Angels have the least part in the redemption of a sinner We are the redeemed and the saved and we are they that must be glorified and shall we have no ears to hear no hearts to attend to no desires to imbrace the Word of Salvation Oh what a shame is it that we that have so much interest in mercie should have so great a neglect of mercy What then remaineth but this that we all provoke one another to the performance of this dutie here required of us that we stop our ears to all carnall counsell to all delusions of Satan that we hearken to the Lord onely as our Master resolving to attend to no advice to follow no directions to obey no commands but what he shall give us Oh but will some say what is this which you teach us May not a man hear his carnall friends may we not follow the advice that they give us If we slight their counsell we may be undome their anger may be such against us that wee shall not be able to bear it To this Objection I will reply in a word Will carnall friends be troubled and offended because their words are neglected and will not the Lord Jesus Christ thinke you be horribly displeased when his commands are despised Assure your selves my brethren either you must hear the Lord Christ now as a Saviour or you shall hear him hereafter as a Judge either hear him now so as to obey and doe what he requires or if you refuse to hear his counsel expect to hear an horrible sentence thundred against you when he shall sit as Judge at the last day when all your carnall counsellours shall not be able to acquit you You that are wives and pretend that you must please your husbands by submitting to their commands and desires you that are husbands and alledge that you must give satisfaction to your wives you that are Apprentices and plead that if you observe not your masters wills but walk according to the rule of Gods word you shall be thwarted by your masters and driven to some great inconvenience You that stand upon the humoring of your friends and acquaintance consider it well Will the perswasions and counsels and desires and commands of a Father or friend or husband or master stand you in stead at the day of judgement Will this be a satisfactorie answer at that day my husband intreated me my friends counselled me my master commanded me No my brethren as you are brethren in iniquitie and causes of sin one to another so you shall perish both together Therefore knowing the terror of the Lord let that scare you more then the anger and displeasure of all the friends in the world But the truth is you will answer again they are they that we receive all from and should we goe contrary to them and neglect their advice we must resolve to be poor and base and mean all our daies What a silly imagination is this Put case these carnall friends bear some kinds of respect unto thee and promise thee fair and seem able to doe thee good Can they doe thee good unlesse the Lord Christ blesse what they doe Is not he able to draw their hearts from thee or to move them towards thee Cannot he blesse the means and cannot he curse them also Thinke of this my brethren Whether is better for a man to be inriched or glorified To hear an earthly parent that happily may give him an earthly patrimonie or an heavenly father that assuredly will receive him to mercie in the end of this life Thinke of these things and withall know that the means and helps and supports that we desire are not properly in the power of friends and acquaintance but it is God that boweth the hearts and inlargeth the spirits of men whether friends or no to doe us good I have known many a carnall man that having wicked friends hath been inforced to bestow most upon those whose life and practise he most opposed and hated At leastwise beleeve for a truth what the Lord saith by the Prophet Isa 55.3 Encline your ear and come unto me hear and your soul shall live That is enough me thinks to put to silence all such Objections as these What ever carnall friends shall perswade you to nothing shall doe you so much good as the hearing and obeying the voice of Christ But it may be some will reply and say Alas I have present need of such and such therefore I must either hear them counselling or else they will not hear me intreating Oh my brethren thinke of this Hath a man or shall a man have need of a friend and shall he not also have need of the Lord Jesus Christ Must a friend be obeyed because wee have need of him and shall not the Lord Jesus Christ be much more observed because we have much more need of him Hast thou need of a father or master to bestow some favour upon thee and hast thou not need also of a Saviour that may deliver thee from sin here and from everlasting damnation hereafter Know it know it that howsoever now you may neglect the counsell and advice of the Lord Jesus Christ and thinke that you have no need of him because happily for the present your friends smile upon you yet the time will come when you shall find you have more need of Christ then of all the world When a man lieth upon the bed of death and his eies begin to grow dim and his breath short and his pulse weak and he ready to goe the way of all flesh Oh what good can friends doe him then all of them together can neither restore health nor preserve life in that hour He that now would be our Saviour hereafter will be our Judge and will passe sentence upon us one way or other either of salvation or damnation Shall we not stand in need then of his mercy and saving health when that day cometh The soul will then wish for a dram of mercy more then for a whole world Ask a man my brethren when he is going the way of all flesh what then he most desireth and what he would have at that time especially Oh will he say mercy mercy Oh that the Lord would accept my person and pardon my sins and graciously look upon me in the face of Christ This is all that the poor soul then craveth But if you neglect now to hear the voice of Christ how can you expect that ever he will hear you in that day It is just it is just my brethren that you should then have the same sentence that was past upon the foolish Virgins Matth. 25.12 They came and knocked hard and spake loud Lord Lord open unto us Away saith Christ I know you not I know you not You would not hear me in the time of your pilgrimage upon the earth when I sent all my servants the Prophets rising early and sending them therefore now I will not
are God respecteth no mans person if you would arrive at the same haven you must saile thorough the same sea you must walk the same way of grace if you would come to the same kingdome of glory It is a conceit that harboureth in the hearts of many men nay of most men in generall specially your great wise men and your great rich men that have better places and estates in the world then ordinary What think they may not a man be saved without all this adoe what needs all this is there not another way besides this Surely my brethren you must teach our Saviour Christ and the Apostle Paul another way I am sure they never knew other and he that dreameth of another way must be content to goe beside There is no such matter as the Devill would perswade you it is but his delusion to keep you under infidelity and to shut you up to destruction under false and vain conceits The truth is here is the way and the onely way and you must walk here if ever you come to life and happinesse therefore be not deceived suffer not your eyes to be blinded but know what Abraham did you must doe the same if not in action yet in affection If God say forsake all thou must doe it at least in affection thou must still wait upon his power and providence yeeld obedience to him in all things be content to submit thy selfe to his will This is the way you must walk in if you ever come to heaven The last Use shall be a Use of Comfort to all the Saints and people of God whose consciences can witnesse that they have laboured to walk in the uprightnesse of their heart as Abraham did I have two or three words to speak to these Be perswaded out of the Word of God that your course is good and goe on with comfort and the God of Heaven be with you and be sure of it that you that walk with Abraham shall be at rest with Abraham and it shall never repent you of all the paines that you have taken Happily it may seem painfull and tedious to you yet what Abigail said to David let me say to you Oh saith she let not my Lord doe this when the Lord shall have done to my Lord according to all the good that he hath spoken concerning thee and shall have appointed thee Ruler over Israel this shall be no greife unto thee nor offence of heart that thou hast shed blood causelesse or that my Lord hath avenged himselfe 1 Sam. 25.30 31. My brethren let me say so to you You will finde trouble and inconveniencies and hard measure at the hands of the wicked in this world many Nabals and Chins will set themselves