By vertue of Gods promise I grant it to be due For God hath promised heaven to good works as hath beene shewed already and promise is due debt as wee use to speake and all men do acknowledge Even a mans word tieth him to performance Gods word must needes tie him much more From hence it is that the Apostle speaking of the crown of glorie laied up in heaven for theÌ„ that serve God aright stileth God by the name of a righteous or just judge in bestowing of that reward 2 Tim. 4.8 And in an other place God saith hee is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love Heb. 6.10 Where 1. when hee saith that God doth not forget their good works hee meaneth that he leaveth them not unrewarded And 2. when he saith that God is not unjust to forget them he implieth that God should bee unjust if he did not reward their labour in his service But he speaketh more directly to the same purpose 2 Thes 1.6 7. It is a just thing with God saith he to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you and to you which are troubled rest with us Where wee may note that it is a point of justice in God as well to reward the patient suffering of Martyrs and Confessors as the wrong oppressures of persecutors and evill doers Be it granted then that a reward is due to well-doing by vertue of Gods promise who for our encouragement hath tied himselfe by this bond But yet notwithstanding there is no merit or worth in our best works by which wee may laie claime to such a reward This is cleare by the words of a S. Paul who speaking of Martyrdome and patience in persecution for CHRISTS sake which is one of the most glorious works to which CHRIST hath promised his reward yet even of this hee saith I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to bee compared with the glory that shall be reveiled Ro. 8.18 And 2 Cor. 4.17 Our light affliction saith hee worketh for us a more exceeding and eternall weight of glory Where by elevating our service in suffering for CHRIST and amplifying the reward that is given unto us for it he plainely sheweth that there is no equality or proportion betweene the work and the reward Our Saviour also when we have done all things that are commanded us And yet who is there that doth so but upon supposition that we have done all yet he teacheth us to say unto God Wee are unprofitable servants wee doe that which is our duty to doe Luk. 17.10 Hee meaneth that because it is no more then our duty doth binde us to therefore we cannot plead merit or desert God oweth us no thanks for it no more then a master oweth thanks to his servant when he hath done what he is bound by his place to do I conclude then that the reward of blessednesse promised to well-doing is due by Gods promise and not for the worth of any works And now out of all these things laied together the conclusion followeth which I propounded in the beginning that the keeping of Gods word is availeable to happinesse as a service to which eternall life is promised for a reward And hence we have these deductions for our further use 1. Seeing holinesse is a necessary condition required unto blessednesse this may be for an Admonition to all evill doers who live in any sin against conscience They may hence take notice how fearfull their state is for the present and how needfull it will be for them to begin a better life For I suppose there is no man living so desperatly madd but desireth that he may be happy nor is there any man among Christians but knoweth that happinesse is no where to be had but with God in heaven and now it appeareth by the declaration of this point that no evill doers shall ever enter into that place Take a view if ye please of all the ungodly men in the world and ye will not finde that ever any one of them hath been heretofore or shall hereafter bee received in at heaven gates In heaven I confesse there are a great multitude which no man can number of all nations and kinreds and peoples and languages but among all these there is not one drunkard nor one adulterer nor one slanderer nor one oppressor nor one deceiver nor one lier nor any one evill doer Again in heaven there is no defect or want of roome In my Fathers house said our Lord there are many mansions Ioh. 14.2 There is a mansion for the Prophets they are in the Kingdome of God Luk. 13.28 And there is a mansion for the Apostles They shall eate and drink with CHRIST in his Kingdome and sitt on thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel Luk. 22.30 And there is a mansion for the Martyrs they follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth Apo. 14.4 There is a mansion for the penitent thiefe this day saith our Saviour shalt thou bee with mee in Paradise Luk. 23.43 And in a word there is a mansion for every righteous man they shall shine forth as the sun in the Kingdome of their father Matt. 13.43 And in these mansions are lodged all nations and countries in the world They shall come from the East and from the West from the North and from the South and shall sit downe with Abraham and Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdome of God Luk. 13.29 But now on the contrary side search the book of God throughout from the beginning of Genesis to the end of the Revelation and see whether ye can find any mansion any roome any hole reserved for drunkards or harlots or whoremasters or deceivers or slanderers or any other such wicked and ungodly mâ—n Oh then think upon this all ye that forget God turne unto him betime wash yee make you cleane put away the