Angels hath given this priviledge unto mâ—n He may take his choise whether he will be judged Here or Hereafter by himself or by another God hath made us all Châ—ncelours â—n our own Causes with this proviso That if we will deal truly and impartialâ—y with our selves that is if we will Summon our selves to â—ppear before our selves arraign our selves before the Tribunal of our own Consciences and there Examine Indite convict and condemn our selves we shall not come into any further condemnation If we would judge our selves we should not be judged of the Lord. But if we will not judge our selves we must stand or fall according to the Sentence of another Most Certain it is that we must all appear before the Iudgement seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad S Iohn in a vision saw the dead small and great stand before God and the books were opened and another book was opened which was the book of life and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works They are Books in the plural that shall be opened The Book oâ— Nature The Book of the scripture The Book of Conscience And out of these books several accuâ—…ons will be framed The Divel that Grand acâ—useâ— will sâ—and soâ—th and plead against us The abused Creature will accuse us of excesse and luxurie The souls of the holy martyrs will 〈◊〉 us with oppression and blood guâ—…iâ—…e The Sacred Oracles of God will 〈◊〉 â—s with infidelâ—ty aâ—d Contempt and our own guilty Consciences instead of pleading for us will give up a verdict against us The only way thâ—n to supersede the judgement of that day is to call our selves to an account beforehand To agree with our adversary quickly whilst we are in the way lest we be delivered up unto the Iudge and the Iudge send us to that prison from whence there is no Redemption To riâ—le every cranny and coâ—ner of our hearts To bring sorth our murthering lusts our bosom Traytors and to use them as Ioshua did the five Kings that were hid in the cave of Makkedah that is set our feet upon their necks and slay them in the sight of all the world And this if we do we shall not fail of such a part in the first Resurrection as will secure us from the blow both of the second death and second judgement also So that it is in our own choise who shall pass sentence upon us whether our own selves or else some other person And what shall we be able to say for our selves in that great and terrible day of the Lord why the sentence of eternal death should not pass upon us when God hath given us the space of 10 20 30 40 50 60 years for the performance of so easie a task so reasonable a service and we have not done it We see with what malicious dexterity and boldness blood-thirsty and deceitful men manage the Tryals and desâ—gn the executions of persons of the highest quality and merit but how cold how dull and indisposed in enquiring after the guilt of their own wretched souls Certainly such men as they may be thought to be strongly infected with this disease of Infatuation so it may be feared they are very far removed out of the way of their recovery who have so much of other arens so little of their own guilt before their eyes A Cure then ye see there is for the Infauated soul and the first step to that Bethesda pool which cureth all diseases is by a descent of humiliation But do not mistake your selves It is not every sâ—gh or sad look no nor every tear that concludes a solid humiliation for sin There is a great difference between an humble man and a man that is humbled there are many of us God help us that are humbled and driven into great straits and extremities persons that have lived in their own Countries with great charity and hospitality towards others that have neither what to eat nor wherewithal to be clothed themselves And yet I fear were our purses as full of silver as our hearts are full of sin we should soon find the way to our former pride and luxury Physitians are wont to cure vomiting by a vomit and bleeding by letting of blood And truly the best cure I can prescribe for all our secular sorrows is by adding more sorrow and compunction for our sins then I fear resides in our dejected spirits I have dwelt long enough upon the severeâ— part of the Cuâ—e it may be demanded of me what are the messages of the Gospel to be delivered by Boanerges the sons of thunder Sure the world has â—ore then enow of such that take a great deal of pains to bring men unto Hell gaâ—eâ— by representing unto them the horrors of a damned Condition and the iâ—reâ—overable Estate of all the world besides themselves but then their Art fails them in bringing them back again They can bring the soul into a deep dejection but they know not how to raise it again They are good at the Corrasive but to seek in the application of the Cordial Like our Refoâ—mers in England they are deâ—…erous in pâ—lâ—ing down but they know not how or what to build in the place of it These are ignorant if not â—ll natured Physitiansâ— that please themselves with wounding when they know not how to heal make work for their own mercinary and adulterate Art to practise on shaping their Cures too often accordâ—ng to their incouragements and though they will not sell the gifts yet they can