5. I have taught you statuts and judgements that ye should do so and ver 10. God himselfe saith of his people I will make them to heare my words that they may leà rne to feare me that is to serve and obey me Againe chap. 5.1 Heare ô Israel saith Moses the statuts and judgements which I speake in your eares this day that ye may learne them and know them and do them And ver 31. God himselfe speaketh I will speake saith he all the commandements and statuts and judgemēts which thou shalt teach them that they may doe them The like speechs are found Deuter. 6.1 2. and 31.12 and elswhere but where the case is clear it is needles to heape up proofs Thus much is plaine from hence that Hearing is the meanes and Doing is the end for which Hearing serveth Now concerning things the one whereof is the meanes and the other the end the Learned give us this rule finis dat mediis mensuram the end prescribeth unto the meanes their quantity and measure namely how much and how far how often they may be used and that is so as is requisit for attaining of the end Others deliver the rule thus Media accipiunt amabilitatem ordinem mensuram à finc the desire and order and measure of the meanes are to be esteemed and must bee regulated by the end for which they are intended and for which they do serve so that they are to be used neither more nor lesse but so as they may further that end For better explaining of this take these examples Health is the end which both the Physician and the patient do aime at and Physick is the meanes either to recover or preserve it and therefore Physick is onely so farre forth good and to be used in that maner and measure as may further the patients health Againe meat and drink and exercise are the meanes strength and life and vigour are the end for which these meanes were ordained And therefore meat and drink and exercise are onely so far forth desireable as they are effectuall to preserve life and strength And just so it is in the case now propounded Hearing learning of Gods word are the meanes doing performing of that word is the end for which Hearing is intended It followeth Therefore hearing is only so farre forth good as it furthereth a godly life 3. Arg. Hearing and learning are exercises onely fit for a state of imperfection where men have neede of these helps to bring them unto and keepe them in obedience of Gods Laws And for this cause while we remaine in this mortall life where such is our ignorance that without instructions from Gods word wee know not how to serve him aright and such is our backwardnesse to good things that unlesse wee be eftsoones incited and urged to the doing of our duty out of the grounds of Gods word we would go in a blindefold securitie to hell and destruction in this life I say and while we are subject to these defects weaknesses there is necessary use of hearing and reading and learning But in heaven where is no ignorāce nor no backwardnesse nor no such defects infirmities there hearing and all helps of perswasion are of no use To this purpose the Apostle telleth us that Prophecies shall failc and the gift of tongues shall cease and knowledge * Ordinarium docendi munus Beza that is Arts sciēces serving for instruction shall vanish away 1 Cor. 13.8 And he giveth the reason of it in the next words for saith he we know in part and we prophecie in part but when that which is perfect is come then that which is unperfect shall bee done away He meaneth that these helps were ordained for a state of imperfection in which wee have neede of teaching and exhorting to supplie our defects but when wee shall bee perfect in knowledge and shall be ready to serve God without let then all these meanes of teaching and learning shall bee done away Whence I inferre that as the Angels in heaven do not heare Sermons nor read Scriptures nor use any other helps of learning or instruction so in the life to come when we also shall be like the Angels in heaven we shall neither heare nor reade nor learne any more And because hearing onely serveth to instruct us while we know not how to serve God aright to perswade us to serve God while wee may be drawen away from his service therefore Hearing of Gods word profiteth us only so farre as it serveth to make us better which is that which I said in my first conclusion II. Concl. Hearing of Gods word if it bee separated from doing is rejected in Scriptures as a thing of no worth This is proved 1. By that saying of our Saviour Matt. 7.26 Every one that heareth these sayings of mine and doth them not shall be likened to a foolish man which built his house upon the sand or as S. Luke hath it He is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth against which the streame did beate vehemently immediately it fell and the ruine was great Luk. 6.49 2. By that reproofe mentioned in the Prophet where it is said of the Jews to their reproch They heare thy words but they do them not Ezek. 33.32 Where expresly hee onely telleth what they did do but impliedly blameth reproveth them for so doing 3. By that exhortation of the Apostle Be ye doers of the word and not hearers only deceiving your owne selves Iam. 1.22 In which words the Apostle first giveth