the Apostles ayme 1. Pet. 5.7 8. He cares for you but watch for the diuell who as a roring Lion seeketh to deuoure Vse 1. In that the diuell comes learne not to content thy selfe with comming to Church but see thy ende bee better than his yea contrary to his Hee comes with a purpose to hinder the power of the Word in thy heart to hinder thy faith and saluation Come thou with a purpose to set forward the power of the Word in thy heart to set forward thy faith and saluation Quest. How may I know that the worke of faith and saluation is set forward in mee by the Word Answ. 1. If it haue brought thee to the sight of thy sinne and the sence of thy danger by it This is the first effectuall worke of the Word as Christ first conuinced the woman of Samaria of her adultery Peter tels the Iewes Act. 2. that they had slaine Iesus Christ. 2. If the Law being a Schoolemaster to Christ haue sent thee out of thy selfe to apprehend the remedy of the Gospell as the Iaylor being cast downe said Oh what shall I doe to be saued Beleeue in the Lord Iesus said the Apostle and thou shalt bee saued Act. 16.30 31. This is the method of sound Ministery first truly to humble then to raise againe 3. If thou findest it a Ministery of the Spirit conueying the Spirit into thy heart for the consumption of corruption and repairing thee to a new life of grace Gal. 3.2 Receiued ye the Spirit by the workes of the Law or by the hearing of faith preached 4. If thou carriest it into thy soule as a light into a darke place 2. Pet. 1.19 to follow the directions of it and to guide thy wayes according to euery precept of it If now thou intendest when thou commest to bee led further into the sight of thy sinne led neerer vnto Iesus Christ to draw of his fulnesse led further into the sanctification of the Spirit and led as a blind man by the guidance of the Word certainely the Word is of power to set forward thy faith and saluation notwithstanding all Satans malice Vse 2. The diuell knowes that faith is by heareing and saluation by faith 1. I would our Popish Recusants knew so much so they would make a better vse of this knowledge than to withstand both faith and hearing 2. I wish our formall Protestants knew it who will scarce step out of dores to heare but in policy will heare so much as they may bee counted no Atheists or Papists but indifferent men as they be too indifferent whether they heare or no. 3. I wish they knew it who by reading at home will beleeue and bee saued by their eyes which are vnsufficient to breed faith For God hath giuen the sence of hearing this preeminence Rom. 10.14 How can they beleeue vnlesse they heare The sight is a sence of discipline but hearing the sence of faith 4. I wish our Atheisticall scorners who think they know so much as they contemne the Ministery that they knew as much as the diuell then would they not barre and excommunicate themselues so wilfully from the meanes of faith and saluation they would not turne away the eare if they knew that faith were dropt in by the eare 5. I would our carelesse and sleepy hearers knew it who shut the dore of faith lest they should bee saued Neuer will God open their hearts as Lydias by the Word who shut their eares 6. I wish they also would learne a lesson from the diuell who content themselues to liue in dry and barren places destitute of the meanes of faith and saluation as Lot who chose Sodom for the fruitfulnesse of the ground before Canaan and delight in the hills of Samaria among idolatrous Papists rather than in Sion Hill among true worshippers I am sure thou wouldest chuse to dwell with the Lord hereafter then chuse to dwell now where the Lord dwelleth In a word Let vs all perswade our selues of that whereof the diuell himselfe doubts not 1. That God hath appointed hearing for the engendring of faith For as by hearing the diuels voice we lost our faith and happinesse so the Lord hath appointed by hearing his voice againe as the most conuenient meanes to recouer our faith and saluation 1. Cor. 1.21 It pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue them that beleeue And he hath tyed faith and saluation to preaching both by precept and promise and tyed vs to them though himselfe be free We haue no other ordinary meanes 2. We would rate our selues if we should carelesly or wilfully lose our money or gold or slip the meanes of getting and encreasing them But behold faith is much more precious than gold 1. Pet. 1.7 and saluation far more precious than faith If it were a small thing to lose faith yet it is something to lose saluation more to lose it so wilfully Vse 3. Seeing Satan comes to Church to steale the Word know that thou neuer commest to Church but Satan an enemy a theefe comes with thee to rob thee of the Word of the treasure of faith and bereaue thee of life euerlasting Therfore deale with him as with a theefe 1. Suspect him trust him not onely a watchfull eye preuents an vntrusty