Selected quad for the lemma: heart_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heart_n	apostle_n	preach_v	word_n	3,267	5	4.6936	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A40515	Select sermons preached upon Sundry occasions by John Frost ... ; now newly published together with two positions for explication and confirmation of these questions, I. Tota Christi justitia credentibus imputatur, 2, Fides justificat sub ratione instrumenti.	Frost, John, 1626?-1656.	1657 (1657)	Wing F2246; ESTC R31718	315,416	365

ose who think these not worth lending an ear too The Gibeonites may draw water to the Sanctuary the Egyptian pearls may enrich the Israelites the Gentiles may be afforded an outward room in the Court of the Temple There is certainly excellent use of the Fathers of the Church to evidence the consent of truth and unity in several ages and if ever to be listned to in this age wherein we have almost lost the truth in a crowd of errours wherein yet they are most neglected To me next to Scripture-evidence universal consent if there be such a thing to be found seems the most cogent for embracing doctrines of faith we should especially attend to what the Revel 2. 7. Spirit saith unto the Churches But others may be listned to so they be cited without affectation and vain-glory S. Paul was resolved against coming to his Corinthians with enticing words of mans wisdome as desiring to know himself and preach to others nothing but Christ and him crusified yet himself hath adopted more then one of the expressions of the Heathens into Scripture and especially when he preached at Athens cited one of their own Poets Act. 17. 28. But all others are onely to be heard as they conform to the word of God which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as most worthy to be heard That 's the first Secondly As most necessary to be heard and that both in respect of Divine command and in reference to our own good for our illumination for as Clemens saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 psal 19. 8 9. Clemens p. 30. so is the world so is the soul without the light of the word of God notwithstanding all the star light of other knowledge So necessary for the begetting and increasing faith it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 3. 2. and the Apostle makes it an impossibility in an ordinary way to believe without hearing Rom. 10. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How shall they believe that is ordinarily they cannot So again necessary for the begetting and upholding the comforts through the Spirit creating the fruits of the lips peace In a Isa 57. 19. word necessary as the fiery pillar to gvide us to our heavenly Canaan for 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 5. 20. the word of life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 13. 26. the Gospel of salvation Ephes 1. 13. Necessary for our spiritual strength and growth the vvant of it is compared to a famine What weak bodies have men in a famine what starved souls under the want of the word of God so as it is most worthy of hearing in it self so most necessary to be heard in respect of us It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It did not profit that is not truly and savingly From this exposition you may easily prevent me in your thoughts in what must be the subject of my discourse viz. Unprofitableness under the means of grace the preaching of the Gospel In speaking to which lest as it was said of Diogenes that he trampled upon Plato's pride but majori cum fastu I should preach unprofitably whilest I speak against unprofitableness under preaching I shall confine my self to this plain practical and I hope profitable Doctrine The generalitie or most of those who hear the word do not truely Doctrine and savingly profit by it A truth which they that run may read in the experience of this present age in which I think I may say it without any dishonourable reflexion upon the former or pride of present times the Gospel was never more frequently or powerfully preached yet how little profit by it I call to witness the profanation of Sabbaths noon day-sins neglect of ordinances contempt of Ministers those monstrous Sects and Heresies those outrages and that profaneness which prevails amongst us which might justly astonish and amaze us did not this lessen the wonder that from the first preaching of the Gospel it hath been so At the first dawning of the Gospel in that promise of the seed of the woman to break the serpents head yet Cain a murtherer Afterward Noah was a preacher of righteousness yet the old world remain ungodly Isaiah 2 Pet. 2. 5. Isa 53. 1. complaineth who hath believed our report Descend to our Saviours times there you finde Christ himself preaching the Pharisees deriding him Luke 16. 14. In the Apostles times Paul preached Christ at Athens and there he is accounted a babler and a setter forth of strange gods Acts 17. 18. Again he preacheth to a company of women and onely Lydia's heart 's opened Acts 16. 14. Simon heard the word and yet remained in the gall of bitterness Acts 8. 23. And the Apostle applies the Prophets complaint to Gospel times Lord who hath believed our report Rom. 10. 16. The Word is compared to meat but the richest fare will not make some men fat and thriving to seed yet you know in the Parable Mat. 13. 3. but one of those four grounds into which it was cast was good and brought forth fruit verse 23. So though this seed of the Word was sown in Jerusalem by the hand yea and watered too by the tears of her Saviour yet she remained fruitless and barren Luke 19. 41. and at Christs second coming he shall finde iniquity abounding charitie cold and scarce faith on the earth Matthew 24. 12. In prosecution of which Doctrine I shall shew First What it is savingly to profit by the Word Secondly The grounds and reasons of most mens unprofitableness under the Word Thirdly Apply it in two words one to the Minister and the other to the people For the first 1. Partic. In this it is necessarie to speak distinctly thereby to correct those common mistakes whereby most men do dangerously delude themselves One remembers the Text a second picks a flower of Rhetorick a third runs away with a notion a fourth admires the preacher a fifth gets a little floating head-knowledge a sixth makes a few formal resolutions a seventh is somewhat moved and affected at a Sermon another lastly praiseth the quaintness and elegancie of the preacher and each of these thinks himself abundantly profited by the Word It is then I. Not to profit and advantage a mans self in the world by the profession and constant hearing of the Word though this be all the profit they look after who count gain godliness Men care for 1 Tim. 6. 5. the Gospel no longer then it is consistent with their wordly advantages who when they come to serve God in attendance upon his word secretly sacrifice to the Idol Self and propound no more to themselves then secular advantages Quantas nobis divitias comparavit haec fabula Christi as Leo the tenth was oft heard to say Men may esteem the Gospel but a Fable and yet adhere to it for outward advantages care not for Diana but her silver-shrines that affect not the Gospel so much as that respect and

the Pharisees hypocrisie they are enraged against him and plot his death Herod must not endure to hear of his Herodias see Prov. 1. 25. where it is said Ye set at nought all my counsel and would none of my reproof these were proud scorners at the 22. verse and you may easily judge how little like these are to profit He is not like to have his wound healed that cannot endure to have it searched 3. Because God will have nothing to do with such in his Ordinances He gives more grace to the humble but resists the proud James 4. 6. God is his enemy God as I may say every Sabbath keeps open houses every one may come but believe it a proud heart is like to go away without his alms He fills the hungry with good things but sends the rich emptie away Luke 1. 53. and we finde at Isaiah 66. 5. that God speaks comfort to such as tremble at his word not that scoff at it and sleight it as a proud heart doth God pours the oyl of grace and knowledge into emptie vessels and therefore as you desire to profit by the word preached so labour for an humble frame of spirit It is said by the Wiseman Prov. 11. 2. with the lowly is wisdome and to this end I shall suggest onely three notes I. This is the proper qualification of scholars in any science Nothing hinders knowledge more then pride this was intimated in the posture which scholars amongst the Jews were wont to use viz. to sit at their Master's feet so we finde it Acts 22. 3. as an expression of humilitie It is Philo's observation that when the Essens came into the Synagogue each scholar according to their standing was wont to sit at their Masters feet this expression speaks aptness to learn and also a modest humility Quòd si haec reverentia terrenis praeceptoribus debetur quantò magis nos ad Christi pedes jacere convenit ut ex coelesti solio loquenti dociles nos prestemus saies Calvin Calv. in locum We read of Mary Luke 10. 39. that she sate at Jesus feet and heard his word upon which saies S. Augustine Quantò humilior ad pedes Domini sedebat Maria tantò ampliùs capiebat We must cast our selves at the feet of Christ in his Ordinances if we will be his scholars It is said that the people stood at the feet of the mount when the Law was given Exod. 19. 17. so must we sit at the feet of Christ when the Gospel is preached II. This humilitie will make us teachable by the word of God An humble heart is like melted wax which is fit to receive the impression of the word of God and willing to be moulded and fashioned according to it An humble heart trembles at the threatnings and so is like to profit God will dwell with such Isaiah 66. 2. It closes with the commands of it as Cornelius said to Peter Acts 10. 33. We are all here present to hear all that is commanded of God and David tells us that he will hear what God speaks Psal 85. 8. It submits to the reproofes of the word of God it accounts of them as precious oyl whereas a proud heart holds up against the threatnings Psal 141. 5. slights the commands and rages against the reproofs of the word of God That place of the Prophet Jeremiah Jerem. 13. 15. is full and worth our observation Hear ye and give ear be not proud for the Lord hath spoken as if he had said If you continue in your pride you will never give an ear to the word of God But III. To make all sure an humble heart shall have the Spirit of God for its teacher and then such shall be effectually and profitably taught the humble he will teach Psal 25. 8 9. it shall have the Spirit to lead into all truth John 16. 13. The more humble the more of the teachings of God It is said that the Spirit descended upon Christ in the form of a dove the dove is a meek creature to teach us that the discoveries of the Spirit are made to humble hearts Sixthly The sixth ground is carnal reasonings and prejudices in the hearts of men which pre-possessing the soul make the word ineffectual which prejudices while they remain obstruct the soul against the word of God these are as so many bolts upon the doors of our hearts that the word can get no entrance these are naturally in every one of our hearts and they are of two sorts I. Against the word it self II. Against the preacher of it I shall discover and remove some of them I. Against the word it self which although it be admirable in it self and appointed for most excellent ends by God yet are many prejudices against it in mens hearts as 1. The meanness of this Ordinance and seeming outward inconsiderableness of some hours speaking which makes many to disesteem it whence the Apostle calls it the foolishness of preaching 1 Cor. 1. 21. because most men are apt to judge it so The ground of this prejudice is mens non-attendance to the authoritie of God's institution as if a man should consider the matter not the stamp of the coyn which may make baser mettals currant we should attend to Gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon it which makes it valuable as the diamond in a ring makes the ring much more precious and as the seal upon a scedule which makes it effectual to the purposes contained in it so is it the institution of God that makes this Ordinance so worthy and considerable and if we would profit by the word we must remove this prejudice against the word for the means of it in it self and come to it as Gods institution and in obedience to his command and then are you like to thrive and profit by it The Apostle gives you this as an account of the Thessalonians thriving under the Gospel that they received the word not as the word of men but as it is in truth the word of God 1 Thes 2. 13. and this made it to work effectually in their hearts 2. The pre-possession of some politick opinion it may be in compliance of some great ones and the strain of the times hence the word of God finds no entrance much truth is stifled upon this account because it will not comply with mens politick concernments and the opinions they have taken up in compliance with their outward advantages when truth comes to cross these then it is rejected This is no new thing it was so in our Saviours time amongst the chief Rulers John 12. 42. and with the chief Priests and Pharisees John 11. 48. and upon this account both Christ and his doctrine was rejected and hence it is said that the great ones received it not John 7. 48. Thus many make truth to stoop and vail to politick designs and this makes the word of God ineffectual Ahab would not make restitution of Naboth's

Jews pricked at the heart and a John Baptist convince a Herod of his unlawfull and wicked enjoyment of his beloved Herodias How doth the word of God oft drive men from those forts and succours and delusions which they had framed to deceive themselves and encourage themselves in the ways of sin as others sin as well as I what saith Scripture to this Follow not a multitude to commit iniquity and Though hand Exod. 23. 2. Prov. 11. 21. joyn in hand the wicked shall not be unpunished I may deferre my repentance from youth to old age saith another See what Scripture saith to this Remember thy Creatour in the daies of thy youth c. and Eccles ' 12. 1. Hebr. 3. 15. Rom. 6. 23. To day if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts This is but a peccadillo saith another Scripture saith The ways of sin is death Such flatteries and deceits the deceitfull heart of man is apt to gull it self with The power of the word is to such as the voice of God was to Adam Where art thou and then he could lie hid no longer it convinceth and discovers them This is the effect of preaching the word as the Apostie saith If all prophesie to wit of the nature of sin Gods wrath against it and the like as Pareus glosses if there come in one that believeth not he is convinced of all he is judged of all and the secrets of his heart are Mr. Dod. made manifest When a reverend Divine amongst our selves had by a powerfull Sermon convinced a licentious wretch who heard him he fretting and very angry as wicked men cōmonly are at a convincing Minister came to him and charged him with preaching that Sermon against him out of malice and envy he returned him this answer If this Sermon had been preached in the dark when I could not have seen my Auditors this very word of God would have found thee out and convinced thee of thy sins In a word Rectum verum est mensura sui obliqui therefore Scripture containing all fundamental doctrines of faith and essential duties of holiness necessary to salvation must consequently be sufficient to confute and reprove all contrary sin and errour 4. That he may instruct the people and inform them of their whole duty Here they must expect and require their knowledge for The Mal. 2. 7. Priests lips shall preserve knowledge and the people shall require it at his mouth Unless their doctrine distill as the dew the field of the Lord the Church must needs be barren in holiness and fruitless in knowledge This is the last vse the Apostle saith the Scripture is profitable for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for instruction in righteousness 2 Tim. 3. 18. True indeed may the people say it is fit and necessary that Objection Apollos's Ministers should be mighty in the Scriptures but we hope we may be excused from searching the Scriptures it is not our duty we are to expect it from our teachers Indeed this is Rome's language If you were at Rome you might Answer be exempted that Church will gratifie you in this and thank you too they account it no better to suffer lay-men to read the Bible then sanctum canibus margaritas ante porcos projicere it is the expression of Hosius to cast pearles before swine or that which is holy to dogs you are little beholding to them for this But believe it though Antichrist will exempt you from reading the Scripture Christ will not who enjoynes it as a duty upon all to search the Joh. 5. 39. Scriptures and observe the argument he useth to enforce this duty for in them ye think to have eternal life If then you expect any interest in that happiness you are concerned and engaged in this duty of Scripture-search which is both commanded and cōmended in Scripture Let the word of God dwell in you richly in all wisdome Coloss 3. 16. Acts. 17. 11 saith S. Paul and it was the commendation of the Bereans that they searched the Scriptures daily whether the things that Paul and Silas preached were true or no. The Church of Rome accuse and charge this promiscuous searching of the Scripture as the cause of Heresy pride and faction I deny not Scripture misunderstood is sometimes abused to promote these ends but this is not the natural and proper effect of reading the Scripture the ignorance of which if we believe our Saviour is the cause of Heresy and error Ye erre saith Christ to Matt. 22. 29. the Sadduces not knowing the Scriptures and indeed if wee be robbed of the Compass of Scripture we must needs split upon the rock of errour In a word then it is the Tyrannie of Rome to withhold it and it will be your sin to neglect it Application 1. This condemns and corrects that general neglect and undervaluing of Scripture which now Atheisme is justly feared to be growing upon us prevailes in the world men preferring every thing else before this The Papist exalts his unwritten Tradition above the written Word Pari pietatis affectu suscipimus veneramur may seem a modest determination of the Tridentine convention and much less then their practise speaks The Enthusiast magnifies his pretended revelation and Scripture to him is but a dead letter and the searcher of it but literalis and vocalis too But let us return home and see whither we can plead not guilty where are our Nepotians who by diligent perusal of the Scripture make their souls Bibliothecam Christi as Hierom saith of him Where shall we finde an Alphonsus who is reported to have read the Bible ten times over with a comment or like that Transylvanian Prince whom Maccovius reports to have read the Bible over twentie seven times Where shall we finde a David who meditates in the Law of God day and night preferring it before the honey and the honey-combe Psal 19. 10. Psal 119. 72. Job 23. 12. before thoughts of gold and silver or a Job who esteemeth the words of Gods mouth more then his necessarie food Nay have we not many proud cursed Politians who think it a disparagement to their parts and learning to condiscend to the studie of Scripture and as he said think they never spend their time worse then in reading it Do not idle Romances and lascivious Poems and the like take up the most of our youth-studies nay amongst us who look towards the Ministrie doth not a nice and intricate School-man an uncertain Father an antiquated Rabby justle out the Scripture I speak not against those in their due order and measure but I would not have Hagar drive Sarah out of doors I would not have the Hand-maids courted and the Mistress neglected If they be our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let Scripture be our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Preposterous studying these before we be well grounded and setled in Scripture-knowledge doth oft fill the soule with such

it argues the seed lost if it doth not fructifie in some measure III. When mixed with the dew of heaven Though the seed be good and the husbandman skilfull and laborious yet there must be influence and dew of heaven or else no fruitfulness The Word may be good the Minister laborious in season and out of season Paul 1 Cor. 3. 6. may plant but 't is God must give the increase Adjumenta doctrinae tunc prosunt animae adhibita per hominem cùm Deus operatur ut prosint is Austin's Divinity cap. 16. lib. 4. De Doctrina Christiana The manna mhich descended to feed the Israelites came down Exod. 16. with dew so when the dew of Gods grace and blessing descends with the manna of the word Secondly As meat I. When it abides with us Meat profiteth not except it be detain'd in the stomach which is done oft when the stomach is weak by mixing something with it so the Word of God then profits when 't is retain'd in the heart that will be when admiscetur dono fidei saith Camero on the Text. Unbeleif is a throwing up of Spiritual nourishment again faith retains and digests it Let the word of God saith the Apostle dwell in you richly Colossians 3. 16. Thus the word profited David Psal 119. 11. Thy word saies he have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee II. When it assimulates So it is in meat Onely with this difference that the meat is assimulated into the likeness of the bodie that receives it and is nourished by it but our souls must be assimulated to that word which they receive and by which they are spiritually nourished When we are delivered into the mould and formed into the image of the Word Rom. 6. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into which you were delivered framed as mettal in a mould into the likeness of the Word of God then we profit by the word and when as the Apostle saith we beholding as in a glass the mirrour of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory c. 2 Cor. 3. 18. III. When it nourisheth This is consequent upon the former the Word then profits when it is not onely as an immortal seed to 1 Pet. 1. 23. Ibid. 2. 2. beget us but a spiritual food to nourish us when as new-born babes we grow by the sincere milk of the Word when we grow in knowledge and in grace not onely in high-flown notions and ecstatical raptures but grow inwardly and vitally To grow in the head while the vitals decay is you know the symptome of a disease a Christian then profits when by the Word he grows more active in faith more fervent in charity which are the vitals of Religion Thirdly As Physick I. When it searcheth As when Physick mixeth and meets with the humour it gripes and puts the patient to pains so the Word of God when it meets with our corruption and searcheth it it gripes and pains the soul So did Peters Sermon when it met with the particular corruption of the Jews of crucifying Christ it pricked them at the heart Acts 2. 37. When Pauls discourse meets with a Felix's injustice and intemperance it gripes him Acts 24. 52. so that he trembles That Physick works not kindly which doth not make the patient sick The Word of God then operates kindly when it makes the soul sick of sin But this is not enough therefore II. When it purgeth and heals And to this end it must be mixed too As there must be due ingredients in every potion suitably designed for the Cure of each disease so there must be in the Word of God and this requires much spiritual skill in the Minister the spiritual physician Some are lethargical in security these must have the corrosives of threatnings Others fainting in despondencies fears these must have the cordials of the promises others paralytical weak in their graces these must be brought to the bath of the bloud of Christ to strengthen them There is a healing vertue in the Word of God whence perhaps it is that the Scripture is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the form of sound Words 2 Tim. 1. 13. efficiently as making sound and this must be added to the former for the Word oft convinceth where it converteth not as the most obstinate sinner sometimes The incision's made but they run away from the Physitian before they are bound up and so are not healed Conviction is no more conversion then lancing a wound is the healing of it then Physick is the cure So you have seen briefly what it is to profit by the Word of God Secondly The grounds of unprofitableness may be drawn from 2. Partic. five heads I. The Preacher II. The Hearer III. The Word it self IIII. God V. Satan From each of these we may take an account why the Word profits not the generality of men I. The Minister For I think he cannot plead not guilty in this particular But as Diogenes when he saw a loose scholar to be beaten charged the Master so when we see so many unprofitable hearers we may in a great measure charge and blame the Preacher and that in these ten respects First Many preach unsent run before they have their errand thrust into the office without a Commission and that I confidently affirm to be one reason why the Word profits so little It might seem a digression from the Text but I am sure not impertinent to the times if I should enter a discourse of the necessity of a lawful call in order to the preaching of the word and to enquire whether to preach without it be not a neglect of a divine ordinance and institution a closing with and gratifying the Papist and Socinian a contradicting the universal practise of the Church a violating the rule of prudence order and right reason a prostrating the authority and exposing the function to contempt and laying it open to the presumption of every pretender to gifts But I shall onely at present in all submission propound these two Queries as to the point in hand and wholly submit them to your judgement 1. Whether he who preacheth without a lawful call and Commission can pray in faith for a blessing on what he preacheth as an ordinance of God in reference to the end of preaching which is Conversion of souls If he can he must have some promise to ground that faith and prayer upon which the Scripture I dare say affords not nay God saith the contrary of those Prophets Jer. 23. 32. I sent them not nor commanded them therefore they shall not profit this people at all and if it be said these were false Prophets who prophesied lies I wish it were not the case of our pretenders who are generally broachers of some gross errour But however it is to be observed that their not profiting is not charged upon the falsity of their Doctrine but their want of sending and

