the Kingdome of Grace For when Christ told him hee could not be saved except hee were new borne hee strangely and foolishly replyes How can a man be borne which is old How can he enter into his mothers Wombe againe and be borne Thus you see there can no other meanes be named or thought upon not all humane Knowledge nor worldly Wisedome nor good Meanings nor Will-worship nor the Word it selfe in the Letter which can leade us into the wayes of Righteousnesse or bring us unto Heaven but onely the Light of Gods holy Word holden out unto us by a profitable Ministerie and the power of the Spirit A second Reason of my Doctrine may be this No man can ever see the Kingdome of God except he be borne againe except he be a new creature a new man as is plaine in Christs words unto Nicodemus For our new birth or regeneration is the necessarie passage from Nature to Grace from prophanenesse to sinceritie It is that whereby wee are wholly sanctified and set apart unto God from the sinfnll corruption of our naturall birth and the evill fruits thereof to serve God in our whole man both body soule and spirit Now you must conceive that this new birth must necessarily spring from the immortall Seed of the word of God for so it is called 1 Pet. 1. 23. It is the Seed of our new birth salvation and immortalitie And you may as well looke for Come to grow up in your fields without sowing without casting any Seed into the furrowes as to looke for Grace to grow up in your hearts or to reape the fruit of holinesse everlasting life except this immortall Seed the Word of God be first cast into the furrowes and fallow ground of your hearts and be there received with reverence and attention nourished with prayer and meditation and fructifie in your lives and conversations Hence it is that Gods Word is called The Word of Salvation Act. 13. 26. The Word of Grace Act. 14. 3. The Word of Life Phil. 2. 16. The Power of God unto Salvation Rom. 1. 16. For there is no power of Grace or spirituall life to bee had ordinarily upon Earth or salvation and eternall life to be hoped for in Heaven except a man be enlightened with the knowledge and enlived with the power of the holy Word of God There is no entring into the Kingdome of God except a man bee new borne except hee bee first renewed in his spirit soule and body And there is no new birth without the immortall Seed the Word of God And therefore without knowledge and direction in the Word of God no salvation The third Reason of my Doctrine is this The Word of God hath only the power and propertie to search into and to sanctifie the whole man even to the inmost thoughts and the secret cogitations of the heart All the devices and imaginations of mans heart lye without the walke of humane justice and censure no word or writing of man is able to bridle them or bring them within compasse no Law of Nature or Nations can affright or restraine the freedome and wanderings of thoughts onely the Word of God can amaze search and sanctifie them The weapons of our warfare saith Paul are not carnall but mightie through God to cast downe Holds casting downe the imaginations and every thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivitie every thought into the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. The Word of God saith the Apostle to the Hebrewes is lively and mightie in operation and sharper than any two-edged sword and entreth through even to the dividing asunder of the soule and the spirit and of the joints and the marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart Heb. 4. 12. The Word of God may be said to be living or lively in three respects 1 Because whereas we naturally live under the shadow of death and in the darkenesse of sinne it quickens us with a new and spirituall life it cheares and comforts us with heavenly Light 2 The Word may be called Living because it selfe is immortall and lasteth forever as doth the living and eternall God the Author of it 3 But most especially and agreeably to the place in the Hebrewes it is called lively because it enters with great power and secret insinuation into every part and power both of soule and body So that as our life is scattered and dispersed into every little part and least veine in us and we feele it both in paine and pleasure even so the vertue of the Word of God pierceth into every member into the most secret and hidden Closet of the heart either to breake and bruise with terror and astonishment the very bones crush the sinewes of the sinfull soule or to fill them with marrow and fatnesse and to refresh the affections of the truly penitent with joy unspeakable and glorious God tells us in Ieremy that his Word is like fire and therefore it can easily insinuate into all the creekes and corners of our corruptions it can fully and clearely enlighten our Consciences and discover unto us the sinfulnesse of the most lurking and secret thoughts Thus you have this first Doctrine plainely proved and confirmed unto you No man can at first finde the entrance or after hit the way to Heaven except he be enlightened and led along by the saving knowledge of the holy Word of God No other meanes which the power of Nature Wisedome Learning or the whole World can afford will serve the turne in this businesse of Salvation It is the Seed of our new birth as I told you there can be no growing of grace or reaping of glory without it It hath onely power to shake ransacke and search into the inmost secrets of the heart It onely can sanctifie us both inwardly and outwardly both in soule and body both in thoughts and actions without which both inward and outward holinesse no man shall ever see the face of God Now I come unto the Vses of this Doctrine And in the first place it may serve for confutation of the Papists those great employsoners and murtherers of infinite soules of men Is the Word of God as a Lampe and a Light without which wee cannot see the first step or set one foot aright towards Heaven Why then sinfull and pestilent is their practice who hide this blessed Light from the people of God in an unknowne Tongue and by their bloudie Inquisition damme up the holy Fountaines of heavenly Truth which should spring up in every mans heart unto eternall life Whose cruell and craftie Religion for bloud of Princes and cursed Policie are the principall supporters of Poperie teacheth them to blindfold and hood-winke the poore Laitie in forced ignorance lest they should know Gods will or any way to Heaven but
the Word of God to a love and liking of the heavenly knowledge therein contained and to a sound and sincere practice of it in our lives and conversations may be this The Word of God is as it were an Epistle or Letter as one of the Fathers calls it written from God Almightie unto us miserable men published by his owne Sonne sealed by his Spirit witnessed by his Angels conveyed unto us by his Church the Pillar and ground of Truth confirmed with the bloud of millions of Martyrs which hath alreadie brought thousands of soules to Heaven and fills every heart that understands it and is wholly guided by it with Light and Life with Grace and Salvation Now let us imagine a man to have a Letter sent unto him but by an Earthly King or some great Prince in the World wherein hee should have a Pardon granted him for some capitall Crime and high Offence whereby hee were lyable to a terrible kind of death or wherein hee should be fore-warned of some great and imminent danger hanging over his head and readie every houre to fall upon him or wherein hee should have assured and confirmed unto him under the Kings Seale some rich Donation or great Lordship Now I say if a man should receive but a Letter from some high and mightie Potentate upon Earth wherein any of these favours should be conveyed unto him how reverently would he receive it how thankfully would he accept of it how often would he reade it how warily would he keepe it how highly would he esteeme of it Why in this royall and sacred Letter sent from the King and great Commander both of Heaven and Earth all these favours and a thousand more joyes and comforts are conveyed unto every beleever and practiser thereof In that we are fore-warned lest by our ignorance impietie and impenitencie wee fall into the Pit of Hell