against you but goe on and beat it patiently know it is a troublesome way but a true way it is grievous but yet good and the end will be happy it will never repent you when the Lord hath performed all the good that he hath spoken concerning you Oh! to see a man drawing his breath low and short after he hath spent many houres and dayes in prayer to the Lord grapling with his corruptions and striving to pull down his base lusts after he hath waited upon the Lord in a constant course of obedience take but such a man and ask him now his conscience is opened whether the wayes of holinesse and sincerity be not irksome to him whether he be not grieved with himselfe for undergoing so much needlesse trouble as the world thinks it and his soul will then clear this matter it is true he hath had a tedious course of it but now his death will be blessed he hath striven for a Crown and now behold a Crown now he is beyond the waves all the contempts and imprisonments and outrages of wicked men are now too short to reach him he is so farre from repenting that he rejoyceth and triumpheth in reflecting back upon all the pains and care and labour of love whereby he hath loved the Lord Jesus in submitting his heart unto him Take me another man that hath lived here in pompe and jollity hath had many livings great preferments much honour abundance of pleasure yet hath been ever carelesse of God and of his Word profane in his course loose in his conversation and ask him upon his death-bed how it standeth with him Oh! woe the time that ever he spent it as he hath done now the soule begins to hate the man and the very sight of him that hath been the instrument with it in the committing of sinne now nothing but gall and wormwood remaineth now the sweetnesse of the Adulterers lust is gone and nothing but the sting of conscience remaineth now the covetous man must part with his goods and the gall of Aspes must stick behinde now the soul sinks within and the heart is overwhelmed with sorrow Take but these two men I say and judge by their ends whether ever it will repent you that you have done well that you have walked in the steps of the faith of Abraham My brethren howsoever you have had many miseries yet the Lord hath many mercies for you God dealeth with his servants as a father doth with his son after he hath sent him on a great journey to doe some busines the weather falleth foul and the way proveth dangerous and many a storm and great difficulties are to be gone through oh how the heart of that father pittieth his son how doth he resolve to requite him if he ever live to come home again what preparation doth he make to entertain and welcome him and how doth he study to doe good unto him My brethren so it is here I beseech you think of it you that are the Saints and people of God You must finde in your way many troubles and greifes and we ought to find them but be not discouraged the more misery the greater mercy God the father seeth his servants and if they suffer and indure for a good conscience as his eye seeth them so his soul pittieth them his heart bleeds within him for them that is he hath a tender compassion of them and he saith within himselfe Well I will requite them if ever they come into my Kingdome all their patience and care and conscience in walking in my wayes I will requite and they shall receive a double reward from me even a Crown of eternall glory Think of those things that are not seen they are eternall the things that are seen are temporall and they will deceive us let our hearts be carried after the other and rest in them for ever FINIS CULPABLE IGNORANCE OR THE Danger of Ignorance UNDER MEANES By that Reverend Divine THOMAS HOOKER Late Preacher in New England 2 THES 1.7 8. The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels In flaming fire taking vengeance of them that know not God and which obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ
Israel And It is not meet to take the childrens bread and to cast it to dogs Mark how she replyed Truth Lord I confesse all that yet notwithstanding the dogs eat of the crumbs that fall from their masters table O the excellency and strength and work of her faith Shee comes to Christ for mercy he repelleth her reproacheth her tells her shee is a dog she confesseth her basenes yet is not discouraged for all that but still resteth upon the goodness and mercie of Christ and is mightily resolved to have mercie whatsoever befalleth her Truth Lord I confesse I am as bad as thou canst term me yet I confesse too that there is no comfort but from thee and though I am a dog yet I would have crumbes Still she laboureth to catch after mercy and to lean and bear her selfe upon the favour of Christ for the bestowing thereof upon her So it must be with every faithfull Christian in this particular he must roll himself upon the power and faithfulness and truth of God and wait for his mercy I will joyn them both together for brevities sake though this latter bee a fourth step and degree of faith I say he must not onely depend upon God but he must wait upon the holy one of Israel The Text saith of Abraham Heb. 6.15 That after he had patiently endured he obtained the promise he received the performance after he had a little waited for it So the Prophet David Psal 101.2 I will walke in the uprightnesse of my heart till the Lord come to me As if he should say If the Lord will absent himself from me and not reveal himself to me yet wait I will and desire I will and still I will be hoping for the mercie of the Lord till he come to me So it was said of Simeon that good old man That he waited for the consolation of Israel Luke 2.25 Mine eies saith David Psal 119.123 grow dim for the looking for thy salvation He that belceveth makes not haste Isai 28.16 he makes hast to obey but makes not hast to bring mercie from God The fifth step of Abraham's faith appeared in this Hee counted nothing too dear for the Lord he was content to break through all impediments to passe through all difficulties whatsoever God would have he had of him This is the next step that Abraham went and this you shall finde Gen. 22. when God put him upon the tryall The Text saith there That God did tempt Abraham did try what he would doe for him and he bade him Go take thy son thy onely son Isaac whom thou lovest and stay him And straight Abraham went and laid his son upon an Altar and took a knife to cut the throat of his son So that Abraham did not spare his Isaac he did not spare for any cost he did not dodge with God in this case if God would have any thing hee should have it whatsoever it were though it were his own life for no question Isaac was dearer to him then his own life And this was not his case alone but the faithfull people of God have ever walked the same course The Apostle Paul was of the same spirit Acts 20.22 24. I know not saith he the things that shall befall me save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every Citie saying That bonds and afflictions abide me but none of these things move me neither count I my life dear unto my self so that I might finish my course with joy and the ministerie which I have received of the Lord Jesus to testifie the Gospel of the grace of God Oh blessed spirit here is the work of faith Alas when we come to part with any thing for the cause of God how hardly comes it from us But I saith he passe not no nor is my life dear unto me Here I say is the work of faith indeed when a man is content to doe any thing for God and to say If imprisonment losse of estate libertie life come I passe not it moveth me nothing so I may finish my course with comfort Hence it was that the Saints of God in those Primitive times Heb. 10.34 took joyfully the spoyling of their goods Me thinks I see the Saints there reaching after Christ with the arms of faith and how when any thing lay in their way they were content to lose all to part with all to have Christ Therefore saith Saint Paul Acts 21.13 I am rerdy not to be bound onely but also to die at Jerusalem for the Name of the Lord Jesus Mark rather then he would leave his Saviour he would leave his life and though men would have hindred him yet was resolved to have Christ howsoever though he lost his life for him Oh let me have my Saviour and take my life The last step of all is this When the soul is thus resolved not to dodge with God but to part with any thing for him then in the last place there followeth a readinesse of heart to addresse a mans self to the performance of whatsoever dutie God requireth at his hands I say this is the last step when without consulting with flesh and blood without hammering upon it as it were without aukwardnesse of heart there followeth a prestness to obey God the soul is at hand When Abraham was called Behold saith he here I am Gen. 22.1 And so Samuel Speak Lord for thy servant heareth 1 Sam. 3.9 and so Ananias Behold I am here Lord Acts 9.10 The faithfull soul is not to seek as an evill servant that is gone a roving after his companions that is out of the way when his master should use him but is like a trusty servant that waiteth upon his master and is ever at hand to doe his pleasure So you shall see it was with Abraham Heb. 11. 