Soule and to teare it in pieces while there is none to helpe all the creatures armed and in a readinesse with whole Armies of Plagues and Vengeance to be revenged upon him for dishonouring God by ignorance in his Word Yet hee sees none of all this Hee neither knowes feeles or suspects these many dangers with which he is incompassed but goes on plodding with ungrounded confidence and wicked securitie in the way of wickednesse and destruction hee passeth with much desperate boldnesse through many dangerous and fearefull wayes wherein at every step he wounds his Conscience with one sinne or other in the meane time and at length falls headlong and suddenly body and soule into the Pit of Hell This is certainely the miserable and wofull state of all those that live in spirituall Darkenesse and are ignorant in Gods Word and the wayes of godlinesse It may be they may flatter please and perswade themselves that their case is good enough that when they heare of Heaven and those everlasting pleasures at Gods right hand they thinke notwithstanding that they shall come thither at length though they know never a foot of the way take no direction by the Light of Gods Word nor set one step by new obedience towards that place of blessednesse But indeed and truth they doe very fearefully deceive and over-shoot themselves And their case is just as if a man should fall asleepe upon the edge of some high and steepe Rocke and there dreame that he is made a King attended with a glorious Traine of Nobilitie furnished with sumptuous Pallaces and stately Buildings enriched with the Revenues Soveraignetie and Pleasures of a whole Kingdome But upon the sudden starting up and leaping for joy falls irrecoverably into the mercilesse and devouring Sea and so loseth that little comfort which he had in this miserable life Many wretched men lye and â—leepe and snort in ignorance and spirituall blindnesse thinking that skill in the Booke of God and points of Religion belongs onely to those that are Booke-learned entertaining much vaine hope of salvation without all truth or ground But when upon their Death-bed their Consciences are awakened by the finger of Gods justice out of the slumber of sinne they then too late find and see that all was but a Dreame for they suddenly fall and sinke into despaire horror and endlesse desolation The state then of ignorant men though perhaps they little thinke upon it or take it to heart is most fearefull in this life and will be most horrible hereafter In this World because they are unacquainted and untaught in Gods Truth points of Religion and way to Heaven they neither know their owne miserie the great mysterie of godlinesse or meanes to salvation and therefore live as aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel strangers from the Covenant of Promise without hope and without God in the World Which is a miserie of all miseries They are condemned alreadie For as it is Iohn 3. 18. He that beleeveth not in him is alreadie condemned And Saint Paul saith Rom. 10. 14. How shall they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard and how shall they heare without a Preacher So that without knowledge in Gods Word there can be no faith and without faith there is no salvation You may further see a notorious Linke of many wretched mischiefes which arise from ignorance Eph. 4. 17 18 19. Vanitie of mind and darkenesse of understanding are naturally in all men for wee are all starke blinde and utterly dead in respect of matters of Heaven and spirituall affaires From thence comes grosse Ignorance of God and all godlinesse and this Ignorance if it be not removed and dispelled by the Light of Gods Word is the root and cause of strangenesse from the Life of God Hardnesse of Heart Searednesse of Conscience and want of Feeling an itching wantonnesse and eagernesse to sinne a committing of any sinne without remorse occasion being offered an unsatisfiednesse and greedinesse in the pursuit of sinfull pleasures and in fulfilling the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and pride of life These are the bitter and poysoned fruits of Ignorance and want of knowledge in the Word of God and way to Heaven And what is to be expected hereafter appeares 2 Thess 1. 7 8 9. The Lord Iesus will shew himselfe from Heaven with his mightie Angels in flaming fire rendring vengeance unto them that doe not know God and which obey not the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power Seeing then the comming of the Lord will be so terrible and fearefull to the ignorant so that they shall desire the Mountaines to fall upon them that they might hide themselves from the fierce wrath of the Lord and not behold his fearefull countenance and that they shall wish full many times they had never beene borne how ought every man which lives without the Light and knowledge of Gods holy Word feare and tremble And yet God knoweth hee cannot conceive the thousand part of those horrible torments which the ignorant and wicked persons endure for ever For as the heart of man cannot comprehend those blessed and glorious joyes which God hath prepared for those that love him so the woe torments and endlesse vexations which shall be poured with wrath and vengeance upon the head of the wicked infinitely passe the understanding of man None can conceive how horrible they are but onely he that feeles them It very deepely then concernes you Beloved in Christ Iesus as you tender the everlasting good and happinesse of your owne soules to labour by all meanes to be instructed and inlightened by the holy Word of God which is holden out unto you as a Lampe and Torch to leade you through this Vale of Teares and World of Darkenesse to the blessed fruition of the most glorious and everlasting Kingdome of Heaven Otherwise if you will needes continue in ignorance still marke what is your wofull state and condition howsoever you may seeme to shine outwardly to the eye of the World or in your owne conceits in pleasures in plentie in civill honestie in outward mirth and other worldly contentments yet in deed and truth your life is a life of darkenesse The god of this World the Prince of Darkenesse hath blinded the eyes of your mindes that your Vnderstandings are not onely darkened but you are Darkenesse it selfe Eph. 5. 8. Your workes are the workes of Darkenesse your way is the way of Darkenesse you are fettered and enchained in the power of Darkenesse Coloss 1. 13. In the darkenesse of crosses and afflictions of this life you shall be without any glimpse of true comfort and refreshing from the Lord upon your Death-beds you shall meete with nothing but darkenesse of despaire and horror in the Grave Sathan will guard you with the
of the Conscience secondly Purgation of the heart thirdly Prayer unto God fourthly Readinesse of heart to receive every truth First for Examination of the Conscience Examination is a dutie practisable by all true Christians at many times and upon sundry occasions It is either more extraordinarie and that is either in the time of solemne Fast and generall humiliation for some publike Plague and calamitie that lyes upon the State or Church Wee are then seriously to search and ransacke throughly our Consciences that wee may throw that or those sinnes out of our affections practise and allowance which have their part in pulling downe those publike Psagues upon us Or secondly when our family is singled out and visited with some speciall and extraordinarie scourge and judgement and then must we make an impartiall inquisition into our hearts lest we be the Achans which by our secret sinnes provoke Gods causefull wrath Or when our selves in a more private and particular manner are afflicted with some speciall vexation as by some maladie and miserie in our bodies with some terrors and feares in our minds or with some slanders disgraces and imputations upon our good names when Gods hand is upon us any of these wayes wee are presently to conceive that the sinnes of our soules are the true causes of all the miseries and crosses which befall us any manner of wayes and therefore wee are narrowly and exactly to enquire into our selves and to cast out our secret beloved sinnes those lurking rebels the breeders of all our woe Besides examination of our hearts in these or the like cases there is also a more ordinarie and usuall examination necessarie and required of us and that especially every day that we may make the Score of our sinnes lesse and our account shorter against the Day of our Visitation that wee may more entirely and comfortably preserve and enjoy Gods favour and protection inward peace of Conscience spirituall joy and Christian chearfulnesse in all our affaires and passages 2 Before wee come to receive and be partakers of the holy Sacrament of the sacred body and bloud of Christ lest by neglect and omission of this dutie we become unworthy receivers and so eate and drinke our owne judgement and damnation nay be guiltie of the innocent and precious bloud of Christ Iesus which one day will be an heavie and unsupportable burthen to our Consciences To be guiltie of the sinfull bloud of prophane men is able to make the proudest heart and highest stomacke to tremble and quake like an Aspen leafe and to strike through his soule with restlesse horrour and gastly sights Who is able then to beare the guilt of guiltlesse bloud Abels innocent bloud cryed for and pulled downe strange and desperate vengeance upon cruell Cain How loud then will be the crie of the bloud of the innocent Lambe of God How will it ring in the eares of God the Father How fearefully will it fill Heaven and Earth untill it hath brought downe Plagues and Curses upon those wofull Soules who irreverently and unpreparedly prophane so high and holy a mysterie A third ordinarie examination is before wee presse into the House of God and present our selves before his Ministers and Messengers to be instructed in his will from Heaven out of his holy Word lest this blessed Ordinance should be accursed unto us You may see in the Prophet Ezech. 