there is scarce a servant of the Lord amongst them Their judgments being so diametrially opposite that what preaching the one loves the other loaths Neither would their hearers so applaud or approve of them if they were of Gods sending I am come in my Fathers name saith our Saviour and yee receive me not if another shall come in his own name him you will receive Joh. 5.43 Men of the world will not hear such preachers as are of God because then they must have their consciences terrefied about their sins or else part with them and be told of the fearful condition they are in yea the greatest of sinners affect more the flattery of false Prophets then the sincerity of Christs faithful messengers Isa 30.10 Mica 2.11 But it 's easie to discern where the fault lies and who is to be blamed For 't is onely the weak-sighted that cannot abide the light and none can dislike the word of truth but such as have an over-flowing of their gall or an overweening of their wit such as are both shamelesse and gracelesse As do you see an Apple fall untimely from the tree view it well and you will finde it worm-eaten else it had held But such as have a blemish in their eie think the element to be over cloudy Our Saviour himself could neither speak or do ought but such would be offended at it In which case who is to be blamed Is the Physitian to be blamed for the pain of his Patient or the disease the Chirurgion or the wound which he indeavours by all means to cure Yea tell mee what is the cause why the worst men and members in a parish evermore regard a good Minister least complain of his bitternesse and seek by all means to remove him Is it not because they are feet and legs and thighs and arms out of joint and so cannot indure the touch of the Chirurgions hand and the acrimony of his medicines Section 19. Secondly my next Answer to the former question is Their practice proves it For this you may take for a general rule that if these brave Orators these unhallowed Divines have ap plaus and be cried up for rare Preachers it is from men as carnal and gracelesse as themselvs As look but upon their lives and see if they be not like people that have a disease called the Wolf which is alwaies eating yet keeps the body lean They have long heard and still desire to hear their sermons yet they grow not by their hearing for like those seaven ill-favoured and lean-fleshed Kine Gen. 41.20 21. it cannot be known that they have heard them for they are not onely as lean and ill-favored Christians still as they were before they heard them but much worse For as touching that is good that they let passe it faring with their memories as with an hour-glass or Conduit that which in one hour runneth in the same in another hour runneth out again Onely the evil wil they keep to increase their prejudice and to fore-stall them against goodness Quest Whereby may we know and judg of a wicked man for we must not pronounce any man a leper till wee see the scab Answ by his works and by his words every tree is known by the fruits It is Christs everlasting rule however the tree lives by the sap and not by the fruit yet it is known to live by the fruit and not by the sap for this is hid When the Conduit is walled in how shall wee judge of the spring but by the water that runs out of the pipes The outward actions declare the inward intentions Men do somtimes bewray that by their deeds which to confess they are hardly drawn As in a clock when the hammer strikes well and the hand of the diall points well it is a signe that the wheels are right set Yea by the pointing of the hand alone wee may know how the clock goes within And so by the striking of the hammer which is the second rule Speech is the index of the minde for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Matth. 12.34 Whence observe that a good man out of the good treasury of his heart bringeth forth good things and an evill man out of the evil treasury of his heart bringeth forth evill things Matth. 12.35 As the bell is known by his sound so a man is by nothing better known then by his communication says Seneca evill speaking discovers an evill heart as the striking of the clapper does a broken bell Yea men may bee known by their want of fruit wee may suspect want of sap in the root of a tree if wee find barrenness in the branches if either it have bad fruit or no fruit it is but a dead faith And the true method of grace is Cease to do evill learn to do well Isa 1.16 17. For as grace enters into the heart so sin goes out like air out of a vessell when wine is poured in or as it fares with women that having once conceived cannot admit of another conception untill they be delivered of the first see Gal. 5.24 I grant there bee multitudes of them that appear not wicked no every mans capacity for some of them and not a few are civill and fair in their carriages smooth in their communication and for the most part unreprovable yet this you shall bee sure to find that they are bitter malignants to the power of religion and scoffers at holiness and there needs no more to prove them wicked I grant they may bee morally honest temperate chast charitable go duly to Church pray in their families abstain in some measure from swearing lying and the like But does this flow from a pious and good heart sanctified by the holy Ghost 1 Tim. 1.5 Act. 15.9 Is it done in faith and out of right ends as out of love and obedience because God commands the same that hee may bee glorified and others edified thereby for otherwise all their performances are no better in Gods account then blessing of an Idol or cutting off a dogs neck as the Prophet shews Isa 58. Chap. and 66.3 Matth. 