point let no conceit in the world nor perswasion whatsoeuer hinder vs from a present conuersion vnto God but out of hand while it is called To day let vs turne vnto him Thus much for the Exhortation The Reasons follow For hee hath spoyled and hee will heale vs he hath wounded vs and hee will bind vs vp WE haue heard already the godly perswasion of the beleeuing Iewes one to another Reasons to inforce the former exhortation to turn to the Lord from whom they had departed by their sins Now followes the reasons of their exhortation and they are twofold The first is drawn from the iustice of God in these words He hath spoyled vs hee hath wounded vs. q. d. We haue beene plagued and smitten Well it is the Lord that hath layd these heauy iudgements vpon vs it is the correcting hand of God that hath brought these grieuous afflictions vpon vs therfore let vs now Returne vnto him The second is drawn from the mercy of God in these words Hee will heale vs hee will binde vs vp q. d. Though the Lord hath smitten vs yet hee will helpe vs and heale vs if we will seeke to him for succour And surely these two reasons ought to be of force to moue euery one of vs to turne vnto God if his iudgements cannot compel vs yet his louing mercies ought to draw vs and allure vs to turne vnto him Doct. 1 Whereas the people of God in this place do not onely perswade one another simply to Returne vnto God Mans nature so corrupt that it stands in need of many reasons to perswade to holy duties but vse reason vpon reason to induce and to perswade them thereunto Hence wee may obserue the frowatdnesse and the vntowardnesse and great backwardnesse that is in all men by natuae to perform any holy duty That wee thus stand in need of so many arguments and so many reasons to perswadr vs thereunto In the whole Scriptures it is the vsuall manner of the Prophets and Apostles and holy men of God when they exhort to any vertue or dehort from any vice to adde sundry reasons that by the force thereof they might draw men to obedience This is practised of the Prophet Dauid when hee perswaded his sonne Salomon to haue a care to learne and practise the will of God 1. Chro. 28.8 And thou Salomon my sonne know thou the God of thy Fathers and serue him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind And hee addes reasons to perswade him thereunto For the Lord searcheth all hearts and vnderstandeth all the imaginations of thoughts if thou seeke him hee will bee found of thee but if thou forsake him hee will cast thee off for euer Again when Moses doth exhort the people of Israel to obserue to keepe the commandements of the Lord how many forcible arguments and reasons doth hee alledge to moue the people and to perswade them thereunto some taken from the mercies of God If thou shalt obey the voyce of the Lord thy God Deut. 28.1.2.3 v. 15.16 c. Leuit. 26.14 Mal. 2.2 and obserue all his commandements which I command thee this day all these blessings shall come on thee and ouertake thee Blessed shalt thou bee in the City and blessed in the field c. Others taken from the iustice of God But if thou wilt not obey the voyce of the Lord thy God to keepe and to doe all his commandements and ordinances which I command thee this day Deu. 6.5 cursed shalt thou bee in the towne and cursed in the field c. And in all Pauls Epistles it is his vsuall manner Rom. 12.1 where he exhorts to any vertue or dehorts from any vice to adde sundry reasons that by the force thereof he might the better preuaile 2. Cor. 9.7 I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that yee giue vp your bodies a liuing sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto God And againe As euery man wisheth in his heart so let him giue not grudgingly or of necessity for God loueth a cheerefull giuer And in the Ephesians Eph. 5.22.23 exhorting diuers estates and degrees of men as husbands and wiues Parents and children masters and seruants to the performance of the duties of their seuerall callings he doth still second the same exhortations with diuers arguments and reasons Eph. 6.5 Col. 3.22 1. Pet. 2.11 Wiues submit your selues to your husbands as to the Lord and he ads a forcible reason thereto For the husband is the wiues head as Christ is the head of his Church and so likewise of husbands seruants c. This course is likewise practised of the Apostle Peter when he sayth I beseech you as Strangers and Pilgrimes abstaine from fleshly lusts which fight against the Soule These and the like examples whereof the Scriptures are plentifull serue to manifest vnto vs the corruption that is in our nature that are so backward in the performance of any holy duety that we stand thus in need of reasons to perswade vs to the same Now this comes to passe by reason that the Theoricke part of man his will Reason vnderstanding and knowledge since the fall of man is so blinded and corrupted that it vnderstands not the things that are of God but the will and vnderstanding are so depraued of grace that now they are direct opposite to Gods will And this is the cursed nature of all men vnregenerate as the Apostle sayth The wisdome of the flesh is enmitie against God Rom. 8.7 for it is not subiect to the law of God neither can be Where the Apostle shewes plainely that the wil of a natural man 2. Cor. 3.5 that liues in sinne vnregenerate Phil. 2.13 Gen. 6. Rom. 3.7 is flat contrary nay Enmity it selfe against God and neyther will nor can be subiect to Gods will So that whatsoeuer God wils man wils not Wee are not able of our selues to thinke a good thought It is God alone that must touch our hearts and worke in vs power either to will well or worke well Nay the Lord sayth more Pro. 14.12 That the whole frame of mans heart is altogether euill continually The whole frame of mans heart the mind will vnderstanding conscience reason affection yea the whole frame of mans heart is euill onely and that continually so that it is cleare our wils are contrary to Gods will by nature and wee can no more set our selues to the performance of any good duty then a dead man can of himselfe rise out of his graue and performe any action but our wils are so infected and poysoned with sinne that we now onely seeke and desire that which is euill and against the will of God and the good of our owne soules Vse 1 Oh how should this humble vr when we shall consider what wee are by nature Euen vnto euery good worke Reprobate that we are not able not so much as to moue one finger to
as a Leprosie as red as Scarlet and as filthy as dung yet if God giue repentance and wee can beleeue here wee haue the promise of Gods mercy yea assurance of forgiuenes Let vs returne vnto the Lord and hee will heale vs hee will bind vs vp Oh then let none bee discouraged from seeking vnto him for mercy but let them seeke it rightly and that by Repentance and they shall obtaine assuredly VERSE 2. After two dayes hee will reviue vs and the third day he will rayse vs vp and wee shall liue in his sight IN these three verses we first obserued these three speciall points First a most godly and christian exhortation of the beleeuing Iewes wherein they perswade each other mutually to Returne vnto the Lord. Secondly the reasons that they vse the better to moue and induce one another to performe this duty of Repentance the first drawn from the iustice of God in these words He hath wounded vs Hee hath spoyled vs The second drawn from his mercy Hee will beale vs hee will bind vs vp And because this reason drawne from the mercy of God is a reason of all reasons yea a most speciall reason to moue any one to turne to God that hath any sparke of grace therfore the the holy Ghost doth amplifie this reason by two other circumstances the first drawn from the shortnesse of the time wherein the Lord afflicts his people it is but for a day or twaine or at the most for three dayes a short time the Lord will not alwayes be angry with his children but howsoeuer he shall chastice them for a time it will bee but for a time Heauinesse may indure for a night but ioy commeth in the morning The second taken from the greatnesse of his deliuerance that though he hath spoyled vs yet hee will Reuiue vs and though hee had grieuously wounded vs yet he will bind vp all the bleeding wounds of our soules if we will patiently abide his leasure The third speciall point is the fruit of true repentance which are three The first is that if wee haue once beene spoyled of our owne righteousnesse and wounded truely for our sinnes and beene healed and wrapped vp by the mercifull hand of God We shall then liue as in his presence in all holines and righteousnes Secondly he will power into our hearts that knowledge which will bring vs vnto eternall life to know his will how hee is affected towards vs and this knowledge shal direct vs to walke wisely before his face so that we shal desire to grow in this knowledge and study dayly to attaine to a greater measure of it We shall endeuour our selues to know the Lord. And the third and last fruit of Repentance is that if we will draw neare to God by true repentance hee will draw neare to vs to comfort vs set out by two similitudes the first of them is in these words The Lords comming is prepared as the morning for indeed many times it comes to passe in the Ver. 3 hearts of Gods children that the sense and feeling of Gods loue and fauour is oftentimes extinguished as the comfortable heate and light of the Sunne is taken away by reason of some thicke cloud that doth passe betwixt the Sunne and the earth so many times we thinke that God forgets vs hides himselfe from vs but his comming to helpe vs is prepared and therefore most certaine And he shall come as the morning and therefore most comfortable for as the bright beams and cleare countenance of the Sunne after a windy boisterous night is very comfortable Euen so when after a cloudy night of affliction wherein wee haue beene wounded and broken in our soules for our sinnes the bright beams of Gods mercy breaking then forth shall bee most comfortable to glad and reioyce the soule of a poore sinner This then is the first fruit that shall follow our true conuersion vnto God The Lords going foorth to comfort vs and to deliuer vs is prepared the Lord hath purposed it and determined it of folde that those that repent and Returne vnto him shal find comfort and refreshing The second similitude which sheweth the second fruit of repentance sheweth that the Lords comming shal not onely bee comfortable but also most effectuall and most welcome vnto the soule of this same poore sinner that as helpe and deliuerance in time of greatrst danger is most welcome So when the Lord shall come with great and effectuall comfort and bring helpe and deliuerance in time of greatest affliction danger Oh then it will be most set by and esteemed and to assure the poore child of God of this comfort in time of need the Prophet saith that the Lord will come as the Raine euen as the latter raine vnto the earth Now as moderate raine is welcome as at all times so especially in the heate of summer after a great and a long drought when the earth is scorched with the heat of the Sunne and beginnes to capper and gape for want of moisture then a gracious and sweet shower is most welcome Euen so when a poore soule doth pant and breath vnder the burthen of his sinnes and is schorched with the burning heat of affliction then if the Lord in mercy send a gracious raine an heauenly shower of his blessed mercy in this heat of affliction this would bee most welcome this would bee most comfortable and this doth the Lord promise and assure his Church and children if they will Returne vnto him Of the exhortation wee haue spoke of before as also of their reasons the first drawne from his iustice Hee hath wounded vs hee hath spoyled vs. And the second drawne from his mercy Hee will heale vs hee will bind vs vp Now because this reason or argument drawn from the meccy of God is the chiefest of all other as Paul teacheth when he sayth Rom. 12.1 I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God therefore the holy Ghost here amplifies this reason first by the shortnesse of time wherein the Lord afflicts his people it is but for a day or two a very short moment After two dayes or at the most in the third day hee will come vnto vs if we humble our selues vnder his mighty hand After two dayes It is all one as if they should haue said True it is the Lord hath grieuously spoyled vs for our sinnes and wounded vs for our iniquities so as his hand seemes grievous vnto vs yea let vs breake off our sinnes by repentance and let vs Returne againe vnto him from whom we haue departed by our sinnes and the Lord will soon remoue his iudgements from vs. In this verse note three things first the person from whom all helpe comfort and deliuerance doth come He. Verse diuided Secondly the circumstance of time in the which the Lord will deliuer vs After two dayes or at the most the third day Thirdly the deliuerance it selfe with the seuerall fruits of
for the Gospell sake they would fal away and â—ee like this people heere whose goodnesse all they did professe was but as a droppe of dew before the Sunne Oh then let vs labour for soundnesse and sincerity in Gods seruice Let vs labour to find our eyes opened our minds illuminated our hearts softned and our affections touched that so wee may haue ioy and comfort heere and euerlasting peace and comfort in the end Thirdly seeing wee are taught heere that many Vse 3 may seeme forward for a time zealous and godly and yet the same proue in the end but as The morning cloud quickly scattered and as The Morning Dew which is quickly gone when the face of the Sun doth shew it selfe vpon it Wee are taught hence not to be offended when wee see some of those that for the time past haue seemed to be forward in Religion to fall away that the life of Gods spirit doth decay in them for there haue been euer such counterfeit Christians euen from the beginning in the houshold of Adam Gen. 4.56 there was a wicked Cain and in the family of Abraham there was a scoffing Ismael yea there is no society eyther in Church or common wealth but the Scriptures afford vs some example or other Mat. 27. that there haue been some wicked amongst them But what of all this must this discourage vs No no What if all the world will be disobedient as in the dayes of Noah What if there be but one Elias in all Israel Oh let vs ioyne with him Note and let vs euen hereby bee wise and learne to take heed by other mens harmes to take a faster hold vpon Religion and lay to build vpon a sure foundation for at one time or other God will lay some tryall or other vpon vs that wee shall appeare to bee eyther chaffe or Wheat the faithfull seruants of the Lord or the cursed limbs of Sathan and if we haue hitherto felt and enioyed peaceable times that the Lord hath not yet sifted and winnowed vs as Sathan desired to sift Peter What shall wee bee secure therefore God fotbid rather let vs in the dayes of peace prepare for the time of tryall euer looking out when God will shake his sword against vs. Your goodnes is as the morning cloud c. IN that the Lord doth compare the repentance or goodnesse of this people to the Morning cloud and to the Morning Dew because it was neyther true nor sincere nor durable not lasting but quickly gone and therefore are branded with this blacke cole of hypocrites and such as the Lord threatens to Cut downe to slay euen vtterly to roote out as in the verse following Doct. 8 Wee are taught by their example that if wee would bee religious indeed and approued for sound Christians before God Sincerity of heart and perseuerance in godlines a true note of the child of God that wee labour for that which was wanting in them and which shall approue vs for Christians before God namely sincerity of heart as also that we perseuere in the duties of piety and godlines euen vnto the end It was the commendations of Enoch and of Noah that notwithstanding they liued in sinfull times being ouerrunne with all manner of impieties yet they walked with God Gen. 5.22 Gen. 6.9 they kept themselues vnspotted of the world they made not the practise of other men an example for them but walked so as euer in Gods presence This was Ezechias his comfort when hee was summoned to die Esay 38.3 Remember Lord that I haue walked before thee in truth and with an vpright heart Iob. 16.19 And when Iob was censured for an hypocrite according as the maner of the world is at this day to despise and disgrace euery one that is more carefull to please God then themselues What was his comfort but this that hee could say My witnesse is in heauen and my Record is on hie q. d. My comfort is that though you speake your pleasure of mee now yet you shall not bee my Iudges but God that is aboue whom I haue ever serued in spirit and truth will iustifie me one day against you And this was the care of godly Paul Act. 24.16 2. Cor. 4.2 To endeuour aboue all things to keepe a cleare conscience before God and man for this is that which will approue vs to be Christians indeed when as the vizard of hypocrisie shall be taken from vs and if this be wanting in vs alas all our shewes bee they neuer so goodly and glorious shal no way stand vs in stead but the Lord will rather cast them as dung into our faces And yet good Lord men thinke they haue profited highly in Religion if they can but make a glorious shew therof before men Oh I would that men could be brought once to this passe that we might cast out this Deuil from them but of this before Seeing that sincerity of heart is such an infallible note of the child of God Vse when as all shewes and shadowes will stand in no stead this may vtterly condemn the art of Seeming which euery man almost hath learned in our time The hypocrite can come with his Lord Lord. Mat. 7.21 Iob. 31.24 Pro. 30.20 The couetous man that hath made gold his hope hee feares not The vncharitable man Whose torgue is like a Razar is not abashed The whorish woman Wipeth her mouth and sayth I haue not committed Iniquity blusheth not Thus euery one commeth into Gods house heareth Gods word receyueth his blessed Sacrament and comes vnto these dueties so maskt that they passe heere for currant coyne we are not able to see into their hearts it is the Lord alone who is The searcher of the heart that sees them And thus men if they may passe with our approbation they care for no more Ah poore soule Ah poore soule what of al this If the Lord doe not approue of thee it is not all thy shewes and shadowes be they neuer so goodly nor so glorious that wil stand thee in stead in the day of Gods searching account but hauing acted the part of an hppocrite here vpon the Stage of this World it shall at the last day be a iust and righteous thing with the righteous God to giue thee the portion of hypocrites euen euerlasting fire Depart from mee yee Hypocrites into euerlasting fire prepared for the Deuill and his Angels Oh that this might perswade vs to affect sincerity of heart What a thing were this that we should liue in these dayes and times wherein wee liue wherein knowledge and grace is euen thrust vpon vs and yet for all that wee should proue such Iudasses vnto our owne poore Soules thus to betray them into the hands of sathan I cannot but taxe many of you of this parrish of Roxwell with this sin the Lord lay it not one day to your charge At my first coÌ„ming amongst you I obserued some
Doct. 1. HVmiliation for sinne must goe before the sanctified knowledge of God Fol. 109 Doct. 2. The true knowledge of God in Christ is giuen onely to the Elect after their conuersion Fol. 114 Doct. 3. It is God himselfe that is the obiect of a sanctified knowledge Fol. 122 Doct. 4. Ignorance of God and his Word in matters of Religion is dangerous Fol. 128 Doct. 5. Labour and paines required in all that will get sauing knowledge Fol. 739 Doct. 6. Perseuerance and constancy is required in seeking for sauing knowledge Fol. 141 Doct. 7. A godly man seekes after knowledge willingly and chearefully Fol. 144 Doct. 8. Gods children labour for an encrease of knowledge dayly in them Fol. 146 Doct. 9. Howsoeuer God doth humble his children for a time hee forsaketh them not for euer Fol. 150 VER 4. Doct. 1. GOd doth not proceed in iudgement before hee hath offered all meanes of mercy Fol. 160 Doct. 2. Wicked men continue still in sinne notwithstanding all meanes to the contrary Fol. 167 Doct. 3. The Lord takes it hardly that the meanes of our good should bee contemned Fol. 170 Doct. 4. No outward priuiledge will free a man from punishment when reformation of heart and life is wanting Fol. 174 Doct. 5. Though God doth offer the meanes of saluation vnto all yet few receiue them Fol. 180 Doct. 6. It is the property of hypocrites to minde more the outward part of Gods worshippe then the inward Fol. 184 Doct. 7. The wicked haue sometimes good motions in them but not lasting Fol. 187 Doct. 8. Sincerity of heart and perseuerance in godlinesse a true note of the child of God Fol. 194 VER 5. Doct. 1. TO contemne the meanes of saluation is a grieuous sinne and neuer goes vnpunished Fol. 199 Doct. 2. The Lord is the author of all punishments for sinne Fol. 204 Doct. 3. Hard heart the greatest iudgement that can bee layd vpon man Fol. 208 Doct. 4. The Word of God is able to pearce the hardest heart Fol. 215 Doct. 5. The Word of God in the mouthes of his Ministers shall be accomplished Fol. 219 Doct. 6. God neuer strikes with his iudgements before he giue warning Fol. 227 VER 6. Doct. 1. GOd esteemes not of our outward seruice when it it is not performed in faith and obedience Fol. 233 Doct. 2. Lawfull things must bee done lawfully Fol. 238 Doct. 3. Property of an hypocrite to content himselfe with the outward parts of Gods worshippe Fol. 247 Doct. 4. Wicked men make Religion a cloake for sinne Fol. 253 Doct. 5. God doth preferre the duties of loue and mercy to men before his owne worship Fol. 256 VER 7. Doct. 1. THe breaking of our couenant with God the cause of all iudgements Fol. 258 Doct. 2. Man by nature vnconstant in any holy dutie Fol. 271 Doct. 3. That which is most excellent in the sight of an hypocrite is most abhominable in the sight of God Fol. 272 VER 8. Doct. 1. THose that haue the greatest meanes of knowledge should abound most in holy duties Fol. 278 Doct. 2. Those places that haue had most meanes shall be most seuerely punished for the neglect thereof Fol. 280 Doct. 3. For no worldly respect must men be drawn to peruert iustice Fol. 285 VER 9 Doct. 1. MInisters that teach not at all or else teach erronious doctrine no better then theeues and murderers Fol. 289 Doct. 2. Nature of the wicked to deuise all the mischiefe they can against the godly Fol. 292 Doct. 3. Councels may erre and Magistrates and Ministers in matters of Faith and Manners Fol. 294 VER 10. Doct. 1. AS the Minister is so is the people Fol. 299 Doct. 2 Ignorance will excuse none if they liue in sinne Fol. 304 Doct. 3. It is a heauie iudgement of God vpon a people when the chiefe gouernors bee Idolaters Fol. 308 VER 11. Doct. 1. MEn by nature are apt to sucke in Popery and superstition Fol. 312 Doct. 2. Sinne is very fruitfull Fol. 316 The End of the Table The Contents COme let vs returne to the Lord for hee hath spoyled and he will heale vs he hath wounded vs and he will bind vs vp 2 After two dayes he will reuiue vs and the third day he will rayfe vs vp and we shall liue in his sight 3 Then shall wee haue knowledge and endeauour our selues to know the Lord his going forth is prepared as the morning and he shall come vnto vs as the raine and as the latter raine vnto the earth 4 O Ephraim what shall I doe vnto thee O Iuda how shall I intreat thee for your goodnes is as the morning cloud and as the Morning Dew it goeth away 5 Therefore haue I cut down by the Prophets I haue slain them by the words of my mouth and thy iudgements were as the light that goeth forth 6 For I desire mercy and not sacrifice and the knowledge of God more then burnt offerings 7 But they like men haue transgressed the Couenant there haue they trespassed against mee 8 Gilead is a City of them that worke iniquitie and is polluted with bloud 9 And as theeues wayte for a man so the company of Priests murder in the way by consent for they worke mischiefe 10 I haue seene villany in the house of Israel there is the whoredome of Ephraim Israel is defiled 11 Yea Iudah hath set a plant for thee whiles I would returne the Captiuity of my people AN EXPOSITION vpon the sixt Chapter of the Prophesie of HOSEA HOSEA 6. VER 1. 1. Come let vs returne to the Lord for hee hath spoyled and he will heale vs he hath wounded vs and he will binde vs vp THe Lord our God Exod. 34.6 Ier. 31.20 as he is gracious and mercifull flow to anger and aboundant in goodnesse and truth and therefore not easily drawne to punish and to take vengeance vpon hard hearted and impenitent sinners So when hee punisheth and afflicteth any man or woman as a most gracious God and louing Father he aimes at their good and seekes the saluation of their soules that being tamed and truely humbled for their sinnes they might turne vnto him by true and vnfained repentance that so he might haue mercy vpon them in pardoning their sinnes and sauing their soules And as this is manifest in the whole booke of God so it is very apparent out of this place when as the Lord had threatned the people of the Iewes with present destruction by and by he beginnes to exhort them to true repentance shewing this to be the onely way both to auoid the anger of God and to saue their owne soules This 6. Chapter contains two generall and principall parts Parts of the Chapter In the first is set downe the godly practises of true repentance and the fruits thereof in the person of the beleeuing Iewes from the first verse to the end of the third the which we must carefully imbrace and follow In the second is set down the
that there is nothing better to turne the pride of mans heart then afflictions So Manasses a wicked Idolatrous King 2. Cro. 33.12 yet in his afflictions hee sought the Lord and prayed vnto the Lord his God whom he dishonored before Psal 1 19. Lam. 3 27. Luk. 9.23 And Dauid confesseth that it was very good for him that he was afflicted for before he was carelesse of the seruice of God Yea the Prophet Ieremy saith that a man can neuer begin too soone to suffer the crosse It is good that a man beare the yoake of afflictions from his youth And our Sauiour himselfe saith That we must take vp the crosse dayly and in very deed nothing is better for young or old man or woman then affliction if God sanctifie the same vnto vs and giue vs the true vse of them they will make a man search his heart and call his former life to accompt they will humble vs and make vs see our weaknesse they will compell vs to run to God by most earnest and harty prayer to deny our selues to put our whole trust confidence and affiance in the mercy of God in Iesus Christ Now the Lord had no sooner spoke the word that in their afflictions they would seek him but heere we see it is effected Come say they let vs returne vnto the Lord c. Doct. 1 Afflictiōs are of excellent vse to turne vs to God So that the first point of Doctrine we obserue from the text is this That afflictions are of excellent vse to turne vs to God the Church of God in generall and the seruants of God in particular when they cannot profitably vse prosperity and beare themselues thankefully in the dayes of peace doe learne in aduersity to turne vnto God and are therby brought home againe and this comes to passe not by meanes of the crosse for in it selfe it is a curse but in that the Lord doth sanctifie the same vnto his it comes to passe that the state of affliction is a safer estate Iudg. 14.14 Rom 5.3 2 Cor. 4.13 Heb. 12.11 then the estate of prosperity It is true that as the Philistims could not vnderstand Sampsons riddle how sweete came out of sower meat out of the eater so cannot worldlings vnderstād that tribulatiō bringeth out patience that our light momentany afflictions cause vnto vs a far more excellent and eternall waight of glory But the Children of God they find it true by experience that albeit no visitation bee sweete for the present yet afterwards it brings the quiet fruit of righteousnesse vnto them who are thereby exercised Esay 26.16 Psal 107. Luke 15.18 and that there is more solide ioy in suffering rebuke with Christ then in all the pleasures of sinne which are but for a season Gen. 21.16 This the Prophet setteth downe in the song of the faithfull Lord in trouble haue they visited thee they powred out a prayer when thy chastising was vpon them yea the people of God the Israelits in the time of their afflictions were humbled and sought the Lord Ionas 1.5 Lam. 3.27 Psal 119.71 Io. 15.2 who in time of prosperity forgat him and the mighty workes that he had done for them They wandred in the desart and found no Citty to dwell in Then they cried vnto the Lord in their trouble and he deliuered them out of their distresse The Prodigall sonne neuer intended to returne home againe to his Father vntill a famine had met with him and he was pinched with want then he resolued with himselfe to acknowledge his fault to entreat for pardon Hagar was proud in the house of Abraham and despised her Mistresse but in the wildernesse humbled by want Ionas sleepeth in the ship but in the belly of the Whale watcheth and prayeth It is good therefore saith Ieremy for a man to beare the yoake in his youth and Dauid acknowledgeth it was good for him that he was afflicted yea our Sauiour saith Euery branch that beares fruit my heauenly father purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit All these testimonies and examples of the seruants of God as euident and direct consents of the Scripture do teach vs that afflictions are of speciall and singular vse to turne vs to God Amos 3.6 And this comes to passe by reason they are the workes of Gods hand there is no euill in the Citty which the Lord hath not done He hath his Quiuer full of arrowes to strike vs and to punish vs the Sword Famine Plague Pestilence yea he hath all Creatures at a beck at a cal to humble the rebellious hart of man to this end we may pray to the Lord that so he do still remember the promise made to the Sonnes of Dauid I will visite them with rods if they sinne against mee 2. Sa. 7.14.15 but my mercy will I neuer take from them that rather then that wee should bee frozen in the dreggs of our owne naturall corruptions and spend our daies in a carelesse security without the feare of his holy name that God would chang our estates and awaken vs with the touch of his owne hand purge vs with fier and chasten vs with his rods Vse 1 First seing that chastisements and afflictions are of such excellent vse to turne vs to God and that the Lord doth vse the same to bring vs home to himselfe heere wee may clearely behold the mighty power of God that can by so many waies and meanes turne the hearts of men humble them and bring them home vnto himselfe Indeed the preaching of the word is the ordinary meanes whereby God doth breake in sunder the stony heart of man Esay 5.4 Iob 33.16 Rom. 11.13 but when that will not serue but that his patience long suffering is abused and his word contemned the Lord hath sundry iudgments in store which being sent from God are powerfull to turne our hearts and to make a way for Repentance Oh the deepenesse of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God! how vnsearchable are his iudgements and his wayes past finding out Let vs then here acknowledge the greatnesse both of the mercy and power of God in working out the saluation of mankind so wonderfully and that by so many meanes bringing light out of darkenesse and good out of euill Seeing that afflictions are of such excellent vse to Vse 2 turne vs to God when the Lord doth sanctifie the same to that end vnto vs Here we see the cause why the godly runne not into all euill as the Horse rusheth into the battell euen as the children of this world do into the same excesse of ryot Surely the reason is not because there is ought in them by Nature more then in other men No no wee were all warmed in vncleane bloud and the best wee haue drawne from our mothers breasts hath beene rebellion but God calleth them backe by his hand his afflictions are
