the hands of Moses were held vp and he besought the Lord in the behalfe of the people Yea Ioash doth acknowledge that the prayers of Elisha 2. King 13.14 an holy Prophet of God stood his kingdome in more stead then all the chariots and horsemen of Israel could do Neither is this to be wondred at that the prayers of the faithfull are of this force with God to preuaile with him For Reas 1 First God giueth vnto his chosen ones the Spirit of supplication and prayer Zach. 12. Which doth so enable the faithfull vnto this duty that they will haue no nay or receiue no repulse at Gods hand according to that of the Apostle 1. Ioh. 5.14.15 This is the assurance we haue in God that if we aske any thing according to his will he heareth vs. And if we know that he heareth vs whatsoeuer we aske we know that we shall haue the petitions we desire of him Secondly to comfort the Reas 2 hearts of his seruants and to minister vnto them a comfortable expectation to be heard in praier he is pleased to passe his promise out of his owne mouth and to assure vs by his owne word that we shall obtaine our desires saying Aske and ye shall haue seeke Mat. 7.7 and ye shall finde knocke and it shall be opened vnto you For euery one that asketh receiueth c. This is indeed the very ground-worke and foundation of the Christian prayer namely Gods promise which is as true and vnchangeable as himselfe is without which wee could neuer so confidently come vnto him Obiect But many of the godly haue praied much and often vnto God and yet the Lord seemeth not to heare nor to answer Answ God doth not forget his seruants though for a time he defer to answer God made Abraham a promise of a sonne by Sarah this Abraham expected ten twentie yea almost thirtie yeares who would haue thought all this while that God had forgot his promise but yet we know at last in a seasonable time God remembred the couenant and promise that he made with Abraham and Sarah had a sonne The Lord promised the posteritie of Abraham the Land of Canaan yet in what a miserable bondage were they in in Egypt vnder Pharaoh and that for the space of foure hundred and thirtie yeares who would not haue thought that surely God had not remembred his promise to Abraham yet at last the Lord brought them out with a mightie hand and stretched out arme But what might be the reason of the Lords dealing with his people after this manner Quest Doubtlesse God delayeth to answer the requests of his seruants till a more seasonable time Ans like a skilfull Physitian whom when his Patient being sicke of a burning Feauer shall aske wine will not giue it him knowing indeed that that is no time to drink wine The Lord in whose hands are times and seasons chuseth euer a fit time to answer the requests of his seruants Secondly the Lord will haue many times the case of his seruants desperate and they themselues past all hope of deliuerie in respect of any humane helpe to the end his owne power loue goodnesse and mercy should bee acknowledged in sending vnto them vnexpected deliuerance How could the Iews but acknowledge Gods goodnesse towards them in the time of Hester when they were all appointed vnto death when besides all hope the Lord sent them deliuerance How could Israel but acknowledge his mightie power and stretched out arme when they came out of the land of Egypt when the Sea was before them the Egyptians behinde them the mountaines on each hand of them and they left voide of all humane helpe and meanes to escape Exod. 15. Now was it a seasonable time for the Lord to steppe in that his owne power and stretched-out arme might be seene At what a low ebbe did the Lord bring Daniel Dan. 3. and those three worthies when one in the Lyons den the other in the fierie fornace when all hope of deliuerance was past and humane help failed then was his power most seene and then was deliuerance most seasonable Thirdly in Gods delayes then is there a seasonable time for the exercise of all those graces that hee hath betrusted his seruants withall such as are patience faith hope c. For it is the storme that proues the Mariner and the battell the Souldier whose experience and valour till then cannot be knowne Vse 1 If the prayers of Gods seruants be thus powerfull and effectuall with him This may be a notable incouragement for all Gods people to be frequent in this dutie and to be incessant in their prayers and not to giue him ouer though wee be not answered at first No doubt Hanna and Zachary had often prayed for children yet obtained not Notwithstanding they prayed still and at last the Lord heard them So Daniel he was in heauinesse three weekes of dayes Dan. 10.12 and to his thinking God heard him not yet