Barres of the Earth as in a Bed of hopelesse Darkenesse untill the Iudgement of the great Day And that Day will be unto you a Day of wrath a Day of trouble and heavinesse a Day of destruction and desolation a Day of Clouds and blacknesse as it is Zeph. 1. 15. And at the last you are to be cast body and soule from the presence of God and joyes of Heaven into utter Darkenesse there to be tormented amongst wicked Devils for ever and ever This is certainely the state of all ignorant men and those that will not be enlightened with saving knowledge out of his Word There is nothing to be expected of them but Darkenesse Sorrow Despaire and Horror A third Vse of this Doctrine may serve for admonition to all those who by the Light of Gods Word have alreadie found and are entred into the way to Heaven that they would suffer themselves with humilitie obedience and constancie to be led along in a course of sanctification by the holy guidance and direction thereof that they would shine dayly more and more in all Christian vertues exercises and duties For it is the propertie of all those which are become new creatures who are washed from their sinnes sanctified and new-borne by the immortall Seed of the Word and the Spirit of Grace to long after and earnestly desire the sincere Milke of the Word that they may grow thereby in knowledge comfort and new obedience A new-borne Babe will be pleased and satisfied with nothing but the Pap not Gold Pearles or any thing else will content it even so a new-renewed Soule doth ever hunger and thirst after the sacred and sincere Milke of Gods holy Word as Saint Peter calls it that it may dayly gather strength in grace otherwise as the Child so it would languish pine away and die He that growes not and goes not forward in grace had never true grace He that faithfully labours not to feed his soule with spirituall food never passed the new birth The way of the righteous saith Salomon shineth as the Light that shineth more and more unto the perfect Day Prov. 4. 18. For if the Day-starre of saving knowledge once appeare unto a man and the Sunne of Righteousnesse arise in his heart they never set untill they bring him unto that glorious Light above that no man can attaine unto He proceeds and profits in the great mysterie of godlinesse in faith repentance and sinceritie he growes from vertue to vertue from knowledge to knowledge from grace to grace untill hee become a perfect man in Christ Iesus It may be as the fairest Sunne may sometimes be over-cast and darkened with Clouds and Mists so the holinesse of a godly man may be over-clouded and disgraced sometimes by falls into a sinne upon infirmitie ignorance heedlesnesse or the like But if he be so overtaken after his passing through sorrow and griefe of heart for the same and his rising againe by repentance hee shines farre more brightly and pleasantly both to God and man in sinceritie and all holy graces he afterwards runnes a more swift and setled course in the race of sanctification So that ordinarily all Gods children shine as Lights in the World in the midst of a naughtie and crooked generation being once inlightened with saving knowledge and they still waxe brighter and brighter untill at last they come to shine as the brightnesse of the Firmament and the Starres in Heaven for ever and ever Looke to it then I beseech you whosoever hath alreadie given his Name unto Christ tasted of the good Word of God and received into his soule some glimpses of heavenly Light let him be sure to follow hard towards the Marke for the Prize of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus Let him set his best desires affections and endeavours to grow and proceed in all holy knowledge in the Light of Gods Word and chearefull obedience unto the same For it is a speciall note and marke of a man that is truly religious to goe forward and encrease in grace and understanding Hee must be like the Sunne which rising in the East enlargeth his glorious light and heat untill he reach the height of Heaven But as one well notes the true Christian must not be like Hezekiahs Sunne which went backward If a man back-slide waxe worse and fall away from good beginnings he addes weight unto the wrath of God and doubles his damnation Hee must not be like Ioshuahs Sunne that stood still It is so farre to Heaven and the way so narrow so rough and full of dangers and difficulties that he which stands at a stay will light short The Bridegroome will be entred in and the Gate shut before he come Hee that hath so much grace that hee desires no more did never truly desire any And he that endeavours not to be better will by little and little grow worse and at length become starke naught He therefore must be like Davids Sunne that great and glorious Gyant of the Heavens that like a Bridegroome comes out of his Chamber and as a Champion rejoyceth to runne his Race One grace in Gods child begets another and one holy action performed with sinceritie of heart doth inflame his affections with love and zeale with courage and resolution to undertake moe and to goe through-stitch with all the affaires of God and good causes For he alone knowes the invaluable worth and inestimable price of heavenly Iewels and therefore he is ravished with their beautie and growes unsatiable in his desires and longings after them He is still toyling and labouring in the Trade of Christianitie for more gaine of grace encrease of comfort and further assurance and securitie of the joyes of Heaven Sith hee hath alreadie tasted and fed upon celestiall and spirituall food he findes in that such unutterable sweetnesse and pleasant rellish that hee for ever after hungers and thirsts after it If then you would be assured that you are in the way to happinesse be sure to be led on by the Light of the Word in all heavenly knowledge spirituall wisedome and holy obedience A fourth and last Vse of my Doctrine is for instruction to all whether they be naturall or spirituall ignorant or instructed in the Word of God That they make it their chiefe and principall Christian care zealously and conscionably and constantly to heare attend and understand the holy Word of God and to be guided and conducted by the Light thereof in all the passages of their life and wayes of their conversation 1 And in this point I will first lay downe unto you certaine Motives that may induce and stirre you thereunto 2 Cautions or Caveats to fore-arme and fore-warne you of Lets and Temptations that may with-draw you there-from 3 Lastly some needfull instructions for your right carriage therein One Motive to stirre us up to a reverend regard and attention in hearing
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
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
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
Polititian of France tels us that the common people are much deceived who thinke that the price of Corne Cattell and other necessaries should hold the same rate it did of old They doe not understand and consider that the price of things is more by ten parts saith he than it was anciently by reason of the plenty and abundance of Gold and Silver which is brought out of the West Indies into Europe whereby it comes to passe that money is lesse esteemed for plenty of any thing lessens the estimation of it Besides for our owne Countrey wise men have observed another particular reason For say they immediately after our coine in the time of King Henry the eighth the prices of all things generally among all sorts of people rose for that they thinke that the alteration of the Coine was the chiefe and principall cause of an universall dearnesse of things And why our English Coine being restored by our late Queene that blessed Saint of glorious memory to its former purity and perfection the prices of all things fall not backe to their old rate they give sufficient reasons As for pastimes Playes and other fearefull prophanation of the Sabbath it is a good signe the power of grace is there planted by the Word from whence they are banished and abandoned They are fit pleasures for Papists which have no comfort in the joyes above and well agreeing to the darknesse of superstition But the light of the Gospell dispels such vanities and Gods children have all their pleasures in holy exercises upon the Sabbath day This last objection then of Papists and prophane men That the world is worse since there was so much preaching is idle vaine and frivolous Many such like conceits perswasions and objections as these which I have now reckoned up unto you there are abroad in the world and in the hearts of prophane men by which they are hindred from hearing the Word of God with that heart zeale and diligence as they ought Now I come to acquaint you with some slights and temptations of Satan whereby he labours to bereave us of the blessings and benefits of profitable hearers and to hinder the effectuall working of the Word in our consciences and conversations A first plot and practice of Satan is to keepe men from diligent hearing the Word If he cannot that way prevaile in a second place he labours to make the Word in vaine fruitlesse and unprofitable unto them And that hee doth by such meanes as these I If by the grace of God we breake thorow all lets and snares which might withhold us from holy assemblies and hearing of the Word then Satan that he might make it uneffectuall for our conversion and salvation first labours to worke in us a negligent carelesnesse and heedlesnesse in listning to those things which are delivered and that by a kinde of heartlesnesse in holy things by dulnesse of spirit drowsinesse sleepinesse gazing about talking or such like And such hearers as these are never a whit moved or affected with the Word preached but remaine in the same state as they were before There is neither passion or impression wrought upon them for the present nor any thought of it profit or practice afterward 2 But if he cannot speed this way but that we rouze up and addresse our selves to heare the Word of God as desiring with care and good conscience to profit thereby Why then in a second place hee seekes by all meanes to fill our heads and hearts with idle musings and wandring thoughts which may distract and steale away our minds from attending to the Word And that he doth either by offering and suggesting to our consideration and memory the world and the vanities thereof as our affaires and businesse our profits and preferments those pleasures and delights wherein our corrupt affections finde most sensuall sweetnesse Or if this will not prevaile by casting into our mindes very craftily and cunningly things which in their owne nature may be good honest and religious But because they are thought upon out of due and convenient time they deprive us of the profit of the present holy Exercise which ought for the time onely and wholly to take up our mindes If this yet will doe no good but that wee marke diligently and attentively all the while what the Minister delivers unto us from God for our good why then in a third place 1 In some he makes it uneffectuall by nourishing in them a neglect of reading the Scriptures and ignorance in the Principles of Religion so that though they attend never so well and stare the Minister in the face yet they understand not the Sermons they heare Let the younger sort therefore to prevent this mischiefe acquaint themselves with the Scriptures from their youth by the example of Timothy 2 Tim. 3. 15. Salomon Prov. 31. 1 c. Samuel 1 Sam. 1. 24. See also Psal 119. Prov. 2. 