe iudge them the worst people vnder the Sunne but such doe little consider either the temptations whereby they were prouoked to murmure or the corruption of their owne hearts which will as bitterly murmure vpon lesse occasion For albeit they were an obstinate and stiffe-necked people yet heerein they were vehemently tempted that they came from plenty in Egypt to scarsity in the wildernesse hauing neither meate nor drinke for all that multitude being sixe hundred thousand men besides women and children Wherefore let vs cease to wonder at this people and in them see our owne corruption For do not many amongst vs beholding the abundance which the Lord hath bestowed vpon Magistrates or Ministers for the discharge of their duties doe they not I say rather murmure at it then shew themselues thankefull for troubles that they are freed from and for sufficiencie that the Lord hath giuen them to liue vpon True it is that notwithstanding the greatnes of this peoples temptation their sinne was very hainous for Gods mercies had been wonderfull towards them euen immediatly before and that the vnthankfullest of them
Baruck And Christ would haue vs to pray onely for our daily bread which also was Iacobs prayer Gen. 28. that he might haue food and raiment wherewith the Apostle would haue vs to be content 1. Tim. 6. Let vs first seeke the kingdome of heauen c. and then if the Lord giue plenty let vs be more thankfull and seruiceable if not his fauour is sufficient of it selfe and we shall bee more comfortable with a little Psalm 4. then other are in great abundance without that But if we caÌ„not rest in the fauour of God though wee want these outward things it is certaine wee doe not truly esteeme it neither haue wee at that time any comfortable assurance of the remission of our sinnes The second property of a patient mind is simply to giue vp it felfe vnto God and to commit it selfe into his hand waiting at all times for helpe from him who onely is the author of all goodnes yet neither prescribing the meanes nor appointing the time nor in any case indenting with him for the Lord will haue the disposition of his mercies free vnto himselfe to giue and bestow when and where and how it pleaseth him and as it may most make for his glory and therefore wee must wholly resigne vp our selues vnto him Which if we can doe so mercifully doth God vse to deale that when we least desire outward things then we shall haue them and when wee freely giue them vp to him he will giue them to vs againe Abraham gaue vnto the Lord Isaac his sonne which when the Lord did behold hee quickly gaue him his sonne againe and so will hee deale with vs still The readiest way to retaine life goods c. is to yeeld them vp wholly into Gods hands not with this condition that he shall giue them to vs againe for that were to mocke the Lord but without all care to haue them we must giue them to him being heartily well content for his glory to forgo them and then if they be good for vs wee shall receiue them againe if not wee shall receiue some spirituall grace which shall better supply the want of them Yea the infinite wisdome and mercy of God doth wonderfully appeare herein that sometimes hee keepeth vs long without these things because that if we had them he seeth that we would abuse them and preferre them before spirituall blessings And sometime the Lord seeing our small regard of spirituall things will by the want of these outward things bring vs to make greater account of them that when wee can well want the one and highly esteeme the other we may haue both together FINIS TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE ANNE LADY WAINTVVORTH increase of all true honour and happinesse c. RIght Honourable may it please you to take in good worth my bold attempt in presuming to recommend vnto your fauourable patronage these SermoÌ„s following Your honours vndeserued respect of me made me desirous to testifie my vnfained thankfulnesse which I could not imagine how with greater conueniencie to expresse and manifest then by taking hold of this present occasion especially considering that your constant and more then ordinarie pains-taking to heare such holy instructions is a sufficient argument to euince your loue and liking of the matter therein comprised and your good regard of the authors well knowne vnto me gaue me â—ccasion to thinke that their labours in this sort offering themselues vnto your eye would be no lesse welcome then formerly they haue beene being in another manner presented vnto your eare Concerning the Tract of Zeale annexed to these Sermons it is a collection of diuers rules which I heard read touching that subiect principally of such as were scattered heere and there in Maister R. Greenhams Workes which being exceeding vsesull I thought good to gather them into one with an addition of sundrie prooses of Scripture for the ease and helpe of those that are well affected especially of such whose abilitie will not reach to the price of that great volume of M. Greenhams labours And thus humbly beseeching your Honour to pardon my boldnesse and to beare with my manifold defects which shall be found in the penning of these Sermons I recommend you to the gratious protection of the Almightie Your Honours according to my poore abilitie readie to be commanded IOHN WINSTON THE POINTS OF DOCTRINE HANDLED IN THE SERMONS following SERMON I. DOCT. I. THe first steppe to true and sound repentance is to be wounded and disquieted in our hearts for sinne 2 Lawfull things must be done lawfully and good things in a good manner 3 With confession of sinne must be ioyned earnest requests for pardon thereof 4 The more sinfull any one is the more foolish he is 5 It is a wonderfull hard thing to take downe the pride of mans heart 6 The more speedily we iudge our selues the more mercifully the Lord will deale with vs. SERMON II. DOCT. I. SInne brings men into maruellous straits 2. Gods seruants neuer find so great fauour as with God himselfe 3 God maketh his iudgements sutable to our sinnes 4 When God sets in with his iudgements they shall be farre dispersed in a short time 5 As God appointeth iudgements to be inflicted on his people so he himselfe will see execution done 6 A good man will lay a greater burden on himselfe then on another SERMON III. DOCT. I. ALthough humane helps and earthly friends do faile Gods people yet they are not helpelesse nor hopelesse 2 No outward thing comes neerer the hearts of Gods children then the decay of good men 3 Deceitfull friends are worse then openfoes SERMON IIII. DOCT. I. THe more skilfully and artificially any contriues his ill purposes the more fearefull destruction shall fall vpon him 2 The more wicked men boast of their mischieuous intents the neerer mischiefe is vnto them 3 No man hath the royaltie of his owne tongue nor the ordering of his owne speech FINIS The first Sermon 2. SAMVEL 24.10.11.12 Verse 10. Then Dauids heart smote him after that hee had numbred the people and Dauid saide vnto the Lord I haue sinned exceedingly in that I haue done therefore now Lord I beseech thee take away the trespà sse of thy seruant for I haue done very foolishly 11. And when Dauid was vp in the morning the word of the Lord came vnto the Prophet Gad c. IN these words is set foorth the repentance of Dauid for his sinne committed in numbring the people wherin the holy Prophet sheweth 1. What meanes hee vsed to be reconciled vnto God Namely 1. First that he was touched with inward remorse and hearty griefe for his offence Then Dauids heart smote him after that hee had numbred the people 2 Secondly that he made a particular and very earnest confession of his fault I haue sinned exceedingly in that I haue done 3 Thirdly that hauing bewayled and acknowledged his sinne he instantly craued pardon for the same therefore now Lord I