the Lord heard him indeed from the first day as hee said to Daniel From the first day that he had set his heart to vnderstand Paul when the pricke of the flesh was giuen vnto him the messenger of Sathan was sent to buffet him hee therefore besought the Lord that it might depart from him But he receiued this answer My grace is sufficient for thee 2 Cor. 12.7.8.9 my power is made perfect in thy weaknesse Paul was heard though not at the first and therefore when wee shall pray for some blessing of the Lord which we stand in need of or when we shall craue power of the Lord ouer some vnruly affection of ours though we haue not answer by and by yet wee are not to leaue off This Christ teacheth vs when he saith Shall not God auenge the elect that cry day and night vnto him Luk. 18. Marke there Christs sweet application of that vnrighteous Iudge to teach vs to continue our suites and to hold out and then we shall not misse in the end Secondly this shewes the happie Vse 2 priuiledge of Gods Church and people that no man should say Mal. 3.14 It is in vaine to serue the Lord and what profit is it that we haue kept the commandements and haue walked humbly before him It is sure to go well with them they are in great credit esteeme in the Court of heauen they are all Fauourites to the great King of heauen and earth and he hath commanded such at all times to haue free accesse vnto him and to inlarge their desires with a promise of a gracious answer Ioh. 16.24 Aske saith our Sauiour and ye shall receiue that your ioy may bee full What though for a time they lie vnder troubles and sorrowes miseries and afflictions Rom. 8.37 Are they not herein more then conquerours through him that hath loued them The present miseries of the faithfull cannot hinder their happinesse but through the Lords
not quickly leaue his possession But many liue long vnder the ministery of the same before they beleeue and imbrace it yet at the last God toucheth the hearts of many to attend and to be saued What though they doe not finde that comfortable returne of their labours are not some to lay the foundation and others to raise vp the building Is not the Word to be the sauour of death to some as it is to be the sweet sauour of life to other-some Is not their reward with the Lord Esa 49.4.5 and their recompence with their God And vnto this day must Parents and Masters be prouoked to set forward the Lords worke by the conscionable performance of Oeconomicall duties they must bee helpefull vnto the Minister this way it is not enough for them to bring their people to Church and to cast them off so vnto the Minister his burthen is too great if thou helpe not The Apostle cals Philemon Phil. 1. his fellow labourer no doubt it was in regard he so fitted and prepared his family for Pauls ministery And for this many of Gods worthy seruants are highly commended in the Word as Abraham Gen. 18. Iosh 24. Acts 10. Iosuah Cornelius The Parent and Master is as straightly charged with their families as the Minister with the congregation and if any vnder them doe dye for want of instruction the Lord will require the bloud of such a one at their hands VERSE 40. Doest thou not feare God seeing thou art in the same condemnation HItherto wee haue heard the Reprehension of the Penitent Thiefe in generall He rebuked him Now the Euangelist comes to set downe the particulars of his reprehension with those seuerall arguments and reasons to make the same the more effectuall for he that is to deale with rebellious and obstinate sinners had need to bring with him very mouing and effectuall arguments to disswade from sinne Now his arguments are 1. A persona From the nature of the person against whom he rayled God 2. A timore Dei From the feare of God the want whereof was the cause of his blasphemy 3. A praesente miseria From his present miserie Knowing thou art in the same condemnation 4. A iusto iudicio From the equitie of his punishment We are iustly punished 5. Ab innocentia Christi From Christs innocencie This man hath done nothing amisse All which being duely considered are very powerfull motiues and arguments to set on his reprehension and to make the same the more effectuall And thus doth this Penitent manifest the truth of his conuersion by many blessed fruites and effects thereof The particulars whereof follow Text. Fearest thou not God q. d. O wretched man that now suffering the due reward of thy sinne shouldest thus blaspheme an Innocent euen the Lord Iesus Christ himselfe from whom saluation commeth Euen him before whom thou art shortly to appeare to giue an account of all thy euill deeds is there no feare of God at all with thee that thou so malitiously