Master it is joyned with open contempt of him no marveil therefore if disobedience to God be also a contempt against God as the Prophet saith If I be a Master where is my feare saith the Lord of hostes This teacheth that doubtlesse many stand guilty of a multitude of sinnes which they never thought of Vse 1 neither once dreamed upon Many men happly will grant there is some conscience to be made of committing evill who never thinke it a sinne to omit a good duty Such will confesse it a sin to worship a false god but never consider they are commanded to vnite their affections to the true God to trust in him to beleeve him to love him to feare him and to depend upon him that it is an heinous Crime to pray to a strange God or to Saints and Angels or to bow downe to an image who regard not to worship God in truth and sincerity and to call upon him in the day of trouble Many will refraine from working on the Sabbath day and prophaning it by riding about their businesse or running after their sports and pastimes they would be loth to doe these but in the meane season how doe they sanctifie and keepe it holy when they care not to heare the word or to performe publike and private duties of religion upon it We must all give account at the great day of the Lord as well what good we have done as what evill we have done That good governour of the people Nehemiah desired the Lord to remember him concerning the good deedes which he had done for the house of his God Neh. 13.14 It had beene small comfort to him if he had onely done them no hurt and gone no farther for so much might be said of an image or of the bruit beast but his comfort was he had endeavoured and employed himselfe to doe them good And how did Obadiah shew his religious heart in the dayes of persecution toward the Lords Prophets what did he rest in this that he had done them no hurt No 1 King 18.13 he did an hundred of them by fifty in a cave and fedde them with bread and water Or how did Rahab the harlot testifie her faith toward the spies that were sent to search the land did she content her selfe to offer them no injury and to bewray them or deliver them into the hands of their enemie No doubtlesse she was justified by her workes Iam. 225. Heb. 11.31 when she had received the messengers with peace and had sent them out another way But the religion of most men in our dayes is a negative religion they have little positive you may sooner obserue what they doe not Gal. 6.10 then understand what they doe We must obserue the rule of the Apostle As we have opportunity let us doe good unto all men especially unto them who are of the houshold of faith Secondly it reproveth such as content themselves with idle shewes and appearances of obedience and sincerity It will not serve our turne to be Christians onely in outward profession if we be fruitlesse and faulty in conversation It is not enough to make us sound Christians to come to Church to be at prayers to heare the word and receive the Sacraments when we yeeld no fruit of obedience as if it were sufficient that the fig-tree were planted in the Vineyard albeit it bare nothing but leaves Psal 1.3 but we must be as trees of righteousnesse planted by the rivers side which bring forth fruite in their season True it is the Church hath alwayes had such painted Sepulchers or gilded tombes outwardly as the Iewes that had the Temple of the Lord alwayes in their mouthes who yet remained wicked and prophane persons in their lives The sound Christian is not discerned by the leaves of outward appearance but by the precious fruits of the spirit not by his profession but by his practise and they are the true Israelites which are so within whose praise is of God and not of men The fig-tree had leaves good flore which were seene a farre off Mar. 11.13 and seemed to promise great store of fruit but when Christ drew neere and looked for fruit found none he said Never more fruit grow upon thee Let us take heed in time of such a wofull sentence For may not Christ Iesus trow you finde store of such fruitlesse fig-trees in this Vineyard of his nay when he commeth to looke upon his Vineyard will it not be a rare thing and an hard matter to see a fig-tree with any fruit upon it Nay are we not for the most part come to this passe that we have scarce any leave at all to be seene that a man may take a Candle and search for leaves and yet find none upon them This is the state and condition of sundry among us how neere are such to the curse and to be burned up which have neither fruit nor leaves neither substance nor shew neither body nor shadow neither truth nor appearance but openly and evidently make plaine Demonstration of wild and wicked fruit Deut. 32.32.33 their grapes are grapes of gall their clusters are bitter their wine is the poison of Dragons and the cruell venime of Aspes Such shall never be suffered to remaine within the Vineyard the axe is laid to the root of the tree to cut them downe Thirdly this checketh and controlleth the slanderous mouthes and pennes of the Romish Church opened wide and enlarged against our doctrine which they knew not or will not know who beare the world and their ignorant Disciples the multitude in hand that our religion destroyeth good works Math. 5.16 whereas we call upon the people to bring forth the fruits of the Gospel and to let our light so shine before men that they may see our good workes and glorifie our father which is heaven Nay we teach a necessity of good workes as well as they to be in all true beleevers that they which have beleeved in God might be carefull to maintaine good workes these things are good and profitable unto men Wherein then lyeth the difference between us they teach them to be the causes of our justification we that they be lively fruits and effects of faith they doe not goe before him that is to be justified but they follow him that is already justified they are not necessary in the act or office of justification but they are necessarily required to be in every justified person Lastly let us all be provoked to the diligent practise of good workes No man must thinke himselfe exempted or priviledged from good workes albeit he be never so poore or simple The most sort post over this duty from one to another and thinke when we call for good workes it is a doctrine that toucheth onely rich men and such as have the wealth of this world at will and none other as if there were no good workes of charity that did deserue the
THREE TREATISES Viz. 1. The Conversion of NINEVEH 2. Gods Trumpet sounding the Alarum 3. Physicke against Famine Being plainly and pithily opened and expounded in certaine Sermons By William Attersoll Minister of the Word of God at Isfield in Sussex IONAH 3.5.10 So the people of Neneveh beleeved God and proclaimed a fast and put on sackcloth from the greatest of them even to the least of them And God saw their workes that they turned from their evill way and God repented of the evill that he had said that hee would doe unto them and he did it not LONDON Printed at by Tho. Cotes and are to be sold by Michael Sparke at the blue Bible in Greene Arbor 1632. THE CONVERSION OF NINEVEH Wherein is declared on the one side the lively power of the Ministerie working Faith and Repentance in the hearers and on the other side the admirable effects of Prayer and Fasting calling backe the judgements of God threatned against sinners By William Attersoll Minister of the Word of God at Isfield in Sussex Mat. 12.41 The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgement with this generation and shall condemne it because they repented at the preaching of Ionas and behold a greater than Ionas is here 2 Cor. 10.4.5 The weapons of our war-fare are not carnall but mighty through God to the pulling downe of strong holds Casting downe imaginations and every c. Printed at London by Tho. Cotes and are to be sold by Mic. Sparke at the blue Bible in Greene Arbor 1632. To the Right Worshipfull Sr. John Rivers Baronet one of his Majesties Iustices of the peace in the County of Kent Encrease of grace in this life and addition of glory in the life to come Right Worshipfull HAving heretofore upon sundry