beseech thee take away the trespasse of thy seruant c as if he should haue said I haue sinned very hainouslie I cannot denie it yet I am thy seruant and one of thy familie and therefore Lord cast me not off for one fault but take notice of my sorrow and pardon my sinne for I haue dealt veris foolishly 2 Secondly he declareth what meanes the Lord vsed to make him fit for reconciliation viz that hee sent vnto him the Prophet Gad a worthy man of God Dauids Seer who had bene ready from time to time to lay open the will of God vnto him and in that regard was more reuerend in his eyes and hee threatneth and denoūceth iudgement against him that seeing his heart had beene lifted vp with pride in regard of the multitude and strength of his people God would meete with him in his owne sinne and make his punishment to be suteable to his fact and seeing he begun to be humbled for it alreadie and yet needed still further humiliation he telleth him that the sword or the famine or the pestilence must pursue his subiects and make wonderfull hauocke among them and therfore biddeth him make his choice which of them hee would haue to come vpon the land for one of them hee must needes vndergoe to further him in the worke of humiliation as also to bring the whole Church vnto the like who then had incensed the Lords anger against them Then Dauids heart smote him In that setting downe the repentancce of Dauid Verse 10 the holy Ghost taketh notice of this in the first place that his heart smote him the Doctrine is that The first step to true and sound repentance is to bee wounded and disquieted in our hearts for sinne Sound sorrow the first step to repentance vntill our soules bee pierced and as it were strucke through with the feeling of our corruptions and of Gods displeasure due vnto vs for the same wee haue not made any entrance into the wayes of godlinesse nor laid the verie foundation of the works of conuersion therfore the Prophet Ioel exhorting the Israelites to repentance Ioel. 2.13 biddeth them rent their hearts that is the first stone that must be laid in this building Note their hearts must bee crushed and broken for the wickednesse committed against the Maiestie of God till then there is no turning vnto him one may as well bid a prisoner that is in strong hold and hath bolts and fetters vpon his heeles walke abroade and take the fresh aire and not remaine any longer in that darke loathsome dungeon as bid one that hath not his heart crushed humbled to turne vnto the Lord alas he is held fast in the chaines of Sathan and cannot stirre one foote to God-ward therefore is it noted in those conuerts Act. 2.37 Acts. 2. that They were pricked in their hearts when they began the worke of repentance the rebukes of God had wakened their drowsie consciences so that they saw their sinnes and Gods ven geance due vnto them Psal 45. and the words of Peter had gone through their hearts euen as a two edged sword and then they were fit to bee soundly healed and comforted when they had beene pierced and throughly wounded by the Arrowes of God 1 First till the heart bee broken for sinne Reasons there can be no plaine confession of sinne Iob. 11. and therfore no repentance Men naturally are like wilde Asse-Colts nothing will worke vpon them nor bring them vnto any good frame or order though they heare often of their faults they will not acknowledge them but be still vnruly and vntamed as Paul was before his conuersion so long as he was heart-whole in his owne conceit though he had heard many excellent Sermons no doubt yet hee was like a beast still Rom. 7. Act. 9. neuer bewailing nor confessing his grieuous offences till the Lord had taken him downe and throughly mastered him 2 Nay further men are so farre from taking paines to come to a true acknowledgment of their iniquities till such time as there is a breach made into their hearts by godly sorrow they doe not so much as desire to be deliuered from them nor make any reckoning of Gods mercy for the pardoning of them till such time as they become mourners for sinne they cannot possibly hunger and thirst after righteousnes Math. 5.4.6 And indeed what reason is there that they should esteeme of that medicine which will cure when they doe not feele themselues to be sicke they thinke it a matter worth the looking after to be freed from pouertie from infamie from the pestilence c. but as for the corruptions of their nature and the sinfulnesse of their waies they were neuer much troubled with them and therefore they make little account to be deliuered from them See this poynt more at large in M. Dods Sermon on Isa 1. Doct. 1. Seeing therefore that inward contrition for sinne is the first step to repentance and that which killeth the roote of sinne and setteth vs free from the power and dominion of it and erecteth in our hearts a throne for Christ Iesus the vse of this point is First for reproofe of those that perswade themselues Vse 1 and beare others in hand that they haue truely repented and doe continually confesse their faults and aske pardon for them but what griefe and paine haue they had in their hearts for their sinnes nay they thanke God they were neuer terrified nor troubled in their consciences Do you thanke God for this it is in effect to thanke him for that you want the first and principall note of true conuersion if your harts haue neuer beene pricked and stung with the sense of your vilenesse and wretchednesse it is because you are senselesse for there is cause sufficient why you should be grieued and the lesse you haue had Luke 6. Reuel 6.16 the more you are likely to haue if not heere yet in the world to come and at that day when you shall be most vnwilling of it Secondly Vse 2 heere are those to be reprooued that run into farre greater excesse of sinning than euer Dauid did breaking forth into grosse and foule euils that euerie body seeth and knoweth and condemneth and yet they passe them ouer slightly and carelesly as if they were matters of nothing When Dauid did but cut off the lap of Sauls coat his heart smote him and was grieued within him in that he was so neere vnto sinne what then shall we thinke of those that doe not cut off the lappe of the coate of an enemie but are iniurious to their friends and cruell against their brethren that breake couenant and promise sinne against God blaspheme his name profane his Sabbaths and the like and yet none of all these do soundly worke vpon them nor much trouble them surely such men are not of Dauids spirit and therefore not being broken hearted heere they shall be broken
diuers he performed it not in obedience to God as they did but in pride and hautines of minde in regard of the multitude and strength of his subiects before he esteemed Gods name a strong tower for his defence but now what need he runne crying vnto God he had so many souldiers and valiant warriours in his dominion that he could make his part good against any forren power whatsoeuer Thus was his heart lifted vp vnto vanitie when it should haue bene lifted vp to God in thankfulnes and therefore was he so humbled because he had an ill affection Doct. 2 and a wrong end in a good action Whence ariseth this doctrine God looketh into the manner of our doing That it is not enough for to forbeare things that are euill and to make conscience of grosse sinnes but men must doe lawfull things lawfully and performe good workes in a good manner otherwise the Lord may and will punish them for doing lawfull things aswell as for vnlawfull things This may be seene in that great enditement which Christ brings against the old world They did eate Mat. 24.38 and drinke marry and giue in marriage A naturall man would haue thought there could be no hurt in these if they had bene charged with whoredome murder blasphemie or the like they had bene matters of some moment but for those before named what fault can be found with them Indeed the things in themselues are very warrantable but the manner of performing them doth either make or marre them Iude. 12. 