prophane his Sabbaths doe they not defile their soules and bodies with many horrible pollutions And whereas they haue been often told of these faults and sharply rebuked for them doe they not for all that continue still in them and vndertake the defence of them Yea doe they not fret and fume and chafe at such as seek to reclaime them from their leaud courses If their consciences doe accuse them of these and the like crimes vndoubtedly they are guiltie of high treason against the Lord of heauen and earth they carrie the diuels badge and fight vnder his banner as professed enemies vnto God and his truth and whatsoeuer they thinke of themselues such the Lord will esteeme them to be and proceed against them accordingly Secondly let this teach vs to be most fearefull of transgressing the sacred lawes of our heauenlie King and if we be at any time put to that straite that wee must either violate the commandement of our earthly gouernours or of God himselfe let vs chuse rather to obey God then men and with a meeke spirit and peaceable cariage submit our selues to their censures rather then incurre the Lords displeasure and so become liable to his iudgements Thirdly this is for singular comfort vnto Gods people who are charged to be factious and seditious vnquiet and vndutifull persons yet so long as their consciences tell them that they are willing to attend to holie and wholesome doctrine whereby their sinnes may be reproued and their hearts and liues reformed and bettered they may be sure that God accounteth them good subiects and those that are such vnto him are of all other most loyall and dutifull vnto their rulers and gouernors neither indeed can any be truly faithful vnto men that hath not first learned to be faithfull vnto God Let vs not therefore be dismaied at the clamors of those that doe vniustly charge vs with disloyaltie Athaliah cried out treason 2. King 11. 14. treason but in truth she was the traitor her selfe and the like may be said of many that are so ready to traduce others in that sort whatsoeuer their outward behauiour towards Magistrates such as are in authoritie bee they are miserable and wretched rebels before the Lord and such they shall appeare to be in the end if they doe not in time submit themselues vnder his gratious gouernment FINIS The fifth Sermon Doct. 2 IT is an infallible note of an impious and It is a marke of an impious person to reiect the word prophane person to bee vnwilling to heare the holy word of God Although men doe ordinarily resort vnto the assemblies where the Gospell is purely preached yet if they wish in their hearts that they were from vnder those droppings and if they might haue their own choice they would be from vnder them they are carnall and vngodly men what appearances soeuer there bee to the contrarie From this ground the prophet Isaiah concludeth the Iewes to be a falsehearted and rebellious people because they would not heare the Isaiah 30. 9. word of the Lord. They were constrained now and then to heare it whether they would or not but their affection went against it and the Lord iudged them and passed sentēce vpon them for that calling them a rebellious people and lying children such as were full of peruersenesse and of dissimulation within whatsoeuer faire shews they made outwardly to dazle the eyes of men The same marke of wicked sinners is giuen by Iob where he saith They say vnto God Depart from Job 21. 14. vs for wee desire not the knowledge of thy waies not that there is any such wicked monster that wil directly vse those tearmes vnto the Lord but his meaning is that their liues and practises do proue so much viz. that they would not willingly haue any thing to doe with God which appeareth by this that they desire not the knowledge of his waies Let them say what they will those that care not to be acquainted with Gods will nor to learne from thence what is their dutie doe in effect bid the Lord depart from them and therfore must needs be very impious and irreligious persons To the same purpose is it said in the Psalm My people would Psal 81 1◠not heare my voyce and what of that Israel would none of me If one should haue said to them You are Apostataes and hate God in your hearts they would haue thought it the greatest wrong that could be but we see what the Lords testimonie is concerning them they would not attend to my voice therfore they would none of me they reiected my word therefore they reiected me Besides these places and many moe that might be alleaged the causes and effects of this vnwillingnesse to heare the Lords message will euidently proue those to be sinful persons that are possessed therewith Reasons The causes First then for the causes thereof there shall two onely bee named though many other might bee brought One of them the Prophet Ieremy maketh mention of saying Vnto whom shall I speake and admonish Ieremy 6. 