things to them but the Ministers of God are bound to preach so as they may discover mens particular sinnes not so as people may point one at another but so as every conscience may feele its owne sinnes Thirdly particulars are most sensible If the Minister preach home in particular there is not a false heart then in the congregation but he will finde it out if he preach in particular he will discover every mans corruption â—ling wilde-fire in every wicked mans face and throw balme of comfort into every godly troubled spirit As King James saide well of a reverend Prelate of this Land Me thinkes this man preacheth of death as ifâ— death were at my backe so should Ministers preach as if Heaven were at mens backes or as if hell were at mens backes When he preacheth of mens sinnes and corruptions he must preach so that their consciences may see that the word of God lookes into the very thoughts and hearts when he preacheth of the wrath of God and of condemnation c. he must preach so that the conscience may feele even the fire of hell flaming in it this is the way to teach the people the good knowledge of the Lord as it is called 2 Chron. 30. 22. every Minister may teach the knowledge of the Lord but not the good knowledge of the Lord. There is great difference betweene teaching of the knowledge and of the good knowledge of the Lord. Men may know God and his word and their sinnes but if they goe on in their sins it is not good knowledge then indeede a Minister teacheth good knowledge when he makes his people so to know sinne as to loath it and to come out of it so to know repentance as to repent indeed Secondly Discrimination As if he should say there are some that are in him and some that are not in him if any man say he abideth in him he ought himselfe to walk even as he walked so that here the Apostle would put a difference betweene the sound and the rotten-hearted in his congregation Hence observe this point That every Doct. 2 Minister is bound to preach so as to make a difference betweene the precious and the vile Saint John preached so as that his hearers might say the Spirit of Christ is in me or the Spirit of Christ is not in me that themselves might know whether indeede they were true members of Christ or but hypocrites This is the duty of Ministers Ezek. 44. 23. They shall teach my people the difference betweene the holy and prophane and cause men to discerne betweene the cleane and uncleane Here is two things First they shall teach them the difference betweene the holy and prophane Secondly they shall not onely shew it before them but if they will not see it they shall cause them to see it that is they must beate it into them and rubbe it into their consciences it may be when men may see they will not then he must make them to see If there be any prophane person any lukewarme or dead-hearted professor or close hypocrite in the congregation the Minister must make him see his prophanesse his deadnes and hypocrisie in Gods worshippe or if there be any godly soule or broken heart the Minister must make them to see that they have a broken heart First reason because else a man defiles the Reas 1 pulpit and prophanes the holy things of God Ezech. 22. 26. Her Preists have violated my law and prophaned my holy things they have put no difference betweene the holy and prophane neither have they shewed difference betweene the cleane and uncleane Those Ministers prophane the holy place of God when they make not mens consciences know which is holy and prophane when prophane persons may come and goe from Church and have not their prophanesse discovered to them a drunkard a swearer c and hath not his sinnes laide open to him Is there any prophane person here that hath not an arrow shot into his heart but he can goe away and not take any comfort from the Sermon these men prophane the holy things of God When God gave Benhadad into the hands of Ahab and Ahab spared him and let him goe 1 King 20. the Prophet tells Ahab ver 42 Thus sayth the Lord because thou hast let goe a man whom I appointed to utter destruction therefore thy life shall goe for his life c so if there be any Minister over any congregation in which there is any drunkard any swearer or whoremaster or worldling or lukewarmeling or any other that lives in such sinnes which God hath appointed and decreed to eternall destruction in hell if we tell them not their sins and make their consciences feele them then our life shall goe for their life our soule for their soule for we might have given them such a wound as might have beene a meanes to have cured their soule Secondly We are not the Ministers of Reas 2 Christ if we preach not so as that men may know that they are not converted if they are not c. God sayth to the Prophet Jeremiah if thou take forth the precious from the vile thou shalt be as my mouth Jer. 15. 19. Jeremiah could not be Gods mouth to the people unlesse he would divide betweene the precious and the vile Vnlesse Ministers preach so as to make the consciences of their hearers feele in what state they live in they may be Ministers of Sathan Idoll shepheards but they are not the Ministers of Christ Thirdly because otherwise they can doe Reas 3 no good Ezek. 34. 17. and as for you O my flocke thus sayth the Lord God behold I will judge betweene cattell and cattell c. as if he should say woe unto the shepheards will they not preach so as to make a difference betweene cattell and cattell woe unto the Preists will they not preach so as to feede my flocke I will require my flocke at their hands and now sayth God will not the shepheards of my people doe it I will now doe it my selfe I will convert those that are to be converted c. I will feede and provide for my flocke my selfe Austin notes that after that Peter had smote off Malchus his eare Peter came to be a shepheard and an Apostle of Christ after Paul had persecuted the Church he came to be a Preacher and an Apostle of Christ so after Moses had killed the Egyptian God made him the Captaine and Deliverer of his people Austin observes from this that God appoints none for his Ministers but Smiters such as be men of blows men that will smite men home to the heart men that will wound the consciences of their hearers This I speake that you may not be offended at the Ministers of Christ when they apply the word of God to your severall consciences and whensoever you have the truth of Christ preached to your soules let your hearts make use of it for if thou apply not
the word of God to thy soule as it is preached thou art guilty of thine owne bloud If you apply not the word you put off the word of God and then what sayth the Apostle Acts. 13. 46. It was necessary that the word of God should first have beene spoken to you but seeing you put it farre from you and judge your selves unworthy of everlasting life c. Yoâ— that have heard the word of God apply it to your soules it is a blessed plaister let it lie on your soules goe home and say Lord I have beene told of this and that sinne of my pride hypocrisie deadnes and distraction in thy worshippe and service c. I see they are against thy will and thou commandest mee to come out of them and to leave them Lord I beseech thee inable mee to leave them all so Lord I have beene told this day of such and such graces which thou hast commanded mee for to have of such and such dutyes that thou wouldest have mee to take up and performe Lord subject my heart to the power of grace and to every commandement of thy word Take heede if thou doest put off the word of God or any tittle of the word and wilt not walke according to the same thou puttest off eternall life from thy selfe Doe therefore as Gods people did who when Moses had preached the Law and Will of God to them it is sayd Exod. 12. 50. Thus did all the Children of Israell as the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron so did they So doe you goe home and apply the word to your soules it was spoken for your good make use of it and the Lord be with you Thirdly Scrutiny it is not onely an outward word but a word of the heart if any man say that is if any man thinke that he is in Christ he ought to walke as Christ did Hence we might observe That a Minister is bound to preach to mens thoughts But time cuts us off FINIS THE ENMITIE OF The Wicked to the light of the GOSPELL JOHN 3. VER 20. For every man that doth evill hateth the light neither cometh he to the light least his deeds should be reproved THis is part of Christ his parly with Nicodemus concerning regeneration wherein our Saviour doth declare foure main points The first is Mans naturall estate and condition without Christ It is impossible that ever he should be saved that ever he should get grace or come within the list of eternall life Christ sayth it and bindeth it with an oath ver 3. Verely verely I say unto thee except a man be borne againe he cannot see the Kingdome of God much lesse inherit it Secondly here is Gods gracious provision which he hath taken with the world that though man were in a way of damnation invincibly yet now he is put in a way of probability of salvation ver 16. though he were unsalvable by nature yet now he is salvable by Christ Thirdly here is a generall proclamation upon the condition of fayth that this salvability may be attained if a man beleeve In the same verse God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Sonne that whosoever beleeveth in him c. It is a condition of faith put to all none excepted Whosoever he be that beleeveth in Christ he shall be saved Fourthly here is the reprobation of the world he that beleeveth not is condemned already The cause whereof cannot be cast on Christ for God hath not sent his Son to condemne the world but that the world thorough him might be saved It was Christs primary purpose and the first end of his coming to save the world it is an accidentall end or rather an event of his coming that the world is condemned Christ is not the cause of it he is not the efficient cause for he is a Saviour nor the deficient cause for he is a sufficient Saviour That the cause of their condemnation is from themselves and not from Christ is proved by three arguments First from their owne consciences he that beleeveth not is condemned already He cannot here speake of the condemnation of hell for he is not in hell already But he speaks of an apprehensiall condemnation in their owne consciences as Chrysostome observes he meanes the condemnation of their owne consciences he that beleeves not his conscience tells him that it is his fault that he beleeveth not though it be not in his power to beleeve yet God hath gone so farre he hath so farre strugled with mens consciences that there is no default on his part They cannot excuse themselves saying I have no power to beleeve their owne consciences will tell them that God hath knocked at their hearts and offered them power to beleeve but they rejected it They cannot say I know not how to beleeve his owne conscience will tell him that God hath offered instruction to him whereby he might have beene taught but that he refused it so that he that beleeves not is condemned already his own conscience riseth within him and tells him that it is his owne fault that he doth not Secondly it is proved by experience experience shews that men are the cause of their owne condemnation ver 19. This is the condeâ— nation that light is come into the world but men loved darkenesse rather then light the meaning of it is this This is the cause of condemnation to the world not Gods predestination not their fatall destiny not their breach of the first covenant nor any other impiety but this sinne of Infidelity If the world stood guilty of never so many sinnes yet if it did beleeve in the Lord. Jesus it should be saved So that it is not all the other sinnes that a man commits that damnes him but his infidelity that that layes all his former sinnes that ever he committed upon him here is condemnation that though light be come into the world to pull men out of their darkenesse and sinnes yea though Christ though grace come to them yet they will not come out of their sinnes men will not have Christ men will not have grace men love darkenesse rather then light Thirdly It is proved by reason ver 6. the verse now read unto you For every man that doth evill hateth the light neither cometh to the light least his deedes should be reproved It is a strong argument to prove that if men be damned themselves are the cause of it for if light come into the world to instruct men if Christ come into the world to plucke men out of their sinnes if Christ come with his bloud and spirit to cleanse and sanctifie men and men will not be sanctified Then if they perish in their sins they are justly guiltie of their owne condemnation The words comprehend in them two things First the wickeds rejection of the word of grace which is set forth both positively he hates the light and then privatively or rather negatively neither commeth to the
