wil bestow vpon them viz. aboundance of his holy Spirit 2 Secondly the good vse that they will make of it which is two-fold 1 First they will betake themselues vnto faithfull prayer and by the eye of faith looke vnto Christ through whom both they and their prayers must be accepted 2 Secondly they wil grow to a maruailous great loathing and dislike of their sinnes and sorrow for the same which is declared by two maine circumstances viz. 1 The greatnesse thereof which is illustrated by two comparisons 2 The soundnesse thereof both which are more fully laid open in that which goes before Thus much concerning the meaning and order of the words now let vs consider of such instructions as may thence arise for our learning Vers 11. And I will powre vpon the house of Dauid c. the Spirit of grace c. In that the Lord hauing promised that his Church shall be brought to wonderfull excellencie doth set downe this as the meanes whereby he will effect it that they shall haue the Spirit in great plenty powred downe vpon them this shall be the doctrine That the way to all happinesse and blessednesse is to haue the Doct. 1 The Spirit of God is the author of all happinesse Spirit of grace bestowed vpon vs. Whosoeuer hath not this though he be neuer so great in the world he is altogether wretched and miserable subiect to the curse of God and to continuall vexations and discontentments and on the other side whosoeuer hath this holy Spirit dwelling in his heart is an happy and blessed man though hee be neuer so much deiected and cast downe through outward afflictions and tribulations This point is euident in the prophecy of Isaiah Isa 32. 13. 14. c. where it is shewed that so long as the Spirit of God is withheld from men they haue grieuous ruines and desperate decaies among them and they still go from ill to worse being ill without and ill within but how long doth this continue Vntill the Spirit be powred vpon them from aboue And what then The wildernesse shall become a fruitfull field That is those men and woemen that were like a wildernesse before bringing foorth nothing but brambles and bryars nothing but pride and worldlinesse and such like fruites of the flesh euen those men and women shall be as a fruitfull field being beautified and adorned with the vertues of Christ and with the graces of his Spirit and not onely so but likewise enriched with all good prosperity which the Lord seeth needefull for them Reasons Now the reasons why the Spirit maketh men so happy are these Reason 1 First because it doth mortifie and crucifie the flesh that is originall corruption with all the lusts Rom. 8. 13. and fruites thereof It doth not lye still where it is suffering the soule of the party to be vnder the dominion of sinne but it abateth and consumeth it by little and little till at length his soule and body be as cleare from sinne as Adams was before his fall So that looke how the Israelites did by degrees weare and wast the Canaanites out of the land till it was wholly brought in subiection vnto them so doth the holy Ghost destroy and root out the enemies of our soules not making them tributarie as Ioshua did some of the cursed Canaanites but spoyling them of their strength by little and little and at length vtterly consuming them so that they shall haue no place at all within vs. And as it killeth Eph. 2. 1. sinne so it quickeneth the dead soule and maketh the whole man apt and fit for euery good worke Rom. 8. 11. That Spirit which raised vp Christ Iesus from a naturall death doeth also raise vs vp from the death of sinne to the life of grace and putteth more 1 Ioh. 4. 4. spirituall strength into vs then the flesh the world and the diuell can bring against vs. Reason 2 Furthermore in the third Chapter of the second to the Corinthians there are three speciall reasons to shew the happinesse of him that is endued with Gods Spirit the first whereof is this That whereas all men naturally are like the Iewes who as it is there said when they come to the meanes of saluation haue a veile vpon their mindes so that 2. Cor. they can see nothing to saue their soules to further 3. 14. their repentance to cause them to beleeue in Christ Iesus and to place their hope and happinesse in him as soone as euer the Spirit of grace entreth into them this blindnesse of minde and hardnesse of heart is remoued and then they are enabled soundly to vnderstand and truely to apply the word preached vnto their owne soules Verse 16. Againe it is said in the selfe same place That where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty Vers 17. Till such time as that doth set men free they are held fast in the cordes and chaines of inquity and are miserable slaues vnto the vilest slaue that is euen vnto Satan himselfe who is an Apostata and a reprobate and in the most wretched slauerie that can be imagined viz. to serue sinne in the lusts thereof and which is the most grieuous of all the rest they shall haue the worst wages that may be euen the curse and vengeance of God while they liue and eternall damnation of body and soule after they are dead Now when the Spirit of Christ taketh possession of vs it causeth vs to disclaime the seruice of Satan and to become seruants vnto the liuing God it filleth vs full of Rom. 6. good meditations of holy desires and spirituall affections it furnisheth vs with ability to performe the duties of religion and of our callings and in a word it maketh vs willing and able both to doe all manner of good and to resist all manner of euill So that after we haue receiued the holy Ghost into our heartes wee shall not say This is my nature and I cannot doe otherwise but with the Apostle Paul I can doe all things through Christ that strengtheneth mee I will neuer be in bondage vnto my corruptions any more for grace shall haue the vpper hand of nature and the Spirit shall maister the flesh and get the better of it Lastly it is added in the same place that by vertue of the Spirit wee see the glory of Christ in the Gospell and are changed into his image from glory to glory that is from one measure of knowledge and holinesse into another verse 16. Wee would thinke no price too great to be giuen for such a looking-glasse as would make one that is deformed to become beautifull by the very beholding thereof how much then should we esteeme the holy word of God which through the operation of the Spirit is made effectuall not to change the naturall visage which is a smaller matter but to alter the forme and shape of the soule to make it very beautifull
vpon the tree but that they themselues brought him thither and were the procurers of that his bitter passion Christ Ioh. 10. 11. layd downe his life but for whom euen for his sheepe He was cursed that they might be blessed he was wounded that they might be healed he Isa 53. suffered disgrace that they might be brought to glory and endured in a sort the torments of hell that they might partake of the ioyes of heauen the sound meditation thereof cannot but wound the hearts of such as haue any sparke of grace in them When it was told Dauid that Abner was slaine by Ioab though he had formerly bene a rebell and was now newly reconciled vnto him yet he mourned for him till the euening because hee was a worthy man albeit he himselfe was altogether guiltlesse of his death Oh then how much more should the Saints of God lament ouer Christ Iesus who was not a worthy man but infinitely more worthy then all both men and Angels and not murdered by the treachery of another but killed by the sinnes of their soules the sins of their lips and the sinnes of their hands and if he had not bene so killed they had bene euerlastingly damned Put case that a man had one onely sonne which was to be the heire of the family and he of a sudden should find him starke dead would it not inwardly touch him and strike cold vnto his heart especially if he himselfe had vnwittingly bene the cause thereof yes certainly it would go through his heart euen like a sword and such will bee the griefe of those who through their transgressions haue slaine their blessed Sauiour as this very text witnesseth when they by the eye of faith do see him heauy vnto the death crying vnto his Father in the bitternesse of his griefe being full of torment in his body and fuller of anguish in his soule that for their sakes euen for their sins they cannot but bee excedingly moued hereat And a little to presse the other comparison vsed in this text if the people of God did so bewaile the death of their worthy king Iosiah who yet died vnwillingly not without any intent to benefite them thereby how much more bitterly should we lament the death of our blessed redeemer who was a farre greater and excellenter king then Iosiah was and yet willingly and freely laid downe his life for our sakes that hee might free vs from eternall death and destruction both of our bodies and soules Questionlesse if we haue any spirituall life and sense in vs this will make vs loath our sinnes that brought our deare Sauiour so much woe and misery and cause vs heartily to mourne for the same euen as a man would doe at the sight of a knife or sword or some such like instrument whereby at vnawares he hath slaine his child or wife or any that was neare and deare vnto him Especially if we consider that God out of his meere loue gaue his onely Sonne vnto vs when Ioh. 3. 14. we deserued nothing at his hands but his heauy curse and vengeance to be executed vpon vs and that the Sonne of God was content from the aboundance of his loue to be so abased and vilified so afflicted and tormented for our offences this must needs worke vpon our soules if we haue but the least drop of goodnesse in vs. Obiect But here some man may obiect and say Indeed if all this had bene done for me alone you say wel if my heart were not altogether flinty and vtterly hardened I could not but relent at the consideration hereof but al Gods elect were the cause hereof as well as I. Ans This doth nothing diminish the loue of God and of Christ toward you and therefore it should no whit lessen your good affection towards him for your Sauiour suffered as much for your iniquities as if he had suffered for no mans else for your sinnes alone required an infinite satisfaction Obiect Againe it may be asked how the consideration of Christ his death can make vs mourne sith it is the happiest thing that euer fell out since the foundations of the world were laid and therefore may seeme to bring with it greater matter of ioy then of sorrow Ans The answere hereunto is easie because ioy and sorrow may very well stand together as may plainly appeare in this similitude If any of vs had committed some notable offence and were therevpon apprehended and condemned and now going to the place of execution there to endure whatsoeuer torture the wit or malice of men could inflict vpon vs and at this instant some deare friend of ours in singular compassion toward vs should intreate that the execution might be stayed that we might be set at liberty and he come in our steed to suffer whatsoeuer our ill deeds haue deserued we could not but be glad that we speede so well in being freed from so much miserie and yet withall if we had but naturall kindnesse and common humanity in vs it could not but grieue our soules that so good a friend of ours should be put to such exquisite torments for our sakes Or if a suerty should be content to sell his lands and goods for the discharge of our debts we had iust cause to reioyce thereat and yet reason requires that we should be touched with inward griefe for that we had bene such bankroutes and prouided so ill for the estate of our suerty Euen so the case standeth betwixt Christ and vs he did vndergo those punishments which were to be inflicted vpon vs and discharged those debts which otherwise should haue bene charged vpon vs in regard of our freedome we ought to take comfort and in regard of that which our Sauiour did and suffered for vs wee must bee humbled and grieued Vse 1 Which serueth for the great terrour of sundry gracelesse persons who being rebuked for their sinnes will confesse that indeede they haue their faultes and infirmities but did not the Sonne of God die say they to redeeme vs from the same He did so indeed if you belong vnto him and will you crucifie him againe by your wretched and sinfull behauiour Did Christ weepe and cry and sweate droppes of bloud for sinne and will you make no better vse thereof then to turne the grace of God into wantonnesse and to take your swinge in sinning because Christ hath made himselfe an offering for the same You proclaime vnto all the world that you are not ledde by the Spirit of grace and that you haue not a liuely faith in the merites of the Sonne of God for if you were a true beleeuer you would be so farre from continuing in sinne because Christ hath redeemed you by his bloud that you would therefore abhorre it and eschue it because it cost him so deere Euen as one that hath any sparkle of ciuilitie in him if his friend haue endured great tortures to free him from the imputation of
