the Word preached and taught read receiue or what duty else wee are to perform in Gods seruice chearefulnesse is required And indeed this is that which puts the difference betwixt the godly and the wicked in all Christian dueties whatsoeuer The wicked man with Cain comes with his Sacrifice as well as Abel And so for hearing reading prayer receyuing and the like the Hipocrite comes so maskt vnto these duties that the child of God at all times is not able to decerne betwixt them both the godly and the wicked yet if they would sit as Iudge ouer their owne hearts they might euen by the rule of this Doctrine Note perceiue a great difference for the one doth performe these duties for fashion sake for feare of the Law shame punishment or the like whereas the child of God doth performe them willingly and chearefully notwithstanding no temporall Law did require the same but onely in obedience vnto Gods most righteous lawes and holie commandements And surely there can be no greater ioy to any Christian soule then to know how God the Father is affected vnto him and loues him as his child to know that Iesus Christ hath been content to shed his owne heart bloud to saue his soule and to know the power of Gods Spirit weakning our corruption and making vs to cry Abba Father this knowledge passeth all knowledge in the world Rom. 8.15 this wil bring peace of conscience and ioy in the Holy Ghost Seeing that wee must seeke after Knowledge so willingly and so chearefully Vse as the Huntsman after his game And so that all duties in Gods worshippe and seruice are to be performed of vs willingly and chearefully we learn how God doth esteeme of our actions and that not according to the worke it selfe but according to the affection of the doer This is cleare by the Lords own words when he sayth This people come neare mee with their mouth Esa 29.13 and honour mee with their lips but their hearts are farre from mee Alas what the better to draw neare to the Lord with our lippes when our hearts are from the Lord It is the seruice of the heart that tht Lord looks after and this was Ezechias comfort and cheare when he was to goe the way of all flesh that hee could say in truth of heart Esa 28.3 Remember Lord that I haue walked before thee in truth and with an vpright heart And what is the cause why carnall men and women neuer seeke for this knowledge but come alwayes to the Ministery of the Word for custome and for fashion sake Alas they could neuer find the excellency of this Knowledge they neuer felt the power of this Knowledge they neuer yet tasted of the sweetnesse of this Knowledge then no maruell they prize it not nor heare it with any chearefulnesse at all Oh then let vs all labour to feele our spirituall want of it that so wee may hunger and thirst after it as the spirituall foode of our Soules Then shall wee endeuour our selues to know the Lord. One thing more may be noted from these words that seeing the child of God vpon his Repentance true conuersion vnto God Doct. hath not onely true sanctified Knowledge Gods children labour for an encrease of knowledge dayly in thē Then shall wee haue Knowledge but more then that Wee shall endeuour our selues to know the Lord that is not rest content with a small measure of the Knowledge of Gods will but to attaine euerie day to a greater measure of the same Hence wee are taught this point of Doctrine that the children of God are not content with a little knowledge but they still desire for more and labour to grow and to encrease in Knowledge The couetous man the more hee hath the more hee couets Euen so the Christian man and woman is right couetous of heauenly matters hee couets dayly for more knowledge in the Word to haue a greater part in this blessed Knowledge of God and of our saluation by Iesus Christ and in this regard the child of God is like vnto a man in a dropsie the more he drinks the more he is a thirst Euen so the more knowledge the child of God hath the more he hungers and thirsts after this Knowledge that he may grow in the same And this is a speciall point to bee noted that there is no standing at a stay in Religion for eyther wee must goe forward or backward eyther wee must grow dayly in Knowledge 1. Thes 4.4 or else we must needs decay in Knowledge And for this cause Saint Paul doth often pray for those Churches to whom hee writes that they may grow in Knowledge and spirituall vnderstanding and Saint Peter hee exhorts vs 1. Pet. 2.2 As new borne Babes to desire the sincere milke of the Word that wee may grow thereby Where hee layes down three most excellent points First that here wee be but as babes in Knowledge and children in vnderstanding of the Word Wee know heere but in part Secondly hee shewes the means whereby we must encrease in knowledge namely the sincere Milke of the Word of God the Preaching of the Gospell of Christ it is the foode of our soules whereby wee must bee nourished to eternall Life And thirdly the end of the preaching the Gospell namely that wee may grow in knowledge grow in faith grow in obedienc so that though men heare the Word yet if they grow not and are not bettered by it they are no good hearers the Word hath no good fruit in them This duty of growing and increasing in Knowledge and all spirituall graces is often vrged in the Scripture 1. Cor. 13.9 1. Thes 4.4 2. Pet. 3.18 Heb. 6.1 Pro. 4.18 We beseech you brethren exhort you in the Lord Iesus that yee encrease more and more grow in grace And againe Let vs bee ledde forward to perfection And the Prophet compares the graces of God in the Elect to the waters flowing from the Sanctuary Ezec. 47.3 which were at the first to the Ancles then to the Knees next to the Loynes and last to a Riuer that could not bee passed ouer So are the graces of God in the Elect though their beginning be but small yet they encrease dayly till they come to that full measure the which the Lord hath allotted to euery Christian The Doctrine being thus cleared wee will now come to the vses of the same Vse This Doctrine doth concerne vs all very neerely wee professe our selues Schollers in the Schoole of Christ now then let vs not proue Trewants after long teaching and preaching to proue ignorant of the Principles of Religion as the a.b.c. If our children goe to Schoole and learne nothing it must needs be that they play the Truants or else they haue a bad Master Euen so we being long taught in the word what shame is it that wee should still proue ignorant of the Word of God We are trees
4.23 thus particularly to know and beleeue that Iesus Christ is their Iesus and Sauiour who hath died for them to saue their soules And indeed this is the sweetnesse of the Gospell and the marrow of all Religion not simply to know that Iesus Christ is a Sauiour but to know that hee is my Sauiour not simply to know that he died for sinners but for mee the chiefe of al sinners not simply to know that there is an eternall life but to know that there is eternall life layde vp for me So that wee see that it is not inough for a Christian to know the history of the Bible that Iesus Christ is the Sauiour of the world and dyed for those which beleeue in him for this knowledge the Deuill himselfe hath hee knoweth and doth acknowledge Iesus Christ to bee the Sauiour of the world but wee must labour for this particular knowledge this certaine and experimentall knowledge so as wee can say in truth of heart Note I beleeue and know that Iesus Christ is not onely the Sauiour of the world but my Sauiour not onely that he dyed for them which beleeue in him but that hee dyed for me and shedde his bloud to saue my soule And though this were true that though but one man or woman in the whole world should bee saued yet we ought to haue this certaine knowledge to beleeue I am the man I am the woman and they which haue this certaine and vnfalilble knowledge they are in the right way to eternal life but they which haue only a general and confused knowledge swimming in the braine alas they abide in death The third speciall thing which wee must know is the Spirite of God How God the holy Ghost is to be knowne of vs. when as we can find and feele the worke of Gods Spirit within vs when wee acknowledge him to bee the author and sole worker of this knowledge when wee can know by experience in our owne selues in our soules and consciences that the Spirit of Christ is in vs Gal. 2 20. 