evill of your doings cease to do evill learne to do well that your sins may be made as white as snow and your soules deare in Gods sight and your selves my abecome citizens of the holy City which is above with God 2. Seeing Gods rewards in heaven are squared and proportioned according to our services good works this may be for the comfort and encouragement of all well minded people They may bee comforted in that good which they have done already as Ezekiah coÌ„forted himselfe with the remembrance of his upright life When he was in his greatest sorow and sicknesse he cheared himselfe by saying unto God Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight Is 38.3 And so Nehemiah Remember me O my God saith he concerning this and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God and for the offices thereof Nehem. 13.14 And so may every good Christian pray and expect a blessing from God for the
what God did say unto them for the good of their soules By which things wee may see what great care God and his Church had that this dutie might be performed And the like care they have of us at this day For God hath sent his word home unto us into our owne Parishes and to many of us even hard at our doores so that wee neede not to make long journeys as the people of the Jews did who came out of all the parts of the Land to Jerusalem to worship And our Church hath assigned us the times of hearing and the Bells give us warning when the time is come And nothing is wanting that can bee desired in this kinde if we be not wanting to our selves And if after all this wee shall neglect to heare God when he speaketh unto us for our instruction what can we expect but that he should refuse to heare us when we speake to him for help and assistance Surely he threatned to deale so with his people of old Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded I will also laugh at your calamitie and mock when your feare cometh And Then shall they call upon mee but I will not answere they shall seeke mee earely but they shall not finde mee Prov. 1.24 26 28. He meaneth that because they refused to heare him when he taught them their duty out of his word therefore hee would refuse to heare them when they made their prayers for his help in their neede And so if we turn the deafe eare to God when he speaketh unto us in his word it will be just with God to turne a deafe eare to us when wee speake to him in our prayers Nay the Apostle goeth further and aggravateth our sinne above the sinne of the Jews by the circumstance of the time and persons If the word spoken by Angels saith he was stedfast and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward how shall wee escape if we neglect so great salvation which at fist began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him Hebr. 2.2 3. Where we have 2. things worth our noting 1. that the contempt of the Gospel spoken by Christ and his Apostles is a greater sinne then the contempt of the Law delivered by Moses and the Prophets And 2. that every contempt of Gods word whether a contempt of obeying it or which is more a contempt of hearing of it is a neglecting of our owne salvation because the hearing of the word and the obtaining of salvation are by Gods ordinance lincked together By the hearing of this word read Iosias and Antonie and Augustin were converted to God and furthered toward salvation what knoweth any of us but if we come to Church when we are invited thither we may heare that chapter or that part of the Gospell read which may turne us from some sinne or direct us to some necessary duty and in conclusion help to save our soules Ob. But some perhaps will say Nay but I can reade the Bible at home and what neede I then to come to Church to heare it read there This Objection involveth in it two questions both which are worthy of our consideration 1. Whether reading of Gods word may be a sufficient excuse to free us from hearing it read 2. Whether reading or hearing it read in privat may excuse us from hearing it read in the publick assembly Of these severally And first for the former question that I may speake more clearely and distinctly I will part mine answere into three assertions or propositions 1. Prop. There is good use of both the one and the other For hearing the word read I have delivered my reasons already and the very same reasons may serve to prove the use of our reading it also For first it hath the testimony of Scriptures The King is commanded to reade the booke of the Law that thereby he may learn to do his duty Deut. 17.18 19. And when one asked of our Lord what he should do to be saved our Lord answered him by asking an other question What is written in the Law how readest thou Luk. 10.25 26. implying that by reading the Scriptures he might have learned an answere to his question and thereby have beene directed how to be saved And Matt. 12.3 Have ye not read saith our Saviour what David did c. And that implyeth that by reading that passage of Scripture they might have been better informed then to have condemned the guiltlesse Thus Reading of Scriptures by our selves is confirmed by Testimonies of Scripture as well as the hearing of it read by the Minister 2. Secondly it may be proved by examples of holy men who have used this practise to their great profit for example Daniel by reading the Prophecie of Ieremie understood Gods will for delivering Israel out of their captivity Dan. 9.2 The Eunuch by reading of Isay the Prophet was brought in the end to the knowledge