this case How often would I haue gathered you together euen as the hen gathereth her chickens vnder her wings but you would not Thus the Lord reasons with vs beloued Many fruits of his blessings haue you tasted of both by sea and by land from time to time hath hee sent home your shippes ballanced with the riches of the Ocean as if they came laden with treasures from Egypt for which the Lord encrease not only plenteousnes within your vessels but euen thankfulnesse within your bowels Many excellent and powerfull instructions haue beene deliuered vnto you by the mouths of his seruants the Prophets All this hath beene to this end to gather you together vnto the Lord his blessings temporall and his graces spirituall haue beene as two hands to draw you home vnto him but as yet for ought wee see you will not Therefore looke vnto it if the like should befall you as here to Ierusalem either in this place by Nabucadnezzar and the Caldeans or there by Titus Mat. 23.37 and Vespasian that your enemies should entrench your towne and enuiron you round about that hunger and famine should tirannize ouer your bodies whereas now plentie sits at your doores to welcome your friends that the sword of some forraine Nation should shorten your dayes whereas now the sword of good Magistrates is carried before you if your houses of pleasure should become your prisons if your louing wiues should be deflowred and your tender infants murdered in the streetes before your faces If this or a greater euill should befall which the Lord in his mercie turne away beloued is it not iust shall wee challenge God of his equitie or charge him of iniustice and say Lord why hast thou done this surely no many times sayth the Lord would I but you would not for I am a God mercifull gracious long-suffering and of great goodnesse but the more I was mercifull the more you were sinfull the more I was gracious the more you were gracelesse the longer I was in suffering the longer were you in sinning and the greater I was in goodnesse the greater were you in transgression therefore because I then would but you would not perhaps now you would but I will not Bethink your selues of your estate present bethinke your selues what may befall O Ierusalem c. Secondly Ierusalem the elect Citie of God most holy most glorious built vpon holie mountaines no Citie in the world comparable thereunto Ierusalē Metropolis Iudaeorum Nico. de Lyra gloss ordina Esay 2. Mich. 4. as well for the loftinesse of the seate for the temperature of the ayre for the moderation of the heauens and fruitfulnesse of the soyle and yet all this serues not so much for the credit of it as that The Scepter went forth from Sion the word of God from Ierusalem It was the onely place of Gods onely worship the Lord had a delight to haue his name there neither had any more priuiledges more teaching or preaching then they had yet for all this they wanted perseuerance they could not continue vnto the end yea these which should haue bin schoolemasters to al other Nations round about them for knowledge Yet see the testimonie that God giues of Ierusalē Ch. 5.1 Run to and fro in the streets of Ierusalem behold now enquire in the open places if ye can find a mā or if there be any that executeth iudgemēt seeks the truth I wil spare it saith the Lord. Loe my beloued not a righteous man not a faithfull soule it seemes found in Ierusalē either amōg their princes or among their people Whereby we learne Doctrine that howsoeuer wee haue the word of God preached and the heauenly oracles of his will reuealed vnto vs from the bosome of the almightie by the mouthes of his Prophets and other priuiledges and prerogatiues giuen vnto vs which God hath not vouchsafed to other Nations yet cannot wee challenge this priuiledge and prerogatiue of perseuerance So likewise the Churches of Cōstantinople and of Ephesus excellent priuiledges they had and great prerogatiues they were graced with yet could they not perseuere vnto the end Well the vses in a word Vse 1 that wee are to make hereof are diuers first in that Ierusalem thus priuiledged and blessed could not perseuere it serues to teach vs that in any place which the Lord hath countenāced with the preaching of his word if the hearts of the people bee not set to obey the Lord will giue no blessing vnto it If preaching practizing bee not ioyned together if the Gospel obediēce walke not hand in hand if Gods word our workes if the light of his Gospel and the light of our godly conuersation be found asunder alas wee may with Esau deceiue our selues Gen. 26. and thinke to haue a blessing when wee shall hit vpon a curse Therefore let vs not content our selues with the outward sound of the word if the inward obedience of the heart bee absent though wee bring our Bibles to Church vnder our armes it is not that will make vs good Christians if our hearts be not set to obey but wee must ioyne the outward ministerie of the word and the inward obedience of the heart together no sooner must the Lord open his mouth but wee must open our