blasphemest Thus he takes him vp roundly and lets him see who it was that he blasphemed and whence it was that he brake out in this wise against Christ The want of Gods feare Fearest thou not God He doth not say Doest thou mocke But Fearest thou not God Because he would giue him to vnderstand against whom his sinne did extend and reach it self namely God himselfe For no doubt the Impenitent Thiefe was of the same opinion with the common people 1 Argument A persona that Christ was a meere man and that his reproachfull speeches reached not so high as God And therefore this was his first argument he taketh vp to make his reprehension so much the more effectuall that in rayling against Christ hee rayled against God his sinne did reach vp to God himselfe Note we hence That the mockings reproches Doct. 1 The afflictions of the godly reach vnto Christ and persecutions done against the godly reach vnto God himselfe Whosoeuer mocketh a seruant of God mocketh God himselfe When Saul being a Pharisee persecuted the Church the voice from heauen was Act. 9. Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Let no man put mee to businesse saith Paul for I beare in my body the markes of the Lord Iesus Euen so all those raylings of Sennacherib Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed 2. Kin. 19.22 and against whom hast thou exalted thy voyce and lifted vp thine eyes an high euen against the holy one of Israel And our Sauiour shewes that hee takes whatsoeuer is done vnto his members Mat. 25. as done vnto himselfe whether good or euill and accordingly rewardeth the one and punisheth the other So that whosoeuer mocketh or reproacheth a seruant of Christ mocketh Christ himselfe in them Of this before Now the reasons are Reas 1 First in regard of the neare coniunction and spirituall vnion that is betwixt Christ and euery true beleeuer hee is their head they his members Now what member doth not sympathize with the other member in euery naturall body either in weale or woe If one member suffer saith the Apostle all the members suffer with it Thus is it in the mysticall body Secondly God hath vndertaken Reas 2 for his children yea he hath indented sealed and sworne their safetie and protection Zach. 2. Hee that toucheth you toucheth the apple of my eye saith God He is therefore called their Father their Rocke their Tower and their strong Refuge Which serues to discouer vnto Vse 1 vs the miserable condition of the wicked whose daily sinnes doe reach vnto God himselfe and therefore must needs bee prouoked at last to bring downe iudgements vpon them Vse 2 Secondly to shew the happie condition of the faithfull though those that trouble and molest them are many and mightie Yet he that dwelleth on high is mightier who partaketh with them in all their sufferings Vse 3 And last of all it may be an excellent motiue to prouoke men to become his children by grace and adoption to whom all these excellent priuiledges belong and appertaine Text. Fearest thou not God 2 Argument A timore Dei As before this Penitent hath reproued the horrible blasphemy of his fellow so in these words he goeth on to shew and to discouer vnto him from what a filthy and stinking fountaine the same proceeded namely from the want of Gods feare in his heart So that he leades him from the streame to the fountaine and from the fruit shewes him the bitter root from whence those blasphemies sprang namely this the want of the feare of God in his heart And herein will teach vs That the want of the feare of Doct. 2 God is the cause of all sinne The want of the fear of God the cause of all sinne 2. Kin. 17.34 From this euill fountaine doth flow all the euill that is in the world They feare not me saith the Lord. Such men must needs runne headlong into
grace in the heart when a man is thrust forward readily to confesse his faults to God and vnto man as the case may require by whose aduice and prayers he may receiue comfort The reasons follow First acknowledgement of sin Reas 1 is necessarie vnto God because all sinne is done against God sinne reacheth euer vnto God himselfe whose righteous Law is violated and broken otherwise sinne could not be sinne This is acknowledged by Dauid when he saith Against thee onely haue I sinned Psal 51.4 The sinne of Dauid was the shedding of the innocent bloud of Vriah and the defiling of his wife But yet the violating and breaking of Gods most righteous Law wherein God became to be offended was it that went nearest the heart of Dauid Now if all sinne be against God it is requisite that we should make confession of the same to him Reas 2 Secondly without confession we haue no promise of remission of our sinnes for thus runnes