the difference that the foolish Virgins haue no more oyle than they carry in their lamps the world may easily see all that is in them but the wise Virgins haue a lampe to carry oyle and an heart to carry oyle they haue two vessels one for practise and another for store that though the oyle in the lampe should bee spent yet there might bee a new supply made Vse 1 Thus we see in how many things false-hearted dissemblers come neare the sincerest of Gods seruants Which serueth first for the reproofe of them that because they liue a ciuill life and pertake of the word and the sacraments thinke they haue gone farre enough and account themselues very good Chrrstians this is but to be a builder one of the ill grounds one of the fiue foolish Virgins and therefore as yet their case is wofull Secondly if those that goe so farre be notwithstanding miserable then how cursed are they that haue not proceeded so farre that are not builders but destroyers of themselues and others by their corrupt speeches and by their lewd example and course of life that are not arable grounds but altogether a wilde waste that are not Virgins but doe still commit spirituall whoredome and that in the sight of all the world against the Lord God of heauen that is a iealous God If their fall shall be horrible and fearefull that build and that with the good word of God because they build on an ill foundation how terrible must their iudgement needs be that come so farre behinde such in any shew of goodnesse and go so farre beyond them in euery kinde of grosse wickednesse If these grounds that made shew of fruitfulnesse be accursed because they bring not forth ripe fruit then what shall become of them that will not endure any plowing at all but bring forth bryars and brambles and all manner of poysoned weeds And if it went so hard with those that were Virgins and went with their lampes to meet the bride-groome then what must their doome be that are not Virgins but adulterers and adulteresses that loue the earth more then heauen and earthly things more then heauenly things that would rather be at a table of good cheare where their bodies may be pampered then at the Lords table where their soules might be fedde vnto eternall life Certainly these mens iudgements sleepeth not and when it ouertaketh them woe vnto them for their case wil be most lamentable Neither need they cry out against hypocrites for they are ten times worse then hypocrites and their punishment must be sutable Thirdly this is for instruction that sith hypocrites seeme to draw in the same yoake of sincerity with the Saints of God therefore we should search our hearts and our thoughts and not onely build aboue ground but looke whether our foundation be good for the heart is deceiptfull aboue Ier. 17. all things yet the word of God tryeth it that setteth it as it were vpon the racke and is as a two-edged sword that diuideth betweene the heart and the reines and findeth out all shifts and excuses whatsoeuer But that we may more plainely perceiue the way how to get a sincere heart let vs obserue these directions following The first shall be taken out of the text namely How to get try an vpright heart that we must digge and search into our consciences and when we finde any corruption therein we must cast it forth It is not sufficient to say indeede I finde an ill foundation but there is no remedy I must builde vpon it nay a good builder will not do so but throw out euery thing that might endanger his foundation And so should we deale with sinne and thereby may we try our plainnesse if we can soundly iudge our selues and be glad to be admonished of others it is a signe that there is vprightnesse in vs as it is an euident token that he mindes to haue a good foundation that when his neighbour comes with a spade and tels him I see you haue much adoe here and that you neede helpe I will ioyne with you is glad of this newes and thankfully accepts of him and of his labour This is contrary vnto the Scribes and Pharises practize who had little to say against the gifts of Iohn Baptist and of Christ but when they came to digge at their pride and couetousnesse and cruelty they could not endure it Secondly another tryall is at whose sinnes we grieue most An hypocrite is the sorest and busiest digger of all but it is in other mens ground but he that would haue a good foundation must be most industrious in purging his owne soule from iniquity That was a complaint that Ieremie made Ier. 8. 6. that no man said What haue I done but all the stirre of hypocrites is what others haue done Whereas if we could come to this I haue liued in this sinne I haue broken promise I haue bene vnfaithfull in Gods seruice what way may I take to get peace vnto my soule This were the way indeed to get a sound heart and this is a good argument of a sound heart when the sinnes of our owne soules do more vexe vs than all the iniuries that men haue done or can do against vs and therefore we are euer busie in searching out the hidden corruptions that lye lurking within our soules that so our foundation may remaine still vnmoueable for this is the difference betwixt an earthly house and a spirituall that the one needeth but once to haue a sure foundation laid but the other requireth daily looking to There is some one corruption or other that must be cast forth so that Christians are searching and digging builders who albeit they seeme to themselues to be very blinde yet they get the greatest measure of knowledge and though they be very dead in their owne feeling yet they carry away the life of God and the life of grace Doct. 2 Verse 47. Whosoeuer heareth my words and doth the same c. is like a man that built an house and digged deepe or as it is in Matthew is like a wise builder who before he be at any cost will be sure of a good foundation or else all his labour is lost Now the foundation of a Christian is his practise whence ariseth this poynt that Hearing doing must go together Reasons They are the blessedest hearers of the word that are the best practisers of the same Therefore is it that Christ Iesus pronounceth such blessed as heare the word and do it Luke 11. 28. Yea more blessed than the virgin Mary was for bearing Christ in her wombe for that alone could not haue saued her whereas the word of God heard and practised is sufficient to bring the soule to euerlasting life and not so alone but it also giues the parties right vnto and the enioyment of all manner of outward blessings whatsoeuer as is shewed at large Deut. 28. Leuit. 26. The reasons
and amiable in the sight of God and of his holy Angels which was before time a most vgly and deformed creature This must needes be a maruailous great benefite for if the defacing of Gods Image be the cause of all our woe then the repairing thereof must of necessity be the cause of all our happinesse A fift reason why their state is so happy that are endued with Gods spirit is because that is it which comforteth and strengtheneth them in all their temptations and troubles Those that are destitute of this holy comforter when aduersity lighteth vpon them do either fret or faint either fall to murmuring or to desperation but those that haue their hearts replenished with the holy Ghost doe then most strongly reioyce when tribulations and miseries lye most heauily vpon them as the Apostles when they were most grieuously persecuted are said then to be filled with the holy Ghost And Acts. 4. 31. what of that Then they reioyced that they were counted Acts 5. 41. worthy to suffer rebuke for Christ his name And as Pauls sufferings did abound so did his consolations 2 Cor. â— 5. in Christ abound also So that when comfort is comfort indeed and when life it selfe would go vnlesse comfort came then doth the holy Ghost most plenteously refresh the heart with inward ioy and contentment according to that saying of the Apostle Peter Now for a season yee are in heauinesse 1. Pet. 16. 8. and yet reioyce with ioy vnspeakeable and glorious Hitherto the reasons alledged haue tended chiefely to this euen to shew what good the Spirit of grace bringeth vnto our selues Now further there is a sixt reason for the confirmation of this poynt which is that it doth also make vs exceeding profitable vnto others which is a very great addition vnto our blessednesse All the wit learning and art in the world cannot make a man to bee a constant and conscionable doer of good but Gods spirit alone must doe that and therefore goodnesse is set downe as a fruit thereof Gal 5. 22. And in the sixth chapter of that Epistle ver 1. the Apostle saith If any man be ouertaken by any offence ye that are spiritual restore such a one not ye that are wittie or learned c. For no man can be a good Physitian vnto others but he that hath first wrought a cure vpon his owne soule in which 2 Cor. 1. 4. regard the Apostle Paul saith Wee are able to comfort others with the consolations wherwith we our selues haue bene comforted Looke then who is most spirituall and we shall finde that he doth alwayes most good Therefore was it that when the Apostles were to conuert the whole world and to batter downe hell gates vpon Sathans head they had the Spirit plentifully powred down vpon them which filled them so full of heauenly wisdome and courage Acts. 2. and zeale that they did that which all the Kings and Monarches of the earth could neuer haue effected by all their power and policy So also when Christ was to do the greatest good that euer any creature did the Lord saith that his Spirit shall rest vpon him and thereby was he fitted to go through with the great worke of our redemption Isa 11. 1. For as it is in that place the Spirit of the Lord is a Spirit of wisdome and vnderstanding making those that haue it to be of a sound iudgement and able to search into the hidden things of God a Spirit of counsel to guide and direct them and of power to strengthen and confirme them though they were neuer so feeble and weake a Spirit of knowledge and of the feare of the Lord to make such as are indued therewith prudent in his feare as there the Prophet speaketh Now seeing it is cleare by these reasons that the hauing of this holy Spirit is the way to al happines Vse 1 First of all this may serue for the iust reproofe of those that would faine liue happily and comfortably and yet neuer had any feruent longing nor made any earnest request for Gods Spirit and the graces thereof they plainly manifest themselues to be ignorant and carnall persons that do not yet know what true happinesse meanes Secondly here are those much more sharply to be rebuked who thinke it best not to be led by the Spirit but rather by the lusts of the flesh and the lusts of the eyes imagining in their folly and madnesse that if they can heape together a great deale of wealth aduance themselues theirs to great places in the world then they shal be happy men leade a merry cheerefull life albeit they neuer take any care nor vse any endeuour to get the spirit of grace into their hearts but rather think them to be out of their wits that labour to be spirituall Wil these men know what their estate is the Apostle telleth them If any man haue not the Spirit of Rom. 8. 9. Christ the same is not his and if he be not his he is for the present a bond-slaue of Sathan and in the state of a reprobate and if such can be happy men 2 Cor. 13. then are they happy otherwise not If it were possible that for their outward condition of life they could be equall vnto Adam in paradise yet must they needs be very miserable as he was when the spirit of God was taken from him it was not the garden of Eden that could then yeeld him contentment but he was in farre greater misery and perplexity in that place then many theeues are in the dungeon or vpon the gallowes when they are ready to be turned ouer He that hath the spirit of God as Paul had shall finde a heauen in prison in sickenesse in death it selfe whereas he that hath it not shall finde a hell though he liued in as good a place as the very paradise of God was Thirdly here is an vse of instruction viz. that we should search and try whether we haue the Spirit or not for it is not a matter of small consequence but such as neerely concerneth vs. If then we would be resolued of this point let How wee may discerne whether we haue the spirit or not Gal. 5. 17. vs first examine whether there be in vs that continuall warre and conflict mentioned Gal. 5. 17. betweene the flesh and the Spirit which all godly men doe finde and feele in themselues more or lesse for as the Apostle there speaketh The flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh Now this combat is generall throughout all the powers and faculties of the soule as to giue instance in the chiefe of them First in the vnderstanding part there is a conflict betweene carnall reason the iudgment rightly informed by Gods word as in this particular A good man is railed vpon and vnderseruedly traduced and vilified in this case reason will thus play its part Why should you
