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

into his masters ioy But seeing this aduice and direction is not so soone receiued and vsed as giuen therefore there are many startings aside and goings out of the way and so they leaue their first loue as I haue said of the second sort to their small comfort And amongst many troubles and griefes which they bring vpon themselues thereby they complaine that they cannot haue the ioy that they first had at their beginning and what maruell seeing they haue waxed wearie of that esteeming and prising of faith and godly life which at first was in them Whereas they who with the good Philippians hold on their fellowship in the Gospel from the first day afterwards are alwaies readie to welcome death the Lords messenger For they thus growing on and abiding doe continue and shall be found faithfull and constant at their end whether by naturall or by violent death they be taken away all is one and they perseuering so shall be saued as Christ saith heere and receiued into heauenly habitations for euer FINIS TWO SERMONS VPON DEVT. 5. vers 28.29 Vers 28 Then the Lord heard the voice of your words when yee spake vnto me and the Lord said vnto me I haue heard the voice of the words of this people which they haue spoken vnto thee they haue well said all that they haue spoken Oh that there were such an heart in them to feare me and to keepe all my commaundements alwaies that it might goe well with them and with their children for euer MY purpose is beloued to shew what the things are which I intend God willing to deliuer to you at this time to the end ye may the better heare them and not wander vncertainely as ye must needes doe if ye know not what is intended to be taught you But yet so I will doe it as I may shew that the holy Ghost purposeth the same also in the words which I shall speake of The thing which I propound to teach is this That whereas the greatest part of people among vs doe thinke that if they can say Lord Lord they shall enter into the kingdome of heauen as our Sauiour giueth vs to vnderstand whereas they thinke also if they can vtter good words of the Scripture and professors of the Gospell that they serue God as well as the best and that God will blesse them accordingly and their posteritie they may know that it is nothing so for God requireth another and greater matter and that is that there be a true change both of heart and life and a constant holding out in both vnto the end To this purpose I intend to speake that which I meane to say of the words which I haue read vnto you And the same meaning had the Lord in speaking the words himselfe For to shew the occasion that moued him to vtter them which Moses repeated in the words before the text when the people of Israell had heard the Lord on mount Sinay to deliuer his law to thē out of the middest of the fire in clouds darkenes and were afraide to heare God speak vnto them any further they desired Moses euen all the chiefe of the tribes and elders to goe neere to the Lord and heare all that he should say to him and they would heare it againe at his mouth and doe it Then the Lord heard the voyce of their words when they spake to Moses and the Lord said to Moses I haue heard the words of this people which they haue spoke vnto thee they haue said well all that they haue spoken Oh that there were such an heart in them that they did feare mee and keepe all my commaundements alwaies that it might goe well with them and their children for euer Thus yee see also how the Lord in this text speaketh the same of the people to Moses which I am to deliuer vnto you This being done I will now shew in what manner I meane to handle the text and what order to follow therein and then proceede to the particulars This text deuideth it selfe most fitly into three parts The first is a mixed speech which the Lord vttereth to Moses commending somewhat and disliking somewhat of the peoples answere in these words This people hath said well but their heart is not sutable vnto their words The second thing is what the Lord wisheth to them and that is such an heart as might sute with their words from which onely and from no other heart this feare of God and obedience to his will which he liked of could come In these words Oh that there were such an heart in them to feare mee and to keepe all my commaundements alwaies The third is the fruite of such an heart and life and that is prosperitie and welfare to them and to their children for euer Now to begin with the first this mixed speech of the Lord which I so call because it commendeth somewhat in the peoples answere and disliketh somewhat in them it aloweth their words but condemneth their heart this mixed speech of the Lord I say teacheth vs clearely that men may possibly vtter good words and yet themselues bee without grace their words may be good but their hearts naught so that while they commend religion the preaching of the Gospell and the profession thereof yet for all that they may be vnprofitable in their liues and not sound and vpright in their hearts without which their speech helpeth them nothing And if it be said it is not sufficient