for the Gospell sake they would fal away and â—ee like this people heere whose goodnesse all they did professe was but as a droppe of dew before the Sunne Oh then let vs labour for soundnesse and sincerity in Gods seruice Let vs labour to find our eyes opened our minds illuminated our hearts softned and our affections touched that so wee may haue ioy and comfort heere and euerlasting peace and comfort in the end Thirdly seeing wee are taught heere that many Vse 3 may seeme forward for a time zealous and godly and yet the same proue in the end but as The morning cloud quickly scattered and as The Morning Dew which is quickly gone when the face of the Sun doth shew it selfe vpon it Wee are taught hence not to be offended when wee see some of those that for the time past haue seemed to be forward in Religion to fall away that the life of Gods spirit doth decay in them for there haue been euer such counterfeit Christians euen from the beginning in the houshold of Adam Gen. 4.56 there was a wicked Cain and in the family of Abraham there was a scoffing Ismael yea there is no society eyther in Church or common wealth but the Scriptures afford vs some example or other Mat. 27. that there haue been some wicked amongst them But what of all this must this discourage vs No no What if all the world will be disobedient as in the dayes of Noah What if there be but one Elias in all Israel Oh let vs ioyne with him Note and let vs euen hereby bee wise and learne to take heed by other mens harmes to take a faster hold vpon Religion and lay to build vpon a sure foundation for at one time or other God will lay some tryall or other vpon vs that wee shall appeare to bee eyther chaffe or Wheat the faithfull seruants of the Lord or the cursed limbs of Sathan and if we haue hitherto felt and enioyed peaceable times that the Lord hath not yet sifted and winnowed vs as Sathan desired to sift Peter What shall wee bee secure therefore God fotbid rather let vs in the dayes of peace prepare for the time of tryall euer looking out when God will shake his sword against vs. Your goodnes is as the morning cloud c. IN that the Lord doth compare the repentance or goodnesse of this people to the Morning cloud and to the Morning Dew because it was neyther true nor sincere nor durable not lasting but quickly gone and therefore are branded with this blacke cole of hypocrites and such as the Lord threatens to Cut downe to slay euen vtterly to roote out as in the verse following Doct. 8 Wee are taught by their example that if wee would bee religious indeed and approued for sound Christians before God Sincerity of heart and perseuerance in godlines a true note of the child of God that wee labour for that which was wanting in them and which shall approue vs for Christians before God namely sincerity of heart as also that we perseuere in the duties of piety and godlines euen vnto the end It was the commendations of Enoch and of Noah that notwithstanding they liued in sinfull times being ouerrunne with all manner of impieties yet they walked with God Gen. 5.22 Gen. 6.9 they kept themselues vnspotted of the world they made not the practise of other men an example for them but walked so as euer in Gods presence This was Ezechias his comfort when hee was summoned to die Esay 38.3 Remember Lord that I haue walked before thee in truth and with an vpright heart Iob. 16.19 And when Iob was censured for an hypocrite according as the maner of the world is at this day to despise and disgrace euery one that is more carefull to please God then themselues What was his comfort but this that hee could say My witnesse is in heauen and my Record is on hie q. d. My comfort is that though you speake your pleasure of mee now yet you shall not bee my Iudges but God that is aboue whom I haue ever serued in spirit and truth will iustifie me one day against you And this was the care of godly Paul Act. 24.16 2. Cor. 4.2 To endeuour aboue all things to keepe a cleare conscience before God and man for this is that which will approue vs to be Christians indeed when as the vizard of hypocrisie shall be taken from vs and if this be wanting in vs alas all our shewes bee they neuer so goodly and glorious shal no way stand vs in stead but the Lord will rather cast them as dung into our faces And yet good Lord men thinke they haue profited highly in Religion if they can but make a glorious shew therof before men Oh I would that men could be brought once to this passe that we might cast out this Deuil from them but of this before Seeing that sincerity of heart is such an infallible note of the child of God Vse when as all shewes and shadowes will stand in no stead this may vtterly condemn the art of Seeming which euery man almost hath learned in our time The hypocrite can come with his Lord Lord. Mat. 7.21 Iob. 31.24 Pro. 30.20 The couetous man that hath made gold his hope hee feares not The vncharitable man Whose torgue is like a Razar is not abashed The whorish woman Wipeth her mouth and sayth I haue not committed Iniquity blusheth not Thus euery one commeth into Gods house heareth Gods word receyueth his blessed Sacrament and comes vnto these dueties so maskt that they passe heere for currant coyne we are not able to see into their hearts it is the Lord alone who is The searcher of the heart that sees them And thus men if they may passe with our approbation they care for no more Ah poore soule Ah poore soule what of al this If the Lord doe not approue of thee it is not all thy shewes and shadowes be they neuer so goodly nor so glorious that wil stand thee in stead in the day of Gods searching account but hauing acted the part of an hppocrite here vpon the Stage of this World it shall at the last day be a iust and righteous thing with the righteous God to giue thee the portion of hypocrites euen euerlasting fire Depart from mee yee Hypocrites into euerlasting fire prepared for the Deuill and his Angels Oh that this might perswade vs to affect sincerity of heart What a thing were this that we should liue in these dayes and times wherein wee liue wherein knowledge and grace is euen thrust vpon vs and yet for all that wee should proue such Iudasses vnto our owne poore Soules thus to betray them into the hands of sathan I cannot but taxe many of you of this parrish of Roxwell with this sin the Lord lay it not one day to your charge At my first coÌ„ming amongst you I obserued some
forwardnes in you in sanctifying the Sabbath and hearing the word diligently since which time who doth not perceiue a decay of zeale a decay of hearing in a great many of this congregation that will scarce now vouchsafe God your presence in the assembly of his people once a month The full soule sayth Salomon loatheth the honey combe Reu 3.14 I feare you are full euen of spirituall pride with the Church of Laodicea Well bee warned betimes lest your footings that you haue taken so oft in your bowling Allyes surmount your steps into Gods house and so the Lord lay this sinne of ingratitude to your charge that hee should offer vnto you such gracious oportunities and ye should so carelesly neglect the same Vse 2 Secondly this condemnes the common repentance of most men and women that it is not sound nor sincere because though they condemne sinne know it to be sinne yet they neuer proceede so farre as to leaue and forsake it Mar. 6. Herod could not bee brought to leaue his Incest Demas made a fayre shew for a while but by and by left all fell into loue with the world so many men will for a brunt serue God and seeme very forward both to heare the Word read pray c. yet the strength of their owne corruptions and the loue of the World steales away their hearts so as it comes to nothing but sure it is that the grace of God when it hath taken possession in a mans soule it will throughly purge the same though not altogether from sinne for the Flesh will euer rebell against the Spirite yet from the power of sinne so as that man that is truely sanctified shall not from henceforth become a seruant vnto sinne for a purpose to continue in sin and the grace of God cannot abide both in one Soule but of this before And thus much of the Complaint the Iudgement followeth VERSE 5. Therefore haue I cut downe by the Prophets I haue slaine them by the words of my mouth and thy iudgements were as the light that goeth foorth HAuing heard of their sinue now wee are to speake of their punishment which the Lord inflicted vpon them for the same namely fearefull destruction and vtter ouerthrow In speaking of their punishment we are hence to obserue foure things Parts of the Text. First the Author of it I that is the Lord himselfe Secondly the greatnesse of it Cut downe and slaine them Thirdly the Instruments the Lord vseth My Prophets my word Fourthly the equity of it namely that the Lord made his iudgements as cleare as the noone day