danger And herein appears the strength and witchcraft of Infatuation in that men are never so joâ—ly and unapprehensive of danger as when they are dancing upon the very brink of the boâ—tomless pâ—t with Jonaâ— though a rebel and a fugitive from his Lord and maker their sleep is then soundest upon the pillow of security when they are in the most eminent danger to be cast away Of such as these doubtless doth the Prophet Isaiah complain In that day did the Lord God of hosts call to weeping to mourning and to baldness and to girding with sackcloth and behold joy and gladness slaying oxen and killing sheep eating flesh drinking wine Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall dy And it was revealed in mine ears by the Lord of hosts surely this inquity shalâ— not be purged from you till you dy That is it shall never be purged from you but you shall dy in it And certainly this cannot but be taken as an high provocation and affront to Gods justice when not only his threatnings but his immediate extensions are scorn'd and despised Shall the Lyon roar and shall not the beasts of the forrest tremble Shall the most high God thunder out of heaven and not sinful guilty man be afraid Will Zimâ—i and Cozbi be shameless at their uncleaness just at the same time the fierce anger of the Lord breaks out against Israel when the Congregation is weeping before the dore of the Tabernacle Certainly this is that madness of heart Solomon speaks of when men have no knowledge or sense of the time of their vistation but as the Fishes that are taken in an evil net and as the birds are caught in the sâ—are so are the sons of men snared in an evil time when it falleth suddenly upon them And therefore our Saviour foreseeing that his Disciples would be found sleeping even in that very hour when he was to be betrayed gives them a caution which can never be unseasonable to any Christian Take heed to your selves lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with sursetting and drankenness and cares of this life and so that day come upon you unawares For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth But wherefore as a snare But because it shall surprize men when they are unprepared and unprovided of any thing to resist the evil of that day like an armed man that rusheâ—h suddenly upon a man that hath nothing in his hand to defend himself Thus came the Deluge upon the old world as a snare not but that they had an hundred and twenty yeers warning in all which time the Patriarck Noah was their Chaplain a preacher of righteousness unto them but it came as a snare because they were spirits shut up in prison as S. Peter cals them that is captived and ensnared in their own blindness and security Would you know the time when the people of Laish were destroyed It was then when they dwelt caâ—eless after the manner of the Zidonians quiet and secure when there was no Magistrate in the land that might put them to shame in any thing Would you know the time when the Philistins received their greatest blow from the hand of Sampson It was then when they had eaten and drunken to the full when their hearts were merry then they called for Sampson to make them sport in the house of Dagon their God Then a sudden destruction came upon them unawares and their sport and jollitie ended in their common ruine would you know the Time when the Israelites were destroyed by the severe hand of God It was just then when the Quailes were between their teeth when they were not estranged from their lust Then the wrath of God came upon them and slew the fattest of them and sâ—oâ—… down the chosen men that were in Israel Would you know the Time when Ieâ—usalem was threatnâ—d to be searched as with candles and visited The Prophet Zephany will resolve you 't was when the Inhabitants thereof were setled on their Lees when they said in their hearts The Lord will not do good neither will he do evil So that if you shall demand of me when the Time or when the Day of our â—aviours second coming to judgement shallâ— oe I dare not adventure to resolve you â—s some have done from the meer Dictaâ—… of their own phrensies and delusions since that day and hour knoweth no man no not the Angels which are in heaven Buâ— I shall tell you when in the general it shaâ— be in the night if not in the natural nightoâ— darknesse and obscurity yet in the black nâ—ght of persecution and trouble and it shaâ— be in that hour of night in which thethieâ— useth to come that is in the dead time of the night when men are fast a sleep in sin and security It shall be in an age when Antichrist shall be revealed When the world shall be haunted with many false Christs and seduâ—ing spirits When the Go. spel shall be preached to all the world yet so little credit shall be given unto it that faith shall scarce be found upon the earth It shall â—e in an Age when men shall be as sensual sinful and as secure