matter though we not be so strict Christ is enough Think not thus saith Christ but rather think and meditate that I am come to fulfill it may self and to see it fulfilled in those I mean to save so as to make it a rule of their lives Themistocles said he could not sleep in his bed for continual thinking and meditating on Miltiades his Tryumphs And how canst thou sleep in thy bed if thou wouldest but meditate on these places of Scripture Retire thy self apart there is no casting up of mans account in a croud Let me alone I am busie so we use to say when we would be private Thou must do with thy soul as Ehud did to Eglon who said I have a secret errant to thee O King and so all went out and he said I have a message from God to thee and so stabd him at his heart Judges 3. 19. So for Ehud was a type of Christ saith Lavator I have a secret errant to thee O my soul and so let all go forth I have a message from God to thee a message of wrath for thy Pride a message of wrath for thy vain hopes Thus saith the Lord Cursed art thou O my soul stab it to the heart with this spirituall Dagger wound it with the blade and haft and all till thou have let out the fat and the dirt the filth and iniquity all out The Prophet speaking of mens looking on Christ whom they have pierced this meditating and laying to heart that they have crucified the Lord Jesus saith that they shall mourn every one in private the house of David apart and their wives apart the house of Nathan apart and their wives apart the house of Shimei apart and their wives apart every family apart and their wives apart Zach. 12. 2. The second meanes if thou wouldest meditate aright observe the times of privacy First the morniug that is the best time for study David chose the morning for meditation Psal 5. 1. 3. Let them hear this saith Chrisostome that arise betimes in the morning to serve their Hoggs and their Doggs their bellies and their backs before they serve God in meditation or prayer unlesse it be the mumbling and roaring a few Lord have mercy upon us that pray not till after many other businesses it may may be not then neither David prayed and meditated in the morning In the morning thou washest thy face and thy hands but thy soul hath more need which thou washest not in the morning thou puttest thy cloathes on thy body but thou puttest not on afresh the new man upon thy soul in the morning thou shakest off sleepinesse from thine eyes but thou shakest not off drousinesse from thy soul Thou lookest into the glasse in the morning to see if thy face be as it should be but thy soul is not composedly looking into the glasse of Gods word In the morning loook up in prayer look up in thansgiving look up in meditation Secondly the night too O Lord I meditate on thee in the night watches Psal 93. not as carnall ones doe when they cannot sleep then their mind runs on their Cow and their Calf their markets and vanities this neighbour and that neighbour like Petronius his dogge that was hunting while he lay asleep in his kennel Thirdly In the evening I prevent the night watches that I might meditate Psal 119. 148. he did not as wicked men doe sleep like a horse in the stable on his litter with his neck tyed to the manger they did go to bed with their hearts roped to the world worldly thoughts this thought and that thought and God knows what Fourthly when the heart is touched at a Sermon or Sacrament or observing of any judgement or mercy or act of Gods providence it is best striking when the Iron is hot David when his heart was touched at the reproches of the wicked then he meditated Psall 119. 23. When the Instrument is in tune then it is good playing upon it when a Churl is in a good mood then it is fittest to deal with him Oft will thy heart be out of tune oft churlish and in an ill mood if thou lettest the good opportunity goe thou knowest not when thou shalt have such another When the fish is nibling at the bait then it is good twiching at the angle-rod when the heart is a nibling at grace then gave a pluck at it by meditation See Acts 17. 11. now while the time lusts see thou maist get into heaven Thirdly Rub up thy self and thy memory call as much to mind as thou canst what evill thou hast done ever since thou wast born what in the womb what in the cradle childhood youth age what a servant what a Master what as a servant what as a son what as a neighbour what as an inferiour what as a superiour either in thought or word or deed how often thou hast omitted good duties or done them by halvs Item for this and Item for that They shall remember themselves and turn unto the Lord Psal 22. 27. First they shall remember themselves and say what have I done O wretch how carelessely have I lived Secondly so meditating they shall turn unto the Lord. Many say Oh! they cannot remember their sins They lye in a thousand particulars for they can remember to commit them well enough See Lam. 3. 19. 20. 21. our Greek translation turns it I spake to my self and meditated as if they should say O what a rebell have I been how unthankfull how unprofitable under all the means of grace I may thank my sins for all the plagues of the Almighty that are upon me if he had damned me I had been well served What follows The heart bowed and was humbled as it is in the text The fourth means Rouze up thy heart As it is with the eye of the body so it is with the eye of the Soul when a man would look wistly upon a thing as if he would look thorow it he sets his eye on it as Paul set his eyes on Elymas Ah thou child of the Devill thou c. Acts 13. 9. Meditation is the setting of the eye of the soul upon a thing set thine eye upon thy selfe and say Ah thou childe of the wicked why hath Satan filled thy heart O wretched heart whence hadst thou thy selfe-selfe-love hadst thou not it from the Devill God might do well to send thee to the Devill if thou lovest so to be his Broker Set thine eyes stedfastly upon thine own wayes and thou shalt see infinite hellish evils in thy sins The third Use is for Reprehension What is more usual than this that men make slight account of their sins Nay when God tels them in their hearts Thou shalt not do this thou shalt not doe that yet they meditate and think Why may I not Samuel bid Saul stay for directions from him before he sacrificed unto God It seems that God spoke to his
against his reproof The greatnesse of the ill is set down two wayes First by the great sinfulnesse of the thing it is called the hardening of a mans own neck Secondly by the greatnesse of the punishment that God inflicts upon this sin and that is he will destroy him and that without remedy For the first namely what a great mercy it is for God to let a man be reproved for his sins It may be proved by many places of Scripture only I find Scripture is to be brought as an aggravation of sin when they sinned against reproof Hosea 5. 1. saith he they are profound to commit sin though I have been a rebuker of them all As if he should say Though I have been so mercifull as to shew them the danger of sin to tell them what would become of their wretched courses though I have called them to repentance and have given them warning what would be the issue of these things yet for all this for all my mercy they have gone on in their sinnes though I have reproved them This Though is a word of aggravation as we see in the speech of Daniel to Belshazzar Thou O King hast not humbled thy self though thou knewest this as if he had said though the Lord let thee know the punishment upon thy father and the plagues of Nebuchadnezzar thy grandfather though the Lord have let thee understand what it is for thee to exalt thy self against him yet thou art not humbled he aggravates his sin So this aggravates a mans sin when he goes on notwithstanding he is reproved The Reasons are First because when God reproves a man of sinne the reproof primarily comes out of love therefore when he reproved Laodicea and told her she was luke-warm and said I would thou wert either hot or cold and since she was neither he would spue her out of his mouth he tells her whence the reproof flowed because I love I reprove As many as I love I rebuke Revel 3. 19. It is not out of ill will that I tell thee of thy lukewarmnesse and threaten to spue thee out of my mouth I tell thee these things that thou mayst avoid that ill I say Gods reproofs flow primarily from love to men whereby he would have them lay aside their wretched courses and avoyd the judgements Nay it is an argument of hatred when a man doth not reprove his brother of sin If God let a man go on in sin and never tell him of his drunkennesse nor never find fault with his pride and security never convince him or wound or touch him nor deal with him about his unsetled estate and his rotten conditions It is a sign God hates the man But when God reproves a man from day to day Man thou art a proud creature thou shalt to hell for thy pride and hypocrisie and security and hardnesse of heart When the Lord reproves a man from day to day this is an argument of love the other is an effect of hatred not to reprove Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart saith Moses but shalt in any wise reprove him and not suffer sin to be upon him Levit 19. 