occasions divulged sundry Bookes which are abroad in the world whereby J received much encouragement J resolved notwithstanding being now in yeares and as it were donatus rude Horat. lib. 1. epist 1. preparing for a nune dimittis utterly to give over and to enjoyne my selfe a perpetuall silence touching this kind of writing and to content my selfe with performing the other more necessary duty of teaching Neverthelesse being requested or rather importuned by friends to publish some things which had lyen a long time by mee whereof they doubted not but J had some store J delivered into their hands these two short Treatises both of one nature preached at such time as the heavie hand of God was gone out against us in Towne and Citie For after that he had sent forth his destroying Angel Psal 91.7 and that thousands fell at our side and ten thousands at our right hand and by his Majesties expresse appointment and commandment we were enjoyned weekly to assemble together for the practise of piety in the exercises of humiliation that the Lord at length might say It is enough 2 Sam. 24.16 1 Chro. 21.15 Stay now thy hand J thought J could not bestow the time better than to deliver and insist upon the doctrine of repentance which is the life of all our fasting albeit handled before by many that we repenting of the evill which we had committed he might repent of the evill which he had executed For what is all our praier but lip-labour and a sacrifice abominable in his eares or what is all our outward fasting and abstinence but meere hypocrisie which his soule abhorreth unlesse they be accompanied with faith in his promises and with repentance from dead workes Chrysost ad◠versus Iudaos or atie prima It was well said of Chrysostome long agoe against the Iewes Ne ita dixeris jejunant quin potiùs illud mihi ostendito eos ex Dei sententia jejunare quod ni ita fiat quavis ebrietate sceleratius est jejunium Let no man say to mee they fast rather let them shew that they fast according to the minde and meaning of God or as he hath ordained for unlesse they fast after this manner their fasting is farre worse than any drunkennesse no doubt because they abused the holy name of God and under a pretence of piety they practised all kinde of impiety And immediatly afterward Neque enim solùm considerandum est quid ab istis fiat verùm illud etiam observandum quam ob causam faciant that is we are not onely to consider the action what men doe but the affection is principally to be observed for what cause and intent they doe it It cannot be denied but the Israelites fasted and praied before they went to battell against their brethren the Benjamites Iudg. 20.23 they wept before the Lord untill even yet were they overthrowne and 18000. of them perished with the edge of the sword Some men may justly marvaile that the cause of the Israelites being good and of the Benjamites bad yet that they fell before the men of Benjamin yea albeit they fasted and prayed and consulted with God who should first beginne the warre Rogers upon Iudges pag. 921. But whatsoever men may object or mutter the Lord might dispose of the issue and successe of it without any injury to them that were overcome forasmuch as it is free for him to afflict and chasten his as it pleaseth him who hath alwaies just cause so to doe and among such as are supposed to be most innocent what man shall be able justly to say to him Why hast thou done thus Hee doth all things well neither can evill dwell with the Almighty whereas wee are corrupt and in our best workes defective Besides he would prevent the evils that hang about us and abate the strength of pride or some other sinne whereunto by nature he seeth wee are most prone yea he will make triall what patience faith obedience and thankfulnesse is in us whether such graces be in us or not True it is it is not directly expressed what the cause was why God gave Israel the foile and forsooke them in the day of battell But whether they did trust in their great armies and put confidence in an arme of flesh and therefore doubted not but presumed of the victory and prevailing over their enemies or whether they did it not in truth and sincerity because they did not as well pursue the men of Dan for their Idolatrie and forsaking of God Iudg. 18.30 31. Gen. 49.18 the fact being as horrible every way as the private injurie offered to the Levites Concubine It is most certaine they did not throughly repent as indeed they did afterward and prevailed when they were throughly humbled So then notwithstanding the goodnesse of their cause the greatnesse of their strength the consultation with God the practise of fasting and the duty of prayer yet may we still say as the sonnes of the Prophets in another case 2 King 4.40 There is death in the pot the want of true turning to God defiled and deformed all the rest This is the great and generall fasting not to abstaine from meat and
lived in the mountaines and in the tombes crying and cutting himselfe with stones They then wander wide out of the right way and are ignorant what the true revenge is neither let them looke for any reward at the hands of God who bring sorrow upon themselues and are executioners or tormenters of themselues Or what commendation of patience can arise to them that afflict themselues and suffer willingly from their owne hands Secondly let us see wherin this revenge standeth Vse 2 how we may use it aright in what particulars it consisteth First there cannot be a greater revenge than to spoile our adversary of his chiefest delight and to vexe him with the contrary The flesh in every one hath oftentimes some darling sinne at least wherein it most delighteth which most properly we may call our iniquity above all the rest Psal 18.23 and which is as the right eye or the right hand the right eye in respect of pleasure the right hand in respect of profit This right hand and right eye must be cut off and pulled out Thus did Zacheus when hee was conuerted Luk. 19. his gainfull and profitable sinnes of wrong and oppression being his master sinnes he shaketh off and renounceth Luk. 19.8 Behold Lord the halfe of my goods I give to the poore and if I have taken away any thing-from any man by false accusation I restore him foure-fold This taking of revenge was the counsell that Daniel gave to Nebucadnezzar Dan. 4.27 to breake off his sinnes by righteousnesse and his iniquity by shewing mercy to the poore The maine sinne of Paul was persecution and wasting of the Church but loe how he revenged the flesh after his Conversion as fast as hee had destroyed and plucked downe so fast he builded up againe even with both his hands and laboured more abundantby than all the rest yea he never traveiled so farre to persecute the faithfull but he tooke a thousand times more paines to preach the faith Act. 9. Rom. 15.19 Gal. 1.23 1 Cor. 15.10 The great labours which he tooke in planting Churches in perils in watchings in wearinesse 2 Cor. 11.26.27 in hunger and thirst in cold and nakednesse were nothing else but his revenge upon the flesh for the paines he had taken before in persecuting Secondly this revenge consisteth in converting those very things which have beene the matter or object of sinne and abused by the flesh to sinne to the seruice of God to be the matter of our repentance as the siluer gold that was abused to Idolatry was afterward employed to the worship of the true God David in his adultery defiled the mariage-bed in his repentance he washed his bed with teares Psal 6.6 yea all night long he made it to swim So the Ephesians that had used curious artes when once they beleeued came and confessed and shewed their deedes for they made a sacrifice to the Lord of their Conjuring bookes of exceeding value Act. 19.19 esteemed to be worth fifty thousand pieces of siluer And as the Israelites had sinned greeuously in offering their earings of gold to make therewith a Calfe so repenting of their Idolatry Exod. 35.22 they offered likewise gold and earings to the Tabernacle willingly whose heart made them willing to bring an offering to the Lord untill there was more then enough Exod. 36.5 Thirdly when with the same members