7.22.13 Again do you pay God his dues also do you repent and beleev the Gospel precepts and menaces aswel as promises do you declare your faith by your works do you pray by the power of the Spirit and with the understanding also 1 Cor. 14.15 do you receive the word with good and honest hearts and also bring forth the fruits of it in your life and conversation do you sanctifie his sabbaths and see that all under you do the same love his children promote his glory and strive to gain others to imbrace the Gospell instruct your children and servants and teach them to fear the Lord do you fear an oath hate a lye c. Love zeal and devotion in others make conscience of evill thoughts vain and unprofitable words grieve for your unprofitableness under the means of grace for the evill
Titus 2.7 8. And the like in his Epistle to Timothy Be thou saith he an example to them in word in conversation in charity in spirit in faith in purity 1 Tim. 4.12 his very conversation must preach If thou wilt turn unto me thou shalt convert saith God to Jeremy Jer. 15.19 implying that if he did not the one he should not the other or if he did some as it is possible a wicked Minister may yet nothing so many And this is given as a reason of John the Baptists so great success in converting of souls Luke 1.16 He shall convert many of the children of Israel to their Lord God saith the Angel why so for he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias ver 17. who was a zealous and holy man I deny not but a lewd and wicked Minister may be a good Preacher as no doubt but Judas was and so prove the means of saving others and bringing them to Heaven while in the mean time himself goes the other way Our Saviour tells us Matth. 7.22 that many Reprobates will say unto him at the Resurrection Lord Lord have we not by thy name prophecyed and by thy name cast out deviis c whose answer shall be I never knew you depart from me c. We see in nature that a deformed man may beget a comely childe a fool a wise man an iron stamp may coin gold the whetstone is blunt yet it sharpens other things the wind is cold yet it makes the fire burn the skilful Rider will reap some service of a resty and wind-broken Jade and shall not God serve himself by the worst of men when he pleaseth But ordinarily for we speak not of what God can do where the Spirit speaks twice by illumination and sanctification he is more heard then where he speaketh but once And that this is so appears most plainly by the palpable difference that is between those Parishes which God hath blest with a zealous holy and conscientious Ministery and those other places that have had good-fellow-Pastors or Corinthian-reachers for even in this very case the wholesomenesse of the place is best known by the complexion of the inhabitants And we know what the holy Ghost tell us Hosea 4.9 and Isa 24.2 Like Priest like People It is both an happy and pleasing harmony when saying and doing goe both together and he perswades to virtue most who liveth best For a Christian conversation is of the Scriptures the best truest and plainest Comment or Exposition Good works are unanswerable Syllogisms invincible demonstrations and it is natural for men to follow the law of fact before the law of faith a visible pattern rather then a meer audible doctrine Religion hath a truth and a power in it people will never beleeve the truth of a doctrine in our mouths where they see not the power thereof in our lives Pastors are the glasse the school the book Where peoples eyes do learn do read do look The learned Pastours words though plain To plain men truth may preach But Pastours pious practice doth A holy life them teach That doctrine is divine indeed That by good works proves words More harm do ill examples breed Than good words good affords Briefly we read that more Insidels were won to the Christian faith by the virtuous and holy lives of the Primitive Preachers then by the doctrine which they taught They made the world to read in their lives that they did beleeve in their hearts and caused the Heathen to say This is a good God! whose servants are so good Nor is this all for with what zeal or devotion can an unhallowed and unsanctified Minister press his people to holiness exhort them to repent and beleeve or with what affections can he pray for and before them As for instance he whose hunger hath tempted him to steal a Lamb says but a cold grace to his supper As for oppressors and defrauders how they give thanks to God for their wealth I refer to your thoughts and their own consciences For sin is worse than a theef in the candle or an obstruction in the liver Two or three reigning sins clapt on the heels of a present devotion is like a sudden cold after a violent heat So with what affection can a laud Minister exhort his people to holiness when his life yea God and his conscience are continually casting his doctrine in the teeth with that reproach Rom. 2.21 Besides as by shining here in their life and doctrine they turn many to righteousnesse so hereafter they shall shine as stars for ever and ever Dan. 12.3 Again happy are the people that have such a Minister whose words answer his thoughts and his actions his words who are Augustines in their studies Chrysostomes in their Pulpits and Timothies in their houses that adorn the soundness of Learning with holiness of life Sect. 5. But to proceed for this I salute only by the way To go about to comfort an afflicted