2. Cor. 13.5 that wee can say with the Apostle Christ liueth in mee and that hee doth make vs with boldnesse to call vpon God and to cry vnto him Abba father Rom. 8.15 when wee doe feele the blessed worke of the Spirit to mortifie our corrupt nature by little and little weakening the strength of sinne and naturall corruption within vs and dayly raysing vs vp to newnesse of life and repayring in vs more more the blessed image of God in holinesse and righteousnesse which hath greatly defaced in vs by reason of sinne and Sathan This is that Knowledge which whosoeuer finds put and powred into their soules by the Spirit of Christ Iesus they are happy and blessed they are in reall possession of eternall life but as for those which want this knowledge seeme they neuer so excellent nor thinke they neuer so well of themselues they bee but miserable and cursed and abide in eternall death and damnation Doct. Hauing thus at large shewed what is that knowledge heere spoken of Ignorance of God and his word in matters of Religion is dangerous and also the excellent fruits effects that come from it and what it is that wee must know as also what great profite this knowledge brings to all those which haue it namely eternall life It shall not now bee amisse to consider in a word how dangerous a thing it is to want this sauing knowledge what great misery come to men and women by ignorance and want of knowledge The blessed Sonne of God himselfe who being most true nay the very truth and life it selfe when he would shew the root and very spawne of sinne and iniquity hee tels the Scribes Pharisees Mat. 22.29 Yee erre because yee know not the Scriptures and the power of God And to what should we impute this in these dayes that men runne into errors and teach false heretical nay damnable doctrine surely to this because men know not the Scripture and haue no knowledge in the word What is the cause that men liue in sinne in drunkennesse whoredome adultery swearing couetousnesse c Alas the cause of all is this because they haue no knowledge There is an excellent place to this purpose in the Prophet Hosea Hos 1.2 where the Lord by his Prophet takes vp a great and grieuous complaint against the inhabitants of the land because there was no Mercy nor Truth to bee found but that men liued in Swearing lying killing whoring theeuing c. And the reason of all these is there layde down in these words There is no knowledge of God in the land Read the fourth Chapter of Leuiticus Leuit. 4. and there it wil appeare how highly Almighty God condemned this sin of Ignorance by those Sacrifices that were to bee offered vp euen for the same Heb. 2.1 Now Ignorance is threefold 1. It is a simple and meere ignorance 2. Is a carelesse ignorance 3. Is a wilfull and an affected ignorance All these kinds of ignorance are heere forbidden and condemned as the greatest enemies to this knowledge The first of these is simply for want of meanes 1 Of simple ignorance which few men in these dayes and times wherein wee liue are able to obiect for the voyce of Gods Ministers haue sounded the Lords Trumpet of warning in most places of this land so that if men now should bee ignorant it must needs bee a wilfull and an affected ignorance for by the mercy of our God wee liue now in such times as knowledge is euen thrust vpon men both by publike authority and the restlesse labours of Gods faithfull Ministers 2. Cor. 4. so that we may conclude with the Apostle If the Gospell bee hid it is hid to them that perish whom the Prince of this World hath blinded their minds yet notwithstanding that men should want these means of knowledge yet wil not their ignorance excuse them in the day of the Lord It may excuse à tanto but not à toto as Diuines affirme their punishment may be something the lesse but it shal not free them from hauing any at all The second kind of ignorance that is heere condemned as an vtter engine to this knowledge 2 Of carelesse ignorance is carelesse ignorance which is indeed the onely sinne of these times when hauing the means of knowledge we care not for it but neglect and contemne it this is farre worse then the former and if the former sort of ignorance will not excuse a man much lesse will this Oh it is the sinne of thousands in the world at this day that out of negligence and carelesnesse neglect the meanes of knowledge offered vnto them 2. Cor. 4. Oh what a fearefull sinne is this considering that if the Gospell bee hidde it is hid to them that perish and that Christ Iesus will come at the last to render Vengeance
counterfeit repentance of Hypocrites from the fourth verse to the end of the Chapter which was neither sound nor sincere nor yet durable and lasting whereof wee must take heed and labour to auoyde all hypocrisie in the seruice of God who as hee is a spirite so he loues truth in the inward affections And will bee serued in spirit and truth Psal 51.6 The three first verses containe a most holy and christian perswasion of the beleeuing Iewes Text diuided to turne vnto the Lord from all their sinnes especially from that vile and horrible sinne of Idolatry And in the same we are to consider three things First the motion and godly perswasion which the children of God make one to another Come let vs returne c. Secondly the reasons and arguments which they vse to enforce their godly exhortation to perswade each other to turne vnto the Lord and they bee two especially The first drawn from the iustice of God in these two words Hee hath spoyled hee hath wounded The other drawne from the mercy of God in these words Hee will heale vs hee will bind vs vp And because this argument taken from the mercy of God is a reason of all reasons and such an argument as Paul makes choyse of aboue all others saying I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that yee giue vp your bodies Rom. 12.5 c. As if he should say If the manifold mercies of God both for soule and body if the bloudshed of Iesus Christ will not moue a man to turne vnto God he is in a wofull case I say because this argument is of speciall force to moue hard-hearted sinners to turne vnto God The people of God in this place vrge it further and amplifie this argument by two other circumstances First The shortnes of the time After two dayes hee will reuiue vs and the third day hee will rayse vs vp If wee draw neere vnto him by true and vnfained repentance The other circumstance is taken from the greatnesse of Gods mercy Hee will reuiue vs Hee will rayse vs vp answerable to the two former words He hath spoyled vs he hath wounded vs So here the mercy of God exceedes his iustice for it is not sayde that hee had kilde vs or cast vs away but onely spoyled vs and wounded vs with a blow or stripe or twaine But his mercy is aboue all his workes for though he had vtterly killed vs yet he will reuiue vs Nay hee will rayse vs vp though wee had layne not foure dayes but foure hundred dayes in the graue of sinne yet his mercifull right hand can and will rayse vs vp againe The third speciall thing in these verses is the fruits of repentance and of true conuersion If we doe truly repent and draw neere vnto God by Conuersion The first fruit of our Repentance is this That as wee draw neere vnto God by true and vnfained Repentance so he will draw neere vnto vs and Wee shall liue in his sight that is in his fauour and in the light of his countenance Nay wee that are truely conuerted shall liue and behaue our selues as euer in Gods presence and before his blessed face The second fruit of our true Conuersion and sincere Repentance is Ioh. 17.3 That wee shall haue knowledge The Lord will in mercy poure into our hearts the true sauing knowledge of himselfe euen the knowledge of the whole Trinity Father Sonne and holy Ghost Nay wee shall not onely haue this heauenly knowledge