ioy such as may make thy heart glad and comfortable when thou shalt haue most need of comfort Thou must come to be one day in that case that Hezekiah was in labour that thou mayst haue that comfort that he then had when the message was brought him from God that he must die and not liue and he by examination of his owne heart and feruent prayer sought to prepare himselfe for death this was that that he found comfort in in that case remember now O Lord I beseech thee saith he Esay 38. 3. how I haue walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and haue done that which is good in thy sight The vprightnesse of his heart and constant care he had to please God in all his waies yeelded him comfort in that estate If thy conscience shall say in that day as Psal. 90. 9. All our daies are passed away in thy wrath If thou neuer hadst in thy life any good euidence of Gods speciall fauour Oh how great will thy misery then be 3. Flatter not thy selfe with this conceit that Christ died for thee and thou beleeuest in Christ for if thou haue not the Spirit of Christ thou art none of his Rom. 8. 9. 3. To encourage such as begin inwardly and vnfainedly to affect good things let not the scornes of others nor the difficulties thou findest in a good course discourage thee for thou shalt finde the sweetnesse of it one day That which Salomon saith of one may bee said of all good duties Thou shalt finde it after many daies Ecclesiastes 11. 1. and 1. Corinthians 15. 58. Bee yee stedfast vnmooueable alwaies abounding in the worke of the Lord for as much as you know that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. 4. To reprooue such Christians as yeeld too much to the dumpishnesse and heauinesse of their owne hearts I doe not wish men that feare God to giue too much liberty to themselues in hunting after carnall ioy or the meanes thereof after recreations and keeping company with prophane men Of such mirth we may say as Eccl. 2. 2. I said of laughter it is mad and of mirth what doth it I know the best Christians haue oft-times iust cause to be sad 1. In respect of their owne sinnes 2. In respect of the state of the Church of God If I doe not remember Ierusalem let my tongue cleane to the roofe of my mouth if I preferre not Ierusalem aboue my chiefe ioy saith the Prophet Psal. 137. 6. But if such as are indeed in the state of grace and continue not in any one sinne wittingly which they haue not repented of doe not stirre vp themselues to bee ioyfull and comfortable they are in a great fault The Lord would haue such to be cheerefull Reioyce euermore saith the Apostle 1. Thess. 5. 16. and Philippians 4. 4. reioyce in the Lord alwaies and againe I say reioyce The Lord would haue such to be merry at worke and merry at meat Deut. 12. 18. Thou shalt reioyce before the Lord thy God in all that thou puttest thine hand vnto And if they be not cheerefull they offend much For first they sinne against God who delighteth most in the seruice that is done to him with cheerefulnesse and with a glad heart God loues as well a cheerefull worshipper as a cheerefull giuer 2. Corinthians 9. 7. That was the cause why Anna abstained from the sacrifice because she could not be cheerefull 1. Sam. 1. 7. Marke what account God makes of this Deut. 28. 47. Because thou seruedst not the Lord thy God with ioyfulnesse and with gladnsse of heart for the abundance of all things therefore shalt thou serue thine enemies in hunger and in thirst c. 2. They sinne against themselues both against their bodies in making them more vnseruiceable to their soules in any good duty Prou. 17. 22. A merry heart doth good like a medicine but a broken spirit dryeth vp the bones And against their soules in making them lesse able to resist Sathans tentations Neh. 8. 10. The ioy of the Lord is your streâ—…h 3. Against men in causing them to thinke very hardly of Religion as of that that will depriue a man of all the comfort of his life and cast him into continuall melancholy and doubts and sadnesse of heart Lecture the eleuenth Aprill 11. 1609. WE haue heard the last day that this verse containes in it a commendation of the water of life the Spirit of regeneration from two arguments viz. first from the efficacie and sufficiency of it it is able to quench the thirst of the soule and fully to satisfie and quiet it secondly from the durablenesse and perpetuity of it The first of these we finished the last day Now it remaines that wee come to the second From this then that our Sauiour saith here 1. Whosoeuer shall drinke of the water that he shall giue him shall neuer be more a thirst 2. That the water that he shall giue shall be in him that hath once receiued it a Well of water springing vp to euerlasting life We learne That hee that hath once truely receiued the Spirit of grace can neuer lose it Before I confirme this Doctrine to you I will first cleere the meaning of it vnto you For it may seeme an absurd and incredible Doctrine contrary to reason contrary to sense and experience to say that a man that is once regenerated and hath receiued grace can neuer lose it I will shew you therefore how farre forth we grant that a man may lose the good things he hath had 1. There be certaine gifts of the spirit that may be lost viz. outward gifts whereby men are fitted to the outward duties of their calling The Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul 1. Sam. 16. 