Answ It is spoken Hyperbolically to declare the great misery the creatures are into serve sinfull man p. 76. 2. Analogically in regard of a naturall instinct of blind reason that is in all the creatures ibid. 3. It is spoken by way of supposition if they had reason they would groane p. 77. 4. Intelligently because a man cannot wrong the creature but he wrongs God in the creature p. 78. 5. Specifically because the Godly come before God in the behalfe of all the creatures and mourne for the abuse of the creatures p. 79. Foure Reasons why the creatures groane 1. Because they are distracted in their service p. 80. 2. Because of the unprofitablenesse of their service p. 82. 3. Because of the uncessantnesse of their service p. 83. 4. Because of that misery and woe the creatures lye under p. 84. Every creature hath 1. A specificall end p. 85. 2. An ultimate end ibid. A wicked man hath no true right unto the creature p. 86. But he hath 1. A civill right ibid. 2. A providentiall right ibid. 3. A vindicative right p. 87. 4. A Creatures right as he is a creature ib. But he hath no filiall right no son-like right in Christ p. 89. Use To shew that wicked men have little cause to be merry at any time because there is nothing neare them but groaneth under them p. 90. All creatures groane to God for vengeance to be powred upon the wicked p. 92. And these groanes are 1. Upbraiding groanes p. 95. 2. Witnessing groanes p. 96. 3. Accusing groanes p. 100. 4. Judging and condemning groanes ibid. Use For exhortation 1. To take heed how we doe abuse the Creatures of God p. 101. 2. Take heed of sinning against God by the Creatures ibid. 3. Take heed of setting thy heart upon the Creature p. 102. 4. Use all the Creatures in humility and thankfulnesse p. 102. 5. Use the Creatures as so many Ladders to help thee to climb up towards Heaven p. 103. The Contents of that Sermon 1 JOHN 2. 6. THE opening of the words in foure particulars p. 108. Doct. A true Christian walks as Christ walked p. 109. A man must first be in Christ before he can walk as Christ walked p. 110. Object Can any man walk as Christ walked p. 111. Answ None can walk as Christ walked in regard of equality but in regard of similitude they may p. 111. The life of Christ should be the Example of our life p. 112. Christ came into the World to redeeme us for our justification and to be an example of life unto us for our sanctification p. 114. This Question answered viz. What it is to walke as Christ walked p. 116. Foure Reasons of the point 1. Because as Christ came into the World to justifie the ungodly so he came to conforme them to his image p. 117. 2. Because in vaine we are called Christians if we be not imitators of Christ and live as he lived p. 119. 3. Because all that are in Christ are Members of his body therefore they must have the same life and be quickned by the same Spirit p. 121. 4. Because of that neere relation that is betwixt Christ and every one of his Members p. 123. 1. Use To shew that all men that live not the life of Christ doe blaspheme the name of Christ p. 127. Of all sinnes under Heaven God cannot endure the sins of them that take the name of Christ upon them p. 198. Doct Every Minister is bound to preach home to men in particulars p. 132. 3. Reas 1. Particulars are most operative p. 133. 2. Particulars are most distinct and most powerfull p. 135. 3. Particulars are most sensible p. 137. Doct Every Minister is bound to preach so as to make a difference betwixt the pretious and the vile p. 138. Reas 1. Because otherwise a Minister prophanes the holy things of God p. 139. 2. Otherwise he cannot be the Minister of Christ p. 141. 3. Otherwise he is like to doe no good by his Ministery ibid. The Contents of that Sermon on JOHN 3. 20. THE Context opened in foure particulars 1. What mans naturall estate and condition is without Christ p. 145. 2. Gods gracious provision for mans salvation p. 146. 3. The condition required viz. Faith ibid. 4. The reprobation of the World if they doe not believe ibid. But Christ is neither the efficient nor deficient cause thereof ibid. But the cause of their damnation is from themselves proved 1 By their owne conscience p. 147. 2 By experience p. 148. 3. By Reason p. 149. In the words are two parts 1. The wickeds rejection of the word of grace ibid. 2. The cause of that rejection ib. viz. 1. First from the qualification of their persons 2. From the disposition of their nature ib. Doct A wicked man hates the word of Gods grace yea grace it selfe p. 150. This hatred is 1. An actuall hatred ibid. 2. It is a passion of the heart p. 151. 3. It causeth the heart to rise up against an union with the word p. 153. This union of the word is set in opposition 1. To generall preaching p. 154. 2. To mercifull preaching p. 155. 3. To now and then preaching p. 156. to p. 160. If the World doe not hate a righteous man it is either 1. Because he is a great man p. 160. 2. Because he is a man of admirable wit â—nd knowledge iâ—id 3. Or because God gives him favour in the eyes of the World ib. 4. This hatred causeth the heart to ris e against that which is repugnant to its lusts p. 162. A wicked man may love 3 kinds of preaching 1. Eloquent preaching that savours more of humanity then of Divinity ib. 2. Impertinent preaching p. 163. 3. Now and then some preaching to satisfie the cravings of his conscience p. 164. Reas 1. A wicked man hates the word because he hates all truth even the very being of the word p. 165. 2. Because he hates the very nature of the word p. 167. 3. Because he cannot endure the knowledge of the word p. 169. All naturall men hate the word 1. Because no entreaties no beseeches can possibly reconcile them p. 171. 2. Because neither mony nor price can make them friends p. 175. 3. Because all the love in the World cannot unite them together p. 176. 4. Because neither the love of God nor the bloud of Christ will soder them together p. 177. Every naturall man had rather be damned then leave his sinnes rather goe to Hell then be a new creature p. 178. The contents of that Sermon on ESAY 42. 24. THE words contain five things 1. The Author of the destruction p. 185. 2. The causes of it ibid. 3. The judgement it selfe p. 186. 4. The people on whom it was inflicted ibid. 5. The effects of it p. 187. 1. Doct. God is the Author of all judgement that befalls a Nation ibid. 1. Use For comfort to Gods children seeing God is the Orderer of all events p.
this preaching any longer Secondly in opposition to mercifull Preaing A wicked man loves mercifull Preaching why it takes no union with his heart it is like a Plaister that will never sticke A mercifull Sermon can never sticke on a prophane heart it is likened to a greasie paper that will never fasten so mercifull Sermons they will never fasten on his heart they cannot take away his sinnes from him Ahab he loved his foure hundred meale-mouthed mercifull Preachers well enough but when Micaiah came to him O I hate him for he never Prophesieth good unto me but evill he is alwayes upon hell-strings he is alwayes preaching judgement unto me I cannot claw off one of his Sermons in a month scarse I cannot catch hold on any of his Points to comfort my heart there is not one sentence in all his Sermons to refresh my conscience he never prophesieth good unto me but evill I hate him When a Minister comes to the conscience of a man and tells him this is the truth of God and this is thy sinne and damnation and makes his Sermons sticke as a burre on his conscience and as an arrow shot into his bowells his heart risith against it and hee cannot endure it Thirdly in opposition to Preaching when the Minister is dead A wicked man loves the word when he that preacheth it is dead Why then there is none to urge a union of the Word with his conscience A wicked man loves to read Saint Paul Saint Peter and Saint John c. why these men are not alive to urge a union of the word with their consciences but if Saint Paul or Saint Peter c. were alive to tell them if this be the word of God then thou art a damned man if thou doest not obey it if this be a grace then thou art a cursed man if thou have it not if these men were alive now their Sermons would cut to the quicke So when the Ministers are dead men love to buy their bookes and to read their Sermons Now Master Perkins is dead all the world honours him and men buy up his bookes but when he was alive the drunkards made ballads of him and profane Belials would make songs of him why they could not endure this union of the word If the Minister be by he cannot be drunke but the Minister will preach condemnation to him for it if he repent not he cannot sweare or lie or deceive but the Minister will tell him that this will be a core to his conscience another day Men cannot endure this Saint Paul and Saint Peter c being dead they like well enough but if they were alive they would hate them why they cannot endure an union with the word This was the religion of the Scribes and Pharisees Math. 23. 29 30. they built the tombes of the Prophets and garnished the Sepulchers of the righteous and said if they had lived in the dayes of their fathers they would not have bin partakers with them in the bloud of the Prophets You are the children of those men that killed the Prophets sayth Christ ver 31. Are not you the children of those men doe not you doe those sinnes which the Prophets cried out against and for which the Prophets denounced such fearefull judgements upon them I tell you if the Prophets were now alive they would crie hell and damnation to you if the Prophets were now alive and did see those sinnes you commit they would denounce woe and vengeance to you as they did to their fathers Oh saith one if I had lived in the Jewes time I would never have opposed Christ and his Apostles I would have kissed the very ground that they trod on then wretch why doest thou not doe that which these men preached looke in the writings of these holy men of Paul of Peter c. Dost thou doe that which Paul and Peter have wrote thou shouldest doe doest thou look in their writings and not obey what they have wrote I tell thee if Peter and Paul were alive they would tell thee thou shouldest be damned if thou repentest not if John and James were alive they would tell thee that the wrath of God will take hold on thee if thou yeeld not obedience to that word they preached to thee If Paul were alive he should have many a Tertullus to oppose him if John were alive he should have many a Herod to imprison him if Amos were alive he should have many an Amaziah to banish him and to silence him but now they are dead men can like them well enough A righteous man in the way is an abomination to the wicked Prov. 29. 27. he doth not say an upright man when he is dead â—s an abomination to the wicked for when he is dead they may praise him and love him and love to have his picture amongst them then they will speake well of him and commend him I speake that because I would not be misconstrued Let a man be a godly man indeed a Saint indeed as long as he lives the men of the world will hate him I have chosen you out of the world saith Christ and therefore the world hates you c. It hath beene an old haunt and custome of the world to hate and maligne the righteous to reproach them to call them Puritans c though very heathens have acknowledged that there is no religion without purity Cicero Horace and others describing a man that is religious say that he is an intire man a man pure from sinne If any man will not beleeve it let him trie it let him be holy and gratious and shew forth the power of religion in his life let him contemne the world c. and see whether wicked men will not hate him reproach and disgrace him what they can not as if a godly man could not be godly and religious unlesse he be hated and reproached by the world for it may be First when a man that is truly religious and godly is a great man and all the Countrey are loth to lose his favour or to purchase his ili will then he may be free from hate and reproach Secondly when he is a man of admirable witte and knowledge that the world admires him for his learning and for his understanding and for his parts such a one men will rather admire then revile Thirdly it may so be that God may give a godly man favour in the eyes of the world howsoever the world would hate and reproach them yet God may so strike their consciences that they cannot doe it Otherwise a godly man especially if he be such a one by whose godlinesse and purity a wicked man is judged and condemned in his conscience for his ungodlinesse and prophanesse the wicked will hate him Lastly I put it in opposition to now and then preaching a wicked man loves preaching though never so sharpe and terrible so it come but now and then if the Minister preach never so
