Couenant with our God when wee were baptized the Lord then receiued vs into the bosome of his Church vpon this condition that wee would become his people and walke in his wayes hee gaue vs his couenant a gracious couenant full of many gracious and heauenly promises of pardon of sinne of life eternall This Couenant hee sealed and confirmed by the heart bloud of his owne Sonne that he would bee our gracious God and louing Father that hee would pardon all our sinnes receiue vs to fauour and bestow eternall life and saluation vpon vs. Wee on the other side haue couenanted with our God that wee would bee his people and become his obedient seruants that wee would renounce the Deuill and all his works the stinking pleasures of the flesh and that wee would not suffer our selues to bee ruled by them but would manfully fight vnder the banner of our Lord Iesus Christ against the Deuill the world and the flesh Now if wee examine ourselues how wee haue kept this Couenant wee shall find that the Lord may iustly say vnto vs as hee did here vnto this people Yee haue broken my Couenant yea we haue denied our obedience to Christ Iesus and his Word and wee haue serued sinne and Sathan and the world Gods deadly enemies and we haue liued in pleasures in vanity in couetousnesse and in many other sinnes against our promise to God Oh then in the feare of God let vs take knowledge of this that wee are vile and miserable couenant breakers wee haue fayled in our promise to God and haue not walked in his wayes as wee haue made a solemne Couenant with him And now let it make vs ashamed that wee should deale thus vilely and decitfully with our most gracious God If it bee a matter of shame to breake couenant with an honest man and wee bee grieued for the same how much more should this grieue vs and make vs ashamed that wee haue dealt thus faithlesly with our gracious God And thirdlie as wee must bee grieued that wee Vse 3 haue thus fayled and broken our Couenant with God heretofore so now wee must bee more carefull to keepe our Couenant with him in time to come manfully to fight vnder his banner against sinne Sathan and the world his vtter enemies and yeeld him obedience in heart and life to deny all obedience to the Deuill and our owne lusts and say with the Prophet Dauid Psal 119 10â— I haue sworne and am stedfastly purposed to keepe thy righteous iudgements Oh let vs take a solemn oath of our selues and purpose both in heart life to keepe his righteous iudgements neuer to sinne against our God as wee haue done but in all things to do his will and to walke in his wayes And there is good reason to perswade vs hereunto for if wee shall keepe our Couenant made to God in our Baptisme then the Lord will take vs for his people and will bee our gracious God and louing Father then hee will performe all those gratious promises of pardon of sinne Deu. 28. and life eternall and euery other gracious promise that hee hath layde down in his Word for our good and the further increase of our happinesse it shall then goe well with vs in life in death and after death But if wee refuse to heare his voyce and will not regard our vow and couenant made to him in Baptisme then hee will withdraw his mercy and gratious protection from vs he is no longer tyed vnto vs to doe vs good then wee shall keepe his Couenant and then what shall become of vs if the Lord once forsake vs if hee leaue vs alas wee shal then lye open to all misery both of soule and body if God bee angry with vs who can do vs good Fourthly and lastly this may serue to reprooue Vse 4 those men that vpon some particular occasions as in time of warre sicknesse necessity trouble or any other danger haue beene ready to enter into couenant with God so that God would free them and deliuer them they will become new men if they haue fallen into whoredome or fornication they vow they will bridle their lusts and they will neuer delight in the Harlots company any more If they haue fallen into drunkennesse they will vow and enter couenant with God Luk. 14.8 that they will abstaine from the hatefull house of that sinne and all other prouocations to the same The Oppressor is ready to promise more mercy to the poore and so of all other sinnes Dan. 4.24 the sinner is ready to enter Couenant with God when his conscience is vpon the racke that hee will leaue his sinne and that for the time to come they will walke with God in better obedience so that God would but deliuer them set them on foot againe When a man hath most vainly and sinfully spent his time in drunkennesse riotousnesse idlenesse wantonnesse enuy hatred contempt of Gods Word c. If God strike such men with sicknesse as I haue known many that they haue feared death for vnto such is the remembrance of death a terror Oh how then doe they tremble and quake Note then send for Moses and Aaron in haste send for the Minister who before this time of all men they esteemed the most vile and then good people pray for me Oh I haue beene a great and grieuous sinner I haue offended God many wayes I haue been a most beastly drunkard a most vncleane liuer I haue dishonoured God many wayes by my vsury oppressing of the poore vniust and vnconscionable dealing with men by fraud and deceit I haue made no conscience at all how I haue spent the Sabbath but haue been at bowles and Tables or drinking in vaine company when I should haue beene present in the Congregation of Gods people Oh if God vvill but now forgiue mee this sinne onely I will neuer offend in the like againe I will become a new man for no mans pleasure will I be brought to dishonour God any more by these sinnes These and the like are the clamours and the crying out of many men when God doth touch them by sicknesse or some other calamity and then are they very forward to enter into Couenant with God euer to bee thankfull and obedient vnto him and then to begin their repentance and amendment of life But O alas is not this the best day that God hath of them and the best seruice that euer they performe vnto him It is it is for when God doth free them and set them at liberty 2. Pet. 2.1.2 they Turue with the Dogge to the vomite and with the Sowe to the mire Well God will neuer put vp this great ingratitude at their hands but being found to bee Couenant breakers with their God all those iudgements which Almighty God hath threatned against such sinners shall most surely come vpon them Deu. 28. and ouertake them Like Men. HEre is layde downe the manner