14. 7 8. how the Lord threatens that person that comes to his Ministers to enquire of them or to be informed by them and yet separates himselfe from the Lord and sets up any Idoll in his heart and stumbling-blocke of his iniquitie before his face that the Lord will set his face against him and make him a signe and a Proverbe and cut him off from the midst of his people Whence wee may well inferre that it will be very dangerous for any to come to the hearing of the Word without examination of his heart whether there be any such stumbling-blocke of iniquitie in it or no. 2 Because that examination of the heart to finde out our corruptions tends especially to the cleansing of it therefore the second dutie before the hearing of the Word is the purgation or cleansing of the heart first from sinne which the Scripture beats much upon Iam. 1. 21. Lay apart all filthinesse and superâ—luitiâ— of naughtinesse and receive with meekenesse the ingrafted Word c. It is not meerely lay apart but put away quite and cleane all filthinesse and this is a fit preparative for the hearing of the Word as appeares also by that paralell place 1 Pet. 3. 1 2. Wherefore putting away all malice all guile and hypocrisie and envie and evill speakings as new-borne babes desire the sincere Milke of the Word And there is the same reason for any other sinne to be put away that there is for these mentioned As it is with the body when the stomack is foule and clogged with bad humours wee should first purge it before wee feede it for otherwise whatsoever we eate doth but nourish and encrease the corrupt humours of the body So it is with the soule when it is stuffed or clogged with sinne whatsoever is heard in the Ministery of the Word shall be perverted and abused by it and wrested to the destruction of it It is no wonder therefore that those that live in dissolute or scandalous courses those that are drunk on the evening before the Lords day or spend it in gaming or company keeping or have bin acting of some soule sinne and then repaire unto the Word it is no wonder I say that such goe away never a whit the better but rather worse than they came Did you ever know any Salve so soveraigne that would cure a wound that had a splint or an arrow-head remaining in it Surely every knowne sinne unrepented of hinders the saving operation of the Word in any mans heart yea it will make the Word the savour of death unto a man See to this purpose Ier. 7. 9 10. Secondly the heart must also be purged from all worldly cares and thoughts which may divide or draw away the heart Math. 13. 22. The cares of the World doe choake the Seed of the Word Luke 21. 34. The cares of this life doe surfet the heart Now as it is with a man in a surfet hee is not fit to eat neither can he digest any wholesome food so when as the heart is surfetted with worldly cares it is unfit for any spirituall food You know how it was with Martha Luke 10. 41. Iesus said unto Martha Thou art troubled about many things but one thing is necessarie Martha had a clutter of many worldly matters that made a great noise in her head and hindered better matters that she cared not for hearing How then shall they profit by the Word that doe jumpe out of their worldly businesse and from busying their heads about
glory which shall be revealed Rom. 8. 18. But the carnall Gospeller he thinkes it is good sleeping in a whole skin he lookes for a Gospel of ease for a soft and silken service of God for a Church as one speakes all of Velvet And therefore rather than he will suffer any losse or worsing any diminution or disparagement in his outward estate in his reputation wealth and worldly happinesse he will make shipwracke of a good Conscience he will yeeld to the corruptions of the Times and with the greater part rest and repose himselfe peaceably and pleasantly upon his Bed of ease and carnall securitie never considering that the Crosse is the Christians triumph that Christ himselfe was crowned with Thornes and that wee must through many afflictions enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Act. 14. 22. A fourth marke may be gathered out of the fourth Verse The prayers and praysings of God in the mouth of Gods Child are frequent free and fervent but with the carnall Gospeller they are very rare cold and formall The Reason is Gods Child is very sensible of his corruptions and wants hee still longs and gaspes for more grace with a spirituall taste he sweetly relisheth Gods great mercie and goodnesse unto him he hath the love of God and the spirit of prayer shed into his heart by the Spirit of Adoption and therefore his heart is as full as the Moone of godly motions and meditations which like a continuall Spring sends out groanes and sighes unutterable many zealous and faithfull prayers and thanksgivings unto his gracious God with a free and feeling affection But the carnall Gospeller because his understanding was never enlightened his heart never truly humbled his affections never sanctified because he hath no sence of his wretched estate nor present feeling of grace nor sound hope and assurance of happinesse in Heaven why therefore he hath no great mind or heart or list to prayer hee hath no great delight or exercise in this holy businesse and if he doe pray which is but seldome and coldly it is but lip-labour and lost labour because it is without faith and feeling for fashion custome or company because he was so taught in his youth or that he superstitiously thinkes the very worke wrought and a number of prayers solemnely said over will sanctifie him A fifth marke may be gathered out of the sixt and seventh Verses The Child of God doth not onely passe through with patience for the profession of Gods truth and sinceritie lesse and inferiour miseries as losse of goods losse of friends and reputation with the World slanders disgraces and wrongs but hee also holds his soule as it were continually in his hand as David here sayes of himselfe readie if need be and the times so require even to shed his bloud vnder the Sword of Persecution or to lay downe his life in the flames rather than to dishonour so mercifull a God to betray his holy Truth or by his backsliding and falling away to hazard that Crowne of Glory which by the eye of faith he hath alreadie in sight But the carnall Gospeller in time of peace and plentie while he lives quietly and at ease without crosse or trouble in faire and Sun-shine dayes may perhaps be a stout and peremptorie Professor but hee ever shrinkes in the wetting he pulls in the head in the fierie triall ever when trouble or persecution commeth because of the word by and by he is offended The sixt marke is gathered out of the two last Verses The Child of God holds his Word farre more deare than any precious Treasure than the richest Inheritance than great Spoyles than thousands of Gold and Silver It is the joy of his heart and therefore it inclines and inflames his affections with love and zeale to doe Gods will and fulfill all his Commandements And no marvell though the true Christian find most sound and unconceivable delight in the Word of God the Doctrine of Heaven For by it he is borne anew and made heire of Heaven by the Light of it he sees his Name written in the Booke of Life never to be raced out by man or Devill all the sweet and gracious promises of salvation and comfort revealed in it are sure his owne So that thence he knowes and is perswaded undoubtedly that after a few and evill dayes spent in this miserable life he shall remaine and reigne eternally in the glory of God of Christ Iesus the blessed Spirit and the holy Angels But it is otherwise with the carnall Gospeller for whatsoever shew or protestation he makes to the contrary yet indeed in his heart affections and practice hee preferres his pleasures riches and profit before hearing of Gods Word sanctifying his Sabbaths and obedience to his Commandements And no marvell for because hee yet never lived the life of faith but is a meere stranger to the mysterie of godlinesse hee hath no true interest nor sound assurance in the joyes of another World and therefore feeds onely and fills himselfe with transitorie