14. But what was that Spirit of the Lord The spirit of prophesie 1. Sam. 10. 10. and the spirit of gouernement 1. Sam. 11. 6. but it is the spirit of Sanctification of which we say it cannot neuer be lost 2. There be certaine shewes of sanctification and reformation which are the fruits of nature and they may be lost A naturall man doth oft-times many good things 1. Out of a carnall respect to his credit that he might be well thought of so did the Pharisee and hypocrite pray and fast and giue almes Mat. 6. 2. 6. 15. 2. Somtimes out of a seruile feare of Gods wrath while he is vnder the whip yee shall haue him cease from sin speake many good words seeme very religious Psal. 78. 34. When he slew them then they sought him c. Now in these good things there is no durablenesse or constancie For all flesh is grasse 1 Pet. 1. 24. Whatsoeuer excellency is in it or comes from it hath no durablenesse in it But of true sanctification that comes of grace we affirme that it can neuer be lost 3. A man that hath onely tasted of this wateâ—…â—…f life and receiued certaine
yet this comparison holdeth betweene the Prophets and all the Ministers of the Gospell they were sowers and we are reapers This is plaine by another speech of Christ Matth. 11. 11. for there hauing preferred Iohn Baptist before all the Prophets and that in this respect among others because he gained more to God by his Ministrie than any of them had done as appeareth Verse 12. From the time of Iohn Baptist hitherto the Kingdome of heauen suffereth violence he addeth in the latter end of that 11. verse Notwithstanding he that is least in the Kingdome of heauen that is in the new estate of the Church is not in respect of his person and gifts but of his Ministry greater than Iohn Baptist. Hitherto belong those prophesies that in the dayes of the Gospell the Church should so increase Esay 54. 2 3. Enlarge thy tents for thou shalt encre ase on the right hand and on the left and that knowledge should then abound Esay 11. 9. and sanctification also after those daies the daies of the Gospell he meaneth saith the Lord I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts Ier. 31. 33. Nay the Lord neuer sendeth any faithfull Minister to a people but he vseth to make his Ministry fruitfull vnto some the sower neuer goeth forth to sowe but he meets with foure sorts of ground whereof the one is good as our Sauiour teacheth vs in that Parable Matth. 13. 3 8. Yea this is made a note of an able Minister of the New Testament 2. Cor. 3. 6. he is a Minister not of the letter onely but of the spirit The Reasons of this Doctrine are three 1. All things that concerne our saluation are more clearely taught and more fully in the Ministry of the Gospell than they were vnder the Law This is plaine Colos. 1. 26. where the Apostle calleth the Gospell a mystery which had beene hidden since the world began and from all ages but now is made manifest to all his Saints 2. The mercy of God and his free grace is more fully made knowne and offered vnto men in the Ministrie of the Gospell than it was vnder the Law This reason the Apostie giueth the grace of God that bringeth saluation hath appeared vnto all men Tit. 2. 11. 3. The Spirit of God which onely maketh the Word of God effectuall in the heart of man is much more plentifully bestowed since the time of Christs Ascension than euer it was before This is plaine Iohn 7. 39. The Holy Ghost was not yet giuen because Iesus was not yet glorified This Doctrine serueth for the Vse and profit both of vs that are Gods Ministers and for all you that are Gods people First we that are Ministers are to be exhorted by this Doctrine that we labour to be fruitfull and profitable in our Ministry Seeke not wealth or ease or credit but fruit Labour to finde that thy Ministry hath done good that it hath beene effectuall to the conuersion of some This made Paul so earnestly desirous to see the Romanes that he might haue some fruit among them also as he had among the other Gentiles Rom. 1. 13. Foure Reasons may be giuen to mooue vs to this care 1. God hath placed vs in this calling and giuen vs the gifts we haue to this end euen for the perfecting of the Saints and for the edifying of the body of Christ Ephes. 4. 8. 12. the manifestation of the spirit is giuen to euery man to profit withall 1. Cor. 12. 7. 