Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
love_n	death_n	life_n	world_n	5,607	5	4.5010	4	true

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A20536	Ten sermons tending chiefely to the fitting of men for the worthy receiuing of the Lords Supper VVherein amongst many other holy instructions: the doctrines of sound repentance and humiliation, and of Gods speciall fauours vnto penitent sinners, and worthy communicants are largely and effectually handled. The six first, by I. Dod. The foure last, by R. Cleauer. Whereunto is annexed, a plaine and learned metaphrase on the epistle to the Collossians, written by a godly and iudicious preacher. There is also set before the sermons, a short dialogue of preparation: containing the chiefe points that concerne the worthy receiuing of the Lords Supper, taken for the most part, out of the sermons following: and collected into a method for the benefit and ease of those that desire direction in this matter.	Dod, John, 1549?-1645.; Cleaver, Robert, 1561 or 2-ca. 1625. aut; Winston, John, fl. 1614-1634.	1610 (1610)	STC 6945; ESTC S114601	221,900	292

And why knowing in your selues that you haue in heauen a better and more enduring substance If their riches had bene of such value as they made shew of as the world takes them for they could not haue bene so quickly taken from them but sith they had betaken them to their wings these faithfull ones knew that heauen which was reserued for them in stead thereof was farre more excellent and more durable and therfore full glad were they that for the cause of God they had made so happy and so blessed an exchange Verse 1. Blessed are those that are vpright in the way c. And vers 2. Blessed are those that seek him with their whole heart These words hauing been expouÌ„ded before offer vnto vs this doctrine That whosoeuer would haue sound happines must haue a sound heart So much sincerity as their is Doct. 2 so much blessednesse there wil be and according to the degree of our hypocrisie wil be the measure of our misery It is not in the action done or in the words spoken that blessednesse consists but in the quality of them that all be done and spoken soundly and sincerely this is required Psalme 15. that he that will be a member of the Church militant on earth and of the Church triumphant in heauen must Walke vprightly and speake the truth from his heart And againe in another Psalme a question is made to the same effect Who shall dwell in the mountaine of the Lord and who shall stand in his holy place Psal 24.3.4 and the answere is He that hath innocent hands and a pure heart which hath not lift vp his mind to vanity nor sworne deceitfully In which words we haue a discription of a sound hearted man 1 By his actions that he dealeth vprightly and so hath innocent hands 2. By his affection that he lifteth not vp his minde to vanity that is setteth not his heart on any earthly thing in which sence that Phrase is vsed in the originall Ier. 22.27 3. By his speeches that he hath not sworne nor any way spoken deceifully The reasons to confirme this point are drawne from the great inconueniences that will follow on the contrary for if there a be in any fraudulent and deceitfull heart 1 First there is a deadly quarrell Reasons and mortall enmitie betweene God and him for who are they that are reconciled to the Lord God hath a quarrell against hypocrites whose sins are couered by the righteousnesse of his sonne so that they shall not be imputed vnto them euen they In whose spirit there is no guile And what wil follow then for those Psal 32.3 whose hearts are full of fraude and deceipt but that they must needs be destitute of all hope of the pardon of their sins and so consequently lye open to the strokes of Gods vengeance due vnto the same 2 And as their persons are hatefull to the Lord so are their seruices abhorred of him He loaths their seruices for indeed they are not the seruices of God but of Sathan and of our owne flesh and therefore be they neuer so glorious in outward shew and let them pretend neuer so much zeale in the performance of them yet the Lord hath them in vtter detestation As we may plainly see in the hypocritical Pharises they would be euery where praying with great deuotion and very often fasting with great austerity blowing a trumpet to giue notice vnto men of their almes-deeds and liberality and striuing with al their might by externall obseruations to winne themselues the praise of holy and zealous men yet for all this our Sauiour sharply rebuketh theÌ„ saying Luk 16.15 Yee are they which iustifie your selues before men but God knoweth your hearts for that which is highly esteemed before men is an abomination in the sight of God It is as loathsome vnto him as carions or toades or any such creatures as mans nature doth most abhorre can be vnto vs. Thirdly