for the proofe of this doctrine that is here said in the text for possiblie it may be gathered amisse let it be prooued by two or three witnesses that there may be no exception brought against it As that for example in the 50. Psalme verse 16. where yee may finde this Vnto the wicked said God what hast thou to doe to take my word in thy mouth and hatest to be reformed What needeth there any explanation of these words The Lord vehemently reprooueth them for speaking of his word as though they bare great affection to it when in the meane while they would not be subiect to it nor be directed by it To the which that may be added which our Sauiour saith This people draw neere to me with their lips but their hearts are farre from me in vaine doe such worship me And the Prophet Ezekiel agreeth most fitly with them both when he saith Sonne of man this people talke of thee by the walles and doores of their houses and say one to another come I pray you and heare what the word is that commeth from the Lord and they heare thy words but they will not doe them By all which it is manifest that to haue good words in our mouthes without the vprightnesse of the heart doth not commend vs to God And yet let not this be thought of any one to be spoken by me as though I made light of good

what the Scripture sayeth the stone that the builders refused is made the head of the corner He that readeth let him consider And Reuel 3. Blessed is he that readeth and heareth the words of this booke And without this reading often of the word it is impossible to resist readily the tentations of Satan For the deuill will bring such colour of Scripture for his tentations as we cannot resist if we haue not by diligent reading the Scripture ready at hand and vpon our fingers ends that we may answere with our Sauiour out of the Scripture It is written and againe it is written and so against euery tentation Some will here excuse themselues from their ability They are poore men and they are not able to lay out the mony to buy them a Bible withall But alas this is easily answered For there is no man I take it not among you that are of the poorer sort but he will finde spare money at least once in the yeare to make merry withall and to refresh himselfe for al the labor and trauaile of the yeare why canst thou thē find money to lay out to make thee merry for a day and wilt thou not find money to bestow vpon the Bible and booke of God which may make thee merry the whole yeare and make thee euery day as it were a ioyfull feast in thy conscience Reade therefore and to this end if thou wouldest heare more of reading reade a Chapter of this argument in my booke the third treatise But yet also to thy reading holy meditation and conference of the word of God is to be ioyned For examine and thou shalt finde them that haue attained to the highest degree of ioy in the word to haue been continuall meditators and conferrers of it and by meditation and conference to haue nourished and fostered this their ioy Dauid that was a man euen filled with this heauenly ioy in the word and therfore crieth out Psal 119.13 part How sweete is thy law vnto my mouth yea sweeter then honey vnto my mouth This Dauid I say was a man of daily and continual studie and meditation in the word vers 1. hee saith Thy word it is my meditation continually And in the sixth part I will talke of thy testimonies before Kings and will not bee ashamed The presence of Kings and great Princes should not abash him but euen before them he would conferre and talke of the word of God Reade an excellent place to this purpose containing both an exhortation and a promise Iosh 1.8 The Lord commandeth Ioshua that he let not the booke of God go out of his mouth It must not goe out of his mouth that is he must be talking speaking and conferring of it Secondly he must meditate therein day and night that he may obserue and doe according to all the law of Moses that so hee might prosper whither soeuer he went So that wouldest thou prosper and reioyce in whatsoeuer thou goest about the way is to meditate talke and conferre of the word of God And in the first Psalme they that meditate in the law of God day and night are pronounced blessed For whatsoeuer they doe shall prosper Which prosperitie hath alwaies ioy as an attendant vpon it But as all meditation of the word is a meane in some sort to continue and increase our ioy in God so especially meditating and conferring of the most gracious and comfortable promises of the Gospell The meditation and conference of these are as it were bellowes to blow and kindle the sp●●●es of our ioy which are in our soules So then we see the hearing of the word preached and the reading of the word written and the meditation and conference of both and especially of the comfortable promises of the Gospell are singular meanes to continue and to encrease our ioy in the Lord. But withall let vs remember to ioyne to these the practise of the word thus heard and read and meditated and conferred on In that place I quoted Iosh 1.8 The law must be in his mouth he must speake of it and hee must meditate in it But to what end to rest there No but that he may