2. Euery man should count it his misery to be vnprofitable it is noted for a great part of the misery of our estate by nature that we are altogether vnprofitable Rom. 3. 12. how much more a Minister Matthew 21. 30. cast yee the vnprofitable seruant into vtter darkenesse there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth 3. Nothing will yeeld vs that comfort in life or death as this not all the wealth we haue gathered nor the credit and applause we haue had 1. Thess. 2. 19. they whom he had won to God were his hope and ioy and crowne of reioycing 4. This is the chiefe thing that will assure vs that God hath indeed called vs to be Ministers of his Gospell and approueth of our Ministry when we are fruitfull when the porter the Holy Ghost appeareth vnto vs and giueth entrance to our Ministry into the hearts of the people Iohn 10. 3. as we know he did to Pauls Ministry into the heart of Lydia Act. 16. 14. We haue heard all the Ministers of the New Testament are reapers The seruants to whom God committed his talents if they were good and faithfull seruants gained somewhat to their Master Matth. 25. 23. Thus Paul approoueth himselfe to be an able Minister of the Gospell the Corinthians that were conuerted by his Ministry were his letters of commendation written in his heart yeilding him much inward comfort and assurance of his calling and also knowne and read of all men such an euidence of his calling as was apparant vnto all men 2. Cor. 3. 2. this he calls the very seale of his Apostleship 1. Cor. 9 2 Now seeing this is so necessary I will giue some few rules out of Gods Word which if we follow we shall be sure to reape fruit of our labours 1. We must be diligent and painefull both in study and in preaching giue attendance to reading to exhortation to doctrine neglect not the gift that is in thee but both by diligence in study and in preaching labour to stirre it vp and increase it saith the Apostle vnto Timothy 1. Tim. 4. 13 14. 2. When we teach we must labour to teach that not wherein our selues may shew most learning or eloquence but which may be most profitable and of vse to them we teach speake thou the things which become sound wholesome doctrine Tit. 2. 1. and the things that he would haue Titus to affirme constantly and to insist vpon in his Ministry are the things that are good and profitable vnto men Tit. 3. 8. 3. Striue to teach in that manner as may most profit thy hearers Marke 4. 33. Christ preached so as they were able to heare This was Pauls minde though he excelled all the flaunting preachers at Corinth in the tongues yet he professed that in the Church he had rather speake fiue words to the capacity and edification of others then ten thousand words in an vnknowne tongue 1. Cor. 14. 18 19. Hitherto belongeth that exhortation preach the Word reprooue rebuke exhort that is apply thy doctrine alwaies to the present estate and condition of thy hearers 2. Tim. 4. 2. 4. Take heed to thy life that thou do nothing to hinder the fruit of thy labours take heed vnto thy selfe and vnto the doctrine 1. Tim. 4. 16. And 1. Cor. 9. 15. it were better for me to die then that any man should make my glorying void that is rather then that any man should be able to obiect ought
Psal. 10. 17. So it is with thy hearing when thou commest best prepared to heare then shall the Minister preach best and most to thy comfort And that is the cause why Gods people haue euer found his presence most gracious and comfortable in the most solemne assemblies as you haue heard before This you that can remember our publike fasts can witnesse from your owne experience 1. To perswade all Christians to the loue of the most solemne assemblies of Gods people where the most and best of Gods people are wont to meete together 2. To exhort Gods people to giue all good encouragement to their faithfull Minister Heb. 13. 17. If they do not their worke with ioy it will be vnprofitable for you And that the hearers may doe three waies First by their diligence in comming to the assemblies and frequenting their ministrie that as we haue heard wrought euen in Christ himselfe great alacrity and readinesse to the worke of his ministry Secondly by shewing cheerefulnesse and diligence in attention when they are present as our Sauiours hearers at Nazareth did Luke 4. 20. the eyes of all them that were in the Synagogue were fastned on him And as the creeple at Lystra did he heard Paul with that attention and cheerefulnesse as Paul perceiued by his very countenance that he had faith to be healed Act. 14. 9. Thirdly by obeying and practising their doctrine and causing their teachers to see how they profit by their ministry and that is the greatest incouragement of all other obey them and submit your selues that they may doe their worke with ioy Heb. 13. 