fellow 2. Locke that thou hearest from him keepe the Word in a safe place vnder locke and key hide it in the middest of thy heart Psal. 119.11 couer this heauenly seed Motiues 1. Thus wee doe for our money wee are carefull of our Euidences Iewels Plate and things of worth let vs also esteeme the Word as Dauid aboue thousands of gold and siluer 2. Naturall wisedome teacheth a man if hee haue some speciall Iewels and knowes he hath theeues about him not to leaue them abroad or lay them in the way of a cunning theefe from whom he can scarce by all his care keepe them 3. Satan cannot steale if thou leaue not thy wealth abroad Therefore doe for the Word as for thy seed in thy field the Husbandman so soone as he hath cast it couers it with the Plough or Harrow and so preuents the picking vp of birds so must thou couer the seed of the Word in the furrowes of thy affections lay it deepe in the ground of thy heart by serious attention meditation conference practice Else if the seed lie on the ground vncouered vncared for these birds presently picke vp all to thy losse and sinne 3. If thou perceiue that this theefe hath stolne away the Word from thee follow him with Hue and cry repent thy sinne lament thy losse complaine to God pray thou maist recouer the losse and preuent the like for time to come Quest. How may I know the diuell hath robbed me of the Word Answ. 1. If after much plaine and powerfull preaching and hearing thou hast learned little Many will commend Sermons where the diuell gets all from them Many commend the Preacher
hee immediatly prepared to goe into Macedonia being assured the Lord had called vs vnto them 2. Examine thy desires in the matter of them which is twofold 1. In respect of God the chiefe Good 2. In respect of the Word the meanes to it For the first An hypocrite may desire happinesse as Balaam for selfe-loue but properly desires not the loue of God for it selfe See therefore that thy desire be rather of reconciliation then saluation rather to glorifie God then be glorified of him esteeming the light of his countenance better then life it selfe This is a pure and holy desire after grace and fauour aboue all things For the second 1. Thou must desire not the Word so much as God in his Word seeke after the liuing God in his Ordinances loue him in the Word who there shewes he loued thee first Many professe loue to the Word who loue not God 2. Desire the Word of the Kingdome for the Kingdomes sake For an hypocrite may desire the Word of the Kingdome for feare of hell 3. Desire the whole Word An hypocrite may desire some part of it the promises affect and rauish him but the conditions are distastfull Gods indulgences and recompenses please him wonderfully but restraints and impositions are burdensome and tedious Therefore see thou desire the conditions as well as the promises and loue the worke of the Word as well as the wages yea if there were no wages So cannot he 3. Examine thy desires in the end of them thus 1. An hypocrite may desire the Word for science sake not for conscience to puffe himselfe vp not to humble himselfe for discourse not for direction If thou desirest the Word to learne selfe-deniall to yeeld conscionable obedience in all things and to take the constant direction of it as Israel by the pillars in all their iournies thou art beyond any hypocrite 2. Hypocrites may desire the Word to bee like the children of God in happinesse but not in sincere obedience to meet them at the end and be saued but not to ioyne with them in the meanes or if they doe ioyne in the meanes it is by starts and fits for most part and vnconstantly See thy desire be to keepe the way as well as the end of it though it be all strawed with crosses and be as desirous of the means as of the end Especially desire the Word as a constant light direction comfort and strength For such are the grones and desires of the Spirit An hypocrite likes Heauen well but not the way to Heauen 4. Examine thy desires in the companions and qualities of them One is sence of want They proceed from a bruised heart as in the Conuerts Acts 2.37 and the Iaylor chap. 16.30 True desires are the breathings of a broken heart Another vndiuided companion of them is the Word they alwaies set a man forward to the Word of the Apostles to be instructed by them as in the former examples whereas an hypocrite will comfort himselfe and rest satisfied without the Word in blinde vngrounded hopes A third is vehemencie and feruencie they must not bee light or slight desires but a vehement thirst as Samsons almost ready to die as the Hart chased pants for water an hunger that would breake stone walls and contemne fire and water euen the vtmost perils more eager then any worldling can desire siluer and gold Hypocrites haue desires but faint not so earnest within as they seeme to be A fourth is the good affections that attend it as an earnest desire to repent to reforme both the heart and