119. 2. Use For terrour to the wicked that God whom they hate shall be their judge p. 190. 3. Use To learne in all calamities to looke up unto God p. 191. 2. Doct. Sinne and disobedience against the Law of God is that which brings downe punishments and judgements upon a Nation Church or People ibid. Use 1. To discover the weaknesse of our Land in what a poore condition it is by reason of sinne p. 193. 2. To shew who be the greatest Traytors to a Kingdome p. 194. 3. To teach all of us to set hand and heart Prayers and tears a worke against sinne p. 195. Especially it concernes those that are in places of Authority p. 197. 3. Doct. The Lord often times brings fearfull and unavoydable judgements and punishments upon his owne professing people p. 200. Foure signes of Judgement a comming 1. When the Ministers of God with one voyce foretell judgements to come p. 202. 2. When sinnes of all sorts doe abound ib. 3. When the Divell and wicked men cast in bones of dissention p. 203. 4. When all mens hearts begin to faile p. 204 Three Directions what is to be done in such times 1. Let us shake off the love of all things here below p. 206. 2. Let us lay our heads upon the block and be willing that God should doe what he will with us p. 208. 3. Let us pray and cry mightily to God before we dye even all the time we have to live for mercy peace and truth ibid. The Church of England like the ship of Jonah p. 209. The Authors Admonition to the People ib. p. 210. c. More then ordinary Faith requisite for these times of danger p. 211. 212. c. A DISCOURSE OF the nature of prevalent Prayer together with some helps against discouragements in Prayer LAMENT 3. VER 57. Thou drewest neare in the day that I called upon thee thou saidst feare not THis Book of the Lamentations doth plainely shew what miseries and distresses sinne is the cause of Now this people of the Jewes because of their Idolatries their contempt of Gods Ordinances their slighting and misusing the Prophets c. Their Cities were taken the Temple burned their liberties confiscated themselves banished out of their countrey and deprived of the ordinances of their God and the signes of his presence before they were rebellious but now they sought God a long time they prayed but God would not heare In so much that many poore soules amongst them were discouraged and almost ready to despaire That had not the Lord put in some incklings of hope they had utterly fainted Now whilst these poore soules were praying and crying and groaning and now ready to give over for discouragement that God will not hear them presently the Lord flings in comfort and beckens to their hearts not to be discouraged but to pray on and feare not Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee thou saidst feare not the words containe in them three properties of effectuall prayer First the unsatiablenesse of it till it bee heard Secondly the sensiblenesse of it whether it be heard or noe Thirdly the supplies it hath from dangers and discouragements that it is in First the unsatiablenesse of it All the praiers of this people though they had beene of many yeares yet they counted them as the prayers of one day in the day that I called upon thee They account all their thousands of supplications and prayers as one suite never had they done their prayers till God did heare them Secondly the sensiblenesse of it where by it is able to know whether God doe heare it or no Thou drewest neere in the day that I called upon thee Thirdly the supplyes it hath against dangers and discouragements God slings in comfort into their hearts giving them incklings of hope to support them agaynst their discouragements thou saidst feare not from the first of these observe That an effectuall prayer is an unsatiable prayer A man that prayes effectually sets down this in himself as his first conclusion never to cease nor to give over praying till he speed This is the first and prime thing that a godly heart lookes at as David in his prayers He begins in this manner Heare my crie O God attend unto my prayer Psal 61. 1. So Give eare unto my prayer O God and hide not thy selfe from my supplications Psal 55. 1. Hear my voyce O God in my prayer Psal 64. 1. As if he should say Lord now I come to call upon thee now that I come to thee to begge these and these graces that my soule wants I beseech thee to heare me for I am resolved never to give over my suit never to give thee rest but for to continue my prayers and supplications till thou give a gratious answer to my soul and heare me This is the first and prime thing that the soule looks after it being the very end of prayer to be heard it is not with prayer as with Oratory the end of oratory is not to perswade but to speake perswasively for a man may use all the perswasions that may be and use all the perswasive arguments that the wit of man can invent and speake as cuttingly as perswasively as may be and yet the heart may be so intractable as not to be perswaded it is not so with prayer The end of prayer is to prevaile with God Beloved there is difference between the end and office of prayer the office of prayer is to pray the end of prayer is to prevaile There is many a man that doth the office of prayer and yet never gets the end of prayer A man hath never gotten the end of his prayers till he hath gotten that he prayed for It is not with prayer as with a Physician that may give the best physick under heaven and yet the Patient may die under his hands and therefore one gives counsell that a Physician never meddle with a desperate man But if the soule be an effectuall suitor with God it can never faile of its suite because it is an unsatiable Suitor that never leaves his prayer till it terminates the end of it I cried unto the Lord with my voice and he heard me out of his holy hill Selah Jerom translates it for ever Psal 3. 4. never doth a child of God pray but he prayeth so as that his praier and Gods eare may be joyned together I cried unto the Lord and the Lord heard me This also sheweth how the Prophet cried and praied namely so as his crying and Gods hearing were coupled together But some may object How can a Object man be unsatiable in his praiers til he speed must a man be alwaies a praying God calls men to other duties of his worshippe and of his owne particular calling after morning I must have done till noone after noone I must have done till night whether God heare me or no must I be alwaies a praying till I speed
I believed and therefore did I speake He beleeved Gods promise and then he spake with condition So we believe saith the Apostle and therefore doe we speake First the soule beleeves and then every action of a Christian wherin it moves to the keeping of the condition springs from this root nay beloved a man cannot keep any condition in the Bible without faith he must believe Secondly faith is the inabling cause to keep the condition Dost thou thinke to get weeping mourning and humiliation for thy sinnes and then thereby to get the promise to thy selfe then thou goest in thy owne strength and then in Gods account thou dost just nothing John 15. 5. Without me ye can doe nothing saith Christ therefore first lay hold on me beleeve in me abide in me What! doe you first think to pray to mourne to lament and bewaile your sinnes to do this and that in turning your selves and sanctifying of your selves Indeed you may fumble about these things but you can never do any of them in deed and to the purpose without me ye can doe nothing I had fainted saith the Prophet unlesse I had beleeved to see the goodnesse of the Lord in the land of the living Psal 27. 13. where we may see three things First the Promise that he should see the goodnesse of the Lord otherwise he could not have beleeved Secondly the Condition if he doe not fâ—iâ—â— Thirdly the method the Prophet went by First he beleeved to see the goodnesse of the Lord. As if he had said if he had not first laid hold on the Promise if I had not beleeved to have seen the goodnesse of the Lord in the Land of the living I had fainted Beloved it is true that the keeping of the Condition is before the fruition of the Promise but not before beleeving the Promise because the doing of the Condition is effected by beleeving the Promise This is the cause that many fumble about grace but never get it they are ever repenting but never repent ever learning but never learne the knowledge of the truth everlasting ever striving but never get power over their corruptions c. because they fumble about it in their own strength and take it not in the right method Let the soule come with faith in Christ and believe it shall speed and have grace and power from Christ his grace and from Christs power and then it shall speed Christ hath promised John 16. that whatsoever we aske the Father in his name he will give it us Christ beloved is an excellent Surety Indeed our credit is crackt in Heaven we may thinke to goe and fetch this and that grace in our owne names and misse of it as the servant may goe to the Merchant for wares in his owne name but the Merchant will not deliver them to him in his own name unlesse he come in his Masters name and bring a ticket from him and then when the servant sheweth his Masters ticket the Merchant will deliver him what wares he asketh for in his Masters name So when a soule goeth to the Throne of grace with a ticket from Christ if he can say Lord it is for the honour of Christ I come for grace and holinesse and strength against my corruptions Lord here is a ticket from Christ most certainly he shall speed But men must take heed that they foyst not the name of Christ that they foyst not a ticket to say that Christ sent them when it is their own selfe-love and their owne lust that sends them it is not enough to pray and at the end to say through Christ our Lord Amen No for this may be a meere foysting of the Name of Christ But canst thou pray and shew that Christ sent thee and say as the servant I come from my Master and he sent me Lord it is for Christ that I come it is not to satisfie my owne lust nor to ease and deliver me from the galls of my conscience nor to free me from hell but for Christ Lord I begge grace and holinesse that I may have power to glorifie Christ It is for the honour of my Lord Christ that I come When the soul comes thus in Christs name beleeving it shall speed then his prayer shall prevaile Whatsoever saith Christ ye shall aske the Father in my Name he will give it you We come now to the third and last part of our Text to wit the supplies they had against danger and discouragements The Lord upheld their hearts from being dismayed in prayer thou saidst feare not There be two things that do much hurt in prayer First groundlesse incouragements Secondly needlesse discouragements First I say groundlesse incouragements and these the wicked are most subject to especially who because they pray heare the Word and performe many duties of religion therefore they incourage themselves in the goodnesse of their estates judgeing themselves happy though notwithstanding they go on and continue in the hardnesse of their hearts and rebellions against God We have abundance of sayings amongst us that if they were examined would prove false and unsound As that the vipers die when they bring forth their young for say they the young eate out the old ones bowels that beares shape all their young by licking of them that the Swanne singeth sweetest at her death that the Adamant stone is softned by Goats blood c. These things are not so as may be shewn out of ancient Writers So beloved there are abundance of sayings that goe up and down amongst men concerning Divinity which if they were examined will prove to be rotten sayings as he that made them will save them It is not so saith the Prophet Esal 27. 