and they can find no accusation against them unless it bee concerning the Law of their God Dan. 6.3 4 5. I might produce a cloud of examples of this nature as Cains envying Abel Esau Jacob the Patriarchs Joseph Saul David c. who were envied and hated meerly for their goodness and virtue but to what purpose when every man 's own heart can witness that of Solomon Prov. 29.27 to be true A wicked man is abomination to the just and he that is upright in his way is abomination to the wicked Section 15. And so according to my promise and as well as I can I have given you the Character of a non-preaching Minister of a witty and Rhetorical Preacher And to the end you may bee instructed aswell by similitude as contrariety I have declared the difference between these speculative Preachers and experimentall Divines whereby you may cleerly see that the former in comparison of the latter is but a hollow Reed without pith that though his memory bee sufficiently sull fraught yet his judgment is hollow and empty that hee is a barren divine whose roots knowledge bear no fruit but flowers that for any solid divinity that is in him hee may do as Pope Celestine the fifth did who deposed himself by reason of his ignorance In a word that such a preacher is a bladder full of wind a skin full of words a fools-wonder and a wise-mans fool But the better to undeceive the deceived and to the end that wee may bee gainers by this discovery because evill were as good not known as not avoided I will shew you how God's people are gulled and Satan advantaged by these non-preaching Ministers Who deal with the Church as Vespatian did with Rome who intending to invade the Empire first made sack of Alexandria where were all the Granaries that so hee might make them yield for want of victualls and become his vassalls As to way-lay an enemies provision hath ever been held and sound a principall stratagem in war How God's people are gulled and Satan advantaged by this deep and devilish stratagem I sear few consider as they ought for if they did they would as much detest these preachers as now they applaud them For what do they but in a great measure and asmuch as in them lies bring the heaviest judgment upon the land that can befall any nation Namely a famine of the Word and Gospel Yea they do not only bring this judgment upon those parishes which they are placed in but they draw thousands from other parishes so hindering and depriving their souls of their spirituall food and make the wholesom and faithfull preaching of all good 〈…〉 and disregarded by their people Insomuch that they do the Devill service under a colour of serving Christ and destroy souls under a pretence of saving them Nor is this their sin of a narrow extent For hereby the people me brought into such a loathing of the true Mannah of Gods Word that wee have just cause to fear our being deprived of it As what cause have wee to fear the removall of our Candlestick and that God should leave us in the dark since most men I fear ninety nine of an hundred love darkness rather then light and had rather hear wit and froth then the pure and solid Word of God And to take away our faithfull Ministers from us when wee so little regard and so ill and unworthily intreat and reward them preferring the worlds preachers before those who are of Christs sending Behold the days come saith the Lord God that I will send a famine in the Land Not a famine of bread nor a thirst of water but of hearing the Word of the Lord Amos 8.11 And this what ever carnall hearts conceive of it were a greater judgment then were the loss of the Sun out of the firmament Yea is it not just with God to take away the Lamp from that Nation which hath besides all this taken away the holy oil that should maintain it and to send upon us a famine of preaching who have brought a famine upon the Preachers For do not most men deny them maintenance unless by Law they are compell'd and then if they give it they as good as give their curse with it At least they will smite him with the tongue giving no heed to his words as the Prophet Jeremiah complains Jer. 18.18 Lament 3.45.46 And every penny they are forced to part with is drawn from them as so many drops of blood from the heart Nor will they give it but after such a base manner that one would scorn to accept of it for then nothing but find faults or mock them As I like not his preaching or he is a round-head or I cannot edifie by his sermons or hee preaches the Law and therefore is a railer with an hundred the like which apparently proves them God-haters and Gospell-haters as the root of this their enmity to the Ministry is their enmity against God and his Word and holiness which they cannot indure as appears by these places of Scripture Rom. 1.30 Joh. 15.23 24 25. Rev. 16.9 10 11. Luk. 10.16 Matth. 11. ver 6. 