life to abstaine from lusts to keepe a good conscience before God and man in all things A fifth is constancy as a thirsty man desires drink till his thirst be quenched as Hannahs for a child till she had one so is the Christians till Christ bee formed in him and then to be still knit neerer vnto him An hypocrite may desire by starts and moods as Pilate desires to know what is truth Ioh. 18. but stayed not to know it He desires the good things of the Kingdome but they are held at such a rate as deads his desires as the young man They are cooled and quenched before he attaines the thing he seemed so earnestly to desire Doe thou see that thy desire bee not satisfied before thou get the thing desired euen Christ and his merits The more true taste thou gettest the more earnestly thou wilt desire him no rate will be too deare all things will be drosse and dung in comparison of him The sixth or last is growth in desires and endeuours Spirituall life stayes not in beginnings but riseth to a great measure of liuelinesse as a graine of mustard-seed 2. Pet. 3.18 Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ. 2. Cor. 13.11 Be perfect desire perfection But an hypocrite faints in his desires the labour of vsing meanes is soone if not quite giuen ouer yet lessened and abated Get these desires of the Word thus qualified for the ground matter end and companions of them and then know to thy comfort that no Reprobate euer came so farre no bad ground attaines such desires II. Doe we heare that hypocrites who shall neuer be saued attaine a great measure of illumination and the knowledge of the mystery of Christ whereby they discerne and approue of the truth in Iesus Christ refuse and reprooue errours both in iudgement and practice and hauing escaped such as were wrapped in errours yet are entangled againe and ouercome whose latter end is worse than the beginning Then be carefull to try thy knowledge and illumination whether it be got beyond the illumination of hypocrites or no In foure particulars 1. In the matter of it thus 1. An hypocrite may know the story of Christs death and resurrection and the merits of them but neuer did any hypocrite know the vertue and power of his death and resurrection as the Apostle Paul desired Philip. 3.10 Obiect Why did he not know it and preach it before that time Answ. Yes he knew well the death and resurrection of Christ as also the vertue and power of them but he would feele in himselfe that power more and more standing in the death of sin and the life of righteousnesse This experimentall knowledge farre passeth the theorie and is the knowledge but of a few 2. An hypocrite may know in generall that Christ is a Redeemer and discourse excellently of the manner meanes and end and this swimmes in the braine But there is a particular knowledge with application to say with Iob I know my Redeemer liueth and Paul who gaue himselfe for me To this neuer Reprobate came If hee could speake it he knew not what he spoke he knowes and speakes onely in grosse Therefore see thy knowledge be distinct 3. An hypocrite may know Christ as God hath described him in the Scripture but not as he is made of God vnto vs wisedome
16.9 2. A pure and holy ioy is more in God himselfe and Iesus Christ than in all holy and heauenly things beside and in all other things for them Therefore the godly are said to make the Almighty himselfe their delight Iob 27.10 as the hypocrites doe not neither can doe It is a ioy of saluation but in the God of our saluation that hath couered vs with a robe of righteousnesse Esa 61.10 An hypocrite may delight in holy things but for nouelty or vaine-glory in vttering such knowledge as others haue not or selfe-loue or the like 3. Sound ioy is more in the time and things to come than for the present An hypocrites ioy is for the present and in the present it is sudden as the Text saith incontinently it receiues the Word with ioy and soone abates And in present things a conceit of a present good at least in appearance but in good things that are further off v.c. in Gods electiō or eternal life it reioiceth not so much because there is euer more sence than faith in it 3. Examine thy ioy in the measure and degree of it The ioy of the regenerate in holy things is the chiefe ioy Psalm 119.72 Thy Law is better vnto mee than thousands of gold And Psal. 137.6 If I preferre not Ierusalem to my chiefe ioy In hypocrites it neuer exceeds the ioy in the world the profits and pleasures and aduancements of the world doe more comfort and affect their hearts than the ioy of the Word and therefore they forsake the Gospell for them The wise Merchant sels all for the Pearle and goes away reioycing Math. 13.46 The Martyrs ioyed more in the Word than in riches honours liberty life or all the world 4. Examine thy ioy in the companions of it which are of two sorts First holy affections three in number 1. Feare and reuerence Sound ioy is neuer