17. And on the other side nothing humbles and afflicts the faithfull Minister more then to see the vnto wardnesse of his people I feare when I come my God will humble me among you and that I shall be waile many that haue sinned and haue not repented c. 2. Cor. 12. 21. Lecture the sixty fourth September 4. 1610. IOHN IIII. XXXVII XXXVIII WE haue already heard that these verses containe the third and last reason our Sauiour vseth to incourage and stirre vp his Disciples to diligence in their ministry which is taken from the easinesse and facility of that worke wherein they were to be imployed in comparison of that wherein the Prophets their predecessours and fellow seruants had laboured And in this argument three points haue beene obserued as you haue heard The two first of these points we haue already finished it remaineth that we proceed to the third and last of them The third point is euidently grounded vpon the last words of the 36. vers That both he that soweth and he that reapeth may reioyee together The handling of which words I haue referred to this place because they do more naturally belong vnto this third than vnto the second argument Now for the meaning of the words that we may the better receiue instruction from them we must vnderstand first that by him that soweth is meant the Prophet and the Minister of the Old Testament by him that reapeth the Apostle and Minister of the New Testament as I haue already shewed Secondly that the Prophets reioycing was for the successe and fruit not of their owne labours so much as for the fruit of the Apostles labours The Prophets should reioyce to see what good the Apostles had done in their ministrie Thirdly that this is not so to be vnderstood as if the Prophets being then in heauen did particularly vnderstand what good the Apostles did vpon earth For we haue iust cause to doubt that the faithfull that are departed this life doe not know in particular what is done by vs vpon earth further than God is pleased by the ministrie of the Angels or otherwise to make it knowne vnto them when he seeth it may tend to the increase of their ioy and for the benefit of his Church vpon earth How is this then to be vnderstood that the Prophets should reioyce in the fruit of the Apostles Ministry for if they knew it not they could not reioyce in it I answer first they knew it in part while they liued for God reuealed it to them by his spirit how knowledge and grace should abound in the Church after Christs comming in the flesh that the earth should be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters couer the sea Esay 11. 9. that God would then put his Law into the inward parts of his people and write it in their hearts ler. 31. 33. To them it was reuealed that not vnto themselues but vnto the faithfull that they should in these last dayes minister both by their preaching and writing the substance of the Gospell which is now preached 〈◊〉 Pet. 〈◊〉 12. And therein they reioyced euen to foresee this as Abraham did to foresee Christs comming in the flesh Iohn 8. 56. Secondly they shall know it perfectly at the day of iudgement at which time and not before it shall be fully knowne what euery man hath done what fruit euery mans labours hath yeelded iudge nothing before the time vntill the Lord come who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkenesse and will make manifest the counsells of the heartâ—… and then shall euery man haue praeise of God 1. Cor. 4. 5. Which is one reason why besides the particular iudgement that euery soule goeth vnto so soone as euer it is departed out of the body after death commeth the iudgement Heb. 9. 27. there shall be a generall iudgement wherein also at the last day the Lord will then iudge euery man according to his workes because before that day it cannot be knowne to men and Angels though to the Lord it be how much good any good man hath done or how much hurt any wicked man hath done For as we know the sinnes of many wicked men may do much hurt after they are dead and rotten as it is said 2. King 23. 15. of Ieroboam that it was he that made Israel to sin euen in Iosia's daies which was about three hundred and sixty yeares after his death so may the good workes of the faithfull fructifie and do great good long after they be departed this life As Dauids holy example did good on Iosiah foure hundred yeares after Dauid was dead hee walked in the waies of Dauid his father and followed his good example 2. King 22. 2. At the end of the world then when it shall be fully knowne to men and Angels how much honour or dishonour euery man hath done vnto God the Lord will haue a generall iudgement And it is euident that the reioycing of the Prophets that our Sauiour speakes of in this place is to be referred vnto this time For first it is then when the reapers shall receiue their wages Secondly when the reapers and the sowers shall reioyce together Now then from hence that our Sauiour saith the holy Prophets and Apostles at the day of iudgement shall reioyce together though it shall then