Ignorance in the dispencers of the word such as the Apostle describes 1 Tim. 1. 6 7. who are desirous to be teachers of others understanding neither what they say nor whereof they affirm Like Ahimaaz will needs be running upon the message and yet have 2 Sam. 18. 22 no tidings to carrie to the people but need still to be taught the first principles of the oracles of God It is said Mal. 2. 7. and they shall Heb. 5. 12. seek law at his mouth and so they may from too many and never finde it and this is seriously to be lamented I am sure God complains of it Jer. 2. 8. that they that handle the law knew him not I shall not digress to shew the usefulness of all knowledge to a Minister of the Word onely as pertinent to my present subject shew that ignorance in the preacher must needs cause unprofitableness in the hearer for how shall he be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apt to teach how shall he rightly divide the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to give every soul his portion or be able 2 Tim. 2. 15. to speak a word in season who hath not that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or how shall he unfold Gods word to others who knows nothing of it himself We saith the Apostle have the minde of Christ 1 Cor. 2. 16. and so must every profitable Minister have and this ignorance is seriously to be lamented in many new upstarts in our daies who I do not say but they may promote a civil interest for so did Jeroboam's Priests of the lowest of the people 1 Kings 13. 33. but little like to advance the interest of souls but a great deal more danger that these blinde guides should lead the people together with themselves into the ditch Sixthly Miscarriage in the Ministers provision and preparations which are sometimes so nice and curious like some dishes that are made of so many ingredients they rather nauseate then nourish sometimes so careless rude and undigested that they bring a disrepute upon the Ministry and account preaching but as the Athenians did vain-babling Observe S. Paul's advice to Timothy 1 Tim. 4. 13 15. Till I come give attendance to reading to exhortation to doctrine neglect not the gift that is in thee which was given thee by prophesie with the laying on of the hands of the Presbyterie Meditate on these things give thy self wholly to them that thy profiting may appear to all that is not onely that whereby he himself was encreased in his gifts but rather that by which the Church was edified and profited mal● de ministerii effectu interpretari saith Calvin S. Augustin Calv. in loc Lib. 4. cap. 10. de Doctr. Christ would have preachers look rather quantâ evidentiâ then quantâ eloquentiâ with what evidence they speak more then with what eloqu●ce and to use diligentem quandam negligentiam carefull of their matter but less nice of their expression so it be apt and significant sic detrahat ornatum ut sordes non contrahat that they neither too curiously affect the dress of Rhetorick so that the Auditour onely plays with the dish nor yet a sordid rudeness lest he nauseats his spiritual food both these may cause unprofitableness in the hearer though I think an elaborate affected quaintness more then a careless plainness An iron key will unlock what a wedge of gold will not a powerfull plainness will open hearts sooner then the studied words of mans wisdome Seventhly Cowardize of preachers which makes them afraid to preach what may most probably profit their hearers which upon some carnal interest or respect durst not reprove sin either to secure the friendship of some great one or the liking and love of the people and this puts them upon preaching smooth things and placentia so sowing pillows under mens elbows and dawbing with untempered mortar Nathan is then like to rouze David when he comes home to him with a Thou art the man You know the like 1 Sam. 12. 7. good Theodosius got by Ambrose his sharp reproof of him upon which the Emperour professed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Ambrose onely deserved the name of a Bishop which as it spoke the milde Christian temper of the Emperour so the faithfulness and courage which becomes a Minister of the Gospel not to fear the faces of men but to crie aloud and spare not This was the courage of Paul though a prisoner to reprove Felix of his injustice and intemperance and John the Baptist to tell Herod of his Herodias When Luther was charged by some for too much bitterness against Henry the eight he made this Apologie magnum non est si ego Regem terrae mordeo quando ipse nihil veritus est Regem Coeli blasphemare he thought it below the courage of a Minister to fear to reprove an earthly Prince who feared not to blaspheme the King of Heaven If ever we intend to profit by preaching we must be instant in season and out of season that is as both Chrysostome and Theophylact 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in dangerous as well as in peaceable times 2 Tim. 4. 2. and he tells you how in the next words reprove rebuke Eighthly The unsuitableness of the Ministers gifts as to that particular charge he is set over The misplacing of mens gifts and abilities is a very great cause of unprofitableness Many men who for their great learning and exemplarie conversation might seem fit to be shining lights in the Church of God yet are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle requires apt to teach or condiscend to the capacitie of a meaner auditorie and so great parts oft prove unserviceable in the Church Ninethly The want of a holy zeal in the preacher of the word A cold preacher makes a careless and so consequently an unprofitable hearer Every preacher should be an Apollos who was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 18. 25. fervent in the spirit and the effect of it was answerable viz the conviction of his obstinate auditours verse 28. and as John Baptist a burning as well as a shining light Isaiah's Isa 6. 6. tongue was touched with a coal from the altar before he prophesied The Spirit descended upon the Apostles in fierie tongues to enflame them with a holy zeal and presently after Peter converts three thousand at one Sermon Acts 2. 41. When the Law was given the mount was on a flame before the Trumpet sounded and he that Exod. 19. 18 19. sounds the silver Trumpet of the Gospel to others should himself be enflamed first with a holy zeal and fervour and this will make him profitable to his hearers because this holy zeal will put a man upon improving his gifts and laying out himself faithfully for God and in an earnest desire of gaining souls willing with S. Paul to spend or to be spent whereas it is as improbable that cold luke-warm preachers should enflame or enliven others

outward exercise of them from which place we may note 1. That there can be no profiting without a door of utterance 2. That God must open it as he did for Moses who was of slow speech Exod. 4. 10 11 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so Clemens Alexandrinus God is the onely teacher of us to speak and of you to profit He must open our mouths and your hearts as he did the heart of Lydia and the word to both before it can profit So God saies in regard of the people Esay 48. 17. and so Christ promises to his ministers Luk. 21. 15. 3. Prayer is the key to open this door of utterance to reveal the secret cabinet of Gods will and word Knock and it shall be opened is Christs promise in Matth 7. you must knock by prayer at the gate of heaven that this door of utterance may be opened to the Minister S. Paul mentions this to his Corinthians 2 Cor. 1. 11. II. That God would open your hearts God must do both or neither will be done Acts. 16. 14. S. Paul prayes for his Ephesians chap. 1. ver 17 18. and David for himself Psal 119. 18. Cathedram habet in caelo qui corda docet saies S. Augustin You may open your eares Lib. 4. cap. 16. de Doct. Christ to the word of God and all the while your hearts may be shut against it unless God open that As our Saviour spake to his disciples Having eares hear you not c. so it will be with every one whose heart God doth not open the Minister may bring the Word to the eare but it is the spirit onely can carry it effectually to the heart Prov. 20. 12. The hearing eare and the seeing eye the Lord hath made even both of them God must not onely give thee the word but an eye to see it and a heart to embrace it as it is said of Christs preaching to his two disciples Luc. 24. 45. Then opened he their understandings that they might understand the Scriptures The summe of it is Prayer is the means to open the Ministers mouth to speak and your hearts to entertain the word so as to profit by it and therefore neglect of this must needs cause unprofitableness The Wiseman directs you to this course as in Prov. 2. 2 3 4 5 6. It is the Lord onely that gives it and if you would have it from him you must crie after it If any of you lack wisdome you must ask it of God James 1. 5. How deeply are most men to be charged here I accuse none of you but I wish you to deal faithfully with your selves How seldome do you pray seriously to God before you come here Have you this morning been upon your knees earnestly begging of God for the Ministers and your selves if not no wonder if you go away as you come charge it upon your selves quarrel not with God his Ordinances or his Ministers as the cause of your unfruitfulness if you come without praying I do not wonder that you go away without profiting Fifthly Pride when men come with proud hearts to the preaching of the word they are more ready to scorn and oppose the word then to profit by it This hinders I. Pride of our own righteousness When men are puffed up with a conceit of that they discover not their want of the word of God and so undervalue and sleight it this was the reason why our Saviours preaching wrought so little upon the Pharisees as you may see John 39. 40. they were not convinced of their blindness and sin but lifted up with an opinion of their own holiness so it was with the Jews too Rom. 10. 3. If ever we intend to profit by the word we must come emptied of our own righteousness and breathing after the righteousness of Christ held forth in the Gospel An humble though notorious sinner will profit more at the word then a proud self-justitiarie as the Publicans did at the preaching of our Saviour more then the Pharisees II. Pride of our own knowledge this makes men think that constant preaching of the word is needless we shall hear nothing but what we have heard before we know it as well as the preacher can tell us this is the pride of mens hearts It was the Athenians pride of their Philosophical notions which made them esteem Paul's preaching as a vain babling Acts 17. As some proud scholars think themselves beyond their Tutours reading so many are too goodly to be taught High Seraphical souls that are lifted up above ordinances that pretend to such growth that they can live without this spiritual food there is pride of heart at the bottome of all In heaven we shall live immediately upon God but here mediately by his ordinances there we shall see face to face but here in the glass of the word and if we desire to profit by it we must bring an humble frame of spirit Jobs language would become us well Job 34. 32. That which I see not teach thou me wait at wisdomes gates for further discoveries for here we know but in part and see nothing but darkly the best of us had need daily of eye-salve from Christ to have our eyes opened by the word we Acts 26. 18. must become sensible of our ignorance and in this become fools that we may be wise this pride must needs make the word unprofitable upon a three fold account 1. It makes men untractable and unteachable A proud heart is apt to set up many carnal reasonings and proud imaginations which exalt themselves against the word those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 2 Cor. 10. 4. whereby they quarrel with the truth of God as Nicodemus when our Saviour preached to him of regeneration he was as at his How can this thing be John 3. It was this pride made the Greeks count the Gospel foolishness 1 Cor. 1. 23. This pride makes men despise the word and they think it a kinde of pusillanimitie of spirit to submit to it who is the Lord saith proud Pharaoh Exod. 5. 2. and thereupon rejects all his messages by Moses so those proud Jerem. 44. 16 Jews in Jeremiah Clemens Alexandrinus saies The word is not to be submitted to the judgement of those who are not yet humbled but have their minds pre-occupied and prejudiced by proud carnal reasonings Observe what the Psalmist saies Psal 10. 4. God is not in the thoughts of his heart The proud will not seek after God that is in his ordinances he thinks it needless or else below him the proud Pharisees were of all other men the most untractable of Christ's doctrine 2. Because pride makes men unwilling to hear what may most profit A proud heart cannot endure to hear his particular sins his darling corruptions struck at or discovered by the word of God A particular reproof of sin is certainly the most profitable 2 Tim. 4. 2. and this a proud heart cannot endure If Christ reproves

vineyard because it would not stand with his interest thus doctrines do oft ebbe and flow upon politick considerations and and the truth is lost in the world 3. All is done by the Spirit the Word is but a dead letter may we not therefore better expect the whispers of it then to be tyed to a constant attendance upon the word preached As if the impotent people John 5. should have argued we cannot be healed unless we be put in therefore we will not lie at the pool nay they knew but one of them could be healed at a time and yet all lay expecting Is it in vain to sow your seed because you can have no crop without the influence of heaven so no sowing the seed of the word because no thriving without the Spirit It is said James 1. 18. Of his own will begat he us of the word of truth The word is Gods yet we are begotten by the word So S. Paul tells his Corinthians In Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel 1 Cor. 4. 15. Because the hand writes is the pen therefore needless The Corinthians were S. Pauls epistle written by the finger of the Spirit and Saint Pauls preaching too 2 Corinth 3. 3. The Sun enlightens but by a medium the Spirit begets and regenerates but by the word as in 1 Pet. 1. 23 24. 4. I have alreadie profited by the word and therefore I have no further need of it The Apostle commands indeed that we should attend upon the preaching of the word but no longer then till the day star arise in our hearts 2 Pet. 1. 19. and I finde that alreadie in those appearances of Christ to my soul and these spiritual illuminations I have communicated unto me therefore I am disobliged from any further attendance upon the word In the removing of this scruple I desire these particulars may be considered I. Thy former experience of the efficiencie and power of the word will if they have been true sweeten the word more to thee raise up thy esteem of it revive thy delight in it and engage thee in a further and more chearfull attendance upon it I beseech you consider that pregnant place of the Apostle 1 Pet. 2. 2 3. As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that you may grow thereby If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious A true taste will sharpen our appetites as a childe that hath tasted the breast is still longing and crying after it and can hardly be weaned from it so it will be with every true childe of God who hath rellished this sincere milk of the word he gets a stomach by eating Indeed a man may have a light superficial taste of the word and apostatize as in Heb. 6. 6. and that is sad but a real experience of the power and sweetness of it most effectually quickens desires after it So it did in David Psal 63. 1 2. He had seen and therefore desires to see As it fared with Jonathan 1 Sam. 14. 27. Mine eyes have been enlightned because I tasted a little of this honey so it is with Christians who have tasted the sweetness of the word they are enlightned to see the excellencie and desirableness of it which quickens their desires after it as in Psal 34. 8. taste that you may see It is the want of taste and experience which hinders men from the sight of the excellencie and desirableness of it I should suspect that man never to have profited by the word who himself pretends so to have profited by the word as to be justly exempted from any further attendance upon it II. We will charitably suppose it to be true that thou hast been converted by the word preached but art thou so perfect all on a suddain that thou needest no furtherances and additions of further degrees What because thou art born again is therefore the sincere milk needless by which thou shouldest grow Thou professest the truth well but doest thou not need to be confirmed by the word preached It was the Apostles work to confirm the souls of the disciples Acts 14. 22. and surely most needfull in these unsteadie unsettled wavering and apostatizing times when many who have professed highly have apostatized fouly Be your knowledge true it is but imperfect for we know but in part and therefore you still need the word to be a light and a lamp to you your affections sanctified but perhaps are dull and heavie they need the word to quicken and enflame them as Christ did his disciples Luke 24. 32. Thou art at the highest pitch of thy attainments why Christ hath given Pastours for the perfecting of the Saints Ephes 4. 12. or if thy graces thrive and grow still thy comforts may be but weak and languishing therefore thou still needest the word quicken and strengthen them for God creates the fruit of the lips peace They are not sensible of their imperfection sure who feel not the want of a constant supply of the word of God The meat of one day will not serve you for a week and surely you do not pray onely for bodily but spiritual food when you say Lord give us this day our daily bread The Israelites gathered their Manna in the wilderness daily and not once for all if laid up it putrified while we are in our pilgrimage we must daily gather the Manna of the word of God to nourish us till we come to our heavenly Canaan and then we shall not need it Naaman washed seven times in Jordan before his leprosie was cleansed some of the old leprosie of sin cleaves to the best and we must be continually washing in the waters of the sanctuarie and Blessed is the man that heareth me watching daily at my gates c. Prov. 8. 34. III. As to the Scripture pleaded in Peter it is necessary to observe 2 Pet. 1. 19. that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 untill doth not denote the term of time but as Beza notes on Matth. 1. 25. tempus interjectum simpliciter denotat it asserts the present but denies not the future time as Scripture affords us many instances as Matth. 28. 20. I am with you unto the end of the world What no longer Yes it will be their happiness to enjoy him to eternity So Matth. 22. 44. Sit thou on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstool But shall Christ sit there no longer Yes surely So here untill notes the end of the word not the term of time for our attendance We must attend so long but it doth not say then no longer use of it The Enthusiasts use this place to favour their neglect of the word for by the day-star they would understand extraordinary immediate revelations so by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but it is evident the Apostle meant the same with that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vers 20. as opposed to those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vers 16. such are these

at vers 11. and therefore we must not quarrel with the wisdome of God in it 2. the end for which God hath designed this variety viz. our profit at vers 7. there are not the meanest gifts but an humble self-denying Christian may make use of and profit by 2. This prejudice reflects dishouourably upon God and takes his glory and gives it to the instruments God will have the glory of his power and mercy to be magnified and therefore sometimes uses the meanest gifts to the greatest ends As this advanced his glory at the first that the Gospel should be propounded by such inconsiderable persons as a few fisher-men God consulted his glory when he put this heavenly treasure in earthen vessels 2 Cor. 4. 7. Look not on glittering of the sword but to the hand that weilds it look up from men to God as S. Peter spake to the men of Israel Act. 3. 12. concerning the cure wrought upon the lame man Why gaze ye on us it was not we but God God often uses feeble instruments that himself may have the greater glory and layes aside great parts when men begin to glory too much in them The same truth is John 3. 8. preached by all and the Spirit bloweth where he listeth 3. Perhaps he denies his abilities for thy good He could be Seraphicall and in the clouds but he stoops and descends to thy capacity and denies himself that he may gain thee S. Paul was wrapt up into the third heaven and could speak with tongues more then all 1 Cor. 14. 18. and yet desired to speak rather to edification Judge charitably it is likely the Minister denyes his excellency as desirous that thou shouldst be brought in love with the naked truth of the Gospel and not with the dresse it comes in that the Gospel may come by its own power and efficacy upon thy soul therefore he studies a familiar plainness 4. The abler thy Preacher is if thou profit not so much the more by him the greater will be thy condemnation Satisfie not thy self therefore with this that thou livest under an able Minister men may affect this more for their credit then aiming thereby atttheir profit nor let this exalt thee in contempt of others thy account will be the greater and if thou profitest not so much the more very sad How sad will it be for Jerusalem who had Christ preaching amongst them yet refused and rejected him and those against whom the Apostles shaked of the dust of their feet for the not-entertaining of the Gospel and for you Brethren who enjoy as much of Gospel-light as ever appeared upon the world if you shall be found unprofitable at that day when many who have lived under less means shall be found improved suitable to the means they lived under and so consequently rewarded and you who have been under the richest dews of heaven be found unfruitfull you shall be dispatched with the unprofitable servant Matth. 25. 30. Take you and cast the unprofitable servant into outer darkness there shal be weeping and gnashing of teeth Away then with these prejudices which must needs make the word unprofitable while one quarrels with the method another with the expression a third with the matter a fourth with the delivery the word is like to profit little Seventhly The seventh ground is hardness of heart That natural hardness which is in every one of us much hinders the working of the word of God in us that heart of stone resists the divine impressions of the word and therefore God when he promises to write his Law in our hearts he first promises to take away this heart of stone Ezek. 36. 26 27. One thing in the stonie heart is impenitrableness and this makes men threatning-proof and judgement-proof they tremble not at the one nor are broken by the other And this especially when the soul comes to be hardned by custome in sin the seed you know which fell on this ground perished Hardned Pharaoh slighted all Moses's messages and remains hard under varietie of Gods judgements both threatned and inflicted Observe the exhortation of the Apostle Heb. 3. 13. To day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts as if he had said If once your heart be hardned it will be to little purpose to exhort A hard heart may be moved by the word of God but still remain and afterward message of God but still remain and afterward grow more obdurate Pharaoh is a sad example whom every message of God hardned more As rain may wet a stone outwardly but still it retains it's innate hardness so it is possible a hard heart may seem outwardly to melt into some tears the effect perhaps of a mans natural temper and constitution yet remain hard and unbroken as it was with those in the Prophet Jerem. 5. 3. Thou hast smitten them yet they have not grieved c. Notwithstanding the varietie of Gods providences the Prophets solicitations to return they remained hard The Scripture calls this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 11. 8. the spirit of slumber so deep and dead a slumber that the threatnings of the word cannot raise or awaken them out of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle speaks of the Ephesians in chap. 4. 19. they feel no impressions of the word upon them nay it makes them to rage against it as the Jews did Acts 7. 51. Ye do alwaies resist the holy Ghost that is speaking by the Prophets and Apostles as appears verse 32. The hard earth must be broken up e're your seed will thrive in it so must the hard heart that the seed of Gods word may take rooting in it The word is the instrument of the Spirit to break up the heart and therefore compared to a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces Jerem. 23. 29. and till this be done there can be no profiting by the word Josiah was of a tender heart and so melted at the word of God in 2 Chron. 34. 27. so must all be who intend savingly to profit by the word There is indeed a hardness of heart which excludes all possibilitie of profiting by the word I mean when God seals up men judicially under unprofitableness for their former resisting and opposing the word of God Of which I understand that place John 12. 40. He hath blinded their eyes and hardned their heart that they should not see c. This was Pharaoh's case when he had hardned himself God at last hardned him so that he refused the messages of God to him by Moses till he was utterly ruined when mens consciences as the Apostle saith are cauterized and seared they grow insensible under the word of God and the shinings of the Gospel as the Sun the clay more hardens them as it fared with the Jews Ezek. 2. 4. for all his oft speaking unto them they were impudent or as it is in the margin Hard of face Eighthly The eighth ground is unbelief This

