really pernicious damnable Evill 1 1. It doth directly contradict the Lord in that which he saith for he will have the first of our dayes as we have heard these say noe it is not fit for young heads to intermeddle Is not this to give God the lye yea to make him a lyar who will therefore have the first because they are fittest for him is not this to charge folly vpon him that is only wise as if he had not wisdome enough to chuse that part of our dayes for his duty wherin we are most meete to doe it but we will take it vpon vs to be wiser then he and assigne him a season better suiting this busines He saith he will have our first we will give the last time to him doth not this inferre that he is farre wyde of the marke and wonderfully over-seene and that we only are in the right So then these two to make the most true and wise God I tremble to vtter it a foole and a lyar these two I say doe make vp the first jmpiety of this second plea the vengeance justice due to either of which much more to both is beyond myne or any creatures ability to expresse Evill 2 2. This presumeth vpon olde age and make's no question to live to see those dayes and yeares wherin men are soe accounted And this thwarteth all Gods truth touching the vnceartaniety and shortnes of mans life soe often taught vs every where noe the lives of these men must be no vanityes dreames or vapours nor compared to windes to smoake to nothings they are during and permanent for 60.70 or more yeares Howbeit how many have not lived so many houres as they dreamed yeares nor soe many dayes as they accounted scores the sun hath shyned clearely vpon some in the morning who were become carcases er'e the evening and others have seene it set in the evening whose eyes were sunke er'e morning and yet they thought themselves as likely to live as long lyved as any that thus speake Even moments have swept away millions of other men yet these must live many yeares at least to be olde how or when should God have them els and as if God himselfe were bounde and had bounde all his creatures to their good behaviour that they must be saved harmelesse from any meanes of short life or suddaine death either they must be aged or God must not have them and sure I am perswaded he is most willing to lose them But of this presumption we sayd something before therefore the lesse shall serve here Evill 3 3. Admit you might live to age and were sure not to dye till you were very olde are you sure either to have a hart to giue your self to God then or that God hath a hart to take you then Assuredly if it be well look't into there is no reason for either but very much against both for why consider first for our owne harts what aptnes what ability nay what possibility will or can there be in vs vnto good who have beene soak't and steep't many yeares In all sin and jmpiety what holynes what purity in those parts of our bodyes and powers of our soules which hell hath poysoned and envenomed all our dayes are now full of deadly poyson the hart hardened the conscience vnconvinced the judgment blinded the affections earthly the will rebellious all benummed and vtterly voyd of any sparke of that quickening spirit which must turne a man to God wherwith will ye come to the Lord if you pray it must be with a mouth furr'd with blasphemy with a minde fraught with all other jmpiety whereto you have beene affected what will yee giue him but a soule and a body that have both combyned to be rebells your whole life against him and is there any power in these to be given to the Lord who have solde themselves like Ahab to sin and whome the Divell the true owner now will come clayme as his owne long since due vnto him therefore will not ēdure they should be givē to any other from him It is against all humane reason and common sence that a man soe jnvred to sin soe accustomed and habituated to corruption who hath consumed his dayes in nothing but in dishonouring disobeying the Lord and never knew what belonged to the savour of saving grace or to the beginning of any god worke should now be able to begin and finish that great worke of giving himself vp to God and that at and in his owne set time Noe there goe's more to it then soe it is no such short worke no mā can be soe quick at it especially those that have beene so slow all their dayes before it will aske longer time and more a doe before it be wel begun then these sotts doe conceit doth belong to the middle and both ends of it God sayth that no man can come to him except he he be drawne these men it seemes will come to God whether he will or noe as if it were in their power to draw God to themselves but as he will not have his goodnes and power soe much abused as to be drawne to them soe neither wil he endure to have their rebellious and debauched life so much honoured as now at last cast to draw them to him but even let him alone with them who hath had their childehood and youth to take their age too and soe to have all to himself Customary sin is not soe lightly cast off it is bred in the bone it will not be easy to get it out of the flesh and that soe as Gods spirit may instantly enter as these doe most idlely apprehend Againe consider the second what hart can God have to accept of the divells reversion or the leavings of our lives the doteage the dog-dayes as it were of all the time we live Let olde age be well considered and the state therof pondered in our selves and all other creatures that serve vs is it not the only time wherin we cast off our servants or cattell to baser vses as being vnfit for ours An olde servingman now overworne and decrepite and not fitt to attend his Lord any longer ha's a license to keepe an ale-house or become's some tapster and soe is made servile to every base pot-companion An olde horse of good pace of great price before for the saddle the coach now to the myll to the harrow to any meane drudgery and at last to the dogs And can this age wherin one man is not fit for anothers service nor any beast for mans vse be the meetest time for the most high to be served in of vs what shall we then thinke to become his when we are a burden to the world 2. Sam. 19 35. and to our selves and both weary of one another as Barzillai spake to David of himself What man would be soe vsed by his beast as these men more vnreasonable then beasts herin
