brought in any hand to put to death the body of sinne to relinquish any of his pleasing and profitable lusts lewd practices is this man in case to put to death himselfe in the defence of Gods truth for loue thereof to forsake the world and himselfe too to part with so much that could not part with so little He that is already a secret enemy to religion and devotion will in time proue an open pesecutor of both He that can despise and in heart deride a protestant minister is in faire forwardnesse to like well of a Popish Priest In a word he that hath bid farewell to pietie to day it is an even lay but he may bee driuen to take leaue of his religion to morrow When once the conscience can swallow downe wicked practises it will soone digest wicked opinions when once the ship leakes the lading is in danger both to sinke or swimme together neither is it possible that a pure faith can be preserued in an impure conscience Now my Brethren let every one of vs cause our hearts to passe vnder this triall censure and so we shall see what we haue to trust to what religion hath to trust to vs. Let vs goe vpon sure grounds care we that our knowledge of religion be distinct and certaine that our practice of it bee sincere free frō Hypocrisie so we shal giue good proofe of our faithfulnesse for the present and our perseuerance for the time to come Be not slack to goe about this search and be sure to doe it throughly delaies are dangerous when the the disease is mortall and to cure by halfes is not to cure at al. Secret infidelity is like hereditary diseases or like bruises taken in youth if they be not looked to in time throughly cured they will certainely kill at last A gangrene kils when it gets to the heart and what will that doe that is bred in the heart Inward diseases are ever dangerous but when they haue seized vpon the heart the fountaine of life they proue deadly Take then heed of an evill heart poysoned with vnbeliefe and as you loue the credit of religion the favour of God the happinesse of your soules looke to it betimes to purge forth of you such a venemous humour And now for an Antidote against this infection hearken in the next place to the second vse Vse 2 The second vse is of direction vnto a remedie against vnbeleife and Apostasie doe that which the Apostle here exhorts you to Exhort one another daily while it is called to day FINIS EXOD. 34. 23. 24. 23 Thrice in the yeare shall all your men Children appeare before the Lord God the God of Israel 24 For I will cast out the Nations before thee and inlarge thy borders neither shall any man desire thy land when thou shalt goe vp to appeare before the Lord thy God thrice in the yeere IN these words we haue two parts to be observed 1. A Precept 2. A Promise The precept is a Leviticall injunction touching certaine times of Solemne worshippe to bee performed to God by the Israelitish nation in the 23. ve More distinctly we haue in it three circumstances to be obserued 1 The time when this service was to be performed that was thrice in the yeare namely at 3. very solemne Feasts which were these 1 The Feast of the Passeouer or vnleavenedbread because during the Feast for seven dayes they might haue no leavenedbread in all their dwellings This Feast the whole Nation was to keepe at the Tabernacle where euer it should be set vp where after they had Sacrificed the Paschall Lambe in the Evening they were to returne on the morrow to their habitations as it is Deut. 16. 7. This Feast was kept on the 4 th day of the first moneth in memory of their deliverance out of Aegypt in Aegypt from the slaying Angell and in type of Christ that saues vs from the wrath to come 2 The Feast of Pentecost or of weekes which was kept seuen compleat weekes after the Passeouer or beginning the accompt at ripe Haruest when they put the sickle to the Corne fiftie dayes after they were to appeare before God with an oblation of the first fruits as it is Deut. 16. 9. Lev. 23. 15. c. This Feast was kept in memory of the Law giuen at Mount Sinai fifty daies after the departure of the Children of Israel out of Aegypt 3 The Feast of the Tabernacles kept on the fifteenth day of the seaventh Moneth for seuen dayes together after the gathering in of Haruest and Vintage Lev. 23. 33. c. At which time the Children of Israel that were Israelites borne were to dwell in Boothes made of the boughes of thicke and broad leaved trees leaving their houses In memory that they dwelt in Tents or Boothes for many yeares in the wildernesse as it is verse 42. 43. of that place These were the three solemne Feasts of the yeare wherein all the Males were to appeare before the Lord as we haue this precept explained by another precept Deut. 16. 16. Exod. 23. 