of God wrought in the hearts of his children alone as being powred into the breast of any man or woman it will purge from sinne and dead works it will quicken our dead benummed soules it will worke the mortification of the flesh and enable vs dayly more and more to obey the will of God in holinesse and righteousnesse and lastly that this Knowledge is durable and permanent not onely for this life but also for the life to come Oh let vs then euery one of vs in the feare of God try examine our selues whether wee haue in vs the knowledge of God yea or nay If wee find the same to be in vs by the notes and properties of it as abouesaid wee bee then blessed and happy wee bee in the right way to eternall life nay this blessed Knowledge will put vs into reall possession of eternal life and the saluation of our poore soules But diddest thou neuer find this blessed knowledge as yet in thy heart but in stead therof thy mind full of ignorance Thy will froward and rebellious thy affections louing and delighting in sinne and vncleannesse Alas thou art then in a most cursed and miserable estate thou abidest in death in danger of eternall damnation And yet if wee trie our selues it will appeare that most men and women haue not this sauing Knowledge in them but liue in a most palpable ignorance notwithstanding these clear sun-shine dayes of the Gospell Vse 3 Againe is this knowledge such an excellent gift grace of God that it puts men into a reall possession of eternall life Oh how should men therefore labour and study for this knowledge all the dayes of our life If a man haue all the knowledge in the world and yet want this knowledge namely that hee hath not this knowledge to know God the Father to be his Father God the Son to bee his Redremer and the Spirit of God to bee his Sanctifier all other knowledge is but carnall and shall not profite him to saluation Wee see men can bee content to take great paines to study for worldly knowledge the knowledge of the tongus of Arts and Sciences the knowledge of Philosophy of Trades and Occupations and that to maintaine a temporall life And shall wee which bee Christians take no paines to study the word and to heare it preached and taught vnto vs thereby to attaine to this blessed knowledge which shall last for euer and euer and neuer leaue vs till it bring vs to eternall life And yet alas wee see that most men and women are so bewitched with the loue of the world and earthly things which are but momentany and last but for a time that they eyther contemn or at least they neglect this blessed Knowledge of God and of Christ which will make them happy and blessed for euermore this they neuer seeke for nor will not put their heads out of their dores to come to heare the Word whereby they might attaine to this knowledge but let such carnall men and women know that they contemning this knowledge of Christ heere hee will likewise contemne them hereafter and say vnto them Depart from mee yee cursed I know you not Seeing this knowledge thus to know God the Father Vse 4 to bee our Father Christ his Son our Sauiour Redeemer the Spirit of God our Comforter Sanctifier is the right way to eternall life and puts our Soules in reall possession of the Kingdome of heauen then all they which want this knowledge must needs abide in death they liuing in blindnesse and ignorance of God and his Word the Deuill must needs carry them blindfold to perdition for the want of this knowledge is it that brings men to eternall confusion Alas poore miserable soules when wisdome comes and cries at our dores and yet men shall most vngratefully contemne this Knowledge and refuse instruction and trample this precious pearle vnder foot Surely these men and women bee they what they will bee they doe voluntarily strippe themselues of eternall life nay like blind Bayards they run their poore soules into the pitte of Hell before they be aware and therefore in the feare of God if wee neuer had this Knowledge of God as yet Now let vs labour for it if wee haue it then let vs labour that it may become effectuall vnto vs to purge vs to quicken vs to change vs that it bee not idle and naked Hitherro haue I shewed the nature and propertie of this knowledge Now because this knowledge is so excellent so heauenly and diuine therefore it must Doct. 3 needs haue an excellent obiect What then is the obiect or the thing that wee must know Surely this knowledge is not of Arts and Sciences It is God himselfe that is the obiect of a sanctified knowledge it is not the knowledge of tongues it is not the knowledge of Philosophy and of the nature of things all which are commendable in themselues but the thing which wee must know and which is the obiect of this heauenly and blessed knowledge it is God himselfe This is taught by our blessed Sauiour Io. 17.3 2. Cor. 13. â— This is life eternall that they know thee the onely true God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ And this knowledge is so needfull so necessary that our hearts can neuer be ridde of the occasion of feare of our reprobation till wee doe know God the Father God the Sonne and God the Holy Ghost with their distinct offices Obiect Obiect But alas how can we which liue in darknes attaine to the knowledge of God who inhabiteth in that light which none can attaine vnto Answer Certaine it is that this knowledge of the true God is not attained vnto by nature Answere it is not in any man as hee is a natural man to attain to this heauenly knowledge Rom. 8.7 let naturall education bee neuer so good and men neuer so excellent in witte or vnderstanding or any other gift of nature no no flesh and bloud can neuer attaine to this heauenly knowledge of the true God But this knowledge thus to know the true God is the proper gift of Iesus Christ alone put into our hearts by the finger of his owne spirit according to that of the Prophet Esay Esay 53 11. By his knowledge shall my righteous seruant iustifie many And againe No man knoweth the Father but the Sonne Mat. 11.27 and he to whom the Sonne will reueale him Obiect Obiect But how doth Iesus Christ the Sonne of God reueale his Father vnto vs makes him known to sinful men Ans Answere Iesus Christ reueales this Knowledge vnto vs which is eternal life by the finger of his owne blessed Spirit Paul may plant Apollo may water 1. Cor. 3.6 but God alone giues the encrease The Preaching of the Word it is the ordinary means to beget this sauing Knowledge But men can onely preach to the outward eares it is the spirit of God
alone that must open our hearts as hee did the heart of Lydea and annoint our blind eyes Act. 16 Reu 3.18 else wee shall neuer see And therefore the Spirit of God is sayd to reueale such things vnto men as neuer came into the heart of any carnal man once to thinke 1. Cor. 2.10 Euen the secret things of God And what bee those surely such things as the most learned in the world maybe ignorant of And the poore vnlearned and vnlettered man may haue greater knowledge in these then the greatest Doctor of all namely Note the Spirit of God makes knowne to his children the loue of God in Iesus Christ the pardon of sin hee sees in his Soule and conscience Rom. 8.15 what a blessed thing it to haue the pardon of sin to feele the comfortable power of Gods Spirit teaching vs to cry to him Abba Father and none else can haue this same sauing knowledge of God so as the same may be powerfull and effectuall vnto their soules and consciences saue the children of God How God the Father is to be known of vs. Deu. 6.6 Math. 22.37 Luk. 10.17 Now concerning God the Father wee must know and acknowledge and that truely soundly and beleeuing that hee is the onely true God and that there is none other God in heauen or earth but him alone therefore he alone must bee adored worshipped beleeued and prayed vnto as the onely true God Secondly wee must know and acknowledge that God the Father is not onely the true God but our God not onely the Father of Christ but also our Father and hath adopted vs to be his children in Iesus Christ and hath put his Spirit into our hearts whereby we cry Abba father he that doth thus know God is in the right way to eternal life But he that cannot thus beleeue God sauingly 2. Tim. 1.12 soundly and particularly that the onely true God is his God and that the Father of Iesus Christ is his Father that he loues him as his child and will bestow the Kingdom of Heauen vpon him as his inheritance alas hee abides in death and hath not this sanctified knowledge of God within him Then wee must not rest vpon this bare knowledge to know that God the Father is the onely true God the Father of Christ for this is a bare knowledge a naked knowledge and such a knowledge as may befal a wicked man Iam. 2. Mar. 1.23 yea the Deuill himselfe for he beleeues and trembles he acknowledgeth Christ to be the Sonne of God And yet alas how many thousand soules amongst vs come short of this knowledge of God which the Deuill hath how many feare tremble to thinke of God and of the day of iudgement but let vs euery one euery man and euery woman and euery mothers child amongst vs if we would not bee in worse case then the Deuill himselfe labour to goe beyond the Deuill and all wicked men watsoeuer to know and that soundly and particularly that the onely true God is our God and that the Father of Christ is our Father that wee labour to get assurance of his loue towards vs that he loues vs as his children and wil bestow the kingdome of heauen vpon vs at the last And if wee thus know God to be our God and our blessed Father wee must labour to performe all such duties as belong vnto him as our God and louing Father First that man that beleeues God to be the true God and vnto him a louing Father Duties that are to be performed vnto God this man must imitate him and follow him for it is the will of God that his Children should be like vnto himselfe Secondly euery one that knoweth and beleeueth God to be the true God and in Christ his Father this man must as a good child bee obedient to his fathers will in all things for of them doth God the Father approue of to bee his children And hence it is that God sayth If I be a Master where is my feare Mal. 1.6 Mat. 12.50 If I bee a Father where is my honour And againe Whosoeuer shall doe my Fathers will which is in Heauen the same is my Brother my Sister and Mother M. Perkins on the Creed Where wee see plainely taught vs this second duty that if God be our Father then as good children wee should shew obedience vnto him but if we disobey him then we must know that that saying of Christ wil be verefied vpon vs Yee are of your Father the Deuill Io. 8.44 for the works of the Deuill yee will do And indeed no man can be so like to his Father that begot him as are the disobedient and rebellious sinners like to their Sire the Deuill Thirdly euery one that knoweth and beleeueth God to be the true God and in Christ his Father hee must learne to beare all crosses and outward afflictions patiently knowing that they come from God to wayte for deliuerance from him For whom God loueth hee chastiseth If two children should be fighting and a man comming by should part them and giue correction to one of them euery man would conceiue that hee were his child whom he corrected and surely when the Lord doth lay his rod heauiest vpon his children yet euen then doth hee shew himselfe a louing Father vnto vs Now if our earthly Fathers corrected vs and wee gaue them reuerence taking it patiently should wee not much rather bee in subiection to the Father of Spirits that we may liue In a word if wee thus know God to bee our God and our blessed Father we must loue him as our God and Father feare him as our God obey him beleeue in him rest vpon him both in prosperity and aduersity as vpon our mercifull God The second thing to bee knowne to eternall life is Iesus Christ the Sonne of God How God the Sonne is to be known of vs. And therefore seeing no man can know the Father vnlesse he know the Sonne therefore this knowledge is as necessary as the former and concerning this Saint Iohn sayth We must not onely know the Father but him also whom the Father hath sent Iesus Christ Now to that end wee may know him aright wee must know and beleeue particularly that hee is our Iesus our blessed Sauiour and Redeemer who by his perfect obedience and his bitter death and passion Reu. 1.7 hath saued vs from all our sinnes and from the curse of God and eternall damnation due to the same And in this one point is contained the height depth of all knowledge thus assuredly and beleeuingly to know in particular that Iesus Christ was sent of his Father that in our Nature he might die for our sinnes and rise againe for our iustification Oh blessed and thrice happy is that man and woman which hath this blessed knowledge put into their hearts by the spirit of God Rom.
