him account of what they had done Luk. 10. 17. Lord even the Devils are subject unto us Lord I have done thus and thus I have declared all thy whole counsell I have kept nothing back I have done thy message and such and such have heard mee but such and such will not hear me A messenger is bound to give an account unto him that sends him nay the devill himself returned to give an account when the Lord sent him to tempt Job hee came again and told what hee had done Job 2. 1. So wee should come again and tell God what wee have done When the children of Dan sent spies to search the land they came and related what they had done so should we doe Lord behold here am I and here are the people that I have begotten by thy Word and here are the rebells that I could never get to reforme their wicked wayes Wee see how they that had received the Talents how they came and gave in their accompt Lord thy pound hath gained ten pounds O what a case shall wee be in if wee cannot give up a good account at the last day of what wee have done in our places and callings Fourthly If Christ send us unto you O Beloved what a great mercy is this â—â— that Christ should send unto such as you bee If Christ had sent unto you when yee had sought him and turned unto him it had been very much but that hee should dispatch messengers unto you when yee had not so much as a thought of him nay when yee sinned against him This was a mercy indeed It was a great kindnesse that Joseph would send unto his Father and his Brethren and bid them leave all and come into the Land of Aegypt O saith he regard not your stuffe for the best of the Land of Egypt shall bee yours yee know his brethren were unkinde unto him Beloved Joseph was never so unkindly dealt with by his Brethren as Christ hath been by us and yet that he should send to such wretches as wee are O leave all and come unto me regard not your stuffe regard not your profits never trouble your selves with this thing and that thing for all the best of heaven shall be yours O what an infinit kindnesse is this when he will send such treasures of his to us by his Ministers As Joseph filled his brethrens sacks with corne which they carryed to their fathers house in Canaan to preserve them alive till they came into Egypt So the Lord Jesus Christ hath put his spirituall treasures as it were into a sack and given them his Ministers to dispence to their brethren to nourish them and preserve them untill they come home to him hee fills his Ministers sacks every week for us they come with sack-fulls of heavenly and divine truths every week to us with sack-fulls of food to feed our soules unto eternall life and when that is spent he sends us every Sabbath more and therefore how should wee esteem a true Minister that comes to us from Jesus Christ Hee is one of a thousand as Elihu speaks if there bee a messenger with him an interpreter one of a thousand to declare unto man his righteousnesse then hee is gracious unto him Joh 33. 23 24. that is then is God gracious to us indeed When God sends us a messenger from him such a one is one of a thousand such a one declares to us our righteousnesse Yee know wee cannot stand before God without righteousnesse Now such a one declares to us righteousnesse He brings us the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ So that we should be thankfull to Christ that he sends us any of his true Ministers O my Brethren we that are the Ministers of God wee come with heavenly and glorious things every day from our Lord Jesus Christ Though wee have them but in earthen vessels yet they are things that the whole world is but drosse and dung to and therefore think how yee should come to Church think how yee should bee affected with our message think with what affections ye should heare our Sermons Now I come to heare a message from Christ a Letter from Christ a Direction from Christ a reproofe from Christ counsells from Christ for the framing of my life now I shall be told what I may doe to inherit glory O sayes the Apostle He hath given to us the Ministery of reconciliation with God to wit that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespassesunto them and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation Now then wee are Embassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christ his stead bee reconciled unto God 2 Cor. 5. 18 19. 20. q. d. Ah yee poore creatures God and you are out yee are enemies of God by your evill works the wrath of God hangeth over you wrath for all your sinnes wrath for all your drunkennesse your covetousnesse worldlinesse wrath for all your carnall courses your slighting of heaven and heavenly things the wrath of God abideth on you Now the Lord of Heaven and Earth hath sent us as Heralds of Peace we come as Embassadors from the Lord of all glory we have the word of reconciliation the word which we preach will make God and you friends again if yee will beleeve it and imbrace it We pray you in Christ his stead to consider of it bee reconciled unto God heare our message doe not slight what wee say to you we speak to you from Christ This is the onely Word that can make God and you friends O how will this judge the world that the Ministery of the Word is no more regarded nor heeded When God sends his Ministers unto people and because forsooth their flesh and blood does not like it they look little after it Wheras this containes eternall life and if ye reject this ye reject eternall life I beseech you judge what I say Doe you meet with a reproofe that crosses your corrupt Iusts I pray you reason the case thus with your own Soules I am reproved for my loosenesse and my vain wayes my fashioning of my self according to this world my fawning my flattering my gaming my scandalous courses my sinning against light I have had good education I have lived under good meanes but I am very gracelesse if I put off these reproofes I put off the word of reconciliation This is the word that comes to reconcile me to God if I have faith to apply it but if I put it from me and doe not regard it I refuse all reconciliation with God So when the Word shewes you your duty how to beleeve how to live how to walk in all holinesse and true righteousnesse Consider if yee put it from you yee put away from you the onely word of reconciliation These are the truths that are sent unto me to reconcile me unto God O if I will have none of them I cast
pleasing in his eyes though it may be people doe not feele this same feare as long as they are well and lusty but let but conscience be awakened or let death seize upon them then a feare will appeare O how afraid are they to goe before God But let a man have such a living conscience as this this gives a man boldnesse The righteous are as bold as a Lyon Prov. 18. 1. thy conscience is an admirable thing without this all a mans boldnesse is nothing Thou maist hold up thy head very high and out face all the world for a time as bold as can be tush thou art well thought of among all thy neighbours but what sayes thy conscience if that cannot say thou art a gracious man I tell thee thou canst have no boldnesse But now if thou hast this same living conscience now thou maist be as bold as a Lyon though the world doe accuse thee yet what sayes thy conscience if that excuse thee thou maist shew thy face where thousands shall be confounded when Austin was accused by Secundinus to have come from the Maniehees for feare of losse and for hope of preferment he comforted himselfe with his conscience I esteeme not sayes he what Secundinus thinkes of me so long as my conscience approves me before God so also Paul when the false Apostles accused him O sayes he it is a very small thing with me that I should be judged of you 1 Cor. 4. 3. Thus ye see for good what is the livingnesse of conscience towards good This is the second thing Thirdly now about Poth both sinne and goodnesse when is the conscience alive about both namely when it does instruct a man and not onely so but it guides a man to shun the one and to imbrace the other This is a living conscience indeed when it is a mans privy counsell from day to day This is a Divine Counsell it s like a little privy Counseller in a Childe of Gods bosome that the Lord in mercy hath placed there to direct him as David sayes I will blesse the Lord for giving me Counsell my reines instruct me in the night seasons Psal 16. 7. By his reines he meaneth his conscience now that did instruct him not onely in the day time but also in the night if he were tempted to sinne his conscience instructed him nay I must not yeeld to that if he found himselfe backward to any good duty nay still his conscience advised him nay I must be forward to that I confesse a dead conscience may give admirable counsell and Instruction to the wicked I their conscience proves it unto them But it does not do its duty for it does not make them to doe theirs Thus ye see what a living conscience is when it so does its duty that it makes us to doe ours But it may be humbled conscience is paedagogus animae it is the soules Schoole Master as Origen cals it now a Schoole-Master may doe his duty though he doe not make his Scholler doe his for if he be diligent in teaching and doing of his office the Scholer may be a dunce for all him the best Schoole-Master may have a block head and a dunce in his Schoole I answer the reason is not alike First a Schoole-master teacheth another But conscience is a Schoole-Master not to another but to a mans selfe and therefore if the conscience doe its duty indeed it must needs make the man to doe his because his conscience is a Schoole-Master to himselfe Secondly againe a Schoole-Master is not alwayes by his Scholer sometimes his back is turned but conscience is ever by a man and therefore if it did alwayes doe its duty it might make the man to doe his Againe Thirdly a Schoole-Master it may be his Scholer is duller then himselfe and then though himselfe be never so learned yet he cannot put his learning into his Scholer But it is not so here here the Scholer and the Schoole-Master is all one one is no more dull then another for looke how dull the one so dull the other look how active the one is so active is the other because conscience and the man is all one it is very true the conscience by accusation is eagerer then the man for God may take a dead conscience and sur it exceedingly and he does so ordinarily in men but these stirrings of conscience are none of consciences stirring but Gods my spirit shall not alwayes strive with man Gen. 6. 