the Apostle adjoyns in the Text as the cause of the Jews unprofitableness because it was not mixed with faith and truely this must needs cause unprofitableness both because we cannot draw near to God in his Ordinances without this Unbelief is a departing from God We may present our bodies indeed before God yet without faith can we not digest the word of God into spiritual nourishment as Clemens Alexandrinus saies There is required of us 1. An historical faith whereby we believe the word of God to be the word of God and close with the truth of it in our assent and judgement The understanding is the leading facultie of the soul and the guide of reason I shall never close with that truth in my affections to love it in my will to practise it which I do not first assent unto in my understanding nor can the will embrace that as good which the understanding assents not to as true But this is not enough for there is required further 2. A particular applying faith whereby the soul closeth with the word as proper to it self when it particularly applies the promises and closes with the reproofs and threatnings of the word This makes the word of God to be ineffectual because men shift it off from themselves as such a reproof of sin concern'd not me the Minister reproved such an one c. A man may assent to the truth of a promise and yet it be a dry-breast to him without the application of it by a particular faith so to the truth of a threatning and yet not be humbled Faith is necessarie to the hearing of the word profitably I. As the eye of faith discerns the truth of the word as it pries into the mysteries of the Gospel which the natural man perceives not The Apostle 1 Cor. 2. 14. gives a reason why a natural man cannot perceive these because they are spiritually discerned and so no object suitable to a carnal eye It is said of Christs entertainment John 1. 5. The darkness comprehendeth not the light every unbeliever is no better then mere darkness though improved with the height of acquired knowledge as Nicodemus and Paul are very pregnant proofs of this and I appeal to your selves Are men like to profit by the word they perceive not nor understand II. As it makes the soul to relish and delight in the word of God To an unbeliever the great mysteries of the Gospel are but foolishness 1 Cor. 1. 23 24. The carnal minde is not subject to the law of God saith the Apostle Rom. 8. 7. A carnal minde may approve of the word of God as true and good but never close with it throughly and heartily because it is contrarie to it As a learned man may approve of the light as excellent in it self but will not endure to look long upon it because it may be hurtfull to his weak eyes thus a carnal heart may assent to the truth of Gods word and be convinced of the equitie and goodness of it yet not close with it because contrarie to his carnal interests and corrupt principles and so long no profiting by it As S. Augustine saith Quid haec duo conferunt Aug. lib. 4. c. 13. de doctr Christ homini qui confitetur verum collaudat eloquium nec inclinat assensum who inclines not his assent viz. so as to practise it Ninethly The nineth ground is love of some darling and bosome sin and corruption The Apostle indeed James 1. 21. commands to lay aside all superfluitie of naughtiness but especially any darling sin which else will make the word unprofitable upon a double account I. As it prejudiceth the soul against the most profitable preaching Such an one must have placentia and speak the language of those in Isaiah 30. 10. They say to the seers see not and to the Prophets prophesie not to us right things but speak unto us smooth things c. Wholesome reproofs are too bitter pils for him to take down because they will stirre the humours that are corrupt And therefore you shall observe that some who have seemingly made large progress in the profession of the word have been wholly offended at it when it hath searched and disturb their secret bosome corruption Thus it was with Herod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he did many things and demonstrated a very fair affection to the word of God as in Mark 6. 20. till it came to his Herodias and then he is incensed so far against John as to take off his head nay the young man went further to his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all these have I kept and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from his youth Mark 10. 20. till it came to his covetousness then the commands of Christ prove ineffectual and he goes away sorrowfully While a man retains the love of any darling sin he is apt to come with a settled resolution let the Preacher say what he will shew him the nature danger and guilt of such or such a sin to go on still as it is Jer. 2. 25. II. As it disaffects them to the preacher That did disaffect the Pharisees so much against Christ his reproving their darling sin of Hypocrisie This caused Felix to dismiss Paul his touching upon his darling sin of intemperance and injustice And hence proceeds the ebbings and flowings of mens affections to the same Minister You shall have some who will constantly attend upon a Minister and afford him a very fair aprobation till he come powerfully to search his bosome corruption then he is offended nay and perhaps persecutes the Minister too Thus it fared with Christ himself one while they crie never man spake like him and another while Crucifie him crucifie him See the Galatians inconstancie to S. Paul in Galat. 4. 14 15 16. they afforded him both reverence verse 14. and love verse 15. rari amoris indicium oculos eruere plus est quà m vitam profundere saies Calvin but how soon is this love degenerated into hatred and enmitie verse 16. and that onely because he told them the truth Veritas odium as saith the Comoedian so tell men the truth in laying before them the evil nature and danger of those sins they live in they presently entertain a secret enmitie against them and if once mens spirits come to be embittered against the preacher suavis non erit doctrinae gustus they will finde no sweet relish in the word of God Tenthly The tenth ground is unpreparedness when men rush out of their worldly employments without prayer or meditation into the house of God never considering either into whose presence or service they come God requires a holy preparation to all our services and that not onely habitually but actually prepared and disposed for them Keep thy foot saith the Wiseman Eccles 5. 1. when thou goest to the house of God This holy preparation was shadowed out by the peoples washing their clothes before the deliverie of the Law Exod.