10. that they may heare behold their eares are vncircumcised and they cannot hearken In the words going before he had denounced heauie plagues against them in regard of their horrible and fearefull transgressions which did continually flow from them euen as waters from a fountaine vers 7. Now hereupon some man might say If their offences be so grieuous wherefore doe not you tell them thereof Why saies the Prophet vnto whom shall I speake whom shall I admonish their eares are vncircumcised that is fleshly and carnall so that albeit good instructions be brought vnto them yet they cannot hearken thereunto but will be gazing hither and thither and haue their mindes taken vp with other matters Let a debter of theirs come vnto them to pay thē money and they wil not be looking on this thing and on that when they should receiue it at his hands but when the true treasure is offered vnto them freely they are either idle or ill imployed so that they haue no minde to accept of that Tell them a tale of lucre which they may get or of some iniurie done vnto them whereof they may take aduantage and their eares are wide open for such matters but let there bee any speech vsed tending to the glorie of God or the saluation of their soules they are altogether deafe and cannot with any life or cheerfulnes listen to such things Now how come their eares to be thus vncircumcised because their hearts are vncircumcised which is the Second cause of their vnwillingnesse to attend to the words of wisedome And this appeareth in two things the first is that as Ieremy speaketh they delight not in Gods voice The Ierem. 6. 10. second that they doe take pleasure in vnrighteousnes as the Apostle witnesseth And looke how much 2. Thess 2. 12. delight any one taketh in sinne so much hatred will he beare against
the word of God is this your holy ministerie say they and are these your good men that doe embrace the same a companie of simple base fellowes of poore Artificers and the like who can imagine this to bee the truth which such kinde of men as these doe giue credence vnto How many Gentlemen or Noblemen or men of learning and policie are of their mindes and for those that are haue they not manifold afflictions in their hearts or vpon their bodies and estates This is iust the cauill of the Pharisies against the doctrine of our Sauiour Neuer man spake like this man say the officers that Joh. 7. 46. 47. 48. were sent to take him but did not Then answered the Pharisies Are yee also deceiued Doth any of the Rulers or of the Pharisies beleeue in him but this people which know not the law are accursed Therefore let not vs bee deceiued by such vaine words of men that iudge not righteous iudgement but according as their owne fleshly wisedome directeth them but let vs rather build vpon the words of him that is the true witnesse who as he receiued a commission to preach vnto the poore so he did accordingly Luke 4. performe it and found good successe thereupon and therefore biddeth Iohns disciples to tell him that the poore receiued the Gospell They Luke 7. 22. were the profitable and fruitful hearers of Christ who by reason of some outward calamities and distresses or other were humbled and abased in their owne eyes and had the pride and stubbornnesse of the flesh somewhat mastered and taken downe Secondly here is matter of reioycing for Gods seruants that are in pouertie and distresse any maner of way it is the common condition of the members of Christ and therefore they must not from thence draw any hard conclusions against themselues It is the very high way vnto heauen which hath been troden by Christ and all his Saints to passe through manifold troubles and grieuances manifold straits and extremities and at length to attaine vnto that rest which is prepared for vs in the kingdome of God If any by reason 2. Thess 1. 7. of their necessities and miseries had euer missed of the crowne of life wee had some cause to feare our selues in that regard but sithence none euer did so but rather haue reaped benefit by their afflictions then taken any hurt thereby wee should be of good comfort and be so farre from fainting in our trials that wee should reioyce in the same making full account that then Gods owne hand will most manifestly appeare for our preseruation and consolation when humane helps do most of all faile vs neither indeed could it be so cleerely discerned that he is the vpholder of his Church if it had wealth and power and outward props and pillars to beare vp the same Doct. 5 Ye haue made a mock of the counsell of the poore and why because the Lord is his trust This is the verie true cause whatsoeuer other pretences there bee Wicked men haue a quarrell against godlinesse Whence obserue this Doctrine that true godlinesse is that which breeds the quarrell betweene Gods children and the wicked Vngodly men may say what they list as namely that they hate and dislike them for that they are proud and sawcie in medling with their betters for that they are scornefull disdainfull towards their neighbours for that they are malâ—content and turbulent and I know not what but the true reason is yeelded by the Lord in this place to wit because they make him their stay and their confidence and will not depend vpon lying vanities as the men of the world doe And the like reason is giuen by the Apostle Peter who speaking of vnregenerate men saith that it seemeth strange to them that the godly runne not 1. Pet 4. 