3. they are his strivings with men But the consciences own quick enings and the mans are all one you will say how shall I know whether the quickening that is in my conscience be my consciences or onely the Lords stirring in my conscience I answer First when thou art glad that thy conscience is so busie with thee it is very welcome unto thee then the Lord hath made thy conscience alive then God does not onely strive in thy conscience but thy conscience it selfe is alive as we see there in David I will blesse the Lord for giving me counsell my reines doe instruct me Psal 16. 7. when his conscience did instruct him he was glad of it he blest the Lord for it his conscience was alive But now in a wicked heart the more his conscience accuses and condemnes and checks the more buisie it is with him the more unwelcome it is and therefore he labours to still it may be he will stop it with some thing may be some little reformation for the time may be with Prayer or some yeeldings thereunto nay there be some labour to drown it out right they will goe to the Ale-house or to Cards or among their boone companions and so shake of those dumps therefore my Brethren if ye would have a signe that your conscience is alive be glad at its dictates give them all their deare intertainement ye can Blesse the Lord for them and make very much of such they are the sweet motions of Gods holy spirit quench them not doe not stop the mouth of them by halfe payments let them have their full sway Secondly when thou callest upon thy conscience to be buisie when thou usest to stirre up conscience every day wind it up as a man does his Clock that it may be in continuall motion So the Prophet did Why art thou so heavy O my soule why art thou so disquieted within me hope thou in God Psal 42. 11. marke he took his conscience and stir'd up himselfe with it a wicked man does not thus his conscience comes before it is sent for it is like an unbidden guest And therefore if thou wouldst know whether thy conscience be alive doe but consider whether this be thy course if thou doest daily awaken thy conscience if thou doest set it a worke this is a signe of life in it as Paul did here in doe I exercise my selfe that I may have a good conscience voyd of offence Act. 24. 16. He laboured
you that yee may bee saved I say Christ is anointed with him the Lord hath given him his Spirit in abundance hee hath enough spirit to infuse into all that lay hold upon him as John saith God hath not given the Spirit by measure unto him Joh. 3. 34. No hee hath the holy Spirit without measure hee hath all store of spirituall graces to afford to them that lack a Treasurie of all heavenly blessings to inrich all his poore distressed Members The Reasons of this Point why Christ onely hath the holy Spirit of God to give where hee will are three First Because there is none but hee that God is well-pleased in God is out with all the sonnes of men by reason of sin and wickednesse they are all hatefull unto him they are odious in his sight and the whole world cannot make him and them friends again that ever hee should give them grace and favour much lesse his holy Spirit There is none in whom God is well-pleased but in his Son This is my well-beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased Father and Holy Ghost Both came and rested upon him saying This is the onely Hee in whom I am well-pleased Mat. 3. 16 17. q. d. If yee get him to bee your Advocate take him and come unto mee with him then I will bee friends with you hee may help you with reconciliation with mee hee may get mee to give you my holy Spirit I am well-pleased in him and in none but him This is one Reason so that Christ onely can put his holy Spirit into thy heart and so send thee to his Father As Paul put a loving mediating letter in Onesimus his pocket and so sent him to his Master then hee will bee well-pleased with thee when thou haste Christs Letter of commendation about thee then thou mayest goe to God from day to day and bee accepted with him None can doe this for thee but onely Christ hee onely can put a mediating Letter in thy hand hee onely can give thee the intercessions of his holy Spirit Thousands goe to God in mans duties from day to day and because they are without this Christ hath not given them his holy Spirit therefore they are not accepted God is not pleased with them they pray without his spirit they cry God mercy without his spirit they seek to enter in without his spirit and so they are not admitted Now when a soule comes to Christ God is well-pleased with Christ and therefore Christ can give him this love-token Christ can give him the holy Spirit and so hee shall bee admitted into favour with God God is well-pleased in him As Pharaoh was in Joseph and therefore Joseph could present his Brethren unto Pharaoh Gen. 47. 2. If any bodie else had presented them they should never have found favour but Joseph could put acceptance upon them Pharaoh was well pleased in him So God is well pleased in his Son and therefore he can doe it and none but He. Secondly Another Reason is Because the Holy Spirit of God will never enter into man more except Gods Justice be satisfied God is resolved he will not put up those indignities that men offer unto him except they bring with them one in whom his wrath is appeased As Saint John sayes The Lambe slaine hath seven eyes which are the seven Spirits of God Rev. 5. 6. That is hee hath satisfied Gods Justice and therefore he hath the Holy Spirit of God so given the Holy Spirit of God will goe to those men that he hath satisfied Gods justice for I say the Holy Spirit of God will not goe to any man without satisfaction if any one will shew him satisfaction then the Spirit of God will say I will goe where you will have mee onely let mee have satisfaction Now Beloved Christ onely can say to the Holy Spirit come a-long with me to this man here 's a satisfaction unto Justice Therefore he only hath the Spirit at his dispencing And therefore if any man would have Gods Holy Spirit he must bring the Lambe Divine slaine with him to God Lord here I have the Lamb slaine and now let me see thy face now let mee have thy Spirit as David said to Abner bring me Michol or never thinke to see my face 2 Sam. 3. 13. q. d. never come to me except thou bring mee my Michol with thee The bringing of Michol with him this might helpe him to see the Kings face So Beloved when a man getteth the Lord Jesus Christ and brings him with him to God this may helpe him to Gods Holy Spirit Bring him along with thee and thou shalt see my face thou shalt have my holy Spirit Neither will God send thee his Holy Spirit neither will the Holy Spirit come to thee otherwise Christ onely hath him to give Have Christ and have him Thirdly another Reason is why Christ hath the Holy Spirit to give Because he is flesh of our flesh and Bone of our Bone and wee may goe to him hee is the fittest to have him to give because he being man aswell as wee wee may make bold to goe to him My Brethren wee are not able to goe to God for any thing much lesse for his Spirit wee are not able to looke upon him immediately as a man is not able to looke upon the Sun-Beames in their strength specially if hee have sore eyes But let him get a Scarfe or a Cypresse and now hee may Now the Sun-beames will shine upon him through the Cypresse and not hurt him The Scarfe is able to convey unto him the Sunne-beames without dazling of him So beloved Christ is able to convey the Holy Spirit of God into any man our sore Consciences may look up to God through him he moderates Gods looke hee can make us looke God in the face in a comfortable manner Now we may aske any thing of him even his Holy Spirit and he will give him as the Apostle sayes By him we have boldnesse Eph. 3. 12. O beloved they are great things that we need We have need of such great matters that when the Conscience is awakened it can have no hope to obtaine that God should pardon such vile wrecthes as we that he should accept of such poore services as ours that he should love such filthy ones as wee are that he should give us a Kingdome and his owne Holy Spirit to enliven us to establish our hearts to be an earnest of Heaven to us how can we hope he will give us such infinite mercies Now the Lord hath put all these Blessings into the hands of his Sonne Jesus Christ that is flesh of our flesh and bone of our bones Now we may boldly goe to him for them As Moses when his face shone Aaron was afraid to come neare him Exod. 34. 30. Therefore hee put a vaile over his face Now Aaron and others were able to come nigh him so before none were able to come to God for any thing
