which the Saints are adorned that man or that woman will not likely be proud of a silk gowne or a gold ring or a beaver hat or an imbroidered petticoate or any thing that fine minions take pride in And if a man while he is labouring in his Trade shall think Yea but how much more paines should I take to enrich my soule with the treasures of Gods grace that man will not have the heart to dishonour God by dishonest gaine And if a man when hee exacteth diligent and daily labour from his apprentice or servants and chideth thē if they be slack in his service shall think with himselfe Yea but how much more justly may God require all obedience at my hands and chide and chasten mee for my great slothfulnesse in serving him that man will never rule over his servants with rigor nor oppresse them with too much work or too little meate And the like is true in all other the like cases And by this meanes we shall be kept from a sinfull abuse of the creatures which otherwise would bee a great hinderance to our happinesse and a blessed life 3. The same practice will bee a meanes to season our hearts with heavenly mindednesse even while wee are going about our worldly occasions If wee should at any time forget God and our countrey that is above every occurrence in this life would remember us of the life to come When we are at worke in our shops or sit downe to eate at our boards or lie downe to rest on our beds or walk out to take ayre in the fields and whersoever we are and whatsoever we doe some accident or other would befall us in our way that would present good thoughts to our mindes and memories And by this meanes we should have our conversation in heaven while we are upon the earth as the Apostle speaketh or as a learned Writer phraseth it we should have an heaven upon earth and so in good part we should even in this life enjoy that happinesse which we expect and desire fully to possesse in the life to come These are the proofes the uses follow Vse 1. This detecteth the folly preposterous course of worldlings who usually goe the quite contrary way The right way that which our Lord directeth us to by his example is that we use the creatures to bring us unto God but these men use God and his service to bring themselves to their desires in the world Such men I meane who shew great for wardnesse in religion that they may compasse their worldly ends They pray and they professe and they heare Sermons and they entertaine Preachers but their praying and their professing and their hearing and their honouring of Preachers are but as so many stalking horses under which they lie hid till they have caught the prey It is but a fable but the moral of it is an evident truth which wise men tell us of a fishermans sonne They say of him that he put himselfe into a Monastery and there lived as a poore Monke but being of good parts by nature and thriving well in his studies was for his well-deserving advanced to bee the Abbot of the Monastery Which place of dignity whē he had obtained hee in acknowledgment of his poore beginnings and to remember himselfe whose sonne he was caused a net to be spred upon his table-cloth whensoever hee went to meate Afterward for his vertues he was thought fit to be a Bishop and then was advanced to bee a Cardinal And still in humility and in thankfulnesse to God the net was every day spred upon his table And by this meanes he gained such an op nion of humility and holinesse that men thought him not onely worthy of the preferments which he had but even of farre greater and so in conclusion he was chosen to be Pope In which place he lived as a great Lord but forbore to spread the net any longer And being asked the reason he answered that now the fish was taken for which he had spred the net all this while meaning that now he had gotten the preferment at which he had still aimed Beloved brethren I suppose ye wil laugh at the devise and some men perhaps will be the better pleased with it because it was framed of a Clergyman But shall I tell you what the Poet said in a like case Mutato nomine de te fabula narratur Change but the name and the fable fitteth your selves It is not only meant of Scribes and Pharisees and such hypocriticall Preachers who devoure widdowes and mens houses too under a shew of zealous preaching But it is meant of hypocriticall professors also who scarse ever open their eyes save when they looke up to heaven but it is that they may be thought to be holy devout mē such as mind nothing but heavenly things And it is meant of covetous professors who frequent sermons and pray with their families and set up Lectures abroad and talk nothing but Scripture phrase and all this that they may draw customers to their shops or hook-in other mens estates into their hands and breake with the more advantage And it is meant of ambitious professors who talk still in a popular language and speak for the good of their countrey and finde fault with the errors in our government and like zealous Patriots indeed take part with the Commoners against their Alderman and with the subjects against their Soveraigne and all that they may steale the hearts of the multitude and by their voices and votes bee chosen into some place of honour to which they doe aspire Against all these and all others who pretend religion and intend their owne ends was this fable devised They are the men that spread the net till the fish be taken and more then that they minde not And of all these I say they take a foolish and preposterous course because they make religion to serve for worldly ends whereas all worldly things should serve the advancement of religion Vse 2. This is of great use for all them who would serve God in sincerity For it teacheth them how to gaine zeale and good affections towards God not onely by hearing of sermons and reading of Scriptures and using a constant course in all holy duties but even by the ordinary occurrences that they meete with in the world If they follow this course and make use of it they may grow in grace and gaine holy affections while they are in their shops and while they walk in the streetes and while they conferre with their friends and while they either think or do any thing by themselves And this I suppose may bee a sufficient motive to perswade us to this practice And for our better direction in the right use of it learned men have prescribed us some rules and holy men have left us some examples in whose steps if wee shall tread we may gaine the like comfort that they have done 1.
look upon ou faire houses wee should say to our selves There is never a wall in this house nor tile on this roofe but it will wast and come to nothing nor can I have any certain dwelling till I have an house given of God eternall in the heavens And when wee look upon our Lands and Lordships our thoughts should be these or such like There is never a foot of this ground nor never a parcell of these possessions but will be taken out of my hands and be possessed by I know not whom And so when wee look on our chests of gold and presses of cloths cupboards of plate when on our goodly children and rich friends and kinred still wee should tell our selves All these things will faile and forsake me yer long Not a peny of all my coine nor a rag of all my garments nor any man or woman of all my kinred and acquaintance can folow mee to my grave or ease mee of my paine or help mee at my greatest neede Luke 12.33 Luk. 16 9. And oh then my soule why do not I lay up treasures in heaven and provide bags that wax not olde and make mee such friends of my goods as when I faile may receive me into everlasting habitations These thoughts rich men may learn from this doctrine And if they learn it well they will not bee proud of their worldly wealth Vse 3. This point is for instruction of us all We hence may learn seeing worldly blessings are nothing to the blessednesse of heaven that therefore we should be very fooles if wee would part with heaven for any thing upon earth Wee all condemne the prophanenesse of Esau who sold his birth-right for a messe of pottage And we detest the wickednesse of Iudas who sold his Saviour for a few pieces of silver And there is as great cause to condemne the unjust dealer that for a small gaine maketh away his right to heaven And so I may say of the ambitious man who selleth Christ for honours and of the vain-glorious man who selleth him for praises of men and of the intemperate man who selleth him for his belly cheare and of the lascivious man who selleth him for carnall pleasure and of every man who for any thing in this world selleth away God and a good conscience Let not us be so unwise as to make such foolish bargaines Rather learn wee of Naboth to hold fast our inheritance Ahab offered him as good a vineyard as that was if he would part with it for the Kings use but Naboth answered God forbid that I should give thee the inheritance of my fathers 1 Kings 21.3 The devill though hee be an impudent lyer yet cannot for shame say that hee can give us as good a blessing on earth as the blessednesse of heaven is And therefore when he offereth us honours and preferments and pleasures and possessions to bee gained by wicked or unlawfull meanes which will deprive us of heaven and eternall happinesse How much rather should wee answere him in Naboths words God forbid that I should sell away the inheritance of my heavenly father or part with so glorious a possession for so vile a price Let the devill offer such bargaines as these to the fooles of the world whose mindes the God of this world hath blinded that they cannot see either the glory of heaven or the vanity of earthly things CAP. IV. There is a supernaturall blessednesse appropriated to Gods service Cap. 4 WHen the woman of the company pronounced her blessed who was the mother of such a son our Lord not denying that to bee true in a vulgar acception in which the woman meant it doth notwithstanding correct her speech by telling her of a far greater blessednesse belonging to them that heare Gods word and keep it And hence ariseth this conclusion or theoreme of great use to a Christian life that the true and supernaturall blessednesse belongeth and is appropriated to the service of God This is plainly and plentifully confirmed by Scriptures such as these are Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsell of the ungodly c. Psal 1.1 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven and whose sin is covered in whose spirit there is no guile Psal 31.1 2. Blessed are the undefiled in the way who walk in the Law of the Lord. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies and seek him with their whole heart Psal 119.1 2. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousnesse sake for theirs is the Kingdome of heaven Mat. 5.10 With many other the like sayings to the same purpose In all which I note two things 1. That they speak of a supernaturall not of any worldly blessednesse so called for they place this blessednesse in the right to the Kingdome of heaven and they ascribe this blessednesse to persecutions suffered for Christs sake which is quite contrary to the nature of worldly happinesse 2. I note that these Scriptures doe place the ground and roote of this blessednesse in holinesse and a godly life Lay these two together and they prove the point that true and celestiall blessednesse belongeth to Gods service or a godly life More then this needeth not for proofe of the conclusion but for more full declaration of it 3. Questions are to be cleared 1. Wherein this blessednesse doth consist 2. Why it is ascribed to the service of God And 3. how men are said to partake of this blessednesse in this life 1. Quest The first question is wherein this blessednesse doth consist and the answer thereto is that it consisteth in the immediate fruition of God of and by himselfe supplying all good things and expelling or driving away all evill In this answere I say three things Answ That it is in the fruition of God For all the good that wee have or can have is from him In him we live and move and have our being Acts 17.28 and Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and commeth down from the father of lights Iames 1.17 And if every good gift then blessednesse among the rest or rather more especially then any of the rest is given us of God our heavenly father And when from him we receive this blessednesse then are wee truly said to enjoy him because he then communicateth himselfe unto us in one of his especiall blessings For as a man is said to enjoy the Sun when by its presence and aspect it communicateth light and influence unto him and as he is said to enjoy a friend who hath his company and acquaintance so as he receiveth comfort and contentment from him or as the Apostle saith that God giveth us richly all things to enjoy 1 Tim. 6.17 when wee have them may use them for our good so and in the like sense we are said to have the fruition of God or to enjoy him when he is so neare unto us and in such manner present w th us as that he cōmunicateth unto
speech that if any of us did know that there were a mine of gold to be found by seeking wee would be glad it were in our own ground wee would moreover digge the earth hew the rocks and draine the marishes that nothing might hinder our obtaining of that treasure And in such maner would Solomon have us to labour for the knowledge of God that lyeth hid in his word Young people should desire to be catechised old people to be further instructed and all both yong and olde should willingly undergoe that paines what ever it bee that may open the Mine and bring us to the sight and possession of this treasure 3. If there bee any of us who have children whose happinesse wee doe desire we learne from hence to lay the foundation thereof in the knowledge of Gods word Moses commanded parents that they should teach their children upon every occasion and acquaint them with Gods word and his commandements promising them that then their dayes and the dayes of their children should be multiplied in the land as the dayes of heaven Deut. 11.19 21. And so if ye would leave a good portion indeede for your children and provide that they may live long upon earth and eternally in heaven catechise them in the principles of Gods word sow the seedes of godlinesse in their tender mindes and teach them how to follow the directions of Gods Law and this will give them instructions to know the right way and will follow them with exhortations to goe on in the way and will never leave them till it give them possession of heaven and eternall glory CAP. VI. Hearing of Gods word Read is a meanes of blessednesse Cap. 6 HItherto hath beene declared how the word of God containeth vertue in it to make a man blessed Our Lord goeth on to tell us how this vertue may bee conveyed and communicated unto us to wit by Hearing and Keeping of it Blessed saith he are they that heare the word of God keep it I begin with hearing and hereof there are two kinds mentioned in Scripture an hearing of the word read as it is delivered in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles and an hearing of the word preached as it is unfolded and applied by the ordinarie Minister sent of God for that purpose Of both these it is true that they are meanes by which the blessednes of Gods word may bee conveyed unto us and therefore both are necessary to bee considered in their place and order First then I say that hearing of the word read out of the Scriptures is a meanes to make a man blessed or to communicate blessednesse unto him I. This is proved first by Testimonies of Scriptures I will insist onely upon two 1. The first is that of Moses Deut. 31.9 10 11 12 13. The words are Moses wrote this Law and delivered it to the Priests the sonnes of Levi And commanded them saying At the end of every seven yeares in the solemnitie of the yeare of Release in the feast of Tabernacles When all Israel is come to appeare before the Lord thy God in the place which hee shall choose Thou shalt reade this Law before all Israel in their hearing Gather the people together men and women and children