poured into our hearts by the Spirite of Iesus Christ but as a man in a dropsie the more hee drinkes the more he thirsts and desires drinke so Wee shall indeuour our selues to know the Lord That is wee shall hunger and thirst after this heauenly knowledge as the food of our soules and neuer to be glutted with it but labour to abound more and more in it The third fruit of our Conuersion is in the third verse That as wee doe by true and vnfained repentance draw neare vnto our God So will he be most ready to helpe and to comfort vs. The Lords comming foorth is prepared as the morning True it is that the sense and feeling of Gods mercy is oftentimes extinguished in the hearts of his children as the comfortable light and beames of the Sunne vnder a thicke cloud or when it is gone vnder the earth So as oftentimes wee thinke that God forgets vs and hides himselfe from vs But his comming to helpe vs is Prepared and therefore most certaine and he shall come as the Morning most comfortably vnto vs. Euen as the bright beames and cleare countenance and face of the Sunne after a windy tempestuous stormy and boysterous night is very comfortable So the bright beames of Gods mercies breaking foorth and shining vpon our hearts after a darke and cloudy night of affliction it is most comfortable to glad and reioyce the distressed Soule of a poore sinner Nay in the second similitude hee shewes that the comming of the Lord shall bee not onely ioyfull and very comfortable but most effectuall to a wounded Soule that lyes languishing vnder the heate of Gods wrath that as helpe long looked for and in time of greatest danger is of al other most welcome so when the Lord shall come with helpe and deliuerance after great danger and long expected this is most set by and most esteemed And therefore the Prophet sayeth The Lord will come as the raine euen as the latter raine vnto the earth Now as moderate raine is welcome at all times so especially in the heate of summer after a great and a long drought when the earth is scorched with the heate of the Sunne and begins to capper and gape for want of moisture so then a gracious raine a sweet shower is most welcome then it doth most good not onely to cherish the thirstie and scorched earth but also to ripen the fruites of the field and to bring them to perfection Euen so when a poore Soule doth pant and breath vnder the burthen of his sinnes and is scorched with the burning heate of affliction then if the Lord in mercie send a gracious storme and comfortable raine into our thirsty soules and send a heauenly shower of his blessed mercy Nay if he distill but one little droppe of his mercy in the burning heate of affliction this is most welcome this is most comfortable to asswage and to comfort the heate of a sinner scorched and tormented for feare of the burning anger and wrath of God against sinne Thus much briefly for the vnfoulding of the words and the meaning of them in generall IN the former Chapter the Lord told them Coher that hee would bring great and grieuous Iudgements vpon them vntill such time as they would turne and seeke him confessing their sinnes and amending their euill liues And in the last verse of the former Chapter the Lord saith In their afflictions they will seeke me diligently Shewing
off their sinnes which were preuented by death and neuer performed the same Yea although thou diddest know that thou shouldest liue long yet oughtest thou to repent soone for then is thy repentance most acceptable to God when thou doest offer it in the prime of thy youth and in the flower of thy age In the sacrifices of the Lord Deu. 15.21 Mal. 1. Pro. 1. Mat. 25.11 they were commanded to offer a Male of a yeare olde withou spot and blemish and they that offered the blinde and the lame were reproued How then should the Lord accept of thy crooked sacrifice of olde age which is as lame and blind before God and the Lord doth seldome accept of it Nay it is rather most iust with God that at the last hee should reiect vs and our prayers who haue before contemned him in the strength of our yeares when that God did cry and call vnto vs. Oh what yelling and crying wil there bee at the last Lord Lord open vnto vs. When that heauy Depart from mee yee cursed I know you not shall bee their portion Oh that men were wise then would they consider their latter end Let vs looke vnto the practise of men in temporall affayres and learne to bee wise What makes the husbandman to breake his sleepe to rise vp so earely and to bee so diligent in plowing digging and sowing Aske him and hee will tell thee the season requires it and the time lost cannot bee redeemed And shall wee thinke that wee haue repentance at commaund no no thou mayest seeke it at last euen with teares Heb. 12.17 as Esau did and yet goe without it if thou omittest the season time when God doth now offer the same vnto thee Let this that hath bin spoken serue for the confirmation of the euerlasting truth of this Doctrine that men must defer no time to repent to turn vnto the Lord. Now let vs see some reasons that may enforce the same The first reason shewing the necessity of timely repentance Reasons to shew the necessity of timely repentance may bee taken from the great vncertainty of mans life if hee omit the present occasion when it is offered for God doth call home from his worke some in the morning some at noone and some at night For as his Labourers enter into his Vineyard so they goe out that is in such manner and at such howres Mat. 20 1.2. c some dye in the dawning of their life passing as it were from one graue to another some dye in their youth as in the third howre some at middle age and some stay vntill the euening of mans yeares that is old age yet more before ten then after threescore Luk. 12.20 Gen. 6. That rich man in the Gospell that promised vnto himselfe many yeares to come had in a moment of time his soule taken from him The old world neuer thought themselues more freer or surer from vengeance then when they were eating drinking Luk. 17.27 marrying wiues c. But then did the iudgements of God ouertake them The morning was fayre when Lot went out of Sodom Gen. 19.23 and yet before night lay Sodom in ashes Herod was well when he beganne his Oration to the people but by and by after Act. 12.23 1. Thes 5.3 the Angell of the Lord stroke him that hee was eaten vp of worms and so gaue vp the Ghost What then is our life and how vaine and false is our hope of long life Shall any say with Agag Surely the bitternesse of death is past 1. Sam. 15.32 because wee dye not so soone as others when wee heare a solemne knell we say some body is departed and why should we not thinke that the feet of them who carryed out that body is at the dore to carry vs out also Act. 5.9 so that if wee deferre our repentance but one day yea but one houre we haue no warrant to assure vs that wee can repent the next but that the Lord may preuent vs by death and so we perish Secondly if wee slip the oportunity of well doing when God doth offer the same vnto vs we shall bee more vnapt and vnfit afterwards whilest the waxe is plyable it is the fittest time to set on the seale whereas if it coole againe it will then hardly receiue any impression Euen so if our hearts euer beginne to soften and to yeeld if wee now resist the spirit of God and the worke of grace we shall hardly haue the like oportunity againe as at the first And therefore that which Salomon exhorteth in the case of vowes is to bee practised of all holy purposes and good desires Eccl. 5.3 Wee must not deferre nor bee flacke to performe them And this hath beene carefully practised of the godly Psal 119.60 Dauid sayth of himselfe I haue considered my wayes and turned my feet into thy testimonies I made hasâ—â— Luk. 19.6 Act. 8.36 and prolonged not the time to keep thy commandements Dauid doth not take any dayes with God like a bad debter day after day and keepe none of them but whatsoeuer good duty hee had purposed in his heart he would presently performe the same Zacheus came downe hastely and receyued Christ ioyfully The Eunuch being