and earthly contentments Now I beseech you beloved in Christ Iesus let every one with singlenesse of heart and sinceritie examine his owne Soule and the spirituall state of his Conscience by these signes and marks which I have now delivered to you out of the example and precedencie of the Christian affections and holy disposition of David a sanctified man and a principall patterne of pietie and zeale for all faithfull ones Know you not saith the Apostle that Iesus Christ is in you except you be reprobates So undoubtedly if Iesus Christ be in you if you be of Davids stampe and temper that is alreadie possessed of the state of grace and marked out by the Spirit of sanctification for the glory that shall be revealed you doe find in some good measure these markes and signes of an holy man in your selves 1 That you are enlightened and guided by the Word of God in all your wayes 2 That you have not onely good motions and purposes for a zealous and constant service of God but doe faithfully with sinceritie and integritie of heart performe the same 3 That you suffer joyfully and patiently afflictions and disgrace in the World for the testimonie of Gods Truth and profession of sinceritie 4 That you freely and faithfully with much feeling and fervencie of spirit offer dayly prayers and prayses unto the Lord. 5 That you had rather part with the dearest and most precious things in this life nay life it selfe than leave the service of God and the testimonie of a good Conscience 6 That you have more comfort and delight in hearing reading meditating conferring of and applying unto your owne soules the holy Word of God than in the treasures and glory of the whole Earth Such markes as these you must finde in your selves if you ever meane or hope to finde true contentment in this life or
the comforts of Heaven in the life to come Now I come to a more speciall and particular consideration of every Verse in order and thence togather such Notes and Doctrines as may best instruct us in the way to Heaven First David tells us in the first Verse That Gods Word is a Lanterne to his feet and a Light unto his paths Which that you may better understand I will tell you the meaning of the words and explaine unto you the severall tearmes First the Word may be taken three wayes 1 For the substantiall Word of God the second Person in the Trinitie Ioh. 1. 1. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was God 2 It may be taken for the written and sounding Word as it onely strikes the eare and informes the understanding but it is not conveyed neither sinkes it into the heart by the powerfull assistance and sanctified concurrence of Gods Spirit it being not prayed for to the conversion and sanctification of the whole man And so the Word is heard and understood of many that shall never be saved but returnes unfruitfull 3 It may be taken for the working and effectuall Word as it is the power of God unto salvation as it is rightly understood applyed unto the heart and Conscience possest of the thoughts and affections and practised in the life and conversation This Word thus understood inlived managed and powerfully applyed by the Spirit of God was a Light unto Davids steps and so is a guide unto the paths of all true Christians to the worlds end That you may understand how the Word is a Light you must consider 1 That Christ is called Light Ioh. 1. 4. The Ministers are called the Light of the World Mat. 5. 14. The faithfull are Lights Phil. 2. 15 16. The way of the righteous saith Salomon Prov. 4. 18. shineth as the Light that shineth more and more vnto the perfect day The Word of God is also called a Light as in this place But first Christ is Light of himselfe and originally he is the Fountaine and everlasting Spring of all the Light of Grace and Glory both in Heaven and Earth Hee is called The Sunne of Righteousnesse The Sunne you know hath his Light rooted in his owne faire Body and receives that from none other and with that hee enlightens the Moone the Starres the Aire the Earth all the World Even so the blessed Sonne of God the Sunne of Righteousnesse hath in himselfe and from himselfe the Light of all Wisdome and Knowledge Mercie and Comfort and from him floweth and springeth whatsoever Light of Glory is revealed unto his blessed Saints and Angels in Heaven or whatsoever Light of Grace is shed into the hearts of his sonnes and servants here upon Earth 2 The Preachers of the Word are Ministers and Messengers of this Light and therefore are but Light ministerially They are as the Starres and so they are called Rev. 1. 20. They receive all their Light from the Sunne of Righteousnesse CHRIST IESVS and either doe or should convey and cast their borrowed beames upon the earthly cold and darksome hearts of the people of God that they might turne from Darkenesse to Light from the power of Sathan unto God Act. 26. 18. 3 The Word is Light instrumentally which being powerfully sanctified unto us for our salvation and being holden out unto us by a conscionable Ministerie is as a Candle or Torch to guide us through the darknesse of this World unto our eternall Rest 4 Lastly the faithfull are Lights Subjectivè because they receive this Light into their Vnderstandings whereby they see the Wonders of Gods Law the Secrets of his Kingdome and the great Mysterie of Godlinesse and the way to Heaven into their Consciences whereby they have their sinfull miserable estate by nature discovered unto them and the way to Christ for remedie and salvation into their affections whereby they are enkindled with zeale for Gods truth honour and service into their actions and conversation whereby they shine as Lights in the World amid a naughtie and crooked generation Phil. 2. 15. And after the Sunne of Righteousnesse once arise in their hearts like the Sunne in the Firmament they shine more and more in all holy Vertues unto the perfect day untill they reach the height of Heaven and the full glory of the Saints of God In the third place by Feet is meant his minde and understanding his affections thoughts actions his whole life all his wayes All these in David were guided by the Light of Gods Word Lastly by Paths are meant every particular step every turning and narrow passage in his speciall calling For this Light the Word of God doth not onely guide a mans feet into the way of peace and put him in the right way to Heaven but also goes along with him inlightens and directs every step that his feet doe not slide It so informes him with spirituall wisedome that hee layes hold on every occasion for the glorifying of God descries every little sinne and appearance of evill disposeth every circumstance in his actions with a good conscience and warrant out of Gods Word This then is the meaning of this Verse David the man of God had the Word of God working powerfully upon his soule as a Light that is As a Lampe is to the life and safetie of the body in darke and dangerous places so was this Light to the life and salvation of Davids soule in the darkenesse of this World and shadow of death To guide his feet and paths that is his mind affections thoughts actions his whole life all his wayes and every particular step and passage thereof This Verse being thus understood let us now come to gather some Lessons and Doctrines for our instruction The first shall be this There is no man can hit the way to Heaven or walke in the paths of Righteousnesse through the Kingdome of Grace in this World unto the Kingdome of Glory in the World to come except he be inlightened informed and instructed in the holy Word of God The second Note wee gather out of this Verse shall be this The Word of God is a Light not onely to guide us into the way to Heaven and instruct us in our generall calling of Christianitie but also to leade us along in a course of godlinesse and to direct us particularly in our speciall calling I will first follow the former Doctrine which in few words and plainely I thus propose unto you No man can at first finde the entrance or after hit the way to Heaven except he be enlightened and led along by the holy Word of God For David as here wee see a man of great worth and understanding otherwise excellently and extraordinarily qualified could not find out or follow any other Guide or direction to Heaven but onely the Light of Gods Word