and the stranger that it within thy gates that they may heare and that they may learne and feare the Lord your God and observe to doe all the words of this Law and that their children which have not knowen any thing may heare and learn to feare the Lord your God as long as ye live in the land whither ye goe over Iordan to possesse it In these words we may note for this purpose these things 1. what Moses did that is 1. he wrote this Law to wit that which God had delivered unto him for the instruction of his people 2. he delivered it to the Priests that it might be for the use of the Church And this sheweth that the law whereof Moses speaketh was the written word of God committed to the Church 2. Wee may consider what Moses commanded the Priests to doe and that is that they should reade this Law to the people And this is illustrated and amplified by 3. things 1. by the solemnity of the time when it should bee read to wit in the great feast of Tabernacles when all Israel were to bee present 2. By the universality of the persons in whose hearing it should bee read and they are specified to bee men women and children as well strāgers as natives 3. Why or for what end the Law was to bee read to all these sorts of men gathered in such multitudes And the ends are diverse one subordinat to an other ech former serving as a meanes for that which commeth after and all of them tending and conducing to an happie life the first is that they might heare it the next that by hearing they might learn it the last that by hearing and learning they might bee brought to feare God and observe and doe all the words of that Law Now laie these together that Moses wrote this Law and the Priests read this Law and the people all of them heard this Law written and read unto them by Gods appointment and all this for this end and purpose that the people might feare God and keepe his commandements and they plainely prove that the hearing of the word written and read is an approved meanes to an holy and consequently to an happy life also For hee that so heareth the word that he is a doer of the worke is blessed in his deede Iam. 1.25 2. The second testimony is that of the Prophet Ier. 36.5 6 7. Ierem. commanded Baruch saying I am shutt up I cannot goe into the house of the Lord. Therefore goe thou and reade in the Roll which thou hast written from my mouth the words of the Lord in the eares of the people in the Lords house upon the fasting day and also thou shalt reade them in the eares of all Iudah that come out of their cities It may be they will present their supplication before the Lord and will returne every one from his evill way In this passage when it is said that Ieremie being restrained that himselfe could not preach did therefore command Baruch and that by Gods appointment as appeareth vers 2 3. to reade Ieremies words in a written Roll this sheweth both that the people did heare the word written and that it was a duty of consequence and moment And secondly when he saith It may bee they will present their supplication returne this implieth that though there might be some doubt of the successe because of the obstinacy of the people Yet this was a likely way and God made choise of it for that purpose that they might relent and repent and amend their evill waies and obtaine pardon as is more plainely signified v. 3. And this againe proveth that the hearing of the word is a meanes to reclaime
the Text out of Isai 33.7 He was led as a sheep to the slaughter c. And then Philip opened his mouth and began at the same Scripture and preached unto him Iesus In these places it appeareth that Philip and our Saviour tooke a Text to preach upon the one such a Text as the occasion then offered and the other such as himselfe made choise of for the purpose But at other times wee finde that preachers have chosen a theame which they thought usefull for the time and without any Text to ground their discourse on have unfolded that point out of Scriptures and reason applied it to the peoples use Thus our Lord did preach when he made that famous Sermon called by the learned Sermo Domini in monte Our Lords Sermon in the mount recorded by the Evangelist Matt. 5.6 7. chapters For in this Sermon wee have many expositions of Scriptures many doctrines of religion and many exhortations and directions for a godly life but wee finde no Text first read by direction of which he proceeded in his Sermon Thus our Lord and so Saint Peter preached also Act. 2 3. chapters and Saint Stephen Act. 7. and S. Paul Act. 13 17. And of later times some also in these parts of the Church have done the like though the common use now among us is alwayes to ground our Sermons upon some Text even then when men scarse once touch upon the Text in the whole Sermon Of both these sorts of preaching my note is true that if Gods word bee preached aright whether by grounding on a Text or by propounding of a Theame yet the hearing of the word thus preached is a meanes to make him blessed that useth it aright The summe of all is that the hearing of the word preached in which of these sorts soever it be is availeable to blessednesse and alike profitable to salvation And the reason is because by every one of them we may bee instructed alike in the knowledge of God and his service and may be edified in the faith of Christ in the obedience of his Laws which is the only way that leadeth to happinesse and eternall life Thus much for the first point what wee meane by preaching or the word preached II. Quest The next is how it may appeare that the hearing of the word thus preached is a meanes of blessednes And the answere is it appeareth by these reasons 1. Because it is the way and the meanes by which Christ hath founded his Church converted the nations and saved the soules of beleevers So S. Paul saith that by the foolishnesse of preaching so the world esteemed it it pleased God to save them that beleeve 1 Cor. 1.21 And so it is said of the Jews that they did forbid the Apostles to preach to the Gentiles that they might bee saved 1 Thess 2.16 And to these sayings the event proveth answerable For Saint Peter by the preaching of one Sermon converted three thousand soules Act. 2.41 and S. Paul converted many Jews and proselyts Act. 13.43 and more particularly and by name he converted Lydia and the Gaoler Act. 16. and Dionysius Areopagita and Damaris and others Act. 17. And in a word by him his fellow-labourers all the Christian world have beene brought to the faith Experience then sheweth it to be true that the hearing of the word preached is a meanes to bring men to the faith and by faith to salvation 2. It is proved also because God doth send preachers into the world that by their labours hee may bring men to heaven and happinesse For this end it is that God sent his own Sonne to preach the Gospell The Spirit of the Lord God saith our Lord in the Prophet is upon me because the Lord hath annointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek c. that they might be called the trees of righteousnesse the planting of the Lord that he might be glorified Is 61.1 2 3. In these words wee have two things for our purpose 1. the work that our Lord Christ was sent about and that was to preach good tidings c. 2. the end that was intended and effected by it that was two-fold mans sanctification and Gods glory that they might bee called the trees of righteousnes and that hee might be glorified by it And for the like end and purpose our Lord Christ himselfe did send his Apostles to preach Matt. 10.5 7 and the seventie Disciples Luk. 10.1 and S. Paul 1 Cor. 1.17 And to save labour in naming of particulars the Apostle telleth us that when our Lord was ascended up into heaven hee gave some to bee Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers But why and for what end all this why it was saith the Text for the perfecting of the Saints for the worke of the ministery for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come in the unitie of the faith and of the knowledge of the Sonne of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ Ephes 4.11 12 13. By this we see that as the Apostles did bring men to the faith by their preaching of the Gospell in the beginning so God hath established a setled course of teaching to the worlds end by which men may bee brought to happinesse and eternall life And thus much for answere to the second question III. Quest The last is What help may we have by hearing the word preached beside or more then wee might gaine by hearing the Scriptures read To this my answere is it may furtherus in the way of godlinesse diverse wayes over and beside the benefit that is reaped by the word read For 1. It may further us for the right understanding of many passages of Scripture more then we could gather by hearing of them read For though the principles of faith and rules of a good life be delivered clearely plainely in Scriptures and a man by reading or hearing them read may gaine much help toward salvation yet it is true also that there are many speeches phrases words which are not easily understood by an ordinary Christian but may be explained made cleare by a learned preacher For exāple the disciples understood not the right meaning of that sentence of the Prophet Behold I will send you Eliiah the Prophet before the coming of the great and dreadfull day of the Lord and hee shall turne the heart of the fathers to the children c. Malac. 4.5 For they conceited that this was meant of Elias in person whereas it was meant of Iohn the Baptist who came in the spirit and power of Elias and because hee resembled him in his office is therefore called by his name This when they understood not our LORD expounded it unto them and made them to know the true meaning of that Scripture as appeareth Mar. 9.12 Againe the Eunuch of Ethiopia did not understand that
good deedes that hee hath done either for Gods house or for Gods people or for Gods glory Herein he hath cōfort Matt. 6.20 Luk. 14.14 that he hath laied up treasure in heaven which he shall finde with God at the last day and shall be abundantly recompensed at the Resurrection of the Just Againe hereby good men may be encouraged to well-doing because they know that their labour will not bee in vaine in the Lord. This use the Apostle made of this point He that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting And then he addeth Let us not be weary in well-doing for in due season wee shall reape if wee faint not Gal 6.8 9. He meaneth that as he that soweth much shall reape the more so hee that giveth plentifully for Gods sake for it is of liberality that hee speaketh in that place shall be plentifully rewarded at Gods hands Where further because doing of good is compared to sowing of seede and we by the example of the husbandman are stirred up to sow our seede without being weary of our labour we have hence occasion given us of two good meditations fit for this purpose 1. Med. The first is that no man thinketh his seede lost though it rot for a time in the earth because hee knoweth that at the harvest it will bring forth 20 or 30 or it may bee 40 for one And so if we give to good uses if wee relieve the oppressed abound in works of devotion though we do not presently see any profit by them yet none of them is lost when the harvest is come the cropp will make a recompense for all and we shall receive our seede with advantage 2. Med. Among men they are counted rich men that have good store of ground for their tillage every man is glad if he can purchase land where hee may sow in the spring and then reape the cropp at the harvest And so every one among us that desireth to be rich towards God should bee glad when hee hath ground to sow his seede of righteousnesse in that his cropp may be the greater at the harvest For example if we see a poore servant of CHRIST in want and distresse there is a piece of ground to sow our seedes of charity in If we relieve him wee shall enrich our selves by it And if we see a poore man oppressed by a potent neighbour here is ground to sow our seede of justice in If we can and do help him to his right wee shall gaine helpe at Gods hands an hundred fold more And if wee meete with a man that is sad and perplexed in minde here is ground to sow our seede of compassion and comfort in And if wee help to support and strengthen him in his grief God will comfort our soules against all perplexities and feare The summe is a man cannot bee a loser by doing of good deedes no more then the husbandman is a loser by sowing of his seede I pray as our Church doth Stirre up O Lord the wills of thy faithfull people that they plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works may of thee bee plenteously rewarded through JESUS CHRIST our LORD CAP. IX Hearing and Doing compared together and how and with what difference they concurre as jont helpers of our salvation Cap. 9 HItherto I have spoken of the two duties of Hearing and Doing of Gods word severally and apart now it will helpe us not a little both for understanding the right use of these duties and for attaining to blessednesse by them if for conclusion of all we compare them together consider how in what maner they concurre to the procuring of our happinesse To which purpose that I may speake the more plainely and distinctly I will set downe that which I have to say in three severall conclusions And they be these I. Concl. Hearing of Gods word whether read or preached is so farre forth onely usefull for a Christians blessednesse as it directeth and furthereth him to the keeping of Gods word and the doing of his will contained in it For proofe hereof there be these arguments or reasons 1. Arg. Hearing of Gods word is therefore availeable to blessednesse because by it we learne the way to happinesse and are by it perswaded to walk and go on in that way This to be the use of Gods word heard and read I have proved already and other use then this the Scripture reveileth none nor can any man with reason imagin any other I now add hereto as an Assumption to that proposition But the way to blessednesse is by the obedience of Gods Law and the keeping of his word This is proved by those Scriptures which call Gods commandements his waies by which he leadeth men to heaven and happinesse and our keeping or observing of those commandements a walking in that way In this kinde David describing the happy estate of a righteous man saith Blessed are they that keep his testimonies they also do no iniquity but walke in his wayes Ps 119.2 3. But Solomon more directly to this purpose Hee is in the way of life that keepeth instruction Pro. 10.17 Where 1. when he saith Hee that keepeth instruction he meaneth such a one as submitteth himselfe to be guided by Gods word and doth that which God teacheth him therein And 2. when he saith of such a man that he is in the way of life he meaneth he is going on in the right way to eternall life and happinesse And to like purpose David prayeth Teach mee the way of thy statutes and I shall keepe it unto the end Ps 119.33 and so he promiseth I will run the way of thy cōmandements when thou shalt enlarge my heart v. 32. In all which and many other sayings to like purpose wee have two things worth our observation 1. that the keeping of Gods word is a walking in Gods way and 2. that this way of God in which we are to walk is also the way of life and happinesse And from hence the collection is cleare If hearing do therefore profit us to eternall life because by it wee learne the right way that leadeth thereunto and this way bee nothing else but the keeping of Gods word then hearing is only so farre availeable to blessednesse as it furthereth us to a godly life 2. Arg. In Scriptures Hearing of Gods word is commēded unto us as the means that bringeth us to obedience and the doing of Gods word is set out as the end for which Hearing is intended This to go no further is sufficiently proved out of one booke of the Law Deuteron I meane in which the pen-man of the word doth most clearly and punctually describe the use of Gods Law In that booke chap. 4. ver 1. thus Moses speaketh to the people Hearken O Israel unto the statuts and judgements which I teach you for to do them and ver
