of their first loue and with Demas haue embraced the world and yet are no whit dismaied at al Look vpon her all you that are priuie to your selues and guiltie of blacksliding in your zeale and loue to the Gospell She was turned into a pillar of salt and remaineth a spectacle of Gods vengeance for al such as thou art She was turned into a durate substance without speedie repentance hee will turne thee into a heauie iudgement and that is hardnes of heart which is harder then salt for it is the plague of all plagues You then that of religious seruants are become irreligious masters you that are priuie to your hearts that 10.20.30 yeeres agone you were more forward and zealous in Gods worship and now are decaied and cold looking backe to the pleasures and profits of this world looke one Lots wife shee as it were hangs in chaines for a wofull spectacle to behold Let her moue you to labour to recouer that you haue lost lest the Lord make you spectacles to others as she is made a spectacle to you And for this citie and others is Ierusalem in the Scripture to bee a perpetuall example her special sinnes were pride contempt of Gods word and abuse of Gods Prophets Her doome is recorded for England and for thee London whose pride is as great if not greater then euer hers was And for whose contempt and abuse of Gods Ministers it is a wonder the Lord smites not the land Let vs all then hereafter in reading stories of the Lords iudgements on others make them examples and warnings for vs else to make account the same God that was reuenged on them will not let vs escape The second sort that this doctrine reprooueth 2. Sort. are such as in setting their children to read in the Lords booke they heare the storie of Lots drunkennesse of Dauids adultery of Peters deniall and thereby they doe blesse themselues and strengthen and comfort their hearts yea they haue learned to alleage them as examples to extenuate their sinnes Am I a drunkard so was that good man Lot Am I an adulterer saies another so was that man after Gods owne heart Dauid Shall I despaire of my saluation saies the wicked persister in sinne and I reade the theefe repented on the crosse and found mercie at the last houre O vile wretches who hath bewitched you to peruert Gods word to your destruction It is as much as to poison thy soule Looke on their repentance Lot fell of infirmitie and no doubt repented with much griefe yet looke vpon Gods iudgement vpon that incestuous seed Looke vpon Dauid reade the 38. Psalme it made him goe crooked his sinnes were as fire in his bones he had not a good day to his death but the griefe of his sinnes made him to roare out Thou wouldest be loth to buy thy sinne as he did And as for the example of the theefe First the Lord knocked but once by one sermon and he repented but thou hast had many sermons and hast had many callings and cryings to thee yet repented not Secondly this is an extraordinary example and there is not the like in all the Scripture againe And the end is that thereby wee should neither despaire nor presume one that wee should not despaire and but one that we shuld not presume This example is for all penitent sinners who vpon their repentance may assure themselues the Lord will receiue them to mercy Now if thou canst promise to thy selfe the same repentance and faith in Christ that hee had then maiest thou promise thy selfe the same felicitie hee now enioyes But looke thou on his fellow who had no grace to repent and who hangs as an example to all impenitent wretches to looke vpon that they despise not the mercie of God nor reiect his call by vs lest it come to passe that when thou wouldest repent thou canst not To thee that doest strengthen thy selfe in thy sinne vpon presumption of mercie to other Deut. 29.19.20 I referre thee to the words that the Lord himselfe speakes Deut. 29.19.20 He that when he heareth the words of the curse blesseth himselfe in his heart saying I shall haue peace though I do walke according to the stubbornenesse of mine owne heart thus adding drunkennesse to thirst the Lord will not be mercifull vnto him but the wrath of the Lord and his ielousie shall smoake against that man and euery curse that is written in this Booke shall light vpon him c. Looke thou on this and the like threatnings of God against such as strengthen their hearts in their sinne Thus much at this time being loth to be ouertroublesome referring the rest till euening Prayer Let vs pray for a blessing vpon that wee haue been taught FINIS THE SECOND SERMON HEBREVVES 12.16.17 Let there bee no fornicator or prophane person as Esau which for one portion c. YOu haue heard in the forenoone beloued in Christ the summe and drift the holy Ghost aimes at which is a certaine dehortation therein disswading euerie good Christian from two great vices which hee calles by the names of the rootes of bitternesse which are Fornication and prophanenesse Of the one we haue spoken it now resteth we speak of the other vice hee disswades them from And because I suppose the most of you were present in the forenoone I will not stand to make any large repetition of that which was then handled but onely of so much as may make a better preparation to that which shall be now deliuered You must note