young man in whom the heate of his affections is more violent Wherewith saith he shall a young man redresse his way in taking heed thereto according to thy word Psal 119.9 Wee read in the booke of Nehemiah that when the people of Israel had sinned in taking them wiues of the Idolatrous Nations and had lien in that sinne a long time without repentance Ezra that learned Scribe put them in minde of the hainousnesse of their sinne Nehem. 8.18 9.1.2 c. by rehearsing to them the law of God in that behalfe which wrought so vpon their consciences as presently they repented of the fact in sackecloath and ashes Yea though peraduenture while the word is in preaching it doth little affect a man yet if afterward by some occasion he can call it to his remembrance it will stirre him vp to repentance For the word as also the Sacraments doth not onely profit a man for the present while hee heareth it but it is many times effectuall afterwards And therefore it is called long-lasting foode the strength whereof abideth with a man euen all his life Yea as Physicke with a man taketh which no great desire nay many times euen against the stomacke doth yet worke profitably vpon the body So the word of God which a man at the instant heareth with no great deuotion may afterwardes be called to minde with great benefit Adam at the first did not regard the word of God as hee should when he tolde him Gene. 2.17 3 11. c. that in what day he tasted of the forbidden fruit hee should die the death but afterward when the Lord put him in minde of it againe hee remembred both what God had said and what himselfe had done and so came to repentance 2. Chro. 33.2 â— 2. King 21.16 Manasses thought it no sinne to commit Idolatrie and to cause the streets to swimne with innocent bloud euen from corner to corner But after God had humbled him by captiuitie the remembrance of the word brought him to a sight of his sinne and made him seeke reconciliation with God Yea which is more The remembrance of the word is a notable meanes to preuent the falling into sinne and not onely to recouer a man that is fallen As Dauid saith hee hid the word of God in his heart Psa 119.11.105 that he might not sinne against him And to this purpose hee calleth the word a lanthorne to his feete and a light vnto his path As a man that hath a candle and a lanthorne carried before him may keepe himselfe from falling in a dark night so if a man alwayes carry the word of God before him it will preserue him from falling into sinne Psal 19.11 And he affirmeth by his owne experience that the word had made him circumspect and warie in all his wayes that hee might not offend And Saint Iames saith James 1.25 that the hearing of the word with remembrance of it doth make a man a doer of the worke The word is a wonderful meanes being well remembred to keepe a man in a holy awe and order that he shal not breake out into sinne Yea it is possible by remembring the precepts of the word to be armed against all sinne whatsoeuer As Salomon testifieth at large Prou. 2.10.11 When wisedome saith he entreth into thy heart and knowledge delighteth thy soule Then shall counsell preserue thee and vnderstanding shall keepe thee And deliuer thee from the euill way c. 12. And a little further And it shall deliuer thee from the strange woman c. And againe 16. he exhorteth to binde the precepts of the word vpon our heart and to tie them about our neckâ— That is alwayes to haue them in remembrance and before our eyes and hee giueth this reason 6.21 It shall lead thee when thou walkest it shall watch for thee when thou sleepest 22. and when thou wakest it shall talke with thee 23. For the commandement is a lanthorne and instruction a light 24. c. to keepe from the wicked woman c. Where hee ascribeth a singular efficacy to the word of God diligently remembred to preserue a man not onely from sinne in generall but euen from that particular sinne of whoredome the inticements whereof are so pleasing to the flesh So that it is apparent that it will euen breake the necke of all our sinnes Whereas on the contrary side the forgetfulnesse of the word is the cause of all euill VVhen men are forgetfull hearers as Saint Iames faith and cast the word of God behind their backes Iam. 1.24.25 Psal 50.17 no maruell if they fall into any sinne And indeed what knowledge soeuer they haue of the word otherwise yet when they fall into sinne they forget all As Dauid no doubt knew well enough what a filthy sinne adulterie was 2. Sam. 11.4 yet for the present his eies were blinded that hee had not the vse of his knowledge and so occasion being offred he was ouercome If a Zech. 53. Ecclc. 23.11 swearers b Iere. 17.27 Nehem. 