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heaven_n	jesus_n	lord_n	see_v	7,565	5	3.6443	3	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A10931	Certaine sermons preached and penned by Richard Rogers preacher of Weathersfield in Essex, directly tending to these three ends. First, to bring any bad person (that hath not committed the sinne that is vnpardonable) to true conuersion. Secondly, to stablish and settle all such as are conuerted, in faith and repentance. Thirdly, to leade them forward (that are so setled) in the Christian life, to bring foorth the fruite of both. Whereunto are annexed diuers godlie and learned sermons of another reuerend and faithfull seruant of God, Mr. Samuel Wright, Bachelor of Diuinitie, late president of Sidney Colledge in Camebridge, deceased, tending also to the same ends, with diuers particular points in both, profitable and fit for these times.	Rogers, Richard, 1550?-1618.; Wright, Samuel, d. ca. 1612. aut	1612 (1612)	STC 21203; ESTC S116121	188,868	230

with afflictions and those that they haue laid on them be not sore nor grieuous therefore when any come vpon them of any waight indeed they cast them off as impatient in bearing the burthen Neither let any say to me this that the children of God are alwaies vnder the crosse neither are they long without some afflictions seeing their life is compared to a sowing in teares For notwithstanding this many are their outward blessings also especially where the pure preaching of the Gospell is enioyed for many troubles may be easily swallowed vp where that is to helpe to digest them And yet what poore and weake commendation may be giuen of the ioyfull welcoming of the troubles which are sent to such for the most part And this to be true which I say those times do proue wherein they haue some load of affliction laid vpon them for what earnest seeking to God is in them or patience to beare them Indeed if they continue or waxe more grieuous so that they can neither auoid them neither is there any hope of earthly helpe left vnto them to come out of them then perhaps and not till then for the most part when they see no other remedy it may be seene that God is sought vnto seriously and then they stirre vp their faith to lay hold of assistance from God with some confidence when all other helpe faileth For example when by some sore visitation and sicknesse that is like to be vnto death God awaketh any of his the disease permitting and giuing libertie to the partie afflicted for some sicknesse is more violent then other it may be seene sometime that he lieth more like vnto one that preacheth and giueth encouragement and exhortation to repentance ioyfully rather then as one readie to die but how rare is this to see for in many smaller troubles perhaps patience will hardly be found And whereas some of Gods corrections cause sorrow only to the afflicted without paine to the bodie as the losse of friends or goods some cause sorrow that commeth from paine as sicknesse and grieuous diseases it may be that the former may worke some good now or then but for the most part the latter if extremitie hinder not leaue the best fruit behind them Howsoeuer it be there is no doubt but that this grace is too much wanting and the rather it is the lesse sought seeing we leane too much to temporarie holds and stayes and for that our hearts runne after earthly things inordinately as health riches peace c. though we see by long experience that there is no hold of them nor any safe resting in them And this lingring heere like Lots wife must be purged out of vs and chased from vs or else we shall degenerate from the faithfull in former ages and shew too truely that we be not led with their spirit when we being so nestled heere can so hardly go out of our selues to welcome the troubles which God sendeth to weane vs from hence and do not rather pray that we may reioyce vnder them and be thankfull in them The third thing in this first part of the text is that euill persons shall haue small cause in the end to reioyce of their hard proceedings against the seruants of God howsoeuer they pursue them with great delight for God will surely take part with them against their enemies As heere we see in the Iailer whom he terrified while Paul and Silas sung for ioy in so much that he and other his companions when they heard it might see that they had a God that could and would comfort them when hee himselfe their wicked aduersarie thought he had loaden them with anguish and sorrow and that this their God could astonish him with feares and desperatenesse when they whom he oppressed were merrie How God doth this in the world to come it is cleere enough by that Scripture to the Thessalonians where it is said That it is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble his and to them that are troubled rest when the Lord Iesus shall shew himselfe from heauen with his mighty Angels in flaming fire Indeed in this world that is not alwaies seene but yet God doth it euen heere also while he professeth that he will blesse them that blesse his and curse them that curse his and while he sheweth fearefull iudgements vpon them who did sore vexe his good seruants and constraineth other to crie out and with their owne mouthes to acknowledge that he plagueth them for their sakes whom they hated and persecuted For examples of the first kind Zidkiiah is one the arch-prophet of Baal who did not only feed Ahab with lies and false messages as from God when he demanded of him what the will of God was in a doubtfull and waightie case but also smote Micaiah the true Prophet of the Lord and withstood him for speaking the truth For this very cause he was constrained afterwards with feare to hide him from chamber to chamber Another example of the first kind is Corah with his