obserue and doe according to all the law of Moses c. and then he should prosper For this is a most certaine truth that without the practise of the word neither hearing neither reading neither conferring neither meditating can cause or continue any sound ioy in the heart Reade 2. Ecclesiastes Surely saith the Preacher to a man that is good in his sight God giueth wisedome and knowledge and ioy but to the sinner he giueth paine c. God giueth ioy saith the Preacher to him that is good in his fight Reade againe Ioh. 15.10 If you keepe my commandements you shall abide in my loue as I haue kept the commandements of my father and abide in his loue And then immediatly hee addeth in the next verse These things haue I spoken vnto you that my ioy may abide in you and that your ioy may be full Our Sauiour giueth charge to his Disciples to keepe and to practise his commandements that his ioy may abide and that it may grow to be full in them Many places might easily be alleaged to this purpose Prouerbs 29.6 In the transgression of an euill man is his snare but the righteous doth sing and reioyce The wicked man by his transgression insnareth and intangleth himselfe in sorrow but the righteous that directeth his way by the word hee shall be merrie and sing for ioy The scripture in sundry places beateth vpon this point and therefore I will not stand so vpon it Doe we therefore desire to leade and liue a ioyful life Let vs become good men by the practise of Gods word Otherwise let vs not looke to haue our ioy continue But rather let vs looke for sorrow yea for sorrow vpon sorrow As it is written Psal 32.10 Many sorrowes shall come to the wicked man To these meanes that I haue spoken of may be added some that are touched by this our Apostle 1. Thes 5.17.18 c. For hauing exhorted them in the 16. verse to reioyce alway In the words following he sheweth by what meanes they may continue this their ioy And that is first by continuall prayer For we haue the promise of Christ that whatsoeuer we aske of God according to his will in the name of Christ it shal be giuen vnto vs. Now this we know and are well assured of that it is according to the will of God that we should reioyce so that if we pray for it earnestly and continually he will be most willing and ready to grant our petition Seek therefore the continuance and increase of this ioy at Gods hand and thou shalt finde it knock for it by prayer at the doore of Gods mercy and he will giue it vnto thee But alas this duty of prayer for ioy is carelesly for the most part neglected Men presume

words of the Prophet fall vpon them and with a mighty weight presse them downe when hee saith why doe ye bestow your cost and care and yet not for that which will doe you good neither is able to satisfie your soules with the foode and bread of life All which the best that can be said of it is this that it is but lost labour And they in so doing may iustly be compared to them who bestow their money vpon their lusts in sundry mispending of which should be imployed vpon them and their families But to passe from them there is another kind of men whom the Prophets reproofe doth reach vnto as well as vnto those And such they are as although they hold the truth in iudgement and doe worship God in outward maner yet they draw neare to him with their bodies their hearts being farre from him who say Lord Lord indeed but yet doe not the will of the Lord neither being naturall men can be obedient vnto it With their lips they confesse him but with their deeds they denie him and therefore are farre from the happinesse which I now speake of Among whom this I say as of the former sort that though some of them doe simplie desire eternall life as they seeme to doe yet they preferre the commodities and vaine pleasures of this present world and make their commings to Church to be either but couers for their prophane and loose liues or at least they abide in them still And yet the forward●● sort of them both who meane more simply are iustly reproued by the Prophets words heere in complayning thus why doe you lay out your money and not for bread your labour and yet not to be satisfied For euen these follow not the word of God as their guide to bring them to that which they seeke and therfore are neuer like to attaine it seeking it after their owne fancie and opinion and not thirsting after it as without which they cannot be satisfied So that as the Apostle spake of Israell so I may speake of these What shall we say in the Epistle to the Romans saith he that Israel which followed the law of righteousnes yet could not attaine to the law of righteousnesse wherefore because they sought it not by faith but as it were by the works of the law Euen so they who seeke saluation and the blessednesse that is laid vp for Gods chosen euen that is enough to depriue them of it in that they seeke it amisse that is to say not as the word of God directeth namely that they should thirst for it as hath beene said Ye haue heard the reprehension the exhortation followeth in which he laboureth to draw them from their owne wisedome which deceiued them to hearken to another maner of wisedome which was able