in those sins as they were in Noahs time and for this I have expresse warrant from our Saviour But as the days of Noah were so shall also the coming of the Son of man beâ— for as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking marrying and giving in marriage until the day that Noah entred into the Ark and knew not until the stood came and took them all away so shall 〈…〉 coming of the Son of man be And if the sensual and secure oppressor would know the particular time of his visitation I can punctually resolve him namely at that very time when he think â—hâ— least of it his evil day is then nearest whâ—n he puts it fardest from him And for this to I have warrant out of the forecited chapter But and if that evil servant shall say in his hearâ— my Lord delayeth his coming and shall begin tâ—… sinite his fellow servants and to eat and drink ' with the drunken the lord of that servant shaâ—l come in a day when he loaketh not for him and in an hour he is not aware of and shall cutâ—â—…n asunder and appoint him his partion with tâ—… Hypoâ—rites c. So that however the Tabernacles of robbers may prosper for a time and they thaâ— hate God may seem secure yet weigh their condition truly in the ballance of the Sanctuary and you shall cleerly understand that their prosperity is their greatest cuâ—se and their security their greatest Judgement To all these I shall add but one more symptome of the infatuated spirit and that is A resolution to maintain and justifie the errors and iniquities of his evil doings And truly as perseverance in the duties of
Spiritual Infatuation The Principal Cause of our Past and Present Distempers Or a serious CAVEATE to the many Seducers and Seduced who under the specious pretences of Reformation and Conscience endeavour the subversion of Church and State In several Sermons on Isa 9 10 11 12. By W. Stamp D.D. late Minister of the Word at Stepnâ—y near London LONDON â—rinted for Tho. Johnson at the Golden Key in St. Pauls Church-yard 1662. To the Right Honourable THOMAS EARL OF CLEAVLAND Baron of NETTLESTEAD Lord WENTWORTH My ever Honoured Lord and Patron My LORD THe ample experience I have had of your Favour and Benignity both at home and abroad commands me to put these Papeâ—…â—nder the shelter of your Lordships proâ—ection Which I do not so much to let he world see my gratitude as to satisâ—…e â—y self in point of judgement and disâ—retion For were I altogether a stranger tâ— your Person or to that place which waâ— once my Home by your Lordships goodness yet the Rarity of your unblemisheâ— Honour in this ignoble age and the Eminency of your Heroick Spirit would inâ— vite me to cast my anchor on the firmesâ— bottom The truth is as these totteriâ—… times are there are few of your Lordâ— ships Quality that dare be Patrons anâ— there are fewer then those that can bâ— Patrons Truth never stood in more needâ— never met with less power to protect iâ— The wildness and severity of the Timeâ— enforce those of our Coat and perseverance in our duties to God and the Kingâ— to seek for Patronage not to the greatesâ— Book-man but to the best Sword-man Foâ— Pens Presses and Pulpits are now aweâ— and governed as the Sword shall pease tâ— dictate and determine So that what witâ— the terrors of an exorbitant Militaâ— Power and what with the attractives Advantages arising from the preseâ— changes unwary and ungrounded pâ—…sons of all Ranks and Qualities deserting themselves and their own Consciences have followed their pernicious Leaderâ— such a Wild-goose chase as will make posterity at once admire and blush to derive from such a degenerate and mercenary Generatioâ— In which general defection it cannot but very much correct the severity of your low and exiled condition that however it shall please God to dispose of Publike Affairs you are yet secured in the felicity of your Memory in that in the worst of Times you have obtained Mercy to be found faithful and couragious in the defence of your Soveraign's power and in that the Churches your own and all honest mens Interests My Lord You shall meet with nothing in this Treatise that may preserve it from contempt and scorn more then the plainness and sincerity of it which being directed to your Tenants in discharge of my faithfulness to them owes it self in the first place unto your Lordship which I shall follow with my prayers that God would make it unto them a Glass wherein they may see the error of their doings in these rebellious times and that he would preserve your Lordship to be yet a more glorious Instrument of his justice upon a Blood-thirsty and Decâ—itful Generation of Hypocrites This shall be the constant and sincere Devotion of Your Lordships Most humble faithful and obliged servant William Stampe To the Master Wardens Assistants and Brothers of the Trinity house in Ratcliff and to all other Inhabitants with in the Parish of Stepney My Dear Friends and