the comforts of Heaven in the life to come Now I come to a more speciall and particular consideration of every Verse in order and thence togather such Notes and Doctrines as may best instruct us in the way to Heaven First David tells us in the first Verse That Gods Word is a Lanterne to his feet and a Light unto his paths Which that you may better understand I will tell you the meaning of the words and explaine unto you the severall tearmes First the Word may be taken three wayes 1 For the substantiall Word of God the second Person in the Trinitie Ioh. 1. 1. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was God 2 It may be taken for the written and sounding Word as it onely strikes the eare and informes the understanding but it is not conveyed neither sinkes it into the heart by the powerfull assistance and sanctified concurrence of Gods Spirit it being not prayed for to the conversion and sanctification of the whole man And so the Word is heard and understood of many that shall never be saved but returnes unfruitfull 3 It may be taken for the working and effectuall Word as it is the power of God unto salvation as it is rightly understood applyed unto the heart and Conscience possest of the thoughts and affections and practised in the life and conversation This Word thus understood inlived managed and powerfully applyed by the Spirit of God was a Light unto Davids steps and so is a guide unto the paths of all true Christians to the worlds end That you may understand how the Word is a Light you must consider 1 That Christ is called Light Ioh. 1. 4. The Ministers are called the Light of the World Mat. 5. 14. The faithfull are Lights Phil. 2. 15 16. The way of the righteous saith Salomon Prov. 4. 18. shineth as the Light that shineth more and more vnto the perfect day The Word of God is also called a Light as in this place But first Christ is Light of himselfe and originally he is the Fountaine and everlasting Spring of all the Light of Grace and Glory both in Heaven and Earth Hee is called The Sunne of Righteousnesse The Sunne you know hath his Light rooted in his owne faire Body and receives that from none other and with that hee enlightens the Moone the Starres the Aire the Earth all the World Even so the blessed Sonne of God the Sunne of Righteousnesse hath in himselfe and from himselfe the Light of all Wisdome and Knowledge Mercie and Comfort and from him floweth and springeth whatsoever Light of Glory is revealed unto his blessed Saints and Angels in Heaven or whatsoever Light of Grace is shed into the hearts of his sonnes and servants here upon Earth 2 The Preachers of the Word are Ministers and Messengers of this Light and therefore are but Light ministerially They are as the Starres and so they are called Rev. 1. 20. They receive all their Light from the Sunne of Righteousnesse CHRIST IESVS and either doe or should convey and cast their borrowed beames upon the earthly cold and darksome hearts of the people of God that they might turne from Darkenesse to Light from the power of Sathan unto God Act. 26. 18. 3 The Word is Light instrumentally which being powerfully sanctified unto us for our salvation and being holden out unto us by a conscionable Ministerie is as a Candle or Torch to guide us through the darknesse of this World unto our eternall Rest 4 Lastly the faithfull are Lights Subjectivè because they receive this Light into their Vnderstandings whereby they see the Wonders of Gods Law the Secrets of his Kingdome and the great Mysterie of Godlinesse and the way to Heaven into their Consciences whereby they have their sinfull miserable estate by nature discovered unto them and the way to Christ for remedie and salvation into their affections whereby they are enkindled with zeale for Gods truth honour and service into their actions and conversation whereby they shine as Lights in the World amid a naughtie and crooked generation Phil. 2. 15. And after the Sunne of Righteousnesse once arise in their hearts like the Sunne in the Firmament they shine more and more in all holy Vertues unto the perfect day untill they reach the height of Heaven and the full glory of the Saints of God In the third place by Feet is meant his minde and understanding his affections thoughts actions his whole life all his wayes All these in David were guided by the Light of Gods Word Lastly by Paths are meant every particular step every turning and narrow passage in his speciall calling For this Light the Word of God doth not onely guide a mans feet into the way of peace and put him in the right way to Heaven but also goes along with him inlightens and directs every step that his feet doe not slide It so informes him with spirituall wisedome that hee layes hold on every occasion for the glorifying of God descries every little sinne and appearance of evill disposeth every circumstance in his actions with a good conscience and warrant out of Gods Word This then is the meaning of this Verse David the man of God had the Word of God working powerfully upon his soule as a Light that is As a Lampe is to the life and safetie of the body in darke and dangerous places so was this Light to the life and salvation of Davids soule in the darkenesse of this World and shadow of death To guide his feet and paths that is his mind affections thoughts actions his whole life all his wayes and every particular step and passage thereof This Verse being thus understood let us now come to gather some Lessons and Doctrines for our instruction The first shall be this There is no man can hit the way to Heaven or walke in the paths of Righteousnesse through the Kingdome of Grace in this World unto the Kingdome of Glory in the World to come except he be inlightened informed and instructed in the holy Word of God The second Note wee gather out of this Verse shall be this The Word of God is a Light not onely to guide us into the way to Heaven and instruct us in our generall calling of Christianitie but also to leade us along in a course of godlinesse and to direct us particularly in our speciall calling I will first follow the former Doctrine which in few words and plainely I thus propose unto you No man can at first finde the entrance or after hit the way to Heaven except he be enlightened and led along by the holy Word of God For David as here wee see a man of great worth and understanding otherwise excellently and extraordinarily qualified could not find out or follow any other Guide or direction to Heaven but onely the Light of Gods Word
the Kingdome of Grace For when Christ told him hee could not be saved except hee were new borne hee strangely and foolishly replyes How can a man be borne which is old How can he enter into his mothers Wombe againe and be borne Thus you see there can no other meanes be named or thought upon not all humane Knowledge nor worldly Wisedome nor good Meanings nor Will-worship nor the Word it selfe in the Letter which can leade us into the wayes of Righteousnesse or bring us unto Heaven but onely the Light of Gods holy Word holden out unto us by a profitable Ministerie and the power of the Spirit A second Reason of my Doctrine may be this No man can ever see the Kingdome of God except he be borne againe except he be a new creature a new man as is plaine in Christs words unto Nicodemus For our new birth or regeneration is the necessarie passage from Nature to Grace from prophanenesse to sinceritie It is that whereby wee are wholly sanctified and set apart unto God from the sinfnll corruption of our naturall birth and the evill fruits thereof to serve God in our whole man both body soule and spirit Now you must conceive that this new birth must necessarily spring from the immortall Seed of the word of God for so it is called 1 Pet. 1. 23. It is the Seed of our new birth salvation and immortalitie And you may as well looke for Come to grow up in your fields without sowing without casting any Seed into the furrowes as to looke for Grace to grow up in your hearts or to reape the fruit of holinesse everlasting life except this immortall Seed the Word of God be first cast into the furrowes and fallow ground of your hearts and be there received with reverence and attention nourished with prayer and meditation and fructifie in your lives and conversations Hence it is that Gods Word is called The Word of Salvation Act. 13. 26. The Word of Grace Act. 14. 3. The Word of Life Phil. 2. 16. The Power of God unto Salvation Rom. 1. 16. For there is no power of Grace or spirituall life to bee had ordinarily upon Earth or salvation and eternall life to be hoped for in Heaven except a man be enlightened with the knowledge and enlived with the power of the holy Word of God There is no entring into the Kingdome of God except a man bee new borne except hee bee first renewed in his spirit soule and body And there is no new birth without the immortall Seed the Word of God And therefore without knowledge and direction in the Word of God no salvation The third Reason of my Doctrine is this The Word of God hath only the power and propertie to search into and to sanctifie the whole man even to the inmost thoughts and the secret cogitations of the heart All the devices and imaginations of mans heart lye without the walke of humane justice and censure no word or writing of man is able to bridle them or bring them within compasse no Law of Nature or Nations can affright or restraine the freedome and wanderings of thoughts onely the Word of God can amaze search and sanctifie them The weapons of our warfare saith Paul are not carnall but mightie through God to cast downe Holds casting downe the imaginations and every thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivitie every thought into the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. The Word of God saith the Apostle to the Hebrewes is lively and mightie in operation and sharper than any two-edged sword and entreth through even to the dividing asunder of the soule and the spirit and of the joints and the marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart Heb. 4. 