find a way to sell the Comforts of the Holy Ghost for mony and advantage Now in the Samaritans Cure of the wounded man that fell among hâ—eves as he journied from Ierusalem to Iericho we find two ingredients wine and oyle not wine alone or oyle alone but both first wine to search afterwards oyl to supple Thus when S. Peter sound his auditory pricked in their hearts he presently applies an Evangelical Cordial and tells them that the promise was made unto them and unto their children even as mâ—ny as the Lord should call Thus S. Paul directs the Church at Corinth to deliver up the incestuous person to Satan for the destruction of the flesh but it was for no other end but that the spirit might be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus For the Churches censure having humbled him he writes a second Epistle to the same Church both to forgive him and to comfort him lest perhaps he be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow And indeed the more we are broken with sorrow and contrition the more firm and compacted shall we find our confidence and assurance in Gods mercy For though self-humbling be the certain fruit and effect of faith yet faith is not so clear and conspicuous till repentance hath scoured off the rust but
Or what difference between those that then drew their swords in approbation of that horrid fact and those that now draw their swords in defence of those visible betrayers and murtherers sure if there be any difference the last are by much the deeper delinquents for Non semper corrupta est mens male operantis at semper corrupta est male defendentis The mind of him that worketh evil is not alwaies corrupt but the mind of him that defendeth evil is alwaies corrupt And the reason why this sin is so fearful and desparate is because when a man commends and justifies a wickedness knowing it to be such its a certain signe that his judgement and conscience are both corrupted insomuch that he hath neither eys to seâ— it nor heart to be touched with the guilt and horror of it But you l say perhaps our hearts did ever abhor the taking away the last Kings life for I instance in that only as the most notorious addition to all other evils and were our hearts legible at present it would be seen how zealous we are for setling the present King in his just power and authority But alas we are under the grasp of an Arbytrarie power and if we were not what can single endeavors do These I presume are the thoughts of some of you for I have heard them from your own mouths Truly you have great reason to do somthing extraordinary for your King if for no other reason but to out do what you have done but I have great reason to suspect your minds do but faintly incline this way for quid verba audiam cum facta videam what do you speak of plausible intendments and desires wrapt up in smooth words when your actions look clean another way If you have executed the Lords command saith Samuel to Saul what meaneth the bleating of sheep and lowing of oxen in mine ears If your hearts are as you pretend what means the noise of your drums and thunder of Cannon at Sea in opposition and defiance of your Kings Commissions what means the changing your Flags and razing your Soveraigns Arms out of your Sterns in detâ—station of his government These to my apprehension are strange characters of loyalty in Subjects And such as speak more devotion to Cesars picture in his Coyn then to his Person or Power Adoring that new minted Mammon of your new masters in which were the cross once a mark of the Beast changed into a pair of Gallows or into the Divels cloven foot would yet I fear find too warm a receptiâ—n in too many of you It is thought by many wise men that had not you been the first and fiercest of the Kings enemies the Royal Throne had been established and the Kingdom setled long ere this And I beseech you look well to it for if the kingdoms miseries increase for want of its natural Shepherd which is more then probable 't is because you have taken away the wooden bridge that should convey him into his Dominions and certainly the guilt of all the sad consequents which shall arise upon the want of him will one day be laid at your Cabbin dores But men must live in that calling wherein God hath placed them and provide for their families or be concluded worse then Infidels 1 Tim. We cannot with all our endeavours sayl against wind and Tide the current of the Times is strong and he that spits against the wind spits in his own face Well let all this be granted and what else can be alledged to this purpose and yet that maxime and conclusion of Solomon shall stand in force He that justifieth the wicked and he that condemneth the just even they both are an abomination to the Lord Prov. 17. 15. And that Precept of Moses shall out-live all the changes of the world Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil Exod. 23. 