All men by nature are dead in respect of any spirituall life namely dead in trespasses and sinnes sin is the bane and death of our soules for the Wages of sinne is death Death bringeth vs into the full and absolute power of the Deuill that wee are all of vs thus seruants vnto sinne It is plain by the Apostles complaint Eph. 2.1 Rom. 6.23 Rom. 7.14 Rom. 6.16 Gen. 2.17 I am carnall sold vnder sinne and then vnto whom soeuer wee giue our selues as seruants to obey his seruants we are Now that we are all by nature seruants vnto sin and vnto death it cannot bee denied for what was it that God sayd vnto Adam In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death As soone as Adam had sinned presently the sentence tooke place and Adam is now become the child of death and eternall destruction became his portion and this is the condition of all Adams posterity there is not the greatest the noblest the wealthiest nor the fayrest amongst the sonnes of men but wee are thus bound till the Sonne make vs free Men are not onely sicke with sinne or wounded by sinne or halfe dead but starke dead bereft of all spirituall sense and motion And this doth the Apostle most liuely effectually set out vnto vs in another place when he sayth Yee were once darknes Eph. 5.8 but now are light in the Lord He doth not say we were in darknesse Io. 3.6 for then perhaps wee might haue come of our selues into the light againe But yee were darknesse Darknesse it selfe yea nothing else but Darknesse and hence againe is it that naturall men are called Flesh not Fleshly but flesh it selfe and the wisdom that is Rom. 8.7 the best part that can bee in a naturall man what is it but Enmitie with God it may bring a man to Hell but it cannot lead him one inch nearer vnto heauen and therefore being thus starke dead in sinne Alas what can a dead man doe to helpe himselfe No more can a natural man moue so much as one finger to procure saluation to himselfe no no being dead in sinne we cannot so much as thinke one good thought much lesse haue wee free will of our selues to seeke for saluation vntil such time as the Lord hath reuiued vs and quickned vs by the Spirit of grace Lazarus in the Gospell had layne dead foure dayes in the graue so as hee beganne to rotte and to stinke yet when our Sauiour Christ cryed with a loud voyce Lazarus Io. 11. come foorth hee arose incontinently and came and stood foorth This is our case and condition yea the estate and condition of euery soule in the world we be starke dead in trespasses and sinnes nay we lye rotting and putrifying in the graue of our sinnes and vntill Iesus Christ by his spirit and loude voyce of the preaching of the Gospell which is the Word of life shal breath within vs the breath of life and reuiue vs poore soules wee cannot moue so much as one little finger to the Kingdome of heauen This may serue in the first place to confute that erroneous Vse 1 Doctrine of the Papists who say that a man hath naturally Free-will in himselfe by vertue whereof hee can dispose himselfe to the worke of his regeneration Condemnes the Doctrine of the Papists touching Free Will whose opinion if it were granted then were the power of God lesse seene in our second birth then in our first birth which were iniurious to the Spirit of God so to thinke for what can a dead man do to his owne quickning and raysing vp from the graue can hee turne himselfe or any way fitte or prepare himselfe to bee raysed surely no it is altogether impossible nay let a dead man haue all the helpe that may be to bee Raysed vp yet vnlesse the soule bee giuen vnto him all is in vaine so fareth it with the naturall man he can by no meanes dispose himselfe to any spirituall action or motion vnlesse some spirituall life be put into him But what sayeth the Aduersary he may giue his consent to his quickning though hee quicken not himsele But say I what consent call wee the consent of a man that is dead but not to stand vpon their presumptuous doctrine of Free wil the which amongst many other points of Popery maintained by them hath lifted vp many so high amongst them with this vaine opinion of their own worthinesse that they find not themselues to stand in need for the Lord to lift them vp Then in the feare of God let euery man and woman Vse 2 and euery mothers child labour to see our misery to see our poore Soules how they lye rotting in sinne let vs Serues to humble vs in that wee are dead till the Lord quicken vs by his spirit seeing wee bee as the poore Flyes in Winter starke dead not able to moue our little finger to heauen pray vnto the Lord that hee would cause the blessed Sunne-shine of his Word and Gospell to shine vpon vs to warme our cold and benummed soules to quicken our dead consciences by the word of Life and the blessed worke of his holy Spirit for so long as God doth not quicken vs nor reuiue vs alas our soules be dead in sinne and this death is the next step vnto eternall death in the fire of Hell And therefore their case is dangerous and miserable which sleepe snort in sin lye starke dead in the graue of sin vntill it please the Lord to reuiue them by the preaching of the Gospell which is the Power of God vnto Saluation to Reuiue and to quicken our dead soules This being so Note we see then it is no maruell though many that are present in the Assemblies of Gods people at the preaching of the Word and yet reape no profite by it the reason is they are dead now sound a Trumpet in a dead mans eare and he heares it not Euen so Esay 58. let the Minister of Gods Word cry neuer so loude lift vp his voyce like a Trumpet men are no more moued eyther with the comforts of the Word or with the threates of the Law then the seates men sit on because they are dead till the Lord doe please to put life into them And as for those that haue eares to heare with profite and comfort blesse God for it and giue him the glory for so great a mercy for certaine it is by nature the condition of all men is alike till the Lord hath wrought in vs the worke of grace and Reuiued vs with the breath of life Oh what cause then hath man by nature to swell with pride or to bee lifted vp with any conceit at all of his owne worthinesse though they haue neuer so many excellent parts of nature as wit capacity strength beauty or outward gifts as riches honour authority c. yet surely men may see that if
4.23 thus particularly to know and beleeue that Iesus Christ is their Iesus and Sauiour who hath died for them to saue their soules And indeed this is the sweetnesse of the Gospell and the marrow of all Religion not simply to know that Iesus Christ is a Sauiour but to know that hee is my Sauiour not simply to know that he died for sinners but for mee the chiefe of al sinners not simply to know that there is an eternall life but to know that there is eternall life layde vp for me So that wee see that it is not inough for a Christian to know the history of the Bible that Iesus Christ is the Sauiour of the world and dyed for those which beleeue in him for this knowledge the Deuill himselfe hath hee knoweth and doth acknowledge Iesus Christ to bee the Sauiour of the world but wee must labour for this particular knowledge this certaine and experimentall knowledge so as wee can say in truth of heart Note I beleeue and know that Iesus Christ is not onely the Sauiour of the world but my Sauiour not onely that he dyed for them which beleeue in him but that hee dyed for me and shedde his bloud to saue my soule And though this were true that though but one man or woman in the whole world should bee saued yet we ought to haue this certaine knowledge to beleeue I am the man I am the woman and they which haue this certaine and vnfalilble knowledge they are in the right way to eternal life but they which haue only a general and confused knowledge swimming in the braine alas they abide in death The third speciall thing which wee must know is the Spirite of God How God the holy Ghost is to be knowne of vs. when as we can find and feele the worke of Gods Spirit within vs when wee acknowledge him to bee the author and sole worker of this knowledge when wee can know by experience in our owne selues in our soules and consciences that the Spirit of Christ is in vs Gal. 2 20. 2. Cor. 13.5 that wee can say with the Apostle Christ liueth in mee and that hee doth make vs with boldnesse to call vpon God and to cry vnto him Abba father Rom. 8.15 when wee doe feele the blessed worke of the Spirit to mortifie our corrupt nature by little and little weakening the strength of sinne and naturall corruption within vs and dayly raysing vs vp to newnesse of life and repayring in vs more more the blessed image of God in holinesse and righteousnesse which hath greatly defaced in vs by reason of sinne and Sathan This is that Knowledge which whosoeuer finds put and powred into their soules by the Spirit of Christ Iesus they are happy and blessed they are in reall possession of eternall life but as for those which want this knowledge seeme they neuer so excellent nor thinke they neuer so well of themselues they bee but miserable and cursed and abide in eternall death and damnation Doct. Hauing thus at large shewed what is that knowledge heere spoken of Ignorance of God and his word in matters of Religion is dangerous and also the excellent fruits effects that come from it and what it is that wee must know as also what great profite this knowledge brings to all those which haue it namely eternall life It shall not now bee amisse to consider in a word how dangerous a thing it is to want this sauing knowledge what great misery come to men and women by ignorance and want of knowledge The blessed Sonne of God himselfe who being most true nay the very truth and life it selfe when he would shew the root and very spawne of sinne and iniquity hee tels the Scribes Pharisees Mat. 22.29 Yee erre because yee know not the Scriptures and the power of God And to what should we impute this in these dayes that men runne into errors and teach false heretical nay damnable doctrine surely to this because men know not the Scripture and haue no knowledge in the word What is the cause that men liue in sinne in drunkennesse whoredome adultery swearing couetousnesse c Alas the cause of all is this because they haue no knowledge There is an excellent place to this purpose in the Prophet Hosea Hos 1.2 where the Lord by his Prophet takes vp a great and grieuous complaint against the inhabitants of the land because there was no Mercy nor Truth to bee found but that men liued in Swearing lying killing whoring theeuing c. And the reason of all these is there layde down in these words There is no knowledge of God in the land Read the fourth Chapter of Leuiticus Leuit. 4. and there it wil appeare how highly Almighty God condemned this sin of Ignorance by those Sacrifices that were to bee offered vp euen for the same Heb. 2.1 Now Ignorance is threefold 1. It is a simple and meere ignorance 2. Is a carelesse ignorance 3. Is a wilfull and an affected ignorance All these kinds of ignorance are heere forbidden and condemned as the greatest enemies to this knowledge The first of these is simply for want of meanes 1 Of simple ignorance which few men in these dayes and times wherein wee liue are able to obiect for the voyce of Gods Ministers haue sounded the Lords Trumpet of warning in most places of this land so that if men now should bee ignorant it must needs bee a wilfull and an affected ignorance for by the mercy of our God wee liue now in such times as knowledge is euen thrust vpon men both by publike authority and the restlesse labours of Gods faithfull Ministers 2. Cor. 4. so that we may conclude with the Apostle If the Gospell bee hid it is hid to them that perish whom the Prince of this World hath blinded their minds yet notwithstanding that men should want these means of knowledge yet wil not their ignorance excuse them in the day of the Lord It may excuse à tanto but not à toto as Diuines affirme their punishment may be something the lesse but it shal not free them from hauing any at all The second kind of ignorance that is heere condemned as an vtter engine to this knowledge 2 Of carelesse ignorance is carelesse ignorance which is indeed the onely sinne of these times when hauing the means of knowledge we care not for it but neglect and contemne it this is farre worse then the former and if the former sort of ignorance will not excuse a man much lesse will this Oh it is the sinne of thousands in the world at this day that out of negligence and carelesnesse neglect the meanes of knowledge offered vnto them 2. Cor. 4. Oh what a fearefull sinne is this considering that if the Gospell bee hidde it is hid to them that perish and that Christ Iesus will come at the last to render Vengeance