off their sinnes which were preuented by death and neuer performed the same Yea although thou diddest know that thou shouldest liue long yet oughtest thou to repent soone for then is thy repentance most acceptable to God when thou doest offer it in the prime of thy youth and in the flower of thy age In the sacrifices of the Lord Deu. 15.21 Mal. 1. Pro. 1. Mat. 25.11 they were commanded to offer a Male of a yeare olde withou spot and blemish and they that offered the blinde and the lame were reproued How then should the Lord accept of thy crooked sacrifice of olde age which is as lame and blind before God and the Lord doth seldome accept of it Nay it is rather most iust with God that at the last hee should reiect vs and our prayers who haue before contemned him in the strength of our yeares when that God did cry and call vnto vs. Oh what yelling and crying wil there bee at the last Lord Lord open vnto vs. When that heauy Depart from mee yee cursed I know you not shall bee their portion Oh that men were wise then would they consider their latter end Let vs looke vnto the practise of men in temporall affayres and learne to bee wise What makes the husbandman to breake his sleepe to rise vp so earely and to bee so diligent in plowing digging and sowing Aske him and hee will tell thee the season requires it and the time lost cannot bee redeemed And shall wee thinke that wee haue repentance at commaund no no thou mayest seeke it at last euen with teares Heb. 12.17 as Esau did and yet goe without it if thou omittest the season time when God doth now offer the same vnto thee Let this that hath bin spoken serue for the confirmation of the euerlasting truth of this Doctrine that men must defer no time to repent to turn vnto the Lord. Now let vs see some reasons that may enforce the same The first reason shewing the necessity of timely repentance Reasons to shew the necessity of timely repentance may bee taken from the great vncertainty of mans life if hee omit the present occasion when it is offered for God doth call home from his worke some in the morning some at noone and some at night For as his Labourers enter into his Vineyard so they goe out that is in such manner and at such howres Mat. 20 1.2. c some dye in the dawning of their life passing as it were from one graue to another some dye in their youth as in the third howre some at middle age and some stay vntill the euening of mans yeares that is old age yet more before ten then after threescore Luk. 12.20 Gen. 6. That rich man in the Gospell that promised vnto himselfe many yeares to come had in a moment of time his soule taken from him The old world neuer thought themselues more freer or surer from vengeance then when they were eating drinking Luk. 17.27 marrying wiues c. But then did the iudgements of God ouertake them The morning was fayre when Lot went out of Sodom Gen. 19.23 and yet before night lay Sodom in ashes Herod was well when he beganne his Oration to the people but by and by after Act. 12.23 1. Thes 5.3 the Angell of the Lord stroke him that hee was eaten vp of worms and so gaue vp the Ghost What then is our life and how vaine and false is our hope of long life Shall any say with Agag Surely the bitternesse of death is past 1. Sam. 15.32 because wee dye not so soone as others when wee heare a solemne knell we say some body is departed and why should we not thinke that the feet of them who carryed out that body is at the dore to carry vs out also Act. 5.9 so that if wee deferre our repentance but one day yea but one houre we haue no warrant to assure vs that wee can repent the next but that the Lord may preuent vs by death and so we perish Secondly if wee slip the oportunity of well doing when God doth offer the same vnto vs we shall bee more vnapt and vnfit afterwards whilest the waxe is plyable it is the fittest time to set on the seale whereas if it coole againe it will then hardly receiue any impression Euen so if our hearts euer beginne to soften and to yeeld if wee now resist the spirit of God and the worke of grace we shall hardly haue the like oportunity againe as at the first And therefore that which Salomon exhorteth in the case of vowes is to bee practised of all holy purposes and good desires Eccl. 5.3 Wee must not deferre nor bee flacke to performe them And this hath beene carefully practised of the godly Psal 119.60 Dauid sayth of himselfe I haue considered my wayes and turned my feet into thy testimonies I made hasâ—â— Luk. 19.6 Act. 8.36 and prolonged not the time to keep thy commandements Dauid doth not take any dayes with God like a bad debter day after day and keepe none of them but whatsoeuer good duty hee had purposed in his heart he would presently performe the same Zacheus came downe hastely and receyued Christ ioyfully The Eunuch being instructed in the sauing knowledge of his saluation by the preaching of Philip so soone as euer he name where water was hee would be baptized land receiue the Seale of grace and as this care is to bee had of euery Christian in the performance of all holy duties so especially in the worke of repentance because the longer a man doth put off his repentance the harder will it bee for him to performe the same at last Ier. 13.23 Can the Blacke-More change his skin or the Leopard his spots Then may they do good that haue beene accustomed to doe euill The Prophet doth account it as a thing almost impossible for a man that hath a long time continued in sinne to leaue the same and to become a good man at the last Oh when sinne growes vp with a man it will grow at the last to bee so inward with him as his dearest friend and being so long acquainted together and bred in the bone they will handly part or out of the flesh Oh that men would consider this that the custome of sinne causeth a hardning in sinne for so sayth the Apostle Rom. 2.5 Thou after thine hardnesse and heart that cannot repent heapest vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath And that custome will adde to nature turne sinne vnto nature that a man can bee no more without it then his naturall food This is the danger that those are in that defer their repentance the harder is their recouery at the last Reas 3 Thirdly and lastly all our seruice whatsoeuer is onely due vnto the Lord our selues our soules and bodies and all that wee haue the Lord doth iustly challenge
vnto himselfe Wee are deliuered out of the hands of our enemies that wee might serue God In righteousnesse and holinesse all the dayes of our life Luke 1.57 1. Cor. 6.20 And againe the Apostle sayth Yee are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit for they are God So that God must haue all we may not take so much as one houre no not so much as a minute of an houre to bestow the same vpon the world the flesh Tit. 2.11.12 or the Deuill Excellent is that place to Titus The grace of God that bringeth saluation vnto all men hath appeared and teacheth vs that wee should deny vngodlinesse and would by lusts and that wee should liue soberly and righteously and godly in this present world The meaning is that the doctrine of saluation is preached vnto all not to embolden men in sinne but to vrge them to lay aside all prophanesse and to renounce their owne lusts and to haue their fruit in holinesse as they hope to haue the end euerlasting life And to these may be added that of the Apostle Peter 1. Pet. 1.17 Passe the time of your dwelling here in feare knowing that we were redeemed not with corruptible things c. And therefore in all these respects you see wee must immediately without any further delay apply our hearts to wisdome to seeke those things which doe concerne the glory of God onely and to take no more care for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof So that nothing is to bee preferred before the Lord but the Lord before all things so that our repentance is not to bee deferred any time but the works thereof are to be done out of hand that so God may haue his due and right in being serued and obeyed before all things as hee ought to be The vse of this Doctrine serueth to reproue those Vse 1 that are negligent in the performance of this duety who haue had many good purposes in their hearts but for want of timely prosecuting of them alas they haue proued but as the morning cloud Hos 6.4 quickly dispersed I haue knowne many that while they haue beene vnder the Ministery of the Word haue beene touched with sorrow for their sinnes their consciences being conuinced and for the time present they haue purposed to forsake them Act. 26.28 So that as Agrippa sayde to Paul Thou hast almost perswaded me to be a Christian So they haue almost beene perswaded to a better course but alas how sodainely it hath been forgotten it may appeare by their falling into the same sinne againe for so soone as they haue beene out of the Church they remember it no more but returne to their former courses As the dogge to the vomite 2. Pet. 2.22 Others againe when the hand of God hath been vpon them by sicknesse losse of goods c. and when their consciences haue beene as it were vpon the Racke they haue then made vowes vnto God and promised reformation of life that they will neuer doe as they haue done but that they would become new men and walke more carefully and conscionably then euer they did before but as soone as euer the Lord hath remoued the rod and set them at liberty they neuer remember it more And herein they deale with the Lord as the people of Israel did who Psal 78.33 when God brought any iudgement or calamity vpon them then presently they returned and sought God earely but when the iudgement of God was remoued they started aside like a broken bow Then the swearer maketh great protestation to leaue his swearing the drunkard his drunkennesse the whoremaster his whoredome c. But if the Lord restore them to their health againe they fall a fresh to their sinnes againe which they made shew to haue forsaken Oh then let vs not deferre the time of our repentance but so soone as euer we heare our sinnes reproued and the iudgements of God threatned against them that our consciences are conuinced Oh let vs then with speed addresse our selues to performe it If we should heare of a man that hauing committed treason against his Prince and for the same should die vnlesse he would seeke to pacifie his wrath and to stay the execution against himselfe that would deferre it from time to time and make light account of it would not all men condemne him and say hee were worthy to die Well this is the folly or rather extreame madnes of many a poore soule who though they know how to asswage the anger of God that is kindled against them for their sinnes yet deferre the same and put it off from time to time And herein the Deuill deales with men like a racking Vsurer who is wont to giue day after day of payment vnto a man vntill at last hee winde his inheritance into his hand Euen so doth the Deuill deale with sinners hee doth harden them on still from day to day in their sinnes vntill at the last hee hath gotten them into his owne inheritance and made them partakers of eternall darkenesse with himselfe for euer Oh let vs not then giue place to the Deuill and strangle our good motions by prophanesse but let vs immediately prosecute them that they may worke the good effect of grace in vs. Here we are taught that if we haue hitherto fayled Vse 2 in the performance of this Christian duety of repentance that we deferre the same now no longer but while it is called to day to spend the time of our being here in the practise of it and indeed the end of all our endeauours while we liue should bee this Luke 13.5 to gette a roome in the Kingdome of God which wee can neuer haue without repentance and he which omitteth the present occasion when it is offered can neuer repent This made our Sauiour to weepe for Ierusalem Luk. 19.42 and say Oh if thou haddest knowne at the least in this thy day the things that belong to thy peace And againe Shee knew not the time of her Visitation Now then if thy conscience tell thee that thou hast not yet repented and that thou art not yet a liuely member of Iesus Christ Oh delay no longer no not one minute of an houre but with all speed repent and turn vnto God bring forth the fruits worthy amendment of life that thou mayest haue comfort when the houre of death Gen. 22.3 or the day of iudgement shall be And as Abraham rose vp earely in the morning to sacrifice his dearest sonne which made much for the commendations of Abraham that hee went about the commandement of the Lord so cheerefully so doe thou likewise it is not thy sonne that thou art to sacrifice but thy sinne which otherwise will cut the throat of thy soule Oh rise vp earely with Abraham deferre no time this shall bee the best sacrifice that euer we offered vp vnto God Now all of vs doe
confesse that sinne is to be left and that God is to bee serued of vs but wee cannot accord of the time when to beginne this worthy worke I remember the report of the Prophet against the people that neglected the reedifying of the Temple Hag. 1.2 This people sayth he say that the time is not yet come that the Lords house should bee builded So many thinke it is not yet time for them to looke to heauen-ward Youth must haue a Spirit and the pleasures of the flesh must first he tasted We must first goe take our leaue of our friends and then we will follow Christ We may safely aduenture our young yeares and when we are old Reu. 2.24 and going out of the world then we will retire our selues let God beare with vs a little and yet a little and in time wee will repent This is indeed the very Deepenesse of Sathan But the time is present that we must lay hold on to turn to the Lord. Did euer any whom we read of in the Scripture feeling the piercing power of Gods spirit smiting vpon their hearts indent with the Lord and say so that God would bee pleased to let them continue in their sinne a moneth or two or a yeare that then they would leaue their sinne and serue the Lord in new obedience No no I neuer read of any that did thus couenant with the Lord but presently as God did smite them so they were humbled and were conuerted they deferred not the time but imbraced the truth from God without delay Oh lay this to heart the Lord giue you a right vnderstanding in al things that this day wherein I now speake vnto you may be the day of your Conuersion vnto the Lord and for the which hereafter you may reioyce for euermore It was too late for the foolish Virgins to knocke and to cry Mat. 25. Luk. 16. Lord Lord open vnto vs when the gate was shut against them the gate of repentance and the gate of mercy And it was too late for the Glutton to cry for one droppe of water to coole his flaming tongue which in his life time refused to giue one dramme of comfort to poore Lazarus Oh remember your selues betimes blesse the name of God that you haue not been preuented with death in the time of your ignorance and blindnesse as many haue been before you It is the greatest mercy that men can enioy that the sunne of death hath not yet set vpon them but that they may yet repent Oh seeke the Lord while hee may be found and call vpon him while hee is neere while yee haue light walke in the light least darkenesse come vpon you make no couenant with your sinnes but vtterly renounce them for euer And albeit they say to thee as the Deuils sayd to Christ Why doest thou torment vs before the time Yet hearken not vnto them for the time is already come if not past already for indeed we should haue repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes if we had done as we ought to haue done but seeing we haue spent so much time in the seruice of sinne and of Sathan how carefull should we bee now to redeeme the time and to defetre no day nor houre longer but while the word is sounding in our eares let vs be conuerted vnto the Lord that wee may liue in his sight But notwithstanding all this that hath been sayd it is strange to see how men imbolden themselues in their sinnes vnder this pretence that God is mercifull and that therefore they may repent as their leysure because God is a God of mercy he will forgiue vs whensoeuer we shall repent and turne to him It is true indeed that God is a God of mercy and his mercies are ouer all his works Psal 145. And therefore if men would make a right vse thereof the mercy of God should lead them to repentance for so sayth the Apostle Rom. 2.4 Gal. 5.22 Despisest thou the riches of his bountifulnesse and patience and long suffering not knowing that the bountifulnesse of God should lead thee to repentance but as he is mercifull so is he iust and the longer that God in mercy expecteth thy amendment so much the more grieuously will he punish thee Eâ—od 20. Psal 18.26 Pro. â— 34 28. if thou neglect it look in the second commandement how the Lord doth there threaten To visite the iniquities of the Fathers vpon their children vnto the third and fourth generation of such as hate him Yea the Lord threatneth obstinate sinners that hee will not regard them when they seeke vnto him Then shall they call vpon mee but I will not answere they shall seeke mee earely but they shall not find me because they hated knowledge and did not choose the feare of the Lord. So that wee see that all hope is taken away from presumptuous sinners that God should euer receiue them into fauour at last seeing that the Lord there threatneth that he will then be so far from pittying them as that hee will euen laugh at their destruction Oh happy then is he that sinneth least next he that returneth vnto God soonest but most wofull is the estate of him Heb. 10.26 Heb. 12.17 that with Ieroboam hath sold himselfe to worke wickednesse in the sight of the Lord that hath quenched the good motions of the spirit that hath denyed the power of saluation they haue despised the spirit of grace Alas alas though at the last such a one should seeke the blessing with teares they can find no place to repentance Oh what a fearefull and lamentable estate is this for a man to bee thus left vnto himselfe giuen vp to Sathan and to be forsaken of God for euer From this estate the Lord for his mercy sake keepe vs. But notwithstanding all this will some say That the theefe vpon the Crosse at the last gaspe was receyued to mercy who had spent all the course of his life in sinne why then may not I likewise hope for the same mercy in the end But alas one Swallow makes not a summer and of one example where a precept is wanting nothing is concluded The Lord in mercy hath left one extraordinary example of his mercy that men at the last gaspe might not altogether despayre and but one that no man might presume Now would not all men condemne him of meere foolishnesse that would goe about to spurre his Asse till hee speake because Balams Asse spake It is farre greater madnesse in any man to harten himselfe in his sinne by one mans example Were it not a safe course to follow the example of Dauid Peter Paul Zacheus Cornelius c. who so soone as God did touch their hearts with a sight of their sins presently returned vnto the Lord by repentance then that wee should presume by the example of one and so misse of saluation as many thousands haue done before vs. Wherefore to conclude this
There can be no greater despite done vnto a man then when his own children rise vp against him Euen so what greater dishonour can be offered vnto the most high God then when his sonnes by adoption and grace shall rebell against him from whom he expecteth the greatest honour And therefore if they sinne against God God doth euer take it hainously at their hands and will assuredly punish them for the same And if this be the course of Gods iustice against the Elect how safely may wee thus conclude that the wicked and vngodly shall not escape howsoeuer the Lord beare for a time with the vessels of wrath according to that of the Prophet Ieremy Thus sayth the Lord of Hoasts Ier. 25.29 Yee shall certainely drinke for loe I beginne to plague the City where my name is called vpon and shall you goe free Oh how may this terrifie all vngodly wretches to consider that howsoeuer God spareth them for a time and let them run on in their vngodly courses yet their damnation sleepeth not all this while their transgressions are recorded in the booke of God and are layde vp in store for them against the day of reckoning This is that which Salomon calleth to their remembrance when he sayth Behold the righteous shall bee recompensed in the earth Pro. 11.31 how much more the wicked and the sinner And to the same purpose sayth the Apostle Peter 2. Pet. 4.17 The time is come that iudgement must beginne at the house of God And if it beginne at vs what shall be the end of them that obey not the Gospell of God If the righteous bee soarsly saued where shall the vngodly and sinner appeare Vse 2 Secondly seeing the Lord doth chastise his owne children when they sinne against him as we see in this present example Hence we may note that afflictions be not alwayes tokens of Gods anger neyther may wee measure the fauour or loue of God towards our selues or others by outward blessings or outward crosses by prosperity or aduersity for as Salomon sayth All things happen alike to all Eccles 9.2 and the same condition is to the iust and the wicked We may not then condemn those on whome wee see the Lord to lay great and grieuous afflictions as many naturall men vse to do Nay on the contrary seeing the Lord corrects euery one that he loues wee may rather iudge afflictions tokens of his loue as if wee see a man beat or correct a child and let another goe we will iudge him his sonne whom he corrects Oh then art thou spoyled and wounded in thy soule bee not any whit discouraged if thou be one of Christs Lambes thou must be content then to bee spoyled of thy Fleece and to haue the bloudy knife at thy throat all the day long but if thou be a Sheepe to be solde then thou shouldest bee pastured and fatted in the best grasse Mat. 3. The children of God be the Lords Wheat Now then they must bee content to be cut with the Sickle to bee carried into the Barne they must vndergoe the blowes of the Flaile they must be fanned and grownde to powder with the Milstone of afflictions and baked in the Ouen and Furnace of a wounded conscience before they can be bread for Gods Table Oh that we could see how our poore and miserable soules bee spoyled and wounded by sinne and Sathan Oh we haue many a deadly wound in our soules by Sinne and this is the reason why so few seeke vnto Iesus Christ the good Physitian of our soules and why so few runne to God for the pardon of their things namely because they see not themselues spoyled they neuer feele the bleeding wounds of their poore soules and consciences Oh that the Lord would open our blind eyes to see our misery how wee bee vtterly spoyled and touch our hard hearts to feele the bleeding wounds bloudy issues of our soules surely it is the beginning of all grace to feele themselues wounded at heart for their sinnes Alas the blind and carnall men of the world if they see one spoyled or wounded at the heart for sinne they by and by condemne him for a wicked man as the Heathen men did Paul Act. 26. Psal 6. 130.77 Iob. 13. Esay 38. Act. 2.37 But who euer were more spoyled then the dearest Saints and Seruants of God haue beene Looke vpon Dauid who euer was wounded both in Body and Soule as Iob was who thought that God had become his enemy he sayth that the Lord shot his arrowes at him as if hee had beene his marke to shoot at and that the very venome of his arrowes pearsed his soule and drunke vp his spirit Looke vpon good King Ezechias he sayth that the Lord broke his bones like a Lyon and wounded him sore Who euer was so spoyled and wounded as the Son of God himselfe and therfore we may not take them as tokens of Gods anger no no Iudgement begins at Gods house and if God doe not try men by crosses and afflictions let them suspect themselues that they be rather Bastards and not Sonnes for the Lord doth chastice them he loueth and if he suffer men to runne on in their owne wayes without breaking and taming them as young Coltâ— and vntaimed Heyfers it is a signe rather that God cares not for them Well then let vs confesse the hand of God in all our troubles and withall confesse our sinnes as the procuring cause of all Gods iudgements and turne seeke to him for mercy and forgiuenesse and take his fatherly corrections as tokens of his loue that he would thereby humble our hearts purge our soules draw vs to loue him and to seeke to him for mercy Vse 3 Here we are taught which is the right way to bring men to God namely to spoyle them of all hope in themselues to bring them to a flat nothing in regard of themselues that they may say I am the greatest and the chiefest sinner Oh miserable man who shall deliuer mee from this body of sinne Men must be thus wounded else they cannot be healed and as for them which neuer felt themselues spoyled and wounded at the heart for their sinnes they are not yet truly called they be not yet truly conuerted therefore let it be spoken to euery soule heere present if you neuer felt your soules wounded neuer felt your hearts pricked and your consciences touched grieued and afflicted for your sinnes Alas you are not yet turned to God you neuer had as yet true grace wrought in your hearts But those which feele the smart of sinne and feele their hearts wounded for sinne they will esteeme more of one droppe of Gods mercy for the pardon of the same and of one drop of the bloud of Iesus Christ for the saluation of their soules then of ten thousand worlds if they were offered vnto them whereas the secure and hard hearted Sinner which finds not himselfe to be spoyled and