the promise 1. Ioh. 1.9 If we confesse our sinnes he is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse Now as wee expect that the Lord should shew vs mercy in the pardon of our sinnes it is requisite that wee should performe those conditions which are required on our part namely to come vnto him in an humble acknowledgement of the same Reas 3 Thirdly acknowledgement of sinne is necessarie vnto God because it is hee onely that hath power to forgiue sinnes This truth is confessed by the Scribes and Pharisees whose iudgements howsoeuer they were corrupt in many things yet were sound in this Who can forgiue sinnes say they but God onely Mat. 2.7 Now reason would that we make confession of our sinnes onely to him that hath power to forgiue sinnes But this is onely in God therefore to him must we go to make confession of the same Fourthly confession of sinnes Reas 4 is necessarie in regard it is an excellent thing to glorifie God As wee haue dishonoured him by sinne by an heartie confession of the same we honour him againe for herein wee acknowledge his principall attributes namely his omniscience omnipresence power iustice mercy c. And this is the reason that Iosuah vrgeth vnto Acan Ios 7.19 My sonne I pray thee giue glory to God and confesse thy fault Where he ioynes these two together Gods glory and the confession of our faults For sinne indeed doth not serue more to the dishonour of God then doth an heartie confession of the same serue to his honour And this is the reason why Gods seruants hauing sinned haue beene content to shame themselues by confessing the same knowing indeed it would bring so much glorie to God Reas 5 Fifthly the conscionable performance of this duty is an excellent meanes to keepe the heart vpright with God for future times and so a notable preseruatiue against sinne For that man that hath once done his penance before God in that kinde freely penitently and heartily it will be a corasiue vnto his heart all the dayes of his life after and make him to dread those sins that bring such a taile of sorrow with them in the end Sixthly by our acknowledgement Reas 6 of sinne we cleare the Lords iustice and iustifie his Maiestie in punishing vs for the same Thus Dauid is led vnto this duty to make an hearty confession of his sinnes Psal 51.4 That thou saith he maist be iustified in thy sayings and true when thou iudgest Nehe. 1.7 Dan. 9.5 Ezra 9.6 This is cleare likewise in those excellent prayers of Nehemiah Daniel Ezra c. And last of all by recounting Reas 7 duely our sinnes and making due acknowledgement of the same our hearts are the better fitted for prayer and for all holy duties publicke and priuate this makes vs earnest and affectioâ—ate in the suites we put vp to God for neuer is a poore sinner more earnest in his requests for mercy then when hee is most sensible of his owne miserie and in the sence thereof hath beene led to an heartie acknowledgement of the same This makes men importunate suters such as will haue no nay as it appeares in Daniel Dan 9 19. Ezra 9.6 Nehe. 1.11 Mat. 15. Ezra Dauid the Cananitish woman and the like Vse 1 This serues first of all to reproue diuers abuses about the performance of this duty of confession of sinnes amongst which the corruption crept into the Church of Rome is not the least vrging that their Auricular confession of sinnes in the eares of the Priest and that vpon paine of damnation Radford his Directory pag 114 for these are their own words Euery one vnder the paine of damnation is bound to confesse to a lawfull Priest his sinne A doctrine that hath not one Scripture in all the booke of God vrging the necessitie of such a confession Nay contrarily to many a one many a time did our Sauiour giue absolution of sinne where there was no particular confession thereof made vnto him as that man in the Gospell that was sicke of the palsie vpon Christs sight of his faith he pronounced thus Mat. 9.2 Sonne thy sinnes be forgiuen thee And so to penitent Mary testifying her repentance for sinne by her abundant teares our Sauiour pronounced Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Ioh. 7. But this is a subtile net which our Aduersaries like cunning Fishers of men haue framed to catch mens goods to inrich themselues to discouer mens secrets euen in the Councels of Princes and for the Priest to know where to haue one for his turne Obiect Iam. 5.18 But doth not Saint Iames say Confesse your faults one to another Answ This is the Scripture I confesse that is principally vrged by our Aduersaries to warrant their doctrine of Auricular confession But by this Scripture the Priest is bound as straightly to shriue himselfe to the penitent