vnsearchable corners thereof Hath it humbled it with the sight of thy sinnes and sense of Gods iudgements Hath it filled it with fearefull terrours compunction remorse and true sorrow for thy life past Hath it after quieted and refreshed it with a sure faith in Christ Iesus and a delight in heauenly things Hath it mortified thy inward corruptions and broke the heart of thy sweet sinne Hath it planted a holy moderation in all thy affections that whereas heretofore they haue been enraged with lust with immoderate anger with ambition with insatiable desire for the enlargement of thy wealth possessions and greatnesse and with hatred of Gods dearest seruants and their holinesse are they now inflamed with zeale for Gods honour truth and seruice with a feruent loue vnto the Lord and his Saints with Christian courage to oppose against the sinnes of the time to defend goodnesse and good causes to contemne the lying slanders and prophane scoffes of worthlesse men Hath it begot in â—hy will an hunger and thirst after the spirituall food of thy soule the Word and Sacraments so that thou haddest rather part with any worldly good then not enioy the incomparable benefit of a conscionable and constant ministery Are thy thoughts of which heretofore thou hast made no great conscience but letten them wander vp and downe at rondom wickedly idely and wantonly are they now I say bounded within a sacred compasse and spent vpon holie things and the necessary affaires of thy honest and lawfull calling Is thy vnderstanding informed and acquainted with the mysterie of saluation which the world and the wise men thereof account nothing but madnesse and follie Is thy memorie which hath heretofore been stuffed with trash and toies vanities and follies now capable and greedy of diuine knowledge Are thy words which heretofore haue been full of prophanenesse and worldlinesse now directed to glorifie God and to giue grace vnto the hearers Nay yet further besides this inward renouation of the faculties of thy soule hath the power of grace sanctified all thy outward actions Dost thou now order in euery particular al the businesse of thy vocation religiously conscionably and by direction out of the word of God Art thou inwardly affected and faithfull in the performance of religious duties as in hearing the word of God in sanctifying the Sabbath in prayer and the rest Dost thou now heare the word of God not onely of course and custome but of zeale and conscience to reforme thy selfe by it and to liue after it Doe not the weeke daies duties and worldly cares drowne thy mind on the Sabbath but that thou dost the whole day entirely freely and cheerefully attend the worship of God Dost thou exercise daily with fruit and feeling prayer that precious comfort of the faithfull Christian Thou being conuerted dost thou labour the conuersion of others especially of those which are committed any way to thy charge and for whom thou must giue a more strict account as if thou be a master of a family dost thou pray with them and instruct them in the doctrine of saluation and waies of godlinesse Dost thou now not onely sticke at and forbeare great and grosse sinnes but dost thou euen hate the garment spotted of the flesh and al appearance of euill Doth the tendernes of thy conscience checke thee for the least sinnes and make thee fearefull to offend though it bee but in a wandring cogitation After euery fall into infirmities art thou carefull to renew thy repentance and learne wisedome and watchfulnesse to auoid them afterwards Doest thou feele thy selfe profit grow and encrease in these fruits and effects of grace And hast thou such a gratious tast of the glory of God and of eternall life that thou art euen willing and desirous to meet thy Sauiour in the clouds not so much for to be rid out of the miseries of this life as to be freed from the heauie burthen of sinne which hangs on so fast and to enioy his presence in the heauens for euer In a word as thy soule giues life spirit and motion to thy whole body and euery part thereof doth the spirit of God euen so inspire thy soule and body and all thy actions with the life of grace Why then thou hast past the perfections of the formal hypocrite and art possest of the state of true blessednesse thou art then happie that euer thou wast borne thy way is certainely the way of life And I can assure thee and I dare boldly pronounce it that thou art already vtterly out of the reach of all the powers of hell Satan is chained vp for euer doing thee any deadly hurt All the creatures are reconciled vnto thee and at league with thee Thou hast filled the Angels with joy at thy conuersion they will for euer guard thee Thou shalt neuer more be afraid for any euill tidings Though the earth be moued and though the mountaines fall into the midst of the sea thy heart shall abide strong vnshaken and comfortable When thou fallest downe vpon thy bed of sicknes thou shalt find no mortall poyson in thy flesh no sting in death no darkenes in the graue no amazement at that great and fearefull day For all the merits and sufferings of Christ are thine all the comforts of Gods children are thine all the blessings