it He will reuiue vs Raise vs vp and wee shall liue in his sight For the first of these which is the person from whom all helpe comfort and deliuerance doth come it is the Lord The Person for this is that the Church acknowledgeth here when they say Hee will reuiue vs hee will rayse vs vp It was hee that had wounded them and spoyled them so they seeke onely to him for helpe and deliuerance Doct. 1 Whose example may bee a notable president vnto vs in all misery to direct vs In all our miseries wee must flie vnto God for deliuerance vnto whom we should sue for deliuerance euen to the Lord who as it is hee alone that killeth so it is hee alone that maketh aliue againe And in the performance of this duety the holy Seruants of God haue gone before vs who in the midst of all their troubles and afflictions haue euermore had recourse vnto God as that of the Prophet Dauid so oft in the booke of the Psalmes Lord how are my aduersaries increased against mee Psal 3.12 many say to my soule there is no helpe for him in his God But thou O Lord art my Buckler Psal 7.1.2 And againe O Lord in thee haue I put my trust saue mee from them that persecute me 1. King 17. Exod. 12. Deu. 32.39 and deliuer me Who was it that sent Manna to the Israelites when they wanted bread but the Lord Who was it that could giue water out of a stony rock but the Lord And who was it againe that could command the Rauens to feed his Prophet but the Lord And who was it that brought the people out of Egypt when they were so pursued by Pharaoh euen to the red Sea where through they passed safely when the Egyptians perished but the Lord This doth Moses set downe 2. Kin. 19.3 Act. 12.1.2 Io 5.14 Dan. 9.17 at large when hee speaketh in the person of God Behold now for I am hee and there is no Gods with me I kil giue life I wound and make whole neither is there any that can deliuer out of my hand This duty was practised of good King Ezechiâ—s when Ierusalem was besieged and the Temple was in danger to be desolated What was the course that this godly King did take in this time of great calamity and misery of the Church surely hee sought vnto the Lord and prayed saying Io. 11.41 O Lord I beseech thâ—e saue vs out of his hand that all the Kingdoms of the earth may know that thou O Lord art onely God Besides these plentifull examples and the like whereof the Scriptures are full wee haue the promise of God that hee will heare vs and deliuer vs if we seeke onely for helpe and deliuerance at his hands As that place of the Psalmist Psal 50.15 Mat. 7.7 Psal 34.9 37.5 Call vpon mee in the day of thy trouble and I will heare thee and deliuer thee And againe Aske and you shall haue Seeke and you shall find Knocke and it shall be opened vnto you Oh what gracious and mercifull promises hath God made vnto his Church and people and all to make vs to rely vpon him It is not tribulation it is not afflictions that shall any whit hinder our blessednesse the Lord hath promised to sanctifie them all vnto vs and that they shall worke for our good they shall neuer depart from vs but they shall leaue a blessing behind them Now let vs come to the vses of this Doctrine The Doctrine being thus cleared that as all iudgements Vse 1 and afflictions come from God so wee must seeke onely to him for helpe and deliuerance this serueth in the first place to condemne that horrible and diuelish practise of many in these dayes and times wherein wee liue that when the hand of God is vpon them Brand of a wicked man to resort to Witches for health in time of distresse and that the Lord doth strike their bodies with long and tedious sicknesse losse of Cattell or the like where they might see clearely the hand of God and the finger of the Lord What doe they out by and by â—â—nd out to some Cunning man as they call them of Cunning women or rather indeed vnto the Deuill himselfe neuer looke vnto the purpose prouidence of God which ruleth and gouerneth all things from the highest to the lowest in the world without whose purpose and prouidence nothing could come to passe no not the least ache in a mans little finger as our Sauiour teacheth The farthing Sparrow cannot light on the ground without the prouidence of your heauenly Father Oh what folly and madnesse is this in men that they should thus forsake the Lord runne to the Deuill surely it is a note and a brand of a wicked man for the child of God in the time of misery and affliction doth euer turne vnto God by true and vnfained repentance and doth bring forth fruits worthy amendment of life they beleeue in God and rest vpon him for comfort and deliuerance But of this before Secondly wee may obserue hence the endlesse Vse 2 goodnesse of God towards his Church and people that hee neuer leaueth them without comfort Comfort to the godly that hee is priuy to their miseries and will deliuer them for if the Lord command vs to seeke vnto him in time of trouble and great distresse surely then the Lord will not send vs away empty not suffer vs to depart away ashamed let our present care then bee to serue the Lord and then wee shall haue our part and portion in this perogatiue which all the wicked and vngodly wretches of the world come short off I called vpon the Lord in trouble sayth the Prophet Dauid and the Lord heard mee at large Mat. 28. All other comforts come short of this that in time of Sicknesse Triall Trouble Assaults of Sathan Temptation and houre of death wee shall finde comfort if wee Returne vnto him Oh blessed life Oh happy condition that God 〈…〉 leaue his comfortlesse but will bee thus with them 〈…〉 end of the world So that no man can now 〈…〉 vaine to serue the Lord Mal. 3.14 And what profit 〈…〉 â—â—â—ping the commandement herein wee see our Labour is not in vaine in the Lord because in the middest of all our troubles miseries and afflictions here Rom. 8.37 We are more then Conquerours through him that hath loued vs. Oh then let vs goe vnto God and seeke euer for helpe and deliuerance at his hands No Father is more ready and willing to heare his child then the Lord is ready and neare at hand to heare vs. Let vs tread in the steps of Dauid Ezechias the Prophets and Apostles and other holy men of God who haue euer in their greatest troubles resorted vnto the Lord for helpe and deliuerance And howsoeuer the Papists may teach men to pray to Saints and Angels to the Virgin Mary and
to Stockes and Stones pretending therein humility that they will not bee so bolde to come to God themselues but vse the mediation of such as are about him Yet let vs know that Abraham Isaack and Iacob Moses and the Prophets were as humble men yea more humble then any Papist can be yet their humility did no whit hinder their holy boldnesse to come into Gods presence and to sue to him for grace and fauour The second generall obseruation is the circumstance of time in the which the Lord will deliuer vs After two dayes and the third day hee will rayse vs vp q. d. True it is the Lord hath grieuously spoyled vs for our sinnes and wounded vs for our iniquities wee haue tasted and felt the powerfull hand of God vpon vs there is no way to escape his iudgements but to breake off our sins by true and vnfained repentance and 〈◊〉 the Lord wil quickly remoue his iudgements 〈…〉 After two dayes c. Circumstance of time 〈…〉 we gather that the afflictions that are layd 〈…〉 children are neyther very durable for Doct. 2 〈…〉 day or two neyther altogether incurable or intollerable Afflictions layde vpon Gods children are neyther durable nor incurable Esay 54.7.8 2. Cor. 4.17 for God will raise vs out of them all This doth the Lord himselfe make cleare vnto vs by his Prophet when hee sayth For a little time haue I forsaken thee but with great compassion will I gather thee for a moment in mine anger hide I myselfe from thee for a little season but with euerlasting mercy haue I had compassion on thee The holy Apostle Saint Paul teacheth vs that our light afflictions which last but for a moment bring vnto vs a farre more excellent euen an eternall weight of glory Where note how the Apostle cals all our afflictions first light Mat. 11.28 for Christs yoke is easie and his burthen is light And secondly Momentany lasting but a very short time a day or twaine as the Text sayth here Hereunto commeth the saying of the Psalmist Psal 30.5 Hee indureth but a while in his anger and in his fauour is life heauinesse may indure for a night 1. Cor. 10.13 but ioy commeth in the morning Againe They that sow in teares shall reape in ioy So that the afflictions of Gods people last but from euening till morning Heb. 12.2 from sowing time till haruest and howsoeuer God maketh the wicked men his Rodde Psal 37.74 yet the Rodde of the wicked shall not alwayes rest vpon the lotte of the righteous Psal 125.3 Though the Lord appoint his children for a time to be afflicted yet it shall bee but for a time Heb. 18. Gen. 47.14 And which shall come will come and will not tarry This point of Doctrine is further cleared by the example of Ioseph the Israelites in Egypt of Dauid of Daniel and of many of the Saints and deare seruants of God Exod. 12.41 who suffered shame indured the Crosse were some of them tryed by one iudgement and affliction some by another yet the Lord awaked at last as a man out of sleepe and as a Gyant refreshed with wine when the time of refreshing came they were deliuered So that by this that hath been sayd Dan. 6.23 we may safely conclude of the truth of this point that how 〈…〉 â—he Lord may humble his Church and people 〈◊〉 some Crosse for a time yet hee will neuer leaue them destitute of his helpe and comfort but at last deliuer them out of all And the Reasons are plaine for first the Lord is Reason 1 priuy to our wants and to our weakenesse Hee knoweth whereof wee bee made hee remembreth that wee are but dust What Father but will pitty the wants of his Child and when it is ready to fall into danger wil not helpe it the Lord is more tender to his children then any earthly Father can bee towards his child Mat. 6.7.11 Now if yee which be euill know to giue your children good things how much more will your heauenly Father And therefore saith the Apostle That God is faithfull which will not suffer vs to bee tempted aboue that wee are able 1. Cor. 10.13 but will euen giue the issue with the Temptation that wee may bee made able to beare it Secondly his eares are alwayes open to the cries Reason 2 of his Children and he putteth their teares into a bottle of remembrance hee is priuy to their wants and he heares their cries I haue seene I haue surely seen sayth the Lord the troubles of my people I haue also heard their cries and I will deliuer them So long therefore as wee haue a voyce to call vpon God or a heart to sigh and grone vnto him wee need not to doubt of our deliuerance so that whether wee consider that the Lord is priuy to our wants or weaknesse and alwayes heares the prayers yea the sighes and grones of his children we need not any way to doubt but that the Lord will put an end vnto all our troubles heere The vses follow Seeing then that the Lord our God in afflicting Vse 1 vs layes no more vpon vs then wee shall bee able to beare but in the middest of all our troubles giues a blessing and if wee seeke vnto him hee doth manifest his loue in deliuering vs. This may teach vs all a profitable lesson namely to possesse our soules with patience and to wayte the Lords leasure for if we seeke to him by true repentance and hearty prayer Hee that shall come and will come Luke 21. and will not tarry This must be our comfort that after two dayes or at the most three dayes hee will visite vs and rid vs out of our trouble and affliction if the Lord do see the same to be good for vs And let vs take heed that we fall not to murmur against God to repine and grudge at his chastisements much lesse to charge God of cruelty no he afflicts but with light affliction and such as bee but for a moment a very short time and therefore let vs runne to God patiently endure his trials kisse his rod and his hand that smiteth vs seeing hee afflicts vs for our good and seeks onely our reformation comfort and saluation Obiect But here I know it will bee obiected How can this be true that the iudgements and afflictions of Gods Church and children are so short that God doth reuiue his children after two dayes or at the third day at the most Do we not see many good Christians that are the deare children of God haue grieuous afflictions some sicknes some pouerty some imprisonment some exercised with the griefe of a wounded conscience and they pray earnestly for remedy yet the Lord doth still continue them in their misery how then doth this stand that afflictions last but a day or two or some short time An. True it is indeed that the Lord oftentimes
throweth his children into continuall miseries and afflictions Answere continuall pouerty and sicknesse all their dayes and the paine of a wounded conscience and troubled spirit till their last end yet it is for their good for by this meanes the Lord wil purge their corrupt cankered hearts to humble them throughly and to exercise their faith and patience to mortifie their carnall hearts to make them more earnest with God in praier and by their continuall afflictions to preserue and keepe them and preuent them from manifold sinnes and rebellions And yet notwithstanding God heares his children in their miseries and forsakes them not but in two dayes or at the most in three dayes that is in a very short time sends them comfort though hee take not their afflictions away yet he giues them that which is better for them Our Sauiour Christ prayed vnto his Father most earnestly with cries and teares to be freed from death Heb. 5.7 And was heard in that hee feared How was our Sauiour Christ heard in his Petition praying to be freed from death and yet hee must needes taste of the bitter cuppe of death Ans He was heard on this manner first in that hee was strengthned not onely to beare and suffer the death vpon the Crosse but to ouercome it and to vanquish it his Father sent an Angell to comfort him and afterward he was freed from the sorrowes of death And so it is with the poore members of Christ they be afflicted they liue in sorrow in pouerty in sicknesse in griefe of mind Well the Lord he giues them patience to suffer this affliction so as it is not tedious and grieuous vnto them and by his continuall afflicting of them he humbles them and purges them of their cankered corruption and stirres vp in them the feruency of prayer makes them out of loue with the world and makes them more to hunger after his mercy and to depend on his fatherly goodnes And thus though men thinke God forgets vs in our afflictions yet hee doth remember vs and giues vs that which is better for vs then if hee should altogether remoue his correction Iacob serued seuen yeers for Rahel and it seemed vnto him but a few dayes because hee loued her Gen. 29.20 And surely if we be perswaded of the loue of God that though hee afflict vs seuen times seuen yeares wee shall thinke it but a short time But the child of God oft complains that they be afflicted not onely with continuall pouerty and sicknesse but that they bee tormented with griefe of Soule and feele the heauy burthen of their sinnes and the anger of God against them for the same yet remember what befell thy Lord and Master Iesus Christ when hee went to execution the cruell Iewes made him carry his owne Crosse on his backe so long till hee could carry it no longer hee was so faint then behold the Lord sent a good Symon of Syren to carrie his Crosse for him So art thou crossed with affliction is thy soule wounded with the griefe and smart of sinne and doest thou pant and breath vnder the heauy burthen of the Crosse remember what thy Sauiour sayth vnto thee Come vnto mee all yee that trauell and bee heauy laden Mat. 11.28 and I will refresh you If thou canst runne to Iesus Christ in the middest of thy griefe and misery by true repentance and earnest prayer then he will become a blessed Simon to beare thy Crosse for thee hee will put vnder his owne shoulder hee will take thy sinnes and the anger of God and beare them on his owne backe and if wee can but fling our selues into the blessed Armes of his mercy hee will giue euerlasting rest vnto our soules And lastly whereas many of Gods children complaine Lam. 1.12 as Ieremy See if there were euer any sorrow like my sorrow And as the Prophet Dauid complaines Hath God forgotten to bee gracious and hath hee shut vp his louing kindnesse in displeasure Yet they must know and confesse that God doth in a short time comfort his children and that his afflictions are neyther troublesome nor tedious for though they last for the space of a mans life what is a mans life but a spanne long and a thousand yeares with God are but as a day Againe when they bee past and gone though they lasted many yeares it seemes but a short time And what is twenty yeares affliction in comparison of eternall ioy and happinesse in heauen who had not rather leade their liues in misery here then in eternall torment in Hell fire in the life to come Well seeing the afflictions of Gods children bee Vse 2 but light and moment any and last but for a few daies wee must learne that lesson which Saint Paul teacheth vs namely to reioyce in affliction knowing Rom. 5.3 that affliction bringeth foorth patience patience in suffering bringeth forth experience of Gods loue and fauour and experience hope and hope makes vs rest our selues wholly content to wayte the Lords leasure and were it not for this hope that God wil one day ease vs the hearts of Gods children would burst in sunder and his hope makes vs not ashamed seeing that such is the loue of God that he neuer failes nor forsakes his children Many indeed are our infirmities feares cares sorrowes and troubles heere yet in the middest of them all wee must say with the Prophet Psal 42.5 Why art thou cast downe Oh my Soule and why art thou disquieted within mee Wayte on God for I will yet giue him thanks he is my present helpe and my God Let vs not therfore despayre in the time of trouble Rom. 16.20 The God of peace shall tread Sathan vnder your feet shortly he is faithfull which hath promised Affliction must bee our portion heere wee must then get faith and patience into our soules that so we may hold out vnto the end The third generall obseruation is the deliuerance it selfe with the seuerall fruits and benefites therof in these words Hee will reuiue vs hee will rayse vs vp The deliuerance it selfe and wee shall liue in his sight Eph. 2.1 which words are expounded by the Apostle Paul when hee sayth Yee that were dead in trtspasses and sinnes hath hee quickned Meaning thereby that vntill such time as wee are quickned and that the Lord doth reuiue vs by the grace of Regeneration wee be no better then dead men howsoeuer we walke and talke heare and performe the actions of men yet in respect of any spirituall life or any spirituall actions alas wee are starke dead till the Lord reuiue vs this being so wee learne hence a twofold Doctrine First that by nature we are all starke dead in trespasses and sins And secondly that our Regeneration is as hardly wrought as to raise vp a dead man and to restore him againe to life Doct. 3 For the first of these wee are taught heere what we are by nature
our Sauiour shall bee worse then the first And againe It had beene better for them not to haue knowne the way of righteousnesse 2. Pet. 2.21 then after they haue known it to turne away The righteous are by Salomon compared to the Sunne that shineth more and more till it bee perfect day Pro. 4.18 Ezec. 47.3.4 And the Prophet Ezechiel figures out the graces of God by waters flowing from the Sanctuary which were at the first to the Ankles Heb. 6.6 then to the Knees then to the Loynes and last as a Riuer that could not bee passed ouer so are the graces the which God bestowes vpon his children And therefore on the contrary part what is it but a feareful iudgement of God vpon the soule of that man that doth decay in spirituall grace 1. Thess 4.4 and a fearefull signe of Reprobation for They which haue beene once enlightned and haue tasted of the gifts of Gods spirit if they once fall backe it is impossible they should bee reuiued by repentance Oh then 2. Pet. 3.18 let the exhortation of the Apostle be precious with vs That we encrease yet more and more that wee grow in grace and bee led Forward to perfection that so wee may minister true comfort and reioycing vnto our owne soules that the Lord hath begun that good worke in vs that hee hath Reuiued vs euen because hee hath Raysed vs vp and that there is a spirituall growth of Gods graces in vs. And wee shall liue in his sight THe third principall point in this Text is the fruit of true Repentance for The fruit of true repentance Mat. 12.33 Mat. 3.10 as our Sauiour Christ sayth Euery tree is knowne by his fruit And againe Euery tree that bringeth not foorth good fruit is hâ—wen down cast into the fire Euen so that Repentance which brings not foorth fruit in our life and conuersation namely a reformation of the whole man to liue in the feare of God and in the true knowledge of God it is but a barren and fruitlesse faith a counterfeit and fained Repentance And therefore though thou professe thy selfe a Christian and takest thy selfe to be the child of God hearest the Word and receyuest the Sacrament yet if thou find not these fruits of faith and repentance more or lesse in thy heart and life thou deceyuest thine owne Soule for it cannot be that those which truely beleeue in Christ and repent vnfainedly but they must needs lead holy liues in righteousnesse and true obedience And wee shall liue in his fight First the Lord must quicken and Reuiue vs then wee shall liue He must first rayse vs vp else wee cannot Liue in his sight For indeed wee are like vnto trees which seeme all the Winter time to be dead trees without buddes blossomes leaues or fruit but in the Spring time they are warmed and reuiued through the heat of the Sun and bring foorth fruit accordingly Euen so all the Winter that is the time of our remayning in the estate of nature We are Dead in trespasses and sinnes wee are so frozen in our sinnes that wee haue neyther budde nor blossome neyther can we bring forth any fruit till such time as Iesus Christ warme out dead benummed soules quicken vs by the blessed beams of his grace and mercy When as the dead bones of the man were put into the graue of the man of God they reuiued Euen so when as Iesus Christ shal but touch our dead hearts by the gracious working of his blessed Spirit wee shall bee Reuiued raised vp and we shal liue in his sight Wee shall liue in his sight These words may be taken two wayes Gods sight What 1. Vel in fauâ—◠〈◊〉 that is in his fauour Vel conspectu illius that is in his most blessed presence both of which Expositions be profitable and fitte for this place First Wee shall liue in his sight that is in his fauour and in the bright Beames and Sunne-shine of Gods mercy 1. Gods fauour for so are these words Before his face often taken in the Scriptures Psal 31.22 as that of the Prophet Dauid I sayd in my haste I am cast from thy presence or face Againe Psal 4.6 the same Prophet sayth in another place Many say who will shew vs any good But Lord lift thou vp the light of thy countenance vpon vs. So these words Wee shal liue in thy sight that is we shall liue in thy fauour wheras for our sinnes thou hast been iustly angry and offended with vs and turned away thy loue and fauour and beene angry with vs Yet now if we shall repent and turne vnto thee wee shall then finde thee gracious and mercifull vnto vs and that thou wilt shew vs thy louing and amiable countenance now after the time that thou hast plagued vs. Heere wee are taught what is the wofull fruit of Doct. 6 sinne namely Godly by repentance are brought into Gods fauour to auert and turn away the louing countenance of the Lord from a man and to cast him out of his fauour As also what a wonderfull blessing we get and obtaine at Gods hands by true and vnfained repentance namely this that we shall then liue in his sight that is in his fauour when wee shall enioy his louing fauour his goodnesse and comfortable presence This Doctrine is cleare by the scope of the whole Scriptures how that the godly by their hearty repentance and Turning vnto God haue a gracious acceptance with God and are receyued againe into fauour Hee will not alwayes bee chiding Psal 1 c 3.9 neyther keepeth hee his anger for euer Indeed hee sheweth sometimes his heauy countenance and his wrathfull displeasure against sinne and sinners but so soone as the sinner is humbled and Returns vnto him by vnfained repentance he receyueth him to mercy the sinne is pardoned and the punishment remoued When Dauid had sinned in numbring the people 2. Sam. 24.17 1. Chr. 21.15 the Lord was moued to wrath against Dauid for this his sinne and sent the pestilence three daies in Israel that many thousands of the people dyed But when Dauids heart smote him and that he had confessed his sinne the Lord repented him of the euill and sayd vnto the Angell It is inough let thy hand cease This is further confirmed by that generall proclamation of the Prophet Ezechiel where hee sayth Ezez 18.21.22 If the wicked will returne from the sinnes hee hath committed and keepe all my statutes and doe that which is lawfull and right hee shall surely liue and not die All his transgressions that he hath committed shall not bee mentioned vnto him but in the righteousnesse that hee hath done hee shall liue This is further confirmed vnto vs by the example of the Prodigall sonne a true patterne of euery penitent Sinner when he had intertained within himselfe this purpose of heart to Returne againe to his Father his
their honour in a moment of time is turned into dishonour their glory into shame and confusion Haman one day the happiest man in a Kingdome next to the King the next day the most wtetched Hest 5.12 7.9 one day honoured the next day hanged Yea it is the condition of the godly themselues as wee may see in Dauid Who greater in Sauls Court then Dauid made the Sonne in Law of the King and Captaine of the Hoast yet by and by disgraced degraded and in perill of his life But it is not so with God for whome hee loueth once he loueth euer He doth not change hee cannot lie his gifts are without repentance Oh then let vs seeke for his fauour aboue the fauour of Princes and when wee haue it make much of it for the estate of that man is happy and blessed hee is at peace with heauen and earth with men and Angels with himselfe and all others with life and with death and hath this comfort and assurance from the almighty that nothing shall bee able to do him hurt Indeed the child of God hath no promise to bee freed from trials and temptations sicknesse pouerty and the like but the child of God hath this promise that these things shall neuer hurt him the Lord will sanctifie them to his children and they shall bee sure to leaue a blessing behind them This is it which the Prophet Dauid handleth at large Psa 91.1 c. Who so dwelleth in the secret of the most high shall abide in the shadow of the Almighty Surely hee shall deliuer thee from the snare of the Hunter and from the noysome pestilence c. Not that the godly shall bee freed from all these calamities but the meaning is they shall not hurt the godly but the Lord will euer giue them a sanctified vse of them that they shall gaine more in the Spirit then they can lose in the Flesh so that wee see what a maruellous comfort it is that wee are at peace with God that hee is our friend and that he hath no controuersie against vs for if God were against vs who should bee able to stand for vs but being iustified by faith wee are at peace with God Besides that wee are at peace with the elect Angels of God with the children of God with the creatures of God and with himselfe for if a man were at peace with all the world with men and Angels and yet were at warre in himselfe that his owne sinnes did muster themselues against him hee should then see what a blessing it is to haue a cleare conscience But he is at peace with himselfe so that the godly man alone that repents of his sins is hee alone that is the blessed man Hee liues in Gods sight Fourthly and lastly seeing that he that repents Turnes vnto God is hee alone That liues in Gods sight Vse 4 that is in Gods fauour Alas then how fearefull and wretched is the estate and condition of all those that are yet in their sinnes and are out of Gods fauour Ah poore soules they haue no rest they can looke for no peace for both heauen earth and all creatures shall conspire against them And as it was sayd of Ismael his hand should bee against euery man euery mans hand against him God is become their enemy the Angels of God are armed to destroy them and their owne consciences conuince and condemne them Heauen gates are shut against them Hel opens her mouth maruellous wide to swallow them there is not any thing in the whole world that can truly and properly bee called a wicked mans but hell and damnation and this one day shall sure bee his portion Marke then the difference betweene the child of God and the wicked the condition of the godly is many times in shew miserable to the outward appearance 2. Cor. 6.9 but yet in it selfe most blessed and happy They are as vnknowne and yet knowne as dying and behold they liue as chastened and yet not killed as sorrowing and yet alway reioysing as poore and yet making many rich as hauing nothing and yet possessing all things Whereas on the other side the estate and condition of the wicked is in shew many times blessed and happy whereas indeede and in trueth it is in it selfe most desperate most wretched and miserable for if those that Repent and Turne vnto God Liue in Gods sight in his fauor then those that are yet in their sins are vnder Gods wrath heauy displeasure Wee shall liue in his sight or before his face that is Vel conspectu illius wee shall endeuour to leade holy liues and godlie conuersations euen as wee liued and stood before the eyes of the Lord himselfe denying all vngodlinesse and worldly lusts liuing soberly iustly and godly in this present world Doct. This Phrase that wee must liue as in the presence of God shewes how wee must behaue ourselues in this world Godly liue as in Gods sight Gen. 5.12 Gen. 22.1 namely that in all we doe we must consider that wee bee euer in the blessed presence of God So it is sayd that Enoch walked with God that is in his whole life behaued himselfe as in the presence of God So Gen. 22.1 I am God all-sufficient walke before mee and bee thou perfect And surely it is a worthy fruite of true Repentance and a sound note of a man regenerate Gen. 39. when as in all his waies hee walkes and liues as in the sight of God So did Dauid I haue set God at my right hand that I might not fall It is a true note of him that repents truely when hee doth walke as before the face of God and is afraide to sinne because he would not offend his God in whose presence hee stands Phil. 3.20 Our Conuersation sayth the Apostle is in heauen from whence we looke for a Sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Dauid makes this question Psal 15.1 Lord who shall rest in thy mountaine that is in heauen not as Pilgrimes for a time but as heyres for euer Ver. 2. And God maketh this answere Hee that walketh vprightly and worketh righteousnesse that is hee that liueth holily heere as in Gods presence he shall liue for euer hee that loueth the face of God in his Church shall one day see the face of God in his Kingdome hee that professeth the Gospell and is carefull of his wayes not walking with a leg and a stumpe as they doe who seeme religious and liue ill appearing righteous and yet prophane Hee shall stand before the Lord for euer And indeede Ps 24.3.4 though wee haue our beeing heere in this vayle of misery yet our conuersation must bee in heauen We are but Exiles heere in this world our Country is heauen We are Pilgrimes and Strangers heere our home is heauen therefore we must liue according to the lawes of our Country euen as if wee were in
