vnwillingly or after any sort the latter signifieth to entertaine or receiue willingly to welcome Therefore of this word commeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the right hand That which we doe vnwillingly is done as it were with the left hand sinisterly and vntowardly but that which we do willingly it is done as it were with the right hand dexterouslie aptly and handsomely to receiue the word here therefore signifies to welcome to embrace with willingnes and liking and to apply it to themselues This is then the third degree of Faith to welcome entertaine embrace the word with readinesse willingnesse loue delight and to apply the same particularly to our owne hearts and consciences This is also of meere grace without which grace none can be saued Many heare the word with the outward eare many do also vnderstand it and beleeue it to be true but few receiue the same into the heart to giue it intertainment and rooting there In Acts 8. 21. Simon Magus beleeued the Gospell historically yet Peter saith there that his heart was not vpright in the sight of God In Acts 5. 3. Ananias beleeued the Gospell and seemed to bring forth fruits thereof as did the other Christians but it was not rightly receiued into the heart for hypocrisie which is is the worke of Satan and sauing faith which is the worke of the spirit cannot dwell together in one heart Iudas vnderstood and beleeued the word and was a Preacher thereof but it was neuer intertayned and rooted in his heart but thorny couetousnesse was rooted therein which in the end choaked the word So 2 Tim. 4. 10. Demas was a follower of Paul but the loue of the world was neuer rooted out of his heart therefore in time it choaked the word c. Iulian the Apostata giue intertainment to the word but pride was neuer rooted out of his heart therefore it choaked the word in him 1 Tim. 5. 11. Paul speakes of young widowes that hauing entertained and professed the word doe afterward waxe wanton against Christ and break their first faith because concupiscence and fleshly lust was neuer rooted out of their hearts therefore it choaked the word in them When as the word is receiued into the heart together with these and such like lusts which our Sauiour Christ calleth thornes Math. 13. 24. the thornes being naturall to the heart and therefore hauing strong rooting must needs in time ouergrow and choake the word euen as weedes being naturall to the earth doe ouergrow and pine away the corne that it cannot fructifie And this is the condemnation of the multitude I meane of the common hypocriticall Protestants which giue entertainment to the word but expell not their beloued company or guest their head personall sinne with the branches and fruits thereof either must Christ and that sinne dwell together or else must Christ be expelled that it may rule But cast out the bond-woman with her children for shee and her sonnes cannot be heyre with the free if Isaack be heyre then must Ishmael be cast out and if the birth-right belong to Iacob Esau cannot haue it Crucifie the olde man with his children the lusts of ignorance and the workes of darkenesse for if the sonne of God by his word and spirit hath taken possession of your hearts and dwell therein as owner and heyre then cannot the bond-womans sonne be heyre whether it be pride or couetousnesse or enuy or fleshly lust which spring out of originall corruption The word of God and naturall lust cannot both dwell together they cannot both be heyres they cannot both be maisters but being contrary one to the other the one of them will haue the dominion and vpper hand sinne and Satan lay claime to all by right of antient inheritance from many descents but the word is the sword of the spirit driuing them out of the heart and cutting them downe As Ioshuahs sword slue all the ancient inhabitants of Canaan and placed the Israelites therein euen so must wee cast out and subdue these Canaanitish lusts and affections the word must be as a sword or sacrificing knife in vs to cut downe these ancient in-bred inhabitants worldly lusts yea as the Land of Canaan spued forth her Inhabitants so must we cleare our hearts of this menstruous filth that they may be Temples for the holy Ghost euen as Salomons Temple beautified and adorned with holinesse righteousnes faith goodnes meekenesse loue truth continence temperance and all vertue 4. Degree of Faith is their intertayning and embracing of the word in such sort as is peculiar and proper to the word which is propounded first negatiuely not as the word of Men and then affirmatiuely but as the word of God Heerein appeareth euidently the difference betweene hypocrites and true beleeuers Infidels heare the word of God altogether as the word of man Hypocrites receiue the word of God as the word of man that is they allow it to be the word of God so farre forth as it is agreeable to their liking and wherein it differeth from them they contemne and put it off from them as but the word of man this is therefore the meere and especiall and sauing grace of God to receiue the word as from God and not from Man The Pharisees heard the pure word of the Gospell from the mouth of the Sonne of God himselfe but because he was in the shape and forme of man therefore they receiued it but as the word of man Iohn 8. 13 Thou bearest record of thy selfe c. Mark 6. 2. Our Sauiour Christs Countrymen friends kinsfolks hearing his wisedome and seeing his workes were astonied but beleeued not in him What was the cause Vers 3. Is not this the Carpenter Maryes Sonne brother of Iames Ioses c. They looked with fleshly eyes on his outward appearance only and esteemed his word but according to his outward appearance therefore it became vnprofitable to them Such like Pharisees are the heads of the Romish Church the teachers and maintainers of hypocrisie which auouch that the written word hath no authority with vs but by their approbation and what is their approbation First they wrest it to such a sence as may serue for the erecting and maintaining of their owne authority and their Antichristian synagogue and then hauing adulterated it and made it their owne word they giue allowance to it Heereupon euery Impe of that Church will not heare the word as the word of God but as of the Church that is of the Pope and his Cardinals and in this they rest satisfied and resolued thinking it heresie to receiue the word meerely as the word of God Of this sort are all prophane Esaues and Epicurish Politicians which count themselues Protestants but are not they acknowledge and receiue the olde and new Testament as the word of God but as for Doctrines Instructions Vses and especially Applications thereof they receiue as but the word of men and chiefly when the