Parishioners IT is not for any other Satisfaction so important as the discharge of my Conscience towards God and your souls that puts me upon this dangerous adventure of writing unto you at this time Wherein I do apparently hazard more as to all secular respects and aimes then any byassed advantage can compensate But as it was S. Paul's pious care to write Epistles unto those places where he had formerly Preached so it shall be mine chusing rather to speak unto you by my Pen then not at all It is now almost eight yeers since I had the freedom of speaking unto you as your Spiritual Embassador from Christ The sufferings hazards and extremities I have undergone since that time for the preservation of my heart from a deliberate wound though it be the matter of much Spiritual joy and thanksgiving as the highest honour that poor flesh and blood is capable of in this vale of misery yet to waste any of this Paper in a particular Narrative thereof would savour more of a mendicant designe then of that sincere advice I intend unto you 'T is enough ye know that God hath hitherto preserved and supported me by his unspeakable mercy and goodness and I hope in his secret wisdom hath reserved me for his further service in the place where he once set me In the mean time I hope a well meaning man who hath been peaceable and faithful in our Israel 1 Sam. 20. 19. may have leave to publish those serious Conceptions which are within his heart like wine that hath no vent Job 32. 19. and can no longer with duty and Conscience be suppressed To pass by the Controversies of these sad times so unsuccessively disputed both in Ink and Blood I shall only represent unto you the Map of your Native Country in its present blindness iniquity and confusion which is doubtless so much the greater by how much the less we are sensible of the severe hand of God upon us For that which makes our wonnds so desperate if not incurable is our averseness to have them searched by a faithful hand He that shall enter into the sad contemplation of Englands present estate and condition and compare it with what it was of late yeers shall discern a very strange and visible Eclipse of Gods favour towards it and notwithstanding all pretenses of Reformation or new lights or glorious days shall have reason tâ— suspect that the Candle of the Gospel is either in danger to be quite extinguished or at least burns very dimnly amongst us and does apparently dwindle For to begin with that which should be most dear unto a Nation the establishmâ—nt of Religion in its Purity and Luster who is not sensible how far the Ark of God namely our Religion the glory of our Israel and the Christian world hath been surprized by profane and sacrilegiouâ— hands whilst the name of the Gospel anâ— Reformation hath been used as a stalking horse to disguise and palliate the blackest designs the Sun ever lookt upon insomuch that the Church of England may complain and cry out as once the Church of Israel did Isa 24. 16. My leaness my leaness wo unto me the trecherous dealers have dealt trecherously yea the trecherous dealers have dealt very trecherously Certainly there is no Divel so improved and compleat as the white Divel the Prince of Darkness is never so perniciously fortunate in his mischief as when he transforms himself into an Angel of light and our Religion could never have received so deep a wound from any infernal stratagem as from the plausible pretensions of
wherein we have two general parts 1. A prepatative to Iudgement Make the heart of this people fat A Resemblance borrowed from such as seed cattel not for store or service but only for the slaughtering shambles 2. The Iudgement it self and that is of severall kinds 1. Devastation and Desolation and that general v. 11. 2. Banishment and Desertion v. 12. All this was threatned many yeers before it was executed as a means of grace held out unto the people to prevent the dreadful executions of Gods Iustice upon them And so it is intended by me to prevent if possible the remainder of Iudgement not yet executed upon our sinful Land and Nation But before I proceed to my main intendment it will not be amiss by way of Preface or Introduction to touch a little upon such general observations as do naturally arise from these words of the Prophet wherein we shall find great variety of considerable matter as first from the Prophets Commission Go and tell this people c. we have this clear Truth hinted unto us Obs 1. 1. That Spiritual Ambassadors are to receive both their business and instructions how to proceed in their errand and Embassy only from God The Prophets of old time spake as they were inspired a 2. Pet. 1. 21. S. Paul delivered to the Corinthians no other Doctrine or Tradition then what he received of the Lord b 1. Cor. 11 23. and if he should have done otherwise for any humane itch or satisfaction he could not have been the servant of Christ Gal. 1. 