God of whom I haue receiued both my commission and lesson what and how to speake and how farre to proceed against you That you may the rather hearken and giue your attention vnto the words know the exceeding loue affection the Lord hath toward you hee is so farre from desâ—ring your destruction or delighting and pleasing himselfe in your ponishment as that hee be moneth your miserie and lamenteth your losse yea as a compassionate father hee pitieth you and hath compassion on all those of whose returne there is any hope And that you should beleeue it his will is that his messengers should haue the same tender affection and compassionate care ouer the Church that Iaphâ—â—â— may be allured to dwell in the â—ems of Sam. And that none may stand vp to excuse himselfe my words do not poynt to the Assyrions Idumeâ—ns nor Moâ—bites but they doe concerne thee O Ierusalem that take your selues to bee a purified people There be none so holy but need farther information and reformation and it is the Ministers duty to speak the word and rebuke sinne and exhort every kinde of profession vnto religion and that you the hearers might nor thinke it an Indifferent thing to heare or not to he are because men like your selues speake it It is not a counsell but a commandement enforcing the estimation of the authority of the Prophet no lesse the Gods own authority Wherefore in the Lords behalfe suruey your waits in your heâ—reâ— by the glasse of Gods law you that think your selues to bee a sanctified people shall behold great 〈◊〉 of washing not only the seet but the head also not the out side alone but the very insulâ— is defiled For I must tell you you are no better within then you bee without But albeit thou art commanded to sanctifie thy heart beware of assuming any power vnto your selues for as sanctification is an action not words so it is not mans but Gods worke yet so that God worketh not vpon man as vpon stocks but as vpon reasonable creatures who by Gods preuenting grace work together with him the works of God For in this action the hand is the whole Trinitie the water is the teares of repentance 1. Thes 5.23 the soape is the grace of God through Christ and the sunne that drieth vs maketh vs accepted is the applying and iustifying faith through Christ Iesus And in this worke be sure that thou thy selfe bee exercised therein for God will not be serued and worshipped by atturneyes and another for thee for thou must serue God for thy selfe because the iust man must liue by his own faith And heere O Ierusalem you must vnderstand although the Lord hath made you the Prince of the Prouinces seating you in the high places to cleanse and reforme others yet the Lord requireth that you first cleanse your selues and wash your owne hearts before you sit vpon others first sit vpon your selues And herein bee not hypocrites for outward holinesse without the heart goe with it is abominable before God but sanctifie the heart and all will be cleane Therefore let the obiect wherabout you must be busied be your sins wickednesse for the readiest way to bring you backe from prophanenesse is to conuince your selues of sinne And so doing the gaine is your owne for thereby you shall not profit the Lord with your righteousnesse but your selues For so shall you in this life bee preserued when others perish and in the life to come saued when other shall be damned The God of all grace so sanctifie vs in the vnderstanding hereof generally that wee so apply the doctrines particularly to our hearts that all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit may so bee cleansed that wee may grow vp vnto full holinesse in the feare of God Concerning the fust point containing the Acclamation in the coÌ„mandement where I beseech you 1. consider the persons speaking namely God by Ieremie and the Prophet in the name of the Lord. 2. Chr. â—9 25 And this is of great force to enforce the commandement The world is become so captious that it is more ready to question by what authority the Preacher preacheth then with obedience to obey the preaching Therefore to remoue all lets that may hinder the acceptance of his doctrine he first of all pleadeth his commission Doct. 1 From whence wee may learne that none ought to speake teach in the Lords name that be not able to shew their authority and commission to bee set on worke both by God and his Church This the Prophet proueth speaking not in his owne but in the Lords name As if he should haue said I doe not of my selfe command you for theÌ„ you might think me too busie but I haue authority and commission diuine and am set a worke by the Lord whose will I must obey and therfore you ought to heare me with patience For I am none of those who run and God hath not sent my calling is from God And for this cause receiued I the anoynting 1. Ioh. 2.21 which is nothing else but the assignement vocation and ordination of any to â—n office in Church