But notwithstanding the prophanenesse of the Preacher is no priviledge to the hearer either of negligence or disobedience He that turnes his eare from hearing of the Law truly preached though by a Pharise even his prayer is abominable Prov. 28. 9. Hee that despiseth the Word shall be destroyed Prov. 13. 13. Hee that obeyeth not the Sonne in his Ministers lawfully sent though not sanctified themselves shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Christ himselfe in the Gospel bids his followers to observe and doe whatsoever they were bid by the Scribes and Pharises which sate in Moses Chaire but not to doe after their works for they said and did not Every Minister is to be heard received and followed so farre as he followes and delivers to the Church the Truth of God and Doctrine of the Apostles For therein he is an Angel of the Lord of Hosts and Embassadour in the stead of Christ. And all the parts of the Ministerie in his hand he following the Word shall as certainely be accomplished as if an Angel or Christ from Heaven should presently and potently execute them If hee denounce Iudgements against sinne it is as if the voice of God himselfe should be heard from Heaven as if the Lion of the Tribe of Iudah should roare If he poure the Oyle of comfort into a wounded and distressed Conscience it is as sure and certaine as soft and sweet to the beleeving soule as if the Angels should comfort him as they did Christ in his Agonie or as if Christ himselfe should mercifully reach out his glorious hand through the Clouds and binde up his broken heart and bruised Conscience with a Plaister of his owne precious Bloud If hee instruct admonish reprove exhort perswade from ground and warrant out of the Word it is all one as if Christ himselfe should doe it who hath said He that heareth you heareth me Let men therefore pretend what they will if they will not heare beleeve and obey the Lord speaking in the Ministerie of the Word though the meanes and Messengers be never so base and vile fraile weake and sinfull Let an Angel come from Heaven a Devill from Hell or a man from the dead yet would they not beleeve For if a man were truly humbled hee would tremble at Gods Word of whomsoever hee heard it If hee had a spirituall taste hee would relish the heavenly food whosoever ministred it If hee had Gods holy Spirit hee would know and acknowledge his Sword which is the Word of God in whose hand soever he saw it And untill he have this spirit a spirituall taste and an humble heart hee will not beleeve especially with effect fruit and practice let him pretend whatsoever he will neither Angels nor men dead nor living Moses nor the Prophets Peter nor Paul not Christ nor God himselfe if the one were living againe upon Earth or the other would be pleased or it were possible to speake immediately to him For conclusion of this Point let us know That the Ministerie of the Word is Gods Ordinance which dependeth not upon the worthinesse of him who delivereth it neither is it made void and uneffectuall by his weakenesse and wickednesse but it hath it vertue force and power from the blessing of God and from the inward operation of his Spirit who applyeth it to the hearts and consciences of men and thereby illuminates their understandings begetteth faith in them and all sanctifying and saving graces I but will some say it is a very wearisome tyring and tedious thing to be tyed to the hearing of so many Sermons to meditate of them conferre of them with our neighbours teach them our families and practise them which are urged upon us as necessarie Christian duties It is a strange thing and sore case that some men will not be perswaded to take halfe so much paines to goe to Heaven and eternall Rest as many thousands to goe to Hell and everlasting torment How many tyre and torture themselves with carke and care with much toyle and travell to heape up those riches which in the meane time are matter of much vexation unto them and hereafter will be witnesses against them and eate their flesh as it were fire as Iames speakes How many spend their wits their spirits their time that they may become some-body in the World and climbe by indirect and unlawfull meanes and steps unto those high places from whence hereafter they must be hurled with greater confusion and a more fearefull downe-fall into the Pit of Hell How many waste their wealth weaken their strength consume their marrow fill their bones with rottennesse and their bodies with diseases with lust and uncleannesse with following the Whorish woman whose paths lead unto the dead with tarrying long at the Wine and pouring in of strong Drinke for which at length they shall be sure to be filled with drunkennesse and with sorrow even with the Cup of destruction and trembling they shall drinke of it deepe and large and wring it out to the dregges How unwearied have Idolaters ever beene in the wicked worship of their false gods And many Heretikes in the false worship of the true God In thrusting towards Hell they neither spared cost nor charge losse nor labour They have beene prodigall both of lives and living of bloud and children You know amongst the Iewes some mingled the rufull cryes of their dearest children with Musicke and melodie lest they should be moved to compassion while they were cast into the fire to be burned up in sacrifice unto the Idoll Moloch Scribes and Pharises compasse Sea and Land to make a Proselyte Baals Priests lanced and cut their flesh before their Idoll untill the bloud gushed out The blinded Papists at this day whip themselves waste their goods and consume their bodies with wearisome Pilgrimages to see some counterfeit Reliques and rotten Bones or to visit accursed Idols and Popish Saints Nay some of them transported with a more bloudie rage and furious spirit of Antichrist suffer as it were with senselesnesse with desperate and damned boldnesse most horrible and exquisite torments for butchering of Kings for which they hope to merit Heaven and to sayle through a Sea of Royall bloud to the Haven of endlesse rest though indeed and truth they justly light short and sinke before they are aware into the deepest Lake of the hottest fire and most consuming flame of Hell Now I pray you shall these services of Sathan be followed and pursued with such heat and eagernesse with such paines and patiencie of all miseries and vexations and shall not the Lords owne Ordinances and the true worship of the true God have power to make us step out of our doores with patience and pleasure to heare the Lords will revealed unto us to receive salvation to our soules and a Crowne of immortalitie to our heads Can some be
may be they may heare attend and understand what is delivered but it breedes no more reverence impression or spirituall reformation than an ordinarie Tale or humane discourse As though that holy toyle and sacred breath were spent onely to entertaine the Time and busie mens eares for an Houre and not as Christ tells Paul To open their eyes that they might turne from Darkenesse unto Light and from the power of Sathan unto God 4 Vpon some the Iudgement and Curse of comming without Conscience and due preparation doth so farre prevaile and hath such power that they become scorners and raylers against the Minister or his Doctrine or both at every Sermon they catch something that they may cavill at deprave and calumniate And so wickedly and wretchedly oppose their discourse wit and spirit of contradiction against the face of Heaven and heart of Divine Truth They wrangle and repine in deed and truth whatsoever their pretences or protestations may be to the contrarie against that Great Majestie whose Message it is against that Holy Spirit which should sanctifie them and the Word of Grace which should save them 5 Others there be even of good hearts and affections Professors and in some good measure practisers of the power of godlinesse yet because they are carelesse and neglective of this needfull Christian dutie of preparation are possessed with much deadnesse of heart and dullnesse of spirit at those holy Exercises Their zeale and fervencie which should be quickened and inflamed at every Sermon is dulled and benummed with senselesnesse and satietie They doe not so tremble or are cast downe with Divine Comminations and denouncements of Gods Iudgements against sinne or so refreshed with the gracious promises of Life and Salvation as they ought to be They doe not enjoy and reape the thousandth part of that delight comfort and benefit as they well might by the Ministerie of the Word because their hearts are not purged and prepared They doe not with that chearefulnesse receive with that sweetnesse taste and rellish with that life and vigour disgest the Food of Life The eye of their minde for want of premeditation doth not so clearely see and discerne the infinite beautie of that sacred Majestie represented unto them or that glorious grace shining unto them in the face of CHRIST IESVS Their hand of Faith doth not with that feeling and fastnesse lay hold upon and claspe about the rich Treasures revealed in the Gospell In a word they bereave themselves of much good blessing comfort and growth in grace which they might and ought to have by hearing of the Word for want of due preparing and disposing the heart thereto This dutie of Preparation then though that it be not much thought upon or ordinarily practised yet it is of great necessitie and speciall use for all those which looke for benefit or blessing by the preaching of the Word There is no great Affaire or of weight and consequence eyther in Nature or Art in necessarie businesses and civill Negotiations or in matters of Complement Ceremonie and Enterview but there is required some bethinking preparation and prae-dispositions for the more happie and successefull accomplishment execution and performance how much more in the affaires of God matters of Heaven businesses of eternitie and salvation of mens soules The Ground must be manured and prepared for the Seed if wee looke it should fructifie and prosper how much more should our dull and dead hearts bee stirred up and furrowed as it were with humiliation reverence and repentance that by the grace of God and the sanctifying power of the Spirit it may lodge and take deepe root in them and spring up to eternall life The Body must be fitted with a Preparative and the humours as it were gathered unto a head if wee desire the Physicke should worke forcibly and kindly and rid us of their noxiousnesse and superfluitie how much more ought our Soules with an impartiall and narrow inquisition to be searched and layd open before they receive the Water of Life and spirituall Manna that so they may more seasonably and soundly be washed and purged from corruptions and imperfections preserved in spirituall health and prepared for eternall life The Ground must be layd and some imperfect Draughts Shadowes and resemblances premised before a Picture can be done to the Life or a full proportion and lively representation pourtrayed or presented to the eye how much more ought the ground of our hearts to be fitted and prepared that by the preaching of the Word the Image of Christ Iesus may with a lively and fresh impression be stamped upon them Were a man the next day to goe about a businesse that mainely concerned eyther his life or livelyhood the state of his Lands or danger of his life Would not his minde be troubled before-hand Would it not breake his sleepe the night before Would he not be musing and plotting by what meanes he might worke out his deliverance and safetie what behaviour and carriage might be fittest to winne favour and grace in so weightie an affaire How much more ought wee before wee intrude into the House of God where matters of our greatest and highest interest are proposed handled and debated by the Minister of the Word even life eternall and everlasting estate in another World I say how ought wee to thinke with our selves how wee may make our soules fittest to understand and accept the Covenant of Grace to receive the Seale of the Spirit and to get assurance of that glorious and royall Inheritance in the Heavens Nay yet further even in matters of complement and enterview there is wont to be preparation especially if the presence and persons were the greater Ioseph when he was sent for to goe before King Pharoah hee shaved his head and changed his rayment because hee was to appeare before so high and royall a presence Queene Hester durst not presse into the presence of King Ahashuerosh before shee had prepared her selfe How much more ought wee to fit and prepare our selves base and miserable wretches Wormes and no men as wee are with feare and trembling when wee come into the House and presence of the mightie Lord of Heaven and Earth before whom the Seraphins hide their faces the Nations are as a drop of a Bucket and the inhabitants of the Earth as Grasse-hoppers especially sith there hee offers and tenders unto us enlargement from the slaverie of sinne purgation from our pollutions and a Crowne of life upon that condition that wee repent forsake all our sinnes and resigne up our selves in sincere and humble obedience unto all his Commandements Inducements we have and Motives many both from Precept and Practice in the Booke of God for the performance of this Christian dutie of Preparation Take heed to thy foot sayth the Preacher when thou enterest into the House of God and be more neere to heare than to give the sacrifice of fooles for
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
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
is in the same place for a while and yet after wallow againe in the myre of sinne He may be endued with an inferior sanctification of the Spirit Heb. 10. 29. and yet after by the malice of Sathan tread under foot the Sonne of God Hee may have a generall participation of the Holy-Ghost Heb. 6. 4. and yet after a time fall away to the very despiting of the Spirit of Grace I speake not this as though that any once effectually called truly sanctified possessed of the state of grace and enrolled among the Saints can possibly become a cast-away it cannot bee for if once by the power of speciall grace a man be built upon the Rocke not the Gates of Hell not all the powers of Darkeness nor strongest assaaults of Satan shall ever prevaile against him Heaven and Earth shall sooner be removed than any of Gods servants For if Gods eternall Decree of Election be unchangeable if his Covenant be everlasting and inviolable if his Truth cannot change nor his Mercie faile nor his Power be weakened if the sacred Seale of the blessed Spirit shall stand if the precious blood and fervent prayers of Christ Iesus can prevaile if his Scriptures doe not lye and deceive if his sanctifying Grace cannot die and perish if Himselfe cannot cease to be then undoubtedly if a man be once his he is his for ever if he be once truely his servant upon Earth he shall for ever hereafter be a glorious Saint in Heaven My meaning therefore in this point is onely this There is a glimmering Light of the Spirit some manner of taste of the sweetnesse of Christ a kind of change which may be wrought in a man by the preaching of the Word and yet he not truely and constantly converted but may by the malice and policie of Satan be repossessed by uncleane spirits and repolluted with the filthinesse of the World Thus we may discerne this changeable change that I may so speake and the saving change of Gods servants If after we have given our Names to Christ and begun to professe and practise sinceritie we passe on and continually grow in grace and stand for Gods honour and service against all commers friends or foes losse or disgrace oppression or slanders men or devils why then undoubtedly we have the sanctifying Spirit of God and saving grace which makes his Children like Trees betwixt the Rivers of Waters fruitfull in goodnesse and as bold as Lyons in good causes But if after wee have begun well wee looke backe with Lots Wife if we fall in love againe with those sinnes which wee have forsaken if Rubbes and Crosses in the World will turne us out of the way to Heaven and our righteousnesse be but as the Morning Deaw which a little heat of Persecution will drie up why then our change was changeable and not that of Gods children The Seed of the Word which wee received with joy was never deepely rooted in good and honest hearts wee were onely temporarie Converts not new creatures temporizing Professors not true Christians and our End is like to be worse than our Beginning and our Plagues more than if we had never begun Let every man take heed then in the Name of God lest by the traines and temptations of Sathan he be turn'd backe againe from any good course lest after he be washed he wallow againe in the myre of worldlinesse and worldly vanities and after hee hath escaped the filthinesse of the World lest he be againe entangled therein Let us beware of longing after those sinnes which we begun in some measure to reforme let us not lust againe after the flesh-pots of Aegypt like the Israelites after we be in some good sort enlarged from the bondage of sinne and tyrannie of the hellish Pharoah Lots Wife being delivered out of Sodome was surprised with a sensuall remembrance of the pleasures and vanities of the place which shee had left of the ease and prosperitie which shee there enjoyed and so look'd backe upon it But shee was therefore presently turned into a Pillar of Salt Gen. 19. 26. there for ever to be a monument and fearefull spectacle of Gods terrible judgements against all back-sliders If the uncleane spirit be cast out of a man by some degrees of reformation and good beginnings of amendment of life and have after leave and libertie to returne he brings with him seven Devils worse than himselfe and makes a man farre worse than he was before Much better were it for any man never to have knowne or stept into the way of righteousnesse than afterward to turne from the holy Commandement of God and out of a course of Christianitie It is a fearefull Curse to continue in hardnesse of heart prophanenesse of life and sinfull courses But to leave them for a little and to sinke backe againe is to have Gods Curse bitter against them if they repent not and the fire of Hell made more hot for them First sicknesses are curable but relapses are very dangerous if not irrecoverable If a man as it is Heb. 6. hath once beene enlightened and then fall away it is impossible to be renewed by repentance I know that place principally to be understood of the highest degree of Apostacie and falling away but hee that falls away from any good course and good beginnings falls towards that irrecoverable fall and makes himselfe more uncapable of repentance than if he never had been enlightened or stept into the way of Truth And it is just with God to punish such with a reprobate sense and hearts that cannot repent It then deepely and neerely concernes us for once wee have felt the sweetnesse of Grace and tasted of the Powers of the World to come to drinke deeper of the Waters of Life and to follow hard towards the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus When wee feele any good motions and purposes arise in our hearts let us labour to follow them to nourish them to blow them up to make a fire of them lest they onely but make a flash and passe away as the Lightning Let us put them in practise with zeale and constancie that we be not as the unfaithfull Waters which in the Summer are dryed up or as the dead Trees which perish in Winter but that we remaine whole and sound pure and perfect as the living Waters and Olives of the Lord that ever shed forth their sweetnesse and fatnesse Let us make a Covenant even a Covenant as the Scripture speaketh of Salt durable and perpetuall with the Lord to live before him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life For to him that goes through with his holy businesse that fights the good fight of Faith finisheth his course and overcomes to him and to him alone shall all those glorious Blessings be performed which are promised in the first Chapter of the Revelation To eate of the
