when the right of the cause and just ingagements require you to speak Tamper not about secular business on the Lord's day Verbum sapientibus abundans cautela non nocet You the grand Inquest let mee bee a remembrancer of your To the Grand-Inquest duty Inquire into the sinnes of your County Are there not Blasphemers Sabbath-breakers Prodigious swearers Opressers Adulterers Make of them faithfull Presentments Doe not you see what abundance of mischiefes Ale-houses produce what a great deale of service they doe the Devill Labour I beseech you to disposess the Divell of his strong holds Purge your Townes and Families Who knowes but that yee are called to such a time as this You have a price put into your hands Oh! let it not bee a price put into the hands of fooles who want hearts to make the best improvement of it As you love the Gospell your lives livelyhoods as you consult the good of your Countrey and tender the safety of the land of our Nativity strive to beat down sinne to reforme your lives that so God may turne away from his fierce anger And to you all high and low of what ranke or condition soever I addresse my exhortation as Amos 4. 12. Therefore thus will I doe unto thee O Israel and because I will doe thus prepare to meet thy God O Israel Zeph. 2. 1. Gather your selves together yea gather together O Nation not desired c so Joel 2. 12. Therefore also now thus saith the Lord Turne yee unto mee with all your hearts with weeping fasting mourning And you that remember least bee sure to remember my text Carry it home with you and put it in practice Hate the evill and love the Good and establish judgment in the gate It may bee that the Lord God of hosts will bee gracious to the remnant of Joseph The Fountain opened Or Free Grace discovered From Zech. 13. 1. In that day there shall be a Fountain opened to the House of David and to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness A Word spoken in due season is like Apples of Sermon 8. At St. Mary's Oxon. May. 17. 1649. Gold in Pictures of Silver Prov. 15. v. 11. My Text is such a precious seasonable Word even a Word of Comfort opportunely administred to the Mourners in Zion For you may cast your eyes on chap. 12. v. 10 11 12 13 14. and there you may read how deeply the Children of God drank of the Cup of Mourning they had tears plentifully given them to drink and their sorrow is not an ordinary but a soaking bitter sorrow ver 10. And I will pour upon the house of David and upon the Inhabitants of Ierusalem the spirit of grace and of supplications and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for him as one mournâ—th for his onely sonne and shall be in bitterness for him as one that is in bitterness for his first-born A midst these sorrows this Evangelical Prophet holds forth the Mâ—ssias Iesus Christ the chiefest joy to swallow up an Ocean of sorrows So that the words read are a Prophesie of Jesus Christ tendring his free grace and mercy to a people broken with godly sorrow for sin Whilst tears are in their eyes and sorrows in their hearts soul-ravishing joys and consolations are promised from the presence of God In that day there shall be a fountain opened Wherein observe First a Mercy promised not a stream but a The Text divided fountain 2. The extent and greatness of the Mercy in hand not a fountain sealed lockt up but opened 3. The opportunity In that day 4. The persons to whom this great rich Mercy is promised to the house of David c. 5. The end and benefit accruing for sin and for uncleanness To give a brief Paraphrase on the Words They are a Prophesie of the wonderful Redemption and Sanctification of sinners by the Blood of Christ It 's said In that day i. e a day of sorrow and mourning for sin after they had been sensible of sin throughly humbled felt the Gall and Wormwood bewailed the bitterness of sin then joy comes after sorrow After the people had mourned for their sins against Christ then Christ washeth them and cleanseth them when sin hath been their greatest sorrow then comes Christ and is their greatest joy It is sayd A fountaine O rich mercy A fountaine opened O height of mercy Free grace is offered justification and sanctification by the blood of Jesus Christ He is the inexhausted fountaine his blood is never drawn dry neither is the Exchequer of his grace lockt up so that none can come at it but it 's opened and freely tendred for the house of David the inhabitants of Jerusalem This fountaine is opened for them they are washt and cleansed in the meritorious laver of Christ's blood But why to them v. 10. to them is promised the pouring of the spirit and to them is Christ promised they are sensible of the bitterness of sin they know how to relish the sweetnesse of a Messias The fountaine is opened to them exclusive and to them only To others it 's a Fountaine sealed Christ came to save his people There are a peculiar people whom Christ loveth washeth saveth and these are the house of David and Ierusalem i e the Children of God in Covenant It 's said for sin for uncleannesse whatever pollutions impurities are in the Saints here they are invited to come wash Rev 1. 5. be cleane This fountaine of the blood of Christ washeth cleanseth the house of David and Jerusalem from all sinne and impurity This scripture requires a fuller Exposition but it 's my purpose to draw forth the Doctrines and in the explication of the doctrines to insist on a larger exposition of the words Two doctrines which are principally held forth are these 1. When the children of God are soakt in their teares of godly sorrow for Doctrin 1 sin then in that season divine refreshing consolations come from the presence of God 2. There 's a fountaine of free grace and mercy in Jesus Christ opened Doctrin 2 to purge and cleanse his people from all their sins and impurities I resume the first doctrine andfor the enlargment of it I propound Method of handling the first Doctrine this following Method 1. To select scripture examples for illustration and Incouragement 2. To confirme it by scripture reasons for conviction and plenary probation 3. To draw downe some scripture counsels and exhortations for the better ordering of our lives and conversations The former shall constitute the doctrinall part of the text This last the use and application For the first for scripture examples time would faile mee if 1 Scripture Examples I should enlarg my selfe in so great a Cloud of witnesses There 's a plentifull heape I shall gather sparingly and select only some choice remarâ—â—ble examples God comforts prophane
Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life This fountaine was opened for Manasseh a bloody sinner 2 Chron. 33. 12 13. And when he was in affliction he befought the Lord his God and humbled himselfe greatly before the God of his fathers And prayed unto him and he was intreated of him and heard his supplication and brought him againe unto Jerusalem into his Kingdome Then Manasseh knew that the Lord he was God This fountain was opened for Saul a cruel persecutor Act. 9. 3 4. And as he journyed he came neere Damascus and suddenly there shined round about him a light from Heaven And he fell to the earth and heard a voice saying unto him Saul Saul why persecutest thou me This fountaine was opened for the poore woman a grievous sinner Luk. 7. 47. Wherefore I say un to thee Her sins which are many are forgiven for shee loved much but to whom little is forgiven the same loveth little The woman with the bloody issue believed it and shee will make triall Mat. 9. 20 21. And behold a woman which was diseased with an issue of blood 12 yeares came behinde him and touched the hem of his garment For she said within her selfe if I may touch his garment I shall be whole The woman when she had spent all upon Physitians which were of no value was cured by Christ both in body and soul Luke 8. 48. And he said unto her Daughter be of good comfort thy faith hath made thee whole go in peace And what 's the reason why is there such a fountaine opened No other but free love and bowels opened Sinne endeavours to lock up this fountaine free grace love mercy opens this fountaine But how comes such vertue in this fountaine A. This is the fountaine and originall of all vertue Q. But who are to wash in this fountaine A. All are invited none excluded but such as exclude themselves such as are not sensible of their sins who apprehend not their pollutions will never take the paines to come hither and wash My text is free grace exalted bowels opened mercy heightned gospell enlarged Here 's the Gospel Exchequer full of riches and pretious thinges Here 's the brazen serpent erected the golden scepter held forth If we come not to this exchequer look not up to this serpent take not hold of this scepter the fault is our own O Israel thou hast destroyed thy selfe but in mee is thine help Hos 13. 9. Q. But who are washt and cleansed A. The house of David and Ierusalem the children of God that are sensible of their misery mourners for sin such as apprehend themselves stunge looke to the brazen serpent Such as are humbled for sin are in a capacity of receiving Christ such as are mourners in Zion shall have beauty for ashes the oyle of joy for mourning And those that have thus mourned as for an only son shall have the benefit of this fountaine The invitation is large Luke 14. 17. And he sent his servant at supper time to say unto them that were bidden Come for now all things are ready But read their shifting excuse in the verse following They all with one consent began to make excuse The first said I have bought a peice of ground and I must go and see it have me excused Jesus Christ is freely tendred and offered sermon after sermon and frequently in these gospell dispensations but how few embrace him Heb. 2. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him The fountaine is full enough large enough O come hither wash and be cleane But you cannot come unlesse you be drawne by the father neither will you come unless you be sensible of your owne vilenesse pollutions impurities and of the wondersull vertue Caâ— 1. 4. John 6. 44. that is in this fountaine to wash and cleanse you Of this more anon You heare my text is pure gospell It holds forth the pearle of the Gospell Jesus Christ My message from God to you is to perswade you to imitate the wise Merchant To fell all for the purchase of the Pearle of great price It s a fountaine and there 's no fcarcity at Math. 13. 46. the fountaine It s a fountaine opened and there 's riches of mercy My invitation from God this day is to humble sinners such as are sensible of their lost condition to come and wash in this fountaine Be thou never so much polluted yet this fountaine can cleanse thee Let not thy sins hinder and discourage thy comming but come quicklier and hasten thy pace This Exchequer will pay all thy debts This Fountaine will make thee cleane I doe not I dare not open a gap to Licentiousnesse But I enlarge the riches of free grace and mercy Dost thou thirst Here 's an invitation Art thou a godly mourner this day Here 's a fountaine opened Be thy sinnes crimson sinnes double dyed O now come in to Jesus Christ Here 's a plaister every way as broad as the sore Be they as scarlet Christ's blood will make them as white as wooll This fountaine doth miracles which none other can doe For it washeth the Aethiopian cleanseth the Leopard Will you then perish for want of water and there 's a fountaine Will you lie and die in your sinnes notwithstanding salvation is tendred and thewater of life offered freely O! desperate sottish sinners though God would heale them yet they wil not be healed though God would enrich them yet they looke not after his riches nor value them at all Though he would cleanse them yet they will not come to the fountaine It 's said Gen. 21. 19. God opened Hagars eyes to see a well It is God alone that can open thine eyes to see this fountaine The fountaine may be hard by us Christ may be tendered and yet we may not see nor heare him Let God be true and every man a Liar More I shall speak in this Kind when I come to the Application Methâ—d propounded For a more full and profitable handling of this precious Doctrine I shall propound this Method 1. I shall discover the Analogie and Resemblance between Christ and a Fountaine 2. How Christ may be said to be a Fountaine opened 3. For whom this fountaine is opened 4. The wonderfull benefits that flow from this fountaine to the Children of God Fiftly and Lastly I shall set all home unto your Consciences by particular application 1. What Analogy there is betweene Christ and a fountainâ— First What Analogie and resemblance there is between Christ and a fountaine The Analogie holds good in these ensuing particular respects 1. There 's fullnesse of water in a fountaine No want at the well spring the well
came justly upon them for the neglect and unprofitableness under the Gospel in King Edward the sixth's days And if they were so severely punished for a few years unprofitableness under the means of Grace of how much forer punishment shall we of England be accounted worthy who well nigh a hundred years have enjoyed the purity of the Gospel and yet we are barren and unfruitful Let us every one acknowledge his own unfruitfulness that notwithstanding fatning Ordinances we have lean souls and let us every one pray in particular Lord lay not my unfruitfulness under the Ministry unto my charge The Spirit will not always strive and wait at those Bethesda's God may in judgement say I will take this kingdom from you and give it to others who will bring forth the fruits of it I will no more suffer my servants to be abused no more suffer my word to be despised I 'le rain Mannâ—h no more round about your tents if you have so cheap an esteem of it Let us all deprecate this dreadful judgement which the Pâ—ophet Amos threatens Amos 8. 1. Behold a basket of summer-fruits and he said What seest thou and I said A basket of summer-fruit then said the Lord unto me The end is come upon my people of Israel I will not again pass by them any more This is the second way whereby the Spirit â—â—rives viz. By the Ministry of the word A third way whereby the Spirit strives is by the checks and 3. The Spirit strives by the conviction of conscience Multi habent scientiaÌ„ pauci vero conscientiam Bernard de interiore domo In corde puritatem In ore veritatem In actione rectitudinem Bern. de interdomo convictions of conscience Bernard makes a sad complaint in that excellent Tract De interiori domo Many haue knowledge but few have conscience He lays down there three choice qualifications of a good conscience To have sincerity in the heart truth in the mouth and rectitude in the conversation These are distinguishing Notes for tryal and examination Now the spirit of God strives by the checks of conscience Conscience flew in Judas his face a legal qualm came upon him I can call it no better It sprang from the horror of the wrath of God and Hell fire flashing in his face It was no Evangelical repentance Judas got thirty pieces of silver but conscience forced him to a restitution Conscience is a reflect act it looks back upon a mans self It is like a Musket over-charged it will recoil upon a sinner It is like a Blood-hound that will follow by the scent and will never leave searching till it hath descryed the Delinquent Wherefore Brethren let us take special notice of the checks of Conscience Let us keep faith and a good conscience joyn'd as the Apostle exhorts Let us not break Gods link Let Pauls Herein I exercise be our continual Monitor Acts 24. 16. Herein I exercise my self to have a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men A Christian may have a pardon in the Court of the Judge and yet not discern it in the Court of his conscience In case of desertions withdrawings and suspensions of Gods gracious countenance a Christian may not be able to apprehend Gods reconciled countenance but in this case there are incouraging supporting promises Isa 50. 10. Who is among you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voice of his servant that walketh in darkness and hath no light let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God We read likewise Psal 97. 11. Light is sown for the righteous and gladness for the upright in heart and Psal 112. 4. Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness God is gracious and full of compassion and righteous in all his ways But what shall we say when a sinner is condemned both in the Court of the Judge and of conscience how great is that condemnation Spira had a check of conscience and a voice forbidding him O do it not He paid full dear for the wounding of his conscience It 's an observatian of an excellent Divine in a precious Book called Moses self-denyal We had better saith he have all the world Mr. Burroughs Moses Self-denyal cast shame in our faces and upbraid us then that our consciences should cast dirt into them It 's better to endure all the frowns and anger of the greatest Potentates on earth then to have an angry conscience within our breast It 's better to want all the pleasures that earth can afford then to loose the delights which a good conscience will bring in O let the Bird in the breast be always kept singing whatsoever we suffer for it We all subscribe to this in Theâ— whether we do thus in Hypothesi let 's examine our awakned Conscience Let us every one deal impartially with his own conscience All our hearts are naked unto him with whom we have to deal Let every one pray study confer for the information of his own Conscience nothing may be done doubtingly for that is not of faith and whatsoever is not of faith is sin In the whole course of our lives let us bring all our actions to the rule of the word of God and let that decide the controversie Here 's a four-fold infallible rule Let A four-fold rule for the examining of conscience 1. Every one be perswaded in his own heart 2. Let us abstain from all appearances of evil 3. Prove all things and hold fast that which is good 4. Hold faith and a good conscience Let us keep close to these known plain rules discarding carnal policy carnal interests which are the devised ways of men and then let our resolution concur with Luthers I bear this title I HuÌ„c gero titulum cedo nulli Luth. yeild to none Now then when the Spirit thus strives by the checks of conscience let us not resist nor stifle those motions let us not shut our eyes against known light breaking in upon us This is a third way whereby the Spirit strives viz. by the checkings and convictions of Conscience A fourth way wereby the Spirit strives is by the tenders of 4. The Spirit strives by the tender of mercies mercies and loving kindness openings of bowels of compassion towards poor sinners These mercies are tender mercies and there is a multitude of them Psal 51. 1. Have mercy upon me O God according to thy loving kindeness according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions They are the sounding of Bowels the fountain opened Zech. 13. 1. In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the House of David and to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness Here is a free tender of Jesus Christ and the riches of his mercies The spirit makes many Proclamations and Invitations to come in to Jesus Christ One is Isa 55. 1. Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and
