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A03614 Three sermons I. The wrath of God against sinners, II. God's eternitie, and mans humanitie, III. The plantation of the righteous / by T.H. Hooker, Thomas, 1586-1647. 1638 (1638) STC 13739.7; ESTC S4071 32,486 158

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this generation by the Ministery o●… the Word and Noah and Enock in that Ministery Gods Spirit strives with wicked men they spake no●… in their owne words but i●… the 2 Pet. 2. holy men spak●… Gods Word as they doe the Lord doth put his hand to ●…he worke the meaning is I ●…ave sent Noah and Enock ●…hey spake not their owne ●…ords onely but yee have ●…ven against my good ●…pirit what it is to strive ●…e Lord will not strive al●…ayes the meaning is not 〈◊〉 judgement Eccles 6.10 ●…he Lord he deales with ●…oore sinners after their na●…re as a reasonable crea●…re he enters to reasons ●…nd goes to Law and makes ●…ite to draw them home to ●…im for this I take to be the ●…eaning his Ministers came ●…metimes to exhort some●…mes to comfort and some●…mes to reprove and so wee ●…e to Law with God a●…aine From whence observe●… foure points Doct. 1. The Spirit o●… God doth ever accompany the Word and the Ministe●… thereof Here he ascrib●… it My spirit shall not alway●… strive Doct. 2. That the Lo●… strives with rebellious sinners for their good who as they strive against t●… power of the Spirit a●… their owne good No●… strove to draw them hom●… and they strove and wou●… not come Doct. 3. When men d●… abuse the Word long G●… will cease to strive in the 〈◊〉 of the meanes he will stri●… no more as he said here A●… 〈◊〉 Lord said I will not al●…ayes c. Doct. 4. Though the ●…ord will strive no more ●…t he strives long hee gives ●…ng time of repentance as 〈◊〉 did to the old world an ●…dred and twenty yeares Doct. 5. That Gods Spi●… doth ever accompany the ●…ord and the Ministery ●…ereof by the Spirit of ●…od I meane the eternall ●…pirit the Holy Ghost doth ●…speciall manner accompa●… the Word know that ●…od is every where and ●…oweth all things but in a ●…eciall manner hee is with ●…is with the Word Come ●…ecomes with the Word ●…rbid he forbids Rom. 1. 〈◊〉 Gospel is the power of the Lord to the salvation●… man Quest But how do●… this appeare to be so Answ I answer it a●… peareth in two things 〈◊〉 God doth please to set t●… worke apart to save and sa●…ctifie our soules which 〈◊〉 the learning in the wo●… cannot doe Secondly the Lord by 〈◊〉 power of his Spirit do●… constantly and continua●… accompany this worke as●… thinkes good to be a con●… tation to the wicked an●… consolation to the god●… 2 Cor. 2. the two last ver●…to the one it is a favour death to the other it is a 〈◊〉 vour of life it either 〈◊〉 the soule or saves the so●… though it ever accompanies ●…e Word yet this worke 〈◊〉 the Spirit is a voluntary ●…orke Thirdly It doth alwayes company the Word but ●…oth not alwayes worke ●…or some after twenty or ●…irty yeares are converted 〈◊〉 that it doth not alwayes ●…orke Looke as the brazen ●…erpent was lift up in the Wildernesse that whoever ●…oked on it that was stung ●…ith the fiery Serpents ●…ould be healed there was healing vertue in it he set it part for that purpose for ●…at had no vertue of it selfe 〈◊〉 because God would ●…orke by it so that whosoe●…r looked on it might bee ●…aled so it is with the Word of God for they a●… no more able to conve●… then others but because Go●… hath promised to accompany them in dispensation of i●… Reas 1. First taken from t●… fruit and effect of his Wo●… that it is able to doe 〈◊〉 things in the beginning 〈◊〉 is able to doe that whi●… Men and Angels cannot do●… Hebr. 4.12 The Word 〈◊〉 God is quicke and powerf●… and sharper then any two 〈◊〉 god sword piercing even to 〈◊〉 dividing asunder of the so●… and spirit and a discovery 〈◊〉 the thoughts of the he●… It is Gods faithfull work●… the reason why carnall 〈◊〉 fall out with the Minister●… the Word and say you sp●… against men I know y●… ●…eane me No no wee ●…now not your hearts but God doth and the Word of God knowes them Iohn 5. The dead shall heare the voyce ●…f the Sonne of God the mea●…ing is they that are dead 〈◊〉 sinnes for by nature every ●…an is dead in sinne It must ●…e more then all men can do 〈◊〉 our Saviour said to Lazaus when men stood wee●…ing by but Christ said Lazarus come out It must be Gods Word that must raise 〈◊〉 from the death of sinne 〈◊〉 the life of righteous●…esse Vse First of instruction 〈◊〉 take heed of taking up of ●…mes against the Spirit of God we see the haynous ●…nne of them that despise the Ministery of the Go●… pell men may thinke it n●…thing but alas you kno●… not what it is for the Wo●… of God and the Spirit 〈◊〉 God goeth together as 〈◊〉 blessed Martyr Steven sa●… in the 7 of the Actes Y●… stiffenecked and uncircum●… sed in heart and eares y●… have ever resisted the g●… Spirit of God as did your 〈◊〉 thers so do you therefore ta●… heed You are neere to 〈◊〉 sin against the Holy Gho●… for it is not the Word 〈◊〉 Man but the Word of Go●… it is the Spirit that th●… shouldest be saved by th●… thou hast opposed you g●… away with the contempt 〈◊〉 the Gospel and make th●… nothing thou hast sinn●… ●…gainst God and his Spirit ●…at accompanies the Word Counsel one another say do ●…ou know what you do It 〈◊〉 Gods Spirit must not that ●…mfort you must not that ●…ve you It is that that you ●…ppose take heed for this 〈◊〉 above Incestuous sinnes ●…ke 3.20.21 Herod was an ●…cestuous sinner but above ●…his fins he added this that ●…put Iohn in prison he was a ●…cestuous adulterer yet put●…g Iohn in prison was ●…ove all Matth. 11. It shall 〈◊〉 easier for Sodome and Go●…rah in the day of judge●…ut then for you that oppose 〈◊〉 Word of the Lord. So ●…ch for the first point Doct. 2. The Lord strives ●…ith poore sinners for their good when as they stri●… against the power of the S●… rit and their owne goo●… God enters into Law with sinner Sin and Sathan sai●… the soul is theirs God ent●… into Law and saith it is h●… and he made it every m●… by nature takes paine that 〈◊〉 might have no good fr●… God he goes to Law to g●… to hell as it were Matth. 2●… 37. Oh Ierusalem thou t●… killest the Prophets and sto●… them that were sent to th●… There is the thing mar●… How often would I have g●… thered thy children togeth●… as a Henne her Chickens 〈◊〉 yee would not Here is a cu●… tention the Lord wou●… have revealed his wi●… his Spirit would have 〈◊〉 ●…ed you home but you would ●…ot yee resisted his good Spirit yee take hold of wic●…ednesse as the Prophet ●…ere sayes and Iohn 5.4 You will not come to me that 〈◊〉 may be saved saith our ●…aviour to the Pharisees ●…any perish and shal