11. He that made them will not have mercy on them and he that formed them will not pitty them It is commonly beleeved if men come to Church heare the Word and call upon God that then presently they are good Christians Beloved it is not so Matth. 7. 21. Not every one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Men are ready when they can but call Lord have mercy on me O sweet Saviour pitty me most mercifull Lord Jesus have compassion on me if they can pray in their families and pray at Church c. to think now all is well with them and Christ cannot but save them and give them the Kingdome of Heaven but our Saviour puts a not upon it and saith not every one that saith Lord Lord it is not a Lord a Lording of Christ with the tongne onely it is not a taking up of an outward profession of Christ only that is sufficient for a man that shall inherit the Kingdome of Heaven no saith Christ but he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven But of this by the by Secondly there are needlesse discouragements which doe much hurt in prayer Needlesse discouragements doe much hurt to many a poore soule that hath forcible wouldings and
and yet the gates be shut against him and he turned into hell Alas my poore soule is in a wildernesse now I know not which way to goe I am ready to lose my selfe I see nothing here now but huge Gyants the sonnes of Anack strong corruptions inclining and forcing me to evill most fearefull and violent suggestions and temptations of the Devill ready to thrust me into the gulfe of wickednesse and despaire And now the soule begins to thinke that it is good for it to returne again into Egypt to fall to its old courses againe for certainly God lookes for no such matter he requires no such strictnesse and precisenesse And so it falls a whining and repining at the Word and Ministers of God that have call'd men to it and laid it upon them and hath no heart now to do thus and thus any longer And thus it falls into discouragements because of the way and into a thousand quandaries whether it may not goe back againe or no. And all these murmurings and repinings are because men suffer themselves to be discouraged Thirdly discouragements will cause thee to thinke that God hates thee When the soule like Baals Priests hath been crying from morning to noone ten twenty thirty yeeres it may be and yet hath no answer now it will begin to thinke if God did love me then he would grant me my petitions Then hereupon comes into a mans secret thoughts and feares that God hardly loves his soule So was it with Israel when they were discouraged they said because the Lord hated us therefore he brought us out of the Land of Egypt Deut. 1. 27. Because that they were discouraged and because that their Brethren that went for spies had disheartned them therefore they were apt to say the Lord hated them Beloved it is a miserable thing when the soule calls the love of God into question Consider that as thou canst not have a friend if thou beest suspitious and jealous of his love to thee So thou canst never have the love of God settled on thy heart so long as thou art jealous of his love to thee Fourthly If thou root them not out it is to be feared that they will bring thee to despaire Mâ—lancholy thoughts and feares and discouragements drive the soule to despaire For when the soule sees it selfe still disappointed of its hopes at the last it grows hopelesse If it have waited one day and the next day too if it have praied this weeke this month this yeare and yet still it seeth it selfe held off and disappointed it will at last grow hopelesse Take heed therefore I beseech you of all needlesse discouragements to fear be ause that thou findest not that that thou wishedst or prayedst for to day or to morrow in thine own time that therefore thou shalt never get it that now thou shouldest for ever despaire of the grace and love of God and thinke that now God will never heare thee that thou shalt never get grace and power over thy corruptions Men thinke that the preaching of the Word of God brings men to despaire the preaching of such strict points and the urging such precise doctrines makes men despaire men are loth to be at the paines to root out their discouragements It is rather a cold or dead preaching of the Word that is the cause of this for when the soule is instructed by holinesse humbled by holinesse converted by holinesse at the last when it comes to be thorowly awakened when it sees that this and this is required in a true conversion of the soule to God that herein true repentance must declare and demonstrate it selfe by these and these fruits or else it is but false and rotten Why now the soul must needs be brought to despaire because it seeth that though it have been thus and thus humbled though it have praied fasted and mourned in this and this manner yet it sees it hath not a soundnesse of grace There is such a grace in it such a worke and such a fruit of Gods Spirit in it that yet he could never finde in himselfe this makes the soule to despaire Indeed Preachers may be too blame if they speake and preach onely the terrours and condemnations of the Law without the promises of the Gospel for these should be so tempered that every poore broken soule may see mercy and redemption for him upon his sound and unfeined repentance and humiliation But if men doe despaire they may thanke themselves for it their owne sinnes for it their owne discouragements for it because they suffer these to continue in them Cain his heart grew sad his countenance fell he was wroth and disquiâ—ted in his minde and heavily discouraged why Gen. 4. Sin lay at the dore what dore the dore of his conscience rapping and beating upon his heart Beloved when the soule lets sinne lie at the dore drunkenesse pride and worldlinesse security hardnes and deadnes of heart lie at the dore when a man lets his ne gligent and fruitlesse hearing of the word lie at the dore when a man lets his vaine and dead praying his temporizing and fashionary serving of God lie at the dore of conscience to tell him that all his hearing of the word of God profits him nothing that his praiers are dead and vaine that his mourning fasting and all his humiliation is counterfeâ—t and rotten and that he hath no soundnesse of grace in him but that for all this he may fall into hell when sinne lyeth thus at the dore thus rapping at the conscience it is no wonder if the soule fall into desperation Cain let his sinne lie at the dore there it lay rapping and beating and told him that his carelesenesse and negligent sacrificing to God was not accepted and therefore no marvell if Cain be so cast down in his countenance and that he fall to despaire O beloved when sinne lieth bouncing and beating at the dore of thy heart when thy sinne whatsoever it is search thy heart and finde it out lies knocking and rapping at the dore of thy conscience day by day and month by month and thou art content to let it lie and art unwilling to use meanes to remove it and art loth to take the paines to get the bloud of Christ to wash thy soule from it or the Spirit of Christ to cleanse thee from it then thy soule will despaire either in this world or in the world to come But let us take heede then that our conscience condemne us not in any thing or course that we allow in our selves for if that doe then much more will God who is greater then our consciences and knowes all things The Apostle hath an excellent Phrase Rom. 8. 1. There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus c. As if he should say there is not one condemnation there is none in Heaven God doth not condemne them there is none in earth their owne heart and conscience doth not condemne them
he that is in Christ Jesus that walks not after the flesh but after the Spirit there is none no not one condemnation to him none neither in Heaven nor in earth no word no commandement no threatning condemnes him But if thy conscience condemne thee and tell thee thou lettest sin lie at the dore rapping at thy conscience day after day and month after month telling thee that yet thou art without Christ that yet thou never hadst any true faith in the Lord Jesus that yet thou hast not truely repented and turned from thy sinnes this will at last drive thy soule into heavie discouragements if not into finall despaire O beloved religion and piety and the power of godlinesse goe downe the winde every where What is the reason of it but because of these discouragements that men live and go in Men pray and pray and their prayers profit them not men run up and downe and come to the Church and heare the Word and receive the Sacraments and use the meanes of grace but to no end they are unprofitable to them they remaine in their sinnes still the ordinances of God bring them not out of their lusts and corruptions hereby they disgrace and discredit the ordinances of God in the eyes and account of the men of the world making them thinke as if there were no more power nor force in the Ordinances of God then these men manifest There is no life in many Christians mens spirits are discouraged these secret discouragements in their hearts take away their spirits in the use of the meanes that though they use the meanes yet it drives them to despaire of reaping good or profit by them Beloved I could here tell you enough to make your hearts ake to heare it First all your complaints they are hut winde Job 6. 26. doe you imagine to reprove words and the speeches of one that is desperate which are as winde Jobs friends taking Job to be a man of despaire they accounted all his words but as winde Doest thou nestle any discouragement in thy heart thou maist complaine of sinne as much as thou canst yet all thy complainings are but as winde thou maist cry out against thy corruptions with weeping and teares and pray and fight against them and yet all thy weeping mourning and praying is but as the winde thou maiest beg grace thou maist seeke after God thou maist heare the Word receive the Sacraments and yet all will be to thee as wind all will vanish be unprofitable not regarded Secondly discouragements drive us from the use of the meanes If ever we meane to come out of our sinnes if ever we meane to get grace and faith and assurance and zeale we must constantly use the meanes 1 Sam. 27. 