in their liues as talke of it with their mouthes And this the Apostle Peter labours to exhort those he wrote vnto 2. Pet. 1.5 that with the knowledge of faith in the Gospel they would ioyne vertue by which he meanes holines of life exhorting the they that beleeue wel should liue wel that so their liues might beautifie their profession It seemes diuers of the Church sent to Paul to know his iudgement touching such seruants as were conuerted to the Gospell how they should behaue themselues to their Infidell masters 1. Tim. 6.1 To this he sends an answere to Timothy commanding that being bound to thē they should not depart or vse them vnconscionablie but rather to be more carefull in their seruice and to vse diligence and faithfulnesse to them that so the name of God and his Gospell be not euill spoken of A good lesson for such seruants in this citie as professe the Gospell and serue irreligious masters not hereby to take a liberty to be idle carelesse and false in word and deede but so much the rather to be the more careful in their seruice lest they giue their Masters occasion to speake euill of the name of God and his Gospell Now if seruants must be thus carefull towards their masters that be Atheists how much more then should euery one that hath giuen his hand and name to the Gospell be carefull who hath many to ouerlooke him and would be glad to take a small occasion to discredit his profession There are many reasons may be added to presse this doctrine the more vpon our consciences but I will content my selfe with these three Reas 1 The first reason is because a holie life ioyned to an holy profession will gaine credit in the consciences of Gods people Yea 1. Pet. 2.12 it will gaine credit also in the consciences of such as be yet vncalled To which end the Apostle exhorts them to haue their conuersation honest among the Gentiles that they which speake euill of them as of euill doers may by their good workes which they shall see glorifie God in the day of visitation By which all you that be Fathers Mothers Masters and Mistresses are exhorted though you haue vntoward sonnes vnfaithfull seruants lyers swearers yea such as scorne at your comming to Sermons and vse of holy exercises in your families as giuing thanks at meales prayers reading of Chapters c. yet should your carriage in your liues be such as that they seeing your Christian behauiour in your shops in your words in your dealings c. may haue cause to praise God Yea if euer the Lord call and conuert them they shall praise God that they euer dwelt in such a family and that euer they came within thy dores The experience hereof God hath shewed dailie amongst vs of many who in their seruice were deriders of holy duties and stopped their eares at the instructions of their gouernours yet the Lord hauing opened their eares and softned their hearts by his word and spirit they haue so praised God for his mercie to them that their parents by whom they were begotten and borne haue not been so deare to them in their hearts as their Master and mistresse in whose Christian familie they were conuerted Reas 2 The second reason is because it will gaine credit to our profession The contrarie opens the mouthes of Atheists to slander and discredit the same One prophane Gospeller doth more harme in the Church then an hundred Atheists Wherefore saith the Preacher Eccles 10.3 Dead flies cause to stinke and putrisie the ointment Yea one dead flie will putrifie a whole boxe of ointmēt where as a thousand falling into a barrell of pitch will do no such harme So the Gospell is so pretious a thing that the euill example of one professor doth more harme to it then the example of many Athiests a thousand drunken companions neuer discredit the Gospell so much as one that professeth well and liueth ill For is it not a thing common amongst vs that when men see a professor commit any sinne yea though of infirmity and of weakenesse with no purpose to liue in it doe but marke how they presently labour to discredit not so much the person of the man as his profession For are not these their verie words See these are our professours and holy men hee is wise that will beleeue what they say here is a profession indeed Yea they wil not sticke to curse the very Booke of God and blaspheme his Gospell Therefore if you will be professors looke to your shops your families your counting houses your weights and measures else if you bee faultie in these you will bring more discredit to religion then euer you did good with your outward profession Reas 3 The third reason is because by your ioyning an holy life to a holy profession it wil gaine comfort to your conscience especially in the time of the departure out of this world Esay 38.3 An example wee haue of Ezekias who hauing receiued the message of death is said to turne to the wall and to put the Lord in mind of the integritie of his life wherein he tooke great comfort Yea it will put a man in more comfort then all the treasures of this world For what consolation can a man take in worldly things when he is priuie that hee doth lead a vicious wicked life and is in danger of Gods wrath Vse 1 Now let vs see what vses we are to make of this