of right hearing Gods word HEARING AND DOING the ready way to blessednesse CAP. I. The scope of this discourse and the intention of the Author Cap. 1 BLessednesse is the end for which man was made and to which the frame of the world doth direct and whereunto himselfe in his daily thoughts doth aspire For though most men are much corrupted in their judgement concerning good and evill yet there was never any man but did desire his owne happinesse as the soveraign and most desirable good This being so he that could and would point out the ready way by which a man may become blessed I suppose might deserve great thankes at every mans hands And this our Lord hath done as elsewhere in sundry places of the Gospell so more especially in that Text of S. Luk But he said Luke 11.28 Yea rather blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it For herein he instructeth us in the way to blessednesse and that partly by his example and more fully by his doctrine And first by his example for when hee heard one of the company proclaiming with a loud voice the blessednesse of that woman who had bred and brought up such a sonne he taketh occasion hereby to discourse of the true blessednesse indeed which farre exceedeth all such blessings as the breeding and bearing of a good sonne is teaching us by this practice of his how to make that use of ordinary occurrences in the world which may stirre up our hearts to think on and to seeke after the things that are above which is a good step toward the blessednesse of heaven and eternall life And secondly our Lord teacheth us the way to happinesse more fully by his doctrine here delivered in which wee finde him telling us that the true blessednesse ariseth out of piety and Gods service that it is contained and set out in Gods word and may be communicated unto us by our hearing and keeping of that word All which points briefely and summarily set downe in our Saviours words I intend by Gods grace to enlarge and amplifie still laying the ground of my discourse in the sacred Text hoping by my poore labours in this argument I may somewhat further both my selfe and others to the obtaining of that blessednesse which wee all doe so much seeke after That God which hath put this thought into my heart put that vertue into my words that they may guide some soule or other to eternall life But before I enter upon the proposed points it will be necessary first to unfold the Text that so both our Lords doctrines my comment upon them may appeare the more plainely The occasion of this speech was this Our Lord had beene preaching the Kingdome of God to the people and a woman of the company ravished with the gratious words that proceeded from him brake out into his praises in these words Blessed is the wombe that bare thee and the paps that thou hast sucked but this commēdation given by the woman our Lord correcteth in this manner Yea rather blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it Which correction of our Saviour that it may the better be conceived wee must enquire what there was amisse in this womans speech that deserved a correction and how our Lord did amend it And my answere thereto I set downe in two propositions 1. Proposition There was not any thing so amisse in this womans speech as that she may be said either to have committed a sin or to have uttered an untruth For by this word blessed this woman meant not that perfect blessednesse which consisteth in the fruition of all good such as our Saviour meant when he said Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdome of heaven Mat. 5.3 but using the word in a vulgar sort shee meant by it a great blessing of God bestowed on Christs mother in the same sense that S. Paul said I think my selfe happy King Agrippa because I shall answer for my selfe this day before thee touching all these things whereof I am accused of the Iews Act. 26.2 For as Paul by these words meant that he thought it a great blessing to himselfe that he had such a Judge so this woman by her words meant that she thought it a great blessing to Christs mother that she had such a son And thus to call her a blessed woman was neither a sinne nor an untruth First it was not an untruth for Solomon saith The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoyce and he that begetteth a wise childe shall have joy of him Thy father and thy mother shall bee glad and she that bare thee shall rejoyce Prov. 23.24 25. Where by saying that they shall be glad and shall have joy of such a sonne hee implyeth that he thought this to be a great blessing But David speaketh more plainly and in the very dialect or phrase of this woman Children saith he are an heritage of the Lord the fruit of the womb is his reward He meaneth it of good children onely and of them hee addeth further Blessed is the man that hath his quiver full of them Psal 127.3 5. Secondly it was no sinne neither in this woman that shee did thus magnifie the happinesse of Christs mother in regard of such a son for Solomon and David in the places now cited did the like in the same case or in a case not so just as this was And upon these grounds I say in the first place that there was nothing so farre amisse in this speech of the woman as that we can say she either committed a sinne or spoke an untruth 2. Propos There was a defect in this speech which might bee bettered and amended for else our Lord would not have corrected it with a Yea rather And to speake particularly the defect herein was twofold 1. That shee did minde a lesser blessednesse and fixed her thoughts upon that when shee might but did not think on a farre greater blessednesse then that was and which concerned her in an higher degree For it is a kinde of blessednesse indeed to have a good and vertuous childe that may comfort us in the world but it is a farre greater blessednesse to enjoy a father in heaven in whose presence is fulnesse of joy for evermore And if this woman did not so esteeme of this blessednesse but with neglect of it did magnifie the other this was a fault that deserved reprehension Or if she did upon the present occasion as I suppose she did magnifie the happinesse of having a gratious sonne reserving notwithstanding her best affections for the happinesse of heaven then though shee could not bee blamed yet her speech might be amended He that calleth them blessed who have godly children saith well but hee that calleth them blessed who keepe Gods commandements saith better And therefore our Lord did amend the womans speech by turning it on that blessednesse which she had
neglected or at least omitted to speake of The summe of which correction is as if hee had said Thou sayest Blessed is the womb c. Which though I deny not to be true yet I will tell thee of a farre greater blessednes then that is Blessed are they that heare the word of God and keep it 2. This woman made not so good an use of our Saviours doctrine as shee might have done When she heard him preach with great wisdome and evidence of the Spirit she brake out into the praises of the preacher which were justly deserved by him but she said nothing perhaps she thought nothing of amending her life or of performing what she was taught And herein our Lord amendeth her speech by telling her what better use shee might make of his Sermon Shee commended him for his good Sermon when she had done better if shee had amended her selfe by his instruction She said Blessed is the mother that bred such a Preacher but he said Nay rather blessed is the hearer that maketh use of his doctrine The Text being thus explained I now proceed to speake of the points that I propounded omitting other by-notes which though they bee profitable in their season yet are not pertinent to my purpose CAP. II. By earthly things a wise Christian may bee occasioned to seeke after heavenly blessings Cap. 2 OUr Lord from this womans speech concerning the happinesse of his mother for breeding such a childe taketh occasion to discourse of the true happinesse that accompanieth Gods service And hence I observe that it is a point of holy wisdome to take occasion for heavenly meditations by the mention or sight of earthly things My proofes for this are two the constant practice of our Saviour and the helpes that it yeeldeth us to a godly and an happy life I. The constant practice of our Saviour related and commended to us in Scriptures for there wee reade that when he saw Peter and Andrew busied in fishing he tooke occasion by the trade that then they did use to tell them of an heavenly trade of fishing for the souls of men He saw them casting a net into the Sea for they were fishers and he said unto them follow mee and I will make you fishers of men Mat. 4.18 19. Againe when some told him of his mother and his brethren desiring to speake with him he tooke occasion from the mention of his earthly kindred to instruct us in the spirituall kindred that is betweene him and every good Christian It was told him by certain which said Thy mother and thy brethren stand without desiring to see thee And hee answered and said unto them My mother and my brethren are these which heare the word of God and doe it Luke 8.20 21. And againe when the woman of Samaria came to draw water out of Iacobs Well out of this accident he fetcheth occasion to instruct her in the living water that would refresh her soule unto eternall life There commeth a woman of Samaria to draw water Iesus saith unto her give me to drinke Then said the woman how is it that thou being a Iew askest drink of me which am a woman of Samaria Iesus answered and said unto her If thou knewest the gift of God and who it is that saith to thee Give me to drinke thou wouldest have asked of him and he would have given thee living water Of which water whosoever drinketh shal never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall bee in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life Ioh. 4.7 9 14. And yet againe when the people followed after him that they might eate of his bread he taketh occasion from their desire of earthly meate to instruct them concerning the bread of life When the people came to Capernaum seeking for Jesus Iesus answered them and said verily verily I say vnto you Ye seeke mee not because you saw the miracles but because ye did eat of the loaves and were filled Labour not for the meate which perisheth but for that meate which endureth to everlasting life Iohn 6.26 27. Thus our Saviour by a constant custome taketh occasion by the words that are spoken and occurrences that happen in the world to raise mens thoughts from earth to heaven and from things that concerne this life to teach them spirituall lessons for obtaining of eternal life By which practice of his hee lifteth up men to heaven while they remaine upon earth and breedeth in them heavenly mindednesse while they are occupied about their worldly businesse And this being his constant practice who is the wisdome of his father it proveth the truth of my conclusion that it is a point of holy wisdome to take occasion for heavenly meditations by the mention or sight of earthly things II. The same point is further proved by the helps that we may receive from it towards holinesse and an happy life In which kinde I may reckon these that follow 1. It will make every creature that we see and every occurrence that wee meet with in the world to serve us as Schoolemasters to lead us unto Christ and as a Monitor to remember us of some duty The meat on our tables will teach us the necessity of the meate that never perisheth and our hungring after that will admonish us how wee should desire the food of Gods word that we may grow and bee strengthned in grace by it The clothes we put on will remember us of putting on the Lord Iesus and of the glorious robes of righteousnesse with which Gods children are adorned The tender affection which we shew to our children will bring to remembrance the great love of our heavenly father towards his sons and daughters The duty and service that wee require of our servants will tell us what greater duty we owe to our Lord in heaven and their failings towards us will remember us of many defects of our owne in Gods service and of our rebellions against his commandments And the like may be said of all other the like occasions and occurrences so that not a crumme of bread nor a corne of salt nor a drop of drinke but as they serve to refresh nature so they may serve also to increase and confirme grace in us And all the creatures will have not onely a naturall use for this life but also a spirituall use towards eternall life and the happinesse of the world to come 2. This practice of gathering holy meditations from worldly occurrences will help to preserve us from abusing the creatures in a sinfull sort Hee that when he eateth his meate for refreshing of his body shall think withall Yea but how much more necessary and comfortable is the food of Gods word to the famished soule will not likely abuse the creatures to surfetting and excesse And hee that when he putteth on his best clothes shall think Yea but how much more glorious are the garments of righteousnesse and the fine linnen and silkes with
And first for rules Ludovicus Vives a man renowned as well for piety as learning among other learned workes of his hath published a Treatise which hee calleth Excitationes animi ad Deum that is The liftings up of the soule unto God In this book he prescribeth us rules of meditation and prayer upon every incidentall occasion for example when we awake out of sleep in a morning and finde our selves refreshed by our rest then hee biddeth us think how joyfull and blessed a thing it will be to bee raised up to eternall life after our sleeping in the grave and to pray withall that as God hath raised our bodies from their sleep that wee may do the works of this life so hee would raise up our soules from the sleep of sin that we may do the works of piety and a godly life And when wee are going on a journey then we should think that our life here is a pilgrimage on earth in which we are separated from our owne countrey and our dearest friends that is from heaven and the blessed soules that be there and then wee should pray that God will teach us to live here as pilgrims and strangers that are travelling toward a better countrey and that our conversation may be in heaven while our bodily mansion is on earth And when we see a candle lighted in the evening to be a comfort against the dismall darknesse of the night that then we should think how necessary the knowledge of Gods word is which is a light to our eyes and lanterne to our feete and pray withall that God would keep this candle still shining before us that wee may know how to serve him aright The like rules of good thoughts and prayers he prescribeth us when we put on our clothes when we go out of doores when we sit down to meate when we prepare to bedward and upon other the like occasions leaving us no part of the day nor no occasion of our life without some holy thoughts that may make us like to the Saints that be in heaven This book of Vives and the meditations and prayers contained in it that worthy Martyr M. Bradford hath translated or the greatest part of them into our English tongue and hath presented them to the view of the world in a book of his called Bradfords Meditations and prayers And after him M Henry Bull who hath gathered together many sweete flowers of such like devotion hath also for the benefit of his countrey-men printed these meditations and prayers among the rest There if ye please yee may reade them and I dare say if ye reade them with attention and care you will not think your labour either lost or ill bestowed Besides these books there is one also of late yeares penned by a reverend and learned Prelate of our Church called Occasionall Meditations In it you are directed how on ordinary and triviall occasions yee may raise up your thoughts to heaven-ward But that book I suppose is in the hands of most men and the known worth of the Author