Malice as Ananias his lye Acts 5. 9. Not repented of but sin unrepented of as the two Theeves are Examples 10. Not sin confessed but covered and smothered Prov. 28. 13. Lastly Sin forsaken never damns sin not forsaken ever damns Prov. 28. 13. Ezek. 18. 21. Manasseh an example of the one Pharaoh of the other 1. We must distinguish of Righteousness 1. There is a Legal and Evangelical Righteousness 2. A Righteousness before God and before men Before God there is none Righteous according to the strictness of the Law But Zachary Elizabeth Abel and Lot and all truly godly are called and counted righteous by an Evangelical righteousness while they endeavour to fulfil all righteousness though in many things fall short But though they dare not plead their righteousness before God in whose Eyes the Heavens are not pure yet can they before men say Ye are witnesses and God also how holily and justly and unblamably 1 Thess 3. Po. we have had our Conversation among you Whose Oxe or Asse have I taken or whom have I defrauded There are sins Quotidianae Incursionis as Tertullian calls them some over-sights which the best are not free from but bewail and they consist with Grace But there are other gross sins Vastantia Conscientiam which make foul work with Conscience and denominate a man unrighteous in a high measure these shut out of Heaven 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. A third Doctrine much abused to strengthen Doct. 3. Christ died for Sinners men in sin is That Christ dyed to save Sinners which is the most comfortable Doctrine in all the Bible a saying worthy of all acceptation and due consideration But what use doth the presumptuous Sinner make of it Then saith he shall I do well enough though I live in sin for I can't out-sin the Merits of Christ's Blood which is said to cleanse from all sin And thus would he make Christ the Minister and Maintainer of sin as if he came not to destroy the Works of the Devil but to Patronize 1 John 3. 8. them But if thou wilt understand know That Jesus Christ came not to save us in and with but from our sins Matth. 1. 21. that is from the practice love and dominion of sin He gave himself for us to redeem us from all Iniquity and to Tit. 2. 14. purifie to himself a peculiar people zealous of good Works Every word of which Text speaks life to the Sinner but death to his sin Christ came indeed to reconcile God and the Sinner not the Sinner and Sin He pulls down the partition-wall between God and the Believer but sets up a partition-wall between the Believer and his Sin But many deal with Christ said a worthy Dr. Hall Bishop as some do with their Prince or some great noble man they care not how much they take up and how far they run in debt and when payment should be made they get a Protection to elude the course of Justice So do many fly to Christ for his Protection saith he and this is a common cheat 4. There is no Doctrine more abused then Doct. 4. We are saved by grace that of free grace That we are saved by Grace not Merit The Scripture ascribeth all to Grace we are justified by Grace Rom. 3. 28. Saved by Grace not Works Ephes 2. 8. Where Sin aboundeth Grace superaboundeth Rom. 4. 20. Hence the Libertine assumeth I will rely on the Grace of God and not doubt of Salvation though I am such a Sinner The Apostle easily foresaw that such an Antinomian and Antievangelian Inference would be made by some ungodly ones as Jude calls them who would turn grace into wantonness therefore doth twice obviate and refute it in one Chapter Rom. 6. 1. Shall we continue in Sin that Grace may abound And verse 15. Shall we sin because we are not under the Law but under Grace And knocks down both with the same short answer of defiance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God forbid Shall Grace act against it self and destroy Grace shall gratia gratis data become Ingratum faciens 1. These do quite and clean corrupt the Doctrine of Grace which teacheth to deny Vngodliness and worldly Lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present World Tit. 2. 11. 2. These do pervert the use of Grace set down Rom. 6. 14. Sin shall not have dominion over you because ye are not under the Law but under Grace 3. These frustrate the main end of Grace which is set down Rom. 5. ult That as Sin hath reigned unto Death Grace might reign by Righteousness to eternal life To abuse Grace is the greatest Sin imaginable and to despight the Spirit of Grace is the Sin unpardonable Heb. 10. 29. And if any are ungodly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in God's Black-Book as destined to condemnation Jude verse 4. they are such as turn the Grace of God into wantonness A fifth Doctrine much abused is That Doct. 5. That we are saved by Faith we are justified and saved by Faith alone which is most true and consonant to Scripture Rom. 3. 28. Gal. 2. 16. Ephes 2. 8. I will therefore believe saith the careless Christian and then hope I shall do well enough though I have no good works which I hear are excluded in those fore-cited Scriptures in the matter of Justification But know O vain man That Faith and Works are only opposed in the matter of Justification but are never separated and parted As the Eye and Ear are opposed in the matter of seeing the Eye only sees not the Ear but where God gives Eyes he gives Ears also So to whom Grace is given to believe it is given to obey Faith is not an idle but active and operative Grace It works by love Gal. 5. 6. Is of a heart purifying nature Acts 15. 9. It unites the Soul to Christ so that Christ is said to dwell in the Soul by Faith Ephes 3. 16. And to live in the Soul Gal. 2. 20. The right Epithete of true Faith is most holy Faith Jude verse 20. His right property is sanctifying Acts 26. 28. True Faith is never solitary but attended and known by her good many Companions Vertue 2 Pet. 1. 5. Love Ephes 1. 15. Fear Heb. 11. 7. Repentance Mark 1. 15. Righteousness 2 Tim. 2. 22. Obedience Heb. 11. 8. Patience Heb. 6. 12. Sanctification 2 Thess 2. 13. Good Works Tit. 3. 8. Her Exercises are holy Duties Therefore we read of the Prayer of Faith James 5. 15. Living by Faith Heb. 11. 28. Walking by Faith 2 Cor. 5. 7. And as to our spiritual warfare it is of singular use we read of the fight of Faith 1 Tim. 6. 22. Resisting the Devil quenching his fiery Darts overcoming the World and all by Faith So that such know little of the nature of Faith who dream that Faith hath nothing to do but to look on a Promise and sit still Faith hath Promises Conditions Precepts Threats