nourish spiritually that brings not a good affection to the word of God I. It is so in all other knowledge you may perhaps have it by experience If you put your children to a trade which they do not desire or love they will scarcely prove artists in it so if men put their children out intending to make them scholars if they do not love their books they will prove but dunces and therefore many parents do wisely dispose of their children according to their affections and inclinations so if men love not the word of God they are not probable to make any great proficiency in it Love is a quickning affection what I love I am ready to take pains for and not to endure to be without it Thus if men did love the word they would take pains for it familiarize it to them by much reading frequent hearing serious meditation and not endure to be without it Let David be an example Oh how do I love thy Law and this puts upon meditating upon the law day and night and when he was without it he mourns for it and sayes One day in Gods courts is better then a thousand elswhere and he cannot reflect upon his former enjoyment of that word without a tear Psal 42. 4. The Apostle is very full and pertinent to this purpose 1 Pet. 2. 2. As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that you may grow thereby as a childe finds sweetness in nothing but the breast so that it cries if it be without it and thus if we affect the word we shall thrive by it II. This provokes God to proceed judicially to give men up to unprofitableness and while they like not the truth to give them up to errour The Apostle is express in this 2 Thess 2. 10. And here we see that notional professours who have got a notion of truth in their heads but not the love of truth in their hearts oft turn Apostates and back-sliders as these times give us sad experience of When the Israelites began to loath manna God gave them quails indeed but his wrath with them Numb 11. 33. and leanness into their souls Psal 106. 15. So when men love not the manna of the word c. Love of the truth puts men upon a constant attendance upon the word as the means of grace and knowledge and so consequently they are like to profit by it so it is said of the Thessalonians that they were exemplary believers 1 Thess 1. 7. and the reason thereof is given vers 6. because they received the word with much joy Fourteenthly The fourteenth ground is a resting in the Ordinance in the opus operatum the work done and so look no further And this men are very apt to do as Micah blesses himself Judg. 17. 13. because he had gotten a Levite into his house so many conclude the love of God and their own security barely upon the enjoyment of a ministery and preaching So did those in Jer. 7. 4. They cry out The Temple of the Lord and so many also of the Gospel We enjoy that and therefore all is well You may finde some making plea of this unto Christ Luke 13. 26. Thou hast taught in our streets but Christ dismisses them for all that with a nescio I know you not vers 27. Thus did the Jews of old as in Rom. 2. 17. they rested in the law and made their boast of God and so do Christians now they think that they have done God service abundantly if they have heard two sermons on the Sabbath-day and never look to their proficiency As many an idle scholar satisfies himself that he hath been at his Tutours lecture though he cares not to profit by it If you rest onely in this it may be so far from profiting you that it may be your ruine Christ at the last-day will acquit none for enjoying the Gospel but condemn them for not profiting by it 2 Thess 1. 7. Fifteenthly The fifteenth ground is Unfaithfulness of memory and forgetfulness when the word goes in at one ear and out at another When this spiritual food stayes not with us it is not like to nourish us The word must be treasured up in the memory before it can fructifie in our hearts It is not the forgetful hearer that is blessed Jam. 1. 25. such an one is like a man who looks his face in a glass and presently forgets so such an one takes a glance at the word and the word is out of his memory assoon as himself is out of the Church If you would profit by the word you must practise the Apostles counsel Hebr. 2. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let nothing slip a Metaphor from a sieve or leaking vessel when the liquour runs out as fast as it is put in But because want of memory is a great complaint among many and some of them out of question serious Christians I shall give these brief directions 1. Pray for the Spirit one office of whom is to be a remembrancer John 14. 26. 2. Meditate in private upon the word of God Men goe out of the church presently to their worldly employment and give liberty to their vain thoughts and idle discourses and so the word is forgotten 3. Confer with others about the truths thou hearest This conference will both strengthen memory and fasten truths in it and also quicken and enflame affections to it as coales lying together kindle each other thus did the disciples Luc. 24. 14. Rather then forget a profitable truth consult the minister it is needless modesty in thee if thou enquire not and pride in him if he does not enforme thee 4. Get your affections raised and enflamed to truth If men loved the word of God they would remember it more did you ever know a covetous miser forget where his bags were laid if we could esteem the word as our treasures and greater treasures then those of Gold we should remember more of it 5. Perhaps what thou remembrest though but little keeps thee to close walking with God Be not discouraged thou thrivest more then one who can carry away a whole Sermon and lives not suitablely and likely it is that God may bring into thy remembrance more according as thou standest in need of it 6. Improve what thou remembrest by prayer and practise Retire thy self and turn the Sermon into a prayer and that will rivet it in thy memory however turn it into practise and thou wilt never forget it An artist will never forget the rules of that trade vvhich he daily practiseth Sermons are but notions to such vvho experience not the efficacy of them in their lives Sixteenthly The sixteenth ground is affectation of novelty and itching eares This puts men upon heaping to themselves teachers and forsaking sound preaching and teachers too The Apostle foretold such there should be in 2 Tim. 4. 3 4. and vve may safely say that it is fulfilled in our daies This is one of

did not presently discharge himself of Jerusalem but after many calls and warnings and wilful contempt of all these How oft would I have gathered thee and thou wouldst not Matth. 23. 37. He warns Ephesus to repent before he takes away the candlestick Rev. 2. 5. Let us then improve this time of patience and the Gospel while we enjoy it lest through the hardness of our heart under it we treasure up wrath against the day of wrath Rom. 2. 5. The fifth General ground of unprofitable hearing is in respect of Satan who doth what he can to make the word unprofitable several ways and devices Satan hath to compass this end Sometimes he is at your elbow jogging you asleep that men sleep away a Sermon sometimes he steals away the word you have received which our Saviour expresseth by the seed that fell by the ways side Matth. 13. 4 and 19. otherwhile he presents your thoughts with the glory and greatness of the world and so they are wandring and distracted sometimes begetting prejudices in your hearts against the word or the preacher of it and so disaffecting you to the truth preached sometimes suggesting suitable motions and temptations to steal away your hearts from the word as to the voluptuous mans pleasure to the ambitious man honours so suiting their corruptions and by that they prove careless to profit by the word And the truth is the more powerfull the word is the more the devil opposes it and the more the light of the Gospel hath appeared the more hath Satan sent out the smoke of the bottomless pit to obscure it and therefore though the multitude of heresies errours which abound among us be real matter of a lamentation as being a sign that the devil hath set his cloven foot amongst us yet I cannot but from hence conclude there is agreater power of Gospel-light which the devil thus endeavours to extinguish it appears that the sun is up that these locusts swarm so If now you ask me why the devil so much opposes the word and Gospel I answer I. Because himself hath no share in it he is fallen irrecoverablely from God and as an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he endeavours to bring others into the same destruction with himself he envied mans estate in paradise and thought to have ruined him but perceiving man by a second covenant in a possibility of a better state then that he more envies his recovery which the Gospel discovers and conveies as being the Gospel of reconciliation and therefore he endeavours to make this ineffectual II. Because it is a means to ruin and demolish his kingdome The word of God is mighty to throw down Satans strong holds 2 Cor. 5. 10. whereby he keeps possession of the soul As the walls of Jericho fell down at the noise of rams horns so at the sound of the Gospel the walls of Satan fall down Some stones out of this brook will conquer our Goliah this sword of the Spirit conquers Satan Ephes 6. 17. When Christ had sent out his seventy disciples to preach the effect of it was that Satan fell like lightning out of heaven Luke 10. 18. that is that power and dominion he exercised before in the world This was one end for which God sent Paul to the Gentiles Acts 26. 17 18. Hence it is that Satan employs all his subtilty and strength against it for where the word comes in power the devil is a looser by it he looseth a subject of his kingdome who by the word is brought from under his obedience While men remain his subjects he lets them alone quietyly all is in peace while the strong man keeps the house but when the Gospel comes to bring his subjects to the obedience of God then he raiseth all the force he can against it by himself and wicked men He hath the possession of our corrupt hearts and therefore will not submit to a dis-possession without much resistance The Gospel brings us from under Satans power by a pure conquest for he will not deliver his right and possession upon terms The devil looks upon it as his interest to oppose the Gospel to uphold and secure his ovvn kingdome Observe vvhat the Apostle suys expressely to this 2 Cor 4. 4. The God of this world hath blinded the eyes of them lest the light of the glorious Gospel should shine unto them vvhen the Gospel shines in his full lustre the devil endeavours to blinde men vvith wilfull unbelief that they see it not The ultimate end that Satan aims at in this is the ruine of their souls and therefore in order to it is carefull that they come not to the knovvledge of the truth without which is no salvation 1 Tim. 2. 4. vvhich he knovvs they cannot do vvithout the shining of the light of the Gospel into their hearts and therefore endeavours to hinder it vvhat he can The Prince of darkness rules in dark ignorant souls holds them by those chains of darkness and endeavours to shut their eyes lest by the light of the Gospel they should discover the delusions by which he hath held them captive and so these should be taken from under his obedience as in the day we discover the vanity of our night-phantasies dreams and imaginations In a vvord Satan looseth where the word profiteth therefore he doth all he can to oppose it To conclude with these brief directions by the use of which we may become hearers with profit I. Go to the word as the word and for the word So thou meetest with the wholesome word of God regard not the dress it comes in Bonorum ingeniorum insignis est indoles in verbis verum amare non Aug. de doct Christ lib. 4. cap. 11. verba Augustin Say thou Lord here I come to thy word nothing else will satisfie me not huskes but bread in my fathers house 2. Come to the word as the means of salvation Were men convinced throughly of this that their salvation was concerned in the word they would certainly be more careful to profit They who are soundly taught and instructed by the word of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Clemens observes they mount up to heaven as on eagles wings Think with thy self every Sermon thou comest to Now I come to further my salvation my soul is concerned in this Ordinance this Sermon will be but like Vriah's letter to me a message of death if I profit not by it did men come with these resolutions they could not but go away with profit I shall conclude therefore with that of the Prophet Esay 55. 3. Incline your eare and come unto me hear but remember so to hear as to profit by your hearing and your soul shall live and I will make an everlasting covenant with you even the sure mercies of David FINIS THE SEVERITIE AND IMPARTIALITIE OF DIVINE JUSTICE A Sermon preached before the JUDGES at the Assise at Cambridge July 25. An. Dom. 1654. By JOHN FROST B.

our first apostasie had cast of our obedience and broken our allegiance now God by the Gospel proclaims peace to such rebels through Christ pacifying his Fathers wrath and undertaking for mans offence 2 Cor. 5. 19. Christ purchased our peace by his bloud Coloss 1. 20 22. Christ offer'd himself a hostage a surety nay a sacrifice to procure our peace and in the fulness of time came himself into the world to proclaim this peace Eph. 2. 17. viz. to the Jews in his person to the Gentiles by the Apostles his messengers thus Christ spoke in S. Paul and by him proclaimed this peace 2 Cor. 13. 3. and still sends his Ministers his heraulds and Embassadours to solicite your reconciliation to God that you would lay aside the enmity of your hearts against God and to proclaim God reconciled to you He hath committed to us the word of reconciliation read this fully 2 Cor. 5. 18 19 20. The first Proclamation of Christs coming into the world by those heavenly heraulds was peace on earth Luk. 2. 14. and surely dulce nomen pacis as being a complex of all good desirable 3. As a proclamation of liberty to captives and bond-men Imagine how acceptable would a release be to a Turkish-gallie-slave or how gratefull the release from the bondage of Egypt to the Israelites bound for Canaan so and much more surely must the revelation of liberty and freedome procured by Christ be to souls enslaved to sin and led captive by Satan at his will as the Apostle speaks 2 Tim. 2. 26. With what ectasie of joy were the Jews returning from Babylon surprized that they doubted whether the thing were true or not Psal 126. 1 2. This return and deliverance figured out our redemption and freedome by Christ as appears from Rom. 9. 27. taken from Isa 10. 21 22. So sure to those who know what it is to be in bondage to sin and slavery to Satan to those who do not love their chaines as truth is we all naturally do the revelation of that freedome wherewith Christ hath set us free must needs be most welcome Our natural estate is an estate of slavery John 8. 34. Whosoever commiteth sin is the servant of sin the Gospel reveales libertie through Jesus Christ v. 36. and how acceptable is this The chief captain priz'd his liberty because he purchased it with a great summe of money Acts 22. 28. how much more valuable and acceptable is that Gospel which reveales this libertie bought at no less expence then the bloud of Christ 1 Pet. 1. 18. from sin and Satan to whom you were enslaved We conclude them mad-men that do not prize liberty and surely they are not in their wits who account not this a faithfull saying and acceptable that Christ is come into the world to save sinners 4. As a discovery of treasures and riches to poor and beggerly persons How acceptable is the finding of a pearl of price to a poor man and so Christ must needs be to sinners who are naturally poor and miserable and naked as the Church of Laodicea is described Revel 3. 17. And so Christ would be indeed were it not for the pride and blindness of mens hearts that we are apt to say as they did that we are rich and encreased in goods and stand in need of nothing and that 's the reason Christ is no more acceptable to sinners There are treasures hid in Jesus Christ Coloss 2. 3. and he came into the world that we might partake of those riches 2 Cor. 8. 9. and be rich with those durable riches of grace and glory which are in the hands of wisdome Prov. 8. 18. Christ is that pearl in the field of the Gospel Matth. 13. 46. which Christians will enrich us though we part with all to purchase it 5. As an offer of cure to diseased persons That 's our condition out of Christ as I have largly shewd before now the Gospel reveales healing by Jesus Christ Hos 14. 4. I will heal their back-sliding Christ came into the world to be both our Physitian and physick de pulvere creatus de pulvere sanaris caro te creaverat caro te sanat saies S. Austin 6. As the marrow summe and center of the Gospel What the Patriarchs desired Joh. 8. 56. the Prophets foretold the types prefigured the Apostles preached the promises contain the Sacraments seal the covenant of grace assures whatever concernes a Christians comfort or happiness is epitomized and summ'd up in this that Christ came to save sinners and therefore it is worthie of all acceptation Application First To the ministers Let them then preach this acceptable doctrine and lay open this truth the great design of God in saving sinners by Jesus Christ Christ is the summe of the Gospel and so should be of our preaching Observe the Apostles practise 1 Cor. 1. 23. preaching Christ in opposition to their carnal wisdome which the Greekes affected ver 22. and though it be a stumbling-block to the Jews and to the Greeks foolishness ver 29. Thus Paul preacht Christ at Athens though the Philosophers there accounted him but a babler for it and a setter forth of strange gods Acts 17. 18. Thus Philip to the Eunuch took occasion from the Prophet to preach Christ unto him Acts 8. 25. So should the Ministers of Christ take all occasions to preach Christ they are his Embassadours to negotiate for him in the world they have both their gifts and commission from him Eph. 4. 8 11. and therefore should act for him and preach his interest up S. Paul tells you why he was commissionated to be a Minister of the Gospel for this very end to preach Christ Ephes 3. 7 8. Brethren we are Gods Trustees as I may say to whom he hath committed the Gospel as 't is 1 Tim. 1. 11. We are false to our trust if we don't preach Christ who is the summe and substance of the Gospel Austin laid this to the charge of Tullies workes for which he rejected them that he did not finde the name of Christ in them and may not many dislike our Sermons as hearing no more of Christ in them Secondly Then how acceptable should the ministry of the Gospel be to you How beautifull even the feet of those who bring you these glad tidings Rom. 10. 15. What provision is made for the entertainment of Embassadours who come to a Nation on terms of peace so should the embassadours of Christ be acceptably entertained as commissionated from Christ to offer rebellious sinners terms of peace and to beseech them to be reconciled to God Psal 68. 8. The Apostle tells us those are ministerial gifts Eph. 4. 11. It is the Apostles exhortation 1 Thess 5. 12. We beseech you brethren to know them which labour among you what 's that their work is to discover and offer Christ to you Surely the dove was very welcome into the Ark when she brought an olive branch in her mouth the

Embleme of peace so acceptable should the ministry of the Word be which reveals Christ as your peace c. Thirdly Examine whether you be of the number of those sinners Christ came to save You will say that 's needless Did not Christ come to save all Is it not said expressely Christ died for all 2 Cor. 5. 15. and that he tasted death for every man Hebr. 2. 9. and that God was in Christ reconciling the whole world unto himself 2 Cor. 15. 19. How far Christs intentions extended in his undertakings would be too large to discuss it will be sufficient at present to note that the price Christ paid is sufficient in it self for the expiation of all sins and that it extends to all sorts of sinners notwithstanding this we know from Scripture that the greatest part of the world shall perish even of those who are under the Gospel Many are called but few are chosen and Christ doth expressely restrain that universality which many to little purpose contend for when he saith he laid down his life for his sheep Joh. 10. 15. to redeem his Church Acts 20. 28. and to save onely his own people Matth. 1. 21. and for those who were given him of his Father in contradistinction to the world Joh. 17. 9 Therefore there is room left for enquiry whether we be of the number of them who shall be saved by Christs undertakings for us Such are I. Repenting returning sinners so Christ tells you himself Matth. 9. 13. I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance that is such as are not righteous in their own opinion for as if man had continued truely righteous he had not stood in need of a Saviour so if self righteous he shall receive no benefit by Christ such he came not to call but sinners So you 'l say we are all yea but humbled sinners such as are inwardly convinced and truly humbled for sin Quest But doth not Christ call all Matth. 11. 28. Answ Yes but mark the limitation such as are weary there 's ease for such so Luke 19. 10. The son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost So we were all lost you 'l say True but these are such as see themselves lost and irrecoverably undone without Christ The prodigal was lost long but never returned to nor was entertained by his Father till he saw himself so and mourned that he was so Luke 15. 18. Christs commission was to binde up such onely as mourn and to proclaim peace and the acceptable year of the Lord to such onely Isa 61. 1. II. Believing sinners those are the terms upon which the Gospel offers salvation by Christ for so runs the promise Mark 16. 16. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved And Christ tells you himself he came into the world for this end John 12. 46. I am come a light into the world that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness And this was the design of God's sending Christ for sinners that Whoever believed should not perish John 3. 16. This is the condition of the Covenant of grace and salvation as Scripture every where expresseth as Rom. 10. 9 10. to this Paul directed the trembling jayler Acts 16. 30 31. All a Christians life is in Christ and faith is the hand that receives him John 1. 72. Whatever a Christian derives from or partakes of by Christ as forgiveness Acts 10. 43. is all by faith the Spirit of Christ Gal. 3. 14. inward puritie Acts 15. 9. perseverance 1 Pet. 1. 5. son-ship Gal. 3. 26. and at last eternal salvation by Christ John 3. 36. all which are received by faith III. Reforming sinners Christ came not to save any man in his sins but from his sins Tit. 2. 14. Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquitie Utique venit medicus ad aegrotum August Tom. 10. p. 200. constat sed ideo venit medicus ad aegrotum nè semper sit aegrotus Quod vult facere amat non quod invenit saies S. Augustin Whether do you then live as those Christ came to save Christ came not to save you onely from the guilt of sin but from the power of sin that sin might have no more dominion over you Rom. 6. 14. So that let no presumptuous sinner flatter himself in a continuance of sin upon this consideration that Christ came to save sinners for Christ saves and delivers them from sin here whom he saves from wrath hereafter Luke 1. 74 75. And the promise of mercy is made upon forsaking sin Prov. 28. 13. Whosoever confesseth and forsaketh his sins shall have mercy Fourthly Let us all heartily entertain this so acceptable a doctrine as that message of Christ's coming to save sinners Entertain it in your ear by attendance upon the Gospel preached but that is a small matter welcome it in your hearts by believing it otherwise it will not profit you as it is said of them Heb. 4. 3. The word preached did not profit them not being mixed with faith in them that heard it And not onely so but in your lives too by obeying it and living suitably to the Gospel which discovers this acceptable doctrine to you Phil. 1. 27. Let your conversation be such as becometh the Gospel of Christ The end of this Gospel-revelation was obedience and holiness suitable to our belief so the mysterie of Christ is said to be made known to all nations for the obedience of faith Rom. 16. 26. for so our lives may witness our acceptance and hearty entertainment of this as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation That Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of whom I am chief It was a fond opinion which the Manichees and others of old maintained from this place of Scripture That Adam's soul was transfused into Paul's bodie because the Apostle saies here he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first but he means not time but in nature and qualitie Primum se dixit non peccatorum ordine sed peccati magnitudine saies Augustine August Tom. 10. p. 202. And that I think is not a much better interpretation which Grotius puts upon the words as if they were spoken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex summa modestia as if the Apostle had onely spoken by a Rhetorical modestie as when he calls himself the least of the Apostles 1 Cor. 15. 9. The Apostle sure intended not these words as complements Cave n● existimes Apostolum modestiae causâ mentitum saith Calvin Whence it seems some long before Grotius had mis-interpreted the Apostle thus as if he had but told an humble officious lye perhaps as a bait to the applause of others as it is the practise of some to pretend low thoughts of themselves that so others may magnifie and extol them But the Apostle spoke not to know what others

