life Walke according Mat. 3. 8. to this rule and persenere in it to the end and thou art â—â—dâ— partaker of Christ And it his appearing thou shalt receyue an incorruptible crowne of glory Let vs humble onr selues in prayer The fourth Lecture vpon the 15. verse of the necessitie of hearing the word of God how the hardening of the heart is to be vnderstood and of thâ— errour of praying in the church specially in the time of publâ—ke teaching or of common praiers 15 Solâ—â—g as it is said to day of ye hear his voice barden not your hearts as in the pâ—ovocation OF the word to day I haue aâ—â—eady shewed that it is applied vnto the time of grace that is so long as the word of GOD which is the light of the world is made manifest vnto vs. And here againe we may obserue that when the Apostle saith to day hee giveth vs to vnderstaÌ„d that the spirit of God did speake by the mouth of the holy Prophets not only for the learning instructioÌ„ of the people that liued in the daies of the Prophets but also for the learning of all men in all times and ages to the ende of the world For the Prophet David to instruct the people of his time saith to day Psalm 95. 7. and the Apostle almost eleven hundreth yeares after Dauid teaching the Hebrewes saith to day if yee heare his voice harden not your â—eartes Whereby he would haue them to vnderstand that the same scripture did then call them to the obedience of the Gospell which to the same effect was preached to their father so long ago by the Prophetâ— Dauid so at this present time you are called of God to the spirituall marriage of his sonne that you may receyue forgiuenesse of your sins and inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in him here is no more required of you but obedience and attentiuenesse to heare so long as it is called to day For now we haue the word neere vnto vs even in our mouth and in our heartes as the scripture Rom. 10. 8. saith And no man is commanded to go beyond the sea to heare it For it is not to be heard at the mouth of the Priests of Egipt nor of the Philosophers of Greece nor of the Rabbins of the Iewes to whom men in times past were wont to trauaile for to heare wisdome as the Queene of Sheba came from the furthest partes of the earth to Ierusalem 1. King 10. 1 Mat. 12. 42. To what end to heare the wysdome of Selomon Wee may easilie gather that such a iorney coulde not be perfourmed without great charges and many danger 〈…〉 and therfore as Christ witnesseth shee shall rise in Iudgement and shall condemne those that are carlesse to heare the wysdome of Christ the true Salâ—mon which he hath now blessed be his name for it sent out of Ierusalem And out of the land of Iudea even into this land and hath dispersed it over the same so that wee neede not trauaile farre for to heare it For now it is called to day with vs and now we may heare it if we will and by hearing it we may liue the houre shall come saith Christ and now is when the dead shall heare Io. 5. 2â— the voice of the son of God and they that heare it shall liue Loe heare it appeareth that we are spiritually dead and are estranged from God through sinne and therfore oppressed with eternall destruction without hope of life except we be quickened by hearing of Christes voice The Prophet Dauid had experience of this in himselfe which made him say I will neuer forget thy precepts Psal 119. 93 for by them thou hast quickened mee As if he should say before the time that I heard and obeyed thy voice I was dead but now the Gospell of thy sauing health hath restored mee to life CoÌ„sider therfore the necessitie of hearing and let that mooue you to put away hardnesse of heart It is manifest that without Io. 3. 36. faith none can be saved froÌ„ the secoÌ„d death nor froÌ„ the day of Gods wrath and faith as witnesseth the holy Ghost commeth by hearing Neither hath God appointed any other Rom. 1â— 17. meanes then the hearing of his voâ—ce for the attaining of faith and by faith salvation as it is most evident by that one and notable example of the rich man who because hee had not regarded the day of grace was after his bodily death tormented in hel Luke 16. and desiring to haue Lazarus sent to preach vnto his brethren least they also shoulde come into that place of â—orment receiveth this answere from Abrahaâ—â— they haue Moses and the Prophetes let them heare theâ— But â—er 29. when hee was yet more instant to haue one sent vnto them from the dead Abraham replyeth againe If they heare not Moses and the Prophetes neither vvill they bâ—e perswaded ver 31. though one rise from the deade againe This may suâ—â—ice any man that will vnderstande that God will haue no other way nor means for man to come to the knowledge of his wil and to be saved from the wrath to come but by hearing his voice revealed in the scriptures VVherefore so long as the time of grace lasteth let no man harden his hearte from hearing let no man looke the gate of heaven against his owne soule not become the minister of his owne death let no man as the maner of most men is be like the vaine Athenians more desiâ—â—us either to tell Act. 17. 21. or to heare some newes of other men or that coÌ„cerneth some worldly commodities then to heare the wisedome of God which yet cryeth openly vttereth her voice in the streâ—â—â— Pro. 1. 20. For the voice of this wisedome if thee bee heard and receiued vvith meekenesse saith the Iam 1. 21. scripture is able to saue mens soules and is the power of God vnto salvation to every one that beleeveth Rom. 1. 16. Herein the wisedome of God excelleth the wisedome of this world For all the counsell of the wise men and lawyers of the world al the learning of the Philosophers and sâ—â—oolemen and al the cloquence of the readiest oratours advocats though a man heare theÌ„ never so attentiuely cannot make him wise vnto salvation neither is it in them to bring the glad tidings of peace to a troubled soule disquieted with the feare of death the terror of hel for only the voice of Christ hath that pâ—eâ—ogatiue therfore al meÌ„ are coÌ„manded not to harden their hearts if they wil heare it But is it in the power of maÌ„ not to harden his heart sith the scripture saith I will harden Pharachs heart and in an other Exod. 〈◊〉 3. Revel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 place hee shutteth and no man openeth Here we must vnderstand that there is two manner of hardening of the heart to wit a divine hardening and
the Apostle Peter 2. Pâ—â— 1. 10. 21. witnesleth know this that no prophecie in the scripture is of any private 〈◊〉 for the prophec came not in olde time by the will of 〈◊〉 but hâ—lâ—◠〈◊〉 of God spake as they were mooved by the holy Ghost And likewise when of sinne is by the faithfull pastour collected and preached out of the sacred scriptures we are to teceyue the same and to esteeme of it as if God himselfe did speake vnto vs who then sheweth his face vnto vs so far as we are able to abide it but his glorious voice our fraile nature cladde with sinne and transgression cannot endure to heare without the ministerie of men as it appeareth in the Israelits who say to Moses talke Exod. 20. 19. thou with vs and we will heart but iâ—t not God talke with vs least we die And yet when we are taught by Gods ministers it is the holy Ghost that teacheth vs Of whose wysedome the Apostle saith vvee haue this treasure in earthen vesselles 2. Cor. 4. 7. even heauenly treasure pure and vndesiled for as we see the water of a fountaine when it is put into the earthen vesselles doeth not chaung his nature and qualitie that it had before And the light of the sun though it shine through a window into a darke place doth neverthelesse retaine that vertue operation which it hath from the body of the sun so the ministery of men which are the organes or instruments of the holy Ghost altereth not the nature and propertie neither diminisheth the authoritie of those thinges which they minister VVee must bevvare therefore that vvee giue not the lesse credue to the vvisedome of the holye Ghost because vvee heare it at the mouth of men For it is vvritten God 2. Cor. 4. â— that commaunded the light to shine out of darkenesse is hee vvhich hath shined in the heartes of his Ministers to giue the light of the knowledge of the glorie of GOD in the face of IESUS CHRIST And therefore vvhosoever beleeveth not men teaching as they are taughte of GOD the same beleeveth not the spirite of GOD vvho hath made them able Ministers of his holye vvill revealed in his vvoorde For CHRIST hath given that commission to his true Ministers that hee sayeth of them hee that heareth you heareth Luke 10. 