to lead them to that which he called them to enioy that is the true happinesse which he layeth out vnder these speeches to eate that which is good and delight their soules in fatnesse And heere it is worthie to be marked that when hee hath told them to what their owne wisedome bringeth them in leading them to seeke saluation and happinesse and that is to nothing but to deceiue them and to lose their labour for which he reproued them now he willes them to heare him diligently who taught them to seeke the same by the light and direction of Gods word Whereby he cleerely sheweth that there is no other way to find that which they seeke By no wisedome of man by no learning much lesse by any other means of blind deuotion and sond zeale without knowledge And yet as the word of God onely doth it so we must further marke how and when it doth so That is as hee saith heere when we harken diligently vnto it as declaring therby that we be willing to be guided by it For so hee requireth saying hearken diligently vnto me in that which I shall say to you from God For as Salomon faith of seeking wisedome that there is a seeking of it sleightly negligently and slothfully by which men neuer find it and there is a seeking of it as siluer is sought of the Merchant that is with all diligence and by all good opportunities not resting till they find it if it be to be had so there is an hearing of the word coldly without profit and there is an hearing which will draw and perswade him that heareth neuer to giue ouer till he hath found and bought the pearle which is hidden in the Gospell because he knoweth that it is there to be had This hearing the Prophet requireth and hee that heareth not with this mind nor to this end he loseth his labour and bestoweth all his trauell in vaine Quest But it will be asked heere what is that which the Prophet would haue them heare of him to the end they might prosper attaine the assurance of eternall life and the happinesse which they desired For hee doth not expresly mention in this verse wherein hee would haue them heare him Answ For answere to this we are to remember that in the first verse he spake to all the people and asked among them all who they were that thirsted to whom he gaue an answere from God according to their hearts desire that they should be satisfied with all such good things as they thirsted for Now in this verse wee heard hee reproued all the rest of them that sought for pardon of their sins and eternall life or other graces of the spirit amisse euen by their owne wisedome and fancie not longing after and thirsting for it as Gods word teacheth them to doe Therefore these hee exhorts to heare him that they would also with the other set their hearts vpon it and thirst after it Euen this is that which he requires their diligent attention about that so seeking it as their brethren did they might with them find that which they sought euen as they had done And this if they doe they shall enioy he telleth them that good diet yea and banquetting cheere which bee meaneth by the allegoricall speeches which he vseth heere when hee saith then they shall eate that which is good and their soule shall be satisfied with fatnesse Whereby he meaneth that as a man which is kept at a good diet with wholesom good sauourie meats is healthfull and well liking in body euen so shall his soule be satiate and filled withal variety of heauenly dainties and be made ioyfull and well liking thereby which with an appetite doth seeke the same And so all they find it who are euer thirsting after one good thing or other this being added that they beleeue God vpon his word and doubt not but that it shall bee so Which I adde to quicken vp many of my deere brethren and sisters heereunto Who I deny not thirst feruently after sundry graces of God and yet for all this comfortable promise of the Lord published heere by

The first and the most principall is by the reuerent heedfull and attentiue hearing of the word of God For that as it hath bin the principall meane of God to beget faith and to breed and begin this ioy in thine heart so is it the chiefe and soueraigne meane whereby God will both continue and encrease this ioy in thee for he hath giuen this charge to his seruants whom he trusteth with his word to reueale and to discouer daily in the preaching of the Word more plainely vnto vs the riches of his grace in the Gospell Now it cannot be but the more cleere fight we come to haue of the mercie of God in Christ the more our hearts must needs take ioy and pleasure in it Secondly by the preaching of the Word we haue not only the eye of our vnderstanding cleared and the mists and vailes of our ignorance remedied but our affections are also whetted on to a greater delight and ioy in the goodnesse of God alreadie knowne vnto vs. Our memories also are continually renued and refreshed when we heare the same or the like doctrine promises and exhortations iterated and repeated vnto vs. Would we therfore euer haue our ioy to continue fresh and flourishing then let vs neuer be wearie of hearing the word of God taught and preached vnto vs this was the seed of our ioy and this is that which