1 Sam. 8.7 Num. 16.11 John 7.7 Act. 9.4.5 Wherefore look to it my brethren lest you rob your selvs and your posterity to the worlds end of injoying this matchless mercy this unparallel'd pearl And Lord I fear that England shall want the Gospell when the Barbarians receive it because England had the Gospell and did so little esteem of it You indeed set a low price upon it and thereafter deal with the publishers of it But O what large bribes would Satan give whose Chaplains onely you desire to hear to have such men hold their peace In the mean time I am sure hee hath effected his will upon us in a great measure another way by sending these his Chaplains amongst us Insomuch that many men in England may bee said to wander as Amos speaks Chap. 8. not from Sea to Sea nor from the north to the west but from parish to parish to seek the Word of God and cannot find it ver 11.12 As let any knowing and experimentall Christian go to hundreds of parishes in England and hear but what preachers they have yea have chosen for themselvs for by their good wills they will admit of no other then these or worse Or rather let there bee a survey made throughout the three Nations and the number taken first of such as preach so unprofitably that the people are never the better for their preaching secondly of scandalous Ministers that pull down either with one or both hands that is to say with their lewd lives or by their devillish doctrine thirdly of serpentine preachers who instead of edifying to salvation do edifie to damnation being very Rhetoricall to discourage the godly and incourage the wicked rarely eloquent to flatter sin and flout holiness And you will say that God is as much beholding to hundreds of the
place to encourage us in this case is that 2 Chron. 34.27.28 too long to repeat I pray turn to it Again take notice that as hunger is a signe of good health so to hunger and thirst after Gods Word is a notable signe of our spirituall health and safety Matth. 5.6 Yea the sence of our wretchedness and the valuation of our spirituall helps is the best triall of our Regeneration In the next place delay not the opportunity of hearing but as the Holy Ghost saith Even to day hear his voice and harden not your hearts as in the provocation c. Heb. 3.7.8 The time present is the onely time to seek the Lord. To make short heat the Word indifferently and impartially have no prejudice against him thou hast heretofore most hated and slighted but hear him the rather for his bitternesse Perhaps God will convert and save thee by no other means or Minister then such as he hath placed thee under Despise not the meanest of Christs Messengers that delivers the Word purely aims at his glory and the good of souls And the better to induce you to esteem such consider with me a few particulars Section 22. Such Ministers as are of Christs sending are not onely appointed of God as watchmen to give us warning of ensuing danger Ezek. 3.17 and Pastors to feed our souls with the spiritual Manna of God's Word Eph. 4.11.12 and Captains to fight God's battels for us against our spiritual enemies and our Leaders to instruct us in the spiritual warfare Eph. 6.12 13. 2 Cor. 10.3 4 5. and God's Embassadors to declare his will and message unto us Eph. 6.20 and lye Leigers for the great King of heaven and earth So that whatsoever is done to them God takes and accounts as done to him Psal 44.22 But they are co-workers together with God in converting and saving our souls 1 Cor. 3.9 Hee shall speak words unto thee saies the Angel to Cornelius whereby both thou and all thine house shall be saved Act. 11.14 Wee are all born dead in sins and trespasses But what saies the Apostle Peter Unto this purpose was the Gospel preached also unto the dead that they might be condemned according to men in the flesh but might live according to God in the spirit 1 Pet. 4. ver 6. For conclusion of all hear the Word in season and out of season and so minde the same that if any virtue be commended practise it if any vice condemned avoid it if any consolation bee insinuated approoriate it if any good example be propounded follow it yea so mind what thou hearest as if it were spoken onely to thy self and be not like a childe who looking in a glasse thinks he sees another childs face and not his own For want of application is the sole cause that in the midst of so much means so few are converted Yea there be very few men that make not the whole Bible and all the Sermons they hear yea the checks of their own consciences and the motions of Gods Spirit utterly ineffectual for want of wit and grace to apply the same to themselvs Whereas if they would rightly and ingenuously apply but one text or two as Mat. 7.12 16.26 or the like unto their own souls as they can unto others being better able to discern others motes then their own beams they might be everlastingly happy And so much of Non-preaching now of Unpreaching Ministers who as much excell these as the Spider excells the Butterfly The ones Sermons being like that unblest food Hag. 1.6 the other like those bitter and venemous waters 2 King 2.19 20 21. Or that Pottage 2 King 4.39 40 41. wherein was put colloquintida as you will acknowledge when you have seen them in like manner cut up and anatomized which will be the sum of the second part of this discovery which had been joined with it onely I prorogue the printing of that until I see the acceptance of this because I much question whether those it concerns will be capable of its usefulness for having imparted both parts to some of those Non-preaching and Unpreaching Ministers for whose sakes they were both composed though they commend the pieces yet so unacqainted are they with their own hearts they conceive not that there are any such Preachers Now in case it shall not be printed and yet of some shall be desired they may please to read in lew of it my Characters of the kinds of Preaching published fourteen years since and sold by James Crumpe in Little Bartholomews Well-yard FINIS Imprimatur JOSEPH CARYL ERRATA Not to mention any of the literall mistakes or mis-poyntings in each sheet which are usuall At the top of Page 15. there was by what means I know not a whole line taken out after the proof was returned and put at the bottom of Page 16. whereby the one place is left defective and the other marred in the sence The words are these Gold of Cornucopia that it hath all things necessary for food in it of Panaces And in Page 39. line 33 there is most the instead of the most Neither of which faults though very grosse were espied vntill most of the sheet was printed off But the ingenuous Reader will either mend them with his pen or be so charitable as to bear with the Compositor However the Author must or else turn the buckle of his Girdle