confesse that sinne is to be left and that God is to bee serued of vs but wee cannot accord of the time when to beginne this worthy worke I remember the report of the Prophet against the people that neglected the reedifying of the Temple Hag. 1.2 This people sayth he say that the time is not yet come that the Lords house should bee builded So many thinke it is not yet time for them to looke to heauen-ward Youth must haue a Spirit and the pleasures of the flesh must first he tasted We must first goe take our leaue of our friends and then we will follow Christ We may safely aduenture our young yeares and when we are old Reu. 2.24 and going out of the world then we will retire our selues let God beare with vs a little and yet a little and in time wee will repent This is indeed the very Deepenesse of Sathan But the time is present that we must lay hold on to turn to the Lord. Did euer any whom we read of in the Scripture feeling the piercing power of Gods spirit smiting vpon their hearts indent with the Lord and say so that God would bee pleased to let them continue in their sinne a moneth or two or a yeare that then they would leaue their sinne and serue the Lord in new obedience No no I neuer read of any that did thus couenant with the Lord but presently as God did smite them so they were humbled and were conuerted they deferred not the time but imbraced the truth from God without delay Oh lay this to heart the Lord giue you a right vnderstanding in al things that this day wherein I now speake vnto you may be the day of your Conuersion vnto the Lord and for the which hereafter you may reioyce for euermore It was too late for the foolish Virgins to knocke and to cry Mat. 25. Luk. 16. Lord Lord open vnto vs when the gate was shut against them the gate of repentance and the gate of mercy And it was too late for the Glutton to cry for one droppe of water to coole his flaming tongue which in his life time refused to giue one dramme of comfort to poore Lazarus Oh remember your selues betimes blesse the name of God that you haue not been preuented with death in the time of your ignorance and blindnesse as many haue been before you It is the greatest mercy that men can enioy that the sunne of death hath not yet set vpon them but that they may yet repent Oh seeke the Lord while hee may be found and call vpon him while hee is neere while yee haue light walke in the light least darkenesse come vpon you make no couenant with your sinnes but vtterly renounce them for euer And albeit they say to thee as the Deuils sayd to Christ Why doest thou torment vs before the time Yet hearken not vnto them for the time is already come if not past already for indeed we should haue repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes if we had done as we ought to haue done but seeing we haue spent so much time in the seruice of sinne and of Sathan how carefull should we bee now to redeeme the time and to defetre no day nor houre longer but while the word is sounding in our eares let vs be conuerted vnto the Lord that wee may liue in his sight But notwithstanding all this that hath been sayd it is strange to see how men imbolden themselues in their sinnes vnder this pretence that God is mercifull and that therefore they may repent as their leysure because God is a God of mercy he will forgiue vs whensoeuer we shall repent and turne to him It is true indeed that God is a God of mercy and his mercies are ouer all his works Psal 145. And therefore if men would make a right vse thereof the mercy of God should lead them to repentance for so sayth the Apostle Rom. 2.4 Gal. 5.22 Despisest thou the riches of his bountifulnesse and patience and long suffering not knowing that the bountifulnesse of God should lead thee to repentance but as he is mercifull so is he iust and the longer that God in mercy expecteth thy amendment so much the more grieuously will he punish thee Eâ—od 20. Psal 18.26 Pro. â— 34 28. if thou neglect it look in the second commandement how the Lord doth there threaten To visite the iniquities of the Fathers vpon their children vnto the third and fourth generation of such as hate him Yea the Lord threatneth obstinate sinners that hee will not regard them when they seeke vnto him Then shall they call vpon mee but I will not answere they shall seeke mee earely but they shall not find me because they hated knowledge and did not choose the feare of the Lord. So that wee see that all hope is taken away from presumptuous sinners that God should euer receiue them into fauour at last seeing that the Lord there threatneth that he will then be so far from pittying them as that hee will euen laugh at their destruction Oh happy then is he that sinneth least next he that returneth vnto God soonest but most wofull is the estate of him Heb. 10.26 Heb. 12.17 that with Ieroboam hath sold himselfe to worke wickednesse in the sight of the Lord that hath quenched the good motions of the spirit that hath denyed the power of saluation they haue despised the spirit of grace Alas alas though at the last such a one should seeke the blessing with teares they can find no place to repentance Oh what a fearefull and lamentable estate is this for a man to bee thus left vnto himselfe giuen vp to Sathan and to be forsaken of God for euer From this estate the Lord for his mercy sake keepe vs. But notwithstanding all this will some say That the theefe vpon the Crosse at the last gaspe was receyued to mercy who had spent all the course of his life in sinne why then may not I likewise hope for the same mercy in the end But alas one Swallow makes not a summer and of one example where a precept is wanting nothing is concluded The Lord in mercy hath left one extraordinary example of his mercy that men at the last gaspe might not altogether despayre and but one that no man might presume Now would not all men condemne him of meere foolishnesse that would goe about to spurre his Asse till hee speake because Balams Asse spake It is farre greater madnesse in any man to harten himselfe in his sinne by one mans example Were it not a safe course to follow the example of Dauid Peter Paul Zacheus Cornelius c. who so soone as God did touch their hearts with a sight of their sins presently returned vnto the Lord by repentance then that wee should presume by the example of one and so misse of saluation as many thousands haue done before vs. Wherefore to conclude this