of the Messias and Saviour of the world Act. 8.32 And S. Augustin by reading Rom. 13.13 was converted from a vitious to a godly life And so if we reade Gods word with attention and care wee may understand Gods will for our Redemption from Satan and sinne and we may learn that which may direct us to Christ the Saviour of the world and may meete with some motives that may worke in us remorse and repentance These uses of reading Gods word may be learned by the examples produced 3. Reading of Scriptures hath the like benefits and helps of grace as were observed to arise from hearing of them read For 1. reading as well as hearing may acquaint us with the history of the Church and the providence that God hath used in the governing and ordering of it 2. It may instruct us in the duties of our callings and places for therefore the King was commanded to reade the Law that hee might learne to feare the Lord his God and keepe all the words of the Law c. Deut. 17.19 20. 3. It will acquaint us with the words and phrases and sentences of Gods word and these being layed up in our memories will prepare us for a profitable hearing of Sermons And 4 it will occasion us and enable us when wee doubt of any thing to desire direction from the learned and by their directions to learne what we could not understand by our selves These helps of reading I onely name and do but point at them because the former proofes used in the point of hearing are as applicable to this of reading For these two reading the word by our selves and hearing it read by others do alike represent to our minds the meaning of the holy Ghost in Scriptures the difference in this respect only is that the one doth it by the eye and the other by the eare which in respect of the maine end the instruction and salvation of our
out divels for unto many such Christ will say at the last day I never knew you depart from mee yee workers of iniquitie Matt. 7.22 23. In all which speeches and sayings there is still walking and working and doing and without doing of good there is no obtaining of life Therefore deare Christians what ever yee do else be sure yee do Gods will and keepe his commandements do your duty to God by performing his services of religion do your duty to men by observing justice and true dealing do your dutie to your selfes by watching over your owne soules that yee may take all opportunities of well-doing This do and your soules shall live And so I end these Meditations with the words of the Text Blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it AN APPENDIX TO THE FORMER TREATISE Containing RULES OF RIGHT Hearing Gods word By HENRY MASON Pastor of S. Andrew Vndershaft London LONDON Printed for Iohn Clark and are to be sold at his shop under S. Peters Church in Corne-hill M. DC XXXV RULES OF RIGHT HEARING Gods word HAVING already spoken of the use and necessity of Hearing it will be seasonable to say somewhat of the right maner of hearing For the best work that is may bee marred by the misdoing of it For avoiding of which error in this duty of hearing our Lord hath given us a short caveat Luk. 8.18 where he saith Take heede how ye heare And this caveat being propounded in brief by our Saviour I purpose Gods Spirit assisting me to enlarge with some few notes agreeable to the Text intending thereby so to regulat our hearing that wee may profit by it in the duties of Gods service 1. First then when our Saviour saith Take heede how ye heare hee implieth in this word how that we must regard as well the maner as the matter of the duty the good work is not inough unlesse it bee done well 2. When he saith Take heede how c. this word Take heede implieth two things 1. that there is dāger of erring in this duty and that unlesse we be warie wee may doe it amisse and 2. that by heedfulnesse the danger may bee prevented For caveats are needlesse where there is no danger and fruitlesse where they do not help to avoid the danger And these 3. the maner of doing the danger of mis-doing and the profit of warinesse in the doing are the points on which I meane by Gods grace to insist CAP. X. In the doing of good works the maner is to bee respected as well as the matter Cap. 10 OUR Saviour here giveth us a Caveat concerning our manner of hearing this caveat will appeare to bee the more full of reason if we finde that the like rule is to bee observed in other the duties of Gods service And that so it is may be proved thus I. In Scriptures as God commandeth the dutie so he commandeth the due maner of doing it also For example hee doth not onely command us to pray but requireth also that wee pray in faith without wavering Iam. 1.6 And with fervencie and without fainting Iam. 5.16 and Luk. 18.1 Againe he doth not onely command us to reade but that in reading wee mark and consider Matt. 24.15 And so hee doth not onely command us to heare but that we hearken to his words and let them sink downe into our eares Luk. 9.44 and Act. 2.14 Nor doth he only command us to give almes but besides that we do it cherefully not grudgingly nor of necessitie nor for the praise and applause of men 2 Cor. 9.7 and Matt. 6.2 3 4. And so againe if any man speake let him speake as the Oracles of God 1 Pet. 4.11 that is let him so speake Gods word as beseemeth the word of the Almighty And if any man prophecie let him prophecie according to the proportion of faith hee that giveth let him do it with simplicity he that ruleth let him do it with diligence and he that sheweth mercy let him do it with cherefulnesse