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
amongst the greatest outward curses which can befall the sons of men Sometimes God takes away a mans tast so that he can rellish no more sweetnesse in these things then in the white of an egge Otherwhile God takes away a mans rest so that he lies all night tossing to and fro and can take no rest his sleep falls from him and his eyelids can take no slumber divitias invenisti requiâ—m perdidisti thou hast got riches and lost thy rest Stobaeus hath a story of one Anacreon who when Polycrates had give â—im five talents he could not sleep two nights together he immediatly restor'd them saying * Reddidit ea inquiens non tanta esse quauta ipsorum nomine curâ laboraret Stob. cap. 39. they were not so much worth as to countervaile that care which was undertooke to keepe them But admit thou art not yet blasted in thy estate though usually the great ones of the world feel this by wofull experience yet there 's a fierce lyon which a long time slept at thy dore which now being awakened flies upon thee this is thy conscience wâ—â—h presents unto thee the history of thy life in all its ugly deformities it paints thee out in thy proper colours and this mappe discovers a mare mortuum a dead sea even a sea of blood destruction and misery thy fatall period Quis tanti emet paenitentiam So Diogenes said concerning Lais the strumpet who then of any understanding would purchase thâ—sâ— worlds goods at so deare a rate to be thus in a restlesse condition never at quiet distracted with thoughts perplexed with cares and wounded in conscience Honour proves a torment To be degraded is the height of infelicity No disgrace parallel to that as to be advanc'd high and immediatly pul'd down in the dust It was Wolseyes complaint Had I been as carefull to serve the God of Heaven as I have been to serve my Lord and master on earth he would never have left me in my gray haires Riches prove the greatest crosse when God blowes upon them To be as Job one while the richest of all the sons of the East and then ere long become a proverb of poverty this is an exceeding misery Pleasures are vexations laughter is madnesse Eccl. 2. 2. Wouldst thou then have that which might quiet thy spirit thou must seeke it else where if thou seek'st it amongst the great things of this world thou seek'st all this while for the living among the dead No earthly thing can quiet the soule There 's much vexation in the greatest things of this world here below and therefore seeke them not But admit they have wearied us in vexatious suites tossing us from court to court and so by many delayes and troubles hath impoverish'd us yet if at the last they afforded any satisfaction this would make amends for all but no earthly thing can satisfie the soule This is my second consideration They bring us into suites 2 Consid Earthly things cannot satisfie the Soule weary us in them and at last cast us The world brings us into a lottery where we come with heads full of hopes but at the last return away with hearts full of blankes the Teraphim is a lye All the creatures may be compar'd to bags full of holes and deceitfull weights The Lord denounceth this as a fearfull judgment thou shalt eat but not be satisfy'd The world is an errand hypocrite like the painted Mich. 6. v. 11. 14. sepulchers gaudy without full of dead mens bones within or like the Egyptian temples where there were a stately Frontispice and a magnificent structure but naught within but an ugly Ape the ridiculous Idol of the people They are emptinesse it selfe and can emptinesse fill the soule The things of this world are wells without water and can these quench our thirst they are broken reeds and can they stay us from falling when you can hoard up grace in your coffers when you can replenish your bags with divine wisdome then and not till then can an immortall soule rest satisfyed in the fruition of the transitory things of this present life As Homer fancyed that the Gods sed upon Nectar and Ambrosia and not Hom. Iliad 1. upon such food as men doe so the soule of man being divinae particulâ—aurae having an heavenly borne beeing cannot be satisfied with any terrene things spirits and bodies heaven and earth admit no correspondence Had'st thou a Monopoly of the choicest delights under the sun these could not satisfy thee because they are but finite and thy desires are infinite and you know between finite and infinite there 's no proportion Solomon tells us Prov. 14. 14. A good man shall be satisfied from himselfe Inward peace and tranquility of conscience affords us true contentment and satisfaction unto the soule The light of Gods reconcil'd countenance reviv'd Davids spirit this was his onely desiderable good Lord list thou up the light of thy countenance upon us Thou hast put gladnesse in my heart more then in the time that their corne and wine encreas'd Psal 4. 6 7. Moses the man of God cries for mercy to satisfy him O satisfy us with thy mercy that we may rejoyce and be glad all the daies of our life Psal 90. 14. Only Christ and his comforts can fill up the soule The waters which he gives will never make us thirst againe whereas the well-springs of the world will the more inrage our thirst 3. Great things here below cannot helpe thee in the evill day 3 Consider Earthly things cannot helpe in the evill day An evill day will come a day of darknesse and gloominesse a day of clouds and thick darknesse and for this day Solomon requires a memento Ecol 11. 8. But if a man live many yeares and rejoyce in them all yet let him remember the daies of darknesse for they shall be many When sicknesses and diseases render thy life disconsolate and when death the King of terrours is approaching thy house and ready to lay his mace upon thee to arrest thee to appeare before the great Judge of Heaven and Earth Now can thy riches and friends bribe this serjeant and adde one moment unto thy life Aske thy joviall Comrades and boone Companions whether they can helpe thee the very sight of them brings thy sins to remembrance and makes thee sensible of the very flashings of hell-fier Aske thy bags whether they can helpe thee alas they are full of holes and let out all comfort Aske thy dignities and high places whether they can doe thee any good these all come and give evidence against thee on this manner Thou hast been a corrupt and carelesse Magistrate feare of men hath justled out the feare of God Thou hast bin a lazy and debaucht Minister thou hast sought thine owâ— things and not Christ Thus one day high places and promotions if abus'd will come in and witnesse against thee O how nearly doth this concerne all those whom God
evil entreaties and unfruitfulness of our labors Le ts not bauk our duty because we fear we shal do no good let 's put that to the venture fall a working In the morning sow thy seed and in the evening with-hold not Eccles 11. 6. thy hands for thou knowest not whether shall prosper either this or that or â— King 22. 24. whether they both be alike good We read That a certain man drew a bow at a venture and smote the king of Israel between the joynts of the harness So though Ministers shoot at a venture personating no man yet it may please God so to direct the word that it may hit the right mark Now let 's all become Merchant-Venturers The Church is the Ship tost up and down with Tempests and Storms It 's exceeding great folly to trim up our Cabbin if the Ship be a sinking Fear not this Ship will at last come to a safe Harbor here then let us venture Counsels Pains Prayers Estates Liberties Lives and all Deliverance will come to the Church of God we have received earnest already let 's tug harder at the Oar and wrestle with Prayers and Supplications as we read Isa 62. 1. v. 6 7. When deliverance comes as a Samuel of our Prayers when we apprehend it the returne of prayers O how welcome will be that deliverance To see the ship so well fraught in the returne will be our rejoycing that we have ventur'd so liberally in the stock Fourthly A Merchant must be a man of singular Patience his Prop 4. A Merchant must be a man of Patieâ—ce stock is in a ship whose voyage is to the Indies he therefore must wait patiently for the returne So must every spirituall Merchant venturer wait patiently upon God Learne hence O Christian to wait upon the God of thy salvation the Charriot wheeles of deliverance are long a coming sense failes reason is non-plus't but faith bids thee wait longer It bids thee leave off disputing and reasoning and learn to believe But when faith a little flags then hope encourageth as it did Ezrah amid'st multitudes of teares But Ezrah 10. 2 hope sayeth I have hoped long and hope dâ—forr'd makes the heart sicke then comes patience and bids thee wait and stay Gods time his time is the best time Do not Limit the holy one of Israell to times or meanes this or that instrument Eligat Oppâ—rtunitatem qui libere August dat misericordiam O be perswaded to possesse thy soule with patience Ther 's need of patience Heb 10 36. Ther 's a certaine Period or Limit of time set downe by God though unknowne to us when Deliverance shall come Thirty yeares was appointed to the impotent Cripple which time expired Christ healed him Eighteene yeares to the daughter of Abraham and then was shee healed 70. yeares to the Jewish captivity and then deliverance came Wee are to observe that ther 's a great talke amongst the houshold of Christs coming the feilds looke white to harvest the Gods of Babylon are in disgrace ther 's great powring out of the spirit and a gracious answer of prayers ther 's earnest thirsting and longing after deliverance And these are usuall Harbingers of Deliverance But to determine the punctuall time 't is above all our knowledge we can say no more then with the Psalmist We see not our signes there is no more Ps 4. 9. any Prophet neither is there amongst us that knoweth hâ—w long Le ts imitate those who through faith and patience have inherited the promises Le ts resolve come what will come to wait on God as the Church professes Is 8. 17 and Mich 7. 7. God waits to do us good let us wait for the reception of his mercy Is 30. 8 5. 5 A Merchant frequents the places of Merchandize where he may Prop. 5. A Merchant must frequents the places of merchandise heare of his factors and receive intelligence of his Merchandize He 's frequently at the Exchange or such like meeting places So doth every spirituall Merchant frequent the publike Assemblies which are as it were spirituall Exchanges Places of concourse where he may heare news from heaven and receive Intelligence for the best Emolument of his soule Wait then O Christian at these Bethesdaes wait at the Posts of wisedomes gate Lie in this way where Christ frequently comes by Omit not through Negligence any Sermon that peradventure may be a convincing a converting and a confirming word unto thee It 's a mercy promised to an afflicted people Isay 30. 20. And 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 That you have publick Assemblies frequent opportunities inlarged meanes and that your eyes behold your faithfull teachers these are singular mercies vouchsafed to you your duty is to improve them to the glory of God and the best advantage of your pretious soules 6ly and lastly A Merchant must improve his estate to his best Prop 6. A Merchant must improve his estate to his best advantage Mat 25. 27. advantage He hath been at great paines cost and charges therefore hee 'l put off his commodities to his best emolument The Lord in the Parable expects his own 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with increase An honest gaine is commendable in the trade So a spirituall Merchant must improve all he hath his time Talents Graces Ordinances to the advantage of his pretious soule He must endeavour to gaine by various dispensations adversity as well as prosperity he must endeavour to prosit by every Sermon he heareth by every mans company with whom he converseth Hee 's skill'd in the soule thriving trade He stores up a stock of Divine graces faith love humility meeknesse c. And there with he would be adorned He stores up a stock of attributes he knowes there 's wisedom in God to counsell him mercy in God to pardon him power in God to defend him and with these he supports and stayes his spirit He stores up a stock of promises He reads and beleeves that they are pretious promises and that they are 2 Cor 11. 20. all in Christ Yea and Amen These he gathers up and applyes to his particular condition This spirituall Merchant this true beleever is the best Husband in all the world He not onely hath grace but is still a growing in more grace Hee 's a plant planted in Gods garden and therefore brings forth more fruit in his elder age Hee 's not contented with what grace he hath allready but with Paul he forgets those things which are behind and reacheth forth unto those things which are before pressing forward towards the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus Hee 's still on the getting hand getting more Phil 3. 13. 14. accession unto his faith love and humility adding one degree
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
a new pretended light or revelation from the old Prophet he forsook the true word and believed a lying word what a sad Catastrophe befell him v. 24. When he was gone a Lyon met him by the way and slew him and his carcase was cast in the way and the 1 King 13. 24. Ass stood by it and the Lyon stood also by the carcase Yet notwithstanding extraordinary Revelations Dreams Visions Extasies Enthusiasms though they have ceased long ago and we have no warrant to expect them because we are to keep close to the revealed will of God written in his holy word Yet I say we are to take notice of the sweet motions and spiritual illapses upon our souls Though Prophesies cease yet there are manifold discoveries of Christ unto the soul The secret and intimate acquaintance of the soul with Christ the souls ravishing consolations the breaking in and flashes of heavenly light upon the soul the heavings aspirings and harmony of the heart with Christ experience of mercies issues out of temptations protections of Angels all these are Heavenly constant revelations out of the Word of God manifested to the souls of the faithful by the Spirit according to the word Let us therefore embrace and cherish the gracious motions of the Spirit of God Where the spirit of Grace is in the heart it cannot be idle or lie dead but it 's exceeding operative The Spirit gives light to teach thee it gives heat to warm and comfort thee It is a spirit of burning and purging to burn up the stubble of corruption to purge out thy sins It is a spirit of refining and purifying Therefore when the spirit of God strives by its gracious motions inlightning purging inflaming comforting wooing thee to walk closely with God bidding thee beware of wounding thy conscience of resisting the light and going against known truth O beware of grieving this holy Spirit of God! Do not O do not force the spirit to depart sadded and grieved from thee This is one way whereby the spirit strives viz. by its motions and whispers A second way whereby the spirit strives is by the Ministry of 2. The Spirit strives by the Ministery of the Word the word It is said Rev. 3. 20. Behold I stand at the door and knock if any man hear my voice and open the door I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with me The Spirit of God knocks at the doors of your hearts by the hammer of the word The spirit knocks louder and louder and the Ministers are to cry aloud and spare not Isa 58. 1. Cry aloud spare not lift up thy voice like a trumpet and shew thy people their transgressions and the House of Jacob their sins The Lord calls upon us by every Sermon we hear Why will ye die Why will ye bolt the door against the frequent knocking 's of the Spirit of God The Spirit of God hath strove with some of us ten years some twenty some foâ—ty some sixty years How many years have we lived under the sound of the Gospel having heard the voice of the Turtle crying in our Land How many powerful Preachers have spent their strength their breath wasted their spirits wooing intreating beseeching us to be reconciled unto God many of them are gone to their rest their works praise them in the Gate their memory is blessed and their name is like sweet Oyntment poured forth How many are yet alive to this day who Preach Jesus Christ faithfully and experimentally how do they pray and wrestle with God how zealously do they preach how many admonitions reproofs exhortations warnings do they give us And if we will not take warning the Ministers shall deliver their own souls and our blood will be upon our own heads and the time will come when it shall be known that we have had Prophets amongst us I shall make an allusion to that Scripture Deut. 20. 11 12 13. It shall be if it make thee answer of peace and open unto thee then it shall be that all the people that is found therein shall be tributaries unto thee and they shall serve thee And if it will make no peace with thee but will make war against thee then thou shalt besiege it and when the Lord hath delivered it into thy hands thou shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword Just so God proclaims peace and the Ministers are Ambassadors of Peace and deliver their commission after this manner Into whatsoever house ye enter first say Peace be to Luke 10. 5 6. this house And if the son of peace be there your peace shall rest upon it if not it shall turn to you again The Lord now beseâ—â—eth your hearts by the Ministry of the word and offers you peace and reconciliation if you will submit unto his Scepter and cast down your rebellious weapons the Lord will have mercy on you but if you hold out the flag of defiance and will not come in to Jesus Christ what remains but utter ruine and destruction Every Sermon you hear is like the water of Jealousie when he hath made her to drink the water then it shall come to pass that if she be defiled and hath done trespass against her Husband that the water that causeth the curse shall enter into her and become bitter Num. 27. 28. and her belly shall swell c. but if she be not defiled she shall be free When the word is received into an honest and good heart it doth it good and makes it fruitful when into a corrupt heart it rots it and makes it worse It s an observation of a Reverend Divine That it is an indignity beyond all apprehension to the spirit of Dr. Ed Reynolds grace when we suffer him to wait daily at our Bethesda's our houses of mercy and all in vain to spend his sacred breath in the Ministry of reconciliation in doubling and redoubling his requests unto our souls that we would be content to be saved Yet all this while we harden our hearts and stop our ears and set up the pride and stoutness of our own reasonings till we even weary the spirit of God chide him away and cause him to depart sadded and grieved from us O my Brethren despise not prophecying undervalue not the Ministry of â— Thess 5. 20. reconciliation An indignity or affront offered unto Christs Messengers Christ takes it as done unto himself Luke 10. 16. He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Be then exhoâ—ted to set an high price of the Gospel and make much of the motions of Gods holy Spirit in the Ministry of the word Ursin relates in his Preface to his Catechism That those godly Vrsini Praf Catech. Protestants that fled beyond the Seas for their Religion in that Marian quinquenium of Persecution acknoâ—ledged That that great innundation of misery
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
us to repentance to Dan. 4. 27. break off our sins by repentance that our tranquillity may be lengthned and that there may be a healing of our errors The use we are to make is that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 10. 6. Now these things were our examples to the intent we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted Let us not pass uncharitable censures upon others as greater sinners for greater sufferings but remember that except we Luke 13. 5. repent we shall likewise perish Seventhly and lastly Let us consider how the Spirit of God 7 The Spirit strives by personal judgements strives by personal Judgements inslicted on our selves There is a Judgement of chastisement and a Judgement of revenge God sends Judgements by way of revenge upon the wicked of the World but by way of chastisement unto his own children When God takes away thy riches and other outward comforts as a childe a wife c. by these the Spirit of God strives with thee and sends thee to God to inquire into the cause and walk more closely and humbly with God and thy duty is to pray to God to teach thee what thou understandest not If God send thee a sore disease a grievous pain suppose the Stone Strangury Collick c. by all these the Spirit strives with thee and reads thee a Lecture of thy Mortality and warneth thee to make a serious and speedy preparation for death Afflictions are sent by God as Scullions to scour away the rust and canker of Gods children They are the Shepheards Dogs to bring home the straying Sheep Luther saith Afflictions teach us to understand Scripture Where God teacheth with the rod there he bestoweth a choice blessing Psal 94. 12. Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest O Lord and teachest him out of thy Law God sends affliction on an errand Go affliction take down such a mans pride goe awaken another from his security Affliction is Gods Ordinance and with the same hand he gives Jesus Christ that he gives correction to his own children Thus the Spirit strives by personal judgements and afflictions The use we must continually make is Heb. 12. 5 6. My son despise not thou the chastening of the Lord nor faint when thou art rebuked of him for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth Hence saith the Apoâ—â—le Rom. 5. 3. We glory in tribulation knowing that tribulation worketh patience and Jamâ—s 1. 2. My brethren count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations The rod hath a voice and we are call'd upon Mich. 6. 9. Hear ye the rod and who hath appointed it Thus you have heard how Gods Spirit strives by its motions by the Ministery of the Word the checks of Conscience tenders of Mercy exercise of patience and long-suffering inslicting of exemplary and signal Judgements upon others and personal Judgements upon our selves Now the Lord give us his Grace and teach us to make much of and cherish the strivings of his holy Spirit and let us all deprecate the fearful judgement in the Text My spirit shall no longer strive with you Iudgement and Mercy Set forth from Gen. 6. 3. HAving dispatcht those two Particulars according to my Serm. 3. at St. Mary's Oxon Jan. 19. 1651. Three Reasons of the Doctrine Reas 1. From the Text because man is flesh method propounded in the unfolding of this Text In the third place I am to enquire into the Grounds and â—easons for the further confirmation of the Point Amongst many that may be given I shall reduce the Reasons of the Text into three Heads The first shall be drawn from the very reason in the Text for that he also is flesh Man is corrupted by reason of sin Man was created statu integro in integrity and innocency resembling the Image of God in righteousness and holiness but now statu corrupto by reason of Adams prevarication he became depraved in the faculties of his soul and all the members of his body and they are become instruments unto wickedness The Holy Ghost sets forth sinful man in a full Character Psal 14. 1 2 3. The fool hath said in his heart there is no God they are corrupt they have done abominable works there is none that doeth good The Lord looked down from Heaven upon the children of men to see whether there were any that did understand and seek God They are all gone aside they are become altogether filthy there is none that doth good no not one Suppose we heard the Lord thus expostulating the case Is this man Is this he that I advanced to the highest rank of visible Creatures whom I created after mine own Image whom I endowed with noble faculties an understanding the bright luminary of the soul to know his Maker and a will to obey him Is he now become flesh fleshly in his imagination fleshly minded Doth he walk after the flesh minding the things of the flesh Hath he thus turn'd Apostate rebell'd against his Lord and Maker This charge being all very true wherefore should I have any more to do with him wherefore should my Spirit strive with vile sinful flesh Thus God might plead and in judgement withdraw the strivings of his holy Spirit Betwixt the spirit and the flesh what agreement can there be The Spirit will not thus be unequally yoaked since man is become thus fleshly thus depraved such a degenerate Plant so corrupt its just with Gods spirit to strive no longer with man By flesh in Scripture is comprehended a Mass of corruption Apostoli verba docent haec duo affectuum genera esse opposita Quae ut intelligamus constitutuÌ„ fit affectum carnis nihil aliud esse quam usum virium humanaruâ— semotâ gratiâ Affectus autem spiritus est impulsus divini afflatus usus gratiae Christi Pet. Mart. in Loc. man in his worst estate Rom. 8. 5. They that are after the flesh doe minde the things of the flesh What is predicated of it v. 6 7 8 9. To be carnally minded is death because the carnal minde is enmity against God So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God And what an Antithesis is there between flesh and spirit v. 13. For if ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if ye through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live The same disproportion there is as between death and life heaven and hell salvation and damnation That God strives with any is a great mercy that the Spirit waits knocking at our doors when as he might knock us down dead O great mercy But when the Spirit strives and flesh resists its motions the Spirit spends his sacred breath wooing us and inviting us to do good unto our own souls and the carnal minde bids defiance unto the Spirit of grace when notwithstanding all the beseechings wooings and sollicitations of the Spirit the flesh rebels carnal