1. Tim. 44.5 to eate and drinke without feare without prayer and thanks-giuing as if the creatures were our owne and nor the Lords to abuse the blessings of God to surfetting and drunkennesse c these and the like corruptions doe turne eating and drinking into sinne which in themselues are not onely allowable but also necessarie The like may be said concerning marriage Heb. 13. it is a sanctified ordinance of God vnto those that vse it holily but then it becomes very sinfull and hatefull vnto the Lord Gen. 6.2 when the Sonnes of God doe ioyne with the daughters of men and professors are yoaked with Infidels for beautie or commoditte or any such carnall respect yet that is a horrible sinne too too common among such as professe Christianitie that they make no scruple of matching their children with those whome they know by their workes to be as yet the children of the diuell and so in other matters if they can proue them once to be in themselues lawfull they make no conscience of the meanes they vse nor of the end they propose in accomplishing of them The like is alleaged by our Sauiour against the Sodomites Luk. 17.28 as against those of the old world viz that they bought and sold and built in couetousnesse pride and vanitie as if they had bene euer to dwell vpon the earth not caring what craft and fraud they vsed nor what snares and grins they laid for men See M. Dods Sermon on if they might satisfie their couetous and ambitious desires More might be said concerning this point Isa 1 both for proofes and reasons Doct. 1 but that it hath bene handled at large elsewhere This serueth Vse 1 First for terror vnto those that satisfie themselues with this that no bodie can charge them with grosse sinnes and therefore they imagine their case to be good and that they need not trouble themselues in regard of their offences But was it not thus with Dauid who could now accuse him of any notorious ill fact surely none in the world and yet he hauing grace in his heart accuseth and condemneth himselfe for that he had done a good action in an ill maner and with an ambitious and vaine glorious minde and for the same is much abased and confounded in himselfe and therefore those are in a miserable estate that neuer disquiet their soules for their hidden corruptions but thinke that all goeth well with them when mens eyes can discerne nothing amisse in them as they on the other side are in happie case that doe often take themselues apart and beseech the Lord to be mercifull vnto them in regard of their failings euen in the most spirituall duties that they performe such iudge themselues and therefore shall not be iudged of the Lord. Secondly Vse 2 this is for instruction that we carefully looke vnto the manner of all our actions and in particular of the exercise of fasting which is now in hand let vs consider wherefore we are come together and what is required of euery one that is present this day to wit that we should put wickednesse out of our hearts and out of our hands and for that purpose come with true humiliatiō on our part that there may be a perfect reconciliation granted vs on Gods part This was practised by the Niniuites who hearing Gods iudgements denounced against them for their sinnes Ionah 3.8.9 that within fortie daies Niniue should be destroyed except they repented what did they All of them both King and people humbled themselues in fasting bewailing their euill sinfull waies and workes and crying mightily vnto the Lord for pardon and resoluing to turne from the wickednesse that was in their hands that so God might turne away from his fierce wrath Yet they had enioyed but little teaching they had heard onely one Sermon from Ionah who was a man vnknowne vnto them and did not bring such testimonies of Scripture to conuince their consciences as are now alleaged vnto vs c and therefore we should be much ashamed to come short of them in this holy exercise especially seeing we haue not one Ionah but many not a iudgement threatned but executed and the sword of the Lord still drawne against vs and deuouring by hundreds and thousands in many quarters of our land Let vs then search and examine our hearts and grieue and iudge our selues for all our former transgressions and couenant with the Lord to auoid them hereafter crauing strength from him for that purpose that we may be enabled to subdue and keepe vnder all our corruptions and then our hearts being broken with godly sorrow they shall be healed with godly ioy and being truely cast downe before the Lord he will raise vs vp in due season and make it knowne by good effect that he is appeased towards vs. Thirdly Vse 3 here is matter of exceeding great terror vnto those that spend their dayes in the continuall practise of grosse and presumptuous sinnes for if Dauid were so grieued punished for that corruption which no man liuing could touch him for euen for dooing a good thing in an ill manner how then shall they bee able to stand that haue heaped iniquity vpon iniquitie and for manie yeeres together added one foule euill vnto another and not onely done good things in an ill manner but ill things in the worst manner hauing manie crying sinnes still to call for vengeance against
children of wisedome iustified by the infinitely wise God whatsoeuer slanderous and reproachfull imputations carnall men doe lay vpon them he saith that the feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisedome Prou. 1.7 and that those that obey his commandements are the onely wise people vnder the Sun Deut. 4.6 Verse 13. Wilt thou that seuen yeeres famine come vpon the Land c. Heere commeth an obiection to be answered Obiect It is said 1. Cor. 11.31 that if we iudge our selues we shall not be iudged of the Lord how commeth it to passe then in this place that Dauid confessing his fault aggrauating it and asking pardon for it hath notwithstanding such a heauie iudgement denounced against him as the famine or the sword or the pestilence 1 Though such as iudge themselues Answer shall not be iudged yet must they be cured and that was Dauids case here this stroake was not laid vpon him in wrath but in fauour he had set vpon a good worke euen the pulling downe of his pride by this meanes the Lord furthered him in the good worke made a speedier way for abūdāce of grace which was after bestowed vpō him 2 Againe the people were not so reformed as they should be at this time and therefore God in this plague doth aime at their humbling thrusting Dauid out of the gappe as it were who had formerly by his prayers teares stood in the breach to keep of the Lords wrath from them so that all this while beeing intangled with his own matters he could not so freely deale for them Now in that Dauid must haue such a sharpe corasiue to consume that proud flesh that had growne about his heart Doct. 6 by reason of his mightie forces and the largenesse of his dominions It is hard to beat downe mans pride the Doctrine is that it is a wonderfull hard thing to take downe the pride of mans heart it is no small affliction that will doe it as is plaine Iob 33.14 c where is at large shewed that God vseth all meanes and that againe againe and yet men will not profit thereby then he findes out the cause of it to be pride verse 17. and so laieth corrections vpon them sutable thereunto smiting them with sorrow vpon their beds so that the griefe of their bones is sore pinching them with grieuous sicknesses and diseases and making their bones to clatter so that their soules draw neere to the graue and their life to the buriers Now when these or the like wofull distresses haue tamed and maistered their vnruly affections then doe they begin to be somewhat more tractable and whereas neither dreames nor visions nor any of Gods ordinances would doe any good vpon them before after that if God send vnto them a messenger or Interpreter one of a thousand they will begin to hearken vnto them and to learne how they may obtaine mercy and reconciliation with God that they descend not into the pit of destruction Further we may obserue what a great deale of woe Dauid sustained by reason of the hautinesse of his heart and his earthly confidence which is a signe thereof when he thought his mountaine so strong Psalm 30.6.7 that he should neuer be mooued for God turned away his face from him and he was troubled and euen ready to goe downe into the pit Verse 9. to descend vnto the dust c. Neither did God minister vnto him a stronger purgation then he needed but his pride required full as much affliction as the Lord laide vpon him this was also the case of vzziah who being in a moderate estate did exceeding much good both for the Church and the common wealth but when he was growen mighty and strong his heart was lifted vp and then he could not content himselfe with his kingly dignitie but he would needs take vpon him the office of the High-priest also and so went into the Temple of the Lord to burne incense vpon the Altar of incense but what came of this presumptuous fact of his When the admonition of the Priests of the Lord would not preuaile with him but he grewe wroth with those that withstoode him the Lord louing him did forthwith smite him with Leprosie and so he was driuen to liue apart all his life long that so the hautinesse of his heart might bee throughlie cured 2. Chron. 