4. with them to the same excesse of riot and therefore saith hee speake they euill of you The cause why they traduce and defame them is not because Note they are euill but because they will not be as bad as themselues not because they haue committed great faults but because they will not commit them And this we may obserue in our owne experience that the most holy exercises are most offensiue vnto carnall persons and that they exclaime against many things as if they were hainous crimes which God hath commanded as necessarie duties to wit fasting and prayer and hearing of the word and such like which as occasion serueth must of necessitie bee performed these are the holy men say they that must needs bee more forward then all their neighbors that will not allow of good fellowship and of merrie meetings but are altogether for praying and for preaching c. when others are sporting and dancing and recreating themselues I warrant you they are but meere hypocrites and dissemblers their hearts are as bad as the worst and none are more disloyall subiects to their Prince then such are These are hard charges yet such as befell Christ Iesus himselfe who among many other false imputations was esteemed an enemie to Caesar But whence proceed all these hard surmises and censures Surely from this that Gods children doe endeuour from a true and faithfull heart to serue and please the Lord in all things and doe refuse to walk with the multitude in the broad way that leads vnto destruction Here is the matter whereupon al their malice doth work and this ariseth Reasons 1 First from the diuell himselfe who is an vtter aduersarie vnto mans saluation and vnto Gods glorie and therefore makes warre against the seed of the Church which keepe the commandements of Reuel 12. 17. God and haue the testimonie of Iesus Christ Secondly from that hellish corruption that is in mans nature which though there were no diuell would minister vnto them sufficient malice whereby they should bee stirred vp to carrie a grudge against the image of God wheresoeuer it is yea though it be in those that in the bounds of nature are most neerely linked vnto them as we see in Cain who hated and murthered his brother Abel and why because his owne workes were euill 1. Ioh. 3. 12. and his brothers good Vse 1 Therefore let Gods seruants neuer looke to please the world by weldoing but make full reckoning that they shall much displease them Obiect Oh but it is your owne precisenes will some say that causeth you to be so much maligned and disliked Answere Nay it is the worlds wickednes not our strictnes otherwise what caused the Prophets of God the Sonne of God himself and his holy Apostles to bee so much hated and wronged by vngodlie men They dare not say it was their indiscretion and nisenesse or any the like failing on their part but in trueth the malice of the wicked which is the very cause why euen in these our daies Gods people finde such hard measure from prophane persons Secondly let this teach vs not to be
and though his father beate him yet he beareth it and still loueth him They haue powred and infused 2. Pet. 1. 2. 3. 4. into them a godly nature so that they doe freelie loue God their father and though he afflict thē or crosse them in their desires yet they loue him and in loue performe their obedience vnto him continually Therefore Iob saith Though hee kill Iob 13. me yet will I trust in him And this is the third mark or rule whereby to proue and trie ourselues The last rule is in considering the effect of Gods mercies receiued For herein doe the wicked shew their wickednes two waies First on the right hand the mercies of God do worke in them a wonderfull contentation but not such as causeth them to returne the glory vnto God but rather to ascribe it vnto themselues for the graces of God doe puffe them vp make them conceited in themselues Hereof there ariseth a great securitie which bringeth first neglect and after contempt of all good meanes On the left hand others offend being neuer pleased nor contented with that they haue nay indeed forgetting or lightly esteeming that they haue and still desiring new These men besides that they are vnthankful they doe also murmure grudge against God and are neuer pleased with him Betweene these two doe the children of God hold a middle and euen course and therefore we shall see these things in them First a sight and acknowledgement of their wants which cause them to long for the sincere milke of the word that thereby their wants may be supplied and their graces increased and so farre are they from being lifted vp with pride that they reioyce when their pride may be pulled downe whether by rebukes or threatnings or corrections from the Lord. For they know that if Paul needed meanes of humbling 2. Cor. 12. much more doe they Besides as they desire the word so they waite vntill it please the Lord to worke further in them thereby and this waiting is as earnest as theirs who hauing watched all night do waite and look for the dawning of the day Secondly as they see their wants so doe they Psal 119. 