8. When the Lord commanded him to goe out of his country He obeyed and went out not knowing whither he went he went chearfully and readily though he knew not whither as who should say if the Lord call I will not question if he command I will performe what ever it be So it must be with every faithfull soule we must blind the eye of carnall reason resolve to obey though heaven and earth seem to meet together in a contradiction care not what man or what devill saith in this case but what God will have done doe it This is the courage and obedience of faith See how Saint Paul in the place before named Acts 21.12 13. flung his ancient friends from him when they came to crosse him in the work of his ministry They all came about him and because they thought they should see his face no more they besought him not to goe up to Jerusalem Then Paul answered What mean yee to weep and to break my heart as who should say it is a greif and vexation to my soule that yee would hinder me that I cannot goe with readinesse to performe the service that God requireth at
LONDON Printed by G. D. for Francis Eglesfield and are to be sold at the Sign of the Marigold in Pauls Church-yard 1651. Culpable Ignorance OR The danger of Ignorance under Means SERMON VI. ISAI 27.11 For it is a people of no understanding therefore he that made them will not have mercie on them and he that formed them will shew them no favour IF you cast your eyes my brethren upon the beginning of this Chapter you shall observe that when the Prophet had discovered the fierce dealing of God with the enemies of his people vers 1. he doth from the second verse to the words of the Text and so afterwards make known Gods gracious affection towards his own faithfull servants as also his dealing with those cursed Hypocrites that live in the bosome of the Church In a word that I may not be long before I come to that which I desire to deliver to you in the discoverie of the Lords dealing first with his own people and then with others that live in the bosome of the Church to whom he communicateth his ordinances there are three things observable The first is Gods speciall care of and his tender love and fatherly affection to those that love and fear his Name that labour to approve their hearts and waies to him that are called to the profession of his truth and walk answerably thereunto and that continueth to the seventh verse namely That the Lord will keep them and water them every moment that he will keep them night and day c. Secondly As the Prophet expresseth Gods speciall care of his servants so withall he manifesteth a secret kind of displeasure that was in God even toward those that belong unto him because of the carelesness and fruitlesnesse that was among them therefore he was pleased to lay his correcting hand upon them yet still in measure with abundance of patience and in much compassion towards them and all for their special good not to confound but to humble and better them And this we have from the 7th to the end of the 9th verse where the Prophet sheweth what is the fruit of affliction to those that belong unto God By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged and this is all the fruit to take away his sin As if he should say Howsoever the Lord loveth his vineyard yet he will prune it not to destroy it but to make it the more fruitfull He onely will take away the superfluous branches those inordinate lusts that appear in the lives of his servants This is the main issue and speciall benefit of afflictions to the godly to subdue their corruptions to purge them to make them walk more circumspectly before God Thirdly the Prophet having thus declared Gods care of his own people and his fatherly chastisement of them in the last place from the 9th verse to the end of the 11th he declareth his proceedings also against the cursed Hypocrites that live in the bosome of the Church against those that have a form of godlinesse onely but deny the power thereof that present themselves before the Lord and appear in his Sanctuary as if they would doe great matters for him yet their hearts are naught and the Lord seeth them and threatneth to deal with them accordingly and in conclusion denounceth an utter overthrow an universall ruine and confusion unto them so as that their estates shall be altogether helplesse for their defenced Cities shall be desolate and their habitations forsaken and left like a Wildernesse Yea so helplesse shall they be that if a poor silly woman come by shee shall spoil them The women come and set them on fire Now if it be asked Why the Lord doth deal thus fiercely with carnall sinful men seeing though they have no strength of grace in their hearts yet they are his creatures The Reason is rendred in the words of the Text For it is a people of no understanding therefore he that made them will not have mercie on them and he that formed them will shew them no favour As if he should say Doe yee inquire the reason why the Lord is so deeply displeased with Hypocrites that live in thee bosome of the Church and why he threatneth to proceed so severely with them Alas it is no wonder for they are a people of no understanding what shew soever they make though they enjoy the Ordinances yet they are no way fit for Gods spirituall building they are onely fit for the fire of his wrath though they are in the Church yet they are not of the Church therefore he that made them will shew them no mercie and he that formed them wil not vouchsafe to bestow any favour upon them In the words there are two things observable First the judgement of God denounced against this people Secondly the cause of that judgement Or thus First the sin of this people Secondly The judgement of God because of that sin The sin of the people is They have no understanding The judgement of God because of that sin Therefore he that made them will not have mercie on them and he that formed them will shew them no favour First you see the people offending they want sanctifying and saving knowledge they are a people of no understanding You see again the Lord observing this and proceeding severely against them because of this Therefore he that made them will not have mercie on them and he that formed them will shew them no favour First of the former touching the sin of the people I will not stand long in the opening of the words Onely thus much observe briefly It is a people that have no understanding What kind of people was it Even those that lived under the means of grace that enjoyed all the helps and incouragements that a people could desire that had an outward call and were counted the people of God those were a people of no understanding Howsoever the Lord was pleased to inlarge himself toward them to bestow many outward Priviledges upon them to suffer them to enjoy many singular helps howsoever they were those to whom were committed the Oracles of God and means of life and salvation yet they remained unfruitfull and unprofitable they were a people of no understanding they had no depth of reach in spirituall things The point observable from hence is thus much That People may enjoy the means of knowledge of life and salvation and yet not withstanding in the mean time not profit by them but remain void of the knowledge of God What this knowledge is and the nature of it I will open unto you afterward onely thus much take along with you for the present That by knowledge here I mean saving knowledge Knowledge no doubt this people had and happily a great measure of understanding they might know many things that belonged to grace and salvation yet for the main for the substance and truth of it it was not the knowledge of God it was not