1â— mee and hee that despiseth you despiseth mee Novve seeing that the Canonicall scriptures are the sayings of the holy Ghost who yet speaketh to vs 〈◊〉 oft as we heare them ministred and taughte shall wee not giue greate heede to so great a Doctour that his woordes maye perswade and take place in our heartes to the winninge of the soule for this cause this scripture vvith the rest of that Psalme of Dauid was vsually song among the lewes vppon the sabbath dayes when the church came together that it might stirre them vp to a more attentiue hearing of the law and the Prophetes And so likwise this psalme is wont to be read or song in our chruches in these dayes before the common praires and diuine exercise of the other scriptures as a preparatiue to the estectuall hearing of Gode voice And not to giue place to evill thoughtes and worldly cogitations which are wont to harden mens heartes and to cause manie to depart out of the church as wyse and with as litle knowledge as they came to it To omitte now the particulare handling of these words of the Prophet for they are afterwardes repeated and applied by the Apostle as we shal see in the handling therof let vs here consider three especiall causes why this scripture is here alledged wherof the first is that the Hebrewes might haue no I cause to glorie of their farhers and progenitours after the â—lesh For those their fathers which as they boast of had eaten Mannaâ—â—â— Ioh. 6. 31. the wildernesse tempted God faith the Prophet and therefore he exhorteth their posteritie and all that heare the same worde of saluation which was preached vnto those fathers by Moses not to harden their heart â—s as they did There is nothinge so common in the mouth of vanie and superstitious men as the prayse of their foâ—efathers and of the dayes that are past as if it were inough for vs if we could but follow the example of our fathers neuer examining how they beleeued â—r how they heard the word of God or whether they haue heard it at all And wee thinke that our sins shâ—l not come into iudgment yf wee haue learned them of our fathers But doe we not heare that God faith in the seconde commaundement that he is is a ieâ—ouse God visiting the sinns of Exod 20. 5. the fathers vpon the children vppon the third generation and vppon the fourth of them that hate him that is as a worthie teacher expoundeth Bullinger vpon the second coÌ„maÌ„demeÌ„t it yf the children walke in the crooked stepps of their fathers and thinke that their iniquâ—tie â—hall not be punished because they haue learned it ofâ— their fathers yet God will â—harplye reuenge it in the children although he touched not their fathers when they committed the same iniquitie The people that vvere left from the captivitie of Babilon obiect against the Prophet Ieremiah that vvhen they and their fathers did burne incense vnto the Queene of Ier. 44. 17. 18. heaven and powre out drincke offeringes vnto her they had plentie of victuals and all was well with them But when they left of that service wee haue had say they scarcenesse of all thinges and haue beene consumed by the svvorde and by the famine The Prophete replyeth that because they and their fathers vvith their Kinges and Princes hâ—dde doone such thinges therefore the LORDE coulde no longer forbeare Ier. 44. 20. 21. 22. it but broughte those plagues vpon them And thus doe the frovvarde people of our dayes vvhich vvincke at the lighte deceiue themselues obiecting that our fathers vvhich as they saie vvere of the olde religion had plentie of all thinges and felte no vvant And because they are touched vvith the evilles of these dayes vvhich notwithstandinge are nothing so greate as the obstinacie and vvillfull ignoraunce of this age hath deserved they run into that note of follie vvhy is it that the Eccle. 〈◊〉 12. former daies vvere better then these This hath beene the olde complainte of all ages The heathen * Ovid fastlib I. laudamus veteres sed nostriâ— vtimut annis Poet saith laudamus veteres wee are vvonte to praise the yeares of our forefathers This commeth from the darkenesse of our nature that we iudge foolishlie of those thinges whereof vvee bee ignoraunte according to this saying of a learned teacher because vvee Bishop lewell feele not our fathers evilles therefore wee imagine they had no evil at al. But though it vvere true that our fathers haue had the peace and posperitie of this worlde yet if wee will looke into that age wherein
so no man can stande or walke in the way of life without faith vvhich is the thing that quickeneth evene true Christian and is vnto him a rising againe from death vnto life through Christ the saviour For even as the body is dead without the soule so the soule is dead without faith and therefore Augustine writeth Super 10. tract 49. auima â—uâ— anima siâ—es est faith is the life of thy soule And againe where the A postle faith that Christ may dwell in your heartes by Eph. 3. 17 faith How should Christ dwell in my heart hee answereth thy faith in Christ is Christ dwelling in thine heart And nowe speaking of this faith that iustifieth the elect of God we must note that it differeth from other giftes of the spirite which in the scriptures haue the name of â—aith that so we may the better vnderstand what that faith is whereby we are said to be iustified and made the sonns of God There is therefore an illumination or inlightning 4 Kindes of faith of some mens mindes to consent to the doctrine of the Gospell and to receiue it for the infallible truth of God for in the gospel they that ar on the stones which Mat. 13. 20. 21. Mat. 4. 16. 17. Luk. 8. 13. receiue the word with ioy but haue no root are said to beleeue for a tune but in the time of temptation they fall away This beleefe or faith for a time is commonly called temporary faith because it is not permanent nor effectuall to iustification but it is a faith that reprobates haue that are yet in the state of condemnation There is also a gift of doinge Miracles which an vngodlie or reprobate man may haue and this is called the faith of miracles of the which 1. Cor. 13. 2. the A postle speaketh if I bade all faith so that I could remoue mountaines and had not loue I were nothinge This faith or gifte maketh no man partaker of Christ Thirdlie there is a generall kind of acknowledging the word of God and the historie of the Gospell to be true and that Christ is such a sauiour of men as the scriptures do report of him and yet he that so beleeueth cannot apply the grace of Christ nor the comfort of GODS promises confirmed in CHRIST to himselfe He cannot beleeue the remission of sinnes to belong to himselfe for CHRISTES sake This is called faith historicall and is common both to the devilles and to reprobate men And of this kinde of faith the Apostle Iames faith thou beleevest that there is one God thou doest well the devilles also beleeue it and treâ—ble Iam. 2. 19. Lastly the faith which the Apostle speaketh of in this text and which is proper to Gods childreÌ„ only is called a pastifying faith because it apprehendeth and layeth hold on the iustification which is in CHRISTIE-SVS Some learned devines make of these 4. sorts of faith but two wherof the one as they cal it is a faith of Christ and this is such as the de vils false Christians haue the other a faith in Christ such as true Christians haue Yet for difference betweene the faith of repiobate men and the saith that devils are said to haue the former kind of faith to wit a faith of Christ is devided of others as we haue hard into a temporary faith a 〈…〉 h of miracles and a faith historicall Nowe the faith in CHRIST which none but the godly areindued with is defined in the 11. chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrewes Heb. 11. 1. to bee the substaunce of thinges vvhich are hoped for and the demonstration of thinges vvhich are not seene It is called the substance or grounde or the state of the soule for that we liue by it I liue faith the Apostle yes not I Gal. 2. 20. now but Christ liveth in me and in that I now liue in the flesh I liue by the faith in the sonne of God VVhen the scripture faith that wee are iustified by faith it signifieth as much as that we are set free from the penaltie of the law and acquitted from the sentence of condemnation For this word iustification is the contrary to condemnation and without Christ it is manifest that all men are in the state of condemnation as it is written like vvise then as by the offence of one the fault came Rom. 5. 18. on all men to condemnation so by the iustifying if â—ne the benefite abounded towarde all men to the iustification of life This is the free gifte of GOD to bee iustified by faith and counted righteous in the sighte of GOD through the imputation of CHRISTES righteousnesse VVee conclude faith the Apostle Rom. 3. 28. that a man is iustified by faith vvithout the workes of the law And againe being iustified by faith wee haue peace toward God through Rom. 5. 1. our Lord Iesus Christ And to the same effect againe being now iustified by his blood we shall be saued from wrath through him Thus we see Rom. 5. 