and instruments of our bodies which the flesh most of all hath abused to sinne and wickednesse wee in speciall sort seeke and endeauour to glorifie God Zachariah the Priest sinned with his mouth in giving God the lie whiles hee beleeved not the Angell sent unto him that God would give him a sonne but so soone as hee could speake for he was striken dumbe he glorified God with his mouth and praised his name Luk. 1. Luk. 1.64 So the woman which is thought to have abused her eyes her haire his lippes to wantonnesse and uncleannesse for she was a greevous sinner when she repented she revenged her selfe upon the flesh in shewing her love to Christ she ceased not to kisse his feet to wash them with the teares of her eyes and to wipe them with the haires of her head O how happy were it for such as have used their tongues to deceit whose mouthes have beene full of cursing and blasphemy their throate an open sepulcher if they would circumcise their lips and make their tongues their glory to glorifie the name of God! that whereas they have cursed bitterly Eph. 4.29 now they may learne to blesse graciously that our communication may be good to the use of edifying and minister grace unto the hearers And such as have had feet swift to shed blood to carry them to places of vanity and impiety of drunkennesse and uncleannesse happy were it if they would take revenge of themselues and use their feet to carry them into the house of God Psal 122. â— and say to the Lord Our feete shall stand within thy Gates O Ierusalem Psal 122.2 Fourthly we take revenge on the flesh when we oftentimes refraine ourselves and bridle our affections from the use of things otherwise lawfull because we have offended therein As if we have offended in gluttony and drunkennesse we should punish our selues with fasting and abstinence from strong drinke as we take knives from children when they cannot use them without hurting of themselues The last point of this revenge is when we upbraid the flesh and cast it in the teeth with those afflictions which God sendeth as the wages of sinne For though we may not draw punishments upon our selues to mortifie the flesh yet when God imposeth them upon us for our good we should make benefit and advantage thereof and insult over the flesh and triumph over it when God punisheth it rating and checking it as the cause of all our smart Ah thou vile flesh I may thanke thee for all this paines and sorrow I could not turne thee but I hope God will now tame thee I could not convert thee but I trust God will now evert thee and turne thee quite out of dores thou liftedst up thy selfe aloft but God will bring thee under thou rebell Thus we should joyne with God helpe him to whip our sinnes harder and oftner by taking his part justifie him in all his dealings drive his chasticementes home to our hearts as the nailes to the head and impute all the causes of our afflictions to our selues If we would try our repentance by this revenge and our revenge by these few notes alas where shall we find the repentance that is required among the greatest number doe we mortifie our beloved sinnes or are they as bitter as gall and wormewood unto us doe we turne those things times and place which we have abused to sinne to be matters and witnesses of our repentance doe we turne those members of our bodies abused to sinne to be instruments of righteousnesse and
repentance The former penitency or humiliation and compunction of heart is the ground-worke and foundation of true repentance and maketh way for it as the needle doth for the threed This consisteth in avoyding evill and in doing good This abstaining from evill is signified by our abstinence from food and it is the cheefe end of fasting For what is our forbearing from meats and drinkes if we doe not fast from sinne but drinke in iniquity as water like the fishes of the sea Esay 1.13 58.4 This was it that caused the Lord so often to reject the fastes of the Iewes because they filled themselues with all wickednesse they fasted for strife and debate To abstaine from sustenance and not to abstaine from sin is the Devils fast it pleaseth him but not God If then we desire to approve our fasting to him let us practise the workes of piety toward God and that in the sincerity of a good conscience as in the sight of God and likewise the workes of Charity toward our brethren forbearing one another and forgiving one another remitting debtes to the poorest sort that are no way able to pay and especially in bestowing almes upon such as want releefe and fustenance Esay 58.3.6.7 Zach. 7.9.10 At least let us bestow so much as is spared by our abstinence that day least under a pretence of godlinesse we practise miserablenesse like those that allow of this exercise to pinch the bellies of their labouring seruants Hence it is that Christ Iesus joyned fasting and almes together in precept Math. 6.23.16 Act. 10.30.31 and we must joyne them both together in practise like Cornelius He that doth not thus repent doth not truly repent If every mans fasting were measured by the line of his repenting Iona. 3.8 I feare the greatest number of those that abstaine from food would be found to doe nothing lesse then repent of their offences The third part is prayer which we must make in time of fasting No prayer no true fasting for fasting without it is as a dead carcasse without life This is one end of fasting to make our praiers more feruent and forcible Hence it is Ioel. 2.17 that the Lord prescribed a platforme of praier to the Priestes the Ministers of the Lord in the solemne assemblies of sanctifying a fast Spare thy people O Lord and give not thine heritage to reproach that the heathen should rule over them wherefore should they say among the people where is their God These Ninevites having but a short warning and a little light of knowledge knew thus much for they proclaimed a fast that neither man nor beast should either eate or drinke but they added with all and cry mightily unto God vers 8. Luk 2.37 Math. 17.21 Act. 10.30 1 Cor. 7.5 Thus did Anna serue God with fastings and prayers not with fasting alone neither with prayers alone but with both of them joyntly together Neither is it ordinary prayer onely that should be conceived at such times but as the occasion of the Assembly is extraordinary so ought our prayers to be Thus therefore ought every one to rouse up himselfe to be feruent in prayer and as faithfull remembrancers of the Lord to give him no rest untill he heare us and grant our requestes This prayer consisteth partly in confessing our speciall sinnes that have brought his judgments craving pardon of them and beseeching him to turne away his wrath and heavy displeasure from us and partly in asking such things as are needfull for us The severall sorts of a religious fast The severall reasons and causes of publike and private fastes which a man undertaketh to make his soule and body the fitter to pray more feruently to God are these two private and publike to these I will joyne the severall causes and reasons wherefore they have beene taken in hand which vary according to severall occasions The private is which we sanctifie in secret and before God for such causes as our owne Consciences beare record unto us Math. 6.18 Of this sort our saviour speaketh Mat. 6. We may not appear unto men to fast but unto our Father which is in secret the Father which seeth in secret shal reward us openly This David practised what time his child was striken with mortall sicknesse because in the sicknesse of the child he did consider the wrath and displeasure of God against himselfe for the remooving whereof he fasted 2 Sam. 12.22 mourned and prayed and never gave over day nor night untill such time as he saw Gods will fulfilled by taking away the life of the child 1 Sam. 1.10 So did Hannah the wife of Elcanah she wept and did eate nothing but in the bitternesse of heart she prayed to the Lord. The causes of private fasts This is and hath beene undertaken when a man becommeth an humble and earnest suter for the pardon of some great and grosse sinne that lyeth heavy upon the conscience Sometimes for the preventing of some sinne whereunto a