beare it at his hand are not you his better haue you not him at an aduantage why should you not take him downe and giue him as good as he brings Nay saith the Spirit you must not render euill for euill but rather ouercome euill with Rom. 12. Matth. 5. goodnesse and blesse them that curse you and pray for such as hate you persecute you in word or deed they haue too much fire in them already therfore do not you adde more fuell thereunto lest the flame be redoubled but rather cast water vpon it that it may be extinguished Thus doth the Spirit bring the weapons of God to subdue the flesh eueÌ„ as the flesh doth come armed with the weapons of the Diuell to resist the Spirit Indeede there is many times in vnregenerate persons a fight betwixt carnall reason and their naturall conscience but that is not generall throughout all the powers of the soule neither doth it extend it selfe vnto the motions inclinations that are euil to curbe represse them nor breede humility and pouerty of spirit in the parties in whom it is found and so driue them to the Lord to craue aide and strength from him to subdue tâ—eâ— corrupâ—â—â—ns but these checks of the naturall consâ—iâ—nâ—e doe rather make men more fierce and froward and at length more violent and outragious in sâ—â—ning especially if they haue bene occasioned either by the hearing of the terrible curse of the law denâ—unced against them in the publicke ministery or by the faithfull dealing of some Christian friend which hath throughly applied the threatnings of the word vnto their drowsie consciences wherewith they were moued for the time but afterwards returne to their vomit againe then I say they wil be much more boisterous in their sinfull courses then euer they were before And as there is a conflict in the vnderstanding part so is there the like in the affections for the flesh is ready to draw them vnto pride enuy and vncleannes and couetousnes c. But the Spirit stirreth moueth them vnto better things shewing withall that those forenamed vices will harden the heart make it vnfit for prayer or thankesgiuing or any such spirituall exercise and in the end will bring manie bitter troubles and afflictions vpon those that let them to haue sway and dominion in their soules all which euil inconueniences we shall escape if our affections be heauenly and spirituall and set on their right obiects So likewise in the will this fight will appeare wheresoeuer true sanctification is begun For the flesh wil be vnwilling to pray to heare to meditate to conferre and in a word as any duty tendeth more to the crucifying of the lusts thereof so will it be more auerse therefrom and more prone to delay and to put off the performance thereof But the regenerate part is contrarily disposed and chearefully embraceth that which is good though it be clogged and hindered in the performance of the same setting down this for a certaine truth that the more painfull any seruice is the more gainfull it is that though we begin our prayers in heauinesse yet we may end in gladnesse that the more vntractable and vntoward the flesh is the more glorious our conquest is if we can get the maistery of it and bring it into Gods presence and that if we cannot do as well as we would yet if we do as well as we can we shall be accepted and blessed of the Lord and by the sight and sense of our manifold failings grow more humble and lowly in our owne eyes and more pittifull and gentle towards others And lastly for the memory before their conuersion Gods owne children are prone to remember iniuries and vnkindnes which others haue offered vnto them and to forget such as they haue offered vnto others they can hold fast all such things as will further corrupt them but they let slip whatsoeuer may benefite and helpe them in good and holy courses but after their regeneration the case is altered with them for theÌ„ they striue to disburden their memories of all things that may hurt them and to retaine onely such matters as may make them more humble and mercifull and thankfull This spirituall fight in the inward man is a most infallible marke of the spirit of grace which is the rather to bee noted because many of Gods seruants through ignorance take it to be quite contrary We finde say they such a deale of carnall reason so many sinfull affections and lusts and such vnwillingnesse and vnfitnesse for euery holy duty that we much doubt whether we haue Gods spirit in vs or not But who tels you that there are so many things amisse in you who is it that causeth you to see the errours of your minde and the corruptions of your heart who is it that causeth you to hate them and to be out of liking with your selfe for them who is it that enableth you to take Gods part against them and to striue by all meanes to be freed from the bondage of them Is it not the spirit of God that worketh all these good things in you and why then should you make question whether it dwell in you yea or no these are fruits of the Spirit which are neuer found in any but in spirituall men And if any desire yet a further triall let him examine whether there bee in him those other vertues of the Spirit which are recited Gal. 5. 22. viz. 1. Loue vnto God to his word to his Saints to mankind yea to our very enemies so far as to desire their conuersion and saluation 2. Ioy in Gods fauour in that he hath giuen vs any sparkles of grace thereby assured vs that he wil prouide al good things for vs in this life and afterwards saue our soules and bodies euerlastingly 3. Peace with the Lord himselfe with our consciences and with our brethren If I say any desire further assurance that the Spirit of grace doth possesse his heart let him try whether he can finde in himselfe these fruites thereof together with the rest there mentioned to wit long suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith meekenesse temperance and as these doe more or lesse abound in him so may he be assured that he is more or lesse spirituall Vse 4 A fourth vse of this point may be this that seeing our happinesse doth ebbe or flow according to the working of the holy Ghost within vs therefore we should vse all meanes to get and increase the same in our hearts How Gods Spirit may be obtainned Now one meanes is exceedingly to desire it and earnestly to long for it for the Lord saith in the prophecy of Isaiah I will powre water vpon Isa 44. 3. the thirstie and flouds vpon the dry ground I will powre my Spirit vpon thy seed and my blessing vpon thy buds In which place wee see there is a large promise made but to whom To poore desolate Christians that doe feele
but those that are withall faithfull seruants vnto almighty God Euery family apart the family of the house of Dauid apart and their wiues apart c. The doctrine hence to be gathered is this that Doct. 7 It is not sufficient to come to publicke religious Christian duties are to be performed in priuate exercises in the family but euery one must performe the same in priuate and apart Therefore it is to be noted that in this place it is said of husbands and wiues that they shall lament apart euen they that are linked in the nearest bonds might with most conueniencie lay open their hearts each before other yet they should not content thēselues with those seruices which they performed together vnlesse God and their consciences might sometimes meete in secret And as our Sauiour chose for himselfe priuate and solitary places where he might with more freedome pray vnto his Father so doth he giue the like aduice vnto others VVhen thou prayest saith he Math. 6. 6. enter into thy chamber and when thou hast shut thy dore pray vnto thy Father which is in secret Where by chamber he meaneth any secret place where a man may freely lay open his wants before the Lord. Hence was it that Peter after the deniall of his maister is said to go out and there to weepe bitterly Now the cause why we must doe thus is Reason 1 First because it will be a witnesse vnto our soules that we doe duties in truth and not in hypocrisie for in secret albeit wee shedde teares aboundantly for our sinnes none can accuse vs of vaine-glory neither will our owne hearts charge vs therewith whereas in publicke there may be some such suspicion in others or doubt arising in our selues And as our sorrow will thence appeare not to be hypocriticall so will it also be cleare vnto vs that it is not natural nor for company such as may be in a ciuill man who seeing a great many weeping and mourning can hardly refraine himselfe from teares but will be apt and readie to lament with them Secondly there is no man or woman but hath some sinne or other which is not meete for them to acknowledge before their nearest friends because such is the corruption of their nature they will be ready to thinke the worse of the party The most louing and wife husband that is if his wife should discouer vnto him all her thoughts and ill affections would entertaine somewhat a harder conceite of her than before he did and therfore God would haue many sinfull cogitations and motions laid open onely vnto himselfe who is infinitely mercifull and pittifull and not vnto any creature in the world beside Vse 1 This doctrine serueth for the iust reproofe of many professours who are all in the Church and nothing in the family or if they haue prayer and reading of the Scriptures twice a day publicke with their whole family they imagine that they haue gone as far as they need to do though they neuer throughout the whole weeke performe any seruice vnto the Lord in secret neuer conscionably meditate on the word neuer earnestly bewaile and confesse their hidden corruptions neuer feruently cry vnto the Lord for the sauing graces of his holy Spirit nor performe any such duty apart as all Christians are bound to doe Such kind of persons may assure themselues that their hearts are not right with God and that they are not ledde by the Spirit of grace which drawes those in whom it reigneth vnto the performance of good duties apart as well as with company in their closets in their chambers in the fields or in some such priuate places or other as well as in the Church or with the whole society where they liue How much more are those to be condemned who are so farre from seruing the Lord in secret that they either refuse to doe it in publicke or if they affoord their bodily presence yet they are idle or profane or wanton in their lookes and in their gestures letting all that are neare them see the vile disposition of their hearts by their leaud and abhominable carriage These sinful wretches are so farre from being excused by being at religious exercises that they are much to be condemned for that in the land of righteousnesse as the Prophet speaketh they worke wickednesse and in the places where they should shew all manner of holines they expresse such notable profanenesse These are euen like Iudas who was plotting to betray his maister euen then when he was at the Lords table to bee partaker of the holy Sacrament and they shall speede euen as he did for when affliction and misery seazeth vpon them as come it will sooner or later if they preuent it not by hearty repentance then shal they not be able to stand before the Lord nor before the face of their accusing consciences but shall be ouerwhelmed with horrour and amazement and be more ready to lay violent hands on themselues then to seeke vnto the Lord for mercy whom they haue so haynously and presumptuously offended Secondly let vs hence learne to be the same alone for matters of godlinesse as we are in company and to do duties when no body sees vs euen because God beholds vs as well as when many eyes are cast vpon vs. This will be a testimony vnto our soules of great sincerity and vprightnesse and these priuate exercises of religion will marueilously fit vs for the publike And thence it comes to passe that many are so loth to appeare before God in the congregation or in the family and do feele the seruices of God so tedious and wearisome because their hearts haue not bene exercised therewith in secret for hee that deales with his owne soule alone shall finde so many defects in himselfe that he will be very desirous of the helpe of the Saints in publicke assemblies Therfore let vs tye our selues euery day to spend some time in meditating on the word in searching our hearts in humbling our selues for our offences past and present in praying to the Lord to strengthen vs where we are weake to resolue vs where we are in doubt to shew vs our errours and to direct vs in the right way to let vs see our wants and to supply them of his rich grace let vs I say constantly performe these and the like duties in secret and then shall it bee plaine vnto our soules that we are guided by Gods good Spirit And howsoeuer the diuell wil obiect that we are not sincere because we haue many times more in shew outwardly then we haue in substance inwardly yet hereby shal we be able to approue the sincerity of our hearts that albeit we haue not that within vs which we seeme to haue yet we desire to haue it and striue to attaine to it and he onely is an hypocrite which neither hath nor desires to haue that which he maketh semblance to haue The end of the first Sermon vpon the