or Common-wealth with a promise of bestowing sit gifts for the discharge thereof To this end Kings Prophets Priests in the old Testament were â—nnointed signifying the spirituall oyle of Gods grace fitting vs to our calling this is that Chrysma that will teach vs all things Here I mind not with Ireâ—ans Lib. 3. cap. 3. to shew you that Alia vocatio est extraordinaria alia ordinaria that the one is without the suffrage of men by the onely voice of God as was Abraham Moses and the Prophets vnder the Law and as Iohn the Baptist and the Apostles in the time of the Gospell and that the other was by the suffrage of the Church Precibus impositione manuum as now in the time of the Gospell the Lord sendeth labourers into his vineyard But my purpose is briefly to shew you that none without a lawfull calling froÌ„ the Church by whose hands the Lord sendeth forth fit men into the Ministery ought to be heard of the Lords people If the Lord would not beare with any of what degree soeuer in the time of the Law but would punish euen Kings that would meddle with the Priests office that had no calling thereunto Then none without a lawful calling may take vpon them the ministerie not bee heard of the Lords people But the proposition is true Exod. 28.1 Numb 16.32.35 1. Sam. 13.9.10.11.13 2. Reg. 9.7.31 2. Sam. 6.6.7 2. Reg. 15.5 If no man may take this office but he that is called as Aaron was Then c. But Hebr. 5.4 If the Lord from heauen complaineth of such that runne before they be sent then such ought not to bee heard of the Lords people But the Lord complaineth let 23.21 saying I haue not sent these Prophets yet they runne I haue not spoken vnto them and yet
and repentance is an action pressed vpon vs and that from God For it is his coÌ„mandement we must wash therefore we are vncleance Doct. 1 From whence the instruction is that there is not any thing in al this world that doth defile the soule and body in the sight of God as sin doth Proued here That which is not defiled need not to be washed But here man is commaÌ„ded to wash himselfe therefore he is defiled Sinne is called rottennesse and corruption and is that which wee haue drawne either by propagation from our parents in originall sinne which hath defiled and corrupted the whole nature of man that he is blinded in vnderstanding froward in will and rebelling in all his actions against the will word of God or else it is the increase of this vncleannesse which wee haue greatly augmented by our owne euill practise and wicked conuersation and is that which the Apostle calleth old leauen to be purged 1. Cor. 5.7 that it may be a new lumpe This vncleannesse of sinne was prefigured in the ancient washings of Aaron and his sonnes with water at the doore of the Tabernacle Exodus 29.4 And in the typicall and signifying washings of the old Testament foreshewing the cleansing and purifying of our hearts in the Gospell Mat. 5.8 For Gods Altar and seruice must bee compassed with innocencie the Lord will be sanctified in those that come neere him Leu. 10 The purification of the soule and bodie is the fruite of sauing hope 1. Ioh. 3.3 For euery one that hath this hope in him purgeth himselfe as he is pure This vncleannes is deciphered in Ezek. 16.6 for the Lord vnto whose eyes all things are naked Heb. 13 4. seeth euerie one polluted in his own blood Luk. 10.30 It is the spirituall pitch that who so toucheth is defiled therewith Sin doth mortifie vs and maketh vs dead to grace and goodnesse And in the old Testament he that touched a dead carkâ—se was vncleane and might not come into the Sanctuarie till he was cleansed Vse 1 The first vse is to teach vs to labour with our owne hearts to hate and abhorre sinne in all but specially in our selues and that with a perfect hatred euen more then the diuell of hell for he cannot hurt vs till sinne doe staine vs. Sinne is that which much delighted the diuell and therefore it is the Tempters office and continual endeuour to prouoke vs to sinne Therefore he is called an Enemie Apocal. 12.10 an Accuser a Compasser Iob. 1.7 a Sister Luk. 22.31 a Deceiuer GeÌ„ 3.13 Wherfore I beseech you trust him not for hee hath a minde to get all the members of thy body and all the affections of thy soule from out of Gods seruice into his slauerie and subiection Sinne greatly displeaseth God and therefore he hath euery where in his word threatned fearefull punishments against the transgressors of his law Leuit. 