man feeleth himselfe to be tempted Zach. 3.2 1 Cor. 10.13 that God would rebuke Satan even that the Lord who hath promised to assist his children with sufficient grace would rebuke him and not suffer us to be tempted above the strength that he hath given us but make a way to escape that we may be able to beare it Sometimes to obtaine some speciall blessing which we want Sometimes to turne away some judgment which we feare or is already fallen upon our selues and our families Sometimes to subdue the flesh to the spirit and such like The other sort is the publike Fast The publike fasts which is openly commanded and publikely practised Of this the Scripture speaketh evidently in this place 2 Chro. 20.3 Ezr. 8.21 Ioel 2.15 16. and oftentimes elsewhere which is done when a whole congregation or severall congregations assemble together to performe the forenamed duties of humiliation and to remove some publike calamity as the sword famine pestilence inuasion of enemies and such like But let us consider the reasons in particular The first is to prevent some heavy and imminent danger threatned as a fire ready to fall upon his people and to consume them For this cause did Iehoshaphat proclaime a solemne fast and joyned it with prayer saying 2 Chron. 20.12 In us is no strength to stand against this great multitude that commeth against us neither know we what to doe but our eyes are upon thee The second cause is the angry face of God punishing thereby to remove the present calamity as warre famine plague and other like fearefull sicknesse or contagious visitation Thus have we present occasion to humble our selues if ever we had For if we must seeke the Lord before affliction come while he sharpneth his arrowes and whetteth his glittering sword how much more when the destroying Angell is sent among us and many fall downe on every side This moved Ioshua and the Elders of
Israel when they saw the wrath of God kindled against them the chosen men of Israel smitten down Iosh 7.8 the Canaanites to preuaile against them to cry out O Lord what shall I say when Israel turneth their backes before their enemies And when the people were smitten by the children of Benjamin with a greeuous slaughter they went up and came to the house of the Lord and wept and sate there before the Lord Iudg. 20.26 and fasted that day untill the even The third cause is Gods threatning to destroy for some generall or notorious sins reigning in the land crying unto God for vengance This moved these Ninevites to fast when Ionah the Prophet cryed out against them Chap. 1.2 because their wickednesse was come before the Lord. This is so urgent a cause that it prevailed with Ahab who by the instigation of wicked Iezabel sold himselfe to worke wickednesse for when he heard the fearful threatning denounced against him by the Prophet against his house he rent his garments put on sackcloth fasted 1 King 21.27 and humbled himselfe whereby he obtained a respit of the judgement a temporall reward for a temporal repentance The fourth cause is the calamity and misery of the neighbour Churches lying under the Crosse Psal 80.13 when the boare out of the wood doth waste them and the wild beast of the field devoure them to witnesse our communion of Saints and to shew a fellow feeling of their sighes and sorrowes that they also may doe the like for us This seemeth to be the cause of the assembly of the Congregation at Antioch they laboured mightily in praier fasting for the people of God dispersed among the Gentiles Act. 13.2.5 and specially for the poore Saints at Ierusalem persecuted through the cruelty of Herod Act. 12. The last cause why the Churches assembled in this manner was to crave a blessing from God when they did enterprize or execute any special work which highly cōcerned the church or cōmon wealth Act. 13.3 When the Church did lay their hands on Paul Barrabas they fasted and prayed cōmended them to the grace of God that he would prosper their ministery These were the reasons of such solemne assemblies And are not the same causes found among us Yes doubtlesse all of them presse us to the practise of this duty and call upon us for humiliation to move the Lord to shew mercy in these daies of trouble heavinesse Are not dāgers threatned on every side nay are they not already inflicted upon us Hath not the Lord a controversie against us for our common sinnes hath not iniquity the upper hand and is not godlinesse troden under foot And as for the miseries and desolations of the neighbouring Churches are they not in paine like a woman in travaile bring forth nothing but wind Psal 79.1.2.3.4 may we not say The heathen are come into thine inheritance thine holy Temple have they defiled and shed the blood of thy Saints like water that they are become a reproach to their enimies a scorne and derision to them that are round about them who say where is their God Lastly we enterprize great things how can we looke for a blessing if we crave it not with fasting and prayer doubtlesse this is the cause why we have no better successe in our endeavours because we trust in our multitudes munition pollicies and seeke not aright the God of heaven Let us come to the uses Vse 1 First it reproveth such as hold fasting to be meerly Iudaicall and ceremoniall a part of the rudiments of the Law which are shadowes of things to come and that it hath no use in the times of the Gospel And true it is this exercise had in it somewhat ceremonial and proper to the Iewes annexed unto it as one certaine and fixed day of the yeare Levit. 16. Levit. 16.29 Zach. 7.5 This shall be a statute for euer unto you in the seuenth moneth on the tenth day of the moxeth ye shall afflict your soules c. and it had sundry legal rites and facrifices annexed unto it But may we not say the like of the Sabbath is it to be holden wholly ceremoniall not to be obserued as moral because the day is changed and all the rites abolished together with the strict rest No doubtlesse there remaineth a Sabboth and holy day of rest for the people of God to the end of the world or else religion would soone perish out of the earth So we may say touching fasting true it is we find no setled time in the new Testament appointed and set apart to fast by the ordinance of Christ neverthelesse because the causes of fasting remaine which we noted before as great a necessity lyeth upon us as ever lay upon the Iewes when the like occasions shall be offered unto us that were offered unto them Now where the causes of the institution remaine there the things themselues must continue but the causes of the institution remaine therfore fasting it selfe must continue Be sides when our Saviour was blamed by the Pharisees Disciples the Disciples of Iohn because his disciples fasted not doth he exempt them vtterly from it discharge them from such practise as impertinent unto them No doubtlesse he only sheweth the unfitnesse of the present time Math. 9.15 but layeth a commandement upon them to do it afterward then shall they fast And they performed it accordingly Act. 13. Secondly it reproveth the Popish fasting to whom I may say as Paul sometime did to the men of Athens Act. 17.22 I perceive that in all things yee are too superstitious And indeed here is one mystery of iniquity The chiefe points of religion remaine in the Church of Rome howbeit in name onely not in nature in shew not in substance in appearance not in truth I may say therefore of them as Iohn doth to the Angel of the Church in Sardis I know thy workes Revel 3.1 that thou hast a name that thou livest and art dead They have the name of Christ of justification of the Scripture of prayer of faith of the Sacraments of repentance but they have set up a mock-Christ they have overthrowne his humanity and destroyed all his Offices they beleeve justification but it is by their owne workes they receive faith but it is nothing but a beleeving the word to be true which also the Devils doe they admit repentance but it is nothing else but penance and corporall chasticement they acknowledge the Scriptures but they have patched their Apochryphal additions unto them and their owne Traditions as unwritten verities to be of equall authority with them they use prayer but it is in an unknowne tongue they have the Sacraments but one of them they have defiled the other they have destroyed and turned it into the idolatrous and blasphemous Masse And herein lyeth the depth of Satan For if he should utterly have