All men by nature are dead in respect of any spirituall life namely dead in trespasses and sinnes sin is the bane and death of our soules for the Wages of sinne is death Death bringeth vs into the full and absolute power of the Deuill that wee are all of vs thus seruants vnto sinne It is plain by the Apostles complaint Eph. 2.1 Rom. 6.23 Rom. 7.14 Rom. 6.16 Gen. 2.17 I am carnall sold vnder sinne and then vnto whom soeuer wee giue our selues as seruants to obey his seruants we are Now that we are all by nature seruants vnto sin and vnto death it cannot bee denied for what was it that God sayd vnto Adam In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death As soone as Adam had sinned presently the sentence tooke place and Adam is now become the child of death and eternall destruction became his portion and this is the condition of all Adams posterity there is not the greatest the noblest the wealthiest nor the fayrest amongst the sonnes of men but wee are thus bound till the Sonne make vs free Men are not onely sicke with sinne or wounded by sinne or halfe dead but starke dead bereft of all spirituall sense and motion And this doth the Apostle most liuely effectually set out vnto vs in another place when he sayth Yee were once darknes Eph. 5.8 but now are light in the Lord He doth not say we were in darknesse Io. 3.6 for then perhaps wee might haue come of our selues into the light againe But yee were darknesse Darknesse it selfe yea nothing else but Darknesse and hence againe is it that naturall men are called Flesh not Fleshly but flesh it selfe and the wisdom that is Rom. 8.7 the best part that can bee in a naturall man what is it but Enmitie with God it may bring a man to Hell but it cannot lead him one inch nearer vnto heauen and therefore being thus starke dead in sinne Alas what can a dead man doe to helpe himselfe No more can a natural man moue so much as one finger to procure saluation to himselfe no no being dead in sinne we cannot so much as thinke one good thought much lesse haue wee free will of our selues to seeke for saluation vntil such time as the Lord hath reuiued vs and quickned vs by the Spirit of grace Lazarus in the Gospell had layne dead foure dayes in the graue so as hee beganne to rotte and to stinke yet when our Sauiour Christ cryed with a loud voyce Lazarus Io. 11. come foorth hee arose incontinently and came and stood foorth This is our case and condition yea the estate and condition of euery soule in the world we be starke dead in trespasses and sinnes nay we lye rotting and putrifying in the graue of our sinnes and vntill Iesus Christ by his spirit and loude voyce of the preaching of the Gospell which is the Word of life shal breath within vs the breath of life and reuiue vs poore soules wee cannot moue so much as one little finger to the Kingdome of heauen This may serue in the first place to confute that erroneous Vse 1 Doctrine of the Papists who say that a man hath naturally Free-will in himselfe by vertue whereof hee can dispose himselfe to the worke of his regeneration Condemnes the Doctrine of the Papists touching Free Will whose opinion if it were granted then were the power of God lesse seene in our second birth then in our first birth which were iniurious to the Spirit of God so to thinke for what can a dead man do to his owne quickning and raysing vp from the graue can hee turne himselfe or any way fitte or prepare himselfe to bee raysed surely no it is altogether impossible nay let a dead man haue all the helpe that may be to bee Raysed vp yet vnlesse the soule bee giuen vnto him all is in vaine so fareth it with the naturall man he can by no meanes dispose himselfe to any spirituall action or motion vnlesse some spirituall life be put into him But what sayeth the Aduersary he may giue his consent to his quickning though hee quicken not himsele But say I what consent call wee the consent of a man that is dead but not to stand vpon their presumptuous doctrine of Free wil the which amongst many other points of Popery maintained by them hath lifted vp many so high amongst them with this vaine opinion of their own worthinesse that they find not themselues to stand in need for the Lord to lift them vp Then in the feare of God let euery man and woman Vse 2 and euery mothers child labour to see our misery to see our poore Soules how they lye rotting in sinne let vs Serues to humble vs in that wee are dead till the Lord quicken vs by his spirit seeing wee bee as the poore Flyes in Winter starke dead not able to moue our little finger to heauen pray vnto the Lord that hee would cause the blessed Sunne-shine of his Word and Gospell to shine vpon vs to warme our cold and benummed soules to quicken our dead consciences by the word of Life and the blessed worke of his holy Spirit for so long as God doth not quicken vs nor reuiue vs alas our soules be dead in sinne and this death is the next step vnto eternall death in the fire of Hell And therefore their case is dangerous and miserable which sleepe snort in sin lye starke dead in the graue of sin vntill it please the Lord to reuiue them by the preaching of the Gospell which is the Power of God vnto Saluation to Reuiue and to quicken our dead soules This being so Note we see then it is no maruell though many that are present in the Assemblies of Gods people at the preaching of the Word and yet reape no profite by it the reason is they are dead now sound a Trumpet in a dead mans eare and he heares it not Euen so Esay 58. let the Minister of Gods Word cry neuer so loude lift vp his voyce like a Trumpet men are no more moued eyther with the comforts of the Word or with the threates of the Law then the seates men sit on because they are dead till the Lord doe please to put life into them And as for those that haue eares to heare with profite and comfort blesse God for it and giue him the glory for so great a mercy for certaine it is by nature the condition of all men is alike till the Lord hath wrought in vs the worke of grace and Reuiued vs with the breath of life Oh what cause then hath man by nature to swell with pride or to bee lifted vp with any conceit at all of his owne worthinesse though they haue neuer so many excellent parts of nature as wit capacity strength beauty or outward gifts as riches honour authority c. yet surely men may see that if