vnto them so as they could not plead ignorance or want of knowledge Therefore haue I cut downe Therefore that is because I haue on my part done what I can to reclaim you and bring you to some good passe but you refused and hardned your hearts and contemned my words for then the cause of Gods iudgements is their rebellion against the meanes and their contempt of the Word of God and preaching of his Prophets Doct. 1 Then hence wee learne what a grieuous sinne it is to contemne the meanes of saluation To contemn the meanes of saluation is a grieuous sinne and neuer goes vnpunished Gen. 7.10.11.12 to contemne the Gospell of Christ Iesus it neuer goes vnpunished When Noah had preached repentance to the people of the old World for the space of one hundred and twenty yeares together and the people had despised the same what followed in the end but a fearefull destruction euen a generall Deluge which swept them all away When Lot spake to his sonnes in Law which married his daughters and warned them to escape out of Sodom for the iudgements of God were at hand to bee layde vpon that City The Text sayth Gen. 19.14 that Hee seemed to his Sonnes in Law as though hee had mocked but what followed did not they perish with those sinnefull Sodomites And Iob makes this one of the marks of a reprobate They say vnto God Depart from vs Iob. 21.14 for wee desire not the knowledge of thy wayes not that there are any so desperately wicked as to vse such speeches against the Lord but the meaning is that men declare so much by their liues they liue in open contempt of the gracious meanes of their saluation whatsoeuer they pretended in words their deeds declared that they cared not to bee acquainted with Gods will To the same purpose is that complaint in the Psalme My people would not heare my voyce and Israel would none of mee Psal 81.11.12 The Lord had often spoken to that people by his seruants the Prophets but they regarded them not much like to our people in these times but what followed the Lord would neuer put vp this great ingratitude at their hands but sayth in the verse following Ver. 12.1.1 So I gaue them vp vnto the hardnes of their owne hearts and they walked in their owne councels And this is further cleared by that speech of Almighty God by his Prophet Ieremy where hee sayth Ier. 7.13 I rose vp earely and spake vnto you but when I spake yee would not heare me neyther when I called would ye answere Behold here the desperate estate and condition of this people that notwithstanding God had dealt so graciously with them from time to time to offer vnto them so many gracious oportunities of their saluation following them as it were at the heeles with the same sometimes by his Word sometimes by his mercies sometimes by his iudgements yet they neglected them al they contemned thē al. But afterward the Lord made good the words of his seruants he brought his iudgements vpon them and their Temple Verse 14. in the which they seemed so much to trust vppon the Lord made it as Shilo and as the same Prophet complaineth in another place That the wayes of Sion lamented Lam. 1.4 because no man came to their solemne feasts all her gates are desolate the Priests sigh c. It was not their outward priviledges that would now stand them in stead that they were the posterity of Abraham that they had amongst them the Arke of Gods couenant the Mercy seat Psal 132.14 the Temple of the Lord and that the Lord had appointed that for his rest for euer Seeing they contemned his Prophets Ier. 6.10 delighted not in Gods voyce but tooke pleasure in vnrighteousnesse And this is that our Sauiour layes to the charge of the people of Ierusalem Mat. 23.37 How often would I haue gathered you together and yee would not Behold now your habitation is loft desolate Mat. 11.21 Yea our Sauiour Christ tels them of Capernaum that it shall bee easier for the land of Sodom in the day of iudgement then for them so then we may safely conclude this doctrine with that speech of the Apostle 2. Thes 2.10.11.12 Because they receiue not the loue of the truth that they
the fore-runner of some fearefull iudgement vnto the soule of that man I haue cut them downe by my Prophets I haue slaine them by the words of my mouth IN that the Lord doth threaten this iudgement of al Doct. 4 other as the greatest that hee could bring vpon them namely to Cut them downe and to slay them The Word of God is able to pearce the hardest heart and that not by an ordinary meanes or slaughter but by his Prophets and Word that is that he would make good his Word in their mouthes and bring to passe all those terrible and fearefull iudgements that they had denounced against them from the Lord. Hence we see the great power of the Word of God it is able to pearce the hardest heart that is The word of God makes mention of two sorts of swords The sword of the mouth and the materiall sword as that place in the Hebrewes The Word of God is liuely and mighty in operation and sharper then a two edged sword Heb. 4.12 entereth thorough euen vnto the diuiding asunder of the Soule and the Spirit and of the Ioynts and the Marrow and is a decerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart The people of the Iewes before that Peter spake vnto them were full of hardnesse of heart yea their hearts before were as hard as steele nothing could pricke or pearce them Act. 2.37 they had committed monstrous murder they shed innocent bloud euen the bloud of the sonne of God and yet they were neuer touched in their hearts for that sinne But when Peter came with his weapon namely the Word of God and told them that they were those that had crucified the Lord of life this wounded them to the quicke as that they cryed out in the bitternesse of their loules O men and brethren what shall wee doe to bee saued Oh tell vs tell vs whether there be not some course yet to be taken that wee that haue beene such desperate sinners might yet againe obtaine Gods fauour and bee saued This was a blessed battel that was fought with them behold then in them the wonderfull power of the Word of God It cuts the throat of sinne and makes men become dead vnto sinne that they might become a liue vnto God Ier. 23.29 Is not the Word of Iehouah like vnto fire It is able to melt and mollifie a heart of steele it is like a hammer that breakes the hardest stone euen so this Word of God is able to bruise a stony heart which is as hard as flint Rom. 15.16 I am not ashamed sayth the Apostle of the Gospell of God because I know that it is the power of God to saluation to all them that beleeue 1. Cor. 1.21 Yea it is compared to a sacrificing knife Ephes 2.1.2 which will kill and cut the throat of sinne and make the most rebellious heart to breake It will put spirit and life in the dead hearts of dead secure sinners euen such as lay dead rotting in sin If it enter not into thee to the rooting out of sinne and the cutting downe of thy vncleannesse for then it pearceth for thy good to life eternall It wil bee sure to wound and to pearce thy dead and benummed soule to the hardning of thee in thy sinnes to death eternall Esay 55. for it neuer returnes in vaine but is eyther the sauor of life vnto life or the sauor of death vnto death The Lord sent his word vnto Pharaoh againe and againe by Moses and Aaron but hee would not bee humbled by it Exod. 9. â—7 1. Reg. 22.8 therefore hee became the more hardned in sinne And Ahab was then the deadliest enemy to his owne soule Mich. 2.7 when hee hated Michai for not speaking to his fantasie but warned him faithfully of the iudgement which afterward came vpon him Zach. 7.11 The Word of God is an aduersary to none but to such as are aduersaries to themselues Note this well neyther doth it condemne any but such as without repentance assuredly shall one day bee condemned of the Lord. And therefore let the wicked wretches of the world stoppe their eares neuer so much from the hearing of the threatnings of the Word yet they shall neuer stoppe that iudgement which the Word hath threatned There is a cry that will come at Midnight and will waken the dead But Oh blessed are they who in time are wakened out of the sleepe of their sinnes before that dreadfull iudgement come This serues to commend vnto vs the excellencie Vse 1 and power of the Word of God which is able both to kill sinners and to make them aliue again and puts a manifest difference hetweene the Word of man the Word of God All the wisdom learning eloquence and wit of men is not able to wound the hard heart of a wicked obstinate and rebellious sinner onely the Word of God can doe it euen the plaine and simple preaching of the Word can doe it 1. Cor. 1.21 Psal 19. The Law of the Lord is perfect to conuert the soule There is more power in the plaine rude and simple preaching of the Word of God to conuert a sinner then in the most learned and excellentest eloquence