17. Thou hatest thy brother when thou seest him sin and doest not warn him and knowest he is guilty of sinfull courses and doest not reprove him and when thou hast time and place and opportunity and fit circumstances to reprove and yet thou wilt not do it it is a sign thou hatest thy brother it is the greatest degree of hatred on them If a man deny food for the body and let a man rather dye of hunger than he will give him meat or let a man fall into a pit rather than he will prevent the mischief a man is guilty of bodily murder but thou art guilty of the soul of thy brother if thou let him fall into sin Thou thinkest thy brother is harsh he will not bear with thee he is hasty and testy no thou art in an error That man that hates reproof erreth saith Solomon Indeed a man should not be too sharp but first tell his brother in private that he is in an error for reproof is a means of grace it flows from great love it is the providence of God that hath cast it about that thou shouldest have reproof given thee if thou have a heart to take it It is an argument of love Another reason is taken from the primary end of reproof which is to bring a man to good to reduce him into a right way to convert a man to save his soul that is the primary end of reproof aud admonition therefore to go in sinnes contrary to it must needs be a great evill As Solomon brings in the wisdome of the Father Jesus Christ calling upon people O yee fools how long will ye love folly turn at my reproof Mark what follows to what end I will pour my spirit on you There is the end he tells them O ye fools wretched people without understanding that go on in sinne and harden your own hearts that repent not nor turn not to God that will not submit to his wisdom nor imbrace his word yee fools that wrong your own souls Oh turn at my reproof Why This is the reason that God reproves a man on this fashion it is that a man may have the Spirit of God granted him If thou have an ear to hear reproof and a heart to drink it in and to wear it as a crown of gold on thy head and as a chain about thy neck thou shouldest have the Spirit of God for thy labour the Lord reproves thee that thou mightest return back and have the Spirit and have mercy and forgivenesse This is all the ill-will that Gods Ministers bear thee and all the hatred that reprovers shew when they tell thee of thy sinnes whatsoever they be that they may stop thy steps from going down to Hell When the Lord sends thee Sermon upon Sermon Preacher after Preacher thou art called on day by day as you hear in this place This is the infinite goodnesse of God towards your souls therefore your sin is infinite great if you do not amend as the wise man saith He that hates reproof shall surely dye Prov. 15. 10. there is no remedy for that man That man that puts off repentance God reproves him from day to day on the Sabbath day and on the week dayes he goes to this man and here he is reproved and to another and there he is reproved and yet he goes on in his deadnesse and formality in the ordinances of God that man shall surely dye there is no remedy he sins against the infinite mercy of God Thirdly there is no reason in the world why reproof should be taken otherwise than with all willingnesse and thankfulnesse and chearfulnesse If a man have but the reason of a man in him he must needs take reproof in good part he must be a beast that doth
the wildernesse for here is neither bread nor water and our soule loatheth this light bread So beloved if we suffer our soules to be discouraged we shall soone come to murmure against God wherefore hath he brought me up to this strictnesse and precisenesse when I was a drunkard a worldling when I followed the lust of my flesh and liberty then I enjoyed onions garlick and the flesh-pots of Egypt pleasures and delights for my soule then I had a good hope in God and a good perswasion that my soul should goe to heaven and then Preachers told me that if I would give over such and such sinnes and look after Heaven a little more and doe such and such things O then I should come to a Land flowing with milke and honey then I should not misse of glory and salvation But alas I see nothing but Gyants and Anakims I am in a wildernesse now now I see a man may have a great deal of repentance and yet be a cast away A man may have a great deal of faith and yet be but a reprobate A man may give over a great many sins and yet perish in hell now I see a man may live civilly and well and have and do a great many good things and yet be damned when he hath done all A man may even go to Heaven Gates and yet the gates be shut against him and he turned into hell Alas my poor soul is in a wildernesse now I know not which way to goe I am ready to lose my selfe I see nothing here now but huge Gyants the sons of Anack strong corruptions inclining and forcing me to evill most fearefull and violent suggestions and temptations of the Devill ready to thrust me into the gulfe of wickednesse and despaire And now the soule begins to thinke that it is good for it to returne again into Egypt to fall to its old courses again for certainly God looks for no such matter he requires no such strictnesse and precisenesse And so it falls a whining and repining at the Word and Ministers of God that have call'd men to it and laid it upon them and hath no heart now to do thus and thus any longer And thus it falls into discouragements because of the way and into a thousand quandaries whether it may not go back again or no. And all these murmurings and repinings are because men suffer themselves to be discouraged Thirdly discouragements will cause thee to think that God hates thee When the soul like Baals Priests 1. Kings 18. 26. hath been crying from morning to noon ten twenty thirty yeeres it may be and yet hath no answer now it will begin to think if God did love me then he would grant me my petitions Then hereupon comes into a mans secret thoughts and feare that God hardly loves his soule So was it with Israel when they were discouraged they said because the Lord hated us therefore he brought us out of the Land of Egypt Deut. 1. 27. Because that they were discouraged and because that their Brethren that went for spies had disheartned them therefore they were apt to say the Lord hated them Beloved it is a miserable thing when the soule calls the love of God into question Consider that as thou canst not have a friend if thou beest suspitious and jealous of his love to thee So thou canst never have the love of God settled on thy heart so long as thou art jealous of his love to thee Fourthly If thou root them not out it is to be feared that they will bring thee to despair Melancholy thoughts and feares and discouragements drive the soul to despaire For when the soul sees it selfe still disappointed of its hopes at the last it growes hopelesse If it have waited one day and the next day too if it have prayed this weeke this moneth this year and yet still it seeth it selfe held off and disappointed it will at last grow hopelesse Take heed therefore I beseech you of all needlesse discouragements to fear because that thou findest not that that thou wishedst or prayedst for to day or to morrow in thine own time that therefore thou shalt never get it that now thou shouldest for ever despaire of the grace and love of God and think that now God will never hear thee that thou shalt never get grace and power over thy corruptions Men think that the preaching of the Word of God brings men to despaire the preaching of such strict points and the urging such precise doctrines makes men despaire men are loth to be at the paines to root out their discouragements It is rather a cold or dead preaching of the Word that is the cause of this for when the soule is instructed by holinesse humbled by holinesse converted by holinesse at the last when it comes to be thorowly awakened when it sees that this and this is required in a true conversion of the soule to God that herein true repentance must declare and demonstrate it selfe by these and these fruits or else it is but false and rotten Why now the soul must needs be brought to despaire because it seeth that though it have been thus and thus humbled though it have praied fasted and mourned in this and this manner yet it sees it hath not a soundesse of grace There is such a grace in it such a worke and such a fruit of Gods Spirit in it that yet he could never finde in himselfe this makes the soule to despaire Indeed Preachers may be to blame if they speake and preach onely the terrours and condemnations of the Law without the promises of the Gospel for these should be so tempered that every poore broken soule may see mercy and redemption for him upon his sound and unfeigned repentance and humiliation But if men doe despaire they may thanke themselves for it their owne sinnes for it their owne discouragements for it because they suffer these to continue in them Cain his heart grew sad his conntenance fell he was wroth and disquiered in his minde and heavily discouraged why Gen. 4. Sin lay at the dore what dore the dore of his conscience rapping and beating upon his heart Beloved when the soule lets sin lie at the dore drunkennesse pride and worldlinesse security hardnesse and deadnesse of heart lie at the dore when a man lets his negligent and fruitlesse hearing of the word lie at the dore when a man lets his vaine and dead praying his temporizing and fashionary serving of God lie at the dore of conscience to tell him that all his hearing of the word of God profits him nothing that his praiers are dead and vain that his mourning fasting and all his humiliation is counterfeit and rotten and that he hath no soundnesse of grace in him but that for all this he may fall into hell when sin lâ—eth thus at the dore thus rapping at the conscience it is no wonder if the soule fall into desperation as it was here Cain let