10. also see the graces they haue receiued and are for that time well apaid and contented therewith and therefore as their wants doe humble them so Gods graces doe comfort them and as their wants do call vpon them to seek more so the gifts they haue prouoke them to bee thankfull for that they haue receiued And thus much for the last rule of trial These forenamed properties whosoeuer can finde in himself he may bee assured that the spirit hath wrought in him so effectually as that it shall neuer be taken from him But what then may such cast off all care No the Apostle saith vnto such Quench not the spirit And not without cause for though the spirit it selfe can neuer be vtterly taken from them yet doubtlesse if pride security or any other sinne begin to take place in them the graces of the spirit may decay and their cleere vnderstanding and comfortable feelings may be gone so that in their own and others iudgements the spirit may seem to be quite extinguished Neither must this seeme strange for if the Image of God which was more perfectly placed in Adam might bee quite lost then no maruell if the graces of the spirit bee drowned in vs for a time The Galathians were truly regenerated and had receiued Christ into their hearts yet their graces were so choked and quenched that hee was as it were without fashion or forme so Galath 4. 19. that the Apostle did as it were trauell againe vntill Christ was fashioned anew in them Dauid also vpon the committing of his sinne was brought vnto that case that he praied God to create in him Psal 51. a new spirit What was the spirit quite gone No for by and by after he praieth that God would not take his holy spirit from him but the graces thereof were wonderfully decaied and therefore he desireth that they might be renued But that none may abuse this doctrine let vs consider what punishments doe follow vpon the Euils that follow vpon quenching of the spirit quenching of the spirit in this sort First of all wee must know that though the spirit be not gotten by our labour yet that is required for the obtaining of it and it must cost vs much paines ere we can get it into our hearts all which seemeth to be lost when the graces of the spirit are withered Secondly all that peace and ioy before spoken of is gone with how great griefe and woe they know that in any measure haue tasted of it Thirdly for that time they haue no heart to do good but are made vnprofitable burdēs to the earth Moreouer such are in danger of falling into reprochfull euils and so to procure the sharp correcting hand of God vpon themselues who hath said that though hee will not take his mercies vtterlie from his children yet hee will visite their sinnes with the rod and their iniquities with scourges as he dealt with Dauid Last of all when the graces of the spirit of God are once decaied they cannot bee repaired but with very much sorrow for what a griefe will it be to call to minde our former transgressions to aggrauate them by all circumstances to apply the terrible threatnings of the law to our stonie harts and the like The consideration of all which discommodities should cause vs to beware how we quench the spirit Yet here is matter of comfort also for though wee may suffer a great decay of Gods graces yet by the rod or by the word or by both they shall be renued in vs againe Of murmuring in the time of affliction MAny men hearing of the often murmurings of the Israelites doe iudge them the worst people vnder the Sunne but such doe little consider either the temptations whereby they were prouoked to murmure or the corruption of their owne hearts which will as bitterly murmure vpon lesse occasion For albeit they were an obstinate and stiffe-necked people yet herein they were vehemently tempted that they came from plenty in Egypt to scarsitie in the wildernesse hauing neither meate nor drinke for all that multitude being sixe hundred thousand men besides women and children Wherefore let vs cease to wonder at this people and in them see our owne corruption For doe not many amongst vs beholding the abundance which the Lord hath bestowed vpon Magistrates or Ministers for the discharge of their duties doe they not I say rather murmure at it then shew themselues thankfull for troubles that they are freed from and for sufficiencie that the Lord hath giuen them to liue vpon True it is that notwithstanding the greatnes of this peoples temptation their sinne was very hainous for Gods mercies had been wonderfull towards them euen immediatly before and that the vnthankfullest of them had been driuen to confesse