10. So that if any man speak as from Christ Let him speak as the Oracles of God c 1. Pet 4. 11. Divinity is of a sublimer nature then to incorporate with secular and particular ends and ayms like Quicksilver that will not mix with any inferiour nature Gods Truth must not be formed like Nebuchadnezzars Image partly of Iron and partly of Clay d Din. 2. 33. 'T is a foul scandal to Religion when Doctrines savour not so much of the Bible as the Diurnal when the pulpit is made the servant or rather slave to Policy and the Preachers Sermon awed into a Narrative or Declaration Secondly The Prophet is commanded both to Go and speak c though he were secretly assured afore hand from the prevision of God that his message should have no other effect upon the people more then to make them more obstinate and obdurate From whence it is evident in the second place that Obs 2. God will have his Ministers discharge themselves in the duty of their places what ever the success be The obstinacy or malice of the people must not hinder or deter the Prophet in the delivery of Gods Message Son of man saith God to his Prophet Ezekiel I send thee to a rebellious Nation but be not afraid of them nor of their words though briers and thorns be with thee and thou doest dwell among Scorpions Thou shalt speak my words unto them whether they will hear or whether they will for bear for they are most rebellious Ezok. 2. 3. 6. 7. And S Paul who was not ignorant that the Gospel of Christ would cerâ—ainly prove a stumbling block and a rock of offence to many in Israel and that his own sermons would prove a savour of death unto death unto many of his Auditors doth yet declare a dreadful wo to be his portion if he did not preach the Gospel of Christ a 1. Cor. 9. 16. The Ministers of the Gospel how ever vilified abused and reputed as the off scouring of the world are equally and indifâ—erently a sweet Savour of Christ unto God as well in those that perish as in those that are saved b 2. Cor. 2. 15. God doth not proportion the reward of his servants according to success and event what ever the harvest prove whether wheat or tares Our labour shall not bee in vain in the Lord. 1. Cor. 15. 58. Thirdly Hear ye indeed but understand not and see ye indeed but perceive not Here was hearing but no understanding and seeing but no perception Hearing and not hearing Seeing and not seeing The sense and meaning whereof I take to be this Since by your wilful and constant opposing of my word you have most justly provoked me to withdraw my spirit whereby it might have been effectual unto your Conversion hereafter I will not send my word unto you to convert and save you but to convince and condemn you the sound whereof hereafter shall but astonish you and the glorious rayes of its light shall be of no other use unto you but to dazle your eyes into a greater degree of Blindnesse from whence it is evident in the third place that Obs 3. It is not barely the Hearing of Gods word but the gracious disposition of the heart to be guided and governed by it that makes it effectual unto regeneration S. Paul speaks of one that may give all his goods to feed the poor and yet have no charity 1. Cor. 13. 3. S. James makes mention of a great Hearer and a small Doer Iam. 1. 23. A man may have Angelical knowledge without Evangelical faith and sincerity There is a great deale of difference between Hearing and Hearing between S Stephens Hearers and S Peters Hearers In both the word was quick and powerful piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit a Heb. 4. 12. But with this difference S. Peters Hearers were said to be pricked in their hearts and the consequent of that was an humble and entire resignation of themselves to be governed by the Preacher and his Doctrine as appears Act 2. 37. Men and Brethren what shall we do c. S. Stephens Hearers were also cut to the heart but they were not penetrated for the consequent of their Hearing was the stoning and muâ—thering of their Preacher First they gnashed on him with their teeth and afterwards cast him out of the City and stoned him as appears Act 7. 54. From whence it is evident in the fourth place that Obs 4. The means of grace when they are vilified and opposed become the greater means of sin and Condemnation This is very clear in the â—…se and condition of Chorazin Bethsaida and Capernaum according to our Saviours own doctrine and determination Mat. 11. 22. 24. The great measure of light the Scribes and Pharisees so confidently boasted of served for no other purpose but to be an aggravatâ—on of their wilful blindnesse If ye were blind saith our Saviour of those Hypocrites ye should have no sin not no sin simply but no sin so wilful and inexcusable but now ye say we see therefore your sin remaineth Ioh. 9. 41. These I take to be the natural doctrines observable in the first verse of my Text. The second presents us with three more the first whereof is this Obs 5. That Spiritual Infatuation is ordinarily the harbinger and forerunner of Iudgement It is given
