prophane man viz. hee sold away his birthright for one portion of meate It requires first we know what this birthright was and then the price he had for it As touching the birthright you must note it stood in diuers priuiledges 1. priuilege Gen. 17.7 especially these fiue First hee was by nature heire to the couenant which God had made with Abraham his Grandfather and so came to his father Isaac who did meane to haue left it with Esau which was That God would be his God and the God of his seede after him Secondly 2. priuilege 3. priuilege 4. priuilege that Christ according to the flesh should come of him Thirdly hee was heire to all his Grandfathers and his fathers lands Fourthlie all his brethren and sisters be they neuer so many must in his presence shew reuerence to him Fiftly 5. priuilege hee should haue been heire to all the land of Canaan and so at his death to the kingdome of heauen But hee most prophanely sold all this away Now let vs heare the price he sold it for No doubt he sold it at a great rate Gen. 25.34 truely for one portiō of meate What portiō was it It was a messe of pottage Oh prophane wretch that could find in his heart to sel such a pretious pearle and to part with it at such a base rate But this hee did and so lightly did he esteeme these heauenly blessings Frō hence we may obserue this instruction Whosoeuer he bee that hath his hart so glewed to the presēt things of this life as that he preferres them aboue spirituall things belonging to saluation is not only a man of a prophane heart but hath a manifest signe of the curse of God vpon his soule Example we haue hereof this prophane man who preferred these temporall things aboue his birthright and sold it away and for what did hee part it away why for to fill his bellie What was the chiefe reason of his hunger his hunting he had taken such pleasure in his hunting that he was an hungred and to fill his bellie hee sold away Gods blessings and so procured the curse of God on himselfe and his posteritie Much like to many at this day who haue their hearts so set on their pleasure and profit as that they hunt the blessings of God from their soules The holy Ghost by the Apostle Paul writing to the Philippians sets downe a marke to discerne betweene a wicked man and one of Gods children Phil. 3.19.20 the one hath his mind fixed on earthlie things but the other hath his mind daily on the things that doe belong to saluation A warning of this sinne hath our Sauiour giuen to vs in that parable set downe by the Euangelist Matthew Matth 22.2.3.4.5.6.7 where comparing his Father to a supposed King that married his Sonne and made a feast and sent his seruants to call them that were bidden but they refused and preferred the things of this life before the heauenly banquet and made their excuses But how tooke the King the matter he sent out his men of warre and destroyed them and burnt vp their citie In the same case it stands with vs at this day God the father hath maried his Sonne Iesus Christ to his Church at which he makes a great feast hee sends out his seruants the Ministers to call you by the word preached to inuite you to come to the Sacraments in which there is not onely offered but reallie giuen to the worthie receiuer al the benefits that Christ hath purchased for his elect Now if wee contemne despise or wilfullie neglect his gratious kindnesse and bounteous liberalitie to vs herein preferring the things of this life before these heauenlie blessings what can we expect but that iustlie hee will send out hardnesse of heart and impenitencie of soules vtterlie to destroy and damne vs for euer The reasons why so many set heauenly things at a small rate valew and lightly esteeme them are Reas 1 First because the immoderate loue of earthly things will keepe all loue of heauenly things out of their hearts 2. Iohn 2.15 To which end the Apostle saith If any man loue the world the loue of the father is not in him Giuing vs to vnderstand that such as haue their minds and hearts fixed on the things of this life cannot performe any seruice to God which hee will delight in according to the saying of our Sauiour Christ No man can serue two Masters Luke 16 1◠hee cannot serue God and Mammon As if hee should haue said hee that sets his heart on the things pertaining to this life cannot but make light account of the things pertaining to the life to come Gen. 3.14 The world is said to carrie two breasts in her bosome which are pleasure and profit by which she doth nourish many to damnation When God did curse the Serpent in paradise for a signe of his curse he told him he should goe vpon his bellie so it is a visible signe of Gods curse vpon that man who hath his heart set on the earthlie things of this life as his monie his riches his vanitie c. Reas 2 A second reason is because they feele not the need they stand in of spirituall things they are like vnto the people which the Prophet Hosea speakes of who being called to repentance Hosea 12.8 say they be rich and haue found them out riches yea they boast there is no iniquitie to be found in them by which they doe measure the fauour of God vnto them by their outward prosperitie The like is set out by the Laodiceans in the