Pauls preaching So the Apostle Peter saith 1. Pet. 1.23 Being borneanew not of mortall seed but of immortall by the word of God c. Like wise Saint Iames saith Iames 1.18 Of his own wil begat be vs with the word of truth And S. Paul saith to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 4.15 That in Christ Iesus he begot them through the Gospell And the Lord saith by his prophet Ieremy Ierem. 23.29 That his word was like a fire and like a hammer that breaketh the stone Al which places doe prooue that the word is the ordinarie instrumentall eause of a mans repentance and conuersion as also these reasons consirme it Reason 1. First because it is so powerfull and pearcing as the author to the Hebrues saith Heb. 4.12 That it is liuely mighty in operation sharper thē any two edged sword c. Which power it hath not from any inherent qualitie in it selfe or from man that preacheth it but because of the supernaturall power of God who as the Apostle saith to the Galathians Galath 2.8 was mightie by Peter in the Apostleship ouer the Circumcision and was mighty by him also toward the Gentiles Noting that when men are conuerted by the preaching of the word and it is powerfull to that purpose it hath it not of it self but from God but howsoeuer it is indeed powerfull Psalm 19.7 and doth conuert the soule Reason 2. The second reason is because faith is one immediate cause and beginning of repentance Now faith is begotten by the word therefore repentance also must needes come by the word As touching faith the Apostle to the Romans saith Rom. 10.17 Faith is by hearing and hearing by the word of God Therefore preaching the word being the cause of faith it must needs be the cause of repentance Causa causae causa causati Reason 3. The third reason is Because the conuersion of men is the seale and only miracle that the Gospell now hath And it is vsuall with the Lord in working miracles to shadow them by outward meanes that he might conceale his owne worke specially from vnbeleeuers As Salomon saith Prou. 25.1 The glorie of God is to conceale a thing secret Then it is his glory to couer this miracle by this outward meanes 1. Cor. 1.21 and by so foolish and base a thing as preaching is in the eies of the world to worke this great wonder and to saue men designed by Satan to destruction And when I say the word is the instrumentall cause of repentance I exclude not the law as that which helpeth to this though properly it worke it not for by bringing men to the sight and knowledge of their sinnes and miseries it prepareth them for the receiuing of that grace and mercie which is propounded in the Gospel as an eating corasiue which maketh way for a healing medicine But the Gospell is the message of glad tidings and mairing the promises of pardon ◅dre◅sission of fumes is that which especially worketh it or that which doth throughly worke it in men Vse 1. Now for to make vse of this truth vnto our selues First This may teach vs that their case is fearefull that are without the preaching of the word because they are without the ordinarie meanes and so without hope to come to repentance as Iewes Turkes and Infidels that are depriued of the word and they that liue in corners where the sound of it is not heard It was a fearefull curse when Christ said vnto his Apostles Matth. 10.5 Goe not into the way of the Gentiles and into the cities of the Samaritans enter ye not And now that some haue found mercy which sought it not and others are still left in their darkenes and horrible blindnes it is no lesse fearefull when God denieth still the ministerie of the word vnto them and saith as it were vnto his ministers preach not there for it is as if he had said I will not haue these conuerted as Augustine saith Quoniam vt crederent non erat ijs datum etiam vnde crederent est negatum Aug. de bono perseuerantiae God hath denied vnto men the meanes whereby they should beleeue because hee hath no purpose that they should beleeue And so God hath denied to men that by which they should be conuerted because he hath not purposed their conuersion Then wheresoeuer men want it either by the iudgement of God denying it to them or by their owne peeuishnesse withdrawing themselues from hearing the word or else not harkning to it hauing eares not boared but giuen to drowsines and sleepinesse and so they want it though they liue in the middest of it such an estate is a fearefull signe as if God had no purpose they should hee conuerted Vse 2. 