Ro. 12.6 Moreover when the Apostle saith The Law is good if it be used lawfully 1 Tim. 1.8 he implieth that a man may but ought not to use Gods Law in an unlawfull maner And when speaking of the course of godlinesse he saith So runne that ye may obtaine 1 Cor. 9.24 Hee intimateth two things 1. that we should not onely runne the waies of Gods commandements but runne them in a right maner And 2. that if a man do not runne in a right maner he may lose his labour misse of his reward By all this it appeareth that God doth not onely command the matter of good duties but the right maner of doing them also It followeth if we do the thing that is commanded yet we sin if wee do it not in the maner that is required II. Good duties if they be not done in a due maner and with their due circumstances are rejected of God as no parts of his service To this purpose is that which wee reade in the Prophet To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me saith the Lord I am full of the burnt offerings of rams the fat of fed beasts and I delight not in the blood of bullocks or of lambs or of hee goats When ye come to appeare before me who hath required this at your hand to tread my courts Bring no more vaine oblations incense is an abomination unto me the new Moones and Sabbaths the calling of assemblies I cannot away with it is iniquitie even the solemne meeting Your new Moones and your appointed feasts my soule hateth they are a trouble unto me I am weary to beare them And when ye spread forth your hands I will hide my eies from you yet when ye make many prayers I will not heare your hands are full of blood Is 1.11 12 13 14 15. In this passage wee may note these particulars 1. the works and services which these men performed and they were multitude of sacrifices burnt offerings of rams fat of fed beasts c. They were also keeping of new Moones and Sabbaths solemn assemblies c. All which were services commanded in Gods Law and directed and serving to his glorie 2. Consider the acceptation and entertainment that God gave to these services of pietie and religion and that is 1. he renounceth them as none of his services Who saith he required these things at your hands 2. He complaineth of them as of heavie burdens that oppressed him I am full of the burnt offerings of rams c they are a trouble unto me I am weary to beare them 3. Hee sheweth his dislike and detestation of them I delight not in the blood of bulls c. incense is an abomination unto me the new Moones and Sabbaths I cannot away with 4. Hee threatneth the doers of these services with his high displeasure When ye spread forth your hands I will hide mine eyes from you
graces in which the maine duties of christianity do consist And he that is thus disposed before he cometh to heare is in a faire way to understand the Scriptures when they bee alledged and to conceive the Preachers meaning when hee explaineth and applieth them to his conscience And hence it is that (a) Inst lib. 5. cap. 33. pag. 134. Cassian a learned judicious Writer doth say of Theodorus a Religious man of that time and one that was expert in the Scriptures that the thing which made him so skilfull in Gods book was Non tam studium lectionis vel literatura mundi quà m sola puritas cordis not so much his reading of learned books or his human learning as his purity sincerity of heart alone And this man saith the same (b) Ibid. cap 34. pag. 135. Autor when men admired his clear understanding of Scriptures and desired of him the meaning of certaine places answered them that he who would come to the true understanding of Scriptures must not bestow his paines in reading of Commentaries but rather bend his minde to cleare his soule from fleshly desires Quibus expulsis confestim cordis oculi sublato velamine passionum sacramenta Scripturarum velut naturaliter incipient contemplari For these vitious lusts being expulsed driven out the eie of the soule after this vaile of passions is removed from before it doth begin as it were by its owne disposition and temper to understand the mysteries of the Scriptures (c) Siquidem nobis nō ut essent incognita vel obscura sancti Spiritûs gratiâ promulgata sunt sed nostro vitio velamine peccatorū cordis oculos obnubēte red dūtur obscura quibus rursum naturali redditis sanitati ipsa Scripturarum sanctarū lectio ad contemplationē verae scentiae abundè etiam sola sufficiat Cassian ibid. For as hee addeth the holy Ghost did not so pen and divulge the Scriptures that they might bee unknowen and dark but they become hard and obscure through our owne default who with a vaile of sins do cover the eies of our mindes like the vaile that laie on the heart of the Jews while they read the books of Moses 2 Cor. 3.14 15. II. This puritie of soule disburdened of her sinfull lusts disposeth a man to the obedience of Gods word and maketh him ready and prepared to observe and do what is therein prescribed Now these works of obedience they bee the very fruits harvest cropp for reaping whereof the seed of Gods word is sowen For the end of our preaching and reading is that men may heare and the end of their hearing is that they may learne and know Gods will and the end of their learning knowledge is that they may do Gods will and keep his commandements This gradation of causes is clearly expressed by Moses Deut. 31.11 12. And it is intimated by our Saviour also in the Gospell when he saith This peoples heart is waxed grosse and their eares are dul of hearing their eies they have closed lest at any time