back from evill Neither is this Wil-worship as some imagine For Wil-worship is to apply things vaine and frivolous and where with God cannot be pleased to the honouriâ—â— of God as the Jews did who placed Holinesse in manifold washings of themselves or as they against whom the Apostle reasoneth who abstained from some meats as uncleane of their own nature or by vertue of Moses Law Wil-worship also is to place necessitie in things not necessare when there is neither precept nor practise to be found in Gods Word or in his Church to enforce any such necessitie This is Wil-worship but no Wil-worship to promise to God a thing which being done may serve to good and profitable uses If any man say Are we not bound to do all the good that we can I An. By way of gratitude we ar but not by vertue of strict Commandement so that if we do not such or such a thing we commit not sin as was shewen before As for things necessare some Romanists affirme that they cannot be the matter of a vow but the best learned acknowledge that it may be and it is cleare from scripture For Jacob genesis 28. 20. 21. vowed that the Lord should be his God Which was a thing necessare although he had not vowed it Wee are tyed indeed to the doing of such things necessare and commanded by vertue of Gods Commandement although wee vow not but notwithstanding we may adde to that bond the bond obliedgment of a vow to stirre up and confirme the more in the obedience of God our languishing wils even as a man who is already bound to another man by his promise may bind himself also by his oath This kinde of vow was made by the people of God when turning back from their sinnes they renewed their covenant with him and promised to walk in his Commandements And this much of the nature of a vow I come to the second point which is how this duty belongeth to Thankfulnesse For clearing of this consider That when a man promiseth any thing to God he doeth not so that God may have any gaine or help therby but that he may give due honour to God More particularlie by vowing a man honoureth God in so far as hereby he acknowledgeth that God hath a care and providence of humane effaires and that it is he to whom we should have out recourse in troâ—ble who alone can help us and froÌ„ whom we receive whatsoever we haue 2. By vowing a man honoureth God in so far as he intendeth by the reverence and feare of God to confirme himself in weldoing 3. By vowing and performing of our vows wee honour our God in so far as wee direct the thing which we have vowed to the service of God or to the enabling of us to serve him more acceptablie then otherwayes we would do From this which hath been said appeareth first That vowing may be now lawfully performed though the legal and ceremonial vows hath ceased yet all vows are not therefore abolished Vowing is no lewish ceremonie Our vows prefigure not Christ And Jacob vowed long before Moses was yea vowing is not a ceremony at all A Ceremonie is a thing outward sensible but vowing may be accomplished in the minde I say more though men should not be rash to vow yet somtimes some things when done out of a vow ar better then if they wer done without any vow because beside all the goodnesse which they should have otherwayes they are done out of a religious affection towards God and done out of a more firme and unchangeable purpose then otherwayes they should and with a more full resignation of our selves both the work and the will the fruit and the tree being given to God and therefore the scripture recommendeth this duty to us and in the 19. 21. of Isaiah speaking of Christians saieth That they shall vow and performe their vows Secondly We learn that we should be carefull to performe the good vows that we have made mans particular vows I know not This I know that we all have vowed to obey God by doing good and eschewing evill This vow we have often renewed Let vs performe it to the Lord otherwayes we are not only unthankfull but also sacrilegiously perfidious Thou hast vowed to eschew whooredom drunkennes malice c. will thou look back againe remember Lots wife who looking back to Sodome was stricken in a pillar of salâ— to season thee by considering her dolefull example It is true we cannot perform what we have vowed by our own strength but the grace of God is sufficient for us and he is ready to 〈◊〉 his grace to all them that call upon him in trueth As shall clearly appeare by the following words which are O Thou that hearest prayer c. Here is set down a reason why praise waiteth for God and why the vow should bee performed to him It is he that heareth prayer Many most excelleÌ„t things there are in God Infinite Wisdom Infinite Power Infinite Iustice but if we consider them with reference to us compare Gods Riches Glory and Majesty with our misery vnworthines and sinne nothing deserveth greater thanksgiving then His Goodnes and Mercie