company dare talk of their roguery before them as Amnon before Jonadab Jonadab ask't him what he ailed he was so sad O sayes he I would fain lie with my sister Tamar 2 Sam. 13. 4. He knew before whom he was if Jonadab had been a godly man he durst as well have eaten his own tongue as have told him his base lust A godly man the very presence of him would have made him ashamed and to have bitten in his lips When a minister is unsent of God no body does respect him out of conscience they care not for his words whereas when a minister is sent this makes him as an Angel of God when others call him all to naught the conscience of many will plead for him as we see there of Jeremy O this man is not worthy to die for hee hath spoken unto us in the Name of the Lord Jer. 26. 16. There 's never a sent minister but if he come in trouble except peoples consciences be seared with a hot Iron they wil speak for him in their bosomes Alas why is he put down Why is he imprisoned Why is he opposed He hath spoken to us in the name of the Lord. So that this is the second wherein all ministers should agree they should be all sent of God not contenting themselves with the calling of man without being also called of God Thirdly they must all agree in the matter that they preach the same word is delivered unto all ministers to preach Preach the word 2 Tim. 4. The same Gospel the same Truths the same Duties the same Commandments the same Promises the same threatnings Ye know there is one God and one Faith and one Baptisme one Lord Jesus Christ there is but one way of life one gate to heaven one salvation one Bible Now every minister must agree in this You know all men are by Nature the children of wrath in a damned estate now all Pulpits should agree in this every minister labouring to bring their people to a sight of their misery by sinne every minister should shew his people what cursed creatures they are untill they be converted and renewed every Minister should presse the evill of sin and open the wiles of Satan the guilt of the conscience the spiritualnesse of the Law the necessity of humiliation and repentance and amendment of life that there is no mercy but in Christ no salvation but by Christ except people take him to live in their hearts by faith All ministers should let their people know the terror of the Lord the strictnesse of Gods judgements the inseparable connexion of mercy and a godly life that no profane person can enter into Gods Kingdome no hypocrite no meer civill man that a form of godlinesse will not serve turn that none but Saints shall stand at Christs right hand at the last day All ministers should preach what a narrow path there is to Paradise how few there bee that find it that saving grace cannot stand with the reign of the least lust that people must be pure and holy what ever the world think of purenesse and precisenesse and strictnesse yet without this no flesh shall be saved If all pulpits sounded with these truths and all ministers cried those aloud would lift up their voyces like a trumpet and not spare what a land should we have The want of unity in this matter is the cause that wickednesse does so much abound a drunkard a whoremaster a muckworm may come to a Sermon and goe away with hope that he shall have peace When ministers make the pulpit a scaffold in which like Masters of Defence they play their prizes blazon their own wits descant upon their text as though the Scripture were a Rattle for children and fools to sport with tossing it to and fro hither and thither as boyes at a Tennis when they go about to amaze their hearers to mount aloft to be in their high phrases and coyned words more like Mimicks and Comedians then Ministers when they search into moath-eaten Friers affect allegories would fain be thought Linguists and interlace a many of allegations of Latin and Greek sentences which a School-boy might doe with a Polyanthea or if they speak plain they skim the truth of the Scriptures and never dive deep to the edifying of the soule May be they will preach good morall matter But a man may goe to hell though he doe as they teach people may heare them a thousand times and no man made to cry out What have I done They preach of repentance but then they open it so slightly that a man may repent as they say and be damned they preach of faith in Christ but they make it so broad that thousands have it and sink into the bottomlesse pit with it they preach that sin must be forsaken and a good life must be led but they handle it in that wise that their hearers may doe as they say and yet have no more grace then a reprobate nor so much neither Now beloved the unity among brethren should be this to agree in the right matter of preaching that the word may be carved to all as their need is that they may see their own cases that they may understand the wiles of the Devil the fallacies of their own evill hearts the counterfets of faith and repentance and new obedience and that they may not be cousened with them This is the third thing Fourthly they should all agree in the true manner of preaching That which our Saviour sayes of hearing Take heed how yee heare Luke 8. 18. he means of preaching too let your Ministers take heed how they preach Beloved we that are the Ministers of God we are to labour to turn Lions into Lambs and to transform the heart of man to breed new creatures unto God and therefore it is not every kind of preaching will serve the turn 1. Then Ministers should agree in preaching with the demonstration of the Spirit and of power as Paul sayes not with the wisdome of words lest the crosse of Christ be made of no effect 1 Cor. 1. 17. q. d. If we should preach wit and learning eloquence then the death of Christ would be of no effect that is no man would be converted Christ would be offered to none therefore we must preach nakedly to flash the naked word into mens consciences that they may see Thus saith the Lord against their sinful courses thus saith the Lord of their estates this reproofe is from the Lord this threat is from the Lord thus saith the Lord you are a wretch this is thy sin and this is thy cursed condition and it is the Lord and not I that does affirm it It is said of Christ that he preacht with authority and not as the Scribes Matth. 7. 29. What is it to come with authority When a man speakes from God to the consciences of men as when a Constable comes in the name of a King I
charge you in the Kings name this is to come with authority Therefore we should not come with the affectation of wit or of reading of fine and filed speaking You wil say What would you have us be foolish in our preaching I answer Never object so for it is the foolishnesse of preaching that saves them which beleeve 1 Cor. 1. 21. as one sayes we must preach Christ crucified in a crucified phrase The world would have gewgawes and garish garnishings and why so because the naked Word is contrary to flesh and bloud like some eyes they must have their silks their cypresses to look upon the Sun by forsooth the Sun beams are too glorious and shining otherwise Pedestris oratio as Jerome speaks a Minister must have a foot-speech and not speak a horseback with trappings and tassels and deckings Though this be foolishnesse unto some yet it is wisdom to them that are of God We speak wisdom to them that are perfect 1 Cor. 2. 6. Mark they that are perfect will accept it to be wisdome it is foolishnesse onely to children and sots and such as are not able to discerne God will have his mercies hidden under homely out-sides that men that will stumble at them may as men hide treasure under straw as the woman of Baharim hid the two Worthies of Israel in a well under a course sack Can gallant preaching make people pluck out their right eyes and deny their own selves and wayes No no when the heart sees it hath to doe with God nothing but this will pull it down away then with our own affections let us labour to come with God into our pulpits that people may see God dealing with them 2. Ministers should agree to preach differencingly to distinguish between the pretious and the vile the clean and the unclean as we must not bruise the broken Reed but deal gently with it so we must not give childrens bread unto dogges Matth. 15. 29. we must not cast our seed into fallow ground but wee must let the fallow ground feele our ploughes tearing we must not fling pearles before swine nor bitter arrowes against Christ his Lambs This were as if we should call for snow in Summer and rain in harvest No no a whip for the Horse and a bridle for the Asse and a rod for the Fools back Prov. 26. 3. If people be like Mules that will not understand we must put in a Bit into their mouthes If people will have their own wayes our word must be fires and hammers and axes and chesils and swords and speares that their bellies may tremble and rottennesse may enter into their bones You will say Why then belike we must have nothing in our mouthes but hell and damnation I answer No nothing but hell and damnation for the naught You will say that will drive them to despaire Why then let it it were well if wee had our people there they must despaire before they come to mercy as Hezekiah sayes O Lord I am oppressed doe thou comfort me or undertake for me Isai 38. 14. People must bee oppressed with our Sermons we must lay load and burdens on their consciences or they will never bee fitted for comforts and Christs undertakings True the servants of the Lord must be gentle unto all men 2 Tim. 2. 24. and suffer the wickednesse of all very patiently praying if at any time the Lord will give them repentance that the Devill may let them goe Nothing but hell and damnation is not good we must not be like James and John that would needs bee calling for fire to come down from heaven to consume the Samaritans no we must be long-suffering but yet we must not let a wicked man live but we must give him his deaths wound by the stab of the Word lest his bloud be required at our hands 3. Ministers should agree in preaching with all their strength constantly and duly not quadragesimall Sermons onely or the like but the Apostle commands Ministers to preach in season and out of season 2 Tim. 4. 2. It is a wicked cavill of some and it is the Devill that doth suggest it It is not good to cloy the people is it not faire to preach once a Sabbath must we have two and a week daye too This is overmuch this is unseasonable that people should trudge and trot to Sermons when they should be at their callings Well bee it so that it is out of season wee must preach out of season too all will be little enough I am sure the Prophet Haggai the word of the Lord came to him twice in one day Hag. 2. 10 20. Austin used constantly to preach twice a day as appears in his 2d Sermon upon the 88. Psalm nay in one place he sayes he preached thrice Doe not wonder my dear brethren si hodie ter sermonem that I have preached three times this one day And he addes this besides that it was not without cause in his 33. Sermon to his brethren in the Wildernesse Nay the ancient Fathers preached every day in the yeare as it is well known to them that are used to read them Chrysostome in his Homilies upon Genesis shewes this almost in the beginning of every Homily And one time perceiving his hearers somwhat few O says he every houre in the day is seasonable for you to heare nay the night is not unseasonable Paul prolonged himselfe unto midnight sayes he Acts 20. I pray did the time hinder him No though he were for a journey the next day yet hee would not think much to break his nights rest Another time preaching by candle-light O sayes he doe you see this same lamp take away the oyle you put out the light even so it is with the gifts of the Spirit the dulnesse of our hearing the littlenesse of our profiting at once our readinesse to decline except we be pricked forward our aptnesse to forget God the commandment of having the word to dwell richly in us the duty of meditating in it day and night do plainly enforce this preaching You will say If Preachers should preach often it would be but prating we cannot preach often soundly I answer it is false for all that I see the ablest Divines have preached the most often as Calvin and Luther and Wickliff and others and Mr. Greenham nay Austin preached extempore that Sermon of his upon the 95. Psalm it seemes that he expected his brother Severus to come and preach for him but his friend failing to come hee preached himself as Dr Don relates the story So Basil also preaching two Sermons upon the works of God that hee made in the six dayes Genes 1. confesses he had no more premeditation then that very morning when he began to preach them Thus many holy men by setting themselves to be instant in Gods harvest time have had such a doore of utterance opened unto them to speak the mystery of Christ that like wise Scribes they could