they should see with their eies heare with their eares understand with their heart and should bee converted and I should heale them Matt. 13.15 By these speeches it appeareth that Doing is the end of Hearing Now that which in our hearing doth fit us for this end is if wee purge our soules aforehand of all sinfull lusts and yeeld up our selves to be moulded by the word For they that be in love with any lust are loth to heare and more loth to do that which God commandeth to the contrary Herod because hee was in love with his fleshly lusts would not hearken to Iohn Baptist when hee tould him of his incest Mark 6. the Pharises because they were in love with their money derided our Saviour Luk. 16.13 14. when he preached against covetousnesse And Ahab 1 King 22. because hee was resolved to go up to Ramoth Gilead to battell put Micaiah in prison for advising him to the contrary And so it is still He that is resolved to live in oppression will not care for the Preachers words when he telleth him of S. Pauls threatening Let no man go beyond or defraud his brother in any matter because that the LORD is an avenger of all such 1 Thess 4.6 And he that is resolved to go on in his uncleane lusts will not care when hee is tould of that sentence Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge Heb. 13.4 And he that is given to his bellie cheare will sleight that caveat of our Saviour Take heed lest your hearts bee overcome with surfetting drunkennesse c. Luk. 21.34 And generally whosoever is led with any lust untill he be content to part with that lust will never bee willing to yeeld obedience to that Scripture which forbiddeth it Yea and they who are zelously affected to religion and performe holy duties with some care yet if they have but any one unmortified passion behinde that lust will make them to withdraw the shoulder when they should yeeld obedience to the word A plaine proof hereof may bee seene in the rich young man mentioned Mar. 10.17 c. For hee came to CHRIST with great zele and was resolved to do any thing that hee might be saved Good Master saith hee what good thing shall I do c But when our LORD bade him Go sell all that thou hast c and thou shalt have treasure in heaven the Text saith he was sad at that saying and went away grieved The meaning is that though he were a forward young man and purposed to do any thing that CHRIST would appoint him for gaining of eternall life yet because hee was in love with his wealth he thought this to bee too hard a condition to be accepted of And so it is and will bee with all other men if they be in love with any one sinne that will not suffer them to submit to that word of God which forbiddeth it But contrariwise he that hath emptied his soule of every knowen sin is ready for every commandement will submit to whatsoever God shall enjoyne him For having purged out every lust he hath nothing left behind that may oppose GODS word when it commandeth him his duty Such a man if God should command him to sacrifice his life for religion as he commanded Abraham to sacrifice his son he would say with S. Paul My life is not deare unto mee so I may finish my course with joy Act. 20.24 And if God should require restitution of ill gotten goods hee would say with Zaccheus If I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation or any other unjust dealing I will restore him fourefold Luk. 19.8 And if GOD should require him to mortifie himself by hard and austere chastisements hee would say with S. Paul I will keep under my body and bring it in subjection 1 Cor. 9.27 And so in all other the most troublesome
word of God 1. Thessal 2.13 Here are two things considerable 1. Who it was that spake and delivered this word and that was Paul a man like unto themselves and 2. Whose word they esteemed it to be not Pauls nor any other mans but Gods alone And there was great reason for it For if the King should send an Officer with commission to proclaime his will to his people no man would say that this message were the will or word of the Officer who proclaimed it but the will of the King who commanded it And so these Thessalonians did rightly esteeme the word preached as Gods word from whom it was sent and not as Pauls word by whom it was delivered And they are commended for so doing as having rightly distinguished betweene God and his Minister so it will bee our praise if when wee heare Gods word delivered by a mortall man yet wee esteeme it as the word of the immortall and ever blessed God A good rule then it is that wee esteeme the word spoken by the Minister as the word sent from the Lord Almighty These rules if they bee duly observed will further us diverse waies to the right hearing of Gods word with profit 1. They will work in us attentivenesse to mark all that is spoken For even among men if the Speaker be had in honour his words will be received with heedfulnesse and attention It is said of Simon Magus that all the people gave heed to him from the least to the greatest saying This man is the great power of God and to him they had regard because that of long time hee had bewitched them with sorceries Act. 8.10 Consider here 1. how this people were affected to Simon Magus They gave heed unto him and regarded him 2. why they thus observed and respected him and that was because hee had bewitched them to beleeve that he was the great power of God or one whom God had endued with great abilities from heaven The like hereto we may find in our owne experience For if we think highly of any mans