Reuelation Reuel 3.16.17 who being threatned for their luke-warmenes answere they be rich and encreased with goods and had need of nothing and yet were wretched poore blind and naked All which sets downe the reason many preferre earthly things before heauenlie because they feele no need they haue of them but flatter their hearts with their outward prosperitie whenas if euer God doe open the eies of their minds they shall see they bee most wretched poore blind and naked So that in their vnregenerate estate as the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 2.14 they cannot see the need they stand in of heauenly things Daily experience we may see hereof in many amongst vs who if you offer them any temporall commoditie belonging either to the backe bellie or pleasure how readie they be to hearken to you and runne and ride with you in hope to benefit their estate But offer the same men any spirituall commoditie for their soules as hearing the word receiuing the Sacraments or some worthie bookes to reade and meditate vpon they turne a deafe eare and will bee at no paines or cost to entertaine such an offer and all because they feele not the need they haue thereof in their soules Reas 3 A third reason is because they feele no sweetnesse in them Gods children are rauished with them which
of their first loue and with Demas haue embraced the world and yet are no whit dismaied at al Look vpon her all you that are priuie to your selues and guiltie of blacksliding in your zeale and loue to the Gospell She was turned into a pillar of salt and remaineth a spectacle of Gods vengeance for al such as thou art She was turned into a durate substance without speedie repentance hee will turne thee into a heauie iudgement and that is hardnes of heart which is harder then salt for it is the plague of all plagues You then that of religious seruants are become irreligious masters you that are priuie to your hearts that 10.20.30 yeeres agone you were more forward and zealous in Gods worship and now are decaied and cold looking backe to the pleasures and profits of this world looke one Lots wife shee as it were hangs in chaines for a wofull spectacle to behold Let her moue you to labour to recouer that you haue lost lest the Lord make you spectacles to others as she is made a spectacle to you And for this citie and others is Ierusalem in the Scripture to bee a perpetuall example her special sinnes were pride contempt of Gods word and abuse of Gods Prophets Her doome is recorded for England and for thee London whose pride is as great if not greater then euer hers was And for whose contempt and abuse of Gods Ministers it is a wonder the Lord smites not the land Let vs all then hereafter in reading stories of the Lords iudgements on others make them examples and warnings for vs else to make account the same God that was reuenged on them will not let vs escape The second sort that this doctrine reprooueth 2. Sort. are such as in setting their children to read in the Lords booke they heare the storie of Lots drunkennesse of Dauids adultery of Peters deniall and thereby they doe blesse themselues and strengthen and comfort their hearts yea they haue learned to alleage them as examples to extenuate their sinnes Am I a drunkard so was that good man Lot Am I an adulterer saies another so was that man after Gods owne heart Dauid Shall I despaire of my saluation saies the wicked persister in sinne and I reade the theefe repented on the crosse and found mercie at the last houre O vile wretches who hath bewitched you to peruert Gods word to your destruction It is as much as to poison thy soule Looke on their repentance Lot fell of infirmitie and no doubt repented with much griefe yet looke vpon Gods iudgement vpon that incestuous seed Looke vpon Dauid reade the 38. Psalme it made him goe crooked his sinnes were as fire in his bones he had not a good day to his death but the griefe of his sinnes made him to roare out Thou wouldest be loth to buy thy sinne as he did And as for the example of the theefe First the Lord knocked but once by one sermon and he repented but thou hast had many sermons and hast had many callings and cryings to thee yet repented not Secondly this is an extraordinary example and there is not the like in all the Scripture againe And the end is that thereby wee should neither despaire nor presume one that wee should not despaire and but one that we shuld not presume This example is for all penitent sinners who vpon their repentance may assure themselues the Lord will receiue them to mercy Now if thou canst promise to thy selfe the same repentance and faith in Christ that hee had then maiest thou promise thy selfe the same felicitie hee now enioyes But looke thou on his fellow who had no grace to repent and who hangs as an example to all impenitent wretches to looke vpon that they despise not the mercie of God nor reiect his call by vs lest it come to passe that when thou wouldest repent thou canst not To thee that doest strengthen thy selfe in thy sinne vpon presumption of mercie to other Deut. 29.19.20 I referre thee to the words that the Lord himselfe speakes Deut. 29.19.20 He that when he heareth the words of the curse blesseth