deceive themselves in the particular They think they serve God and they love God or else they were not worthy to live they think they say their Prayers every day and that they are thankfull unto him they never eate their meat but they say Grace they never recover out of siâ—knesse but they blesse God Whereas if we should deale with these men in particular it would appear they are haters of God they are gracelesse and unthankfull wretches they never prayed true Prayer to God in all their lives hence it is that people generally like a generall Minister Why they can goe along with such a man and be heart-whole But now if a particular Minister should come and tell them they are worldly and mockers of God and all goodnesse as they are in very good deed they cannot abide him they would say wherein Such were the Jewes under the overly Ministery of the Priests When Malachy dealt particularly with them saith hee Yee have despised the name of the Lord Wherin say they Mal. 1. 6. Yee have wearied the Lord with your words Wherein say they have wee wearied him Mal. 2. 17. Yee have robbed God Wherein have wee robbed him say they Mal. 3. 8. Your words have been stout against the Lord yet their answer was Wherein have wee spoken so much against the Lord Mal. 3. 13. Alas alas their Priests had taught them onely in generall and therefore when the Prophet was to deale particularly with them and told them what vile courses they took they cryed wherein and whereof and why doe you say so of us hee was forced to come to particulars Otherwise they would have gone away and blessed themselves Fifthly Generall Preaching lets people see their sinnes if they will But beloved this will doe no good if wee let you see your sins if you will wee must make you see your sinnes Son of man cause Jerusalem to know her abominations Ezek. 16. 2. Wee must not onely let you understand if yee will it is said of the good Priests that they caused the people to understand Neh. 8. 8. Naturally people love their own selves and their lusts and they will not see them till they needs must they doe not love to bee precise they will not willingly yeeld that they must bee so strict and so mortified as the Lord Jesus will have them if they mean to bee saved and therefore if they can put it off they will shew them there is a difference between people and people some are the people of God and some are the children of the devill some are the redeemed of Christ and some have nothing to doe with Christ some are clean and some are unclean though wee show them the difference between these two they will shut their eies if they can Generall preaching does no more it shews them these things But may be neither the Minister nor they will see for all that now wee must cause them to discern whether they wil or no if we can They shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane cause them to discerne between the uncleane the clean Ezek. 44. 23. that is tell them this is unclean and this is clean such and such persons are prophane and such are holy Hold it before their eyes cause them to discern this is the way to quicken mens hearts Now Generall preaching does not doe thus It onely puts the truth before men that they may see if they will but if they will not it does not urge them this deads our people and does them no good for people will not bee awakened as long as they can shift it Sixthly Generall Preaching is a-loft and a-loofe off particular preaching is the most close and the most plain and the most sensible preaching of all if any Preaching will sink into peoples heads this will it makes the truth even sensible after a sort as King James said of a Reverend Bishop of this Land that is now dead and gone This man saith hee Preaches as if death were at my back So a presse Preacher preaches as if death were at a mans back as if judgement and hell were at a mans back hee brings the point home to the soules door 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Generalls are not plain Ignorant people are most led by sense People may live seven yeers under a generall Teacher and bee never the nearer such a Ministery breeds onely swimming knowledge it does not lay the Truth at every mans doore may bee they get knowledge but their knowledge does them little good it is said of the good Levites that they taught the people the good knowledge of the Lord 2 Chron. 30. 22. That is such a knowledge of the Lord as made the people good they laid the Truth at every mans doore they preacht to the people as if 〈…〉 were at their backs They did livelily teach them 〈…〉 informe them this did them good Generall preaching is like an Arrow shot at rovers that does not hit the mark as if the Minister would lay his Sermon on his Cushion and never dart it into his peoples bosomes Alas Brethren if people doe not feele our points at their backs and like speares in their sides and swords in their bellies they will feele nothing it is naked preaching when wee make mens estates even visible before their eyes when wee preach so of Gods wrath as if they saw it when wee so set out Christ as if hee were palpable to mens senses this quickens and no other as Paul saith O foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you that yee should not obey the truth before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth and crucified among you Gal. 3. 1. Mark how sensibly hee had preached Christ to them even as if hee had held him before their eies and therfore hee saith they were even bewitcht that they could not see them q. d. how is it possible that yee should not see him that yee should not obey the truth where it hath been so sensibly preached unto you and painted to the life even before your very eyes If any Preaching will quicken this will and therefore Generall Preaching that will not doe the deed Seventhly Generall Preaching is against the nature of Preaching for wherefore is preaching but to take the word of God and apply it unto people in particular it is called the dividing of the word of truth aright 2 Tim. 2. 15. When the Minister is a good carver to divide to every man his portion Conviction to the ignorant reproofe to the offender terrour to the obstinate comfort to the broken heart judgement to the wicked mercy to the Saints and true penitent soules Then the Minister applies it unto every man Preachers are Gods Harvest-men as our Saviour Christ saith Pray yee the Lord of the Harvest that hee would send forth labourers 〈◊〉 his Harvest Matth. 9. 38. Now Harvest-men what 〈…〉 Doe they onely bring a sithe or a sickle into the
Asia Now hee speaks of the Holy Ghost in the same number because that one and the same Holy Ghost is severally and intirely powred upon them all The Spirit of God was in Ephesus and the Spirit of God was in Smyrna and the Spirit of God was in Pergamos and so in Thyatira and so in Sardis and Philadelphia and Laodicea and therefore hee calls him the seven Spirits of God though hee bee but one and the same Spirit Thirdly hee calls him the seven Spirits of God by a common Metalepsis of putting the effects for the cause because there bee many and sundry gifts and graces of the holy Spirit of God the number seven being put to signifie the perfection of them and the universallnesse of them Now that the seven spirits of God are nothing else but that one and the same holy Spirit of God is plain out of Rev. 1. 4 5. John to the seven Churches in Asia Grace bee unto you and peace from him which is and which was and which is to come and from the seven Spirits which are before his Throne and from Jesus Christ which is the faithfull witnesse Which words are Saint Johns saluting of the seven Churches in Asia wherin hee wishes them all grace from the blessed Trinity q. d. Grace bee to you and peace from God the Father and from the holy Spirit of God and from the Lord Jesus Christ the faithfull and true witnesse Calling the Father which was which is which is to come and the Lord Jesus Christ the faithfull and true witnesse and the Holy Ghost the seven Spirits of God It is the very self same salutation that Paul uses in all his Epistles in effect saving that this is more full and more lofty and august Now then by the seven Spirits of God hee cannot mean any creature or creatures as Angels or so but hee must needs mean the Holy Ghost because hee prayes for grace from the seven Spirits of God which no creature is able to give Yee know God onely can give grace God onely is the Authour of all grace Hee onely can justifie and sanctifie and quicken and give a man eternall life as James Every good and perfect gift commeth from above Jam. 1. 17. It were Idolatry in John to wish to the Churches grace from the seven Spirits of God if hee meant by them any Angels or any other creatures Wee might worship the Angels if they were able to give us grace wee might pray to them and serve them and feare them and adore them if they could bee the Authours of grace to us Now this is Idolatry Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve Matth. 4. 10. Of him and through him and to him are all things to whom bee glory for ever Amen Rom. 11. 36. Yee know it is the glory of God to bee the Cause of all grace Now what saies God I am the Lord that is my Name and my glory will I not give to another Isa 42. 