from his euill way and the wickednesse that was in his hands Ionah 3. So it may be that the Pope with his Cardinals Fryers Monkes Priests c. together with the whole Citie of Rome would beleeue his word and receiue it as the word of Christ It may be they would acknowledge him reuerence him and honour him humbly submitting to his doctrine confessing their errors and sinnes and suffer themselues to be rightly enformed and reformed by him their guide gouernour and chiefe shepheard of their soules But I rather thinke that he should haue far worse intertainment among them then amongst the Pharisies and Iewes and Heathen that they would persecute both his doctrine and person with all indignities that might be deuised and because of his true miracles confounding their lying wonders would iudge him to be Antichrist of whom they haue already made Luther the fore-runner euen as the Pharisies counted him the greatest Sorcerer and to deale with the Prince of the Deuills by whose power he exceeded all other I suppose that they which so deuoutly worship and adore the Image of Christ and of the Apostles beautifying the same with such sumptuous ornaments and ouerlaying of gold would by all meanes dishonour the true Christ And his Apostles not onely contemning their persons and condemning their doctrines but also putting them to ignominious deaths I suppose that Seruus seruorum Dei would hardly re-deliuer the chayre giue the right hand or wall to Peter For as the Pharisies did to Christ the head so doe they to his Apostles and members likewise And as Antichrist doth now to the true Ministers and members so would he doe to the head For the afflictions of Christ are accomplished in his members by Antichrist who should also suffer the same in his owne person if hee were in the state of humiliation vpon the earth as he was Surely may some say it were a maruellous thing if it should be so I would thinke rather that Christ and his Apostles teaching the same doctrines and working the same or such like miracles should be heard and receiued of the Pope his Cardinalls c. as hee was of the faithfull in the Iewish Church I answere if hee should come indeede as Ignatius Loyala that prophane and bloudy souldier a Spaniard the Father of the Iesuites * came to Pope Paulus the third deuoting himselfe and his Disciples to him promising absolute obedience to him in all things without any exception and binding himselfe with an inuiolable oath that hee would to his vttermost power maintaine and vphold the Romish Church and See by all meanes possible if I say both his doctrine and miracles might serue for the glorifying of that carnall Idoll-gull and vpholding of his worldly Synagogue and See then without doubt hee shall haue great intertainement and in such sort also might he haue been intertained of the Pharisies yea of Herod or any worldling But now to come neerer to our selues what if Christ were in state of humiliation and in the very same outward appearance among vs as hee was among the Iewes or Paul Peter or any of the Apostles preaching the same Gospel that is now preached for none other Gospell could Christ himselfe preach than this which is already preached and expounding the seuerall texts thereof as hee did of the Prophets in the Temple and in the Synagogues handling the same in speciall and in particular applying the same fitly according to all circumstances yea speaking as his and their manner was to the heart conscience and spirit how should his words be heard whether as the words of God or as of man It may be he should be receiued of all men as hee was of Lazarus of Martha and Mary who poured a pound of very costly ointment on his head who washed his feete with her teares and wiped them with the hayres of her head It may be that all men would weep aboundantly fall on his necke and kisse him as the Christians did at Pauls departure from them Acts 20. 37. It may be that by all meanes possible they would shew their loue to him by prostrate obeysance and humble obedience by contemning all worldly things in comparison of his presence yea and by preferring one word of his mouth before all humane learning and knowledge It may be that all men from the highest to the lowest from the richest to the poorest from the mightiest to the weakest would wholly submit and subiect themselues to the obedience of his word and doctrine taking more pleasure therein than in all worldly pleasure and profit and deuote all their worldly goods might wisedome and learning to the aduancement thereof and there is no question but some of all degrees and estates would sincerely and deuoutly according to the gift of grace and measure thereof doe these things yea many doubtlesse would loue him embrace him reuerence him for the Gospels sake and admiring him would say doubtlesse the spirit of God is plentifull and very strong in this man so gracious are his words so holy is his conuersation amongst vs as wee may see true Christianity perfectly acted euen as the word teacheth and commandeth But on the other side what entertainment should he finde in the world I meane among the brutish sinners the ciuilly honest and the pharisaically religious for these are they that are called the World In what manner would carnall Gospellers heare and receiue his pure spirituall and heauenly Sermons What manner of tast and relish would his words haue in their eares What repentance would there be wrought What confession Contrition Satisfaction of wrongs done with Zacheus What conuersion What obedience to his doctrine What reformation either of themselues or of those and those things that are in their power to alter and order according to his doctrine How would sinners and wicked liuers heare him I meane all such as propound their owne glory and profits or pleasures the end of all their actions and endeauors inwardly and outwardly for they that make these and such like things their principall ends can neither doe good deed speake good word nor thinke good thought all their life long How would the greedy churle heare him that loues to think and meditate of nothing but gaine to speake nor doe any thing that tends not one way or other to his bodily profit How would the lustfull person heare him that makes his whore and wanton woman his Idoll How would many rauening Lawyers such as make authority a cloake of destruction vnhappines too many now a daies heare him that stand continually waiting and gaping for the bride whereby the poore is oppressed the hands of reuengeful persons of cruell churles are strengthened against their neighbours and whereby the mouthes of superstitious and prophane liuers are opened and hands strengthened against God himself in his Word and Ministers How would I say worldlings of all sorts heare him How would they entertaine him What would they say