selfe-conceitedly to gaze upon that little sparke of holinesse hee findes in himselfe let him presently turne backe the edge and eye of this dangerous speculation upon the infinite puritie and endlesse perfection of God Almightie before whom the Cherubins and Seraphins the Crowne of Gods workemanship and the glory of creatures doe hide and cover their faces as not able to behold and endure the perfect brightnesse of his most pure and undefiled Majestie In whose sight the unstained splendour of the Heavens and the glorious beautie of the Starres are uncleane and foule darkenesse and deformitie The Sunne the fairest Body in the World made all of beautie and brightnesse if it were put neere unto that unaccessible and incomprehensible Light which encompasseth the Lord of Heaven it would vanish away as a darkesome Moat and Lumpe of Vanitie Nay in respect of God those divine and heavenly creatures the blessed Angels pure and immateriall spirits are chargeable with folly and vanitie Behold he found no stedfastnesse in his Saints yea the Heavens are not cleare in his sight How much more is man abominable and filthie which drinketh iniquitie like water Iob 15. 15 16. What art thou then wretched man that carriest about thee a Body of death Shall not his excellencie make thee afraid and his feare fall upon thee Behold saith Iob he will give no light unto the Moone and the Starres are uncleane in his sight How much more man a Worme even the sonne of a man which is but a Worme Behold he found no stedfastnesse in his servants and laid folly upon his Angels How much more in them that dwell in Houses of Clay whose foundation is in the Dust which shall be destroyed before the Moth These considerations are able to confound and cast downe below the Earth and Dust the greatest admirer and applauder of himselfe for his graces good actions and spirituall perfections When the Christian is tempted to a proud conceit of his spirituall sufficiencies let him compare himselfe with other Saints of God which perhaps having beene lesse sinners than himselfe in the time of their unregeneration and having lesse meanes parts occasions and encouragements to glorifie God yet excell him in zeale sanctification and the service of God Paul that great Doctor of the Gentiles and glorious Angell upon Earth for all his spirituall blessings and incomparable graces cryes out Rom. 7. 24. Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death David a man after Gods owne heart and a speciall royall Mirror for varietie of spirituall excellencies is so farre from being proud of his graces that hee is every where complaining of the burthen of his sinnes spirituall povertie and want and the miseries of his soule There is no health in my flesh saith he because of thy displeasure neither is there any rest in my bones by reason of my sinne for my wickednesses are gone over my head and are like a sore burthen too heavie for me to beare For his reputation in the World he tells us that he was a Worme and no man a very scorne of men and out-cast of the people In all times the best Christians have ever beene most sensible of the weight of their sinnes and corruption of their nature and from thence entertained a lowly conceit of themselves Where there is the greatest measure of sanctification there is ever the greatest humilitie If those then that be indeed in the highest favour with God lesser sinners than our selves and most sanctified be of an humble and lowly minde of a meeke and quiet spirit which is before God a thing much set by 1 Pet. 3. 4. let us take heed how we be proud of those graces which if we looke for Gods blessing upon them and comfort from them must bring forth in us humilitie and thankefulnesse Let him compare and examine and measure himselfe his wayes and workes by the Law of God and hee shall there finde much matter of humiliation repentance feare and trembling with continuall supply in abundance ministred unto him so that there shall be no roome left for any proud and over-weening conceit of any good thing in him That elect Vessell and great Apostle after he was regenerate for the unregenerate feele no such strife found such a vast and wide distance betweene the Law and his owne affections and best workes that for horror thereof he cryed out Oh miserable man that I am What spirituall good then is there in any of us miserable wretches wherein we should glory Let our best workes be as glorious as we can imagine let them be performed with never so great integritie and resolution cover them with grace derive them from the Holy-Ghost dippe and dye them deepe in the bloud of Christ put upon them all the rich attire and Papall magnificence with which the Church of Rome hath invested them yet to the purest eyes of God and in the cleare Crystall of his undefiled Law they appeare to be foule and spotted impure and like a menstruous clout The measuring then of our selves by the Law and Word of God is a notable meanes to keepe us in humilitie and to make us worke out our salvation with feare and trembling Let him consider what a foule and wretched what a damned and an accursed creature hee had beene had not his gracious God out of the unsearchable depth of his infinite goodnesse and mercie singled him out to be his servant upon Earth and a Saint in Heaven It was onely Gods free mercie that before all eternitie by the great Decree of his eternall election marked him out for Heaven and endlesse joyes from amidst the huge masse of all mankind It was the same that after caused him to send his owne and onely Sonne out of his owne Bosome and height of Majesty that with his dearest and precious bloud hee might redeeme his Soule from the snares of Hell into which hee was fallen by Adams fall which in due time by the inward speciall and effectuall power of his unspotted Spirit called him into his Kingdome of Grace washed him justified and sanctified him in the Name of the Lord Iesus Else otherwise had not these everlasting and unconceivable Blessings beene cast upon him by Gods free meere mercie without all cause or motive from man or any other created thing out of his infinite Selfe his case had beene unspeakably wofull For he should have lived in this Vale of Teares without God without Grace without Comfort without Conscience in Sinne in Darkenesse in Prophanenesse in all Spirituall Miseries And after the closure and period of these few and evill dayes he should have beene endlessely divided and abandoned from the joyes and comforts of Gods presence inchained without all redemption to despaire and horror and the hatefull fellowship of the Devill and his Angels and that which is the extremitie and upshot of all hellish miserie hee
they know not that they doe evill Before thou set foot into the Church to heare the Word of God be sure to settle thy affections that they be sober moderate and sanctified fit to entertaine the Word of life and salvation let thy heart be seasoned with first Softnesse secondly Humilitie thirdly Honestie fourthly Faith fifthly Teachablenesse First if thou doe not preserve thy heart tender soft and flexible the power of the Word will not make any such print or deepe impression upon it all holy admonitions reproofes and instructions will be unto thee as Arrowes shot against a Stone wall Secondly wee must bring with us an humble heart to the hearing of the Word for the Lord resists the proud and gives grace to the humble Them that be meeke will he guide in judgement and teach the humble his way The proud heart is so swelled with the winde of vanitie and vaine-glory of selfe-love and over-weening conceit that there is left no roome in it for the precious Treasure of saving grace If it eyther be puffed up with a conceit of knowledge or a perswasion of holinesse enough or a boisterous peremptorinesse against the power of the Word the Water of Life will be unto it but as Water poured upon a drowned man or as a Seale thrust upon Water which will receive no impression A lowly heart broken and bruised with Conscience of sinne is a fit Seat for the mightie Lord and his saving graces Isa 57. 15. Thirdly wee must come with a good and honest heart which hateth all corruptions both in it selfe and others which hath no delight in any sinfull pleasures or wicked vanities which hath no manner of purpose to live and continue in any one sinne whatsoever but is readie and resolved though it be much cumbred with it owne corruptions the Worlds enticements and Sathans craftinesse yet to serve and please God in all the wayes of his Commandements and that sincerely and continually All profitable and fruitfull hearers have such good and honest hearts and are resembled by the good ground Luke 8. 15. But that is a wicked and sinfull heart and not fit to be wrought upon by the Ministerie of the Word which purposeth and resolveth to cherish and maintaine but any one sinne whatsoever Fourthly our hearts must be seasoned with Faith otherwise it will not sinke and soake into them with power and profit The old Iewes heard the Word but it profited them not because it was not mingled with faith in those that heard it Heb. 4. 2. The fearefull threatnings and thunderbolts of the Law by Faith receive an edge to wound and pierce and strike through our soules with amazements and trembling And Faith it is that animates and inspires the promises of the Gospel with such a soveraigne sweetnesse and powerfull comfort that they are able not onely to rayse and revive us from the depth and extremitie of remorse and feare but also to put us into a Paradise of spiituall pleasures and possession of Heaven as it were alreadie But if the Word light upon a faithlesse heart it dyes it does no good Fifthly wee must bring with us into the Lords Sanctuarie teachable and hearing hearts that will willingly and readily open themselves to receive the Lord of glory with whatsoever hee shall reveale unto us out of his holy Word Sacrifice and burnt offerings sayth David thou wouldest not but mine eares hast thou prepared As if hee should have said Thou hast bored new eares in my heart that I can now reverently attend unto rightly conceive and with an holy greedinesse devoure the mysterie of grace With such hearts as these must wee come to the hearing of the Word if wee looke that it should be unto us a Word of power salvation and life and not to be of the number of those that offer the sacrifice of fooles and yet know not that they doe evill Many there are certainely which offer these foolish sacrifices I meane hearers without care and conscience Who if they come into the House of God and vouchsafe their presence in the place and lend their eares to the Preacher for the time they thinke themselves presently jolly fellowes for matters of Religion and that they are sanctified as it were by the Worke wrought and their onely presence in that holy place when as yet the Word hath had no more power nor wrought more alteration upon them than upon the Seats where they sate And that which makes these fooles much more miserable and foolish is this They know not that they doe evill as it is in the Text. They thinke their case good enough that they are in the right course of Christianitie and that no more is required for matters of Heaven when as in respect of saving grace they are wretched miserable and poore and blinde and naked Besides this place of the Preacher the Evangelist S. Luke Chap. 8. 18. bids us take heed how wee heare And good reason in a matter of such great weight and consequence For there is not a Sermon wee heare but wee must be countable for it at the Day of our Visitation God is countable unto us for every haire of our head is it not reason wee should be countable to him for those precious Lessons he reacheth unto us by the Ministerie of the Word Assuredly there is not a Sermon which wee have heard fruitlessely and without profit but it will be a shrewd and sore witnesse against us at that Day Besides these Precepts wee finde much practise in the Booke of God of this holy dutie of Preparation when any sacred businesse was to be undertaken Moses could not approach so glorious and sacred a Presence or tread upon the ground made holy by so great a Majestie as the Lord of Heaven and Earth before he had put off his shooes Neither ought wee to presume or presse into his Sanctuarie where he hath promised his Presence in a solemne speciall and powerfull manner and is readie to shower downe his blessings of salvation into all truly humble and prepared hearts before wee have shaken off and cast from us all earthly incumbrances and secret corruptions all dulnesse and deadnesse of heart whith makes us unworthy and undisposed to stand upon so holy ground and utterly uncapable of all that heavenly Wisedome and holy instructions unto eternall life that are there taught and tendred unto us nay turne the blessings of the Ministery into curses and condemnation unto us When Ioshuah was to make a strong and lasting impression in the hearts of the Israelites whom after the death of Moses he conducted to the promised Land of the power and providence of God for his people by that miraculous parting of the Waters of Iordan for the transportation of the Arke hee commanded the people to sanctifie themselves to prepare and compose their hearts to admire and reverence with greater
their callings into the House of God to heare and to performe the Exercises of Religion Truly though they be never so diligent in hearing yet their hearts will goe after their covetousnesse Ezech. 33. 31. 3 A third dutie before the hearing of the Word is Prayer no good thing can be expected from God as a blessing if it be not sought by prayer Deut. 4. 7. and wee finde it layd downe as a condition required Prov. 2. 1 2 3 c. My sonne if thou wilt receive my words and encline thine eare to wisedome and apply thy heart to understanding yea if thou cryest after knowledge and liftest up thy voice for understanding then shalt thou understand the feare of the Lord and finde out the knowledge of God The reason is Vers 6. For the Lord giveth wisedome and out of his mouth commeth knowledge and understanding Because the Lord gives knowledge therefore you must crie for it unto him What is the reason that you do pray for your daily Bread and a blessing upon it Why Deut. 8. 3. Man lives not by Bread onely c If this be so much more ought you to pray for a blessing upon your spirituall food Now for the particulars First you ought to pray for the Teachers That they may so speake as they ought to speake Col. 4. 3 4. so they are to pray for the power and peace of the Ministerie 2 Thess 3. 1 2. Secondly you must pray for your selves that through Gods assistance you may heare profitably and be blessed in the hearing Ioh. 3. 27. No man can receive any thing except that it be given him from above Therefore David prayed Psal 119. 18. Open thou mine eyes that I may see the wonderfull things contained in thy Word Isay 48. 17. God sayth I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit Therefore no profiting by the Word without seeking unto the Lord for it Now the prophanenesse of people in this case is the generall cause that our Ministerie doth no more good Few pray at all before they come to Church either for the Minister or for themselves nay few even when they are in the Church have any heart to joyne with the Preacher in the prayer that he makes before the Sermon But the complaint of the Prophet may be taken up in this case Isa 64. 7. There is none that calleth on thy Name that stirreth up himselfe to take hold of thee 4 You must be sure to goe with an open heart readie to receive every truth that God shall teach you in this Ordinance Act. 17. 11. it is said of those noble Beraeans that they received the Word with all readinesse of minde i. readinesse to receive every truth And Cornelius said Act. 10. 33. Wee are all here present before God to heare all things that are commanded thee of God It is well added that are commanded thee of God not what any Minister shall teach be he never so good or so learned nay were he an Angell from Heaven yet his Doctrine must be examined Gal. 1. 8. But when there is such a disposition in us as to receive both in judgement and practise whatsoever God shall reveale unto us out of his Word this is a precious disposition But alas the most come to heare with prejudicate and fore-stalled hearts they beare a secret grudge and quarrell against some strict Truth or other as against the sanctification of the Lords Day or Family-duties or secret communion with the Lord by prayer dayly c. And these imaginations seeme as strong Holds to keepe Christ and his Truth out of their hearts 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. And thus men that in their hearing doe limit the Spirit of God would if it lay in their power say as those wicked men Isay 30. 10. to the Seers see not and to the Prophets prophesie not right things unto us speake unto us smooth things And those that said so the Lord calls them despisers of his Word These are the maine and principall duties before the hearing of the Word Secondly let me proceed briefely to those duties that are required in the hearing of the Word Which wee must the rather stirre up our selves unto because wee have naturally uncircumcised hearts Ier. 6. 10. and are dull of hearing Heb. 5. 11. Now the principall duties in hearing are five which I will briefely set downe as may be 1 You must set your selves in Gods presence whilest you are hearing of his Word and consider with your selves that it is God that you have to deale withall in this businesse and not man and that it is Gods Word and not mans It is the great commendation of the Thessalonians 1 Thess 2. 13. that they received the Word as the Word of God This was that whereby the Lord would prepare his people to receive the Law Exod. 20. God spake all these words And hee not onely gave the Law but the whole summe of the Gospel with his owne voice Mat. 3. 17. Loe a voice from Heaven saying This is my beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased Yea it is the Lord himselfe that speakes unto you in our Ministery Luke 10. 16. So the Lord is present in a speciall manner where his Word is preached to observe and marke how it is received or delivered and either to blesse or curse the hearers or speakers accordingly So that of this and such like places it may be said as Iacob said of Bethel Gen. 28. 16 17. Surely the Lord is in this place and How dreadfull is this place This is no other than the House of God this is the Gate of Heaven And truly this apprehension of Gods presence in the Assemblies of his people will worke three things in us First keepe us in that awfull and reverent disposition of body and minde that is meet Secondly it will preserve our hearts from â—oving and wandering thoughts which are great impediments of hearing Psal 119. 113. I hate vaine thoughts but thy Law doe I love Thirdly it will make us to receive and obey that that shall be taught us for so God hath beene wont to prepare his people to receive his Word yea he said of his people when they were thus affected Deut. 15. 29. Oh that there were such an heart in them to feare me and keepe my Commandements alwayes Now the want of this is that which hinders abundance of benefit that the Ministerie of the Word would otherwise doe us This is the root of all the mischiefe the Devill doth to poore soules in the hearing of the Word the practice thereof is the fountaine of all our good Many gracelesse wretches there are in our Assemblies like him Luke 18. 2. that neither feared God nor regarded man that despise the Church of God yea contemne the presence of the holy Angels 1 Cor. 11. 10. and of God himselfe in the Assemblies who hath layd such a speciall charge upon us Lev. 26. 2. to keepe his
