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A10931 Certaine sermons preached and penned by Richard Rogers preacher of Weathersfield in Essex, directly tending to these three ends. First, to bring any bad person (that hath not committed the sinne that is vnpardonable) to true conuersion. Secondly, to stablish and settle all such as are conuerted, in faith and repentance. Thirdly, to leade them forward (that are so setled) in the Christian life, to bring foorth the fruite of both. Whereunto are annexed diuers godlie and learned sermons of another reuerend and faithfull seruant of God, Mr. Samuel Wright, Bachelor of Diuinitie, late president of Sidney Colledge in Camebridge, deceased, tending also to the same ends, with diuers particular points in both, profitable and fit for these times. Rogers, Richard, 1550?-1618.; Wright, Samuel, d. ca. 1612. aut 1612 (1612) STC 21203; ESTC S116121 188,868 230

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this must needs fall out rather that in the setling our minds vpon earthly pleasures we shall withdraw them from heauenly ioies For there is a far greater oddes cōtrariety betweene earthly pleasures and heauenly ioyes then is betweene one earthly pleasure and another The rule therefore is that we vse a temperancie and a moderation in the lawfull pleasures of this life and so reioyce as the Apostle teacheth vs 1. Cor. 7.30 as if we reioyced not And this rule we must remember is to be kept euen in lawfull pleasures and such as we haue good ground and warrant to vse from the word of God For as for pleasure in sinne be it in any time in any place or companie with what circumstance soeuer it hinders and quenches our reioycing in God But you will aske me how you may come to haue a predominant ioy in the best duties for it is not an easie matter to alter our affections set vpon these inferiour delights I answere we shall come to a predominancie of delight in good things if we be euer diligent in accustoming and exercising our selues in them Accustome thy selfe to earnest prayer and thou shalt delight in nothing more then in calling vpon God exercise thy selfe in repentance and mortification of sinne and this shall become euerie day more easie and lesse grieuous yea and in the end delightsome vnto thee On the contrarie doest thou find thy heart taken vp with ouer great delight in the things of the earth The daily and diligent exercise of holy and heauenly duties will slake and quench thy ioy in them And againe as by the practise of them thou hast taken that delight thou hast in them so if thou shalt disuse and vnaccustome thy selfe from them both from the practising of them the speaking of them with pleasure and the musing and thinking vpon them thou shalt lessen and diminish thy ioy in them For this experience can teach vs Note alwaies they take greatest delight in any thing that giue themselues most to the practise of it None so much giuen to the loue of drink or wine as they that are continually lying at it And it was a good precept giuen by a Heathen Philosopher which may well beseeme a Christian to learne that a man should make choice of the best life and custome would make it easie and pleasant vnto him We must not first looke for ioy and then to practise good duties but we must labour and sweat with exercising and accustoming our selues thereto and afterward we shall find true ioy from the continuall practise of them Practise sobrietie patience and mildnesse and a delight in them will follow of it owne accord Hence then we see it is very dangerous in regard of the losse of our ioy to omit for a time and to make intermission of good duties as also to giue leaue for a time to our selues to the practise of ought that hath been and is like to be a hinderance to the progresse and proceeding of our Christian ioy For omit a good dutie this day and thinke it is not long to the next it shall be done as well then thou shalt find lesse disposition in thy selfe vnto it and lesse delight in the doing of it by that intermission of thine And againe giue thy selfe libertie but at one time to practise that thou shouldest not and thinke thou wilt not be so farre carried with thy delight another time that one action of thine shall make thy delight stronger Note and thee lesse able to withstand it This men commonly see not and therefore if they haue had any ioy in any good dutie they quickly lose it Againe because they intermit it still and deferre from this day to the next the practise of it Or if they haue growne to some lesse delight or some dislike of something that were to be left yet by this taking of libertie now to do it and then vpō another occasiō to do it the delight returneth as great as euer it was If mē haue come to take pleasure in the Sabbaths of God in y e hearing of his Word in prayer in reading cōference and other holy duties vpon that day this delight many times groweth cold in them because they thinke yet they may take libertie and dispence with themselues for a day when either their profit calleth them away to worldly