that is first such an heart as they might feare him for therefore their answere was disliked although their words were good because they proceeded not from such an heart But this speech of the Lord in this manner vttered raiseth a doubt in the hearer what hee should meane by wishing such an heart as though the feare of God could not grow in any heart and likewise come from it and if it bee so what heart is that hee wisheth vnto them To the which may be answered that the feare of God and obedience to his commaundements doe not come from euery heart neither doth such fruite grow in euery garden Note and it must be such an heart indeede as cannot be matched neither hath any fellow or companion But what manner of heart is that you will say you doe not vnderstand what hee meaneth I answere therefore further that by such an heart he meaneth in one word an heart conuerted to God more particularly an heart broken with sorrow for sinne and the feare of damnation yet quieted againe and eased by beleeuing the remission of sinne and sanctified also to newnes of life Euen such an heart is fit to breed the feare of God and in such an heart it can dwell and in no other And that is called by our Sauiour a good heart which onely and no other can bring forth good things For so he saith a good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things and contrariwise so that if the heart be good that is truely turned to God then it is fitted for that which God here wished to his people that is to feare him and keepe his commandements and not else Now for proofe that it must be thus the scripture is cleare and plentifull As first that the heart must bee wounded for sinne and broken with sorrow and feare till it bee sicke againe is prooued by the words of our Sauiour where hee saith The whole haue no neede of the Physitian but the sicke And they in the Acts were pricked in conscience for their wofull estate before they came to Peter to aske how they might bee healed but then they came to him and the other Apostles though they had railed on them before and said Men and brethren what shall we doe As if they should haue said in this our distresse and dispayring in our selues what helpe can ye minister vnto vs or ease vnto our soules This contrition and sorrow is one of the three things which helpe to make the euill heart good And yet this without the other two is nothing to this purpose but fit onely to raise vp flashes and feares of hell to the tormenting of the conscience and the holding of it in slauerie and bondage for which cause it is called of the Apostle the spirit of bondage But this being rightly vsed maketh a most direct way to the renuing and changing of the heart that it may be good To proceede therefore the second thing required to make the heart good is faith vnfained that the afflicted minde may see and beleeue the sinnes of it to bee pardoned to the easing and quieting of it which then standeth in need of it and most earnestly desireth it and the Lord hath giuen a free grant of it vnto such as are thus prepared for it by earnest desiring it euen as in the forementioned place the Lord saith I am a physitian for the sicke and in another place I will giue the water of life vnto such as thirst which the sicke and troubled conscience hearing counteth it the happiest and welcomest tidings that could be brought vnto it and so by due and aduised considering it laieth holde of it though weakely and by little and little the Lord inabling the partie and so beleeueth that it is as effectuallie offered to him as to any of Gods children that haue already imbraced it And this mightily worketh both to ease and quiet and also to quicken him who was before so cast downe and troubled And thus to passe to the third thing requisite to the reforming and rectifying of the heart that the true feare of God may proceede from thence the partie being thus perswaded of the loue of God and the free remission of sinne and what vnlooked for contentment he hath thereby breaketh forth into the praise of God with admiring his kindnes and saith what thankes shall I giue vnto the Lord for his vnspeakeable mercy vnto me What shall I offer vnto the Lord for this his great goodnesse And so hee being constrained by the loue of God so shed into his heart is perswaded and inabled in good sort to goe about the dutie which God requireth indeuoring and purposing to walke before him in vprightnes and innocencie for euer after And this desire of his not being frothie and rash stirred vp of more and painefull feare as in many wicked ones it is but proceeding from faith which worketh by loue and from the certaintie of the fauour of God assured to him by the holy Ghost is not a suddaine passion in him which is hot and feruent for the present onely but comming from so good a foundation and ground sanctifieth him effectually by working a dislike of euill because it is euil and an heartie and vnfained loue of al goodnesse which grace being thus wrought in him is the third thing required to the changing of the heart and turning of it vnto God And this must go with faith as we are taught in the Epistle to the Corinthians where he saith Seeing we haue these promises let vs clense our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit and grow vp to full holines in the feare of God With this agreeth that of Saint Iohn that if we haue the hope which is the daughter of faith we purge our selues from sinne as it commeth to our sight Thus I haue shewed what graces of God must necessarily be planted in the heart that it may bring foorth this fruit I mean the feare of God that so it may become such an hart as God heere wisheth the people when he saith oh that there were such an heart in them Now that the Christian Reader may not be deceiued in iudging whether he hath such an heart or not I will adde some caueats about these three properties which make the heart good that he examining and obseruing them may see whether he haue them or no. And to begin let him know that about the first of them which is pricke or wound of conscience and feare of Gods displeasure for the same I giue these two caueats or watch-words The one is this that if God presse our consciences with the powerfull preaching of his word Note and accuse and arrest them thereby that we in no wise resist that worke of grace but submit our selues thereto seeing he vseth to do so to them whom he will saue The other that being
arrested thus by him in any wise we despaire not In both which we might be like easily to offend if we should not take this warning and watchword Both are very necessarie for as we are readie to run to extremities in all other things rather then to keepe a meane and that which is commendable betwixt both so do we easily encline thereto in these For either men are slie and subtill to shun all sorrow and checke of conscience for sinne or if they can no longer they are readie to despaire In the first they may fitly be compared to them who are taken with sicknesse and yet will beare it out too long as though they would driue it away by ill entertaining it rather then to betake themselues to their chamber or to fall into the Physitians hands euen so will they wind out of Gods hands I say rather then they will be holden vnder of feare and griefe In the last they are like to a theefe who being apprehended vpon stealing some twelue-penie matter fals to confesse that he hath stollen a horse without any examining and so brings him selfe into perill of his life So these men if they once be checked in their conscience iustly whereby they ought to accuse themselues and bewaile their sinne with hope of pardon fall to remember many other faults and so cast off all hope of forgiuenesse and so despaire For as men are verie hardly brought to yeeld to any wounding of their conscience be it neuer so iust so if they must needs commonly they haue no stay but go too farre whereby they are constrained to crie out they are damned and so lie long in woe and torment where they need not These two things therefore regard about the first point namely the pricke of conscience About the second which is faith these two caueats are to be marked The one that a man seeking faith for no other shall find it beleeue not too hastily and rashly that is without warrant of the Scripture and word of God The other that hauing warrant Note he refuse not to beleeue neither reason against it but applie it to himselfe and resist doubting Both are alike necessarie the first for the bold and such as feele their sin to be no great burthen to their conscience and yet of al other are most ready to affirme that they beleeue in Iesus Christ which he himselfe flatly denieth saying I came not to call the righteous that is such as feele as little burthen of their sin as if they were righteous but sinners who feele the burthē of their sin as a debter