8. Well then you see what is here meant by the seven Spirits of God even the holy Ghost himself that one the same holy Spirit of God These things saith hee that hath the seven Spirits of God that is these things saith Christ that hath the holy Spirit of God to give him to whomsoever hee pleases Not as though that were all that Christ hath the holy Spirit of God for so Paul had the holy Spirit of God I suppose also that I have the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 7. 40. so Peter and David and all the Saints all the people of God have the holy Spirit of God nay a man is dead in trespasses and sins and is a meer carcasse like a dead body without a soule that hath not the holy Spirit of God therefore that is not all the meaning of it that Christ hath the holy Spirit of God for so all the children of God have him and are quickned by him up to all goodnesse But Christ hath the holy Spirit of God that is hee hath him to give to whomsoever hee pleases But it may be objected is it not God the Father that gives the holy spirit to all his poore children I Answer Yes it is very true Hee hath him to give to whomsoever hee is pleased to give him for the Holy Ghost is his Spirit as well as Christ hee flowes from them both And therefore saith our Saviour How much more shall your Heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him Luk. 11. 13. so that the Father gives the holy spirit to whom hee will but it is in Christs name Christ is the store-house of this gift When the Father gives his holy spirit unto any man it is onely in Christs name as himself speaks The Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name Hee shall teach you all things Joh. 14. 26. Mark it is onely in Christs name Well now wee see the point That Christ onely hath the Holy Spirit of God to give to whom hee pleases If any poore creature would fain have the holy spirit of God to be in him hee must come to Christ for him Though the barrell bee never so full of good Wine yet when it is hoopt round about if one would have any hee must draw it at the tap so Beloved the Lord hath hoopt himself up from men hee hath closed himself up from all men by reason of mens sins hee hath shut himself up no man can have any of his holy spirit but hee must come and draw it at the tap hee must come to Jesus Christ the Lord vents himself onely in him as Christ saith hee that beleeveth on mee as the Scripture hath said Out of his belly shall slow rivers of living water What is that this spake hee of the spirit which they that beleeve on him should receive Joh. 7. 38 39. Mark Christ is the tap yee must come to him by true beleeving or yee cannot receive any of Gods holy Spirit Hee only hath him to give to them that doe imbrace him From him proceed all the graces of the Spirit that any men doe injoy This is his Roialty as being the only King and Head of the Church and the opened fountain that all that would bee saved must repaire unto Hee is the beginning of the Holy Ghost the Holy Ghost proceedeth from him as hee is the Son of God and as hee is man hee is anointed with him The Spirit of the Lord is upon mee saith he Luk. 4. 18. Ho every one that would have him come unto mee for him Away with your sins and take mee abhorre all your own waies see what damnable creatures yee are in your selves whether your lusts and corruptions carrie you what will become of you if yee goe on in your own paths if yee would have grace and mercy and life and salvation come to mee The Spirit of the Lord is upon mee to powre him upon
is upon mee saith hee Esa 61. 1. that is hee is powred upon mee that hee may run down upon all them that come to be my members If Christ indeed had not come if God had not made him Vehiculum Spiritus if God had not put his spirit upon Christ like water in a Fountain to run out upon all that will hold their hearts under him then wee might have some excuse Lord â— wee know not where to have the Spirit But the Lord hath told us where wee may have him Wee may have him in his Son Jesus Christ Thirdly Wee cannot plead wee cannot tell how to have him For as yee know where to have him so yee may know how to have him too and yee all doe know if wee had a heart wee may have him foure waies First By the hearing of the Word you will say yee have heard the Word many times yet yee never received the holy Spirit yet I answer that 's certain but it is because yee doe not come to it with a greedy yerning heart with an open eare and a willing minde to bee guided by it For if ye came thus with this minde yee would quickly have the spirit Lord tell mee any thing I doe unfeignedly desire for to doe it reprove any thing in mee I doe sincerely desire to leave it Come thus to the Word I dare say thou shalt not bee one quarter of an houre without the spirit as Christ saith Turn yee at my reproof behold I will powre out my spirit un to you Prov. 1. 23. You will say this is strange and have I heard so many Sermons and never got the spirit yet I you never heard Sermons with an honest heart You shall see Cornelius and his company got the spirit at the first Sermon that they heard when Peter Preached the Holy Ghost fell on all those that heard the Word Act. 10. 44. How so yee may read there in the Context O saies Cornelius Wee are all here present before God to heare all things that are commanded thee of God Ver. 33. Now if wee have the Word daily preached and wee get not the holy spirit of God wee are without excuse Secondly By Prayer if wee did pray faithfully unto God wee should have the holy spirit as Christ saies If ye that are evill can give good gifts unto your children how much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him Luk. 11. 13. You will say yee have prayed many a time and often and yet yee finde no such thing and no marvaile when a mans heart prayes onely by the by but if yee made it your businesse from day to day if yee would seek for him as for life and look upon it as more necessary then life it self then yee should quickly speed But when yee will give God the blinde and the lame and your hearts run a whoring after other things Heaven is not the main of all your care and study the Lord knows a hollow heart and can tell how to deny it none shall have his spirit that doe not desire him above all things and labour after him above all things and use all manner of meanes for him The Spirit of God is a great gift and wee must know its an infinite mercy to obtain him and therefore wee must seek him accordingly They that get him doe not goe dreamingly to work Thirdly By repentance this is another means to obtain the Holy Ghost as the Lord saith Rent your hearts and not your garments and turn to the Lord your God c. Joel 2. 13. what followes And after that I will powre my Spirit upon you saith hee ver 28. Never think to have Gods holy Spirit and live after the flesh or goe on in a forme or a carelesse way not onely drunkennesse and whoredome and capitall sins keep him out but any other lusts and corruptions that the heart clings unto Rent your hearts then let your drowzie doings pain you at the heart let all your security and unbeleef and luke warmnesse whereby yee part stakes with God let all these bee a burden unto you and you heavy laden with them this is the way-making for the Spirit of Gods comming in Fourthly Take no deniall let not ill-successe beat you off this is that which thrusteth back thousands They find little successe at the first and so they give over But Beloved this is it howsoever wee finde cold successe in our holy labours at the first yet wee must goe on though wee doe not finde our lusts die though wee doe not finde that speeding in Prayer that wee could wish that prevailing in our endevours that wee doe desire yet still wee are to goe on and still wait upon God in abounding in our care untill the Lord grant us better successe The hard successe that we have must not hinder us as the Apostle saith Let us not bee weary in well-doing for in due time wee shall reap if wee faint not Gal. 6. 9. That is let us not bee discouraged with hard successes or any other such like thing certainly if wee goe on wee shall speed When the Wisemen came seeking for Christ at Jerusalem they had no good successe there they did not finde him there yet they would not return back without him But they went down to Bethlehem and sought for him there When the Church had sought Christ in her bed shee had no successe for that time I sought him sayes shee but I found him not Cant. 3. 1. What would shee give over because of her bad successe at the first No shee trudged out into the Lanes and the streets she enquired of the watchmen and still shee had little or no successe But the Text saith shee would never give over till she litt upon him Beloved wee must take heed of this It is the impatience of mens hearts if they cannot finde a blessing at first dash they will seek no further then they strike into a former or a worse condition In the first of Haggai yee may read that when the Jews had been hindered by Cambyses from building of the Temple for a fit they gave over Because they had no successe they would build no more but fell a building their own houses ver 4. yee know it was their sin and the Lord plagued them for it Therefore Brethren it must bee our care although wee doe not speed at the first not to slacken or give in As Isaac would still bee building Wells hee built one and that had no successe hee built another and that had as bad still there fell out strife what then did he give over so No hee never would have done till the Lord gave him a Rehoboth a Well that there was no striving about Gen. 26. 22. so wee should never bee quiet untill the Lord give us his holy Spirit though wee doe not feele his workings in us at the first no bad successes though never so many should make