eares drinke the sound of his word into the secrets of our harts which may become mightie and by the operation thereof make vs fruitfull vnto saluation Secondly Vse 2 in that Ierusalem could not continue perseuere it serues to teach vs that wee which haue had the excellent benefit of his word and by the beames of his glorious Gospel haue beene enlightned in the wayes of saluation Gal. 5.1 1. Pet. 2. wee must as Paul admonisheth vs standfast and not bee as variable cloudes in the ayre that are carried about with a tempest but stedfast constant and confident in the profession of the Gospel For if wee prooue either faint-hearted or faithlesse hearted Christians if it bee sayd of vs as Paul sayd of the Galathians Gal. 5.7 Apostatas Ye did runne well in the race of Christianitie but now yee slide backe our end shall be worse then our beginning for it had beene much better that wee had neuer learned the truth nor knowne the way of righteousnesse then after wee haue knowne and learned it to returne with the dog to his vomit and with the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire Vse 3 Thirdly 1. Cor. 10.12 Non locus persona dignitas priuilegia aut immunitates possūt nos ab ira Dei eximere in that Ierusalem could not perseuere it teacheth vs that of the Apostle Wee which thinke wee stand must take heede lest wee fall let vs not boast of those priuiledges and blessings that God hath enriched vs with for were they neuer so many or neuer so great Ierusalem had more and greater yet though shee was highly in credite with the
deale in singlenesse of heart with the Lord for there is neyther thought any shift excuse or deuice but the Lord is inward vnto it which if he once perceyues it enforceth him to a further reuenge Eph. 5.6 It was the caueat which Paul gaue to the Ephesians Let no man deceiue you with vayne words for for such things the wrath of God commeth vpon the children of disobedience If men eyther excuse sinne in themselues or mocke at the Iudgements of God the anger and wrath of God in the violentest maner comes vpon them Secondly Instru ∣ ction 2 let vs learne from hence that though wee reforme some fewe sinnes and restrayne our selues from outward offences whereof the world condemnes vs yet can we not promise our selues securitie if we haue any wicked thoughtes raigning and remaining in our harts And therefore because mans nature is so subiect to corruption drawn from Adam that the brightest fire hath some smoke the clearest fountain some mudde and the purest hart some infection wee must in the sincerest manner that we may wholly resigne our selues into the Lords hands and commit the ordering disposing and sanctifying of our thoughts to his good will and pleasure knowing that in him lyeth all our safetie securitie from all iudgements and for our selues were wee as iust and vpright as Daniel yet might wee say with him Shame Lord and confusion belongs vnto vs. Thirdly let vs learne Instru ∣ ction 3 not to thinke it a small matter when any olde sinne or corruption remaines within vs. For if euer any thing be dangerous surely this is most daungerous when a sinne that sprouted vp in vs thirtie or fortie yeeres agoe still the same sinne remaines in our hearts In medio tui and lurketh in the inwards of our soules surely it is now growne to a great tree not easily to be pluckt vp For it is the nature of sin when custome giues it any encouragement first it is an egge secondly a cockatrie thirdly a serpent fourthly a fierie flying serpent For as it remaineth it keeps not at a stay but it groweth vp gets hart strength and encouragement that it fares like a sleepie Lyon Gen. 4.7 which if a man begins to rouze is ready to fly in his face Therefore let vs crush the heads of our wicked thoughts while they are but little serpents and not suffer them to remaine in our hearts so long lest at length they get strength to ouer-master vs. Lastly by the tenor of this argument wee may see how the Lord is grieued with the delay of repentance in any sinner Simile we know in our owne ordinarie affaires either in following matters of law or when wee haue any suites requestes to exhibite to princes or men of state delay breeds many dangers Mora trahit periculum and makes vs that we either go without the thing that we sue for or els we obtaine it with great difficulty and charge after the same sort if any desires this heauenly promotion which all the kingdomes in the world cannot purchase and bee slacke in following the suite thereof to thinke as Naaman thought of the waters of Iordan 2. King 5 that other waters may be as good so another time as meet and shall not to morrow bee as to day c. surely he shall eyther go without it or els obtaine it with great difficultie for the longer that we remaine in sinne the further off will the Lord be from vs yea so farre as it shall be hard to find him and the more sinnes that a man committeth the more walles of brasse are built and made vp betwixt God and vs that the cries of our sinfull hearts can not haue passage vnto him nor