doth his debt vnto repentance The second caueat is as necessary for the afflicted conscience who though he haue right to the promise by Christs free grant yet through weaknesse and want of experience is holden from beleeuing and clasping about it and all because he doth not duly consider his libertie and the warrant that he hath from Christ for his so doing Wherein although I deny not but that Gods prouidence ruleth yet the partie offendeth for that he doth not embrace that which is freely giuen him by God and by meanes thereof he cannot praise and be thankfull to God for it About the third point that is necessarily required to make the heart good which is sanctification these two watch-words are to be receiued The one that he of whom we speak do loue goodnesse and loath euill not some one or few lest he deceiue himselfe about it but all nor in priuate respects but because it is euill and hated of God The other that these two namely to loath and loue be constantly setled in him for continuance The reason of both is manifest as of the former for if one sin should be loathed and another loued some disliked and shamed and other delighted in and embraced what could be more ridiculous and further off from the nature of true repentance For the offence to men and the dishonor which might arise to God thereby in some few euill actions Note could not be satisfied nor answered by many good actions A thing worthie to be noted seeing many take libertie against their conscience to doe what they desire to doe and yet will be counted repentant persons as well as the best and this be said of the first of these two caueats For the second if a man should be very forward in abhorring sinne at the first and afterward should grow slouthfull and carelesse and make no conscience of wicked desires and breake out into loosenesse of heart this were enough to blemish his sanctification how sound soeuer it might haue seemed if not to bewray it to haue beene meere hypocrisie which of the two would bee thought most likely Thus I haue said that which I thought meete of this matter to helpe him that desireth it to attaine such an heart as bringeth forth the feare of God euen that which God requireth And seeing thus much is necessary and no lesse Note to get such an heart namely to haue it broken healed againe by faith and mortified and seeing so great heede is to be taken that all these be wrought in the heart aright and indeede all may see good reason why God wisheth such an heart to be in all those who would be accepted of him and what a rich iewell and treasure such an heart is and by necessary consequence how ill it will go with all such as be without it THE SECOND SERMON VPON THE SAME TEXT I Shewed last of all what a iewel such a good heart is and in what wofull and dangerous estate they are in who are without it but more heauy it is that it is not regarded which is too common because the most are foolish and weigh nothing throughly if it agree not with their appetite when yet to speake as the truth is Note whatsoeuer wit eloquence or learning bee in any whatsoeuer nobility birth or dignity whatsoeuer manhood and stomack wealth or beauty they are all as nothing without this that is such an heart as I haue mentioned to make a man happie or to commend him to God Nay I say more whatsoeuer shew of Religion bee in any as that he could speake out of the Scripture plentifully if he could alleage all authorities out of the word of God and of Fathers yea if he could possibly speake with the tongues of Angels and had not this euen such an heart as God wisheth to be in them that shall please him it were nothing for such a one should bee but as S. Paul speaketh in the like case of loue a fruit of it as a sounding brasse and as a tinkling cymball And therefore how much is the estate of such to be bewailed as haue scarcely any whit of all this which I haue now named and are as farre from such an heart as the East is from the West And to come home to our selues how is the people of this age bewitched and blindfolded that when God
who are pinched with seeing their necessitie and want of Gods fauour and yet are perswaded that without it they cannot bee saued nor haue any peace they beside going out to heare will also question further about their estate and in the heauinesse of their hearts will say to the Lords Merchants who are furnished with all store fit for them Sirs what shall we doe to be saued that so we may attaine thereto But this is further to bee marked that as the Iaylor heere sought out for himselfe and moued question about his saluation was perswaded that they were both able to tell him that which hee asked them and was resolued as wee see by that which followeth to rest vpon and embrace their answere as from God so there must bee in those who are pricked in their consciences so much wisedome as to repaire to those men and brethren who can and will resolue their doubts and they must bee also readie to receiue the same from their mouthes as from the messengers of God when it shall in the euidence of the spirit and the perswasion of their consciences bee deliuered vnto them For the word of God being rightly applied will work kindly vpon them and quiet them whereas other comforts will not fasten on them nor satisfie them But vntill men doe begin to question about their estate they are in no forwardnes toward their saluation Quest If it bee asked whether all must of necessitie moue questions about it Answ I answere yea vnlesse such doubts as arise about the same be cleerely answered by publike preaching And yet herein they who propound them must be wise and prepared as I haue said to be directed by the answere which shall be giuen them from God euen as Cornelius said vnto Peter when he came to his house to tell him what he should doe of himselfe his kinsmen and especiall friends Wee are now here present before God to heare all things that are commanded thee of him And thus much of the Iaylors question one of the neerer meanes of his conuersion Now followeth another of them and that is the Apostles answere namely that hee should beleeue in the Lord Iesus and he should be saued This therfore is well to be considered For this was the thing which he stood in need of and that without the which he could not be saued For hee being alreadie throughly troubled in his conscience needed not to bee vrged to sorrow and prick of heart fearing damnation alreadie for his horrible sinnes but had need of comfort rather through the forgiuenes thereof which hee could no otherwise obtaine but by faith And therefore they required this of him namely that he should beleeue in the Lord Iesus for the remission of his sinnes rather then any other thing because hauing this the loue of Christ which hee should see thereby towards him would constraine him sooner then any thing else to set vpon and endeuour after the doing of his will which is repentance Neither let any here gather by this that it was in his power to beleeue faith being the free gift of God but it was necessarie that hee should know so much namely that hee must beleeue to the end he might both be the better prepared to aske and learne of them how hee should come to obtaine it and also esteeme more highly and preciously of it which is the next way to come by it This point is the more to be marked because that which I haue said of the Apostles words to him must without any further labour be receiued and applied to all that are in the same estate that he was in For to make this former exposition of their words to serue also for doctrine what is needfull for any which are as the Iaylor was terrified and troubled with the feare of hell and stricken with the wound of conscience for their sinnes I say what is needfull to such in any sort like vnto this that they should know they are all washed away by the blood of Christ which is all one as to beleeue in him that he hath pardoned them For to such as so feele themselues lost is the promise made so that they beleeue not before the time but haue good leaue and libertie from God so to do neither therefore ought they to neglect or refuse so to doe while they feele what need and desire they haue of it And this be said of the Apostles answere which was the second meane of the Iailers conuersion more neare The third followeth which was their preaching of the word of God vnto him whereby he was brought to beleeue and so to be conuerted Heere for the clearing of this point because it is not particularly expressed what doctrine they preached but only in generall the word of God it need not trouble any what the things were which they taught for seeing it is said afterward that he beleeued it is manifest that they preached of such points to him as might worke and beget faith in him And seeing he was alreadie terrified and full of anguish for that he saw himselfe in the estate