would you take this Letter and how often would you reade it with what willingnesse of affection Now here is an Epistle sent from Heaven to advise you that you are all Traitors and Rebels against Heaven and yet here in this Letter God offers the bloud of his Sonne and you may be reconciled and will you neglect it This is the matter of this Epistle it brings matter of deliverance from the greatest Curse that can befall the creature and the greatest advancement 6 It is the bottomelesse Treasurie of all high sweet and excellentest things The Mysterie of the Trinitie the Majestie of God the Love of God and of Christ this sufferings the Spirits workings the happinesse of the Saints and the glory of Heaven c. 7 It must be our Iudge at the last day Ioh. 12. 48. Every honest Sermon is but the Word of God unfolded and a bunch of Arrowes wrapped up and unfolded are all one 8 It onely can cure a wounded Conscience the greatest calamitie that ever the heart of man was acquainted with and that which no Arme of flesh or created Power no man or Angel can ease at all 9 In it onely are to be had Deeds and Evidences to shew for eternall Life and Acquittances for discharge from eternall Death 10 It hath saved all the soules that are in Heaven Rom. 10. 13. 11 It onely is the object of divine and infused Faith Humane testimonies and authorities beget onely humane Faith Therefore you must reverence this Word 2 Some Motives taken from the most fearefull and cursed estate of those who neglect and reject the Ministerie of the Word hating to be reformed by it Marke and take to heart thine unspeakable miserie whosoever thou art that despisest the Ministerie Take a taste of it in these passages 1 They are deprived by this meanes of the love and favour of God the onely fountaine of all comfort peace and glory which is infinitely the dearest and most unvaluable losse that can be imagined 2 Of their part and portion in the bloud of Christ one drop whereof is incomparably more worth than Heaven and Earth men and Angels or the creatures of a thousand Worlds 3 Of the fatherly protection care and providence of the blessed Trinitie the glorious guard of Angels the comfortable communion of the blessed Saints and all the sweet contentments that follow thence 4 Of the quiet joy and tranquilitie of a good Conscience a Iewell farre more worth than the whole World were it all turned into one unvaluable Pearle of unvaluable price and of all the heavenly illuminations cherishments and comforts wherewith the Holy-Ghost is wont to visit and refresh the hearts of holy men 5 Of the sweet peace and true contentment in this life and of all comfortable right and religious interest to any of the creatures For without a good Conscience there was never found joy in any mans heart or sanctified enjoyment of any thing in the World and never shall any man have a good Conscience that gives allowance to any Lust or lives delightfully in any sinne 6 Of a Crowne of Life the unspeakable joyes of Heaven that immeasurable and endlesse comfort that there shall be had with all the children of God Patriarkes Prophets Apostles Martyrs all our Christian acquaintance yea with the Lord himselfe and all Angels with Christ our Saviour and Lambe slaine for us the Prince of Glory yea the Glory of Heaven and Earth and brightnesse of the everlasting Light c. To these privative consequents adde a serious consideration upon those terrible flaming places Deut. 29. 19 20. Prov. 1. 23 24. Isa 6. 9 10. 1 Sam. 2. 25. Act. 13. 46. By continuing thy contempt and rejecting the Light of the Gospel thou mayest come thou knowest not how soone to sinne against the Holy-Ghost as the Pharises did Math. 12. 24 31. For sinne against the Holy-Ghost may be committed as well 1 By those who although they doe acknowledge and confesse the Truth which they doe blaspheme yet they have not yet professed it or given up their names to it as were those Scribes and Pharises and there are many such in these dayes who have not as yet given their name to the Truth which yet notwithstanding being well knowne and acknowledged they doe blaspheme 2 As those who have not only acknowledged in themselves the Truth that they blaspheme but have professed the same before others that are the favourers of Truth as Iulian Porphyrius Alexander the Copper-smith and many others of which you may see Heb. 6. 10. So many amongst us at this day 3 Some taken from the survey of those judgements which contempt of the Ministerie may bring upon the place where it is planted 1 It may remove the Candlesticke and be plagued with the utter losse of the Ministerie Consider Math. 8. 34. 10. 13. 21. 41. 2 They may have Prophets but such as are fooles they may have men of the Spirit but those that be mad Hos 9. 7. By a foole is meant not a naturall but spirituall foole Prov. 1. 8. Ier. 4. 22. Isa 5. 20. By mad is understood not a man out of his wit or distracted in minde but he that like a mad Dogge rageth and rayleth against the Truth of God and sinceritie of his Saints which is a great judgement 3 They may enjoy faithfull Teachers but to their further hardening as the Israelites did Isaiah Isa 6. 9 10. Which of all other judgements that God can inflict in this life is the most fearefull 4 By this meanes they may make sad the heart and affections of their Teachers that they cannot with that chearefulnesse as they desire performe the offices of their Ministerie Which as it discourageth the Teachers and will one day light heavie on the causers and procurers thereof so it is unprofitable for the hearers and deprives them of much good they might otherwise enjoy as appeares Heb. 13. 17. 4 Some from consideration of those confusions and desolations which it pulls with great violence even upon whole Kingdomes Looke upon such places as these 2 Chron. 36. 16 17 c. Ier. 25. 3. c. Cap. 35. 15. Rev. 6. 4. c. The glorious Light of those seven Candlestickes in Asia mentioned in the Revelations was long since for their unfruitfulnesse coldnesse and contempt of the Word turned into the darke Midnight of Heresie Apostasie and Mahometisme Rome that was anciently the glory of the Westerne Churches lyes now drowned in Superstition soaking in damnable Idolatry and plunged over head and eares in the Doctrine of Devils Many strong and noble Limbes of the reformed Churches in high Germanie have lyen for some yeeres in their teares of bloud groaning under the mercilesse tyrannie of the bloudie Antichristians and have wofully received the marke of the Beast againe Now assuredly it was the loathing the heavenly Manna which made the Lord to utter his Voice before the Armie of the enemies at Prague
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 Reasons of this Doctrine may be these which follow The first may be taken from the insufficiencie and inabilitie of all other meanes to bring us to Heaven as 1 All the greatest Learning and deepest knowledge in the World will stand us in little stead in this businesse Otherwise it had gone well with many ancient Heathens and Philosophers of old who fadomed as deepe and reached as high in the depths and mysteries of all humane Learning and knowledge as the light of Reason and strength of Nature could possibly bring them And yet they were utterly strangers to the life of grace and without God in the World When they professed themselves to be wise they became fooles saith Paul Rom. 1. 22. They were puffed up with a little vaine-glorious knowledge here upon Earth and got them a Name amongst men But alas what was this When as for the want of the Light of Divine Truth they lost their Soules in another World and their Names never came in the Booke of Life Where is the wise saith Paul in another place Where is the Scribe Where is the Disputer of this World As if hee should have said All the knowledge of the greatest Doctors and learnedest Rabbins in the World without Grace vanisheth into nothing into vaine-glory emptinesse and aire nay casts them with greater horror and confusion into the Pit of Hell Every man saith Ieremie is a Beast by his owne knowledge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iere. 10. 14. Except besides all other knowledge he be enlightened from above and have that Divine knowledge sanctified unto him hee can come no neerer the happinesse of Heaven than a very Beast 2 Worldly wisedome and policie is so farre from making men wise unto salvation that it is not onely starke foolishnesse with God and good men but it doth strongly set it selfe and is at enmitie against God Therefore saith God I will destroy the wisedome of the wise and will cast away the understanding of the prudent 1 Cor. 1. 19. Ahitophel was so wise even in the affaires of Kingdomes and businesse of State that the counsell which he counselled in those dayes was like as one had asked counsell at the Oracle of God and yet all this great wisedome in the end ended in extreme folly for upon a little discontent and disgrace in the World he sadled his Asse and went home unto his Citie and put his household in order and hanged himselfe 2 Sam. 16. 23. 17. 23. Although the end of all worldly wisedome be not so shamefull in the eye of the World yet undoubtedly it is most miserable and wofull in the World to come except their wisedome be sanctified and over-ruled by the Light of Gods Word Carnall wisedome can neither preserve a man from death nor prepare him to die blessedly it cannot stay his Life from going neither can it stop the Curse from comming it cannot deliver him from damnation in the World to come but rather encreaseth the grievousnesse of his punishment for in this life it hath kept possession against heavenly wisedome it made him uncapable of all good instructions it made him impatient of any rebuke and held him in ignorance and disobedience all his life 3 No good meanings or intentions without knowledge and warrant in the Word of God will ever serve our turne for salvation nay indeed they are abominable and hatefull in Gods sight Howsoever thousands deceive themselves in this point Vzzah had a good meaning in 2 Sam. 6. 6. when hee put his hand to the Arke of God and held it for the Oxen did shake it but notwithstanding the Lord was very wroth with Vzzah and God smote him in the same place and there hee died Iames and Iohn had good meanings when they called for fire from Heaven to consume the Samaritan that would not entertaine Christ but Iesus rebuked them and told them they knew not of what spirit they were Saul in 1 Sam. 15. had a good meaning when he spared Agag and the best of the Sheepe and of the Oxen to sacrifice them unto the Lord but notwithstanding Samuel tells him that he had done wickedly in the sight of the Lord and that the Lord had rent the Kingdome of Israel from him that day Peter had a good meaning when in Ioh. 13. 8. he would not suffer Christ to wash his feet but Iesus answered him and told him If I wash thee not thou shalt have no part with me Good meanings then are wicked missings of the true service of God except they be guided by knowledge warrant and ground out of the Booke of God Let no man then tell of his good meaning if he be ignorant in the Will and Word of God for certainely it will never serve the turne it will never hold out in the Day of Christ Iesus 4 No will-worship or will-service or voluntarie Religion as the Apostle calls it Col. 2. 23. which is forged and framed out of a mans owne braine humour and conceit without ground or warrant in the Booke of God though it be performed with never so glorious a shew of zeale and paines yet it is not any way availeable for our spirituall good and eternall happinesse nay indeed it is most odious in the eyes of God and ever lyable to a very high degree of his wrath and vengeance Baals Prophets 1 Kings 18. 28. were so hot and hastie in their will-worship that they cut themselves with knives and launcers till the bloud gushed out upon them The Papists they whip themselves they vow Continencie perpetuall Povertie and Regular Obedience and yet is the profession and practice of both bloudie and idolatrous When the Iewes worshipped God after the devised fashions of the Gentiles though their meaning was to worship nothing but God yet the Text saith they worshipped nothing but Devils Deut. 32. 17. And God there protests that therefore a fire was kindled in his wrath that should burne unto the bottome of Hell and set on fire the foundations of the mountaines So hated of Almightie God is all service and worship devised by the wit and will of man without warrant in the Word of God 5 Lastly not the Word of God it selfe in the Letter without the spirituall meaning and the finger of Gods Spirit to apply it powerfully to our soules and consciences is any sufficient rule of life or able to bring us into the Light of Grace This appeares in Nicodemus who was a great Doctor in the Law and the Prophets a chiefe Master and Teacher in Israel yet was a very Infant and Ideot in the power of Grace and mysterie of godlinesse For all his learning in the Letter of the Law he had not yet made one step towards Heaven for hee was not onely ignorant of but had a very absurd and grosse conceit of the new birth which is the very first entrance into
Barres of the Earth as in a Bed of hopelesse Darkenesse untill the Iudgement of the great Day And that Day will be unto you a Day of wrath a Day of trouble and heavinesse a Day of destruction and desolation a Day of Clouds and blacknesse as it is Zeph. 1. 15. And at the last you are to be cast body and soule from the presence of God and joyes of Heaven into utter Darkenesse there to be tormented amongst wicked Devils for ever and ever This is certainely the state of all ignorant men and those that will not be enlightened with saving knowledge out of his Word There is nothing to be expected of them but Darkenesse Sorrow Despaire and Horror A third Vse of this Doctrine may serve for admonition to all those who by the Light of Gods Word have alreadie found and are entred into the way to Heaven that they would suffer themselves with humilitie obedience and constancie to be led along in a course of sanctification by the holy guidance and direction thereof that they would shine dayly more and more in all Christian vertues exercises and duties For it is the propertie of all those which are become new creatures who are washed from their sinnes sanctified and new-borne by the immortall Seed of the Word and the Spirit of Grace to long after and earnestly desire the sincere Milke of the Word that they may grow thereby in knowledge comfort and new obedience A new-borne Babe will be pleased and satisfied with nothing but the Pap not Gold Pearles or any thing else will content it even so a new-renewed Soule doth ever hunger and thirst after the sacred and sincere Milke of Gods holy Word as Saint Peter calls it that it may dayly gather strength in grace otherwise as the Child so it would languish pine away and die He that growes not and goes not forward in grace had never true grace He that faithfully labours not to feed his soule with spirituall food never passed the new birth The way of the righteous saith Salomon shineth as the Light that shineth more and more unto the perfect Day Prov. 4. 18. For if the Day-starre of saving knowledge once appeare unto a man and the Sunne of Righteousnesse arise in his heart they never set untill they bring him unto that glorious Light above that no man can attaine unto He proceeds and profits in the great mysterie of godlinesse in faith repentance and sinceritie he growes from vertue to vertue from knowledge to knowledge from grace to grace untill hee become a perfect man in Christ Iesus It may be as the fairest Sunne may sometimes be over-cast and darkened with Clouds and Mists so the holinesse of a godly man may be over-clouded and disgraced sometimes by falls into a sinne upon infirmitie ignorance heedlesnesse or the like But if he be so overtaken after his passing through sorrow and griefe of heart for the same and his rising againe by repentance hee shines farre more brightly and pleasantly both to God and man in sinceritie and all holy graces he afterwards runnes a more swift and setled course in the race of sanctification So that ordinarily all Gods children shine as Lights in the World in the midst of a naughtie and crooked generation being once inlightened with saving knowledge and they still waxe brighter and brighter untill at last they come to shine as the brightnesse of the Firmament and the Starres in Heaven for ever and ever Looke to it then I beseech you whosoever hath alreadie given his Name unto Christ tasted of the good Word of God and received into his soule some glimpses of heavenly Light let him be sure to follow hard towards the Marke for the Prize of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus Let him set his best desires affections and endeavours to grow and proceed in all holy knowledge in the Light of Gods Word and chearefull obedience unto the same For it is a speciall note and marke of a man that is truly religious to goe forward and encrease in grace and understanding Hee must be like the Sunne which rising in the East enlargeth his glorious light and heat untill he reach the height of Heaven But as one well notes the true Christian must not be like Hezekiahs Sunne which went backward If a man back-slide waxe worse and fall away from good beginnings he addes weight unto the wrath of God and doubles his damnation Hee must not be like Ioshuahs Sunne that stood still It is so farre to Heaven and the way so narrow so rough and full of dangers and difficulties that he which stands at a stay will light short The Bridegroome will be entred in and the Gate shut before he come Hee that hath so much grace that hee desires no more did never truly desire any And he that endeavours not to be better will by little and little grow worse and at length become starke naught He therefore must be like Davids Sunne that great and glorious Gyant of the Heavens that like a Bridegroome comes out of his Chamber and as a Champion rejoyceth to runne his Race One grace in Gods child begets another and one holy action performed with sinceritie of heart doth inflame his affections with love and zeale with courage and resolution to undertake moe and to goe through-stitch with all the affaires of God and good causes For he alone knowes the invaluable worth and inestimable price of heavenly Iewels and therefore he is ravished with their beautie and growes unsatiable in his desires and longings after them He is still toyling and labouring in the Trade of Christianitie for more gaine of grace encrease of comfort and further assurance and securitie of the joyes of Heaven Sith hee hath alreadie tasted and fed upon celestiall and spirituall food he findes in that such unutterable sweetnesse and pleasant rellish that hee for ever after hungers and thirsts after it If then you would be assured that you are in the way to happinesse be sure to be led on by the Light of the Word in all heavenly knowledge spirituall wisedome and holy obedience A fourth and last Vse of my Doctrine is for instruction to all whether they be naturall or spirituall ignorant or instructed in the Word of God That they make it their chiefe and principall Christian care zealously and conscionably and constantly to heare attend and understand the holy Word of God and to be guided and conducted by the Light thereof in all the passages of their life and wayes of their conversation 1 And in this point I will first lay downe unto you certaine Motives that may induce and stirre you thereunto 2 Cautions or Caveats to fore-arme and fore-warne you of Lets and Temptations that may with-draw you there-from 3 Lastly some needfull instructions for your right carriage therein One Motive to stirre us up to a reverend regard and attention in hearing