kything in hearing our prayers and in the gracious reliefe and supplie of our necessities It is a thing most wonderfull that He who is so High should so regard vs miserable wormes creeping upon the earth that He who is most Blessed in Himselfe should care for our miserie that we who are deâ—â—ed with sinne should come in His Presence who is a consuming fire to seek any thing from Him and yet His eares are open to our cryes he invites us to pray Trust in him ye people at all times poure out your hearts before him for he is our refuge He hath promised when we call upon him in trouble to hear and deliver us and to strengthen our confidence he taketh to himself this sweet style of the Hearer of prayer what an unspeakable benefit is this that we have the eare of God open to us and his hand ready to help what can they want who have this therefore our Blessed Saviour before his departure promised his disciples for the making of their joy full that their prayers should be heard The consideration of this made David to break out in these words blessed be the Lord who hath not put back my prayer nor turned away his mercie from me But whose prayer doeth he heare To thee shall all flesh come saieth the PROPHET See how ample the benefit is As many as there are in the earth as distant as the places are and as diverse as their troubles ar he can hear all hath made the doore patent to all especially now under the gospell and Christian Church of the amplitude wherof David here prophecieth All flesh he uses the name of flesh not without cause which in scripture importeth calamitie miserie
is no more partaker of the intercession and prayers of the Church and of the blessings which thereby are plentifully obtained to those that are within it In a word such an one is left to himself as a wretched and forlorne creature destitute of the presence assistance and protection which God graciously giveth to his Church and to the Members thereof and wherewith he covereth it as it were as the cloud did the tabernacle and so is exposed to the will the furie of the devil as a sheep without a shepherd to the Wolf for the kingdome of the devil is especially without the Church of God There he ruleth and reigneth in the children of disobedience Hence according to the judgement of many such are said 1. Cor. 5. To be delivered over unto Satan albeit it be true also that in the Primitive Church for the greater terrour of disobedient persons who suffered themselves to bee excommunicat◠Diverse of them were given over to Satan as to an Executioner to have their bodies afflicted by him So some think that the incestuous Corinthian 1. Cor. 5. was not only excommunicated but also delivered to the Devil to be afflicted bodily and so they think also of Alexander and Hymeneus of whom S. PAUL saith 1. Tim. 1. That he had delivered them to Satan that they might learne not to blaspheme This is the most dreadfull sentence of the Church which Christ promiseth here to ratifie and confirme in heaven It were better for a man saieth Augustine in his first book against the Adversaries of the Law and Prophets and 17 Chapter that he were stoned to death or killed with the sword or torne with the teeth of beasts then to be strucken with this sentence Hee that is bound this way saith he is bound with more grievous and terrible bonds then if they were of iron and adamant The principall Intention of the Church is not to reclaime the person guilty in this Excommunication for it is exercised against such who are incorrigeable and refuse to heare the voice of the Church It is true the reclaiming of such an one is secondarlie intended for he is separate from the society of good Christiās that he may be ashamed that so he may come in end to a sense of his own sinne but the maine intention of the Church is to purge it self from such rotten and infecting Members which obstinatly go on in an evil course and there is none but may see that this proceeding is full of equity if a member of the bodie be corrupted and the rest of the bodie in danger to be infected thereby it must needs bee cut off In all well governed Cities Leprous persons those that are infected with the Plague at separated from others in a word Those that ar obstinatly disobedient and refractarie in any wel governed society or at least cast out of that society and is it not reason that they who are disobedient to the voice of the Church who are ready to infect others with an infection that tendeth to everlasting death be removed and debarred from the fellowship of the faithfull Hence yee may observe first what is the reason that we so slowly proceed to the pronouncing of this sentence of excommunication against those that are disobedient to the voice of the Church Some that have zeal but without sufficient knowledge accuse us for this as negligent or favouring the errours of those persons God knoweth