dis-ioyned from true feare of God Psal. 2.11 Reioyce before him with trembling Phi. 2.12 Worke out your saluation with feare and trembling 2. Loue of grace aboue all things Dauid neuer danced so as before the Arke because he loued Gods presence And Simeon was neuer so ioyfull as when hee had Christ in his armes because hee loued him 3. Sorrow to see the Word not kept Psa. 119.136 Mine eyes gush out with riuers of water because they keepe not thy Law And indeed sound ioy comes out of sound sorrow for sin Ioh. 16.19 Ye shall sorrow the world shall reioyce but your sorrow shall be turned into ioy Lots righteous soule was vexed with the vncleane conuersation of the Sodomites 2. Pet. 2.7 Secondly there are certaine holy graces attending it 1. Humility It issues from true humiliation in the sence of his owne infirmity The ioy of an hypocrite is proud because he sees not sinne or not all sinne and promiseth and assureth that to it selfe which the Word doth not 2. Regeneration The ioy of an hypocrite is a ioy of illumination not of regeneration as a man reioyceth in the sight and light of the Sunne but not in the sence of comfortable heate quickening and reuiuing by it The one reioyceth to heare of a Pearle the other to haue it 3. Faith attends the ioy of the regenerate therfore it is called the ioy of faith The hypocrites ioy is a ioy of affection not of faith He reioyceth to conceiue of rare nouelties and deepe mysteries but not as deeply rooted in himselfe 4. Righteousnesse attends it An hypocrites ioy is alwayes ioyned with the raigne and delight of some sinne See thy ioy take righteousnesse for his companion and dis-ioyne not them whom the holy Ghost hath ioyned Rom. 14.17 Know if the loue of one sin raigne if thy ioy marre not the taste of carnall ioyes if it thrust not downe the rule of the loue of the world yea if it imbitter not the rellish of earthly delights thy ioy is vnsound 5. The last grace is Constancy and continuance it is an euerlasting consolation 2. Thes. 2.16 And of this ioy Christ hath said You shall reioyce and your ioy shall none take from you Ioh. 16.22 Yea this ioy increaseth according to the increase of grace and continuance of meanes It holds in aduersity in persecution in life in death and is most vnspeakable and glorious in heauen But the ioy of hypocrites is a blaze at first and soone out it is suddenly and irrecouerably lost a little persecution or triall turnes all into sorrow and heauinesse but at their death and afterward not a sparke remaines So as Iob said truly The ioy of the hypocrite is but for a moment If thou finde that thy ioy is thus qualified no hypocrite falling from his ioy need dismay thee thou art beyond his farthest reach Thou hast drunke of the Well of consolation and shalt neuer thirst againe The stranger neuer enters into this ioy IV. Hearest thou from the Text that a wicked man may grow vp and rise vp to a farre degree of profession and reformation yea that an hypocrite may outwardly performe all that true Christians can doe and leade his life so seemly so innocently as how euer he shall neuer come to heauen by it yet his paines shall bee lesse in hell where it shall bee easier for some than for others Hearest thou this Then what great need is there that euery one of vs who would not at length proue reprobate ground should try our growth in our profession and standing not contenting our selues with a forme of godlinesse which now goes for good Christianity denying the power of it 1. Examine thy growth from what roote it is two wayes First an hypocrite springs from no root but onely the old Adam and whatsoeuer is of flesh saith Christ is flesh But sound growth in profession or reformation is from a new creation a tree of righteousnesse the planting of the Lord transplanted out of the old stock of old Adam and new rooted into the second Adam by spirituall regeneration and from this Root all acceptable growth riseth according to our Sauiours speech First make the tree good c. Secondly all the growth of an hypocrite is from an heart which at best restraineth some euill but neuer changed vnto good But sound growth is from an heart renewed a soule mortified a pure heart and good conscience 1. Tim. 1.5 2. Examine thy selfe in what fruits thou growest The best fruit of an hypocrite is in externall things and by externall things As first by education he may grow in ciuility and in morall vertue which many thinke Religion enough This was the righteousnes of the Heathens of the Scribes and Pharises Secondly by the meanes of saluation he may grow to an externall holinesse v. c. hee may grow in knowledge in hopes and confidence in zeale in many outward seemly duties and rest in these or in some other things in stead of some inward graces which would better bestead him But a sound