God their Father and of Abraham their Father For by your owne confession it is meerely for his preaching and catechizing sake and also your good liking to your former idle Pastour manifesteth the same You haue Iewish and murtherous hearts by your owne confession for you diminish his liuing by your cunning and crafty shifting you would faine bring him into shame and obloquie and make him a common by-word by your daily mistaking all his sayings and doings His Sermons you turne off with raging at euery thing that you thinke is spoken against you or else with bitter mockings Yea you proceed so farre in your Iewish rebellion as you can and dare and as the bribe can giue you libertie If the Lord had not bound your hands and feete with the chaines of good lawes and gouernment it is like enough your ciuill substantiall men would throw him ouer the Pulpit and stone him out at the townes end as the Nazarens would haue throwne our Sauiour Christ downe headlong from a rocke Luk. 4. Whereas you so much commend your former minister for his husbandrie and nothing else that 's your blindnesse for the Scripture teacheth you otherwise Our Sauiour saith He that layeth his hand to the plough and looketh backe is vnapt for the kingdome of God You are his husbandrie hee is to worke vpon you to plow vp the fallowes of your hearts to destroy and kill the vnprofitable weedes of sinne and wickednesse in you and to make your hearts a pure and cleane soule for the Gospell that you might bring forth the fruit of holinesse and righteousnes that you glorifying God vpon earth he might glorifie you in heauen eternally and that hee also performing this duty which Christ whose Steward hee is hath layed vpon him might shine as the starres in the firmament for euer and euer by turning you from the waies of death and damnation to righteousnesse and life Whereas you call his paines a deale of lip-labour and say hee will catechize all the good seruants out of the towne and say that it would make a horse breake his halter to heare all his prittle-prattle The Lord open your heart that you many know what you say and see in what miserable and fearefull estate you are There is none of these things but you heare them proued confirmed plainly by the Scriptures and many of them are the very words of the Text. How hath Satan blinded and bewitched you that he causeth you to mock God to his face euen as he would haue brought Iob to haue blasphemed him to his face Iob. 1. 11. The Lord conuert you and baptize you with the fire of his spirit that you may be transformed into a member of Iesus Christ for truely you show your selfe as yet to be but a limbe of the Deuill What you are in Gods election the Lord himselfe knowes but if you neuer repent you can neuer be saued Whereas you say you will giue him the hearing because you cannot remedy it but you will doe as you list It would make any Christians heart bleed to heare you For first you shew your cruell and reuengefull hearts as the Iewes did to Stephen in that you would haue a remedy if Law would giue liberty and like enough so farre as it would permit For the hatred of worldlings against Gods Ministers and children is as a burning fire kindled by Sathan and is like the vnquenchable fire of hell Againe whereas you would giue him the hearing and make no more adoe you shew your resolution in your obstinacie your meaning is that you would not contend too much with him that you will come to the Church as late as you can and when you are come to while away the time in sleeping or thinking on some earthly thing and so let both him and the Sabaoth goe for you thinke he cannot present you and so long you care not Againe you say he breedes much disquietnes among you through his bold and indiscreet Sermons In that you thinke him too bold that is the pride of your own harts which thinke that he should be afraid of your faces contrary to Gods commandement Ier. 1. 18. Is not the Lord able with the breath of his mouth to blow you all in a moment into the riuer of fire brimstone as he caused the west-winde to blow the grashoppers of Egypt into the red Sea Alas seely wormes that creep on the earth and sauor of nothing but the earth Whereas you taxe him of indiscreetnes that is your ignorance and indiscretion that know not white from blacke You say he keepes not his text What would you haue him to doe nothing but read ouer his text an houre together You might iustly then make him a common by-word No but hee roaues into townes matters and mens manners that hee hath nought to doe with Though he hath naught to doe with them yet God hath to doe with them that I hope you will grant But when your Preacher applies the Word to your towne in particular and to the hearts and consciences of you and other men in particular for your owne instruction and reformation then you say he goeth from his text Hee meddles of such things as concerne him not You can finde no such thing in the Bible what is this but ignorance and hardnesse of heart you thinke because you finde not the name of your towne and townes-matters expressed word by word in the text and because the houses and names and particular actions of such and such men are not according to euery circumstance at large expressed as your grounds are butted and bounded in your leases that therefore the text concernes not you and consequently none and so would you haue God to haue nought to doe with you no more than you would haue to doe with him You thinke enough for you to know what you would haue but what he would haue you cannot abide to know Yea your spirits though not your tongues doe say depart away from vs wee will none of thy waies And though you thinke that you doe but speake and doe against your Minister yet the truth is that you fight like Giants against God and Christ whom you call your Father and Redeemer and not onely you but Satan by you who rides you at his pleasure But you like the dumb horse or mule that haue none vnderstanding know not whether you goe And those Church-robbers that thinke their ministers tithes the best gotten goods are the men that cast lots for Christs coate for Christ is crucified and his garment hath Lots cast for it till the worlds end I doubt this is a mystery to you Whereas you talke of precisenes curiousnes strictnes and Putricans as it pleaseth your ignorance to terme them these and such like termes are but the froath of an euill and mocking heart and the scumme of a corrupt iudgement that knowes not what the Minister or what Christian life meaneth You your selfe thinke