1. David saith there is nothing better for me then that I should speedily escape into the Land of the Philistims and Saul shall despaire of me to seeke me any more David thought in himselfe if I can make him out of hope of finding me certainely he will give over seeking of me So when the soule hath any secret despaire of finding the Lord that soule will quickly be drawne from seeking of the Lord in the use of the meanes What ever you doe then O be not discouraged lest you be driven from the use of the meanes if you be driven from the use of the meanes woe is to you you will never finde God then Be not driven from praier nor driven from holy conference nor driven from the Word nor driven from the Sacrament nor from meditation nor from the diligent and strict examination of thy selfe of thy heart and of all thy waies for these are the waies of finding the Lord. If you nourish any thoughts and feares of despaire in you if you be discouraged you will be driven from the use of the meanes which is a lamentable thing therefore be not discouraged Thirdly discouragements will make you stand poaring on your former courses thus I should have done and that I should have done woe is me that I did it not it will make a man stand poaring on his sinnes but never able to get out of them So it was like to be with them in the Ship with Paul Acts 27. 20. In the tempest at Sea they were utterly discouraged from any hope of safety now indeed Paul told them what they should have done if they had been wise Sirs you should have hearkned to me and not have loosed ver 21. as if he had said you should have done thus and thus but now doe not stand poaring too much on that you should have hearkned to me and not have launched forth c. but that cannot be holpen now therefore I exhort you to be of good cheare c. So beloved when the soule is discouraged upon these thoughts I should have prayed better I should have heard the Word of God better and with more profit I should have repented better I should have performed this and that religious and good dutie better but ah wretch that I am I have sinned thus and thus it is alwaies looking on this sinne and that sinne this imperfection and that failing when now I say the soule is discouraged it will be alwaies poaring upon sinne but it will never come out of its sinne alwaies poaring upon its deadnesse and unprofitablenesse but never able to come out of it O beloved be of good cheare and be not discouraged it is true you should have prayed better you should have heard the Word of God better heretofore you should have been more carefull and circumspect of your wayes then you were but now you cannot helpe it these things and times are gone and cannot be recalled such a one hath been a drunkard a swearer a worldling c. but he cannot helpe it now True he might have helped it and because he did not his heart shall bleed for it if he belong to God but doe not stand poaring too much upon it but consider now what you have to doe now you are to humble your selfe now you are to strive with God in all manner of prayer for more grace and more power of obedience and assurance and be not discouraged Fourthly if the soule be discouraged it will breed nothing but sorrow What is the reason that many Christians are alwaies weeping and mourning and sighing and sobbing from day to day all their life time and will not be comforted because of these discouragements 1 Thes 4. 13. Sorrow not saith the Apostle as those that have no hope as if he had said sorrow if you will but do not sorrow as they that have no hope How is that it is a sorrow with nothing but sorrow from which they have no hope of inlargement or freedome O then my brethren suppose you have dead hearts suppose you want zeale you want assurance suppose it be so yet labour to attaine these graces sorrow and spare not weepe and mourne and powre out whole buckets of
children of Christ by his begetting of them If all that are in Christ are the children of Christ they must needs walke as Christ walked Like begets the like Indeede a godly man may beget a wicked childe a gracelesse sonne the reason is because he begets his sonne not as he is a godly man but as he is a man corrupt by nature with sinne but Christ begets as he is God and therefore as he is without sinne in himselfe so he never begets any but by an eternall spirit and therefore they cannot but be like him Be ye followers of God as deare Children Ephes 5. 1. The Apostle grounds his exhortation upon a necessity in grace Consider if you be the children of God it can be no otherwise but you must be followers of Christ as deare children The begetter communicates himselfe to the begotten if the begetter be flesh he begetteth flesh so Adam begot a sonne after his owne likenesse that that is borne of the flesh is flesh John 3. and is of a fleshly nature That that is borne of the spirit is spirit If we are begotten again by the Spirit of God then are we spiritualized of God so that a man cannot be in Christ unlesse he be the childe of Christ and walke as Christ walked Christ was perfect Christ was mercifull be you so saith Christ Math. 5. Be you perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect as if he should say you cannot be the children of your Heavenly Father unlesse you be perfect as he is perfect mercifull as he is mercifull holy as he is holy righteous as he is righteous walke as he walked Is it so that all that are in Christ walke Use 1 as Christ walked then all wicked men blaspheme the name of Christ that doe not live the life of the Lord Jesus These blaspheme the holy and sacred name of Christ Oh saith one I hope I am a Christian yet the man is a drunkard or a whoremaster or a gamester or a worldling a proud man a covetous man What was Christ a drunkard was Christ a whoremaster was Christ a gamester a worldling proude covetous it were blasphemy for any to say so of Christ and it is also blasphemy for thee who walkest not after the Gospell to say thou art a Christian As I am a Christian saith another yet the man is a filthy speaker Was Christ such a one a swearer c. Thou blasphemest the name of Christ I hope we are all Christians saith a third and yet they are men that live in security and prophanesse What was there security in Christ was prophanesse in Christ Oh what blasphemie is it for thee to stile thy selfe by the Name of Christ to say thou art in Christ Revel 2. 9. saith Christ I know the blasphemy of them that say they are Jewes and are not that say they are the children of Abraham but doe not the workes of Abraham If a man did blaspheme God to stile himselfe a Jew or a childe of Abraham that did not the workes of Abraham what blasphemy then is it for thee to say thou art a Christian and yet dost not the workes of Christ could not a man take the name of Abraham but he did blaspheme unlesse he did the workes of of Abraham how then durst thou take the name of Christ upon thee and not doe the workes of Christ not walke as Christ walked Beloved is any man a Christian he hath holinesse engraven in his forehead to the Lord in his heart in his thoughts in his words and in all his wayes he is one that gaspeth after holinesse Art thou a Christian of all sinnes under Heaven God cannot endure the sinnes of a Christian that hath the name of Christ put upon him When Gods materiall temple was defiled by buyers and sellers Christ whippes them out and after told them that the days would come wherein there should not be left of it one stone upon another God would not endure the Temple because it was dedicated to his Name called his house when it was made a den of theeves Doth God care so much for stocks and stones that are dedicated to his name will he not endure an unholy stone and will he endure an unholy Christian Thou that art dedicated unto God and unto his service thou that art dedicated to prayer to hearing thou that art dedicated to an holy conversation thou that art called the Temple of God and the House of God wilt thou make it a denne of theeves a denne of vaine thoughts a denne of wicked words of dead and ungodly workes wilt thou defile the Temple of the Lord then know the Lord will not let one stone lie upon another but will cast thee downe and damn thee body and soule in hell for ever Thou saiest thou art a Christian how so thou saiest thou wast christened thy condemnation is the heavier if thou saiest thou hast beene baptized into the Name of Christ and hast not put on Christ Examine thy selfe hast thou put on Christ otherwise it is no matter for thy baptisme Can I say that man hath put on his cloths that hath not a ragge on his backe nor a shoe on his foote nor a hatte to his head nor a ring on his finger so when there is never a Christ in thy thoughts never a Christ in thy speech and conference never a Christ in thy walke never a Christ in thy calling in thy buying and selling never a Christ shining forth in thy life and conversation canst thou say thou hast put on the Lord Christ Can any man say that a beggar hath put on Royall robes when he hath nothing but ragges and patches upon him so if I see a man with ragged thoughts of the world with ragged speeches of the flesh and a ragged course and conversation according to the course and conversation of the world I can never say that such a one hath put on the Lord Jesus Christ Dost thou say thou hast put on Christ why then shew me the signes of Christ in thee Shall I see it by thine apparell it may be that is garish Shall I see it by thy speech and conference it may be that is earthly and carnall Shall I see it by thy thoughts it may be they are vaine sinfull and worldly Shall I see it by thy company it may be they are wicked and gracelesse Shall I see it in thy course and conversation it may be that is loose and prophane How canst thou then demonstrate that thou art a Christian it may be now and then thou wilt give a prayer unto Christ turne up the white of thine eye to Christ it may be thou wilt looke into the Temple of Christ and lend an eare to Christ Is this to be in Christ if thou be in Christ then thou must live the life of Christ in all thy wayes The life of a man is a continued thing A man is not alive at his dinner and dead when he hath done alive
light Secondly the cause of the wickeds rejection of the word of grace which is twofold First the qualification of his person he doeth evill Secondly the disposition of his malepartnesse that cannot endure to be reproued From the first of these we observe this That a wicked man hates the word of Gods Doctr. grace yea he doth not onely hate the word of Gods grace but he hates grace it selfe he doth not onely hate the Lanthorue that beareth the light but he hates the light it selfe I choose not to stand to shew you how the word is called a light but that which I take to be more necessary for this place I will first shew you what this hatred of the word of grace and of grace it selfe is and I thus define it It is an actuall affection of the heart whereby â— a man riseth up against an union with that which seemes to be opposite and contrary to his lust So that there be foure things in a wicked mans hatred of the word First it is an actuall hatred for there is an habituall hatred of the word even in them that never heard the word they doe not actually hate it because they never had it but they would hate it if they had it as sore eyes hate the light of the Sunne even when it is downe for if they had it they would twinckle at it Thus all wicked men hate the word and may be condemned for despisers of the word though they doe not actually hate it because they have it not yet habitually they hate it they would hate it if they had it I speake not of this hatred but of that which is actuall hatred whereby though they have the word yet they hate to be controled and reformed by the word Prov. 1. 22. O yee fooles how long will ye hate knowledge Secondly it is a passion of the heart and so I distinguish it for I know a wicked man may love the word of God with his understanding and conscience his understanding may love the word and say it is good his conscience may love the word and say it is gratious yet if he cutts not off his sinnes for the word he hates it Psal 119. 