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A59692
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Subjection to Christ in all his ordinances and appointments the best means to preserve our liberty : together with a treatise of ineffectual hearing the word ... : with some remarkable passages of His life / by Thomas Shepard ...
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Shepard, Thomas, 1605-1649.
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1657
(1657)
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Wing S3143; ESTC R34250
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104,538
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128
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the Jews and this is the estate of all unregenerate men Hence Christ Luke 19. 41. laments and weeps over Ierusalem saying Oh that thou hadst known in this thy day c. 1. Quest. How did the Iewes hear and yet not hear God speaking Answ. There is a twofold word or rather a double declaration of the same word 1. There is Gods externall or outward word containing letters and syllables and this is his externall voice 2. There is God internal word and voice which secretly speaks to the heart even by the externall word when that only speaks to the ear The first the Jewes did hear at Christs Baptism in Christs Ministery and in reading the Scriptures and when they did hear it it was Gods word they heard full of glory and so they heard the word spoken but only man speaking it the other comes to few who hear not only the word spoken but God speaking the word Rom. 10. 18 19. Israel did hear but Israel did not know Christ speaks in parables Hence in seeing they did not see Luke 8. 10. And this is one way how 't is true that Christ sayes They never heard his voice As 't is with a painted Sun on the wall you see the Sun and Stars but there is a difference between seeing this and the Sun and Starres themselves wherein is an admirable glory go to a painted Sun it gives you no heat nor cherisheth you not so it is here c. 2. This inward word is double 1. Ineffectuall though inward 2. Effectual 1. Ineffectuall is that which hath some inward operation upon the heart but it attains not Gods end to bring a man into a state of life and thus Heb. 6. 2 5. Many tasted of the good word of God yet fell away And such a heart is compared to a field which a man plowes and sowes and rain falls on it and yet the end is not attained it brings forth thistles and this many Jewes did hear and hence had some kind of faith in Christ. 2. Effectual is that which hath such an inward efficacy upon mens hearts as that God attains his end thereby Isa. 55. 11. and brings men to a state of life of which Christ speaks Iohn 6. 45. and this voice none but the Elect hear and of this Christ speaks here as appears v. 38. Him whom he sent ye beleeve not Hence it is you have heard God at no time Hence he speaks of such a hearing knowing such a hearing outwardly as is accompanied with such a hearing inwardly Ioh. 14. 17. so that many men may hear the word spoken outwardly but never inwardly they may hear it inwardly but never effectually translating them from state to state from death to life from life to life and glory No sense of the Majesty of God speaking nor effectuall hearing of the word spoken When the Sun is down the Moon may arise but yet a man is cold and dark but when the Sun ariseth oh it warms nourisheth and cherisheth c. nothing is hid from it so it is here when the Lord speaks inwardly and effectually to the heart Reas. 1. From that great distance and infinite separation of mens souls from God that though God cals yet they can't hear no more than men a 1000 mile off Eph. 2. 1. men are dead in sin Now what is spirituall death but separation of the soul from God and God from it A dead man cannot hear one word at no one time he was not dead if he could Mens minds are far from God and hearts also that they are neither stricken with the sight of his glory nor sense and savour of his goodnesse but must be vain and have worldly hearts in the Church nay adulterous eyes or if they listen God is gone from them and from his Word also Hos. 5. 6. Reas. 2. From the mighty and wonderfull strange power of Satan which blinds their eyes they cannot see nor hear 2 Corinthians 4. 4. never such clear light never such an effectuall Word as that of the Apostles yet it was hid why The God of this world blinded them either he will keep such a noise and lumber in their heads that they cannot hear God speaking for the noise or else turn himself into an Angel of light and speak and by their light will blind them that the light in them shall be darknesse Rom. 1. 22. When men with naturall light began to be most wise then they became the greatest fools so 't is with other knowledge of Scripture and things they hear Happy were it for many a man if he had never heard nor seen for that which he hath heard and seen keeps him from hearing Tyre and Sidon would hear sooner than Capernaum that heard most Reas. 3. From the righteous judgement of God in leaving men to be blinded and made deaf from and by the means whereby they should hear and know that as it is with the Saints all evill things are for their good so all good things are for their hurt Isa. 6 10. the meriting cause is unbelief and sin but the deep and hidden rise of all is Gods eternal dereliction of them God never intended love speciall love to them hence he never speaks one word to them 2 Cor. 4. 3. Iohn 6. 65. Many were offended at his words and forsook him Now to take off this offence I said None can come to me except it be given him of the Father what is that see v. 45. and 37. Vse 1. Hence see the reason why the Word is so wonderfully ineffectual to the souls of many men that it never stirs them that it 's a strange thing to them it 's Heb. 12. 19. like the law a voice of words a sound of words so they hear men speak but understand no more than if they spake in a strange language or if they do it concerns not them or if it stirs 't is but as the blowing of the wind upon a rock which blusters for a time but when the wind is down they are still Truly they hear the word spoken but they do not hear God speaking They heard Latimer speak but not God speaking they hear a sound which every one sayes and they think is the wordâ— but they hear not God speaking it One would wonder that those Jews that heard Iohn and his Disciples Moses and the Prophets nay Gods voice from heaven saying This is my Sonne that they should not hear this and receive him with all their hearts but they did not hear his voice One would wonder to see that such things which a gracious heart thinks this would draw every heart yet main not stirr'd things which the devils tremble at and others which Angels wonder at yet they hear not Oh they hear not God speak they are dead in their graves farre from God and there they are kept by the mighty power of Satan like one in a deep dark cave kept by fiery dragons
