can tell you there will be but a few left behinde But some man may say why doe you thus search into vs of our estates and of the danger of them Why because wee must fanne the chaffe from the wheate And Paule doth bid you try and proue your selues whether you be in the faith or no and if yee be not in the faith yee are no better then Reprobates for ought as yet yee know or wee either But wee see among men how much the backe and the belly is cared for as for the poore soule that is little cared for Wee are combred about many things but few are carefull for that one needfull thing the reason is for few are elected Such as come to heare Gods word should pray that the Lord would raise them from the death of sinne for man nor Angell cannot doe it In the 5 of Iohn The dead shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of God and they that heare it shall liue There be many which liue in the visible Church which shall be damned Desire that thou which art dead in the graue of sinne euen as dead as Lazarus that the Lord would speake powerfully by his word and call thee out of this graue Seeke for the power of sauing grace for it is possible that thou which wert dead maist become aliue and thou that wert a Persecutor as cruel as the Iayler maist becōe humble Thou that wert couetuous as Zacheus maist become liberall Thou that art an Hyppocrite but halfe a Christian as Agrippa maist become a whole Christiā And why not we all of vs once were dead the best of vs drawne from among such as you be Let this then be the day of your rising if ye liue the life of grace yee shall liue the life of glory but if yee go on in that natural course yee shall misse of that glorious life And I speake it from my heart I call heauen and earth to witnesse yee shall be surely damned and the greater shall your condemnation be because the Ministers of God doe now rowse you vp and woe be to the Ministers that daube vp your consciences If you goe on in your ignorance prophane ciuill or hipocriticall courses yee shall surely be damned and this that is spoken this day shall be for your further condemnation because yee were fairely warned but would not take heede or take a faire warning Now touching the second sort of Christians namely such as had receiued from the Lord sauing grace but they were much abated of that they were at the first calling or else sluggish these may be said to be of the second sorts also whereof the first are such as had beene very zealous and forward but now decayed The second sort are those that be drowsie Christians and were neuer much better but stand at a stay Concerning the first sort there be many men that haue beene very zealous in the profession of the Gospell and carefull of good things which be now falne in tempering with the world and into much worldly businesse and follow the fashions and courses of worldlings are much decayed in grace and shamefully falne from their first loue yet this many of these at their first calling were so forward as they could not tell how to be thankefull enough and zealous enough but soone after they grew to be cold in zeale and very carelesse and remisse in the practise of godlines such men in regard of Gods vnchangeable loue cannot quite fall away from the grace they haue receiued yet they doe shamefully dishoner God and giue occasion of scandall and offence to others and bring sorrow and smart to their owne soules and great shame reproach to themselues to other Professors For as a man that hath borne skot and lott as wee say in a towne if he be brought to such a poore estate as that hee is constrayed to take almes of his neighbours it must needes be a great griefe and shame vnto him so is it with these kinde of Christians whereas they should grow forward in the loue of God as the light doth increase after the Sunne newly risen they on the other side grow backeward and this must needes be grieuous vnto God and it openeth the mouth of the wicked to the reproach of their profession and they will say seeing these forward men make a stay of their forwardnesse in their course what neede wee set forward and be so hott in the spirit and they bring a slander vppon the land of Canaan Thus many men when they were young were very zealous in religion and being come to temper and deale in the world then they make a stay of their forwardnesse like vnto a dogge that at the first setting forth runneth swiftly after the game or chase till he meete with a peece of carrion then he standeth and goeth no further And this befalleth vnto these men either because they neglect the meanes as prayer hearing of the word and meditating vpon the same if done yet very carelesly so that their zeale is decayed as fire goeth out for want of tending it or putting fit matter to it to cherish it But indeed the chiefe cause of all this decaying grace is the loue of this vild world