12. The Word of God may be said to be living or lively in three respects 1 Because whereas we naturally live under the shadow of death and in the darkenesse of sinne it quickens us with a new and spirituall life it cheares and comforts us with heavenly Light 2 The Word may be called Living because it selfe is immortall and lasteth forever as doth the living and eternall God the Author of it 3 But most especially and agreeably to the place in the Hebrewes it is called lively because it enters with great power and secret insinuation into every part and power both of soule and body So that as our life is scattered and dispersed into every little part and least veine in us and we feele it both in paine and pleasure even so the vertue of the Word of God pierceth into every member into the most secret and hidden Closet of the heart either to breake and bruise with terror and astonishment the very bones crush the sinewes of the sinfull soule or to fill them with marrow and fatnesse and to refresh the affections of the truly penitent with joy unspeakable and glorious God tells us in Ieremy that his Word is like fire and therefore it can easily insinuate into all the creekes and corners of our corruptions it can fully and clearely enlighten our Consciences and discover unto us the sinfulnesse of the most lurking and secret thoughts Thus you have this first Doctrine plainely proved and confirmed unto you No man can at first finde the entrance or after hit the way to Heaven except he be enlightened and led along by the saving knowledge of the holy Word of God No other meanes which the power of Nature Wisedome Learning or the whole World can afford will serve the turne in this businesse of Salvation It is the Seed of our new birth as I told you there can be no growing of grace or reaping of glory without it It hath onely power to shake ransacke and search into the inmost secrets of the heart It onely can sanctifie us both inwardly and outwardly both in soule and body both in thoughts and actions without which both inward and outward holinesse no man shall ever see the face of God Now I come unto the Vses of this Doctrine And in the first place it may serve for confutation of the Papists those great employsoners and murtherers of infinite soules of men Is the Word of God as a Lampe and a Light without which wee cannot see the first step or set one foot aright towards Heaven Why then sinfull and pestilent is their practice who hide this blessed Light from the people of God in an unknowne Tongue and by their bloudie Inquisition damme up the holy Fountaines of heavenly Truth which should spring up in every mans heart unto eternall life Whose cruell and craftie Religion for bloud of Princes and cursed Policie are the principall supporters of Poperie teacheth them to blindfold and hood-winke the poore Laitie in forced ignorance lest they should know Gods will or any way to Heaven but
would you take this Letter and how often would you reade it with what willingnesse of affection Now here is an Epistle sent from Heaven to advise you that you are all Traitors and Rebels against Heaven and yet here in this Letter God offers the bloud of his Sonne and you may be reconciled and will you neglect it This is the matter of this Epistle it brings matter of deliverance from the greatest Curse that can befall the creature and the greatest advancement 6 It is the bottomelesse Treasurie of all high sweet and excellentest things The Mysterie of the Trinitie the Majestie of God the Love of God and of Christ this sufferings the Spirits workings the happinesse of the Saints and the glory of Heaven c. 7 It must be our Iudge at the last day Ioh. 12. 48. Every honest Sermon is but the Word of God unfolded and a bunch of Arrowes wrapped up and unfolded are all one 8 It onely can cure a wounded Conscience the greatest calamitie that ever the heart of man was acquainted with and that which no Arme of flesh or created Power no man or Angel can ease at all 9 In it onely are to be had Deeds and Evidences to shew for eternall Life and Acquittances for discharge from eternall Death 10 It hath saved all the soules that are in Heaven Rom. 10. 13. 11 It onely is the object of divine and infused Faith Humane testimonies and authorities beget onely humane Faith Therefore you must reverence this Word 2 Some Motives taken from the most fearefull and cursed estate of those who neglect and reject the Ministerie of the Word hating to be reformed by it Marke and take to heart thine unspeakable miserie whosoever thou art that despisest the Ministerie Take a taste of it in these passages 1 They are deprived by this meanes of the love and favour of God the onely fountaine of all comfort peace and glory which is infinitely the dearest and most unvaluable losse that can be imagined 2 Of their part and portion in the bloud of Christ one drop whereof is incomparably more worth than Heaven and Earth men and Angels or the creatures of a thousand Worlds 3 Of the fatherly protection care and providence of the blessed Trinitie the glorious guard of Angels the comfortable communion of the blessed Saints and all the sweet contentments that follow thence 4 Of the quiet joy and tranquilitie of a good Conscience a Iewell farre more worth than the whole World were it all turned into one unvaluable Pearle of unvaluable price and of all the heavenly illuminations cherishments and comforts wherewith the Holy-Ghost is wont to visit and refresh the hearts of holy men 5 Of the sweet peace and true contentment in this life and of all comfortable right and religious interest to any of the creatures For without a good Conscience there was never found joy in any mans heart or sanctified enjoyment of any thing in the World and never shall any man have a good Conscience that gives allowance to any Lust or lives delightfully in any sinne 6 Of a Crowne of Life the unspeakable joyes of Heaven that immeasurable and endlesse comfort that there shall be had with all the children of God Patriarkes Prophets Apostles Martyrs all our Christian acquaintance yea with the Lord himselfe and all Angels with Christ our Saviour and Lambe slaine for us the Prince of Glory yea the Glory of Heaven and Earth and brightnesse of the everlasting Light c. To these privative consequents adde a serious consideration upon those terrible flaming places Deut. 29. 19 20. Prov. 1. 23 24. Isa 6. 9 10. 1 Sam. 2. 25. Act. 13. 46. By continuing thy contempt and rejecting the Light of the Gospel thou mayest come thou knowest not how soone to sinne against the Holy-Ghost as the Pharises did Math. 12. 24 31. For sinne against the Holy-Ghost may be committed as well 1 By those who although they doe acknowledge and confesse the Truth which they doe blaspheme yet they have not yet professed it or given up their names to it as were those Scribes and Pharises and there are many such in these dayes who have not as yet given their name to the Truth which yet notwithstanding being well knowne and acknowledged they doe blaspheme 2 As those who have not only acknowledged in themselves the Truth that they blaspheme but have professed the same before others that are the favourers of Truth as Iulian Porphyrius Alexander the Copper-smith and many others of which you may see Heb. 6. 10. So many amongst us at this day 3 Some taken from the survey of those judgements which contempt of the Ministerie may bring upon the place where it is planted 1 It may remove the Candlesticke and be plagued with the utter losse of the Ministerie Consider Math. 8. 34. 10. 13. 21. 41. 2 They may have Prophets but such as are fooles they may have men of the Spirit but those that be mad Hos 9. 7. By a foole is meant not a naturall but spirituall foole Prov. 1. 8. Ier. 4. 22. Isa 5. 20. By mad is understood not a man out of his wit or distracted in minde but he that like a mad Dogge rageth and rayleth against the Truth of God and sinceritie of his Saints which is a great judgement 3 They may enjoy faithfull Teachers but to their further hardening as the Israelites did Isaiah Isa 6. 9 10. Which of all other judgements that God can inflict in this life is the most fearefull 4 By this meanes they may make sad the heart and affections of their Teachers that they cannot with that chearefulnesse as they desire performe the offices of their Ministerie Which as it discourageth the Teachers and will one day light heavie on the causers and procurers thereof so it is unprofitable for the hearers and deprives them of much good they might otherwise enjoy as appeares Heb. 13. 17. 4 Some from consideration of those confusions and desolations which it pulls with great violence even upon whole Kingdomes Looke upon such places as these 2 Chron. 36. 16 17 c. Ier. 25. 3. c. Cap. 35. 15. Rev. 6. 4. c. The glorious Light of those seven Candlestickes in Asia mentioned in the Revelations was long since for their unfruitfulnesse coldnesse and contempt of the Word turned into the darke Midnight of Heresie Apostasie and Mahometisme Rome that was anciently the glory of the Westerne Churches lyes now drowned in Superstition soaking in damnable Idolatry and plunged over head and eares in the Doctrine of Devils Many strong and noble Limbes of the reformed Churches in high Germanie have lyen for some yeeres in their teares of bloud groaning under the mercilesse tyrannie of the bloudie Antichristians and have wofully received the marke of the Beast againe Now assuredly it was the loathing the heavenly Manna which made the Lord to utter his Voice before the Armie of the enemies at Prague
