brings us to that state that Adam was in at first this restores us to it seeke not then your happinesse where it is not to be found We all doe as the Prodigall did we get our portion into our owne hands and goe from our Fathers house and seeke for our happinesse elsewhere but yee shall finde at last that all else is but huskes Thus the Saints have found it This life of grace gives rest to the soule all else in the creature is but vanity and vexation of spirit Vanity is nothing else but an insufficiency in the creature to give that content that wee looked for in it as when we looke for water in an empty well seeke for that in the creature that is not in it wee see its vanity in the absence of the good wee looke for and presence of the evill wee looked not for In God yee finde rest and tranquility such a tranquility as is in the Sea when it is without waves as is in the upper region of the ayre where no tempests are Looke on the lives of men who are taken up with trifles when they are young when they come to a riper age greater things move them when men are wiser they feele the apprehension of higher things when ye lift up your soules and keepe them on the wing yee are freed from troubles and cares Paul had a greater measure of this life than other men his Epistles which doe transcribere animam transcribe as it were his soule declare as much and hence was it that in all his troubles and afflictions he was full of constancy and comfort the more constantly we live this life the greater gainers shall we be Lastly till yee live this life yee have no assurance that yee are in the number of the elect Repentance puts a new life into men till yee finde this in you yee know not whether God is yours whether God will worke this life in you This should make us tremble and feare and never to leave till wee had got this life This life is a fruite of election wee know not whether wee are in Iacobs or Esau his case till we know we have it make haste therefore to get it It lies not in your power The Spirit breatheth when and where it listeth ye may feare that God will not give it you if you spend your life in vanity Take one who neglects you all the time that hee is able to doe you service if hee seekes unto you in his extremity for his owne ends what answere doe you give him but this Seeing he hath neglected you when he was able to doe you service you may justly refuse him now he is able to doe you none So if ye neglect God whilst ye are able for to serve him and seeke to him in your extremity take heede that yee receive not that answer from him as the Israelites did in their extremity Goe to your Idols and let them helpe you nay hee forbids Ieremiah to pray for them Consider this and make haste to live this life of grace ye cannot get it of your selves God must put it into you Now if these motives move you to seeke this life and after examination of your selves ye finde it not to be in you then use these meanes to get it The first meanes to get and mainetaine this life which is all one for that which begets it doth likewise nourish it is knowledge abound in knowledge get much light this life consists in light when a man judgeth aright The understanding enlightened is the primum vivens the first living part and therefore ye shall finde that life and light are put one for the other Ephes. 5.14 Stand up from the dead and Christ shall give you light and Ioh. 1.4 Christ was that light and that light was the life of men this life stands in inlightning the mind adde to this light yee adde to life The reason why men are dead is because there is a darkenesse in their soules they see not the wayes of God therefore they act not they step not forwards because they are in the darke All shining is from light as ye increase light so ye increase life Ephe. 4.18 it is said of the Gentiles that they were strangers from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them The knowledge of God brings men nearer to the life of God Ephe. 4.24 Holinesse is said to proceede from truth the words are put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and holines which proceeds from truth But you will object that there are many who abound in knowledge who have life little enough that ignorant men live this life most that none live it lesse than those that know most To this I answer that there is a double knowledge First there is a meere inlightening and informing knowledge Secondly there is an operative knowledg yee may have enough of the first and be never the neere but it is the last that helps and gets this life and this knowledge is the gift of the sanctifying Spirit this is the operation of God we doe but informe and teach men wee cannot make them doe any thing wee cannot make them practise Gods teaching makes this knowledge operative perswades every way works every way