bee readie to supplie our necessities whatsoeuer they be and to grant vs aboue that that we can aske or thinke And as for our owne priuate cases so for the publike state of the Church and Common-wealth if wee would haue the pestilence or famine or any other iudgement remoued the way to procure this is to repaire thither where wee shall meete with many of the faithfull that will be ready to ioyne with vs in praier and to wrestle with the Lord by feruent and earnest supplications for the remouing of his deserued strokes And this should much incourage vs and adde life vnto our prayers as often as wee haue occasion to aske any thing in publike that God will vouchsafe vnto vs his gratious presence and shew by good effect that hee is in the generation of the righteous Vers 6. Ye haue made a mock of the counsell of the poore In that the holy Prophet doth lay this vnto wicked mens charge as a hainous crime and as the cause of his strokes that were to bee inflicted vpon them this Doctrine offereth it selfe for our learning that Doct. 3 Iesting and scoffing at Gods children is a grieuous kinde of persecution and such as the Lord Mockers are grieuous persecutors Heb. 11. takes speciall notice of In which regard the Apostle Heb. 11. 36. speaking of the wonderfull great trials which sundrie of the Saints did by faith vndergoe reckoneth vp this as none of the least of them that they had been tried by mockings In like sort when the holy Ghost yeeldeth a reason of the vtter ouerthrow of the kingdome of Iudah and of their long and wofull captiuitie he setteth downe this to be one of the principall causes thereof viz. That they mocked 2. Chro. 36. 26. the messengers of God and despised his words and misused his Prophets vntill the wrath of the Lord arose against his people and till there was no remedie This kinde of persecution Ismael vsed against Gal. 4. 29. Isaac as the Apostle witnesseth for which hee Gen. 21. 9. was cast out of the Church of God And this was one of the meritorious sufferings of our Lord Iesus Christ that they spit vpon him and nodded Mat. 26. 27. Psal 22. their heads at him and vsed taunting and disgracefull speeches vnto him and put as it were a fooles coate vpon him to disguise him and called him in mockage the King of the Iewes c. This I say was not the least part of his bitter passion through which hee purchased eternall saluation for all his elect namely that hee endured much contempt and reproch both in the course of his life and at the time of his death Now the reason why Satan maketh choice of this weapon aboue others therewith to fight against Gods seruants is Reasons First because mans nature is subiect greatly to abhorre contempt and therefore cannot easily endure to bee vilified and disgraced by scoffing and reprochfull speeches and gestures Secondly the diuell knoweth that he can get many souldiers to be imployed this way Euery Note limme of his cannot imprison nor spoile Christians of their goods or of their liues but there are few or none but they can frame scoffes and iests against the members of Christ Iesus Euery boy can quickly grow skilfull at this as we see in Ismael and in the two and fortie children that 2. King 2. were torne in pieces of two beares for their mocking of the Prophet Elisha the very scumme of the people the vagabonds and rogues that run vp and downe the countrie can doe their master the diuell good seruice this way those that were the children of fooles and the children of villaines Iob 30. 8. 9. as Iob speaketh who were more vile then the earth it selfe could make Iob their song and their talke and in like sort did the drunkards and Psal 69. 12. Psal 35. pot-companions deale with Dauid and the thiefe vpon the crosse with our Sauiour euen at that time Matth. 27. 44. when the fierce wrath of God was manifested vpon his bodie hanging on the crosse for that he had been a notorious and hainous malefactor Vse 1 First this doctrine must teach vs to beware of deriding and taunting at good men for taking of good waies lest by so doing we become persecuters and bee proceeded against as enemies vnto God and his people It is not so safe for vs as many take it to be to exercise our selues in such kind of scoffing he is commonly held to be a sillie fellow that cannot gird at a Minister and at such as vsually resort vnto Sermons But let vs take heed of such nipping and biting speeches as tend to the defaming of any of Gods seruants or seruices lest we be cast out from hauing any communion and fellowship with God as scoffing Ismael was and be exposed to such plagues and punishments as the wicked Iewes were who mocked the messengers of God and reuiled our blessed Sauiour in such an opprobrious and disgracefull manner as the Scriptures doe record Vse 2 Secondly for as much as contemptuous and reprochfull scoffes and girds are such weapons as Satan putteth into the hands of his instruments let vs prepare for them and arme our selues against them Christs Disciples must not looke to be aboue their master if wicked sinners reuiled and derided him we must not imagine to escape their virulent and venemous tongues and therefore the Apostle exhorteth vs that seeing he hath Heb. 13. 