committed the next remedy is to Repentance for offences committed stand in awe of Gods iudgements due vnto the same and so to be led on to true repentance The best way to escape desperate feare is to fright our soules with an holy feare For if we iudge our selues we shall not be iudged of the Lord. Excellent for this purpose is that answere of Huldah the Prophetesse vnto good Iosiah Because thine heart 2. Kings 22. 19. 20. did melt saith she and thou hast humbled thy selfe before the Lord when thou heardest what I spake against this place and against the inhabitants of the same to wit that it should be destroyed and accursed and hast rent thy clothes and wept before me I haue also heard thee saith the Lord. Behold therefore I will gather thee to thy fathers and thou shalt be put in thy graue in peace and thine eyes shal not see all the euill that I will bring vpon this place And agreeable to this is the speech of Habakkuk VVhen I heard Hab. 3. 16. my belly trembled my lips shooke at thy voice rottennesse entred into my bones and I trembled in my selfe But what benefite had he by that That I might haue rest in the day of trouble So that we see the best way to be quiet and peaceable in our selues in troublesome times is to be disquiet in our hearts for sinne before troubles do approach A third remedy is to feare Gods iudgements Feare of Gods iudgements when we behold them vpon others and if we haue bene sinfull before yet then to seeke a reconciliaon with God before his displeasure arise against vs. It was the wisedome of the Gibeonites when they Ioshua 9. saw Ierico and Ai vanquished and destroyed not to stand it out with Ioshua but to make a league with him if they could deale so prouidently with him for their bodies much more should we with the Lord for our soules When the wise captaine came vnto Elijah with his fifty men considering how the two former captaines had bene consumed with fire from heauen he humbleth himselfe and saith O man of God I pray thee let 2 King 1. 23. my life be precious in thy sight In like manner when we heare that the people of the land are taken away by hundreds and thousands seeing we are guilty of the same sinnes that they were we should cast downe our soules before the Lord and beseech him that our liues may be precious in his sight but especially that our soules may be spared that though our bodies should perish yet our transgressions being pardoned our better part may be preserued and euerlastingly saued This is See the second Sermon on Lament 3. v. 57. Feare not the best receipt that any can take against the venome of the pestilence that he may be sure it shall neuer hurt him And thus much of the remedies against hurtfull feares Because God is in the generation of the iust This is one reason why it must needs go hardly with wicked men that are deuourers and spoilers of Gods people because the Lord himselfe is among them to take notice of all the iniuries and indignities which they sustaine and to reuenge their quarrell vpon their enimies that are stronger than Doct. 2 Good men neuer want good company they whence ariseth this point of doctrine that the Lord is euer present with all righteous men A good man neuer wanteth good company for wheresoeuer a Christian is there God himselfe is with him and in him and round about him so that none are so neare vnto one another as the Lord is vnto his people Now that he is alwaies thus present with his Reuel 1. 13 children appeareth in the Reuelation Where Christ is said to walke in the middes of the seuen golden Candlesticks that is of the seuen Churches so that it is his ordinary walke to go in and out amongst his seruants Neither hath he a generall care of the whole Church onely but he hath an eye also vnto euery particular member as will appeare in seuerall examples When Iacob was all alone trauelling towards Padan Aram there being no towne neare and the night drawing on he was faine to take vp his lodging in the open field but that night the Lord shewed himselfe present with Iacob and he saw that he had acquaintance euen in that solitarie place for God tooke notice of him and renewed with him his couenant made vnto Abraham and Isaac and made him a promise Gen. 28. 15 to be with him whither soeuer he went c. So that that night was one of the comfortablest nights that euer Iocob had The like we reade of Elijah that when he fled from Iezabell there was one knew him in the wildernesse and brought him his dinner euen an Angell sent from God and afterward when he 1 King 18. was vpon mount Horeb the Lord tooke knowledge of him and called him by his name VVhat dost thou here Elijah Yea Ionah found fauour from God where no body else could come vnto him euen in the bottome of the sea Whence it is euident that the Lord is euery where with his people And How God is present with his that First by his wisedome to giue them good direction To direct them in which regard Christ that is called a counsellour Isa 9. is said to be in the middes of the seuen golden Candlestickes clothed with a garment downe to the feete as was the manner of counsellours in those times Reuel 1. 13. So that he is euermore ready to resolue vs in our doubts to aduise vs in our actions and in our speeches and to direct vs what and how to do and speake according as occasion shall be offered Secondly he is present by his power as a gracious To defend them Isa 43. 1. 2. protector of his children according to that of the Prophet Isaiah VVhen thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and through the flouds that they doe not ouerflowe thee VVhen thou walkest through the very fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle vpon thee Where we may see that the Lord promiseth to be with his Church in a wonderfull manner and to be a defence and safegard vnto thē in the most perillous times euen when they should passe through fire and water Thirdly he is present with his children by his To comfort them Spirit as a comforter to refresh their hearts in all extremities Christ fortelleth his disciples that in the world they should meete with many sorrowes which should cause them to mourne when others did reioyce but withall he promiseth to send them the comforter euen the blessed Spirit of grace which Ioh 14. 6. should minister vnto them aboundance of consolation euen in the middes of the persecutions and sufferings which they endured for Christ his sake And that which was promised vnto them all the members of Christ shall
crowne let this therefore be our first worke to labour against the hautinesse of our fleshly hearts Secondly to the intent that we may more patiently Consider what scoffers are indure to be vilified and disgraced let vs consider what manner of men scoffers be viz. the most abiect vile and contemptible persons that are as we may see in those before mentioned who in this sort pursued Iob and Dauid and our blessed sauiour Obiect Oh but will some say they are men of great wealth of great place of great parentage of great wit and learning that doe mocke vs and gird at vs for our religion and for our profession Answere Grant that they be great men in all the former respects yet if they be wicked and vngodly the holy ghost accounteth them vile and contemptible men and so should wee esteeme of them though they be as mightie as Zenacherib was for when he sent a disdainefull and scornefull message vnto Hezekiah and the rest of Gods people hee was indeede ignominious because hee was impious and blasphemous he was vile in Gods sight and he made him appeare vile both before men and Angels according to that of Isaiah The Isai 37. 22. virgin daughter of Sion hath despised thee and laughed thee to scorne Thirdly let vs consider as what they are for the present so what they shall be hereafter and that the same Prophet Isaiah sheweth saying Feare ye not for the reproch of men neither be ye afraid Isai 51. 7. 8. of their rebukes For the moth shall eate them vp like a garment and the worme shall eate them like wood Obiect 1 But will some maÌ„ say what great matter is this shall not the wormes consume the good as well as the bad Answere Yes surely that cannot be denied and yet there is an euident difference betweene the wicked the godly euen â—â— this respect for though Note righteous mens bodies become wormes meate yet it is not in any displeasure from the Lord nor for any hurt vnto them for they are still pretious in his eyes as their soules are which euen then enioy celestial happinesse and besides euen those bodies of theirs shall be restored and be made euerlastingly glorious together with their soules all which things are farre otherwise with such sinfull persons as delight themselues in scoffing and deriding of the Saints of God their bodies are at best when they are deuoured by wormes they can neuer expect better but that which is farre worse shall surely come vnto them Fourthly that wee may bee inabled in conscience Meditate on the reward to swallow vp such reproches as are cast vpon vs let vs seriously meditate on the reward which is promised vnto them that can so doe Blessed are you saith our Sauiour when men reuile Matth. 5. 11. 12. you and persecute you and speake all manner of euill against you for my names sake falsely Reioyce and be glad for great is your reward in heauen And againe the Apostle Peter saith If yee be railed vpon 1. Pet. 4. 14. for the name of Christ blessed are yee for the spirit of glorie and of God resteth vpon you This made Moses to esteeme the rebuke of Christ greater riches then Heb. 11. 26. the treasures of Egypt for saith the holie Ghost hee had respect vnto the recompence of the reward Therefore when wee finde our hearts beginning to bee dismaied at the bitter taunts and iests of prophane scoffers let vs animate our selues vnto patience with these or the like considerations why should I be discouraged at these things sinfull men seeke to vilifie and disgrace me but doth God thinke euer the worse of me I am base and contemptible in their eyes but doe the Angels of God or any of his Saints conceiue any whit more hardly of me in that regard Nay doth not the Lord himselfe and such as haue his image most liuely shining foorth in them esteeme me so much more honorable by how much they labor to make me more vile and abiect in regard of my weldoing Why then should I faint vnder the burthen of reproch wherewith they do still load me especially seeing that this momentanie disgrace which I sustaine for Christ his cause shall bring vnto me an eternall and inualuable weight of glorie Doct. 4 Of the poore From which words note this Doctrine that the estate of Gods people is commonly The godlie vsually afflicted a poore and afflicted estate Therefore in the originall the word poore is not vsed in the Plurall number but in the Singular and carries this sense ye haue made a mock of the counsell of that poore one implying thereby what is the common case of all namely to be full of calamities and distresses through many tribulations to enter into the kingdome Acts 14. 22. Rom. 8. of God and to be conformable vnto their head Christ in afflictions and sufferings And this the Lord in his wise prouidence will haue to be so for these reasons Reasons First that thereby the flesh might be discountenanced and haue no cause to reioyce before 1. 1. Cor. 2. him Secondly that men might embrace religion for it self and in conscience vnto God not in any outward respects Whereas if most of those that are Christians were of great place many would make a shew of being religious that they might Note thereby grow to aduancement in the world and so seeke earthly things in spirituall exercises Thirdly that his childreÌ„ might grow in neerer acquaintance with him who otherwise would be strangers vnto their owne father In their affliction Hos 5. 15. saith God they will seeke me diligently Before that time they would rather sue vnto any then vnto the Lord therefore was he driuen to break them with one breaking vpon another that so hauing no other refuge to betake themselues vnto they might haue recourse vnto him This is cleere in the example of Manasse who being in bonds and in irons humbled his soule before the Lord and prayed vnto him for fauor and mercie and found it at his hands whereas before such time as hee was pressed downe with grieuous miserie he obstinately refused to hearken vnto the Lord and to his messengers and was so far froÌ„ calling vpon his name that he dishonored it by all manner of abominations which hee committed with an high 2. Chron. 33. 6. hand euen to anger the Lord. Fourthly God would haue his people often to taste of aduersities and troubles that so they might learne to trust in him whereas otherwise they would make the arme of flesh to bee their stay and confidence This the Lord himself auoucheth in the prophecie of Zephanie saying I will Zeph. 3. 12. leaue in the middest of thee an humble and poore people and they shall trust in the name of the Lord. Vse This point maketh for the confutation of an error which withholdeth diuers from the profession of the Gospell Is this