if he cannot hold it with Gods fauour That is a treasure for which a man will be content to sell all that euer he hath Matth. 13. 44. to loose all things and to count them but dung in comparison of it Phil. 3. 8. This made all Gods people in Israel to leaue their dwellings and possessions there and to come to Ierusalem where God was purely worshipped 2. Chron. 11. 16. This made Moses willing to forgoe all his honours and pleasures and hopes he had in Pharaohâ—… Court and to ioyne himselfe vnto Gods afflicted and despised Church Heb. 11. 24. 25. 2. It moderateth the affection of a man to earthly things and teacheth him to vse them with more sobriety and indifferency so as he doth neither so greedily desire them nor is so discontented in the want of them nor so lifted vp in the abundance of them as others be it makes him able to say with the Apostle I haue learned in whatsoeuer state I am therewith to bee content I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound euery where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and to suffer need Phil. 4. 11 12. He vseth them as the traueller doth his good lodging he findeth in his Inne for his necessity and the better enabling him to goe forward in his iourney homeward but setteth not his heart vpon them Psal. 62. 10. And thus he professeth that he is but a stranger and pilgrime vpon earth and seeketh for another country Heb. 11. 13 14. 3. It so taketh vp a mans heart specially in his first conuersion in his first loue as it maketh him very carelesse and forgetfull of all things else As Peter and Andrew Iames and Iohn straitway left their ships their net and their father and followed Christ Matth. 4. 20. 22. This made Christs hearers Mar. 8. 2. so carelesse of their meat for three daies together and Mary to neglect her huâ—…wifry in the entertaining of Christ and leauing all to sit her downe at Christs feet to heare his words Luke 10. 39. The Reason of this Doctrine is this that they haue found another treasure and where the treasure is there will the heart be Matth. 6. 21. He that once counteth Religion his treasure cannot set his heart on the world the heart can no more be deuided betweene them then it is possible for a man at the same time to looke with one of his eyes towards heauen and with another vpon the ground These two things the loue of the world and the loue of God are of a masterfull disposition Into what heart soeuer they enter they will be commanders and rule alone which is the reason of that speech of our Sauiour Matth. 6. 24. No man serues two masters 1. To instruct vs what to iudge of such Christians as vse not onely on the Sabbath day but on the weeke dayes also to goe to Sermons and Exercises of Religion worldly men thinke of these men that they doe more then they need yea more then they ought to doe that this will bring them to beggery Yea many are afraid to be religious or to frequent the Ministry of some men for feare least they should be drawen to doe thus as they see many of their hearers are In handling this point I will shew 1. What is to be said for the warning and admonition of these men 2. What is to be said for the encouragement and defence of them 1. It is indeed a great sinne in any professour to neglect his calling vpon pretence of following Sermons and seruing God specially if he haue a charge and want other meanes to liue by and that many of the better sort of Christians are too much inclined to this sinne appeareth by Pauls beating on this point so much in his Epistles to the Thessalonians Study to be quiet and to doe your owne businesse and to worke with your owne hands as wee commanded you 1. Thess. 4. 11. We heare that there are some which walke among you disorderly working not at all but are busie-bodies Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Iesus Christ that with quietnesse they worke and eate their owne bread 2. Thess. 3. 11 12. but this is a great sinne For 1. Euery Christian should desire to liue of himselfe that he may not be chargeable vnto others 1. Thess. 5. 11 12. When he had charged them to follow their owne businesse and to worke with their hands he giues this for a reason that nothing may be lacking to them 2. If a man haue a family and prouide not for it he is worse then an Infidell 1. Tim. 5. 8. Therefore Paul saith 1. Cor. 7. 33. The marryed careth and that lawfully for the things of the world 3. Say a man could prouide for himselfe and his family sufficiently yet he must also haue a care to follow his calling that he may haue to giue others that need Rather let him labour working with his hands the thing that is good that he may haue to giue to him that needeth Ephes. 4. 