the Kingdome of Grace For when Christ told him hee could not be saved except hee were new borne hee strangely and foolishly replyes How can a man be borne which is old How can he enter into his mothers Wombe againe and be borne Thus you see there can no other meanes be named or thought upon not all humane Knowledge nor worldly Wisedome nor good Meanings nor Will-worship nor the Word it selfe in the Letter which can leade us into the wayes of Righteousnesse or bring us unto Heaven but onely the Light of Gods holy Word holden out unto us by a profitable Ministerie and the power of the Spirit A second Reason of my Doctrine may be this No man can ever see the Kingdome of God except he be borne againe except he be a new creature a new man as is plaine in Christs words unto Nicodemus For our new birth or regeneration is the necessarie passage from Nature to Grace from prophanenesse to sinceritie It is that whereby wee are wholly sanctified and set apart unto God from the sinfnll corruption of our naturall birth and the evill fruits thereof to serve God in our whole man both body soule and spirit Now you must conceive that this new birth must necessarily spring from the immortall Seed of the word of God for so it is called 1 Pet. 1. 23. It is the Seed of our new birth salvation and immortalitie And you may as well looke for Come to grow up in your fields without sowing without casting any Seed into the furrowes as to looke for Grace to grow up in your hearts or to reape the fruit of holinesse everlasting life except this immortall Seed the Word of God be first cast into the furrowes and fallow ground of your hearts and be there received with reverence and attention nourished with prayer and meditation and fructifie in your lives and conversations Hence it is that Gods Word is called The Word of Salvation Act. 13. 26. The Word of Grace Act. 14. 3. The Word of Life Phil. 2. 16. The Power of God unto Salvation Rom. 1. 16. For there is no power of Grace or spirituall life to bee had ordinarily upon Earth or salvation and eternall life to be hoped for in Heaven except a man be enlightened with the knowledge and enlived with the power of the holy Word of God There is no entring into the Kingdome of God except a man bee new borne except hee bee first renewed in his spirit soule and body And there is no new birth without the immortall Seed the Word of God And therefore without knowledge and direction in the Word of God no salvation The third Reason of my Doctrine is this The Word of God hath only the power and propertie to search into and to sanctifie the whole man even to the inmost thoughts and the secret cogitations of the heart All the devices and imaginations of mans heart lye without the walke of humane justice and censure no word or writing of man is able to bridle them or bring them within compasse no Law of Nature or Nations can affright or restraine the freedome and wanderings of thoughts onely the Word of God can amaze search and sanctifie them The weapons of our warfare saith Paul are not carnall but mightie through God to cast downe Holds casting downe the imaginations and every thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivitie every thought into the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. The Word of God saith the Apostle to the Hebrewes is lively and mightie in operation and sharper than any two-edged sword and entreth through even to the dividing asunder of the soule and the spirit and of the joints and the marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart Heb. 4. 12. The Word of God may be said to be living or lively in three respects 1 Because whereas we naturally live under the shadow of death and in the darkenesse of sinne it quickens us with a new and spirituall life it cheares and comforts us with heavenly Light 2 The Word may be called Living because it selfe is immortall and lasteth forever as doth the living and eternall God the Author of it 3 But most especially and agreeably to the place in the Hebrewes it is called lively because it enters with great power and secret insinuation into every part and power both of soule and body So that as our life is scattered and dispersed into every little part and least veine in us and we feele it both in paine and pleasure even so the vertue of the Word of God pierceth into every member into the most secret and hidden Closet of the heart either to breake and bruise with terror and astonishment the very bones crush the sinewes of the sinfull soule or to fill them with marrow and fatnesse and to refresh the affections of the truly penitent with joy unspeakable and glorious God tells us in Ieremy that his Word is like fire and therefore it can easily insinuate into all the creekes and corners of our corruptions it can fully and clearely enlighten our Consciences and discover unto us the sinfulnesse of the most lurking and secret thoughts Thus you have this first Doctrine plainely proved and confirmed unto you No man can at first finde the entrance or after hit the way to Heaven except he be enlightened and led along by the saving knowledge of the holy Word of God No other meanes which the power of Nature Wisedome Learning or the whole World can afford will serve the turne in this businesse of Salvation It is the Seed of our new birth as I told you there can be no growing of grace or reaping of glory without it It hath onely power to shake ransacke and search into the inmost secrets of the heart It onely can sanctifie us both inwardly and outwardly both in soule and body both in thoughts and actions without which both inward and outward holinesse no man shall ever see the face of God Now I come unto the Vses of this Doctrine And in the first place it may serve for confutation of the Papists those great employsoners and murtherers of infinite soules of men Is the Word of God as a Lampe and a Light without which wee cannot see the first step or set one foot aright towards Heaven Why then sinfull and pestilent is their practice who hide this blessed Light from the people of God in an unknowne Tongue and by their bloudie Inquisition damme up the holy Fountaines of heavenly Truth which should spring up in every mans heart unto eternall life Whose cruell and craftie Religion for bloud of Princes and cursed Policie are the principall supporters of Poperie teacheth them to blindfold and hood-winke the poore Laitie in forced ignorance lest they should know Gods will or any way to Heaven but
the Word of God to a love and liking of the heavenly knowledge therein contained and to a sound and sincere practice of it in our lives and conversations may be this The Word of God is as it were an Epistle or Letter as one of the Fathers calls it written from God Almightie unto us miserable men published by his owne Sonne sealed by his Spirit witnessed by his Angels conveyed unto us by his Church the Pillar and ground of Truth confirmed with the bloud of millions of Martyrs which hath alreadie brought thousands of soules to Heaven and fills every heart that understands it and is wholly guided by it with Light and Life with Grace and Salvation Now let us imagine a man to have a Letter sent unto him but by an Earthly King or some great Prince in the World wherein hee should have a Pardon granted him for some capitall Crime and high Offence whereby hee were lyable to a terrible kind of death or wherein hee should be fore-warned of some great and imminent danger hanging over his head and readie every houre to fall upon him or wherein hee should have assured and confirmed unto him under the Kings Seale some rich Donation or great Lordship Now I say if a man should receive but a Letter from some high and mightie Potentate upon Earth wherein any of these favours should be conveyed unto him how reverently would he receive it how thankfully would he accept of it how often would he reade it how warily would he keepe it how highly would he esteeme of it Why in this royall and sacred Letter sent from the King and great Commander both of Heaven and Earth all these favours and a thousand more joyes and comforts are conveyed unto every beleever and practiser thereof In that we are fore-warned lest by our ignorance impietie and impenitencie wee fall into the Pit of Hell and everlasting horror In that we have promised and performed unto us the pardon and remission of all our sinnes whereby wee justly stand guiltie of the second death and the endlesse torments of the damned By the vertue of it we are not onely comforted with grace in this World but shall undoubtedly be crowned with peace glory and immortalitie in the World to come Such a Letter as this hath the mightie and terrible God most glorious in all Power and Majestie who is even a consuming and devouring fire sent unto us miserable men by nature wretched and forlorne creatures Dust and Ashes why then with what reverence chearefulnesse and zeale ought wee to receive reade heare marke learne understand and obey it A second Motive may be the precious golden and divine matter which is contained in the Booke of God and that true and ever-during happinesse to which it onely can bring us There is nothing proposed and handled in the Word of God but things of greatest weight and highest excellency As the infinite majesty power and mercy of God the unspeakable love and strange sufferings of the Sonne of God for our sakes the mighty and miraculous working of the holy Spirit upon the soules of men There is nothing in this Treasury but Orient Pearles and rich Iewels as promises of grace spirituall comfort confusion of sinne the triumph of godlines refreshing of wearied soules the beautie of Angels the holinesse of Saints the state of Heaven salvation of sinners everlasting life What Swine are they that neglecting these precious Pearles root only in the Earth wallow in worldly pleasures feede upon vanities transitorie trash and