and everlasting horror In that we have promised and performed unto us the pardon and remission of all our sinnes whereby wee justly stand guiltie of the second death and the endlesse torments of the damned By the vertue of it we are not onely comforted with grace in this World but shall undoubtedly be crowned with peace glory and immortalitie in the World to come Such a Letter as this hath the mightie and terrible God most glorious in all Power and Majestie who is even a consuming and devouring fire sent unto us miserable men by nature wretched and forlorne creatures Dust and Ashes why then with what reverence chearefulnesse and zeale ought wee to receive reade heare marke learne understand and obey it A second Motive may be the precious golden and divine matter which is contained in the Booke of God and that true and ever-during happinesse to which it onely can bring us There is nothing proposed and handled in the Word of God but things of greatest weight and highest excellency As the infinite majesty power and mercy of God the unspeakable love and strange sufferings of the Sonne of God for our sakes the mighty and miraculous working of the holy Spirit upon the soules of men There is nothing in this Treasury but Orient Pearles and rich Iewels as promises of grace spirituall comfort confusion of sinne the triumph of godlines refreshing of wearied soules the beautie of Angels the holinesse of Saints the state of Heaven salvation of sinners everlasting life What Swine are they that neglecting these precious Pearles root only in the Earth wallow in worldly pleasures feede upon vanities transitorie trash and vanishing riches which in their greatest need will take them to their wings like an Eagle and flie into the Heavens Besides the Word of God is only able to prepare us for true happinesse in this world and to possesse us of it in the world to come It only begets in us a true intire and universall holinesse without which none shall ever see the face of God or the glory of Heaven for it is impossible hereafter to live the life of glory blessednes in Heaven if we live not here the life of grace and sincerity in all our waies It is called the immortall Seed because it regenerates and renewes us both in our Spirits Soules and Bodies in our Spirits that is in judgement memory conscience in our Soules that is in our will and affections in our Bodies that is in every member If the Prince of this world hath not blinded the eyes of our minds and that we be not reprobats as concerning salvation it only is able to inlighten our understandings to rectifie our wills to sanctifie our hearts to mortifie our affections to set Davids Doore before our lips that are offend not with our tongues to set Iobs Doore before our eyes that they behold not vanity to manacle our hands feet with the cords and bands of Gods Law that they do not walke or worke wickedly nay and it is able to furnish and supply us with sufficiencie of spirituall strength to continue in all these good things and in a godly course vnto the end And if we be once thus qualified we are rightly fitted and prepared for the glory that is to be revealed As before this holy Word did translate us from the darknesse of sinne into the light of grace it can now much more easily with joy and triumph bring us from the light of grace to the light of immortalitie and everlasting pleasures at Gods right hand A third Motive may be this Wee must be judged by the Word of God at the last Day If any man saith Christ Ioh. 12. 47 48. heare my words and beleeve not I judge him not for I came not to judge the World but to save the World He that refuseth me and receiveth not my words hath one that judgeth him the word that I have spoken it shall judge him in the last Day Whensoever wee shall come to judgement and appeare before Gods Tribunall and wee little know how neere it is two Bookes shall be layd open unto us the one of Gods Law another of our owne Conscience The former will tell us what wee should have done for the Lord hath revealed it to the World to be the rule of our faith and of all our actions The other will tell us what wee have done for Conscience is a Register Light and Power in our Vnderstanding which treasures up all our particular actions against the Day of Triall discovers unto us the equitie or iniquitie of them and determines of them either with us or against us Now we must not take any exception against the first that is the Law of God For the Law of God saith David Psal 19. 7. is perfect converting the soule The testimonie of the Lord is sure and giveth wisedome unto the simple Wee cannot against the second that is the Booke of our Conscience for it was ever in our custodie and keeping no man could corrupt it there
and companie and never pleased untill they bring them back againe unto talke of worldly matters and prophane discourses If this yet will not serve the turne but that the Word gets within a man and workes upon his understanding so that by his diligent hearing of it meditation and conference he furnishes himselfe with competent knowledge in the Booke of God and Divine Truth why then Sathan casts about another way which is to make him to content himselfe with a bare fruitlesse knowledge without practising the power of it in his life and actions to rest contented with an abilitie to talke and discourse onely upon points of Religion and places of Scripture without inward sanctification and subduing the will and affections to new obedience and sincere exercise of Christianitie So that for all his knowledge he neither meddles with Conversion nor mends in his Conversation He labours here first to hinder his Conversion by planting in his heart a prejudice and disconceit against 1 Preaching the Law 2 Distinguishing severall estates of unregenerate men Math. 13. the three Reprobate Grounds 3 The differencing the Children of God and the Children of the Devill by speciall markes and notes Math. 5. Psal 15. c. 4 Pressing the Doctrine of Christ of pressing in at the strait Gate Luke 13. 24. 4. 28. And gathering from Scripture those which shall be saved into a short summe 5 And by making him make GOD all of Mercie And mending in his Conversation by motives unto presumption If this will not prevaile but that a man endeavours to draw his knowledge into practise and fettles himselfe with care and conscience to reforme his former wayes and courses of iniquitie why then Sathan plots and practiseth with all the cunning and policie he hath to make him rest in a slight superficiall and partiall reformation to content himselfe with an unsound or unsaving conversion For by the way I must tell you there may be many conversions changes and alterations in a man from worse to better and yet he not truly sanctified not become a new creature nor possessed of the state of grace and glorious comforts of true Christians 1 He may be changed from a notorious sinner to a civill honest man whereas he hath beene before furious and desperate in lewd courses hee may grow more sober and moderate in his carriage And yet for all this continue in his ignorance and a meere stranger to the wayes of godlinesse 2 From civill honestie he may passe on to a formall Christianitie and become an outward Professor and outwardly doe and performe religious services and yet lye in his sinnes and want the power of inward sanctification 3 Yet further by a generall power of the Word and inferior working of the Spirit he may in some sort be outwardly reformed and in some measure inwardly enlightened hee may have understanding and joy by the Ministerie of the Word and may doe many things after it and for sake many sinnes Herod is said Mark 6. to have reverenced Iohn to have heard him gladly and to have done many things And yet for all this hee may come short of a sound conversion if hee suffer some maine corruption some one sweet sinne or other to reigne in him which hee still feedes upon with delight and sensuall sweetnesse if hee doe not wholly and entirely resigne and give up himselfe his spirit soule and body to the Lords service and to please him in all things and with repentance and resolution forsake all his knowne sinnes For this is a certaine Rule and Principle with Divines That true turning unto God and the