Phil. 2.12 not being so presumptuous as many are who hauing had some illumination in heauenly things and some flashes of good motions in their hearts presently conclude that they are in the state of grace and can neuer fall away from the faith and therevpon take libertie vnto themselues to walke in many inordinate courses which tend much to the dishonour of God and the discredit of the Gospell and let them be admonished and haue the iudgements of God denounced against their sinnes they set light thereby and professe that they feare not the threatnings of the Word as knowing that they cannot but be saued Let vs beware of this carelesse disposition and hearken rather vnto the aduice of the Prophet Dauid who biddeth vs serue the Lord in feare and reioyce before him with trembling Psal 2. for notwithstanding their carnall confidence and boldnesse they may nay they shall except they take better wayes bee vtterly disappointed of their expectation for no prophane person hath any communion with the holy God 2. Cor. 7. and vnlesse they clense themselues from all filthinesse of the flesh and of the spirit the promises of life belong not vnto them Would we then build our assurance vpon a firmer foundation then such kind of persons do Vse 2 then let vs rowse vp our selues from that dead slumber of securitie and set straight steps in the pathes of righteousnesse and while we haue light let vs conscionably walke in the same for we know not how soone it may be taken from vs. It is recorded by the Euangelist Luke that when our Sauiour drew neere vnto Ierusalem he wept for it saying Luke 19.42 O if thou haddest knowne at the least in this thy day thâ—se things which belong vnto thy peace but now are they hidde from thine eyes As if he had said if thou haddest wisely considered of the season when the Lord offered vnto thee fauour and mercie and haddest made vse of the same thou mightest haue beene happie notwithstanding all their former rebellions but now thou art miserable because thou wantedst wisdome to discerne the opportunitie We haue through the preaching of the Gospell the same offer of mercie that the Iewes had let vs not be slacke in taking holde thereof nor harden our hearts while it is called to day but seeke the Lord while he may be found and call vpon him while he is neere and looke how watchfull and obseruant men will be of the fittest opportunitie for the preserring of their suites especially in matters that neerely concerne them vnto an earthly Prince so and much more vigilant let vs be in obseruing the best and meetest season for the seeking and obtaining of fauour from the Lord of Heauen and Earth And whereas many doe seeme to be faire for the crowne of glory 1 Cor. 9. and yet misse of the same Let vs so runne that wee may obtaine casting off euery thing that presseth vs downe and hindereth our making of speed in this race and pressing hard vnto the marke that is set before vs vntill we haue attained vnto that happinesse which we labour and striue for Experience telleth men that the things of this life cannot be gotten vvithout great industry but for eternall saluation they imagine so foolish are the common sort that it may be obtayned without any great adoe nay that it shall be as it were cast vpon them whether they seeke for it or not But if any thing be hard to be come by it is euerlasting life and therefore our Sauiour biddeth vs Luk. 13. Math. 7. Striue to enter in at the straite gate for many I say vnto you will seeke to enter in and shall not be able As nothing is more sure than eternall blessednesse if we in a right manner labour for it so nothing is more impossible to be gotten if we vse not all diligence for the obtayning of it Let vs therefore put our selues to it with all our might resoluing to breake through all manner of impediments that we shall meete with all and making full account that we shall meete with a great many for first of all our owne carnall and sinnefull reason will set vpon vs and obiect very dangerously against all the points of faith and of mortification then the lusts of the flesh will rise vp against the good motions of the spirit and seeke to quench or corrupt them so that our reason we shall finde to be very vnreasonable and our affections to affect the things that are most vnlawfull Furthermore the diuell wil be a sore enemy vnto vs in which regard the Apostle saith We wrestle not against flesh and bloud that is Ephes 6.2.3 against weake aduersaries such as the mightiest men are in comparison of Satan but against principalities and powers c. And what of that For this cause saith hee take vnto you the whole armour of God that you may be able to resist in the euill day c. Which exhortation we should the rather giue heede vnto because otherwise wee shall light vpon Satans snares in euery thing wee set our selues about he hath traps for vs in our recreations in our eating and drinking in our calings yea in the very exercises of religion which wee performe so that if wee be not very wary and circumspect we shall certainely be insnared Lastly we haue the world to discourage vs from well doing and especially our carnall friends who proue commonly the most deadly and dangerous foes for they will be euer and anon thrusting diuellish obiections into our heads why will you be more strict than your neighbours will they say Are there not vvise men that much dislike your course and doe you not see that others cary away wealth and credit and preferment from such as you are What doe you meane therefore by your precisenesse not onely to disaduantage your selfe but to vndoe your wife and children and so to discredit and greiue all your friends these and a thousand suchlike obstacles and lets wee shall meete with when once we enter into a Christian course and therefore it standeth vs vpon to looke narrowly vnto our steps and to craue strength from heauen that we may breake through all hinderances and oppositions That so being faithfull vnto the death we may not be depriued of the heauenly rest but at length attaine vnto the crowne of life which God the righteous iudge will be bestow vpon vs. TWO SERMONS Of Christian Loue and Life On Canticles 2. Verse 10. PREACHED AT Tedbury in Glocester-shire vpon Christs Ascention-day last past 1612. By Richard Webb 2 Corinth 11.2 I am ielous ouer you with a Godly ielousie for I haue prepared you for one husband to present you as a pure Virgin to Christ LONDON Printed by THO. SNODHAM for ROGER IACKSON and are to be sould at his shop neere to Fleetstreet Conduit 1613. To the right Worshipfull and his very good friends Mr. Thomas Stephens and to his good and vertuous