companie for resisting and rising against Moses the true seruant of God charging him to be an vsurper of the Priests office and to take too much vpon him and himselfe to bee Gods true Priest for the which as Moses witnesseth he was swallowed vp of the earth with those which were of his conspiracie Examples of the latter sort is Pharaoh who after ten warnings by God in strange punishments for not letting the people of Israel go to serue the Lord out of his land but pursuing them still euen into the sea was in the middest thereof drowned when he was constrained to confesse that the Lord tooke part with Israel against him all the Egyptians saying We will flie from the face of Israel for the Lord sighteth for them against the Egyptians Another example is Iudas who betraying his Master into the hands of the high Priests for money was compelled to confesse before them that set him on worke in a most heauie torment of conscience casting the money againe before them I haue sinned in betraying the innocent blood By all these it appeareth that they shall haue small cause to glorie of their winnings in the end who offer hard measure to Gods people the Lord himselfe crying out thus vnto them Touch not mine annointed nor do my Prophets no harme Neither let any obiect heere that they know them not to be such for so they will affirme in their mad mood and raile on them who yet when they will speake as they are perswaded in good aduisednesse will say of them as Saul did of Dauid that he was more righteous then he and as the King of Babylon said to Daniel thou art the seruant of the most high God So let faithfull Christians rest in their innocencie and in the witnesse of a good conscience and let them count it banquetting

this must needs fall out rather that in the setling our minds vpon earthly pleasures we shall withdraw them from heauenly ioies For there is a far greater oddes cōtrariety betweene earthly pleasures and heauenly ioyes then is betweene one earthly pleasure and another The rule therefore is that we vse a temperancie and a moderation in the lawfull pleasures of this life and so reioyce as the Apostle teacheth vs 1. Cor. 7.30 as if we reioyced not And this rule we must remember is to be kept euen in lawfull pleasures and such as we haue good ground and warrant to vse from the word of God For as for pleasure in sinne be it in any time in any place or companie with what circumstance soeuer it hinders and quenches our reioycing in God But you will aske me how you may come to haue a predominant ioy in the best duties for it is not an easie matter to alter our affections set vpon these inferiour delights I answere we shall come to a predominancie of delight in good things if we be euer diligent in accustoming and exercising our selues in them Accustome thy selfe to earnest prayer and thou shalt delight in nothing more then in calling vpon God exercise thy selfe in repentance and mortification of sinne and this shall become euerie day more easie and lesse grieuous yea and in the end delightsome vnto thee On the contrarie doest thou find thy heart taken vp with ouer great delight in the things of the earth The daily and diligent exercise of holy and heauenly duties will slake and quench thy ioy in them And againe as by the practise of them thou hast taken that delight thou hast in them so if thou shalt disuse and vnaccustome thy selfe from them both from the practising of them the speaking of them with pleasure and the musing and thinking vpon them thou shalt lessen and diminish thy ioy in them For this experience can teach vs Note alwaies they take greatest delight in any thing that giue themselues most to the practise of it None so much giuen to the loue of drink or wine as they that are continually lying at it And it was a good precept giuen by a Heathen Philosopher which may well beseeme a Christian to learne that a man should make choice of the best life and custome would make it easie and pleasant vnto him We must not first looke for ioy and then to practise good duties but we must labour and sweat with exercising and accustoming our selues thereto and afterward we shall find true ioy from the continuall practise of them Practise sobrietie patience and mildnesse and a delight in them will follow of it owne accord Hence then we see it is very dangerous in regard of the losse of our ioy to omit for a time and to make intermission of good duties as also to giue leaue for a time to our selues to the practise of ought that hath been and is like to be a hinderance to the progresse and proceeding of our Christian ioy For omit a good dutie this day and thinke it is not long to the next it shall be done as well then thou shalt find lesse disposition in thy selfe vnto it and lesse delight in the doing of it by that intermission of thine And againe giue thy selfe libertie but at one time to practise that thou shouldest not and thinke thou wilt not be so farre carried with thy delight another time that one action of thine shall make thy delight stronger Note and thee lesse able to withstand it This men commonly see not and therefore if they haue had any ioy in any good dutie they quickly lose it Againe because they intermit it still and deferre from this day to the next the practise of it Or if they haue growne to some lesse delight or some dislike of something that were to be left yet by this taking of libertie now to do it and then vpō another occasiō to do it the delight returneth as great as euer it was If mē haue come to take pleasure in the Sabbaths of God in y e hearing of his Word in prayer in reading cōference and other holy duties vpon that day this delight many times groweth cold in them because they thinke yet they may take libertie and dispence with themselues for a day when either their profit calleth