4.23 thus particularly to know and beleeue that Iesus Christ is their Iesus and Sauiour who hath died for them to saue their soules And indeed this is the sweetnesse of the Gospell and the marrow of all Religion not simply to know that Iesus Christ is a Sauiour but to know that hee is my Sauiour not simply to know that he died for sinners but for mee the chiefe of al sinners not simply to know that there is an eternall life but to know that there is eternall life layde vp for me So that wee see that it is not inough for a Christian to know the history of the Bible that Iesus Christ is the Sauiour of the world and dyed for those which beleeue in him for this knowledge the Deuill himselfe hath hee knoweth and doth acknowledge Iesus Christ to bee the Sauiour of the world but wee must labour for this particular knowledge this certaine and experimentall knowledge so as wee can say in truth of heart Note I beleeue and know that Iesus Christ is not onely the Sauiour of the world but my Sauiour not onely that he dyed for them which beleeue in him but that hee dyed for me and shedde his bloud to saue my soule And though this were true that though but one man or woman in the whole world should bee saued yet we ought to haue this certaine knowledge to beleeue I am the man I am the woman and they which haue this certaine and vnfalilble knowledge they are in the right way to eternal life but they which haue only a general and confused knowledge swimming in the braine alas they abide in death The third speciall thing which wee must know is the Spirite of God How God the holy Ghost is to be knowne of vs. when as we can find and feele the worke of Gods Spirit within vs when wee acknowledge him to bee the author and sole worker of this knowledge when wee can know by experience in our owne selues in our soules and consciences that the Spirit of Christ is in vs Gal. 2 20. 2. Cor. 13.5 that wee can say with the Apostle Christ liueth in mee and that hee doth make vs with boldnesse to call vpon God and to cry vnto him Abba father Rom. 8.15 when wee doe feele the blessed worke of the Spirit to mortifie our corrupt nature by little and little weakening the strength of sinne and naturall corruption within vs and dayly raysing vs vp to newnesse of life and repayring in vs more more the blessed image of God in holinesse and righteousnesse which hath greatly defaced in vs by reason of sinne and Sathan This is that Knowledge which whosoeuer finds put and powred into their soules by the Spirit of Christ Iesus they are happy and blessed they are in reall possession of eternall life but as for those which want this knowledge seeme they neuer so excellent nor thinke they neuer so well of themselues they bee but miserable and cursed and abide in eternall death and damnation Doct. Hauing thus at large shewed what is that knowledge heere spoken of Ignorance of God and his word in matters of Religion is dangerous and also the excellent fruits effects that come from it and what it is that wee must know as also what great profite this knowledge brings to all those which haue it namely eternall life It shall not now bee amisse to consider in a word how dangerous a thing it is to want this sauing knowledge what great misery come to men and women by ignorance and want of knowledge The blessed Sonne of God himselfe who being most true nay the very truth and life it selfe when he would shew the root and very spawne of sinne and iniquity hee tels the Scribes Pharisees Mat. 22.29 Yee erre because yee know not the Scriptures and the power of God And to what should we impute this in these dayes that men runne into errors and teach false heretical nay damnable doctrine surely to this because men know not the Scripture and haue no knowledge in the word What is the cause that men liue in sinne in drunkennesse whoredome adultery swearing couetousnesse c Alas the cause of all is this because they haue no knowledge There is an excellent place to this purpose in the Prophet Hosea Hos 1.2 where the Lord by his Prophet takes vp a great and grieuous complaint against the inhabitants of the land because there was no Mercy nor Truth to bee found but that men liued in Swearing lying killing whoring theeuing c. And the reason of all these is there layde down in these words There is no knowledge of God in the land Read the fourth Chapter of Leuiticus Leuit. 4. and there it wil appeare how highly Almighty God condemned this sin of Ignorance by those Sacrifices that were to bee offered vp euen for the same Heb. 2.1 Now Ignorance is threefold 1. It is a simple and meere ignorance 2. Is a carelesse ignorance 3. Is a wilfull and an affected ignorance All these kinds of ignorance are heere forbidden and condemned as the greatest enemies to this knowledge The first of these is simply for want of meanes 1 Of simple ignorance which few men in these dayes and times wherein wee liue are able to obiect for the voyce of Gods Ministers haue sounded the Lords Trumpet of warning in most places of this land so that if men now should bee ignorant it must needs bee a wilfull and an affected ignorance for by the mercy of our God wee liue now in such times as knowledge is euen thrust vpon men both by publike authority and the restlesse labours of Gods faithfull Ministers 2. Cor. 4. so that we may conclude with the Apostle If the Gospell bee hid it is hid to them that perish whom the Prince of this World hath blinded their minds yet notwithstanding that men should want these means of knowledge yet wil not their ignorance excuse them in the day of the Lord It may excuse à tanto but not à toto as Diuines affirme their punishment may be something the lesse but it shal not free them from hauing any at all The second kind of ignorance that is heere condemned as an vtter engine to this knowledge 2 Of carelesse ignorance is carelesse ignorance which is indeed the onely sinne of these times when hauing the means of knowledge we care not for it but neglect and contemne it this is farre worse then the former and if the former sort of ignorance will not excuse a man much lesse will this Oh it is the sinne of thousands in the world at this day that out of negligence and carelesnesse neglect the meanes of knowledge offered vnto them 2. Cor. 4. Oh what a fearefull sinne is this considering that if the Gospell bee hidde it is hid to them that perish and that Christ Iesus will come at the last to render Vengeance