Jews pricked at the heart and a John Baptist convince a Herod of his unlawfull and wicked enjoyment of his beloved Herodias How doth the word of God oft drive men from those forts and succours and delusions which they had framed to deceive themselves and encourage themselves in the ways of sin as others sin as well as I what saith Scripture to this Follow not a multitude to commit iniquity and Though hand Exod. 23. 2. Prov. 11. 21. joyn in hand the wicked shall not be unpunished I may deferre my repentance from youth to old age saith another See what Scripture saith to this Remember thy Creatour in the daies of thy youth c. and Eccles ' 12. 1. Hebr. 3. 15. Rom. 6. 23. To day if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts This is but a peccadillo saith another Scripture saith The ways of sin is death Such flatteries and deceits the deceitfull heart of man is apt to gull it self with The power of the word is to such as the voice of God was to Adam Where art thou and then he could lie hid no longer it convinceth and discovers them This is the effect of preaching the word as the Apostie saith If all prophesie to wit of the nature of sin Gods wrath against it and the like as Pareus glosses if there come in one that believeth not he is convinced of all he is judged of all and the secrets of his heart are Mr. Dod. made manifest When a reverend Divine amongst our selves had by a powerfull Sermon convinced a licentious wretch who heard him he fretting and very angry as wicked men cōmonly are at a convincing Minister came to him and charged him with preaching that Sermon against him out of malice and envy he returned him this answer If this Sermon had been preached in the dark when I could not have seen my Auditors this very word of God would have found thee out and convinced thee of thy sins In a word Rectum verum est mensura sui obliqui therefore Scripture containing all fundamental doctrines of faith and essential duties of holiness necessary to salvation must consequently be sufficient to confute and reprove all contrary sin and errour 4. That he may instruct the people and inform them of their whole duty Here they must expect and require their knowledge for The Mal. 2. 7. Priests lips shall preserve knowledge and the people shall require it at his mouth Unless their doctrine distill as the dew the field of the Lord the Church must needs be barren in holiness and fruitless in knowledge This is the last vse the Apostle saith the Scripture is profitable for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for instruction in righteousness 2 Tim. 3. 18. True indeed may the people say it is fit and necessary that Objection Apollos's Ministers should be mighty in the Scriptures but we hope we may be excused from searching the Scriptures it is not our duty we are to expect it from our teachers Indeed this is Rome's language If you were at Rome you might Answer be exempted that Church will gratifie you in this and thank you too they account it no better to suffer lay-men to read the Bible then sanctum canibus margaritas ante porcos projicere it is the expression of Hosius to cast pearles before swine or that which is holy to dogs you are little beholding to them for this But believe it though Antichrist will exempt you from reading the Scripture Christ will not who enjoynes it as a duty upon all to search the Joh. 5. 39. Scriptures and observe the argument he useth to enforce this duty for in them ye think to have eternal life If then you expect any interest in that happiness you are concerned and engaged in this duty of Scripture-search which is both commanded and cōmended in Scripture Let the word of God dwell in you richly in all wisdome Coloss 3. 16. Acts. 17. 11 saith S. Paul and it was the commendation of the Bereans that they searched the Scriptures daily whether the things that Paul and Silas preached were true or no. The Church of Rome accuse and charge this promiscuous searching of the Scripture as the cause of Heresy pride and faction I deny not Scripture misunderstood is sometimes abused to promote these ends but this is not the natural and proper effect of reading the Scripture the ignorance of which if we believe our Saviour is the cause of Heresy and error Ye erre saith Christ to Matt. 22. 29. the Sadduces not knowing the Scriptures and indeed if wee be robbed of the Compass of Scripture we must needs split upon the rock of errour In a word then it is the Tyrannie of Rome to withhold it and it will be your sin to neglect it Application 1. This condemns and corrects that general neglect and undervaluing of Scripture which now Atheisme is justly feared to be growing upon us prevailes in the world men preferring every thing else before this The Papist exalts his unwritten Tradition above the written Word Pari pietatis affectu suscipimus veneramur may seem a modest determination of the Tridentine convention and much less then their practise speaks The Enthusiast magnifies his pretended revelation and Scripture to him is but a dead letter and the searcher of it but literalis and vocalis too But let us return home and see whither we can plead not guilty where are our Nepotians who by diligent perusal of the Scripture make their souls Bibliothecam Christi as Hierom saith of him Where shall we finde an Alphonsus who is reported to have read the Bible ten times over with a comment or like that Transylvanian Prince whom Maccovius reports to have read the Bible over twentie seven times Where shall we finde a David who meditates in the Law of God day and night preferring it before the honey and the honey-combe Psal 19. 10. Psal 119. 72. Job 23. 12. before thoughts of gold and silver or a Job who esteemeth the words of Gods mouth more then his necessarie food Nay have we not many proud cursed Politians who think it a disparagement to their parts and learning to condiscend to the studie of Scripture and as he said think they never spend their time worse then in reading it Do not idle Romances and lascivious Poems and the like take up the most of our youth-studies nay amongst us who look towards the Ministrie doth not a nice and intricate School-man an uncertain Father an antiquated Rabby justle out the Scripture I speak not against those in their due order and measure but I would not have Hagar drive Sarah out of doors I would not have the Hand-maids courted and the Mistress neglected If they be our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let Scripture be our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Preposterous studying these before we be well grounded and setled in Scripture-knowledge doth oft fill the soule with such
choak these natural principles which God left in corrupted nature for the upholding humane nature for man without these would be equalized to beasts and that by their light and improvement man may seek after and arrive at some knowledge of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Apostle tels us was the end of them that which may be known of God is manifest in them saith the Apostle Rom. 1. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That 's the first Secondly By the contemplation of the Creatures and Providences of God Natural reason by a climax and gradation of causes and effects may ascend to a discoverie of a first being something of the nature of which is discoverable by Natural light 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it being one received Maxime of Reason that What ever is in the effect is in the cause either formally or eminently and therefore the light of nature may discover not onely the existence but some of the glorious Attributes and Perfections of God The Apostle mentions his Eternitie and Power as knowable by the creatures of Rom. 1. 20. those who had not the Gospel It is true while the Heathens dazled with the glorie of the creature terminated their contemplation in them the creatures proved occasions of their Idolatrie and Atheisme Pliny that great searcher into Nature denies a Deitie Lib. 2. Hist nâ—t cap. 7. and Galen hath nothing as some observe by which in charitie he can be excused from Atheisme but one single hymn in a good mood composed Creatori Yet the creatures in themselves are as so many mirrors in which is discoverable the glorie of the Creator which the Psalmist tell us Psal 19. 