his mercies vnto vs. Were it not much better then beloued to seeke the Lord while he may be found Esay 55. and to call vpon him while he is neere to put vp our supplications into the hands of this heauenly Prince while hee now passeth by vs then to stay and delay till he shuts himselfe vp in his chamber of presence and then will not open vnto vs Oh that wee could once bee wise and prouident for our owne saluation When Abel offered sacrifice he brought the first fruits of his sheepe and the fatte of them to offer vp Gen. 4.4 And the Lord had respect vnto it And shall wee thinke to spend the first fruites of our age and the prime of our yeeres in sinne and the seruice of the Deuill when we haue thus spent the strength sap and greennesse of our youth and grow old and withered lying like brands in the fire of sinne Zach. 3. wasted and consumed to stumps as the Prophet speaks and then offer vp our old adulterous broken and shattred sacrifices vnto God shall we thinke I say the Lord will regard them or that he will thus be mocked at our hands Surely no. Our safest course beloued will then bee not to grieue the Lord with delayes that he should iustly complain of vs as of Ierusalem How long shall the wicked thoughtes remaine within thee Is it not yet enough Are ye not content to grieue men onely but you will grieue mee also c. But rather forthwith whiles wee are in our best strength Eccles 12.1 before the euill day commeth to season our greene vessels with the liquor of his spirit euen with holinesse and sanctimonie of life and to thinke the prime of our yeeres and as it were the maidenhead of our youth in the purest and holiest maner to bee better bestowed on the Lord who hath promised himselfe to bee a most louing and faithfull husband vnto vs then vpon the Deuill which is our professed enemie and seekes our ouerthrow euerie way O let vs consider how brittle a staffe we leaue vpon whē we trust vnto our old age which when it breakes the splinters shiuers thereof will wound vs. If we repose any confidence to the houre of death for Gods fauour we tread but vpon yee which if it be molten with a little heate of Gods anger alas wee sinke into the gulte of destruction Indeed many are blinded in giuing credite to Sathan when hee saith vnto them Ye shall not die or the time is not yet c. thinking that Gods mercie wil waite vpon them when their eyes shall be closed vp or obtaine that at the houre of death which they haue contemned all their life but let vs for our partes labour for it euen while it is called to day yea while the Lord cals and sayes vnto vs as hee said to Adam Where art thou Gen. 3.9 neuer colour nor cloke our filthines with the Figge leanes of our deuises or shrowd our selues in the thickets of our wicked imaginations for then we shall shew our selues of what house we come but rather endeuour to bee new creatures in Christ the second Adam yet let it repent vs that wee haue deferred the time so long and suffered sinne to grow to such a height to the greater offence of our heauenly father and to the greater hazzard of our owne saluation and as he hath thought long for our turning vnto him so let vs think long for his turning vnto vs that there may be amity league and friendship betwixt God and vs and then shal we liue without feare of any forraigne enemy Exod. 14 14. yea we may then hold our peace for the Lord will fight for vs and put all our enemies vnto the sword hee will make vs returne into the court of heauen with palmes of honour in our hands and crowns of victory vpon our heads and the whole Trinitie shall with one voice say Amen for the confirmation of our eternall happines Then shall we haue no more wars nor rumors of wars to dismay vs no more enemies to feare vs no feare to grieue vs no griefe to trouble vs no trouble to disquiet vs no sicknesse to distemper vs or death to dissolue vs but life in him who liueth for euermore The Lord possesse out soules with a desire of it and giue a blessing to that which hath beene deliuered Amen FINIS
A SERMON PREACHED at great Yarmouth Vpon VVednesday the 12. of September 1599. By W. Y. The argument whereof was chosen to minister instructions vnto the people vpon occasion of those present troubles which then were feared by the Spaniards Eccles 9.18 Better is Wisdome then weapons of warre but one sinner destroyeth much good Imprinted at London by Simon Stafford dwelling on Adling hill neere Carter-lane 1600. TO THE WORshipfull Master Iohn Felton the elder and Master Thomas Manfield Bayliffes of the Towne of great Yarmouth grace and peace in our Lord Iesus Christ IT is fayned of the Poets Worshipfull master Bayliffes Ouid. Metam 11. Riuus aquae Lethes c. that there is a Riuer in Hell called Lethe of which whosoeuer drinketh forgets al that he hath remembred before Whatsoeuer they haue imagined sure it is that the diuell hath an hellish deuice to make the eares of the people drunken with vanities that whatsoeuer instructions haue beene deliuered vnto thē yet for the most part they are soone forgotten and