Secondly there is a knowledge in the habit and a knowledge in the act which produceth actions these are set downe obscurely In the. 2 Pet. 1.12.13 the Apostle there saith that hee would not be negligent to put thē alwaies in remembrance of those things though they knew them and were established in the present truth yea I thinke it meete as long as I am in this Tabernacle to stirre you up by putting you in remembrance Peter did not write unto them that they might know those things habitually for so they knew them before but that they might know them actively and might presently act them for that end he wrote The first knowledge is as sparkes raked up in ashes the other as sparkes blowne up the first is as the sap in the roote the later like the sap that fills the branches with leaves and fruite the first is a generall knowledge gotten by contemplation the last is a practicall and actiue knowledge a knowledge to practise The Scripture exhorts to doe things that intend this knowledge Deut. 4.1 and Deut. 6. the Israelites were exhorted to heare and know the statutes of the Lord that they might doe them to speake of Gods word and works which actes their knowledge puts them in remembrance of Gods mercies and stirres up their minds Iosh. 1.8 he is commanded to reade the Law and to meditate in it day and night he must reade it not to know it for at that time there was little written but hee was to reade it that he might doe it But if we doe this so much it will hinder and interrupt our businesses so that we shall faile of
see their hearts are fat their eares heavy and their eyes shut Rom. 11.8 God hath given them the spirit of slumber that is when as men heare his voyce in a common manner they are as a man in a slumber it stirres them not their hearts are fat that is they are sencelesse for fat is without sence The property of them that heare in an ineffectuall manner is this they have a spirit of slumber they are as one hearing a tale when as his minde is otherwhere If the things propounded were naturall they would heare them well enough but they are spirituall therefore they are dull of hearing them Thirdly which followeth the second those that heare the voyce of the Sonne of God have experimentall knowledge the other is but speculative 1 Cor. 2.6.9 Wee preach wisedome to those that are perfect such wisedome as eye hath not seene eare hath not heard neither hath it entered into the heart of man but God revealeth it to us by his Spirit that is the cheefest in knowledge have not seene with their eyes or heard with their eares but those that heare the voyce of the Sonne of God have an experimentall knowledge which others have not This experimentall and saving knowledge hath triall 1. Ioh. 2.13 I write unto you fathers because you have knowne him that was from the beginning expound this by the 33. of Ezekiell 33. When this commeth to passe then shall yee know that a Prophet hath beene amongst you that is when I shall doe this they shall know experimentally that there was a Prophet amongst them 1 Ioh. 5.19 wee know that wee are of God that is wee know it experimentally they can say of this as it is said in the 1 of Ioh. 1.1 That which we have heard that which wee have seene with our eyes that which wee have looked upon and our hands have handled of the words of life delare we unto you David takes it as peculiar to himselfe Psal. 9.10 They that know thy name will trust in thee for thou Lord hast not forsaken them that seeke thee that is they that experimentally know thee will trust in thee for thou never faylest them that trust in thee they know it by experience 1. Pet. 2.3 Desire the sincere milke of the word that you may grow thereby if yee have tasted that the Lord is gracious We find in the Saints a longing after God they desire him which others doe not thus did David Moreover they have assurance of salvation which others have not and this assurance comes from sence optima demonstratio est a sensibus the best demonstration is from sence as he that feeles the fire hot knowes it best tasting breeds longing assurance from experience breeds certainty Fourthly effectuall knowledge that is bred by the voyce of the Sonne of God makes men approve and justifie the wayes of God makes them to relish them this followes the other when men have tryed them they approve them Ioh. 6.63 The Spirit quickens the flesh profiteth nothing the words then that I speake they are Spirit and life Christ having spoken that his body was meate indeed many were offended at it then hee said The Spirit doth quicken that is yee accept not my words because yee have not the Spirit yee have but flesh that is a common knowledge my words are spirituall and you are carnall therefore they doe not relish you These words are otherwise interpreted by some that is these materials profit nothing without