for the Bookes and for Conscience Gods Auditor and the keeper of his accounts and aske that Whether you make conscience of private prayer and humbling your soul in secret Whether you make conscience of your stubbornesse to your husband of your peevishnesse and untowardnesse Whether you be a Covenant-keeper and whether you did ever performe that God hath required of you he hath required much of you that you should pray read be sober humble neeke dutifull to your husband But you have been right froward undutifull way-ward why did you pay this debt to the Lord then The conscience will say No Lord I urged him to it and said Now get alone * Isa 26.16 and powre out a prayer to the Lord now goe and read and meditate on the word of God and I told him Lord when he began to be so eager of the world now you will be covetous and worldly but he would not heare me he promised me Lord he would leave it and would doe so no more and he would take up this duty and that duty and put me off this time and another time but he never did it Then you see the case cleere for you never kept day you have a shew of godlinesse 2 Tim. 3.5 but where is the power of it The power is to subdue inward lusts secret corruptions base thoughts that rise in the minde This is not to be found in the most therefore they are but Hypocrites and false hearted At last when the case is so cleare by the Booke of the servant this bad debttor doth confesse it and saith It was a hard time and it was but little if you had had it I thought it could doe you no great good I hoped you would have borrowed it if you had had any great need of it So many a crused hypocrite confesses the conversation is good and the course is holy which he should take and which God requires of him but I feared the losse of my libertie of my ease or my honor and credite if I had done it I feared I should have suffered for it and it was but this I hope it was not such a matter Is this honestie when God and the Gospel call for truth and for sinceritie you put off and say This is no great matte you hope there are worse matters then so in the world Thou art no upright God will have the utmost farthing Mat. 5.26 there is truth in a penny He that will not suffer in one kinde I will never beleeve he will suffer in another But you will say What if a man be covetous he hurts none it is his owne that he holds so fast he is but close fisted a little I hope this is not such a matter This is a great sinne brethren in such a place as this is what not keepe touch here that mans sinne that lives under the Gospel is the greatest sin of all of more weight then the sinnes of any besides and therefore looke to it brethren If a man forfeit a Bond of twenty pound or forty pound perhaps he may recover it but if of forty thousand pound we say it will crush the greatest Merchant in the Land and breake his back An hypocrite a false-hearted one in the place where the Gospel is it is a heinous foule sinne it will sinke him deepe A drunkard where the Gospel is not and an adulterer where the Gospel is not shall goe to hell they shall all perish without repentance But he that lives under the means ye is covetous loose proud vaine oppressing and griping of his poore brethren worldly or the like that Bond will break thy backe it is an hundred thousand pound Bond. Take heede brethren a man that runs in arerages with the Lord here it will be heavy for him Mat. 11.23 And thou Capernaum which wert lifted up to heaven shalt be cast downe to hell Some live at great rents A Dedham man God will not have him have a stomacke onely to a good duty and now and then to pray or to reade or conferre but he requires great debts of him A Dedham drunkard or hypocrite carelesse carnall Gospeller or covetous one the devils will rejoyce for him when he comes to hell they will make Bonefires and make it holiday for him stand upon their tiptoes to look on him and say What are you come hither after all Prayers and Sermons and Sacraments and Admonitions and so many labors of Gods servants that have worne out their lives to keepe you from hence This Bond will breake your backe brethren an hundred thousand millions worth of exhortations you have had and you owe the Lord for them all stil you have paid him nothing for them yet you are not one whit the better for them What shall become of you the Lord will set a thousand devils to torment you when you drop into the pit specially ancient men woe to your soules if once God lay hold of you If a man that is in debt for I know not how many Bonds be arrested but upon one it will cast him into prison but then if after that comes another and another in upon him it will goe very hard with him He plaid fast and loose and faire and farre off all this while but now one hath clapt a Writ upon his backe comes another and arrests him for an hundred pound at such a mans suite and another arrests him for an hundred pound at such a mans suite O thinke of this your reckonings will be fearfull when God casts you on your sicke bed and death comes to fetch away your soules and you are going to the chaines of darknesse then there will come in one Bond after another upon you one inditement after another against you Item for the sinnes of your youth your disobedience and stubbornesse to Parents and Governours when a childe Item for following your profits and pleasures and minding nothing else when you were a young man Item for your worldlinesse since you were an old man One Bond after another the Lord will lay upon you You would thinke such a man that hath so many Bonds come upon him in a hard case quite undone and that there is no recovery for him out of prison but there he must lie till some part of him rot off perhaps and till he die in the Jayle O how you would pitie such a mans case and how you would be grieved for him But O brethren you that are husbands or wives or parents when you see your children or your husbands arrested by God not to goe to an earthly Jayle but to goe to hell for ever O how should it grieve your soules for such a one how should you pitie such and desire the Lord while there is helpe and hope to shew mercy upon them Thus you see these three sorts are cashiered for not being sound and the Lord be mercifull unto us Vse 1. what a few are there besides these Thinke of