with grace our actions and conversations guided with spirituall wisedome and unfained sinceritie After David had thus in the former Portion layd downe unto us and confessed what excellent knowledge he had got out of the Word of God and the precious fruit and benefit he had reaped and enjoyed by it Now In the first Verse of this present Portion hee makes as it were a protestation and profeâ—â—ion that he is wholly and onely enlightened and led in all his wayes by this holy Word of God as by a Light or Lanterne The brightnesse thereof doth not onely bring him into the wayes of righteousnesse and blessed estate of Christianitie but doth also conduct and guide him in all the paths and particulars of his life and actions in all the parts and passages of his speciall calling For he saith Thy Word is a Lampe unto my feet that is whereby I see and discerne the way to Heaven and the narrow path through the Kingdome of Grace and a Light unto my paths that is a guide to direct me in every particular step at every turning that so I may keepe a straight course and the readie way to the Kingdome of Glory That David had thus wholly yeelded and resigned up himselfe to be guided and governed by the glorious Light of Gods holy Word appeares in the Verses following First in Vers 106. by a solemne Oath and sacred resolution to keepe Gods righteous judgements and an unfained and constant purpose to performe the same I have sworne and will performe it that I will keepe thy righteous judgements Secondly in Vers 107. by his patiencie and sufferance of wrongs disgraces and afflictions which the wicked and prophane World heaped upon him for his profession of holinesse and sinceritie For except he had loved and followed the Light of divine Truth whensoever the fire of persecution and tribulation because of the Word had beene kindled against him hee had shrunke backe and fallen away I am afflicted very much quicken me O Lord according to thy Word Thirdly in Vers 108. by the offerings of his mouth and calves of his lips that is the spirituall sacrifices of prayers thanksgiving and gracious Vowes for Gods service which with a free and fervent spirit and earnest desire of acceptation he continually offered unto the Lord O Lord I beseech thee accept the free-will offerings of my mouth and teach me thy judgements Fourthly in Vers 109 110. by his stedfastnesse and sticking to the Law and Word of God though hee was beset and strongly incompassed with snares with dangers and with death it selfe His soule was continually in his hand that is hee was ready and resolved every houre rather to part with his life than with a good Conscience to shed his bloud rather than to forsake the Truth and Commandements of God My soule is continually in my hand yet doe I not forget thy Law The wicked have laid a snare for me yet I erred not from thy Precepts In the two last Verses upon the former reasons hee concludes the Point That his heart and inward affections do dearely embrace Gods blessed Word as a most rich and lasting Inheritance as his sweetest and greatest joy and that hee bends all the powers of his soule and best endevours to be led with and to follow the Light thereof even unto the end untill it bring him to immortalitie and Light that no man can attaine unto Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever for they are the rejoycing of my heart I have inclined my heart to performe thy Statutes alway even to the end Thus you see in generall the meaning of this Portion Before now I descend unto particulars and come to gather Notes severally from the Verses in order let vs take notice I beseech you for our instruction and examination of our owne soules of sixe notable markes and signes by which a true Christian may be discerned from a Temporizer a sincere server of God from a carnall Gospeller The first I gather out of the first Verse Every sonne and servant of God doth with humilitie chearefulnesse and obedience yeeld and submit himselfe to be wholly and onely directed and guided by the Light of Gods Word in all his wayes both generally of Christianitie and particularly of his speciall calling as David here did But the naturall man that is not yet entred into or acquainted with the state of Grace is led and guided in his courses onely by the Light of Reason and worldly Wisedome by good Meanings without ground and warrant out of the Word by a blind and ignorant Devotion by the Multitude Examples Custome of the Times and such like blind Guides But if he take any advice and direction out of the Word of God it is but in part by halfes and for a time A second ariseth out of the second Verse Every Child of God doth not onely promise vow and purpose to forsake and abandon all his knowne sinnes to watch carefully and conscionably over all his wayes to delight in and to sort himselfe with godly and gracious companie to have a respect to all his Commandements and to keepe his righteous Iudgements but hee doth also truly and throughly performe it hee goes through-stitch with his spirituall affaires and with constancie and courage walkes in a setled course of Christianitie But the unregenerate man not yet soundly seasoned with the power of Grace howsoever he hath sometimes good motions and purposes arise in his heart to forsake his former evill wayes and to fall to godlinesse howsoever in the time of Sicknesse of some great Iudgement or when his Conscience is terrified by the Ministerie of the Word when he seriously thinkes upon the day of his death and of that great and last Iudgement or the like hee makes Vowes with himselfe perhaps that hee will be a new man and change his courses But when he is once out of danger againe when he comes to the point and practice he is not so good as his word he doth not pay and performe his former Vowes and purposes hee is presently choaked againe with worldly Cares and drowned in earthly Pleasures And so all his goodnesse is as a morning Cloud and as the morning Deaw it goeth away The third marke lyeth in the third Verse Every Child of God doth with contented patience with strong dependance upon Gods providence with rejoycing in his sufferings beare and endure many miseries and pressures layd upon him for his profession and practice of sinceritie He well knowes out of the Word of God and feeles by his owne experience That all which will live godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution 2 Tim. 3. 12. And therefore he makes up his account with the World and is at a point with all that is under the Sunne hee is perswaded that all the afflictions of this life are not neere worthy the
theirs which indeed is the right direct and desperate downe-fall into the Pit of Hell So that millions of soules live no lesse without Scriptures than if there were none and wofully walke in this World through darkenesse of sinne shadow of death and ignorance both of God and his Word unto endlesse and utter darkenesse in the World to come The Prophet David tells us in Psal 19. That the Law of the Lord is perfect and giveth wisedome unto the simple The Commandements of the Lord is pure and giveth light to the eyes In this place hee tells us That the Word was a Lampe unto his feet and a Light unto his paths Christ himselfe Iohn 5. 39. bids us Search the Scriptures even all without exception so many as looke for eternall life Not lightly and at leisure to reade them but with diligence to dive into them for so the word signifies in the Originall To seeke for the right knowledge and true sense of them as for Silver and to search for it as for Treasures The Noblemen of Berea Act. 17. 11. searched the Scriptures dayly whether those things were so that were preached unto them Saint Peter 2 Pet. 1. 19. calls the Word of the Prophets a Light which shineth in a darke place to which wee should take heed But the Pope and his Factors teach other Lessons The Catholike Church saith one of their chiefe Champions out of the Councell of Trent forbids the reading of Scriptures by all without choise or the publike reading or singing of them in vulgar Tongues The wise will not here regard say the Rhemists in their Preface to their Testament what some wilfull people doe mutter that the Scriptures are made for all men And soone after they resemble the Scriptures to Fire Water Candles Knives and Swords which are indeed needfull c. but would marre all if they were at the guiding of other than wise men And this is indeed one of their principall reasons Many abuse the Scriptures by ignorance infirmitie or malice to Errors Heresies Schismes and their owne destruction therefore they are not to be read of all without choise I answer they might as well reason thus Many men abuse Meat and Drinke by surfetting and excesse to the destruction both of their soules and bodies therefore men are to be deprived of Meat and Drinke Some men are infected with the Pestilence by drawing in corrupted and empoysoned aire therefore the aire is to be taken away and removed But as those men which are deprived of Meat and Drinke presently languish and pine away and die a temporall death and those that enjoy not the benefit of the aire are presently stifled for want of breath even so all those that want the spirituall Food of their soules out of the Word of God and the holy inspirations of his good Spirit builded thereupon howsoever they be fat and flourishing in their outward estates yet they are full leane and lanke in their soules and if they so continue must needes die an eternall death and perish everlastingly Let us then learne to detest and hate the bloudie Policie of the Synagogue of Rome which cruelly keepes from many thousand Soules that blessed Light of Gods Word which should lead them to eternall life They indeed pretend other Reasons But the truth is if the Word of Truth should be permitted and published to all there would be old running out of Babylon all their Pompe and Policie would downe their shamefull Iuglings and Cousenages their strong Delusions and Impostures would be laid open in the sight of the Sunne The Princes of the Earth that have so long beene drunken with the wrath of her empoysoned Wine would no longer commit Fornication with her The Merchants would buy no more her Wares but would stand afarre off from her for feare of her torment weeping and wailing No marvell then though the Papists labour might and maine and to this end maintaine a bloudie Inquisition to suppresse this Light of Gods Word lest it should discover their darknesse and hasten their destruction A second Vse is for terror feare and amazement to all them that doe not live and delight in the Light of Gods holy Word but yet are walking in the darkenesse of ignorance and in the shadow of death The whole World and every man in particular lyes in darkenesse that is in ignorance under sinne and so subject and lyable to damnation and eternall death There is no way to come out of this state of Darknesse Damnation and Death but by the Knowledge Light and Ministerie of the Word Hence it is that Act. 26. 