wee would thanke him heartily and looke to our selues carefully Now the Lord in this Text telleth vs of a great deceiuer that aimes to spoyle vs of great things Why then should we not be thankfull to him and take warning Why should we not beleeue him but be willingly coÌ„tinually and senselesly deceiued not so much by the craft of the Aduersary as our own simplicity corruptioÌ„ And voluptuous liuing or pleasures The third sort of thornes which choke the Word are pleasures and delights Where two questions offer themselues to our consideration for the opening of the matter Quest. 1. Whether are all pleasures condemned or no Answ. Pleasures are of two kinds some heauenly others earthly In the former there is no danger but we are euery where in Scripture called to them as we shall see hereafter Our Text speakes of the latter Quest. 2. Whether are all earthly pleasures condemned Answ. No for 1. Adam in innocency was furnished aboue all men now liuing with pleasures and delights in that Garden of pleasure 2. Since the Fall the Lord hath still deckt the earth with most delectable flowres in their seuerall beauties and varieties of colours and smells to delight the senses of man And he hath filled the aire with sweet and melodious birds 3. The Lord that could now feed vs with one kinde of meate as Israel in the Wildernesse allowes vs much variety of the creatures for our honest delight And though hee could preserue vs with water yet he allowes vs more pleasant drink and in our feasts giues vs wine in varieties Yea himselfe hath giuen skill to workemen to make curious musicall Instruments to delight men with their sweet musike and harmony 4. Hee hath allowed men according to their estate and place to inioy many worldly pleasures It was the blessing of Assur Gen. 49.20 that hee should giue pleasures for a King that is his Countrey should abound with delicate fruits acceptable and fit for Kings In which phrase we see that Kings haue more right to inioy pleasures than ordinary men and Deut. 33.24 He shall dip his foot in oyle 5. The Lord himselfe appointeth some festiuities and solemne feasts in which a more liberall and delightfull vse of the creatures is requisite as Nehem. 8.10 Goe and eate of the fat and drinke of the sweet for this is a day holy vnto the Lord. 6. The Spirit of God concludeth though some learned otherwise expound it as the Atheists speech brought in by a Prosopopoeia Eccles. 3. vlt. that nothing is better than that a man should reioyce in his affaires for that is his portion And who is worthy to enioy Gods blessings about him in wife children family calling and estate that doth not reioyce in the same So as the thing which our Text and this whole ensuing treatise condemneth is not any lawfull and allowed pleasure of any kinde but that pleasure which choketh the Word of God as thornes doe seed whether vnlawfull pleasures or lawfull pleasures vnlawfully vsed Which I would haue obserued by the way to remoue a scandall cast vpon Religion and godly life that it is altogether vnpleasant and heauie and strips a man of all delight This is not so But first All the wayes of wisedome are wayes of pleasure Prou. 3.17 Secondly godlinesse takes not away any earthly pleasure nor the vse of Gods mercies but orders and moderates and sweetens them Doctr. The preuailing of earthly ioyes and carnall pleasures choketh the Word and hindreth saluation An example we haue in Eue whose pleasure of the eye choked all that Word of God which shee had learned and repeated but euen then to the Serpent And in Herod he heard Iohn gladly reuerenced him and did many things Mark 6.20 but the pleasure of his brothers wife made him cast Iohn in prison yea and behead him too which he added aboue all his sinnes Iudg. 16.17 Samson had vndertaken a most sacred profession of the Nazarites in which he was a most eminent type of Christ. While hee kept the law of his profession not cutting his haire the mighty power of God was with him and for him But that impotent and base lust and sottish attending his pleasure in Delilahs lap how did it make him forget the Law of God and so inslaue him as hee must needs tell her all that was in his heart till God was gone from him 1. Tim. 5.6 11. What made the widowes to breake their faith giuen to Christ but wantonnesse and liuing in pleasures Obiect These are dishonest and vnlawfull pleasures and lusts these must needs choke the Word But doe lawfull pleasures doe so too Answ. Yes wee shall see euen in those that had â—ound godlinesse how euen lawfull pleasures choked the Word and cast them backe in the way of God How the loue of pleasant meate set the loue of good Isaac vpon him whom God hated see Genes 25.28 And Salomon tells vs the danger of prouing the heart with pleasures Eccles. 