THE FAITHFUL COVENANTER A SERMON PREACHED AT THE LECTVRE IN DEDHAM IN ESSEX By that excellent servant of Iesus Christ in the work of the Gospel Mr. Tho. Hooker late of Chelmsford now in New England Very usefull in these times of Covenanting with God Psal 78. vers 9. The children of Ephraim being armed and carying Bows turned back in the day of Battle Ver. 10. They kept not the Covenant of God and refused to walk in his Law Ver. 36. Neverthelesse they did flatter him with their mouth and they lied unto him with their tongues Vers 37. For their heart was not right with him neither were they stedfast in his Covenant LONDON Printed for CHRISTOPHER MEREDITH at the Crane in Pauls Church-yard 1644. A SERMON PREACHED AT DEDHAM Lecture in Essex DEUT. 29.24 25. Even all Nations shall say Wherefore hath the Lord done thus unto this land what meaneth the heate of this great anger Then the men shall say Because they have forsaken the Covenant of the Lord God of their fathers which he made with them when he brought them forth out of the land of Egypt THe holy Prophet Moses having in the fore-going Chapters the 28. especially discovered unto the people as his last words almost which he spake unto them the marvellous mercies of the Lord to those which walked with him and were obedient unto his Commandements which he had set before them and the heavy Iudgements he had prepared for and would execute on them that walked stubbornly against him and were disobedient and rebellious notwithstanding all meanes he used to reclaime them and all the blessings that he bestowed upon them as the Commandements you may see in the fore-going Chapter If you will observe and doe all that I command you this day vers 1. then vers 3. Blessed shalt thou be in the Citie and blessed shalt thou be in the field vers 4. Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body and the fruit of thy ground vers 5. Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store c. But if not but they will be disobedient and rebell against him he sends fire after them presently and sayes vers 16. Cursed shalt thou be in the Citie and cursed shalt thou be in the field vers 17. Cursed shalt thou be in thy basket and in thy store c. Now having dealt with them both waies he windes up all and deales with them by way of Prophecie and tels them what Israel would doe and what the Lord would doe if their hearts turned away from him and from his Statutes which he had set before them to walke in He tels them that the people after his death will goe a whoring O that this might not be sayes Moses but yet if it be the Lord will roote you out of this good Land and will bring upon you all these curses that are written in this Booke to plague you here and will cause everlasting vengeance to seise upon you hereafter Now after he had dealt with them by mercies and judgements these not prevailing the Lord sends an enemie upon them that sweepes them away as unprofitable * 1 King 14.10 a King 9 37. Psal 83.10 Ier. 8.2 9.22 16.4 25.33 dung off the face of the earth Now the Prophet brings in the Nations here justifying the Lords dealing with them and saying vers 24. Wherefore hath the Lord done thus unto this Land What meaneth this fierce wrath of the Lord As if a man should say What was this goodly ENGLAND the onely Nation of all the Earth and yet now all laid waste in this fearefull manner Whence came this heavie displeasure and what doth meane this fierce wrath of the Lord Now marke what followes All men shall say that is even the wicked themselves all standers by shall give sentence on the Lords side and justifie his doings and say Alas can you blame the Lord for dealing thus fiercely against such a stubborne rebellious people What would you have had the Lord done more he gave them a Law and Mercies and Iudgements but they would not serve the Lord but brake the bands asunder and cast the cords behinde their backs Psal 2.3 Therefore now they shall serve enemies God is not to be blamed What could he have done or what would you have had him doe more then he did for them Threatnings from Mount Eball and Blessings from Mount Gerizzim flue about from this side and on that side and yet nothing would doe them good Why should they live any longer then what should the Lord doe they profited by nothing neither by his mercies nor his judgements and what was the cause brethren Here was the cause they were false hearted they would not walke sincerely with the Lord and therefore the anger of the Lord was kindled against them and he rootetd them out of their Land in his wrath and in great indignation Oh the fearefull wrath of the Lord that came upon them In the words take notice of three particulars Parts of the Text. First the Iudgement of the Lord denounced threatned and executed against them It was very sharpe the Nations were agast that stood by and beheld it and wondred and said Why who would have thought it that the adversary and the enemy should have entred into the gates of Ierusalem What Ierusalem the perfection of beauty the joy of the whole Earth As if one should hereafter passe by and see all the Townes burnt up here in this Land which God grant may never be but if it should be so and one should passe by and see all the houses burnt up and the Churches burnt would he not be amazed at it and say Why what meanes this fierce wrath of the Lord Would it not make our hearts ake Brethren to passe by these places and see the houses of God burnt downe to the ground and thinke with our selves Oh the good exhortations and admonitions we have heard here Then secondly here is the reason and cause why the Lord dealt thus with them Vers 25. then men shall say Because they have forsaken the Covenant of the Lord their God So brethren if this should be our case poore little ones would say then I remember my father said thus it would be for the Land forsooke the Covenant of the Lord and the Minister told us of this stubbornnesse and rebellion against the Lord that this would be the end of it Then lastly here is the testimony of the Nations concerning the equitie of the Lords dealing the standers by justifie it and said The Lord is just for they have forsaken the Covenant of the Lord their God And so people would doe here if the Lord should doe with us as he did with the Jews First of the judgements which the Lord threatned against them What means the fierce anger of the Lord why it was the fierce anger of the enemies was it not Yes But there is no enemy but is in Gods hand it