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
many visions the true fore-telling of things to come the inward lively and effectuall workings upon the soules of the elect and many other singular and sacred markes characters of divinity stamped upon it doth plainly shew that it is the alone holy invention of Gods divine pure and infinite understanding and revealed to the world for the inlarging of Gods glory and the salvation of many a thousand soules for the confusion of the kingdome of Satan and just condemnation of the children of hell Take heed then in the name of God that you give not entrance or entertainment to any such fearefull blasphemous temptation whereby the love and zeale to Gods Word may be cooled or you grow lesse carefull in purchasing and practising the knowledge and power of it This let layes hold onely upon men of a reprobate sense and those that are already marked out for certaine damnation A second let and hinderance from hearing the Word of God is recusancie the cozenage and imposture of Popery For such is the wickednesse and cruelty of that superstition and mystery of iniquity that it labours might and maine to keepe all the world close prisoners in the dungeon of darknesse and ignorance and for ever to deprive them of the light of the Gospell The prophane professors of this bloudy Religion hold ignorance to be the mother of devotion and a very dangerous thing for simple people to pry into the Booke of God And so they doe more safely and securely feed their followers with their owne damnable principles of treason rebellion disloyalty and disobedience to lawfull Kings So they lead ignorant people which way and as farre as they will in the kingdome of darknesse even to beleeve that blowing up of whole states and killing of Kings are very glorious acts and merit the brightest crowne of immortality and the highest seat in heaven I hope in the Lord there is none of you but with all his heart hates and detests this bloudy murtherous and Idolatrous generation and will by no meanes suffer his right eye of knowledge in Gods Word to be put out by these cursed Ammonites Adde here another let which is Separatisme See Ta. pag. 79. A third let and hinderance is the height of hardnesse of heart and most damned desperatenesse in sinning when men are become so greedy of fulfilling their sinfull pleasures that they drinke up sensuall delights like water draw on iniquity like cords of vanitie and sinne as with cart-ropes For then they beginne to say with themselves even to God himselfe with them in â—ob 21. 14 15. Depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes Who is the Almighty that we should serve him and what profit should we have if we should pray unto him And with those to whom Isaiah in his fifth Chapter denounceth a fearefull woe Let him make speed let him hasten his worke that we may see it and let the counsell of the Holy one of Israel draw neare and come that wee may know it Men that are possessed with such a rebellious and scornfull spirit as this neither much care for God or his Worâ— threats or promises judgements or mercies heaven or hell No marvell then though they set light by Gods ministers and seeke not for instruction in holy knowledge and heavenly wisdome That wee may be preserved from this horrible and desperate case and so fearefully hardning our hearts against the Word of life and salvation we must be very carefull and watchfull that wee give not way passage and entertainment to wicked thoughts and the first sinfull motions for in this manner a man proceedes to the height of sinne and a reprobate sense There first ariseth in his Heart an idle and wandering thought of some unlawfull thing as of Lust Covetousnesse Pride Malice prophaning the Sabbath Cozening and circumventing his Brother and such like Secondly it begins to allure entice and conferre with the Will Thirdly the Will doth as it were take it by the hand and is tickled pleased and delighted with it Then followes Consent Consent sets the affections on foot and plots the accomplishment and practice of it and sinne practised with pleasure brings Custome Custome sharpens a mans wit and makes him looke about how to excuse it From excusing sinne hee growes to defend it Defence of sinne makes him obstinate and resolved to continue in it Obstinatenesse begets boasting and glorying in it And if a man once become impudent and take a pride in sinning there presently follows a brazen Brow and whorish fore-head an yron sinew in the necke a heart as hard as the nether Milstone a seared Conscience and a reprobate sense These are the steps by which a man riseth into the Seat of the scornefull And upon the top of these stayres Sinne sits in the greatest triumph and soveraigntie and banisheth out of a mans heart all feare of God love to his Ministers and zeale unto his Word A fourth Let and hinderance from hearing Gods Word and yeelding entire obedience unto it is a very pestilent and politike conceit which possesseth the hearts of very many whereby they are perswaded That Lawes divine are but like humane or mens constitutions As these execute none but chiefe Malefactors so these Decrees of God will at last condemne none but infamous and notorious sinners And therefore if they be but pettie Offendors or onely maintaine but one sweet sinne in themselves if they be not of the worst sort though they be not so forward hearers of Sermons so Scripture-wise or hold such a strict course of holinesse in their conversation yet they thinke with themselves their case is good enough and that it will goe well enough with them at last Hence it is that they are cold and carelesse in esteeming of hearing and conforming themselves to the Ministerie of the Word But let no man deceive himselfe The destruction of the negligent hearer of the Word of God and the disobedient to the Gospel of Christ Iesus shall be as the destruction of * Sodome and farre more grievous He that lyes and delights in any one knowne sinne of which his Conscience is convicted is in a fearefull case Without faith it is impossible to please God and Without holinesse no man shall see the face of the Lord. And none hath either faith or holinesse without saving knowledge out of Gods Booke Without the New-birth and continuance in grace unto the end no man shall be saved And sincere obedience to a constant and conscionable Ministerie of the Word is a meanes both to beget nourish and continue saving grace And let mens conceits be what they will as sure it is as God is in Heaven not one jot or tittle of all the Plagues and Curses registred in Gods Law but shall be severely executed upon all ignorant and unrepentant sinners and poured
upon the hairie scalpe of all such as goe on still in their wickednesse A fifth Let and hinderance of hearing the Word of God is an excessive and immoderate delight and an eager and earnest pursuit of the sinfull pleasures of a mans sweet sinne By a mans sweet sinne I meane that which his corrupt nature hath singled out and made speciall choise of to follow and feed upon with greatest delight and sensuall sweetnesse which by custome and continuance hath taken deepest root and surest hold in his heart upon which all his affections and desires are carried with sharpest edge heat and headlongnesse and to which hee makes all occasions and circumstances friends and acquaintance Religion and Conscience all the powers both of soule and body and outward estate serviceable and contributorie as to that which chiefely rules and reignes in him This sweet sinne in some is Worldlinesse Earthly-mindednesse and Covetousnesse In others it is Voluptuousnesse Lust and Vncleannesse Pride Pleasures Drunkennesse or such like Now certaine it is carnall prophane and unregenerate men doe many times preferre the pleasures of their sweet and most delightfull sinne before the comforts of Gods House the Congregation of the Saints and the preciousnesse of the Word preached And therefore howsoever they may ordinarily come to Sermons though it be rather for fashion and of custome than with heartie and true devotion yet if some speciall gaine and profit be to be layd hold upon at that time if some extraordinarie pleasure feasting pastime and companie be then to be enjoyed they make no Conscience to turne their backes upon the House of God and the Ministerie of the Word even upon the Sabbath day so for a little sinfull pleasure or worldly contentment wretchedly abandoning Gods holy Ordinance and the necessarie meanes of their owne salvation That many men are thus wickedly hindered from hearing the Word of God appeares in Math. 22. and Luke 14. The glorious magnificence and rich comforts of heavenly Cheare in the House of God are notably set out unto us there by divers circumstances in the Parable of the great Feast First it was a Wedding Feast which usually is full of joy comfort and great solemnitie Secondly it was made by a King and therefore like unto himselfe Royall and Princely in plentie and varietie answerable to his State and Greatnesse Thirdly it was made at the Marriage of a Kings sonne which would make it yet farre more sumptuous full of pompe and noble entertainment than if it had beene for a servant friend or ordinarie person By all this is meant the Ministery of the Word and Gospel of Christ Iesus wherewith every faithfull man is feasted made Gods sonne and married to Christ himselfe for ever in righteousnesse and in judgement in mercie and in compassion This Feast being in full readinesse Servants are sent out to invite Guests But for all the glory comfort and magnificence prepared for them in this Wedding and Royall Feast many refuse to come and make excuse One saith he hath bought a Farme and must needes goe to see it another hath bought five Yoke of Oxen and goes to prove them another hath married a Wife and therefore he cannot come another is busied about his Merchandise buying and selling and can hardly spare so much time Thus one sinfull delight or other profit pleasure companie or the like doe many times stay and hinder prophane and worldly men from hearing the Word of God and from this spirituall and heavenly Feast in his House whereby their soules might be satisfied as it were with marrow and fatnesse with the comforts of grace and a taste of the joyes of Heaven It is very strange that any man should be so bloudie and cruell to his owne soule that whereas by the breaking of the Word of Life unto him in such places as this he might have it furnished with spirituall strength towards everlasting life yet for some earthly pelfe and temporall pleasure absenting himselfe he suffers it to starve in ignorance and prophanenesse the immediate and certaine passages to eternal death Let a man imagine with himselfe when he purposes and resolves to absent himselfe from a Sermon that hee layes as it were in the one Scale of the Weights the glorious Majestie presence and honour of God the comfort happinesse and salvation of his owne Soule and in the other a little wretched pleasure or profit and so suffers this miserable Vanitie to weigh downe so infinite a Majestie For first Gods House where his Word is faithfully preached is as it were the Presence-Chamber of the everlasting King of Glory Here he sits in a Chaire of State with more speciall and eminent Power and Majestie as anciently he sate betweene the Cherubins Secondly Christ himselfe is here present For Wheresoever two or three are gathered together in his Name he is in the midst of them And so he is said to walke in the midst of the seven golden Candlesticks and with speciall power and providence to direct and guide these holy Exercises Thirdly the holy Spirit of God is present in our Assemblies plentifully shedding into the hearts of the faithfull the rich Treasures of Wisdome and Grace Fourthly the blessed Angels of God are here as appeareth 1 Cor. 11. 10. not onely to doe service unto the Lord unto the Elect and unto his Ministerie but also after a sort to solace and rejoyce themselves in the beautie of Gods House and in the Mysteries published in the Gospel as appeares 1 Pet. 1. 12. Fifthly Gods holy Saints here present themselves in whom all our delight and comfort ought to be for they onely are truly excellent allyed unto Christ and heires of Heaven Lastly here alone ordinarily are to be had Blessings Life and Salvation for the Word preached is the ordinarie meanes to beget the unconverted unto God by inlightening their eyes opening their eares softening their hearts planting faith in their soules and holinesse in their conversations so that of the children of wrath they become the sonnes of God Hence it is that it is called a Ministerie of Reconciliation of Peace a Word of Grace of Salvation and of Life If a man be alreadie converted and in the state of grace he may receive these Blessings by it It is a powerfull meanes of the Spirit To encrease his knowledge in heavenly things and the affaires of the Soule by dayly clearing his judgement from ignorance and error by informing it with spirituall wisedome and all necessarie truths and needfull knowledge To adde strength and vigour and encrease unto his faith that hee may grow and proceed from the infancie and weakenesse in Christianitie to tallnesse and perfection in Christ To preserve him from luke-warmenesse worldlinesse and securitie to recall him from his wandrings and strayings out of the way of sincerity to settle
comfort and confirme him in a godly course To prevent his falls and relapses because by it hee is furnished with Christian armour against temptations he is resolved in all doubts and cases of Conscience he is admonished of all crooked wayes occasions and down-falls to iniquity To reclaime him from back-slidings to rayse and recover him out of falls and to restore him to his first love by discovering unto him the foulenesse and danger of sinne the power of his owne infirmities the bitter root of Originall sinne the pestilent and impoysoned fruits thereof and by dayly urging the blessings of true repentance and the practice of a good Conscience Most absolutely to guide and conduct him in the way of righteousnesse and whole course of Christianitie to furnish him with zeale and uprightnesse in all holy duties and services of God with faithfulnesse and conscience in the discharge and executions of his calling with holy meditations when he is alone with harmlesse behavior and Light of good example in company and amongst others with wisdome and care ever intirely to sanctifie the Sabbath and to teach and pray with his family Marke now I beseech you sith the Ministery of the Word is ever graced with so glorious presence and such incomparable blessings as I have now reckoned up unto you he that turnes his back upon a Sermon for the injoying of profit pleasures pastime companie feasting or any other worldly and by-respect he wilfully forsakes the salvation of his owne soule he casts behind him all these happy blessings and comforts tendered unto him by the Ministery of the Word he throws himselfe desperately out of the presence of God Almighty Christ Iesus the Holy Spirit his blessed Angels the congregation of Saints into the power and clutches of Satan into the company of wicked and prophane men upon the just indignation and revenge of all the creatures upon the wrath and curse of God and the shipwracke of a good conscience Take heed then I beseech you how you bee drawne by any worldly affaires from the hearing of the Word especially on the Sabbath day lest thereby you make it plaine that you preferre your owne particular before the glory of God earthly gaine before a Crowne of immortality a little vanishing pleasure before the endlesse joyes of heaven and that yee yet lie and delight in one sweet sinne or other which keepes all saving grace out of your soules A sixth let and hinderance from hearing the Word of God are certaine prophane and unwarrantable perswasions and conceits which are entertained and harboured in the hearts of ignorant and wilfull people Some of them thinke with themselves that there is no such great need of following Sermons and frequenting holy assemblies especially if at the same time they be not ungodly bufied and exercised at home and therefore they aske What can we not save our soules and come to heaven unlesse we trudge and trot so often to Church Have we not the Bible and other good bookes at home to reade upon Can we not pray and praise God at home They might as well aske Can wee not have a harvest unlesse we have a seed time and raine yea both the former and the latter raine Or can we not live except we have meat Certainly no. No more can any man be truly sanctified and saved nor live either the life of