vanishing riches which in their greatest need will take them to their wings like an Eagle and flie into the Heavens Besides the Word of God is only able to prepare us for true happinesse in this world and to possesse us of it in the world to come It only begets in us a true intire and universall holinesse without which none shall ever see the face of God or the glory of Heaven for it is impossible hereafter to live the life of glory blessednes in Heaven if we live not here the life of grace and sincerity in all our waies It is called the immortall Seed because it regenerates and renewes us both in our Spirits Soules and Bodies in our Spirits that is in judgement memory conscience in our Soules that is in our will and affections in our Bodies that is in every member If the Prince of this world hath not blinded the eyes of our minds and that we be not reprobats as concerning salvation it only is able to inlighten our understandings to rectifie our wills to sanctifie our hearts to mortifie our affections to set Davids Doore before our lips that are offend not with our tongues to set Iobs Doore before our eyes that they behold not vanity to manacle our hands feet with the cords and bands of Gods Law that they do not walke or worke wickedly nay and it is able to furnish and supply us with sufficiencie of spirituall strength to continue in all these good things and in a godly course vnto the end And if we be once thus qualified we are rightly fitted and prepared for the glory that is to be revealed As before this holy Word did translate us from the darknesse of sinne into the light of grace it can now much more easily with joy and triumph bring us from the light of grace to the light of immortalitie and everlasting pleasures at Gods right hand A third Motive may be this Wee must be judged by the Word of God at the last Day If any man saith Christ Ioh. 12. 47 48. heare my words and beleeve not I judge him not for I came not to judge the World but to save the World He that refuseth me and receiveth not my words hath one that judgeth him the word that I have spoken it shall judge him in the last Day Whensoever wee shall come to judgement and appeare before Gods Tribunall and wee little know how neere it is two Bookes shall be layd open unto us the one of Gods Law another of our owne Conscience The former will tell us what wee should have done for the Lord hath revealed it to the World to be the rule of our faith and of all our actions The other will tell us what wee have done for Conscience is a Register Light and Power in our Vnderstanding which treasures up all our particular actions against the Day of Triall discovers unto us the equitie or iniquitie of them and determines of them either with us or against us Now we must not take any exception against the first that is the Law of God For the Law of God saith David Psal 19. 7. is perfect converting the soule The testimonie of the Lord is sure and giveth wisedome unto the simple Wee cannot against the second that is the Booke of our Conscience for it was ever in our custodie and keeping no man could corrupt it there
brought forth by the power of the Word in the Wombe of the Church he therefore casteth out of his mouth after him flouds of outward crosses and vexations If he cannot wound him in his soule yet he will vexe him in his body goods and good name if he cannot hinder him of Heaven he will give him little rest or quiet upon Earth if hee cannot bring him into disgrace and disfavour with God he will be sure to rayse him hatred enough malice and discountenance amongst men He will doe his worst to fill and loade him with all outward discomforts and discouragements as povertie sicknesse slanders scoffings raylings reproaches contempts and a thousand other persecutions But in such cases as these let every child of God comfort refresh and hold himselfe in heart cheare and courage by such considerations as these First it is a Decree of Heaven resolved upon and ratified by the Lord our God confirmed by the experience of all the Patriarkes and Prophets of the Apostles and professors of Christ of all the Saints and servants nay and of the Sonne of God himselfe that through many tribulations wee must enter into the Kingdome of Heaven So often therefore as wee shall see any miseries or afflictions comming towards us for our profession of sinceritie and righteousnesse sake let us acknowledge them to be as so many most certaine and infallible markes that we are in the right way to Heaven through which if we but walke a little further with patience we shall descry a Crowne of Glory which is our owne for ever of which all the afflictions and pressures of a thousand Worlds are not neere worthy Secondly though by this meanes by these outward crosses and afflictions Sathan dischargeth upon us the very gall of his bitternesse the poyson of his malice and arrowes of his spight yet by the mercifull and medicinall hand of God they are returned upon his owne head they strike through the heart of sinne and become as precious restoratives to repaire in us the decayes of spirituall life for in Gods children crosses and afflictions have these worthy effects and workings 1 They start us out of our securitie carelesnesse and coldnesse which by little and little may grow upon the best They breed in us a conceit and sense of our owne wants and the necessitie of Gods providence and protection They adde Oyle unto the flame of our first love put life into our religious exercises and power and spirit into our prayers 2 They curbe and controule the pride insolencie and impatiencie of our nature They coole and kill the heat headlongnesse and intemperancie of our affections They weaken indeed the whole old Adam in us with all his lusts concupiscence and venome but give strength to the new man with all his godly and gracious motions holy and heavenly actions 3 They make us with indignation to spit in the very face of this vaine deceitfull and flattering World the temporall love of which is the eternall losse both of bodies soules in the other World They happily weane us from the love of it and make us willing to part with her paps to bid all her enticements adiew and to trample under feet the fading pleasures vanities thereof they make us to teare our groveling hearts and rent our dull affections from the Earth to which they cleave and are glued so fast and to lift up both our heads and hearts to Heaven and to the glory which is to be revealed longingly to desire the comming of Christ the Life that lasteth and to be clothed with our House which is from above 4 Lastly they are as sharpe and precious eye-salves to cleare and enlarge the spirituall sight of our soules too much dimmed and darkened with earthly dust and with gazing too long on the painted glory of the World that so wee may see further into the great mysterie of godlinesse deeper into the masse and dunghill of our owne corruptions and frailties wider upon the vanities of the World and higher into the happinesse of Heaven and that great Beautie Glory and Majestie above They serve unto us as sowre Sawces and bitter Wormewood to bring us out of love with our sweet sinnes and to breed a distaste in our mouth against transitorie delights They are as sharpe pruning-knives to lop and cut away the excesses vanities and unnecessarie cares that grow upon us and so to trimme us that wee may bring forth more profitable plentifull and fairer fruits in godlinesse and Christianitie Thus Sathan is disappointed in his plots and policie his malice makes a medicine for our soules hee purposeth and hopes by crosses and afflictions to turne us backe or make us wearie in our course of holinesse but by the mercy of God they become as spurres to pricke us forward in our Christian Race and as hedges to keepe us in from wandering out of the way Now in a third place That Gods child may not too much be cast downe or put out of heart for crosses and persecutions raysed against him for a profession and the practice of sinceritie let him consider that howsoever Sathan and wicked men be the instruments and executioners which maliciously procure and immediately inflict miseries and vexations upon the children of God though they be the meanes to lay tortures and torments upon their bodies crosses and losses upon their goods and outward estates spots and impression and crueltie upon the face of their harmelesse innocencie slanders and disgraces imputations and staining aspersions upon their reputations and good names sometimes terrors temptations and amazements upon their minds Yet in all these our gracious God hath the chiefest stroke a principall hand and the greatest sway he directs limits and moderates the rage and furie of all our enemies whether they be Devils or men as it pleaseth him and ever certainely to the singular good of his children if they be patient and faithfull Miserie saith Iob chap. 5. 6. commeth not forth of the Dust neither doth afflictions spring out of the Earth Neither indeed principally and originally from Man the Lord of the Earth nor from the Prince that rules in the Aire nor from the Host of Heaven God himselfe is the chiefe commander guider and directer of all vexations and ill of punishment that befalls any man and inflicts it for our sinnes and corruptions upon the reprobates as appeares in Pharoah for their further hardening and confusion upon his elect for their conversion and correction Let us then in all our sufferings and afflictions stirred up against us for sticking to sinceritie and keeping a good Conscience lift up our eyes to the mightie Lord of Heaven and Earth who by the strong Arme of his Omnipotencie holds fast in a Chaine Sathan that raging Lion and great Goliah that hee cannot stirre one Linke further than hee will give him leave hee cannot goe a haires breadth beyond his Commission Nay and that