the remembrance of them no more to be found I will not condemne them for so weake of memorie as Massula was who forgot his owne name or so dull of capacitie as the Thracians that could not reckō aboue foure yet sure it is the small profite and practise that ariseth by the preaching of the word argueth the drynesse of their brains or that God speaks once and twise and man regardes it not Many there be which will goe to heare sermons but few that can goe to remember them could wee as well remember as wee can heare no doubt Christianitie would flourish as the vine-tree and bring forth plenty of fruit but because it is otherwise sermons being once preached become as musicke vnto vs delighting our eares onely for a time but being ended their sound vanisheth away Therefore though I may seeme to adde more fulnes to the sea I haue published and in publishing enlarged this sermon which was once preached before you that if your memory faile of that which was then deliuered the eare may heare it again and the eye see it and the mind conceiue it and the soule receiue and taste the benefite thereof Efficacior lingua quā litera Barnard Ep. 66. and though it bee now lesse perswasiue then when it was pronounced by the gesture and countenance of a liuing man yet wants there not to answere it that you may reade and read it againe meditating thereon not once or twise but often Many wise and learned haue prudently and painefully laboured in this course and the world floweth with diuersitie of Bookes as the sea with varietie of fishes and therefore mine might haue well beene spared yet was the argument of which Ispake so fitting to the time when I spake that lest we should be as forgetfull of these instructions as it seemes wee are of those rumors of warres and troubles which then sodainely befell vs I haue ventured to acquaint you with the same matter againe and to make the benefite thereof more publike which then was but priuate to your owne eares Now because you are the men whom the Lord hath made his lieutenants ouer this towne next vnder her Maiestie Num. 27.17 to goe in and out before this people I haue made you the patrons of this my simple labour as you are Patrons ouer those for whose benefit it was preached and is now published both to leade them forth and to bring them home that the congregation of the Lord might not bee as sheep without a shepheard And euen as the Loadstone doth by a secret operation and vertue attract yron vnto it so your vertuous and religious minds entertaining and patronizing this may with the Loadstone draw others of the iron sort and those of baser mettall then your selues to entertaine receiue and peruse it to their comfort being garded with the countenance and credite of your names If any Christian receiue profite by it Iam. 1.17 let him who is the Father of lights and giuer of euerie good and perfect gift and the encrease of these which are vnperfite haue the prayse thereof there shall none of his glorie cleaue to my fingers neither is that which I haue done for any earthly respect or worldly consideration for I haue had that which I expect and more I neither looke for nor desire Onely this that the Lord in his mercy would grant Oculus sceptrum Emblē Egyptiac quo Magistratuū regimen desig Psa 2.9 that as he hath set you on high and graced you with the gouernment of this people so your eye your scepter may be ioyned together that first you may be quick-sighted to discerne sinne and sin being discouered to bruise it in peeces with your scepter of gouernement that iudgement may prayse you in the gate and Iustice aduaunce her selfe in the great congregation that vnity peace and concord may be established vertue godlines and religion furthered that the preaching of the word may more and more flourish worke mightily in the harts of the people for their conuersion Mat. 4.13 and that Yarmouth may be with * So the word signifies Capernaum euen a place of repentance scituate by the seaside The Lord euen the most mightie God inflame your worshipfull zealous hearts with a care hereof that during the heate of the day and the time of your gouernement ye may be Paragons to those which went before and examples to as many as shall follow And thus I commend you vnto the Lord and to the word of his grace which is able to build you further and to giue you an heauenly inheritance among them which are sanctified in Christ Iesus From the Priory in Yarmouth Oct. 24. 1599. Your VVorships in the Lord William Yonger A SERMON PREACHED AT great Yarmouth The Text. Ieremiah 4.14 O Ierusalem wash thine heart from wickednes that thou maist be saued how long shall thy wicked thoughts remaine within thee THe purpose of the Prophet in the former part of this prophesie Worshipfull and well beloued is to worke conuersion in the hearts of the Iewes Eccles 4.12 and because as Salomon sayes A three-fold coard is not easily broken so to the end that hee might with greater force more vehemencie draw them thereunto hee hath twisted and twyned together a three-fold cord an argument of a triple force and efficacie to moue them to repentance First from the consideration of his benefits and mercies bestowed vpō them in the second and third verses of the second Chapter Secondly from couenants and promises made vnto them in the fourteenth verse of the former Chapter Thirdly from iudgements and threatnings denounced against them in the seuenth verse of this Chapter where the Prophet saith Verse 7. The Liō is come vp frō his den the destroyer of the Gentiles is departed and gone forth to lay the land waste and the Cities shal be destroyed without an inhabitāt So that you see