will sufficiently commend it to their reading I onely will say thus much that who so shall peruse these books and make use of them accordingly I doubt not but he will finde in them good helps to heaven and great comfort to his soule And so I leave the Rules 2. The examples that I make choise of for this purpose are two 1. Examp. The first of one Pambo an ancient and religious man Of him * Socrat. hist l. 4 c. 18. pag. 660. Rosw de vitis Patrum l. 3. num 164 pag. 524. v. etiam l. 1. c. 3. in vita S. Pelagiae pa. 377. de Nonno Episcopo Socrates reporteth that seeing a light woman finely tricked up and sumptuously adorned that shee might please and allure lovers unto her hee burst out into teares and being asked why he wept he gave these two reasons for it 1. because he saw in what miserable state that woman was in it grieved him that so goodly a creature of Gods making should be in so ready a way to hell and destruction and 2. because said he I do not take so much paines to please my good God as she doth to please sinfull men This example if we wil follow we may make use of it divers wayes for our good namely thus when we see a Porter sweating under his burden that he may earne a poore wages we may check our own dulnesse who are so soone weary of labouring for an eternall Kingdome that we grudge to spend a quarter of an houre in prayer or a whole houre in hearing of Gods word or a day in abstinence and fasting for our sins For what a shame is it that a labouring man should willingly take so much paines for a tester or a shilling when we think so little paines to be overmuch for obtaining of eternall life and the Kingdome of heaven And when we see a Shopkeeper abridge himself of his meate and of his sleep that hee may attend his customers and make gaine of his trading wee may justly blame our selves for our backwardnesse in Gods service and that we cannot abridge our selves in our eating and in our sleeping and in our sporting and in our clothing that wee may bee the fitter and more expedite for good duties and for the Kingdome of God And when we see a man that taketh physick fast aforehand and after the taking of it to content himselfe with a thin supping that the medicine may work the better wee may think every man with himselfe what a foole am I that on the Lords day when God prepareth and giveth me physick for my soule I do so fill my stomach with meate and my head with strong drink as maketh my selfe unfit for Gods service and my praying and hearing and reading unprofitable for my soule And when wee see men and women look thēselves in the glasse every day that they may carie with them no spots or deformity in their faces that may shame them when they goe abroad among men wee should accuse our shamelesse security in matters of our soules and that we doe not examine our consciences and look our soules in the glasse of Gods Law that there bee no deformity in our lives that may shame us before God and his Angels I might make many such applications of Pamboes practice to our selves and gather such collections to shame our selves for our indevotion and want of feeling but out of these there is direction enough for them that are willing to make use of it too much for them who shal despise it 2. Examp. The second example is of a Cook in a Colledge of religious men Of him Climacus a Greek father in the anciēt Church relateth that hee was very devout in serving God and often moved with compunction to mourne for his sins Which Climacus observing importuned him to know by what meanes he had attained to such a degree of sanctitie and holinesse and
us his mercies and blessings And that thus the blessed man doth enjoy God I take it to be plain when it is said in the Gospel Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Mat. 5.8 For to see God includeth two things to enjoy him and to live in his presence in his glory That it signifieth to enjoy him appeareth by the custome of Scripture phrase In which to see good is to enjoy it Psal 34.12 and to see good dayes is to enjoy good dayes 1 Pet. 3.10 and to see corruption is to partake of it Psal 16.10 and to see death is to suffer death Iohn 8.51 and Heb. 11.5 and not to see good or evill when it commeth is as much as not to partake of it Ier. 17.6 8. And if in the Scripture phrase to see good and to see evill and to see death and to see corruption bee to partake of them and when the speech is of that which is good to enjoy them then I doe but speak according to the phrase of Scripture if I say that to see God in that place of the Gospell is to enjoy him and so to see and enjoy him is the Blessed mans portion And therefore I say in the first place that Blessednesse doth consist in the fruition of God B. Secondly I say that this fruition belonging to the blessed man is the immediate fruition of God For understanding hereof wee must note that there is a two-fold enjoying of God the one mediate and the other immediate Mediately we are said to enjoy God when hee communicateth himselfe unto us by secondary meanes and by interposition of the creature between him and us as namely when he feedeth us by meate and drink lightneth us by the sun instructeth us by his word strengtheneth us in grace by the Sacrament When thus God communicateth his blessings unto us as he still doth in this life then we are said to enjoy him mediately Secondly we are said to enjoy God immediately when he communicateth himselfe unto us without any other thing between And thus wee are said to enjoy God immediately two wayes 1. In respect of presence and 2. In respect of influence In respect of presence our enjoying of God is said to be immediate when wee live with him in the place of his residence and where his honour dwelleth and that is in heaven above as Solomon saith to God Heare thou in heaven thy dwelling place 1 Kings 8.30 39 43 49. For while wee live here in this world wee are said to be absent from the Lord because we are out of the place of his dwelling 2 Cor. 5.6 But when once we have left this world and are gone to heaven then we are said to be present with the Lord 2 Cor. 5.8 And then saith the Apostle Wee shall ever be with the Lord. 1 Thes 4.17 And from hence it is that the wicked are said to bee punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power 2 Thes 1.9 and that of the godly it is said Thou wilt shew me the path of life for in thy presence is fulnesse of joy at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore Psal 16.11 and that where Christ is there shall his disciples be also Ioh. 14.2 3. and that they follow the Lamb whither soever he goeth Apoc. 14.4 Which speeches doe prove that the Saints in heaven do enjoy God in another manner then they here did while they lived in the flesh namely that in heaven they enjoy him in his palace in the place of his proper dwelling without separation or distance of place which is found in all them which enjoy God most nearely in this world And this also as before I said is implyed in that saying of the Gospell Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God For this to be meant or intimated by the seeing of God in this place may clearly be gathered from other places of Scripture in which it is said that now we see in a glasse but then wee shall see face to face 1 Cor. 13.12 and in which we are said in this life to walk by faith and not by sight 2 Cor. 5.7 He meaneth that here wee are led by an inevident and obscure kinde of knowledge for so the Learned define faith to be agreeably to that of the Apostle Faith is the evidence of things not seen Heb. 11.1 but in heaven we shall walk or live by sight having there the immediate and open view of Gods face in Glory In heaven then where all they that are the blessed of God shall bee there men enjoy God immediately in respect of presence Secondly they enjoy him immediately in respect of influence For there God communicateth himself unto them by immediate vertue received from himselfe without the use of any meanes This is signified by that in the Revelation where S. Iohn speaking of the Great City the holy Ierusalem he saith of it And I saw no Temple therein for the Lord God almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it And the City had no need of the sun neither of the moon to shine in it for the glory of God did lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof Apoc. 21.22 23. Where 1. when he saith I saw no Temple in it he giveth us to understand that in heaven there will bee no use of the outward meanes of salvation For if there be no Temple then there are no priests nor no preaching nor no Sacraments nor no solemn assemblies for where there is need of these there there is use of a Temple also In this world where we are absent from the Lord these things are necessary and by them God communicates himselfe to his servants But in the life to come prophecying shall faile and the use of tongues shall cease and the meanes of knowledge and instruction shall vanish away as the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 13.8 2. When hee saith that this City had no need of the sun nor of the moon to shine in it he implyeth that the outward meanes of our naturall life should cease Here in this world the sun giveth us light by day and the moon by night and here meate and drink do nourish us and clothes keep us warm but in heaven there will be no neede nor no use of such things The children of this world marry and are given in mariage but they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain the world to come and the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in mariage neither die they any more Luke 20.34 By all which wee learn that all natural meanes now used for preservation of mans life shall then be at an end 3. When S. Iohn saith There shall be no Temple in it for the Lord God and the Lamb are the Temple of it and againe There is no neede of the sun c. for the glory of God doth shine in it and
olde the treasure that is here cannot bee eaten by the mothe nor stollen by the thieve nor wasted by continuance of time nor can they either be taken from us or we from them by any casualty or mischance And why then should wee think any paines too great or any cost too much or any danger too hard by which going on in Gods service wee may obtain such an unvaluable reward Or if wee shrink at the thought of too much at least let us do as much for heaven as the labourer doth for his hire or as the shop-keeper doth for his gaine or as the Merchant doth for his estate And if we will bee Christians that professe Gods service to be our trade and heaven and happinesse to bee our reward let us think it a shame that they should labour so constantly and so chearefully for the commodities of this life while wee grudge at every small labour in praying and hearing and examining the conscience and mortifying of our carnall lusts or while wee repine at every small summe bestowed for Gods service and for setting forth of his praise or while we pull back and shrink at every petty losse in our estates in our credit in our pleasures and preferments seeing by these meanes wee aspire to an incorruptible Crown to an inheritance in heaven and to a kingdome that cannot be shaken 2. All men desire and will endure much for freedome from misery and grievances Wee willingly lay our our money and bestow our labour that by providing meate and clothes and maintenance we may avoid hunger and thirst and nakednesse And wee part with lands and possessions and offices that we may redeem our liberty rather then lye in yrons or be tyed to a Galley And if there be any feare of our death by sicknesse or dangers then skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for saving of his life But now this blessednesse of heaven it hath freedome from all evils and from all feare of danger There as hath been said is no more curse nor no more crying nor no more death or sicknesse or sorow neither hunger nor thirst nor any thing to disquiet our peace And for such a blessed and secure state if we will not doe what we would do for freedome out of prison and to redeem our selves out of slavery and to recover our selves from the stone or strangury from the goute or palsey or from sicknesse and death surely wee both overvalue these transitories and undervalue heaven and happinesse more then is tolerable in him who professeth himselfe to be a Christian and God Almighty to bee his exceeding great reward 3. Lastly there is no man but if he ask his own heart it will tell him that happinesse is to be desired above all In all ages there have been great disputes and much difference about the matter of happinesse some thinking it to consist in riches and others in pleasures and others in honours and preferments but there was never any man but did think and professe that true happinesse is the summum bonum the greatest good that any man could have or would desire This is a principle so graffed in nature that no disputes of philosophers nor no differences of opinions could ever roote it out But all Christians now know that the true blessednesse is in the fruition of God in glory And why then should any Christian make more account of the vanities of the world then of the happinesse of heaven or why should wee stick at any labour the fruit whereof will be eternall life or why should we not desire heaven with the losse of all things with this consideration our Saviour stirred up his disciples to the hardest service Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousnesse sake for theirs is the Kingdome of heaven Mat. 5.10 And with this consideration S. Paul animated himselfe to undergoe the greatest dangers Now behold saith he I goe bound in the spirit unto Ierusalem not knowing the things that shall befall there saving that the holy Ghost witnesseth in every City saying that bonds and afflictions abide me But none of these things move me neither count I my life deare unto my selfe so that I might finish my course with joy and the ministery which I have received of the Lord Iesus to testifie the Gospell of the grace of God Acts 20.22 23 24. And with this consideration August Soliloque ca. 1 n. 3. an holy Father of olde did encourage himselfe to pray for death that he might the sooner enjoy God in his glory Hee bemoned himselfe that he might not be admitted to see Gods face but remembring himselfe what he had asked calling to mind that in the like case God answered Moses Thou canst not see my face for no man can see me and live Exod. 33.20 He replyed with great confidence why Lord and is that all that I cannot see thy face and live I pray thee then Eâ—a Domine moriar ut te videam videam ut hic moriar Nolo vivere volo mori dissolvi cupio esse cum Christo Lord let mee die that I may see thy face or let me see thee that I may die in this place I would not live I would die that I might see thee Thus holy men of God have been affected who knew and considered what this blessednesse was And if we did rightly conceive what it were to enjoy God in glory wee would count nothing so deare unto us as the favour of God in Christ nor grudge to bee bound in chaines for the hope of Israel and we would even wish to die presently so we were sure upon our departure to bee with God And what then should let us by an holy life and works of Gods service to make our calling and election sure that whensoever our translation shall be as far off to the youngest of us it cannot be that then this mortall may put on immortality and we may live with God in glory for ever Vse 2. This may serve for comfort to all true Christians who may hereby understand how blessed their state is But especially it fitteth them who together with a good conscience do groan under some heavy crosse Our Saviours instruction in this case to his disciples is Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evill against you falsely for my sake Reioyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven Mat. 5.11 12. Consider here 1. what our Lord exhorteth them to Rejoyce and be exceeding glad when men shall revile you c. 2. Upon what ground he requireth such rejoycing in so heavy a case it is because they are now blessed and yer long shall have a great reward in heaven Blessed are yee when men shall revile you c. for great is your reward in heaven And so I may say to every poore Christian that had rather have a small estate well gotten