soul by a flourishing style is as much as to present a nose-gay of Violets to one that is starving for want of meat When the thirsty traveller after much labour and grief spies a fountain he rejoyceth but coming to it and finding it dry his joy is turned into sorrow and he is ready to curse it for such a mockery as our Saviour did the fruitlesse Fig-tree when he was hungry Suppose we are thirsty and would drink foul and would wash hot and would be cooled our houses are on fire and we would have them quenched if we come to the well with our buckets and finde it empty we know not whether our grief or indignation be greater To conclude an holy soul will never frequent the Church that hath such a Preacher but if he light upon such a Preacher in the Church that he frequents he appears to him like an importunate Fidler that without invitation impudently thrusts himself into his chamber draws and playes and will not be denyed he may give it the hearing and that 's an high favour but he dares neither reward nor commend it I know there is nothing more pleasing to the carnal ear then variety be it but hogs-flesh a little varied with sawce as Flaminius was served by his Host. And that stomachs which within one moneth are weary of Manna set more by sallets and sawces and Kick-shaws sloshes of wit then substantial food the Word of God And let such a Corinthian Preacher speak the abortive figments of his own brain yet their superstitious applause shall be vox Dei the voice of God and not of man Acts 12.22 Yea it is strange to see how such an Orpheus by his melodious harping will draw these stones birds and beasts after him and what applause he shall have it being their manner to arrogate to the instrument and derogate from the agent Yea admit they understand not the Minister as many of them preach for few because few understand them as Jerome speaks
for break-fast He which speaks by roat and not out of the abundance of his heart is soon drawn dry What comparison then even in the judgement of malice and testimony of envy it self between these and a solid Divine whose heart is a Comment upon the whole Bible and who hath the holy Ghost to teach him even the deep things of God 1 Cor. 2.10 They may think themselves without compare as those shallow-headed Verbalists Acts 17.18 to 22. under-valued Saint Paul not thinking him worthy to carry their books after them for learning because he did not in like pompous manner and with such oftentation set forth himself But it was only in conceit wherein alone pride consisteth So how did those Epicurian and Stoick Philosophers scorn him who in their learned and deep judgements was but a babler and his preaching meer foolishness Yea what defences was Saint Paul driven to make for himself about his plainness in unfolding the Gospel In like manner also did Corah and his company not for want of ignorance compare themselves with Moses and Aaron But a wiser than they acquainteth us that he who winneth souls is wise Prov. 11.30 And that those who by their teaching turn many to righteousness shall shine as stars for ever and ever Dan. 12.3 So that however Goliah may make the greater vaunts yet David will prove the wiser and the better man The Moon is glorious to a Candle but pale to the Sun the Lilly white to the wool but Short of the Snow and the swarthy compared with the Blackamer thinks himself fair so these Preachers these empty casks these proud coxcombs that have more wit than learning and more learning than honesty or good intention in the discharge of their Ministery when they compare themselves with such as have neither wit learning honesty nor good intention may think themselves some-body but if they compare themselves with the meanest of Christs faithful Ministers they are not worthy to carry his Books after him Sect. 11. And the reason of it may well be their too good opinion of themselves being like Drusus grand-father to Cato who was very eloquent and learned but withal most ambitious and proud For as in Luthers time it was a Paradox justitia causa injustitiae a conceited righteousness was the chief cause of all unrighteousness So may I say to these prudentia causa stultitiae an opinion of wisdome is in a manner the sole cause of all their ignorance and folly Many a man had proved wise if he had not so thought himself and commonly they are most proud that have the least cause The more each earth advanceth it self they are ever the more barren The fuller and heavier scale is ever lowest and the emptier the ear is of corn the higher it still perks up So he that knoweth himself best esteemeth of himself least Or admit a man be like Atlas King of Mauritania who for his great skil in the course of stars is feign'd to hold up the firmament with his shouldiers yet pride makes men decay in brain for as when the Milt swelleth all the rest of the body wasteth so as the heart swelleth the brain decayeth and which is the misery few proud wits are ever reformed There was never holiness without humbleness for God resisteth the proud James 4.6 1 Pet. 5.5 and as it is a sign of the going down of the Sun and of his departure when our shadows grow long so it is a sign of the Spirits departure when we entertain these high thoughts of our selves Secondly another reason of their strange mistake in thinking so well of themselves so basely of their betters is the generality of the people are extreamly taken yea transported with their singular faculty in Preaching while those Preachers whom I seem to magnifie are as much neglected Yea not one in