18. it is Pauls charge and hee is sent to this purpose to open the eyes of men that they might turne from Darknesse to Light And Paul himselfe Eph. 5. 8. speakes thus unto the Ephesians Yee were once Darkenesse but now yee are Light in the Lord walke as Children of the Light Out of 1 Pet. 2. 9. it appeares that all Gods Children are called out of Darkenesse into marvellous Light Why then fearefull and most wretched is the state of all those who by the Light and knowledge of Gods Word are not translated and guided out of this Darkenesse For as in Darkenesse 1 There is much feare horror and discomfort a man cannot enjoy the lightsomenesse of Heaven the comfort of the creatures the companie of men Even so ignorant men not enlightened with saving knowledge are utterly without all hope of Heaven they have no sight or taste of the endlesse joyes thereof they have no companie or conference in heavenly matters with true Christians they have no comfort or interest in the Covenant of Grace or Promises of Salvation But Feare Horror and Despaire are most justly treasured up for them against the Day of Wrath and of the declaration of the just Iudgement of God 2 He that walketh in the Darkenesse saith Iohn knoweth not whither he goeth He cannot discerne his way he seeth not what is behind or before him he cannot descry or discover the dangers which are round about him But especially if the wayes through which he passeth be slipperie steepe and rockie full of pits and holes he is in danger at every step by some grievous fall to crush his body bruise his bones or breake his necke It is just so with every one that lives in ignorance of Gods Word and Truth he cannot possibly discerne the way to Heaven amongst the many by-paths of iniquitie he cannot judge in spirituall matters betwixt right and wrong good and evill Light and Darkenesse Christ and Belial prophanenesse and sinceritie though there be behind him a Life spent in much wickednesse lewdnesse and ignorance before him Despaire Hell and eternall Damnation about him the World with a thousand baites and pleasures to intice and intangle him in sinne Sathan like a roaring Lyon readie every houre to seize upon his
is nothing writ in it but with our owne hands Now in what a terrible fearefull case will a man be at that Day when he shall see the Booke of God layd open before him in the Light whereof hee should have led all his life and by which he is now to be judged and yet know himselfe to have had no knowledge but to have beene a meere stranger in it Though the great things of the Law were many times published and preached unto him yet hee counted them but as a strange thing Every mans Conscience is naturally corrupt defiled and uncomfortable and can endure and digest reasonable quietly the rage of disordered affections many vile corruptions and sinfull actions and therefore at the last Day when it shall be awakened opened examined it will bring forth nothing but the Worme that never dyes strange confusion and condemnation except it hath beene formerly in this World enlightened purged and sanctified by the Word of Grace and the Bloud of the Lambe Most accursed then and forlorne will be the state of every ignorant man when he shall appeare before the Iudge of all the World When he lookes upon his Conscience he shall finde nothing but guilt and horror when upon the Law and upon the Word of God after which he should have lived and by which he must now be judged it will be to him but as a sealed Booke hee will see nothing but his owne ignorance blindnesse and strangenesse in it And therefore all the Plagues and Curses denounced in it against ignorant wicked and unrepentant sinners shall be his portion in the Lake that burnes with fire and Brimstone for evermore This ought then to stirre up every man with all care and Conscience to store himselfe while he hath time with saving knowledge and holy obedience unto that Word which must be his Iudge in the last Day Nay and let him take heed unto his feet and looke unto his behaviour when hee enters into the House of God For in that Day he must answer and be countable for every Sermon that he hath heard and for every Lesson he hath beene taught out of the Booke of God If they have not enlightened his understanding they have hardened his heart if they doe not now reforme him they will hereafter confound him if he doe not profit by them he shall be sure to be plagued for the neglect of them For Gods Word is unto every man that heares it either the savour of life unto life or the savour of death unto death It is a two-edged Sword it either kills the sinne or the soule it must and shall prosper in the worke for which it is sent God will rayse glory hee will winne honour unto himselfe from every man If hee cannot be glorified by his conversion and salvation hee will glorifie his owne Name in his deserved overthrow and just confusion A fourth Motive may be That horrible and fearefull punishment and destruction which at length will certainely befall all negligent and contemptuous hearers and those that practise not the power thereof in their lives and conversations Whosoever saith our blessed Saviour shall not receive you or heare your words when yee depart out of that house or that Citie shake off the dust of your feet Truly I say unto you it shall be easier for them of the Land of Sodome and Gomorrah in the Day of Iudgement than for that Citie The infamous abominations the damnable and crying sinnes of the Sodomites are knowne unto all Who hath not heard of those flouds of fire and Brimstone which swept them away as the hatefullest creatures that ever lived upon the Earth How rufull then and how lamentable will be their condition who are lyable and subject to more horrible plagues than these Wee should therefore consider that the negligent irreverent and unprofitable hearing of the Word of God is a sinne of a farre greater weight and more fearefull consequence than we ordinarily imagine When wee heare the Ministers and Embassadours of God delivering his mind and revealing his Will unto us out of such places as these we are to conceive that in a neerer and more speciall manner wee stand in the presence of the great God of Heaven and Earth who is clothed with infinite terrour power and majestie and thereafter we ought to proportion our behaviour and carriage with reverence humility and obedience to so great a presence Earthly Princes will not endure contempt and disgrace at their subjects hands They cannot abide to have their Majestie and authority lightly set by their lawes and commands to bee neglected and troden under foot Why then should the Lord of glory of justice and power beare such indignities at the hands of sinfull men which are his most abject vassals and contemptible creatures Certaine it is if wee weight aright the greatnesse of that God before whom wee stand and our owne vilenesse wee should hold it most just if he should presently in the place where we stand punish and plague our sleepinesse talking wandring thoughts and irreverent carriage at hearing his Word with some sudden and markable vengeance to be a spectacle example unto others for neglecting so great salvation It is Gods great mercy that such plagues and judgements are respited suspended and deferred for even all the curses in the booke of God doe naturally deservedly and in the course of Gods justice belong unto the negligent hearer and disobedient unto the Word of God All these curses saith Moses Deut. 28. 49. shall come upon thee and pursue thee and overtake thee till thou be destroyed because thou obeyest not the voice of the Lord thy God I come now in the second place to the temptations and lets whereby a man may bee hindered from hearing the Word of God profiting by it and a conscionable practising of the same The highest in impiety and most horrible is a spice of Atheisme which Satan suggests into worldly men whereby they wickedly and very blasphemously thinke that the sacred Word of God is but a politike invention and devise to keepe men in awe and order in Cities and societies and to preserve them from wildnesse and outrages But I would gladly know whose worke and invention it is if it be not Gods Almighty It is not mans For it directly and strongly opposeth against the streame of his sensuall delights and earthly pleasures It curbs his most desired contentments and crosseth the naturall bent of his affections It is not Satans For he in all ages hath fiercely and furiously set himselfe against it and it is the engine that batters and beats downe his kingdome of darknesse It is not any Angels or other creatures For the Majestie excellencie miraculous efficacie and wonderfull power of Gods Word is farre above the reach and capacity of any creature transcendent to all created understandings and finite comprehension Besides the famous miracles the