had made a prey of a poor Widow thinks his sin expiated by a long Prayer which he meant to say ere he went to Bed And thus I fear do many Professors now a-days for whom my Heart bleeds who like the Inn-Keeper cleanse their Rooms in the Morning to be fouled again by all Comers ere Night Or like the Monks who have their Mattins and Even-song and all day do what they list only with this difference The one mock God in saying what they understand not And the other deceive themselves in plain English praying that which they after mind not But as one said once Tell me not what the man is in Affliction but what after So say I Tell me not what a man is in Duty but what after it Again there are others who think to expiate their many Sins in their Life by doing some notable act of Charity at their Death by their Goods ill gotten Debts are to be paid before Legacies and Restitution is to go before Charity as we see in Zacheus We speak not against good works but would have them done in a good manner that they may redound to the good of the Donor Many rich men once cast in great Giâ—â—s into the Treasury and all did not amount to one Farthing The poor Widow cast in no more and all theirs was not so much God hates Robbery for Burnt-Offering Esay 61. 8. Deut. 23. 18. and the price of a Dog or the hire of a Harlot was not to come into his Offering Remarkable is that story of Selimus he First who near his end was counselled by Pyrrhus the Bassa to lay out a great mass of Treasure taken from Persian Merchants upon a notable Hospital for the Poor No saith he God forbid I should bestow those Goods so ill gotten upon Works of Charity and Devotion for mine own vain-glory and praise I will never do it but command that they be all restored to the right Owners It is true indeed wicked men may do some magnificent acts much cryed up by men yet nothing available to the Doer What a splendid Temple was that which Herod built Josephus saith Not much inferior if any thing at all to that built by Solomon far beyond that built by Cyrus and Darius Tacitus calls it Immensae opulentiae Templum yet he as very a Miscreant as ever breathed 26. I may not forget the vulgar Excuse 26. Fair inside and good heart of many ignorant persons Their fair inside and good heart Charge them with their gross Ignorance neglect of God's Service in Family or otherwise loose and lewd talk c. They are ready to answer Though I can't talk so well and have not so much knowledge yet for a Heart to God-ward I have as good as the best I have so strong a Faith as I never yet doubted and for loving God I do and ever did with all my heart Poor Souls thy Heart good without knowledge is as an Eye good without sight Prov. 19. 2. Tell me thou hast a strong Faith and a Heart full of love to God when thy life and talk is loose and vain and perswade me thou hearest Thunder when I see it snows The one is not more the old man's wonder then this the Christians Or that the Spring is sweet when the water 's bitter Or that the Tree is a Pear-tree when it beareth Bramble-Berries Or that the man is sound who is alway Coughing in my Ears and spits up his Lungs and putrid matter in my sight As is the Treasure of the Heart such is the Communcation and Conversation Tell this to thy Child not to me Thy Child would perswade thee he loves thee with all his heart and will strike on his Breast when thou askest him Where he loves thee yet let him have an Apple ask him to give it or a part of it or bid him go into the next Room if dark to fetch thee any thing he shrinks and shrugs but will do neither So if the Lord bid thee part with the least sin or go into the darks of seriousness and mortifying any lust thou flingest away and wilt do neither And now tell me whose Speech and Carriage is more Childish thine or his 27. In the last place comes in one who 27. Little did I think it saith Little did I think and we may soon discern whose Language this is Insipientis est c. Even the greatest Fool hath his after-wit and after-repentance Had I been aware or were it to do again I would do otherwise Thus it is in Temporals thus in Spirituals thus in this Life thus after Who would have thought saith the Prodidal that I should ever come to beg a morsel of Bread That did I may the provident man say Who would have thought said Haman and Jezabel that we should have come to such ends We never expected other say the godly but that so proud a Wretch should have a shameful downfall and that a Whore a Witch a Murderer should come to an infamous end Who would have thought said the foolish Builder that such a storm should have come and on such a sudden And the foolish Virgins that the Bridegroom should surprize us that we had not time to trim our Lamps That did we say the wise Builder and wise Virgin and we provided against both Who would have thought saith Dives there had been such a place of Torments and that I should after all my Ease and Plenty have come hither and that I should see Lazarus taken into Heaven and my self shut out What did Moses and the Prophets tell thee other saith Abraham And who would think saith the careless Professor at the last day that I Mat. 8. 12. should see Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of God and so many of the Children of the Kingdom so many Professors cast into utter darkness That did I forewarn you of may our Saviour then Luke 13. say It is a remarkable passage that in Wisd 5. 3. 4 5. Where the prophane Atheist and Scoffer are brought in condemning themselves We Fools counted the life of the Godly madness and his end without honour And now is he reckon'd among the Sons of God and his Inheritance is among the Saints How have we erred from the Truth c. What hath all our Pride and all our Riches and Glory profited us seeing they are vanisht and gone c. Thus have we done with the first sort of Excuses those we called Home-bred or from our selves we come now to those that we call Forreign or borrowed from others CHAP. III. Excuses taken from Others EXcuses taken from Others are either from 1. Men. 2. God 3. Satan We shall begin with those relating to men And to take in all sorts of men shall reduce them into three Classes 1. All men may be considered as Superiors Equals or Inferiors 2. As good or bad 3. As Friends Foes or Strangers 1. The first sort of men from whom Excuses