Oh let my soule bee free from this for To whom will I haue respect vnto sayth the Lord but to him that is of a contrite heart and trembles at my Word Esa 66.2.5 This Word is to the godly heart that is humbled for sinne the sweet sauor of life vnto life but to the seared heart the woful sauor of death vnto death and in this respect the Word is like to the thunderbolt the thunderbolt is of that nature that if it light vpon any soft matter it hurteth it not wounds it not nor breaks it not But if it fall vpon any hard matter as vpon a tree a stone wall it breakes it in peeces and rents it in sunder it will breake the bones and hurt not a mans flesh Euen so the Word of God it is of that nature that if it fall vpon a soft heart and tender heart it will doe it good it will comfort it and instruct it it will burne vp the drosse and filth of sin in that soft heart But if this thunderbolt of the Word of God light vpon a hard and stony heart it will wound it rend it yea kill it euen to eternall death vnlesse they repent This is the state of a wicked mans heart and therefore of al men he is most miserable Vse 2 Secondly doth the Word of God wound and kill to death eternall such rebellious and stubborne sinners doth it hurt none but such stony hearts doth the Lords thunderbolt kill none but stony hearts Oh then let vs intreat the Lord to free vs from this great and heauy iudgement of hardnesse of heart which makes the Word of God and all other meanes vnprofitable vnto vs and let vs labour to haue soft hearts broken hearts and brused hearts Oh let the Word of the Lord enter giue it passage that it may cut down sinne in thee that thy sinnes cut not thee down at the last Note this well for this bee thou sure of O man whatsoeuer thou bee that if thou find not out thy sinnes now they will bee sure to find out thee hereafter When the Lord speaketh of a great mercy that he would shew vnto a people hee sayth thus I will take away their stony hearts Ezech. 36.26 and I wil giue them hearts of flesh Oh that the Lord would take away our stony hearts and giue vs fleshy and tender hearts that his Word might not kill vs and slay vs to death eternall But alas though this hard heart bee the most grieuous iudgement of God that can befall a man in this life yet who thinks so of it who feeles it who complaines of it No no men and women haue no feeling of it yea though this hard heart and heauy iudgement of God raigne in most places and most men bee possessed with hardnes of heart and carnall security and so dead a sleepe in sinne that the Lord may thunder from heauen and his iudgements rattle about our eares yet by reason of this deadnesse and hardnesse of heart men are like the Smithes dogge sleepe still snort still though the flame and sparckles flie about his eares and sindge his haire and though men can complaine and rore at the paine of the stone in the Kidney and seeke send farre and neare for ease and say they are neuer able to endure it yet of this fearefull and most heauy iudgement The stone of the heart men feele no paine neuer cry for helpe to be eased of it Wee know Oh wee know euery man in his owne bosome the sinnes the which wee most secretly foster and will not let goe But as Saint Paul exhorteth the Iewes euen so will I you To conclude this Doctrine Take heed Heb. 3.13 Ezech. 36.26 Oh take heed lest in any of you there bee found a false and an euill heart to depart from the liuing God for of all the iudgements that Almighty God can lay vpon the sons of men this is the greatest from this estate the Lord of his endlesse mercy deliuer vs. Amen Amen Thirdly let vs marke heere how the Lord iudgeth Vse 3 of such as bee wounded and killed by his Word and cut downe by his iudgements published out of his Word the Lord accounts of this iudgement as that that is the most fearefull and terrible for the Lord heere inflicts it as the greatest punishment of all for their euill wayes their stubbornnesse and rebellion against the Lord and against all those gracious meanes that hee had vsed for their good for their hypocrisie and hardnesse of heart and the like horrible sinnes that were to bee found amongst them for the punishment of them all the Lord sayth I haue cut them downe and saine them but not with the sword not with the plague which are fearefull and terrible but with my Word q. d. I haue not onely taught and instructed you by my Word and shewed you what I would haue you to doe and what to leaue vndone but I haue by this plaine teaching of you and by my doctrine propounded vnto you euen pearced your very soules and consciences so as in spite of your teeth you must needs acknowledge though yee bee neuer so obstinate and rebellious that you haue been wounded and haue felt the force of my Word to kill you to conuince your consciences of your sinnes and rebellions and that my iudgements are most iustly brought vpon you Hence wee see what a fearefull iudgement of God it is for those which liue in sinne and delight in sinne when as they heare their sinnes condemned out of the Word of God they know that they doe euill they must needs confesse that the Word of the Lord hath conuicted their consciences of their sinnes and euill wayes so as they know it and haue felt their soules beaten and wounded and euen slaine by the power of the Word of God This is a grieuous sinne indeed to sinne against conscience to sinne against knowledge to sinne presumptuously with a high hand it is a high step to the sin against the Holy Ghost when men hearing and acknowledging the Word of God to bee true feele their consciences to checke them for their vile and wicked wayes and yet they will walke on still against knowledge and against conscience and so draw downe Gods iudgements vpon themselues Oh then if wee heare the Word of God and perceiue the Lord to touch our hard hearts so as we must needs acknowledge this Doctrine that the Lord smites thy hard and benummed heart as that thou canst say I am guilty of this sinne I heare God will punish it seuerely and cut me downe by his Word and slay mee I say Oh then especially take heed how thou liuest in thy sinne still against knowledge and against conscience It is the high way to the sinne against the Holy Ghost which cannot be pardoned but let vs rather leaue our sinnes and forsake them and take heed of going on in the same for certaine it is it is but