we detaste their errours and that the true cause of out leasurlie proceeding is that knowledge which we have of the terrour and dreadfulnesse of this sentence A physitian will use all means to cure a diseased part of the body before he proceed to the cutting it off and when he is forced to do that he will not do it but with grief and sorrow It is reported of the Emperour Titus who was called the delight of mankinde that even at the just executions of malefactors he used to sigh and monrue Though Absolom had rebelled against his father David and would have taken from him both his crown and his life yet when his army went out against him he said Deale gently with the young man and when he heard that he was killed he cryed out O Absolom Absolom my son Absolom would God I had died for thee and yet the love of spiritual father ought to be greater toward their children then the love of any carnall father can be as CHRIS observeth Is it any wonder then that we are loath to cut any off by the terrible and dreadfull sentence of excommunication and to deliver them to Satan the enemie of mans salvation especially since we are taught by the Apostle 2. Tim. 2. That the servant of the LORD should he gentle and patient in meeknes instructing them that are contrarie minded if GOD will give them repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth that they may escape out of the snares of the devil who holdeth them captive at his will Secondly Ye may perceive hence how wofull and lamentable is the state of those persons who by their obstinate disobedience to the voice of the Church draw upon themselves this fearfull and terrible sentence It is not without cause that such are compared by an ancient writter to those that are mad Mad persons though they be most strongly bound yet they esteem nothing of their bonds for they are not sensible of their own misery so is it with those of whom I speak They contemne all that is done to them in this kinde and yet in the meane time they are bound both in earth and heaven by GOD and by man Would God that their eyes were opened that they might see the miserable estate of their own soules which are fertered with most strong chains that will draw them unto eternall condemnation Heaven and Earth may passe away but this Word of our LORD shall stand firme Whatsoever ye binde on earth shall be bound in heaven Let them not therefore flatter themselves with this that they see not now the visible judgements of God immediatly ceasing upon men and women that they see not their bodies afflicted by the devil or any such thing GOD is a Patient and Long-suffering GOD but in end recompenseth the delay of punishment with the weight of it if we despise his Goodnesse and by so doing Treasure up wrath to our selves against the day of wrath revelation of the righteous Judgement of GOD. Lastly I beseech you all to remember that it is your duty to esteeme those to be bound both by GOD and by his Servants whom we do binde by this fearfull sentence of excommunication and to carry your selves toward thē as if they wer heathens and publicane So is the Commandement of our Saviour urged againe againe by the Blessed Apostles who requireth that we withdraw our selves from such persons In the ancient Church they did so shune the company of persons excommunicat that scarce they would
and weaknes he saith not all spirits or all that are holy just wel-deserving wealthie or noble but all flesh shall come The poore have accesse aswell as the rich to poure out their heart before God the base aswell as the noble the unlearned aswell as the learned the sinfull Publican aswel as the Pharisee even the sinner I say if he have begun to compt his sin a miserie may come to God and bevaile his miserie and implore his mercie All these I say may come and shall be heard If any man come and is not heard it is because he cometh not as he ought nor seeketh aright Here first consider that latlie we came to God offered up our prayers to him as for other benefits so for a seasonable harvest We have found by experience that the Lord hath heard our prayers though having in them many defects and worthie to be cast back as dung in our faces We have found as the PROPHET speaketh in the end of this Psalme that he hath visited the earth and enriched it with the river of God blessed the springing of it hath crowned the year with his goodnes and hath made his paths to drop fatnes Let us no think that this was from chance or nature but let us with thankful hearts acknowledge it to be as indeed it is the visitation and blessing of God Let every heart and every mouth say Blessed be the Lord who-hath not put back our prayers but notwithstanding of our sinnes hath so visited blessed and enriched vs. Secondly if we would be still partakers of this great benefit let vs be carefull to continue our thankfulnes still There are many things that we