in men nay Rom. 10.14.15 it is impossible for all the eloquence in the World to saue a Soule it is peculiar onely to the simple preaching of the Gospell nor all the Writings of men cannot turne the heart vnto God vnlesse the Lord doe blesse the preaching of the Word to doe it and though nothing bee so contrary to our Nature as the Word of God yet nothing is so powerfull to conuert as is this word by Gods blessing vpon it being his owne ordinance appointed to that end Secondly seeing the Word of God is of this power Vse 2 that it will enter and pearce into stony hearts and seeing if it cut not downe sinne and corruption it will wound to death eternall all rebellious and hard hearted sinners Oh then let vs submit our hearts vnto it let vs suffer the Word to pearce and wound our hearts for sinne to cut downe all sinne and corruption in vs here or else it will bee the Lords Sword of the Spirit to kill vs and to wound vs to death eternall Ephes 6.1 Hee will smite the earth with the rodde of his mouth and slay the wicked and rebellious with the breath of his lippes that is the Lord will make good all those feareful iudgements which his seruants haue denounced against them in his name Esay 11.4 And as the raine that fals makes the earth more fruitfull or else more barren so it fareth with the Word it eyther cuts downe sinne to our amendment or else leaues most deadly wounds in our soules euen to death eternall Now then seeing the Word of God is so powerfull Oh how should this stirre vp euery man and woman to the hearing of
to this people but herein they sought only their own gain though it were with the bloud of the people Secondly because as theeues are cruell and mercilesse so these Priests they were exceeding cruell and vsed great tyranny not onely by poysoning their soules by false doctrine but if any did make conscience of the true seruice of God they did cry out vpon him as an heretieke worthy to bee punished That this was the behauiour of these Priests wee may reade at large in the Propesie of Amos Amos 7.12 where wee may see how Amaziah sent to Ieroboam and makes a large complaint of Amos as though the land were not able to beare his words and yet hee spake no more then the Lord bade him and hee is straightly commaunded to flie into Iuda and prophesie there but to come no more at Bethel For it is the Kings chappel and the Kings Court. Hence then let vs obserue that seeing the Prophet here compares these Priests which deceiued the people and did not instruct them to theeues and Doct. 1 murderers What wee are to iudge of those which hauing taken vpon them the care of soules Ministers that teach not at all or else teach erronious doctrine no better then Theeues and Murderers Ezech. 3.17 1. Sam. 9.9 Esay 58.1 Pro 9.4 Exech 47. 2. Pet. 1.13 1. Cor. 3. Luke 12.24 Mat. 23.24 1. Pet. 5.1 yet eyther teach them not at all or else teach them false and erronious doctrine The Spirit of God doth call them here Theeues and Murderers Their names in the Scripture doth teach their duties They are called Watchmen And thou Sonne of man I haue made thee a Watchman They are called Seers Trumpeters Maidens and the like And their Successors in the New Testament are called not onely the Eyes yea The Light of the body but Remembrancers Husbandmen Stewards Leaders Elders Salt Starres Angels Shepheards and the like All which names doe import vnto vs that their calling requires labour and industry for wherefore are they called Watchmen but to admonish and to giue warning it is their duty so to doe Seers but to foretell Trumpeters but to sound Maydens but to keepe pure the Word of God and the Doctrine of Life Remembrancers to put in mind Husbandmen to prepare the ground of mens hearts and to sow the seed of Gods Word Stewards to distribute to euery man his portion in due season Leaders to goe before their people in life and Doctrine Elders to gouerne Salt to season Stars to shine and Angels to declare Oh thus their very names doth put them in mind of their duty but when men do take vpon them this holy Calling to Feed the flocke of Christ depending vpon them and they feed themselues and not their Flocke The Lord doth esteeme of them no better then theeues and murderers And looke what charge Ahab had concerning Benhadab the selfe same hath euery Minister concerning euery Soule committed vnto him 1. Reg. 20.39 Io. 10. Keepe this man if hee bee lost want that is by thy default Thy Life shall goe for his life And our Sauiour speaking of such Hyrelings as regard nothing but their gaine not the peoples good hee cals them Theeues Robbers all false Prophets all idle Ministers all carelesse Pastors the Lord doth esteeme of them but as Murderers of soules which is the greatest Which being so then let euery Minister stirre vp his watchfulnesse and care and though the faithfull discharge of his duty cannot but purchase him the malice of many yet let euery faithfull Minister bee content to make exchange of such friends for the fauour of God that so hee may not be found in the day of Gods searching account to bee a Murderer of their soules Vse 1 Well this should admonish all that haue charge of Soules to looke about them to regard the soules of Gods people to instruct them and to teach them to take heed they bee not guilty of their bloud for if thy people perish for want of thy helpe Oh thou shalt answere for them Now of all Murderers Soule-murderers bee in a wofull case It is a dangerous thing to murder the body but it is a thousand times worse to murder the Soule for looke how much more excellent the soule is then the body so much the more dangerous is the murdering of the soule then the body Excellent is that exhortation of the Apostle Peter 1. Pet. 5.23 Feede the Flocke of God which dependeth on you caring for it not by constraine but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind not as though yee were Lords ouer Gods Heritage but that yee may bee ensamples to the Flocke And when that chiefe shepheard shall appeare yee shall receiue an incorruptible Crowne of glory If wee doe not thus labour but loyter in the Lords Vineyard wee cannot assure our selues to bee the Ministers of the Lord but with these Priests and Leuites here Robbers and spoilers nay Murderers and Manslayers making a prey of the peoples soules and expose them as a prey for Sathan And what wil the Lord put vp this sinne at the hand of such men surely no for when that great Shepheard shall appeare they shall then beare the burthen not onely of their owne sinnes but of the sinnes of the people that belonged vnto their charge and their bloud shall bee layde to their charge This should admonish all those which haue charge Vse 2 of soules to looke about them to regard the soules of Gods people 2. Tim. 4.1.2 to Preach the Word is season and out of season for if we bee thus diligent the greatest labour shall haue the greatest reward Dan. 12.3 They that turne many to righteousnesse shall shine as the starres for euer and euer Those the which imployed so their Masters goods as that they gained by the same were accounted faithful seruants the ioy of their Master was their portion whereas those that were loyterers that would doe nothing but bury their Talents vtter darknesse was their inheritance Oh that all that are called to this holy calling would lay this to heart the greater paines the greater comfort and howsoeuer wee may bee discouraged in that wee see so little fruit to follow our labours 1. Cor. 15. Yet our labour shall not bee in vaine in the Lord for the faithfulnesse of a godly Minister in the discharge of his place shall bee his comfort in life his comfort in death and his euerlasting ioy and reioycing after death And howsoeuer God doth not touch the hearts of our hearers at one time he may at another times and seasons are in his hands Let vs vse the meanes to sow vnto them spirituall things and commit the successe of our labours vnto God seeing Paul planteth 1. Cor. 3.6.7 Apollo watereth but it is God that giueth the encrease Thirdly and lastly wee see what a heauy iudgement of God it is to haue such set ouer a people as be
