vnderstanding and so madly running thorow thicke and thinne thou art no fit witnesse But if Christ haue shined in thy soule by a new light and haue made thee come vnto thy selfe with the Prodigall and haue the vnderstanding of a man in thee then come to Gods Court I hope thine owne heart will not suffer thee to deceiue thy selfe by falshood 5 Fama Fiftly as in a witnesse is required good fame or credit for infamous persons are repelled and excepted against from witnessing especially in criminall causes so if thou be infamous for sluggishnesse like those who vse their bodies to the bone but seldome vse their consciences in any thing or for suffering thy power to be suppressed or thy office to be neglected then thou art more fit to be a slaue than a free-man to be sworne But if thou be of credit for speaking the truth amongst millions of lies and for thy daily imployment in thy office as in the sight and presence of God then thou hast Gods good leaue to speake and without question thy testimony will be admitted Sixtly as in a witnesse together with the former 6 Eâ— Fortuna is required a certaine estate and condition of life because poore men who are of base conditions may more easily be corrupted so if thou suffer thy selfe to be needie and hungrie after the things of the world and lose the honour of that selfe-sufficiencie whereby thou doest resemble God a purse-promise will easily spoile such a witnesse But if thou be kinne to the woman who hath the Moone at her feet and canst say with Iaacob I haue all things Apoc. 12. then thou wilt refuse gold and gaine to be a true witnesse at Gods Barre Lastly as in a witnesse religion is required 7 Fidâ—â— in testibus â—sta requires for an Infidell is not admitted against a Beleeuer so if thou beest not knit vnto God as the deputie of the faithfull Witnesse in heauen cursed is thy witnesse in this diuine Court But if God and thou doe walke together as two that are agreed and if thou doe so proceed according to the rule of Gods word as thou doest not condemne thy selfe in that which thou doest then speake on prosper with this thy glory which God hath giuen thee to be a witnesse in this Court and this thy power shall teach thee terrible things Striue O Conscience that thou maist haue all these qualifications This is the way so to doe thy office here that thou maist not be blamed hereafter Yea this is the way so to preserue thy selfe that thou shalt preserue thy owner I remember that Pythagoras was wont to giue this precept to his Schollers Not to taste of those things which had blacke tailes so let me say to the conscience of euery one here present take heed of the blacke taile of a drowsie conscience It may speake pleasing things for a time it not being qualified as before but at the last as a babbler said to a wise man of old O Philosopher I am troublesome vnto thee with my speech so shaâ—l conscience trouble our patiences and as we would account him miserable who hath a witnesse of his thoughts words and actions against the law of man much more will our consciences make vs miserable in witnessing our thoughts words and actions against the law of God Assumption Thus we haue heard these reasoning thoughts as a witnesse propounding the truth next we shall heare them as a Iurie applying the truth to the parties to be tried A Iurie within vs. And this it doth as an Assumption whence we note that In our selues there is a Iurie which will bring in a verdict concerning vs either of guilty or not guilty To open this I will shew you two points First that Conscience like a Iurie brings in the verdict of guilty vpon sinners And this is discouered vnto vs two waies First by word and secondly by worke By word thus Adonibezek said Iudg. 1.7 Seuenty Kings hauing the thumbs of their hands and feet cut off gathered bread vnder my table as I haue done so God hath rewarded me Iosephs brethren said We haue verily sinned against our brother Gen. 42.21 in that we saw the anguish of his soule when he besought vs and we would not heare him therefore is this trouble come vpon vs. Kain said Whosoeuer findeth me shall slay me Whence proceed these words but from the verdict of guilty which their coâ—sciences had brought in 2. Sam. 24.7 Iob 13.26 By worke thus Looke to Dauid and his heart smote him looke vnto Iob who possessed the sinnes of his youth Dan. 5.6 to Belshazzar whose countenâ—nce was changed his thoughts were troubled his ioynts were loosed and his knees smote one against another Act. 2.37 to the Iewes who were pricked at their hearts Act. 24.25 and to Foelix who trembled Whence proceed all these but from the power of Consciences verdict seeing they are euident signes that they were sicke of that worme which neuer dieth Mar. 9.46 Which power is giuen vnto conscience First in respect of conscience it selfe that it might iudicially proceed against a sinner and without a Iurie there is no Assize