doctrine And first it may stop the mouthes of our aduersaries the Papists who falselie charge vs that wee teach doctrines of libertie to sin and that the sum of our doctrines is that so a man beleeue in Christ it is no matter how he liues And beloued I appeale to your owne consciences how true this is when wee teach that an outward profession seeme it neuer so sanctified without a holy life is odious in Gods sight And we returne the doctrine of libertie vpon themselues For be Iudge men and brethren in Christ whether this bee not a doctrine of licenciousnes to teach that ignorance is the mother of deuotion that their holie father may dispense with any sinne be it neuer so great and heinous that allow the Stewes euen at their Popes nose for the nourishing of whoredome Yea they teach that all their veniall sinnes as they terme them are put away and forgiuen by knocking themselues on the breast and by saying God haue mercie vpon me c. If this were true and this libertie granted to sinne who would make conscience to commit sinne But let vs know that these are doctrines of diuels and hee that hath not care to ioyne an holie life to an holie beleefe Mat. 22.12.13 shall one day with the man wanting the wedding garment be cast into vtter darkenesse where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Vse 2 A second vse of this doctrine serues to teach vs that be present
am in doubt many of vs come short of and yet perswade our selues to be good Christians First you haue not read a more louing kind and gentler sonne to his father then he was and his father againe loued him dearely and more dearelie then hee did Iacob Gem. 33.4 Secondly how kind was hee to his brother who though he went with a full purpose to haue slaine him yet meeting of him his heart so melted that he fell on his necke and kissed him yea his kindnes was such to his father that hearing of his death Gen. 25.19 came many a mile to performe his last dutie and to see him buried and laid him in his graue yet wee reade him branded for a castaway Againe was hee a couetous man truelie no Gen. 33.8.9 as may appeare in the storie when he met his brother Iacob who offering him a great present he did refuse it protesting hee had enough which did argue a mind void of couetousnesse Was he proud no verily for as we reade when his brother and hee could no longer dwell together he in courtesie gaue place to his youngest brother What was his sinne was he a drunkard an adulterer an vsurer We doe not reade that hee did liue in any of these grosse sinnes What then was his sinne He was a prophane man and therefore hated of God and set vp for a spectacle to all the world From whence wee may obserue for our instruction Doct. 4 Howeuer a man may haue many temporall blessings and morall vertues yet being a prophane man it is not only sufficient to bring seuere punishments vpon him but he carries a principall brand of a castaway I say againe and marke it though a man be come of a most honorable descent though kind and dutifull to his parents though rich and wealthy in regard of the things of this life yea though hee be contented and be very humble outwardly yet if he be prophane he may carry the very brand of a reprobate So that it is one of the greatest sinnes in the world to be prophane and irreligious yea many papists I meane the simple and ignorant Papist are in better case then a prophane man Not that I teach that euery one shall bee saued by his owne religion for as there is but one true God so there is but one true way by which he will be worshipped and by which we shall attaine to saluation consisting in true reconciling of vs to God in Christ And I grant the poore deceaued Papist is not in the right way for he seekes other waies and depriues himselfe of the righteousnes of God in Christ going about to establish his owne inuentions And further they be Idolaters and worship stockes and stones the worke of mens hands therefore cannot looke to be saued in this way Yet I sa yt here is more hope that God will shew mercie vnto them then to a prophane person because they doe it of ignorance he of presumption which caused Peter to tell the Iewes that they were capable of mercie Act. 17.3 because they did it of ignorance And this must mooue vs to hope well of many of our ancestors who liued and died in the time of Poperie who no doubt would not haue so beleeued if they had knowne it not to haue been the truth which they professed But the prophane person cannot bee ignorant but that his course of life is sinne therefore more hope of such ignorant persons then of the prophane Atheist It is not morall vertues ciuill honestie kind natures that is the way to heauen Nay a man with these may be a miserable man except he be sanctified with religion Wee doe not hold as the Papists falsely charge vs that good workes are needelesse to saluation Iam. 2.14 For wee both know and teach that faith without good workes is dead and it is a shame if Christians exceed not worldlings yet we say that all morall vertues in a man without religion are vnauaileable to saluation and as Salomon saith in another case they are as a ring of gold in a swines snout Honestie and ciuilitie are most