AN EXPOSITION VPON THE SIXT Chapter of the Prophesie of HOSEA VVherein is set downe the true repentance of the Godly as also the Hypocriticall repentance of the wicked most needfull for these times WHEREIN 1. The Summe and Scope 2. The Doctrines 3. The Reasons 4. The Vses Of most Texts are obserued FIRST PREACHED BY SAMVEL SMYTH Minister of Roxwel in Essex and now by him published intending the further good of his charge and the profit of as many as shall please to read it Seene and allowed PSAL. 34.11 Come Children hearken to me I will teach you the feare of the Lord. LONDON Printed by Tho. Pâ—â—â—oot for Richard Woodroffe and are to be sold at his shop in Paules Church-yard at the Signe of the golden Key neere the great North dore 1616. TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FAther in God IOHN by Gods prouidence Lord Bishop of LONDON Grace and peace from the Father Prince and Spirit of Peace IN the building of the materiall Temple which the Lord himselfe commanded Right Reuerend Father in God As Moses the seruant of the Lord deliuered the forme of it Exod. 25.40 as he had receyued of the Lord in the Mount So the people of Israel with ready hearts and willing minds furthered the same howbeit one after one manner Exod. 35.22.23 and an other after an other The wealthiest amongst them and such as were best able brought siluer and gold earerings bracelets and Iewels of gold A second sort of people brought blew silke purple scarlet and fine linnen Others in regard of their pouerty brought Goats hayre Rams skins and Badgers skins euery one answerable to his ability No man appeared before the Lord empty and God accepted of the meanest gift that proceeded from a willing heart aswell as the greatest So fareth it with me a poore Labourer in the Lords Vineyard I acknowledge my own wants that I am not able to bring any great and glorious offering yet I haue brought here a small present as it were a little Goates hayre or as with the widdow two Mites to bee cast into the Treasury of God It is the old and ancient doctrine of faith and repentance that I heere entreat of a needfull Subiect especially in these dangerous dayes wherein men labour more for the shewes of godlines then for the power of it for we need not so much to complain of ignorance in this age for many haue knowledge as the want of sincerity I haue endevoured in this short Exposition to set out the nature of true repentance which onely is to bee found in the godly being sound and sincere as also the hypocritical repentance of the wicked which is but for a time not durable nor lasting If my lines be plaine they best answere a straight and an euen leuell The euidence of the spirit is best seene in plainesse And now this poore labour of mine flyes to your Lordship for protection not fearing your iudgement in the allowance or doubting of your fauour in the acceptance thereof for matters of learning are most fitte to bee presented to those that excell therein for as the Prouerbe is Scientia neminem habet inimicum praeter ignorantem so by the same rule may I say Scientia neminem habet amicum Mecaenatem nisi studiosum fautoremque bonarum literarum And although Right Reuerend I know right well that you not onely fauour Religion but are an earnest professor thereof and that I need not exhort and stirre you vp therein yet let mee in most humble manner desire you that as you haue done much good since you came into this place so your works may bee more at the last then at first and that you would still honour him who hath honored you and imploy still those rich talents of learning authority and fauour of your Soueraigne which your great Master hath bestowed on you to the aduancement of Gods glory the good of Gods Church That by you godly and painefull Ministers may more and more be encouraged in their holy calling and that those malicious enemies of Gods truth the Papists may be more and more discouraged and rooted out from troubling Israel They are Babylons Children Blessed are they that dash their heads against the stones Some shall haue the honour I assure my self to be the instruments vnder God vtterly to root them out of this land Let it not passe your hands Who knoweth whether you are come to your place for such a purpose Vse your fauour you haue with his Maiestie to waken his sleeping lawes that as hee hath long sung mercy so hee would at last tune Iustice against the Papists of our land and commaund that his laws may haue their course that they may not beare it on t with full breast go vncontrolled as they doe amongst vs. It is a worke not vnfitting your Lordship being called to be a Gouernour of the Church to incite his Maiesty to this I beseech your Lordship pardon my boldnesse being a stranger vnto you and one of the meanest of the Tribe of Leui within your Diocesse yet one that wisheth all good to Sion Be you still for God in al your wayes and God will bee still for you in all your wayes aduance him still and he will aduance you yea perpetuate vnto you an honourable name and memory amongst his faithfull heere and crown you with an euerlasting crowne of glory amongst his Saints in the heauens Your Lordships in the Lord to bee commanded SAMVEL SMYTH A Table of all the principall Doctrines contained in this Booke VERSE 1. Doctrine 1. AFflictions are of excellent vse to turne vs to God Fol. 6 Doct 2. What counsell it is that wee must giue to others in aduersity Fol. 11 Doct. 3. It is the duty of euery Christian to labour to draw others to God Fol. 14 Doct. 4. A man by sinning turnes from God Fol. 19 Doc. 5 A right vnderstanding and a true acknowledgement of our owne misery the first steppe to Saluation Fol. 25 Doct. 6. Men must deferre no time but repent out of hand Fol. 29 Doct. 1. Mans nature so corrupt that it stands in need of muny reasons to perswade to holy duties Fol. 42 Doct. 2. Gods iudgements must moue men to repentance Fol. 47 Doct. 3. All chasticements and afflictions come from God Fol. 50 Doct. 4. God doth chastice his owne children when they sinne against him Fol. 56 Doct. 1. The mercy of God must lead men to repentance Fol. 63 VER 2. Doctrine 1. IM all our miseries wee must flie vnto God for deliuerance Fol. 74 Doct. 2. Afflictions layde vpon Gods children are neyther durable nor incurable Fol. 78 Doct. 3. All men by nature are dead in respect of any spirituall life Fol. 84 Doct. 4. Regeneration a worke of new creation Fol. 88 Doct. 5. Regeneration begunne must be continued Fol. 92 Doct. 6. Godly by repentance are brought into Gods fauour Fol. 97 Doct. 7. Godly liue in Gods sight Fol. 104 VER 3.
point let no conceit in the world nor perswasion whatsoeuer hinder vs from a present conuersion vnto God but out of hand while it is called To day let vs turne vnto him Thus much for the Exhortation The Reasons follow For hee hath spoyled and hee will heale vs he hath wounded vs and hee will bind vs vp WE haue heard already the godly perswasion of the beleeuing Iewes one to another Reasons to inforce the former exhortation to turn to the Lord from whom they had departed by their sins Now followes the reasons of their exhortation and they are twofold The first is drawn from the iustice of God in these words He hath spoyled vs hee hath wounded vs. q. d. We haue beene plagued and smitten Well it is the Lord that hath layd these heauy iudgements vpon vs it is the correcting hand of God that hath brought these grieuous afflictions vpon vs therfore let vs now Returne vnto him The second is drawn from the mercy of God in these words Hee will heale vs hee will binde vs vp q. d. Though the Lord hath smitten vs yet hee will helpe vs and heale vs if we will seeke to him for succour And surely these two reasons ought to be of force to moue euery one of vs to turne vnto God if his iudgements cannot compel vs yet his louing mercies ought to draw vs and allure vs to turne vnto him Doct. 1 Whereas the people of God in this place do not onely perswade one another simply to Returne vnto God Mans nature so corrupt that it stands in need of many reasons to perswade to holy duties but vse reason vpon reason to induce and to perswade them thereunto Hence wee may obserue the frowatdnesse and the vntowardnesse and great backwardnesse that is in all men by natuae to perform any holy duty That wee thus stand in need of so many arguments and so many reasons to perswadr vs thereunto In the whole Scriptures it is the vsuall manner of the Prophets and Apostles and holy men of God when they exhort to any vertue or dehort from any vice to adde sundry reasons that by the force thereof they might draw men to obedience This is practised of the Prophet Dauid when hee perswaded his sonne Salomon to haue a care to learne and practise the will of God 1. Chro. 28.8 And thou Salomon my sonne know thou the God of thy Fathers and serue him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind And hee addes reasons to perswade him thereunto For the Lord searcheth all hearts and vnderstandeth all the imaginations of thoughts if thou seeke him hee will bee found of thee but if thou forsake him hee will cast thee off for euer Again when Moses doth exhort the people of Israel to obserue to keepe the commandements of the Lord how many forcible arguments and reasons doth hee alledge to moue the people and to perswade them thereunto some taken from the mercies of God If thou shalt obey the voyce of the Lord thy God Deut. 28.1.2.3 v. 15.16 c. Leuit. 