advised and willing remaining in the practice of any one evill which is discovered to a mans Conscience by the Light of Gods Word to be a sinne cannot stand together These changes a man may have and thus many passages from worse to better and yet the great and glorious worke of regeneration not wrought upon him For where there is a sound conversion and through-reformation there a man is wholly sanctified and set apart unto God from the sinfull corruption of his naturall birth and the evill fruits thereof to serve God in his whole man both body foule and spirit He shakes hands with all sinnes he sells all for the precious Iewell of the Gospel he regards not sinne in his heart but hath a regard to all Gods Commandements Now sith Sathan that old Serpent knowes full well that it will never serve the turne for a man to part but with part of his sinnes that his case is fearefull enough whatsoever good or good deeds seeme to be in him if he yeeld not to the worke of the Holy-Ghost for the leaving but of any one knowne sinne which â—ighteth against the peace of his Conscience he knowes that he hath haunt and hold enough in a mans Conscience and affections that hee hath sufficient interest and claime to his damnation if he can but keepe his sweet sinne in heart and alive in him And therefore when any by the Ministerie of the Word is moved to settle and addresse himselfe to a reformation of his wayes and to redresse his former wicked life he puts in might and maine to preserve in his vigour and soveraigntie one secret delightfull sinne or other at least in the heart and affection of him that goes about to reforme himselfe He singles out one corruption or other to which hee findes a man most addicted and this he conceales and fenceth with all the policie that he hath that if by any meanes it may escape unrepented of unmortified and unmedled with Thus he dealt with Herod Herod by the preaching of Iohn reformed himselfe in many things but Sathan made sure to keepe him his owne by that one sinne of Incest Naaman the Syrian no doubt beleeved and followed the Prophet in many things but he desired onely that the Lord would be mercifull unto him when he went into the house of Rimmon The young man in the Gospel in his outward carriage was unreprovable but that one secret sinne of worldlinesse banished him out of the presence and Kingdome of Christ In this point Sathan labours to perswade men to deale with God in the forsaking of their sinnes as Ananias dealt with the Apostle in parting with his Money It was a custome you know in the Primitive Church because of the necessitie of the Times that many out of a zealous and extraordinarie love unto the Gospel sold their Lands and brought the price and laid it downe at the Apostles feet Ananias amongst the rest would needes seeme as forward zealous in this glorious worke of Charitie as any other He sold his Lands indeed and brought in the Money and tender'd it at the Apostles feâ—t but yet secretly suspecting Gods providence and doubting lest himselfe perhaps at length should be brought into want hee kept backe one part of the price of his Possession making
Fathers I say I will suppose them to be as it were Gyants and wee Dwarfes Yet set a Dwarfe upon a Gyants shoulders and hee will see further and so might certainely wee but for Slouth Idlenesse Worldlinesse Ambition and other such base and vile degenerations of these later Times It may be further objected That there was more necessity of the Fathers frequent Preaching especially in those Primitive Times for more plentifull publishing and propagation of the Gospel c. and suppressing Heresies c. Passingly weake and untrue There is farre more need of much Preaching now than in former times For wee live in the last dayes wherein those perillous times are come upon us which Paul fore-tells 2 Tim. 3. 1. c. and wherein iniquitie abounds and the love of many waxeth cold c. Math. 24. 12. And at this day wee oppose the Hydra of all Heresies Poperie which opposeth even the whole Body of Christianitie Againe their Homilies are against Drunkennesse Pride Swearing Luxury Covetousnesse love of the World Vsury painted Faces false Haire Anger Envie Ambition c. All which sinnes and many more reigne and rage at this day with more hainousnesse and an higher hand than heretofore 2 A second meanes whereby the Word may dwell plentifully in us is by a constant and conscionable reading the Booke of God This Exercise is commanded to Kings and Captaines Deut. 17. 17 18 19. Iosh 1. 8. who may seeme most priviledged by their intanglement in many and weightie affaires Christ bids the Iewes Ioh. 5. 39. Search the Scriptures as the well-spring of eternall life The Holy-Ghost commends the Iewes of Berea as more noble than they of Thessalonica because they received the Word with all readinesse of minde and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so Act. 17. 11. See Deut. 6 7 8 9. See many Motives to this dutie before It is the Word of Salvation of Truth of Life of Reconciliation a Letter from Heaven a Treasurie of all excellent things it shall judge us it onely can heale a wounded Soule it containes all our evidence for Heaven and it is the object of divine Faith c. Nay and because the Papists have wickedly dammed up this Fountaine of Life from the common people heare the judgement and zeale of Antiquitie in pressing this dutie First heare Chrysostome Heare I pray you all yee Lay-men saith Chrysostome get yet Bibles a Medicine for your Soules c. You cast all upon our shoulders You ought onely to be instructed of us but your Wives and Children should be by you c. But now adayes your Children preferre divellish Songs and Dancings even as Cookes and Caters and leaders of Dances but none knowes any Psalme The same Chrysostome to stirre up men to diligent reading the Scriptures maketh good this assertion There is no affliction or miserie of body or soule but may receive a Medicine out of Gods Booke 1 A man heavie-hearted and of a sad spirit saith hee takes the Bible in his hand after hee hath met with that place Psal 42. 11. Why art thou cast downe O my soule and why art thou so disquieted within me hope thou in God c. he is refreshed 2 Another saith he is oppressed with extreme povertie beholds the wicked wallow in worldly wealth and flourish like a greene Bay-tree But after hee hath cast his eye upon that Psal 55. 22. Cast thy burthen upon the Lord and hee shall sustaine thee c. he is comforted 3 Another is hunted with calumnies and insidiations c. and no humane helpe will be had the Prophet saith hee doth teach him what to doe in these words They did speake against me but I prayed 4 Another is forsaken even of his friends and kinsmen and contemned of those who were most beholding to him Heare how the Prophet behaved himselfe in such a case Psal 38. 11. c. 13. c. He concludes thus Thou hast seene whensoever any calamitie doth oppresse a man how convenient an Antidote he may take from the Scriptures and all care of this life may be driven backe neither should we be grieved for any thing that falls out Therefore I beseech you that you would come hither and diligently attend to the reading of the holy Scriptures not onely when you come hither but even at home take the holy Bible into your hands and goe reape the profit that is in them with great earnestnesse Moreover what that sensible Bread doth to encrease bodily strength that Reading doth to the soule for it is spirituall nourishment and makes the soule vigorous c. But wee may adde to Chrysostomes Antidotes these 16. more 1 Art thou wearie of the wayes of vanitie and comming on with a grieved and sorrowfull heart for thy sinne to meet thy deare Redeemer and doth the conceit of the number and hainousnesse of thy transgressions crosse and confound thy hopes of being received to mercy Why then looke upon Paul he shed the bloud of the Saints with extraordinarie rage and furie Act. 9. 1. upon Manasseh a man of prodigious impietie 2 Chron. 33. 6. upon some of Peters hearers who crucified the Lord of Life Act. 2. 