Secondly in respect of the wicked that they might haue soure sawce to their sweet sinnes and a heauy heart in the midst of laughter Is it reason that the wicked should carry away all the iollitie Thirdly in respect of the godly that they may be kept from sinne checked in sinne prepared for the feelings of comfort exercised in the knowledge of their owne weaknesse and be wrought more preciously to account of the comforts of the great perswader The second point to be shewed you is that conscience like a Iurie bringeth the verdict of not guilty vpon him that doth well Gen. 28. What was it that made Iaacob sleepe so sweetly when his head lay hardest in Bethel but this acquitting Iurie This made a feast in Iaacobs bosome Pro. 15.15 and whereas the guilty being rouzed and left to themselues haue a trembling heart and feare at the shaking of a leafe Deut. 28.65 Iaacob was as bold as a Lion Pro. 28.1 This made Paul so often appeale vnto his conscience Before the Iewes Act. 23.1 I haue in all good conscience serued God vnto this day Before Foelix Act. 24.16 I haue plotted to haue a cleare conscience towards God and man To the Romanes I say the truth in Christ I lie not Rom. 9.1 my conscience bearing me witnesse in the Holy Ghost To the Corinthians 2 Cor. 1.12 My reioycing is the testimonie of my conscience Heb. 13.18 To the Hebrewes We trust we haue a good conscience To make this yet more plaine doe but marke Paul his phrase of speech Dauids confidence and Gods childrens comfort Pauls phrase is this Phil. 4.7 The peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding What peace is this A peace in health wealth
conscience to doe its office without checke To disturbe Commissioners of what kinde soeuer Sedente Cuâ—ia while they sit doth aggrauate the Delinquents fault and hinder their speed in the businesse so is it in our not suffering conscience to worke Call we our selues therefore from all the imployments of this world examine we our hearts on our bed in our chambers and be still and then if our consciences acquit vs from all wilfull sinnes happy are we The third meanes is our not suffering our seruants to beare rule within vs that is our lusts passions affections desires and the like In a popular and heady tumult yee know it is a long time before a wise man can be heard As therefore when one perswaded Lycurgus that the gouernment might be committed to the people hee answered Doe thou first make triall in thy house giuing thy seruants the rule So let vs say to the Deuill labouring the rule of our affections and desires Beare thou no longer rule in the children of disobedience and suffer thy slaues to rule ouer thee first and then we will hearken vnto thee If the minde rule according to right and be not blinded and bribed by the Will and Affections then Conscience will worke but if the seruants rule then truly there will be no place for an Assize In the feare of God let vs vse these meanes to further this diuine worke that so as Pausanias said to a Physitian who told him all was well with him It is saith he because I vse not thee for my Physitian we may not say to our flattering consciences which tell vs all is well when all is amisse it is because I haue not thee for my Iudge We come now to the second generall proposition from these reasoning thoughts which is this We may pleade our cause before the barre of our consciences Gen. 3.9 Gen. 4.6.9 10. that We may reason out our cause before the barre of our Consciences For these reasonings here spoken of are within Hence is it that God said to Adam Where art thou and to Kain Why art thou wroth where is thy brother Abel what hast thou done To all which questions he could well enough answer himselfe but that he would haue them returne vnto their owne hearts Redire ad corda Luk. 15. and come vnto themselues as it is said of the prodigall and say I haue sinned against heauen and before thee and am no more worthy to be called thy sonne For want of this God complained and said Ier. 8.6 I harkned and heard and none spake aright no man repented him of his wickednesse saying What haue I done that is they did not reason out their cases with themselues To this Dauid exhorted the Courtiers of Saul Commune with your hearts Psal 4.4 and Dauid practised it himselfe saying Psal 42.5 Why art thou heauy ô my soule and why art thou disquieted within me yea and Christ sought to bring his Disciples to this when he said I haue chosen you twelue but one of you is a Deuill and againe One of you shall betray mee that they might say within themselues Is it I and Is it I And no doubt this was one cause why he said so often to Peter Louest thou me and that the Angell when Agar fled from her mistresse said vnto her Whence camest thou and whither goest that they should reason out their cases before their owne hearts and speed accordingly Vse Oh the goodnesse of God! How great hath he manifested