grace here or expect the life of glory hereafter unlesse he follow the ordinary meanes appointed and sanctified by God for his salvation Except he submit himselfe to that policy and order which God with great wisdome hath established in his Church Would a man be taken for a good subject who should peevishly oppose himselfe against a law agreed upon and commanded by the King and State for the great good of the Common-wealth God himselfe hath appointed a publike Ministery in the Church Pastors and teachers for the gathering of the Saints and all that belong to life and is it fit that any private exercise should crosse Gods publike ordinances No It is both inconvenient and wicked and Gods blessing is never to be looked for upon any action and exercise though never so good in it selfe if his will be not obeyed I but some will say It is good indeed sometimes now and then to heare a Sermon but what needs so much preaching and Sermon upon Sermon Would they have us Saints and Angels upon earth Wretched is that man which is weary of the Word of life And hee hath no true taste of holy things which loaths this spirituall Manna though never so often reigned from heaven There is no saving and true knowledge of God in that man who desires not to grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Iesus Christ Would we not thinke him mad and distracted that should thus reason against his owne life I hope I have eaten meat enough heretofore and furnished my selfe with sufficient strength so that I now need no more and therefore I will neither eat nor drink more while I live Even just so doth he reason and plead against the life of his soule who complaines of too much preaching and too many Sermons David that blessed King and holy Prophet who was advanced both in knowledge and holinesse above the ordinary reach and perfection of men and lived as an Angell upon earth yet he acknowledgeth himselfe greatly to stand in need of stirring up by meanes ordained of God for that end As we may gather out of Psal 84. and in many other places In that Psalme he makes a most grievous and mournfull complaint that he is debarred and banished from all accesse unto the publike worship and service of God holding himselfe in this respect more miserable than some of the bruit creatures which had liberty to build their nests and lay their young neare the Altars of the Lord which benefit he could not now enjoy Now if this man of God so longed and laboured after the meanes of grace and comfort what ought those to doe who are of little or no faith who are but Novices and petties in the Schoole of Christ who are but babes in Christianity or utterly without grace I but our fore-fathers will others say were never troubled with so many Sermons and yet we hope they are well and in Heaven Our fore-fathers wanted the meanes and that full glorious Noone-tide of the Gospell of Iesus Christ which we by the grace and mercy of God enjoy And therefore whosoever of them perished without them shall certainly be beaten with fewer stripes than those that shut their eyes against the faire and blessed Sun-shine of Gods holy truth which is shed round about us and if it be hid it is hid onely to those that perish in whom the God of this world hath blinded the eyes of their minde Besides if it so pleased the Lord in his just
content to toyle day after day fare hard breake their sleepe eate the Bread of carefulnesse and all to heape up a little wealth perhaps with the losse of their owne soules and sometimes they scarce know for whom and shall not wee with joy and chearefulnesse passe through holy Exercises for the enriching of our soules wherein true and lasting comfort is onely to be found and whereby we may lay up for our selves Treasures in Heaven durable Riches a Bag that cannot wax old a Treasure that can never faile Prov. 8. 18. Luk. 12. 33. unmixed joyes endlesse peace and blessed immortalitie presently to be entred upon after death and then to be enjoyed for ever and ever Shall rebellious Superstition and the Doctrine of Devils and killing Kings harden the Papists against any crosses and tortures and shall we be tyred with the peaceable Exercises of sound saving Religion God forbid In whom soever the true love of God and Christ hath taken up the heart there their Gospel and Word and services are sweeter and more tastfull than all outward delights Little touch of Religion or sense of Salvation hath hee that comes unto with unchearefulnesse and stayes with wearinesse at the Ministerie of the Word I but will some say it was never good World since so much preaching came amongst us when there was lesse preaching there was more plentie and therefore it seemes there is little good in it Since this new Religion was on foot for so some ignorantly and maliciously call it though it be as old as God himselfe whose eternall Truth it is as old as the Patriarks and Prophets as Christ and his Apostles there hath beene say they more scarcitie of all things more Plagues Famines strange apparitions extremitie of seasons and other Iudgements than ever our fore-fathers saw or heard of Hospitalitie Charitie Pastimes and Plentie were banished with the old Religion for so they call the bloudie and idolatrous Heresie of Poperie This hath ever beene the complaint of Idolaters and the wicked against the Truth of God as it is now of the Papists prophane men amongst us against the glorious Light of the Gospel that shines round about us When Ieremy chap. 44. had reproved the Iewes and denounced Gods Iudgements against them for their Idolatry they answer him thus in vers 16. The word that thou hast spoken unto us in the Name of the Lord we will not heare it of thee but we will doe whatsoever thing goeth out of our mouth as to burne incense to the Queene of Heaven and to poure out drink-offerings unto her as we have done both we and our fathers our Kings and our Princes in the Cities of Iudah and in the streetes of Ierusalem for then had we plenty of victuals and were well and felt no evill But since we left off to burne incense to the Queene of Heaven and to poure out drink-offerings unto her we have had scarcenesse of all things and have bin consumed by the sword and by the famine The very same complaint was made of the wicked Heathens and Infidels at the first plantation of Christian Religion among the Gentiles Tertullian an ancient Father tells us in his time If there were any inundation and overflowing of Tibris a great River in Rome if there were any extraordinarie and uncouth Hayle or Frost or any other miserie or calamitie all the fault was presently laid on Christ and the Christian Religion It appeares also by Austin another ancient Father in his 122. Epistle that there were wicked complaints and murmurings against the Christian Faith in his time the Infidels were still crying that before the Doctrine of Christ was published to the World mankind was not vexed and distressed with so many troubles and garboyles To which the good Father doth there excellently answer Out of Luke 12. 47 48. easily saith he may they thence take their answer The servant that knew not his Masters will and yet did commit things worthy of stripes shall be beaten with few stripes but he that knew his Masters will and prepared not himselfe neither did according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes Hence then may wee clearely see the reason why our Times in all reason should be more visited with Iudgements than former dayes of ignorance 1 Because that the Light of the Gospel is come amongst us and many love Darknesse rather than that Light because their deeds are evill for every man that doth evill hateth the Light neither commeth to the Light lest his deeds should be reproved 2 Because the Gospel is not so thankefully received and entertained as so excellent a Blessing and precious a Treasure ought to be 3 Many that heare it live not after it Perhaps onely make a shew of godlinesse but deny the power thereof in their lives and conversations So that negligence and disobedience to the Word of God is the true cause of those Iudgements and miseries which are wickedly wrongfully pretended to bee a cause why they have so little care to attend and obey it As for Hospitality in the time of Popery it did not so much spring from the truth of Religion as 1. From a superstitious opinion of redeeming their sinnes and purchasing Heaven by almes-deeds 2. From an excessive cheapnesse of all things by reason of the scarcity of money 3. From the superfluitie of the wealth riches lands and impropriations the price of the bloud of soules which Monasteries and other religious or rather superstitious houses had immeasurably and unconscionably ingrossed and got into their hands And when they had ingrossed the world to themselves as one sayes they seemed liberall in giving something like unto some vaine-glorious theeves which having robbed wealthy Merchants bestow some pence upon beggers As for works of Charity Certaine it is and a reverend and learned man of our Church hath proved it and it will more clearly appeare hereafter That the charitable benevolence bountifull liberalitie large expences in building and enlarging Colledges and erecting Hospitals Libraries Free-schooles and many other works of charity and fruits of faith since the light of the Gospell began to shine amongst us may compare with if not farre excell any time of the like or longer continuance in any age As for greater dearth higher price of all things now than in former times it is a cleare and plaine case that the reason is that the great store and plentie of treasure which is walking in these parts of the world farre more in these our dayes than ever our forefathers have seene in times past Who doth not understand of the infinite summes of Gold and Silver which are gathered from the Indies and other Countries and so yearly transported into these coasts And this is confest to be the true cause of the same unancient dearnesse of all things even in other Kingdomes also where Popery is professed One Bodin a great
Polititian of France tels us that the common people are much deceived who thinke that the price of Corne Cattell and other necessaries should hold the same rate it did of old They doe not understand and consider that the price of things is more by ten parts saith he than it was anciently by reason of the plenty and abundance of Gold and Silver which is brought out of the West Indies into Europe whereby it comes to passe that money is lesse esteemed for plenty of any thing lessens the estimation of it Besides for our owne Countrey wise men have observed another particular reason For say they immediately after our coine in the time of King Henry the eighth the prices of all things generally among all sorts of people rose for that they thinke that the alteration of the Coine was the chiefe and principall cause of an universall dearnesse of things And why our English Coine being restored by our late Queene that blessed Saint of glorious memory to its former purity and perfection the prices of all things fall not backe to their old rate they give sufficient reasons As for pastimes Playes and other fearefull prophanation of the Sabbath it is a good signe the power of grace is there planted by the Word from whence they are banished and abandoned They are fit pleasures for Papists which have no comfort in the joyes above and well agreeing to the darknesse of superstition But the light of the Gospell dispels such vanities and Gods children have all their pleasures in holy exercises upon the Sabbath day This last objection then of Papists and prophane men That the world is worse since there was so much preaching is idle vaine and frivolous Many such like conceits perswasions and objections as these which I have now reckoned up unto you there are abroad in the world and in the hearts of prophane men by which they are hindred from hearing the Word of God with that heart zeale and diligence as they ought Now I come to acquaint you with some slights and temptations of Satan whereby he labours to bereave us of the blessings and benefits of profitable hearers and to hinder the effectuall working of the Word in our consciences and conversations A first plot and practice of Satan is to keepe men from diligent hearing the Word If he cannot that way prevaile in a second place he labours to make the Word in vaine fruitlesse and unprofitable unto them And that hee doth by such meanes as these I If by the grace of God we breake thorow all lets and snares which might withhold us from holy assemblies and hearing of the Word then Satan that he might make it uneffectuall for our conversion and salvation first labours to worke in us a negligent carelesnesse and heedlesnesse in listning to those things which are delivered and that by a kinde of heartlesnesse in holy things by dulnesse of spirit drowsinesse sleepinesse gazing about talking or such like And such hearers as these are never a whit moved or affected with the Word preached but remaine in the same state as they were before There is neither passion or impression wrought upon them for the present nor any thought of it profit or practice afterward 2 But if he cannot speed this way but that we rouze up and addresse our selves to heare the Word of God as desiring with care and good conscience to profit thereby Why then in a second place hee seekes by all meanes to fill our heads and hearts with idle musings and wandring thoughts which may distract and steale away our minds from attending to the Word And that he doth either by offering and suggesting to our consideration and memory the world and the vanities thereof as our affaires and businesse our profits and preferments those pleasures and delights wherein our corrupt affections finde most sensuall sweetnesse Or if this will not prevaile by casting into our mindes very craftily and cunningly things which in their owne nature may be good honest and religious But because they are thought upon out of due and convenient time they deprive us of the profit of the present holy Exercise which ought for the time onely and wholly to take up our mindes If this yet will doe no good but that wee marke diligently and attentively all the while what the Minister delivers unto us from God for our good why then in a third place 1 In some he makes it uneffectuall by nourishing in them a neglect of reading the Scriptures and ignorance in the Principles of Religion so that though they attend never so well and stare the Minister in the face yet they understand not the Sermons they heare Let the younger sort therefore to prevent this mischiefe acquaint themselves with the Scriptures from their youth by the example of Timothy 2 Tim. 3. 15. Salomon Prov. 31. 1 c. Samuel 1 Sam. 1. 24. See also Psal 119. Prov. 2. 1. And let the miserie upon Elies House terrifie negligent and indulgent Parents see 1 Sam. 2. 1 2. c. In this depth the Word is either buried as it is brought forth or dies at the Church doore 2 In others he earnestly endeavours utterly to extinguish and abolish all thought of it quite to drive and banish it out of their heads so soone as they have heard it And that thus If mens hearts be hardned through unbeleefe or custome in sinning and like the High-way in the Parable of the Sower then the Evill one comes immediately and catcheth the Seed of the Word so soone as it is sowen and stealeth it out of the heart As we may see many times Birds hovering greedily after the Sower to snatch away the Corne before it be covered with Earth or take root in the ground even so Sathan the ravenous Crow of Hell waites all opportunities to pecke up the Seed of the Word out of the hearts of men before it sinke into their affections or fructifie in their conversations Or otherwise if the World hath stolne mens hearts out of their bodies so that they have no hearts left within them for matters of Holinesse and Heaven but are wholly set upon Gaine and exercised in Covetousnesse then needes not Sathan much to bestirre himselfe he knowes full well that worldly Cares will presently choake the Seed of the Word As soone as the Sermon is heard and ended and they turned their backes upon the Church there comes immediately into their heads whole swarmes of earthly thoughts and they are presently plunged over head and eares into the cares and plottings of earthly businesses So that these men whom Sathan conquers by this temptation never meddle with meditation conference or talke about the points handled by the Preacher by which the Word of God should be better as it were digested and prepared for practise Nay they have no delight at all to heare others repeat the Sermon but are very wearie of the place