1. the heavens declare namely objectively as giving man just occasion to celebrate the glorie of the Majesty Power Wisdome and Goodness of the Creator From whose creating all things the Apostle argues the Gentiles into an acknowledgement of a worship due to God We preach unto you that ye should turn from your vanities unto the living God who made heaven and earth I finde Augustine in his Confessions thus bespeaking Lib. 10. cap. 6. God Coelum saith he terra omnia quae in iis sunt undique mihi dicunt ut te amem nec cessant dicere omnibus ut sint inexcusabiles Job send us chap. 12. 7 8 9. verses to the creatures to learn God Can a man see a fair exquisite picture and not admire the Artificer ex pede Herculem Natural light may trace God by those foot-steps he hath left of himself in every creature So from the management and ordering of affairs in the world reason discovers the Power and Wisdome of God Tully concludes that nothing Lib. 2 de nâ—t Dâ—or is so manifest when men contemplate the heavenly bodies as that there is aliquod numen praestantissimaementis quo haec regantur some admirable wisdome to manage them and the Apostle tels us Acts 14. 17. God left not himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even amongst the Heathens which he proves by Gods giving them rain and fruitfull seasons the issues of his providence though they had not the Gospel-testimonie of God It is true the belief of a God was sometimes weakned and shaked by observing the seeming inequality of providential dispensations to good and bad Cur bonis mala bona malis was a question which puzzled them which Seneca hath I had almost said divinely resolved and no wonder when Scripture tells us of Job David Jeremiah the Saints of God were at a loss and stand upon the consideration of the providence of God in this particular but these did but retard not overturn their acknowledgements of a God of whom there are such visible discoveries in the least creature for God is maximus in minimis that Augustin professeth he doubted Sâ—liloq cap. 31. more sometimes whether he had a soul the effects of which he daily experienced then utrùm in hac rerum universalitate sit Deus whether there were a God ruling the world It is true what ever may be known by the creature is in more legible characters in Scripture whence the Apostle saith that by faith we believe that the worlds were framed The creation of the Heb. 11. 3. world is a truth discoverable by natural light though the wisest Philosophers erred much in the manner of it which Moses hath exactly described The Platonists as Augustin tells us asserted the bodies Lib. 12. de Civit. Dei cap. 26. of men to be produced by their minor Deities though their souls were created by God The same truth may be the object of science as made out by rational demonstration and of faith as built upon the authority of God in Gospel-revelation whence God falls under the object both of Metaphysicks and Divinity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Apostle speaking of those who were destitute of Gospel-light Rom. 1. 19. God hath manifested something of himselfe to them namely by that common light by which he enlightneth every one who comes Joh. 1. 9. into the world to wit by the light of nature which improved may bring us to many though no saving discoveries of God And that brings me to the second Truth contained in the Text though it bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence ariseth the second assertion That natural light in its most elevated and raised improvements can Doctrine make no full and saving discoveries of God In the handling which point I shall not dare so far to intrude into the Arke of Gods secrets as to enquire or determine what extraordinary way God may take to manifest himself savingly to those who had only the guidance of natural light Secret things belong Deut. 29. 29. to God revealed things belong to us but if God did use such as for my part I will not limit the holy one of Israel I assert First It was not as the issue of natural improvement nor Secondly A fulfilling any promise revealed in the Word nor Thirdly Any retribution by way of distributive justice nor Fourthly Any answering a just claim could be made to farther communications for First Suppose a man to have improved natural light to the utmost height and this is but suppositio per impossibile Secondly Suppose him to have attained all moral virtues in gradu Heroico Thirdly Suppose him most industrious and quick-sighted in the study of the creatures and the providences of God yet I assert that all this cannot reach to any saving discoveries of God upon this five-fold ground 1. Because natural light can reach no discoveries of Christ whom Chrysostome thinks to be here meant by the unknown God In locum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Athenians were wont to worship the Gods of all nations whence the Apostle justly chargeth them of overmuch superstition verse 22. and because they knew not Christ whom the Christians worshipped they erected this Altar to him under
outward exercise of them from which place we may note 1. That there can be no profiting without a door of utterance 2. That God must open it as he did for Moses who was of slow speech Exod. 4. 10 11 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so Clemens Alexandrinus God is the onely teacher of us to speak and of you to profit He must open our mouths and your hearts as he did the heart of Lydia and the word to both before it can profit So God saies in regard of the people Esay 48. 17. and so Christ promises to his ministers Luk. 21. 15. 3. Prayer is the key to open this door of utterance to reveal the secret cabinet of Gods will and word Knock and it shall be opened is Christs promise in Matth 7. you must knock by prayer at the gate of heaven that this door of utterance may be opened to the Minister S. Paul mentions this to his Corinthians 2 Cor. 1. 11. II. That God would open your hearts God must do both or neither will be done Acts. 16. 14. S. Paul prayes for his Ephesians chap. 1. ver 17 18. and David for himself Psal 119. 18. Cathedram habet in caelo qui corda docet saies S. Augustin You may open your eares Lib. 4. cap. 16. de Doct. Christ to the word of God and all the while your hearts may be shut against it unless God open that As our Saviour spake to his disciples Having eares hear you not c. so it will be with every one whose heart God doth not open the Minister may bring the Word to the eare but it is the spirit onely can carry it effectually to the heart Prov. 20. 12. The hearing eare and the seeing eye the Lord hath made even both of them God must not onely give thee the word but an eye to see it and a heart to embrace it as it is said of Christs preaching to his two disciples Luc. 24. 45. Then opened he their understandings that they might understand the Scriptures The summe of it is Prayer is the means to open the Ministers mouth to speak and your hearts to entertain the word so as to profit by it and therefore neglect of this must needs cause unprofitableness The Wiseman directs you to this course as in Prov. 2. 2 3 4 5 6. It is the Lord onely that gives it and if you would have it from him you must crie after it If any of you lack wisdome you must ask it of God James 1. 5. How deeply are most men to be charged here I accuse none of you but I wish you to deal faithfully with your selves How seldome do you pray seriously to God before you come here Have you this morning been upon your knees earnestly begging of God for the Ministers and your selves if not no wonder if you go away as you come charge it upon your selves quarrel not with God his Ordinances or his Ministers as the cause of your unfruitfulness if you come without praying I do not wonder that you go away without profiting Fifthly Pride when men come with proud hearts to the preaching of the word they are more ready to scorn and oppose the word then to profit by it This hinders I. Pride of our own righteousness When men are puffed up with a conceit of that they discover not their want of the word of God and so undervalue and sleight it this was the reason why our Saviours preaching wrought so little upon the Pharisees as you may see John 39. 40. they were not convinced of their blindness and sin but lifted up with an opinion of their own holiness so it was with the Jews too Rom. 10. 