affaires or some ill custome to vanitie and pastimes draweth them away For this abādoning thy ioy which thou mightest take in the holy duties of the Sabbath but for one day will make thee the more vnfit to take any ioy in them for many dayes after This keeping of one Sabbath to the deuill Note will make thee thou shalt after take little pleasure in keeping any to God Let him therefore sue vnto thee but for one Sabbath in the yeare to be kept vnto him in wantonnesse vanity and let him labour to further it what he can and pleade old and ancient custome for it yet if I say thou feast him and makest him merry but one day in the yeare hee will so winde in himselfe and grow in one day into so familiar acquaintance with thee that thou shalt not be able to winde thy selfe out of it when thou wouldest The last meanes which I will note whereby we may both keepe and encrease our ioy is that whensoeuer the Lord shal call vs out to troubles and crosses that we submit our selues willingly and patiently to goe thorough them For this is a certaine and a sure position alwaies in Gods children that sorrowes and troubles sent vnto them of God are a direct way whereby the Lord intendeth to bring them vnto greater ioy and the greater and more continued troubles the Lord bringeth vpon them to the greater ioy doth he carry them if they willingly and patiently passe through them Reade 2. Cor. 1.5 As the sufferings of Christ abound in vs So our consolation aboundeth through Christ Marke As the sufferings abound so the consolation and ioy likewise doth abound And this is sutable and well agreeing to all the actions of God for the most part For when hee meaneth to exalt thee highest then he first humbleth thee by afflictions and casteth thee downe lowest None was euer so lowe abased and so deepely cast downe as was our Sauiour Therefore also as it is said Phil. 2.9 God highly exalted him Note gaue him a name aboue euery name that at the name of Iesus should euery knee bow both of things in heauen and things in earth and things vnder the earth The like we see in Dauid when God meant to exalt him to the kingdome he led him thither through many troubles and afflictions The Israelites God led them into a land flowing with milke and hony but he led them through barren and a terrible and feareful wildernes Ioseph was exalted to be next the King in Egypt but he was carried thorough pits and prisons and bondage vnto it On the
to a conclusion of all we haue seene how earnest the Lord is by the Apostle to call and exhort vs to this duty of reioycing in the Lord we haue also seene by what meanes we may attaine to this ioy if we yet haue it not and how many and speciall meanes God hath giuen vs to keepe and to encrease it when we haue it and to recouer it if we haue lost the sense and feeling of it What then is our duty but that we try and examine our owne hearts to finde whether euer we felt in our hearts any true reioycing in God and in good things and if we neuer knew what it meant let vs learne in that sort that I haue shewed to get it and so after to keepe it And especially by weaning our selues for the loue of this ioy from other delights pleasures and profits wherein we haue bin taken vp and willingly vndergoing troubles and crosses when God hath called vs vnto them for the same and so to keepe it And if we haue by carelesse negligence suffered the deuill to bereaue vs of this so rich and pretious a iewell of our ioy yet let vs by al meanes possible labour vncessantly day and night to renew and recouer that we haue lost and let vs neuer giue any rest vnto God nor vnto our owne hearts vntil we feele the heauenly sparkles of our former ioy againe kindled in vs. And when it hath pleased God againe to restore it to vs let vs beware greatly of a second relapse It is very easie without dilligent care taking to be lost and many enemies lie in waite to take it from vs. But it is not so easie to be found againe when it is lost The thiefe is not so chary to keepe thy gold from thee when he hath stolne it as the deuil is to keep away and to hide thy ioy from thee that thou mightest neuer finde it againe Now though I haue already vsed some reasons to perswade vs to be carefull of this duty yet considering our dulnes and vntowardnes vnto it it shall not be vnfit to adde for a finall conclusion a few motiues to make vs the better to remember and to put in practise these meanes whereof you haue now heard And to omit to speake of that which before I touched that al other ioy besides this vanisheth away and nothing in the end remaineth but sorrow and vexation of Spirit As Salomon hath left his owne experience to teach vs. And that this ioy is of it selfe the most compleate and absolute ioy that can be possessed as being founded in God himselfe consider besides it selfe what excellent priuiledges this ioy bringeth vnto vs It bringeth vnto vs comfort aboundantly against all the crosses that can befall vs and against all the enemies we can haue in this life Let famine Let nakednesse Let danger assaile vs we haue God yet to reioyce