excluded thence 2. Arg. A second Proofe or argument to shew that the keeping of the commandements is a necessary condition required of them that shall be blessed is because God hath assigned hell as the proper habitation of all ungodly persons It is said of Iudas that when in despaire of mercie hee had hanged himselfe hee went 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to his proper place or as our Translation hath well rendred the word to his owne place Where there is no doubt but hee meaneth hell whither Iudas went for his transgression and he calleth hell his owne or his proper place 1. because he had deserved and purchased it by his sin For as it is said ver 18. Hee purchased a field with the reward of iniquity so it is true that he purchased hell with the practice of his iniquitie 2. It is called his own place because God had assigned and appointed that place to Iudas and all such as Iudas was who sell CHRIST either for profit or pleasure And for this cause it is that the Judge at the last day will say to the wicked Go ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Divell and his Angels And if hell be the place deserved by the wicked and destinated to them by Almighty God then heaven can be no place to receive such persons in And therefore if these men go out of the world without repentance they go to hell without all redemption And by this it appeareth that the keeping of Gods word is a necessary condition required to the qualifying of that person that shall bee made partaker of blessednes an happie life And this is the first consideration in respect whereof the keeping of Gods word is availeable to eternall life II. A second is that the keeping of Gods word is availeable to salvation as a service or worke whose reward is blessednesse and eternall life For the clearing of this I will set downe three conclusions 1. Concl. Blessednesse is the reward of well doing or which is all one of the keeping of Gods commandements This may be proved first in generall and then in particular 1. In generall thus David saith The judgements of the Lord are true and righteous altogether And then he addeth Moreover by them is thy servant warned and in keeping of them there is great reward Ps 19.9 11. And Ps 58.11 Verily saith hee there is a reward for the righteous verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth And so our Lord saith of himselfe that when hee cometh to judge the world he will reward every man according to his work Matt. 16.27 And S. Paul God saith hee will render to every man according to his deedes To them who by patient continuance in well-doing seeke for glorie and honour and immortality eternall life but unto them that are contentious and doe not obey the truth indignation and wrath Rom. 2.6 7 8. Where 1. when he saith God will render according to works he sheweth what the rule is by which God will proceed in judging of the world namely according to mens works 2 When he saith To them who by patient c. he explaineth that rule by particular instances He will render to men according to their workes 1. to them which continue in well-doing he will render eternall life as their reward and to them that are contentious and disobedient shall be indignation and wrath By all which thus much is apparent that in generall God rewardeth well-doing with blessednes and eternall life 2. Now in the 2. place let us consider how God rewardeth particular and speciall vertues and wee shall finde 1. that hee rewardeth Martyrdome and patience in suffering for CHRIST with blessednes and eternall life So saith our Saviour Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousnesse sake for theirs is the Kingdome of heaven Blessed are yee when men revile you and persecute you c. for great is your reward in heaven Matt. 5.10 11 12. 2. Hee rewardeth mercifulnesse to CHRISTS Disciples or Confessors He that giveth a cup of cold water onely to a Beleever in the name of a disciple he shall in no wise lose his reward Matt. 10.42 3. He rewardeth almsdeeds to the poore and needie So our Saviour When thou makest a feast call the poore the maimed the lame the blinde and thou shalt be blessed For thou shalt bee recompensed at the resurrection of the just Luk. 14.13 14. 4. Affiance in God and his promises hath a promise of reward So the Apostle Cast not away your cōfidence which hath great recompense of reward Heb. 10.35 5. Faithfulnesse and obedience in servants toward their earthly masters hath a reward from God farre more then their service is to men Servants saith the Apostle obey in all things your Masters not with eye service as men-pleasers but in singlenesse of heart fearing God And whatsoever ye do in your service to your masters do it heartily as to the Lord and not unto men knowing that of the Lord yee shall receive the reward of the inheritance Col. 3.22 23 24. Thus the Scripture goeth before us in diverse particular duties shewing how God doth reward them and by these giveth us example how to judge of all the rest And from hence the conclusion is apparent and cleare that both in generall and in each particular heaven and happines is the reward of well-doing 2. Concl. This reward of blessednesse allotted to good works is for the measure of it squared proportioned according to the goodnesse of the works For though all good works are rewarded with blessednesse Yet all are not rewarded in the like measure and degree Those good works which excell other in goodnesse shall exceed other in the greatnesse of the reward For every man saith the Apostle shall receive his owne reward according to his owne labour 1 Cor. 3.8 Hee speaketh there of some that planted and some that watered and of them he saith that every one shall receive his owne reward Hee meaneth hee that planteth shall receive the reward of a planter and he that watereth shall have the reward of a waterer To the like purpose our Saviour saith He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophets reward and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous mans reward Matt. 10.41 By which speeches this is implied that there is one kinde of reward belonging to a prophet doing his dutie in his place and an other belonging to a righteous man as hee is righteous And hereto agreeth that of the prophet They that be wise shall shine as the firmament and they that turn many to righteousnesse as the starres for ever and ever Dan. 12.3 The conclusion is cleare the greatnesse of the reward is squared according to the goodnesse of the work 3. Concl. This reward of well-doing is due to it not for the worthinesse of the work but by vertue of Gods promise
