and all that haue taken the profession of the Gospell vpon them to haue care to frame their liues answerable thereunto And this must bee speciallie three waies The first in their words and speeches which must bee such as may either conuey good to others else draw good from others Secondly in their workes and that not only in their generall places but also in their particular callings whether Magistrate Minister Father Husband Master Seruant c. The third is in their recreations being carefull they vse lawfull things lawfully As you that bee Gentlemen in your bowling shooting hawking hunting which though they bee lawfull recreations yet that you take heed lest you abuse them and not to be mirthmongers making euery day a day of pastime and pleasure Vse 3 A third vse serues to reprooue many who haue taken vpon them the holy profession of Christ Iesus yet in their liues deny the power of it And to come home to this citie and to this place in which are assembled such as make shew of loue to the Gospell Answere me in your consciences where are the signes and tokens of a holy life doe your liues answere your profession is it not with Ioab 1. King 2.28 to murther and then to runne and take hold of the hornes of the altar Nay with the Iewes to sweare Ierem. 7.9.10 lie steale commit adulterie c. and to come and stand in this house before me saith the Lord no more will the Lord allow either of your Bibles vnder your armes or your prayers in your families nor your running after Sermons if your liues be not reformed In the ciuill law it is well knowne a long protestation will not releeue a theefe if he be tainted and proued guiltie of the fact no more will your protestations and faire speeches releeue you when your shops your counting houses your houses your chambers wil condemne you For I appeale this day to many of you that heare me whether the Lord may not truely say to you as hee said by the mouth of his Prophet Micah Micah 6.10 Are yet the treasures of wickednesse in the house of the wicked and the scant measure that is abominable So say I to thee are the treasures of wickednesse in thy house Is the pooremans pledge his bed his gowne his axe his spade his coate in thy house liuest thou by briberie extortion oppression false weights in thy shop false ballance in thy warehouse and darest thou take on thee the holie profession of the Gospell I tell thee all thy prayers almes hearing of the word receiuing the Sacraments are abhorred of God In the time of the Law none might offer the blood of a dog or a swine yet were they both like the blood of a lambe and though the one was accepted yet the other was abhorred So let all thy outward profession seeme neuer so holy yet not ioyned with a holy conuersation God detests it How may the Lord complaine against this citie as he did against Samaria Come to Bethel and transgresse Amos 4.4.5 to Gilgal and multiplie transgressions and bring your sacrifices in the morning and your Tithes after three yeeres And for a thanksgiuing of leauen publish proclaime the free offerings for this liketh you O yee children of Israel saith the Lord. In which he taxeth them for that after many sinnes committed they would come in the morning on their Sabbath daies and bring an offering or a tithe and offer it vp and then think God was well pleased So how manie in this Citie all the weeke long spend it in swearing lying oppression c. and then on the Lords day come to Church in the morning and heare a Sermon make a shew of louing holy exercises Oh this likes them well but this likes not the Lord for he accounts them hypocrites and dissemblers Yea these are they that do more hurt to religion and professors with their running after Preachers with their carrying of Bibles with their holy protestations and their liues odious then the common drunkard whoremonger vsurer c. There is nothing more odious in Gods sight then that man that caries the lampe of profession and denieth and disgraceth it by an vnholy life I end this point with the saying of our Sauiour to his Disciples and in them to all that take on them the profession of his name Matth. 5.16 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father that is in heauen And so much for the generall doctrine drawne from the Apostles dealing with the Hebrewes Now it followes according as it is in the Text. Let there bee no fornicatour You heard before that these words containe a dehortation from such vices as he knew would bring a scandall to the Gospell whereof he sets downe two speciall sinnes The first is here fornication The reasons wherefore he sets this downe were before shewed vnto vs. As also we heard why he sets downe this sinne rather then the sinne of adultery being a sinne of an higher degree Then it resteth we gather what we learne hence which is in that he labors to dehort or draw them from this sinne of fornication we learne that amongst other sinnes all that liue in the Church of God and sincerely professe the Gospell of Iesus Christ must labour by all meanes to shun and auoide the sinne of fornication adulterie incest whoredome and all of that kind It is too true that many professing the Gospel make a light account of fornicatiō oh they take it but a trick of youth And it may bee one