glory So again when we call upon men to duty to come in and receive Christ How do all with one consent make Excuse my Calling Oxen Farm Merchandize will not permit and give me time the work is good I confess I speak not against it but the time is not yet I am a Child ignorant an unlearned person I have a full purpose hereafter when more at leasure when out of debt settled in the world when I have buried my aged Father and my self my own man and my estate in my own hand but let me alone till then or till I am old sick dying and then I will do what you will have me So again when we perswade men to believe how backward and slow of Heart are many to embrace the Promises rejecting and in as much as in them is frustrating the grace of God with such like put-offs the Promise is good and too good for me I too bad altogether unworthy neither holy nor humble enough the means are unlikely c. or I fear it is now too late the day of Grace is past the Decree is gone forth Providences are dark Promises delayed my sins afflictions fears doubts temptations great and dreadful Satan assaults dogs insults triumphs and which is saddest of all God hath forsaken me my Prayer are not heard the Vision doth not speak my Flesh fails my Heart fails and my Hope is even giving up the Ghost I might go on Reader thus to enlarge and multiply particulars but must crave thy pardon for this tediousness if either thou desirest more or art not at leisure to read the whole let me advise thee to turn to Chap. 9 10 11. and seriously consider what thou there readest of the veariety vanity sinfulness and danger of Excuses But here thou seest enough to convince thee how common and frequent Excuses are and how justly to be spoken against All the world is undone by them nothing but Excuses Excuses every where Every man hath his Omer full So that call for what you will and put men upon what you will all you must look for is to be put off with an Excuse As he said once To will is present to perform I find not so to Excuse is present to perform I find not an inclination To fly from repent of and turn from sin requireth pains to perform the duties of Sobriety Righteousness and Godliness requires pains to exercise Faith and Patience requireth pains and so the whole of Real Christianity but an Excuse is easie cheap and costeth little I shall trouble thee no longer Reader but desire God to give us all his grace to avoid all sinful and destructive Excuses and that in stead of these we may get our selves furnisht with some of those Better Excuses recommended in the end of this Discourse in particular these five I would commend at present in stead of all others First that of a good Conscience then thou needest no other of which Saint Bernad saith well Optima Câ—ique Excusatio est Testimonium Conscientiae The best Excuse of all is an Excusing Conscience This was St. Paul's Excuse Our rejoycing is this The testimony of our Conscience 2 Cor. 1. 12. It is above a thousand Witnesses we say and I may add above ten thousand Excuses Saint Peter calls it the saving answer of a good Conscience and prefers the vertue of it above that of Baptisme alone 1 Pet. 3. 21. 2. Next to that ready sincere and universal obedience then no need of any devised Excuse when thou canst say with Jacob My righteousness shall answer and speak for me Gen. 30. 33. and with the Apostle we have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty not walking in craftiness as Excuse-makers do 2 Cor. 4. 3. 3. Because Conscience may yet accuse and our Obedience falls short the next good Excuse is Humiliation and Repentance timely and true Shemei after all his foul-mouthed rayling and cursing sped better at David's hands by his making hast to humble himself and crying mercy 2 Sam. 19. 20. then that less guilty Amalekite who brought a Crown coming in his confidence of good Service 2 Sam. 1. 5. And the self-condemning Publican at Gods hands than the self-justifying Pharisee Neither were any received to mercy at Josuah's hands but the self-humbling mercy-begging Gibeonites all that stood upon their defence were cut off 4. With humble Confession and Prostration joyn fervent Prayer This was David's Excuse or Relief Against thee have I sinned turn thy face from my sins and the Lord answered I have taken away thy Sin Self-accusation and Repentance with Prayer obtains absolution and remission This is the Apology or self-clearing mentioned 2 Cor. 7. 11. If we therefore cannot come in with the elder Brothers Apology I have served thee these so many years neither transgressed at any time then come in with the younger Brothers confession and supplication Father I have sinned against Heaven and against thee and am no more worthy to be called thy Son c. 5. Lastly above all fly to Christ by Faith that he may make thy Excuse by interceding for thee His Office is to mediate reconcile and plead for us as our Advocate to undertake for us our Surety to take away Sin as our Propitiation then what need of Excuses wheas Sin is taken away through him we shall be presented unblamable unchangeable before God Col. 2. 22. Ar thou therefore overwhelmed with Sin Guilt Fear and Dismaydness cry to him as Hezekiah did Esay 38. 14. Lord I am oppressed undertake for me and with the words of the expiring Thief Lord remember me now thou art in thy Kingdom Luke 23. 42. And now I have no more to do but to commend thee to God and to the word of his Grace and to intreat thy favourable acceptance of this Discourse such as it is and to pray that thou maist make thy best of it This I hope thou wilt find at leâ—st as St. Austin said of his Writings while he was taken up in writing that he was kept from being Idle or worse employed so while thou art Reading thou art kept from spending thy time more unprofitably unless thou bast in thy hand some more profitable Book of which blessed be God our present age is well stored and therein I would by no means be thy hinderance only desire thy Prayers for a Blessing upon this and all the Endeavours of other Godly Men whether Preaching or Writing whose aim is next to the glory of God and the declaring his Will to seek and further the Peace and welfare of his Church and to contribute their utmost to the furthering of the salvation of Souls In which number is The meanest of Gods servants Io. Sheffield THE CONTENTS CHAP. I. THe Text opened and Observation raised Page 1 CHAP. II. Several kinds of Excuses 1 Good 2 Bad. 7 Evil Excuses referr'd to three heads 1 Sin 2 Duty 3 Faith 8 1 Excuses as to Sin are 1 fetcht from self 2 from others