of damnation it is certaine that they told him that he was in the way to receiue mercie And it is also out of doubt that they preached this that Iesus Christ came into the world to saue such as in the case in which he was were void of all other hope And that they taught him to applie wisely and kindly his merits as the only remedie and medicine fit to heale his deadly and running sore and that they heartened and encouraged him in Christs name to lay hold of the same and to beleeue and to be perswaded that he was giuen and sent into the world of his Father to saue and deliuer from endlesse thraldome and woe such miserable sinners and also that they answered his obiections namely that he doubted he came not to saue such great sinners as he was and such like For this is the doctrine that he had need to be throughly instructed in and furnished with and all to this end that he might be bold to beleeue it Thus they preaching vnto him and confirming in him that which he had namely the desire he had in that heauie estate of his to be saued and helping him to that which he had not that is the promise of eternall life God so wrought in him thereby that he embraced it and rested vpon it by faith so that he euen he appeared then to be one of them for whom Christ died and whom he came to saue according to that which is said by the Apostle faith commeth by hearing of the word of God preached and againe with the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse and consequently to saluation To that doctrine they I meane Paul and Silas added also this that he which beleeueth and hath the hope that maketh not ashamed purgeth himselfe also from the sinne that he findeth in
he teacheth him to know Christ For a cleare and distinct knowledge of him is necessarie before we can beleeue And not only he preached Christ but also more generally the word of God that is euen other things to assure them of Christ And that must be the matter of our preaching we must not build our faith on the word of man but of God and great reason For faith vpholds a great waight euen our saluation lieth vpon it Faith in Christ therefore needs a strong foundation and such an one is Gods word that which is built on it is built on a sure rocke mans word is sandie not able to beare vp any thing And thus hauing briefly noted as I promised other things in the text I will returne to the points following in the diuision of the text Therefore now follow the effects of his faith which also are the fruits of it These as they are set downe heere and such as for that time he had opportunitie to shew by which also we may certainly gather that other fruits of faith were in him these I say may be referred to three The first was his baptisme the next his reioycing for his owne and his housholds beleeuing the third containe certaine duties of mercie and loue as his bringing them out of prison into his house his washing their stripes and refreshing of their hungrie bodies with meate Where first note this generally that good workes follow faith as the heate doth the fire So soone as the theefe beleeued he confesseth Christ sheweth other fruits of his faith such as in that time he could So this man doth the same by his loue to Gods seruants And he doth it immediately euen the same houre of the night as they were readie to teach euen so was he to minister to their necessities But this doctrine is manifest looke we into the particulars Of the which I will begin with that which most neerely concerneth this matter and that is the sealing and confirming of his faith and the making of it sure vnto him that he beleeued indeed I meane that he was baptised For what would a man in his case desire more then to haue proofe and testimony that he beleeued when thereby he was partaker of Christ and of eternall life And Baptisme was an open badge of Christ and of his righteousnesse receiued by faith euen as Circumcision was vnto the Fathers in the old Testament Obiect But what haste ye will perhaps say could not that be deferred till day at least for it is said he was baptised in the same houre of the night after they had preached to him and his houshold which was a little after midnight Answ I answere it is not to be maruelled at that he desired speed in that so waightie a matter For they that haue faith thinke long till they may haue it sealed and ratified And is there not good reason thereof If a man had the writing of a great inheritance passed ouer to him would he not thinke it long till he had the seale And great matters were that night passed ouer by the Lord to him euen heauen life saluation and happinesse These therfore he desireth to haue Gods seale set vnto And so as he may haue this he cares not for his sleepe or his ease neither feares he any trouble that might ensue vpō it And this teacheth al such as God endueth with faith whē they haue sought it earnestly to seek by al means speedily to haue it confirmed vnto them and to get all possible testimonies thereof For as nothing in the world is so precious as it is and therefore not with like care to bee sought so neither is any thing with like regard to be preserued and witnessed to them that haue it Which I speake as well for the ignorants sake who know not that there may many euidences be gathered of their saluation as to stirre vp those who haue better vnderstanding who though they know it yet find many wayes to hinder themselues from this benefit For it may iustly be complained of that it is too slightly looked after of the most part But to set downe any of them heere I forbeare because I haue done it in many other places and some follow immediately to be mentioned The next fruit of faith which also to make good my last speech is an infallible token of eternal life to them that haue it is ioy for that he beleeued in God Which being rightly vnderstood is no lesse For although many heare and receiue the word with ioy because they heare most precious and strange things brought to light by the preaching of it yet this is not the ioy I speake of but to haue inward peace and ioy through beleeuing that al sinne is put away which sometime weighed vs downe for the feare of hell deserued and sore disquieted our hearts this ioy I say is a fruit of faith and a token of saluation as Saint Paul saith we haue peace with God which cannot deceiue vs if we be once by faith iustified For when we who were without hope sometime yea in great feare that we should neuer see God in his glorie shall come to haue our hearts eased and find rest to our soules Is it not a sure argument that God hath put away all our iniquitie and receiued vs graciously no more to turne his displeasure and angrie countenance toward vs what is able to make vs ioyfull but that perswasion and yet if that can do it it followeth also that by such ioy we haue that which causeth it Obiect And because many boast of false ioy from which none can disswade an Hypocrite therefore who can be secured from feare of it but he may ye will say be deceiued Answ I answere as the painted fire may be discerned from that which burneth indeed so may the beleeuers ioy be discerned from the other euen as true sorrow which is sorrow indeed may be from that which is counterfeit For as Salomon saith the heart knoweth her owne heauinesse and the stranger shall not be partaker of her ioy so thereby we may gather that as heauinesse is felt so is ioy also which no other but he that hath it can haue any part in For the other trieth it not in the true weights of Gods word which is proofe enough that it is frothie deceiueable and not sound whereas the true beleeuer thinketh he can neuer bestow too much labour to know that his comfort is wrought by God and shed into his hart by the holy Ghost because it is his crowne and glorie and that wherein his happinesse consisteth as the Queenes chiefe chamberlaine the people of Samaria when they were conuerted by Philip and the other churches of Iudea and Galile did well testifie Neither let this trouble any that the godly do oft want this ioy yea and haue it many times drowned with deepe sorrowes