3. If ever we intend to profit by the word we must come emptied of our own righteousness and breathing after the righteousness of Christ held forth in the Gospel An humble though notorious sinner will profit more at the word then a proud self-justitiarie as the Publicans did at the preaching of our Saviour more then the Pharisees II. Pride of our own knowledge this makes men think that constant preaching of the word is needless we shall hear nothing but what we have heard before we know it as well as the preacher can tell us this is the pride of mens hearts It was the Athenians pride of their Philosophical notions which made them esteem Paul's preaching as a vain babling Acts 17. As some proud scholars think themselves beyond their Tutours reading so many are too goodly to be taught High Seraphical souls that are lifted up above ordinances that pretend to such growth that they can live without this spiritual food there is pride of heart at the bottome of all In heaven we shall live immediately upon God but here mediately by his ordinances there we shall see face to face but here in the glass of the word and if we desire to profit by it we must bring an humble frame of spirit Jobs language would become us well Job 34. 32. That which I see not teach thou me wait at wisdomes gates for further discoveries for here we know but in part and see nothing but darkly the best of us had need daily of eye-salve from Christ to have our eyes opened by the word we Acts 26. 18. must become sensible of our ignorance and in this become fools that we may be wise this pride must needs make the word unprofitable upon a three fold account 1. It makes men untractable and unteachable A proud heart is apt to set up many carnal reasonings and proud imaginations which exalt themselves against the word those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 2 Cor. 10. 4. whereby they quarrel with the truth of God as Nicodemus when our Saviour preached to him of regeneration he was as at his How can this thing be John 3. It was this pride made the Greeks count the Gospel foolishness 1 Cor. 1. 23. This pride makes men despise the word and they think it a kinde of pusillanimitie of spirit to submit to it who is the Lord saith proud Pharaoh Exod. 5. 2. and thereupon rejects all his messages by Moses so those proud Jerem. 44. 16 Jews in Jeremiah Clemens Alexandrinus saies The word is not to be submitted to the judgement of those who are not yet humbled but have their minds pre-occupied and prejudiced by proud carnal reasonings Observe what the Psalmist saies Psal 10. 4. God is not in the thoughts of his heart The proud will not seek after God that is in his ordinances he thinks it needless or else below him the proud Pharisees were of all other men the most untractable of Christ's doctrine 2. Because pride makes men unwilling to hear what may most profit A proud heart cannot endure to hear his particular sins his darling corruptions struck at or discovered by the word of God A particular reproof of sin is certainly the most profitable 2 Tim. 4. 2. and this a proud heart cannot endure If Christ reproves
sincerity of your obedience and endeavour will however be acceptable unto God as Abrahams was in offering his son though the event followed not therefore in Gods account he did it Hebr. 11. 17. God in his accepts the will for the deed 2 Cor. 8. 12. which is a special ground of comfort to Christians in every calling and employment But 3. thy reward shall be secured Esay 49. 5. God rewards not onely our success but our faithfulness S. Paul would have the Philippians to hold forth the word of life that he might rejoyce in the day of Christ that he might not seem to have run in vain nor laboured in vain and indeed the Ministers of the Gospel may seem to labour in vain in respect of the efficacy of their Ministery but certainly it shall not be in respect of the reward of it II. To the people It is serious matter of lamentation that the Ministers should have occasion to complain with the Prophet Esay 8. 18. Behold I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are for signs and wonders in Israel that is because they were so few and rare and that they should have occasion to complain with the same Prophet Esa 53. Who hath believed our report And it is sad for you Brethren if it be any of your case if it be mourn over it and pray against it as the Prophet David Psal 119. 18. Open mine eyes that I may see into the wonders of thy Law and withall observe with me 1. God doth not expect equal proficiency from all as a Master or Tutour doth not of all scholars whom yet he may approve and commend for their diligence This I speak for the comfort of those Christians who are the most conscientious waiters on the Ordinances yet complain they profit not answerably The good ground in Matth. 13. 23. did not bring forth equally but some thirty some sixty and some an hundred fruitfull fields bring forth unequal crops so it is possible that among those who conscionably attend on the Ordinances some may profit more then others 2. Thy proficiencie may not appear presently as oft we are in despair of our fields yet afterwards receive a good crop In the night of temptation or the like the word may be obscured and not appear but may afterward shew it self to the comfort of thy self and rejoycing of others 3. Perhaps thou profitest more in thy actions then thy knowledge They are not alwayes the best proficients in the word who declare most and know best if thy affections be enflamed towards the word and thou beest carefully conscientious to practise suitably to thy knowledge thou hast profited more then your notional high-flown professours which yet are cold and careless 4. Be still constant in thy attendance upon the word This is thy seed-time therefore practise the Wisemans advice which he gives Eccles 11. 6. In the morning sow thy seed and in the evening withhold not thine hand The good ground brought forth fruit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 8. 15. that is though persecuted for the word or else though no present crop or present profit We read of the impotent persons John 5. 3. that they lay at the pool though they were not presently put in and amongst them there was a man there who had an infirmitie thirty eight years at vers 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Chrysostome observes stupendious patience and speaking in that Homily on John 5. of the admirable patient waiting of that impotent person he adds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we grow cold and remiss after a small time of waiting He lay thirty eight years yet not healed and yet did he not give over waiting so should we at this spiritual Bethesda to be cured of our spiritual infirmities though some of you may have lien as long unprofitably at the Ordinances as he unhealed at the pool yet wait still the time may come and will be Who among you will hearken for the time to come Esa 42. 23. Improve that thou hast already received and wait on God for an encrease in his own way and thou art under a promise to receive it for Habenti dabitur Matth. 25. 29. Secondly Prejudices against the Preacher and these are either I. Against his Person We are offended at the meanness of it he is a man like our selves or else we are dis-affected to him and both these cause unprofitableness under the word preached as it did in our Saviours auditours Matth. 13. 55 57. The Pharisees were offended at the person of Christ and so rejected his doctrine Ahab hates Micaiah the Prophet of the Lord and therefore refused to enquire of him 1 Kings 22. 8. This sinfull respect of persons hinders the efficacie of the word as it oft begets dis-affections in the heart of people towards the ablest Ministers These come not to hear the word but the man till you esteem the person you will hardly profit by his doctrine I plead not for a superstitious reverence of their persons but as the Apostle 1 Thess 5. 13. I desire that they may be esteemed very highly for their works sake These prejudices are oft times causeless arising from our own corruptions either because we are too apt to entertain reports against them contrary to the Apostles rule in 1 Tim. 5. 19. or else affectation of novelty dis-affects us to them or want of charity to cover their failings but pry into their faults and failings though they be but the spots of Gods children This is most irrational if we did but seriously consider that the efficacie of the word depends not upon the Minister Peter at one Sermon in Acts 2. converted more then Christ did in all his time for ought we read We should not disaffect the message for the messenger but rather esteem the messenger for the message sake we should minde the pearl that is brought us more then the hand that brings it II. Against his gifts I would hear him but his gifts are mean and small I could heartily wish that there were not too great ground of this prejudice and complaint at this day when we have so many of Jeroboams Priests every one that will as in 2 Sam. 1. 20. Tell it not in Gath publish it not in the streets of Askalon I dare say some triumph at it but for duly-constituted Ministers if faithfull though of lesser abilities let me suggest 1. Variety of gifts are for your good and advantage as the holy Apostle tells us 1 Cor. 3. 22 23. whether clegant Apollos or profound Paul or solid Cephas all are for your good Observe diligently that full and pregnant place in 1 Cor. 12. from ver 7. to ver 12. One interprets solidly another reasons profoundly a third applies powerfully a fourth wins affectionately and another demonstrates cunningly and all to thy profit There are two things suggested which may help to unprejudice us in this particular 1. the freedome of the Spirit in distributing these gifts