would vse God Admitt a manns beast like Balams asse could speake if he should say to his master as these doe to the almighty While I am yonge and strong I must follow my pleasure you must give me leave till my olde dayes and then I wil be yours to command and give my self wholy to your service What would the owner answer thinke you would he yeeld to his beast thinke well of the motion and take him home to house and make much of him when he were aged and diseased and both vnfitt and vnable to doe busines surely noe if he could not be broken and brought to worke before he should be beaten out now though he did offer himself And must God take that from vs which we will not endure from beasts the last the worst the dregs and reffuse of our dayes must they fall to his share the only vnfit time for any thing must that be his only time and all he shall have at our hands Can we hope of acceptation and entertaynement in heaven then when men refuse and the world refuse's our service Wofull men who hath bewitched you that you should not beleeue the truth Even Satan who because he would have you wholy his owne doth therefore witholde you from being Gods till you be vnable to honour him and it be impossible he should receive you it is he that doth abuse you herin he knowe's it is with men in respect of God as with beasts in respect of men in their aged dayes they are more fit for slaughter then for service so olde men who have deferred their duty are now more like to be adjudged of God for neglecting it in time past then accepted for time to come What doth not every thing weare grow worse with age all olde things are accounted litle worth olde cloathes to put on olde houses to dwell in the same we might say of all other things in their kinde no man care's for or regared's any such But this is wonderfull that men who see that the fruit of our sin in other creatures make's them vnserviceable to vs yee see not sin it selfe abiding and encreasing in vs for soe long time should make vs soe to God Time vse age doth corrupt all other things to vs but sin the only venyme and poyson of all things make's men by this reckoning most fit for God for the only time they chuse for him is when sin hath had his greatest sway all their lives before as if the corruption of our nature and life had noe power at all to enfeeble or vnfit vs for our God Is not sin our spirituall sicknes and the only desperate disease of our whole man hath it not a corroding quality to eate quite through all the parts of our bodyes all the powers of our soules to pollute infect and annoy vs in all respects and who I pray you would entertayne an aged diseased and infected man into his house as more fit for his turne now then in his former times when he was free from these contagious maladies thinke by your owne reason what hart the Lord of heaven can have to take in these late commers being in farre worse case to serve him then the most disabled man may be to attend a Prince Now then if we see reason to conceive as we cannot but doe if the Lord enlighten our eyes that our wilfull and wofull deferring of our duty till our olde dayes doth deprive vs of harts to goe vnfaynedly to God and debarre him from having a hart graciously to accept of vs then this plea is pernicious to vs and we now we know it most jmpious in vrging it as we have done But let vs come to the fourth last plea for this proroguation of piety Plea 4 4. It is pleaded that there is mercy with God at any time even at the last cast as the theife on the crosse did well finde and soe shall we we hope why should we not even at our last breath This pretence is put vpon vs daily vpon all occasions we heare of it at all times it is layd in our dish to bolster vp rebellion against God and to barre repentance vnto life Noe word of God soe much abused no worke of God more This president of the Lords extraordinary mercy is made the ordinary packhorse to carry all mens jmpiety and seing he was pleased to be soe gracious to one he shall fare the worse with many for millious of men doe builde their gracelessues vpon this grace of his But because we finde by pitifull experience that this holy worde and this holy worke of God both being right worthy to be thought vpon with all the admiration and honor of our harts is become the commō hackney wheron every hell-hounde rides poast to his owne perdition and as he goe's kicks and winces at Gods long suffring and loving kindnes I will therefore endeavour the vttermost that I am albe to see if some may yet be recalled that are gone farre and others may be stayed that are comming after and some preuented that are setting out to run this reprobate race Vndoubtedly did men deliberate at all or could any wise consideration enter into their soule 's they could not thus plead they would not produce this rare and matchlesse example of favour and grace to support their owne vngodly prophanes jmpiety Yea and to adde another evill to all the rest in the very vse and vrging of it to wit to peruert and abuse the sacred word of God and to abase and prostitute this glorious worke of his either of which whosoever doth he doeth it to his owne destruction he destroye's himself in the very deede 2. Tet. 3.16 2. Cor. 4. 3.4 if the apostle say true in one place and in another too where he tell 's vs that if the Gospell be hid and soe it is to them that can see to doe nothing with it but to abuse it it is hid to them that are lost who are hud winckt by the divell that they discerne not the true sence vse of the same but vrge it argue from it to such ends as God doth abhorre that now his word must wounde himself and nothing shall be made such an occasion of his dishonour as that which he once did to renowne himselfe and the glory of his goodnes The Evils of it and favour for ever And how doe we jmagine the Lord will take it that his owne acts should be thus mistaken as to be made weapons against his owne majesty which he ordayned to destroy our jmpiety Doubtlesse that theife that malefactor never did halfe the robbery or any villany comparable to that which these men doe who thus abuse his example to wrong the Lord and their owne soules and the soules of others soe vnspeakeably as they doe And that they may see and vnderstand as they shall if the Lord have a purpose to save them we will crave your patience and