1 From self 1 By denying the fact 8 2 Telling some artificial story 9 10 3 Pleading Ignorance 10 4 It is my Nature 11 5 A Custom I have got 13 6 It was in Drink 16 7 Passion 19 8 In my Childhood 20 9 My good Nature 21 10 I was in Jest 25 11 Against my will 26 12 Necessity put me upon it 27 13 Besides my Intention 28 14 Was surprised with fear 29 15 It was in a matter of moment 30 16 To cover and prevent shame 33 17 It was not my act but others 36 Eight wayes whereby we are partakers of others Sins 37 18 It was in pure Zeal 40 19 My Conscience 2 or under a Vow 3 Oath 4 Curse 42 20 It is but a small Sin 44 21 The first time 45 22 It is all the fault I have 46 23 It was to save my life 47 24 My Negative Goodness 47 25 Many good Deeds done 48 26 I have a good Heart strong Faith 51 27 Little did I think it 52 CHAP. III. Excuses from others are taken from other Persons 2 Things 54 1 From other persons 1 Men 2 God 3 Satan Men distinguished into 3 Classes 1 Superiors Equals Inferiors 2 Men considered as Good Bad. 3 as Friends Foes Strangers 1 Excuses taken 1 from Superiours 54 1 Their Example 54 2 Counsel 55 3 Commands 55 4 Promises or Threats 56 2 Excuses from Equals 58 3 From Inferiors 58 2 Excuses taken 1 from good men 60 2 from bad men 65 Excuses taken 1 from friends 66 2 foes 69 3 strangers 71 CHAP. IV. 4 Excuses taken 1 from God 72 1 His Providence 72 2 His Decrees 74 3 His Permission 78 4 His pretended Austerity 81 5 His Mercy 83 6 His denegation of Grace 84 7 That God owed them a shame 85 2 From Satan 86 CHAP. V. Excuses taken from other things 1 Ignorance 90 2 My Place and Office 91 3 Example of Predecessors 92 4 I am not the first nor shall be the last 94 5 The best in the place do so 95 6 Good Intention 96 7 Antiquity 96 8 Tradition 99 9 Vniversality 100 10 Singularity 101 11 The Law of the Land 102 12 It is my own and I may do with it what I will 105 13 It is lawful in it self 109 14 Christian Liberty 111 15 Our Calling 113 16 Manner of our Country Society c. 116 17 The odious names put upon Virtue 116 18 The honourable Titles upon Vice 117 CHAP. VI. Excuses taken from some Doctrines and Scriptures misapplyed and some observations likewise 119 1 The Doctrine of Election and Reprobation 119 120 2 That all are Sinners 122 3 That Christ died to save Sinners 124 4 That we are saved by Grace 126 5 That we are justifyed by faith 127 6 The Saints imperfections 129 7 That we are not under the Law but Grace 132 8 That we are to try all things 134 9 That it is but repenting at last 135 The Case of the Thief on the Cross 138 Sundry observations 1 the peaceable End of some wicked men 140 2 The weak parts of the Godly 142 3 The low estate of the Godly 144 4 Divisions among Christians 145 5 Scandalous lives of some Preachers 148 CHAP. VII Excuses as to Duty 1 I am a Child 149 2 I am unlearned 153 3 Want competent abilities 154 4 Our Calling 155 5 I will hereafter 158 6 Want of Company 7 Sufferings 161 8 Terms of Honour 163 9 We are well already 165 10 It is no part of our Calling 165 11 Despair of success 166 12 Excess of Humility 171 CHAP. VIII Excuses as to Faith and Believing 173 1 From the greatness of the thing promised 171 2 The things promised too good 175 3 Our selves too bad 175 4 Sad misgivings of Heart 177 5 The means unlikely 179 6 Present Providences unlike former Presidents 181 7 Providences cross promises 182 8 That time is past and now too late 183 9 It is above all reason imaginable 185 10 I am under so many afflictions 186 11 Fear I have committed the Sin against the Holy Ghost 187 12 Relapses into Sin again 194 13 Fear of Reprobation 195 CHAP. IX The Causes and Reasons of Excuses 198 1 Causa prima Man's fall 199 2 A primâ orta Our corruption by the fall 200 3 Causae assistentes 1 Principal Satan 200 2 Secundary Man 201 4 Deficient causes 1 Want of due consideration of Gods omniscience c. 202 2 Not considering the Latitude of Gods Law 203 3 Not remembring the last Judgement 204 4 Want of Conscience 205 2 Ends of Excuses 1 To avoid shame 205 2 To gain a repute of Religiousness 207 3 To stop the Mouth of Conscience 208 4 To spare greater pains 209 CHAP. X. The sinfulness vanity and frivolusness of Excuses 210 1 Sinfulness because the greatest hinderers of good 210 2 The greatest Nursery of Evil. 212 3 They are oftentimes no other than flat Refusals and Denyals 213 2 Their vanity 1 In that they cannot stand before any approach into Gods presence 214 2 Nor before the light of Gods word 215 3 Nor a strict Examen of Conscience 215 4 Nor bear up in a day of trial 216 5 Least of all in the day of Gods Judgment 217 CHAP. XI The Application of the whole 218 1 By way of Lamentation 218 2 By way of Humiliation 229 Excuses 1 charged with a breach of all the 10 Commandement 231 232 Instances in each Commandement 2 With Sins against the Gospel 239 3 Against Christ 239 4 Against the Holy Ghost 240 3 They turn all things unto Sin 241 4 They do harden men in Sin 242 3 Several uses of Information 242 1 Informing what a shifting Creature Man is 242 2 Whence so little true Piety Faith Obedience and Conscience in the world 245 3 The folly of that Proverb Better a bad Excuse than none at all 246 4 The sad difference of Gods care of Man's Salvation and Man's carelesness 247 5 The wide difference between the sincere Christian and the unsound in respect of Excuses 248 249 6 The difference between Gods Judgement of man and Mans concerning himself 249 7 The difference between man in his day of Sin and of Gods Visitation 249 8 The difference between Man's sense of his Excuses now and in the day of Judgement 250 9 Informs that men may be shut out of Heaven notwithstanding much fair Carriage and good Language 255 10 Informs Heaven may be lost in pursuance of things in themselves Lawfull 255 11 Performing Relative Duties is not all required of Christians 256 4 Vse of Examination 257 5 And last Vse of Exhortation or rather Dehortation 261 Four Removals of Excuses 262 1 By ready Obedience 262 2 By Repentance 262 3 Flying to Christ by faith 265 4 To remove sinfull Excuses by making use of safe Excuses whereof 267 5 Instances out of the Old Testament 268 5 Out of the New Testament 272 to the end ANTAPOLOGIA OR A DISCOURSE OF EXCUSES CHAP.