reason of the Apostles dehorting or drawing them from this sinne being of like account amongst them But howsoeuer they or we make light account of it yet the holy Ghost accounts it a grieuous sin especially amongst such as professe the Gospell For he speakes not to Atheists but to Christians and such as had taken on them the profession of Christ Iesus his Gospel So I knowing that I preach to such as professe Christ and outwardly make a shew of louing both him and his word dehort and draw you from the sinne of fornication being no small or light sin but an odious and grieuous sinne I tell you a man or woman that haue giuen their names to Christ and laid their hands to the plow of the Gospell and yet liue in fornication or adulterie c. do liue in a wofull and fearefull estate And that this sin is a great sin specially of professors we may see by the words of the Apostle to the Corinthians who saith Be not deceiued 1. Cor. 6.9 neither fornicators nor idolators nor adulterers nor wantons nor buggerers nor theeues nor couetous nor drunkards nor railers nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdome of God Where the Apostle amongst the rascall row of capitall Sinnes placeth fornication as a master-sin and ringleader to other sins and bids them not to be deceiued for as light
TWO SERMONS VPON THE XII CHAPTER OF THE EPISTLE TO the Hebrewes the sixteenth and seuenteenth verses PREACHED IN THE CITIE OF LONDON the twelfth day of Iune 1608. By THOMAS HOPKINS Minister at Yeardley in the Countie of Worcester HEBREVVES 13.4 Whoremongers and adulterers God will iudge COLOSS. 3.2 Set your affections on things which are aboue and not on things which are on the earth AT LONDON Imprinted for WILLIAM WELBY dwelling in Pauls Churchyard at the signe of the Greyhound 1609. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL WILLIAM HANCOCK MAYOR THE Worshipfull Iustices and Aldermen his brethren with my Christian countrimen of the Citie of Couentrie be all grace mercie and peace from God the Father and from our Lord Iesus Christ Amen RIght worshipfull and my louing Countrimen hauing some occasion this last summer to trauell vp to the Citie of London and being there I was entreated by a godlie friend to bestow my labours on a Sabbath day in preaching at the Parish Church in which hee dwelled to whom I willingly agreed Whereat there were some contrary to my knowledge or priuitie that tooke the paines to take the notes of the Sermons and before my departure out of the Citie made me acquainted therewithall and shewed them vnto mee and reading part of them I did greatly maruell thereat and worthie was the Author to be commended for his paines and skill hauing neuer seene the like so largely taken by any whatsoeuer for scarce could I finde any word of substance wherein hee failed Here upon certaine of my friends who were hearers thereof laboured with me to commit them to the Presse and in hope I would satisfie their earnest sute sent downe after mee their notes faire copied out to my house which after some paines taken in setting the same in order and some things though not much added for the more plaine opening of that which time preuented me in the preaching I haue sent it vp againe to them to vse at their pleasure The which hauing by Gods helpe finished I doe make bold to dedicate the same to your fauorable view The reasons moouing mee thereunto are speciallie these three The first is because of the experience I haue had of diuers of your godly zealous and sincere loue to the Gospell The second is being bound by nature to leaue it as a testimonie of my vnfained loue to my natiue Citie Thirdly in regard of the vndeserued kindnesse and beneuolences I haue often receiued from you In some liew whereof I thought it a part of my dutie to dedicate these my poore labours vnto you as thereby to manifest my humble thankefulnesse Now if any censorious disposition shall say that these Sermons are too meane to be put in print for this ripe and exquisit age I would wish them to consider that at the building of the Temple as well they were accepted that brought Goates haire and Rammes skinnes as they that brought Silke purple and skarlet But howeuer it be I doe more then hope you will both kindly accept of this from me and entertaine it as a testimonie of my louing affection to you all The God of all comfort multiplie his gratious blessings vpon you all and grant all peace and prosperitie to all those that vnfainedlie loue and seeke the peace of the Church and prosperitie of the Gospell From my house at Yeardly the 20. of December 1608. Your Worships in all Christian duties to be commanded Thomas Hopkins TO THE CHRISTIAN READER CHristian Reader the searcher of all hearts doth know that at the preaching of these Sermons it was farre frō any thought of mine they should euer haue been committed to the Presse to bee set out in print confessing my great inabilitie that way But forasmuch as some of the hearers tooke the paines to gather the notes thereof without either my knowledge or consent and thereupon seeming to haue some liking thereof were earnest with me for my consent to commit them to the print whose godly desire I perceiuing to proceed from a speciall willingnesse to make