is his wrath that they execute The wicked of the world are but the Lords instruments the Sword is thine Lord though thou usest them as the hand to strike with The Lord commanded destruction to come upon them Doct. 1. Hence observe God is the Author of all those punishments and judgements that ever come upon a nation or people family or person It is his will that is the worker He is the bringer of all sorrows troubles and judgements upon any It was not the Babylonians that overthrew them It was not Nebuchadnezzar it was the fierce anger of the Lord that did it you know what God himselfe sayes Is there any evill in the citie and I have not done it Amos 3.6 And he hisse for an enemy Isa 4 5.7 all places are at his command Isa 7.18 he commands deliverance for them that serve and obey him as it is in the Psalm and plagues and destruction for them that disobey him and rebell against him To make this then our own brethren by application briefly for I meane to fasten upon nothing in this verse but to passe on to the other wherein is contained the maine point which I intend to stand upon as thinking it in my thoughts most fit for this congregation If this be so then here is a cooling card for the wicked Vse All you that heare this word this day whose consciences accuse you that you are enemies to God and goodnesse heare and feare and tremble for ever If God bring judgements who shall feele them and finde them surely his enemies be them that shall feele them Psal 10 16. Psal 10.16 It is the collection that the Psalmist makes The Lord is King for ever and what then the heathen are destroyed sayes he If all judgements be at his command then his enemies shall be sure to feele them You that have wicked husbands or wives feare every night when you goe to bed lest the judgement of the Lord should come upon them yet ere morning and cut them off and send them to destruction Vse And you that are carelesse of your wayes and goe on in your wickednesse understand the Lord hath vengeance for you He hath rods enough they are not all burnt he will bring them our against you Psal 68.21 and will wound the hairie scalpe of him that goeth on in his sins Marke what the Apostle saies 1 Pet â— 18 1 Pet. 4.18 If the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the ungodly and the sinner appeare If the righteous brethren hardly get to heaven but loses an arme an other a right eye as it were and with many prayers and sighes and graplings with God and through many temptations hardly come to heaven in the end and a poore humble soule begge for power against his corruptions as if he would pluck mercy from the Lord by strong hand and yet scarcely subdue sinne and obtaine salvation what then will become of a company that are enemies to God and godlines a company of unrighteous men where shall they appeare The day will come when they that stand against the gracious voyce of the Almightie now shall heare the thundering voyce of the Almightie Luk. 23.30 and shall call and cry to the mountaines and hills to fall upon them and cover them Rev. 6.16 that they may be hid from the presence of the Judge Secondly observe that the Text sayes What means the fierce anger of the Lord against this nation Exod. 19 5. Tit. 2.14 1 Pet. 2 9. Psal 60 5. and 108.6 and 127.2 Rom. 3.2 What nation why the nation of the Jews Gods owne people his * peculiar his first borne Exod. 4.22 his beloved Cant. 1.14 15. and 5.1 2. to whom the oracles of God were committed to whom the Prophets came in his name That nation that had all means of good that had all mercies priviledges and all encouragements the Lord shewed his fierce wrath to them Learne Doct. 2. No outward priviledges in the world will free any nation under heaven from the judgements of the Lord if they sinne against him and be stubborn and rebellious If any people might have been exempted and freed surely the Jews might They might have said Why Lord wilt thou plague us what wilt thou destroy us why we are thy people we have thy sacrifices and thy Prophets and thy Temple is amongst us That is all one what means the fierce anger of the Lord against this nation sayes the Text. Be the man what he will the means never so excellent and the priviledges never so great if he sin he shall be sure to be plagued Ier. 7.12 Brethren you may see there that when the Prophet threatned the judgements of the Lord against them Jerusalem began to brag of her priviledges and the mercies of God which he had bestowed on them Go to Shiloh sayes the Lord to them the place where I set my name at first and see what I did to it for the wickednesse of my people Israel The case is cleare and plaine no priviledges though the word of God and his ordinances and the meanes of grace be there will keepe away judgements If people sin God will proceed in wrath against them Amos 3.2 You only have I knowne sayes the Lord of all the families of the earth what then therefore will I cocker and dandle you no but therefore will I visit you for all your iniquities If this be so brethren Vse this teaches us this instruction Not to depend upon our priviledges not to boast of them and rest in them and go away and say What the Spaniards come into England what the enemy overcome England We have the Gospel the meanes of Grace no nation under heaven so many in it that feare the Lord as our nation hath O trust not tolying vanities Jonas 2.8 saying The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord Jer. 7.4 as the Jews did when the Babylonianâ— came what good did their Temple doe them your outward profession will be your bane if you trust to it Rom. 2.9 when time of trouble come Tribulation and anguish shall be upon every soul that sins upon the Iew first marke that brethren The highest in preferment the first in punishment you that have enjoyed great meanes the Lord will proceed more heavily against you then against others when he begins to execute his wrath once To have the name of outward profession is nothing it will leave us in the dust if we trust to it Priviledges are like to paper walles if a man reare up a paper wall against Cannon shot will that defend him brethren They are good in their place and kinde but if we put our confidence in them as if they should keepe us out of trouble it is like as if a man should put on a cut Sattin suit or coat of silke to goe in the warres withall will that preserve him against the Cannons and the