dolefull and finall farewell of the English Nation as when he laid the tomb-stone upon Jerusalem such as these will be his mournings over us Oh Jerusalem Jerusalem thou that killest the Prophets and burnest them that are sent unto thee as they did in the time of Popery how often would I have gathered thy children together by my Word and Spirit therein even as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under the wings of my speciall Government and Protection but ye would not behold your house is left unto you desolate But the Lord who doth not only make the day dark with night but also turneth the shadow of death into the morning even the Lord avert these evils and the Lord make the English Nation his Hephfibah and the land Beulah which is the prayer of his Mourners in Sion and of Thy Servants in Jesus and for Jesus sake William Greenhill Samuel Mather TO THE Christian READER THe precious memory of the Author of these ensuing SERMONS needs no reviving to any gracious heart that had any knowledge of him Yea the world knows in part though but in a little part by some pieces of his formerly Printed while he was yâ—t 〈…〉 who this Author was what it owes to God for him and how justly it might sigh over his grave with that of the Apostle Of whom the World was not worthy His praise throughout all the Churches is farre above any addition by so mean a pen as writes these lines But it is not fit that the first page of any thing published after his death for I doubt not but his death is long ago publickly took notice of should go without some witnesse of a mournfull remembrance thereof which indeed no tears can sufficiently lament We who sometimes sate under his shadow and were fed from God by him the poor flock of this Shepherd among whom he lived testifying Repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Iesus Christ and whom he sometimes exhorted comforted and charged euery one of us as a Father doth his Children we cannot but carry sorrow in the bottome of our hearts to this day that wee must here see his face no more Neither do we believe that his losse remains with us alone or only within the limits of this remote wildernesse the benefit and consequently the want of such a burning and shining Light is of more generall concernment that we easily apprehend especially in this Age wherein not only many â—it in utter darknesse but which is more the new Light thereof is darknesse and the Love of many waxing cold But we must all be silent before Him whose judgements are unsearchable Neither may we presume to say to him What doest thou It is instantly and not without cause desired by many that such reliques of his Labours as do survive him may be at least some of them imparted to the publick To effect any thing considerable that way is not an easie or sudden work But this small piece being at present attained it seemed not amisse to let it pass the Press These were some of his Lecture-Sermons Preached most of them in the year 1641. They are now transcribed by a godly Brother partly from the Authors own notes partly from what he took from his mouth The subject in both the Texts is of great use and needfull for these times wherin there is more Liberty than good use of it and much more common and outward than saving and effectuall knowledge of the word of God These posthumous editions are far short of what the Author was wont to do and of what the Sermons were in preaching But though the sense be not every where so full nor every thing so thorowly spoken to nor the stile so good by far as the Authors manner was yet the intelligent Reader will find a precious treasure of truth in it not fit to be buried or neglected The Prophets do not live for ever but their words do The Lord make them such ever-living words as may take hold of all our hearts not for judgement but for mercy for one of these wayeâ— they shall live yea rise up at the last day Imprimatur March 29. 1652. EDM. CALAMY THE TABLE B. BOndage What it is to which God delivers them that cast off his government Page 7 Iuvasion by forein enemies 7 By setting authority against them 7 Oppressing them by one another 8 Taking away good Governours 8 Giving them up to Satan 9 And to their own lusts 9 What are the sins for which God brings into Bondage 13 Bondage of the good and the wicked how it differs 15 C. CHurch of God why deprived of her liberty 11 Church-members that are private men in their duties are 48. what c. The causes of their neglect of their duty 52 c. Why men receive not more good from them than they do 53 Covenant of God if broken God rejects such as break it 3 To break Covenant with Christ is to cast off his government as King 31 People of God may be said to break Covenant and how 33 G. GOvernment see Power To cast of Gods Government provokes God to bring into bondage 3 Reasons of it 9 10 c. What Gods government is 4 The sorts of it 4 Internall 4 And Externall 5 Want of government a judgement 8 When men may be said to cast off Christs government 18. see 24. and see Ordinances When men submit to Christ. 20 21. to 29 In Christs government he useth a threefold power 30 Motives to come under Christs Government 81 L. LAwes the causes of the breach of Lawes 67 What prudence is to be used in making Laws 70 And how for human laws bind 70 c Gods Law onely can immediately bind the Conscience 70 Good Lawes have relation to the word and law of God 71 this proved ib. Of Penall Laws 74 Liberty see Government the sweetest Liberty is to be under Christ. 11 Liberty how it s abused 79 Love to Christ a sign of subjection to him 84 Love to Gods people another sign 84 Who do not love Gods people 85 M. MAgistrates We are to be subject to them and why 64 When Christs power is cast off in this respect not being subject to them 64 And objections about this answered 66 Ministeriall power what it is 54 And if this be not submitted Christ is cast off 69 And when men despised it 62 O. ORdinances When men adde their own inventions to Gods Ordinances they cast off Christs Government 34 We must take heed off this and why 35 When men destroy Ordinances and deny them they cast off Christs government 35 To cast of ordinances is a temptation of Satan 36 When Christ is thrust out of ordinances his government is cast off 39 To pollute Ordinances what it is 39 1. To contemn them 39. 40 2. To use them with unbroken hearts 40 3. To use them without faith 41 4. By not looking to Christ in them 41 P. POwer see Government Power of Christ in