them away to worldly affaires or some ill custome to vanitie and pastimes draweth them away For this abādoning thy ioy which thou mightest take in the holy duties of the Sabbath but for one day will make thee the more vnfit to take any ioy in them for many dayes after This keeping of one Sabbath to the deuill Note will make thee thou shalt after take little pleasure in keeping any to God Let him therefore sue vnto thee but for one Sabbath in the yeare to be kept vnto him in wantonnesse vanity and let him labour to further it what he can and pleade old and ancient custome for it yet if I say thou feast him and makest him merry but one day in the yeare hee will so winde in himselfe and grow in one day into so familiar acquaintance with thee that thou shalt not be able to winde thy selfe out of it when thou wouldest The last meanes which I will note whereby we may both keepe and encrease our ioy is that whensoeuer the Lord shal call vs out to troubles and crosses that we submit our selues willingly and patiently to goe thorough them For this is a certaine and a sure position alwaies in Gods children that sorrowes and troubles sent vnto them of God are a direct way whereby the Lord intendeth to bring them vnto greater ioy and the greater and more continued troubles the Lord bringeth vpon them to the greater ioy doth he carry them if they willingly and patiently passe through them Reade 2. Cor. 1.5 As the sufferings of Christ abound in vs So our consolation aboundeth through Christ Marke As the sufferings abound so the consolation and ioy likewise doth abound And this is sutable and well agreeing to all the actions of God for the most part For when hee meaneth to exalt thee highest then he first humbleth thee by afflictions and casteth thee downe lowest None was euer so lowe abased and so deepely cast downe as was our Sauiour Therefore also as it is said Phil. 2.9 God highly exalted him Note gaue him a name aboue euery name that at the name of Iesus should euery knee bow both of things in heauen and things in earth and things vnder the earth The like we see in Dauid when God meant to exalt him to the kingdome he led him thither through many troubles and afflictions The Israelites God led them into a land flowing with milke and hony but he led them through barren and a terrible and feareful wildernes Ioseph was exalted to be next the King in Egypt but he was carried thorough pits and prisons and bondage vnto it On the

nor rebels nor like to be dangerous persons but he most cruellie cast them into the bottome of the prison euen into a dungeon and yet euen there made their feet fast in the stockes The barbarous and sauage act of this Iailer is set downe to withhold all that heare of it from that sinne and to shame them that practise the same or the like crueltie not onely for that God hath threatened that with what measure men meat it shall be measured to them againe and that iudgement shall be without mercie to them that are mercilesse but also seeing it is vnnaturall to be cruell If any receiue sentence of death for his iust deserts as Achan or iniustly as our Sauiour did yet if thereto should be added other vexations as mocking railing c. that were crueltie therefore Ioshua shewed mercie on Achan to bring him to repentance when he was adiudged to die but the cruell Iewes and souldiers were accused of beastly crueltie and that most iustly when Christ being to be crucified was also handled despitefully and mocked of them Sauls crueltie to his sonne Ionathan who would haue put him to death for tasting a little honie with the top of his speare when he fainted to reuiue himselfe was most sauage and vnnaturall Not vnlike vnto it is that barbarousnes and vnmercifull dealing of step-mothers and step-dames to orphans and poore succorlesse children whom they vse worse then many a bad man will vse his beast when yet nature teacheth them that they can neuer shew kindnes and tender compassion enough to their owne children For which cause the Iewes in vsing correction were stinted by the Lord that they should not giue aboue fortie stripes at once And for the same cause to meete with their crueltie God commanded that an eye should be put out in him that had done the like and a tooth for a tooth to bridle them And how was that seruant dealt with in the Gospell who being forgiuen ten thousand talents by his Lord would not forgiue his fellow seruant an hundred pence but laid hands on him and throtled him saying pay me that thou owest His Lord was wroth with him and deliuered him to the tormentors till he should pay all that was due to him And as all crueltie is fearefull and monstrous so that which ariseth from enuie and hatred is diuellish According to that which Salomon saith Anger is cruell and wrath is raging but who can stand before enuy But not to say that which yet might to good purpose be said to make this sinne odious vnto vs let them who haue aduantage of their neighbours by forfetting their bonds into their hands and all superiours who may vse poore strangers fatherlesse ones and poore seruants at their pleasure and finally all whosoeuer they be beware of hard-heartednesse and crueltie which it bringeth forth especially of enuie knowing that they haue a Master and a Superiour in heauen who will recompence such brutish barbarousnesse and as they desire that all other should doe the same to them let them exercise and practise mercie and compassion kindnesse gentlenesse meekenesse and such like vertues The second sinne apparently to be seene in the Iailer was desperatenesse which was such that when he arose out of his sleepe by the fearefull earthquake at midnight and saw the prison doores open he drew out his sword and would haue killed himselfe supposing the prisoners had been fled Such a sinne is this