9. how the faith that iustifieth differeth from other faithes which reprobate men and devils are said to haue VVe see also the vertue and propertie of this faith and what it is to be iustified by it But in that we are said to be made partakers of Christ by a right faith we are further to note two thinges in the vertue and quality of this faith that iustifieth I he one is the assurance of our saluation because our sinns are for giueÌ„ vs. The other is the assurance of our glorification with Christ in life eternall for where remission of sinnes is there is also life everlasting Touching the assurance of our saluation we are sure to be saued because we beleeue and are surely Perswaded that the price of our redemption is * Christ hath in his owne person sustere whatsoever was due to our sins hath therby fully â—reed vs froÌ„ the ire of God the curse of the law Of his sufferings I haue else where spoken more at large which iflets were not should haue beene published fully and sufficiently paid For the holy Ghost witnesseth God so loued the world that he hath giuen his only begotteÌ„ son that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life 10. 3. 16. again he beareth witnesse saying the sonne of man came Wherfore to giue his life for the raÌ„some of many or as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is interpreted of the best translatours for the price of the redemption Mar. 10. 45. of many This assureth vs of full satisfaction made for our sinnes For to ransome or to redeeme is properly vsed to signifie the desiverance of captiues when man for man or life for life is redeemed So Christ being the good shepheard did giue his own life for the life of his sheepe And 10. 10. 11. Gal. 3. 13. thereby hath redeemed vs from the curse of the law when he
clemencie favour you wil accept of it as a mite of a willing minde and vnfained good will And in that I haue therein alleadged other authors beside the holyscriptures I did it of care to haue every truth confirmed in the mouth of approved witnesses I neede not heere speake of your Lordships good desertes I know that a vertuous man loueth not to heare his owne praise for it is better to be a good man indeede then in mens opinion to bee so accompted Wherefore as GOD hath exalted you to honour and dignitie and as a learned young man hath lately written to you hath made you a keeper of many vines and as we see hath wrought in you a notable care vnder her Maiestie to provide for the well-fare of his Church so I beseech him that is Lord of Lordes long to preserue your honour in al safety and to increase in you his giftes of grace to the setting forth of his glory to the continual good of his church finally to your owne eternal comfort through the merits of his sonne Christ Iesus And wheras the world is in danger of eternal perdition as great part through irreligiousnes and atheisme without either knowledge or true feare of God and a great part through affected ignorance and obstinate frowardnesse in Popish customes wee are to pray dayly that it may please God to wake men out of the sleepe of sinne and voluptuous living and by the power of his holy word still to weaken the kingdome of sinne and of Antichrist and to call those that are to bee called to the knowledge of his trueth while it is yet called To day Your Honours most bounden Oratour HVGH ROBERTS THE CONTENTS OR BRIEFE summe of the Lecture vpon the latter part of the third Chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrewes set downe in order as followeth 1 The first Lecture vpon the 7. 8. 9. 10. and 11. verses of the authoritie of the word of God of the speciall causes why this scripture being part of one of the Psalmes of David is alleadgeâ— by the Apostlâ— writing to the Hebrewes 2 The second Lecture vpon the 12. and 13. verses of the fruâ—t of an evill heart of mutuall exâ—â—â—tation and of the dectit fullnesse of sinne 3 The third Lecture vpon the 14. verse of faith and of the assurance of salvation and ever lasting felicitie to the true beleevers 4 The fourth Lecture vpon the 15. verses of the necessitie of hearing the word of God how the bardening of the heart is to be vnderstood and of the errour of praying in the church specially in the time of publique 〈◊〉 or of câ—mmon prâ—â—ers 5 The fifth Lecture vpon the 16. and 17 verses of the wickednesse of mâ—ns nature all â—en are naturally bent to idolatrie we must imitate the faithfull though they be but few in number or in one age whom God raiseth vp in all ages to confesse his name of Gods long sufferance bountifulnes towards inners of sinne and the fruit thereof 6 The sixth and last Lecture vpon the 18. and 19. versest of the punishment of theâ— that obey â—â—t the Gospell though for a time they be borne with and liue in a floâ—rishing states what the tokens of Gods iudgâ—ents which befal in the world and wherewith some men are visited should profit vs the word of God is the iudge of men which word is to be obeyed while the day of grace lasteth THE FIRST LECTVRE VPON the wordes of the Prophet David alleadged by the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews cha 3. ve 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. of the authority of the word of God and of the speciall causes why this scripture of the Prophet is here alleadged with the application thereof 7 Wherfore as the holy Ghost saith to day if yee will heare his voice 8 Harden not your hearts as in the provocation according to the day of temptation in the wilderâ—esse 9 Where your fathers tempted mee proved mee and saw my workes for â—iâ— yeares long 10 When fore I was grieved with that generation and said they erre ever in their heart neitheâ— haue they knowne my waieâ— 11 Wherefore I sware in my wrat if they shall enter into my rest IN the begining of this chapter men and brethren beloved in Christ the Apostle that was the author of this epistle exhorteth the Hebrewes or Iewes to whom he writeth to consider Christ Iesus the Apostle high Priest as he faith of our profession of Chrstianisme he compareth him with that great and renowned Prophet of God Moses because the lewes did magnisie the remebrance of Moses by whom God had planted and established both the religion civill government of the people of Israel and therfore it is writen of him there arose not a Prophet since in Israel like vnto Moses who the Lord knewe Deut. 34 10 face to face And for this cause in the ninth of Iohn the Iewes stand so precisely vpon the authoritie of Moses and say we be Moses diseiples To 9. 28. 29. we know that God spake with Moses Now to proue that Christ far excelleth Moses in honour and authoritie the Apostle vseth two notable and familiar arguments The one he draweth from a comparison betweene the builder the house which he hâ—th builded Châ—ist is the builder of his spirituall house which is the church Moses was but one part of the building therefore Christ is aboue Moses The other from a comparison betweene the heire or the naturall sonne and the servant of his house Christ is the sonne Moses was but a servant therefore Christ is more honourable then Moses Here vpon the Apostle inferreth thâ—t all the faithfull which professe Christian religion are the house of Christ if they persevere and continue in his grace vnto the end But because without faith it is vnpossible Heb. 11. 6. Row 10. 17 to pleâ—se God and without the hearing of the word of God faith is not attained and without a good heart there cometh no prosite Heb. 42. by hearing Therefore that they which heare the word of God may be effectually ioined to this building of the house of God and that they may be so prepared to heare this word that it may be so prepared to heare this word that it may not be vnto them a favour of death vnto death but of life vnto life the Apostle â—â—leadgeth this scripture out of the Psalmes of David the authoritie whereof Psal 95. he attributeth to the holy Ghost who spake by the Prophets And here we learne that the holy scriptures which we heare or read thought they be named after that Prophet that Apostle or that Evangelist by whom they were ministred or written are not with standing the liuely oracles of God and the very words of the holy Ghost who inspired the Prophets â—nd holy Ghost who inspired the Prophets and holy men and moved theÌ„ to speake as they were taught and directed from aboue according as