walk in sincerity before the Lord these shall be happy unto all Eternity these having been faithfull unto the death shall receive a Crowne of Life * ⎠* The End of the Second Decad. A THIRD DECAD OF SERMONS PREACHED TO THE VNIVERSITY AT St MARIES IN OXFORD By HENRY WILKINSON D. D. and Principall of Magdalen Hall in OXFORD 2 Tim. 1. 13. Hold fast the forme of Sound Words which thou hast heard of me in Faith and Love which is in Christ Jesus OXFORD Printed by W. H. for THOMAS ROBINSON Anno Domini M.DC.LX TO THE READER I HERE present unto thee Christian Reader A third Decad of Sermons of the same complexion with the rest answering those two immediatly preceding as face in water answers face By them the Author may be knowne to be one and the same man not varying a whit from his Principles by reason of vicissitude of times The first of these Sermons was preacht at the Publick Act and was formerly printed which notwithstanding the derision of some through the Incouragement and approbation of others whose Judgment I preferre many degrees before my owne is now againe presented to publick View in this second Edition None of the other sermons of this Decad and none of the two other Decads were ever yet printed before neither had now if some both Godly and Learned who are better able to judge had not thought farre better of them then I ever durst of any thing of my own notwithstanding what paines soever it cost me It 's farre from my Intention to justify my selfe but I shall alwaies with Jacob acknowledge my selfe not worthy of the least of all the mercyes and of all the Gen. 32. 10. truth c which the Lord through riches of mercy hath shewed unto me It cannot be denyed but ought to be acknowledged with renewed thankfulnesse that now adaies we have more helps on all hands if we had our eyes in our Heads and greater advantages then our Predecessors ever enjoyed since Printing came up And since the Gospell in it's Purity and Liberty was restored unto England as Reverend Latimer used to pray that God would restore the Gospell unto England once againe once againe We have variety of Prices both by printing and preaching put into our hands to get divine wisdome withall Oh! that we had this great mercy of mercyes vouchsafed to us that the Lord would bestow upon us such good hearts as to Husband and improove all those spirituall Talents for the best advantage of our immortall soules That saying of a Learned Author hath often come into my deliberate thoughts Ideo scribuntur omnes Libri ut unus emendetur conscientiae Now if by any thing that I have wrote the of Christians may thrive the better and be built up in their faith I have my desire accomplisht Not unto me not to the best of my paines and endeavours but unto the name of Jesus Christ be all the praise and glory It 's not my purpose to detaine thee Reader in a longer Epistle Only thus much I thought good to premise to assure thee that this last Decad is of the same stamp and breaths forth the same spirit and pursues the same plaine stile with those two which according to order went before The designe I only drive at as farre as I apprehend is the eternall good of mine and thine immortall soule so that our profitting may appeare unto all that some addition may be made unto our spirituall stature Be pleased therefore to read deliberately and to joyne prayer and meditation with reading Lay aside all prejudicate opinions and through the meannesse of the Instrument look with the eye of faith unto Jesus Christ the great Counsellour and Prophet who directs and instructs his people and guides them unto all truth And what ever good thou receivest give Christ the praise of all and set the Crowne upon his head alone And in thy serious addressesse unto the throne of grace remember him which in love to thy soule hath made these sermons publick Do not despise the day of small things undervalue not the Reare of the Christian Army Do not entertaine a slight opinion of any of the meanest yet faithfull Labourers in Gods Vine-yard who desires and endeavours to approove himselfe faithfull such a one I desire to be and remaine Thy servant and Brother in Christ Jesus HENRY WILKINSON The Contents of the Third Decad. SERM. I. 2 COr 5. 20. Now then we are Ambassadors for Chriâ—t as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be yee reconciled to God The Context expounded p. 2 3 4. The Text divided and expounded p. 5 6 7. The Doctrine handled by prooving and improoving all by particular Application p. 9. The Doctrine prooved first by Scripture p. 10 11. Then by three Reasons 1. From foure Properties of Ambassadors p. 12 13 14 15. 2. From the Benefit of a reconciled estate p. 16. 3. From the misery of an unreconciled estate p. 17. Vse for Exhortation 1. To Ministers p. 17 18 19 20 21 22 23. 2. To people p. 25. 3. Characters of a reconciled estate p. 27 28 29 30. Five Motives p. 31 32 33 34 35 36. SERM. II. HEb 1. 14. Are they not all Ministring spirits sent forth to Minister for these who shall be heires of salvation Text divided p. 38. Doct. It pleaseth God to make use of the Ministery of Angels for the good of his Children p. 38. Q. 1. What Angels are p. 39 40 41. Q. 2. How many sorts of Angel sthere p. 42 43. Q. 3. What are the offices of Angels p. 43 44 45 46. Q. 4. Whether every Saint hath a peculiar Angell keeper p. 46 47. Q. 5. What is the knowledge of Angels p. 47 48. Vse 1. For Information in 2 particulars p. 49 50. Vse 2. For Instruction in 3 particulars p. 50. Vse 3. For Consolation in 3 particulars p. 51. SERM. III. 2. CHron 16. 9. The eyes of the Lord run to and for throughout the whole earth to shew himselfe strong in the behalfe of those whose heart is perfect towards him p. 52. Text divided p. 53. Doct. 1. That there is a Providence of God which extends it selfe to the ordering and governing of all the creatures throughout the whole world p. 55. The Doctrine prooved by Scripture p. 55 56. And by 6 Reasons p. 57 58 59. Of the nature of Providence p. 59 60. Vse 1. For Confutation of Epicures c. p. 61. Vse 2. For Reproofe ib. Vse 3. For Instruction in 6 Duties p. 61 62. Doct. 2. As there is a generall providence towards all so there is a speciall distinguishing Providence towards all Gods children p. 62. Doctrine prooved by Scripture example p. 62 63. By 6 Reasons p. 64 65. Vse 1. For Reproofe p. 65. Vse 2. For Instruction p. 66. Vse 3. For Consolation six Duties prest pag. 66. 67. SERM. IV. I Sai 66. 6 7. Yee that make mention of the Lord keep not
subscribe that since Christian Religion was profest there was never a Collection of more Godly Orthodox and Learned Divines then in this present Century Yet I am far from excusing or extenuating the Animosities Heart-divisions uncouth unseemly Habits self interests carnal Policies unwarrantable separations and that Latitude which many take unto themselves now adays The good old Puritan would not take an Inch formerly where many now venture to take an Ell. I heartily wish a Reformation thorow impartial that what we condemn in others we may avoid each one in himself O that it might be the main design we drive at to advance the power of godliness and to go before each other in a real example of Reformation Let 's all labor as one man to be found in the Faith and holy in life so that Heresies Blasphemies and all forts of profaneness may be abominated and extirpated And let it be our endeavor to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace So Eph. 4. 3. that according to those Prophesies the accomplishment whereof we daily expect We may all worship the Lord with one consent that the Zeph. 3. 9. Zech. 13. 9. Lord may be one and his name one And let us never forget that the vows God are upon us which we ought to our power to endeavor to keep inviolably in that Solemn National Covenant which was made in a day of distress with our hands lifted up to the most high God Let not that Solemn Oath be accounted as an Almanack out of date lest the Lord send a Sword to avenge the quarrel of a broken Covenant Let 's expostulate with Ezra Should we again break the Commandment Ezra 9. 14. and joyn in affinity with the people of these abominations After Oathes Covenants Days of Humiliation and after so many signal Deliverances shall we again hancker after superstitious Ceremonies a formal Service Book a Lordly Prelacy unwarrantable Separations Schisms Machiavilian Policies self-seeking Interests The Lord forbid that we should be so unthankful for the mercies received and so unmindeful of those particular Duties which God expects from us in our several Places and Callings But I shall not exceed the bounds of a Preface Although this may be accounted a Digression yet I hope may be of some use to the Reader Thus much I was willing to premise as far as I apprehend having a single eye at Gods Glory and the Publick Benefit Wherefore be pleased Reader to peruse deliberately and candidly these three Decads of Sermons Preach'd with much plainness to the Auditors accompanied with a vehement desire to do good and afford the Author thy Prayers who desires a share in the Prayers of all the Israel of God and remains Magdalen-Hall Oxon April 9. 1660. Thy souls servant HENRY WILKINSON To the Reader WHen it was told David after the defeat of Absolom that Ahimaaz the sonne of Zadok came running the King said He is a good man and cometh with good tideings I may truly say so of these Sermons and the reverend Author of them He is a good man and therefore we may be sure that he bringeth good tydings with him He is a right Nathanael a true Israelite without guile an able Preacher a vigilant Governour a faithfull friend a bountifull distributer to whom much of the Character of Aristotles magnanimous man doth exactly agree 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who dares openly to love a friend when others reject him and openly to disprove the faults of those whom others feare and flatter As is the man and his Communication such is his doctrine sound wholsome savory edifying not meerly notionall and suited onely to the fancy but properly calculated for the Conscience and conversation unto which the more any doctrine is fitted the more it is according to the mind of the spirit of Christ speaking in the Word and to the direction of his Apostles who used great plainnesse of speech and such demonstration of the Spirit and power as might manifest the truth to every mans conscience in the sight of God who gave instruction unto others whom they had separated to the work of the Gospell to hold fast the wholsome forme of sound words by sound doctrine to Exhort and Convince gainsaiers to shew in doctrine incorruptnesse gravity sincerity sound speech which cannot be condemned to speak to rebuke to exhort with all Authority to teach men to maintaine good workes for necessary uses to preach such things as are good and profitable unto men Though I have not had opportunity to peruse all these Sermons yet having been an hearer of many of these and finding in those which I have read the same even and serious spirit and withall great variety of profitable matter I may safely commend them to the Christian Reader as Sermons drawn according to these prescripts of the Apostle and consequently very usefull unto publick edification unto which all our studies labours and writings should be subservient Apr. 4. 1660. Thine in our Common Lord EDWARD REYNOLDS The contents of the first Decad. SERM. 1. 1. COr c. 2. vers 2. For I determined not to know any thing among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified p. 1. The Text divided p. 3 and handled 1 Concerning knowledge in Generall p. 4. 5 6. 2 Concerning the knowledge of Christ pag. 7. 8. And this knowledge hath 3 characters Fundamentall excellent and soule-saveing pag. 9. 3 Cautions concerning the use of humane learning pag. 11. 12. 3 Concerning the knowledge of Christ crucified pag. 13. 14. Applic what Ministers must teach pag. 14. 15 16. 2 What all must learne p. 16. 17 18. SERM. II. IEr 45. v. 5. And seekest thou great things for thy selfe seek them not Text devided pag. 22. Severall sorts of seekers pag. 25. 26 27 28 29 30. The Person seeking p. 31. 32 33. Applic Vse 1. For exposition pag. 34. 35 36 37. Vse 2 For direction in 4 Particulars pag. 38. 39 40 41. Vse 3 For exhortation in 4 Considerations pag. 42. 43 44 45 46 47 48. SERM. III. PRov. 11. 30. Hee that winneth soules is wise The Text divided pag. 50. 51. The Doctrine propounded That it 's a choice fruit of wisdome to winne soules unto God pag. 51. Method propounded 1 the proofe of the Poynt pag. 52. 53. 2. 4 Arguments for confirmation p. 53. 54 55. 3. Two Characters of him that is likeliest to winne soules pag. 56. 57 58 59 60 61. 4. Applic. 1. For Humiliation pag. 63. 3. For Direction in 7 particulars pag. 66. 67. SERM. IV. MAtth 13. 45 46. pag. 68. Again the Kingdome of Heaven is like unto a Merchant man seeking godly Pearles who when hee had found one Pearle of great price hee went and sold all that hee had bought it The Context opened pag. 69. 70. The Text divided pag. 71. 72. Two Doctrines raised pag. 73 Doct 1. That every true Believer is a Merchant of goodly Pearles Method propounded 1. By illustrating the
13. 18. Let there be no strife between my herdsmen and thy herdsmen for we be brethren So say I we that are sons of the same mother the Church servants of the same God heires of the same hope how should we consult the good one of another labouring to build up one another in the holy faith considering to provoke one another to love and to good workes We are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 members one of another Is there a controversy betweene thee and thy brother be not wanting in thy duty to pray for him this if any thing will be the reconciler Imitate thy Saviour on the crosse who prayed for his enemies None are so bad but they deserve thy prayers and commiseration Is thy brother ignorant doe not despise him Consider who made thee to differ from thy brother and a greater mercy requires a greater measure of thankfulnesse Copy out that excellent advice of the Apostle 1 Pet. 4. 8. And above all things have fâ—rvent oharity among your selves for charity shall cover the multitude of sinnes This is to learne Christ crucifi'd when we labour to puriâ—y our selves even as he is pure when we labour to be holy as he was in 1 Jon. 3. 3. all manner of conversation when we imitate him in putting on bowells of mercy and tender compassion My brethren God hath given you greater measure of knowledge and therefore he expects from you greater improvements It was a greivous complaint of Austine in his time Surguâ—indocti rapiunt coelum nos cum doctrinis nostris detrudimur in gehennam God grant that our holy life August may be the confutation Let it never be told in Gath and publisht in the streets of Askelon I wish there were no cause that any son of Levi should prove a son of Belial and make the sacrifice of the Lord to be abhor'd God forbid that in so sacred an order as the Ministeriall Function is That there should be any profane Esaus any taunting Ishmaels and blasphemous swearers We cannot in any wise brooke Intruders into the Church wee abhorre and that deservedly their irregular motions who runne before they are sent wherefore wee should all unite our prayers and endeavours in our capacities and callings to God as one man to hinder such from ever setting footing in our Israel If any such be as I feare there are methinks the fearfull judgments of God executed upon Vzzah and Vzziah for their over-officious services and intermedling without a calling should make them feare and tremble 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so unpreparedly to adventure upon sacred mysteries In the interim let us walke inoffensively and more circumspectly in our life and conversation and give no just offence neither to Jew nor Genâ—ile nor Church of Gâ—d This counsell is not unseasonable for we know not what advantage a scandalous life gives unto a common Adversary If those that should be Seers yet will be blind if the Watchmen sleep and the Shâ—pheards leave their flocks to hierlings then will some of Jeroboams Priests of the basest of the people presumptuously usurpe the Ministeriall function Take which you will a negligent Minister who performes not his duty or one that runs without a calling of his own mission and the flatteries of such like himselfe they are both abominable superfluous branches which God will pluck up and sweep away as dung out of the Church Would we then have our callings more honoured and our persons more reverenced and our Doctrine with more cheerfulnesse embraced le ts all endeavour to be more consciencious in the discharge of our duties let us not post off reformation from one to another accusing and excusing one another but let 's commune with our own hearts make diligent enquiry into our own bosomes every one saying with himselfe in Jer. 8. 6. particular what have I done The way to contract greater reverence abroad is to be more circumspect at home that as we goe beyond others in knowledg so likewise we should outstrip them in the practise of holinesse Christ in a more speciall manner hath communicated unto us the knowledg of his waies how should we strive with a pious contention which of us should bring most glory to God and advance the cause of Christ It shall be my close and prayer with Moses that God would put his Vrim and Thummim 1 Pet. 2. 9. upon his holy ones even write upon all our hearts Holynesse unto the Heb. 13. 20. 21. Lord that so we may be a Royall Generation a Holy Priesthood a peculiar people to set forth the praises of him who hath called us out of darknesse into this marvelous light I shall conclude with the Apostle Now the God of peace that brought againe from the dead our Lord Jesus that great shepheard of the sheep through the bloud of the everlasting covenant make you perfect in every good worke to doe his will working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ our Lord. Baruchs Hurt and Cure Set-forth from JEREM Chap 45. Vers 5. And seekest thou great things for thy selfe seek them not SERM. II. IF ever a word spoken in due season might be At St Maries Oxon. Octob. 18. 1642. compared to Apples of Gold in pictures of Silver such a one is here represented to your view being a word of comfort opportunely administred unto a man of a sorrowfull spirit And in the front of my Text is a connexive particle and drawes down the Context unto the Text. Take a review of the precedent History in this briefe relation The iniquities of Israel and Judah are full ripe and now it 's high time for the destroying Angell to thrust in his sickle and cut them downe But such are the tender bowels of our Father of mercies and God of all consolations that he gives warning before he smites It 's his accustomed method to leave no meanes unattempted for his peoples recovery and for the healing of their backslidings How often doth he draw them with the bands of a man even with cords of love What presuasive arguments what alluring Rhetorick doth he use enough to breake the Rock within thee even an heart harder then Adamant and to melt it into the love of God here behold bowels opened like the sounding of an Harpe and once more rol'd together The Lord denounceth most heavy Judgments and yet in the midst of Judgment entertaines some thoughts of free love and mercy The Lord reveales his secret intentions to his servants the Prophets He makes the prophet Jeremy of his privy counsell The Lord himselfe becomes the inditer of a dolefull writing fraught with lamâ—ntation mourning and woe Jeremy dictates from the mouth of God unto Baruch and Baruch wrote from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the Lord Jer. 36. 4. Forthwith they are communicated unto the King and Princes of Judah The King being no whit affected Jer. 36. 4. with these dismall
luxuriously and live with Dives deliciously every day Peradventure they give their flock a visit at Sheep-shearing time once a year as the High Priest entred into the Temple and then with blood and indeed a Non-Resident is a soul-murderer who maintains his bravery with the price of blood Fathers and Brethren I love not to lay out my Mothers nakedness but my heart burns in love to your souls and I hope and pray that a through Reformation may go on and prosper and that under no pretence whatsoever Non-residency may be dispensed withal for the future it being Materia prâ—rsus indispâ—nsabilis For this sin the Scarlet Gowns ought to come down in the dust and wear Sack-cloth Statute Tolerations Dispensations for such and such Dignities local Statutes in Colledges dispensing for such a Lecture and for a Living under such a value all these will prove but sorry fig-leaves to cover thy nakedness Will any of these â—leas serve thy turn at the Audit of the great Judge of Heaven and Earth Will they stop the cry of blood It was said in Suetonius Quintili Vareredde lâ—giones so will it be said Steward give an account of thy Stewardship Sheep-herd give an account of thy flock Isa 56. 10. where then will dumb dogs as the Holy Ghost stiles them and Idol Shepherds appear They will wish that thâ— hills might fall upon them and the mountains cover them from the face of the Lamb. In the second place suffer I beseech you my Brethren the Vse 2. For Exhortation word of Exhortation I beseech you by the mercies of God in the bowels of Jesus Christ above all your gettings get this wisdom to gain souls In general it concerns every one to do all the offices of Heb. 10. 24. love they can and to consider one another to provâ—ke to love and to good works Let Parents do this for their Children Tutors for the in Scholars they are Pro-parents for the time Masters for their Servants one Friend one Neighbor for another Let any one indifferently learn this Art and put it into practice These Scriptures I commend to your serious considerations and continual practice one is Levit. 19. 17. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbor and not suffer sin upon him Another is Mal. 3. 16. Then they that feared the Lord spoke often one to another and the Lord hearkned and heard it and a Book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and thought upon his name A third is Heb. 3. 13. Exhort one another daily whilest it is called to day lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin And in a peculiar and special manner I address my Exhortation unto my Brethren of the Ministry in the Language of the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I put you in remembrance 2 Tim. 1. 16. to stir up your gifts Let not good parts be blasted or lie rusty for want of using If such yet remain here unpurged would there were none who keep their Pastoral Livings and their Founders maintenance living here at ease let the Flock sink or swim I recommend those dreadful Imprecations unto their saddest thoughts Zech. 11. 17. Woe to the Idol Shepheard that leaveth the flock the sword shall be upon his arm and upon his right eye his arm shall be clean dryed up and his right eye utterly darkned And 1 Cor. 9. 16. Wo is unto me if I Preach not the Gospel And for such as are set apart for this Calling and as yet have not a Pastoral cure a particular determination ad hic nunc know that you are Ministers of Christ ordained into the universal Church that 's my Judgement for the benefit of the Church of God in general be not idle and lazy saying No man hath hired us Begin betimes and consecrate your strength and marrow to God And if the first-fruit be holy the whole lump will be sanctiâ—ied Neighbor Villages stand in need of your charity many poor souls ready to starve cry as earnestly for spiritual bread as poor Prisoners for corporal bread And the want of a setled Ministry in several places is occasioned by a scandalous maintenance Give me leave to be importunate in my suit and press your duty farther from thâ—se moving considerations 1. Consider your high and weighty Calling what a great honour it is to be a Minister of Jesus Christ You are called Ambassadors Consid 1. The Ministers weighty calling 2 Cor. 5. 10. Matth. 5. 13. now Ambassadors must pursue the Instructions of their Commissions and your principal instruction is to beseech people to be reconciled to God You are the salt of the earth and if the salt loose its savour wherewith shall it be salted You are lights and lights must not be put under a bushel you are Stewards and Stewards must be faithful you are Laborers and Laborers may not eat the bread of idleness 2. There 's a price put into your hands you have abilities and opportunities Consid 2. A price put into the hands of Ministers health and strength and if God be pleased to give you hearts the business would be soon done and well done you have helps of Learning helps of an ingenuous Education helps of frequent Preachers dividing the Word faithfully amongst you these are as so many prizes put into your hands to get wisdom the Lord give you an heart to make a spiritual improvement of them Two places of Scripture drawing to a close I would gladly fasten upon your thoughts The one is Eccl. 9. 10. What soever thy hand find th to do do it with thy might for there is no work nor device nor knâ—wledge in the grave whither thou goest The other is John 9 4. I must work the works of him that sent me whilst it is day the night cometh when no man can work Thirdly and lastly Consider the strictness of your account at the Consid 3. From the day of accompt day of Judgement Then the Lord will say Give account of thy Stewardship Shepheard give account of thy Flock Watch-man hast thou looked to thy Watch Laborer hast thou wrought in my Vine-yard The consideration of the day of Judgement the day of visitation should awaken your spirits and put you upon a carefull provision against that day Vse 3. In the last place let me close up all with a word of direction Vse 3. â—or direction and I have done according to that little experience I have and the Lord forgive me that I have no more I 'le commend a few rules of direction to you 1. Give your selves to Divine Meditation This was Mose's practice Direct 1. To meditate 1 Tim. 4. 13. in the Mount Isaac's in the Field and a duty prescribed by Paul to Timothy Meditate upon these things Meditation is as it were the wing of the soul to carry it unto Heaven and herein a Ministers
similitudes there lay a mysterious meaning Christ spake with authority not as the Scribâ—s each word had weight Whereupon people hearing things which they never heard before were eager and restless in their desires until they understood the Parable and the interpretation thereof The fourth and last Reason I shall mention why Christ preacht R. 4. in Parables was because this was a more prevalent convincing way of Preaching when Reproofs or Exhortations are delivered in Parables under the name of a third person they gain more well-come and acceptable entertainment Thus Nathan reproved David by a Parable of the Ewe-Lamb and set his reproof home by a Prosopopeia David hearing of the rich mans cruelty in taking the poor mans Lamb passeth sentence of death upon him and a fourfold restitution because he had no pitty Now David was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 condemned 2 Sam. 12. 5. 6. out of his own mouth Whereupon Nathan strikes whilst the Iron is hot by making particular Application of the Parable unto David Thou art the man This was a convincing way of Preaching And thus ought the Ministers of Christ to put in practice the most convincing way of Preaching whether in a way of Mercy or Judgement whether to come with a rod or the spirit of meekness whether to be Boanergesses or Barnabasses The most taking winning way we must use Provided always that we make the word of God our just Standard and rule to go by so that we may win souls unto Jesus Christ Now to draw nearer to the words In this Chapter there are delivered sundry choice and excellent Parables as of the sower and the seed a grain of mustard-seed leaven hid in three measures of meal a casting-net I pass from these unto that which hath immediate reference unto my Text v. 44. The Gospel of Christ is a Treasure and the Scripture is that pretious seed where that Treasure is to be found Neither can every one finde it or know the worth of it It 's a hidden Treasure The worth of the Gospel is unknown by and hidden from unbelievers But the true Believer who sindes it 2 Cor. 4. 3. Luk 2. 19. and knoweth the worth of it hides it i. e. he keeps it safe in the secretest recesses of his heart he hides it as Mary did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that hath discovered the incomparable Treasure of the Gospel doth not conceal or suppresse the knowledge thereof from others But first he 'll inrich himself therewith upon the finding of the Treasure he 's so ravisht with joy and so transported with a desire after the purchase as without delay demurs dodgings or abatements he sells all he hath to purchase the field and get possestion of it Now my Text is a further prosecution and confirmation of this Parable The first word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 again specifies a dependance upon what went before Expect no curiosity in dividing the words You have here propounded a Parable and its Interpretation 1. For the Parable and therein are to be considered these six Divis A Parable and its interpretation particulars 1. The Subject compared or ground-work of the comparison The kingdom of Heaven 2. The subject of this comparison or Person spoken of and he is decyphered by his external profession and occupation A Merchant man 3. You have set down what he trafficks for his particular Merchandize He 's not a petty Merchant of small wares and mean Commodities but a Merchant of Pearls And because there 's a difference in Pearls Aliae nobiles aliae minus generosae some are of a greater some of a cheaper estimation he trades for the best not ordinary common but goodly Pearls 4. The success he findes His labor is not lost but answered with good successe a particular instance or specification of his successe is that he findes goodly Pearls 5. What doth he finde of greatest value He findes a Pearl of superlative invaluable price A Pearl beyond compare of more worth then all other Pearls whatsoever and that is The Pearl of price 6. and lastly Here 's set down what the purchase cost him and that 's all that he had Thus far of the bare letter of the Parable according to the dark part of it But there 's a mystical meaning to be considered let 's take off the veil and give in the interpretation I shall open the terms in that order they lie in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By Kingdom of Heaven in this place is plainly set forth the administration of the Gospel It 's call'd the Kingdom of Heavens in the plural alluding to the other Heaven the habitation of glorified Scopus est commendare Evangelâ—uÌ„ piis à singulari praestanuâ eâdemque opera dicere quâ—nti Evangelium a piis fiat Pisâ—at Saints and Angels The Gospel of Christ is that Heaven on Earth which will bring us to that Heaven above Piscator observes on the place The scope of all is this to inhance the incomparable worth and estimation of the Gospel in the hearts of the godly It followeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Merchant man This Merchant is every true believer who drives a continual trade for Heaven who is industrious and indefatigable in his labors He seeks after faith repentance holyness of life the kingdom of God and his righteousness the reconciled countenance of God in the face of Jesus Christ These are the Jewels for which he searcheth This is his sole imployment to negotiate Instar negociatorum debent conquirere pretiosas Margaritas fidel pietatis Pareus in loc for Heaven He trades not for trifles but weighty precious Commodities His merchandize is particularized 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 goodly Pearls the Pearls of faith and holyness as Pareus on the place The Gospel holds forth goodly Pearls goodly Promises goodly Ordinances goodly Graces a goodly recompense of reward the beauty thereof will enamor the soul and the Treasure therein contained will more enrich it then all the Kingdoms of the World and the glory of them And what success he had you may see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Pearl of great price is Jesus Christ The Gospel is the Cabinet Margarites as Pliny and other Historians observe are produced out of the dew of Heaven and Shell-fishes draw in that dew They are called Vniones because usually they are found two by two unsevered in the same shell And that which is last to be opened is the price paid to purchase this invaluable Pearl Quis magno emit Margaritam nisi cui notum est pretium Mucul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 None will buy this Pearl who knows not the price saith Musculus T is evident that this Spiritual Merchant was a man of knowledge The knowledge of the worth of Christ made him so willing to sell all for him He stands not dodging and cheapning hoping to bring down the price he knoweth Christ to be