THE People's Impartiall And Compassionate Monitor About hearing of Sermons OR The Worlds Preachers and Proselites lively painted out for a person of Quality upon occasion of hearing two famous Divines whose transcendent Wit Oratorie and Elegancie made many at their wits end with admiration Being a rare discovery to Vndeceive the Deceiued By R. YOUNGE of Roxwell in Essex Wee preach not our selvs but Christ Jesus the Lord c. 2 Cor. 4.5 My speech and my preaching was not with entising words of mans wisdom but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men but in the power of God c. 1 Cor. 2.4 5 to 9. I am come in my Fathers name and yee receive me not if another shall come in his own name him yee will receive Joh. 5.43 See 1 Joh. 4.1 London printed by J. B. for James Crumpe in Little Bartholomews Well-yard In the year 1657. TO THE TRULY NOBLE AND DESERVEDLY HONORED Sr NATHANAEL BASILE A WORTHY PATRON AND PATTERN OF WISDOM JUSTICE FORTITUDE PIETY AND SINCERITY R. Y. Dedicates this mean piece of his Labours and wisheth long life many followers with increase of all grace and happinesse The Peoples impartial and compassionate Monitor about hearing of Sermons Or the Worlds Preachers and Proselites lively painted out for a Person of Quality Upon occasion of hearing two famous Divines whose transcendent Wit Oratory and Elegancy made many at their wits end with admiration Section 1. Much honoured Sir ACcording to your Order I have heard another of your famous Preachers and will thereof give you an account as I promised And so that hundreds I hope shall be the better for it The truth is I extreamly admire them both though I honour them not at all The one made as rare a something of nothing as ever I heard The other for his skill in Sophistry is I confess a Non-such Both may be rare Preachers for ought I know but as he said of one little learned and lesse modest who usurped all discourse at the Table I never heard learning make such a noise So I never heard a solid Preacher deliver so many words for so little matter so much Oratory for so little Divinity Well may these plashes of water be held by some deep Divines but I presume you may gage their Divinity with one of your fingers As for their Sermons for so men call them though no otherwise then the Heathen Images are called gods Nor are they more like Sermons than Michaels image of goats hair was like David I may fitly liken them to a plume of feathers for which some will give any thing others just nothing Or if I compare them to a Nightingale tongue pye as being far more elaborate and costly than profitable or nourishing it is a great Hyperbole Indeed as a Reverend Divine speaks if I had no other Mistresse then Nature I would wish no other Master then such a Seneca Cicero or Demosthenes but being a Christian I go not to hear the rarities of human Eloquence but the eternal Word of God and more to profit my soul than to please my senses A wise man should yea a good Christian will propound to himself some end some good end of his going to hear for he that in his actions proposeth no mark or main end to himself is like a Ship that aimeth at no Harbour and no wind makes for him that hath no intended Port to sail unto neither can he expect any Voyage of advantage And to what end should any of Christs sheep go to the Assemblies but to hear his voice which is spirit and life to quicken those that are dead in sin and to raise up those that are therewith cast down Yea the Gospel is the strong arm of the Lord and the mighty power of God to salvation to every one that beleeveth Rom. 1.16 And therefore they never go to hear it but in hope to be the better for it Namely that they may have their faith strengthned by it or their patience increased or their judgement rectified or their wills reformed or their life and practise bettered or their love and zeal inflamed But certainly if any shall go to hear such Preachers as these bear with my boldness I beseech you to any or either of these ends he shall no less sail of his expectation then did those guests which Caligula invited to his golden banquet which being set before them did indeed delight the eye but neither pleased the pallate nor satisfied the stomach Nor do such Sermons more please the ear then they starve the soul Their simple hearers being like that Calf in the Epigram which went with no small appetite to suck the teats of a painted Cow Or rather like one that whets his knife upon a chalk stone which doth not sharpen but make it more dull and blunt Yea it were well if it were no worse for this is to be understood of the best of their Sermons whereas the other may be resembled to a poisoned fountain in the way which the innocent and thirsty passenger seeing is glad to drink of but in drinking is sure to dye for it Yea how many of these rare Preachers could I name that serve their