14. c. wherein these Feasts are mentioned This is the first Circumstance of the time 2 The second is the persons that were at those times to performe this worship vnto God these are All your men Children all the Males amonge the Israelites 3 The third Circumstance is the person before whom they were to make their appearance that is God who is here called the Lord Iehouah and the God of Israel both titles implying that he had iust authority to commande the Israelites such solemne Services both in regard of his absolute Soveraignty over all and also of his gracious mercy towards them his People Now vnder this Circumstance of the person is implied the Place where they should appeare which was in that place which God should choose wherein to reare vp the Tabernacle or Sanctuary for his solemne and standing worship This was first at Shiloh after that was destroyed at Ierusalem in the Temple built by Solomon which place God chose to put his name there that is to establish his worship and to manifest his Glorious presence in speciall manner in that place In which respect those that appeared in those places dedicated to Gods worship are sayd to appeare before God himselfe there present to require and reward their faithfull Services This then is the precept that at three Solemne Feastes in the yeere the Passeover Pentecost and Tabernacles all the males of the Israelitish Nation should repaire vnto the chiefe place of Gods Publike worship there to offer Sacrifice and performe such Services as were required of them Next followes verse 24. 2 The Promise which is added to the Precept by way of prevention to take away such an objection as the People might make against the equitie and Reasonablenes of the afore named Precept God had commanded three times in a yeere all should come vp to the Tabernacle or
our Religion and to approue our selues to be indeed good Christians by being honest Tradesmen iust Magistrates painefull Ministers c. so that we may not neglect one calling for another seeing God is served glorified by our faithful discharge of both alike and therefore we must abide as the Apostle commaundes vs in that vocation wherein we are called not shifting from one to another not taking libertie to be idle in our particular lawfull imployments that so wee may be diligent in Gods seruice Wherefore they are iustlie to be reproved not onelie who vtterlie forsake all imployments of this life to the end they may wholie consecrate themselues to spiritual devotion but such also who though they forsake not vtterlie yet neglect more then is fit their civill vocations It is either waie a misguided zeale either to withdraw ones selfe from humane society neglecting al service to our neighbour vnder a pretence of more devout seruice to God as Popish Votaries vse to doe or as manie doe who grow carelesse of their lawful affaires whiles they busie themselues about exercises of religion I would be loath to discourage anie man for his forwardnes in matters of religion I know well wee shall finde everie where ten monstrouslie prophane to one indiscreetlie zealous yea a hundred that neglect Gods service to follow their owne busines for one that doth otherwise Yet giue me leaue to tell you that there is a fault among some in the world who suffer dammage not so much by Gods service as by their owne indiscretion whiles by vnnecessarie iournies conferences entertainements and such like occasions touching matters of religion they put al their necessarie businesse out of order If such men suffer decaie in their estates they must blame themselues Religion is not in the fault which where it is truelie taught teacheth man prudence how to order his estate with iudgement The want whereof giues occasion to most to imagine that the greatest part of such mens religion lies in their eares because they loue to heare much but not to doe This fault should be amended where it is to be found to the end that religion be not scandalized as a profession that doth impoverish men I confesse it is not an easie matter to giue generall rules that may befit all callings and conditions of life to proportion out the times of Gods service and our owne imployments yet these things I shall commende to your considerations 1 That in parting our time betweene religious and civill affaires we shall doe best to follow Gods owne directions who hath allotted a larger proportion to our owne temporall businesses then to his spirituall service sixe daies for those one day for this Not but that he must haue the glorie of some time and all the businesses of everie daie but on the seaventh day he requires we should more immediatlie and wholly intende his service And know this for a truth that could reason or Gods commande perswade people to harken to Gods counsell diligentlie and seriouslie to attend all the dueties of Gods worship vpon the Lords daie they should finde a larger increase of grace and better successe in their affaires by that one meanes wel vsed then now by manie neglected 2 You may obserue a diuersitie in mens callings some afford more leasure some lesse Where more may be spared it cānot be better bestowed then vpon God to glorifie him and vpon a mans owne soule to saue it but where lesse may be spared something yet may be set apart for religion This is certaine there is no calling of neuer so busie imployment but enough time may be spared for some good duties without hindering the world and enough preserved for the world without robbing of God were we wise to doe well did not covetousnes voluptuousnes and other vilde affections befoole vs and make vs vnthankefull vnthrifts of this shortnesse of life and grace were our eies cleared vp that we could looke perfectlie into the end of all things reason and