truly penitent that vsed these ceremonies Therefore according to his meaning let vs learne this that when we make account that we do repent let vs see that it be true and heartie not fained and hypocriticall And therin we must see that we be setled and stablished not flitting nor off and on as the manner of the most is to offer to God such cracked halfe seruice Now as by repentance heere he meaneth the whole conuersion of a man which consisteth in the pricke of conscience faith in Gods promises and care of amendment of life so must mens repentings be and not be patched and pieced with shreds and rags of our owne deuising but currant and approued hauing all these three parts in it For else as a ragge it will soone weare away whereas it is to be preserued vpholden and continued and the longer we liue to be better testified that it is true and vnfained indeed And thus do and prosper such a foundation laid shall be fit to be builded vpon proportionablie and when wee haue thus begun in the same manner go we forward till we and all other that list may see that our repentance is that which is not to be repented of And for want of this as they who did neuer rightly begin shall haue nothing whereof they may reioyce whatsoeuer their shewes be so they who haue begun well yet without such a proceeding shall euer be readie to stagger and to doubt whether they did euer rightly begin to beleeue and repent or no which who doth not see what a continuall disquietnes and discomfort it breeds whereas they who are setled and commendablie go forward shall hold the confidence and reioycing of their hope vnto the end And this of the whole FINIS TWO SERMONS VPON ACTS 9.31 Then had the Churches rest through all Iudea and Galilie and Samaria and were edified and walking in the feare of the Lord and the comfort of the holy Ghost were multiplied HAuing in some of the former Sermons taught that Christiās should passe the whole time of their dwelling heere in holy feare of offending God and namely that part of their life which is passed in outward peace and prosperity which blessing of God the most part doe greatly abuse I thought it both verie pertinent and also profitable to shew and set downe some examples of such as haue done so and examples not of one man two or three but of whole particular Churches who may be paternes of well vsing outward peace and rest from persecution and trouble to the worlds end Here therfore in this text I meane to lay out the meaning thereof you may see people of no long continuance for the most of them in the profession of the Gospell who as they had been hardly holden vnder of trouble and persecution in all the three places of Iudea Samaria and Galily and yet reuolted not from their religion neither fainted in their hope so now when God gaue them a breathing time as it were of outward peace and rest from their former persecution they neglected not the occasion offered them but tooke the opportunitie to benefit themselues in the practise of godlinesse to their high commendation and to the example of all posteritie that should come after them For they vsed all good meanes both in communion and meeting together publikely and priuately by hearing the Apostles doctrine and conference of the same and euery one by himselfe in reading and prayer to set themselues forward therein And by these and such like meanes they builded vp themselues in sauing and effectuall knowledge in faith hope patience loue and other graces of God and rested not there but also shewed the same forth in their liues before men with great ioy of heart to themselues Neither was this their holy and heauenly course without fruit for the Lord blessed it abundantly to the praise of his name in the conuersion of many For so it is said in the text that they were multiplied that is the number of them who were beleeuers in Christ was encreased the Lord adding vnto them that is to the Church through the good example which they gaue many euen of the bad sort which liued among them And so the word multiplied is to be vnderstood as in the originall tongue most clearely may appeare and not as it is taken in some translations that is to say that they were multiplied by the comfort of the holy Ghost for that altereth the sense of the place which is this as I haue said that the faithfull were multiplied encreased in number other who had been vnbeleeuers before being brought to the faith and not as the translaters take it that the comfort of the faithfull was multiplied Thus much be said for the coherence of this text with the former and for the laying out of the meaning of it Now follow the parts of it and they are generally two The one is the setting downe of the state of these Churches of Iudea Samaria and Galilie at that time namely that they were not vnder persecution as a while before they had been but they had rest from it The other part is the vse that was made of it amongst them The vse of this peace or rest from persecution was made by two sorts of people· the one was the faithfull and beleeuers the other those which beleeued not The vse that the faithfull made of it was threefold the one that they for their owne parts grew in grace and in the gifts of God For it is said they were edified that is builded vp if ye aske wherein the answere is in faith and the fruits of it as Iude in his Epistle wrote to the Churches that they should be builded vp in their most holy faith The second vse they made of their peace was that they did shew foorth the same grace and faith in their liues before men for so it is said they walked through the course of their liues in the feare of the Lord. The third was they did by both prouide and procure to themselues a sweete and a sound comfort in their liues which few heere enioy for so it is said they were comforted by the holy Ghost The vse the bad sort and vnbeleeuers made of it was this that they learned by the examples of the other to embrace the Gospell and to be good in that time of rest from persecution and became followers of the Churches for they would not haue been multiplied if the other had not been added to them But to begin before I speake of outward peace and rest from persecution first let it be marked that those Churches were before this vnder persecution to teach vs that although God loue his people dearely and can afford them his good benefits of all sorts in this life as he bestowed the best vpon these yet he seeth it good to exercise them with sundrie afflictions as he saith whom I loue I correct And
then be earnest and harty as we see this our Apostles was he stirreth them to it againe and againe and in many places that it may worke the like impression in them that it had in his heart Begin with thy selfe to say I haue repented and hate my sinne therefore I exhort and call vpon others to repent I haue left my swearing and therefore cannot abide it I reioyce in God and am filled with ioy and therefore I exhort others vnto it This then being a duty required of all that are to exhort obserue what speciall duty it layeth vpon the minister and publike teacher of the word of God for he being by his place and calling to exhort to euery good duty and to dehort from euery vice he had neede to take more especial and extraordinary paines with his owne heart that he may himselfe be wanting in nothing but his mouth may speake from the abundance of that which his heart hath wrought in it that there be not any vice but his heart hath both expelled it out and setled in it the hatred of the same not any vertue of faith of repentance of ioy but he hath had them already wrought in his heart Doct. 2 Againe secondly for the person that giueth this exhortation cōsider that it is Paul an Apostle that exhorteth vs as an Ambassadour sent from God and speaking from God as the preface of the Epistle sheweth Which consideration as it setteth an edge vpon the exhortation so ought it to sharpen and whet vs on to be the more eager to follow it And thus much it shall suffice to haue obserued of the party exhorting Expressed in the repetition of the exhortation I say Now I come to the persons exhorted and they are the Philippians as I said faithfull and righteous whom the Apostle in the first verse called beloued and longed for brethren and so to those who are such this exhortation in many places is expressely limited In the 32. Psalme be glad yee righteous and reioyce in the Lord and be ioyfull all yee that are vpright in heart and in Psal 33.1 Reioyce in the Lord O ye righteous for it becommeth vpright men to be thankefull here we see the wicked are shut out haue no part nor portion in this ioy and that is wel seene for what ioy haue worldly men in God or heauenly things but in pleasures profits But another duty belongeth vnto thē which the Apostle S. Iames exhorteth them vnto bidding thē to weep howle though they be rich men if they be oppressors and wicked be not rich in God And againe chap. 4. vers 9. Waile and sorrow ye sinners and weep let your laughter be turned into mourning your ioy into heauines The reason of the restraint and limiting of it to the faithfull is easy and yet very worthy to be stood vpon for as for the righteous they haue both great cause to reioyce and great neede to be stirred vp to this duty whereas the wicked haue neither any true cause of sound ioy neither feele they any need of it That the faithfull haue need to be stirred to this duty we cannot be ignorant if we consider that which the Psalmist writeth Psalme 34.19 and the whole Scripture accordeth with that Many are the troubles of the righteous And whosoeuer will follow Christ he must forsake father mother goods