the Spirit but the other is undoubtedly the meaning for so it is through the Scripture the Spirit profits that is saving knowledge wrought by the Spirit men not having it doe not approve it It cannot be otherwise where the voyce of Christ doth sound effectually there they justifie this Wisedome is justified of her children Luk. 7.35 Rom. 10.15 How beautifull are the feete of them thaâ— preach the Gospel of peace that is they see much beauty in the wayes of God that they are beautifull to them they are vile to others The Scripture often toucheth this that when as there is but a common knowledge men relish not the word Rom. 8. they tast not the word the spirituall part of the word crossing them is bitter to them 2 Cor. 2.15 The word is compared to a sweet savour to many it is not so to some it is the savour of death to death it is a savour diffused through the house many there are who abhorre it and being guilty of death it leades them to death In others it is the savour of life that is they smell a sweetnesse in it it brings them to life to heaven the word being powerfully taught there comes a savour some smell sweetnesse in it others doe not so Luk. 2.35 When Christ shall come the hearts of many shall be opened to approve or disapprove him therefore he is said to be set for the fall and rising of many So when he came some said he was a good man others that he was a divel some said that the Apostles were good some that they were bad See how yee approve the word in its selfe and as it is expressed in mens lives Fiftly if it bee a right knowledge it breeds holy affections the other doth not this followes the other If men justifie the Word then they affect it It s a generall rule that all full perswasions draw on affections let it bee but a perswasion in habit it stirres as the habit is 1 Thes. 1.6 My word was to you not in word but in power because it did worke in you ioy in the holy Ghost Ier. 23.29 God comparing the word of true and false Prophets together saith thus My word is as fire and as the hammer that breaketh the stone it is the powerfull word if it stirres your affections Luke the last Christ speaking to the Disciples that went with him to Emmaus their hearts burned within them they were full of holy affections Consider if yee have these holy affections Holy affections in the Scripture are ascribed to this knowledge every where where men heare or know a. right Psal. 112.1 Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord that delighteth greatly in his Commandements Psal. 1.2 Blessed are they that delight in the Law of the Lord See whether there be holy affections wrought in you by the word Felix did tremble at the word so the second ground received the Word with joy but not with holy joy But how shall wee distinguish them I answer that if your joy be holy joy afflictions will not put it out if your ioy be carnall joy persecution puts it out but ioy in the holy Ghost is not extinguished by the contrary Sixtly that knowledge which is lively brings forth action it is powerfull in mens actions it is active and mighty in operation Heb. 4. It workes in mens hearts and lives mightily to overcome all contraries Esa. 6.10 Make the heart of this people fat make their
be much in doing 134 The third meanes to get this life is to get faith 136 The fourth meanes to get and increase this life is the communion of Saints 140 The fift and last meanes to get and increase this life is the hearing of the voyce of the Sonne of man 14â— The hearing of this voyce is the onely meanes to translate men from death to life 144.145 c. What the voyce of the Sonne of God is 146.147 This effectuall voyce consists in two things 147 Three degrees of working this light of life by the Spirit 148 A double voyce of the Sonne of man 149. c. Those that heare viz. obey the voyce of the Sonne of man have experimentall knowledge 150 Effectuall knowledge bred by this voyce makes men approve justifie and relish the wayes of God 155 A right knowledge breeds holy affections 156 Lively knowledge brings forth action 157 Wee must examine our selves whether we have heard the voyce of the Son of God or no. 159 Which wee shall know by our lives and actions 160 The first impediment hindring men from hearing Christ voyce is selfe-wisedome or selfe conceitednesse 161 The second hinderance or let is long custome p. 162 The third let is similitude which like false wares deceives men p. 163 The fourth impediment is false experiments in some workes of God that should draw us nearer to him p. 164 The fift impediment is ignorance ibid The sixt impediments is inconsideration p. 166 The seventh impediment is a certaine stiffenesse and obstinacie of will or minde p. 167 Meanes how to heare profitably ib. c. To practise a little is the way to get more p. 168 Fearefull judgements on them that receive