cary away all the preferment and yet when the question is concerning the chiefe preferment of all which is to be a found Christian they put euery body before themselues they are content that others shall be Kings but they will be vassalls vnto sinne and Sathan What folly or rather madnesse is this Doe they imagine that they shall not come to iudgement as well as others Doth not experience manifest vnto them that age creepeth vpon them as well as vpon others That sicknesse taketh hold of them as well as of others That horrible vexations and terrours doe sease on them as vvell as on others And why then doth it not enter into their hearts that damnation belongs vnto them as well as vnto others if by speedy repentance they doe not preuent the same Now as some doe fondly and falsly conceiue that they shall be boren vvith in regard of their greatnesse so doe others hope in regard of their meanenesse to be dispensed with We are poore day-labourers and seruants say they who are to be imployed in worldly affaires and to spend our whole time that way I hope it is not required of vs that wee should be skild in the scriptures be able to conceiue prayer able to admonish offenders c. And therefore either they absent themselues from the Church altogether or els are carelesse and negligent and sleepie when they are there and if they be called to an account and examined vvhat they remember they make answere that they are wearied out with labouring in the weeke dayes and therefore they must haue rest vpon the Sabbath day That they were hired for their worke and that they will doe and no more they will not be examined nor catechized nor be held to any such strict orders But doth not the Lord in his holy word require obedience of poore men and of seruants as farre forth as of any Doth not he in the fourth commandement enioyne them to obserue not a bodily rest alone as beasts doe but an holy rest And whereas they say that they are so toyled out with worke that they cannot listen to Gods word that is but a fleshly and diuellish excuse for vvhen the Sermon is ended they are fresh and liuely enough to follow after their sports and sinnefull recreations if they may haue libertie so to doe and can take more paines that way than they haue done in their callings all the weeke before and therefore these vaine shifts shall not serue their turnes Gods threatnings are denounced against them and his iudgements haue beene executed vpon such as they are heeretofore and so shall they be still profane seruants and sinnefull poore men were not spared in the destruction of the olde world and of Sodom and Gomorra and wee reade in the Gospell that at the comming of Christ those that are labouring in the Field Mat. 24.40.41 and women that are grinding at the Mill shall be some of them cast off vnto destruction as well as others are receiued vnto saluation But all seruants are not of so meane a condition as some but there are a second sort that haue another pretence for their casting off of Christ his yoake and they are such as are followers of great men who alledge that it is not for their Masters honour for them to be religious or as they tearme it precise but to be proud and quarrelsome to be ruffians and roisters to be swearers and blasphemers to be drunkards and whore-Maisters these they thinke be for the credite of the house vnto which they appertaine and by these practises they hope to be-please their Masters But when they haue spent their daies in these courses can their Masters saue them from perdition which by their leudnesse they haue iustly deserued no surely the holy Ghost speaking of the mighty ones of the world sayth Psal 49.7.8 that they cannot redeeme their brother nor giue his ransome to God they cannot procure their naturall life to be prolonged one day nay nor one moment much lesse can they purchase the redemption of their soules that they should liue for euer and that in perpetuall blisse and happinesse Others there are that thinke they may haue a tolleration to be vaine and sinnefull because they are yong especially if they haue this resolution that when their youthfull bloud is spent and the vigour of their bodies gone they will betake themselues to more sober courses and repent for that which is past but till that time if they take their libertie vpon the Lords day and liue in idlenesse and profanenesse euery day you must pardon them but will God pardon them doth not he say Remember thy creatour in the dayes of thy youth Eccles 12.1 whiles the euill dayes come not nor the yeeres approach wherein thou shalt say I haue no pleasure in them And if they will not take his aduise marke what he sayth in another place Reioyce Eccles 11.9 O yong man in thy youth and let thine heart cheare thee in the dayes of thy youth c. This they can well like of be too ready to put in practise but what followeth But know sayth the Lord that for all these things thou must be brought to iudgement Dauid found that the sinnes of his youth lay heauy vpon