Root and brought death unto all his Posterity And Christ was a common Root and brought life unto all his Posterity They urge likewise Joh. 1. 29. Behold the lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world A. Those in the world whom he loveth washeth and justifieth it 's not universall not singula genâ—rum but genera singulorum Compare this with Mat. 1. 21. And shee shall bring forth a son and thou shalt call his name Jesus for hee shall save his people from their sinnes The third false key is presumption of long life and mercy Neither A third false key Presumption of long life space nor grace are in thine own power God gave Jezabel space but denyed her grace Rev. 2. 21. And I gave her space to repent of her fornication and shee repented not This presumption hath ruined many a soule Many neglect their opportunities run their swinge and career in sinne and presume of mercy but the dore of mercy is shut against them and this key cannot unlock it Now God affords foure true keyes 1. Knowledge The eyes are opened to see the fountaine to 1. True key knowledge look up to the brasen serpent The knowledge of the worth of Christ provokes us to come to him God's people have inlightned judgements they are renewed in the spirit of their minds Eph. 4. 23. 2. Faith to believe that ther 's virtue enough in Christ to cure all 2. True key Faith our diseases both of body and soule Matth 9. 21. For shee said within her selfe if I may but touch his garment I shall be whole 3. Love And this will make us take many journies long and dangerous through fowle weather and it will sweeten all The 3. True key Love beloved object when enjoyed will make amends for all the waiting for it 4. Repentance mourning for sinne Repentance in us causeth 4. True key Repentance God to repent and make his bowels like the sounding of an Harp Jer. 31. 18 19 20. I have heard Ephraim bemoaning himselfe thus Thou hast chastised mee and I was chastised as a Bullock unaccustomed to the yoake turne thou mee and I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God Surely after that I was turned I repented and after that I was instructed I smote upon my thigh I was ashamed even confounded I did bâ—are the reproach of my youth Is Ephraim my deare son Is he a pleasant child for since I spake against him I doe earnestly remember him still therefore my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord. You must understand these clave non errante not as if the fountaine was merited for any of these duties for when wee have done all wee can we must acknowledge that wee are unprofitable servants But God hath afforded these meanes keyes and helpes we must make use of them but may not make them our Christs and our Saviours 5. I will adde a 5th Praier This is a key to open and shut 5th True key prayer Heaven James 5. 17 18. Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are and hee prayed earnestly that it might not raine and it rained not upon the earth by the space of three yeares and six months And he prayed againe and the hâ—aven gave raine and the earth brought forth her fruit Pray that God would wash thee and cleanse thee Psal 51. 10. Create in mee O Lord a cleane heart and renâ—w a right spirit within mee 3. I proceed to the third head propounded For whom is this 3. For whom is this Fountaine opened fountaine opened To give in my answer ' I le lay down this truth by way of corollary inferred from the premises That the fountaine of free grace is only opened to the adopted children of God This I shall open and apply briefly for opening whereof I shall propound these ensuing considerations 1. God from all eternity hath elected a peculiar people unto himselfe Consid 1. God from all eternity hath elected a peculiar people unto himselfe according to his owngood pleasure and purpose of his will Now election is of here and there one It 's an act of choice taking some and passing by others Jer. 3. 14. Turne O backsliding children saith the Lord for I am married unto you and I will take you one of a City and two of a familie and I will bring you unto Zion Like gleaning grapes Isai 17. 6. Yet gleaning grapes shall be left in it as the shakâ—ing of an olive tree two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough foure or five in the utmost fruitfull branches thereof saith the Lord God of Israel This election hath no other motive but free love and grace Wee were in our blood Ezek. 16. 5 When I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thy own blood I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood live yea I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood live No provision of faith or Repentance mooved God to set his heart upon us as appeares Rom. 9. 11. For the children being not yet borne neither haveing done any good or evill that the purpose of God according to election might stand not of workâ—s but of him that calleth c. This Postulatum being laid down for undeniable God from all eternity hath elected a peculiar people Hence I frame this syllogisme only the elect have interest in the fountaine of free grace and mercy But only God's adopted children are elect ergo they only have interest in it 2. There are a peculiar people who alone are justified by the free grace of God in Christ Rom. 5. 1. Being justified by faith wee have Consid 2. There are a peculiar poople justified by free grace pâ—ace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 3. 24. Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ Now thus I argue Only justified persons have interest in the fountaine of Christ's blood But the sons of God by grace and adoption are only justified persons Ergo they alone have interest in the fountaine of Christ's blood Psal 32. 1 2. Blessed is hee whose trangression is forgiven whose sinne is covered Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity and in whose spirit there is no guilâ— Iustification is a forensicall terme took from an earthly Tribunal where a person arraign'd and condemned is afterward by virtue of a pardon acquitted 3ly Consider there are a peculiar people effectually called Many Consid 3. There are a peculiar people effectually called have an outward calling and take upon them an outward profession few are inwardly and effectually called This the Apostle presseth 2 Pet. 1. 10. Wherefore the rather brethren give diligence to make your calling and election sure for if you doe these things you shall never fall There are a few and but a very few called out of the world partakers
sensible of their thirst and therefore they will not come God affords food for our body and food for our soule in abundance now an hungry man will goe apace for corporall food and had we a spirituall appetite a soule hunger we should quicken our pace and run as fast for the sood of our soules see Heb. 2. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation God puts a prize into our hands if we neglect to use it our condemnation will be the greater A sluggard will tell of this Lyon that mountaine and that shrubbe in the way so your lazy negligent people will tell and reckon up all the difficulties they can to flatter themselves in their idlenesse whereas indeed when we consider the battell we are to fight the race to runne the strait gate to passe through and the great difficulty to attaine salvation this should excite and provoke us to beg strength from God and act in his strength tugge hard at the Oare wrestle harder mend our pace that we may enter in at the strait gate fight the good fight of faith and so runne that we may obtaine A third sort of persons to be reproved are unbelievers They believe 3. Vnbelievers not such worth and excellency in the soule as we speak of This is the grand capitall damning sin of the Gospel Unbeliefe is a complication of many sins made up of a fraternity of iniquity See John 8 24. Unbeliefe as well as covetousnesse caused the yong man to preferre treasures on earth before treasures in heaven Unbeliefe as well as covetousnesse made the foolish Gadarens to preferre their swine before a Saviour Did people in good earnest believe that the soule is more worth then a world that the soule is of a heavenly-borne beeing and runnes parralell with eternity they durst not graspe the world make an Idol of Mammon Volupia c. and put their pretious soules in jeopardy What hindred Christ's miracles see Matth. 13. 28. What 's the portion of unbeleevers see Luk 12. 46. Rev. 21. 8. The Jewes had a saying that every sinne that they committed had a spice of the golden calfe Every sinne without question hath a spice of infidelity Unbeliefe and misbeliefe are destructive to the soule 4ly Impatient sinners are to be reproved these are worst of all 4. Impenitent sinners they throw away the remedy spurne away the plaister that God ordaineth for their cure Wee say falling into the water drownes not but lying there for a man may fall into a water and may be plucked out alive so falling into sinne damnes not but lying in it without repentance 'T is true that every sinne deserves damnation but all sinnes doe not actually damne otherwise who could be saved There are two sorts of sinners penitent and impenitent sinners Penitent broken hearted sinners are received into mercy through Christ their sinnes are wash't away in his bloud their sinnes are imputed to his score and his righteousness imputed to them for justification But impenitent sinners such as sweare and will sweare are drunke and will be so breake sabbaths and will doe so without remorse or regret of conscience these shut the dore of mercy against themselves An impenitent person is Felo de se his own executioner see Rev. 16. 11. Rom. 2. 5. Impenitent persons take not the dignity of their soules into consideration little doe they think what will become of their soules unto all eternity The law requires exact obedience will not abate a tittle not the least transgression God hath given us a Court of mercy the Gospel and in it a surety Christ and the instrumentall meanes faith and repentance Now impenitent Persons despise the Gospel the suerty the remedy they reject the great salvation tendred in the Gospel and so they are left unexcusable Their bloud be upon their own heads God would heale them they will not be healed they are filthy and impure the Lord proclaimes a fountaine to wash in it but they will not come unto it and so their damnation is just and they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 selfe condemned and their destruction is from themselves Of all judgments deprecate this of impenitency The Lord never give you over to impenitency 2. The next Use shall be for expostulation and here I would expostulate Vse 2. For expostulation the case as Isai 55. 2. Rom. 6. 21. Who of any understanding would serve so unprofitable a master as sinne is who would bee so mad as to be penny wise and pound foolish as to get riches lands revenues by cozenage fraud oppression and hazzard their pretious soules What if you could get never so much gold purchase never so much land honestly and justly and yet with the care and turmoyle of getting and keeping all you neglect your soule what advantage would all this be unto you Call your selves to an account and reckon what you get by purchaseing the world and loseing your soules cast up your accounts and you will find you have made a miserable bad bargain ' I le draw this Use unto particular instances 1. Let me expostulate the case with the voluptuous persons who eate and drinke and rise up to play Hawkes hounds cardes dice whores cups are the voluptuous man's companions Hee 's lul'd a sleep on the lap of pleasures and followes his own swinge and careere against the counter-blasts of a reclaiming conscience Let me aske the voluptuous liver what doe all his pleasures conduce to the advantage of his soul what comfort can a man take at night when he goeth to bed when all the day he hath past away in gameing drinking and carrowsing How many spend more upon their houndes then they doe towards the maintainance of a faithful Ministry How many preferre a pack of cards a pack of houndes a cast of hawkes before the word of God How many preferre a drunken merry meeting before a Sermon They can sit whole days and nights at cards and dice and at their cups upon ale-benches and yet how weary at a Sermon Double duties are tedious to them sabbaths fasts are heavy burdens unto them This sin of voluptuousness is the crying sin of the nation for which God lets us bloud by his heavy judgments at this very time O that all voluptuous Epicures would seriously lay to heart the sacred Irony of the wise man Eccles 11 9. O! that God would perswade you to have special regard of your pretious soules O that God would open your eyes to see your vanities and wicked pleasures and turne the streame into the right channel as Prov. 3. 17. To account the wayes of wisdome the only wayes of pleasantness 2. Let me expostulate the case with the covetous Mammonist He riseth early c hee 's a scrapeing and carking for the world the trash and pelfe here below filling his barnes with corne his coffers with gold still labouring for corne and oyle never satisfied never thinking he hath enough But what 's
he that hath no money come ye buy and eat yea come buy wine and milk without money and without price A second is Mat. 11. 28. Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest A third invitation is John 7. 37. If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink Rev. 22. 17. A 4th is The Spirit the Bride say Come and let him that heareth say Come and let him that is athirst come and whosoever will let him take of the waters of life freely The lâ—st I shall name is the most prevalent obtestation in all the world Rom. 12. 1. I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service Put forth thy labor to make a Catalogue of the mercies of God they exceed all Arithmetick measure them their dimensions are infinite The Apostle makes four dimensions breadth length heighth and depth Eph. 3. 18. The mercies of God reach to the Heavens his faithfulness to the clouds All the pathes of the Lord are mercy and truth to such as keep his covenant and testimonies Psal 25. 10. His mercy is from everlasting to everlasting his mercy is above all his works Had we the tongues of Men and Angels we could not sufficiently set forth the mercies of God yet let us summon up all the members of our Bodies and all the faculties of our Souls to praise the Lord for his mercies and tell the wonders which he hath done for the children of men How many National mercies and signal deliverances have we received and we yet are in peace even to a miracle of mercies our fleece is yet dry whil'st others are wet with blood Thousands have faln beside us and ten thousand at our right hands and no evil comes nigh our dwelling What variety of personal mercies do we receive How many deliverances have we received from the Grave being ready to fall in and yet we are reprieved and have space to repent How many deliverances have we received from Fire Water Pobbers unreasonable men and all the plots and projects of Malignant Enemies unto the Gospel of Jesus Christ Further What mercies do we receive for our souls Do we not injoy Sabbaths Ordinances publick assemblies Blessed be God our eyes yet behold our teachers and our Gospel is not driven into corners How many mercies Quot misericordiae tot ora Isa 30. 20. so many mouthes All these mercies have so many mouthes calling upon us to thankfulness and amendment of life Now the holy Spirit of God strives by all these mercies to win us to repentance It is our obliged duty as God strives with us in mercy and loving kindness so we should strive with him in our return of thankfulness and reformation of our lives Every mercy should be a Lord-stone to draw us up to Christ Every mercy should be as a foot-stool to raise us up higher to Heaven Every mercy should be as a Looking-glass wherein we should behold the visible resemblances of the loving kindness of God O then take heed of neglecting the voice of the Spirit when he calls by mercies For if he be neglected when he speaks in the sweet musick of mercies he will speak terrible things in the thunder of judgement 5. The Spirit strives by the exercise of patience 5. Yet further The Spirit strives by the exercise of patience forbearance and long sufferance towards sinners God is not willing that any should perish but that they should repent and be saved O the unwearied patience of a merciful Father How long did God bear with the old world with the Amorites Jerusalem The Lord waits to be gracious he delights in mercy It is his nature to be merciful Judgement is called his act his strange act Isa 28. 21. The Lord will rise up as in mount Perazim he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon that he may do his work his strange work and bring to pass his act his strange act This is to shew his unwillingneâ—s to punish sinners till needs must He is said to hyer a Razour to shave them as if he had none of his own Isa 7. 20. In the same day shall the Lord shave with a razor that is hired namely by them beyond the river by the King of Assyria the head and the hair of the feet See and admire the wonderful patience of God though we provoke him every day O wonderful patience that the Drunkard dies not in his vomit that the Swearers Blasphemers tongues fall not presently out of their heads Still the Lord waits knocking at the doors of our hearts exercising infinite patience and forbearance towards poor sinners He whets his Sword and bends his Bow Psal 7. 12. He might cleave us asunder presently but there we have experience of singular patience God was but six days in creating the world yet as Chrysostome observes he was seven days in encompassing the Walls of Jericho before he destroyed it Patientia laesa fit furor but let us take heed of abusing patience patience abused breaks forth into extremity of fury Mercy pleads I am slighted I am abused I will no more have mercy on them then patience interposeth I will wait longer but patience being abused it pleads I will be no longer tired out nor abused At last comes long-suffering I am gentle and merciful and I will wait longer and longer but if long-suffering be wearied out What will plead for us What will become of us The long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah whilest the Ark was preparing as the apostle Peter speaks 1 Pet. 3. 20. 2 Pet. 3. 9. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise as some men count slackness but is long-suffering to us-ward not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance We should account the long-suffering of the Lord our salvation Rom. 2. 4. or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long suffering not knowing that the goodness of the Lord leadeth thee to repentance 6. The Spirit of God strives by many signal exemplary Judgements 6. The spirit strives by many signal and exemplaâ—y Judgements inflicted upon others inflicted upon others We have read of the Wars of Jerusalem in Josephus but more pathetically set forth in the â—ook of the Lamentations We have read of the heavy Judgements of God upon Germany and Palatinate We have read of the barbarous butcherings of those blood-sucking Caribals in Ireland upon the Protestant Party We hear now of a Sword letting out blood in Scotland good blood and bad blood being let out together the Sword destroying one as well as another We hear of sad breaches and heart-divisions widened more and more in England You hear a general complaint of poverty and decay of Trade By all these Judgements the Spirit of God strives with us and woes