had in honour when their lying legends shall rot There 's a famous History of the Waldenses of the people of Merindall and Cabryers and of the Parisian Massacre even this last century when the blood of the slaine ranne warme reeking down the streets Peruse the History of the late Marian quinquennium Looke upon the machâ—lesse cruelty of the blood-sucking Papists in Ireland And all these are ensamples to us we should not as the Apostle saith 1 Pet. 4. 12. Think it strange concerning the fiery tryall which is to try you as though some strange thing happened unto you Thus we may argue Did such worthies suffer must we looke to be scot-free are we better then they can we plead priviledge to escape others have began to us in Germany and Ireland how soone we may drink of the same Cup who can tell I would not be a Foecialis yet I dare not flatter A blackcloud hangs over our head how soon it may break and showre down blood and involve us in a new War we cannot tell All that I ayme at is to prepare you for what ever comes for the worst of times seeing a storme to make your garments fast about you and retire to a shelter to get your Arke built before the deluge come Praemâ—niti praemuniti it s the prudent mans practise to foresee evill and hide himselfe so saith Solomon In the second place I shall give in the confirmation of the point 2. The Doctrine confirmed by Reason Amongst others these foure Reasons may confirme the truth delivered 1. Because persecution and suffering is the ordinary lot and portion of true believers The way to Canaan is through the wildernesse and the way to Zion through the valley of Bachah In Reason 1. Persâ—cution and and suffering is the Lot and Portion of Believers the world saith Christ you shall have tribulations Joh. 16. 33. Many are the troubles of the Righteous Psal 34. 19. We must through many tribulations enter into the Kingdâ—me of God Act. 14. 22. Every Disciple of Christ must take up his crosse Matth. 16. 24. Non est Christianus qui non est Crucianus saith Luther The Saints are killed all the day long and accounted as sheep for the slaughter Rom. 8. 36. As soone as Paul was manifested to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a vessâ—ll of choyce he was shewed how great things he must suffer for Christ Acts 9. 16. and upon experimentall knowledg he layeth down this positive truth That all that will live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution 2 Tim. 3. 12. Now this comes to passe 1. By the wisedome of God The Divine hand is in it Persecutors saith Bernard are Gods Goldsmiths to put the righteous into the furnace of affliction and take away their drosse so God permits persecutors to try the faith love and patience of his servants and oft times they doe a great deale of good even against their will Jer. 9. 7. Therefore thus saith the Lord of Hosts behold I will melt them and try them for how shall I doe for the daughter of my people The Sabaeans Chald ans and Satan were instruments of afflictions to Job but God wrought good out of all Jam. 5. 11. Behold we account them happy which endure Ye have heard of the patience of Job and have seen the end of the Lord that he is very pittifull and of tender mercy Had it not been for afflictions we had never read of the patience of Job we should not have left us upon record that excellent booke of Job 2ly This comes to pass by reason of Satan's rage and malice The great Dragon stands by ready to devoure the man-child of reformation Hee is the envious man the accuser of the Brethren the adversary the roaring Lion Pliny speakes of the scorpion that every moment it puts forth his sting the Devill is that Scorpion that every moment assayes to doe mischiese hee will cast some of you into prison Rev. 2. 10. 3ly This comes to pass by reason of the malice of wicked-men they are the Devils agents they have suckt the poyson of this old Serpent and swell with it and are greatly enraged against the power of godliness Ther 's a deadly Fewd and Antipathy in wickedmen against the powerfull workings and breathings of God's spirit in the Saints The great ones and Potentates of the world rages a the godly Psal 2. 1. Why dâ—e the heathen rage They hate them without cause Tygers as some report rage at the sent of fragrant spices so the wicked at the savour of Godliness As long as ther 's any left of the serpents brood there will not bee wanting opposition and persecution against the godly This is the first head of reasons The 2d reason is because Christ doth expect that the faith of his Reas 2. Christ expects that the faith of his servants should act extraordinarily servants should act so extraordinarily as the faith of hypocrites and Reprobates cannot come near it Temporizers will profess that they have faith but these follow Christ only for the loaves while the Sun shines warme upon them in Halcyâ—n dayes of peace and tranquility but when it come to fire and faggot or degradation and suspension 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they take offence Now he that hath not learned Christ's Cross hath not learnt his Alphabet The Question was in another case ask't Matth. 5. 47 what doe you mâ—re than others and so in this case Christ will aske the question are you willing to glorisy mee both by doing and suffering are you willing not only to believe on me but also to suffer for my sake Such Questions as there will touch the quick Believers must study all advantages and take all opportunities to promote the honour of Jesus Christ they have a battle to fight they are to encounter with bâ—asts of Ephesus and sonnes of Anak they have a race to runne and many stumbling blocks are layd in the way They have a fiery tryall to endure a Cross to beare they must pass through hâ—nor and dishonor good report and evill report They must follow the Lambe where ever he goes through thick and thinne through a showre of blood Thy life must not be deare to thee when Christ cals for it Bee not afraid of venturing limbes liberty life it selfe for him that layd down his life for thee It was an heroicall speech of Luther that hee would goe to Wormes and preach the Gospel there though evâ—ry Tile was a Devill to oppose him and it was a gallant resolution John Fox Act Monâ— â—â— Maryes dayes of John Aâ—dly that holy Martyr that if hee had as many lives as hee had haires on his head hee would loose them all for Christ Thus you see how the saith of Believers acts extraordinarily A 3d Reason is drawn from the conformity of Believers unto Reas 3. Believers in a way of suffering are made conformable unto Christ Christ for Believers are
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
strength and power in the hands of men if they mis-imploy it God can give strength to wounded men to do great exploits For though ye had smitten the Jer. 37. 10. whole army of the Caldeans that fight against you and there remained but wounded men among them yet should they rise up every man in his tent and burn this city with fire And God can cause the lame to take the prey Thy tacklings are loosed they could not well strengthen their Isa 33. 23. mast they could not spread the sail then is the prey of a great spoil divided the lame take the prey Let us leave off murmuring and repining and wait to see what God will do with us and for us His time is next He will bring to pass his own work his own way to his own glory The third and last Argument I shall name shall be drawn from Arg. 3. Drawn from the benefit of waiting Isa 40. 31. the singular benefit and utility of the duty Art thou weak wait and thou shalt receive strength They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up on wings as eagles they shall run and not be weary they shall walk and not faint Art thou afraid of shame and disgrace lest contempt and ignominy be cast upon the Church of God see what the Prophet Isaiah saith It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth and the inhabitants thereof are as grashoppers Isa 40. 22 23. that stretcheth out the heaven as a curtain and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in that bringeth the Princes to nothing he maketh the Judges of the earth as vanity Dost thou desire Gods blessing wait and thou shalt have it And therefore doth the Lord wait that he Isa 30. 18. may be gracious unto you and therefore will he be exalted that he may have mercy upon you For the Lord is a God of judgement Blessed are all they that wait for him God knows when and how to help his Cum duplicaÌ„tur lateres venit Deus Isa 3â— 9 10 people In the mount God will be seen When the Bricks were doubled then came God and delivered the Israelites from their Aegyptian bondage The earth mourneth languisheth Lebanâ—n is ashamed and hewed down Sharon is like a wilderness and Bashan and Carmâ—l shake off their fruits Now will I rise saith the Lord now will I be exalted now will I lift up my self When helps from earth have been cut off then help came from Heaven When Abraham was stretching forth his hand to kill Isaac then the Angel said Stay thy hand When David was hemm'd in on every side then a way was made for his escape by the Philistines Invasion When Paul was a killing and they were beating of him to beat out his life then came news of an Insurrection in Jerusalem and by that diversion Paul was repreived God hath a way of escape for his people in Fire and Water When thou passest thorow the waters I will be with thee and thorow the Isa 43. 2 3. rivers they shall not over-flâ—w thee when thou walkâ—st thorow the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee Sometimes they have their lives for a prey other times they are made a prey and suffer in a common calamity Yet though the Saints suffer they have an hiding-place And a man shall be as an hiding-place from Isa 32. 2. the wind and a covert from the tempest as rivers of water in a dry place as the shaddow of a great rock in a weary land They have a Pella a Zoar sometimes where they may securely escape with their lives yet they have always a refuge and shelter in the Divine Promises They have a rock higher then themselves from the end of the earth saith the Psalmist will I cry unto thee when my heart is overwhelmed Psalm 61. 2. lead me to the rock that is higher then I. It 's an obliged duty to wait upon the Counsels of God By waiting we may look for good successe because we goe Gods way by murmuring or reviling we cannot look for comfort because we goe the way of flesh and blood By patience the pain and anguish of our fore is mitigated by impatience it corrodes and is inrag'd Thus far of the Doctrinal part I shall improve all unto four Use 1. For Terror Uses viz. For Reprehension Exhortation Direction and Consolation It breathes forth terror and severe reproof unto the murmuring spirits of these present times Never more complaining in our Streets Oh! we would have peace upon any tearms when will the Sword be put into the sheath when shall the Kingdom be setled That complaint is frequently taken up Hast thou utterly rejected Judah Hath thy soul loathed Zion Why hast thou smitten us and Jer. 14. 1â— there is no healing for us we looked for peace and there is no good and for the time of healing but behold trouble For Answer I expostulate with Jehu What Peace What Peace with Rome What Peace with Benhadad What Peace with falshood Peace upon such tearms will prove but a Body massacring a Soul-murdering Peace What Peace with our lusts and corruptions Till they be slaughtered what peace can we expect Can we expect a cessation of punishing before there be a cessation of sinning Can we expect peace with men as long as we continue at War with God For all those Monethly Fasts and days of Humiliation where 's a serious Reformation of our hearts and lives You know how hasty Saul was he forced himself to sacrifice and would not stay till Samuel came it cost him his Kingdom The Israelites would not wait Gods time but were hasty for an encounter with the Amalekites and you may see what they got by it they fell before them and were discomfited unto Hormah Then the Amalekites came down and the Canaanites that dwelt in the hill and smote Numb 14. 45. them and discomfited them even unto Hormah And what 's the ground of this hastiness of spirit It 's infidelity because we believe not God upon his Word we are such hot spurres we out-run Providence and antidate Deliverance We go devised ways untract pathes according to secret impulses quite contrary to the rode of the Word did we believe the faithfulness of God That he is faithful that hath promised that the gates of hell shall not prevail against his Church we should possess our selves with patience and wait quietly for deliverance We usually say that hasty men never want woe Rash preproperous and preposterous practices are the ruine of practitioners An impatient man is a gate without an hinge Janua sine cardine What shame is it for a Christian to be like Hercules furens or like the Demoniack mentioned in the Gospel rending and tearing himself An impatient male-contented person is Felo de se his own Executioner What a weakness was it in
but God will send it again to avenge the Jer. 6. 8. quarrel of a broken Covenant My advice from God to you is Be thou instructed O Jerusalem lest my soul depart from thee lest I make thâ—e Amos 4. 12. desolate and a land not inhabited Therefore thus will I do unto thee O Israel and because I will do thus unto thee prepare to meet thy God O Israel Gather your selves together yea gather together O nation not Zeph. 2. 1 2. 3. desired before the Decree bring forth before the day pass as the chaff before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon yoú before the day of the Lords anger come upon you Seek ye the Lord all the meek of the earth which have wrought his judgement seek righteousness seek meekness it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lords anger And for a close of all The last Use is a Word of comfort to a waiting use 4. For Consolation people Mercy will be the portion of a waiting believing people And when it comes it will be good measure full press'd and running over It will abundantly make amends for all thy waiting for it Oh then confirm the weak hands and strengthen the feeble knees Learn to live by Faith in dying times Whatever thou loosest whether voluntarily or compulsorily let not go thy Faith Wait patiently and silently under dark Visions at the end the Vision shall speak and not lie God is a God of Infallibility and Eternall truth and will not falsifie his promises Though it tarry and thou hast waited long yet wait a little longer it shall come and will not tarry And it will be an exceeding comfort to the Saints when after long waiting for a mercy they can say by happy experience Lo this is our God we have waited for him and he will save us This is the Lord we have waited for him we will be glad and rejoyce in his salvation Isa 25. 9. Establishment of Justice Vnfolded in an Assise Sermon Preacht at St. Mary's OXON Upon Amos 5. 15. Hate the evil and love the good and establish Judgement in the gate It may be that the Lord God of hosts will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph AS in Water face answereth face So the Text suits Serm. 7. At St. Mary's Oxon. March 1. 1649. with the solemnity of the day It is a word in due season which I am resolved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without fear or flattery to apply particularly to your consciences as a word both seasonably to be Preacht and profitably to be learnt The Lord make it as profitable to you as it is seasonable for you My Prophet Amos was one of those Prophets which we call the lesser Prophets not of less esteem for his person or matter which he Prophesied then the others but less in quantity and bulk having reduced a great deal of choice matter into a narrower compass He Prophesied before Israels transportation into Babylâ—n He was an Herdsman of Tekoah chap. 1. ver 1. furnished with a Prophetical Spirit and commissionated by God for so high an employment v. 3. He Prophesied in a time of monstrous Impieties and severe Judgements He lived in the days of Vzziah and you may read of his horrid attempt in invading the Priests Office and the Judgement written in legible Characters in his Leprous â—orehead And they withstood Vzziah the King and said unto him It pâ—rtaineth not unto 2 Chro. 26. 18 19. thee Vzziah to burn incense unto the Lord but unto the Priests the sons of Aaron that are consecrated to burn incense Goe our of the sancluary for thou hast trespassed neither shall it be for thine honor from the Lord God Then Vzziah was wroth and had a Conser in his hand to burn incense and while he was wrath with the Priests the leprosie even rose up in his forehead before the Priests in the house of the Lord from besides the incense altar Some particular impieties and reigning abominacions were 1. Idolatry 1. Idolatry Idolatry was so continually practiced as by way of Irony the Lord seems to invite them to heap up the full measure of their sins Come to Bethel and transgress at Gilgal multiply transgressions Amos 4. 4. Hoc est cumulare sâ—elera sceleribus Calv. in Loc 2. Vnmercifulness Amos 1. 9. and bring your sacrifices every morning and your tithes after three years A second sin was unmercisulness want of bowels of compassion Thus saith the Lord For three transgressions of Tyrus and for fâ—ur I will not turn away the punishment thereof because they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom and remembred not the brothâ—rly Covenant A third sin was Oppression Hear this word ye kine of Bashan that 3. Oppression Amos. 4. 1. are in the mountain of Samaria which oppress the poor which crush the needy which say to their masters Bring and let us drink And violence is another sin of the same litter Ye that put far the Amos 6. 3. evil day and cause the seat of violence to come near A fourth sin is Injustice and Bribery I couple them together like 4. Iujustice and Bribery Amos 5. 7 12. to like Ye that turn Judgement to wormwood and leave off righteousness in the earth For I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sins They afflict the just they take a bribe and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right A fifth sin is Luxury and Jovialty That chaunt to the sound of the Violl and invent to themselves Instruments of Musick like David 5. Luxury Amos 6. 5 6. That drinke Wine in Bowlls and anoint themselves with the chief Oyntments But they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph A sixth is Pride Now Judgements are the unhappy issue which 6. Pride sin brings forth Each word is a Thunder-bolt Amos 9. 8 9. Behold the eyes of the Lord God are upon the sinfull kingdom and I will destroy it from off the face of the earth saving that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob saith the Lord For lo I will command and I will sift the house of Israel among the nations like as corn is fifted in a sieve yâ—t shall not the least grain fall upon the earth And particular Judgements are threatned suitable to their sinnes As 1. Famine I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your 1. Amos 4. 6. cities and want of bread in all your places yet have you not returned unto me saith the Lord. There 's the punishment of Luxury 2. Mildew and Blasting I have smitten you with blasting and mildew 2. Amos 4. 9. when your gardens and your vineyards and your fig-trees and your olive-trees increased the palmer-worm devoured them yet have ye not returned unto me saith the Lord There 's another punishment of Luxury and Intemperance A third punishment is Pestilence I have sent among you the
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
people and exiles from the Covenant in the day of their distresses much more will he comfort his own people A father will not take care of a Kite and neglect his child Hagar was comforted and Ishmael in a necessary instant when the bottle was spent and they knew not what to doe Further in temporall mercies God answereth his people seasonably When Aegypt's flower was spent then it rained Mannah I may instance in Sampsons thirst Elijahs fasting c. An Angel a Raven a Brook a Widow-woman were his Purveyers But I 'le enlarge the proofe in spirituall things and persons Daniel found divine assistance in the Lions den Dan. chap. 6. 22. chap. 9. 21 22. My God hath sent his Angel and hath shut the Lions mouthes that they have not hurt mee Forasmuch as before him innocency was found in mee and also before thee O King have I done noe hurt chap. 9. Yea whiles I was speaking in praier even the man Gabriel whom I had seene in the vision at the beginning being caused to fly swiftly touched me about the time of evening oblation David amidst multitudes of distracting thoughts found God his comfort Ps 94. 19. In the multitude of my thoughts within mee thy comforts delight my soule Paul in a â—ore conflict met with seasonable refreshing comforts 2 Cor. 12. 9. And he said unto mee my grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weakenesse most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon mee so true is that Ps 126. 1. When the Lord turned againe the captivity of Zion we were like them that dreame then was our mouth filled with laughter and our tongue with singing Then said they among the Heathen the Lord hath done great thinges for them Isai 16. 1 2 3. The spirit of the Lord God is upon mee because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meeke he hath sent me to binde up the broken hearted to proclaime liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound to proclaime the acceptable yeare of the Lord and the day of vengeance of our God to comfort all that mourne to appoint unto them that mourne in Zion to give unto them beauty for ashes the oyl of joy for mourning the garment of praise for the spirit of heavinesse that they might be called trees of righteousnesse the planting of the Lord that he might be glorified When there 's a double tale of bricks required Cum duplicantur lateres veniâ— deus then comes God and brings deliverance when 430 yeares for Israels comming out of Aegypt 70 for comming out of Babylon 13 for the daughter of Abraham 36 for the impotent cripple were expired then came seasonable deliverance So for morning for sin In that day and whilst Mary was weeping Christ came When the Disciples were going to Emmaus and discoursing of Christ then comes Christ and cleares up their judgments 2 Scripture Reasons Reason 1. The scripture reasons are 1. Because God hath prefixed and limited a peculiar time for deliverance When the fit season is come the appointed time of God then deliverance will come and will not tarry Heb. 10. 36 37. For yee have need of patience that after ye have done the will of God ye might receive the promise for yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry 2. God would have a people prepared for him Mat. 3. 3. This Reason 2 is he that was spoken of by the Prophet Esaias saying The voice of one crying in the wildernesse Prepare ye the way of the Lord make his paths straight 3. The price of the mercy will be the more esteemed O how Reason 3 welcome was a deliverance to Israel in the brick-Kilne misery will make us prizâ— mercy at the highest rate 4. The greater glory will redound to God when he helpes at a Reason 4 time of need Ps 46. 1. God is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble 5. It 's usuall with God to looke upon a people in a low estate that Reason 5 it may appeare that none but a God can bring deliverance Isai 33. 9. 10. The earth mourneth and languisheth Lebanon is ashamed and hâ—wen downe Sharon is like a wildernesse and Bashan and Carmel shake off their fruits Now will I rise saith the Lord now will I be exalted now will I lift up my selfe Deut. 32. 36. For the Lord shall judge his people and repent himselfe for his servants when he seeth that their power is gone and there is none shut up or left 2 Kings 14. 26. For the Lord saw the affliction of Israel that it was very bitter for there was not any shut up nor any left nor any helper for Israel Thus was the poore woman healed by Iesus Christ when she lost all upon Physitians And joy came after a great mourning in my text 6. All the gifts and graces of the spirit will be set a working viz. Reason 6 of prayer faith love hope patience and when joy comes as the birth and issue of all these O how welcome will deliverance be Now I le cast the scripture counsells into an use of exhortation Vse 1 1. Be exhorted to possesse your soules with patience Luke 21. â—9 In your patience possesse ye your soules Heb. 10. 36. For yee have need of patience that after yee have done the will of God yee might receive the promise Be patient waite quietly upon God 2. Encourage your selves in God so did David 1 Sam 30. 6. 3. Learn to live by faith Heb. 2. 4. The just shall live by faith 4. Be much in prayer Aske and ye shall receive 5. Limit not the holy one of Israel to times or meanes It was the Israelites great fault in Limiting the holy one of Israel 6. Take heed of omitting duties or of abating of love zeale meditation c. Adde to thy duties If God send not comfort at one time it may come at another and that may be a more convenient time Knock harder cry lowder wrestle tug harder at the oare But the other doctrine is the Principall which I intend and I Doctrine 2 shall handle it more largly That there 's a fountaine c. The invitations are many Isai 55. 1. Ho every one that thirsteth come yee to the waters and he that hath no monâ—y come ye bye and eat yea come buy wine and milke without money and without price Iohn 7. 37. If any man thirst let him come unto me 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 athirst come And whosoever will let him come and take of the waters of life freely Rev. 21. 6. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountaine of the water of life freely And the vertues of this fountaine are set forth John 4. 14.