the Kingdome of Heauen where we be free Denizens And as Pilgrimes behaue themselues in an Inne they stay not seuen or eight yeares but a night or two and so are gone So must not wee settle our dwelling heere where we are but Pilgrimes but in heauen our dwelling place must our conuersation bee as if now we were in Heauen and in the presence of God And as a stranger being farre from home desires to come to his owne house thinks euer of his Wife and Children and of his own land liuing So must we heere being in a strange country thinke of our home desire still to see the face of God and of Christ our most blessed Redeemer that so wee may liue in his blessed presence Seeing this is a speciall note of a man truely regenerate and that hath truely repented to behaue Vse 1 himselfe as in the presence of God as in his sight so as hee dares doe nothing that may offend the eyes of God This shewes most plainely that most men and women are farre from true repentance and were neuer borne a new Seeing many will make conscience of sin in the sight of men which yet make no bones to commit it in the sight of God What man is so shamelesse to commit Adultery in the sight of men yet there bee many that feare not nor blush not to commit it in the sight of God Saint Paul saith They steale commit Adulterie and do all euill in the night Alas Phil. 4.5 night and day bee all alike to God the Lord is at our elbowes and therefore let vs remember this and as wee would not dare to commit any vnseemely thing in the presence of the King so let vs not dare to commit sin in the presence of God Men will looke carefully to their behauiour while they are in the presence of the Prince or temporal Magistrate though otherwise wicked and godlesse men yet in the presence of the Prince they will abstaine from euill Oh that wee were as carefull to behaue our selues in the most glorious presence of the great King of heauen and earth who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords Hee sees all wee doe heares our words pierces into the secrets of our hearts neyther can the least though of ours escape the piercing eye of the Almighty and therefore we should labour to watch ouer al our works words yea ouer the very thoughts of our hearts that they may be sincere and such as we need not be ashamed of for bee wee wel assured that wee shall giue account of the very thoughts of our hearts yea of euery idle word how much more of blasphemous oathes and most monstrous sinnes The theefe steales in the night the drunkard is drunke in the night and the filthy person commits his vncleannesse in the night and they thinke they bee sure who sees them who can accuse them Oh thy God sees thee thou standest in his presence hee heares sees all thou doest and though thou mayest keepe it close from the eyes of men yet thou canst not hide it from the eyes of the Almighty who wil one day call thee to an account for the same VERSE 3. Then shall wee haue knowledge and indeuour our selues to know the Lord his going forth is prepared as the morning and he shall come vnto vs as the raine and as the latter raine vnto the earth IN this third verse wee haue heere described vnto vs two other most heauenly and blessed effects of sound repentance Two other effects of true repentance set downe and true conuersion vnto the Lord. First that all those which doe vnfainedly mourne for their sinnes and the pardon of them at the hands of God as for life and death the Lord will not onely comfort their wounded soules but enable them by the gracious worke of his holy and sanctifying Spirit to liue holily in his sight but hee will with all poure into their soules this heauenly and blessed Knowledge which shall direct them to the true seruice and worship of God And secondly if wee doe draw neare vnto God by true repentance the Lord likewise though he defer his helpe for a time yet in the end will come assuredly with most pleasant and effectuall comfort which is described vnto vs by two most excellent similitudes First of the chearefull breaking foorth of the Sun after a tempestuous storme Secondly by the latter raine distilling vpon the scorched earth by both of which the Lord will shew that he is ready in due time to comfort the distressed soule and conscience of a poore sinner Then shall wee haue knowledge and endeuour our selues to know the Lord. Text diuided IN these words being the first part of the Verse wee are to obserue three speciall points First the roote from the which this true sauing and heauenly knowledge is deriued and the fountaine from the which it doth spring in this word Then Secondly wee are to search and to trie what maner of knowledge this is heere spoken of by the Holy Ghost It is not carnall knowledge it is not any worldly knowledge it is no Philosophicall Knowledge or the knowledge of humane Arts and Sciences But this knowledge heere spoken of is a spirituall knowledge a diuine knowledge an heauenlie knowledge a sauing knowledge which is of that nature and quality that it puts all those which haue it into a reall possession of eternall life It is the way to eternall life it is the Key to open the gate of heauen vnto vs and it is as it were the finger of God that puts vs into reall possession of eternall life Thirdly wee haue to consider another special fruit or quality of this sauing Knowledge that it will neuer suffer those men and women which haue this Knowledge put into their hearts by rhe finger of God to be content with a little or a scant measure of this knowledge but it is of that diuine nature that it wil whet them on and inflame their hearts to hunger and thirst after a great measure and portion of this heauenly and blessed Knowledge so as it will make men to labour and to endeauour to come to a greater measure of it To grow in grace and in the knowledge of Iesus Christ And first of all for the root from whence this true sauing and heauenly Knowledge is deriued Point and the fountaine from which it doth spring it is layde downe in this word Then shall wee haue Knowledge that is Repentance goes before sanctified knowledge when men are truly humbled for their sins do mourn for them and when that men haue the feare of God before their eyes so as they liue as in the presence of God and looke carefully to themselues not only outwardly in regard of their words and works but euen inwardly to the thoughts of their hearts and therein labour to bee approued of the Lord then will the Lord poure into their hearts this heauenly and
4.23 thus particularly to know and beleeue that Iesus Christ is their Iesus and Sauiour who hath died for them to saue their soules And indeed this is the sweetnesse of the Gospell and the marrow of all Religion not simply to know that Iesus Christ is a Sauiour but to know that hee is my Sauiour not simply to know that he died for sinners but for mee the chiefe of al sinners not simply to know that there is an eternall life but to know that there is eternall life layde vp for me So that wee see that it is not inough for a Christian to know the history of the Bible that Iesus Christ is the Sauiour of the world and dyed for those which beleeue in him for this knowledge the Deuill himselfe hath hee knoweth and doth acknowledge Iesus Christ to bee the Sauiour of the world but wee must labour for this particular knowledge this certaine and experimentall knowledge so as wee can say in truth of heart Note I beleeue and know that Iesus Christ is not onely the Sauiour of the world but my Sauiour not onely that he dyed for them which beleeue in him but that hee dyed for me and shedde his bloud to saue my soule And though this were true that though but one man or woman in the whole world should bee saued yet we ought to haue this certaine knowledge to beleeue I am the man I am the woman and they which haue this certaine and vnfalilble knowledge they are in the right way to eternal life but they which haue only a general and confused knowledge swimming in the braine alas they abide in death The third speciall thing which wee must know is the Spirite of God How God the holy Ghost is to be knowne of vs. when as we can find and feele the worke of Gods Spirit within vs when wee acknowledge him to bee the author and sole worker of this knowledge when wee can know by experience in our owne selues in our soules and consciences that the Spirit of Christ is in vs Gal. 2 20. 2. Cor. 13.5 that wee can say with the Apostle Christ liueth in mee and that hee doth make vs with boldnesse to call vpon God and to cry vnto him Abba father Rom. 8.15 when wee doe feele the blessed worke of the Spirit to mortifie our corrupt nature by little and little weakening the strength of sinne and naturall corruption within vs and dayly raysing vs vp to newnesse of life and repayring in vs more more the blessed image of God in holinesse and righteousnesse which hath greatly defaced in vs by reason of sinne and Sathan This is that Knowledge which whosoeuer finds put and powred into their soules by the Spirit of Christ Iesus they are happy and blessed they are in reall possession of eternall life but as for those which want this knowledge seeme they neuer so excellent nor thinke they neuer so well of themselues they bee but miserable and cursed and abide in eternall death and damnation Doct. Hauing thus at large shewed what is that knowledge heere spoken of Ignorance of God and his word in matters of Religion is dangerous and also the excellent fruits effects that come from it and what it is that wee must know as also what great profite this knowledge brings to all those which haue it namely eternall life It shall not now bee amisse to consider in a word how dangerous a thing it is to want this sauing knowledge what great misery come to men and women by ignorance and want of knowledge The blessed Sonne of God himselfe who being most true nay the very truth and life it selfe when he would shew the root and very spawne of sinne and iniquity hee tels the Scribes Pharisees Mat. 22.29 Yee erre because yee know not the Scriptures and the power of God And to what should we impute this in these dayes that men runne into errors and teach false heretical nay damnable doctrine surely to this because men know not the Scripture and haue no knowledge in the word What is the cause that men liue in sinne in drunkennesse whoredome adultery swearing couetousnesse c Alas the cause of all is this because they haue no knowledge There is an excellent place to this purpose in the Prophet Hosea Hos 1.2 where the Lord by his Prophet takes vp a great and grieuous complaint against the inhabitants of the land because there was no Mercy nor Truth to bee found but that men liued in Swearing lying killing whoring theeuing c. And the reason of all these is there layde down in these words There is no knowledge of God in the land Read the fourth Chapter of Leuiticus Leuit. 4. and there it wil appeare how highly Almighty God condemned this sin of Ignorance by those Sacrifices that were to bee offered vp euen for the same Heb. 2.1 Now Ignorance is threefold 1. It is a simple and meere ignorance 2. Is a carelesse ignorance 3. Is a wilfull and an affected ignorance All these kinds of ignorance are heere forbidden and condemned as the greatest enemies to this knowledge The first of these is simply for want of meanes 1 Of simple ignorance which few men in these dayes and times wherein wee liue are able to obiect for the voyce of Gods Ministers haue sounded the Lords Trumpet of warning in most places of this land so that if men now should bee ignorant it must needs bee a wilfull and an affected ignorance for by the mercy of our God wee liue now in such times as knowledge is euen thrust vpon men both by publike authority and the restlesse labours of Gods faithfull Ministers 2. Cor. 4. so that we may conclude with the Apostle If the Gospell bee hid it is hid to them that perish whom the Prince of this World hath blinded their minds yet notwithstanding that men should want these means of knowledge yet wil not their ignorance excuse them in the day of the Lord It may excuse à tanto but not à toto as Diuines affirme their punishment may be something the lesse but it shal not free them from hauing any at all The second kind of ignorance that is heere condemned as an vtter engine to this knowledge 2 Of carelesse ignorance is carelesse ignorance which is indeed the onely sinne of these times when hauing the means of knowledge we care not for it but neglect and contemne it this is farre worse then the former and if the former sort of ignorance will not excuse a man much lesse will this Oh it is the sinne of thousands in the world at this day that out of negligence and carelesnesse neglect the meanes of knowledge offered vnto them 2. Cor. 4. Oh what a fearefull sinne is this considering that if the Gospell bee hidde it is hid to them that perish and that Christ Iesus will come at the last to render Vengeance
what profite should wee haue if wee should pray vnto him And againe It is in vaine to serue the Lord and what profit is it that we haue kept his commandement Poore Soules they thinke themselues to bee in good estate that they haue knowledge inough so long as they can say the Lords Prayer the ten commandements and the Creed and so it comes to passe that they despising knowledge and contemning the meanes especially the Ministery of the Word they remaine so blinde and so ignorant as they bee The third maine cause of ignorance is mans naturall corruption 3 Naturall corruption of man Ier. 10.14 Euery man by Nature is a beast by his owne knowledge Man by Nature hath no more knowledge of God then a beast When Adam fell hee lost that excellent knowledge of God and now by Nature wee are blind ignorant without the true knowledge of God in Iesus Christ till the Lord doe enlighten vs and open our eyes and reueale his Sonne Iesus Christ vnto vs in the Ministerie of his Word the glorious Gospell of Iesus Christ Now let vs come to the remedies Ignorance of Gods word is a great sinne Remedies of Ignorance and a fearefull iudgement of God vpon any people for they can neuer come to faith repentance obedience and etetnall life so long as they liue in it no they must needs liue in all sin against God and man Well 1 To see our ignorance and to repent of the same would you know how to get out of your ignorance and so from vnder this fearefull and heauy iudgement of God that lies so heauy vpon you would you come to knowledge to know God the Father and his Sonne Iesus Christ which is the onely way to eternall life You must then repent of your ignorance Io. 17.3 Act. 17.20 you must carefully see it and acknowledge it that you bee extreame ignorant in Gods matters blind in Gods word without the true Knowledge of God in Iesus Christ you must see it and confesse it and withall bee sorry for it and bewayle your estate that you haue liued so long in ignorance and withall you must desire the pardon of the same at Gods hands and labour to come to knowledge in time to come Secondly if you would get out of your wofull ignorance and come to true knowledge 2 Attend vpon the ministery of the Word preached 1. Pet. 2.2 Rom. 1.21 10.14 1. Cor. 1.21 Act. 2.37 you must then carefully vse all holy meanes to come thereto First aboue all the rest you must hunger and thirst after the Word of God the preaching of the Word Frequent Sermons and tread in Gods house where wisdome cryes vnto you and vtters her voyce The preaching of the Word of God is the most excellent meanes to bring men out of the gulfe of their ignorance to sauing knowledge true faith and eternall life A third meanes to get out of ignorance and to attaine vnto this sauing Knowledge 3 To reade the Scriptures is the diligent carefull reading of the holy Scriptures the olde and new Testament according to that of our Sauiour Search the Scriptures Io. 5.39 Psal 119. Psal 1.2 So that serious reading of the Word with meditating vpon the same it is a most excellent meanes to get out of ignorance and to come to knowledge 4 The reading hearing of godly Catechismes A fourth meanes to get out of ignorance and to attaine to this sauing Knowledge is the reading learning of Catechismes which containe the summe of Christian Religion It is a speciall means to bring men to knowledge and howsoeuer men thinke base of this kind of teaching yet it is exceeding profitable and necessary and a speciall means to bring men to knowledge and as for those that vnderstand not the Principles of Religion certainely their case is dangerous for Faith is not without the knowledge of these Principles in some measure of the Law the Gospell Faith Sacraments Prayer the Trinity of persons c. The last speciall means to get out of ignorance and to attaine to true and sauing Knowledge 5. Care to practise that wee know is for a man to frame his life according to the Word of God to leade a holy a Christian and a godly life that howsoeuer his knowledge is not great yet his care and desire to walke with God Luk. 12.47 to lead a holy and sanctified life to liue according to his knowledge this pleaseth the Lord well Hos 6.6 for I doubt not but little knowledge when the same is found in Christian obedience is farre better 1 Sam. 15. more acceptable with God then much knowledge when obedience is wanting Well to conclude this point the vse of this Doctrine concernes both Minister and people Vse 1 First the Ministers who take vpon them the charge of mens soules The Ministers duty Io. 21. and stand bound vnto God by a solemne vow and obligation To feed the Flocke of God that depends vpon them and ouer which they bee made Ouerseers and Shepheards and therefore woe vnto such Ministers as bee themselues ignorant 1. Pet. 5. Hos 4.6 Ezec. 3. and cannot teach or prophane and vnconscionable and therefore will not take the paines to teach the people of God but suffer them to lye and rotte in their ignorance and so suffer them to perish for want of knowledge How will such answere it in the day of the Lords wrath when God will lay the bloud of mens soules to their charge And surely Soule-murder it is the highest degree of murder Christ was mooued with pitty when he saw the people scattered abroad as sheepe hauing no shepheard Mat. 14.14 But these Dumbe-dogs that cannot barke so they may haue the Flesh and the Fleece they care for no more Christ sayth that his Ministers that loue him will Feed his Lambes and hee giues this commandement three times to Peters Io. 21. as the tryal of his loue to Christ but if wee may try the loue of Ministers to Christ Iesus by this marke namely their careful conscionable and continuall feeding of Christs Sheepe Wee may then say the loue of many to Christ is like that of Iudas he kissed him killed him al at once betraying him into the hands of his enemies to bee crucified These contrary the members of Christ by them betrayed into the hands of the Deuil to destroy both soule and body in Hell fire and therefore all such vnconscionable Ministers as eyther preach not at all or else but coldly carelesly though they should sweare that they loue Christ Iesus yet the loue of Christ is not in them Oh then let this admonish all Ministers of Gods Word that as they loue their owne soules yea as they desire Gods glory and loue the Lord Iesus Christ and haue any pitty of the poore Soules of his members that they may not perish for euer in hel so they would
vse all careful diligence in Preaching the Word in season and out of season in labouring and vsing al careful diligence to saue mens Soules to teach them to Catechize them and to instruct them that so they may be saued Vse 2 Secondly for the people they are to know and to bee assured that Ignorance of Gods Word is a great and feareful sin The Hearers duety and a heauy iudgement of God vpon this Land it abounds wonderfully with ignorance and so long as men be ignorant they wil bee prophane I would to God I had no iust cause to complaine of this our people but the truth is that though wee bee the Lords Vineyard and hee hath hedged vs about and planted a Vine-presse euen the Preaching of the Gospel to water the Land yet as Paul sayth Mat. 22.29 1. Cor. 15. I speake to your shame some haue not the knowledge of God Now if Paul might say so to the Church of Corinth surely this may as well bee verefied of many in our Church I speake to your shame some haue not the knowledge of God Nay that complaint of the Holy Ghost in another place may iustly bee taken vp against vs Whereas concerning the time yee ought to bee Teachers yet had yee need to bee taught the Principles of Religion Euen so whereas the most of vs if we respect the long time God hath taken in teaching vs we might haue been teachers yet the truth is the most had need to be taught the a. b. c. euen the principles of Christian Religion Oh then I beseech you in the feare of the Lord that you would now at last looke into your estates It is not the least of Gods fauours towards vs that hee hath spared vs so long that he hath not cut off the thred of our life in the dayes of our ignorance and blindnes as many haue been before vs Let vs now make hast to Returne vnto the Lord repent of this sin That wee may liue in his sight Thus much for the second fruit of our conuersion and sincere Repentance Wee shall haue knowledge Now it is further added And endeuour our selues to know the Lord. AS a true liuely Meaning of the words and sauing Knowledge is a fruit of true Repentance and Conuersion vnto God so in these words Wee shall endeuour our selues to know the Lord is heere layde downe the fruit of sauing knowledge namely to hunger after more knowledge as the Man of God had no sooner cast his Mantle vpon Elizeus but hee ran after him so if the Lord do but cast one dramme and put one sparke of this sauing knowledge into the heart of any man or woman it wil make them to run after the Lord with an earnest desire and endeuour to get more knowledge The Word heere translated Endeuour it signifyeth to prosecute earnestly Three things required to get this sauing knowledge and to hunt after the knowledge of the Lord euen with no lesse paines nor lesse perseuerance nor with no lesse pleasure then the Huntsman doth follow his game So then this word commends three most excellent vertues vnto vs in seeking after the Knowledge of God for as those which follow the game take great pains run through thicke and thin And secondly they perseuere and continue from morning till night and wil not leaue til they kil and thirdly take great delight in their paines Euen so should wee in seeking this blessed knowledge of God vse these three First vse all pains diligence Secondly persist and continue in seeking And thirdly take pleasure in it Hence then out of the first of these Doct. Labour and pains required in all that will get sauing knowledge we are taught this Doctrine that a Christian man or woman must not bee secure idle or slothfull but vse all possible paines diligence and labour for the attaining of this sauing knowledg We shall endeuour our selues to know the Lord sayth the Text that is wee shall vse al possible meanes to attaine to this sauing knowledge of the Lord Iesus For it fares with this heauenly knowledge as with a man in a dropsie the more hee drinks the more he thirsts and desires drinke so Wee shall endeuour ourselues that is wee shall hunger and thirst after this heauenly knowledge as the foode of our Soules and neuer bee glutted with it but labour to abound more and more in it And for the further confirmation of this point of doctrine the Scriptures afford vs diuers examples of Gods children who haue been content to take great paines to seeke this knowledge of God 2. Reg. 4.23 When the Sunamite would goe to the Prophet Elizeus her husband answered Why wilt thou goe seeing it is neythor New Moone nor Sabboth day Out of which words it appeares that vpon such dayes they vsed to goe yea farre iourneys to be instructed in the Word Lâ—k 8.1.2 Act. 8.27 Luk. 13.24 So in the Gospell wee shall read that the people tooke long iourneyes and great paines to heare our Sauiour Christ It was not the tediousnes of the weather the distance of place nor the weakenesse of their Sexe being many of them women that could any whit discourage them from seeking after Iesus Christ the Sauiour of their soules And we read of the Eunuch who went a long troublesome and costly iourney to Ierusalem to get this knowledge of the true God And it is the Precept of our blessed Sauiour himselfe That wee striue to enter in at the straight gate These examples and the like whereof the Scripture is full al serue to confirme the truth of this point vnto vs that diligence labour and paines are reqvired in all those that would attaine to this blessed knowledge It is not for a Christian man while he is heere to cast himselfe vpon a bed of ease as Iezabel vpon her bed of fornication and to promise a rest vnto himselfe heere but there must bee a continuall growth and proceeding of knowledge faith repentance and the like graces And if a man to gain worldly riches or honour or knowledge or the like will goe farre and neare by sea and by land how much more ought a Christian man to take paines to obtain that knowledge which will bring vs to eternall life and puts vs into a reall possession of Gods Kingdome This doth most iustly condemne many amongst vs of great contempt and damnable negligence Vse who wil not take any paines to get this Knowledge nay though it be brought vnto them yet many vngratefully trample this blessed Knowledge vnder their feet Alas if wee could see the want of this Knowledge what a dangerous thing it is euen that which brings endlesse confusion Io. 17.3 and also the good and gain which comes by it namely eternall life and saluation then surely wee would seeke far neare for it as the people of God doe and haue done But of this before Secondly Doct. this word Endeuour
doth import vnto vs the perseuerance that is required in all those that seeke for this Knowledge Perseuerance and constancy is required in seeking for sauing knowledge Act. 17.12 Wee see the Huntsman for his pleasure in his game hee can bee content to seeke in euery bush and to plod euery furrow till he find his game and then hee neuer leaues from morning till night Oh how much more should we seeke and neuer lin seeking for this heauenly and sauing Knowledge till wee find it The men of Bâ—rea are commended for seeking turning their books to confirme and to encrease this Knowledge in them So should wee not onely heare but also Search the Scriptures examine euery Chapter leafe by leafe and line by line till wee find this Knowledge It is not inough to begin to seeke bot wee must continue seeking for this Knowledge Luk. 11.62 Hee that puts his hand to the Lords Plough and looketh backe is not meet for the Kingdom of God Mat. 24.4 but hee which endures to the end shall be saued Againe 1. Cor. 16.13 Stand fast in the faith quite you like men and bee strong This is further cleared by that speech of our Sauiour to the Church of Smyrmye Reu. 2.10 Bee thou faithfull vnto death Gal 33. and I will giue thee a Crowne of life And Paul blamed the Galathians and called them Foolish for beginning in the spirit and ending in the Flesh for not holding on as they had begun and surely the estate of such men is most fearefull it had beene better for them that they had neuer known the truth Nay it had been better for them that they had neuer beene borne 2. Pet. 2.20 as Christ speaketh of Iudas as the Apostle obserues If they after they haue escaped from the filthinesse of the World through the acknowledging of the Lord and of the Sauiour Iesus Christ are yet tangled againe therein the latter end with them is worse then the beginning And the reason of this Doctrine is cleare Reason for of all graces vertues it is onely constancy and perseuerance that shall bee crowned As no sinne condemns a man but this final impenitency or continuance in the same sinne so no grace or vertue shall bee crowned but that which continues to the end It is only continuance and perseuerance in any grace whatsoeuer that shall bee crowned with glory for If a righteous man turne from his righteousnesse Ezec. 18.24 and do the thing that is euill all the righteousnesse that hee hath done shall bee remembred no more hut in the wickednesse that hee hath committed in the same hee shall die And therefore wee may safely conclude that continuance perseuerance in seeking after more knowledge euery spiritual grace is that which doth crowne all our vertues whatsoeuer If then thou hast entered into the profession of Religion Vse if thou hast begunne to shew thy selfe sound in knowledge and that thou hast tasted of the power of Gods Word Oh bee constant in that soundnesse and in that sincerity Goe on in the same grow dayly more and more towards perfection let thy works be more at last then at first And surely this exhortation is very needfull and cannot sufficiently bee vrged in this back-sliding age wherein many with Demas fall into loue with the world Reu. 2.4 and with the Church of Ephesus loose their first loue and grow secure and carelesse nay neyther hote nor cold in Religion but the Lord one day will spue such back sliders out of his mouth Alas wee are hardly brought on to make a beginning in matters of Religion for it fareth with vs as it did with Zacheus Luk. 19. when hee had a purpose to see Christ the multitude stood in his way that hee was constrayned to goe vp into a Fig-tree so fareth it with euery Christian man and woman when wee haue entertained any good purpose of heart to seeke the Lord to labour to get knowledge into our Soules and to grow and encrease in the same Oh how many lets and stumbling blocks will Sathan now beginne to lay in our way inward and outward and all to keepe vs from enioying of Christ But when a man shall ouer stride them all and giue vp his name to Christ and then fall away this were a most wofull estate and condition Note they are no better then dogges and swine and it had beene better for such that they had neuer knowne the truth then after they haue knowne it to fall away for how doth this man or woman cause the Lord by degrees a little little to take away from them his Spirit that whereas in times past they had a loue to the truth were carefull to heare and to sanctifie the Lords Sabbath hee might now vpon their contempt of grace giue them ouer as prisoners to Sathan who shal so manicle their hands feet yea heart and all that by degrees they shall grow to hate and contemn both grace itselfe the meanes to obtaine the same Thirdly wee must not onely vse paines and perseuer in seeking for this knowledge Doct. but wee must also take delight in the same A godly man seekes after knowledge willingly and chearefully Wee see those that follow their sport take great delight in it this pleasure of theirs swallowes vp all their pain and makes it seem nothing vnto them So should wee in seeking for this blessed knowledge find our hearts rauished with a loue and a liking and a godly pleasure in the same You shal see that this hath beene the affection of the children of God in all ages Thus did Iob I esteemed thy word more then my appointed food Iob. 23.12 And this affection was in the Prophet Dauid when hee sayth Lord what loue haue I vnto thy Law Psal 119. all the day long is my study in them And in the description of a godly man the Prophet Dauid obserues this to bee one property in him Psa 1.2 Hee meditates in the Law of God day and night which shew vnto vs that hee takes delight in it for otherwise hee would neuer by night especially meditate vpon the same And Ieremie after hee had found the Word of God Ier. 15.16 hee did eate it and it was sweet vnto him nay it was his ioy and the reioycing of his Soule Psal 16.10 And the Prophet Dauid speaking in another place of this knowledge sayth That it is more to bee desired then gold yea then much fine gold sweeter also then the honey and the honey combe And that which the Apostle setteth down concerning Almes Mat. 22.37 Rom 12.8 Deu. 6.5 2. Cor. 9.7 Ezec. 3.3 As euery man wisheth in his heart so let him giue not grudgingly or of necessity but willingly for God loueth a chearefull giuer may truly bee vnderstood of euery Christian duety When wee pray wee must pray vnto God chearefully when wee are to heare