vertues and esteeme his words to have weight and worth in them we heare them with attention embrace them as Oracles of great worth And so in this case it is nothing but disesteeme of God and his word that maketh men to neglect the word when it is preached in their hearing And therefore as Rabsakeh said Heare yee the words of the great King the King of Assyria Isa 36.13 meaning that because hee was a great King therefore they should give good audience to his word so if wee consider that it is the great King even the King of heaven that speaketh unto us it will command our attention and make us heare with heed and observation Let this then bee taken for a first benefit that a due esteeme of God and his word will cause attention in our hearing 2. A due esteeme of God and his word will make us willing to heare our faults reprooved with submission and patience Old Eli is an example hereof For when Samuel told him of his sinne in cockering of his sonnes and of the judgement of God threatned against him for the same he answered It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good 1. Sam 3.18 Wee may here observe 1. Eli his willing submission to the reprehension of Samuel Let him do what seemeth him good and 2. the reason that made him so tractable and obedient and that was because it was the Lord who had sent that message And so if when wee come to heare a Sermon we consider that it is God who speaketh unto us by the mouth of a man this will cause us with patience to heare our sinnes reprooved and our selves censured for them 3. The same consideration will make us to yeeld a ready obedience to the word and to suffer our selves to be moulded and framed by it when it prescribeth us a duty to bee done This is so reasonable that Balaam against his owne minde acknowledged it to bee right Must I not take heed saith he to speake that which the Lord hath put into my mouth Num. 23.12 And so if we consider that it is God who speaketh it will cause us to think our selves bound to do what hee saith For no Christian is so shamelesse that will say that hee will not do what God doth command And therefore wee may observe that when men are resolved not to obey they will rather denie that it is Gods word that is brought unto them then that it is their duty to obey his word So the Jewes did when Ieremy at their request had enquired of God for them and told them in Gods Name that they should abide in their owne Land and not go into Egypt they being resolved that it was more expedient for them to go then to stay told Ieremy to his face Thou speakest falsly the Lord our God hath not sent thee to say Go not into Egypt to sojourne there Ier. 43.2 And so among us no man that professeth to serve the true GOD will plainely denie submission to his word The summe of all is that if we bring with us a due respect to God and his word it will make us attentive when wee heare and patient when we are reproved and obedient when we are commanded that which is our duty to do II. The next thing in which we are to shew reverence in the time of hearing is a dutifull behaviour in the outward man For even among men if boies plaie the boies among their fellows that is if they bee waggish and bolde and presumptuous before their equals no man will greatly regard it But if they should do so before their Masters face it were irreverence and rudenesse not to bee borne with And we our selves in our owne houses where we are among our equals and friends may use that libertie both of speech and behaviour which would savour of contempt and disrespect if it were used in the presence of a Noble man or of a Counsellor or of a Prince And so when we come into GODS presence more sobernesse and more modest and awfull behaviour will be required of us then is necessary when we are at home or abroad among our neighbours And therefore when wee come to heare God speaking unto us wee must have a care that wee do not by our gesture bewray an undutifull respect to God or his ordinances For better observing of which duty I shall point at some such rules as I find to have beene either required or observed amongst Gods people that out of them every man may select such directions as may bee usefull and expedient for himselfe I. First then I finde in Gods book that when God appeared to Moses being now to reveile his Law unto him he first of all commanded him Draw not nigh hither put off thy shooes from off thy feet for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground Exod. 3.5 And so the Angell that
pertinent to our purpose In some such manner as this we may single out such lessons as are proper and passe by those which cannot further to a good life And this condemneth the practice of two sorts 1. of them that busie themselves about trifles and things of no worth and 2. of them who trouble themselves about other mens duties not pertinent to themselves 1. They are to bee condemned who busie themselves about trifles or frivolous things and by entertaining them do exclude things of better worth Such are they who are more affected with the Ministers wearing of a cap or a surplice or an hood then they are with their owne duty of obedience to Governours and of just dealing with their neighbours and of keeping the tongue from slandering and deriding of their betters Such men if they heare any word against a Ceremony or against a Bishop they mark and mind that and clap hands at it for joy when they can heare threatnings against hypocrisie and selfe-love and uncharitable censurings sins too