12. 13. borne our reproch wee should beare his and for the ioy that is laid before vs endure the crosse Heb. 12. 2. and despise the shame and so at length wee shall receiue the crowne of glorie which is prepared for all those that in patience doe waite for his glorious appearing Now that wee may be better inabled to beare How we may be inabled to beare contēpt these taunts and reproches let vs take this direction following 1. First labour against that inbred pride that Labour against pride is naturally in euery one of our hearts which maketh vs vtterly vnable to vndergoe disgrace therefore was it that though many of the chiefe rulers of the Iewes beleeued in Christ yet they durst not confesse him because of the Pharisies who would haue excommunicated them and disgraced them to the vtmost and the reason is rendred in that place viz. That they loued the John 12. 43. praise of men more then the praise of God they stood vpon their carnall credite and reputation among their neighbours and countriemen more then vpon that true credite and estimation which they might haue had with the Lord and his children and therefore was it that they were so loath to expose themselues for Christ his sake vnto the shame of the world whereas if they had had humble and lowlie hearts they would haue denied themselues in their estimation among men and haue taken vp the reproch of Christ as an honorable
crowne let this therefore be our first worke to labour against the hautinesse of our fleshly hearts Secondly to the intent that we may more patiently Consider what scoffers are indure to be vilified and disgraced let vs consider what manner of men scoffers be viz. the most abiect vile and contemptible persons that are as we may see in those before mentioned who in this sort pursued Iob and Dauid and our blessed sauiour Obiect Oh but will some say they are men of great wealth of great place of great parentage of great wit and learning that doe mocke vs and gird at vs for our religion and for our profession Answere Grant that they be great men in all the former respects yet if they be wicked and vngodly the holy ghost accounteth them vile and contemptible men and so should wee esteeme of them though they be as mightie as Zenacherib was for when he sent a disdainefull and scornefull message vnto Hezekiah and the rest of Gods people hee was indeede ignominious because hee was impious and blasphemous he was vile in Gods sight and he made him appeare vile both before men and Angels according to that of Isaiah The Isai 37. 22. virgin daughter of Sion hath despised thee and laughed thee to scorne Thirdly let vs consider as what they are for the present so what they shall be hereafter and that the same Prophet Isaiah sheweth saying Feare ye not for the reproch of men neither be ye afraid Isai 51. 7. 8. of their rebukes For the moth shall eate them vp like a garment and the worme shall eate them like wood Obiect 1 But will some maÌ„ say what great matter is this shall not the wormes consume the good as well as the bad Answere Yes surely that cannot be denied and yet there is an euident difference betweene the wicked the godly euen â—â— this respect for though Note righteous mens bodies become wormes meate yet it is not in any displeasure from the Lord nor for any hurt vnto them for they are still pretious in his eyes as their soules are which euen then enioy celestial happinesse and besides euen those bodies of theirs shall be restored and be made euerlastingly glorious together with their soules all which things are farre otherwise with such sinfull persons as delight themselues in scoffing and deriding of the Saints of God their bodies are at best when they are deuoured by wormes they can neuer expect better but that which is farre worse shall surely come vnto them Fourthly that wee may bee inabled in conscience Meditate on the reward to swallow vp such reproches as are cast vpon vs let vs seriously meditate on the reward which is promised vnto them that can so doe Blessed are you saith our Sauiour when men reuile Matth. 5. 11. 12. you and persecute you and speake all manner of euill against you for my names sake falsely Reioyce and be glad for great is your reward in heauen And againe the Apostle Peter saith If yee be railed vpon 1. Pet. 4. 14. for the name of Christ blessed are yee for the spirit of glorie and of God resteth vpon you This made Moses to esteeme the rebuke of Christ greater riches then Heb. 11. 