instructed in the sauing knowledge of his saluation by the preaching of Philip so soone as euer he name where water was hee would be baptized land receiue the Seale of grace and as this care is to bee had of euery Christian in the performance of all holy duties so especially in the worke of repentance because the longer a man doth put off his repentance the harder will it bee for him to performe the same at last Ier. 13.23 Can the Blacke-More change his skin or the Leopard his spots Then may they do good that haue beene accustomed to doe euill The Prophet doth account it as a thing almost impossible for a man that hath a long time continued in sinne to leaue the same and to become a good man at the last Oh when sinne growes vp with a man it will grow at the last to bee so inward with him as his dearest friend and being so long acquainted together and bred in the bone they will handly part or out of the flesh Oh that men would consider this that the custome of sinne causeth a hardning in sinne for so sayth the Apostle Rom. 2.5 Thou after thine hardnesse and heart that cannot repent heapest vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath And that custome will adde to nature turne sinne vnto nature that a man can bee no more without it then his naturall food This is the danger that those are in that defer their repentance the harder is their recouery at the last Reas 3 Thirdly and lastly all our seruice whatsoeuer is onely due vnto the Lord our selues our soules and bodies and all that wee haue the Lord doth iustly challenge
throweth his children into continuall miseries and afflictions Answere continuall pouerty and sicknesse all their dayes and the paine of a wounded conscience and troubled spirit till their last end yet it is for their good for by this meanes the Lord wil purge their corrupt cankered hearts to humble them throughly and to exercise their faith and patience to mortifie their carnall hearts to make them more earnest with God in praier and by their continuall afflictions to preserue and keepe them and preuent them from manifold sinnes and rebellions And yet notwithstanding God heares his children in their miseries and forsakes them not but in two dayes or at the most in three dayes that is in a very short time sends them comfort though hee take not their afflictions away yet he giues them that which is better for them Our Sauiour Christ prayed vnto his Father most earnestly with cries and teares to be freed from death Heb. 5.7 And was heard in that hee feared How was our Sauiour Christ heard in his Petition praying to be freed from death and yet hee must needes taste of the bitter cuppe of death Ans He was heard on this manner first in that hee was strengthned not onely to beare and suffer the death vpon the Crosse but to ouercome it and to vanquish it his Father sent an Angell to comfort him and afterward he was freed from the sorrowes of death And so it is with the poore members of Christ they be afflicted they liue in sorrow in pouerty in sicknesse in griefe of mind Well the Lord he giues them patience to suffer this affliction so as it is not tedious and grieuous vnto them and by his continuall afflicting of them he humbles them and purges them of their cankered corruption and stirres vp in them the feruency of prayer makes them out of loue with the world and makes them more to hunger after his mercy and to depend on his fatherly goodnes And thus though men thinke God forgets vs in our afflictions yet hee doth remember vs and giues vs that which is better for vs then if hee should altogether remoue his correction Iacob serued seuen yeers for Rahel and it seemed vnto him but a few dayes because hee loued her Gen. 29.20 And surely if we be perswaded of the loue of God that though hee afflict vs seuen times seuen yeares wee shall thinke it but a short time But the child of God oft complains that they be afflicted not onely with continuall pouerty and sicknesse but that they bee tormented with griefe of Soule and feele the heauy burthen of their sinnes and the anger of God against them for the same yet remember what befell thy Lord and Master Iesus Christ when hee went to execution the cruell Iewes made him carry his owne Crosse on his backe so long till hee could carry it no longer hee was so faint then behold the Lord sent a good Symon of Syren to carrie his Crosse for him So art thou crossed with affliction is thy soule wounded with the griefe and smart of sinne and doest thou pant and breath vnder the heauy burthen of the Crosse remember what thy Sauiour sayth vnto thee Come vnto mee all yee that trauell and bee heauy laden Mat. 11.28 and I will refresh you If thou canst runne to Iesus Christ in the middest of thy griefe and misery by true repentance and earnest prayer then he will become a blessed Simon to beare thy Crosse for thee hee will put vnder his owne shoulder hee will take thy sinnes and the anger of God and beare them on his owne backe and if wee can but fling our selues into the blessed Armes of his mercy hee will giue euerlasting rest vnto our soules And lastly whereas many of Gods children complaine Lam. 1.12 as Ieremy See if there were euer any sorrow like my sorrow And as the Prophet Dauid complaines Hath God forgotten to bee gracious and hath hee shut vp his louing kindnesse in displeasure Yet they must know and confesse that God doth in a short time comfort his children and that his afflictions are neyther troublesome nor tedious for though they last for the space of a mans life what is a mans life but a spanne long and a thousand yeares with God are but as a day Againe when they bee past and gone though they lasted many yeares it seemes but a short time And what is twenty yeares affliction in comparison of eternall ioy and happinesse in heauen who had not rather leade their liues in misery here then in eternall torment in Hell fire in the life to come Well seeing the afflictions of Gods children bee Vse 2 but light and moment any and last but for a few daies wee must learne that lesson which Saint Paul teacheth vs namely to reioyce in affliction knowing Rom. 5.3 that affliction bringeth foorth patience patience in suffering bringeth forth experience of Gods loue and fauour and experience hope and hope makes vs rest our selues wholly content to wayte the Lords leasure and were it not for this hope that God wil one day ease vs the hearts of Gods children would burst in sunder and his hope makes vs not ashamed seeing that such is the loue of God that he neuer failes nor forsakes his children Many indeed are our infirmities feares cares sorrowes and troubles heere yet in the middest of them all wee must say with the Prophet Psal 42.5 Why art thou cast downe Oh my Soule and why art thou disquieted within mee Wayte on God for I will yet giue him thanks he is my present helpe and my God Let vs not therfore despayre in the time of trouble Rom. 16.20 The God of peace shall tread Sathan vnder your feet shortly he is faithfull which hath promised Affliction must bee our portion heere wee must then get faith and patience into our soules that so we may hold out vnto the end The third generall obseruation is the deliuerance it selfe with the seuerall fruits and benefites therof in these words Hee will reuiue vs hee will rayse vs vp The deliuerance it selfe and wee shall liue in his sight Eph. 2.1 which words are expounded by the Apostle Paul when hee sayth Yee that were dead in trtspasses and sinnes hath hee quickned Meaning thereby that vntill such time as wee are quickned and that the Lord doth reuiue vs by the grace of Regeneration wee be no better then dead men howsoeuer we walke and talke heare and performe the actions of men yet in respect of any spirituall life or any spirituall actions alas wee are starke dead till the Lord reuiue vs this being so wee learne hence a twofold Doctrine First that by nature we are all starke dead in trespasses and sins And secondly that our Regeneration is as hardly wrought as to raise vp a dead man and to restore him againe to life Doct. 3 For the first of these wee are taught heere what we are by nature