him to be any way one of Gods principall secretaryes or meete to be entrusted with this rare jmployment of penning any part of scripture especially considering that he was brought vp in Pharaohs court as a Pagan for the first forty yeares of his life But for the cleare manifestation of this matter and for the justification of the authority of this sacred booke against all accursed cavills we answer and doe acknowledge that howsoever every thing reported therein by Moses were acted long before his birth yet neverthelesse all things written therin are as absolutely true as if Moses had beene borne had seene and heard each passage in his owne person The Lord made choyse of a man living so long after these things were done that he might honour himself and this his sacred historie aboue all humane histories vnder heaven For wheras no profane writer is able infaillibly to report any thing for matter of fact but what was done in his owne dayes and came to passe in his owne ceartayne knowledge the Lord is able to instruct such as he will set a worke to report the proceedings of his churches in all ages in the incontroleable truth of all things that came to passe though they that recorde it were vnborne when they were acted And who knoweth whether the Lord hath not done this and of purpose made vse of such persons who had not a being in the world till long after the time wherin the things themselves which they relate had their being that soe he might shew himself an alsufficient instructor of his servants in those things which were done long before their time and declared long after It is not my purpose to digresse into any generall discourse of those evidences that doe authorise and warrant the whole scripture which are discovered at large by many worthy judicious and learned Divines only that it may manifestly appeare that this booke is no lesse scripture then any other let vs take into our harts the due consideration of those things which may as vnreproveably argue God to be the author as Moses to be the penner of the same and they are among a multitude that might be produced these few that follow 1. Moses doth tell vs of some passages concerning God before the creation which no creature could heare or vnderstand as that of the first creature all the rest when he sayd of every of them Let there be light c. who could tell what God spake touching every of these seing as yet they were not when they were yet till man was created all other were voyd of vnderstanding 2. Hee relates to vs touching the creation of man what God sayd of his making to wit the matter and forme of his body and the infusion of his soule as also of the manner of the making of the woman when the man was in a deepe sleepe and perceived it not and what the man sayd of the woman when the Lord brought her to him 3. After the creation he report's the passages of mans fall and discover's the subtiltyes of Satan in seducing the first man and the first woman which relations must needes be of God for we cannot conceit that the divell would soe detect himself in the evill both of his grosse sin and great punishment 4. After mans fall he tell 's vs of divers secret passages as of Adams knowing his wife of Cains anger conceived inwardly and vnjustly against Abel his brother before it brake out of Noahs drunckenes and nakednes of Lots fayling and the manner therof how he was abused by his daughters with their close carriage of the matter how he knew not what was done when he had slept with them both of the close conveyance which Rebecca vsed to obtayne the blessing for Iacob with the most private circumstances therof and a multitude more of the like to these things soe secret that no flesh could know or relate but they must needes be recorded by the Lord himself 5. He make's narration of the sins of the most holy men and women either that which was common in those times to most of them as the Polygamie of the Patriarchs or such offences as any one of them particulerly fell into not sparing Abraham the freind of God nor any of the sincerest of his servants which a good man would have done had he beene guided but by his owne spirit Nay which doth absolutely seale the truth and authority of his writings to be of God Moses spare's not himself in his owne sins but make's a manifest discovery of his owne infidelity and vnadvised anger and the just punishment of God vpon him for them both This impartiality argue's a supernaturall spirit to guide it when a man cannot spare his freind nor himself but will leave both vpon everlasting record to be blamed and blemished to all posterity A thing not vsuall if at all vsed in humane history wherin men speake and write the best they can and many times more then they should of themselves those whome they favour It must be God that must make men thus to doe therefore this is one of the prerogatives royall of his writings 6. And lastly he tell 's vs of the most secret things that can be imagined nothing can be conceived soe close as the counsell of heaven what God speaketh there who can heare especially when he speaketh not in any such sort or soe openly where Angell's may heare but in his owne private closet nay which is yet more in his owne breast or bosome yet Moses can tell the world not only what God sayd in heaven but what he sayd in his hart how he was jnwardly affected Soe we finde in one chapter of this booke where Moses make's knowne how God repented and was greived at his hart at mans wickednes and in another how he was graciously disposed for the continnance of the constant course and succession of all the affaires of this inferiour world saying And the Lord sayd in his hart I will not againe curse the earth c. See Moses is privy to Gods hart and can make vs know what were his most jnwarde resolutions And who could give him the least light or acquaintāce of these things but God himself who made him his secretary and so made these secrets knowne to him And thus by all these evidences which are common to all other scripture as well as this but coummunicable to no bookes but the booke of God we see that there is no reason of doubting or debateing any thing in this parte of holy writ or any parcell of it because it was penned by Moses and he borne so long after all things written and recorded in the same were gone and past He had a singuler and all sufficient tutor even the most wise God and he himself did endite all that he taught and enabled Moses to write so that every jot and tittle of this booke of Genesis must be of absolute