many but will chuse rather to hear them than the other Yea who will not go from their own Pastours and pass by many others to hear one of their elaborate and accurate peeces As this is the case if they have a godly and powerful Minister in their own Parish that will not let them sleep and snort in their sins but will rouze and raise them out of their security and cry aloud against their abominations as God commands Ezekiel to do Ezek. 14 4. answer them according to their idols preach to their necessities presse them to holy duties reprove them for their unholy practices make known to them what evil consciences they have and how fearful their doom will be if they continue and go on in their wickedness and ignorance not sparing to utter the whole counsel of God to the end they may soundly repent and be saved Then they will hate him ever after as Amos speaks chap. 5.10 And that most deadly as Ahab hated Eliah and Michala Heredias John Baptist the Jews our Saviour and the Galatians Paul saying Away with such a fellow from the earth for it is not meet that be should live Acts 22.22 And not only turn their backs upon him but be ready to kill him for his kindness as appears by a world both of testimonies and examples for I think I may say there is not a man of God either Prophet or Apostle mentioned in the Bible no not Christ himself that hath not been some way persecuted for delivering Gods errands to the people and speaking that truth which if they had left one syllable unspoken they had been destroyed by God himself that gave them the charge see Jer. 1.17 and 15.10 The Pharisees you know could not endure Jesus Christ because he came to break their customes Luc. 6.2 The Masters of the Pythoness Acts 16.21 objected this against Paul and Silas that they did teach customes not lawful for them to receive For this cause was that uproar at Ephesus the copy-hold of Demetrius was touched he and his fellows were hindred in their profits c. Yea the Jews in their blind zeal were so furious and merciless that they put Stephen to death who sought to bring them to eternal life stoning him for a blasphemer against God and his Law who was a man full of faith and power and of the holy Ghost Acts 7. Gods truth if you mark it would cry down mens sins as Preaching would have done Demetrius's trade and therefore no marvel if the tradesmen of iniquity are up in arms against the Gospel as Demetrius was against Paul And did not the Gospel cross their sins they would not cross the Gospel But the waves do not beat or roar any where so much as at the bank that restrains them While the Preacher walks in Generals every man can be master of his own patience but descending to particular application as Nathan served David and John Herod then let him look to himself Or admit he preaches unprofitably as caring only to please not to inform or stands more upon his own credit than the peoples benefit so long they will hear
that shee was forced to confess He hath told me all things that ever I did which kind of preaching they will never indure because they are resolved to continue their sins and withall would preserve the peace of their consciences which can never bee so long as they hear the Word purely taught Which yet they must do if ever they bee saved for there is no being saved without Christ and Christ's Blood will never bee sweet unto us untill wee feel the smart of our sins and the necessity wee have of it Before men are convinced of their wickedness they can no way bee capable of forgiveness All men will grant that without repentance there is no being saved but what hope of their serious and unfained repentance for sin who scarce know wherein they have offended Sin must bee seen before it can bee sorrowed for A man must bee sick before hee will seek to the Phisician yea where is no discovery of the disease the recovery of the health is in vain hoped for Which makes Cyprian say that it is as meer lost labour to preach unto a man the things of God before hee bee humbled with the sight of his wants as to offer light to a blind man to speak to a deaf man or to labour to make a brute beast wise But when our consciences are troubled the Law having laid open our guiltiness and denounced the deserved punishment this and nothing but this makes us run to Christ for remedy Christ came to seek and to save onely that which was lost the lost sheep of the house of Israel even such as utterly despair in regard of all other helps Matth. 18.11 Luk. 19.10 1 Tim. 1.15 God does not pour the oil of grace but into a broken and contrite heart and still the deeper the sence of misery is the sweeter the sence of mercy is Nor can there bee a stronger argument that a Minister studies more to profit then please men with his wholesom counsell as when hee will not let them sleep and snort in their sins but cry aloud against their abominations As well knowing that it is better to loose mens favours then their souls therefore hee will bee sure to discharge his conscience from the burthen of any ones blood Section 14. And so much to shew how these witty preachers slight and scorn our solid divines in regard of their excelling them as they think in learning and parts how they are preferred by their hearers with the reasons of it But wil you know withal how they envie and maligne them in respect of their success and acceptance both with God and good men As if you observ it Godly and consciencious Ministers no less suffer from others of their own coat then from their hearers I mean from these men-pleasers as thus stands the