lands brethren sisters life al and take vp his crosse daily follow him for such is the rage of Satan the malice of the wicked as against the whole Church in generall so against all the godly that they neuer can haue as it were peaceable houres but so soone as they haue giuen their names to Christ and are entred into his schoole they haue one trouble and vexation or other to wrestle withall They see matter of griefe sorrow within them without them and round about them Within them they haue wicked rebellion of their owne harts to be as it were pricks and thornes in their flesh to gall and vex and disquiet them they haue Satan continually casting his deadly and fiery darts of tentations into their soules And all the world in a manner they shall see to be as it were banded and combined together against them in mocks in taunts in slanders in whatsoeuer iniuries and ill turnes and mischiefes they can doe vnto them Alas any one of these were cause sufficient to make the children of God heauy pensiue and sorrowfull for their strength is not the strength of stones nor their flesh of brosse as Iob speaketh of himselfe in the sixth of his booke but these pearce and wound them deepely to their very soules great need therefore the faithfull haue to be raised vp from this sorrow and heauines of heart to reioyce and be made merry in the Lord. for should they haue no ioy to help to counteruaile their sorrowes Note the life of the Christian were too tedious and grieuous to be endured by any the most patient sufferer in the world the troubles that accompany it are soe many and the sorrowes soe grieuous that they would eate out the very heart of the faithful quickly if it were not that ioy mixed and intermedled withall did mittigate the sense and ease and lighten the burthen of them As for wicked men they haue no such burthen of trouble and sorrowes to be eased of The diuell is not grieuous vnto them with his tentations be the tentations what they wil be they like them well they entertaine them they make much of them they are the welcomest guests that can come vnto them for their is no suggestion of Satan but it is euill there is no kinde of euill but the heart of a wicked man is prone vnto it If the diuell prouoke him to wrath and anger the heart is before straying after it If to vncleannesse to prophanesse to swearing c. these are all pleasing motions vnto the vnregenerate person Sin also and corruption that dwelleth and raigneth in him is not troublesome and grieuous vnto the wicked man Nay he is so farre from sorrowing because of this corruption that it is his darling and his delight It is as his right hand as his vse as his life and soule so deare is it vnto him yea rather he can endure to haue his goods his delights yea his very life taken away rather then to forgoe this sinne and corruption of his heart As for the world they and it are in a very quiet and friendly league for because they are of the world the world cannot at but loue it own as our Sauior teacheth vs Ioh. 15.19 So that the wicked haue no such enemies no troubles nor sorrowes as the righteous haue but they liue at peace with their sinne at peace with the deuill and at peace with the world They haue mirth enough and too much for them They neede not as they thinke neither care they
as to the wicked the end of ioy and the beginning of sorrow But it is the end of all labour and sorrow and the beginning of great and eternall ioyes Vse 1 The vse of this last point may be first to teach vs to acknowledge the tender respect that God hath ouer his children that though hee weane them from the ioyes which heere men take in toyes and trifles of this world yet he leaueth them not destitute at any time of ioy and comfort but willeth them to reioyce alwayes for we know that euerie commandement of the Gospell hath a promise annexed vnto it if by faith we lay hold on it If he command vs to repent in the Gospell this commandement hath a promise annexed that is if by faith we endeuour to repent we shall repent So when he commands vs to loue our enemies he giues with all to his a promise which being by faith apprehended enables vs to that dutie In like fort God commanding vs to reioyce alwaies promiseth if we be not wanting in our faith we may euer continue to reioyce Vse 2 Secondly if this be a dutie which the Lord requireth of vs at all times that we reioyce in him we ought continually to looke and haue an eye into our hearts to see whether this ioy in the Lord be there to be found or not Note and if we find it not neuer to rest vntill we find it wrought in vs yea we are to looke in whatsoeuer we set our selues vnto that we find this ioy to carrie vs and accompanie vs in the doing of it For as it is said 2. Cor. 9.7 The Lord loueth a cheerefull giuer so the Lord loueth a cheerefull seruer and worshipper of him a cheerefull hearer and cheerefulnesse in euery good duetie If we had more knowledge we might better reioyce if wee pray he requires cheerefulnesse in prayer if we be employed in our calling he requires that this also be performed cheerefully and with a glad heart Heere then commeth to be reprehended Note that naturall dulnesse and deadnesse of men when they come to pray and to do any dutie of Gods worship For we should come vnto them with our hearts filled and replenished with ioy So should we to whatsoeuer good thing and busines of our calling we set our selues about We must not go heauily about our businesse as a beare that had need to be haled and pulled to the stake Neither wish Oh that this busines or that worke were done If God in thy calling appoint thee vnto it thou must go about it cheerefully Thus Ministers Heb 13.17 must watch ouer their flocks with ioy cheerfulnes though the duty be very full of care and sleightly rewarded of men And Iacob we reade though his seruice was very laborious and toilsome which hee did vnto Laban being pinched with the frost in the night and the heat in the day yet the time of his seruice seemed but short vnto him One cause whereof no doubt was because he willingly tooke ioy and delight to walke in the duties of his calling with painfulnesse and diligence So should Masters reioyce in prouiding for the familie and doing the duetie of Masters Seruants in pleasing their Masters and doing the duetie of seruants Oâ— how happy and ioyfull a sight were this to see euery man thus to trauell with ioy and cheere in his calling To ioy I say not after a naturall and carnall manner but with a holy and religious ioy in doing both the generall dueties of Christianity and the particular dueties of his owne proper and peculiar calling This would cause both great ioy to euery man in his owne conscience that thus walketh and giue much encouragement to all that shall see and behold it THE THIRD SERMON VPON THE SAME TEXT NOw to goe forward in the Text the repetition which followeth after thus Againe I say reioyce briefely sheweth vs first the earnest affection the Apostle had to draw them to this dutie which proceeded from the abundance of his loue whereby he thought euery one of their ioy to be his owne as ye may reade 2. Cor. 2.3 He accounteth both the ioy and sorrow of the Corinthians to be his as they tooke his to be theirs Secondly this proceeded from the reason I touched before because himselfe was filled with this ioy and it is of that nature that in whose heart soeuer it is it cannot but dilate and communicate it selfe to others As we reade of the Iailer he reioyced and he could not keepe this ioy to himselfe but communicated it to his whole house Act. 16. For it is said he reioyced hauing beleeued with his whole house So Lydias heart being opened and dilated by the holy Ghost and the ioy of the Spirit she made her whole houshold partakers so farre as she could of the same grace The end whereunto this repetition tendeth is to make the exhortation more forcible and to imprint it the better and deeper in their hearts minds and memories and to make them more carefull of the practise of it For where the Spirit of God vseth these often doubled exhortations we must and ought to employ our greatest care and as it were our double diligence to learne them Obiect But you will say wherefore was the holy Ghost so earnest to repeat and redouble this precept aboue others Answ I answere First because this is a dutie as we see that is necessarie and requisite in a Christian at all times As without the which he can neither heare the Word aright nor pray aright nor do any dutie of his calling as he ought And if it be asked how other do that haue no part in this ioying in the Lord I answere they ioy in sinne And it would be seene that the wicked would be vtterly wearie of their life but for their goods and delights that they haue Secondly this dutie of reioycing thus in the Lord is the ground of all our thanksgiuing vnto God which is a maine and principall part of Gods worship For no man can truly be thankfull to God for any thing but he who hath wrought by one meanes or other some holy and heauenly ioy and delight in his soule Againe thirdly this reioycing in the Lord is a dutie very hard to performe for though it be easie for a man in worldly prosperity to reioyce after a natural and worldly manner yet to reioyce in the Lord and in a righteous and sound manner this is a most heauenly dutie and as crossing to the dumpish and earthly spirits of men as any thing can be And therefore we need as it were the more prickes and spurs to quicken vs on to this dutie being of our selues so flow and dull vnto it Dauid though he had an extraordinarie measure and portion for the most part of this ioy was wrought in his hart by the Spirit of God yet he complained oft of the losse and decay and absence of these heauenly ioyes