was given in writing Abel you see is carefull to bring his first and I nothing doubt but Adam his father did it before him as we noted before But here it way be enquired wherefore these things were offred in those times and among all the Jewes to the time of Christ and are not soe now among vs were they proper to their worship We answer they were soe as the Iewish people were a people peculiar to God and he taught them his minde after such a manner as never any nation but they had it to wit by shaddowes types and ceremonies such as were to endure for a season and to dye when once Iesus Christ the Lord of life did appeare and had fulfilled this law of Iewish rites which perished and became frustrate in Gods purpose assoone as his consummatum est was out of his mouth But if these Mosacaill rites were shaddowes what was the substance what was the truth and signification of these types and ceremonyes and of these first fruites and first borne in particuler We answer Heb. 10.1 all men must know that the whole ceremoniall law was a type or shaddow the apoctle tells vs soe in the generall every ceremonie therein did some way respect Christ who is the end of this law hath abolished the same one way or other Christ was aymed at in each offering Now for the matter meant and signifyed by these first fruits and first borne they also had their reference to the Lord Iesus who is entituled 1. Cor. 15 1â— both the first fruits of them that sleepe and the first borne of every creature Yet not to him only though principally had they their totall relation as if nothing else at all were to be shaddowed by these things but as to him to wit to Christ they were strictly and properly assigned soe in a larger sence and vse the perpetuall morality of this law was that our choysest and cheife our first and best the prime and principall not of our fruits or of our beast but of our lives of our selves should be given to the service of our God That assoone as he pleaseth to enlarge and encrease the abilityes of our bodyes and facultyes of our soules that we can once discerne betweene good and evill and are able to put a difference betweene these in our opinion and practise we should incontinently and forth-with betake our selves to worship and obey the Lord and from that time proceede in the same during all our dayes But it is further noted here in the text that Abells sacrifice was Of the fatt of his flock Fatt in scriptures hath divers references and accordingly divers sences as the nature of things to which it is referred doth require It retayneth his naturall signification when it is referred to naturall things we read of Fatnesse attributed to the earth to oyle Gen. 27.28 cap. 45.18 to wine the best of which God doth call the fattest and the fattest of any thing is the best as the fattest land the best land and soe of the rest And soe we account the fattest beast the best especially being young too as these first-borne were But when fattnes is affirmed of things spirituall or things naturall considered spiritually it carieth contrary sences and signifies both the best and the worst For we finde David where he would shew a most sinfull hart to say it is a hart as fat as brawne and the Prophet Isaiah Psal 119.20 Is 6. Mat. 23.14.15 Psal 36.2 Psal 92. â—0 and Christ after him when they speake of a hart given over of God say thus make the hart of this people fatt On the other side the most abundant and best blessings pertayning to the solacing of the saints are called the fatnes of thy house and those godly and well-growne christians who have eaten and fed freely of those divine delicates and by the benefit of them are come to some good measure of ability in good things are sayd to be fatt and flourishing But with this mysticall sence or vse of the word we meddle not in our text it is taken most properly for fat beasts the fat of his flock that is the best there So that the summe of all that is sayd here of Abells offring is this that he being made partaker of true grace and guided by God to shew it in the fruits therof doth by faith offer vnto God such a sacrifice as was now required namely the first among all the first the very best of the flock he did attend I say now required for after-ward God commanded and expected more but as yet there was no temple or tabernacle no high preist nor any Levite no fire from heaven at least that burnt continually nor many other things which came in in succeeding times some when the Arke and tabernacle was erected more when the Temple was builded and all other things set in order according to Gods prescription touching each particuler Note Howbeit Abel in the meane time doth his best and offers to his vtmost power what his present state and the present time may permit shewing therby that true grace will doe what it can though it cannot doe all it would or should in the seruice of God others may doe more in times places which afforde more meanes but sincerity will shew it self in the most that may be done for the time being though we enjoy but litle meanes or few helpes to further vs yet a sounde hart will make some honest shift to doe something that may be pleasing to God This is worth noteing by the way because it meete's fitly with their fearefull jmpiety who let all religion and piety alone because they cannot doe all like to miserable and desperate bankrupts who because they are not able to give every man all will pay nothing at all to any maÌ„ which deceit who could endure Nay learne to doe better of good Abell and all Gods saints who lived in the first times doe something the most and best thou canst and the Lord will accept thee according to the willing minde thou hast to goe as farre as weake meanes will further thee Note A man doth not more manifest weake grace in not doing Gods worke compleatly then he doth evideÌ„ce true grace in doing what he is able to doe conscionably The Lord regarde's men according to his meanes and their mindes in his service They that offred vprightly before the preisthood was ordered were as acceptable to God and some of them had as much and all of them had as true grace as any that sacrificed after Note A wise christian may employ much grace vpon litle meanes and I thinke the least meanes that ever the Lord doth give may exercise the most grace the best of vs have if we play the good husbands set it well a work But this is by the way let vs now make toward the mayne thing Heb. 11.4 we meane to handle in this offring of Abel
the children of God for consolation the vngodly for reprehension all men for instruction Vse 1 And first for the saints the sons and daughters of God it cannot be but exceeding happy comfortable to them who have harts convinced of this truth and lives that have expressed it since the first day it was revealed to them from the Lord before whome they have sincerely endeavoured to give him the first fruits of their knowledge of this lesson though either through their owne personall ignorance therof or through the error of parents in their education they have not given him the first fruits of their practise while they were in their non-age It is a most happy thing to be rightly convicted of a divine truth because many are superficially perswaded an will give a slight consent lesse the Divell if he be put to it wil not doe to many holy truthes of God but they whome the Lord convinceth a right as he doth all his owne he cōforteth in giving them a harts resolution setled in their very soules to say within themselves this is the vndoubted truth of the euerliving God thus we must doe endeavour to stire vp others to doe the same and if it be a truth which we should haue practised before we must repent for neglect past be vpright with God