23. If these will not serve the turne looke upon Adam who cast away himselfe and undid all and was the cause that all that issued out of his loines unto the Worlds end fell into the damnation of Hell and yet all these upon repentance were received unto mercie And therefore if thou canst now heartily repent feare no former sinnes 2 Hast thou by the violence of Sathans temptations the slie enticements of thine owne sinfull nature and the cunning insinuations of thy former bosome-sinne beene fearefully overtaken with some scandalous fall since thou wast converted and gave thy Name unto Grace and upon illumination of thy conscience remorse and meditation of returne thou art ashamed to look Christ Iesus in the face because thou hast so shamed thy profession and thou art so troubled with horror and conceit that thy case is singular that thou canst find no ease to thine humbled and sorrowfull heart Why then looke upon David Peter c. transcendent instances that thou may not sinke into despaire 3 Art thou plunged into the perplexities and fearfull apprehensions of a spiritual desertion Art thou deprived of thy former comfortable feelings of Gods favorable countenance Hast thou no comfort in prayer c. Looke upon David Ps 77. 4 It may be upon thy Bed of Death when Sathan will make thy sinnes appeare farre more ugly and horrible to the eye of thy Conscience than ever hee did before and will perswade thee all he can that all thy holy services unto God and new obedience was quite marred with Pride Hypocrisie and by-respects I say it may be then thy heart will quite faile thee and thy conceit of Gods wrathfull and angry countenance for thy sinne may so oppresse and confound thy soule that thou mayest
The Reasons of this Doctrine may be these which follow The first may be taken from the insufficiencie and inabilitie of all other meanes to bring us to Heaven as 1 All the greatest Learning and deepest knowledge in the World will stand us in little stead in this businesse Otherwise it had gone well with many ancient Heathens and Philosophers of old who fadomed as deepe and reached as high in the depths and mysteries of all humane Learning and knowledge as the light of Reason and strength of Nature could possibly bring them And yet they were utterly strangers to the life of grace and without God in the World When they professed themselves to be wise they became fooles saith Paul Rom. 1. 22. They were puffed up with a little vaine-glorious knowledge here upon Earth and got them a Name amongst men But alas what was this When as for the want of the Light of Divine Truth they lost their Soules in another World and their Names never came in the Booke of Life Where is the wise saith Paul in another place Where is the Scribe Where is the Disputer of this World As if hee should have said All the knowledge of the greatest Doctors and learnedest Rabbins in the World without Grace vanisheth into nothing into vaine-glory emptinesse and aire nay casts them with greater horror and confusion into the Pit of Hell Every man saith Ieremie is a Beast by his owne knowledge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iere. 10. 14. Except besides all other knowledge he be enlightened from above and have that Divine knowledge sanctified unto him hee can come no neerer the happinesse of Heaven than a very Beast 2 Worldly wisedome and policie is so farre from making men wise unto salvation that it is not onely starke foolishnesse with God and good men but it doth strongly set it selfe and is at enmitie against God Therefore saith God I will destroy the wisedome of the wise and will cast away the understanding of the prudent 1 Cor. 1. 19. Ahitophel was so wise even in the affaires of Kingdomes and businesse of State that the counsell which he counselled in those dayes was like as one had asked counsell at the Oracle of God and yet all this great wisedome in the end ended in extreme folly for upon a little discontent and disgrace in the World he sadled his Asse and went home unto his Citie and put his household in order and hanged himselfe 2 Sam. 16. 23. 17. 23. Although the end of all worldly wisedome be not so shamefull in the eye of the World yet undoubtedly it is most miserable and wofull in the World to come except their wisedome be sanctified and over-ruled by the Light of Gods Word Carnall wisedome can neither preserve a man from death nor prepare him to die blessedly it cannot stay his Life from going neither can it stop the Curse from comming it cannot deliver him from damnation in the World to come but rather encreaseth the grievousnesse of his punishment for in this life it hath kept possession against heavenly wisedome it made him uncapable of all good instructions it made him impatient of any rebuke and held him in ignorance and disobedience all his life 3 No good meanings or intentions without knowledge and warrant in the Word of God will ever serve our turne for salvation nay indeed they are abominable and hatefull in Gods sight Howsoever thousands deceive themselves in this point Vzzah had a good meaning in 2 Sam. 6. 6. when hee put his hand to the Arke of God and held it for the Oxen did shake it but notwithstanding the Lord was very wroth with Vzzah and God smote him in the same place and there hee died Iames and Iohn had good meanings when they called for fire from Heaven to consume the Samaritan that would not entertaine Christ but Iesus rebuked them and told them they knew not of what spirit they were Saul in 1 Sam. 15. had a good meaning when he spared Agag and the best of the Sheepe and of the Oxen to sacrifice them unto the Lord but notwithstanding Samuel tells him that he had done wickedly in the sight of the Lord and that the Lord had rent the Kingdome of Israel from him that day Peter had a good meaning when in Ioh. 13. 8. he would not suffer Christ to wash his feet but Iesus answered him and told him If I wash thee not thou shalt have no part with me Good meanings then are wicked missings of the true service of God except they be guided by knowledge warrant and ground out of the Booke of God Let no man then tell of his good meaning if he be ignorant in the Will and Word of God for certainely it will never serve the turne it will never hold out in the Day of Christ Iesus 4 No will-worship or will-service or voluntarie Religion as the Apostle calls it Col. 2. 23. which is forged and framed out of a mans owne braine humour and conceit without ground or warrant in the Booke of God though it be performed with never so glorious a shew of zeale and paines yet it is not any way availeable for our spirituall good and eternall happinesse nay indeed it is most odious in the eyes of God and ever lyable to a very high degree of his wrath and vengeance Baals Prophets 1 Kings 18. 28. were so hot and hastie in their will-worship that they cut themselves with knives and launcers till the bloud gushed out upon them The Papists they whip themselves they vow Continencie perpetuall Povertie and Regular Obedience and yet is the profession and practice of both bloudie and idolatrous When the Iewes worshipped God after the devised fashions of the Gentiles though their meaning was to worship nothing but God yet the Text saith they worshipped nothing but Devils Deut. 32. 17. And God there protests that therefore a fire was kindled in his wrath that should burne unto the bottome of Hell and set on fire the foundations of the mountaines So hated of Almightie God is all service and worship devised by the wit and will of man without warrant in the Word of God 5 Lastly not the Word of God it selfe in the Letter without the spirituall meaning and the finger of Gods Spirit to apply it powerfully to our soules and consciences is any sufficient rule of life or able to bring us into the Light of Grace This appeares in Nicodemus who was a great Doctor in the Law and the Prophets a chiefe Master and Teacher in Israel yet was a very Infant and Ideot in the power of Grace and mysterie of godlinesse For all his learning in the Letter of the Law he had not yet made one step towards Heaven for hee was not onely ignorant of but had a very absurd and grosse conceit of the new birth which is the very first entrance into