temper he should find this that I say to bee too too true What is the reason else you will not suffer a good Minister to follow you home to search your soules but take pet at such a man presently what is the cause of this Surely your wayes are naught your mindes are blinded your hearts are hardned under the means Men are loth to let others see what they are because they are not as they should be they are like dull-headed Schollars to whom it is death to be posed But I say observe therefore the mervailous deadnesse and weaknesse the strange besotted dulnesse of our natures to good that when we have all the incouragements and meanes that may be yet we get no benefit we reap no profit by them If a man should have a tree in his garden that all the dunging and pruning and dressing that he can use will doe no good of nor make it bring forth any fruit certainly he would think that tree to be of a strange temper so here let us see and wonder when we see that the Lord hath bestowed so much cost upon us made his judgements come home even to our very doores powred his mercies on us in abundance yet we are not provoked nor quickned nor inlarged in the wayes of life that though wind and tide be both with us yet we make no progress in goodness but he that was ignorant is ignorant still and he that was filthy is filthy still That we may therefore shame our selves humble our soules and bemoan our estates before the Lord consider I pray you but these two things The variety of helps that God vouchsafeth us and the success those helps find in our hearts When all the fire in the town cannot warm a man how cold is he When all the perswasions under heaven cannot work upon a man oh how flinty is he How graciously my brethren hath the Lord dealt with you that live in this place How many helps hath he put into your hands you have prayers and sermons and exhortations and instructions and admonitions and comforts forts and all things that are available to bring a man to life and happiness Now he that groweth not under this means he that thriveth not with this food he that is not heated by this fire he that is not quickned by this dew of heaven let him take notice of the strange distemper of his own heart and the deadnesse of his spirit I know not what to say to you Certainly had the Devill himselfe but any hope of receiving mercy the sermons that are made in this City were able even to melt his heart as it were and to bring him to consider and repent of the sinnes he hath committed against Almighty God but because he hath no hope of mercy he remaineth in a forlorne and desperate condition Yet the Apostle saith Jam. 2.19 The Devils also beleeve and tremble that is they know all things contained in Gods Word are true they beleeve them and assent to them and are perswaded that God will one day make all his threatnings good upon them and upon the hearts of all the damned for ever and that they together shall be wholly deprived of all those mercies that God hath propounded in his Word and they tremble at it Look now into your own hearts and see what kind of temper they are of when notwithstanding the many judgements that have been threatned the many woes that have been denounced yet most either turn their back upon the Church or turn a deaf eare to what they hear and cast the Commandements of God behind them and rather fleer in the face of the Minister and contemn what he saith then be any wayes humbled for their sinnes or tremble at the Word of God and the threatnings denounced out of it My brethren think of it for the Lords sake reason a little with your selves and consider and say Lord what a wicked heart and what a wretched disposition have I the Sea is troubled the Mountains quake and the earth sinketh when the Lord speaks and uttereth his voice nay the Divels beleeve and tremble but oh what terrors and woes have I heard out of the Word against my pride my covetousness my swearing my drunkenness my profaning of the Sabbath yet none of them stirre me one jot I have had the fire full in my face yet remain as ycie and cold and frozen as ever I have had many a heavenly dew upon me many a silver drop yet continue a dry and barren Wilderness Oh what a heart have I Surely my brethren such a case as this is very desperate and deplorable think of it betime in vain it will be for you to put it off You dream and have conceits of knowledge and imagine that you have faith and repentance whereas alas you have little or none of these graces I pray therefore consider it now and now hear and tremble least you tremble afterwards when you are sunk down in the pit for ever When you are in hell you shall feel another manner of trembling then now is expected from you for it shall be farre greater and altogether without hope of remedy Where now are all those professed enemies and rebels against God where is Nimrod where is Pharaoh where is Sennacherib are they not in hell and there left to perish for ever Reason the case therefore seriously with your selves to the end that now you may be humbled and brought to tremble at the Word of God least hereafter you tremble when all hope is past To move you the more consider how graciously the Lord hath been pleased to work upon others They have heard the Word and have lived under the light of the Gospel and they have received benefit by it they have attained to good measures of saving knowledge Are there not some that live neer thee of whom thou mayest say such a man I know and I thought my selfe once to have had as much understanding in religion as he I made account I had as much ability to doe God service as ever he had But now the case is altered he is able to discourse savourly and feelingly of the things of God to pray sensibly and spiritually to reason of the matters of salvation profitably farre beyond that which I can doe and yet I have had as many helpes I have heard as much and understood as much as he O Lord what a case is my soule in what a sinfull creature am I Here is a drunkard converted there is a profane swearer and a Sabbath-breaker wrought upon my next neighbour that happily was as bad as I hath his soule humbled many a gain-sayer of the Gospel the Lord hath made him come crying to him for the forgivenesse of his sinnes begging pardon for such and such rebellions especially for his refusing of the offers of mercy made in Jesus Christ and all this while I stand it out What a strange heart have I That drunkard that profane
had and what he received by faith they that beleeve as he did may expect the selfe same mercy that he had Now the faithfull of God and sonnes of Abraham are here described two wayes I say every faithfull man that is the sonne of Abraham that imitateth the faith of Abraham is discovered two wayes First Negatively What will not suffice to make a man the sonne of Abraham Secondly Affirmatively What God specially looks for at the hands of those that are to be the children of Abraham First Negatively thus Abraham is the father of circumcision not onely to them who are of the circumcision that is not onely theirs who have the priviledges of the Jewes the Word and the Oracles of God Circumcision and the Passeover T is true Abraham is their father but not onely theirs that have no more but those priviledges but also theirs that walk in the footsteps of the faith of Abraham So that by Circumcision you must here understand all these prerogatives and priviledges which the Jewes had above any other Nation and consequently that none of all those priviledges then could that none of ours as to be in the Church to be baptized c. now can make a man to be the sonne of Abraham Abraham is the father of the circumcision not to them who are of the circumcision onely but he is the father of the circumcision if they have faith They that have bare circumcision onely may indeed applaud themselves therein but they shall never receive thereby those things God hath promised This is the Negative Secondly The Affirmative part sheweth who they be indeed that shall truly be partakers of the comforts and graces of Abraham namely those that walk in the footsteps of that faith of Abraham If a man beleeve as he did work as he did walk as he did so onely he may come to have title unto and interest in the promises God hath vouchsafed in his Word Thus much for the opening of the words Come we now in the first place to speak of the negative part in which the Spirit of God is pleased to exclude all outward priviledges and prerogatives and to say thus Abraham is the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision onely that is if they injoy onely outward priviledges they are not the children of Abraham The point we learn hence is thus much That all outward priviledges as the hearing of the Word the partaking of the Sacraments and the like are not able to make a man a sound Saint of God The point is clear in the Text That if a man had circumcision that is if he had all those preferments that God vouchsafeth to a people in the face and bosome of his Church this would not doe him any good at all he hath no title to the promises because of these if he rest in them Abraham is not the father of those that are circumcised onely So that I say again all outward priviledges are not able to make a man a true Saint of God Our Saviour Christ speaking of Capernaum saith And thou Capernaum which art exalted unto heaven shalt be brought down to hell for if the mighty works which have been done in thee had been done in Sodome c. Mat. 11.23 Capernaum was lifted up to Heaven how In all those spirituall helpes and excellent meanes that God vouchsafed them above many others they were highly advanced in the enjoyment of heavenly priviledges they heard the Word of God and they saw