for the time remayning and goe the faster because we began soe late and doe our best to draw others after vs to that way which both they and we should have gone long before He that is thus convicted shall not goe long vncomforted It is a simple impossibility that men called at their ripe yeares or in their age should give their first fruits to the Lord those dayes are gone and past but to give the Lord at what time it pleaseth him to call vs the glory of this truth in our sounde perswasion that it is thus and singleharted humiliation because it had not place in our practise before now most carefull provocation to our vtmost possibility that it may be thus in ours and all others with whome by any good meanes we can prevayle this is to be truly happy and in a most comfortable condition we are accepted of God thus doing as if we had done it our selves from the first day of our life How famous is Abraham few men soe much renowned in religion as he none more yet from his childe hood he had not done service but to Satan in jdolatry and such other jmpiety as vsually accompanieth that jniquity But at the first call he came and assoone as he heard he did obey and perceiving that the Lord had lost such duty by him as in his former dayes he should have received from him he is cōvinced hereof and resolved that his children shall give it though his owne childe-hood was given to sin And the discerning of this in him was that that gave the Lord content and Abraham comfort Is not Moses a man abundantly magnified and that of God himself as if he had beene as indeede he was some extraordinary servant of his yet for forty yeares of his life what was he so farre as we finde but such as others were that lived in the court of that Pagan Prince who was the oppressor and adversary of Gods people it may be he might be lesse grosse then some of his fellow courtiers who were inclined to egregious jmpiety but that he was good or savoured of any saving grace is more then appeareth to me Howbeit inasmuch as he freely and resolutely cast off all the creddit and profsit of his high dignity preheminence in court when the Lord would summon him to serve him it was well taken that from that age and time he wayted on the worke of God though neither his childe-hood nor youth were the Lords in time past What should I multiply more as I might of many other most worthy saints who in the same case have had the same comfort what is over-past and cannot be actually recovered and performed if it be rightly repented of in our selues and reformed in others to our best power it is all one as if we had done it in our owne person Let vs bewayle our owne want of duty and Gods want of glory by vs and doe as Hannah did for such as may come within our possibility to dispose off or perswade namely give them to the Lord from the first instant that we have any interest in them and it shal be well with vs. And this I doe of purpose insert here because Satan is malicious and hungry to gnaw vpon the very harts of Gods saints when once he gett's a truth by the end wherin their time for performance is past then doth he come with his pearceing temptations to wounde and rende the soules of such as are single harted and to lay it in their dish that this and that they should have done long since God should have had their whole lives for his service now many yeares be gone and there can be noe recalling of them and can they thinke which way to make all well when it is an vtter jmpossibility to recover one moment much lesse many yeares with these and the like spight full and greivous suggestions he doth teaze and torture their gracious mindes to breede despayre in them But now we are armed I hope to answer him and that we may doe and pay him double both for himself to whome we may say with joy and scorne better once then never for thy part thy first dayes were as due to God as mine but he will never call but ever accurse thee Note and for our selves but for my part though I have lost my first dayes my God will not lose me ever seing he call's once and be that come's then comes time enough for mercy though he should have came sooner in duty and moreover know the Lord hath made many a happy man for his best service among those who in their first dayes have beene fouly misled I greive that I gave him not my childe-hood or youth but if he please to accept of my age I joy and will joy and doe my best to offer all that I can prevaile withall assoone as I should haue offered my self These and the like answers will confound his cavills and make him weary of vs and he being thus resisted our God and we may be the more intimate and familiar in the sweetest passages of his singuler favour And see we see there is sounde comfort for such as are perswaded herof and would have done it and are humbled because God hath beene robbed of his right in their minority Againe for such as have offered their first fruits to the Lord there comfort cannot be behinde if it exceede not theirs that went before Our A bell here who was soe carefull to give the Lord the first of his flocke and I cannot easily doubt but that he gave the first of himself also how doth the Lord magnify
him in this his service and duty Did he not most graciously regard him and his offering hath he not put it here into his owne booke to his perpetuall prayse Heb. 11.4 1. Joh. 3. and not only here but else-where in the new testament once and againe that from the beginning to the end of the world he might be famous wheresoever either this text or those should be preached that which he hath done should not be forgotten Did he not most deeply avenge his innocent blood vpon his jmpious brother and made him the first and most fearfull spectacle of his justice and malediction to the terror of all succeding generations And which is more then all this hath not the Lord crowned him with glory and immortality in the heavens with himself as well as renouned him for holynes and piety here on earth He is the first whose soule every saw the face of God noe man ever went from earth to heaven before him among the innumerable spirits of just and perfect men who now and for ever live there with the Lord in glory He was the first martyr had the first crowne none every dyed for the Lord before him none could liue with the Lord before him he was the Lords first witnes among all the Lords worthyes this righteous Abel as Christ call's him stood in the fore-frunt of the battell shed the first blood for the faith testimony of Iesus before there was any to back or abett him And as the Lord tooke great notice of this first soe also hath he done in like manner of the rest who have began betime to be acquainted with him in his service How came Samuell to be soe rare