FOVRE SERMONS The two first OF GODLY FEARE On Hebrewes 4. Verse 1. By Robert Cleauer The two last Of Christian Loue and Life On Canticles 2. Verse 10. By Richard Webb 2 Chronicles 15.2 The Lord is with you while you be with him LONDON Printed by THO. SNODHAM for ROGER IACKSON and are to be sould at his shop neere to Fleetstreet Conduit 1613. THE FIRST SERMON OF GODLY FEARE HEBREVVES 4. VERSE 1. Let vs feare therefore least at any time by forsaking the promise of entring into his rest any of you should seeme to be depriued THese wordes doe depend vpon the former Chapter where the writer of this Epistle proposeth vnto the HEBREVVES the example of their forefathers shewing how they rebelled in the wildernesse and hardned their hearts and refused to yeeld obedience vnto the word of the Lord for which cause he swore that they should not enter into his rest viz. into the land of Canaan and therein vvas as good as his word for they all perished in the wildernesse The like hee declareth to haue fallen out in the time of Dauid to wit that they refused to hearken vnto Gods voyce and therefore were excluded from the heauenly rest albeit they inhabited the land of CANAAN which was a Type thereof Herevpon the Apostle enforceth an exhortation by way of application wherein we may obserue 1 First the duties which they ought to looke vnto which are these two 1 First to the intent they may not be like the rebellious Israelites they must get an holy feare into their hearts 2 Secondly they must lay holde of the promise and not forsake or reiect the same 2 Secondly the reasons to moue them therevnto which are also two 1 The first whereof is taken from the miserable successe of them that were formerly disobedient to wit that their carkasses fell in the wildernesse Chapter 3.17 Let vs feare therefore that is considering what sinnes they committed and what fearefull iudgements they incurred let vs looke better to our selues 2 The second is drawen from the danger that would ensue vnto themselues if they did not follow his exhortation they might seeme to be depriued of that rest which God promised vnto his people Let vs c. Here we may note whom he doth admonish in this word vs which importeth thus much let vs Hebrewes let me that am the writer of this Epistle let all that are in CHRIST IESVS euen euery one of vs feare c. Now in that hee ioynes himselfe with those to whom hee giues this caueat the Doctrine is that Hee that doth faithfully instruct others Doct. 1 will also instruct himselfe with his owne precepts Faithfull Teachers will teach themselues Rom. 1.23 The neglect of this is greatly condemned by the Apostle Paule who speaketh vnto the Iewes in this manner Thou that teachest another teachest thou not thy selfe and thou that preachest a man should not steale dost thou steale c. In which place he sheweth that it is a fearefull and inexcuseable sinne for a man to take vpon him to be an informer of others and in the meane time to be vtterly vntaught himselfe in respect of any working and sauing instruction neither was this holy Apostle more ready to censure the omission of this duty in others than he was carefull to practise it himselfe for 2 Cor. 7.1 hee saith Let vs clense our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit and grow vp vnto full holinesse in the feare of God where wee see that hee maketh himselfe one of the number So also Rom. 7. when hee dilates at large of the corruption that is inherent in mans nature he still layes load vpon himselfe and speakes as if no body were in such case as he was What I would saith he that doe I not Rom. 7.15 but what I hate that doe I and Ver. 18. I know that in me that is in my flesh there dwelleth no good thing and Ver. 24. O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death And as in the matter of humiliation so likewise in the matter of consolation hee speaketh in his owne person seeking to apply the comfort to himselfe as well as to offer it vnto others I thanke God through Iesus Christ our Lord v. 25. q.d. He it is that must deliuer me and all his elect from the bondage of sinne and that by Iesus Christ for which I render humble and heartie praises vnto his Diuine Maiestie And againe Phil. 1.21 he saith Christ is to me both in life and in death aduantage So that in matters of exhortation and of instruction of humiliation and of consolation hee includeth himselfe within the number of those with whom hee hath to deale And it stands with reason that Ministers and Gouernors and all such as are to admonish others should take this course First because their need requireth it Reasons 1 for haue not they as well as others corruption in them that needs to be repressed haue not they many failings that ought to be reformed haue not they much diffidence and distrust in them against which they must be strengthned If it fare thus with them as none can deny meet it is that they should take their part with others when they eyther