will come short of the publik because in the Church men may joyne both reading and hearing together When they heare the Ministers voice they may look upon the Text in their booke and so at once they shall have the use both of eare and of eye the one of which will stirre up the affection and the other will confirme the memorie and at every pause may reflect back upon that sentence that importeth them most And consequently at one time and in the same exercise they shall in good part reape the benefits both of reading and of hearing 4. Lastly suppose a man reapeth as much good by his privat reading as in reason such an exercice well ordered can produce Yet he cannot promise to his privat devotions the like blessing that God hath promised to the publik serviâ—es of his Church For of the Tabernacle hee hath said There will I meete with thee and I will commune with thee from above the mercie seate Exod. 25.22 And of the Temple he hath said I have chosen this place to my selfe for an house of sacrifice 2 Chro. 7.12 and vers 15 16. Mine eyes shall bee open and mine eares attent to the prayer that is made in this place For now have I chosen and sanctified this house that my name may be there forever and mine eyes and my heart shall be there perpetually And so of the Assemblies of Christian people CHRIT hath promised Where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them Matt. 18.20 By all which we may learne that when we pray heare in publik God hath promised a blessing not onely to the exercises themselves but to the place also where they are performed even because it is Gods house But if wee performe the same duties at home though he hath promised a blessing to the services if they be performed in due sort yet hee hath promised no blessing to the place because it is any mans dwelling or his privat closet And now according to this rule and observation a man may expect a further blessing upon his reading and hearing in the Church then he can expect upon the like performances in his owne house All these things concerning the two questions layed together the summe is this Reading of Gods word and hearing of it read are both of them good exercises which God hath coupled together and man must not put them a sunder Againe the performance of these duties at home and in privat is good in its season and may be a help that the word of Christ may dwell richly in us but it must not in any case justle out the publike service of the Temple where God more especially doth dwell And therefore as our Lord said of the duties of mercie and justice compared with the duties of tithing anise and mint and cumine these things ought ye to have done and not to leave the other undone Matt. 23.23 so may I say of publik and privat both reading and hearing These wee should do and not leave the other undone My conclusion shall bee an Exhortation consisting of two parts 1. That as occasion and opportunitie will serve wee be carefull to read the Scriptures in our privat houses When I say as occasion and opportunitie will serve I meane that I do not desire much lesse require that servants should steale from their masters the houres that be due to their service or that masters themselves should neglect the businesses of their calling in which God hath set them but I meane that both master and servant and all other Christians should redeeme the time as the Apostle speaketh that is should take the occasion and make their best advantage of it while the time serveth And he or she who besides the time allotted for such exercises on Sundayes and holy dayes shall take those shreds of time on the other dayes which each mans businesse will permit him without either wronging of others or neglecting of his own estate I doubt not but within a few yeares he may be well read in the booke of God It is reported of Alphonsus King of Arragon Serar in Josh l. 2. pag. 289. c. that notwithstanding his great affaires of government and the daily businesses of a Kingdome yet he gained so much time for this use as that he read over the Bible fourteen times with Glosses Commentaries upon the Text. And by this wee may gather that no mans place who is his owne master is so full of businesse but if he will husband his time well not drown himselfe in worldly cares or lavish away his time in eating and drinking and sporting he may gaine sufficient time for reading without neglecting of the works of his place and calling Yea and servants and labouring men who have the fewest houres to spare yet if they be provident for their soules may now and then finde some leisurable times for this exercise without either wronging of others whose work they do or defrauding of themselves of needfull times of refreshing 2. My exhortation also is that wee do not suffer our selves to bee kept at home without urgent cause when God by the ordinance of his Church doth call us into his house There are not a few in the world who partly through idlenesse and partly through fansifulnesse and contempt of government despise the good orders of our Church and neglect the publik service to the offence of God and wronging of their owne soules But they who are sober minded though they live in the midst of such a froward generation yet will consider and I beseech them so to do with heedfulnes care that God hath promised to meete with his people in the Tabernacle and that his eyes will be open his eares attent to the prayer that is made in the Temple and that where two or three are gathered together in his name he will bee in the midst of them And they may further be remembred that David when he heard that his child was dead went into the house of the Lord and worshipped 2 Sam. 12.20 And not onely the Pharisee who delighted to shew his devotions in publik places but the humble-minded Publican too went up into the Temple to pray Luk. 18.10 And Peter Iohn the blessed Apostles of our Saviour after they had beene filled with the holy Ghost went up together into the Temple at the houre of prayer being the ninth houre Act. 3.1 Now there were none of these men but might have found an house or a closet or a chamber to performe their devotions in but they knew nor did any man in those dayes make question of it but that the house of God was the fittest place to serve God in and that the houre appointed for publik prayer was the best season for them to present their prayers to God They had not learned that subtill distinction which some phantastiks use now a dayes that a privat prayer must not bee