religion would teach vs that much of our time would bee spent better then it is Surelie men will say hereafter how much better had it beene had I spent such an howre in praier which I wasted in idlenes such a night in examining my heart vpon my bed and watering my couch with my teares of repentance which I spent in revelling gaming and other vngodlie practises how much better had it beene if I had gone to the house of God when at such a time I went about needlesse disports that such a daie had beene spent in praier and fasting which was passed awaie in complements of visitation and entertainements But we trifle awaie our time and then complaine we want time for Gods service and service of our callings The service of our lusts haue eaten vp that which was to be bestowen vpon God and the remainder the world must haue that Wherefore let vs learne wisedome and seeing wee can almost at any time finde an houre halfe a daie a whole daie or more to spare from our businesses for by matters Let vs doe as much for God as we will doe for the world and besides the seaventh day which is his owne let vs giue him somewhat of the sixe other an houre to heare a Sermon as well as twaine to our selues to sit idle lie or ill imployed to spend halfe an houre in praier reading meditation as well as three houres at a feast to spare once a quarter a daie for the humiliation of thy soule in fasting praier and examination of thy sinnefull hart as wel as thou sparest odde daies enough for thy pleasure This were wisedome and spirituall thriftines and be bold on it my brethren that things being thus ordered with moderation and godlie discretion much time will be gained for Gods service without crossing or hindering of our worldlie affaires Thus much of these questions now let vs come to make some application of the point to our practise Vse 1 The first is for the discouerie and reproofe of those evill thoughts and practises of men who iudge the service of God to be an vnprofitable and dangerous imploiment Manie there are that thinke as that evill sloathfull servant spake Mat. 25. 24. Master I knew thou wast a hard man in most mens estimation God is a hard Master that lookes for much labour and paies but small wages This corrupt opinion of God his worship is an old festered sore in the heart of man deepelie setled in his thoughts and not seldome blistering out vpon his tongue Your words haue beene stout against me saith the Lord to the Iewes in Malachie his time Mal. 3. 13. 14. and wherein had they spoken stubbornelie against him Ye haue said saith God it is in vaine to serue God what profit is it that we haue kept his commandements and walked humbly before the Lord of Hosts Therefore wee count the proude blessed even they that worke wickednesse are set vp and they
more perfection is to be sought for but it wil neuer be had in this life therefore meÌ„ must be stil striuing in the knowledg of God schollers must studie still Ministers preach people must heare still all must grow richer in this treasure of spirituall wisedome In a word no man must cease learning till God giue ouer teaching And know this that the man who bewailes his ignorance daily searches after knowledge in the vse of good meanes he shall gaine this advantage first the little knowledg which he hath shall doe him much good then in due time his stock shall encrease according to that promise to him that hath vseth it well shall be giuen more he shall haue abundance Let thus much suffice to be spokeÌ„ for the vnfolding of the nature of this sinne Come wee in the last place to make application of all vnto our owne vse 1 The first vse shall be for reprehension of ignorant persons whose fault is here declared to be great and their condition miserable which notwithstanding there are in the world many patrons of this sin who both in opinion and practise defend this sinne and approue it I shall name vnto you two sorts of them 1 Papists who make a direct profession of this shamefull sinne with them the best way for a man to doe his duty is not to know it at all and no devotion is comparable to that which is blind nor any service like that which is beastly and vnreasonable Let an ignorant Catholike that canne reade never a letter nor vnderstand scarce a fillable in the Creede Lords prayer Ten commandements or other part of his catechisme let him yet hold fast by his ghostly fathers sleaue doe as he bids him come to Church and heare Latine service reade latine prayers doe he knows not what yea any thing the Priest commands him and then they 'le warraÌ„t him cocksure from falling into the ditch be he neuer so blind Let Paul finde fault with zeale without knowledge Rom. 10 2. 