in to feed vs to cloath vs to protect vs so far as shall be for our good Let wicked men banish vs Let them hate vs let them imprison vs let them take our liues from vs yet we haue God to reioyce in who will accompany vs in banishment in prison or in what place soeuer whose loue shal more then counteruaile all the hatred of the wicked And the life that he hath hid and treasured vp for vs shall be better then a thousand liues which they can take away This ioy is as salt to season and to sauour al our other ioyes whatsoeuer they be for without this our pleasures are vnsauourie and haue no taste nor sauour of pleasure in them Againe lastly marke what an excellent promise the Lord maketh to this ioy Psal 37.4 Delight thy selfe saith the Psalmist in the Lord and he shall giue thee thine hearts desire There is no man but would bee glad to haue his desire satisfied Loe then the way Delight thy selfe in God be carefull to keepe this blessed ioy and God who cannot lie hath promised to giue thee whatsoeuer thy heart can desire so ready is the Lord to fulfill the desire of them that reioyce and delight themselues in him It was a great fauour of the Lord vnto Salomon 1. King 3. to aske him what he should giue him and he would be readie to giue it yet God made him promise but for one request what a fauour of God is this then vnto thee that there shall be no good thing thy tongue can aske or thy heart desire but the Lord will giue it to thee so be it thou delight thy selfe in him But consider for thy further care yet of this dutie that this promise implieth also a threatning in it And that is if thou refusest to delight in God and wilt take thy pleasure and delight in vanitie in sin in the breach of the Sabbath and of other duties God will deny thee euery desire of thy heart In that which thou desirest ioy in God will send thee sorrow in that thou desirest a blessing in God will blow vpon it with his curse The not regarding this duty is a plaine and euident token of an hypocrite whom God hateth For read Iob. 27.10 The hypocrite saith Iob will he set his delight in the almightie will he call vpon God at all times making both these alike to be notes and brandes of a dissembling hypocrite that he will not at all times call vpon God neither will set his constant and continuall delight in God A fearefull thing we know it is to be an hypocrite whose portion is hell fire Mat. 24.51 it is said the Lord of the euill seruant shall cut him off and shall giue him his portion with hypocrites where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth If thou wilt haue no part nor portion in this lot of hypocrites bee no hypocrite delight in the Lord which hypocrites doe not neither can doe and so thou shalt auoid it On the contrary this holy ioy is a note of a man renued and regenerated by the Spirit of God Read Gal. 5.22 The fruite of the spirit is loue ioy peace long suffering gentlenes goodnes faith meeknes temperancy And against these is no law They that find this ioy in their hearts from the Spirit of God There is no lawe or curse of God to seaze vpon them For they are guided by the Spirit of God FINIS 2. Chron. 17.7 The vnfolding of the text The parts two The sfirst part The behauiour of Paul and Silas in prison wherein three things are to be considered First that God standeth by his seruants in their troubles Lament 1.12 Eccles 4.10 2. King 6.16 Act. 12.11 Dan. 6.22 Matth. 27. 2. Cor. ● 8 and 6.10 Iudg. 6.12 Psalme 5.11 Psalme 3.4 Iohn 20.25 1. Iohn 5.4 The secōd point How Gods children are affected in their troubles Phil. 4.4 1. Sam. 30.6 Why troubles are so vnwelcome to vs. Psalme 73.14 Psalme 126.5 As our outward troubles are many so are our blessings also Gen. 19.26
then be earnest and harty as we see this our Apostles was he stirreth them to it againe and againe and in many places that it may worke the like impression in them that it had in his heart Begin with thy selfe to say I haue repented and hate my sinne therefore I exhort and call vpon others to repent I haue left my swearing and therefore cannot abide it I reioyce in God and am filled with ioy and therefore I exhort others vnto it This then being a duty required of all that are to exhort obserue what speciall duty it layeth vpon the minister and publike teacher of the word of God for he being by his place and calling to exhort to euery good duty and to dehort from euery vice he had neede to take more especial and extraordinary paines with his owne heart that he may himselfe be wanting in nothing but his mouth may speake from the abundance of that which his heart hath wrought in it that there be not any vice but his heart hath both expelled it out and setled in it the hatred of the same not any vertue of faith of repentance of ioy but he hath had them already wrought in his heart Doct. 2 Againe secondly for the person that giueth this exhortation cōsider that it is Paul an Apostle that exhorteth vs as an Ambassadour sent from God and speaking from God as the preface of the Epistle sheweth Which consideration as it setteth an edge