labour to be religious and bring vp their children in holy exercises Prou. 22.6 Therefore Salomon cries out so often to parents teach thy sonne instruct thy sonne Now how can they doe this which cannot teach themselues You cannot do greater iniurie to your children or be greater enemies to them thē to liue prophane liues Better is the sonne of the veriest begger in your City being both religious then the son of the wealthiest man in your Citie being both prophane for if thou bee irreligious thou hast done as much as lieth in thee to beget an helhound and it must be a supernaturall worke of God to alter the nature of the same To you godly parents that loue religion and hate prophanenes Art a rich man and trainest vp thy son in religion Bee of comfort whilest thou liuest thou shalt haue ioy and when thou diest thou shalt leaue them to one that is like long to enioy them Art a poore man art religious fearing God and walking sincerely and vprightly in thy calling hast many children and nothing to leaue them Be of good comfort thou shalt leaue them the blessing of God I know it is hard for many to beleeue this Psalm 12◠3.4 but the holy Ghost hath spoken it and left it for vs to beleeue Againe to thee that hast gotten great store of gold goods lands liuings Art a prophane man thou maist liue with sorrow enough and die thou shalt with a wofull heart Doest thinke those goods and riches thou hast scraped together with vexing the bodie and venturing the soule to the diuell shall long bee enioyed When was there euer any rich man or where is any that can come out and say he euer saw the fourth generation of a prophane man prosper No no the Lord will curse them and blow vpon them they shall not prosper It is religion must bring the blessing of God vpon them and their posteritie Againe you that are children pray pray daily to the Lord to work religious hearts in your Parents and reioyce and be glad to see your fathers giue thanks before meales and downe vpon their knees to prayer before they goe to their beds for this will turne to blessings vpon you if you bee carefull to follow their steppes and though thy father die a begger yet assure thy selfe he shall leaue thee the blessing of the Lord. Psalm 37.25 I haue been young saith Dauid and now am old yet saw I neuer the righteous forsaken nor his seede begging their bread not meaning that it was impossible that a righteous mans child should goe a begging but that it is a thing that is verie rare and that hee was now forescore yeeres of age yet hee did neuer in all his life see it And so haue many men liued till they haue been of great yeeres yet haue they seldome or not at all seene any such thing come to passe Lastlie to such others as know they shall haue great possessions left them by prophane parents and such as preferre their treasure their pleasure and earthlie things before any spirituall duties to God as experience in many you shall neuer see them carefull to giue thanks at their meales neuer are vpon their knees in prayer in their families but are swearers prophaners of the Lords Sabbath vsurers drunkards and let them tremble to be heires to such wretches For if it please not God to worke supernaturallie on thee thou maist not onely curse the day that euer thou wast begotten of them but God shortlie will sweepe either thee or thine away with the besome of his wrath And once againe I exhort all you that be parents labour to bee religious and to bring vp your children in godly education else you may feare that your bones shall not be so soone rotten as the Lord will rot and roote out your posteritie and name from vnder heauen Text. v. 17. For ye know how that afterward also when he would haue inherited the blessing he was reiected And now come wee to the third point which is to the punishment which as you heard is threefold The first is a certaine griefe and shame that he had left and sold his birthright away Secondlie how he would faine haue had it againe shewing outward signes of repentance and labours to recouer it but all in vaine The third is that hauing wilfully lost the time of grace he procured a perpetuall deniall of mercie For the first Esan hauing thought hee had made a good exchange with his brother yet at length comes to see the losse and it shames him and wounds him in his conscience that for so base a price he had parted with his birthright but all too late Doct. 6 Where we may obserue howsoeuer prophane men doe muffle vp their consciences and take it a good exchange to part lightlie away with spirituall blessings for temporall pleasures yet a day will come they shall see their losse and it shall vexe and torment them in their consciences they had no better grace but to part with them at so low a rate Gen. 25.34 As example of this castaway who at the first comming from his hunting and hauing sold his brother his birthright yea partly in contempt it is said hee rose merilie as one that had thought hee had made a good exchange Gen. 27.34 but afterwards when hee perceiued his losse in comming to his father in hope of a blessing and that his father told him he had blessed Iacob and he must bee blessed then hee cries out Oh blesse mee also father blesse mee as if hee should haue said I hope his subtiltie shall not disinherit me Alas I had but a messe of pottage in my neede and must I lose birthright and blessing and all Thus this wofull wretch comes to see his losse which before he made so light account of Now his conscience wounds him Now the curse of God pulles away the scale of his conscience and hee sees his follie The like example we haue of Baalam Numb 23.10 who though hee had liued a couetous wretch and had lightly regarded the way of righteousnes yet in the end he wisheth to die the death of the righteous Euen so many at this day they spend their time in the vanitie of the world contemning the call and offer of the Lord neglecting and despising many holy meetings many sermons many sacraments for to gaine a little pleasure ease and profit accounting such but fooles that run to Sermons But let such know the Lord will vncrust that conscience of theirs and then they shall curse their pleasures their profits their walking in the fields that were meanes to draw them away from our assemblies in the congregation then will they be ready to curse themselues they had no better grace they could not see their follies but to preferre their couetousnesse drunkennesse whordome vsurie pastimes plaies c. before the heauenly way of saluation Matth. 26.15 Iudas thought he had sped wel
and all that haue taken the profession of the Gospell vpon them to haue care to frame their liues answerable thereunto And this must bee speciallie three waies The first in their words and speeches which must bee such as may either conuey good to others else draw good from others Secondly in their workes and that not only in their generall places but also in their particular callings whether Magistrate Minister Father Husband Master Seruant c. The third is in their recreations being carefull they vse lawfull things lawfully As you that bee Gentlemen in your bowling shooting hawking hunting which though they bee lawfull recreations yet that you take heed lest you abuse them and not to be mirthmongers making euery day a day of pastime and pleasure Vse 3 A third vse serues to reprooue many who haue taken vpon them the holy profession of Christ Iesus yet in their liues deny the power of it And to come home to this citie and to this place in which are assembled such as make shew of loue to the Gospell Answere me in your consciences where are the signes and tokens of a holy life doe your liues answere your profession is it not with Ioab 1. King 2.28 to murther and then to runne and take hold of the hornes of the altar Nay with the Iewes to sweare Ierem. 7.9.10 lie steale commit adulterie c. and to come and stand in this house before me saith the Lord no more will the Lord allow either of your Bibles vnder your armes or your prayers in your families nor your running after Sermons if your liues be not reformed In the ciuill law it is well knowne a long protestation will not releeue a theefe if he be tainted and proued guiltie of the fact no more will your protestations and faire speeches releeue you when your shops your counting houses your houses your chambers wil condemne you For I appeale this day to many of you that heare me whether the Lord may not truely say to you as hee said by the mouth of his Prophet Micah Micah 6.10 Are yet the treasures of wickednesse in the house of the wicked and the scant measure that is abominable So say I to thee are the treasures of wickednesse in thy house Is the pooremans pledge his bed his gowne his axe his spade his coate in thy house liuest thou by briberie extortion oppression false weights in thy shop false ballance in thy warehouse and darest thou take on thee the holie profession of the Gospell I tell thee all thy prayers almes hearing of the word receiuing the Sacraments are abhorred of God In the time of the Law none might offer the blood of a dog or a swine yet were they both like the blood of a lambe and though the one was accepted yet the other was abhorred So let all thy outward profession seeme neuer so holy yet not ioyned with a holy conuersation God detests it How may the Lord complaine against this citie as he did against Samaria Come to Bethel and transgresse Amos 4.4.5 to Gilgal and multiplie transgressions and bring your sacrifices in the morning and your Tithes after three yeeres And for a thanksgiuing of leauen publish proclaime the free offerings for this liketh you O yee children of Israel saith the Lord. In which he taxeth them for that after many sinnes committed they would come in the morning on their Sabbath daies and bring an offering or a tithe and offer it vp and then think God was well pleased So how manie in this Citie all the weeke long spend it in swearing lying oppression c. and then on the Lords day come to Church in the morning and heare a Sermon make a shew of louing holy exercises Oh this likes them well but this likes not the Lord for he accounts them hypocrites and dissemblers Yea these are they that do more hurt to religion and professors with their running after Preachers with their carrying of Bibles with their holy protestations and their liues odious then the common drunkard whoremonger vsurer c. There is nothing more odious in Gods sight then that man that caries the lampe of profession and denieth and disgraceth it by an vnholy life I end this point with the saying of our Sauiour to his Disciples and in them to all that take on them the profession of his name Matth. 