then by ill meanes to increase their wealth Blessed are ye that are impoverished for Christs sake for great is your reward in heaven And so of them that refuse not a nickname or reproach for profession of the truth Blessed are yee that are reproached for Christs sake for great is your reward in heaven And to them who had rather lose a preferment or a great friend then offend God and a good conscience Blessed are ye that are stripped of your friends and means for Christs sake for great c. And to them that had rather endure sicknesse and death then seek to wisards and soothsayers for recovery of health Blessed are ye that are tortured with sicknesse and diseases for Christs sake for great c. And so I would say as by the like reason I may say of all others who prefer the peace of their consciences before the profits and comforts of the world They are blessed even while they are distressed for Christs sake for great is their reward in heaven And this how should is comfort all disconsolate soules who in the midst of troubles serve God without fainting A learned and holy man of God when a friend of his was pained with a grievous sicknesse wrote to comfort him in these words * A letter written to ones friend in his sicknesse in the midst of Master Smiths Sermons I marvell not said he that you are pained for you are sick but I marvell that you are impatient who have learned to know Christ and to professe his Gospell For tell me Patient said he how many stripes is heaven worth And then turning his speech unto God hee prayeth Teach the Happy O Lord to see his happinesse through troubles Thus hee comforted his sick friend and thus every Christian that desireth to serve God may comfort himselfe in sicknesse and travells and troubles let him but think how much heaven is worth toward which he is sailing in this tempest and it will glad his soule in the midst of his greatest agonies God give us grace to make use of such comforts that in the end we may partake of his glory CAP. V. Gods word hath vertue in it to make a man blessed Cap. 5 OUr Lord in his correction of the womans speech saith of the true blessednesse that it is to be had by hearing and doing of Gods word and thence it followeth that Gods word hath vertue in it to make a man blessed This is further proved to be so 1. By Testimonies of Scriptures such as these are S. Iohn saith of his Gospell These things are written that ye might beleeve that Iesus is the Christ the son of God and that beleeving ye might have life through his name Ioh. 20.31 In these words S. Iohn telleth us that he wrote his Gospell for this end that men by it might be brought to beleeve in Christ and to be saved And from hence it followeth that either the holy Ghost propounded to himselfe a wrong end in delivering this Gospell which no Christian dareth imagin or else that this Gospell hath vertue in it to bring men to salvation Again S. Paul saith of the Gospel of Christ that it is the power of God to salvation to every one that beleeveth Rom. 1.16 And S. Iames exhorteth Receive with meeknesse the ingraffed word which is able to save your soules Iames 1.21 And our Saviour to the like purpose Search the Scriptures saith hee for in them yee think ye have eternall life and they are they that testifie of me In all which sayings there is a saving vertue ascribed unto the Scriptures and in this last is intimated unto us that it was the known opinion of Gods people in those dayes Yee think in them ye have eternall life saith Christ It is as if he had said not I onely but your selves also do agree that eternall life is to bee found in the Scriptures and therefore there is reason yee should search them 2. The same truth may be gathered from the Titles which are given to Gods word It is called the Gospell of the Grace of God Acts 20.24 and the Gospell of the Kingdome Mat. 4.23 and the Gospell of salvation Ephes 1.13 Implying that the grace of God and the Kingdome of heaven and salvation is there to be found and from thence to be derived Again it is called the word of Gods grace Acts 14.3 and the word of reconciliation 2 Cor. 5.19 and the word of salvation Acts 13.26 and 1 Pet. 1.23 the immortall seede by which we are new born All which names and titles given to the word what doe they else import but that therein there is meanes contained to work grace and reconciliation and eternall life This is proofe enough for the point yet it will bee worth the labour to consider how Gods word may bee said to contain this vertue and wherein it sheweth it selfe And thereto the answer is that this vertue of Gods word sheweth it selfe by three things 1. By teaching the ready way to blessednesse 2. By perswading men to walk in that way And 3. by enabling them with grace both to beleeve what it teacheth and to do what it perswadeth I. It teacheth the right way or it teacheth what to beleeve how to live and by what meanes we may be saved So S. Paul saith of this word that it is able to make one wise to salvation through faith in Christ Iesus and that it is profitable for doctrin for reproofe for correction and for instruction in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished to all good works 2 Tim. 3.15 16 17. In these words we have three things to be noted for this purpose First there is the main scope and end for which the Scripture serveth namely to make one wise to salvation Secondly there are the particular uses of this word by which it maketh men wise to salvation and they bee these first it is profitable for doctrine to teach whatsoever we neede to beleeve Secondly for reproofe or to confute and detect all contrary errors that gainsay the doctrine of truth Thirdly for correction or to reprove all sins that are against Gods will manifested in his word Fourthly for instruction in righteousnesse or to inform us in every duty belonging to our callings In summe it teacheth the truth which we ought to beleeve and the duties that we must perform with conviction and confutation of whatsoever is contrary to either of these two so that wee may neither be misled with any error against the faith nor misperswaded to any sin against Gods Law These be uses for which the Scripture is profitable Thirdly there is the sufficiency or ability which men gain by these uses and that is that the Man of God even he that is bound to know and doe most may want no direction that may serve either for instructing of his faith or ordering of his life Now by all this we have a punctuall and plentifull
description of the doctrinall vertue contained in Gods word If any desire further consent of other Scriptures he may take that of David Thy word is a lanterne to my feete and a light unto my pathes Psal 119 105. and that of Solomon All the words of my mouth are in righteousnesse there is nothing froward or perverse in them and that of Isay To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Isay 8.20 and that of our Saviour Do not ye erre because ye know not the Scriptures Mar. 12.24 By all which as by other like places of Scripture it is cleare that the Scriptures shew the right way and the ignorance of Scriptures is the cause that men erre and goe astray out of the way II. Secondly the word of God containeth blessednesse in it because it affordeth arguments of perswasion and by them doth win our assent to walk in that way And that it doth 3. wayes 1. By loving invitations such as these are I beseech you by the mercifulnes of God c. Rom. 12.1 and God doth beseech you by us and We pray you in Christs stead Bee yee reconciled unto God 2 Cor. 5.20 2 It perswadeth by gracious promises of much good to be obtained such as these are Keep sound wisdome and discretion So shall they be life unto thy soule and grace unto thy neck When thou liest down thou shalt not be afraid Yea thou shalt lie down and thy sleep shall be sweete Bee not afraid of sudden feare neither of the desolation of the wicked when it commeth For the Lord shall be thy confidence and shall keep thy foot from being taken Prov. 3.21 c. and such is that of Moses Blessed shalt thou be in the City and in the field Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body c. Deut. 28.2 c. and that of our Saviour There is no man that hath left house or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my sake and the Gospels but hee shall receive an hundred fold now in this time houses and brethren c. and in the world to come eternall life Mar. 10.29 30. 3. It perswadeth by threatning of plagues and punishments against all disobedience and sin such as these are If thou shalt corrupt thy selfe and shalt do evill in the sight of the Lord thy God c. I call heaven and earth to witnesse against you this day that ye shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto yee goe to possesse it Deut. 4.26 and that of the Apostle God will take vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power 2 Thes 1.8 9. and that of our Saviour at the last judgement Then shall he say to them on the left hand depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devill and his Angells Mat. 25.41 These and such like bee the arguments of perswasion which the Scriptures use to keep us in the way of righteousnesse and to bring us to eternall life And he that hath the heart of a man in him and is not moved with such reasons hath in the shape of a man cast off all humanity and reason If intreaties by the mercies of God in Christ Jesus move us not wee are more unthankfull then many bruites be which attend on their Masters by whom they are fed If promises of rewards and happinesse do not move us we may be thought insensible sensible of our owne welfare And if punishments and plagues especially the worme that dyeth not and the fire that never is quenched if these move us not how far short doe wee come of the wisdome that is in the dogg and the horse and the asse all which are forced to obedience by the rod and the spurre and the whip even when they are but threatned against them And consequently if these many forcible perswasions contained in Gods word do not worke with us to the obedience of Gods will the complaint will bee just against us that was used against the Jews What could have beene done more in my vineyard that I have not done it it Wherefore when I looked that it should bring forth grapes brought it forth wilde grapes Is 5.4 III. Thirdly there is a vertue of blessednesse in Gods word because where it is preached it bringeth with it that grace of God which being entertained by us doth enable us both to beleeve what it teacheth and to performe what it perswadeth unto The proofes of this point are gathered to my hands by our learned Divines of great Britaine who were a chiefe part of the Dort-Councell And as they have set them downe so I shall relate them from their pen. * Suffr de 2. art thesi 5. pag. 30. They having said two things in their position 1. that together with the preaching of the Gospell some measure of grace is offered 2. that it is so much as may convince men of contempt or negligence if they be not reformed by it they add for proofe of the former that it is plaine out of Scriptures and from thence they alledge Isa 59. ult This is my covenant with them saith the Lord My spirit that is upon thee and my words that I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth from henceforth and for evermore Upon which words they comment to this purpose Hinc patet From hence it is plaine that the Word and the Spirit are * Individuo nexu inseparably by Gods promise joyned together in the ministery of the word And from hence say they the ministers of the new Testament are called the ministers not of the letter but of the spirit not of the killing letter but of the quickning spirit 2 Cor. 3.6 And the ministery of the Gospell is called the ministration of the spirit v. 8. Hence also the Gospel is called Grace that bringeth salvation Tit. 2.11 the word of reconciliation 2 Cor. 5.19 And Luk. 10.9 11. When Christ sent his seventie disciples to preach the Gospell he commanded them to say to their hearers The Kingdome of God is come nigh unto you doubtlesse because supernatural grace was administred to those men to whom the Gospell was preached Againe for proofe of the 2. point that there is so much grace offered as may convince them of contempt who doe not beleeve and obey the same learned men alledge that of our Saviour Ioh. 15.22 If I had not come and spoken unto them they had not had sinne but now they have no cloke for their sin From this place it is plaine say they that Christ in propounding of the Gospell did also administer that internall grace which was thus far sufficient that because they did not accept but reject the
men from sinne and to procure their pardon and consequently to make them blessed For blessed is he saith David whose transgression is forgiven and whose sinne is covered Psal 32.1 And thus much for Testimonies II. Secondly the same truth is proved by the constant practice and custome of Gods Church who from time to time have still caused the Scriptures to be read to the people according as was prescribed by Moses in the Law So for example Moses who wrote that Law for others did observe it himselfe He tooke the booke of the covenant and read in the audience of the people as himselfe saith Exod. 24.7 Ioshua did the like He read all the words of the Law the blessings and the cursings according to all that is written in the booke of the Law There was not a word of all that Moses commanded which Ioshua read not before all the Congregation of Israel with the women the little ones and the strangers that were conversant among them Iosh 8.34 35. And in the new Testament it is further said that Moses was read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day Act. 15.21 and chap. 13.27 the like is said of the Prophets that they were read every Sabbath day and v. 15. there is mention made of reading both of them together After the reading of the Law and the Prophets the Rulers of the Synagogue sent unto them to wit to Paul and his fellows being now present at their service in the Synagogue as it is vers 14. and invited them to use some exhortation unto the people By which passage it appeareth to have been the usuall custome of that Church that both that Law of Moses and the writings of the Prophets were read to the people for their instruction Which custome the a Buxtorf de Abbrev. Hebr. tit de Paraschis pag. 249. Jo. Gerhard Epist dedic praefixaÌ„ homiliis dominical Seraâ— in Maccab. pag. 613 614. Lorâ—n in Deuter. 