2. Secondly this teacheth vs to acknowledge the happie condition of that people or that nation or place wheresoeuer God hath vouchsafed the preaching of the word to wit that it is a mauifest proofe hee hath a people there that hee would conuert and hath a desire to saue them As he said to Paul in the Acts when he was at Corinth Acts 18.18 Feare not but speake for I haue much people in this place Arguing that he had a people there whom hee meant to saue and therefore hee sent his word to them So whersoeuer God sendeth his word and giueth his ministers gifts and conscience to preach the word vnto any nation or people it is a signe hee fauoureth them and that he would haue them conuerted and be saued though not euery one that heareth it for many haue this but to make them more inexcusable and to increase their iudgement but only those to whom he giueth hearts and eares open vnto it which if it be so great a fauour from God then are wee to acknowledge the mercie of God that hath sent his Gospell amongst vs and giuen gifts vnto men to preach the same vnto vs. For wherefore hath God giuen his Ministers knowledge to preach the word is it only for themselues No verily for as they are men they could bee saued with as little knowledge as others But God hath giuen them gifts for the gathering together of his Church and for the conuersion of others And here we are to be stirred vp to walke worthie of this benefit lest it be remoued taken from vs and giuen to a nation that will bring forth better fruit For though we may be alreadie conuerted by the benefit of the ministery hitherto inioyed yet what shal become of our posterity euē of so many thousand infants or sucklings if they may not haue the means by which they may be conuerted If thē we haue any loue vnto thē that as they are our children by nature so they may be the children of God by grace let vs labour to walke worthie of this mercie that we may leaue it to our posteritie as our sathers left it to
account the preaching of the word after the Church is gathered not so necessarie supposing it a needlesse thing that the people should haue so much knowledge But I must tell them that knowledge is not so much gotten by preaching as by reading and that the speciall end of preaching is not so much for knowledge as for grace and sanctification and that a man may haue knowledge and want sanctification yea hee may in part bee sanctified and yet be farre short of that he ought to haues which doubtlesse is to bee increased by the same meanes it is begotten which is preaching There is then perpetuall necessitie of it which made God say of his church I wil water it euery moment Esay 27.3 that is make it bring forth fruit and increase yea and the rather seeing a man is subiect to a continuall decrease in his soule as hee is in his body and to lose of the degrees of grace and sanctification which haue bin begotten in him by the preaching of the word Where upon Chrysostome saith Non sicut reliquae artes ita est docendi vis Argentarius enim qualecunque vas excuderit reposuerit tale postridie reuersus iterum inueniet aerarius marmorarius artificum quisque quale proprium opus dimiserit tale rursus recipiet Non tales vos inueniamus quales relinquimus sed postquam susceptos labore multo reformauerimus correxerimus effecerimus feruentiores egressos negotiorum circumstantia vos vndique circumcurrens rursus peruertit maior em nobis praebet difficultatem Chrysost hom 13. ad pop Antioch The Art of teaching and hearing is not like other artes For the goldsmith what worke soeuer he frameth and casteth in a mould and laieth a side the next day when he returneth to his worke hee findeth it as hee left it and so the Blacke smith and the Mason and eueâ—ie artificer looke in what condition they leaue their worke in the same they find it But wee doe not find you as we lefe you but after that with much labour we haue reformed you and corrected you and made you more zealous you are no sooner departed but the multitude of businesses doth beset you on all sides and corrupt you and maketh our worke more diffioult then before Reason then and good cause is there that as men cate againe and often for the repairing of the decaies of the bodie so they should heare often for the renewing and repairing of the breathes and decaies which Satan and the world haue made in their soules But how should they heare without a preacher and preaching men euen after their rene wing and repentance are still subiect to sinne and sall and as subiect to lie long in it euen many a weeke and many a moneth and yeeres if there be not meanes affolded to waken them though they bee very grieuous and fearefull falles and sinnes where with they are ouertaken as it was with holy Dauid who for the space of 40. weekes or there abouts lay in his sins that he had committed both adulterie and murther And howsoeuer hee was a Prophet of God and enlightned by the spirit of God yet lay he all that time in security neuer soundly repentiug nor renewing himselfe till by the voice of Nathan hee was awaked and recouered And if he so rare and excellent a man how much more may others lie in their sins without euer returning or renewing themselues if they haue not some Nathan some Seer some Preacher or other to awaken them out of their sleepe and