counterfeit repentance of Hypocrites from the fourth verse to the end of the Chapter which was neither sound nor sincere nor yet durable and lasting whereof wee must take heed and labour to auoyde all hypocrisie in the seruice of God who as hee is a spirite so he loues truth in the inward affections And will bee serued in spirit and truth Psal 51.6 The three first verses containe a most holy and christian perswasion of the beleeuing Iewes Text diuided to turne vnto the Lord from all their sinnes especially from that vile and horrible sinne of Idolatry And in the same we are to consider three things First the motion and godly perswasion which the children of God make one to another Come let vs returne c. Secondly the reasons and arguments which they vse to enforce their godly exhortation to perswade each other to turne vnto the Lord and they bee two especially The first drawn from the iustice of God in these two words Hee hath spoyled hee hath wounded The other drawne from the mercy of God in these words Hee will heale vs hee will bind vs vp And because this argument taken from the mercy of God is a reason of all reasons and such an argument as Paul makes choyse of aboue all others saying I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that yee giue vp your bodies Rom. 12.5 c. As if he should say If the manifold mercies of God both for soule and body if the bloudshed of Iesus Christ will not moue a man to turne vnto God he is in a wofull case I say because this argument is of speciall force to moue hard-hearted sinners to turne vnto God The people of God in this place vrge it further and amplifie this argument by two other circumstances First The shortnes of the time After two dayes hee will reuiue vs and the third day hee will rayse vs vp If wee draw neere vnto him by true and vnfained repentance The other circumstance is taken from the greatnesse of Gods mercy Hee will reuiue vs Hee will rayse vs vp answerable to the two former words He hath spoyled vs he hath wounded vs So here the mercy of God exceedes his iustice for it is not sayde that hee had kilde vs or cast vs away but onely spoyled vs and wounded vs with a blow or stripe or twaine But his mercy is aboue all his workes for though he had vtterly killed vs yet he will reuiue vs Nay hee will rayse vs vp though wee had layne not foure dayes but foure hundred dayes in the graue of sinne yet his mercifull right hand can and will rayse vs vp againe The third speciall thing in these verses is the fruits of repentance and of true conuersion If we doe truly repent and draw neere vnto God by Conuersion The first fruit of our Repentance is this That as wee draw neere vnto God by true and vnfained Repentance so he will draw neere vnto vs and Wee shall liue in his sight that is in his fauour and in the light of his countenance Nay wee that are truely conuerted shall liue and behaue our selues as euer in Gods presence and before his blessed face The second fruit of our true Conuersion and sincere Repentance is Ioh. 17.3 That wee shall haue knowledge The Lord will in mercy poure into our hearts the true sauing knowledge of himselfe euen the knowledge of the whole Trinity Father Sonne and holy Ghost Nay wee shall not onely haue this heauenly knowledge poured into our hearts by the Spirite of Iesus Christ but as a man in a dropsie the more hee drinkes the more he thirsts and desires drinke so Wee shall indeuour our selues to know the Lord That is wee shall hunger and thirst after this heauenly knowledge as the food of our soules and neuer to be glutted with it but labour to abound more and more in it The third fruit of our Conuersion is in the third verse That as wee doe by true and vnfained repentance draw neare vnto our God So will he be most ready to helpe and to comfort vs. The Lords comming foorth is prepared as the morning True it is that the sense and feeling of Gods mercy is oftentimes extinguished in the hearts of his children as the comfortable light and beames of the Sunne vnder a thicke cloud or when it is gone vnder the earth So as oftentimes wee thinke that God forgets vs and hides himselfe from vs But his comming to helpe vs is Prepared and therefore most certaine and he shall come as the Morning most comfortably vnto vs. Euen as the bright beames and cleare countenance and face of the Sunne after a windy tempestuous stormy and boysterous night is very comfortable So the bright beames of Gods mercies breaking foorth and shining vpon our hearts after a darke and cloudy night of affliction it is most comfortable to glad and reioyce the distressed Soule of a poore sinner Nay in the second similitude hee shewes that the comming of the Lord shall bee not onely ioyfull and very comfortable but most effectuall to a wounded Soule that lyes languishing vnder the heate of Gods wrath that as helpe long looked for and in time of greatest danger is of al other most welcome so when the Lord shall come with helpe and deliuerance after great danger and long expected this is most set by and most esteemed And therefore the Prophet sayeth The Lord will come as the raine euen as the latter raine vnto the earth Now as moderate raine is welcome at all times so especially in the heate of summer after a great and a long drought when the earth is scorched with the heate of the Sunne and begins to capper and gape for want of moisture so then a gracious raine a sweet shower is most welcome then it doth most good not onely to cherish the thirstie and scorched earth but also to ripen the fruites of the field and to bring them to perfection Euen so when a poore Soule doth pant and breath vnder the burthen of his sinnes and is scorched with the burning heate of affliction then if the Lord in mercie send a gracious storme and comfortable raine into our thirsty soules and send a heauenly shower of his blessed mercy Nay if he distill but one little droppe of his mercy in the burning heate of affliction this is most welcome this is most comfortable to asswage and to comfort the heate of a sinner scorched and tormented for feare of the burning anger and wrath of God against sinne Thus much briefly for the vnfoulding of the words and the meaning of them in generall IN the former Chapter the Lord told them Coher that hee would bring great and grieuous Iudgements vpon them vntill such time as they would turne and seeke him confessing their sinnes and amending their euill liues And in the last verse of the former Chapter the Lord saith In their afflictions they will seeke me diligently Shewing
euill life surely the beginning of all euill is this to turne away from God It was the case of the Prodigall Sonne and in him of all sinners that when hee had receyued his patrimony Luk. 15. Hee tooke his iourney into a farre Country farre away and yet hee thought not himselfe farre inough from his Father but who willed him to depart was hee put out of his Fathers house Surely no but he himselfe of his own accord would needes bee gone Euen so doth a sinner make a voluntary separation betwixt God and his soule God doth neuer forsake till hee bee forsaken Now a sinner is sayde to depart from God in two respects First by an opposite and far different disposition Gods volo being mans nolo Gods will being mans nill by omitting that which hee should commit and by committing that which hee should omit As when wee see two sitting and talking together and the one varieth from the other in opinion we say the one is farre from the other and in the same respect is a sinner said to goe farre from God Secondly a sinner is said to goe far from God in regard of the greatnesse or the multitude of his sinnes that he doth commit which the more they are the farther they leade a sinner for euery sinne being a departure from God a sinner may rightly bee said to depart lesser or farther according to the number quality of the sins they commit Some being the sinnes of infirmity some of ignorance some of malice and some of presumption but Hee that hath eyes like a flame of fire Reu. 2.18 doth still behold them and although Adam doe goe about to hide himselfe amongst the thickets of the garden from the presence of God yet was hee still in Gods presence neyther could hee escape Many thinke they cannot runne farre inough from God Psal 1 39. of whom the Prophet speaketh Whither shall wee flie from Gods presence shall wee flie into heauen It is no part of our thought shall wee flie into the vtmost part of the earth the whole world is vnder Gods gouernment shall wee take a voyage by Sea it may bee God will send vs farther then we are minded to flie for little did Ionas thinke by flying from God that God would vexe him with all his stormes But if wee will not venture so farre but onely flye into the darkenesse we must know that with God The darkenesse and light are both alike There is no distance of place betwixt God and a sinner but alas the cause of all is this we know not the mischiefe that will follow by our departure from God how many sighes and groanes euen of our dearest hearts it will cost vs ere wee can get into fauour againe This did Dauid finde by wofull experience that hauing left the Lord and made a departure from his God by walking in the broad pathes of vngodlinesse Psal 51.1.2 Psal 6. adultery and murther did not the Lord bring him backe againe by the weeping Crosse that hee lay a long time wala-daying his griefe of heart ere hee could be perswaded that God would receiue him again into fauour Gen. 16. What found Hagar out of Abrahams house but want and sorrow What found the Prodigall child Luk. 15. being departed from his father but want and pouerty When Cain went away from God there was no more account made of him then of a vagabond and odious person Behold saith Cain to God Gen. 4.14 thou hast cast mee out this day from the earth and from thy face shall I bee hid and shall bee a vagabond and a runnagate vpon the face of the earth and whosoeuer findeth me shall slay mee This is the danger fearefull estate of them which committing sinne depart from God Oh that wee were wise then would wee consider our latter end Deut. 32. Reason of the Doctrine Now let vs see the reason of the Doctrine that so it may worke the deeper impression in euery one of our soules We haue heard that sinne is a departure from God and that a sinner hauing left the wayes of life finds no comfort nor peace till with the prodigal son they return to God again The reason is nothing can satisfie the soule of man but God himself as a pottle or a gallon cannot be filled with the measure of a pinte so are the pleasures of sinne but as a graine of muster-seed in the belly of an Elephant The desires of the soule remaine infinite and must haue an infinit God to satisfie them whereas the profites and pleasures of this world haue their bounds so that there is no other remedy for vs in this life but to remoue our minds from the desire of these earthly things and to transport the same vnto God that there they may rest content and be satisfied for the grace of God and the heauenly gifts of his spirit they are the onely comforts vnto the soule because his presence and goodnesse is most agreeable thereto being created after the likenesse of God as for all other things they are but death and famishment as stones and grauell are to the body Hence then let all men learn to be warned betimes Vse 1 Thou that takest liberty to thy self to liue in sinne Oh know that thou art now departing from God In whose presence is the fulnesse of ioy and at whose right hand there is pleasure for euermore And now thou art trauelling with the Prodigall sonne into a farre Country wandring from God to serue sinne and Sathan Well know O man that if thou wilt needes goe that thou doest now runne vpon manifest hazard danger for who can tell whether in this thy disordered course thou shalt come to mischiefe or to some miserable end or whether thou shalt haue that mercy granted thee to call thy selfe to better remembrance Oh goe not then after thy concupiscence nor follow not the inticement of thy lust let reason iudgement take place Pray with the Prophet O Lord Psal 17. lighten my darkenes that I sleepe not in death The Iewes hauing their choyce desired rather Barrabas to be deliuered vnto them then Christ the Sauiour of their soules O follow not the example of so bad Marchants to make a worse choyce then they for if thou yeeldest thy selfe to sinne and wandrest from God refusing Christ Iesus the saluation of thy owne soule goest a whoring after sinne and Sathan hereby thou shewest thy selfe farre worse then euer the Iewes were in their choyee And albeit thou goest not from God all on a sodaine yet thy departure will steale vpon thee by degrees as a man goeth far steppe by steppe First there may creepe vpon thee a dislike of goodnesse of preaching prayer c. Then to the loathing of it and so by little and little to bee drawn away from godlinesse And thou which sometimes wast an earnest professor shalt grow key colde in Religion And so for the