case A Godly Minister that coms in Christ's name by his faithfull and powerfull preaching and Gods blessing upon it makes his hearers of naturall men to becom Christians Act 2.37 1 Cor. 14.24 25. Who may answer any that slight and revile him as that young man did the Pharisees touching Jesus Joh. 9. Doubtless this is a marvelous thing that yee do not know whence hee is seeing he hath opened mine eyes who was blind from my birth inclined my will to obedience which before was rebellions softned my heart sanctified and quite changed my affections so that I now love that good which before I hated and hate that evill which before I loved and am delighted with those holy exercises which heretofore did most displease mee and am displeased with those vain pleasures and filthy sins which in times past did most delight mee and therefore if hee were not of God and of his sending hee could have done no such thing if hee were not inspired and assisted by his holy Spirit and his preaching made effectuall by the virtue and power thereof hee could never have wrought in mee such a change and strange alteration And as he converteth the good so he convinceth the bad and not seldom are such so convinced and the secrets of their hearts made so manifest that their hearts even burn in their bosoms and are so pricked that they are ready to sall down and worship God and report to their consciences in private that God is in such a Minister of a truth as it fared with that unbelieving Iddiot spoken of 1 Cor. 14.24.25 Thus does God give his faithfull Ambassadors power to work miracles as a seal to their Ministry for conversion of sinners is the onely miracle that the Gospell now hath But is such that Cesars and Alexanders victories were nothing comparable to this glorious conquest which the Ministers get in the hearts of men when they convert them And this is it that so mads them when they behold and consider how the people of God flock after their sermons affect and applaud their preaching and how many of naturall men become Christians by hearing them as wee may cleerly see by what Saint John relates of their fellows John 11.48 As mark well what is there set down Then gathered the chief Priests and Pharisees a counsell and said what do wee for this man meaning Christ doth many miracles if wee let him thus alone all men will believe in him observ the cause of their spite And from that day forth they took counsell together for to put him to death Joh. 11.47.48 And again Joh. 12. The chief Priests consulted that they might put Lazarus to death also because that for his sake or by reason of him many of the Jews believed in Jesus verse 10.11 Now as it fared with them so fares it with these they are vexed to see how God honours such an ones Ministry with the conversion of souls and that his words are with such power that the people flock after him as they were wont after Christ while in the mean time themselvs are neglected and disesteemed being as they suppose far greater scholars and their sermons more elaborate For they will bee as long in the conception and breeding of them as an Elephant is of her young which being born onely amazeth the hearers and makes them at their wits end with admiration Pride was ever envious and contumelious thinking shee adds so much to her own reputation as she detracts from others And indeed the twinkling stars at the approach of the Sun lose their light and regain it nor untill darkness bee upon the deep Yea the whiter the Swan is the more black is the crow that 's by her They are not more propitious to vice then they are malicious to virtue for goodness alone is the whetstone of their malice and makes them sick of the splem Prov. 29.27 Aman that hath no virtue himself ever envies it in others What is recorded of the Rulers and Governours of Babylon touching Daniel is verified in these preachers touching their fellow Ministers they therefore envie them because the Spirit is more excellent in them
which cleavs to your very best actions for sins of omission c. No you may bee good morall honest hypocrites but none of these graces grow in the gardens of your hearts you have a form of godliness but you deny the power of it and are reprobate to every good work 2 Tim. 3.5 Titus 1.16 Yea have you not strange conceits and base thoughts of the best men do you not deeply censure and condemn the generation of the just and think the worse of a man for having a tender conscience do you not envy hate scoffe at nick-name rail on and slander the people of God and misconstrue their actions and intentions watch for their haulting c. Do you not with Festus account zeal madness and religion foolishness with Micholl Yea you hate zeal and devotion so invetterately that you can in no wise bear with it in others And does not all this prove thee wicked though righteous enough in thine own eyes But Section 20. Thirdly and lastly there needs no more to prove them ignorant then their rejecting to hear the Word plainly preached chusing rather to hear a lecture of Philosophie read As it 's strange to consider how grosly men err in judging of things that take not the Word for their rule whereof some instances Such shall think they do God service in murthering his Children and Prophets John 16.2 And so did the Powder Traitors intending to blow up the whole State They think to bee saved by Christ though they do nothing but blaspheme him and take up arms against him They will say they love God and Christ and yet hate all that any way resemble him They will boast of a strong faith and yet