desperatenesse that when men haue losses displeasure of their betters or other great discommodities or when they be but striken with the feare thereof they haue no stay of themselues but without all consideration are carried by it as by a whirlewind to very madnesse Oh if men be crossed hauing no grace to vphold them they are beside themselues and at their wits end Many maruaile when the storie is remembred in companie at the murmuring of the children of Israel when they had no food in the second month of their entring into the wildernesse their store being spent that they brought with them out of Egypt And it must be confessed that it was their sinne that they murmured against God when they were in need But alas we who are readie to censure them do much worse for we grudge when we haue no want but abundance if any thing go against vs. Indeed while all things go with vs to our hearts desire and we liue in prosperitie we can praise God as though we were not inferiour to the forwardest in religion but if God lay his hand vpon vs we will as Satan saith in Iob euen curse him to his face Examples want not euen of such as are of the visible Church The woman spoken of in the Iudges Micahs mother when she had lost her money what was her refuge to the easing of her heart but cursing When Achitophels counsell was refused of Absalom which had bin in great account was he able to put vp that disgrace No but he was so throughly vexed for it that he recouered not himselfe but went and hanged himselfe Saul had banished the witches out of his land according to the commandement of the Lord yet when he was in a strait for all the commandement he enquired for one and asked counsell of her But oh that we in this age had learned wisdome and constancie in the seruice of God to be faithfull to him in our troubles as we professe it to be our dutie in peace But I feare we are not behind the worst of these in the committing of this sin but before them rather For they murmured in great distresses but we in very small trials as though we could beare nothing neither suffer our selues to be crossed in the smallest things but we flie to our shelter which is by anger rage cursing impatience or threatnings if not by worse shifts to auenge our selues when we should rather be ashamed to be so disguised Especially considering who we are and from whence we come euen from worse then the dunghill and should maruell that we be not consumed rather then thinke much to be touched yea with the little finger when we suffer iustly whatsoeuer we suffer yea the most grieuous calamities according to the saying of the Prophet in the Lamentations Wherfore doth the liuing man complaine man suffereth for his sinne And this were more fit to be done of vs a wise man would thinke rather then that we should be led with such frenzie which I say not is monstrous in them that go for godly but an vtter shame for those that are meere naturall men being trained vp vnder true religion and liuing in the light of the Gospell And they that cannot submit themselues to this instruction which in their owne consciences they cannot but confesse they ought to doe let them see their bondage and acknowledge their sin that so they may make way to the obtaining of

so highly price in their owne conceit And this vilenes and basenes is much more in all other pearles that is in all worldly things which men heere hunt and seeke after The vse of this doctrine is that no man please himselfe in the most precious things in this world but seeke for those which may make him happie And that these pearles are all so meane and little worth Our Sauiour Christ very euidently noteth vnto vs in the words following when he saith the merchant found one pearle of great price By the which is meant the Gospell giuing vs thereby to vnderstand that it is a pearle of great price and value he abaseth the other pearles and noteth them to be of no price nor value to rest vpon But of this afterward in the next point In the meane while we see and with that I will conclude this first point that in this first act of the merchant all men that are hearers in the visible Church agree with him namely that they seeke for pearles that is one way or other to be happie in this world I haue shewed also what vse we ought to make thereof Now it followeth that I come to the second act or propertie of the merchant and that is that he finds one pearle of great price In this propertie two things are to be considered First the thing that he is said to find secondly what it meaneth and importeth that he is said to find it First the thing that he is said to find is one pearle of great price By which pearle he meaneth nothing else as I haue shewed but the Gospell that is to say the glad tidings of saluation by Iesus Christ for the kingdome of heauen as elsewhere and so in this chapter is in diuers regards compared and resembled diuersly In regard of the manner of teaching and receiuing it and the diuers effects it hath in the hearers it is compared to seed cast by the hand of the sower In regard of diuers corruptions and errors that commonly spring vp together with it where it is taught it is compared vnto a field wherein tares are sowen and grow vp among the good corne In regard of the small beginnings and mightie encrease it is compared to a graine of mustard-seed In respect of the power and force it hath to change and to alter the heart it is compared to leauen In that God draweth by it of all sorts of men good and bad one and other into the compasse of the visible Church it is cōpared to a drag or draw-net that draweth as well weeds and stickes and other such vnprofitable baggage as it doth good fish In regard of the hidden and secret excellencie thereof it is compared to treasure hid in a field In regard of the inualuable worth