full of earth or clay before so it is with our hearts when they are forestalled and fore-possessed with the world they cannot recive the least measure of grace Let us therefore set before us evermore the Counsell and Commandement of our Saviour Math. 6.33 1 Tim. 4.8 6.17 First seeke the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof and all these things shall be ministred unto you An other impediment is the quiet and peaceable end of obstinate sinners who hauing led a wicked and wretched life yet in outward appearance to the eye have died peaceably and as it is judged very happily From hence they encourage theÌ„selues in doing evill to go on in their sins so keep theÌ„selues from repentance These are diligent observers for their owne endes how the vngodly oftentimes go away like Lambes there are no bandes in their death and on the other side how such as have repented have unquiet endes and much discomfort at their death and so by them both are kept from making hast to turne to God But we must learne and consider it well that the quiet endes of wicked men proceed partly from the secret justice of God partly from the cunning subtilty of Satan and partly from their owne corruption so to blind their eyes and harden their hearts that they imagine as men in a dreame that they stand in good state and are as well the children of God as they that have never so much repented Thus God sendeth them strong delusions least they should be converted and be saved Esay 6.10 Whereas all outward things fall out alike to the righteous and to the wicked to the cleane and to the uncleane to the good and to the sinner Eccl. 9.2 He arose from his throne and he laid his robe from him and covered c. The next point to be considered is the beginning of this wonderfull conuersion from the highest to the lowest The beginning was from the King himselfe Ier. 13.18 and from him proceeded to the people As the head giveth life to the rest of the members and one wheele giveth motion unto others so the action and forwardnesse of the King Doct. as the head of the common wealth Great men should be forwardest in all godlinesse and be examples to others of lower places stirred up all the people to fasting and prayer by his example Hereby we learne that superiours men of high place must by their practise give good example to others It behoveth them whom God hath placed in authority and lifted up their heads above their brethren to give good example to others and goe in and out before them in that which is good and holy The more high worthy and excellent their calling is the more zealous and forward they should be in Godlinesse and thankfulnesse to him that hath exalted them The Prophet Ioel beginneth first with the Elders or Ancients and from them descendeth to all the inhabitants of the land when he exhorteth all persons to repentance Ioel. 1.2 Hag. 1.1 2.2.21 This we see in the Prophet Haggai he beginneth with Zerubbabel the governour and then with the people The cause why the Gospel so much florished and prospered in Thessalonica is rendred because the cheefe men were most forward and received the word with all readinesse of mind Act. 17. Act. 17.11 And there is great cause why it should be so Reason 1 For first they may more easily draw on others to the best things by their good example as by their evill example they do draw backe others so that they offend doubly by their sinne and by their example So Ieroboam set up Idolatry and thereby made Israel to sinne Lips in polit For as we have light or darkenesse from the Sunne so we have vice or vertue from superiors And as the high and tall Cedars of Libanus while they stand fast well rooted in the earth are a shield and defence to the lower shrubbes that are underneath them but if they fall downe they beare downe all that are within their reach so suâ—ch as are of higher estate and calling so long as they continue firme in the feare of God and in the wayes of godlinesse are as notable proppes and pillars to such as cast their eyes upon them and great meanes to draw on others by their authority and example but when once they fall away and give themselues to wicked wayes they walke not in that way alone but are an occasion of falling to many others by their followers and inferiors Secondly it is well knowne by daily experience that such as are under others are led more by examples than by edictes and looke upon the lives of superiors rather than upon their Lawes Claudian Componttur orbis regis ad exemplum c. True it is we should live by the precepts of God rather than by the practises of men but for the most part we see it otherwise Hence it is that Salomon saith Pro. 29.12 If a ruler hearken to lies all his servants are wicked Thirdly superiours must give an account of their government to God who is the great master and commander in heaven and earth of whom they have received their place and power for promotion commeth neither from the East Psal 75.6.7 nor from the West but God putteth downe one and setteth up another and he will streightly enquire not only how just and civill Ezek. 18.4 1 Sam. 2.13 but how holy and religious their gouerment hath beene True it is the soule that sinneth shall die the death yet their blood shall be required at the hands of all them that have not done their duty to bring them to God but beene a meanes to draw them and drive them from God Fourthly if such as be superiours and have jurisdiction to prescribe rules to others be not brought to a conscience of their owne duties in the first place they might by the abuse of their authority frustrate and make void all the good care conscience that might happily be begun in their children servants by urging commanding them to do otherwise than â—he law of God and their own consciences would permit them First of all Vse 1 this reprooveth such as being unmindfull of their high calling unmindfull that the Lord bringeth low and lifteth up 1 Sam. 2.7 unmindfull that he maketh them inherit the throne of Glory unmindfull that they are as a City set upon an hill to be seene a farre off and unmindfull of the great account which they are to make at the great day of account for to whom much is given of him the more shall be required do give themselues over to all manner of evill as if their authority were a priviledge or sanctuary for impiety and thereby draw others into the same excesse of riot untill both they and their followers perish as it is noted of Theudas and Iudas Act. 5.36.37 who drew away much people after them
1 Cor. 15.55 all things fall out alike to the godly and ungodly to him that sweareth and to him that feareth an oath so that no man knoweth love or hatred by these outward things yet the venome and poyson is pulled out from these Scorpions so that albeit they may hisse at us yet they shall never hurt us Gen. 2.17 Rom. 6.23 Death is of it selfe the wages of sinne Gen. 2. Rom. 6. It came into the world by sinne and is the last enemy that shall bee subdued howbeit it hath already received his deaths-wound and the nature of it is quite changed to the godly Indeed death remaineth as a cup that all must taste off but behold the difference to the ungodly it is the reward of sinne the suburbs of hell the separation of the soule from God and the guide that conducteth them into everlasting torments To the godly it is no punishment of sinne but the abolishing of sinne the path and passage to a better life the haven of our rest the end of all our labours and the way by which we must come into the presence of Christ He is become the death of death so that they are bold in him to looke death in the face because they looke beyond death For he that will not feare it must cast his eye further then it as they feared not the fiery Serpents that lifted up their eyes to the brazen Serpent Thirdly if any meanes to uphold their life be wanting the Lord doth strengthen arme