ordinary with such people and yet are no whit mooved at the matter (a) Plutar. de Audit pag. 43. Plutarch telleth of one who being sick of a consumption came to a (b) Philotimus Physician to ask counsell for a sore finger the Physician perceiving that he was dangerously ill of his consumption answered Non est tibi amice adversus reduviam opus medicÃnâ My friend you have no such need of physick for a finger it is your lungs that may endaÌ„ger your life And so I may say to these men There is no such danger to your soules from a Ministers surplice or hood Your danger is from your owne sinnes your pride and selfe-love and overweening of your selves with despising of your equalls and slandering of your betters c. Cure these diseases first and then we will heare you if ye have any thing to say that may discover a fault in our Ceremonies The conclusion is They that will profit by hearing Gods word must single out such things as may help to amend their lives 2. They are justly condemned also who busie themselves about impertinent matters things which either concerne not themselves or are above their reach and capacity to understand In this sort S. Peter offended Hee when our Lord told him what conflicts himselfe was to undergo for his Master presently leaving his own businesse enquired concerning Iohn Lord what shall hee do But our Lord checked him for it If I will that he tary till I come what is that to thee follow thou mee Ioh. 21.21 22. And such a one was he that would needs know what God was a doing before he made the world to which busie question an ancient Father gave a wittie and wise answere which was Alta scrutantibus gehennas parabat hee was making hell for them that prie into his secrets August Conf. lib. 11. c. 12. pag. 74. And such like were those Monks of whom we read that they asked Copres an holy and devout man concerning Melchizedech who and what he was to whom Copres Rosw in vitis Patrum lib. 5. cap. de Humilit num 24. pag. 623. tundens tertiò os suum smiting himselfe three times on the mouth said Vae tibi Copre c. Woe to thee Copres which neglectest the things which GOD hath commanded thee to doe and searchest after those things which he never required at thy hands Hee meant by a figurative applying of their fault to himselfe to tell them how dangerous it is to be busie about unnecessary things And so if any of us shall mark and enquire into the duties of other men What the dutie of the King is in ruling of his people what the Bishops in ordering of the Church what the Ministers in preaching of the word or what the Magistrats dutie is in doing of justice wee may say to him What is that to thee who art a privat man do thou learn do thine own duty and let other men alone with their places that concerne thee not Againe if any man shall busie himself about the orders of Angels and the degrees of glory in heaven and of the acquaintance that the Saints have one with an other in an other world wee may bid him first learn what God teacheth him for his salvation when he hath learned all that then hee may have leave to enquire about needlesse things 3. Rule The last rule of wisdome in our hearing is that if any sin be reproved or any judgment threatned we should bee suspitious of our selves lest wee may be the men and in an holy jelousie applie every thing to our selves that reason will permit For even in things of this life Salves do not heale unlesse they bee applied to the wound nor medicines do not cure unlesse they be received by the Patient nor meat doth not nourish unlesse it be taken downe into the stomach And so it is here Reprehensions and comminations and caveats against sin they do not humble the sinner nor work repentance and warinesse unlesse they bee applied to the diseased and crasie soule This is apparent in the example of David Nathan being sent to him to reprove him he first told him a parable and under it described his sin but David passed over this without once thinking on himselfe who was aimed at in that speech But when Nathan once had said Thou art the man Thus saith the LORD c. then David remembred his fault and said I have sinned against the LORD And so hee repented and asked and obtained pardon 2. Sam. 12.1 c. Thus it was with David and so it is and will be with us also If sinnes be spoke against in generall onely that worketh seldom times any remorse but applie them to the conscience and that worketh repentance amendment of life Application then is most necessary But it may not bee expected that alwaies it should be done by the Preacher as here it was done by the Prophet For sometimes he can not do it because he knoweth not the particular sins whereof each man is guiltie and to be admonished and sometimes he may not do it because if hee should point out men in the pulpit he might rather offend the Assembly then amend the sinner or hee might shame him rather then reforme him Such applications by the Preacher may be usefull in privat as Nathans was but what good may come by personating men in publik I cannot conceive Seeing then that the Preacher cannot or may not make this application wise hearers must help him and make the application themselves If he tell them from the Apostle Hebr. 13.4 Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge they if any among them be privie to himself of this sin must say within himselfe I am the man that have sinned in this sort am guilty of that judgment And if Hee preach against fraud and oppression and presse upon them that of the Apostle Let no man