this is another misery of hypocrites They liue in coÌ„tinuall danger that they liue in continuall feare and danger there are holes in their maskes at least their wil be and their double dealing shal be seene into it shall sometime or other come to light how they haue abused Gods presence and dissembled with their bretheren by making faire shewes and pretences of that which they neuer meant their sins shal not alwaies ly hid but either they wil giue ouer all in time of persecution as the stony ground did or in hope of promotion as Iudas Achitophel did Luk. 8.13 so discouer their false-heartednes or else it shall be drawne forth by their speeches in their merriments or in their distempers or else Gods spirit in godly men shall destroy it by working in their hearts a vehement suspicion of them and causing them with a iudicious eye more narrowly to pry into their works and waies By one such meanes or other God will lay them open to the view of the world so that being in such perill they cannot but haue a fearefull heart and a restlesse conscience And to this purpose notable is that saying of Salomon He that walketh vprightly walketh boldly or surely but he that peruerteth his waies shall be known Whence it is apparant that the vpright man needeth not to feare any thing he needeth not to bee afraid of ill men for though they may disgrace him they cannot shame him he needeth not to bee afraide of good men for the oftner he speaketh to them and conuerseth with them the more he is approued by them neither needeth he to bee afraid of God for hee that searcheth the heart and the reines knoweth and alloweth of the integrity of their soules They haue no cause of feare for the present because all things goe well with them neither is there any for afterwards because all things shall goe well with them for they shall neuer fall away from God None can plucke them out of his hand Ioh. 10 29. Ioh. 4.4 Sathan cannot because he that is in vs is stronger then he that is in the world sinne cannot because grace will preuaile against it the world cannot because this is our victory 1 Ioh 5.4 whereby we ouercome the world euen our faith And the Apostle concludeth generally for all other matters that neither death nor life nor Angels Rom. 8.38.39 nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. What followeth now on the contrary part for hypocrites but he that peruerteth his way that is alloweth himselfe in any ill course though neuer so secretly shall be knowne that is his vile and wretched dissembling shall bee detected if not in this world yet when the thoughts of all hearts shall be made manifest they shall be found out first or last and therefore they

the meat that c. q. d. You cannot doe both together you cannot seeke the things of this life and the things that pertaine to a better life both at once whence this doctrine ariseth that A man cannot bee both a wordling and a Christian Doct. these two are opposed and set one against the other as things that cannot stand together A men cannot be a worldling and a Christian one can not labour for these transitory things that is set his whole desire vpon them and bend his whole indeuour for the obtaining of them and withal labour for better matters and religiously and vnfainedly seeke after them He that persueth after earthly things cannot follow after heauenly things and he that followeth after heauenly things will not persue after earthly things Not but that one may be truly religious and yet enioy the commodities of this life but he cannot set his heart vpon them and vpon matters of godlines also no maÌ„ can be earthly minded and spiritually affected at one the same time nor seek that happines which is aboue that which is beneath at once in which regard the holy Ghost maketh an opposition betwixt them 1. Iohn 2.15.16 saying Loue not the world neither the things that are in the world if any man loue the world the loue of the Father is not in him Whence it is euident that a mans affections cannot be fastened both on the world and on God He may vse the world and yet loue God but he cannot loue the world but it will exclude the loue of God he that maketh it his felicity to enioy the things of this life the loue of the father is not in him neither doth he loue the father nor apprehend the Fathers loue vnto him But what are those things of the world which we must not loue he telleth vs in the verse following The lust of the flesh the lust of the eies and the pride of life Where by the lust of the flesh are all kindes of concupiscence meant as in eating and drinking 2. By the lust of the eyes are meant al such things as content the eyes as faire houses goodly pastures great store of cattell gorgious furniture c. 3. By the pride of life is meant aduancement and dignity c. or great men in the world any way either in place or in