5.16 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father that is in heauen And so much for the generall doctrine drawne from the Apostles dealing with the Hebrewes Now it followes according as it is in the Text. Let there bee no fornicatour You heard before that these words containe a dehortation from such vices as he knew would bring a scandall to the Gospell whereof he sets downe two speciall sinnes The first is here fornication The reasons wherefore he sets this downe were before shewed vnto vs. As also we heard why he sets downe this sinne rather then the sinne of adultery being a sinne of an higher degree Then it resteth we gather what we learne hence which is in that he labors to dehort or draw them from this sinne of fornication we learne that amongst other sinnes all that liue in the Church of God and sincerely professe the Gospell of Iesus Christ must labour by all meanes to shun and auoide the sinne of fornication adulterie incest whoredome and all of that kind It is too true that many professing the Gospel make a light account of fornicatiō oh they take it but a trick of youth And it may bee one reason of the Apostles dehorting or drawing them from this sinne being of like account amongst them But howsoeuer they or we make light account of it yet the holy Ghost accounts it a grieuous sin especially amongst such as professe the Gospell For he speakes not to Atheists but to Christians and such as had taken on them the profession of Christ Iesus his Gospel So I knowing that I preach to such as professe Christ and outwardly make a shew of louing both him and his word dehort and draw you from the sinne of fornication being no small or light sin but an odious and grieuous sinne I tell you a man or woman that haue giuen their names to Christ and laid their hands to the plow of the Gospell and yet liue in fornication or adulterie c. do liue in a wofull and fearefull estate And that this sin is a great sin specially of professors we may see by the words of the Apostle to the Corinthians who saith Be not deceiued 1. Cor. 6.9 neither fornicators nor idolators nor adulterers nor wantons nor buggerers nor theeues nor couetous nor drunkards nor railers nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdome of God Where the Apostle amongst the rascall row of capitall Sinnes placeth fornication as a master-sin and ringleader to other sins and bids them not to be deceiued for as light
whē he had gotten thirtie pence for a kisse but when hee came to see that he had sold his saluation for mony he was so wounded in his conscience Mar. 27.34.5 that hee could not rest till hee had bought a halter and hanged himselfe And so will bee the state of all prophane men when the crust of their conscience is remooued and they come to see their wofull change Prou. 6.33 they shall find as the holy Ghost faith in the case of adulterers he shall find a wound in his soule that without repentance shall neuer be put out The reasons hereof are Reas 1 First because the noblest parts of their soules are drowned their iudgements their minds their willes and affections all which time their conscience lies asleepe But when God either by his word or iudgements awakes them their conscience starts vp and flies in their faces and they say to their sinne 1. King 21.20 as Ahab said to Eliah Hast thou found me O thou mine enemie And so howeuer men can so lightlie sell away Gods blessings at so base a rate yet the sinne of prophanenesse will find them out in the end Reas 2 A second reason hereof is Iudg. 17. because hereby God will haue thē to iustifie him in his iudgements and say with Adonibezek that God hath iustly rewarded thē for their prophanenesse And how doth this daily fall out in many who in time of Gods hand on them crie out vpon the losse of time that they had no better grace then to sell away their soules for pleasure idlenesse pastime and vanitie Yea is it not the crie of all condemned persons vpon the gallowes to crie out of their graceles prophaning the Lords Sabbath Psalm 51.4 Thus will the Lord be iust when he speakes and pure when he iudgeth So that howeuer prophane men flatter themselues in their owne eies yea and pleade for their sinne Psalm 36.2 yet as the holy Ghost saith their iniquitie wil find them out And though they thinke that monie well gained and that time well spent that is gotten with the losse of godly exercises yet shall they come one day to iustifie the Lord when their prophanenesse shall find them out Let vs come to the vses to be made hence Vse 1 And first it serues for a terror to those that doe burie their soules in the things of this life as it is to be feared too many doe in this Citie who like Esau yea worse than Esau sell away in contempt many godly exercises on this day at a lower and baser rate than he solde his birth right he had some thing but they nothing but a little pleasure that God knoweth soone vanisheth away Iudas solde his Master for thirtie pence but there are many thirties in this Citie that will sell thirtie Sermons for lesse than thirtie pence Let vs come to a more neare examination of our selues and trie how guiltie wee are herein And this will appeare more plaine by setting down such things as laide open Esaus contempt of his birthright The first was his willingnesse to part from it and to bee without it hee neuer stood long debating the matter with his brother but well content to depart with it And so at this day amongst vs how many are there that willingly cheerefully can be content to be without the preaching of the word and shroud themselues where it is wanting how it stands with you be Iudge your selues But I know in diuers places of the Countrie many of our Gentlemen can well bee content to put vp with quarter sermons yea to starue their soules and commit the keeping of them to those who be more fitter for a beetle and a wedge then for any office in the Ministerie yea further they thinke too great a paines and too much toile to ride but two miles on the Lords day for the food of their soules when the same men cannot bee content vnlesse they haue two or three meales the same day for the pampering of their bodies let such know herein he shewes himselfe a prophane man The second thing Esau shewed his contempt in was his parting with it at so base a price For was it euer read of any the sold such a pretious treasure at so low a rate which was as before you haue heard the inheritance of his father Isaac and grandfather Abraham yea the holy and faithfull promises of God chiefly the kingdome of heauen and all for a messe of pottage We do greatlie wonder at this and no maruell Yet there are amongst vs that sell away the couenant and promises made to them in Iesus Christ at a lesse rate then a messe of pottage which they doe account a trifle And what canst thou make of thy pleasure pastime walking in the fields idlenesse sleeping and I tell thee they are farre worse then pottage in respect of heauenly things Is not this a wonderfull thing that men created after the image of God and specially to aduance his honor should no more esteeme of the precious pearles offered to them out of the Gospell then swine doe of Iewels like the Gadarens that esteeme more of their pigges then preaching And like little children that esteeme more their rattles and bables then they doe a bagge of gold As euen experience shewes in many in this your Citie that can walke in the streetes and by the Church doores and see the Preacher in the Pulpit yet in contempt can passe by preferring some worldlie matters before the pearle of the Gospell Obiect It may be some may obiect and say If they doe they be honest men they goe I warrant you about no vnhonest action Answ To which I answere Say they bee so and say they doe not So I may say that Esaus eating of his pottage was in it selfe no vnhonest or vnlawful act yet if with Esau they doe in their hearts preferre their walking or their busines before these holy meetings it argues their contempt to Gods ordinance and spots them with prophanenes The third thing wherein he shewed his contempt was the addition he made in parting with it which was that vpon the demand of Iacob his brother to him for it Why saies he Loe I am almost dead what is then this birthright to mee How like to this in effect are the speeches of many of our swaggerers at this day Come say they let vs bee merrie whilest wee may Sorrow hang sorrow when wee bee dead all the world is dead with vs. Another sort in seeing Christians out of an honest heart goe to the Church to heare the word which is the food of their soules let them take their Sermons to themselues and the diuell giue them good of them for I will haue my pleasure in despight of their hearts and I will take the time whilest I may But God will one day waken the consciences of such prophane men and it will wound and grieue them at their hearts that they had