Christ I h●… come these three yeeres 〈◊〉 expected fruit and have fo●… none cut it down Stay Lo●… saith the Keeper of the Vi●… yard another yeare it 〈◊〉 be it will beare then 〈◊〉 saith Patience the sinner ha●… broken thy Comman●…ments and despised thy O●…dinances abused thy Sa●… bathes Oh forbeare sai●… Patience one yeare longe●… one opportunity more No●… as Patience doth pleade f●… Gods continuance of mer●… to a sinner so it prevail●… now when Patience is tyre●… and wearied with wick●… men as I●…rem 5. How shall ●…re as if he would scarce ●…rbeare then when Pati●…ce is cired comes Long●…fering saith Patience I ●…bore this time and that ●…e saith Long suffering ●…ay Lord another yeare ●…nother moneth marke the ●…ext Fourty yeares long was 〈◊〉 grieved with this people Consider you old men four●…e yeares the Lord hath ●…rove with you and you ●…oung men God could have ●…ken you away in your sin ●…h I say thinke upon Long●…ffering for else you had ●…erished before now old ●…ray-headed men Oh for ●…he Lords sake consider this ●…ercy fourty yeares a con●…emner of Gods Word four●…y yeares a despiser of the meanes of Grace oh consider this mercy Thus th●… Lord summons the sinner then casts him the sinner i●… his natural estate knowes no●… what he is and when hee i●… cast downe God comfort●… him and then if the soul●… grow carelesse that God●… goodnesse is wearied the●… steppes in Patience and whe●… Patience is wearied the●… comes in Long-suffering Now say Lord thou came 〈◊〉 home to me such a day such a atime I promised t●… come in but I have not O●… Lord it is thy mercy I y●… continue that I am not consumed Secondly by constraint he constraines them by a●… execution this is in a sever●… ●…er as appeares in three par●…culars when the Good●…esse Patience Long-su●●e●…ing of God will not serve ●…he turne First he lets his heavie an●…er fall on him and take him ●…y the throat and sayes you ●…ill not come but you shall ●…eele my anger and heavy ●…and for your contempt as 〈◊〉 man in suite of Law if he be cast and the other deale mercifully with him gives ●…im a day and he despises it ●…hen he arrests him casts ●…im in prison so God deals with a soule that dispises his mercy then he arrests him and casts him in prison Iob ●…5 24 25. Trouble and anguish shall make him affraid they shall prevaile against him as a King ready to the battell for he stretches ou●… his hand against God and strengtheneth himselfe against the Almighty as Pharaoh said I le not let the●… goe who is the Lord So here he flies in his face as in the 26 he runneth upon him even upon his necke upon the thick bosses of his bucklers marke they that would kill one another strike no●… where the other can defen●… themselves but God ne●… not doe so he will runne o●… the thick bosses of the buck●… lers and crush the vanitie 〈◊〉 his soule this is the first●… thus you see he is arrested Secondly and cast in pr●… son then the truth and Justi●… of God when the Sinner 〈◊〉 ●…rrested and cast into prison ●…yes an action against the ●…oore sinner and sheweth ●…m Gods former dealing 〈◊〉 a man cast in prison first 〈◊〉 action comes of twenty ●…ound another of an hun●…red and so breakes him for ●…ver so it is with a poore ●…oule when the truth of God ●…nd Justice of God layes Action upon Action it ●…reakes him for ever in a ●…ord it shewes him Gods ●…ormer dealing his mercy ●…oodnesse patience and ●…ong-suffering and every one ●…f them he sees you will ●…ske in whose suite In Mer●…ies suite and goodnesse in Patience and Long-suffe●…ings suit they will have ●…heir Actions tryed because they have been abused a●… the more mercy the mo●… indignation to those th●… have abused Mercy and Patience Thirdly After the wra●… of God hath arrested hi●… and the Truth and Justi●… of God laid Action up●… Action so that everlasting ruine is ready to cease 〈◊〉 him then at last comes M●…cy and bailes him here it that the Armes of God a●… open for all his mercies 〈◊〉 for a sinner at last to co●… in Ezekiel 16. Turne yee 〈◊〉 the Lord for why will ye d●… Oh house of Israel Me●… sayes come to me and I w●… pay all though there 〈◊〉 much guiltinesse of cons●…ence I will remove it Ac●… ●…o As many as beleeved in 〈◊〉 shall be freed from that ●…hat Moses could not free ●…hem he does not say all the ●…vise onely but all that will ●…eleeve whether Drun●…ards wicked all that will ●…eleeve the gate stands o●…en to them Quest True saith the ●…ule they that God hath re●…rained before but my sins ●…e great shall I have mer●…e Answ The Text sayes ●…hosoever that beleeves ●…all befreed from all Heb. 〈◊〉 If you sinne willingly ●…en you have not had Ju●…ice Goodnesse Patience ●…ong-suffering at last comes ●…ercy which is the last the ●…hich if ye despise and refuse ye can look for nothing but the heavie displeasure●… God Oh consider with t●… selfe hath the Lord spar●… me this time many che●… of conscience a good fat●… and mother to instruct 〈◊〉 and yet alive Lord wha●… mercy is this Reas Why God striv●… thus with a sinner first t●… he might expresse his mer●… and that the world mi●… know he is mercifull and 〈◊〉 joyce in it Secondly that he mi●… leave the world without ●…cuse that if they goe do●… to the bottomelesse 〈◊〉 thanke themselves Vse 1. Of instruction 〈◊〉 seech you to admire 〈◊〉 goodnesse of God to sinn●… ●…nd withall our rebellions when God strives so long ●…or our good and we strive ●…o long against it is not hee ●…hen good evill is the man ●…hat nothing will doe good ●…f Foule is the Leper ●…hat all the water in the Sea will not wash and great is ●…he spot that no water will ●…ring out Labour to bring ●…his home to your selves see ●…our spots in this particular ●…hat after you have had so much goodnes of the Lord and so much Mercy Patience and Long-suffering to draw and prevaile with your ●…ebellious hearts and all have ●…eene abused neglected and contemned by you Oh let every one say it to their own ●…hearts say thou good Lord they in Hell never had su●… means as I have therefore th●… shal fare better at the last d●… then I shall are there su●… hearts as these in Hell co●… pare your selves for know that the Word som●… times meets with thee sa●… Lord it was against th●… Drunkard he is come home and against that sinner an●… he is come but if I stand o●… I am worst of all Vse 2. If this be so th●… God strives with a poor sinner for his good and th●… sinner strives against th●… goodnesse and mercy 〈◊〉 God then marke what w●… gather when they goe t●… Hell they have their desires they strive to goe