us a rule concerning Gods word and that is expressed both affirmatively Be yee doers and negatively not Hearers onely And secondly of this rule hee giveth us a reason because if a man heare do not do he deceiveth himselfe The meaning is he thinketh he serveth God by hearing of his word that thereby hee may further his owne salvation but he that thinketh so deceiveth his owne soule and will misse of his expectation The conclusion hence is Hearing without doing is a labour in vaine the practice of a foolish man and consequently rejected of God as a thing of no worth III. Concl. Hearing of Gods word without practicing what we learne by it doth hurt the soule by aggravating of the sinne This is proved 1. From the rule of our Saviour The servant that knew his Lords will and prepared not himselfe neither did according to his will shall bee beaten with many stripes c. for to whomsoever much is given of him shall bee much required and to whom men have committed much of him they will ask the more Luk. 12.47 48. Consider here 1. a doctrine The servant that knew his Lords will c. and 2. the proofe of it for to whomsoever much is given c. And from both these the conclusion is that where God giveth a man more meanes and better opportunities of learning and knowing Gods will
fruitlesse hearers are proud men and out of their pride disobey the knowen will of God 2. The second sort are prophane men and so in this place I call them who heare Gods word out of custome but minde not nor care not what the Preacher saith Hee may talk what he pleaseth but as it is said of Gallio in another case so it is true of these men they care for none of these things These hearers are herein like the unthankefull guests who when they were invited made light of it and went away about their other occasions Matth. 22.5 Nor are they much unlike to those profane men of Ephraim and Manasses who when Hezekiah sent messengers to invite them to Ierusalem that there they might keep the Passeover according to the Law and serve God according to his will they mocked the messengers and laughed them to scorne 2. Chr. 30.10 And so if any make light of the word preached and scorne or despise Gods messengers who shew them the waies of salvation such I call profane men who make no reckoning of Religion And of these and all others who disobey the Gospel and do not bring forth fruits of obedience I say they bee bad and ungodly hearers For if any man heare my words saith our Saviour and doth them not he is like a man who without a foundation built an house upon the earth against which the streame did beat vehemently and immediatly it fell and the ruine of that house was great Luk 6.48 49. And therefore I may conclude of these as I did of the rest when our Lord said Take heed how yee heare he meant that among other vices in hearers wee should take heed of fruitlesse hearing when men heare and doe not Thus I have gone through the severall sorts of bad hearers I now desire every Christian that shall vouchsafe to reade these lines that after his reading hee will examine himselfe by these notes I suppose hee hath beene an hearer of Gods word for some space of time and doth still continue in that practice for the salvation of his soule And pitty it were that hee should lose all that labour in hearing the Preacher his labor in instructing of him in Gods will and much more pitie that God should lose his labour in providing him so much good meanes of grace without use And sure the labour is all lost which is bestowed upon such as bee bad hearers of whom hitherto I have spoken Let every Christian then in the feare of God examine his owne heart whether hee have beene either a negligent or a partiall or a sensuall or a forgetfull or an unfruitfull Hearer and if he finde himselfe guilty let him now at least amend his error and make better use of the meanes of grace For direction wherein I have in this place no more to say but that hee would remember the words of the Text Take heed how yee heare CAP. XII Preparative duties to bee observed for right hearing Cap. 12 VVHen our Lord saith Take heede how yee heare he doth not onely signifie that there is danger in hearing amisse but also doth implie that by heedfulnesse we may avoid the danger and so heare that wee may reape benefit by it And that is the point which after the danger discovered commeth now to be spoken of For better proceeding wherein wee are in the first place to consider that this heedfulnesse includeth two things Consideration and Execution Consideration searcheth out what bee the things that are available for the purpose and Execution putteth them in practice when once they are found to be good The former of these two is included in the meaning of the word for so much this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See looke or take heed doth naturally import And the later of them is implied in the intention of the speaker For searching after availeable meanes is vaine without making use of them after they are found And therefore when our Lord said Take heed how yee heare hee meant that wee should consider how wee may heare with profit that wee lose not the fruit of our labour and that what rules