of the Word it self The third General ground of unprofitable hearing is in regard of the Word it self But you will say How is it possible that the word it self should be a cause of unprofitableness which Scripture so much magnifies and dignifies with such glorious titles that speak the power of it As that The Gospel is our salvation Ephes 1. 13. The sword of the Spirit Ephes 6. 17. The ministration of the Spirit and righteousness 2 Cor. 3. 8 9. and that it is the power of God unto salvation Rom. 1. 16 I answer It is not the cause of unprofitableness properly but by reason of mens corruption it is so by accident The word in it selfe considered is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 3. 16. but through mens corruptions it becomes unprofitable because common the Israelites at first admired the Manna but afterward loathed it when it grew common and began to entertain longings after their onions and garlick in Egypt and we may see how they quarel and murmure at it Numb 11. 5 6. Oh disingenuous ingratitude what could they have better then meat from heaven I wish this were not the language of many what nothing but this preaching the old complaint was that men were like to perish for want of vision now men begin to surfeit on it Mans corrupt nature affects variety never long pleased with the same thing and long enjoyment breeds a disrellish in us of the best things we prize pearls cheifely because rare and costly the Romans wore them upon their shoes when common vniones emergere è luto cupiunt saith Tertull. much adoe to keep them out of the dirt thus the pearl of the Gospel is troden under foot because ordinary and common The Indians prize not precious pearls so much because common which our Merchants venture expence and danger to procure many prize not the preaching of the Gospel which the Merchant sells all for that he may purchase it And how do we disesteem that means of grace which many a dark corner of the nation would be thankefull to enjoy I pray God we be not taught at length how to value our plenty of the bread of life more by the want of it How do they prize the salutes of the sun who have half a years darkness which darkness teaches them the value of it while we pass it over and look upon it as an ordinary thing because we enjoy it daily The Egyptians sure never prized light so much as when they had experienced the plague of darkness How would thousands in the nation in the world prize that light of the Gospel which we under-value and grow wanton under It is indeed much pitie and shame to us that good food should be nauseated because often set before us it is a sign our stomachs are not good our spiritual appetites are distempered The Scripture speaks fully to the ready and chearfull entertainment of the Gospel-sound when it was first preached to the Gentiles as appears by the instances of Cornelius's whole family of Sergius Paulus at Ephesus yea even Cesars houshold at Rome Philip. 4. 11. and from the sudden and large spreading of the Gospel in Rome Corinth Ephesus and the rest See we how it was in the days of Samuel 1 Sam. 3. 14. the publick exercise of the prophetical office was much decayed by the negligence of old Eli and wickedness of his sons Pauci erant pii in populo his erat pretiosum verbum quia rarò fiebat ejus audiendi copia so Paraeus upon the place When preaching was more rare some would have travelled to hear a sermon who will not now stir out of doors for it and this must needs cause unprofitableness for while men have low thoughts of the Ordinance they will profit little by it What the Wiseman saith Prov. 25. 17. Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbours house lest he be weary of thee may be applyed to this thus That men are apt to nauseate the word of God because so oft enjoyed by them Men look at it as a matter of course and regard not the institution and Ordinance of God and so under-valuing it remain unprofitable under it See how God layes this to the charge of Israel Hos 8. 12. I have written to him the great things of my law but they were counted as a strange thing Written to him in contradistinction to all other people yet he disesteems them Singulari privilegio eximio illos prae aliis ornavi Paraus in loc ipsi súsque déque habent quasi rem nihili so Paraeus And this charge it is to be feared may be laid to many in these days who pretend fair to the word of God The fourth General ground is in respect of God Unprofitableness as a sin cannot come from God but as a punishment of mens former neglect and wilfull contempt of the word of God for though Gods holiness permits him not to have any hand in sin as sin it being a contrariety to his nature and that which he indispensably hateth yet God may will sin as a punishment not out of love to the sin but to punish the person for though sin be intrinsecally evil yet the manifestation of Gods justice is good and God for former provocations oft judicially leaves the creature and permits him to fall into further sin as he dealt with the Gentiles Rom. 1. 21. and so was the incest of Absolom as a punishment of Davids adultery 2 Sam. 12. 11. Now God proceeds judicially against those who live unprofitably under the word these eight wayes I. Sometimes God proceeds in severity against their persons ruines and destroyes them If Christ comes year after year into the vineyard and findes the fig-tree to bear no fruit he gives commission to cut it down Luke 13. 7. When God expects brethren your fruitfulness under the means and finds you unprofitable his wrath is provoked and you cut up as a burthen to the earth so Matth. 3. 10. Thus God dealt with the Jews 2 Chron. 36. 15 16. he bare with them a long time till there was no remedie God will not always endure to have his messengers and messages contemned Read Jerem. 7. 12 13 14. and see there how God dealt with Shiloh and what he threatens to do to the Jews and the reason of all was their unprofitableness as we see at ver 10. they pretended fair to the word and house of God yet did they not profit so as to leave their sins for this God threats their ruine II. Sometimes he denyes and with-draws that grace from them by which they may be enabled to profit and thus God may be said to concur to mens unprofitableness as the Sun may be said to be the cause of darkness by with-drawing its light When men obstinately resist the strivings of the Spirit in the ministery of the word God saith My Spirit shall no longer strive with him As he saith Hos 4. 17. Ephraim is joyned to