1. And let the miserie upon Elies House terrifie negligent and indulgent Parents see 1 Sam. 2. 1 2. c. In this depth the Word is either buried as it is brought forth or dies at the Church doore 2 In others he earnestly endeavours utterly to extinguish and abolish all thought of it quite to drive and banish it out of their heads so soone as they have heard it And that thus If mens hearts be hardned through unbeleefe or custome in sinning and like the High-way in the Parable of the Sower then the Evill one comes immediately and catcheth the Seed of the Word so soone as it is sowen and stealeth it out of the heart As we may see many times Birds hovering greedily after the Sower to snatch away the Corne before it be covered with Earth or take root in the ground even so Sathan the ravenous Crow of Hell waites all opportunities to pecke up the Seed of the Word out of the hearts of men before it sinke into their affections or fructifie in their conversations Or otherwise if the World hath stolne mens hearts out of their bodies so that they have no hearts left within them for matters of Holinesse and Heaven but are wholly set upon Gaine and exercised in Covetousnesse then needes not Sathan much to bestirre himselfe he knowes full well that worldly Cares will presently choake the Seed of the Word As soone as the Sermon is heard and ended and they turned their backes upon the Church there comes immediately into their heads whole swarmes of earthly thoughts and they are presently plunged over head and eares into the cares and plottings of earthly businesses So that these men whom Sathan conquers by this temptation never meddle with meditation conference or talke about the points handled by the Preacher by which the Word of God should be better as it were digested and prepared for practise Nay they have no delight at all to heare others repeat the Sermon but are very wearie of the place
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
Tree of Life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God Not to be hurt of the second Death To eate of the Manna which is hid and to have the white Stone of Victorie given him To have power given him to rule over Nations and to be lightened with heavenly brightnesse like the Morning Starre To be clothed with white array that is with heavenly Glory and to have his Name continued in the Booke of Life To have a Pillar made in the Temple of God that is a firme and unmoveable place of eternall Glory To sup with Christ and to sit with him upon his Throne for evermore Thus shall hee bee honoured and crowned with the excellencie fulnesse and varietie of all glory joy and happinesse who enters with sinceritie and couragiously ends his Race of Holinesse and conquers in his spirituall Fight But all fearefull men as it is Rev. 21. 8. who slinke backe for feare of Men or love of the World or to serve the Times all faint-hearted men in the Lords Battailes and that fall away from good beginnings they shall be punished with unbeleevers with the abominable with Murtherers and Whore-mongers with Idolaters and Lyars in the Lake which burnes with fire and Brimstone which is the second Death 7 But if by the grace and mercie of God we quit our selves like men and hold on comfortably and constantly in a setled course of godlinesse yet for all this Sathan hath not done though he can doe us no deadly hurt yet he will still doe his worst for his craft and spight is endlesse If he see there is no hope of bringing us backe againe into his bondage or making us any more vassals and slaves to sinne yet he will labour to lay stumbling-blockes in our way to bring us upon our knees now and then to turne us out of the right path sometimes even to over-turne us with some greater and more dangerous fall hee will lay his traines to intrap and intangle us if it be possible in some old sweet sinne Which that hee may bring about hee will use the benefit and advantage of custome because before our calling wee have much practised it of the frailtie of our owne corruptions because they have most delighted in it of our old companie because wee have formerly oftenest committed it with them He will leave no opportunitie advantage or circumstance omitted and unassayed to hale us back into one or other speciall sinne of our unregeneration If this will not stop hee will follow all occasions enticements and temptations the tide of our owne affections the streame of the times if by any meanes hee can cast us into some grosse and scandalous sinne These are Sathans plots and practises against those who hold on in a constant course of holinesse if they will not bee brought to tumble themselves againe in the myre of sinne and sinfull pleasures yet he will doe what hee can now and then to spot and staine their Christian lives with some grieuous fall or other that so to his utmost hee may bring upon them Gods disfavour and angry countenance disgrace and disconceit amongst their brethren discomforts and feares of heart within themselves But if a man first by keeping fresh in his minde the uncertainties and vanities of this vaine World secondly by carefull and continuall watching over his deceitfull heart thirdly by exercising and practising with diligence and delight all holy meanes of preserving grace and starving sinne as reading hearing conference meditation of the Word of God Prayer publike and private with himselfe and with his family fourthly by declining prophane unprofitable and unchristian companie and acquaintance and frequenting with joy and fruit the fellowship of the Saints fifthly by an humble entertainment nourishment and practice of the good motions of the Spirit sixtly by a dayly examination of the state of his Conscience and reparation of the decayes of Grace seventhly by his godly jealousie over little sinnes and present renewing repentance after every slip I say if by such meanes as these which are notable preservatives against the poyson of sinne a man fence himselfe from grosse and scandalous falls or else if by the politike malice of Sathan and weakenesse of his owne flesh he be overtaken with some fouler sinne and yet notwithstanding besides pangs of griefe and anguish of spirit for grieving his gracious God hee looke better to his feet and run faster in the Race of sanctification after his fall if his falling into sinne teach him these good lessons which in such cases are ordinarily learned of all true Christians for all things even sinne it selfe makes to the best in Gods Children 1 Hee learnes by his fall to distaste his pride and selfe-conceit to let fall his Peacockes traine and despaire of his owne strength 2 To depend only upon God the Word of his Grace and the power and perpetuall influence of his Spirit for his standing upright in the wayes of Righteousnesse and preservation from most fearefull and dangerous downe-falls 3 To cling closer about him to claspe faster hold with the hand of faith upon the glorious Passion and meritorious justice of Christ with much heartinesse and zeale of seeke and sue unto him for his speciall aide and assistance against Satans temptations his owne corruptions and outward occasions of sinne 4 To blush and be ashamed of himselfe for that he having had his soule washed with the precious blood of Christ and having received so great favour mercy and pardon at the hands of God yet hath wretchedly and unthankfully defiled it againe and so wofully and wickedly abused his extraordinary love and kindnesse 5 With more resolute vow protestation and practice to renounce and abandon Satan with more perfect hatred and detestation to loath and abhorre all manner of sinne the Garment spotted of the flesh and all appearance of evill 6 To become watchfull and wise by taking speciall notice of all the motives temptations meanes occasions baites allurements to that sinne into which hee fell for the avoiding and declining of it afterwards 7 To thinke charitably of other men that fall and are suddenly overtaken in any offence not to be too eager hot and censorious against them but out of his owne experience to give them comfort instructions and directions and to labour to restore them with the spirit of meekenesse Now I say if a man be either fore-armed and fenced as I said from falls or else after his fall weepe bitterly repent sincerely watch afterward more carefully walke more zealously and out of his spirituall wisedome make that use and benefit of his fall as I have told you then hee may have comfort that Sathan gets no great advantage this way 8 Like a fierce cruell Dragon sith he cannot devoure the Womans Child so soone as ever it is brought forth that is he cannot repossesse and reigne againe in a true Christian and regenerate man
may be they may heare attend and understand what is delivered but it breedes no more reverence impression or spirituall reformation than an ordinarie Tale or humane discourse As though that holy toyle and sacred breath were spent onely to entertaine the Time and busie mens eares for an Houre and not as Christ tells Paul To open their eyes that they might turne from Darkenesse unto Light and from the power of Sathan unto God 4 Vpon some the Iudgement and Curse of comming without Conscience and due preparation doth so farre prevaile and hath such power that they become scorners and raylers against the Minister or his Doctrine or both at every Sermon they catch something that they may cavill at deprave and calumniate And so wickedly and wretchedly oppose their discourse wit and spirit of contradiction against the face of Heaven and heart of Divine Truth They wrangle and repine in deed and truth whatsoever their pretences or protestations may be to the contrarie against that Great Majestie whose Message it is against that Holy Spirit which should sanctifie them and the Word of Grace which should save them 5 Others there be even of good hearts and affections Professors and in some good measure practisers of the power of godlinesse yet because they are carelesse and neglective of this needfull Christian dutie of preparation are possessed with much deadnesse of heart and dullnesse of spirit at those holy Exercises Their zeale and fervencie which should be quickened and inflamed at every Sermon is dulled and benummed with senselesnesse and satietie They doe not so tremble or are cast downe with Divine Comminations and denouncements of Gods Iudgements against sinne or so refreshed with the gracious promises of Life and Salvation as they ought to be They doe not enjoy and reape the thousandth part of that delight comfort and benefit as they well might by the Ministerie of the Word because their hearts are not purged and prepared They doe not with that chearefulnesse receive with that sweetnesse taste and rellish with that life and vigour disgest the Food of Life The eye of their minde for want of premeditation doth not so clearely see and discerne the infinite beautie of that sacred Majestie represented unto them or that glorious grace shining unto them in the face of CHRIST IESVS Their hand of Faith doth not with that feeling and fastnesse lay hold upon and claspe about the rich Treasures revealed in the Gospell In a word they bereave themselves of much good blessing comfort and growth in grace which they might and ought to have by hearing of the Word for want of due preparing and disposing the heart thereto This dutie of Preparation then though that it be not much thought upon or ordinarily practised yet it is of great necessitie and speciall use for all those which looke for benefit or blessing by the preaching of the Word There is no great