in the booke of God are thine all the ioyes of heauen are thine euen all things are thine and thou art Christs and Christ is Gods Onely stand fast in the faith quit thy selfe like a man and be strong gird thy sword vpon thy thigh buckle fast vnto thee the whole armour of God ride on because of the word of truth and the Lord thy God be with thee Breake thorow for a while with vndaunted courage the bitternesse of the worlds malice the keene razours of empoysoned tongues thâ— teares and tediousnesse of a few wretched daies for thou art nearer the price of the high calling then when thou first beleeuedst Shine more and more in faith in patience in loue in knowledge obedience and all other Christian graces vntill the perfect day vntill thou reach the height of heauen and the full glory of the Saints of God I now proceed more distinctly to other markes of difference betwixt the state of grace and formall hypocrisie Some notes of distinction for my purpose may be raised out of those places of Scripture which I proposed for to acquaint you with the kinds of perfection and degrees of goodnesse whereof a man as yet vnregenerate is capable and may bee partaker In the 8. of Luke the hearer resembled vnto the stonie ground is the formall hypocrite Hee receiues the word of God with ioy as doth the faithfull Christian though â—ot in the same measure But here is the speciall point and marke that differenceth the one from the other The word and faith in the formall hypocrite haue no roots They are not deepely and soundly rooted and planted in his vnderstanding conscience thoughts
man professeth that which is not in his heart at all and so deceiues others but not his owne heart And this is most properly hypocrisie For the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth a stage-plaier who sometimes putteth on the roabes and maiestie of a Prince himselfe being of a base and neglected state Or the grauitie and wisdome of a Counseller himself being of roguish dissolute conditions Sometimes he representeth a chast and modest louer his owne life being a practise of vncleannesse Sometimes he assumeth a good and honest vocation his own being accursed and vnwarrantable Euen such is the grosse hypocrite vpon the stage of this world a very painted sepulchre and whited wall glorious indeed in outward fashions and solennities in shewes and representations to the eie of the world but if it were possible for a man to make an exact inquirie into the close and hidden passage of his heart he should find many black and bloodie proiects for compassing reuenge euen vpon surmised opposites many ambitious steps built vpon flatterie and dissembling basenesse and briberie for his rising and preferments many stinging swarmes of fierie lusts and impure thoughts which are either spent in speculatiue wantonnesse and the adulteries of the heart or else for feare of the worlds notice breake out onely into a strange and secret filthinesse In a word vnder the vaile of his outward religiousnesse hee should see a perfect anatome of the infinite and deceitfull corruptions of the heart of man and many plausible and politicke conuâ—iances to bleare the eies of the world howsoeuer wretched man vpon his owne fillie and forlorne soule he certainely drawes an exceeding waight of vengeance This kind of hypocrite is more miserable and of lesse hope then the open sinner First because he sinneth against the light of his conscience which manner of sinning makes him incapable of sauing graces For how can that heart which to naturall hardnesse addeth a voluntary obfirmation in sinne and resistance to godly motions receiue the softening and sanctifying spirit of God How should those vnrulie affections be tamed by the power of religion who please themselues and hold it their greatest glory to seeme most moderate outwardly when inwardly they boile most intemperately in lust pride malice contempt of zealous simplicity and in other soulest pollutions How should the brightnesse of wisedome shine where the windowes of the soule are shut close wilfully and vpon set purpose Secondly by reason of the shining lampe of an outward profession howsoeuer he want the oyle of grace in his heart he so dazles the eyes of men that he barres himselfe of those reproofes and wholesome admonitions whereby the open sinner is many times confounded and amazed in his conscience humbled and cast downe in himselfe and happily reclaimed and conuerted Thirdly all publicke reprehensions and aduertisements from the Ministery of the word although they be as so many loud cries sounding in his cares to awake him out of the dead slumber of hypocrisie he either interprets to proceed from some particular malice or indiscreet heate and so passes them ouer with a bitter and peremptorâ—e censure or else out of the pride of his heart hee posteth them ouer from himselfe as not infamous or notorious in the worlds opinion and transfers them vpon the open sinners being assured that in the iudgement of others whom hee blinds and deludes by his Art of Seeming they belong not to him Fourthly he is iustly obnoxious to an extraordinarie measure of Gods hatred and indignation For euery ingenuous