â—e suspected to receive hiâ— employâ—…nt 1 Cor. 3. 12. from the envious man mentioned Mat. 13. 28. and he that shall build hay and wood and stubble upon an Evangelical foundation shall certainly expose his work unto the fire though perhaps his person may be preserved For the manner of your hearing three cantioâ—s may be necessary to re-inforce and explain our Saviours couâ—sel Take heed how ye hear That is Take heed 1. How ye are prepar'd before ye hear 2. How ye are disposed when ye hear 3. How ye are resolved and reformed when ye hear First How prepared The word of God is compared to seed and mans heart to ground now the husbandman will tell ye there goes more to the reaping of an Harvest then the bare sowing of the seed There must be plowing and dunging and fallowing and gathering our the stones and much more bâ—…ore the corn comes into the barn And this the prophet Jeremy knew well when he bespake the men of Iudah and Ierusalem from the Lord saving Break up your fallow ground and sow not among thorns that is as he explains himself in the next verse Circumcise your selves to the Lord take away the soreskin from off your heart Ier. 4. 3 4. And upon this ground Iohn the Baptist was lent to prepare the way of the Lord by preaching Mat. 3. 3. repentance and amendment of life that so the people might be in a capacity to receive the benefit of Evangelical grace Elihu tells us when he expostulated a businesse with Iobâ— three friends he had a certain matter within Iob 32. 19. him which was like wine which hath no vent but is ready to burst the new boâ—tles that contain it and our Saviour tels us for certain â—hat if men put new wine into old bottles they shall quickly have an end of their wine and the bottles too for the wine will be spilled and the bottles will be marred There are ceâ—tain seasonings of grace Math 9 17. which are very necessary to a Christian before the wine of Gods word be reâ—eived into the soul Two things especially the heart must be seasoned withal First it must be seasoned with humility We have an experiment in I hylosophy that from the bottom of a deep well a man may see the stars at noon day whâ—ch he that walks abroad in the Sunshâ—ne cannot do The ground of best advâ—ntage from whence a Christian may look into divine mysteries is from the valley of humiliâ—y namely from an humble sense of his own wants and an humble esteem of his best performances I dwell in the high and holy place saith God Almighty not only there but with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble the heart of the contritâ— ones Isa 57. 15. The world is so â—ul of pride prejudice that what between Athenians that digest no doctrine that savours not of novelty and strangenesse and Scribes and Pharisees that reject aâ—… doâ—…rine that makes against themselvs there is little hope of any reasonable proportion of fruit to be reaped from all our pains what â—hough the preacher be none of the greatest Rabbins what if unelâ—quenâ— â—… indiscreet yet 't is Gods word not his â—hen faithfully deliver'd and where the clâ—er word of God does noâ— prevaâ—… without eloquence I shall very much suspect it will not prevail with it I shall close this point with S. Pauâ—… caâ—…t Let no man deceive himself if any man among yâ—u seemeth to be wise in this world let him become a 1 â—… â— 18. â—â—…r 8. 2. sool that he may be wise And if any man think that he knows any thing he knows nothing yet as be ought to know Them Psa 28. 9. that be meek God wiâ—… guide in their judgement and such as are humble them will he learn his way Secondly the heart must be seasoned by prayer Gods word is spiritual we are carnal there is so great a distance between these two that the carnal or natural man cannot discern the things 1 Cor. 2. 14. of the spirit And we that are spiritual fishermen may toyl all night and catch nothing except Christ be with us in the ship Faith the great hinge whereon our salvation doth so much depend is not a flower that grows in our own garden We read of Lydia that as Paul Act. 16. 14. preached God opened her heart that she attended to the things that were spoken of Paul God keeps the key of every mans hearâ— he openeth and no man shutteth Rev. 3. 7. shutteth no man openeth But let me tell ye there is no use of a Key where the doâ—e is fast boâ—ted and barr'd within I grant Christ can â—nter into the soul as he did into the Assembly of hâ—s disciples the dores being sâ—ut wherâ— they were assembled sor fear of the Iews Iohn 20. 19. Or he câ—n force those iron dores of our hearts at his own pleasure But we have no assurance that he will do all he can do for our humour and satisfaction He could have commanded stones into bread or he could have done a miracle bâ—fore Hâ—…od and yet we know he would not What may be expected from him â—e may clearly understand from â—haâ— Text Rev. 3. 