which eateth vp all and hindreth greatly the growth of godlinesse Euen as a great high Ash will suffer nothing to thriue that groweth vnder it And this commeth by reason of our plentie caused by our long peace For euerie man almost now layeth about him how to make or feather his owne nest and to prouide store of riches for him and his posteritie And Christians liuing among these worldlings they learne to doe as they doe but if wee had warres euery three or foure yeares and put in feare of the enemie wee would then say what should wee gather so much goods for the enemie to spoyle vs and them But oh what a shame is it for a man once to make heauen his chiefe treasure shall now fall to seeking so greedily after the earth Can God take this well at our hands NO such as doe see are like vnto a man yet hauing a comely woman to his wife shall forsake her and seeke after the company of some vild blouze or base harlot Such cold Christians may well be ashamed when they doe seriously consider what they once were and now what they are fallen into Now for the second sort of Christians which need to be awaked they are such as were euill dull and sluggish in the practise of the duties of godlinesse they hang as it were by the eye lids for they hauing receiued of God a little measure of faith and of sanctifiing grace are content to ioyne with others in good things and company with some of the forwarder sort But their seruice to God is so poore and so cold as it is little worth and indeed the vilde loue of the world eateth vp these two they heare the word but
THE GLORY AND Happines of a true CHRISTIAN A SERMON PREACHED BY Master Rogers at Needham in Norfolke the 28 of Iune 1617. ✚ THOV SHALT LABOR TILL THOV RETVRNE TO DVSTE LONDON Printed by W. I. for T. P. dwelling in Iuie laine 1618. THE GLORY AND HAPPINES of a true Christian. Reuelation 3. verse 4. NOtwithstanding thou hast a few names yet in Sardis which haue not defiled then garments and they shall walke with me in white c. IN this Booke there is a description of the state of the Church First as it was present when Iohn writt this Booke of the Reuelation and this is in the three first Chapters set forth together with a description of Christ that reuealed this The first is a propheticall prediction or description of the state of the Church as it should be from that time euen vnto the end of the world The Lord Iesus appearing vnto Iohn in the I le Pathmos did command him to write seuen Epistles vnto the seuen Churches in Asia and here in the begining of this third Chapter he is commaunded to write vnto the Angell of the Church of Sardie and this Epistle being the first in order reacheth from the first verse to the eighth verse In which obserue a commaundement giuen to write In the Epistle there be three things to be noted The preface or entrance into the same wherein Christ himselfe is described by certaine roialties The matter or substance of the Epistle The Conclusion thereof Verses 5. 6. In the preface there be two great royalties giuen to Christ the first that he had the seuen spirits of God The second that he held the seuen starres and this was a fit Preface for the matter ensuing for by hauing the seuen spirits of God is to be vnderstood that he hath the manifold graces of the spirit and it was meete this drowsie Church of Sardie should take knowdge thereof that had formerly so ill husbanded the graces of God which they had receiued that they were in a manner lost to the end they might know when they might restore them againe And secondly hee is said to haue the seuen starres in his hand as in the first Chapter 26. 20. verses which stars are the Ministers of the Churches whome Christ vseth as his instruments tooles to worke withall yea he hath them so that he can punnish them if they become vnfaithfull Touching the matter or substance of the Epistle it containeth a reprehension of the Minister and people of Sardie for that hauing formerly receiued some grace and life from God they were growen to that passe that Christ accounted them little better then starke dead First telling them I know thy workes that is thy deadnesse in Gods seruice Now little ioy might they haue that Christ knoweth this by them that they were no better And so now many a man may take little ioy to remember that Christ knoweth his workes he being a Blasphemer a Sabboth-breaker a drunkard or a worldling c. And little ioy let them haue for me till they be ashamed of these their workes and til they goe to make complaint to God against themselues for their sinnes and seeke to haue their euill conuersation reformed As for the Church of Smirna mentioned in the second chapter and verse 9. that had a name to be poore but indeed was rich it might be a ioy to it that Christ knew their works for though they were reproched and accounted to be Hippocrites yet sith they did endeauour