stand in need of for which we must pray to him to purge away our iniquities as he saieth in the next verse To still the noise of the sea and tumults of the people to blesse the fruits that he hath given us that his wrath come nor upon us while it is betwixt our teeth Let us therefore that it may be well with us for ever resolve to performe not only this day but also all the dayes of our life our vows of obedience and to praise him with our life aswell as with our mouth As for the earthly blessings which he hath given us as on the one part we should esteem highly of them soon the other part Let us remember they are but the pleadges of better things abyding us in our countrey if his riches be so great toward us in our sojourning what may we expect when we shall sit down in his house at his table to be satisfied with the fatnesse of it If the river of God passing through the earth so refresh us here how shall we be delighted with that river of pleasures which maketh glad the citie of God The Lord grant that our hearts may be there and that we may walk in the way that leadeth into it and that for the merits of Christ To Whom c. FIRST SERMON UPON the Lamentations of JEREMIAH Chap. V. Verse 19. Thou O Lord remainest for ever Thy throne from generation to generation 20. Wherefore dost thou forget us for ever and forsake us so long-time 21. Turne us unto thee O Lord and we shall be turned renew our dayes as of old The holy PROPHET having made a pittifull complaint to God of the great desolation that had come upon Sion or the Church of God Ierusalem being taken and burnt the people of God being killed or lead in captivitie he in end shutteth up all and closeth with a fervent prayer Thou O Lord remainest for ever c. In this prayer two things are to be cōsidered First the ground of the PROPHETS petitions Thou O Lord remainest for ever thy thro◠from generation to generation Secondly the petitions themselves which are espetially two the first is set down by way of expostulation wherefore doest thou forget us forever and forsake us so long time which includeth this petition Lord forsake us not but restore thy favour to us againe and renew our dayes as of old The second is in the next words turne thou us unto thee O Lord and we shall be turned To returne againe to the first part which is the ground of the PROPHETS supplication and of his hope confidence to be heard it is set down in the first words we have in it three Prerogatives ascrived to God the first that he is UNCHANGEABLE Thou O Lord remainest Sayeth he secondly he ascriveth to him absolute Dominion imported by this that Hee is the Lord and hath a Throne Thirdly Eternity is ascrived both to him and his Kingdome Thou O Lord remainest for ever c. Let us consider these points shortly both in themselves and with a reference to the PROPHETS petitions Thou O Lord remainest c. Here the PROPHET to strengthen his hope the hope of the Church fixeth the eyes of his faith upon the Vnchangeablnes of God thou sayest he remainest The word in the originall signifieth to dwell to abide or sit still importeth when ascrived to God his constancie immntabilitie For clearing of this we are to consider that this is in God in a most excellent manner He is simple Vnchangeable both in his nature and in his decrees or purposes both which are meaned here In his nature at his perfections he is Vnchangeable If any chāge of this kynde could have place in him it should be either from imperfection to perfection or from perfection to imperfection but neither of these can be no new perfection can haue place in him because as we said before in him is the infinite fulnes of perfectiōn which is not capable of any increase o◠accession Neither can he change to any imperfection for none of his infinite perfections can be lossed They are one the same with his own nature and being Now his being is necessar for he hath it not from another and therefore as it ever was so it can never cease to be and consequently is Vnchangeable for Vnchangeablnes is nothing else but a necessitie of being that which he was before Thus it i◠most evident that God in his nature essentiall perfections is Unchangeable the acquiring of any new perfection being repugnant to the infinite fulnes of being that is in him and the losse of his perfection being contrate to the necessitie or infinit firmnes or stabilitie of his being or Nature Secondly as he is Vnchangeable in his naturall perfections so in his decrees and purposes toward us we often change our resolutions and purposes and the reason is we do not perfectly perceive and consider the good or the evil the conveniencie or inconveniencie of that which we are about therefore when thereafter we find our own errour we change and retraite the will and purpose which we had before This cannot have place in God who from all eternitie hade a most clear sight of all the good