the life of Christ in thee it is a standing life it will not make thee alive at prayer and dead when thou hast done it will not make thee holy and Spirituall at a Sermon and leave thee dead and carnall when it is done not holy and heavenly in discourse and conference and worldly and prophane when it is done not to be holy and lively c. in a good moode and leave thee dead-hearted secure and loose afterwards this is not to be in Christ no the life of Christ is a standing and a continuing life it will make thee alive after all thy services after every duty as thou wast before or in the duty He that saith he abideth in him c. In this word He there are three Notes a note Of Indignation Discrimination Scrutiny First Indignation The Apostle doth as it were point at a certain man in his congregation as if there had been some mâ—n that he knew was not in Christ What man soever whether in this pewe or in that pewe whether on this forme or on that forme if he abide in Christ he ought to walke as Christ walked Hence observe That a Minister is bound to preach home in particular so that he may summon this man and that man in the Church as the Apostle doth here he that saith if there be any one amongst the whole multitude that saith he abideth in Christ he ought also himself to walke as he walked And this commission God gives unto all his ministers Mark 16. 15. Go preach the Gospell to every creature he doth not say preach the Gospell before every creature so they may doe and preach in generall but to every creature that every creature may feele the Gospell bearing on his heart that every creature may see his sins that so the Gospell may be applyed to his heart All the names given to Ministers shew thus much They are called Seeds men now a Seeds man doth not take a whole croppe or a whole bushel of corne and throw it in a heap in his field but he takes it and scatters it abroad that every place may receive some So they are called Builders now a builder doth not onely frame the whole building but he layes every particular bricke and every particular stone in his building So they are called Shepheards a Shepheard doth not onely looke to his flocke in generall but to every Ramme and to every Lamb in his flocke So Preachers must not onely preach the word of God in generall but they must preach in particular The ground of this will appear if we consider three things in particular First particulars are most operative it is not fire in generall that burns but t is this or that fire so it is not sinne in generall that will humble a man it is not repentance in generall that wil turne a man it is not faith in generall that will save a man but this fiâ—ne and that sin this repentance and that repentance this faith and that faith All actions they are of singulars An universall man cannot reason an universall man cannot dispute an universall man cannot see nor hear No it is this man and that man that seeth and hears and disputes Particulars are most operative preaching to men in particular is powerfull preaching that workes upon mens consciences How came the Prophet to preach powerfully to the people He declared to Jacob his sinne and to Israel his transgression Micha 3. 8. I am full of power by the Spirit of the Lord saith the Prophet here was the way whereby the Prophet preached powerfully so that the Spirit went and rent mens hearts and consciences and made them tremble how why he made every soule see his sinnes so that Minister that would preach powerfully to the consciences of his people he must make every one of them to see their sinnes against God and his commandements so that they may confesse I see I have been a grievons sinner and I am in the state of damnation and I must repent or else I shall be damned Secondly particulars are most distinct when the preacher preacheth only in generall it workes a confused knowledge knowledge of sinne in generall a confused repenta nce a confused humiliation and a confused faith in the generall it may be it may make a man see he is a sinner in the generall but there are many thousand thousand sinnes in particular that he takes no notice of but swallows them down in the generall it may be his sinnes may be discovered in the generall but alas there are many yea multitudes of deceits of turnings and windings of the heart in particular that are never discovered to them All the religion of these men is only generall I love God with all my heart saiâ—thone and yet the man is grossely ignorant of God Aske him any particulars how he can prove his love to God and the man cannot shew any So I serve God with all my heart but goe to particulars and bid him manifest what he speakes so I feare God I worship God but bring them to the particular workes of these graces and they aregone presently they are lost and know not what to answer Thus the people in Malachies time they thought they had much knowledge while the Priest preached thus overly to them but when the Prophet came to preach home and to come with particulars to them they thought the Prophet was madde they knew not what he meant You have despised the Lord saith the Prophet wherein say they Mal. 1. 6. You have prophaned the worship of God You have polluted the table of the Lord saith the Prophet ver 7. wherein said they You have wearied the Lord with your words said the Prophet Chap. 2. ver 17. wherein said they You have robbed God Chap. 3. ver 8. wherein said they See your words have been stoute against the Lord said the Prophet yet they said what have we spoken ver 13. they could not tell wherein till the Prophet told them herein have you robbed God herein have you despised the Lord herein you have prophaned the worship of God c. So should the minister of God come to men and tell them in particular thou art an enemy to Gods grace thou hast abused Gods patience wherein sayest thou Thou art one that scornest the word of God and thou defilest all the Ordinances of God Wherein sayest thou Thou art one that putst farre from thee the evill day wherein sayest thou Now when the minister of God can come to particulars and shew men wherein then they cry out against them and think they tell them lies and preach false things to them but the Ministers of God are bound to preach so as they may discover mens particular sinnes not so as people may point one at another but so as every conscience may feele its owne sinnes Thirdly particulars are most sensible If the Minister preach home in particular there is not a false heart then
the Almighty p. 20. And let thy complaint be 1. Full of sorrow 21. 2. A full complaint of all thy sins ibid. 3. A complaint aggravating all thy sins by all their circumstances ibid. 4. A self condemning complaint wherein the complaint of Ezra is illustrated in eight particulars 22. 4. Let meditation when it hath searched out thy case and made it appear how wofull it is cast thee down before God 23. Four Motives to stir up the soul to Meditation Consider it is the part of a fool not to meditate It is madnesse for a man to walk on in a course and not to consider whither it will tend 24. 2. Consider not to meditate is the brand of a Reprobate ibid. 3. He that meditates not robs God of his honour 25. 4. All the service that a man performeth unto the Lord will be abominable if he meditate not before it and after it ibid. The reason why we have so many vain thoughts in our holy exercises is because we prepare not our hearts thereunto by meditation The Contents of the third SERMON Proverbs 1. 28. 1. THe opening of the context in five particulars 29. 2. The opening of the words of the Text in four particulars 30. 1. Doctrine Those that will not hear the Lord when he calleth upon them by the ministry of his word and voyce of his Spirit the Lord will not heart them when in their misery they call upon him 21. Three Reasons of the point 1. The law of Retaliation of rendring like for like requires it ibid. 2. Because Gods two Attributes of Mercy and Justice have their season in this life and when Mercy hath acted her part then cometh Justice upon the stage for to act her part 32. 3. Because it is Gods manner for to do so in temporall things and therefore much more in matters of grace and salvation 33. God giveth to men a day and no Man nor Angel knoweth how long this day lasteth or when this season of grace shall have an end 35. And as there is a personall day so there is a Nationall day 36. Objection 1. A man may be called at the eleventh or twelfth hour of the day 37. Answer Those that were called at the first hour came in at first hour those that came in at the twelfth hour were not the same that were called at the first hour ibid. Objection 2. The day of grace lasteth as long as the day of life ibid. The Objection is cleared under three particulars Answer And it is answered that the day of grace may end to a particular man long before his death 1. Because God may harden a mans heart 38. 2. Because God may sear mens consciences ibid. Objection 3. Suppose I go on in my sin and repent upon my death bead will God hear me Answer The answer is negative 39. Objection 4. Suppose I humble my self by fasting and prayer will not God hear that The answer is negative if thou neglect the day of grace ibid. Object 5. At what time soever a sinner repents he shall find mercy Ans It is true if he repent from the bottom of his heart but a man may have many a degree of repentance and yet never repent from his heart ibid. Self love may make a man do much ibid. 2. Doctrine It may be this very day even this particular Sermon this instant hour may be thy day that art now in thâ— sins that if thou repent not at this very one Sermon thou neglectest eternal life for ever 40. Four Reasons of the point 1. Because Gods patience is in his own breast and who can tell how long it will last ibid. Wherein Joel 2. 