as the penitent to the Priest for S. Iames requires it as a mutuall duty Indeed that there is a lawfull and commendable duty to bee performed amongst Christians in confessing of their faults one to another was neuer denyed by vs it is that wee often call vpon and prouoke men vnto But yet in these two cases especially Cases of priuate confession First in priuate and personall iniuries and wrongs done one to another it is requisite that wee should come and confesse our faults one to another and to seeke forgiuenesse and to labour a reconciliation Secondly in case of trouble of conscience to the end wee may not sink vnder the burthen thereof or any way giue aduantage vnto Sathan to haue the greater power ouer vs it is an excellent thing to disburthen our soules by confession of our particular sinnes vnto some godly Minister or some faithfull Christian that is knowne to be a man of wisedome and conscience able to minister comfort in these cases it is a most commendable dutie But we hold it not as a matter
where pride groweth it is like a noysome weede in a garden true grace doth there wither and the best plants can neuer prosper Secondly it is discerned by the conscionable vse of the meanes by the which grace is daily more and more nourished and increased in vs. Such as are the hearing of the Word the conscionable vse of the Sacraments prayer with the conscionable performance of these and the like holy duties both publike and priuate with a delight therein this being thy case thou needest no more question the state of thy soule all this while then the state of that body that hath a good appetite to meate and withall a good digestion Thirdly it may bee discerned in vs by the taste and relish wee haue in heauenly things with the delight in Gods people for the body of Christ increaseth in the edification of it self through loue and as this loue increaseth or decayeth so doth grace VERSE 42. And he said vnto Iesus Text. Lord remember me c. THe penitent Thiefe hauing giuen good testimony of his repentance for sinne is now qualified to pray for now is he humbled made meeke and gentle his heart is fitted and prepared for this duty Note hence that None can pray aright but the Penitent None can make an effectuall prayer but the penitent Iam. 5.18 Psal 32.6 such as are truly and throughly humbled for sinne these are qualified for this dutie The prayer of a righteous man auaileth much saith Saint Iames. Therefore shall euery one that is godly make his prayer vnto thee It was the Church that made prayer vnto God for Peter Act. 12. When the children of Israel had humbled themselues from morning vntill euening and wept before the Lord then were they qualified to aske counsell of the Lord. Iudg. 20.23.26 Gen. 4.4 The Lord had respect to Abel and his offering but vnto Cain and his offering had he not respect Abels person was first accepted in Christ before his sacrifice could be This is that the Lord requireth of his people Isa 1.16 Wash you make you cleane put away your euils out of my sight c. And then what followeth Vers 1â— Come let vs now reason together saith the Lord though your sinnes were as scarlet they shal be made as white as snow c. As for the prayers of the wicked Pro. 15.8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abhomination vnto the Lord. But the prayer of the righteous is his delight Though they cry vnto me I will not heare them Hos 7.14 What might be the reason see it in the verse going before Ier. 11.11 They turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers which refused to heare my words The blinde man acknowledged this truth Ioh. 9.30 God heareth not sinners Whereas on the contrary Psal 51.17 A broken and contrite heart God will not despise The prayers of the righteous are his delight Prou. 15.8 And it must bee the supplication of Iob Iob 42.8 that God will accept of in the behalfe of his friends And there is reason for it Reas 1 First that of our Sauiour A good tree saith he bringeth forth good fruit Mat. 7.17 but an euill tree bringeth forth euill fruit He must be a good man that maketh a good prayer a bad man cannot make a good prayer For such as the root is such is the fruit Reas 2 Secondly Gods fauour and countenance is onely and alwaies manifested there where his Image appeareth Now it is onely in his children who haue dedicated themselues onely to him and his seruice Reas 3 Thirdly it is the godly man that can speake the language of heauen hee hath the spirit of adoption giuen vnto him enabling him to cry Abba Father Now they must bee the breathings of Gods Spirit Rom. 8.15 which God will acknowledge That is the languages the which God doth vnderstanâ—en Now wicked