others partakers of that profit they seemed to haue receiued themselues gaue them my promise if they would copie them faire out and send them downe into the countrie to me I would take some paines in the viewing them ouer and setting them in order and so would send them vp to them againe to vse at their pleasure which they so did and accordingly by the Lords helpe I haue performed to them as my leasure in my charge would permit me Now then if these my simple labours shall bee thought worthie the view of the world I doe humblie entreate thee Christian Reader to beare with me which I know thou wouldest willinglie doe if either thou didst know my weakenes in gifts my small leasure for vndertaking any such worke or speciallie the marke and end I aime at I pray thee construe all in good part and what is amisse for want of skill correct it and if any thing haue ouershot me in ouerzealous carriage impute it to my infirmitie But if there happen any thing that shall worke to humbling for sinne either generall or particular for the land or for thy owne self giue all the praise to God and as I haue endeuoured to benefit thee and others which is the maine end of my labours so doe I entreate thee to assist me with thy prayers vnto God that hee will assist me with his blessed spirit in the worke of my Ministerie And thus hoping I may entreate for a friendlie acceptance at thy hands and to affoord me thy good word for my good will and a fauourable construction for my paines I doe commend it to the blessing of the Almightie and thee to his gratious protection wishing to thee as to myselfe viz. the mercie of God in Iesus Christ December 20. 1608. Thine in the Lord Iesus Thomas Hopkins TWO SERMONS VPON THE XII CHAP. OF THE AVTHOR TO THE HEbrewes the 16. and 17. verses thereof HEBREVVES 12.16.17 Let there bee no fornicator or prophane person as Esau which for one portion of meate sold his birthright For yee know how that afterward when he would haue inherited the blessing hee was reiected For he found no place to repentance though he sought that blessing with teares I Mind not beloued in Christ to stand vpon more circumstances then I take fitting for the opening of my Text. Although to haue shewed you my simple iudgemēt both as touching the occasion the Author the time and the argumēt of this Epistle could not but haue bin profitable for sundrie respects but then must I spend more ◅e then is allowed mee and I feare should abridge you of some things which I am willing to open vnto you Wherefore omitting all these Vers 5. know you that the Author of this Epistle hauing in the former part of this chapter encouraged them patiently to vndergoe the crosse of afflictions assuring them that they were no signes of Gods anger Vers 6. but rather
prophane man viz. hee sold away his birthright for one portion of meate It requires first we know what this birthright was and then the price he had for it As touching the birthright you must note it stood in diuers priuiledges 1. priuilege Gen. 17.7 especially these fiue First hee was by nature heire to the couenant which God had made with Abraham his Grandfather and so came to his father Isaac who did meane to haue left it with Esau which was That God would be his God and the God of his seede after him Secondly 2. priuilege 3. priuilege 4. priuilege that Christ according to the flesh should come of him Thirdly hee was heire to all his Grandfathers and his fathers lands Fourthlie all his brethren and sisters be they neuer so many must in his presence shew reuerence to him Fiftly 5. priuilege hee should haue been heire to all the land of Canaan and so at his death to the kingdome of heauen But hee most prophanely sold all this away Now let vs heare the price he sold it for No doubt he sold it at a great rate Gen. 25.34 truely for one portiō of meate What portiō was it It was a messe of pottage Oh prophane wretch that could find in his heart to sel such a pretious pearle and to part with it at such a base rate But this hee did and so lightly did he esteeme these heauenly blessings Frō hence we may obserue this instruction Whosoeuer he bee that hath his hart so glewed to the presēt things of this life as that he preferres them aboue spirituall things belonging to saluation is not only a man of a prophane heart but hath a manifest signe of the curse of God vpon his soule Example we haue hereof this prophane man who preferred these temporall things aboue his birthright and sold it away and for what did hee part it away why for to fill his bellie What was the chiefe reason of his hunger his hunting he had taken such pleasure in his hunting that he was an hungred and to fill his bellie hee sold away Gods blessings and so procured the curse of God on himselfe and his posteritie Much like to many at this day who haue their hearts so set on their pleasure and profit as that they hunt the blessings of God from their soules The holy Ghost by the Apostle Paul writing to the Philippians sets downe a marke to discerne betweene a wicked man and one of Gods children Phil. 3.19.20 the one hath his mind fixed on earthlie things but the other hath his mind daily on the things that doe belong to saluation A warning of this sinne hath our Sauiour giuen to vs in