12. is opened in five particulars ibid. 2. God usually giveth some signes of death beforehand 41. But the day of grace may end and a man never have any warning of it Because Gods patience giveth no marks or inkling of its ending before it ends ibid. 3. Because God keepeth a strict account how many opportunities he hath vouchsafed 42. 4. Consider it is a wonder that the day of grace is not ended already and that thou art not now in hell 43. The Contents of the fourth SERMON upon upon Philip. 3. 18 19. 1 AN Explaination of the severall parts of the Text in five particulars 43. Doctrine That those whose minds and thoughts run habitually on earth and earthly things their end must needs be destruction 44. 6. Reasons 1. The curse of God is the desert of vain thoughts ibid. 2. The curse of God is the event of vaine thoughts ibid. 3. The man whose thoughts are habitually on the things of the world can never truly repent 47. 4. Because that man whose thoughts run habitually on earthly things hath no part in Jesus Christ 48. 5. Because so long as a mans thoughts run habitually on things of the world that man hath no true love of God in him ibid. 6. Because so long as a mans thoughts run after the world he can never depart from his sins 49. 2. Uses 1. For humiliation because these vain thoughts bearing sway in the heart they make that mans end to be destruction 50. 2. For the terrour of those men who suffer their hearts to be taken up with vain thoughts 51. Objection But I think of God and of Christ of faith and repentance 52. Answ 1. Consider whether thy good thoughts be meerly cast into thy heart or whether they be raised by thy heart ibid. A wicked man may have a thousand good thoughts and yet goe to hell in the midst of them 53. 2. Thou hast good thoughts but consider whether they be fleeting or abiding thoughts 54. There are two kinds of vaine thoughts 1. vaine because the matter and substance of them is vaine 2. vaine for want of durance and lasting though not vaine for the matter of them ibid. 3. Thou thinkest of God but consider whether thy thoughts be studied or accidentall thoughts 55. A godly man not only thinketh of God but he studieth how to think of God ibid. 4. Thou thinkest of God but consider whether thy thoughts of God be profitable or unprofitable thoughts ibid. Thoughts how free and not free Free from mens knowledge and mens Courts Not free 1. From Gods knowledge ibid. 2. They are not free from Gods word ibid. 3. They are not free from the wrath of God 57. Three meanes in the use whereof we may rid our selves of vain thoughts 1. Love the word of God ibid. 2. Go unto God by prayer ibid. 3. Consider thou hast not so learned Christ 58. All vaine thoughts arise from these three Heads 1. From the variety and abundance of the thoughts of the world ibid. 2. From the Fountain of corruption that is in mens hearts ibid. 3 From the damned malice of Satan and his temptations both within and without ibid. Thoughts become vain four manner of wayes In respect of the Matter In respect of the Forme In respect of the Efficient In respect of the
Therapeuticen sayes Argastus Prognostiques and telling the signes and symptomes of the disease are before the healing of the disease When we believe a thing to be so we have a proverb to say 't is a signe ' t is so Doest thou say thou art broken in heart 'T is a signe ' ris so they carriage is so mortified A signe 't is so thy communication is so heavenly A sign 't is so thy companions so holy c. If a man cannot cast thy water on this fashion thou art not broken in heart And therefore Signa tibi dicam c. I will help the signs and symptomes of a broken heart that so thou mayest examine thy self The signes I reduce to these two heads First A breaking from sin as a rotten member is broken from the body so that the heart is then said to be broken indeed when it is broken off from sin Secondly a breaking in it self so that the heart is said to be broken when it is broken with sorrow and self-deniall so that nothing can peice it up again but the favour of God These two make up a broken heart and therefore they shall be the heads of examination First then doe thy sins go thick away from thee when the cold is once broken we use to say now it is going away not in the rheume as before but in thick fleam If thou be broken in heart then thy pride thy earthlinesse thy selfe-selfe-love thy deadnesse to good duties and all thy sins go thick from thee It may be thou hast some poares in thy heart and thy sins fall away from thee in the rheume but if they go not away from thee in thick fleame the cold of thy frozen heart is not yet broken The sins of Zaccheus were injustice and oppression c. but as soon as ever he was broken in heart these sins went away thick from him not dropping as if he were loth they should part but in great flakes Zaccheus stood says the text and said unto the Lord behold half of my goods I give to the poor c. Luke 19. 8. see how his sins went away every word voids thick fleam First he stood before he clymed and gazed after Christ but being broken in heart he stood ready prest to doe whatsoever Christ would command him Secondly he said unto Christ before Christ might have said unto him what he would what cared he but now that he is broken in heart here is hardly a word that Christ said unto him of any such matter yet he said to Christ Thirdly Behold before his behold was carnall he did what he did to be seen of men if ever he gave ought he loved that men should behold but now all his care was that Christ would behold it Fourthly I give Before he thought I will give was enough I will give when I dy I will build hospitals when I am dead but now that he is broken in heart he gives it forthwith Fifthly the halfe of my goods before he counted a penny oâ— a farthing to a poor body a great matter a great dole if given now and then but now that he is broken in heart the halfe and not only of the superfluity but also of his very substance and goods as it is in the originall I give to the poor not as men commonly doe light come light go it may be they feast their rich neighbours but he gives halfe his substance to the poor Saints of God Sixthly And if I have taken any thing wrongfully though it were not much If I have taken any thing though not from the rich and great ones but from any rich or poor young or old stranger or not stranger no matter who if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation not only against Law where the Law binds me to restitution but if I have taken any thing by forged cavillation though the Law will boulster me out yet I restore him he did not say I give him as many wil do calling that which should properly be called restitution for wrong a gift I give say they he sayes not so but he casteth off the thought of a gift and doth what he doth by way of restitution Seventhly If I have taken anything before he could swallow down the known wrongs that he did but now that he is broken in heart he makes amends for the wrongs which peradventure he did not to be sure If I have taken I restore his restitution goes absolute although his wrongs go upon ifs I restore him saies he and that not nigardly or scantly or no more than needs must but four-fold Thus he reasons now he is broken in heart his sins go thick away from him The text but even now called him little Zaccheus before he had seen Christ merito adhuc pusillus quia nondum viderat Christum Justly might he be said to be little Zacheus because then he had not seen Christ but as soon as ever he had seen Christ whom he had wronged by these wrongs as soon as ever he was broken in heart he became a great repenter his sins ran thick away from him As soon as the boyle is broken out comes the matter As soon as the vein is broken out comes the bloud true it is a drop of blood may come though the vein be not broken if the finger be but rac'd a few drops may come but if the vein be once broken out comes the blood thick and threefold If thou dost but crop off thy sins now and then thy heart was never broken for if thou wast once broken in heart thy reformation would come apace thy repentance and thy amendment would come thick and threefold but if we preach and exhort and yet see but thin reformation in thee as a sigh or so thou wast never yet broken in heart if thy heart be yet full of thy selfe-selfe-love full of thy pride lusts c. if thy affections be yet full of earthly desires worldly delights vain hopes carnall fears if thy back be yet full of thy garish and humerous apparell thy heart is not yet broken why because the filthy matter runs not out Zaccheus when he was broken in heart his corruptions ran out apace both his unreadinesse to good duties and his deadnesse and dulnesse to holy duties Christ need not say much unto him for he said unto Christ his desire of the credit of the world ranne out for he gave the halfe of his goods to the poore his backwardnesse and delaying ranne out for he made present dispatch I give his very secret unknowne iniquities ran out if I have taken c. All his sins ran thick away from him Why because a broken heart can hold no sin this is the first signe of a broken heart from sin if it be broken from its sinful course The second is if it be broken from its wildnesse the Hauk is then broken when it is made fit for the Iâ—â—e and the colt is broken