we find to be good for the purpose we make use of them accordingly that our speculation may be seconded by our practice For our better direction wherein we are to consider of foure sorts of duties necessary for this purpose The first are duties going before our hearing the second are duties or rules to bee observed in the time of our hearing the third are such as are to bee practiced after the end of our hearing the last are common do diffuse thēselves through all these differēces of time I begin with the first of these I. First then before we come to heare there are certaine preparative duties that may fit and prepare us for the work For Gods word is like seede sowen by the Preacher and the Hearers are like the ground in which this seed is sowen as our Saviour hath taught us in the parable of the Sower immediatly preceding this caveat of heed-taking how we heare Now no wise man will sow his seed till he have manured his ground He will first plough dung and gather out the stones the rubbish and then cast in his seed with hope of a plentifull harvest and so we before the seed of Gods word bee sowen in our hearts we must take care that they bee prepared and made fit soile to receive such seed in This is meant by that of Ieremie Break up your fallow ground and sow not among thornes Ieremie 4.3 He meaneth that as no man doth sow his seed before he have ploughed the ground pulled up the weeds and thornes for else all both labour and seed would bee lost so every wise servant of God should prepare his heart before the seeds of grace and good instructions be sowen in it For else if the heart of a man bee hard and without feeling like the high way side that is hardened by often treading upon it it will not open or unclose it selfe to receive the seed And if it be filled with the cares of the world the love of riches and pleasures like the thornie ground that is overspread with rubbish though it receive the seed yet it choketh it in the springing It is then a point of necessary observation that if we will heare with profit we prepare our hearts aforehand that like good ground they may bring forth fruit to perfection Now for the ploughing up of the heart and preparing of it for the seed diverse duties are first to be performed which for that cause I call preparative duties and those are as followeth I. The first preparative dutie is that wee put off Worldly businesses and emptie our soules of earthly thoughts which either might take up our time due to this worke or distract our mindes in the performance of it For looke how long the minde roveth and so much of the good seed is
and such like abominations are the cause that ye and we for your sakes doe suffer at Gods hands as they did in the case before us But as for such as know and serve God better and acknowledge Gods word to teach the right way if any dorrell shall tell them of cheapnesse of victualls and example of forefathers and their owne idle customes as rules to guide their faith by let them answer them in the wise mans words Say not thou what is the cause that the former daies were better then these for thou doest not enquire wisely concerning this Eccl. 7.10 Or else let them return such men an answere out of the Prophet To the Law and to the Testimony if they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Isa 8.20 And so I leave their errour and come to say some thing of our owne failings Vse 2. Secondly then if Gods word have such vertue in it both to perswade and enable us to Gods service we may hence take notice of our great negligence who having had so long use of this word have profited so little by it For if a childe have good and holesome meate yet do not thrive nor grow by it ye will say and ye have great cause to say that he is out of temper and somewhat is amisse with him And if a sick man have good and soveraigne medicines given him and yet is not purged nor eased by them ye will say that either nature is much decayed in her strength or much oppressed by bad humours And so seeing Gods word hath in it such vertue towards godlinesse and a happy life if we after long use of it are not bettered in our knowledge of God and increased in our obedience to his Laws and some way or other furthered toward heaven and happinesse it is an evident signe that grace is decayed in us and sinne hath gotten the upper hand And yet so it falleth out many times among Christians The Hebrews were dull of hearing and when for the time they might have beene teachers yet they had neede that one should teach them againe which were the first principles of the oracles of God Heb. 5.11 12. And is it not so with a great many of us Are there not men and women who after many years teaching have gained no great measure of true learning If by the Catechismes they have been taught and by the Sermons that they have heard and by the Scriptures and other bookes which they have read they had learned but every week nay every moneth one only good lesson appertaining to godlinesse they might by this time have proved skilfull Casuists in matters of conscience But this is not so great a defect as that which followeth Our knowledge is much more better then our practice God complained