Serpent to cure our soules for no other creature in heauen or earth could heale vs or helpe vs but hee must be our Physitian to make a plaister to heale our wounds the pains that he tooke to temper this plaister it made him sweat both water and bloud and in the end when nothing else could doe it Luke 23. hee was content to temper a plaister of his owne heart bloud such a blessed Sauiour such a louing Physitian haue we Oh then let vs runne to Iesus Christ let vs make our moane vnto him let vs not feare to lay open our wounded soules and distressed consciences vnto him who is so louing and mercifull a Physitian to poore distressed soules Art thou an hard hearted and an impenitent sinner thou art sicke at the very heart thou art wounned by sinne and Sathan vnto eternall death though thou see it not yet thy poore soule is ready to bleede vnto eternall death See Oh see heere Iesus Christ thy Sauior he offers himself to become the Physitian hee hath tempered a plaister that is able to heale thy sicke soule if thou wilt come vnto him Alas wilt thou then runne on in sinne and suffer thy poore soule to rot and fester with sinne and contemne the mercy of God and the kindnesse of Iesus Christ who offers to heale thee and to helpe thy wounded soule The poore man which fell among theeues who spoyled him and wounded him and left him for halfe dead Luk. 10. alas what had becom of him if the good Samaritan had not come by and pittied him Sinne and Sathan hath spoyled vs and wounded vs body and soule Now alas what shall become of vs if that Iesus Christ the good Samaritan and blessed Physitian of our soules doe not pitty vs bind vp our wounds and powre in the oyle of grace into our hearts to cure our sicke and wounded soules but hee is so pittifull and tender hearted a Chirurgion that he will pull off the rotten ragges of our sinnes and lap them vp in the most precious white robe of his owne righteousnes and poure into them the oyle of grace euen his owne deare and precious heart bloud to our euerlasting comfort and saluation Secondly wee obserue hence a further vse that if Vse 2 any do perish through their sinnes and transgressions he must not impute the fault therof vnto God but vnto himself for God doth cal men from their euill waies that so they might not perish but bee saued the Prophet Dauid doth speake excellently of this saying The Lord is full of compassion and mercy slow to anger and of great kindnesse Hee hath not dealt with vs after our sinnes nor rewarded vs according to our iniquities Psal 103. for as high as the heauen is aboue the earth so great is his mercy towards them that feare him As farre as the East is from the West so farre hath hee remoued our sinnes from vs As a father hath compassion on his children so hath the Lord compassion on them that feare him But some may obiect say that it is true the mercy of God is exceeding great indeed but the sinnes that I haue committed against God haue not beene so much sinnes of weakenesse or sinnes of infirmity as they haue beene presumptuous horrible sinnes yea multitudes of them besides all this I haue continued a long time in them tenne twenty thirty or more yeares together and therefore I may well doubt whether the Lord hath any mercy for me Esay 1.18 Marke therefore what the Lord himselfe sayth vnto such Come let vs reason together sayth the Lord though your sinnes were as Crimson they shal be made as white as Snow and though they be as Scarlet they shall be as wooll So that no man can say without iniury against his owne soule and giuing the lye vnto the glorious maiesty of God My sinne is greater then can be forgiuen True it is that the Scripture makes mention of an vnpardonable sinne that shall neuer bee forgiuen eyther in this world Mat. 12.31 or in the world to come The blasphemy against the spirit but that is not in respect of the sinne it selfe that it should exceed the mercies of God or for that God is not able to forgiue it but because they cannot relent and repent that commit it they are so farre gone that they can neuer Returne backe again for as no sinne is so small but is able to plunge vs down to the bottome of hell if wee liue in it without repentance so no sinne is so great and grieuous but vpon repentance there is pardon and mercy to bee found with God yet men must take heed that they abuse not Gods goodnesse and mercy as an occasion of liberty to turne his grace into wantonnesse saying as the manner of some is Oh God is mercifull hee is gracious to great and grieuous sinners and so conclude thereupon that they may liue as they list and so deferre their repentance and Returne vnto God till the last gaspe but the holy Apostle will teach vs an other vse of Gods mercy then so when he sayth Despisest thou the riches of his bountifulnesse and patience Rom. 2.4 and long sufferance not knowing that the bountifulnesse of God should lead thee to repentance So that do wee heare of the patience of God the mercy of God and the long suffering of God Oh what may it teach vs all but this lesson especially to make haste and to deferre no time to returne vnto him for what is God so mercifull and so patient that hee hath spared thee so long and giuen thee so large a time of repentance Oh then how iust and how great shall thy condemnation bee if thou reiect it and make no other vse of it then to boulster thee in thy sinnes but of this before Last of all hete is matter of consolation to all the children of God that are deiected and cast downe with the sense and feeling of their sinnes their soules being heauy and their consciences oppressed with their sin they goe drouping and hang down their heads well let them cheare vp their soules such they are that Christ calleth Math. 11.28 Come vnto mee all yee that are weary and laden and I will ease you for my yoke is easie and my burthen is light When our terrors and temptations grow thus strong vpon vs and that Sathan shall seeke to perswade vs that our sinnes are more then God can forgiue and the punishment that is due vnto vs for them is greater then can be pardoned What shall wee doe at this time but labour herein to discouer the Arch-enemy of our soules Sathan who thus as a lying spirit seekes to draw vs from this doctrine of Gods mercy to plunge our soules into the gulfe of desperation but if our sinnes bee neuer so great haue wee committed them without number haue we committed them neuer so long bee they as Crimson double dyed sinnes as infectious
they bee not Reuiued if they bee not borne againe translated out of Adam and ingrafted into Iesus Christ alas they are but as a dead corps that is trimmed and stucke with so many goodly flowers yea the due consideration of that miserable estate and condition in the which they are by nature may cause them to droupe Tit. 1.15 and to hang downe their heads for by their owne filthinesse and impuritie all these their excellent ornaments are defiled and become impure for so sayth the Apostle To those that are defiled is nothing pure but euen their minds and consciences are defiled Oh if this point were wel considered how it would pull downe the pride of mans heart and make men to hasten to come out of so fearefull an estate and condition Doct. 4 The second point of Doctrine wee obserue hence by the authority of this Text is that our regeneration is as hardly wrought Regeneration a worke of new creation Rom. 5.12 Rom. 6.23 as to rayse vp a dead man to restore him againe to life as hard a thing to saue a soule that is dead as to giue life to one that hath a long time lyen rotting in the graue Death is gone ouer all sayth the Apostle and The wages of sinne is death And God told Adam Gen. 2.17 that in that day that he should eate of the forbidden fruit Hee should die the death Now in so much as wee haue all taken part with him in his disobedience wee must also partake with him in his punishment and the punishment is Death not death in respect of any being of the creature as all wicked and vngodly sinners might wish it were but Death in respect of our eternall separation from God In whose presence is life and at whose right hand is pleasure for euermore This is our estate and condition by nature vntill the Lord doe Reuiue vs and to Reuiue vs and quicken vs is as hard a matter as to rayse vp a dead man out of his graue This doth the Prophet Dauid acknowledge when he desired of God that he would Create in him a new heart Psal 51.10 And surely it is as great a matter to Create a new heart as for the Lord againe to Create a new world yea and in some respects it may seeme harder for in the Creation of the world the Lord but spake the Word and all was made there was no hinderance there was no opposition but in the creation of the heart a new there are many lets and hinderances first within a man for euery man by nature is an enemy vnto his owne saluation and the flesh resists this worke besides the Deuil he labours by al means possible to hinder so blessed a worke Besides all this it is a worke of great difficulty not accomplished without great labour and paine and therefore it is called in the Scripture A Birth a Death a Circumcision now as no Birth no Death no cutting off the Flesh can be without paine and sorrow no more can the conuersion of a sinner the Infant is not deliuered out of the Mothers wombe without paine and doest thou thinke O man to part with sinne that is within thee which was conceiued in the wombe with thee and euer since hath been nourished and brought vp with thee as a familiar companion and not taste of paine Eph. 2.1 and heart smart in thy new birth no assuredly it will not be but it will cost thee much sorrow many a sigh and many a bitter teare before this work of grace be effectually wrought in thee It is not in this case as in producing the forms of many Natural things here below which are brought è potentia materiae out of a capable pronenesse of the thing it selfe to receiue such a forme but in the worke of our Regeneration God doth by his spirit deliuer the mind from blindnesse and ignorance the will from rebellion the affections from disorder and all the powers and faculties of the soule from corruption when man is altogether opposite thereto This Doctrine doth iustly condemne most men Vse 1 women amongst vs we think it is an easie matter to be a Christian and so be saued that it is an easie maner to goe to Heauen and many men who be starke dead in sinne and blesse themselues in their euill wayes yet blush not to say they hope to come to heauen as well as the best Preacher of them all Oh poore soule thou art but a dead man in the sight of God wounded at the heart with sinne and vnlesse thou bee reuiued quickned and raysed out of the graue of sinne by the wonderfull worke of God thou canst not bee saued Our Sauiour Christ being working of some great miracle hee tels his Disciples that they should do greater works then that namely they should saue mens soules and that is farre greater then to saue and helpe the body God created all things with his bare word breathed into Adam the Breath of Life Gen. 2. Io. 11. Our Sauiour Christ raysed Lazarus with his word but before hee can rayse a Sinner out of the graue of sinne and put into vs the breath of spirituall life the Sonne of God must come from Heauen and suffer a most cruell and shamefull death 1. Cor. 1.21 Iohn 17.17 euen the death vpon the Crosse before he can quicken and Reuiue vs and therefore it is not so easie a matter as most men take it to bee to become a good Christian No no it is the hardest thing in the world to become a good Christian and so to be saued And therefore seeing this is the estate condition of vs all Oh how carefull ought wee to bee to vse all good meanes that God hath appointed Act. 15.9 to saue our soules as namely the Word preached the Sacraments Prayer Meditations in the Law of God seeing that by these meanes the Lord doth quicken and Reuiue our dead soules Ps 119. Vse 2 Secondly wee are taught heere that seeing we are all dead in Adam by nature vntill such time as the Lord doth quicken vs and Reuiue vs let no man then content himselfe with this diuelish conceit and perswasion that hee can at his owne time and leasure deliuer himselfe from the bondage of sinne and Sathan as it is the corrupt thought of many that though they haue beene the seruants of sinne and of death twentie or forty yeares together yet they thinke that one Lord haue mercy vpon me will open the Heauen gates but O thou vaine man O thou vaine woman Oh see heere that it is the Lord that must worke in thee this worke of grace for by nature thou art Reprobate vnto euery good worke And this new birth is not giuen to euery one No no onely Gods children who are carefull to vse the meanes as hearing the Word preached and taught Sacrament Prayer c. for by these doth the Lord Reuiue vs and