and excellency of it in comparison of all other things it is heere compared to a pearle of great price That before he compared it to treasure it did in part set forth the excellency of it but this doth more amplifie and encrease it Treasure we know consisteth either in siluer or in gold which are of great account but yet pearles passe them both farre in value and estimation as both it is commonly knowne and if we knew it not Salomon could teach vs thus much Prou. 3.14.15 where he saith the merchandize of wisdome is better then the merch indize of siluer and the reuenue thereof better then gold It is more precious then pearles and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared with it First he preferreth wisdome before siluer Secondly he preferreth it before gold which is yet more excellent and in the third place as before the most excellent he preferreth it before pearles The meaning of our Sauiour then in this parable is to preferre the Gospell in regard of the excellencie of it infinitly before all other things were they neuer so rich rare or precious For if it be more precious then pearles then much more precious then gold then siluer then any other thing of lesse reckoning and account And this is the reason why Salomon hauing preferred it Prou. 3.14 before siluer and gold and pearles he addeth that all the things a man can desire are not to be compared with it as if he should say suppose either there be or you can inuent any thing more precious then pearles yet wisdome is more precious then it And Iob in the 28. of his booke 15. verse and so-on because hee would extol wisdome before al precious things he repeateth a great many of them Gold saith he shall not be giuen for it neither shall siluer be weighed for the price thereof It shall not be valued with the wedge of the gold of Ophir nor with the precious Onix nor the Saphir the gold nor the Crystall shall not be equall vnto it neither shall the exchange be for plate of fine gold no mention shall be made of the Corall nor of the Gabish for wisdome is more precious then pearles Now we see wherein the comparison standeth let vs a little consider wherin this great and inualuable excellency consisteth And that is in that it exhibiteth Christ vnto vs who were lost and had no way any hope of recouerie out of our deadly woe that euen then he is our deliuerer our iewell our life our ioy our happines and whatsoeuer our heart can desire All the pearles of the world do not so enrich a man as Christ enricheth all them that by true faith lay hold vpon him for if it do not so he hath not faith For Christ is a shelter where we that bee in tempests and stormes may shroud our selues and be safe from the wrath and vengeance of God that hangeth ouer and shal fall vpon the heads of other men He is our attonement and propitiation for all our sins so that we shall neuer haue them imputed vnto vs or haue any punishment inflicted which was due for them his death and his bloodshed hath deliuered vs from eternall death and condemnation yea Christ is our storehouse and treasurie in whom and from whom we haue all varietie of good things that may make men truly happie In Christ we are righteous our owne righteousnes being as a filthie and menstruous cloath because he by imputation doth cloath and couer vs as it were with the robe and vesture of his righteousnesse From him also we receiue inward sanctification and holinesse wherein we labour to be pleasing and acceptable to God in all things whereas otherwise we could not haue any true euidence of this faith From him we receiue succor and comfort in all our tribulations and wants and ioy in all our sorrow Hee hath all power giuen him in heauen and in earth and therefore he will supplie both our outward and inward necessities and powre vpon vs that store of his graces as shall be most for our good and best for the bringing of vs to eternall glorie

Sauiour If any man come vnto me and hate not father and mother wife and children and brethren and sisters yea and his owne life he cannot be my disciple The meaning of our Sauiour is not simply that a man should hate his father his mother and so forth or make away himselfe which were wickednes and impiety But as the Euangelist Matthew interprets it he that loueth father or mother aboue mee is not worthy of mee and he that loueth sonne or daughter aboue mee is not worthy of mee The meaning therefore we see clearely to be this he that getteth the pearle of the Gospell he prizeth it farre aboue all the things he hath besides in the world and will rather forgo them all then part with it Hence we see that the pearle of the Gospell is not so easily come by as men suppose commonly For it is no easy matter as experience may teach when triall is made for a man to abandon his pleasures to leese his goods to forsake his dearest and nearest friends and to lay downe his owne life for the loue of it But the Gospell it can be bought with no lesse price if we will haue it as our owne iewel we must sell goods sell our name sel friends sell liberty and life and all we haue and giue them for it and account that we haue made a very good bargaine of it as indeede we haue For what comparison is to be made betweene the earthly riches that here men enioy and those vnspeakeable and vnestimable treasures that Christ Iesus bringeth vnto vs thereby what comparison betweene that name we can leese here for the Gospell and the eternall weight and crowne of glory that shal be set vpon our heads in heauen what is the loue and friendship of all men to the loue and fauour of God which we gaine by the Gospell and what is the life we can leese to the life which we obtaine in Christ And yet if we trie and examine our selues we shall find that we come farre short of forsaking all when we are priuie in our