hearers had they the wit to perceive it as Busirus whom Herculus slew served the poor who killed such as came to him for hospitality Or Theodosius the Prince who fraudulently called together seven thousand innocent persons as it were to see playes and then sent in souldiers to slay them For under a colour of feeding and curing their souls they impoison and kill them Or in case they be less cruel and do answer the hunger and thirst of an empty soul it shall be no otherwise then the Jews did our Saviour who gave him gaul for his meat and in his thirst vinegar to drink Psa 69.21 But this being a truth that transcends both the understanding and beleef of all that are unacquainted with Satans wiles Nor can it be beaten into the brains of unbeleevers who want the light of Gods Spirit and the eye of faith I have taken some pains in painting out these Preachers and their Proselites affirming no more then I know by grounded experience and shall fully confirm from the Word of truth Which commands us to try the spirits and their doctrine whether they be of God or no. Nor will you I hope think the time ill spent in your serious perusal thereof If it make you a gainer give God the glory Sect. 2. All sorts of Preachers may be comprised under four heads for either they are Preaching Or Non-Preaching Or Un-Preaching Ministers Or Preachers that are no Ministers Whereof I have to deal with Non-Preaching and Un-Preaching Ministers Non-Preaching Ministers I might martial into many Bands but the cheef are witty and Rhetorical Preachers and to these will I apply my self in the first place Witty and Rhetorical Preachers are such as Preach now and
them nothing of moment than others do who preach serious and solid Divinity which converts the soul and makes a new creature Secondly they have no need to seek farther the Scriptures are so full and compleat It is able to make a man wise to salvation and perfect unto all good works it is given by inspiration from God and is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction c. 2 Tim. 3.15 16 17. Yea the holy Ghost to make it more amiable hath given it these titles viz. a lanthorn to direct us a medicine to heal us a guide to conduct us a bit to restrain us a sword to defend us water to wash us fire to inflame us salt to season us milk to nourish us wine to rejoyce us rain to refresh us a treasure to enrich us and the key to unlock heaven-gates unto us so naming the word all things that we might only desire it instead of all things Men talk much of the Philosophers stone that it turneth copper into panaces the herb that it is good for all diseases of catholicon the drug that it is instead of all purges of Vulcans armour that it was an armour of proof against all thrusts and blowes and other the like but whatsoever they did vainly attribute to these things for bodily good we may with full measure ascribe justly to the Scripture for spiritual Augustine Tanta facta sunt quanta tunc fieri debuerunt tanta scripta sunt quanta nunc legi debuerunt His salubriter parva corriguntur parva nutriuntur magca oblectantur ingenia Nay saith he the Scriptures are so fit and full Ut in eis quotidie proficerem sic eas solas ab ineunte pueritia usque ad decrepitam senectutem maximo otio summo studio meliore ingenio conarer addiscere Thirdly their flocks if they be wise and godly as new-born babes desire only to be fed with the sincere milk of the Word contained in the Old and New Testament which are the two Brests of the Church that they may grow thereby 1 Pet. 2.2 Fourthly God abhors that his seeds-men the Ministers and so they pretend themselves to be should sowe any thing but the immortal seed of his Word Mat. 13.19 1 Pet. 1.23 1 John 3.9 which makes him so often complain against those false prophets who ran when he never sent them and spake out of their own hearts and not from the mouth of the Lord Jer. 23. his words are He that hath my word let him speak my word faithfully what is the chaff to the wheat is not my word like a a fire saith the Lord and like an hammer that breaketh the rook in pieces ver 16.28 29. which words speak home to them if they had but the grace to apply it But let them hear the Apostle The weapons of our warfare saith Paul are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.4 5. Sect. 8. Gods word may be compared to a Cannon with bullets whereas wit and humane eloquence is but like a Piece charged only with powder which may make a great noise but throweth not down sin The word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the joynts and the marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intentions of the heart Heb. 4.12 whence it is the Apostle so frequently opposeth his Preaching to these Verbalists who preach themselves and not Christ that deliver not the word of God but Poetry Roman History the sayings of Orators Philosophers c. I le give you two or three instances of many I wish they would minde his words We preach not our selves saith he but Christ Jesus the Lord neither do we handle the Word of God deceitfully 2 Cor. 4.2 5. nor have we shunned to declare unto you the whole counsel of God Act. 20.27 and again When I came unto you brethren my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of mans wisdome but in demonstration of the spirit and of power that your faith should not stand in the wisdome of men but in the power of God 1 Cor. 2.4 and again In declaring unto you the testimony of God I determined not to know any thing