70. Their heart is as fat as grease but my delight is in thy law as if he should say my heart is a leane heart an hungrie heart my soule delighteth and rejoyceth in and loveth thy word I have nothing else to fill it but thy word and the comforts I have from it but their hearts are as fat as grease their hearts are fat hearts fat with the world fat with lust they hate the word As a full stomacke loatheth meate and cannot digest it so wicked men hate the word it will not goe downe with them it will not fetch up their lusts If thou partest not with thy sinnes thy heart hateth the word yet thou thinkest thou lovest the word thou fayest thou lovest to heare the word and thou lovest good Ministers and good discourses c. it may be that this is nothing but the assent of thine understanding and the approbation of thy conscience and so a man may love the word in his understanding and conscience and yet be a hater of the word of God The Devills have attained to so much divinity as this they like the word in their understandings and assent to the truth of it in their consciences but though their understandings and consciences tell them that it is a good word yet they hate it This is a damnable and a most unnaturall hatred Indeed if a mans mind and conscience were against the word it were naturall for him to hate it it is naturall for a man to hate that which is against his mind but when thy conscience shall tell thee this is the word and the will of the Eternall God and thy conscience shall tell thee that it is a most true word a righteous a just an holy commandement that commands thee to serve thy God onely and so to part with all thy sinnes if yet thou wilt not obey but goe contrary to his word thy hatred it is unnaturall and diveliâ—â—â— As it was said of 〈◊〉 his dogge he had a divell lyed to his collar of another that he had a divell signed on his swords pummell so I may say to every one that hates the word and to be ruled by it and yet knowes it in his own understanding and conscience to be â—â—â—â—e and good word I may say it is a 〈◊〉 Hatred and he hath a divell tyed to his heart a divell in his heart Thirdly this hatred is that whereby the heart riseth up against an union with the word hatred is a shunning of an union with a thing A man doth not hate any evill naturally but he hates an union with it A man doth not hate poison it selfe he hates no poison in a toade let it be there as much as it will he cares not so the shepheard he hates not the wolfe in the Forrest but in the Flocke A wicked man hates not the word so long as it keepes within it selfe he loves Epistles and Gospells the first and second lesson so long as the word keepes in the Scriptures he likes it but if the word begin to take union with him if the word begin to plucke sinne from him to pull his cupps from him to plucke his pleasures and delights from him and his lusts from him then he hates the word when it comes in this union to his heart I put this union of the word in opposition to foure things First against generall preaching a wicked man loves generall preaching though it be of all the truthes in the Bible while they take no union with his heart he may heare a thousand Sermons and like them all well enough so long as the word closeth not in with a mans conscience so long as it grapples not with his heart so long he may love and like it But let the word come in particulars to him and tell him this is thy sinne and thou must to hell for it if thou givest it not over this hath beene an old lust of thine which will be thy bane if thou repent not This thy old corruption it will be thy breake-necke if thou part not with it if the word come in this union with his soule then he hates it So long as John Baptist tooke his text and dwelt on the reasons and went no further Herod heard him gladly but when John came to his use to apply it and told him in particular this reproves thee Herod and all the evills that ever thou hast done and in particular for thine unlawfull marriage with thy brother Philips wife when John came thus then Herod claps him up in prison before he heard him with joy and gladnesse but when he comes close to his conscience and tells him that his marriage would condemne him and his other sinnes would damme him if he repented not Herod cannot endure
powerfully never so terribly if it give him a reproofe and away so it doth not stand digging in his conscience and galling his heart day by day let the Minister enter a reproofe into his hearâ— againe so it be but once or twice he cares not Why he thinkes he can recover himselfe againe from it bâ—â— let the word of God come into him and galle his conscience continually that every Sabboth he is convicted for a condemned man if he live not otherwise every Sermâ—n the Minister findes him out in his 〈◊〉 and dearest sinnes he can never goe to Church but he hears the Minister reprooving him for some sâ—me or other telling him that he must to hell for them unlesse he repeâ—t and leade a new life thus when the word followes him every Sabboth that he hath no breathing time to recover his lust this makes him to hate the word Amos 7. The Prophet preaching the word of the Lord and denouncing the Judgements of God to the people for their sinnes Amaziah opposeth him ver â—2 and sayth unto Amos O thou Seen goe flye thee away into the Land of Judah and there eate bread and prophesie there but prophesie not againe any more at Bethell for it is the Kings Chappell and it is the Kings Court He could like it well enough that Amoâ— should prophesie once or twice but if he did prophesie any more he should spoile all their mirth he should gall all their consciences go saith he prophesie in Judah eate thy bread there Amos should prophesie where he would so it were not there he might eate his bread where he would so it were not there Lastly as it is an actuall affection of the heart whereby the heart riseth up against an union so in the last place it is against that that is dissonant and repugnant to his lust For as love is the consonancy of the affection to a thing that hath agreement therewith so hatred must needs be dissonancy of affection to a thing that is repugnant and contrary to it So a wicked man he hates the word because it disagrees and jarres with his lust Indeed a wicked man may love the word so long as it opposeth not against his lust Therefore a wicked man may love three kinds of preaching First Quaint preaching that savours more of humanity then of divinity As long as the Minister commeth with dainty phrases acute stories eloquent allusions and fine transitions they will like it well enough it jarres not with their lust and therefore you shall heare them when they come from Church commend him O he was a fine spokes-man a witty schollar what a learned and excellent Sermon did he make to day so farre as the word opposeth not his lust a man may love preaching The people they did love to heare Ezekiell preach they did love to heare his pleasant words The Babylonians they did love to heare Davids songs it was fine melody to them though they hated the sence so the Philistins they did love to heare Sampson speake they knew he was a witty man and could speake fine riddles to them but they hated his religion so the people they did love to heare Christ preach and would flocke after him they did wonder at his authority c. yet they hated his doctrine for they cried crucifie him crucifie him so if a Minister speake onely of witte learning and memory c. a wicked man will love it it opposeth not his lust Secondly they may love Impertinent preaching when though it be never so pertinent to some in the Church yet if it be not pertinent to him he loves that As the drunkard loves to heare the Minister preach against hypocrisie though never so sharply The prodigall person loves to heare the Minister preach against covetousnesse But if the word come to strike him under his fifth ribbe to discover his corruptions and the plagues of God due to him for his sins then he hates it Thirdly he may love preaching in tanto though not in â—oto he mav love so or so much preaching but not preaching altogether A wicked mans conscience tells him that he must have some religion that he must performe some service to God and therefore so long as the Minister onely calls for some preaching some hearing and some serving of God why his conscience calls for so much The vilest drunkard and blasphemer and swearer that is will be content to heare of calling upon the Lord Jesus at his death the vilest whoremaster and prophane person the earthly worldling c. will yeeld to some preaching and to some hearing and to some reading why otherwise their consciences would not be at quiet but would be as the divells band-dogge bawling and houting at him But if the Minister call for more religion then his lust will suffer for more religion then will subsist with his security deadnesse lukewarmenesse hypocrisie worldlinesse that he cannot yeeld to and retaine them then he thinkes there is too much of it then he hates it and cannot endure it Thus you see that wicked men hate the word of God I set it forth by three instances Rom. 1. 30. Haters of God They did not hate his being and essence his goodnes and mercy but they hated him as he was a Lawgiver The devills hate not God as he is God and hath a being but they hate him as he is a Lawgiver and as he is their Judge they cannot endure to be called by this God to be controuled and judged by him Thus was it with the Colossians before they were converted they were enemies to God Col. 1. 21. Our Saviour takes away the whole doubt and speakes it peremptorily and generally of all the world they hated me the whole world so long as they live in their sinnes hate Christ and hate his word First a wicked man hates the word because Reas 1 he hates the truth and the being of the word he is sorry that the word of God is true he would be glad that the Scripture might prove false that things may not be as the word of God saith they are he hates the being of the word A man loves the being of that which he loves and he hates the being of that which he hates and were it in his power he would destroy it Now though a wicked man cannot destory the Bible from being in it selfe yet he will destroy the Bible from being in his life For beloved the word of God should not onely be in the Bible but the Bible should be in a mans life A mans life should be a walking Bible but a wicked man destroyes the Bible from being in his life A civill man would be glad that Aristotles Ethicks were the Bible A worldly man would be glad that the Booke of Statutes were the Bible he is sorry that that is the Bible which indeed is the Bible The young man that came to Christ though he loved eternall life and said that he loved the