Lord and countenanced of him as the Empresse of the world her glorie is here threatned to bee layd in the dust Gē 11.2 Let Nimrod and his companie build a Citie whose towres and turrets may reach vp into heauen yet shall Babel bee Babel the thing it selfe shall bee the confusion thereof The whore of Babylon may aduaunce her selfe in pleasures Reu. 18.8 and in the pride of her heart say she sits as a Queene and shal see no mourning yet shall her plagues come at one day death sorrow and famine and shee shall bee burnt with fire for strong is the Lord God which will condemne her Reu. 18.8 Therfore if we assure our selues of the continuance of Gods fauour amongst vs by our outward prosperitie or thinke to stand hereafter as wee haue stood hitherto wee are deceiued for were we as deere and neere vnto the Lord as Ierusalem or answerable vnto it either for brauerie of buildings commodities of marchandize store of munition to driue backe the force and fierce assaults of our enemies yet are they not sufficient to driue back the gun-shot of Gods displeasure when for our transgression hee entendeth our destruction Fourthly Vse 4 seeing wee see Ierusalems estate to bee this it teacheth vs to cōmend our prayers and supplications vnto GOD for this speciall blessing of perseuerance for what profiteth a man Simile to sayle a long voyage prosperously and with successe if at length hee makes shipwracke beeing ready to enter into the hauen So what will it auayle vs my brethren sayling in the full sea of Gods blessings and in the flouds of his aboundant mercies with the winds of prosperitie and before we come to our iourneyes end make shipwracke of fayth and a good conscience It is not sufficient for vs that wee runne but we must so runne as wee may attaine It will not auaile vs to begin well if wee doe not continue to the end if wee haue begunne in the spirit Gal. 3.3 there is no perfection to be looked for in the flesh That seede is in vaine cast into the ground whereof a man filleth not his bosome in the time of haruest and the profession of the Gospel is ill begunne and to no purpose except we perseuere vnto the end Now it may be demanded Why did the Lord looke for such measure of obedience Obiect perseuerance and other fruits in Ierusalem more then in the Caldeans Answ The reason is Because he had bestowed greatest blessings vpon them and the Lords maner is where he bestowes greatest blessings there he lookes for greatest obedience and where there is greatest preaching there doth hee expect greatest practise That Parable of the fig-tree Luk. 31.6 planted in a vineyard serues fitly for the illustration hereof A certaine man sayth hee had a figtree planted in a vineyard and because hee had planted it he came and sought fruit thereon but found none Then sayd he to the dresser of the vineyard Lo this 3 yeere haue I come and sought fruit thereon hauc found none cut it down why keepeth it the ground barren This vineyard beloued is the Church of God the fig-tree though it bee there meant of the estate of the Iewes yet by it may bee vnderstood the estate of euery seuerall soule the planter thereof is Christ the dressers are his seruants the Prophets Nowe sayth Christ I haue planted a fig-tree great cause therefore that I should haue fruit of it Well any time these three yeres haue I come and sought fruit thereon but haue found none Neither is it onely fruitlesse it selfe but it makes the ground barren and fruitlesse likewise Surely my purpose is it shall bee cut downe and cast into the fire O Lord beloued an happie thing were it if in our vineyard wee had no such vnprofitable fig-trees if in our Church wee had no such vnprofitable professors vpon whom Gods Prophets and ministers haue bestowed cost and of whom no doubt the Lord hath expected and wayted for not three yeres but many yeeres the fruits of his blessings but alas wee deceiue his expectation long hath he thought for and sought after the fruits of his Gospel but loe nothing but weedes of disobedience spring vp amongst vs. What will bee the end of this Surely we may iustly feare the like iudgemēt that befell to the fig-tree Cut it down why keepeth it the ground barren Wee may I confesse bee suffered to grow for a time to flourish for a season yet vtter destruction wil happē in the end We know heretofore how the Lord hath dealt with vs for wee haue playd the hypocrites with him and therefore hath hee made the earth and the