men wanting this spirit what reckoning account can God make of the prayers of such a one Fourthly Whatsoeuer is not of Reas 4 faith is sinne And againe Heb. 11.6 Without faith it is impossible to please God Faith is the salt of the Sanctuarie that must season all our sacrifices and giues vs a comfortable assurance that they shall finde acceptation with God That ye may beleeue in the name of the Sonne of God 1. Ioh. 5.13.14 And this is the assurance that if we aske any thing according to his will he heareth vs. Faith is all in all to make our prayers accepted How many came to our Sauiour in the dayes of his flesh to bee cured some of one disease and some of another And what is Christs answer but this According to thy faith so be 〈◊〉 vnto thee 2. Thes 3.2 Now All men haue not faith saith the Apostle It is called the Faith of the elect because none are betrusted therewith but the elect of God and so it must needs bee they and they alone that can pray effectually Reas 5 And last of all they cannot be the prayers of wicked men that God can heare and accept of because they haue refused to heare God God will therefore refuse to heare them Because I haue called saith the Lord and ye haue refused Pro. 1.24 ye shall cry and call and I will not answer And this stands with the distributiue Iustice of Almightie God that God should deale with them as they haue dealt with him Vse 1 This serues then to set out vnto vs the misery of euery wicked and vngodly man of euery impenitent sinner that liues and lyes in sinne without repentance God is prouoked by him daily his verie prayers themselues are turned into sinne Pro. 28.9 He that turneth away his eare from hearing the law euen his very prayers are abhominable The Lord doth ranke this mans prayers amongst the bed roll of his sinnes Thou that art a drunkard a swearer a beastly liuer thou that liuest and lyest in thy sinne without repentance thou diddest neuer all the dayes of thy life make an effectuall prayer vnto God the Lord neuer heard thee in mercy in any petition thou diddest euer put vp vnto him But thy very praiers were euer turned into sin and became abominable vnto him thou wantest the Spirit of God to enable thee to this duty For it is the breathing of that Spirit that God will acknowledge O the misery of an impenitent sinner that whether hee do those things that are forbidden or those things that are commanded is still posting to hell and hastening his owne destruction Obiect If an impenitent sinner sinne thus euen in praying vnto God it seemes then that it were better for a wicked man not to pray at all Answ I say not so albeit a wicked man sinne praying because his person is not accepted with God in Christ hath not repentance for sinne nor faith in Christ which must make his prayers auailable Yet he must pray
excellently shadowed out vnto vs by Ezechiels vision of waters Eze. 47.12 which increased more and more which shadoweth out vnto vs the power of the Word in the hearts of beleeuers in the time of the Gospell And wheresoeuer these waters should come they should cause admirable fruitfulnesse And this is that which our Sauiour noteth that his Father is the Husband-man himselfe the Vine euery true beleeuer a branch of this Vine And such saith he my Father purgeth Ioh. 15.1 that they may bring forth more fruit Salomon cōpareth the righteous to the Sun that shineth more and more vnto the perfect day Pro. 4 18. The poynt is clear neither is there any duty whereunto a Christian is more vrged and pressed in the Scripture then this And the reasons are Reas 1 First in regard that the greatest measure of grace that the faithfull in this life can possibly attaine vnto is not more then needfull to saluation As the least measure of sanctifying grace truely wrought shall be auaileable vnto saluation so the greatest measure that any haue will but serue the turne It is with grace as with the Manna the Israelites gathered none had to spare of that they gathered So the time will come when he that hath the greatest measure of knowledge faith repentance c. shall finde the same little enough to keepe the head aboue the water when a man shall come to combate with death The king of feares and to wrestle with Sathans temptations Secondly such as improue Reas 2 their graces receiued the Lord is pleased daily to adde to the stocke of grace making them more and more to abound therein as faith our Sauiour Luk. 8.18 To him that hath shall be giuen whereas wicked and vngodly men which haue but the out-side of religion onely the Lord will take from such that they seemed to haue Thirdly the great cost the Reas 3 Lord is daily at with vs may prouoke vnto this duty First hee bought