to walke Godly though in much weakenesse yet this is their comfort that Christ knoweth them and also loueth and alloweth of them though wicked men doe both scorne and hate them This Church of Sardie is reproued for that they had a name to be aliue but yet were dead Euen as Paul saith That he could not write vnto them as spirituall but as carnall for that thâ—y were more carnall then spirituall So as this Church of Sardie languishing and decaying in grace After this reprehension in the second verse he shewed them the remedy how to recouer themselues from this their euill estate and that is by Awaking Secondly by watching and prouoking themselues to greater zeale in Gods seruice Otherwise He will come sodenly as a theife vpon them and that in such a sort that they would be loath and also to their cost vnlesse they repent The Second part of the matter or substance of the Epistle is a commendation of the better sort of Christians in this Church which is in the fourth verse For he saith yet thou hast a fewe names in Sardie that had not defiled their garments as hard as the world goeth And though he could tell them by name they were but few yet he knew them and how they had not defiled their garments but had held out in a Godly and zealous course of religion answerable to their profession Now vnto these he maketh a promise in the next word that they shall walke with him in white that is in glorie and happinesse for they are worthy that is in his account in regard of the righteousnesse of Christ. Now of this verse I would speake at this time but yet because I am a man that peraduenture shall speake to you but once in my life time yet my intent and desire is to speake vnto all sorts of professors here present for as it was in Sardie so I suppose it is in this assembly that there are some that walke godly yet there be many moe that haue either a name to liue and yet are dead or else dying Heere be then three sorts of persons to be spoken of and first of those who onely haue a name to liue that is an opinion in themselues and so may be in some others as ignorant as themselues that they be aliue yet in truth are dead yea stone dead The second sort are such as hauing receiued and had some graces of the spirit heeretofore they are now decayed in grace and those are heere called a company of dead ones these were not quite dead for Christ doth bid them afterward to awake and strengthen themselues in the things that were readie to die they had some graces decayed and some languishing and dying in them The Third sort of persons heere mentioned were such as hold vp their holy profession with a godly conuersation The first sort were dead Christians The second cold Christians and the third sort were godly zealous Christians And euerie one of vs here present are one of these three sorts of persons The first sort be in a damnable state condition yet these make the greatest shew and of it be the greatest multitude The second sort are entred into a drowsie course and they be dying but not dead and being growen cold in religion and fallen from their first loue these be in a dangerous case and such the Lord will whippe and scourge and by one meanes or other to driue home
vse no meditation good conference and harty prayer c. Alas If it were not for the world many would be far better then they are Many Christians are like Vrchings that grow not they increase not in grace Wee call such Children as doe not growe and thriue Changelings and so are many Christians that stand at a stay and say they hope yet Christ dyed for them Doe they say so Why doe they not run on chearefully in their race and say what shall they render to God for their redemption Thou art deliuered as it were from the Red Sea and seest so many behinde thee scramling and scrawling in the same Doth this deserue no better seruice to God and thanks If thou hopest for saluation is it so little a mercie that thou giuest him so cold and lazie seruice I would saith Christ c The Lord loueth not the lazie seruice of Christiās nor their cold hearing of his word or cold praying If wee serue him chearefully heere we shall haue some present blessing and a farre greater heereafter but otherwise let vs be assured we shall finde little comfort in cold seruice Hitherto of the reprehension of the two former sorts of Christians whereof the first were stone dead The second decayed and drowsie ones Be awake or be watchfull and strengthen the things which remaine that are readie to dye for I haue not found thy workes perfect before God After the reprehension for their deadnes and sleepines he commeth now to shew them the remedie that they may recouer their dangerous estate which is by bidding them Awake and strengthen the things that are ready to dye Wee know that such as cast behinde their company in a Iorney had neede ride faster then others And they that are