the Kingdome of Heauen where we be free Denizens And as Pilgrimes behaue themselues in an Inne they stay not seuen or eight yeares but a night or two and so are gone So must not wee settle our dwelling heere where we are but Pilgrimes but in heauen our dwelling place must our conuersation bee as if now we were in Heauen and in the presence of God And as a stranger being farre from home desires to come to his owne house thinks euer of his Wife and Children and of his own land liuing So must we heere being in a strange country thinke of our home desire still to see the face of God and of Christ our most blessed Redeemer that so wee may liue in his blessed presence Seeing this is a speciall note of a man truely regenerate and that hath truely repented to behaue Vse 1 himselfe as in the presence of God as in his sight so as hee dares doe nothing that may offend the eyes of God This shewes most plainely that most men and women are farre from true repentance and were neuer borne a new Seeing many will make conscience of sin in the sight of men which yet make no bones to commit it in the sight of God What man is so shamelesse to commit Adultery in the sight of men yet there bee many that feare not nor blush not to commit it in the sight of God Saint Paul saith They steale commit Adulterie and do all euill in the night Alas Phil. 4.5 night and day bee all alike to God the Lord is at our elbowes and therefore let vs remember this and as wee would not dare to commit any vnseemely thing in the presence of the King so let vs not dare to commit sin in the presence of God Men will looke carefully to their behauiour while they are in the presence of the Prince or temporal Magistrate though otherwise wicked and godlesse men yet in the presence of the Prince they will abstaine from euill Oh that wee were as carefull to behaue our selues in the most glorious presence of the great King of heauen and earth who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords Hee sees all wee doe heares our words pierces into the secrets of our hearts neyther can the least though of ours escape the piercing eye of the Almighty and therefore we should labour to watch ouer al our works words yea ouer the very thoughts of our hearts that they may be sincere and such as we need not be ashamed of for bee wee wel assured that wee shall giue account of the very thoughts of our hearts yea of euery idle word how much more of blasphemous oathes and most monstrous sinnes The theefe steales in the night the drunkard is drunke in the night and the filthy person commits his vncleannesse in the night and they thinke they bee sure who sees them who can accuse them Oh thy God sees thee thou standest in his presence hee heares sees all thou doest and though thou mayest keepe it close from the eyes of men yet thou canst not hide it from the eyes of the Almighty who wil one day call thee to an account for the same VERSE 3. Then shall wee haue knowledge and indeuour our selues to know the Lord his going forth is prepared as the morning and he shall come vnto vs as the raine and as the latter raine vnto the earth IN this third verse wee haue heere described vnto vs two other most heauenly and blessed effects of sound repentance Two other effects of true repentance set downe and true conuersion vnto the Lord. First that all those which doe vnfainedly mourne for their sinnes and the pardon of them at the hands of God as for life and death the Lord will not onely comfort their wounded soules but enable them by the gracious worke of his holy and sanctifying Spirit to liue holily in his sight but hee will with all poure into their soules this heauenly and blessed Knowledge which shall direct them to the true seruice and worship of God And secondly if wee doe draw neare vnto God by true repentance the Lord likewise though he defer his helpe for a time yet in the end will come assuredly with most pleasant and effectuall comfort which is described vnto vs by two most excellent similitudes First of the chearefull breaking foorth of the Sun after a tempestuous storme Secondly by the latter raine distilling vpon the scorched earth by both of which the Lord will shew that he is ready in due time to comfort the distressed soule and conscience of a poore sinner Then shall wee haue knowledge and endeuour our selues to know the Lord. Text diuided IN these words being the first part of the Verse wee are to obserue three speciall points First the roote from the which this true sauing and heauenly knowledge is deriued and the fountaine from the which it doth spring in this word Then Secondly wee are to search and to trie what maner of knowledge this is heere spoken of by the Holy Ghost It is not carnall knowledge it is not any worldly knowledge it is no Philosophicall Knowledge or the knowledge of humane Arts and Sciences But this knowledge heere spoken of is a spirituall knowledge a diuine knowledge an heauenlie knowledge a sauing knowledge which is of that nature and quality that it puts all those which haue it into a reall possession of eternall life It is the way to eternall life it is the Key to open the gate of heauen vnto vs and it is as it were the finger of God that puts vs into reall possession of eternall life Thirdly wee haue to consider another special fruit or quality of this sauing Knowledge that it will neuer suffer those men and women which haue this Knowledge put into their hearts by rhe finger of God to be content with a little or a scant measure of this knowledge but it is of that diuine nature that it wil whet them on and inflame their hearts to hunger and thirst after a great measure and portion of this heauenly and blessed Knowledge so as it will make men to labour and to endeauour to come to a greater measure of it To grow in grace and in the knowledge of Iesus Christ And first of all for the root from whence this true sauing and heauenly Knowledge is deriued Point and the fountaine from which it doth spring it is layde downe in this word Then shall wee haue Knowledge that is Repentance goes before sanctified knowledge when men are truly humbled for their sins do mourn for them and when that men haue the feare of God before their eyes so as they liue as in the presence of God and looke carefully to themselues not only outwardly in regard of their words and works but euen inwardly to the thoughts of their hearts and therein labour to bee approued of the Lord then will the Lord poure into their hearts this heauenly and
doth import vnto vs the perseuerance that is required in all those that seeke for this Knowledge Perseuerance and constancy is required in seeking for sauing knowledge Act. 17.12 Wee see the Huntsman for his pleasure in his game hee can bee content to seeke in euery bush and to plod euery furrow till he find his game and then hee neuer leaues from morning till night Oh how much more should we seeke and neuer lin seeking for this heauenly and sauing Knowledge till wee find it The men of Bâ—rea are commended for seeking turning their books to confirme and to encrease this Knowledge in them So should wee not onely heare but also Search the Scriptures examine euery Chapter leafe by leafe and line by line till wee find this Knowledge It is not inough to begin to seeke bot wee must continue seeking for this Knowledge Luk. 11.62 Hee that puts his hand to the Lords Plough and looketh backe is not meet for the Kingdom of God Mat. 24.4 but hee which endures to the end shall be saued Againe 1. Cor. 16.13 Stand fast in the faith quite you like men and bee strong This is further cleared by that speech of our Sauiour to the Church of Smyrmye Reu. 2.10 Bee thou faithfull vnto death Gal 33. and I will giue thee a Crowne of life And Paul blamed the Galathians and called them Foolish for beginning in the spirit and ending in the Flesh for not holding on as they had begun and surely the estate of such men is most fearefull it had beene better for them that they had neuer known the truth Nay it had been better for them that they had neuer beene borne 2. Pet. 2.20 as Christ speaketh of Iudas as the Apostle obserues If they after they haue escaped from the filthinesse of the World through the acknowledging of the Lord and of the Sauiour Iesus Christ are yet tangled againe therein the latter end with them is worse then the beginning And the reason of this Doctrine is cleare Reason for of all graces vertues it is onely constancy and perseuerance that shall bee crowned As no sinne condemns a man but this final impenitency or continuance in the same sinne so no grace or vertue shall bee crowned but that which continues to the end It is only continuance and perseuerance in any grace whatsoeuer that shall bee crowned with glory for If a righteous man turne from his righteousnesse Ezec. 18.24 and do the thing that is euill all the righteousnesse that hee hath done shall bee remembred no more hut in the wickednesse that hee hath committed in the same hee shall die And therefore wee may safely conclude that continuance perseuerance in seeking after more knowledge euery spiritual grace is that which doth crowne all our vertues whatsoeuer If then thou hast entered into the profession of Religion Vse if thou hast begunne to shew thy selfe sound in knowledge and that thou hast tasted of the power of Gods Word Oh bee constant in that soundnesse and in that sincerity Goe on in the same grow dayly more and more towards perfection let thy works be more at last then at first And surely this exhortation is very needfull and cannot sufficiently bee vrged in this back-sliding age wherein many with Demas fall into loue with the world Reu. 2.4 and with the Church of Ephesus loose their first loue and grow secure and carelesse nay neyther hote nor cold in Religion but the Lord one day will spue such back sliders out of his mouth Alas wee are hardly brought on to make a beginning in matters of Religion for it fareth with vs as it did with Zacheus Luk. 19. when hee had a purpose to see Christ the multitude stood in his way that hee was constrayned to goe vp into a Fig-tree so fareth it with euery Christian man and woman when wee haue entertained any good purpose of heart to seeke the Lord to labour to get knowledge into our Soules and to grow and encrease in the same Oh how many lets and stumbling blocks will Sathan now beginne to lay in our way inward and outward and all to keepe vs from enioying of Christ But when a man shall ouer stride them all and giue vp his name to Christ and then fall away this were a most wofull estate and condition Note they are no better then dogges and swine and it had beene better for such that they had neuer knowne the truth then after they haue knowne it to fall away for how doth this man or woman cause the Lord by degrees a little little to take away from them his Spirit that whereas in times past they had a loue to the truth were carefull to heare and to sanctifie the Lords Sabbath hee might now vpon their contempt of grace giue them ouer as prisoners to Sathan who shal so manicle their hands feet yea heart and all that by degrees they shall grow to hate and contemn both grace itselfe the meanes to obtaine the same Thirdly wee must not onely vse paines and perseuer in seeking for this knowledge Doct. but wee must also take delight in the same A godly man seekes after knowledge willingly and chearefully Wee see those that follow their sport take great delight in it this pleasure of theirs swallowes vp all their pain and makes it seem nothing vnto them So should wee in seeking for this blessed knowledge find our hearts rauished with a loue and a liking and a godly pleasure in the same You shal see that this hath beene the affection of the children of God in all ages Thus did Iob I esteemed thy word more then my appointed food Iob. 23.12 And this affection was in the Prophet Dauid when hee sayth Lord what loue haue I vnto thy Law Psal 119. all the day long is my study in them And in the description of a godly man the Prophet Dauid obserues this to bee one property in him Psa 1.2 Hee meditates in the Law of God day and night which shew vnto vs that hee takes delight in it for otherwise hee would neuer by night especially meditate vpon the same And Ieremie after hee had found the Word of God Ier. 15.16 hee did eate it and it was sweet vnto him nay it was his ioy and the reioycing of his Soule Psal 16.10 And the Prophet Dauid speaking in another place of this knowledge sayth That it is more to bee desired then gold yea then much fine gold sweeter also then the honey and the honey combe And that which the Apostle setteth down concerning Almes Mat. 22.37 Rom 12.8 Deu. 6.5 2. Cor. 9.7 Ezec. 3.3 As euery man wisheth in his heart so let him giue not grudgingly or of necessity but willingly for God loueth a chearefull giuer may truly bee vnderstood of euery Christian duety When wee pray wee must pray vnto God chearefully when wee are to heare