the most high This is expresly commanded Deut. 11. 19. We must speake of the Commandements continually when wee sit at home when wee walke by the way when wee rise vp and when we lye downe but they that do thus by your confession shall lose their friends if they lose their friendship of sinners to obtaine the friendship of God and his Angells it is a gainefull losse for there be more with them then against them Whereas you say a wonted Prouerbe among prophane people A booke in the Pocket a Deuill in the heart There be some that carry no bookes in their pockets nor yet good words in their mouthes which notwithstanding haue the Deuill in their hearts All are not bad that carry good bookes with them nor all good that haue no bookes It is a Prouerbe among you hee that doth as the Preacher would haue him doe shall die a beggar but there be some which dye beggars because they will not doe as the Preacher would haue them And I my selfe haue heard some say bring not vp your sonne in learning for it will make him a bad husband but there be some bad husbands that were neuer brought vp in learning You call your honest men needy in way of contempt It is as easie for the rich man to scorne the poore for his pouerty as it is for the fat Oxe that is ready for the shambles to tread the feeble vnder feete The holy man Dauid was pestered and pushed at with such fat Bulls of Basan Psal 22. 12. and bark't at with such dogs verse 16. so was Christ also whereof he was a figure and so are and shall all Christians especially the poore that can least helpe themselues Marke well what our Sauiour Christ saith It is as hard for a rich man to enter into the Kingdome of Heauen as for a gable rope to passe through the eye of a needle The temptations of Mammon preuaile so much with them as that they cannot subiect their hearts to the Gospell they will not haue Iesus Christ to be King and ruler ouer them like the murtherous Husbandmen in the Gospell they cannot abide to do homage to Christ such manner of seruice is too base with the proud and licentious worldlings It will not afford such meat drinke and cloth as a man should haue and there is no liberty but continuall paines-taking Lewd seruants that take no pleasure in their Masters profit nor delight in a well ordered family loue to serue dissolute and prodigall masters where they may haue great wages to maintaine pride wantonnes and gaming and where they may haue full scope and liberty to say and doe what they list Euen so most rich men and all worldlings haue no pleasure at all in the profiting of Christ by their faithfull seruice neither haue any delight in his gouernment and family there is so much strictnesse curiousnesse and base work but they must serue golden Mammon that will giue them wage enough they shall want nothing that will doe them good for there is neither pinching nor sparing neither shall they be restrained of their liberty Now seeing that these worldlings are such bad and froward seruants Christ which is a straight and hard man and therefore lookes to haue his businesse well followed and to receiue his owne with aduantage will haue those that haue not dwelt in wanton and prodigall houses where there is nothing but eating and drinking mirth and pastime but hee hath chosen the poore and needy to confound the rich the foolish and simple to confound the wise and the learned the weake and helplesse to bring to naught the mighty and the strong 1 Cor. 1. 26. 27. 28. This Scripture is fulfilled in your owne eyes in your owne towne and yet you cannot see it because he lookes on the heart and hath mercy on whom he will and you contrarily looke on the outward appearance and iudge thereafter In Marke 6. Christ preacheth in his owne country and worketh miracles there also but how do they heare him and receiue him Whence hath he this doctrine What wisedome is this that is giuen him How doth hee worke such great wonders Is hee not a carpenter are not his Mother Brethren and Sisters with vs But heere was all and therefore Christ maruelled at their vnbeleefe In the weake and meane outward appearance of Christ they might the more clearely haue seene the power wisedome and glory of God had they not beheld him with fleshly and carnall eyes So may you see the mercy grace and goodnes of God in opening the eyes of your poore men tradesmen labouring men vnlearned men men of no education of no meanes such as the Disciples were not so sensible and so wise as some of your rich men are not booke-learned as they are not at leysure as they are but alwaies in some labour and trauell and yet can they put downe all your sensible men in reasoning and your fine Latine Preacher with them Is not this the power of God inlightning their mindes mollifying their hearts with the oyle of grace and sanctifying the word vnto them which they heare Heereupon comes this difference betweene them and the rich and betweene other poore men and them They hunger and thirst after the word of God therefore God satisfieth their soules with God and they are fatte and well-liking the rich haue not this spirituall hungar and thirst and therfore they are sent empty away Luk. 1. 53. These poore men among you whom God hath receiued to mercy you call pratling fellowes beggarly persons Putricans with other mocking vngodly and enuious termes Our Sauiour Christs countrimen admired his doctrine wisedome miracles but euer in the end they came in with their But He is but a Carpenter but of meane parentage but of meane education c. Euen so doe you come in alwaies with your But but hee is no Scholler but he is no linguist but our rich men and great men regard him not hee is but this he is but that so you make this But a stumbling blocke or rather a brazen wall to separate you from Gods Kingdome The Lord turne your hearts Againe you say such poore men should mind their businesse and not runne to Sermons this running to Sermons indeede is a great beame in your eyes you commonly iudge them vnthrifts that spend an houre in the weeke day at a Sermon but you neuer speake of them that spend many houres in the weeke in idle talke or at the Ale-house Nay I haue heard your owne tongue commend a trades-man for his orderly course of life and among other things that hee would goe twise or thrise in the weeke to the Ale-house if hee liked the company but he duely kept his stint hee would not passe his houre vnlesse by great chance Neither doe I simply disallow this thing in him but if he bestowed one of these houres in the hearing of a Sermon I should thinke the better of him