All men by nature are dead in respect of any spirituall life namely dead in trespasses and sinnes sin is the bane and death of our soules for the Wages of sinne is death Death bringeth vs into the full and absolute power of the Deuill that wee are all of vs thus seruants vnto sinne It is plain by the Apostles complaint Eph. 2.1 Rom. 6.23 Rom. 7.14 Rom. 6.16 Gen. 2.17 I am carnall sold vnder sinne and then vnto whom soeuer wee giue our selues as seruants to obey his seruants we are Now that we are all by nature seruants vnto sin and vnto death it cannot bee denied for what was it that God sayd vnto Adam In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death As soone as Adam had sinned presently the sentence tooke place and Adam is now become the child of death and eternall destruction became his portion and this is the condition of all Adams posterity there is not the greatest the noblest the wealthiest nor the fayrest amongst the sonnes of men but wee are thus bound till the Sonne make vs free Men are not onely sicke with sinne or wounded by sinne or halfe dead but starke dead bereft of all spirituall sense and motion And this doth the Apostle most liuely effectually set out vnto vs in another place when he sayth Yee were once darknes Eph. 5.8 but now are light in the Lord He doth not say we were in darknesse Io. 3.6 for then perhaps wee might haue come of our selues into the light againe But yee were darknesse Darknesse it selfe yea nothing else but Darknesse and hence againe is it that naturall men are called Flesh not Fleshly but flesh it selfe and the wisdom that is Rom. 8.7 the best part that can bee in a naturall man what is it but Enmitie with God it may bring a man to Hell but it cannot lead him one inch nearer vnto heauen and therefore being thus starke dead in sinne Alas what can a dead man doe to helpe himselfe No more can a natural man moue so much as one finger to procure saluation to himselfe no no being dead in sinne we cannot so much as thinke one good thought much lesse haue wee free will of our selues to seeke for saluation vntil such time as the Lord hath reuiued vs and quickned vs by the Spirit of grace Lazarus in the Gospell had layne dead foure dayes in the graue so as hee beganne to rotte and to stinke yet when our Sauiour Christ cryed with a loud voyce Lazarus Io. 11. come foorth hee arose incontinently and came and stood foorth This is our case and condition yea the estate and condition of euery soule in the world we be starke dead in trespasses and sinnes nay we lye rotting and putrifying in the graue of our sinnes and vntill Iesus Christ by his spirit and loude voyce of the preaching of the Gospell which is the Word of life shal breath within vs the breath of life and reuiue vs poore soules wee cannot moue so much as one little finger to the Kingdome of heauen This may serue in the first place to confute that erroneous Vse 1 Doctrine of the Papists who say that a man hath naturally Free-will in himselfe by vertue whereof hee can dispose himselfe to the worke of his regeneration Condemnes the Doctrine of the Papists touching Free Will whose opinion if it were granted then were the power of God lesse seene in our second birth then in our first birth which were iniurious to the Spirit of God so to thinke for what can a dead man do to his owne quickning and raysing vp from the graue can hee turne himselfe or any way fitte or prepare himselfe to bee raysed surely no it is altogether impossible nay let a dead man haue all the helpe that may be to bee Raysed vp yet vnlesse the soule bee giuen vnto him all is in vaine so fareth it with the naturall man he can by no meanes dispose himselfe to any spirituall action or motion vnlesse some spirituall life be put into him But what sayeth the Aduersary he may giue his consent to his quickning though hee quicken not himsele But say I what consent call wee the consent of a man that is dead but not to stand vpon their presumptuous doctrine of Free wil the which amongst many other points of Popery maintained by them hath lifted vp many so high amongst them with this vaine opinion of their own worthinesse that they find not themselues to stand in need for the Lord to lift them vp Then in the feare of God let euery man and woman Vse 2 and euery mothers child labour to see our misery to see our poore Soules how they lye rotting in sinne let vs Serues to humble vs in that wee are dead till the Lord quicken vs by his spirit seeing wee bee as the poore Flyes in Winter starke dead not able to moue our little finger to heauen pray vnto the Lord that hee would cause the blessed Sunne-shine of his Word and Gospell to shine vpon vs to warme our cold and benummed soules to quicken our dead consciences by the word of Life and the blessed worke of his holy Spirit for so long as God doth not quicken vs nor reuiue vs alas our soules be dead in sinne and this death is the next step vnto eternall death in the fire of Hell And therefore their case is dangerous and miserable which sleepe snort in sin lye starke dead in the graue of sin vntill it please the Lord to reuiue them by the preaching of the Gospell which is the Power of God vnto Saluation to Reuiue and to quicken our dead soules This being so Note we see then it is no maruell though many that are present in the Assemblies of Gods people at the preaching of the Word and yet reape no profite by it the reason is they are dead now sound a Trumpet in a dead mans eare and he heares it not Euen so Esay 58. let the Minister of Gods Word cry neuer so loude lift vp his voyce like a Trumpet men are no more moued eyther with the comforts of the Word or with the threates of the Law then the seates men sit on because they are dead till the Lord doe please to put life into them And as for those that haue eares to heare with profite and comfort blesse God for it and giue him the glory for so great a mercy for certaine it is by nature the condition of all men is alike till the Lord hath wrought in vs the worke of grace and Reuiued vs with the breath of life Oh what cause then hath man by nature to swell with pride or to bee lifted vp with any conceit at all of his owne worthinesse though they haue neuer so many excellent parts of nature as wit capacity strength beauty or outward gifts as riches honour authority c. yet surely men may see that if
alone that must open our hearts as hee did the heart of Lydea and annoint our blind eyes Act. 16 Reu 3.18 else wee shall neuer see And therefore the Spirit of God is sayd to reueale such things vnto men as neuer came into the heart of any carnal man once to thinke 1. Cor. 2.10 Euen the secret things of God And what bee those surely such things as the most learned in the world maybe ignorant of And the poore vnlearned and vnlettered man may haue greater knowledge in these then the greatest Doctor of all namely Note the Spirit of God makes knowne to his children the loue of God in Iesus Christ the pardon of sin hee sees in his Soule and conscience Rom. 8.15 what a blessed thing it to haue the pardon of sin to feele the comfortable power of Gods Spirit teaching vs to cry to him Abba Father and none else can haue this same sauing knowledge of God so as the same may be powerfull and effectuall vnto their soules and consciences saue the children of God How God the Father is to be known of vs. Deu. 6.6 Math. 22.37 Luk. 10.17 Now concerning God the Father wee must know and acknowledge and that truely soundly and beleeuing that hee is the onely true God and that there is none other God in heauen or earth but him alone therefore he alone must bee adored worshipped beleeued and prayed vnto as the onely true God Secondly wee must know and acknowledge that God the Father is not onely the true God but our God not onely the Father of Christ but also our Father and hath adopted vs to be his children in Iesus Christ and hath put his Spirit into our hearts whereby we cry Abba father he that doth thus know God is in the right way to eternal life But he that cannot thus beleeue God sauingly 2. Tim. 