28. And this reason the Apostle giueth why himselfe did at Ephesus with the labour of his owne hands minister vnto his owne necessities and to them that were with him and why according to his example others in the like case of necessity and for the auoiding of scandall should doe the like euen the remembrance of the words of the Lord Iesus how he said it is a more blessed thing to giue then to receiue Act. 20. 24 35. 4. Say a man haue enough for all this yet must he haue care of his estate for this cause because if he decay in it he shall be a scandall to his profession and alienate others from the truth Pro. 14. 20. The poore is hated euen of his owne neighbour Therefore Paul maketh this one reason for this 1. Thess. 4. 11 12. Doe your businesse and worke with your owne hands that yee may walke honestly to them that are without 5. Say a mans estate were so plentifull that no decay could be discerned in it to the scandall of his profession yet is he bound to liue and take paines in some calling wherein he may be profitable to others else can he haue no true comfort in any of Gods blessings that he doth enioy for thus runneth the promise Psalmeâ—…28 â—…28 2. When thou eatest the labours of thy hands thou shalt bee blessed and it shall bee well with thee 2. Thessalonians 3. 12. They onely eate their owne bread that labour in a calling 2. It is to be granted that there is not the like necessity of frequenting the publike exercises of Religion on any other day as there is on the Sabbath for that there is an expresse commandement on that euen the poorest is bound to keepe an holy rest vnto the Lord for the commandement bindeth all men and none is exempted from it Exod. 20.
in this case they may say with Paul Rom. 7. 22. I delight in the Law of God after the inward man whereof this is a signe that they are not satisfied with ought they doe in Gods seruice if they feele not ioy and comfort in it And whatsoeuer they doe if they feele they do it with an vpright heart they reioyce in it as they did 1. Chron. 29. 9. This you shall finde obserued by the Holy Ghost and commended in Gods seruants as a notable signe of their zeale and of the vprightnes of their hearts that Gods seruice was as meate and drinke vnto them they tooke great comfort and delight in it Dauid reports that he and the rest of Gods people with him were wont to goe towards Gods house With the voice of singing and prayse as a multitude that keepeth a feast Psal. 42. 4. And so he stirres vp all Gods people to doe Psal 120. 2. Serue the Lord with gladnesse come before him with ioyfulnesse So it is said of euery part of Gods seruice that Gods people haue found ioy and comfort in it Of Abraham Isaac and Iacob it is said Heb. 11. 1â—… That when God preached the Gospell and the promises of saluation by Christ vnto them they receiued them thankefully saluted and welcomed them they ioyed in them And of three thousand that Peter conuerted it is said Acts 2. 4â—… That they receiued the word gladly That hearer heares with zeale that can doe so It is said likewise of the faithfull that they found great comfort and ioy in prayer It is said of Dauid that as in all his heauinesse and extremity his manner was to betake himselfe to prayer Psal. 109. 4 so that he was wont to find exceeding ioy and comfort in it when he maketh mention how in his great affliction he betooke himselfe to prayer Psal. 30. 8 9 10. He tells vs verse 11. what comfort he found in it Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing thou hast put of my sackcloath and girded me with gladnesse according to that promise made vnto the faithfull Esay 56. 7. I will make them ioyfull in my house of prayer Thus haue they ioyed also in the receiuing of the Sacrament 2. Chron. 30. 21. They kept the feast of vnleauened bread with great gladnesse which is also againe repeated ver 25 26. The like is also reported of the Passeouer that was kept in Ezraes time Ezra 6. 22. they kept the feast of vnleauened bread with ioy for the Lord had made them ioyfull Yea euen in giuing of almes for the reliefe of Gods seruants the faithfull haue found great ioy Thus the Apostle reporteth of the Macedonians 2. Cor. 8. 2. In great tryall of affliction their ioy abounded and their most extreame pouerty abounded vnto their rich liberality It was a great comfort vnto them that God had giuen them a heart to shew such loue vnto his Saints To conclude this is obserued to the praise of Gods seruants that as they were wont to come to Gods house as to a feast so were they also wont to goe away from it as from a feast refreshed and comforted in their soules They found such sound and lasting comfort in Gods House and in all the parts of Gods worship as they were wont to goe from it with ioy And the comfort they found in it wrought in them a loue vnto it and a desire to frequent it often It is said of Gods people Neh. 8. 