pretious Iewels but they that haue them without religion are no better then swine Example of Nicodemus Iohn 3.3 who was accounted a most honest man in the world an vpright dealer a common frequenter of the Temple liberall to the poore c. yet our Sauiour told him it was not his kind nature nor his morall vertues nor his ciuill carriage would bring him to heauen except hee were regenerate and borne anew that is except there were another nature wrought in him and so become religious The like example wee haue of the Apostle Paul who bragges of his estate by nature Phil. 3 4.5.6.7.8 saying that no man could boast of outward things as he either of stocke tribe kinred zeale or righteousnesse of the law Of the which hee saies he was vnrebukeable that is no man could iustly detect him or say so much as blacke was his eie But when the Lord wrought true religion in his heart hee cries shame on them all and accounts all but dung in respect of the benefit that comes by religion Wee must not flatter our hearts with outward ciuilitie amongst men but labour to approue them religious towards God It is not our care and conscience of the second Table will afford vs one iot of comfort to saluation except they bee grounded on conscience and respect of the first Table It is not our detesting and freedome from pride drunkennesse whoredome theft vsurie slandering that will bee accepted of God except there be planted in our hearts a feare of God a loue to religion a conscience of sanctifying the Sabbath day a reforming of families and instructing our children a hating and abhorring the sinne of swearing and departing from infidelitie impenitencie and hardnesse of heart which the Lord by his spirit workes in those that hee makes religious Yea if all the morall vertues that can be possible were in a man yet if these bee wanting Matth. 22.38 hee is a prophane man and remaineth in the case of damnation To this end our Sauiour calles the first table the first and the greatest The first because it must bee preferred in the first place and chiefe roome before our eating sleeping marrying rising labour c. there must goe some part and duety of the first table The greatest because the punishment thereof will be greater then the other Vse Now for the vse of this First it teacheth vs to make triall in our hearts whether wee bee infected with this sinne of prophanenesse or not And though there bee many and sundrie signes to trie our hearts by yet I will content my selfe with foure things besides the chiefest of all which followes in the next words to bee spoken of which the holy Ghost hath set out and branded Esau withall The first is his behauiour in the matching himselfe in marriage wherein he shewed his
of his loue in which they had cause to reioyce from thence he proceeds to an exhortation Vers 14. the substance whereof is that to their holy profession they would ioyne a godly life and conuersation charging them to haue care that no sinne might grow amongst them that were professors of the Gospell calling it by the name of a Roote of bitternesse Vers 15. because that howsoeuer it might bee pleasant and sweete at the first yet it would bring forth bitter fruit at the last The which exhortation he enforceth and thereto moueth by three speciall reasons The first because such are easily to be drawne from that grace they seemed to haue and one raigning sinne would eate it out The second reason was because hereby they would be very scandalous to the weake and Apostataes of the whole Church Thirdly because their examples would be great hinderances to other yea and more hurt would ensue by their ill life then euer they did good by their profession Now in the verses read he goes on with a dehortation disswading them from such vices as would bring a scandall to the Church of God Amongst the rest hee sets downe two namely Fornication and Prophanenesse in the which whosoeuer flues and delights shall in the end bring great dishonor to God slander to his owne profession and hurt to his owne conscience The first I say he sets downe is Fornication Whence may arise this question why he names this sin before many other which he might haue named I answere specially for two causes The one in regard of the profession the other in regard of the person In regard of the profession because first it dishonors God not that God will lose one iot of his honor though hee should cast vs all to hell but my meaning is he accepts it as a dishonor to him when such a one that makes profession in mouth denies the power of it in his life Psal 50.16.17 As the holy Ghost sharply reprehendeth the hypocrite asking him how hee durst bee so bold to take his words in his mouth and not to liue answerable to it in his life 2. Sam. 12.14 Secondly it opens the mouthes of Atheists causing them to blaspheme the Gospell who are readie vpon the least occasion to speake euill of it and such as professe it in sinceritie So also in regard of the person because if he be qualified with any grace of sanctification it will in time eate it out and grieue Gods Spirit though not on the suddaine yet it wil bring him so low as the work of sanctification cānot grow in him Example we haue of Dauid