they lived wee shall finde nothing whereof wee may glorie For indeede it was the Egypte of superstition and spirituall darkenesse and therefore as * Deering vpon the epistle to the Hebr. lect 24. one hath lefte in writing vpon this Epistle to the Hebrewes if wee goe after Baalims vvhich our fathers haue taught vs wee shall bee fedde vvith the wormwoode vvhich our fathers haue leaten Yea let vs assure our selues vvee shall bee beaten vvith more stripes then our fathers if vvee will wittinglie treade in their steppeâ— For as Bulliuger saith if thy forefathers Bulliuget vpon thâ— Apoc. set 35. bad had the like opportunitie vvhich then neglectest vvhat a space vvould they haue runne afore thee And therefore as it shall bee easier for Tyrâ—â— Luke 10. 14. and Sâ—lon at the day of iudgemente then for them that heard Christ and saw his miracles and were not the better therefore so I may say it shall be easier for our forefathers at that day then for them which bring forth no good fruite nor make profession of the trueth beeing preached and made knowne vnto them vvhich hath not beene so revealed to our fathers as it is now to the people of our daies The seconde cause why the Apostle reciteth 2 this scripture of David is that with the example and punishmente of them that tempted and hardened their heartes in the deseâ—te hee mighte terrifie the Hebrevves and make them more carefull to receiue the vvordes of exhortation and to obey the voice of Christ the mediatour of the new testament whose voice as he is greater then Moses so shall they draw vpon them great erpunishment which neglect to heare it The children of Israell of vvhom mention is heere made after they vvere delivered out of Egypt by Moses for al that they had seene the works of God his miracles which he wrought for them in Egypt at the redde sea yet they tempted him in the wildernesse and doubted of his â—goodnesse and providence towardes them and said is the Lord among vs or no because they had not Exod. 17. 7. water at their pleasure This was the provocation which is here mentioned wherewith the Lorde God was tempted in the vvildernes of his own people after that he had delivered theÌ„ out of the hands of their enemies And againe when they should haue gone out of the wildernesse into the land of Canaan to possesse it and to dwell therein where they should haue had rest peace and prosperity yet they beleeved not the worde of God * The chil-dren of Israel are coÌ„manded to goe vp and possesse the land which God had said before them but they say they will sende men to search out the land Deur I. 21. 22. and therefore the Lord sâ—â—ll bearing with them biddeth them len Num. 1â— â—3 how be it the event and issue of their sending declareth that it came from the peopleâ— disobedience to the word of God for the years in which they did bâ—â—râ— their iniquity in the wildernesse are measured with the number or the daies in the which they had searched out the land of Câ—naan Num. 13. 14. 33. 34. but sent twelue men a man out of every tribe of the children of Israell to search the land to know what maner of land it was and whether they might obtaine it or no as if the living God and Lorde of the whole earth which had done so many thinges for them shoulde not nowe bee able to subdue their enemies and to giue them the land according to his promise And when the twelue men returned after fortie daies from searching of the lande and brought with them of the fruite thereof to shewe to all the congregation of the children of Israell tenne of the twelue brought vp an evil report slander vpon the land to these ten men the whole assembly gaue credite and their words to them seemed to bee true And therefore they murmured against Moses and Aaron and would haue made a Num. 14. new captaine to bring them againe vnto Egypt but Ioshua and Caleb two of the twelue that had searched the land al the multitude would haue stoned with stones for the truth sake which these two men reported of the land because they perswaded the people not to rebel against the Lord. Thus the Israelites that came out of Egypt tempted the Lord in the wildernesse and provoked him to anger by following the counsels of their owne harts therefore the Lord saith of theÌ„ as it is in this text they erre â—ver in their hearts and what was then their punishments as I liue saith the Lord I wil surely do vnto you even as ye haue spoken in mine ears Num. 14. 28. 2â— your carkases shall sal in this wildernesse c. And so it came to passe for of the sixe hundreth thousand which came out of Egyptâ— and vvere able to discerne betweene good and evil none but two men Caleb the sonne of Iephiumeth and Ioshua the sonne of Nun which constantly as the scripture saith followed Num. 32. 12 the Lord did enter into the land of Canaan to inhabite it all the rest were consumed in the terrible wildernesse according to the worde of the Lord for Moses saith and the Lord was Num. 32. 13 very angry with Israell and made them wander in the wildernesse fourty yeares vntill all the generation that had done evill in the sighte of the Lorde were consumed And here the text saith therefore I sware in my wrath if they shoulde enter into my rest Where it is said in my wrath we are to vnderstand that God who is a spirite immortal infinite and incomprehensible with whome is 1am 1. 17. no variablenesse neither shadow by turning is not subiect to any of these passions which the scriptures seeme to attribute vnto him as wrath ielousie greefe repentance and the like But these things are figuratiuely applyed to God after the manner of men for our vnderstandinge sake vvhich are not able to conceiue of heavenly things without metaphors allegories â—arables and similitâ—â—es borrowed from earthlie and naturall things which are therefore so much vsed in holy scriptures for ouâ—â— learning And heere by the name of wrath or anger is set foorth the determinate sentence of Gods eternall iustice against sin and disobedience And when it is said that he sware it teacheth vs feare and consirmeth to vs that Gods threatnings fall not to the grounde without Augustine in Psal 95. full effect For as Aurelius Augustine saith vpon this place iurantem hominem debes timere thou oughtest to feare when a man sweareth least for his oths sake he should do that which is * As Herod did Mar. 6. 26. when he caused Iohn Bapsist to be beheaded against his will howe much more saith he oughtest thou to feare when God sweareth who can sware nothing rashlie his oath is a sure confirmation Wheras in deed as another father saith
taught in diuerse places of holy scriptures to haue a care of our brethren and to instruct them so Paule saith to the Thessalonians exhorte one another and edifie one 1 Thesse 5. 11. another even as ye doe And because he deserueth not the name of a Christian whosoever is ignorant of the ground of faith and religion contained in the sacred scriptures and is not able to edifie another nor to speake as the word of God Therefore the same Apostle writeth to the Romanes I am perswaded of you my brethren that yee also are full of goodnesse and filled with Rom. 15. 14 all knovveledge and are able to admonish one another The doctrine of the holy GHOST delivered by the Apostles as it appeareth in their writings is full of such exhortations as ediâ—ie one another exhorte one another be fulfilled with the spirite But Satan the enemy of all trueth hath alwaies too many of his side which are against this doctrine yea and in these daiâ—â— some that haue the name to bee preachers I pray God they bee not for Baal whose voâ—ce soundeth let not artificers husbandmen and menne vvithout learning busie themselues with holy scriptures and with matters of faith and religion let them not goe aboute to tell other men what they shoulde doe and to admonish other men of their errors tracteâ—â— fabriâ—â—a fabri let them meddle with those things they haue to doe and take no care of other men though they bee in an errour This is the wisedome of the flesh and here we see how contrary it is to the wisedome which is from aboue and teacheth vs to exhort to edifie and to admonish one another what calling vvhat trade of life or vvhat condition soever we be of For God hath alwaies required this duetie of mutuall exhortation of them that professe his name as it is written thou shalt not hate thy brother in Levit 19. 17 thine heart but thou shalt plainly rebuke thy neighbour and suffer him not to sinne For this cause Augustine saith that every Christian hath the August do verb. domini serm 16. keies in his hande to binde and to loose his brother vpon earth for when he giveth him warning and admonition if he heare him he hath won him but if he despise him he hath boundâ— him because the wordes of exhortation taken out of the doctrine of Christ and his holy scriptures are a favour either to life or to death by whomsoever they bee spoken or delivered For we haue learned that not only the minister of the word but also all Christians without exception are commanded to instruct and exhorte their brethren the greater that every one is in respect of his place or calling the greateriâ— his charge herein and the more cause hee hath to covet vvith that faithfull servaunt of the LORDE Moses that all the Num. 11. 29. Lordes people vvere Prophetes and that the Lorde woulde put his spirite vppon them that so they might be able to teach one another that none might perish for lacke of knowledge For the Lord complaineth that his people is goâ—e into captiuitie because they had Isa 5. 