31.10 11 12 13. learned tell us was observed in this maner The Law that is the five books of Moses they divided into 53. Sections and every week they read one of them for the first lesson that so once a yeare they might reade it all over And out of the Prophets they gathered as many Sections which were of like argument to those of the Law and those they read as second lessons answerable in matter to the former These Sections and lessons both in the Law and the Prophets are distinguished and noted out in the Hebrew Bible by which every one may see what portions of the Bible were read every Sabbath to the people The like custome hath beene observed in the Christian Churches also b Cassian Institut li. 2. c. 6. Gaz. ibid. Cassian telleth us that in those ancient times the Religious Fathers after the reading of the Psalmes did add geminas Lectiones unam veteris aliam novi Testamenti 2. Lessons one out of the old an other out of the new Testament By which words wee may learne that the custome now used in our Churâ—hes was begun in the time of the primitive Church onely with this difference that whereas we now a daies do constantly reade our lessons one out of the olde and an other out of the new they on the Saterdaies and Sundaies for in those olde times they kept both of them as holy dayes appointed and read both the lessons out of the new Testament By all which it appeareth that the Church of God in all ages have still beene accustomed to reade the Text of the Scriptures to the people the reason cannot bee imagined to be any other then this that the people by hearing the Scriptures read might learne to serve God aright and by his service might obtaine eternall life And this proveth that in all ages the hearing of the Scriptures read hath been esteemed as an ordinary way to blessednes immortal life III. Thirdly this point may further bee proved and made more cleare by considering the benefits and helps that a good Christian may reape by hearing the word read And they bee these and such like 1. It serveth to acquaint the people of God with the history of the Chuch and Gods dealing with it For example they may heare in the olde Testament how God created the world punished Adam and Eve for their disobedience drowned the whole world for their overflowing sins excepting Noah and his househould whom he had found upright in that wicked generation how hee destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah with fire and brimstone from heaven delivered the people of Israel out of the hand of the Egyptians led them through a vaste wildernes into a fruitfull land dryed up the river Jordan and the red Sea to make a passage for his chosen ones with many mo such occurrences which ech one may learne by the hearing of the Text read and by them may understand the goodnesse of God the ingratitude of most men and the dutie of all with many others points of instructions conducing towards a blessed life Againe in the new Testament if men heare the first chapters of S. Matthew read they will learne that CHRIST our LORD was borne of a Virgin persecuted by Herod honored by the wise men and miraculously preserved against those that sought his life If they proceede further to the following chapters there they will heare what miracles our Lord wrought what doctrines of religion he taught what tentations he endured and how hee lived from the Cradle to the Crosse And if they continue their hearing till the end of the Gospell bee finished they may acquaint themselves with the maner of his Passion and his Buriall and his Resurrection and his Ascension into heaven all maine points of the Christian Faith and such as every one ought to beleeve for the saving of his soule And yet further by hearing the history of the Acts and the Epistles of the Apostles they may see how the Apostles preached to the Gentiles planted the Churches healed the sick converted the Nations and suffered great wrongs for their masters sake The knowledge of all which will both guide us in the way to heaven and spurre us forward to go on towards eternall life For as David after hee had rehearsed Gods dealings with the ancient Fathers concludeth in the end of all Whoso is wise and will observe these things they shall understand the loving kindnesse of the Lord. Ps 107.43 So may I say of these and the like passages in Gods word that whoso is wise and when hee hath heard them will consider them they shall understand the wisedome and power and goodnesse and providence of God in the ordering of his Church together with his justice severitie against all them that would not be reclaimed and amended and hereby receive instruction for their owne soules 2. Secondly the hearing of the Scriptures read may serve to teach us many necessary duties of piety and an holy life Every one of us may learne
Reader a short list of them such as these are 1. He is endued with power from above to keepe Gods word and do his commandements which the rest of the world who are out of CHRIST can not do For 1. they do not know nor can they discerne the things of God But God reveileth them to his children by the Spirit 1 Cor. 2.10 2. By nature and of themselves men cannot think a good thought but God worketh in his children both to will and to do that which is good Phil. 2.13 And lastly of our selves and by the power of nature wee know not how to pray for the things that we want as we ought but the Spirit helpeth our infirmities and maketh intercession for us with groanings that can not be expressed Rom. 8.26 Thus the childe of God by grace received from his heavenly father is enabled to serve God for the saving of his soule which abilitie they have not who have not CHRIST for their Saviour and Redeemer 2. The childe of God hath this priviledge above others that the service which he doth by the helpe of grace though it be weak and unperfect yet being upright and sincere is accepted with God as if it were perfect and wanted nothing For of him that is meant which the Apostle saith If there bee a willing minde it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that that he hath not 2 Cor. 8.12 3. Those sentences of Gods word which are Legally meant of the unregenerat man and therefore containe a curse against him are Evangelically understood of those which are in CHRIST and serve to direct him by the way of righteousnesse to eternall life For example that sentence of * Deut. 27.26 Moses wherein he requireth a performance of all things that are written in the Law if it be applied to a man out of CHRIST it carieth in it the sentence of his condemnation because he keepeth not nor can not keep that Law and therefore hee remaineth liable to the Curse there denounced Cursed is every one that confirmeth not c. And to this purpose the Apostle urgeth this place Gal. 3.10 But if the same sentence bee applied to a true Christian it speaketh no condemnation to him it is rather a commendation of his integrity and piety because hee keepeth this Law so as God requireth of him in the Gospell In this sense it is said of Zacharie and Elizabeth that they walked in all the commandements and ordinances of of the Lord blamelesse Luk. 1.6 And so it is said of Iosias that he turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soule and with all his might according to all the Law of Moses 2 King 23.25 These and such like priviledges do belong to him who is engraffed into CHRIST and by these he may encourage himselfe in his calling and stirre up his heart to cherefulnesse in Gods service who hath beene so gratious unto him 2. Secondly seeing all our abilitie of keeping of Gods word commeth only from Gods grace we may hence learn whom to thank for all the good works that we do Out of this consideration it is that Saint Paul having said I laboured more abundantly then they all presently addeth in the next words yet not I but the grace of God which was with mee 1 Cor. 15.10 And so if any of us bee more fervent and frequent in prayers then others be and more strict in the rules of conscience then they be and more plentifull in the deeds of charitie he should still remember to add after all And yet it is not I that do this but the grace of God that is with mee that so God who giveth all may be praised for all 3. Seeing all our abilitie of keeping Gods word is from Gods grace wee should againe learne when we want any grace whither to go for helpe and supply If wee want water we go to the Conduit because there is the well head whence the water floweth and if wee want health wee go to the Physician because the knowledge of diseases and remedies is presumed to be in him and if wee bee wronged and oppressed we go to the Justice or the Magistrate because he hath the sword that can right and relieve us And so if any of you lack wisedome saith S. Iames let him ask of God who giveth to all men liberally Iam. 1.5 And so say I If any among us do want knowledge to direct himselfe in Gods service let him go by his prayers to God who enlighteneth every man that commeth into the world And if he want patience to beare the crosse let him go to him for mercy who is the God of all patience and comfort And if hee want strength to withstand a tentation let him go to him who suffereth not his servants to bee tempted above their strēgth but together with the tentation maketh a way for them to escape 1. Cor. 10.13 that they may bee able to beare it And in a word if any man want any grace let him go to him who is the God of all grace from whom cometh every good perfect gift If we pray to him for grace and depend upon him for help and submit to him in the use of the meanes there is no doubt but hee hath what we want and will do that which we desire §. 2. II. The second generall point concerning the keeping of Gods word is how and wherein this keeping of the Law is availeable to happinesse and eternall life To this question the answere is that it availeth or conduceth to happinesse two wayes 1. as a condition qualifying mens persons for this glorious estate And 2. as a service which God rewardeth with eternall glory I. First it conduceth as a condition required to bee in them that are admitted into heaven For though God be liberall and bountifull in bestowing of his gifts and useth to give more then either we deserve or desire yet hee is no prodigall or wastfull spender hee bestoweth them not carelesly without respecting who and what the men be that partake of his favours but he maketh choise of such as bee fit and in some sense * I meane a worthinesse which maketh a man fitt to receive a favour and not a worthinesse which maketh him able to deserve it worthy of such mercies The Philosopher said Benefacta malè locata malefacta arbitror Good deedes ill placed and so they are when they are bestowed on unworthy men I count to be evill not good works And therefore God though for his great bounty he be said to be the Father of mercies and the God of consolation and comfort whose mercies are over all his works yet giveth hee not heaven and happinesse promiscuously to all men But as when the sonnes of Zebedee desired to sitt one on CHRISTS right and an other on his left hand in his Kingdome our LORD answered those importunat Beggers To sitt upon my
right hand and upon my left is not mine to give but it shall bee given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father Matt. 20.23 So it is true of every degree of blessednesse and every mansion in GODS Kingdome it shall be given to them onely for whom God hath prepared it And who those bee our Saviour hath tould us when he saith Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world For I was hungry and ye gave me meate I was thirsty and ye gave mee drink I was a stranger and ye took me in c. Matt. 25.34 Where 1. when he saith Come ye blessed receive the Kingdom prepared for you he sheweth that they are blessed men and partakers of Gods Kingdome for whom God had prepared it long before And 2. when he saith for I was hungry c. hee sheweth who and what maner of men they bee for whom he prepared his Kingdom and that is they be such as have served God by works of mercie duties of an holy life This point may further bee cleared by two reasons or arguments 1. Arg. Because the Scripture doth not allot any place in heaven for wicked and ungodly men but still shutteth them out of the heavenly Jerusalem Saint Iohn having spoken of the glory of the holy Citie addeth withall Without are dogs and sorcerers and whoremongers and murtherers and idolaters whosoever loveth or maketh a lie Apoc. 22.15 And of the man who had not on the garment of holinesse and a godly life the doome was Binde him hand and foot and take him away and cast him into outer darknesse c. Matt. 22.13 And so of him that imployed not his talents of grace to Gods glory the sentence was Cast yee the unprofitable servant into outer darknesse there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Matt. 25.30 Where 1. when hee saith Cast him into darknesse that implieth that the place of his abode is a place contrary to heaven For heaven is a place of light and glory The glory of the Lord doth lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof Apoc. 21.23 And therefore the place of these mens abode being a place of darknesse much like to some deep dungeon wherein a man can neither see hand nor foot it followeth that therefore the wicked are in a place as contrary to heaven as darknesse is to light 2. When hee saith Cast him into outer darknesse or darknes which is without that sheweth that both the sinner and the place of his abode is without the Kingdome of heaven And hence also it is that S. Paul saith of them that obey not the Gospell that they shall bee punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power 2 Thess 1.9 Heaven then and the presence of God is no place for wicked and ungodly men And there is great reason why it should be so Rat. 1. First because Mortua quinetâ—aÌ„ jungebat corpora vivis Componens manibusque manus atque oribus ora TormeÌ„ti genus sanie taboque fluentes CoÌ„plexu in misero longâ sic morte necabat Virgil. Aeneid lib. 8. pag. 318. ver 26. if the wicked should be there they would disturb the quiet peace and the happie estate of Gods Saints It was the devise of a cruell tyran to tie dead and living bodies together that as the dead carcase did putrifie it might stifle the living with its stinch and corrupt his flesh with the rottennes putrefaction And a like torture it would be to the holy Angels if they were tied to a company of Divels so to the Saints of heaven if they were coupled with wicked men Againe Solomon saith It is better to dwell in the corner of an house top then with a brawling woman in a wide house Pro. 1.9 and of Lot it is said that he vexed his righteous soule with the unlawful deeds of the Sodomits among whom he lived 2 Pet. 2.7 8. And it is storied of a poore * Barth Casaus Narrat RegionuÌ„ Indic de Cuba insula pag. 41. Indian that having tasted deepely of the Spanish crueltie and pride he refused to go to heaven if the Spaniard were there Nor is there any of us that would bee content to dwell in the house with a scould or a railor or a quarreller or a drunkard wee would leave them house and all rather then bee contitinually troubled with their company And so if drunkards and whoremasters murderers and liers and railers and uncleane persons should bee admitted into heaven it might make the Saints of heaven even weary of that blessed place certainely it would much disquiet and disturb their peace and blessed condition which the LORD of heaven may not in wisdome or with any reason endure This then is one reason why wicked men should not bee received into heaven among those blessed soules Rat. 2. Because it would be a dishonor to God to have such vile persons among his servants and in the chiefest place of his Kingdom Herein saith our Saviour is my Father glorified that ye beare much fruit Ioh. 15.8 He meaneth fruits of righteousnesse which are by JESUS CHRIST to the praise and glory of God as the Apostle speaketh Philip. 1.11 And if God be glorified by works of righteousnesse then he is dishonored by iniquity and sinne Besides it is said of the Jews that through breaking of the Law they dishonored God and that God was blasphemed through them among the Gentiles Rom. 2.23 24. And if it be a dishonour to God to have wicked servants here in the Church Militant how much more dishonorable would it bee to have sinfull servants in the Church Triumphant which is the Palace of his Kingdome And therefore as David said He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house he that telleth lies shall not tarie in my sight Psal 101.7 So may our God say and that upon farre greater reason No wicked person shall dwell in my house nor no ungodly man shall abide in my presence No saith our Saviour At the end of the world the sonne of man will send forth his Angels and they shall gather out of his Kingdome all things that offend and them which do iniquitie Matt. 13.40 41. Rat. 3. It is against all reason that they who have given themselves to all evil should receive the greatest good The Apostle saith It is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you and to you who are troubled rest with us 2 Thess 1.6 Where when hee saith It is a righteous or a just thing with God he implieth that God should be unjust if either he should give heaven to them who have served the divell or denie it to them that have served God And because God cannot be unjust therefore wicked men must be punished and because there is no punishment in heaven therefore wicked men must bee