that the holy Ghost in his dehortation from this sinne of Prophanenesse propounds Esau the elder sonne of Isaac for an example and hauing set downe the vse and end euery one should make in the reading of such examples of Gods seuerity in scripture and not to take the name of God in vaine by either lightly passing by them as making no vse at all or else abusing them to strengthen themselues in their sinnes by the example of the Lords mercie on others wee proceeded no further in the morning Now I come to that which followeth which is the person that is set foorth as an example to all prophane men It is Esau as you haue heard the eldest sonne of Isaac And this may seeme very strange that Esau should be a man hated of God before he was borne and that he should bee hung vp as an example to all prophane men to take warning by First he was honourablie descended for Abraham was his grandfather and Isaac was his father Secondly hee was a man whom God had blessed with great riches and one of the wealthiest in all the countrie Thirdly we doe read of great blessings to his posteritie Gen. 36.41 for of him came fourteene Dukes and were in great account Yea further if yee read in the booke of Genesis of his cariage and behauiour you shall find hee had diuers good morall vertues and kind partes in him and such as I
TWO SERMONS VPON THE XII CHAPTER OF THE EPISTLE TO the Hebrewes the sixteenth and seuenteenth verses PREACHED IN THE CITIE OF LONDON the twelfth day of Iune 1608. By THOMAS HOPKINS Minister at Yeardley in the Countie of Worcester HEBREVVES 13.4 Whoremongers and adulterers God will iudge COLOSS. 3.2 Set your affections on things which are aboue and not on things which are on the earth AT LONDON Imprinted for WILLIAM WELBY dwelling in Pauls Churchyard at the signe of the Greyhound 1609. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL WILLIAM HANCOCK MAYOR THE Worshipfull Iustices and Aldermen his brethren with my Christian countrimen of the Citie of Couentrie be all grace mercie and peace from God the Father and from our Lord Iesus Christ Amen RIght worshipfull and my louing Countrimen hauing some occasion this last summer to trauell vp to the Citie of London and being there I was entreated by a godlie friend to bestow my labours on a Sabbath day in preaching at the Parish Church in which hee dwelled to whom I willingly agreed Whereat there were some contrary to my knowledge or priuitie that tooke the paines to take the notes of the Sermons and before my departure out of the Citie made me acquainted therewithall and shewed them vnto mee and reading part of them I did greatly maruell thereat and worthie was the Author to be commended for his paines and skill hauing neuer seene the like so largely taken by any whatsoeuer for scarce could I finde any word of substance wherein hee failed Here upon certaine of my friends who were hearers thereof laboured with me to commit them to the Presse and in hope I would satisfie their earnest sute sent downe after mee their notes faire copied out to my house which after some paines taken in setting the same in order and some things though not much added for the more plaine opening of that which time preuented me in the preaching I haue sent it vp againe to them to vse at their pleasure The which hauing by Gods helpe finished I doe make bold to dedicate the same to your fauorable view The reasons moouing mee thereunto are speciallie these three The first is because of the experience I haue had of diuers of your godly zealous and sincere loue to the Gospell The second is being bound by nature to leaue it as a testimonie of my vnfained loue to my natiue Citie Thirdly in regard of the vndeserued kindnesse and beneuolences I haue often receiued from you In some liew whereof I thought it a part of my dutie to dedicate these my poore labours vnto you as thereby to manifest my humble thankefulnesse Now if any censorious disposition shall say that these Sermons are too meane to be put in print for this ripe and exquisit age I would wish them to consider that at the building of the Temple as well they were accepted that brought Goates haire and Rammes skinnes as they that brought Silke purple and skarlet But howeuer it be I doe more then hope you will both kindly accept of this from me and entertaine it as a testimonie of my louing affection to you all The God of all comfort multiplie his gratious blessings vpon you all and grant all peace and prosperitie to all those that vnfainedlie loue and seeke the peace of the Church and prosperitie of the Gospell From my house at Yeardly the 20. of December 1608. Your Worships in all Christian duties to be commanded Thomas Hopkins TO THE CHRISTIAN READER CHristian Reader the searcher of all hearts doth know that at the preaching of these Sermons it was farre frō any thought of mine they should euer haue been committed to the Presse to bee set out in print confessing my great inabilitie that way But forasmuch as some of the hearers tooke the paines to gather the notes thereof without either my knowledge or consent and thereupon seeming to haue some liking thereof were earnest with me for my consent to commit them to the print whose godly desire I perceiuing to proceed from a speciall willingnesse