the Miracles of Christ and yet Thou Capernaum shalt be deep in punishment thou wert lifted up to Heaven in regard of excellent priviledges but thou shalt be cast down to Hell in regard of thy impenitency and stubbornesse under them The Apostle Paul disputeth the point and makes the case clear Rom. 2.28 29. where he plucks away all these hopes and vain props which men raise to themselves from the having of outward priviledges He is not a Jew saith he that is one outwardly that is he is not therefore a true child of God and a faithfull man he hath not therefore saving faith because he is circumcised because he enjoyeth the liberties and priviledges of the people of God and liveth in the bosome of the Church but he is a Jew which is one inwardly and Circumciston is that of the heart in the Spirit and not in the Letter whose praise is not of men but of God You know that it was an ancient Proverb in Israel Is Saul also amongst the Prophets 1 Sam. 10.12 and 19.24 Yes Saul was amongst the Prophets and he that was once amongst the Prophets is now amongst the Devils in Hell Judas was highly promoted he lived as an Apostle amongst the Disciples heard out Saviour continually sate at table with him and yet for all this is now damned in hell for ever These were high priviledges and if these would have done the deed Judas had never perished Ishamel was circumcised and yet he was excommunicated out of Abrahams family the then Church of God and was a cast-away Instances are many in the Scriptures to this purpose but I list not to dwell longer upon the proofe of the point you see it is evident enough that bare priviledges be they never so high and excellent are not able to make one indeed a faithfull man before the Lord nor the sonne of Abraham I should have shewed the Reasons Alas outward matter 's never work upon the heart That which makes a man a Saint must work upon the soul Now the Word and the Sacraments barely considered cannot work upon the spirit unlesse the Lord work a new frame inwardly by the infusion of Grace Gal. 5.6 Circumcision and uncircumcision profiteth nothing but faith that worketh by love These outward things are too shallow to reach the inward man too weak to work so powerfully upon the soule of a Christian man as to bring the heart to God But I leave the strengthning of the point by Reasons and because I would not be prevented I come to the Uses The first Use I will hence raise is an Use of reproof This Doctrine confoundeth the carnall confidence of those Professors that living in the bosome of the Church place all their hopes and assurance of being saved upon this bottome because they have been baptized and come to Church and hear the Word and receive the Sacrament therefore of necessity they presume they must be accepted of God This was the old plea of the Jewes in Jeremies time When the Prophet came to them to reprove them for their sinnes and presse them to repentance they began to quarrell with him and to take up Bucklers against him and cried out The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord are these These are the Fig-leaves wherewith poor and ignorant Christians think to hide themselves at this day Tell them of their saults bid them walk humbly and holily before God reprove them for their strange practises against God
and his truth in prophaning his day blaspheming his name contemning his Word despising his Ministers c. and they presently cry out against us What will you make Pagans of us What do you thinke we are Heathens Have we not received Christian Baptisme c. This is a bottome that beareth up many But oh poor silly creatures this will not doe it be not deceived you will shrink under this shelter you will fall notwithstanding these props when you come to tryall you may have all this and yet perish this will not make you Saints in the sight of God You that are Tradesmen is it a good argument that because have good ware in your shops therefore you have no refuse no drug commodity or you that are husbandmen because some good corn grows upon your ground is it therefore all good corne Who knows not that there is Cockle amongst corn and bad wares even in your best shops So it is true here as there are many hearers in hell and many receivers in hell so there are too many in the bosome of the Church enjoying the outward priviledges of Gods people that shall never receive good by all that they partake of Therefore I beseech you be not deceived trust not to these lying words and vain hopes The Sacrament of the Lord and the Church and the Church I say trust not to these lying vanities A man may as Judas not onely have the Sacrament in his hand but Christ in his mouth and goe to Hell notwithstanding Alas at the day of judgement if thou hast nothing to say but this Lord I was a hearer of thy Word a receiver at thy Table a frequenter of thy house thou canst expect no other answer but Depart from me I know thee not He is not the Son of Abraham that hath Circumcision onely but that walketh in the steps of the faith of Abraham In the second place here is a word of Exhortation and that is this We ought hereby to be instructed and provoked to stir up our soules and not to content our selves with or settle our selves in these outward shaddows but to labour to go further and beyond all that these outward priviledges barely as outward priviledges can make us not onely to enjoy these but to strive to be bettered by them not onely to have the Word and the Sacraments but to improve them to get more then the outward shell to labour for the kernell for the comfort of them Therefoee I would advise a Christian man that liveth in the bosome of the Church where the Lord is pleased to continue helps and means to him as to esteem them great priviledges for so they are so not to content himself with the outward enjoyment of them but to call upon himself and to look inward to see what the heart saith Outward things will not doe the deed look we therefore for somewhat more that will stand us in stead when the Lord cometh with his fan in his hand throughly to purge his floor and to make a division between the wheat and the chaffe Take notice of it therefore and understand for your spirituall good When thou comest to the house of God and bringest thine hands to receive the Sacrament and thine eares to listen to the word thinke with thy self I have heard the Word I have received the Sacrament but O heart what sayest thou Have I embraced these promises Have I closed with those precepts that have been delivered Have I eaten Christ in the Sacrament Hath my faith pitched on him exhibited there under the Elements of Bread and Wine How often have I already lived under the call of God and yet have rejected it my soul is not yet humbled I onely come and hear and return without any benefit therefore now I will go further and dig deeper that my heart may be brought to the obedience of the truth Mark what our Saviour Christ faith Joh. 6 49 provoking the Jews to beleeve in him and so to receive mercy by him he speaks on this manner forcing them to goe further then outward things Your fathers saith he eat Manna in the Wilderness and are dead Who are those Fathers Those stubborn and rebellious Jewes that fell in the Wildernesse These entred not because of unbelief saith the Apostle to the Hebrews Now Christ saith Your Fathers eat Manna and are dead he meaneth are damned for he saith afterward Vers 51. If any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever thereby shewing a difference between the faithfull and unbeleevers though both die a naturall death I say making a difference between the rebellious Jews that did not beleeve and those that did beleeve Your Fathers eat Manna in the wilderness a Type and a Sacrament indeed to them as St. Paul expresseth it but that would not doe the deed though the Manna came from heaven yet it could not bring them up to heaven it could not free them from eternall death But here is the priviledge of beleeving and of right receiving He that doth not onely receive bread but Christ he that eateth this food this bread he shall never die any more he cannot perish Labour therefore for this evermore As when the woman of Samaria heard our Saviour speak of living water that would continue for ever She cryed out presently Oh Sir give me of this water that I thirst no more Joh. 4.15 So labour for this food above all Labour to settle your souls and to rest your hearts still upon these resolutions Oh what have I that a carnall man may not have What doe I that that a carnall man cannot doe I would have a Christian man to go beyond all those that live in the bosome of the Church I say therefore let this be the Question and examine thine heart What doe I more then the damned in hell have done I pray The truth is the foolish Virgins knocked too I preach so did Judas Doe I reform many things So did Herod Was I baptized So was Simon Magnus In a word am I resolved to confesse my sins and to make satisfaction for them Alas Judas did all this and yet this would not serve the turn he sorrowed and repented and when he had done he went and hanged himself It was not godly sorrow that caused repentance to salvation he repented onely for the gall of sin not for the soul of sin Labour we therefore and let us every one provoke another to go further then ever reprobates went in praying and hearing and professing labour for something that will stand us in stead in the day of tryall When the heavens shall bee rolled together as a scrole Isai 34.4 that we may appear before the Lord and receive a reward from him in his appointed time and season So much for the Negative Part. I proceed now to the Affirmative Who those are that may and doe indeed receive benefit as Abraham did The Text saith They that walk in the steps of that faith of