Affaire or of weight and consequence eyther in Nature or Art in necessarie businesses and civill Negotiations or in matters of Complement Ceremonie and Enterview but there is required some bethinking preparation and prae-dispositions for the more happie and successefull accomplishment execution and performance how much more in the affaires of God matters of Heaven businesses of eternitie and salvation of mens soules The Ground must be manured and prepared for the Seed if wee looke it should fructifie and prosper how much more should our dull and dead hearts bee stirred up and furrowed as it were with humiliation reverence and repentance that by the grace of God and the sanctifying power of the Spirit it may lodge and take deepe root in them and spring up to eternall life The Body must be fitted with a Preparative and the humours as it were gathered unto a head if wee desire the Physicke should worke forcibly and kindly and rid us of their noxiousnesse and superfluitie how much more ought our Soules with an impartiall and narrow inquisition to be searched and layd open before they receive the Water of Life and spirituall Manna that so they may more seasonably and soundly be washed and purged from corruptions and imperfections preserved in spirituall health and prepared for eternall life The Ground must be layd and some imperfect Draughts Shadowes and resemblances premised before a Picture can be done to the Life or a full proportion and lively representation pourtrayed or presented to the eye how much more ought the ground of our hearts to be fitted and prepared that by the preaching of the Word the Image of Christ Iesus may with a lively and fresh impression be stamped upon them Were a man the next day to goe about a businesse that mainely concerned eyther his life or livelyhood the state of his Lands or danger of his life Would not his minde be troubled before-hand Would it not breake his sleepe the night before Would he not be musing and plotting by what meanes he might worke out his deliverance and safetie what behaviour and carriage might be fittest to winne favour and grace in so weightie an affaire How much more ought wee before wee intrude into the House of God where matters of our greatest and highest interest are proposed handled and debated by the Minister of the Word even life eternall and everlasting estate in another World I say how ought wee to thinke with our selves how wee may make our soules fittest to understand and accept the Covenant of Grace to receive the Seale of the Spirit and to get assurance of that glorious and royall Inheritance in the Heavens Nay yet further even in matters of complement and enterview there is wont to be preparation especially if the presence and persons were the greater Ioseph when he was sent for to goe before King Pharoah hee shaved his head and changed his rayment because hee was to appeare before so high and royall a presence Queene Hester durst not presse into the presence of King Ahashuerosh before shee had prepared her selfe How much more ought wee to fit and prepare our selves base and miserable wretches Wormes and no men as wee are with feare and trembling when wee come into the House and presence of the mightie Lord of Heaven and Earth before whom the Seraphins hide their faces the Nations are as a drop of a Bucket and the inhabitants of the Earth as Grasse-hoppers especially sith there hee offers and tenders unto us enlargement from the slaverie of sinne purgation from our pollutions and a Crowne of life upon that condition that wee repent forsake all our sinnes and resigne up our selves in sincere and humble obedience unto all his Commandements Inducements we have and Motives many both from Precept and Practice in the Booke of God for the performance of this Christian dutie of Preparation Take heed to thy foot sayth the Preacher when thou enterest into the House of God and be more neere to heare than to give the sacrifice of fooles for
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
with grace our actions and conversations guided with spirituall wisedome and unfained sinceritie After David had thus in the former Portion layd downe unto us and confessed what excellent knowledge he had got out of the Word of God and the precious fruit and benefit he had reaped and enjoyed by it Now In the first Verse of this present Portion hee makes as it were a protestation and profeâ—â—ion that he is wholly and onely enlightened and led in all his wayes by this holy Word of God as by a Light or Lanterne The brightnesse thereof doth not onely bring him into the wayes of righteousnesse and blessed estate of Christianitie but doth also conduct and guide him in all the paths and particulars of his life and actions in all the parts and passages of his speciall calling For he saith Thy Word is a Lampe unto my feet that is whereby I see and discerne the way to Heaven and the narrow path through the Kingdome of Grace and a Light unto my paths that is a guide to direct me in every particular step at every turning that so I may keepe a straight course and the readie way to the Kingdome of Glory That David had thus wholly yeelded and resigned up himselfe to be guided and governed by the glorious Light of Gods holy Word appeares in the Verses following First in Vers 106. by a solemne Oath and sacred resolution to keepe Gods righteous judgements and an unfained and constant purpose to performe the same I have sworne and will performe it that I will keepe thy righteous judgements Secondly in Vers 107. by his patiencie and sufferance of wrongs disgraces and afflictions which the wicked and prophane World heaped upon him for his profession of holinesse and sinceritie For except he had loved and followed the Light of divine Truth whensoever the fire of persecution and tribulation because of the Word had beene kindled against him hee had shrunke backe and fallen away I am afflicted very much quicken me O Lord according to thy Word Thirdly in Vers 108. by the offerings of his mouth and calves of his lips that is the spirituall sacrifices of prayers thanksgiving and gracious Vowes for Gods service which with a free and fervent spirit and earnest desire of acceptation he continually offered unto the Lord O Lord I beseech thee accept the free-will offerings of my mouth and teach me thy judgements Fourthly in Vers 109 110. by his stedfastnesse and sticking to the Law and Word of God though hee was beset and strongly incompassed with snares with dangers and with death it selfe His soule was continually in his hand that is hee was ready and resolved every houre rather to part with his life than with a good Conscience to shed his bloud rather than to forsake the Truth and Commandements of God My soule is continually in my hand yet doe I not forget thy Law The wicked have laid a snare for me yet I erred not from thy Precepts In the two last Verses upon the former reasons hee concludes the Point That his heart and inward affections do dearely embrace Gods blessed Word as a most rich and lasting Inheritance as his sweetest and greatest joy and that hee bends all the powers of his soule and best endevours to be led with and to follow the Light thereof even unto the end untill it bring him to immortalitie and Light that no man can attaine unto Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever for they are the rejoycing of my heart I have inclined my heart to performe thy Statutes alway even to the end Thus you see in generall the meaning of this Portion Before now I descend unto particulars and come to gather Notes severally from the Verses in order let vs take notice I beseech you for our instruction and examination of our owne soules of sixe notable markes and signes by which a true Christian may be discerned from a Temporizer a sincere server of God from a carnall Gospeller The first I gather out of the first Verse Every sonne and servant of God doth with humilitie chearefulnesse and obedience yeeld and submit himselfe to be wholly and onely directed and guided by the Light of Gods Word in all his wayes both generally of Christianitie and particularly of his speciall calling as David here did But the naturall man that is not yet entred into or acquainted with the state of Grace is led and guided in his courses onely by the Light of Reason and worldly Wisedome by good Meanings without ground and warrant out of the Word by a blind and ignorant Devotion by the Multitude Examples Custome of the Times and such like blind Guides But if he take any advice and direction out of the Word of God it is but in part by halfes and for a time A second ariseth out of the second Verse Every Child of God doth not onely promise vow and purpose to forsake and abandon all his knowne sinnes to watch carefully and conscionably over all his wayes to delight in and to sort himselfe with godly and gracious companie to have a respect to all his Commandements and to keepe his righteous Iudgements but hee doth also truly and throughly performe it hee goes through-stitch with his spirituall affaires and with constancie and courage walkes in a setled course of Christianitie But the unregenerate man not yet soundly seasoned with the power of Grace howsoever he hath sometimes good motions and purposes arise in his heart to forsake his former evill wayes and to fall to godlinesse howsoever in the time of Sicknesse of some great Iudgement or when his Conscience is terrified by the Ministerie of the Word when he seriously thinkes upon the day of his death and of that great and last Iudgement or the like hee makes Vowes with himselfe perhaps that hee will be a new man and change his courses But when he is once out of danger againe when he comes to the point and practice he is not so good as his word he doth not pay and performe his former Vowes and purposes hee is presently choaked againe with worldly Cares and drowned in earthly Pleasures And so all his goodnesse is as a morning Cloud and as the morning Deaw it goeth away The third marke lyeth in the third Verse Every Child of God doth with contented patience with strong dependance upon Gods providence with rejoycing in his sufferings beare and endure many miseries and pressures layd upon him for his profession and practice of sinceritie He well knowes out of the Word of God and feeles by his owne experience That all which will live godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution 2 Tim. 3. 12. And therefore he makes up his account with the World and is at a point with all that is under the Sunne hee is perswaded that all the afflictions of this life are not neere worthy the