Fountaine is opened and men apprehend their thirst they will hasten to the waters 4. The fountaine is opened because God sends messengers to 4. God sends Messengers to invite invite and guides to direct to it The ministers Embassâ—e is to invite men and women to come unto this Fountaine to perswade them to reconciliation 2 Cor. 5. 20. Now then wee are Embassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you by us wee pray you in Christs stead to bee reconciled unto God It 's our maine business to beseech and intreat men to take Christ and to come unto this fountaine 5. Now is the day of grace the opportunity season offered from 5. Now is the day of grace God a price put into our hands Now Christ tenders himselfe and his benefits Now the counsel is a word in due season Isai 55. 6 7. Seek yee the Lord while hee may bee found and call upon him while hee is near Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him returne unto the Lord and hee will have mercy 6. The Lord opens to us upon him and to our God for hee will abundantly pardon 6. The Lord himselfe now opens to us and this is evident because hee knocks for us to open to him Rev. 3. 20. Behold I stand 6. The Lord opens to us at the dore and knock if any man heare my voice and open the dore I will come in unto him and I will sup with him and he with mee And the Lord affords us severall Hammers to knock at his dore withall viz. especially 4. Hammers God useth to knock withall 1. The Hammer of his word Every sermon you heare is a 1. Hammer of the word knocking at the doâ—res of your hearts God makes use of his Messengers as his mouth Jer. 15. 19. Thou shalt stand before mee and if thou take forth the precious from the vile thou shalt bee as my mouth However the Ministers of God be despised and evill intreated Christ accounts the affronts offered to them equall to those hee met withall immediately offered unto himselfe Luk 10. 10. But into whatsoever City you enter and they receive you not goe out into the streets of the same and say even the very dust of your City that cleaveth on us wee shak off against you By the sermons you heare God knocks at your hearts Ezek. 25. and Ezek. 33. 30 31 32 33. They speak each one to another saying Come and heare what is the word that commeth forth from the Lord they sit before thee as my people and heare thy wordes but will not doe them 2. The hammer of his spirit The spirit breatheth upon the waters 2. Hammer of the spirit How many strivinges waitings whispers of the spirit are there to draw us unto God Wee are exhorted not to quench the spirit nor grieve the spirit The Lord will once say as Gen. 6. 3. My spirit shall not alwayes strive with man 3. The Hammer of mercies God knocks at our hearts by mercies peace prosperity Ther 's a prevalent exhortation Rom. 12. 1. 3. Hammer of mercies I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that yee present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service To us he speakes by mercies Wee are brands pluckt out of the burning and have our lives for a prey 'T is mercy wee enjoy peace in our Borders wee are free as yet from the Plague Famine and the sword wee enjoy the peace of the Gospell and the Gospel of peace 4. God knockes sometimes by the Hammers of judgment sometimes 4. The Hammer of Judgments by the Sword Plague and other Calamities though at present we are free our duty is Jer. 6. 8. Bee thou instructed O Jerusalem lest my soule depart from thee lest I make thee desolate and a land not inhabited Wee should learne righteousness at all times especially when judgments are amongst us Isai 26. 9. With my soule have I desired thee in the night yea with my spirit within mee will I seâ—k thee earely for when thy judgments are in the earth the inhabitants of the world will learne righteousness Micah 6. 9. Heare yee thâ— rod who hath appointed it It appeares farther that the fountaine is opened because God God affords the right key One false key is Free-will hath afforded us the right keys to open it There are three false keyes and foure true keyes The first false Key is free-will O saith the sinner I le repent hereafter I shall have time enough But is repentance in thy power Velle naturae malè velle corruptae naturae bâ—ne velle gratiae Phil. 2. 13. For it is God who worketh in you both to will and to doe of his own good pleasure Jam. 1. 18. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth that wee should bee a kind of first fruites of his Creatures Free-will is an Aegyptian reed it will deceive us Jer. 10. 23. O Lord I know that the way of man is not in himselfe it is not in man that walkâ—th to direct his steps Samsâ—ns case is very observable Judg. 16. 20. And shee said the Philistines be upon thee Samson and hee awoke out of sleep and said I will goe out as at other times before and shake my selfe and he wist not that the Lord was departed from him Man can undoe himselfe and marre himselfe but cannot save himselfe Hos 13. 9. O Israel thou hast destroyed thy selfe but in me is thy help 2. A second false key is universal grace and redemption Christ died A 2d false key is universal Redemption for all say some tasted death for every man for Cain and Judas as well as David and Paul many plead and think by this key to open the Fountaine but it 's a false key and will not unlock the fountain Dore. The latter part of the Text which they urge expounds the former they urge Joh. 316. God so loved the world that hee gave his only begotten-Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have life everlasting And that in 2 Cor. 5. 15. And that hee died for all But what followeth that they which live should not hâ—nceforth live unto themselves but unto him who died for them and rose againe They urge likewise Heb. 2. 9. But wee see Jesus who was made a little lower than the Angels for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honour that hee by the grace of God should tast death for every man The grace and free love of God moved him to bestow this transcendent benefit on his people only not for the whole world Rom. 5. 18. Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men to justification of life Here is hended the universality of Christ's body Adam was a common
if unlawful happy art thou that God deprives thee of them 'T is a sign that the Parents have a tender love to their children when they take away a Knife from them for fear lest they should hurt themselves with it So 't is mercy when God cuts thee off and deprives thee of such Delights and Pleasures which if thou hadst liberty to enjoy therewith thou wouldst dishonor Almighty God Object 2. A second Objection is How are the ways of God ways of pleasantness when they require abundance of Humiliation brinish Tears sorrow for sin and is not this irksome and unpleasant A. There 's more sweetness in this which thou callest bitternesse I mean godly sorrow for sin then in all the pleasures of the world for as in the laughter of the wicked the heart is sorrowful so in the sorrow of the godly the heart laughs and rejoyceth Christ turns these Waters into Wine Call not the tears of repentance Marah but Naomi In the winding up we shall finde that the tears of repentance are not bitter waters but sweet refreshing waters Every tear in thy eye is a Pearl in Gods eye Every tear is exhal'd into Gods bottle All the laughter of the wicked is Risus Sardonicus Their greatest merriments are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luther hath an excellent saying Vna guttula malae conscientiae totum mare mundani gaudii absorbet But the godly rejoyce in their sufferings Rom. 5. 3. And not onely so but we glory in tribulations They have inward joy amidst outward sorrows VVhen their cheeks run down with tears they have a chearful spirit something they feel of comfort coming in They have a principle of Joy within them from the apprehension of Gods love in Christ and this swallows up all sorrows One glimpse of Christs countenance will swallow up an Ocean of sorrows And this will appear in two or three Particulars 1. The work of Humiliation hath the melting work of the Gospel The Law breaks but the Gospel melts the heart No such kindly working upon the heart as mercy bowels opened and the goodness of God To sin against these will deepliest affect the heart When a soul is humbled for sinning against mercy and goodness and the heart is melted and dissolved into tears there must be pleasantness and sweetness in these because they proceed from such a Principle even the Principle of the melting work of the Gospel and this cannot have much bitterness in it 2. The Soul in the work of Humiliation melting before the Lord easeth it self of abundance of sin We say Leves curae loquuntur Sen. Trag. ingentes stupent When people can shed tears thereby they ease their heart but when the heart is so opprest as the eyes cannot shed tears the sorrow or passion of the heart is greater and more dangerous By weeping for sin thou dost ease and rid thy self of abundance of sin thy heart feels some joy and draws and sucks some sweetness out of these bitter herbs 3. In the work of Humiliation there 's much delight because the soul hath much delight in looking back to that sorrow it hath had The wicked rejoyce in their pleasures the godly rejoyce in their tears Epaminondas went sad about the City when the Thebanes were a revelling when others have been in May-games and Merriments and lascivious Enterludes it will cheer up thy spirit that thou hast been sorrowing for thy sin Object 3. But thirdly it 's Objected That godliness puts us upon hard services we shall meet with many scandals great sufferings and persecutions for the name of Christ we shall meet with sore temptations and tryals Peradventure we may be brought to fry at a Stake for Christ How then can the ways of godliness be ways of pleasantness A. Notwithstanding the hardest sufferings that the heart of a godly man shall meet withal yet there 's that delight in the ways of godliness as to uphold the heart under all sufferings and carry it on sweetly How much did the Martyrs rejoyce They kist the Stake welcomm'd Fire and Fagot some of them leapt for joy wrote singular Letters for the confirmation of their Brethren Godlyness will carry thee chearfully through sufferings It will make thee account thy Chains as Ornaments thy Prison thy Palace thy Dungeon thy Paradise Gods people suck sweetness out of the bitterest hearbs They finde an Honey-comb in the carcass of Lyons They never see so much of God in prosperity as adversity Never do they feel more inward comforts then amidst outward sorrows for then God settles the tranquility of their spirits and the serenity of their consciences Christ appeared to Mary weeping to Jacob at Bethel to Elias after forty days fasting God brings forth his Cordials to his people in their forest tryals so that whatever sorrows hardships and troubles they meet withal abroad yet they have joy at home and though they may make many a hard meal yet a good conscience is to them a continual feast There 's one Objection more which I shall answer and then proceed Object 4. Some object from common experience When people come into the ways of godliness they do not finde that delight and joy as they had before The world observes them to be more melancholy and of a heavy dumpish spirit This is a meer calumny of the Devils raising to keep men off from the ways of God This is a great pull-back and Remora to the conversion of many souls I shall give a more full and I hope satisfactory Answer to the Objection in these following Considerations 1. Religion denys not civil courteous and affable behaviour Consid 1. Religion denys not civil behaviour Religion forbids not a chearful disposition Nay there 's a Judgement threatned to the contrary Deut. 28. 47. Because thou servedst not the Lord thy God with joyfulness and with gladness of heart therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies saith the Lord. A churlish Nabal is a dishonor to Religion Take heed therefore of discrediting the Gospel by your sad melancholy spirits lest the world bring an evil report upon the ways of godliness None have such chearful spirits as true Believers Their heart is full and must have a vent their tongues countenances carriages will shew that they have comfort in God But secondly consider thou maist mistake Gods children Thou Consid 2. Gods children are serious accountest that sadness and sorrow which is seriousness gravity and a stay'd compos'd carriage The carriage of Gods children must be sober and grave their words serious season'd with salt and their whole conversation must be such as may adorn their profession Phil. 1. 27. Onely let your conversation be as becometh the Gospell of Christ 3. Consider Gods people may appear sad because they are out Consid 3. Gods children are sad when out of their element of their element When the Fish is out of its element of Water it cannot enjoy it self Birds do not ordinarily sing upon the ground
Creatours commands And though the understanding be blinded and the will depraved the affections disordered by reason of Adam's fall yet Christ giveth his eye-salve to his people to cleare up their understanding and subdueth their wills unto his will These are noble faculties The memory conscience affections are reduced unto these two These faculties difference men from bruit beasts 6. Consider the invaluable price pay'd to purchase the soule Even Singul. 6. The price paid for the soule no less than the effusion of the bloud of Christ He pay'd his life for the redemption of his people the soule must needs be of invaluable worth that was bought purchased and pay'd for with the bloud of the Son of God O! invaluable price more worth than millions of worlds more then all Angels in heaven could doe more than if Adam and all his posterity had suffered unto eternity That the Son of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the eternal God should become a child the Antient of days should become the Infant of days the Divine person should assume an humane nature by an hypostaticall union that he should disrobe himselfe and weare the ragges of mortality come into the world not to reigne as a King but as a servant to dye a painefull shamefull and cursed death this was an incomparable price never to be parallel'd And what was the end of all but to save the soules of his people to pacifie God's wrath reconcile man to God by the death on his crosse 7. Consider the difficulty to save our soules Wee have a battle to fight a race to run we must be wrestlers warriours racers Singular 7. It 's a difficult matter to save the soule we are to enter in at a strait gate Few are saved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It 's no easy taske as the ignorant world dreames of to make our peace with God when the Son of man commeth shall he find faith on the earth so shall he find Repentance and Love A common temporary faith a formall Repentance a pretended love are every where to be found as the sicamores in the valley for abundance but a justifying purifying faith a repentance not to be repented of a love without dissimulation are hard to be found rare hearbes which grow in few gardens The world cheates their soules with a shell a picture a fancy of faith they believe as their parents did before them and so they cheat their soules with a picture and fancy of repentance they think repentance enough if they can but mumble over that neck-verse Lord have mercy upon me but such lasy easy formall devotions will not serve the turne see 1 Thes 1. 3. There is a worke of faith a labour of love and a patience of hope Cheap easy lasy ways are suspicious ways It s the greatest work in all the world to work out our salvation some indeed have a sharper some an easier birth None are without pangs and throws one time or other Heart wounding goeth before heart healing Act. 2. 37. But whoever belongeth to God shall feele the gall and wormewood the bitterness of sinne Sinne cost David Peter Mary-Magdalen Paul deare Now then that it is such a weighty difficult worke to save thy soule hence the excellency of the soule is the more inhanced and raised On the contrary as I have inhanced the soules excellency in 7 singularities so I will debase and vilifie the world in as many aggravations 1. The world is a stye and sinke of impurity 1 Joh. 5. 19. Agrav 1. The world is a sink of impurtly What 's pure religion see Jam. 1. 27. To kâ—ep ones selfe unspotted from the world The world is the mother pollution the daughter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pet. 2. 20. The world may not be loved 1 Joh. 2. 15. You may soone know that all the world hath 1 Joh. 2. 16. The lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life 2ly The world is a grand impostor an arrant jugler There Agrav 2 The world is a grâ—â—d Imposter are three words Eph. 4. 14 which describe the world to the life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it courts and complements as Joab did Abner and Amasa as Jaâ—l served Sisera as the Panther leaves a sweet sent and allures the passenger to come to her and presently hee 's devoured as they say the Syrens songes first lull men asleep then devoures them The world puts a gaudy faire vizzard on the soulest actions it calleth drunkenness covetousness whordome by mincing plausible appellations The lewd strumpet tels of her bed of ornaments and braveries Prov. 7. 16 17 But mentions not a syllable of the dart striking through the liver vers 23. So the wine wherewith the drunkard is intoxicated allures him with it's colour Prov. 23. 31 but forewarnes not of it's biting vers 32. The world never represents sinne in it's proper colours but sub specie boni Take heed of the world it will serve thee as Jacob served Laban change thy wages 7 times It will serve thee as the High-Priests served Judas Matth. 27. 4. When an anguish came upon his spirit and hee restored the thirty peeces of silver saying I have sinned in that I have bâ—trayed the innocent bloud and they said what is that to us see thou to that Then thirdly the world is a merciless cruel tormentour Solâ—mon found it to be so by lamentable experience Ecclâ—s 1. 14 The covetous man is upon a Rack his bed is a bed of thornes his bread gravell for the losse of his God Mammon The ambitious man loseing honour and preferment is disquieted that he cannot enjoy himselfe so was Haman nothing could satisfie him so long as he wanted Mordâ—caie's bended knee The want of a complement more vexed him than all his honours contented him At what a great losse was the young man when he must foregoe all his possessions At what a losse were the foolish Gadarens when their swine were drowned they even preferred their swine before a Jesus 4. The world in it's best estate is vanity Eccles 1. 2. The riches Aggrav 4. The world is vanity honours and pleasures in this world are empty broken cisternes trees without fruit bare leaves or apples of Sodome which as Historians relate are goodly to the eye but being touched dissolve into cinders and ashes Isai 55. 2. Not bread The worlds goods are things which are but shadows pictures shels emptiness vanity nothing in reality and truth Chimera's entia rationis brain fancies Great expectations we have Parturiunt montes c. The world is a meere lottery we come to it with heads full of hopes but returne back with hearts full of blankes 5. The world is unsatisfying and unsuitable to the soule The Aggrav 5. The world is unsatisfying world is materiall corruptible earthly the soule immateriall incorruptible heavenly How can these be reconciled What agreement can there be between them Ther 's no proportion nor
reconciliation The soule cannot feed on gold you may as easily fill a bagge full of spirituall graces as satisfie an immortall soul with the world The riches pleasures c of the world are no way suitable noe way satisfying not in the least measure commensurate to the vast and boundless desires of an immortall heavenly-borne being soul The high-Priests money could not satisfie Judas as soone as conscience pricked him he could keep the money no longer Honours could not satisfie Haman What doth all this availe me c The foole in the Gospel could not be satisfied with the barns he already had he must have bigger It is not within the sphere of the activity of any sublunary thing to satisfie an immortal soule 6. The world is unhelpful and unprofitable in the evil day There Aggrav 6. The World is unhelpful in the evil day are 4 evil dayes wherein the world cannot help 1. In the day of affliction losse of husband wife children what can the world doe thee good In the day of a tormented conscience all the worlds goods cannot pacify a tormented conscience 2ly In the day of death The world cannot bribe death 4ly In the day of judgment no help no comfort from the world A friend we say is known in adversity it plainly appeares that the world is a very false perfidious enemy because it serves thee as Absolom's Mule served him left him helpless in a time of misery hanging between heaven and earth 7 And lastly The world in all it's bravery in it's greatest estate and Aggrav 7. The World is momentany confluence is but momentary transient it cannot help beyond this life it canot carry us to eternity It passeth away 1 Joh. 2. 17. The ambitious mans honours promotions high places cannot follow him to another world An ungodly great man noble and honourable in the world when he dieth he shall be degraded of all His honours will not follow him to hell he shall be there base ignoble inglorious The riches of the covetous Mammonist shall not goe to bell with him they cannot corrupt the flames nor bribe the tormentours The voluptuous man's haukes and hounds cards dice cups shall not goe to hell with him as soone as death surprizeth him all these leave him What distinction can be given between the rich man's skull and the poor man's What difference doth death make between the noble and ignoble rich and poore Death cuts down all with it's sithe It 's mercy and free grace that makes all the difference Those 4 Summa Imperia were dissolved Sic transit gloria mundi The world is a Jonah's gourd like a vapor a bubble transient momentany uncertaine of short continuance Now weigh these together the excellency of the soule and vileness of the world as I have represented them in severall particulars Wee know Contraria juxtase posita magis eluccscunt And upon serious premeditation give in your verdict which would your rather have Oh! that God would move and perswade your hearts to make the better choice to prefer your pretious soules before all the kingdomes of the world and the glory of them Thus much for the doctrinallpart of the Text. The doctrine being thus proved and cleared by the forementioned comparison it now remaines that I should make the best improvement of it and set it home upon your consciences by particular Application I shall hold forth a sixfold use of this Doctrine which I shall endeavour to set home upon your consciences for Terrour Expostulation Exhortation Examination Direction and Consolation The first Use is a word of terrour and commination it speakes heavy tidings to all those who preferre the pomp and glory of the world 1 Vse for Terrour before their pretious soules how many preferre a base lust before their soules a penny profit before an immortal soul This is the condition of thousands the farre greater part even of the Christian world Now because every one will plead not guilty I l'e single out particular persons notoriously guilty 1. Ignorant persons who know not the excellency of a reasonable soule and Ignoti nulla cupido Discourse of the dignity of their soules and tell them of the infinite price pay'd to redeeme the soules of the elect they plead ignorance they are not book-learned But will this plea lick thee whole If thou art not book-learned yet thou must be heart-learned No kind of ignorance can acquit thee â toto though it may à tanto A sinne of ignorance in the Leviticall law had a trespasse offering An invincible gross ignorance amongst blind guides and blind corners where there hath been wanting a teaching ministry is lamentable but not excusable They shall be punisht with fewer stripes Hell shall not be heat so hot for them as for presumptuous sinners who sin against illumination of judgment and the bright shining light of the Gospel But they that suffer the least paines in hell shall suffer enough Doe not then plead thy ignorance that 's to purge one fault with another Now if a bare ignorance Ignorantia purae negationis an invincible crasse ignorance where meanes are wanting which wee have and enjoy if this be damnable and no excuse for a sinner for Rom. 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there 's enough to leave any without excuse what shall we say of an affected ignorance which is Ignorantia pravae dispositionis a shutting of the eyes against the light to be ignorant of the worth of Christ and the soule in these days when knowlege aboundes as the waters cover the seas when as for the time and meanes they might have been teachers when notwithstanding such a marvelous light shining brightly yet they are in darkness notwithstanding sermon upon sermon c a constant powerfull ministry shining lampes yet still people are ignorant they know not God what shall I say of them Let me tell them that they are under a dreadfull curse as Jer. 10. 25. 2 Thes 1. 8. Thou hast a pretious soule and knowest not of it notwithstanding so many warnings and admonitions by the messengers of God whose fault is that thy own questionless thou maiest know O! desperate damnable ignorance 2. Negligent persons are to be reproved these are heedlesse and 2. Negâ—gent persoâ—s carelesse what become of their soules For their bodies and estates they turmoyle and vexe themselves rising early c. For a gainfull bargaine for increasing their estates for boone joviall company they can find time enough but presse them to the practise of religious duties they plead want of time They want not time but good hearts Manna is even ready to drop into many mens mouthes and yet they will not take paines to gather it Many are so supine and lazy that they will not step over the threshold to heare a Sermon Many have gifts and good abilities but let them lye rustie for want of using slothfull persons shall be cloathed with ragges The fountaine is opened people are not
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
ten thousand pounds for a good conscience nay all his estate riches c. but all these cannot bribe death to stay one minute longer nor can they all make any atonement for the soule Riches honours c. are not a suitable proportionable price sor these are materiall and corruptible the soule immateriall and incorruptible and between these there 's no proportion Thirdly The price paid to redeem our soules is infinitely superlatively more worth then millions of worlds what 's that see 1 Pet. 1. 18. The soul was redeemed with the price of bloud even of him who was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not one soule saved any other way not the richest in the world nor the poorest can come any other way to heaven but by Jesus Christ The soule of the poorest saint though his person be trampled on by the world is bought by so great a price as the effusion of the bloud of Jesus Christ Hence it evidently appeares that the soul is more worth then the world Christ died not for the world he prayed not for them John 17. 9. but he died for his own whom his father had given him out of the world O Consid 2. Jesus Christ alone and the graces of his spirit can adorne the soule pretious heavenly-born-being soule 2ly It 's Jesus Christ alone the graces of his spirit that can beautifie enrich and adorne the soule Aske a covetous Mammonist where lies his riches he 'll tell you in such a stock of cattell such lands revennues gold silver c. Aske a child of God where are his riches he 'll tell you his riches are in Christ his treasures are in heaven his high place and preferment is in his fathers house Aske your stately Gallants whâ—re their ornaments are They will shew you their necklaces and bracelets of pearles their Diamond-Rings Gorgeous apparrell But what 's all these to the soule The soule is not beautified with golden chains costly raiment pretious jewels I le tell you of a chaine of pearls which will adorne your soules and enrich you more then all the pretious gemmes the Universe can afford read 2 Pet. 1. 5. Ps 45. 13 14. Ezek. 16. 9 10 11 c. Thou mayest be rich in the world yet poor in grace thou mayest have a beautifull face and a polluted soule goodly brave stately apparrell and a foule rotten conscience outward beauty inward deformity fair without foule within Now Christ his graces can alone make thy soule beautifull His graces are the best ornament and therefore beseech him to beautifie thy soule and to adorne thee with faith love and the rest of the Graces of his spirit Thirdly Consider God out of the riches of his free grace and mercy Consid 3 God puts a price into our hands to improve for our souls puts a price into your hands by the Gospell dispensations which he expects you should improve for the best advantage of your soules Force not the Lord to complaine as Prov. 17. 6. you have sermon upon sermon Manna falls frequently round about your tents will you not stir out of your doores to gather it you have the ordinances frequently dispensed amongst you you have bread in the morning and bread in the evening many occasionall sermons All these helpes and meanes are afforded by God for the good of your soules you have publick assemblies continued your eyes behold your teachers you enjoy Sabbaths dayes of humiliation dayes of thankesgiving wherein Gods keeps open market for the good of your soules and it s your duty to husband them all for the eternall welfare of your soules The Spirit knocks at your hearts by the sermons you hear by all the mercies you enjoy to take care of your pretious soules The salvation of your soules is the intention and end of all our preaching It 's the only designe we have upon you to win you to Jesus Christ all the Ordinances are the food of your soules to keep your soules in heart the sabbaths are the market of your souls you have soule-fatting Ordinances Oh take heed lest a leanenesse enter into your soules The markets will not alwaies last the shops will not alwayes be open now come and buy wine c. Improve the Sabbaths Sermons all your Gospel-opportunities for the eternal benefit of your soules Fourthly Consider This present time of life whilst you are in this Consid 4. This is the present time to regard our soules world is the only season and opportunity offered to make provision for your pretious soules see John 9. 4. This is the time to worke out your salvation in as Phil. 2. 12. The time of seeking God Isa 55. 6. This is the time of working the worke of faith the labour of love and patience of hope 2 Thes 1. 3. This is the time of making our peace and reconciliation with God Now we presse upon you the Doctrine of reconciliation 2 Cor. 5. 20. If thou livest and diest in an unregenerate and unreconciled estate to God thou wilt remaine so even to all eternity Now thou must run otherwise thou shalt never obtaine now thou must fight the good fight of faith otherwise thou shalt never obtain the end of thy faith the salvation of thy soule Now thou must wrestle otherwise thou wilt never obtein the blessing Now thy peace must be made whilst thou art on this side hell otherwise it will never be made hereafter There 's no time for purgation in another world for perfecting thy faith and hope this time of life is the seed time and according as a man soweth so shal he reape This time of life is a time of working in heaven there will be a resting from our labours As therefore thou tendrest the eternall welfare of thy soule whilst thou hast life breath space opportunity whilst thou art on this side the grave on this side of eternity set seriously upon the businesse of greatest weight and consequence to make thy peace with God to make thy calling and election sure that so when death separates thy soule from thy body nothing may be able to separate it from the love of Jesus Christ Consid 5. This present life is but for a moment Fifthly Consider This present life is but for a moment and upon this moment depends eternity The longest life is but a moâ—ent if compared with eternity and this moment is a short moment compared in Scripture to bubbles vapours spans weavers shuttles flowers things of shortest continuance And this moment is a shortning moment each day each hour each minute shortneth thy life and makes thee nearer eternity each step thou treadest is a step nearer thy Grave each moment thou breathest is a drawing on to thy home And further this moment when once past is irrecoverable all the world cannot call back one minute of time and when this little inch and moment of time is past thou shalt be in eternity in that condition which is unalterable as long
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.