conscience 2. The strivings of a mans own spirit are pacified with natural means are pacified with natural means eating drinking sleeping idle company vain pleasures quiet meer natural convictions But where Gods Spirit strives the soul cannot be quieted but by supernatural means the in omes of God the ravishing consolations of the holy Ghost a white Stone a pardon sealed no mirth sports company can satisfie a wounded conscience onely one remedy is reserved for a perfect cure and that 's the Medicine made up of the Blood of Christ 3. The strivings of a mans own spirit are flashy suddain and soon gone when the judgement ceaseth As soon as the judgement 3. The striviâ—gs of a mans own Spirit are flashy and suddain is removed the strivings cease but when Gods Spirit strives it is solid and serious If the Jvdgement be removed and the sâ—n unpardoned there can be no quiet If the Judgement be over Pharaoh is quiet but no quiet in Davids spirit till the sin be removed Q. 3. A third Quaery is How may we know whether Gods Spirit Q. 3 A. hath effectually stroven and prevailed with us 1. When we hearken to the call of Gods Spirit Psal 27. 8. Thou 1. Whâ—â— we answeâ— the call of Godâ— spirit saidst seek my face my heart said unto thee Thy face Lord will I seek 2. When we have the testimonie of Gods Spirit as Rom. 8. 16. The spirit it self beareth witness with our spirits that we are the 2. When we have the spirits testimony children of God 3 When we have the sealing of the Spirit Eph. 1. 13. In 3. When the spirit seals whom after ye believed ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise 4. When we have the earnest of the Spirit Eph. 1. 14. 4. When we have the earnest of the Spirit 5. When we have the spirits anointing 6. When we have the fruits of the Spirit Use 5. For direction 1. Pray for the Spirit 2. Set a high price on the Spirit 3. Cherish the motions of the Spirit 4. Observe the call and knocking of the Spirit 5 When we have the anointings of the Spirit 1 John 2. 20. Ye have an Unction from the Holy One and ye know all things 6. When we have the fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5. 22 23 24. Love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance The fifth Use is for direction 1. Pray for the Spirit to sanctifie and cleanse thee No work of sanctification but by the spirit 2. Set an high price of and be a diligent attendant of Gods word The Spirit usually works by the Word The Spirit and Word agree together 3. Cherish the sweet motions of Gods Spirit make much of every holy motion and inspiration O do not grieve nor sad O do not quench the Spirit of God but account Gods long-suffering your salvation God waits and is patient O do not provoke do not abuse his patience 4. Observe all the calls knocking 's and invitations of Gods Spirit The Lord calls by his word by checks of conscience by mercies and by judgements do not then bolt the doors of your hearts nor stand out against all the warnings threatnings and promises all these are upon record Heb. 2. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation Lastly Here 's one word of comfort unto all those who make Use 6. For comfort much of the strivings of Gods Spirit These shall be filled with the consolations of the Spirit The Spirit will comfort support help them In Prayer The Spirit helpeth their infirmities Rom. 8. 26. The Spirit purgeth and purisieth them The Spirit of God is their Counsellor in doubts their Comforter in all distresses and the Spirit will guide them by his counsel till he bring them unto glory Doct. 2. It s aâ— exceeding great mercy c. I now proceed in a few words to the second Doctrine That it is an exceeding great mercy when the Lord vouchsafes unto any person time and space for repentance Here the Lord alloweth to the old World 120 years so long it was that the Spirit of God strove with the old World We read in Gen. 18. 24 25. the Lord staid communing with Abraham making abatements from 50 to 45 from 45 to 40 from 40 to 30 from 30 to 20 from 20 to 10 Was it not a great mercy for the Lord to bear so long with the Amorites They had a long time of forbearance Thus did the Lord deal with Niniveh Jonah 3. 4. Yet forty days and Niniveh shall be overthrown So the Lord waited long on the Israelites Psal 95. 8. Harden not your hearts as in the provocation and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness So Jerusalem Luke 19. 42 44. If thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy day the things that belong unto thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes The five foolish Virgins had a time allowed both wise and foolish slept and slumbred but the foolish wanted oyl and lost the accepted season Jezabel had time alloted her Rev. 2. 21. I gave her space to repent of her fornication but she repented not The Reasons are 1. To glorifie the riches of Gods mercy Mercy Reas 1. To glorifie the riches of Gods mercy waits upon us wooing and alluring us to repentance The Lord invites Isa 55. 1. Ho every one that thirsteth let him come c. He calls sinners to repentance He entreateth by his Ambassadors 2 Cor. 5. 20. He waits to be gracious Rev. 3. 20. 2. To glorifie the Justice of God and to leave a people without R. 2. To glorifie Gods justice excuse When mercy patience goodness graciousness long-suffering are all abused what remains but destruction never fruit grow on thee more Cut it down I will take this kingdom from you I will send you a famine of the word These are terrible threatnings 3. The Lord oftentimes is pleased to spare a people longer at the R. 3. God spares a people at the request of his servants request of his servants Luke 13. 8. The Vine-dresser prayed Let it alone yet longer till I dig about it and dung it Gods Ministers pray hard and tug hard at the oar they cry night and day Lord spare try this people a little longer exercise a little more patience towards them let thy Word work upon them they live under the sound of it let it effectually prevail with them The Uses are 1. For admiration O admire the infinite mercies of God who doth thus bear with sinners notwithstanding Use 1. For admiration their provocations yet he tryes waits and allows them a great deal of space when as in Justice he might cut sinners assunder in the midst of their sins This breathes terrors unto all presumptuous sinners who presume Vse 2. For terror of space and grace neither of which is in their own power To some God gives space others he
Three Decads OF SERMONS Lately Preached to the VNIVERSITY at St MARY'S Church in OXFORD BY HENRY WILKINSON D. D. Principall of Magdalen Hall Eccles 9. 10. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with thy might for there is no worke nor device nor knowledge nor wisedome in the grave whither thou goest 2 Cor. 5. 14. For the Love of Christ constraineth us ACADEMIA OXON IF SIS OXFORD Printed by H. H. for Thomas Robinson 1660. Almae Venerabili Matri ACADEMIAE OXONIENSI TRES CONCIONVM DECADES in Templo S. MARIae haud ita pridem habitarum In perennis Obsequii Gratitudinis Testimonium D. D. D. Q. L. M. Q. HENRICUS WILKINSONUS The AUTHOR'S Preface to the unprejudiced Reader BE pleased Reader with patience to take notice of and give Credence to this true though brief ensuing Information As for my part being conscious to my self of manifold Failings perhaps more then others can or will acquaint me withall I should have stood in more awe of a Press then in such a Critical Age to have exposed even the best of my Labors to publick view Had not some both eminently Godly and Judicious incouraged me much by their Approbation Amongst whom the * Dr. J. Conant Vice-Chancellor and * Dr. Edw Reynolds Dean of Christ-Church whose Judgements I highly value approved what now comes forth Likewise those several Sermons which I formerly Printed in another Language for the most part were communicated to a * Reverend and Dr. Harris President of Trinity Coll Oxon. Judicious Divine lately gone to Heaven with whom I had intimate acquaintance and always found a faithful Friend by whose Advice they were committed to the Press For Apologies and such like preliminary Discourses I purposely wave as superfluous altogether I have often thought not without great detestation of a proud vain-glorious speech of one not worth the naming Trajectum plantavit Lovanium rigavit Caesar dedit Incrementum Whereupon another made Answer Hic Deus nihil fecit I shall acknowledge Adwickium in Agro Eboracensi plantavit There I was born Oxonium rigavit There I had the greatest part of my Education Christus autem dedit Incrementum The increase and blessing of all I ascribe unto Christ alone Paul may plant and Apollo may water but God alone 1 Cor. 3. 6. giveth the encrease I have read that a Philosopher accounted it as his honor That he was a Man a Citizen and lived in the time of Socrates Much more do I account it my honor to be a Christian and born in a Land where Christ is known And through riches of Grace and Mercy to be born again And to be accounted worthy even such a worthless Instrument as I am to be a Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ for whose sake to spend and be spent I account it a far greater honor then to be the Emperor of the World And if the Lord be pleased to make me more Instrumental to gain souls to Christ through Mercy I have already heard of some brought in to my comfort This Mercy I shall value at a higher rate then all the Kingdoms of the World and the glory of them Neither may I pass by in silence for which I cannot be thankful enough Gods gracious dealings with me in my younger years at Glocâ—ster where Mr. John Workman Mr. John Langly the Lord blest to my soul the Ministry of a * Holy man of God and likewise the Labors of a * Worthy School-master Further The Lord in mercy afforded unto me great advantages after I was placed in Magdalen-Hall under the Government of * Dr. John wilâ—inson Principal of Magdalen Hall 43 years my Honored Uncle the vigilant Principal one as I conceive endowed with the spirit of Government where likewise I was well accommodated with a * Dr. Henry wilkinson now Cannon of Ch Ch Religious Learned and Diligent Tutor now an eminent Professor of Divinity in this University These I mention with thankfulness unto God And with Pliny I conceive it Ingenuum confiteri per quos profecâ—rim As for many of my Brethren who have more Talents entrusted to them then my self I envy not any of them but heartily wish a diligent improvement of them as remembring where much is given much is required For what through Grace is given me I am obliged to be thankful and not hide in a napkin Those Scriptures are as Frontlets before mine eyes and frequent Monitors unto me viz. Eccles 9. 10. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to doe doe it with thy might for there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave whither thou goest Joh. 9. 4. I must work the works of him that sent me while it is day The night cometh when no man can work And 2 Cor. 5. 14. The love of Christ constraineth us Upon these Principles I desire to manage all my undertakings and act accordingly Now in an especial manner I present these Sermons as Duty and Gratitude bindes me to the University before whom I Preach'd them I cannot conceal what my heart is so much affected with but must acknowledge with all thankfulness those signal Mercies from Heaven of late extended even to a Miracle that the Ministry and maintenance due thereunto the Universities and their Priviledges are yet secured and rescued from the malitious projects and attempts of unreasonable men who cry with a Stentorean voice against an Universitie as the children of Edom did in the day of Jerusalem Psal 137. 7. Rase rase it even to the Foundation thereof These are of John of Leydens and Wigelius his Faction lately consuted by a * Learned Dr. Arrowsmith in Orat. Aqtiweigâ—l Professor It 's sufficiently known that men of this Leaven have an evil eye against all Schools of Learning and therefore bespatter and calumniate them that they may more easily make a prey of their Revenues This was the Divelish design of Julian the Apostate to overthrow Schools of Learning and rob them of their maintenance and this was a subtle Stratagem used by him to hinder the succession of Ministers But all sober minded persons who have their eyes in their heads see and cannot but acknowledge the singular and daily use of Publick Nurseries of Learning Maugre all the Aspersions and out-crys of those false tongues set on Fire of Hell From these places of Learning have come forth a Noble Army of Martyrs viz. Cranmer Ridley Latimer Hooper Bradford Tindall Philpot c. who have resisted Popery unto Blood and sealed unto the truth of the Protestant Religion with their own Blood Our Vniversity of Oxford can produce a large Catalogue of eminent Champions for the Truth some whereof were Bradwardin Wickliffe Jewell Fox Jo Reynolds Hooker Ayry Crackenthorp Field Lake Hackwell Benefield Bolton Pemble c. Our publick Professors have been an Ornament unto that Chair and have opposed Rome Racovia Munster c. Their Names are like precious Oyntment poured forth leaving
who would joyne himselfe associate with this perfidious world a president of all vitiousnesse it brings us like fooles to the stocks and then laughs at our misery It brings us upon the rack and then becomes our executioner The time will come when the Lord will summon up his creatures and they all will bring in their Bils of inditement against their dearest minions and then thou wist find by woefull experience that those darling sins which yeelded the sweetest rellish unto thy sinfull soule in the acting will now present nothing unto thee but gall and wormewood they will make the deepest wounds and gashes in thy conscience If then thou art well acquainted with the vanity of the creature thou wilt slacken thy pursuite and forbeare such a furious prosecution of those things which are so destructive both to thy body and soule if thou knewest how vaine all things are in this world how empty how deceitfull thou wouldst not hazard thy soule upon such an unprofitable purchase 4ly And lastly Labour to be acquainted with the fulnesse that Direct 4. Labour to be acquainted with the fulnesse that is in JesusChrist is in Jesus Christ He hath fulnesse of wisdome to teach thee of holinesse to sanctify of mercy to pardon fulnesse of riches fulnesse of merits and fulnesse of glory It pleased the Father that in him should all fullnesse dwell Col. 1. 19. Be thy wants many from Christ thou mayest fetch a supply be thy miseries pressing Christ is a father of mercies and a God of all consolations for we have not an high priest which cannot be toâ—â—â—t with the feeling of our infirmities Heb. 4. 15. The selfe same bowels of compassion Christ hath in Heaven which he had on earth when he wept over Jerusalem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 12. 7. v. 9. Are thy desertions impetuous and thy spirituall conflicts violent doth the Angell Sathan buffet thee and sometimes leave thee as he did the possessed dead in outward appearance O make hast to Christ looke for him in the word in the sacraments in prayer if thou find'st him not in one ordinance never leave off seeking till thou hast found him in another and then â—ee'l manifest to thy soule that his grace is sufficient for thee Art thou poore Christ is riches art thou blind he is eye-salve Art thou weake hee 's strength Art thou dead hee 's life Now then remember thy selfe how all this while thou hast run on hoodwink't into errors and precipices expecting a fulnesse in the creature wherein is nought but emptinesse O Christians labour to make a better choyse to get hearts emptyed of all selfe-love and abhorre all selfe-sufficiency in and Idolatry with the creatures when once you are partakers of those glorious priviledges which are above of the fulnesse of Christs excellency beauty wisdome purity these will a thousand times recompence the emptying of your selves of any fulnesse of outward contentment in the creature How then should we powre out our petitions to have this fulnesse of Christ communicated unto us according Joh. 1. 16. to our measure that of his fulnesse we may all receive grace for grace Be thy condition never so poore in the world yet if thou hast Christ thou art the richest man in the world Though all things goe against thee friends leave thee riches faile thee promotion flies from thee thy custome and livelihood much decayes yet all this while if thou hast made Christ thy portion none can take away thy Christ Christ is better then thy friends then thy riches then thy promotion then thy custome Hee 's above all and better then all comforts nay the choicest comforts are none at all in comparison of his soule-ravishing comforts Christ hath Use 3 For Exhortation the preheminence and is all in all In the last place here is an use of Exhort to perswade you to get your hearts weaned from the world And now that I might better prevaile with your spirits that you might be took off of these things here below no more seek great things in this world for your selves suffer me to presse home unto your consciences these ensueing considerations 1. Earthly things are accompanied with much vexation and disquietnesse of spirit 2. They cannot afford any satisfaction unto the soule of man 3. All things on earth put together in one cannot helpe a man in the evill day 4. They cannot lead a man beyond this present life they cannot accompany him unto eternity Weigh seriously these considerations and they will be as so many plummets of lead to weigh down your affections and keepe them from an eager pursuite after the greatest things the Universe can afford 1. I say the greatest things in this world are accompanied with much vexation and disquietnesse of spirit As it 's a great blessing 1 Consider The vexation that accompanies earthly things to enjoy the creature with a chearfull heart so it 's a great curse to have them as so many thornes in their sides prickingâ—â—m and as so many gins and snares in the way to intrap the followers to their ruine Let a man have a Cornucopiam a store house of riches yet if he cannot quietly enjoy himselfe in the use of them he had far better be without them Let a man be upon the rack let the wheele passe over him and dislocate his bones Let him be put in Peâ—â—â—lus Bull or expos'd to the most exquisitely devis'd torments in the tenne persecutions in the primitive Church yet this mans payne is easy in comparison of his who hath riches and honours in abundance even goods laid up for many yeares and yet hath all this while a discontented spirit Thou then who ever thou art that art an Ingrosser of worldly wealth who mak'st gold and silver thy Idols and honour'st them morâ—â—en thy God thou art not aware how thy earthly mindednesse will sharpen and give teeth to an affliction to eat out thy choicest delights and comfortâ— Thou art sollieitous to plow and low thy grounds and another may reape the fruits thereof Likewise thou hast no power of the clouds and canst not command the influence of heaven for the iniquity of a people God makes the heavens iron and the earth brasse and now how art thou vext and disquieted and know'st not how to helpe thy selfe thou hoardest up monies in abundance the thought whereof cheares up thy heart in the interim God denies thee thy health sends thee the gout chollick stone strangury and the like so that its a burden and a torment to live Thou hug'st thy selfe in thy ample possession and favours of great ones Now thou hast somewhat to loose thou art made a fairer marke of opposition Suits in law and vexatious controversies may wast thy estate Thieves shipwrack's perfidious servants miscarriages and ill successe in businesse may bring thee to a morsell of bread or otherwise God hath given riches and not an heart to use them and this I reckon