feedeth it causeth it to continue grow and florish and without which it cannot but wither decay and die in vs. But besides the preaching of the Word the Supper of the Lord is very effectuall to this purpose For hereby these mercies the cause of all our ioy are brought not onely to our minds and memories which is done by the preaching of the Word but nearer yet euen to our view and touch and taste that we may after a sort euen feele them with our hands and see them with our eyes and taste them with our mouthes To this seale of the Word we should adde the daily and continuall reading of the Word and Scriptures of God For what are the Scriptures but as one well termeth them the letter of the Creator to the creature the letter of God vnto man If we be delighted in reading ouer many times the kind letter of some speciall friend vnto vs we cannot but much more ioy in reading so kind and louing writings of God vnto vs. But the word of God is more fitly as I take it in the Scripture called the will and testament of God For herein the Lord hath set downe what inheritances what bequeathes and legacies he hath willed and bequeathed vnto vs. Can we reade these continually carefully and attentiuely and not be moued to ioy No it is impossible For it is not in this Testament of God as it is commonly in the wils of men There though there be many and great things bequeathed yet in a few readings ouer a man may come to sound the bottome of them But the will of God containeth an endlesse and bottomlesse sea of riches that a man can neuer sound the depth nor reach the bottome of it Note If he could reade ouer the Bible ten thousand times euery time hee should find if hee reade it carefully and heedfully new matter of ioy and more causes of reioycing then euer he found before Practise therefore this dutie of reading oh how glad would many great Kings and holy Prophets haue been to haue had these holy bookes of Scripture to reade which we haue now and could not To haue had I say those bookes which we now haue and are contented to let them lie by vs the whole day or weeke and neuer looke into them They reioyced to reade continually the darke and obscure promises of the bookes of Moses and the Prophets but we scarce vouchsafe to reade the cleare and manifest declaration of the glorious Gospell of Christ as it is by the Euangelists and Apostles written and recorded vnto vs. Their care in this and our carelesnesse in reading the Scriptures is one cause why they in those darke and mistie times reioyced by faith to see the day ●f Christ to come and we scarce reioyce to behold the 〈◊〉 ●hrist past and recorded vnto vs. Yee are therefore all 〈◊〉 be exhorted that are desirous of this happines and ioy whereunto you are by the Apostle exhorted if yee can reade that ye take euen euery day if it may be some little time some quarter of an houre at least to reade something in the Scripture or some godly books which may make you the more ioyfull and merrie in God all the day and night after If ye cannot reade nor cannot get conuenient means to learne yet be carefull that your children or seruants may that at the least you may heare them reade I know men will be readie heere to find excuses Thou doest not vnderstand it thou wilt say when thou readest it or hearest it read This it may be true in part some things thou canst not vnderstand but many things and those that most directly serue to comfort to instruct and cheere thee are so plaine and easie that it is impossible not to conceiue them For therefore hath the Lord written the greatest part of Scripture not by men of deepe and profound learning but by shepheards and fishers and heardmen and tentmakers that the simplest man that is willing to learne might conceiue them and no pretence or excuse might be left to them that will not Againe thou wilt be readie to find excuses from the businesse of thy calling thou hast wife and children to care for and a familie to prouide for therefore thou must follow thy calling to prouide for them and maintaine them These are idle and cold excuses for what if thou hast not only thy selfe thy wife and children and familie to prouide for but haddest a kingdome to rule and to order the cares troubles and businesses thereof these are no sufficient excuses to exempt thee from the reading and the daily reading of the word of God Marke the charge that is giuen to the King Deut. 17. the end He is to haue the booke of God continually by him And what must he then do let it lye by him for a shew or for other men to reade in No he must reade in this booke And marke when Al the dayes of his life that he may learne to feare God and to keepe the words of the law and not 〈◊〉 from the commandements to the right hand nor to the 〈…〉 may prolong his dayes This duty that is there layed vpon 〈◊〉 King lieth vpon euery Christian he is to reade the word of God that he may obserue it and it may be well vnto him Ioh. 5.39 Christ speaketh it to all the Iewes Search the Scriptures which they must doe by the continuall reading of them And euery where our Sauiour Christ alleageth to thē the reading of the word saying Haue you not read what Dauid did and