be such a bitter sorrow for sin as for the losse of a first-born like the mourning of Hadad-rimmon in the valley of Megiddo Peter denyed shamefully and wept bitterly David watered his Couch with his tears Mary Magdalen out of whom Christ cast seven Devils washt Christs feet with her tears and wip'd them with the hair of her head Let it be bitter to remember that thou hast been so undutiful to so gracious a God that thou hast provoked such a merciful God to wrath whose nature is to shew mercy O how this consideration should melt thy heart into a soul-reforming sorrow Sins may be compared to the waters of Marah so bitter as none could drink of them Sin is a very bitter thing it produceth bitter effects But God shewed Dir. 2. Look through all Humiliations unto Jesus Christ Moses a Tree which made the Waters of Marah sweet The bitter Tears of Repentance and the most bitter afflictions which sin produceth will end in joy to those that are truly penitent 2. Though thou must be humbled and he that was never humbled never truly believed yet thou must not rest in thy humiliation but look unto Jesus Christ for a cure Thou must be sensible of the stings and wounds of sin and look unto Jesus Christ by the eye of Faith for a cure He is our peace Eph. 2. 14. No reconciliation but by him 2 Cor. 5. 19. No way to get healing pardon salvation but by him sue then out a Pardon sealed by the Blood of Christ O pray that be would cancel the hand-writing against thee and that by his Blood he would Justifie Sanctifie and Save thee No name no Mediator no Blood can make an Atonement for thee but this Blood of Sprinkling which speaks better things then the Blood of Abel 3. Having got a pardon through the Blood of Christ walk Dir. 3. Walk circuâ—â—spectly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Qui exacte vivunt nolunt vel in minimis deficere cedere solent enim vel minutissima observare Favorinus circumsâ—ectly in thy whole conversation Eph. 15. 5. There is an Emphasis in the Adverb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bids be watchful and circumspect take heed of re-acting thy youthful sins â—ill be renewing thy repentance and pray for more manifestation of Gods love unto thy soul 4. And lastly To conclude here is one word of comfort unto those upon whom God hath poured the Spirit of Repentance Old people that have truly repented of their sins shall have them imputed unto Christ and Christs righteousness unto them for Justification and let them read their blessedness Psalm 32. 1 2. Happy are they whose souls are washt white in the blood of the Use 4. For Consolation Lamb You that mourn for sin you shall be comforted You that bewail your sins and hate them and endeavor to walk closely with God in a holy conformity to his will you shall have this hand-writing blotted out And whether your sorrow be right and genuine you must try it by those Apostolical Characters 2 Cor. 7. 10 11. Let no man apply comfort to himself but upon Gospel terms And to you that are young upon whose hearts God hath wrought saving Grace in your tender years I must pronounce comfort to you Happy is it with you that God hath begun with you betimes and hath planted his fear in your hearts betimes You have heard how dear youthful sins cost many in their elder years O now be advised take warning fly youthful sins labour to be grave and serious in your carriages God hath done much for you what will you do for him speak good of his name advance his glory incourage your fellows to come unto God Remember that counsel which Christ gives Peter When thou art converted streng then thy brethren I beseech you all in the fear of God in the close of my Sermon to beware of youthful levity There is Mr. Jeremy Burroughs a great deal of frothy with amongst young men A Reverend Divine now with God used to pray That of all spirits God would be pleased to deliver him from a frothy spirit Beware of foolish Jesting Though the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be allowed in Aristotle yet it is condemned by St. Paul Eph. 5. 4. Let young Timothy be a patern for your imitation of whom Paul had such confidence And always labor to cleanse your ways according to that rule which I shall leave with you for a close of all Psal 119. v. 9. By taking heed thereto according to the word Iudgement and Mercy Set forth upon Gen. 6. 3. And the Lord said My spirit shall not always strive with man for that he also is flesh yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years IN the precedent Chapter you have the Genealogy of the long Serm. 2. At St. Mary's Oxon. Jan. 12. 1652. Gen. 5. 27. liv'd Patriarchs of the old World It 's observable that every ones particular age is exactly reckon'd and though they lived some more some fewer years yet every one agrees in the same conclusion And he dyed Methuselah who lived the longest of all lived nine hundred sixty and nine years and he dyed The longest livers saw death and could not deliver themselves from the hand of the Grave These ancient Fathers though dead may be said to live in their Posterities They left behinde them a numerous off-spring the Earth is full of people and mankinde is now multiplyed into multitudes v. 1. And as the People so their wickednesses are multiplyed The more people the more sinners O stupendious ingratitude God multiplies their off-spring and revives their memory in the fruit of their loyns For what are Parents of many Children but themselves so much the more multiplyed yet these wicked Wretches by how much the more God encreased and multiplyed them in their Posterity by so much the more they encreased and multiplyed their wickedness against him their Creator And now their abominations are come to the full and they are ripe for destruction The Lord exercised Mercies bowels of Mercies patience long-suffering towards them waiting upon them many years Preaching to them by the Patriarchs calling them to Repentance and notwithstanding all the loving kindnesses forbearances patient expectations of a gracious God yeâ— they remain obstinate refractory incorrigible whereupon the Lord will not suffer his patience to be abused any longer his Servants and Ministry to be contemned his Holy Spirit to be grieved v. 7 8. The Creatures were made for the service of Man both he and they should be took away together Man was the Lord over the Creatures and when he was took away what use would there be of them as Chrysostome observes Man had abused the Creatures over which he had dominion Master and Servants both fall together thus the whole Creation groâ—neth by reason of mans Apostacy from God As the Beasts were made for Man so they became subject 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quod
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
fruits thereof And these judgements God oftentimes inflicts upon those that contemne his Ordinances and often â—imes causeth a people to know the worth of them by the want of them Aggrav 2. God will not suffer his Spirit to woâ—ke in the Ordinances Or secondly if God continue his Ordinances and a people still resist the strivings of his Spirit this is another aggravation that the Lord wil not suffer his Spirit to work in the Ordinances What 's the Word without the Spirit but a dead letter The Word is the seed it is the Spirit that quickens it Now when God denieth his Spirit in an Ordinance and people hear onely a bare sound which goeth in at one ear and out of another and reap no profit and are never a whit wrought upon by an Ordinance this is a lamentable condition Enthusiasts cry up the Spirit and cry down the Word Formalists cry up the Word they keep their Church well that 's their own phrase but they regard not the workings of the Spirit This is Argumentum à bene conjunctis ad male divisa We have no warrant to leave the bright shining light of the Word and to follow a wild rambling light of our own The Spirit works by the Word and tyes us to the rule New devised lights may Levit. 10. 2 meet with the same judgement as Nadab and Abihu met withall for offering strange fire unto the Lord. Neither may we as Formalists doe rest in our comming to and hearing of Ordinances we must examine the working of Gods Spirit upon our soules When God gives quickning Ordinances let us pray for the energetical effectual working of Gods Spirit Deadnesse of Spirit saith Mr. Greenham is the grave of spiritual graces Between a lazy and a fervent performer of duties you may see the difference Greenham 2 Kings 4. 31 32 33 34. Gehazi went on in a carelesse formall manner and layd his staffe upon the child but there was neither voice nor hearing But when Elisha put his eyes upon the childs eyes and his mouth on the childs mouth the flesh of the child waxed warm O beware of slighting or resisâ—ing the â—pirit in an Ordinance lest in judgement God may give thee a bare Ordinance or resting contented with a bare outside formall service without any lively workings of the Spirit upon thine heart and that will be but as a carkasse when the soul is gone When people drive away Gods Spirit and will not regard its strivings Aggrav 3. God gives over those that resist his Spirit unto a spirit of delusion then God gives them over in judgement to a spirit of delusion 2 Thes 2. 11. For this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they shall believe a lye VVhen Ministery the Lords-day and other Sabbath-Ordinances are trampled under feet when the plain infallible rule of the Scriptures is laid aside when some flatter themselves with high swelling conceits of their own gifts upon pretence of a Light within them Dreams and Revelations then God in judgement gives them over to a spirit of delusion The Devil works upon their fancies and puffs them up with pride and their pride swels them and bursts them Beware of Pride and above all Pride of spiritual Pride Beware of itching eares after novel Doctrines Upon pretence of new truths many suck in antiquated long since exploâ—ed â—rrours And if it be an errour though I take it not so yet account it an errour of love I advise especially young beginners to beware of Scepticism high-slown curiosities in the study of divinity It 's a ground of experience Scepticism Rom. 14. 1. Quod si observassent Scholastici non totâ— spinosas salebrosas ne dicaÌ„ impiâ—s sacrilegas quaestiones in eornÌ„ libris habere mus P. Mart. Aggrav 4. God gives those over to a hard heart who resist the motions of the Spirit frequently produceth Heresie â—ereâ—e terminatesin Atheisme and my counsel is grounded upon the known rule Him that is weak in the faith receive you but not in doubtfull disputatâ—ons Would Schoolmen saith Pet. Martyr had observed this Scripture Study Fundamentals get a Body of Divinity in your heads and hearts before you venture upon Polemicals Be well provided and furnished with weapons from the Principles of Divinity before you grapple with gain-sayers A fourth and last aggravation I shall mention is this when Gods Spirit hath stroven long knockt and waited and is abused and resisted then God gives over such persons to an hard heart and a reprobate mind And an hard heart and a reprobate mind is an hell upon earth Isa 6. 9 10. Go and tell this people Hear ye indeed but understand not and see ye indeed but perceive not Make the heart of this people fat and make their ears heavy and shut their eyes lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and convert and be healed It 's cited by all the four Evangelists and in the Acts of the Apostles and the Epistle to the Romans by such frequent repetition of the self-same thing aggravating the greatnesse of the judgement It 's accounted the grand curse of the Gospel Joh. 9. 39. For judgement am I come into this John 9. 39. world that they which see not might see and that they which see might be made blind When men have been a long time under the sound of the Gospel and the Spirit hath moved and woed beseeching us to amend our lives and walk in an holy obedience and conformity to the will of God and yet we stand out and bid defiance to the Spirit of Grace then it is just for God to say hard heart seize upon such a one reprobate sense take hold of another let them be Sermon-proof and Judgement-proof let them remain insensible let their consciences be cauterized O whaâ— a fearfull judgement is this as the Apostle mentions But after thy hardnesse Roâ— 2. 5. and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thy self wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of God May these aggravations make deep impressions upon all our spirits and make us fear and tremble any more to withstand the sweet motions and whispers of the Spirit of God A second use is for Exhortation I entreat beseech exhort conjure Vse 2. For Exhortation you by all the motions of the Spirit by all the tenders of mercies patience and long-suffering of God that you would take heed of quenching resisting sadding the holy Spirit of God but cherish embrace make much of all the strivings of the Spirit of God with your soules To day the Spirit calls hear his voice to day the Spirit woes and would make a contract with your soules O now accept of him to day the Spirit invites lay aside all excuses and come It 's the Embassie that Gods Ministers are sent upon Now then we are Ambassadors for Christ as though
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
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
destroys presently in the midst of their rebellions But admit he gives space though he is not bound unto that yet he denys grace to many to whom he vouchsafes space as unto Jezabel and we read of a peradventure 2 Timothy 2. 25. In meeknesse instructing those that oppose themselves if peradventure God may give them repentance This Doctrine speaks terror unto all them that procrastinate repentance I le lay down these convictions It argues exceeding great folly and madness Do we not see how Convict 1. It s great folly to put off repentance many are cropt off in their buds how many are cut off in their sins we are wiser for the World In gainful bargains we make haste saying Do not delay for fear of danger and yet we are stark fools for our souls 2. It argues a great contempt an high affront and indignity against Convict 2. It argues great contempt God Mal. 1. 8. If ye offer the blinde for sacrifice is it not evil c. offer it unto your governor will he be pleased with thee 3. It argues high presumption to presume of patience mercy Convict 3. It argues high presumption and long-suffering when as we abuse them all Rom. 2. 4 5. Despisest thou the riches of his goodness forbearance and long-sâ—ffering not knowing that the goodness of the Lord leadeth thee to repentance A terâ—ible curse will follow if we neglect Gods time when he calls when we call he will neglect our time Prov. 1. 24 25. Because I have called and ye have refused c. therefore ye shall call but I will not answer The third use is for Exhortation to lay hold upon the present Use 3. For Exhortatiâ—n tenders of Grace and make the best of this opportunity Defer not thy repentance a moment longer lay aside all excuses â—ne pleads for his Oxen another for his Form another for his Merchâ—ndise All these are unfit guests for Christ Now therefore come into Christ Is it not a great mercy that thou art yet alive on this side Hell and the Grave Now then close with God set an high price of Gods mercies and let the riches of his mercy lead thee to repentance Consider 1. Now is the Spirits striving time 2. Now is the limitted time Heb. 4. 7. To day if you will hear his voice c. 3. Now is the accepted time thy soul-saving time 2 Cor. 6. 2. 4. Now once past cannot be recalled I therefore now beseech you by the mercies of God by all the Sermons and Invitations of Christ to make your peace with God to embrace the mercies tendered to break off your sins by repentance and to regard the strivings and wooings of the Spirit of God The fourth use is foâ— caution 1. Beware of presuming of future Use 4. For caution 1. Beware of presuming of Grace offers of Grace James 4. 13 14. Go to now ye that say To day or to morrow we will go into such a City and continue there a year and buy and sell whereas ye know not what shall be on the morow The fool in the Gospel was cut off in the midst of his presumption Thou fool this night shall thy soul be required of thee Esau mist his Luke 12. 20 season The five foolish Virgins mist their seasons The old world presumed of life never thinking of a Deluge but when the Flood came How did they wander some got upon House-tops some upon high Mountains some would questionless have been entertained in the Ark but the day of Grace was expired the commission of Preaching of Repentance was but for 120 years that 's past and a Flood over-whelmed them all O my dear Brethren be perswaded to lay hold on the present season of Grace lest ruine overtake you whilst you procrastinate 2. â—eware of sadding the Spirit of God and resisting the sweet motions thereof Eph. 4. 30. The Spirit invites calls woos intreats 2. Beware of sadding the spirit of God thee to be reâ—onciled and make thy peace with God Thou hearest a voice behinde thee saying This is the way walk therein Hearken to the voice of this spiritual Charmer which charmeth so wisely 3. Beware of low and mean thoughts of the Ordinances of God 3 Beware of low â—houghts of Ordinances Heb. 2. 3. The Israelites slighted Mannah but they paid dear for it Gods Spirit strives by the Word by Prayer by the Sacraments Take heed of undervaluing all these ways of striving Sometimes God strives by an affliction for that 's Gods Ordinance likewise and calls upon thee to learn instruction to smite upon thy thigh 4. Beware of neglecting observations of particular experiences 4. Beware of neglecting observations c. Sometimes God strives with thee in a way of mercy by tenders of Christ sometimes by threatnings neglect not these strivings but make a review of them observe Gods dealings with thy soul how the Lord woos invites and waits on thee how sometimes thy heart hath been opened like Lydia's to close with God sometimes thou art quick other times dull sometimes thou hast hold of Christ other times thou wantest his presence This is the lot of Gods people sometimes they are in an ebb someâ—imes in a float sometimes their Faith is strong other times they know not whether they have any at all or no This was David's case and thou must apply Davids remedy Why arâ— thou cast down O my Psal 4. 2. v. ult soul and why art thou disquieted within me still trust in God Beware of trusting to thine own resolutions O say some I resolve hereafter to repent and close with God This is that which ruines multitudes because they presume in their own strength What are our resolutions but as the early dew which soon passeth away What are the best of men if God leaves them unto themselves we must therefore take heed of sacrificing to our own nets and drags trusting to our own strength but come off from all those and act in the strength of God We can do nothing without him but all things through Christ that strengthens us Samson said He would go out and shake himself as at other times And he wist not Judg. 16. 20. that the Lord was departed from him 5. Beware of pride and stoutness of heart Lastly Beware of pride and stoutness of heart trying conclusions with God and reasoning and counter-striving against God The proud men would not believe the Prophet saying Thou speakest falsly the Lord our God hath not sent thee to say Go not into Aegypt to sojourn there Jer. 43. 2. Use 5. For admonition The fifth Use shall be for admonition O that we could account the long-suffering of God our salvation And O that the goodness of God and the riches of his mercy might lead us to repentance In few words be admonished 1. Take the benefit of the season To day Repent speedily 1. Repent speedily 2. Repent seriously Isa 55. 6. Heb.
4. 7. 2. Repent seriously and Evangelically make not a slight matter of so great a work neither rest satisfied in a legal repentance extorted from the fear of Hell and the wrath of an angry God but let it be done Evangelically from the love of God the consideration of the displeasure of so good a God and the sinfulness of sin let those considerations melt thee into tears and cause thee to mourn ingenuously 3. Be continually renewing thy repentance and when thou hast 3 Be renewing thy repentance frequently felt a pardon get it fairer transcribed and renewed through the Blood of Christ His blood cleanseth from all sins And there is redemption through his Blood the forgiveness of sins 4. Be thankful for the space that God gives thee thou canst never 4 Be thankfull for the space given thee 5. Improve every mercy to more saith full performance of duty acknowledge enough the patience and forbearance of God who gives thee time and allows thee space and wher 's his Sword and bends his Bow to give thee warning to escape the blow What shall I render unto the Lord for all his mercies and loving kindnesses Will Eternity be enough to praise the Lord 5. Improve every mercy to more faithful performance of duties The last Use is for comfort unto those who make much of the strivings of Gods Spirit and make the best improvement of the Use 6. For consolation time that God alots them for repentance This will yield them comfort in their lives on their death-beds 2 Kings 20. 3. Remember O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight And to all Eternity Happy are they that have hearkned to Gods call and made a good use of all the means of Grace and spent the allotted time to Gods glory Here they shall reap the first-fruits of Joy and Comfort and hereafter the full Harvest unto all Eternity An Ingagement unto Holyness from the consideration of the Day of Iudgement Unfolded from 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 Godliness THat Christ shall come to Judgement is an Article of our Ser. 4. at St. Maryes Oxon July 27 1651. Faith We profess we believe it yet how many deny it in their practices Some put far from them the evil day or think not of a day of account like desperate Bank-rupts adding more to the score not considering an after reckoning Hence multitudes live as they list without God in the world running into all excess of riot frolicking it in all manner of Epicurism and Voluptuousness thus denying the Day of Judgement by the wickedness of their lives Others are much offended because the day is so long a coming because Christ stays so long they are hot-spurs and will not wait If Gods cloâ—k strike not according to their Dyal If the Resurrection Day of Judgement Christs second coming be not assoon as they expect they call all in question and propose a question full of Blasphemy and Infidelity both ver 4. Where is the promise of his coming These blasphemous Scoffers ver 4. Arg. 1. Ver. 5. the Apostle consures by several Arguments The world was created by the word of God v. 5. It was not ab aeterno as Philosophers dreamed now the Argument is valid The same God who by his word made the world can by his word destroy it when he pleaseth A second Argument is drawn from experience v. 6. By the Deluge Arg. 2. Ver. 6. the old world was destroyed God bade the water over-flow and destroy man and beast and it did so And the time will come that he will bid the fire to destroy this visible World wherein we noâ— live and it shall be so v. 7. A third Argument is drawn from the Eternity of God We Ver. 7. Arg. 3. poor Creatures measure things by time we speak of days weeks moneths and years of times past present and to come thus we apprehend but time past present and to come are all one in God His Decree delays not He 's not measured by time Ver. 8. v. 8. If God seem to defer this day yet this is an argument of singular patience mercy and loving kindness not of any slackness Ver. 9. v. 9. Gods long-suffering should be our salvation Gods patience and waiting upon us roads us a Lecture of Repentance O infinite forbearance bowels of mercy opened when as the Lord might cut us asunder in the midst of our rebellions and send us to Hell immediately yet he wooes invites and beseecheth us to repent and he waits and trys us whetting of his Sword bending of his Bow that whil'st the Sword is a whetting and the Bow a bending we should prudently fore-see and take warning that so we might escape the blow The fourth and last Argument to confute those scoffers who Arg. 4 are over curiously inquisitive hasty unbelieving rashly expostulating Where is the promise of his coming This I say is drawn Ver. 10. from the manner of Christs coming v. 10. Hoc additum est saith Calvin ut semper sint in excubiis fideles nec crastinum sibi promittant This may be considered three manner of ways 1. It 's unexpected as Thieves come unlook'd for when men 1. are asleep and most secure then the Thief comes When the old World was secure in the midst of their jollity then came the Flood and swept them away 2. There will be a change of the whole frame of the Universe 2. Matth. 24. 38. 39. Beza Erasmus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. v. 10. The heavens c. Impetum veluti Sibillantis procella declarat So Beza In morem procellae in manner of a storm So Erasmus 3. There shall be an utter conslagration of all things even of those wherein worldlings place their happiness The Mannors Lands goodly Buildings the Wonders and Idols of the World shall be burnt up at that day Now it will be our wisdom neither to question the truth of these things for Truth it self the Lord Jesus Christ hath told us that these things shall come to pass neither ought we to be curiously inquisitive after the particular time when as some of the Jewish Rabbins have been too bold in this paâ—ticular neither ought we to be impatient or querulous because it s not yet accomplished 4. Our duty to wait and believe And our main duty and wisdom will consist in this to make preparation to be in Procinctu 4. Hab. 2. 3 4. to have our Garments girt about us to have our Lamps burning and Oyl enough in them against that great day Far be it from me to raise a dust or rake into the Dung-hill of those ancient lately 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hereticks who deny the Resurrection the Day of
that are Masters of Families be exhorted to set up Holynesse in your Families Teach your children and servants to know God keep up your authority give not liberty to them under your roofe to live as they list Abraham gave no toleration he commanded his houshold to keep the way of the Lord. Let all sorts and sexes old and Gen. 18. 19. young learned and unlearned lay this Exhortation to heart I presse holynesse upon you all O that the Priests Motto were writ upon your hearts and lives Holynesse unto the Lord. You cannot say as Sheba the Son of Bichri said We have no portion in David c. as if this concerns not us but holynesse concerns you all you must all follow after holynesse To excite you to your duty I 'll lay down some moving considerations Consid 1. We are elected unto holinesse 2 Thes 2. 13. 1. Consider you are elected unto holynesse not for holynesse nor through praevision of holyness that 's a false Arminian glosse but unto holynesse 2. We are created unto holynesse All the members of our bodies Consid 2. We are created in holynesse Ephes 4. 24. and faculties of our soules should be instruments of holynesse The tongue should speak holily holy communication should drop from the tongue the heart and hand both should be clean as James specifies c. 4. 8. The feet must keep the wayes of Gods commandements Consid â— We are redeemed to be holy Luk. 1. 74. 75. the understanding will affections the whole man all must be holy to this purpose they were created 3. Consider we are redeemed for this end and purpose that we may be holy 4. It 's Gods will that we should be holy 1 Thes 4. 3. Now our Consid 4. It s Gods will that we should be holy wils must be subject unto Gods will He commands us to be holy we should pray for his grace to enable us to perform his command Holynesse is suitable to Gods will and wee have an encouraging promise 1 Joh. 5. 14. 5. â—olynesse is our calling 1 Pet. 1. 15. 1 Thes 4. 7. Wee can Consid 5. Holyness is our calling have no comfort but when we are in a lawfull calling when our wayes are according to Gods wayes wee may hope for Gods gracious protection according to the promise Psal 91. 11. When any commit wickednesse are unclean drunk associate themselves with wicked persons they are out of their calling and so out of Gods special pâ—ovidence Consider this seriously when you are tempted to Whoredom or any oâ—her sin God hath not called you unto unâ—eannesse but unto holynesse 6. Heaven is an holy place only appointed for holy persons Nothing Consid 6. Heaven is a holy place that 's defiled shall enter there Rev. 21. 27. Onely holy persons shall be acquitted before Christs Judgement-seat They only shall enter into the new Jerusalem 7. In heaven there shall bee no other but holy employment Consid 7. In Heaven there is holy employment singing Hosannahs and Hallelujahs to him that sitteth on the throne and to the Lamb for evermore A prophane person hates holy Ordinances and holy employments here on earth Were it possible for him to be in heaven hee would be weary of the employment whereas the Saints shall have their hearts put into such an high and excellent frame as they shall without molestation weariness or intermission be ever setting forth the praises of the Lord. 8. And there will be in heaven the most holy company the holy Consid 8. In heaven there is holy company Trinitie God the Father God the Son God the Holy Ghost the most holy blessed and glorious Trinity There will be holy Angels the spirits of just men made perfect holy Martyrs holy Ministers holy people No company there but all holy company 9. And lastly to close up all Now whilst we live on earth is Consid 9. The present time is the time to labor after holynes the time or never to labour after holynesse now I mean in this time of life we must make provision for eternity This is Gods summons to day if you will hear his voice Delay not a minute longer Resist not the movings of the Spirit great is the danger of resisting the Spirits movings The Lord set home all these considerations upon your hearts and if hereby the Lord should be pleased to gaine any soul to the love and practise of holynesse I should never be enough thankful for the mercies of this day The third Use is for Examination and Tryal Every one will Use 3. For Examination plead for himself and pretend to an holy conversation As it was said When the Son of man comes shall he finde faith on the earth So shall he find an holy conversation a formal Professor a Christian at large are every where to be found like Sycamoâ—es in the valley for abundance but the power of holynesse an holy circumspect walking are rarely found Now then because its the grand Ministerial duty to distinguish the precious from the vile according to that high commendation and priviledge given as to be the mouthes of God Jer. 15. 19. And because God hath gone forth in a signal exemplary blessing upon this way which hath been so frequently used by old Disciples faithful labouring Ministers whose plain Preaching would it were more revived now adaies It shall therefore be my task to lay forth some distinguishing characters and signs of a gracious sincere heart whose life is accordingly ordered in an holy conversation and by them you may put your selves upon the test and tryal as in the presence of God whether you are such manner of persons in all holy conversation and godlinesse The first sign is spiritual poverty and this consists in the emptying Charact. 1. Spiritual Poverty of the heart of self-confidence self-opinion self-sufficiency and self-righteousnesse whereby a Christian becomes nothing in himself altogether lost undone blind miserable poor and naked He is thoroughly sensible of his own misery and wretchednesse He is apprehensive of his own undone condition and what need he hath of a Saviour such an one Christ pronounceth to be in the state Mat. 5. 3. of blessednesse 2. There followeth the highest prizing and estimate of Jesus Charact. 2. High prizing of Jesus Chr. Christ That soul which is spiritually poor accounts Christ the greatest treasure it apprehends it self blind that Christ may give it eye-salve miserable and lost that Christ may save it naked that Christ may cloath it with his righteousnesse See what an high price the Spoâ—se puts upon Jesus Christ Cant. 5. 10 11 12 c. He is precious 1 Pet. 2. 7. a plant of renown Ezek. 34 29. Such an high price had the wise Merchant to sell all for him Mat. 13. 45 46. So Moses who preferred the reproach of Christ before Egypts treasure Bradford wept often even at meales because he could not bring his dul heart
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.