26. the treasures of Egypt for saith the holie Ghost hee had respect vnto the recompence of the reward Therefore when wee finde our hearts beginning to bee dismaied at the bitter taunts and iests of prophane scoffers let vs animate our selues vnto patience with these or the like considerations why should I be discouraged at these things sinfull men seeke to vilifie and disgrace me but doth God thinke euer the worse of me I am base and contemptible in their eyes but doe the Angels of God or any of his Saints conceiue any whit more hardly of me in that regard Nay doth not the Lord himselfe and such as haue his image most liuely shining foorth in them esteeme me so much more honorable by how much they labor to make me more vile and abiect in regard of my weldoing Why then should I faint vnder the burthen of reproch wherewith they do still load me especially seeing that this momentanie disgrace which I sustaine for Christ his cause shall bring vnto me an eternall and inualuable weight of glorie Doct. 4 Of the poore From which words note this Doctrine that the estate of Gods people is commonly The godlie vsually afflicted a poore and afflicted estate Therefore in the originall the word poore is not vsed in the Plurall number but in the Singular and carries this sense ye haue made a mock of the counsell of that poore one implying thereby what is the common case of all namely to be full of calamities and distresses through many tribulations to enter into the kingdome Acts 14. 22. Rom. 8. of God and to be conformable vnto their head Christ in afflictions and sufferings And this the Lord in his wise prouidence will haue to be so for these reasons Reasons First that thereby the flesh might be discountenanced and haue no cause to reioyce before 1. 1. Cor. 2. him Secondly that men might embrace religion for it self and in conscience vnto God not in any outward respects Whereas if most of those that are Christians were of great place many would make a shew of being religious that they might Note thereby grow to aduancement in the world and so seeke earthly things in spirituall exercises Thirdly that his childreÌ„ might grow in neerer acquaintance with him who otherwise would be strangers vnto their owne father In their affliction Hos 5. 15. saith God they will seeke me diligently Before that time they would rather sue vnto any then vnto the Lord therefore was he driuen to break them with one breaking vpon another that so hauing no other refuge to betake themselues vnto they might haue recourse vnto him This is cleere in the example of Manasse who being in bonds and in irons humbled his soule before the Lord and prayed vnto him for fauor and mercie and found it at his hands whereas before such time as hee was pressed downe with grieuous miserie he obstinately refused to hearken vnto the Lord and to his messengers and was so far froÌ„ calling vpon his name that he dishonored it by all manner of abominations which hee committed with an high 2. Chron. 33. 6. hand euen to anger the Lord. Fourthly God would haue his people often to taste of aduersities and troubles that so they might learne to trust in him whereas otherwise they would make the arme of flesh to bee their stay and confidence This the Lord himself auoucheth in the prophecie of Zephanie saying I will Zeph. 3. 12. leaue in the middest of thee an humble and poore people and they shall trust in the name of the Lord. Vse This point maketh for the confutation of an error which withholdeth diuers from the profession of the Gospell Is this
the word that checketh him for his sinne and in what measure any man dislikes the word in the same measure will hee take pleasure in all manner of iniquitie which is condemned by the word And thus much for the causes of this vnwillingnesse The ill effects follow which to mention but a few of a great many are three The two former in respect of men themselues the last in respect of God Concerning themselues first they are neuer able to meditate on the word For whatsoeuer a man comes vnwillingly to hearken vnto that will quickly slip out of his minde neither can hee possibly get it to take any deepe roote in his heart Hence is it that when couetous or malicious or vnchast persons repaire vnto Sermons to please their masters or to satisfie the law or for some such by-respect they neuer seriously think of that which they haue heard to make any application thereof vnto themselues they cannot bring their hearts vnto it for a sinfull conscience will not indure to be tied to the word of the Lord. The Prophet Dauid saith Lord how loue I thy law my meditation Psal 119. 