2. It was never good world since things have been carried all by Votes and they that pretend to act what they do by vertue of a Power derived from the People do most of all abuse the People making them speak as the Divel did the Heathen Oracies or as Friar Bacons brazen head i. e. what is most serviceable to their own ends In an Age so miserably corrupted and depraved the major part is seldom found to be the melior And he that designs himself always to the strongest side will certainly be involved in the broad way which leadeth to destruction Mat. 7. When you sayl together in a fleet your Art instructs you as you are Sea men not to sayl as others do at random but that every man steer according to his own Compass and sure as you are Christians and in your voyâ—ge toward the Haven of eternal happiness Religion obligeth you to steer not as oâ—hers do but according to the direction of your own Consciences guided by the infallible compass of Gods Word he that does otherwise runs an irrecoverable hazard and it is not by choice but by chance if he get safe to shore And as touching the support of your families as he is worse then an Infidel that provides not for those of his own house by his lawful and honest endeavours so he is no better then an Insidel that stands in such aw of the Divel as with the Indians to worship him ne noceat that he may not hurt him and out of a secret disbelief of the divine Providence and goodness puts himself upon hellish and unwarrantable ways for support and advantage You know who it was that said all these things will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me And though the times should prove so severe and particular as to some mens designs that S. Johns Prediction should be verifi'd among us viz. that no man might be allowed to buy or sell orto have the benefit of the Law save he that had the mark of the Beast in his right hand and that as many as would not worship the image of the Beast should be killed Rev. 13. 15. c. yet those who are not irrecoverably sold to their secular respects and interests shal do well to remember that serious expostulation of our Saviour What shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul And therefore the rule is fixed in the next verse Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed when he cometh in the glory of his Father with his holy Angels Mat. 8. 36. Sure I am that notwithstanding all our bustling after the trash of this world we shall carry nothing beyond the grave but our Consciences unless some certain woes and curses contracted by the voluntary deserâ—ion of our dearest friends our Conscienâ—es Among which those of the Prophet Habbakâ—c will certainly have their share Wo to
forme their visions as some men do their prognostications according to the humour palate and unstedinesse of these times Now if the trumpet give an uncertain sound who shall prepare himself unto the battel If the Prophets steer according to the people 1. Cor. 14. 8. who shall be the peoples guides If the blind lead the blind both must certainly fall into the ditch God commanded the Prophet Isaiah to record it unto â—ll posterity That his people were a rebellious people lying children and such as would not hear the law of the Lord Why What was the reason because they took upon them to prescribe unto the Prophets saying unto the Seers see not aâ—d to the Prophets prophesie not unto us right things speak unto us smooth things prophesie deceipt The people were therefore said to be incorgible because they were resolved to entertain no Prophets but such as should varnish over their foul spots with fair pretenses and scratch the itch of their rebelliouâ— humour In the Prophet Ieremies time there was the same combination agreement between the Prophets and the people and that this was no slight provocation observe what a black mark the holy Ghost sets upon it A wonderful and horrible thâ—ng is committed in the â—and The Prophetâ— prophesie falsly and the Priests bear rule by their Ier. 5. 30. 31. means and my people love to have it so and what will ye do in the end thereof And as this evil reâ—gned under the Law so that it should reâ—gne also under the â—ospel we have S. Pauls expresse prediction The time will come saith he that men wil not endure sound doctrine but 2. Tim. 4. 3. after their own lusts wil heap unto themselves teachers having itching ears All Scripture is written for our Instruction These smooth Prophets are the great Lwâ—inaries or rather Idols of our Age and Nation adored and magnified by the blind unsteddy multitude for no other reason that I can imagine but for their sympathizing correspondency in blindness and inconstancy And truly if there be any light at all in them 't is certainly the light of the glo-worm or rotten-wood rather seems then is so by reason of the great darknesse wherein we are involved Oâ— rather like those pernicious and misguiding lights that cause a man to wander out of his way which we call Ignis Fatuus and Ignis Lambens one of which you may fan and drive before you which way you please and the oâ—her will follow â—ou which way soever you part the ayr Both are ductible and pliant unto your will and both will lead you out of your way and cary you you know not where These I call the peoples Prophets whose doctrines are so loose and Independent that you know not where to have them and yet you have them at every turn That steer in their prophesyings somtimes according to the sense and dictate of a secular Councel or Committee somtimes according to the face and Aspect