man out of the grounds of morality holdeth in greatest detestation a doubling and dissembling companion as a fellow of extreme basenesse and seruility most vnworthie to be entertained either into his inward affections and approbation or outward seruices and imployments how much more the God of heauen and earth who seeth cleerely into the inmost closet of the heart For hell and destruction are before the Lord how much more the hearts of the sons of men I say how much more must he needs double his infinite hatred of sin against the double iniquity of hypocrisie how must his soule abhorre that wretched creature which beares the world in hand and makes a shew vnto men that he stands for God and his honour and seruice but indeed is a close factor for Satan his owne pleasures and the powers of darkenes And as the hypocrite is subiect to Gods extraordinarie hatred so is hee liable to an extraordinarie weight of vengeance For when the wrath of the Lord is once enkindled against him it is powred out like fire and burnes euen to the bottome of hell His feare commeth like an horrible desolation and his destruction like a whirlewind Terrors shall take him as waters and a tempest shall carrie him away by night And so certaine are these plagues that as though the hypocrite were already turned into a diuell or into the very fierie lake it is said in the Gospell of other sinners that they shall haue their portion with the hypocrite where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Good Lord it is strange and fearefull that so noble and excellent a creature as man endewed with reason and vnderstanding like an Angell of God hauing besides the pretiousnes of the holy booke of God those great and vniuersall motiues the immortality of the soule the resurrection of the dead the ioyes of the kingdome of heauen the endlesse paines of the wicked which except he be a damned Atheist he doth certainely beleeue and whereas hee might liue on earth with vnconquerable comfort and shine hereafter as the brightnes of the firmament bee a companion of Saints and Angels and stand in the glorious presence of the highest Maiestie for euer and euer yet for all this will euen wilfully against the light of his conscience and with the certaine knowledge of his heart by his grosse hypocrisie secret abominations and vncleannes priuie practises for some wretched pleasures and preferments make himselfe in the eyes of God howsoeuer he deceiue men a very incarnate diuell vpon earth and after this life iustly heape vpon his body and soule all the horrours and despaires tortures and plagues which a created nature is capable of Oh that the hypocrite would consider these things in time lest the wrath and fierie ielousie of the Lord breake forth vpon him suddenly and ineuitably like sorrowes vpon a woman in trauell and teare him in pieces when there bee none that can deliuer him Well may he carrie the matter smoothly for a time and by his iugling dissimulation cast a mist about him and inwrap himselfe in darkenesse from the eye of the world yet let him know that in the meane time his sinnes are writing by the hand of Gods iustice with the point of a Diamond in the register of his conscience and when their number and measure is accomplished the Lord will come against him euen with whole armies of plagues and vengeance as against the most hatefull
our first loue Would to God that we would keepe fresh in our minds but this one consideration That the same God which against the expectation both of heauen and earth of Rome and hell of diuels and Papists turned our feares and amazements at the death of that glorious Saint the late Queene into safetie and a sure foundation by the most happie succession of our gracious Soueraigne and his roiall seed can out of his iust iudgements for our vnthankefulnesse and securitie in the very turning of an hand and closing of an eie dash all our hopes and shut vp the whole Body of this flourishing kingdom in the pit of irrecouerable destruction It had bin done had Fauks fired the powder and who knowes what those busie and bloody heads are euen now hammering in the same kind Besides these two now mentioned there is another capitall cause of Gods heauie displeasure which though iâ— make no great noise nor be much taken notice of vpon earth yet â—t is much lothed of God almighty and cries loud in heauen for vengeance vpon vs It is a Lukewarmenesse and vnzealousnesse a cold and carelesse mediocritie in spirituall matters and as it were a neutralitie betwixt notorious sinfulnes and sauing sinceritie When men perhaps with diligence willingnesse and forwardnesse submit themselues to the hearing of the word but subordinate the power and practise thereof to their â—ase honours and worldly contentments When they wil needs hold an outward correspondence with the world and yet inwardly maintaine and nourish hope of saluation in themselues When they straine their wits and striue to partake both of the comfortable fauour of God and corrupt fashions of the times both of the pleasures of their sweet sinne and the sweetnesse of the true peace of conscience which are as inconcurrent as two parallel lines and