have seen this duty tracked by the foot-steps of Gods people let us goe and doe likewise In the third place to give in the demonstration of the Point I shall 3. The Doctrine demonstrated draw a threefold Argument from the necessity equity and utility of the duty 1. From the necessity of the duty Ye have need of patience that Arg. 1. Drawn from the necessity of this duty after ye have done the will of God ye might receive the promise And that is necessary Necessitate praecepti medii For Precepts the Psalmist exhorts Râ—st in the Lord and wait patiently for him freâ— not thy self because of him who prospereth in his way because of the man who bringeth wicked dâ—vices to pass For evil deers shall be cut off but thâ—se that wait upon the Lord they shall inherit the earth And the Prophet Zephaniah exhorts Therefore wait ye upon me saith the Lord until Zeph. 3. 8. thâ— day that I rise up unto the prey for my determination is to gather the nations that I may assemble the Kingdoms to pâ—ur upon them mine indignatiâ—n even all my fierce anger for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousie Wait on the Lord be of good courage and Psal 27. 14. he shall strengthen thine heart wait I say on the Lord. Solomon counsels Say not thou I will recompence evil but wait on the Lord and he Prov. 20. 22. shall save thee David layeth a strict charge upon himself My soul Psal 62. 5. wait thou only upon God for my expectation is from him David could have taken opportunity to have revenged himself on Saul he had him as we say at his mercy but he waited Gods time The Lord 1 Sam. 24. 23. 1 Sam. 26. 23. saith he render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulnesse for the Lord delivered thee into my hand to day but I would not stretch forth mine hand against the Lords anointed David though he had an opportunity yet considered Saul was Gods anointed therefore he would not embrue his hands in his blood 2. Necessitate mâ—dii For waiting is an instrumental means Gods way of obtaining a grant of the thing desired Simeon waited for the consolation of Israel And behold there was a man in Jerusalem Luke 2. 25. whose name was Simeon and the same man was just and devout waiting for the consolation of Israel and the holy Ghâ—st was upon him The sons of God waited for their adoption And not onely they but our selves Rom. 8. 23. also which have the first-fruits of the spirit even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the adoption to wit the redemption of our body And they wait for the coming of Christ So that ye come behinde I Cor. 1. 7. in no gift waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ Waiting prepareth us for the receiving of a mercy whereas murmuring querulous speeches do indispose us for a mercy Whineing strugling and quarrelling provoke God to lash us more but a quiet composed behaviour an humble submission to the will of God is a ready way to obtain the thing desired even a comfortable fruition of our expectation God is most ready to help his people when their hearts most long after him for so runs the Promise I will pour Isa 44. 3. water upon him that is thirsty and floods upon the dry ground I will pour my spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon thine off-sppring After the Church was in pain and travel and endured many throws and hard labor in expectation of deliverance read the gracious answer Thy dead men shall live together with my dead body shall they arise awake and sing ye that awell in dust for thy dew is as the dew of hearbs Isa 26. 19. and the earth shall cast out the dead So that waiting works two things 1. It prepares us for a mercy it seasoneth our hearts and disposeth them for the entertainment thereof so that we are as Vessels throughly season'd 2. It sets a higher price and estimate on the mercy when it comes A mercy beg'd by Prayer waited for with Patience will of all others be the sweetest to us in the fruition Hannah had more children after Samuel but none so valued as Samuel the childe of her Prayers Now if deliverance and settlement to the Kingdom come as an answer of our Prayers O how welcome will the deliverance be It 's a comfortable experience recorded of the Church And it shall Isa 25. 9. be said in that day lo this is our God we have waited for him and he shall save us This is the Lord we have waited for him we will be glad and rejoyce in his salvation 2. The second Argument shall be drawn from the equity of the Argu. 2 Drawn from the equity of the duty duty It 's all the equity and reason of the World that we should wait upon God we are Creatures and is it not equal that the Creature should wait upon the Creator we are Servants and should not Servants wait upon their Masters Behold as the eyes of servants Psalm 123. 2 look unto the hands of their masters and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God until that he have mercy upon us We are children and should not children wait upon their Father These relations intimate the equity of the duty we say that Relations though they be of least entity yet they are of greatest efficacy Doth not the Husband-man wait for the Harvest Doth not the Mother wait for the time of her deliverance Doth not the Patient wait upon the working of the Physick Now God is giving the Kingdom strong Physick a Purge to some a Vomit to others nay have we not just cause to fear that by reason of our Laodicean luke-warmness God will vomit us out of his mouth Let 's wait and see what God will do though we know not yet he knows the reason of his own proceedings God made Nebuchadnezzar a scourage to the Jews and God calls him his servant but because Nebuchadnezzar acted his own malice and revenge God will turn the wheel upon him Jehu was made an Instrument to root out Ahabs Family but because his heart was naught he aimed at the Kingdom for himself God threatens to avenge the blood of Jezreâ—l upon the house Hos 1. 4. of Jehu God may raise up one to punish another and when they have done God may find out a scourge to punish the punishers themselves These are Gods Acts his strange Acts for so are his judgements Isaiah 7. 20. God will have a razor for that purpose In the same day shall the Lord shave with a razour that is hired namely by them beyond the river by the king of Assyria the head and the hair of the feet and it shall also consume the beard And notwithstanding greatness of
and pray Isa 26. 16 20. wrestling of tugging hard at the Ore This God looks for and his people have practiced Lord in trouble have they visited thee they poured out a Prayer when thy chastning was upon them Come my people enter thou into thy â—hambers and shut thy doors about thee hide thy self as it were for a little moment until the indignation be over-past We are in an afflicted condition and the counsel of the Apostle is Is any among you afflicted let him pray We are sick and wounded The same James 5. 13. Apostle prescribes Confess your faults one unto another and pray one James 5. 16. for another that ye may be healed the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much There 's a dreadful tempest the ship is a sinking we had need be awakened and cry unto God we had need pray Lord save us or else we perish This God expects Thus saith Ezek. 36. 37. the Lord God I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them I will increase them with men like a flock This duty of Prayer hath a commanding vertue The expression is very high Thus Isa 45. 11. saith the Lord the holy One of Israel and his Maker ask me of things to come concerning my sons and concerning the works of my hands command ye me This is Solomons Pharmachum Catholicum even a Medicine for all diseases O pray pray rowl your selves in the dust you deal for a Kingdom you deal for the Church the Gospel and its Ordinances for the lives of millions pray then in good earnest and joyn fasting with waiting Antichrist is a strong Devil this kinde goeth not out but by fasting and prayer 2. Wait and study the Scriptures Affliction saith Luther makes us Means 2. Wait and study the Scriptures understand Scripture we understand now what is meant by confusion and desolation Compare the times of Habakkuk with our times and they come very near they answer one another as face answereth to face Such a dark vision is now as was then Let us study and search whether the Witnesses be slain or no If they be slain then we may expect glorious times if not worse are to be looked for As far as I can apprehend by comparing Scripture with Scripture though it 's difficult to determine by the Witnesses are meant the Magistracy and Ministry Compare Rev. 11. 4. with Zech. 4. 3. and 14. These are the two olive trees and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth So in the Revelations And in Zechary we read And two olive trees by it one upon the right side of the bowl and the other upon the left side thereof Then said he these are the two anointed ones that stand by the Lord of the whole earth I determine nothing in this doubtful case but the great contempt cast upon both Magistracy and Ministry and greater yet is to be feared even throughout all Kingdoms makes it probable that the time of their slaughter draweth nigh We may not be over-curious in fixing particular times lest we incur the same check for our curiosity as they did It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put Acts 1. 7. in his own power 3. Wait upon God in his Ordinances Yet you have them and Means 3. Wait upon God in his Ordinances Isa 30. 20. blessed be God vve yet have a nail left us in the publick Assembly That Prophecy is made good That though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more but thine eyes shall see thy Teachers Yet we have a publick Vision The voice of the Turtle is yet heard in our Land Let 's wait at these Bethesdah's at the Posts of Wisdoms Gate we should mourn for the great contempt that is cast upon Ordinances and because others slight them we our selves should learn to esteem them highly frequent them diligently and pray that God would teach us to profit by them The Word Sacraments Sabbaths Meditations Conference are advantagious Ordinances even the food of our souls Take away meat and drink and you starve the Body Take away Ordinances and you slarve the Soul Wait and treasure up your experiences Review and call to Means 4. Wait and treasure up your experiences minde the mercies of old what God hath done for you in former times Thou hast known a Famine God hath provided for thee then Thou hast been in great straits and dangers and God hath delivered thee at that time Thou hast been at the Graves mouth and a sentence of death seemed to pass against thee God hath restored thee to tell his Praises and to bless his Name Thou hast known Troubles Tumults and Commotions in the Kingdom and God hath quieted and composed them Thus then argue God is the same God he is in Heaven still and doth whatsoever he pleaseth he is as willing as able as merciful as ever He sets bounds to the Seas and stills the raging of the people He is not changed with the change of time Christ is the same yesterday to day and the same for ever Though we are out of order yet his Covenant Heb. 13. 8. 2 Sam. 2â— 5. is ordered Though we are transient yet his Covenant is everlasting Wait in the right season Now is the season perilous and a time Means 5. Wait in the right season of waiting Times of afflictions are waiting times When all seem against thee and thou canst not tell how to conclude from such premises as were unheard of before Now wait and be silent Be silent O all flesh before the Lord for he is raised out of his holy Zech. 2. 13. habitation Be far from murmurings and responsations against God Thou must wait upon God in the way of his Judgements yea in Isa 26. 8. the way of thy Judgements O Lord have we waited for thee The desire of our soul is to thy Name and to the remembrance of thee Sixthly and lastly Joyn reformation with waiting I press not Means 6. Joyn reformatâ—on with watching all this while a lazy idle waiting a folding thy hands in thy bosom but a working waiting Wait and purge thy conscience Trim up thy soul for the entertainment of Jesus Christ God will not come into a Cage of unclean Birds The soul must be purified Mercy follows Reformation at the heels Deliverance followeth Reformation Many days of Humiliation we have had and when one is done we had need have another to bewail the failings of the former So that many harvests are past and many Summers ended and we are not saved But if there was one day of through Reformation the business would be done God would be intreated for the Land We may justly fear that the Commission given to the Sword is not yet called back
Scripture proofes I need not range in any other fâ—elds In the second place I le give in some Scripture Reasons for confirmation of the point 2. Reas 1. From the excellency of justice The sirst reason shall be drawn from the excellencie of Iustice And this will appeare in these particular respects It derives its Originall from God Iustice is a communicable Attribute flowing from the fountaine to the streams and government which is that master-wheel to set the motions of Iustice in due order receives prime honour and excellencie from divine Institution By me Kings raigne and princes decree justice by me Princes rule and nobles even all the Judges of the earth Prov. 1. 15. 16. There 's a jus divinum to warrant your honourable calling Iustice is excellent in respect of that incomparable superexcellent price paid to make satisfaction to it and that was the blood of Iesus Christ It 's true that mercy is God's delight It 's above all his workes mercy is swift pac'd Iustice is slow pac'd its chariot wheels drive heavilie God was walking in the garden when he went to passe sentence on Adam But he ranne to meet the Prodigall here 's a walking in point of judgment but a running in point of mercy Yet notwithstanding Iustice will be no looser Mercy Iustice power goodnesse obiquitie c. are diversly according to our capacities apprehended by us yet they are all one in God As God is mercifull so he is just Iustice must be satisfied per se aut per alium Per se no man can it must be done per alium by a suretie See Zech. 13. 7. Awake O sword against my shephard and against the man that is my fellow saith the Lord of hosts smite the shephâ—ard and the sheep shall be scattered and I will turne mine hand upon the little ones No lesse price was paid to satisfie Divine justice then the effusion of the precious blood of the sonne of God one drop whereof is of infinite dignitie price and value The excellencie of Iustice appeares in respect of its excellent effects and operations Iustice is the basis and supporter of the state Leâ—est corporis Politici nervus The great body of states would be paralitick and in a paroxisme and there would be a dissolution of the continuum if the sinewes of Justice should faile To justice under God we owe our lives liberties lively-hoods We could not sleep quietly in our beds for feare of massacres and robberies if lawes were not in force and the current of Iustice should be damnd up Iustice may be compared to the stakes of a strong hedge to keepe it from falling And a Iudg is a quick-set-hedg to keep off incursions into anothers Peculiar Iustice is the preserver of meum tuum It 's the life of our societie the bulwarke and buttresse of our safetie the fort-royall and strength of our Garrisons Should justice cease and there should be no reprover in the gate we should be resolved into an Anarchy a Chaos a confusion and destruction We should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 homo homini lupus nay homo homini Daemon By the execution of Iustice Government Magistracie Iudicatures those strong walls of a Kingdome remaine impregnable Religion learning trades traffiques lawes arts and scienâ—ss thrive and shelter themselves under the wings of government executing Judgment and justice Reas 2. From the Necessity of establishing justice The second reason shall be drawn from the apparent necessitie of establishing judgment and justice The necessitie is indispensible whether there be considered Necessitas Paecepti vel Medii For the first â— how frequently doth the Lord call for execution of Iustice It 's that which must be sought after Isay 1. 17. Learne to do well seek judgment relieve the oppressed judg the fatherlesse plead for the widdow It must be kept Isay 56. 