2.2 they brought him to bee mad with them these were honest and lawfull pleasures but himselfe tells vs that as they entred into the heart so godlinesse decayed For as theeues set vpon true men to rob and bind them so pleasures assaulting good men binde them and rob them yea often wound them onely kill them not And hence it is that in the profession of Religion some are found louers of pleasure more than of God 2. Tim. 3.4 and holding a forme of godlinesse and proclaiming a defiance of vain pleasure are yet so moyled and intangled with them as they grow heauie in good duties and drawne on with the perswasions of these pleasing Orators Had not the Disciples renounced all for Christ Yes Master wee haue forsaken all and followed thee But yet doe wee not see them long who should be superiour and contend for greatnesse one with another and affect pompe and high place euen in the Kingdome of God where the smallest is the greatest Reasons 1. Pleasures make that men cannot attend the Word Some are so carried away with sports that neither weeke-day nor scarce the Sabbath can draw them away to any better duty Their delights are so fastened in their hearts as nothing can fasten on them Their thoughts doe so attend vpon pleasures that all other thoughts tending to the bettering of their estate are vnpleasing 2. They make that men cannot conceiue the Word aright The Word offereth pleasures at Gods right hand which is an obiect of faith But the man trampled on by pleasures becomes sensuall and iudgeth of all things spoken by his corrupt sense and carnall reason For his desire is to heare not what is best but what is sweetest 3. Pleasures where they doe preuaile make men securely contemne the Word They cast the heart on sleepe and make it vnwatchfull against the threats of God Amos 6.1 3. Woe to them that are at ease in Sion that put farre off the euill day and approch to the
it selfe to God 3. It hath no care commonly of his grounds of Religion and so runnes 〈…〉 still is wauering and 〈…〉 in what Religion he meanes to 〈…〉 betweene God and Baal and sees no 〈…〉 betweene true Religion and Popeâ—◠〈…〉 of one trumpet would make them as forward Papâ—â—â—s as now they are Protestants 4. It can pretend Gods glory and Gods ends but intend the owne ends Herod pretends to come and worship Christ but intends to kill him Iezabel can make Religion a pretext for her foulest fact of murdering an Innocent so can Papists finely in ordine ad Deum and to promote the Catholike cause raise Massacres c. 1. Sam. 2.22 Women professing great sanctity by comming to the Temple polluted themselues with wicked Priests It were a sinne to say so of holy Popish Priests and their pure Nunnes 5. It will haue a Religion for fashion or shew but loue it not promote it not no not in their owne families scarce professe it for present reproach or after-claps but zeale and forwardnesse were madnesse as Festus said to Paul and to become an hatefull Puritan They frame not their actions to the rules of Christian Religion but are loose vnsauory earthly in all their courses they will lose nothing for it Christ shall lose the glory of Heauen for them and so farre they like their Religion but they will not lose crummes of earth for his sake 6. An euill heart can make a profession of Religion and scorne the Professors reuile them as a packe of hypocrites But our Sauiour packs such out of his number saying They that are with vs cannot lightly speake euill of vs Mark 9.39 Now of the markes of a good heart in respect of the meanes by which this true Religion is vpheld And first of the Word and Sacraments The equity of carefulnesse in these stands in these reasons 1. Because a good heart cannot heare God himselfe speake nor enioy such neere and immediate fellowship with him as it desires it is most glad to enioy him through the grates of the Word and Sacraments to heare him speake by his Messenger to reade his letters and be enriched with such pledges of his loue which therein he includeth to his sonnes and daughters Thus doth a faithfull Spouse to him absent whom her soule loueth 2. Because these Ordinances proceed from the holy Spirit of God and are meanes appoynted for the sanctification of the Elect a good heart will neuer heare or reade the Scriptures nor speake of them but with great reuerence It dares not profane the sacred Scriptures vsing them vainely or wickedly as in iests playes charmes neither dares it come to the Sacrament without due examination preparation instruction correction or strength and consolation in the course of Christianity 2. Tim. 3.16 3. Because the good heart sees his continuall need it is carefull in the continuall vse of the means of grace It sees hardnesse of heart still stealing on it It discernes spirituall weaknesse and fainting of soule It feeles many conflicts of the flesh against the spirit It is acquainted with the thrusts and temptations of Satan It sees the health of the soule stand in these refreshings and the strength of the heart decaying without them as the body doth without repayre And therefore it still relieues it selfe by the Word Sacraments Prayer and the like Psalm 119.28 My heart melteth for heauinesse raise me vp according