theirs which indeed is the right direct and desperate downe-fall into the Pit of Hell So that millions of soules live no lesse without Scriptures than if there were none and wofully walke in this World through darkenesse of sinne shadow of death and ignorance both of God and his Word unto endlesse and utter darkenesse in the World to come The Prophet David tells us in Psal 19. That the Law of the Lord is perfect and giveth wisedome unto the simple The Commandements of the Lord is pure and giveth light to the eyes In this place hee tells us That the Word was a Lampe unto his feet and a Light unto his paths Christ himselfe Iohn 5. 39. bids us Search the Scriptures even all without exception so many as looke for eternall life Not lightly and at leisure to reade them but with diligence to dive into them for so the word signifies in the Originall To seeke for the right knowledge and true sense of them as for Silver and to search for it as for Treasures The Noblemen of Berea Act. 17. 11. searched the Scriptures dayly whether those things were so that were preached unto them Saint Peter 2 Pet. 1. 19. calls the Word of the Prophets a Light which shineth in a darke place to which wee should take heed But the Pope and his Factors teach other Lessons The Catholike Church saith one of their chiefe Champions out of the Councell of Trent forbids the reading of Scriptures by all without choise or the publike reading or singing of them in vulgar Tongues The wise will not here regard say the Rhemists in their Preface to their Testament what some wilfull people doe mutter that the Scriptures are made for all men And soone after they resemble the Scriptures to Fire Water Candles Knives and Swords which are indeed needfull c. but would marre all if they were at the guiding of other than wise men And this is indeed one of their principall reasons Many abuse the Scriptures by ignorance infirmitie or malice to Errors Heresies Schismes and their owne destruction therefore they are not to be read of all without choise I answer they might as well reason thus Many men abuse Meat and Drinke by surfetting and excesse to the destruction both of their soules and bodies therefore men are to be deprived of Meat and Drinke Some men are infected with the Pestilence by drawing in corrupted and empoysoned aire therefore the aire is to be taken away and removed But as those men which are deprived of Meat and Drinke presently languish and pine away and die a temporall death and those that enjoy not the benefit of the aire are presently stifled for want of breath even so all those that want the spirituall Food of their soules out of the Word of God and the holy inspirations of his good Spirit builded thereupon howsoever they be fat and flourishing in their outward estates yet they are full leane and lanke in their soules and if they so continue must needes die an eternall death and perish everlastingly Let us then learne to detest and hate the bloudie Policie of the Synagogue of Rome which cruelly keepes from many thousand Soules that blessed Light of Gods Word which should lead them to eternall life They indeed pretend other Reasons But the truth is if the Word of Truth should be permitted and published to all there would be old running out of Babylon all their Pompe and Policie would downe their shamefull Iuglings and Cousenages their strong Delusions and Impostures would be laid open in the sight of the Sunne The Princes of the Earth that have so long beene drunken with the wrath of her empoysoned Wine would no longer commit Fornication with her The Merchants would buy no more her Wares but would stand afarre off from her for feare of her torment weeping and wailing No marvell then though the Papists labour might and maine and to this end maintaine a bloudie Inquisition to suppresse this Light of Gods Word lest it should discover their darknesse and hasten their destruction A second Vse is for terror feare and amazement to all them that doe not live and delight in the Light of Gods holy Word but yet are walking in the darkenesse of ignorance and in the shadow of death The whole World and every man in particular lyes in darkenesse that is in ignorance under sinne and so subject and lyable to damnation and eternall death There is no way to come out of this state of Darknesse Damnation and Death but by the Knowledge Light and Ministerie of the Word Hence it is that Act. 26. 18. it is Pauls charge and hee is sent to this purpose to open the eyes of men that they might turne from Darknesse to Light And Paul himselfe Eph. 5. 8. speakes thus unto the Ephesians Yee were once Darkenesse but now yee are Light in the Lord walke as Children of the Light Out of 1 Pet. 2. 9. it appeares that all Gods Children are called out of Darkenesse into marvellous Light Why then fearefull and most wretched is the state of all those who by the Light and knowledge of Gods Word are not translated and guided out of this Darkenesse For as in Darkenesse 1 There is much feare horror and discomfort a man cannot enjoy the lightsomenesse of Heaven the comfort of the creatures the companie of men Even so ignorant men not enlightened with saving knowledge are utterly without all hope of Heaven they have no sight or taste of the endlesse joyes thereof they have no companie or conference in heavenly matters with true Christians they have no comfort or interest in the Covenant of Grace or Promises of Salvation But Feare Horror and Despaire are most justly treasured up for them against the Day of Wrath and of the declaration of the just Iudgement of God 2 He that walketh in the Darkenesse saith Iohn knoweth not whither he goeth He cannot discerne his way he seeth not what is behind or before him he cannot descry or discover the dangers which are round about him But especially if the wayes through which he passeth be slipperie steepe and rockie full of pits and holes he is in danger at every step by some grievous fall to crush his body bruise his bones or breake his necke It is just so with every one that lives in ignorance of Gods Word and Truth he cannot possibly discerne the way to Heaven amongst the many by-paths of iniquitie he cannot judge in spirituall matters betwixt right and wrong good and evill Light and Darkenesse Christ and Belial prophanenesse and sinceritie though there be behind him a Life spent in much wickednesse lewdnesse and ignorance before him Despaire Hell and eternall Damnation about him the World with a thousand baites and pleasures to intice and intangle him in sinne Sathan like a roaring Lyon readie every houre to seize upon his
upon the hairie scalpe of all such as goe on still in their wickednesse A fifth Let and hinderance of hearing the Word of God is an excessive and immoderate delight and an eager and earnest pursuit of the sinfull pleasures of a mans sweet sinne By a mans sweet sinne I meane that which his corrupt nature hath singled out and made speciall choise of to follow and feed upon with greatest delight and sensuall sweetnesse which by custome and continuance hath taken deepest root and surest hold in his heart upon which all his affections and desires are carried with sharpest edge heat and headlongnesse and to which hee makes all occasions and circumstances friends and acquaintance Religion and Conscience all the powers both of soule and body and outward estate serviceable and contributorie as to that which chiefely rules and reignes in him This sweet sinne in some is Worldlinesse Earthly-mindednesse and Covetousnesse In others it is Voluptuousnesse Lust and Vncleannesse Pride Pleasures Drunkennesse or such like Now certaine it is carnall prophane and unregenerate men doe many times preferre the pleasures of their sweet and most delightfull sinne before the comforts of Gods House the Congregation of the Saints and the preciousnesse of the Word preached And therefore howsoever they may ordinarily come to Sermons though it be rather for fashion and of custome than with heartie and true devotion yet if some speciall gaine and profit be to be layd hold upon at that time if some extraordinarie pleasure feasting pastime and companie be then to be enjoyed they make no Conscience to turne their backes upon the House of God and the Ministerie of the Word even upon the Sabbath day so for a little sinfull pleasure or worldly contentment wretchedly abandoning Gods holy Ordinance and the necessarie meanes of their owne salvation That many men are thus wickedly hindered from hearing the Word of God appeares in Math. 