selues that a little pleasure doth many times stay vs from the hearing of the Gospell and how much more then from obeying it And that a little expence and charge shall hinder vs or ill companie shall hold and keepe vs away from the benefit which we might enioy by it Nay our hearts can tell vs that many times when we are present with our bodies where it is preached yet we scarce will vouchsafe to lend our eares to harken to that which is taught vnto vs but our mind is set vpon other matters either on profit or pleasure or else some vaine idle and wandring conceits or else we euen shamefully giue our selues to sleepe So base and vile account and reckoning do we make of the precious and vnualuable pearle of the Gospell For accordingly as men price it so vndoubtedly will their zeale be to the hearing and practising of it And therefore marke how Dauid bewailes his absence from the house of God he was banished the court and countrie yet that did not so much moue him as this that he was barred and banished from the place where he vsed with ioy to feed vpon the comforts of the word of God taught and preached in the assemblies of Gods people and this made him say with griefe that the sparrowes and the swallow might haue nearer accesse then he to the place where God was serued and his word preached This he did because he saw Gods word to be of more true value then all his thousands of gold and siluer of more sound delight to his soule then all his other delights and pleasures in the world It was as hony to his taste and as the streames of a fountaine to the thirstie and drie heart This should we all do and this would we do if we were wise and did rightly price the Gospell And although I haue not particularly set downe those things which accompany the buying of this pearle because the text giueth no necessarie occasion of speaking of them yet in the way of preoccupation and answering a doubt which the ignoranter sort would put forth I will say somewhat though very briefly of it They aske if as soone as a mā find the pearle he by and by that buyeth it come into the possession of it and nothing else be required thereto I answere briefly when a man hath found it if God giue him grace to go further he doth thus and goeth to worke after this manner He earnestly wisheth and desireth that he had a part in it then he seeth that his sinne is in the way to hinder him that he falleth to dislike and crying out of it then it troubleth him to thinke that he is out of fauour with God and growes vtterly to dislike himselfe for both and seeing himselfe no better then a lost man hee heareth that God will pitie and shew mercie to such and that hee is then the person whom God seeketh to saue and will heale him of his sorrow and will loue him freely for euer And that it is the Gospel which bringeth tidings of this and sundrie other good things which when he apprehendeth and sees that he may haue them all for his owne proper good and that freely and for nothing God so worketh in him by all these that he applieth the promises to himselfe and seeth that without money or recompence God is well pleased that he should take them for his owne and be fully perswaded thereof so as now he resteth therein which is the purchasing and buying of it that is heere spoken of And when this is thus brought to passe let all that know what this meaneth guesse how he will loue the Lord for this bountie shewed vpon him and how readie he will be to be guided by him and also what comfort it is to him But for conclusion of the whole now that ye haue heard that the hearer who shall be able to reioyce in his worke at the end thereof is fitly resembled to the merchant man as we haue heard first in that he seeketh pearles secondly in finding one of great price and thirdly in selling all that he hath to buy it that is to make it his owne that he may be happie thereby and all this is done when he beginneth to beleeue let him be sure he doth so and let him get many grounds and euidences thereof by the Scripture and experience And aboue all other this vnualuable treasure of the forgiuenesse of his sins and assurance of saluation he beleeuing the Lord that he may be bold to lay hold on it as Gods will is hee should And let him well weigh how much he is bound to him for it and so doing let him liue on his purchase and take the benefit thereof to the comfort of him and his no otherwise then they do that haue bought house and land And euery day weigh the fruit

know that all such prosperings and iollities in persons whom God hath branded with the marke of infamie and miserie should be taken for more apparent tokens of cursednesse if they can be lustie and ioe and when God calleth to mourning and heauinesse Answ For so the Lord speaketh to such Clense your hands ye sinners and purge your hearts ye wauering minded suffer afflictions and sorrow ye and weepe ye let your laughing be turned into mourning and your ioy into heauinesse Would not any count him twise miserable who being led to execution should call his companions to laughing and drinking So he shewes his cursed estate manifestly to the world when he glorieth and walketh securely vnder the state of condemnation Obiect If ye say God would neuer forbeare him if he were accursed but would cause it to breake foorth by sicknesse diseases penurie and other calamities Answ To that I answere that it is the long suffering of the Lord and his speciall dispensation towards such in that hee doth forbeare them whereas he might iustly do all that and much more vnto them and this he doth both that they might thereby be brought to repentance and also for that if he should so pursue sinners as they do giue him occasion and prouoke him to do there should scarcely any be left to continue the generation of mankind in Church and