him and therefore prayeth God would not remember them Psal 25.7 and shall we make so light of them Paul admonisheth Timothy a very sanctified and mortified yong man to flie the lusts of youth and shall we let loose the raines thereunto as if they were matters of nothing ah let vs not be so foole-hardie vnto our owne ruine and ouerthrow but considering how fearfully the Lord doth iudge many young men that giue vp themselues to fornication and adulterie and theft and all manner of vile and sinfull behauiour as namely that some of them die an vntimely death being either brought to the gallowes or some other way strangely cut off and that others hauing great reuenewes left vnto them are notwithstanding cast into extreme miserie and necessitie and that some others being well descended are for all that branded with egregious infamie and reproch considering I say these and the like extraordinary tokens of Gods heauie displeasure against sundrie lisencious yong men let vs take warning by their example and consecrate the first fruits of our yeeres vnto him by spending our time religiouslie and profitablie in some good course or other Secondly Vse 2 sithence the care of saluation pertaineth vnto all indifferently let Ministers hence learne to deale equally with those that are vnder their charge and not know any man after the flesh to respect him more or lesse for that hee is rich or poore high or low or the like but giue euery one their due portion of spirituall food which they in the wisedome of the Spirit iudge to be most fit for them let them not feare to administer an admonition or reprehension to the greatest and wealthiest neither let them
seare by others falles least wee be ouertaken in the same sort Lâ—t that had carried himselfe holily and chastely in Sodome was a man very vnlikely as wee would haue thought to fall into incest and to commit filthinesse with his owne Daughters yet such vvas the vilenesse of his nature that by his Daughters meanes hee was drawen first vnto drunkennesse and then vnto that other fowle and notorious euill before mentioned And if such a man as hee vvere so shamefully foyled who can secure himselfe from falling Secondly Sathan is the same now that heretofore hee hath beene yea and much more malicious because he hath since then had a number of foyles his time is still shorter in which regard hee is more imbittered and enraged and therefore more violent in tempting vnto all manner of iniquitie and haue not we then cause to tremble when we consider the falles of those that haue gone before vs Thirdly the Lords threatnings denounced against sinne are the same still and the strictnesse of his iustice in executing them is no whit diminished but as hee is constant in his goodnesse towards such as obey him so is hee in his righteousnesse toward such as disobey him and if there be any difference betwixt these our times and the dayes of old it standeth herein that those that are offenders now are likely to speede worse than those of former times because they haue had their examples vvhich should haue made them more fearefull of prouoking the LORD and yet haue not taken benefit thereby but rushed vpon those greiuous sinnes for which others haue beene much condemned and seuerely punished Let this therefore be an instruction vnto vs Vse 2 that we seriously consider what breaches of the commaundements the Lord hath pursued with sorest plagues heretofore and so become watchfull ouer our owne hearts and wayes that we be not found guiltie of the same Nehem. 13 17 18. thus did Nehemiah when he saw the Sabbath prophaned by the Iewes Then saith he I reproued the Rulers of Iudah and said vnto them what euill thing is this that ye doe and breake the Sabbath day Did not your fathers thus and our God brought all this plague vpon vs and vpon our Citie Yet yee increase the wrath vpon Israel in breaking the Sabbath In the same manner should we reason hath not the Lord smitten sundry particular persons in their estate for the prophaning of his holy rest besides other stroakes that haue lighted vpon their bodies and soules Nay hath he not brought vpon our whole Nation sundry iudgements euen for this haynous sinne among many other Why then should wee persist in prouoking him still and so pull downe vpon our heads one plague after another So for the abusing of the Lords supper the Apostle saith that many among the Corinthians were smitten with weakenesse 1 Cor. 11. and sicknesse and with death it selfe what vse should wee make thereof Surely this Did not they then escape Gods afflicting hand that came vnpreparedly and vnworthily without examining and iudgeing of themselues vnto the holy Sacrament then how can we expect to goe vnpunished if we pollute and defile that holy ordinance of God as they did The like may be said of other sinnes as namely of those wherewith the old world is charged Luk. 17.26.27 viz. That they eat and dranke and maried and gaue in mariage vnto the day that Noe entred into the Arke and the floud came and destroyed them all That is they liued in a profound worldlinesse being altogether carelesse of heauenly matters and setting their mindes vpon nothing but the things of this life they did traffique onely for their bodies not at all for their soules And was this so great a fault will some say for men to follow after their commodities and delights Yes that they should wholy giue ouer themselues vnto the pursuite of these was so offensiue vnto the Lord that hee swept them all away by an vniuersall deluge they had so defiled the whole world that it could not be throughly clensed till they were all washed away that were the offenders And if wee follow them in those carnall courses wee may iustly feare that the Lord will cut vs off as hee did them though not in the like manner if we be men of the