reproue or exhort or comfort or the like and indeed the Lord allots them a portion together with the rest of his seruants euen as good householders doe allow their Baker and Bruer and Cooke and other officers that makes prouision for the whole family their stint of vittailes as farre foorth as any other for whom they prepare the foode Secondly this is a great incouragement and singular motiue vnto them that are instructed or exhorted c. to cause them to make vse of that which is spoken when they see men to take vp the like burdens themselues as they lay vpon their shoulders and that they doe not deale hypocritically as the Pharises did who imposed heauy burdens vpon others when as they themselues would not so much as touch them with one of their fingers This I say makes mens words to be regarded and followed when they require no more of others then they labour to doe themselues when they minister no medicines vnto others but they will first take them themselues and on the contrary part this causeth men to be esteemed Physitians of no worth when they will take vpon them to cure others of those faults which they neuer seeke any redresse or reformation of in themselues He that will make boast that he hath a soueraigne remedie against the Stone or the Gowre or any the like maladie and yet in the meane time be miserably tormented with the same himselfe shall cause both himselfe and his skill to be little set by Thirdly it is dangerous and burdenous for mens soules not to ioyne themselues with those whom they doe instruct for the things which they deliuer are eyther true or false If false how dare they
as the very Angels of God in Heauen Another proofe of this point wee haue in the Prophesie of Ieremie where the Lord speaketh thus Stand in the wayes and behold and atke for the olde way Ierem. 6.16 which is the good way and walke therein and what then ye shall finde rest for your soules And that wee may yet more fully see into the truth of this doctrine that grace and peace true godlinesse and sound tranquilitie and quietnesse doe euer accompany one another let vs weigh these reasons following First Reasons 1 whosoeuer is truely gracious is deliuered from the troublesome carriage of an ill conscience whereupon must needes ensue marueilous great ease for sinnes vnrepented and vnpardoned doe lye wonderfull heauie and are vnto the soule euen as an ouerweighty burden is vnto a Ship which is ready euer and anon to sinke it and to cause it to be ouerwhelmed and swallowed vp of the Waters this burden CHRIST IESVS doeth remoue as soone as euer hee beginneth to dwell in the heart by his holy Spirit freeing vs from the terrour of a guiltie conscience and from the accusations and clamour and continuall complaints of the same Secondly as the guilt of sinne is quite taken away so is the power thereof greatly weakened by him whereupon much peace and quietnesse must necessarily follow For that partie is in great slauerie and bondage that liues vnder the dominion of sinne being alwayes tossed and turmoyled with one vnruly lust or other which makes him euermore vnquiet and restlesse as the raging waues of the Sea or if at any time hee haue a little case his torment is afterwards redoubled now from this raigning power of iniquitie all godly men are exempted according to that of the Apostle Paul who speaking of regenerate men saith that the olde man is crucified in them Rom. 6.6 that the body of sinne might be destroyed that hencefoorth they should not serue sinne to which purpose he also addeth Sinne shall not haue dominion ouer you vers 14. Thirdly whosoeuer is indued with sauing grace is freed from many doubts and feares concerning his estate and concerning such perils as may befall his body for as touching the charge and care of prouision and protection the Lord himselfe vndertakes it for him so that hee may and must quietly and cheerefully labour in his calling and neuer trouble himselfe with the successe but leaue that vnto God who hath promised to care for those that cast their care vpon him and to be a defence vnto those that commit themselues vnto him It must needs be very burdensome vnto the mightiest man that is although hee haue many thousands comming in by the yeere to take vpon him the maintenance of himselfe and of those that doe depend vpon him for hee cannot but be many times mistrustfull of his estate in regard of many casualties which he is subiect vnto and so be perplexed and distracted with feare that he shall not be able to maintaine his port and to vphold his dignitie in such sort as he desireth and what a quieting then must it of necessitie be vnto the heart of a man to haue this burden taken off his shoulders vnder which others doe walke so heauily and to be freed from a number of carking and vexing thoughts by relying on Gods gracious prouidence for all the meanes of this temporall life Fourthly and lastly grace freeth such as haue it from the feare of death and