26. The like may be seene in Paul 2. Cor. 12. who albeit he were a man of wonderfull graces had beene continually exercised with many and great afflictions so that he had no great need of further humbling as we would haue thought yet had he Satan turned loose vpon him to buffet him and to beat him blacke and blew as it were that so hee might not bee lifted vp with the multitude and excellencie of the reuelations that he had receiued Hee had beene in the third heauen and was indued with exceeding rare gifts and the Lord knew that if he were not taken downe hee would bee very conceited of himselfe and then all had beene lost he would be vnfit to receiue or doe good altogether vnprofitable and vnfruitfull and robbe God of his honour and men of their due and therefore to preuent this hee giueth Satan libertie to worke vpon his originall corruption and to exercise him with strange temptations which was a speciall preseruatiue against pride and loftinesse of minde Lastly wee may note in the 8. chap. of Deuteronomie verse 2. what a great adoe the Lord had with his people the children of Israel to helpe them against this vile corruption that was in them hee was driuen to keepe them fortie yeeres in the wildernes and there to exercise them with manie and grieuous crosses and iudgements and all to humble them as there it is saide and certainly if fewer and easier afflictions would haue done it the Lord would neuer haue handled them so roughlie and sharplie for mercie pleaseth him neither doeth hee afflict willinglie Micah 7. Lament 3. Now the reason why the pride of mens hearts cannot easily bee remooued is First because it doth wonderfully harden them and makes them euen like a Flinte so that they are verie hardly wrought vpon either by instructions or by afflictions This is euident in Nebuchadnezzar who notwithstanding that diuine dreame that God had sent vnto him Dan. 4.24 and the holy instructions and exhortations that Daniel had giuen him after his interpretation thereof yet continued in his arrogancie still and was full of boasting and bragging in so much that the Lord was faine to strippe him of his wittes of his kingdome of his soode of his apparell and of the societie of mankinde and to cause him euen for seuen yeares together to liue as a beast among the beasts of the fielde and all little enough to take downe the stoutnes and loftines of his finfull heart Dan. 5.20 Secondly as pride maketh men vnteachable and vncapable of good by any meanes that
men into straits neither will God spare his owne people when they take libertie in prouoking his maiestie but either they shall be straited in their owne hearts or else in regard of outward calamities or both and though the Lord will not condemne them yet will he afflict them Iehoshaphat was so foolish that he would make affinitie with Ahab and lest he should breake off that league of friendship that was betweene them he would aduenture contrary to the expresse word of the Lord to goe against Ramoth Gilead to battle with him now was not he in an exceeding great straight when the maine force of the battle was bent against him being supposed to be the King of Israel concerning whom a command was giuen to the Captaines by the King of Aram 1. King 22.31.32 that they should fight against none neither small nor great but onely against the King of Israel Yet would not Iehoshaphat take warning by this but after that he had beene rebuked by Iehu the Prophet 2. King 3. for helping the wicked and louing them that hated the Lord he yet ioyned with Iehoram the King of Israel against the King of Moab but was his successe any better then before No surely for howsoeuer they had the victorie ouer the Moabites with much difficultie yet before that was effected he was in a greater straight then when he went against Ramoth Gilead for there his owne person onely was endangerd but heere both he and his people together with two Kings and their armies besides were like to perish for want of water A further proofe of this point we haue in Ionah who discoursing with his owne reason thought it would be to no purpose but very dangerous for him to goe to preach at Niniue and therefore refused to yeeld to the Commandement of the Lord. But what wofull distresse did this disobedience bring him into when being in that sore tempest the sea did roare his conscience accuse him men were against him God was against him and there was no way for him but to be throwne into the sea and there to remaine three daies and three nights in the belly of a whale Iudges 16. The like may be seene in Sampson who being carried with boisterous lusts and immoderately and sinfully affecting that vile strumpet Dalilah could hide nothing from her but discouered vnto her very foolishly wherein his great strength lay namely in his haire and so that being cut off as a recompence of his folly and sinfull dealing he was betraied into the hands of his most deadly enemies the Philistims who puld out both his eyes bound him in fetters made him grinde in the prison house and besides made him a laughing stocke vnto those into whom he had formerly stricken a great terrour and amazement by his admirable valour and the strange enterprises atchieued by him Thus we may in part perceiue into what narrow straits sinne doth bring Gods owne children but this is especially verified in wicked men of whom it is said Psou 22.5 that thornes and snares are in the way of the froward they are hedged in with thornes and all their walke is vpon brakes they run to hell with great vexation they are intangled in snares continually and are neuer out of them they are caught in Sathans net and held fast by hardnesse of heart which neuer leaues them till either conuersion or vtter confusion doe befall them But this will more fully appeare in particular sinnes as first to giue instance in drunkards whose appetite doth prouoke them vnto that beastly abuse of Gods good creatures the wine delights their eye and pleaseth their taste and goeth downe merily Pro. 23.32.29.30 but in the end it will bite like a Serpent and hurt like a cockatrice for to whom is woe to whom is sorrow c. Euer to them that tarrie long at the wine to them that goe and seeke mixt wine for they ruinate and ouerthrow their estate they blemish and staine their names make their wiues to fall out with them their children to contemne them their companions to quarrell with them their best friends to loath them and after all this they are a burden vnto themselues hauing their wittes crackt and their bodies diseased and beeing fit for no place but onely for hell The same may be said of proud men doth not their sinne throwe them into great miserie Let vs consider a little of Hamans fall which was procured by his insolencie God knewe what crosse would most vexe his proud heart and that he sent him for whereas all Hamans honour could doe him no good vnlesse Mordecai would rise vp before him and doe him reuerence that was a thorne vnto him when hee could not make him doe it but when hee must honour Mordecai and be as a seruant vnto him that was a snare vnto his soule and therein was hee helde fast with horrible vexation and monstrous shame till death and damnation seazed vpon him The like may bee seene in riotous and voluptuous persons who are whollie addicted to followe sporting and gaming and surfetting and chambering and wantonnesse with such like sinfull delights of the flesh the world thinks that such liue a merrie life but iudge not too well of them they haue not paid all their shot as yet they haue miserie enough behinde that still pursues them and at length will ouertake them for hee that loues pastime shall be a poore man and hee that loues wine and oyle shall not bee rich Pron 21.17 and a Whore will bring a man to a morsell of bread pouertie shall followe at the heeles of such Prou. 6.26 as a swift Post and shall set vpon them as a strong armed man they shall be ouercome and vanquished and downe shall their estate goe euen to the ground Another instance may be in couetous persons who haue wealth in wonderfull admiration so that it is made the common god and most vsuall Idoll of the world and when they haue gotten it they and manie others thinke they shall haue great credit with it and manie times it so falls out that they are men of great place because they are of great substance they haue manie to attend vpon them manie to flatter them and to crouch vnto them and by their riches they may procure almost what they list doth not this now seeme to be an easie a pleasant and happy life Yet the Apostle telleth vs 1. Tim. 6.19 that they that will be rich fall into tentation and snares and into manie foolish and noysome lusts which drowne men in perdition and destruction so that when wealth together with the loue of it flowes in on euery side men are as it were cast headlong into a sea of miserie and therefore it is added that the desire of mony is the roote of all euill for it doth not onely poyson mens hearts make them erre from the faith and bring them into the snares of the diuell to be