shew notwithstanding to have brought in all So it is in many by the malice of Sathan and bewitching enticements of naturall corruption in the forsaking of their sinnes In a true Conversion indeed when a man is about to buy the Pearle of great price unvaluable worth in the Gospel the Doctrine of Salvation the Way to Life and Graces of Gods Spirit he makes an universall sale of all his sinnes he selleth as the Text saith all that he hath not some piece of his sinfull Possession but even the very whole Lordship the entire Inheritance But it is otherwise with those whom Sathan inveagleth and ensnareth in this point Hee is well enough pleased that they shall seeme to be as forward in the reformation and amendment of their lives as any other and indeed that they shall be reformed in good part and carry some love and affection toward the Word and Ministers so that he may keepe hold and possession but in one corner of the heart For he knowes that that is enough to keepe the whole man body and soule his owne If he can stay but one sinne unsold he knowes the man continues still by the course of divine Law a bondslave of Hell By one little hole a ship will sinke into the bottome of the Sea The stab of a Pen-knife to the heart will as well speed a man as all the Daggers that killed Caesar in the Senat-house The soule will be strangled with one Cord of vanitie as well as with all the Cart-ropes of iniquitie only the more sins the more plagues and fiercer flame in Hell but he that lives and dies impenitent in one it will be his destruction One dramme of poyson will dispatch a man and one reigning sinne will bring him to endlesse woe and miserie Let us take heed therefore when we goe about reformation of our selves lest we be surprised overtaken by this malicious craft of Sathan Let us resolve upon a through-reformation which is only and ever undertaken with a purpose not to hold on in the willing practice of any one knowne iniquitie or sinfull course Which when we shall carefully earnestly go about Sathan will be sure to set upon us as Pharoah did upon Moses and Aaron When the Lord had commanded them to goe three dayes journey in the Desart to doe service and sacrifice unto him that by all meanes hee might hinder them in this holy businesse 1. He would have them to stay in the land and to doe sacrifice there Nay saith Moses it is not meet to doe so for then wee should offer unto the Lord our God that which is abomination unto the Egyptians 2. Sith this would not then serve but that they would needs out of the Land I will let you goe saith Pharaoh that you may sacrifice to the Lord your God in the Wildernesse but goe not farre away But Moses would yet none of this he would not abate a foot of the journey the Lord had appointed 3. Why then saith Pharaoh if you will needs goe so farre I am content your men shall goe but as it is fittest your children shall stay at home Nay saith Moses we will goe with our young and with our old with our sonnes and with our daughters with our Sheepe and with our Cattell will we goe 4. Well saith Pharaoh I will yeeld so farre unto you your children shall goe with you to serve the Lord onely your sheepe and your Cattell shall abide at home Nay saith Moses our Cattell also shall goe with us There shall not an hoofe be left Now when all this would not doe when Moses would not accept of any capitulations conditions restrictions or limitations in holy businesses and the service of God for he was at a point resolute he would not leave so much as an hoofe behinde Now I say when all the enticements and policies of Pharaoh would not prevaile to keepe Moses from serving and sacrificing unto God and that precisely and strictly according to his owne appointment and commandement but that to this end at length he wrung himselfe and all the Israelites out of the bloudy teeth of this persecuting Wolfe why then Pharaoh armes himselfe with rage and fury with six hundred chosen chariots and all the chariots of Aegypt with fifty thousand horsmen and two hundred thousand footmen as a Iewish Historian writes purposing with bloudy thirst to devoure at once and swallow up quicke even all the Israell of God But you know the conclusion was the Lord of Heaven gave a most glorious deliverance to his owne people wherein his bottomlesse goodnesse and infinite mercy shall shine cleare and bright for ever in all generations of the Church upon earth and through all eternity in Heaven But upon their enemies he brought such a strange and terrible confusion in the Red Sea which may strike astonishment and trembling into the heart and loynes of all prophane persecutors of godlinesse to the worlds end and amaze the very maliciousest fâ—end in hell while that Kingdome of darknesse stands Even iust thus doth Satan deale with all those who desire to bee conducted by the light of the Word out of the Aegypt and slavery of ignorance sinne prophanenesse and who are resolved frankly and freely to give themselves soules and bodies to Gods service and to enter a setled course of holinesse and sanctification hee useth all meanes and policies to keepe and detaine them in his Kingdome of darknesse If he cannot hold them in his chiefe palace and Court as it were where sinne especially raignes and revels it yet he will so farre hamper them that at least they still hover upon the confines and borders of the Regions of death If they will needs bee medling with reformation of their â—infull lives and that he cannot helpe it but something must be done he is content to yeeld unto them upon some termes or conditions that they cast him not quite out of their consciences but suffer him to sway and raigne in their hearts by some one gainfull or delightfull sinne or other 1. If they will needs feare God he stands not much upon it but that they may doe it outwardly and in profession so that they will continue in Aegypt within the Kingdome of darknesse and lie still in their sinnes and under the shadow of death 2. If this will not content them if they will not rest here but will needs out of the Kingdome of darknesse and dominion of death why he is not much against it but that they may goe the halfe way that is he will suffer them to forgoe and forbeare the outward practice and perpetration of many sinnes so that inwardly their heart and affections harbour nourish embrace them still and feed upon with a sensuall and delightfull remembrance the sinfull pleasures of iniquities formerly committed 3. If they desire and endevour to become new men both inwardly and outwardly to be sanctified
carry and cast a man from a setled and sound course of holinesse and sinceritie upon the dangerous Rockes of singularitie and separation But understand me aright what I meane by singularitie I meane that onely which ariseth out of privie Pride is upholden by selfe-will and obstinatenesse and many times ends in separation and hath neither ground nor defence from sound judgement spirituall wisedome or true tendernesse of Conscience joyned with humilitie and willingnesse to be rightly informed I meane not singularitie in respect of holinesse and unspottednesse of life in respect of difference and distance from the sinfull fashions of the times For in this sense every man that will save his soule must be singular Hence it is that our Saviour asketh his followers in Math. 5. what singular thing they doe if they doe but as the Publicans doe As if hee should have said You that will be Christians must be of a more heavenly temper and higher straine than the most men and the greater part of the World You must be singular and shine as Lights amid a naughtie and crooked generation Hence is it that Gods children ever were and ever will be Signes and Wonders Miracles and Monsters in the opinion and censure of most amongst whom they live gazing stockes both by reproaches and afflictions Heb. 10. 33. Behold saith Isaiah Chap. 8. 18. I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are as signes and as wonders in Israel by the Lord of Hosts which dwelleth in Mount Sion I am become saith David as it were a monster unto many or to the great men of the World as some render it Psal 71. 7. And in another Psalme Psal 79. 4. Wee are a reproach to our neighbours even a scorne and a derision unto them that are round about us But especially you may see in Wisd 2. though the Booke be Apocryphall what is the counsell and conceit of the wicked about the oddenesse and singularitie of the Saints Let us defraud the righteous say the wicked for hee is not for our profit and hee is contrarie to our doings hee checketh us for offending against the Law and blameth us as transgressors of Discipline hee maketh his boast to have the knowledge of God and hee calleth himselfe the sonne of the Lord Hee is made to reprove our thoughts It grieveth us also to looke upon him for his life is not like other mens his wayes are of another fashion hee counteth us as bastards and hee withdraweth himselfe from our wayes as from filthinesse hee commendeth greatly the latter end of the just and boasteth that God is his father Thus as Gods children and godly men are indeed more excellent than their neighbours and singular in respect of their sanctification and sinceritie so they are scorned and reviled by the World and the greater part of men as odde fellowes and such as must have wayes by themselves and a tricke above others They are pointed at as matter of scorne and contempt they are set up as markes of slander and oppression and gazed upon as strange creatures Wee are made sayth Paul 1 Cor. 4. 