cast behinde hand in the world had neede also rise earlier and worke harder then their neighbours Euen so these drowsie and dead harted Christiās had neede now awake betimes and rise sooner then they were wont and fall harder to worke and vse all good meanes for their good and to recouer their estate which once they had or should haue had And being awaked in this sort let them consider what it was that cast them behinde hand and rowsing vp themselues by earnest prayer let them call to minde what was the hinderance of their zeale whether it was the neglect of the meanes as Prayer hearing of the word or else this vilde worlde and hauing found the causes thereof let them euer after shake and cast them off Awake God will not haue men that professe religion to lie snorting in sinne Is this a time for Christians to sleepe euen in the midday of the Gospell He that sleepeth in haruest time is the sonne of confusion When will men be zealous for God if not now when wee haue so many meanes to incite vs thereunto as the preaching of the Gospell peace in our land c. Are not they very lazie that will lie and sleepe till ten or a leuen of the clocke Is this a time of sleeping when the Lord doth shoote off so many warning peeces by our eares As namely so many strange sicknesses and diseases fearefull fiers and invndations of waters vnseasonable weather both in winter and sommer The Lord doth not so much looke at the prophanes of the world as at the deadnesse coldnesse and drowsinesse of Professors This moueth him to anger that they be no better although by the Ministers of his word and by his Iudgments he doth cry aloud vnto vs yet most men are still a sleepe Awake for shame thou that now sleepest The Lord seeketh to rowze vs vp out of this greedy loue of the world for why doth he else take away so many of our neighbour goods some by fire some by water Hee pincheth vs of our former allowance but not to the end wee should esteeme of this world Our long peace hath brought in riches and that hath eaten vp religion Many haue a desire to be doing some good dutie but alas it is dōe very poorely They pray but it is very coldly and faintly They heare the word but without meditation and so it becommeth as it were in a manner vnprofitable And strengthen the things that are ready to dye Here is still more good counsell Wee must strengthen then our selues in graces receiued and grow stronger therein then when wee first receiued them Euen as children the older they grow the stronger and taller euen so must Christians grow stronger and taller in grace The Apostle Peter wisheth vs to ioyne Vertue with Faith and with Vertue Knowledge and with Knowledge Temperance c. And the Apostle Paule also sayeth Couet after spirituall giftes 1 Corin. 14. 1. We should be couetuous after grace As men are not content to haue a little poore Cottage to hide their heads in and so much as may keepe them poorely to keepe life and soule together but they are more desirous to grow more wealthy so as they may well maintaine themselues and their familie yea to haue also somewhat more to releeue and helpe others if neede be when they come vnto them So ought Christians to grow so in graces of the spirit as they may haue not onely sufficient for their owne store and necessitie but also so much as may helpe to further others in godlinesse that they may as it were keepe open house for their friends If wee haue much grace wee shall the more glorifie God and draw on others towards saluation but hee that hath little grace God shall haue little glory by him Where God vouchsafeth the meanes of attaining to grace abundantly God thereby expecteth that wee should grow strong and wealthy Christians But some man may say they hope they be Gods children but they cannot very well tell There are a number of Christiās that are so poore in grace that if they had any lesse they should haue none at all If thou hast beene sicke art thou content that thou art aliue and canst onely crawle vp and downe thy chamber No but thou wouldst faine be so strōg as thou maist goe abroad about thy worke So likewise i◠wee haue got ten a little wealth in our soules wee should desire to become strongmen like Dauids worthies But there are many poore Christians who would doe some good thing but they know not how to goe about it They haue a little faith and a little zeale Now if persecution shonld arise in the Church these men would be ready to runne away for all this That being so let vs blow vp the fier of our zeale as a maide seruant in the morning finding but a little fire in the hearth doth put fit matter vnto it cherish it till it be much increased So seeing the Lord giueth vs his word which is the meanes to kindle to cherish and increase grace in vs as his word Sacraments godly companie c Let vs labour to blow vp the fier of zeale and of godlinesse which was languishing and