enemies your outward appearance of profession is just so brethren A hypocriticall fine smooth coat will not keep off the wrath of the Lord but that will seise upon the soule which hath no other defence but such Revelation 2. Revel 2.2 and the beginning Ephesus a Church that lived gloriously and performed duties comfortably marke what the Lord sayes of them Vers 3. I know thy works and thy labour and how thou canst not beare them which are evill vers 4. Yet I have somewhat against thee Vers 4. because thou hast left thy first love And what of that might some say I may be an honest man I hope and goe to heaven too though I have declined a little and be not so zealous and forward as I have been as long as I am sincere and upright-hearted Aye but what sayes the Lord brethren Vers 5. Remember from whence thou art fallen and repent and doe thy first works or else I will come unto thee quickly and remove thy Candlesticke out of his place Let no man trust in his own strength depend upon his own priviledges and shadow himselfe under the name of Religion and Gospel 1 Sam. 4 5 6. 1 Sam. 4. When the Philistines came against Israel and Israel was smitten before them the next time they came into the Campe they sent for the Arke that that might save them out of the hand of their enemies and when the Arke came into the Campe Vers 5. all Israel shouted so that the earth rang again Vers 7. And the Philistines were afraid and said Woe unto us for the like was never heard of before the God of Israel is come into the Field Who shall deliver us out of the hands of these mightie Gods Vers 8. these are the Gods that smote the Egyptians with all the plagues that came upon them Vers 9. Be strong and quit your selves like men oh ye Philistines that ye be not servants unto the Hebrews And the Philistines fought Vers 10. and Israel was smitten And the Arke of God was taken Vers 11. They brought the Arke of the Covenant into the Campe but the Arke would not defend them but was taken Brethren the Arke was a type of Christ you bring the name of Christians and the outward profession of Religion into the field and you thinke that this will save you out of the hands of your enemies but you and that will sinke under your enemies if you put confidence in that was any nation greater then Babylon or more glorious then Jerusalem but what is become of them brethren hath not the Lord brought desolation and destruction upon them Luk. 21.5 O say the Disciples when they were at Jerusalem and saw the Temple what goodly buildings are here Matth. 24.1 2. vers 2. Mark 13.1 2. I tell you says our Saviour a stone shall not be left on a stone It skils not what we are brethren in outward profession but what we are in sinceritie and holinesse Depend not on the priviledges which God hath given you but pray for grace to answer him according to the means which he hath bestowed upon you and then this love may be continued and there may be some hope that you shall injoy these blessed priviledges still Now we come to the place where we would be the 25. Vers 25. verse wherein is the reason why God deals so with his own people The Text gives you to understand the ground of it was because they had forsooke the Covenant of their God Meaning of the words This we will fasten upon And first I will open the words and then draw some collections from them for our benefit First I will shew you what is meant by Covenant Secondly what is meant by forsaking of the Covenant Brethren Covenant there is a double Covenant in the frame of Scripture Joh. 3.15 16. and 5.24 and 11.25 26. First a Covenant of being in God which is called the Covenant of faith He that beleeveth shall live Secondly a Covenant of walking before or with God when we have received mercy and grace through the goodnesse of God in acceptation of our persons in and through Christ then the Lord requires that we should walke in new obedience before him answerable to that grace bestowed Brethren marke that and this is the covenant of new obedience or of thankfulnesse which the Lord reveals requires and exacts of all that have given their names unto him I take it that the covenant of the second sense is here meant The other is supposed and included but this is the maine the covenant of his Law whereby we should be obedient unto him that is the minde of the holy man in this place and the scope of the words Secondly to forsake this covenant is this when we keepe not touch with God in sincere exact and holy obedience answerable to the means and mercy he bestows upon us and the care and kindnesse of the Lord towards us When we fleeing away from the command of the Lord breake his bands Psal 2.3 and snap the cords a pieces when we walke after our own wayes are not governed by God and content to be ruled by his holy word in all things then are we said to forsake his covenant Nextly marke here he sayes they forsooke it that is the generall frame of the nation The generall not the naughtie packs only and some few but they forsooke it Now brethren having opened the words unto you I will come unto the points of instruction and first in that he cals his Commandement and Law his Covenant observe a maine point of great use and benefit and that is this That the Commandements of the Lord Doctrine are the Covenant of the Lord with his people the Covenant of new obedience This is the Covenant that God makes with his people Deut. 5.2.6 not of life but of thankfulnesse Deut. 5.2.6 That one place will cast the case cleere enough In the second vers he saith The Lord our God made a Covenant with us in â—oreh then in the sixt vers and so on Vers 6. there is the Covenant it selfe set downe I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt Vers 7. out of the house of bondage Thou shalt have none other Gods before me Famous is that place Psal 103.18 Psal 103.17 18 There are two Phrases used which serve to one purpose and the one explicates the other vers 17. The goodnesse of the Lord indures for ever and ever But upon whom Vers 18. brethren upon those that keepe his Commandements and thinke upon his Covenants to doe them So that his Covenants and Commandements are all one As in a Covenant there are Articles of agreement betweene party and party so betweene God and his people Here are the Articles of agreement the Ten words which God spake the Ten Commandements This Moses aimes