pertinent to our purpose In some such manner as this we may single out such lessons as are proper and passe by those which cannot further to a good life And this condemneth the practice of two sorts 1. of them that busie themselves about trifles and things of no worth and 2. of them who trouble themselves about other mens duties not pertinent to themselves 1. They are to bee condemned who busie themselves about trifles or frivolous things and by entertaining them do exclude things of better worth Such are they who are more affected with the Ministers wearing of a cap or a surplice or an hood then they are with their owne duty of obedience to Governours and of just dealing with their neighbours and of keeping the tongue from slandering and deriding of their betters Such men if they heare any word against a Ceremony or against a Bishop they mark and mind that and clap hands at it for joy when they can heare threatnings against hypocrisie and selfe-love and uncharitable censurings sins too ordinary with such people and yet are no whit mooved at the matter (a) Plutar. de Audit pag. 43. Plutarch telleth of one who being sick of a consumption came to a (b) Philotimus Physician to ask counsell for a sore finger the Physician perceiving that he was dangerously ill of his consumption answered Non est tibi amice adversus reduviam opus medicÃnâ My friend you have no such need of physick for a finger it is your lungs that may endaÌ„ger your life And so I may say to these men There is no such danger to your soules from a Ministers surplice or hood Your danger is from your owne sinnes your pride and selfe-love and overweening of your selves with despising of your equalls and slandering of your betters c. Cure these diseases first and then we will heare you if ye have any thing to say that may discover a fault in our Ceremonies The conclusion is They that will profit by hearing Gods word must single out such things as may help to amend their lives 2. They are justly condemned also who busie themselves about impertinent matters things which either concerne not themselves or are above their reach and capacity to understand In this sort S. Peter offended Hee when our Lord told him what conflicts himselfe was to undergo for his Master presently leaving his own businesse enquired concerning Iohn Lord what shall hee do But our Lord checked him for it If I will that he tary till I come what is that to thee follow thou mee Ioh. 21.21 22. And such a one was he that would needs know what God was a doing before he made the world to which busie question an ancient Father gave a wittie and wise answere which was Alta scrutantibus gehennas parabat hee was making hell for them that prie into his secrets August Conf. lib. 11. c. 12. pag. 74. And such like were those Monks of whom we read that they asked Copres an holy and devout man concerning Melchizedech who and what he was to whom Copres Rosw in vitis Patrum lib. 5. cap. de Humilit num 24. pag. 623. tundens tertiò os suum smiting himselfe three times on the mouth said Vae tibi Copre c. Woe to thee Copres which neglectest the things which GOD hath commanded thee to doe and searchest after those things which he never required at thy hands Hee meant by a figurative applying of their fault to himselfe to tell them how dangerous it is to be busie about unnecessary things And so if any of us shall mark and enquire into the duties of other men What the dutie of the King is in ruling of his people what the Bishops in ordering of the Church what the Ministers in preaching of the word or what the Magistrats dutie is in doing of justice wee may say to him What is that to thee who art a privat man do thou learn do thine own duty and let other men alone with their places that concerne thee not Againe if any man shall busie himself about the orders of Angels and the degrees of glory in heaven and of the acquaintance that the Saints have one with an other in an other world wee may bid him first learn what God teacheth him for his salvation when he hath learned all that then hee may have leave to enquire about needlesse things 3. Rule The last rule of wisdome in our hearing is that if any sin be reproved or any judgment threatned we should bee suspitious of our selves lest wee may be the men and in an holy jelousie applie every thing to our selves that reason will permit For even in things of this life Salves do not heale unlesse they bee applied to the wound nor medicines do not cure unlesse they be received by the Patient nor meat doth not nourish unlesse it be taken downe into the stomach And so it is here Reprehensions and comminations and caveats against sin they do not humble the sinner nor work repentance and warinesse unlesse they bee applied to the diseased and crasie soule This is apparent in the example of David Nathan being sent to him to reprove him he first told him a parable and under it described his sin but David passed over this without once thinking on himselfe who was aimed at in that speech But when Nathan once had said Thou art the man Thus saith the LORD c. then David remembred his fault and said I have sinned against the LORD And so hee repented and asked and obtained pardon 2. Sam. 12.1 c. Thus it was with David and so it is and will be with us also If sinnes be spoke against in generall onely that worketh seldom times any remorse but applie them to the conscience and that worketh repentance amendment of life Application then is most necessary But it may not bee expected that alwaies it should be done by the Preacher as here it was done by the Prophet For sometimes he can not do it because he knoweth not the particular sins whereof each man is guiltie and to be admonished and sometimes he may not do it because if hee should point out men in the pulpit he might rather offend the Assembly then amend the sinner or hee might shame him rather then reforme him Such applications by the Preacher may be usefull in privat as Nathans was but what good may come by personating men in publik I cannot conceive Seeing then that the Preacher cannot or may not make this application wise hearers must help him and make the application themselves If he tell them from the Apostle Hebr. 13.4 Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge they if any among them be privie to himself of this sin must say within himselfe I am the man that have sinned in this sort am guilty of that judgment And if Hee preach against fraud and oppression and presse upon them that of the Apostle Let no man