as incompatible as light and darkenesse These men though in the worlds opinion they be of ciuill honest cariage of moderate spirits and of a stated temper in religion and in their owne conceits rich and enriched and want nothing yet indeed they are meere staruelings and starke beggers in respect of the true riches and lasting treasures of sauing grace and in the very case of those except in the meane time they buy of him gold garments and oile which shall neuer see Christ Iesus in his Kingdome to their comfort for Amen the faithfull and true witnesse hath vowed it that he will spue such out of his mouth and wishes much rather that they were key-cold then such formall Christians His speech imports thus much I had rather you were Pagans and Infidels then professors without zeale Now my chiefe and speciall aime is with all humble submission to beâ—ter iudgements and the censure of the Prophets to lay open the state of thâ—se men because besides their fearefull deceiuing their owne soules and particular certaine damnation if they so continue they mightily inceâ—se the Lords wrath against this laâ—d with an insensible and vnacknowledgde prouocation and mainly hazard the continuance of his glorious Gospell amongst vs. It is commonly conceiued indeed both of themselues and of the world that if they bee morally honest and outwardly conformable to the ministery of the word so that they bee hurtlesse and innocent in respect of humane iustice that they are also I know not how harmelesse and guiltlesse before the Tribunall of God But the Euangelist telles vs That that which is highlie esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God And God himselfe by Isaiah That his thoughts are not our thoughts neither are his waies our waies For certainely the state of Lukewarmnesse and formalitiâ— in religion howsoeuer it may be full of worldly applause and happinesse and beare away the bell vpon earth yet it is as burdensome and hatefull vnto God as luke-warme water or the most lothsome potion to the nicest stomacke And doth with a more naturall importunitie then other sinnes knock at the gates of diuine iustice for the remooueall of our candlesticke and the glory of his Gospell from amongst vs. All kinds of sinnes according to their nature measure and ripenesse haue proportionally a part and hand in drawing downe all manner of plagues vpon the sonnes of men but this hath a peculiar and predominant power in hastening that particular and greatest of all iudgements the famine of the word For God cannot endure without speciall indignation that his word which is his power vnto saluation should recâ—iue such limitation and prescription from mens wisdome that it should worke no further vpon them nor beget more change and holinesse then may consist with the enioyment of their worldly contentments reputation and the pleasures of their beloued sinne He cannot abide that men discontented with the straâ—tnesse of the gate of grace and impatient of a strict course of godlinesse should labor to find out and follow another way to heauen then that which is sanctified by his word and which hath and must be troden by all those that will euer see the Lord. Knowledge and profession of Gods truth without sanctification and zeale are but meanes in the meane time to put out the glory of Israel and will hereafter but encrease the number of stripes and adde waight vnto endlesse torment In the name of God therefore let all luke-warme and formall Christians be contented to take notice of their state and before the Sun goe downâ— ouer the Prophets suffer their hearts to be thorowly heated with true zeale and besides their outward reformation and generall lightnings of the Spirit to entertaine that speciall sauing and sanctifying grace which onely can saue their soules and prepare them for the glory that is to be reuealed Lest now at length for he hath borne with vs miraculously our iust God cause our Sunne to goe downe at noone and darkenesse to surprize vs in the cleare day Lâ—st he roote vs out of this good land as a fruitlesse and faithles nation turne vs out of our houses of peace as the vnworthiest and vnthankefullest people vnder heauen and let out his vineyard to other husbandmen which will deliuer him the fruites in their seasons And the more secure and fearelesse wee bee as wee were neuer more the more sudden and ineuitable is like to bee our surprizall and destruction For as Gods mercies are then most magnified when they relieue the extremest miserie and shine into the depth of discomfort and darkenesse when all other helpe is vtterly despaired of so his iudgements are most glorious when they strike at the height and top of pride and impenitencie while they thinke themselues most sure and with greatest confidence repose vpon the arme of flesh and policie of man The third reason and motiue why I insist so long in the point of formal hypocrisie was taken from the condition of mine auditors who being of deepest vnderstanding are naturally aptest and stroÌ„gliest tempted to mistake vnderualue the mystery of godlines and to deceiue their owne