creatures thereon to play the hypocrites with vs. The Lord hath expected the fruits of our obedience but behold it is like vnto a shadow something in shew but nothing in substance or euen as Ephraims righteousnesse Ose 6.4 like to the morning dew so wee in former yeeres haue expected the fruits of the earth from him yet haue wee beene partakers of the curse that Iob speakes of Iob. 31.40 That thistles haue growne in steade of wheate and cockle in steade of harley so as the husband-man sorrowed and sighed within himselfe when hee saw no better fruit of his labours Thus hath the Lord caused the earth to deceiue our expectation because wee haue deceiued his and though now on a sodaine hee hath equally diuided the pipes and cunduites of his mercie and opened the windowes of heauen and hath sent downe a gracious raine vpon the ground of the good and of the bad of the iust and of the vniust filling our bosomes with aboūdance of blessings that our vineyards clap their hands and our fields doe reioyce and sing yet let vs beware that this sodaine prosperity and plenty bee not to fat vs against a day of slaughter Let vs therefore consider our estate what wee are and what wee haue beene euen a people blessed of the Lord but wee may speake of our selues as Pliny speakes of a certaine countrey that ex siccitate lutū ex imbre puluerē c. drought hath caused durt and raine hath stirred vp dust amongst vs for what hath the sunshine of his mercies but caused vs to lie in the mire of our abominations and what hath the moysture of his graces but euen dryed vp the fountaine of grace in vs so as wee are giuen ouer to worke transgression with greedinesse the increase of his blessings haue encreased our iniquities and the aboundance of his mercies haue brought forth aboundance of sinne in vs for what haue wee but in steade of obedience rebellion in steade of knowledge ignorance Is there no complaint of oppression to be heard in our streetes doe not rich men grinde the faces of the poore plucking their skinnes from their bodies and their flesh from their bones as the Prophet speakes Is not one man readie to pull out the throat of another vrging and vsing extremitie
2. Sam. 10.31 2. Sam. 13.31 of Ioab for Abner and of other Now lest this ceremonie or such like should bee rather of fashion then from the affection of the heart Ioel disclaimes from them as things which the Lord regardeth not if the puritie of the mind and sinceritie of the heart bee absent It is not outward sanctification outward holinesse outward behauiour that the Lord requires but the purifying and purging of the heart from sinne For God seeth not as man seeth 1. Sam. 16.7 Prou. 15.11 man looketh on the outward appearance but the Lord beholdeth the heart therefore Wash thy heart O Ierusalem I might here by the way take occasion to fight a battell with hypocrites Hypocrites whom we may compare to boat-men that look one way but row another or like to Mercuries Images that poynt the way to others but thēselues stand still and stirre not one foote or like to stage-players which for an houre or two seeme to be greatstates-men but the play being ended they are as base companions as they were before or like vnto the Carbuncle which hath a shew of fire but no true fire so they a shew of zeale but no true zeale Mat. 23.27 or as those paynted Sepulchers beautified to the eye but within full of rottennesse and corruption These will seeme religious amongst you though not refraine their tongues Iā 1.26 but deceiue their owne hearts whose religion by the iudgement of the Apostle is vaine But to leaue them because my purpose was but to take them by the lap of their garments at this time for a remembrance onely let vs that will bee Christians in deede and sinceritie bee warie that we play not the sophisters with our selues thinking that outward puritie and sinceritie stand for currant in the sight of God It is the purenesse and sanctimonie of the heart onely Our repentance must be nou corporis sed cordis Eiusdem capitis that the Lord requires we may pray with the Pharise Luke 18.11 and kisse Christ with Iudas Mat. 26.49 and offer sacrifice with Cain Gen. 4.3 and fast with Iesabel 1. Kin. 21.9 and humble our selues with Ahab vers 27. and present an Oblation with Ananias Acts 5.2 and lament with the teares of Esau Gen. 27.38 yet all these are nothing if the heart be not onely deuoted and consecrated vnto God Wash thine heart from wickednesse Second instruction Secōdly in that he sayth Wash thine heart from wickednesse wee see howe lothsome a thing it is in the sight of God to haue a wicked heart an heart not sanctified and vpright before him An happie thing were it if wee could bethinke our selues what an enemie we carrie about with vs in our breasts when we haue wickednes in our hearts It is like death Malitia which hauing once seazed vpon the heart all the members of the body are immediatly captiued so let the heart bee wicked and the whole body is wicked for out of the aboundance of the heart the head deuiseth the hand