convince me of the truth of it or else I may with the same easiness say It is from Satan and this conviction can be made no otherwise but by Scripture which is the most infallible ground of truth What the Pharisees said of Christ we may truly say of our late pretenders to Enthusiasmes and Revelations We know not whence he is John 9. 29. They may be from Rome as it is more then probable some of them are or whence soever they come certainly not from God if they disown the voice of God in the Scriptures Wherefore my counsel to you shall be that of S. Paul to the Thessalonians 2 Thessal 2. 2. Be not soon shaken in minde nor be troubled and in 2 Tim. 1. 18. Hold fast the form of sound words And this will be usefull thus First Then make your last appeal to Scriptures in matters of faith The Papists appeal to uncertain traditions the Enthusiast to deluding Revelation let us to the Scriptures for this is both the precept of God and the constant practise of the Scriptures To the Law and to the Testimonie Esay 8. 20. So our Blessed Saviour always appeals to the Scriptures as in the business of the Resurrection Matth. 22. 29. And to prove himself the Messiah he appeals to Moses and the Prophets Luke 24. 26 27. Thus the Apostles though acted by the same infallible Spirit yet always appealed to Moses and the Prophets so did S. Peter Acts 2. 25 31. and from thence did Apollos confute the Jews Acts 18. 29. and so Paul to prove the resurrection of Christ in Acts 13. 23. So then my brethren appeal not to the judgement and testimony of man what he saith as S. Cyprian was much delighted with Tertullian that he was wont to say Da magistrum nor to the dictates of dark reason but to the infallible Testimonie of the Scriptures and attend to Gods voice in them Secondly See here the ingenuous boldness and confidence of truth that dares appeal to Scripture Christ was confident of his cause and therefore declines not the test of Scriptures Search them saith he as if he had said If they do not testifie of me then do not acknowledge me It argues a timorous diffidence and consciousness of men when they like not to be tried by the word of God as in the Papist who appeals from the Scripture to traditions and it speaks the errours of those Revelations which will not subscribe to be tried here you may safely reject that doctrine as erroneous which will not be weighed in the ballance of the Scriptures or if it be weighed there proves light and wanting Tertullian of old notes that Hereticks were lucifugae Scripturarum As blear eyes decline looking upon the sun so corrupt doctrines the light of the Scriptures Thirdly Embrace and entertain nothing as saving truth which will not bear the test of Scripture It is one use of Scripture to be profitable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 3. 16. to confute and silence heresie and errour and what-ever the Scripture reproves is such Be not imposed upon by the proud imperious dictates of men nor deluded by the pretences and delusions of Satan and his instruments but let this be your rule to try by Fourthly In all your doubts consult the Scriptures So did David in Psal 119. 24. He made the Testimonies of God his delight and his counsellours to enform and resolve him and that 1. In doubts of the head for reformation this is one excellency of the Scriptures to make wise the simple as in Psal 19. 7. Scripture sayes the Apostle 2 Tim. 3. 16. is profitable to inform the judgement and by this did David become wiser then his teachers 2. In doubts of the heart for consolation That was one end of Gospel-revelation that we through patience and comfort of the Scripture might have hope Rom. 15. 4. And so David found the statutes of God to be the rejoycing of his heart Psal 19. 8. In inward doubts of conscience have recourse to the Scriptures there thou mayst finde those cordial promises which will put joy and gladness into thy heart In thy duty consult the Scripture which will direct thee In thy troubles to comfort thee In thy fears to support thee In all thy doubts to comfort and resolve thee So much for the words considered Relatively Secondly Absolutely in themselves And so they will fall under a double consideration too First As taken by way of Concession Indicatively and so Beza Camero Paraeus and others understand them and so also they speak I. Our Saviours commendation of these Jews as diligent searchers into Scripture Or else II. His discommendation of them and reproof and that 1. either of their ignorance that notwithstanding they did search into Scripture yet they attained not to the knowledge of him as the true Messiah that though they had frequently Bibles in their hands yet they had not the word of God dwelling in their hearts Or 2. of their malice that notwithstanding they searched the Scriptures which did so evidently testifie of Christ yet they maliciously rejected him and would not come unto him that they might have life as in vers 40. Secondly As taken by way of exhortation Imperatively speaking a command to all to search the Scriptures And I shall take it in this second acception it being the drift of a great part of this chapter to exhort these Jewes to hear the word of Christ and Paraus himself acknowledges that uterque sensus est pius commodus And thus taken there are three things considerable in the words First The nature of the duty expressed in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secondly The universality of the dutie and that is double I. Of the Persons engaged in it expressed indefinitely II. Of the Object 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is all Scripture Thirdly The motive and arguments of the duty and they are two I. The benefit of Scripture-search Ye think ye have eternal life in them II. The object of Scripture-discoverie that is Christ they testifie of me All which particulars may be reduced to this one general Observation That Scripture-search is a duty every Christian ought to be engaged in Or thus It is the duty of every Christian to search the Scriptures In the handling of which observation this method shall be observed First To shew the importance of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secondly What searchers of Scripture Christ here points at Thirdly The universality of the duty Fourthly The grounds of this search Fifthly The Application First To shew the importance of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word signifies such a search as diggers in mines make for gold and silver in the earth and implies five things I. A valuation and esteem of the Scriptures He that digs in a mine for gold evidences his valuation of it otherwise he would never dig for it so searching of Scripture speaks an high estimate and prizing of Scripture Such

Center wherein all these lines of revealed truth meet and when a Minister hath discovered Christ he hath done all and this he cannot do without the Scriptures Search the Scriptures for they testifie of me saith Christ John 5. 3. We are Embassadors for Christ and 2 Cor. 5. 20. the Scriptures are our Credential letters which contain all the terms of reconciliation and peace upon which we must treat with rebellious sinners and act for the interest of our great Lord and Master 2. That he may preach according to the analogie of faith which is the Apostles exhortation Rom. 12. 6. let him that prophesieth prophesie according to the analogie of faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the scope consent and harmonie of Scripture Scripture is its own best interpreter one Scripture gives light to another as it was an ordinance of old for the Priest in the Temple to light one lamp by another and the Jews were wont when they read Moses to read so much of the Prophets as was most answerable to that part of the Law To observe the consent of Scripture is an excellent means of understanding Christ The Apostles themselves though acted by the same infallible Spirit yet alwaies quote Scripture not so much to confirm their doctrine as to demonstrate the harmonie of revealed truth and so to explain obscurer Scripture by plainer as S. Peter having alleadged that place Psal 16. Acts 2. from v. 25. to 32. 10. Thou shalt not leave my soul in hell c. which might seem obscure he presently adds other Scriptures to prove that this could not be understood of David but of Christ as you may see Acts 2. verse 30. A Timothy must have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a form of sound 2 Tim. 1. 13. words not onely some loose scattered confused notions of Truth but a methodical orderly Systeme of Scripture-truth that hereby discovering the dependance of one upon another he may the more fully understand all This notion of the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rightly to divide the word of ruth to wit according to Scripture-analogie and consent can●not 2 Tim. 2. 15. be done without a laborious studie and perfect knowledge of the Scripture 3. That he may convince gainsayers which is a dutie the Apostle requires of every Minister 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Two sorts of Gainsayers a Minister is to grapple with 1. Gainsayers in Opinion 2. Gainsayers in Practise By Scripture-knowledge he may be able to convince both these 1. Gainsayers in Opinion whose errours contradict the truth of Scripture And if ever it were necessarie to be armed against such most certainly in our daies wherein it is the height of many mens ambition and a great attainment to be a Gainsayer to received and acknowledged truth None so successfull conviction of such as by Scripture-argument if you alleadge and urge Reason some of our Gainsayers are uncapable of it and will cast it of as Carnal if Learning too much say they makes you mad but as David said of 1 Sam. 21 9. Goliah's sword there is none like that no sword fitter to fight with these opposers then the sword of the Spirit the word of God none like this with this our Saviour routed Satan the Prince of darkness the father and patron of errour in three onsets Scriptum Mat. 4. 7. est c. as thus afterwards our Saviour dealt with Satans complices and abettors as the Sadduces who denied the resurrection Have ye not read he confutes them from Exod. 3. 6. I am the God Mat. 22. 3● 32. of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob God is not the God of the dead but of the living So the Pharisees errour concerning the lawfulness of divorce Christ confutes from Genes 1. and 2. Have ye not read that he which made them at the beginning made Mat. 19. 4. 5 6. them male and female and they twain shall be one flesh and so forth The Apostles afterwards trod in their Masters steps and wrote after his Copie Stephen confutes the Jews by epitomizing the historie Acts 7. of the Old Testament S. Paul confutes the Idolatrie of the Athenians from Psal 50. 8. Who giveth us life and breath and all Acts 17. 25. things as you may see And this was one effect of Apollos his accuratness in the Scripture that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he convincèd the contradicting Acts 18. 29. and gainsaying Jews that Jesus was Christ So true is that of Tertullian that Hereticks are lucifugae Scripturarùm they De resur c●r hate the light of the Scriptures lest their errours should be detected and reproved The Papists denie the people the use of Scripture upon this pretence lest it should breed errours the truth is lest it should discover and confute them He that doth truth comes to the light but errour hates it Thus the Manichees errour of God being Psal 5. 4. Habak 1. 13. the cause of sin flees the light of those Scriptures Thou art not a God that hast pleasure in wickedness and A God of purer eyes then to behold sin and He that doth sin is of his father the devil So the Pelagian 1 John 3. 8. errour of Free-will and the Power of corrupted nature flees the light of those Scriptures Without me you can do nothing saith John 15. 5. Phil. 2. 13. Christ and God worketh both to will and to do of his good pleasure The Antinomian doctrine cannot bear the light of those Scriptures Mat. 5. 17. Rom. 3. 31. I came not to destroy the Law but to fulfill it and Do we make void the Law by faith God forbid nay we stablish the Law An induction of particulars would be too tedious but this in general that opinion which the Scripture confutes not either is no errour at all or be sure of no dangerous consequence in point of salvation 2. Gainsayers in practise who contradict the purity of the Gospel by holding the truth in unrighteousness and turning Gospel-grace into wantoness and these are more frequent then the former Many profess Gospel-truth yet do not embrace Gospel-holiness these are to be convinced by Scripture as our Saviour did Mat. 15. 7. Esay 29. 13. the Pharisees of hypocrisie from the Prophet Esay This people draweth near unto me with their mouth and their lip but their heart is far from me All things which are reproved are made manifest by the Ephes 5. 13. light that is to say by the light of the Scriptures There is a searching power in the word of God which is quick and powerfull and sharper then any two-edged sword and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart and if it be powerfully and wisely managed Hebr. 4. 12. how may a Moses make the heart of a Pharaoh sometimes ●elent a Nathan make a David weepe a Paul put a Felix into a 〈◊〉 of trembling and a Peter make the

exquisiteness in Arts and Sciences to look up to God for higher spiritual supernatural discoveries I shall compass the greatest part of my designe in the choice of this subject at this time which I shall endeavour in the Application having first handled the points Doctrinally which I shall now enter upon The Socinian in this an enemy of mans nature as in the whole model of his doctrine he is of Gods grace denies all natural whether innate or acquired knowledge of God The Remonstrant advanceth the light of nature too high while he asserts the improvements of it to be sufficient to reach a saving discovery of God either immediately or as those who speak with the greatest modesty assert mediatly and dispositively ut disponantur homines ad praedicationem Evangelii as the Dort-Remonstrants determine as obliging God to the bestowing and disposing men to the receiving farther and saving discoveries from God Each of these doctrines is suited and fitted to comply with that model of Divinity which these Doctors have broached and vented to the world The Socinian must not acknowledge man at first to have been created after the image of God in righteousness and knowledge which Smalcius therefore calls Idaea quaedam in cerebro nata lest he be necessitated Contr. Frantz disp 2 to confess his immortality in that state and so death to have come into the world as the punishment of sin for then he must consequently confess the necessity of a satisfaction by Christ for that punishment in order to mans recovery to the compleating of which this Divinitie must be acknowledged as necessarie both which the Socinian blasphemously denies Now as consistent to all this it is his interest to deny all natural knowledge of God which we truly assert to be the reliques and remains of that Divine image which God drew upon mans soul in his first creation The Remonstrants in order to uphold the Doctrine of universal Redemption must of necessitie assert an universal sufficiencie of means allowed to all and consequently to those who never heard of the Gospel which their English Advocate knew well and therefore roundly asserts that men may by the light of nature gather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the effect and substance of the Gospel and page 11. of the Pagans debt and dowrie that the words of the heavens day and night which they speak in the ears of all nations are the words of eternal life as well as those which our Saviour himself did speak Surely S. Peter was of another minde who when our Saviour seems to charge him with an intention of Apostasie makes him this reply John 6. 68. Lord whither shall we go thou hast the words of eternal life but of this more anon Thus you see while the Socinian would blow out the candle of the Lord the Remonstrant indeavours to set it up instead of or to usher in the Sun of righteousness I shall speak briefly to the first of these as introductoric to the second which I chiefly intend Discoveries of God may be made by the light of nature two waies First By those inbred and implanted notions those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are the remains of the image of God in decayed nature those principles which discovered themselves in the very Heathen which are partly speculative the first of which is that there is a God partly practical the first of which is that this God is to be worshipped This is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Apostle takes notice of in the Rom. 2. 15. Rom. 1. 18. very Heathens which he elsewhere calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which still remained impressed upon their hearts the imprisoning which in unrighteousness left them without excuse which it could not have done had there been not remains of natural light to awaken and convince conscience to a self condemnation Had there not been some natural practical knowledge of good and evil conscience could not accuse but upon apprehensions of a Deitie as the supreme judge of the violations of some law known to them The justice of God in punishing sin was one of those natural truths which the light of nature discovered which the Apostle calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 known to the Heathens The very Barbarians could conclude against Rom 1. 32. Paul as a murderer liable to the vengeance of God when the viper hung upon his hand By these common notions I mean Acts 28. 4. not the intelligent faculty nor yet the species of things impressed in the minde as if all knowledge were nothing but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was Plato's opinion nor yet any Idea which God hath formed of himself in the minde of man but some habitual notions and principles as the remains of that habit of knowledge which was part of the image of God upon man in his first creation which lie indeed as sparks under the embers till cherished and blown up by acts of reason improving them unto actual knowledge In respect of which Aristotles Rasa tabula may go for a truth But the general consent of Nations who had sine doctrinâ anticipationem quandam Deorum as Tully speaks their wholesome laws for the worship of God their industrious Idolatire that they would rather Lib. 1. de nat Deor. debase their nature to stocks and stones to their stinking garden-Gods then worship none are pregnant arguments of apprehensions of a Deitie by the light of nature which is the same in all men quoad prima principia secundùm rectitudinem secundùm notitiam as Aquinas determines as to the first principles both of knowledge 1 2 2 dx 2u 94. arl 4. and practise The Socinian thinks he sufficiently confutes all this by saying That the Heathen had it solâ famâ onely by report and tradition but Tully tells us they had it duce naturâ and the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by nature The first principles of which may be born down and obscured Rom. 2. 14. by Passion custome in sin Satans blinding mens minds especially if to all these be added Gods giving men up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the abuse of this natural light as we read he dealt with those Heathens Rom. 1. 28. but they can be no more wholy abolished then reason it self I like the determination of Ale●sis in this Parte 32. 2u 27. membr 3. art 1. point who asserts the light and Law of nature to be delibilis quoad effectum but indelebilis quoad naturam which he fitly illustrates by the Eclipse of the Sun in which the light is obscured but not extinguished Men may arrive at that senslessness and stupiditie as to live without actual apprehensions of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but none can be without those principles which dictate and if improved would Ephes 4. 19. lead them into some knowledge and discoveries of God I call to witness the secret lashes of those who most endeavour to stifle and

profit it brings them in That this is the temper of many is evident from this that if the world solicites Demas he forsakes Paul the Scribe 2 Tim. 4. 10. Mat. 8. cares not for following Christ though he professe zealously when once he understood he had not where to lay his head and many such followers we have like those John 6. 26. who followed Christ not for love to his person or doctrine but for the gain of the loaves II. Not to admire or praise the preacher The Church is not a Theater but a Market and it is not a plaudite that 's expected from you to close the Sermon with a humme but that you should be trading here for spiritual merchandize that you may go from hence richer in faith and more encreased in all grace Ezekiels preaching was to the Jews as a very pleasant song yet they profited not by it for they did not practise but their hearts went after their covetousness Ezek. 33. 31 32. So oft as you approve the Preacher and his Doctrine and do not so profit as to practise it you are self-condemned and guiltie in the judgement of your own consciences III. Not onely to be enlightned by the Word I know spiritual illumination is the first work of the Spirit by the Word where it savingly profits S. Paul was sent to the Gentiles first to open their eyes but that which I here assert is that there may much common illumination be wrought by the Word of God where it doth not savingly profit It is most evident from Heb. 6. 6. where we read of some who were once enlightned yet in a possibilitie to Apostatize and fall away and that beyond the renewing to repentance so consequently of salvation And indeed this illumination is one requisite in the unpardonable sin it must be after the knowledge of the truth Heb. 10. 26. A man may have his head full of the word of God and be never the better for it Simon Magus was wrought into an historical belief by the preaching of Philip yet not savingly profited by it but stil remained in the gall of bitterness Acts 8. 13 23. A man may be enlightned to know and to discourse of the Word of God and yet not savingly profited by it IV. Not barely to be affected and delighted with the Word of God This may arise not from the efficacy of the Word but from the sublimity of the truths contained in it For truth the more sublime it is the greater delight it bringeth with it but this is neither solid nor lastin those who receive the seed into stony places were such as heard and received the word with joy but they were but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 13. 20 21. it lasted but for a while The night of persecution damps his joy and he turns Apostate Ezekiel's preaching was to the Jews as a well-tun'd instrument in the place fore-quoted Herod heard John Baptist gladly Mark 6. 20. Those we spake of before Heb. 6. 6. had tasted of the good word of God that is found some rellish and delight in it and of the heavenly gift and the powers of the world to come all which from verse 9. appear not to be saving gifts For the Authour there tells those to whom he wrote that he hoped better things of them and such as accompany salvation whence it is obvious to collect that those whom he had mentioned in the fore-going verses were not sanctifying but common gifts of the Spirit of God amongst which is this light superficial taste and rellish of the Word of God which may arise either from our 〈◊〉 affection to the Preacher or from some common work of the Spirit of God As the hearers of John Joh. 5. 35. rejoyced for a season yet vers 38. had not the word abiding in them V. Not barely to be wrought upon by the Word to reform some gross sin or to comply with a partial outward obedience unto God for thus Herod when he heard John Baptist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mark 6. 20. he did many things Gross sins spoil credit cross interest rack conscience and upon these motives a man may forsake them and yet not savingly profit by the Word of God A man may hear and practise much of what he hears the Word powerfully awakening natural conscience and stirring up and closing with the dictates of it till it comes to some darling-bosome-lust and then the word proves ineffectual Herod hears John Baptist gladly till he came to his Herodias the yong-man brags of an universal obedience to the commands of Christ till he comes to his covetousness and prescribes him to sell all A man may in part be outwardly reformed by the Word of God and yet not inwardly renewed and so not savingly profited So much negatively I shall not lead you far for a positive resolution The word then profits when 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a mixed word that speaks a three-fold reference First To seed Secondly To meat Thirdly To Physick Seed must be mixt with the soil and with the dew and rain from heaven or else it will not spring Meat must be mixed with the stomach or else it will not nourish Physick must mix with the humour or else it will not cure When in analogie to all these the word is mixed then it may be said savingly to profit And first as seed I. When the word of God is rooted in the heart This is the seed mixing with the soil it is not seed kept in your barn or granaries or cast superficially on the earth that will grow and increase it is not the word of God scattered upon the ear or laid up in your heads or in your paper-books but treasured up in your hearts which will savingly profit therefore God promiseth this to his people Jer. 31. 33. The reason why the seed thrived not upon the stony ground was because it had no root Matth. 13. 21. It is but sowing in the aire if the Word takes not root in the heart As it is said of Mary she kept all Christs sayings in her heart Luke 2. 51. The Wiseman requires Prov. 2. 1. that we should hide his commandments with us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Clemens as seed in the earth which he calls Clemens pag. 270. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a spirituall ingrafting the grast must be mixed with the stock if it thrive the seed with the earth if it springs the word with the heart if it profits as it were incorporated II. When it fructifies in the life As the seed did in the good ground Matth. 13. And this is consequent upon the former if it takes root downward it will spring upward It is a dangerous deceit many are under who satisfie themselves with a bare hearing of the Word and never look to the fruit of it in their lives It may fructifie diversly as the good seed did in some an hundred in some sixty in some thirty but