The first and the most principall is by the reuerent heedfull and attentiue hearing of the word of God For that as it hath bin the principall meane of God to beget faith and to breed and begin this ioy in thine heart so is it the chiefe and soueraigne meane whereby God will both continue and encrease this ioy in thee for he hath giuen this charge to his seruants whom he trusteth with his word to reueale and to discouer daily in the preaching of the Word more plainely vnto vs the riches of his grace in the Gospell Now it cannot be but the more cleere fight we come to haue of the mercie of God in Christ the more our hearts must needs take ioy and pleasure in it Secondly by the preaching of the Word we haue not only the eye of our vnderstanding cleared and the mists and vailes of our ignorance remedied but our affections are also whetted on to a greater delight and ioy in the goodnesse of God alreadie knowne vnto vs. Our memories also are continually renued and refreshed when we heare the same or the like doctrine promises and exhortations iterated and repeated vnto vs. Would we therfore euer haue our ioy to continue fresh and flourishing then let vs neuer be wearie of hearing the word of God taught and preached vnto vs this was the seed of our ioy and this is that which feedeth it causeth it to continue grow and florish and without which it cannot but wither decay and die in vs. But besides the preaching of the Word the Supper of the Lord is very effectuall to this purpose For hereby these mercies the cause of all our ioy are brought not onely to our minds and memories which is done by the preaching of the Word but nearer yet euen to our view and touch and taste that we may after a sort euen feele them with our hands and see them with our eyes and taste them with our mouthes To this seale of the Word we should adde the daily and continuall reading of the Word and Scriptures of God For what are the Scriptures but as one well termeth them the letter of the Creator to the creature the letter of God vnto man If we be delighted in reading ouer many times the kind letter of some speciall friend vnto vs we cannot but much more ioy in reading so kind and louing writings of God vnto vs. But the word of God is more fitly as I take it in the Scripture called the will and testament of God For herein the Lord hath set downe what inheritances what bequeathes and legacies he hath willed and bequeathed vnto vs. Can we reade these continually carefully and attentiuely and not be moued to ioy No it is impossible For it is not in this Testament of God as it is commonly in the wils of men There though there be many and great things bequeathed yet in a few readings ouer a man may come to sound the bottome of them But the will of God containeth an endlesse and bottomlesse sea of riches that a man can neuer sound the depth nor reach the bottome of it Note If he could reade ouer the Bible ten thousand times euery time hee should find if hee reade it carefully and heedfully new matter of ioy and more causes of reioycing then euer he found before Practise therefore this dutie of reading oh how glad would many great Kings and holy Prophets haue been to haue had these holy bookes of Scripture to reade which we haue now and could not To haue had I say those bookes which we now haue and are contented to let them lie by vs the whole day or weeke and neuer looke into them They reioyced to reade continually the darke and obscure promises of the bookes of Moses and the Prophets but we scarce vouchsafe to reade the cleare and manifest declaration of the glorious Gospell of Christ as it is by the Euangelists and Apostles written and recorded vnto vs. Their care in this and our carelesnesse in reading the Scriptures is one cause why they in those darke and mistie times reioyced by faith to see the day â—f Christ to come and we scarce reioyce to behold the 〈◊〉 â—hrist past and recorded vnto vs. Yee are therefore all 〈◊〉 be exhorted that are desirous of this happines and ioy whereunto you are by the Apostle exhorted if yee can reade that ye take euen euery day if it may be some little time some quarter of an houre at least to reade something in the Scripture or some godly books which may make you the more ioyfull and merrie in God all the day and night after If ye cannot reade nor cannot get conuenient means to learne yet be carefull that your children or seruants may that at the least you may heare them reade I know men will be readie heere to find excuses Thou doest not vnderstand it thou wilt say when thou readest it or hearest it read This it may be true in part some things thou canst not vnderstand but many things and those that most directly serue to comfort to instruct and cheere thee are so plaine and easie that it is impossible not to conceiue them For therefore hath the Lord written the greatest part of Scripture not by men of deepe and profound learning but by shepheards and fishers and heardmen and tentmakers that the simplest man that is willing to learne might conceiue them and no pretence or excuse might be left to them that will not Againe thou wilt be readie to find excuses from the businesse of thy calling thou hast wife and children to care for and a familie to prouide for therefore thou must follow thy calling to prouide for them and maintaine them These are idle and cold excuses for what if thou hast not only thy selfe thy wife and children and familie to prouide for but haddest a kingdome to rule and to order the cares troubles and businesses thereof these are no sufficient excuses to exempt thee from the reading and the daily reading of the word of God Marke the charge that is giuen to the King Deut. 17. the end He is to haue the booke of God continually by him And what must he then do let it lye by him for a shew or for other men to reade in No he must reade in this booke And marke when Al the dayes of his life that he may learne to feare God and to keepe the words of the law and not 〈◊〉 from the commandements to the right hand nor to the 〈…〉 may prolong his dayes This duty that is there layed vpon 〈◊〉 King lieth vpon euery Christian he is to reade the word of God that he may obserue it and it may be well vnto him Ioh. 5.39 Christ speaketh it to all the Iewes Search the Scriptures which they must doe by the continuall reading of them And euery where our Sauiour Christ alleageth to theÌ„ the reading of the word saying Haue you not read what Dauid did and
to a conclusion of all we haue seene how earnest the Lord is by the Apostle to call and exhort vs to this duty of reioycing in the Lord we haue also seene by what meanes we may attaine to this ioy if we yet haue it not and how many and speciall meanes God hath giuen vs to keepe and to encrease it when we haue it and to recouer it if we haue lost the sense and feeling of it What then is our duty but that we try and examine our owne hearts to finde whether euer we felt in our hearts any true reioycing in God and in good things and if we neuer knew what it meant let vs learne in that sort that I haue shewed to get it and so after to keepe it And especially by weaning our selues for the loue of this ioy from other delights pleasures and profits wherein we haue bin taken vp and willingly vndergoing troubles and crosses when God hath called vs vnto them for the same and so to keepe it And if we haue by carelesse negligence suffered the deuill to bereaue vs of this so rich and pretious a iewell of our ioy yet let vs by al meanes possible labour vncessantly day and night to renew and recouer that we haue lost and let vs neuer giue any rest vnto God nor vnto our owne hearts vntil we feele the heauenly sparkles of our former ioy againe kindled in vs. And when it hath pleased God againe to restore it to vs let vs beware greatly of a second relapse It is very easie without dilligent care taking to be lost and many enemies lie in waite to take it from vs. But it is not so easie to be found againe when it is lost The thiefe is not so chary