of hell which causeth those that are vnder the guilt and power of sinne to be in marueilous great bondage all their life long as the writer of this Epistle witnesseth Chap. 2. vers 15. For albeit vnregenerate men put away from them the thoughts of death as much as possibly they can yet when any grieuous sickenesse is vpon them or any the like messenger of death approcheth vnto them and doth as it were knocke at their dores they are commonly very much disquieted and in very sore distresse and anguish but as euery one is more religious so his desolution and departure hence is lesse terrible vnto him nay vsually no newes can be more welcome vnto such than that they must shortly leaue this sinnefull and wretched world for then they know they shall make an happy change and instead of the Earth enioy Heauen Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord for they rest from their labours Reuel 14.13 Isa 57.2 Psal 16. their bodies rest in the graue as in their beds and their soules goe to the full fruition of that rest which was but begunne heere vpon the earth Which serueth in the first place for the confutation of their errour which iudge a Christian life to be of all other the most tedious and troublesome Vse 1 fullest of feare and of vexations which imagine that the professours of the Gospell are perpetually as it were vpon a racke in so much that for their owne parts they would more willingly sit all day in the stockes than be at religious exercises and chuse rather to liue in Bridewell than in those places where they shall be tyed to the outward performance of Christian duties But what sayth the Lord concerning this matter doth not hee auouch that the state of a Christian is a state of rest and of peace and which shall we giue credite vnto eyther the wise God or foolish men But some will say how can it be that their estate should be so full of quietnesse Obiect seeing that they are continually subiect to afflictions and persecutions temptations as the Scriptures themselues besides daily experience do euidently shew Those doe not at all breake off their quietnesse so long as they keepe their peace with God Answere for they are but as it were stormes and boysterous windes that beate at the windowes and vpon the outside of the house so that their inward man to wit their minds and consciences are nothing disquieted thereby or if they be it proceedeth not from the hauing of grace but from the want thereof and as they grow more religious so their hearts are still more calme and quiet Secondly heere is matter as of incouragement Vse 2 to cause men to enter into the course of christianitie because howsoeuer it be a warfare yet it is not a dangerous but a safe warfare so also of singular consolation vnto those that haue already made entrance into the same For whereas all men desire to liue at hearts ease they doe indeed take the ready way thereunto for it hath bene before sufficiently confirmed that religion bringeth men vnto rest and quietnesse and therefore let them expect it and pray for it and they shall be sure not to misse of it Now because our rest and peace is eyther more or lesse according to the measure of our holinesse and our sanctification in this life is but in part and therefore our rest also imperfect this should make vs long for the day of our glorification when wee shall be indued
himselfe nor of his Saints and Angels Not of Christ himselfe because there are these differences betwixt him and an earthly King First he can heare all suites and supplications which may be put vp vnto him but an earthly King cannot because his businesse will not afford him so much time Secondly hee can be in no danger of sicknesse or destruction by the admittance of any person into his presence but an earthly King may because his body is subict to diseases and death as well as others which diseases and death may easily be brought vpon him by contagious and treacherous persons if once they may haue their free accesse vnto him vvhen they vvill Lastly hee cannot be deceiued by the false informations of such suppliants as doe come vnto him as who doth behold all things and see the very secrets of the hart within but an earthly King may because oftentimes both the persons themselues and also their suites are vnknowne vnto him Not of his Saints or Angels because there are these disagreements betwixt them and worldly courtiers First they cannot heare vs when we speake vnto them nor vnderstand what wee say in our praiers before them for that is a thing proper and peculiar to God alone to heare them that are farre absent from him and to vnderstand what is in their harts and soules within but worldly courtiers may heare and vnderstand those supplications which are brought vnto them because they are set downe in plaine termes and words before their eyes Secondly as they haue accesse vnto Iesus Christ so the rest of the Saints haue vvhich are liuing vpon the earth for the throne