them in that hee shewed himselfe so mercifull God doth not proceede in iudgement before hee hath offered all means of mercy as first to vse all the meanes hee could to conuert them and humble them before hee punished and destroyed them If the Lord had but shewed one meanes as the Word preached it was his great mercy for hee might iustly take all aduantage at our hands to cut vs off in the height of our sins damne vs presently for the same but in that he vseth so many meanes so long a time it shewes his wonderfull mercy to these people in that he sayth Oh what shall I do how shall I entreat It shewes the Lord had vsed all the meanes hee could his word his mercies his iudgements threatnings punishments and yet all would not humble them So that hence we may obserue the wonderful mercy of God towards his people in that hee vseth so many meanes to humble them for their sins ere hee cut them off The truth of this Doctrine is confirmed by diuers places of Scripture Ier. 7.13 as that of the Prophet Ieremy I rose vp earely and spake vnto you but when I spake yee would not heare mee neyther when I called would yee answere And that of the Prophet Esay Esay 68.2 I haue stretched out my hand all the day long vnto a rebellious people Ioel. 2.13 This is further confirmed vnto vs by the Prophet Ioel when hee sayth Rent your hearts and not your garments and turne vnto the Lord your God for hee is gracious mercifull slow to anger and of great kindnesse Ezech. 33.11 and repenteth him of the euill And so much doth God himselfe teach vs of himselfe when he sayth As I liue sayth the Lord God I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way and liue 2. Sam. 12.1 When the Prophet Dauid had committed very haynous and horrible sinnes how graciously did the Lord send vnto him his Prophet Nathan to awake him out of his sinne and to call him home by repentance And againe afterwards 2. Sam. 24.10 when in the pride of his heart hee had numbred his people hee sent the Prophet Gad vnto him to humble him for the same Yea the Lord is so rich in mercy that hee offereth the same vnto the wicked themselues though they in their prophanesse neglect and contemne the same When Cains heart beganne to boyle in malice against his brother Abel Gen. 4.6.7 the Lord sayd inough to him if hee had had grace to haue kept him from that horrible sinne of murder Why art thou wroth sayth Almighty God to Cain and why is thy countenance cast downe If thou doest well shalt thou not bee rewarded c. And after that Cain had slaine his brother the Lord left him not Gen. 6.3 but laboured to bring him to remorse when hee asked him Cain where is thy brother Abel And againe The voyce of thy brothers bloud cryeth from the earth And when God was purposed to destroy the olde World 2. Pet. 2.1 Gen. 19. 2. Reg. 21.28 what meanes did hee vse first to reclaime them hee gaue them a hundred and twenty yeares to repent in and all this while sent vnto them Noah that Preacher of righteousnesse to warne them of that iudgement to come yet they repented not So dealt hee with the filthy Sodomites by placing iust Lot amongst them to labour their conuersion Mat. 27.19 and was so farre preuailed with by Abraham that if ten righteous soules had beene found in those Cities God had spared them for their sakes The like may bee sayde of Ahab and of Pilate yea the Lord offered his mercy vnto Iudas when as before any thing was effected Christ put him in mind of his bloudy thoughts against him making it manifest that hee was the man that should betray him Thus haue wee seene cleared the truth of this Doctrine that God is a God of mercy that hee will not easily proceede in iudgement before hee hath offered all meanes of mercy What shall I doe vnto thee how shall I intreat thee The meanes by the which the Lord doth humble men Now the meanes by the which the Lord doth humble men are diuers First and principally the Ministery of his Word Thus dealt the Lord with his seruant Dauid as wee heard before sending his Prophets vnto him to bring him to the sight of his sinne 1 The Ministery of the Word and to this end hath the Lord commaunded his Prophets and Ministers to cry aloud Esa 58.1 Pro. 8.1.2.3 9.1.2.3 and to lift vp their voyces like Trumpets to preach the Doctrine of repentance and to shew the people their sins And Salomon in diuers places of his booke of Prouerbs bringeth in Christ Iesus the wisedome of God sometimes crying aloud in his owne person and sometimes by his Ministers to summon men to repentance Thus dealt hee with the Nineuites sending vnto them his Prophet Ionas to preach repentance vnto them that there rested but forty dayes Ion. 3.4 and then without repentance Nineueh should lye in the dust And hence is it that the Apostle Paul calleth the Ministery of the Word The power of God to saluation to euery one that beleeueth And in another place hee sayth Rom. 1.16 that howsoeuer the seeming Wisemen of the World do account of Preaching but as foolishnes yet it hath pleased God By that foolishnesse of preaching 1. Cor. 1.21 to saue them that beleeue And this Word of God is called the Lords Hammer Ier. 23.29 whereby he knockes at the dore of our hard hearts and this is the most principall the most powerfull and effectuall meanes being Gods ordinance to conuert sinners and to bring them to repentance Secondly his manifold mercies and blessings the which hee Renueth towards vs euery morning 2 His Blessings and by this meanes doth the Lord seeke to wooe and winne our hearts to him hee giues vs life and health meate Lam. 3.23 drinke apparrell lodging hee keepes vs from many dangers and poures downe thousand blessings vpon vs and euery one of these giue a knocke at our hearts and cry aloud in our eares that the Lord by them doth labour to draw and winne vs vnto him this was that that made Dauids sinne exceeding sinnefull namely That God had annointed him King ouer Israel 2. Sam. 12.7.8 and had deliuered him out of the hands of Saul and had giuen him his Lords house and his Lords wiues into his bosom c. And would if that had been too little haue giuen him much more and therefore his vnthankefulnesse must needs bee the greater to sinne against so gracious and mercifull a God Thirdly by his corrections and chasticements which God doth lay vpon vs His iudgements by these doth the Lord ring many a warning peale in our eares sometimes by long and tedious sicknes diseases crosses losses
this people were and their maruellous obstinacy and rebellion in that though Almighty God did vse all meanes to humble them and reclaime them yet they could by no meanes bee brought to goodnes to bee humbled but notwithstanding all the gracious meanes God vsed they continued rebellious and stubborne still And this appeares by the Lords complaint in vpbraiding them with sinne still q. d. I perceyue thou wilt bee stout against mee thou wilt not yeeld thou wilt be brought to no good passe thou art exceeding obstinate and rebellious and thus doth the Lord complaine of them in another place Wherefore should I smite them any more And againe Esay 1.5 Thou O Lord hast striken them but they haue not sorrowed thou hast consumed them Ier. 5.3 but they haue refused to receiue correstion for they haue made their faces harder then a stone and wil not returne Amos. 4.6 And againe by the Prophet Amos hee complaineth thus I haue giuen you cleannesse of teeth in all your Cities and scarsenes of bread in all your places yet haue yee not returned vnto mee sayth the Lord. If wee looke vpon examples Gen 4.6 wee shall finde diuers in the Word of God that proue the same as that of Cain albeit the Lord did forewarn him of that wrath hee had conceiued against his brother Abel that hee would neuer be at rest till hee had killed him And this is clearely seen in the old World when the Lord saw the wickednesse of man to waxe great vpon the earth Gen. 6.3 hee stirred vp Noah that Preacher of righteousnesse to warne them of iudgement to come yet they continued still in their sinnes The like may bee sayd of Sodom and Gomorah of Pharaoh Iudas and the like So that it appeareth to bee an euident truth that wicked men continue stil in sinne notwithstanding all the means that God doth vse to the contrary Pro. 27.22 according to that of Salomon If thou bray a foole in a morter yet will not his foolishnes depart from him And this thing so comes to passe in them because God in his iust iudgement hath giuen them ouer to a reprobate sense Reason according to that of the Apostle Paul God gaue them ouer vnto vile affections Rom. 1.26 to worke filthinesse against nature c. And as it was sayde of the sonnes of Ely 1. Sam. 2.24 They would not heare their Fathers voyce because the Lord would destroy them Vse 1 Seeing wicked and vngodly men continue still in sinne notwithstanding all gracious means to the contrary This may be a terror to all wicked and vngodly wretches to consider that as their hearts are hardned and their consciences seared so great shall bee their iudgement and by this means they doe but increase their punishment Rom. 2.4.5.6 and hoard it vp as a treasure against the day of Gods wrath Despisest thou the riches of his bountifulnes and patience and long sufferance not knowing that the bountifulnes of God leadeth thee to repentance but thou after thy hardnesse and heart that cannot repent heapest vp vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath In which words wee may see the wofull and miserable estate and condition of all those that runne from euill to worse that their damnation all this while sleepeth not but when the measure of their iniquity is once full the Lord will bee sure to bring his iudgements vpon them Againe to apply this doctrine somwhat more neerly Vse 2 vnto our selues was this the desperate estate of this people and damnable rebellion against all the gracious meanes God vsed Alas if we compare our estate with theirs wee shall find our case to bee farre worse for the Lord hath vsed more means to humble vs then them but yet we are hard hearted stil we are not humbled wee haue not melting hearts how did the Lord smite the creatures this last winter by frost and snow that many thousands of them perished in euery place and corner of this land besides for this summer which is the pleasantest time in the yeare hath not euen now the creature mourned vnto vs to teach vs to mourne What fearefull and lamensable fires haue hapned within these few yeares in most peaces of this land and yet good Lord how few are the number of those that lay these iudgements of God to heart Well let vs take heed that if these humble vs not least the Lord send such iudgements and plagues amongst vs that the very Sorcerers of Egypt if they were amongst vs would acknowledge it to bee the finger of God When that Moses smote the Rocke it gushed out with water the Lord hath often smitten our hard and flinty and rocky hearts with the rodde of his iudgements and stil smites but all in vaine for we are stubborne and rebellious still So that wee may iustly feare that as he cast off this people slew them consumed them and destroyed them euen so will hee deale with vs in his anger and that because wee haue not profited by his iudgements nor yet no meanes that hee hath vsed can preuaile with vs to bring vs to repentance If we contemne so great saluation how can wee thinke to escape Doct. 3 Thirdly out of this patheticall and compassionate speech of the Lord The Lord takes it hardly that the meanes of our good should bee contemned O Ephraim what shall I doe vnto thee O Iudah how shall I intreat thee Wee may learne that it is a grieuous thing vnto the Lord and vexeth his spirit to see all the meanes hee doth vse in mercy to doe vs good and to saue vs to bee carelesly regarded and lightly esteemed or proudly and desperately contemned of vs for the Lord hath tryed all possible meanes to doe them good yet they regarded them not but lightly esteemed them and passed them ouer and therefore the Lord takes vp this pittifull complaint O Ephraim what shall I doe vnto thee O Iudah how shall I intreat thee It is all one as if he should haue sayd It grieues me right sore to see you so stubborne against mee This Doctrine is cleared in diuers places of the Holy Scriptures as that speech of Almighty God himselfe when hee sayth to the people of Israel Deu. 5.29 when they had made that solemne promise to obey Moses the seruant of the Lord in all things Oh that there were such a heart in them to feare mee to keepe my commandements alwayes that it might go well with them and their children for euer Psal 81.13 This affection the Lord expresseth in another place when he sayth O that my people had hearkned vnto me and Israel had walked in my waies Yea our Sauiour himselfe doth expresse the same affection in him in the dayes of his flesh Luk. 19.41.42 And when hee came neare it hee beheld the City and wept ouer it saying Oh if thou haddest knowne at the least in this thy day those things
that belong vnto thy peace These testimonies and the like whereof the Scripture is full serue to confirm the truth of this Doctrine vnto vs how hardly the Lord doth take it at our hands when wee neglect and contemne the meanes of our good The vses remaine to be handled Doth the Lord take it so grieuously to see his ordinances Vse 1 contemned when men will not bee humbled by his Word and by his iudgements Oh how then must hee needs bee angry with vs the people of this land who haue grieued his Maiesty by vile contempt of his holy Ordinances how little dooth his Word moue vs and how hard hearted are wee at his iudgements What Nation vnder Heauen is there who liuing vnder a Christian Prince hearing and professing the Word of God as wee doe amongst whom the sacred ordinances of God are more contemned then amongst vs. Nehem. 1. All the meanes God hath vsed to humble vs and to saue vs and to bring vs to repentance reformation of life Alas they fall to the ground generally no man taketh them to heart Daniel in his prayer acknowledgeth Dan 9.14 that the Lord did iustly plague them for their sinne because they had not profited by Gods iudgements Now if the Lord were sore angry and grieued with his people for the not profiting by the meanes and will hee not much more bee stirred vp to wrath against vs for the contempt of all those gracious meanes the which he in mercy vsed to humble vs yes no doubt Hos 4.1 and for the same cause the Lord hath a Controuersie against the inhabitants of the Land hath taken the Rodde into his owne hand and chastened and whipt vs diuers wayes and vnlesse we do meet him by repentance with prayers and teares surely hee will poure out euen the dregger of his anger against vs at last Vse 2 Secondly seeing nothing more grieues the Lord then to see his ordinance and gracious means vsed for our good contemned and lightly regarded so as wee profit not by them Oh how should this grieue vs and humble vs that wee haue been so exceeding carelesse to profite by the meanes Wee see that a louing child will bee loath to doe any thing to vexe his kinde and louing Father and if any child should bee so stubborne that hee would not bee reclaimed neyther by his Fathers kind promises dayly gifts nor yet by his rodde and correction wee would thinke him vnworthy to liue Well the Lord hee vseth many means to humble vs and hee is much grieued to see vs profite nothing by them but still to rebel and to be stubborn and therfore it should much grieue vs and humble vs to grieue our gracious and mercifull God Oh then let vs labour to bee humbled and to profite by the meanes the Lord vseth for our good Vse 3 Thirdly this checkes the carnall man who so long as hee liues an honest ciuill life and is neyther whore nor theefe thinkes God is not displeased with him they thinke all is well and hope to bee saued aswel as the best and doubt not of Gods loue but if thou bee not bettered by Gods iudgements if thou profite not by those meanes the Lord vseth to humble thee whether it bee the Ministery of the Word his mercies or his iudgements or the like thou shalt one day know that hee is highly offended with thee and therefore let vs not flatter our selues but let vs profite by Gods iudgements and labour to be humbled by them to seeke the Lord least by the neglect and contempt thereof hee bee moued to send more fearefull and that eternall damnation in the end Fourthly and lastly heere is matter of comfort consolation to the children of God and all those that Vse 4 take the iudgements of God to heart and profite by them to repentance and seeke to God for as the Lord is grieued with those that profite not by the means dislikes all contemners and despisers of them so on the contrary hee loues and likes and fauours them that profite by the meanes that hee vseth to conuert them When Nehemie heard that Ierusalem was waste Nehem. 1.9 that the people were in heauinesse and the Church afflicted Hee sate downe and wept and fasted Hab. 3.16 and prayed vnto God for them And againe When I heard Ezech. 9. my belly trembled c. How did the Lord commaund his seruant clothed in white with a penne and inke at his side to set a marke vpon all those that mourned for their own sinnes and the sinnes of the people Well then aske this question of thy owne Soule Hast thou beene grieued at Gods anger and mourned for the sinnes and rebellion of the land Doest thou take Gods iudgements to heart Oh then comfort thy Soule for the Lord will loue thee and set his Marke vpon thee Blessed are they that mourne for they shall bee comforted They are blessed that can mourne and weepe for sinne and can take Gods iudgements to heart to bee affected with them but alas how few are the number of those that are humbled for their owne sinnes to feare Gods anger and profite by Gods iudgements vpon others Thus much of the complaint the persons follow O Ephraim what shall I doe vnto thee O Iudah how shall I intreat thee THe persons then of whom the Lord complaineth thus The persons of whom the Lord complaineth is Ephraim and Iudah namely the whole body of the Iewes and the people of both the kingdoms Israel and Iudah the greatest Tribe being put for al the rest So then the complaint is very generall euen of the common people and all the multitude of both the Kingdomes except a very few that did repent and beleeue the Word as in the three first verses of this Chapter Concerning the persons Ephraim and Iudah there is the common people and generall multitude of both Kingdoms Deu. 8.7 seeing they were those whom God chose to be his peculiar people euen because he had a loue vnto them to whom belonged the adoption glory and the couenant and to whom did belong the seruice of God the worshippe and oracles of God and vnto whom all the Prophets were sent which had many priuiledges aboue all other Nations of whom it is sayd thus Hee sheweth his Word vnto Iacob his statutes and iudgements vnto Israel Ps 147.19.20 Hee hath not dealt so with euery Nation c. Yet of this people euen of Iudah and Israel doth the Lord complaine here that they were rebellious and therefore must bee destroyed and cast off Doct. 4 Wee learne hence this Doctrine that no outward priuiledge or prerogatiue whatsoeuer No outward priuiledge wil free a man from punishment when reformation of heart and life is wanting Psa 132.4 will keepe backe Gods anger deliuer a man from destruction if they liue in sinne and bee not reformed in heart and life There was neuer Nation or people vnder
heauen that were graced with more outward priuiledges and prerogatiues then this nation and people of the Iewes They had the Temple of the Lord amongst them of the which the Lord speaketh thus This is my rest for euer heere will I dwell for I haue a delight therein They had amongst them the Arke of Gods couenant the Mercy seate they had amongst them the true seruice worshippe of God and what not yet for all this Iudah and Israel must bee destroyed defaced and extinguished and made spectacles of Gods wrath to all posterities for euermore This point is clearly to be seene by those threatnings of Almighty God himselfe by his Prophet Ieremie where hee sayth Ier. 7.11.12 13.14 Is my house become a Denne of theeues whereupon my Name is called before your eyes Behold euen I see it sayth the Lord. Therefore will I doe vnto this house whereupon my name is called wherein also yee trust euen to the place that I gaue to you and your Fathers as I haue done vnto Shilo And I will cast yee out of my sight as I haue cast out all your brethren euen the whole seed of Ephraim Ier. 16.4.6 The like threatning hee vseth by the same Prophet in another place saying If yee will not hearken and turne euery man from his euill waye c. Then will I make this house like Shilo will make this City a curse to all the Nations vpon earth And this is further confirmed vnto vs by that threatning of our Sauiour himselfe against Ierusalom where he saith Thy house shall bee left vnto thee desolute Mat. 23.38 And thus haue wee seene this Doctrine confirmed by the example of this Nation and people of the Iewes who were graced with many and excellent priuiledges and prerogatiues yet the Lord doth esteeme them as nothing when reformation of heart life is wanting The same truth is further cleared by diuers other examples in the booke of God Iudas had many outward priuiledges and yet for all that a damnable hypocrite for his calling hee was an Apostle a calling more honourable then any other in the Church of God Act. 1.17 Gal. 1.1 because the ordination was not of Man or by man but by Iesus Christ The company with whom hee was conuersant was matchlesse for hee was conuersant with Iesus Christ and his Disciples his gifts they were not meane for hee was a Preacher And lastly his behauiour was very sober for when Christ tolde his Disciples that one of them should betray him they were farre from suspecting Iudas that they rather misdeemed themselues Master is it I sayth one Master is it I sayth another and yet for all this Iudas a desperate reprobate This is further to bee seene in Cain who was as forward in offering sacrifice as his brother Abel Gen. 4.3.4.5 yet because hee came in hypocrisie for fashion sake the Lord reiected both him and his sacrifice Mar 6.20 Herod loued Iohn Baptist and did many things at his request yet by reason of his Incest hee is branded for an hypocrite What shall I say of the foolish Virgins who went out to meet the Bridegroome aswel as the wise Mat. 15.1.2 yet because they wanted the oyle of graee in their hearts were reiected Act. 8.13 Act. 5.8 The like may bee sayd of Simon Magus of Ananias and Saphira and diuers the like examples all seruing to this end to confirme the euerlasting truth of this Doctrine vnto vs that no outward priuiledge in the world will free a man from Gods iudgements when reformation of heart and life is wanting Reason And the reason is cleare because God himselfe is not tyed to any people nor respecteth any persons but onely such as feare him I perceyue sayth Peter that God is no accepter of persons Act. 10.34.35 but in euery Nation hee that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse is accepted of him Hee will cleare his iustice to hate sinne wheresoeuer whensoeuer or in whomsoeuer hee findeth it Now let vs come to the vses This may serue in the first place for the iust reproofe of those that flatter themselues in respect of an outward profession and beare themselues aloft in respect of some outward priuiledge and thinke that they shall therefore escape but alas it is not all the priuiledges in the world can doe vs good if the inward sincerity bee wanting This we haue seen cleared here by the example of Ephraim and Iudah the Nation and people of the Iewes who were graced with many and excellent priuiledges as no Nation or people vnder heauen were the like yet because they wanted this reformation of heart and life the Lord threatneth heere to destroy them And now to apply this Doctrine to our selues we are by Gods blessing the people of God and haue as many priuiledges as euer they had What then because we are now the Church of God and enioy the Gospell Word and Sacraments peace and plenty shall wee grow secure and wanton like an vntamed Calfe Ier. 19.31 and cast off the yoake of obedience God forbid for then the Lord will reiect vs as hee did them And yet alas is not this the state of this land at this day from the highest to the lowest wee are guilty of the sinnes of this people Hos 4 1 2.3 Among the men of Ephraim and Iudah were found many great and grieuous sins as the Lord doth charge them with by this Prophet as swearing and lying and killing and whoring and that bloud touched bloud Now alas are wee strangers to these sinnes no no Wee are too well acquainted with them and new sinnes that Ephraim and Iudah neuer were acquainted withall and what is the Lords hand shortned that hee should not plague England as hee did Ephraim and Iudah Surely if wee partake with them in their sinnes wee shall one day partake with them of their punishments And looke how much the more familiar wee haue beene acquainted with the best of Gods graces the greater shall bee our iudgement for the abuse of them Yea it had beene better for vs that wee had neuer known God nor heard of his Word but been borne euen Turks and Canibals Pagans and Infidels then to haue the Priuiledges as wee haue amongst vs namely the Word and Sacraments and the like and not to bee reformed by them Marke what terrible and fearefull words our Sauiour denounceth against those Cities where the Word had beene preached most and they wanted this reformation Mat. 11.21 c. Woe bee to thee Corazin woe bee to thee Bethsaida for if the great works which were done in you had been done in Tyrus and Sydon they had repented long agoe in sackcloth and ashes but I say vnto you it shall bee easier for them in the day of iudgement then for you And thou Capernaum which art lifted vp into heauen shalt bee brought down to Hell for if the great works which haue beene done in thee