1.12 soundly and particularly that the onely true God is his God and that the Father of Iesus Christ is his Father that he loues him as his child and will bestow the Kingdom of Heauen vpon him as his inheritance alas hee abides in death and hath not this sanctified knowledge of God within him Then wee must not rest vpon this bare knowledge to know that God the Father is the onely true God the Father of Christ for this is a bare knowledge a naked knowledge and such a knowledge as may befal a wicked man Iam. 2. Mar. 1.23 yea the Deuill himselfe for he beleeues and trembles he acknowledgeth Christ to be the Sonne of God And yet alas how many thousand soules amongst vs come short of this knowledge of God which the Deuill hath how many feare tremble to thinke of God and of the day of iudgement but let vs euery one euery man and euery woman and euery mothers child amongst vs if we would not bee in worse case then the Deuill himselfe labour to goe beyond the Deuill and all wicked men watsoeuer to know and that soundly and particularly that the onely true God is our God and that the Father of Christ is our Father that wee labour to get assurance of his loue towards vs that he loues vs as his children and wil bestow the kingdome of heauen vpon vs at the last And if wee thus know God to be our God and our blessed Father wee must labour to performe all such duties as belong vnto him as our God and louing Father First that man that beleeues God to be the true God and vnto him a louing Father Duties that are to be performed vnto God this man must imitate him and follow him for it is the will of God that his Children should be like vnto himselfe Secondly euery one that knoweth and beleeueth God to be the true God and in Christ his Father this man must as a good child bee obedient to his fathers will in all things for of them doth God the Father approue of to bee his children And hence it is that God sayth If I be a Master where is my feare Mal. 1.6 Mat. 12.50 If I bee a Father where is my honour And againe Whosoeuer shall doe my Fathers will which is in Heauen the same is my Brother my Sister and Mother M. Perkins on the Creed Where wee see plainely taught vs this second duty that if God be our Father then as good children wee should shew obedience vnto him but if we disobey him then we must know that that saying of Christ wil be verefied vpon vs Yee are of your Father the Deuill Io. 8.44 for the works of the Deuill yee will do And indeed no man can be so like to his Father that begot him as are the disobedient and rebellious sinners like to their Sire the Deuill Thirdly euery one that knoweth and beleeueth God to be the true God and in Christ his Father hee must learne to beare all crosses and outward afflictions patiently knowing that they come from God to wayte for deliuerance from him For whom God loueth hee chastiseth If two children should be fighting and a man comming by should part them and giue correction to one of them euery man would conceiue that hee were his child whom he corrected and surely when the Lord doth lay his rod heauiest vpon his children yet euen then doth hee shew himselfe a louing Father vnto vs Now if our earthly Fathers corrected vs and wee gaue them reuerence taking it patiently should wee not much rather bee in subiection to the Father of Spirits that we may liue In a word if wee thus know God to bee our God and our blessed Father we must loue him as our God and Father feare him as our God obey him beleeue in him rest vpon him both in prosperity and aduersity as vpon our mercifull God The second thing to bee knowne to eternall life is Iesus Christ the Sonne of God How God the Sonne is to be known of vs. And therefore seeing no man can know the Father vnlesse he know the Sonne therefore this knowledge is as necessary as the former and concerning this Saint Iohn sayth We must not onely know the Father but him also whom the Father hath sent Iesus Christ Now to that end wee may know him aright wee must know and beleeue particularly that hee is our Iesus our blessed Sauiour and Redeemer who by his perfect obedience and his bitter death and passion Reu. 1.7 hath saued vs from all our sinnes and from the curse of God and eternall damnation due to the same And in this one point is contained the height depth of all knowledge thus assuredly and beleeuingly to know in particular that Iesus Christ was sent of his Father that in our Nature he might die for our sinnes and rise againe for our iustification Oh blessed and thrice happy is that man and woman which hath this blessed knowledge put into their hearts by the spirit of God Rom.
hath promised to his children to comfort their wounded consciences Gods deliuerance compared to the morning in three respects and those that are in misery hee compares it to the rising of the Sunne and the bright and comfortable beames of the morning for these three causes First because that though the Lord doe seeme to forget his people for a time and deferre his helpe yet in his good time hee will come with abundance of comfort and cause the bright beams of his fauour and the cleare Sunne-shine of his mercy A Similie to shine into our distressed soules If a man were in a waste wildernesse in a darke and solemne night and see neyther Sunne Moone nor Starre but heare the fearefull and terrible roaring and velling of wilde beasts Oh how glad would this man be after a dangerous tempestuous stormy and solemne night to see the face of the Sunne and the comfortable dawning of the day Euen so what can bee more comfortable to a poore distressed Soule and a wounded conscience after many blacke and stormy nights of affliction when the conscience of a poore sinner is vpon the Racke and when a poore Soule shall see the anger of God against sinne see the torment of Hell and his owne conscience accusing him for sinne What can bee more comfortable or more longed for of such a man then to behold the bright beames of Gods mercy in Iesus Christ to see the comfortable face of God to shine vpon him and to haue a sense and feeling of his mercy Act. 27. When Paul and his company had not seene the Sunne nor Moone for a long season at length they were glad to see the light appeare Euen so when a poore soule hath beene plunged euen to the bottome of the sea of desperation and sees no one glaunce or glimmering of Gods mercy but rather hath a long time wrestled against the waues of desperation then to see but one sparke or glimmering of Gods mercy it is that which makes the hearts of Gods children to leape for ioy Secondly it pleaseth the Lord to compare his helpe to the rising of the Sunne because as nothing can hinder that from rising but it keepeth continually that course which God hath set it Euen so the Lord he hath prepared the helpe of his people and the Deuill nay all the Deuils in Hell cannot hinder him no more then wee can by all our skill and might hinder the rising of the Sunne And surely this is greatly for the comfort of Gods children that when the Lord is once Prepared and comming to helpe them no Creature in heauen or earth can stay or stop him Thirdly as the morning doth not diffuse and spread his light ouer the earth all at once but by degrees by little and little as the Sunne growes higher and higher Euen so the Lord for the most part makes his loue and his mercy known vnto men not all at once but by degrees by little and little as it seemes best to his Maiesty and for the comfort of his children Seeing the Lord is Prepared to helpe vs and that with abundance of comfort and so as no Creature no not the gates of Hell cannot hinder him but he will make his loue knowne vnto vs Wee must all learne to possesse our soules with patience to awayte the Lords leasure for our deliuerance not to prescribe vnto him the manner or the time when wee would be deliuered It is sufficient for vs to know that comfort is prepared Wee are ready in our troubles when we find not present helpe at hand to suppose the Lord to bee farre off and so grow impatient of delay cannot abide to wayte the Lords leysure so soon as Gods hand is layde