lead by him according to his will but it pearseth them thorow with many sorrowes for greedy wordlings are euer disconted and froward falling out with one and chafing with another so that those things which seeme to glad their hearts doe not indeed bring them any sound contentment because their desires can neuer be satisfied but especially because they are often times much crossed as when their sheepe or cattle miscarry their grounds prooue vnfruitfull their seruants vntrusty theeues set vpon them by violence to spoile them of their goods or subtill aduersaries by craft seeke to defraud them of the same with many such like occurrences which will neither let them rest quietly in the night nor liue comfortably in the day and the hearts of such couetous persons can tell them that manie times all other things doe them no good sithence they cannot haue some one thing which they would as the case stood with wicked Ahab in the matter of Naboths vineyard But suppose that these and the like sinnes should not bring men into snares in their life time yet at the time of their death when they must goe out of the world they will Iob. 27.8 for what hope hath the hypocrite when God shall take away his life though he haue heaped vp riches as the dust yet when God shall vnsheath his soule and put it violently from his body as a rustie sword out of the scabberd what good will all his substance doe him then It was his hope while he liued that he should still get more wealth but when death sets vpon him he is past that hope and for better hopes he hath none and therefore must needs be full of woe and full of perplexitie Then though he call vpon God he will not answer Pro. 1. â—6 8 and though he seeke him early he shall not finde him but God will laugh at his destruction and mocke when his feare commeth Because God called and he refused he stretched out his hand and he would not regard therefore when he crieth the Lord will shut out his prayer But set the case they be not in such perplexitie at the time of their death but that they die securely and goe suddenly downe to the graue as senslesse blocks or stones yet must they come before the iudgement seat of Christ and then they shall be paid home for all Ordinarily they meet with extremitie of anguish while they liue or when they die but if they doe not they shall not misse of it when they appeare before the Iudge of heauen and earth Rom. 2. but tribulation and anguish shal be vpon euery soule that hath offended of what estate and degree soeuer he hath beene Then their distresse and honour shall be such that when they arise out of their graues they shall wish to returne thither againe yea they shall desire that the mountaines and rockes might fall vpon them couer them from him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lambe Then they would thinke no paines nor torment too much so they might perish euerlastingly they could rather desire that an huge rocke or great mountaine might crush them in peeces and that they might perish as beasts than to appeare before Christ Iesus to receiue that fearefull sentence Goe ye cursed c This is the proper wages of sinne and of disobedience against the Lord it castes the committers of it into a wofull Labyrinth of distresses and miseries and good reason is there that it should be so because otherwise the hatefulnes of it and the hatred of God against it would not cleerely appeare so men would like better of the broad way than of the narrow and chuse to be rebells against the Lord rather than obedient subiects vnto him euen the best would doe this as well as the worst Which serueth First Vse 1 for instruction that we should beware of all kinds of sinne and consider what will come of it before we presume to rush vpoÌ„ it let vs looke before we leape lest afterwards we repent vs when it is too late Sinne will make goodly shewes of delight and preferment and commoditie that it will bring vnto vs that if we will giue entertainement thereunto it will neuer be a meanes of any disgrace vnto vs but will hide it selfe from the view of the world But what doth the Lord say of it Doth not he tell vs that it will breake out and flie abroad at length The adulterer would haue his wretched pleasure but not the iust reproach of his filthinesse But what saith Iob Iob. 31.3 Are there not strange punishments for such workers of iniquitie And though they may hide it from the eyes of men Verse 4. doth not God behold their waies and tell all their steps If Adam and Eue had considered what mischiefe would haue ensued on their eating of the forbidden fruit they would neuer haue tasted thereof but when they would beleeue the serpent rather then God did not they and shall not their posteritie for euer smart for it The Prophet Micaiah bid Ahab take heede of his iourney to Ramoth Gilead yet he would haue his owne minde let the prophet say what he would but when the arrow was shot into his side then he saw that Micaiahs counsell had beene worth the following but then it was too late and such is the folly and madnesse of most men they must haue their owne wils and their owne waies and will neuer hearken to those instructions that are giuen them either by God or by godly men till miserie haue ouerwhelmed their soules and they be past recouerie But let their follie teach vs to be wiser and let vs take heede of Sathans baites and of his sugred poyson Math. 4. he will make vs profers as he did vnto our Sauiour of maruellous great honour and pleasure and gaine that may be gotten by such and such sinfull courses but let vs neuer giue credit vnto him Iohn 8. for he is a lyar from the beginning but Secondly Vse 2 if we haue harkned too far vnto him already and haue fallen by our iniquitie let vs withall possible speede get out of that which holds vs in bondage and wrappeth vs in miserie and chaineth vs in many sorrowes and calamities let vs get sound repentance for it and striue for a reformation of it let not sinne keepe possession in vs and then iudgements shall not long continue vpon vs He that hath committed any grosse sinne is as it were a prisoner according to that of Salomon Prou. 5.22 His owne wickednesse shall take the wicked himselfe and he shall be holden with the cords of his owne sinne There is a iudiciall proceeding against him sinne commeth as an officer and chargeth the partie to stand then it apprehendeth him and bindeth him hand and foot as a malefactor it spareth not the mightiest Monarch in the world that is found guiltie before the Lord after there is a