13.18 if prophaners of the Sabaoth c Gal. 5.21 1. Cor. 6 9.10 Ephe. 5.5.6 if couetous persons whoremasters and drunkardes could but remember the fearefull threatnings denounced in the word against those sinnes doubtlesse they would neuer be so cruel to their owne soules as to rush so desperately into these sinnes 2. Cor 4.4 or to continue so impenitently in them as they doe But the God of this world hath blinded their mindes and for the time raced out of their heartes the remembrance of the word and so holdeth them captiue in sinne This doctrine to make vse of it in a word Vse doth serue to admonish vs not onely to be carefull that the word may often sound in our eares but also to doe our indeauour to remember and lay vp the instructions thereof for the amendment and reformation of our liues And to the end wee may the better performe this dutie wee must often and diligently meditate of the word which we haue heard As the Lord commaunded Ioshua saying Iosh 1.8 Let not this booke of the law depart out of thy mouth but meditate therein day and night that thou mayest obserue and doe according to all that is written therein c. A man can neuer performe the duties that God requireth nor auoide the sinnes that God forbiddeth vnlesse hee occupy himselfe in meditating of the word And therefore Dauid maketh it a propertie of a godly man Psal 1.2 to meditate in the law of the Lord day and night And hee saith it was his owne practise O how I loue thy law 119.97.101 it is my meditation continually And this made him refraine his feet from euery euill way This is a notable meanes to confirme and strengthen the memory that it may retaine the word Yea when the word is almost forgotten meditation of one
they trust not in vncertaine riches If there were not a disposition in them hereunto this charge were needlesse It is the corruption of our nature that is the occasion of all Gods precepts Moreouer a couetous man for gaine will not sticke to worship Images Let a man come to him as the Deuill did to Christ Mat. 4.8.9 with abundance of wealth and say all this will I giue thee c. hee will quickly fall downe and worship the most abhominable Idoll in the world Againe false swearing and perjurie which is a breach of the third commandement is many times a branch that springeth from this cursed roote when as men set not only their tongues but their honesty also to sale for aduantage And for the Saboth there is no greater cause of the prophanation thereof then couetousnesse Luk. 14.18.19.20 For men haue their Farmes to see or Oxen to attend or merchandise to follow or one businesse or other that they cannot come to the exercises of religion Or if they doe come for fashion sake or for feare of law and sit before the Minister Ezech. 33.31 yet as the Prophet saith their heart goeth after couetousnesse Or if they doe attend for the time yet presently they depart away to their worldly businesse Luke 8.14 and so the cares of this world choake the word and make it altogether vnprofitable And as couetousnesse treadeth vnder foote all the duties of the first table so also it neglecteth all the duties of the second It will cause a man to rebell against all his superiours that God hath set ouer him No bond either of nature or dutie can preuaile where couetousnesse beareth sway How many inferiours haue beene corrupted with money to betray those whome they should haue loued As Iudas here was hired to betray his Master And Dalilah was allured by bribes and rewards Iudg. 16.5 c. to betray Samson her beloued into his enemies hands But wee neede not goe farre for examples in this case There was neuer nation vnder heauen had greater experience hereof then this of ours in the daies of our late Soueraigne Elizabeth of blessed memorie Morton Saunders Parrie Lopes c. Euery yeare there rose vp some vnnaturall wretches who not regarding the oile of the Lord wherewith shee was annointed sought by all meanes possible to cast her sacred Crowne to the ground and to lay her Honour in the dust and to betray their natiue Country which should haue beene most deare vnto them into the hands of forraine enemies It is the cause of much murder and bloud shed as Salomon saith Prou. 1.19 Such are the waies of euery one that is greedy of gaine hee would take away the life of the owners thereof Whosoeuer standeth in his way betwixt him and his lands he saith as the husbandmen did in the Gospell Come let vs kill him that the inheritance may be ours Mat. 21.38 And thus did couetous Ahab cause innocent Naboth to bee put to death that hee might possesse his vineyard 1. King 21.2 It lay very commodiously for him and was a continuall eie-sore to him and therefore he must haue it though it cost the poore man his life Yea many times it maketh men so vnnaturall Filius ante diem patrios inquirit in annos Ouid. Metam lib. 1. that they doe not spare the life of their owne parents At least it they proceede not so farre yet they are as sicke of the Father as may