vpon vs wee looke to haue it taken off and so soone as wee feele the heat of affliction we look that God should quench it This made the Prophet Dauid in the heat of his affliction to cry out Psal 10.1 Why standest thou so farre off O Lord and hidest thee in due time euen in affliction And in another place hee sayth Hath God forgotten to bee gracious and hath hee shut vp his louing kindnesse in displeasure Thus the children of God haue wonderfully beene assaulted and the flesh somtime wrestling against the Spirit preuaileth and for a time getteth the vpper hand But seeing our doctrine hath taught vs as wee haue heard that howsoeuer God doth humble his children for a time yet he forsaketh them not for euer but in the middest of all their afflictions and tryals mercy and deliuerance is prepared for them Let vs learne heere how great so euer our conflicts bee not to despayre of Gods mercy but to Tarry the Lords leysure for it will surely and certainly come euen as the Sun is sure to rise though it bee set for a time or hidden by a thicke cloud yet it will breake out and appeare most comfortably Vse 2 Seeing the Lords comming vnto the godly is prepared and therefore most certaine to come So the same shall come as the Sunne in the morning most comfortable Wee are taught heere that our deliuerance from God shall bee sure to come when wee can most of all prize it and when the same shall bee most welcome vnto vs. A Marchant takes his voyage into a farre Country A Similie and makes his reckoning within so many monethes to returne his louing wife at home about that time appointed with gladsome heart looketh dayly for his returne but by distresse of weather or some other accident she heares not of him or if shee doe the newes is most vncomfortable thus shee hath her heart possessed with sorrow hauing more cause of feare then hope At last when stee thinketh least her dearest husband returneth safe with great store of wealth who is able to expresse her ioy and is not her ioy the greater and her husband so much the more welcome for that he stayed so long Yes doubtlesse So it fareth with our God his delaying of comfort and deliuerance makes vs to prize the same the better when it doth come When wee haue layne a long time vnder the heat of Gods wrath and suffered a sore night of affliction when our sinnes haue mustered themselues before vs and gone ouer our heads as afore burthen too heauie for vs to beare and when wee shall seeme altogether lost in our selues then to be found of the Lord is most sweete and comfortable Oh it is the case of many of Gods deare children that haue vndergone a sore night of affliction and sorrow for sinne A principall comfort for the afflicted soule and haue been ready to say I am cast out of thy fauour yet hath the Lord at last answered their long expectation with a ioyful Morning of Sunne-shine of his mercy and fauour the bones that seemed to be broken haue reioyced Oh then let vs stay our soules vpon this that howsoeuer No chasticement for the present seemeth to be
Thirdly seeing the menaces and threatnings of Vse 3 God shall bee accomplished vpon the wicked and vngodly so is it true of the blessed promises of the Gospell so as looke what promise God hath made there either of pardon of sinne or of life and saluation they shall likewise bee performed wee are not to doubt of it for will God keepe touch with the wicked and will hee not much more remember his promise to his children this were iniurious to the Spirit of God so to thinke Oh then let vs learne to depend vpon God 2. Cor. 1.20 and to wayte duely vpon his gracious promises Knowing that all his promises are yea and Amen and Hee is faithfull which hath promised Let vs learne then to rest vpon him for the pardon of our sinnes the hearing of our prayers the resurrection of our dead bodies and life euerlasting the Lord is iust and true in all his promises Oh what a comfort is this to poore distressed soules Doest thou mourne for sinne and desirest to feare thy God and walke in his wayes wel assure thy soule that whatsoeuer gracious promise hee hath made vnto thee in his Word it shall be performed Heauen and Earth shall passe but one iot or tittle of my Word shall not passe away but a◠euery iudgement and plague pronounced against sinne and sinners shal bee brought vpon them to destruction euen so euery gracious promise made to Gods Church and people shall bee performed to their eternall comfort and saluation and therefore let vs beleeue this and rest vpon it that the Lord will perform his Word in the mouths of his Prophets and Ministers Whatsoeuer yee bind on earth I will bind in heauen Mat. 16.19 and whatsoeuer yee loose on Earth I will loose in heauen And thy iudgements were as the light that goeth forth The equity of the iudgement IN these words the Lord shewes that they could not pretend ignorance of the will and Word of God for the Lord had taught them and declared vnto them manifestly and apparantly what hee would haue them to doe for by Iudgement in this place is meant the doctrine of God taught vnto them by his seruants the the Prophets q.d. my Doctrine in the mouthes of my seruants where I shewed and layde open before your eyes the way to lead holy liues and to serue mee it was cleare as the light as the Sunne-shine at Noone day when there is no cloud so as you haue now no excuse at all for yourselues but must needs acknowledge that my iudgements are now iustly inflicted vpon you and that you haue of malice with a hie hand and most rebellious heart sinned against mee So then you see what is heere meant by the iudgement of the Lord namely the cleare and manifest doctrine of God to direct vs in the way to life eternall Seeing the Lord doth heere professe vnto his people Doct. 6 that his Iudgements that is the Doctrine of God wherein hee would haue taught them how ro liue well and blessedly was cleare and manifest God neuer strikes with his iudgements before hee giues warning and that they could alleadge no excuse of ignorance Hence we learne that the Lord doth neuer strike with his iudgements but hee first giues warning so as if men would bee wise to beleeue his Word and to amend their liues they might auoyde his iudgements but if they will bee so rebellious and hard hearted that they will not amend they must needs acknowledge confesse that they are most worthy to bee plagued and punished This was Gods mercifull dealing towards the people of the old world vnto whom the Lord vouchsafed one hundred and twenty yeares to repent in before hee brought his iudgements vpon them besides all which time he vouchsafed vnto them Noah that Preacher of righteousnesse Gen 6.3 2. Pet. 2.5 warning them still of a iudgement to com to this end that they hearing from Noah what iudgement the Lord had intended against them if they repented not their condemnation might be so much the more heauy vpon them Thus dealt the Lord with those sinnefull Sodomites Gen. 19. vnto whom hee sent his seruant Lot Exod. 9. Whose righteous soule was vexed from day to day Thus dealt hee with Pharaoh and his people vnto whom hee sent Moses Aaron againe and againe and still againe to admonish him to let the people of Israel goe When this preuailed not he sent iudgement vpon iudgement and all to humble the hard heart of Pharaoh What shall wee say of Ahab and Iezabel vnto whom the Lord sent Elias such is the goodnesse of God towards the sonnes of men that hee will euer warne before hee strike and admonish before hee correct for so did the Lord deale with this people as in the former verse Oh Ephraim what shall I doe vnto thee Hos 11.8 Oh Iudah how shall I entreat thee Meaning thereby that the Lord had vsed many wayes and meanes to humble them if it might bee before he proceeded in iudgement against them This is most liuely set out vnto vs in the booke of the Prouerbs Pro. 1.20.21 where Salomon brings in Christ Iesus the wisdome of the Father sometime by his Ministers and sometimes by himselfe calling and crying vnto vs to heare his voyce and to receyue instruction and if this fayre meanes that the Lord shall vse