a man and to be numbred among the most speciall favourites of God Moses Iob Daniell Noah c Why doe you not remember what we have sayd of his mother how she gave him to God in resolution before she had him and was as good as her word assoone as he was weaned doe you not remember what is sayd of himself the childe Samuell ministred before the Lord the childe Samuell this was worthy to be acounted wonderfull that a childe should minister before the Lord especially being so yong that as yet he knew not the voyce or call of God from Elyes but ranne to Ely once and againe when the Lord called vpon him about the first busines he had to doe for him What may be the cause that Iosiah is soe mightily cōmended that as if he were matchlesse it is sayd of him that there was none like before him nor any to succeede that should be such a one as this peerelesse prince was true it is that never any king either of Jsraell or Iudah no not among the good kings before or after him went soe farre in the worke of Godfor the purgatiō purifying of his worship as he did this king did surmount them all but how is it that he came to doe what none had done more then they all why he begun to worke the worke of God betime that may be a mayne reason why he did so much at eight yeare olde saith the scripture he sought the Lorde 2. King 23.1 and that is but in childe-hood all men know What should I tell you of Solomon of Timothie and such others as I might mention to this purpose nothing is more sure then this that they have beene the rarest and most excellent men in piety and religion and the most able instruments of Gods honour who in the beginning of their dayes have begun to doe good they must needes be neerest heaven who set out on their way soonest continue going on thither-warde Only it is seldome that we see any enter vpon religion soe early now a dayes they are very few that begin to be soe soone faith full Note The more are they to be admired of godly men and the more to be comforted of God who are founde sucklings in grace assoone as they are weanelings in nature and hang vpon Gods breasts when they have given over they mothers So that by all that hath beene sayd it appeareth to be a happy thing and they to be most happy men who have learned this lesson of the Lord and walked according to the light therof which leade's on directly in the way of life wherin howsoever a man may possibly meete with some molestation and misery yet the end of it will vndoubtedly be endles infinite glory with him who wil make those most glorious beyond all time who betooke themselves to glorify him betime Much might be spoken to enlarge their consolation who have harts to doe according to this instruction But of this more hereafter we now passe to our 2. Vse Vse 2 And that concerneth all vngodly persons who howsoever they will because they must and cannot for starke shame say otherwise after a sort acknowledg this our doctrine to be true yet walke most wickedly in a course farre wyde of it nay cleane contrary to it their mouthes cannot be soe monstruously finfull but they must confesse it to be a truth howbeit their hellish harts and lives doe deny it in their most jmpious practise all the dayes of their life yea they have taught their tongues to lye herin notoriously and that not to men alone but to the Lord of whome and of whose service they vse to say it is not yet time it may be time enough heareafter O yee impious children of the father of lyes can you say it is true that every one shoulde begin betime and it were not amisse if it were soe and yet tell God and men to their faces that any time is time enought hereby you shew your selves to be the very jmps of the devill who hath taught you such a language as one part of your speech confutes nay confound's another and such a practise as overturnes Gods truth which you dare not deny and confirmes that falshood which none ought to affirme Miserable soules how are yee given over of God into the hands nay into the bands of Satan who if you speake or breath out but one true word can make your life both to bely and abolish that and to ratify every jot and tittle of those infernall falshoodes that he suggests into your soules Doe yee not sin presumptuously and against the light of your owne knowledg and conscience that can thus speake and dare thus doe and is such a sin a light matter or easy to answer to the judge of the whole worlde know you will not finde it soe in the day of the great and vniversall assize when all flesh shall at once stand before him to give account and receive recompence according to what they have done Notwithstanding the world hath beene ever full hell wil be one day full of soe many of them as repent not of such as either turne God out of all time or bring him in the tayle of all the time they live
attention to open in particuler the heavy and hydeous evills that are committed when this instance of Gods grace is soe aledged Evill 1 1. This is to make that common and ordinary which God hath made peculiar and extraordinary Is it not thus observe and you shall see what the Lord did at one time only and never before nor since that we read off to one man only not to any other but he for a second example of such favour is not to be found in all the revealed will of God and vpon a cause and consideration which shall never be seene againe Christ being but once offred for vs. This doth every man vrge as his owne at all times and in all cases without all consideration of these perticulers before mentioned Is not this to eclipse nay to cancell the glory of the living God and to cast this most precious pearle before all swyne and trample this most holy thing vnder the feete of every prophane person that the greatest riches of his grace should be reached out to the veryest wretches in the world who build nothing but contempt vpon this loving kindnes of the Lord If it be such a wofull thing to darken the counsell of God by words without knowledge as it is sayd in Iob must it not needes be a thing more damnable to darken the kindnes of God with words against knowledge as these cannot but be to every one of those that thus abuse them Note Againe what an absurd senselesse sinfull collection were this or the like Once Balaams asse did speake therefore every asse should expect to doe the same Once the sea went back and the water stood vpright as a wall on either hand to Israell therefore every man might looke for the like passage I thinke they that presumed vpon it and followed after them found it not soe Once God sent manna and Quayles from heaven and water out of a rock why should any man care to get meate or drinke he may hope to have the same meanes to feede him Once Naaman washed in Iorden and was