20. Behold I stand at the dore and knock If any man hear my voice and open the dore I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with me Christ will never exclude himself if we do not exclude him And therefore since the way of man is not in himself and since the preparations of the heart in man are cleerly and entirely from the Lord what we Ier. 10. 20. Prov. 16. 1. cannot attain unto by hearing let us endeavour to gain by praying That as a man lights a candle to find the snuffers and then sâ—…s the candle that it may â—uâ—… cleaâ—eâ— that as my body first warms my clothes and afterward my clothes keep warm my body so let our prayers contribute an advantage to our heaâ—ing and our hearing unto our praying First let us so pray that we may â—eaâ— and aâ—terwards so hear as that we may pray and live and walk and serve our God in truth and sincerity with reverence and godly fear 2. As we must be prepared before â—o we must be rightly disposed when we hear To a â—ight disposition there is somthing to be disposed of before we come to heâ—… and S. Peter will teâ—l ye what â—…t is namely the â—aâ—…ng aside all malice and all guâ— and Hypocrisies 1. Pet. 2â— 1. 2. and envies and evil speâ—king that so as new born babes ye may desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby To these incongruities and inconsistences with religious Hearing give me leave to remember ye of that irreverence and scandalous deportment which is notoriously visible in some men even in the time of Hearing who
their own head Before they would not preaâ—h or pray according to duty and câ—nscienâ—e but as the current of the times enclined them â—nd now they cannot at least I 'm sure they dare not For as it was decreed in our Saâ—iours time That if any man shâ—uld consess Christ â—e should be put out of the Synagogue so if any man shall now preach or pray for K. Châ—…s II. aâ— his undoubted lawful Soveraâ—gn he shall not bâ— put out of the Synagogue or Assembly but out of the woâ—ld too if he look not the better to it So thâ—t â—ur desolâ—te and decayed Jerusalâ—… having drunk at the hand of the Lorâ— the cup of his fury the dregs of the câ—p of trembling may justly complain wiâ—h the Prophet Isaiah That there is none or at least very few to Isa 51. 17 18. guide â—er among all the sons that she hath brougâ—t fortâ— neither is there any thaâ— taketâ— her by the hand of all the sons that shâ— hath brought up But instead of miniâ—tring any comfâ—rt or advice in the day of her calamity the leaders of the peopâ—e have caused them to err and they Isa 9. 16. that are led of them are destroyed Thâ— truth is the unparallâ—ld mischief which these blind leaders of the blind havâ— done â—he strange boldnesse wherein tâ—ey have proceeded together with the general belief and adherence of the peoâ—le haâ—h enforced me to dwell so lonâ— upon so roâ—ten and corrupted a suâ—ject But I shall now leave these prophets to their repentance and a sincere detestation of their deep impiety only I shall make some short use of it in reference and relation to our selves And now having given you an ample discovery of the fâ—lse prophets of these irregular times I suppose you are highly enraged and incensed against them you look upon them as the firebrands of hell the causers of all our miseries that no punishment can be severâ— enough for such pernicious instruments and what would you not do to bring them to condigne punishment but foft Jam. 1. 20. and fair The wrath of man worketh not the righteousnes of God Though I have not spared them in painting them out in their proper colours yet so far am I from incensing the people or any kind of authority against them that I shal desire conjure both the one and the other to quarrel with themselves the corruptions of their own bosoms as with the just and natural cause of the insincerity and depravity of their prophets Two ways God was wont to expresse his displeasure against his people in respect of prophets Somtimes by sending them no Prophets This was the ground of the Psalmists complaint concerning the desolation of the Sâ—nctuary They have burnt up all the houses of God in the land we see not our tokens there is not one Prophet more among us Ps 74. 8 9. Somtimes by suffering them to be abused and deluded by false Prophets For as in the Civil Government in the multitude of Councellors and laws Prov. 11. 14. there may be peace aâ—d safety so in the multitude of Councellorâ— and laws there may be a snare and a curse upon a people for they may be mercenary Councellors such as Ezra speaks of Ezr. 4. 5. they may be Stâ—tuta insalubria such as Ezekiel speaks of So is it in the church Ezek. 20. 25. in respect of her Prophâ—ts it is not the number but the quality of them that is to be looked after It was a promise of great mercy which God made unto his people by the Prophet Jeremy I will give you Pastors according to mine heart which shall feed you with knowledge Jer. 3. 