estimatioÌ„ for any speciall parts or endowments All the things of the world may be drawne vnto one of these three heads of pleasure profit or credit And concerning all these he saith that they are not of the Father honest delights wealth and preferment are froÌ„ the Father but the loue of these is not froÌ„ the Father but from the world therefore whosoeuer inordinatly affecteth them is a worldling not a Christian Therefore the Apostle exhorteth the Colossians If ye be risen with Christ Col. 3.1.2 seeke those things which are aboue and set your affections on things which are aboue and not on the things which are beneath implying that they could not do both It is as possible for a man to rise and fall to climbe vpward and to descend downeward at the same instant as to be godly and worldly to ascend to heauenwards and to grouell to the earthwards they cannot bee verified of the same person at one and the same time And the reason is taken from that of our Sauiour Reason Mat. 6. No man can serue two maisters for being of contrary dispositions and affections as God and the world or rather the Prince of the world are either of them would be whole maister and requireth the whole man Doth voluptuousnesse take place in the heart it will not endure any matters of religion to bee thought of or spoken of but that must haue the ordering of the cogitations of the mind and of the speeches of the mouth and of the actions of the body Doth worldlinesse or hautinesse beare sway then will they extinguish all the sparkes of goodnesse that are in a man and quite put out the light of religion carying all the meditations and practises of the party towards the obtaining of that which is aymed at On the contrary if religion once get the better and begin to rule in the heart it will root out sinne and make those that were Sathans bondslaues before to become Gods free men it will by degrees kill lust and couetousnesse and pride grace will be stil increasing and corruption decreasing so that they can neuer agree together no more then can fire and water Which is for the confutation and ouerthrow of that dangerous errour that is in the most part of men Vse 1 that take it to be a notable point of wisedome to ioyne these together to be reoters in the earth and yet prosessors of the Gospell so ordering the matter that they will neither be so apparantly prophane as others that notoriously practise impiety and wickednesse neither be so strict as others that exercise sound mortification and holinesse And herein they glory that they can carry the credit both of husbands for the world and of wise dealers for their soules that they can enioy a present happinesse in this life beyond the best and yet liue in hope of blessednesse in the life to come as well as the best and therein they applaud their owne wisedome and haue themselues in admiration and for want of this they censure their betters of folly and haue them in derision But of all silly men these are the silliest that thinke they can serue both GOD and Mammon the Lord and the world Christ had not found out the depth of that wisedome he professeth that his kingdome was not of this world and biddeth vs labour for the foode that endureth to eternall life and not for that which perisheth And therefore howsoeuer these vaine men blesse themselues in the high estimation of their great policy yet they do very palpably bewray their grosse ignorance and simplicity as all shall do that will try conclusions contrary to Christs conclusions whatsoeuer they dreame of in seeking for both they lose both they haue neither found comfort in God nor true contentment in the world Yet how generall is this errour amongst the sonnes of men they make some reckoning that there is a God and therefore they will now and then heare a Sermon sit at it and speake of it but neuer make vse of any thing that crosseth them in their pleasures or profites they will make a shew of keeping the Sabboth by frequenting the publike exercises of religion but when they are ouer they betake them to their sports and recreations But what will be the issue of these things Our Sauiour telleth vs in the Gospell for when men shall say vnto him Lord Lord and bragge of the workes they haue done in his name he will professe vnto them I neuer knew you or acknowledged you for mine depart from me ye that worke iniquity Matth. 7.22.23 Therefore it standeth