to make others partakers of that profit they seemed to haue receiued themselues gaue them my promise if they would copie them faire out and send them downe into the countrie to me I would take some paines in the viewing them ouer and setting them in order and so would send them vp to them againe to vse at their pleasure which they so did and accordingly by the Lords helpe I haue performed to them as my leasure in my charge would permit me Now then if these my simple labours shall bee thought worthie the view of the world I doe humblie entreate thee Christian Reader to beare with me which I know thou wouldest willinglie doe if either thou didst know my weakenes in gifts my small leasure for vndertaking any such worke or speciallie the marke and end I aime at I pray thee construe all in good part and what is amisse for want of skill correct it and if any thing haue ouershot me in ouerzealous carriage impute it to my infirmitie But if there happen any thing that shall worke to humbling for sinne either generall or particular for the land or for thy owne self giue all the praise to God and as I haue endeuoured to benefit thee and others which is the maine end of my labours so doe I entreate thee to assist me with thy prayers vnto God that hee will assist me with his blessed spirit in the worke of my Ministerie And thus hoping I may entreate for a friendlie acceptance at thy hands and to affoord me thy good word for my good will and a fauourable construction for my paines I doe commend it to the blessing of the Almightie and thee to his gratious protection wishing to thee as to myselfe viz. the mercie of God in Iesus Christ December 20. 1608. Thine in the Lord Iesus Thomas Hopkins TWO SERMONS VPON THE XII CHAP. OF THE AVTHOR TO THE HEbrewes the 16. and 17. verses thereof HEBREVVES 12.16.17 Let there bee no fornicator or prophane person as Esau which for one portion of meate sold his birthright For yee know how that afterward when he would haue inherited the blessing hee was reiected For he found no place to repentance though he sought that blessing with teares I Mind not beloued in Christ to stand vpon more circumstances then I take fitting for the opening of my Text. Although to haue shewed you my simple iudgemēt both as touching the occasion the Author the time and the argumēt of this Epistle could not but haue bin profitable for sundrie respects but then must I spend more ◅e then is allowed mee and I feare should abridge you of some things which I am willing to open vnto you Wherefore omitting all these Vers 5. know you that the Author of this Epistle hauing in the former part of this chapter encouraged them patiently to vndergoe the crosse of afflictions assuring them that they were no signes of Gods anger Vers 6. but rather
in their liues as talke of it with their mouthes And this the Apostle Peter labours to exhort those he wrote vnto 2. Pet. 1.5 that with the knowledge of faith in the Gospel they would ioyne vertue by which he meanes holines of life exhorting the they that beleeue wel should liue wel that so their liues might beautifie their profession It seemes diuers of the Church sent to Paul to know his iudgement touching such seruants as were conuerted to the Gospell how they should behaue themselues to their Infidell masters 1. Tim. 6.1 To this he sends an answere to Timothy commanding that being bound to thē they should not depart or vse them vnconscionablie but rather to be more carefull in their seruice and to vse diligence and faithfulnesse to them that so the name of God and his Gospell be not euill spoken of A good lesson for such seruants in this citie as professe the Gospell and serue irreligious masters not hereby to take a liberty to be idle carelesse and false in word and deede but so much the rather to be the more careful in their seruice lest they giue their Masters occasion to speake euill of the name of God and his Gospell Now if seruants must be thus carefull towards their masters that be Atheists how much more then should euery one that hath giuen his hand and name to the Gospell be carefull who hath many to ouerlooke him and would be glad to take a small occasion to discredit his profession There are many reasons may be added to presse this doctrine the more vpon our consciences but I will content my selfe with these three Reas 1 The first reason is because a holie life ioyned to an holy profession will gaine credit in the consciences of Gods people Yea 1. Pet. 2.12 it will gaine credit also in the consciences of such as be yet vncalled To which end the Apostle exhorts them to haue their conuersation honest among the Gentiles that they which speake euill of them as of euill doers may by their good workes which they shall see glorifie God in the day of visitation By which all you that be Fathers Mothers Masters and Mistresses are exhorted though you haue vntoward sonnes vnfaithfull seruants lyers swearers yea such as scorne at your comming to Sermons and vse of holy exercises in your families as giuing thanks at meales prayers reading of Chapters c. yet should your carriage in your liues be such as that they seeing your Christian behauiour in your shops in your words in your dealings c. may haue cause to praise God Yea if euer