executeth the tongue speaketh the eye seeth the foote walketh I. King 15.30 and euen as wicked Ieroboam made all Israel to sinne so the wicked heart makes the whole body to sinne Therefore should euerie one of vs pray with good King Dauid Psal 50. Create in mee O Lord a cleane heart and renew a right spirit within mee Wee must dislodge our hearts of this great euill and make them the wagons and chariots of the Spirit wherein hee may sit to guide our whole body and the priuiledge which hereby wee shall reape is singular Rō 8.14 for sayth Saint Paul So many as are led by the Spirit are the sonnes of God Now the Lord hath giuen vs our hearts and bodies to bee resting places for the holy Ghost and wherein he should take delight to seate himselfe But alas the Spirit sits in the streetes Iudg. 19 like the Leuit that came from Gybeah and no man receiues it into the house of his heart nay wee choose rather to make them dennes for the diuell store-houses of sinne and euen a Dagon of all iniquitie Should it be thus with Christians God forbid the Lord hath giuen thee a body to bee the temple of the holy Ghost shalt thou now take this body of thine and make it the body of an harlot God forbid the Lord hath giuen thee hands as organs to performe the necessarie actions belonging to thy welfare shalt thou now diuert them to an ill vse and make them instruments of murder violence rapine oppression God forbid the Lord hath giuē thee a tongue an excellent benefit of nature to conuey vnto thy brother the secret conceits of thy mind both for the prayse and glorie of God and for thy profit and benefit in thy trade of life shalt thou now make it a tongue of blasphemie vnchastitie cursing swearing and forswearing God forbid the Lord hath giuen thee eyes to behold his creatures vpō the face of the heauens the superficies of the earth to behold the admirable workes of the almighty in the frame of the world and they are as two lights for without them the whole body should be possessed with darknes now darest thou attempt to make them instrumēts to sollicite the heart with vncleannes or make them windowes of vanity by beholding the beauty of the strange woman nay rather let vs say with Ioh Iob. 31.1 I haue made a couenant with mine eyes not with an vnchaste affectiō to behold a virgin Foedus pepigerā cum oculis meis c. Pro. 23.26 Rom. 12.1 Thus haue you heard that the Lord hath giuen vs an heart that we might as Solomons wisedome requires giue it vnto the Lord againe hee hath giuen vs a body that wee might as Paul requires offer it vp vnto him againe All powers and parts of both hath God giuen vnto vs that wee should dedicate them to him againe but alas wee bestow them vpon Satan sinne and the pleasures of the world Iehu vsed not the temple of Baal more basely then wee vse our hearts making them cabbins of vncleane spirits full of deadly sinnes whereas they should bee vessels of holinesse and honor vnto the Lord. 1. Thes 4.4 Let vs therefore in the Lords feare supplant this bitter roote of wickednesse in our hearts and plant in them the graces of the spirit that the heart may bee as a sweete garden furnished with vertues as with fragrant flowres that hee may say of it as elsewhere hee speakes of Sion Here will I dwell for I haue a delight herein so shal he which created it haue it he that gaue it receiue it againe and he which preserues it in this life may preserue it for euer Thirdly Third instructiō in that he sayth Wash thine heart from wickednesse it giues vs to vnderstand that sinne is a corruption for the word here which the Prophet vseth Laua Ablue is a
slake the thirsty desire thereof and labour to ridde our selues of it for he that hath fewest sins in the day of Iudgement shall find hee hath too many and let vs weigh the Lords cause in our owne ballance that as we thinke we may iustly complaine when the weight and burden of his iudgementes are vpon vs so let vs thinke the Lordes complaint equall when the weight and burthen of our sinne is vpon him Esay 1.14 Secondly Vse 2 this How long is like Cynthius to pull vs by the eare and admonish vs how we spend our time for God wil haue a reckning of euery idle houre that we spend therfore it should teach vs to walke circumspectly as the Apostle speaks Eph. 5.15 redeeming the time that what time soeuer heretofore hath beene ill spent wee may haue an eye to the time to come that it may be well spent for we know not whether we haue fortie dayes respit allotted vnto vs as the Niniuites had but sure an happy thing is it for him that hath time place for repentance and wofull will it be when the whole course of our life is spent in vanitie and profanenesse and in the ende and vpshotte thereof the Angell of God shall answere vs Time shall bee no more Esau had a time when hee might haue repented but being ouerslipt he had no place for repentance Heb. 12.17 though he sought the blessing with teares These times are not allotted for the bodie but for the soule Rom. 13.11 And now is the time not of pleasure or delight but of saluation if euer