fall short of the devills in beleeving Jam. 2.19 The Jews accused Christ for keeping company with sinners when they should have blamed themselvs for not keeping company with Christ. God hath given mee my reward says Leah because I gave my maid unto my husband shee rejoiced when shee should have repented Gen. 30.18 And the like of Saul Blessed are yee of the Lord says hee when the Ziphims told him where David had hid himself his intent being to murther him 1 Sam. 23.21 And like to this is that of Micha who thought the Lord could not choose but bee good unto him seeing hee had got a Levite into his house Judg. 17.13 In like manner what is the cause of these mens preferring these preachers but their ignorance of Gods Word they do not in the least perceive the things of the Spirit they are spiritually blind and so not able to judge of preaching or Preachers Being like shell-fish that cannot smell or the Camelion which hath no tast and withall so improvident touching their souls that they will rather take dross for gold then try it in the furnace whence it is they resemble Alchidas who was enamored on the Picture of Cupid or Zerxes who fell so far in love with a Plane-tree which happened in his way that hee tarried by it a whole day causing the boughs to bee adorned with chains of gold bracelets and spangles yielding thereto great reverence But did they tread in the steps of all wise and good Christians who have the mind of Christ 1 Cor. 2.16 or acquainted with Gods Word and judg of things and persons as they are and not as they seem whose testimony onely is of credit they would bee so far from applauding the men that they would not vouchsafe to hear their sermons Now if any shall yet make question of their ignorance do but ask them a reason of the hope that is in them as every one that professeth himself a Christian should be able and ready to yeeld 1 Pet. 3.15 they can no more tell you then the wind can tell which last blew off my hat All experimentall divinity is greek to them bee they never so great lovers of wit Indeed to speak against the truth their tongues will run like the wheels of a clock when the spring is broken but they are neither able nor willing to speak a word for it Now if these things be so then they whom they hear and honor have small cause to rejoice therein Nor have the other whom they shun and hate any cause to be discouraged thereby because to carnal and fleshly men that preaching which saves souls is foolishness devotion idleness the Prophets mad-men Paul a babbler And untill they be cured of their prejudice which God onely by his prerogative can do nothing that can be said will serve Wisdom saith our Saviour is justified of her children that is the faithful Mat. 11.19 intimating that such wisdom as is justified by wicked men is not wisdom indeed Take we then our Saviours counsel and seek to justifie our judgments to the children of wisdom of whom wisdom is justified and not to fools by whom she is daily crucified And tread in his steps who rejected the commendations and approbation of such Luk. 4.35 41. and Saint Paul Act. 16.17 18. True as the Church of Laodicea could flatter her self with an opinion that she was rich and had need of nothing when yet she was wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked Rev. 3.17 Or as the young man in the Gospel could brag that he had kept all the commandements from his youth Mat. 19.20 And that cackling Pharisee Luk. 18.11 12. could tell Christ that hee was not like other men so there is no perswading these men but they are wise and good enough and no wonder for they slumber and suppose themselvs good Christians their faith is but a dream their hope but a dream their charity but a dream their obedience but a dream their whole religion but a dream and so their assurance of salvation is but a dream They have Regeneration in conceit repentance and righteousness in conceit they serve God well in conceit do the works of piety and charity in cenceit and they shall go to heaven onely in conceit or in a dream and never awake until they feel themselvs really in the burning lake And indeed do but take away from mens minds vain opinions flattering hopes false valuations imaginations and the like you will leave the mindes of most men and women but poor shrunken things full of melancholy indisposition and unpleasing to themselvs Which could never be if Satan the Prince of darknesse and of this world did not so blind their minds that the light of the glorious Gospel shines not unto them as it is 2 Cor. 4.4 And would they but lend the Gospel an ear where it is powerfully preached they would at least be so wise as to get better assurance then onely to think themselvs good enough since pure and naked supposals never brought any one to eternal life Neither is there any other means to be used whereby it is to be had Onely the skill is to perswade the simple as to be wise and solid is the portion but of a few to beware of hearing