22. and Luke 14. The glorious magnificence and rich comforts of heavenly Cheare in the House of God are notably set out unto us there by divers circumstances in the Parable of the great Feast First it was a Wedding Feast which usually is full of joy comfort and great solemnitie Secondly it was made by a King and therefore like unto himselfe Royall and Princely in plentie and varietie answerable to his State and Greatnesse Thirdly it was made at the Marriage of a Kings sonne which would make it yet farre more sumptuous full of pompe and noble entertainment than if it had beene for a servant friend or ordinarie person By all this is meant the Ministery of the Word and Gospel of Christ Iesus wherewith every faithfull man is feasted made Gods sonne and married to Christ himselfe for ever in righteousnesse and in judgement in mercie and in compassion This Feast being in full readinesse Servants are sent out to invite Guests But for all the glory comfort and magnificence prepared for them in this Wedding and Royall Feast many refuse to come and make excuse One saith he hath bought a Farme and must needes goe to see it another hath bought five Yoke of Oxen and goes to prove them another hath married a Wife and therefore he cannot come another is busied about his Merchandise buying and selling and can hardly spare so much time Thus one sinfull delight or other profit pleasure companie or the like doe many times stay and hinder prophane and worldly men from hearing the Word of God and from this spirituall and heavenly Feast in his House whereby their soules might be satisfied as it were with marrow and fatnesse with the comforts of grace and a taste of the joyes of Heaven It is very strange that any man should be so bloudie and cruell to his owne soule that whereas by the breaking of the Word of Life unto him in such places as this he might have it furnished with spirituall strength towards everlasting life yet for some earthly pelfe and temporall pleasure absenting himselfe he suffers it to starve in ignorance and prophanenesse the immediate and certaine passages to eternal death Let a man imagine with himselfe when he purposes and resolves to absent himselfe from a Sermon that hee layes as it were in the one Scale of the Weights the glorious Majestie presence and honour of God the comfort happinesse and salvation of his owne Soule and in the other a little wretched pleasure or profit and so suffers this miserable Vanitie to weigh downe so infinite a Majestie For first Gods House where his Word is faithfully preached is as it were the Presence-Chamber of the everlasting King of Glory Here he sits in a Chaire of State with more speciall and eminent Power and Majestie as anciently he sate betweene the Cherubins Secondly Christ himselfe is here present For Wheresoever two or three are gathered together in his Name he is in the midst of them And so he is said to walke in the midst of the seven golden Candlesticks and with speciall power and providence to direct and guide these holy Exercises Thirdly the holy Spirit of God is present in our Assemblies plentifully shedding into the hearts of the faithfull the rich Treasures of Wisdome and Grace Fourthly the blessed Angels of God are here as appeareth 1 Cor. 11. 10. not onely to doe service unto the Lord unto the Elect and unto his Ministerie but also after a sort to solace and rejoyce themselves in the beautie of Gods House and in the Mysteries published in the Gospel as appeares 1 Pet. 1. 12. Fifthly Gods holy Saints here present themselves in whom all our delight and comfort ought to be for they onely are truly excellent allyed unto Christ and heires of Heaven Lastly here alone ordinarily are to be had Blessings Life and Salvation for the Word preached is the ordinarie meanes to beget the unconverted unto God by inlightening their eyes opening their eares softening their hearts planting faith in their soules and holinesse in their conversations so that of the children of wrath they become the sonnes of God Hence it is that it is called a Ministerie of Reconciliation of Peace a Word of Grace of Salvation and of Life If a man be alreadie converted and in the state of grace he may receive these Blessings by it It is a powerfull meanes of the Spirit To encrease his knowledge in heavenly things and the affaires of the Soule by dayly clearing his judgement from ignorance and error by informing it with spirituall wisedome and all necessarie truths and needfull knowledge To adde strength and vigour and encrease unto his faith that hee may grow and proceed from the infancie and weakenesse in Christianitie to tallnesse and perfection in Christ To preserve him from luke-warmenesse worldlinesse and securitie to recall him from his wandrings and strayings out of the way of sincerity to settle
and secret judgement to suffer some of our fore-fathers to live and die under the tyranny and darknesse of Antichrist how much are we bound to blesse God that we are borne and brought up in the light of the Gospell and what heavie plagues and great damnation doe wee bring upon our selves if wee neglect or despise so great salvation I but yet further will some say wee have lived some of us fortie some thirtie some twenty yeares without so much preaching and yet have holden good credit and reputation in the world and prospered in our wayes would you now have us so forward in running to Sermons Strange it is to see how wise the simplest are in matters of the world about their temporall state but how simple and blinde the wisest worldlings are in the affaires of Heaven and about their greatest spirituall and eternall good Let us suppose a man to have lived long in a poore Cottage and now at length to have some great and rich Lordship befallen him doe you thinke hee would reason thus Why I have lived some thirtie or fortie yeerâ—â— now alreadie in this low estate with good conteâ—â—â—ent and credit amongst my neighbours and therefore here I will rest the rest of my dayes I am too old now to change my former estate Would such a foole as this be found in a whole Countrey And yet many Countries are full of such fooles in respect of spirituall advancement and the salvation of their soules Me thinkes those that have long lived in ignorance and blindnesse should rather conclude thus Have I thus long and so fearefully lived without God in the World without knowledge of his Truth faith in Christ and Conscience of my wayes Oh then it is more than high time now at length to awake out of sleepe and to open mine eyes and to imbrace this glorious Sun-shine of the Gospel which the Lord of his great mercy hath brought unto me that so I may be enlightened to eternall life As for prospering in the World that is no marke of a good soule nay it is commonly the Let of the wicked not to be plagued like other men but to bring their enterprises to passe Psalme 73. Nay yet further There is no greater Curse can befall any man than to prosper in the World and be out of the way to Heaven I but will others say to the attaining of eternall life what needs so much adoe so much preaching catechising expounding conferring meditating teaching and praying with our families which are so much and so often urged upon us When all comes to all this is the summe and end of all To feare God and keepe his Commâ—â—dements That we love God above all and our neighâ—â—â— as our selves And we hope we can doe this without all this adoe To feare God and keepe his Commandements which is the whole dutie of man as the Preacher speakes in his last chapter and to love God above all and our neighbors as our selves upon which hangeth the whole Law and the Prophets as Christ tells us Math. 22. are indeed soone spoken but not so easily truly learned and most hardly sincerely practised Is it enough thinke you to make a man a good Carpenter or Mason to say That that is soone learned and I know as much as the best workman can teach or tell me To build an House is nothing but to lay the foundation to reare the walls and cover it with a Roose Is it enough to make a good Husbandman to say I know as much as the best Husbandman can teach me for Husbandry is nothing else but to sowe and reape Is it enough to make a good Preacher to say It is no such great matter to