that parable set downe by the Euangelist Matthew Matth 22.2.3.4.5.6.7 where comparing his Father to a supposed King that married his Sonne and made a feast and sent his seruants to call them that were bidden but they refused and preferred the things of this life before the heauenly banquet and made their excuses But how tooke the King the matter he sent out his men of warre and destroyed them and burnt vp their citie In the same case it stands with vs at this day God the father hath maried his Sonne Iesus Christ to his Church at which he makes a great feast hee sends out his seruants the Ministers to call you by the word preached to inuite you to come to the Sacraments in which there is not onely offered but reallie giuen to the worthie receiuer al the benefits that Christ hath purchased for his elect Now if wee contemne despise or wilfullie neglect his gratious kindnesse and bounteous liberalitie to vs herein preferring the things of this life before these heauenlie blessings what can we expect but that iustlie hee will send out hardnesse of heart and impenitencie of soules vtterlie to destroy and damne vs for euer The reasons why so many set heauenly things at a small rate valew and lightly esteeme them are Reas 1 First because the immoderate loue of earthly things will keepe all loue of heauenly things out of their hearts 2. Iohn 2.15 To which end the Apostle saith If any man loue the world the loue of the father is not in him Giuing vs to vnderstand that such as haue their minds and hearts fixed on the things of this life cannot performe any seruice to God which hee will delight in according to the saying of our Sauiour Christ No man can serue two Masters Luke 16 1◠hee cannot serue God and Mammon As if hee should haue said hee that sets his heart on the things pertaining to this life cannot but make light account of the things pertaining to the life to come Gen. 3.14 The world is said to carrie two breasts in her bosome which are pleasure and profit by which she doth nourish many to damnation When God did curse the Serpent in paradise for a signe of his curse he told him he should goe vpon his bellie so it is a visible signe of Gods curse vpon that man who hath his heart set on the earthlie things of this life as his monie his riches his vanitie c. Reas 2 A second reason is because they feele not the need they stand in of spirituall things they are like vnto the people which the Prophet Hosea speakes of who being called to repentance Hosea 12.8 say they be rich and haue found them out riches yea they boast there is no iniquitie to be found in them by which they doe measure the fauour of God vnto them by their outward prosperitie The like is set out by the Laodiceans in the Reuelation Reuel 3.16.17 who being threatned for their luke-warmenes answere they be rich and encreased with goods and had need of nothing and yet were wretched poore blind and naked All which sets downe the reason many preferre earthly things before heauenlie because they feele no need they haue of them but flatter their hearts with their outward prosperitie whenas if euer God doe open the eies of their minds they shall see they bee most wretched poore blind and naked So that in their vnregenerate estate as the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 2.14 they cannot see the need they stand in of heauenly things Daily experience we may see hereof in many amongst vs who if you offer them any temporall commoditie belonging either to the backe bellie or pleasure how readie they be to hearken to you and runne and ride with you in hope to benefit their estate But offer the same men any spirituall commoditie for their soules as hearing the word receiuing the Sacraments or some worthie bookes to reade and meditate vpon they turne a deafe eare and will bee at no paines or cost to entertaine such an offer and all because they feele not the need they haue thereof in their soules Reas 3 A third reason is because they feele no sweetnesse in them Gods children are rauished with them which
whē he had gotten thirtie pence for a kisse but when hee came to see that he had sold his saluation for mony he was so wounded in his conscience Mar. 27.34.5 that hee could not rest till hee had bought a halter and hanged himselfe And so will bee the state of all prophane men when the crust of their conscience is remooued and they come to see their wofull change Prou. 6.33 they shall find as the holy Ghost faith in the case of adulterers he shall find a wound in his soule that without repentance shall neuer be put out The reasons hereof are Reas 1 First because the noblest parts of their soules are drowned their iudgements their minds their willes and affections all which time their conscience lies asleepe But when God either by his word or iudgements awakes them their conscience starts vp and flies in their faces and they say to their sinne 1. King 21.20 as Ahab said to Eliah Hast thou found me O thou mine enemie And so howeuer men can so lightlie sell away Gods blessings at so base a rate yet the sinne of prophanenesse will find them out in the end Reas 2 A second reason hereof is Iudg. 17. because hereby God will haue thē to iustifie him in his iudgements and say with Adonibezek that God