a few teares ouer him and so the meditation of the seuerall sufferings of Christ and of Gods gracious promises made vnto vs in and through him should cause our hearts to be dissolued into teares 4 Fourthly we must as often as fit occasion is offered goe vnto the house of mourning Make vse of others crosses where we may be put in minde of our wofull estate by reason of our wicked nature and sinnefull cariage in violating the Lords holy precepts and commandements and this is commended as the parte of a godly wise man by Salomon in Ecclesiastes where it is said Eccles 7.6 The heart of wise men is the house of mourning but the heart of fooles is in the house of mirth And the reason why this is a part of wisdome is rendred in the 4. verse It is better to goe to the house of mourning then to the house of feasting because this is the end of all men and the liuing shall lay it to his heart And if others chastisements should affect vs Of our owne much more should Gods correcting hand vpon our selues mooue vs and and when he smiteth vs wee should ioyne with him and take his part and smite our owne hearts and then if Gods stroakes on others or on our selues doe make vs mourne for our rebellious behauiour against the Lord happie and blessed are wee for so saith the Prophet Blessed is the man O Lord Psal 94.12 whom thou chastisest and teachest in thy Law and our Sauiour also Blessed are those that mourne Mat. 5.4 c. therefore when we finde our selues inclined to heauines in respect of any outward scourge that lieth on vs or on our friends let vs take hold of the occasion and turne the course of our griefe another way which if we can attaine vnto and make our sin to be our greatest sorrowe Christ Iesus shall bee our greatest ioy and wee being mourners of Sion shall be comforted in due season our iniquities shall be remoued as a cloud and scatered as a miste and wee receiued into euerlasting fauour Thirdly Vse 3 this is for the singular comfort of Gods children What though they haue been like the people of Sodome and of Gomorrah and haue liued like beasts all their life long yet is there hope that they shall not be cast off nay if they can once beginne to rinse and purge their hearts though their sinnes haue beene neuer so horrible and odious and abominable they may be assured of the free and ful pardon of them al neither need they make any doubt at all hereof for if such kind of sinners might not attaine to this it were in vaine for the Lord to exhort them to repentance but wee see heere that though these Iewes had receiued many blessings heard many instructions and threatnings out of the word and felt many corrections from Gods owne hand and nothing would driue them from their accustomed course of rebellion yet notwithstanding all this if now at last they would grieue their hearts in good earnest and not passe ouer the matter with some sleight mourning for so farre wicked Saul went when Dauid had told him of his fault in pursuing him that was innocent but striue for a soaking and working sorrow if I say they would labour for this the Lord offers them mercie so that they should foorthwith bee disburdened of the guilt and freed from the punishment of all their former wickednesse For when sinne is once cast out of the heart God hath no quarell against the partie and it can neuer lurk there long except it be fedde with excuses and allowance It neuer stickes so close nor cleaues so fast but godly sorrow will make a separation betwixt it and the soule Note and crush the very head thereof That giueth life and roote vnto it and makes it grow and bring foorth abundance of fruite when wee loue it and can say somwhat for it but if we do not nourish it in our souls but ba nish it thence we shall bee accepted whatsoeuer our life hath formerly beene for as God will neuer sprinckle the blood of his owne sonne vpon a carnall and proud and prophane heart so hee will neuer denie to giue the merits of his sonne vnto an heauie and sorrowfull and contrite spirit Take away the euill of your workes from before mine eies As if hee should haue said hitherto you haue but dissembled in the duties performed by you which hollownesse of yours though men could not so well see and discerne yet the Lords eies haue been and are still cast vpon your doubling and halting and false dealing and therefore if you would haue him to looke fauourably vpon you take away from his sight that which causeth him to frowne vpon you not onely your euill workes for so hypocrits may doe but the euill of your good works for heere wee must vnderstand God did not aime at the subuersion and ouerthrow of the former duties of religion but wisheth them to doe the same workes of pietie still but in a better sort then they were wont to doe them whence this doctrine offereth it selfe for our learning that A Christian must not onely doe good things Doctr. 