that is the first worke to discover all things to us in their proper colours Prov. 6.23 the Text tels us the Commandement is a Lam●● and the Law is Light and the reproofes of instruction are the way of life as a Lamp in he night so the way may be discovered so it is with the power of the Word of Truth and he that hath a minde carefully to attend may be able to judge and see right from wrong a man cannot miscarry so long as he is directed by the light of truth as the Sunne shewes all the Moates in the house and the blemishes so this is like the Sunne to discover and shew every moate and blemish and to discover every privie and corrupt corner Ephes 5.14 All things that are reproved are made manifest by the light for whatsoever doth make manifest is light Thou canst not enquire to doe any thing but that will advise thee Secondly As it is of Information so it is of quick●…ing a word of power that not onely telleth the way but enableth us to walke in it it puts vertue and ability to walke on chearefully It is not onely as the Sun to shew us the way but as a streame to carry us in that way God would have u●… walke Luke 24.22 there is not a light in the shining Sun Christ but is a warning to make nimble ou●… benumbed joynts 1 Tim 6.3 He cals it the wholesom●… word of Truth whereo●… Saint Paul speakes Tim●…thy was nourished up with Psalme 119 I will nev●… forget thy Commandement●… because that thereby then h●… quickned me Thirdly In the third pla●… it is a coard though thou 〈◊〉 dull it will plucke thee o●… So in the fourth place it is a word of conviction with power to overthrow all the gaine-sayings of a man it meetes with every cavill it stoppes all the base trickes and devises of our sinfull mindes Luke 21.10 when the Disciples should bee brought before Magistrates saith Christ take no care what you shall speake in the 15 verse For I will give you a mouth and wisedome which all your Adversaries shall not be able to gainesay nor resist And in Acts 7. the Adversaries of Steven were not able to gainesay the wisedome of Steven the Word will convince thy minde though a cavilling and distempered mind 1 Cor. 5.25 Better speak one word in a knowne language then a thousand in unknowne And therefore said Saint Paul I was made manifest to your consciences Iob 36.10 He opens their care to discipline and commandeth that they returne from iniquitie though stubborne hee makes them give way to truth Fourthly In the fourth worke of truth there is a soveraigne supreame authority the word hath it bea●…es downe all and carries all and makes all to yeeld obedience when the Lord pleases to accompany it therefore there is such a power that i●… is not carnall but mighty through God to cast downe●… strong holds because hee takes place onely so this is the fourth worke it carries on a man and commands the soule 2 Cor. 10.4 The weapons of our warfare are not carnall feeble and weake but mighty through God to the pulling downe of strong holds His Commandements are mighty and what will yee doe when you set up strong mountaines of pride and bulwarkes of resolutions when yee are resolved yee will have your sinnes as drunkennesse covetousnesse c. though yee perish for it So that the truth of God carries the heart and eye and foot A mighty operation The Apostle 2 Cor. 13.8 said Wee can doe nothing against the truth so that when God will make good his truth wee can doe nothing against Gods truth Company comes provocations comes friends wife though life comes his resolution stands firme hee sides with the truth thus you see that truth will worke Secondly for the second particular And that is how a carnall man doth hinder this worke●… of the Word that it may no●… prevaile the soule would have the sinnes and the word would have the soule now a corrupt heart opposes the truth in foure particulars First A carnall heart is marvellous unwilling to listen to the truth of God so as to be informed and instructed in those things that would be too tedious first it is not willing to know what it should doe lest it should doe what it would not therefore it keepes a loofe off he is a stranger to the truth of God nay if it be brought home to their doores and God set open his mercies the truth is they will not so much as take notice of his mercies To examine every thing what need a man thus tediously trouble himselfe thus they hinder the first worke of the truth it is a Schoolemaster but they stop their eares Car●…all hearts when they see it comming towards them comming to tie them to obedience if he heares the Word comming hee slides away he is loth to heare the cause and loth to be perswaded he will not be at home on that day Esay 30.10 The people say to the Seers see not and to the Prophets prophesie not right things speake to us smoothe things prophesie deceits Get yee out of the way turne aside out of the path cause the holy One of Israel to cease from before us They say to the Seers see not to the Prophets prophesy not right things Doe not speake that they cannot heare but speak faire and smooth things Iob 21.14 Therefore they say unto God Depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes The covetous oppressors cannot endure to heare of the gringding of the faces of the poore Actes 28.27 They stop their eares and winke with their eyes least they should see with their eyes and heare with their eares and understand with their heart and should be converted and I should heale them I beseech you observe it as carnall men that are loth to know the truth but if they search they seeke after the Word ●…s a Coward doth after his enemy with a hope he shall not finde him and a feare lest he should finde him So a carnall man is loth to finde and feares to know and if ●…e doe know and search hee will search no more the●… shall serve his turne hee will not suffer truth to have the whole sway as a prisoner in chaines so carnall hearts keepe truth in Chaines and no more then he doth know he would know Luke 4.42 And when it was day he●… went into a desart place a●… the people sought him an●… came unto him and staye●… him that he should not depa●… from them Hee made 〈◊〉 though hee would goe further but they stayed him b●… a morrall kinde of perswa●… on so carnall men doe th●… truth of God they stop a●… stay truth Rom. 12.1 2 v●… ses Fashion not your selv●… after the world and in t●… Law Ye shall not take t●… name of an idoll in your mouth The meaning is ye should not give honour to them but