among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified which things also we speak not in the words which mans wisdome teacheth but which the holy Ghost teacheth comparing spiritual things with spiritual ver 2 13. and again Christ sent me to preach the Gospel not with the wisdome of words lest the crosse of Christ should be made of none effect chap. 1.17 and lastly I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that beleeveth Rom. 1.16 But how contrary to the Apostle are these men in every thing They preach themselves and not Christ they deliver not the Word of God but Poetry Roman History the sayings of Orators Philosophers c. not in the demonstration of the Spirit and of power but with the enticing words of mans wisdome and the rarities of humane eloquence Saint Paul was not ashamed of that preaching which the world counted foolishness 1 Cor. 1.18 21 23. But these are yea they dare not make use of Moses or the Prophets or the Evangelists or the same Saint Paul overmuch lest it should be thought they have more grace than wit and lesse learning than religion They strive so to be accounted great Scholars and curious Preachers that they are ashamed of the Gospel of Christ and scorn to deliver things so common counting such plain preaching no better than foolishness 1 Cor. 1.18 though God calls their witty Preaching foolishness and is pleased by that Preaching which they so sleight to save them that are saved verse 18 to 30. But your fine wits who prefer their sins before their souls care not for such course stuff neither can these Amnons of the people eat other cakes then such as are of Tamars baking And therefore they swarm together to hear an eloquent Rhetorical Preacher as those Idolaters did to the house of Baal 2 Kings 18. as where the dead carcasse is thither refort the Eagles It hath been usual for such as come in their own names to be received and entertained with general applause while they that come in Christs name have been sleighted if not persecuted Mahomet and the Pope possess three parts of the world whereas they that beleeve the Gospel are few in number Rom. 10.16 Michaia delivers the truth Zedekiah speaks falsly yet Zedekiah is credited and preferred to the Kings Table while Michaia is laid by the heels and sed with the bread of affliction and the water of affliction 1 Kings 22.6 12 13 14.
the Word very orderly and delight in it For none so bad but he loves the light as it shines but as it discovers and directs they hate it Whiles we search no farther than their dead flesh they can be quiet but if we once touch them to the quick we shall quickly hear of it Sect. 12. And the reasons of their so doing among many others are these three First these Serpents will hiss if we trouble their nests never so little because they know themselves guilty It is a sure sign the horse is galled that stirs too much when he is touched Num. 5.27 In the Law of Jelousies if the suspected wife were guilty that drank of the bitter waters of trial she would presently swell if otherwise she was well enough Unsound flesh loves to be stroaked the least roughness puts them into a rage Sore eyes cannot abide the light of the Sun The naked truth makes so little for and so much against resolute sinners that they will carp and storm and fret and chafe and fume and swell and rage and be ready to burst again when they hear it Instead of penitence they break out into choler fury sparkles in those eyes which should gush out with water Like Gain Ahab and Herod they are never troubled for their sins only they are vexed to hear of them They are like the mad man that wounded his Physitian even while he was administring Physick to him for his recovery Secondly the Word of God is like some fructifying dew or rain which falls not upon any ground in vain but will either produce the herbs of good works or the weeds of impiety Every line of Gods Word addes sinew to the virtuous mind and withal heals that vice which would be springing in it But as all bodies are not equally apt to be wrought upon by the same medicine so are not all souls by the same means of grace The same report wherewith the spirit of Rahab melts hardens the King of Jericho Joshua 2. Sergius Paulus was converted Elymas obdurated by the same Sermon Acts 12. Therefore no wonder if these spiders those bees the wicked and the godly suck the one honey the other poison from the self-same flower of holy Writ Thirdly the Word of God is the rule of justice which shews the crookedness of their ways It is the Law by which they shall be condemned therefore they cannot endure it They love not to have their consciences awakened but would sleep quietly in their sins and he that desires to sleep will have the curtains drawn the light shut out and no noise made Besides they cannot hear the down-right truth but they must also hear the sentence of their own condemnation It is the very word by which they are judged and condemned therefore they loath asmuch to hear it as a prisoner does abhor to hear his sentence from the just Judge And indeed if many love not to hear the worst of their temporal causes and cases nor yet of their bodily distempers with which their lives or estates be indangered how much more will wicked men decline from seeing their hainous abominations and themselves guilty of bell and eternal damnation Though thereof there be an absolute necessity if ever they be saved This is their main cause or quarrel against a zealous and powerful Preacher this above all makes them fret and storm But let envy sweat swell and burst truth must be spoken And indeed why should not Gods servants take as free liberty in reproving as the Devils servants take liberty in offending Shall not the one be as bold for God as the others are for Baal and Beelzebub These are the reasons why they threat when they should and others do tremble and jeer when they should fear and mock when they should mourn like those shameless and graceless Israelites 2 Chron. 