13. no knowledge If there be no knowledge there caÌ„ be no exhortation then no setting free from the captiuitie of sâ—nne The time to exhort and likwise to learne is while it is called to day It must not be deferred or put over till to morrow for the scripture saith yee cannot tell what shall be to morrow Iam. 4. 14. By the date in this place is not meant the whole course of our life as some haue taught vpon this text But the daie is taken for the acceptable time of grace in which the wisedome of God vttereth her voice amoÌ„g vs inviteth vs to the marriage of the kings son For not withstanding that no time while we liue vpon the earth is to late to amendment of life yet the Gospell of Christ which is the light of the world that teachceth vs faith and repentaunce may bee taken from vs and then it is night and no daie even as it is this day with the Turkes â—he Papistes and all other nations of the earth to whom the Lord hath not giuen the light of his holy worde thought they haue the naturall daie yet haue they not the daie of grace but they walke in the night of ignoraÌ„ce superstitioÌ„ in which they goe out of the waie and perish VVe haue had this day almost this fortye yeares and yet so farre are we from beeing able to exhort one another that the most part of our elder men and women haue not yet learned the meaning of their baptisme oh how lamentably haue these people beene hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sinne And will you stil walke in this feareful darknesse not come into the light of â—he day now let the sunne of right cousnesse shine in your hearts For even this day it is called to day and we know not how long this day wil last but when it is past it will not be redeemed though wee would seeke it with teares Heb. 12 17. as Esau sought the blessing and yet was reiected because the day was past Now that which hardeneth vs is the deceitfulnesse of sinne If sinne were not deceitfull it could not overcome nor prevaile against so many men and all sortes of people and all ages as it doeth It prevaileth against old men which in respect of time ought to be teachers and deceiveth them that notwithstanding they be come to that age that their strength is but labour and sorrow yet wil they not giue over the loue of this world for it is with them as Cicero saith there is none Cicero lib. de sâ—nectuâ—e so olde which doeth not thinke himselfe able to liue one yeare And so deferring from yeare to yeare and from day to day the hoare head is childishly deceiued and al his experience cannot draw him out of the snares of sinne It deceyueth youth and middle age and telleth them it is time inough to serue God and to be religiouse when old age shall approch and being deceyued they will not heare veritie which saith remember now thy creator in the dayes of thy youth For when age Eccle. 1. 12. cometh then are the evill dayes and the yeares wherin thou shalt say I haue no pleasure in them Sinne is so craâ—tie and deceitfull that it deceyueth euen the wyse and the prudent of this world it is obserued in the little beast Chameleon that it can change it selfe into all coloures that it siâ—teth vpon except white But there is no colour or â—hew of vertue which sinne cannot chaunge itselfe into For therby it deceyueth and hardeneth all sinners It cometh to the coneteouse man hauing the colour and name of good husbandrie and not of coueteousnes and so hardeneth him It cometh to the drunkard not vnder the â—ame of drunkenes but of good felowshippe and hardeneth him so that
a humane hardening or the hardening of God and the the hardening of man and yet the one of these doeth not harden without the other for God hardeneth not Pharaohs heart but that Pharaohs owne will is the cause of it his hardening proceedeth not from any other but froÌ„ himselfe And therefore the scripture saith that Pharaoh hardeâ—ed his heart Neither for al that Eâ—od 9. 34. doeth Pharaoh harden his owne heart but God doeth it iudicially or according to his secret iudgements for the kings heart is in the hand of the â—ord Pro. 21. 1. But when it is said that God hardeneth the heart we must not so vnderstand it as if God should make that hard which before was softe and tender or of it selfe was not hard For the truth is that all men are borne with a hard heart and darke vnderstanding even with a heart of stone like the Adamant of the which wee haue heard already And for this cause the Lord saith by his Prophet I will take away the stoâ—â—◠〈◊〉 36. 26. heart oâ—â— of your bodie and I will giue you an heart of flesh God therefore is saide to harden the heart when as he denieth his grace and the fire of his holy spirite to molâ—â—fie and soften that which is naturally hard even as when the heat of the fire is denied to the softening of the hard and vntempered waxe This is called of some a prâ—vatiue hardening because God detaineth his grace from men for iust causes which are not knowne to vs. Beside this God hardeneth after an other manner when he doeth not only suffer the heart to remaine in that hardnesle and obduration which it hath by nature but doeth also externally harden it more and more by his ministers For as we may see in 〈◊〉 Pharaoh was made more obstinate hard-hearted by the ministery of Moses and Aaron then he was before hee had heard â—hese men And in these daies we haue too much expetience hereof by seeing vngodly men to become the more froward and malicious the more that they heare Gods worde and are taught by his ministers This is Gods iudicial hardening of the heart whereby in his iust iudgementes hee punisheth the former sinnes of men and for this purpose he commandeth his ministers as it is written Make the heart of this people â—at make their eares heavie Isa 10. shut their eies least they see with their eies and heare with their eares and vnderstande with their hearts and convert that I might heale theÌ„ Here we see how and wherefore God hardeneth the heart Now the humane hardening or the hardening attributed to man himselfe is that which the text that we handle warneth vs to beware of if yee heare his voice harden not your hearts This hardening of the hart is nothing else but a voluntary purpose and intent of man to continue in sinne and not to follow nor obey the doctrine of Gods everlasting trueth howsoeuer it be preached vnto him as hereof we haue examples in king Saule in Iudas in Iuhan the Apostaâ—â— and others ' but specially in Pharach whom the scriptures do set before vs as a notable paterne of a disobedient and hard-hearted man After this maner thhrefore the Israelies in the wildernesle hardened their heartes by grudging and bitter strining against Moses when they wanted water notwithstanding they had the word of the Lord among them This is it Exod. 17. which the Apostle putteth vs in minde of when he saith harden not your hearts as in the pâ—ovâ—â—ation And this is the hardening wherewith man hardeneth his heart even his own perverse will and purpose of sinning wherin he persisteth and so becoÌ„meth the minister of death perdition to his own soule Now the cause of all hardening of the heart is sin and the custome of sinning For Moses saith Phiraoh sinned againe and hardened his hearte Exod. 9. 34. There Pharaohs sinne goeth before the hardening of his heart VVherefore consider how fearefull and dangerous the custome of sinne is it bringeth hardnesse of hearte which denyeth obedience to the worde of God and despiseth his holy ministery and so groweth to fulnesse of sinne the wages whereof is death eternall Let the consideration Rom. 6. 23. of these thinges cause you with feare reverence to hear the Gospel of your salvation and before you come to heare it bee careful as the Apostle exhorteth to cast away euery thing that presseth downe and the sinne that Heb. 12. 1. hangeth so fast on that wheÌ„ the Lord speaketh by the mouth of his messâ—gers you may haue cares to hear hearts to vnderstaÌ„d be in a readmes to heare his voice to say with Samuel speake Lord for thy servaÌ„t heareth Here 1. Sam. 3. 10 we see that as there was a voice hard so there was a readines to hear it Here â—od did speak here man was prepared to heare him But this exaÌ„ple of obedieÌ„ce preparatioÌ„ to heare the Gospell which is more glorious speaketh better thinges then the law is too rare in our age For most men and women though they resort to church and to Christian congregations are yet in the time of divine exercise of the word of God more ready to speake then to heare They are more ready to pray by themselues and to offer vp a sacrifice of their owne superstition then either to heare reading or preaching of the holy scriptures or to consent with one mind to the common praters of the whole church if the time so require yea and some are not content to be thus farre superstitious but wil also giue themselues to read on some praier booke when God speaketh to them out of his booke of life Such blinde devotion of men and private repeating of words out of due time and place must needes be a sacrifice not accepted but reiected of God For it cannot be the fruit of faith because you haue not so learned Christ and whatsoever saith the Apostle is not of faith is sinne Rom. 14. 13 Marke a speciall doctrine of that famous preacher Salomon touching this point take heede to thy foote when thou enterest into the house Eccl. 4. 7. of God and be wore neere to heare then to giue the sacrifice of fooles for they know not that they dâ—â— evill If they know not that they do evil then they do it of ignorance But it is evil saith he and we are taught that Christians must abstaine not onely from evill it selfe but from al appeâ—â—â—nce of evill Yet because nothing is so 1. Thess 5. 22. evill but if it be commonly vsed seemeth to be good and men will needs defend it so to be as in this case some are wont to say that when they giue themselues to pray privatly in the church they doe it that they may be the better prepared to serue God But as the Apostle saith to the Corinthians which came disorderedly to the receiving of the