truth goes further Shall I once name an Idoll ●…n my mouth much lesse set up an Idoll in Gods service Is not this much more but stay you there saith the carnall heart as it is with an old man that lyeth upon his ●…icke-bed when his eyes ●…re failing him hee cannot ●…oke on the Sunne when it ●…hines in his face and there●…ore he desires them to draw ●…he curtaine for sayes he the ●…unne shines too full in my ●…ace give me a little light ●…old you there a weake ●…ght and a weake light so when the Word comes to ●…ne that would not part with sinne if it come to shine fu●… in his face and to pull dow●… his proud heart and to deprive him of libertie O●… saith he Draw the Curtain for the Sunne shines too f●… in my face but so much 〈◊〉 serves the turne Christ a●… libertie Christ and t●… world oh hold you the●… saith he Deut. 12.31 Ye sh●… not worship God as H●… thens doe but as Christian Oh draw the Curtaine ●… and if thy neighbour off thee more for a commode then it is worth thou sho●… dest not take it Oh d●… the Curtaine●… the Su●… shines too full in my fa●… saith he You must not 〈◊〉 off your Ware with ly●… Oh draw the Curtaine 〈◊〉 and so of drunkennesse c. ●…riefely I conceive you doe 〈◊〉 some measure know how ●…at they hinder the worke ●…f the light of the truth saith ●…remy I hearkned heard 〈◊〉 any laid their hands on ●…eir thigh and said What ●…ve I done Oh brethren ●…e truth of God comes to ●…ur doores and hearkens ●…hether any of you lay your ●…nd on your thigh and say What have I done Secondly whereby they under and hold down truth 〈◊〉 carnall heart labours to ●…pose this the powerfull ●…ication of this and that it ●…th thus A carnall heart ●…ses up an evill report on ●…e good truth of God that ●…night appear ugly to them that should lay hold of i●… The Spies when they we●… into Canaan they did not f●… much consider the plenty 〈◊〉 the land to perswade th●… people to come but raise●… up lies there is strong hold●… and Iron Chariots an●… mighty men to dampe the●… hearts so it is with a carn●… heart the Saints reprove a●… Ministers preach every o●… comes to reprove him a●… yet he is not perswaded ●… Iohn 6.6 There was ma●… that followed Christ 〈◊〉 loaves but when Chr●… pitched upon matter of 〈◊〉 actnesse say they it is a 〈◊〉 saying Carnall hearts w●… Christ is commended 〈◊〉 pleasantnesse nothing 〈◊〉 beauty full of comfort 〈◊〉 happy are they that can get him Grace here and glory ●…ereafter Oh say they it is a ●…ard saying they present him onely crucified contemned and mocked thus they ●…bour onely to hinder it Take notice and see the grounds why they profit so little it is because the worke of the Word is hindered by the businesse of our hearts we deale ill with the blessed truth of God it is with the Truth as with a Trade some ●…re borne to great estates ●…nd they are able to follow 〈◊〉 yet their estate it may bee decayes what is the reason they have been wonderfully hindered by many oppressions and cruell dealings at some Vsurers hand just so it is with the truth of God you have had good meane●… Oh you have oppressed th●… Word of God and would not open if any would ope●… he would come in but y●… have quenched the motion of Gods Spirit Object Is it in our power to make the Word effect●… all Answ No but it is 〈◊〉 your power to doe what y●… are able to doe your leg●… may as well carry you to t●… Word as to an Alcho use your eares may heare t●… Word as well as songs y●… may reade good Bookes 〈◊〉 well as Play Bookes D●… you what you are able to d●… and cry to God and see wh●… he will doe though you a●… not able to save your selves yet your corruptions are able to hinder the Word and this is the reason why the Word prevailes not with you the Lord may give what he will and deny what he will but destruction is from thy selfe thou hast free will to sinne learne from hence to see the reason and cause where the fault lies Luke 7.29 The Publicanes justified God being baptised with the baptisme of Iohn But the Pharisees and Lawyers rejected the Counsell of God against themselves the way of life was chalked out before them but the Scribes and Pharisees rejected the good counsell of God thou seest many are called Oh blame thy selfe Where am I all this while the Word would enlighten but I have contemned it the Word would quicken but I have neglected it I was almost converted but o●… wretch that I was company came and I choked it and would not walke in the way of God and the Lord hath often come to me by the Spirit and I have quenched the good motions of the same Brethren it is true Oh blame your selves goe home and say why may not my heart be made cleane the Lord wrought on such a one and why not on me Thirdly A carnall heart doth oppose the good Word of God by resisting the work of conviction if a man be so that he cannot but say that he is in a good way he cannot gain say the power of the truth if it be so with him then he labours with all carnall cavils as much as in him lies to defeat the truth of God Oh that convicting Oh that powerfull Word the Word of the Lord commeth like a sword the Lord seemes to aime at a sinner that he saith it is my sinne that is now discovered Brethren all the shift they ●…ave is to put by the power of the truth As a man that is beset by an enemy labours to keepe off the blow lest he should be slaine so a carnall man laboureth to stop the evidence of the Word that it might not prevaile against his soule though it seeth the truth it is not satisfied therewith Numb 22. As when Balack fent to Baalam to curse the people thinking him to be a Witch therefore whom he blessed was blessed and whom hee cursed was cursed God saith to Balaam thou shalt not goe with them yet when they returned this answer to Balack and that Balack sent more honourable men the●… they and tels him hee wi●… promote him Marke the poore sinfull covetous wretch the sinfull man saith stay all night and I will se●… what the Lord will say he●… would faine have the Lo●… change his minde Why d●… he bid him stay The Lo●… saith in the Text going before Thou shalt not goe with them I but his affections were lingring after the hous-full of gold therefore hee would have God change his minde So there is many a carnall heart followeth the wages of Baalam as Saint Iude speaketh hearing the Word certainly saith hee this truth I will follow but when