bee and wish him faire laid in his graue that they may enioy his liuing It causeth cruelty and oppression as the Prophet saith Micah 2.2 They couet fields and take them by violence and houses and take them away By hard and vnconscionable dealing they grinde the faces of the poore yea they plucke off their skinnes from them Isa 3.15 Micah 3.2.3 and their flesh from their bones yea they breake their bones and chop them in peeces as for the pot and as flesh for the Caldron and they leaue not the bones till the marrow Zeph. 3.3 It causeth whordome and adulterie As wee see by common experience that many both men and women by gifts are drawne to embrace strange flesh and to forget the couenant of their God as Salomon speaketh Prou. 2.17 It is the cause of theft and wrongfull dealing It was couetousnesse that made Achan steale the things consecrated to God as himselfe confesseth I saw saith he Josh 7.21 among the spoile a goodly Babylonish garment and 200. shekels of siluer and a Wedge of gold of fifty shekels waight and I coueted them and tooke them And it was couetousnesse that made Iudas a theefe Joh. 12.6 when as carrying the bagge he falsly purloyned that to his owne priuate vse which was giuen by others to the common benefit of Christ and all his Disciples Yea which is the worst theft of all it maketh a man a theefe to himselfe whiles he defraudeth his owne belly to increase his wealth Now he that is a theefe to himselfe whom will hee spare as Sirach saith cap. 14.5 a Opum vt suarum habet curaÌ„ verum ijs vt ex alienis nihil capit emolumenti Diog. Laert. in vita Biâ—nis He carketh and careth for his riches as if they were his owne but he reapeth no benefit by them as if they were another mans And herein couetousnesse sheweth her selfe a most cruell Tyrant Shee leadeth a wretch vp and downe through fields and woods by sea and by land and all to heape vp a deale of wealth and when he hath done shee only giueth him leaue to looke on it but not to vse it Shee maketh him toile and take great paines to fill his barnes and his garners his coffers and his chests and then shee hideth the keyes and denyeth him the vse of all So that he is like the Asse that carryeth a heauie lode of gold and siluer all day and at night eateth hay himselfe b Diuitias locupletis habes animum sed egeni O suc cessori diuâ—s egene tibi Sphinx aenigmat In a word hee hath riches in great abundance but withall he hath a beggarly minde and howsoeuer hee be rich to his heire yet he is poore to himselfe It causeth lying As the Souldiers that kept Christ his Sepulcher were hired with large money to report when Christ was risen from the dead Mat. 28.12 13. 2. Sam. 16.3.4 that his disciples came by night while they slept stole him away It causeth slandering As Ziba in a greedy desire of Mephibosheth his liuing falsly slandered him to the King of no lesse crime then high treason Finally it causeth many men to beare false witnes in matters of controuersie As there is a wicked generation that c Ego vero libenter mentiar tua causa si quando me vis peierare paratuÌ„ fore scito Cic. pro Qu. Rosc Comaedo haunteth Westminster Hall stiled by the name of
the captiue and recouering of sight to the blind c. Luke 4.18 Hee must bee like that good Samaritaine seeing men wounded in their consciences hee must bind vp their wounds Luke 10.33.34 and powre in wine and oile to supple them and refresh them He is a Physician for mens soules and therefore he must apply vnto them the blame of Gilead Iere. 8.22 euen the sweete comforts of the Gospell that the health of Gods disttessed people may bee recouered If it be the duety of all Christians to comfort the feeble minded 1. Thes 5.14 as the Apostle exhorteth much more doth it appertaine to the Ministers of the word that are chiefly set apart thereunto Yea it is ooe principall part of Prophesie 1. Cor. 14.3 that is the Ministerie of the word Hee that prophesieth saith the Apostle speaketh vnto men Rom. 15.4 to edifying and to exhortation and to comfort As it is one propertie of the word to minister comfort as the Apostle saith VVhatsoeuer things are written aforetime are written for our learning that wee through patience and comfort of the Scripture might haue hope Psal 19.8 and Dauid saith The statutes of the Lord are right and reioyce the heart So the Minister must apply it in such sort as it may haue this comfortable effect in the heartes of those that stand in neede of it 1. Sam. 1.9 For this cause Eli the Priest sate vpon a stoole at the doore of the Tabernacle that he might be ready at all times to performe this duety Acts 9.17 16.28 c. Thus did Ananias comforte the Apostle Paul being exceedingly cast downe with the vision which he had seene And thus did Paul and Silas comforte the Iayler that was ready in the horrour of his conscience to make