God hath placed that fiery blade of death at the entrance into the Paridise of heaven so that none can enter before they tast of death and all must taste of it yea the most righteous are not exempted from the stroak of death This then should teach us to labour to draw our hearts from the love of this present life and what can better perswade us and wean us from the love of this world than a due consideration of death we know we must all die and therefore we should prepare our selves for it If any prophane person amongst us knew that this night must be his last night and that now he had no longer to live would not this amaze him and make him bethink himself and to prepare for death If rich covetous men which spend the whole course of their life in providing for the things of this life did truely consider of death and that their end draweth nigh would they doe as they do when this life and all the things of this life and all our joyes and pleasures of this world shall shortly have an end for when death comes they shall all be taken from us or rather we from them Oh how excellent a thing is it then for us to be drawn from the things of this life unto a due consideration of death and of those heavenly Joyes and happinesse to come Oh you that look for these things what manner of men ought you to be in holy life and conversation Thirdly seeing we all must die and this present life must come to an end this should teach us to prepare our selves for a better life to provide for a surer building a better estate which shall never perish Philosophers who were but heathen men could meditate on death setting it always before their eyes But this is not enough for us that are Christians we cannot truly prepare our selves for it unlesse we first build a surer foundation in providing for a better life which shall never have an end and this no heathen or wicked man can ever do Oh how wofull would that message be unto a wicked man that was brought unto good King Hezekiah Come set thy house in order for thou must die and not live and why should it be terrible unto him surely because he hath no hope of a better life he hath not provided for a better habitation Consider then with what comfort thou couldest entertain this message with whâ—â— comfort canst thou meet with death for he is no Christian that cannot in some measure willingly meet with death for by it we pas unto a better life for as this our brother spake often he that would have comfort in death must look beyond death he must not fix his eyes on the terrors of death but he must look beyond to that glorious inheritance to which we are passing through death and there shall he behold his Saviour putting forth his hand ready to receive him there shall he see the blessed Saints and Angels whose company he shall enjoy besides an infinite heap of Joyes and happinesse that is prepared for him also O my beloved nothing will make us willingly to entertain the message of death but only the comforts of the life to come Oh let us labour then for these comforts that so we may be provided against death were it not a foolishnesse for a man who being a tennant at will and shortly to be turned out of his house never to take care for another until he is cast out of doors Beloved we are all tennants at will and we are very shortly to be cast out of our dwelling houses of clay and shall we not provide for a surer habitation Death is at hand and our life must shortly have an end let us therefore labour to be assured of a better life when this is ended that so with comfort we may meet with death Now we come unto the second point which is here to be considered taken from the complaint of the Prophet that the people did not consider nor lay it to heart viz. the death of the righteous whence I note That the death and losse of good men must be laid to heart as a speciall cause of grief and sorrow We ought justly to be grieved at the death of a righteous man when God taketh him from amongst us How did the Prophet Jeremy and the people lament the death of that good King Josiah 2 Chron. 35. 23. so devout men made great lamentation for the death of Stephen Acts 8. 2. so all Israel lamented the death of Moses Deut. 34. 8. And Joash the King of Israel wept for the death of the Prophet Elisha 2 Kings 13. 14. and thus we should lament and sorrow for the death of any righteous man yet not in respect of themselves as if their case were worse now then before for they are now more happy But first in regard of Gods glory whereof they were instruments to set it forth for since they were taken away Gods glory is impaired because there are the fewer left which doe truly serve and worship him for as David saith the dead praise not the Lord c. Psal 115. 17. so then they being dead do not praise the Lord among the faithful on earth any longer Secondly in regard of the great losse that others have by their death who have alwayes received much good by them in their life for the godly doe so order and behave themselves in all their wayes that they do good wheresoever they come therefore when they die it must needs be a great losse unto such who might if they had lived been bettered by them Thirdly We ought to lament the death of the righteous in regard of the evil to come for while they live they are as a wal about us to keep Gods judgments from us If there had been but ten righteous men in Sodome it had not been destroyed Gen. 18. 32. If there be any messenger one among a thousand saith Elihu to shew unto man his uprightnesse then is God gracious unto him Job 33. 23. Run ye to and fro in the streets of Jerusalem saith God and see if you can find a man if there be any that executeth judgement and seeks the Lord and I will pardon it Jer. 5. 1. so that if there had been but one righteous man among the people in that city the Lord would have spared them even for that ones sake and therefore the Lord speaking of the righteous saith I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place he shall be as a glorious throne unto his fathers house Esay 22. 23. Oh consider then what a losse we have when the righteous dye we are like to perish when the naile that was in the sure place is removed cut down and falls for then the burden that was upon it shall be cut off Esay 22. 25. You therefore of this Congregation consider and lament for this your losse in that this good man is
would be a false saying of the Prophet For a wicked man may go to Church and fall upon his knees c. but never come before God This presence is to see the face of God Fourthly the conscience of a man doth answer him whether God hear him yea or no. As it was with the high Priest whensoever the high Priest came into Gods presence to inquire of him though God did not appear visibly unto him yet he might read Gods answer in his Urim and Thummim he might there know Gods mind so a mans conscience is his Urim and Thummim When he comes before God his own conscience gives him an inckling whether he speed or no 1 John 3. 20 21. If our hearts condemne us God is greater than our hearts and knoweth all things Beloved if our hearts condemne us not then have we confidence towards God If a mans conscience tell a man his prayers are rotten that his humiliation is rotten that his heart is â—o upright that yet he is not purged from his sins that his seeking of God is fained and hypocriticall it is the very voice of God in his soule and if our consciences condem us God saith the Apostle is greater than our consciences There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8. 1. as if he should say those that are in Christ God doth not condeme them they have not that condemnation nay their own conscience doth not condemn them so that that man whom any condemnation either from God or from his own conscience condemns that man is not in Christ being not in Christ he can never be heard Indeed a mans conscience may be mis-informed by Satan under a temptation as you may see in the verse before my text Thou hast heard my voyce sâ—op not thine eare from my cry Here the Church being examined their consciences told them they were heard in their prayers but being under a temptation their consciences were afraid that God heard not So many a poor soule examine it and it cannot deny but that these and these tokens of grace and fruits of Gods Spirit are in it yet their consciences are afraid that the Lord will not give them these and these other graces that they want that the Lord will not hear them for such and such blessings I meane not neither a truce of conscience for there may be a truce of conscience in wicked men A truce may be between mortall enemies but no peace but amongst friends Wicked mens consciences are like the Lion 1 Kings 13. who when he had killed the Prophet stood by the Corps and by the Asse and did not eate the body nor tear the Asse so a wicked mans conscience it is as the devils ban-dogge or roaring Lion till it hath slaine the sinner it stands stone still and seemes neither to meddle nor make with him but lies as seared or dead in him I mean not this conscience But when God hath sprinkled the conscience with the bloud of Christ and made the conscience pure this is a signe that God heares his prayer I mean not the stammering of conscience when it is dazelled or overwhelmed but when it speaks down right as it means A goâ—y mans conscience sometimes may judge otherwise then the thing is But examine what thy conscience tells thee in sober sadnesse deliberately convincingly and then know that the Lord tells thee If thy conscience sayes peremptorily that thy heart and wayes are rotten and unsound then know that the Lord tells thee so and that the Lord sayeth so to thy soule Fifthly the getting of that grace that a man prayes for is a signe