one part of your time and your lusts another Is this honesty brethren This is the man God esteemes as an honest man not a Protestant at large that hath a good purse and is good in his kinde and will deale honestly with men and pay them their due and at their day but he that will pay God and their soule their due too Exod. 19.5 Exod. 19.5 If you will obey my voyce indeed and keepe my covenant then you shall be a peculiar treasure unto me If your debtors keepe day with you you will trade with them rather then with any other man Let it be so in your dealings with men but remember that you do it with God Think not to put off the Lord with faire speeches Good words pay no debts Brethren we come here and give the Minister hearing and God a glosing but we walke not according to Gods commandements You give God good words but you goe home and are as unprofitable as vaine and frothy and idle as ever you were If one owe you money and take this day and that day and promise it and not pay it you would not thinke well of this dealing what may the Lord thinke of your hearts when you have made so many promises to him and had so many resolutions to performe your part of the covenant to him but have not yet kept promise with him Good words are good in their kinde God likes them well as it is in Deut. 5.28 29. This people have said well Deut. 5.28 but these are not sufficient we have enough of this sayes the Lord O that there were such an heart in them Vers 19. to doe as they have said There is the point Brethren If we have a debtor that comes oft to us and promiseth us payment but keeps not day we say you give me good words but I cannot pay debts so and keepe my family so Where is my money So Brethren you come and heare cheerefully and pretend that you will doe that you heare Ah but give God his money O that there were such an heart Know what God cals for Good money will he be payd with counters and shews No but currant money of England when the heart is changed the soule turned and the affections moved to what God cals for and that is good equall and righteous and we desire with all our heart to performe it Brethren when you are gotten home call to minde what you have said this day and this covenant which you have entred into with the Lord and say ô Lord that I had such an heart good words are well but ô a heart a heart Lord is that which thou requirest and I would have And it must be alwayes and in all things you must not picke and chuse and say I will not be a drunkard yet be covetous I wonder that you will not game and be drunke and yet gripe the poore O that there were an heart to keepe the commandements of God alwayes 1 Sam. 13.14 Act. 13.22 This is an honest man with God a man after Gods own heart a man of Gods minde as we may say If ever there were a Saint thou art when the Lord sayes O that they had such an heart the heart answers and sayes O Lord that I had such an heart when the Lord sayes O that thou wouldest keep all my commandements O that I could sayes the soule againe This is upright faire dealing indeed currant money your tongue and outward appearance is nothing that sturdy and peevish heart let it be humbled and your untoward and rebellious heart be brought into subjection Tit. 2.9 And you servants not answer your masters againe And you little ones be not sturdy against your parents and disobedient unto their commands Remember the little ones that mocked Elisha 2 King 2. 23 24. O but you will say we cannot doe what we would No it is pitty you should for then some of you would be without sin which cannot be here But doe you indeavour to doe what you can and are you humbled and grieved for that you cannot doe and doe you strive towards perfection and say with David Thou hast commanded that I should keepe thy statutes Psal 119.4 O that I could Lord Vers 5. O that my wayes were directed to keepe thy statutes And doest labour to mend thy pace because thou hast been slow and art cast behind in the way to happinesse and hast lost thy time This is all God requires of thee If one that is in debt to you fall into decay and come to you and say he is not able to pay you your money but he desires you to goe to his house and take whatsoever is there that is worth any thing to satisfie you I appeale to your consciences is he not an honest dealer yes you will not deny it but you will pitty his case and say the Lord may crosse any man and you will be favourable unto him because he shews an honest minde in that he desires every man should have his own to the utmost he can either in money or in money worth So brethren observe what the soul wants in obedience that it may plucke it out in repentance that is the money worth that when the poore sinner finds a dead heart a sluggish indeavour weaknesse in performance and he cannot doe as he should doe yet what he wants in obedience he fetcheth out in repentance step but in at the entry doore or under the wall or under the window and heare how he will breake his heart bewaile his abominations cry out of himselfe and say though much means and grace have been offered me yet good Lord this wretched world that I should dote upon lying vanities Jon. 2.8 so as to forsake mine own mercies Good Lord subdue this earthly mindednesse Good Lord take all away rather then this should take my soule from thee and from happinesse O thus brethren he labours to please the Lord in sorrow and griefe and mourning for the short comings of his payment in obedience He lays load upon himselfe in this case This is an honest heart this is very good pay it is money or money worth he is humbled and ashamed and confounded because he cannot doe what he would In this case he deals squarely he is an honest Christian An honest man if he be cast backe in his estate he will intreat Libertie of his creditors and resolve and promise them too that if ever God make him able his family shall not gaine by it but he will pay them to the utmost farthing so is it with an honest heart brethren I looke not that a man should not have temptations and corruptions and that sometime prevailing over him but this thou must have and thus thou beg earnestly of the Lord godly sorrow and griefe of heart for thy failings and that he would recover thy * Psal 39.13 strength before thou goe from hence and be