9. meaning himselfe and other of Gods faithfull servants a gazing-stocke unto the World and to the Angels and to men And no marvell though it be so For besides that all prophane and unregenerate men are naturally ineagered and inraged with implacable malice and hatred against Gods Children they are in all places but few in number which makes them more noted and pointed at That they are but few besides many certaine demonstrative Reasons out of Scripture it may thus plainely appeare as a good Divine tells us First let there be taken from amongst us all Papists Atheists and scorners of godlinesse and Religion Secondly let there be removed all notorious and infamous evill livers as Swearers Drunkards Whoremongers Vsurers Worldlings Deceivers proud persons prophaners of the Sabbath Gamesters and all the prophane and ignorant multitude Thirdly let all those be passed over that are but onely civill honest men and meddle not with any profession or practise of holinesse without which no man must see God Fourthly set aside all grosse Hypocrites who for advantage or by-respects are outwardly religious but inwardly corrupt hollow-hearted and abominable Fifthly let there be sorted out and rejected all carnall Protestants formall Professors backsliders cold and unzealous Christians who falsely thinke that they may both enjoy the World and a good Conscience too live pleasantly on Earth and yet save their soules at last and that it is not necessarie to hold any such strict course of holinesse to come to Heaven Let all these kinde of men I say all which in one measure or other are in the state of death and under the power of Sathan be separated and shoaled out and how many doe you thinke will remaine amongst us sound sincere faithfull and zealous professors and practisers of saving Truth the power of Grace and holy Obedience to all Gods Commandements For such onely are Gods servants and in the state of Grace Let a man come into any Towne Village Citie or Corporation and let all such men as are before mentioned be removed and how many should he finde of these last They would certainely be thinne scattered and like the Grapes after the gathering of the Vintage two or three in the top of the upmost boughes and foure or five in the high branches Singularitie then of sanctification is no fruit of Pride but an inseparable marke and necessarie state of true Christianitie I come now to a third ground whence Sathan may rayse a temptation to privie Pride When a man is faithfull and diligent in the discharge and executions of his civill calling hee may cast a conceit into his head that such base earthly and worldly imployment and spending his time is disgracefull and derogatorie to the providence of God and his Christian libertie and that it hinders him in his calling of Christianitie and duties of Religion Whence may sollow dangerous effects of spirituall Pride quite leaving or neglect discontent or distaste of his civill calling And so his heart and affections may bee put quite out of order and deceive themselves in the very maine point of making towards Heaven Sathan by his subtill malice may worke out matter and occasion of spirituall Pride from the speciall providence of God conducting the Christian the best and the neerest way to Heaven To give example in some particulars 1 When God out of his great wisedome and mercie humbles him with afflictions and prickes the swelling of his Pride when hee cuts and loppes away his vanities excesses and superfluities with some visitation or other and fills him with bitternesse in this life to the end hee might long for the life to come Why then Sathan labours mightily to kindle in his corrupt nature a flash of spirituall Pride that hee may drive him to grumbling and impatiencie and so make
selfe-conceitedly to gaze upon that little sparke of holinesse hee findes in himselfe let him presently turne backe the edge and eye of this dangerous speculation upon the infinite puritie and endlesse perfection of God Almightie before whom the Cherubins and Seraphins the Crowne of Gods workemanship and the glory of creatures doe hide and cover their faces as not able to behold and endure the perfect brightnesse of his most pure and undefiled Majestie In whose sight the unstained splendour of the Heavens and the glorious beautie of the Starres are uncleane and foule darkenesse and deformitie The Sunne the fairest Body in the World made all of beautie and brightnesse if it were put neere unto that unaccessible and incomprehensible Light which encompasseth the Lord of Heaven it would vanish away as a darkesome Moat and Lumpe of Vanitie Nay in respect of God those divine and heavenly creatures the blessed Angels pure and immateriall spirits are chargeable with folly and vanitie Behold he found no stedfastnesse in his Saints yea the Heavens are not cleare in his sight How much more is man abominable and filthie which drinketh iniquitie like water Iob 15. 15 16. What art thou then wretched man that carriest about thee a Body of death Shall not his excellencie make thee afraid and his feare fall upon thee Behold saith Iob he will give no light unto the Moone and the Starres are uncleane in his sight How much more man a Worme even the sonne of a man which is but a Worme Behold he found no stedfastnesse in his servants and laid folly upon his Angels How much more in them that dwell in Houses of Clay whose foundation is in the Dust which shall be destroyed before the Moth These considerations are able to confound and cast downe below the Earth and Dust the greatest admirer and applauder of himselfe for his graces good actions and spirituall perfections When the Christian is tempted to a proud conceit of his spirituall sufficiencies let him compare himselfe with other Saints of God which perhaps having beene lesse sinners than himselfe in the time of their unregeneration and having lesse meanes parts occasions and encouragements to glorifie God yet excell him in zeale sanctification and the service of God Paul that great Doctor of the Gentiles and glorious Angell upon Earth for all his spirituall blessings and incomparable graces cryes out Rom. 7. 24. Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death David a man after Gods owne heart and a speciall royall Mirror for varietie of spirituall excellencies is so farre from being proud of his graces that hee is every where complaining of the burthen of his sinnes spirituall povertie and want and the miseries of his soule There is no health in my flesh saith he because of thy displeasure neither is there any rest in my bones by reason of my sinne for my wickednesses are gone over my head and are like a sore burthen too heavie for me to beare For his reputation in the World he tells us that he was a Worme and no man a very scorne of men and out-cast of the people In all times the best Christians have ever beene most sensible of the weight of their sinnes and corruption of their nature and from thence entertained a lowly conceit of themselves Where there is the greatest measure of sanctification there is ever the greatest humilitie If those then that be indeed in the highest favour with God lesser sinners than our selves and most sanctified be of an humble and lowly minde of a meeke and quiet spirit which is before God a thing much set by 1 Pet. 3. 4. let us take heed how we be proud of those graces which if we looke for Gods blessing upon them and comfort from them must bring forth in us humilitie and thankefulnesse Let him compare and examine and measure himselfe his wayes and workes by the Law of God and hee shall there finde much matter of humiliation repentance feare and trembling with continuall supply in abundance ministred unto him so that there shall be no roome left for any proud and over-weening conceit of any good thing in him That elect Vessell and great Apostle after he was regenerate for the unregenerate feele no such strife found such a vast and wide distance betweene the Law and his owne affections and best workes that for horror thereof he cryed out Oh miserable man that I am What spirituall good then is there in any of us miserable wretches wherein we should glory Let our best workes be as glorious as we can imagine let them be performed with never so great integritie and resolution cover them with grace derive them from the Holy-Ghost dippe and dye them deepe in the bloud of Christ put upon them all the rich attire and Papall magnificence with which the Church of Rome hath invested them yet to the purest eyes of God and in the cleare Crystall of his undefiled Law they appeare to be foule and spotted impure and like a menstruous clout The measuring then of our selves by the Law and Word of God is a notable meanes to keepe us in humilitie and to make us worke out our salvation with feare and trembling Let him consider what a foule and wretched what a damned and an accursed creature hee had beene had not his gracious God out of the unsearchable depth of his infinite goodnesse and mercie singled him out to be his servant upon Earth and a Saint in Heaven It was onely Gods free mercie that before all eternitie by the great Decree of his eternall election marked him out for Heaven and endlesse joyes from amidst the huge masse of all mankind It was the same that after caused him to send his owne and onely Sonne out of his owne Bosome and height of Majesty that with his dearest and precious bloud hee might redeeme his Soule from the snares of Hell into which hee was fallen by Adams fall which in due time by the inward speciall and effectuall power of his unspotted Spirit called him into his Kingdome of Grace washed him justified and sanctified him in the Name of the Lord Iesus Else otherwise had not these everlasting and unconceivable Blessings beene cast upon him by Gods free meere mercie without all cause or motive from man or any other created thing out of his infinite Selfe his case had beene unspeakably wofull For he should have lived in this Vale of Teares without God without Grace without Comfort without Conscience in Sinne in Darkenesse in Prophanenesse in all Spirituall Miseries And after the closure and period of these few and evill dayes he should have beene endlessely divided and abandoned from the joyes and comforts of Gods presence inchained without all redemption to despaire and horror and the hatefull fellowship of the Devill and his Angels and that which is the extremitie and upshot of all hellish miserie hee