repentance and humiliation for some former sinne not thorowly repented of or in part resumed is to be renewed Perhaps the Lord hath thereby an holy purpose to reueale vnto him the omission of some duties in his calling or some smaller faults yet scandalous whereof before he was not sensible Or it may be to preuent some sinne to come either that with which he is falsly charged or some other to which his fraile nature is more inclining Or lastly by this experience to prepare him with courage and furnish him with wisdome to comfort others in the like case or to glorifie his name by patience in some more publicke and notorious disgrace and vexation to bee indured in this kind Hereupon the child of God doth presently make a priuie search into his soule doth narrowly fift the state of his conscience and after due and impartiall examination feelingly and faithfully addresse himself to prayer practise of these considerations and reformation of what he finds amisse Secondly this outward crosse vpon his good name by false surmises and suspicions makes him retire into himselfe and more fruitfully and cheerefully to enjoy all his inward comforts his hope and delight in heauenly things the assurance that his name is written in the booke of life which no malice of men or policie of hell is euer able to blot out It makes him with more feruent and greedy attention to listen for the trumpet of that last and fearefull day more longingly and with fixed eies to wait for the Lord Iesus in the cloudes who as he will punish all prophane Opposites to holinesse with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power so vndoubtedly with the brightnesse of his comming hee will then at the furthest before men and Angels bring forth his righteousnesse as the light and his iudgement as the nooneday Thirdly by the mercies of God for any such wretched and lying slander he is not so cast downe with worldly sorrow he doth not so farre gratifie Satan and malicious men as to ioyne hands with them for the afflicting of his owne soule with needlesse discomforts or discouraging himselfe in his calling but rather he raiseth matter of comfort encouragement and reioycing For thereby he is made more like and conformable to his head Christ Iesus who endured the crosse and such speaking against of sinners and despised the shame for the ioy that was set before him Hee hath thereby more waight and degrees added to his blessednesse more massines and brightnesse to his crowne of immortalitie Blessed are ye faith Christ when men reuile you and say all manner of euill against you for my sake falslie reioyce and be glad for great is your reward in heauen And therfore in despite of malice and falshood he runnes on ioyfully in his race and hauing the attestation of a cleare conscience the acclamations of Saints and Angels hee little cares for the barking of dogs by the way bu◠followes hard towards the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus Such as these are the thoughts and behauiour spirituall wisdome acquaints the child of God with when his good name is wronged wounded with slanders false reports I conclude the whole point The knowledge and practicall wisdome about heauenly matters in the formall hypocrite are dull cold plodding formall seruiceable and subordinate to his worldly happinesse His knowledge is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a forme of knowledge Rom. 2.20 His practise is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a forme of godlinesse 2. Tim. 3.5 All is forme and outwardnesse they are not deeply and soundly rooted in them by sanctifying grace nor inwardly inspired with supernaturall and spirituall life But diuine knowledge in the child of God is called the Spirit of reuelation Ephes. 1.17 his practicall wisdome is spirituall Colos. 1.9 that is quick actiue feruent zealous stirring not into irregularities and exorbitancies as worldly wisdom many times misconstrues but against the corruptions of the times and working out of all actions occasions and occurrents euen out of miseries slanders and infirmities some glory vnto God some good vnto his children some comfort vnto his owne soule I now proceed to tell you that the word of God is not rooted in the conscience of the formall hypocrite which is the hearer resembled vnto the stony ground The whole and entire worke of conscience as you well know out of the Schooles consisteth in a practicall syllogisine The proposition ariseth out of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an habit of practicall principles and generall fountaines of our actions The assumption is properlie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conscientia an actuall application of our knowledge to this or that particular act or obiect Whence followes the immediate and necessarie issue and office of conscience to testifie in respect of things simplie done or not done In respect of things to bee done either to excite and encourage or to restraine and bridle In respect of things done well o◠wickedly to excuse and comfort or accuse and terrific For example The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is as it were a treasurie of rules and lessons for direction in our actions proposeth the iniquitie of a lie euen out of nature Aristotle condemnes it Eth. 4.