12. that after Gods seruice was finished they shewed a great deale of ioy because they had vnderstood the words that had beene declared vnto them by the Leuites And when Dauid professeth Psol 84. 1 2. That his soul longed and euen fainted for the Courts of the Lord his heart and his flesh cryed out for the liuing God He giues this for the reason of it because he had found such sweetnesse and comfort in Gods worship and ordinances there Oh how amiable saith he are thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hosts The Vse of all this that hath beene said of this second property of true zeale is 1. For reproofe Is this a note of one that serues God with true zeale when the seruice of God is as meat and drinke vnto him when it doth him good at the heart and euen refresheth him he finds ioy and comfort in it Then surely haue we all cause of shame and humbling cause to suspect that we are no better then Laodiceans lukewarme Professors of whom I told you the last day that they are in some respect in worse state then such as are key-cold then Idolaters and men of no Religion Doe wee come to Gods House as to a feast Truely some do some goe further to a Sermon and with more gladnesse of heart then euer they did to a feast But the most goe to Gods house as vnto ward children goe to Schoole or as malefactours that are vnder baile goe vnto the Assises they must needs goe but they goe with no ioy 2. Can we say we haue found comfort in euery part of Gods seruice many cannot tarry till all be done but by their going out proclaime to the whole Congregation that they account it a wearinesse and most tedious thing like those Mal. 1. 13. 2. And of many of them that tarry it out it may be said that the tryall of their countenance testifieth against them that they heare with no ioy they are so drowsie they looke so heauily as a man may easily discerne by their very lookes that they feele no sweetnesse nor sauour in any thing that they heare It is said of a poore lame man Acts 14. 9. that hee heard Paul preach with so ioyfull and cheerefull a countenance that Paul beholding him perceiued by his very countenance that he had faith to be healed True it is that Paul could see further then any of vs yet may we also giue a great ghesse when you heare with any spirit and affection euen by your lookes and haue cause giuen vs thereby many times to wish that either you would heare with more cheerefulnesse or that you would sit behind vs that you may not grieue and discourage vs in the worke of our Ministry as you doe 3. A third signe that many take no coâ—… in Gods Word is this that whereas Gods seruants as we haue heard vse to goe away from the hearing of the Word more comfortable then they came vnto it and loue 〈◊〉 it and the messengers of God from whom they receiued it much 〈◊〉 then they did before these men seldome or neuer goe froâ—… 〈◊〉 but they are much more vexed and disquieted in their miâ—… 〈◊〉 they were before they hate the Preacher more then they did 〈◊〉 Now I would haue these men to consider what it is that disquiâ—… 〈◊〉 I know they will pretend that the Minister hath either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 error or that he hath maliciously girded and rayled vpon theâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…urely if any Preacher doe so he shall beare his
other is neare vnto a man when his heart is thus hardened and growne obstinate in pride or in drunkennesse or in vncleannesse or in oppression or in any other sinne that the Prophet tels Amazia to his face 2 Chron. 25. 16. He knew by that that God had determined to destroy him as you shall finde he did indeed ver 27. And though the Iewes had many grieuous sinnes yet you shall find there neuer came any strange and common iudgements vpon them till they grew to this Dan. 9. 6. We would not obey thy seruants the Prophets which spake vnto vs in the Name of the Lord. Verse 11. Therefore the curse is powred vpon vs. Secondly God neuer is so fierce and terrible in his temporall iudgements against any sinners as against those that haue enioyed the best meanes and obstinately neglected and rebelled against them God is very terrible in the assembly of his Saints Psal. 89. 7. Under the whole heauen it hath not beene done as hath beene done vnto Ierusalem Dan 9. 12. Wrath is come vpon them vnto the vttermost 1. Thess. 2. 16. Thirdly and principally in Gods spirituall iudgements we may discerne this 1. Such as wilfully refuse to receiue and embrace the truth when it is reuealed vnto them God is wont to take their iudgement and vnderstanding from them hearing you shall heare and shall not vnderstand and seeing yee shall see and shall not perceiue for this people haue closed thâ—…ir owne eyes Matt. 13. 14 15. Because they receiued not the loue of the truth that they might be saued for this cause God shall send them strong delusion 2. Thess. 2 10 11. 