a great signe of grace to heare the Word gladly Psal 119. 162. I rejoyce at thy Word as one that findeth great spoyles David had beene a souldier and ye know that they that have lyen at the siege of a Citie a long time and at the last take it will rejoyce exceedingly in the spoyle of it therefore he rejoyces in the Word as they that doe divide the spoyles And truly whereas common people complaine of the badnesse of their memories this would be a marvellous helpe to their memories if they would heare with delight therefore David sayth Psal 119. 16. I will delight my selfe in thy Statutes I will not forget thy Word This delight he meanes will strengthen our memories Now contrarie to this are a great number that heare without all delight and account it a great wearinesse Mal. 1. 13. and those the dullest houres that they spend in hearing Well the Lord hath threatned that the Word shall never doe us good unlesse that wee attend to it with love and delight 2 Thess 2. 10 11. Because they received not the love of the Truth that they might be saved therefore God shall send them strong delusions to beleeve Lyes A fearefull threatning much to be considered in these dayes For this is the reason that Popish trumperies and hellish delusions have such entertainment because God in his just judgement gives up those to such strong delusions that love not the strict Truth of the Word of God 5 You must heare the Word with application of it to your owne hearts and lives apply every truth to your selves for your owne use and comfort and terror and instruction as it is Iob 5. last Heare this and know it for thy selfe carry this truth home to thine owne heart And First there is no truth of God taught out of his Word but it concernes every one of Gods people and was intended for our use Rom. 15. 4. Whatsoever is written is written for our learning Secondly there is no truth can be taught to doe us good unlesse that wee apply it as no Plaister can doe the Patient good unlesse it be applyed no meat is able to doe us any good be it dressed never so curiously unlesse it be eaten and digested This comparison is applyed by the Prophet to this purpose Isa 55. 2. Hearken diligently unto me and eate ye that which is good unlesse we eate it it will doe us no good Thirdly the faithfull have been wont to apply all to themselves as every member of the body drawes nourishment from the stomacke to make it his owne to which the Apostle alludes Eph. 4. 16. So the Disciples of our Saviour did Math. 26. 21 22. When our Saviour had said that one of them should betray him they were exceeding sorrowfull and began every one of them to say unto him Lord is it I And surely the want of this application is one great cause that the Word profits not because they beleeve it not nor apply the Word unto themselves Heb. 4. 2. The Word preached did not profit them because it was not mixed with faith in them that heard it Now one principall worke of faith is to apply those things that are delivered in the Word But this the most hearers doe exceedingly faile in either not applying or mis-applying of the truth shifting off all upon others and taking little or nothing to themselves As wee have a notable example of this Rom. 1. ult compared with Rom. 2. 1. In the former place the Apostle speakes of some that knowing the judgement of God That those that doe such things are worthy of death yet not onely doe such things but take pleasure in those that doe them yet in the beginning of the next Chapter you find the same men judging and condemning of others yet thinking and perswading themselves that they being guiltie of the same sinnes shall escape the judgement of God Why but because they apply not to themselves but mis-apply to others the things they heare Many such hearers there are in these dayes which are very cunning in shifting off the threatnings of God against their owne Drunkennesse and Whoredome and Swearing c. yet very apt to pinne the same Word upon others Well these are not wise for themselves and all their hearing shall doe them no good Thus much of the duties required in hearing Now follow those duties that are required after hearing And these are chiefely thus 1 Wee must be very carefull to remember and keepe that which wee have heard Prov. 4. 4. My sonne let thine heart retaine my words and Vers 21. Keepe them in the midst of thine heart As a man that hath a Iewell will be carefull to locke it up in the safest Chest hee hath lest it should be stolne away Which is the very comparison of the Wise-man Prov. 6. 20 21. So Mary Luke 2. 51. kept all the sayings in her heart and David Psal 119. 11. hid the Commandements in his heart and hee gives the reason That hee might not sinne against the Lord. And the truth is that as meat that is eaten if it remaines not in the stomacke it will never doe us good so the best spirituall food that can be except it be retained by us will not profit us Luke 8. 15. The good Ground are they which with an honest and good heart having heard the Word keepe it c. Many there are that are very carelesse of this dutie They thinke they have discharged themselves abundantly if they heare the whole Sermon attentively as though there were nothing more required at their hands Like our Saviours hearers Math. 22. 22. When they heard him they marvelled and left him and went their way but wee never heare more of them So many heare desirously and with open and greedie eares but as wee say it goes in at one eare and out at another it stayes not for any after-use but a little present admiration Others heare and the Word smites them a little on their Consciences and wounds and one would thinke some good thing would be wrought upon them but they goe away and the motion dyes They are as men that are Sea-sicke whilest the Word humbles them and makes their Consciences to wamble within them but they are as whole as a Fish when as they are once landed at the Church doore Or like unto Mettals which are soft and plyable whilest they are in the fire so these are in the hearing but shortly they loose all the efficacie of the Word and become harder than before Well let us in the feare of God hearken diligently to the words of the Holy-Ghost Heb. 2. 1. That wee ought to give the more earnest heed to the things that wee have heard lest at any time wee should let them slip or runne out like riven Vessels Why what is the danger How shall wee escape if wee neglect so great Salvation 2 Wee must meditate and seriously thinke of that that wee have
surely be avenged of them for this sinne as we may see in the denunciation following Fifthly Ier. 7. 4 8 9 10 11. Trust not in lying words saying The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord c. They rested upon the outward formes of Gods worship without reformation It is just our case Many amongst us satisfie themselves and thinke it will serve the turne for salvation if they rest upon the Sabbath heare the Word receive the Sacrament and conforme to the outward exercises of Religion though they abide in their sinnes and have no acquaintance at all with the power of the Word the Mysterie of Christ conversion to God or holy conversation Sixtly Isa 6. 9 10. Goe tell this people Heare yee indeed but understand not see yee indeed but perceive not make the heart of this people fat and make their eares heavie and shut their eyes lest c. Oh this is heavie that a Minister should be sent to a further hardening of a people And yet it is just with God and they shall feele it on their Bed of Death The Theefe on the Crosse was converted with a piece of a Sermon they are not wrought upon after many yeeres therefore it is just with God as an act of judgement because they would not come in after so long a time to give them over to such judiciall hardnesse Consider these things and tremble all yee that have any wayes strucke at the face of Christ by contempt of his Ministerie For the humbling of your soules into the dust for this horrible sinne peruse in bleeding hearts in secret that blacke and bloudie Catalogue of fearefull provocations which are ordinarily to be found in and certainely set upon the Score of such as hate to be reformed under a conscionable Ministerie Which made Christ say Ioh. 15. 22. If I had not come and spoken unto them c. 1 Despising it shutting their eyes against that glorious Light erected in their faces to leade them to Heaven See Math. 10. 14. Whosoever shall not receive you nor heare your words when yee depart out of that house or Citie shake off the dust of your feet Here is a notable place to affright all those that are unworthie partakers of the Ministerie For the understanding whereof take notice of these five points 1 It is as if they should say Here I have gone a long journey and have contracted dust and sand by my travell and taken a great deale of paines and loe here I shake off this dust in witnesse that you had Christ offered you and you would not accept him 2 To intimate unto them I care not for any of you or yours but onely I seeke the good of your soules I respect not so much as the dust I prize more the conversion of any of your soules than all yours and this dust shall witnesse it 3 They shooke off the dust as a witnesse I will have nothing to doe with this Citie for I know the Plagues and Iudgements of God will seize on this place as it was with Sodome and Gomorrah I will have no communion and societie with these wicked people 4 They did shake off the dust to intimate that destruction should come upon them For it is said Psalme 1. That they should be driven away as the dust As that is shaken with the winde so shall they be with the wrath of God 5 In testimonie and witnesse against them This very dust shall be witnesse against them Doe you thinke then that their Sermons and Catechising shall not If the dust that they gathered by their paines will be witnesse what will all their Sermons and praying and such paines be Now this sinne of despising the Word is a sinne above that of Sodome Vers 15. Verily it shall be more easie for Sodome and Gomorrah in the Day of Iudgement than for that Citie 2 Murmuring against it Iob. 6. 