Abominations that attend it as so many Familiars or Evil Spirits dancing about the Cup. We may say with the Prophet Every Table is full of Vomit and every Bed full of uncleanness Esaâ— 2â— 8. Hâ—s 4. â—1 Whoredom Wine and new Wine hath taken away Englands heart and glory This with other sins hath filled the Cup of our Iniquities and caused the Lord in his just Judgment to give us that Cup of Trembling to drink of Pestilence Fire Sword hath been the portion of our Cuo Yet thou seest it not and saist with Solomon's Drunkard When I awake I will to it again Prov. 23. ult Joel 1. 5. Awake ye Drunkards weep and howl all ye drinkers of Wine saith the Prophet And consider how many fearful Woes are pronounced against this beastly Sin of Drunkenness There is one Woe Isa 5. 11. another Isa 5. 22. a third Isa 28. 1. a fourth Habak 2. 15. Besides many in the New Testament Matth. 24 49 50 51. 1 Cor. 6. 10. Gal. 5. 21. Woe upon Woe The Drunkard hath one Woe upon his Face Prov. 23. 29. Who hath woe who hath sorrows but he Another in his State Prov. 23. 21. Another on his ragged back ibid. Another all over his Body Diseases Aches Cramps Gout c. bred by this Distemper Another worse upon his Heart and Understanding Hos 4. 11. And the worst of all yet behind 1 Cor. 6. 10. Gal. 5. 21. There 's a Woe for the morning-Drunkard Isa 5. 11. A Woe for the afternoon and Evening-Drunkard Isa 5. 11. A Woe for the merry Drunkard Isa 5. 12. A Woe for the mad Drunkard Prov. 23. 29. the quarrelling Drunkard A Woe for the red-faced Drunkard ibid. A Woe for the babling Drunkard ibid. A Woe for the wanton and unclean Drunkard Prov. 23. 33. A Woe for the fighting Drunkard Matth. 24. 29. A Woe for the mighty Drunkard Isa 5. 22. A Woe for the Master Drunkard Habak 2. 15 16. Yea a Woe for the common Drunkard and for all the knot of Drunkards 1 Cor. 6. 10. 7. The like Excuse is made by the next I was in Passion who saith Though I was not in Drink yet I was not my self I was in Passion Iâ—a fuâ—or breviâ— est Hor. And indeed what is Passion but a dry Drunkenness and short Madness and doth as much disturb Reason as Wine or Phrensie for the time This was all the Plea those Sons of Jacob made for their barbarous cruelty towards the Shechemites They thought themselves excusable for their Passion and their Passion for the Provocation Should he deal with our Sister as Gen. 34. 30 31. with an Harlot But what said their Father to it Me have you troubled nothing ever so much troubled me in my life you have made me to stink and my Religion too Neither did he onely testifie his detestation of the Fact when it was fresh but thought of it the longest day of his life and on his Death-bed when he called his Sons together to receive each of them a Fathers Blessing he bequeaths this Legacy to those two Brethren Simeon and Levi are Brethren Gen. 49. 5 6 7. in Evil Instruments of Cruelty are in their Habitation Cursed be their wrath for it was cruel and their anger for it was fierce c. And it is recorded of Theodosius a godly Emperor when he had commanded Sozomen l. 7. c. 24. a cruel Execution upon the Citizens of Thessalonica for an affront given him that St. Ambrose would not admit him to enter into the Church doors or come to the Lords Table till he had done Penance and acknowledged the Error of his Passion A wise man will watch over his Passion and learn of Socrates who said once to his Servant offending Were I not angry I should strike thee 8. A third comes and makes the same 8 It was done â—n my Châ—ldhood Plea â—oo and saith I was not my self neither was but young a Child in comparison and did as a Child And Childhood and Youth are Vanity and must have a time to sow their Wild Oats But hath not God written bitter things against many for the sins of their youth Two and Joâ— 13. 26. 2 Kings 2. 23. forty Children paid dear for their Childish Impiety and deriding the Prophet being torn in pieces by two Bears Job and David smarted sore for their sins in youth Pâ—â—l 27 7. Job 20 7. And Zophar tells us excellently how such sins will come home to a man in his age and lie down with him in his sick bed and break his very Bones as those Bruises that are taken in Youth are felt usually in Age. And he that shall read St. Austin's Confessions and see how oft in many Chapters Conf l 2. c. 5. 6 7 8 9. he is up with a Piece of Waggery as we would call it robbing an Orchard of some green Apples and with what Circumstances he doth aggravate it and arraign himself for it how he doth lament it and beg pardon at the hands of God will I hope learn not to allow in himself or in his Children any Childish miscarriages I and my Companions rose in the Night saith he stole Apples more than they could tell what to do withal no very pleasant Apples neither nor did he it for want but wantonness nulla causa malitiae nisi malitia and how merry they were and how much they laughed when they had done all which he doth punctually set down and particularly bewail 9. Another begs your Excuse for he â— Hâ—â— goâ—d Nâ—tâ—â—e hath no other fault in all the world but that he is of so good a nature Thus must all be excused first or last One excused himself but even now from his Ill Nature and now a Good Nature is the onely crime He is of so good a nature that he can say nâ— body nay he is no mans foe but his own speak him but fair and you may have his very heart But I say then 1. How comes he to say God may Or is he no body with him Rehobâ—am and Zedekiah the first and last Kings of Judah were two such good-natured men and the one lost ten Tribes by his good nature the other all Rehoboam could not find in his heart to say the Youngsters nay he was so tender-hearted as he is said 2 Chron. 13. 7. And the other spake it out in plain English to his Lords and Courtiers desiring him to secure Jeremy or put him to death I leave him to you for the King is not he that can Jer. 38. 4. do any thing against you Yet both of these could say God nay Rehoboam could say the wise Grandees of State nay And Zedekiah could say Jeremy the Prophet nay with whom he had many a Conference 2. You may have his heart you say if you speak him fair you need but to hold up your Finger he will do what you would have him A mighty good nature sure