no better grace but to sell away their birthright Vse 2 A second vse hereof serues for an admonition to you all to take heed you harbour not this sin lest you come to see it with griefe shame when it is too late To thee then that art priuie to thine heart thou preferrest this day the selling of thy worldly commodities in thy shop or the working secretlie in thine house as too many of you doe of thy trade and occupation before the holy assemblies I tell thee accursed is that gaine so gotten Take heed of three dangerous enemies to draw thee to prophanenesse The first is carnal reason which will labour to withdraw thee from loue and delight in religion putting into thy mind that as there is nothing gotten by being religious so there is much danger gotten by being too forward The second is the world which will labour to perswade thee from being too precise and forward in running to Sermons for it will hinder thee of much pleasure and profit that otherwise thou mightest haue yea and if thou looke not to it in time it will bring thee to beggerie And that it is the propertie of an Infidell not to prouide for wife and children This is a dangerous enemie and doth preuaile with many The third enemy is irreligious friends the neerer the worse A religious young man cannot haue a greater enemie to draw him to prophanenesse then an irreligious father or mother or brother or sister A religious husband cannot haue a more pestilent enemie to coole his zeale and loue to religion then an irreligious wife Set downe this for a certaintie you that bee religious that your greatest enemies shall be those of your owne house that be irreligious Vse 3 A third vse hereof is to encourage vs all to goe on boldlie in our profession notwithstanding the scoffes and taunts wee shall haue of prophane men Oh let them alone this is their time for howsoeuer now they doe laugh at vs to see vs to lose so much pleasure and profit as they thinke we might get yet a day wil come the Lord himselfe will laugh at them to see their follie Prou. 1.24 To thee that scornest and mockest at such as serue the Lord in sinceritie of heart If a man should call thee villaine and foole thou wouldest be angrie Iob 30.8 but the holy man Iob saies thou art so and all such as thou art Of all the markes of a castaway one of them is to bee tainted with the sinne of scorning at a godly man for his seruice to God Gen. 21.9 It was the marke that Ismael was branded withall and sent him to hell because he was a mocker of Isaac I tell thee God accounts he hath no greater enemies then such As example of the messengers that came from Ahaziah 2. King 9.10.11.12 who in mocking sort flouted the Prophet calling him in scorne man of God but were punished with fire from heauen The like wee reade of 42. children that were deuoured of two beares for mocking Elisha the Lords Prophet But hearken thou what the Lord saith which is Deut. 32.41 That he will whet his glittering sword and his hand shall take hold on iudgement and execute vengeance on his enemies and will reward them that hate me Amongst which enemies in one of the chiefest number he accounts a scorner Text. He was reiected for he found no place c. Now followes the second degree of his punishment which is how he labours to obtaine it againe yea he goes so farre that he weepes for the losse of it yet all in vaine Doct. Whence wee are to obserue for our instruction that many a ciuill man may go very farre in outward signes and shew of repentance yet liue hated of God This lesson is well to be marked of vs because there be many at this day which liue amongst vs who if they can performe any outward shew of repentance as to sigh or grone and specially to shed teares doe thinke they haue waded farre in repentance But wee must learne that it is not outward shewes will serue for reprobates may goe farre in shewes of saluation yet shall come short and neuer obtaine it Gen. 37 34-38 Consider of Esau in seeking the blessing hee went to his father hee fell vpon his knees he cried out for very griefe he was ashamed hee had so lightlie and at such a rate passed away his birth-right hee wept hee shed teares Who would haue thought but this repentance had been sound Did either Marie or Peter or the theefe in outward shew goe any further or much beyond him Yet theirs was true repentance and accepted of God but his was counterfet and hee and it both reiected Example we haue of Orpah the sister of Ruth Ruth 1 7-14 how she went far in shew she leaues her countrie she trauels along she weepes aswell as Ruth yet in the end a few words and reasons perswade her to turne backe so there are many can make a faire shew in matters of faith and repentance but either carnall reasons or irreligious friends or one thing or other drawes them quite away This appeares in that vnpardonable sin Heb. 6.4 where is shewed how first they may be illightned with vs indued with knowledge and vnderstanding of the word that hath been preached vnto them Secondly they may taste of the heauenly gift that is Luke 8.13 they may gladly receiue the word and reioyce in it as our Sauiour describes in the parable of the seed cast into stony ground Thirdly they may be partakers of the holy Ghost that is of diuers graces of the Spirit as namely lightned with knowledge and ioy in their vnderstanding as also of gifts of preaching of tongues and the like Fourthlie they may taste of the good word of God that is they may not only know God by the law which is fearefull to the sinner but by a more sweet vnderstanding of the Gospell which saith Come vnto mee all yee that trauell and be heauie laden so calling it the good word of God as that glad tidings of saluation Fiftly they may taste of the powers of the world to come that is they may know and confesse that the end of the Gospell is eternall life to all that faithfully beleeue and liue in it Thus may wee see how farre such a one as may commit the sinne against the holy Ghost may goe and make shew in the way of saluation Mark 6.20 Another example wee haue in Herod who is said to heare Iohn Baptist yea farther he heard him gladlie yea hee did reuerence him yea which is more hee reformed many things by his preaching to him that before were amisse yet cast away and forsaken of God So a verie castaway may goe farre in many things As first in his calling he may heare the word he may vnderstand it assent to it ioy in it practise some duties commaunded by it yet to be
euen then when hee punisheth sore whereby he seemes to frowne vpon them they can run to him in prayer and make their mone to him as example of Dauid who cries out O Lord rebuke me not in thine anger Psalm 6.1 neither chasten mee in thy displeasure though the Lord seeme to bee angrie by afflicting of them yet they runne to him as to a father It grieues them to see their father displeased being like to a louing sonne who grieues to see his father angrie yea euery wrinkle in his fathers browe makes him to feare yet so as that that is grounded on loue and therefore runnes vpon his knees to him for pardon So is it with Gods children though their father chastise them with heauie and bitter afflictions yet they run to their father with this perswasion that though they haue failed in the dutie of a sonne yet he cannot faile in the affection of a father Contrarie to this the hypocrite and vnregenerat man vnder Gods heauy hand vpon him or his wife children goods c. he runs from God fleeing from him as from a tyrant and betakes him to his monie friends sports merrie companions yea to witches coniurers wizards or any vnlawfull course if they haue hope of reliese The fourth is a ioy and delight to meete the Lord in those places and by those meanes hee doth vsuallie meete his in It is true Gods presence is in all places but yet he is said to be more ordinarie present in those places where is word is preached where there are holy and religious exercises of praver meditations conference of scripture singing of Psalmes or the like Indeede hypocrites will come to Church but it is not with ioy and with delight it is not of conscience to meete the Lord to hearken what hee saith vnto them and to put it in practise in their liues but rather some worldly busines driues them or for custome or neighborhood or to auoid the name of a Papist A second vse hereof serues for the reproofe of two sorts of hypocrites and first Those who take themselues good Christians and in good state if they liue a ciuill life especially if they can make a faire shew of louing religion and can talke of it though their conscience accuse them of some sin they doe liue in and they can say to themselues as Lot said by Zoar Oh is it not a little one Gen. 19. But hearken to me thou that thinkest it a small matter to liue in one I tel thee liue and die impenitent in the one and it will be thy destructiō Did not Herod make outward shew of many things yet because he would not leaue the one sin of incest God cast him off and reiected him I tell thee one hole in a ship will in a short time sinke the whole ship Tell me thou that with thy outward holines liuest an vsurer a drunkard a carelesse wreth darest drink but one dram of poison so one raging sinne will bring thee to hell The second sort are those who hauing sinned and liue in some raging sinne yet if they can now and then thrust out a few teares thinke it good repentance and haue repēted in an high degree But alas they be much peceiued for their teares bee but hypocriticall And that appeares in that either they bee shed in aduersitie as were Sauls Iudas Esaus or else in the congregation at the sermons as hypocrites do but in their closets or in secret they cannot shed one teare I tell thee deceiue not thy selfe for teares be no more signes of true repentance then are words Text. He was reiected Now followes the third degree of his punishment which is that hauing set the time of mercie so light hee is now denied though hee vseth meanes to obtaine it The date is out at the glasse is run therefore no meanes will preuaile Doct. 8 Whence wee doe learne that such as by their prophanenesse doe wilfully refuse the offer of Gods mercie and doe preferre their pleasures and profits before it may run so farre that all the meanes they can vse shal neuer obtaine mercie at the hands of God I say as there is a time in which the Lord will wooe vs yea he sends his Ministers to entreate vs Hosea 6.4 yea he will chide and expostulate the matter with vs why wee will not accept of his mercie so there is and will be a time that after the refusing of grace and contemning of mercie offered the Lord will shut vp and bolt vp the gate of mercie so as he will not be entreated at our hands any more Psalm 95.7.8 This is prooued to vs by the Prophet Dauid in one of the Psalmes where hee exhorts the people that they will take and accept of the time the Lord offers them lest it come to passe by their contempt and refusing the time of grace the Lord cast them off and reiect them I denie not but that in respect of vs til God haue manifested his wil there is hope but in respect of Gods secret decree the time of Gods mercie may bee out euen during this life therefore when mercie is offered we must take heed wee wilfully contemne it not lest we prouoke the Lord to be gone and vtterlie reiect vs. One of the fearefullest signes of a castaway is to delay and put off the Lords gratious offer of mercie as wee reade of Pharaoh Exod. 8.9.10 who when Moses offered himselfe to pray to the Lord for him he put it off till the next morrow so hee that hath the graces and mercies of God offered to him to day and puts them off from his youth to his age and from his old daies to his death-bed may iustly feare an vtter reiection euen then when he hopes of most comfort For the further pressing this doctrine on our consciences let vs obserue some places of Scripture And first let vs see what the Lord saith to such as despise Wisdomes call being of three sorts The first that like fooles content themselues with ignorance The second that scoffe at the Lords offer by his seruants The third which are carried away by their owne lusts Because I haue called and yee refused Prou. 1.24 I haue stretched out mine hand and none would regard Verse 28. And then shall they call vpon me but I will not answere they shall seeke me earelie but they shall not find me Noting that as they refused the time in which he called so they should call in hope of mercie but they should not obtaine The like we reade how the Prophet Esay calling Ierusalem to repentance in sackcloth and ashes for their sins Esay 22.12.13 she fell to sporting and feasting despising the Lords message and offer of grace by his Prophet what came of it you may reade presently that their contempt comming to the Lords eares he answeres Surely Vers 14. this iniquitie shall not be purged from you till yee die saith the