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A lie is starke naught and discommendable The sounder Schoolemen demonstrate euery lie though it be officious for a greater good to be against nature and indispensable Natures purpose is frustrated and her law transgrest when speech and words which she intends to be euer the true messengers of the conceits and apprehensions of the mind are abused to falshood and equiuocation But this practicall principle of not lying howsoeuer it be cleere in nature yet it receiues further illustration from the booke of God Therefore the proposition may be thus framed Euery liar shall be banished from the holy mountaine of the Lord Psalm 15. and shall be barred out of the new Ierusalem for euermore Reuel 22.15 The conscience of the liar doth assume and tell him But I haue thus and thus lied for aduantage and greater good Then it followes Therefore I must be banished from the holy mountaine of the Lord and barred out of the new Ierusalem for euermore A conclusion of condemnation and terror Such is the arguing of conscience for things past But thus it worketh about things to be done Let vs imagine a man to deliberate with himselfe whether he should be Non-resident or no. His habit of practicall principles if he will deale faithfully with his owne soule especially by the helpe of the honester Casists may yeeld him matter enough out of nature against Non-residencie as might easilie appeare if the point were incident But sith the case is cleere Ezech. 33. he may thus frame his practicall syllogisme The Non-resident must answere for the blood of those soules which by his vnconscionable and vnwarrantable absence negligence in his charge haue perished
him in one thing or other he is short of the state of grace and by consequent hath no sound and reall assurance of heauen aboue and therefore he will haue some sweetnesse in the meane time he wil inioy some shadow at least of one heauen or other vpon earth So that if we suppose such an one to take a view in his thoughts of al that stand for a place he would resolue for goodnes and honesty so far as the security safety of his maine contentments would giue him leaue so far as the light of reason and glimmerings of generall graces were able to leade him but because he is still too respectiue of his own particular wants the eie of spiritual discretion suffers his conscience to be cooled and countermanded by worldly wisedome he may I grant by constraint occasionally or by accident consent and concur vpon the worthiest but ordinarily for meere loue of religiousnesse hee doth not make within his owne heart a free vnpassionate impartiall sincere and conscionable choice For let him otherwise bee neuer so wise or honest yet he is a meere stranger to the mysterie of godlines vtterly vnapprehensiue of the singular and supernaturall operations of the life of grace and therefore cannot discerne betwixt resolute sincerity and true turbulencie whereupon it may often come to passe that by a promiscuous confusion of these two most different spirits he may so much as in him lies repell farre the best to the vnsatisfiable wrong of the partie and the vnualuable losse of the House which should enioy him There is one point further in deliberations of this nature in which hee would iumpe with the notorious sinner In aduising with himselfe for a fit man if by the way his thoughts should be crossed with a man of knowne professed and practised forwardnesse in religion hee would passe him ouer with contempt and indignation for thus would he thinke with himselfe If such a fellow come in amongst vs we shall haue all moulded anew after the strict modell of his irregular conscience wee should be troubled with new tricks and erections for the encreasement of study and reformation of manners he would bee stil standing and striuing for an Ideall and abstractiue purity in Elections and other affaires of the Colledge so that our former quietnesse and peace would be much dissweetned with his tartnesse and too much precisenesse Thus would he bee as hote and heady against the power of grace as the notorious sinner For though there bee many different degrees of ilnesse of vnregenerate men some are farre more sober tolerable and moderate then others yet all commonly agree in this that they are bitter and implacable Opposites to the profession and practise of sound and sauing sinceritie Gods faithfull Ones euer were and euer will bee Signes and Wonders euen in Israel Isa. 8.18 Monsters vnto the great men of the world as Dauid was Psalm 71.7 A scorne reproch and derision to them that are round about them Psalm 79.4 They shall euer be accounted men of an odde fashion and singular cariage from other men Wisd. 2.15 precise humorous hypocriticall and the like Mistake me not I apologize not for any vnwarrantable opinion tending to Separation it is onely sanctification true and vndissembled holinesse without which none shall euer see the face of God or glory of heauen which I stand for and intend in all my Discourse But by the way let mee tell you this in this generall and ioynt-conspiracie