Psal 51.10.11 who by this was faine to crie to the Lord to create a new spirit in him and had thought it would haue cast him out of Gods presence Againe it may be demanded why the holy Ghost names not rather Adulterie then Fornication I answere First we must note that he doth include it herein and all other sinnes of that kind Secondly and specially because those to whom he did write were not all married but many and the most part of them were single persons Therefore names he rather the sin of fornication then adulterie lest the single persons might take any exceptions against his speech The second sin he dehorts them from is the sin of Prophanenesse a sin many know not others make light account of it but the holy Ghost sets it downe for a grieuous sin and a sin of all such as professe the Gospel to bee abhorred To which end hee sets not downe an example of a fornicator because it was an vsuall knowne sin and a sinne some men make conscience to shunne and auoid but hee sets downe an example of a prophane person and hangs vp the picture of a prophane wretch for a warning to all others In which example wee are to consider of three things The first is the person who it was viz. Esau a man qualified and commended in the Scripture for some gifts of nature in which I doubt he may goe beyond and shame many of vs yet for his prophanenes is recorded as aspectacle of Gods wrath and branded for a reprobate The second is his fact which was that for one portion of meate he sold away his birthright Of which fact we shall heare more in the opening being like many at this day amongst vs who sell and willingly part away with their birthright for vanities The third thing is his punishment which is threefold First he is wounded in his conscience with griefe and shame that hee had no better grace but to part with such a treasure at so base a price Secondly he labours and bestirres himselfe to seeke to recouer it but all in vaine for he seekes to his father who could not helpe him but not to God who must haue holpen him if euer he had had any helpe at all The third was an vtter deniall of mercie in that hee lost the time in which hee might haue had it now all the meanes he could vse for it would not preuaile to recouer it againe And so falles it out with many at this day who forsaking the Gospel for the present things of this life come to see their error how lightlie they haue passed it away which wish and desire to recouer their former estate but can neuer preuaile Thus much for the opening of the words the sum whereof is a dehortation from two horrible sinne of such as liue in the bosome of the Church and make shew of religion in outward profession lest by forsaking it for the present things of this life they be not able to recouer it againe Now let vs come to the instructions that may be gathered hence And yet before I come to handle them I hold it very profitable to take the course of the Author namely to begin with the exhortation whereon the dehortation is grounded and that is to stirre vs vp to a holy conuersation and to ioyne with our profession a holie life without which as he saith before Vers 14. We shall neuer see God to our comfort and this will make the rest more profitable to vs. And though many in this citie might think or should suppose it a needlesse doctrine yet for my part I take it needfull and profitable to deale with you as the holie Ghost dealt here with them In that he labours earnestly to exhort them to holinesse of life in regard of their profession wee are to obserue that it must be a principall care of those who haue taken vpon them the profession of the Gospell to labour to ioyne a holie conuersation thereunto The profession must not consist in a formall loue and outward shew of the Gospell but they must expresse and shew the power of it in their liues and conuersations A thing the Apostle commends the Thessalonians for 1. Thes 1.5 that the Gospell was not in word but in power that is they did aswell practise it
and all that haue taken the profession of the Gospell vpon them to haue care to frame their liues answerable thereunto And this must bee speciallie three waies The first in their words and speeches which must bee such as may either conuey good to others else draw good from others Secondly in their workes and that not only in their generall places but also in their particular callings whether Magistrate Minister Father Husband Master Seruant c. The third is in their recreations being carefull they vse lawfull things lawfully As you that bee Gentlemen in your bowling shooting hawking hunting which though they bee lawfull recreations yet that you take heed lest you abuse them and not to be mirthmongers making euery day a day of pastime and pleasure Vse 3 A third vse serues to reprooue many who haue taken vpon them the holy profession of Christ Iesus yet in their liues deny the power of it And to come home to this citie and to this place in which are assembled such as make shew of loue to the Gospell Answere me in your consciences where are the signes and tokens of a holy life doe your liues answere your profession is it not with Ioab 1. King 2.28 to murther and then to runne and take hold of the hornes of the altar Nay with the Iewes to sweare Ierem. 