3. T is no matter what he saith the 'ile contradict him to his teeth and tell vs as they teach their people that ignorance is the best mother of true Catholike devotion In which impudencie some haue gone so farre of late daies as to erect a new order of Friers whose very rule profession was ignorance of all things except Christ and the virgin Mary It is not possible that all things should haue come to this passe amongst them were there not knaverie in the businesse But the truth is this Poperie is one great part of the kingdome of darknesse and for the support hereof it was needfull to shutte out the light for feare of discovering their secret abominatioÌ„s If their deeds were good why doe they hate the light If their opinions were sound why are they afraid of Scripture 'T is selfe guiltinesse breeds those feares and iealousies and that Atheisticall slander of Gods word that the Scriptures are obscure that the reading of the bible will make men hereticks In short the best construction we can make of their practises in this kinde is that they mistrust Poperie would downe if people had but knowledge to see their villanies errors they see the credite of Priests Frâ—ers would downe who now be the only admired oracles of knowledge among their ignorant people which is more those slow bellies and evill beasts see 't would cost them much paines and toile to bring their people to knowledge after so long neglect of that course wherefore they sit still grow lazie and fat whilst their people is well enough content to be vntaught so to perish in their Ignorance Idolatry and Superstition 2 Protestants amongst whom we haue a number which are papists in their practises what ever they be in their opinions Among vs many there be that haue left off to vnderstand and doe good as it is psal 36. 3. men of ill liues of ignorant minds that out of carelesnesse or contempt profit not one iot either in knowledg or obedieÌ„ce of the Gospel This is a raigning sinne that spreads farre and wide ouer all quarters of the land a killing sin that â—laies thousands of soules which fall daily into the pit snare before they are aware that evill is toward them 'T is the grand factor for hell and that wherin the divil hath ever laboured by deepest polices to keepe men from knowledge either that they might not haue the meanes or not profit by theÌ„ when they had them What shall we say my brethren to the lamentable ignoraÌ„ce amongst people shall we excuse it 't is not possible For I demand in the Apostles woâ—ds Rom. 10. 18. haue they not all heard the Gospell noe doubt the sound thereof hath gone through all the landâ— and the words thereof vnto the end of the earth All meanes of knowledg haue been plentiful amongst vs Preaching Catechizing Printing and all these for a long time sixtie yeares and vpwarde so that one would thinke now all might know the Lord from the greatest to the meanest and if ever in any now in our country mightbe fulfilled that of Habakkuk c. 2. 14 the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glorie of the Lord as the waters couer the sea If in any particular place meanes haue beene scant and the people haue had but little instructioÌ„ ill may they thriue with their idlenes by whose negligence Gods people haue perished for lack of knowledg And if any such heare mee let them be entreated in the bowels of Christ Iesus to haue more pittie and compassion on the poore soules which goe astray as sheepe which haue no sheepheard But my brethren you must know that this excuse will not serue the turne neither if ministers wil not teach we need not learne No if they will not seeke where thou maist and doe not thou throw away thy selfe because another is careles of thy safety But of all what excuse will they haue who haue beene borne and bread vp in parishes that haue had preaching almost time out of mind Here one woulde thinke in regard of time meanes men might be teachers rather then learners but 't is nothing so Here also shall you meete with hundreds that had need be taught their very A. B. C. in matters of religion 't is no marvaile to see children or young meÌ„ ignorant when you shall haue old men 50. 60. yea 80 years old whose gray haires shew that they haue had time enough to learne more witt yet in case to be set to schoole againe for their admirable simplcitie in the knowledg of religion They 'le scorne to be questioned but doe but get them in a good moode and talke with them about religion aske them the meaning of the articles of faith of the petitions in the Lords prayer or of other coÌ„mon points in Catechisme and marke their answers you shall see them so shuffle and fumble speake halfe words
that tempt God yea they are delivered See the rancor of a corrupt heart venting it selfe in fowle accusations against God and his goodnes as if he were one that had no respect at all to his faithfull Servants but one that favoured his Foes more then his friends Such is still the sottish iudgment of the world that it is a thankeles office to obey God almighty they couÌ„t no time so vnprofitably spent as that which is bestowed vpon his service even the godlie in a fit of discontent are apt to thinke so David Ps. 73. 13. verily I haue cleansed my heart in vaine Baruch Ier. 45. 3. no course so vnlikely to thriue by to liue happily or honorably in the world as that which God counsels them to no men so despicable and miserable as those who desire to be what they are named Christians Mens practises easilie discover that in their hearts they are come to desperate resolutions as that impious fellow 2. King 6. 