among those murmuring people which obeyed the word of the LORDE as Moses and Aaron Caleb and Ioshua vnto those few we must haue an eâ—e and not vnto the multitude of sinners For the LORDE saith thou shalt not follovve a multitude to doe evill Exod. 23. 2. neither agree in a controversie to decline after manie and overthâ—ovve the trueth And therefore vvicked is that common saying vvhich hath beene alleadged of the Papistes communis error facit 〈…〉 s a common errour or consent in evill standeth for a law Notwithstanding that at all times and in all places the more parte of men which are evill giue euill examples to drawe others vnto sinne vvhich is the cause that Christ saith woe bee vnto the worlde because of offences for it must needes be that offences shall Mat. 18. 7. come c. Yet as the Apostle speaketh we are Heb. 12. 1. coÌ„passed about with a great cloud of witnesses or goode examples which we must imitate so loÌ„g as we liue in the wildernesse of this world We haue the Patriarchs the Prophetes and the Saintes of the old testament Wee haue Christ himselfe the authour and finisher of nor saith we haue the Apostles Confessours and martyrs in the time of the new testament for an example to suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake and in all thinges to obey the will of God And vvithin the period of these last fiue hundreth yeeres euen in the florishing time of Antichrist we haue those faithfull coâ—sesâ—ours though they were but few in number that we haue heard of which haue resisted Antichristian iniquitie euen vnto blood we haue them I say for an example of loue and long patience witnessing vnto vs that in those dayes of desolation and popish tyrannie all did not prouoke the Lord nor fall away from the right saith For as in the dayes of Elâ—ah when that 1. King 19. 10. wicked woman Iezebel hade persecuted the Lordes Prophetes and when the true worship of God seemed to bee vtterlie abolished oâ—t of the land seuen thousand were reserued though none of them was knowne ver 18. to Elâ—ah which had not consented to idolatrie so in the dayes of our forefathers many thousandes did obey the Gospell of saluation did not defile their garmeÌ„ts with Popish idolatrie and of them the Lord hath made some to bee knowne to the worlde and their memoriall to remaâ—ne as monumentes of his grace for our comfort and example And to come to examples neerer to our time to our selues I haue heard it credibli reported that when here in EnglaÌ„d within these * When this was preached iâ— was the yeare 1598. fiue fourtie yeeres many of the Saintes and true beleeuers did constantly suffer martyrdome for the testimonie of the word of God ther were here in Sussex whole parishes of men and women which for all the heat of that greeuous persecution in the The constancy of suâ—â—ex people in the prosession of the Gospell dayes of Queen Mary came not at the false church not bowed the knee to the idole of the Masse beside those that were martyiâ— which with their blood haue sealed the confession of their faith And as it is best knowne to them that professe religion haue long knowne this countrie there were also diuers which testified their loue obedience to the Gospell by assembling together at coÌ„uement times in woodes and â—â—liâ—aâ—ie places where they had the word of saith puâ—elie taught the sacramentes administered The Lord protecting theÌ„ from the cruelty of those daies These are as cloudes of witnesses for our example that we should follow their faith obedience to the word of God And now in our dayes notwithstanding that the love zeale of many doeth waxe colde and that the dâ—rnell and wilde oates doâ— over-growe the good corne that for the most parte wee canne see nothing but the multitude of luke-vvarme and irreligions people yet are there many faithfull witnesses sincere professoures of the Gospel of God among vs. But alas as the world is alwayes like it selfe we are so far from following the saith example of the Saintes that while they liue among vs we cease not to speake euil of them to persecute them â—hus we see that the Lord leaueth no time no not when it seemeth that the professors of his name are rooted out of the earth without worthy vvitnesses of his trueth whose steppes wee must tread in vnlesse we will runne in the broad waye that leadeth to destruction It followeth but with whome was hee displeased fourtie yeeres was hee not displeased with them that sinned vvhose carkeâ—ses fell in the vvildernesse Heere commeth the long suffering and bountifulnesse of God to be considered who neuer destroyeth any people nor any childe of man for their wickednesse before they be sufficiently warned and haue time to repent and to turne from their evill waies if they will Before hee brought a stoode of waters to drowne the olde worlde hee gaue them that then had sinned the space not of fortie but of three times fortie yeares â—or â—epentance Hee Geâ— 6. 3. burned not the cities of Sâ—dom and Gomorah with fire and brimstone from heauen Geâ— 19. 24. 25. 〈◊〉 Pet. 2. 8. before hee had giuen them time to amend and warning from day to daie by righteous Lot And of that vngodlie woman Iezabell the Lord saith I haue giueÌ„ her space To what end to repent of her foâ—nication shee repented not so Rev. 2. 20. 21. here the holy Ghost saith that forty yeares he was displeased with the Israelites after they came out of Egypt So long endured hee their maners and intollerable rebelling against his word in the wildernesse Here we may learne as the Apostle warneth vs to walke circumspectly to â—edeeme Eph. 5. 15. 16. the time remembring also what hee saith of them that abuse the time of repentance despisesâ— thou the riches of Gods bountifulnesse and Rom. 2. 4. patience and long sufferance not knowing that the bountifulnesse of God leâ—â—eth thee to repentance â—et a Christian therefore be careful to vse wel the time wherein he liuetâ— considering that while he is in this world he is in a wildernesse of innumerable dangers and temptations wheâ—e it be hooveth him to watch and to be circumspect or els he is in a desperate case heapeth vnto himselfe wrath against the day of wrath whosoeuer he be that despiseth Gods long patience Fortie yeares This number fortie is oftentimes vsed in the holy scriptures and is commonly applied to the time of repentanceâ— of abolishing of sinne and stablishing of righteousnes And it teacheth vs that the works of God are perfect and that when he beginneth he maketh an end As here fortie yeares he was displeased with the Israelites in the wildernesse according to the number of the Num. 14. 33. 34. daies in the which they had searched out the land of promise