shall I tell you further of their seven Sacraments and other Trent Doctrines viz Justification by workâ— Purgatory Indulgences Transubstantiation the Masse praying to Saints I would not at this time conjure up these devils unlesse I had more time to lay them down by a particular confutation I referre you to the learned confutations of Chamier Dr. Whitaker and Dr. Reynolds each one the glory and oâ—nament of his â—niverâ—ty and our Nation One of them kills his enemy and hewes him to peeces Another buries him I will give in a few Principles which are not my judgment only though I heartily subscribe thereunto but of many others whose â—ookes I am not worthy to carry after them One is that the Pope is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Antichrist let 's not be afraid 1. The Pope is the Antichrist v. G. Downham to give him his right name aâ—d call a spade a spade a Whore a Whore Antichrist Antichrist Learned Downham in severall demonstrations abundantly proves the Assertion it s a book worthy your perusâ—ll K. James ask'd Sir Francis Bacon whether the â—oâ—e were Antichrist he returned this answer that if a hue and cry were made after Antichrist and he should apprehend the Pope he would make him clear himself of the markes of Antichrist before he would let him goe A Second Principle is this that a Papist cannot goe beyond a 2. A Papist cannot goe beyond a Reprobate v. Mr. Perkins Reprobate I referre you to the Learned and satisfactoâ—y tract of judicious Mr. Perkins who will give you if you be as willing to reâ—eive abundant satisfaction in this particular A 3 d. Principle is that there ought to be no Peace no â—econciliation with â—ome I am herein fully of that Reverend Drsâ—oâ—inion 3. There ought to be no peace with Rome B. Hall thâ—t there ought to be no peace with â—ome though I cannot agree with him in saying that Rome is a true Church no more then I can say that a womâ—n is honest who is knowâ— to be a common Whore As for Cassander of old Sancta Clara of late who would be reconcilers and joyn the Ark and Dagon Rome and England together for ought I know they may as well reconcile the two Poles as unite those that differ in severall fundamentals A Pottle of Tyber and a Pint of Thames will make a strange Medley Ballderdash Gallimaufrie what shall I call it Christ and Antichrist will not bee thus yoaked Protestantisme and Popery Rome and Geneva can agree no more than fire and water Frigida cum calidis pugnant humentia siccis Lead and Gold cannot agree in the same Furnace no union with Antichrist no peace with Jezabel no reconciliation with Babylon A fourth Principle is this That a Papist living and dying in 4. A Papist living dying in the trusting to his Merits cannot bee saved 5. Babylon is Rome the opinion of his own Merits cannot be saved because he overthroweth the Foundation cuts off that Bough whereon he should lean he overthroweth the Righteousnesse of Christ and without Christs righteousnesse no salvation 5. That Babylon is Rome Vrbs septicollis and shall bee destroyed Rome is that Mother of Fornications and Witchcrafts and herein you have the consent of the most Orthodox and learned Interpreters of the Revelation who concurre in this principle These are the Principles which I am not afraid to own and I am persâ—â—ded that few or none of you differ from my judgment but beleeve these Principles to be true I will have but one word more for a close of all in my last use Vse 3. For Exhortation which is for exhortation and then I shall dismisse you My Brethren you have heard of the Mercies of this day singular Deliverances singular Testimonies of the loving kindness of the Lord Now what eminent things shall we doe for God What shall we render unto the Lord for all his benefits Let me be your Remembrancer after what manner we should remember the mercyes of this day and then I shall commend you to the grace of God 1. Remember to transmit the memory of this day to your Posterity Let this Anniversary solemnity be kept in record let it bee told by the Father to the children and to the childrens children from Generation to Generation Because some question the truth of the day and look upon it but as a politick invention and Trick of State let us bee more diligent to keep it in memory let us speak one to another of the mercies of this day be well acquainted with the History of the day and let us speak of this deliverance in the house in the field at our down-lying and rising up what things of old what ancient mercies the Lord hath vouchsafed to our Fathers and to us in them May this day be wrote in the Kalendar in Letters of Gold which the Papists would have wrote in letters of blood 2. Remember and praise God for this miraculous deliverance 2. Praise God for the Mercies of this day let our mouthes be filled with the praises of the Lord Ps 107. 8. Le ts take up the Ps 124. and make application let our lips praise the Lord and let us say the name of the Lord be praised let our hearts praise the Lord let all that is within us bless his holy name 3. Remember and be vigilant watch against Papists trust them 3. Remember and be watchfull not we know their equivoâ—tions we know their blood-thiâ—styâ—ess le ts ever deprecate and â—bhorre any Toleration any connivance or compliance with them no moâ—e trusting to them than to Simeon and Levi Brethren in Iniquity in whose habitations were instruments of cruelty Gen. 49. 5 6. Be cuâ—telous come not near the brinke venture not upon Arminiâ—n Fâ—milistical and other mungril opinions which partly speaks in the language of the Jews and partly in the language of Ashdod Give the Devil his Option he would have for his Agent a. Familist as soon as a Papist for a Familist can aequivocate and tell you he means Christ and him crucified when as he means not the Christ crucified at Jerusalem but a phansie of his own addle brain a Christ in him or a Platonick Christ 4. And lastly shew some tokens for good of your joy and rejoycing 4. Shew some token of thankfulness in the mercy of this day This day is a day of Thanksgiving let it be a day of Almes-giving to cloath the naked and feed the hungry that their loyns may bless you send to such for whom nothing is prepared This day is a feasting day and there ought to be a sending of portâ—ons one unto another I come in a good day I hope you will not say me my there are many pooâ—e Housholders and poor Scholars too it 's farre more charity to help them than your wandring Peggars In Florence as I have read there was speciall provision made for such housholders as were poor and
with that Apostolical Doxology Rom. 11. 36. For of him and through him are all things to whom be glory for ever Amen I shall adde a fourth consideration and that shall be drawn from Consid 4. Drawn from the credit reputation of Christian Religion the Credit and Reputation of Christian Religion which we should with our lives livelyhood and all endeavour to uphoâ—d Shall Heathens think no cost great enough no paines no service sufficient for their false Gods and shall we grudge at every thing which we doe in the worship of the true God We read in the Text that the name of God is dreadfull amongst the Heathens i. e. Gods greatnesse is astonishing amongst the Heathen They have some dread and fear of a Deity Pharaoh Nebuchadnezzar and others Drusius in loc have been forced to confesse the power of God Quod merito vobis pudorem incutere debet so Drusius on the place i. e. This consideration ought to make you ashamed that ye who are my people doe not reverence me yet the Gentiles reverence and fear my name The Christian Religion gives not its Professors a Writ of Ease but presseth upon us running racing fighting wrestling striving to enter in at the strait gate contending for the Faith taking heaven by violence working out our salvation giving all diligence to make our Calling and Election sure If we sit loose from duties or do them superficially and slightly we open the mouthes of Heathens and ungodly men to speak evil of Religion Uncircumspect carelesse walking of many Professors causeth the enemies of God to blaspheme What will Turks say they give Mahomet the best service they can and shall Christians be carelesse in their service to Christ shall Mahometans be more zealous to serve their false Prophet than Christians to serve the great true Prophet Jesus Christ Pliny tels us a story that Alexander when he had conquered Arabia he presented his School-master with a ship laden full of Frankincense bidding him to spare for no cost when he offered sacrifice unto the Gods Let not Christians think much of any cost any pains and service offered unto the great God of heaven and earth As for instance our prayers must be fervent Jam. 5. 16. In giving Almes we must give with simplicity in Ruling wee must rule with diligence Rom. 12. 8. Love must be without dissimulation Rom. 12. 9. Faith must be a working faith 1 Thess 1. 3. In every duty we must put our whole strength to it remembring the counsel of the Wise man Eccles 9. 10. to do with all our mâ—ght It was a great wickednesse in Aigolandus King of Africa to scorn the Christian Religion because he saw many Christians poor and ragged But it is much more evil in Christians especially Professors by their loose and carelesse walking to give advantage to prophane men to asperse the Christian Religion Religion receiveth many a wound by licentious Professors How nearly then doth it concern all Professors to look more narroâ—ly to their paths to walk worthy of God as becommeth the Gospel that to their utmost they may keep up the reputation of Christian Religion A fifth consâ—deration shall be drawn from the greatnesse of the Consid 5. From the sin in offering the vile and corrupt 1 It is a great folly sin in offering that which is vile and corrupt unto the Lord. This sin is compounded of four ingredients Folly Contempt Presumption and Sacriledge 1. It argueth great Folly to put off God with the worst to present unto an omniscient God a worthless sacrifice is exceeding great folly and such folly shall not escape unpunished The heart is known to God it 's that which God principally looks after He it is which searcheth the heart and tryeth the reines A sacrifice without a heart is rejected In praying if iniquity be regarded the Lord will not hear Psal 66. 18. Wherefore is Ephraim called a filly Dove the Prophet renâ—ers the reason because he was without Mr. Totshel of Hypocrisie a heart Hos 7. 11. Now the heart is the chiefest thing which God requires and he requires the strength and bent of the heart the integrity thereof It must be one entire and undivided heart Let 's not dare to collude with God though we may deceive our selves and the world yet we cannot deceive God It 's exceeding great madness and folly to offer to the All-knowing sin-revenging heart-searching God any thing vile and contemptible 2. It argueth great contempt v. 13. the words next proceeding 2. It argues great contempt v. 7 8. The lame and the blind are abhominable God expects an intelligent reasonable service Blind devotion ignorant services are abhominable That Popish opinion deserves an Anathema that Ignorance is the Mother of Devotion God requires the strength and vigour of the whole man Therefore cold languishing services lame halting services are abhominable A governour on earth would not be put off with a refuse sleight present Jacob commands Take of the best fruits in the Land Gen. 43. 11. And shall we present to the great King of heaven and earth a contemptible vile service we read Zech. 11. 13. its called a goodly price by way of scorn and disdain that such a sordid price should be given And what was that price but thirty pieces of silver about five Marks of our mony which as Josephus and other Hâ—storians mention was the price of a slave And indeed abhominable sinners do what in them lies to put the great God to the condition of a slave Isa 34. 24. Consider what a great affront and contempt it would be for a Beggar in his nasty ragge to come and set himselfe down at the Table of a Prince How much more is it for prophane persons to sit themselves down at the Table of the Lord No uncircumcised person ought to eat the Passeover and no uncircumâ—ised in heart ought to eat the Lords supper The blind and the lame ignorant and scandalous have no right to this Ordinance because they discern not the Lords body It's childrens bread holy food In the Primitive times when the Sacrament was to be administred one cryed out aloud holy things for holy persons Though unwarrantable separations do much harm as one extreme so I am perswaded that promiscuous Communion will doe as much harme on the other extream 3. It argueth great presumption to presume of acceptance of 3. It argueth great presumption that service which is cheap sordid and sleight For any to think any torn beast would serve well enough for a sacrifice this was the great presumptuous sin of the Jews And for Christians to think a base out-side Profession will serve the turn is a formall lazy cheap devotion The bare sitting out of a Sermon the mumbling over in bed those few words between sleeping and waking Lord have mercy upon me For people to lick themselves whole and think to be cured by such sleight Medicines what 's this but
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
consult the eternall benefit of your immortall souls Now the voice of the Turtle is heard in the Land Manna falls round about your Tents The spirituall Manna of the word is plentifully rained downe amongst you You never had more frequent never more profitable preaching Now the Spirit moves by the Ministery of the word And the Lord expostulates the case * Ezek. 18. 31. Why will you die O house of Israel The Lord delights not in your blood so he professeth †Vers 32. For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dyeth saith the Lord God Wherefore turn your selves and live ye Now the Lord Jesus knocks at the dores of your hearts â—â— and waits for admission He waits to be gracious and even waits till his locks be wet with dew He invites himself to be thy guest and he invites thee to come unto him he will entertain thee with a banquet of love Now herein appears the great and wonderfull condescension of our gracious God who to shew his willingnesse to be reconciled is himself first in the motion We sought not to him though we were the offenders but he sought unto us Hence appears how abundant in loving-kindness mercy the Lord is towards us even alwaies before hand with us in mercy notwithstanding we unthankfull wretches are behind hand with him in duty The Lord convinceth all the World and stops the mouths of Cavillers that he is not so austere as some men mis-understand him but he seeks to us first and is * 2. Pet. 3. 9. not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance A greater gift the Father could not give then his beloved Son yet he sent him out of his bosome the Son in whom he was well pleased not to reign according to the state of earthly Kings but to be as †Mat. 3. 17. one that serveth and not to save his life but to lay downe his life as a ransome for all those that were given him of the Father And to this very end and purpose Christ came ‖ Mat. 18. 11. That he might seek and save that which was lost We were all lost in the old Adam and there was no way of recovering our selves but by seeking after our Interest in the new Adam yet we would not seek him we ran away from him and when he invited we made excuses and would not come when he knockt we bolted the dore when he called we would not answer But Jesus Christ in the day of his power makes us a * Ps 110. 3. willing people or a people of willingnesses as the originall expresseth it Now Christ's great errand was to seek us when we were altogether lost and when he found us he beseeched us by the Ministery of his Ambassadours that we would be reconciled unto God Fourthly consider Reconciliation once made for us by Jesus Motive 4. Reconciliation once made is made for ever Christ with the Father is abiding and permanent There will be no breakings out again The Reconciliation once made is made for ever and the Foundation of it is the Faithfulnesse of God He is a God †Psal 89. 28. 34. keeping covenant ‖ 2 Chr. 13. 5 faithfull that hath promised his * Heb. 10. 23. promises are yea and Amen The covenant of God is †2 Sam. 23. 5 an everlasting covenant it 's a covenant of ‖ salt and the love of God is * Jer. 31. 3. everlasting And Christs love is †Joh. 13. 1. to the end Christs prayers and intercession are everlasting as in the place forecited Heb. 7. 25. So that hence we may conclude that once justified and for ever justified once reconciled and for ever reconciled Let us on our part labour to get assurance of our reconciled estate and get more evidences and manifestations thereof unto our own souls and so we shall reap the greater comfort As for Gods part there 's no possibility of failing he never was nor will be worse then his word He is truth it selfe and he glories in that attribute of truth that he is faithfull in all his promises Balaam though a mercenary Prophet gives a true attestation * Numb 23. 19. Numb 23. 19. God is not a man that he should lye neither the Son of man that he should repent hath he said and shall he not do it or hath he spoken and shall he not make it good Such then as hold the Saints Apostasie as Petrus Bertius doth the Frontispice of whose book viz. Apostasia sanctorum seems to me to be contradictio in adjecto and others both of the Popish and Arminian faction now adaies do highly derogate from the faithfulnesse of God and are the greatest adversaries unto the consolation of Gods Children by making them sad whom God would not have made sad Among many there 's one speciall Scripture which overthrowes all the Arminian Cavils in this particular Here let us fix and through Gods grace resolve never to start a jot from that truth delivered by our Saviour †Joh. 10. 28. Joh. 10. 28. And I give unto them eternall life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand Here 's our strong hold that our perseverance is not in our own but in Christs keeping And the perpetuity of a Saints condition depends not upon his free will which is an Aegyptian reed and is deceitfull but upon free grace upon Christs Intercession And there is ‖ Heb. 13. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 help laid upon him that is mighty and Christ is the rock of Ages here is security enough here we may safely venture all He hath said it and there 's enough in that promise He will never leave thee nor forsake thee Fifthly and lastly and with this particular I shall conclude Motive 5. This may be the â—last time of tendring termes of Reconciliation consider seriously for ought either you or I or any other can discern this may be the last offer and tender of Gospel-reconciliation that ever may be vouchsafed unto you If you stop your ears and refuse to give audience unto Christs Ambassadours this day for ought any of us knows their commission may be expired and quite out of date to morrow In a short time the most holy industrious and faithfull Ambassadour may have his Quietus est Christ may say to him †Mat. 25. 21. Well done good and faithfull servant enter into the joy of thy Lord. As then you desire that the Ministers of Jesus Christ may give up their account ‖ Heb. 13. 17. with joy and not with griefe let it be your wisdome and care in this very day which may be a criticall day to entertain those things which concern your everlasting peace Now you enjoy Sabbaths the desire of dayes the Ordinances the * Is 25. 6. feast of fat things yet your eyes behold your teachers
under his feet and gave him to be vers 22. the head over all things to the Church which is his body the fulnesse vers 23. Eph. 3. 10. Col. 1. 20. of him that filleth all in all To the intent that now the Principalities and Powers in heavenly places might be knowne by the Church the manifold wisdome of God And having made peace through the blood of his crosse by him to reconcile all things unto himselfe by him I Col. 2. 10. say whether they be things in heaven or things on earth And ye are compleat in him who is the head of all Principality and Power I purposely wave many curious questions wherein Popish writers abound Wherefore in the last place I shall make a practicall improvement of the whole and apply only three inferences for Information Instruction and Consolation For Information 1. For Information 1. What excellent knowing glorious creatures the holy Angells are and if they be so excellent how much more is Jesus Christ their Lord Great is the knowledge of these glorious creatures but what they have is derivative from their Creatour 2. Be informed that it is unlawfull to worship them See thou do Col. 2. 18. it not saith the Angell to John for I am thy fellow-servant And in the place fore cited Let no man beguile you of your reward and in voluntary humility and worshiping of Angells intruding into those things he hath not seen vainly puft up by his fleshly mind 3. Be informed of the singular benefit of the Angells ministry The Angell of the Lord encampeth about them that feare him and delivereth Psal 34. 11. Josh 5. 14 15 them The Angell stood for Joshua It came to passe when Joshua was by Jerico that he lifted up his eyes and looked and behold there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hands and Joshua went unto him and said Art thou for us or for our Adversaries And he said nay but as a captaine of the hoâ—t of the Lord am I now come And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and did worship and said unto him what saith my Lord unto his servant And he said loose thy shooe from off thy feet for the place whereon thou standest is holy This was the Lord Jesus the Angell of the Covenant for a Created Angell would have refused adoration An Angell preserved the three Children from the flame and burning of the fiery furnace and shut the Lyons mouth An Angell praised for the Church in Zechary that Angell was Christ Then the Angell Zech. 1. 12. of the Lord answered and said O Lord of hosts how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the Cities of Judah against which thou hast had Indignation these threescore and ten yeares An Angell delivered Hezekiah and smote Senacherib An Angell delivered Peter An Angell brought the good newes of Christs incarnation The Angells of God preserve us in our beds in our houses in our journyes in our undertakings The Angells will carry our soules to Heaven By way of Instruction Vse 2. of Instruction Psal 91. 11. 1. Labour to walk in Gods waies For he shall give his Angells charge over thee to keep thee in all thy waies Whilest we are in our lawfull waies not in our wanderings we have a promise of Protection 2. Pray to God for the Protection of Angells We may not pray to Angells we may not worship them but we may pray to God to vouchsafe their ministry to us to make our waies prosperous to send us an Angell as Abraham believed and cause his Angells to pitcht their Tents about us as Gods messengers to defend Gen. 24. 7. and rescue us out of dangers 3. We should so live as remembring we are in the presence of God and Angells that Gods eyes are over us that the Angells observe oâ—r carriage and what decorum we keep in the duties we performe For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the Angells Though men as Diodati observes 1 Cor. 11. 10. would give consent and connive at this disorder yet the Angells who are continuall Guardians in their Assemblies would be offended at it For I think saith the Apostle that God hath set forth us the Apostles 1 Cor. 4. 9. 16. last as it were men appointed to death For we are made a spectacle unto the world to Angells and to men Wherefore I beseech you be yee followers of me For Consolation Vse 3. for Consolation This serves for comfort to Gods children that the Angells are their Ministers 1. In their lives they have them under God their protectors the Lord bids them protect preserve succour comfort relieve such a one he is in distresse he is my servant The very Angells 1 King 19. 7 8. were purveyers unto Eliah The Angells ministred unto Christ they strengthened him when he was in the garden when he suffered in his humane Nature So the children of God find it to their comfort that the Angells refresh comfort support and protect them in their greatest extremities 2. When they die the Angells carry their soules into Heaven 3. At the day of judgment they gather the elect unto Christ Mar. 13. 27. He will send his Angells to gather his elect from the four winds from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of Heaven By all that hath been said we are to understand the happinesse of all the Saints who are here in the text called heires of salvation God gives them his Son and that 's the height of mercy God gives them his Angells for their Guardians so those two Scriptures are abundantly fulfilled Psal 34. 9. O feare the Lord ye his Saints Psal 34. 9. Rom. 8. 32. for there is no want to them that feare him And Rom. 8. 32. He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not but with him freely give us all things And these Scriptures bring a full measure of comfort unto the children of God Having Christ the Saints have all he protects and defends them he is Lord over all and commands all creatures services for the good of his people This Doctrine of the Ministry of Angells is too much Idolized by some which fall to the worshiping of them This is flat Idolatry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is abhominable And this Doctrine is too much slighted by others who are not thankfull to God for the Protection of Angells Both these extreames are to be avoided and our duty is to look upon Angells as fellow servants and begge of God their Ministry And for all deliverances we should returne unto God the praise and glory of all in the language of the Psalmist Psal 115. vers 1. which shall be my conclusion Not unto us O Lord not unto us but unto thy name give glory Psal 115. 1. for thy mercy and truths sake