world and for the world making it our whole life and the very end of our being here to eate and drinke and buy and sell and plant and build in a word if we be wholy addicted to our profit and pleasure and credit and in particular for the matter of mariage if wee looke wholy or for the most part to personage and portion when wee are to make choise of yoake-fellowes for our selues and our children not regarding vvhether they be Papists or Atheists or any manner of way prophane so that they can satisfie our fleshly affections for outward things if I say we be thus disposed either wee shal be cut off by an vntimely death as the old world and the Sodomites were or if our dayes be prolonged it shal be to the increase of our woe and misery either in the time of our life or after our death or both And whereas concerning that former matter of carnall matches some may imagine that albeit they mary recusant Papists or others that are as bad they can so order matters that they will receiue no hurt by them but bring them to Church and so doe good vnto them let them not presume too much vpon their vaine conceits Salomon was as wise as they yet was not he able to conuert his Idolatrous wiues but was himselfe peruerted by them and so haue many moe beside him Wee can be thus prouident for our bodily safety that when wee see one to be swallowed vp in some griefe or to perish in a quick-sand or the like wee will retire and not aduenture vpon the perill and surely the examples of Gods word though of things that haue beene acted many yeeres since should be more forcible to cause vs to shunne spirituall dangers than fearefull spectacles that are present before our eyes should be to make vs carefull of eschewing corporall euils Therefore in the second place Vse 2 here is a iust reproofe of those that are so farre from being afraid at the consideration of the saults of their Ancestors that they are thereby much emboldned vnto wicked practises of which number are all Papists and sundry els that are popishly minded Oh say they this is an ancient religion an ancient custome c. And what of that Therefore let all Churches be defiled and all particular persons corrupted therewith and so for the breaking of the Sabbath it hath beene an vsuall thing time out of minde say they and therefore why should you finde fault with it This is a bad argument and if it might stand for a rule that the antiquity of a thing doth euer proue the lawfulnesse thereof what grosse euill could be condemned as vnlawfull The
Israelites hardning of their hearts in the wildernesse the crying sinnes of the Sodomites the haynous offences of the old world and the woefull disobedience of our first Parents in Paradise haue antiquitie for the maintenance of them if that would serue the turne but alas that is so farre from making any fault alowable that it causeth the committers thereof to be more in excuseable in as much as they haue not beene admonished by the falls of such as haue gone before them Therefore let vs neuer beare our selues in hand that we may warrantably take this or that course of life because others haue done so before vs vnlesse wee can euidently proue out of the scriptures that they haue done well in so doing Otherwise let vs rather feare as in this text wee are exhorted than presume to walke in their steps To God the Father to Iesus Christ his Sonne and to the holy Ghost be all honour and glory ascribed both now and for euermore Amen THE SECOND SERMON OF GODLY FEARE HEBREVVES 4. VERSE 1. Least at any time by forsaking the promise of entring into his rest any of you should seeme to be depriued LEast at any time These wordes doe shew the continuance of our watchfulnesse that it must be constant not at some times alone but at all times whence obserue this point that Whosoeuer vvould attaine to euerlasting life Doct. 4 Constant vvatchfulnesse required must stand constantly and perpetually vpon his guard euery Christian must keepe a continuall watch ouer his owne soule as well one day as another as well hereafter as for the present there is no time of intermission or of interruption granted Therefore is it that this same Apostle exhorteth saying Take heede brethren Heb. 3.12 least at any time there be in any of you an euill heart and vnfaithfull to depart away from the liuing God Pro. 28.14 And the vvise man saith Blessed is hee that feareth alwayes but hee that hardens his heart shall fall into euill Implying thereby that where this godly feare is at any time wanting there that partie is prone to fall into hardnesse of heart and so to proceed from one wickednesse vnto another The like caution is giuen by our Sauiour to his Disciples Take heede to your selues saith he least at any time your hearts be oppressed with surfetting Luk. 21.34 and drunkennesse and the cares of this life Neither is this vncessant watchfulnesse more than needes Reasons for First the diuell goes about continually at a roaring Lyon seeking whom he may deuoure 1 Pet. 5. Hee is as it were a strong and cunning thiefe that hath often marked euery place in our house where hee may breake in and if wee haue not a continuall eye vnto him hee is ready to take vs at an aduantage and to spoyle our soules of those good things vvhich the Lord hath vouchsafed vnto vs and when he is least suspected then is hee most industrious about his mischieuous practises Our warfare is different from that which earthly Princes doe exercise for they are some times altogether without danger but wee goe in continuall perill wee know not how soone Sathan will be vpon vs there is no moment wherein wee can secure our selues from his assaults and if we be not euermore in a readinesse to award off his blowes we are likely to receiue a deadly wound Yea vvee haue not onely our aduersary the diuell to encounter with but a more