discouraged albeit wicked sinners thinke and speake the worst of vs our goodnes not our badnes is the occasion thereof and therefore wee should be so farre from conceiuing the worse of our selues or of our works meerely in this respect that they go about to depraue and vilifie both vs and thē that we shuld haue a better opinion both of our own persons and actions as hoping that the Lord doth gratiously accept of the one and of the other because the vilest sinnes do most of all dislike them and seeke by all meanes to fasten infamie and disgrace vpon them Do we then trust in God do sinfull persons deride our simplicitie in that behalf and tell vs that we shall be ouerthrowne and neuer be long able to hold vp our heads let vs rest on the Lord still neuer be dismaied at their mischieuous and malicions speeches attempts against vs knowing and assuring our soules that they that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Sion that Psal 125. 1. cannot be remoued but standeth fast for euer FINIS The fourth Sermon Doct. 1 THey are the most miserable and wretched Those that rebell against God are the worst rebels rebels that are rebels against God Though it bee an offence verie grieuous and odious for a subiect to shew himself disloyall to his earthly Soueraigne yet this shall stand as a sure conclusion when heauen earth shall fall that the greatest Sinner is the greatest Traitor Hence it is that when the Prophet Samuel would set out the hainousnes of Sauls sinne in sparing Agag the King of the Amalekites and the best of the sheepe and oxen and of the things that should haue been destroyed hee compareth it with those crimes that were most hatefull and Exod. 22. 18. 20 most punishable by Gods law saying Rebellion to 1. Sam. 15. 22. wit against the Lord is as the sinne of witchcraft and transgression is wickednesse and Idolatrie and therefore Saul must needs be a notorious malefactor that was found guiltie thereof So likewise in the prophecy of Isaiah when the Lord would lay vpon the vnbeleeuing Iewes the most grieuous imputation that could bee for their renouncing and forsaking of him and their seeking vnto and relying vpon the King of Egypt for succour and protection he tearmeth them rebellious children Isai 30. 1. and rebellious people and in the same tearmes dealeth 9. Moses with the stiffenecked and peruerse Israelites Heare ye rebels saith he shall we bring you Numb 20. 10. water out of the rock as if more could not bee spoken for the shame and disgrace of impious persons then to brand them with the note of rebels against the Lord of heauen and earth But that this point may be yet more cleere and perspicuous let vs weigh these reasons that follow for the confirmation thereof Reasons 1 First the lawes that they breake which notwithstanding they are more strictly tied to obserue then any subiect in the world is the statutes Rom. 7. 12. of his Prince are most equal and iust and meet to be kept and therefore the presumptuous breach thereof must of necessitie argue the most indigne and vnworthie rebellion that can be imagined It was no small fault in the Israelites to renounce their alleageance to Rehoboam and to stand vp in armes against him being their lawfull King and Gouernour albeit hee threatned to impose vpon them rigorous and sharpe lawes to make his yoke 1. King 12. 14. more grieuous then his fathers so that whereas Salomon had chastised them with rods hee would correct them with scourges how hainous then is their offence that doe refuse to submit their necks vnto Gods yoke who is a more absolute King then euer any was or shall be to the end of the world whose lawes are perfitly good and righteous all of them tending not alone to his owne glorie but to the present and eternall benefit and comfort of such as doe obey the same Secondly those are the most vile traitors that doe rebell against their Soueraigne that hath bin very bountifull and gratious vnto them which was it that made Achitophels treacherie against Dauid more inhumane barbarous now what Kings fauours can stand in the ballance against Gods fauours which he vouchsafeth to the basest of the sonnes of men for he it is that giueth them life and being and al things in him they liue and Acts 17. moue and haue their subsistence and without him they could not continue to breathe so much as one houre nay nor one minute of an houre much lesse enioy the comfortable vse of any creature vnder the Sunne and therefore seeing the bounty and kindnesse of the Lord is so exceeding great their rebellion that doe lift vp themselues against him cast off the obedience of his lawes is of all men most worthie to be condemned and abhorred Thirdly their case doth hence appeare to bee very wofull and miserable that the punishment appointed for them is both very grieuous and withall vnauoidable First the grieuousnesse thereof is euident by this that whereas earthly Monarchs can proceed no further against the most notorious malefactors but to the torturing and killing of their bodies the confiscating of their lands and goods and the defaming of them and theirs for a season so that if there bee vnfained repentance in the parties offending as there was in the good thiefe on the crosse their soules may be saued and their names healed and both body and soule eternallie glorified it is otherwise with the great King of heauen who will plague those that are traitors against his Maiestie with al manner of iudgements in this life and when hee hath done with them here will call them to a reckoning againe at that great Assises at the last day and there expose them to perpetuall shame and infamie and inflict vpon their bodies and soules such torments as shall bee easelesse endlesse and remedilesse Secondly for the vnauoidablenes of these punishments wee must know that though rebels against worldly Princes when they haue cast thēselues into danger may by flying or hiding of themselues escape or if they bee apprehended make notable defences and apologies to serue their present purpose and so winde themselues out of troubles it is no boote to deale in that sort with the Lord for whither can they goe from his Psal 139. presence but hee will finde them out and what wittie and cunning deuices can they haue for the colouring of their treacherous practises but hee will descrie and discouer the same and that to their greater shame and punishment Which being Isaiah 29. so the vse shall be Vse 1 First for the conuicting of many to be notorious rebels that esteeme themselues as honest men as any in the countrey and wil defie him that shal charge them with treason what say they to this Doe they not vsually take the holie name of God in vaine Doe they not
get an increase of spirituall graces by the one then of naturall strength by the other Now to the intent that we may do so we must Remedies against vnwillingnesse to heare the word vse these remedies following First purge our hearts by true and vnfained repentance from the venome of all grosse and presumptuous sinnes yea from the allowance and liking of the least infirmities for otherwise if our soules be clogged with the poysoned humors of sinne we shall finde no manner of appetite or affection to our spirituall foood Wherefore the Apostle Iames exhorting the twelue tribes to receiue the word with meeknesse prescribeth thē what course to take for the preparing of their hearts thereunto viz. to put away wrathfull and violent Iames 1. 20. 21. affections and to lay apart all filthinesse and superfluitie of malitiousnes And the like direction the Apostle Peter giueth in his 1. Epistle and second chapter vers 1. 2. thereby implying that it is in vaine for men to imagine that they can bee profitable hearers and receiuers of the doctrine of Christ till they haue done their best endeuour to clense their hearts and their hands from all manner of iniquitie Secondly let vs consider of the excellencie of the word and meditate on the strange and admirable effects that it worketh as namely how pure and holy and perfect it is euery way how it Psal 19. 7. c. inlighteneth the minde and giueth wisedome to the simple how it conuerteth the soule and frameth the affections vnto obedience how it casteth downe 2. Cor. 10. the strong holds of the diuell setteth men at libertie Acts 26. 18. from the power of darknesse and translateth them into the glorious kingdome of Iesus Christ and in Iames 1. 21. a word is able to saue their soules that doe in a conscionable manner attend thereunto and treasure it vp in the secret of their hearts Which things being well considered will set an edge on our affections and cause vs to haue as great delight in Psal 119. Gods statutes as in all manner of riches Thirdly and lastly when wee feele within vs a great vnwillingnesse to hearken to the word as the flesh will alwaies be vnwilling to that which will mortifie and kill the sinfull lusts thereof let vs say with the Propet Dauid Lord incline my heart Psal 119. part 5 vnto thy testimonies Neuer discourage our selues by thinking surely I shall neuer bee able to master my affections and to bring my heart with cheerfulnes to listen vnto holy things but goe vnto the Lord that is greater then our hearts and stronger then our sins and beseech him to giue vs a good affection to his testimonies and if we aske in faith and humilitie wee shall bee sure to obtaine our hearts desire for the Lord hath promised to teach Psal 25. the humble his way and if hee vndertake it it is neither our sinfull nature nor Satans malice that can hinder his worke but hee will by degrees accomplish the same in vs as he hath done in all his elect from the beginning of the world euen vnto this present time And thus much for the helpes that we must vse that wee may become willing and cheerefull hearers of the word of the Lord. Doct. 3 THe more wholesome and holie any doctrine The most holy doctrine is most distastfull vnto vnholie persons is the more grieuous is it vnto wicked sinners As any man of God preacheth more soundly and commeth neerer the conscience so is hee more abhorred of vngodly men This we may see euidently in sundry examples of Scripture as first of all in those of whom mention is made in the Reuelation where it is said Reuel 11. that there were two witnesses that is a competent and sufficient number of faithfull preachers which were like Oliue trees to distill the oyle of verse 4. grace into mens hearts and like Candlesticks to hold forth the light vnto those that liued in darknesse and ignorance but what was the effect of their preaching It is said that these two prophets verse 10. vexed them that dwelt on the earth that is all earthly minded men all such as were ignorant and proud vnchast and couetous so that they could neuer bee well till they had killed them and cast out their corpses into the streetes of the citie but then they were glad and reioyced and sent presents one to another in token of their ioy hoping that now these two witnesses were dispatched out of the way they should go on merily in their leaud courses and liue at hearts ease So Ahab professeth that he hated the Prophet Micaiah and could not abide him how came that to passe he could like well enough of those foure hundred false prophets that were intertained at Iezabels table this was the very true cause Micaiah neuer prophecied good vnto him but euill Hee 1. King 22. 