26.14 Mal. 2.2 and obserue all his commandements which I command thee this day all these blessings shall come on thee and ouertake thee Blessed shalt thou bee in the City and blessed in the field c. Others taken from the iustice of God But if thou wilt not obey the voyce of the Lord thy God to keepe and to doe all his commandements and ordinances which I command thee this day Deu. 6.5 cursed shalt thou bee in the towne and cursed in the field c. And in all Pauls Epistles it is his vsuall manner Rom. 12.1 where he exhorts to any vertue or dehorts from any vice to adde sundry reasons that by the force thereof he might the better preuaile 2. Cor. 9.7 I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that yee giue vp your bodies a liuing sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto God And againe As euery man wisheth in his heart so let him giue not grudgingly or of necessity for God loueth a cheerefull giuer And in the Ephesians Eph. 5.22.23 exhorting diuers estates and degrees of men as husbands and wiues Parents and children masters and seruants to the performance of the duties of their seuerall callings he doth still second the same exhortations with diuers arguments and reasons Eph. 6.5 Col. 3.22 1. Pet. 2.11 Wiues submit your selues to your husbands as to the Lord and he ads a forcible reason thereto For the husband is the wiues head as Christ is the head of his Church and so likewise of husbands seruants c. This course is likewise practised of the Apostle Peter when he sayth I beseech you as Strangers and Pilgrimes abstaine from fleshly lusts which fight against the Soule These and the like examples whereof the Scriptures are plentifull serue to manifest vnto vs the corruption that is in our nature that are so backward in the performance of any holy duety that we stand thus in need of reasons to perswade vs to the same Now this comes to passe by reason that the Theoricke part of man his will Reason vnderstanding and knowledge since the fall of man is so blinded and corrupted that it vnderstands not the things that are of God but the will and vnderstanding are so depraued of grace that now they are direct opposite to Gods will And this is the cursed nature of all men vnregenerate as the Apostle sayth The wisdome of the flesh is enmitie against God Rom. 8.7 for it is not subiect to the law of God neither can be Where the Apostle shewes plainely that the wil of a natural man 2. Cor. 3.5 that liues in sinne vnregenerate Phil. 2.13 Gen. 6. Rom. 3.7 is flat contrary nay Enmity it selfe against God and neyther will nor can be subiect to Gods will So that whatsoeuer God wils man wils not Wee are not able of our selues to thinke a good thought It is God alone that must touch our hearts and worke in vs power either to will well or worke well Nay the Lord sayth more Pro. 14.12 That the whole frame of mans heart is altogether euill continually The whole frame of mans heart the mind will vnderstanding conscience reason affection yea the whole frame of mans heart is euill onely and that continually so that it is cleare our wils are contrary to Gods will by nature and wee can no more set our selues to the performance of any good duty then a dead man can of himselfe rise out of his graue and performe any action but our wils are so infected and poysoned with sinne that we now onely seeke and desire that which is euill and against the will of God and the good of our owne soules Vse 1 Oh how should this humble vr when we shall consider what wee are by nature Euen vnto euery good worke Reprobate that we are not able not so much as to moue one finger to
to Stockes and Stones pretending therein humility that they will not bee so bolde to come to God themselues but vse the mediation of such as are about him Yet let vs know that Abraham Isaack and Iacob Moses and the Prophets were as humble men yea more humble then any Papist can be yet their humility did no whit hinder their holy boldnesse to come into Gods presence and to sue to him for grace and fauour The second generall obseruation is the circumstance of time in the which the Lord will deliuer vs After two dayes and the third day hee will rayse vs vp q. d. True it is the Lord hath grieuously spoyled vs for our sinnes and wounded vs for our iniquities wee haue tasted and felt the powerfull hand of God vpon vs there is no way to escape his iudgements but to breake off our sins by true and vnfained repentance and 〈◊〉 the Lord wil quickly remoue his iudgements 〈…〉 After two dayes c. Circumstance of time 〈…〉 we gather that the afflictions that are layd 〈…〉 children are neyther very durable for Doct. 2 〈…〉 day or two neyther altogether incurable or intollerable Afflictions layde vpon Gods children are neyther durable nor incurable Esay 54.7.8 2. Cor. 4.17 for God will raise vs out of them all This doth the Lord himselfe make cleare vnto vs by his Prophet when hee sayth For a little time haue I forsaken thee but with great compassion will I gather thee for a moment in mine anger hide I myselfe from thee for a little season but with euerlasting mercy haue I had compassion on thee The holy Apostle Saint Paul teacheth vs that our light afflictions which last but for a moment bring vnto vs a farre more excellent euen an eternall weight of glory Where note how the Apostle cals all our afflictions first light Mat. 11.28 for Christs yoke is easie and his burthen is light And secondly Momentany lasting but a very short time a day or twaine as the Text sayth here Hereunto commeth the saying of the Psalmist Psal 30.5 Hee indureth but a while in his anger and in his fauour is life heauinesse may indure for a night 1. Cor. 10.13 but ioy commeth in the morning Againe They that sow in teares shall reape in ioy So that the afflictions of Gods people last but from euening till morning Heb. 12.2 from sowing time till haruest and howsoeuer God maketh the wicked men his Rodde Psal 37.74 yet the Rodde of the wicked shall not alwayes rest vpon the lotte of the righteous Psal 125.3 Though the Lord appoint his children for a time to be afflicted yet it shall bee but for a time Heb. 18. Gen. 47.14 And which shall come will come and will not tarry This point of Doctrine is further cleared by the example of Ioseph the Israelites in Egypt of Dauid of Daniel and of many of the Saints and deare seruants of God Exod. 12.41 who suffered shame indured the Crosse were some of them tryed by one iudgement and affliction some by another yet the Lord awaked at last as a man out of sleepe and as a Gyant refreshed with wine when the time of refreshing came they were deliuered So that by this that hath been sayd Dan. 6.23 we may safely conclude of the truth of this point that how 〈…〉 â—he Lord may humble his Church and people 〈◊〉 some Crosse for a time yet hee will neuer leaue them destitute of his helpe and comfort but at last deliuer them out of all And the Reasons are plaine for first the Lord is Reason 1 priuy to our wants and to our weakenesse Hee knoweth whereof wee bee made hee remembreth that wee are but dust What Father but will pitty the wants of his Child and when it is ready to fall into danger wil not helpe it the Lord is more tender to his children then any earthly Father can bee towards his child Mat. 6.7.11 Now if yee which be euill know to giue your children good things how much more will your heauenly Father And therefore saith the Apostle That God is faithfull which will not suffer vs to bee tempted aboue that wee are able 1. Cor. 10.13 but will euen giue the issue with the Temptation that wee may bee made able to beare it Secondly his eares are alwayes open to the cries Reason 2 of his Children and he putteth their teares into a bottle of remembrance hee is priuy to their wants and he heares their cries I haue seene I haue surely seen sayth the Lord the troubles of my people I haue also heard their cries and I will deliuer them So long therefore as wee haue a voyce to call vpon God or a heart to sigh and grone vnto him wee need not to doubt of our deliuerance so that whether wee consider that the Lord is priuy to our wants or weaknesse and alwayes heares the prayers yea the sighes and grones of his children we need not any way to doubt but that the Lord will put an end vnto all our troubles heere The vses follow Seeing then that the Lord our God in afflicting Vse 1 vs layes no more vpon vs then wee shall bee able to beare but in the middest of all our troubles giues a blessing and if wee seeke vnto him hee doth manifest his loue in deliuering vs. This may teach vs all a profitable lesson namely to possesse our soules with patience and to wayte the Lords leasure for if we seeke to him by true repentance and hearty prayer Hee that shall come and will come Luke 21. and will not tarry This must be our comfort that after two dayes or at the most three dayes hee will visite vs and rid vs out of our trouble and affliction if the Lord do see the same to be good for vs And let vs take heed that we fall not to murmur against God to repine and grudge at his chastisements much lesse to charge God of cruelty no he afflicts but with light affliction and such as bee but for a moment a very short time and therefore let vs runne to God patiently endure his trials kisse his rod and his hand that smiteth vs seeing hee afflicts vs for our good and seeks onely our reformation comfort and saluation Obiect But here I know it will bee obiected How can this be true that the iudgements and afflictions of Gods Church and children are so short that God doth reuiue his children after two dayes or at the third day at the most Do we not see many good Christians that are the deare children of God haue grieuous afflictions some sicknes some pouerty some imprisonment some exercised with the griefe of a wounded conscience and they pray earnestly for remedy yet the Lord doth still continue them in their misery how then doth this stand that afflictions last but a day or two or some short time An. True it is indeed that the Lord oftentimes