2 Good things must be done in a good maner but must doe them in a good manner otherwise God may and will reiect the works and confound the doers of them This people here had many ontward obseruations as doth appeare from verse 12. to the 16. Yet because their seruices were not performed in faith and loue God did vtterly abhorre and detest them They would keepe the Sabbaths and frequent the solemne assemblies but they would learne nothing at all though their bodies were there their hearts were not there but either about their busines in the familie or their affaires and dealings in the world thinking how to reuenge such or such an iniurie how to releeue themselues in such or such a necessitie or the like or perchance worse matters They would make long praiers but their hearts were full of wrath and their minds full of doubting and so in other exercises of religion still they mingled their owne corruption in so much that God could haue no liking of them Such were the Scribes and Pharisies also who vsed to preach to giue much almes to pray and fast often and had a verie smoth outside for so much Christ grants them that they were painted Sepulchres faire to behold and looke vpon and graues so couered ouer with greensward that one might walke ouer them againe and againe and yet neuer perceiue any rotten bones therein Notwithstanding all this the vengeance of God is denounced against none more often and earnestly by our Sauiour then against that kinde of people as appeareth plainely in the Gospell Mat. 23. And why because they tooke not away the euill of their works for which cause the Lord Iesus tels them Luke 16.15 Yee are they which iustifie your selues before men but

is that other place of Paul to Timothie Let as many seruants as are vnder the yoke count their masters worthy of all honour 1. Tim. 6.1.2 that the name of God and his doctrine be not euill spoken off And they that haue beleeuing masters let them not despise them because they are brethren but rather doe seruice because they are faithfull and beloued and partakers of the benefit And that was a thing worthy singular commendation in Iacob that hee serued Laban though a couetous Gen. 31.6.40 deceirfull and hard master with all his might Being in the day consumed with heate and with frost in the night his sleepe also departing from his eies And therefore those seruants are much to bee blamed that make religion an occasion of their vnfaithfulnesse which by how much it is more thorowly and deepely rooted and setled in the hearts of any should and will make them more true and trustie more conscionable and fathfull to their rulers and gouernours And the like may bee said of children what gifts of knowledge and speech soeuer they haue they can haue no comfort of the same vnlesse they giue all honour and reuerence and shew all dutie and obedience vnto their parents as the Lord commandeth them This may be an instruction vnto vs. Vse 2 Would wee be Christs scholers then the first letter and lesson that wee must learne is to doe well in our places Are wee children let vs labour by searching of the Scriptures to know our duties and to doe them Are wee seruants let vs get vnderstanding of the things that doe most concerne vs in our places and let our practise bee answerable to our profession and then wee shall shew our selues to bee truely religious indeed And the same exhortation might bee giuen to all others in their seuerall vocations which if wee can follow whatsoeuer our callings be wee serue the Lord Christ in them and shall be sure of full reward from him Oh but my calling is meane and my seruice base Though your worke be base yet it is not a base thing to serue such a master in it Note They are the most worthy seruants whatsoeuer their imploiment bee that do with most conscionable and dutifull hearts and minds serue the Lord where hee hath placed them and in those works which hee hath allotted vnto them Releeue the oppressed Hauing in the former words shewed them that they must doe that which is iust and right hee coÌ„meth now more particularly to declare vnto them wherein that consisteth namely in shewing mercy to such as are in misery and in being meanes of comfort vnto them that are in discomfor tand griefe of heart Whence this doctrine may be collected that It is a most acceptable seruice vnto the Lord Doct. 6 to comfort and releeue his people when they are in miserie and distresse Mercy to the afflicted an excellent seruice Psal 41.1 This is a worke so well pleasing vnto God that hee pronounceth him happy and blessed that considereth wisely and iudgeth charitably of the poore and needy though they haue no abilitie to helpe them nor to direct and counsell them yet if they can but prudently and mercifully consider with themselues surely this man or woman haue caried themselues so holily and blamelesly that this stroke is not fallen vpon them for their wickednesse nor for their foolishnesse but for their good and comfort as in the end it will appeare This merciful iudgement and censure concerning those that haue many and strange and heauy crosses lying vpon them is a thing that God much regardeth and recompenceth in all that are so affected towards his poore distressed seruants This also the Apostle Iames yeeldeth