that God heares his prayers But this is not a true signe alwayes but with distinction When the grace given and the good will of God the giver cannot be severed then it is a true signe But when the gift and the good will of the giver may be severed then it is not a true signe Thou mayest pray unto God and God may give thee many temporall blessings and many common graces of his Spirit God may give thee good parts a good memory he may give thee a good measure of knowledge and understanding even in divers things he may give thee some kinde of humility chastity civility thou mayest be of a loving and flexible disposition so he may give thee a good estate in the world houses lands wife and children c. God may give thee all these and yet hate thee and never heare one prayer thou makest thou maist pray for a thousand blessings and have them and yet never be heard so long as the good will of the giver is severed from them all outward blessings and common graces may be severed from Gods good pleasure to a man Therefore in temporall blessings or in common graces if thou wouldst know whether God hear thee or no know whether God hath given thee a sanctified use â—f them or no. If God hath given thee many common graces or temporal blessings and a heart to use them to his glory then every blessing thou hast there is not a drop of drink nor a bit of breâ—d that thou hast but it is a signe of Gods everlasting love to thee Why because this and the good will of the giver can never be severed But on the contrary if a man have not a sanctified use of that he hath then it is the greatest severity of God and the most eminent plague and curse of God upon the soule to give it for a mans parts may be his bane his civility may be his curse and means of the finall hardnesse and impenitencie of his heart Sixthly faith if a man have faith given him to believe it is a signe that God heares him be it to thee saith Christ to the man in the Gospel according to thy faith so goe thou to God and be it to thee as thou beleevest Dost thou pray for grace according as thou beleevest so shalt thou receive I have no signe that God will heare me I have so many corruptions of my heart against me and so many threatnings of Gods frowns against me I have no signe that God will heare me Wouldst thou have a signe An evil and adulterous generation seeketh a signe this is a tempting faith to seek for signes to believe Thomas said Christ John 20. 29. Because thou hast seen me thou hast believed blessed are they that have not seen and yet believe That man that believes because he feels grief in his heart teares in his eyes groans in his spirit because he prayes long and earnestly and sweats in his prayer or mourns in his humiliation I suspect his humiliation his teares his griefe his prayers and all that he hath Why these are good signes of faith but rotten grounds of faith the word and promise of God must be thy ground But against this the soul may object That every Promise runs with a Condition and therefore if I
gaâ—ling his heart day by day let the minister enâ—er a reproof into his heart againe so it be but once or twice he cares not Why he thinks he can recover himself again from it but let the word of God come into him and gall his conscience continually that every Sabbath he is convicted for a condemned man if he live not otherwise every Sermon the Minister finds him out in his closest and dearest sinnes he can never goe to Church but he heares the Minister reprooving him for some sinne or other telling him that he must to hell for them unlesse he repent and leade a new life thus when the word followes him every Sabbath that he hath no breathing time to recover his lust this makes him to hate the word Amos 7. The Prophet preaching the word of the Lord and denouncing the Judgements of God to the people for their sins Amaziah opposeth him ver 12. and saith unto Amos O thou Seer goe flye thee away into the Land of Judah and there eate bread and prophesie there but prophesie not again any more at Bethell for it is the Kings Chappel and it is the Kings Court He could like it well enough that Amos should prophesie once or twice but if he did prophesie any more he should spoile all theiâ—â—â—â—th he should gall all their consciences go saith he prophesie in Judah and eate thy bread there Amos should prophesie where he would so it were not there he might eat his bread where he would so it were not there Lastly as it is an actuall affection of the heart whereby the heart riseth up against an union so in the last place it is against that that is dissonant and repugnant to his lust For as love is the consonancy of the affection to a thing that hath agreement therewith so hatred must needs be dissonancy of affection to a thing that is repugnant and contrary to it So a wicked man he hates the word because it disagrees and jarres with his lust Indeed a wicked man may love the word so long as it opposeth not against his lust Therefore a wicked man may love three kinds of preaching First Quaint preaching that savours more of humanity then of divinity As long as the Minister commeth with dainty phrases acute stories eloquent allusions and fine transitions they will like it well enough it jarres not with their lust and therefore you shall heare them when they come from Church commend him O he was a fine spokes man a wirty scholar what a learned and excellent Sermon did he make to day so farre as the word opposeth not his lust a man may love preaching The people they did love to hear Ezeki l preach they did love to hear his pleasant words The Babylonians they did love to hear Davids songs it was fine melody to them though they hated the sense so the Phylistins they did love to hear Sampson speak they knew he was a witty man and could speake fine riddles to them but they hated his religion so the people they did love to hear Christ preach and would flock after him they did wonder at his authority c. yet they hated his doctrine for they cried crucifie him crucifie him so if a Minister speake onely of witte learning and memory c. a wicked man will love it it opposeth not his lust Secondly they may love Impertinent preaching when though it be never so pertinent to some in the Church yet if it be not pertineut to him he loves that As the drunkard loves to hear the Minister preach against hypocrisie though never so sharply The prodigall person loves to hear the Minister preach against covetousnesse But if the word come to strike him under his fifth ribbe to discover his corruptions and the plagues of God due to him for his sinnes then he hates it Thirdly he may love preaching in â—anto though not in toto he may love so or so much preaching but not preaching altogether A wicked mans conscience tells him that he must have some religion that he must performe some service to God and therefore so long as the Minister onely calls for some preaching some hearing and some serving of God why his conscience calls for so much The vilest drunkard and blasphemer and swearer that is will be content to hear of calling upon the Lord Jesus at his death the vilest whoremaster and prophane person the earthly worlding c. will yeeld to some preaching and to some hearing and to some reading why otherwise their consciences would not be at quiet but would be as the divells band-dogge bawling and houting at him But if the Minister call for more religion then his lust will suffer for more religion then will subsist with his security deadnesse lukewarmnesse hypocrisie worldlinesse that he cannot yeeld to and â—eâ—aine them then he thinks there is too much of it then he hates it and cannot endure it Thus you see that wicked men hate the word of God I set it forth by three instances Rom. 1. 30. Haters of God They did not hate his being and essence his goodnesse and mercy but they hated him as he was a Lawgiver The devils hate not God as he is God and hath a being but they hate him as he is a Lawgiver and as he is their Judge they cannot endure to be called by this God to be controuled and judged by him Thus was it with the Colossians before they were converted they were enemies to God Col. 1. 21. Our Saviour takes away the whole doubt and speakes it peremptorily and generally of all the world they hated me the whole world so long as they live in their sins hate Christ and hate his word First a wicked man hates the word because he hates the truth and the being of the word he is sorry that the word of God is true he would be glad that the Scripture might prove false that things may not be as the word of God saith they are he hates the being of the word A man loves the being of that which he loves and he hates the being of that which he hates and were it in his power he would destroy it Now though a wicked man cannot destroy the Bible from being in it self yet he will destroy the Bible from being in his life For beloved the word of God should not onely be in the Bible but the Bible should be in a mans life A mans life should he a walking Bible but a wicked man destroyes the Bible from being in his life A civill man would be glad that Aristotles Ethicks were the Bible A worldly man would be glad that the Book of Statutes were the Bible he is sorry that that is the Bible which indeed is the Bible The young man that came to Christ though he loved eternall life and said that he loved the Commandements of God yet when our Saviour told him one thing is wanting goe and sell all that thou hast and give it to