All men by nature are dead in respect of any spirituall life namely dead in trespasses and sinnes sin is the bane and death of our soules for the Wages of sinne is death Death bringeth vs into the full and absolute power of the Deuill that wee are all of vs thus seruants vnto sinne It is plain by the Apostles complaint Eph. 2.1 Rom. 6.23 Rom. 7.14 Rom. 6.16 Gen. 2.17 I am carnall sold vnder sinne and then vnto whom soeuer wee giue our selues as seruants to obey his seruants we are Now that we are all by nature seruants vnto sin and vnto death it cannot bee denied for what was it that God sayd vnto Adam In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death As soone as Adam had sinned presently the sentence tooke place and Adam is now become the child of death and eternall destruction became his portion and this is the condition of all Adams posterity there is not the greatest the noblest the wealthiest nor the fayrest amongst the sonnes of men but wee are thus bound till the Sonne make vs free Men are not onely sicke with sinne or wounded by sinne or halfe dead but starke dead bereft of all spirituall sense and motion And this doth the Apostle most liuely effectually set out vnto vs in another place when he sayth Yee were once darknes Eph. 5.8 but now are light in the Lord He doth not say we were in darknesse Io. 3.6 for then perhaps wee might haue come of our selues into the light againe But yee were darknesse Darknesse it selfe yea nothing else but Darknesse and hence againe is it that naturall men are called Flesh not Fleshly but flesh it selfe and the wisdom that is Rom. 8.7 the best part that can bee in a naturall man what is it but Enmitie with God it may bring a man to Hell but it cannot lead him one inch nearer vnto heauen and therefore being thus starke dead in sinne Alas what can a dead man doe to helpe himselfe No more can a natural man moue so much as one finger to procure saluation to himselfe no no being dead in sinne we cannot so much as thinke one good thought much lesse haue wee free will of our selues to seeke for saluation vntil such time as the Lord hath reuiued vs and quickned vs by the Spirit of grace Lazarus in the Gospell had layne dead foure dayes in the graue so as hee beganne to rotte and to stinke yet when our Sauiour Christ cryed with a loud voyce Lazarus Io. 11. come foorth hee arose incontinently and came and stood foorth This is our case and condition yea the estate and condition of euery soule in the world we be starke dead in trespasses and sinnes nay we lye rotting and putrifying in the graue of our sinnes and vntill Iesus Christ by his spirit and loude voyce of the preaching of the Gospell which is the Word of life shal breath within vs the breath of life and reuiue vs poore soules wee cannot moue so much as one little finger to the Kingdome of heauen This may serue in the first place to confute that erroneous Vse 1 Doctrine of the Papists who say that a man hath naturally Free-will in himselfe by vertue whereof hee can dispose himselfe to the worke of his regeneration Condemnes the Doctrine of the Papists touching Free Will whose opinion if it were granted then were the power of God lesse seene in our second birth then in our first birth which were iniurious to the Spirit of God so to thinke for what can a dead man do to his owne quickning and raysing vp from the graue can hee turne himselfe or any way fitte or prepare himselfe to bee raysed surely no it is altogether impossible nay let a dead man haue all the helpe that may be to bee Raysed vp yet vnlesse the soule bee giuen vnto him all is in vaine so fareth it with the naturall man he can by no meanes dispose himselfe to any spirituall action or motion vnlesse some spirituall life be put into him But what sayeth the Aduersary he may giue his consent to his quickning though hee quicken not himsele But say I what consent call wee the consent of a man that is dead but not to stand vpon their presumptuous doctrine of Free wil the which amongst many other points of Popery maintained by them hath lifted vp many so high amongst them with this vaine opinion of their own worthinesse that they find not themselues to stand in need for the Lord to lift them vp Then in the feare of God let euery man and woman Vse 2 and euery mothers child labour to see our misery to see our poore Soules how they lye rotting in sinne let vs Serues to humble vs in that wee are dead till the Lord quicken vs by his spirit seeing wee bee as the poore Flyes in Winter starke dead not able to moue our little finger to heauen pray vnto the Lord that hee would cause the blessed Sunne-shine of his Word and Gospell to shine vpon vs to warme our cold and benummed soules to quicken our dead consciences by the word of Life and the blessed worke of his holy Spirit for so long as God doth not quicken vs nor reuiue vs alas our soules be dead in sinne and this death is the next step vnto eternall death in the fire of Hell And therefore their case is dangerous and miserable which sleepe snort in sin lye starke dead in the graue of sin vntill it please the Lord to reuiue them by the preaching of the Gospell which is the Power of God vnto Saluation to Reuiue and to quicken our dead soules This being so Note we see then it is no maruell though many that are present in the Assemblies of Gods people at the preaching of the Word and yet reape no profite by it the reason is they are dead now sound a Trumpet in a dead mans eare and he heares it not Euen so Esay 58. let the Minister of Gods Word cry neuer so loude lift vp his voyce like a Trumpet men are no more moued eyther with the comforts of the Word or with the threates of the Law then the seates men sit on because they are dead till the Lord doe please to put life into them And as for those that haue eares to heare with profite and comfort blesse God for it and giue him the glory for so great a mercy for certaine it is by nature the condition of all men is alike till the Lord hath wrought in vs the worke of grace and Reuiued vs with the breath of life Oh what cause then hath man by nature to swell with pride or to bee lifted vp with any conceit at all of his owne worthinesse though they haue neuer so many excellent parts of nature as wit capacity strength beauty or outward gifts as riches honour authority c. yet surely men may see that if
their honour in a moment of time is turned into dishonour their glory into shame and confusion Haman one day the happiest man in a Kingdome next to the King the next day the most wtetched Hest 5.12 7.9 one day honoured the next day hanged Yea it is the condition of the godly themselues as wee may see in Dauid Who greater in Sauls Court then Dauid made the Sonne in Law of the King and Captaine of the Hoast yet by and by disgraced degraded and in perill of his life But it is not so with God for whome hee loueth once he loueth euer He doth not change hee cannot lie his gifts are without repentance Oh then let vs seeke for his fauour aboue the fauour of Princes and when wee haue it make much of it for the estate of that man is happy and blessed hee is at peace with heauen and earth with men and Angels with himselfe and all others with life and with death and hath this comfort and assurance from the almighty that nothing shall bee able to do him hurt Indeed the child of God hath no promise to bee freed from trials and temptations sicknesse pouerty and the like but the child of God hath this promise that these things shall neuer hurt him the Lord will sanctifie them to his children and they shall bee sure to leaue a blessing behind them This is it which the Prophet Dauid handleth at large Psa 91.1 c. Who so dwelleth in the secret of the most high shall abide in the shadow of the Almighty Surely hee shall deliuer thee from the snare of the Hunter and from the noysome pestilence c. Not that the godly