1. Thus saith the Lord Keep ye judgment and dot justice for my salvation is neere to come and my righteousnesse to be revealed It must not be executed as a malefactour that 's a persecution not execution Iustice is executed upon delinquents not upon it selfe Zech. 7. 9. Thus speaketh the Lord of Hosts saying execute true judgment and shew mercy and compassion every man to his brother So Zech. 8. 16. These are the things that ye shall do speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour executo the judgment of truth and peace in your gates It s promised as a mercy Isay 28. 6. And for a spirit of Judgment to him that sitteth in judgment and for strength to them that turne the battell to 〈…〉 gâ—te It s an argument of Gods love to a people I Kings 10. 9. Blessed be the Lord thy God which delighteth in thee to set thee on the Throne of Israel because the Lord loved Israel for ever therefore made he thee King to doe judgment and justice It 's that which hath God's approbation Micah 6. 8. He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to doe justly and love mercy and to walke humbly with thy God It s that which God loveth Psal 33. 5. He loveth righteousnesse and judgment the earth is full of the goodnesse of the Lord. It 's that which in an especiall manner God commands Deut. 16. 18. Judges and Officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates which the Lord thy God giveth thee thorowout thy tribes and they shall judge the people with just Judgment There 's another jus divirum for your authoritie And Justice is that which God rewards Isai 33. 15. 16. He that walketh righteously and speaketh uprightly he that despiseth the gaine of oppressions and shaketh his hands from holding of bribes that stoppeth his eares from hearing of blood and shutteth his eyes from seeing of evill he shall dwell on high his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks bread shall be given him his water shall be sure So Jer. 22. 15. shalt thou raigne because thou cloathest thy selfe in Câ—dar did not thy Father eat and drink and do judgment and justice and then it was well with him Justice is necessary necessitate medii A godly Magistrate dispensing justice and judgment reconciles meum tuum those two wrangling pronounes which are those Phaetons and grand incendiaries that set the whole world in a combustion Terminus was so much set by among the Romans that they paid homage to it tanquam Numini tutolari Without any tang of or compliance with their Idolatry we may safely say that the law is the Boundary of a common-wealth It s a good sence or mound to keep off beasts of prâ—y from making inrodes into my Severall It 's a good screne to keep off the scorchings of firy spirits who Salamander like live in the fire of contention It 's a strong bulwarke to desend a mans right from surprizall by violent enemies who lay seige and make batteries against it The law is Terminus
head There 's the confluence of waters there 's water in abundance bring never so many vessells yet there 's water enough to fill them So there 's fulnesse in Jesus Christ of mercy to pardon wisedome to counsell righteousnesse to justifie holiness to sanctifie fulnesse of grace and fulnesse of glory Col. 1. 19. For it pleased the father that in him should all fulnâ—sse dwell 2. There 's a communication of the water of a fountaine to the streams So there 's a communication of grace from Christ to his members John 1. 16. Of his fulnesse we receive and grace for grace The Head hath influence upon the members From Christ we receive Union John 17. 21. So runs Christ's prayer That they all may be one as thou fathâ—r art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us that the world may believe that thou hast sent me And from Christ we receive Communion 1 John 1. 3. That which we have seenâ— and heard that declare we unto you that ye also may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the father and his son Jesus Christ Now Christ derives vertue upon his members Vertue flowes from him to cure his peoples maladies Christ is the tree Rev. 22. 2. In the mid'st of the street of it and on either side of the river was the tree of life which bare twelve manner of fruits and yeelded her fruit every moneth and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations Christ's blood is diffusive and takes in all his people not one member can be wanting Look upon the fountaine and acknowledg Christ whatever grace thou receivest is derivative from Jesus Christ 3. A fountaine is said to have liveing waters Waters in a Pond are dead in a metaphoricall sense they stir not they run not they purge not But waters in a fountaine are called liveing waters they convey waters to the streames they are continually running from it So in a peculiar manner Jesus Christ is a fountaine of liveing waters The Lord complaines Jer. 2. 13. My people have committed two evills thâ—y have forsaken me the fountaine of liveing waters and hewed to themselves cisterns broken cisterns that can hold no water God is cald the fountaine of life Ps 36. 9. For with thee is the fountaine of life in thy light shall we see light The Lord Christ alone can give life unto his people His blood is not dried up it stands not still but is continually running and flowing to his members 4. A fountaine sendeth forth pure waters James 3. 11 12. Doth a fountaine send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter Can the fig-tree my Brethren beare olive berries either a vine figs so can no fountaine both yeeld salt water and fresh A fountaine entertaines no Garbidge nor Carrion And most properly is Christ compared to a fountaine in regard of purity Hee is purity it selfe and purifieth his people Ther 's no Impurity in him yet some impurity cleaves to his people as long as they are in this world There 's fulnesse of purity in him in us only a measure in him absolute persection in us a mixture of sinne Rev. 22. 1. And hee shewed mee a pure river of water of life cleare as Christall proceeding out of the throne of God and the Lamb. Such shall bee the Saints condition in Heaven 5ly and lastly Christ is compared to a fountaine for perpetuity A sountaine continually supplieth the streames and is never drawn dry Now Christ is a fountaine inexhausted Many goe with Pitchers and returne and wee meet with many men in the way going to fill their Pitchers yet ther 's enough for thee too Bee sensible of thy want of Christ entertaine a spiritual thirst of him and ther 's an invitation for thee too Though a thousand come unto him with Pitchers and goe away replenished yet ther 's enough in the fountaine for millions more Therefore goe not to creatures broken empty cisternes streames quite dried up or running very low But to Jesus Christ the inexhausted fountaine Millions of Pitchers fild cannot draw him dry by communicating to them the fountaine looseth not one drop of water 2. But in the next place it comes to bee enquired How 2. How may Christ be said to be a fountaine opened may Christ bee said to bee a Fountaine opened wee read the contrary Cant. 4. 12. A garden enclos'd is my Sister my Spouse a spring shut up a fountaine sealed By a fountaine opened Diodate understands the grace of God in remission of sinnes and sanctification of spirit shall be proferred to all believers in Christ The fountaine is sealed to Unbelievers and Reprobates Yet because wee know not the secret decrees of God concerning election and Reprobation wee are to make an Invitation to all to come in and to make a Proclamation to all thirsty soules Isai 55. 1. Ho every one that thirsteth come to the waters and hee that hath no money come buy and eat yea come buy wine and milke without money and without price Our duty is to invite all sinners to repentance And wee have a warrant to tell all true penitent sinners that mourne for sinne that the fountaine is open for them In this sense Christ is said to open the kingdome of Heaven to all Believers Opening doth imply a shutting Sinne shuts us out of Heaven and bolts the doore against us Every sinne thou committest ponit obicem hinders thy access unto Christ But Jesus Christ opens the doore and takes away the bolt Jesus Christ is said to bee a fountaine opened in these particular Respects 1. When hee opens his bowels of Love and compassion and 1. God opens his bowels of compassion tenders himselfe his virtue his holinesse to sanctifie and his righteousness to justifie The free offer of himselfe in his Gospel dispensations is a cleare manifestation of a Fountaine opened 2. When hee takes off the barres and bolts from the doore remooves obstacles and Impediments that lye in the passage Wee cannot 2. God takes off barres and bolts from the dore find the dore the Lord opens our eyes and directs us to it When wee have found it sinne puts barres and bolts and locks on it Christ removes them Sinne lyes in the way as so many stumbling blockes But Christ removes these stumbling blockes and admits us into the presence chamber By him wee have access unto the Throne of grace Rom. 5. 2. The partition wall is taken away and distances are removed 3. It appeares the fountaine is opened because so many come 3. Many come with Pitchers to the Fountaine with Pitchers to bee filled at the Fountaine Ther 's such a great concourse of thirsty persons to the waters When the Fountaine is lockt you shall see none but when it is opened many are there ready to fill their empty Tankards Isai 55. 1. Whosoever is thirsty is invited there to come and draw water When the
you come without a wedding garment You must bee qualified as I mentioned before I call upon the young ones this day O bewaile your mispent time your trading in the vanitie of the world T is too too much that you have given so much of your fresh green yeares unto Satan Now come and O that God would draw you else you can never come Give up your strength and marrow to God You have tried the flesh the Divell the world they cannot help nor comfort you You have gone to King Jareb Hos 5. 13. When Ephraim saw his sickness and Judah saw his wound then went Ephraim to the Assyrian and sent to King Jarâ—b yet could hee not heale you nor cure you of your wound Youthfull pleasures and vanities cannot afford any reall satisfaction O! that God would perswade you to make a better choice to goe to Christ for Physick to make him your Physitian You have spent all upon Physitians of no value imitate the poore woman and come unto Jesus Christ let not the Devil steale this precious truth out of your hearts that the present time is the time of repentance and tempt you to put off Repentance 'till your spectacle dayes Eccles 12. 1. Remember now thy Creatour in the dayes of thy youth while the evill dayes come not nor the yeeres draw nigh when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them I call also upon old ones you that have lived so many yeeres spent so much time as is not worthy of reckoning in the sacred Chronologies Though I dare not flatter or give the least advantage to any to put off repentance 'till old age yet I dare not set a barre against you If now God open your eyes and give you a hungring and thirsting after Christ and discover to you more of Christ in your old age than in your young happy is it for you Some God cals at the eleventh houre and they receive their peny Now then though you begin late yet set upon the worke seriously Commend God in your old age that now hee hath opened your eyes to see this fountaine and because you have set out late therefore you must worke the harder To every one young and old to all sorts of sinners single double died I address my invitation come come unto this fountaine Isai 55. 1. Ho every one that thirsteth come to the water and hee that hath noe money come yee buy and eat yea come buy wine and milke without money and without price Joh. 7. 37. In the last day the great day of the feast Jesus stood and cryed saying if any man thirst let him come unto mee and drinke Rev. 22. 17. And the spirit and the bride say come And let him that heareth say Come and let him that is a thirst come and whosoever will let hiw take of the water of life freely Neither doe I proclaime universall grace but free grace Come and take Christ upon the Gospel termes and conditions Cast downe your rebellious weapons try conclusions noe longer with God Isai 55. 6 7. Seek yee the Lord while hee may bee found call yee upon him while hee is neare Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him returne unto the Lord and hee will have mercy upon him and unto our God for hâ—e will abundantly pardon 2 Cor. 5. 20. Now then wee are Embassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you by us wee pray you in Christ's stead bee yee reconciled unto God Rom. 12. 1. I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that yee present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service O! that God would move some soule this day open some heart this day O! that God would plucke some soule out of the Devil's snare wash some Aethiopian some polluted sinner in this fountaine My Errand and Embassie this day is to proclaime free grace to offer Jesus Christ what message shall I returne to him that sent mee I have the office of a Barnabas to bee a son of Consolation to tender the riches of Christ What will you not accept of Christ Will you undervalue the glorious excellencies of the Gospel Will you not have this man to raigne over you Your blood bee upon your own heads you are left without all excuse 2. My exhortation is speciall to the house of David and inhabitants of Ierusalem to those that have received virtue from this fountaine Goe goe often to this fountaine wash and wash againe take heed of thinking you have enough of grace enough of Christ already The oftner you have been at the fountaine the more your desires will bee enlarged Quo plus sunt potae plus sitiuntur aquae This is a holy warrantable covetousness to covet grace never to think you have enough of Christ still labour for more of him Cry with the Horse-leech's daughter give give Lord give mee more of Christ I want grace more grace more grace Thou that hast tasted of Christ wilt desire to drink a full draught Thou that hast a sparkle of true grace wilt desire it may increase into a flame Phil. 3. 13 14 15. Brethren I count not my selfe to have apprehended but this one thing I doe forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things that are before I press toward the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus Let therefore as many as bee perfect bee thus minded and if in any thing yee bee otherwise minded God shall reveale even this unto you Then goe againe and againe to the fountaine never leave going Whilest thou hast pollutions thou canst never get rid of the body of sin in the Church militant thou hast need of dayiy washing and cleansing in the fountaine None other can cure thee none can cleanse thee but this fountaine but this laver of Christ's blood The 4th and last use shall bee for direction Vse 4. For Direction 1. Bee broken of all those cisternes that are broken and can hold no water Say not with Naaman are not Abana and Pharphar c. No other streames are healing but those that are from this fountaine 2. Neglect not the due season of comming to the fountaine The five foolish Virgins mist their opportunities and so did Esau Heb. 12. 17. For yee know how that afterward when hee would have inherited the blessing hee was rejected for hee found no place of repentance though hee sought it carefully with teares 3. Make use of all the right keyes knowledge faith love repentance prayer 4. Waite patiently upon God who will open the fountaine Tarry at the poole of Bethesda wait at the posts of wisdome's gates Continue knocking never give over 'till God open the fountaine Bee not impatient of delayes but still tarry at thy Father's dore resolve to take no repulse no put off with Esther resolve If I perish I perish 5. VVash in this
care above all other things is imployed for their soules whose businesse and labour it is to worke out their salvation with fear and trembling Oh happy people whose hearts are lifted up in the waies of God whose maine design is to storme heaven and take it by violence who whilst others labour for pelfe and muck of the world they labour for the salvation of their soules Whilst others adorne and beautifie their bodies i. e. the outward man these labour to adorne the inner man i. e. their immortall soules Others labour to be rich and great in the world these labour to be rich in grace and great in the Favour of God Others not knowing nor understanding the worth of their soules preferre earthly treasures before them but true Believers set a higher rate upon their soules than all the Treasures under the Sun Oh happy people that make it their businesse to beautifie their souls with all the saving graces of the spirit As they have sown so they shall reap In this world they shall reap the first fruits but in heaven the full harvest There they shall attaine unto the end of their faith and hope even the salvation of their soules unto all eternity THE END OF THE FIRST DECAD A SECOND DECAD OF SERMONS Preach'd to the UNIVERSITY AT St. MARIE'S OXON BY HENRY VVILKINSON D. D. Principall of Magdalen-Hall Oxon. 2 Tim. 4. 2. Preach the Word be instant in season out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all long-suffering and Doctrine OXFORD Printed by A. LICHFIELD Printer to the University for THO ROBINSON M.DC.LX To the Christian Reader I Conceive it altogether impertinent and forreign from my Work in hand either to prefix an Epistle by way of Apology or detain thee any longer with a praeliminary discourse Onely be entreated Courteous Reader to take notice that this Second Decad of Sermons agrees in the same stile with the other two I know not wherein I vary from my self but pursue one and the same Method both for Matter and Form endeavouring to my best apprehension to declare all the Act. 20. 27. counsell of God Insomuch as comparing Sermon with Sermon notwithstanding the revolutions of times and various dispensations one and the self same Author may be easily discerned Sic oculos sic ille manus sic ora ferebat I purposely wave all along and abhorre all uncouth 2 Cor. 3. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 1. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unscripturall Phrases and affectation of words coyn'd at the Mint of counterfeit Teachers My endeavour is to use plainesse of speech and as the Apostle exhorts to hold fast the form of sound words What censures I may incurre from such as have as was said of Bolsecus Religionem Ephemeram I value not nor of others who kick and winch because they are rub'd on the gall'd sore I heartily wish their amendment and then they will be of another mind and like that afterwards which they mislikt formerly Although I Preach'd these Sermons to a Learned Vniversity yet what at first I had in design through Christ that strengtheneth me I endeavour to carry on to this day and so hope to doe alwaies i. e. to make it my business to affect the hearts and speak home to the consciences of my Auditors by reproving and exhorting without partiality not in the least to gratifie tickle the phansie of any wanton wit of Athens or any itching Auditor whose phansie outruns his judgement How plain soever these Sermons may seem I am no whit discouraged hoping the plainer they are the better may be the successe because where least appears of Man God usually doth great things That no flesh may 1 Cor. 1. 29. glory in his presence but that the praise and glory of all may redound unto God alone Neither may I conceal such a mercy for which I can never be enough thankfull that I have been informed by severall persons who profest to me that they had received much good by severall of these Sermons Wherefore though when I have done the best I am but an unprofitable servant I am the rather encouraged to make these Sermons of Publick Use hoping that through the blessing of God they may doe much more good for the future and help people forward in the narrow way to life and give them a lift to Heaven As for my own failings for which I desire more and more to bee humbled I shall thanke him heartily who shall in a brotherly way discover them unto me It was Davids desire and may mine ever run parallel with his Let the righteous smite me it shall be Psa 141. 5. a kindnesse and let him reprove me it shall be an excellent oyle which shall not break my head If these labours such as they are be any way instrumental for the advancing of the Kingdome of Jesus Christ or if but one poor soul be by them as instrumental means begotten unto Jesus Christ I shall conceive that Eternity it self will he little enough to praise God for so great a mercy I often consider how God brings great things to passe by weak means as by empty Pitchers the Midianites were discomfited and at the sounding of Rams Judg. 7. 20. Josh 6. 20. 1 Cor. 1. 21. 2 Cor. 8. 12. horns the walls of Jericho fell down And by the foolishnesse of Preaching to save them that beleeve And I likewise consider that a willing mind is accepted Badgers skins Goats hair were accepted when with a willing mind dedicated to the Tabernacle the Widdows two Mites were accepted and Abrahams reall intention of Heb. 11. 17. offering Isaack was accepted for the deed What I shall adde further is this that I have offered these Labours according to my ability and should rejoyce if I could bring better and shall entreate thee Reader to help me with thy prayers and counsel that these may not lose their desired successe nor if God give life what I intend hereafter for publick view in a Decad of Practicall ireatises In a word be perswaded whilst ' its day to set a high estimate upon all the means Joh. 9. 12. of Grace put into thy hand as so many prices to get Wisdome withall Neglect not the great salvation tendred in the Gospel Lye at the Posts of Wisdoms gate and labour to digest what thou hearest and make thy own by Prayer Meditation and particular Application Dr. John Reynolds Presâ—dent of C. C. C. By every Sermon thou mayst reap some good if thou beest not wanting unto thy self * One of the most eminently Godly and Learned Divines that ever I read of since this was an University often profest that hee could get good by every Sermon he heard As he was a constant hearer of Sermons so he made charitable constructions of what he heard and was a ready counsellor and encourager unto Preachers I shall adde no more but entreat thee Reader to lay aside all prejudices and
expectation of Novel Opinions and Phrases and as for the failings either of Author or Printer be pleased to cover them with the Mantle of a charitable Interpretation I beg thy Prayers and commend these Labours to thy acceptance and commit thee unto Gods gracious providence I remain Thy Servant for Christs sake Henry Wilkinson The Contents of this Second Decad. SERM. I. JOb 13. 26. For thou writest bitter things against me and makest to possesse the inquities of my youth The Text divided p. 2. and explained by answering 5. Queries 1. What 's meant by bitter things p. 3. 2. What 's meant by writing of them p. 3. 3. What 's meant by the sins of youth p. 4. 4. What 's meant by possessing the sins of youth p. 5. 5. Why doth Job a holy man whose sins were pardoned complain of himself p. 6. Doct. That sins committed in our youth will cause much smart and bitternesse in our elder years Method of handling the Doctrine 1. By Scripture proof p. 7. 2. By three Reasons 1. Dâ—awn from the rule of Justice p. 8. Reas 2. Drawn from the nature and quality of sin p. 9. Reas 3. Drawn from four Aggravations of youthfull sins viz. 1. They are committed with a great deal of violence p. 9. 2. They are committed with abundance of delight p. 10. 3. Young men make many vain pretences ibid. 4. Youthfull sinnes are committed after many Invitations Calls and Warnings p. 11. 3. By improving all in four Uses 1. For Humiliation p. 12 13 14. Here are four sins especially reproved 1. Voluptuousness p. 15. 2. Contempt of Superiours p. 16. 3. Affectation of Novelty p. 17. 4. Pride p. 18. Use 2. For Exhortation p. 19. Four Considerations are prest 1. From Gods Omniscience p. 20. 2. God keeps Record ibid. 3. Consider what sinne will cost thee ibid. 4. Consider the four last things p. 21 22. Use 3. For Direction 1. Be humbled for all sins p. 22. 2. Look through thy Humiliation to Christ p. 23. 3. Walk circumspectly ibid. Use 4. For Consolation ibid. SERM. II. Gen. 6. 3. And the Lord said my Spirit shall not alwaies strive with man for that he also is flesh yet his dayes shall be an hundred and twenty years The Text Divided and Explained p. 28 29. Doct. 1. That it is a most dreadfull judgement upon a people when the Spirit of God refuseth to strive any longer with them p. 30. Doct. 2. That it 's an exceeding great mercy to a people when the Lord vouchsafeth them time and space of Repentance ibid. Method of handling the first Doctrine 1. From Scripture Testimony p. 30 31 32. Three signes of Night 1 When shadows grow long p. 32. 2. When wild beasts goe abroad and 3ly when Labourers go to their rest p. 33. 2. Seven wayes the Spirit strives 1. By its Motions p. 35. 36. 2. By the Ministery of the Word p. 37 38. 3. By the checks and convictions of conscience p. 39 40. A fourfold Rule for examining of conscience p. 40. 4. By the tenders of mercies p. 41. 5. By the exercise of patience p. 42. 6. By National Judgements p. 43. 7. By Personal Judgements p. 44. SERM. III. upon the same Text viz. Gen. 6. 3. 3. Reas 1. Because man is flesh p. 45 46. Reas 2. Because the Spirit is a free Agent p. 47. Reas 3. Drawn from the rule of Divine Justice p. 48 49. 4. For Application Use 1. For Information of the greatnesse of the Judgement when the Spirit ceaseth striving in 4. Aggravations 1. God takes away his Ordinances p. 50. 2. God suffers not the Spirit to work by the Ordinances 3. God gives them over to a Spirit of delusion ibid. 4. God gives them over to a hard heart p. 53. â—se 2. For Exhortation Three Morives 1. From the brevity of our lives p. 55. 2. From the Vncertainty of the Spirits striving ibid. 3. From the certainty of the Day of Judgement p. 56. Use 3. For Reproof of 4. sorts of persons especially 1. Such as contemne the Spirit p. 56. 2. Such as are barren and unfruitfull p. 57. 3. Such as are secure p. 57. 4. Impenitent persons p. 57. Use 4. for Examination in three Queries 1. How we may distinguish the strivings of Gods Spirit from a spirit of error and delusion p. 58 59. 2. How we may distinguish the strivings of Gods Spirit from our own spirit p. 59. 3. How we may know whether Gods Spirit hath effectually stroven with us p. 59 60. Use 5. for Direction in four particulars p. 60. Use 6. for Consolation Doct. 2. That it is an exceeding great mercy when the Lord vouchsafes unto any person time and space for Repentance p. 60. Reas 1. To glorifie the Riches of Gods Mercy p. 61. Reas 2. To glorifie his Justice ibid. Reas 3. At the request of Gods servants many are spared ibid. Vse 1. For admiration of Gods infinite mercy Vse 2. For terrour unto presumptuous sinners Convictions 1. It 's great folly to put off Repentance 2. It argues great contempt 3. It argues high presumption Use 3. for Exhortation in four Considerations 1. Now the Spirit strives 2. Now is the limited time 3. Now is the accepted time 4. Now once past cannot be recalled Use 4. for Caution in five particulars 63 64. The 5. â—se for Admonition in five particulars p. 64 65. The 6. Vse is for Comfort ibid. SERM. IV. 2 Pet. 3. 11. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godlynesse The Coherence and Text explained and divided p. 65 66 67 68. Doct. That the serious consideration of the day of Judgement should in an especial manner engage us unto an holy life and conversation p. 69. Method of handling the Doctrine 1. By Scripture Testimony p. 69 70. 2. By evidence of three Reasons 1. Because onely holy persons shall be able to stand in judgement p. 71. Q. Whether the Saints shall have their sins mentioned at the day of Judgement p. 71. Reas 2. This is the present time ibid. Reas 3. Judgement returns all as death leaves them p. 72. 3. By particular Application in five Vses 1. For terrour unto three sorts 1. Scoffers at holynesse p. 73. 2. Hypocrites p. 74. 3. Secret sinners p. 75. Vse 2. for Exhortation p. 76 77. 9. Motives 1. We are elected unto Holynesse p. 78. 2. We are created unto Holynesse ibid. 3. We are redeemed to be holy ibid. 4. It s Gods will that we should be holy ibid. 5. Holynesse is our calling p. 79. 6. Heaven is a place for holy persons ibid. 7. There shall be holy employment ibid. 8. There shall be holy company ibid. 9. This is the time of labouring after holynesse ibid. Use 3. for Examination in 12. Characters 1. Spiritual poverty p. 80. 2. High estimation of Jesus Christ ibid. 3. The heart is in love with holynesse p. 81. 4. Irgenuous sorrow for sinne ibid. 5.
subjiciuntur Contra ingenium naturae suae agnoscamus naturam Dei quae cogit illa nostris usibus inservire Pet. Mart. Poenitentia Dei est MutaÌ„dorum immutabilis ratio August Hunc adulterinum degenerum pro meo jam agnoscere dedignor Calv. in Loc. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 omni die 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 70 Inter. Sedes vitae sedes animae principium intellectus vo luntatis affectnum moâ—um to vanity and destruction through Mans iniquity Rom. 8. 20 22. But this sharp Sentence God pronounceth with a great deal of reluctancy he is said to repent in this verse and v. 6. both to repent and be grieved at his heart This is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 repentance cannot in a proper sense be attributed to God Repentance in God is the unchangeable disposition of changeable things as Augustine observes God may will a change where he doth not change his will There 's no change in the Creator the change is in the Creature and here we may see how God takes upon him our affections and so condescends to our capacity As we repent and are grieved when any thing displeaseth us so God here speaking after the manner of men is said to repent and grieve Hence we may observe what an hainous and abominable thing sin is that causeth God to grieve Calvin on the place supposeth God pleading on this wise This is not my work this is not the man created after mine Image endowed with such noble faculties this adulterous and degenerate world I scorn to own for mine But wherein consists the greatness of the sins of the old World against whom the Lord threatens destruction You have a general charge given in by God himself v. 5. compared with Gen. 8. 21. It 's said there The imagination of mans heart is evil from his youth They were habituated in wickedness generally both heart and life stark nâ—ught they were gray hair'd in wickedness and now arrived at the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the highest point and degree of impiety and the heart which the Philosophers say is the seat of life and Scripture saith It is the seat of the soul and principle of the understanding will affections and motions this is depraved and become the forge of all abominations It 's said Every imagination of the thoughts of his heart were onely evil continually Of this change in general the Lord gives a clear proof by particulars v. 2. The sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair c. By sons of God some understand Angels This was the conjecture of Tertullian Justin Martyr Clemens Alexardrinus and others But Chrysostome urgeth that Scripture which to me seems a full confutation of their opinion Matth. 22. 30. In the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are as the angels of God in heaven Others understand by sons of God the sons of Princes and those great Personages that liv'd in those days I shall rather wave these â—xpositions and concur with Calvin Luther Musculus Ainsworth and other solid Commentators who unanimously by Sons of God understand the Posterity of Seth such as were the sons of God by external Profession the men of the Church of God and these took the daughters of men i. e. The Posterity of Cain The holy Seed mingled themselves with the prophane Seed they looked at naught 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 70 Interp. else besides Beauty and satisfaction of â—usts Beauty was the * object of their Love This desire of Beauty was the Harbinger of their ruine It seems they took any Women whatsoever having no regard to goodness no regard to God none to their Parents advice they made their own choice Beauty Lust Violence their own will was the rule they went by and might prevail'd above right Violence and power carryed all before them v. 4. some derive the word quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sons of the Earth This Etymology savors of a Poetical Figment therefore I discard it altogether The word in the Original is Nephilim it comes from Naphal to fall they were Apoâ—ates and fell from God and by reason of their tyranny and cruelty caused many to fall before them It 's said Haggibburim they were mighty men The Caldee calls them Gibbaraja mighty men So Nimrod was Gibbor mighty Gen. 10. 8. He hunted souls he was a monstrous Tyrant and Persecutor of the Church of God These men were famous they had a great name but they were famous onely for oppression and cruelty their Will was their Lâ—w and their strength and might bore down all before them They got power and a name by the Injuries and Persecutions which they exercised upon the Church of God Calvin gives a remarkable observation That it was the Haec prima fuit mundi nobilitas nequis longa famosa imaginum serie nimium sibi placeat Calv. in Loc. first Nobility of the world That no one should too much please himself with a long and famous series of Images of Ancestors And Luther gives another note writing of the fame of these wicked Gyants and the renown they got by their Villanies he compares them to the Popes Cardinals and Bishops who would not be called by those names they deserved they would not be called Tyrants Impious Qui salutantur principes regna tenerent non Tyranni c. sed clementissimi sanctissimi reverendissimi appellantur Luth. Sacrilegious but Merciful Holy Reverend So the renown of these Gyants is mentioned for their Villanies They were famous Oppressors cruel Blood-suckers wicked Tyrants And thus you have a draught of the old World set before your view Their crying sins were prophaneness of heart and life promiscuous Marriages Polygamies contempt of God and Parents Oppressions Cruelty and Persecution They had many warnings from God many reproofs and admonitions by the Ministry of the Patriarchs and all in vain wherefore the Lord threatens in the Text My spirit shall not always strive c. Which words are a Sermon Preach'd by the great God of Heaven and Earth to the old wicked World which Sermon is a Patern and the Archetipam for Ministers to Preach by and consists of Judgement and Mercy 1. Here 's a dreadful Judgement or a sad Commination of Divis 1. A Judgement and the reason thereof the heaviest punishment that can befall a people on this side Hell My spirit c. 2. Here 's a strong reason to enforce For that he also is flesh In the Mercy contained in the Text. 1. You have something implyed It s said Not always implying that it hath striven some time and a long time too In Justice God might cut sinners asunder in the midst of their rebellions and send them to Hell But O the infinite mercy and patience of God thus to strive at all and to strive so long with rebellious sinners 2. Here 's a mercy