And yet one That no man should despaire but to know God is able to call at the last houre And by this he did declare the riches of his mercy to al such as haue grace to turne vnto him Where contrarie we see many thousands of those who hauing deferred their repentance haue bin taken away in their sinnes and died impenitent To thee then that are priuie thou hast had many calles many offers of grace yea the hast seene vs spend our wits our strength yea ouerspent our selues for thy good What diuell hath bewitched thee to post off all and willingly cast away thy selfe What a shame is it that the children of this world are wiser in their kind then the children of light The traueller will take his time in his iourny and will hasten when he sees night approach lest darknesse ouertake him The smith wil smite while the iron is hot lest it coole vpon him and so hee lose his labour The mariner will not let the tide passe him The lawyer will take the Terme because hee knoweth it being ended his clients will be gone so wee ought to make euerie day the day of our terme Thy verie tongue will condemne thee in thy trade If thou trust a man with thy wares thou dost require a bill or bond saying all men be mortall but let the preacher exhort thee to accept of the gracions time of the Lord and tell thee thou art mortall and at an houres warning for death yet thou wilt not beleeue him but so leade thy life as if thou hadst it in fee farme And to thee that callest thy neighbours friends and companions to the cardes tables bowles saying Oh come let vs goe passe the time away Is time so slow that it must bee driuen I tell thee there are at this day many a thousand in hel if they had a kingdome would gladlie giue it all for one houre of that time whereof thou hast manie not to passe it away or to driue it from them but in hope to recouer that which thou graceleslie dost contemne Vse 3 A third vse hence is seeing there is a time in which after refusing of grace the Lord will be gone it serues to exhort vs all to accept of this mercifull time of the Lords fauour Esay 55.6 and to seeke the Lord whilest hee may be found For so long as we doe enioy the preaching of the Gospell amongst vs so long the Lord offers his mercie vnto vs and great hope the time is not past els if we abuse this time to feare that either he will remoue the Gospell from vs else blind our eies and harden our hearts so as nothing wee doe either heare or see shall preuaile with vs to saluation I will grow to an end lest I wearie you and ouerspend my selfe with that saying of our Sauiour to his Disciples Iohn 9 4. I must worke the works of him that sent me whilest it is day the night commeth when no man can worke In which he sets vs all an example by himselfe how to redeeme the time wee liue in here and to labour in the duties belonging to our calling and take euery opportunitie of doing good lest the night come that is death fetch them away and then they shal not stay or returne againe to worke any thing they haue left vndone here Remember the often warning of our Sauiour with this watchword Watch. In which he warnes vs to accept of the time of mercy and to prepare for the day of account that so with ioy wee may yeeld vp our reckonings And how must this be euen by making our benefit of the time of grace and spending it faithfullie in that place calling God hath called vs vnto For euerie one hath his place publike or priuate to God to his Church one to another And I pronoūce to euery one be he Magistrate Minister Father Child Seruant Husband or Wife that hath neglected his time being in place and so louingly offered thee time by the Lord to performe it the if thou be carelesse and negligent in this time a time will come that thou shalt be hurried away and shalt not stay one day one houre or one minute to performe any of that work in thy place thou hast left vndone To conclude let vs cal to remembrance these foure motiues to moue vs to accept of this time of grace this acceptable day of saluation 2. Cor. 6.2 First how mercifull the Lord hath been to vs who might haue cut off our time in our youth in which it may be we were vnthriftie or in the midst of some grieuous sinne we haue committed heretofore or of late daies and so haue sent vs to hell Secondlie consider how many good motions of his Spirit wee haue let slippe and made light account of and sent him away from vs with griefe which it may be we shall neuer enioy againe Thirdly call to thy mind how he hath this day and by mee his vnworthie Minister offered thee his Maiesties gracious pardon vpon willing accepting of it which for ought either thou or I know hee will neuer offer it thee againe either by me or by any other Fourthly consider that as the Lord hath giuen thee a time so hee hath giuen thee thy senses thy wits thy memorie which he hath depriued others of and may doe thee too for ought thou knowest because thou hast made no better vse of them for his glorie or for thine owne saluation Let vs pray for a blessing vpon this we haue heard FINIS
TWO SERMONS VPON THE XII CHAPTER OF THE EPISTLE TO the Hebrewes the sixteenth and seuenteenth verses PREACHED IN THE CITIE OF LONDON the twelfth day of Iune 1608. By THOMAS HOPKINS Minister at Yeardley in the Countie of Worcester HEBREVVES 13.4 Whoremongers and adulterers God will iudge COLOSS. 3.2 Set your affections on things which are aboue and not on things which are on the earth AT LONDON Imprinted for WILLIAM WELBY dwelling in Pauls Churchyard at the signe of the Greyhound 1609. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL WILLIAM HANCOCK MAYOR THE Worshipfull Iustices and Aldermen his brethren with my Christian countrimen of the Citie of Couentrie be all grace mercie and peace from God the Father and from our Lord Iesus Christ Amen RIght worshipfull and my louing Countrimen hauing some occasion this last summer to trauell vp to the Citie of London and being there I was entreated by a godlie friend to bestow my labours on a Sabbath day in preaching at the Parish Church in which hee dwelled to whom I willingly agreed Whereat there were some contrary to my knowledge or priuitie that tooke the paines to take the notes of the Sermons and before my departure out of the Citie made me acquainted therewithall and shewed them vnto mee and reading part of them I did greatly maruell thereat and worthie was the Author to be commended for his paines and skill hauing neuer seene the like so largely taken by any whatsoeuer for scarce could I finde any word of substance wherein hee failed Here upon certaine of my friends who were hearers thereof laboured with me to commit them to the Presse and in hope I would satisfie their earnest sute sent downe after mee their notes faire copied out to my house which after some paines taken in setting the same in order and some things though not much added for the more plaine opening of that which time preuented me in the preaching I haue sent it vp againe to them to vse at their pleasure The which hauing by Gods helpe finished I doe make bold to dedicate the same to your fauorable view The reasons moouing mee thereunto are speciallie these three The first is because of the experience I haue had of diuers of your godly zealous and sincere loue to the Gospell The second is being bound by nature to leaue it as a testimonie of my vnfained loue to my natiue Citie Thirdly in regard of the vndeserued kindnesse and beneuolences I haue often receiued from you In some liew whereof I thought it a part of my dutie to dedicate these my poore labours vnto you as thereby to manifest my humble thankefulnesse Now if any censorious disposition shall say that these Sermons are too meane to be put in print for this ripe and exquisit age I would wish them to consider that at the building of the Temple as well they were accepted that brought Goates haire and Rammes skinnes as they that brought Silke purple and skarlet But howeuer it be I doe more then hope you will both kindly accept of this from me and entertaine it as a testimonie of my louing affection to you all The God of all comfort multiplie his gratious blessings vpon you all and grant all peace and prosperitie to all those that vnfainedlie loue and seeke the peace of the Church and prosperitie of the Gospell From my house at Yeardly the 20. of December 1608. Your Worships in all Christian duties to be commanded Thomas Hopkins TO THE CHRISTIAN READER CHristian Reader the searcher of all hearts doth know that at the preaching of these Sermons it was farre frō any thought of mine they should euer haue been committed to the Presse to bee set out in print confessing my great inabilitie that way But forasmuch as some of the hearers tooke the paines to gather the notes thereof without either my knowledge or consent and thereupon seeming to haue some liking thereof were earnest with me for my consent to commit them to the print whose godly desire I perceiuing to proceed from a speciall willingnesse to make others partakers of that profit they seemed to haue receiued themselues gaue them my promise if they would copie them faire out and send them downe into the countrie to me I would take some paines in the viewing them ouer and setting them in order and so would send them vp to them againe to vse at their pleasure which they so did and accordingly by the Lords helpe I haue performed to them as my leasure in my charge would permit me Now then if these my simple labours shall bee thought worthie the view of the world I doe humblie entreate thee Christian Reader to beare with me which I know thou wouldest willinglie doe if either thou didst know my weakenes in gifts my small leasure for vndertaking any such worke or speciallie the marke and end I aime at I pray thee construe all in good part and what is amisse for want of skill correct it and if any thing haue ouershot me in ouerzealous carriage impute it to my infirmitie But if there happen any thing that shall worke to humbling for sinne either generall or particular for the land or for thy owne self giue all the praise to God and as I haue endeuoured to benefit thee and others which is the maine end of my labours so doe I entreate thee to assist me with thy prayers vnto God that hee will assist me with his blessed spirit in the worke of my Ministerie And thus hoping I may entreate for a friendlie acceptance at thy hands and to affoord me thy good word for my good will and a fauourable construction for my paines I doe commend it to the blessing of the Almightie and thee to his gratious protection wishing to thee as to myselfe viz. the mercie of God in Iesus Christ December 20. 