wrongs impious Thirdly The impartiality of divine justice there is no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with God nor ought to be with you nothing given so frequently in charge in Scripture that I know of as this not to respect persons And that in reference to God himself Deut. 1. 17. ye shall not respect persons in judgement for the judgement is Gods but hear the small as well as the greater And elsewhere Thou shalt not wrest judgement Deut. 16. 19. Lev. 19. 15. thou shalt not respect persons And in Leviticus Thou shalt not honour the person of the mighty nor respect the person of the poor neither cowardly fear the one nor foolishly pity the other though the poor be especially the Magistrates charge and it ought to be his care to defend him and pity him so far as may be sine laesione justitiae saith Aquin. 2. 2. Exod. 23. 3. Aquinas So in Exodus neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause that is with violation of justice and equitie And to name no more to have respect of persons is not good saith Solomon Prov. 28. 21. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if we believe Zanchy is properly verbum Zanch. in Ephes 6. 9. forense a word of Assizes de judicibus propriè praedicatur Accepting persons is a sin incident to those who are employed in matters of judicature and transactions of Law and is as commonly I fear practised as it is little understood when Jurours are by assed more by love or hate to the person then by conscience of their oaths or insight into the cause when verdict is the language of their affection or praejudice not of their knowledge and conscience when the interest of some near relation or a suggestion from a friend swaies them more then the equity of the cause when witnesses swear home in one mans cause and wont in another though they know as much of it and the case depends on it when a lawyer pleads the poor mans cause faintly and coldly though perhaps the most just the rich mans with abundance of zeal and heat of passion all this is a vitious and sinfull respect of persons And suffer me Right honourable to be your remembrancer though I confidently believe you both know these things and abhor them when one mans cause is expedited and dispatched upon the bare consideration of some outward qualification as Riches Friendship Kindred Countrie or the like and in the mean time a poor mans case is deferred and protracted when one mans case upon the like consideration is sifted into another mans perfunctorily passed over or the Jurie better informed in one mans case then in another when one mans case is weighed in the ballance of equitie a second of prejudice a third of favour and affection when of two involved in the same guilt one meets with a milder sentence then the other as being a friend or rich or powerfull or because of some circumstantial opinion or the like when the person commends the case not the case the person in a word when any consideration besides the equity of the cause and justness of the law prevailes with the Judge in judgement this is an unjust and sinfull respect of persons God standeth in the congregation of the mighty he judgeth among the Gods saith David how long will ye judge unjustly and accept the persons of the Psal 82. 1 2. wicked 'T is a great and crying sin certainly the very ruin of societies it overturnes and perverts the end of the Laws the protection of which the meanest may challenge as his right which as they were made so should be executed without respect of person 'T is a sin which robs the subject of his liberty and security and makes him slavish and servile whilest he fears if he cannot be assured of an Impartial execution of the Laws a lesser fault in him may feel a severer hand of justice then a greater in another Riches or Honour Diversitie of opinions or what ever other circumstances of the person alter not the nature of homicide or adulterie or theft God is equally dishonoured the common-wealth equally suffers the law is equally violated by these sins be the person what he will be therefore respecting these must needs be an overthrowing of the laws and a perverting of judgement Besides this sin disposeth a man to other sins to all kinde of iniquity to have respect of person saith Solomon is not good for a piece of bread that man will transgress Prov. 18. 21. Yea it lays him open to the curse of the people so the same Wiseman He that saith to the wicked Thou art righteous him shall the people Prov. 24. 24. curse nations shall abhor him And that which is worse and most aggravates the crime Judges on their tribunals personate and represent God and so by respecting persons make God a partner in Drusâ—us in difficil loc in Deut. 3. that sin which he most hates Drusius notes that the Ancients painted justice peplo oculis obducto with a veil drawn over her eyes to signifie that impartialitie which ought to be in the administrations of justice Judges should be seeing into the cause that 's the Judges honour and the peoples advantage and security as S. Paul accounted it his priviledge to answer before Agrippa because he Acts 26. 2. knew him expert in all customes and questions so I am confident others will finde this their advantage from you Right Honourable but blinde to the person knowing but not partial A Judge saith the Philosopher is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 living breathing Arist Polit. lib. 5. cap. 7. justice The Judges in Egypt vvere painted vvithout hands and blinde And the Areopagites vvho vvere Judges at Athens passed their sentence in the night and had their judicatures in some dark rooms that so they might not be by assed by prejudice or affection to the person to give vvrong judgement and I question not but you vvill be found such in our Athens And by thus imitating the justice of God you may hereby I. Promote the end of the Laws and the end of your office which is the publick security which is no way better consulted then by justice and equity S. Austin plainly denies that ever the Romane politie Aug. de Civ Dei lib. 10. c. 21. lib. 4. cap. 4. Lipsius de const lib. 2. cap. 13. could be called properly a Common-wealth upon this ground that ubi non est justitia non est respublica he calls Common-wealths without justice but magna latrocinia or in Lipsius his language congeries confusio turba 't is but an abuse of the word Respublica Common-wealth where the publick good is not consulted by an impartial justice and equity 't is but a confused heap a rowt of men Or if we will call it so at present it will not be so long without justice for besides that injustice and oppression makes the
behold it be true c. This was the custome of the Romanes Acts 25. 16. not to deliver any man to die before that he which is accused have the accusers face to face and have licence to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him Magistrates should be indeed blinde to the person but seeing into the cause VIII His consulting the Priest of God and asking and taking his direction which was God's command and his practise Num. 27. 21. And he shall stand before Eleazar the Priest who shall ask counsel for him after the judgment of Urim before the Lord at his word shall they go out and at his word they shall come in both he and all the children of Israel with him even all the congregation This was the practise of good Magistrates of old as Jehosaphat asked counsel of Micaiah 1 Kings 22. 5. David of Nathan Hezechiah of Isaiah 2 Kings 19. 2. Theodosius of S. Ambrose and it would speak the humilitie and the pietie of the Magistrates to do so still This good and advantage we should likely finde by it that Magistrates would rule more according to the word of God and be less acted by carnal interests and worldly policies and designs IX And lastly His publick spiritedness his minding the common interest and preferring the publick good of the people before his private advantage A signal instance of which we have in dividing the land Josh 19. 49. When they had made an end of dividing the land for inheritance by their coasts the children of Israel gave an inheritance to Joshua the son of Nun among them He might have taken first and the greater part too but he prefers the peoples good before his own This excellently suits with a good Magistrate who should not seek great things for himself or to exalt himself or promote his own interest but to carrie on the publick good and concernment It was good counsel which the Philosopher gave Diâ—teric p. 723. Alexander his scholar That he should undertake the government 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not for his own honour so much as for the peoples good And the same Philosopher makes this distinction between a good and a bad Magistrate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist. Ethâ—c lib. 8. cap. 10. A bad Magistrate seeks his own a good one the peoples good and profit When God promised Moses Exod. 32. 10 11. to make of him a great nation but would destroy Israel he had no minde to that preferment upon those terms Nothing more contrary to the nature of the Magistrates office which was appointed by God for the good of others nothing more destructive to the publick then private interest and base self-seeking unworthy of a Christian and more of a Magistrate the very end of whose office is the publick good Secondly The influence of a good Magistrate which he may have I. By his good and religious example Examples are very prevalent and of great force with most men and by this Joshua promoted the service of God Josh 24. 