God did beseech 2 Cor. 5. 20. you by us we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God Oâ—r commission may be out of date to morrow Christ now waites till his locks be wet with dew now he calls sinners to repentance He hath sent me on an errand this day to invite thirsty soules to come unto him and he will give them drink to invite those that are heavy laden and he will give them rest It 's my businesse this day to tender Jesus Christ the Fountain opened to presse home the Exhortation of the Holy Ghost Let the wicked forsake his way and Isa 55. 7. the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon Now what answer shall I return unto him that sent me Suffer I beseech you Fathers and Brethren the word of exhortation not to suffer the holy Spirit to spend his sacred breath in vain You have many prizes put into your hands improve them in your several capacities to the glory of God and mutual edification one of another Let Rulers rule with diligence let Governours Tutours Masters of Families all unite their endeavours to promote the Gospel of Jesus Christ and put Joshua's resolution into practise but as for me I and my house we will serve the Lord. O that Josh 24. 15. we could be spirituall Fathers to those that are committed to our charge Governours and Tutours should look upon themselves as Pro-parents and upon the Scholars under them as children and therefore ought to have special care over them and principally to enquire how it fares with their soules what knowledge they have of Jesus Christ What a comfort will it be another day when we can say Behold Lord here we are and the children which thou hast given us Thou â—ord hast made us spiritual Fathers unto these young Pupiss Now whilst the Spirit stayes waiting upon us whilst we have time talents and opportunities vouchsafed unto us whilest we live under the sound of the Gospel and hear admonitions reproofs and many Exhortations to repentance let us not put off the Spirit with any more delatory answers but resolve with the full purpose of our hearts to cleave unto the Lord. I have two or three plain moving considerations to adde for the better setting home of my Exhortation Consider the brevity of our lives What 's our life but a bubble Consid 1. The brevity of our lives John 4. a flower a vapor a shadow By these resemblances the Holy Ghost sets forth the shortness of our lives We had need be a working while day lasteth I must work the works of him that sent me while day lasteth the night cometh when no man can work A night of death is coming wherein no man can work and we must always remember that the Spirit strives not always not during the whole course of our lives It moves when it pleaseth and on a suddain ceaseth yet at the most it moveth no longer nor striveth no longer but this little moment of time whilst we are on this side the grave After death there will be no more warnings no more admonitions no place left for repentance no Purgatory that 's a Popish dream He that dieth filthy will so remain unto all Eternity Now then my Brethren considering you have but a little time and upon this moment depends Eternity and after death there will be no further tenders of Grace and Mercy let us husband this time to the best advantage Let us prize Sermons Sabbaths and all those Evangelical Dispensations vouchsafed to us more then ever we did Let us redeem the time as we are exhorted Eph. 5. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 5. 16. buying out or making a good market of the season Every thing is beautiful in its season there 's a season acceptable and there 's a season perilous Let 's come when God calls that 's the accepted time let 's not prescribe a time of our own that 's the perillous season let 's not account time a slight matter for each minute ought to be valued A second consideration shal be drawn from the uncertainty of the Consid 2. The uncertainty of the spirits striving Nil pretiosius tempore heu nil hodie vilius invenitur Bern. Veniet tempus quo vel unam horam ad resiâ—iscendum redimere mirum quantum optabimus Otho Casmannus spirits strivings If the holy Spirit be rejected its uncertain whether ever he will come again The Spirit will not always bear reproaches indignities If we refuse to give God the glory of his mercy he will shew upon us the glory of his Justice and Power If we will not open when God knocks at our doors he will not open when we knock at his door Unkindness will drive away a friend from our houses When the Spirit invites himself unto us if we will open he will come and dine and sup with us if we refuse this Heavenly guest how shall we escape our destruction will be inevitable This Spirit is often compared to fire nothing more comforting nothing more consuming than fire If thou wilt not suffer the Spirit to purge and refine thee it will consume thee Nothing more comfortable then light warmth and witness of the Spirit Nothing more terrible then the bondage conviction and condemnation of the Spirit Therefore beware of resisting any good motions that the Spirit of God puts into thy heart this day lest if the spirit have a repulse he may go away and never return any more 3. Thirdly Consider the certainty of the day of Judgement 2 Cor. 5. 10. For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Consid 3. The day of Iudgement Christ that every one may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad Then there will be an account to be given for all the Sermons which we have heard for all the Sabbaths we have enjoyed for all the motions of the Spirit for all the admonitions reproofs Gospel opportunities and advantages that we have received we should therefore hear a Sermon now as for ought we know we may be presently summon'd by death to appear before the Judgement-seat of Jesus Christ Let us imagine that now we hear this day as if it might be our last day We hear for Eternity Preachers and Hearers shall be called to an account at the great Assise The Lord grant that we may all give up our accounts with joy The third Use shall be for reprehension of those who resist or Use 3. For reprehension stifle the strivings and the sweet motions of the holy Spirit To come to particulars 1. How sad is their condition who are contemners of the sweet motions of Gods Spirit Let them read Rom. 8. 9. If any man hath not the spirit of Christ he is none of his Such
up after their deliverance Votivas Tabulas as Monuments of gratitude for their deliverance VVhat are we to offer but Thanksgiving Ps 50. 14. what are wee to render but the Calves of our lips Hos 14. 2. Noâ— if wee thus I bour to eternize Gods name he will have regard unto our names if we honour him he will honour us so he declares Them that honour me I will honour 1 Sam. 2. 30. Secondly a gratefull commemoration of Mercies and Deliverances Reas 2. Thankfulnes is Gods Tribute is that Tribute that God requires that Homage due unto him VVe are all indebted to God nec solvendo sumus whatever we can doe at the best holds no proportion with the mercy received yet the Lord is pleased to accept of a thankfull heart and where it is graciously rewards it VVhat speciall notice doth Christ take of the thankfull Samaritan and the Apostle joynes unthankfull and unholy together what a brand of infamy lyeth on the ungratefull Impudence and Ingratitude goe together How many are like Swine that eat the Acorns but never look up to the Tree what great ingratitude was charged on Ieshurun to forget the Roâ—k that made them and lightly esteem of the Rock of their salvation Now what a poor pittance is this Rent-penny and acknowledgment to vouchsafe unto the father of Mercies Shall we not return a drop of Praises for an Ocean of Mercies where 's Davids Quid retribuam What shall I render c. Psal 107. 8. A third Reason shall be drawn from the excellency of the duty Reas 3. From the excellency of the duty to record Mercies to speak good of God and blesse his name to tell what God hath done for thy self and for others what national what personal mercies he hath heaped on thee and to be exuberant in the praises of the Lord this is an excellent service To set thy Hosannahs and Hallelujahs on the highest Key and to break forth into the praises of God This is a good thing Psal 92. 1. and as it is a good thing so it is a pleasant thing Psal 147 1. further it 's a comely thing to tell of Gods mercies and to say blessed be God is in discourses a comely Parenthesis The Apostle tels us Eph. 5. 14. that filthiness foolish talking and jesting are unseemly and inconvenient but what 's to be used in their room it followeth but rather giving of thanks but adde further praise is permanent for praise is to all eternity we shall for ever be praising of the Lord we shall sing praise honour and glory unto him that sitteth on the Throne and unto the Lamb for evermore David professeth Ps 146. 2. that he will praise God whilst he hath any being we should thus exercise our selves in that language on earth which will be our employment unto all eternity Reas 4. Drawn from many obligations 1 A Bond of Creation A fourth Reason shall be drawn from those many obligations that lye us upon As 1. Vinculo creationis God it is that made us and not we our selves Psal 100. 3. Now we should be to the praise of God and set forth his praise we should be thankfull unto him and blesse his name as Rivers return unto the Sea whence they first came so wee should returne all wee have to the praise and service of God Auius Fulvius said to his Sonne when he found him in Catilines conspiracy Non ego te Catilinae genui sed patriae So doth God say I gave thee not a soul and body to serve sin withall but to serve me withall Quot membra tot ora So many members of our body and so many faculties of our soules are as so many mouths to call upon us to praise the Lord. 2. Vinculo Redemptionis here 's matter of praise for ever and eternity 2 A Bond of Redemption will be too little to praise God for Jesus Christ our Redeemer who hath delivered us from our enemies to this purâ—ose That we might serve him in holynesse and righteousnesse all the daies of our lives Luk. 1. 74 75. So that Thanksgiving is a special service due unto God Quot inimici tot ora so many enemies as we are delivered from by Christs death call upon us to serve Christ for ever and to blesse God for the riches of his mercies in Jesu Christ 3. Vinculo Gratitudinis Quot beneficia tot ora wee receive mercies 3 A Bond of Gratitude at our lying down and riâ—ng up we are compassed about with varieties of mercies mercies on the right and mercies on the left hand mercies for our bodies mercies for our souls so that every mercy is a mouth to call upon us to be thankfull Haman plotted most mischief and was counterplotted and the Jews accounted themselves bound even by the bond of gratitude to keep a solemn remembrance of so great a deliverance so the Romish â—un-powder â—raytoâ—s plotted the destruction of Protestants and layed their designes as low as Hell God hath vouâ—hsafed a gracious deliverance unto the land of our Nativity wherefore the very bond of Gratitude engageth us to keep this day and offer unto God praise and thanksgiving dâ—e unto his name 4. Vinculo gloriae divinae promovendae What lyeth in us we should 4 A Bond to promote Gods glory unite all our members and faculties to advance the glory of God Now this is a way of gloryfying God he is glorysied by the praises of his people â—or he that praiseth God glorisieth him Psal 50. 23. Now put all these together and you 'll conclude what good reason we have to keep in memory divine Deliverances and ascribe unto the Lord the praise and glory of his Deliverances I shall insist no longer in this proof of the Doctrine but make a Applicat seasonable improvement thereof in some usefull Application I shall onely insâ—st on three â—ses for Infoâ—mation Caution and Exhortation and accordingly apply the point unto the solemnity of the day Lend me I pray your patient attention whilst I make a suitable application of all 1. This serves to inform us of the warrantablenesse of our present Use 1. For information meeting upon this day and what good grounds we have to set apart this day for an Anniversary Thanksgiving Gods people formerly upon like occasions kept a day of remembrance so did the Jews here in the Text keep the Feast of Purim and truly we of this Nation have as great cause as ever any had to keep this memorable day wherein the hand of God was eminently seen in our deliverance wherein his own right arme wrought a glorious salvation for us Now to make you more sensible of the greatnesse of the deliverance I conâ—eive it very proper to my businesse that lies before me to make a brief Narrative and acquaint you with the â—istory of this day In pursuance whereof I shall observe two heads into which I shall cast my following Narration 1.
SERMONS PREACH'D AT St MARIES OXON 2 Cor. 5. vers 20. Now then we are Ambassadors for Christ as though God did Sermon 1. at S. Maries Oxon July 11th 1658. being Act Sab bath day morning beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God WIthout controversie great is the mystery of Godliness 1 Tim. 3. 16. The word * Omnium confessione magnum Ambros Ad verbum declarat paribus verbis loqui ut iis solent qui petentibus assentiuntur Beza in Luc 22. 6. Ezek. 1. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 carries an Emphasis with it in the determination of the Apostle And what he asserts he as strenuously proves by an induction of particular instances in the place forecited viz. God was manifest in the flesh justifyed in the spirit seen of Angels preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the world received up to Glory Every one of these taken severally is a transcendent mystery as we read in Ezekiel There was a wheel in the middle of a wheel So here is one mystery involved in another Now forasmuch as we find the Well deep and have not wherewith to draw since we are not able to fathom the depths of such mysterious things let 's all as one man stand astonish'd with an holy admiration of the wonderfull counsels of God lay aside all curious disputations and learn to believe However so far forth as we can meet with a Scripture Clue we may not be wanting in our best endeavoures to wind our selves out of all the Labyrinths whatsoever Now to the business that lyes before me even the great mystery of Reconciliation which I have selected for the Argument of my ensuing meditations that I may the better cleer a passage to my Text I 'le review what the Apostle principally instanceth in as one of the greatest mysteries 1 Tim. 3. 16. of Godliness viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is the stupendious unparallel'd mystery of the Incarnation of the Son of God and this leads the Van to all the rest as having priority of dignity and order both This is one of those mysteries which the Angels desired to peep into 1 Pet. 1. 12. They stoop down and with all diligence sift and enquire into these mysteries And if a comparison Prono capite propenso collo accurate introspiciunt Beza Omnia summa diligentia explorant ac contuentur diligenter Areâ— Zach. 13. 7. may be admitted with mysteries amongst themselves questionless this mystery of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ is the mystery of mysteries Eternity it selfe will be little enough for us fully to comprehend it That the Lord Jesus Christ the Eternall Son of God equal with the Father fellow and fellow-like with God as great and as good as himself should assume humane nature and unite a clod of earth unto his Divine person and become Immanuel God with us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God and man in one person by an hypostaticall union the tongue of men and Angels can never enough inhance the singularity of this mystery That this may be shaddowed forth according to our capacity Q. A. my endeavour shall be to solve one grand question viz. What was the great designe and end of Christs incarnation I answer with the Apostle Paul * Hinc non est cur miremur tam sero Christum venisse in carnem venire enim debuit non cittus quam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 coelestis Patris exacta esset Pareus in Loc. Gal. 4. 4 5. But when the fullness of time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the Adoption of Sons Further the Apostle gives an attestation unto this truth 1 Joh. 3. 8. For this purpose was the Son of God manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil Wherefore to accomplish this great work of Redemption and destroy the works of Satan through hearkning to whose temptations man fell from God Jesus Christ the middle person in the Trinity the beloved Son came down from the bosome of the Father to make up the breach and reconcile man the party offending to God the party offended And this is that ministry of Reconciliation given and intrusted to the Ministers of the Gospell to declare proclaim and publish v. 19. To wit that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself It 's said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This sets forth * Emphasin habet quod dicit Deum fuisse in Christo Neque enim Deus in Christo fuit quemadmodum in omnibus aliis rebus est sed in ipso De it as Corporaliter habitavit Zuingl in Loc. the Deity of Christ and further this plainly evinceth that this reconciliation was not of yesterday but that there were transactions and negotiaions between God the Father and God the Son concerning this admirable contrivance even from all Eternity Each syllalâ—le breaths forth love bowels and wisdom raised to the very highest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and highest pitch Here is singular matter for meditation That when the Angels were past by and left without a Mediatour yet notwithstanding there should be Treaties of Peace before the foundation of the World was laid to reconcile so vile a thing as the World sinfull man unto the most holy God by Jesus Christ Here 's met altogether in one a concurrence of Wisdom Mercy Goodnesse Graciousness and Loving kindness Yet though they were all put together they come infinitely short in the representation of that superabundant love of God in Jesus Christ which transcends all degrees of Comparison But the next Question will be How is this Reconciliation Q. A. wought The answer is given in the subsequent words Not imputing their trespasses unto them God doth not reckon accompt so the word * Significat tum generatim aestimare sive apud se statuâ—ere tum specia tim imputare sive reputare Vorstius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports nor lay the sins of his people to their own charge but charge them all upon Christ their Surety And most just it is that an innocent person should pay the debt when he becomes engaged as a Surety notwithstanding those Rotten cavils of the blasphemous Socinians against the truth in this particular Luther hath a strange passage to this purpose that Christ was peccatorum maximus Such speeches though I much honour Luther and conceive him to be a man of an excellent spirit I confesse as are not safe to use and I would many now a dayes were more cautelous than to adventure their fancies too far as it 's too apparent they commonly do through self admiration lest they outrun their judgement But as there are some that rather will lose their friend than their jest so there are some that will rather lose their Religion than a wild new coyned opinion Yet with submission to better judgments I conceive