this is the first step of the faith of Abraham that he was content to yeeld to the call and to be under the command of God to let his good pleasure take place in his heart to leave all kindred country fathers house and never return any more And this is that first step that God lookes every faithfull man should take that he be willing that the command of God take place in his heart that God should make room there for himselfe that he should pluck away his dearest sinnes that are as neer to him as his right hand and as his right eye If the Adulterer were converted he would be contented that God should take away his lust that is as dear to him as his very soule nay he would fain and that with all his heart have God make way in his soul for his own Majesty by beating down all the holds of Satan and tumbling that Dagon to the ground which standeth before him This is the first step of faith The next step that Abraham and so every faithfull soule sets forward is this That when ever faith commeth powerfully into the heart the soule is not content barely to yeeld to the command of God but it breatheth after his mercy longeth for his grace prizeth Christ and Salvation above all things in the world is satisfied and contented with nothing but with the Lord Christ and although it partake of many things below and injoy abundance of outward comforts yet it is not quieted till it rest and pitch it selfe upon the Lord and find and feel that evidence and assurance of his love which he hath promised unto and will bestow on those who love him As for all things here below he hath but a slight and mean and base esteem of them This you shall see apparent in Abraham Gen. 15.1 2. Feare not Abraham saith God I am thy sheild and thy exceeding great reward What could a man desire more One would think that the Lord makes a promise here large enough to Abraham I will be thy Buckler and exceeding great reward Is not Abraham contented with this No mark how he pleadeth with God Lord God saith he what wilt thou give me seeing I goe childlesse His eye is upon the promise that God had made to him of a sonne of whom the Saviour of the world should come Oh Lord what wilt thou give me as if he had said What wilt thou doe for me alas nothing will doe my soule good unlesse I have a sonne and in him a Saviour What will become of me so long as I goe childlesse and so saviourlesse as I may so speak You see how Abraham's mouth was out of tast with all other things how he could relish nothing injoy nothing in comparison of the promise though he had otherwise what he would or could desire Thus must it be with every faithfull man That soule never had nor never shall have Christ that doth not prize him above all things in the world no certainly a faithfull soule breatheth after nothing so much as mercy in Christ lookes after and longeth for nothing so much as the assurance of the love of God Though all the comforts of this world were afforded a faithfull man yet still he would plead with the Lord Oh Lord what will become of me notwithstanding all this so long as my soule is comfortlesse what availeth it me to live here Oh thy Mercy Oh thy Salvation Oh the Lord Christ these are the things my soule breatheth after This my brethren is the nature of faith if it be rightly wrought in the soul as you shall fee and find by ordinary experience For take a man that is truly awakened and whose conscience is throughly touched and offer him crowns and scepters and honours and all the delights of the sons of men alas his soul will care nothing for them but as Esau said Gen. 25.32 Behold I am at the point to die and what profit shall this birthright doe to me So will the poor soul say What will it avail me to be high in the favour of men here and to be a fiend of Hell hereafter What are all these profits and pleasures to me so long as I am not in the favour of God What good can these outward contentments afford me when I am without Christ Oh Lord what wilt thou give me unlesse I have my Saviour and mercy in him and pardon in him and all in him and through him Still thus beateth the pulse of a faithfull soule and this is the nature of saving faith the faith of Gods elect As for these things here below these matters of the world they are little in the regard and esteem of a Christian man If he have them he seeth God in them If he want them he is never a whit the worse The Apostle speaking of beleevers and the faithfull people of God Heb. 11. saith That they let their hold goe of all these things below let the world take the world if they would let the dead bury their dead but as for them Having seen the promises afar off they were perswaded of them and imbraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth even in that country that God had promised them Vers 13. The third step of Abraham's faith was this He casteth himself and flingeth his soul as I may say upon the all-sufficient power and mercie of God for the attainment of what he desireth he rolleth and tumbleth himself as it were upon the all-sufficiencie of God This you shall finde Rom. 4.18 there saith the Apostle speaking of Abrahyam Who against hope beleeved in hope That is when there was no hope in the world yet he beleeved in God even above hope and so made it possible It was an object of his hope that it might be in regard of God howsoever there was no possibilitie in regard of man So the Text saith He considered not his own bodie now dead when he was about an hundred yeers old neither yet the deadness of Sarahs wombe but was strong in faith He cast himself wholly upon the precious promise and mercie of God This then is the third step of true justifying faith That when the beleever is informed touching the excellencie of the Lord Jesus and that fulness that is to be had in him though he cannot find the sweetnesse of his mercy though he cannot or dare not apprehend and apply it to himself though he find nothing in himself yet he is still resolved to rest upon the Lord and to stay himself on the God of his salvation and to wait for his mercy till he find him gracious to his poor soul Excellent and famous is that example of the woman of Canaan Matth. 15.22 27. When Christ as it were beat her off and took up arms against her was not pleased to reveal himself graciously to her for the present I am not sent saith he but to the lost sheep of the house of
person that swearer that covetous wretch is brought home by the Word and yet my soul is not inlightned to know God and to understand the things of his kingdome Now the Lord of heaven open your eyes and have mercy upon your poor soules and give you the knowledge of his truth that you may be saved FINIS VVILFUL HARDNESSE OR THE MEANS OF Grace Abused By that Reverend Divine THOMAS HOOKER Late Preacher in New England HEBR. 3.15 While it is said to day if yee will hear his voice harden not your hearts LONDON Printed by G. D. for Francis Eglesfield and are to be sold at the Sign of the Marigold in Pauls Church-yard 1651. Willful Hardness OR The Means of Grace Abused SERMON VII PROV 29.1 Hee that being often reproved hardneth his neck shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedie THis Book of the Proverbs by the consent of the judgement of all that have written upon it is like an inclosed peece of ground every particular sentence carrying with it as it were a full and compleat sense of it self each Verse being taken in as I may so say from all the bordering parts of this Scripture either going before or coming after it having neither coherence nor dependence upon any but carrying in it self a full and intire sence and therefore I shall spare the making of any kind of entrance by shewing any dependance of this Scripture which I have now read with that which goeth before it but saving that labour we will come presently and particularly to the words in hand In the Verse therefore there are two things offered to your consideration The First is the Sin that is