272 Gallants flock to a city not for any business they have there but to see the stately buildings and to be seen themselves and when men come for such ends as these it is no wonder that they go away without any profit You should come if you intend to profit as Naaman did to Jordan to have your leprosie cleansed that you go away from it as Seneca would have men from the hearing of Philosophy aut saniores aut sanabiliores or as the impotent persons at the pool John 5. that you may be put in and healed and strengthned come as to that word which hath Gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon it in 1 Cor. 1. 21. and that in order to your salvation But you will say If men come for these ends were it not better that they stay away I answer No it is sinfull to come thus in the circumstance but it is sinfull in genere actûs to neglect coming However come though out of curiosity so did S. Austin to hear S. Ambrose yet was catcht by it though perhaps to sleep as old Father Latimer said God may take you napping though to oppose and deride the preacher so did the Jews Acts 2. 13. charge the Apostles as drunkards yet of them three thousand were added to the Church The net of the Gospel is spread and thou mayst be caught though thou intendest it not As he that comes into the Sun though he intends it not may be warmed Qui in unguentaria taberna resederunt paulò diutiùs commorati sunt odorem secum loci ferunt sayes Seneca so while you stay out a Sermon some savour of goodness may rest upon you though perhaps you intend nothing less if thou comest for these ends thou mayst though it is unlikely thou shouldest profit Thirdly Worldly mindedness This much hinders the profiting of the word of God Our Saviour tells you this expressely in the parable of the Sower Mark 4. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is a deceitfulness in the world to draw our hearts from the word of God and that three wayes I. As it alienates the affections of men from the word of God They whose desires run after and whose love is fixed upon the world must needs have the one dearer the other cold to the word of God You cannot saith our Saviour serve God and Mammon Matth. 6. 24. The heart cannot be set upon both treasures at once no more then can one eye be lifted up to heaven and the other cast down upon the earth at the same time It was the farm and oxen that disaffected those from the Supper to which they were invited Luk. 16. 14 and therefore the Apostle exhorts Set your affections on things Col. 3. 2. above and not on things on the earth you cannot do both together and S. John Love not the world nor the things of the world if any John 2. 15. one love the world the love of the Father is not in him and if not the love of the Father there is like to be little affection to the Word of God Our Saviour expresses this by sowing among thorns Matth. 13. 24. Wordly cares are thorns as in many other so especially in this respect that as thorns eat out the heart of the earth where the seed is sown so do the cares of the world the desires of the soul towards the word of God Nummus ill is magis resonat quàm verba Ambr. serm 8. in Psal 119. divina saith Ambrose II. As it prejudices them against the word preached that they shut their eares against it and will by no means entertain it the Psalmist compares the wicked to the deaf adder Psal 58. 4 5. Augustin upon that place tells us how the adder does it allidet unam aurem terrae de cauda obturat alteram thus when men have their hearts laid upon the world it is no wonder that they are deaf to the word of God clausas aures habent sono aeris obtusas saies Ambrose the sound of their riches deafens them to the word of God A worldly mans heart must needs be full of prejudices against the word and the great doctrine of it self-denyal taking up the cross and parting with all for Christ upon hearing of these doctrines they are ready to say This is an hard saying who can bear it This was that which prejudiced the Jews against Ezekiel's preaching Ezek. 33. 31. that though they were convinced of the truth of it and brought into a liking of it yet they did not profit by it because their hearts went after their covetousness This prejudiced Demetrius and others against the Gospel as in Acts 19. 27. so those against Paul and Silas Acts 16. 19. The word of God does most hardly take place in a covetous mans heart III. This worldly-mindedness oft makes Apostates from the word of God the young man in the Gospel heard Christ and pretended an universal compliance to his commands Matth 29. 21. but covetousness lay at the bottome and therefore when Christ prescribed his parting with all he apostatizes from his former profession This made Demas leave Paul 2 Tit. 4. 10 While mens hearts are set upon the world and their thoughts wholly taken up with earthly things they grow into a disaffection of the word of God and the preaching of it and when any danger for the words sake appears they fall from it yea notwithstanding that seeming joy and delight they entertain'd it with This is most evident in the parable of the seed which fell on the stony ground Matth. 13. 20. If therefore you would profit when you come to hear the word you must lay aside not onely your worldly employments but your earthly thoughts and desires which otherwise will choke the word of God When Abraham went in obedience to the command of God to sacrifice his son he left his servants and his Ass behinde him Genes 22. 5. nè impediretur saith Paraeus so should we all our earthly thoughts and designes when in obedience to the precept of God we come to hear the word that our hearts be emptied of these cares nè intus existens c. And we finde worldly-mindedness called by the Apostle the root of all evil Tim. 6. 20. the root of this amongst the rest unprofitableness Therefore it is observed there were fewer Apostates in the Primitive times because then there was little worldly advantage to tempt and solicite them from the Gospel Fourthly Neglect of prayer I shewed you before the Ministers engagement to pray for the people in 1 Sam. 12. 28. now I shall shew you the neglect of this duty in the people is a great cause of this unprofitableness You are to pray therefore I. That God would open the Ministers mouth this S. Paul oft puts those upon to whom he wrote as the Ephesians cap. 6. ver 18 19 and the Colossians cap. 4. ver 2 3. both for inward gifts and abilities the

pretended Enthusiasmes But IV. Attend to the word preached till that time and then you shall be exempted but I pray mistake not it will not be till you come to heaven then onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the day-star will fully appear in your hearts The Apostle here seems to me to oppose this and the other world While we are here in this world we are but in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore need to attend to the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as to a light to guide us but in the other world Christ as our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall arise with an immediate and clear light upon our souls When we shall not need the medium of Ordinances but shall see God face to face then shall that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dawn that the Apostle speaks of then they shall arrive at heaven where they shall have no need of the candle of Ordinances nor the Sun but the Lamb shall give them light Apoc. 22. 5. So long as the best of us are on this side heaven we have but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that in a dark place Indeed we have a clearer light shining now then was in the Old Testament but if compared with the light we shall enjoy in heaven it is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a dark place and thus learned and judicious Calvin in terprets the words Ego hanc caliginem cujus Petrus meminit ad totum vitae stadium extendo ac diem tunc demum nobis illucere interpretor cùm facie ad faciem videbimus quod nunc cernimus per speculum in aenigmate It is true that the Sun of righteousness does shine in the Gospel and by that into our hearts but in the greatest communication of light there is a mixture of some darkness We are in the body but as in ergastulo as in a prison though some light come in by the craneys yet more darkness remains upon us Then shall the day fully appear when all clouds of ignorance and errour shall be scattered and the full rising of the Sun of righteousness be upon us Here Calvin observeth Nos tantundem absumus à pleno die quantum à perfectione fides nostra abest our light here is but dim our faith but imperfect therefore while we live in the world we shall want the lamp of the word to guide us without which we walk but in darkness They live upon death it self as Clemens elegantly and see no more then one wrapt up in thickest darkness of the most obscure night The full appearances of God are in heaven here he manifests himself by his word and to expect other ways of discoverie is but to tempt God Attend then to the word of prophesie till the day-star ariseth that is till you come to see God face to face and then no use of Ordinances in the interim attend upon it as the ordinary instituted means of your spiritual proficiencie Content your selves with this manna while you are in the wilderness and then you shall eat of the milk and honey of that heavenly Canaan which is above 5. I enjoy God in my private retirements and live immediately upon God and is not this a happy anticipation of heaven Yes too happy for any one to enjoy on this side heaven It was above the estate of man in innocency to whom then there where means and Ordinances appointed as the Tree of life which some assert as a means of preserving that immortality in which he was created but all agree about it as a Sacramental sign of that eternity which he should have enjoyed in happiness upon performance of obedience which God required Our enjoyment of God here is in and by the Ordinances we see the power glory of God in the Sanctuary as it is Psal 63. 2. an immediate vision is a reserve for heaven Here God is to be seen as revealed in the word there we shall see him as he is here in a glass there face to face here enjoyed in prayer hearing and other duties which are our spirituall converses with God there in an immediate vision and fruition And this I take to be the meaning of that expression in 1 Cor. 15. 28. That God may be All in All when as it is said ver 24. that then cometh the end when he shall have delivered up the kingdome of God viz. as to the manner of Administration by the preaching of the word and other Ordinances then there shall be none of these for that fruition of God immediately shall be in stead of them all 6. And lastly I have attended long many years upon the word preached and I finde no profit therefore it is in vain to attend any longer I confess the non-proficiency of so many under means is a great discouragement both to Minister and people S. Paul was inclined to be discouraged upon this account as appears by Acts 18. comparing the 6 the 9 and 10. verses together and to the people as if their fields should yearly be sown yet remain barren it would much discourage them to sow them again therefore give me leave to speak a word or two to each I. To the Minister Hast thou preached long and no profit appears in thy people First mourn in secret for it water the word with thy tears thus did Christ over Jerusalem whom he had oft discovered himself to and preached Luk. 19. 41. Peter wept himself before he converted others Secondly pray much that it may profit you may profit more pietate orationum quàm oratorum facultate saith S. Augustin a praying Minister will profit more then an eloquent oratour Thirdly reform thy self perhaps thy sin may hinder the efficacy of the word and the seed may not thrive because thou sowest it with a leprous hand Observe what Christ saith to Peter Luk. 22. 32. When thou art converted strengthen thy brethren and when thou art converted thy self it is like that thou maiest profit more by thy preaching But Fourthly by no means give over the peoples neglect of theirs cannot exempt thee from thy duty Wo be to me if I preach not saith S. Paul and whether the people will hear or whether they will forbear we must preach for 1. thy word may profit afterward we must not limit God but attend our duty when Elias was so much discouraged God had seven thousand reserved so when Paul was disheartned God encourages him with this I have much people in this city Acts 18. 10. It is an excellent saying of Seneca An profecturus sim nescio malo mihi successum deesse Seneca ep 25. quàm fidem It is better for us to be unsuccessive then disobedient It is not for us to know the times and seasons which God hath reserved The husbandman sowes his seed though he can give himself no assurance of a crop which Metaphor the Apostle leads us unto Jam. 5. 7. he does not sow and reap both in a day 2. The

sincerity of your obedience and endeavour will however be acceptable unto God as Abrahams was in offering his son though the event followed not therefore in Gods account he did it Hebr. 11. 17. God in his accepts the will for the deed 2 Cor. 8. 12. which is a special ground of comfort to Christians in every calling and employment But 3. thy reward shall be secured Esay 49. 5. God rewards not onely our success but our faithfulness S. Paul would have the Philippians to hold forth the word of life that he might rejoyce in the day of Christ that he might not seem to have run in vain nor laboured in vain and indeed the Ministers of the Gospel may seem to labour in vain in respect of the efficacy of their Ministery but certainly it shall not be in respect of the reward of it II. To the people It is serious matter of lamentation that the Ministers should have occasion to complain with the Prophet Esay 8. 18. Behold I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are for signs and wonders in Israel that is because they were so few and rare and that they should have occasion to complain with the same Prophet Esa 53. Who hath believed our report And it is sad for you Brethren if it be any of your case if it be mourn over it and pray against it as the Prophet David Psal 119. 18. Open mine eyes that I may see into the wonders of thy Law and withall observe with me 1. God doth not expect equal proficiency from all as a Master or Tutour doth not of all scholars whom yet he may approve and commend for their diligence This I speak for the comfort of those Christians who are the most conscientious waiters on the Ordinances yet complain they profit not answerably The good ground in Matth. 13. 23. did not bring forth equally but some thirty some sixty and some an hundred fruitfull fields bring forth unequal crops so it is possible that among those who conscionably attend on the Ordinances some may profit more then others 2. Thy proficiencie may not appear presently as oft we are in despair of our fields yet afterwards receive a good crop In the night of temptation or the like the word may be obscured and not appear but may afterward shew it self to the comfort of thy self and rejoycing of others 3. Perhaps thou profitest more in thy actions then thy knowledge They are not alwayes the best proficients in the word who declare most and know best if thy affections be enflamed towards the word and thou beest carefully conscientious to practise suitably to thy knowledge thou hast profited more then your notional high-flown professours which yet are cold and careless 4. Be still constant in thy attendance upon the word This is thy seed-time therefore practise the Wisemans advice which he gives Eccles 11. 6. In the morning sow thy seed and in the evening withhold not thine hand The good ground brought forth fruit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 8. 15. that is though persecuted for the word or else though no present crop or present profit We read of the impotent persons John 5. 3. that they lay at the pool though they were not presently put in and amongst them there was a man there who had an infirmitie thirty eight years at vers 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Chrysostome observes stupendious patience and speaking in that Homily on John 5. of the admirable patient waiting of that impotent person he adds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we grow cold and remiss after a small time of waiting He lay thirty eight years yet not healed and yet did he not give over waiting so should we at this spiritual Bethesda to be cured of our spiritual infirmities though some of you may have lien as long unprofitably at the Ordinances as he unhealed at the pool yet wait still the time may come and will be Who among you will hearken for the time to come Esa 42. 23. Improve that thou hast already received and wait on God for an encrease in his own way and thou art under a promise to receive it for Habenti dabitur Matth. 25. 29. Secondly Prejudices against the Preacher and these are either I. Against his Person We are offended at the meanness of it he is a man like our selves or else we are dis-affected to him and both these cause unprofitableness under the word preached as it did in our Saviours auditours Matth. 13. 55 57. The Pharisees were offended at the person of Christ and so rejected his doctrine Ahab hates Micaiah the Prophet of the Lord and therefore refused to enquire of him 1 Kings 22. 8. This sinfull respect of persons hinders the efficacie of the word as it oft begets dis-affections in the heart of people towards the ablest Ministers These come not to hear the word but the man till you esteem the person you will hardly profit by his doctrine I plead not for a superstitious reverence of their persons but as the Apostle 1 Thess 5. 13. I desire that they may be esteemed very highly for their works sake These prejudices are oft times causeless arising from our own corruptions either because we are too apt to entertain reports against them contrary to the Apostles rule in 1 Tim. 5. 19. or else affectation of novelty dis-affects us to them or want of charity to cover their failings but pry into their faults and failings though they be but the spots of Gods children This is most irrational if we did but seriously consider that the efficacie of the word depends not upon the Minister Peter at one Sermon in Acts 2. converted more then Christ did in all his time for ought we read We should not disaffect the message for the messenger but rather esteem the messenger for the message sake we should minde the pearl that is brought us more then the hand that brings it II. Against his gifts I would hear him but his gifts are mean and small I could heartily wish that there were not too great ground of this prejudice and complaint at this day when we have so many of Jeroboams Priests every one that will as in 2 Sam. 1. 20. Tell it not in Gath publish it not in the streets of Askalon I dare say some triumph at it but for duly-constituted Ministers if faithfull though of lesser abilities let me suggest 1. Variety of gifts are for your good and advantage as the holy Apostle tells us 1 Cor. 3. 22 23. whether clegant Apollos or profound Paul or solid Cephas all are for your good Observe diligently that full and pregnant place in 1 Cor. 12. from ver 7. to ver 12. One interprets solidly another reasons profoundly a third applies powerfully a fourth wins affectionately and another demonstrates cunningly and all to thy profit There are two things suggested which may help to unprejudice us in this particular 1. the freedome of the Spirit in distributing these gifts

the Apostle adjoyns in the Text as the cause of the Jews unprofitableness because it was not mixed with faith and truely this must needs cause unprofitableness both because we cannot draw near to God in his Ordinances without this Unbelief is a departing from God We may present our bodies indeed before God yet without faith can we not digest the word of God into spiritual nourishment as Clemens Alexandrinus saies There is required of us 1. An historical faith whereby we believe the word of God to be the word of God and close with the truth of it in our assent and judgement The understanding is the leading facultie of the soul and the guide of reason I shall never close with that truth in my affections to love it in my will to practise it which I do not first assent unto in my understanding nor can the will embrace that as good which the understanding assents not to as true But this is not enough for there is required further 2. A particular applying faith whereby the soul closeth with the word as proper to it self when it particularly applies the promises and closes with the reproofs and threatnings of the word This makes the word of God to be ineffectual because men shift it off from themselves as such a reproof of sin concern'd not me the Minister reproved such an one c. A man may assent to the truth of a promise and yet it be a dry-breast to him without the application of it by a particular faith so to the truth of a threatning and yet not be humbled Faith is necessarie to the hearing of the word profitably I. As the eye of faith discerns the truth of the word as it pries into the mysteries of the Gospel which the natural man perceives not The Apostle 1 Cor. 2. 14. gives a reason why a natural man cannot perceive these because they are spiritually discerned and so no object suitable to a carnal eye It is said of Christs entertainment John 1. 5. The darkness comprehendeth not the light every unbeliever is no better then mere darkness though improved with the height of acquired knowledge as Nicodemus and Paul are very pregnant proofs of this and I appeal to your selves Are men like to profit by the word they perceive not nor understand II. As it makes the soul to relish and delight in the word of God To an unbeliever the great mysteries of the Gospel are but foolishness 1 Cor. 1. 23 24. The carnal minde is not subject to the law of God saith the Apostle Rom. 8. 7. A carnal minde may approve of the word of God as true and good but never close with it throughly and heartily because it is contrarie to it As a learned man may approve of the light as excellent in it self but will not endure to look long upon it because it may be hurtfull to his weak eyes thus a carnal heart may assent to the truth of Gods word and be convinced of the equitie and goodness of it yet not close with it because contrarie to his carnal interests and corrupt principles and so long no profiting by it As S. Augustine saith Quid haec duo conferunt Aug. lib. 4. c. 13. de doctr Christ homini qui confitetur verum collaudat eloquium nec inclinat assensum who inclines not his assent viz. so as to practise it Ninethly The nineth ground is love of some darling and bosome sin and corruption The Apostle indeed James 1. 21. commands to lay aside all superfluitie of naughtiness but especially any darling sin which else will make the word unprofitable upon a double account I. As it prejudiceth the soul against the most profitable preaching Such an one must have placentia and speak the language of those in Isaiah 30. 10. They say to the seers see not and to the Prophets prophesie not to us right things but speak unto us smooth things c. Wholesome reproofs are too bitter pils for him to take down because they will stirre the humours that are corrupt And therefore you shall observe that some who have seemingly made large progress in the profession of the word have been wholly offended at it when it hath searched and disturb their secret bosome corruption Thus it was with Herod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he did many things and demonstrated a very fair affection to the word of God as in Mark 6. 20. till it came to his Herodias and then he is incensed so far against John as to take off his head nay the young man went further to his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all these have I kept and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from his youth Mark 10. 20. till it came to his covetousness then the commands of Christ prove ineffectual and he goes away sorrowfully While a man retains the love of any darling sin he is apt to come with a settled resolution let the Preacher say what he will shew him the nature danger and guilt of such or such a sin to go on still as it is Jer. 2. 25. II. As it disaffects them to the preacher That did disaffect the Pharisees so much against Christ his reproving their darling sin of Hypocrisie This caused Felix to dismiss Paul his touching upon his darling sin of intemperance and injustice And hence proceeds the ebbings and flowings of mens affections to the same Minister You shall have some who will constantly attend upon a Minister and afford him a very fair aprobation till he come powerfully to search his bosome corruption then he is offended nay and perhaps persecutes the Minister too Thus it fared with Christ himself one while they crie never man spake like him and another while Crucifie him crucifie him See the Galatians inconstancie to S. Paul in Galat. 4. 14 15 16. they afforded him both reverence verse 14. and love verse 15. rari amoris indicium oculos eruere plus est quàm vitam profundere saies Calvin but how soon is this love degenerated into hatred and enmitie verse 16. and that onely because he told them the truth Veritas odium as saith the Comoedian so tell men the truth in laying before them the evil nature and danger of those sins they live in they presently entertain a secret enmitie against them and if once mens spirits come to be embittered against the preacher suavis non erit doctrinae gustus they will finde no sweet relish in the word of God Tenthly The tenth ground is unpreparedness when men rush out of their worldly employments without prayer or meditation into the house of God never considering either into whose presence or service they come God requires a holy preparation to all our services and that not onely habitually but actually prepared and disposed for them Keep thy foot saith the Wiseman Eccles 5. 1. when thou goest to the house of God This holy preparation was shadowed out by the peoples washing their clothes before the deliverie of the Law Exod.