By vertue of Gods promise I grant it to be due For God hath promised heaven to good works as hath beene shewed already and promise is due debt as wee use to speake and all men do acknowledge Even a mans word tieth him to performance Gods word must needes tie him much more From hence it is that the Apostle speaking of the crown of glorie laied up in heaven for theÌ„ that serve God aright stileth God by the name of a righteous or just judge in bestowing of that reward 2 Tim. 4.8 And in an other place God saith hee is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love Heb. 6.10 Where 1. when hee saith that God doth not forget their good works hee meaneth that he leaveth them not unrewarded And 2. when he saith that God is not unjust to forget them he implieth that God should bee unjust if he did not reward their labour in his service But he speaketh more directly to the same purpose 2 Thes 1.6 7. It is a just thing with God saith he to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you and to you which are troubled rest with us Where wee may note that it is a point of justice in God as well to reward the patient suffering of Martyrs and Confessors as the wrong oppressures of persecutors and evill doers Be it granted then that a reward is due to well-doing by vertue of Gods promise who for our encouragement hath tied himselfe by this bond But yet notwithstanding there is no merit or worth in our best works by which wee may laie claime to such a reward This is cleare by the words of a S. Paul who speaking of Martyrdome and patience in persecution for CHRISTS sake which is one of the most glorious works to which CHRIST hath promised his reward yet even of this hee saith I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to bee compared with the glory that shall be reveiled Ro. 8.18 And 2 Cor. 4.17 Our light affliction saith hee worketh for us a more exceeding and eternall weight of glory Where by elevating our service in suffering for CHRIST and amplifying the reward that is given unto us for it he plainely sheweth that there is no equality or proportion betweene the work and the reward Our Saviour also when we have done all things that are commanded us And yet who is there that doth so but upon supposition that we have done all yet he teacheth us to say unto God Wee are unprofitable servants wee doe that which is our duty to doe Luk. 17.10 Hee meaneth that because it is no more then our duty doth binde us to therefore we cannot plead merit or desert God oweth us no thanks for it no more then a master oweth thanks to his servant when he hath done what he is bound by his place to do I conclude then that the reward of blessednesse promised to well-doing is due by Gods promise and not for the worth of any works And now out of all these things laied together the conclusion followeth which I propounded in the beginning that the keeping of Gods word is availeable to happinesse as a service to which eternall life is promised for a reward And hence we have these deductions for our further use 1. Seeing holinesse is a necessary condition required unto blessednesse this may be for an Admonition to all evill doers who live in any sin against conscience They may hence take notice how fearfull their state is for the present and how needfull it will be for them to begin a better life For I suppose there is no man living so desperatly madd but desireth that he may be happy nor is there any man among Christians but knoweth that happinesse is no where to be had but with God in heaven and now it appeareth by the declaration of this point that no evill doers shall ever enter into that place Take a view if ye please of all the ungodly men in the world and ye will not finde that ever any one of them hath been heretofore or shall hereafter bee received in at heaven gates In heaven I confesse there are a great multitude which no man can number of all nations and kinreds and peoples and languages but among all these there is not one drunkard nor one adulterer nor one slanderer nor one oppressor nor one deceiver nor one lier nor any one evill doer Again in heaven there is no defect or want of roome In my Fathers house said our Lord there are many mansions Ioh. 14.2 There is a mansion for the Prophets they are in the Kingdome of God Luk. 13.28 And there is a mansion for the Apostles They shall eate and drink with CHRIST in his Kingdome and sitt on thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel Luk. 22.30 And there is a mansion for the Martyrs they follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth Apo. 14.4 There is a mansion for the penitent thiefe this day saith our Saviour shalt thou bee with mee in Paradise Luk. 23.43 And in a word there is a mansion for every righteous man they shall shine forth as the sun in the Kingdome of their father Matt. 13.43 And in these mansions are lodged all nations and countries in the world They shall come from the East and from the West from the North and from the South and shall sit downe with Abraham and Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdome of God Luk. 13.29 But now on the contrary side search the book of God throughout from the beginning of Genesis to the end of the Revelation and see whether ye can find any mansion any roome any hole reserved for drunkards or harlots or whoremasters or deceivers or slanderers or any other such wicked and ungodly mâ—n Oh then think upon this all ye that forget God turne unto him betime wash yee make you cleane put away the evill of your doings cease to do evill learne to do well that your sins may be made as white as snow and your soules deare in Gods sight and your selves my abecome citizens of the holy City which is above with God 2. Seeing Gods rewards in heaven are squared and proportioned according to our services good works this may be for the comfort and encouragement of all well minded people They may bee comforted in that good which they have done already as Ezekiah coÌ„forted himselfe with the remembrance of his upright life When he was in his greatest sorow and sicknesse he cheared himselfe by saying unto God Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight Is 38.3 And so Nehemiah Remember me O my God saith he concerning this and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God and for the offices thereof Nehem. 13.14 And so may every good Christian pray and expect a blessing from God for the
they kept the more silence because by this hee seemed the better affected to their nation But when he tould them that GOD bade him Depart from Ierusalem because hee would send him farre thence to the Gentiles the Text saith that they gave him audience unto that word but then they lifted up their voices and said Away with such a fellow from the earth for it is not fit that he should live Act. 22.2 22. And such like were the Pharises of whom wee reade that they joyned with the Sadduces to accuse Paul but when Paul had once said * Act. 23 6 9. Men and brethren I am a Pharisee the sonne of a Pharisee of the hope and Resurrection of the dead I am called in question the Pharisees perceiving that Paul tooke their part against the Sadduces whose enemies they were then they changed their note and Wee finde no evill in this man say they but if a spirit or an Angell have spoken unto him let us not fight against God The fault of both these sorts of men was that they accepted and magnified the Preacher while hee spake agreeably to their opinions but persecuted him when he crossed their Traditions and customes And the like is the fault of many men at this day Let a Preacher speake any thing in favour of their opinions and they magnifie him for a man of rare parts but let him once but crosse or gainesay that which they beleeve to bee true he shall be debased as unworthy to tread upon the ground In which kind I have met with some Papists so stiffe in what they have beene taught that a man might as soone charme a deaf adder as perswade them to consider of any reason And among our brethren of the German Churches a great number are so wedded to Luthers opinions that they esteeme every saying of his as an Oracle from heaven and as (a) Non-nulli in illius Lutheri dictis aut factis aliquid argui omnino pati nequesit siquis hoc facere audeat cum statim impietatis reum declamitando peragunt Camerar in vita Phil. Melancth pag. 239. Camerarius saith who was well acquainted with their maners if any man did question what he had affirmed they esteemed him as an enemie to God and true religion (b) Iis videndum ne praestantissimi atque summi viri bonam existimationem tribuendo nimium diminuere vide antur Camer ibid. by which excessive praises they did much diminish the honor of Gods servant as the same Author intimateth in the same place Thus they and I would to God the same fault were not too frequēt among our selves also But Zanchius telleth us that when he was at Geneva Viret and Calvin did both preach in diverse Churches at the same houre and upon this occasion hee asking a French-man then a constant hearer of Calvin why he did not sometimes at least go to heare so eloquent a Preacher as Viret was (c) Si veniret S. Paulus qui eadē horâ cōcionaretur qua Calvinus ego relicto Paulo audirem Calvinum Zanch Epist Nuncupat ad Senat. Antuerp praefixa Miscellaneis priorib circa medium He plainely professed If S. Paul should preach at the same houre that Calvin doth I would leave Paul to heare Calvin By which example hee (d) Hoc exempli causâ referre volui ut quônam tandem rapiātur qui praestantes viros nimium admirantur ostēderem Ex hominibus in summa faciunt sibi Deos c Zāch ibid. meant to shew with what madnesse they are caried who admire worthy men more then is fit for men of men they make them Gods and equall them with CHRIST himselfe And my selfe have knowne some Zelots who did even gape after the Preachers words while hee was upon a welcome theame but when once hee did but mention the reverent gesture of kneeling at Communion became as blank as if they had seene a ghost Of all these sorts of men I may speake in a like maner as (e) Teruill A polog ca. 6. num 55. pag 30. Tertullian did of the heathenish Romans who forbade the making of any new God but such as the Senat did approve Apud vos de humano arbitratu divinitas pensitatur Among you saith he Gods are esteemed as men please and Nisi ho mini Deus placuerit Deus non erit If God do not please men he must bee no God at all And so I may say of these men Among thē the truth of God is reckoned by the opinion of men if it be not approved by such a man as they follow it shall bee no truth at all This partiality towards Gods servants is a great derogation to Gods glory against which our Saviour giveth this caveat Call no man father upon earth for one is your father which is in heaven Nor bee yee called masters for one is your master even CHRIST Matt. 23.9 10. He meaneth that though we may and must reverence our Teachers and as the Apostle speaketh esteeme them very highly in love for their works sake 1 Thess 5.13 Yet wee may not make them Authors or Lords of our faith and therefore beleeve every thing to be true because they speake it For this were not to magnifie them as worthy men but to deifie them as if they were supernall Gods And therefore the Apostle reproveth the Corinthians as carnall men because they said I man of Paul and I am of Apollos and I am of Cephas For who is Paul saith hee and who is Apollos but ministers by whom ye have beleeved even as the Lord gave to every man 1 Cor. 3.4 5 And hereupon he inferreth Let no man glory in men for all things are yours ver 21. And therefore whosoever is best and greatest in the Church though he were as good as S. Paul yet we must esteeme him but as Gods Minister who is then to bee heard when hee speaketh what God hath put into his mouch Herein the Bereans are commended to us as a paterne for our practice They after Paul had preached unto them searched the Scriptures that they might see whether those things were so Act. 17.11 And so should we do If the best man alive sgould commend unto us his opinions we should examine them before we accept them and search the Scriptures to consider whether that which he speaketh bee agreeable to the Texts which he alledgeth that so God alone may bee the master of our faith And this wee shall the sooner do if wee be so disposed as these Bereans were that is men of noble and free spirits not servilly addicted to any without reason Salvianus an ancient and learned writer doth ascribe the cause of this partiall following of men to weaknesse of judgement want of consideration (a) Tam imbecilla sunt judicia hujus tēporis ac paene tā nulla ut hi qui legunt non tam considerent quid legant quà m cujus legant nec tam dictionis
worthy of reproofe because by comming late to Gods service they may come short of his blessing Esau staied so long in hunting for his Venison that the blessing was gone before he came to receive it Gene. 27. And afterward he found no place for repentance or to revoke the former grant though hee sought it with teares Heb. 12.17 Let this example scare sluggards out of their beds and make our halfe-hearers who come when a good part of the Service is past to bethink themselves and beware lest the blessing bee past before they come to receive it The summe is Hee that will heare with profit must grant sufficient refreshing to nature but not excessive such as may cheere his senses but not such as may dull and depresse them III. The third preparative duty is that before hand wee season our minds with some holy thoughts in private that wee may bee the better disposed to good duties in publike For looke in what frame our hearts stand when we come from home and in the same wee shall finde them when wee are come to Gods house If we jump in thither being as it were yet warm with worldly thoughts the minde in praying and hearing and other duties will remaine the same that it was before that is stuffed and possessed with the thoughts and desires of the world Quicquid ante oration's horam anima nostra conceperit necesse est ut orantibus nobis per ingestionem recordationis occurrat Quāobrem quales orantes volumus inveniri tales nos ante orationis tōpus preparare debemus Cassian Collat 9. c. 3. p. 50◠But if we turne our hearts toward God and fixe our mindes on heavenly things before wee come from home this will dispose us to heavenly-mindednesse in the publike service For example let this be our practise let us lift up our hearts and raise our thoughts to God-ward by meditating on his word and works by thinking on our duty and the worke wee are about by considering Gods greatnesse in whose presence wee shall bee and by powring out our soules to God in our prayers that hee will direct our actions and blesse his owne ordinance and honour himselfe in our voluntary service and then our hearts being thus turned upon God aforehand we shal be the more zealous in praying and the more attentive in hearing and the more forward and ready in good duties every way This rule Solomon prescribeth us Ecc. 5.1 when he saith Keep thy foot when goest into the house of God or as the other Translation hath it Take heed to thy foot that is as Beza paraphraseth the place Considera etiam atque eiam quò tendas quem adeas Think upon it againe and againe whither thou art a going and into whose presence thou commest Thus hee commandeth and so should wee do When wee are to appeare before God at the solemne times of his Service wee should think whither it is that wee go who it is that we deale with what it is that wee are then to do and how wee may receive comfort and profit by our doing Thus we have the duty our part will bee to think how well we have observed it If wee come to heare without turning our hearts toward God aforehand wee are not so fitted for this work as we should be And for want hereof wee may feare lest as the King said to his unmanerly guest Friend how camest thou in hither not having on a wedding garment Matt. 22.12 So God may say to us How is it that ye come to heavenly exercises not having heavenly mindes and why come ye to stand before God when your hearts are turned towards the world These things considered my exhortation is as Daniel Dan 6.10 when he prayed set open his windows towards Ierusalem that he might looke toward that place where God was to whom he made his prayer so when wee heare or performe any service unto God that then for the sharpening of our attention we would set open the windowes of our soules towards heaven that while wee are hearing or reading wee may look toward the place where our Lord dwelleth who is now speaking unto us IIII. The fourth and last preparative duty is that before we come to heare Gods word we empty our soules of all knowen and unlawfull lusts that so our hearts may bee fit receptacles for the word of Christ to dwell in For if the vessell be musty it will marre the best wine that can be powred into it and if the stomach be filthy it will corrupt the most wholesome meat and if the ground bee cumbred with thornes and weeds it will choake the purest seed And so if the soule bee defiled with sinfull lusts it will choke the seed of Gods word and corrupt this food of the soule and make it unprofitable to the hearers This S. Iames teacheth us when he saith Lay apart all filthinesse and superfluity of naughtinesse and receive with meeknesse the ingraffed word which is able to save your soules Iames. 