by E. T. for John Stafford GODS IMPARTIALITY IN HIS JUDGEMENTS ISAIAH 42. 24. Who gave Jacob to the spoile and Israel to the Robbers Did not I the Lord THe Lord in this Chapter by the Prophet Esay doth foretell heavy things against the people and by the way mark the Lords dealings he ever gives warning before he sends any plagues he lightens before he thunders that the people might not say they did not hear of it and that the wicked might be the more inexcusable and that the godly might make an Arke to save themselves in These words and the following verse containe in them five severall things First the Author of this destruction or judgement Secondly the Causes of it Thirdly the Judgement it self Fourthly Who they were on whom this judgement was inflicted Fifthly The effects of it Now by Gods permission I will open these words in order unto you And for the first the Author of it It is laid down by question and answer Question Who gave Jacob to the spoyle and Israel to the robbers Answer Did not I the Lord was it not I the mighty God which am able to order every thing according to my own will But indeed we are ready to ascribe things to chance and fortune and lot to prevent this saies God Who did these and these things did not I the Lord Now by Jacob and Israel is meant the people of the Jews which were called by the name of Jacob. Who though they were his peculiar people yet when they sinned he gave them over God saies Who gave this people of mine to the enemies did not I the Lord therefore God he is the Author of all punishment Secondly the Cause why the Lord did this for some might say why did the Lord overthrow this people whom he did so tenderly respect for his which were as the apple of his eye and the strength of his right arme because they sinned against the Lord and would not walke in his wayes He sets down the Causes First in generall they have sinned Secondly in particular they would not walk in his way nor be obedient to his Lawes Thirdly here is the Judgement it self ver 25. therefore hath he powred upon him the fury of his anger the strength of the Battel and hath set him on fire round about He calleth it the anger of the Lord not of a King or of a great man but the anger of the Lord the fury of his anger shewing the extremity of it he doth not say that God doth drop down his anger but he poures out the fury of his indignation Moreover he saith the strength of battel the Lord cometh like an armed man to fight against them and to destroy them as men in waâ—res doe when they slay both young and old and make no bones of it and are glad when they have done it And as an armed man to slay them so likewise he hath set a fire round about them the Lord hath inclosed them in with indignation so that they could see no way to get out of it or to escape it So then this shews the unavoydablenesse of Gods Judgements Fourthly who were these that were destroyed Jacob and Israel a praying and a professing and a fasting people Fifthly the effect of all this how it did work upon them Yet saith the Lord they know it not neither lay it to heart Oh Lord what monstrous stupidity is this though God did doe it in his anger too yet this poor Nation saw it not nether regarded it till the plague came and when it came they never laid it to heart neither were they humbled by it but did beare the plague and afterwards went down into hell and never minded it Even so beloved stands the case with us The Lord plagues us and we see it not his anger burns round about us and the fierrenesse of his wrath is gone out to battel and yet we perceive it not From the first of these observe namely That God is the author of all plagues and judgements that befall a Nation It was he that drowned the old world and delivered the Children of Israel to the spoylers Shal there be any evill in the City and the Lord hath not dont it saith Amos in his third chapter and sixth verse From whence observe this That God ordains all punishments before they come Acts 4. 28. for to do whatsoever thy hand and counsel determined before to be done And as God ordaineth all thing before they come so he ordereth them and the time when they shal come and they cannot come one moment of time before the Lord would have them The Iews could not lay hold on our Saviour because his hour was not yet come John 7. 30. The wicked cannot pull down punishments upon a Nation when they wil As it s he ordaineth them and the time when so he doth appoint them how long they shall lie upon men Revel 1. 10. There the Lord had appointed the Church of Smyrna ten dayes tribulation and there is measured how much God appoints us The devill could go no further then his commission in afflicting Job As he doth order all so he doth order all for the good of his people and for the confusion of his enemies all things work for the good of those that feare God Rom. 8. 28. and for the hardening and overthrowing of the enemies of the Church that are incorrigible This may stay and comfort the hearts of Gods Children in any heavie crosse that befals them Is God the orderer and disposer of all then this may comfort thy soul O thou poor Child of God I say comfort thy soul with this that the Lord is the temperer of all things and the Physician that stands by and sees how many drammes the Apothecary putteth in The devill indeed may afflict thee and wicked men may punish thee but thou shalt have no more then the Lord sees good for thee Therefore though thine enemies take thee and kill thee and Rabshekah raile on thee and Bonner burne thee yet the Lord is a sweet loving Father and ordereth all things and cannot find in his heart to hurt thee Though they be the Instruments yet God he is the Author and hath appointed how long and how much and for what they shall afflict thee Therefore though the Sword find thee and faggot come yea though thou beest banished or sawne asunder yet the Lord ordereth all things Therefore he saith to the sword and to the the plague as David said to Ioab have a care of my deare sonne onely subdue the rebell but doe not hurt my sonne So saith God use my servants kindly for my sake onely bring under their proud hearts but do not hurt them Therefore have an eye to Gods love and let faith in him over-rule thy heart in spite of all that can come against thee This may terrifie the hearts of all wicked men that are out of Gods favour Is God the Author of
the creatures lye under ibid. Every creature hath 1. A specificall end 301. 2. An ultimate end ibid A wicked man hath no right unto the creature ibid. But he hath 1. A civil right ibid. 2. A providentiall right ibid. 3 A vindicative right 302. 4. A Creatures right as he is a creature ibid. But he hath no filiall right no son-like right in Christ ibid. Use To shew that wicked men have little cause to be merry at any time because there is nothing neare them but groaneth under them 303. All creatures groane to God for vengeance to be poured upon the wicked ibid. And these groanes are 1. Upbraiding groans 305. 2. Witnessing groans ibid. 3. Accusing groans 307. 4. Judging and condemning groanes ibid. Use For exhortation 1. To take heed how we do abuse the Creatures of God ibid. 2. Take heed of sinning against God by the Creatures ibid. 3. Take heed of setting thy heart upon the Creature ibid. 4. Use all the Creatures in humility and thankfulnesse 308. 5. Use the Creatures as so many Ladders to helpe thee to climb up towards heaven ibid. The Contents of the two and twentieth SERMON on John 2. 6. THE opening of the words in foure particulars 313. Doct. A true Christian walkes as Christ walked 314. A man must first bee in Christ before hee can walke as Christ walked Object Can any man walk as Christ walked 315. Answ None can walk as Christ walked in regard of equality but in regard of similitude they may ibid. The life of Christ should be the Example of our life ibid. Christ came into the world to redeeme us for our justification and to be an example of life unto us for our sanctification 316. This Question answered viz. What it is to Walke as Christ walked 317. Foure reasons of the point 1. Because as Christ came into the World to justifie the ungodly so he came to conforme them to his Image ibid. 2. Because in vain we are called Christians if we be not imitators of Christ and live as he lived 318. 3. Because all that are in Christ are Members of his body therefore they must have the same life and bee quickened by the same Spirit 319. 4 Because of that neer relation that is betwixt Christ and every one of his Members 320 Use 1. To shew that all men that live not the life of Christ do blaspheme the name of Christ 321. Of all sins under Heaven God cannot endure the sins of them that take the name of Christ upon them ibid. Doctr. Every Minister is bound to preach home to men in particulars 322. Reas 1. Particulars are most operative ibid. 2. Particulars are most distinct and most powerfull 324. 3 Particulars are most sensible ibid. Doctr. Every Minister is bound to preach so as to make a difference betwixt the pretioas and the vile 325. Reas 1. Because otherwise a Minister prophanes the holy things of God ibid. 2. Otherwise he cannot be the Minister of Christ 326. 3. Otherwise he is like to doe no good by his Ministery ibid. The Contents of the three and twentieth SERMON on John 3. 20. THe Context opened in foure particulars 1. What mans naturall estate and condition is without Christ 331. 2. Gods gracious provision for mans salvation ibid. 3. The condition required viz. Faith 332. 