Lord. Thou shalt forget thy miserie and remember it as waters that are past Thy happinesse and comfort shall be so entire and unmixed so absolute and overflowing that the very remembrance of former miseries and terrors shall be drowned and devoured in the excesse and excellencie of that even as the travels of a woman in her joyes for a new-borne sonne Or if it be that thy former discomforts sometimes steale into thy minde they shall not be able to rest or remaine there by reason of the predominancie of spirituall pleasures but glide away as swiftly as the head-long streame of the most hastie Torrent Thine age also shall appeare more cleare than the Noone-day thou shalt shine and be as the Morning The Morning is the very Crowne of Time and the beautie of the Day the Poets call it the Rosie-finger'd Morning When they labour to describe corporall Beautie to the life and set it out in the best perfection and freshest colours that the utmost power and highest straine of wit and art can possibly devise they take their Metaphors and amplifications from the ruddinesse and brightnesse of the Morning And yet thou shalt be as faire as the Morning with all Divine Graces spirituall brightnesse and beautie of thy Soule nay a Soule set thicke with spirituall Graces is farre more faire than the Firmament with all those Eyes of Gold and fairest Lampes that shine from it Neither shalt thou be onely as the Morning but as the Morning Sunne thou shalt rise higher and higher in degrees of holinesse and strength of Grace untill thou commest to the highest point of perfection in this Heaven upon Earth the Kingdome of Grace And after thou hast finished thy course and left behind thee the comfortable heat of thy gracious zeale much Light from thy good example and the sweet influence of thy holy life upon thy death-bed thou shalt sett with the sweetest and brightest beames of all heavenly comfort into the immeasurable Ocean of endlesse joyes Thou shalt be bold because there is hope and thou shalt digge Pits and shalt lye downe safely Thou shalt be assured of Heaven and a Crowne of Glory hereafter that thou shalt walke through this Valley of Miserie like a Lyon nor Devill nor man nor beast nor any creature shall affright or amaze thee Cast thine eyes supernaturally enabled and enlarged with the Light of Faith from East to West into the bottome of Hell and glory of Heaven and thou shalt clearely see that all is thine by the purchase right and conquest of the Sonne of God The stones in the street shall be at league with thee the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee The creatures shall be all sworne to thy safetie the purest spirits the ministers of God shall be thy Guardians Saints and Angels are alreadie in thy sight Immortalitie hath lengthened thy dayes and the glory of God is before thee in a Glasse When thou doest take thy rest none shall make thee afraid yea many shall make suit unto thee When the darkenesse of the Night encompasseth thee thou shalt not be affrighted with terrors and apparitions when blacknesse and silence the habitation of feares and astonishment shall pitch round about thee thou shalt be lightsome with inward comfort when all thy Sences the scouts and watch-men for discovering dangers and preserving thy safetie shall be locked up his providence that neither slumbers nor sleepes shall tenderly and carefully watch over thee Whether thou die or live whether thou sleepe or wake thou art the Lords And therefore when thou sleepest thou shalt not be afraid and when thou sleepest thy sleepe shall be sweet Thou shalt not feare for any sudden feare neither for the destruction of the wicked when it commeth for the Lord shall be for thy assurance and shall keepe thy foot from being caught Yea many shall make suit unto thee Thou shalt be so encompassed with the blessings of God so protected from above so high in Gods favour that many will come for shadow and shelter unto thee they will looke for reliefe and comfort under the shadow of thy wings thy power and authoritie shall be a refuge and repose for oppressed and disgraced innocencie All these blessings and a thousand moe are built upon a through preparation of the heart as upon the first foundation stone Preparation is the very first step to all these degrees and height of happinesse But on the contrarie part if a man neglect preparing his heart praying unto God forsaking his sinnes reforming his family let him looke for nothing but Curses and Plagues But the eyes of the wicked saith Iob shall faile and their refuge shall perish and their hope shall be sorrow of minde They thinke their formall and customarie service of God will serve the turne and thereupon with great greedinesse and confidence expect and looke for the salvation of their soules after this life but they shall waile and gaze untill their eyes sinke into their holes and yet shall never be able to taste of true comfort They may crie untill their tongues cleave to the roofe of their mouth with the foolish Virgins Lord Lord open unto us Math. 25. but the Gate of everlasting happinesse shall for ever be shut against them They may struggle and strive by the strength of their good meanings and formall Christianitie to enter in at the strait Gate but shall never be able Their refuge shall perish They have stayed themselves upon broken staves of Reed and â—ow they will runne into their hands and hearts too unto their vexation and horror And their hope shall be sorrow of minde Their end shall be despaire and horrible confusion I have stayed long upon the motives and inducements to preparation before we come to the hearing of the Word or undergoe any sacred bâ—sinesse and upon the necessitie blessings and benefits of so holy a dutie The reason is I would gladly stirre you up and my selfe too to a through and constant practise and performance of it and because the neglect and omission of it is the cause that the Ministerie of the Word is not onely fruitlesse and in vaine unto thousands but which is a fearefull thing the savour of death unto death unto them I come now to the speciall points considerable in preparation before wee present our selves in this place to the hearing of the Word This preparation is an holy action or exercise which by examination of our Consciences purgation of our hearts prayer unto God and private reading the Scriptures maketh our soules fit Vessels to receive and entertaine the spirituall Treasures of Grace and food of eternall Life offered and tendered unto us by the Ministerie of the Word that so they may be the more effectually and fruitfully wrought upon and happily subdued to the power and practice thereof In this preparation I consider and require especially these foure things first Examination
surely be avenged of them for this sinne as we may see in the denunciation following Fifthly Ier. 7. 4 8 9 10 11. Trust not in lying words saying The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord c. They rested upon the outward formes of Gods worship without reformation It is just our case Many amongst us satisfie themselves and thinke it will serve the turne for salvation if they rest upon the Sabbath heare the Word receive the Sacrament and conforme to the outward exercises of Religion though they abide in their sinnes and have no acquaintance at all with the power of the Word the Mysterie of Christ conversion to God or holy conversation Sixtly Isa 6. 9 10. Goe tell this people Heare yee indeed but understand not see yee indeed but perceive not make the heart of this people fat and make their eares heavie and shut their eyes lest c. Oh this is heavie that a Minister should be sent to a further hardening of a people And yet it is just with God and they shall feele it on their Bed of Death The Theefe on the Crosse was converted with a piece of a Sermon they are not wrought upon after many yeeres therefore it is just with God as an act of judgement because they would not come in after so long a time to give them over to such judiciall hardnesse Consider these things and tremble all yee that have any wayes strucke at the face of Christ by contempt of his Ministerie For the humbling of your soules into the dust for this horrible sinne peruse in bleeding hearts in secret that blacke and bloudie Catalogue of fearefull provocations which are ordinarily to be found in and certainely set upon the Score of such as hate to be reformed under a conscionable Ministerie Which made Christ say Ioh. 15. 