riches and honours come then he will search the Word to see for a Dispensation this is a carnall stopping of the truth of God he will search all the wayes and try all the conclusions he can whereby he may cavill against the truth this is not the meaning of the Text however a man may cause labour to a weake Christian but marke thine owne heart if it be so I shall be vexe●… therewith therefore I will have some cavill I will no●… embrace this course therefore I will invent a way th●… it may not be lawfull to me●… When Saint Paul dispute●… with the Athenians divers o●… them encountred with Paul●… they had Argument for Argument against him that th●… Lord Jesus Christ was no●… the Saviour of the world This is the generall course 〈◊〉 a carnall heart if it may d●… vise a course against it h●… is contented if so be the●… can be no prevailing again●… it it sends farre and nee●… and gathereth Towne a●… Countrey to seeke it as 〈◊〉 Vsurer that is resolved to continue in it hee goes to fourty Ministers about it and if hee bee told of the sinne of it hee will say hee will thinke of it hee will search the devils Skull but he will invent some carnall Argument hee conferred with such a man and he told him such reasons but they blew away as a blast of wind Marke my Brethren the Lord sent Moses to convince Pharaoh and when Pharaoh said I will not let the people goe God saith Lay downe thy rod and it shall bee turned into a Serpent what doth Pharaoh then hee doth not sit downe under the miracle but sends for Magicians and they cast downe roddes and they were turned into Serpents also but Moses his rod devoured theirs yet Pharaoh hardened his heart So when the Word comes home this Word I must yeeld to this Truth I must entertaine and when the Word commeth by a mighty power they send for Magicians carnall Arguments though the Arguments out of the Word doth eat up all yet a carnall heart doth goe away satisfied and it shall be so Fourthly and lastly if by carnall reason they cannot defeat the truth they fall to flat resisting they will have their way and so Brethren they lay violent hands upon the truth 1 Sam. 8.18 The people were set a madding upon a King they would have a King as all other Nations had they thought that to be a meanes of their prosperity that would be a cause of their destruction Samuel makes a gracious Sermon to them that they might be disswaded when he had discovered all saving Arguments they doe not reply a word reasoning nay say they but we will have a King they are resolved of it as a wretched man said when one complained hee could not doe such a thing for his conscience I am master of my conscience I can doe what I will for all that Numb 24.1 2. When Balaam saw that the Lord did not give him leave it did not please him he went not as at other times but set his face towards the Wildernesse and the Spirit of the Lord came upon him It was his devise before hee would curse the Lords people he made seven Altars and seven Altars before to aske God but now hee would put it to adventure he would curse what ever came of it and thus it is with a carnall man when he sees that all his carnall Arguments fall he saith I will not pray in my Family c. Know thou that castest away the command of God here hereafter the Lords command with a curse shall prevaile against thee say hereafter I will not goe to Hell the Lord saith Matth. 25.46 These shall goe into perdition c. Reas 1. The first ground of the point why carnall men doe so is namely they cannot endure to have their sinnes removed the refore of necessity the blessed Word must be resisted every sinner loveth his sinne therefore ye shall observe when a man speaketh against drunkennes pride c. he saith he met with me he speaks against my sinnes why he spoke against sin against drunkennesse Sabboth breaking c. Nay he speakes against my person sinne is as neere as the soule will not any man strive for his life I beseech you observe it his sinne is his life therefore when the Word of the Lord would plucke●… the cup from the drunkard the Whore from the adulterer he plucks his life every thing seekes to preserve his life and will not sin doe so too to contend for hi●… life so sinne seeks to preserve it's life If that the Ministers prevaile you and 〈◊〉 must part therefore doe all you can to stop it the reason is because a mans sinne is●… mans soule Here is the very ground as it was in tha●… remarkeable passage of H●…rod touching his brother wife hee reformed many things but when Iohn said It is not lawfull for thee 〈◊〉 have her when he must either kill or be killed Heredias must downe or Iohn he loses his Harlot therefore he would part with all If the Minister meet with a man though he never knew him the Word meets with him his heart then rises and either he must be gone or the Minister gone Why Brethren what doe you doe it is your sinne we oppose a day will come when yee shall be content to part with them oh the time will come when yee shall be content to be rid of your money the drunkard would faine be rid of his cups and the adulterer of his Harlot No then these will goe downe to hell with you you cannot abide them that would kill that which would kill you the faithfull Ministers of God would kill your sinnes that to a corrupt heart is his life Reas 2. If they cannot have their sins it is a vexation to them it is a plague vexation to wicked men that they cannot have their sinnes inquiet and so as they would not be moved they would not have their conscience●… troubled but if a man would have his sinne and cursed practise hee shall have the curse of the Lord to goe with it Revel 11. vers 10. When the two witnesses were slaine they made merry in Towne and Countrey Why because the two witnesses that tormented men were slaine the Word of God tormented men it is able to make them madde why alas you naturall men damne your selves we doe not damne you but we tell you of your sinnes that will damne you one day Thirdly Note Brethren that for ever you cannot have these sinnes but they will cost you sore for these men cannot endure to bee crossed and overthwarted they would goe on smoothly in their course Acts 19.25 Paul had there preached against Idolatry c. especially against Diana Demetrius beginning to see his commodity going down marke what he saith You know that by this we have our livings therefore they came with a great out-cry Great is Diana of c. There is some