shall bee freed from all these calamities but the meaning is they shall not hurt the godly but the Lord will euer giue them a sanctified vse of them that they shall gaine more in the Spirit then they can lose in the Flesh so that wee see what a maruellous comfort it is that wee are at peace with God that hee is our friend and that he hath no controuersie against vs for if God were against vs who should bee able to stand for vs but being iustified by faith wee are at peace with God Besides that wee are at peace with the elect Angels of God with the children of God with the creatures of God and with himselfe for if a man were at peace with all the world with men and Angels and yet were at warre in himselfe that his owne sinnes did muster themselues against him hee should then see what a blessing it is to haue a cleare conscience But he is at peace with himselfe so that the godly man alone that repents of his sins is hee alone that is the blessed man Hee liues in Gods sight Fourthly and lastly seeing that he that repents Turnes vnto God is hee alone That liues in Gods sight Vse 4 that is in Gods fauour Alas then how fearefull and wretched is the estate and condition of all those that are yet in their sinnes and are out of Gods fauour Ah poore soules they haue no rest they can looke for no peace for both heauen earth and all creatures shall conspire against them And as it was sayd of Ismael his hand should bee against euery man euery mans hand against him God is become their enemy the Angels of God are armed to destroy them and their owne consciences conuince and condemne them Heauen gates are shut against them Hel opens her mouth maruellous wide to swallow them there is not any thing in the whole world that can truly and properly bee called a wicked mans but hell and damnation and this one day shall sure bee his portion Marke then the difference betweene the child of God and the wicked the condition of the godly is many times in shew miserable to the outward appearance 2. Cor. 6.9 but yet in it selfe most blessed and happy They are as vnknowne and yet knowne as dying and behold they liue as chastened and yet not killed as sorrowing and yet alway reioysing as poore and yet making many rich as hauing nothing and yet possessing all things Whereas on the other side the estate and condition of the wicked is in shew many times blessed and happy whereas indeede and in trueth it is in it selfe most desperate most wretched and miserable for if those that Repent and Turne vnto God Liue in Gods sight in his fauor then those that are yet in their sins are vnder Gods wrath heauy displeasure Wee shall liue in his sight or before his face that is Vel conspectu illius wee shall endeuour to leade holy liues and godlie conuersations euen as wee liued and stood before the eyes of the Lord himselfe denying all vngodlinesse and worldly lusts liuing soberly iustly and godly in this present world Doct. This Phrase that wee must liue as in the presence of God shewes how wee must behaue ourselues in this world Godly liue as in Gods sight Gen. 5.12 Gen. 22.1 namely that in all we doe we must consider that wee bee euer in the blessed presence of God So it is sayd that Enoch walked with God that is in his whole life behaued himselfe as in the presence of God So Gen. 22.1 I am God all-sufficient walke before mee and bee thou perfect And surely it is a worthy fruite of true Repentance and a sound note of a man regenerate Gen. 39. when as in all his waies hee walkes and liues as in the sight of God So did Dauid I haue set God at my right hand that I might not fall It is a true note of him that repents truely when hee doth walke as before the face of God and is afraide to sinne because he would not offend his God in whose presence hee stands Phil. 3.20 Our Conuersation sayth the Apostle is in heauen from whence we looke for a Sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Dauid makes this question Psal 15.1 Lord who shall rest in thy mountaine that is in heauen not as Pilgrimes for a time but as heyres for euer Ver. 2. And God maketh this answere Hee that walketh vprightly and worketh righteousnesse that is hee that liueth holily heere as in Gods presence he shall liue for euer hee that loueth the face of God in his Church shall one day see the face of God in his Kingdome hee that professeth the Gospell and is carefull of his wayes not walking with a leg and a stumpe as they doe who seeme religious and liue ill appearing righteous and yet prophane Hee shall stand before the Lord for euer And indeede Ps 24.3.4 though wee haue our beeing heere in this vayle of misery yet our conuersation must bee in heauen We are but Exiles heere in this world our Country is heauen We are Pilgrimes and Strangers heere our home is heauen therefore we must liue according to the lawes of our Country euen as if wee were in
blessed Knowledge euen when that men haue the feare of God before their eyes to liue and behaue themselues As in his sight Heere then wee are taught in the first place what Doct. 1 is the ground and foundation of the true knowledge of God which as our Sauiour sayth Humiliation for sin must goe before the sanctified knowledge of God Io. 17.3 will bring a man to eternall life and without which wee cannot be saued Namely this the sight of a mans sins and of his wandring from God by error of life When a man sees the most wofull and miserable estate in which he is by reason of sinne and hath in him a godly purpose of heart to cleaue vnto the Lord and for the time to come so to liue and to walke as euer in the sight of God Surely this is the foundation that must be layde by euery Soule to get this Knowledge of God Pro. 1.7 Agreeable to this is that of Salomon The feare of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom It is the chiefest part of true wisdome indeed Deut. 4.6 This is your wisdome and vnderstanding that you keepe these ordinances and do them If we looke into the Scripture we shal see good proofe for this point namely that the true sight of our own wandring from God by our by-past error of life with a godly care and christian resolution that for the time to come we will Liue as in his sight that is in his blessed presence is the ground-worke or foundation of this Knowledge of God which will bring a man to life eternall Wherefore did almighty God so expostulate the matter with our Grandfather Adam after he had sinned Gen. 3. by his variety of demaunds Adam where art thou Who tolde thee that thou wast naked Hast thou eaten of the tree But all to this end to bring Adam to the sight of his sin and thereby to make way for a further worke of grace Ier. 8.6 And Ieremie lamenting the backwardnesse of people that there was no true conuersion to be found amongst them Psal 14.3 Rom. 3.10 Esay 53.6 Esay 1.3 assigneth this as the cause of all I hearkned sayth he but none spake aright no man repented him of his wickednesst saying Alas what haue I done q. d. There was not a man to be found amongst them that had so much as a conceit of his owne wandring from God but euery man was highly conceited of himselfe and of his owne worthinesse that their present courses were right and vnblameable and that is the cause why so few conuert turne to the Lord. So then by this that hath been spoken it appeareth clearely that true humiliation for sinne and reuerent awe of the presence of God must be the ground-work and foundation of this sanctified Knowledge of God which as our Sauiour sayth will bring a man to life eternall And now wee come to the vses Vse 1 First seeing wee are taught heere that the sight of a mans sinne with this godly purpose and resolution of heart to leaue and forsake them and a reuerent awe of Gods presence is the beginning and foundation of that true sanctified Knowledge which will bring a man to life eternall If then wee doe thinke that there is a God in heauen which is true of his word and that this Doctrine now deliuered is part of that holy truth by the which wee shall all be iudged at the last day if wee bee not able to deny but the renouncing of our old and accustomed sins which haue been so neare and so deare vnto vs Io. 17.3 must euer goe before this Knowledge of God which will giue vs one day an admittance into eternall life How should it bee then that wee should so much deceyue our owne soules as to thinke that wee can be saued seeing yet wee haue not forsaken the deeds of the flesh nor yet neuer set one foot forward in the way that leadeth vnto life for our owne hearts doe know and besides the world is priuy to it that what sinfull courses heretofore wee liued and delighted in in the same we continue at this day Alas alas it is the iust complaint that may bee taken vp of those times that Euery man turnes to his race as the horse rusheth into the battell Where is the man amongst vs that entreth into a