Embassadors of Peace to treat with him of Peace as Theseus said once Goe sayes hee and tell Creon Theseus offers thee a gracious offer Yet I am pleased to bee friends if thou wilt submit This is my first message But if this offer prevaile not look for me to be up in Armes So Beloved Gods offers of peace have been made already again and again and they have been rejected Now his Embassadors must cry Armes Blood and fire and pillars of smoak At the first God dealt with us as Tullus with his Enemies Quae verbis componere potuit armis non decrevit as long as hee could reconcile them with his word they should not have his blows So the Lord hath dealt with us at the first he perswaded us with the promises of his Word now seeing no more can be gotten in that way hee will have his Ministers lay the axe at the rootes to hew down and to destroy and to slay people with the sword of his lips Doe not wonder when we preach hell and damnation to all rebellious soules You will say here is nothing but judgement Preachers send us all to the devill they preach as if they would drive us to despaire they should put in except wee repent I Answer it is enough now to understand it when the Gospel hath been a long time in a place Gods Embassadors must hold out the black flagge when Tamberlane had hung out his White flagge and that would not doe and his Red flagge and that would not doe neither then he hung out his Black flagge Now look for no mercy So Christs Embassadours should doe When Paul knew that the Gospel was contemned in Corinth the white and red flagge had ceased to doe good You see how hee hung out his black one Know yee not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdome of God Bee not deceived No idolaters nor adulterers nor effeminate nor railers nor covetous shall ever inherit the Kingdome of God 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. He does not put in now except yee repent no no now look for no mercy So the Apostle John The fearfull and unbeleevers and whoremongers and lyers shall be cast into the Lake that burnes with fire and brimstone Rev. 21. 8. hee does not put in except ye repent if we should bee ever putting in except yee repent and concluding with mercy upon condition of repentance what would hard-hearted people say O wee had a terrible Sermon to day but the Preacher gave us comfort in the closure he had a sweet bit at the last and thus they heale all again Nay when people grow once to be stubborn then Prophets have been so farre from putting in except yee repent or any other tearm of mercy that they used to meet with the peoples presumption of repentance So Jeremiah and Ezekiel and others they threaten destruction to the wicked and they adde this above all though they cry for mercy nay though they fast and could get Noah and Samuel and Job and Daniel to pray for them yet they shall have no mercy q. d. ye think to avoid these judgements by repenting another day no no when yee cry for mercy yee shall not have it When a Nation or a Parish or any people grow perverse and have rejected the sweet tenders of mercy Gods Embassadors are to look upon such wretches as rebels no indenting with them more no tearms of peace more as the Law sayes with Pirates and Traytors and Rebels the Law of Armes is not to bee observed as Baldus speaks they have broken the league as Florus speaks when Spartacus the Rebell desired an Embassage of peace hee would faine have Crassus contract a league with him Crassus scorned the motion when Talfarinas that egregious Robber and Traytour sent an Embassador with treaty of Peace to Tiberius the Emperour Tiberius took it with indignation that hee should bee so sawey with him No Embassage of peace is to be made with rebellious wretches wee need not put in except yee repent when we are to deal with such No no when ye grow once to despise reproof see you to that True if yee doe repent who knows what God will doe Though Crassus would not parlee with Spartacus about peace yet when hee did repent indeed hee received him to mercy So will God doe with you But in the mean time know that the God of Heaven is at defiance with you and all the curses in his Book are directed against the face of you Yee have played the deaf Adder against the gracious tenders of mercy from day to day and therefore see your damned condition The Embassadors of Christ have not one tittle of mercy of you if we could see you melt and cry out and down on your knees and your hearts turn and your spirits sink down before God then wee might say something unto you therefore Brethren if the Ministers of the Gospel doe daily preach more and more judgement doe not think much they ought so to doe Sixtly and Lastly one Use to you that feare God and beleeve his Embassadors and are besought by them Let me say to you as the Prophet Isaiah said Who is among you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voyce of his servants that walketh in darknesse and hath no light let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God Esa 50. 10. that is bee of good comfort though all the world and all the devills in hell bee against you yet bee of good cheare what although yee meet with never so many temptations and feares such a fogge of them that ye can see no light yet it shall assuredly goe well with you Though others have not come in at the preaching of the Word ye have Howbeit others will not reform will not see the Lords hand lifted up they will not acknowledge their sins and sinfull doings and damned case yet ye have Yee have seen it and felt it and run to the throne of Grace and have sought the Lord according as Gods Embassadors have directed you out of his Word yee have feared God and obeyed the voyce of his servants though others make a mock of such as will be ruled by Preaers tush they shall not curb mee sayes one and they shall not controll mee sayes another What does hee think to lead mee in a string Yet yee doe fear God and yee dare not stand out against the preaching of his servants yee desire that yee may ever practise their Word and lead your lives according to it what ever others doe Bee of good chear sayes the Prophet The Lord is your God and doe yee stay your selves on him the Doctrine that God hath sent unto you by the Ministery of his servants is the only Doctrine of Salvation and therein yee shall finde eternall life Revel 3. 1. These things saith hee that hath the seven Spirits of God and the seven Starres THese words are the Subscription of the Letter unto the Angell
manner of sinne when the Lord would quicken his people here in Sardis hee uses this as his first meanes to doe it by I know thy workes wee may see this in David I have kept thy Precepts and thy Testimonies for all my wayes are before Thee Psalme 119 168. when Solomon would convert the whorish man hee uses this for his argument why wilt thou O my Son be ravisht with a strange Woman for the wayes of man are before the Eyes of the Lord and He ponders all his goings Pro. 5. 20 21. The reasons of this point are First because the Lords knowing of our workes is joyned with a marking and a pondering of them too Hee diligently observes what wee doe Hee ponders and considers whence it proceeds whether it tends what light we goe against what checks of conscience wee meete with what mercies wee abuse what prickes wee kick against Hee does not barely see what wee doe but Hee considers what wee doe how hainously wee sinne what a vile thing it is that wee doe Hee considers how cursed wee are what a great One wee offend The Lords Throne is in Heaven his Eyes doe consider and his Eye-lids trie the children of men Psalme 11. 4. Hee ponders mens hearts Prov. 24. 12. if God did only see what wee doe it were another matter but when the soule shall heare that He markes and considers and that he ponders mens sinnes and weighs them how horrible they are how much against his glory what punishments they deserve how inexcusable they be how just it is to damne them it s a signe of a desperate heart when this wil not work Secondly the Lords seeing of our sinnes is with most holy and pure Eyes and such Eyes as cannot abide such an object before Him as the Prophet Habbakuk speakes Thou art of purer Eyes then to behold evill thou canst not looke on iniquity Hab. 1. 13. If God saw our sinnes with such an Eye as men see them with it were no such great thing many men can endure them well enough and like us little the worse nay may be they will like us the better but they are infinitely offensive to God Hee sees them with such an Eye that if the soule did but see how God lookes it would burst the very heart of it as when Peter had denyed Christ Christ look't upon him But it was such a looke that burst his very heart and made him goe out with shame and weepe bitterly Thirdly the Lords seeing of our sinnes is joyned with recording of them Hee notes them in a Booke that hee may never forget them as hee told the Iewes Behold it is written before mee and I will render it them into their bosome Isaiah 65. 6. if God did see our sinnes and there 's an end then indeed this Doctrine of Gods seeing of our sinnes would doe little good may be God will forget them againe yea but when hee sees them hee registers them too and hee will never forget them now when a soule shall come to consider them this will wound it to the quick O hee will never forget them hee sets them on our score and wee shall heare of them another day except we make our peace with him Fourthly when God sees our sinnes it is even all one as if the whole World saw them nay hee will shew them before all the whole World Hee will bring to light things hidden in darknesse 1 Cor. 4. 5. wouldst not thou bee loth that all the World should see all thy thoughts and heare every word that thou speakest and know all the evill thou hast done would it not much bridle thee if thou couldst doe nothing not thinke a thought but all the whole World should see it why man the Lord sees thee and that is all one and more too for hee will open it before all the World before hee hath done Fifthly another argument may be taken from our disposition our disposition is such that wee cannot abide our wickednesse should be seen by any body which among us when wee pray would not be ashamed that any body should see how our thoughts rove which of you that are unsetled and deadhearted would not blush that men had a casement to see how dead hee sits at a Sermon how dead and blockish at a Sacrament how dead at other of Gods Ordinances What base and uncleane and blasphemous thoughts doe sometimes come into our hearts if a man did thinke that any man should see them hee would hardly be able to shew his face among men should an Adulterer be but taken in the act by any Man or Woman or Child O how it would gall him and vex him to be seene as Job speakes If one know them they are in the terrour of the shadow of death Job 24. 