vs at a deare rate from our sinfull vile and vaine conuersations to the end we might serue him in righteousnesse and holinesse all our dayes Againe hee hath planted vs by the riuers of waters euen his sacred Word with the dayly dewes and spirituall moysture flowing from the same he daily watereth our soules Besides all this hee hath come vnto vs with the pruning knife of his iudgements and corrections of all sorts both nationall and personall to shred off sinne and corruption and so many superfluous and luxurious branches that hinder fruitfulnesse so as the Lord may plead with vs as with his people of old Esay 5. What should I haue done more that I haue not done All which may prouoke vnto this duty Reas 4 And last of all the Scripture compareth a Christian to new borne Babes As new borne Babes 1 Pet. 2.2 desire yee the sincere milke of the Word that ye may grow thereby Now infancy and childhood of all other ages is an age of growing It were a wonder in nature to haue an infant liue and not grow the Word truely heard and receiued breeds no such staruelings Againe the Scripture compares a Christian to a building Now what is it to lay a foundation of a worke and not to build vpon it If it bee not followed wee see it comes to nothing Thus is it with the building vp of the inward man Is this daily increase growth Vse 1 in grace so necessary as that without it we can haue no sound comfort of the truth of grace Miserable then and fearefull is the state and condition of those that haue lost their first loue and haue fallen away from that measure of loue zeale and other graces that appeared in them in times past Surely the estate of such men is lamentable and fearefull If they saith Peter after they haue escaped from the filthinesse of the world 2 Pet. 2◠20 21 22. through the acknowledging of the Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ are yet tangled againe therin and ouercome the latter end is worse with them then the beginning for it had beene better for them not to haue acknowledged the way of righteousnesse then after they haue knowledged it to turne away from the holy Commandement giuen vnto them but it is come vnto them according to the Prouerbe The dog is turned vnto his owne vomit and the Sow that was washed to the wallowing in the mire This was the case of Demas Hymeneus and Philetus mentioned by Paul to Timothy 1 Tim. 1 20 2 Tim. 2. they were counted famous in their times yet at last fell away But woe bee vnto Sathan for his malice and woe bee vnto such men for their backsliding the estate of such is fearefull Secondly this serues to condemne Vse 2 the common securitie of men in these dayes and times wherein wee liue who are strongly perswaded in themselues that they haue attayned to a sufficiency in religion for knowledge and grace they haue plyed it hitherto and now they may sit still as if they had as much as they needed or God could require at their hands Lamentable is their estate and wofull is their condition Of all the diseases of the Asian Churches this was the most dangerous that the Church of Laodicea was sick withall who thought themselues rich and increased in wealth and needed nothing no more knowledge no more grace whereas indeed they were miserable poore and blinde and naked the very opinion of sufficiency shewes our penury Dost thou put forth thy childe to Nurse thou desirest that it should thriue and prosper and not stand at a stay if it prosper not euery one will say the childe will not continue long Thus is it with vs when the Lord shall feede vs with the wholsome milke of the Word and we daily lugge the breasts of our Mother the Church and yet profit not but stand rather at a stay as ignorant as before as dull heauy and vntoward in holy performances as before O this is a fearefull signe of a spirituall consumption and this wee may feare will follow in the end that God at last will bee prouoked to giue such a one ouer to hardnesse of heart and to reprobate sence that haue made no better a vse of the grace that hath beene offered vnto them And last of all it may serue for Vse 3 matter of comfort and consolation vnto the godly that are on the mending hand though they finde many defects and imperfections in them and be often drawn aside through their owne corruptions yet the increase in knowledge zeale loue and the like graces proues the truth thereof in the heart Bur how shall I know whether I increase in grace yea or no Quest Thou mayest know it by these signes Answ First by thy daily increase in humility for God resisteth the proud but giueth grace to the humble Humility is a Mother-grace as we thriue in it we prosper in all other graces Whereas on the contrary