shew notwithstanding to have brought in all So it is in many by the malice of Sathan and bewitching enticements of naturall corruption in the forsaking of their sinnes In a true Conversion indeed when a man is about to buy the Pearle of great price unvaluable worth in the Gospel the Doctrine of Salvation the Way to Life and Graces of Gods Spirit he makes an universall sale of all his sinnes he selleth as the Text saith all that he hath not some piece of his sinfull Possession but even the very whole Lordship the entire Inheritance But it is otherwise with those whom Sathan inveagleth and ensnareth in this point Hee is well enough pleased that they shall seeme to be as forward in the reformation and amendment of their lives as any other and indeed that they shall be reformed in good part and carry some love and affection toward the Word and Ministers so that he may keepe hold and possession but in one corner of the heart For he knowes that that is enough to keepe the whole man body and soule his owne If he can stay but one sinne unsold he knowes the man continues still by the course of divine Law a bondslave of Hell By one little hole a ship will sinke into the bottome of the Sea The stab of a Pen-knife to the heart will as well speed a man as all the Daggers that killed Caesar in the Senat-house The soule will be strangled with one Cord of vanitie as well as with all the Cart-ropes of iniquitie only the more sins the more plagues and fiercer flame in Hell but he that lives and dies impenitent in one it will be his destruction One dramme of poyson will dispatch a man and one reigning sinne will bring him to endlesse woe and miserie Let us take heed therefore when we goe about reformation of our selves lest we be surprised overtaken by this malicious craft of Sathan Let us resolve upon a through-reformation which is only and ever undertaken with a purpose not to hold on in the willing practice of any one knowne iniquitie or sinfull course Which when we shall carefully earnestly go about Sathan will be sure to set upon us as Pharoah did upon Moses and Aaron When the Lord had commanded them to goe three dayes journey in the Desart to doe service and sacrifice unto him that by all meanes hee might hinder them in this holy businesse 1. He would have them to stay in the land and to doe sacrifice there Nay saith Moses it is not meet to doe so for then wee should offer unto the Lord our God that which is abomination unto the Egyptians 2. Sith this would not then serve but that they would needs out of the Land I will let you goe saith Pharaoh that you may sacrifice to the Lord your God in the Wildernesse but goe not farre away But Moses would yet none of this he would not abate a foot of the journey the Lord had appointed 3. Why then saith Pharaoh if you will needs goe so farre I am content your men shall goe but as it is fittest your children shall stay at home Nay saith Moses we will goe with our young and with our old with our sonnes and with our daughters with our Sheepe and with our Cattell will we goe 4. Well saith Pharaoh I will yeeld so farre unto you your children shall goe with you to serve the Lord onely your sheepe and your Cattell shall abide at home Nay saith Moses our Cattell also shall goe with us There shall not an hoofe be left Now when all this would not doe when Moses would not accept of any capitulations conditions restrictions or limitations in holy businesses and the service of God for he was at a point resolute he would not leave so much as an hoofe behinde Now I say when all the enticements and policies of Pharaoh would not prevaile to keepe Moses from serving and sacrificing unto God and that precisely and strictly according to his owne appointment and commandement but that to this end at length he wrung himselfe and all the Israelites out of the bloudy teeth of this persecuting Wolfe why then Pharaoh armes himselfe with rage and fury with six hundred chosen chariots and all the chariots of Aegypt with fifty thousand horsmen and two hundred thousand footmen as a Iewish Historian writes purposing with bloudy thirst to devoure at once and swallow up quicke even all the Israell of God But you know the conclusion was the Lord of Heaven gave a most glorious deliverance to his owne people wherein his bottomlesse goodnesse and infinite mercy shall shine cleare and bright for ever in all generations of the Church upon earth and through all eternity in Heaven But upon their enemies he brought such a strange and terrible confusion in the Red Sea which may strike astonishment and trembling into the heart and loynes of all prophane persecutors of godlinesse to the worlds end and amaze the very maliciousest fâ—end in hell while that Kingdome of darknesse stands Even iust thus doth Satan deale with all those who desire to bee conducted by the light of the Word out of the Aegypt and slavery of ignorance sinne prophanenesse and who are resolved frankly and freely to give themselves soules and bodies to Gods service and to enter a setled course of holinesse and sanctification hee useth all meanes and policies to keepe and detaine them in his Kingdome of darknesse If he cannot hold them in his chiefe palace and Court as it were where sinne especially raignes and revels it yet he will so farre hamper them that at least they still hover upon the confines and borders of the Regions of death If they will needs bee medling with reformation of their â—infull lives and that he cannot helpe it but something must be done he is content to yeeld unto them upon some termes or conditions that they cast him not quite out of their consciences but suffer him to sway and raigne in their hearts by some one gainfull or delightfull sinne or other 1. If they will needs feare God he stands not much upon it but that they may doe it outwardly and in profession so that they will continue in Aegypt within the Kingdome of darknesse and lie still in their sinnes and under the shadow of death 2. If this will not content them if they will not rest here but will needs out of the Kingdome of darknesse and dominion of death why he is not much against it but that they may goe the halfe way that is he will suffer them to forgoe and forbeare the outward practice and perpetration of many sinnes so that inwardly their heart and affections harbour nourish embrace them still and feed upon with a sensuall and delightfull remembrance the sinfull pleasures of iniquities formerly committed 3. If they desire and endevour to become new men both inwardly and outwardly to be sanctified
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
should have had the fierce and horrible wrath and vengeance of God poured in full measure upon his body and soule which would have fed upon them as fire doth upon Pitch and Brimstone for ever and ever Out of these considerations mee thinkes a man should rather with humilitie and thankefulnesse admire and magnifie the mercies of God that hee is not alreadie a Fire-brand in Hell than any wayes be puffed up with any worthinesse in himselfe or dote upon his owne nothingnesse When a Christian is tempted to spirituall Pride let him deepely and thorowly weigh with himselfe what fearefull inconveniences and discomforts will ensue if hee give way to such temptations For so many follow in the course of Gods just judgement upon spirituall Vanitie and Pride dullnesse and deadnesse of heart a restraint of the influence of the Spirit a diminution and lessening or a slumber and cessation of the operations of grace a cooling of zeale and falling from the first Love Or when hee sees us so presumptuously to trust to our strength and stay our selves with our owne staffe he may quite give us over in some great temptation to some grosse sinne so that we may take the foile in the Conflict And then if wee once be over-taken with the old sweet sinne of our unregeneration or be ensnared with some new notorious transgression wee must of necessitie to our great discomfort enter againe the agonies of Soule anguish of Conscience and horror of Hell wee must enter combate againe with all the powers of Darkenesse wee must have our regeneration regenerated our new-birth new-borne and the precious bloud of the Sonne of God as it were shed for us againe Wee turne thereby Gods favourable countenance from us and the hearts and affections of true Christians wee put againe a sting into our owne Consciences and weapons into the hands of Sathan to vexe wound and torment us wee barre and bereave our selves of Gods gracious protection of the guard of Angels of peace of Conscience of joy in the Holy-Ghost of boldnesse in our wayes of reconciliation in the creatures and of all the comforts of godlinesse As a man tenders the preservation of his Soule from all these spirituall miseries let him take heed of entertaining a proud and over-weening conceit of his owne graces gifts or good actions Let him consider that the more spirituall gifts and graces he hath received from the free mercie of God the more will be required at his hands Me thinkes this should coole and allay any swelling conceit or proud perswasion that may arise in the heart and not suffer a man to play with them and dote upon them or give him any leisure with an over-weening and selfe-conceited flatterie to gaze upon them or to applaud and admire them in himselfe as though they were his owne but rather with all vigilancie and solicitousnesse with all care and good Conscience to occupie and imploy them for his Masters greatest advantage There is no gift or good thing in any man either of Nature or Grace of body or minde of wealth or honour of reputation or authoritie in the World but he must give shortly a strict and exact account of the usage and imployment of it before the impartiall and uncorrupted Tribunall of Heaven And the more excellent his gifts and endowments have beene in any kind he shall in proportion be answerable and countable for the more If the Lord hath enlightened heated and inspired any one with much saving knowledge with a great measure of zeale with a high Christian courage and resolution he lookes and expects for great gaine of glory unto himselfe many spoyles and conquests over his enemies a blazing and exemplarie brightnesse in holinesse of life much beautie and lustre to the Church much good and comfort unto Christians For much is required of them to whom much is committed Let a man then not labour to make himselfe glorious by those graces which are none of his owne but how by glorifying God with them in humilitie faithfulnesse and sinceritie and by improving and making the best of them for the Owners advantage hee may make a comfortable account at that great Day Thus farre I have proposed unto you some Motives to quicken and stirre you up to a conscionable and constant hearing and understanding of the holy Word of God and acquainted you with many sleights lets and temptations which Sathan usually casts in our way to hinder us therein Now in a third place I will lay downe unto you certaine rules directions and instructions for your right holy and conscionable carriage behaviour and importment in and about the hearing of Gods Word That the holy Word of God may be unto you the Word of Grace the savour of Life unto Life of power unto sanctification and salvation you must looke carefully and conscionably unto your preparation before you come unto your carriage while you are there and unto your behaviour afterward First for Preparation I am perswaded the want and neglect of a due and profitable preparation is the cause that thousands receive no benefit or blessing by the Word of Life but that the Sermons they heare are registred as in a Table of Remembrance before God as so many witnesses against them for their more fearefull confusion and greater condemnation at the Day of Accounts 1 For hence it is that to many it is the savour of death unto death because before they come they doe not addresse and prepare themselves for so glorious a Presence and royall Embassage from the King of Heaven though they heare it with their outward eares yet it hardens their hearts makes them inwardly more peevish grumbling stubborne rebellious and refractarie to the power thereof and prepares and ripens them for more heavie vengeance It is of it selfe the Word of Grace Salvation and Life a blessed preservative against Sinne and Death Damnation and Hell but by accident if men doe not reverence it tremble at it and submit themselves to the power of it it is a strong Hammer and Iron Scepter to harden their hearts more and more like an Anvile or Adamant and at length to breake them in pieces like a Potters Vessell Though in it selfe it be a saving and wholesome Medicine yet men of a rebellious and stubborne humour and temper turne it into Poyson 2 To some this holy Word by reason of unpreparednesse is but as the water spilt upon the ground and the breath of the Minister scattered in the Aire If you call them to an account after Sermon how they have profited they are as wordlesse and witlesse and indeed as gracelesse in repetition as if they had beene deafe asleepe in a trance or starke dead all the while 3 Others by their rash and prophane rushing into the House of God without all premeditation reverence or regard of that holy businesse they goe about become hearers onely of forme and custome for fashion and companie It
intention and amazement that omnipotent Majesty that wrought such wonders for his chosen For hearts emptied of worldly thoughts and sanctified by heavenly meditation are fit subjects for workes of Heaven and divine impressions How much more ought we to prepare our soules before wee come into the Sanctuary of the Lord sith there they are either to be hardned for the Scepter of destruction and made ready for the flames of Hell if wee doe not prepare our selves hearken and obey or else to be softned and sanctified with saving grace and fitted for a Crowne of Glory if with reverence humility and obedience wee submit our selves to the power of the Word There if wee be unconverted the great and miraculous worke of the new-birth is to bee wrought upon them if wee be new-borne they are to be fed with the spirituall Manna unto everlasting life The same Ioshuah when the excommunicate and execrable thing was to be found out and put from amongst them which was the cause they could not stand against their enemies he commanded them to sanctifie themselves that the Lord might prosper and poure his blessings upon that necessarie and weightie search and inquisition How much more ought wee to prepare our selves before wee step into the House of God sith there is to be discovered and cast out those hatefull sinnes that fearefully incense Gods wrath against us and make us weake in the Lords battailes and not able to stand against our spirituall enemies the corruptions of our owne flesh the enticements of the World and temptations of Sathan Before the sacrifice and anointing of David King of Israel Ishai and his sonnes were sanctified How much more ought wee to be prepared before wee come before the Lords Prophets and Embassadours that there wee may be anointed Kings and Priests unto our God Iosiah before the eating of the Paschall Lambe did bid the people not onely sanctifie themselves but also prepare their brethren How much more ought wee when wee come to the Ministerie of the Word to seede by faith upon that true Bread from Heaven which giveth life unto the World which if wee once soundly taste with beleeving hearts wee shall not hunger wee shall never thirst But the most famous and fittest place for my purpose and preparation in that particular holy businesse of hearing the Word is that in Exod. 19. 10. The people were sanctified and washed their clothes and prepared themselves for two dayes and the third day they were readie to attend what the Lord would say unto them As in that extraordinarie promulgation of the Law the people were to be prepared extraordinarily so from proportion of that practice and precedencie ordinarie preparation is necessarie for the ordinarie preaching of the Word if wee looke that it should powerfully and profitably worke upon our Consciences and affections Their washing of their bodies and clothes their abstinence from their wives and such solemne and ceremonious purifications were typicall significations and representations unto us that wee should weane our hearts from earthly thoughts purge them from secret corruptions and bring them faire and free from sinfull spot and worldly entanglement when wee come to heare the Lord speake unto us by his Ministers Holy men of God were wont addressing themselves to prayer to have their ejaculations lifting up of their hearts certaine short prayers before they entred into that sacred and solemne action Besides Precept and Practice in the Booke of God for Preparation the profit is great the benefits and blessings that redound unto us and fall upon us by it are excellent and precious Looke in the latter end of the eleventh Chapter of Iob. If thou prepare thine heart and stretch out thine hands towards him If iniquitie be in thine hand put it farre away and let no wickednesse dwell in thy Tabâ—rnacle Then truly shalt thou lift up thy face without spot and shalt be stable and shalt not feare c. Preparation of the heart is here the foundation and first step unto many glorious blessings The heart must be first prepared before other holy duties can be fitly performed or Gods blessings expected In the first place first prepare thine heart secondly then poure it out in prayer before the Throne of Grace thirdly then purge it from corruption banish farre and barre out all iniquitie fourthly next be sure to reforme instruct and pray with thy family or those that are about thee Let no wickednesse ignorance prophanenesse swearing swaggering drunkennesse or the like dwell in thy Tabernacle harbour in thine house or rowst neere thee And then open thy heart and hands for the Windowes of Heaven shall be set wide open that all manner of spirituall comforts all the blessings of peace and happinesse may in abundance be showred downe upon thee the rich Treasurie of everlasting Glory and Immortalitie shall be unlockt unto thee and thou shalt row and tumble thy selfe for ever after amid mountaines of heavenly pearles and golden pleasures through Rivers nay Seas of endlesse joyes that no heart can comprehend but that which is weaned from all worldly pleasures and set apart and sanctified for holy services and businesses of Heaven Then truly shalt thou lift up thy face without spot Though thou hast lyen among the Pots yet thou shalt be now as the wings of a Dove that is covered with Silver and whose feathers are like yellow Gold Though thou be like the Kedarims which dwell in Tents the black-Moores that is by reason of thy sinne subject to the condemnation of God and deprived of his glory yet shalt thou be in Christ goodly and glorious as those that dwell in exceeding glory under the Curtaines of Salomon Though thou be black with the remnants of originall corruption and present infirmities though the Sunne have looked upon thee and parched thee with the scorching heat of sore affliction and chastisements yet shalt thou now shine like the Sunne in his strength with the royall Robe of Christs righteousnesse with fresh comfort and lasting chearefulnesse Thou shalt be stable and shalt not feare Though the wicked tremble many times at their owne shadowes and the sound of a Leafe shaken doth chase them and strike a faintnesse into their hearts and a trembling into their loynes yet thou shalt never be afraid of any evill tidings whether they be forged by the spightfull and impoysoned tongues of prophane men to defame and disgrace thee or fetched out of the bottome of Hell by Sathans malice to terrifie thee though the messengers of miseries and mischiefes come thicke and three-fold upon thee as they did upon Iob though the Earth be moved and the mountaines fall into the midst of the Sea nay though the whole World be on flames about thine eares and the Heavens be rouled together like a Scrowle yet shalt thou be stable and shalt not feare because thy heart is fixed and beleeveth in 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
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