Common-wealth But concerning this I may iustly complaine as the Prophet did in his time and say Lord who hath beleeued our report For to speake as the truth is who beleeueth this or careth for it that the wrath of God hangeth ouer the chidren of disobedience especially who applieth it to himselfe Oh the senselesse blockishnesse of man who passeth ouer these matters so slightly which are most weightie If he be told but once of a shrewd turne that is comming towards him in his cattell or goods hee beleeueth and preuenteth it with all speed possible But an hundred warnings of this spiritual danger maketh him nothing at all to beleeue it or if he do he dare expostulate and dispute with God that he is too seuere against man for so smal a matter whose boldnes is to be beaten downe as it were with mallets and hammers that so the conscience may be bruised rather then the whole person be rent in pieces as of a lion while there is none to deliuer him And because I know the feareful danger of vnbeleefe and that it shaketh off the wholesomest instruction I will heere stay a while and labour to perswade such into whose hands this shall come to beleeue and tremble at least for so much the diuels do and then to search better into themselues and try what depth of euill is in them and so turne againe vnto the Lord. To this end let them weigh duely what the Apostle writeth to them that are contentious and disobey the truth and obey vnrighteousnesse shall be indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish shall be vpon the soule of euery one that doth euill but to euery one that doth good shall be glorie honor and peace If the Lord say anguish shall be to such how are they blindfolded and hardened who stand against him and say it shall not be so Our Sauiour Christ saith to the like purpose He that beleeueth in him shall not be condemned but he that beleeueth not is condemned alreadie as if he should say euen while he liueth in this estate of vnbeleefe he is condemned and when he dieth in the same estate it shall be executed vpon him Obiect If any will obiect but what if he repent before Answ I say then the case is altered that is the thing we looke for and desire to heare of such as I speake of but there are few of them that are hastie to propound that question as purposing to make triall of it for then they should remoue the wo farre from them and be deliuered out of the cursed estate that they were in Besides there are reasons forcible enough to draw them vpon their knees and to beleeue that it is no lesse then is told them and preached vnto them One is this that sundrie of them who haue been as farre off as they haue yet bin brought to change their iudgements and forsake their former boldnes which nothing but vnbeliefe had bred in them which is a strong motiue to appale them that shall heare of it Secondly they who liue heere in despaire doe feele it and that the wrath of God is so heauie vpon them to oppresse their soule that they cannot cast it off Thirdly the damned haue found it to be so without recouerie And lastly now is their time to whom I speake to preuent it or else it is most like that they shall go take part with the damned in it And if this curse and wo pronounced vpon them reached but to the end of this present life or were afterward but a losing and forgoing of the kingdome of heauen it were somewhat and yet who would let go his part in that for a whole world but when it accompanieth damnation and the casting of them into vtter darknes where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth for euer how terrible and intollerable is it to thinke of To see one to bee but famished to death by hanging in chaines is able to make a stonie heart to quake and tremble and what is it then to be tormented with paine more grieuous then any death and yet neuer to be dead Wherefore I conclude that if such woe be pronounced by our Sauiour Christ to them that profit not by his workes the greatest whereof is the sincere preaching of the Gospell and if it be impossible that Christ should lie I conclude I say that they in our age are in an high degree of miserie not onely which contemne this ordinance of God but who giue not all diligence thereto that they may make their calling and election sure thereby THE SECOND SERMON VPON THE SAME TEXT NOw followeth the first point in the second part and that is if many did enioy the meanes of their saluation which some others doe they would vndoubtedly repent Euen as our Lord Iesus saith heere If the great workes which haue been done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon they had repented c. Heere we must not make Christs words a stumbling blocke as though he meant to set himselfe against his owne word which saith that no reprobates such as Tyre and Sidon most dissolute cities were can be conuerted but we must looke to his meaning which was this that as many heathenish cities of the Gentiles were conuerted by Pauls preaching Christ to them as Thessalonica Philippos Corinth with many other were so is it as likely that these heere mentioned might haue done which if they had done then should they not haue bin reprobates for Christ speaketh by supposition euen