of grace is open as well for these as for them Heb. 4.16 and Chapter 10.19.20 Ephes 2.18 but vvorldly courtiers may come in boldly vnto their King when others are shut out because their faithfulnes is knowne and they haue some seruice to doe about his Maiestie Finally as they haue grace and fauour in the sight of Christ for the procurement of any benefit or good turne so all the reall members of his body haue also vvhich are here warring vpon the earth for hee is no accepter of persons Act. 10.34 35. and Math. 7.7 But worldly courtiers are so gratious with their Kings that they haue almost what they will aske when other silly subiects and base wretches are sent empty away and can obtaine little or nothing at all So that then this comparison or similitude is saples and not worth a rush and therefore let no wise man be moued by it Hauing thus gone ouer the Appellations let vs now stand a little vpon the Exhortations They are in number two as I told you before The first is Arise the second is come away Arise The Church at this time was in some drowsie security and much oppressed with a spirituall lazinesse that made her vnwilling to walke aâ—ter Christ her husband in the waves of eternall life Howsoeuer he came so neere her as to looke through his Gospell vpon her yet shee sate still and moued not so much as one foot to come vnto him such frailty and imperfection was in her Either she lay snorting in the pleasures of this present world or shee was pressed downe and tired with that heauy burthen of originall corruption spoken of in Hebr. 12.1 or she was terrified with outward persecution and so after the example of the Apostles fled as it were from Christ and hid her selfe in some cabbin or hole not daring to peepe out of the same But howsoeuer it came to passe whether this way or that way it is certaine that she was in some fault and is here called vpon to amend it for to Arise is nothing els but to leaue sin and to walke in righteousnes as wee may see by the Apostles words in 1 Cor. 15.34 when hee saith Awake to liue righteously and sin not so that to liue righteously and not to sinne any more is to Awake or to Arise Here in that Christ doth thus speake vnto his Church and will her to arise I might note vnto you first that the best of al are most fraile and full of imperfections then that they are to be stirred vp vnto their duties and to be whetted on by the words of Exhortation for surely they are like vnto greene wood that must be alwaies blowne vnto dull horses that must be alwaies spurd vnto blunt kniues that must be alwaies whet and vnto lame beasts that must be alwaies driuen But these things I will passe ouer and refer the meditation thereof vnto your selues The principall matter that I now will stand vpon is this Doct. That men must not continue in their sinnes but arise from them and leaue them So Esay doth teach vs saying Wash you make you cleane take away the euill of your workes from before mine eyes cease to doe euill learne to doe well Esay 1.16.17 So Ezechiel doth teach vs saying Cast away from you all your transgressions whereby you haue transgressed and make you a new heart and a new spirit for why will you die O house of Israel Ezec. 18.31 So Daniel doth teach vs saying Wherefore O King let my counsel be acceptable vnto thee and breake off thy sin by righteousnes and thine iniquity by mercy towards the poore loe let there be an healing of thine error Dan. 4.24 So Iohn the Baptist doth teach vs saying Repent for the kingdome of heauen is at hand O generation of Vipers who hath forewarned you to â—â—ye from the anger to come bring forth therefore fruits worthy amendment of life and thinke not to say with your selues we haue Abraham to our father Mat. 3.2.7.8.9 So Christ doth teach vs. saying Behold thou art made whole sin no more lest a worse thing come vnto thee Ioh. 5.14 So Peter doth teach vs saying Amend your liâ—eâ— and be baptised euery one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receiue the gift of the holy Ghost Act. 2.38 So in a word Paul doth teach vs saying Awake thou that steepest and stand vp from the dead and Christ shall giue thee light Ephes 5.14 The reasons why we must leaue our sins Reason and not continue in them are chiefely foure First because they doe anger God whom we should please in all things and much offend his Maiesty When Moses and Aaron failed in their duties and committed in mans iudgment but a small fault at the Waters of Meribah when they did not sanctifie the Lord in the presence of the children of Israel as they should haue done the Lord was so offended with them for it that hee would not giue them leaue and so let them liue to bring their people into the land of Canaan which he had giuen vnto them Numb 2â— 12 Secondly because they doe wound our soules and consciences troubling them as grauell doth our feet within our shooes as we may see by the example of Dauid complaining of his miserable estate in