Commandements of God yet when our Saviour told him one thing is wanting goe and sell all that thou hast and give it to the poore saith the text of him he went away sorrowfull as if he should say he was sorry that there was any such truth in the Scripture he would have beene glad that there had beene no such text in the word of God The Prophets prophesie falsely and my people love to have it so Jer. 5. 31. they hated to have it so as the word would have it But when the false Prophets told them it was otherwise O they loved that Beloved the men of the world would be glad that God would make another Bible that drunkards and whoremasters might be saved another Bible that earthwormes and worldlings and proud persons might be saved If God would raine downe a new Bible another Bible I feare there are many thousands amongst us that now say they love the Bible yet would love to heare of it and come from all places to seeke after it after another Bible that would shew the way to heaven a little wider men are loth to heare of so much holinesse so much precisenesse they love not to be beaten on that string a signe that they hate it Can a man that is nothing but flesh and bloud love the text of Saint Paul that flesh and bloud cannot inherit the Kingdome of God 1 Cor. 15. 50 Can an old filthy sinner love that text of Isaiah an old sinner though he be an hundred yeares old shall be accursed Isai 65. 20 Can a Usurour love the 15 Psalme Can a lukewarmeling love Rev. 3. 16 no he would be glad that there were no such truth in the word and therefore he hates it Rom. 8. 7. A wicked man is such an enemy to the word that all the Ministers in England cannot reconcile him to it Secondly wicked men hate the word because they doe hate the nature of the word If men did love the word of God they would will what the word of God wills and nill what the word of God nills It is a good proverbe amongst us It is the property of lovers to will and nill the same things If men did love the word then looke what the word sayth they would doe what the word commands them they would obey If men did love the word they would conforme their hearts and lives to the rules of the word But the carnall minde is enmity aâ—ainst God for it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be Rom. 8. 7. A wicked man hates the law of God why the heart of a wicked man conceives the word of God to be against him he can not thinke a thought but the word is against it he cannot speake a word but the word of God is against it he cannot pray his dead hearted prayers but the word of God is against him c. And as the word of God is against him so his heart is against the word he is of one mind the word of another he is of one minde and the word of the cleane contrary minde against him Lastly as a wicked man hates the being of the word and the nature of the word in it selfe so he hates the being of it in his understanding he 〈◊〉 o◠〈◊〉 the knowledge of the word therefore they say unto God depart from us we desire â—oâ— the knowledge of thy waves Jab 21. 14. A wicked man would â—aine keepe this and that lust â—â— he is loth to depart with his old corruptions his old sinnes he hath livâ—d â—â— them so long that he is loth to part with his old freinds he would faine goâ— on in his lust and therefore he hates the knowledge of the word that would strippe him of his lust saith Aquinas Now he cannot be free for his sinnes and be curbed by the knowledge of the word I will tell you once it was my happe to preach a Sermon two or three hundred miles from this place and when Sermon was done I heard a man say O what a beast was I to come to this Sermon what a beast was I to come to it When the word of God comes to men and tells them that their state is damnable if they live in their sinnes when the word of God comes to the heart many are sorry that they ever heard the word of God that ever the word made such a thing knowne to them The drunkard the wanton the Usurer and the worldling how glad would they bee that the Minister could prove by the word of God that these sinnes were lawfull that usury were lawfull that covetousnesse were lawfull c. But when the word goes flat against them then they cannot endure that word why their conscience beginnes to penne them in it puts their hearts in the stocks as it were they cannot have freedome in the pursuite of their lusts and sinnes an evident signe that men hate the word Austin saith of a wicked man He loves the truth shining but he hates the truth reproving As much of the word as you will to make him skillfull in knowing but he hates the word every dramme of it checking and rebuking girding and controuling him for his sinnes Beloved what is all our preaching doth it not shew that men hate the word neede any goe to the field and exhorte the Husbandman to plough and sow his ground neede we goe to your houses to perswade men to feede to eate and drinke and to cloath themselves neede we goe to the Alehouse and perswade the drunkard to drinke the swearer to sweare the gamester to play no men love their backes and their bellies men love their profits and their pleasures men love their lusts and sinnes But they must be exhorted and intreated and commanded to obey and to love the word of God and all little enough Hence then is a reproofe to all the wicked Use amongst us O beloved it is too true that abundance of us doe hate the light Did wee not hate the light we would have shaken all our hands of our sinnes sheere ere now did we not hate the light we would have crucified our anger and our wrath and our pride ere now we would have subdued our security and our selfe-love and our lukewarmenesse in good duties did we not hate the light we had all beene children of the light ere now Plato sayth He loves that hath a similitude of that he loves but we have not a similitude and a likenesse of the light and therefore we doe not love it Beloved let me come a little neerer and convince all that heare me of this point They must needs be said to hate one another whom no intreatiâ—s nor beseeches can possibly reconcile That is irreconcileable hatred which cannot be taken off by all the intreaties of the world Herod hated Tyrâ—s and Sidon but his hatred was taken off by Blastus his intreatie Acts. 12. 20. but that hatred is irreconcileable hatred that no
he given his bloud for thee that thou shouldest part with thy sinnes with thy drunkennesse with thy oathes thy pride security luke warmenesse earthlinesse prophanesse from thy vaine thoughts thy vaine words and thy vaine lusts and wilt thou not if God had redeemed us with silver and gold that were but drosse no he hath redeemed us with the bloud of his Sonn if now thou wilt part with the bloud of Christ rather then with thy sinnes that the word of God commands thee to part with how great is thy hatred of the word Bloud it is necessary to the life of every living creature I am sure the Bloud of Christ is necessary to the life of a Christian without it a man can never be washed nor never be sanctifyed nor made acceptable to God That man that will rather part with his bloud rather then lay downe his hatred of such a one whom he hates he hates him for ever he hates him to the death Thou that rather then thou wilt part with thy evill courses from those sinnes that Gods word would have thee to give over and forsake wilt part with the bloud of Christ I say thou hatest the word and thou hatest a reformation of thy wayes for ever with an everlasting and damnable hatred That man that had rather be damned then leave his sinnes that had rather goe to hell then be a new creature he hates the parting with his sinnes he hates to be a new creature It is truth man is a reasonable creature and therefore cannot reason so in expresse words as to say I had rather be damned then to give over my drunkennesse my lying my swearing my lust I had rather goe to hell then be so pure and so holy c. But every wicked man is so unreasonable in very deed for the word of God tells that wicked men that live and dye in such sinnes and such sinnes shall be damned yet they will not give over their sinnes Doth not your owne conscience tell you that as long as you pray no better as long as you walke no better in your profession God abhors you and all that you doe and will damne you doth not thy conscience tell thee that yet thou hast no assurance of salvation that as yet Jesus Christ was never given to thee that as yet you never had the Spirit of Christ to kill sinne in you if that thou wilt goe on in thy sinnes and not get Christ and his Spirit into thy heart as the word of God commandeth thee and thy owne conscience perswadeth thee I say if yet thou wilt goe on in thy sinnes then thou choosest to be damned rather then to part with sinne Doe we not say such a rogue will be hanged that such a hasty furious man will undoe himselfe doe we not say of a rebellious child that he will be disinherited not that any man reasons so in words I will doe thus and thus and undoe my selfe I will steale and be hanged I will be a rebellious childe and be disinherited I will goe on in my sinnes let the world say what it will and be damned But when a man knowes that the wages of sinne is death that the end of drunkennesse of swearing of lying of pride security hypocrisie formality in religion c. is death When a man knowes that the end of that sinne which he lives in is damnation and yet will goe on in those sinnes he wills to be damned Ezek. 18. 31. Turne you turne you why will you dye O ye house of Israel why were any so madde as to be willing to dye to perish for ever yet sayth the Prophet why will you dye as if he should say why will you sinne that man that wills to sin he wills to be damned that man that will be damned rather then part with his sinne that man loves sinne for ever and so hates the light Beloved be ashamed to carry so many plague tokens upon your hearts so many sinnes in your soules so many oppositions and rebellions against the word That man that hates and rebells against the word can never be saved by the word You that have had the preaching of the word looke that you give way to it take heed that you withstand not the breath of it I could tell you one thing and I pray God to send it home to your hearts commonly when God sends his word to a people those that are wrought upon for the most part are wrought upon at the beginning generally it is so I will give you a convincing place for it Acts. 13. 48. And when the Gentiles heard this they glorified the word of the Lord and as many as were ordained to eternall life beleeved Paul and Barnabas were come to Antioch and had preached one Sabboth day and now had preached another The Gentiles glorified the word of the Lord and as many as were ordained to eternall life beleeved as if he had said all that were ordained to eternall life beleeved at those Sermons as if he should say againe all that beleeved not at these two Sermons were reprobates Those that did belong to God they did beleeve and hearkened to the preaching of the word to them on those two Sabboths All that were ordained to life they beleeved at these two Sermons the rest that beleeved not are branded and marked out for despisers and wonderers Heare O despisers and wonder and perish c. Agree with thine Adversary whilest thou art in the way Math. 5. Beloved you are now in the way of salvation your Adversary is the Lord himselfe till he be reconciled unto you you are in the way while you are under the preaching of the word you know not how soone God may take you out of the way you know not how soone God may take his word away or if that continue yet he may withdraw his Spirit and then if God once take away his Spirit then you may seeke to be converted but shall never finde it you may seeke for grace but shall never get it you may seeke for Christ but never obtaine him if men stand out against the Word and Spirit of Christ while it is beating upon their hearts and offering them grace then Christ will be a swift witnesse against them Malach. 3. 5. Doth Christ come to thee now obey now beleeve now give over thy sinnes Doth he bid thee now repent c. O give way to the Words of Christ give way to the Spirit of Christ otherwise Christ will come swiftly I will be a swift witnesse I tell you the Covenant of grace will not stay long God is about to put up his wares When no Customers come the Merchant puts up his wares so God will even close up all his graces then Preachers may preach but none shall be converted People may heare but none shall be converted People may heare but never be turned which the Lord deny from ever being amongst us therefore while it is called to