2. Such as vse obstinately to sinne against their conscience God is wont to giue them vp to a reprobate minde and vnto beastly and vile affections Maruaile not therefore to see such as haue had the best meanes if they proue bad to become of all bad men the most profane and vngracious if you see children of most godly parents people that haue liued vnder most faithfull Pastors proue such wonder not It is said of Manasse the sonne of Hezekiah that he wrought more wickedly than all the Amoritâ—…s that had beene before him 2. Kings 21. 11. 3. God hath threatned against some sinners that he will neuer comfort them nor shew mercy on them and consequently not giue them grace to repent which is the grieuousest plague of all plagues the Lord will not spare that man but the anger of the Lord and his iâ—…alousie shall smoake against that man and all the curses that are written in this booke shall lie vpon him Deut. 29. 20. And the cause hereof you shall finde in the former verse to be the presumption and obstinacie in sinning that was in that man See this in Pharaoh Exod. 9. 12. the Lord hardened his heart that he could not repent But what was the cause Exod. 8. 15. 19 32. He had hardened his owne heart and wilfully refused to hearken to the message that was brought him from God or to be humbled and moued with his iudgements The Reasons of the Doctrine are two 1. This obstinacie in sinne argues that sinne hath the full possession of the heart and that men loue it vnfainedly and that is one cause why God hates it so much Psal. 11. 5. The wicked and him that loueth iniquity doth his soule hate And 66. 18. If I regard wickednesse in my heart the Lord will not heare me Our sins are then become our idols and gods these men haue set vp their idols in their hearts Ezek. 14. 3. when we giue diuine honour vnto them 2. It argues a rebellion and proud contempt of God when men will not be reclaimed by his Word Iob 34. 37. He addeth rebellion vnto his sinne And 1. Sam. 15. 23. Rebellion is as the sinne of Witch-craft Yea this obstinacy will bring the heart by little and little into that impardonable sinne that is committed in meere malice against God Therefore when the nature of that sinne is described it is called a sinning wilfully Heb. 10. 26. And Dauid Psal. 19. 13. speakes of presumptuous sin as of the next step to the great transgression The Vse of this Doctrine is both for Exhortation and for Reproofe and for Comfort also We are all to be Exhorted by this Doctrine to take heed of obstinacie in any sinne and to count it a great fauour and grace of God which we should pray for and by all meanes labour to attaine vnto viz. to haue tractable and teachable hearts This is made a note of Gods Elect to receiue the Word gladly Acts 2. 41. and with all readinesse of minde Acts 17. 11. Foure notes we may try this by 1. When in going to heare the word we goe with an open heart willing to learne whatsoeuer God shall teach vs. Acts 10 33. We are all here present before God to heare all things that are commanded thee of God 2. When our reason is so captiuated vnto God that we dare not dispute nor cauill against any truth God hath clearely reuealed vnto vs in his Word seeme it neuer so contrary to our reason and affections Iob 6. 24. Teach me and I will hold my tongue and cause me to vnderstand wherin I haue erred as if he should say Reueale to me by thy Word any thing wherein I haue offended thee and I will lay my hand vpon my mouth I will not dare to reason in the defence of it 3. When we are ready to receiue Gods Word and be informed in his will by any how much soeuer he be our inferiour when we dare not reiect good counsell and admoâ—…ition from any Esay 11. 6. A little childe shall leade them 4. When the Lord hauing reuealed his will vnto vs by any meanes we shew an earnest care and endeauour to obey it Psal. 119. 34. Giue me vnderstanding and I will keepe thy Law yea I will keepe it with my whole heart For Reproofe and terrour of all wicked men that liue in these daies of light Esay 33. 14. The sinners in Sion are affraid saith the Prophet And indeed no sinners vnder heauen haue so much cause to feare as the sinners in Sion haue they that haue enioyed the best meanes They cannot pretend ignorance for excuse of their sins all their sinnes will be iudged to be done obstinately and wilfully But two speciall sorts of sinners are reproued here First such as are wilfull and obstinate against the knowledge of the truth Secondly such as are obstinate and willfull against the practice and obedience of the truth Two sorts there be of them that will not know the truth as first they that refuse to heare because they thinke their ignorance will be some aduantage to them their conscience will be the quieter for it And these are like Felix Acts 24. 26. who when he felt his conscience awakened and troubled by Pauls Ministry would heare him no longer But alas this will be no aduantage to