of his vineyard and that vineyard was the house of Israel that after much care and paines bestowed in the dressing in steede of good grapes which were rightly expected from it it brought forth wilde grapes Isa 5.4 The meaning is as the Prophet expoundeth it v. 7. He looked for judgement and behold oppression and for righteousnesse but behold a cry even a cry for wrongs and oppressions injuries done to their neighbours And now a dayes may not God complaine of us in like maner There was never more dressing of Gods Vineyard then now there is more instructions to teach the way of blessednesse more exhortations to laye hold upon eternall life or more threatenings to deterre men from sinne But may not God say now after all this I looked for grapes fruits of righteousnesse and holinesse and of a sober life but I finde wilde grapes of lying and of cousening of oppressing and of slandering and of surfetting and drunkennesse and of new fantastick fashions And if these be the fruits of our hearing and reading and professing we may feare lest that threatning may be ours also This will I doe to my vineyard I will take away the hedge thereof and it shall bee eaten up and breake downe the wall thereof and it shall be troden downe And I will lay it waste it shall not bee pruned nor digged but there shall come up briars and thornes I will also command the clouds that they raine no raine upon it ver 5. and 6. He meaneth that after so much labour lost hee would take away the meanes of grace and leave them to themselves which is a fearefull judgement not to be thought on without trembling It will bee our wisdome then to look every one into his owne garden see what fruits he findeth there If we finde there any grapes of gall or vine-sets of Sodom or if our wine prove the poison of dragons or the venom of aspes it will be high time to take the pruning knife and cutt off these wilde branches that beare such bad fruits or rather to take the pick axe and the mattock and to grub up the plants on whose rootes they grow that wee may bee trees of righteousnes bringing forth fruits answerable to the labour bestowed upon us Vse 3. If there bee such vertue in Gods word to make a man blessed we should learne to esteeme it as our happinesse when wee doe enjoy it So David did I rejoyce for thy word saith he as one that findeth great spoiles Psal 119.162 On which words a good writer giveth us this note that David compareth the enjoying of Gods word to the getting of great spoiles rather then to the having of any other riches because spoiles taken from enemies do not onely enable men with wealth but honour them also with triumphs of victorie And so wee should esteeme of the word of Gods grace as a treasure that doth farre exceede both riches and whatsoever else that cannot bring us to heaven and happinesse And from this esteeme we may learne three duties 1. To praise God that hath given us such a treasure So David did In a Psalme of his which was framed for a forme of thanksgiving to God and therefore he both beginneth it and endeth it with Praise ye the Lord in this Psal he reckoneth this as a chiefe mercy for which he giveth God thanks that he shewed his word unto Iacob his statutes and his judgments unto Israel Ps 147.19 And so we should reckon it as one of Gods rich mercies towards us that wee have such plentie of his word that may bring us to blessednesse eternall life and in remembrance hereof both begin our morning and shut up our evening as David began and ended his Psalme with Praise wee the Lord. 2. We may learn to use all good meanes to get this treasure into our owne possession that the word of Christ may dwell in us richly in all wisdome as the Apostle speaketh Coloss 3.16 Solomons counsell for attaining this wisdome is that wee seeke for it as for silver and search for it as for hid treasure Prov. 2.4 Hee intimateth in this
Gospel they might be convinced of positive infidelity They add that also Ioh. 3.19 This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men loved darknesse rather then light Men therefore are justly damned for rejecting the light of the Gospell Heb. 2.3 How shall wee escape if we neglect so great salvation for neglecting salvation offered in the Gospell as they comment upon the words wee become guilty of just punishment Therefore salvation is offered in the Gospell These with some more bee the proofes brought by these learned men And they plainely prove that God doth accompanie the preaching of his word with the assistance and grace of his Spirit that men who heare the word if themselves bee not in fault do receive from God both to beleeve and obey it Now lay these things together first that the word of God doth teach the right way to blessednes then that it useth powerfull perswasions to incite us on in this way and lastly that it bringeth with it that grace of God which may carie us along to our journeys end and then the conclusion will easily result from them that therefore Gods word hath much vertue in it and that which is sufficient to make us eternally happy Vse 1. This condemneth them of follie who leave Gods word and seeke other directions to eternall life Such were the Jews of old and