24. You may see the peoples resolution to serve the Lord which was sure the issue of Joshua's resolve verse 15. But as for me and my house we will serve the Lord. Therefore Origen after his usual manner allegorizing upon this place interprets all the days of Joshua all the vertues of Joshua as Justitia Misericordia c. whom Hugo and Lyra follow The examples of great ones of men in place and authority do powerfully encline others whether to good or bad to sin or holiness Observe what the Wiseman saith Prov. 29. 12. If a ruler bearken to lies all his servants are wicked As it is said of Israel that their leaders made them to erre Esay 9. 16. This was the account of the Pharisees rejecting Christ John 7. 48. Have any of the rulers believed on him Thus the Israelites wrote after the copie of Solomons Idolatrie 1 Kings 11. 5 7 33. How is Jeroboam branded with this that he made Israel to sin viz. the example and president of his Idolatrie 1 Kings 14. 16. Their Religion or Idolatrie ebbed and flowed according to the temper of their Kings S. Augustine speaking August Conf. lib. 1. cap. 16. of that youth in Terence who was encouraged to the sin of Adulterie by the example of their God Jupiter meditates thus Vide quemadmodum se concitat ad libidinem coelesti quodam Magistro so men are emboldned by the sins of Magistrates to commit the same as they whom Scripture calleth God's There is a kinde of Soveraingtie in the examples of great ones over mens lives and actions and as Lactantius notes men account it Obsequii quoddam genus Lactan. instit l. 5. c. 6. Regis vitia imitari and therefore cast of all pietie nè Regi scèlus exprobrare viderentur lest their contrarie vertues might seem to upbraid their Governours vices Therefore Magistrates upon this account are engaged to the service of God lest they incur the guilt of other mens sins and by their example countenance those sins which by their sword of justice they should punish Wickedness invalidates the Magistrates authority and weakens his hands in the execution of justice and encourageth sin in others as the Egyptians esteemed it gracefull and their dutie to halt on that legge on which their King limped On the contrary a Magistrates religious example provokes piety in others This makes Religion glorious and lovely in the eyes of others when it shines with the rays of greatness and Majestie David by his liberal contribution to the building of the Temple provokes the people to a willing benevolence 1 Chron. 29. 6 7. c. The Ninevites humble themselves by the example of their king Jonah 3. 6. There may perhaps be something to this purpose in that expression Hagg. 2. 23. where God saith of Zerubbabel that he will make him as a seal or a signet to intimate the care and account God makes of good Magistrates as men do of a Ring or Seal he hath them continually in his hand see what an impression Great-ones may make upon the people and how readily the people will receive that Signature and impression of Holiness which they see engraven upon their Governours and Superiours This then may engage Magistrates to Holiness that they may go before others in a holy life It was the honour of that Romane Cesar that he was never heard to say Ite Milites but Venite Commilitones Ignave venire Te Caesar non ire jubet A most prevalent course for this makes the people conceive of the Magistrates commands as equal and reasonable when they see Holiness and Religion not onely enacted by their laws but legible in their lives That 's the first II. By punishing sin Herein appeared Joshua's zeal in causing Achan to be stoned Joshua 7. 25. This is part of the Commission God hath given you to this end he hath put a Sword into your hand Rom. 13. 4 6. and 1 Pet. 2.
convince me of the truth of it or else I may with the same easiness say It is from Satan and this conviction can be made no otherwise but by Scripture which is the most infallible ground of truth What the Pharisees said of Christ we may truly say of our late pretenders to Enthusiasmes and Revelations We know not whence he is John 9. 29. They may be from Rome as it is more then probable some of them are or whence soever they come certainly not from God if they disown the voice of God in the Scriptures Wherefore my counsel to you shall be that of S. Paul to the Thessalonians 2 Thessal 2. 2. Be not soon shaken in minde nor be troubled and in 2 Tim. 1. 18. Hold fast the form of sound words And this will be usefull thus First Then make your last appeal to Scriptures in matters of faith The Papists appeal to uncertain traditions the Enthusiast to deluding Revelation let us to the Scriptures for this is both the precept of God and the constant practise of the Scriptures To the Law and to the Testimonie Esay 8. 20. So our Blessed Saviour always appeals to the Scriptures as in the business of the Resurrection Matth. 22. 29. And to prove himself the Messiah he appeals to Moses and the Prophets Luke 24. 26 27. Thus the Apostles though acted by the same infallible Spirit yet always appealed to Moses and the Prophets so did S. Peter Acts 2. 25 31. and from thence did Apollos confute the Jews Acts 18. 29. and so Paul to prove the resurrection of Christ in Acts 13. 23. So then my brethren appeal not to the judgement and testimony of man what he saith as S. Cyprian was much delighted with Tertullian that he was wont to say Da magistrum nor to the dictates of dark reason but to the infallible Testimonie of the Scriptures and attend to Gods voice in them Secondly See here the ingenuous boldness and confidence of truth that dares appeal to Scripture Christ was confident of his cause and therefore declines not the test of Scriptures Search them saith he as if he had said If they do not testifie of me then do not acknowledge me It argues a timorous diffidence and consciousness of men when they like not to be tried by the word of God as in the Papist who appeals from the Scripture to traditions and it speaks the errours of those Revelations which will not subscribe to be tried here you may safely reject that doctrine as erroneous which will not be weighed in the ballance of the Scriptures or if it be weighed there proves light and wanting Tertullian of old notes that Hereticks were lucifugae Scripturarum As blear eyes decline looking upon the sun so corrupt doctrines the light of the Scriptures Thirdly Embrace and entertain nothing as saving truth which will not bear the test of Scripture It is one use of Scripture to be profitable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 3. 16. to confute and silence heresie and errour and what-ever the Scripture reproves is such Be not imposed upon by the proud imperious dictates of men nor deluded by the pretences and delusions of Satan and his instruments but let this be your rule to try by Fourthly In all your doubts consult the Scriptures So did David in Psal 119. 24. He made the Testimonies of God his delight and his counsellours to enform and resolve him and that 1. In doubts of the head for reformation this is one excellency of the Scriptures to make wise the simple as in Psal 19. 7. Scripture sayes the Apostle 2 Tim. 3. 16. is profitable to inform the judgement and by this did David become wiser then his teachers 2. In doubts of the heart for consolation That was one end of Gospel-revelation that we through patience and comfort of the Scripture might have hope Rom. 15. 4. And so David found the statutes of God to be the rejoycing of his heart Psal 19. 