neere and dangerous enemy and withall very subtill euen our owne flesh which is ready vpon euery occasion to betray vs into the hands of Sathan haue we not then good reason alwayes to walke in feare If we had in our houses a theevish seruant albeit he did not lay waite for our liues nor were any way likely to endanger our whole estate but onely to defraud vs of some part of our substance vvould wee not haue an eye to such an one and that continually But especially if we had one within our doores that sought all opportunities to deliuer vs into the hands of our mortall enemy would wee not be euermore watchfull for the preuenting of such a mischiefe How much more vigilant then should wee be in matters spirituall seeing that our naturall corruption is exceeding treacherous and ready vpon euery occasion not to procure vs some slight inconuenience or small losse but to bring vs vnder the power and dominion of the Prince of darkenesse vvho is a vowed aduersary vnto all Gods elect Thirdly in regard of the Lord wee had need to keepe a perpetuall watch ouer our hearts for vvho knoweth how seuerely he may proceede against vs if vve for neuer so little a while doe wilfully shake off the yoake of obedience May not hee iustly giue vs ouer to a deluded minde and a profane spirit if we beginne to alow our soules in any knowen euill If vvee carelessely reiect his holy lawes may not his spirit iustly forsake our soule If wee conclude thus in our owne thoughts now will I take liberty for vvantonnesse and vncleanenesse for oppression and hard dealing and such like sinnes and hereafter I vvill become more chast and more mercifull c. May not God euen at this time deliuerws vp as prisoners vnto Sathan as hee hath dealt vvith sundry others and cause him so to manacle our hearts and affections that it shall cost vs many a bitter teare ere wee recouer our former libertie and freedome of spirit Nay further how if God should take vs with the manner and at that time strip vs of life it selfe Surely albeit wee being the seruants of the Lord and dying in repentance cannot perish vtterly yet shall we depart hence very vncomfortably and not leaue so good a report behinde vs as otherwise vve might haue done The doctrine thus confirmed serueth First Vse 1 for the sharpe reproofe of such aspropose vnto themselues set times vvherein they will giue their flesh the swing and let loose the raines vnto too much licenciousnesse And as at other times so especially vpon the Lords day when God would haue them wholy to attend vpon him then they take liberty for their vile and sinfull lusts giuing themselues ouer either to idlenesse at home or which is worse vnto profanenesse abroad For the weeke dayes many containe themselues ordinarily vvithin some good compasse being imployed in the workes of their vocation but on the Sabbath which the Lord hath set apart as holy vnto himselfe they runne violently vnto all manner of sinnefull recreations and base exercises and sports and so of Gods day they make that the Diuels day in so much that hee then knowes whereabout hee shall finde them euen busily imployed in his worke for they at sundry seasons openly professe and that a twelue moneths before Ryot and Drunkennesse and Carding and Dicing and dalliance and such like horrible abuses and make it knowne that then they minde to keepe open house for sinne and Sathan when they should set
as the very Angels of God in Heauen Another proofe of this point wee haue in the Prophesie of Ieremie where the Lord speaketh thus Stand in the wayes and behold and atke for the olde way Ierem. 6.16 which is the good way and walke therein and what then ye shall finde rest for your soules And that wee may yet more fully see into the truth of this doctrine that grace and peace true godlinesse and sound tranquilitie and quietnesse doe euer accompany one another let vs weigh these reasons following First Reasons 1 whosoeuer is truely gracious is deliuered from the troublesome carriage of an ill conscience whereupon must needes ensue marueilous great ease for sinnes vnrepented and vnpardoned doe lye wonderfull heauie and are vnto the soule euen as an ouerweighty burden is vnto a Ship which is ready euer and anon to sinke it and to cause it to be ouerwhelmed and swallowed vp of the Waters this burden CHRIST IESVS doeth remoue as soone as euer hee beginneth to dwell in the heart by his holy Spirit freeing vs from the terrour of a guiltie conscience and from the accusations and clamour and continuall complaints of the same Secondly as the guilt of sinne is quite taken away so is the power thereof greatly weakened by him whereupon much peace and quietnesse must necessarily follow For that partie is in great slauerie and bondage that liues vnder the dominion of sinne being alwayes tossed and turmoyled with one vnruly lust or other which makes him euermore vnquiet and restlesse as the raging waues of the Sea or if at any time hee haue a little case his torment is afterwards redoubled now from this raigning power of iniquitie all godly men are exempted according to that of the Apostle Paul who speaking of regenerate men saith that the olde man is crucified in them Rom. 6.6 that the body of sinne might be destroyed that hencefoorth they should not serue sinne to which purpose he also addeth Sinne shall not haue dominion ouer you vers 14. Thirdly whosoeuer is indued with sauing grace is freed from many doubts and feares concerning his estate and concerning such perils as may befall his body for as touching the charge and care of prouision and protection the Lord himselfe vndertakes it for him so that hee may and must quietly and cheerefully labour in his calling and neuer trouble himselfe with the successe but leaue that vnto God who hath promised to care for those that cast their care vpon him and to