1608. Thine in the Lord Iesus Thomas Hopkins TWO SERMONS VPON THE XII CHAP. OF THE AVTHOR TO THE HEbrewes the 16. and 17. verses thereof HEBREVVES 12.16.17 Let there bee no fornicator or prophane person as Esau which for one portion of meate sold his birthright For yee know how that afterward when he would haue inherited the blessing hee was reiected For he found no place to repentance though he sought that blessing with teares I Mind not beloued in Christ to stand vpon more circumstances then I take fitting for the opening of my Text. Although to haue shewed you my simple iudgemēt both as touching the occasion the Author the time and the argumēt of this Epistle could not but haue bin profitable for sundrie respects but then must I spend more ◅e then is allowed mee and I feare should abridge you of some things which I am willing to open vnto you Wherefore omitting all these Vers 5. know you that the Author of this Epistle hauing in the former part of this chapter encouraged them patiently to vndergoe the crosse of afflictions assuring them that they were no signes of Gods anger Vers 6. but rather
congregation Answ For answere But tell me hast thou satisfied God by repentance Hast thou runne to him and intreated him in Christ Iesus to bee satisfied I tell thee penance in the Church will not keepe thee out of hell till Gods anger bee appeased and it is only Christ that must appease him and it must be faith and repentance in thee that must be the meanes to obtaine it Obiect Others obiect I meane to marrie her and so to make her an amends Answ For answere Say thou doest meane so I denie not but it is a thing both lawfull and fit to be so But yet till there haue been repentance wrought in thee for this grieuous sinne Gods wrath and Gods curse will follow thee at the heeles Yea I say further that after thou hast married her till there be a reconciliation betweene God and thee al the time thou hast liued in marriage thou hast liued a fornicator Is there any here who are priuie in their consciences they haue abused their bodies with their wiues before the solemnising of Wedlocke and entrance into that holy ordinance and couenant of God hast thou repented hast thou been grieued from thy heart then no doubt thou hast obtained pardon But if thou haue felt no griefe no sorrow no humbling no teares but made account all is well and healed by mariage know thou and know thou againe God will one day call thee to a new reckoning and will take vengeance on thee in the depth of hell Vse 3 A third vse hereof is to such Magistrates as be put in trust for the punishing of this sinne that they looke vnto it better then they haue done and that they let it not goe so slenderly punished or not punished at all as many of them do It is to be lamented at this day to heare what winking what bribing there is to maintaine this sinne Yea it is to bee feared that there bee many frenchhoods and veluets coates maintained by this sinne Yea experience doth shew vs and by experience I speake it how readie many will bee to ride and run to Iustices of peace and Ecclesiasticall courtes to speake and to countenance out a common fornicator and an adulterer when the same parties in case of wrong done to an honest man will not set their foote out of the dore to speake a word to doe him any good Can the Lord forbeare long to punish vs when this sinne amongst other sinnes cries loud in the Lords eares for vengeance No no as the Prophet saith Ierem. 5.9 Hee will visit for these things and his soule will be auenged vpon such a nation Or prophane person as Esau Text. Now followes the other sinne he dehorts and drawes them from which is prophanenesse And because there were diuers did make light account of it and many others that did not know what it meant he sets downe an example of a man hated of God before he was borne and being dead is as it were hung vp for a spectacle for all prophane men to looke on set out in the booke of Genesis the 25.27.28 Chapters And hence before wee proceed to the opening of the storie we are to obserue something in that the holie Ghost sets before vs the example of a prophane man Doct. 3 A principall end and drift why the holy Spirit of God sets before vs examples in the old Testament as well as in the New is not so much that men should read them as stories or therein see the seueritie of God to others but for spectacles and examples to vs that wee should take heed of their sinnes that moue the Lord to lay such punishments vpon them The Apostle to the Corinthians hauing set downe the rebellion of the Israelites together with their punishment 1. Cor. 10 6-11 presently telles the end and vse of such examples which was his seueritie to them and to bee warnings to vs as appeareth in the eleuenth verse So the Apostle Iude telles vs that Sodom and Gomorah and the cities about them which the Lord destroyed for following strange flesh were and are set foorth for a warning and example to all filthie and beastly minded men So that so long as there is a people vpon the earth so long hath the Lord set downe in scripture examples of his wrath to forewarne them of the like seueritie against them And wee see that diuers for some horrible offences are hung vp in chaines not onely to shew the kings seueritie against them or for men to stand gazing vpon them but for warnings to all his subiects to take heed they runne not into the like offence lest they incurre the like punishment And therefore for murtherers the Lord hath Gen. 4. as it were hung vp Cain for prophanenesse Gen. 27. Numb 16. Esau for murmurers against God and his Ministers he hath proposed Coreh Dathan and Abiram Iudas to all Traitors Lots wife for all Apostataes These and many more are set forth for examples to vs. These and many more are not pictures of Gods anger onely hung vp to be gazed vpon but to warne vs by their examples of the sinnes Reason There are diuers reasons to bee shewed of this doctrine but in that my time is so neere spent I will content my selfe with one which is Because God is not mutable but the same God to vs as to them and as hee hath left them for examples to vs so he can leaue vs for examples to others If hee doe not wee are the more bound to him and not to abuse his patience and long-suffering to vs but rather to meete him in time by repentance The vse hereof serues to teach vs what vse we should make in reading the stories of Gods iudgements vpon others in the booke of God not so much to wonder at them that they had no better grace or to admire the seueritie of the Lord against them but to applie it to our selues and to say in our hearts This example is set out to warne me to teach me that if I commit the like sinne I may feare the like punishment or worse Which reprooues specially two sorts of men at this day 1. Sort. The one is such as in reading diuers chapters of the Lords iust iudgement against diuers nations cities Kings Priests men women children for their sinnes committed against him make light account of them as if it no whit concerned them though their consciences condemne them of the like sinne They read the storie of Esau Gen. 27. and of Gods wrath against him for his prophanenesse yet though they know in their hearts they set more by their pleasure then by preaching by their gaine then by godlines by their pottage then by religion yet it neuer so much as mooues them at al. So againe how many doe read the storie of Lots wife Gen. 19.26 who for her looking backe was turned into a monument of Gods anger yet themselues are priuy of the decay