securitie As necessarie then as their repentance is and the perpetuall vse and exercise of it so necessarie is the preaching of the word especially seeing men may not stand at a stay but as hath been shewed they ought daily to increase more and more till they come to that age and perfection whereunto God hath appointed Hitherto you haue heard of the nature parts and causes of repentance and lastly of the parties to whom it belongeth and who haue neede of it Seuen signes or effects of repentance Wee must now proceede in the next place to speake of seuen things inseparable from repentance which the Apostle Paul hath in his epistle to the Corinthians His words are these 2. Cor. 7.11 For behold saith he this thing that ye haue bin godly sorie what great care it hath wrought in you yea what clearing of your selues yea what indignation yea what feare yea hoy great desire yea what a zeale yea what punishmet Whether we shal cal them effects or fruits qualities or properties affections or consequences of repentance the learned differ the name is not greatly materiall when it is manifest they are things inse parably ioyned with repentance so that there is no repentance where they are not in some measure and where they are there is certainly repentance of them then will I speake in order If I may acquaint you sinst with the conceit of some who thinke that the first of these seuen respecteth both good and euill which is cara The three next euill onlys the first which is cleering of your selues respecteth euill pastethe second which is indignation euill present the third which is feare euill to come The three last they will haue to respect good onely which are desire 〈◊〉 punishment But I meane not to tye my selfe to thier sense neither would I binde others And I will speake of them as the Apostle hath laid them downe The first the Apostle called care or some interpret it studie It is thought to be that which is opposite to sloth and securitie So that where as a man that is without true faith repentance and sense of sin is maruellous secure and carelesse either to auoide euill and sinne or to doe the good that he ought hee that hath this is on the contrarie full of care and full of thoughts how to auoid euill and sinne and keepe himselfe from being corrupted and defiled and to doe the contrarie good whence we may gather this The first signe or effect of repentance is care or studie That euery one that hath a godly sorrow and true repentance is not slothfull but diligent nor carelesse but carefull to auoid all sin especially such as he hath humbled himselfe for and hath repented of so that hee doth not only leaue them but he is also studious carefull to auoid theÌ„ which is manifest by this place of S. Paul to the Corinthians What care it hath wrought in you which place Ambrose interpreteth thus Qui poenitet solicitus est ne denuo peccet He that repenteth is carefull he sin not againe As also he is most carefull to doe that which is good and not onely doth but is carefull to doe This our Sauiour Christ perswadeth the Church of Ephesus vnto Reuel 2.5 That repenting she should remember from whence sne was fallen and repent and doe her first workes Not only workes but first workes alluding vnto
And said vnto his soule thou hast enough laid vp for many yeeres liue at ease eate drinke and take thy pleasure To this may be added the example of the Rulers who are said Iohn 12.43 to beleeue in Christ yet they did not confesse him lest they should be cast out of the Synagogue And the reason of this was because they loued the praise of men more theÌ„ the praise of God And though in the former verse they pretended feare to bee the cause yet it is told vs here that care loue of the world was the cause This was also the reason why Demas had forsaken Paul 2. Tim. 4.10 namely because he had embraced this present world And finally that parable of our Saâ—iuioâ— Christ of the prodigal sonne doth illustrate and make manifest this point vnto vs. For all the while that his portion lasted that hee had enough to spend vpon his pleasure and delight he fled from his father and could neuer bethinke himselfe to turne vnto him but when his patrimonie was spent and that he was bitten with penurie and want then hee could lay downe with himselfe all meaneâ— â—oâ— he might with greatest humility come againâ— to his father and fell downe before him and acknowledged his â—…ult It is manifest then that these are maine impediments and in reason they cannot be otherwise Reason 1. 