not the love of the truth p. 169 God curseth barren and unfruitfull bearers p. 170 Disobedience to the Gospell grievously punished p. 171 Meanes to heare the preaching of Gods word profitably for our conversion and building of us up in our most holy faith p. 172 The second meanes ibid The third meanes p. 174 The fourth meanes p. 175 The fift meanes p. 176 The sixt meanes p. 180 A Caveat or warning both to Ministers and people p· 181 Vaine excuses will not serve before God p. 182 The Summe of the chiefe points contained in the Treatise of Selfe-deniall OVt of Christ we are dead men 185 By Christ we gaine life eternall 186 What we must do for Christ viz Deny our selves take up our crosse c. ibid Whosoever will have benefit by Christ must follow him ibid Two maine impediments that hinder men from following Christ. ibid Whosoever will be saved by Christ must deny himselfe p. 187 What it is to deny our selves p. 188 What our selfe is ibid Why corruption of nature is reckoned a mans selfe p. 189 In every man there are two selfes ibid Reasons of Selfe-deniall p. 190 God will not binde us to that which is simply unpossible p. 191 A man may lawfully love himselfe p. 192 To deny our selves is to deny every sinne stocke and branch p. 193 We cannot follow God and the world both 194 No happinesse to be found out of God 198 Great equity in denying our selves 199 The fruites of the flesh and of the Spirit 201 How prone our nature is to do evill ib. And how we may know it 202 How to try whether we have interest in Christ or no. 204 How to know whether we deny our selves 207 Meanes to deny our selves 208 God multiplyes comforts to them that deny themselves 209 In cleaving to God wee must leave the care and custody of other things unto him 210 The right knowledge of Christ makes us deny our selves 211 The manner how we should deny our selves 212 The wayes of God are full of Crosses 215 And the reasons thereof 216 The wayes of God have much difficulty in them and the reasons thereof 217 Yet the wayes of God are pleasant to any man that is upright 220 Reasons why difficulty in Gods wayes should not discourage any man therefrom 221 We must make account before hand and prepare for troubles before they come 223 It is not the way to heaven that most men go 225 What causeth persecution to follow the Gospel 226 If wee suffer not in Gods cause for well doing wee shall suffer of God for evill doing p. 227 Answer to them who say they can doe no good in Gods cause p. 230 Against discouragement by being a lone p. 231 Many thousands lose their soules because they thinke lesse will serve the turne in Gods service than indeed is required of them p. 232 Satans wiles in deceiving men ibid Cold slight and customary performance of holy duties does no good at all p. 233 We must go through fighting till we have the victory p. 236 It is hard to bring our soules to good duties ibid The crosses and difficulties that are in Gods wayes are an argument to prove that the doctrine came from heaven p. 239 The cause that the wayes of God are so hard and difficult p. 240 The difficulty in Gods wayes ought to be a meanes to humble us p. 241 All that looke to have benefit by Christ must follow him p. 242 Christ is to us an example of the rule viz. of the Law p. 243 c. Though Christ himselfe be absent in the body yet he hath left guides to leade us in his stead p. 243 The Saints that lived before us and went in one path of truth are our guides p. 244 We have the word the Spirit and the Saints for our guides ib. What it is to follow Christ. p. 245 And how to follow him p. 246 We must follow Christ at all times p. 247 We must follow Christ all manner of wayes inwardâ—ly and outwardly p. 248 The obiect and example which wee must follow is Christ. p. 249 And not his example onely but his precepts also and commandements must we follow p. 252 False boasting Christians refuted p. 253 Difference betwixt the wicked and the godly in sinning p. 254 Many follow Christ for worldly respects p. 256 Difference betwixt the falls of good and evill men p. 257 We must be content to forsake all for Christ. p. 258 And to beare all things for his sake ibid. We ought to have the same mind in us that was in Christ. p. 259 Against false unconstant double minded men p. 260 We must not stand still at a stay but grow in grace and endeavour what we can towards perfection p 261 We must not presume to goe before Christ but let our minds and desires yeeld to his will p. 262 Five things required of them that will truely and sincerely follow Christ. p. 264 The Contents of the three Sermons on the Sacrament of the Lords Supper THe maine and principall priviledge that wee have by Iesus Christ is Eternall life p. 265 The drift of S. Iohns writing is that beleevers might know they have Eternall life p. 266 Another great priviledge that we have by Christ is an