God And in that wherein they thinke they doe most please God they do greatly sinne and offend him As it is the nature of Hypocrites and time seruers to glorie in their outward worship and seruice of God they haue nothing to boast of but that they bee Christians are baptized heare the Word and receiue the Sacrament Now marke what the Lord sayth that euen herein they Transgressed against him and sinned grieuouslie against him why namelie because they performing these outward things laboured not withall to find out the true vse and comfort of these things as they boasted of their Sacifices neuer looking to what end the Lord did ordaine them namelie as means to lead them to repentance and so to Christ Iesus Euen so manie as boast of their religion how they bee Christians haue been baptized but alas where is the true vse of Baptisme all this while where is the death of sinne the burying of sinne the crucifying of sinne which is the main end of Baptisme this is neuer looked after of the greatest number so men heare the Word and they seeme to glorie in the same but where is the power of the Word in working faith repentance obedience knowledge zeale patience humilitie c. And so for the Lorde Supper but where is the right vse of this how doe men grow in faith knowledge repentance hatred of sinne and care to honour God Alas these things are neuer thought of so that here the Lord meetes with all these carnal Libertines and loose Professors and shewes them that in that they do most glorie in and boast of euen there they sinne highly and offend the Maiestie of God so as hee cannot abide euen their best actions This truth is clearely to bee seene in diuers places of the Scripture No doubt but Cain pleased himselfe with his offering of sacrifice but euen that was abhomination in Gods sight Gen. 4.3 Pro. 15.8 Esay 1.11 13. The sacrifices of the wicked are abhomination to the Lord but the prayer of the righteous is acceptable vnto him Againe the Prophet Esay doth notably set out the same What haue I to do with the multitude of your sacrifices sayth the Lord I am full of the burnt offerings of Rams and of the fatte of fedde beasts I desire not the bloud of Bullocks of Lambs nor of Goates When yee come to appeare before mee who requireth this of your hands to tread in my Courts Bring no moe oblations in vaine incense is abhomination vnto mee I cannot suffer your New Moons nor Sabbaths my soule hateth them Behold here in this place what esteeme these outward Ceremonies of Gods worship and seruice were with the Lord they thought themselues happy men in the performance of them and hee most happy that offered most of them but the Lord hee esteemes far otherwise of them namely being not done in faith and true obedience they were but abhomination in his sight and were so farre from appeasing his wrath against sinne as that they added vnto the measure of their sinnes Againe the Lord testifieth in another place by the same Prophet saying Hee that killeth a Bullocke is as if hee slew a man hee that sacrificeth a sheepe as if hee cut off a Dogs neeke c. Esay 66.3 Psa 66.18 Pro. 29.8 Io 9.31 Ps 50.17 Micha 6.6 If I regard wickednesse in my heart saith the Prophet The Lord will not heare me Againe Hee that turneth away his eares from hearing the Law euen his Prayer shall bee abhominable Again God heareth not sinners These places and the like whereof the Scriptures are full they serue to teach vs that what sacrifice soeuer the wicked offer as prayer thanksgiuing receyuing of the Sacrament hearing the Word or the like the same is abhomination to the Lord. So that we may hence safely conclude the miserable estate of all wicked and vngodly men with that saying of the Prophet Hosea Hos 12.1 Ephraim is fed with the wind and followeth after the East wind hee encreaseth dayly lyes and destruction So then though the wicked say peace peace and thinke themselues sure if they perform but the outward part of Gods worship seruice Psal 2.3 yet Hee that dwelleth in Heauen doth laugh them to scorne for the Lord doth see that their day is comming Vse 1 This may serue to condemne the Church of Rome who thinke that they sufficiently please God Ex opere operato by the very deed done though the same bee not done to the right end nor in an holy manner in faith repentance and true obedience as their prayers in a strange tongue sacrifice of the Masse and a thousand the like all which as they haue no footing in the Word of God so they shall one day haue the reward of them euen the portion reserued for hypocrites Secondly this may seeme to direct vs to be wise Vse 2 neuer to content our selues to be baptized to heare to pray to come to Church receiue the Sacrament and to perform the like duties of Gods worship and seruice but that wee looke to the right vse of all these things that we may find that worke wrought in our hearts for which end the Lord hath appointed them else alas wee shall but grieue the spirit of God and euen our best actions shall bee but sinnes vnto vs if wee beelike this people to thinke it is inough to bee baptized with water and not to feele the inward worke of the spirit to heare the Word and not to profit by it to faith and repentance to pray with the lip and not with the heart to receyue the outward Sacrament not to feele our soules nourished by the body and bloud of Christ Oh let vs not rest vpon such vaine things such deceitfull vanity such lying dreames for they will deceiue vs in the end And as for all wicked and vngodly men which rest so much vpon them their trust shall bee but as the Spiders webbe as Iob speaketh which albeit to day is builded aloft Iob. 8.14 yet to morrow is swept away But of this before VERSE 8. Gilead is a City of them that worke iniquitie and is polluted with bloud THe Prophet hauing in the former verse accused them to bee Couenant breakers with God doth now proue the same by sundry examples of all estates amongst them that as the Prophet sayth Esay 1.6 From the toppe of the head to the soale of the foot All was out of order and full of vncleannesse So was it with this people here from the Priest to the Leuite so to the common people yea euen the great men of the land Ieroboam and his wicked Counsellers here are accused Gilead is a City of c. Concerning this City wee read not much in the Word of God but heere the Prophet doth note them to bee exceeding wicked people that dwelt in this City full of sinne deceit iniquity full of cruelty and bloudy sinnes This City as wee may read