15. understanding Not Pastors according to to your heart that had been a judgement but Pastors according â—o my heart As good no Pastors as no good Pastors nay better no labourers then pernicious labourers in the Lords vinyard The paucity and insincerity of Prophets are both alike the judgement of God upon a people Now this is to be laid for a grâ—und That the corruption and insincerity of the Prophets under the just anger of God takes it rise from the corruption and insincerity of the people So that to come to the root of our errors and miscarriages it is most certain that before ever the seducer got into the pulpit or to the tableâ— end there was a more dangerous seducer gotten into the heart In one man avarice was a concealed preacher to the soul in another ambitioâ— in a third discontent in a fourth revenge in a fist pride and a desire of goverment in a sixt novelty and a desire of change of government in some one in some more in some all of these in some more then all of these like the seven divels in Mary Magdalen kept the intire possession of the soul so that our hearts being seasoned and preparâ—d by these and the like corrupt and vile affections it was very agreeable to the justice of God to give way that such Prophets should be sent among us as were most sutable to these particular itching humors and predispositions So that as in the natural constitution when the stomack is burdned with any noxious and offensive humor that is there predominant over other humors the Appetite being governed by that predominancy declines those meats which are most wholsom and nutritive and longs after those which are more unhealthy and destructive Just so is it with the spiritual appetite if that be wanton or corrupted by the malignity of any deliberate and resolved wickednesse it does neither approve nor digest the sincere milk of Gods word but loathing that Divine Manna it looks out for new devised meats and sauces that is in the Apostles phrase new fangled doctrines and opinions such as for their novelty or complyance are most palatable and pleasing to our corrupt and licentious enclinations Aeger animus falsa pro ver is videt This is that dangerous evil which the Sâ—ripture calls the setting up a stumbling block of iniquity in the heart whereof we have a clear and â—ncontroulable instance Ezek. 14. 3 Son of man these men have set up their idols in their heart and put the stumbling block of their iniquity before their faces should I be enquired of at all by them These men who were these men The Elders of Israel v. 1. Therefore the rule is set v. 4. Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart and putteth the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face and cometh to the Prophet I the Lord will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his Idols And if the Prophet be deceived at any time when he hath spoken a thing I the Lord have deceived that Prophet v. 9. â—nd wherefore is all this see v. 5 That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart that is in the snare of their own heart because they are
all estranged from me through their Idols Let the Saint-like ruling Elders therefore of our Israel look well to it For if they resolve before hand to decree unrighteous decrees to write grievousness Isa 10. 1. which themselves have prescribed and to deal trecherously with God and man which I need not speak by supposition They do but set up a pernicious Idol in their own bosoms a fatal stumbling block before their own faces and notwithstanding their dayly preparatives by prayer and preaching for assistance in councel wherein they would seem to the world to be very careful to enqâ—ire at Gods mouth yet the Prophet Isaiah is positive if they will chuse their own ways their own counsels God will chuse their delusions Isa 66 4. will bring their fears upon them and will answer them according to the snares and prevarications of their own false hearts And then what will becom of all their pretended sanctity and devotion Truly their many Invocations will prove but as so many provocations nay as so many abominations in the Isa 66. 3. sight of God Their many prayers and sermons will but stand as a cloud of witnesses one day to condemn them of their secret Atheism and Hypocrisâ—e So that if our Prophets have been like foxes in the desarts as they were in Ezekiâ—ls time it is because our Elders have been like wolves in sheeps clothing as were the Scribes and Pharisees in our Saviours time If the prophets have kindled the fire the people have contributed the fuel and matter to so great and miserable a conflagration And indeed this rottennesse at the core is that pestilent corruption which hath so visibly ensnared the Church of Rome into so many grosse delusions because notwithstanding all pretenses of infallibility borrowed from a mistaken Matth 16. 