7.9.10 lie steale commit adulterie c. and to come and stand in this house before me saith the Lord no more will the Lord allow either of your Bibles vnder your armes or your prayers in your families nor your running after Sermons if your liues be not reformed In the ciuill law it is well knowne a long protestation will not releeue a theefe if he be tainted and proued guiltie of the fact no more will your protestations and faire speeches releeue you when your shops your counting houses your houses your chambers wil condemne you For I appeale this day to many of you that heare me whether the Lord may not truely say to you as hee said by the mouth of his Prophet Micah Micah 6.10 Are yet the treasures of wickednesse in the house of the wicked and the scant measure that is abominable So say I to thee are the treasures of wickednesse in thy house Is the pooremans pledge his bed his gowne his axe his spade his coate in thy house liuest thou by briberie extortion oppression false weights in thy shop false ballance in thy warehouse and darest thou take on thee the holie profession of the Gospell I tell thee all thy prayers almes hearing of the word receiuing the Sacraments are abhorred of God In the time of the Law none might offer the blood of a dog or a swine yet were they both like the blood of a lambe and though the one was accepted yet the other was abhorred So let all thy outward profession seeme neuer so holy yet not ioyned with a holy conuersation God detests it How may the Lord complaine against this citie as he did against Samaria Come to Bethel and transgresse Amos 4.4.5 to Gilgal and multiplie transgressions and bring your sacrifices in the morning and your Tithes after three yeeres And for a thanksgiuing of leauen publish proclaime the free offerings for this liketh you O yee children of Israel saith the Lord. In which he taxeth them for that after many sinnes committed they would come in the morning on their Sabbath daies and bring an offering or a tithe and offer it vp and then think God was well pleased So how manie in this Citie all the weeke long spend it in swearing lying oppression c. and then on the Lords day come to Church in the morning and heare a Sermon make a shew of louing holy exercises Oh this likes them well but this likes not the Lord for he accounts them hypocrites and dissemblers Yea these are they that do more hurt to religion and professors with their running after Preachers with their carrying of Bibles with their holy protestations and their liues odious then the common drunkard whoremonger vsurer c. There is nothing more odious in Gods sight then that man that caries the lampe of profession and denieth and disgraceth it by an vnholy life I end this point with the saying of our Sauiour to his Disciples and in them to all that take on them the profession of his name Matth. 5.16 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father that is in heauen And so much for the generall doctrine drawne from the Apostles dealing with the Hebrewes Now it followes according as it is in the Text. Let there bee no fornicatour You heard before that these words containe a dehortation from such vices as he knew would bring a scandall to the Gospell whereof he sets downe two speciall sinnes The first is here fornication The reasons wherefore he sets this downe were before shewed vnto vs. As also we heard why he sets downe this sinne rather then the sinne of adultery being a sinne of an higher degree Then it resteth we gather what we learne hence which is in that he labors to dehort or draw them from this sinne of fornication we learne that amongst other sinnes all that liue in the Church of God and sincerely professe the Gospell of Iesus Christ must labour by all meanes to shun and auoide the sinne of fornication adulterie incest whoredome and all of that kind It is too true that many professing the Gospel make a light account of fornicatiō oh they take it but a trick of youth And it may bee one reason of the Apostles dehorting or drawing them from this sinne being of like account amongst them But howsoeuer they or we make light account of it yet the holy Ghost accounts it a grieuous sin especially amongst such as professe the Gospell For he speakes not to Atheists but to Christians and such as had taken on them the profession of Christ Iesus his Gospel So I knowing that I preach to such as professe Christ and outwardly make a shew of louing both him and his word dehort and draw you from the sinne of fornication being no small or light sin but an odious and grieuous sinne I tell you a man or woman that haue giuen their names to Christ and laid their hands to the plow of the Gospell and yet liue in fornication or adulterie c. do liue in a wofull and fearefull estate And that this sin is a great sin specially of professors we may see by the words of the Apostle to the Corinthians who saith Be not deceiued 1. Cor. 6.9 neither fornicators nor idolators nor adulterers nor wantons nor buggerers nor theeues nor couetous nor drunkards nor railers nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdome of God Where the Apostle amongst the rascall row of capitall Sinnes placeth fornication as a master-sin and ringleader to other sins and bids them not to be deceiued for as light