27. now beloved if this be our disposition by nature that wee cannot abide that a man should see us doe something that wee doe nay not a child of seven yeares old then O what a terrour is it that the God of Heaven and Earth should see us and know us that hee should see all our lusts all our noysome and uncleane affections all our vile and hideous thoughts O what a powerfull thing is this to worke upon the heart except it be delivered up to a reprobate sense The Woman of Samaria shee was briske and frolique a great while till shee perceived that Christ knew all her villany this made her ashamed and brake her very heart The use of this was First here wee see they are desperate that this point cannot worke on its certaine they are gracelesse that can heare that God sees all their workes and yet it does not purge them from day to day it s an evident argument that a man contemnes God and makes nothing of him Secondly is it so that this is such a powerfull meanes to worke upon our hearts O let us not harden our hearts but let us consider of it that it may cut betweene the bone and the marrow God sees all our workes This point should fall upon our hearts like the Al-mighty hand of God so it did on Jobs I know thou canst doe every thing and that no thought can be hid from thee Job 42. 2. so much shall suffice to have spoken of the reproof in generall Now wee come to the particulars And the first is in these words thou hast a Name that thou livest and the other is and art dead That thou hast a name that thou livest This is the first particular whereby the Lord Jesus proves that which hee had implyed before viz. that the works of Sardis were all starke naught because they had onely a name to live they rested in a meere outward name to bee Religious and good Christians and people of God and believers and a Church of Jesus Christ they had the name and that was all they had a name to live well sayes hee for this very thing I
that it makes a man to doe his freely to accuse himselfe The just man first accuseth himselfe Prov. 18. 17. So it is in the Greek and the Latin Hast thou such a Conscience as this this is a lively Conscience when thy Conscience does not onely doe its duty to accuse thee for every sinne that thou dost but it makes thee to doe thine freely to accuse thy selfe before God a wicked Conscience may accuse I but it does not mak the man to do his duty he does not freely accuse himselfe it is onely forced in him it is with Coaction and Compulsion But it s free in Gods Children when Daniel went to confesse his sinnes before God the Text says he set himself to do it I set my face unto the Lord God Dan. 9. 3. that is his Conscience did not onely doe its duty in this thing but it made him to doe his Thirdly when it does not onely Condemne one for sinne for so the wicked have condemning Consciences as the Apostles says if our heart condemne us 1 John 3 20. that is if we be wicked as Paul sayes Knowing that he that is such is subverted and sinneth being condemned of himselfe Tit. 3. 11. that is he is a very wicked Creature so that a wicked mans Conscience does Condemne But I meane when the Conscience does not onely condemne one for sinne it does not onely doe its owne duty in this thing but it makes the man to doe his it makes him trample upon himselfe as a damned wretch in himselfe to save God a labour as the Apostles speakes if we would judge our selves we should not be judged 1 Cor. 11. 31. when Conscience makes a man freely to accept of damnation thou shalt accept of thy punishment then I will remember my Covenant Levit 26. 41. 42. when it makes thee lay thy Neck on the block Lord the worst place in hell is too good for me I have often told you a story in the acts and monuments of the Church when Edward the first one of the Kings of England was a hunting and one of the standers by had displeased him the King rid after him with a drawne sword for to stab him the man runne away for his life the King rid over hedge and ditch to overtake him and when the man saw he had no way to escape he fell downe and held up his throat to the King if it please your Majesty here is my throat The King melting towards him shewed him mercy So when Conscience makes thee say Lord here is my throat here is my soule if it please thee thou maist send Satan to take it and carry it to hell with him Thou hast no way to escape therefore offer thy selfe unto God may be thy Conscience does Condemne thee alas that is not it thy Conscience does not its duty with any life till it make thee doe thine doest thou freely Condemne thy selfe accept of thy punishment lay thy head on the block does thy soule lye groveling before God this is a live Conscience Fourthly when it does not onely pull a man a dayes from sinne and Iniquity so it may doe with the wicked and the ungodly they feele many pulles every day and may be their Conscience makes them leave many particular sinnes though that 's very rare as the times now be but when the Conscience pulles a man forth of every knowne sinne when it so does its duty in this kinde that it makes thee to doe thine when thou pullest thy selfe withall detestation and loathing out of pride out of security out of unbelief out of heardnesse of heart out of formality and all this is a lively Conscience as Iob sayes my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live Job 27. 6. that is as my heart does its duty towards me so it shall make me doe mine I will yeeld to mine owne Conscience in every thing whatsoever sinne it tels me off I will be sure to set my selfe against it it shall not lie heaving at me and I never stirre then it would reproach me but it shall never reproach me so long as I live These are the lively acts of Conscience about sinne The lively effects whereof are foure The first is a penitent shame that ever a man should sin against God when Conscience does thus as ye have heard then it produces this effect that the man is ashamed before God as the Apostle sayes what fruit have you of those things whereof ye are now ashamed Rom. 6. 21. people are apt to be ashamed before men Diodorus Cronus when Stilpo askt him a ridiculous question and he could not answer him he was so ashamed that he fell downe starke dead he thought it was such a disgrace to be nonplust But if Conscience were alive and did doe its duty indeed it would make us ashamed for our sinnes before God Ezra was ashamed before God for the sinnes of the people I blush sayes he to lift up mine eyes unto thee when a man is Ignorant of God in Jesus Christ this should be a shame I speake this to your shame 1 Cor. 15. 34. that is if there be any grace in your hearts certainely ye will be ashamed that ye should have no more knowledge of God I say when the Conscience is alive against sinne it makes a man ashamed before God It shewes him his nakednesse before heaven it propounds God before his eyes seeing all his uncleanenesse and so it makes him ashamed before him doest thou Count it a disgrace to doe evill a disgrace to offend God a confusion of face to doe iniquity though it be never so secret Canst thou not looke upon thy unworthy dealings with God but it makes thee ashamed in his sight this is the effect of a living Conscience Secondly another effect is penitent griefe and compunction of heart ye may see this effect in the new converts they were prickt in their hearts Act. 2. 37. when their Conscience began to be alive to smite them for their sinnes to accuse them and Condemne them it grieved them exceedingly it went to the quick it was like a Dagger in their heart it prickt them it made them mourn for all that they had done True a naturall Conscience produces griefe ther 's nere a wretch but if his Conscience be awakened to Check him and accuse him and condemne him it will make him to grieve for his sinnes But this is onely legall and surly Now when the Conscience is alive to doe its duty as to make the man to doe his now it makes him grieve out of love to God out of love to grace and goodnesse now he grieves because he hath broken those Commandements that he loves he loves to obey God O it is the unfeigned desire of his soule to obey him and therefore he grieves that he hath done the Contrary Thirdly another effect is penitent feare It makes a man afraid to sin against God againe as the Apostle
have you remember it because your warning is past this is a duty ye have been told in times past therefore looke ye remember it So Solomon sayes Remember thy creatour in the dayes of thy youth Psal 12. 1. That is though thy creatour be not past yet thy creation is past and thou art not so yong but thou hast been told of thy duty in this thing in times past O therefore remember that nay thus a man may remember that which is yet to come as for example the day of his death that he must dye and come to Judgement for though the thing be yet to come yet he hath had warnings of it in times past as Ieremy sayes of Ierusalem her filthinesse is in her skirts she remembred not her last end therefore she came downe wonderfully Lam. 1. 