the Word preached and taught read receiue or what duty else wee are to perform in Gods seruice chearefulnesse is required And indeed this is that which puts the difference betwixt the godly and the wicked in all Christian dueties whatsoeuer The wicked man with Cain comes with his Sacrifice as well as Abel And so for hearing reading prayer receyuing and the like the Hipocrite comes so maskt vnto these duties that the child of God at all times is not able to decerne betwixt them both the godly and the wicked yet if they would sit as Iudge ouer their owne hearts they might euen by the rule of this Doctrine Note perceiue a great difference for the one doth performe these duties for fashion sake for feare of the Law shame punishment or the like whereas the child of God doth performe them willingly and chearefully notwithstanding no temporall Law did require the same but onely in obedience vnto Gods most righteous lawes and holie commandements And surely there can be no greater ioy to any Christian soule then to know how God the Father is affected vnto him and loues him as his child to know that Iesus Christ hath been content to shed his owne heart bloud to saue his soule and to know the power of Gods Spirit weakning our corruption and making vs to cry Abba Father this knowledge passeth all knowledge in the world Rom. 8.15 this wil bring peace of conscience and ioy in the Holy Ghost Seeing that wee must seeke after Knowledge so willingly and so chearefully Vse as the Huntsman after his game And so that all duties in Gods worshippe and seruice are to be performed of vs willingly and chearefully we learn how God doth esteeme of our actions and that not according to the worke it selfe but according to the affection of the doer This is cleare by the Lords own words when he sayth This people come neare mee with their mouth Esa 29.13 and honour mee with their lips but their hearts are farre from mee Alas what the better to draw neare to the Lord with our lippes when our hearts are from the Lord It is the seruice of the heart that tht Lord looks after and this was Ezechias comfort and cheare when he was to goe the way of all flesh that hee could say in truth of heart Esa 28.3 Remember Lord that I haue walked before thee in truth and with an vpright heart And what is the cause why carnall men and women neuer seeke for this knowledge but come alwayes to the Ministery of the Word for custome and for fashion sake Alas they could neuer find the excellency of this Knowledge they neuer felt the power of this Knowledge they neuer yet tasted of the sweetnesse of this Knowledge then no maruell they prize it not nor heare it with any chearefulnesse at all Oh then let vs all labour to feele our spirituall want of it that so wee may hunger and thirst after it as the spirituall foode of our Soules Then shall wee endeuour our selues to know the Lord. One thing more may be noted from these words that seeing the child of God vpon his Repentance true conuersion vnto God Doct. hath not onely true sanctified Knowledge Gods children labour for an encrease of knowledge dayly in thē Then shall wee haue Knowledge but more then that Wee shall endeuour our selues to know the Lord that is not rest content with a small measure of the Knowledge of Gods will but to attaine euerie day to a greater measure of the same Hence wee are taught this point of Doctrine that the children of God are not content with a little knowledge but they still desire for more and labour to grow and to encrease in Knowledge The couetous man the more hee hath the more hee couets Euen so the Christian man and woman is right couetous of heauenly matters hee couets dayly for more knowledge in the Word to haue a greater part in this blessed Knowledge of God and of our saluation by Iesus Christ and in this regard the child of God is like vnto a man in a dropsie the more he drinks the more he is a thirst Euen so the more knowledge the child of God hath the more he hungers and thirsts after this Knowledge that he may grow in the same And this is a speciall point to bee noted that there is no standing at a stay in Religion for eyther wee must goe forward or backward eyther wee must grow dayly in Knowledge 1. Thes 4.4 or else we must needs decay in Knowledge And for this cause Saint Paul doth often pray for those Churches to whom hee writes that they may grow in Knowledge and spirituall vnderstanding and Saint Peter hee exhorts vs 1. Pet. 2.2 As new borne Babes to desire the sincere milke of the Word that wee may grow thereby Where hee layes down three most excellent points First that here wee be but as babes in Knowledge and children in vnderstanding of the Word Wee know heere but in part Secondly hee shewes the means whereby we must encrease in knowledge namely the sincere Milke of the Word of God the Preaching of the Gospell of Christ it is the foode of our soules whereby wee must bee nourished to eternall Life And thirdly the end of the preaching the Gospell namely that wee may grow in knowledge grow in faith grow in obedienc so that though men heare the Word yet if they grow not and are not bettered by it they are no good hearers the Word hath no good fruit in them This duty of growing and increasing in Knowledge and all spirituall graces is often vrged in the Scripture 1. Cor. 13.9 1. Thes 4.4 2. Pet. 3.18 Heb. 6.1 Pro. 4.18 We beseech you brethren exhort you in the Lord Iesus that yee encrease more and more grow in grace And againe Let vs bee ledde forward to perfection And the Prophet compares the graces of God in the Elect to the waters flowing from the Sanctuary Ezec. 47.3 which were at the first to the Ancles then to the Knees next to the Loynes and last to a Riuer that could not bee passed ouer So are the graces of God in the Elect though their beginning be but small yet they encrease dayly till they come to that full measure the which the Lord hath allotted to euery Christian The Doctrine being thus cleared wee will now come to the vses of the same Vse This Doctrine doth concerne vs all very neerely wee professe our selues Schollers in the Schoole of Christ now then let vs not proue Trewants after long teaching and preaching to proue ignorant of the Principles of Religion as the a.b.c. If our children goe to Schoole and learne nothing it must needs be that they play the Truants or else they haue a bad Master Euen so we being long taught in the word what shame is it that wee should still proue ignorant of the Word of God We are trees
forwardnes in you in sanctifying the Sabbath and hearing the word diligently since which time who doth not perceiue a decay of zeale a decay of hearing in a great many of this congregation that will scarce now vouchsafe God your presence in the assembly of his people once a month The full soule sayth Salomon loatheth the honey combe Reu 3.14 I feare you are full euen of spirituall pride with the Church of Laodicea Well bee warned betimes lest your footings that you haue taken so oft in your bowling Allyes surmount your steps into Gods house and so the Lord lay this sinne of ingratitude to your charge that hee should offer vnto you such gracious oportunities and ye should so carelesly neglect the same Vse 2 Secondly this condemnes the common repentance of most men and women that it is not sound nor sincere because though they condemne sinne know it to be sinne yet they neuer proceede so farre as to leaue and forsake it Mar. 6. Herod could not bee brought to leaue his Incest Demas made a fayre shew for a while but by and by left all fell into loue with the world so many men will for a brunt serue God and seeme very forward both to heare the Word read pray c. yet the strength of their owne corruptions and the loue of the World steales away their hearts so as it comes to nothing but sure it is that the grace of God when it hath taken possession in a mans soule it will throughly purge the same though not altogether from sinne for the Flesh will euer rebell against the Spirite yet from the power of sinne so as that man that is truely sanctified shall not from henceforth become a seruant vnto sinne for a purpose to continue in sin and the grace of God cannot abide both in one Soule but of this before And thus much of the Complaint the Iudgement followeth VERSE 5. Therefore haue I cut downe by the Prophets I haue slaine them by the words of my mouth and thy iudgements were as the light that goeth foorth HAuing heard of their sinue now wee are to speake of their punishment which the Lord inflicted vpon them for the same namely fearefull destruction and vtter ouerthrow In speaking of their punishment we are hence to obserue foure things Parts of the Text. First the Author of it I that is the Lord himselfe Secondly the greatnesse of it Cut downe and slaine them Thirdly the Instruments the Lord vseth My Prophets my word Fourthly the equity of it namely that the Lord made his iudgements as cleare as the noone day vnto them so as they could not plead ignorance or want of knowledge Therefore haue I cut downe Therefore that is because I haue on my part done what I can to reclaim you and bring you to some good passe but you refused and hardned your hearts and contemned my words for then the cause of Gods iudgements is their rebellion against the meanes and their contempt of the Word of God and preaching of his Prophets Doct. 1 Then hence wee learne what a grieuous sinne it is to contemne the meanes of saluation To contemn the meanes of saluation is a grieuous sinne and neuer goes vnpunished Gen. 7.10.11.12 to contemne the Gospell of Christ Iesus it neuer goes vnpunished When Noah had preached repentance to the people of the old World for the space of one hundred and twenty yeares together and the people had despised the same what followed in the end but a fearefull destruction euen a generall Deluge which swept them all away When Lot spake to his sonnes in Law which married his daughters and warned them to escape out of Sodom for the iudgements of God were at hand to bee layde vpon that City The Text sayth Gen. 19.14 that Hee seemed to his Sonnes in Law as though hee had mocked but what followed did not they perish with those sinnefull Sodomites And Iob makes this one of the marks of a reprobate They say vnto God Depart from vs Iob. 21.14 for wee desire not the knowledge of thy wayes not that there are any so desperately wicked as to vse such speeches against the Lord but the meaning is that men declare so much by their liues they liue in open contempt of the gracious meanes of their saluation whatsoeuer they pretended in words their deeds declared that they cared not to bee acquainted with Gods will To the same purpose is that complaint in the Psalme My people would not heare my voyce and Israel would none of mee Psal 81.11.12 The Lord had often spoken to that people by his seruants the Prophets but they regarded them not much like to our people in these times but what followed the Lord would neuer put vp this great ingratitude at their hands but sayth in the verse following Ver. 12.1.1 So I gaue them vp vnto the hardnes of their owne hearts and they walked in their owne councels And this is further cleared by that speech of Almighty God by his Prophet Ieremy where hee sayth Ier. 7.13 I rose vp earely and spake vnto you but when I spake yee would not heare me neyther when I called would ye answere Behold here the desperate estate and condition of this people that notwithstanding God had dealt so graciously with them from time to time to offer vnto them so many gracious oportunities of their saluation following them as it were at the heeles with the same sometimes by his Word sometimes by his mercies sometimes by his iudgements yet they neglected them al they contemned thē al. But afterward the Lord made good the words of his seruants he brought his iudgements vpon them and their Temple Verse 14. in the which they seemed so much to trust vppon the Lord made it as Shilo and as the same Prophet complaineth in another place That the wayes of Sion lamented Lam. 1.4 because no man came to their solemne feasts all her gates are desolate the Priests sigh c. It was not their outward priviledges that would now stand them in stead that they were the posterity of Abraham that they had amongst them the Arke of Gods couenant the Mercy seat Psal 132.14 the Temple of the Lord and that the Lord had appointed that for his rest for euer Seeing they contemned his Prophets Ier. 6.10 delighted not in Gods voyce but tooke pleasure in vnrighteousnesse And this is that our Sauiour layes to the charge of the people of Ierusalem Mat. 23.37 How often would I haue gathered you together and yee would not Behold now your habitation is loft desolate Mat. 11.21 Yea our Sauiour Christ tels them of Capernaum that it shall bee easier for the land of Sodom in the day of iudgement then for them so then we may safely conclude this doctrine with that speech of the Apostle 2. Thes 2.10.11.12 Because they receiue not the loue of the truth that they