for God or any godly mirth to make them merry No neede therefore to exhort the wicked to reioyce that are euen surfetted already with ioy and pleasure but the righteous that mourne the righteous that be heauy these haue need to haue God and his seruants to comfort and cheere them vp Obiect 1 But here it may be replied the righteous man hath indeed need of this ioy whereunto the Apostle exhorts them but how is it possible that the righteous so beset and compassed with troubles can reioyce for this seemeth to be a strange paradoxe and opinion to the world that the righteous can in the midst of so many troubles and crosses finde any matter to take ioy in Answ But yet if we will but open our eyes wee shal easily see that the righteous man and he alone hath cause euen in his greatest troubles to reioyce and be merry and euen to triumph for ioy of heart for what though the world be bent and banded with all the spite and hate it can against him yet euen in this hath he more cause of ioy then of sorrow Reade and marke to that ende the words of our Sauiour Christ who is truth it selfe Matth. 5.2.12 Blessed are yee whē men reuile and persecute your and say al manner of euil against you for my sake falsely Reioyce and be glad for greate is your reward in heauen For so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you To be hated of the world to be reuiled persecuted slandered marke it is a signe y t we are blessed and therfore a cause to make vs to reioyce Nay we see that all the hatred reuiling persecution and slander they can raise do helpe to increase our reward and the brightnesse of our glory and the waight of our crowne in heauen Nay hereby are we assured that we are in the straight and beaten way to heauen For thus saith our Sauior they hated they reuiled they persecuted the Prophets which were before you as though he should say by this you may know that you are in the direct way to heauen For thus haue all the Prophets before you passed thither and so we see since our Sauiour Christ to haue passed this way into glory and by the same to haue carried to the same glory al his Apostles Martyrs and holy men that haue liued and died vnder the Gospell Behold then in a word what ioy euen the hatred of the world and wicked men affordeth vnto vs and that is that our heauenly reward of glory is both increased and confirmed and sealed vnto vs. And to this precept of our Sauiour wel agreeth that of the Apostle Iam. 1.2 my brethren count it all ioy when ye fall into diuers afflictions meaning as I take it of such as were inflicted by the world which then was most vsuall we must then reioyce and that withall ioy in the greatest measure we are able because thereby we attaine to be patient and so shall be perfect and compleate men in Christ An example of this precept we haue both in the example of all the Apostles Act. 5. in the ende who being beaten for professing Christ went away reioycing from the counsel taking it as an honour done to them And so of this our Apostle 2. Cor. 12.10 I take pleasure saith he in infirmities in reproches in necessities in persecutions for Christs sake For when I am weake then am I strong He tooke pleasure in these because he found that euen by them God ministred greater strength and comfort to him Obiect 2 But here againe I know that many good distressed soules wil be ready to reply that if it were but for the world and for men and afflictions thence they would be cheerefull and merry in these regards we haue seene but now they haue not flesh and blood alone and these afflictions to wrestle against but against principalities and powers against Satan the prince of the world and against spirituall wickednesses which are in high places These are of great power and of great might these are continually laying siege against their soules to take them how can they be merry that be night and day besieged thus dangerously especially of legions of deuils of spirituall wickednesses that are diligent and watchfull night and day to surprize and take their soules Alas these are many and strong enemies and we are weake and in continuall combat with them Answ I answere true it is these enemies are many and of great power dilligence and subtilty ioyned with deadly hate and malice against vs. But consider againe bee they neuer so strong and powerfull yet if we doe but resist and stand out against them they will flie from vs. Resist the deuill saith the Apostle Iames. 4.7 and he will flie from you Resist him though he be neuer so strong Resist him though he haue his legions of diuels with him against thee and he shall flie from thee Marke it he shall flie and that from thee Note Thou shalt put him to flight be thou the weakest Christian in the world if thou wilt but resist him with the shield of faith the sword of the Spirit c. Heere therefore we haue greater cause of ioy and triumph then of sorrow For what cause hath he but to reioyce that may euery day so easily triumph ouer so great and so many enemies that being a poore weake man may put to flight whole armies and legions of diuels Obiect 3 But some man may except thus Indeed I haue a great promise from God I shall do this if I resist but alas many times through my weaknesse I am readie to slumber and to sleepe and cannot be euer as I should be watchfull to resist Nay I find such a cursed rebellion in my heart that carries me continually as a slaue and captiue to the will of the diuell Answ Indeed I must needs confesse there is a great cause of sorrow and lamentation Miserable man saith the Apostle Paul Rom. 7. the end who shall deliuer me from this bodie of sinne But yet we haue also by the mercie of God sufficient wherewithall to raise vs vp in this sorrow for we haue the Spirit of God within vs to helpe our infirmities we haue the Angels of God night and day to pitch their tents about vs to aid vs against the euill angels we haue God himselfe who neither slumbereth nor sleepeth that watcheth and careth for vs. Be we neuer so weake and the diuell neuer so strong God who is with vs will vphold vs and no diuell shall plucke vs from him or out of his hands If I should further enter to lay downe all the causes that may and ought to moue the faithfull vnto ioy I should not easily find an end of so large and long a Treatise I will therefore in a word only entreate euery man who is desirous to learne what cause he hath to reioyce being a righteous