glory which shall be revealed Rom. 8. 18. But the carnall Gospeller he thinkes it is good sleeping in a whole skin he lookes for a Gospel of ease for a soft and silken service of God for a Church as one speakes all of Velvet And therefore rather than he will suffer any losse or worsing any diminution or disparagement in his outward estate in his reputation wealth and worldly happinesse he will make shipwracke of a good Conscience he will yeeld to the corruptions of the Times and with the greater part rest and repose himselfe peaceably and pleasantly upon his Bed of ease and carnall securitie never considering that the Crosse is the Christians triumph that Christ himselfe was crowned with Thornes and that wee must through many afflictions enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Act. 14. 22. A fourth marke may be gathered out of the fourth Verse The prayers and praysings of God in the mouth of Gods Child are frequent free and fervent but with the carnall Gospeller they are very rare cold and formall The Reason is Gods Child is very sensible of his corruptions and wants hee still longs and gaspes for more grace with a spirituall taste he sweetly relisheth Gods great mercie and goodnesse unto him he hath the love of God and the spirit of prayer shed into his heart by the Spirit of Adoption and therefore his heart is as full as the Moone of godly motions and meditations which like a continuall Spring sends out groanes and sighes unutterable many zealous and faithfull prayers and thanksgivings unto his gracious God with a free and feeling affection But the carnall Gospeller because his understanding was never enlightened his heart never truly humbled his affections never sanctified because he hath no sence of his wretched estate nor present feeling of grace nor sound hope and assurance of happinesse in Heaven why therefore he hath no great mind or heart or list to prayer hee hath no great delight or exercise in this holy businesse and if he doe pray which is but seldome and coldly it is but lip-labour and lost labour because it is without faith and feeling for fashion custome or company because he was so taught in his youth or that he superstitiously thinkes the very worke wrought and a number of prayers solemnely said over will sanctifie him A fifth marke may be gathered out of the sixt and seventh Verses The Child of God doth not onely passe through with patience for the profession of Gods truth and sinceritie lesse and inferiour miseries as losse of goods losse of friends and reputation with the World slanders disgraces and wrongs but hee also holds his soule as it were continually in his hand as David here sayes of himselfe readie if need be and the times so require even to shed his bloud vnder the Sword of Persecution or to lay downe his life in the flames rather than to dishonour so mercifull a God to betray his holy Truth or by his backsliding and falling away to hazard that Crowne of Glory which by the eye of faith he hath alreadie in sight But the carnall Gospeller in time of peace and plentie while he lives quietly and at ease without crosse or trouble in faire and Sun-shine dayes may perhaps be a stout and peremptorie Professor but hee ever shrinkes in the wetting he pulls in the head in the fierie triall ever when trouble or persecution commeth because of the word by and by he is offended The sixt marke is gathered out of the two last Verses The Child of God holds his Word farre more deare than any precious Treasure than the richest Inheritance than great Spoyles than thousands of Gold and Silver It is the joy of his heart and therefore it inclines and inflames his affections with love and zeale to doe Gods will and fulfill all his Commandements And no marvell though the true Christian find most sound and unconceivable delight in the Word of God the Doctrine of Heaven For by it he is borne anew and made heire of Heaven by the Light of it he sees his Name written in the Booke of Life never to be raced out by man or Devill all the sweet and gracious promises of salvation and comfort revealed in it are sure his owne So that thence he knowes and is perswaded undoubtedly that after a few and evill dayes spent in this miserable life he shall remaine and reigne eternally in the glory of God of Christ Iesus the blessed Spirit and the holy Angels But it is otherwise with the carnall Gospeller for whatsoever shew or protestation he makes to the contrary yet indeed in his heart affections and practice hee preferres his pleasures riches and profit before hearing of Gods Word sanctifying his Sabbaths and obedience to his Commandements And no marvell for because hee yet never lived the life of faith but is a meere stranger to the mysterie of godlinesse hee hath no true interest nor sound assurance in the joyes of another World and therefore feeds onely and fills himselfe with transitorie and earthly contentments Now I beseech you beloved in Christ Iesus let every one with singlenesse of heart and sinceritie examine his owne Soule and the spirituall state of his Conscience by these signes and marks which I have now delivered to you out of the example and precedencie of the Christian affections and holy disposition of David a sanctified man and a principall patterne of pietie and zeale for all faithfull ones Know you not saith the Apostle that Iesus Christ is in you except you be reprobates So undoubtedly if Iesus Christ be in you if you be of Davids stampe and temper that is alreadie possessed of the state of grace and marked out by the Spirit of sanctification for the glory that shall be revealed you doe find in some good measure these markes and signes of an holy man in your selves 1 That you are enlightened and guided by the Word of God in all your wayes 2 That you have not onely good motions and purposes for a zealous and constant service of God but doe faithfully with sinceritie and integritie of heart performe the same 3 That you suffer joyfully and patiently afflictions and disgrace in the World for the testimonie of Gods Truth and profession of sinceritie 4 That you freely and faithfully with much feeling and fervencie of spirit offer dayly prayers and prayses unto the Lord. 5 That you had rather part with the dearest and most precious things in this life nay life it selfe than leave the service of God and the testimonie of a good Conscience 6 That you have more comfort and delight in hearing reading meditating conferring of and applying unto your owne soules the holy Word of God than in the treasures and glory of the whole Earth Such markes as these you must finde in your selves if you ever meane or hope to finde true contentment in this life or
the comforts of Heaven in the life to come Now I come to a more speciall and particular consideration of every Verse in order and thence togather such Notes and Doctrines as may best instruct us in the way to Heaven First David tells us in the first Verse That Gods Word is a Lanterne to his feet and a Light unto his paths Which that you may better understand I will tell you the meaning of the words and explaine unto you the severall tearmes First the Word may be taken three wayes 1 For the substantiall Word of God the second Person in the Trinitie Ioh. 1. 1. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was God 2 It may be taken for the written and sounding Word as it onely strikes the eare and informes the understanding but it is not conveyed neither sinkes it into the heart by the powerfull assistance and sanctified concurrence of Gods Spirit it being not prayed for to the conversion and sanctification of the whole man And so the Word is heard and understood of many that shall never be saved but returnes unfruitfull 3 It may be taken for the working and effectuall Word as it is the power of God unto salvation as it is rightly understood applyed unto the heart and Conscience possest of the thoughts and affections and practised in the life and conversation This Word thus understood inlived managed and powerfully applyed by the Spirit of God was a Light unto Davids steps and so is a guide unto the paths of all true Christians to the worlds end That you may understand how the Word is a Light you must consider 1 That Christ is called Light Ioh. 1. 4. The Ministers are called the Light of the World Mat. 5. 14. The faithfull are Lights Phil. 2. 15 16. The way of the righteous saith Salomon Prov. 4. 18. shineth as the Light that shineth more and more vnto the perfect day The Word of God is also called a Light as in this place But first Christ is Light of himselfe and originally he is the Fountaine and everlasting Spring of all the Light of Grace and Glory both in Heaven and Earth Hee is called The Sunne of Righteousnesse The Sunne you know hath his Light rooted in his owne faire Body and receives that from none other and with that hee enlightens the Moone the Starres the Aire the Earth all the World Even so the blessed Sonne of God the Sunne of Righteousnesse hath in himselfe and from himselfe the Light of all Wisdome and Knowledge Mercie and Comfort and from him floweth and springeth whatsoever Light of Glory is revealed unto his blessed Saints and Angels in Heaven or whatsoever Light of Grace is shed into the hearts of his sonnes and servants here upon Earth 2 The Preachers of the Word are Ministers and Messengers of this Light and therefore are but Light ministerially They are as the Starres and so they are called Rev. 1. 20. They receive all their Light from the Sunne of Righteousnesse CHRIST IESVS and either doe or should convey and cast their borrowed beames upon the earthly cold and darksome hearts of the people of God that they might turne from Darkenesse to Light from the power of Sathan unto God Act. 26. 18. 3 The Word is Light instrumentally which being powerfully sanctified unto us for our salvation and being holden out unto us by a conscionable Ministerie is as a Candle or Torch to guide us through the darknesse of this World unto our eternall Rest 4 Lastly the faithfull are Lights Subjectivè because they receive this Light into their Vnderstandings whereby they see the Wonders of Gods Law the Secrets of his Kingdome and the great Mysterie of Godlinesse and the way to Heaven into their Consciences whereby they have their sinfull miserable estate by nature discovered unto them and the way to Christ for remedie and salvation into their affections whereby they are enkindled with zeale for Gods truth honour and service into their actions and conversation whereby they shine as Lights in the World amid a naughtie and crooked generation Phil. 2. 15. And after the Sunne of Righteousnesse once arise in their hearts like the Sunne in the Firmament they shine more and more in all holy Vertues unto the perfect day untill they reach the height of Heaven and the full glory of the Saints of God In the third place by Feet is meant his minde and understanding his affections thoughts actions his whole life all his wayes All these in David were guided by the Light of Gods Word Lastly by Paths are meant every particular step every turning and narrow passage in his speciall calling For this Light the Word of God doth not onely guide a mans feet into the way of peace and put him in the right way to Heaven but also goes along with him inlightens and directs every step that his feet doe not slide It so informes him with spirituall wisedome that hee layes hold on every occasion for the glorifying of God descries every little sinne and appearance of evill disposeth every circumstance in his actions with a good conscience and warrant out of Gods Word This then is the meaning of this Verse David the man of God had the Word of God working powerfully upon his soule as a Light that is As a Lampe is to the life and safetie of the body in darke and dangerous places so was this Light to the life and salvation of Davids soule in the darkenesse of this World and shadow of death To guide his feet and paths that is his mind affections thoughts actions his whole life all his wayes and every particular step and passage thereof This Verse being thus understood let us now come to gather some Lessons and Doctrines for our instruction The first shall be this There is no man can hit the way to Heaven or walke in the paths of Righteousnesse through the Kingdome of Grace in this World unto the Kingdome of Glory in the World to come except he be inlightened informed and instructed in the holy Word of God The second Note wee gather out of this Verse shall be this The Word of God is a Light not onely to guide us into the way to Heaven and instruct us in our generall calling of Christianitie but also to leade us along in a course of godlinesse and to direct us particularly in our speciall calling I will first follow the former Doctrine which in few words and plainely I thus propose 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 holy Word of God For David as here wee see a man of great worth and understanding otherwise excellently and extraordinarily qualified could not find out or follow any other Guide or direction to Heaven but onely the Light of Gods Word