of vertue Learne then the more you are reviled the more to make your light to shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heaven No man yet ever lived though never so worthy but of some he hath beene despised Fourthly Know this in conclusion that you that are thus despised it is a part of your worth For when all men speake evill of you then blessed are you This speakes terrour to the wicked who wrong Vse 1 the children of God either with tongue or hands either by themselves or by others either by nick-naming them or by circumventing them this I say speakes terrible things against them Will you offer to speake against personages of great worth against the children of a King will the King endure that thou shouldest speake against the bloud royall no no he will be revenged on them that doe so dost thou now wrong a godly man thou shalt one day smart for it for God is able to punish thee yea and he will doe it unlesse thou speedily repent When Saul Acts 8. persecuted the Church of Christ Christ called from heaven and said Saul Saul why persecutest thou me I speake to those that are wicked men and I speake in the bowels of Christ if you did know them you would not doe it for had they knowne the Lord of life they would not have crucifyed him 1 Cor. 2. 8. so if such as doe persecute Gods children did but know their worth and that they were his children they would not doe it Let us esteeme godly men and women as persons Use 2 of great worth the Saints of God have alwaies done so Saint Lawrence being demanded by his persecutors wherein the worth of the Church lay the storie saith he gathered a companie of poore people together and pointed at them and said there lies the worth of the Church so I have read of an ancient King who made a great feast and invited a companie of poore people which were Christians and he bade his Nobles also now when the Christians came he had them up into the Presence-Chamber but when the Nobles came he set them in his hall Being of the Nobles demanded the reason he answered I doe not this as I am their King here for I respect you more then them but as I am a King of another world I must needes honour these because God doth most honour them and then they shall be Kings and Princes with me soe do you esteeme of them according to their worth and shew it If they be persons of such great worth Vse 3 here you may be directed how to get a name of worth in the world to be honoured of God This is the way labour to be beleevers serve God and close with the godly be of one minde and of one heart with them Honour is the thing that all desire according to that of Saul to Samuel Honour me before the Elders of my people so we are all readie to say oh that I could be honoured in the heart of those that I converse with all I say then thou must labour to serve and honour God in thy heart let that be thine honour It is a meere follie for men to think to get honour by swearing by lying by cutting and slashing and drunkennesse c. The sweete ointment of a good name is not compounded of stinking ingredients This should serve to comfort the godly Vse 4 that seeing they are of so great worth what though they be disgraced here let this suffice thee God that knowes the true worth of everie thing he accounts thee worthy what though doggs barke and crie out against thee for thy holinesse let them alone and know thou this that the time will come when never a curre of them all but wil wish oh that mine end might be like his and that they might goe as thy dogge to heaven with thee when they shall see thee sit at his right hand where are pleasures for evermore Lastly you that approve your selves to be Vse 5 of the number of the godly labour to walke worthy of the Lord. Colos 1. 10. Doth God thus advanced you then strive you to honour him with inward and outward worshippe God hath not done these things for you that you may live as you list no you are a chosen generation c. 1 Pet. 2. 19. Ergo you must shew forth the vertue of him that hath called you You that are parents of children the more you doe for them the more you looke they should honour you the more God hath done for you the more you ought to feare him God hath drawn you out of darkenes into a marvellous light and will you yet walk as vassalls of Sathan This was that kept Joseph from committing adulterie even the favour of advancement and how then can I doe this great wickednesse saith he so thou art advanced to honour from a childe of the devill to be the son of God how then canst thou commit wickednesse Consider I say how God hath advanced thee from being a slave of Satan to be his adopted son and shall I now become a covetous person shal I be a companion of Gods enemies when you are enticed by the divell or wicked men to any sinne say what shall such a man as I consent shall I flie from my coulors what a Kings son and flie Consider this THE TIME OF GODS GRACE Is limited GEN. 6. 3. The Lord said my Spirit shall not alway strive with man because he is but flesh and his dayes shall be a hundred and twenty yeares IN this Chapter is continued the History of the decay of the World wherein is described Gods purpose of destroying mankinde in which are these two parts First the meritorious deserving Cause wherein God gives an account what he doth how inexcusable the world is and how just God is unto the 14. vers Secondly a Direction unto Noah to make an Arke where we may see that God in his judgement remembers mercy The meritorious deserving cause is described first from the quantity of those persons in those evill daies a great many vers the first men began to multiply in places populous where there are some good there are many bad Secondly by the quality of those persons the Sons of God when they saw the daughters of men the sonnes of God viz. the posterity of them that maintained Religion they began to be carelesse and carnally confident they did looke after the profits and pleasures of this life and then it was high time for God to enter into Judgement Thirdly by the kind of sinne They lusted after unlawfull Marriages c. and the root of this was originall corruption the Imaginations of mans heart was onely evill and that continually verse 5. These words are a Proclamation of Gods purpose to bring it to an end in which are foure things First the Lords complaint in these words the Lord said Secondly the
your houses are left unto you desolate Matth. 23. 38. All the creatures are up in armes against us the stiles we goe over look up to Heaven and say Master shall we breake his neck the Horse we ride on says Master shall I throw him downe to destruction thou knowest that he hates thee and thine So the ayre we breath in and all Creatures are readie when the Lord gives the watchword to lay us in the goale Conscience will witnesse against us then fight Dogg fight Beare as we use to say oh what will become of such men I will tell you either the world heales them up or else some carnall companion saith you have been a good neighbour you have kept a good house amongst us c. tush tush man it may prove a lye for all this I but the Minister tells me so pish pish as if all were true the Minister speakes I but the Scripture sayes it Is all true that is in the Scripture the Lord have mercy upon us and thus like fooles they build with untempered morter Ergo I exhort all such as are yet in the gall of bitternesse to listen to what I say Redeeme the time yeild to the motions of The Authors Exhortation Gods Spirit and blesse God for Mercy offered unto you in the meanes and if any affliction be laide on you intreat the Lord that he will doe you good by it If thy Conscience speak or the Spirit worke doe as Joseph did who got him into a corner and there wept his belly full so intreat the Lord that he will breake the Heavens and come downe on thee to thy comfort put not off till thou art old A gentleman will not alwayes waite at the gate neither say thou as Felix to Paul I will send for thee at another time but say with Samuel speake Lord for thy servant heareth Meanes Meanes First consider the fearfull condition of such as are given over Suppose one should come from Hell with the fire about his eares you would aske what is the newes the cry is my time my time Oh my people sayes the Minister Oh my Minister saies the People The young man cries oh my time Doe not make a tush at this lest thou say the word was preached but I scorned it the Spirit said this is the way walke in it the meanes of grace was sent unto me but I refused Mercie and now for ever I am in Hell to be tormented Secondly consider the great danger of putting off If thy will be stubborne to day it will be worse to morrow Thirdly consider the time 1. Pet. 4. 3. It is enough for the time of our life we have lived that we have wrought the workes of the Gentiles let us live no longer in sinne it is too much that you have resisted the Gospell so much say then oh that the Lord would break this heart of mine Fourthly and lastly though God should be calling and egging you all the day long yet your lives are but short and Ergo crie out with David teach me o Lord to numbet my dayes that I may apply my heart unto wisedome doe not say it is too late as one did once say of Prayer doe you thinke that I can pray now which never prayed in all my life I am sure it will be too late when God comes to Judgement for then the Devill will stand on tip toe and say what dost thou now thinke to goe to Heaven the Lord did waite on thee untill he was weary but here is a company of Drunkards I did but hold up my finger and they presently followed me Heaven came downe to them but they would none of it they could not heare of that eare and would you now goe to Heaven Ergo goe for now the Lord Jesus Christs sake and when Mercie is offered refuse it not but blesse God for it A SERMON FOR Spirituall Mortification COLLOSS 3. 5. Mortifie therefore your Members which are upon the earth Fornication uncleannesse inordinate affection evill concupiscence and Covetousnesse which is Idolatry THE Apostle having in the Chapter foregoing shewed that the Colossians were buried together with Christ in his death and that they were also risen with him maketh two speciall uses thereof First in regard of the resurrection if then yee be risen with Christ seek those things that are above The second is in regard of their buriall with Christ in these words Mortifie therefore your members c. There be many men that looke for participation in Christ yet notwithstanding wortifie not themselves they would faine live with Christ yet are loth to dye to sinne but we may say to these men as Paul to the Atheist thou foole that which thou sowest is not quickned unlesse it first die so unlesse the seed of the word be sowen upon thy heart thou canst not be quickned unlesse thou first die The things to be mortified are described two manner of waies either in generall the members or else in particular Fornication uncleannesse evill affections c. or as in the tenth verse all the fruites of the old man The words containe in them these three Parts parts or truths First He that ever meanes to have Christ must have him with a therefore As if he should say if you looke to have benefit by the death of Christ looke to have a therefore with it for no man can have Christ without a Condition Secondly this condition consists in mortification we must mortifie our earthly members this is the qualification of all those that partake of the death of Christ even mortification Thirdly those that are made partakers of the death of Christ are enabled thereto so as the Apostle may well put this exhortation unto them mortifie therefore your members c. He doth not say civilize your members many there be that civilize their earthlie members as from mortifying to purifying of them they come out of prophanenesse and enter into Civility and a formall kind of profession but the Apostle saith mortifie and not civilize your members doe not pare the nailes of your corruptions but cut them quite off and give them their deaths wound that so your sinnes may breath out their last breath in you Sin may be civilized five waies First when it is laide asleepe Pharaohs sinnes were asleepe but not dead Many mens sinnes are asleepe in them though they seeme to be dead in them for a time A man while he is asleep is like a dead man yet he is alive yea and his sinnes are alive in him also but when temptation comes to awaken him out of his sleepe though before he seemed to be patient and meeke and hardly to be provoked yet let a temptation come and rouze him then he will finde his old wrath anger and impatiencie So likewise for a covetous man though he seeme to mortifie that sinne yet it is but asleepe in him for let a temptation come and he will quickely finde out his