This sinne labours to cut of the whole Gospell by denying of Christ his Word falsifying his promises accounting him an unsufficient Saviour undervaluing the price of his blood and contemning that great salvation tendred in the Gospell but this particular will fall in amongst the Reasons of the Doctrine which follow now in the next place to be handled for the further confirmation of the point we have strong reasons drawn from Scripture contributing further evidence to the Doctrine amongst many I le reduce them unto these demonstrative Arguments 1. Because unbeliefe refuseth Gods remedy offered to heale Arg. 1. Vnbeliefe refuseth Gods remedy and rejecteth a pardon tendred by despising Jesus Christ the only mediatour the only Saviour and price paid for our redemption God offereth the pearle of price the Lord Jesus an unbeliever cares not for it and bids God take againe his commodity Exod. 5. 2. unto himselfe Pharaoh said Who is the Lord that I should obey his voyce so an unbeliever saith who is Christ that we should believe in him these are those Gadarenish Mammonists who all petitioned that Christ might depart out of their coasts they preferred Mar. 5. 17. their swine before Christ There were three predominant sinnes in those Gadarenes viz Ignorance covetousnesse and Infidelity these are they that will not have Christ to raigne over them see their doome Luk. 19. 27. These are they that despise Christ and in despising of Christ they despise God the Father Luk. 10. 16. God would heale them and they would not be healed Jer. 15. 18. Christ invites them they all with one consent make excuses Luk. 14. 18. Christ would gather them as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings but they would not Luk. 13. 34. Christ sendeth Embassadors to entreat them to be reconciled but they will not 2 Cor. 5. 20. Christ tenders a great salvation to them but they neglect it Heb. 2. 3. And how shall such escape their perdition is from themselves Hos 13. 9. Their condemnation is Just they are their owne murtherers The riches of Gods mercy is Jesus Christ unbelievers despise the riches of Gods mercy the blood of Christ is the only soveraigne plaister and healing Remedy unbelievers throw away this plaister trample under feet this medicine and thus they judge themselves unworthy of eternall life 2. Unbelievers accuse God and his Word of falshood wherefore Arg. 2. Vnbelievers accuse God and his word of falshood the sinne of Infidelity must needs be a grand God-provoking sinne To give a man the lye is accounted a great reproach and indignity what is it then to put the lye upon the God of eternall truth And so unbelievers endeavour to doe 1 Joh. 5. 10. An unbeliever makes the Gospell a Fable what in him lyes and Christ an Impostor The comminations and Judgments against sinners are lookt on by unbelievers but as so many scarre-crowes they blesse themselves and promise to themselves peace notwithstanding all their rebellions and as for the promises they look upon them but as flattering and deceitfull they believe no further then sense guides them As for a reward to come a resurrection a day of Judgment they are in their hearts Sadduces either absolutely denying the thing or else wishing in their hearts and hoping that there shall be no such thing 3. Unbeliefe after a sort may be said to binde the hands of Arg. 3. Vnbeliefe binds the hands of God God God will have his word believed and he workes faith in those whom he makes objects of mercy though the fore sight of faith doth not move him to set his heart on them that 's his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alone which moves him to set his heart on any yet those whom he loveth he washeth and whom he elects unto happinesse and eternall salvation he elects unto faith and repentance and perseverance in them both Now Infidelity damnes up the streame barres and bolts the dore and hinders mercyes and puts them in an incapacity of receiving any mercyes Christ would do no mighty workes at Nazareth because of their unbeliefe Christ Mat. 13. 58. would not suffer Pearles to be trampled under feet he would not loose the glory of a Miracle and cast away great workes upon an unbelieving people The unbelieving Jewes entred not into rest because of unbeliefe Unbeliefe barr'd multitudes out of Heb. 4. 6. temporall Canaan and it barres multitudes out of the eternall Canaan 4. Unbeliefe makes the Ordinances unfruitfull and ineffectuall Arg. 4. Vnbeliefe makes Ordinances unfruitfull Jam. 1. 6. Jam. 5. 15. For instance it makes the Word Heb. 4. 2. Prayer unfruitfull Mat. 21. 22. Jam. 1. 6. Jam. 5. 15. To pray formally in a rode as a lip-labour only without faith and fervency so farre an Unbeliever may goe and reape no fruit from such formall services Unbelievers hinder the working of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper for indeed that is a distinguishing Ordinance and appertaines not to unbelievers It is childrens bread It s a holy Sacrament and holy things belong to holy persons as in the Primitive time they were wont to speak with a loud voyce before the receiving of the Sacrament But what do Unbelievers get by this Ordinance 2 Cor. 11. 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if they will thrust in and participate thereof it prooves but common bread common wine to them and further they eate and drink Judgment to themselves 5. And lastly Unbeliefe causeth dreadfull Judgments Temporall and Eternall to the profane Prince 2 Kings 7. 2. vers ult To the Israelites how many of their Carcasses perished in the wildernesse Moses himselfe was shut out of Canaan Psal 106. 33. Comp. with Numb 20. 10. which words heare now yee rebells betrayed some distrust of God and eternall Judgments are the portion of all unbelievers Luk. 12. 40. More I shall not adde to the Doctrinall part but through Christ that strengtheneth me I intend to make six Uses of this Doctrine 1. For Reproofe 2. For Caution 3. For Exhortation 4. For Examination 5. For Direction And 6. For Consolation 1. For Reproofe and Terror unto all unbelievers how dreadfull Vse 1. For Reproofe is their condition and they are not sensible of it nor a whit affected with it their Doome is terrible in the Text they shall dye in their sinnes Their sinne of Infidelity is enough of it selfe to damne them but this is never alone it hath a fraternity of sinnes and abominations joyn'd with it as Pride unthankfulnesse earthly-mindednesse Atheisme and many such like fruits issuing out of the womb of Infidelity What sinne is there that hath not some spice some tincture of Infidelity As for instance the sinne of lying in Abraham and Isaac was mixt with Infidelity Abraham denied Sarah and Isaac denied Rebeccah to be their wives they were afraid of their lives and that feare exposed their wives to sad temptations Did not God tell Abraham that in him should all
the contents of the Apostles Embassie and that is in his own name and in all the names of the Ministers of Iesus Christ to beseech and entreat people to be reconciled unto God The Text expresseth it thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys in loc Chrysostome notes upon the place It is not said saith he Reconcile God to your selves for God doth not make the breach but reconcile your selves to God The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifieth commutare alium facere to change so as to make a man another kind of person of an enemy to make him a * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est facere ut quis ex alienato fiat gratiosus Alsted Friend Reconciliation according to the nature of the word presupposeth a breach And indeed there was the greatest breach that ever was made by reason of the sin of man Man was in favour whil'st he continued in the state of Innocency he had rectitude of judgement a right order of affections an exact memory but by reason of Adams prevarication all these were defaced Gods anger procured and man thrown out of Paradise so that of a Favourite before he is now accounted an Enemy Here then is the labour here is the work and grand employment of the Ambassadors of the Gospel to entreat Sinners Enemies Rebels to God now to come in submit and make their peace with him that so they may be restored into favour all breaches made up and a through Reconciliation made And herein consists the great work of Reconciliation when parties between whom hath been friendship and afterwards breaches then they are brought into favour again God and man were at the greatest distance and the breach was made up by Jesus Christ and he hath Reconciled us to God Eph. 2. 16. Our Duty then is to apply this Reconciliation purchased by Christ and to labour to be reconciled to God This is a Doctrine which concerns us all Let none say as Sheba did What portion have we in David what inheritance in the Son of Jesse Let none 2 Sam. 20. 1. refuse the Soveraign remedy tendred even a plaister made up of the blood of Jesus Christ By nature we are all Enemies and this Reconciliation is of indispensible necessity For whoever lives and dies unreconciled unto Christ he shall undoubtedly miscarry unto all eternity And in the Preaching of this Doctrine of Reconciliation those that are true Believers Reall Saints dare not exempt themselves as if this did not concern them as if their high attainments might procure a Writ of Ease They fly as from a Serpent from all such rotten Antinomian Glosses which corrupt a good Text. Mr. Calvin tels us that The * Observandum est hic Paulo negotiuÌ„ esse cum fidelibus Testatur quotidie ad illoâ— perferri hoc mandatum Calv. in loc Aquinas in loc Apostles businesse is with Believers and he daily testifieth that he brought that command unto them Such as are actually reconciled are concern'd in this Exhortation It 's their duty to clear up their Evidences for Heaven and daily renew their Repentance and to pray for the manifestations of Gods reconciled countenance towards them It 's as I am perswaded a rotten gloss which Aquinas himself gives on the place Deus reconciliavit nos sibi ut causa efficiens ex parte sua sed ut nobis sit meritoria oportet etiam quod fiat Reconciliatio ex parte nostrâ He goeth about to prove his assertion by particular instances but makes his matter much worse Et hoc quidem inquit in Baptismo poenitentiâ tunc cessamus à peccatis But if there be such gross apparent errors in that great Champion of the Schoolemen who is commonly called Angeliâ—us Doctor so much Idolized we had need take heed of taking any Doctrine on trust only for the Doctor 's sake We had need have our eyes in our head and pray for a spirit of discerning that our senses may be exercised to discern things that differ It is a fit comparison made by one Robertus Gallus Such saith he as â—tudy the Schoolemen and in the mean time neglect the study of the holy Scriptures are just of their humour who have wholsome food set before them and yet lay it aside and gnaw hâ—ngerly upon flint stones But to this great Idolized Schooleman I shall oppose that judicious and faithfull Interpreter of Scripture * Neque in hoc institutum Evangelium ut quae ante Baptismum admiserimus peccata nobis remittantur sed quemadmodum quotidie peccamus ita etiam quotidiana remissione à Deo recipiamur in gratiam Calv. in loc 2. The manner of the Apostles pleading M. Calvin I mean the Gleanings of whose judgement in Interpretation of Scripture I preferre before the whole vintage of all the Popish Doctors Thus he writes upon this Scripture Baptism saith he was not instituted for that end and purpose that whatsoever sins were committed before Baptism should be forgiven unto us But as we daily sin so we should labour by daily pardon to be received into favour Having taken notice of the substance of this Embassie which is the Doctrine of Reconciliation Let 's in the next place consider the manner of the Apostles pleading It 's thus exprest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We pray you in Christs room and stead And this doth not only denote Actum exercitum but Actum signatum also as Cajetan observes * Describit officia Legatorum novi Testamenti quatenus Legati sunt esse ut ob secrent vice Christi Cajet in Loc. 3. A Prevalent Motive is urged Who thus interprets the Apostle That he teacheth that the Duty of Ambassadors is in generall to use all sorts of intreaties to draw men unto Jesus Christ Wherefore Ministers should study all the winning Rhetorique and use all perswasive Arguments to prevaile with men to come in and close with Jesus Christ Lastly here is a Motive urged of great validity and prevalency 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As though God did beseech you by us * Neque quicquam dici potuit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beza Beza tells us that there could not be a greater Emphasis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 relates to a similitude * Quia reipsa non precatur nos Deus sed veâ—uti precatur in ministrorum persona Beza because God intreats us not immediatly by himself but mediately by the person of Ministers Here then is an unparallel'd act of Grace and condescension that God should intreat woe and beseech us by the Ministry of his Ambassadors that we should doe good to our own soules and Reconcile our selves to him against whom we have so grievously offended The words thus divided and expounded afford these choice observations First That it is the great dignity and honour of the Ministers of Observ 1. the Gospell to be the Ambassadors of Jesus Christ Secondly The greatnesse of Ministers dignity
is a speciall ingagement Observ 2. unto them for the faithfull discharge of their duty Thirdly It is a wonderfull condescension and an act of Singular Observ 3. grace and mercy in God to imploy messengers concerning treaties of peace and Reconciliation Fourthly Ministers of the Gospell should study and practice the Observ 4. most winning way to gaine soules unto Jesus Christ As for these 4. It shall suffice at present only to have mentioned them considering that I have not leisure to handle them severally neither am I willing to handle them overhastily and breake of abruptly The fifth and last Observation whereon I purpose to fix is Observ 5. this That it is a main Duty incumbent upon all the Ministers of the Gospell with all earnestnesse to presse upon people the Doctrine of Reconciliation and use all the Arguments they can to perswade men to be Reconciled unto God This is that grand needfull fundamentall Doctrine which can never be preached enough never heard enough never learned enough You see my Reverend Brethren what a large field lye's before me to expatiate in Here 's matter enough to be treated on in a large volume And how can a short hour's discourse suffice when many daies are insufficient Notwithstanding through Christ that strengthen's me by whose grace I am what I am I shall 1 Cor. 15. 10. The Doctrine unfolded Meth. 2. head 's of discourse endeavour to Contract my selfe and to speak as much as I can in a few words For Method's sake I shall only confine my selfe to two heads of discourse The former whereof only aimes at the proof of the point asserted the latter shall be imployed by way of self-reflexion what may this concern us all as reducible unto point of practice That shall constitute the Doctrinall part of my Text this my darticular use and Application To resume in order what I first propounded I shall endeavour 1. Head to make good my assertion by a double proof both by authority of Scripture and evidence of reason 1. For Scripture Testimony that I may not multiply many 1. For Scripture Testimony instances the Ministers of the Gospell that I may speak it with reverence are as so many Feoffees in trust with the Ministery of reconciliation They are instruments imployed by God in the dispensation of this great Doctrine vers 18. The expressions are vers 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Praeclarus Evangelii titulus quod legatio sit ad reconciliandos homines Deo singularis quoque Ministrorum dignitas quod cum hoc mandato mittantur à Deo ad nos ut internuntii sint quasi sponsores Calv. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There you have one clear proof of my Doctrine that unto the Ministers are committed the Doctrine of reconciliation This is the depth of love as †O humanitatis profunditatem quoniam mortuo filio reconciliation is Ministerium nobis Apostolis iterum credidit Oecumen in loc Oâ—cumenius observes The Angels were the first publishers of peace Luk. 2. 14. Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace and good will towards men This office which was first the Angels work is now transferr'd upon men As for instance the Angel told Cornelius that his prayers were heard but as for the Doctrine of the Gospel of Christ he referr'd him to the Ministery of Peter Hence * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost Chrysostom observes that this sheweth the dignity of the Apostles and what work they undertook and likewise the exceeding greatnesse of the love of God So that hence it plainly appeareth that this work of preaching reconciliation is incumbent upon all the Ministers of the Gospell One excellent observation I 'le give you more of Calvin upon vers 18. of this Chapter whose authority is never a whit the lesse because lately so much unworthily †Stumbling block removed by P. H. wherein that eminent Servant of Jesus Christ Mr. Calvin is aspersed and maliciously traduced traduced The words of * Quum ex Evangelio pronuntiat Ministerâ—â—tè ordinatus propitiatum nobis esse Dominum non aliter audiendus atque Dei Legatus publicam personam sustinens atque ad id asseverandum legitima authoritato praeditus Calv. Calvin are thus translated when a Minister saith he rightly ordained pronounceth out of the Gospel that God is reconciled he is no otherwise to be heard than an Embassadour of God and as one that hath the place of a publicke person and endued with lawfull authority to assert the same Another proof we have vers 11. of this Chapter Knowing therefore the terrour of the Lord we perswade men We perswade men indefinitely they have rationall souls and are capable of perswasion and what do we perswade them unto but to be reconciled unto God Wherefore it 's a base calumny of the Arminians who charge the Orthodox as these ears have heard in this very place as if they made man no more then a stock or a stone in his Conversion As Jer. 10. 23. Propheta hic non disserit ex professo quid possint homines sed concedit illis hanc partem ut consultent decernant c. Calv. Phil. 4. 13. for our parts we acknowledge man passive in his Conversion and according to the Prophet the way of man is not in himselfe Further we acknowledge the Antecedent concomitant and subsequent Grace all to come from God yet we cannot deny but God hath endued man with a reasonable soul and made him a subject capable of receiving the Grace of the Spirit infused in him so that man actus agit motus movet and is sano sensu said to be a Co-worker with God He can do nothing without Christ but he can do all things through Christ that strengthneth him as the Apostle speaks But the objection will be thus framed If men as all men by Object Eph. 2. 2. nature are be dead in trespasses and sinnes it 's in vain to preach unto them we may as well preach amongst Tombes and Graves For answer hereunto we must know that notwithstanding men Answ are dead in trespasses and sinnes yet ther 's a quickning vertue in the voyce of Jesus Christ to make even the dead to live When Christ called with a loud voyce Lazarus come forth then he that was Ezek. 37. 10. dead arose out of his grave Those drye bones mentioned by Ezekiel as soon as the spirit breathed on them they had sinews and flesh and stood on their feet and became an exceeding great army So when the Spirit of God works powerfully by the Ministery of the word mirabiles effectus habet The blind see the lame walk and the very dead are raised to life To this purpose tend those Exhortations with those prevalent Obtestations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 12. 1. That ye present your bodies a living sacrifice c. Another is Eph. 4. 1. I therefore the