cleane Once men were throwne into a fiery oven and not burnt Once a bush did burne and not consume Once Christ smote all his enemyes downe with a word or two Why doe's not all the world depeÌ„d vpon these perticulers and resolve to be releived in the same miseryes by the same meanes It were a thing soone done to deliver a multitude more of the like instances wherin and from every of which we might argue as warrantably as from this of the theife But the world is wise enough not to be soe befooled in these things that belong to the body they can see and say these were all extraordinary miraculous not to be looked for againe And are ye not blinded by the prince of darknes yee sinfull soules that yee should not more clearely see the same in this that concern's soule and body too and the eternall state of both Is there absurdity in those sence in this doe those instances seeme extraordinary and may this seeme soe common cannot you hope to have the benefit of those being miraculous and must this be for all men which is matchlesse Vndoubtedly either you must looke on them all alike with a single eye and discerne them to be equally impossible or acknowledge that eye to be sinfull which can see odd's in things of the same kinde and nature especially such odd's as shall give God the honour of his favour and power in the one and rob him of both in the other But the spectacles wherwith they thus see are Satans he make's them and putts them on and teache's them to looke thus asquint on the things of God If for foode for physike for passage over sea for victory over enemyes or any such things we should thus reason the world would â—â—sse at vs as most witles fooles nay our owne bellyes our bodyes our dangers would teach vs to doe better he must famish that gapes for quailes out of the cloudes and he must perish that looke's for Naamans cure he have his throat cut that waites to have all his enemyes layd flat with a word men will say there is no proportioÌ„ of reason in these things the same doth the Lord and the truth of his religion say in this instance if thou hadst an eare opened a minde sanctifyed to heare and see it as litle reason would appeare in this one as in all the other thou wouldst as plainely see the jnevitable perdition of thy self in soule and body here as in any of those things named there Doe but consider well whither this doe not spoyle vtterly make voyd the verry marrow and pith the sap and juyce of Gods sacred word I meane the true application of the same wherin consisteth the life and vertue of all that God reveale's and he that shall dare either to abridge or to enlarge this that it either fall short of Gods boundes or doe exceede them shall finde heavy yet just measure at Gods hands The everlasting rule Act. 10.15 and expresse canon of the scripture is this That which God hath sanctifyed doe not then make common this is Gods mynde that things be not made otherwise then he meant them that every thing be let alone as he left it and not once meddled withall to any other ende Who is he that shall now against the clearest light of knowledg and conscience violate this absolute law of the eternall God But doth not every soule doe soe that vrge's this word of God and suffers Satan to be his interpreter vpon it receiving his glosse and embracing the divells commentary vpon Gods text He it is that make's this pearle even this peerelesse and pricelesse pearle as ordinary as any pibble stone that lyes in the high way I call it a pearle and I acount it no lesse then peerelesse because it cannot be paraleled in any place but was a president of wonderfull peculiarity in all respects as namely to the party by whome to the partys before whome to the party to whome it was done For the first to wit the party by whome it was peculiar to Iesus Christ who was God so could give grace and forgive sin and convert a man in one moment fully and extraordinarily I thinke it would trouble the whole world to finde an jufallible instance that ever ordinary minister or any meere man hath done as much For the second it was peculiar to the partyes before whome that the adversaryes and excecutioners of the Lord Iesus might see the power of his diety shyning at this time through all the reproach and misery of his humanity and soe be convinced as some of them were that he was the true messiah and son of God able to goe himself at that time to heaven and carry aneiher with him by the vertue that was in him For the third it was peculiar to the party to whome it was done
a man to live by stealing all he eate's and to dye in eating all he steale's Let vs thinke on these motives which are the substance of those jnducements which the ceremoniall law did but shaddow We now proceede to presse a few other which may yet more move vs if we ponder them as we ought either in the benefit that come's by the obedience of this truth or the evill that issue 's from the neglect thereof I pray you note bath 1. First if we did give the Lord our first doe but thinke what a world of sin we might save which is committed and continued in by millions till we doe give our selves to God Did we throughly know the danger of one sin even the least we can be guilty of we would doe much to prevent it seing that everlasting pordition is due to it but here is a course that would spare a multitude nay all our trangressions for from the time we are the Lords he reckon's no sin to vs but account's vs righteous and accept's vs blamelesse in his beloved Now to avoyd sin with the dishonor it brings to God with the damnation it brings to vs yea to others too by our example who would not rēder the Lord his right most freely let him have his owne frō vs that Satā might never have us as his owne frō God Assuredly he that coulde ever conceive the Lords damage his owne disadvantage by sin what glory God wants what greife it is to his spirit what provocation it is to his patience how jniurious to his goodnes and favour how abusiue to his long suffering loving kindenes would never deny himself to the Lord from the first day he did vnderstand how he might acceptablely yeeld himself vnto him what a siranger should Satan be in vs what a familiar would God be to vs if we begin betimes with him 2. Consider that as we might save much sin soe this were also the only way to have much grace The more early any thing begins to be good the more goodnes is hoped from it the sooner any man sett's himself towards beaven the more heavenly must he needes be Oh what a most happy thing is it when grace begins to grow betimes in vs then is the Lord much honoured by vs then are men much bettered by vs then are we fitter for all duty then are we more safe from sin the cōtagion of sinners then are we more able to