1. Because repentance requireth all a mans care and diligence the attention of the whole heart it is not a little that can worke it out But where the care and pleasures of the world is there the heart is stollen away Marke 4.19 and the affections diuided not to diuers but contrarie things and so as the senses which haue many obiects can hardly attend any one seriouslie and as they should to perceiue them well no more can the affections affect truly and effect thorowlie two things of such contrarie natures Reason 2. The second reason is because the cares of the world choke the word if they hinder not a man from receiuing it as full hands are able to receiue nothing no not gold when they are full of clay before now affections are like hands saith Augustine which when they are full of the world how shall they receiue the word or if they receiue it a little they will soone choke it Then when the word is Gods instrument to bring men to repentance when either it is not receiued or choked what shall beget this in them how must not cares needs keepe them from repentance Reason 3. 3. Because by these men are made licentious and voluptuous and so can neuer profit by the word no more then seede sowne in the mire can grow nor exercise mortificatioÌ„ Their minds being transported that they cannot remember themselues nor God nor the last day Therefore our Sauiour Christ exhorteth vs Luke 21.14 that wee should take heed of surfetting and drunkennes the cares of this life lest that day come on vs vnwares and take vs without repentance and our oyle in our lampes which these things must needs effect But let vs make some vse of this Vse This ought to incite vs to labour to remooue this impediment and striue the more against it because it is one of the most dangerous ones and that which carrieth men away with the streame some not blushing to pretend this as a let and to professe it others though they couâ—… it yet if then pulse be felâ— it leaneth this way altogether It is one of the greatest most general and dangerous impediments To remooue it then first from those who haue not riches and such a state as they could desire they ought to remember that saying of Christ who aduiseth euery man Matth. 6.33 First seeke the Kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof and all these things shall be ministred vnto you Which rule if they obserue the things which they desire shall be gotten with great facility and abundance of which as the promise of God may perswade a man in that hee hath giuen godlinesse so large a charter namely 1. Tim. 4.8 that it hath the promise both of this life and that which is to come so may his performance thereof because he hath thus blessed others euen in these things as for example Salomon 1. King 3.12.13 for when God gaue him his choice to ask what he would because he asked neither long life nor riches nor the life of his enemies but wisdome and vnderstanding to heare iudgement therefore the Lord answered him according to his desire and said I haue giuen thee a wise and vnderstanding heart so that there hath been none like thee before thee neitherafter thee shall arise the like vnto thee Moreouer I haue giuen thee that which thou hast not asked both riches and honour so that among the Kings there shall bee none like vnto â—hee all thy daies Here wee may see earthlie things giuen vnto Salomon for a reward because he had in his choice preferred wisdome before wealth and al other earthly blessings They should remember also the vncertaintie of them And therefore S. Paul willeth Timothie 1. Tim. 6.17 to charge them that are rich in this world that they trust not in vncertaine riches And this is in holding of them if they haue got them And Salomon saith Prou. 23.5 Wilt thou cast thine eies vpon that which is nothing For riches taketh her to her wings as an Eagle and flieth into the heauens And a man should here also consider that when he hath most neede of them they shall least helpe him neither can doe him any good and therefore Salomon saith againe Prou. 11.4 That riches auaile not in the day of wrath And Iob though sometime rich yet he said thus of himselfe Naked came I out of my mothers wombe and naked shall I returne thither the Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken c. And that howsoeuer riches cannot helpe him in the time of his aduersitie yet if hee labour for repentance that will abide with him that being true that righteousnesse as Salomon saith Prou. 11.4 deliuereth from death Then as the same wise maÌ„ speaketh Prou. 23.4.5 Trauel not 〈…〉 to be rich but cease from thy wisdome and labor for that which will remaine with thee If any shall pretend vnto me the maintenance of his life and bodie in health and competency and prouision for his wife and children I denie not but that men may lawfully yea must of necessity haue care of their temporal estate yea so much the greater as it is worse and more vnsetled For if the bodie perish for want of things needfull how should the foule bee indued with the life of righteousnesse and holinesse But this is that I perswade that men should nor do as commonly men doe that suffer themselues to be possessed with the cares of this world that is not so hotly to pursue them that they forget to seeke for this