those that are his with patience contentednesse and inward comfort and consolation that he maketh them able to beare them he layeth heavy burdens upon them yet he supporteth theÌ„ with his hand that they sinke not under the waight thereof Albeit famine doe pinch and presse hard upon their bodies hee feedeth their soules with the precious food of his Word to eternall life and they are ready to answer with their Lord and Master Ioh. 4.32 I have meant to eate Iohn 4 32. that yee know not of Albeit they be vexed with warre yet he giveth them peace of conscience that passeth all understanding even peace with himselfe which the world cannot take away from them Albeit they fall into times of perils and dangers yet are they made to dwell in the secret place of the most high Psal 91.1 and to abide under the shadow of the Almighty Psal 91.1 The name of the Lord is a most strong tower and place of refuge the righteous flie unto it and are preserved Albeit they be sometimes enforced to endure nakednesse yet even then hee clotheth them with the precious robes of Christs righteousnesse Psal 45.8 all whose graces smell of Myrrhe Aloes and Cassia whereby they are more adorned then with all the silver and gold in the world Lastly if he take away this temporall life he recompenseth the losse thereof with eternall life and happinesse We learne from hence first of all Vse 1 what need we have all of us of faith to lay hold on the promises of God made in Christ Iesus to such as are in him and have him dwelling in them For what is there can drive us out of this feare 1 Tim. 4.8 6.6 but faith Indeed godlinesse is profitable to all things and hath the promises of this life as well as of the life to come Of this life with condition so far as it shall be good for us of the life to come without any condition This godlinesse is great gaine nay the greatest of all other But what of all this if wee have not the hand of faith to receive them Offer meat never so much to the hungry soule yet if the hand be closed and the mouth stopped hee can receive nothing Powre water upon a Vessell all the day long it remaineth empty if the entrance thereof bee shut up so let us heare of the promises of God to sustaine us in times of famine want losse and necâ—ssity yet it is all one as if you spake to a dead man except wee have faith to quicken us and to put life into the soule For as the Apostle concludeth from the suffring of the Saints Hebr. 10.34 who endured with ioy the spoyling of their goods knowing they had a better inheritance reserved for them in the Heavens that we have all need of patience that after we have done the will of God wee may receive the promise Hebr. 10. So from this consideration that wee are ready every foot to faint and to feare want and beggery or else this dehortation were vaine and needlesse we are to gather that we may not cast away our confidence in God which hath great recompence of reward The just shall live by faith Hebr. 11.1 which is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seene Take heed therefore and beware of infidelity For as covetousnesse is the root of all evill 1 Tim. 6. 1 Tim. 6.10 so is infidelity the root of covetousnesse What is the cause that we feare the lacking of earthly things which the greatest sort doe more feare then the lacke or losse or lessening of the feeding of the love and favour of God Doubtlesse this is nothing but the want of faith Let them lose but a trifle or the least pinne and profit that commeth to the purse what crying and complaining have wee how much adoe have wee to perswade them to bee contented to bee resolved to submit themselves to the pleasure of Almighty God and to beleeve that hee is able to give them more then that All the armor and furniture that wee can bring out of the Store-house of the Scripture is too little to settle their unbeleeving hearts upon the promises of God But these men can bee content without any scruple or touch of conscience to absent themselves from the house of God to lose many Sermons and much wholesome doctrine which is according to godlinesse many exhortations many instructions many comforts nay they may apparently feele their decaying and declining in knowledge in faith and in obedience yet it troubleth them no more then it did that prophane Esau Gen. 25.34 who when hee had sold his birth-right contemned and despised it The true cause of our carnall and corrupt feare is this want of a true lively faith when we dare not believe him that hath promised who yet is able to performe and is not as man that he should lie or as the sonne of man that hee should deceive Hence proceedeth feare of the losse of life and living that we are afraid to commit our state and standing to the safe garding of God as manifestly appeareth by the contrary Psal 27.1 2. Psal 27. The Lord is my light and salvation whom shall I feare The Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid Though an host shall encampe against me my heart shall not feare though warre should rise against mee in this will I
to our owne selves 1 Cor. 1.29 The doctrine of the nevv Sectaries This is to reioyce in an arme of flesh and not in the mercy of God 1 Cor. 1.29 The new Sectaries teach that Election resteth and dependeth upon the foreknowledge of faith and that it is made for faith foreseene which the sounder sort of Papists begin to be ashamed of as appeareth in Bellarmine The Apostle teacheth plainely Ephes 1.3 4. that all spirituall blessings whatsoever are given us according to Election before the foundation of the world Ephes 1.3 4. and therefore Election must of necessity bee before those blessings Againe we are elected that we should be holy and without blame he saith to holinesse not for any holinesse and consequently to faith not for faith So Paul obtained mercy 1 Cor. 7.25 Acts 22.14 That he should be faithfull 1 Cor. 7.25 not because God considered him as already faithfull Christ Iesus chose his Disciples not already bearing fruit but that they should bring forth fruit Ioh. 15.16 Acts 13.48 Ioh. 15.16 This also Luke sheweth that such as were ordained to eternall life beleeved Act. 13. Election therefore is before faith and it is the cause why men doe beleeve whereas our new Sect-masters and Strife-makers set the Apostle and the rest of the Church to Schoole and teach him to speak as they do yong children that they beleeved afterward were ordained to eternall life Rom. 9.16 The words of Paul It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy could not be true if God had mercy on men for faith foreseene For what could he foresee but his owne gifts which himselfe determined to bestow upon us This teacheth us also to pull downe all high conceits of our owne worth as if our salvation depended upon our owne selves and that wee were able to guide our waies and order our steppes to life and on the other side admonisheth all Gods Children to thinke humbly of themselves and of all that they can doe or have done touching the cause and foundation of their salvation and withall to magnifie highly the riches of the mercy of God and the aboundance of the love of Iesus Christ our Saviour shed abroad in our hearts acknowledging the beginning proceeding continuing and finishing of our salvation to spring from him onely True it is our destruction is not of God Hos 13.9 Iam. 1.13 14 15. but of our owne selves but our salvation is not of our selves but of God Wherefore then hath God chosen us and refused others made us vessels to honour 2 Tim. 2.20 Rom. 2.5 and left others to be vessels to dishonour why hath hee taken away the hardnesse of our stony hearts and given over others to walke in their hardnesse and hearts that cannot repent as he did Pharaoh Wherefore hath he sanctified us with his Spirit and passed by many thousand others that they might worke out their owne destruction and damnation Doubtlesse he hath not done all these nor any one of all these things for any good he saw in us nor for any goodnesse he foresaw would be in us nor for any inclination to goodnesse hee could perceive in us nor for any workes of preparation to make us fit for grace for what could he see in us though he be of