8. would deale faithfully in deliuering Gods message and not flatter him either for feare or fauour but when God proclaimed warre against him as hee must needes being an impious Idolater hee would let him heare of it and giue him no allowance in his wicked enterprises whereas those foure hundred dissembling hypocrites had learned to frame themselues to the Kings humour and to speake not true but pleasing things vnto him and by that meanes they insinuated themselues into his fauour And as he was affected towards Micaiah so was hee also towards Elijah 1. King 21. 20. Hast thou found me O mine enemy saith he Now what was the reason he should professe such emnitie against him euen this that the holie Prophet of God came euer furnished with sharpe rebukes and terrible threatnings frō heauen which hee was to denounce against him for his monstrous impietie against the Lord and crueltie against his seruants The like may be seene in Paul who for deliuering the holy and powerfull doctrine of the Gospell was counted a pestilent fellow and a troubler Acts 24. of the whole world not of the Saints that were in the world but of such as were men of the world who could not endure to haue their ignorance their Idolatrie their hypocrisie the ill gouernment of their tongues of their affections and of their families laid open and disgraced and the reformation of these corruptions vrged and pressed vpon their consciences To this same purpose we may obserue further how mad and outragious they were against Steuen Acts 7. when hee came with sound doctrine to their vnsound hearts it is said when they heard the things that he deliuered Acts 7. 54. c. their hearts brast for anger and they gnashed at him with their teeth and so giuing a shoute with a loud voyce and stopping their eares that they might not heare him any longer they ranne vpon him with great violence and carrying him out of the citie stoned him to death Reasons The reasons why pure and holy doctrine is so
vnpleasant and vnwelcome vnto impure and vnholy persons are these First because it doth maruellously crosse their wretched lusts and goes against those euill affections and actions which they are determined to follow they would be proud but the word tels them that then the Lord will resist them and at Iames 4. length confound them bodies and soules they would bee alwaies rooting in the earth and scraping together the pelfe of this world but the word tels them that such swine shall be without Reuel 22. that is excluded frō the heauenly Ierusalem and haue their portion in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for euer Now when they are resolued to be proud still and to be rooters still and the Ministers of God are euer and anon grating vpon their consciences for the same they are much imbittered and incensed against them and their doctrine and if they can worke them any mischiefe they shall be sure not to misse of it Secondly such kinde of doctrine doth much disgrace both their courses and persons for it is the square whereby such crooked peeces are discerned and the touchstone wherby wicked mens vnsoundnes is discouered Hence is it that when our Sauiour had inueighed against the hypocrisie of the Scribes and Pharisies an expounder of the law answered and said vnto him Master thus saying Luke 9. 45 46. thou puttest vs to rebuke also as if hee should haue said Be aduised what you speake for this doctrine of yours tendeth to our disgrace as well as vnto theirs But what doth our Sauiour forbeare them hereupon nay hee commeth neerer vnto them and driueth the naile to the head saying Woe be vnto you also ye interpreters of the law as if hee should say Will you play the dissemblers and must not a man speake against your sinne for feare of disgracing you Yes surely sinne must haue shame wheresoeuer it is and therefore woe vnto you also yee Lawyers for without repentance your case is very dangerous Thirdly the diuell is much disquieted with right and powerful doctrine If a man come with the sword of the Spirit to strike down right vpon the sinnes of mens soules and to summon their drowsie consciences before the iudgement seate of Iesus Christ that is the next way to thrust the diuell out of possession and to cast him violently Luke 10. 18. out of their hearts euen as the lightning fals from the cloud And this we must make full reckoning of that whatsoeuer dislikes the diuell the same John 8. will dislike the children of the diuell And therefore we may obserue that when Paul at Philippi Acts 16. 17. c. had cast out the diuell of the maide that had a spirit of diuination Satan himselfe being enraged thereby all the citie was in an vprore against him and Silas and commanded them to be grieuously scourged with roddes and after to be laid fast as close prisoners with their feete in the stocks Vse This point serueth 1. For instruction to Ministers that if they be faithfull vnto the Lord in teaching right things in a right manner they must make full account that euill men will be grieued and tired and quite wearied out therewith they will be vnwilling to come to the Church and think euery houre two while they are there Christ himselfe could not please carnall men nay he displeased them most because his teaching was best But what saith hee for his owne and others comfort Wisedome is iustified of her children so that albeit fleshly minded Luke 7. 35. men dislike and reiect pure and plaine doctrine yet those that are wisedoms children that is truly and spiritually wise will approue of it and embrace it Secondly this is for instruction to all Gods people that they should labour to bring their hearts to bee willing to heare and receiue sound doctrine that they may from a plaine and faithfull desire say vnto the Prophets prophecie vnto vs Isaiah 30. 10. right things tell vs plainly of our faults make vs to see them and to bee ashamed of them if you perceiue vs to be couetous or voluptuous or riotous c. let vs heare of these our corruptions and of the iudgements of God due vnto them that so wee may bee terrified and reclaimed from them And when we faile in the duties of pietie or mercie or of our callings let vs bee admonished and exhorted let vs haue forcible and vnanswerable reasons for the conuincing of our iudgements and the winning of our affections to the loue and liking of those good duties which we haue been formerly negligent to performe If we can come thus prepared to the preaching of the word we shall receiue abundant fruite and profit thereby and hence be assured to our comfort that wee are not rebels and traitors against the great King of heauen but his true and faithfull subiects and seruants in that wee are glad to know his statutes and willing and desirous to yeeld all loyall and dutifull obedience thereunto and howsoeuer our owne misinformed consciences or Satan our subtill enemie may perswade vs that we doe not lone and feare the Lord but that wee haue vnsound and vnsanctified hearts yet let vs stand vpon the contrarie for if wee haue no other argument of our true and sincere loue towards God yet this may be sufficient viz. that wee doe vnfainedly loue and embrace his sacred word it is an vndoubted testimonie of a good stomack to bee delighted and refreshed with wholesome foode neither is there a surer and better signe of a sound heart then to bee well affected towards a sound ministerie Doct. 4 OVr wretched nature is neuer so forward vnto All men are naturally most prone vnto euill any thing as vnto that which is sinfull and vtterly vnlawfull All men are naturally exceeding slack in attempting executing that which is good but very swift in setting vpon and going through with that which is euill Therefore is it said of all the sonnes of Adam without exception that their feete are swift to shed bloud Many there Rom. 3. 15. are who if they should be prest to fight in lawfull warre for God and their countrie would be fearfull and dastardly and if they could with any credit or safetie they would betake them to their heeles and yet the same men in a priuate quarrell or in robbing by the high waies side or in stealing somewhat out of their neighbours grounds will be very forward and swift to shed blood Againe there are diuers that are exceeding slow in going to a Sermon or to any such holy exercise or seruice but to runne to a Bull-baiting or a Beare-baiting or to a Whitson-ale none shall rise more early nor hasten more speedily then they Examples will make this point yet more cleere When Nebuchadnezzar was minded to passe an vniust sentence of death vpon the Caldeans and Astrologians for that they could not Dan. 2. 14. bring to his
shall be turned into ioy But by what meanes should they attaine vnto this the words following doe make it manifest Ask saith he and ye shall receiue that your ioy may be verse 2. 4. full When Christians do enioy wealth credit and ease they are oftentimes made so dull and secure thereby that they haue little mind to powre out their soules before God in prayer but when once they are throughly pinched and pressed with miseries and calamities then they begin to renue their acquaintance with God and so bringing before him abundance of holy and heauenly prayers he replenisheth them with store of sweet and celestiall comforts A third reason hereof may be taken from the end of Gods afflictions which is as he himselfe testifieth in the booke of Deuteronomie that he may doe his children good in the latter end that hee may make them partakers of his holinesse and so by Heb. 12. 10. consequent of the consolations of his spirit Whē God will doe his enemies a notable displeasure he setteth them aloft in slipperie places that so their Psal 73. fall may bee more fearefull and vnrecouerable euen so on the contrarie when hee purposeth some extraordinarie benefit vnto his seruants he will lay them full low and afflict them full sore as he did Ioseph and Dauid that so they may be more capable of his fauours Vse 1 Heere commeth to be reprooued that faint-heartednesse that is in many of Gods children in the daies of their affliction who seeing that they haue many and great and strange crosses lying vpon them begin to bee cleane out of heart and out of hope and to make these or the like desperate conclusions Surely I shall neuer winde out of these distresses my state is past recouerie I neuer looke to see ioyfull day more These are base and naughtie and vnbeleeuing speeches which doe dismay the soule and cause the parties that vse them to desist from seeking vnto the Lord for help and reliefe and wretched is that sorrow that driueth vs from hope and from prayer What can the Lord wound and can he not heale can he cast downe and can hee not raise vp can hee kill and not make aliue shall our faults be more forcible to procure his displeasure then Christ his merits to recouer his fauour Away with these vnbeleeuing conceits and distrustfull thoughts and speeches for he that saith he shall neuer liue a comfortable life more doth in effect say thus much that either he is no true Christian o◠the Lord no true God of his word who hath said that light is sowen for the righteous and ioy for all Psal 97. 11. that are vpright in heart Why then should we not sustaine our selues with the expectation of deliuerance to come and why should we not sweeten our present teares with the hope of future comforts The Apostle Iames presseth the example of the husbandman who though his barne be emptie and his seede that he hath cast into the earth not yet appearing aboue ground yet hee waiteth for the precious fruite of the earth and hath Iames 5. 7. 