2. the Lord finds fault with her that she did not remember her time to come The reason is because she was told of it aforehand in times past Now for the second thing that this is a great blessing beloved it is a great blessing of God that we have such a faculty in us as to remember it was a naughty speech of Charoone that an excellent memory is needfull for three sorts of men First for great Trades-men for they having many businesses to do many reckonings many Irons in the fire had need of a good memory Secondly great talkers for they being full of words had need to have a good Store-house in their heads to feed their tongues Thirdly for Lyars oportet mendaeem esse memorem for they telling many untruths had need of a good memory to be able to remember what untruths they have told lest afterward they be taken in their lying contradicting themselves I say this a prophane speech as though a good memory were of no other use then for engrossers of affaires and talkative fellowes and forging companions whereas memory is a great blessing of God and the more we have of it the more advantage we have unto our owne eternall good if we have a heart First it is a great blessing that what we once knew we may alwayes know now this may be by memory were it not for this we should be Ignorant againe as fast as we learne whence is it that ye still know how to read but because ye remember your letters and spelling whence is it that ye still know your Trades and your callings which ye were taught so long agoe but ye remember how ye were taught Ye once knew the grounds of religion may be ye were taught heretofore if ye know them still it is because ye remember them were it not for memory we should be as much to seek as if we had never learnt ought as Iude sayes I will put them in remembrance though ye once knew this Jude 5. that is as ye once knew it so I desire that ye may know it still that it may stick by you that you may make it your own what a mercy is this we cannot undertake to have alwayes the meanes of knowledge we may want preaching God knowes how soone now if we have memory to lay up some knowledge we may have the benefit of it how ever things goe may be God gave us a warning to take heed of such and such sinnes now if we have a good memory this warning may be still present with us we have had such motions such convictions such sights of sinne such stirrings such manifestations of God to us what a mercy is it that God hath given us such a thing as memory is as we had them once so we may have them still if we remember them Secondly memory is a great blessing to bring our knowledge to act upon all occasions How many thousand truths doe we know that we doe not neither can we actually thinke of now when we have use of those truths it is a great mercy that the Lord hath framed a memory in us where we may have them upon all such occasions e. g. we know we should be patient may be we doe not thinke of this duty for a day together but now when we have use of it then we may remember it So for meeknesse we know it and for forgiving of wrongs to resist temptations to deny our selves to shunne the occasions of evill we know all these things but our knowledge cannot alwayes be in act now when we have use of these truthes what a mercy is it that we have such a thing as memory is to remember them afresh did David actually think of Gods gracious judgements alwayes no but when he had use of them when he was at a dead lift then memory brought him to minde I remembred thy judgements O Lord and comforted myselfe Psal 119. 52. may be Peter had no occasion actually to thinke of those words of Christ that Iohn indeed Baptized with water but ye shall be Baptized with the holy Ghost but having a memory that gave him the use of those words in due time then I remembred the word of the Lord sayes he Act. 11. 16. may be this truth is not thought of a 12. moneth together that ones enemies may be they of our owne houshold now perhaps all on a suddain we have use of this truth then we remember it now is not this a great mercy that God hath given us such a thing that we may put up his truths as a man does his memory in his purse to take it out when occasion is Thirdly it is a great blessing to have God alwayes with one this memory is such a faculty that if a man have a heart he may have God alwayes with him and heaven with him ye know that most men are without God in the world what is the reason of it but because they will not remember him how many doe know God very much as the Heathens did they knew him to be eternall to be Almighty to be every where to be holy and just they knew him but they did not like to retaine him in their knowledge Rom. 1. 28. that is they let him goe away from them they would not keep him in remembrance as Nebuchadezer sayes of his dreame when he had forgotten his dreame it is gone away from me sayes he Dan. 2. 5. so people forget God they let God goe away from them now beloved this makes us without excuse when God hath given us a memory we might have God alwayes with us if we had a heart we need not let him goe away The memory is a deep vault in the soule where it may hide what it hath a mind too that nor men nor devils can take it away from us as the Israelites hid their corne from the Midianites so we may hide what ever our heart hath a likeing unto in our memories that we may have it always with us if we will as it is said of the good Merchant when he had found the rich Treasure he hid it Matth.
I have had Psal 77. 5. 6. so if any of you besecure ye may remember some thing or other that is past which may awaken you againe hath God never shewed you your damned estate heretofore were ye never sick heretofore and did you not see that if ye had dyed in that case ye had perisht ye may remember that now and awaken your selves and how if God should take you away in such a case as that It cannot be related what a blessing it is that we have a memory But let us come to the third thing and that is this when may the memory be said to be alive I answer there be two parts of the memories deadnesse towards God The first is an aptnesse to forget God and all his commands Secondly an aptnesse to remember those things that are not so good for us now when those two faults are rectified in some measure then the memory is alive towards God First There 's aptnesse in your memories to forget God and all his commands ye know God commands us to remember the Sabbath day to keepe it holy Exod. 20. 8. how apt are we to forget it how commonly is it out of our minds so in the 78. Psalme and the 7. verse God sayes there he would not have us sorget his workes but that we should keepe his commandements now O how apt are we to let them leake out of our hearts we have a hellish art of forgetfulnesse how often doe we forget our selves herein and suffer the remembrance of God to be taken away from us ye have forgotten the exhortation that speakes to you as to Children Heb. 12. 5. how often doe we forget to keep our selves unspotted though we be told of the will of God yet any little thing is enough to put it out of our minds stay them not least my people forget it though we be told of our misery and the infinite danger we are in may be at the first it moves us a little but how soon doe we forget it and other things take us up now when this aptnesse is rectified in some measure when God hath a sound impresse on our minds that we must needs remember him and all the things that concerne our peace when there 's a Law in our mindes that we will not forget God as ye may see there in David Blesse thou the Lord O my soule and forget not all his benefits Psal 103. 2. when our memory is sanctified and is made the good Treasury of our heart when the Lord hath lifted up our memory unto him then it is alive Secondly as by nature there 's an aptnesse in our memory to forget God so there 's an aptnesse to remember other things that either are not good for us or not so good we are apt to remember injuries nay one injury will be thought one more then many good turns so likewise idle tales we are apt to remember them whereas good things goe out in our hearts like sparkes in wet tinder We may see this in the hearing of the word the Apostle tearmes us forget sull hearers James 1. 25. if a tale be told us in a Sermon that we can remember how many are apt to carry that way whereas that which is wholesom and might doe us more good how apt we are we to forget that as a Divine sayes our memories are like strainers all the pure milke runneth through but if there be any drosse that stayes behinde or like a grate that lets the pure water run away and if there be any strawes and stickes and filth and mud and dregs that it holds so it is with our memories by nature trifles and toyes and worldly things them we are apt to remember like the Shepheard in York-shire that could remember all his flock he kept a thousand sheep and if one should but change one Sheep and put in another he could tell which it was But for gratious things our memories does soon forget them like Israel they soon forgot all the workes of God Psal 106. 13. now what is this but the corruption deadnes of our memories towards God may be we are apt to excuse it alas we have weak memories true if we were as weake memoryed in other things it were something but when we can remember our pleasures and profits and tales and any thing when we goe to buy weel 'e be sure to remember our selves there when to sell wee 'le be sure to remember our selves there that we will have to the worth if we can But in matters of God there we forget our selves this cannot be excused Now when this is rectified in some measure then our memory is alive when we will rather forget any thing else then God rather forget our selves in all the world then forget our duty towards God when this study is once set up soundly in the soule in some measure now the memory is alive Thus ye see the third thing Now for the fourth that this must needs be the life of the memory I prove it by arguments First because the memory hath hardly any other quickening then the quickening of the man whose memory it is so that when the mans mind is quickened together with his conscience and heart the memory is quickened too as the Prophet sayes I will never forget thy precepts for with them thou hast quickened me Psal 119. 93. that is my memory is quickened up to thy precepts because with them thou hast quickened me for we see commonly that the faculty of memory is much at one after conversion that it was before conversion if it were a weake memory before so it is after onely this as the strength of it was let out towards the world and sinne and selfe before so now the strength of it is in some measure let out towards the best things And therefore what can the life of the memory be but the aptnesse of a man to remember God Secondly because this is the onely practicall memory ye know a man may have an admirable memory to remember Sermons whole Chapters in the Bible and yet have a dead memory to God a Sanctified memory is a practicall memory as the Lord sayes remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy q. d. ye may remember still when the Sabbath is come I this is the Sabbath day that is not it that 's onely a contemplative memory But I would have you have a practicall memory not onely to remember the duty but remember for to doe it for as the contemplative understanding hath a faculty of conserving its species so the practicall understanding hath a faculty of conserving its species too as long as a man hath not this practicall memory it is nothing Because he remembred not to shew mercy Psal 109. 16. marke the Lord does not sinde fault with a man for not remembring of that duty for may be he did remember that I but he did not remember to doe his duty this is