sinnes and rebellions Wee learne hence this point of Doctrine Doct. 2 That the Lod is the Author of all punishments for sinne The Lord is the author of all punishments for sinne though hee vse secondary causes and some outward meanes yet hee is the Author of all iudgements and punishments vpon men and women Indeed hee vseth sometime men to do his will as his rod to punish his people for so is Ashur called the Lords rodde Esay 10.5 to whip his people and his Staffe to beat them The Lord vseth sometimes the Deuils themselues to afflict his people Iob. 1. as wee see in Iobs affliction yet so as the Lord was the chiefe Author thereof the Deuill but an instrument Euen so al iudgements come from God hee imposeth and inflicts them on his people for their sinnes Excellent is that place of the Prophet Esay to this purpose But now Esay 43.1.2.3 thus sayth the Lord that created thee O Iacob and hee that formed thee O Israel feare not for I haue redeemed thee I haue called thee by name thou art mine when thou passest thorough the waters I will bee with thee and thorough the flouds that they shall not ouerflow thee c. And againe Shall there be any euill in the City and the Lord hath not done it This point is fully declared by Moses when hee sayth If yee will not obey mee nor doe all these commandements Leu. 26.16.17 I will appoint ouer you fearefulnesse a consumption and a burning ague the sword famine and pestilence to destroy you and to make you few in number Let this schoole vs if the Lord so deale with vs If the Crosse come to vs as a thing iudged fit of God Let vs not set him a stint to say thus much will I beare and no more but leaue the same to his owne good pleasure expecting and enduring euen one vpon the necke of another taking hold of his promise by a liuely faith that Hee will neuer lay more vpon vs then wee shall bee able to beare but will giue vs a happy issue vnto them all that wee shall gaine more in the Spirit then we can lose in the flesh and that the Crosse in Gods due time shall depart to our aduantage to leaue a blessing behind it This Doctrine haue I cleared in the first verse of this Chapter Let this suffice for this Text. Wee come to the vses of it Let vs all take knowledge of this Doctrine that Vse 1 the Lord is the Author of all punishments whatsoeuer by what instrument soeuer it pleaseth him to vse for the accomplishing of the same Iob the faithfull seruant of the Lord acknowledgeth this when he saith The Lond giueth the Lord taketh away yet wee know that it was the Deuil and wicked men whom the Lord vsed as his instruments to afflict this his holy seruant And let vs learne to acknowledge that all punishments sent of God come from his hand and he imposeth and layeth them vpon vs eyther as punishments of our sinnes Iob. 2.10 as heere in this Text or else for the triall of our faith patience and the like graces But of this before Secondly this may serue to condemne those foolish Vse 2 men that impute all to fortune and chance all their troubles miseries crosses sicknesses losses and the like that happen vnto them in their bodies children goods cattell they impute them all to blind Fortune and chance and neuer looke vp to the hand of God to see his angry countenance turned towards thē by reason of their sinnes and horrible impieties Here is Ignorance with a witnesse Where is the prouidence of God all this while which rules and gouernes all things that are in heauen and earth Oh let vs labour to reforme this common fault amongst vs and looke higher euen vnto God himselfe from whence they come This knowledge and acknowledging that God doth inflict his iudgements punishments and afflictions vpon vs for our sinnes it is a good meanes to bridle vs and to keepe vs from impatiency murmuring and muttering against the Lord. The Lord sent Shemi to curse 2. Sam. 16.10 who dare say then why doest thou curse mee so Iob The Lord giueth the Lord taketh away blessed bee the name of the Lord And the want of this is the cause why men bee so impatient in sicknesse and misery because they do not consider that it is the hand of the Lord layd vpon them for their sinnes and so they neuer make any vse at al of Gods iudgements thinking eyther that they come by chance lucke or fortune or else looke onely vpon the outward means and instrument and not vnto the Lord himselfe Oh let vs learne to bee wise to lift vp our eyes higher to see that it is the hand of the Lord I draw my sword I kill and make aliue I send the plague and pestilence to consume to destroy And the knowledge of this is a good meanes to humble vs and to make vs to confesse our sinnes that the Lord is holy in all his wayes and righteous in all his works the which is acknowledged by the Prophet Dauid when hee sayth I know O Lord Psal 119.75 that thy iudgements are right and that thou hast afflicted me iustly And if wee can but once truely apprehend this that it is the Lord that striketh it will make vs euen to blesse God when hee seemes to deale with vs most hardly giuing him the prayse of equity as Dauid doth here acknowledging that his sharpest corrections are not so great as our sinnes And these two things will bee great motiues to patience in trouble if wee consider that the same affliction is measured out vnto vs from the Lord Who is faithfull and will lay no more vpon vs then we are able to beare And next that our stripes are not according to our sinnes for if he should beate vs with as many rods as wee haue grieued him with sinnes hee should adde yet ten times more vnto our greatest afflictions I haue cut downe and slaine them THe second point is the indgement and punishment it selfe and the manner of it The iudgement it selfe which shewes that the same is no small iudgement but a very grieuous punishment For I haue cut downe and slaine them as though the Lord should haue sayd whereas they would not receyue my Doctrine nor beleeue my Word that they might bee brought to repentance and so bee saued I haue now cut them down slaine their soules by my Word and wounded them euen to death eternall for as my Word which I would haue made the sweet sauour of life vnto life is now by their rebellion and stubbornnesse turned vnto them to bee the wofull sauour of death vnto death Hence wee may obserue that of all the iudgements Doct. 3 of God that befal a man in this life there is none more grieuous or feareful then an hard heart that wil not stoupe to