no more Though thou loose this weeke that thou maist gather it up the next weeke worke so much the more and the harder The Lord be mercifull to us where are those honest men to be found brethren that desire to doe thus Me thinke I heare you in your souls now saying good Lord what will become of our towne good Lord what will become of our neighbours they talke of honesty and this is honesty but alas their life agrees not to it You complaine of trading in the world almost no trust to be put in any every man almost is turned banckrupt I am sure brethren it is true in Religion He that was a forward Christian a while agoe is a drunkard now or a gamester now And he that was a forward Professour and would goe to a Sermon foure or five mile in a morning and come home againe and to worke hard to get up the time againe But now God hath given him a pretty estate in this world he is turned a very muck-worme become covetous or a loose one Though I doe not know you brethren I am sure brethren there are a number such abroad in this land and I doubt not but you can point at such here in this congregation and say that is such a man and that is such a man he still seeks to hold in with his Minister and would faine be counted a Professour but O there is no life nor heart nor power of godlinesse in him he is grown starke cold since I knew him the world hath a part of his heart his pleasure another his profit another idlenesse and ease another he may even lay the key under the threshold for any found Religion and true grace indeed he is quite downe the winde But you will say haply that I thinke too hardly of you I know you not I hope brethren there are many of you godly the Lord increase your number and his graces that are in you but I am sure if you come to the ballance you shall finde few that are sound and godly Christians indeed that will hold weight Let us search a little Why you will say I hope we are honest men the most of us we pay every man his due It is well you doe so but I will bring in a bill now brethren which if you cannot prove to be cancelled woe be to you This Doctrin casts out aboundance in all places Vse at this doore and at that doore and packs them out and will leave poore thin congregations We will scan the case a little brethren First hence it is cleare that the poore ignorant creature is gone he is quite blown up if he so continue he knows nothing in this kinde he knows not how to count twentie shillings how shall he satisfie a debt of twentie pound that is to say brethren they know not God not understand the prayers that they make they say the Lords Prayer Lords Prayer and it is good to be used in its time but doe you please God in so doing when you understand not what you say one sayes Hallowed be thy Name when he knows not what Gods name is and what it is to hallow it Another sayes Thy Kingdome come when he knows not what it is to have his kingdome come You cannot count your money yet you cannot discerne a six pence from a groat that is to say brethren you know not what it is to pray and to heare the word you know not what it is to take the Name of God reverently into your mouthes And so some will call God Father but they know not how he is their Father nor how they come to be his children These are gone they are carnall they have not pay therefore certainly cannot pay the Lord his due 2. There is another generation worse then these and those are profane ones that set themselves professedly to run to rerages with the Lord scorne all means God hath appointed to bring in his debts by they will be drunke sweare profane the Sabbath scoffe at such as refraine their foot from evill Isa 59.15 Tell them God requires other things of them that they keep not touch with him and he expects other things at their hands and that they run in rerages with the Lord for his rent and that he will arrest them and confound them if they doe not pay him his rent for the time to come They say they purpose no other payment then he hath already at their hands but let God get his own as he can they will take their own course still Is there any such here brethren There are too many such in the world and I feare too some among you though you pretend faire and say not so openly yet you say so by your deeds brethren for you will have this privy haunt and that secret evill way take this and that wicked course you resolve of it and will doe it let the Lord get his own if he can So he will I warrant you Looke to it you that think to brave it with the Lord when you are among your cups and companions and to make your part good with him to out-brave all judgements and who shall arrest you the Lord will plucke the cup out of thy hands and arrest thee with death and a thousand devils shall lay hold on thee and drag thee to hell to torment thee for ever God will have his rent one way or other Thinke of it you that set your mouthes against heaven and what hath the Minister to doe to speake against you you will out face God and Minister and Gospell and all and thinke to goe away scot-free Looke to it God will get his own he will have it of thee as he had it out of Iulian the Apostate I will all edge but one place to you for this purpose and that is Deut. 29.18 the Text sayes Deut. 29.18 That if there be any root of bitternesse among them vers 19. Vers 19. That when he heareth the curse of the Lord shall yet blesse himselfe in his heart saying he shall escape and doe well enough for all that The Text sayes Vers 20. That the wrath of the Lord shall smoake against that man and he shall blot out his name from under heaven Oh that this verse were imprinted upon the palme of the hand of every drunkard and every scoffer and profane one that walks after the stubbornnesse of his own heart and addes drunkennesse to thirst and yet you thinke to goe away with it and so you may for a time and these words breake no bones and all this winde shakes no corne with you you hope to goe to heaven as well as the best you will drinke and whore and yet it shall go well with you in the end and you are proud and stout and stubborn and stiffe-necked against the Lord and the voyce of his word and yet you blesse your selves and promise to your selves peace Marke what