of a Cyfer Assembly somtimes according to the successe and atchievements of a traiterous and bloody Military Combination somtimes according to the Itch and enclinations of their blind â—olâ—owers by whom they subsist Thus instead of squaring the Christians practise by the precepts of Gods word which every wise and regular builder ought to do they have borrowed a trick from Rome to mint their doctrines and cases of conscience as may be most serviceable to their particular designs and Interests And I could wish they had borrowed only their fine spun Artifices from that Conclave their Sophismes and distinctions from the leâ—uâ—te and not by their wilde and confused principles have invited the very persons of Priests and Iesuites to incorporate and co-operate with them in their pernicious and destructive designs For it is most certain that these subtile and busie factors have not only plowed with our heifers in their private Assemblies bur with the Calves of the people also those Bulls of Basan or rather Buls of Belial whom pride Ambition and Covetousnesse have rendered impatient of any yoke of Government or of being confined to any Inâ—…oâ—ure The phrase is not inâ—ollerable since it is the Holy Ghosts own Dialect the one is Sampsons Iudg. 14 18. The other the Psalmists Psal 68 30. But to return to the Peoples Prophets To say nothing of the unmeâ—surable Coveâ—eousnesse and notorious Non-residence of those men who in other times were the fiercest declamers against these foul sins Nor of their bottomlesse malice against their fellow Labourers Making a man a Delinquent for a word and laying snares for him that impartially Isa 29. 21. reproveth in the gates I shall passe by their injuries unto men and only take notice of their injurious dealing and prevarication with the word of God and consequently with God himself and that in two respects First in their misâ—nterpreting of Scripture and secondly in their misapplying of Scripture in both which respects they have added much to the boldnesse and presumption of the Hereticks of old and the present Church of Rome they so much declame against To produce some few instances of many and first concerning their misinterpreting of Scripture If Barack were the supreme Magistrate in Israel and Meroz were Cursed for not coming in to his assistance in a day of great extremity and hazard I wonder with what faâ—e our Prophets could so unanimously concur in making use of that Text a Iudg. 5. 23. to incite subjects to take arms against their Soveraign If Peter were reprehended by Christ for drawing a sword in defence of the most innocent cause and person thâ—t ever appeared in the world it is very strange that of all other instances that should be made use of to strengtâ—…n the doctrine of resisting the lawful Magistrate It was a strange piece of confidence to my apprehâ—nsion in the Presbyterian party to turn those Cannons or Cannonical Texts upon the Army and their adherents a See the letter subscribed by some of the London Ministers not long before the Kings murther which they would never take notice of whilst they were planted against themselves I my self have heard out of the pulpit a passionaâ—e Declamation b Master Grenhil at Stepney against all Ceremonies whatsoever and the Textalledged to prove the damnablenesse of them hath been only that Rev. 22 18. For I testifie unto every man that heareth the words of the prophesie of this book if any man shall add unto these sayings God shall aâ—…t unto him the plagues that are written in this book As if the institution of a Ceremonâ—e â—r Circumstance without which no external worship can be performed without which no Church on earth ever dâ—d or any assembly of men can appear in the Publike worship and sâ—rvice of God were an Addition to the prophesie of that Book or to the Doctrinal part of the Holy Scriptures I wish from my heart these men were â—n this particular as innocent as the Ceren
their own head Before they would not preaâ—h or pray according to duty and câ—nscienâ—e but as the current of the times enclined them â—nd now they cannot at least I 'm sure they dare not For as it was decreed in our Saâ—iours time That if any man shâ—uld consess Christ â—e should be put out of the Synagogue so if any man shall now preach or pray for K. Châ—…s II. aâ— his undoubted lawful Soveraâ—gn he shall not bâ— put out of the Synagogue or Assembly but out of the woâ—ld too if he look not the better to it So thâ—t â—ur desolâ—te and decayed Jerusalâ—… having drunk at the hand of the Lorâ— the cup of his fury the dregs of the câ—p of trembling may justly complain wiâ—h the Prophet Isaiah That there is none or at least very few to Isa 51. 17 18. guide â—er among all the sons that she hath brougâ—t fortâ— neither is there any thaâ— taketâ— her by the hand of all the sons that shâ— hath brought up But instead of miniâ—tring any comfâ—rt or advice in the day of her calamity the leaders of the peopâ—e have caused them to err and they Isa 9. 