himselfe in his heart saying I shall haue peace though I do walke according to the stubbornenesse of mine owne heart thus adding drunkennesse to thirst the Lord will not be mercifull vnto him but the wrath of the Lord and his ielousie shall smoake against that man and euery curse that is written in this Booke shall light vpon him c. Looke thou on this and the like threatnings of God against such as strengthen their hearts in their sinne Thus much at this time being loth to be ouertroublesome referring the rest till euening Prayer Let vs pray for a blessing vpon that wee haue been taught FINIS THE SECOND SERMON HEBREVVES 12.16.17 Let there bee no fornicator or prophane person as Esau which for one portion c. YOu haue heard in the forenoone beloued in Christ the summe and drift the holy Ghost aimes at which is a certaine dehortation therein disswading euerie good Christian from two great vices which hee calles by the names of the rootes of bitternesse which are Fornication and prophanenesse Of the one we haue spoken it now resteth we speak of the other vice hee disswades them from And because I suppose the most of you were present in the forenoone I will not stand to make any large repetition of that which was then handled but onely of so much as may make a better preparation to that which shall be now deliuered You must note that the holy Ghost in his dehortation from this sinne of Prophanenesse propounds Esau the elder sonne of Isaac for an example and hauing set downe the vse and end euery one should make in the reading of such examples of Gods seuerity in scripture and not to take the name of God in vaine by either lightly passing by them as making no vse at all or else abusing them to strengthen themselues in their sinnes by the example of the Lords mercie on others wee proceeded no further in the morning Now I come to that which followeth which is the person that is set foorth as an example to all prophane men It is Esau as you haue heard the eldest sonne of Isaac And this may seeme very strange that Esau should be a man hated of God before he was borne and that he should bee hung vp as an example to all prophane men to take warning by First he was honourablie descended for Abraham was his grandfather and Isaac was his father Secondly hee was a man whom God had blessed with great riches and one of the wealthiest in all the countrie Thirdly we doe read of great blessings to his posteritie Gen. 36.41 for of him came fourteene Dukes and were in great account Yea further if yee read in the booke of Genesis of his cariage and behauiour you shall find hee had diuers good morall vertues and kind partes in him and such as I
am in doubt many of vs come short of and yet perswade our selues to be good Christians First you haue not read a more louing kind and gentler sonne to his father then he was and his father againe loued him dearely and more dearelie then hee did Iacob Gem. 33.4 Secondly how kind was hee to his brother who though he went with a full purpose to haue slaine him yet meeting of him his heart so melted that he fell on his necke and kissed him yea his kindnes was such to his father that hearing of his death Gen. 25.19 came many a mile to performe his last dutie and to see him buried and laid him in his graue yet wee reade him branded for a castaway Againe was hee a couetous man truelie no Gen. 33.8.9 as may appeare in the storie when he met his brother Iacob who offering him a great present he did refuse it protesting hee had enough which did argue a mind void of couetousnesse Was he proud no verily for as we reade when his brother and hee could no longer dwell together he in courtesie gaue place to his youngest brother What was his sinne was he a drunkard an adulterer an vsurer We doe not reade that hee did liue in any of these grosse sinnes What then was his sinne He was a prophane man and therefore hated of God and set vp for a spectacle to all the world From whence wee may obserue for our instruction Doct. 4 Howeuer a man may haue many temporall blessings and morall vertues yet being a prophane man it is not only sufficient to bring seuere punishments vpon him but he carries a principall brand of a castaway I say againe and marke it though a man be come of a most honorable descent though kind and dutifull to his parents though rich and wealthy in regard of the things of this life yea though hee be contented and be very humble outwardly yet if he be prophane he may carry the very brand of a reprobate So that it is one of the greatest sinnes in the world to be prophane and irreligious yea many papists I meane the simple and ignorant Papist are in better case then a prophane man Not that I teach that euery one shall bee saued by his owne religion for as there is but one true God so there is but one true way by which he will be worshipped and by which we shall attaine to saluation consisting in true reconciling of vs to God in Christ And I grant the poore deceaued Papist is not in the right way for he seekes other waies and depriues himselfe of the righteousnes of God in Christ going about to establish his owne inuentions And further they be Idolaters and worship stockes and stones the worke of mens hands