22. If I had not come and spoken unto them c. 1 Despising it shutting their eyes against that glorious Light erected in their faces to leade them to Heaven See Math. 10. 14. Whosoever shall not receive you nor heare your words when yee depart out of that house or Citie shake off the dust of your feet Here is a notable place to affright all those that are unworthie partakers of the Ministerie For the understanding whereof take notice of these five points 1 It is as if they should say Here I have gone a long journey and have contracted dust and sand by my travell and taken a great deale of paines and loe here I shake off this dust in witnesse that you had Christ offered you and you would not accept him 2 To intimate unto them I care not for any of you or yours but onely I seeke the good of your soules I respect not so much as the dust I prize more the conversion of any of your soules than all yours and this dust shall witnesse it 3 They shooke off the dust as a witnesse I will have nothing to doe with this Citie for I know the Plagues and Iudgements of God will seize on this place as it was with Sodome and Gomorrah I will have no communion and societie with these wicked people 4 They did shake off the dust to intimate that destruction should come upon them For it is said Psalme 1. That they should be driven away as the dust As that is shaken with the winde so shall they be with the wrath of God 5 In testimonie and witnesse against them This very dust shall be witnesse against them Doe you thinke then that their Sermons and Catechising shall not If the dust that they gathered by their paines will be witnesse what will all their Sermons and praying and such paines be Now this sinne of despising the Word is a sinne above that of Sodome Vers 15. Verily it shall be more easie for Sodome and Gomorrah in the Day of Iudgement than for that Citie 2 Murmuring against it Iob. 6. 41. Luk. 15. 2. 3 Cavilling against it Act. 13. 45. 4 Contemning it Ier. 44. 16. Act. 17. 18. What will this Babbler say They accounted Pauls precious preaching vaine babbling 5 Mocking and scorning it 2 Chron. 36. 16. Act. 2. 13. 6 Persecuting it Math. 10. 23. And so they become like mad Dogges throwne into a River or tyed up in a Chaine which doe snarle at bite and teare those that put out their hands to helpe and set them free fearing they come to torture and to trouble them more Iust so it is with many prophane wretches which lye drowned in sinne and chained in Sathans fetters If a man put out his hand by the Ministerie of the Word to save them from sinking into Damnation and to free them from the Snares of everlasting death they rage and rayle they barke and bite like mad Dogges holding themselves to be disquieted disgraced and tormented before their time Thus you have seene the sixe Curses and the sixe Sinnes that the not profiting by the Word doth bring upon a people 2 Now in the second place let me tender to your most serious thoughts some quickening Motives for the stirring of you up to profit by the Word 1 Some taken from the Word it selfe the Ministerie whereof you have slighted What then is the blessed thing you have so wickedly abused It is 1 The Word of Salvation Act. 13. 26. No other Word or created Power can save your soules from Hell 2 The Word of Truth Eph. 1. 13. There is error in all other Truths whether Naturall or Morall or Politicall and goe to any Art there is weakenesse and infirmitie in the braine of man that there can be no certaintie but here is all Truth and here is infallibilitie you need not doubt of any 3 It is called the Word of Life Phil. 2. 16. All other Learning whatsoever when it hath furnished you with ornaments and parts it leaves your soules starke dead in sinnes and trespasses But this is a Word of Life it inspires spirituall Life and brings eternall Life 4 It is called a Word of Reconciliation 2 Cor. 5. 19. Let the Sea runne nothing but Gold and let Heaven and Earth be turned into Gold and Silver and offered unto God it could not reconcile us If all the creatures would lose their being be annihilated and come to nothing yet this could not save Iudas or any one reprobate but the Word hath beene a blessed instrument for reconciling many soules to God 5 It is as it were an Epistle or Letter as one of the Fathers calls it written from God Almightie unto us miserable men wherein hee writes his Will and Word and sends it to us the Ministers are the readers of it and they bring the newes from Heaven And what is the matter of it Concerning eternall life or eternall death concerning the good of your soules Now if you had a private Letter come from the King concerning your advancement or your deliverance and forgivenesse for some dangerous Treason or both how
upon any part of Gods Word on God himselfe his Wisedome Power his Mercie or on the infinite varietie of good things which wee receive of his free bountie upon his workes and judgements upon our sinnes and the vilenesse of our corruption that wee yet carry about us upon our mortalitie and changes in this World upon our manifold afflictions of this life and how wee may in best manner beare and goe through them and the benefit thereof upon the manifold and great priviledges which wee enjoy dayly through the inestimable kindnesse of God towards us upon the foure last things but especially of those things that wee have most speciall need of Of the thing meditated upon consider First The definition or description Secondly The distribution sorts kinds or parts Thirdly Causes especially efficient and finall Fourthly The fruits and effects which it bringeth forth Fifthly The subject wherein it is or about which it is occupied Sixtly The qualities or properties adjoyned And know that oftentimes in common practice these three the finall cause the fruit or the effect the use or propertie of a thing are often confounded Seventhly The contrarie Eightly The comparison Exemplifie in the joyes of Heaven of which see Hall In sinne of which see Practice of Christianitie pag. 293. Vpon this occasion let us peruse in this manner Fasting and the Plague 5 A fifth meanes to profit by the Word is Teaching Praying with and Catechizing your children and servants To which Dutie be stirred up and strengthened by First Scriptures Deut. 4. 9. 6. 7. 11. 19. Psal 78. 5 6. Exod. 12. 26 27. 13 14. Iosh 4. 6 7 21 22. Deut. 6. 20 21. Eph. 6. 4. Secondly By the patterne and practice of holy Parents from time to time Consider for this purpose the carriage of Abraham Gen. 18. 19. David Prov. 4. 4. Bathsheba Prov. 31. 1. Lois and Eunice 2 Tim. 1. 5. Thirdly By the authoritie of the ancient Fathers 1 Heare Austin Notwithstanding my deare friends in so great a difference of manners and such abominable corruption governe your Houses governe your Children governe your Families As it behoves us to speake to you in the Church so it pertaines to you to doe in your Houses that yee may be able to give a good account of those who are under you Againe I pray thee my Brother I pray thee shew to all under thee of meere good will from the least to the greatest in thy House the love and sweetnesse of Heaven the bitternesse and feare of Hell and be thou solicitous and watchfull because thou shalt render an account to the Lord for all those under thee that are in thy House Declare charge command perswade them that they would take heed of Pride of Slandering of Drunkennesse of Fornication of Luxurie Anger Perjurie Covetousnesse which is the root of all evill 2 Nazianzen Hast thou a Child Let not wickednesse take advantage and occasion Let it be endued with sanctitie and consecrated to thy spirit from the very Cradle I know he meanes it immediately of Baptisme but by Analogie that binds also to have a care of religious education Fourthly by Reasons First Thy Children sprung from thy Loines and came into the World to encrease the number of Gods people to learne the way to Heaven and walke in it not onely to uphold thy House inherite thy Possessions and convey thy Name to future Generations The glorifying of our God serving our Brethren in love salvation of our owne Soules are the chiefe ends why we live a little while in this World Now Parents should be most solicitous to further their Children for the attainement of the maine end and most soveraigne good Secondly Neglect of this Dutie makes Parents worse to their Children than to their Beasts For 1 They provide for their Beasts all things necessarie for them but in their owne deare Children they neglect that One necessarie thing 2 They procure for and put their Beasts to all things of which they are capable Their Children are capable of Grace and Immortalitie and they never meddle nor move them to looke that way or lay hold upon eternall Life Thirdly Let the remarkable and rufull example of Eli be for ever a keene spurre in the sides of slouthfull Parents to quicken them to this Dutie Fourthly Thou art farre more cruell than the Ostrich and the Dragon and mayest be said to have suckt