such have beene some ignorant papists in our time What our vulgar papists are used to say for proofe of the true religion they that have lived among them do sufficiently know and what the Jews said in former times Ieremie hath told us at large chap. 44. And whoso shall attentively consider his words will easily see how like our papists are to those Jews The words of the Prophet are Then all the men which knew that their wives had burnt incense unto other Gods and all the women that stood by answered Ieremiah saying As for the word which thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the Lord we will not hearken unto thee But we will certainly doe whatsoeever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth to burn incense to the Queene of heaven and to poure out drink-offerings unto her as we have done we our fathers our Kings our Princes in the cities of Iudah and in the streets of Ierusalem for then had we plentie of victualls and were well and saw no evill But since wee left off to burne incense to the Queene of heaven and to poure out drink-offerings unto her wee have wanted all things have beene consumed by the sword and by the famine Ier. 44.15 c. In this passage of the Prophet there are 2. things set downe the resolution of this people and their reason for it Their resolution was that they would not hearken to the word which the Prophet had spoken in the name of the Lord but they would doe what they did doe that is they would burne incense to the Queene of heaven c. And the like is the resolution of some seely people Say what you will or what you can out of Scriptures they care not for it but they will doe what they are woont to doe that is they will pray in a tongue whereof they understand never a word they will worship Saints and Images though they know not why and they will rest their faith on the Popes dictats though they can say nothing why he may not misleade them But this they doe and this they will do This is their resolution Secondly we may consider their reason why they were so wilfull and that is two-fold 1. because they and their fathers had beene accustomed to doe so heretofore As wee have done wee and our fathers c. and so our poore ignorant people This is the religion wherein I was borne and bred and therein will I dye Thus my father and grandfather beleeved before I was born and I will folow them who have gone before mee The second reason why they would continue in their resolution is because when they lived in that faith they had plentie of victuals and store of all things but after they left their sacrificing to Idols they had scarsitie and miserie and want Then say they we had plentie of victuals c. And so are our seelie ones wont to dispute Oh say they when the old religion was on foote then we had so many eggs for a peny and so much provision at a small price and poore men were able to live by their labours but since Calvin and Luther began to reforme we have scarsitie and dearth and it is a hard world to live in Thus our people are wont to reason for their old superstitions and errours and they speak so right in the very phrase and words of the idolatrous Jews that I might have thought they had borowed their discourse out of Ieremy but that I know it is not their custome to reade so much in the Bible that they leave to these new men accounting it as the booke of Heretikes and Novelists A Ladies Psalter liketh them better for a prayer booke then Davids Psalmes and a festivall or Legend they esteeme a better booke for instruction then the writings of the Prophets and Apostles But now if Gods word do teach the right way to heaven I pray you in what way are they who leave Gods word to bee guided by such fansies and fables Let Ieremie be the judge Then Ieremie said to the men and to the women who had given him this answere The incense which yee burnt in the cities of Iudah and in the streets of Ierusalem ye and your fathers did not the Lord remember them and came it not into his minde so that the Lord could no longer beare because of the evil of your doings and because of the abominations which ye have committed Therefore is your land a desolation and an astonishment and a curse without an inhabitant as at this day Because ye have burnt incense and because ye have sinned c. Therefore this evill is happened unto you Ier. 44.20 c. In which answere we may consider and it is worth the noting that their burning of incense to the Queene of heaven and their pouring out of drink-offerings unto her which they thought was the true worship and said it was the onely cause of their plentie of victuals and of all good things was in very deede an abomination to God which hee could no longer beare and the true cause of the desolation curse that was come upon them And so when our ignorant people say that the reformed religion is the cause of scarsity and want that while they worshipped their images and Saints there was plentie and store wee may answere them according to the tenor of the Prophets words Nay rather your superstitions in burning incense to the Queene of heaven as they did and your wilfulnesse in refusing the truth when it is brought unto you as they also did these