pure eyes but matter of his wrath to feed upon as the fire doth upon the fuell It was not greatnes of wealth noblenesse of birth highnesse of estate worthinesse of condition multitude of friends that hee respected who respecteth no mans person so that when we consider what we are of our selves and how graciously God hath dealt toward us we should cry out with the Apostle Rom. 11.33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God how unsearchable are his iudgements and his waies past finding out Rom. 11.33 Lastly seeing it is of Gods good pleasure that he saveth us and not any thing that is in our selves that moued him this ought to stirre us up to thankefulnesse and our thankefulnesse to dutifulnesse and obedience toward him The greater his mercy is and the more free his grace is the more wee ought to praise and magnifie his great Name It is he that hath given us all let him therefore have the praise of all We have nothing in our selves therefore let us challenge nothing to our selves The worke is his owne and properly belonging to him let us take heed we commit not sacriledge and robbe him of the glory due to his Name They are pure or rather impure naturall men that set up nature and they are destitute of grace that pull downe the post or piller of Gods grace which holdeth up the whole building We cannot ascribe too much to him wee cannot detract too much from our selves We cannot deny too much to Nature we cannot ascribe too much to grace Our good thoughts our good desires our good deeds our good words if we have any come from without Matth. 15.18 as evill thoughts come from within and doe defile us as water comming from an uncleane fountaine All our good is of his good pleasure and therefore it is good reason that hee should bee honoured and glorified in it and for it Hence it is that the Apostle saith What is it that thou hast not received Wee are so farre from comming to our iournyes end without his direction that we cannot set one foot forward in the right way Wee are so farre from being able to practise any thing that is good that wee haue no power to prepare our selves to it Psal 10.17 forasmuch as it is he that prepareth the heart Psal 10.17 And the Apostle saith We are not sufficient of our selves to thinke any thing as of our selves 2 Cor. 3.5 but all our sufficiency is of God This use doth Christ our Saviour point unto Mat. 11. I thanke thee O Father Matth. 11.25 26. Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them to babes even so Father for it seemed good in thy sight That which Christ our Saviour doth ought we all to practise and performe It belongeth to all the Elect and godly to shew great love to him that hath loved us first and continuall thankefulnesse toward him because wee hold our selves and all that we have of his gracious favour We enjoy not any good through our owne deservings but all besides our merits nay directly against our merits For by the guilt of sinne we deserve to be in the same condition with the reprobate and it is the great goodnesse and mercy of God who hath separated us and allotted unto us a better estate and that it goeth better with us How often doe we requite his love with unkindnesse for wee give him nothing but he giveth us all neither doe we prevent his liberality but he preventeth our ability if
owne If wee travell without the Word it will bring us to Hell the kingdome of darknesse but never to the Kingdome of Heaven and of God who dwelleth in the light which no man can approach unto No man by nature knoweth the way to Heaven neither can possibly finde it without his guide there are so many odde lanes and blinde turnings and by-pathes and crosse waies that we are sure to misse the Devill standeth at one corner and telleth us This is the way the World calleth to us at another I will lead thee and sinne sitteth at anoother ready to perswade us to follow it Wee know the way that leadeth to Hell well enough nature is a sufficient guide to instruct us and direct us if we have no other we cannot misse it the way is so broad and the gate so wide that leadeth to destruction and the company so great going before us that thrusteth and throngeth to enter into it Wherefore it standeth us upon to doe nothing without our guide Howbeit this is an hard matter men will not stoope downe when God holds out his Scepter ready to lead them neither will they draw neere when God stretcheth out his arme to receive them The causes why vve follovv not the guidance of the Word but hang backe many wayes And will we understand and learne the causes that stop up our way and hinder us from following the guidance of the Word Ignorance negligence and contempt have so possessed the greatest part that they are a small remnant that make conscience to seeke knowledge to use diligence and to performe obedience These lead us by the hand to the Kingdome the former are the greatest enemies to our soules Ignorance of the Word the first hinderance to the Kingdome Heb. 5.12 Of these three that blocke up the way and stop our passage I will speake in order And touching the first I will say with the Apostle Heb. 5.12 When for the time yee ought to bee teachers yee have need that one teach you againe which be the first principles of the Oracles of God and are become such as have need of milke and not of strong meat After all our hearing and learning after so many yeeres teaching and preaching Heb. 6.1 the greatest part know not the principles of the doctrine of Christian Religion The raine and dew of Heaven hath fallen upon the ground and yet it remaineth dry and barren The Hammer of the Word hath beaten upon our hearts yet they are hardned as the Anvill Many gracious showres have dropped downe upon the grasse of the field and yet alas it is ready to wither away The Sunne hath shined clearely in our eyes and yet alas we remaine in palpable darknesse O what a deepe and secret judgement is this that the raine should make us dry and the Sunne make us blinde that the light should cause darknesse and the sound of the Gospell should make us deafe But thus it is and thus it must bee when we regard not to know the will of our God Certainely such blinde sottish people that remaine willingly nay wilfully blinde in the middest of the meanes of knowledge like those that having meat before them arise empty from the Table cannot assure themselves to bee true members of the Christian Church The Prophet foretelleth touching the Church of Christ that the earth should be full of the knowledge of the Lord Esay 11.9 2.3 Ioel 2.28 as the waters that cover the Sea but these have their hearts as full of ignorance as the Sea is of water True it is a man may be ignorant of many truthes and yet be saved 1 Cor. 13.9.12 And it is true likewise that here wee know in part and wee see as thorow a glasse darkely and so wee shall untill wee come to know even as also wee are knowne Howbeit wee must understand that there is difference betweene truth and truth There are some such truths as are like the heart in the body without which there is no life or like the foundation of an house except it be well laid no building can be reared and erected Or like the Pillers on which Samson leaned if they bee shaken the house falleth and is overthrowne and the fall thereof is great and draweth with it the ruine of others So it is in Religion There are sundry such principles and grounds of the faith that whosoever is ignorant of them all or of any one of them it is impossible he should be saved These are to Christians as the A. B. C. is to Children except the Childe know his letters he can never be able to read yea albeit he be ignorant but of one of them so except they which be rude be well and thorowly grounded in the Rudiments and first Principles 1 Pet. 2.2 as it were the first milke that they sucke from their Mothers brests that they may grow thereby they are not yet in the way to the Kingdome they have not set one step forward to Heaven Notwithstanding if a thorow view and exact examination were taken of the most places I feare the greatest number even of such as are of yeeres of discretion would be found faulty and guilty that they know not so much