be a defence vnto those that commit themselues vnto him It must needs be very burdensome vnto the mightiest man that is although hee haue many thousands comming in by the yeere to take vpon him the maintenance of himselfe and of those that doe depend vpon him for hee cannot but be many times mistrustfull of his estate in regard of many casualties which he is subiect vnto and so be perplexed and distracted with feare that he shall not be able to maintaine his port and to vphold his dignitie in such sort as he desireth and what a quieting then must it of necessitie be vnto the heart of a man to haue this burden taken off his shoulders vnder which others doe walke so heauily and to be freed from a number of carking and vexing thoughts by relying on Gods gracious prouidence for all the meanes of this temporall life Fourthly and lastly grace freeth such as haue it from the feare of death and of hell which causeth those that are vnder the guilt and power of sinne to be in marueilous great bondage all their life long as the writer of this Epistle witnesseth Chap. 2. vers 15. For albeit vnregenerate men put away from them the thoughts of death as much as possibly they can yet when any grieuous sickenesse is vpon them or any the like messenger of death approcheth vnto them and doth as it were knocke at their dores they are commonly very much disquieted and in very sore distresse and anguish but as euery one is more religious so his desolution and departure hence is lesse terrible vnto him nay vsually no newes can be more welcome vnto such than that they must shortly leaue this sinnefull and wretched world for then they know they shall make an happy change and instead of the Earth enioy Heauen Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord for they rest from their labours Reuel 14.13 Isa 57.2 Psal 16. their bodies rest in the graue as in their beds and their soules goe to the full fruition of that rest which was but begunne heere vpon the earth Which serueth in the first place for the confutation of their errour which iudge a Christian life to be of all other the most tedious and troublesome Vse 1 fullest of feare and of vexations which imagine that the professours of the Gospell are perpetually as it were vpon a racke in so much that for their owne parts they would more willingly sit all day in the stockes than be at religious exercises and chuse rather to liue in Bridewell than in those places where they shall be tyed to the outward performance of Christian duties But what sayth the Lord concerning this matter doth not hee auouch that the state of a Christian is a state of rest and of peace and which shall we giue credite vnto eyther the wise God or foolish men But some will say how can it be that their estate should be so full of quietnesse Obiect seeing that they are continually subiect to afflictions and persecutions temptations as the Scriptures themselues besides daily experience do euidently shew Those doe not at all breake off their quietnesse so long as they keepe their peace with God Answere for they are but as it were stormes and boysterous windes that beate at the windowes and vpon the outside of the house so that their inward man to wit their minds and consciences are nothing disquieted thereby or if they be it proceedeth not from the hauing of grace but from the want thereof and as they grow more religious so their hearts are still more calme and quiet Secondly heere is matter as of incouragement Vse 2 to cause men to enter into the course of christianitie because howsoeuer it be a warfare yet it is not a dangerous but a safe warfare so also of singular consolation vnto those that haue already made entrance into the same For whereas all men desire to liue at hearts ease they doe indeed take the ready way thereunto for it hath bene before sufficiently confirmed that religion bringeth men vnto rest and quietnesse and therefore let them expect it and pray for it and they shall be sure not to misse of it Now because our rest and peace is eyther more or lesse according to the measure of our holinesse and our sanctification in this life is but in part and therefore our rest also imperfect this should make vs long for the day of our glorification when wee shall be indued
with perfect holinesse and so attaine to perfect rest in this world wee enioy a great deale more than any naturall man can conceiue but in the life to come wee shall enioy infinitely more than wee our selues can now conceiue which should cause vs with patience to passe through the troublesome and tempestuous Sea of this world in hope that we shall shortly arriue at the Hauen of rest where wee long to be 2 Thes 1.6.8.10 for it is a iust thing with God to giue rest vnto them that are troubled When the Lord Iesus shall shew himselfe from Heauen with his mighty Angels to be glorified in his Saints and to be made maruailous in all them that beleeue in that day Any of you Doct. 7 Whence obserue this Doctrine that The care of saluation belongeth to euery one indifferently Religious duties pertaine vnto all Hee that would not be damned and eternally destroyed must be heedfull and watchfull ouer his wayes of what state condition or age soeuer he be there is no dispensation for any Magistrate and Subiect Minister and People Master and Seruant Men and Women yong and old are all bound to be carefull for the happy estate of their soules God in this regard is no respecter of persons but requireth this care of euery one as well as of any one Hence it is that the Scripture giues such generall exhortations vnto pietie Reasons 1 as Psalme 49.1 Heare this all yee people giue eare all ye that dwell in the world aswell low as high both rich and poore And againe in the Gospell according to Marke Mar. 13.37 our Sauiour saith Those things that I say vnto you I