hath iustly rewarded thē for their prophanenesse And how doth this daily fall out in many who in time of Gods hand on them crie out vpon the losse of time that they had no better grace then to sell away their soules for pleasure idlenesse pastime and vanitie Yea is it not the crie of all condemned persons vpon the gallowes to crie out of their graceles prophaning the Lords Sabbath Psalm 51.4 Thus will the Lord be iust when he speakes and pure when he iudgeth So that howeuer prophane men flatter themselues in their owne eies yea and pleade for their sinne Psalm 36.2 yet as the holy Ghost saith their iniquitie wil find them out And though they thinke that monie well gained and that time well spent that is gotten with the losse of godly exercises yet shall they come one day to iustifie the Lord when their prophanenesse shall find them out Let vs come to the vses to be made hence Vse 1 And first it serues for a terror to those that doe burie their soules in the things of this life as it is to be feared too many doe in this Citie who like Esau yea worse than Esau sell away in contempt many godly exercises on this day at a lower and baser rate than he solde his birth right he had some thing but they nothing but a little pleasure that God knoweth soone vanisheth away Iudas solde his Master for thirtie pence but there are many thirties in this Citie that will sell thirtie Sermons for lesse than thirtie pence Let vs come to a more neare examination of our selues and trie how guiltie wee are herein And this will appeare more plaine by setting down such things as laide open Esaus contempt of his birthright The first was his willingnesse to part from it and to bee without it hee neuer stood long debating the matter with his brother but well content to depart with it And so at this day amongst vs how many are there that willingly cheerefully can be content to be without the preaching of the word and shroud themselues where it is wanting how it stands with you be Iudge your selues But I know in diuers places of the Countrie many of our Gentlemen can well bee content to put vp with quarter sermons yea to starue their soules and commit the keeping of them to those who be more fitter for a beetle and a wedge then for any office in the Ministerie yea further they thinke too great a paines and too much toile to ride but two miles on the Lords day for the food of their soules when the same men cannot bee content vnlesse they haue two or three meales the same day for the pampering of their bodies let such know herein he shewes himselfe a prophane man The second thing Esau shewed his contempt in was his parting with it at so base a price For was it euer read of any the sold such a pretious treasure at so low a rate which was as before you haue heard the inheritance of his father Isaac and grandfather Abraham yea the holy and faithfull promises of God chiefly the kingdome of heauen and all for a messe of pottage We do greatlie wonder at this and no maruell Yet there are amongst vs that sell away the couenant and promises made to them in Iesus Christ at a lesse rate then a messe of pottage which they doe account a trifle And what canst thou make of thy pleasure pastime walking in the fields idlenesse sleeping and I tell thee they are farre worse then pottage in respect of heauenly things Is not this a wonderfull thing that men created after the image of God and specially to aduance his honor should no more esteeme of the precious pearles offered to them out of the Gospell then swine doe of Iewels like the Gadarens that esteeme more of their pigges then preaching And like little children that esteeme more their rattles and bables then they doe a bagge of gold As euen experience shewes in many in this your Citie that can walke in the streetes and by the Church doores and see the Preacher in the Pulpit yet in contempt can passe by preferring some worldlie matters before the pearle of the Gospell Obiect It may be some may obiect and say If they doe they be honest men they goe I warrant you about no vnhonest action Answ To which I answere Say they bee so and say they doe not So I may say that Esaus eating of his pottage was in it selfe no vnhonest or vnlawful act yet if with Esau they doe in their hearts preferre their walking or their busines before these holy meetings it argues their contempt to Gods ordinance and spots them with prophanenes The third thing wherein he shewed his contempt was the addition he made in parting with it which was that vpon the demand of Iacob his brother to him for it Why saies he Loe I am almost dead what is then this birthright to mee How like to this in effect are the speeches of many of our swaggerers at this day Come say they let vs bee merrie whilest wee may Sorrow hang sorrow when wee bee dead all the world is dead with vs. Another sort in seeing Christians out of an honest heart goe to the Church to heare the word which is the food of their soules let them take their Sermons to themselues and the diuell giue them good of them for I will haue my pleasure in despight of their hearts and I will take the time whilest I may But God will one day waken the consciences of such prophane men and it will wound and grieue them at their hearts that they had