it vnto vs euen in this particular For as hee hath not by this meanes left vs without a good way to goe to the knowledge of our selues Ego Rex meus that so we may neuer climbe to Wolsies stile I and my King but may feelingly descend to Pauls free confession I am the least of Saints the greatest of â—inners so also hath he not this way depriued vs of means to warne vs of our future estate If our hearts condemne vs God is greater therefore according to the reasonings within we shall know how we shall speed with God As Ionathan shot forth pricke-shafts to warne Dauid of the Kings â—ispleasure so conscience if we arraigne our selues before it will warne vs of the displeasure or fauour of God As we loue our selues therefore let vs not neglect this kindnesse on Gods part and dutie on ours We may easily find by experience the backwardnesse of our natures vnto it for let our hearts tell vs of any of our wandrings we put it off till another time as Foelix did Paul But will wee be so vnkind to our owne souleâ— We will talke with our friends with our acquaintance wiâ—h strangers yea and with our enemies why then shall wee not doe it with our selues Bee-masters tell vs that they are the bâ—st hiues which make the greatest noise so that is the best conscience which makes the greatest noise in this kinde If we neuer goe to bâ—d before wee haue parlied it out throughly with our hearts then as wee shall finde of our selues as Alexander said of Antipater that hee did weare white garments without and was purple within so we will giue God no rest till we find some confortable testimonie of our amendment As therefore Dauid said vnto Solomon Vp and be doing so let vs delaies breed danger if in any thing much more in this Stirre we therefore vp our hearts by considering these â—otiues First that by this meanes wee shall know how the case stands with vs that we may be helped in time When wee turne not our eye from him that is in misery but talke with him we are in the way throughly to know his case and the better prepared to make our hand to worke his good so when we will commune with our owne hearts In ordine ad salutem wee are in the way to our eternall helpe and good Secondly that by this wee shall know how God will deale with vs hereafter our consciences doe begin thâ— worke the God of our consciences will second and follow it O therefore forget it not begin this worke euen while yee are about this businesse reason with your hearts what yee goe about in whose presence and for whose sake yee execute these iudgements of God If your busie braines shall put you off and make you say to conscience as Saul to the Priest readie to sacrifice when his enemies were vpon him withdraw thy hand Remember as it is with men deepely in debt so long as they are busie and keepe their trading currant so long their creditors let them alone but when once they make fault then one partie after another and one writ vpon the necke of another creepes abroad in darknesse till they bee quite downe the winde so will it be with you and vs all when once the course of our liues makes default by affliction sicknes or death then our consciences will make one summons after another and giue vs no rest
whose corne and wine and oyle increase We shall stand againe before the God of our consciences for though he seeme to frowne and send afflictions and crosses and diseases and death Esai 38.3 yet as Hezekiahs Iurie gaue way to that comfortable prayer O Lord remember I beseech thee how I haue walked before thee with an vpright heart so will ours giue way to our comfortable grasping of God and his promise that we perish not in trouble Thus wee haue viewed these reasoning thoughts as a witnesse propounding the truth A Iudge within vs. and as a Iurie applying it to the parties to be tried we come now vnto it as a Iudge concluding Conclusion without all which three there can be no perfect reasoning Whence I offer this point to consider that Wee haue also in our selues vnder God our Iudges For hence is it that we are said to haue reasonings because as a Iudge wee both open the law that the witnesse may propound fit truths and as a Iudge we determine accordingly in the conclusion As it is with Princes and Kings who are the high Iudges of their kingdomes they haue Iudges vnder them by deputation to whom they commit their iudgements of God and allot their seuerall circuits so though God be the high Iudge of heauen and earth ouer the hearts and consciences of all men yet doth hee depute these inferiour Iudges in the circuit of euery mans brest to passe the conclusion and sentence of God Hence is it that Saint Iohn doth couple God and conscience in the selfe-same action of a Iudge 1 Iohn 3.20 If our hearts condemne vs God is greater then our hearts and knoweth all things To condemne wee know is an action of a Iudge and how good cause wee haue to account our consciences our Iudges will