the God of Heaven saith Vers 20. The anger of the Lord shall smoke against that man and all the curses that are written in this Booke shall lie upon him and the Lord shall blot out his name from under Heaven vers 21. Vers 21. And the Lord shall separate him unto evill out of all the Tribes of Israel All the vengeance of the Almighty that ever was made knowne shall light upon the head and heart of that drunkard and that contemner of God and the word of his Grace He will separate you from the Tribes of Israel You thinke to run away from your Countrey and to flie from his Judgements as some Bankerupts do escape from men to run to Amsterdam and other places No the Lord will separate that man from all the Tribes of Israel where ever he be in France Germany Amsterdam or where ever he will separate him and set the damned spirits on the backe of him and say Take hold of that man and execute vengeance on him Brethren you may think I deale something harshly with you but I deale for the best for you Is it not better to heare of this now in time then hereafter when the Lord hath arrested you and you are locked up in close prison for ever you should thinke Oh if such a denunciation had beene told me if such an exhortation had beene wrought upon me if such a man had pressed hard upon my conscience with such and such things I had never come here Consider this God will have it out of you as he had it out of Iulian the Apostate that had blasphemed Christ before in the field an arrow came from God and smote him that he died and then he said Thou hast overcome me O thou Galilean You that are mates in this kinde goe home to your fellow drunkards and to your fellow whoremasters and scoffers and those that side with you against God and goodnesse and such as are godly and tell them God will have his debt of them Know it now to your humiliation and amendment lest you know it to your cost when there will be no prevailing with the Lord for mercy The Lord perswade your hearts that there is no way to escape but by coming in and acknowledging your debt and craving pardon though you cannot pay Thirdly the close hearted Hypocrite Vse 3. he comes here to be discarded he thinkes his penny good silver the world esteems of him as a sincere honest upright hearted man Tell him that he keeps not Covenant with the Lord he takes it in great indignation If any be here as this Age begetteth a world of close hypocrites understand and know if you keep back some of the payment have a secret haunt doe as Ananias and Saphira did Acts 5.2 that laid downe a part of the price for which the possession was sold and said Vers 8. It was all Is here all saith Peter to them Yes all saith he so when the Lord saith to you Dost thou pray Yes Lord And dost hate all sinne Yes Lord say you Why dost lye to the Almighty Vers 3. Doe you not know a company of secret haunts and back-dores that you have to this lust and that lust and many secret corruptions you have and yet come into the presence of the Lord as if you were upright with the Lord and there were no such matter O ye hypocrites why hath Satan filled your hearts to lye to the Lord Vers 3. Doe you not know what Elisha said to Gehazi 2 King 5.20.21 when he ran after Naaman for a bribe vers 25. Where hast thou been Gehazi Thy servant hath been no where Vers 25. he thought to wash it away and make it over so with a lye vers 26. Vers 26. Went not mine heart with thee saith Elisha when thou rannest after Naaman for a bribe If any close hypocrite be in the Congregation let him know the Lord will finde him out and will say to him Whither went thy heart all this while Where hast beene dodging Was not my heart with thee vers 26. when thou wentest after such a secret haunt and such a close lust O but you will say it is no such matter you desire to be upright I say be so brethren The Lord goes with thee wither so ever thou goest and he sees all thy Dalilahs and Herodiasses of pride and selfe-love he seeth how thou seekest to him in the pride of thy heart and how thou professest to get a name and to bold in with others These are base abominations cursed hypocrisie this is false-heartednesse before God and shall be plagued by God at the day of account There is not an honest woman that hath but one other man besides her husband He is not an honest man that will not pay one bond of tenne or many A penny is due as well as a pound My hand is on your heart brethren for I feare many of you have some one back-dore which you meane to keepe and you will be proud or covetous a little or uncleane onely and all the rest of that Covenant ye are content to keepe Is this honest to scrape out what you please and leave what you please still there is no honestie in this brethren But you will say Who can lay any thing to my charge I say thou art a Covenant-breaker and the Lord could never get his owne of thee yet Well yet thou wilt put it off as Saul did when Samuel came to meet him as he returned from slaying the Amalekites 1 Sam. 15.13 Come thou blessed of the Lord. But what said Samuel to him Vers 14. Ah saies he vers 14. What meanes the bleating of the sheepe and the lowing of the Oxen So you say you make conscience of all the Commandements of the Lord But what meane these secret corners and haunts I mean those which conscience and God heare of not what I heare of for I know nothing but by them What meane all these secret conveyances that you have to make away and hide your lusts with that you may live in them and not be knowne so to doe What meanes your drunkennesse in a corner your adultery in a corner your hypocrisie and covetousnesse lukewarmenesse and coldnesse carelesnesse and earthly mindednesse Yet men will not be out-faced they will beare a man downe still that it is so Then I have no other way but this with you looke what a man doth by a debtor that saith the debt is paid and will face him downe that it is so yet the Booke is not crossed What will this Creditor do now Why then to your Bookes he goes and cals in the servant that takes in the reckonings and saith Doe you remember it No saith the servant you gave me good words divers times when I called on you for it but no money was paid why then I never had it So brethren you say that you are holy we will call