else but affection misplaced proceeding from error and that holinesse in which God delighteth in which his Image consists comes from truth When Adam was alive hee judged aright because then the wheeles and affections of his soule were right Being dead by reason of his fall he lost his sight hee saw no beauty in the wayes of God and this is the case of all unregenerate men but when the Spirit rectifies the judgement and convinceth men of sinn◠and righteousnesse then they beginne to revive To be dead is to have the understanding darkned the judgement erronious to be alive is to have the understanding inlightened and the judgement rectified And thus much for the first what this death is We come now to the kindes of this death which are three First there is a death of guiltinesse one that is guiltie of any offence that is death by the Law is said to be but a dead man So every one by nature is a dead man bound over to death though he be not executed Secondly there is a death in sinne that is opposite to the life of sanctification Ephe. 2.1 You hath he quickned who were dead in trespasses and sinnes and there is a death for sinne that is contrary to the life of Glory Thirdly there is a death that is opposite to the life of joy in hell there is a life man is not quite extinguished but yet men in hell are said to be dead because they have no joy This death consists in the separating of God from the soule when God is separated from the soule then man dies this death of sorrow God joynes himselfe to the soules of good and bad to those that are not sanctified he joynes himselfe in a common manner and thence it is they have common joy common comfort common civility to the godly he joynes himselfe in an extraordinary manner by which they have extraordinary joy now when God is separated from the soule then comes a perfect death see it in the separation of God from Christs humanity God withdrawing himselfe from him but for a time he crieth out My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee As God withdrawes himselfe more or lesse so is our joy our sorrow more or lesse Thus much for the kinds of this death Wee proceed now to the Symptomes or signes of this death and they are foure The first is this men are said to bee dead when they understand nothing when as there is no reason exstant in them when they see no more than dead men The life is nought else but the soule acted then a man is said to live when the understanding part is acted So man is spiritually dead when as his understanding is darkened when as hee sees or understands nothing of Gods wayes because they are spirituall and he carnall But it may bee objected men understand things belonging to faith and repentance carnall men not yet sanctified have some understanding of these I answer that they may understand the materials belonging to godlinesse as well as others but yet they relish them not they see them not with a spirituall eye Tit. 1.16 They are to every good worke reprobate they cannot judge aright of any good workes as to like approve and love them to see a beauty in them as they are good Rom. 8.7 the wisdome of the flesh is enmitie with God for it is not subiect to the Law of God the Greeke word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the meaning is not that they understand it not but they like it not they relish it not they tast it not they thinke of Gods wayes that they are but folly 1 Cor. 2.14 They are at enmity with them they count them drosse The second symptome of death is want of motion where there is no motion there is death All men naturally want this motion they cannot judge or doe any good thing by nature they may doe the opus operatum but they cannot doe it in an holy manner their prayers their hearing receiving of the Sacrament and the like are dead workes without faith the principall of life how ever they may be faire in other mens eyes The third signe of a naturall death is sencelesnesse so men are spiritually dead when they are not affected with Gods judgements when they have hard hearts which cannot repent Rom. 2.5 when they have hearts as hard as a stone Ezek. 36.27 or when they are affected with them onely as naturall men apprehend evill not from a quickning Spirit but from a selfe-love Lastly in naturall death there is a losse of that vigor that beauty in the face and countenance which is in living men So in men that are spiritually dead there is no beauty no vigor they have death in their faces they may have painted beauty which may be like the living as he said pictum putavi esse verum verum putavi esse pictum they may be much alike yet they haue not that livelinesse and beauty as living men have Gods beauty the beauty of holinesse is not found in them But it may bee objected they have many excellencies in them they know