of their first loue and with Demas haue embraced the world and yet are no whit dismaied at al Look vpon her all you that are priuie to your selues and guiltie of blacksliding in your zeale and loue to the Gospell She was turned into a pillar of salt and remaineth a spectacle of Gods vengeance for al such as thou art She was turned into a durate substance without speedie repentance hee will turne thee into a heauie iudgement and that is hardnes of heart which is harder then salt for it is the plague of all plagues You then that of religious seruants are become irreligious masters you that are priuie to your hearts that 10.20.30 yeeres agone you were more forward and zealous in Gods worship and now are decaied and cold looking backe to the pleasures and profits of this world looke one Lots wife shee as it were hangs in chaines for a wofull spectacle to behold Let her moue you to labour to recouer that you haue lost lest the Lord make you spectacles to others as she is made a spectacle to you And for this citie and others is Ierusalem in the Scripture to bee a perpetuall example her special sinnes were pride contempt of Gods word and abuse of Gods Prophets Her doome is recorded for England and for thee London whose pride is as great if not greater then euer hers was And for whose contempt and abuse of Gods Ministers it is a wonder the Lord smites not the land Let vs all then hereafter in reading stories of the Lords iudgements on others make them examples and warnings for vs else to make account the same God that was reuenged on them will not let vs escape The second sort that this doctrine reprooueth 2. Sort. are such as in setting their children to read in the Lords booke they heare the storie of Lots drunkennesse of Dauids adultery of Peters deniall and thereby they doe blesse themselues and strengthen and comfort their hearts yea they haue learned to alleage them as examples to extenuate their sinnes Am I a drunkard so was that good man Lot Am I an adulterer saies another so was that man after Gods owne heart Dauid Shall I despaire of my saluation saies the wicked persister in sinne and I reade the theefe repented on the crosse and found mercie at the last houre O vile wretches who hath bewitched you to peruert Gods word to your destruction It is as much as to poison thy soule Looke on their repentance Lot fell of infirmitie and no doubt repented with much griefe yet looke vpon Gods iudgement vpon that incestuous seed Looke vpon Dauid reade the 38. Psalme it made him goe crooked his sinnes were as fire in his bones he had not a good day to his death but the griefe of his sinnes made him to roare out Thou wouldest be loth to buy thy sinne as he did And as for the example of the theefe First the Lord knocked but once by one sermon and he repented but thou hast had many sermons and hast had many callings and cryings to thee yet repented not Secondly this is an extraordinary example and there is not the like in all the Scripture againe And the end is that thereby wee should neither despaire nor presume one that wee should not despaire and but one that we shuld not presume This example is for all penitent sinners who vpon their repentance may assure themselues the Lord will receiue them to mercy Now if thou canst promise to thy selfe the same repentance and faith in Christ that hee had then maiest thou promise thy selfe the same felicitie hee now enioyes But looke thou on his fellow who had no grace to repent and who hangs as an example to all impenitent wretches to looke vpon that they despise not the mercie of God nor reiect his call by vs lest it come to passe that when thou wouldest repent thou canst not To thee that doest strengthen thy selfe in thy sinne vpon presumption of mercie to other Deut. 29.19.20 I referre thee to the words that the Lord himselfe speakes Deut. 29.19.20 He that when he heareth the words of the curse blesseth himselfe in his heart saying I shall haue peace though I do walke according to the stubbornenesse of mine owne heart thus adding drunkennesse to thirst the Lord will not be mercifull vnto him but the wrath of the Lord and his ielousie shall smoake against that man and euery curse that is written in this Booke shall light vpon him c. Looke thou on this and the like threatnings of God against such as strengthen their hearts in their sinne Thus much at this time being loth to be ouertroublesome referring the rest till euening Prayer Let vs pray for a blessing vpon that wee haue been taught FINIS THE SECOND SERMON HEBREVVES 12.16.17 Let there bee no fornicator or prophane person as Esau which for one portion c. YOu haue heard in the forenoone beloued in Christ the summe and drift the holy Ghost aimes at which is a certaine dehortation therein disswading euerie good Christian from two great vices which hee calles by the names of the rootes of bitternesse which are Fornication and prophanenesse Of the one we haue spoken it now resteth we speak of the other vice hee disswades them from And because I suppose the most of you were present in the forenoone I will not stand to make any large repetition of that which was then handled but onely of so much as may make a better preparation to that which shall be now deliuered You must note that the holy Ghost in his dehortation from this sinne of Prophanenesse propounds Esau the elder sonne of Isaac for an example and hauing set downe the vse and end euery one should make in the reading of such examples of Gods seuerity in scripture and not to take the name of God in vaine by either lightly passing by them as making no vse at all or else abusing them to strengthen themselues in their sinnes by the example of the Lords mercie on others wee proceeded no further in the morning Now I come to that which followeth which is the person that is set foorth as an example to all prophane men It is Esau as you haue heard the eldest sonne of Isaac And this may seeme very strange that Esau should be a man hated of God before he was borne and that he should bee hung vp as an example to all prophane men to take warning by First he was honourablie descended for Abraham was his grandfather and Isaac was his father Secondly hee was a man whom God had blessed with great riches and one of the wealthiest in all the countrie Thirdly we doe read of great blessings to his posteritie Gen. 36.41 for of him came fourteene Dukes and were in great account Yea further if yee read in the booke of Genesis of his cariage and behauiour you shall find hee had diuers good morall vertues and kind partes in him and such as I
am in doubt many of vs come short of and yet perswade our selues to be good Christians First you haue not read a more louing kind and gentler sonne to his father then he was and his father againe loued him dearely and more dearelie then hee did Iacob Gem. 33.4 Secondly how kind was hee to his brother who though he went with a full purpose to haue slaine him yet meeting of him his heart so melted that he fell on his necke and kissed him yea his kindnes was such to his father that hearing of his death Gen. 25.19 came many a mile to performe his last dutie and to see him buried and laid him in his graue yet wee reade him branded for a castaway Againe was hee a couetous man truelie no Gen. 33.8.9 as may appeare in the storie when he met his brother Iacob who offering him a great present he did refuse it protesting hee had enough which did argue a mind void of couetousnesse Was he proud no verily for as we reade when his brother and hee could no longer dwell together he in courtesie gaue place to his youngest brother What was his sinne was he a drunkard an adulterer an vsurer We doe not reade that hee did liue in any of these grosse sinnes What then was his sinne He was a prophane man and therefore hated of God and set vp for a spectacle to all the world From whence wee may obserue for our instruction Doct. 4 Howeuer a man may haue many temporall blessings and morall vertues yet being a prophane man it is not only sufficient to bring seuere punishments vpon him but he carries a principall brand of a castaway I say againe and marke it though a man be come of a most honorable descent though kind and dutifull to his parents though rich and wealthy in regard of the things of this life yea though hee be contented and be very humble outwardly yet if he be prophane he may carry the very brand of a reprobate So that it is one of the greatest sinnes in the world to be prophane and irreligious yea many papists I meane the simple and ignorant Papist are in better case then a prophane man Not that I teach that euery one shall bee saued by his owne religion for as there is but one true God so there is but one true way by which he will be worshipped and by which we shall attaine to saluation consisting in true reconciling of vs to God in Christ And I grant the poore deceaued Papist is not in the right way for he seekes other waies and depriues himselfe of the righteousnes of God in Christ going about to establish his owne inuentions And further they be Idolaters and worship stockes and stones the worke of mens hands therefore cannot looke to be saued in this way Yet I sa yt here is more hope that God will shew mercie vnto them then to a prophane person because they doe it of ignorance he of presumption which caused Peter to tell the Iewes that they were capable of mercie Act. 17.3 because they did it of ignorance And this must mooue vs to hope well of many of our ancestors who liued and died in the time of Poperie who no doubt would not haue so beleeued if they had knowne it not to haue been the truth which they professed But the prophane person cannot bee ignorant but that his course of life is sinne therefore more hope of such ignorant persons then of the prophane Atheist It is not morall vertues ciuill honestie kind natures that is the way to heauen Nay a man with these may be a miserable man except he be sanctified with religion Wee doe not hold as the Papists falsely charge vs that good workes are needelesse to saluation Iam. 2.14 For wee both know and teach that faith without good workes is dead and it is a shame if Christians exceed not worldlings yet we say that all morall vertues in a man without religion are vnauaileable to saluation and as Salomon saith in another case they are as a ring of gold in a swines snout Honestie and ciuilitie are most pretious Iewels but they that haue them without religion are no better then swine Example of Nicodemus Iohn 3.3 who was accounted a most honest man in the world an vpright dealer a common frequenter of the Temple liberall to the poore c. yet our Sauiour told him it was not his kind nature nor his morall vertues nor his ciuill carriage would bring him to heauen except hee were regenerate and borne anew that is except there were another nature wrought in him and so become religious The like example wee haue of the Apostle Paul who bragges of his estate by nature Phil. 3 4.5.6.7.8 saying that no man could boast of outward things as he either of stocke tribe kinred zeale or righteousnesse of the law Of the which hee saies he was vnrebukeable that is no man could iustly detect him or say so much as blacke was his eie But when the Lord wrought true religion in his heart hee cries shame on them all and accounts all but dung in respect of the benefit that comes by religion Wee must not flatter our hearts with outward ciuilitie amongst men but labour to approue them religious towards God It is not our care and conscience of the second Table will afford vs one iot of comfort to saluation except they bee grounded on conscience and respect of the first Table It is not our detesting and freedome from pride drunkennesse whoredome theft vsurie slandering that will bee accepted of God except there be planted in our hearts a feare of God a loue to religion a conscience of sanctifying the Sabbath day a reforming of families and instructing our children a hating and abhorring the sinne of swearing and departing from infidelitie impenitencie and hardnesse of heart which the Lord by his spirit workes in those that hee makes religious Yea if all the morall vertues that can be possible were in a man yet if these bee wanting Matth. 22.38 hee is a prophane man and remaineth in the case of damnation To this end our Sauiour calles the first table the first and the greatest The first because it must bee preferred in the first place and chiefe roome before our eating sleeping marrying rising labour c. there must goe some part and duety of the first table The greatest because the punishment thereof will be greater then the other Vse Now for the vse of this First it teacheth vs to make triall in our hearts whether wee bee infected with this sinne of prophanenesse or not And though there bee many and sundrie signes to trie our hearts by yet I will content my selfe with foure things besides the chiefest of all which followes in the next words to bee spoken of which the holy Ghost hath set out and branded Esau withall The first is his behauiour in the matching himselfe in marriage wherein he shewed his