19. 10 11. and by Moses his putting off his shoe before God spake and discovered himself to him Exod. 3. 5 6. intimating a putting off our carnal affections and purging our souls before we come to hear the word this is necessarie because to come without this preparation I. Is irreverent You esteem it justly a high incivilitie to press into a Princes Palace with ragged dirtie clothes or to sit at his table with unwashen hands How much do men affect cleanness and studie neatness when they present themselves to the presence of any great man and is it not much more irreverent to appear before God in his Temple in our sins and corruptions May we not justly fear to be an offence to his pure eyes How do men studie words and gestures suitable to the person of any great one to whom they make their applications and doth not a resolved prepared reverence much more become us when we address our selves to God David resolved himself upon this preparation Psal 26. 6. I will wash mine hands in innocencie so will I compass thine altar Thus when Jacob went to worship God at Bethel he purged his house of all the Idols and made his sons to wash their clothes Gen. 35. 2 3. We should not onely have our hearts raised to awfull apprehensions of Gods Majestie and presence but our outward man also composed to a decent becomingness and holy reverence as Jacob said of Bethel Gen. 28. 16 17. How dreadfull is this place And thus did Cornelius when Peter was to preach unto him set himself in the presence of God Acts 10. 33. So should we come with that reverence and preparedness as becomes the presence of God II. Unprofitable Hence that caution Luke 18. Take heed therefore how you hear Thornes grow naturally but seed you know thrives not but when the ground is first fitted and prepared sin encreaseth naturally in our corrupt hearts but they are no fit soil naturally for the word of God they must be first fitted and prepared before the seed will grow and thrive there Unpreparedness makes every duty to be ineffectual as you may see in Job 11. 13 14. Give me leave to allude to that of the Wiseman prepare thy work without and make it fit for thy self in the field and afterward build thine house Prov. 24. 27. so say I Prepare thy self at home and then come to build up thy self in faith and holiness And unprepared hearer will be an unprofitable hearer Eleventhly The eleventh ground is Curiosity when men come to the Word affecting more the elegancy of the expression then the wholesomeness of the truth Cui nullus in dicendo sermo placet nisi Grammaticè fuerit conceptus Dialecticè imaginatus Rhetoricè purpuratus as S. Augustine expresses it Such like not their spiritual food unless it be adorned with the flowers of Rhetorick who regard more how handsome the provision be than how wholesome Hence errour many times handsomely dressed findes more entertainment then a plain truth So men take poyson instead of nourishment thus when men catch more at an elegancy in a Sermon then a promise they may be pleased perhaps but little profited In seed you look not at leaves as you doe in flowers but at the inward vertue whereby it hath an aptitude to fructifie so should we in the seed of the word not prize the outward seeming dress and beauty of it so much as the inward efficacy of it whereby it may fructifie in your hearts and lives Qui maturitatis fructum quaerit despicit amaena camporum saies Chrysologus Chrysolog serm 18. He that desires profit from a field lookes to the ripeness of the corn not to the beauty of the cockle which may more gratifie the eye but not fill the barn and granary so he that desires to profit by the word must not attend the adorning of Rhetorick which may perhaps more please the fancy but not at all rellish the soul such may more gratify the palate but it is not so good for nourishment The affected elegancy of a Sermon may more gratify curiosity but not profit and nourish the soul It is true that S. Augustin observes that propter fastidia plurimorum etiam ea sine quibus vivere non possumus alimenta condienda sunt But they live miserablely that live altogether upon sauces There is another curiosity much like this which makes the word unprofitable and that is a nice squemishness that men nauseate truth that they have heard of before as an ill squeasy stomach which cannot make two meales of the same meat whereas we had need considering our dulness to understand our forgetfulness of what we have heard to have the same truths preached over and over again and yet shall we finde all little enough We may see what was the temper of those in Acts 13. 42. they besought the Apostles that the same words might be taught again the next Sabbath this I speak not to patronize laziness in the preacher but to correct the curiosity of the hearer which makes the word become so unprofitable to them Twelfthly The twelfth ground is Not attending upon a constant settled ministery This is that which God hath used from the first planting of Churches for the edification of his people as appears from Acts 20. 28. and confirmed by the practise of the whole primitive Church Trees oft transplanted can take no firm rooting a rolling stone we say gathers no moss those whose fickle unsettledness prompts them to run from this Minister to that and to settle under none are like to profit very little by the word This S. Paul reproves sharply in his Corinthians 1 Cor. 1. 12 13. He walkes securely that is guided by some fixed star whiles he who followes some meteor is led into some bog or pit so those who walk by the light of some settled Minister as a star fixed to his orb are preserved safe in the way of Religion but those who follow wandring meteors fall into some pit of errour Many thrive and live healthfully on one dish while others surfeit of variety By attending upon a settled Minister you come to be acquainted with his style familiar with his phrase and learn his method which will facilitate and strengthen memory that you may carry away and profit more by him Thirteenthly The thirteenth ground is want of love to the word of God Men come out of custome and not out of a real sense of the want of the word or with any love unto it If men had such affections to the word as David professeth of himself that he had Psal 119. 20. that his soul did even break for the longings he had after Gods word much more would they profit by it If with Job they prized it more then their ordinary food Job 23. 12. A man that sits down to his meals when he hath no liking to the meat set before him he will not nourish kindly by it neither will any

the great springs of heresie and errour the minde of man is novitatis avida and hence new errour pleaseth many more then old truth and every new-fangled opinion though he that runs may read it contrary to Scripture and reason creates in mens minds at least a suspition of the truth which all ages of the Church hath professed I am sure Christ makes it the badge of his sheep that they will onely hear his voice and not strangers Joh. 10. 5. his voice in his word and by his Ministers While men keep not to the wholesome word of God but affect this variety of phansy opinion they surfet not thrive Gellius Gell. lib. 3. cap. 13. tells us of Demosthenes that he being young and Plato's scholar by chance going to hear Plato resolved experiri an ad digna auditu tanto properatum studio foret upon which he deserted Plato and became Callistratus his disciple thus many affecting novelty though formerly in profession disciples are now turned to fables and in stead of being nourished by the word are poysoned with errour The seventeenth ground is Neglect of a carefull practise of what we hear if men came with a resolution to practise they would go away with much more profit for this would bring them with a great appetite and liking of the word of God as they in Acts 10. 33. They professed themselves to be as in the presence of God to hear all that is to hear so as to practise This is your wisdome Brethren to come with a resolution to practise for which you have our Saviour Mat. 7. 24. He is a wiseman that heareth and doth my sayings and S. James would have us not to be hearers onely but doers of the word Jam. 1. 22. for such onely are blessed in our Saviours account Luk. 11. 28. I pray consider that prophesie of Gospel-times with what resolution they invite one another to hear viz. with a resolution to practise Esay 2. 3. Come let us go up to the mountain of the Lord to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us his wayes and what more ordinary then to call on one another in these dayes Come we will go hear such a man to day but observe what followes we will walk in his ways and do you invite one another Brethren for this end nay rather when you go to hear the word is there not oft a secret reserve in your heart to go on in your sins They who come with such a resolution and not to practise are not like to profit by the word It is by this that Christ will have his disciples known Joh. 8. 31. If ye continue in my word then are ye my disciples indeed and to those God tells us that he will continue his mercy and goodness Psal 103. 17 18. To such as keep his covenant and that remember his commandements to do them The eighteenth ground is Anger malice either against the word or the Minister of it Many when the word of God searches and findes them out rage against it or the Minister of it As you may see they dealt with Stephen Acts 7. 54. they gnashed upon him with their teeth and at vers 57. they ran upon him with one accord and cast him out of the city Therefore the Apostle exhorts those who would so receive the word as to save their souls to receive it with meekness Jam. 1. 21. that is with a milde humble tractable spirit that as the Preacher is to instruct you in meekness 2 Tim. 2. 25. that is with gentleness and tenderness to your persons with anger and zeal against sin so you are to hear with submissive and tractable spirits as they did Acts 10. 33. laying aside all enmity against the word and the preacher of it And when by the word he convinceth you look upon him as a Chirurgion that comes to search your sores in order to a cure and when he presseth duty be facile and tractable The wisdome that is from above saith S. James is gentle Jam. 3. 1● and easie to be intreated and where shall we finde this wisdome in men you shall sooner enrage then perswade As concerning the generality of men those the Apostle calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 absurd men 2 Thess 3. 2. that will quarrel with the Chyrurgion when he comes to binde up their wounds You must learn Brethren to submit to the word of God in humility if ever you will profit by it say as did Samuel Speak Lord for thy servant heareth The nineteenth ground is Neglect of a special application of the word preached Each hearer almost is ready to put off the word of God to another Such a reproof concern'd not me there the Preacher hit such an one such a threatning is nothing to me and many such like If ever you will profit by the word you must do as the disciples did when Christ had told them one of them should betray him each of them applied it to himself saying Lord Is it I so you must make a particular application of promises threatnings and precepts The best food will not nourish unless it be received you cannot live by feeding another man no more will the word of God except it be particularly applyed to our selves It should at least put us upon a serious examination Doth this threatning appertain to me Have I interest in this promise The childe may starve though the mother hath a full breast if it sucks not at it so we at the breasts of the promises unless by the Application of a particular faith we make them our own We must not onely hear of the promises slightly but we must search them out and that so as we may know them for our good Job 5. 27. In a Princes proclamation every one will look to that which concerns himself so should we in the proclamation of the Gospel look to that which in particular concerns us and in particular apply it to us And therefore you may observe that when God makes the word to be effectual he does it by a particular application of it to the soul as in that of Nathan to David Thou art the man for it is true that Job hath observed Job 33. 14. God speaketh once yea twice yet men perceive it not but then in vers 6. He openeth their ears and sealeth their instruction that is by a particular application of the word I know there are and may be miscarriages here the presumptuous sinner is too ready to catch at and run away with a promise the humbled dejected sinner to despair under threatnings A great piece of wisdome it is to apply the word suitably to our conditions if fainting the promises if secure the threatnings and this is so to be wise as to be wise for ones self Prov. 9. 12. and so to profit by the word And this is the second ground of unprofitable hearing in regard of Hearers the third ground is in respect

idols let him alone and in Revel 22. 11. He that is filthy let him be filthy still so he that is unprofitable let him be unprofitable still Oh sad judgement and is as sadly expressed Esay 66 the 3 and 4. They have chosen their own ways and their soul delights in their abominations I also will choose their delusions c. which is as much as to say he will leave them to themselves and suffer them to go on to be deluded by those delusions as such they having wilfuly chosen Men care not to profit by the word and God gives them over to unprofitableness as Christ cursed the fig-tree Matth. 21. 19. III. By taking the Gospel wholly away and removing the candlestick from them Thus Christ threatned to proceed against Ephesus unless by a speedy return she prevented it Rev. 2. 5. Jerusalem was come to the height of wickedness when the Gospel was removed Matth. 23. 37 38. The Jews by a wilfull contempt first put away the Gospel from themselves before God took it away from them as the Apostle speaks expressely Acts 13. 46. God will not always cast this pearl before swine who as Clemens expresseth it delight more in the mud of their lusts then in the pure waters of the Sanctuary in the word of God God will not always cast his childrens bread to the dogs God threatens a famine of the word upon the Jews Amos 8. Would you know the reason see ver 5. they began to be weary of it and unprofitable under it As a master sometimes deals with a bad servant pulls his livery over his ears and turns him out of doors so God oft deals with men takes away his Word and Ordinances his livery and cognizance or as a man divorcing an adulterous wife takes away all her jewels and garments and puts them upon another so God when people go a whoring takes away from them the Gospel and Ordinances which are the glory and ornament of a nation and gives them to others IV. If he does continue the Gospel yet he takes away the able and faithful Ministers of it Observe how God dealt with his vineyard Isa 5. great expence you may see he had been at vers 2. so much that he appeals to their own judgements what he could have done more what cost he should further bestow upon them as to outward means ver 4. but there being no suitable thriving under all this see how the Lord proceeds judicially against it after the threatning of a totall devastation ver 5. he adds that the clouds should rain no more upon it So doth God deal with an unprofitable people he removes these clouds as Ministers are called who are to drop fatness into the soul and lets you sit under clouds without water and none of the dews of heaven in them to make you thrive And how hath God dealt of late in this Nation removing from us many eminent Preachers and pulling down many pillars of the Church And may we not justly fear that this hath been by many mens unprofitableness and wantonness under the word of God Is it not a sign that Gods vineyard hath brought forth little fruit when God hath eclipsed so many stars of the first magnitude Is it not to be feared it is because men have neglected to walk by and improve the light of those who have held out the Gospel to them V. By taking away the Ministers gifts The people are apt to complain of nothing more then that their preachers want abilities and gifts perhaps it is a judgement upon your unprofitableness under and abuse of the word Alas the Minister is nothing without divine influence and communication in his ministerial endowments It is God that gives some Apostles some Prophets c. Ephes 4. 11. And he may oft-times with-draw this influence God may dry up the breast because you thrive not by the sincere milk of the Hom. 12. in Ezek. 3. 26. word Propter malum populum etiam bonis tollitur sermo doctoribus so Gregorie VI. By denying success to the word preached though he continue able Ministers God must give the increase even when a Paul preacheth and an Apollos waters which he is pleased oft to deny Because of our neglect and contempt of his word and carelesness to profit under it he denies the dews of his blessing which should make the seed of the word thrive and prosper Or if the Minister preaches powerfully yet perhaps not suitably to thy necessities not what may profit and this by a secret judgement of God upon thy obstinate unprofitableness under former enjoyments of the word You have a very pregnant instance of this Ezek. 3. 26. where God tells the Prophet that he should be dumb and not be a reprover unto them and these reproofs as I have often hinted are most like to profit as S. Gregory sayes Magna omnipotentis Dei gratia est cùm iniquè agentibus Gregor in Ezek. durus à doctoribus s●●mo increpationis profertur VII By 〈◊〉 loose a spirit of delusion and by suffering false prophets to deceive and gull the people and to poysen them with errour instead of feeding them with the word of God When Gods vineyard brings forth bryars instead of fruit he suffers the wolues and the foxes to eat it up Esay 5. 4. sive obrepant vulpes lupi in Ecclesiam hoc totum tribuere convenit ingratitudini nostrae quia fructum non reddidimus qualem decebat fuimúsque desides otiosi saith Calvin And Calv. in loc I cannot but in my serious thoughts resolve that inundation of Heresies upon this nation and all those delusions which go abroad into the judgement of God giving men over to strong delusions to believe lies because they improved not nor delighted in the truth in the love of it as God gave the lying spirit commission to go and deceive Ahab 1 Kings 22. 22. And sure God hath in his justice and wrath for our wantonness under and inconstancy to the truth let loose many lying spirits in our daies which miserablely mislead many into damnable Heresies VIII By delivering up to Satan and permiting him to have power over them It is said of Judas John 13. 27. that Satan entred into his heart if the word take not possession of thy heart the devil will whom God useth as the instrument and executioner of his just judgement even that spirit who worketh powerfully in the children of disobedience Ephes 2. 2. I adde one caution lest I might seem to speak too harshly and severely of Gods proceeding that God doth not proceed thus judicially presently upon every neglect of his word but after long exercise of his patience and after much obstinacy and wilful contempt of his word He did not presently cut up the fig tree but expected three years and upon importunity spared it one year more Luk. 13. 8. God forsakes not any till they obstinately forsake him non deserit nisi deserentem Christ

The truth and certainty of the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an expression much used by the Apostle quoties aliquid magni momenti adfert cui fidem adstruendam putat as Heinsius observes The Apostle useth it here to secure Christians from those doubts which their own hearts or false Apostles or justiciaries or legalists might object against the certainty of mans salvation by Christ Is dignus cui fides habeatur ut qui fallere non potest saies Beza II. The worth and excellency of Gospel-revelation That Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sermonem non quemvis sed eximium selectum declarat saith Beza a choice truth the summe and substance of the Gospel III. That esteem and entertainment which the Gospel deservedly calls for from Christians It is not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is non tantùm sententia vera sed digna quae fiat plurimi saith Grotius not onely a true sentence but most worthy also of our highest esteem and valuation and not onely so but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worthy of our acceptation too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is aliquid avidè arripere saith Musculus as a poor man will money or a hungry man his meat Nay further the Apostle by all meanes endeavouring to provoke us to an entertainment of the Gospel said it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut nihil relinquat quòd sit avidius acceptandum quàm Evangelium Dei de peccatorum all at a salute per Christum saith Musculus on the place So that imagine the greatest and most readie entertainment any thing in the world meets with from carnal hearts gold to the covetous c. the Gospel deserves a more ready welcome from Christians as being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worthy of all acceptation IIII. A Paradox to reason ideo Apostolus seriâ illâ obtestatione Gerard. in loc utitur saith Gerard. Secondly In the proposition observe I. The person who came 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jesus Christ the eternal son of God II. The place whither 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the world a vally of tears a stage of misery III. To what end or wherefore he came 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to save For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved Joh. 3. 17. IV. The persons whom he came for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 s●nners and those not Angels but men c. Each word heightens the mercy of Christ and should provoke us to an effectual entertainment of that Gospel which reveales Christs coming into the world to save sinners I shall summe up these into this Doctrine The Gospel of which this is the summe that Jesus Christ came into Doctrine the world to save sinners is a most certain truth and most acceptable doctrine In prosecution of which I shall endeavour to shew First That the promised Messiah is already come into the world Secondly That Jesus Christ whom we acknowledge and profess is that promised Messiah Thirdly The importance of that phrase Christ came into the world what that implies Fourthly That the design of Christs coming into the world was to save sinners Fifthly How Christ carried on this design or in what respects Christ may be said to save sinners Sixthly Why it was necessary Christ should come in order to this end viz. mans salvation Seventhly Upon what accounts this is and ought to be a most acceptable doctrine I shall be brief in the two first as knowing I speak to Christians onely suggest some things to strengthen your faith And first That the true Messiah is come appears upon a four-fold 1 Partie account I. Because all those cities and places in which Christ was in order to the fulfilling of the prophesies in the old Testament to be born brought up and manifest himself in are long since ruined and utterly demolished He was to be born at Beth-lehem But thou Beth-lehem Ephratah though thou be little among the thousands of Judah yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel Mic. 5. 2. He was to dwell at Nazareth to come into Jerusalem Rejoyce greatly O daughter of Zion shout O daughter of Jerusalem Behold thy king cometh unto thee c. Zech. 9. 9. And that while the second Temple stood the glory of which upon this onely account was prophesied by Haggai to be greater then the glory of the former Temple because of the person of the Messiah in it Haggai 2. 7 9. Add Malachy who lived in the time the second Temple was built and was Mal. 3. 1. contemporary with the Prophet Haggai But now all these cities are ruined and which is a clear evidence the Messiah is come the second Temple destroyed and Jerusalem demolisht by the Romanes II. The ceasing of the Jewish politie and commonwealth which was not to be till the coming of the true Messiah according to Jacob's prophesie Gen. 49. 10. which the Antient Jews themselves understood of the Messiah Per quem CHRISTI ADVENTUM non est intelligenda Christi nativitas stetit enim respublica Judaeorum Molin Vates p. 289. firmam aliquam politiam habuit per annos septuaginta duos post Christum natum sed per adventum Christi intelligimus manifestationem Christi per Evangelium By which coming of Christ we must not understand Christs birth for then there was a common-wealth of the Jews which had too some kinde of a settled politie for seventy two years after Christ was born but we understand by the coming of Christ the manifestation of him by the Gospel in which sence 't is said Matth. 10. 23. ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel till the son of man be come The power of life and death was taken from them in Idem de disciplina instructione Judaeorum our Saviours time as appears by their own ingenuous confession to Pilate John 18. 31. Then said Pilate unto them Take ye him and judge him according to your law the Jews therefore said unto him It is not lawfull for us to put any man to death Romani Judeae praefectos habebant cogebant fidem homagii praestare Caesari numisma cudere illis ●ram p. 91. licitum non fuit I shall not dispute the punctual time when this Scepter departed whether in Herod's or when Titus destroied the Iewish State which I must think most probable because then the gathering of the nations was to Christ by the coming in of the Gentiles but this is evident that that Politie is now destroyed and the Jews a scattered nation throughout the world III. The abrogation of the Jewish worship and Levitical ceremonies This was prophesied by Daniel as one thing which