make a Sermon I know as much in that point as the best Scholler amongst them can tell me To preach is nothing else but to expound the Text gather Doctrines and make use and application to the hearts consciences of the hearers But it would be long before these idle and emptie vaunts would build Houses fill Barnes or save Soules There is farre more required to these businesses than so There is to be undergone much toile and labour much care trouble expence and exercise before any of these workes can be rightly accomplished It is even so in the great worke of salvation and the attainment of Heaven The state of grace and trade of Christianitie is not so easily purchased practised There goes more to saving of a soule than bold ignorant brags than to say If that be all I hope I can quickly and easily learne to love God above all my neighbor as my selfe For before these there goes many things as knowledge of Gods will and Word a thorow view of our owne misery corruptions in the glasse of the Law strange agonies and sore pangs in the new-birth and sorrow for sinne refreshings and coolings by the mercies of God and merits of Christ faith repentance sanctification a blessed holy change in the whole man both body soule and spirit And then follows new obedience which consists in the uprightnesse and sinceritie of our owne hearts a conscionable and charitable carriage towards our neighbors and a zealous constancy in all religious duties and right service of God which must be universall in respect of the object that is we must walk in all his Commandements totall in respect of the subject that is we must serve him in all the powers of our soule and parts of our body in our thoughts words and actions In all which things and holy courses if a man be not particularly instructed experienced practised his love of God and his neighbour is but in word and tongue not in deed and truth A man if he be disposed may quickly perceive and discerne the truth or hollownesse of his heart in this point God hath straitly commanded an entire sanctification and keeping holy of the Sabbath Let a man then consider if he suffer himselfe to be drawne away from holy Exercise on that day by pleasures profit pastime companie ease idlenesse or other worldly occasions why then he preferres meere vanities and the desires of his owne heart before the glory and honour of God and so doth not love God above all The true love of a mans selfe doth chiefly principally consist in furnishing himselfe with saving knowledge sinceritie of heart godlinesse of life a good Conscience and spirituall comfort against hee come to Iudgement Now if hee love his neighbour as himselfe he is not still talking with him of worldly matters but especially labours with him for his conversion entertainment of grace and encrease in godlinesse If these be not his cares both for himselfe and his neighbour he truly loves neither Thus may a man examine himselfe through all the Commandements in particular and see whether it be so easie to love his neighbour as himselfe and God
But notwithstanding the prophanenesse of the Preacher is no priviledge to the hearer either of negligence or disobedience He that turnes his eare from hearing of the Law truly preached though by a Pharise even his prayer is abominable Prov. 28. 9. Hee that despiseth the Word shall be destroyed Prov. 13. 13. Hee that obeyeth not the Sonne in his Ministers lawfully sent though not sanctified themselves shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Christ himselfe in the Gospel bids his followers to observe and doe whatsoever they were bid by the Scribes and Pharises which sate in Moses Chaire but not to doe after their works for they said and did not Every Minister is to be heard received and followed so farre as he followes and delivers to the Church the Truth of God and Doctrine of the Apostles For therein he is an Angel of the Lord of Hosts and Embassadour in the stead of Christ. And all the parts of the Ministerie in his hand he following the Word shall as certainely be accomplished as if an Angel or Christ from Heaven should presently and potently execute them If hee denounce Iudgements against sinne it is as if the voice of God himselfe should be heard from Heaven as if the Lion of the Tribe of Iudah should roare If he poure the Oyle of comfort into a wounded and distressed Conscience it is as sure and certaine as soft and sweet to the beleeving soule as if the Angels should comfort him as they did Christ in his Agonie or as if Christ himselfe should mercifully reach out his glorious hand through the Clouds and binde up his broken heart and bruised Conscience with a Plaister of his owne precious Bloud If hee instruct admonish reprove exhort perswade from ground and warrant out of the Word it is all one as if Christ himselfe should doe it who hath said He that heareth you heareth me Let men therefore pretend what they will if they will not heare beleeve and obey the Lord speaking in the Ministerie of the Word though the meanes and Messengers be never so base and vile fraile weake and sinfull Let an Angel come from Heaven a Devill from Hell or a man from the dead yet would they not beleeve For if a man were truly humbled hee would tremble at Gods Word of whomsoever hee heard it If hee had a spirituall taste hee would relish the heavenly food whosoever ministred it If hee had Gods holy Spirit hee would know and acknowledge his Sword which is the Word of God in whose hand soever he saw it And untill he have this spirit a spirituall taste and an humble heart hee will not beleeve especially with effect fruit and practice let him pretend whatsoever he will neither Angels nor men dead nor living Moses nor the Prophets Peter nor Paul not Christ nor God himselfe if the one were living againe upon Earth or the other would be pleased or it were possible to speake immediately to him For conclusion of this Point let us know That the Ministerie of the Word is Gods Ordinance which dependeth not upon the worthinesse of him who delivereth it neither is it made void and uneffectuall by his weakenesse and wickednesse but it hath it vertue force and power from the blessing of God and from the inward operation of his Spirit who applyeth it to the hearts and consciences of men and thereby illuminates their understandings begetteth faith in them and all sanctifying and saving graces I but will some say it is a very wearisome tyring and tedious thing to be tyed to the hearing of so many Sermons to meditate of them conferre of them with our neighbours teach them our families and practise them which are urged upon us as necessarie Christian duties It is a strange thing and sore case that some men will not be perswaded to take halfe so much paines to goe to Heaven and eternall Rest as many thousands to goe to Hell and everlasting torment How many tyre and torture themselves with carke and care with much toyle and travell to heape up those riches which in the meane time are matter of much vexation unto them and hereafter will be witnesses against them and eate their flesh as it were fire as Iames speakes How many spend their wits their spirits their time that they may become some-body in the World and climbe by indirect and unlawfull meanes and steps unto those high places from whence hereafter they must be hurled with greater confusion and a more fearefull downe-fall into the Pit of Hell How many waste their wealth weaken their strength consume their marrow fill their bones with rottennesse and their bodies with diseases with lust and uncleannesse with following the Whorish woman whose paths lead unto the dead with tarrying long at the Wine and pouring in of strong Drinke for which at length they shall be sure to be filled with drunkennesse and with sorrow even with the Cup of destruction and trembling they shall drinke of it deepe and large and wring it out to the dregges How unwearied have Idolaters ever beene in the wicked worship of their false gods And many Heretikes in the false worship of the true God In thrusting towards Hell they neither spared cost nor charge losse nor labour They have beene prodigall both of lives and living of bloud and children You know amongst the Iewes some mingled the rufull cryes of their dearest