as an vndoubted marke of true religion saying Pure religion Iam. 1.27 and vndefiled before God euen the father is this to visit the fatherlesse and widowes in their aduersitie and to keepe himselfe vnspotted of the world His meaning is not that it is religion it selfe for it is a thing belonging to the first table but a signe of the same when our faith in God and loue vnto God maketh vs pitifull and liberall towards the children and Saints of God and such as he would haue respected and relieued So at the great and generall day of iudgement when all the world shal come to receiue sentence according to their works whether good or euill what is the matter of commendation that is giuen to the elect and the most euident marke of difference betweene the sheepe and the goates euen this Mat. 15.35 that they desired to doe good not in some one or two or in some fewe but in euery worke of mercie and of charitie That they fedde the hungry gaue drinke vnto the thirsty clothed the naked visited he sicke and imprisoned And on the other side the reprobate shall not be charged so much that they did hurt as that they did not the good that they might haue done vnto poore Christians in their wants and miseries And further Reason this sheweth it to be an excellent seruice for one to stretch forth his hand in relieuing the needie and in succouring distressed soules that whatsoeuer kindnesse is done to the least of them Christ sets it on his score and counts it as done vnto himselfe and hee will acknowledge it and reward it both in this present life and in that which is to come Euery one will come to this that if Christ Iesus should repaire vnto their houses hungry or thirstie or cold or naked they would with all their hearts part with any thing they haue to refresh and releeue him let such heare then what Christ himselfe saith to them that shew mercie to the poore Saints In as much therefore as yee haue done it to one of the least of these my brethren yee haue done it vnto mee Which is first for the great condemnation of them that do altogether shut vp their bowels of compassion from Gods children in their sorrowes Vse 1 and temptations and afflictions Whosoeuer hath this worlds good 1. Iohn 3.17 and seeth his brother haue need saith the Apostle Iohn and shutteth vp his compassion from him how dwelleth the loue of God in him This goeth sore against such in not louing his children they proclaime vnto all the world that they loue not God himselfe and therefore are not beloued of him and if it be so with those that doe not make manifest their loue by shewing mercie what shall wee thinke of those that are so farre from pitying and releeuing the distressed that they are readie to adde affliction to the afflicted It 's iust vpon you say they your indiscretion and want of wisedome in that you made more ado then needs and would bee more precise then wise and more forward then your neighbours c. hath brought you to all this woe and miserie This is cruell and vnmercifull dealing if they would do them no good they should do them no hurt Yet this

in order and to fright his conscience from all manner of sinne and impietie as is more fully described vnto vs in that Chapter And good reason there is Reason why wee should esteeme Gods arguments aboue any other because hee is wisdome it selfe and therefore seeth what is best for vs and hee is loue it selfe and therefore will direct vs in the way which shall appeare to be most safe and most comfortable in the end what stumbling blocks and rubs soeuer wee finde therein for a season The diuell the world and the flesh bring onely shewes of reason pretend loue vnto vs when they mean nothing lesse as the euent will plainly manifest but Gods reasons will hold out when they are waied in the ballance and what hee saith shall stand when heauen and earth shall fall and if wee take those courses that he would haue vs wee shall plainely perceiue at last that hee meant vs more good in so aduising vs then wee could possible thinke or imagine This sheweth and condemneth their follie who Vse 1 when they haue motions or perswasions to vndertake any good thing or any purpose to become more sober and staied in their cariage and course of life will first heare what their carnall friends can say and what the world and their owne flesh can alleage to the contrarie Alas these men are more likely a great deale to renounce all goodnesse then to continue in the practise of any godlinesse If once they giue care to the reasons of the deuill and of the flesh they are gone For as the perswasions of God by his word and spirit should make vs begin so must they cause vs to hold on or else wee should faint in the midde way or rather turne aside and walke in a quite contrarie way And as this is true in generall for the profession of Christianitie so is it as true in all particular