will not serue to humble vs the Lord doth there threaten That the time shall come when wee shall cry and call vpon him and hee will not heare vs Yea hee will bee then so farre from pittying in the time of our distresse as that hee will then Laugh at our destruction and that because wee did not chuse the feare of the Lord. This was the mercifull dealing of God towards the Niniuites Ion. 3.4 vnto whom hee sent his Prophet Ionas to bring them home by repentance and thus dealt hee with Ierusalem Mat. 23.38 vsing all means possible to humble them before the iudgement came foorth For if God would reclaime vs by his Word hee would neuer take his Rodde But of this before And the reason of this Doctrine is cleare Reason because the Lord by this meanes will leaue the wicked and those that are reserued to destruction without all excuse for this doth the Apostle declare Act. 14.16.17 when he sayeth In times past hee suffered all the Gentiles to walke in their owne wayes Neuerthelesse he left not himselfe without witnesse in that hee did good and gaue them raine from heauen and fruitfull seasons filling their hearts with ioy and gladnesse Now if the giuing of them showers of raine the dew of Heauen bee vnto them the Lords witnesses and the Testimonies of his power Oh how much more thē is the word of God which is the sauor of life vnto those that beleeue Surely this warning that the wicked haue heere hence shall much more leaue them without excuse in the day of
the Apostle confesseth in his prayer Why did the Gentiles rage and the people imagine vaine things Ps 2 1. Act. 4.25.26.27 Mat. 26.66 The Kings of the earth assembled and the Rulers came together against the Lord and against his Christ For doubtlesse against thy holy Sonne Iesus whom thou hast annointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and people of Israel gathered themselues together In the daies of Ahab did not all the men of Israel euen the Elders and Gouernours thereof the Nobles and others assembled themselues together and pronounced death against innocent Nabaoth for his Vineyard sake the which hee had before denied vnto Ahab surely the Scriptures are full of examples to confirme the truth of this point vnto vs. Reason Now this thing so comes to passe in the wicked because as our Sauiour sayth No man can gather grapes of thornes or figges of thistles they themselues being euill can they performe that is good Surely as Saint Iames sayth Out of one fountaine cannot come sweet water and bitter Besides this our knowledge is but in part now ignorance is the mother of error Vse 1 The Doctrine being thus cleared as a certaine truth that Councels may erre in matters of Faith and Manners this may serue in the first place to conuince the Doctrine of the Papists which teach and maintaine that their Church cannot erre nor a Councell being the representatiue Church as though the Spirit of God were at their commandement and were tyed to places and persons or being present did lead them into all truth as it did the Apostles but what did not foure hundred false Prophets aduise Ahab to that which was contrary to the Will of God I but sayth the Iesuite they were not assembled by the High Priest but onely by the King But what say yee then to that Councell that was assembled by the High Priest and haue erred most fouly In Iohn we haue mention made there of a Councell that met together Io. 9.22 Mar. 14.64 and decreed to excommunicate all that professed Christ Iesus Tell mee did not they erre And therefore it is but a vaine thing of the Papists to say and affirme that the Spirit of God is tyed to the Church of Rome and that shee cannot erre but there was neuer so famous a Church since the Apostles time but haue erred in some thing or other in Doctrine of Faith or Manners and therefore Rome hath no such a priuiledge as shee pretends to haue but hath and doth erre most fouly yea as blinde guides leading poore blind soules shall at last without Repentance fall into the pitte of destruction together Vse 2 Seeing that the wicked plot and combine themselues against the Church Wee are taught here our duety namely to bee solicitors and remembrancers vnto God in the behalfe of his Church that it would please him to bee mercifull to his Church and to bee vnto them a Tower of defence And surely now is the time that wee are to ply the Lord with prayers because wee see his enemies to increase dayly the malicious and bloudy Papists whose Religion as it is a Religion of bloud so is their practice the practise of bloud Yee shall know them by their fruites a Religion to be abhorred of euery true Christian being the Nurserie of Treasons Gun-powder Treason and the Mother of all abhominations yet wee see how the number of them increase dayly and wee cannot but for euer remember their horrible Treasons pretended against the Lord and against his Church and Gods mercy to vs in our Deliuerance Well it cannot bee that they will bee quiet long their good Maister the Deuill or his deare Child the Pope will haue some imployment for them They cannot but go whom the Deuill driues Oh let it bee our wisedome to intreat the Lord to stand still by his Church and to giue vnto all Christian Princes the Spirit of zeale and of courage to rise vp against Antichrist and his followers that so they may the better assure themselues of their owne peace both with God and themselues for sure it is the more strict a Papist the more grounded Traytor Thirdly and lastly wee may hence obserue Vse 3 the difference betweene the Elect and the Reprobate The wicked doe not onely thinke euill and deuise mischiefe but they doe most eagerly practise the same Now come to the Child of God hee hath in him indeed wicked thoughts and sinnefull desires yet so as they doe bridle them curbbe them and restraine them and not suffer them to come into action they sinne not with greedinesse as the wicked doe who are neuer well till they are eyther deuising mischiefe or working iniquity Oh then let vs take heed that wee commit not sinne with delight and greedinesse for sure it is this is a note of a gracelesse heart and no better indeed then a brand of a Reprobate VERSE 10. I haue seene villany in the house of Israel there is the whoredome of Ephraim Israel is defiled THe Prophet now comes to the common people and doth accuse them of villany and vile Idolatry against God I haue seene villany in the house of Israel there is the whoredome of Ephraim Israel is defiled First for the coherence of this verse with the former When as the Lord had accused the Priests before to bee wicked and exceeding bad men And now comes to the common people and layes open their sinnes to bee like vnto the Priests ful of abhominable and vile Idolatry Wee learne hence that if the Priests be naught Doct. 1 if they bee vile and filthy persons Children of Belial it is not possible the people should be as they ought to bee for Like Priest like people As the Minister is so is the people This is clearely to bee seene in this place the Priests were like to theeues and murderers and the people were monstrous blinde and abhominable Idolaters So hath it beene in all ages Pro. 29.18 The words of Salomon are most true Where vision failes there the people decay It is the Decree of God touching Priest and people Mal. 2.7 The Priests lippes shall preserue knowledge and the people shall heare the Law at his mouth Now then when this Priest is ignorant blind and vaine Alas in what wofull estate must this people needs bee in the Prophet Micha doth declare Mich. 3.11.12 saying The Priests teach for hire And the Prophets prophesie for money yet will they leane vpon the Lord and say Is not the Lord amongst vs no euill can come vpon vs. This was the behauiour of the Priests in those dayes their hearts were so set vpon Couetousnesse that they spake pleasant things vnto the people and layde to please them more then God But what followed they by this drew the iudgements of God not onely vpon their owne heads but also vpon the heads of the people Therefore shall Sion for your sakes bee plowed as a Field and Ierusalem