and resolutely to protest That untill he die he will never take away his innocencie from himselfe that he would keepe his righteousnesse and not forsake it and that his heart should not reprove him for his dayes 15 Hast thou an untoward Wife that is a continuall dropping and a perpetuall Goade in thy side Heare Iobs complaint Cap. 19. 17. My breath is strange to my Wife though I entreated for the childrens sake of mine owne body 16 Art thou vexed with a prophane dogged Husband Abigail a Wife and precious woman had a Nabal to her yoke-fellow Thus these patternes and precedents in the Booke of God purposely registred for the refreshing and recoverie of his chosen in spirituall or temporall straits are ordinarily proposed in a transcendent and matchlesse degree that in their greatest extremities by reflecting their eyes upon such examples they may be preserved from despaire have the stronger consolation and not thinke their cases to be comfortlesse and singular Let these considerations move us to be well read in these holy mysteries and day and night exercised in reading and meditating on them But to our purpose heare further what others say in this Point Secondly heare Gregorie the great What is the sacred Scripture but a certaine Epistle of the omnipotent God to his creature And surely if a man should receive writings from his Emperour he would not rest he would not be quiet he would give no sleepe to his eyes unlesse he had first knowne what that earthly Emperour had written to him The Emperour of Heaven the Lord of men and Angels hath sent his Letters to thee concerning thy life and yet my vaine-glorious sonne thou doest neglect earnestly to reade those Letters Studie them therefore I pray thee and dayly meditate upon the words of thy Creator Learne the minde of God in the Word of God that thou mayest aspire more earnestly to eternall things and that your minde may with greater desire be inflamed to the heavenly Kingdome Thirdly Origen teacheth That the people should learne the Scriptures without booke Fourthly Ierome counselleth That by dayly reading the Scriptures wee should get wisedome His words import so much Fifthly Read the Scriptures saith Austin for that they were written to the end we should be comforted Sixtly Ierome writing to Gaudentius about the education of a yong maid would have her at seven yeeres old and when she begins to blush to learne without book the Psalter and until she come to be marriageable to make the treasure of her heart the Books of Salomon the Gospels Apostles and Prophets Object 1. But the Scriptures are hard to be understood c. Answ Heare 1 Chrysostome All things are cleare and plaine out of the holy Scriptures Whatsoever things are necessarie are manifest 2 Ierome The Lord hath spoken by his Gospel not that a few but that all should understand it Plato wrote his writings but not to the people but to a few scarce three understand him 3 Cyrill The Scriptures are profitably recommended unto us in an easie speech that they should not goe beyond the capacitie of any 4 Againe Chrysostome who having said much for often reading and plainenesse of the Scriptures concludes Who is there to whom whatsoever is written in the Scriptures is not manifest Who is there who hearing that the meeke are blessed the mercifull blessed the pure in heart blessed and the like shall want a Master that he should learne any of those things which are spoken Object 2. But I am intangled with varietie of businesses I have no leisure to spend time in reading Scripture as you advise I am still busied in my Trade Husbandry Merchandise in some high roome c. I have a great charge Wife children and family to care for Let Schollers Ministers Gentle-folkes c. that have more time and leisure ply such businesses for I cannot Answ Who are more busied than Kings and Captaines and yet they are commanded to be diligent readers of Gods Booke See Deut. 17. 18 19. Iosh 1. 8. But Chrysostome makes this Objection and answers it himselfe excellently What sayest thou Oh man Is it not thy dutie to reade the Scriptures because thou art distracted with innumerable cares Yea it is thy dutie rather than others c. In which Sermon also he lets fall this confident assertion Neither now can it be it cannot be I say that any man should attaine unto salvation unlesse he be continually conversant in spirituall reading Object 3. But alas I cannot reade Answ Heare then Austin Neither let this be sufficient for you that in the Church you doe heare divine reading but also in your houses either doe you your selves reade or get others that can reade and doe you willingly hearken And he stirres them up to it with these considerations 1 Remember Brethren saith he the saying of our Lord in which hee saith If a man shall gaine the whole World and lose his owne soule what will it profit him 2 What remaineth and abideth in a man but that which every one either by reading or praying or doing good workes for the salvation of his soule hath layd up in the treasure of his Conscience Object 4. But will not publike reading in the House of God serve the turne Answ By no meanes Heare Chrysostome Therefore often doe I tell you before-hand many dayes before the argument of which I shall speake that in the dayes in the meane while taking a Booke and weighing the whole summe of the matter after yee have understood what hath beene said and what remaines to be said you may make your minde more fit to heare those things which afterward shall be declared and that I alwayes exhort to and will not cease to doe it That you doe not onely attend here to those things which are spoken but also when you shall be at home you may dayly attend to the reading of holy Scriptures Which thing I have not ceased to presse upon those who privately have talked with me Object 5. But from this libertie of reading Scriptures spring many Heresies Answ The sacred Scripture is not the cause of Heresies but the ignorance of the holy Scripture Heare Chrysostome Hence arose so many thousand evils from the ignorance of holy Writ Hence sprung up so great a plague of Heresies Godly Bookes also with which this Age is abundantly and plentifully enriched must be diligently and profitably read 3 Another meanes by which the Word may dwell plentifully in us is Conference See Deut. 6. 7. Luke 24. 19. That of Austin before pag. 210. in the second Reason of our seldome Preaching That of Chrysostome Walking with God pag. 248. Rogers seven Treatises pag. 364. c. my Walking with God pag. 86. c. 4 A fourth meanes is Meditation Of which see Rogers seven Treatises pag. 235. c. Matter of Meditation Wee may meditate
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
the very thoughts and imaginations of his heart or that hee is more ingenuous and faire-conditioned than other unregenerate men for sometimes sweetnesse and lovingnesse of naturall disposition doth bridle men from raging against the power of holy Doctrine and sinceritie of an honest man Why then in a fifth place hee First Either resolves as many doe to give the Preacher hearing indeed and perhaps reverent attention too but with this secret reservation That hee shall not stirre and move him with all his Preaching That say what hee will hee shall never perswade him that this or that sinne is so hainous as hee makes it hee shall never drive him from the Fashions of the Times and Customes of his Fore-fathers hee shall never bring him out of conceit with good-fellowship So that as the deafe Adder stoppeth his eares against the Enchanter charme hee never so wisely so shuts hee the eares of his heart against the Word of Life and though it sounds dayly lowd and strongly in his eares yet will he by no meanes suffer it to sinke feelingly and powerfully into his soule Those men which rest upon this step of impietie and in this degree of prophanenesse though they heare Sermon upon Sermon yet are they still the same men They are Lyers still they are Drunkards still they are Vsurers still they are Swearers still they are luke-warme Professors still c. they are still as they were Though these sinnes have againe and againe been cryed against and many times reproved and their Consciences convinced yet the Word which is preached amongst them hath no more power nor wrought more alteration upon them than upon the Seats where they sit Though the glorious Light of the Gospel shine faire and bright upon them yet they lye still hard frozen in their dregs and starke blinde in matters of Heaven Though the Hammer of the Word beat often upon their hearts yet it doth not breake and bruise them but more and more harden and emmarble them like an Anvill and Adamant Though they be washed with many plentifull Showers from Heaven yet they still continue blacke Moores and Leopards still full of the blacknesse of Hell and spots and pollution of Sathan Let those that are such among you in the Name of God beware in time for assuredly the Damnation sleepeth not the Day of Reckoning and every mans particular Iudgement is very neere and then we must be answerable and countable for every Sermon wee have heard Every Sermon will then stand up either to witnesse for us or against us for every one wee heare either advanceth us a step neerer towards Heaven or throwes us a stayre lower downe towards Hell Secondly Or if hee cannot so fence himselfe against the keene edge of the Word that two-edged Sword which day after day is layd to the root of his corruption nor so hide his head from the heat of that glorious and sacred Sunne of Truth which every Sabbath shines on his face but that the sharpe Arrowes of the Word of Truth and Righteousnesse doe pierce his heart and Sword of Spirit gets so farre within him that it strikes and astonisheth his Conscience Why then hee First Either strives and struggles against it by shifting and shielding himselfe with Distinctions Exceptions Excuses carnall Reasons Restrictions Limitations false Glosses private and partiall Interpretations and opposing one place of Scripture in his owne false and enforced Sense against the true meaning and naturall power of the Word in another place as I have told you largely before So wretchedly and unhappily is hee wedded to the sinfull pleasures of this vaine World that hee will wrest his wit the Word of God or any thing to wrest out of his heart those piercing Arrowes of the Word of Truth shot by the hand of a skilfull Archer which if he would suffer to search and sinke would fetch out the poyson of his naturall corruption mortifie his lust and save his soule Secondly Or if hee have not wit and understanding to furnish himselfe fitly with probable Interpretations formall Distinctions and plausible Exceptions for this abilitie onely befalls prophane men of better parts and more understanding Why then being resolved not to submit to the power of the Word nor to forsake his carnall contentments hee takes this course hee surfets so immoderately and drinkes so deepe of sensuall pleasures of that bosome-sinne to which hee is so much wedded that hee casts his Conscience asleepe drownes his heart in earthly delights and so goes on at all adventures and throwes himselfe upon Gods mercies without all ground or warrant with such conceits as these That hee hopes hee shall doe as well as others who are farre worse and more wicked than himselfe That God no doubt will be mercifull to one sinne That all his other good parts and good deedes will countervaile and make amends for one infirmitie for so hee will call it and conceive of it though it be a grosse and grievous sinne That one sinne will not require so great repentance but that it may be well enough done on his death-bed and such like Thus I have acquainted you by the way with the steps of impietie and degrees of prophanenesse wherein unregenerate men which hate to be reformed and refuse to yeeld up themselves to bee mastered and guided by the Power and Light of the holy and heavenly Word of the true and ever-living God doe unhappily rest and repose themselves to the eternall confusion both of their soules and of their bodies Which you must take heed of if you would profit by the Word 6 Discover and defeat all those Snares of Sathan that wee have formerly mentioned to you in this Discourse pag. 83. under the fourth Vse 7 Deject and demolish those two strong Holds of Sathan first Carnall Reason secondly Corrupt Affection which I thus define It is the actuated strength and rage of originall pollution which furiously executes the sensuall and unreasonable determinations of corrupted Carnall Reason stands at open defiance and professes open hostilitie against Grace goodnesse and good men and courses of sanctification feedes upon so long and fills it selfe so full with worldly vanities and pleasures that growing by little and little incorrigible and untameable it breedes and brings forth as it naturall issue Despaire Horror and the Worme which never dies By Carnall Reason I understand the whole speculative power of the higher and nobler part of the Soule which wee call the Vnderstanding as it is naturally and originally corrupted and utterly destitute of all Divine Light and doth afterward through it owne sinfull working and sensuall discourse grow wise in the World and earthie affaires but disconceitfull and opposite to the wayes of God and heavenly wisedome by concluding and commending to it selfe false Principles from deluded sence and deducing false conclusions from true Principles and by a continued exercise and experience in contemplation of Earth and passages of worldly Policie By Corrupt Affection I
meane and comprise all the active inferior powers of the Soule Will Affections Sence as they are polluted and empoysoned in the puddle of originall corruption and afterward being fleshed in sensuall pleasures and enfierced by Sathans suggestions become the furious executioners of all the sinfull decrees and unsanctified determinations of the mis-guided understanding and wisedome of the flesh 8 In hearing the Word be sure First To give earnest heed Heb. 2. 1. Secondly To consider seriously 2 Tim. 2. 7. Thirdly That wee be not in this respect like leaking Vessels and have Sieve-like memories Heb. 2. 1. Fourthly To keepe the Word with much adoe with great contention and colluctation Luke 8. 15. 9 Suffer the Spirit of Bondage to have its worke upon thee Conclude horror upon thy heart by the working of the Law from such places as these Deut. 29. 19 20. 2 Thess 1. 8 9. Rev. 21. 8. 10 When thy Conscience is once throughly wounded by the preparative worke of the Spirit of Bondage and all thy sinnes even those in which thou hast taken greatest delight become heavie and a grievous burthen upon thy heart then let that heavie heart of thine receive spirituall warmth refreshing and life First By perusing the Lord Iesus in all the passages of his Love Sufferings and Satisfactions from his comming from the Bosome of his Father untill his returning unto his right hand againe especially hanging upon him bleeding and dying and crying under the burthen of our sinnes My God my God c. and so conquering and concluding It is finished Secondly By a feeling survey and sure setling upon all the Promises of Life sealed with his righteous bloud Thirdly By cleaving to Gods sweetest Name which is to forgive iniquitie transgression and sinne Exod. 34. 6 7. Fourthly By resting with all thankefull and joyfull acknowledgement and rejecting resolutely all scrupulous and fearefull injections upon that blessed Mysterie of Gods free grace which reacheth from everlasting to everlasting 11 Then ever after walke watchfully and fruitfully in the path which is called holy Now for continuall growing and profiting by the Ministerie in that new and blessed course and for thriving by the food of the Word which thou enjoyest take these directions looke unto these things First Looke to the dressing of it that thy spirituall Cooke be cunning and conscionable Otherwise it may sometimes turne into ranke poyson unto thy Soule fill thee with winde and puffe thee up with a causelesse good conceit of thy selfe impaire thy spirituall health keepe thee stinted as it were and at a stay c. Nay an ill spirituall Cooke by his jugling Trickes may make thee beleeve all thy life long that thou growest in Grace and shalt goe to Heaven and thou art starke dead in sinnes and trespasses and shalt be damned Secondly The emptying and disburthening of the Stomacke of thy Soule of all Humours Passions Prejudice Crosses Troubles Temptations c. or any thing that will hinder the puritie and power of the Word from taking possession of thy Soule even the Honey-combe the sweetest thing in the World is loathsome as the Wise-man sayth to a full stomacke Thou must bring an Heart and Head like two emptie Buckets to draw with greedinesse and joy the Water of Life out of the Wells of Salvation Thirdly To procure and rayse an Appetite before thou come from consideration first of its Necessitie Where the Word of God is not preached the people perish as you had it in the former Treatise Secondly Excellencie It is farre more precious than purest Gold dearer than thousands of Gold and Silver Thirdly Sweetnesse It passes the Honey and Honey-combe David in his absence from the meanes holds the Swallow and Sparrow happle Birds Fourthly Profit It builds up the inner man c. Fourthly The Reception of it That it ever be entertained with farre more attention and reverence than if wee were hearing the mightiest Monarch in the World speaking immediately unto us by personall compellation about the weightiest affaire and neereliest concerning us That it be ever heard as the Word of the mightie and ever-living God Fifthly Retention The most wholesome and soveraigne meat if presently voided nourisheth not at all many fall into a Consumption of Grace by reason of weakenesse this way They are hot and fierce to get unto a good Sermon and they doe well to be carefull thereabout but their forwardnesse and fervencie cooles and expires when the Sermon is done They after have little more to doe with it save onely to say it was a good Sermon As many have an unsatiable appetite in devouring meat who cannot keepe it for any space of time The retentive power of the Soule then must be strengthened and exercised or else the attentive and attractive addes but more deadnesse to a spirituall Atrophie Sixtly Concoction By repetition either in way of conference with our neighbours and Christian friends or in way of examination without Wives Children Servants Schollers or other inferiours But principally by that first excellent Exercise of Meditation which is the very life of profitable Hearing and the want of it the death of all good Lessons It inflames the heart with a kindly heat to practise as in brooding the Hen inspires heat and begets life secondly and by the heat of Prayer that both warmes the heart fits the food and brings a blessing upon both Seventhly Digestion By application of the points unto our owne particular by sorting the particulars of the Sermon unto our owne necessities for the conquering of this Lust ruling of that Passion leaving this Sinne performing that Dutie c. Eightly Practice Walking in the strength of it afterward which makes it our owne and keepes the Soule in health and growth and comfortable temper And thus wee may constantly grow by the Ministerie of the Word which is the principall publike Banquet which the Lord hath provided for feeding his Childrens Soules The Sacraments are a second Service Even by the first that is Baptisme wee may grow not onely when wee feele it in our owne bodies but also when wee see it administred unto others And therefore the custome which hath prevailed in most places of neglecting and contemning this part of the Food of our Soules is to be severely censured and sharpely reproved By the second that is the Lords Supper wee may thrive excellently if wee follow those Directions in my Preparative to it To which I referre you in the succeeding Treatise FINIS A BRIEFE TABLE OF THE CHIEFE HEADS Contained in this Treatise of the SAINTS GVIDE A. AFfection to be joyned with hearing pag. 179 Afflictions no strange thing p. 118. They are but short 120 Afflictions raised by the Devill against Christians 109 Antidotes against afflictions 110 c. Application required in hearing the Word and why 180 181 Apostates their danger 103 Atheisme 50 Attention in hearing required 174.