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
many visions the true fore-telling of things to come the inward lively and effectuall workings upon the soules of the elect and many other singular and sacred markes characters of divinity stamped upon it doth plainly shew that it is the alone holy invention of Gods divine pure and infinite understanding and revealed to the world for the inlarging of Gods glory and the salvation of many a thousand soules for the confusion of the kingdome of Satan and just condemnation of the children of hell Take heed then in the name of God that you give not entrance or entertainment to any such fearefull blasphemous temptation whereby the love and zeale to Gods Word may be cooled or you grow lesse carefull in purchasing and practising the knowledge and power of it This let layes hold onely upon men of a reprobate sense and those that are already marked out for certaine damnation A second let and hinderance from hearing the Word of God is recusancie the cozenage and imposture of Popery For such is the wickednesse and cruelty of that superstition and mystery of iniquity that it labours might and maine to keepe all the world close prisoners in the dungeon of darknesse and ignorance and for ever to deprive them of the light of the Gospell The prophane professors of this bloudy Religion hold ignorance to be the mother of devotion and a very dangerous thing for simple people to pry into the Booke of God And so they doe more safely and securely feed their followers with their owne damnable principles of treason rebellion disloyalty and disobedience to lawfull Kings So they lead ignorant people which way and as farre as they will in the kingdome of darknesse even to beleeve that blowing up of whole states and killing of Kings are very glorious acts and merit the brightest crowne of immortality and the highest seat in heaven I hope in the Lord there is none of you but with all his heart hates and detests this bloudy murtherous and Idolatrous generation and will by no meanes suffer his right eye of knowledge in Gods Word to be put out by these cursed Ammonites Adde here another let which is Separatisme See Ta. pag. 79. A third let and hinderance is the height of hardnesse of heart and most damned desperatenesse in sinning when men are become so greedy of fulfilling their sinfull pleasures that they drinke up sensuall delights like water draw on iniquity like cords of vanitie and sinne as with cart-ropes For then they beginne to say with themselves even to God himselfe with them in â—ob 21. 14 15. Depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes Who is the Almighty that we should serve him and what profit should we have if we should pray unto him And with those to whom Isaiah in his fifth Chapter denounceth a fearefull woe Let him make speed let him hasten his worke that we may see it and let the counsell of the Holy one of Israel draw neare and come that wee may know it Men that are possessed with such a rebellious and scornfull spirit as this neither much care for God or his Worâ— threats or promises judgements or mercies heaven or hell No marvell then though they set light by Gods ministers and seeke not for instruction in holy knowledge and heavenly wisdome That wee may be preserved from this horrible and desperate case and so fearefully hardning our hearts against the Word of life and salvation we must be very carefull and watchfull that wee give not way passage and entertainment to wicked thoughts and the first sinfull motions for in this manner a man proceedes to the height of sinne and a reprobate sense There first ariseth in his Heart an idle and wandering thought of some unlawfull thing as of Lust Covetousnesse Pride Malice prophaning the Sabbath Cozening and circumventing his Brother and such like Secondly it begins to allure entice and conferre with the Will Thirdly the Will doth as it were take it by the hand and is tickled pleased and delighted with it Then followes Consent Consent sets the affections on foot and plots the accomplishment and practice of it and sinne practised with pleasure brings Custome Custome sharpens a mans wit and makes him looke about how to excuse it From excusing sinne hee growes to defend it Defence of sinne makes him obstinate and resolved to continue in it Obstinatenesse begets boasting and glorying in it And if a man once become impudent and take a pride in sinning there presently follows a brazen Brow and whorish fore-head an yron sinew in the necke a heart as hard as the nether Milstone a seared Conscience and a reprobate sense These are the steps by which a man riseth into the Seat of the scornefull And upon the top of these stayres Sinne sits in the greatest triumph and soveraigntie and banisheth out of a mans heart all feare of God love to his Ministers and zeale unto his Word A fourth Let and hinderance from hearing Gods Word and yeelding entire obedience unto it is a very pestilent and politike conceit which possesseth the hearts of very many whereby they are perswaded That Lawes divine are but like humane or mens constitutions As these execute none but chiefe Malefactors so these Decrees of God will at last condemne none but infamous and notorious sinners And therefore if they be but pettie Offendors or onely maintaine but one sweet sinne in themselves if they be not of the worst sort though they be not so forward hearers of Sermons so Scripture-wise or hold such a strict course of holinesse in their conversation yet they thinke with themselves their case is good enough and that it will goe well enough with them at last Hence it is that they are cold and carelesse in esteeming of hearing and conforming themselves to the Ministerie of the Word But let no man deceive himselfe The destruction of the negligent hearer of the Word of God and the disobedient to the Gospel of Christ Iesus shall be as the destruction of * Sodome and farre more grievous He that lyes and delights in any one knowne sinne of which his Conscience is convicted is in a fearefull case Without faith it is impossible to please God and Without holinesse no man shall see the face of the Lord. And none hath either faith or holinesse without saving knowledge out of Gods Booke Without the New-birth and continuance in grace unto the end no man shall be saved And sincere obedience to a constant and conscionable Ministerie of the Word is a meanes both to beget nourish and continue saving grace And let mens conceits be what they will as sure it is as God is in Heaven not one jot or tittle of all the Plagues and Curses registred in Gods Law but shall be severely executed upon all ignorant and unrepentant sinners and poured
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
comfort and confirme him in a godly course To prevent his falls and relapses because by it hee is furnished with Christian armour against temptations he is resolved in all doubts and cases of Conscience he is admonished of all crooked wayes occasions and down-falls to iniquity To reclaime him from back-slidings to rayse and recover him out of falls and to restore him to his first love by discovering unto him the foulenesse and danger of sinne the power of his owne infirmities the bitter root of Originall sinne the pestilent and impoysoned fruits thereof and by dayly urging the blessings of true repentance and the practice of a good Conscience Most absolutely to guide and conduct him in the way of righteousnesse and whole course of Christianitie to furnish him with zeale and uprightnesse in all holy duties and services of God with faithfulnesse and conscience in the discharge and executions of his calling with holy meditations when he is alone with harmlesse behavior and Light of good example in company and amongst others with wisdome and care ever intirely to sanctifie the Sabbath and to teach and pray with his family Marke now I beseech you sith the Ministery of the Word is ever graced with so glorious presence and such incomparable blessings as I have now reckoned up unto you he that turnes his back upon a Sermon for the injoying of profit pleasures pastime companie feasting or any other worldly and by-respect he wilfully forsakes the salvation of his owne soule he casts behind him all these happy blessings and comforts tendered unto him by the Ministery of the Word he throws himselfe desperately out of the presence of God Almighty Christ Iesus the Holy Spirit his blessed Angels the congregation of Saints into the power and clutches of Satan into the company of wicked and prophane men upon the just indignation and revenge of all the creatures upon the wrath and curse of God and the shipwracke of a good conscience Take heed then I beseech you how you bee drawne by any worldly affaires from the hearing of the Word especially on the Sabbath day lest thereby you make it plaine that you preferre your owne particular before the glory of God earthly gaine before a Crowne of immortality a little vanishing pleasure before the endlesse joyes of heaven and that yee yet lie and delight in one sweet sinne or other which keepes all saving grace out of your soules A sixth let and hinderance from hearing the Word of God are certaine prophane and unwarrantable perswasions and conceits which are entertained and harboured in the hearts of ignorant and wilfull people Some of them thinke with themselves that there is no such great need of following Sermons and frequenting holy assemblies especially if at the same time they be not ungodly bufied and exercised at home and therefore they aske What can we not save our soules and come to heaven unlesse we trudge and trot so often to Church Have we not the Bible and other good bookes at home to reade upon Can we not pray and praise God at home They might as well aske Can wee not have a harvest unlesse we have a seed time and raine yea both the former and the latter raine Or can we not live except we have meat Certainly no. No more can any man be truly sanctified and saved nor live either the life of grace here or expect the life of glory hereafter unlesse he follow the ordinary meanes appointed and sanctified by God for his salvation Except he submit himselfe to that policy and order which God with great wisdome hath established in his Church Would a man be taken for a good subject who should peevishly oppose himselfe against a law agreed upon and commanded by the King and State for the great good of the Common-wealth God himselfe hath appointed a publike Ministery in the Church Pastors and teachers for the gathering of the Saints and all that belong to life and is it fit that any private exercise should crosse Gods publike ordinances No It is both inconvenient and wicked and Gods blessing is never to be looked for upon any action and exercise though never so good in it selfe if his will be not obeyed I but some will say It is good indeed sometimes now and then to heare a Sermon but what needs so much preaching and Sermon upon Sermon Would they have us