strict examination of his owne estate and to say Alas what haue I done How is it with mee how shall I be able to answere for this course of life in the which I haue liued when the Lord shall call mee to a stricct account for the same Alas I finde that I haue gone astray as a sheepe that is lost I haue wandred a long time in the by-pathes of sin and wickednesse and I will now at last Arise and goe to my Father and say to him Father I haue sinned against heauen and against thee Luke 15. and am no more worthy to bee called thy sonne O where is the man that thus communeth with himselfe and with his owne heart in his secret Chamber betwixt God and his owne soule but rather on the contrary euery man holds on in his wonted fashion vaine pleasures and violent catching after the things of this world as if wee were born to no other end but to adde sin vnto sin and to adde vnto the measure of Gods wrath to bee heaped vp against vs against the day of his wrath and manifestations of his most righteous iudgement And that this is so I appeale vnto the conscience of euery one amongst vs What sinne is there whereunto we haue formerly beene addicted that by the Ministery of the Word now more plentifully reuealed vnto vs then in former times wee haue for conscience sake reformed and in stead thereof haue brought foorth the fruits of the Gospell Oh how can wee looke at the last day to stand with ioy and comfort before God his Angels when hee shall come to iudge the secrets of all hearts when as that witnesse in our owne bosomes I meane our owne consciences cannot testifie for vs that wee haue reformed any one corruption Well to end this vse commend mee to thy conscience and tell it thus from me whatsoeuer thou bee that if thou abidest still in thy olde sins thy ignorance blindnesse prophanenes adulterie vncleannesse drunkennesse swearing couetousnesse malice c. 2. Cor. 5.17 This Pearle heere spoken of this sanctified Knowledge of God which will giue a man one day an admittance into eternall life can neuer bee thine hee must become a new Creature that will come into that new Ierusalem Deceiue wee not our owne selues therefore any longer eyther wee must beginne heere at the sight of our old errors or else wee can neuer tread the path that leadeth vnto life Secondly seeing that the true sight and feeling Vse 2 of a mans sinnes his reuerent feare and awe of God is the fountaine of this knowledge which brings vs
4.23 thus particularly to know and beleeue that Iesus Christ is their Iesus and Sauiour who hath died for them to saue their soules And indeed this is the sweetnesse of the Gospell and the marrow of all Religion not simply to know that Iesus Christ is a Sauiour but to know that hee is my Sauiour not simply to know that he died for sinners but for mee the chiefe of al sinners not simply to know that there is an eternall life but to know that there is eternall life layde vp for me So that wee see that it is not inough for a Christian to know the history of the Bible that Iesus Christ is the Sauiour of the world and dyed for those which beleeue in him for this knowledge the Deuill himselfe hath hee knoweth and doth acknowledge Iesus Christ to bee the Sauiour of the world but wee must labour for this particular knowledge this certaine and experimentall knowledge so as wee can say in truth of heart Note I beleeue and know that Iesus Christ is not onely the Sauiour of the world but my Sauiour not onely that he dyed for them which beleeue in him but that hee dyed for me and shedde his bloud to saue my soule And though this were true that though but one man or woman in the whole world should bee saued yet we ought to haue this certaine knowledge to beleeue I am the man I am the woman and they which haue this certaine and vnfalilble knowledge they are in the right way to eternal life but they which haue only a general and confused knowledge swimming in the braine alas they abide in death The third speciall thing which wee must know is the Spirite of God How God the holy Ghost is to be knowne of vs. when as we can find and feele the worke of Gods Spirit within vs when wee acknowledge him to bee the author and sole worker of this knowledge when wee can know by experience in our owne selues in our soules and consciences that the Spirit of Christ is in vs Gal. 2 20. 2. Cor. 13.5 that wee can say with the Apostle Christ liueth in mee and that hee doth make vs with boldnesse to call vpon God and to cry vnto him Abba father Rom. 8.15 when wee doe feele the blessed worke of the Spirit to mortifie our corrupt nature by little and little weakening the strength of sinne and naturall corruption within vs and dayly raysing vs vp to newnesse of life and repayring in vs more more the blessed image of God in holinesse and righteousnesse which hath greatly defaced in vs by reason of sinne and Sathan This is that Knowledge which whosoeuer finds put and powred into their soules by the Spirit of Christ Iesus they are happy and blessed they are in reall possession of eternall life but as for those which want this knowledge seeme they neuer so excellent nor thinke they neuer so well of themselues they bee but miserable and cursed and abide in eternall death and damnation Doct. Hauing thus at large shewed what is that knowledge heere spoken of Ignorance of God and his word in matters of Religion is dangerous and also the excellent fruits effects that come from it and what it is that wee must know as also what great profite this knowledge brings to all those which haue it namely eternall life It shall not now bee amisse to consider in a word how dangerous a thing it is to want this sauing knowledge what great misery come to men and women by ignorance and want of knowledge The blessed Sonne of God himselfe who being most true nay the very truth and life it selfe when he would shew the root and very spawne of sinne and iniquity hee tels the Scribes Pharisees Mat. 22.29 Yee erre because yee know not the Scriptures and the power of God And to what should we impute this in these dayes that men runne into errors and teach false heretical nay damnable doctrine surely to this because men know not the Scripture and haue no knowledge in the word What is the cause that men liue in sinne in drunkennesse whoredome adultery swearing couetousnesse c Alas the cause of all is this because they haue no knowledge There is an excellent place to this purpose in the Prophet Hosea Hos 1.2 where the Lord by his Prophet takes vp a great and grieuous complaint against the inhabitants of the land because there was no Mercy nor Truth to bee found but that men liued in Swearing lying killing whoring theeuing c. And the reason of all these is there layde down in these words There is no knowledge of God in the land Read the fourth Chapter of Leuiticus Leuit. 4. and there it wil appeare how highly Almighty God condemned this sin of Ignorance by those Sacrifices that were to bee offered vp euen for the same Heb. 2.1 Now Ignorance is threefold 1. It is a simple and meere ignorance 2. Is a carelesse ignorance 3. Is a wilfull and an affected ignorance All these kinds of ignorance are heere forbidden and condemned as the greatest enemies to this knowledge The first of these is simply for want of meanes 1 Of simple ignorance which few men in these dayes and times wherein wee liue are able to obiect for the voyce of Gods Ministers haue sounded the Lords Trumpet of warning in most places of this land so that if men now should bee ignorant it must needs bee a wilfull and an affected ignorance for by the mercy of our God wee liue now in such times as knowledge is euen thrust vpon men both by publike authority and the restlesse labours of Gods faithfull Ministers 2. Cor. 4. so that we may conclude with the Apostle If the Gospell bee hid it is hid to them that perish whom the Prince of this World hath blinded their minds yet notwithstanding that men should want these means of knowledge yet wil not their ignorance excuse them in the day of the Lord It may excuse à tanto but not à toto as Diuines affirme their punishment may be something the lesse but it shal not free them from hauing any at all The second kind of ignorance that is heere condemned as an vtter engine to this knowledge 2 Of carelesse ignorance is carelesse ignorance which is indeed the onely sinne of these times when hauing the means of knowledge we care not for it but neglect and contemne it this is farre worse then the former and if the former sort of ignorance will not excuse a man much lesse will this Oh it is the sinne of thousands in the world at this day that out of negligence and carelesnesse neglect the meanes of knowledge offered vnto them 2. Cor. 4. Oh what a fearefull sinne is this considering that if the Gospell bee hidde it is hid to them that perish and that Christ Iesus will come at the last to render Vengeance