8. long patience for it vntill hee receiue the former and the latter raine And what of this Be ye also patient therefore saith he and settle your hearts c. And indeede all Christians haue reason so to doe for they are good seeds-men that are euermore sowing prayers and teares in the bosome of Iesus Christ and therefore they haue a crop growing that cannot possibly miscarrie howsoeuer it fall out vnto others they shall be sure to speede well and to haue an happie issue out of all their temptations Obiect Oh but my crosses and trials are strange and extraordinarie Answere What of that were not Iobs so in so much that no instance could be giuen by him of any of the Saints that had endured the like yet the Lord made a good and happie end of all his distresses and miseries and so will he do of yours if in faith and patience you can waite vpon him And in truth it is a great dishonor and indignitie that we offer vnto the Lord when wee imagine that hee can doe somewhat for vs in small and light afflictions but if our case bee any thing extraordinarie that then there is no hope of helpe and succor from him for thereby we make the Lord such a Pilot as can doe somewhat vpon a shallow riuer where there is little or no danger but vpon the maine Ocean especially if the Sea begin to swell and rage wee dare not trust vnto his skill what vile and base vnbeliefe is this The Prophet Dauid was otherwise affected when hee saith God is our hope and strength a helpe in troubles readie to bee Psal 46. 1. 2. 3. found Therefore will we not feare though the earth be moued and though the mountaines fall into the midst of the Sea Though the waters thereof rage and the mountaines shake at the surges of the same And therefore let vs be ashamed and grieued that wee haue been so heartlesse and hopelesse in great extremities Secondly is it so that all the perplexities and anguishes of the righteous shall end in ioy Is this a priuiledge and prerogatiue peculiar vnto them then how wretched and wofull is the conditiō of all the vngodly ones of the world whose sorrow shall end in sorrow and who shall goe from their present paine and griefe vnto perpetuall tortures and torments in hell fire let them make mcrrie and bee as iocund as they will for a time and seck to put away melancholy fits as they tearme them they haue a crop growing as well as Gods children but what is that euen a crop of shame and horror and anguish which shall seise vpon their soules at vnawares and that to their euerlasting ruine and the vtter destruction of their bodies and soules for euermore And therefore as the godly are to bee exhorted not to enuie the prosperitie of the wicked though they flourish for a season so are the vngodly to bee admonished that they doe not esteeme Gods children to be miserable albeit they bee in heauinesse for a time for their light and momentanie afflictions 2. Cor. 4. shall bee recompenced with a farre most excellent and eternal weight of ioy and of glory whereas the short and vaine delights of wicked sinners shall be infinitly ouerpeised and weighed downe with the vnsupportable miseries which if not in this world yet in that which is to come they shall most certainly meete withall Thirdly heere is matter of very great consolation to all such as are mourners in Sion though they be weeping when others are reioycing and fasting when others are feasting yet a time shall come when sorrow and trouble shall flie away and comfort and peace shal succeed in the roome thereof God hath said it and they shall finde it that it shall goe well with the righteous and that the Isaiah 4. Psal 37. end of such men
thus farre then doth it begin to open vnto vs a doore vnto the grace and fauour of God It doth put into our mindes that there is mercie with God and therefore stirreth vs vp to seeke mercie at his hands afterward it doth let vs see how Christ suffered to take away the sinnes of the world that in the righteousnes of Christ wee may looke to bee iustified before God And this it doth not let vs see only but doth effectuallie worke a sure perswasion of it in our hearts and confirmeth the same by two notable Effects of iustification effects The first is a ioy most vnspeakeable and glorious 1. Ioy. 1. Pet. 1. 8. Rom. 5. 2. wherewith our hearts must needs be wholly taken vp and rauished when we see our selues by the righteousnesse of Christ of the free mercy and grace of God redeemed from death deliuered from hell and freed from the fearefull condemnation of the wicked The second is the peace of conscience which 2. Peace Rom. 5. 1. Philip. 4. 6. indeed passeth all vnderstanding While sin and the guilt of sinne remained there was no peace nor rest nor quietnes to be found but feare within terrors without and troubles on euery side but when once sinne is nailed to the crosse of Christ when the guilt thereof is taken out of our consciences and the punishment thereof far remoued then must needs ensue great peace because God is at one with vs and for this we haue the warrant and testimonie of the spirit for flesh and blood cannot worke in vs this holy and heauenly assurance And hereof doth arise a fourth note to wit the 4. Readinesse to doe good life and nimblenes that is in vs to doe good for when a man doth finde fauour from God for the forgiuenes of his sins then the loue of God constraineth him and that ioy which hee conceiueth inforceth him and putteth life into him for the performance of those things which are pleasing vnto God Then he beginneth to finde himself not only reclaimed from euill but also framed to that which is good Then is his vnderstanding inlightened to see into the mysteries of godlines then is his iudgement reformed so that he is able to discerne betwixt truth and falsehood betwixt that which is good and that which is euill Then are his affections in some good measure altered 1. Thess 5. 23. his desire is set not vpon earthly but vpon heauenlie things his ioyes are not in earth but in heauen his anger is wasted and spent not vpon his owne priuate cause and quarrels but his owne sinnes and vpon whatsoeuer hindreth the glorie of his God This is the life of God in him thus Ephes 4. 18. Rom 8 2. he liueth that hath receiued the spirit and thus he leadeth his life continually for they that haue receiued the spirit are led by the spirit and doe liue accordingly bringing foorth the fruits of the Galath 5. 22. spirit But this hath frailtie ioyned with it and men through weakenesse may soone fall therefore if notwithstanding that we will know whether we still retaine the spirit wee must trie our selues by these rules First if through infirmitie wee haue fallen as who doth not and will know whether thereby Iames 3. 1. Notes of the spirit after slips 1. Hatred of sinne we haue lost the spirit of God or no let vs examine what liking or misliking we haue of sinne for if we still hold our former hatred of that and the oftner we fall the more thorough and deadly hatred we conceiue against it vndoubtedly that frailtie hath not as yet depriued vs of the spirit for this holy detestatiō of sin is a fruit of the spirit Secondly consider how it standeth with thy 2. Sorrow for sinne 2. Cor. 7. sorrow for so long as thy sorrow for sin increaseth it cannot bee that the spirit should bee quenched in thee Thirdly trie thy care and if thou finde thy self 3 Care to auoid it more carefull both to fight against sinne and to preuent it by auoiding the occasions of it then know that not it but grace hath dominion in thy Rom. 7. heart But the last is most certaine and that is this 4. Greater zeale in well doing 2. Cor. 7. 11. Ephes 4. when thou art carefull to redeeme that which by thy fall thou hast lost and hast a care to runne so much faster forward by how much more thou hast been letted by thy fall then it doth appeare that the spirit is in thee yea it is liuely and mightie in operation and such as shall neuer bee taken from thee vntill the day of Christ Now further when the Apostle saith Quench not the spirit hee implieth that the spirit is in some respects like vnto fire therefore if wee doe but a little consider of the nature of fire we shall a great deale better iudge of the spirit First of all it will consume things that are combustible 1. The properties of the Spirit whereby it resembleth fire Rom. 8. 13. and therefore lighting vpon straw stubble c. it bringeth all to ashes so doth the spirit in our soules wast and at length bring to nothing all noisome lusts whatsoeuer Secondly fire doth purge and purifie things and so doth the spirit purge vs from the drosse of Ioh. 15. 2. Acts 15. 9. sinne daily more and more that we may be holie temples for him to dwell in Thirdly fire giueth light euen in the darkest places and so is the spirit a shining lampe euer 1. Ioh. 1. 5. 6. giuing light vnto vs in the midst of the darknes of this world And last of all fire giueth heate and withall doth as it were put life into those things which are capable of life for whilest a man is frozen and starued he is numbde and as it were without life but being brought to the fire hee is reuiued and cheered and thē becommeth actiue and nimble euen so doth the Spirit set vs on heate and inflameth Coloss 2 13. Ephes 2. 1. vs with a zeale of Gods glorie with a care of our dutie and with a loue of all mankinde yea withall it putteth life into vs to walk in that good way which leadeth vnto life Thus we see what likelihood there is between the spirit and fire for which cause it is sometimes called fire as Matth. 3. 11. Therefore as truly and certainly as we may say there is fire where we see straw or stickes consumed gold or siluer purged great light in dark places or great heate and liuelines in bodies that were benummed before so truly may wee say and so certainly may wee perswade our selues that the spirit of God is in vs when wee see our corruptions consumed our soules purged our hearts inlightened and made hot in walking and working according to that light The second question to be considered is whether that man which hath once truly tasted of the spirit may lose
yet did they wish to returne to their former Psal 106. bondage rather then to bee brought to such straits but notwithstanding the grieuousnes of this their sinne many now adaies come nothing behinde them for their eyes are so vpon their wants that the want of one thing which they do desire though it be but small doth more disquiet them then manifold blessings doe comfort them to make them thankfull But this discontentment wee must be armed against which we shall be if wee can receiue the fauour of God for it selfe though it come alone yea though trouble doe come therewith for hauing it wee haue all things and wanting it wee haue nothing Againe if wee haue it no miserie can make vs miserable and if wee haue it not in greatest prosperitie we are most miserable But the Israelites here dealt after a cleane contrarie manner for the want of bread in the wildernesse being but for their bodies did make thē to despise their great and wonderfull deliuerance out of Egypt which was vnto them a signe of their spirituall deliuerance And this is the nature of all worldlings they had rather forgo many spirituall benefits then one corporall commoditie they grieue more at the losing and reioyce more at the hauing of wealth then of godlinesse But to returne to the point in hand sith murmuring is so great a sinne it shall be profitable to consider of some remedies against it Remedies against murmuring Now for as much as impatiencie proceedeth from infidelitie the remedie thereof must bee fetched from faith in Gods mercies in the merits of Christ in the hope of the resurrection and in Gods fatherly prouidence First I say Gods rich mercie and fauourable dealing with vs being duly considered cannot but worke in vs patience for seeing that the Lord forbeareth vs and that when for the ripenes of our sinnes he might confound vs he doth rather heape blessings vpon vs this cannot but bridle vs from murmuring though all things fall not out according to our hearts desire Especially seeing that the Lord will deale with vs still as hee did with the Israelites that when ordinarie meanes failed had extraordinary prouision made for thē the cloudes giuing them bread and the rock water to teach vs that man liueth not by bread only as Moses applieth it Deut. 8. but by the word of God A second remedie is to haue a liuely faith in the worke of our redemption to wit the remission of our sinnes the imputation of Christ his righteousnes and inherent sanctification First then if we can stedfastly beleeue that God for Christ his sake hath freely forgiuen vs all our sinnes and giuen his sonne that in him we might be blessed we cannot but be assured that with him Rom. 8. he will giue vs all things For seeing sin which is the cause of all miserie is taken from vs wee may bee sure that no crosse shall euer hurt vs. Againe if wee could beleeue that as God doth lay our sins vpon Christ so he doth impute his righteousnes to vs how should we doubt of food or raiment c For by this meanes he is made our mercifull and louing father who is for power able and for will readie to helpe vs in all extremities And thus doth he abide for euer and is neuer changed To these two former must bee added the second part of our redemption namely the sanctification of the spirit which if we feele in our selues may bee a great helpe vnto vs against impatiencie for it is a greater thing to sanctifie a sinner then to worke wonders in nature Therefore if we can beleeue in our hearts that God is able to make of sinfull and wicked men iust and righteous of whoremongers chast persons c. and that he is able and willing to deliuer vs from all our corruptions be they neuer so strong by nature or custome if I say we can giue credit vnto this why should we euer doubt that he will faile vs in outward things Further if we can beleeue that God hath prepared a kingdome for vs and that he will raise vs vp at the last day in body and soule to enioy the same how can we but be assured that he will giue vs lesser matters euen the things of this life Another thing to stay our hearts vpon when murmuring doth assaile vs is faith in Gods prouidence which is either generall or particular The generall prouidence of God must be considered first in the creation of all things secondly in the preseruation of them Doe wee then beleeue that the Lord made all things of nothing and shall we doubt of his abilitie to prouide for vs When God created light before the Sun the Moone or the Stars and caused grasse Gen. 1. 