seeme to want nothing that may make them prosper yet because God is displeased with them he brings them downe both stripping them of their wealth which they most affected and plaguing them with pouertie which they most detested And a cause heereof is Reason that he giueth men thereby to vnderstand that he taketh knowledge of their waies to the end they should take knowledge of his iudgements when they see them directed so iust against their faults and affections And by this meanes as reprobates are left without excuse the elect are much furthered to repentance when their corrupt wils their vnlawfull desires and sinfull delights are crossed when they behold Gods visible hand and righteous hand when he sheweth them the nature and qualitie of their offences by the manner and proceeding of his corrections that was the true cause why the Lord laid this stroake on Dauid at this time rather than any other viz that he might more speedily and euidently see his fault and more soundly and heartily repent for the same Which maketh for our instruction Vse if wee would haue comfort in any thing that we possesse let vs vse it well neither let our hearts deceiue vs whether it be honour or goods or children if we dote vpon them and make Gods of them we are likely to be depriued of them the Lord can take from vs our power Ezek. 24.35 the ioy of our honour the pleasure of our eyes and the desire of our hearts euen our sonnes and our daughters When men loue to be commanders God can take their authoritie from them if they stand vpon their honour and reputation he can soone make it wither and vanish if the delights of their eyes doe content them he can quickly remoue those from them finally if they set their affections immederately vpon their children and lift vp their soules vnto them as the words are in the originall that is make them the desire of their hearts God can suddenly bereaue them of their children or so bring it to passe that they shall haue little comfort in them Would we then haue our houses and our children free from Gods strokes and in particular from the pestilence as that many pretend that they are more carefull for their children then for themselues then let vs neuer commit any sinne to set them vp for that is the next way to depriue vs of them when we carry more affection to them then to the Lord himselfe we endanger our selues and them both The Lords will is that you should in the first place serue him and so doing you shall make your children not Lords but kings not of an earthly but of an heauenly kingdome The next thing heere briefly to be considered is the space in which these seuentie thousand men died namely in three daies Doctrine that Doct. 4 When God sets in with his iudgements they shall be farre dispersed in a short time Gods iudgements very swift He can cause his plagues to flie fast and make great speed This is prooued in the Psalme where speaking of any decree of God it is said He sendâ—th forth his commandement vpon earth Psal 147.15 and his word runneth very swiftly What God determineth to doe he can doe it out of hand when it standeth with his good pleasure Exod. 12. So we see how he could cause one Angell to goe thorow the whole land of Aegypt in one night and to slay the first borne in euery house Zath 5.2 and in this regard Gods curse is compared to a flying booke to note the swiftnesse of it that it commeth as it were with two wings but withall it is likened to a talent of lead that sticketh fast where it sals it maketh speed vnto the place that God appointeth and tarrieth there where once it lighteth Furthermore we see how quickly Gods curse was scattered ouer the whole earth Gen. 3.17.18 when our first parents had sinned the deformitie came not vpon the creatures by degrees but it ouertooke them presently and out of hand And so at the last day Christ shall come in the twinckling of an eye as to call the godly forth with vnto glory 1. Cor. 15.51 so to draw the wicked immediately before Gods iudgement seate to receiue present and euerlasting punishment and torment And the reason of this is Reason because God at all times is in all places and of equall power in euery place and therefore what should hinder him from doing that euery where in the same moment if it stand with his iustice and will which he doth any where The great deluge in the time of Noe couered not one Nation one yeare and an other the next and a long time after the rest which were farre separated asunder but he in his wrath was present in euery country and so were they all ouerwhelmed in few daies and who knoweth whether it seized not vpon each of them in one day which maketh For reproofe of them that thinke Vse if they escape one place of infection they are safe enough But cannot God or his Angell reach them wheresoeuer they be Though no infected person come neere them cannot the Lords hand finde them out Yes certainely let them climbe vp vnto heauen Psal 1 39. or goe downe into hell or hide themselues at the center of the earth Gods eye is still vpon them and his hand neere vnto them so that they can goe safe no where without Gods fauour If the pestilence were onely in India we should as easily be infected in England if God had a quarrell against vs and a purpose to plague vs that way as if we were in the midst of the infected persons Who would haue thought that Gehazi should haue beene smitten with the leprosie when his maister and he were together The like may be said of Miriam when Aaron was with her Nay who would haue thought that King Vzziah should haue beene plagued with that stroke in such an holy place as the Temple was where God would haue no vncleane thing to enter Yet when he presumptuously vsurped the high Priests office he was not spared no not in the Sanctuarie So that this may be surely concluded that no place can shelter a man from miserie if sinne be harboured and entertained in his heart Verse 16. It is sufficient hold thy hand Doctrine that As God appointeth iudgements to be inflicted on his people Doct. 5 God is present at the execution of his indgements so he himselfe will see execution done He stands by in this place and directeth the Angell how farre to proceed and where to make an end God would haue Iacob humbled and therefore he sent him to his vncle Laban but withall he assureth him of good successe and for that purpose sheweth him a ladder whereupon the Angels of God went vp and downe to signifie Gen. 28.12 that they should guide him foorth and bring him backe in safetie but for the present
Lorde thou art a buckler for mee my glorie and the lifter vp of my head And in another Psalme Psal 71.10.11 Mine enemies saith hee speake of mee saying God hath forsaken him pursue take him for there is none to deliuer him These speeches no doubt pierced Dauids soule but doth hee make the same conclusion No hee is farre from that hee rather layeth faster hold on God Verse 12.13 seeing cruell men to be so violently bent against him Goe not farre from mee O God saith hee my God haste thee to helpe mee let them be confounded and consumed that are against my soule c. Indeede if mens opposing of themselues against him could haue kept him from complaining vnto God or God from giuing care vnto him his case had bene very lamentable but seeing that was impossible whatsoeuer they imagined there was safety enough for Dauid and so is there still for all the elect of God Secondly this is for instruction Vse 2 that seeing by how much lesse helpe we haue from men so much the more we shall haue from God therefore we should deale earnestly with the Lord in our distresses and wrestle with him as Iacob did Gen. 31. when his brother Esau came with foure hundred men against him hee was vnable to encounter him and therefore hee encountreth the Lord himselfe by prayers and teares and that which was his refuge must bee ours and then wee shall haue peace and safetie if once wee can lay hand-fast on God as wee may in our houses in our chambers in our beds in the night or in the day then our case is good wee shall be protected from all the violent rage of the wicked so that none of the sonnes of violence shal be able to touch vs for our hurt and therefore herein let vs take comfort that though men forsake vs and our neerest friends reiect vs yet the Lorde will gather vs vp and prouide sufficiently for vs Psal 27. as he did for Dauid neither can mens perswasions withdrawe his compassion from vs nor mens threatnings terrifie him from releeuing of vs. For there is not a godly man left c. From this lamentable complaint of his ariseth this doctrine that No outward thing comes neerer the hearts of God children Doct. 2 want of good men much to be lamented then the decay of good men It much troubleth the soules of godly men to see a small number of Christians Hence proceedeth that lamentation of the Prophet Micah Woe is me for I am as the Summer gatherings Micah 7.1.2 c or I am in case as in the destruction of the Summer fruites as in Hoseah it is said Hos 4.3 The fishes of the Sea shall be gathered that is destroyed and that this is the sense it appeareth in the words following when it is said There is no cluster to eate My soule desired the first ripe fruites that is I am as one that hath a feruent longing for them and yet can get none of them and what is the reason of this his lamentation The good man saith hee is perished out of the earth and there is none righteous among men c. So that the effect of those words