appeare if wee consider these three points First That sentence which is giuen by conscience is confirmed by God wee see that so soone as Adam had sinned though no man pursued him no Angell reproued him and the Lord was not yet come hee found himselfe condemned by the inward Iudge and when God came he ratified the same sentence But wee cannot thinke that God would confirme the sentence of a rebell who hath set himselfe in Gods throne to iudge without God Secondly Such is the maiestie and authoritie of conscience that it stands against all the world Looke as a good Iudge though all the world doe pleade against the truth yet he is for it and will not reuoke his iudgement so is it with conscience Therefore doth the Apostle set the sentence of conscience against the calumnies of all men saying 1 Câ—â—â—â— 4 I passe very little to be iudged by you or of mans iudgement no I iudge not my selfe for I know nothing by my selfe and so forth as if hee should say Yee are very forward in censuring mee both in respect of my gifts and faithfulnesse in my place I weigh your censures little though I will not be the preacher of my owne praise yet I tell you I know nothing by my selfe Thus conscience of his faithfulnesse did beare him out against the slanders of false Apostles Thirdly where conscience terrifieth no creature can comfort the pleasures of Paradise auailed not Adam when he was driuen to hide his head in a bush the pleasures of Canaan did Dauid little pleasure when he was driuen to cry out My sinne is euer before me All the delights of Babylon could not raise vp Belshazzars heart when the hand wrote Gods sentence against him on the wall and in his conscience If the Iudge condemne who shall absolue Excellent is that similitude which an ancient makes to this purpose A man condemned to die trieth his three friends to procure his pardon one saith I haue no grace with the King and therefore I can promise thee no such kindnesse yet this will I doe I will buy thee meat and drinke garments and musicke thou shalt want nothing that may giue thee content while thou art here All this is good and yet it contents not because the poore man wanteth a pardon The second answereth I know not how to get to the King but this I will doe I will bewaile thy miserable hap weepe for thy losse and attend thee to the court gates All this is good kindnesse and yet it contents not because the poore condemned man would haue a pardon The third saith Rest vpon my kindnesse I am one of the Kings fauourites and he will deny me nothing I will goe to the court and before the day of execution I will surely bring thy pardon sealed This is he this is the friend that will make the poore man out-face all his trouble because he answereth to the point indeed Behold the case is ours we are poor condemned wretches who must to hel without our pardon our three friends are the world wife children and kindred and a good conscience The world will prouide all necessaries for our bodies but not a pardon this is not purchased with a corruptible price of siluer and gold Wife and children will lament our losse and goe sighing and sobbing to the graue with vs but they leaue vs to our owne shifts for a pardon But a good conscience will make vs outstand all dangers it will procure our peace and our pardon As the world cannot helpe where conscience hurteth so the world cannot hurt where conscience helpeth Vse Thus wee haue considered this iudging power of conscience Oh that wee had hearts to doe our office to conscience and to presse our consciences to doe their offices to and for vs neither can bee done without our care yet we must doe both We must doe our office to conscience three waies First by praying to God for it Ye know that we must pray for them that are in authoritie ouer vs and shall conscience be neglected God forbid When there was no King in Israel ye know what disorders happened surely lesse or fewer doe not happen where conscience is not in full power Miserable is the condition of the inhabitants of Brasile Sine fide Sine lege Sine rege who are said to bee without religion without law without a King and they are no lesse wretched who are without this religious Iudge and gouernour conscience Therefore let vs pray for it that God would giue it that God would keepe it and keepe it tender that so wee may liue a quiet and comfortable life vnder it Secondly wee must doe our dutie to conscience by giuing it good words Yee know the Word of God Thou shalt not curse the ruler of thy people Oh that we could alwaies remember it in the case of conscience hee that buies with conscience sells with conscience rules with conscience obeies with conscience is commended euen of men that haue no conscience yet if conscience rule in any in the seruing of God and make them tremble at Gods precepts promises or threatnings and the like hee is but