7. Sometimes again Providences run not 7. Providences cross Promises even with Promises and then is a weak Faith much disheartned This caused some haesitation in Moses who expected Israel should have been forthwith delivered God having so promised but after his speaking to Pharaoh their slavery was more increased so that the People fell foul upon Moses for his undertaking Exod. 5. 21. And Moses himself seemed to be at a stand when he broke out into those words Lord why hast thou so ill intreated this People why is it that thou hast sent me For since I came to speak to Exod. 5. 22 23. Pharaoh in thy Name he hath done evil to this People and thou hast not delivered them at all But this occasioned many a sad murmuring in the carnal Israelites all along in the Wilderness who had promised themselves nothing but Prosperity Ease Plenty and a present Possession of the promised Land And for this their Unbelief they fell short of the Promise and fell in the Wilderness God will train up his People in the exercise of Faith and Patience before they inherit the Promises Thus did he to Abraham and Sarah Heb. 6. Hab. 2. 3 4. 15. The Vision is for an appointed time and will certainly speak and not lye But it may tarry long therefore must we wait as well as believe for it will surely come and not tarry saith the Prophet In the mean time the just must live by Faith And as he that believeth shall never be confounded so he must not make hast by Impatience and prescribing to God his time Esay 28. 16. But wait and tarry the Lord's leisure who is never slack to make good his Promise But 2 Pet. 3. 9. waiteth to be gracious Esay 30. 18. And usually mans extremity is his opportunity according to what was said of old In the Gen. 22. 14. Mount will the Lord be seen 8. It is now too late saith Unbelief again 8. The time is past at other times I fear I have slipt the day of my Visitation and therefore fear that Faith Repentance and all my endeavours come too late and will prove as fruitless as Esau's Tears and the Blessing is gone past recalling Oh that time could be call'd back Oh that I were as in times past Job 29. 2 3. when the Candle of God shined in my Tabernacle Oh that I had known the day of my Visitation in that my day and the Job 29. 2 3. things of my Peace but they are now hid from my Eyes Oh that God would come once again and call Samuel Samuel as he did when I lay down and slept but now all is too late and all is in vain Thus said once the Servants of Jairus The Damosel is dead trouble not the Master any further Mark 5. 35. Thus said Martha If thou hadst been here when time was my Brother had not died now he is departed four dayes ago and by John 11 32 39. this time stinketh Oh ye of little Faith why reason ye thus in your hearts Nullum Tempus occurit Christo Christ and his Grace incurs no Lapse by loss of time Believe Jairus Thy Daughter is not dead but sleepeth Dead to thee asleep to me Believe Martha and thou shalt see the glory Joh. 11. 40. of God Take heed of taking up such sad Conclusions as to say My strength and hope is perished from the Lord Lam. 3. 18. Ezek. 37. 11. Our Bones are dryed up and our hope is lost and we are cut off for our parts I am as certainly damned some have cryed out as if I were already in Hell yet despair not it is not yet the twelfth hour All the day long the Lord stretcheth forth his Hand and it is not yet the night of Death when none can work Look up to the Mercy-Seat out of this Belly of Jonah 2. 4. Hell as Jonah did and thy Prayer will be heard and thy Repentance accepted Christ is able and ready to save to the utmost period of time the utmost period of life the utmost period of hope or despair when thy hope is giving up the ghost Job 11. 20. 9. Blame me not saith another if I can't believe what is above all reason and sense 9. It is above all humane Reason imaginable imaginable what was seldom or never known Thus reasoned he that heard the Prophet foretel there should be so sudden a change from the greatest dearth to the greatest cheapness such a fall of Corn in one dayes space as was never heard of A measure of fine Flour for a Shekell and two 2 Kings 7. 2. measures of Barley at the same rate How can this be saith he if God should make Windows in Heaven yet how can this be Thus is impotent and short-sighted man bold to prescribe a measure to Omnipotency and to set down what he can and what he cannot do This made Luther once to chide Melancthon cast down under the difficulties the first Reformation met with Thou thinkest Philip saith he that God must act intra infra within or according to what Philip propounds But saith he he will act ultra supra beyond and above all that we can ask or think Thus it is with many a poor Creature who as if they did study industriously to make themselves miserable Eph. 3. 20. when they are pressed to fly to Christ and hope for Mercy and the Minister tells them Believe and Repent and your Sins shall be blotted out as a Cloud why saith he if the Lord should open the Windows of Heaven all his Treasures of Grace and Mercy yet can this be Know O man God hath opened the Windows of Heaven when he sent his Son that Day-Spring from Luk. 1. 79. on high to visit and redeem us and to give Light to them that sate in Darkness and in the shadow of Death God opened the Windows of Heaven again when he set open that Fountain for Sin and Vncleanness Zach. 13. 1. Esay 55. 1 2. and proclaimed Ho every one that thirsteth come to the Waters buy Wine and Milk without Money and without Price yea let him that is athirst come and take of the Water of Life freely There is cheaper then a Shekel for fine Flour and half a Shekel for a Rev. 22. 17. measure of Barley He gives freely Rev. 21. 6. He forgives freely Luke 7. 42. 10. Another holds it unreasonable for 10. Continued afflictions him to believe that God hath Love and Mercy in store for him he is so often under great and manifold afflictions Deep calls to Deep all the Waves and Billows of the Almighty are gone over him And whence come Afflictions but from Anger and Job 5. 17. why but for sin Answ Then hath the Scripture told us wrong which saith more Prov. 3. 1â— Heb. 12 â— Gen. 30. 33. then once Whom the Lord loveth he correcteth Look into all