is thus much that looke how worldlings would grieue if they should see their grapes and figges which were speciall commodities in those countreys to faile and their expectation that way to bee vtterly frustrate so and much more bitterly did the Prophet bewaile the losse of good righteous men That was it also that did so pierce the heart of Elias Lorde saith he the children of Israel haue forsaken thy couenant broken down thy Altars 1. Kings 19.11 slaine thy Propoets with the sword and I onely am left and they seeke my life to take it away Which losse of the Prophets was so grieuous vnto him that hee had no pleasure in his owne life and therefore hee intreateth the Lord to take away his soule Verse 4. In which regard wheÌ„ the Lord would comfort him he vseth a fit remedie for his disease for whereas his griefe was that there were no godly men left but all were declined to Idolatrie Verse 18. he telleth him that he had reserued to himselfe seuen thousand that had not bowed the knee vnto Baal Yet further it may appeare what a matter of heauinesse the losse of good men is vnto those that are good themselues by that speech of Dauid who saith All my delight is in the Saints for if they be his chiefe delight Psal 16.3 then the want of them must needs be an occasion of very great anguish vnto him as is euident that it was Psalm Psal 42. 42.4 when he remembred how he had gone with the multitude and had beene as a Captaine to leade them vnto the house of God which then he could not doe this cast him into wonderfull griefe so that he poured out his teares yea and his very heart as he there speaketh being 〈◊〉 such extremitie of sorrow that he is faine to restraine himselfe why art thou cast downe my soule saith he and why art thou disquieted within me c yet godly men were not quite abolished at this time but Dauiâ— onely taken from them and he knew that he should come againe vnto them at length and that they should be his flocke if then he were so farâ—e cast downe for that he might not be with them what griefe would he haue conceiued if they had vtterly beene cut off and ceased to be any longer Now the reasons why the decay of Gods people is and should be such an heart-breaking vnto the rest of the Saints are these First because the glory of God is precious vnto them Reasons 1 which is much hindered and obserued when his seruants are diminished for then there is lesse seruice done vnto him in publike and priuate there are fewer praiers and praises offered vp vnto him fewer religious exercises in vse amongst men and fewer workes of mercy performed vnto the needie and distressed And if the decay of good souldiers and of loyall subiects in any kingdome must needs be a matter of griefe to those that loue and seeke the honour of their King then can it not but goe neere the hearts of the godly when they perceiue the souldiers and subiects of Christ to goe to wracke Secondly in regard of themselues they are mooued heereat as being fellow members with them for when the godly perish they are as it were a maimed body They haue fewer friends and fellow-helpers fewer to pray with them and for them fewer to reprooue exhort and comfort them and in a word fewer to whom they may doe good and from whom they may receiue good Thirdly in respect of the publike losse they mourne for the decay of the righteous for when multitudes of all nations and of all sorts of people doe know the waies of God and praise the name of God then as the Prophet saith
answer of the tongue is of the Lord. As who should say When a man hath done so yet he shall speake not what he himselfe intended but what God hath decreed as is plaine in Balaam who came with a purpose to curse and if the Lord had permitted him he would haue vomited out horrible imprecations against the Israelites for that would haue made for his credit and commoditie Num. 23. but notwithstanding his intent the Lord made him to blesse his people in stead of cursing them And so Saul he would haue all men know that Dauid was a Traitor and therefore he pursued him to bereaue him of his life yet when he met with him he had no power so much as to rate him or to rebuke him but on the contrarie part is driuen to iustifie him O my sonne Dauid saith he thou art more righteous then I. And this we may obserue in our owne experience that oftentimes men contrary to their mindes doe vtter things which doe exceedingly grieue them and bury other things in silence the speaking whereof might haue beene very behoouefull vnto them whence do arise these and the like speeches How was I ouerseene in that which I said What an aduantage did I lose at such a time which doth plainly prooue that God hath the disposing of mens tongues Secondly God hath giuen Lawes for the tongue Ephes 4. how it should be ruled that men should not speake blasphemously nor filthily nor bitterly whence it may be concluded that it is Gods subiect for Princes make statutes for none but for their owne subiects Thirdly the successe and euent of mens speeches is according to Gods pleasure They say With our tongues we will preuaile yet doe they not preuaile for whereas they forespeake others destruction the wise man saith A fooles mouth is his owne destruction And whereas they say triumphingly Prou. 18.7 Micah 4.11.12.13 Sion shall be condemned and our eye shall looke vpon Sion they know not the Lords counsell to wit that they themselues shall be gathered as sheaues into the barne to be threshed beatē in pieces by Gods people Fourthly God will plague wicked men as well as reward godly men for their speeches Mat. 12.36.37 By thy wordes thou shalt be iustified saith our Sauiour and by thy wordes thou shalt be condemned And Wee must render an account for euery idle word which euidently sheweth that God hath the soueraigntie of mens tongues Now seeing that the Lorde hath the gouernement thereof this serueth First Vse 1 to teach vs that therfore wee should craue assistance from him for the well ordering of the same Euen as that holy Prophet doth where he saith Set a watch ô Lord before my mouth Psal 1.41.3 and keepe the doore of my lips God will haue the ordering of them by his prouidence whether we will or not but by his grace hee will not guide them vnles we sue vnto him in that behalfe therefore let vs beseech him so to sanctifie purifie our harts that out of the abundance thereof our tongues may speake vnto his praise and to our owne and others edification Secondly Vse 2 that we should not be afraid of performing any good dutie in regard of mens tongues for though they threaten and raile and slander and traduce vs yet they shall not hurt vs for God will hide vs from the scourge of the tongue Iob. 5.21 Isa 45.16.17 so that no such weapons shall preuaile against vs for the Lord made the tongue and the men themselues that speake therewith and there is no voice nor sound that proceedeth out of the mouth but the Lord hath the ordering thereof and therefore let vs sue vnto him Act. 4.29 as the Apostles did saying O Lord behold their threatnings behold their reuilings and doe thou iudge betwixt vs and them and thou which hast the disposing of all mens tongues preserue thy seruants from the hurt that may befall vs through the same The ende of the fourth Sermon A BRIEFE TRACT CONCERNING ZEALE wherein the properties of true Zeale are decsribed and the contrarie discouered GOdlie zeale is a vertue very requisite and necessary for all Christans not so rare and seldome found as precious and vsefull where it is found as being the verie life and soule of sound Christianitie and one of the principal Fountains Well-heads whence manie other vertues of the spirit doe spring and issue foorth The excellencie of this grace doeth appeare as by manie other arguments so by this that the Saintes are thereby described where they are saide to bee a people zealous of good workes this is the ende of their redemption Titus 2.14 and this is one speciall effect and marke of their iustification that they doe not onely desist from their for mer euill workes and fall to the practise of the contrarie good workes but that they are zealous both to doe them and in the doing of them they shake off the sluggishnesse of the flesh and striue for the feruencie of the spirit Rom. 12.11 in all duties that they owe either vnto God or men For this vertue amongst many others are the penitent Corinthians