be in Christ we are new creatures as I haue cleared what then must be our care but only to proue our selues to be new creatures that so we may assure our hearts that we are in him How we may proue our selues to be new creatures Yea but now you will say vnto mee How may I proue my selfe to be a new creature I answer Wee may doe it two waies First if we be cut off from the old stocke Secondly if we be grafted into the new 1 Wee must be cut off from the old stocke Ephes 2. The old stocke is Adam corrupted in whom we are by nature and in which condition wee are the children of wrath as much as the most cursed wretch in the world as he is borne and so dead in sinnes and trespasses Now from this stocke we must be cut off for as a sience must be cut off from one tree before it can be concorporated into another so we must be cut off from the wilde Oliue before wee can be planted into Christ If therefore wee can finde our selues to be cut off from the naturall root wherein we are by birth then we may secure our selues that wee are in a good way to be in Christ Perhaps you will say that heere is difficultie still for how shall I know that I am cut off from the old Adam I answer that through Gods blessing I shall giue you two manifest signes of it The first signe is taken from the cause of it 1 How we may know that wee are cut off from Adam Col 2.11 Dan. 2.45 which is God only As our circumcision is made without hands as Paul speaketh so must our cutting off be As our Sauiour Christ is that Stone which was cut out of the mountain without hands as Daniel speaketh so wee that are his members must be cut from the quarrie of Nature Of his owne will begat he vs by the word of truth saith Iames Iames 1.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 3.9 and we that are borne of God are borne not of blouds the highest prerogatiues that births can afford vnto vs cannot make vs more pretious with God nor of the will of the flesh all humane obseruation and outward righteousnesse attained vnto by the power and policie of man Phil. 3.6 7. can stead vs little with God nor the will of man heroicall gifts of wisdome valour noble spirits in which respect men of old haue beene called the sonnes of God which is translated The Sonnes of the Mightie cannot make vs any thing sooner deare to God but we are borne of God saith Iohn Psal 29.1 1 Cor. 1. Iohn 1.13 There are many men seeme to be cut off when they desist from the outragious sinnes of nature who yet are not in Christ because they are cut off with hands for the meanes to restraine them are some of these Sometimes their complexion pulleth them in cholericke Saul finding his opportunitie threw his jaueline at Dauid he would haue writ the malice of his heart in bloud but sanguine Dauid though hee had his opportunitie tooke but Sauls water-pot Speare and lap of his garment and that iustly with touch of Conscience also Though Dauid fell into murther in temptation thinking so to couer his sinne Sometimes Natures impotencie pulleth them in to some sinnes are required the courage of a Lion to some the craft of a Fox to some comelinesse to some strength to some the heat of youth to some the experience of age and the like In any of which when Nature is defectiue there is a restraint Sometimes they are pulled in by knowledge when a man is not giuen vp to a reprobate minde hee seeth dutie and comelinesse and is restrained from thence As some know their masters will and doe it not so there are others that do it not because they are ignorant whereas if they had knowledge but according to that light which Nature can afford it would be a bridle Sometimes they are pulled in by prosperitie He that hath enough will not steale and if he sometimes doe steale by oppression bribery vsury or the like so much the greater is his sinne by how much more violently God pulled him baâ—ke by taking away the cause Sometimes they are restrained by aduersitie Hee that is poore cannot exercise the outward acts of pride he cannot ordinarily ambitiously climbe to honour hee cannot be actually couetous in keeping seeing he hath not what to keepe So that in these cases his pouertie is a bridle Sometimes they are held in by Education and imployment A Citizen will carry himselfe more grauely in habit complement and conuersation than a Courtier for his credit sake and who seeth not that imploiment doth hold backe from many sinnes Vellem si non of sem imperator Scipio could say when an Harlot was offâ—red vnto him I would haue her if I were not a Gouernour Sometimes they are restrained by the power of naturall conscience for though it bee much wounded and weakened in the offices of it yet euen naturall men cannot be rid of those blowes which it doth giue in secret In which respect they haue beene and are kept from many sinnes made knowne from the light of nature Sometimes againe they are restrained and pulled backe by policie because they might the better conceale