but is ordered and disposed by this Omnipotent and overruling Providence The Providence in generall ad rerum usque minima perting it Every creature how mean so ever is under a Providence But in a more especiall and peculiar manner the sonnes and daughters of God by grace and Adoption the Family of the first born which as in the Text are described to be those Whose hearts are uprigh before God these I say are under a choice distinguishing Providence From the wordâ— thus divided and expounded I collect two points of Doctrine the first whereof I propound thus That there is a Providence of God which extends it selfe to the Doct. 1 ordering and governing of all the creatures throughout the whole world The other Doctrine which chiefly I shall insist on is this That there is a speciall distinguishing Providence which in a Doct. 2 peculiar manner manifests it selfe for the benefit of the upright even all the children of God I resume the Inlargement of the first Doctrine and will dispose of my method of handling it on this wise Method of handling the Doctrine 1. By proving the truth of the point 2. By making inquiry into the Nature of Providence what it is and how it discovers it selfe in it's various operations In the 3. place I shall make some profitable improvement of the Doctrine of Providence as reducible unto poynt of practice Now first I am to prove that there is a Providence I purposely 1. That there is a Providence wave all Heathenish names of Fortune Fatall necessity Augurium Lucky starres Lucky Birds c. Which are so far to be detested as not once to be named amongst Christians * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. Il. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homer doubtlesse implyed a Providence by a golden chaine hanging down from heaven †Quicquid patimur morâ—ale geniâ—â— Quicquid faâ—â—mus venit ex alto Sen. Trag. Oâ—dip 1. Proved by Scripture Seneca acknowledgeth more plainely a Providence in that he saith What ever we do or suffer comes from above But I know no Necessity of going to the Philistines to whet my sword or speare I shall according to Naomies counsell to Ruth though in another case not be found gleaning in another field but that of Scripture and Reason by help whereof I shall endeavour the proofe of what I have asserted from the Text. 1. I repaire unto Scripture Testimony and that is instar omnium And because the heape is so great I shall gather sparingly some only amongst many which are the most pregnant and apposite Proofes viz. From the testimony of Job David Solomon Christ and the Apostle Paul and in the mouth of two or three witnesses the truth will be established Le ts consider the Testimony of Joh His eyes saith he are Job 24. 21. Job 10. 12. upon the waies of man and he seeth all his goings Thy visitation saith he hath preserved my Spirit And to the Testimony of Job wee 'l adde David who plainly sets forth Divine Providence when he saith that the Lord Covereth the heavens with clouds who prepareth raine for the earth which Psal 147. 8 9. maketh grasse to grow upon the mountaines He giveth to the Beast his food and to the young Ravens which cry To the same purpose he speaks in another Psalme wherein he extolls the righteousnesse of God Thy righteousnesse saith he is like the great Mountaines Psal 36. 6. thy Judgments are a great depth O Lord thou preservest Man and Beast Which scripture compared with * Discamus hoc exemplo recumbere in Dei providentiam c. Cal. in Gen. 8. 1. Gen. 8. 1. it will appeare how the mercy of God was extended to Man and Beast and likewise Jonah 4. 11. The multitude of Cattle were objects of Gods compassion towards Niniveh Further le ts take notice what attestation Solomon gives to the truth delivered The wise man assures us that the waies of man are before the eyes Prov. 5. 21. of the Lord and he ponâ—ereth all his goings And more fully he speaks Prov. 15. 3. of Providence both towards good and bad that the eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding the evill and the good This plainly declares that nothing can escape Gods Providence as an Excellent †Summa est nihil esse omnium quae in mundo fiant quod Providentiae divinae ambitu non comprehendatur Carthw in Locum Commentator observes Above all Testimonies Christ the truth and the life fully declares the government of Divine Providence He instanceth in Lillies the grasse of the field Mat. 6. 28. vers 30. In the Sparrowes the heires of our head Mat. 10. 29 30. And Christ drawes an Argument à minore ad majus wherefore if God so cloath the grasse of the field which to daie is and to morrow is cast into the oven shall he not much more cloath you O yee of little faith And the Apostles of Christ confirme the truth of him their Master For Paul preaching at Athens plainly prooves that God gives Mat. 6. 30. to all liâ—e and breath and all things And he quotes Aratus the Poet Act. 17. 22. For in him we live and moove and have our being Follow the same Apostle in his Epistle to the Romans For of him and through him vers 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aratus Rom. 11. 36. Eph. 4. 11. Heb. 1. 3. 1. Cor. 12. 6 and to him are all things Likewise in the Ephesians we read that God worketh all things after the counsell of his own will and to the Hebrewes he declares that all things were upheld by the word of hiâ— power i. e. the power of Christ It is God that moâ—eth all in all Having thus by severall Scripture Testimonies given abundant proofe of the Doctrine I now come to the Confirmation of the Doctrine by evidence of Reason Amongst many that might be alleadged I l'e fix upon six Reasons which are as so many Demonstrative Arguments drawn à fortiori for the further clearing the truth of our assertion delivered 2. Confirmed by evidence of Reason 1. The first reason shall be drawn from the order and harmony R. 1. Drawn from the Order and Harmony amongst creatures amongst creatures In the Nature of things there 's an order disposition succession conservation and propagation of each species Fire and water would consume each other if they were not hindred by Providence God is a God of order and preserves all things in order He made all things in order number and measure He sets bounds to the Sea Hitherto shalt thou go and no further Were it not for a supreame overruling Providence the Sea would break out and drown the whole world Now this order must proceed from an ordaining cause which ordereth and disposeth of all things and this is God He telleth the number of the starres c. Psal 147. 4. 2. We proove a Providence from the Provision
Carthw Catech. Church of a more narrow compasse is such a particular Church or Parrish that dwelling in one place may conveniently at one time be taught by the mouth of one Minister Now both for the Church in generall and for the particular Church especially wherein we live we ought to pray and make frequent supplications to the Throne of grace For the whole body of Christ i. e. the universall Church we must pray for the Nationall Church wherein we live under the visible Ministry and dispensation of visible Ordinances and where there are visible Professours We may not straighten our prayers nor confine the Church of Christ as the Donatists did of old only to a narrow compasse in Africa Although in a true Church where are true Ministers true Sacraments and God hath blest the Ministry with converting of Soules yet there may be many rotten professours many formalists many hypocrites yet we must labour to reforme what we can and pray incessantly for amendment of what is amisse but we may not seperate from a true Church We must separate from Heathens and from Antichrist We are to come out from amongst them but we may not gather Churches out of Churches that were to make a schisme between the members amongst themselves and to subdivide the body of Christ and make a separation where we ought to endeavour an union 4. What is meant by establishing Jerusalem a praise in the earth Q. 4 To make the Church a praise is all one as Calvin observes Ans as to make it glorious for that the Lords remembrancers must pray that Jerusalem may be the subject and matter of praise that Christ may rule and settle his Ordinances there fill it with knowledge make it eminent for graces that as vers 1. The righteousnesse thereof may go forth as brightnesse and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth Then may Jerusalem be said to be a praise in the earth But of this more largely in the application To summe up all Though principally this charge is given to Ministers yet in a larger sence I shall take it according to the judgment of good Expositors as taking in Ministers and people both injoyning to both the duty of remembring the Church of God before the Throne of grace And in an especiall manner though the Universall Church must be remembred the Particular Church or Nationall Church wherein we live must be remembred And this remembrance must be a fervent incessant and diligent remembrance till the Lord be pleased to settle it as a naile in a sure place and bring forth the top stone of Jerusalem with acclamations crying Grace grace unto it This concernes Zach. 3. 7. us all both Ministers and people We must all pray for the establishment of Jerusalem a praise in the earth Which words thus opened containe one Principall Doctrine which in it's latitude and compasse takes in the whole sence of the words That it is the obliged duty of all the Children of God to he earnest Doct. 1 and assiduous suitors at the Throne of grace in the behalfe of the Church of God More briefly We should all as one man continue praying to God that he would establish Jerusalem a praise in the earth 1. In unfolding of this point my method shall be Method 1. To illustrate the truth propounded by parallel examples 2. To prove it by variety of precepts inculcating so great a duty 3. To confirme it by strength of Reasons And 4. To conclude all with some usefull Application 1. For the resuming of what I first propounded time would 1. The Doctrine illustrated by Examples faile me to enlarge my selfe in so great a cloud of witnesses Some of the chiefe I 'le mention and leave the rest to be supplyed in your serious meditations How earnest was Moses for Israel the people where God was named above all the people of the earth When Amaleck was fighting against Israel Moses his hands were lifted up and Israel returned Conquerours when God threatned the utter ruine of that people and offered to make Moses a greater Nation than they O how zealous was Moses in their behalfe Moses besought the Lord his God and said Lord why doth thy Exod. 32. 11 12. wrath waxe hot against thy people which thou hast brought forth out of the Land of Egypt with great power and à mighty hand Wherefore should the Egyptians speak and say For mischiefe did he bring them out to slay them in the Mountaines and to consume them from the face of the earth Turne from thy fierce wrath and repent of this evill against thy people c. So Numb 14. 18 19. The Lord is long-suffering and of great mercy forgiving iniquity c. Pardon I beseech thee the iniquity of this people according unto the greatnesse of thy mercy and as thou hast forgiven this people from Egypt even untill now Psalm 106. vers 23. Therefore he said he would destroy them had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach to turne away his wrath lest he should destroy them To Moses I 'le adde Samuel as he himselfe was a Son of prayer so he was a praying man 1 Sam. 7. vers 9. He cryed unto the Lord for Israel and the Lord heard him 1 Sam. 12. 23. Moreover as for me God forbid that I should sinne against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you but I will teach you the good and the right way Moses and Samuel have Characters of honour put upon them for praying persons Jer. 15. 1. Moses Aaron â—nd Samuel are alâ— three joyn'd together And Psal 99. vers 6. Moses and Aaron among his Priests and Samuel among them that call upon his Name These were noted for choice Intercessours with God So likewise David was a man made up of affections towards the Church of God Psal 14. 7. O that the Salvation of Israel were come out of Sion when the Lord bringeth back the captivity of his people Jacob shall rejoyce and Israel shall be glad Psal 137. 5. If I forget thee O Jerusalem let my hand forget her cunning Psal 51. 18. Do good in thy good pleasure unto Sion build thou the walâ—s of Jerusalem Psal 25. 26. Redeem Israel O God out of all his troubles How doth Daniel urge the most prevailing arguments in the behalfe of Jerusalem Dan. 9. 18 19. O my God incline thine eare and heare open thine eyes and behold our desolations and the City which is called by thy name c. O Lord heare O God forgive O Lord hearken and do deferre not for thine owne sake O my God for thy City and thy people are called by thy name I might instance in Isaiah Jeremiah Ezekiel Ezra and Nehemiah who all were much upon their knees for the publick and made the very burthen of their prayers as it were versus intercalaris frequently repeated the establishment of Jerusalem upon the sure basis of truth and peace If we passe from the old
Testament unto the New we shall find the whole Church earnest for one man Act. 12. 5. Peter therefore was kept in Prison but prayer was made without ceasing of the Church unto God for him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Intentae So Beza referring to the ardor of the mind Sine intermissione so Erasmus And how speed these prayers Vers 7. The Angell of the Lord came upon him and a light shined in the Prison and he smote Peter on the side and raised him up saying Arise up quickly And his chaines fell off from his hands Upon this Scripture I l'e give you that observation of an excellent Divine lately gone Dr Harris Pet. Enlargement from us to heaven in that rare Sermon called Peters enlargement The Enemies saith he shuts the Prison dore the Church opens Heavens dores so there 's old tugging for the prisoner but the Church will not let him go saith God if you will take no deniall there he is And as the whole Church prayed for the Apostle so did one Apostle Paul pray much for the whole Church Rom. 1. 9. For God is my witnesse whom I serve with my spirit in the Gospell of his Son that without ceasing I make mention of you alwaies in my prayers And Eph. 1. 16 17. I cease not to give thanks for you making mention of you in my prayers that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of glory may give unto you the spirit of wisdome and revelation in the knowledge of him 2. To these examples I l'e adde in the next place Scripture precepts for Proofe Ministers are in a peculiar manner in joynd this 2. The Doctrine proved by Scripture Precepts duty Joel 2. 17. Let the Priests the Ministers of the Lord weep between the porch and the Altar and let them say spare thy people O Lord and give not thine heritage to reproach that the Heathen should rule over them wherefore should they say among the people where is their God All are in joyn'd Psal 122. 7. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem they shall prosper that love thee peace be within thy walls and prosperity he within thy Palaces And James 5. 16. Confesse your faults one unto another and pray one for another c. In the third place I l'e assign some grounds and reasons for confirmation and these I shall reduce unto three Heads 3. The Doctrine confirmed by Reasons 1. In respect of God 2. Of prayer 3. Of Jerusalem All these are strong Arguments to perswade 1. In respect of God who both expects and promiseth a blessing R. 1. In respect of God upon the meanes The Lord so expects prayer as that he will not grant great mercyes unto his Church but in and by his peoples prayers God hath ingaged himselfe in a Bond. His promise is his Bond and he will have it put in suit before he pay it See what God promiseth Psal 50. 15. Call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorify me And Jer. 33. 6. Behold I will cure them and reveale unto them the abundance of peace and truth And I will cause the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel to returne and will build them as at the first So Zeph. 3. 20. In that time I will bring you again even in the time that I gather you For I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth when I turne back your captivity before your eyes saith the Lord. What a glorious Church is Prophecied and what transcendent beauty will the Lord put upon them Isai 54. 11 12. O thou afflicted tossed with tempest and not comforted behold I will lay thy stones with faire colours and lay thy foundation with Saphirs and I will make thy windowes of Agates and thy gates of Carbuncles and all thy borders of pleasant stones By all these Hyperbolicall similitudes is set forth the glorious condition of the Church in the daies of the Gospell These are great Beauties and excellencies prophesied of the Church yet as they are worth praying for so in good earnest they must be sought of God Jer. 33. 3. Call unto me and I will answer thee and shew thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not c. 36. Ezek. 37. Thus saith the Lord I will yet for this be enquired of by the House of Israel to do it for them I will increase them with men like a flock Now prayer is Gods Ordinance the language of his Spirit the musick which he loveth no Melody in Gods account like unto the prayers of his people Wherefore though God promiseth great things unto his people who will not faile one jot of his word yet he will have his Children plye the Throne of grace He is the great Master of Requests and loves to see his Court full of Suitors He is the great God that heareth prayers and delighteth in prayers and it is his pleasure that his people should be his remembrancers even to spread before him the condition of his Church For though it 's best known to him already yet he will have them call cry and seek with Importunity for the accomplishment of those good and great things which he intends for his own people Though deliverance was promised out of the Babylonish captivity at the expiation of 70 yeares yet they must pray for it Psal 126. vers 4. Turne again our captivity O Lord as the streames in the South A second Reason shall be taken from the great benefit of prayer R. 2. From the great Benefit of prayer It is an instrumentall meanes under God to obtain a blessing By some it is called Clavis viscerum Dei virtus omnipotens Their intentions are good I doubt not who use these expressions yet it is not safe to use them without an explanation of their sence Without question great help comes by prayer yet the help depends not upon what we do but upon God that gives to will and to do It is our duty to pray and the praise and glory of the successe and issue coming of prayer we must ascribe wholly unto the Lord that heareth prayers Now what helpes prayer affords may be represented in these following particular Instances 1. Prayer is an Universall help It 's Solomons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Prayer is an universall help when raine is wanting when enemies get the victory when there is death famine and pestilence then is a speciall time to pray and God promiseth audience 1 Chron. 7. 13 14. If I shut up Heaven that there be no raine or if I command the Locust to devour the Land and if I send Pestilence among my people If my people which are called by my name shall humble themselves and pray and seeke my face and turn from their wicked waies then will I heare from Heaven forgive their sinne and heale their Land This is a Soveraigne medicine of Gods owne appointment for all diseases
after a manner enquire yet not in truth and faith his enquiring was after a slight manner after an hypocriticall formall way like that of Balaam Numb 23. 10. Let me dye the death of the righteous and let my last end be like unto his and like unto Israels howling Hos 7. 14. And they have not cryed to me with their hearts when they howled upon their beds they assembled themselves for corne and wine c. Wherefore then should we give God a slight service He requireth the Male the best of the flocks and there 's a dreadfull Curse Mal. 1. 14. Cursed be the deceiver which hath in his flock a Male and voweth and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing But in the second place here is a word of exhortation that we Vse 2. For Exhortation would all unite our forces for the Church in generall even the whole body of Christ however dispersed and distressed throughout the world How many of Christs body suffer hard things Some are imprisoned we must pray for the prisoners enlargement Some are under Antichristian Tyranny and Christ hath a Church even where Satan dwells we must pray that they may hold fast their profession without wavering Great things God hath granted to a praying people and he is the same God still as good and as gracious as ever The Army called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prayed and raine was poured down in abundance to refresh the Pagan Army of the Emperour Insomuch ex ore adversariorum it was confest great was the God of the Christians Constantine that excellent Eccl. Hist Euseb Prince and Patron of Christians would not after the example of his Predecessours suffer his picture to be drawn standing in a stately posture but kneeling for he ascribed his victories to the answer of prayers Let us remember likewise all the distressed Churches beyond the Seas such as are in misery where their enemies are the chiefe we should give them the Charity of our prayers counsells compassions purses our Bowells should be opened wide towards their release Polonia other places cry out in the language of Job to his friends Have pity upon me have pity upon me O ye my friends for the hand of God hath touched me To such as are afflicted pitty Job 19. 21. should be shewed We should all imitate the Apostle being alike affected with our Brethren rejoycing with them that rejoyce c. We should make their cases our own of this excellent temper was the Apostle Who is weake and I am not weake who is offended and I 2 Cor. 11. 29 burn not as if all the burthens of the Saints were laid upon his shoulders he was willing to beare them all Jerome writing a commentary upon Ezekiel and hearing of the sacking of Rome a place where he formerly lived was so affected that a long time he could think of nothing else He laid to heart so much the suffering of Gods people there as he imagined himselfe to be in their stead Furthermore in a more particular manner let us remember in our prayers the Land of our Nativity the Church of England Scotland and Ireland We expect shortly a Parliament and we hope in the multitude of Councellours there may be safety Formerly we have been frustrated of our expectations High-raised hopes have been disappointed That of the Prophet may truely be applyed to this purpose Hast thou utterly rejected Judah hath thy Jer. 14. 19. soule loathed Zion why hast thou smitten us and there is no healing for us We looked for peace and there is no good and for the time of healing and behold trouble We have been justly crost in our hopes because we have Idolized men and relyed too much upon an arme of flesh We are to call upon the great counsell as the man of Macedonia did Come and help us and they likewise call upon us help us with your prayers We may hope to speed the better if we pray the more Let us pray as one man that the Lord would instruct the Counselllours after his own will and teach the Senators wisdome What farther I shall speak in this use shall come under these two heads 1. What speciall things we must pray for that our Jerusalem our Church of England may be established a praise in the earth 2. What moving inducements may be assign'd to incourage us in the duty of prayer For the first Above all we must pray for the advancement of Religion for the establishing the power of Godlinesse It is Religion that beautifies and adorns a Nation the Kings daughter Gods Church and People are glorious within their decking is of pure gold Grace ennobles and puts a glorious lustre upon a people To name a few particulars 1. Let us in an especiall manner pray for the encrease of Godly 1. Pray for Magistâ—ates Magistrates Reprovers in the gate such as will do judgment and justice There is a great promise made in those Gospell daies Isaiah 49. 23. Kings shall be thy nursing Fathers and their Qâ—eens thy nursing Mothers they shall bow down to thee with their face towards the earth and lick the dust of thy feet c. Our duty is to pray for them so runs the Apostles command 1 Tim. 2. 1. I exhort therefore that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thanks be made For all men for Kings c. Godly Rulers are a blessing to a Nation Jer. 5. 1. Run ye to and fro thorough the streets of Jerusalem and see now and know and seek in the broad places thereof if yee can find a man if there be any that executeth judgment that seeketh the truth and I will pardon it So Amos 5. 15. Hate the evill and love the good and establish judgment in the gate it may be that the Lord God of hoasts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph Where such Magistrates are we must pray for their continuance and for a supply of their mortality that the Lord would send continually such as may dispence justice impartially and may be a terror unto evill doers and a praise to them that do well 2. Pray for faithfull soul-saving Ministers Many such in mercy 2. Pray for Ministers the Lord hath given us We must pray that the Lord would increase the number of them But the Prophets live not for ever wherefore we must pray for a Godly succession of Ministers that such may be incouraged who are workmen that needeth not to be ashamed and such may be removed as unsavory salt who make the sacrifice of God to be abhorred There are yet left a faithfull remnant sound in the faith and holy in life who are as farre from Antichristianisme as their false accusers are from Charity who labour in season and out of season and are willing to spend and be spent for the salvation of soules These in an especiall manner must be incouraged by our prayers that the Lord would give them The
begotten of the Father full of grace and truth And this is the great mystery of Godlinesse mentioned 1 Tim. 3. 16. And without controversy great is the mistery of godlinesse God was manifest in the flesh justified in the spirit seen of Angells preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the world received up into glory Christ was God from all Eternity Joh. 8. 58. Jesus said unto them Verily verily I say unto you before Abraham was I am There he speaks of his Godhead A further proofe we have Phil. 2. 6. Who being in the forme of God thought it not robbery to be equall with God Compare this with Zech. 13. 7. Awake O sword against my shepheard and against the man that is my fellow saith the Lord of hosts smite the shepheard and the sheep shall be scattered and I will turne mine hand upon the little ones This is love unparrelleld unexpressible 4. Christ himselfe voluntarily undertook this great work of Proposit 4. Christ voluntarily undertook the worke of our Redemption our redemption he laid down his own life freely And because the Godhead could not suffer death he united our nature unto himselfe and took flesh upon him There are two words setting forth his humiliation Phil. 2. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he made himselfe of no reputation c. Joh. 1. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he dwelt among us c. He took the man hood as if he should unite a clodde of dust unto himselfe who was God from all Eternity As if the Antient of daies should become the infant of daies the Eternall God become a Child As if he that the heaven of heavens could not containe should be inclosed nine months in the wombe of a Virgin Thus it was in respect of his humane nature he was born of Virgin wrapt in swadling cloathes laid in a manger He who had heaven and earth at his command was laid in a manger Herein appeares the singular love of Christ in condescending to take mans nature to take a body that he might accomplish the great work of our redemption by suffering upon the crosse Heb. 10. 5 6 7. Wherefore when he cometh into the world he saith sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not but a body hast thou prepared me In burnt offerings and sacrifice for sinne thou hast had no pleasure Then said I loe I come in the volumne of the book it is written of me to do thy will O God 5. Christ by his active and passive obedience made full compleate Proposit 5. Christ by his obedience hath made full satisfaction and absolute satisfaction to his Fathers Justice for all those that were given him by the Father Rom. 3. 25. Whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousnesse for the remission of sinnes that are past through the forbearance of God To the same effect the Apostle speaks Eph. 2. 13. But now in Christ Jesus yee who sometimes were farre off are made nigh by the blood of Christ Col. 1. 20. And having made peace through the blood of his Crosse by him to reconcile all things unto himselfe by him I say whether they be things in earth or in heaven Christ gave himselfe a sacrifice to expiate for sinne He trod the winepresse of his Fathers sury By his stripes we are healed who his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his owne body on the tree that we 1 Pet. 2. 24. being dead to sinne should live unto righteousnesse by whose stripes we are healed He is the reconciler Col. 1. 20. The price of our redemption 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 6. 20. For yee are bought with a price Matth. 20. 28. Even as the Son of man came not to be ministred unto but to minister and to give his life a ransome for many See Christ's great end of coming into the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to give his life a ransome for many Christ is the high Priest that entred into the holy of holiest and offered up himselfe a sacrifice Thereby as a surety he paid our debt satisfied his Fathers justice to the utmost Isai 53. 5 11. But he was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed He shall see of the travell of his soule and be satisfied by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many for he shall beare their iniquities And this is a thorough satisfaction 2 Cor. 5. 21. For he hath made him to be sinne for us who knew no sinne that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him Tit. 2. 14. Who gave himselfe for us that he might redeeme us from all iniquity and purify unto himselfe a peculiar people zealous of good workes Hereby we are justified Rom. 5. 9. Much more being now justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath through him Hereby we are sanctified Rev. 1. 5. And from Jesus Christ who is the faithfull witnesse and the first begotten of the dead and the Prince of the Kings of the earth unto him that loved us and washed us from our sinnes in his owne blood Feare not we are now made nigh Eph. 2. 13. But now in Christ Jesus yee who were farre of are made nigh by the blood of Christ By him we are reconciled Col. 1. 20. And having made peace through the blood of his Crosse by him to reconcile all things unto himselfe by him I say whether they be things in earth or in heaven By Christ we are blessed Gal. 3. 13 14. Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the law being made a Curse for us for it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree that the blessing of Abraham might come upon us And that Christ doth fully satisfy is evident because he continually interceds for his people and pleads the vertue and benefit of his perfit satisfactionion Heb. 7. 25. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the utmost that come unto God through him seeing he ever liveth make intercession for them And what was the motive that moved him to do all this for his people to be incarnate to live on earth amongst sinners to suffer reproaches contempts and infamies what moved him to drinke that bitter Cup to poure his blood out of his side and become obedient unto the death of the Crosse Nothing moved him but his love his good will his compassion moved him to heale bodily diseases and his compassion love and mercy moved him to heale soule diseases 6. This love of Christ is a distinguishing speciall love for a peculiar Proposit 6. The Love of Christ is a distinguishing Love sort of people He sweat drops of blood in the garden he was afflicted smitten wounded but all this he endured for the transgression of his own people Isai 53. 8. He was taken from prison and from judgment and who