18. promise of our Saviour notwithstanding all their solemn addresses and preparatives by prayer aâ—d fasting the Conclave assemblies fill'd with selected agents whose business there is not so much the discovery of divine Truth as the Pre-resolved design of minting and venting such adulterate coyn under that stamp of authority as may be most serviceable to the establishment and enlargement of the dominion and tyranny of that See This insincerity of spirit the secret breath of antichrist when it gets into the representatives of the Church as it may do because we are sure it hath done puts a foul cheat upon God and the world in that language of Visum est Spiritui sancto nâ—b is It seemeth good Act. 15. 25. to the holy â—host to us c. when the truth is 't is Visum est interesse nostro non Spiritui sancto It seemeth good to us and not to the holy Ghost And for the foul spots and blemishes of particular interest and advantage the Councels of after ages never arrived to that reputation and honour which the whole Catholick Church acknowledg'd to be due to the first four general Councels for that candour and intâ—grity which was so visibly wanting in that famous stratagâ—m of Rome the Councel of Trent For the promise of the holy Ghosts assâ—stance is confined neither to S. Peters chair in Rome nor to any assembly of men whatsoever any otherwise then the sincerity of their hearts in seeking after truth puts them into a capacity to receive it So that that hypocrisâ—e which is of the finest spinning and disguised with the fairest glosses upon it is ever the most serviceable expedient to the designs and ayms of our grand Advetsary the Divel and that glistering piety which is only plausible in appearance design'd only to dazle mâ—ns eys is ugly abominabâ—e in the sight of God And because our times are fouly suspected to savour strongly of this secret leven of hypocrisie I shall present ye with one of the most remarkable piecâ—s of a painted Sepulcher and well coloured rottennesse that I find mention'd in sacred Scripture and that is Isa 58. 1 2. where the Prophet is commanded saying Cry aloud spare not lift up thy voice like a Trumpet shew my people their transgression and the house of Jacob their sins Yet they seek me daily saith God and delight to know my ways as a Nation that did righteousnes and forsook not the ordinance of their God they ask of me the ordinance of justice and take delight in approching to God And yet this goodly pile of external piety was laid upon no other but the rotten foundation of a dissembling heart and therefore required the loudest and most Trumpet-like voice of a Prophet to reprove it And as the sin was of a strange complexion that so much rottennes should lodg under such a specious disgâ—ise so the God of truth sincerity appears against this sin in a very remarkable way of threatning as appears Is 29. 13. Forasmuch as this people draw neer to me with their mouth with their lips honour me but have removed their heart far from me their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men Therefore behold I wil proceed to a marvellous work amongst this people even a marvellous work and a wondâ—r For the wisdom of their wise men shal perish and the understanding of their prudent men shal be hid and then follows Wo to them that seek deep to hide their councel from the Lord their works are in the dark and they say who sees usâ— and who knows us Surely your turning of things upside down shal be esteemed as the potters clay c. But if these texts shall be thought only to be of lewish concernment and to be lookt on only as an Almanack of a yeer that is come gone we have a parallel to these in S. Pauls prediction directed to Timothy 2 Tim. 3. 1. c. This know also that in the last days perilous times shal come For men shal be lovers of their own selves covetous boasters proud blasphemers disobedient to parents unthankful unâ—oly with out natural affection truce breakers false accusers incontinent fierce despisers of those that are good Traytors heady high minded lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God having a form of godliness but denying the power thereos c. What a world of wickedness does here march under the garb and disguise of the most saint-like godliness So that if God out of his just indignation against a stâ—bborn and falshearred people hath suffered contempt to be poured out upon his anoynted and hath Iob 12. 21. weakned the strength of the mighty which was once the condition of a man after his oâ—n heart If he hath taken v. 20. away the understanding of the aged and removed the speech of the trusty If he hath taken away from our Ierusalem the mighty men and the honourable the the Iudge the Prophet the prudent the ancient and insteed of these given children for Princes and babes to rule Isa 3. 3 4 5. over us If he hath suffered the child