parties hating the one and not louing the other What say you now being in this tune that you are in Put the case that Iohn the Baptist or Paul or Peter c. or any of the holy men of former times should come to Preach among you put the case that Iesus Christ himselfe should come I meane not working miracles nor discouering themselues but preaching and teaching in such manner as they did to the Iewes to other peoples when they liued on earth You say you would heare them follow them reuerence and honour them confesse your sinnes you would spend goods body and life for them you would cast all that you had at their feete and suffer your selues to But the manifest trueth is that Christ himselfe should finde no better entertainment than your Minister now doth nay farre worse for Christ vsed to speake to the spirits of men seeing hee knew the thoughts of their hearts and their secret sinnes and therefore would you persecute him with more deadly hatred Hee would not preach comfort I warrant you to obstinate and hard hearted Pharisees nor frame his speeches to the liking of their corrupt iudgments and earthly imaginations as you would haue your Minister to doe But you will say hee would be innocent harmelesse sinnelesse giuing none occasion no appearance of euill yea hee would stoppe the mouthes of the worst that they could not speake one euill word of him But by your leaue that is well spoken which is well taken and that is well done that is well construed If you be of froward dispositions and euill harts how would you take that at his hands which were contrary to you how would you being of ignorant and corrupt iudgements interpret his words and censure his doings It mattereth not onely who is the speaker and what is spoken but also who is the hearer and how it is heard The serpent can finde poison there where the Bee can finde no poyson but honey And I haue often heard them say that the cunning Alchymist can draw gall out of hony and hony out of gall you must therefore consider what heart and eares you haue I tell you plainely that vnlesse Christ should put new hearts into your bodies you would heare him no otherwise then you doe your owne Minister that cannot giue you new hearts And though hee be most holy yet would you esteeme him a sinner What I pray you said the proud and couetous Pharisees of him Hee is a glutton a drinker a common companion Matthew 11 19. A deceiuer Matthew 27. 63. A Sorcerer or worker with euill Spirits Matthew 9. 34. Hee hath a Deuill and is madde why doe you heare him Iohn 10 20. Hee is a Samaritane and is frantike Iohn 8. 48. They know that hee is a sinner Iohn 9. 24. yea his owne kinsmen layed hands on him supposing that hee was madde Mark 3. 21. How then I pray you would the proud couetous Pharisees in these daies receiue him How would prophane mockers heare him Euen worse then they doe your Minister or any other faithfull Pastor elsewhere For the more purely that the word of God is preached the more doth it dissent from the corrupt heart and more neerely searcheth it and makes sinners more sinfull working more forcibly in the conscience Heereupon the rebellious sinner presently seekes for false releefes ease and comforts and that is by returning all vpon the Minister hee is a Puritane hee is phantasticall precise indiscreete vncharitable now he speakes to himselfe for wee are no such men hee speakes out of pride malice enuy choller false information there 's none worse then himselfe such Christianity cannot be acted c. How I pray you did they censure Iohn the Baptist Hee hath a Deuill the Deuill is in him a grimme dogge a melancholy fellow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. How then would you speake of him and of Christ If new wine be poured into olde vessells whosoeuer poures it in and howsoeuer it be poured in the vessels will burst And if a new peece be sewed to an old garment how good soeuer the peece be and how cunning soeuer the taylor be it will rent away part of the olde for the olde vessell cannot containe the new wine nor the olde rotten garment retaine the new cloath If the pure word of God from Christs owne mouth were applied to your olde fleshly and rotten hearts what containing or retaining would there be of it Againe so long as you are carnall how can you iudge of those things which are spirituall The naturall man cannot perceiue the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse to him nothing sounds well to his eare but that which sauours of flesh and bloud And therefore many dainty eared men can away with none but with schollerlike Sermons The Word must sauor of humane wisedome and learning else there is no more taste in it than in water hee cannot abide to drinke it but if it hath sugar in it or be mixt with wine then for the sugar and wines sake hee drinks it off and commends it not simply but secundum quid But the pure word of God hath neither good taste nor good farewell it goeth downe either like water in the sottish or like wormewood and gall in the hard-hearted and malitious Iudge now I pray you how your froward rich men would heare receiue entertaine and welcome Iesus Christ in whom they say they beleeue whom they loue aboue all and by whom they hope to bee saued I feare that they which so greatly commend your fine man that preacheth more Greeke Latine and Hebrew then English and which are so delighted and comforted with his languages if Iesus Christ were preaching to them in such manner as hee did on the earth would hardly giue him friendly intertainement they would hardly all agree to make him a stipend or contribution I doubt some would giue him neuer a penny euen of them that are the most able Mataeolog I am no Scripture man I cannot answer you to euery thing but it will not sinke into my head but that we should all heare and obey Christ Though wee be bad enough as there is none good but God yet wee are not so bad I trust whatsoeuer you say I hope you are no Prophet it is hard for you to iudge what wee are much lesse can you tell what you would be Eulalus I perceiue well that you are no Scripture man for it appeares by you that that gift is not yet giuen to you neither doe you as yet desire it For it may be that you are afraid to be termed a Puritane or to be mocked of your friends companions and you loue not to be mocked Whereas you say that I am no Prophet It is enough for me that you are a Prophet in these things For I haue said nothing but that which you haue said and I build vpon your reason and common reason You said euen