to thy Word vers 92. Had it not been for thy Word I had perished in my trouble 4. Because it conceiues God a Spirit and his Ordinances spirituall therefore in performing these it neuer contents it selfe with the outward deed alone but especially aymes at soundnesse and sincerity in the manner of doing Psalm 119.80 Let my heart be vpright in thy statutes All is out of sence and conscience not for shame fashion custome law or vaine ostentation But now in speciall for the Word preached A good heart makes great conscience of it as is great reason 1. Because it sees the Word preached only able to bruise a stony heart to tame melt and cause to tremble a secure heart as Felix Esa. 66.2 that trembleth at my Word Acts 16.24 The Iaylor came trembling and shiuering as hauing a strong Ague in his conscience Also it is of power to open a shut conscience as Dauids by Nathan 2. Because the preaching of the Word reueales the vnsearchable riches of Christ Ephes. 3.8 and brings into acquaintance with him This is the hammer by which Christ standing at the dore of the heart knocks and if any open he comes in and suppes with him Christ not onely inuites him to a feast but feeds him with his owne flesh and blood and he with Christ that is a fruitfull Hearer of the Word entertaines Christ calls him as the Church Cant. 4.16 to a feast in his Garden to eate of his pleasant things Christ is feasted when he tastes the sweet fruits of repentance faith mortification and obedience wrought by the preaching of the Word Nay it makes vs of neere kindred with Christ his father his mother his brethren and sisters Luk. 8.21 3. Because the Word preached brings in the Spirit of God with his sauing graces being the chariot of the Spirit by which hee rides gloriously into the hearts of Beleeuers God who can giue his Spirit without it ordinarily doth not He could haue taught Cornelius without Peters so tedious a iourney but Cornelius must attend Peters Ministery and while Peter was yet speaking the holy Ghost fell on them all Acts 10.44 But see it in speciall sauing graces first illumination is by preaching Acts 8.31 The Eunuch cannot vnderstand without an interpreter he must ioyne himselfe to Philip. Secondly faith comes by hearing Rom. 10.14 and by the foolishnesse of preaching God will saue them that beleeue 1. Cor. 1.21 Neither can actuall faith be without some measure of actuall knowledge Thirdly the feare of God is wrought by preaching Rom. 8.15 the spirit of feare is wrought by the Ministery of the Law shewing sinne distinctly the curse due to it and our owne guiltinesse And by the Gospell is wrought that childlike feare by the spirit of adoption by which now we feare to offend God as before to be offended and reuenged on by him Fourthly peace of conscience and a sweete ioy in God is wrought hereby Psalm 51.8 Let me heare the voyce of gladnesse that the broken bones may reioyce Lastly the Word preached brings in not onely this life of grace but that of glory Act. 11.14 Send for Peter to Ioppa and he shall speake words whereby both thou and thy house shall be saued And therefore is it called the Word of life and saluation In these and other regards a good heart is a conscionable Hearer 1. It prepares it selfe as a fit casket or storehouse to lay the Word in conceiuing it the most precious iewell and richest pearle in all the world
Dauid hid the Word in his heart Psalm 119.11 2. In sence of it owne want and the worth of the Word it preserues an appetite and hunger after the preaching of it As the babe sucks greedily the milke so it will feed heartily on this Bread of life It will be at paines for it as a babe will cry after the brest It will heare diligently without omission intermission or delay It will waite at the gates of wisdome as Cornelius for Peter Act. 10.33 We are all heere ready to heare whatsoeuer is commaunded thee of God 3. Because God speakes not to the eare onely but to the heart this heart will heare as well as the eare If God say Seeke my face the heart will make eccho and answere Thy face Lord will I seeke Psal. 27.8 4. This heart makes the whole man heare and receiue the Word first the inner man shall delight in the law Rom. 7.22 The iudgement shall esteeme it aboue thousands of gold and siluer the minde shall attend it the heart shall beleeue it the memory shall keepe and treasure it the affections shall cleaue to it and the conscience submit to it secondly the outward man shall be as conformable The eare shall heare it with reuerence the mouth shall speake and professe it the hand shall practise it and the whole man be submitted to the obedience of it as in sound health the nourishment is carried to all parts 5. This heart embraceth the whole Word saying of all as the Prophet Mic. 2.7 Is not my Word good to him that walketh vprightly First it loues the Word which reuealeth sinne accuseth and condemneth it both because it discouers sinne to be repented