5. Least of all the day of Judgment Those must be more solid things not Wood Hay or Stubble that can stand before these such are pretious Faith true Repentance sincere Obedience a pure Conscience and undissembled Holiness and the whole new Creature 1. They cannot stand before the presence 1. They can't stand before Gods presence of God in any solemn approach before him for what Communion hath Light with Darkness A solemn drawing near to God in any religious Duty will dispel these frivolous Excuses as the approaching Sun doth Fogs and Mists and sends the Beasts into their Dens If the Majesty of a King Prov. 20. 8. then much more of a God sitting upon his Throne doth scatter the Wicked from before him What man that hath any reverence of a Deity dare come before him with his Idols in his heart to enquire of him least God should answer him according to Ezek. 14. 2 3. his Idols Who is there that allows himself in any known sin can come before God and say Examine me O Lord and prove me try my Reins and my Heart see if there be Psal 26. 2. Psal 139. 23. any way of Wickedness in me Who is there that hath any acquaintance with God and Prayer and knows that God is a jealous God of pure Eyes and will be sanctified in those that draw near to him that dare say to God as the Heathen to his Goddess Da mihi fallere da justum sanctumque videri Or as he to Elisha Herein the Lord be merciful 2 Kings 5. to me when I go into the house of Rimmon c. This were to mock not worship him These Excuses must off as Moses his Vail when we go to have any thing to do with God 2. They are not able to stand before the 2. Nor before the word Acts 24. 25. Word of God applyed close to the Soul as we see in Faelix who started and trembled and had soon enough of the Sermon True it is a man may slightly and cursorily run over the whole Bible and daily have a glance at this Glass and not minding himself turn away and go on in a sinful course But if he continue to look wishly into it as St. James saith as if he would look it Jam. 1. 25. through As Elisha so looked upon Hazael it would dash sin out of countenance as that look did him So mightily and powerful is the word of God that it pierceth the thoughts and intents of the heart And these paltry Excuses are no more able to stand before it then Dagon before the Ark. 3. Frivolous again because not able to 3. Nor the strict enquiry of Conscience abide the strict examen of Conscience when it calls ad scrutimùm secundo tertio When it takes them to task as Elisha did his Servant It finds them faultring and sumbling Few men are either Scripture-proof or Conscience-proof willing to put themselves upon the Tryal and Verdict of God and Conscience Conscience is as Eliah to Ahab God's word as Micaiah the one 1 Kings 22. 8. an Enemy the other speaks no good to them but alwayes evil 4. Nor able to abide a day of tryal when 4. Nor a day of distress God lays his hand upon the outward man by Affliction or the inward man by impressions of his Displeasure writing bitter things against them The Paint falls off when it comes near the Fire Or as we say of Witches all their skill fails them when under an Arrest of Authority Such is the impression of Divine Majesty upon his own Institution that Satan falls as Lightning before it So when these Excuse-makers the Masters of this Black-Art are under God's Arrest all their Art fails them and their heart too But the godly man is not afraid to converse with God with his Word and Conscience therefore no Prov. 31. 21. more dreads Affliction then the good Huswives Family dreads the winter Snow being clothed with double and treble Garments God himself his Word and Conscience speak good to him therefore Affliction also and every thing else must do the same 5. Lastly Least of all are they able to 5. Nor before Gods Judgment-Seat stand before God's Judgment Seat for if they cannot stand before God in any solemn manner of approach nor before his Word when he speaketh on Earth and his Voice shaketh the Conscience of the guilty Sinner nor before Conscience God's Sub-Officer nor a day of Sickness how shall they be able to stand before the Son of man when he shall come in flaming fire with his mighty Angels to render Vengeance 2 Thess 1. 8. to all that obey not his Gospel How shall they be able to endure when he speaketh Heb. 12. 26. from Heaven whose Voice shall shake Heaven and Earth I may therefore reason with thee in the Prophets words If thou hast run with Foot-men and they have Jer. 12. 5. wearied thee how wilt thou contend with Horse-men Or as Rabshakeh said to the dismayed Jews If you be not able to stand before any of these single how will ye be able to withstand the whole Power of his wrath CHAP. XI The Application of the whole HAving gone thus far in the Explicatory part of the nature and several kinds The Application of Excuses what remains but to make some useful Application of the whole and so come to an end And what use can we so fitly begin with as a sad Lamentation Here may we then well sit down as Israel of old did by the waters of Babylon and 1. By way of Lamentation burst out into tears when they remembred Sion and now reflected upon their present Condition Much more cause have we if we remember Paradise and Primitive Integrity when the Image of God was upon man and his Tabernacle with man Man being like the Moon at full full of transcendent light God as the Sun directly beholding him and man as the Moon in her fulness reflecting the glory of his received light to his Creator again Man once a Companion of Angels and a Compendium as it were of a Deity in a little Volume for we are his Off-spring But now he is degenerated and into what an Acts 17. 28. Abyss of sin and slavery is he plunged we stand amazed as at a sad Prodigy when we behold those two Luminaries the Sun and Moon in an Ecclipse But man is the greatest Prodigy in the World in whom the two great Lights of Judgment and Conscience have suffered so great an Ecclipse so that the light which was in us is now darkness the natural man conceiveth not the 1 Cor. 2. 14. things of God and in stead of that propenseness to good and rectitude in our mind now all his imaginations are evil We Gen. 6. 5. may not only say O Lucifer how art thou the greater Light fallen But O man the second great Luminary how art thou