Saints and Angels upon earth Wretched is that man which is weary of the Word of life And hee hath no true taste of holy things which loaths this spirituall Manna though never so often reigned from heaven There is no saving and true knowledge of God in that man who desires not to grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Iesus Christ Would we not thinke him mad and distracted that should thus reason against his owne life I hope I have eaten meat enough heretofore and furnished my selfe with sufficient strength so that I now need no more and therefore I will neither eat nor drink more while I live Even just so doth he reason and plead against the life of his soule who complaines of too much preaching and too many Sermons David that blessed King and holy Prophet who was advanced both in knowledge and holinesse above the ordinary reach and perfection of men and lived as an Angell upon earth yet he acknowledgeth himselfe greatly to stand in need of stirring up by meanes ordained of God for that end As we may gather out of Psal 84. and in many other places In that Psalme he makes a most grievous and mournfull complaint that he is debarred and banished from all accesse unto the publike worship and service of God holding himselfe in this respect more miserable than some of the bruit creatures which had liberty to build their nests and lay their young neare the Altars of the Lord which benefit he could not now enjoy Now if this man of God so longed and laboured after the meanes of grace and comfort what ought those to doe who are of little or no faith who are but Novices and petties in the Schoole of Christ who are but babes in Christianity or utterly without grace I but our fore-fathers will others say were never troubled with so many Sermons and yet we hope they are well and in Heaven Our fore-fathers wanted the meanes and that full glorious Noone-tide of the Gospell of Iesus Christ which we by the grace and mercy of God enjoy And therefore whosoever of them perished without them shall certainly be beaten with fewer stripes than those that shut their eyes against the faire and blessed Sun-shine of Gods holy truth which is shed round about us and if it be hid it is hid onely to those that perish in whom the God of this world hath blinded the eyes of their minde Besides if it so pleased the Lord in his just
is in the same place for a while and yet after wallow againe in the myre of sinne He may be endued with an inferior sanctification of the Spirit Heb. 10. 29. and yet after by the malice of Sathan tread under foot the Sonne of God Hee may have a generall participation of the Holy-Ghost Heb. 6. 4. and yet after a time fall away to the very despiting of the Spirit of Grace I speake not this as though that any once effectually called truly sanctified possessed of the state of grace and enrolled among the Saints can possibly become a cast-away it cannot bee for if once by the power of speciall grace a man be built upon the Rocke not the Gates of Hell not all the powers of Darkeness nor strongest assaaults of Satan shall ever prevaile against him Heaven and Earth shall sooner be removed than any of Gods servants For if Gods eternall Decree of Election be unchangeable if his Covenant be everlasting and inviolable if his Truth cannot change nor his Mercie faile nor his Power be weakened if the sacred Seale of the blessed Spirit shall stand if the precious blood and fervent prayers of Christ Iesus can prevaile if his Scriptures doe not lye and deceive if his sanctifying Grace cannot die and perish if Himselfe cannot cease to be then undoubtedly if a man be once his he is his for ever if he be once truely his servant upon Earth he shall for ever hereafter be a glorious Saint in Heaven My meaning therefore in this point is onely this There is a glimmering Light of the Spirit some manner of taste of the sweetnesse of Christ a kind of change which may be wrought in a man by the preaching of the Word and yet he not truely and constantly converted but may by the malice and policie of Satan be repossessed by uncleane spirits and repolluted with the filthinesse of the World Thus we may discerne this changeable change that I may so speake and the saving change of Gods servants If after we have given our Names to Christ and begun to professe and practise sinceritie we passe on and continually grow in grace and stand for Gods honour and service against all commers friends or foes losse or disgrace oppression or slanders men or devils why then undoubtedly we have the sanctifying Spirit of God and saving grace which makes his Children like Trees betwixt the Rivers of Waters fruitfull in goodnesse and as bold as Lyons in good causes But if after wee have begun well wee looke backe with Lots Wife if we fall in love againe with those sinnes which wee have forsaken if Rubbes and Crosses in the World will turne us out of the way to Heaven and our righteousnesse be but as the Morning Deaw which a little heat of Persecution will drie up why then our change was changeable and not that of Gods children The Seed of the Word which wee received with joy was never deepely rooted in good and honest hearts wee were onely temporarie Converts not new creatures temporizing Professors not true Christians and our End is like to be worse than our Beginning and our Plagues more than if we had never begun Let every man take heed then in the Name of God lest by the traines and temptations of Sathan he be turn'd backe againe from any good course lest after he be washed he wallow againe in the myre of worldlinesse and worldly vanities and after hee hath escaped the filthinesse of the World lest he be againe entangled therein Let us beware of longing after those sinnes which we begun in some measure to reforme let us not lust againe after the flesh-pots of Aegypt like the Israelites after we be in some good sort enlarged from the bondage of sinne and tyrannie of the hellish Pharoah Lots Wife being delivered out of Sodome was surprised with a sensuall remembrance of the pleasures and vanities of the place which shee had left of the ease and prosperitie which shee there enjoyed and so look'd backe upon it But shee was therefore presently turned into a Pillar of Salt Gen. 19. 26. there for ever to be a monument and fearefull spectacle of Gods terrible judgements against all back-sliders If the uncleane spirit be cast out of a man by some degrees of reformation and good beginnings of amendment of life and have after leave and libertie to returne he brings with him seven Devils worse than himselfe and makes a man farre worse than he was before Much better were it for any man never to have knowne or stept into the way of righteousnesse than afterward to turne from the holy Commandement of God and out of a course of Christianitie It is a fearefull Curse to continue in hardnesse of heart prophanenesse of life and sinfull courses But to leave them for a little and to sinke backe againe is to have Gods Curse bitter against them if they repent not and the fire of Hell made more hot for them First sicknesses are curable but relapses are very dangerous if not irrecoverable If a man as it is Heb. 6. hath once beene enlightened and then fall away it is impossible to be renewed by repentance I know that place principally to be understood of the highest degree of Apostacie and falling away but hee that falls away from any good course and good beginnings falls towards that irrecoverable fall and makes himselfe more uncapable of repentance than if he never had been enlightened or stept into the way of Truth And it is just with God to punish such with a reprobate sense and hearts that cannot repent It then deepely and neerely concernes us for once wee have felt the sweetnesse of Grace and tasted of the Powers of the World to come to drinke deeper of the Waters of Life and to follow hard towards the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus When wee feele any good motions and purposes arise in our hearts let us labour to follow them to nourish them to blow them up to make a fire of them lest they onely but make a flash and passe away as the Lightning Let us put them in practise with zeale and constancie that we be not as the unfaithfull Waters which in the Summer are dryed up or as the dead Trees which perish in Winter but that we remaine whole and sound pure and perfect as the living Waters and Olives of the Lord that ever shed forth their sweetnesse and fatnesse Let us make a Covenant even a Covenant as the Scripture speaketh of Salt durable and perpetuall with the Lord to live before him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life For to him that goes through with his holy businesse that fights the good fight of Faith finisheth his course and overcomes to him and to him alone shall all those glorious Blessings be performed which are promised in the first Chapter of the Revelation To eate of the
their callings into the House of God to heare and to performe the Exercises of Religion Truly though they be never so diligent in hearing yet their hearts will goe after their covetousnesse Ezech. 33. 31. 3 A third dutie before the hearing of the Word is Prayer no good thing can be expected from God as a blessing if it be not sought by prayer Deut. 4. 7. and wee finde it layd downe as a condition required Prov. 2. 1 2 3 c. My sonne if thou wilt receive my words and encline thine eare to wisedome and apply thy heart to understanding yea if thou cryest after knowledge and liftest up thy voice for understanding then shalt thou understand the feare of the Lord and finde out the knowledge of God The reason is Vers 6. For the Lord giveth wisedome and out of his mouth commeth knowledge and understanding Because the Lord gives knowledge therefore you must crie for it unto him What is the reason that you do pray for your daily Bread and a blessing upon it Why Deut. 8. 3. Man lives not by Bread onely c If this be so much more ought you to pray for a blessing upon your spirituall food Now for the particulars First you ought to pray for the Teachers That they may so speake as they ought to speake Col. 4. 3 4. so they are to pray for the power and peace of the Ministerie 2 Thess 3. 1 2. Secondly you must pray for your selves that through Gods assistance you may heare profitably and be blessed in the hearing Ioh. 3. 27. No man can receive any thing except that it be given him from above Therefore David prayed Psal 119. 18. Open thou mine eyes that I may see the wonderfull things contained in thy Word Isay 48. 17. God sayth I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit Therefore no profiting by the Word without seeking unto the Lord for it Now the prophanenesse of people in this case is the generall cause that our Ministerie doth no more good Few pray at all before they come to Church either for the Minister or for themselves nay few even when they are in the Church have any heart to joyne with the Preacher in the prayer that he makes before the Sermon But the complaint of the Prophet may be taken up in this case Isa 64. 7. There is none that calleth on thy Name that stirreth up himselfe to take hold of thee 4 You must be sure to goe with an open heart readie to receive every truth that God shall teach you in this Ordinance Act. 17. 11. it is said of those noble Beraeans that they received the Word with all readinesse of minde i. readinesse to receive every truth And Cornelius said Act. 10. 