and couer their aimes and intentions Thus was Iezabel restrained from the open murther of Naboth and of Haman it is said Hester 5.10 that though he was full of indignation yet he refrained himselfe All these bridles we may obserue to be in the hand of Nature to restraine Or thus These eight kniues are in Natures pocket to cut vs off from the old stocke But all this is but a seeming cutting off for it doth but cut off from the outward practise of sinne it weakneth not the root one iot The habits of sinne are no lesse powerfull the will no lesse willing the affections no lesse vehement and the desires no lesse violent Vnder all these Nature sinneth not either because Nature cannot or because Nature dare not and not because there is disabilitie either in the seeds and spâ—wne of sinne or in a willingnesse to sinne if it either could or durst Durst I say because naturall conscience may plie a man with club-law and awe him from that which with all his heart he would be doing But now on the contrarie when our cutting off is wrought without hands and is such as Nature with all her bridles and kniues cannot reach vnto then we doe not only desist from the practise of sinne but we doe weaken the power of sinne wee doe not only not commit sinne bâ—cause we cannot or dare not but because we will not And though sometimes through the power of the flesh fighting against the spirit in our mindes wills affections and desires we are against our wills ouer-taken with sinne yet because sinne doth defile vs who are the temples of God and doth
A HAND OF FELLOWSHIP TO HELPE KEEPE OVT SINNE AND ANTICHRIST In certaine Sermons preached vpon seuerall occasions By ROBERT ABBOT Preacher of Gods Word at Cranebrooke in KENT LONDON Printed by John Haviland for Nathaniel Butter 1623. DAVIDS DESIRES THE ASSIZE AT HOME VPON PSALME 27.4 By ROBERT ABBOT LONDON Printed by John Haviland for Nathaniel Butter 1623. ¶ The principall Contents of the Booke following are 1 DAVIDS Desires from PSALME 27.4 wherein we are perswaded to desire the ordinary means of saluation and to be true members of the true Church wherein we may vse them 2 The Assize at Home from IAMES the 2.4 wherein all are perswaded to hearken to the voice of Conscience that all things may go well both in the Church and Common-wealth 3 The hid man of the heart from the 2 COR. 4.17 wherein we are directed in the triall of our spirituall estates that so we finding our death to sinne and life in grace may assure our hearts that we haue right in Christ 4 A preuenter of Securitie from 1 PETER 4.7 wherein we are perswaded to watch both against Popish doctrine and wicked liuing in these last and perillous times 5 The new mans new life from GAL. 2.20 wherein both our cursed death in sinne is discouered that we may be wounded for it and our life in grace is opened that we may reioyce in it and seeke to nourish it 6 The triall of True Religion from IAMES 1.27 wherein we are perswaded to be of a Religion and are taught by easie triall to see the truth of our Religion and the falshood of the Romish Apostasie TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL SIR THOMAS ROBERDS Knight and Baronet and to the Lady FRANCES his faithfull yoke-fellow Grace mercy and peace from God our Father and our Lord Iesus Christ by the Holy Ghost RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL IF I may be bold to looke so high I dare looke no higher than your selues in this my dedication Were I able to bring forth a birth worthy of a higher countenance to whom should I offer it but vnto my Lords Grace of Canterbury from whom I haue receiued all my worldly maintenance vnder whom I doe enioy all my best earthly countenance and at whose lips I haue receiued such most fatherly incouragements both to take heed to reading and to doctrine and also to pray to God morning and euening that God may be my God when I least dreame of him as I hope I shall neuer be backward to acknowledge alwaies ready to make vse of to the improuement of those spirituall graces wherewith through Gods gracious gift I came into this Country But I neuer yet could so ouerweene my owne abilities as to thinke their fruit worthie of such a patronage If I seeme not too presumptuous in what I doe I hope I neuer shall in what I might doe It is my ioy and my reioycing that within mine owne circle God hath raised me vp such friends as will not easily take in ill part my louing rudenesse towards them Some few yeeres experience makes this good of your worthy selues who haue so faithfully shewed your selues friends so cheerefully auditors and so patiently giuen me leaue both publikely and priuately to stirre vp your willing minds that I cannot entertaine the least doubt of your kinde embracings of this poore acknowledgment of my thankfulnesse vnto you I remember what Socrates did reply to Aeschines his scholler when being poore he tooke it to heart that