41. Luk. 15. 2. 3 Cavilling against it Act. 13. 45. 4 Contemning it Ier. 44. 16. Act. 17. 18. What will this Babbler say They accounted Pauls precious preaching vaine babbling 5 Mocking and scorning it 2 Chron. 36. 16. Act. 2. 13. 6 Persecuting it Math. 10. 23. And so they become like mad Dogges throwne into a River or tyed up in a Chaine which doe snarle at bite and teare those that put out their hands to helpe and set them free fearing they come to torture and to trouble them more Iust so it is with many prophane wretches which lye drowned in sinne and chained in Sathans fetters If a man put out his hand by the Ministerie of the Word to save them from sinking into Damnation and to free them from the Snares of everlasting death they rage and rayle they barke and bite like mad Dogges holding themselves to be disquieted disgraced and tormented before their time Thus you have seene the sixe Curses and the sixe Sinnes that the not profiting by the Word doth bring upon a people 2 Now in the second place let me tender to your most serious thoughts some quickening Motives for the stirring of you up to profit by the Word 1 Some taken from the Word it selfe the Ministerie whereof you have slighted What then is the blessed thing you have so wickedly abused It is 1 The Word of Salvation Act. 13. 26. No other Word or created Power can save your soules from Hell 2 The Word of Truth Eph. 1. 13. There is error in all other Truths whether Naturall or Morall or Politicall and goe to any Art there is weakenesse and infirmitie in the braine of man that there can be no certaintie but here is all Truth and here is infallibilitie you need not doubt of any 3 It is called the Word of Life Phil. 2. 16. All other Learning whatsoever when it hath furnished you with ornaments and parts it leaves your soules starke dead in sinnes and trespasses But this is a Word of Life it inspires spirituall Life and brings eternall Life 4 It is called a Word of Reconciliation 2 Cor. 5. 19. Let the Sea runne nothing but Gold and let Heaven and Earth be turned into Gold and Silver and offered unto God it could not reconcile us If all the creatures would lose their being be annihilated and come to nothing yet this could not save Iudas or any one reprobate but the Word hath beene a blessed instrument for reconciling many soules to God 5 It is as it were an Epistle or Letter as one of the Fathers calls it written from God Almightie unto us miserable men wherein hee writes his Will and Word and sends it to us the Ministers are the readers of it and they bring the newes from Heaven And what is the matter of it Concerning eternall life or eternall death concerning the good of your soules Now if you had a private Letter come from the King concerning your advancement or your deliverance and forgivenesse for some dangerous Treason or both how
Fathers I say I will suppose them to be as it were Gyants and wee Dwarfes Yet set a Dwarfe upon a Gyants shoulders and hee will see further and so might certainely wee but for Slouth Idlenesse Worldlinesse Ambition and other such base and vile degenerations of these later Times It may be further objected That there was more necessity of the Fathers frequent Preaching especially in those Primitive Times for more plentifull publishing and propagation of the Gospel c. and suppressing Heresies c. Passingly weake and untrue There is farre more need of much Preaching now than in former times For wee live in the last dayes wherein those perillous times are come upon us which Paul fore-tells 2 Tim. 3. 1. c. and wherein iniquitie abounds and the love of many waxeth cold c. Math. 24. 12. And at this day wee oppose the Hydra of all Heresies Poperie which opposeth even the whole Body of Christianitie Againe their Homilies are against Drunkennesse Pride Swearing Luxury Covetousnesse love of the World Vsury painted Faces false Haire Anger Envie Ambition c. All which sinnes and many more reigne and rage at this day with more hainousnesse and an higher hand than heretofore 2 A second meanes whereby the Word may dwell plentifully in us is by a constant and conscionable reading the Booke of God This Exercise is commanded to Kings and Captaines Deut. 17. 17 18 19. Iosh 1. 8. who may seeme most priviledged by their intanglement in many and weightie affaires Christ bids the Iewes Ioh. 5. 39. Search the Scriptures as the well-spring of eternall life The Holy-Ghost commends the Iewes of Berea as more noble than they of Thessalonica because they received the Word with all readinesse of minde and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so Act. 17. 11. See Deut. 6 7 8 9. See many Motives to this dutie before It is the Word of Salvation of Truth of Life of Reconciliation a Letter from Heaven a Treasurie of all excellent things it shall judge us it onely can heale a wounded Soule it containes all our evidence for Heaven and it is the object of divine Faith c. Nay and because the Papists have wickedly dammed up this Fountaine of Life from the common people heare the judgement and zeale of Antiquitie in pressing this dutie First heare Chrysostome Heare I pray you all yee Lay-men saith Chrysostome get yet Bibles a Medicine for your Soules c. You cast all upon our shoulders You ought onely to be instructed of us but your Wives and Children should be by you c. But now adayes your Children preferre divellish Songs and Dancings even as Cookes and Caters and leaders of Dances but none knowes any Psalme The same Chrysostome to stirre up men to diligent reading the Scriptures maketh good this assertion There is no affliction or miserie of body or soule but may receive a Medicine out of Gods Booke 1 A man heavie-hearted and of a sad spirit saith hee takes the Bible in his hand after hee hath met with that place Psal 42. 11. Why art thou cast downe O my soule and why art thou so disquieted within me hope thou in God c. he is refreshed 2 Another saith he is oppressed with extreme povertie beholds the wicked wallow in worldly wealth and flourish like a greene Bay-tree But after hee hath cast his eye upon that Psal 55. 22. Cast thy burthen upon the Lord and hee shall sustaine thee c. he is comforted 3 Another is hunted with calumnies and insidiations c. and no humane helpe will be had the Prophet saith hee doth teach him what to doe in these words They did speake against me but I prayed 4 Another is forsaken even of his friends and kinsmen and contemned of those who were most beholding to him Heare how the Prophet behaved himselfe in such a case Psal 38. 11. c. 13. c. He concludes thus Thou hast seene whensoever any calamitie doth oppresse a man how convenient an Antidote he may take from the Scriptures and all care of this life may be driven backe neither should we be grieved for any thing that falls out Therefore I beseech you that you would come hither and diligently attend to the reading of the holy Scriptures not onely when you come hither but even at home take the holy Bible into your hands and goe reape the profit that is in them with great earnestnesse Moreover what that sensible Bread doth to encrease bodily strength that Reading doth to the soule for it is spirituall nourishment and makes the soule vigorous c. But wee may adde to Chrysostomes Antidotes these 16. more 1 Art thou wearie of the wayes of vanitie and comming on with a grieved and sorrowfull heart for thy sinne to meet thy deare Redeemer and doth the conceit of the number and hainousnesse of thy transgressions crosse and confound thy hopes of being received to mercy Why then looke upon Paul he shed the bloud of the Saints with extraordinarie rage and furie Act. 9. 1. upon Manasseh a man of prodigious impietie 2 Chron. 33. 6. upon some of Peters hearers who crucified the Lord of Life Act. 2. 23. If these will not serve the turne looke upon Adam who cast away himselfe and undid all and was the cause that all that issued out of his loines unto the Worlds end fell into the damnation of Hell and yet all these upon repentance were received unto mercie And therefore if thou canst now heartily repent feare no former sinnes 2 Hast thou by the violence of Sathans temptations the slie enticements of thine owne sinfull nature and the cunning insinuations of thy former bosome-sinne beene fearefully overtaken with some scandalous fall since thou wast converted and gave thy Name unto Grace and upon illumination of thy conscience remorse and meditation of returne thou art ashamed to look Christ Iesus in the face because thou hast so shamed thy profession and thou art so troubled with horror and conceit that thy case is singular that thou canst find no ease to thine humbled and sorrowfull heart Why then looke upon David Peter c. transcendent instances that thou may not sinke into despaire 3 Art thou plunged into the perplexities and fearfull apprehensions of a spiritual desertion Art thou deprived of thy former comfortable feelings of Gods favorable countenance Hast thou no comfort in prayer c. Looke upon David Ps 77. 4 It may be upon thy Bed of Death when Sathan will make thy sinnes appeare farre more ugly and horrible to the eye of thy Conscience than ever hee did before and will perswade thee all he can that all thy holy services unto God and new obedience was quite marred with Pride Hypocrisie and by-respects I say it may be then thy heart will quite faile thee and thy conceit of Gods wrathfull and angry countenance for thy sinne may so oppresse and confound thy soule that thou mayest