PAVLS CROVVNE OF REIOYCING OR The manner how to heare the Word with profit By THOMAS GRANGER preacher of the word at Botterwike in Holland neere Boston in Lincolnshire IAMES 1. 12. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tried hee shall receiue the Crowne of life which the Lord hath promised to them that loue him LONDON Printed by T. S. for Thomas Pauier and are to be sold at his shop in Yuie lane 1616. TO THE WORSHIPFVL and vertuous Lady the Lady IOAN ALTHAM temporall happinesse and eternall blessednesse GOOD MADAME MAY it please your Ladyship to accept this small treatise of the right hearing of the word Small it is not in respect of the subiect for to be a good hearer is no lesse excellent a gift of grace then to be a good speaker but in respect of the forme phrase and manner of handling thereof wherein I haue fashioned my selfe to the capacitie of vulgar ignorant people euen such like as by Gods prouidence I haue heene called vnto who are fitter for milke then strong meates Yet whatsoeuer it is such it shall be as your Ladiship shall accept it and to speake ingeniously without flatterie which J euer hated your amiable disposition to Vertue Piety in your yong age as I well obserued when heretofore I liued at the house of the good Knight Sir Iohn Leuenthorp your father and my often remembrance thereof vpon occasions and now vpon this occasion also as also the singular duty that I owe to your ancient and truly honoured familie and to you in speciall haue moued me and made me the bolder to offer this vnworthy Present vnto you desiring you to accept it only as a token of a thankfull minde and sincere affection which remaine euer disposed to the performance of any seruice wherein your Ladiship by me may be pleasured Your Ladiships in all dutie to command THOMAS GRANGER From Botterwike in Holland neere Boston in Lincolnshire 1616. PAVLS CROVVNE OF Reioycing 1 THES 2. 13. For this cause also thanke we God without ceasing that when yee receiued of vs the word of the preaching of God yee receiued it not as the word of men but as it is indeed the word of God which also worketh in you that beleeue IN the former Chapter at the second verse the Apostle beginneth a congratulation whereby he reioyceth in the behalfe of the Thessalonians for their effectuall faith diligentloue and patience in persecution wherein they excelled as they became ensamples to all the faithfull in Macedonia and Achaia Now in this second Chapter from the first verse to the 13. he maketh a digression wherin he laboreth to confirme them in this effectuall and fruitfull faith and that by an argument drawne from his true Apostleship which by three principall reasons hee prooueth and approueth vnto them 1. By his entrance in vnto them which was not in outward shew and pompe but in trauaile and in the feare of God vers 1. 2. 2. By his preaching which was not by insincerity that is false and corrupt doctrine impure affections and guile but wherein he approueth himselfe to God vers 3. 4. 3. By his intire loue and affection towards them in that hee vsed no flattery coloured couetousnesse or vaine-glory but was gentle among them as a nurse cherisheth her children vers 5. 6. 7. Now this his sincere loue and affection hee demonstrateth by the effects and tokens thereof which doe testifie the sincerity and simplicity of his heart 1. Effect or token was his readinesse to deale not onely the Gospell vnto them but euen his owne soule vers 8. 2. Was his labour and trauell because he would not be chargeable vnto them whereof they had experience vers 9. 3. Was his holy godly and righteous conuersation among them vers 10. 4. His faithfulnesse in executing his office for their good in exhorting them comforting them and intreating them as a father his children to walke according to their reall calling vers 11. 12. Now taking occasion at these duties of his ministery namely his exhorting of them his comforting of them and beseeching of them he returneth to his former gratulation in the 13 and 14 verses wherein hee also reioyceth in their behalfe because they receiued the word not as his word but as the word of God that sent him whereof this was a manifest token euen their conuersion their faith and obedience and daily increase therein In this gratulation two things are to be considered the Manner and the Matter First concerning the manner or forme thereof it is expounded by way of thankesgiuing to God the author of this harmony concord betweene him the Pastour teaching them from God and them his stocke receiuing his doctrine as from God In that hee expounds his gratulation by way of thanksgiuing he teacheth them two things first that his preaching labour industrie and gifts wrought not this faith and obedience in them but God by his spirit inwardly and by his Ministery outwardly 1 Cor. 3. 5. 6. Who is Paul who Apollos but Ministers by whom ye beleeued as God hath giuen to euery man Ego plantaui Apollos rigauit c. The Apostle therefore considering how apt we are of our selues to attribute too much to the meanes and to insist on the second cause reuoketh them to God the principall cause that hee alone may be praised and glorified for all thiugs and in all things 2. He teacheth them hereby that their faith is not of themselues but of God and that thereof both he and they by his example ought to glorifie God in giuing him thanks for this grace Againe whereas he giueth thanks without ceasing he first sheweth his faithfulnes his loue earnest desire that hee had of their conuersion and now his great reioycing in their conuersion which two things are euident tokens of a true Apostle great thankes and continuall thankes you know do presuppose a great good turne and such a benefit that one acknowledgeth himselfe euer the better for so the Apostle preferres here this benefit euen the blessing of his Ministery in their faith and obedience before the cheifest earthly blessing and in the 19. verse hee saith they were his hope his ioy and crowne of reioycing Likewise in Phil. 4. 1. he calls them his beloued his longed for his ioy and his crowne 2. Whereas he giueth thankes without ceasing he doth put them in minde exhort and warne them to be continually thankefull for this endlesse loue mercy and grace of God in calling them out of darkenesse into his meruailous light Such a benefit as this whereby we doe not onely escape death but obtaine eternall life ought we alwaies to remember and by all meanes to manifest our thankfulnesse for the same both heart mouth and hand ought to be enlarged euer to praise and thanke him by thought word and deede otherwise if wee be not for euer thankefull for this endlesse benefit we may iustly prouoke the Lord to