In which fortie yeares he overthrew them and made an end of them with their sinnes Fortie daies and fortie nightes was the raine vpon the earth when all the inhabitants Gen. 7. 12. of the old world except Noah and his family were drowned In those fortie daies and fortie nights the Lord wiped away all wickednesse and crueltie wherewith the earth was corrupted Forty daies are limited to the people of Niâ—eveh for repentaunce And in that space they repented for they beleeved God as it is in Ionah and proclaimed a fast and put on sacke-cloath Ion. 3. 4. 5. from the greatest of them even to the least of them And to speake according to naturall observation it is noted in mankinde generally that an * Plin. nat hist lib. 7. in proâ—m infant doth seldome or never laugh before he be fortie daies old Here we may see that man â—ath iust cause to bee alwaies sorie and to mourne for his sinnes which are the cause of all the miseries of this life When God establisheth perfect righteousnes vpon earth forty of daies and nightes are spoken of as when Moses was called from the sight of the people he was with the Lord in mount Sinai forty daies and forty nights Exod. 24 18 34. 28. in which he fasted miraculously that so the law of God which hee was to deliuer vnto the Israâ—lites might receiue the more honor and authority And againe fortie daies and 1. King â—9 〈◊〉 fortie 〈◊〉 E 〈…〉 h at the calling of the Lord continued â—â—sâ—ing because hee was the minister that should restore the law to the former perfection thereof And our saviour Christ is said to haue fasted Maâ— 4. 2. â—uke 4 2. 〈…〉 and fourtie mightes before hee beganne his publique life and preaching The end of which fast o◠〈…〉 le as * Vpon the harmony of the â—â—aÌ„gell Mat. 4. 〈◊〉 M. Câ—lvâ— doeth well obsetue was that it should bee a seale to the doctrine of the Gospell which as it is more glorious then the lawe of Moses so was it to bee adorned with miracles and rate signes And after he had suffered his passion and was â—â—sen againe hee was seene of his Apostles by the spice of forty daies Act. 1. 3. In which fortie daies he confirmed vnto them the verity of his â—uâ—â—ection Thus we see where vnto this number forty is vsually applyed in holy scriptures For as teâ—â—e is a perfect and absolute number and all supe 〈…〉 numbers doe arise either by adding vnto teâ—â—e oâ— els by multiplying of ten so the multiplying of ten in this number forty declareth vnto vs the louing kindnesse and mercy of God who giueth vnto men such space of daies or of yeares either to see the confirmatioÌ„ of his truth and his workes or to amend and turne vnto him before they bee destroied for their sins and transgressions And here we may learne that our departing from iniquity our faith and obedience to the worde of GOD must bee effectuall earnest and vnsamed and wee must persevere in the same not for one day but fortie dayes or fortie yeares that is so long as the LORDE vvill haue vs to remayne in the vvildernesse of this world Nowe the cause why the LORDE was displeased with his people fortie yeares was sinne For the Apostle sayeth vvas hee not displeased vvith them that sinned vvhose carâ—â—â—ses fell in the vvildernesse The roote and beginning of all sinne is the naturall corruption or originall sinne vvherein all menne are vvrapped from their mothers wombe and vvherevvith mankinde hath beene infected euer since the fall of Adam This corruption bringeth foorth fruite vnto death by transgressing the law of God We sinne three maner of waieâ— three maner of waies that is in thought worde and deede according to the wordes of our saviour Christ affirming that those thinges which desile a man come from the heart For out of the hearte saith hee come Mat. 15. 19. eviâ—â— thoughts These are sinnes and defile thâ— whole man Murthers adulteries fornications theftes These are sinnes in deed False testimonies slaunders These are sinnes committed in word And now all these transgressions and every one of them as they are committed of men are called actuall sinnes And they are Three sorts of actuall sinnes of three sortes One is counted a sinne of infirmitie into the which the godly and regenerate men of God doe commonly fall through the weakenesse of the flesh Of this kinde of sinne speaketh Paule when he saith the evill which I vvould not that do I. And Rom 7. 19. 1. 〈◊〉 1. 8. of this Saint Iohn saith If we saie that wee haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs. The second is a sinne of ignorance committed through lacke of knowledge when hee that sinneth knoweth not that he doeth evill Such was the sinne of Paule before his conversion when hee liued a Pharisâ—â— and persecuted the Christians notwithstanding he had zeale and in his life was vnrebukeable Phil. 3. 6. touching the righteousnesse of the law And of this sinne after he was conuerted hee saith I did it ignorantly through vnbeliefe 1. Tim. 1. 13. The third kind of sinne is a sinne of malice or a sinne of disobedience to the trueth of God when they that haue experience of Gods fauour and goodnesse towards them and know his word to be the rule of righteousnesse will not for all that forsake their owne waies to followe it and to obey it Such was the sinne of Saul when he did not 1. Sam. 15 9 obey the wordes of Samuel being commanded to destroy the Amalekites and all that appertained vnto them This sinne of disobedience was the sinne of the children of Israell for the which the Lord was displeased with them fortie yeares who knowing the goodnesse of God to bee more extended towardes them then any other nation of the earth did notwithstanding disobey his voice and tempte him â—enne tymes as the scripture witnesseth Num. 14. â—2 And therefore they were reiected of the Lord that they should not enter into his rest and were punished in the wildernesse with horrible plagues where their carkeises fell for an example and a terrour to all that should haue thereof This sinne of maliciouse frowardnes disobedience to the word of God is of all other most fearefull is therefore called rebellion 1. Sam. 15. 23. wickednes idolatrie compared with the sinne of witchcraft And of this kind of sinne Iohn saith hee that commiteth sinâ—s of 1. 10. 3. 8. 9. the deuill And whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not This is therefore the sinne that we must beware of We see how fearefully it was punished in Gods chosen people And their punishments as Paule witnesseth being written to admonish vs might if they were 1. Cor. 10. 〈◊〉 well weyed terrifie the stubborne froward generation of this age and might moue those that preferre the
the souldiers and seruants of Christ or whether yee serue your owne lustes seeinge you are so farre from perfourming the vowe and promise made in your baptisme that you sell your selues to bee the authours of vanities and vaine pleasures seruinge your owne lustes by vngodly pastimes and profane exercises Your wantâ—n dauneing of men and women together in a most â—aâ—ciulous maner you will not yet lâ—aue That pestilent play at football vpon the Lordes day hath of late beene very fearfully punished among you even in a neighbour of your next parish a spectacle sufficient to teâ—â—â—fie all whose heartes are not hardened in sinne in whom neyther the wordes not workes of God can haue any impression to draw them to the consideratioÌ„ of their owne wayes This your neighbour being as you know at play this day fortnight with ruÌ„ning against another man brake his legg so lâ—mentably that as it is reported for truth the sight A notable exaÌ„ple shewed vpon the abuse of the sabbeth day therof made some of the beholders ready to faint This wound could by no meanes bee cured but his bodie pu 〈…〉 ng therevpon it brought him to his end to his graue this day senight to the great discomfort vndoing of his poore wife and six Children BehoÌ„ld here the fâ—uit of good fellowship as they call it where their meetings are often times mingled with their owne blood one man murthered by another Here is a lamentable actâ— At whose handes shall this mans blood be required for when the Lord maketh inquisition for blood hee cannot but remember it No doubte the magistrate cannot bee cleare therefrom who ought carefully to haue foreseene the suppression of such meetings to the preyeÌ„ting of this and the like noysome inconveniences which may and do coÌ„monly fall out at such vnlawful assemblies Yet all this cannot warne vs to liue sobeâ—ly and to leaue these abuses but rather to â—â—â—e other vnto them as great yea and more monstâ—ous Here I must change my voice and set before you some of your desperate sinnes iâ— thâ—â— owne colloâ—â— and propertie I meant your mischieuouâ— pole your may-pole or 〈◊〉 your madding-Pole A manifeste make of your irreligious folly and of all other ill sports most oftensiue to the church of God 1 They that will haue such banners set vp are not much vnlike to the children of Israel which made a molten calfe in the wildernes Exod. 3. 5. 6. and had their holy day for the dedicating of its whereupon they gaue themselues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to play 〈…〉 But you will answere that you do not say of your pole as the 〈…〉 litâ— did of their calfe these be thy Gods But â—er 4. goe further and compare your fact with theirs Touching their holy daie the scripture doeth not say that when they committed that Idolatrie they proclaymed an holy daie of the calfe but an holy daie of the ver 5. Lord. And the dauncers aboute May-polâ—â— say that they comâ— to church for al their spoâ—â—e they serue the Lorde as well as others But GOD cannot bee served by your comming to church and by taking his name and cove 〈…〉 in your month when your heart minde is not with him but with your pastâ—â—e and pleasure which you take most delight in And therefore if you â—all on the â—â—me of Christ you must depart from 〈…〉 tie 1. Tim. 2. 19 or els you provoke the Lorde to greater anger and indignation against you by drawing neere vnto him with your lips wheras you Psal 50. 16. 