the fore-runner of some fearefull iudgement vnto the soule of that man I haue cut them downe by my Prophets I haue slaine them by the words of my mouth IN that the Lord doth threaten this iudgement of al Doct. 4 other as the greatest that hee could bring vpon them namely to Cut them downe and to slay them The Word of God is able to pearce the hardest heart and that not by an ordinary meanes or slaughter but by his Prophets and Word that is that he would make good his Word in their mouthes and bring to passe all those terrible and fearefull iudgements that they had denounced against them from the Lord. Hence we see the great power of the Word of God it is able to pearce the hardest heart that is The word of God makes mention of two sorts of swords The sword of the mouth and the materiall sword as that place in the Hebrewes The Word of God is liuely and mighty in operation and sharper then a two edged sword Heb. 4.12 entereth thorough euen vnto the diuiding asunder of the Soule and the Spirit and of the Ioynts and the Marrow and is a decerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart The people of the Iewes before that Peter spake vnto them were full of hardnesse of heart yea their hearts before were as hard as steele nothing could pricke or pearce them Act. 2.37 they had committed monstrous murder they shed innocent bloud euen the bloud of the sonne of God and yet they were neuer touched in their hearts for that sinne But when Peter came with his weapon namely the Word of God and told them that they were those that had crucified the Lord of life this wounded them to the quicke as that they cryed out in the bitternesse of their loules O men and brethren what shall wee doe to bee saued Oh tell vs tell vs whether there be not some course yet to be taken that wee that haue beene such desperate sinners might yet againe obtaine Gods fauour and bee saued This was a blessed battel that was fought with them behold then in them the wonderfull power of the Word of God It cuts the throat of sinne and makes men become dead vnto sinne that they might become a liue vnto God Ier. 23.29 Is not the Word of Iehouah like vnto fire It is able to melt and mollifie a heart of steele it is like a hammer that breakes the hardest stone euen so this Word of God is able to bruise a stony heart which is as hard as flint Rom. 15.16 I am not ashamed sayth the Apostle of the Gospell of God because I know that it is the power of God to saluation to all them that beleeue 1. Cor. 1.21 Yea it is compared to a sacrificing knife Ephes 2.1.2 which will kill and cut the throat of sinne and make the most rebellious heart to breake It will put spirit and life in the dead hearts of dead secure sinners euen such as lay dead rotting in sin If it enter not into thee to the rooting out of sinne and the cutting downe of thy vncleannesse for then it pearceth for thy good to life eternall It wil bee sure to wound and to pearce thy dead and benummed soule to the hardning of thee in thy sinnes to death eternall Esay 55. for it neuer returnes in vaine but is eyther the sauor of life vnto life or the sauor of death vnto death The Lord sent his word vnto Pharaoh againe and againe by Moses and Aaron but hee would not bee humbled by it Exod. 9. â—7 1. Reg. 22.8 therefore hee became the more hardned in sinne And Ahab was then the deadliest enemy to his owne soule Mich. 2.7 when hee hated Michai for not speaking to his fantasie but warned him faithfully of the iudgement which afterward came vpon him Zach. 7.11 The Word of God is an aduersary to none but to such as are aduersaries to themselues Note this well neyther doth it condemne any but such as without repentance assuredly shall one day bee condemned of the Lord. And therefore let the wicked wretches of the world stoppe their eares neuer so much from the hearing of the threatnings of the Word yet they shall neuer stoppe that iudgement which the Word hath threatned There is a cry that will come at Midnight and will waken the dead But Oh blessed are they who in time are wakened out of the sleepe of their sinnes before that dreadfull iudgement come This serues to commend vnto vs the excellencie Vse 1 and power of the Word of God which is able both to kill sinners and to make them aliue again and puts a manifest difference hetweene the Word of man the Word of God All the wisdom learning eloquence and wit of men is not able to wound the hard heart of a wicked obstinate and rebellious sinner onely the Word of God can doe it euen the plaine and simple preaching of the Word can doe it 1. Cor. 1.21 Psal 19. The Law of the Lord is perfect to conuert the soule There is more power in the plaine rude and simple preaching of the Word of God to conuert a sinner then in the most learned and excellentest eloquence in men nay Rom. 10.14.15 it is impossible for all the eloquence in the World to saue a Soule it is peculiar onely to the simple preaching of the Gospell nor all the Writings of men cannot turne the heart vnto God vnlesse the Lord doe blesse the preaching of the Word to doe it and though nothing bee so contrary to our Nature as the Word of God yet nothing is so powerfull to conuert as is this word by Gods blessing vpon it being his owne ordinance appointed to that end Secondly seeing the Word of God is of this power Vse 2 that it will enter and pearce into stony hearts and seeing if it cut not downe sinne and corruption it will wound to death eternall all rebellious and hard hearted sinners Oh then let vs submit our hearts vnto it let vs suffer the Word to pearce and wound our hearts for sinne to cut downe all sinne and corruption in vs here or else it will bee the Lords Sword of the Spirit to kill vs and to wound vs to death eternall Ephes 6.1 Hee will smite the earth with the rodde of his mouth and slay the wicked and rebellious with the breath of his lippes that is the Lord will make good all those feareful iudgements which his seruants haue denounced against them in his name Esay 11.4 And as the raine that fals makes the earth more fruitfull or else more barren so it fareth with the Word it eyther cuts downe sinne to our amendment or else leaues most deadly wounds in our soules euen to death eternall Now then seeing the Word of God is so powerfull Oh how should this stirre vp euery man and woman to the hearing of
the Word of God continually to frequent Sermons to listen to the Doctrine of God to beleeue that they heare to yeeld vnto it and to lay their hearts open and naked that this Sword of Gods Spirit way wound them for sinne for though thou beest a notorious sinner a monstrous blasphemer a common drunkard a filthy whoremaster yet if thou shalt heare this Word and giue credite to it it is able to wound thy Soule and to pearce thy heart and experience teacheth that the Word of God hath done great things it hath conuerted most fearefull and monstrous sinners as Dauid 2. Sam. 12.1 Act. 9. Rom. 1.16 Saul Peter Mary Magdalen Zacheus c. And therefore wayte on the meanes attend on the Word heare Sermons and thou shalt find in the end that the Word of God shall bee the power of God to saue thy Soule if thou doe not harden thy heart against it And as for those the which do despise the Word and will not goe to the dore to heare it truly such men and women doe euen wilfully cast away their owne soules and suffer themselues to bee led euen blindfold to hell but if with care and conscience thou wilt attend vnto it as Lydea did and not cast it vp againe as those that haue queasie stomackes doe wholesome Physicke surely thou shalt find great power in the Word to saue thy soule By my Prophets and the words of my mouth HEre is layde downe now the meanes and the instruments which God vsed for the effecting of his iudgements namely his seruants the Prophets The Instrument I haue cut downe by my Prophets that is I haue brought vpon you those plagues and iudgements which were threatned against you by my faithfull seruants the Prophets euen those iudgements the which they haue denounced against you in my name I haue inflicted and brought them vpon you to slay and to destroy you for your sins Seeing the Lord did effect and bring to passe Doct. 5 those iudgements the which the Prophets pronounced against his people for their sins to slay them The Word of God in the mouthes of his Ministers shall bee accomplished and to destroy them Hence wee learne that the Word of the Lord in the mouthes of his Ministers it shall be accomplished Looke what iudgement they pronounce against sinne in the name of the Lord if men will not repent they shall certainely bee accomplished and come to passe howsoeuer men regard them not and will not beleeue them Indeed many times his iudgements are deferred and his punishments are prolonged because hee is a patient God would not the death of a sinner Mat. 14.35 yet hee is euer iealous of his Word that not one iot or tittle of his Word shal not passe but shall hee fulfilled This is clearely to be seene by the examples of Gods iudgements in all ages Gen. 2.17 3.7 Consider this truth in our first parents God threatned them that if they tasted the forbidden fruit they should die the death and did not God accomplish the same yea all their posterity do to this day feele the smart of the same curse When all the World were disobedient in the dayes of Noah that Preacher of righteousnesse 2. Pet 2.5 Gen. 6.3 God gaue them time space to repent in euen a hundred and twenty yeares and when they repented not the Lord did not fayle to bring his Iudgement vpon them A most cleare and liuely example of this wee haue in the booke of Iosuah Iosu 6.26 The man is cursed there before the Lord that should attempt the rebuilding of the City Iericho and this is the curse that should passe vpon that man namely this That hee should lay the foundation of it in his eldest sonne and in his youngest sonne shall hee set vp the gates of it This was the irreuocable curse that almighty God had threatned against the man that should attempt the building of that City Now afterwards when this threatning seemed to bee quite forgotten God is still mindfull of his Word and time is not able to weare that out 1. Reg. 16.34 for when Hiel the Bethelite did goe about to erect the same God doth bring his former iudgement to passe vpon him What shal wee say of Ahab and of Iezabel vnto whom many fearefull and terrible iudgements were denounced by Elias the Prophet of the Lord 2. Reg. 9.37 That the carkas of Iezabel shall bee as dung in the field of Israel This did God in his due time bring to passe vpon Iezabel and vpon the whole house of Ahab according to the Word of the Lord. So that we may safely conclude this point Num. 23.19 Sam. 3.19 and say with Moses that seruant of the Lord God is not as man that hee should lie or the Sonne of man that he should repent Gods iudgements threatned may seeme to vs as vnlikely as the plenty the Prophet spake of seemed to one of the Princes of Samariah Though the Lord would make Windowes in heauen could it come so to passe But what sayd the Prophet Behold 2. Reg. 7.2 19.20 thou shalt see it with thy eyes but thou shalt not eat thereof and so it came vnto him for the people trode him in the gate and hee died Thus did our Sauiour foretell the destruction of the City Ierusalem which came so to passe accordingly within the space of forty yeares after our Sauiour his Ascention Mat. 24. And is not the Word of God as true now in the mouthes of his Ministers yea whatsoeuer iudgement they shall proclaime in the name of the Lord and by vertue of the Word of God it shall certainly come to passe As they haue a long time threatned famine pestilence and the like iudgements and hath not the Lord brought these iudgements and the like most iustly vpon vs for our sins doe not wee feele the truth of it yea this Winter and Summer last when the Lord seemed to stoppe his eares at the prayers of his seruants and would not a long time be intreated And therefore let all wicked and vngodly wretches lay this Doctrine to heart that are ready to say Where is the promise of his comming and where bee those iudgements our Preachers haue so long spoke of Oh they shall know euen to their eternall shame and confusion at the last that the Lord will make good his Word bring to passe all those iudgements that haue been denounced against them And as it is true of Gods iudgements against rebellious sinners so is it true of the gracious promises of the Gospell to all them that doe truely repent Iesus Christ was a Minister of the Circumcision for the truth of God Rom 15.8 Ps 89.33 And againe I will not falsifie my Truth my Couenant will I not breake nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lippes This was that worthy resolution of the Prophet long before Christ was