30.10 Sect. 13. Nor can the cause of wicked mens raging bee imputed to any miscarriage in the messenger for he may vindicate himself as Paul did 2. Cor. 7. ver 10. I have not spoken but the Lord and therefore as the Lord said unto Saul Act 9.4 that hee persecuted him so they which resist any truth delivered out of the Word do resist God himself and not his messenger And this for certain if Christ himself were their Minister and should reprove them for their sins and denounce the judgments of God against them for the same as when he was upon the earth not only the wit-founder'd drunkard and prophane beast but even civil honest men and formal Christians would persecute him to the death as the Jews formerly did Which is some comfort to a consciencious Minister Nor is it their shame to suffer what Christ suffered nor the others honour to do as Judas and the rest did as Cyprian speaks Neither can there bee a greater honour done to a poor Minister than this for as one of the Fathers hath it it may well bee doubted Ministers open not the Word aright when wicked men kick not against it Yea says Luther to preach the Gospell as wee ought is to stir up all the furies of Hell against us and our Saviour's Words Joh. 7.7 import no less Matth. 10.16 Now if this bee the case no wonder they should be for that preaching which brings none of all this vexation yea they may hear one of their witty Rhetoricall preachers till dooms-day and never bee disturbed in their sins or disquieted or molested in their consciences for it is not to her they speak Yea such preaching is rather an Antidote against what the Legall preachers have averred and does again cheer up their spirits against all qualms of conscience As Davids harp cheered up Saul when vexations and melancholly fits came upon him Yea the preaching of these brave Orators and quaint wits is to them as sweet and melodious as musick for which see Ezek. 33.32 Micha 2.11 And this is the reason why most men walk in the broad way and yet every man thinks to enter the straight gate The Devils Chaplains are chiefly heard Christs Messengers are mostly neglected A good and faithfull Minister who is of Gods sending and studies more to profit then to please his people that hee may the better undeceive the deceived and with blessing from above pluck sinners out of Satan's snares hee deals with his hearers as the Prophet did by Hazaell when hee plainly told him the abominable wickedness of his heart even beyond belief Or as Nathan did by David when he so cunningly made him to pronounce sentence against himself Or as Jonah did by the Ninevites when with his short thundering sermon hee converted that great City Or as Peter with his converts when he told them they were the men that had crucified the Son of God the Lord of glory Or as John Baptist did by Herod and all that came unto him Or as our Saviour by the woman of Samaria when hee so represented the very thoughts of her heart to her conscience
there is scarce a servant of the Lord amongst them Their judgments being so diametrially opposite that what preaching the one loves the other loaths Neither would their hearers so applaud or approve of them if they were of Gods sending I am come in my Fathers name saith our Saviour and yee receive me not if another shall come in his own name him you will receive Joh. 5.43 Men of the world will not hear such preachers as are of God because then they must have their consciences terrefied about their sins or else part with them and be told of the fearful condition they are in yea the greatest of sinners affect more the flattery of false Prophets then the sincerity of Christs faithful messengers Isa 30.10 Mica 2.11 But it 's easie to discern where the fault lies and who is to be blamed For 't is onely the weak-sighted that cannot abide the light and none can dislike the word of truth but such as have an over-flowing of their gall or an overweening of their wit such as are both shamelesse and gracelesse As do you see an Apple fall untimely from the tree view it well and you will finde it worm-eaten else it had held But such as have a blemish in their eie think the element to be over cloudy Our Saviour himself could neither speak or do ought but such would be offended at it In which case who is to be blamed Is the Physitian to be blamed for the pain of his Patient or the disease the Chirurgion or the wound which he indeavours by all means to cure Yea tell mee what is the cause why the worst men and members in a parish evermore regard a good Minister least complain of his bitternesse and seek by all means to remove him Is it not because they are feet and legs and thighs and arms out of joint and so cannot indure the touch of the Chirurgions hand and the acrimony of his medicines Section 19. Secondly my next Answer to the former question is Their practice proves it For this you may take for a general rule that if these brave Orators these unhallowed Divines have ap plaus and be cried up for rare Preachers