speciall corruption that is a speciall hinderance of the truth a company of carnall men speake of the Word at whose suite it is the suite of Drunkennes uncleannesse c. So it carries a man against the blessed truth of Christ a corrupt heart cannot indure to be brought in Vse 1. Is of examination is it so that corrupt hearts doe hinder the worke of the Word of the Lord hecr●… thē we have a ground of examination It is an undoubted evidence of a carnall and an unrighteous heart and there is not a better argument art thou such a one that doest oppose the truth of God according to the former ex●…ession Know thou hast a false heart a wretched heart 〈◊〉 soule that cannot be saved while thou continuest so I ●…now in a child of God there 〈◊〉 sometimes a secret resisting and when ever they observe this base distemper ●…hey fall out with their hearts they take up armes against these base corruptions it is one thing to have ●…hese sinnes remaining and ●…other to have the soule ●…oysoned with them When 〈◊〉 wicked man hath poyson lives on poyson carrying a secret opposition against the word it is an Argument ●…hee hath a poysoned base heart The best of Gods servants may finde these th●… Devill the flesh and th●… world having about with them in this case thou mai●… be carried whither tho●… wouldest not Oh it is 〈◊〉 heart-breaking to a godly man he could almost pul o●… his heart saying Oh what 〈◊〉 wretched heart have I Th●… Minister this day met with my soule but what a hea●… have I Here my Brethren let this enter into our minde●… the case is true take it home to every soule goe aside t●… your owne soules commun●… with thy conscience in secret say there 's no body he●… betwixt God and my selfe 〈◊〉 deale truely hast thou opposed the good Word of the Lord Oh you rent in pieces the flesh of Christ with the prophanations oathes ●…ursings yea the very walls of your houses cry shame on you for it and yet to this very day you will not be reformed You see what it is I ●…eseech you for the Lord Jesus Christs sake resolve against it The former truth it specially meeteth with three sorts of false hearts 1 Discreet hypocrites 2 Wrangling hypocrites 3 Whyning hypocrites This discovereth that all these doe fight against God First the discreet hypocrite I know that discretion is a good and blessed worke of God if it be used as i●… ought to be upon good ground in a good manner and to a good end but th●… same Idoll Discretion th●… creepeth in the world is th●… delusion of a mans conscience therefore I call him●… discreet hypocrite indee●… that maketh truth his underling that can hunt with th●… Hound and runne with th●… Hare by Discretion a m●… that will be sure to be on th●… safe side whether on the tr●…side or not he wonders 〈◊〉 other men to see them opposed because they want 〈◊〉 discretion There are a company of wise judicious professors that perish wisely 〈◊〉 Demas followed Paul 〈◊〉 when he saw he might 〈◊〉 better advantage he forsooke ●…aul and followed the present world This discreete ●…ypocrite letteth profession ●…e as the time goeth they ●…ill take occasion of whole●…me communication and ●…ffer occasion I say hee ●…n conforme himselfe to all ●…nes but then againe if hee ●…e among carnall prophane ●…en this is a man safe that ●…eth out Religion and pul●…th in Religion as the time 〈◊〉 in a word you shall finde 〈◊〉 to admire at mens per●…ns and yet keepes under 〈◊〉 word This I call a dis●…et hypocrite that goes to 〈◊〉 wisely these discreet ●…pocrites have their religi●…as in a screw at any side ●…y will set Religion and upon any termes after any fashion this is the discre●… Professor Secondly the wranglin●… hypocrite he pretends nothing but favourablenes●… all love and liking nay h●… makes Religion his aym●… to scope the end of 〈◊〉 course he doth not say a●… thing against the truth y●… he is a secret underminer 〈◊〉 Truth to shew you 〈◊〉 playes this same hypoc●… hath one that we will ma●… it appeare he is a grosse 〈◊〉 pocrite Hee pleadeth especia●… against the common tru●… that he desires first to k●… the will of God 〈◊〉 how God may be glorif●… he seekes not ease or q●… nesse but he pretends hee ●…ekes the liberty of the Gospel but he seekes his owne liberty the liberty of his state As Saul when God ●…ave him a Commission to ●…ill all the Amalekites when ●…muel commeth What saith ●…e Blessed art thou of the Lord If a man take Sauls ●…wne word Saul is an honest ●…an I but saith Samuel What ●…anes then the bleating of ●…ese sheepe and oxen in mine ●…es he saith the people ●…d it I but thou art the Go●…mour They were good for sacrifice ●…th he Alasse did he love ●…rifice so well no it was this owne ends so many 〈◊〉 man pretendeth much ●…ctification and exactnesse of a Christian Course Faith and new obedience not b●… cause he loves God but 〈◊〉 owne end But a man should be zealous in sanctification to the utmost even to●… hoofe as Moses Againe you shall find hi●… to pretend marvellous humility He is content to b●… subject to God in every ca●… but marke he submitteth 〈◊〉 these courses The last plea hee ha●… Good men doe as I doe a●… any reason propound a argument what mooves hi●… none at all hee brings 〈◊〉 truth in subjection to hi●… selfe and the falsenesse his heart is marvellous p●… and is in the state of unre●…neracie I reason thus He that is not content to part with all for the Lord Jesus Christ is not worthy of Christ Hee that loves father or mother more then me is not worthy of me saith Christ to this very day he never had the spirit of grace prevaile in him Psal 119. David sayes I shall never be ashamed nor confounded when I have respect to all thy Commandements Now this wranging hypocrite hath not respect to all Gods Commandements therefore shall hee ●…e confounded Thirdly Hee that under ●…retence of whyning and ●…rying for sinne loveth ●…nne this man oppresseth himselfe for under pretence of love hee opposet●… and resisteth the truth 2 Vse The last use is a ground of admirable comfort it may rellish in yo●… hearts and mouthes it is unspeakeable comfort to every soule whose heart lyeth levell doest thou submit 〈◊〉 the powerfull Word of th●… Lord to the blessed truth art thou willing to have 〈◊〉 to know it to delight in it and submit unto it to be a servant to the world can●… home this blessed Word 〈◊〉 there any soule that can te●…fie it is so with him If mistake not my selfe it 〈◊〉 one of the soundest Arguments in all the Booke 〈◊〉 God it must be love that answerable to the truth when the soule is willing to heare to welcome and entertaine every truth of