33. should I attend on God anie longer perswade men all that you can to a religious observation of reading the word instructing their servants and children as is to bee done in Christian families shew them Gods commaundements tell them of his promises that in doing these things God will blesse both soule and body goods and good name and marke their answeres Alas they are but poore men it is one day in a weeke losse to them they must worke or else wife and children wil be ill provided for they cannot liue by hearing of sermons religion will not buy food or raiment they haue their hands full of businesse and should they spend halfe an houre in a morning and so much at evening for prayer and devotion all would runne to wracke their worke would want their servants and their servants would want their sleepe they haue some speciall busines which cannot bee compassed in the weeke wherefore they must make bolde with God and borrow what they neuer meane to pay it must and shal be done on the Lordes day else they should wrong themselues and set all out of square Tell men that God abhorres falshood that a little with equitie is better then bagges full of cosenage and deceipt they 'le answere you that is not the way to thriue they wote well that plaine dealing is a iewell and God likes well of it but they do giue you to vnderstande that hee that vseth it shall die a begger Wherefore they must lie and cosen and doe as the world doth or els they are sure wealth wil come in but slowly Perswade men to be mercifull to the poore to feed the hungry cloath the naked helpe the decaied that their hearts may blesse them and that God may blesse them in themselues their posteritie you shall haue from them such speaches as these I know the â—ore part of my life but not the end the world is hard trade decaies I grow old I may come to waÌ„t where now I giue a bird in the hand is worth two in the Bush I am sure of what I haue I cannot tell what I shall haue I haue many to provide for we must liue every man vpon his owne with a greate Deale of such cold water which men vse to cast vpon those few sparkles of Charity that 's left in them vtterlie to quench it Thus God may promise or commande what he will but most of vs are at a point with him we will doe but what we list thinking with our selues it is no booty to belieue what he promiseth or obey what he commands The ground of this perversnes of mens opinions and practises touching our obedience to God is that infidelity which is rooted in our Natures and growen vp with vs even from the wombe that poison which the Serpent powred forth into the minds of our first Parents viz that God did not meane fairly towards them hath ever since deeply infected our natures making vs stil to haue God in a jealousie suspition that he wil not do what he saith when he bids vs obey makes promise vpon promise that al shal be wel with theÌ„ that feare him much a doe we haue to take God vpoÌ„ his word we forecast a thousand perils if we do so there is danger if so yet there we are not safe neither we begin to argue how this or that can be wheÌ„ which way I shal be blessed as God saith I shall And after a great deale of quarrelling disputing in the end we fal to this conclusion that it 's good to trust God no farther theÌ„ we see him We may every one read his own thoughts in the practises of men recorded for our observation in the Scriptures Take a few Examples 2. Chro. 25. we read that Amaziah hauing hired 100000 men of Israel to go with him against the Edomits he was forbiden by the Prophet of God to let the Army of Israel go with him to battle for if he did he should surely loose the victory if he obeyed he should conquer Here now Amaziah is in a straight whether hee should follow the counsell of the man of God or his owne but what shall we doe saith he for the hundred Talents which I haue given to the Armie of Israell ver 9. yea this stucke in his stomacke he could willingly doe as God bids him but he shall loose an hundred Talents by the bargaine and that is a great matter wherefore the King could finde in heart to adde obstinacie to his follie as at first he had hired them against Gods good liking so now to retaine them contrarie to his expresse commande and to hazard loose Gods favour and aide in that iournie rather then the losse of one hundred Talents and doubtlesse so he had done had not the Prophet beene earnest with him and confirmed him by perswading him to trust to Gods power and rest himselfe contented the Lord saith he shall giue to thee much more then this in the same verse Againe in the 25. of Levit. we read that God gaue this law to the Israelits that sixe yeeres they should sow their land dresse their vinyards but euery seaventh yeere the land should rest they should not sow their corne nor reape that which growed of it selfe they should not cut their vines nor gather their grapes that grew that yeere as it is from ver 2. to the 8. of that Cha. Doubt ye not but this seemeth a straÌ„ge coÌ„mand to this distrustful people and that they were very hardly brought to obey it even as many of vs would do in the like case What must all Tillage cease must no regard be had for the fruit of the Earth for every 7 yeare why this is the direct way to starue vs all what if harvest vintage proue bad in the sixe yeeres what shal we haue to liue vpoÌ„ in the 2 years after what if the 8 th yeare proue naught then by like we must liue 3 yeares vpon one yeares