these fruitlesse Preachers or indeed any others that preach not point-blank against sin and ignorance that discover not Satans wiles and the hearts deceitfulness that preach not faith and free grace that presse not to Repentance Regeneration and the like that make not the glory of God and the good of souls the main end of their preaching As why do or why should men go to hear if not for profit and comfort to their souls Good stomachs make better account of wholsome fare then of dainty cates Why but to hear the good Word of GOD that they may grow thereby and to be nourished Now nourishment is the making of food received like to the bodie nourished Therefore a wise Christian affects to hear powerful preaching searching Sermons rather then run after Rhetoricians because the rarities of humane eloquence works no such effect nor tends to any such end For Philosophie and such like may civilize but not sanctifie hide some sins but not heal them cover not cure them harb and curb them not abate and abolish them Yea we may say of their problemes as the Philosopher did of the Athenian-shops How many things are here that we have no need of Wherefore I shall conclude with an Exhortation or Advertisement to these men to use this means and to affect that food which is wholsom and would nourish O! that I might prevail with them to hear either Scripture or reason though my betters cannot for then would they finde it the happiest counsel that ever they met with Nor am I altogether out of hope for though all the water in the sea will not wash a Blackmore white yet others with Naaman may wash and be clean Nor can it be denied but an Emperick now and then hath had the hap to cure a patient which a learned Artist could not do Section 21. An Advertisement to all uncircumcised hearts and ears exhorting them to hear the Word of GOD purely and powerfully preached and not to listen after such as seek onely to please the ear with rarities of humane eloquence and the inticing words of man's wisdom IF there be any if but one even thy self that shall by what I have said be induced to judg of things according to clear truth not blinded opinion and be willing to depart from this discourse better then they came to it let him in the first place know that the onely ordinary means of grace and conversion is by hearing the word of God impartially and powerfully preached and by entertaining it with a good and honest heart for this Word and this onely is able to make a man wise to salvation As thus we may argue Without knowledge the heart cannot be good Prov. 19.2 A man may know the will of God and yet not do it but he can never do it except first he know it Whence as in the Creation of the World the first thing that God made was light Gen. 1.3 So when he makes us new creatures he first creates light in the understanding whereby the poor soul may see his spiritual misery and wretchednesse which before by reason of that vail or curtain which is drawn over every natural mans heart 2 Cor. 3.14 15 16. he is so far from discerning that with Laodicea he thinks himself rich and to want nothing when yet he is wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked of all spiritual indowments Revel 3.17 1 Tim. 6. ver 4. Therefore let your principall care and ambition bee to know those things the knowledge whereof is eternall life John 17.3 And the neglect whereof is of all most the damnable John 3.19 Therefore it is said of Christ whose first coming was to save the world that hee will come the second time in flaming fire to render vengeance unto all those that know not God 2 Thes 1.6 7 8 9. A terrible text to all that are ignorant in the midst of so much means as wee injoy Which being so bee diligent above all to hear Christs faithfull messengers And not these who if they preach not wickedly in flattering or furthering of sin yet they preach unprofitably as if they were resolved to connive at sin as feeding their flocks rather with words then matter as caring onely to please not to inform forming their voice to the liking of their hearers not their hearers judgment to the voice of Christ in the Gospell and striving more to make them in love with the teacher then with the lesson Because they stand more upon their own credit then their peoples benefit 3. Or if they labour to fill the head with knowledge they leave the heart empty of grace spending their time either in curious Questions and vain speculations which kinde of preaching tends rather to mirth then godly edification as it is observable that that age of the Church which was most fertile in Nice Questions was most barren in Religion The reason is it makes people think Religion to bee onely a matter of wit as tying of knots and untying them Wherein the brains of men given this way are usually hotter then their hearts 4. Or if their preaching be more solid they rove altogether in generalities which are no more aiding to practise then an Ortelius Universall Map is to direct the way between London and York 5. Or if they descend to particulars they pass over the grounds of Religion the most usefull part of all Divinity For this laies the Foundation the other raiseth the Walls and Roof This informes the Judgment that stirs up the Affections And what good use is there of those Affections which run before the Judgment 6. Or lastly If they give you the grounds of Religion and preach wholesome truths yet they bring forth their Doctrines as some women do their children still-born for want of application without which the former seems to be no better then a fair Image or Statue which is beautifull to Contemplate but is without life and motion It being the soul of preaching when the Word is brought home to mens consciences and applied close For whereas those other Divine discourses inrich the brain and tongue This settles the heart changes the will and works upon the affections The onely way to become such indeed as men dream themselvs to bee is to trust Satan and their deceitfull hearts less and Gods Word and Mininisters more This is to become fools that they may bee wise as the Apostle adviseth 1 Cor. 3.18 Wherefore receive with meekness the ingrafted word which is able to save your soul as Saint James adviseth James 1. verse 21. And that you may not want incouragement mind but what our Saviour Christ says Joh. 13. Verily verily hee confirms it with a double asseveration I say unto you If I send any hee that receiveth him receiveth mee and hee that receiveth mee receiveth him that sent mee ver 20. Loe in entertaining the Word with an honest and good heart wee entertain both God and Christ with it Another famous