God canst thou say in good earnest and uprightnesse before the Lord is there any more truthes and more good will of thine of thy worship good Lord let me know it that I may love it and practice it Brethren is it so take then this in you and answer it is 〈◊〉 Lord. Brethren if there ●…e a sight of God in heaven ●…nd thou doest truely sub●…it to the word it is a true ●…gne that if any under heaven hath the worke of grace ●…ought in him thou hast it ●…hn 8. If any man love the ●…th and obey the Commande●…ents the truth will make him 〈◊〉 Dost thou then love and obey the truth it will make thee free it will make thee a freeman of heaven hold this truth Heaven and earth shall passe but that work of grace cannot passe This was the joy of the Apostle Iohn 5.4 I have no greater joy in the world then that my children walke in the truth in the light comfort and power of it If the Apostle Iohn could have no greate●… truth what great joy will it be to thy selfe no greate●… joy have I saith some ma●… not that my sonne is ric●… but that he is upright Ho●… mayest thou joy then 〈◊〉 ever thou see the face 〈◊〉 God with comfort try 〈◊〉 thou beest upright if th●… lovest the truth the Saint can see no greater joy then this Oh goe your wayes you blessed Saints ye walke after the truth you that have this can have no more God himselfe loveth truth in the inward parts hee is a spirit and will be worshipped in spirit and truth Dost thou love the truth of Christ then it will say as well of thee as of Demetrius Iohn ●… 12 Demetrius hath a good report of the truth So I say doth the truth report well of thee Doe not feare what the world thy friends enemies or adversaries say of thee that will bring thee comfort when all false witnesses shall lye aside but all you wicked of the world you are they that bend your selves against the Saints of God It is true the poore Saints of God as poore as they be they shall lift up their heads when you shall hang downe and turne aside because they have the truth for them when you shall see the poore dispised Saints of God poore Goodman such a one c. You that have made no care of Gods Commandements when yee shall see them ye shall wonder to see them lift up thither when the Divell shall say Lord how comes such a man to such a place he was a finner I Lord saith the poore soule I know I have many weaknesses Lord thou knowest that many a sad spirit I have carried about yet never a truth was made knowne but I entertained it never a sinne was made knowne but I entertained it never a sinne was made known but I loathed it then comes the blessed Truth I beare witnesse Lord he loved me and entertained mee though with many groanes and teares and persecutions hee would have me saith the truth hee is a blessed Saint of God You that are willing to receive every truth oh get you to heaven then you will be past the worst the Devill himselfe confesses and the damned spirits He is a holy and sincere hearted man Why Brethren who would not labour for the truth I say God and Christ 〈…〉 good spirit shall 〈…〉 such a soule God 〈…〉 of truth Jesus Ch●… 〈…〉 Word of truth 〈…〉 Ghost is a spirit of 〈…〉 they will embrace 〈…〉 God and Christ 〈…〉 Spirit all bids you 〈…〉 so you shall have 〈…〉 pinesse the Lord●… 〈…〉 you to it and you 〈…〉 it hereafter FINIS A GODLY AND PROFITABLE SERMON Of Gods Eternitie and Mans Humanitie OR The striving of the Lord with Sinners By T. H. LONDON Printed by M.P. for Iohn Stafford dwelling in Black-Horse-Alley neere Fleetstreet 1639. THE STRIVING of the LORD with SINNERS GEN. 6.3 My Spirit shall not al●…ayes strive with man for that 〈◊〉 also is flesh yet his dayes ●…all be an hundred and twenty yeares THe scope of this Chapter discovers it selfe in two parts first the divers conditions of them before the Floud Secondly the carriage of God towards th●… in the second part of 〈◊〉 Chapter First the carri●… of the people is double 〈◊〉 their wicked and sinfull li●… from the first verse to 〈◊〉 end of the seventh Secondly the holy d●… meanor of Noah in the 8 a●… 9 verses But Noah fou●… grace in the eyes of the Lo●… Noah was a just man and p●…fect in his generation and w●… ked with God Noah in th●… wicked time in that wick●… place and among those wi●… ked people was a holy ma●… saith the Text. Secondly we have the ●…vers dealing of God wi●… them First he threatens des●…lation to the wicked secondly he promises to preserve Noah and for the ●…guise of the wicked First consider the hai●…ousnesse of their sinnes that they broke all the Lawes of God and lust was their Law in the first ●…nd second verses the Text sayes When men began to multiply on the face of the ●…rth and daughters was borne unto them that the sonnes of God saw the danghters of men that they were faire and ●…ookt for wives of all that they ●…hose The sonnes of God the ●…eaning of that is they that professed the truth Second●…y they saw the daughters of men they saw Caine and they that were of God did what they list and chos●… crosse way and so ca●… strange generations as 〈◊〉 ants they were growne 〈◊〉 the height of sinne Secondly in the 3 6 a●… 7 verses is the sentence 〈◊〉 God against them hee s●… they come to this and th●… sets downe a sentence 〈◊〉 doombe as it were he say●… My Spirit shall not alway●… strive with man in that 〈◊〉 is but flesh yet his dayes sh●… be an hundred and twe●… yeares The Lord w●… strive no longer with the●… from whence by the w●… we may note Object That when the●… is a mingling of diuers ma●…riages it makes way to 〈◊〉 struction prooved in Sol●… mon when hee tooke him ●…ange wives then his ●…owne was taken from 〈◊〉 so this old World ●…en they gave themselves ●…strange marriages First In the sentence there 〈◊〉 two things first the ●…rds resolution second 〈◊〉 the reason of Gods deter●…nation First the resolution and ●…t is first generally hee ●…th strove but will strive no ●…re Secondly particularly he ●…l not strive and will strive 〈◊〉 hundred and twenty ●…res here is the resoluti●… of God though he strive 〈◊〉 hee will not strive al●…yes Secondly the reason of Gods determination hee is also flesh In the Text two things are to be observed First what is meant by spirit secondly what it is to strive first Gods Spirit we may understand to be the holy Ghost the third person in Trinity hee is said to strive not miraculously but mediately by his meanes the Word of God Ministers he is said to strive with