shorten his hand and to take his graces from vs. Lastly whereas hee giueth thankes without ceasing we obserue what is the greatest matter of ioy and reioycing to a faithfull shepheard namely the faith and obedience of his flock to his doctrine instructions and exhortations not as from him but as from God as the husbandman reioyceth in a plentifull haruest forgetting all his labours and trauels in seede time euen so the true shepheard reioyceth in the fruits of his labours and seeing a plentifull haruest towards is glad that God hath made him an instrument to gather his wheate euen the soules of men into his Barne The Minister hath cause of reioycing and thankesgiuing in the faithfull discharge of his calling when his conscience doth assure him that he hath kept himselfe innocent from the bloud of all men and hath kept nothing back but to his vtmost power and grace giuen him hath declared all the counsell of God by word and example of life Act 20. 26. 27. he hath I say cause of reioycing herein though hee see no fruits of his labours as the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 2. 15. Wee are vnto God the sweete sauour of Christ in them that are saued and in them that perish But when his ministerie is effectual in men to beget and increase faith in them to regeneration and to eternall life then is he the sauour of life vnto life and there is double matter of reioycing and thankesgiuing Paul little reioyced in his owne grace and conscionable discharge of his owne dutie neither esteemed much all his labours and sufferings when he saw them not effectuall in the conuerting sinners vnto God but when hee had done all that he could he complaineth that he had run in vaine Gal. 4. 11. I am in feare of you least I haue bestowed labour on you in vaine i. seeing no fruit of my labour in your conuersion The matter of the gratulation and thanksgiuing is their Faith which is not simply named but propounded by way of circumlocution and as it were described by certaine degrees The first degree in this description or rather definition of their faith is their hearing of the word when yee receiued of vs the word of the preaching of God which words in the greeke are thus because receiuing the word of hearing from vs of God both haue one meaning but I rather follow the Greeke verbatim because he speaketh here especially of their act of beleeuing the first degree whereof is hearing and emplyeth his act of preaching in these words from or of vs. It is called the word of the hearing of God because there is no light or ground of the Gospell in mans reason he hath not the least sparkle of this knowledge of God in Christ in him therefore the Apostle saith Rom. 10. 14. Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the Preacher Adam was created perfect man in all the faculties of his reasonable soule yet was hee without this knowledge which was hid in God and reuealed and preached to him by God himselfe after his fall Gen. 3. 15. who foreseeing the fall foresaw the remedy also This sauing knowledge God likewise reuealed to Abraham Gen. 18. 18. and afterward preached the same by typicall ceremonies and by the Prophets to his church lastly by his owne Sonne who hath reuealed all the wisdome of God concerning mans iustification and saluation and accomplisht the same in himselfe and the sonne hauing all power and authoritie giuen of his Father in heauen and earth hath preached the same to vs Gentiles by his Apostles and Euangelists Pastours and Teachers Againe it is called the word of hearing after the imitation of the Hebrew for the word heare or which you heard Now to heare this word of faith preached is meerely of grace and is the first degree of faith The gracelesse viz. naturall men will not patiently heare this word of the preaching of God it is to them foolishnes and vaine talke for they make this doctrine and profession groundlesse and to no end Groundlesse because they comprehend not the same by their carnall reason To no end because they measure euery thing by the worldly vse profit or pleasure thereof 1 Cor. 1. 18. Praedicatio Euang. est ijs qui periunt stultitia In Act. 7. 57. 58. The Iewes stopped their eares at Stephens preaching c. Act. 19 24. The multitude of the Ephesians when Alexander shewed them of Paul and his doctrine c. Act. 23. Ananias the high Priest caused Paul to be smitten on the mouth in the very beginning of his Apologie The Turkes Iewes and Papists are ready to stop their eares as soone as they heare the truth Yea and many protestant Atheists and Epicures would at no hand heare the word if they were at their owne libertie they hate and deride the very name of a Preacher and cannot looke on a blacke coate as these blacke mouthed hell-hounds terme them with a patient eye which shewes that they hate our calling and are the enemies of God and their owne saluation And that enuious murtherous heart which shewes it selfe now in mocks and taunts would shew it selfe in open rage and cruelty if it were not bound in with chains and bonds of iron 2. Degree of their Faith is in these first words when ye receiued of vs c. This is the second degree of faith after we haue heard the word to giue assent in general to the same as true and to approue of it as good And this is also meerely of grace for there are many which heare but their hearing is not mingled with faith and therefore they profit nothing by hearing Heb. 4. 2. The Gospell was preached to them as also to vs but the word which they heard profited not them because it was not mixed with faith in those that heard it And Paul saith 1 Cor. 2. 14. The naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishinesse vnto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned In Acts 17. 18. When Paul preached at Athens certaine Philosophers of the Epicures and Stoikes heard him but some counted him a babler and others a setter forth of strange Gods This generall consent vnto the word preached in man is of grace but this is not sauing grace for the Deuills beleeue also and tremble Iames 2. 19. I say it is of grace in man because he cannot do this by supernaturall light but the Diuels by light of nature not by created light but by obseruation 3. Degree of their faith is expressed in the middle of the verse in these words ye receiued it c. This word receiued is twise vsed in the english but it is of differing significations as the Greeke and Latine doe shew The former is in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 accipere the latter is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 excipere the former whereof signifieth to receiue or take willingly or