therefore cannot looke to be saued in this way Yet I sa yt here is more hope that God will shew mercie vnto them then to a prophane person because they doe it of ignorance he of presumption which caused Peter to tell the Iewes that they were capable of mercie Act. 17.3 because they did it of ignorance And this must mooue vs to hope well of many of our ancestors who liued and died in the time of Poperie who no doubt would not haue so beleeued if they had knowne it not to haue been the truth which they professed But the prophane person cannot bee ignorant but that his course of life is sinne therefore more hope of such ignorant persons then of the prophane Atheist It is not morall vertues ciuill honestie kind natures that is the way to heauen Nay a man with these may be a miserable man except he be sanctified with religion Wee doe not hold as the Papists falsely charge vs that good workes are needelesse to saluation Iam. 2.14 For wee both know and teach that faith without good workes is dead and it is a shame if Christians exceed not worldlings yet we say that all morall vertues in a man without religion are vnauaileable to saluation and as Salomon saith in another case they are as a ring of gold in a swines snout Honestie and ciuilitie are most pretious Iewels but they that haue them without religion are no better then swine Example of Nicodemus Iohn 3.3 who was accounted a most honest man in the world an vpright dealer a common frequenter of the Temple liberall to the poore c. yet our Sauiour told him it was not his kind nature nor his morall vertues nor his ciuill carriage would bring him to heauen except hee were regenerate and borne anew that is except there were another nature wrought in him and so become religious The like example wee haue of the Apostle Paul who bragges of his estate by nature Phil. 3 4.5.6.7.8 saying that no man could boast of outward things as he either of stocke tribe kinred zeale or righteousnesse of the law Of the which hee saies he was vnrebukeable that is no man could iustly detect him or say so much as blacke was his eie But when the Lord wrought true religion in his heart hee cries shame on them all and accounts all but dung in respect of the benefit that comes by religion Wee must not flatter our hearts with outward ciuilitie amongst men but labour to approue them religious towards God It is not our care and conscience of the second Table will afford vs one iot of comfort to saluation except they bee grounded on conscience and respect of the first Table It is not our detesting and freedome from pride drunkennesse whoredome theft vsurie slandering that will bee accepted of God except there be planted in our hearts a feare of God a loue to religion a conscience of sanctifying the Sabbath day a reforming of families and instructing our children a hating and abhorring the sinne of swearing and departing from infidelitie impenitencie and hardnesse of heart which the Lord by his spirit workes in those that hee makes religious Yea if all the morall vertues that can be possible were in a man yet if these bee wanting Matth. 22.38 hee is a prophane man and remaineth in the case of damnation To this end our Sauiour calles the first table the first and the greatest The first because it must bee preferred in the first place and chiefe roome before our eating sleeping marrying rising labour c. there must goe some part and duety of the first table The greatest because the punishment thereof will be greater then the other Vse Now for the vse of this First it teacheth vs to make triall in our hearts whether wee bee infected with this sinne of prophanenesse or not And though there bee many and sundrie signes to trie our hearts by yet I will content my selfe with foure things besides the chiefest of all which followes in the next words to bee spoken of which the holy Ghost hath set out and branded Esau withall The first is his behauiour in the matching himselfe in marriage wherein he shewed his
no better grace but to sell away their birthright Vse 2 A second vse hereof serues for an admonition to you all to take heed you harbour not this sin lest you come to see it with griefe shame when it is too late To thee then that art priuie to thine heart thou preferrest this day the selling of thy worldly commodities in thy shop or the working secretlie in thine house as too many of you doe of thy trade and occupation before the holy assemblies I tell thee accursed is that gaine so gotten Take heed of three dangerous enemies to draw thee to prophanenesse The first is carnal reason which will labour to withdraw thee from loue and delight in religion putting into thy mind that as there is nothing gotten by being religious so there is much danger gotten by being too forward The second is the world which will labour to perswade thee from being too precise and forward in running to Sermons for it will hinder thee of much pleasure and profit that otherwise thou mightest haue yea and if thou looke not to it in time it will bring thee to beggerie And that it is the propertie of an Infidell not to prouide for wife and children This is a dangerous enemie and doth preuaile with many The third enemy is irreligious friends the