a searcher of Scripture was David Psal 119. 72. who prized the truth of God more then thousands of gold and silver and such a searcher was S. Augustine also who says of himself sacrae Scripturae tuae sunt sanctae deliciae meae And surely the more a man searches into these mines the more will he prize and value them and he that these mines the more will he prize and value them and he that hath the spirit of God cannot certainly but prize those Scriptures even because they come from him II. A particular enquiry into Scripture He that digs in a mine turns over every particular clod of earth in which there is probably any gold lest he should lose any of it so should Christians in searching the Scriptures particularly examine every Scripture lest they lose any of that treasure that is hidden in those mines Adoro Scripturae plenitudinem saith Tertullian There is a fulness of divine treasure in the Scriptures which is able to make a soul rich in faith and enriched in all knowledge 1 Cor. 1. 5. And this treasure is not discovered by a perfunctory general view of Scripture but by a particular enquiry and examination into it for there is not any Scripture but hath more or less of this treasure in it every 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of it saith our Saviour shall be fulfilled Matth. 5. 18. III. A diligent and frequent perusing of Scripture He that digs in a mine makes it his every-days-work and gives not over till he hath found the riches and treasure in it It is not a superficial glance upon Scripture which will make a discovery of that heavenly treasure to us Scripture-search must be our every-days-work indeed it calls for our daily diligence thus David describes the blessed man to be one that meditates in the law of God day and night Psal 1. 2. This searching S Paul commends to Timothy Give attendance to reading 1 Tim. 4. 13. and for which the Bereans are commended Acts 17. 11. and this God commanded the children of Israel Deut. 6. 6 7. These words which I command thee this day shall be in thy heart and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house c. There is more golden oare in a clod of earth then he that digs in a mine discovers at first so there is a mysteriousness in Scripture which by a cursory reading of Scripture cannot be discovered Great mysteries lie sub cortice literae wrapt up in the letter of Scripture which is discovered by oft reading and examining A Christian meets with that information those quicknings supports and comforts at one time which he doth not at another It is said of Alphonsus that he had read over the Bible ten times with a large comment upon it and of another a Transylvanian Prince that he had read over the Bible twenty seven times of Theodosius the Emperour that as Nicephorus relates had a lampe so artificially made constantly supplying Nicephor lib. 4. cap. 3. it self with oyle lest any thing might disturbe or interrupt his study of Scripture And this certainly is the ready way to discover the heavenly treasure which is hid in Scripture as we see God by the ministerie of Philip revealed Christ to the Eunuch while he was A through-search profundiùs effodere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So S. Chrysost thus diligently reading the Prophet Isaiah as it is in Acts 8. 28. IIII. A through search and scrutiny a digging deep in these mines We do not finde mines of Gold upon the surface and superficies of the earth but in the bowels of it therefore there must be a digging deep this word in the Text sometimes in Scripture expresseth Gods searching as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8. 27. which is so through and exact a search that not the deepest thought of the heart can escape this searching of God There are depths in Scripture which we must dig for before we can fathom them The Sctipture is a mystery 1 Tim. 3. 16. a mysterie hid from ages and generations Coloss 1. 26. Here are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 2. 10. the deep things of God his Nature his Attributes his Councels and Decrees which the Apostle calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unsearchable Rom. 11. 33. So there are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Revel 2. 24. the depths methods wiles and subtleties of Satan which the Scripture discovers and provides us with armour against them Ephes 6. And there are the depths of our own hearts Psal 64. 6. the inward thought and the heart is deep and this Scripture discovers 1 Cor. 14. 25. But we must dig before we can finde them The secrets of Gods Councels had lain hid in his own breast had he not discovered them in his word and Satan doth not lay his plots above board obvious to every eye and for our own hearts they are deceitfull above all things who can know them Jerem. 17. 9. and therefore it must be a deep search to discover them V. And lastly It signifies labour and pains Digging in mines is a very tedious laborious work so is searching these spiritual mines Prov. 2. 4. If thou seekest her as silver and searchest for her as for hid treasures We may observo what S. Peter saies of the Prophets enquiring after salvation 1 Pet. 1. 10 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at verse 10. searched diligently and so again at verse 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 No gold without digging no heavenly treasure of knowledge and grace without a diligent and laborious search of Scripture And that for the first Secondly What searchers of Scripture Christ here points at There may be much searching to little purpose and people may take much pains and no profit may come of it but sometimes a great deal of mischief I shall shew them therefore First Negatively Secondly Positively First Negatively and here our Saviour means not I. The curious searcher of Scripture who reads it more to satisfie his curiositie then to regulate his life who in searching neglects that which is obvious and most necessarie and is prying into that which is more difficult and nice that feeds upon the husks as I may speak and pleaseth his phantasie with a few nice critical observations of some few passages of Scripture in the mean time neglecting the more subst antial food of his soul the plain truths of the Gospel One who plaies the Chymist with Scripture which some think is intimated in that expression of Scripture in 2 Pet. 3. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who would get that out of the Scriptures as those out of natural bodies what God never put into them such as with that accursed Politian prefers an Ode of Pindar before all the Psalms of David because there he findes more satisfaction to his nice and vain curiositie Scripture was never written for this end to satisfie any mans

curiositie II. Not the presumptuous searcher of Scripture who would measure all Scripture-mysteries by his own reason and apprehension and neglecting learning of his Christian dutie presumes to examine and thinks to comprehend Gods secret councels and where the Apostle is put to his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he question 's not but he can fathom He is searching more what God decreed from enternitie then what himself ought to do in time It was a good saying of Seneca Nusquam verecundiores esse debemus quàm cùm de Deo agitur Modesty never becomes us better then when we speak of God especially when we seach into his Actings and Councels which it is modesty and pietie to admire boldness and presumption to search too much into which the Apostle calls An intruding into those things he hath not seen vainly puft up by his fleshly minde Coloss 2. 18. III. Not the discoursive searcher who searches into Scripture onely that he may have matter of discourse not that he may have matter to practise and that perhaps scoffingly as that Apostate Julian who said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he had read understood and contemned the Scripture This is to read it onely as a historie or idlely and vainly jesting with the Scriptures and those searchers have Scripture at their tongues end but not at their hearts which our Saviour reproves here in these Jews who were great searchers of Scriptures verse 28. such who have Bibles in their houses but not the word of God dwelling richly in their hearts as the Apostle commands in Coloss 3. 16. Scripture-discourse is good if it be pious serious and to build up one another but Scripture-practise is better IV. Not the prejudiced opinionated searcher of Scripture who comes prepossessed with an opinion and so prejudiced against the truths of the Gospel and onely searcheth Scripture so far as will comply with and Patronize that opinion Men come possessed with some high notions and phantasies of their own and then they wrest the Scripture and make it stoop to those prepossessions and this is the reason why many men finde so little in Scripture that they finde it very hard to veil and submit their Speculations and Notions to the simplicitie of Gospel-truth V. Not the superstitious searcher of Scripture who rests in the opus operatum the work done such searchers were these Jews who were wont to number the letters in the old Testament and could tell you how oft every letter was used so carefull were they of the Bible that in an heap of books they would not suffer another book to lie on the top of a Bible and if any did by chance let it fall they were certainly punished for it so writes Brentius but this they Brentius in loc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost accounted their righteousness and thought to have life and happiness in the bare reading of the Scripture which was that for which Christ here blames them not that they searched but that they thought to have life by doing it though they neglected and persecuted Christ at verse 40. Plus aequo illis tribuistis saith Grotius They thought if they did enlarge their Phylacteries and read the Law so many times over they were secure of everlasting life VI. Not the careless and irreverent searcher of Scripture who sometimes runs over a few chapters of the Bible as the Papists mumble over their Ave-Maries without any reverent apprehensions of God the Authour of Scripture or minding the matter or mysterie of Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost He does not say onely barely Read and know but Search the Scriptures VII Not the carnal secure searcher who comes to the reading of the Scriptures with a resolution to go on in his sins whatsoever the Scripture saith to the contrarie Let Scripture say what it will they will do what they list such as these can read the Promises of God yet remain unbelieving his Threatnings and not tremble his Judgements and with a proud Pharaoh grow harder by them his Commands yet neglect and disobey them that as Noah's unclean beasts in the Ark went in unclean and came out unclean so these come to the reading Scripture and hearing the Word and remain still secure in sin and hardned in their iniquitie as those in Jeremiah 44. 16 17. that told the Propher plainly As for the word which thou hast spoken to us in the name of the Lord we will not hear it VIII Not the the profane searcher of Scripture who searches the Scripture onely to finde what may seemingly be wrested to Patronize his licentious and wicked practises who makes use of Scripture to cover and excuse his wickedness as we read of those Heathens in 1 Maccab. 3. 28. that made diligent search into the book of the Law that they might print thereby the likeness of their Idols so many search the Scripture onely to find something that may favour a corrupt opinion or a licentious practise Thus Julian the Apostate robbed the Christians of all their goods and estates Patronzing that practise by Matth. 5. 3. Blessed are the poor c. not considering what followed and Chemnitius tell us of one who Chemn loc de paupertate reading that place Go and sell all that thou hast went and sold his Bible too saying jam plenè Christi mandato satisfeci And thus indeed do the Papists who never flee to the refuge of Traditions but when the Scriptures fail them And truly there hath been no erroneous principle or wicked practise but hath endeavoured to shrowd it self under protection of the Scriptures and by this means men have been engaged to wresting Scripture to their own and other mens destructions IX Not the partial quarrelsome searcher of Scripture who quarrels with and casts away all Scripture that makes against him and admits onely that which may suit with his corrupt doctrines Such searchers of Scriptures have Hereticks been in all ages Thus Arius wrested the eighth chapter of the Proverbs out of the Canon as speaking of the eternitie of Increated wisdome and so contradicted his blasphemy in denying the Divinitie of Christ It is that which Irenaeus notes as the Genius of all Hereticks Cùm ex scripturis Irenaeus lib. 3. cap. 2. redarguuntur saith he in scripturarum redargutionem convertuntur If Scripture reprove their Heresie they will presently fall out and quarrel with Scripture So the Manichees of old rejected all the Old Testament and Cerinthus all the Gospels but Matthew and the Ebionites all the Epistles and so the Antinomians reject the Law as no part of Scripture or at leastwise not obliging them In a word what Epiphanius of old observed of the Gnosticks we may truely observe of the Hereticks of our times his words are very full and suite with our present Heresies When they finde any thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Epiphan hares 26. in the Scripture that may make against their opinion then they say That

are or at least resolve to be holy 3. Every ungodly and wicked man is really prejudiced against Scripture-light and knowledge Joh. 3. 19. Light is come into the world and men love darkness So many corruptions and lusts have all wicked men reigning in their hearts so many real bolts and bars they have against the true Scripture-knowledge it is irkesome and troublesome to them to entertain that truth which will discover their sins and so break and disturb the security they have been in a long time and therefore they rather with those in Job desire God to depart from them As the Philosopher observes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist M●ta●● lib. 1. men desire a doctrine suitable to their corruptions and this is the reason of that variety of doctrines and religions now in the world which the doctrine of the Scripture will not in the least comply with and that is the true cause of mens averseness from an effectual entertainment of the Gospel and of their shutting eyes against Scripture-light and convictions The Philosopher gives this as the reason why young men are not fit scholars in morality 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they are guided by lust and passion and the Apostle gives the same reason why some are learning and never come to the knowledge of the truth because they are such as are led about by diverse lusts in 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. That soul which is resolved to give up it self unto obedience of the Scripture is that which will readily embrace the doctrine of Scripture because inwardly complyant with and conforming to the will of God Whereas a wicked man when he searches Scripture he hath something within him that rises up against the truths of God a carnal minde within him that is enmity to God which disputes the commands and quarrels with the truths of God ● A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Heathen that is What we learn that we may do while we do it we further learn it As knowledge must regulate our practise so our practise will promote and increase our knowledge of the Scripture VII The praying searcher that interchangeably reads and prays This the Wise-man directs unto Prov. 2. 4 5. If thou seekest her as silver and searchest for her as for hid treasures then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord c. This is an excellent way sure for as the Scriptures will afford us matter for our prayer so prayer will lead us into the knowledge of the Scriptures Searching scripture will enflame our zeal in prayer and prayer will promote and facilitate our study of Scripture Moses when the Ark set forward and when it rested again prayed devoutly as we may read Numb 10. 35 36. so when you set upon reading of the Scripture and when you rest from it do it with prayer S. Austin August prafat ad lib. de Doct. Christ hath two remarkable stories to this purpose One of Antonius the Hermite who was so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he could though he knew not one letter fully understand and by heart repeat the whole Bible the other of a certain servant converted from Heathenisme to Christianity Qui triduanis precibus obtinuit ut codicem oblatum stupentibus qui aderant legendo percurreret who by praying three daies obtain'd of God that he read through the Bible when offered him to the amazement of them that were present This was it the Apostle directs unto If any want wisedome let him ask it of God Jam. 1. 5. and David practised Psal 119. 18. Open thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous thing out of thy law God infuseth not knowledge into us by miracles immediately as into the Apostles but by the use of means compare Prov. 2. 4 6. The freeness of God in giving does not dismiss us from endeavouring for though faith is said to be the gift of God Ephes 2. 8. yet it is said also faith comes by preaching Rom. 10. 17. Prayer is the way to come by the spirit which discovers the depths and treasures of the Scriptures Luke 11. 13. Your heavenly father will give the holy spirit to them that ask him This is the onely key to unlock those rich cabinets wherein are contained those precious jewels of saving truth and knowledge VIII The believing searcher and indeed without the eye of faith we are like to do little good in searching the Gospel is an hidden thing saith the Apostle to them that perish 2 Cor. 4. 3. who those are you may see at vers 4. those who believe not They who come not with faith may search into the letter and historie of Scripture but not into the mystery and spirit of Scripture The Apostle tells us the Jews had a veil upon their hearts and their minds were blinded while Moses was read 2 Cor. 3. 14 15. viz. the veil of unbelief that they could not see through those ceremonies or those clearer prophesies which in the old Testament were made of Christ So there is still a veil of unbelief upon every natural mans heart which veil is done away in Christ ver 14. viz. by faith in him then God reveales himself to such God when he manifested himself to Moses put him into a rock Exod. 33. 22. and this wo●k resembled Christ God discovers himself and his minde to those who are in Christ by faith We have the minde of Christ saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 2. 16. that is we believers Scriptura peculiaris est filiorum Dei schola saith Calvin They are the onely good scholars who read the Scriptures with faith The Scriptures are able to make perfect the man of God in 2 Tim. 3. 17. The man of God Nihil hic faciet filius hujus seculi saith Musculus A carnal heart will hardly be a proficient here IX The Christian searcher He who searcheth Scripture that thereby he may come to know and enjoy Christ and indeed without this all is in vain The most curious exact learned searcher doth but search them to his own destruction if he doth not hereby come to a saving knowledge of Christ They testifie of me saith Christ and therefore or to this end that you may know me whom they testifie of Search In searching the Scriptures search that you may know me And this brancheth it self into two parts First No knowledge of Christ without the Scriptures The things that are seen may lead us to the invisible things of God that is his eternal God-head and power as it is in Rom. 1. 20. but these lead us not to the knowledge of Christ Secondly The whole Scripture gives us a full testimony and discoverie of Christ more darkly in the Old more expressely in the New Testament That testifies of Christ to come this of Christ as alreadie come this is but the fulfilling of that Our Saviour here sends these to the Old Testament in which they were exactly versed so as Joscphus cont Appion l. 2. Josephus

built up in the holy faith strenghned in the truth quickned in holiness and in a word through faith be brought unto salvation as is intimated in that of our Saviour John 20. 31. These things are written that you might believe and that believing you might have life But a little more particularly these are concerned in the search of Scripture 1. Those that are ignorant to be informed and inlightned This is one use of Scripture to be profitable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for instruction 2. Tim. 3. 16. and the Apostle elsewhere tells us that whatsoever was written afore was written for our learning Rom. 15. 4. and this is it for which David so much extols the Law and word of God both in Psal 19. and 119. so frequently confessing that by these commandments he was made wiser then his enemies verse 98. that he had more understanding then his teachers verse 99. and so in many other particulars 2. The more learned and knowing Christians to be quickned and established None are so learned but may be scholars in the school of Christ none but may be further informed or by oft searching the Scripture be more strengthned and confirmed Desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby saith the Apostle 1 Pet. 2. 2. Grow in grace and grow in knowledge 2 Pet. 3. 18. The word of God is not only seed to beget Christians but milk to strengthen and nourish them The want of the word is compared to a famine Amos 8. 11. In a famine when men have not a daily and constant supply of bread the strength and activity of their bodies decay and languish so will it be in the soul without a daily supply of this Manna this bread which comes down from heaven the Scriptures or word of God there will be a decay in knowledge and a languishing in our graces The most knowing Christian must search the Scripture to have his affections to Gospel-mysteries quickned and enflamed his faith established and his memorie quickned what the Apostle saith of his writing to the Philippians Phil. 3. 1. To write the same things for you it is safe and no less safe for the most knowing Christian still to be reading the same things again and again 3. Those that are distressed Christians to be comforted It was one end of writing the Scripture that we through patience of the Scripture might have hope Rom. 15. 4. and therefore must be one end of our searching them and David by experience found this true in Psal 19. 8. where he saies The statutes of the Lord are right rejoycing the heart and very frequently in Psal 119. as that the word was his comfort in his affliction verse 50. that Gods statutes were his songs in the house of his pilgrimage verse 54. that the law was his delight verse 92. and so in many other places much to the same effect And indeed here may we meet with supporting comforts suitable to every condition Here are examples of the patience and comforts of the Saints in the like cases Art thou in want and povertie Consider Daniel preferring his course fare of bread and water before the kings portion Dan. 1. Art thou under reproach and affliction for Christ Consider the Apostles rejoycing that they were counted worthy to suffer for Christ Acts 5. 4. Art thou called to the fiery trial Consider the three children untouched in the midst of the furnace Art thou despoiled of goods and children Consider Job upon the dunghil S. Chrysostom writing to Cyriacus the Bishop then in banishment tells him how he was comforted in the like case 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. If the Empress saith he will banish me let her Ch●ys ep 125. my comfort is the earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof If she will saw me asunder she may I fare no worse then the Prophet Isaiah If she will cast me into the sea I have the the example of Jonah If she will cast me into the fierie furnace so were the three children cast If she will cast me to wilde beasts so was Daniel cast into the den of lions c. Besides all these encouraging examples how many gracious promises are there upon record which are full breasts of consolation as it is in Isai 66. 11. a metaphor saith A Lapide upon that place taken from crying children who are quieted by the breast so are perplexed Consciences by the promises I have read of a woman that was much disquieted in conscience even to despair endeavouring to be her own executioner but was comforted with that place Isai 57. 15. For thus saith the high and loftie one that inhabiteth eternitie whose name is holy I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of an humble and contrite spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones And of another man who being ready to dye Lord saith he I challenge thee by that promise Matth. 11. 28. Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavie laden and I will give you rest and so was comforted Here is a word of season to him that is weary as in Isai 50. 4. 4. The tempted Christian for strength against the onsets of Satan Here a Christian may meet with that armour by which he may quench the fierie darts of Satan Ephes 6. 17 David overcame Goliah with a stone out of the brook and Christ Satan not by his omnipotencie as he might but by a Scriptum est It is written If Satan assault thee this spiritual Goliah take one stone out of this brook a plain text of Scripture thou mayst conquer and triumph over him He enters the lists disarmed that is ignorant of the Scriptures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Chrysostom Doth Satan Chrysost Hom. ●n Coloss set upon thee by force Here is the spiritual panoply the whole armour of God especially the sword of the Spirit of which we may say as he of the sword of Goliah There is none like it Or doth he more cunningly endeavour to circumvent thee by his wiles and subtleties here thou mayst be so instructed that thou shalt not as the Apostle saith be ignorant of his devices 2 Cor. 2. 11. that so you may easily countermine his plots As he tempts to sin perhaps upon that suggestion that It is a little one but Scripture will tell thee Rom. 6. 23. The wages of sin that is of every sin and the least is death He bids thee Do what others do but the Scripture saith Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil Exod. 23. 2. He bids Put of thy repentance thou mayst repent afterward but the Scripture saith Esau found no place for repentance afterward although he sought it with tears He tells you You shall gain by sin but the Scripture tells you that this seeming gain will prove a real loss Matth. 16. 26. Or that these sins are full of pleasure but the Scripture