8. In inward doubts of conscience have recourse to the Scriptures there thou mayst finde those cordial promises which will put joy and gladness into thy heart In thy duty consult the Scripture which will direct thee In thy troubles to comfort thee In thy fears to support thee In all thy doubts to comfort and resolve thee So much for the words considered Relatively Secondly Absolutely in themselves And so they will fall under a double consideration too First As taken by way of Concession Indicatively and so Beza Camero Paraeus and others understand them and so also they speak I. Our Saviours commendation of these Jews as diligent searchers into Scripture Or else II. His discommendation of them and reproof and that 1. either of their ignorance that notwithstanding they did search into Scripture yet they attained not to the knowledge of him as the true Messiah that though they had frequently Bibles in their hands yet they had not the word of God dwelling in their hearts Or 2. of their malice that notwithstanding they searched the Scriptures which did so evidently testifie of Christ yet they maliciously rejected him and would not come unto him that they might have life as in vers 40. Secondly As taken by way of exhortation Imperatively speaking a command to all to search the Scriptures And I shall take it in this second acception it being the drift of a great part of this chapter to exhort these Jewes to hear the word of Christ and Paraus himself acknowledges that uterque sensus est pius commodus And thus taken there are three things considerable in the words First The nature of the duty expressed in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secondly The universality of the dutie and that is double I. Of the Persons engaged in it expressed indefinitely II. Of the Object 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is all Scripture Thirdly The motive and arguments of the duty and they are two I. The benefit of Scripture-search Ye think ye have eternal life in them II. The object of Scripture-discoverie that is Christ they testifie of me All which particulars may be reduced to this one general Observation That Scripture-search is a duty every Christian ought to be engaged in Or thus It is the duty of every Christian to search the Scriptures In the handling of which observation this method shall be observed First To shew the importance of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secondly What searchers of Scripture Christ here points at Thirdly The universality of the duty Fourthly The grounds of this search Fifthly The Application First To shew the importance of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word signifies such a search as diggers in mines make for gold and silver in the earth and implies five things I. A valuation and esteem of the Scriptures He that digs in a mine for gold evidences his valuation of it otherwise he would never dig for it so searching of Scripture speaks an high estimate and prizing of Scripture Such
at vers 11. and therefore we must not quarrel with the wisdome of God in it 2. the end for which God hath designed this variety viz. our profit at vers 7. there are not the meanest gifts but an humble self-denying Christian may make use of and profit by 2. This prejudice reflects dishouourably upon God and takes his glory and gives it to the instruments God will have the glory of his power and mercy to be magnified and therefore sometimes uses the meanest gifts to the greatest ends As this advanced his glory at the first that the Gospel should be propounded by such inconsiderable persons as a few fisher-men God consulted his glory when he put this heavenly treasure in earthen vessels 2 Cor. 4. 7. Look not on glittering of the sword but to the hand that weilds it look up from men to God as S. Peter spake to the men of Israel Act. 3. 12. concerning the cure wrought upon the lame man Why gaze ye on us it was not we but God God often uses feeble instruments that himself may have the greater glory and layes aside great parts when men begin to glory too much in them The same truth is John 3. 8. preached by all and the Spirit bloweth where he listeth 3. Perhaps he denies his abilities for thy good He could be Seraphicall and in the clouds but he stoops and descends to thy capacity and denies himself that he may gain thee S. Paul was wrapt up into the third heaven and could speak with tongues more then all 1 Cor. 14. 18. and yet desired to speak rather to edification Judge charitably it is likely the Minister denyes his excellency as desirous that thou shouldst be brought in love with the naked truth of the Gospel and not with the dresse it comes in that the Gospel may come by its own power and efficacy upon thy soul therefore he studies a familiar plainness 4. The abler thy Preacher is if thou profit not so much the more by him the greater will be thy condemnation Satisfie not thy self therefore with this that thou livest under an able Minister men may affect this more for their credit then aiming thereby atttheir profit nor let this exalt thee in contempt of others thy account will be the greater and if thou profitest not so much the more very sad How sad will it be for Jerusalem who had Christ preaching amongst them yet refused and rejected him and those against whom the Apostles shaked of the dust of their feet for the not-entertaining of the Gospel and for you Brethren who enjoy as much of Gospel-light as ever appeared upon the world if you shall be found unprofitable at that day when many who have lived under less means shall be found improved suitable to the means they lived under and so consequently rewarded and you who have been under the richest dews of heaven be found unfruitfull you shall be dispatched with the unprofitable servant Matth. 25. 30. Take you and cast the unprofitable servant into outer darkness there shal be weeping and gnashing of teeth Away then with these prejudices which must needs make the word unprofitable while one quarrels with the method another with the expression a third with the matter a fourth with the delivery the word is like to profit little Seventhly The seventh ground is hardness of heart That natural hardness which is in every one of us much hinders the working of the word of God in us that heart of stone resists the divine impressions of the word and therefore God when he promises to write his Law in our hearts he first promises to take away this heart of stone Ezek. 36. 26 27. One thing in the stonie heart is impenitrableness and this makes men threatning-proof and judgement-proof they tremble not at the one nor are broken by the other And this especially when the soul comes to be hardned by custome in sin the seed you know which fell on this ground perished Hardned Pharaoh slighted all Moses's messages and remains hard under varietie of Gods judgements both threatned and inflicted Observe the exhortation of the Apostle Heb. 3. 13. To day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts as if he had said If once your heart be hardned it will be to little purpose to exhort A hard heart may be moved by the word of God but still remain and afterward message of God but still remain and afterward grow more obdurate Pharaoh is a sad example whom every message of God hardned more As rain may wet a stone outwardly but still it retains it's innate hardness so it is possible a hard heart may seem outwardly to melt into some tears the effect perhaps of a mans natural temper and constitution yet remain hard and unbroken as it was with those in the Prophet Jerem. 5. 3. Thou hast smitten them yet they have not grieved c. Notwithstanding the varietie of Gods providences the Prophets solicitations to return they remained hard The Scripture calls this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 11. 8. the spirit of slumber so deep and dead a slumber that the threatnings of the word cannot raise or awaken them out of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle speaks of the Ephesians in chap. 4. 19. they feel no impressions of the word upon them nay it makes them to rage against it as the Jews did Acts 7. 51. Ye do alwaies resist the holy Ghost that is speaking by the Prophets and Apostles as appears verse 32. The hard earth must be broken up e're your seed will thrive in it so must the hard heart that the seed of Gods word may take rooting in it The word is the instrument of the Spirit to break up the heart and therefore compared to a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces Jerem. 23. 29. and till this be done there can be no profiting by the word Josiah was of a tender heart and so melted at the word of God in 2 Chron. 34. 27. so must all be who intend savingly to profit by the word There is indeed a hardness of heart which excludes all possibilitie of profiting by the word I mean when God seals up men judicially under unprofitableness for their former resisting and opposing the word of God Of which I understand that place John 12. 40. He hath blinded their eyes and hardned their heart that they should not see c. This was Pharaoh's case when he had hardned himself God at last hardned him so that he refused the messages of God to him by Moses till he was utterly ruined when mens consciences as the Apostle saith are cauterized and seared they grow insensible under the word of God and the shinings of the Gospel as the Sun the clay more hardens them as it fared with the Jews Ezek. 2. 4. for all his oft speaking unto them they were impudent or as it is in the margin Hard of face Eighthly The eighth ground is unbelief This