place to encourage us in this case is that 2 Chron. 34.27.28 too long to repeat I pray turn to it Again take notice that as hunger is a signe of good health so to hunger and thirst after Gods Word is a notable signe of our spirituall health and safety Matth. 5.6 Yea the sence of our wretchedness and the valuation of our spirituall helps is the best triall of our Regeneration In the next place delay not the opportunity of hearing but as the Holy Ghost saith Even to day hear his voice and harden not your hearts as in the provocation c. Heb. 3.7.8 The time present is the onely time to seek the Lord. To make short heat the Word indifferently and impartially have no prejudice against him thou hast heretofore most hated and slighted but hear him the rather for his bitternesse Perhaps God will convert and save thee by no other means or Minister then such as he hath placed thee under Despise not the meanest of Christs Messengers that delivers the Word purely aims at his glory and the good of souls And the better to induce you to esteem such consider with me a few particulars Section 22. Such Ministers as are of Christs sending are not onely appointed of God as watchmen to give us warning of ensuing danger Ezek. 3.17 and Pastors to feed our souls with the spiritual Manna of God's Word Eph. 4.11.12 and Captains to fight God's battels for us against our spiritual enemies and our Leaders to instruct us in the spiritual warfare Eph. 6.12 13. 2 Cor. 10.3 4 5. and God's Embassadors to declare his will and message unto us Eph. 6.20 and lye Leigers for the great King of heaven and earth So that whatsoever is done to them God takes and accounts as done to him Psal 44.22 But they are co-workers together with God in converting and saving our souls 1 Cor. 3.9 Hee shall speak words unto thee saies the Angel to Cornelius whereby both thou and all thine house shall be saved Act. 11.14 Wee are all born dead in sins and trespasses But what saies the Apostle Peter Unto this purpose was the Gospel preached also unto the dead that they might be condemned according to men in the flesh but might live according to God in the spirit 1 Pet. 4. ver 6. For conclusion of all hear the Word in season and out of season and so minde the same that if any virtue be commended practise it if any vice condemned avoid it if any consolation bee insinuated approoriate it if any good example be propounded follow it yea so mind what thou hearest as if it were spoken onely to thy self and be not like a childe who looking in a glasse thinks he sees another childs face and not his own For want of application is the sole cause that in the midst of so much means so few are converted Yea there be very few men that make not the whole Bible and all the Sermons they hear yea the checks of their own consciences and the motions of Gods Spirit utterly ineffectual for want of wit and grace to apply the same to themselvs Whereas if they would rightly and ingenuously apply but one text or two as Mat. 7.12 16.26 or the like unto their own souls as they can unto others being better able to discern others motes then their own beams they might be everlastingly happy And so much of Non-preaching now of Unpreaching Ministers who as much excell these as the Spider excells the Butterfly The ones Sermons being like that unblest food Hag. 1.6 the other like those bitter and venemous waters 2 King 2.19 20 21. Or that Pottage 2 King 4.39 40 41. wherein was put colloquintida as you will acknowledge when you have seen them in like manner cut up and anatomized which will be the sum of the second part of this discovery which had been joined with it onely I prorogue the printing of that until I see the acceptance of this because I much question whether those it concerns will be capable of its usefulness for having imparted both parts to some of those Non-preaching and Unpreaching Ministers for whose sakes they were both composed though they commend the pieces yet so unacqainted are they with their own hearts they conceive not that there are any such Preachers Now in case it shall not be printed and yet of some shall be desired they may please to read in lew of it my Characters of the kinds of Preaching published fourteen years since and sold by James Crumpe in Little Bartholomews Well-yard FINIS Imprimatur JOSEPH CARYL ERRATA Not to mention any of the literall mistakes or mis-poyntings in each sheet which are usuall At the top of Page 15. there was by what means I know not a whole line taken out after the proof was returned and put at the bottom of Page 16. whereby the one place is left defective and the other marred in the sence The words are these Gold of Cornucopia that it hath all things necessary for food in it of Panaces And in Page 39. line 33 there is most the instead of the most Neither of which faults though very grosse were espied vntill most of the sheet was printed off But the ingenuous Reader will either mend them with his pen or be so charitable as to bear with the Compositor However the Author must or else turn the buckle of his Girdle