he was not able to gratifie him his Master as others did Annon intelligis quà m magnum munus mihi dedisti nisi fortè teipsum parvi aestimas Doest thou not know saith Socrates how great a gift thou hast giuen me belike thou accountest thy selfe little worth Implying that he accounted his gift though poore more precious than theirs who were rich because they had giuen him of theirs he had giuen him himselfe Right thus doe I iudge the case to be betweene your Worships and my selfe It may trouble me that I haue no better to giue but I know it contents you that I giue my selfe to wit my presence to your persons my prayers for your estates and my vttermost abilities in the execution of my weake ministerie for the eternall good of your with all my deare peoples soules A taste of this I offer vnto you in these two Sermons which were first made publike at two Assizes by the ioynt request of you both next are made publike in Print by mine owne offer desire of the good of Gods Church God giue them acceptance in the eies of his people I doe not looke that they should finde a like entertainment amongst all My aime is to warme the hearts of my deare Countrymen whereto if the force of my poore sparke will not extend my neerer aim◠is to doe good vnto my flocke which yet if I cannot reach my neerest aime is to shew my selfe thankfull vnto you both and aboue all to set forth the honour of God in awaking conscience and wooing and winning desires to this his true Church Busie are the aduersaries of our common mother the Church of England to gaine appetites and affections to Rome Many words are thought too few much eloquence too little and the rowling of all stones not enough to this end If therefore Croesus his dumbe sonne could speake when he saw one offering violence to his father Homo ne intersicias Croesum saying O man kill not Croesus then no maruell if we that are speaking sonnes of our deare Mother doe plead her cause and redeeme her credit from the slander of strangers yea of her vnnaturall children It was a militarie law of old that the souldiers who had not killed an enemie should not be girded with a girdle but with an halter and surely me thinks the law were good to be executed vpon them who haue not maintained the Church their mother as they are able To auoid this censure I haue done my best as I could in a word and if I meet with a heauier censure for doing what I haue than if I had done nothing my comfort is that I haue vsed my talent with an honest heart and therefore am not altogether out of hope that I may be a little blast in Gods mouth a little to consume the Man of Sinne in them that cannot search either more large or learned bookes There is but one thing aboue the rest which breedeth preiudice in mens minds and keeps them from making vse of our writings and that is this A politike perswasion by cunning leaders that we preach a new doctrine and walke not in the traces of our forefathers But if either of these could be iustly fastned vpon vs we should hate our selues our doctrine our course As for our doctrine we heartily confesse that it is impossible that sauing truth should be kept vp in a corner and not disclosed till latter dayes It neither stands with Gods loue who willeth that all men should be saued and come to the
againe vnto the Lord 2 Chro. 19.4 the practise of which wee may see in Iosiah who while he was yet a childe began to seeke after the God of Dauid his father 2 Chro. 34.3 And this example ought to be a monitor from generation to generation of what euery one of vs ought to doe Thirdly we must with care and conscience attend vpon the meanes of saluation as they are offered vnto vs in the ministery of the Church of God that so wee may know the vertues and powers of this couenant to doe thereafter 2 Cor. 1.24 For though wee haue no dominion ouer your faith in which respect the Apostle saith to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 10.15 Iudge ye what I say yet wee are helpers of your ioy and are ministers by whom yee beleeue 1 Cor. 3.5 As therefore Moses said of the bush which burned and not consumed Ex. 3.3 I will turne aside now and see this great sight So must wee say of the Church which is afflicted and yet is not quite ouer-borne I will turne aside now and heare what this great message is which it bringeth to direct me to heauen and happinesse Fourthly we must openly professe our selues to be in couenant with God Titus 1.1 This the Apostle calleth an acknowledgement of the truth which is according to godlinesse and euery one of vs must labour for it both by encreasing our knowledge in the things of God as also by labouring for a good and a godly life and preparing our selues to giue a reason of the hope that is in vs 1 Pet. 3.15 through the vse of such meanes of knowledge and holinesse as God hath appointed I know that euery one of vs cannot attaine vnto the like measure in this