worke out our salvation and more sure to posesse the same A mans life is a heaven vpon earth when his graces are well growne in him his affection his conversation cannot but be in heaven such a man may be bolde with his God at all times and Satan can have no hope to prevaile against him whē it cometh soe to passe with a man in good as it did with him in evill in whome the divell had beene from a childe he was the more hardly cast out soe the more easily is he kept out and hardly nay never shall he possibly enter to posesse that person who of a childe and from the first hath beene gracious What have we in this worlde to doe or to busy our selves most about but to get that grace that may further vs to glory and what better way to get much then to fall to worke assoone as is possible 3. Consider that the Lord never gave any man a time of grace that would dare to set God a time to come for it The man that shal be soe jmpious and jmpudent as to prescribe and lymit the Lord at what time he will come never hath hart to come at all Is it not good reason that when we neglect yea and despise too so great salvation as is tendered nay commanded to vs in our tender yeares that he whome we have denyed in his time of grace should deny vs in our time of sin especially considering that he hath power to confine vs to the instant of his call but it is intollerable jmpiety in vs to bounde him to ours Shall God waite vpon the diuell and accept vs at that houre when our sin will let vs come we having cast of his day houre of mercy before How reade we in the scriptures for this what finde we nothing but thunder and lightening from heaven to peale these wicked wretches to perdition They that were bidaē were not worthy saith Christ And againe The dore was shut against them that were not prepared for the bridegrome at the instant of his comming and though at their owne time they came afterwarde with much jntreaty yet it could not be opened but they were banished thence and abandoned to hell Pre. 1.24.25.26 Zach. 7.13 And yet againe by the prophets Because I have called and you have refused therefore shall yee cry and not be heard So that you see God sett's noe time to him that setts God any nothing remayne's to such but disdayne from heaven damnation in hell 4. Consider that what extraordinary honour God ever intended to himself by any man or men whome he would make instruments of the same he meant to make all such persons gracious betime Doe but ponder it well in the first Adam in the second In the first all mankinde might have beene happy and God mightily honoured through all generations now to bring this about Adam shal be righteous from his first being and honour the Lord from the time of his creation In the second Adam all the elect shal be happy through him the glory of Gods infinite favour shall shyne vpon them to furnish him for this wonderfull worke he sanctifyed himself before he was borne and after in our infancy and soe throughout all ages of our life during the dayes he lived Indeede he attayned not our olde age I will not take vpon me peremptorily to determine why but it may be it was to shew that olde age doth not easily attayne him that soe these presumptuous olde fooles might be the more terrefyed and daunted from dareing to be so audacious as they have beene Did the Lord ever glorify himself in that man or glorify that man with himself that refusing to come when God called came when himself would name one instance if it be possible Noe he will sanctify all such as shal be glorious to him in earth or glorious with him in heaven I say he will sanctify all such in his purpose before time and in his practise in such time as wherin they shall come when he shall call be it more early as Ieremiah Iosiah John Baptist or more late as Abraham and such other as we have named before He gave them harts to attend his time not one of them ever dared to reject that and to cause the Lord to attend theirs These few inducements I hope shall draw and enforce vs to the Lord whose we are and whose all our dayes are and all our abilityes both of body and soule from him we have them in mercy if he have them not from vs againe in duty it had beene better for vs we had never beene borne Lay these holy considerations to hart offer not to presume vpon grace in thine owne time it is presumptuous sin to doe soe that man is extraordinarily gracelesse that dare's presume of grace in extraordinary time They that come to crave more then common kindnes of vs must be more then common freinds vnto vs litle reason hath God to be more then vsually good to them who have beene grossly evill to him as all they are who render him not his right in their first dayes If we would be the Lords for ever let vs ever resolve to be soe at the first Dearely beloved take these things into deliberatiō let them lodge in our harts rest and rooste in our myndes that soe the Lord our God may take vs into his favour and compassion Olde yonge middle-age all ages have this in good remembrance for it is a truth that make's vs happy if we hearken to it miserable if we doe not To the aged I say yet not I but the Lord looke backward see how much of your glasse is out and forward how litle remayneth to run and run apace to the living God to be received before all be gone and no hope be left thinke that voyce of God spoken to you 1. Pet. 4.2.3 It is sufficient that we have spent the time past after the lusts of the flesh c therevpon hasten towards heaven with all expedition it may be the Lord may take that litle time that is left and receiue you into everlasting habitations To the younge I say also Remember thy Creator thy redeemer too in the dayes of thy youth and jmagine that other voyce of heaven spokē to you for it is now time to a wake Ro. 13.11 c it is great reason that the flowre of your abilityes should be the Lords from whome you had them and to whome your account must be made for them In a word I say to you all and to every one of you Doe but thinke 1. how farre it is to heaven seing we must goe from sin to grace that we may goe thence to glory 2. how hard it is to finde the way because flesh blood cānot shew it then 3 how hard to enter goe on because the gate is so straight the enemy soe strong we soe weake wearied out with sin cōtinually clogging vs. And soe I end with that speech in Iob If thou wilt seeke vnto God early Job 8.3.6.7 and make thy supplication to the almighty if thou be pure and vpright surely he would now awake vnto thee and make the habitation of thy righteousnes prosperous and though thy begining be but small yet thy latter end should greatly encrease And that thus we may be and thus doe Let all sorts vncessantly seeke his face for ever Glory be to God on high