17. hate to be reformed in your liues Moreover whoâ— Paul rehearseth to the C 〈…〉 ans what the Idolatry of the Israelitâ— was he speaketh not of their 〈…〉 ten c 〈…〉 but saith they were Idolaters If we aske why or wherein the people 〈◊〉 dowâ—â— saith hâ—â— â—o 1. Cor. 10 7 eate drinke râ—sâ— vp â—o 〈◊〉 There is their Idolatry And now wheâ—ein doth your â—aâ—uivious pastime differ from this the 〈…〉 ing Idolatry so in yours for in this sense the scripture calleth 〈…〉 tousâ—â—s Idolatry Coll. 3. 5. noâ— that any man were he neuer so covetous vâ— seâ—h to worship his silver and golde or to prey and mâ—ke petition vnto his worldly wealth but that the loue and liking thereof draweth away his heart that God cannot be worshipped 〈◊〉 spirâ—â—â— and truth In this sense therefore what pastime or pleasure soever carieth away mens heartes from the sincere worship of God is Idolatry 2 Some will aske do you finde in the scripture that a May-pole is forbidd 〈…〉 aske also of these men where they finde that the scripture forbiddeth men to be Papistâ—â— But Exod. 20. 4 1. Io. 5. 21. Gal. 1. 7. 8. the scriptures forbid Idolatry and condâ—nâ— false doctrine And you see and heare that the Pope and all Papâ—stes do pracâ—â—se the one of these aâ—â— teach the other And therefore to be a â—â—â—ist iâ— to be contrary to the word of God 〈…〉 wisâ— the scripture do vtterly forbid christiaÌ„â— 1. Cor. 14. 20. Rom. 12. 2. Eph. 5. 11. Rom. 13. 13 to be child◠〈…〉 vnderstanding to 〈◊〉 themselues like vnto thiâ— world to haue fellowship with the vn 〈…〉 of 〈◊〉 And they plaiâ—ly forbid 〈◊〉 this scrip 〈…〉 aâ— you heare exhorteth to abstaine from fleshly lusts But your May-pole May-games are the fruit of ignoraÌ„ce are after the fashion of the world and are the workes of dâ—â—knesse proceeding from fleshly lusts They are done in waâ—tonnes and are the cause of drunkeâ—â—es Yea commonly they are the cause of strife tumult somtime of murther also Are they not therefore forbidden in the holy scripture 〈…〉 3 There be others that are patrons favourers of this goodly pageant which alleadge antiquity custome for the defence of the same shy that it is a thing that hath beene vsed in the time of our forefathers before we were bothe at this day such a towne such a parish hath it will haue it in despight of theÌ„ that speake against it 〈…〉 Let these men remember in like maner that Idolatrie rebellion murther all other wickednesse hath bend practised in the world of old time before we werâ— borne so Gods iust punishment hath beene declared against them that were doers of such things They that wil therefore imitate men in their old sins shall also be partakers with them of their old punishmeÌ„ts Yeâ— their punishmeÌ„t shal be so much the sharper by how much their warnâ—g hath bene the more And as for the example custome of other places which nowe vphold maintainâ— these banners that caÌ„not make theÌ„ to be the lesse hurtfull but rather it showeth that the whole world 〈…〉 th 〈◊〉 〈…〉 1. Ioh. 5. 19. Exod. 23. 2. and we are commanded not to follow a multitude to do evill When Demetrius the men of Ephesus saw that Pauls preaching wrought so effectuallie that their
goddes D 〈…〉 was in hazard to be set at nought and reiected they haue no better weapons to defend her then the shield of custome example of the multitude Aâ— A. Act. 19. 27. â—iâ— say they and the world worshippeth her We can be coÌ„tent wheÌ„ we come to church to here this and the like scriptures but weâ— thinke that the preacher is out of his text if he apply them to vs or to the abuses 〈…〉 ous time for we haue gotten the name of Christians therfore we thinke that whatsoeuer we do is fâ—r enough from idolatry Thus arâ— most men through the blindnes of the 〈…〉 hearts hardened in their sinnes There is no common-wealth so wel reformed but for the mos 〈…〉 in all placeâ— tâ—â— greatest nuÌ„ber of meâ—â—â—e lovers of the woâ—ld more theÌ„ lovers of God every trâ—e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stian hath iust cause to be greued to see that after fourtie yeares preaching of the Gospell in this land men should still cary these and the like idolles in their heartes For whereyee see these may-poles stand there shall you finde that either the word of God is coÌ„tâ—ned or else it hath not as yet been powerfully taught among the people of that place It hath beene seene in some places of this land that men haue beene so desperatly dispose to maintaine their maytriumphes that they haue set vp with theÌ„ the Queeneâ— arms intending by this colour to intrap such men as would speake against them or go about to haue theÌ„ downe as if the Queenes maiesty had allowed her armeâ— to be set on may-pols Lo here the childreÌ„ of this world are in their generation wiser theÌ„ the childreÌ„ of light Oh that magistrates would looke better to these abuses 4 Some meÌ„ that haue â—â—â—s to see do yet winke at this matter and say that the setting vp of a pole is no sinne that it cannot hurt if other abuses did not follow it But they might see that the thing it selfe is an abuse that there is nothing in it which is not sin For it is not of the nature of those things which God alloweth for the mainetaininge of mans life as sleepe meat drinke and appatrell These thinges are necessarie and without the vse of them we cannot liue and yet wheÌ„ we abuse them or exceed in any of them it is sin but the setting vp of a pole after the maner that we speake of addeth one sinne to another contrarie to the counsell of the sonne of Sâ—rach which forbiddeth to bind Eccl. 7. 8. two s 〈…〉 together First it is an abuse of Gods creatures for God created not the trees of the vvoode to be cut downe and set vp againe for gazing stockes to no other vse but to satisfie mens fleshly lustes God crowneth the yeare vvith his blessings and satisfieth every tree with moisture making it to be greene and pleasaunt and to bee fruitfull after his kinde But vaine and gracelesse men destroy the most flourishing trees and sette them vp to bee drye and vnfruitfull like themselues Secondly the deede done is an idle deed and not only so but also a deede of offence and a stumbling blocke to drawe away many that are weake to cause them to speakâ— good of evil and to take pleasure therein But every idle deede is more then an idle word And every idle word is sinne or else Christ would not haue said thaâ— men shal giue Mar. 12. 36. account thereof at the day of iudgement Therefore every idle deed is a greater sin And every offence which hindreth the faith of others is such a sin that he saith it were better for the author therof that a milstone were haâ—god Mat. 18. 6. about his necke and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea Thirdly the May-polers are caterpillers to the commoÌ„ wealth for they make destruction of the fairest young â—reeâ— which if they were suffred to grow would in time be good timber for necessary vseâ— Thus in the act it selfe not speaking of the mischievous sequels thereof we may see many sins bound togither as the abuse of Gods creature a deed vnprofitable hurtful offensiue to others and finally an hindrance to the coÌ„mon wealth which is a breach of charity 5 Who can tell whether the setting vp of these poles proceedeth not from the leaven of our adversaries the Pope his seminariâ—â—â— for it is not vnknown to them that wheresoeuer such banners do stand there are many wavering ignorant people not yet instructed nor setled in religion which if they might haue their defite woulde quickly bâ—â— perverted to go after Baâ—l and to like better of the Masse then of the Gospell 6 To them that aske what recreation may be lawfull for them and what exercise yong men shall haue we canot appoint any which the word of God doth not allow Christians are commanded to abstaine from al appearance 1. Thess 5. 22. of evill Howbeit according to mans wisdom which saith of evils the lesse is to be chosen of bodily exercises such may be vsed as are profitable to the common wealth not offensiue to religion notwithstaÌ„ding the chiefest exercise of Christian-men whether they be young or old should at all times bee in the law of the Lord. For therein the godly man as David saith doth exercise himselfe day night Psal 1. 2. And that is the exercise wherewith the wisdome of God would haue a young 〈◊〉 to redresse his way like the young men of whom S. Psal 119. 9. Iohn writeth that they were strong and that they had the word of God abiding in them 1. â—o 2. 14. had overcome the wicked But alas the contrary may be saide of most young men in these daies Let them therefore consider what master they serve let them shake of the voke of sinne and abstaine from fleshly lustes redressing their waies according to the word of God that so they may become the servants of Christ to whom they haue made avowe in their baptisme Let vs pray for the assistance of Gods holy spirite that we may subdue all fleshly lustes And pray we that magistratâ— such as â—re in authoritie may haue a greater care to reforme maners to see what ought to be reformed FINIS