prophanenesse two waies The first in that hee did it without the consent of his parents yea so that it was a griefe to his father The second was Gen. 28.8 in that in his matching hee had no respect to religion but married diuers wiues which were contrarie to him in religion yea he takes to wife the daughter of Ismael a man branded for a reprobate as well as himselfe This was a signe of prophanenesse and a sinne that prouoked the Lords wrath against him being a sinne that caused the Lord to destroy the old world And how many prophane parents haue we at this day that in the matching of their children respect monie riches stocke kindred friends be they Papists Recusants yea noted drunkards whoremongers or vsurers so they may haue money lands or friends they little regard of what religion they bee Oh lamentable daies that after so many yeeres of the preaching of the Gospell in our land men should shew themselues so prophane as to match the children with the enemies of the Lord and helpe to nourish the brood of Atheists For what is the cause that there be so many Atheists in our land Surely I speake it before God his angels I do fully perswade my self they are borne and bred by this wicked and accursed matching And you parents note this from me the Lord in your care of the matching of your children shewes a manifest signe of his purpose to your posteritie For is your care principally to match in the feare of God more respecting religion then monie more the loue of God then carnall friends then is it a signe God hath a blessing in store for your posteritie If otherwise that carnall things be the marke you shoote at and specially if you dare venture to match with Gods enemies and such as he hath warned you of I protest to you it is a visible signe God hath a purpose to roote your name from vnder heauen And how many prophane youthes haue wee at this day who to the griefe of their parents chuse for beautie and affection and not for religion To you young men and maidens look with whom you match let your principall care bee religion and the feare of God let your parents consent be in your choice Follow not the example of a prophane man a reprobate a man hated of God before he was borne but imitate such as feare God so you may expect with comfort the blessing promised of God vpon your labours wife and children And though the world would perswade you to the contrarie yet marke what the holy Ghost saies Psalm 123.12.3 Lo thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord. Thereby giuing vs to vnderstand howsoeuer it is hard to flesh and blood to bee perswaded thereof yet the truth is it shall bee so for the Truth it selfe hath spoken it The second thing wherein his prophanenesse did appeare 2. Thing was in that he vsed no prayers For though he had iust cause to giue himselfe to prayer yet we doe not reade hee did vse any at all Hee had good examples both of his Grandfather his Father and his brother yet doe wee not reade that euer hee did once pray And this the holy Ghost describes to bee one propertie of a prophane man in the booke of Psalmes and of such a one as saith in his heart There is no God hee calles not vpon God And truely hee that neuer vseth to pray Psalm 14.4 saies in his heart there is no God And how brands this many in this citie for prophane men who in their families neuer vse the exercise of prayer The propertie of a sincere Christian is to make conscience of Prayer in three seuerall places The first is in the publike congregation The second is in his familie The third is in some secret place where no eie but of God do behold him A very hypocrite can make shew of Prayer when hee sees other to looke on him then can he lift vp his hands and eies toward heauen but in secret he hath no heart to pray when the other is ashamed that any should see him at his secret prayers Are not many faultie herein God and your conscience doe know your are Then must I tell you that herein you carrie an euident signe of a prophane man The third thing that did set out his prophanenesse was his rash and vnaduised swearing 3. Thing as appeares in the booke of Genesis Gen. 25.33 who comming from hunting very hungrie turned into his brothers Tent and spying a pot of pottage asked him some of them to eate wherevpon Iacob seeing a fit time demanded of him to sell him his birth-right hee presently yeelded vnto him Then saith Iacob sweare to me in token of the bargain whereat without any further consideration he swore to him and bound it with an oth And how many thousands in this citie are guiltie hereof Let a man come into your shops and deale with either Master Mistris seruant sonne or daughter at euery word comes out an othe So likewise there are many others who vse their othes as many vse their apparrell who to grace their bodies as they thinke get them euerie weeke a new suite of apparell So they inuent euery weeke new othes to grace them in their speeches What argues this but meere prophanenesse when God hath giuen them tongues for the setting out of his honour and they abuse them to the dishonouring of him The fourth thing was his delight in wicked companie and in the societie of the vngodly 4. Thing as appeares in the booke of Genesis how not content to tarrie with his father and brother in Canaan Gen. 36. hee gets him to mount Seir a most vngodlie people And how doth this bewray many for prophane men at this day who take their felicitie in the company of swearers drunkards whoremongers swaggerers and vile companions I maruell how such can looke to goe to heauen For thinke they to keepe companie here with such leaud companions and that God will pester his kingdome with them hereafter no no be thou sure as the skinne is on thy backe or thy soule in thy bodie that the like companie thou delightest in here in this life with the like I say thou art to dwell hereafter For doest thou hope to haue fellowship with Saints in heauen hereafter and canst not abide their company here Beloued if any of you bee guiltie herein labour in time to get out of it there is no greater an enemie to sanctification then this which caused the Apostle Peter to giue this as a principal warning to those cōuerrites saying Act. 2.40 Saue your selues from this froward generation So say I as you will auoid the marke of a prophane man saue your selues and come out of the companie of vngodly wretches Text. Which for one portion of meate sold his birthright In these words the holie Ghost sets downe the fact that branded him for a
made Dauid to run to the holy assemblies Psalm 19.10 to meditate daily in Gods word because as hee saith they were sweeter then honie or the honie comb of higher account then the gold or the fine gold So contrarily this makes the other to keepe them away from our assemblies to neglect holy exercises in their families as giuing of thankes before their meales or any ordinarie prayers in their houses because they feele no sweetnes in them nor no profit nor gaine in them The vses wee are to make hence are Vse 1 First that euerie one of vs examine our hearts if wee bee not guiltie herein preferring the things of this life before the things of the life to come feeling not any great neede of them or any sweetnesse in them then are we men of prophane hearts And let vs know though wee may be enriched in the things of this life yet a full purse a full coffer a fat shop Psalm 106 15. and a leane soule is in signe of Gods curse Which doth reprooue foure sorts of prophane men in our daies While I name them examine your hearts how it stands betweene God and your consciences The first are such as scorne at religion 1. Sort. and at all such as are zealous that way accounting them a sort of beggerlie fooles and this is because they see it brings no profit to them which makes them haue no care to heare the word preached to pray to reade in their families and so they scoffe Christians and flout such as make conscience of holie exercises of religion publike or priuate These are meere prophane men The second sort are such as will come now and then to heare the word and receiue the Sacraments 2. Sort. and thinke Sunday a good day and at Easter will come to the Communion and now and then heare a sermon but euerie pelting occasion are content to yeeld vnto sometimes they bee sicke sometimes they bee lame sometimes it is too hot sometimes it is too cold preferring their pleasure or profit before holy assemblies in the congregation These men are like old harlots that paint their faces to seeme young and fresh so they pretend excuses to colour their prophanenes If there be any amongst you that can be content Sabbath day after Sabbath to sit idle at home or busie your selues in your trades suffer your places in your seates to be empty for shame amend it and if it be not of conscience yet to auoid the iust title of a prophane man For the propertie of a new sanctified man is to set all excuses all reasons yea profit and pleasure aside for the nourishing of his soule yea the oftner he heares the more he desires this Sabbath day maketh him to long for the next the benefit he hath gotten to his soule this Sabbath day whets his stomacke against the next but this is cleane contrarie in a prophane man The third sort are