4. The reprobation of the world if they do not believe ibid. But Christ is neither the efficient nor deficient cause thereof ibid. But the cause of their damnation is from themselves proved 1. By their own conscience ibid. 2. By experience ibid 3. By reason 333. In the words are two parts 1. The wickeds rejection of the word of grace ibid. 2. The cause of that rejection ibid. viz 1. First from the qualification of their persons ibid. 2. From the disposition of their Nature ibid. Doctr. A wicked man hates the word of Gods grace yea grace it selfe ibid. This hatred is 1. An actuall hatred ibid. 2. It is a passion of the heart ibid. 3. It causeth the heart to rise up against an union with the word 334. This union of the word is set in opposition 1. To generall preaching ibid 2. To mercifull preaching 335. 3. To preaching when the minister is dead ibid. If the World doe not hatâ— a righteous man it is either 1. Because he is a great man 337. 2. Because he is a man of admirable wit and knowledge ibid. 3. Or because God gives him favour in the eyes of the world ibid. 4. This hatred causeth the heart to rise against that which is repugnant to its lust ibid. A wicked man may love three kinds of preaching 1. Eloquent preaching that savours more of humanity then of Divinity 2. Impertinent preaching ibid. 3. Now and then some preaching to satisfie the cravings of his Conscience ibid. Reason 1. A wicked man hates the word because he hates all truth even the very being of the word 339. 2. Because he hates the very nature of the word 340. Because he cannot endure the knowledge of the word ibid. All naturall men hate the word 1. Because no entreaties no beseeches can possibly reconcile them 341. 2. Because neither money nor price can make them friends ibid. 3. Because all the love in the World cannot unite them together 343. 4. Because neither the love of God nor the bloud of Christ will soder them together ibid. Every naturall man had rather be damned then leave his sinnes rather go to Hell then be a new creature 344. The Contents of the four and twentieth SERMON on Isaiah 42. 24. THe words contain five things 1. The Author of the destruction 350. 2. The causes of it ibid. 3. The judgement it self ibid. 3. The people on whom it was inflicted ibid. 5. The effects of it ibid. Doctrine 1. God is the Author of all judgements that befall a Nation 351. Use 1. For comfort to Gods children seeing God is the orderer of all events ibid. Use 2. For terrour to the wicked that God whom they hate shall be their judge ibid. Use 3. To learne in all calamities to look up unto God 352. Doctrine 2. Sinne and disobedience against the Law of God is that which brings down punishments and judgements upon a Nation Church or People ibid. Use 1. To discover the weaknesse of our Land in what a poor condition it is by reason of sinne 353. 2. To shew who be the greatest Traytors to a kingdom ibid. 3. To teach all of us to set hand and heart Prayer and tears on work against sinne ibid. Especially it concernes thâ—se that are in places of Authority 354. Doctrine 3. The Lord often times brings fearfull and unavoydable judgements and punishments upon his own professing people 335. Four signes of Judgement a coming 1. When the Ministers of God with one voyce foretell judgements to come 856. 2. When sins of all sorts do abound ibid. 3. When the Divell and wicked men cast in bones of dissention ibid. 4. When all mens hearts begin
to faile 357 Three Directions what is to be done in such times 1. Let us shake off the love of all things here below ibid. 2. Let us lay our heads upon the block and be willing that God should doe what he will with us 358. 3. Let us pray and cry mightily to God before we dye even all the time we have to live for mercy peace and truth ibid. The Church of England like the ship of Jonah 359. The Authors Admonition to the People ibid. More then ordinary Faith requisite for these times of danger ibid. The Contents of the five and twentieth SERMON on Heb. 11. 28. THe Coherence of the text with the context 363. Doctr. 1. That it hath heen the property of wicked men and is still to think whatsoever the godly have is to good for them 364. Reasons 1. Because God hath chosen them out of the world ibid. 2. Because the wicked know not the godly ibid. 3. Because the wicked measure others by themselves ibid. 4. Because there is and ever will be a contrariety between the seed of the woman and the Serpent 365. Use 1. This should teach godly men when they are hardly dealt with not to be discouraged ibid. Use 2. Though the world deale hardly with you yet see that you doe not measure like for like ibid. Doctr. 2. The world and the things of the world are of little worth 1. In respect of God 1. Because they can not make us the better esteemed with God 366. 2. They cannot assure us of Gods love ibid 3. They do not make us the more mindfull of God ibid. 2. In respect of themselves 1. They cannot enrich a mans soul with grace 367. 2. They are not able to free a man from any spirituall evill ibid. 3. They cannot give any solid content ibid. 4. We can hove no assurance of them 368. Use To teach us to take off our hearts and affections from pursuing the things of this life 369. Doctrine 3. True beleevers vre persons of great worth ibid. 1. In respect of the worthy names that are given to them ibid. 2. In respect of the great prince that is paid for them ibid. 3. In respest of the consciences of the wicked 370. 4. In respect of the priviledges that God hath been pleased to dignify them withall ibid. Which are these 1. Their Royall descent ibid. 2. Their Royall attendance ibid. 3. Their hig places ibid. 4. Their extraordinary fare ibid. 5. Their Royall apparell ibid. 6. Their freedome from debt ibid. 7. Their free accesse to the throne of grace ibid. 8. All thigs work together for their good 371. 9. They are Gods beloved ones ibid. 10. They have the free use of Gods Creatures ibid 11. They are a safeguard to the places where they live ibid. 12. Great things are reserved for them in the world to come ibid. Use 1. This serves for terror to the wicked who wrong the children of God ibid. Use 2. To teach us to esteem such men as are persons of so great worth 372. Use 3. To direct us how we may be honoured of God scil by honouring such as he honours ibid. Use 4. This serves to comfort the godly however disgraced here ibid. Use 5. To teach us that if we account our selves of that number we be carefull to walk worthy of the Lord 373. The Contents of the six and twentieth SERMON on Gen. 6. 3. THe words opened 377. Doctr. 1. The Lord doth mightily strive with a company of poor rebels 378. Doctr. 2. There is a time when God will strive no more with men ibid. This handled in six particulars 1. Proved by testimonies of Scripture 379. 2. The manner shewn hâ—w God is wont to deale with rebellious people ibid. 3. God at length gives men over to their lusts 380. 4. God hardens such men as he hath given over ibid. 5. God lets such men build upon false bottoms 381. 6. God witholds such means as he had formerly afforded them ibid. What persons they are whom God thus deals with shewn in four particulars 1. Those that have lived long under the means of grace and have not profited by them 372. 2. Those that have had much means and many secret workings of the Spirit and have not made good use of them ibid. 3. Those that have much grieved the good spirit of God in bringing in some sin contrary to the light of conscience and the suggestions of the good spirit ibid. 4. Such as have a vile and contemptible esteem of the Gospell and the Ministers thereof 383. The grounds of this point or why God gives men over and will strive with them no more are taken 1. From the justice of God ibid. 2. From the wisdom of God ibid. Severall Objections propounded and answered 386. Use 1. Seeing that God strives with some men and at length gives them over go home and blesse God that he hath not dealt so with thee ibid. Use 2. Take heed there come not a time when God will strive with thee no more 387. Use 3. Wo to the wicked who are thus left ibid. Their case is miserable in three respects 1. Because if God forsake thee all forsakes thee 388. 2. When God goes restraining grace goes ibid. 3. If God leaves thee common protection leaves thee ibid. The Authors Exhortation Redeem the time and yeeld to the good motions of Gods spirit Four Motives to it 1. Consider the fearfull condition of such as are given over 389. 2. Consider the great danger of putting off ibid. 3. Consider the time past and present ibid. 4. Consider that though God shouldbe all the day long calling and egging â—s on yet our lives are but short ibid. The Contents of the seven and twentieth SERMON on Colos 3. 5. THe Text explained and divided 394. Doctr. 1. If we look to have any benefit by or interest in Christ we must mortify our sins and corruptions 396. Three Reasons 1. Because Christ is a Saviour to save us from our sins 397. 2. Because it is impossible for sin and grace to subsist in one subject 398. 3. Because it is impossible to enter into the kingdom of Heaven if we mortifie not our sins ibid. Use 1. To condemne all such as goe on in their old courses of deadnesse and security 399. Use 2. To teach us that it is not enough to let sin dye in us but we must kill it 400. Use 3. To teach us that the work of our Redemption is no easy worke as many men thinke it ibid. Use 4. To teach us to examine our selves whether we have mortified our sins or no 402. Which may be known by these markes 1. They that have mortified their sinnes doe live in the contrary graces ibid. 2. They that are mortified indeed and in truth are dead to every sinne 403. The Contents of the eight and twentieth SERMON on Isaiah 58. 4. TWo things mainly considerable in the Chapter 1. The prophets Commission 2. The execution of his