Gods Word Hard heart the greatest iudgement that can bee layde vpon man nor profite by the meanes of saluation Oh it is the heauiest iudgement that God can lay vpon man in this life and it is a sure and certain fore-runner of eternall condemnation in the end for when the Word of God doth light vpon a hard heart oh it wounds it and kils it and giues many a mortall and deadly wound though the wretched soule of the sinner see it not or feele it not The Scriptures affoord vs diuers examples and all to confirme the truth of this point vnto vs. Gen. 4.5.6 This is clearely to be seene in the example of Cain how did the Lord deale with Cain both before hee had murdered his brother and afterward and all to haue kept him if it had been possible from that most horrible sinne of his Before how did God deale with him Cain why is the countenance of thy face changed If thou doest well shalt thou not be rewarded If thou doest euill sin lyeth at thy dore Had not this beene inough if Cain had had but the least sparke of grace to haue kept him and stayed him from committing that horrible sinne but when this preuailed not but Cain would needs shed the innocent bloud of righteous Abel How did the Lord deale with Cain afterwards Cain where is thy brother Abel but what now did Cains heart relent did hee confesse his sinne with Dauid and say I haue sinned Did hee resolue into teares of repentance with Peter No no but rather despised God to his face saying Am I my Brothers Keeper Oh fearefull and horrible speech What was his conscience so seared that neyther the shame of the world the innocent bloud of his slaine brother nor the glorious presence of the Lord could any whit astonish him Behold here an example indeed of a heart that is hardned and let the remembrance of the same euer possesse our soules to make vs watchfull ouer our owne hearts how we euer contemn the means of grace when the same is offered vnto vs. This is to be clearely seen in Pharaoh vnto whom the Lord sent seuerall plagues and iudgements vpon him his people one vpon the necke of another Exod. 9. ten in number yet all would not humble Pharaoh Exod. 7.23 but answered stoutly saying I know not the Lord neyther will I let the people of Israel goe This is taught by Iob Iob. 18.5 Zeph. 1.17 when hee sayth The light of the vngodly shall bee darkned and the wicked shall become blind because they haue sinned against the Lord. And againe Their hearts being fat their eyes heauy and their eares shut they shall heare indeed but shall not vnderstand they shall see and not perceyue And the Prophet Ieremie doth mow liuely set out vnto vs the wofull estate and condition of such a soule that is thus forsaken of the Lord and giuen ouer to sinne saying Ier. 7.16 11.14 Because you haue done these things and I spake vnto you you would not heare therefore thou shalt not pray for this people nor lift vp cry nor entreat mee for I will not heare Though Noah and Iob should intreat mee though Moses Samuel should pray vnto mee yet will I not heare neyther bee intreated This is a lamentable estate this is a fearfull iudgement for a man to bee thus left vnto himselfe giuen vp to Sathan and forsaken of God for euer Oh wofull is the estate of such a one let that exhortation of the Apostle bee precious with vs Heb. 3.12.13 Take heed brethren lest at any time there bee in any of you an euil heart and vnfaithfull to depart away from the liuing God And of the Gentiles it is sayd Ephes 4.17 that they liued in the Vanity of their minds hauing their cogitations darkned strangers from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the hardnesse of their hearts So that you see that a hard heart it is the most fearefullest iudgement of God that can befall a man in this life for it is capable of no good eyther by the Word preached promises or threatnings mercies or iudgments The Word of God it is mighty in operation Ier. 23. â—9 it Diuideth the soule and spirit asunder This Word of God is called the Hammer of the Lord for by it the Lord doth breake in sunder the hard stony and flinty hearts of man This Hammer of the Lord is not able to breake the heart of a wicked man but as the bright beams of the Sunne doe harden clay and soften waxe so this most heauenly and eternall Word of God shall neuer returne in vaine but by reason of the different disposition in the Subiect it illuminateth it melteth the righteous it obdurates it hardens the wicked Now where the Word doth not preuaile with vs to humble vs there can bee no true repentance as the Apostle teacheth Rom. 2.5 when he sayth But thou after thy hardnes and heart that cannot repent heapest vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath Now where there is no repentance there can bee no saluation Luk. 13.5 for so sayth our Sauiour Except yee repent yee shall all perish This is a lamentable estate indeed this is a iudgement with a witnesse for a man to bee left thus vnto himselfe to be giuen vp to Sathan and to be forsaken of God for euer Oh this this is the estate and condition of euery hard hearted sinner Oh happy then is that man or woman that sinneth least next he that returneth home by repentance soonest but most wofull is the estate of him that with Ieroboam hath solde himselfe to commit sinne for this man Rom. 1.28 1. Tim 4.2 Zach. 1.12 though hee would weepe with Esau and shed euen a fountaine of teates yet all will not helpe woe alas there is no recouery This may serue in the first place to reproue those Vse 1 that iustifie the wicked as in Malachy his time The wicked prosper and they that worke iniquity are set vp Mal. 3.13.14 They seeme to bee the onely men of the World they enioy their pleasures they seeme not to be troubled for any thing and who but they Alas alas what of all this If the heart bee frozen in the dregges of sinne they are of all men most miserable and of all men most to bee pittied For thou after thy hardnes and heart that cannot repent Rom. 2.4.5 heapest vp vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath Their damnation sleepeth not all this while but still they runne in score in Gods booke and when their iniquity is once full the Lord will then come with his iudgements and they shall pay full deare for their sweet pleasures euen the losse of their owne soules for euer and euer No greater iudgement can God inflict vpon the sonnes of men in this life then such a stony heart of all Gods iudgements