26.15 Deu. 28.15 And there hath been none so deare nor is any so beloued vnto God in heauen Paradise nor in the earth but for sin the Lord hath punished The Angels that kept not their first estate Iude epist they are reserued in chaines of darknesse for euer to be punished Adam for sinne throwne out of Paradise The Canaanites with their sixe bordering nations disinherited and cast forth of their countrie The first world drowned Sodome and Gomer burned Kings vnthroaned Iudges Magistrates strooke downe from the bench and the Mightie cast from their seates Yea the Lord forsooke his own inheritance euen mount Sion which hee loued because they sinned against him that so the saying of his Prophet might be true Psalme 5.4 Thou art not a God that loueth wickednesse neither shall euell dwell with thee The foolish shall not stand in thy sight for thou hatest all them that worke iniquitie Isai 1.16 Wash you make you cleane put away the euill of your workes cease to doe euill learne to doe well and then come and let vs reason together For wee must wash our hands in innocencie before we may come to compasse the Lords Altar Vse 2 Here also it serueth to informe our iudgements concerning sin and wickednesse namely that euerie sinne defileth and subuerteth the worke of God it turneth good into euill faire into soule forme into deformitie and life into doâ—â—â— And this doth the holy Ghost teach vs Tit. 1.15 saying Vnto the cleanâ— are all things cleane but vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing Is nothing cleane but euen their minds and consciences are defiled Should not this deare Christians inforce vpon our consciences this doctrine of sanctification and cleansing of our flesh and spirits from wickednesse suh it defileth all things it commeth neere Let Gods word come to a sinful he are it is defiled as pure water in a foule vessell What is there in man or without man that sinne hath not defiled It hath made our tongues become Adders speares our lippes instruments of guile our hands to worke iniquitie and our feete to runne to euill and to shed blood But what speake I of the defilement of the members the Spirit saith sin defileth the very minds and consciences of men And how should it bee otherwise for if sin so abuse the naturall parts what will it doe with the minde It grieueth me to tell you but I will tell you that it may warne you It turneth prayers into cursing it vseth knowledge to beguile the Scriptures to couer prophanenesse it vseth their wittes to cauill which brings Lawyers much gold and siluer it vseth wealth to oppresse strength to steale to wine and to women It vseth naturall wisedome to maintaine vnnatural blasphemy It vseth hunger to gluttonie thirst to drunk â—â—ues garments to pride honour to disdome marriage to lust offices to briberie the Minssterie to contention saw to delay It vseth the day to open euill and the night to secret shame Shall I cease here I weepe to speake it It either despiseth or wresteth damnably the holy and sacred word of God and the ordinances of God it prophaneth wickedly For haue we not in this our age to fill vp the measure of vncleannesse haue we not Ribaldrie as in Playes and the like committed to the presse to be commended in print lest posteritie should want patternes of impietie Whoredome with some is good physicke honestie is but foolerie knauerie is commoditie dissembling is discretion and idlenesse is gentrie If this bee not cleansed with the winde of the law or cut downe by your sword of iustice or purged with the Lords fanne to what height of sinne shall we grow vnto But the thing which I admire is this that God Almightie for all this doth suffer vs stil to liue It may be hee doth it that his long patience might leade vs to repentance or that wee should fulfill the measure of sin in defying the grace of God as wee haue defiled the nature of man that so at last we may abuse death as we
of God whatsoeuer Vse 1 The vse of this doctrine is laid downe by the Prophet Ieremy saying Ierom. 25.5 Turne againe now euery one from his euill way and from the wickednesse of your inuentions and you shall dwell in the land that the Lord hath giuen vnto you and to your fathers for euer and euer That is as we desire to be the matter whereon Gods mercy shall worke and as we desire to liue euery one quietly vnder his owne vine and if wee would continue in this land which the Lord our God hath giuen vs then we must euery one forsake his euill waies amend our liues and sanctifie our selues that we may be holy Hath any of vs endured misery suffered want hath the plague threatened vs famine pinched vs theeues and robbers spoyled our goods haue any of vs been rich and now poore haue we been vnderset with friends and their sauour turned into disfauour consider deeply the matter O my brethren and let vs at length learne the true way to remedie our euill to procure our safety Psalm 14â— 12 13. and encrease againe what wee haue lost let vs leaue off to doe euill learne to doe well that we may bee saued let vs cast off sinne Hos 5.15 and all shall be amended and restored Then shall the earth yeeld her encrease and God euen our God shall giue vs his blessing Vse 2 Another vse hereof in that sanctification maketh vs capable of Gods mercies that God will neuer withdraw his mercy from him that repenteth Zach. 1.3 and amendeth his life For the Lord hath promised it Turne