as every Christian must know that shall be saved and see Christ Iesus his Saviour to his comfort And therefore I may conclude that the greatest number of them yet stand in the state of damnation I will not say they shall bee condemned neither dare I because God hath given to us no such warrant Deut. 29.29 and secret things belong unto him but rather I hope better things of them though I thus speake howbeit this I affirme and dare bee bold to pronounce that such doe as yet stand through their ignorance in the state of condemnation What though many of you be of great age what though yee have beene baptized and beene admitted to the Lords Supper what though yee have beene long hearers of the Word I beseech you by the mercies and patience of God toward you deceive not your selves doe not flatter your owne soules perswade not better things of your selves then there is just cause be not as Children that know not the right hand from the left be not alwaies blinde in your understanding but rather examine your selves and call your selves to an account what yee have heard and learned lest yee be like those that are alwaies learning 2 Tim. 3.7 but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth The Lord complaineth by the Prophet Hos 4.1 6. My people are destroyed for lacke of knowledge And againe a little before There is no knowledge of God in the Land and therefore the Inhabitants thereof shall be cut off Thus much of ignorance the mother of errour Neglect of the Word the second hinderance to the Kingdome the second hinderance that stoppeth up the way to the Kingdome is the neglect of the Word a farther degree
of sinne then the former This is the sinne of our time the common sinne of every place yea almost of every person The light is come among us but we love darknesse more then the light and are luke-warme Revel 3.16 as retchlesse men that care not which end goeth forward God will spew out such out of his mouth as evill humours out of the stomacke Salomon teacheth us in the Proverbes that he which is sloathfull in his worke Prov. 18.9 is brother to him that is a great waster so is it with such as are sloathfull in the Lords worke and in their owne duty they are companions and brethren with such as are open and obstinate contemners of the Word and make haste a pace after them they follow them close at the heeles and in short time will overtake them There is such carelesnesse and security every-where in the matters of God among us as if every man were left to doe what he list as if the soule were the least matter of a thousand as if Religion were last of all to be regarded or as if there were no day of account to come hereafter Among those that come to the place of Gods worship many indeed are kept in awe and in order but how and wherefore Is it by any conscience of their duty or by love to the Word Nay nay but for sinister ends some by force of the Law because they feare to be presented some by awe of their Superiours because they would not be thought stubborne some come for custome and fashion sake because it is Sunday some for company of others because they would doe as their honest neighbours doe and love not to be singular some for that they would not be accounted Papists because the State fauoureth them not some lest they should bee esteemed Atheists and so be pointed at with the finger some to please their Parents because they should leave them a better portion some to content their Masters lest they should be thrusted out of their dores or because they hope to gaine by them some to passe away the time because they have nothing else to doe some to meet with their friends and acquaintance because they are loth to spare another day some to meete with their debters because they would demand their money but the fewest number to meet the Lord in his owne Ordinances because they love the habitation of his house and the place where his honour dwelleth Psal 26.8 who hath promised to be in the middest of them that are gathered together in his Name Matth. 18.20 Happy are we if we be in the number of these few If such retchlesse men were left to themselves without any bridle of Law or feare of Superiour and authority of whom we spake before and suffered to doe what they pleased without any checke or controlment we should have our thinne Assemblies a great deale thinner and our streets and fields and houses and Ale-houses fuller-stuffed and thronged then our Churches And this may appeare hereby that notwithstanding we have Lawes and Magistrates and Officers and good examples of the chiefest and principall among us yet they are few a very few in comparison of the rest that are constant and conscionable in their hearing some if their presence and absence were ballanced together the waightier scole would be given to their absence and would waigh downe their presence as being found too light Others albeit they dwell neere enough are starting away at every turne and when they make shew of going to the Churche turne aside another way Others are more carefull to fill the body then to feed the soule who take every even the least occasion to feast with their friends forgetting the feast that God hath prepared in his house and not regarding it though they even starve their owne soules Others are gadding yea madding in a manner after every vanity and doe delight much more in the pleasure of the body then in the profit that commeth to the Spirit Others are weary of the Word as the Israelites that loathed Manna Numb 11.6 Others have hired ground and they must needs goe see it others have bought five yoke of Oxen Luk. 14.18 19. Matth. 22.5 and they must goe to prove them others must visit their Farmes or attend their Marchandise and yet every one must be holden excused though all set light by the Word and runne after their owne wayes like the guests in the Gospell that were bidden to the wedding and to the great Supper God sendeth out his Servants to invite them Come for all things are ready I have prepared my Dinner my Oxen and my fatlings are killed but they neglect the Lords sending to them and his calling of them But what followeth The Lord pronounceth Luke 14.24 I say unto you that none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my Supper These are they that are araigned as guilty of the neglect of heavenly things who will sometimes seeme to beare some affection to the house of God but partly their profits and partly their pleasures carry them another way of all which the Prophet speaketh Ier. 48.10 Cursed is he that doth the worke of the Lord negligently or deceitfully All these stand under this heauy curse of the Lord and therefore I counsell them to looke to it betimes to seeke the Lord while he may be found and to meet him by unfained repentance while he is here Lastly Contempt of the Word another hinderance to the Kingdome touching the contempt of the Word who seeth not how common it is which notwithstanding is the top of impiety and that many have filled the measure of their sinnes till it be full that the cry of them is come up to heaven If any aske the cause I answer Our great negligence and generall coldnesse have brought this evill upon us and God doth hereby in his deepe and yet just Iudgement revenge our carelesnesse in his Service by giving us over into all prophanenesse The Word of the Lord by which wee shall all be judged at the last Day is so farre from holding men in awe and from having their lives and hearts in subjection that they reject it from them as a needlesse thing and regard it no longer The Minister may teach what he will and threaten as long as he list but these Gallants like Gallio in the Actes of the Apostles Acts 18.17 care for none of those things The time hath beene when the Word hath beene reverenced even by such as were not converted by it nor transformed into the obedience of it yet it hath held them in some awe but now in these our dayes loosenesse and licenciousnesse have generally prevailed in every place and sinne is growne to such an head and height as if the Word were but a Scare-crow and all Religion but a fable We are come to this passe to mocke at zeale and Religion and to contemne the