children with Musicke and melodie lest they should be moved to compassion while they were cast into the fire to be burned up in sacrifice unto the Idoll Moloch Scribes and Pharises compasse Sea and Land to make a Proselyte Baals Priests lanced and cut their flesh before their Idoll untill the bloud gushed out The blinded Papists at this day whip themselves waste their goods and consume their bodies with wearisome Pilgrimages to see some counterfeit Reliques and rotten Bones or to visit accursed Idols and Popish Saints Nay some of them transported with a more bloudie rage and furious spirit of Antichrist suffer as it were with senselesnesse with desperate and damned boldnesse most horrible and exquisite torments for butchering of Kings for which they hope to merit Heaven and to sayle through a Sea of Royall bloud to the Haven of endlesse rest though indeed and truth they justly light short and sinke before they are aware into the deepest Lake of the hottest fire and most consuming flame of Hell Now I pray you shall these services of Sathan be followed and pursued with such heat and eagernesse with such paines and patiencie of all miseries and vexations and shall not the Lords owne Ordinances and the true worship of the true God have power to make us step out of our doores with patience and pleasure to heare the Lords will revealed unto us to receive salvation to our soules and a Crowne of immortalitie to our heads Can some be
feare lest thou be forsaken Why then thinke upon thy Saviours mournfull cry upon the Crosse My God my God why hast thou forsaken me 5 It may be thou art a true-hearted Nathanael in whose spirit there is no guile hates all sinne heartily both in thy selfe and others desirest and laborest to please God in all things and to keepe a good conscience before all things in the World and yet thou findest and feelest in thy brest many times a heavy sad and unchearefull heart why then heare David a man after Gods owne heart of a more excellent spirit and eminent graces than thou art complaining Psal 43. 5. Why art thou so heavie O my soule and why art thou so disquieted within me 6 Art thou grievously troubled with the haunt and horror of some speciall sinne of which thou canst not be so easily rid and doest thou therefore goe mourning all the day Why then looke also upon David Psal 32. In such a case he roared all the day his bones were consumed and his native moisture was turned into the drought of Summer 7 Art thou vexed to the heart and fearefully haunted with some horrible and hatefull injections of Sathan thoughts framed by himselfe immediately and put into thee perhaps tending to Atheisme or to the dishonour of God in some high degree or to the disgrace of his Word or selfe-destruction c. or the like thoughts which thou canst not remember without horror and darest not reveale or name for their strange and prodigious hatefulnesse Why then consider how this malicious Fiend dealt with the Sonne of God He suggested unto his most holy and unspotted imagination these propositions first Murther Make away thy selfe Math. 4. 6. secondly Fall downe and worship the Devill Vers 9. What more fearefull and horrible apprehensions And yet these were suggested to our blessed Saviour to him perhaps more sensibly to thee more secretly His pure and holy heart uncapable of sinne did reject them with infinite contempt and himselfe did utterly conquer and confound the Tempter and that for thee and thy sake too And if thine heart rise against abominate abandon grieve and be humbled for them they shall never be layd to thy charge but set on Sathans Score For all them thou mayest goe on chearefully and comfortably in the course of Christianitie And so doe And let not Sathan attaine his divellish end by them which is to worke astonishment in thy minde horror in thy conscience heavinesse in thy heart distractions in thy thoughts c. that thereby thou mayest be disheartened and disabled for the chearefull discharge and performance both of thy particular and generall calling Or else art thou long after thy conversion assaulted with perhaps sorer spirituall pangs and more horror than at thy change Consider David Iob Hezekiah 8 Hast thou lost thy goods or children Doth the Wife that lyes in thy bosome set her selfe against thee Doe thy neerest friends charge thee falsely Art thou diseased from top to toe Doe the Arrowes of the Almightie sticke fast in thy soule Thy affliction is grievous enough if thou hast any of these But doe they all in the greatest extremitie concurre upon thee at once Hast thou lost all thy children and all thy goods Doth thy Wife afflict thy afflictions c. If this be not thy case thou commest short of Iob a most just man and high in Gods favour 9 Hast thou given thy Name to Religion and art a Professor of Grace and art thou therefore villanously traduced with many slanderous nick-names and odious imputations Art thou called Puritan Precisian Hypocrite Humorist Dissembler c Why gracelesse wretches when hee was upon Earth called Christ Iesus Devill See Math. 10. 25. Ioh. 7. 20. Contemne thou therefore for ever the utmost malice of the most scurrill tongue 10 Art thou a loving and tender-hearted Mother unto thy Children and hast thou lost thy dearest Why the blessed Mother of Christ stood by and saw her owne onely deare innocent Sonne the Lord of Life most cruelly and villanously murthered upon the Crosse and die a shamefull death before her eyes Ioh. 19. 25. 11 Art thou a woman who in the time of thy travaile art pressed with many wants with want of comfortable companie desired helpes a fairer roome and other worldly comforts and conveniences Why yet comfort thy selfe with this That holy Virgin which brought into the World the Worlds Saviour brought forth that blessed Babe in a Stable and laid him in a Cratch Luke 2. 7. It is very like farre more poorely in respect of worldly comforts than the poorest sort of women amongst us with lesse comfortable helpers and in a lesse seemely and commodious place for such a purpose 12 Hath thy Faith lost its feeling and besides doth God looke upon thee with an angry countenance and is thy heart filled with heavinesse and horror Yet for all this let the hand of Faith by no meanes loose it hold-fast upon the precious sufferings and saving bloud-shed of thy deare Redeemer Thou hast before thee a matchlesse and transcendent precedent in this point Thus cryes holy Iob having besides his unparalelled varietie and extremitie of outward afflictions the Arrowes of the Almightie sticking fast in him and drinking up his spirits Though hee kill me yet will I trust in him Cap. 13. 15. So Abraham Rom. 4. 18. 13 Doest thou day after day poure out thy soule in prayer before the Throne of Grace with all the earnestnesse and instancie thou canst possibly and doest thou still rise up dull and heavie and uncomforted without answer from God or comfortable sence of his favour and love shed into thine heart Why yet pray still assuredly at length thou shalt be gloriously refreshed and registred in the remembrance of God for a Christian of excellent faith See a patterne of rare and extraordinarie patience this way Math. 15. 23. c. 14 Doth the World Sathan carnall men thine owne friends formall Teachers suppose and censure thee to be a dissembler in thy profession and will needes concurrently and confidently fasten upon thee the imputation of Hypocrisie Why yet for all this let thy sincere heart conscious to it selfe of it owne truth in holy services like a strong Pillar of Brasse beat backe and reject with noble contempt and glorious disdaine all their impoysoned Arrowes of malice and slander this way Thou hast a right worthy patterne in the Booke of God for this purpose Iob had against him not onely the Devill his enemie pushing at him with his poysoned weapons but even his owne friends scourging him with their tongues yea his owne Wife a Thorne pricking him in the eye yea his owne God miserably lashing his naked soule with Scorpions powerfull motives to make him suspect himselfe of former halting and hollow-heartednesse in the wayes of God yet notwithstanding all this his good and honest heart having beene long before acquainted with and knit unto his God with sinceritie and truth makes him boldly