world which you doe call wise sensible men are ledde by their sense and worldly craft to the Deuills Larder-house And as the Apostle sayes when they thinke themselues to be wise they become very fooles I haue spoken thus boldly vnto you because I take you to be my friend for I am sure that I am yours if you any way doubt of it try mee in any thing wherein I can pleasure you onely let mee intreat you to consider well of this point that you and I haue thus reasoned of I haue a good hope that howsoeuer you haue beene misledde a long time all the Angells in Heauen shall reioyce in your conuersion And I doe like you a great deale the better because you haue not left mee and gone away from mee in a chase especiallie being that I haue dealt so plainely with you as I haue done Mataeolog I can tell you if you had spoken so to some of our towne they would sit on your skirts while they liued Eulalus Like enough for it is the property of flesh and bloud to be reuengefull but the Apostle teacheth vs another lesson Auenge not your selues I will repay saith the Lord My skirts are as well able to beare a Feather as it is to sit on them I trust that so long as I giue them no other occasion then I haue done they shall haue no fast sitting for the Lord will not leaue them that feare him in their enemies hands The Lord grant that I may see some fruits of this conference in you at our next meeting By this short Dialogue it appeareth how the word of GOD is most commonly and generally heard and receiued yea euen of all that are not sanctified For they doe either altogether heare it as the word of man or at least when it is particularly applied for their conuersion and reformation then begin they euer to seeke out arguments for the Sophister the Father of lyes is at hand for their hard hearts for their lustfull liuing for the saluing of an euill and corrupt conscience drawne from the person of the Minister yea and to seeke out another shepheard some that Satan hath pickt in at the window whom they may obiect against him who if hee be a good Scholler politicke and crafty for his owne aduantage and of Gentleman-like fashion then is hee and such like to be preferred before their owne Minister and such like without all compare And indeede to say the truth there is no more comparison betweene them then betweene Paul and the learned preachers that so flourisht at Corinth A foole will seeke out excuses for his foolishnes Wherefore seeing that this is the fourth and highest degree of Faith whereby a man euen steps vp into heauen the Apostle and all faithfull Shepheards haue great cause of reioycing as the Angells in Heauen also haue and of thanksgiuing without ceasing when any man heareth the word not as theirs but as Gods seeing that they alone and none but they doe heare know and follow Christ their chiefe shepheard This then is the condemnation of the world that they heare indeede but with vnbeleeuing hearts doubting and wauering minds and in a dreaming and slumbering manner being like to Salomons sluggard Prouerbs 6. 10. Yet a little sleepe a little slumber a little foulding of the hands to sleepe the weather is colde there is a Beare or a Lyon in the way It is yet early enough there is no time yet ouerpast many labour and trauell hauing no rest night nor day yet doe they liue and die in pouerty many lye and sleepe yet wealth commeth on them vnlooked for That which will be will be It is but euen happen good haue good one good fortune or other will befall mee I shall doe as well as I can and as others haue done before mee And thus doth slothfulnesse get the vpper hand and hold possession still till at the length pouerty come sodenly and necessity like an armed man This is the common practise of dead hearted and worldly minded men they are continually called vpon iogged and rouzed yet they heare and heare not like dreamers and are possest with the spirit of slumber Their hearts are fixed and affections set on the earth and earthly things euen as the tree is fixed and rooted in the earth They loue to lye and liue securely in sinne being drunken with the profits pleasures delights pompe and pride of this world hauing no affection nor fancy to God and godly things being adulterers adulteresses and fornicators of this world altogether vnlike and contrary to the spouse of Christ in the Canticles Hence it is that they imagine and reason in themselues like the sluggard yet a little more pleasure in sinne a little more solace and delight in fleshly lusts a little longer space of liuing after the pleasant conceits and imaginations of mine owne heart there is yet no time ouer-past I shall repent and amend in my latter dayes God is mercifull and will not so strictly deale with vs as these precise Preachers doe beare vs in hand that would haue vs to be ruled and ordered by their phantasticall imaginations they would haue they know not what and for ought we see they are as ill as others This precise kinde of preaching is come vp but of late yeares and I thinke there were as good Christians before as euer there haue beene since These and a thousand such like follies doe they imagine and vtter tending all to the blinding and hardning of themselues in their sinfull and rebellious courses That which a man hath a speciall loue liking and inclination to of himselfe hee may soone be perswaded vnto by another for any reason though neuer so weake and seely feedeth him and confirmeth him whereas the strongest disswasions that may be shall preuaile little or nothing or but for the time present Againe on the contrary if a man out of his owne heart and iudgement haue no liking nor inclination though hee be neuer so earnestly set vpon and by most sound and strong reasons be disswaded by another yet can hee be little moued or stirred but euer returneth backe againe to his former dislikes like the heauy stone that being rouled by great strength vpward doth of it selfe retire backe againe so soone as we hold off our hands Thus it is with obstinate sinners whose hearts are heauy and stony the strongest reasons that may be though neuer so plaine and euident yea the very bare word of the text being the immediate word of God can preuaile little or nothing with them they are so strongly possest with contrary imaginations lusts and desires but on the contrary any weake silly and foolish reason any ignorant speech groundlesse opinion feedeth them and confirmeth them in their sinfull courses Any thing will perswade the sluggard to be idle so any thing will mooue the sinner to spirituall idlenesse And thus will those drunken and sleepy sinners doe till death summon them to iudgement