it is from men as carnal and gracelesse as themselvs As look but upon their lives and see if they be not like people that have a disease called the Wolf which is alwaies eating yet keeps the body lean They have long heard and still desire to hear their sermons yet they grow not by their hearing for like those seaven ill-favoured and lean-fleshed Kine Gen. 41.20 21. it cannot be known that they have heard them for they are not onely as lean and ill-favored Christians still as they were before they heard them but much worse For as touching that is good that they let passe it faring with their memories as with an hour-glass or Conduit that which in one hour runneth in the same in another hour runneth out again Onely the evil wil they keep to increase their prejudice and to fore-stall them against goodness Quest Whereby may we know and judg of a wicked man for we must not pronounce any man a leper till wee see the scab Answ by his works and by his words every tree is known by the fruits It is Christs everlasting rule however the tree lives by the sap and not by the fruit yet it is known to live by the fruit and not by the sap for this is hid When the Conduit is walled in how shall wee judge of the spring but by the water that runs out of the pipes The outward actions declare the inward intentions Men do somtimes bewray that by their deeds which to confess they are hardly drawn As in a clock when the hammer strikes well and the hand of the diall points well it is a signe that the wheels are right set Yea by the pointing of the hand alone wee may know how the clock goes within And so by the striking of the hammer which is the second rule Speech is the index of the minde for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Matth. 12.34 Whence observe that a good man out of the good treasury of his heart bringeth forth good things and an evill man out of the evil treasury of his heart bringeth forth evill things Matth. 12.35 As the bell is known by his sound so a man is by nothing better known then by his communication says Seneca evill speaking discovers an evill heart as the striking of the clapper does a broken bell Yea men may bee known by their want of fruit wee may suspect want of sap in the root of a tree if wee find barrenness in the branches if either it have bad fruit or no fruit it is but a dead faith And the true method of grace is Cease to do evill learn to do well Isa 1.16 17. For as grace enters into the heart so sin goes out like air out of a vessell when wine is poured in or as it fares with women that having once conceived cannot admit of another conception untill they be delivered of the first see Gal. 5.24 I grant there bee multitudes of them that appear not wicked no every mans capacity for some of them and not a few are civill and fair in their carriages smooth in their communication and for the most part unreprovable yet this you shall bee sure to find that they are bitter malignants to the power of religion and scoffers at holiness and there needs no more to prove them wicked I grant they may bee morally honest temperate chast charitable go duly to Church pray in their families abstain in some measure from swearing lying and the like But does this flow from a pious and good heart sanctified by the holy Ghost 1 Tim. 1.5 Act. 15.9 Is it done in faith and out of right ends as out of love and obedience because God commands the same that hee may bee glorified and others edified thereby for otherwise all their performances are no better in Gods account then blessing of an Idol or cutting off a dogs neck as the Prophet shews Isa 58. Chap. and 66.3 Matth. 7.22.13 Again do you pay God his dues also do you repent and beleev the Gospel precepts and menaces aswel as promises do you declare your faith by your works do you pray by the power of the Spirit and with the understanding also 1 Cor. 14.15 do you receive the word with good and honest hearts and also bring forth the fruits of it in your life and conversation do you sanctifie his sabbaths and see that all under you do the same love his children promote his glory and strive to gain others to imbrace the Gospell instruct your children and servants and teach them to fear the Lord do you fear an oath hate a lye c. Love zeal and devotion in others make conscience of evill thoughts vain and unprofitable words grieve for your unprofitableness under the means of grace for the evill
which cleavs to your very best actions for sins of omission c. No you may bee good morall honest hypocrites but none of these graces grow in the gardens of your hearts you have a form of godliness but you deny the power of it and are reprobate to every good work 2 Tim. 3.5 Titus 1.16 Yea have you not strange conceits and base thoughts of the best men do you not deeply censure and condemn the generation of the just and think the worse of a man for having a tender conscience do you not envy hate scoffe at nick-name rail on and slander the people of God and misconstrue their actions and intentions watch for their haulting c. Do you not with Festus account zeal madness and religion foolishness with Micholl Yea you hate zeal and devotion so invetterately that you can in no wise bear with it in others And does not all this prove thee wicked though righteous enough in thine own eyes But Section 20. Thirdly and lastly there needs no more to prove them ignorant then their rejecting to hear the Word plainly preached chusing rather to hear a lecture of Philosophie