you vnto me saith the Lord of Hoastâ— and I will turne vnto you saith the Lord of Hosts Feare not the assistance of God in any trouble or triall or death or affliction Psal 89.4.24.28.33 if thou hast repented for then thou shalt hold out to the end For albeit thou maiest slip and fall againe Ioh. 10.28 yet thou canst not finally perish Ioh. 17.23 for all thy sinnes committed after thy true and found repentance 1. Ioh. 3.6 shall not bee thought vpon Which is that 1. Ioh. 2.8 which the blessed Apostle giueth for comfort If any man sin we haue an aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous For Iesus is not to bee tied onely to such sins as neuer were committed before but is also to sinnes often fallen into So that frailty and not loosenesse be the cause thereof And an Article of our faith it is to beleeue the forgiuenesse of sinnes shall we glosse vpon it thus that is of such sinnes as I neuer committed but once Surely if we doe it must bee said cursed bee the glosse that corrupteth the Text. For that Article compriseth all sinne before Baptisme and after Baptisme before repentance and after repentance for euer throughout the course of our liues c. Vse 3 Lastly the vse may serue to informe our iudgements that sinne and wickednesse causeth the Lord to translate a people here and there and to spew the vngodly out of their lands goods and dwellings For the seauen nations Leuit. 18. 24. which the Lord cast out before Israel were cast out because they had defiled themselues with sinne vers 25 The land saith the Lord is defiled therefore I will visit the wickednesse therof vpon it and the land shall vomit out hâ—r inhabitants vers 28. For shall not the land spew you out if yee defile it as it spewed out the people that were before you and it is a commandement saying Leuit. 20.22 Ye shall keepe therfore all mine ordinances and all my iudgments and doe them that the land whether I bring you to dwell therein spew you not out But me thinkes I heare some obiect and say If such an one for his sinnes bee cast out of his house land liuing how commeth it to passe that hee to whom the Lord hath giuen it is as wicked as he that was cast forth I answere It may so come to passe in the iustice of God that the rod which the Lord vseth to correct one for sinne may afterward it selfe bee throwee Isa 10.5.12 into the fier Wherefore I beseech you in the feare of God euen as you would be preserued aliue and after this life saued for euer lay away Atheisme Heathenisme Papisme and Brownisme with all sin and wickednesse and continew in the profession of the Gospell that you may dwell in the Lords fauor and inherit the land of the liuing for euer Doct. 2 Againe in that he saith that thou mayest be helped It may serue to teach vs that all our righteousnesse and all that wee doe in the seruice of God bringeth no aduantage nor profit vnto God but the end why God requireth obedience of vs is for our owne good and welfare prooued heere sanctitie is required of vs but for our owne good that wee may bee saued If a man should be an earnest sutor to his neighbour and importune his neighbour not for any thing for himself but for his neighbours owne good would not euery man condemne that man of great follie if hee should reiect his requests yet the Lord of heauen and earth daily importuneth vs and that for our owne euerlasting gaine which is godlinesse to bring vs to eternall blisse and wee turne the backe and giue him the left eare like gracelesse children vpon whoÌ„ their parents bestow many meanes and much money in schooling and otherwise to haue them thriue in learning and trading but all in vaine Know dear Christians that your comming to Church and giuing your presence at a Sermon is not to countenaÌ„ce the Preacher nor to the glory of God onely but it is for thine owne gaine not only the gaine of spirituall graces but of temporall good things also For as Iob saith Iob 22.3 Is it any thing to the Almighty that thou art righteous is it profitable to him that thou makest thy waies vpright therefore acquaint thy selfe I pray thee with him and make peace vers 21. thereby thou shalt haue prosperitie For if thou returne to the Almighty vers 23. thou shalt bee built vp thou shalt lay vp gold for dust vers 24. and the gold of Ophir as the fliuts of the riuers Yea the Almighty shall bee thy defence vers 25. and thou shalt haue plentie of siluer Deut. 5.29 Who can denie and reade this but that all Iob 35.7 that the Lord commands Psalm 16.2 50.12 116.12 is for our welfare vnlesse we will denie God himselfe The reason of this truth is because God is Almighty and able to glorifie himselfe without vs. But heere a question may arise Mat. 3.9 which is this If our seruice doe not profit God why doth the Lord require it it seemeth he hath some respect to himselfe No such matter But when hee requireth vs to abstaine from euill and doe good hee onely considereth what is