away himselfe Vse 1 This doctrine serueth first for the reproofe of all such Ministers as will not performe this duety but rather take pleasure in cutting and launcing in wounding and afflicting the poore consciences of men It is true wee cannot bee too seuere against obstinate and impenitent sinners but yet when it appeareth that they are humbled for their sinnes then they are to bee comforted and raysed vp If a Chyrurgion doe onely cut and launce mens sores and neuer bind them vp if he onely apply corrasiues and no lenitiues he is rather a Butcher then a Chyrurgion In like manner if a Minister doe onely beate men downe with the terrours of the law and neuer labour to rayse them vp with the comforts of the Gospell he is an hangman and an executioner rather then a Minister And therefore wee must labour to take a right course in administring the word We must not preach the lawe alone nor the Gospell alone but both together and yet both in their right order The law must goe before to beat downe the pride of mens hearts and the Gospell must follow after to minister comfort vnto them VVhen Nathan had throughly humbled King Dauid 2. Sam. 12.13 with denouncing Gods iudgements against him for his sinnes then hee spake peace vnto him againe saying The Lord hath put away thy sinne thou shalt not die Act. 2.37.28 c. When the Apostle Peter saw the effect of his Sermon that it had pricked and wounded the people in their hearts hee was most ready to comfort them againe with the promises of mercy Vse 2 Secondly this doctrine also serueth to teproue all those that haue no abilitie to performe this duety A number God knowes are ignorant persons of no gifts for this worke of the Lord and besides are so giuen ouer to the world as they haue no desire to come to knowledge So long as they may eate the fat Ezech. 34.3 and cloth themselues with the wooll they care not what becommeth of the poore sheepe They haue more regard of the gaine of riches a Apud eos non animarum salus sed lucrum quaeritur diuitiarum Bern. in Psal 91. Serm. 5. as one saith then of the saluation of mens soules But alas this intollerable defect neuer sheweth it selfe more shamefully or with greater hurt then when men stand most in neede of spirituall comfort namely at the houre of death or in the time of some great affliction For as shepheards that want skill to helpe a poore sheepe out of the ditch cut his throat in time to make it mans meate that it may not bee said it died in a ditch so these miserable comforters are driuen to take some indirect course whereby for want of knowledge they slay many a poore soule And thus in many places are the miserable and desperate calamities of the people prouided for when their necessitie doth most of all require better comfort Vse 3 Thirdly it serueth to admonish all of vs that bee Ministers of the word to labour diligently in this behalfe that we may releeue the distresses of Gods people Euery Minister of God should bee an Interpreter Iob. 33.23 2. Cor. 5.19 as Iob saith able to deliuer aright the reconciliation made betwixt God and man the word whereof is committed vnto him able to open the couenant of grace and rightly to lay downe the meanes how this reconciliation is wrought and to apply the same accordingly and so to declare to man his righteousnesse that is to say as that reuerend and worthy man of blessed memory Master Perkins doth expound it when a poore sinner by his sinnes is brought downe to the gates of hell and by the preaching of the law to a true sight of his misery then it is the duty of a Minister to declare to him his righteousnesse namely that howsoeuer in himselfe he be as he is as foule as sinne can make him and the law can discouer him to bee yet in Christ hee is righteous and by Christ so iustified as hee is no more a sinner in Gods account and also to maintaine the same for the quiet of his conscience against all the power of darknesse whatsoeuer Now this cannot be done without a speciall gift from God And therefore we are to pray earnestly vnto him that the knowledge of Christ Iesus and of heauenly things may not onely swimme in our braines but may also bee engrauen in our heartes and imprinted in our soules by the finger of God 2. Cor. 1.4 that so wee may bee able to comfort them that are in affliction out of the feeling of our owne heartes euen by the comfort wherewith wee our selues are comforted of God See thou to it The cheife Priests are so farre from comforting Iudas in his distresse that they doe rather despise him and in a manner laugh him to scorne They hired him and set him on worke Doct. Traitours are hated euen of those that haue benefit by thē and yet now that they haue effected what they would they doe not respect him Where we may obserue the iust reward and punishment of traytours they are odious euen to them