16. that are led of them are destroyed Thâ— truth is the unparallâ—ld mischief which these blind leaders of the blind havâ— done â—he strange boldnesse wherein tâ—ey have proceeded together with the general belief and adherence of the peoâ—le haâ—h enforced me to dwell so lonâ— upon so roâ—ten and corrupted a suâ—ject But I shall now leave these prophets to their repentance and a sincere detestation of their deep impiety only I shall make some short use of it in reference and relation to our selves And now having given you an ample discovery of the fâ—lse prophets of these irregular times I suppose you are highly enraged and incensed against them you look upon them as the firebrands of hell the causers of all our miseries that no punishment can be severâ— enough for such pernicious instruments and what would you not do to bring them to condigne punishment but foft Jam. 1. 20. and fair The wrath of man worketh not the righteousnes of God Though I have not spared them in painting them out in their proper colours yet so far am I from incensing the people or any kind of authority against them that I shal desire conjure both the one and the other to quarrel with themselves the corruptions of their own bosoms as with the just and natural cause of the insincerity and depravity of their prophets Two ways God was wont to expresse his displeasure against his people in respect of prophets Somtimes by sending them no Prophets This was the ground of the Psalmists complaint concerning the desolation of the Sâ—nctuary They have burnt up all the houses of God in the land we see not our tokens there is not one Prophet more among us Ps 74. 8 9. Somtimes by suffering them to be abused and deluded by false Prophets For as in the Civil Government in the multitude of Councellors and laws Prov. 11. 14. there may be peace aâ—d safety so in the multitude of Councellorâ— and laws there may be a snare and a curse upon a people for they may be mercenary Councellors such as Ezra speaks of Ezr. 4. 5. they may be Stâ—tuta insalubria such as Ezekiel speaks of So is it in the church Ezek. 20. 25. in respect of her Prophâ—ts it is not the number but the quality of them that is to be looked after It was a promise of great mercy which God made unto his people by the Prophet Jeremy I will give you Pastors according to mine heart which shall feed you with knowledge Jer. 3. 15. understanding Not Pastors according to to your heart that had been a judgement but Pastors according â—o my heart As good no Pastors as no good Pastors nay better no labourers then pernicious labourers in the Lords vinyard The paucity and insincerity of Prophets are both alike the judgement of God upon a people Now this is to be laid for a grâ—und That the corruption and insincerity of the Prophets under the just anger of God takes it rise from the corruption and insincerity of the people So that to come to the root of our errors and miscarriages it is most certain that before ever the seducer got into the pulpit or to the tableâ— end there was a more dangerous seducer gotten into the heart In one man avarice was a concealed preacher to the soul in another ambitioâ— in a third discontent in a fourth revenge in a fist pride and a desire of goverment in a sixt novelty and a desire of change of government in some one in some more in some all of these in some more then all of these like the seven divels in Mary Magdalen kept the intire possession of the soul so that our hearts being seasoned and preparâ—d by these and the like corrupt and vile affections it was very agreeable to the justice of God to give way that such Prophets should be sent among us as were most sutable to these particular itching humors and predispositions So that as in the natural constitution when the stomack is burdned with any noxious and offensive humor that is there predominant over other humors the Appetite being governed by that predominancy declines those meats which are most wholsom and nutritive and longs after those which are more unhealthy and destructive Just so is it with the spiritual appetite if that be wanton or corrupted by the malignity of any deliberate and resolved wickednesse it does neither approve nor digest the sincere milk of Gods word but loathing that Divine Manna it looks out for new devised meats and sauces that is in the Apostles phrase new fangled doctrines and opinions such as for their novelty or complyance are most palatable and pleasing to our corrupt and licentious enclinations Aeger animus falsa pro ver is videt This is that dangerous evil which the Sâ—ripture calls the setting up a stumbling block of iniquity in the heart whereof we have a clear and â—ncontroulable instance Ezek. 14. 3 Son of man these men have set up their idols in their heart and put the stumbling block of their iniquity before their faces should I be enquired of at all by them These men who were these men The Elders of Israel v. 1. Therefore the rule is set v. 4. Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart and putteth the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face and cometh to the Prophet I the Lord will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his Idols And if the Prophet be deceived at any time when he hath spoken a thing I the Lord have deceived that Prophet v. 9. â—nd wherefore is all this see v. 5 That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart that is in the snare of their own heart because they are