3. to grow vpon the earth before there was either raine or dew to water it hee did thereby teach vs first that we should not put too much trust in them whilest we haue them and againe that rather then we should suffer hurt by the want of light grasse or other such things the Lord both could and would prouide for vs without them Yet now if we should not haue the Sun wee would think that light were taken from vs and if we wanted raine wee would soone thinke wee should neither haue grasse nor corne but the Lord hath ordained these meanes to serue his prouidence not for himselfe for without them he can easily help vs but for our weaknes who otherwise could not easily bee assured of his goodnesse Secondly we must beleeue that God preserueth all so that a sparrow doth not fall to the ground Matth. 10. without his prouidence and he hath a great care of beasts and fowles doth the Lord prouide for these Matth. 6. and will hee not prouide for man for whom these were made and are preserued Hereunto we must ioyne the particular prouidence of God Hath he made our bodies and will he not clothe vs hath he giuen vs life and will he not minister vnto vs foode for the sustaining thereof Hee could prouide for the Israelites in the barren wildernesse fortie yeeres together yea hee could preserue Moses and Elias fortie daies without any meate at all which euidently proueth that Gods blessing is all in all whether there be meanes or no meanes Dauid obserued by experience that the righteous seed of the righteous was neuer forsaken nor begged Psal 37. their bread and if wee could bee righteous as then many were wee should finde the same true in our owne experience as he did These things well considered will worke in vs a patient minde the properties whereof are First to be contented with whatsoeuer the Lord Properties of a patiēt mind Philip. 4. 11. sendeth alwaies acknowledging godlinesse to bee great riches for wee ought not to seeke great matters nor suffer our desires to be carried after high things for this did the Prophet Ieremie rebuke in Ieremy 45. 4. Baruck And Christ would haue vs to pray only for our daily bread which also was Iacobs prayer that Gen. 28. he might haue food and raiment wherewith the Apostle would haue vs to be content Let vs first seek the 1. Tim. 6. kingdome of heauen c. and then if the Lord giue plentie let vs be more thankfull and seruiceable if not his fauour is sufficient of it self and wee shall be Psalm 4. more comfortable with a little then others are in great abundance without that But if wee cannot rest in the fauour of God though wee want these outward things it is certain we do not truly esteem it neither haue wee at that time any comfortable assurance of the remission of our sinnes The second propertie of a patient minde is simply to giue vp it self vnto God and to commit it self into his hand waiting at all times for help frō him who only is the author of al goodnes yet neither prescribing the meanes nor appointing the time nor in any case indenting with him for the Lord will haue the disposition of his mercies free vnto himself to giue and bestow when and where and ho◠it pleaseth him and as it may most make for his glorie and therefore wee must wholly resigne vp ou◠selues vnto him Which if we can doe so mercifully doth God vse to deale that when wee least desire outward things then we shall haue them and whē we freely giue them vp to him he will giue them to vs againe Abraham gaue vnto the Lord Isaac his son which when the Lord did behold hee quickly gaue him his sonne againe and so will he deale with vs still The readiest way to retaine life goods c. is to yeeld them vp wholly into Gods hands not with this condition that he should giue thē to vs againe for that were to mock the Lord but without all care to haue them we must giue them to him being heartily well content for his glorie to forgoe them and then if they be good for vs we shall receiue thē againe if not we shall receiue some spirituall grace which shall better supplie the want of them Yea the infinite wisedom and mercy of God doth wonderfully appeare herein that sometimes he keepeth vs long without these things because that if we had them he seeth that we would abuse them and preferre them before spirituall blessings And sometime the Lord seeing our small regard of spirituall things will by the want of these outward things bring vs to make greater account of them that whē we can well want the one and highly esteeme the other we may haue both together FINIS
the word that checketh him for his sinne and in what measure any man dislikes the word in the same measure will hee take pleasure in all manner of iniquitie which is condemned by the word And thus much for the causes of this vnwillingnesse The ill effects follow which to mention but a few of a great many are three The two former in respect of men themselues the last in respect of God Concerning themselues first they are neuer able to meditate on the word For whatsoeuer a man comes vnwillingly to hearken vnto that will quickly slip out of his minde neither can hee possibly get it to take any deepe roote in his heart Hence is it that when couetous or malicious or vnchast persons repaire vnto Sermons to please their masters or to satisfie the law or for some such by-respect they neuer seriously think of that which they haue heard to make any application thereof vnto themselues they cannot bring their hearts vnto it for a sinfull conscience will not indure to be tied to the word of the Lord. The Prophet Dauid saith Lord how loue I thy law my meditation Psal 119. 97. is in it continually What will follow then if a man doe not loue Gods law Surely he will not at any time meditate thereon which hee that doth not must needs be a very sinfull creature Secondly as hee will neuer ponder vpon it so neither will he practise it He that is vnwilling to heare his dutie will be much more vnwilling to doe it If wee see a seruant that cannot endure to bee informed what is his masters will and pleasure we presently conclude that such an one will not prooue a faithfull and trustie seruant and so may we do without any breach of charitie when wee perceiue a man to be altogether carelesse or contemptuous in listening to the charge of his heauenly master hee that cannot abide to heare of the duties of the Sabbath nor of the exercises of religion that hee is to performe in his familie and the like we may boldly say except the Lord conuert this mans heart certainly hee will neuer make conscience of performing these duties Now for the effect which they shall find from the Lord it is this that he will deale with them as with wicked and vngodly ones both in this life and afterwards for because they receiue not the loue 2. Thess 2. 10. 11 12. of the truth that they might bee saued therefore God will send them strong delusion that they should beleeue lies That all they may be damned that beleeue not the truth but take pleasure in vnrighteousnes This doctrine maketh Vse 1 First for the terror of Papists and all such as are popishly affected as being liable to this iudgement and heauy stroake of God because they refuse to heare the word of the Lord and will rather hearken to erroneous and heretical doctrine then to the truth of God contained in the holie Scriptures and rather lie in prison amongst malefactors then bee in the Church amongst true Christians Obiect But though they doe not heare the word preached yet will some say they pray very much Answere What of that doe they imagine to haue any benefit by their prayers if they doe they will bee much deceiued for Salomon saith He that turneth Prou. 28. 9. away his eare from hearing the law euen his prayer shall be abominable Let them pretend what they will for their wilful absenting of themselues from our assemblies as namely that wee corrupt the word and misinterprete and misapplie the same yet they shall finde that they haue refused to embrace the loue of the trueth and haue beleeued lies and that therefore the Lord hath iustly giuen them vp to be deluded by Satan and so to be damned with him euerlastingly Secondly for the iust reproofe of many among vs who will come vnto the Church and sit before the Preacher as men and women desiring to obtaine the knowledge of Gods waies whereas in truth the Lord and their owne consciences can witnesse that they are altogether vnwilling to receiue any wholesome admonition and instruction and that no charge is or can bee more vnpleasant and distastfull vnto them then that of the God of heauen when hee straitly enioyneth them with all speed to get out of their sinnes and to turne their feete into the way of his testimonies And because they will bee very loath to acknowledge thus much but are readie to harbour too good an opinion of themselues as if none were more forward hearers then they are let their owne hearts bee iudges what preparation they make before hand for the fitting of themselues for such a great work what attention they vse when they are present and what meditation and conference they haue concerning it when they are departed Of which points if they would without partialitie examine themselues they should easily discerne a great deale of backwardnesse in their nature and in their practise If a man should protest that hee goes to the market with a great desire to buy food for himselfe and his family yet if hee alwaies plaied the vnthrift with his money and neuer brought home any prouision we would not giue credit to his words but account him a meere dissembler and the like censure may we passe on such as pretend they are willing to reape benefit by the word to the intent they may bee able to helpe both themselues and their families and yet neuer carrie away any thing to the purpose but if you aske them what points were handled they can say nothing but this surely wee heard a very good Sermon God be thanked but my memorie is very short or I cannot vtter all that I haue in my minde my heart I hope is as good as the best though I cannot talke of the Sermon as others doe what is this but to deceiue their owne soules with vaine words for certainly he that hath a heart willing to heare will haue a tongue readie to vtter in some tolerable sort that which hee hath heard though not all of it yet a good part of it as God hath giuen to euery one the measure of grace Another sort are here to be reproued who doe in a more palpable and grosse manner manifest their vnwillingnes to heare in that they will take euery slight occasion to absent themselues and that not onely on the weeke daies but on the Lords day also so that when the Lord commeth euen to their dores and offereth to powre down his graces abundantly vpon them they refuse his gratious offer and so iudge themselues vnworthie of Acts 13 46. eternall life Thirdly this is for our instruction if we would be freed from the accusation and condemnation of impious and prophane persons then let vs labour to bee willing and well affected hearers and to come with a better appetite to the food of our soules then wee doe to the foode of our bodies and bee more desirous to