to keepe thy gold from thee when he hath stolne it as the deuil is to keep away and to hide thy ioy from thee that thou mightest neuer finde it againe Now though I haue already vsed some reasons to perswade vs to be carefull of this duty yet considering our dulnes and vntowardnes vnto it it shall not be vnfit to adde for a finall conclusion a few motiues to make vs the better to remember and to put in practise these meanes whereof you haue now heard And to omit to speake of that which before I touched that al other ioy besides this vanisheth away and nothing in the end remaineth but sorrow and vexation of Spirit As Salomon hath left his owne experience to teach vs. And that this ioy is of it selfe the most compleate and absolute ioy that can be possessed as being founded in God himselfe consider besides it selfe what excellent priuiledges this ioy bringeth vnto vs It bringeth vnto vs comfort aboundantly against all the crosses that can befall vs and against all the enemies we can haue in this life Let famine Let nakednesse Let danger assaile vs we haue God yet to reioyce in to feed vs to cloath vs to protect vs so far as shall be for our good Let wicked men banish vs Let them hate vs let them imprison vs let them take our liues from vs yet we haue God to reioyce in who will accompany vs in banishment in prison or in what place soeuer whose loue shal more then counteruaile all the hatred of the wicked And the life that he hath hid and treasured vp for vs shall be better then a thousand liues which they can take away This ioy is as salt to season and to sauour al our other ioyes whatsoeuer they be for without this our pleasures are vnsauourie and haue no taste nor sauour of pleasure in them Againe lastly marke what an excellent promise the Lord maketh to this ioy Psal 37.4 Delight thy selfe saith the Psalmist in the Lord and he shall giue thee thine hearts desire There is no man but would bee glad to haue his desire satisfied Loe then the way Delight thy selfe in God be carefull to keepe this blessed ioy and God who cannot lie hath promised to giue thee whatsoeuer thy heart can desire so ready is the Lord to fulfill the desire of them that reioyce and delight themselues in him It was a great fauour of the Lord vnto Salomon 1. King 3. to aske him what he should giue him and he would be readie to giue it yet God made him promise but for one request what a fauour of God is this then vnto thee that there shall be no good thing thy tongue can aske or thy heart desire but the Lord will giue it to thee so be it thou delight thy selfe in him But consider for thy further care yet of this dutie that this promise implieth also a threatning in it And that is if thou refusest to delight in God and wilt take thy pleasure and delight in vanitie in sin in the breach of the Sabbath and of other duties God will deny thee euery desire of thy heart In that which thou desirest ioy in God will send thee sorrow in that thou desirest a blessing in God will blow vpon it with his curse The not regarding this duty is a plaine and euident token of an hypocrite whom God hateth For read Iob. 27.10 The hypocrite saith Iob will he set his delight in the almightie will he call vpon God at all times making both these alike to be notes and brandes of a dissembling hypocrite that he will not at all times call vpon God neither will set his constant and continuall delight in God A fearefull thing we know it is to be an hypocrite whose portion is hell fire Mat. 24.51 it is said the Lord of the euill seruant shall cut him off and shall giue him his portion with hypocrites where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth If thou wilt haue no part nor portion in this lot of hypocrites bee no hypocrite delight in the Lord which hypocrites doe not neither can doe and so thou shalt auoid it On the contrary this holy ioy is a note of a man renued and regenerated by the Spirit of God Read Gal. 5.22 The fruite of the spirit is loue ioy peace long suffering gentlenes goodnes faith meeknes temperancy And against these is no law They that find this ioy in their hearts from the Spirit of God There is no lawe or curse of God to seaze vpon them For they are guided by the Spirit of God FINIS 2. Chron. 17.7 The vnfolding of the text The parts two The sfirst part The behauiour of Paul and Silas in prison wherein three things are to be considered First that God standeth by his seruants in their troubles Lament 1.12 Eccles 4.10 2. King 6.16 Act. 12.11 Dan. 6.22 Matth. 27. 2. Cor. ◠8 and 6.10 Iudg. 6.12 Psalme 5.11 Psalme 3.4 Iohn 20.25 1. Iohn 5.4 The secōd point How Gods children are affected in their troubles Phil. 4.4 1. Sam. 30.6 Why troubles are so vnwelcome to vs. Psalme 73.14 Psalme 126.5 As our outward troubles are many so are our blessings also Gen. 19.26
many other of like sort which where they are intertained can it be chosen but that iniquitie should abound there So that this second sort doth also fill the world with sinne And seeing this kinde of people is so common euery where that they goe for honest men and good Christians and they walke vncontrolled and vnpunished and thereby are the lesse noted to be so euill as they are the Lord doth oft take the matter into his owne hands to detect and bewray them So as either they fall to some sinne for which the Magistrate taketh them in hand such was Achan and he that blasphemed in Leuiticus who both were put to death and thrust out from amongst their neighbours or else God punisheth their sinne himselfe directly by letting them lay violent hands on themselues as did Ahitophel The third sort who cause iniquitie to abound are the hypocrites properly so called who professe religion and take the word of God into their mouthes but they hate to be reformed and boldly affirme that they know God but in their deeds they denie him and say Lord Lord but doe nothing lesse then go about to fulfill the will of the Lord. These cause the holy word of God to be ill spoken of which they heare and talke of more then the most of others do And will not sticke to commit sinne the more boldly vnder a colour and cloake of holines which behauiour of theirs being a practise and common course of liuing with them so that daily much euill is wrought by them all that list may see that these also as the two former sorts that I say no more of them as being so well knowne doe cause iniquitie to abound The fourth sort are they who are not properly called hypocrites with the former although hypocrisie beare much sway in them but they in many things doe obey God and the course of their liues is much more framed after Gods word then all the former if they were put together also they doe more streightly vrge good order in others as their place will giue thē leaue yet in some things they will not be brought within compasse but are wedded to their will and know that they do ill some sin they intertaine and take libertie to commit being not willing to search their hearts nor to looke into their waies and so they deale also about faith they hold a confused perswasion and hope that they shall bee saued but they cannot bee brought to trie it and therefore they are destitute both of it and good life Now these also howsoeuer they come neerer a godly life then any of the former and that by many degrees yet because they in some things giue themselues leaue to offend and dishonour God and doe not feare the Lord with all their hearts and in one thing as well as in another seeke to please him therefore God abhorreth their sacrifice of praise and prayer and curseth the obedience which they offer vnto him And therefore the Apostle S. Iames hauing to deale with such people said vnto them whosoeuer shall keepe the whole law and yet faileth in one point he is guiltie of all For hee that said Thou shalt not commit adulterie said also Thou shalt not kill Now then though thou doest none adulterie yet if thou killest thou art a transgressor of the law And thus whiles they haue all their doings reckoned against them for sinnes as it hath been proued that the best of them are no better they come within the ranke of them who multiplie iniquitie and cause sinne to be increased Obiect And if it be obiected that there be other sorts of people besides these foure who increase sinne in the land Answ I answere that some of Gods children by their infirmitie are in shew like the former yet because they would not sinne and doe breake out rather of infirmitie then wilfully and wittingly to lie therein and doe endeuour in one thing as well as another to please God therefore they are not said to increase sinne who doe faithfully labour to suppresse and keepe it downe both in themselues and others And such must the other foure sorts be before the Lord will count and take them for his Thus it is manifest who they be that fill the world with sinne that none can be ignorant of