much they excell in morall vertues I answer they may have excellencies as a dead man may have Iewels and chaines about him yet they are dead they have them but yet they are as Iewels of gold in a Swines snoute they are as Swine their good things make them not men they are beautifull yet they are but dead men as the evill workes of good men make them not bad men so the good workes of evill men make them not good Thus much for the signes of this Death We come now to the degrees of this death in all these deathes there are degrees First in the death of guilt if you have had more meanes the guilt is greater if you make no use of them The Gentiles they shall onely be condemned for breaking the Law of nature because they knew no other Law The Iewes they shall be condemned for sinning against the Law of nature and the Law of Moses they had a double Law and shall be condemned for the breach of it Christians having a treble Law the Gospell the Law of nature the morrall Law shall be condemned for all three and among all Christians such as have had more meanes and better education the greater shall their punishment be Secondly in the death opposite to the life of sanctification there are degrees Now yee must know that there are no degrees in the privative part of death but they are onely in the positive The lowest step in this second death is to have enmity to the wayes of God being fighters against God and enemies to the Saints this is the lowest step The second degree is when as men are not so active that way but yet are dead in pleasures ambition covetousnesse and the like There is a generation of men which trouble not
our other enterprises To this I answer that this will not hinder them but they shall be done the better as oyling of the wheeles makes them goe the better Psal 1.2 hee is said to be blessed that doth meditate in the Law of God day and night Your knowledge being brought to action helpes you much often hearing of the word which puts you in remembrance addes to your life though it hinders you in other things Those who have not the word to heare live not under preaching Ministers who will not be at the cost to get them or live where they are not are much to blame and live not this life Simon Magus sinned in thinking that the holy Ghost might be bought with mony doe not they also sinne who doe lesse than hee that will not give mony for to have the Gospel brought unto them There is the like fault when as men may have the word and come not to it If they come to it though it addeth not to their knowledge yet it helpeth their acting and life Those who neglect the constant reading of the word who are not constant in private prayer those who neglect the speaking and talking of good things they neglect this life That Arabian proverbe Shut up the five windowes that the house may bee full of light will be of good use here that is the five senses being shut up the fuller of light shall wee be the not stopping up of them makes men ignorant cares and businesses possessing mens mindes there is no roome left for better things Let your minds be still plodding on that which may further you in grace and truth It is ignorance that makes men strangers from the life of God Ephe. 4.18 and this is not an ignorance that proceedeth from want of knowledge but from the badnesse of your hearts Hard hearts make men ignorant why doe men heare and yet are ignorant but because their hearts are hardened they regard not the word and so they grow not in knowledge The second meanes to get this life is to bee much in doing be much in doing in acting the duties of new obedience the more yee are occupied the more ye live else deadnesse will possesse you be therefore still praying and meditating these will revive you these are the coales that keepe the heart warme this life like water is apt to grow cold unlesse it be acted and stirred up But I must be full of life ere I can doe actions I answer that one begets the other action begets life and life begets action as health produceth exercises and exercise procureth health But I am indisposed and unfit for such actions I answer that if ye are indisposed the more need you have to be doing else you are more unexcusable the way to get heate is to bee acting as motion doth bring life to a benummed member so doth it to the soule be awaked be stirring this will revive you againe Christians hearts are awaked when as they themselves sleepe if they stirre them up there will be more life in them Rom. 2.13 when Christians begin to languish their medicine is to rise up and be doing whence Saint Paul admonisheth the Galatians Gal. 5.16 To walke in the Spirit those who have the Spirit stand not still as one that cannot stirre but they are still acting and walking this acting helpes this spirituall life first by inlarging and intending this life