commended 2. Cor. 7.11 Behold this that yee haue beene godly sorrowfull saith Paul what zeale it hath wrought in you c. Till such time as the Apostle had rebuked them by an Epistle they were either not at all or very slightly touched with the sense of their owne sins and therefore they set light by the offences of others insomuch that when abominable incest such as had not beene heard of amongst the Gentiles was committed among them yet they tooke it not to heart nor at all mourned for it 1. Cor. 5.1.2 nay they let the offender goe vncensured who should haue beene as afterwards he was excommunicated and deliuered vp vnto Sathan for the healing of his owne soule the preuenting of the like sinnes in others and the stopping of the mouthes of wicked blasphemers who would be readie heereupon to speake euill of the holy name of God and of the professours and profession of Christianltie Thus cold and carelesse were they till the Apostle had sharply reprooued them but after that they had well disgested his speeches and thorowly considered of all matters they fell to lament for their owne corruptions and for the transgressions of others and were zealous against all wickednesse and for all manner of goodnesse in themselues and others This was the effect of holy griefe in them and this will be found in all that attaine to that repentance which is vnto life in which regard when the Lord would worke a cure vpon the luke-warme Laodicians Reu. 3.19 he biddeth them be zealous and amend That was their sinne that they were key-cold and euen frozen in the dregges of securitie exercising themselues in sundrie good duties for that must needes be because they were a Church but neuer regarding with what loue vnto God or men they
performed the same therefore the Lord vrging them to reformation willeth them to be zealous and amend implying that these two euer goe hand in hand to wit sound repentance and godly zeale yet so that as euery one is of greater growth in the body of Christ so this grace is of greater strength in him as is euident in Dauid who speaketh thus of himselfe and that by the inspiration of Gods holy spirit Psal 119.139 and therefore cannot but speake truely My zeale hath euen consumed me because mine enemies haue forgotten thy word Weaker Christians haue some good motions of griefe for mens offances but the Prophet was exceedingly wrought vpon by his zeale so that it did euen spend him and consume him in regard of the fearefull breach of Gods commandements which he obserued in his very enemies And the like we sind in another place The zeale of thine house hath caten me Psal 69.9 and the rebukes of them that rebuked thee are fallen vpon me Thus was the holy man of God touched yea tormented with the things whereby Gods glory was impaired as if he had beene laden himselfe with reproaches and disgraces But most admirable was the zeale of Moses and Paul Exod. 32.32 Rom. 9.3 who for that feruent desire that they had of aduancing Gods glory could haue beene content to haue had their names put out of the booke of life and to be separated from the Lord so that his great name might be magnified in sparing and sauing their brethren the Israclites Now because our hearts may easily deceiue vs in this matter of zeale either by perswading vs that we haue it when we are farre from it or that we altogether want it when in some good measure we haue attained vnto it therefore will it not be amisse to set downe some rules whereby we may trie whether our zeale be ourrant or counterfeit First Rules of true zeale therefore touching the matter about which this holy zeale is to be exercised it must be good according to the saying of the Apostle It is good alwaies to be zealous in a good matter The matter must be good Gal. 4.18 and it was before shewed that Gods people must be zealous of good workes otherwise if the matter be euill the more earnest any is the more sinfull neither is such earnestnesse worthy the name of zeale being nothing else but a diuellish and fleshly heate or rather a kinde of frenzie and madnesse Such was the zeale of I dolaters that would mangle and cut themselues and that would offer their children in the fire in honour vnto their gods Such was the zeale of the Scribes and Pharises 1. King 18.28 Ier. 7.31 who would compasse sea and land to make one a Proselite that is one of their owne sect With this violent and mad zeale was Paul carried before his conuersion as he himselfe confesseth in plaine tearmes Acts. 26.11 and Phil. 3.6 when he was enraged against Christians and spared no paines nor cost to make them denie and blaspheme the name of Christ Heere then is to be condemned the zeale of ignorant Papists and Brownists and such like who are very hotte indeed for he must needes runne whom the diuell driues but in euill causes as might easily be prooued and may hence if by no other arguments be probably concluded in that they vse the diuels owne weapons to wit lying slandering railing cursed speaking and the like in the pursute of the same But much more damnable and vile is their zeale to be esteemed who against their knowledge and consciences doe violently and maliciously oppose themselues against the Gospell and the professors thereof and stand for falshood and wickednesse and the practisers thereof as did those wretched Pharises that set themselues against our Sauiour and committed the sin against the holy Ghost We must know the thing to be good for vvhich vve are zealous A second rule is that as the matter in which we are zealous must be good in it selfe so it must be knowne vnto vs to be of that qualitie True zeale must begin where the word begins and ende where it ends Rom. 14.23 for otherwise it cannot bee of faith which is euer grounded on theword and whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne We must not therefore content our selues with an honest meaning and hope that wee haue a good zeale towards God when we haue no warrant for our hope but must so acquaint our selues with the Scriptures of God Rom. 10.2 that our zeale may be according to knowledge Which rule discouereth the corruptnes of their zeale whether close hypocrites or weake Christians who are led on meerely by the examples of good men whome they affect much to like of and earnestly to stand for such things as they perceiue them in their practise to obserue and to make conscience of and if there be but a word spoken against any of the things that they haue taken a liking of they are maruellously stirred with indignation thereat and grow passionate and vehement against the parties though they haue neuer so good a meaning in that which they speake Yet let them bee vrged to prooue out of the word the necessitie of those duties which they so earnestly presse they can say little or nothing to the purpose for them and so grow manie times either to dislike and forsake all if they bee hypocrites or at least to bee discouraged and to bee at a stand if they be weaklings in Christ Iesus And whence proceed these inconueniences but from this that they are zealous for things that in themselues and vnto others are good and holie but not thoroughly discerned of them to bee of that nature the consideration whereof should make vs to sit sure in matters of godlinesse not building vpon the example of good men but vpon the truth of the good word of God and then our foundation shall neuer faile vs. A third propertie of true zeale is that it beginneth in our selues and after proceedeth vnto others Zeale must begin at home for neuer can that man be truely zealous to others which neuer knew to be zealous to himselfe Those are the most skilfull Physitions and best able to deale with others that haue first wrought a cure vpon their owne soules Therefore our Sauiours aduice is Luke 6.42 Cast out the beame out of thine owne eye first and then shalt thou see perfectly to pull out the meate that is in thy brothers eye We must then first of all iudge our selues and cast the first stone at our selues that so finding how vgly and noisome a thing sinne is and that by experience in our selues we may be at defiance with it wheresoeuer we finde it and neither fiatter others in their euill courses nor yet too rigorously and vnmercifully rebuke them for the same Those that haue beene pinched with sicknesse and are recouered can by the smart which they haue felt pittie others in the