had beene done amongst them of Sodom they had remayned to this day But I say vnto you that it shall bee easier for them of the land of Sodom in the day of iudgement then for thee In this place our Sauiour declares vnto vs that such places as haue had the preaching of the Word amongst them and haue accounted light of the same shall receiue at the last day a greater measure of condemnation then those that neuer heard the sound therof You wil think it a harsh comparison if I should compare our land to Sodom Gomor wee know how the Lord destroyed them with fire brimstone from heauen And yet I say vnto you in the name of God from the warrant of his sacred word by the which wee shall all one day be iudged that if we liue in the open contempt of Gods truth ignorance blindnesse and prophanesse which sins are scarce the tenth that may bee found amongst vs at this day it had beene much better that wee had beene borne Sodomites and Gomoreans yea the time shall come when many amongst vs shall cry out and wish that they were Sodomites and Gomoreans Oh that I were a Sodomite Oh that I were one of them of Gomorah and that because wee knew not the day of our Visitation And this fauour and mercy of our God that now we enioy to heare him to speake vnto vs in his Word and that wee haue his seruice and worship amongst vs shall bee so farre at the last day from procuring vs any fauour or mercy at Gods hand as that wee hauing had the same amongst vs and wee most prophanely did neglect and contemne the same shall reape euen therefore the greater measure of condemnation Deu. 32.29 Oh that men would bee wise then would they consider their latter end Secondly seeing that most excellent prerogatiues Vse 2 and priuiledges will not serue to keepe backe Gods anger and to deliuer vs from destruction if wee liue in sinne and bee not reformed in heart and life then let vs labour to ioyne to our outward profession of the Word sound obedience true repentance and reformation of our wayes and marke then what will follow If yee will hearken and obey yee shall then eate the good of the land Wee must not stand so much vpon the largenesse of the leaues of our profession who should professe most as wee should vpon sincerity who should practise most I am sure it is our behauiour concerning the things of the world There is no man but had rather be rich then accounted rich be wealthie then seeme to bee wealthy And yet for that true riches that shall make vs rich vnto saluation wee can content our selues with shadowes and shewes of it and looke not after the substance Like Iehu who made great boast of the zeale hee had for the glory of God Come with mee sayth he to Ionadab And see the zeale that I haue for the Lord 2. Reg. 10.16 but yet for all this his heart was not vpright in the sight of God Act. 24.16 but the Apostle Paul was affected otherwise who endeuoured himselfe to haue alway a cleare conscience towards God and man And surely this is it that shall bee our comfort in life in death after death Esay 38.3 that wee can say with good King Ezechiah Remember Lord that I haue walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart Doct. 5 Againe seeing the Lord complaines here of Ephraim and Iudah that is of the whole body of the people and the generall multitude of both Kingdomes Though God doth offer the meanes of saluation vnto all yet few receiue them that they were wicked and rebellious and profited not by al the gracious means that he vsed to reclaim them we learne hence that though the Lord do offer the means alike to all as his Word iudgements admonitions corrections c. yet very few doe receiue them profite by them and the greatest part remaine ignorant vnrepentant and rebellious against the meanes as wee may see heere in this people they had the meanes al alike to call them to repentance yet the greatest part and the greatest number vnreformed still so that the Lord speakes heere of the whole Nation and people of the Iewes O Ephraim O Iudah those that resolued to Returne vnto the Lord as in the three first verses of this chapter their number was exceeding small in comparison of those that did neglect and contemne the same and therefore he speakes of them wholy together Ephraim Iudah This Doctrine is further cleared by the example of the old World that notwithstanding the meanes of deliuerance was offered to all men alike yet only Noah was moued with reuerence Gen. 6.3 Heb. 11. Gen. 19. to feare Gods iudgements when all the rest of the world were euen drunke in security and lay weltring in their sinnes So in Sodom one righteous Lot Elias sayth Hee was left alone hee could not see one open professor of Religion in his time Woe is mee sayth the Prophet For I am as the Summer gatherings and as the grapes of the Vintage Mich. 7.1 Ier. 3.14 Luk. 12.32 Mat. 27. there is no cluster to eate Alas when the haruest is in the gleaning it is very small heere an eare and there an eare One of a City and two of a Tribe And Christ cals his flocke a little flocke Feare not little Flocke All cried against the Sonne of God Crucifie him Crucifie him Reu. 13. All receyued the Marke of the beast This is plaine by wofull experience in our dayes how few true worshippers of God sound Christians though wee haue the meanes alike how few profit by them the greatest part remaine ignorant still vile rebellious and prophane and so few that they bee like a handfull of corne in a heape of chaffe many hypocrites many meere Laodiceans neyther hote nor cold Reu. 3.17 many halfe Christians with Agrippa onely those that profite truely by the meanes are exceeding few Hence wee see that Multitude is no note of a true Vse 1 Church And therefore it confutes the Doctrine of the Church of Rome who would make men beleeue that therefore they must needes bee the true Church because their Religion is so generally receiued and imbraced of many Kingdomes But here wee see Luke 12.32 that the greater part is the worst and Christs flocke is a little flocke and therefore this Doctrine beates and batters down one of the maine pillars of Popery whervpon they ground their religion and supplant their Church they ground vpon this sandy foundation the pillar is a number and multitude of men that many receiue their religion and few ours but if this reason be good then those few beleeuing Iewes that repented as in the three first verses of this Chapter should not bee the children of God but Ephraim Iuda euen the common multitude should be accounted the Church which is most false for
that they which runne in a race runne all yet one receiueth the prize So runne that yee may obtaine So then wee haue seene this Doctrine cleared that the wicked themselues are not so farre giuen ouer to themselues but that at somtimes they haue som touch of conscience and remorse of heart for sinne as this people heere then seemed to bee humbled vnder Gods iudgement and they seemed to repent for their sinnes but all this was but for a time it was not durable and lasting but as the Morning cloud and as the Morning dew it went away God graunt the same be not our sin Now this thing comes thus to passe in the wicked Reason because their consciences taking notice of all their sins doth assure the sinner that God is iust in punishing of sinne and therefore when the Lord shall but shake the sword of iudgement ouer a wicked man hee cannot but be humbled for sinne for the time present though they harden their hearts like an Adamant and their faces like flint yet when the stormes of Gods iudgements shall arise Act. 24.25 they shall quake and tremble as Felix did Seeing that many beginne well and yet proue but as the Morning cloud which is quickly gone We may Vse 1 from hence conclude the wofull miserable and wretched estate of all those that shrinke away that begin in the spirit and end in the flesh Surely I may say of them as Christ sometime sayd of Iudas It had beene good for them if they had neuer been borne This the Apostle Peter setteth downe fully when hee sayth If they after they haue escaped from the filthinesse of the World thorough the acknowledging of the Lord 2. Pet. 2.20.21.22 and of the Sauiour Iesus Christ are yet tangled therein and ouercome the latter end is worse with them then the beginning for it had been better for them not to haue acknowledged the way of righteousnesse then after they haue acknowledged it to turne away from the holy commandement giuen vnto them But it is come vnto them according to the Prouerbe The Dogge is turned to his owne vomit and the Sow that was washed to the wallowing in the mire Oh that all wicked and vngodly sinners would consider this aright how the holy Ghost doth esteeme of them euen no better then dogs and swine Let them seeme neuer so holy and religious if they doe not perseuere in piety and religion alas they are neuer the nearer heauen but hauing beene acquainted with Gods Word Sacraments and Prayer the greater shall bee their torment at the last for the abuse thereof Yea it is a righteous thing with God to giue ouer such men and women vnto a reprobate sense taking his spirit from them so that they shal grow by degrees to be worse and worse as wee may see in these Iewes vnto whom the Lord had vsed many meanes to humble them and to bring them home by repentance as his Word in the mouthes of his Prophets his blessings and benefites besides all this his iudgements one vpon the necke of another yet all would not serue to humble them but all labour was lost and all cost was ill bestowed Well what was the end of all this did they not grow to bee the greatest enemies to the Gospell and Crosse of Christ And thus fared it with Iudas being an Apostle became a most desperate reprobate And thus doth Almighty God as a most iust reuenger of sin many times punish one sinne by another Oh let these iudgements of God vpon the wicked breake in sunder the hard and stony hearts of the wicked that so they may anew renue their Couenant with God that he may haue mercy vpon them and that they may liue in his sight Secondly wee are taught heere that it is not innough Vse 2 to beginne well to entertaine holy thoughts godly purposes but we must withall nourish and cherish them that so wee may haue comfort by them at our latter end this people beganne well but they ended ill Oh then let vs looke to our owne soules and try whether our repentance bee like to theirs or not if wee find it vnsound that it comes not to the heart but rests in outward shewes and that it is soone vanished away then truely it is nought Dauid was humbled for his sinnes all the dayes of his life And it is reported of Peter that after his repentance Stella in Lucam hee rose euer at the call of the Cocke to prayers and other the like duties of piety and religion And so must it bee with vs otherwise God cares not for it and it will stand vs in no stead in that day of Gods searching account Now if wee may iudge of your Repentance by your life and outward behauiour truely it is to bee doubted The great drought that it is little better then the repentance of this people not worth a button but counterfeit and fayned For doth not the Lord euen call men to fasting weeping lamentation and mourning to amendment of life and true repentance and how do men performe this who layes the iudgement of God to heart who mournes for Gods anger vpon the land nay rather doe they not make this time of fasting a time of feasting Many seeme to repent and to hang downe their heads like a bul-rush and cry Lord helpe vs but truely it is but lippe-labour but forged from the teeth outward it comes not from the heart but as this people in this place Men are like to Schollers and Children when the rodde is vpon their backe they cry and yell and promise to doe so no more yet as soone as the rod is remoued doe the same things againe Euen so fareth it with most men amongst vs while the iudgements of God are vpon them and their consciences are vpon the racke they are ready to cry to the Lord for helpe and deliuerance but if the Lord doe but remoue his hand you shall see them with the dogge to the vomite and the Sow to the myre couetous still cruell still ignorant filthy and vncleane still Is not this the common repentance of our times And is not this like the Iewes heere which the Lord so highly condemneth Oh alas it is and therefore the Lord must needs bee as highly offended with vs as euer hee was with them And therefore it is now hie time to looke to our selues to ioyne to our outward profession true reformation of heart and life to build vpon the Rocke Christ and for the time to come to lay a sure foundation and be sure of an honest heart that it bee sound in the worshippe of God for the Lord prefers such a heart that comes in faith repentance and obedience before most glorious and goodly shewes when sincerity of heart is wanting And truelie it is greatly to bee feared that many now professing the Gospell in these dayes of peace if the Sun should wax hote if stormes should come and tryall
may be saued therefore God will send them strong delusions that they should beleeue lyes that all they may bee damned that beleeue not the truth but take pleasure in vnrighteousnesse The Lotd graunt vs more sanctified hearts that wee may make better vse of his gracious oportunities that hee doth offer vnto vs that for the time to come we may make more righter steps to his kingdome This Doctrine maketh First for the iust reproofe of all Papists and all such Vse 1 as are popishly affected as such as the Lord may most iustly taxe with this great ingratitude of contemning the meanes of their owne saluation that will rather hearken to erronious and hereticall doctrine then to the truth of God contained in his holy Word Let them stand neuer so much of their works of piety and deuotion as Fastings prayer almes c. they are without the Word but abhomination to the Lord the Lord hates them and his soule abhorres them being not done in faith repentance and true obedience as Salomon sayth He that turneth away his eare from hearing the Law euen his prayer shall be abhominable But oh the iust iudgement of God vpon them they haue refused to embrace the loue of the truth and haue beleeued lies and therefore it is a righteous thing with God to giue them ouer to hardnesse of heart and rebrobate minds to be deluded by Sathan and so to perish with him for euer Secondly this Doctrine doth nearely concerne Vse 2 vs all Wee see here what a fearefull sinne it is before the Lord to contemne his Word to neglect his Doctrine and lightly to esteeme of the meanes of our saluation it is of that nature that the Lord cannot at any hand put it vp but will most surely punish the contempt therof as we haue seene before by the examples of the old world the Sodomites the people of the Iewes and the like And yet alas wee see it a sinne too too common so as men doe generally neglect contemne if not desperately despise the means of their saluation the most glorious Gospell of Iesus Christ making no account of it but trample it vnder foot esteeme no more of the Word preached then they do of their old shooes they wil not go to the dore to heare it but rather lye vpon their beds sit by the fire talke in the streetes play in their bowling Allies and to doe any base or vaine thing then to come into Gods house to heare his Word whereby their poore soules might be saued Oh horrible impietie Well I remember that Saul obserued Dauids seat when hee was wanting much more doth the Lord take notice of our emptie seates and solitary Pewes when wee are wanting Will you heare how the Lord hath grieuously punished such contempt yea the neglect of holy meanes and hath not the Lord met with vs for this sinne yes questionlesse as the plague and pestilence is sent for sin so I am perswaded no one sinne of the land hath been a greater cause to prouoke the Lord to anger and to plague our land so often with the pestilence and other grieuous iudgements of vnseasonable weather the like then our long our generall and our continuall contempt of his most holy Word and prophaning of his Sabbaths so as the Lord may say to vs for this cause haue I cut you downe euen by hundreds and thousands for the contempt of the gracious means I haue vsed to do you good Oh then I beseech you in the feare of God let vs lay this to heart and seeing the Lord will neuer suffer the contempt of his Word goe vnpunished let vs now at last repent of this sinne let vs esteeme better of the Word let vs receiue it beleeue it and bee more carefull to heare it otherwise if wee liue in the open contempt of it as now wee doe I say vnto you in the name of the Lord and from the warrant of his sacred Word by the which wee shall al bee iudged at the last day Mat. 11.21 that it shall bee easier for the men of Sodom Gomor then for vs yea the time may come when wee shall weepe and howle crie out and say Oh that I were a Sodomite Oh that I had beene borne one of Gomorah and enuy the felicity euer of the Sodomites in comparison of our own torments Heb. 2.3 If now wee neglect so great saluation Thirdly and lastly seeing the Word preached and taught is the ordinary meanes of our saluation and the neglect and contempt thereof doth draw downe Vse 3 such heauy iudgements vpon vs as we haue heard before how may this teach vs all according to godly Salomon his aduice to take heed to our feet when we come into Gods house and as our Sauiour sayth Eccl. 4.17 Mat. 13. Luk. 8.18 to take heed how wee heare It is not to bee accounted a light matter that we haue this liberty to come into Gods house that wee may heare him speake vnto vs in his Word for if wee benefite not by these holy exercises of religion and draw nearer vnto heauen wee are made by them the more hardned in sinne to our greater confusion at the last let vs not therefore come for fashion sake or for custome but for conscience sake before God in obedience to his commadement And to this end wee must learne to prepare our selues before wee come by heartie prayer to God both that he would direct the tongue of the Minister his seruant that hee may deliuer the Word truely and powerfully as also that hee would open our hearts as hee did the heart of Lydea that wee may attend vnto those things that shall bee taught which godly preparation if it were carefully obserued of our hearers it could not bee after so much and long teaching they should remaine so ignorant and barren of Gods Worke as generally they bee Well to conclude this Doctrine let this be for our present instruction that if we would bee free from the accusation of wicked graceles and prophane persons let vs labour to bee willing and well affected hearers that wee come with hungring and thirsting desires vnto the spirituall food of our soules that it may bee vnto vs a sauor of life vnto a better life and that the Lord may neuer bee constrained to vse the same as here hee did to this people namely as an instrument to Cut downe and a meanes of our further condemnation at the last would wee not haue beene loath to haue beene in Sodom when God rained downe fire and brimstone from heauen vpon their heads Oh Lord how should wee quake and tremble to thinke of this slaughter that the Lord threatneth here namely To cut downe by his Prophets and to slay by the words of his mouth I haue cut downe IN that the Lord professeth here that he was the author of their punishment The Author of this iudgement and did inflict this iudgement on them for their
Gods Word Hard heart the greatest iudgement that can bee layde vpon man nor profite by the meanes of saluation Oh it is the heauiest iudgement that God can lay vpon man in this life and it is a sure and certain fore-runner of eternall condemnation in the end for when the Word of God doth light vpon a hard heart oh it wounds it and kils it and giues many a mortall and deadly wound though the wretched soule of the sinner see it not or feele it not The Scriptures affoord vs diuers examples and all to confirme the truth of this point vnto vs. Gen. 4.5.6 This is clearely to be seene in the example of Cain how did the Lord deale with Cain both before hee had murdered his brother and afterward and all to haue kept him if it had been possible from that most horrible sinne of his Before how did God deale with him Cain why is the countenance of thy face changed If thou doest well shalt thou not be rewarded If thou doest euill sin lyeth at thy dore Had not this beene inough if Cain had had but the least sparke of grace to haue kept him and stayed him from committing that horrible sinne but when this preuailed not but Cain would needs shed the innocent bloud of righteous Abel How did the Lord deale with Cain afterwards Cain where is thy brother Abel but what now did Cains heart relent did hee confesse his sinne with Dauid and say I haue sinned Did hee resolue into teares of repentance with Peter No no but rather despised God to his face saying Am I my Brothers Keeper Oh fearefull and horrible speech What was his conscience so seared that neyther the shame of the world the innocent bloud of his slaine brother nor the glorious presence of the Lord could any whit astonish him Behold here an example indeed of a heart that is hardned and let the remembrance of the same euer possesse our soules to make vs watchfull ouer our owne hearts how we euer contemn the means of grace when the same is offered vnto vs. This is to be clearely seen in Pharaoh vnto whom the Lord sent seuerall plagues and iudgements vpon him his people one vpon the necke of another Exod. 9. ten in number yet all would not humble Pharaoh Exod. 7.23 but answered stoutly saying I know not the Lord neyther will I let the people of Israel goe This is taught by Iob Iob. 18.5 Zeph. 1.17 when hee sayth The light of the vngodly shall bee darkned and the wicked shall become blind because they haue sinned against the Lord. And againe Their hearts being fat their eyes heauy and their eares shut they shall heare indeed but shall not vnderstand they shall see and not perceyue And the Prophet Ieremie doth mow liuely set out vnto vs the wofull estate and condition of such a soule that is thus forsaken of the Lord and giuen ouer to sinne saying Ier. 7.16 11.14 Because you haue done these things and I spake vnto you you would not heare therefore thou shalt not pray for this people nor lift vp cry nor entreat mee for I will not heare Though Noah and Iob should intreat mee though Moses Samuel should pray vnto mee yet will I not heare neyther bee intreated This is a lamentable estate this is a fearfull iudgement for a man to bee thus left vnto himselfe giuen vp to Sathan and forsaken of God for euer Oh wofull is the estate of such a one let that exhortation of the Apostle bee precious with vs Heb. 3.12.13 Take heed brethren lest at any time there bee in any of you an euil heart and vnfaithfull to depart away from the liuing God And of the Gentiles it is sayd Ephes 4.17 that they liued in the Vanity of their minds hauing their cogitations darkned strangers from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the hardnesse of their hearts So that you see that a hard heart it is the most fearefullest iudgement of God that can befall a man in this life for it is capable of no good eyther by the Word preached promises or threatnings mercies or iudgments The Word of God it is mighty in operation Ier. 23. â—9 it Diuideth the soule and spirit asunder This Word of God is called the Hammer of the Lord for by it the Lord doth breake in sunder the hard stony and flinty hearts of man This Hammer of the Lord is not able to breake the heart of a wicked man but as the bright beams of the Sunne doe harden clay and soften waxe so this most heauenly and eternall Word of God shall neuer returne in vaine but by reason of the different disposition in the Subiect it illuminateth it melteth the righteous it obdurates it hardens the wicked Now where the Word doth not preuaile with vs to humble vs there can bee no true repentance as the Apostle teacheth Rom. 2.5 when he sayth But thou after thy hardnes and heart that cannot repent heapest vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath Now where there is no repentance there can bee no saluation Luk. 13.5 for so sayth our Sauiour Except yee repent yee shall all perish This is a lamentable estate indeed this is a iudgement with a witnesse for a man to bee left thus vnto himselfe to be giuen vp to Sathan and to be forsaken of God for euer Oh this this is the estate and condition of euery hard hearted sinner Oh happy then is that man or woman that sinneth least next he that returneth home by repentance soonest but most wofull is the estate of him that with Ieroboam hath solde himselfe to commit sinne for this man Rom. 1.28 1. Tim 4.2 Zach. 1.12 though hee would weepe with Esau and shed euen a fountaine of teates yet all will not helpe woe alas there is no recouery This may serue in the first place to reproue those Vse 1 that iustifie the wicked as in Malachy his time The wicked prosper and they that worke iniquity are set vp Mal. 3.13.14 They seeme to bee the onely men of the World they enioy their pleasures they seeme not to be troubled for any thing and who but they Alas alas what of all this If the heart bee frozen in the dregges of sinne they are of all men most miserable and of all men most to bee pittied For thou after thy hardnes and heart that cannot repent Rom. 2.4.5 heapest vp vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath Their damnation sleepeth not all this while but still they runne in score in Gods booke and when their iniquity is once full the Lord will then come with his iudgements and they shall pay full deare for their sweet pleasures euen the losse of their owne soules for euer and euer No greater iudgement can God inflict vpon the sonnes of men in this life then such a stony heart of all Gods iudgements
the fore-runner of some fearefull iudgement vnto the soule of that man I haue cut them downe by my Prophets I haue slaine them by the words of my mouth IN that the Lord doth threaten this iudgement of al Doct. 4 other as the greatest that hee could bring vpon them namely to Cut them downe and to slay them The Word of God is able to pearce the hardest heart and that not by an ordinary meanes or slaughter but by his Prophets and Word that is that he would make good his Word in their mouthes and bring to passe all those terrible and fearefull iudgements that they had denounced against them from the Lord. Hence we see the great power of the Word of God it is able to pearce the hardest heart that is The word of God makes mention of two sorts of swords The sword of the mouth and the materiall sword as that place in the Hebrewes The Word of God is liuely and mighty in operation and sharper then a two edged sword Heb. 4.12 entereth thorough euen vnto the diuiding asunder of the Soule and the Spirit and of the Ioynts and the Marrow and is a decerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart The people of the Iewes before that Peter spake vnto them were full of hardnesse of heart yea their hearts before were as hard as steele nothing could pricke or pearce them Act. 2.37 they had committed monstrous murder they shed innocent bloud euen the bloud of the sonne of God and yet they were neuer touched in their hearts for that sinne But when Peter came with his weapon namely the Word of God and told them that they were those that had crucified the Lord of life this wounded them to the quicke as that they cryed out in the bitternesse of their loules O men and brethren what shall wee doe to bee saued Oh tell vs tell vs whether there be not some course yet to be taken that wee that haue beene such desperate sinners might yet againe obtaine Gods fauour and bee saued This was a blessed battel that was fought with them behold then in them the wonderfull power of the Word of God It cuts the throat of sinne and makes men become dead vnto sinne that they might become a liue vnto God Ier. 23.29 Is not the Word of Iehouah like vnto fire It is able to melt and mollifie a heart of steele it is like a hammer that breakes the hardest stone euen so this Word of God is able to bruise a stony heart which is as hard as flint Rom. 15.16 I am not ashamed sayth the Apostle of the Gospell of God because I know that it is the power of God to saluation to all them that beleeue 1. Cor. 1.21 Yea it is compared to a sacrificing knife Ephes 2.1.2 which will kill and cut the throat of sinne and make the most rebellious heart to breake It will put spirit and life in the dead hearts of dead secure sinners euen such as lay dead rotting in sin If it enter not into thee to the rooting out of sinne and the cutting downe of thy vncleannesse for then it pearceth for thy good to life eternall It wil bee sure to wound and to pearce thy dead and benummed soule to the hardning of thee in thy sinnes to death eternall Esay 55. for it neuer returnes in vaine but is eyther the sauor of life vnto life or the sauor of death vnto death The Lord sent his word vnto Pharaoh againe and againe by Moses and Aaron but hee would not bee humbled by it Exod. 9. â—7 1. Reg. 22.8 therefore hee became the more hardned in sinne And Ahab was then the deadliest enemy to his owne soule Mich. 2.7 when hee hated Michai for not speaking to his fantasie but warned him faithfully of the iudgement which afterward came vpon him Zach. 7.11 The Word of God is an aduersary to none but to such as are aduersaries to themselues Note this well neyther doth it condemne any but such as without repentance assuredly shall one day bee condemned of the Lord. And therefore let the wicked wretches of the world stoppe their eares neuer so much from the hearing of the threatnings of the Word yet they shall neuer stoppe that iudgement which the Word hath threatned There is a cry that will come at Midnight and will waken the dead But Oh blessed are they who in time are wakened out of the sleepe of their sinnes before that dreadfull iudgement come This serues to commend vnto vs the excellencie Vse 1 and power of the Word of God which is able both to kill sinners and to make them aliue again and puts a manifest difference hetweene the Word of man the Word of God All the wisdom learning eloquence and wit of men is not able to wound the hard heart of a wicked obstinate and rebellious sinner onely the Word of God can doe it euen the plaine and simple preaching of the Word can doe it 1. Cor. 1.21 Psal 19. The Law of the Lord is perfect to conuert the soule There is more power in the plaine rude and simple preaching of the Word of God to conuert a sinner then in the most learned and excellentest eloquence in men nay Rom. 10.14.15 it is impossible for all the eloquence in the World to saue a Soule it is peculiar onely to the simple preaching of the Gospell nor all the Writings of men cannot turne the heart vnto God vnlesse the Lord doe blesse the preaching of the Word to doe it and though nothing bee so contrary to our Nature as the Word of God yet nothing is so powerfull to conuert as is this word by Gods blessing vpon it being his owne ordinance appointed to that end Secondly seeing the Word of God is of this power Vse 2 that it will enter and pearce into stony hearts and seeing if it cut not downe sinne and corruption it will wound to death eternall all rebellious and hard hearted sinners Oh then let vs submit our hearts vnto it let vs suffer the Word to pearce and wound our hearts for sinne to cut downe all sinne and corruption in vs here or else it will bee the Lords Sword of the Spirit to kill vs and to wound vs to death eternall Ephes 6.1 Hee will smite the earth with the rodde of his mouth and slay the wicked and rebellious with the breath of his lippes that is the Lord will make good all those feareful iudgements which his seruants haue denounced against them in his name Esay 11.4 And as the raine that fals makes the earth more fruitfull or else more barren so it fareth with the Word it eyther cuts downe sinne to our amendment or else leaues most deadly wounds in our soules euen to death eternall Now then seeing the Word of God is so powerfull Oh how should this stirre vp euery man and woman to the hearing of