we will haue it Therefore let tempus vitae be tempus poenitentiae let the time of our life bee the time of our repentance So much for the circumstance of time How long Now it followes How long shall thy wicked thoughtes remaine within thee HE the hath plāted the eare doth not he heare he the hath created the eye doeth not he see the thoughts of the heart Man can but iudge of actions and outward appearances onely but the Lord knoweth the heart Penetrat Deus vsque ad ine timos recessus cordium Psa 139 15. There is nothing hidden from God eyther in heauen or earth or within the reynes and hearts of our bodies or of the lowest destruction but he seeth it with eyes ten thousand times brighter then the Sunne My bones are not hid from thee sayth Dauid though I was made in a secret place and fashioned beneath in the earth And in the 94. Verse 7 Psalme speaking howe the wicked smote the Lords people and troubled his inheritance slewe the widdowe and murthered the fatherlesse it went to his heart to heare them say Non respicit Iah The Lord shall not see it As if their wickednesse could shrowd it selfe from the all-seeing eye of his eternall Deity They are not onely our actions and words that are apparent vnto the Almightie Thoughts but the thoughts of our heart whether they be good or euill Thus the LORD sawe Ierusalems thoughts Wicked and he beheld them wicked according to that of the Prophet The Lord knoweth the thoughts of men Psal 94. that they are but vayne or vanitie it selfe Verse 11 Quod ipsae sunt vanitas traiectio And Gen. 6.5 The Lord sawe the imaginations of the thoughts of mans heart euill The thoughts of the heart are like vnto a gadding seruant whē he should employ him selfe to his masters busines at home he runneth and rangeth after his own pleasure so when our thoughts should bee attendant to the heart for the seruice of God they are here and there and abroad after their owne vanities nay many marre them Cogitationes vanitatis sic Cal. super ter as foolish parents doe their wanton children by too much cockering and fauouring of them and by giuing them too much liberty without restraint but suffer them to followe their owne lusts winding themselues so much into fauour with vs that they preuayle so far as from an vnchaste imagination the body is carried into an vnchaste action and from a proud an angry thought comes forth many times a blasphemous othe yea they will vrge and presse vs onward vnto euill wee can no sooner shake off a wicked thought but with the Egyptian flye it will light vpon vs againe Genes 6.14 Therefore as God commanded Noah to pitch the Arke within without that no water should get in so shoulde wee pitch the arkes of our soules that no violent and disordered thoughtes might rush in to oppresse vs or as wee hedge our vineyardes from wilde beastes so shoulde we hedge our heartes with the graces of the Spirite from vnruly and vntamed affections not to giue them the least ground of aduantage but to obserue that heauenly principle of an heathen Poet Principiis obsta Withstand beginnings because they may bee compared to Panthers who haue sweete smelles but deuouring mindes and the conceite of a wicked thought may seeme pleasing and delightsome but in the ende it deuoures like a two edged sworde Captains Mat. 8.9 Wee should bee masters of our thoughts as the Centurion was ouer his seruantes that when wee say to a wicked thought Goe it should depart and when to a good thought Come wee should then embrace it But if with deceyte Ios 9.23 like the Gibeonites they get themselues within vs and like hypocrites fayne themselues otherwise then they are let vs with the hoste of Israel set them to hew wood and to draw water employ them to the seruilest and basest duties or rather slay them out of hand lest the Lord slay vs for they be not the actions or words onely of the oppressour adulterer or proud man that shall be punished but he will scatter the proud or any other whatsoeuer in the imaginations of their hearts Cogitationibus cordis ipsorum Luk. 1.51 for our thoughts wee must come to Iudgement Well the Lord heere deales with Ierusalem as a Physicion with his patients who prescribes such a medicine for their maladies that hee would not any corruption should bee left behind whereby they might either seeme lothsome vnto him or deceyue themselues with a vayne hope of securitie when there is no such matter For what though the whole world had iudged well of Ierusalē or though by any outward ceremonies they had seem'd conformable if still the thoughts of iniquitie had * Pernoctare hospitari murmurare sic enim hebraice significat lingred in their wicked hearts which would haue bene as an inward corruption festering in a woūd and in the end haue brought greater miserie vpon them Where note Instru ∣ ction 1 that when we see any Iudgement ready to fall vpon vs in the matter of our repentance wee must deale with simplicitie and not to dreame of any shift or vayne excuse to beare vs out against any Iudgemēt whatsoeuer we may doe with men yet must we