it who is not wilfully blinde Now it remaineth what these should doe that is before all things that they repent and seeke mercie and hold it by faith both which as they haue sufficient cause to looke after with all speed because without the one it is impossible to please God that is faith and without the other I meane repentance and amendment of life the vengeance of God cannot bee auoided so they haue two great incouragements to set them forward to seeke both this being added if they feele what neede they haue thereof as all may see they haue and that very great and then if they desire earnestly to be partakers of them they be not farre from them The first is that the Lord hath other sheepe which are not yet of his fold and hee counteth many to be his people who are not yet called to know that they are his who may by the preaching of the Gospell be added to his faithfull ones And in hope hereof they should giue all diligence to waite vpon the Lord in his ordinance for this blessing The second is this that they search and trie their waies what is amisse in them though they shall neuer finde out the hundreth part of the sinne that is in them and then consider the woe they are in thereby which if they can bee perswaded to doe it is the most direct way to make them turne to the Lord both in imbracing Gods promise of mercy which then belongeth to them by Gods free grant and also in reforming their liues from the which by their sinne they were estranged Both these kindes of turning to God the Prophet Ioel exhorteth the people vnto saying read your hearts that is by searching into them to see the foulnes of them and not your garments and turne to the Lord your God And Ieremy in his Lamentations doth the same when he saith Search your wayes and turne againe vnto the Lord. And this is the onely way for such as haue brought themselues out of fauour with God and drawne downe his wrath vpon themselues by multiplying iniquitie to recouer themselues againe that they may both break off the course of their wicked liues and also be healed and deliuered from that vengeance of God which tooke hold of them before This I haue thought good to say of this first sort of people and of the foure kinds of them all which doe fill the world with iniquitie who least they should too sleightly regard that which hath been said to perswade them to faith and repentance I thought it not amisse to
adde this one thing as a watchword to them all And that is that they take speciall heed that they harden not their hearts to abide still in that which they haue ill done neither against the instruction that calleth them backe from it neither make light of their sins as Esau did who when he had sold his birth-right being a signe of eternall life he made a sleight matter of it saying what is this birth-right vnto me as if he should haue said what good would it haue done me But it shall be their wisdome to sift and search themselues as they haue been taught to do rather then go further and further seriously considering the words of the Prophet which are these Doth a man fall and not rise againe or go out of the way and not returne And they should say as the Apostle said when their master told them that one of them should betray him answering seuerally as fearing lest such a mischiefe might light vpon them is it I master and another is it I And they should as they which are wearie of their doings and willing to repent say euery one by himselfe the men apart as the Prophet Zacharie speaketh and the women apart what haue I done And so shall they see that God will soone turne away from his displeasure and be mercifull to them According to that in Osea where the Lord giueth a most sweet and plaine direction both to repent and obtaine mercie saying Vers 1. O Israel returne to the Lord thy God for thou hast fallen by thine iniquitie 2. Take vnto you words and turne to the Lord and say vnto him take away all iniquitie and receiue vs graciously so will we render the calues of our lips 3. Ashur that is the Assirians shall not saue vs neither will we ride vpon horses that is to trust in them neither will we say any more to the worke of our hands ye are our gods for in thee the fatherlesse findeth mercie 4. I will heale their rebellion I will loue them freely saith the Lord for mine anger is turned away from them Herein the Lord setteth downe his louing kindnes toward them sundry waies that they or any that price and highly set by it may the easilier be perswaded of it and beleeue it and he requireth of them repentance to the end they and all beleeuers may yeeld and performe it And thus much be said at this time and of this first sort heere which our Sauiour speaketh of namely of those which fill the world with sinne THE SECOND SERMON VPON THE 24. OF MATthew the 12. and 13. verses The second part THe second part of the text followeth in which is shewed that by the abundance of iniquitie the loue of many shall waxe cold that is when the simple harted and godly minded people who would most willingly go on in a holy course shall yet see the horrible abominations in the world on euerie side swarming and those also with boldnesse vpholden and defended bearing sway and preuailing though at first they vtter dislike them yet being continually annoyed with them and grieued therewith by little and little they are discouraged and weakened in their good course till time they be cooled and fall from it deseruing thereby the sharpe reproofe which was giuen to the Church of Ephesus which was this I haue somewhat against thee euen for that thou hast left thy first loue This point laying out another sort of people to vs besides those who haue been spoken off to the end we may see our Sauiours mind the better therein and make our profit of it First I wil shew what he meaneth by this loue when he saith the loue of many shall waxe cold secondly that it is much decayed and waxen cold indeed in this our age as he foresaid it should and thirdly by what meanes and how namely by the abundance of iniquitie flowing round about them Fourthly I will set downe a remedie for such as haue fallen how they may rise againe and adde reasons to disswade from suffering their loue to waxe cold in them Now this loue heere spoken of is the same that Saint Iohn calleth our first loue which is a holy and heauenly affection stirred vp and wrought in our hearts as soone as we be perswaded of the loue of God in Christ to vs. And it causeth vs to set our loue on God more then euer we loued father wife or friend or any thing else of the greatest account and reckoning For this loue of God constraineth vs so to do and for his sake to loue our brethren For he that loueth him that begate loueth him also which is begotten also it draweth vs in a most feruent manner to loue the word of God as the Psalmist saith Oh how loue I thy word and the true Preachers of it for beautifull are the feet of those that bring glad tidings And what maruell For who can sufficiently haue his hart enlarged in this manner toward God who being by his former sinfull life brought euen to hell gates and that without hope of recouerie by any way that he could see did when he least looked for it and that of Gods meere loue and mercie obtaine deliuerance from the same and withall saw himselfe adopted and taken to be heire of euerlasting life This vnspeakable benefit as a spring sending forth and accompanied with many other blessings freely bestowed vpon him by Christ what can be too deare for him that hath bestowed it He is readie therefore for his sake that did all this for him to giue and consecrate himselfe againe to him and to be at his command in all things From whence it followeth that in great zeale and feruentnes he seeketh to do the will of God to the admiration of others euen as he himselfe saith if yee loue me yee will keepe my Commandements And this in few words is the loue that Christ heere speaketh of Now this loue is cooled or waxeth cold when this feruentnes is abated and this exceeding loue of Christ which before could neuer be thought great enough is now slaked as if it were almost put out Which commeth to passe when it is not daily and duely considered and remembred prised and valued aboue all other things as it is meete it should be and sometime also was in such account and reckoning with vs when we first beleeued And then also it is asswaged and decayeth when our loue fasteneth strongly vpon transitorie delights profits or preferments and especially if it be linked into any of these when they shall be sinfull and vnlawfull Thus I say when God his word faithfull Preachers and seruants of his with obedience to his will shall not be in the greatest price and estimation but thrust out by things of lesse and meaner value our loue is iustly said to become cold and that reproofe incurred which our Sauiour heere speaketh of And this