of all kinds of naturall men against the spirituall state of true Christians and the soueraignty of Gods sanctifying spirit in them the meere ciuill honest man and formall hypocrite as I take it are transported with more fiercenesse and rage against them then the grosse hypocrite and notorious sinner This I take to be the reason The grosse hypocrite hee sins against the light of his owne conscience and with the certaine knowledge of his heart and therefore doth not much enuie and grudge the righteous man his excellencie aboue his neighbour and saluation of his soule The notorious sinner in his more sober mood and cold blood will confesse himselfe to be out of the way promise and protest amendment or at least reserues in his heart a resolution to repent when he is old but the meere ciuill honest man and the formall hypocrite thinke their owne state to bee as good as the best and whatsoeuer is more and besides that which they find in themselues to be but needlesse precisenes and affected singularity and therefore are many times gauld and grieued that the truely gratious and conscionable cariage of Gods seruants doth censure and condemne their outwardnes and formalitie in religion and make it plainely appeare that their case without sound conuersion and imbracement of sinceritie is the very state of wretchednes and of death But now fourthly and lastly in Elections the thoughts of Gods child in whose heart alone the word of God doth chiefly rule and is deepely rooted would bee these or the like In the first place there comes into his mind a reuerent feare of that God who hath mercifully aduanced him to his place wherein hee expecteth conscience and faithfulnesse He considers that solemne and sacred oath which hee takes in the sight of him who seeth all hearts and cogitations for a resolute and vnswayed vprightnesse in the disposing of his voice that vpon the integritie or vnconscionablenesse in Election depends the miserie and confusion or happinesse and flourishing of an House Hee further calleth to mind out of his experience that commonly those fellowes who thrust into societies offices and high roomes by shufling and violence by faction and preposterous fauour by cunning or corruption become pernicious and dishonorable to the places where they liue they are still thornes in the sides and pricks in the eyes of all that loue grace and goodnesse they either turne idle truly factious or notoriously scandalous by misspending the vnualuable pretiousnesse of their golden houres in Tauerns Ale-houses or some other course of good-fellowship to the inexpiable and eternall dishonour of those Houses of which they should bee ornaments and when they haue done much hurt and mischiefe here they are the onely men to bargaine for buy or compasse by indirect and sinister dealing Benefices and spirituall promotions abroad of which being possest they either by vnconscionable and cruell negligence and Non-residence in their charge betray the soules of their people to wildnesse and barbarisme to ignorance prophanenesse or poperie or else by a prophane and vnhallowed handling of Gods word by daubing with vntempered morter as the Prophet speakes so strengthen the hands of the wicked that they cannot returne from their wicked waies and kill the heart of the righteous and make them sad whom the Lord hath not made sad that the bruised reed is quite broken and the smoaking flaxe vtterly put out Now thinkes the child of God with himselfe out of his spirituall wisedome
occurrents obseruable with deuotion and reuerence for the good of the soule haue no great power to worke vpon them sacred times or daies of affliction are not wont to make any such impression or to breed extraordinary stirrings and motions in them Let iudgements blast or mercies blesse a kingdome let Gods word find smooth and euen way or rubs and opposition let prophanenesse be countenanced or sinceritie cherished he takes no thought so he may sleepe in a whole skinne and keepe entire his worldly comforts his thoughts continue heauie dull and formall Hee may conforme and consort with the times in his outward gestures words and actions but ordinarily his thoughts admit no change saue onely so farre as his priuate temporall felicitie is endangered by publicke iudgements or enlarged by showers of mercies and blessings from heauen I cannot enlarge this point at this time only I will giue one instance in their difference of thoughts vpon the Sabbath day The Sabbath day is as it were the faire day of the soule wherein it should not onely repaire and furnish it selfe with new spiritual streÌ„gth with greater store of knowledge grace and comfort but also feast with it heauenly friends the blessed Saints and Angels vpon those glorious ioies and happie rest which neuer shall haue end Euery child of God therefore which hath alreadie a reall interest in that eternall rest makes not only conscience of doing his owne waies seeking his owne will speaking a vaine word on that day but also in some good measure makes it the very delight of his heart the loue and comfort of his inward thoughts so that he may consecrate it as glorious to the Lord. He doth not