neerer the worse A religious young man cannot haue a greater enemie to draw him to prophanenesse then an irreligious father or mother or brother or sister A religious husband cannot haue a more pestilent enemie to coole his zeale and loue to religion then an irreligious wife Set downe this for a certaintie you that bee religious that your greatest enemies shall be those of your owne house that be irreligious Vse 3 A third vse hereof is to encourage vs all to goe on boldlie in our profession notwithstanding the scoffes and taunts wee shall haue of prophane men Oh let them alone this is their time for howsoeuer now they doe laugh at vs to see vs to lose so much pleasure and profit as they thinke we might get yet a day wil come the Lord himselfe will laugh at them to see their follie Prou. 1.24 To thee that scornest and mockest at such as serue the Lord in sinceritie of heart If a man should call thee villaine and foole thou wouldest be angrie Iob 30.8 but the holy man Iob saies thou art so and all such as thou art Of all the markes of a castaway one of them is to bee tainted with the sinne of scorning at a godly man for his seruice to God Gen. 21.9 It was the marke that Ismael was branded withall and sent him to hell because he was a mocker of Isaac I tell thee God accounts he hath no greater enemies then such As example of the messengers that came from Ahaziah 2. King 9.10.11.12 who in mocking sort flouted the Prophet calling him in scorne man of God but were punished with fire from heauen The like wee reade of 42. children that were deuoured of two beares for mocking Elisha the Lords Prophet But hearken thou what the Lord saith which is Deut. 32.41 That he will whet his glittering sword and his hand shall take hold on iudgement and execute vengeance on his enemies and will reward them that hate me Amongst which enemies in one of the chiefest number he accounts a scorner Text. He was reiected for he found no place c. Now followes the second degree of his punishment which is how he labours to obtaine it againe yea he goes so farre that he weepes for the losse of it yet all in vaine Doct. Whence wee are to obserue for our instruction that many a ciuill man may go very farre in outward signes and shew of repentance yet liue hated of God This lesson is well to be marked of vs because there be many at this day which liue amongst vs who if they can performe any outward shew of repentance as to sigh or grone and specially to shed teares doe thinke they haue waded farre in repentance But wee must learne that it is not outward shewes will serue for reprobates may goe farre in shewes of saluation yet shall come short and neuer obtaine it Gen. 37 34-38 Consider of Esau in seeking the blessing hee went to his father hee fell vpon his knees he cried out for very griefe he was ashamed hee had so lightlie and at such a rate passed away his birth-right hee wept hee shed teares Who would haue thought but this repentance had been sound Did either Marie or Peter or the theefe in outward shew goe any further or much beyond him Yet theirs was true repentance and accepted of God but his was counterfet and hee and it both reiected Example we haue of Orpah the sister of Ruth Ruth 1 7-14 how she went far in shew she leaues her countrie she trauels along she weepes aswell as Ruth yet in the end a few words and reasons perswade her to turne backe so there are many can make a faire shew in matters of faith and repentance but either carnall reasons or irreligious friends or one thing or other drawes them quite away This appeares in that vnpardonable sin Heb. 6.4 where is shewed how first they may be illightned with vs indued with knowledge and vnderstanding of the word that hath been preached vnto them Secondly they may taste of the heauenly gift that is Luke 8.13 they may gladly receiue the word and reioyce in it as our Sauiour describes in the parable of the seed cast into stony ground Thirdly they may be partakers of the holy Ghost that is of diuers graces of the Spirit as namely lightned with knowledge and ioy in their vnderstanding as also of gifts of preaching of tongues and the like Fourthlie they may taste of the good word of God that is they may not only know God by the law which is fearefull to the sinner but by a more sweet vnderstanding of the Gospell which saith Come vnto mee all yee that trauell and be heauie laden so calling it the good word of God as that glad tidings of saluation Fiftly they may taste of the powers of the world to come that is they may know and confesse that the end of the Gospell is eternall life to all that faithfully beleeue and liue in it Thus may wee see how farre such a one as may commit the sinne against the holy Ghost may goe and make shew in the way of saluation Mark 6.20 Another example wee haue in Herod who is said to heare Iohn Baptist yea farther he heard him gladlie yea hee did reuerence him yea which is more hee reformed many things by his preaching to him that before were amisse yet cast away and forsaken of God So a verie castaway may goe farre in many things As first in his calling he may heare the word he may vnderstand it assent to it ioy in it practise some duties commaunded by it yet to be