are ready to plead God's unchangeable Decrees they who are elected shall be saved endeavours are to no purpose all our Works cannot merit If not elected it is in vain to strive against the stream Faith Repentance and Obedience will come to nothing God giveth Grace and Salvation where he pleaseth and none else can have it These are the Excuses about Sin 2. In the next place when we are call'd upon to duty instead of saying Speak Lord 1 Sam 3. 10. thy Servant heareth as Samuel or Lord what wilt thou have me to do with Paul Acts 9. 6. How many put-offs I have put off my Cant. 5. 3. Coat how shall I put it on I have much indisposition at present It is unseasonable mid-night come again some other time trouble me not now Luke 11. 7. Or if we yield at any time it is with no good will as the unjust Judge not out of fear of God or regard to man relieved the Widow only to be rid of her so do some perform Duty not out of love to God or Duty but to be rid of the clamours and importuâ—ity of Conscience and to be more at ease and quiet Good God! what a world of Excuses have the Sons of men devised to shift off thy holy Commands Some have confessed the Duty is good the Command just but I must be excused I am a Child I have no competency of parts my insufficiency may excuse me Others cry out What a weariness it is what strictness difficulty unpleasantness is in the way to Heaven my Ignorance want of breeding unaccustomedness to such courses may excuse me others again I am for it like Hag. 1. 2. well the work but the time is not yet fit for it I will acquaint my Friends and fairly bid them farewell and take my leave of Lu. 9. 61. them or to be sure will after my Fathers decease when my Estate is come into my own hand I have now a busie Calling saith another a full Employment little spare-time for Soul matters But I fully purpose when my Children are grown up and provided for at least when I am old or sick and I trust all will be well others again in such cases will plead It is not my Calling the rich may the Minister must I may be dspensed with lastly some will say I fear all is too late I despair of acceptance and success 3. When we are invited to believe and exercise Faith how is it we have so many Excuses the Promise is too good I too bad altogether unworthy not holy not humbled enough the means unlikely Providences are dark Promises delayed the Vision doth not speak it is not with us now as with former Presidents God withdraws Satan insults my Heart misgives me my Flesh and my Heart my Faith and Hope fail me my Sins are too great my Repentance too little for so many heinous reiterated Sins against Knowledge Conscience Vows Promises Corrections Deliverances Experiences c. how should I believe Thus we see there is nothing but Excuses Excuses at every turn Excuses for Sin for Duty for Faith for every thing And if we enquire into the cause doth not this plainly discover the face of the Soul to be wofully smutched our native Beauty deformed God made man upright but he hath sought out many Inventions ratiocinia Junius renders it Reasonings strange Reasonings Computationes Ar. Montan. Reckonings strange Reckonings doth not this plainly shew our Nature is tainted Bloud corrupted Inwards infected doth not this demonstrate that we are acted instructed and beguiled by the Serpent that we have strayed from God and are estranged towards him that we are unsensible of his Purity forgetful of his Presence unacquainted with the work of the Spirit and the Inside of his holy Law Besides that we are little versed in Conscience-work and self-examination and that we are extream forgetful of the Day of Judgement Again consider are not the Ends as base and sordid To avoid the worlds shame to gain the repute of some Religiousness to flap Conscience in the mouth and muzzle it and to procure some little ease to the Flesh by saving the labour of through conversion and sin-mortification Again what is the fruit of all is not that as bad as bad can be to hinder all intended good frustrate Gods gracious Tenders and Promises as much as in us is to obstruct the way to Heaven and to make the strait Gate yet straiter to gratifie Satan to make our selves utterly uncapable of mercy what doth more confirm and harden in Sin what doth discover more gross hypocrisie than these Excuses which in word seem to express a good inclination and willingness when indeed they are flat Denyals Yet once again consider will these bring thee into Gods presence with any chearfulness when thou art to draw nigh to him will these cause thee to lift up thy face with joy and confidence to God will they not make thy Spirit to faulter thy Faith to flag thy Hands to hang down Can these stand before the light of Gods Word duly perused or endure a through search of an awakned Conscience when affliction comes will not these increase thy trouble adding inward to outward and when Death comes will not these put another sting into it and put more poyson into that Cup And where wilt thou appear at the day of Judgement with these thy Excuses but be confounded as he that stood speechless having nothing Mat. 22. 12. to say for thy self And consider lastly if it be not through these that millions of Souls do daily miscarry and are shut out of Heaven having by them shut themselves out of Grace before Now lay all these together and tell me seriously if here be not just matter of Lamentation Sit thee down therefore good Christian and before thou passest from this consider if this be not or hath not been thy case and that these many Excuses have not left thee without Excuse at the last 2. From this use of General Lamentatation 2 Use of Humiliation we may proceed to Particular Humiliation and may not each of us take up the words of the faulty and forgetful Butler and say I call to mind my Sin this Gen. 41. 9. day and say this concerneth me I have been wont to excuse my faults sometimes by flat Denyal sometimes laying the blame on my Ignorance forgetfulness my Nature Custome Passion c. And when called to Duty have we not made such slight put offs as are mentioned before or worse may be such as Corah we will not come We will not have this Man Num. 16. 14. Lu. 19. 14. Psal 12. 4. Rule over us our Tongues are our own we will speak As for the Word of the Lord we will not do it but do as our Fathers Kings c. have done before us shall Moses or the Minister put out our Eyes it is not the Lord nor shall we see Sword or Famin Hell or