here committed He that hardneth his neck being often reproved The Second is The judgement that is threatned to be executed upon him agreeable to the nature of the sin He shall be destroyed we shall have occasion to open the words anon He shall be shivered all to pieces God will overthrow him and all that appertaineth to him So I take the word is meant The Sin here is hardning of the neck and that is aggravated by the contrary means which God affordeth and the helps that God putteth into his hands for his good being often reproved or as the word carrieth it being a man of admonitions one that hath had admonition upon admonition The Judgement is set forth by severall circumstances discovering the qualitie of it First He shall be destroyed And then secondly The manner of it Suddenly God will not wait long or vouchsafe so much long suffering and patience towards him when once he cometh to that sin of hardning his neck under the Means of Grace And then lastly here is the irrecoverablenesse of him in this his condition He shall be destroyed without remedie there is no hope of redemption for him For the former before I come to the Point you must suffer me a little to make way for my self in the opening of two or three passages in the Text. Two things there are therefore that we will briefly discusse 1. What is meant here by hardning the neck 2. What it is to be a man of admonitions We will not be long in either onely as I said a little to make way for the evident discoverie of the point which we mean to treat of To harden the neck then it is a similitude taken from Oxen that are to draw in the yoke that when they are to come and bow their necks to the yoke they begin to grow stubborn and stiffe-necked and refuse to come under the yoke as the Master requireth and as he expects they should doe and as those that are taught will doe whole nature it is to take the yoke willingly and kindly To harden the neck therefore is to be stubborn and rebellious not to come under the Commandements of God which in the Scripture are compared to a yoke so Christ speaks Take my yoke upon you That is Submit your selves to the Laws of God to the Statutes and Commandements of God Now we are said to harden our necks when as the Heifer in his kind so our souls in their kinde withdraw our shoulders as it were from the commands of God that when the will of God is revealed we will not stoop we will not yeeld and submit to the truths of Christ but take up arms against him and become rebellious to the blessed word of God This is the stiffening of the neck In a word to be rebellious to resist to gainsay the truth of God the word of God and whatsoever is revealed to us and ought to be done by us The second Phrase is Being often reproved The word in the Originall implyeth as I said before a man of admonitions he that hath line upon line and precept upon precept admonitions upon admonitions and therefore our English rendreth it well A man often reproved that is one that hath not onely been once counselled and instructed and reproved but one upon whom the Minister is daily calling in the publike Ordinance one that is from Sabbath to Sabbath at least admonished and perswaded and intreated by the Minister of God that is continually again and again warned of the wrath to come If such a man as this gainsay all these and remain stubborn and rebellious after so many admonitions and reproofs then the judgement of God is ripe for him and he is ripe for it he shall be destroyed saith the Text the God of heaven will break him all in peeces as the Psalmist speaks and that suddenly without remedie So then the words being clear the Point is thus much viz. That Wicked men grow most rebellious under the best Means Mark this I beseech you It is not I but the Text that saith as much A man that is often reproved and hardneth his neck What is it to harden the neck I told you to grow stubborn and stout-hearted and to gainsay the truth of God to oppose it And what is it to be often admonished One Means is here specified but all are understood he that hath many means and that hath many helps and many incouragements that hath counsell and advice and reproof and perswasions and instructions If he harden his neck So then it is plain that he may harden his neck and he doth harden his neck and grow stubborn and rebellious notwihstanding all those means for that is presumed and necessarily implyed in the Text. The case then you see is clear That wicked men that shall be destroyed for whom God hath appointed sudden and heavie desolation and perdition they grow hard-hearted and rebellious under the best means The point is evident in the Text we will shew you what we have to doe namely to make good the thing in hand which we will establish by severall witnesses and discover the nature of it You shall observe this to be a usuall thing in the course of the Scripture 1 Pet. 3. 20. The Text saith there That the Lord went and preached to the
say of good seed if it be very good it prospereth in all good grounds if it thrive not in one the ground we say is naught If the physick be good and it work not kindly upon the body the body we say is naught if it work not at all we reckon that body to be desperately ill and in a dangerous estate So it is here the Word of God is this seed it is this physick if when it is plainly and powerfully discovered in the evidence and declaration of the Spirit of God it work not upon us to the mortification and purging out of the corruption of nature if it take not root in the heart and grow there and spring up to everlasting life that heart is naught and as yet such a one is in a miserable condition and never yet had any true experience of the work of grace upon him never yet found any found and saving operation of the spirit in him so long as the Word of God in the ministry of it proves ineffectuall so long doth a man continue under the power of Satan and a slave to divers lusts If Christ in his Word get not the mastery of the heart certainly that heart is in the possession of the Devill It is a place of observable Rom. 8.7 The wisedome of the flesh by flesh there is meant the corruption of nature is enmity against God and saith the Text it is not subject to the Law of God nor indeed can it be It is an undoubted argument of a corrupt and unregenerate heart of an ungracious and fleshly heart that is not nor cannot be subject to the power of the truth of God I doe not say but the power of the word in judgement may oftentimes awaken a man and terrifie the conscience and yet the man remain still in the state of nature and unconverted but I say it is an ill signe when the soule of a man is not able to stoop to that purity and holinesse and goodnesse that is revealed in the Word when a man cannot say with the Apostle The Law is holy and the Commandment holy and just and good even then when it gainsayes him in his most dearest sinne and directly crosses him in his wicked courses My brethren God is holy and his Word is holy that heart therefore that opposeth the Word and stands out against it and refuseth to give entertainment to it must needs be an unholy heart where there is a likenesse and similitude there is an agreement it is impossible for the Word of God that is pure in it selfe to find any place in an impure heart he therefore that withstandeth the Word in the powerfull ministry thereof hath just cause not onely to suspect but to conclude of himselfe that he is yet farre from the kingdome of God and that there is as much difference between God and him as is between heaven and hell Mark for this end I beseech you a passage or two in the Scripture and suffer not your selves to be deluded by Satan and your deceitfull hearts Howsoever a man may make a tush of the truth of God now and think to plead a pretended hope of mercy whatsoever the Minister saith yet see what the Spirit of God concludeth of such men as withstand the power of the Word of God in the faithfull ministry thereof Observe therefore that place in 2 Tim. 3 8. It is the description of a naughty and wicked heart As Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses so doe these men What are these men Men of corrupt mindes and reprobate concerning the faith If there be a Jannes and Jambres resisting Moses standing out against the Word of God opposing the Ministers thereof who have hearts rising up against the truth of God when it is evidently and plainly revealed by his Messengers What are these in the judgement of God They are men of corrupt mindes and reprobate concerning the faith That is they have mindes not knowing hearts not approving the good Word of God and this is the just judgement of God upon them their mindes are so besotted and their hearts so hardned that they are fo farre from doing what God requireth that they desperately resist it and take up armes against it You have another passage of