the Word of God continually to frequent Sermons to listen to the Doctrine of God to beleeue that they heare to yeeld vnto it and to lay their hearts open and naked that this Sword of Gods Spirit way wound them for sinne for though thou beest a notorious sinner a monstrous blasphemer a common drunkard a filthy whoremaster yet if thou shalt heare this Word and giue credite to it it is able to wound thy Soule and to pearce thy heart and experience teacheth that the Word of God hath done great things it hath conuerted most fearefull and monstrous sinners as Dauid 2. Sam. 12.1 Act. 9. Rom. 1.16 Saul Peter Mary Magdalen Zacheus c. And therefore wayte on the meanes attend on the Word heare Sermons and thou shalt find in the end that the Word of God shall bee the power of God to saue thy Soule if thou doe not harden thy heart against it And as for those the which do despise the Word and will not goe to the dore to heare it truly such men and women doe euen wilfully cast away their owne soules and suffer themselues to bee led euen blindfold to hell but if with care and conscience thou wilt attend vnto it as Lydea did and not cast it vp againe as those that haue queasie stomackes doe wholesome Physicke surely thou shalt find great power in the Word to saue thy soule By my Prophets and the words of my mouth HEre is layde downe now the meanes and the instruments which God vsed for the effecting of his iudgements namely his seruants the Prophets The Instrument I haue cut downe by my Prophets that is I haue brought vpon you those plagues and iudgements which were threatned against you by my faithfull seruants the Prophets euen those iudgements the which they haue denounced against you in my name I haue inflicted and brought them vpon you to slay and to destroy you for your sins Seeing the Lord did effect and bring to passe Doct. 5 those iudgements the which the Prophets pronounced against his people for their sins to slay them The Word of God in the mouthes of his Ministers shall bee accomplished and to destroy them Hence wee learne that the Word of the Lord in the mouthes of his Ministers it shall be accomplished Looke what iudgement they pronounce against sinne in the name of the Lord if men will not repent they shall certainely bee accomplished and come to passe howsoeuer men regard them not and will not beleeue them Indeed many times his iudgements are deferred and his punishments are prolonged because hee is a patient God would not the death of a sinner Mat. 14.35 yet hee is euer iealous of his Word that not one iot or tittle of his Word shal not passe but shall hee fulfilled This is clearely to be seene by the examples of Gods iudgements in all ages Gen. 2.17 3.7 Consider this truth in our first parents God threatned them that if they tasted the forbidden fruit they should die the death and did not God accomplish the same yea all their posterity do to this day feele the smart of the same curse When all the World were disobedient in the dayes of Noah that Preacher of righteousnesse 2. Pet 2.5 Gen. 6.3 God gaue them time space to repent in euen a hundred and twenty yeares and when they repented not the Lord did not fayle to bring his Iudgement vpon them A most cleare and liuely example of this wee haue in the booke of Iosuah Iosu 6.26 The man is cursed there before the Lord that should attempt the rebuilding of the City Iericho and this is the curse that should passe vpon that man namely this That hee should lay the foundation of it in his eldest sonne and in his youngest sonne shall hee set vp the gates of it This was the irreuocable curse that almighty God had threatned against the man that should attempt the building of that City Now afterwards when this threatning seemed to bee quite forgotten God is still mindfull of his Word and time is not able to weare that out 1. Reg. 16.34 for when Hiel the Bethelite did goe about to erect the same God doth bring his former iudgement to passe vpon him What shal wee say of Ahab and of Iezabel vnto whom many fearefull and terrible iudgements were denounced by Elias the Prophet of the Lord 2. Reg. 9.37 That the carkas of Iezabel shall bee as dung in the field of Israel This did God in his due time bring to passe vpon Iezabel and vpon the whole house of Ahab according to the Word of the Lord. So that we may safely conclude this point Num. 23.19 Sam. 3.19 and say with Moses that seruant of the Lord God is not as man that hee should lie or the Sonne of man that he should repent Gods iudgements threatned may seeme to vs as vnlikely as the plenty the Prophet spake of seemed to one of the Princes of Samariah Though the Lord would make Windowes in heauen could it come so to passe But what sayd the Prophet Behold 2. Reg. 7.2 19.20 thou shalt see it with thy eyes but thou shalt not eat thereof and so it came vnto him for the people trode him in the gate and hee died Thus did our Sauiour foretell the destruction of the City Ierusalem which came so to passe accordingly within the space of forty yeares after our Sauiour his Ascention Mat. 24. And is not the Word of God as true now in the mouthes of his Ministers yea whatsoeuer iudgement they shall proclaime in the name of the Lord and by vertue of the Word of God it shall certainly come to passe As they haue a long time threatned famine pestilence and the like iudgements and hath not the Lord brought these iudgements and the like most iustly vpon vs for our sins doe not wee feele the truth of it yea this Winter and Summer last when the Lord seemed to stoppe his eares at the prayers of his seruants and would not a long time be intreated And therefore let all wicked and vngodly wretches lay this Doctrine to heart that are ready to say Where is the promise of his comming and where bee those iudgements our Preachers haue so long spoke of Oh they shall know euen to their eternall shame and confusion at the last that the Lord will make good his Word bring to passe all those iudgements that haue been denounced against them And as it is true of Gods iudgements against rebellious sinners so is it true of the gracious promises of the Gospell to all them that doe truely repent Iesus Christ was a Minister of the Circumcision for the truth of God Rom 15.8 Ps 89.33 And againe I will not falsifie my Truth my Couenant will I not breake nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lippes This was that worthy resolution of the Prophet long before Christ was
will the Lord deale one day with all hypocritical seruers of God who because they bee such as make shew of Religion and seruice of God thinke that their profession may bee a cloake of all their impieties I desire Mercy and not Sacrifice THis is a most worthy sentence as it doth appeare in that our Sauiour Christ doth twice alleadge it in the Gospell of Mathew Mat. 9. â—3 when Christ kept company with the poore Publicans and sinners the Scribes and Pharisies were angrie with him our Sauiour bids them goe and learne what this meanes I will haue mercy and not sacrifice Where hee shewes that the Lord will not bee serued by outward Ceremonies and externall shewes but then men serue God when they can pardon and forgiue iniuries and wrongs and one pardon and forbeare another and are not ouer cruell and seuere one to another So when Christs Disciples pluckt the eares of corne vpon the Sabbath Mat. 12. the Pharisies were presentlie offended because they brake the Sabbath but Christ tels them this Scripture I will haue mercy and not sacrifice Where our Sauiour Christ sheweth that they were ouer cruell censurers of others thinking the keeping of the Sabbath to stand in such Ceremonies whereas they did nothing but that they might doe without offence Now as we haue cleared what it is that wee are to vnderstand of Sacrifice and Burnt offerings namely the outward and externall worship of God and all the ceremonies of the Law So now wee are to come to the two latter words Mercy and Knowledge by which we are to vnderstand the duties of Piety and Mercy faith to God and loue and mercy towards man And here the Lord compares these two together and shewes that hee preferres faith piety and godlinesse in the heart and mercifull and kind dealing towards men before the great shewes which men make in the outward seruice of God True it is the Lord will haue vs performe such parts of his seruice worship as hee commandeth in his Word and such ceremonies as hee prescribes but hee prefers faith obedience repentance feare and loue of God and loue kindnesse and mercifull dealing vnto men before all such sacrifices and burnt offerings and all other shewes whatsoeuer Yea all this outward shew and all our profession of Religion if it bee not ioyned with the knowledge of God that is with faith repentance and obedience and with the dueties of loue vnto men it is but abhomination in the sight of God Doct. 5 So then the point of Doctrine is this that seeing the Lord sayth I will haue mercy and not sacrifice God doth prefer the duties of loue and mercy to men before his owne worship that is I desire rather mercy then sacrifice It doth please the Lord better to see men performe duties of loue and kindnesse one towards another then to haue sacrifices neuer so many or great done vnto himselfe This is the Doctrine We see heere how the Lord doth farre preferre loue and kindnesse to men before al the outward shewes men make of religion whatsoeuer nay if men professe neuer so much make neuer so great a shew in the seruice of God for their hearing praying receyuing and the like yet if they want loue kindnesse to their brethren they cannot please God And this is the cause that the faith of many in the Scriptures hath growne famous in the world euen by their conscionable performance of the duties of the second Table loue and mercy vnto men I remember the Shunamites wife who called the Prophet of the Lord into her house to eate bread and sayd to her husband Behold 2. Reg 4.8.9 I know now that this is an holy man of God that passeth by vs continually let vs make him a little Chamber with walles and let vs set him there a bed and a table and a stoole and a candlesticke that hee may turne in thither when hee commeth to vs. Gen. 18. And of Abraham and Lot it is reported that they entertayned strangers into their houses Here was religion indeed when the same goes hand in hand with good works Happy Elias that hath such an Hostesse to giue him entertainement after his trauell and happy yea twice happy was shee by entertayning such a guest Deut. 10.18 This is that which Moses deliuereth by precept vnto the people of Israel The Lord our God is a God of gods and Lord of Lords a great God mighty and terrible who doth right vnto the Fatherlesse and widdow and loueth the stranger giueth him food and raiment loue yee therefore the stranger Where we see that Moses vrgeth this duty of mercy and loue vnto others euen from the example of God himselfe who is euer at hand to helpe them Esay 58.7 This is it which the Prophet Esay commendeth Is not this the fasting that I haue commaunded to deale thy bread to the hungry and that thou bring the poore that wander vnto thy house when thou seest the naked that thou couer him and hide net thy selfe from thy owne flesh And this is noted as one part of the innocency and integrity of godly Iob that hee could say The stranger did not lodge in the streetes but I opened my dores vnto him that went by the way Iob. 31.32 It is the straight charge that Christ himselfe giueth If thou bring thy gift to the Altar and there remembrest that thy Brother hath ought against thee leaue there thine offering before the Altar and goe thy way first bee reconciled to thy Brother and thou come and offer thy gift Where we see that men do but lose their labor that come to hear the Word pray receyue c. or to any part of Gods worship that liue in malice hatred or desire of reuenge 1. Cor. 13.1 Though I had the gift of Prophesie and knew all secrets all knowledge yea if I had all faith so that I could remoue mountaines and bad not loue I were nothing Where wee see if men want loue that is mercy and kindnesse to men they can doe nothing to please God so highly the Lord esteemes of this duty of mercy to men that he sayth There are but two Commandements this is one to loue our neighbour as our selfe and giues Peter commandement to forgiue his brother Mat. 22.37 1. Reg. 17. Act. 16. 2. Tim. 1. not till seuen times but till seuenty seuen times Lydea intreated Paul and his companions to come into her house and to abide with her Onesiphorus sought out Paul and refreshed him in time of his necessity All these examples the like whereof the Scriptures are full all serue to teach vs the truth of this Doctrine that the works of loue and mercy to our brethren serue to commend our faith to God and are more accepted with him then all things else wee can doe in his seruice and worship when they are wanting in vs. Now come we to the vses If the
should abound in sinne This is the reason why the Lord taxeth Gilead here euen because it was one of those sixe Cities of refuge Mat. 23 38. Luk. 19. because it was the Nursery of the Priests and Leuites This wee may see of Ierusalem for there had our Sauiour bestowed his greatest paines continually teaching and preaching amongst them in Ierusalem he wrought there the greatest part of his wonderfull heauenly miracles there hither his Prophets and Apostles were sent to teach and instruct them in the Word of God and to bring them home to Iesus Christ yet for al this our Sauiour was constrayned to weepe for the wofull misery of this City yet for all this Ierusalem must be destroyed defaced and extinguished and made a spectacle of his wrath to all posterities for euermore This is clearely to bee seene by those seuen Churches of Asia Reu. 2.3 that sometimes were so famous in the world in the dayes of Saint Iohn What is become of Ephesus Philippi Constantinople and Rome so glorious Churches sometimes in the world Are they not gone and become the Cage of vncleane birds 2. Thes 2.10 euen of Antichrist himselfe who preuayleth in them that perish because they receyued not the loue of the truth that they might bee saued And therfore God hath sent them strong delusions to beleeue lyes Surely God in all ages of the world hath declared the same vnto vs now peace now persecution peace being abused the Lord hath not fayled to bring his iudgements vpon the sonnes of men But of this before Well seeing this is the righteous dealing of God Vse 1 that those places which hee hath most priuiledged aboue others and bestowed most meanes on aboue others they shall drinke deeper of the cup of his anger if they bee wicked and vngodly liuing in sinne then others that haue not enioyed the like fauours from God Then it must teach vs all in the feare of God to looke about vs that according to the meanes God doth bestow vpon vs wee labour to bee answerable to the same in fruites in knowledge in faith in repentance and obedience zeale patience c. But aboue all things take wee heed that wee doe not degenerate and grow worse then others to abound with iniquity and impiety with lying deceit swearing couetousnesse c. For then let vs know that the Lord will make our punishment answerable to Tyrus Sydon yea to Sodom Gomer yea their iudgements shall be lighter then ours as our Sauiour sayth Mat. 11.20.21 Ezech. 16.46.53 It shall bee easier for Sodom in the day of iudgement then for you And the Lord by the Prophet Ezechiel threatneth thus that because the iniquities of the people of Israel were like vnto the Sodomites Therefore will I bring againe their captiuity and the captiuity of Sodome and her Daughters and the captiuitie of Samaria and her daughters euen the captiuity of thy Captiues in the middest of them And surely if wee shall grow worser then other places and abound in sinne more then other men how can wee but looke to reape a greater measure of punishment thē other There is no sin greater then the contempt of the Gospell nor no mercy greater then the peaceable enioying of the liberty of the same and therefore no punishment or reward of sinne shall be more horrible then the punishment that shall bee infflicted for the neglect or contempt thereof Oh take wee heed then least we contemne the Gospell and so being found guilty of one of the greatest sinnes wee incurre Gods wrath against vs and cause him to bring vpon vs his greatest punishments Secondly seeing the Lord doth threaten heere Vse 2 euen Gilead one of those sixe Cities of refuge and the Citty that was inhabited with the Priests and Leuites Religion is not tyed to one place that euen Gilead should bee cut off and slaine as in the fift verse going before that is that God would bring to passe vpon Gilead all those threatnings which his seruants the Prophets had denounced in his name Hence wee see that Religion and the worship of God is not tyed to any place to any kingdome towne or City no longer then they doe walke in the duties of Religion and of the true seruice and worship of God yea if Ierusalem that holy City the wonder of the world that place which God himselfe had chosen fall from God and beginne to forsake his son Christ and to contemn his sonne Christ Ierusalem then must looke for heauy plagues and grieuous iudgements yea if Gilead that was so priuiledged aboue other Cities and places of the world will not walke holily and beare themselues thankefully in the daies of peace the Lord will not fayle to bring euen vpon Gilead many plagues and grieuous iudgements against sinne Oh then if all things that are written bee written for our learning then let the iudgement of God vpon this City bee a warning to vs all Wee haue by Gods mercy the pure seruice and worship of God his Gospell sincerely preached and taught amongst vs almost these threescore years together Now let vs see whether our case bee not like the state of Gilead they were grieuous sinners so are we amongst them were found many great and grieuous sinnes a Citie that abounded with all manner of iniquitie as swearing lying deceit murder oppression vncleanesse c. and are not wee guilty of the same sinnes yes yes they were neuer more plenty in Gilead then they are in England and therefore wee may well feare that wee that haue beene like to Gilead in sinne shall one day be like to them in their punishment The Lord by his Prophet Amos hath threatned there a great and a grieuous iudgement against the neglect and contempt of his Word and other the gracious meanes that hee doth vouchsafe vnto vs for our good Behold the dayes come sayth the Lord Amos. 8.11 that I will send a Famine into the Land not a famine of bread or thirst of water but of hearing the Word of the Lord. Oh it is greatly to bee feared that wee may one day feele the smart of this iudgement the want of the Word and glorious Gospell of Christ that made so light account of the same in the time of peace then shall wee mourne then shall wee lament then shall wee lye in the dust then wee shall weepe and wayle and wring our hands and wish that wee might heare if it were but one Sermon to comfort our distressed Soules And in very deed if wee consider Gods dealing towards vs wee may see that these blacke stormy dayes are drawing on Doth not the Lord picke out from amongst vs the most renowned men from Church and common wealth the pillars of the Church and stayes of Religion doth not the Lord euen by this meanes giue vs a faire warning that vnlesse we amend and become sincere Christians and bee zealous in his seruice and worshippe and more highly
rauening Wolues and cruell murderers of soules for then it may bee sayd Like Priest like people an ignorant prophane couetous Minister a vile ignorant and prophane people and therfore in the three first Chapters of the Reuelation wee shall find that what fault soeuer the Lord finds there with the Minister the people are guilty of the same If the Minister be reproued they are reproued If the Minister be praised so bee they And on the contrary to haue a carefull Moses or a painefull Paul to bee set ouer vs it is counted a singular testimony of Gods loue a great mercy of God for if the Minister bee painefull and carefull to teach in season and out of season it must needs be that the people will bee wise full of knowledge zeale patience and all heauenly graces Oh then let vs pray vnto the Lord to remoue that iudgement if it bee on vs and intreat the Lord to shew vs that mercy that we may not haue a cruell murdering Priest of Baal but a true Prophet of God that may watch ouer our soules as one that must giue account of them at the last day Io 21. Act. 28.20 Ezech. 34. that may feed the sheepe and Lambes of Christ with the pure and wholesome food of Gods word and not with the stinking trash of mans inuention Doct. 2 Againe seeing those Priests of Baal which were but theeues and murderers in the sight of God set themselues to inuent cursed councell against the Prophets and people of God Nature of the wicked to deuise all the mischiefe they can against the godly to deuise mischiefe against them then to practise it as occasion was offered we may from hence obserue the nature of false Prophets whom Christ cals theeues and murderers They seeke to deuise all the mischiefe they can against the true Prophets of God and to the vttermost of their power practise and effect it That of Amaziah against Amos doth manifest the same Amos. 7 1â— and that conspiracy against Ieremy when no means else could serue Come let vs deuise some euill against Ieremy Ier. 18.18 and smite him with the tongue So they confesse Dan. 6.5 they could find no fault against godly Daniel vnlesse it were the worshipping of his God they sought out many things against him but nothing could they find but euen his piety and religion and when all other meanes fayled that was matter sufficient to worke vpon but their mischiefe fell vpon their owne pate and they spunne a threed to hang themselues withall Alike plotte and practise against the Church wee see in the dayes of Mordecai and Esther when Haman was exalted Hest 3.1.6.13 his seat set aboue all the Princes of the Kingdome hee thought it too little to lay hands on Mordecai and therefore hee layde his plotte to destroy all the Iewes young and old in one day And this is plentifully taught vs in the booke of the Lamentations Lam. 5.4 Our necks are vnder persecutors wee are weary and haue no rest c. These places teach vs that the enemies of Gods Church howsoeuer many times they couer the depth of their hearts are full of all vnrighteousnes wickednesse enuy murders haters of God without naturall affection mercilesse without humility and humanity But of this else where Let all such men as be like to Ieroboams Priests that Vse 1 set their cursed heads a worke against the Lord and against his true and faithfull seruants let them know that this mischiefe the which they now so craftily deuise is not so much against man as it is against God Hee that heareth you heareth mee and hee that despiseth you despiseth mee So that they doe but striue against the streame and shall in the end draw downe the heauie wrath of God vpon them And let it admonish all those which doe deuise euill against Syon against Gods truth and against his holie Seruants and the professors of his name let them know that they doe it to the dishonour of God and he will one day call them to account for it Touch not mine Annointed and doe my Prophets no harme And this their mischieuous imagination against the Lord and his truth shal not prosper Vse 2 Secondly seeing this is the portion of Gods children to find such hard dealing from the wicked wee are here to consider the cause of it it is not for euill but for goodnesse sake Esay 59.5 Whosoeuer refrayneth from euill maketh himselfe a prey This was the estate of the Church euen from righteous Abel whose bloud cried for vengeance Consider then what manner of Religion it is that wee take vpon vs to professe euen that the which hath the Sunne Moone and Starres against it Our Sauiour himselfe telleth vs what will follow the profession of the Gospell I came not to send peace into the earth Mat. 10.34 but the sword For I came to set a man at vaiance with his father c. We must take notice of this aforehand before wee giue vp our names to Christ that this must bee our entertainement in the World and at the hands of wicked men that so these crosses which shall happen vnto vs heere may not any way daunt vs but that wee bee still prepared for them By Consent Doct. 3 Note here that it was not the sinne of one or two or some few of the Priests Councels may erre and Magistrates and Ministers in matters of Faith and manners that had thus sinned against the Lord but it was the sin of the multitude of them they all confederate together and ioyne in one both in condemning the innocent and iustifying of the nocent From whence wee learne that Rulers and Ministers of a particular visible Church may erre in matters of faith and manners and that councels haue been against the Lord and against his Church Which Doctrine is very cleare by diuers places in the booke of God as that of the Prophet Esay Esay 6.10 The Watchmen are all blind they bee a sleepe and delight in sleeping Now in what state could this people be in when their Watchmen were blind those that were the heads and guides of the people Againe 2. Chr. 36.14 All the chiefe of the Priests also and of the people trespassed wonderfully according to all the abhominations of the Heathen and polluted the house of the Lord which hee had sanctified in Ierusalem And this doth the Prophet Ieremy shew when hee sayth Ier. 3.5 I will get mee to the great men and will speake vnto them for they haue known the way of the Lord and the iudgement of their God but these haue altogether broken the yoake burst the bones This is cleared by the Prophet Hosea Hos 7.7 when hee sayth They are all hote as an Ouen and haue deuoured their Iudges all their Kings are fallen Mich. 6.16 there is none amongst them that calleth vpon mee sayth the Lord. This is that which