kinde For some of vs are so slow of heart and dull of hearing Luke 24.25 that when as concerning the time we ought to be teachers Hebr. 5.11 12. yet wee haue need againe to be taught the first principles of the word of God and are become such as haue need of milke and not of strong meat yet for all that wee must aime at and striue that through long custome in hearing meditation and conference Hebr. 5.14 we may haue our wits exercised to discerne both good and euill that so wee may with more boldnesse appeare before the greatest enemies of truth and profession Fiftly we must renue our couenant with God in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper so often as conueniently we can and with feare and trembling desire God to assure vnto vs the comforts of the Gospell according to the sinceritie of our hearts Yee know that Sacraments are called seales and the reason is because in their lawfull and holy vse they haue a confirming conueying and concluding nature They doe confirme because they doe as pledges visibly strengthen our faith in the promises They doe conuey because as written instruments by the ordinations of Princes are conueyances of houses and lands and inheritances vnto vs though we are many miles from them so by the ordination of God the Sacraments are no naturall but voluntary instruments to settle and assure Iesus Christ vpon and vnto vs being fitly prepared according to his will though he be ascended into heauen and sits at the right hand of God They doe conclude because as sealing and deliuering is the latter end of a bargaine and doth shut it vp so the Sacraments doe conclude and shut vp the couenant betweene God and vs to our endlesse comforts if according to those abilities which God hath vouchsafed vnto vs we keepe touch with him In this regard as we do publikely enter couenant with God in Baptisme and manifest our consciences in the same when we turne from our wicked waies to serue the liuing God in vprightnesse and truth so we doe or should renue our couenant in the Lords Supper to our more watchfull and warie walking in the waies of pietie and godlinesse Per delicta quotidianae incursionis Lastly because through the treacherie of the flesh wee cannot but faile through daily errours in a greater measure than wee would therefore if wee will be of a religion wee must humbly dâ—pend vpon God by prayer for pardon against sinne past and for spirituall power against sinne to come and that euery day Thus I haue taught you what wee must doe to haue a religion But yet we are not the nearer to God if wee be not of that religion which is pleasing to him and therefore we must now leaue this point and passe along to the next The second ground then to bee considered is this That We must be of that Religion which doth most approue it selfe to God For this is the reason that this Religion We must haue that Religion which doth most approue it selfe vnto God which we must haue is described to be pure and vndefiled before God thereby implying that the true Religion doth most labour for that And that it must be so will appeare by diuers considerations First In shew the religion of Hypocrites hath equalled the true Religion It hath equalled it in sacrifices for Kain brought an oblation to God of the fruit of the ground Gen. 4.3 So likewise in prayer for the hypocriticall Iewes stretched out their hands and made many prayers vnto God Esay 1.15 So likewise in preaching for we haue Iudas a Preacher as well as Peter and many hypocrites will say Matth. 7.22 Haue wee not by thy name prophecied So likewise in hearing for as God saith to hypocrites by Esay Yee seeke me daily to wit Esay 58.2 in the Ministerie of the Word and will know my waies euen as a Nation that did righteously So by EZâ—kiel My people fit before thee Ezek. 33.31 and heare thy words but they will not doe them for with their mouths they make iests and their hearts are after couetousnesse So likewise in profession for euen they shall say Lord Lord who shall not enter into the Kingdome of heauen Matth. 7.21 And the foolish Virgins who receiued this doome Matth 25. I know you not hâ—d lampes of profession and said Lord Lord. So likewise in fasting for the Prophet speaketh of such dissembling wreâ—ches who fasted vnto strife and debate and to smite with the fist of wickednesse that they draw neare to God on the day of their Fast and say Esay 58.2 3 4. Wherefore haue we fasted and thou seest it not We haue punished our selues and thou regardest not as if they were the sincerest fasters in the world So likewise euen in giuing of almes for euen the hypocrites of old did giue almes Matth. 6.2 and that with a great grace when they made the trumpet to be blowne before them Thus the hypocrites religion in shew hath beene as good as the best Secondly in shew the religion of open wicked men hath beene as good as the true 2 Sam. 15. Matth. 2. Absolon will