the Apostle to this purpose in Phil. 3. Many saith he are the enemies of the crosse of Christ but how shall we know them whose god is their belly whose glory is their shame who mind earthly things and what is the end of these men whose end is destruction It is a clear place suffer not Satan to blind your mindes my brethren if this be the truth of God as it is most true that it is so then certainly if any man find his heart guilty of these sinnes he must know himselfe to be in the state of damnation I appeal to any mans heart here present Is not the Word of God holy Is it not a gracious word Is it not a heavenly truth doubtlesse every heart will yeeld to it that it is a good Word of God There are none so senselesse I presume that dare openly professe that they care not for the Word of God and that there is not such holinesse and such goodnesse in it as is said to be in it I dare not think that there harboureth such a thought scarce in the heart of a man that liveth in the bosome of the Church It is true my brethren it is a holy and a good and a heavenly Word What then shall we think of that soule that opposeth this holy and gracious Word must we not conclude him to be an unholy and gracelesse man must not he that opposeth this heavenly Word of God be a hellish man Certainly it must be a marvailous profane and devillish heart that must goe against that heavenly truth whereby the soules of the Saints are converted and brought to heaven and made capable of the sight of the face of God who is holinesse it selfe Let men therefore be perswaded of this truth and take this Word home with you I doubt not but there be some in this Congregation that are yet in their naturall condition that are not subject to the Law of God that if you pursue them with the power of the Word they will turn back and resist it and gainsay it such swine as our Saviour speakes of that when Pearles are thrown before them will turn back and flie in the faces of those that dispence them and all to rend them Consider of it if thy heart therefore when the Word of God commeth directly and powerfully home to thee and laves hold upon thy conscience and telleth thee these and these sinnes thou hast committed such and such hypocrisies were in thy duties and performances such wayes of holinesse and precisenesse thou must walk in and such courses of sinne you must forsake if I say thy heart gainsay this truth and thou art carryed violently against the Word Alas poor soule think of it content
not your hearts with your conditions but confesse it confesse thou hast a graceless and naughty heart this is the next way to be a Christian It is a speciall ornament of a Christian man to be contented to be checked by the Word of God labour therefore to yeeld to the truth when it is revealed And this is the first Use a word of Examination The second is a word of Exhortation and so I will conclude We are all to be exhorted in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to take notice of this evill that is in our hearts I say all of us for howsoever wicked men doe professedly oppose the truth of God and his Word in the faithfull ministry thereof yet the Saints of God themselves so farre as they are flesh have resistances in them but with this difference a godly man when he perceiveth his heart stubborn and rebellious against God in his Word he yet notwithstanding joyneth and sideth with the Word and laboureth to oppose that corruption of the flesh so it was with Saint Paul in the place before named A child of God that hath a holy disposition wrought in him by the Spirit of God when he seeth his heart unwilling to yeeld to Christ and his Word he cryeth shame upon himselfe that after so much hearing so many mercies received so many gracious promises revealed to him the good Word of God so often laid home to his conscience that his heart should yet remain in any measure rebellious against God and therefore he resteth not in this condition but takes up armes against this rebellion of heart as well as against any corruption else whatsoever This I say is the disposition of a gracious heart But with a wicked man it is clean contrary So then I say though it concerneth all naturall men in a speciall manner to suffer this word of exhortation but seeing every man even the Saints of God themselves so farre as there is corruption in them have in them this rebellion of nature it is therefore an exhortation to all to be perswaded if we tender our own good and comforts not to content our selves to be bare hearers to injoy the means of grace and to live under the powerfull preaching of the Gospel but to labour to bring our hearts to yeeld and submit to the truths revealed and to give way to the Word of God to be contented to be governed by the good Word of God It is better never to have known the Word of God then to have it made known and to gainsay and stand out against it Let us therefore be carefull to subject our selves and to take up the yoke of the Lord to give way to every truth revealed being willing and contented to yeeld to whatsoever the Word of God shall make known whether it declare what is amisse to take that away or whether it revealeth what is to be done to practise that This is a blessed frame and disposition of spirit and by this we shall come to have comfort and benefit by all our hearing this is the onely way to get that good that God intendeth in all those helpes and means that he hath appointed in his Church It is the commendation of Josiah that his heart melted at the hearing of the Law read 2 Kings 22.19 And I know not a greater ornament to a Christian then to have such a heart that look as it is with soft things they will take any impression that is put upon them whatsoever the stamp or seale setteth upon them they will take it print for print be it of what nature or kind soever such ought to be the temper of every soule to have a tender yeelding melting heart to be of a pliable teachable disposition to give way to whatever is made known out of the Word I beseech you therefore take this home to your soules and suffer the words of exhortation let the Word of God take place in your hearts I would have every Christian soule to look up to heaven when he commeth into the Congregation and to say speak Lord thy servant is desirous to hear and contented to hear and obey whatsoever thou shalt in this Sermon make known to me And if the Lord will have any thing give it him if he exact any thing from thee yeeld to him This is a melting heart But you will say to me I will conclude in a word or two How shall a man come to bow his neck and take up the yoke of Christ Here is all the labour my brethren and if we could once obtain this the businesse would be done God is not lesse mercifull then he was the Word is not lesse powerfull then it was but these hearts of ours are stubborn and loth to yeeld to the truth Labour therefore for this and have all But what course shall we take to compasse this In a word the means that I would suggest for the present are these First labour to work upon thy own soul a kind of reasonable contentednesse to part with that beloved corruption that lieth in thy bosome I doe not say thou canst doe it but I say labour to bring thy heart to a reasonable kind of contentednesse this way For my brethren here is all the quarrell between you and the Minister of God it all lyeth here the Lord saith thou must forsake thy sins or else I must damn thy soul For we come for souls when we come to preach we doe not come here onely to spend an hour and so an end of the matter No but we see a poor company of creatures in the Congregation and we know that many among them are yet hardned and blinded and going headlong to perdition it is now our labour and care to prevent your ruine and therefore many a prayer we put up and many a tear we shed on your behalf Oh suffer your Minister therefore because he desireth and studieth your good he sees you walking in a way in which you must needs perish and therefore he draweth the sword of the word of God against you Oh stoop to the word of God revealed Here now I say is all the quarrell the Minister saith you must leave your sins the soul saith I will not I will have those fins and I will practise those courses and therefore thou stomackst the Minister and thy heart works against the Word of God Alas Why doe you contend against him and murmure against him we seek not our selves but you nor doe we aim at our own ends but at the salvation of your precious souls and notwithstanding all your oppositions here is the comfort of a Minister that one converted soul is better then a whole world therefore well may he sweat his heart for it whatsoever you say But I say if the Minister labour thus with God and with thee for thy souls good why is all this controversie Why dost thou not labour with thy heart to part with thy sins It is the desire