of and forsaken as also because it leades the sinner to Christ and sets him faster to him Secondly it applies the whole Word to it selfe as well for conuiction as consolation You shall euer see a good heart more smitten with the sharpe threatnings of the Word than they to whom they belong Meate that must nourish must goe into the stomake and bowels so must the Word that must profit vs passe thorow our affections either to humble or direct or comfort vs. By this triall many that bragge of the goodnesse of their hearts may see themselues farre off For first an euill heart cares not how farre it bee estranged from God As it flies his presence and eye so his Word also which passeth sentence on him and iudgeth him afore-hand desires no acquaintance either with God or his Word Many say as the people to Ieremy The Word of the Lord in thy mouth we will not heare The Popish Recusant stops his eare and will heare no voyce The Atheist as hee denies God in his heart so hee denies his presence to the meanes Both of them refuse fellowship with God barre out the Spirit of God and his sauing graces and wilfully debarre themselues of faith which is dropt into the heart by the eare and of the life of grace and glory Secondly an euill heart can come to heare but brings not an hearing eare But it brings 1. an heauie eare or deafe rather as many who cast themselues asleepe who would be ashamed to sleepe if a man but a little better than themselues should speake vnto them An argument of a sleepy and dull heart And can we thinke God will open that mans heart who will not open his owne eare Or 2. it brings an itching eare that cannot abide wholesome doctrine Hardly can any Minister please them hee is either too Legall in his threats or too Euangelicall in generall promises or his life too austere or too remisse Iohn fasts and hath a diuell Christ eates and is a glutton Or if the doctrine be quicke and powerfull then inquire if he bee not a Puritan for if impure wretches once so stile him then may hee be aduised better than to trouble himselfe with such a mans doctrine Or 3. it brings a stopped eare when in hearing the heart goeth after lusts or is stopped with ignorant conceits as that no such good is to bee gotten in Sermons or it were pitty all should bee true that the Preacher saith or the world was better when was lesse preaching or few great men loue preaching or frequent it much or it is no great wisedome to bee so forward as some and none are worse than such as runne after Sermons Cares also and lusts and pleasures choke and stop the passage of the Word into mens hearts that they heare it as a story or a tale but are no more moued with it than if they were stockes and stones the most dreadfull threats of vengeance pricke them not at heart Thirdly an euill heart can heare sometime with diligence and delight but will heare to know not to practise delights in contemplation but hates reformation delights in the promises of the Gospell not in the precepts of the Law or if it doe yet not in an vniuersall practice inward and outward For it is an vnfailing rule An euill heart cannot delight in the Law of God touching the inner man Oh how hard it is to binde the thoughts to conformity with Gods Law Nay a loose heart cries out of too much precisenesse Fourthly an euill heart can heare sometimes carefully but neuer truly apply For the promises and comforts of God it is readyest to apply them to it selfe which belong not to it for God feeds the impenitent with iudgement this is the part of such an heart but it lets that alone As for rebukes it heares or abides none it is loth to bee drawne to a Sermon that rebukes his darling sinnes as the people of Israel was to come neere the Mount Heb. 12.19 While it heares it is filled with wrath and enuie Luk. 4.24 saying Physician cure thy selfe yea it is ready to burst for anger as Stephens aduersaries Act. 7.54 And for afterwards they hate him to the dâ—ath that rebukes sinne in the gate and abhorre him that speaketh vprightly Amos 5.10 Hee is their enemy that tells them the truth as Ahab said of Micaiah I told you he neuer prophesied good but euill and to Eliah Hast thou found me O mine enemie And if Christ himselfe should neuer so wisely rebuke them they would lay hands on him or runne to the Rulers as Ioshua to Moses Master forbid them to prophesie In one word An euill heart pretending sound loue to preaching is an vtter enemy to sound preaching To whom I say Is Gods Word an aduersary to thee So is God himselfe Doth the Word iudge and condemne thee So shall the Lord for euer condemne thee except thou timely repent And thou that canst not endure the threatning of iudgement goe on in thy sinnes thou shalt indure the iudgement threatned eternally stop thine eare against the cries of Gods Word against thy sinnes this Word shall take hold on thee and thou shalt cry out for euer against thy sinnes and selfe and thy cry shall not