33. Wee are all here present before God to heare all things that are commanded thee of God It is well added that are commanded thee of God not what any Minister shall teach be he never so good or so learned nay were he an Angell from Heaven yet his Doctrine must be examined Gal. 1. 8. But when there is such a disposition in us as to receive both in judgement and practise whatsoever God shall reveale unto us out of his Word this is a precious disposition But alas the most come to heare with prejudicate and fore-stalled hearts they beare a secret grudge and quarrell against some strict Truth or other as against the sanctification of the Lords Day or Family-duties or secret communion with the Lord by prayer dayly c. And these imaginations seeme as strong Holds to keepe Christ and his Truth out of their hearts 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. And thus men that in their hearing doe limit the Spirit of God would if it lay in their power say as those wicked men Isay 30. 10. to the Seers see not and to the Prophets prophesie not right things unto us speake unto us smooth things And those that said so the Lord calls them despisers of his Word These are the maine and principall duties before the hearing of the Word Secondly let me proceed briefely to those duties that are required in the hearing of the Word Which wee must the rather stirre up our selves unto because wee have naturally uncircumcised hearts Ier. 6. 10. and are dull of hearing Heb. 5. 11. Now the principall duties in hearing are five which I will briefely set downe as may be 1 You must set your selves in Gods presence whilest you are hearing of his Word and consider with your selves that it is God that you have to deale withall in this businesse and not man and that it is Gods Word and not mans It is the great commendation of the Thessalonians 1 Thess 2. 13. that they received the Word as the Word of God This was that whereby the Lord would prepare his people to receive the Law Exod. 20. God spake all these words And hee not onely gave the Law but the whole summe of the Gospel with his owne voice Mat. 3. 17. Loe a voice from Heaven saying This is my beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased Yea it is the Lord himselfe that speakes unto you in our Ministery Luke 10. 16. So the Lord is present in a speciall manner where his Word is preached to observe and marke how it is received or delivered and either to blesse or curse the hearers or speakers accordingly So that of this and such like places it may be said as Iacob said of Bethel Gen. 28. 16 17. Surely the Lord is in this place and How dreadfull is this place This is no other than the House of God this is the Gate of Heaven And truly this apprehension of Gods presence in the Assemblies of his people will worke three things in us First keepe us in that awfull and reverent disposition of body and minde that is meet Secondly it will preserve our hearts from â—oving and wandering thoughts which are great impediments of hearing Psal 119. 113. I hate vaine thoughts but thy Law doe I love Thirdly it will make us to receive and obey that that shall be taught us for so God hath beene wont to prepare his people to receive his Word yea he said of his people when they were thus affected Deut. 15. 29. Oh that there were such an heart in them to feare me and keepe my Commandements alwayes Now the want of this is that which hinders abundance of benefit that the Ministerie of the Word would otherwise doe us This is the root of all the mischiefe the Devill doth to poore soules in the hearing of the Word the practice thereof is the fountaine of all our good Many gracelesse wretches there are in our Assemblies like him Luke 18. 2. that neither feared God nor regarded man that despise the Church of God yea contemne the presence of the holy Angels 1 Cor. 11. 10. and of God himselfe in the Assemblies who hath layd such a speciall charge upon us Lev. 26. 2. to keepe his
Sabbaths and to reverence his Sanctuarie and he addes this reason I am Iehovah 2 The second dutie in hearing is diligent attention to that we heare as it is said of our Saviour Christ Luke 19. 48. The people were very attentive to heare him or as it is in the Originall they hanged on him as if their eares and mindes had beene tyed to his tongue there was such a dependencie upon him And that is a remarkable place Ezech. 40. 4. Sonne of man behold with thine eyes and heare with thine eares and set thine heart upon all that I shall shew thee See what attention is required Hee bids him set his eyes and his eares and his heart and all upon that hee speakes and not upon some things onely but upon all that hee should declare unto him So Prov. 4. 20 21 22. My sonne attend unto my words incline thine eare unto my sayings keepe them in the midst of thine heart for they are life to those that finde them i. looke as a condemned man will hearken to the Sentence of the Prince every word hee speakes being life or death As the servants of Benhadad when they were in their enemies power 1 King 20. 33. they observed diligently whether any word of comfort would come from him and they did hastily catch it Thus with such diligence and attention such poore condemned creatures as wee are are to heare the Word of God Now to quicken attention these meanes are profitable First it is good to doe as they did Luke 4. 20. They fastened their eyes upon Christ so doe ye upon the Minister and suffer them not to wander up and downe A wandering eye is alwayes a sure evidence of a wandering heart Secondly if ye doe not thus it will be a good helpe for those that can write to note the Word as Baruch wrote from the mouth of Ieremiah Ier. 36. 4. This holds the minde close to all that is said Some object indeed that it hinders affection in hearing but though it may doe so in some for the present yet afterwards it will worke more lasting affections upon the Word Onely they that use this helpe-meanes must be carefull that they doe not presume upon their Notes so as to neglect the recalling of what they have heard as many use to doe and so lose all holy affections and that impression that the Word would make upon their hearts Thirdly entreat the Lord to open thy heart as he opened Lydia's heart Act. 16. 14. Our hearts are shut up quite and cannot attend unto any thing that is good except that the Lord opens them Observe then another cause why the Word is so unfruitfull unto many Some are like the deafe Adders that stop their eares against the voice of the Charmer Psal 58. 4 5. And some sleepers there are that faile in their attention that the Devill usually rocks asleepe when they come to heare but they that are such should know that their damnation sleepes not the Devill sleepes not he comes to the Assemblies to picke up the good Seed that is sowne nay he comes to picke up their soules indeed for he cares not so much for the Seed but he will take your selves napping and your soules especially and carry them to Hell Besides let them remember what befell Eutychus Act. 20. 9 10. he slept at a long Sermon that lasted till midnight but he was taken up dead falling from the third Loft to the ground What shall become of such then that sleepe in the day time at a Sermon of an houre long And let them also take heed of that spirit of slumber that the Lord hath threatned to poure upon the despisers of the Word Isay 29. 9 10. The like might be said of our gazers and gapers about and those that by their talking disturbe others and hinder themselves they shut their eares and turne them away from God and may justly expect that he shall turne away his eares from them as it is threatened Prov. 2. 8 9. Zach. 7. 13. 3 You must heare the Word with understanding and judgement i. labour to understand what wee heare And to this end the Minister must have a speciall care to teach plainely so as he may be understood Neh. 8. 8. And Christ calls upon his hearers for this Math. 15. 10. Heare and understand How should we else profit by that we heare Act. 8. 36. Vnderstandest thou what thou readest saith Philip to the Eunuch so say thou to thine owne heart Vnderstandest thou what thou hearest Now the meanes to understand the Word are these First come to the Word with a willing minde to learne you know the Eunuch Act. 8. though he understood not what he read yet because he had a minde to learne how the Lord provided for him and what a comfortable successe Philips Sermon had with him Men love to teach willing schollers so doth God when we come with willing and readie mindes to be taught Secondly exercise your selves in the truth of God Heb. 5. last you must by continuall use get your sences exercised to discerne both good and evill but especially be well acquainted with the principles and grounds of Catechisme it is the want of this that makes men that they understand not what is preached They that are not first well nourished with Milke will not be fit to receive and digest stronger meat if the foundation be not well layd it is in vaine to build Thirdly walke according to Light Psal 111. 10. A good understanding have all they that doe his Commandements Then if thou wouldest get a good understanding and know the mysterie of godlinesse walke according to knowledge imploy that little knowledge thou hast well and then there is a promise to give thee more Fourthly be diligent in instructing and teaching thy family If thou art set over others a little knowledge will encrease greatly by this meanes Gen. 18. 17 19. the Lord said Shall I hide any thing from Abraham No And hee gives this reason I know him that he will command his children and his household after him and they shall keepe the way of the Lord. If you teach your families God will teach you Well there are a sort of doltish hearers that will heare and seeme to be very attentive from yeeres end to yeeres end and be never a whit the wiser 2 Tim. 3. 7. The heavie judgement of God is upon many of them that is mentioned Math. 13. 14. And in them is fulfilled the Prophesie of Isay By hearing ye shall heare and shall not understand and that I-say 27. 11. It is a people of no understanding therefore he that made them shall not save them and he that formed them shall shew them no favour 4 You must heare the Word with affection and delight It is said of Gods people in the Primitive Church that they heard the Word gladly and of Christs hearers Mark 12. 37. they heard him gladly And it is noted for