duties as to giue instance in some those that haue to deale in matters of strife and contention for the most part are possest with this conceit that if they should not answer like for like and returne one disgracefull speech for another and requite one iniurious action with another euerie one would in a short time grow bold with them and be ready to wrong and abuse them But where doth God say so Nay the very truth is that when they seeke by such meanes to right themselues and by such shield Note to defend themselues and to repell their aduersaries whereas they had men onely against them before now they haue three for one against them to wit God and men and their owne consciences whereas if they would follow Christ his rule Mat. 5.44 to blesse those that curse them and to doe good to those that hate them and to pray for those that hurt and persecute them and so ouercome euill with goodnesse they should certainlie haue the Lord and their owne consciences on their side and it may be also make their foes to become their friends by that meanes Rom. 12.20 For the wisedome of God telleth vs that this is the way to heape coales of fire vpon their heads which shall either melt them and turne their affection to vs or burne them and leaue them more inexcuseable before God and their owne consciences and so hasten his iudgements vpon them If men can be patient and content to sit downe by wrongs offered God will stand for them and reuenge the quarell of the meeke and that which men thinke will be the readie way to drawe infinite troubles vpon their owne heads and vtterly to vndoe them we shall finde to be the directest path that leadeth vnto peace and quietnes and that course which will indeede make vs for euer Mat. 5.5 For as our Sauiour promiseth the meeke shall inherite the earth Others there are that thinke if we should make conscience of religion and begin to reade the word to frequent sermons to haue prayer in our families and the like this would make vs to bee scoffed and mocked at and to be tearmed precise fooles for our paines But let such heare what the word saith that pronounceth them blessed Psal 1. Psal 119. that delight in the law of the Lord and meditate therein day and night and that seeke him with their whole hearts yea albeit they should meete with some disgrace and opposition in the world blessed are yee saith Christ when men reuile you and persecute you Matth. 5. and speake all manner of euil against you faisly for my names sake Reioice and bee glad for great is your reward in heauen Is it not better to endure a little mocking from men for a time and that for weldoing then to vndergoe the wrath of God for euer for ill doing Consider in particuliar what benefit we may reape by the ministery of the Gospel Isai 55.3 Iam. 1.21 Heare saith the Prophet Isaiah and thy soule shall liue Receiue the word with meekenesse saith Iames which is able to saue your soules Reuel 1.3 Prou. 28.9 Blessed is he that readeth and heareth the words of this Prophecie saith the spirit in the Reuelation and on the other side hee that turneth away his eare from hearing the Law his prater shall bee abomination Prou. 1.24.25.26 saith Salomon and againe the wisdome of God speaketh thus Because I haue called and yee refused I haue stretched out my hand and none would regard But yee haue despised all my counsell and would none of my correction I will also laugh at your destruction and mocke when your feare commeth These and the like places if wee could thorowly consider of they would worke more powerfully with vs to cause vs to desire the word and to retaine and keepe our hearts still in the loue and liking of it then all the reproaches and persecutions in the world could to withdraw our affections from it But for want of this many sore and dangerous yea sometimes desperate euils doe befall men for if wee consult with reason it will tell vs that either our sinnes are so great that they cannot be pardoned or else so small that they neede not be repented for This made Cain and Iudas those cursed and damnable reprobates to dispaire and cast off all hope of mercy because they would not hearken what God or his seruants could say but onely what Satan and their owne flesh could say whereas if it had beene possible for them to haue looked into the promises of life made vnto grieuous sinners and in assurance of faith haue craued remission and pardon for their offences they might haue beene forgiuen euen Cain and Iudas as well as Peter and Paul for they had all committed damnable sins in themselues and that repentance which preuailed for Peter and Paul would haue beene as effectuall for the two other if they had attended to Gods voice and humbly and earnestly sought for mercie at his hands This serues for our instruction Vse 2 that in

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