Secondly by preventing that which increaseth death the more we walke in the wayes of life the more we prevent the way that leades to the Chambers of death Be doing therefore if not one duty yet another In the steppings out of your callings be doing be reading and praying Conferring and talking of good things the neglect of this is the cause why there are so many dwarfes in grace Men content themselves with morning and evening duties and it is well if they doe them but doe you the actions of life more constantly and abundantly It is the corruption of our nature that wee are not doing life is maintained by the actions of life habits are mainetained by actions that are sutable to them We live in the commandements by well doing as the creature doth by food Good actions mainetaine life it receives strength from well-doing Set therefore your selves to pray to doe holy duties be still praying doing more and more the more ye doe the more life increaseth The third meanes to get this life is to get faith Faith helps this life it is a life of faith and it makes us to live this life by three several waies First it gives a reality to the priviledges of life and makes you see they are priviledges indeed therefore is it that yee act the duties of this life because ye beleeve that God is such a God that ye have such priviledges that yee are heirs of all things If yee thinke that God is such a one as he is in wisedome power and mercy if ye intend and minde the priviledges of this life then will you live the life of grace If ye doubt and question with Atheists whether these things be but dreames then ye intend them not and live not this life He that beleeves saith let me have God sure the other saith let me have that I touch and feele but the imaginary things consisting in faith and hope I care not for The more ye beleeve these things the more ye are occupied about them Secondly faith drawes you on to action and this life is but the acting of the duties of new obedience Faith and perswasion further other things as if one be perswaded that such a thing will hurt him it produceth an action of the will abstinence if a man be perswaded that he shall dye without the Physition he sends for him So in all other actions perswasion is that which sets a man on worke So in spirituall actions if we are perswaded that such a sinne committed wil not make our bodies sicke but our soules we will not doe it if we are perswaded our soules shall fare the better if wee doe such a thing this make us to doe it being perswaded wee shall have a recompence of reward it produceth action and the more action the more life Thirdly faith doth it by fitting us for Christ from whom our life comes 1 Ioh. 5.12 he that hath the Sonne hath life First the Sonne of God infuseth life into him to whom he is conjoyned the conjunction betwixt Christ and us is but relative as betweene the King and the subject when the subjects resolve to take such an one for their king they are conjoyned to him so when a woman resolves to take such a man for her husband shee is conjoyned to him The action of taking Christ is to take him as a Lord to serve him as a Saviour to have all comfort by him hee that hath the Sonne in the relative union shall have him in the reall union the Sonne
must doe as Mary did shee layed up all the sayings that shee heard of Christ and pondered them in her heart Luke 2.51 The Disciples often questioned of Christ which proves that they pondered his Words in their hearts So the Nobles of Berea they searched the Scripture so Iacob hee noted the saying of Ioseph and laid it up Yee doe not heare thus if you doe but lend your eares for the time if yee worke it not upon your affections ye profit not The reason why there is so much preaching and so little profit is for want of this There are two kinds of ill hearers the first are such as heare as Swine and trample all they heare under feete the second such as heare as Dogs snarling at the doctrine if yee offend in eyther of these yee heare amisse Of all the foure grounds that was worst which received not the Word When men heare the Word there is more than a naturall forgetfulnesse in them the Divell helpes it Iam. 1.23.24 He that heares the Word and recals it not or practiseth it not is like one that beholdeth his face in a glasse for he beholdeth himselfe and goeth away and straight way forgetteth what manner of man he was yee must recall it before yee can practise it else yee will be like to those that behold their face in a glasse and wipe not away their spots Be not therefore forgetfull hearers and for this first recall and repeate what yee have heard when yee are gone Secondly practise it afterwards there is a blessing promised to mindfull hearers there is a curse denounced against those that are forgetfull Ioh. 13.15 If yee know these things happy