the brests of Tygres and to be hewed out of the hardest Rocke if having brought thy Children forth into this World limbes for the Devill and fewell for Hell-fire thou labour not might and maine to get them new-borne the members of Christ and freed from everlasting flames Fifthly Grace onely is able to make thy Children truly obedient serviceable and everlastingly thankfull having now a double tye first birth secondly new-birth Then onely and never before doe they begin to pray for their Parents to deale faithfully in their businesses not to long for their death Sixtly A conscionable and constant performance of this Dutie in their life time will fill Parents hearts full of sweetest joy and heavenly comfort upon their Beds of Death when they see by their care and zeale for their spirituall good that holy knowledge and wisedome planted in their Childrens hearts which will bring them after them to eternall blisse or how soever consciousnesse of a conscionable discharge of their Dutie in this respect will infinitely refresh them Seventhly It is the way to make thy posteritie truly honourable and to meet thee in Heaven Those Children which are taught by thee may teach the same things unto theirs and those to others c. Eightly Thy Children neglected in this point and so dying impenitently will curse thee everlastingly in Hell for thy bloudie inexpiable crueltie towards them in this kind Ninthly Besides innumerable sinnes of thine owne the least of which merits eternitie of Hellish torments thou hast justly set upon thy Score by this unconscionable murthering negligence the sinnes and sinnefull courses of thine owne Children which will lye full heavie upon thy Conscience when it shall be ragingly enlightened by the long provoked wrath of God 6 The next meanes is Prayer Prov. 2. 3 4 5. 7 The seventh meanes is Practise See Iohn 7. 17. 8 The eight is Experience See Dike of the heart pag. 69. 3 Be none of the reprobate grounds Math. 13. of which see Dike Taylor 4 Be none of those who invited to the Marriage of the Kings Sonne Math. 22. either first wilfully contemne Vers 3. secondly or carelesly dis-esteeme Vers 5. thirdly or cruelly persecute Vers 6. 5 Reject all those Hellish temptations which doe mightily keepe off the dint and power of the most piercing Word and being entertained will cause the Word preached to be but as the breath of the Minister scattered in the Ayre and
as Water spilt upon the Ground which cannot bee gathered up againe They are like those strong Holds of Sathan mentioned 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. which being set up in any heart will blunt the edge of this spirituall weapon that it will doe no good They be these that follow 1 In the first place and highest straine of impietie the depth of our corrupt nature desireth That there were no God The foole hath said in his heart there is no God Psal 14. 1. That is hee labours for a resolution and perswasion in his owne heart That there is no Tribunall in Heaven before which hee shall hereafter be arraigned no Treasurie of Plagues and Woes in Hell with which he shall hereafter be everlastingly fettered and enchained 2 But if it so be this spirituall foole cannot so abolish and extinguish those secret notions and apprehensions of a sacred and infinite Deitie which are naturally implanted in the bowels of the most desperate and damned miscreant but that the terrors of the last Iudgement and plagues of Hell doe eftsoones vexe and bite his Conscience with restlesse remorse and stingings Why then in a second place that hee may procure some ease and quiet to his wallowing in sensuall pleasures hee labours might and maine to harden his for-head against Heaven to make his heart like the nether-Milstone with his owne Soule-murthering hand to put a hot Iron to his Conscience that so if hee cannot blunder and blot out of his minde those naturall impressions of a God-head yet at the least hee may extinguish and banish out of his heart all feare of that God of his Iudgement-Seat and vengeance against sinne That so hee may rush like a wilde Horse into the Battaile furiously and desperately upon all villanies and vanities without all checke of Conscience and controlement from the terrors of the Iudgement to come In this desperate and furious mood he joynes himselfe with these Gyants of Babel Isa 5. who outragiously reare up Towers of Treason and defiance against Heaven and throw mountaines of pride and contempt one upon another that they may climbe up to the Seat of God and pull him out of his Throne crying aloud towards Heaven Let him make speed let him hasten his worke that wee may see it and let the counsell of the holy One of Israel draw neere and come that wee may know it 3 If this will not be and that he finde no successe in setting himselfe against Heaven Who ever opposed himselfe against God and prospered but that hee is crushed and confounded with the majestie and terror thereof Why then in a third place hee fastens the fangs of his malicious and wrangling wit and the furie of his prophane Atheisme upon his true and holy Word And that First Either by entertaining or harbouring a reprobate and blasphemous conceit that the sacred Word of God is but a politike invention and device of State to keepe men in order and moderation to maintaine Order and peaceablenesse in Cities and Societies and to preserve the World and mankinde from wildnesse and Barbarisme Secondly Or by proportioning his carnall conceit of Gods pure and undefiled Law to that which hee holds of the Decrees and Constitutions of men And if it be either so or so it is well enough hee can in the meane time therewith still the cryes of his Conscience and stop the mouth of that Worme that never dies that it gnaw not too eagerly and fiercely to the dis-sweetning of his carnall contentments and the making of his sensuall pleasures more unpleasant Now would it not vexe a man to have the meat pulled out of his mouth his chayne from his necke his clothes from his backe his limbes from his body his right arme from his shoulder his eyes out of his head So it is with every unregenerate man and such is his torture when that two-edged Sword the Word of God strikes at his sweet sinne and sensuall pleasures And therefore no marvell though hee strive and struggle shift and shield himselfe by any meanes Nay the Lusts of the unregenerate man are his very life For as every godly man liveth a double life one of Grace by the sanctifying power of the Spirit another of Nature So every wicked man hath a double life one of Nature and another of corruption by the cursed influence of Hell Nay the sensuall delights of the sinfull man are dearer unto him than his life Hence it is as wee may observe by experience that sometimes a covetous man losing the Life of his life the Wedge of Gold and Hoords of Wealth makes an end of himselfe That the Wanton because hee is rejected and discarded from the object of his lustfull pleasures findes no pleasure in life but cuts off himselfe by a violent and untimely death That Ahitophel being disgraced and over-topt in a point of Policie the crowne and pride of his worldly happinesse put his household in order and hanged himselfe Nay and yet further the prophane man preferres the sensuall pleasures of his heart before the losse of his immortall Soule For how oft may wee see the honour of God and everlasting blessednesse put as it were in the one Scale of the Ballance and a little transitorie Pleasure in the other And in this case the unsanctified man suffering one sweet sinne or other to weigh downe the exceeding weight of heavenly blisse the unvaluable treasure of a good Conscience the infinite glory of God and the salvation of his owne deare Soule in that great Day This groweth out of our corrupt nature For wee have all even in the best of us the source and seeds of all sinne If the Lord should leave and abandon us to the full swing and sway of our owne corruption and not either bridle us by his restraining Spirit or blesse us with his sanctifying Spirit wee might every one of us become as bad as Iulian the Apostata who did maliciously abjure Christ and as Iudas who did perfidiously betray him Naturally wee would wallow in sinne without checke of Conscience or controlment by the terror of the Iudgement to come 4 But if hee cannot arme himselfe against the terrors of God and truth of his Word but that he must needs acknowledge the one and beleeve the other Why then in a fourth place with much spight and malice he flyes in the face of Gods Ministers Embassadours which are his tormentors before his time And that First Either against his Preaching or against his Person as too obscure or too plaine too cold or too boisterous too particular too personall too precise too imperious too tart and terrible too full of Iudgement tending to Sedition against the State or the like And therefore he labours not onely with his owne heart to breed within himselfe a distaste and disconceit of it but also puts to his helping hand to stay and stop the free course and current of it from others He cannot abide to have his