would you take this Letter and how often would you reade it with what willingnesse of affection Now here is an Epistle sent from Heaven to advise you that you are all Traitors and Rebels against Heaven and yet here in this Letter God offers the bloud of his Sonne and you may be reconciled and will you neglect it This is the matter of this Epistle it brings matter of deliverance from the greatest Curse that can befall the creature and the greatest advancement 6 It is the bottomelesse Treasurie of all high sweet and excellentest things The Mysterie of the Trinitie the Majestie of God the Love of God and of Christ this sufferings the Spirits workings the happinesse of the Saints and the glory of Heaven c. 7 It must be our Iudge at the last day Ioh. 12. 48. Every honest Sermon is but the Word of God unfolded and a bunch of Arrowes wrapped up and unfolded are all one 8 It onely can cure a wounded Conscience the greatest calamitie that ever the heart of man was acquainted with and that which no Arme of flesh or created Power no man or Angel can ease at all 9 In it onely are to be had Deeds and Evidences to shew for eternall Life and Acquittances for discharge from eternall Death 10 It hath saved all the soules that are in Heaven Rom. 10. 13. 11 It onely is the object of divine and infused Faith Humane testimonies and authorities beget onely humane Faith Therefore you must reverence this Word 2 Some Motives taken from the most fearefull and cursed estate of those who neglect and reject the Ministerie of the Word hating to be reformed by it Marke and take to heart thine unspeakable miserie whosoever thou art that despisest the Ministerie Take a taste of it in these passages 1 They are deprived by this meanes of the love and favour of God the onely fountaine of all comfort peace and glory which is infinitely the dearest and most unvaluable losse that can be imagined 2 Of their part and portion in the bloud of Christ one drop whereof is incomparably more worth than Heaven and Earth men and Angels or the creatures of a thousand Worlds 3 Of the fatherly protection care and providence of the blessed Trinitie the glorious guard of Angels the comfortable communion of the blessed Saints and all the sweet contentments that follow thence 4 Of the quiet joy and tranquilitie of a good Conscience a Iewell farre more worth than the whole World were it all turned into one unvaluable Pearle of unvaluable price and of all the heavenly illuminations cherishments and comforts wherewith the Holy-Ghost is wont to visit and refresh the hearts of holy men 5 Of the sweet peace and true contentment in this life and of all comfortable right and religious interest to any of the creatures For without a good Conscience there was never found joy in any mans heart or sanctified enjoyment of any thing in the World and never shall any man have a good Conscience that gives allowance to any Lust or lives delightfully in any sinne 6 Of a Crowne of Life the unspeakable joyes of Heaven that immeasurable and endlesse comfort that there shall be had with all the children of God Patriarkes Prophets Apostles Martyrs all our Christian acquaintance yea with the Lord himselfe and all Angels with Christ our Saviour and Lambe slaine for us the Prince of Glory yea the Glory of Heaven and Earth and brightnesse of the everlasting Light c. To these privative consequents adde a serious consideration upon those terrible flaming places Deut. 29. 19 20. Prov. 1. 23 24. Isa 6. 9 10. 1 Sam. 2. 25. Act. 13. 46. By continuing thy contempt and rejecting the Light of the Gospel thou mayest come thou knowest not how soone to sinne against the Holy-Ghost as the Pharises did Math. 12. 24 31. For sinne against the Holy-Ghost may be committed as well 1 By those who although they doe acknowledge and confesse the Truth which they doe blaspheme yet they have not yet professed it or given up their names to it as were those Scribes and Pharises and there are many such in these dayes who have not as yet given their name to the Truth which yet notwithstanding being well knowne and acknowledged they doe blaspheme 2 As those who have not only acknowledged in themselves the Truth that they blaspheme but have professed the same before others that are the favourers of Truth as Iulian Porphyrius Alexander the Copper-smith and many others of which you may see Heb. 6. 10. So many amongst us at this day 3 Some taken from the survey of those judgements which contempt of the Ministerie may bring upon the place where it is planted 1 It may remove the Candlesticke and be plagued with the utter losse of the Ministerie Consider Math. 8. 34. 10. 13. 21. 41. 2 They may have Prophets but such as are fooles they may have men of the Spirit but those that be mad Hos 9. 7. By a foole is meant not a naturall but spirituall foole Prov. 1. 8. Ier. 4. 22. Isa 5. 20. By mad is understood not a man out of his wit or distracted in minde but he that like a mad Dogge rageth and rayleth against the Truth of God and sinceritie of his Saints which is a great judgement 3 They may enjoy faithfull Teachers but to their further hardening as the Israelites did Isaiah Isa 6. 9 10. Which of all other judgements that God can inflict in this life is the most fearefull 4 By this meanes they may make sad the heart and affections of their Teachers that they cannot with that chearefulnesse as they desire performe the offices of their Ministerie Which as it discourageth the Teachers and will one day light heavie on the causers and procurers thereof so it is unprofitable for the hearers and deprives them of much good they might otherwise enjoy as appeares Heb. 13. 17. 4 Some from consideration of those confusions and desolations which it pulls with great violence even upon whole Kingdomes Looke upon such places as these 2 Chron. 36. 16 17 c. Ier. 25. 3. c. Cap. 35. 15. Rev. 6. 4. c. The glorious Light of those seven Candlestickes in Asia mentioned in the Revelations was long since for their unfruitfulnesse coldnesse and contempt of the Word turned into the darke Midnight of Heresie Apostasie and Mahometisme Rome that was anciently the glory of the Westerne Churches lyes now drowned in Superstition soaking in damnable Idolatry and plunged over head and eares in the Doctrine of Devils Many strong and noble Limbes of the reformed Churches in high Germanie have lyen for some yeeres in their teares of bloud groaning under the mercilesse tyrannie of the bloudie Antichristians and have wofully received the marke of the Beast againe Now assuredly it was the loathing the heavenly Manna which made the Lord to utter his Voice before the Armie of the enemies at Prague
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
frequent in praying and praysing The other not The Reason 5 Vers 109 110. He will lose his life for God A temporarie is offended Mat. 13. 21. 6 Vers 111 112. A Child of God counts the Word his greatest Treasure * Vers 162. * Vers 72. The Reason A Christian man hath such assurance in the good things of the world to come that he can easily moderate his affections as touching earthly and transitorie things It is otherwise with an Hypocrite And why 2 Cor. 13. 5. Vers 105. explained The Word is taken three wayes 1 For the substantial Word The written and sounding Word The effectuall Word Rom. 1. 16. 2 What is mâ—ant by Light John 1. 4. Mat. 5. 14. Phil. 2. 15 16. Prov. 4. 18. 1 Christ originally Mal. 4. 2. 2 Ministers ministerially Râ—vel 1. 20. Act. 16. 18. The Word instrumentally The faithfull are the subjects of this Light Phil. 2. 15. 3 What is meant by Feet 4 What by Paths The meaning of the Verse Doct. 1. Doct. 2. Doct. 1. Reason 1. No other meanes can bring us to Heaven Not humane Learning Eph. 2. 12. Rom. 1. 22. 1 Cor. 1. 20. Iere. 10. 14. Not worldly wisedome The wisedome of Gods Book mans brain stand at oddes with an everlasting opposition Rom. 8. 7. * 1 Cor. 1. 19. 2 Sam. 16. 23. 2 Sam. 17. 23. Not good meanings 2 Sam. 6. 6. Luk. 9. 54 55. 1 Sam. 15. Ioh. 13. 8. Not will-worship Col. 2. 23. 1 King 18. 28. Deut. 32. 17. Not the Word it selfe in the Letter without the meaning Ioh. 3. 10. Vers 4. Reason 2. The Word workes regeneration without which no salvation What regeneration is 1 Pet. 1. 23. Act. 13. 26. Act. 14. 3. Phil. 2. 16. Rom. 1. 16. * See Dearing pag. 325. 1 Cor 4. 15. Iam. 1. 18. Reason 3. The Word is able to sanctifie the whole man 2 Cor. 10. 4. Heb. 4. 12. opened The Word is said to be lively in three regards It quickens It lasts for ever Psal 119. 89. It disperseth it selfe and searcheth into every part of the soule Jer. 23. 29. Vse 1. Confutationâ— of Papists who keepe the Word in an unknowne Tongue Psal 19. 7 8. Joh. 5. 39. Prov. â— 4. Act. 17. 11. â— Pet. 1. 19. * Beâ— de Verb. Dei 2. cap. 15. At Catholica Ecclesia c. * Sess 22. ca. 8. Can. 9. Obiect The Scriptures are ready to be abused by the ignorant to error heresie c. Answ So may Meat be abused and the Aire infected yet they are not to be taken away Rev. 18. Vse 2. Of terror to them that delight not in Gods Word I Iob. 5. 19. Act. 26. 18. Eph. 5. 8. 1 Pet. 2. 9. The state of those that are in Darkenesse He is in feare * Gen. 15. 12. Rom. 2. 5. He knowes not whither he goes Ioh. 12. 35. The state of ignorant men Simile Eph. 2. 12. Joh. 3. 18. Rom. 10. 14. Eph. 4. 17 18 19. The fruits of ignorance 1 Ioh. 2. 16. 2 Thess 1. 7 8 9. 1 Cor. 2. 9. 2 Cor. 4. 3 4. Ephes 4. 18. Ephes 5. 8. Prov. 4. 19. Coloss 1. 13. Zeph. 1. 15. Vse 3. Admonition to take the Word for our guide 1 Pet. 2. 2. Prov. 4. 18. Mal. 4. 2. Eph. 4. 13. Phil. 2. 15. Dan. 12. 3. Isai 38. 8. Iosh 10. 12. Math. 25. 10. Psal 19. 4 5. Vse 4. Instruction See Chrysoft in Math. pag. 76. Motives â— The Word is a Love-Letter from God Quid est autem Scriptura sacra nisi quaedam Epistola Omnipotentis Dei ad creaturam suam Greg. Epist lib. 4. Epist 48. 1 Tim. 3. 15. Simile 2 The matter contained in it is excellent and precious Heb. 2. 14. 1 Pet. 1. 23. Psal 141. 3. Iob 31. 1. 3 We must be judged by the Word Ioh. 12. 47 48. Conscience what it is Psal 19. 7. Hos 12. 8. Eccles 5. 1. 2 Cor. 2. 16. Heb. 4. 12. Isa 55. 11. 4 A fearefull judgement shall befall the not hearers and practisers of the Word Math. 10. 14 15. Simile Deut 28. 49. Hinderances from profiting by the Word Let 1. Atheisme Some thinke the Word to be but a humane policie A removing of this * It may bee discerned by a proper naturall and inherent Majestie from all humane writings and imitatory delusions and impostures of Satan such as is the Alcaron Let 2. Recusancie Let 3. Hardnesse of heart and desperatenesse in sinning Iob 21. 14 15. Isa 5. 19. A preservative against this The degrees in sinne 1 A motion to sinne 2 The Will inticed 3 Delight 4 Consent 5 Practice 6 Pleasure 7 Custome 8 Excusing 9 Defending 10 Continuance 11 Boasting 12 A reprobate sense Let 4. A conceit that Gods Law like mens Lawes takes hold of and will condemne onely notorious sinners This Let is removed Mat. 11. 23 24. Heb. 11. 6. Heb. 12. 14. Psal 88. 21. Let 5. An eager pursuit of a mans sweet sinne * What is meant by a sweet sinne Quemadmodum nemo tam perditus aut flagitiosus invenitur quin ab aliquo vitio magis quà m caeteris abhorreat sic nemo tantae sanctitatis est quin ad unum aliquod peccatum quam ad caetera propenstor sit Cart. p. 1262. Math. 22. Luke 14. The Parable of the great Supper let out by 3. circumstances 1 2 3 What is meant by it Hos 2. 19. Luke 14. 18. 19. 20. Math. 22. 5. Psal 63. 5. A counter-poyson against this 1 Gods House is the Presence Chamber of the King of Glory 2 Christ is there Math. 18. 20. Rev. 1. 12. 3 The Spirit is there 4 The Angels are there 1 Cor. 11. 10. 1 Pet. 1. 12. 5 The Saints are there Psal 16. 3. 6 The effect of the Word to the unconverted 2 Cor. 5. 18. Eph. 6. 15. Act. 14. 3. 20. 32. The benefit of it to Converts 1 It encreaseth their knowledge 2 Their faith 3 It preserves them from luke-warmenesse 4 It prevents relapses 5 It recovers them being fallen 6 It will â—uide them aright in all their wayes Let 6. Carnall conceits and objections Object May we not be saved without hearing the Word preached Answ No more than wee can reape without sowing or live without food Simile Eph 4. 11 12. Obiect 2. Frequent preaching is not so necessary Answ It is a signe of a gracelessè heart to loath the heavenly Manna Simile Psal 84. Object 3. Our fore-fathers had no preaching yet are saved Answ Their condemnation shall be easier 2 Cor 43 4. 2 We are bound to blesse God who hath dealt more graciously with us Object 4. Answ Object 5. What needs so much adoe The whole dutie of man is soone learned Answ It is soone said not so soone done Eccles 12. 13. Math. 22. 40. Simile Simile Simile Things required before a man can love God or man How our service to God must be qualified A triall of our love to God A triall of our love to our neighbour Object 6.