God And in that wherein they thinke they doe most please God they do greatly sinne and offend him As it is the nature of Hypocrites and time seruers to glorie in their outward worship and seruice of God they haue nothing to boast of but that they bee Christians are baptized heare the Word and receiue the Sacrament Now marke what the Lord sayth that euen herein they Transgressed against him and sinned grieuouslie against him why namelie because they performing these outward things laboured not withall to find out the true vse and comfort of these things as they boasted of their Sacifices neuer looking to what end the Lord did ordaine them namelie as means to lead them to repentance and so to Christ Iesus Euen so manie as boast of their religion how they bee Christians haue been baptized but alas where is the true vse of Baptisme all this while where is the death of sinne the burying of sinne the crucifying of sinne which is the main end of Baptisme this is neuer looked after of the greatest number so men heare the Word and they seeme to glorie in the same but where is the power of the Word in working faith repentance obedience knowledge zeale patience humilitie c. And so for the Lorde Supper but where is the right vse of this how doe men grow in faith knowledge repentance hatred of sinne and care to honour God Alas these things are neuer thought of so that here the Lord meetes with all these carnal Libertines and loose Professors and shewes them that in that they do most glorie in and boast of euen there they sinne highly and offend the Maiestie of God so as hee cannot abide euen their best actions This truth is clearely to bee seene in diuers places of the Scripture No doubt but Cain pleased himselfe with his offering of sacrifice but euen that was abhomination in Gods sight Gen. 4.3 Pro. 15.8 Esay 1.11 13. The sacrifices of the wicked are abhomination to the Lord but the prayer of the righteous is acceptable vnto him Againe the Prophet Esay doth notably set out the same What haue I to do with the multitude of your sacrifices sayth the Lord I am full of the burnt offerings of Rams and of the fatte of fedde beasts I desire not the bloud of Bullocks of Lambs nor of Goates When yee come to appeare before mee who requireth this of your hands to tread in my Courts Bring no moe oblations in vaine incense is abhomination vnto mee I cannot suffer your New Moons nor Sabbaths my soule hateth them Behold here in this place what esteeme these outward Ceremonies of Gods worship and seruice were with the Lord they thought themselues happy men in the performance of them and hee most happy that offered most of them but the Lord hee esteemes far otherwise of them namely being not done in faith and true obedience they were but abhomination in his sight and were so farre from appeasing his wrath against sinne as that they added vnto the measure of their sinnes Againe the Lord testifieth in another place by the same Prophet saying Hee that killeth a Bullocke is as if hee slew a man hee that sacrificeth a sheepe as if hee cut off a Dogs neeke c. Esay 66.3 Psa 66.18 Pro. 29.8 Io 9.31 Ps 50.17 Micha 6.6 If I regard wickednesse in my heart saith the Prophet The Lord will not heare me Againe Hee that turneth away his eares from hearing the Law euen his Prayer shall bee abhominable Again God heareth not sinners These places and the like whereof the Scriptures are full they serue to teach vs that what sacrifice soeuer the wicked offer as prayer thanksgiuing receyuing of the Sacrament hearing the Word or the like the same is abhomination to the Lord. So that we may hence safely conclude the miserable estate of all wicked and vngodly men with that saying of the Prophet Hosea Hos 12.1 Ephraim is fed with the wind and followeth after the East wind hee encreaseth dayly lyes and destruction So then though the wicked say peace peace and thinke themselues sure if they perform but the outward part of Gods worship seruice Psal 2.3 yet Hee that dwelleth in Heauen doth laugh them to scorne for the Lord doth see that their day is comming Vse 1 This may serue to condemne the Church of Rome who thinke that they sufficiently please God Ex opere operato by the very deed done though the same bee not done to the right end nor in an holy manner in faith repentance and true obedience as their prayers in a strange tongue sacrifice of the Masse and a thousand the like all which as they haue no footing in the Word of God so they shall one day haue the reward of them euen the portion reserued for hypocrites Secondly this may seeme to direct vs to be wise Vse 2 neuer to content our selues to be baptized to heare to pray to come to Church receiue the Sacrament and to perform the like duties of Gods worship and seruice but that wee looke to the right vse of all these things that we may find that worke wrought in our hearts for which end the Lord hath appointed them else alas wee shall but grieue the spirit of God and euen our best actions shall bee but sinnes vnto vs if wee beelike this people to thinke it is inough to bee baptized with water and not to feele the inward worke of the spirit to heare the Word and not to profit by it to faith and repentance to pray with the lip and not with the heart to receyue the outward Sacrament not to feele our soules nourished by the body and bloud of Christ Oh let vs not rest vpon such vaine things such deceitfull vanity such lying dreames for they will deceiue vs in the end And as for all wicked and vngodly men which rest so much vpon them their trust shall bee but as the Spiders webbe as Iob speaketh which albeit to day is builded aloft Iob. 8.14 yet to morrow is swept away But of this before VERSE 8. Gilead is a City of them that worke iniquitie and is polluted with bloud THe Prophet hauing in the former verse accused them to bee Couenant breakers with God doth now proue the same by sundry examples of all estates amongst them that as the Prophet sayth Esay 1.6 From the toppe of the head to the soale of the foot All was out of order and full of vncleannesse So was it with this people here from the Priest to the Leuite so to the common people yea euen the great men of the land Ieroboam and his wicked Counsellers here are accused Gilead is a City of c. Concerning this City wee read not much in the Word of God but heere the Prophet doth note them to bee exceeding wicked people that dwelt in this City full of sinne deceit iniquity full of cruelty and bloudy sinnes This City as wee may read
c. Behold here what a straight charge the Lord hath giuen vnto the people of Israel and so vnto vs all to this end that no man should bee a Stranger vnto the Word And it is the commandement of our Sauiour Io. 5.39 Search the Scriptures for they are they that testifie of mee Act. 17. It was the great commendations of the men of Bereah that they searched the Scriptures to see whether those thinges were so as Paul deliuered they would not presentlie entertaine that Doctrine of theirs vpon the first view but brought the same to the Touchstone of Gods Word neyther would they reiect it though they had not before heard of the like 2. Cor. 4.3 What meanes that place of the Apostle Trie the Spirits whether they bee of God And againe If the Gospell bee hidde it is hid to those that perish in whom the God of this world hath blinded their minds So that it is most cleare that Ignorance of the Word and glorious Gospel of Christ in such as ought to know it is a most fearefull sinne and a most certaine fore runner of destruction for if this bee life eternall Ioh. 17.3 To know thee to bee the true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent Then on the other part it must needs bee the beginning of eternall death in those especially in these dayes that are ignorant of the true God and Iesus Christ whom hee hath sent So that wee see clearely that it is not our good intents and meanings that will goe for payment at Gods handes in that the Lord doth require that all men should take notice of his Will reuealed in his Word This condemnes the horrible practise of the Vse 1 Papists that maintaine all Idolatry and superstition their Masse Inuocation of Saints Prayer for the dead Worshipping of Images c. And they thinke that so long as they meane well and haue good intents and purposes all is well God cannot but bee pleased with them But wee are taught heere another Lesson namely that that is not good which we thinke good but that the Lord allowes and aproues of for good And therefore seeing the Lord abhors all Idolatry and superstition as most abhominable in his sight and that therein the whole seruice and worshippe of God amongst the Papists doth consist It shall little auaile them one day that they stand vpon their good intents and meanings All these shall not bee worth a button if the Lord can say of them as hree of this people I see villany amongst them Idolatry worshipping stockes and stones praying to Saints c. This is villany in Gods account and then what will their good meaning stand them in stead Had not Vzza a good intent to stay the Arke from falling but the Lord doth not so take it at his handes for it cost him his life And therfore sayth Samuel vnto Saul To obey 1. Sam. 15. is better then Sacrifices and to hearken is better then the fatee of Rams Oh then remember that thy ignorance will not excuse thee nor thy good meanings will not goe for payment at Gods hand to say though I doe this and this I meane well as the best of them all but if the Lord like not of it nor approue of it bee thy intent what it will bee all is in vaine the same is an abhomination to the Lord. Vse 2 Secondly this may serue to condemne a great many amongst vs that notwithstanding wee liue in such an age and time that both knowledge and grace is euen thrust vpon vs yet alas doe not the very body of our Congregations remayne ignorant still This is the condemnation that Light is come into the world and men loued darknesse rather then light Ioh 3.19 because their deedes were euill It must needes bee a strange darknesse that cannot bee driuen away by the bright heames of the glorious Gospell of Christ And surely God doth euen now sitte in iudgement vpon such persons and by this their ignorance especially in these dayes makes knowne their reprobation and finall perdition The excuses of men are but vayne I am not booke learned and I hope God will beare with me Thus I am taught and instructed by my Teachers I. but what if thy Teacher bee a blinde Guide wilt not thou trie the Spirits whether they be of God Surely such persons conclude their owne iudgement and giue sentence against themselues that they want grace and are in a most fearefull condition for now to bee ignorant in the cleare light of the Gospel it argues that Gods wrath and vengeance hath taken hold on such persons as the Apostle sayth 2. Cor. 4.3 If our Gospell bee hid it is hid to those that are lost in whome the God of this world hath blinded their minds that is of the Infidels that the light of the glorious Gospell of Christ which is the Image of God should not shine vnto them Oh then seeing it is so fearefull a iudgement of God to be ignorant of his Word and Will and that it will not excuse when God shall enter into iudgement with vs Let vs I say seeke for knowledge as for treasures Let vs search the Scriptures that in them wee may finde eternall Life Let vs labour to haue the Word of God dwell plentifully in vs which is able to make vs wise vnto saluation Let vs vse all holy meanes both to begette as also to increase this Knowledge in vs that so wee may not bee ledde aside by blinde guides to commit Idolatry with this people here but that God may bee still our God and wee his People I haue seene the villany of the house of Israel and the Whoredome of Ephraim Idolatry the sinne of this people THe sinne that Almighty God doth heere accuse them of it is Idolatry and that in most vile manner ouerspred generally the whole body of this people euen all the Ten tribes which sinne to shew the vilenesse of it the Lord cals Villany whoredome things abhominable to the Lord and such as hee loathes And hee cals it Whoredome because as an Harlot or an Whore doth forsake her owne husband and commits filthinesse with another man euen so Idolaters forsake God and marry themselues to Idols It is called the Whoredome af Ephraim because Ieroboam which came of the Tribe of Ephraim had set it vp amongst them 1. Reg. 12.28 to worship the Calues in Dan and Bethel Doct. 3 Now the Doctrine wee gather hence is this that it is a wofull and an heauy iudgement of God vpon a Country or Kingdome It is a heauy iudgement of God vpon a people when the chiefe gouernors bee Idolaters 2. Sam. 6.1 when the chiefe Gouernours be men voyd of religion and giuen to superstition Idolatry We see this in this present Text for here the Lord complaines of Ephraim and the ten Tribes because they were poluted with miserable Idolatry which was set vp