new Testament to which both Christ and the Apostles oft send Christians and blame them for their ignorance in them Luke 24. 25. Then he said unto them O fools and slow of heart to believe all that the Prophets have spoken c. Therefore it was the constant practise of Christ and his Apostles to assert their authoritie and confirm their doctrines by the old Testament as in the Text here and he grounds these Jews unbelief upon their not believing Moses verse 46 47 For had ye believed Moses ye would have believed me for he wrote of me But if ye believe not his writings how shall ye believe my words Where Christ confirms his doctrine by Moses who wrote of him This was the Apologie S. Paul made for himself and his doctrine in Acts 26. 22. So our Saviour proves the doctrine of the resurrection by Moses Matth. 22. 31. and the doctrine of his sufferings and resurrection Luke 24. 44 45. And the truth is much of Gospel-doctrine can neither be understood nor proved without the old Testament as that of the Israelites in 1 Cor. 10. 1 2 3 4. whence should Christians understand that but out of the historie of Moses of the Manna the cloud the sea and the rock and especially the epistle to the Hebrews without an exact knowledge of the legal sacrifices priesthood and the like and the lives of the Patriachs mentioned Heb. 11. VI. And lastly To convince the Jews of the truth of Christ our Messiah and satisfie Christians in their temptations concerning it as the fulfilling of the Prophesies the realizing of the Types concerning Christ This Apollos found to be the most convincing way to confute the Jews Acts 18. 28. And there is no other possible way to effect this for the New Testament they reject Reason is no competent judge and cannot fathom the depths and mysteries concerning Christ nor judge of the true Messiah nor can you convince them by the miracles of Christ for they deny them or else impute them to Beelzebub If we would convince them then we must build upon some Principles which they grant otherwise they deny the whole therefore the only way to convince them is to shew the conformitie and agreement of all Christs doings and sufferings to what the Prophets of old foretold of the true Messiah Which course our Saviour himself took to prove himself the true Messiah Luke 24. 44. and therefore the search of the old Testament is much conducible to the strengthning of our faith in Christ against the Jews For when we consider the exact Prophesies of the time of Christs coming Gen. 49. 10. and while the temple stood Hag. 2. 7. the place of his birth by Micah chap. 5. verse 2. born of a virgin Isai 7. 14. the miracles to be wrought by him Isai 35. 5 6. his passion and sufferings Isai 53. these are sufficient when we finde them so punctually fulfilled in Christ to strengthen our faith in him and to convince the Jews of their desperate unbelief therefore those who deny Christians the use of the old Testament rob them of their weapons whereby they should contend for the faith and fight against the enemies of Christ the Jews Fourthly The grounds of this search And these I shall reduce to these four heads I. The Scripture-fulness and sufficiencie and this is clear in the words of the Text In them you may have the knowledge of Christ and eternal life Where we may consider 1. It is a full and perfect foundation of faith as containing all things necessarie to be believed either expresly or by convincing and undeniable consequence So full and perfect it is that it needeth not to be eeked out with unwritten traditions or pretended enthusiasmes and revelations That tradition which brings down and conveys Scripture-truth to us through the successive ages of the Church we cannot cast out but acknowledge as an eminent instance and testimony of Gods Providence and in this sense the Church is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 3. 15. the pillar and ground of truth In sensu forensi c. Not that it contributes authority to them And in this sence S. Augustines Non credidissem may go for good and currant Divinitie because we could not have had them else So for revelation we acknowledge a spiritual revelation to understand which the Apostle prays for Ephes 1. 17. but any thing additional to Scripture-truth we reject as detracting from the wisdome of God and his revealed truth Observe we what the Apostle saith Gal. 1. 18. If we or an angel from heaven preach any other doctrine He does not say Contra against but praeter beside saies Paraeus Here is enough to bring you to salvation else S. John was out who tells us These things are written that you might believe and believing might have life John 20. 31. and if not sufficient we may say as the disciples Matth. 26. 8. To what purpose all this but when God himself sends us To the Law and to the Testimony Isai 8. 20. and Abraham sends the rich man's brethren to Moses and the Prophets Luke 16. 29. it intimates that here is enough which if known and practised is able to keep them out of hell 2. A full and perfect rule of righteousness No duty which can concern any man in any relations either to God or man but you may have full direction for it in the Scripture Those three words of the Apostle speak the whole duty of a Christian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 soberly righteously and godly Tit. 2. 11 12. When the Lawyer came to tempt our Saviour with that question What shall I do to inherit eternal life our Saviour sends him to the Scripture What is written in the law How readest thou Observe we what Wisdome saith Prov. 1. 9. My son if thou wilt receive my words and hide my commandments with thee shalt thou understand righteousness and judgement and equitie yea every good path Art thou a Magistrate Scripture tells thee how thou must rule in 2 Sam. 23. 3. He that ruleth over men must be just ruling in the fear of God Art thou a Father Scripture directs thee in that relation to thy children To bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord Ephes 6. 4. Art thou a childe Scripture tells thee how to carrie thy self in that relation Ephes 6. 1 2. Children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right c. Art thou a servent Scripture tells thee how to behave thy self in that condition Ephes 6. 5 6. Servants be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh c. Art thou a Master of a family Scripture shews thee how to behave thy self in that relation Ephes 6. 9. And ye Masters do ye the same things unto them forbearing threatning c. In a word here is direction for every Christian in every condition and relation in which the Scripture is able

so nor follow it without sin neither so that the obligation which an erroneous conscience lays upon a man is not to act contrary to it but he ought to get that false light extinguished and his conscience better informed and a true light set up from the word of God Notwithstanding this therefore and all other pretended lights or rules contrary to or besides this I shall close this argument with that of the Apostle Gal. 6. 16. As many as walk according to this rule Peace be on them and the Israel of God The second argument or ground for Scripture-search is Scripture plaineness and perspicuity It is the desire and plot of the Church of Rome to fasten an imputation of obscurity upon the Scripture that hereby she may with the more plausible pretence exalt Peters pretended successour in the infallible chair as an unerring interpreter and also discourage the people from reading them as perswading them that the treasure lies too deep for them to finde and therefore it is to no purpose for them to search but this is to bring a false report upon the Scripture as the spies did upon the land of Canaan All truths necessarie to salvation are plainly laid down in Scripture whence the Scripture is so oft compared to a light as in Psal 119. and Prov. 6. Indeed here we must distinguish between the mysteriousness and obscurity of the things revealed and the manner of the revelation Scripture-mysteries indeed are obscure and deep in which respect S. Peter observed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some things hard to be understood in S. Pauls epistles 2 Pet. 3. 16. but the revelation of these mysteries are plain to those that use the means as devout prayer serious meditation frequent reading and the like This is that which David saith Psal 119. 129. Thy testimonies are wonderfull there is the mystery but in verse 130. The entrance of thy word giveth light there is the perspicuity Some things are less plain ob futuritionem because they foretell things to come as Prophesies and some ob majestatem for the loftiness of them as to instance The mysterie of the Trinity is incomprehensible yet most plainly revealed in 1 John 5. 7. what greater mystery then for God to take flesh for a childe to be born of a virgin yet these most clearly revealed in Scripture 1 John 1. 14. and the other Luke 2. 6 7. Thus that which is obscurely insi●●ated in one place is clearly revealed in another at least in those things that be absolutely necessary to salvation for to this very end Nihil continetur fidei necessorii quod Scriptura per sensum literatem alicubi non manifest● tradit Aquin p. 1. q. 1. a. 10. it was written John 20. 31. Yet Scriptures are dark and obscure as to us 1. Because of our pride and though God be said to resist the proud yet he teaches the humble Psal 25. 9. 2. Because of mens unbelief 2 Cor. 4. 3. The Gospel is hid to them that are lost So that while men-are in a state of unregeneracy they are amidst all their acquired knowledge in the dark as to any true saving knowledge of Scripture-mysteries they have no relish of these things A carnal eye cannot see those things which eye hath hath not seen they being the things of the Spirit therefore Christ councels us to buy of him eye-salve Revel 3. 18. without which we can see but little The cloud was light to the Israelites but dark to the Egyptians so is the word of God light to the true Israelites that is believers but dark to unbelievers the dark side of the cloud is towards them who are conversant onely in the letter 3. Because of our weakness and infirmity The mysteries of the Gospel are profound our capacities but shallow we may say of them as the woman of Samaria said of Jacobs well John 4. It is deep and we have not to draw with 4. Because of our curiosity as not content to know onely what God hath revealed 5. Because of our idleness and carelessness in searching Difficultas non est ex re ipsa sed ex nostra oscitantia saies Paraeus He that rides post cannot take a map of the countrey he rides through so he that makes too much hast in reading the Scriptures cannot take an exact account of them To the best by reason of the remainders of their natural blindness it is not so plain as it is in it self therefore Scripture is more perspicuous to some then to others some are better scholars then others in this school according to the means of grace God hath bestowed upon them Ephes 4. 7. and according to the diversity of the Spirit working in opening their eyes but they who understand most have reason to say with the Apostle We know but in part 1 Cor. 13. 9. and to pray with David Psal 119. 18. Open thou mine eyes The use of this will be two-fold First Here we learn the unexcusableness of mens ignorance of Scripture Thou can'st not pretend that it doth not concern thee for Christ hath bidden thee search it nor yet make the obscurity of it a plea for all saving truths lies obvious and plain in it There is indeed strong meat for grown Christians but here is milk too for Babes in knowledge here are mysteries to exercise the acutest wits depths for the profoundest judgements but what may make thee wise to salvation is so plain that a man of the meanest capacitie may apprehend it therefore especially amidst so many means of knowing it as publick reading and preaching the ignorance of it in any is inexcusable Secondly Pray to God for the Spirit to be your teacher in these Gospel-mysteries that you may all be taught of God as it is in John 6. 45. Without this you will be in the dark and grope at noon-day The Sun is most perspicuous yet we cannot see it without its own light the things of the Spirit revealed in Scripture are clear and perspicuous in themselves but will not be so to us without the light of the Spirit There is indeed an external perspicuity of Scripture in the words this may be made out to the worst of men by the improvement of natural abilities and by accomplishment of Arts nay the devils may have a clear understanding of this but then there is an internal perspicuity of Scripture evidenced to the soul by the enlightning of the Spirit of God shining into the heart so irradiating the minde with a Divine light that it sees through the veil of the letter and discovers the mystery of the word This light conveys an experimental taste and a sweet relish of the truths of the word of God In a word the Scripture is plain though we want light to see it the Sun may shine though a blinde man cannot perceive it but now the Spirit brings a suitable light into the soul proportioned to these Scripture-truths which were indited and can onely be evidenced by

Scripture was to supply the defect of reason This consideration will yet be more valid if you consider whom God was pleased to make use of as instruments to convey these mysteries to us not an eloquent Tully profound Plato but Amos an Heardsman David a Shepheard Paul a Tent-maker and many of the Apostles poor fishermen men no waies enabled by acquired parts Moses indeed was learned in all the wisdome of the Egyptians Acts 7. 22. but there he could not learn the Law and Truths of God where Idolatry was so much overspread So Paul was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel but there he did not learn the mysteries of the Gospel but during that time he thought himself bound to blaspheme the truth and to persecute the Professours of the Gospel which himself afterwards preached Matthew a Publican made a Pen-man of the Scripture All which speak as the admirable wisdome and omnipotent power of Gods grace in conquering their hearts to a closing with the Gospel so Gods revealing these things unto them and in an extraordinary manner furnishing them and acting them by his Spirit to write the Scriptures 2. The exactness of Scripture-holiness such as you shall meet with in no humane writings faith purifying the heart working by love What exact patterns and examples does Scripture hold forth of Purity and Holiness Enoch walking with God Abraham the friend of God and David a man after Gods own heart What strict laws does it prescribe whereas Humane laws tolerate some sins this discovers the wages of the least sin to be death Rom. 6. 23. whereas other Religions are fitted with Fleshly liberties to gratifie mens corruptions witness Mahomet's Alcoran indulging a libertie to the flesh this commands those pieces of holiness which are most contrarie and repugnant to our natural corruptions such as self-denial taking up the cross c. It discovers Original sin and man by the guilt thereof liable to the challenge of God the censure of the law in the first moment of his being and that the least sin every idle word must be accounted for Matth. 12. 36. Had it been an Humane invention you shall have found the flesh gratified as all Religions in the world have some way or other to do it Non habent saith S. Augustin of Plato istae Paginae vultum pietatis hujus lachrymas confessionis sacrificium tuum spiritum contribulatum cor contritum nemo ibi cantat Nonne Deo subdita erit anima mea that is All the Heathen Philosophie hath not so much as a shew of this piety the tears of a broken heart and a contrite spirit which is thy sacrifice no man here crys out with David Let all that is within me praise his holy name Psal 103. 1. The principles of moralitie might deck and granish the outward man but Scripture holiness onely repairs and renews the soul commands the very thoughts and curbs the very first irregular motions of the heart In a word this onely transforms the soul into the image of God from glorie to glorie by the Spirit 2 Cor. 3. 18. 3. The excellency of Gospel-promises such as Philosophers never hinted such as the apprehensions of man cannot comprehend now they are revealed much less could they imagine or invent It would be infinite to enlarge I shall therefore instance but in two Ease to troubled wearied souls Nemo ibi audit Venite ad me qui laboratis saith S. Augustine speaking of the writings of Philosophers He could not among all the Platonick Philosophers finde such an expression so comfortable a promise as this Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden No sanctuary for troubled souls but the bloud of Christ which this Scripture onely discovers Isai 40. 1 2. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem c. And another Promise in Isai 43. 2. I will be with thee when thou passest through the fire and through the water not such a Promise in all the writings of men a Promise of Gods gracious presence here and then the Promise of eternal rest in another world The Heathens might dream of an Elysium Mahomet promise a confluence of sensual carnal delights in green meadows to his followers but an happiness made up of an eternal enjoying God by vision and love is a thing their reason could never reach but must certainly be a Divine Revelation as being that which Eye hath not seen ear hath not heard nor can enter into the heart of man to conceive of 4. The nature and event of Scripture prophesies which are such as the eye of omniscience onely can reach as being beyond the foresight of the most perfect creature Moses foretold the seed of the woman should break the serpents head much above three thousand years er'e it was accomplished So Jacobs prophesie of the coming of Shiloh upon the departure of the Scepter from Judah Gen. 49. fell out accordingly a little before Christs birth when the Jews were subjected to the power of the Romans Thus all the Prophets foretelling the calling of the Gentiles a thing so strange that when accomplished many did not understand it and more were offended at it Isaiah prophesied the captivitie and destruction of Jerusalem even then when the kingdome was in a flourishing condition both which afterward fell out Thus Josiah's name and actions were foretold three hundred years before his birth 1 Kings 13. 2. and Cyrus's an hundred years before his birth Isai 45. 1 2. c. And what doth all this speak but a Divine revelation Man may see some things future as they are in their causes but to foretel such future events as are merely dependant upon the Divine will such as these are is onely proper to God Testimonium divinitatis veritas divinationis saies Tertullian The certainty of foretelling is a sure Testimony of Divinity And so we finde that in Isai 41. 22 23. the foretelling such futurities is made a distinction of the true God from all false ones 5. Consider how these Scriptures have gained authority and acceptance from the world by quite contrary means to other writings not by sinfull compliances with the humours and lusts of men which hath much promoted the Alcoran of Mahomet for these it impartially and severely taxes and condemns not insinuated into mens mindes by the pomp and pleasantness of Rhetorick no adornings with the flowers of Rhetorick to make them seem gratefull to the world but by a plain stile and homely expression It gains acceptance by the mysteriousness of the things more then eloquence of the stile so the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 2. 4. My speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of mans wisdome but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power It is the custome of men to slatter Great ones by a complemental dedication and thereby to gain honour and repute to their writings but observe the dedications of the Scriptures they are to the poor condemned scattered Saints at Corinth and elsewhere so 1 Pet. 1. 1.

dangerous But because many things may be pretended for the neglect hereof I shall remove a scruple or two First Object Say some I am unlearned I cannot search into it Answ To this I answer I wish thou wert learned and able to read they self but then know thou oughtest so much the more carefully to attend and conscienciously wait upon the publick reading of the Scripture in these publick assemblies This hath been the constant practise of the Church in all ages as is evident partly in Luke 4 16 17. and partly in Acts 13. 15. where you see in both places it was the usual custome to have the Scriptures read in their publick assemblies and after reading followed preaching The ground whereof was surely as to preserve the purity of Scripture-doctrine in the Church that the people hearing the word so frequently read might not be imposed upon by errour or delusions of men so also for the profit advantage and edification of those who cannot read or search the Scriptures and that the preaching of the word might come with more light and power upon their hearts If you cannot read your selves get others to read unto you and be you so much the more in prayer and meditation Second Object I have so much employment in the world that I have no leisure to search the Scriptures If I should privately search Scripture and attend frequently upon the preaching of the word it would set me behinde hand in the world and hinder my thriving Answ I answer This is much what the Apologie that those made who pretended their farms and oxen as an excuse for not coming unto the wedding Matth. 22. But Christians break through your worldly employments prefer God before the world and your souls before your bodies an act of Religion before all worldly business and believe it you will be no losers by it God will succeed and bless your labours more Never was any man a loser by his Religion See what God promised to the lews Exod. 34. 24. that He would secure their land for them while they went up to Jerusalem to worship the Lord. And what our Saviour said to the Disciples Luke 22. 35. When I sent you out without purse and scrip and shoes lacked ye anything Thou pretendest no leisure the truth is Non parùm temporis habemus sed multùm perdimus saies Seneca Yes we have time enough but we loose too much of it Thou hast no leisure for this but Art thou at leisure for thy pleasures and not for Religion for the world and not for God for shame cheat not your own souls with such vain pretences but as thou desirest the knowledge of Christ here and the enjoyment of Christ hereafter be consciencious in this duty of Searching the Scriptures Use Third It reproves those who believe not this truth that the Scripture is the word of God But you will say This concerns not us Go charge the Turks and Indians with this No my Brethren many of our selves here are guilty of this for though mens mouths profess it yet their hearts deny it as the Apostle speaks of some In words they profess God but in works they deny him Tit. 1. 16. Did men really believe the corruptions of their natures and their constant liableness unto wrath would there be so much pride so much confidence in sin Did men really believe that of every idle word they must give an account would there be so much idle frothy ungodly profane lascivious talking and discourse Did men believe the Apostle Gal. 5. 19 20 21. that all those vices there rehearsed were the works of the flesh would those sins so much abound Did men believe that they who did no wrong to their neighbour should enter into and dwell in the Tabernacle of God Psal 15. 1 5. would there be so much oppression and extortion Did men believe that God will come in flaming fire to render vengeance upon all them that know not God and obey not his Gospel as in 2 Thess 1. 8. would there be such a contented wilfull ignorance of God Truth where it is effectually entertained will have an influence upon the life How do most men hold Gospel-truth in unrighteousness as the Apostle saies the Gentiles did the light of nature Rom. 1. 18. so these with-hold Gospel-truths for certainly wickedness in the life speaks an ineffectual entertainment of the truth Use Fourth It condemns those who do not value and prize the Scripture How did the Heathens prize their Oracles yet the generalitie of Christians do not prize these Oracles of God as the Apostle calls them Rom. 3. 2. Three things there are that make this out unto us 1. Mens wilfull and contented ignorance of Scripture What things we prize we search into How does the Scholar pry and search into those notions he affects and values So would men do if they did value and prize the word aright but the contrarie to this rather is evident by their language Depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways Job 21. 14. II. Mens weariness in searching the Scripture What things we prize in the search of them we finde delight but how are men tyred at a Sermon or Sabbath in which the Scriptures are read Is not the language of those Israelites in Amos 8. 5. the language of too many among us When will the Sabbath be ended c. Men are sooner weary of this then any other III. Mens seldom discoursing of Scripture As they said to Peter in another case Matth. 26. 73. Thy speech bewrayeth thee so mens speeches bewray their want of affections to the Scriptures The Scholar upon every occasion is discoursing of those notions which he prizeth but men are far more wise to discourse of the world then of heaven and heavenly things Use Fifth Of exhortation That you would endeavour to get your faith well grounded in this fundamental truth that neither Satan tempt you nor men dispute you out of it for till then I. Your faith will be uncertain and weak as a building without a foundation as a ship without ballast or anchor soon tossed and ship-wrackt and this we may think is the cause of most mens Apostacie in these declining times II. Your lives will be but loose If you be not throughly convinced of your dutie of walking by Scripture-rule you will walk at uncertainties and so amiss III. Your comforts weak if not grounded on Scripture-promises This is one main reason why mens comforts ebb and flow so much they are not grounded on a sure belief of Scripture and if once your faith in this truth waver the foundation of your comfort must needs be shaken For the attaining whereof I can give you no better direction then that you Pray earnestly for the Spirit that he would please I. To open the eyes of your minde illightning and irradiating the understanding to see those arguments and evidences of this truth which lie in the Scriptures So S. John tells us I John 2. 26. These things have I written unto you that no man seduce you And without this all other arguments will be ineffectual to the begetting of a saving and through belief of this truth As Agar when her eyes were opened saw a well of water Gen. 21. 19. so there are arguments to evince this truth sufficient in the Scriptures but they will never be brought home to the soul with a full conviction till the Spirit open our eyes to see them for this is one end why the Spirit of God is given to us and received of us that we may know the things that are freely given unto us by the Spirit of God as in I Cor. 2. 12. 2. To remove that natural enmitie and prejudice that we have against an effectual assent to the Gospel and so sanctifie our hearts as to make it close with and heartily embrace it as the truth and word of God Truth resists our corruptions and they it What is the great Gospel truth but Christ his coming to undertake as our Jesus this we cannot savingly assent unto but by the Spirit as in I Cor 12. 3. No man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Spirit Corruption fills the soul with prejudices against the truth The Philosopher observes that the Mathematicks though abstruse in themselves are sooner learnt by a young man dissolute and that hath not tamed his passions then morality because those being mere speculations bring no oppositions to his lusts which the precepts of morality curb and restrain So mens corruptions and unsubdued lusts prejudice the soul against the belief of Gospel-truth which the sanctifying work of the Spirit doth subdue and remove and so disposes the soul for the entertainment of the truth of the Gospel as we see in S. Paul who having his lusts subdued once came to preach that Gospel which before he had persecuted FINIS