say vnto all men Watch. And further the LORD in denouncing and executing his iudgements maketh no distinction of persons but threatneth and inflicteth his plagues vpon all sorts according to their works and as they haue beene greater offenders so doe they meete with sorer punishments the Lord spareth none as we may note in the Reuelation where is shewed that when God came to manifest the fiercenesse of his wrath against rebellious sinners The Kings of the Earth and the great men Reuel 6.15.16 and the rich men and the chiefe Captaines and the mightie men and euery bondman and euery free-man hid themselues in dens and among the Rocks of the Mountaines And sayd to the Mountaines and Rocks Fall on vs and hide vs from the presence of him that sitteth vpon the Throne and from the wrath of the Lambe In which place we see that neither the great command of Potentates nor the fortitude of Warrtours nor the riches of the wealthie nor the base condition of the meaner sort can stand them in any stead when the Lord entreth into iudgement with them but all that haue in them raging sinnes shall be tormented with hellish feares Againe Gods mercies and graces and the testimonies of his fauour are offered vnto all sorts so that none needs to complaine that his seruing of the Lord vvill be bootlesse though the gates of great men be opened vnto some and shut against others it is not so with heauen-gate that stands wide open vnto all that through the faithfull and conscionable vse of the meanes doe striue to enter in Gal. 3.28 For in Christ Iesus there is neither Iew nor Graecian Barbarian nor Scithian bond nor free male nor female but in him all are one that is all are equally respected without any personall difference for God regardeth not one country more than another one nation more than another the Maister hath no preheminence aboue the seruant vnlesse he be more religious neither shall the seruant haue a lesse reward than the Maister except hee be lesse gracious women are accepted with the Lord as well as men neither hath hee any regard of the one sexe more than of the other Seeing then that he imposeth on all men without exception an holy care of their saluation and punisheth all those that neglect it and rewardeth all such as obserue it the vse hereof is 1 For the confutation of their errour who imagine that this is not a thing pertayning vnto all Vse 1 but properly belonging vnto Ministers and vnto those that are learned and haue time and leasure for such businesses but as for others vvhat should they meddle vvith matters of Religion at least in any serious manner Indeed they would haue some kinde of men to be able to say somewhat in points of controuersie that so they might if occasion be offered shew their good education their vvit their elocution and such like good parts of nature but for tradesmen husbandmen poore seruants and especially for women to be exercised in the scriptures and matters of Godlinesse they thinke it an absurde and vnreasonable thing But what Haue not they soules as vvell as others And haue not they sinne in their soules that needes purging as well as others And can sinne be purged away by any other meanes than by those vvhich God hath ordayned And if it be not washed away can there any vncleane thing enter into the kingdome of heauen If not what vnmercifulnesse is it in them to deny vnto any the carefull and conscionable vse of Gods ordinances whereby they should be made vncapeable of that celestiall happinesse Away therefore with this hatefull and dangerous errour that some are exempted from that religious vvatchfulnesse and care of the duties of piety and of righteousnesse vvhich is enioyned vnto others neither let vs suffer our mindes and our hearts to be corrupted therewith but vvhether wee be men or women young or old poore or rich base or honourable let vs take vpon vs this burden vvhich the Lord vvould haue all to beare euen to stand in continuall feare of prouoking his Maiesty either by rushing vpon those euils which he hath forbidden or by omitting those duties which he hath commanded And to presse this point a little further let not great men be deluded vvith this conceit that they stand not in need of prayer and of the vvord in publike and in priuate that they are not bound to mourne for their faults to seeke reconciliation vvith God to desire the admonitions of his seruants and the like let not great men I say deceiue themselues vvith such vaine imaginations for if any ought to be more carefull of Gods seruices than other surely they are the men for they receiue most vvages and therefore must they doe most worke they haue the strongest enemies and therefore need most heedfully to stand vpon their guard they meet vvith the most dangerous snares and therefore must be most wary of their steps least at any time they be entangled Yet so farre hath Sathan bewitched a great number that they thinke it a derogation to their dignitie to suffer the words of exhortation or of admonition to be put in minde of offences committed or of duties omitted those things they thinke pertaine to men of inferiour note they vvould seeme to