How hindered 84. How helped 175 176 B. Benefits of the Word 59 c. C. Catechising our families pressed in nine Reasons 228 c. Carnall Reason and corrupt affection defined 246 c. Caveats that wee may profit in hearing the Word 247 c. Carnall Objections against the Word 61 to 83 Charitie among Christians as much as among Papists 81 Christ suffers with his afflicted 121 Considerations sixteene for the usefulnesse of the Word 216 c. Conversion tried 89 Covetousnesse and the signes of it 96 Curses sixe of unprofitable hearing 190 c. Cursed is their condition that are not reformed by the Word in sixe particulars 199 D. Danger in absenting from the Word 58 Degrees in sinning 53 Devill steales away the Word 85 86. He hinders conversion 87. And a through reformation 88 c. He deales with men as Pharaoh with Moses 93 c. Dearenesse of things why greater now than formerly 82 Delight in the Word helpes memorie 179 Duties required before hearing 145 c. In hearing 173 c. After hearing 182 E. Effects of Pride 142 The End of our Creation 204 Examination when required 166 167 Examples for the practice of Preparation 155 c. F. False changes 88 89. How tried 102 Frequent preaching proved out of antiquitie 205 c. Feet what is meant by them 17 Finall falling from grace not granted 101. But partially and frequently 106. The good we get by falls 108 Fretting at afflictions 132. At the prosperitie of the wicked 133 G. Grace is of a growing nature 40 Godly men distinguished from Hypocrites by sixe markes 8 9 The Godly shine brighter after their falls 39 Gods Children but few 130 Gods Law not like mans 54 God is the cause of all affliction 113. His aime in afflicting his 117 Gods love to his exceedes the creatures 114 H. Hardnesse of heart and a helpe against it 52 53 Helpes to heare the Word understandingly 177 I. Ignorance like darkenesse 31. The danger of it p. 32. to 37. 46 47 Iudgements of Non-proficients by the Word 48 Iudgements for the contempt of it 201 c. Iudgements why rather to be expected in our time 80 K. Knowledge must be practicall 5. Fruits of divine Knowledge ibid. L. Learning humane onely will not save 19 20 Lets of not profiting by the Word p. 50. to 123 Life to be lost for God 12 Light what meant by it 16 Love to God and our neighbours tried 68 M. Many take more paines for Hell than some for Heaven p. 75. to 78 The Matter of the Word 43 Math. 10. 4. expounded 195 Good Meanings will not save 21 Meanes to quicken attention to the Word 175 Meditation requisite after hearing 184. The Benefits of it 185. Directions for it 227 228 Ministers Embassadours why 72 Ministers why they preach so seldome 209 Ministerie of the Word like the Wedding feast 57 The Miserie of the naturall estate 141 The More wee have the greater our account 143 Motives To walke by the rule of the Word p. 41. to 49. To prepare for hearing it 151. To profit by it 197 O. Obedience to the Word required 187 Opennesse of heart to receive the Word 172 P. Pathes what meant by them 18 Papists keepe the Word from the Laitie 28. Their Objections answered 29 Peace that the Gospel brings with it 70 Persecution to be endured for the Word 10 Perseverance how hindered by Sathan 100. How crowned by God 105 Popish Hospitalitie with its causes 81 Prayers and praises must be fervent and free 10 Prayer before the Word and for what 170 171 Preaching prefer'd before reading 211. More needfull now than formerly 213. It cannot be too much 62 c. Preservatives against sinne 107. Against spirituall Pride 136 c. Preparation requisite before hearing 145. Without it the Word hurts 145 c. The profit of it 158 c. What it is and what required in it 165 Pride may spring from Gods providence 132 c. Priviledges of the godly 124 Prophanenesse of Ministers no excuse for disobedience to the Word 73 Psalmes their contents and benefits 1 2 Purging of the heart before hearing from sinne and worldly cares 168 169 Q. Qualifications of the heart before hearing 152 R. Recusancie 51 Regeneration what 24 Reading the Word pressed 214. Objections against it answered 224 Remembring the Word a Dutie 182 Repetition and Conference another 185 186 227 S. Sathans Policie 106 Separatists condemned 126 127 Service of God how to be qualified 67 Sixe Sinnes follow unprofitable hearers 194 Sinne against the Holy-Ghost how committed 201 Singularitie what required and what not 128 Sleeping in the Church condemned 176 Sathans Sleights to hinder the Words worke 83 c. Spirituall Pride 123. How it ariseth 124 c. Sweet sinne what it is 55 T. Things required to the love of God and men 67 V. Vnderstanding of the Word required 177 Vowes to be payd 9 W. Wicked men hate the godly why 116 117 Wicked men band together against a powerfull Minister 239 c. Wisedome indeed how to be had 3 4 Fruits of worldly Wisedome 4. who is a wise man ibid. Worldly Wisedome will not save us 20 21. WORD The meaning of the Word 15 The Word our chiefest treasure 12 13. Our Light to Heaven 19 38 The literall Word without the spirituall meaning will not profit us 23 How men labour to blunt the edge of the Word 233 Struglings of a wicked heart to get the Word out being once got in 244 The Word workes Regeneration and Sanctification 24 25. It is lively and sharpe in three respects 26. It is a Love-letter from God 42. It shall judge us 45. It is not mans but Gods invention 50. It profits converted and unconverted 59. It must dwell in us plentifully and how 105 213 c. It fits every man in all occasions 215 c. Will-Worship hated by God 22 23 FINIS The Contents and the benefit of the Psalmes in generall Of the 119. in particular The Division of it Three Lessons to be learned thence Two things observable in the 13. Part. 1 How David became wiser than his enemies Doct. True wisdome to be had only from and in the Word The Reason Because other wisdome provides only for the body but this for the soulâ— 2 He sets downe the fruits of his knowledge 1 Pet. 1. 8. Doct. All our knowledge must be practicall Luke 12. 47. The foureteenth Part explaned 1 Vers 106. 2 Vers 107. 3 Vers 108. 4 Vers 109 110. 5 Vers 111 112. 1 Tim. 6. 16. Sixe markes to distinguish a godly man and an hypocrite 1 Vers 105. A godly man is guided by the Word in all his wayes A naturall man not at all Or in parâ— 2 Vers 106. He performes all his Vowes An unregenerate man doth not pay them Hos 6 4. 3 Vers 107. He patiently suffers persecution for the Word 2 Tim. 3. 12. The carnall Gospeller spareâ— himselfe Act. 14. 22. 4 Vers 108. He is
theirs which indeed is the right direct and desperate downe-fall into the Pit of Hell So that millions of soules live no lesse without Scriptures than if there were none and wofully walke in this World through darkenesse of sinne shadow of death and ignorance both of God and his Word unto endlesse and utter darkenesse in the World to come The Prophet David tells us in Psal 19. That the Law of the Lord is perfect and giveth wisedome unto the simple The Commandements of the Lord is pure and giveth light to the eyes In this place hee tells us That the Word was a Lampe unto his feet and a Light unto his paths Christ himselfe Iohn 5. 39. bids us Search the Scriptures even all without exception so many as looke for eternall life Not lightly and at leisure to reade them but with diligence to dive into them for so the word signifies in the Originall To seeke for the right knowledge and true sense of them as for Silver and to search for it as for Treasures The Noblemen of Berea Act. 17. 11. searched the Scriptures dayly whether those things were so that were preached unto them Saint Peter 2 Pet. 1. 19. calls the Word of the Prophets a Light which shineth in a darke place to which wee should take heed But the Pope and his Factors teach other Lessons The Catholike Church saith one of their chiefe Champions out of the Councell of Trent forbids the reading of Scriptures by all without choise or the publike reading or singing of them in vulgar Tongues The wise will not here regard say the Rhemists in their Preface to their Testament what some wilfull people doe mutter that the Scriptures are made for all men And soone after they resemble the Scriptures to Fire Water Candles Knives and Swords which are indeed needfull c. but would marre all if they were at the guiding of other than wise men And this is indeed one of their principall reasons Many abuse the Scriptures by ignorance infirmitie or malice to Errors Heresies Schismes and their owne destruction therefore they are not to be read of all without choise I answer they might as well reason thus Many men abuse Meat and Drinke by surfetting and excesse to the destruction both of their soules and bodies therefore men are to be deprived of Meat and Drinke Some men are infected with the Pestilence by drawing in corrupted and empoysoned aire therefore the aire is to be taken away and removed But as those men which are deprived of Meat and Drinke presently languish and pine away and die a temporall death and those that enjoy not the benefit of the aire are presently stifled for want of breath even so all those that want the spirituall Food of their soules out of the Word of God and the holy inspirations of his good Spirit builded thereupon howsoever they be fat and flourishing in their outward estates yet they are full leane and lanke in their soules and if they so continue must needes die an eternall death and perish everlastingly Let us then learne to detest and hate the bloudie Policie of the Synagogue of Rome which cruelly keepes from many thousand Soules that blessed Light of Gods Word which should lead them to eternall life They indeed pretend other Reasons But the truth is if the Word of Truth should be permitted and published to all there would be old running out of Babylon all their Pompe and Policie would downe their shamefull Iuglings and Cousenages their strong Delusions and Impostures would be laid open in the sight of the Sunne The Princes of the Earth that have so long beene drunken with the wrath of her empoysoned Wine would no longer commit Fornication with her The Merchants would buy no more her Wares but would stand afarre off from her for feare of her torment weeping and wailing No marvell then though the Papists labour might and maine and to this end maintaine a bloudie Inquisition to suppresse this Light of Gods Word lest it should discover their darknesse and hasten their destruction A second Vse is for terror feare and amazement to all them that doe not live and delight in the Light of Gods holy Word but yet are walking in the darkenesse of ignorance and in the shadow of death The whole World and every man in particular lyes in darkenesse that is in ignorance under sinne and so subject and lyable to damnation and eternall death There is no way to come out of this state of Darknesse Damnation and Death but by the Knowledge Light and Ministerie of the Word Hence it is that Act. 26. 18. it is Pauls charge and hee is sent to this purpose to open the eyes of men that they might turne from Darknesse to Light And Paul himselfe Eph. 5. 8. speakes thus unto the Ephesians Yee were once Darkenesse but now yee are Light in the Lord walke as Children of the Light Out of 1 Pet. 2. 9. it appeares that all Gods Children are called out of Darkenesse into marvellous Light Why then fearefull and most wretched is the state of all those who by the Light and knowledge of Gods Word are not translated and guided out of this Darkenesse For as in Darkenesse 1 There is much feare horror and discomfort a man cannot enjoy the lightsomenesse of Heaven the comfort of the creatures the companie of men Even so ignorant men not enlightened with saving knowledge are utterly without all hope of Heaven they have no sight or taste of the endlesse joyes thereof they have no companie or conference in heavenly matters with true Christians they have no comfort or interest in the Covenant of Grace or Promises of Salvation But Feare Horror and Despaire are most justly treasured up for them against the Day of Wrath and of the declaration of the just Iudgement of God 2 He that walketh in the Darkenesse saith Iohn knoweth not whither he goeth He cannot discerne his way he seeth not what is behind or before him he cannot descry or discover the dangers which are round about him But especially if the wayes through which he passeth be slipperie steepe and rockie full of pits and holes he is in danger at every step by some grievous fall to crush his body bruise his bones or breake his necke It is just so with every one that lives in ignorance of Gods Word and Truth he cannot possibly discerne the way to Heaven amongst the many by-paths of iniquitie he cannot judge in spirituall matters betwixt right and wrong good and evill Light and Darkenesse Christ and Belial prophanenesse and sinceritie though there be behind him a Life spent in much wickednesse lewdnesse and ignorance before him Despaire Hell and eternall Damnation about him the World with a thousand baites and pleasures to intice and intangle him in sinne Sathan like a roaring Lyon readie every houre to seize upon his