to justify fulnesse of holinesse to sanctify fulnesse of mercy to pardon Hee 's stil'd in Scripture a Rock for his strength to support us a Counsellour for his wisdome to guide us a fountaine opened Isa 9. 6. Zech. 13. 1. Rom. 27. 2. for his readinesse and preparednesse to wash away our uncleannesse a Tree of life bearing twelve sorts of fruits every month for the plenty and perpetuity of joy and gladnesse and other fruits of the spirit which he ministers unto true believers Hence is he compared in the Revelations to a pure River of living water Rev. 22. 1. as cleare as Christall for that inestimable purity perfection comfort and satisfaction which Christ minister unto the soules of his children Likewise to a pretious pearle for his superlative worth Matth. 13. 45 46. and value and to a storehouse for his fulnesse of all spirituall treasures Omnia habemus in Christo omnia in nobis Christus saith Jerome Jerome and the same Father proposeth particular Instances Si à vulnere curari desideras medicus est c. If thou desirest to be cured of thy wounds Chist is thy Physitian if thou burne with feavers he is a fountaine if thou art burtheâ—ed with iniquity he is righteousnesse if thou wantest help he is strength if thou fearest death he is life if thou flyest from darknesse he is light if thou desirest heaven he is the way Therefore make thy wants knowne to God though he knowes them all already yet he will have them knowne unto thy selfe better and God loves to heare from his children the expressions of his own spirit When out of a sense and apprehension of thy owne vilenesse thou unbarest thy sores and confessest thy sinnes then God in mercy may remit them A poore soule complaines of its ignorance and folly so foolish was I and ignorant saith David even as a beast before thee O make hast unto Christ In him are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge When the depth saith it is not in me and the sea it is not in me when all the lamps of Philosophers can give no light when all their penetrating braines cannot sound these misteries Job instructs thee where thou must go to schoole Job 28. 23. God understands the way thereof and he knowes the place thereof from God cometh wisdome and from the Lord cometh understanding Another is of a sorrowfull spirit and goes mourning all the day long The remembrance of their sinnes is exceedingly afflictive unto their soules still it presents unto them gall and wormewood terrors and feares which almost drives them unto desperation these would prize one glimpse of Gods reconciled countenance beyond the Empire of the world but alas they can apprehend no comfort as appertaining unto them mark then what seasonable counsell the Prophet gives in this kind Isa 50. 10. Who is among you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voyce of his servants that walketh in darknesse and hath no light let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God A child of light for a time may walke in darknesse he may possesse his soule in bitternesse he may be wonderfully tost and troubled in a tempestuous sea of sorrow ever and anon ready to perish yet when Christ comes and rebukes the winds and the seas there will be a great calme One of his love tokens and spirituall illapses will wipe away their teares and make them go away full of comfort with Hannah and be no more sad A poore doubting Christian must not be his owne Judge he can easilier discerne what makes against him then what makes for him O then hearken what God saith unto thee what comfort his messengers proclaime unto thee wait upon God in his Ordinances stand upon thy watch act faith upon Promises and in Gods due time comfort may come like Noahs Dove with an Olive branch in her mouth in token that the waters of Marah are abated When God hath fitted thee for a mercy then he will give unto it a quick dispatch and send unto thy soule tidings of peace thus I have made it good unto you that all comforts are to be found in God 2. There 's no reall comfort to be found else-where If you will 2. Demonst there 's no reall comfort to be found else-where not believe this truth but hunt after the creature as if that can comfort you to your perill be it you may goe further and speed worse what said Saul to the Benjamites will the son of Jesse give you fields and vine-yards and make you all Captaines of Thousands and Captaines of Hundreds So let me expostulate can the Creature give you any reall satisfaction and contentment in that you so hugge your selves in the fruition of it If these be your humors I know not better how to resemble you then to the men of Shechem in Jothams parable Judg. 9. vers 9. Who leaving the Vine Olive and Figg-tree addrest themselves unto the bramble for shelter and security and since they put their trust in it's shadow which can Minister no safety nor defence what can be expected but that fire should come out of the bramble and devoure the Cedars of Lebanon I meane since they expect so much from the Creature by woefull experience they will find it to be the greatest scourge and plague unto them Creature comforts carry a brave port and come with Agag delicately but they are not aware of their approaching ruines Pleasures of the world make faire promises presenting unto us as Jaell did Sisera butter and milke in a lordly dish but there 's a hammer and a nayle instruments of death are prepared against us i. e. sowre sauce for sweet meate What 's all the mirth of the wicked but madnesse For their hearts are full of gravell and the terrors of God affright them amidst their Carrowsing and jollity Saul could not be merry without a Musitian Whereas Plato told the musitians that Philosophers knew how to dine and sup without them Dost thou think to recreate thy selfe by learning a lascivious scurrilous Ballads by healthing it in Ale-Houses and Tavernes and revelling it â—in Balls and such like Idolized vanities will the remembrance of these sinfull jollities make thee hold up thy head with comfort when God le ts loose the â—ord of thy conscience against thee Then thou wilt curse the day that ever thou cast in thy lot amongst them to be a companion of fooles and by woefull experience thou wilt find that thou hast all this while sought the living amongst the dead Ahab could not be merry without Naboths Vineyard and when he had unrighteously took possession of it his sorrowes were renewed abundantly Haman could not comfortably enjoy himselfe because he wanted Mordecais bended knee suppose he had obtain'd it yet his restlesse ambitious humour could not be satisfied For it is not within the sphaere of any sublunary thing any created power to afford comfort and satisfaction
soule 4. The least of Gods comforts will make a superabundant recompense 4. Demonst The least of Gods comforts will make amends for all discomforts compense for all the discomforts in the world A cup of cold water shall not loose its reward and you know there 's a vast disproportion betweene a cup of cold water and the Kingdome of Heaven God takes notice of every teare that the Saints shed and and he exhales them into his bottle and when the time of refreshing shall come from his presence he will wipe away all teares from their eyes Admit a man hath endured a scoffe or a taunt an approbrious nickname for Christ or admit that he hath resisted unto blood fryed at a stake for the Gospell of Christ could a man I say dye ten thousand kinds of death yet all these sufferings are not worthy to be compared with the joy that shall be revealed for one moment in heaven will make amends for all With this meditation Christ cheared up his disciples Matth. 19. 29. Every one that hath forsaken houses or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or Lands for my names sake shall receive an hundred fold and shall inherit everlasting life When Peter told Christ that they had forsaken all and what was that A poore all a few rotten poles and fishers nets or some such like thing our Saviour acquaints them of their thriving bargaine of their happy exchange which they had made by the losse of earth to gaine heaven O do not inhance thy griefe saying that no mans sorrow is like thine there cannot be a more Emphaticall Antithesis then in 2 Cor. 4. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our Translation cannot reach these sublime expressions Our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a farre more exceeding and eternall weight of glory Suppose thou art afflicted with outward crossesse and in the meane time God settles the tranquility of thy soule in liev of outward God vouchsafes unto thee inward comforts how art thou a looser by this Suppose thou hast run in a greedy pursuit of some desiderable object thou hast pursued thy pleasure with as much violence as Rachell did her children Give me saith shee children or else I dye Now God in wisdome crosseth thee he knowes what 's better for thee then thou dost for thy selfe God opens thy eyes and then thou discernest what a singular mercy it is that God disappointed thee of thy desire We must not carve out waies of comfort to our selves if we be our owne chusers we shall dearely smart for it When the children of Israel lusted for meate God sent them Quailes but they had better have been without them for whilst the meate was in their mouths the wrath of the Lord came upon them The Israelites would have no nay but must have a King The Lord gave them a King in his anger and took him away in his wrath Hos 13. 11. It 's farre better to have a crosse in mercy and so sanctified as we may discerne the opened bowells of God then the greatest confluence of riches and revenues when they are sent in judgment and in Gods displeasure John Ardley a blessed Martyr griev'd that he had but one life to lay downe for Christ if I had saith he as many life 's as there are heyres of my head they should all goe for Christ It was the strength of faith that made Gordius another Godly Martyr believe that all the threats of his enemies were but as seeds from which he should reape immortality and eternall joyes Here 's the comfort that those which sow in teares shall reape in joy Let not us shrink then at any difficult service which Christ puts us upon For all the troubles and hard-ships which befall us in this vale of misery provided we suffer for Christs sake will augment our future joyes in the kingdome of heaven When thou comest thither it will never repent thee in the least that thou ever sufferest any thing for the name of Christ Thy sufferings and sorrowes here are but finite and limited but the joyes of Gods kingdome are infinite and incomprehensible wherefore the Apostle describes them by way of negation neither eye hath seen nor eare hath heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive the things that God hath prepared for them that love him 5. And lastly all the waies of God are comfortable and abouud 5. Demonst All the ways of God are waies of joy and comfort in joy The waies of wisdome are waies of pleasantnesse and all her paths are peace Prov. 3. 17. O what ravishing delight and pleasure is there in the law of God O how I love thy law saith David the law of thy mouth is better unto me then thousands of Gold and Silver Psal 119. 127. I love saith he thy commandments above Gold yea above fine Gold They were sweeter unto him then honey and the honey combe Oh! what a sweet thing is it to heare God speaking unto us in his word and for us to speake unto him by our prayers herein consists the life of a Christians life Oh! what a sweet thing is it to be fed with spirituall viands when we are admitted unto the Lords Table Oh! what sweetnesse is to be extracted out of the Communion of Saints There be many saith the Psalmist that say who will shew us any good Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us thou hast put gladnesse in our heart more then in the time that their corne and wine increased Psal 4. 6 7. One beame of Gods reconciled countenance more cheares up a Godly mans spirit then barnes full of corne and coffers cramm'd with Gold Oh! that I could perswade you in the feare of God to the beliefe of this truth that all the paths of God are full of joy and comfort It 's an horrid aspersion cast upon the waies of Godlinesse that religion makes men of melancholy and dumpish spirits the joy whereof they are pertakers is inconceivable Spe gaudent they rejoyce in hope saith St Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They that hope rejoyce saith Aristotle Seneca tells us what joy he would have Seneca Volo illam laetitiam tibi domi I would have thy joy to be at home The joy of the Godly is abundant in their owne breast and in their own soule and conscience The spirit witnesseth to their spirits that thy are reconeiled to God The apprehension whereof fills their hearts with joy and peace which passeth all understanding They have here the first fruits and earnest of those in expressible joyes of heaven this makes them to be a calling for their Robes and Crownes which Christ purchased for them by effusion of his pretious blood Therefore trust God with thy joyes and pleasures without God the sweetest thing is bitter As Abner said to Joab so say I of all thy sinfull lusts and pleasures will there
Mysteries of God Another Scripture is †1 Tim. 5. 17 1 Tim. 5. 17. Let the Elders that rule well be accounted worthy of double honour especially they who labour in the word and Doctrine Which place seems to me plainly to set forth two sorts of Elders viz. Ruling and Preaching Elders And being compared together that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the double honour is especially to be given to the Preaching Elder There 's an Emphasis in the scituation of the words It 's not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am non singular in my Interpretation but have the concurrence of judicious learned * Duplices igitur Presbyteri fuerunt cum uni vacarent gubernationi alteri sermoni orationi c. V. Bez. in loc Quod duplicem interpretatur Chrysostomus victum reverentiam non impugno Calv. Et deinceps subjicit Colligere autem hinc licet duo fuisse tunc Presbyterorum genera quia non omnes ad docendum ordinabantur Nam aperte verba sonant quosdam bene honeste praefuisse quibus tamen non erant commissae docendi partes Calv. Expositors who go before me in this Interpretation I shall put you in remembrance of the following verse For the Scripture saith thou shalt not muzzle the Oxe that treadeth out the Corne The labourer is worthy of his reward This plainly expresseth the duty of people to maintain their Ministers if it were a cruell thing to muzzle the mouth of Oxen who tread out the Corn much more cruell to with-hold maintenance from those who labour in the word and Doctrine I shall only compare this with another Scripture and in speaking my conscience I may the rather be more earnest in behalfe of my dear Brethren because I plead not for any Interest of my own considering that I take no tyths †Gal. 6. 6. Gal. 6. 6. Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things It 's said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to contribute but to communicate unto him as * Hoc est qui docetur Doctori suo communicet alimentum benevolentiam honorem Nam hoc indicat quod aâ—pendit in omnibus bonis non inepte communicet impertiaturve dixit non retribuat vel rependat Communio siquidem id est Ille spiritualia confert tu qui doceris carnalia Oecum in loc Oecumenius observeth So that hereby it 's evident that the reliefe of Pastors is not Eleemosynary and precarious but a kind of commerce and exchange of spirituall for carnall things For he that teacheth bestoweth on his flock spirituall treasures and they that are taught should bestow on him part of their temporall goods And for the Quota pars whereupon such a dust hath been raised I cannot conceive how all the men on earth can ever be able to find out so fit a maintenance as Gods own proportion insomuch as thereby Ministers are affected with the condition of their people according to Gods blessing of their increase whether in a lesse or a greater measure I shall only name one Scripture more to put you in mind of your duty to Ministers and that is †Heb. 13. 17. Heb. 13. 17. Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they that must give account that they may do it with joy and not with griefe By rulers and leaders are understood the Pastors of the Church I rather understand it so with * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Duces Haud dubie intelligit Ecclesiae Pastores Gubernatores ut supra v. 7. Neque enim alios Duces vel Gubernatores tune habuit Christiana Ecclesia Pareus Primum est Reverentia ut agnoscamus ordinem divinum eosque ut Legatos Dei nobis missos reverenter excipiamus audiamus Alterum est Amor propter officium Tertium Obedientia ut iis obtemperemus in iis quae ipsorum officii sunt propria quae Dei nomine ex verbo ejus credenda vel facienda praescribunt Quartum est gratitudo ut officiis beneficiis quibus possumus ipsis labores curas compensare studeamus Pareus Pareus to be meant of Ministers then of Magistrates as Zuinglius observes But Pareus adds four main duties of people to their Pastors viz. Reverence love obedience and gratitude All these things people owe unto the Ministers of the Gospell But I draw to a close what further remains concernes us all both Ministers and people My businesse yet remaining is by way of Character to decypher those who are reconciled and by way of motive to excite you all to get assurance of your reconciled estate These are weighty arguments which I shall dispatch with what clearnesse and Brevity I may and so put a period to this Charact. 1. Every reconciled person relyes on Christs Righteousnesse discourse 1. We are to put our selves upon the test and triall whether we are in a reconciled estate Amongst many distinguishing notes which may be assigned I shall only mention three instar omnium The first whereof is this and it is a Proposition of eternall truth every reconciled person denyes his own Righteousnesse and relyes only upon the Righteousnesse of Jesus Christ No way to obtain Reconciliation no other way to preserve it but by the imputation of Christs Righteousnesse The Garment of Christ is absolutely compleat and needs not the patching up of our merits For what are all our Righteousnesses but * Isa 64. 6. filthy rags Christ is the High Priest who †Heb. 9. 28. was once offered to bear the sinne of many He it is * Isa 63. 3. who trod the Winepresse alone He is the only mediator for there is but one †1 Tim. 2. 5. Mediator between God and man the man Christ Jesus Christ is the * 1 Cor. 6. 20. price of our Redemption and we †Eph. 1. 7. have redemption through his bloud The name of Jesus is the only name for * Acts 4. 12. there is no other name under Heaven whereby we shall be saved †Non solum horribile est sed etiam periculosum de Deo extra Chrìstum cogitare Luth. Loc. Com. Qui cuiquam salutem promittit sine Christo nescio utrum ipse salutem habere potest in Christo Aug. There is no thinking of God without Christ Neither will Christ admit any competitors or Corrivalls in this great businesse Christ is a totall saviour and he will have the whole honour as is most due unto himselfe The whole work of salvation is Gods peculiar Interest * Isa 43. 11. Bellarm. L. 9 de Justif Isa 43. 11. I even I am the Lord and besides me there is no saviour Insomuch that Bellarmine himselfe that Champion of Rome is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For having pleaded at large for merits he gives his last Resolution
as a correction of the Premises saying It 's the safest way to relye only on the mercies of God in Christ Wherefore let Papists discard their own merits however they distinguish de congruo condigno to elude their consciences and let Socinians abhorre their blasphemy who conceit that their obedience without Christ merits can justify them Yet notwithstanding let us wholly betake our selves to Christs righteousnesse His robes are broad enough to cloath us His merits are of Infinite dignity and estimation The great Apostle desired not †Phil. 3. 9. Deo homines examinante probante inveniar insitus Christo ut pâ—lmes viti qui non meos ex lege Mosaica sed ex virtute Christi me efficientis fructus proferam deo gratos Arias Mont. in loc to be found in his owne righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousnesse which is of God by faith And Job that holy man propounds the Question * Job 9. 2 3. Quasi dicat frustra se defendere apud ipsum prae ipso conetur Nulla comparatio Dei hominis justitiae Mercer in loc How should man be just with God if he will contend with him he cannot answer him one of a thousand Should the holiest of men such as were Enoch Noah Moses Abraham David c. Stand upon their own righteousnesse and joyn issue with Gods Justice not one of them could be able to stand in judgment Wherefore we lay this down for a foundation and a certaine truth That all reconciled Persons account Christ their only Peace-maker their rock and refuge their Counsellour saviour their only Intercessour and * 1 Cor. 1. 30 him who of God is made unto them Wisdome Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption This then is the first note of triall whether we come off clear whether we throw away our own reason merits righteousnesse and venture all upon the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ He is a †Isa 27. 16. stone a tryed stone a pretious corner stone a sure foundation Wherefore we must as the Persians when the King was offended brought his Son in their Armes offer Christ unto the Father in the Armes of faith and venture all upon his meritorious satisfaction There 's no danger of miscarrying if with a lively faith we cast our selves upon Jesus Christ Secondly This foundation being necessarily laid a superstructure Charact. 2. The heart is new framed and fashioned may the better be raised on it Therefore another note of triall I shall assigne to be the new framing new moulding and fashioning of the heart For the heart of an unreconciled Person is rebellious against God As it 's recorded of Julian the Apostate that he shot up arrowes into the skie with a malicious intention to hit Christ So every naturall man that lives without God in the World would dethrone God if he could he hates God his wayes his people But as soon as the conquering power of the Spirit of God subdues the heart there is a marvelous change and alteration for the better There 's a * Rev. 3. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to anoint the eyes So that the understanding is inlightned and those that are Gods Children are †Eph. 4. 23. renewed in the Spirit of their minde They are all men and women of a pretious anointing which is that * 1 Joh. 2. 20. unction from the holy one whereby they know all things And as for the wills of these regenerate reconciled Persons they are now yielding obedient and pliable to the will of God For instance Saul before his conversion raved in a distemper'd zeal against the Disciples breathed threatnings slaughter against the Church and through his distemper'd zeal thought he did God good service by persecuting of the Church of God but as soon as ever Christ met him in the way and threw down Horse and Man and told him that †I am Jesus whom thou * Act. 9. 5. persecutest it is hard for thee to kick against the prickes then his will was changed and he wholly devolved himselfe upon Christs will as appears by his humble answer Vers 6. Lord what wilt Vers 6. thou have me to do Further all the affections are changed These a reverend †Mr. Dyke in his book called the Deceit fulnesse of mans heart Divine in an excellent and Singularly usefull book calls the feet of the soul By these the soul is carryed along And indeed the affections are the wings of the soul to help it to soar aloft in Divine raptures and contemplations Now in a reconciled Person all his a fections are alterd for the better His love was formerly upon sin now it is placed upon God and all the wayes of holynesse So that now what God hates a true believer hates and what God love's a true believer loves It 's that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Psalmist gives * Psal 97. 10. Psal 97. 10. Ye that fear the Lord hate evill And the best of Orators tells us That to will and nill Idem velle ac idem nolle est summa pars amicitiae Cic. the same is the chiefest part of Friendship And as for the joy hope desire they are all changed in a regenerate man Whereas formerly they were placed upon worldly vanities now they are placed upon God and the great things of eternity In a word where a Person is reconciled unto Christ there 's a new heart and clean water is sprinkled upon it the proud heart is become humble the hard become soft so that a new vergency and bent of the heart evidenceth it selfe throughout the continuall practice of the life and conversation And this put 's me in mind of the third Character which I Charact. 3. drawn from the fruits of a Reconciled estate intended drawn from the fruits of a reconciled estate which put forth themselves in the whole carriage of the life Now we must know that the selfe same fruits which belong to a justified estate because none are justified but those who are reconciled appertain to a reconciled estate The Apostle set's them forth †Rom. 5. 1 2 3 4. His ostendit competere quaecunque plenissime justificatis in gratiam Dei reposit is tribui possunt eoque probat hac fide Evangelii Domini nostri Jesu Christi justificationem haberi consummatissime Bucer in loc Rom. 5. 1 2 3 4. Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ By whom also we have accesse by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoyce in hope of the glory of God And not only so but we glory in Tribulation also knowing that Tribulation worketh patience and patience experience and experience hope Likewise the fruits of the Spirit belong to every reconciled Person and by them as a touchstone he ought to examine himselfe The Apostle names one Catalogue