great to Christ that in the end he died for Christ so that he might well say to Christ when he did aske of him this question Whether he did loue him or no Yeâ— Lord thou knowest that I loue thee Ioh. 21.15 So did Mary the great sinner her loue was so large to Christ that she did many things which did iustly honor Christ she came to the place where be was and brought a boxe of oyntment she stood at his seâ—â—e behinde him weeping she washed his sect with teares shee did wipe them with the haires of her head shee did kisse them with her mouth and annoint them with the ointment so that Christ might well say of her and to her praise that shee loued him much Luk. 7.47 So did the scattered Iewes that were Saints their loue was so vpright towards Christ that though they did neuer see Christ with the mortall eves of their bodies yet they did loue Christ and so set their affections vpon him that they did reioyce in him with ioy vnspeakable and glorious so that Peter might well commend them in this respect for their loue to Christ as indeed hee doth 1 Pet. 1.8 So in a word did the Church and still doth her loue is so hot and strong to Christ that nothing shall part her from Christ neither persecutions on the one side nor promotions on the other Cant. 8.6 7. So that she might truely say these words of her selfe Stay me with flagons and comfort me with apples for I am sicke of loue Cant. 2.5 Thus then should all the righteous loue Christ as indeed they do witnesse the Spouse her selfe Cant. 1.3 The reasons to draw vs on to this loue are foure Reasons The first is because he hath loued vs according to that of Iohn in Ioh. 4.19 We loue him because hath loued vs first Inuenimus eum non praeuenimus We found him not preuented him Dilexit enim non existentes imo resistentes For he loued vs when we were not yea when we were his enemies Rom. 1.10 The Church doth declare in Cantic 2.4 that this is a speciall meanes to draw the affections of men after Christ for there his loue is compared to a banner for as by the banner or ensigne the souldiers are drawne to their owne Captaines and colours so by the loue of Iesus Christ as by a banner or ensigne are all the chosen ones drawne to Christ in which respect the Apostle Saint Paul doth shew that the loue of Christ hath a certaine power or force to constraine or to compell men when he saith for the loue of Christ constrasneth vs. The second is because he is very kinde and bountifull to such as do loue him according to that which is in the Psalme Psal 31.25 where all the Saints of God are willed to loue the Lord vpon this ground because he doth preserue them that doe it as well as destroy the wicked that are their enemies Christ is not a wildernesse nor a land of darkenesse to such as loue him but a fountaine of all happinesse He is content to come home as it were to them and to dwell with them in their soules Ioh. 14.23 Yea hee doth prouide such large things and excellent matters for them as are altogether incomprehensible and past our vnderstanding as witnesseth the Apostle Saint Paul 1 Cor. 2.9 in these words The things which the eye hath not seene neither the eare hath heard neither came into mans heart are which God hath prepared for them that loue him Surely vpon this consideration Mary spoken of before was much affected to Christ because she saw that Christ was kinde to her and very liberall in pardoning all her sinnes which were many she could not but loue him much for that cause Luk. 7.47 So the Virgins fell in loue with Christ vpon the view and remembrance of such benefits as do come to men by Christ as we are taught in Cantic 1.2 in these words Because of the sauonr of thy good ointments thy name is as an ointment powred out therefore the Virgins loue thee The third is because he is most excellent in himselfe and most worthy of all our loues as being the chiefest of ten thousands Cantic 5.10 And this is true in many respects First for his beauties sake Secondly for his riches sake Thirdly for his parentage sake Fourthly for his wisdomes sake Lastly for his loues sake In this world we loue some and marry with them onely because they are faire and beautifull some onely because they are rich and wealthie some onely because they are of a Noble and Honourable house some onely because they are wise and prudent some lastly because they are louing and kinde Now how Christ is faire and beautifull you may see by this because he is the brightnesse of the glorie of his Father and the ingrauen forme of his Person Hâ—brewes 1.3 How he is rich and wealthie you may see by this because he is the heire of all the world Heb. 1.2 How he is noble and honorable you may see by this because hee is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords Reuelat. 19.16 How he is wise and prudent you may see by this because in him are hid all the treasures of knowledge and vnderstanding Coless 2.3 And lastly how hee is louing and kinde you may see by this because he died for vs to redeeme vs and doth still cherish and nourish vs as his owne bodie Ephes 5.2.29 When the Church had commended her welbeloued and had set him out in his orient colours before the eyes of men those that did before despise him fell in some loue with him and offered their seruice to the Church to ioyne with her to seeke him out Cantic 5. and last verse Thus his excellencie is as an Adamant to draw vs that are irons vnto him The fourth and last is because those that will not loue him shall perish and be damned if any man loue not the Lord Iesus Christ saith Saint Paul 1. Cor. 16 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let him bee hanged vp on high the Lord doth come or as it is translated in our English Bible Let him be had in exceration yea excommunicate to death Hereof is that saying in Luke Chapter 19.27 vttered by our Sauiour himselse These mine enemies which would not that I should raigne ouer them bring hither and slay them before me When Niniuch heard that shee must bee destroyed within fortie dayes she repented immediately vpon it in sack-cloth and ashes and did forsake her euill wayes and turned from the wickednesse that was in her hands Ionah 3.8 So wee hearing that we shall be destroyed vnlesse we loue the Lord Iesus it must awaken vs like a mightie thunder-clap from heauen and cause vs out of hand to affect him Thus you see the reasons Vse now let vs come to the vses they are in number three The first is for reprehension the second for consolation and the third for admonition In the