are ye if you doe them but there is a curse for you if you doe not profit God will make you to heare and will not give you his Spirit Regard to prize the Word if ye will not be forgetfull Rom. 1.28 those that did not like to retaine God in their knowledge those that did heare the Word and not regard it God gave them up to a reprobate sence to an Injudiciousnesse to doe those things that were not convenient not being able to profit by it The ancient Fathers much pressed the repetition of Sermons and one of them useth this similitude A man that comes into a pleasant garden will not content himselfe with the present sent only but he wil carry some of the flowers home with him So in a cold day a man will not be content to heate himselfe at anothers man fire but he will carry away some fire with him to keepe him hot at home So doe yee when ye come to heare the Word carry home some flowers of it with you carry some fire home with you to heate and warme your hearts God regards not flashes and moodes and such negligence in performing of holy duties as will not warme your hearts Men are like a Sive in the water it is full whiles it is in the water but being taken out of it it hath nothing it is not the hearing of the Word of God or the doing of it negligently that will profit if ye heare it only pro forma and negligently it doth you no good but it brings Gods curse upon you Gods curse is on many they grow not in knowledge or grace for want of diligence wherefore in the 2 Pet. 3 17. the Apostle bids us beware least being led away with the error of the wicked we fall from our owne stedfastnesse to prevent this grow in grace and for this purpose grow in knowledge for then ye grow in grace The fift meanes to heare profitably is to prize the Word and the voyce of Christ speaking to the heart pray earnestly for it that ye may seeke it earnestly at Gods hands beseech him to speake to your hearts your hearing is nothing without this it is the great sheapheard of the flocke that must feede you It is the Spirit that must teach you Therefore when as you come to heare pray earnestly to God to speake unto you by his Spirit It is the Spirit that quickneth Ioh. 6.63 the Word is spirituall and wee are carnall therefore wee must pray for the Spirit to helpe us for to heare the Spirit is not bestowed without prayer Act. 1.14.15 God promised to give his Spirit to his Apostles yet they continued long in prayers ere he gave it them Luk. 11.13 God gives not his Spirit but to such as aske it to such as coÌ„tinue praying asking and knocking Dauid prayes to God to open his eyes that he might see the wonders of his Law Men may heare the Word yet God opens not their eyes without seeking to him God speakes unto you by his Ministers Paule and Apollos are yours we are the Ministers of God for your sakes for your service If God open the dore of utterance it is not for our sakes but yours that you might seeke the Word at our mouthes and beleeve Act. 14.1 a great company of Iewes and Gentiles beleeved by hearing the Word preached and receiving of it The world receives not the Spirit because they seeke it not Ioh. 14 17. We in preaching can doe nothing it is the Spirit that must doe it 2 Cor. 3.18 we can shew you the Image of God but it is nothing to you if ye be not transformed into the same image from glory to glory and it is the Spirit that must thus transforme you Conclude therfore with God in prayer let not him deny you one Word from him is more than a thousand from us God fastning his Word upon your hearts it changeth you without him we preach in vayne The sixt meanes to heare profitably is to come with vacuity of minde free from all things that hinder else wee sow but amongst thornes Ier. 4.4 we speake to men prepossessed the seed falles on fallow ground we speake to men whose hearts are full of lusts they have a noyse of businesse within them and so they heare us not because their hearts are forepossessed The arrowes head being in the wound it is in vaine to lay plaisters upon it therefore Iam. 1.24 when as wee come to heare the Word wee are commanded to lay aside all superfluity of naughtinesse and to receive with meekenesse the ingrafted Word which is able to save our soules Dâ—e in hearing the Word as men doe in grafting cut off all superfluous branches come with empty minds attend to the matters of grace Men who have full stomacks God feeds not He feeds the hungry others are sent empty away they are alwayes hearing but never profiting I should speake now to Ministers and people to Ministers that they speake in the voyce of Christ that they speake as he did not in wisedome of words but in the evidence of the Spirit To the people that they must heare them by whom Christ speakes those who have Livings to bestow ought to bestow them on such as speake the Words of Christ they that