this cary it home with you and examining your selves know the Lord will have sinceritie from you Secondly it is a word of consolation Vse 2. this is a marvellous comfort to those that love and feare the Lord all you whose hearts answer It is thus with you lift up your heads with joy for this will uphold you and make you * Luk. 21.28 lift up your heads with comfort in all your troubles and in the day of the Lord When your redemption draweth nigh Isa 3.10 Isa 3.10 say It shall goe well with the godly I say to that man what ever come it shall goe well with him We use to say without doubt without danger A man that owes nothing he cares not for any Pursevant or Sergeant or Baily he feares them not for he knowes they have nothing to doe with him This is a marvellous comfort to him so it ought to be to a sincere heart that hath paid his debt to God when trouble seises upon him you know what Hezekiah said 2 King 20.3 Good Lord remember how I have walked before thee with an upright heart Isa 38.3 If a man be arrested upon a false ground the Law will baile him there is no Law against him Thinke of that brethren Gal. 5.21 Galat. 5.22 The fruits of the Spirit are love joy peace long-suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith * Vers 23. meekenesse temperance against such there is no Law There is no Law to punish or condemne them or accuse them Therefore blessed are your soules that are sincere and upright in heart conversation alwaies to all Gods Commandements in publique in private in ordinarie times and extraordinarie there is no law against you whatsoever Satan or the world say against you there is no law in the Booke of God to condemne you Psal 119.6 Psal 119.6 Then shall I not be confounded when I have respect to all thy Commandements In the times of all dangers and of all miseries which are like to seise upon us soone if the Land should be over-run and friends and means faile here is comfort to every faithfull soule Psal 103.15 All flesh is grasse * Psal 103.15 the winde passeth over it Vers 16. and it is gone Vers 17. ver 17. but the loving kindnesse of the Lord endures for ever and ever Upon whom brethren Vpon them that feare him and thinke upon his covenants to doe them Marke how he sustaines himselfe life goe friends goe meanes goe all flesh is grasse Vers 15. the winde passeth over it and it is gone meanes are gone how then brethren vers 17. Vers 17. But the goodnesse of the Lord endures for ever and ever Though Libertie be gone the Spirit of the Lord endures though means be gone the mercy of God endures Psal 136. all though friends be gone the favour of the Lord endures The loving kindnesse of the Lord endures for ever Upon whom upon them that feare him and thinke upon his Covenants to doe them Though a poore soule fare meanly and live hardly all helps gone the Winde hath passed over them and libertie is gone honour is gone life is going nothing endures yet lift up thy soule in sicknesse and say My health is gone my strength is gone my life is going but the loving kindnesse of the Lord endures for ever Vers 18. upon every soule that keepes his Commandements and thinks upon his Covenants to doe them Lastly for a word of exhortation Vse 4. Is the Commandement of God his Covenant and is the keeping of that the way to obtaine mercy and happinesse here and for ever then goe away if you will and be dishonest still and breake Covenant with the Lord. The very name of dishonestie me thinks should move you brethren to be faithfull in your Covenant and to set on speedily and to be exceeding watchfull and carefull and to performe what you have promised to the Lord. Reason should move you What not keepe Covenant especially with the Lord What shall we make promises to the Lord and enter into Covenant with him and not keep it Let it for shame never be said of us brethren Marke what David saith Psal 119 11. I have hid thy Commandements in my heart that I might not sinne against thee His minde ran of them and his tongue talked of them continually Amongst men brethren you would not have your credit cracked for any thing and you doe honestly A good name is a Jewell But doe thus with the Lord brethren Hath not the Lord kept touch with you in all his promises Did you ever beg any thing of him and he not heare you Why doe you not keepe touch with the Lord Shame your selves for this I beseech you Men in the world if they breake in their estates they have this love and humanitie in them that if any lose then it shall be they that did deale most hardly with them and that got most by them when they were in trading but this kinde friend that was kinde to him and lent him monie sometime in his need he shall not lose a penny by him O saith he I had a friend of him I could never come to him but he would receive me This is honestie and faire and equall O consider of this brethren we have hard bargains at the hands of the world and of the devill and sinne many knocks of soule and girds of conscience with them But the Lord hath beene ever gracious mercifull loving and kinde to us resolve therefore that the Lord shall never lose by you let the world lose if it will and let carnall friends and sinne and Satan lose if they will Let not the Lord lose but resolve what ever becomes of it I will pray constantly and reade in my family morning and evening and upon every occasion and reforme my waies It is not needfull that I should be rich it is that I be sincere and faithfull to the Lord I will labour for a good conscience and endevour to walke with God FINIS Imprimatur Ja. Cranford