And yet one That no man should despaire but to know God is able to call at the last houre And by this he did declare the riches of his mercy to al such as haue grace to turne vnto him Where contrarie we see many thousands of those who hauing deferred their repentance haue bin taken away in their sinnes and died impenitent To thee then that are priuie thou hast had many calles many offers of grace yea the hast seene vs spend our wits our strength yea ouerspent our selues for thy good What diuell hath bewitched thee to post off all and willingly cast away thy selfe What a shame is it that the children of this world are wiser in their kind then the children of light The traueller will take his time in his iourny and will hasten when he sees night approach lest darknesse ouertake him The smith wil smite while the iron is hot lest it coole vpon him and so hee lose his labour The mariner will not let the tide passe him The lawyer will take the Terme because hee knoweth it being ended his clients will be gone so wee ought to make euerie day the day of our terme Thy verie tongue will condemne thee in thy trade If thou trust a man with thy wares thou dost require a bill or bond saying all men be mortall but let the preacher exhort thee to accept of the gracions time of the Lord and tell thee thou art mortall and at an houres warning for death yet thou wilt not beleeue him but so leade thy life as if thou hadst it in fee farme And to thee that callest thy neighbours friends and companions to the cardes tables bowles saying Oh come let vs goe passe the time away Is time so slow that it must bee driuen I tell thee there are at this day many a thousand in hel if they had a kingdome would gladlie giue it all for one houre of that time whereof thou hast manie not to passe it away or to driue it from them but in hope to recouer that which thou graceleslie dost contemne Vse 3 A third vse hence is seeing there is a time in which after refusing of grace the Lord will be gone it serues to exhort vs all to accept of this mercifull time of the Lords fauour Esay 55.6 and to seeke the Lord whilest hee may be found For so long as we doe enioy the preaching of the Gospell amongst vs so long the Lord offers his mercie vnto vs and great hope the time is not past els if we abuse this time to feare that either he will remoue the Gospell from vs else blind our eies and harden our hearts so as nothing wee doe either heare or see shall preuaile with vs to saluation I will grow to an end lest I wearie you and ouerspend my selfe with that saying of our Sauiour to his Disciples Iohn 9 4. I must worke the works of him that sent me whilest it is day the night commeth when no man can worke In which he sets vs all an example by himselfe how to redeeme the time wee liue in here and to labour in the duties belonging to our calling and take euery opportunitie of doing good lest the night come that is death fetch them away and then they shal not stay or returne againe to worke any thing they haue left vndone here Remember the often warning of our Sauiour with this watchword Watch. In which he warnes vs to accept of the time of mercy and to prepare for the day of account that so with ioy wee may yeeld vp our reckonings And how must this be euen by making our benefit of the time of grace and spending it faithfullie in that place calling God hath called vs vnto For euerie one hath his place publike or priuate to God to his Church one to another And I pronoūce to euery one be he Magistrate Minister Father Child Seruant Husband or Wife that hath neglected his time being in place and so louingly offered thee time by the Lord to performe it the if thou be carelesse and negligent in this time a time will come that thou shalt be hurried away and shalt not stay one day one houre or one minute to performe any of that work in thy place thou hast left vndone To conclude let vs cal to remembrance these foure motiues to moue vs to accept of this time of grace this acceptable day of saluation 2. Cor. 6.2 First how mercifull the Lord hath been to vs who might haue cut off our time in our youth in which it may be we were vnthriftie or in the midst of some grieuous sinne we haue committed heretofore or of late daies and so haue sent vs to hell Secondlie consider how many good motions of his Spirit wee haue let slippe and made light account of and sent him away from vs with griefe which it may be we shall neuer enioy againe Thirdly call to thy mind how he hath this day and by mee his vnworthie Minister offered thee his Maiesties gracious pardon vpon willing accepting of it which for ought either thou or I know hee will neuer offer it thee againe either by me or by any other Fourthly consider that as the Lord hath giuen thee a time so hee hath giuen thee thy senses thy wits thy memorie which he hath depriued others of and may doe thee too for ought thou knowest because thou hast made no better vse of them for his glorie or for thine owne saluation Let vs pray for a blessing vpon this we haue heard FINIS