read As it 's strange to consider how grosly men err in judging of things that take not the Word for their rule whereof some instances Such shall think they do God service in murthering his Children and Prophets John 16.2 And so did the Powder Traitors intending to blow up the whole State They think to bee saved by Christ though they do nothing but blaspheme him and take up arms against him They will say they love God and Christ and yet hate all that any way resemble him They will boast of a strong faith and yet fall short of the devills in beleeving Jam. 2.19 The Jews accused Christ for keeping company with sinners when they should have blamed themselvs for not keeping company with Christ. God hath given mee my reward says Leah because I gave my maid unto my husband shee rejoiced when shee should have repented Gen. 30.18 And the like of Saul Blessed are yee of the Lord says hee when the Ziphims told him where David had hid himself his intent being to murther him 1 Sam. 23.21 And like to this is that of Micha who thought the Lord could not choose but bee good unto him seeing hee had got a Levite into his house Judg. 17.13 In like manner what is the cause of these mens preferring these preachers but their ignorance of Gods Word they do not in the least perceive the things of the Spirit they are spiritually blind and so not able to judge of preaching or Preachers Being like shell-fish that cannot smell or the Camelion which hath no tast and withall so improvident touching their souls that they will rather take dross for gold then try it in the furnace whence it is they resemble Alchidas who was enamored on the Picture of Cupid or Zerxes who fell so far in love with a Plane-tree which happened in his way that hee tarried by it a whole day causing the boughs to bee adorned with chains of gold bracelets and spangles yielding thereto great reverence But did they tread in the steps of all wise and good Christians who have the mind of Christ 1 Cor. 2.16 or acquainted with Gods Word and judg of things and persons as they are and not as they seem whose testimony onely is of credit they would bee so far from applauding the men that they would not vouchsafe to hear their sermons Now if any shall yet make question of their ignorance do but ask them a reason of the hope that is in them as every one that professeth himself a Christian should be able and ready to yeeld 1 Pet. 3.15 they can no more tell you then the wind can tell which last blew off my hat All experimentall divinity is greek to them bee they never so great lovers of wit Indeed to speak against the truth their tongues will run like the wheels of a clock when the spring is broken but they are neither able nor willing to speak a word for it Now if these things be so then they whom they hear and honor have small cause to rejoice therein Nor have the other whom they shun and hate any cause to be discouraged thereby because to carnal and fleshly men that preaching which saves souls is foolishness devotion idleness the Prophets mad-men Paul a babbler And untill they be cured of their prejudice which God onely by his prerogative can do nothing that can be said will serve Wisdom saith our Saviour is justified of her children that is the faithful Mat. 11.19 intimating that such wisdom as is justified by wicked men is not wisdom indeed Take we then our Saviours counsel and seek to justifie our judgments to the children of wisdom of whom wisdom is justified and not to fools by whom she is daily crucified And tread in his steps who rejected the commendations and approbation of such Luk. 4.35 41. and Saint Paul Act. 16.17 18. True as the Church of Laodicea could flatter her self with an opinion that she was rich and had need of nothing when yet she was wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked Rev. 3.17 Or as the young man in the Gospel could brag that he had kept all the commandements from his youth Mat. 19.20 And that cackling Pharisee Luk. 18.11 12. could tell Christ that hee was not like other men so there is no perswading these men but they are wise and good enough and no wonder for they slumber and suppose themselvs good Christians their faith is but a dream their hope but a dream their charity but a dream their obedience but a dream their whole religion but a dream and so their assurance of salvation is but a dream They have Regeneration in conceit repentance and righteousness in conceit they serve God well in conceit do the works of piety and charity in cenceit and they shall go to heaven onely in conceit or in a dream and never awake until they feel themselvs really in the burning lake And indeed do but take away from mens minds vain opinions flattering hopes false valuations imaginations and the like you will leave the mindes of most men and women but poor shrunken things full of melancholy indisposition and unpleasing to themselvs Which could never be if Satan the Prince of darknesse and of this world did not so blind their minds that the light of the glorious Gospel shines not unto them as it is 2 Cor. 4.4 And would they but lend the Gospel an ear where it is powerfully preached they would at least be so wise as to get better assurance then onely to think themselvs good enough since pure and naked supposals never brought any one to eternal life Neither is there any other means to be used whereby it is to be had Onely the skill is to perswade the simple as to be wise and solid is the portion but of a few to beware of hearing