97. is in it continually What will follow then if a man doe not loue Gods law Surely he will not at any time meditate thereon which hee that doth not must needs be a very sinfull creature Secondly as hee will neuer ponder vpon it so neither will he practise it He that is vnwilling to heare his dutie will be much more vnwilling to doe it If wee see a seruant that cannot endure to bee informed what is his masters will and pleasure we presently conclude that such an one will not prooue a faithfull and trustie seruant and so may we do without any breach of charitie when wee perceiue a man to be altogether carelesse or contemptuous in listening to the charge of his heauenly master hee that cannot abide to heare of the duties of the Sabbath nor of the exercises of religion that hee is to performe in his familie and the like we may boldly say except the Lord conuert this mans heart certainly hee will neuer make conscience of performing these duties Now for the effect which they shall find from the Lord it is this that he will deale with them as with wicked and vngodly ones both in this life and afterwards for because they receiue not the loue 2. Thess 2. 10. 11 12. of the truth that they might bee saued therefore God will send them strong delusion that they should beleeue lies That all they may be damned that beleeue not the truth but take pleasure in vnrighteousnes This doctrine maketh Vse 1 First for the terror of Papists and all such as are popishly affected as being liable to this iudgement and heauy stroake of God because they refuse to heare the word of the Lord and will rather hearken to erroneous and heretical doctrine then to the truth of God contained in the holie Scriptures and rather lie in prison amongst malefactors then bee in the Church amongst true Christians Obiect But though they doe not heare the word preached yet will some say they pray very much Answere What of that doe they imagine to haue any benefit by their prayers if they doe they will bee much deceiued for Salomon saith He that turneth Prou. 28. 9. away his eare from hearing the law euen his prayer shall be abominable Let them pretend what they will for their wilful absenting of themselues from our assemblies as namely that wee corrupt the word and misinterprete and misapplie the same yet they shall finde that they haue refused to embrace the loue of the trueth and haue beleeued lies and that therefore the Lord hath iustly giuen them vp to be deluded by Satan and so to be damned with him euerlastingly Secondly for the iust reproofe of many among vs who will come vnto the Church and sit before the Preacher as men and women desiring to obtaine the knowledge of Gods waies whereas in truth the Lord and their owne consciences can witnesse that they are altogether vnwilling to receiue any wholesome admonition and instruction and that no charge is or can bee more vnpleasant and distastfull vnto them then that of the God of heauen when hee straitly enioyneth them with all speed to get out of their sinnes and to turne their feete into the way of his testimonies And because they will bee very loath to acknowledge thus much but are readie to harbour too good an opinion of themselues as if none were more forward hearers then they are let their owne hearts bee iudges what preparation they make before hand for the fitting of themselues for such a great work what attention they vse when they are present and what meditation and conference they haue concerning it when they are departed Of which points if they would without partialitie examine themselues they should easily discerne a great deale of backwardnesse in their nature and in their practise If a man should protest that hee goes to the market with a great desire to buy food for himselfe and his family yet if hee alwaies plaied the vnthrift with his money and neuer brought home any prouision we would not giue credit to his words but account him a meere dissembler and the like censure may we passe on such as pretend they are willing to reape benefit by the word to the intent they may bee able to helpe both themselues and their families and yet neuer carrie away any thing to the purpose but if you aske them what points were handled they can say nothing but this surely wee heard a very good Sermon God be thanked but my memorie is very short or I cannot vtter all that I haue in my minde my heart I hope is as good as the best though I cannot talke of the Sermon as others doe what is this but to deceiue their owne soules with vaine words for certainly he that hath a heart willing to heare will haue a tongue readie to vtter in some tolerable sort that which hee hath heard though not all of it yet a good part of it as God hath giuen to euery one the measure of grace Another sort are here to be reproued who doe in a more palpable and grosse manner manifest their vnwillingnes to heare in that they will take euery slight occasion to absent themselues and that not onely on the weeke daies but on the Lords day also so that when the Lord commeth euen to their dores and offereth to powre down his graces abundantly vpon them they refuse his gratious offer and so iudge themselues vnworthie of Acts 13 46. eternall life Thirdly this is for our instruction if we would be freed from the accusation and condemnation of impious and prophane persons then let vs labour to bee willing and well affected hearers and to come with a better appetite to the food of our soules then wee doe to the foode of our bodies and bee more desirous to