perish ●…e reason is yee will not ●…ome to Christ for life The ●…icked say Psal 2. Let us ●…eake their bonds asunder ●…d cast their cords from us Gods commands are cords ●…nd bonds to draw them ●…t you breake over hedge ●…d ditch and will walke 〈◊〉 your owne wayes ●…cts 18. the 5 6 verses Paul ●…ccompanied Silas and Ti●…theus disputed with the ●…es hee professed Iesus was the very Christ th●… Text saith they oppos●… the words of Paul though 〈◊〉 was for their good this 〈◊〉 the testimony of him th●… whosoever will come 〈◊〉 Christ may come but the came in defiance and b●…ta●… array against Christ and t●… power of the Gospell Th●… you see God strives wi●… poore sinners for their goo●… and they strive against 〈◊〉 power of the Spirit a●… their owne good To op●… the point First how God strives w●… poore sinners for their go●… and goes to Law and plea●… and bestowes paines that●… might doe them good 〈◊〉 reason why hee do●… so Quest First how doth God ●…rive with poore sinners ●…nd pleads for their good Answ This pleading of God discovers it selfe in two ●…eads First by manner ●…f perswasion Secondly 〈◊〉 way of constraint First by manner of per●…asion to perswade them ●…om sinne Secondly by way of con●…aint to compell them to ●…me in And first he strives 〈◊〉 way of perswasion wher●… he discovers the matter 〈◊〉 then he brings an exe●…tion In this perswasion God ●…th foure things namely First Hee makes knowne 〈◊〉 sinne is and that by summoning them to th●… Court as men that go●… Law they summon one a●… other to be at such a Court so God summons the●… when they are ignorant 〈◊〉 that which should doe the●… good and know not in wh●… an estate they are in then 〈◊〉 brings them to the Wor●… and discovers it as in Es●… I was found of them saith 〈◊〉 Lord that sought me not b●… if a soule grow still carcle●… the Lord will not leave 〈◊〉 sinner but makes him to c●…sider what sinne is and kn●… it Ezek. 16.2 verse Son of man cause the children 〈◊〉 Israel to know their abomi●…tions Goe home to th●… dores tell them home y●… know you should heare 〈◊〉 Word constantly and pray constantly and know what you should doe and this makes wicked covetous men at their deaths as it were at their wits end Wee know a man that goes to Law layes an Action against the other and then serves a Subpaena on him so the Lord layes an Action against the sinner and serves a Subpaena on him thou art the man and thou shalt perish when hee doth this then hee pleades the Cause as a man that wrestles hee first catches ●…hold and then comes in to him that haply hee might throw him so God catches ●…hold when hee meanes to wrestle with a sinner that ●…his eyes are ever on his sinne and sayes I am the man Secondly When a sinner is thus summoned and sees the Cause goes against him then hee labours and invents how to answer for himselfe the sinner is grown to a stand as in the Court so●… brought when hee sees the case to goe against him because he knowes not what to doe he goes to the Lawyers though his case be not good he will spend so much and so much consider how it is when the conscience is enlightned and sayes I am the man then what course doe they take they invent all carnall pleasures to pull backe the Word looke what Pharaoh did when God sent Moses to trouble him hee sent for the wise Magicians ' to know whether it were God or no so he contem●…ed Moses and the miracle so it is when God enlightens the mind what doe carnall men then they send for the Magicians pleasures to beat the Word backe Quest I say they I am a sinner and every one is a sinner and did not Christ die to save sinners Answ The truth is Christ came to save sinners and not to save them onely but to sanctifie them True sayes the sinner I wil amend I am not so precise as others these are the wranglings of carnall reasons God comes nearer he sayes you must purifie your selves as he is pure Iohn 1.3 It is not ●…nough to be a me●…ro civi●… man but yee most puris●… your selves as he is pure 〈◊〉 you will see God to you●… comfort though Sathan ta●… a Lawyers place and carna●… reason an Atturnies an●… what ever Sathan and carna●… Reason can doe they wi●… doe on every season at la●… God sends the Comfort●… from heaven to comfo●… them Iohn 16.8 And whe●… he is come hee will convin●… the world of righteousnesse of judgement and of sinne●… when Gods Spirit comes b●… the Word it sets apart a●… carnall reason that there 〈◊〉 no more shifting you think●… you may contend again●… your Brethren and goe 〈◊〉 heaven but this cannot be for the good spirit sets all ●…arnall reasons apart it makes him to say if I forsake not every sinne I forsake ●…one for he that forsakes not every sin he forsake none Doth any man thinke to bee 〈◊〉 Christian and a swearer a Christian and a drunkard why a heathen can doe this well such will deceive themselves that can say well I ●…ope God is more mercifull ●…hen the Ministers and proud Professors No no know ●…hat if the Spirit come it sets 〈◊〉 part all carnall reasons God layes the Action be ●…ore the sinner is now cast ●…e sees there is but one way ●…ive in sinne and go to hell thus when a soule can yeeld to Gods Word that he m●… not be cast downe In t●… third place marke Thirdly God tels hi●… that howsoever hee 〈◊〉 cast yet he will be mercif●… abundantly to him 〈◊〉 shewes him his estate y●… saith he thou art in the la●… of the living thou art yet u●…der the meanes as a part●… cast in the Court in a sum●… of all that hee hath the ●…ther gives him time to pay i●… there is some comfort yet 〈◊〉 may be he may get somthing in that time by the help●… of his friends Rom. 2.4 Th●… Apostle saith Despisest th●… the goodnes of God that shoul●… lead thee to repentance as 〈◊〉 he had said Consider th●… goodnesse of the Lord an●… ●…y Lord I am not yet in ●…ll and doe I live to an●…her Sermon thou wert ●…ercifull to Manasses and ●…others thou mayest bee ●…ercifull to me Lord why ●…re is great comfort but ●…hen a soule sees Gods ●…odnesse in health and ●…ealth and injoyes yet ●…eanes and helpes and now ●…owes carelesse as to mor●…w I will repent it is too ●…one yet I will take my ●…leasure now and repent ●…hen I am old now Gods ●…oodnesse comes to be wea●…ed that he saith I will strive 〈◊〉 more Fourthly When Gods ●…oodnesse is wearied then ●…e patience of the Lord ●…eppes in and pleades for a sinner and holds the ha●… of Justice Luke 9. As 〈◊〉 Figge-tree that beares 〈◊〉 fruit saith