onely giue quiet and cessation to his body from worldly businesse and works of his calling but also empties his head and disburdens his thoughts of al earthly cares that so they may wholly and entirely intend the holy motions of Gods Spirit and spend themselues in godly and extraordinarie meditations fitting the feast day of the soule and the Lords holy day This is the desire longing and endeuour of his heart thus to sanctifie the Sabbath and if at any time he be turned awrie from this vprightnesse by companie or his owne corruptions he is after much grieued and vext with it repents and praies for more zeale conscience and care for the time to come But the formall hypocrite howsoeuer he may on that day forbeare and abstaine from his ordinarie sinnes labours sports and idlenes howsoeuer he may outwardly exercise and execute all duties and seruices of religion though indeed more of custome and for fashion then with heartie and true deuotion nay he may haue other thoughts on that day but onely so farre as the bare solemnitie of the time and the greater Presence can alter them yet I dare boldly say it no formall hypocrite no kind of vnregenerate man can possibly make the Sabbath his delight as is required Isai. 58.13 And which is presupposed to make vs capable of the blessings following in the same place Then shalt thou delite in the Lord and I will make thee to mounâ— vpon the high places of the earth feed thee with the heritage of Iacob thy father for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it He cannot for his life sequester his thoughts at all not euen on that day from worldlinesse and earthly pleasures to diuine and sacred meditations Doe what hee can he cannot beate and keepe them off from worldly Obiects they will not leaue their former hants or be restrained from plotting or pleasing themselues with weeke-day businesses Lord it is strange that the soule of a man so noblely furnished with powers of highest contemplation being so strongly and sensiblie possest with consciousnesse and conceit of it owne immortality and hauing the restlesse and vnsatisfied desires of it wide capacity neuer fild but with the Maiestie of God himselfe and the glory of an immortall crowne should be such a stranger to heauen the place of it birth and euerlasting abode that vpon that day whereon as vpon the golden spot and pearle of the weeke the Lord hath stamped his owne sacred Seale of institution and solemne consecration for his owne particular seruice and speciall honour yet I say vpon that day it cannot settle and continue it owne thoughts and motions vpon those vnmixed and blessed ioyes and the way vnto them without which it shall bee euerlastingly miserable and burne hereafter in that fierie lake whose flames are fed with infinite riuers of Brimstone and the endlesse wrath of God for euer and euer Now I pray you tell mee when wee shall haue raigned hereafter many millions of yeeres in heauen what thoughts will remaine of this little inch of time vpon earth When we haue passed thorow a peece of eternitie where will appeare the minute of this miserable life and yet our thoughts and affections are so glued vnto the world as though eternitie were vpon earth and time only in heauen You are men capable of worthiest and highest eleuations of spirit I beseech you resume this meditation at your leisure methinks it should be able to breed thoughts of a far more noble and heauenly temper then ordinarilie arise and are nourished in the hearts of men But to follow my yurpose Certaine it is not the best vnâ—egenerate men can endure an entire and exact sanctification of the Sabbath it is not a Iubilie to their hearts and the ioy of their thoughts for they cannot abide to haue their minds stay long in a feeling meditation vpon spirituall affaires vpon the examination of their former life the state of the other world the sleights and tentations of Satan the day of death the tribunall of heauen and such like For though the best of them may haue a persuasion of their being in the state of grace as I haue largely proued heretofore yet sith it is wrongly and falsely grounded it cannot abide the search and touchstone Hence it is that of all things they loue not to bee alone They may please themselues well enough in solitarinesse vpon some priuate businesse for the more profound plotting and contriuing worldly matters for a more free but filthie exercise of the adulteries of the heart and contemplatiue fornication to feed vpon dull and fruitles melancholie to let their thoughts wildly range and runne riot into a world of imaginations to diue into the mysteries of nature or depths of State but to be alone onely for this purpose that the mind may more fully and immediately worke vpon the spirituall state of the soule and impartially inquire into the conscience they cannot they will not endure it and therefore commonly cast themselues into one knot of goodfellowship or other that they may merrily passe away that time for an houre of which the time of grace being once expired they would giue ten thousand worlds yet shall neuer bee able to purchase it againe But Gods children when they are alone haue inward