1.21 And so S. Peter Laying aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisies and envies and evill speakings as new-borne babes desire the sincere milk of the word that yee may grow thereby 1. Pet. 2.1 2. In these places these two Apostles do teach us two duties the one principall and primarily intended and that is that wee receive Gods word with all readinesse for establishing our soules in grace and the other a preparative duty that must go before and make way for it and that is that first of all we lay aside all filthinesse and naughtinesse and sinfull lusts For more distinct and clearer understanding of which rules wee may consider these particulars in the Apostles words 1. When we read in Saint Iames Laying apart and in S. Peter Laying aside the word in the Originall in both places is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which according to the propriety of the Greek Tongue noteth the time past and therefore is rendred by Beza in the one place abjectis omnibus sordibus all filthinesse having been cast aside and in the other deposita omni malitia all naughtinesse having beene laid apart but wee in our English keeping the idiotisme of the Greek which the Latin tongue cannot do may more perspicuously render it thus Having laid apart all filthinesse and all malice and guile c. But where in the second place we reade Receive the ingraffed word and Desire the sincere milke of the word the Originall words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which sort of verbs Clenard calleth Aorists having respect to their forme but * Sylburg Gram. Sylburgius more properly and fitly respecting their signification calleth them futura perfecta because they signifie the perfecting of an action to come For all verbs of the Imperative mood as these bee though they may bee of the Preter tense for their forme yet are alwaies of the future tense for their signification
and the third time he still went to Eli to know what he would have And all this while God said nothing to Samuel of the message that he intended for him But at last when God called as at other times Samuel Samuel then Samuel turned himselfe toward God and said Speak Lord for thy servant heareth And then God reveiled himselfe unto him by his word and instructed him in his will 1 Sam. 3.10 And so if our mindes wander abroad and talk with the vanities of the world while GOD speaketh unto us in his word preached or read it is no marvell if he take his word from us and give it to them that are better disposed for it Or if he suffer his word to remain with us yet hee may denie his grace that might make it profitable unto us Attention then is necessary in this respect also because it moveth God to teach and direct us in the right way 3. Attention is an act of the minde by which wee witnesse our due respect to GOD and his word Iob describing the account that men made of him in his prosperitie saith To mee men gave care and waited and kept silence at my counsell Iob 29.21 And on the contrary it is a great indignitie to a man if while he is talking with us wee turne our backs upon him and looke an other way A man of place or facion would take it in ill part to be so neglected by us But the indignity is much greater if when the Lord of heaven speaketh unto us about the weightie affaires of our salvation wee turne from him and talk with the vanities of the world Such behaviour is not fit for Gods presence nor can we think to please him when wee neglect him so much It is said of Lydia that the LORD opened her heart that she attended to the things which were spoken of Paul Act. 16.14 Which sheweth that if wee attend not when God speaketh to us in his word it is because our hearts are shut against God and we denie him entrance and entertainment but if God by his grace have once opened our hearts then we with attention will hearken to his word Again we read that Gods delight is in such men as do heare his word with an awfull reverence dutifull respect Thus saith the LORD The heaven is my throne and the earth is my footstoole c. for all those things hath mine hand made and all those things have been saith the Lord. But to this man will I looke even to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my word Is 66.1 2. Which is as if hee should say Heaven earth and all the world are mine and I may be where with whom I will but hee that trembleth or standeth in aw of my word is the man that I have made choise of and that I delight to dwell with But if any bee carelesse and unrespective of God when he speaketh unto him that man as hee neglecteth God so is he neglected of him The summe is Attention to the word spoken is therefore necessary that wee may shew a due and dutifull respect to God whose word it is II. This may serve to shew the use of this dutie the next enquiry is to seek for such helps as may further us in the performance of it And sure this is a point of great moment and worthy thy of our best care For how ever attention bee so necessary for right hearing nor will any of us deny the profitable use of it yet such is our frailty and folly that usually our thoughts wander all the world over while wee are in Gods presence and should heare his word which is able to save our soules For sometimes wee do willingly busie our selves with earthly thoughts about our Trades and our Lands and our houshold affaires and other things of like nature And sometimes as the devill stood at Ioshuahs right hand to resist him Zach. 3.1 so hee standeth at our elbow and casteth worldly thoughts into our mindes or heavinesse of sleepe into our heads or disesteeme of the word spoken into our hearts And at all times such is the frailty of the flesh and our daily acquaintance with the things of this world that though we strive to be attentive yet by-thoughts will creepe in and distract our mindes while wee are about that good work By reason whereof it will bee hard to drive away idle thoughts and impossible to be altogether without them And therefore it will bee a labour well bestowed if by enquiry wee can finde out some such helpes as may serve to heale our infirmities and to keepe us stedfast in this duty For which purpose I have thought on some rules they that are experienced in asceticall exercises may perhaps adde more and finde better and they shall do well to further us with their store The rules that at this present I have in readinesse are these 1. Rule It will bee good to accustome our selves to the dayly reading of Scriptures and frequent Meditations on heavenly things For if the minde bee throughly seasoned with such thoughts it will not be so ready to admit of imaginations and fansies that being the readiest for our thoughts with which wee are most familiarly acquainted For proofe of this let us ask our owne hearts and they will tell us that if a man have beene busied in scraping and heaping up riches his minde while hee is in the Church will runne upon his baggs and bonds and his accounts and other such meanes of thriving in the world and if a man bee given to dalliance and fleshly lusts his mind will runne upon his Minion and the works of fleshly delights and if a man be set on ambition and desire of high places his minde will runne on the meanes of rising and of great offices and places of preferment And in a word as our Saviour saith Where a mans treasure is there will his heart bee also Matt. 6.21 Whence it followeth that if a mans study and delight be in Gods Law Citum satis atque efficax remedium poterit oboriti si eandem diligentiam atque instantiā quam te in illis secularibus studiis habuisse dixisti ad spiritaliū Scripturarum volueris lectionem meditationemque transferre c. Cass Coll. 14. c. 13. p. 645 646. and about duties of Gods service those things will most readily come to his minde wherein hee is oftenest busied And when such things are mentioned and talked of he wil as constantly and as attentively both heare and observe them as a worldly minded man will heare and speak of his profits or an effeminate man of his pleasures or an ambitious man of his honours And as a worldly man when he is about his purchases and bargains goeth seriously to work and is not easily diverted from the businesse that hee is about so the religious minded man if hee bee as heartily religious as the other is covetous
such as may argue modestie and awfulnes rather then too much familiaritie and boldnesse This is the Rule 2. The reason hereof given in the Text is For God is in heaven and thou upon earth Hee meaneth that there is as much distance between him and us men as is betweene heaven and earth and that as farre as heaven is higher then the earth so farre and more also is Gods greatnesse above our meanenesse and low condition And therefore as when we come before an earthly King we are wary and observant lest any word should fall from us that beseemeth not his presence so and much more carefull should we be when wee come before the King of Heaven lest any word may slip from us not beseeming his greatnes This Solomon requireth of us when we come to speak to God in our praiers or praises of his name and the same reason holdeth and therefore the same rule should be observed when wee come to heare God speaking to us in his word Wee must not be rash and bolde and over-familiar with our LORD and Master but heare with reverence when hee speaketh unto us and tremble at his word when he commandeth us and laieth upon us a charge of obedience And the reason is good for God is in heaven and wee are upon earth and therefore wee should learne to keep distance and never appeare before him without tokens of submission and reverence Now this reverence may bee seene and observed in three things 1. in a reverent esteeme of God and his word 2. in a dutifull behaviour while we are in his presence and 3. in a modest quietnesse silence while he is speaking unto us I. In a reverend esteeme of God and his word when we so think of them and the place where they are present as beseemeth his greatnesse and their worth and dignitie And this duty wee shall performe if wee observe two rules 1. That we conceive of God as of the Lord of heaven and earth whose glory so farre surpasseth not onely our meane condition but our shallow apprehension as that we are no more able to abide his presence then a weak eie is able to look upon the sunne in his strength And therefore S. Paul describeth God to bee the blessed and onely Potentate the King of kings and Lord of lords who onely hath immortality and dwelleth in the light which no man can approch unto whom no man hath seene nor can see 1. Tim. 6.15 16. In these words the glory of our Lord is set out by three things 1. By his owne greatnesse He is a Potentate a King and a Lord that hath immortality and light 2. By a comparison with all other great Ones He is the only Potentat the king of kings and Lord of lords 3. By his surpassing glory farre above all conceit and apprehension of men He dwelleth in the light that no man can approch unto no man hath seene him nor can see him Thus every word doth some way set out his incomparable glory which being considered accordingly will breed an awfull esteeme thereof and a trembling before him And from hence it is that the Seraphims did cover their faces when hee appeared unto them and the posts of the doore mooved when hee spake and the Prophet cried out Wo is me for I am undone because I am a man of uncleane lips and mine eyes have seene the King the Lord of hosts Isai 6.2 4. And for the same reason when Moses like the sons of Zebedee not knowing what hee asked desired to see Gods glory hee was told that no man could see Gods face and live Gods back-parts hee was vouchsafed to see that is some small luster of his glory and yet then hee had need to bee put to the clift of a rock and to be covered with Gods hand lest the glory of the LORD should overcome him with its luster Exod. 33.19 c. And from the same ground it is that the people of Israel after they had heard the voice of God speaking unto them in mount Sina they were amazed and said If wee heare the voice of the Lord our God any more wee shall die For who is there of all flesh that hath heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire as we have and lived Deut. 5.25 Thus the Angels and the Prophets and the people of God have beene affected if God at any time have manifested himselfe to them in glory And thus and in this maner we should think of God when hee speaketh to us in his word and alwaies cary a reverend awe towards his Majesty whensoever wee are before him So Iacob did when God had reveiled himselfe unto him in a vision by night and he was now awaked out of his sleepe hee said Surely the Lord is in this place and I knew it not And hee was afraid saith the Text and said How dreadfull is this place This is no other but the house of God and this is the gate of heaven Gen. 28.16 17. Note in this passage 1. How Iacob was affected at Gods presence He was afraid meaning that he was struck with an awfull conceit of Gods Majestie in whose presence he was And so should we be when we come into Gods presence and heare him uttering the wonderfull things of his Law wee should in all awfull reverence humble our selves before him 2. Note what Iacob said upon consideration of Gods presence First hee said God is in this place hee meant that God by appearing and reveiling himselfe to his servant did shew himselfe to bee there present though Iacob never thought of any such thing And so when God pleaseth to reveile himselfe unto us by his word though wee do not see or discerne it with our bodily eies yet wee must know that God is there present because he reveileth himselfe Secondly Iacob said How dreadful is this place This is no other but the house of God c. The meaning is that because God shewed himselfe by his visions in this place therefore the place was to bee esteemed as Gods house even as heaven it selfe in which it pleaseth him to dwell And so when wee come into the Church the place where God doth speak with us and hath promised his presence we should esteeme that as Gods house where he dwelleth and as the gate of heaven which is the place of his habitation Thus wee should think of God and his presence when he speaketh unto us out of his word And that is the first rule to be observed by us for declaring of our reverence towards him 2. That wee esteeme the word spoken by Gods Minister out of the Scriptures as the very word of the Almighty God This S. Paul commendeth in the Thessalonians For this cause saith he we thank God without ceasing because when yee received the word of God which yee heard of us yee received it not as the word of men but as it is in truth the