such 3. Sort. as can see blessings in the word and in the Sacraments they can make great shew of louing the word of entertaining of Preachers c. But yet though they haue liued vnder a faithfull Ministerie these 10.20.30 yeeres haue little or nothing profited And that is seene in that worldly things rule in their hearts and carrie the sway These are like those our Sauiour speakes of some haue bought farmes others haue bought oxen another sort haue married a wife so that though these things bee simplie lawfull in themselues yet of them being vnlawfully vsed are made meanes to alienate their hearts from the best things therefore they do deserue the name of prophane men in that they be content to value any thing in this life aboue the things pertaining to the life to come To which end our Sauiour telleth vs that he that hates not his father and mother for his sake is not worthie of his kingdome whereby hee giues vs to vnderstand that there must be a readines in vs to value spirituall blessings and spirituall exercises aboue the dearest things in this life The fourth sort are such as thinke al well 4. Sort. and that it is sufficient in that they haue been at paines and charges for spirituall things heretofore but now wax wearie they haue been zealous but now grow cold they haue taken paines but now take their ease they haue been at charges but now they thinke it better saued and that it will stop a gap in their owne families They did ioyne with such as were forward in religion but now with Demas they haue imbraced the world and turned to swinish pleasures If this be well examined how many amongst vs are guiltie herein both of vs in the Ministerie that be preachers and of you that be hearers and professors May it not be said of many when they were schollers and at their first entrance into the Ministerie how painefull how carefull how faithfull in their places by preaching catechising and other duties and now scarce preach monthly or quarterly but put ouer to deputies The like may be said by many of you who when yee were young men prentices batcherlers you did make shew of loue to the Gospell you would take paines to runne to sermons you would haue care of swearing and made conscience of an oath and prophaning the Lords day but alas now in this Citie how many religious seruants are become irreligious Masters and religious maidens become irreligious Mistresses The Lord open your eies that such as know they bee guiltie may repent Vse 2 A second vse hence reproues such as in one point of Esaus prophanenesse iumpe with him which is in that he was well content to part with his birth-right it neuer did trouble him his care was for the bellie so how many are there in our land both in this Citie and in many places of the Countrie can be well content to be without that onely ordinarie sanctified ordinance of God the preaching of the word and for worldly respects willingly subiect themselues vnder such a Ministerie as shall starue their soules I doe speake it chiefly in respect of many of our Gentlemen who preferre a faire house a pleasant aire gallant wals before a faithfull and painefull Ministery so they may haue the one they respect not the enioying of the other What is this but prophanenesse I say againe if there bee any here this day Gentleman or Gentlewoman Knight or Lady that for a faire house pleasant aire fields barnes pastures gardens orchards c. can willinglie depart this city or frō vnder a sanctified Ministery and betake their soules to an vnpreaching Minister and such a one as they would scarce put in trust to keepe their sheepe they carrie a visible signe of the curse of God vpon them and here I entitle their names amongst the prophane crue Vse 3 A third vse hence teacheth all Parents as they looke to haue the blessing of God on their posteritie to take heed of this sinne and
very senselesse creatures witnesse it against whom timber stones lands bands monie doe crie apace for vengeance from God The third sinne is abuse of the good creatures God hath ordained for our nourishment by drunkennesse gluttonie c. Yea how rageth the sinne of drunkennesse in this Citie your owne consciences bee iudge How many wretched men powre the good creatures of God downe their throats into their bellies as a man should powre it into a â—un and that vpon their knees as it were asking Gods curse vpon them for the same And let vs proceed to the next punishment namely the plague Plague which you know in this Citie the Lord hath of late visited you withall and in very short space took away to the number of fortie thousand But what profit hath followed hereof amongst you a man cannot perceiue any sinne reformed Would you know the vsuall sinnes procure this they are speciallie foure The first is whoredome and adulterie of which this Citie is horriblie infected and for which it is no maruell though the Lord continue his striking hand among you The second is secrecie of sinne some defending sin some outfacing sinne some pleading for sinne some buying sinne some selling sinne Oh Lord who sees not our land besotted in this for what small conscience is made of any sinne that may be kept from the eies of men hauing no respect to the eies of God! The third is securitie in sinne And this cannot bee denied amongst vs as appeares by our groping after our sinnes with the Sodomites euen then when Gods hand is vpon vs. The fourth is vnworthie comming to the Lords Table 1. Cor. 11.30 a sinne common amongst vs and no sinne lesse accounted of For come to many on their deathbeds you shall heare them to confesse they haue been drunkards whoremongers vsurers couetous enuious c. but you shall neuer heare them confesse their vnworthie comming to the Lords Table And yet this sinne hath brought Gods hand on them aboue the rest And for the third punishment Sword viz. the sword a punishment long threatned to vs and of which long sithence wee had tasted of had not the Lord in mercie kept vs from it which is strange Deut. 32.41 considering our land swarmes with those sinnes that doe daily whet the Lords glittering sword to strike vs And they are specially three The first is pride in apparrell Esa 3 16-25 which the Prophet Esay told the Iewes would bring the sword vpon them Which sinne who sees not that euen this Citie is so infected withall that were not the Lord patient it could not choose but haue brought the sword long ere this day The heads and backes of women who are as proud as their husbands are couetous crie to the Lord for reuenge The second is hollow-harted repentance Hos 7 14-16 For which sinne the Prophet Hosea tels Israel Because in their shew of repentance they cried not to the Lord in their hearts when they houled on their beds they should fall by the sword And how hollow-hearted our repentance hath been appeares plainely by the want of the reforming of our grosle sinnes that ouerspread the land The third is the contempt of Gods Ministers as appeares in the second booke of the Chronicles where the Lord telles Ierusalem 2. Chron. 36.16.17 Because she did mocke his messengers and despise their admonitions and withall misused them he would bring the sword of the Chaldeans vpon them and would spare neither young man nor virgin ancient nor old God gaue all to the sword And how can we looke God should keepe the sword away when his seruants are thus hardlie entreated Nay I appeale to your harts if at this day many be not at more quiet and find more fauour that commit sinne then those that zealouslie reprooue sinne Yea how are these daies to be lamented when many vile notorious wretches and base drunken companions doe abuse the Lords Ministers I tell you plaine it is a generall complaint of all the faithfull Ministers in the land of their disgrace and discouragement they be offered in their Ministerie If we were many of vs either Lawyers or Physitians you would honour and reuerence vs but in that wee bee the Lords Ministers wee bee hated and abused Yea many account no better of vs but as their drudges to burie the dead to christen their children and to church their wiues as they terme it yea a rare thing to find one sound sincere louer of Gods word and Gods Minister And further who liues so quiet and at ease in the Ministerie as those that lead thousands to hel who liues more merrier then hee that hath gotten two or three benefices and dischargeth none of them Who liues more in the pleasure of the world and bee so fatted vp that their eies are readie to start out of their heads then such as preach by deputies And yet these carrie the honour and applause of the people when the faithfull Minister finds course entertainement And what shall let the Lord to execute vengeance vpon vs and to make his arrowes drunke with our blood Deut. 32.42 Seest not these things shame will follow thee Grieuest thou not at it woe wil ouertake thee The Lord Iesus open our harts to accept of his offered mercy giuevs grace to meete him betimes by repentance lest his wrath break out on vs like fire there be none to quench it Vse 2 A second vse hence we should make is for reproofe of many who post off the time of the Lords offer till age sicknes death of these there are specially two sorts The first sort 1. Sort. are such as plead the sweete promises of the Gospell At what time soeuer a sinner doth repent c. Come to me all yee that trauaile and are heauie laden and I will refresh you To the which I answere It is true and most true But to whom are these promises made and to what sinners They bee made to all repentant sinners that turne to the Lord with all their hearts But thou art an vnrepentant wretch and continuest in thy sinnes therefore these comfortable promises belong not to thee And what sinners doth he bid come to him those that be wearie and heauie laden that is whole sinnes pinch and wound them at the heart and withall desire to be eased of the burden thereof Therefore take no occasion to presume of the promises of the Gospell vnlesse thou turne from thy euill waies and repent of thy sinnes they belong nothing to thee The second sort are such 2. Sort. as doe alleage the example of the theese conuerted at the houre of his death presuming they shall find the like mercie To which I answere this was an extraordinarie example and the Lord hath set out but one and yet one But one that no man must presume by this example For what mad man will spurre his horse till hee speake because Baalam did so