vpon the exhortation so ought it to sharpen and whet vs on to be the more eager to follow it And thus much it shall suffice to haue obserued of the party exhorting Expressed in the repetition of the exhortation I say Now I come to the persons exhorted and they are the Philippians as I said faithfull and righteous whom the Apostle in the first verse called beloued and longed for brethren and so to those who are such this exhortation in many places is expressely limited In the 32. Psalme be glad yee righteous and reioyce in the Lord and be ioyfull all yee that are vpright in heart and in Psal 33.1 Reioyce in the Lord O ye righteous for it becommeth vpright men to be thankefull here we see the wicked are shut out haue no part nor portion in this ioy and that is wel seene for what ioy haue worldly men in God or heauenly things but in pleasures profits But another duty belongeth vnto thē which the Apostle S. Iames exhorteth them vnto bidding thē to weep howle though they be rich men if they be oppressors and wicked be not rich in God And againe chap. 4. vers 9. Waile and sorrow ye sinners and weep let your laughter be turned into mourning your ioy into heauines The reason of the restraint and limiting of it to the faithfull is easy and yet very worthy to be stood vpon for as for the righteous they haue both great cause to reioyce and great neede to be stirred vp to this duty whereas the wicked haue neither any true cause of sound ioy neither feele they any need of it That the faithfull haue need to be stirred to this duty we cannot be ignorant if we consider that which the Psalmist writeth Psalme 34.19 and the whole Scripture accordeth with that Many are the troubles of the righteous And whosoeuer will follow Christ he must forsake father mother goods lands brethren sisters life al and take vp his crosse daily follow him for such is the rage of Satan the malice of the wicked as against the whole Church in generall so against all the godly that they neuer can haue as it were peaceable houres but so soone as they haue giuen their names to Christ and are entred into his schoole they haue one trouble and vexation or other to wrestle withall They see matter of griefe sorrow within them without them and round about them Within them they haue wicked rebellion of their owne harts to be as it were pricks and thornes in their flesh to gall and vex and disquiet them they haue Satan continually casting his deadly and fiery darts of tentations into their soules And all the world in a manner they shall see to be as it were banded and combined together against them in mocks in taunts in slanders in whatsoeuer iniuries and ill turnes and mischiefes they can doe vnto them Alas any one of these were cause sufficient to make the children of God heauy pensiue and sorrowfull for their strength is not the strength of stones nor their flesh of brosse as Iob speaketh of himselfe in the sixth of his booke but these pearce and wound them deepely to their very soules great need therefore the faithfull haue to be raised vp from this sorrow and heauines of heart to reioyce and be made merry in the Lord. for should they haue no ioy to help to counteruaile their sorrowes Note the life of the Christian were too tedious and grieuous to be endured by any the most patient sufferer in the world the troubles that accompany it are soe many and the sorrowes soe grieuous that they would eate out the very heart of the faithful quickly if it were not that ioy mixed and intermedled withall did mittigate the sense and ease and lighten the burthen of them As for wicked men they haue no such burthen of trouble and sorrowes to be eased of The diuell is not grieuous vnto them with his tentations be the tentations what they wil be they like them well they entertaine them they make much of them they are the welcomest guests that can come vnto them for their is no suggestion of Satan but it is euill there is no kinde of euill but the heart of a wicked man is prone vnto it If the diuell prouoke him to wrath and anger the heart is before straying after it If to vncleannesse to prophanesse to swearing c. these are all pleasing motions vnto the vnregenerate person Sin also and corruption that dwelleth and raigneth in him is not troublesome and grieuous vnto the wicked man Nay he is so farre from sorrowing because of this corruption that it is his darling and his delight It is as his right hand as his vse as his life and soule so deare is it vnto him yea rather he can endure to haue his goods his delights yea his very life taken away rather then to forgoe this sinne and corruption of his heart As for the world they and it are in a very quiet and friendly league for because they are of the world the world cannot at but loue it own as our Sauior teacheth vs Ioh. 15.19 So that the wicked haue no such enemies no troubles nor sorrowes as the righteous haue but they liue at peace with their sinne at peace with the deuill and at peace with the world They haue mirth enough and too much for them They neede not as they thinke neither care they