c. Behold here what a straight charge the Lord hath giuen vnto the people of Israel and so vnto vs all to this end that no man should bee a Stranger vnto the Word And it is the commandement of our Sauiour Io. 5.39 Search the Scriptures for they are they that testifie of mee Act. 17. It was the great commendations of the men of Bereah that they searched the Scriptures to see whether those thinges were so as Paul deliuered they would not presentlie entertaine that Doctrine of theirs vpon the first view but brought the same to the Touchstone of Gods Word neyther would they reiect it though they had not before heard of the like 2. Cor. 4.3 What meanes that place of the Apostle Trie the Spirits whether they bee of God And againe If the Gospell bee hidde it is hid to those that perish in whom the God of this world hath blinded their minds So that it is most cleare that Ignorance of the Word and glorious Gospel of Christ in such as ought to know it is a most fearefull sinne and a most certaine fore runner of destruction for if this bee life eternall Ioh. 17.3 To know thee to bee the true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent Then on the other part it must needs bee the beginning of eternall death in those especially in these dayes that are ignorant of the true God and Iesus Christ whom hee hath sent So that wee see clearely that it is not our good intents and meanings that will goe for payment at Gods handes in that the Lord doth require that all men should take notice of his Will reuealed in his Word This condemnes the horrible practise of the Vse 1 Papists that maintaine all Idolatry and superstition their Masse Inuocation of Saints Prayer for the dead Worshipping of Images c. And they thinke that so long as they meane well and haue good intents and purposes all is well God cannot but bee pleased with them But wee are taught heere another Lesson namely that that is not good which we thinke good but that the Lord allowes and aproues of for good And therefore seeing the Lord abhors all Idolatry and superstition as most abhominable in his sight and that therein the whole seruice and worshippe of God amongst the Papists doth consist It shall little auaile them one day that they stand vpon their good intents and meanings All these shall not bee worth a button if the Lord can say of them as hree of this people I see villany amongst them Idolatry worshipping stockes and stones praying to Saints c. This is villany in Gods account and then what will their good meaning stand them in stead Had not Vzza a good intent to stay the Arke from falling but the Lord doth not so take it at his handes for it cost him his life And therfore sayth Samuel vnto Saul To obey 1. Sam. 15. is better then Sacrifices and to hearken is better then the fatee of Rams Oh then remember that thy ignorance will not excuse thee nor thy good meanings will not goe for payment at Gods hand to say though I doe this and this I meane well as the best of them all but if the Lord like not of it nor approue of it bee thy intent what it will bee all is in vaine the same is an abhomination to the Lord. Vse 2 Secondly this may serue to condemne a great many amongst vs that notwithstanding wee liue in such an age and time that both knowledge and grace is euen thrust vpon vs yet alas doe not the very body of our Congregations remayne ignorant still This is the condemnation that Light is come into the world and men loued darknesse rather then light Ioh 3.19 because their deedes were euill It must needes bee a strange darknesse that cannot bee driuen away by the bright heames of the glorious Gospell of Christ And surely God doth euen now sitte in iudgement vpon such persons and by this their ignorance especially in these dayes makes knowne their reprobation and finall perdition The excuses of men are but vayne I am not booke learned and I hope God will beare with me Thus I am taught and instructed by my Teachers I. but what if thy Teacher bee a blinde Guide wilt not thou trie the Spirits whether they be of God Surely such persons conclude their owne iudgement and giue sentence against themselues that they want grace and are in a most fearefull condition for now to bee ignorant in the cleare light of the Gospel it argues that Gods wrath and vengeance hath taken hold on such persons as the Apostle sayth 2. Cor. 4.3 If our Gospell bee hid it is hid to those that are lost in whome the God of this world hath blinded their minds that is of the Infidels that the light of the glorious Gospell of Christ which is the Image of God should not shine vnto them Oh then seeing it is so fearefull a iudgement of God to be ignorant of his Word and Will and that it will not excuse when God shall enter into iudgement with vs Let vs I say seeke for knowledge as for treasures Let vs search the Scriptures that in them wee may finde eternall Life Let vs labour to haue the Word of God dwell plentifully in vs which is able to make vs wise vnto saluation Let vs vse all holy meanes both to begette as also to increase this Knowledge in vs that so wee may not bee ledde aside by blinde guides to commit Idolatry with this people here but that God may bee still our God and wee his People I haue seene the villany of the house of Israel and the Whoredome of Ephraim Idolatry the sinne of this people THe sinne that Almighty God doth heere accuse them of it is Idolatry and that in most vile manner ouerspred generally the whole body of this people euen all the Ten tribes which sinne to shew the vilenesse of it the Lord cals Villany whoredome things abhominable to the Lord and such as hee loathes And hee cals it Whoredome because as an Harlot or an Whore doth forsake her owne husband and commits filthinesse with another man euen so Idolaters forsake God and marry themselues to Idols It is called the Whoredome af Ephraim because Ieroboam which came of the Tribe of Ephraim had set it vp amongst them 1. Reg. 12.28 to worship the Calues in Dan and Bethel Doct. 3 Now the Doctrine wee gather hence is this that it is a wofull and an heauy iudgement of God vpon a Country or Kingdome It is a heauy iudgement of God vpon a people when the chiefe gouernors bee Idolaters 2. Sam. 6.1 when the chiefe Gouernours be men voyd of religion and giuen to superstition Idolatry We see this in this present Text for here the Lord complaines of Ephraim and the ten Tribes because they were poluted with miserable Idolatry which was set vp
by Ieroboam for as the King is so will the Subiects be They are not onely to informe their inferiours and giue direction vnto them by Word but by their example and practise to go before them Now then if they bee Idolaters prophane and superstitious you shall then see the whole Body of the people to follow them Againe if they bee religious and deuoute in the seruice of God the whole people that are vnder them in shew at the least will bee the same And as the oyntment that was powred on Aarons head ran downe to his beard and so to the very border of his garments Euen so the impiety and wickednes of the Superiour runneth about through the whole Family and all that are vnder them infecting and corrupting them This is cleare by diuers examples in the booke of God Luk. 23.11 When Herod begunne to offer indignitie to Christ all his traine were ready to doe the same And when wicked Ahab desired to bee vpholden in his purpose to goe vp against Ramoth Gilead 2. Reg. 22.8 all his seruants were ready and at hand to feede him in his humour for when the King sent them to call Michaiah they were readie to tell the Prophet what he should say to the King All the other Prophets say they declare good to the King with one accord let thy words be like theirs and whē the good Prophet would not flatter but tolde the King plainely the truth from the Lord Zidkijah the Kings Chaplaine smote him on the cheeke So true is that saying of Salomon Of a Prince that hearkneth to lyes all his seruants are wicked Pro. 29.12 Their example is a Law and by their lewd example they strengthen other mens hands in sinne so that it is in a common wealth as one sayth as it is in a Fish that if the head bee once corrupted and putrified the whole body certainly is no lesse And if a man would know vhether the body of the Fish be corrupted or no hee must smell the head Euen so if the heads of Church and common wealth be corrupted the whole body of both must needs be infected And therefore what great cause haue we to blesse God who hath set ouer vs a Religious King Vse a Fauourer of the Gospell an enemy to Popery and superstion Oh let vs giue God the honour of it and let vs pray for him that the Lord would vse him to bee a further instrument vtterly to roote out all the Reliques of Poperie and deface all the monuments of Idolatry that Idolaters and those that haue giuen their names to the Pope that Antichrist of Rome may vtterly bee rooted out of this Land that our Kingdome may bee disburdened of them that wee may neuer see the fornication and Idolatry of the Whore of Rome set vp againe that this Church of England may neuer bee polluted with it any more Secondly this should serue as an instruction to all Princes Magistrates and Mighty men that they endeuour by all meanes possible by their godly life and good example to draw on others that are vnder them to the knowledge and feare of God for certaine it is if great men bee backeward in good things whole multitudes are readie to presume by their example Wee see in our small Parishes and little Villages if there bee but one or two that are of the chiefest in the Parrish that are negligent and carelesse in the seruice of God Children of Belial Idolaters Drunkards or the like what a poyson are they to pester a whole Congregation It is too apparant The Lord lay not this sinne to their charge one day that should haue giuen better example for as there is a happie and blessed vnion in Religion and Christian obedience when Magistrate and Minister goe hand in hand to build vp an holy Temple vnto God Note and are both of one mind and of one mouth to seeke to set forth the glory of God so I haue found by my own experience that though the Minister bee neuer so laborious in preaching the Word yet when other Gouernors and such as are the chiefe of a Parish haue no sappe or seasoning of the feare of God in them the hands of the wicked waxe strong in such a place Oh that our Magistrates and great men would lay this to heart that as their place is eminent in the common-wealth that they would giue such good example by their godly and religious walking their sanctifying of the Lords Sabbath their countenancing of godly and painefull Ministers that so they might prouoke and stirre vp others to godlinesse VERSE 11. Yea Iudah hath set a plant for thee whiles I would returne the Captiuity of my people IN this last verse the Lord comes to shew the vile dealing of Iudah that when the Lord purposed to bring again the captiuity of Israel then Iudah laboured to conuey their Idolatry amongst them and tooke as it were plants of their Idolatry and set them vp amongst the Tribes of Iudah For at this time though Israel was polluted miserably with Idolatrie yet the Lord had preserued Iudah from that abhomination but as soone as the Lord had deliuered Israel out of Captiuity then Iudah was infected and polluted with their Superstitions Hence wee may learne how apt wee bee by nature Doct. 1 to sucke in Popery and superstition Iudah was pure Men by nature are apt to sucke in Popery and superstition but so soone as the Lord brought Israel home againe they beganne to take grafts of their idolatrie and to ioyne with them So now though wee are by Gods mercy freede from the filthinesse of Popery and superstition yet if the Lord should returne it and suffer it to bee brought in againe amongst vs wee are by nature exceeding apt to receyue it to take plants of it and to loue and like it This is clearly to bee seene in diuers places of the Scriptures Iudg. 4.7.32 4.1.2 especially by the example of the Israelites in the Booke of Iudges They committed euill againe and againe by Idolatry they knew what that sinne was yea they had experience of the seuerity of Gods Iustice against it and more still they confessed it and cryed for mercy yet the same people and the children of the same people not remembring their former fals nor admonished by Gods former iudgements fell a fresh into the same sinne and prouoked againe Gods wrath against them Againe Moses laboured much vvith this people Exod. 32.3 to peswade them to make a Couenant with their God and to cleaue to him in faithfull and constant obedience Yet when they had beene but a while out of the way they would needs haue a golden Calfe in stead of Moses to goe before them and therefore they came in all haste to Aaron vrging him to make them one Which in carnall policy hee sought to stay calling for their golden Eare-rings thinking indeed they would in no hand haue parted with them But
forwardnes in you in sanctifying the Sabbath and hearing the word diligently since which time who doth not perceiue a decay of zeale a decay of hearing in a great many of this congregation that will scarce now vouchsafe God your presence in the assembly of his people once a month The full soule sayth Salomon loatheth the honey combe Reu 3.14 I feare you are full euen of spirituall pride with the Church of Laodicea Well bee warned betimes lest your footings that you haue taken so oft in your bowling Allyes surmount your steps into Gods house and so the Lord lay this sinne of ingratitude to your charge that hee should offer vnto you such gracious oportunities and ye should so carelesly neglect the same Vse 2 Secondly this condemnes the common repentance of most men and women that it is not sound nor sincere because though they condemne sinne know it to be sinne yet they neuer proceede so farre as to leaue and forsake it Mar. 6. Herod could not bee brought to leaue his Incest Demas made a fayre shew for a while but by and by left all fell into loue with the world so many men will for a brunt serue God and seeme very forward both to heare the Word read pray c. yet the strength of their owne corruptions and the loue of the World steales away their hearts so as it comes to nothing but sure it is that the grace of God when it hath taken possession in a mans soule it will throughly purge the same though not altogether from sinne for the Flesh will euer rebell against the Spirite yet from the power of sinne so as that man that is truely sanctified shall not from henceforth become a seruant vnto sinne for a purpose to continue in sin and the grace of God cannot abide both in one Soule but of this before And thus much of the Complaint the Iudgement followeth VERSE 5. Therefore haue I cut downe by the Prophets I haue slaine them by the words of my mouth and thy iudgements were as the light that goeth foorth HAuing heard of their sinue now wee are to speake of their punishment which the Lord inflicted vpon them for the same namely fearefull destruction and vtter ouerthrow In speaking of their punishment we are hence to obserue foure things Parts of the Text. First the Author of it I that is the Lord himselfe Secondly the greatnesse of it Cut downe and slaine them Thirdly the Instruments the Lord vseth My Prophets my word Fourthly the equity of it namely that the Lord made his iudgements as cleare as the noone day vnto them so as they could not plead ignorance or want of knowledge Therefore haue I cut downe Therefore that is because I haue on my part done what I can to reclaim you and bring you to some good passe but you refused and hardned your hearts and contemned my words for then the cause of Gods iudgements is their rebellion against the meanes and their contempt of the Word of God and preaching of his Prophets Doct. 1 Then hence wee learne what a grieuous sinne it is to contemne the meanes of saluation To contemn the meanes of saluation is a grieuous sinne and neuer goes vnpunished Gen. 7.10.11.12 to contemne the Gospell of Christ Iesus it neuer goes vnpunished When Noah had preached repentance to the people of the old World for the space of one hundred and twenty yeares together and the people had despised the same what followed in the end but a fearefull destruction euen a generall Deluge which swept them all away When Lot spake to his sonnes in Law which married his daughters and warned them to escape out of Sodom for the iudgements of God were at hand to bee layde vpon that City The Text sayth Gen. 19.14 that Hee seemed to his Sonnes in Law as though hee had mocked but what followed did not they perish with those sinnefull Sodomites And Iob makes this one of the marks of a reprobate They say vnto God Depart from vs Iob. 21.14 for wee desire not the knowledge of thy wayes not that there are any so desperately wicked as to vse such speeches against the Lord but the meaning is that men declare so much by their liues they liue in open contempt of the gracious meanes of their saluation whatsoeuer they pretended in words their deeds declared that they cared not to bee acquainted with Gods will To the same purpose is that complaint in the Psalme My people would not heare my voyce and Israel would none of mee Psal 81.11.12 The Lord had often spoken to that people by his seruants the Prophets but they regarded them not much like to our people in these times but what followed the Lord would neuer put vp this great ingratitude at their hands but sayth in the verse following Ver. 12.1.1 So I gaue them vp vnto the hardnes of their owne hearts and they walked in their owne councels And this is further cleared by that speech of Almighty God by his Prophet Ieremy where hee sayth Ier. 7.13 I rose vp earely and spake vnto you but when I spake yee would not heare me neyther when I called would ye answere Behold here the desperate estate and condition of this people that notwithstanding God had dealt so graciously with them from time to time to offer vnto them so many gracious oportunities of their saluation following them as it were at the heeles with the same sometimes by his Word sometimes by his mercies sometimes by his iudgements yet they neglected them al they contemned thē al. But afterward the Lord made good the words of his seruants he brought his iudgements vpon them and their Temple Verse 14. in the which they seemed so much to trust vppon the Lord made it as Shilo and as the same Prophet complaineth in another place That the wayes of Sion lamented Lam. 1.4 because no man came to their solemne feasts all her gates are desolate the Priests sigh c. It was not their outward priviledges that would now stand them in stead that they were the posterity of Abraham that they had amongst them the Arke of Gods couenant the Mercy seat Psal 132.14 the Temple of the Lord and that the Lord had appointed that for his rest for euer Seeing they contemned his Prophets Ier. 6.10 delighted not in Gods voyce but tooke pleasure in vnrighteousnesse And this is that our Sauiour layes to the charge of the people of Ierusalem Mat. 23.37 How often would I haue gathered you together and yee would not Behold now your habitation is loft desolate Mat. 11.21 Yea our Sauiour Christ tels them of Capernaum that it shall bee easier for the land of Sodom in the day of iudgement then for them so then we may safely conclude this doctrine with that speech of the Apostle 2. Thes 2.10.11.12 Because they receiue not the loue of the truth that they
Thirdly seeing the menaces and threatnings of Vse 3 God shall bee accomplished vpon the wicked and vngodly so is it true of the blessed promises of the Gospell so as looke what promise God hath made there either of pardon of sinne or of life and saluation they shall likewise bee performed wee are not to doubt of it for will God keepe touch with the wicked and will hee not much more remember his promise to his children this were iniurious to the Spirit of God so to thinke Oh then let vs learne to depend vpon God 2. Cor. 1.20 and to wayte duely vpon his gracious promises Knowing that all his promises are yea and Amen and Hee is faithfull which hath promised Let vs learne then to rest vpon him for the pardon of our sinnes the hearing of our prayers the resurrection of our dead bodies and life euerlasting the Lord is iust and true in all his promises Oh what a comfort is this to poore distressed soules Doest thou mourne for sinne and desirest to feare thy God and walke in his wayes wel assure thy soule that whatsoeuer gracious promise hee hath made vnto thee in his Word it shall be performed Heauen and Earth shall passe but one iot or tittle of my Word shall not passe away but a◠euery iudgement and plague pronounced against sinne and sinners shal bee brought vpon them to destruction euen so euery gracious promise made to Gods Church and people shall bee performed to their eternall comfort and saluation and therefore let vs beleeue this and rest vpon it that the Lord will perform his Word in the mouths of his Prophets and Ministers Whatsoeuer yee bind on earth I will bind in heauen Mat. 16.19 and whatsoeuer yee loose on Earth I will loose in heauen And thy iudgements were as the light that goeth forth The equity of the iudgement IN these words the Lord shewes that they could not pretend ignorance of the will and Word of God for the Lord had taught them and declared vnto them manifestly and apparantly what hee would haue them to doe for by Iudgement in this place is meant the doctrine of God taught vnto them by his seruants the the Prophets q.d. my Doctrine in the mouthes of my seruants where I shewed and layde open before your eyes the way to lead holy liues and to serue mee it was cleare as the light as the Sunne-shine at Noone day when there is no cloud so as you haue now no excuse at all for yourselues but must needs acknowledge that my iudgements are now iustly inflicted vpon you and that you haue of malice with a hie hand and most rebellious heart sinned against mee So then you see what is heere meant by the iudgement of the Lord namely the cleare and manifest doctrine of God to direct vs in the way to life eternall Seeing the Lord doth heere professe vnto his people Doct. 6 that his Iudgements that is the Doctrine of God wherein hee would haue taught them how ro liue well and blessedly was cleare and manifest God neuer strikes with his iudgements before hee giues warning and that they could alleadge no excuse of ignorance Hence we learne that the Lord doth neuer strike with his iudgements but hee first giues warning so as if men would bee wise to beleeue his Word and to amend their liues they might auoyde his iudgements but if they will bee so rebellious and hard hearted that they will not amend they must needs acknowledge confesse that they are most worthy to bee plagued and punished This was Gods mercifull dealing towards the people of the old world vnto whom the Lord vouchsafed one hundred and twenty yeares to repent in before hee brought his iudgements vpon them besides all which time he vouchsafed vnto them Noah that Preacher of righteousnesse Gen 6.3 2. Pet. 2.5 warning them still of a iudgement to com to this end that they hearing from Noah what iudgement the Lord had intended against them if they repented not their condemnation might be so much the more heauy vpon them Thus dealt the Lord with those sinnefull Sodomites Gen. 19. vnto whom hee sent his seruant Lot Exod. 9. Whose righteous soule was vexed from day to day Thus dealt hee with Pharaoh and his people vnto whom hee sent Moses Aaron againe and againe and still againe to admonish him to let the people of Israel goe When this preuailed not he sent iudgement vpon iudgement and all to humble the hard heart of Pharaoh What shall wee say of Ahab and Iezabel vnto whom the Lord sent Elias such is the goodnesse of God towards the sonnes of men that hee will euer warne before hee strike and admonish before hee correct for so did the Lord deale with this people as in the former verse Oh Ephraim what shall I doe vnto thee Hos 11.8 Oh Iudah how shall I entreat thee Meaning thereby that the Lord had vsed many wayes and meanes to humble them if it might bee before he proceeded in iudgement against them This is most liuely set out vnto vs in the booke of the Prouerbs Pro. 1.20.21 where Salomon brings in Christ Iesus the wisdome of the Father sometime by his Ministers and sometimes by himselfe calling and crying vnto vs to heare his voyce and to receyue instruction and if this fayre meanes that the Lord shall vse will not serue to humble vs the Lord doth there threaten That the time shall come when wee shall cry and call vpon him and hee will not heare vs Yea hee will bee then so farre from pittying in the time of our distresse as that hee will then Laugh at our destruction and that because wee did not chuse the feare of the Lord. This was the mercifull dealing of God towards the Niniuites Ion. 3.4 vnto whom hee sent his Prophet Ionas to bring them home by repentance and thus dealt hee with Ierusalem Mat. 23.38 vsing all means possible to humble them before the iudgement came foorth For if God would reclaime vs by his Word hee would neuer take his Rodde But of this before And the reason of this Doctrine is cleare Reason because the Lord by this meanes will leaue the wicked and those that are reserued to destruction without all excuse for this doth the Apostle declare Act. 14.16.17 when he sayeth In times past hee suffered all the Gentiles to walke in their owne wayes Neuerthelesse he left not himselfe without witnesse in that hee did good and gaue them raine from heauen and fruitfull seasons filling their hearts with ioy and gladnesse Now if the giuing of them showers of raine the dew of Heauen bee vnto them the Lords witnesses and the Testimonies of his power Oh how much more thē is the word of God which is the sauor of life vnto those that beleeue Surely this warning that the wicked haue heere hence shall much more leaue them without excuse in the day of
the Lord. Seeing then the Lord is not easily drawne to the Vse 1 execution of iudgement before hee hath offered many meanes of repentance and reconciliation Oh let vs apply this Doctrine to our selues Let vs looke backe vnto our former times Let vs take notice of Gods mercifull dealing with vs Hath not the Lord warned vs by many meanes and proued vnto vs that there is a necessity imposed vpon vs that wee must needes Returne vnto him I appeale vnto thy conscience whosoeuer thou art that readest this Haue wee not beene told plainely of our sins that liuing in that course wee doe at this present we cannot be saued hath hee not againe warned vs of his iudgements by his Ministers wee know wee know euery one in the secret of his owne bosome that the Lord hath spoken vnto vs warning vs of iudgement but when this means would not serue to bring vs home to himselfe by repentance nor to returne vnto God Now the Lord hath met vs with iudgement euen this vnseasonable weather that makes the creature to mourne vnto vs to teach vs to mourne besides how many particular afflictions chasticements hath the Lord layd vpon vs in our bodies goods and good names wife children cattell and the like do not they al summon vs to repentance and cry aloud in our deafe eares that the Lord is at hand with his udgements Oh let vs bee warned betimes to seeke vnto him by repentance lest the Lord vsing all these meanes vnto vs to bumble vs and wee remaine rebellions and hard hearted still bee take occasion euen therehence to lay the heauier iudgement vpon vs. Let vs then acknowledge the Lord to bee a iust God that giues vs such warning and when his iudgements shall lye heauy vpon vs let vs not accuse the Lord of any hard dealing but rather accuse the hardnesse of our owne hearts which would not bee warned by his Word and Iudgements Dan. 9. Daniel confesseth that because the people would not beleeue the Lords Prophets and faithfull seruants therefore they were iustly plagued for their sinnes Let vs do the like and take heed that wee doe not neglect the checks of our owne conscience reprouing vs of our sinful waies for the time commeth apace and wee know not how soone when this conscience of ours the which now doth checke vs shall iudge vs and this heart of ours the which now doth reproue vs shall torment vs and that because wee haue wilfully neglected the meanes of our owne saluation when the Lord hath offered the same vnto vs. Vse 2 Secondly seeing the Lord doth vse so many means to humble vs and to bring vs home to himselfe by repentance wee are taught hence that if any doe perish in his sinnes hee must not impute the fault vnto God but vnto himselfe for the Lord may iustly say vnto vs as somtimes to the people of Israel Esay 5.4 What could I haue done more to my Vineyard that I haue not done so what should I haue done more to the soule of this sinner that I haue not done my Word my Iudgements my mercies the motions of my Spirit all these haue I vsed to humble them So that in all our plagues and iudgements in all our woes and miseries whether in this world or in the world to come the whole blame must light vpon our selues whose hearts are so hard that they will not repent from this fearefull iudgement or hardnesse of heart the Lord keepe vs all for his Christs sake VERSE 6. For I desire mercy and not sacrifice and the knowledge of God more then burnt offerings THe Lord hauing threatned this rebellious people by his iudgements manifested his anger for their sinnes disobedience especially because they would not bee reformed of their euill courses and bee humbled by his word Now the Lord doth preuent an obiection which this people might or did make The preuention of an obiection and takes away all colouâ— of excuse For thus they might say why should the Lord bee thus angry with vs and thus to chide vs to cry out vpon vs to threaten vs by his Prophets Doe wee not serue God doe we not kill our beasts to offer them in sacrifice to God Do wee not thus and thus but wee can neuer please him hee will neuer be content with vs let vs doe what wee can though wee offer neuer so many sacrifices and burnt offerings yet the Lord is alwayes chiding and finding fault with vs. To all this the Lord seemes here to answere I passe not for these outward Ceremonies and outward worship vnlesse you ioyn true faith and obedience to God and true loue and charity vnto men Duties of piety to God ioined with the true knowledge of God and true reformation of our hearts and liues together with iust honest and vpright dealing with men Hence then first of all wee may obserue what account Doct. 1 the Lord makes of Sacrifices and Burnt offerings that is of all the outward seruice of God God esteemes not of our outward seruice when it is not performed in faith and obedience the outward actions and ceremonies belonging to the same seuered from the knowledge of God true repentance and hearty obedience with loue and iust dealing with men hee professeth here that hee cares not for them hee hath no delight in them they stinke in his eyes are abominable vnto him What haue I to do sayth the Lord with the multitude of your sacrifices Esay 1.11.12 I am full of your burnt offerings of Rams and the farre of fed beasts I desire not the bloud of Bullocks nor of Lambes nor of Goates When yee come to appeare before mee who required this at your hands to tread in my Courts Where wee may see that although Almighty God commanded these sacrifices for a time as aydes and helpes vnto this people for the exercise of their faith to leade them to Christ yet because they offered them vp without faith or repentance God detested them and they were abomination vnto him This is cleared by the same Prophet in another place Esay 66.3 Hee that killeth a Bullocke is as if hee slew a man hee that sacrificeth a sheepe as if hee cut off a Dogges necke Hee that offereth oblation as if hee offered Swines bloud hee that remembreth incense as if hee blessed an Idoll yea they haue chosen their owne wayes and their soule delighteth in their abominations This people heere thought themselues holy by offering of their sacrifices though they performed them neyther in faith nor repentance therefore the Lord sheweth them in this place that hee doth no lesse detest these Ceremonies then hee doth the Sacrifices of the Heathen who offered men dogs and swine to their Idols which things were expresly forbidden in the Law Ier. 7 9. This is taught by the Prophet Ieremy where he sayth Will you steale murder commit adultery sweare falsly burne incense vnto Baal and