the Lord call and conuert them they shall praise God that they euer dwelt in such a family and that euer they came within thy dores The experience hereof God hath shewed dailie amongst vs of many who in their seruice were deriders of holy duties and stopped their eares at the instructions of their gouernours yet the Lord hauing opened their eares and softned their hearts by his word and spirit they haue so praised God for his mercie to them that their parents by whom they were begotten and borne haue not been so deare to them in their hearts as their Master and mistresse in whose Christian familie they were conuerted Reas 2 The second reason is because it will gaine credit to our profession The contrarie opens the mouthes of Atheists to slander and discredit the same One prophane Gospeller doth more harme in the Church then an hundred Atheists Wherefore saith the Preacher Eccles 10.3 Dead flies cause to stinke and putrisie the ointment Yea one dead flie will putrifie a whole boxe of ointmēt where as a thousand falling into a barrell of pitch will do no such harme So the Gospell is so pretious a thing that the euill example of one professor doth more harme to it then the example of many Athiests a thousand drunken companions neuer discredit the Gospell so much as one that professeth well and liueth ill For is it not a thing common amongst vs that when men see a professor commit any sinne yea though of infirmity and of weakenesse with no purpose to liue in it doe but marke how they presently labour to discredit not so much the person of the man as his profession For are not these their verie words See these are our professours and holy men hee is wise that will beleeue what they say here is a profession indeed Yea they wil not sticke to curse the very Booke of God and blaspheme his Gospell Therefore if you will be professors looke to your shops your families your counting houses your weights and measures else if you bee faultie in these you will bring more discredit to religion then euer you did good with your outward profession Reas 3 The third reason is because by your ioyning an holy life to a holy profession it wil gaine comfort to your conscience especially in the time of the departure out of this world Esay 38.3 An example wee haue of Ezekias who hauing receiued the message of death is said to turne to the wall and to put the Lord in mind of the integritie of his life wherein he tooke great comfort Yea it will put a man in more comfort then all the treasures of this world For what consolation can a man take in worldly things when he is priuie that hee doth lead a vicious wicked life and is in danger of Gods wrath Vse 1 Now let vs see what vses we are to make of this doctrine And first it may stop the mouthes of our aduersaries the Papists who falselie charge vs that wee teach doctrines of libertie to sin and that the sum of our doctrines is that so a man beleeue in Christ it is no matter how he liues And beloued I appeale to your owne consciences how true this is when wee teach that an outward profession seeme it neuer so sanctified without a holy life is odious in Gods sight And we returne the doctrine of libertie vpon themselues For be Iudge men and brethren in Christ whether this bee not a doctrine of licenciousnes to teach that ignorance is the mother of deuotion that their holie father may dispense with any sinne be it neuer so great and heinous that allow the Stewes euen at their Popes nose for the nourishing of whoredome Yea they teach that all their veniall sinnes as they terme them are put away and forgiuen by knocking themselues on the breast and by saying God haue mercie vpon me c. If this were true and this libertie granted to sinne who would make conscience to commit sinne But let vs know that these are doctrines of diuels and hee that hath not care to ioyne an holie life to an holie beleefe Mat. 22.12.13 shall one day with the man wanting the wedding garment be cast into vtter darkenesse where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Vse 2 A second vse of this doctrine serues to teach vs that be present
congregation Answ For answere But tell me hast thou satisfied God by repentance Hast thou runne to him and intreated him in Christ Iesus to bee satisfied I tell thee penance in the Church will not keepe thee out of hell till Gods anger bee appeased and it is only Christ that must appease him and it must be faith and repentance in thee that must be the meanes to obtaine it Obiect Others obiect I meane to marrie her and so to make her an amends Answ For answere Say thou doest meane so I denie not but it is a thing both lawfull and fit to be so But yet till there haue been repentance wrought in thee for this grieuous sinne Gods wrath and Gods curse will follow thee at the heeles Yea I say further that after thou hast married her till there be a reconciliation betweene God and thee al the time thou hast liued in marriage thou hast liued a fornicator Is there any here who are priuie in their consciences they haue abused their bodies with their wiues before the solemnising of Wedlocke and entrance into that holy ordinance and couenant of God hast thou repented hast thou been grieued from thy heart then no doubt thou hast obtained pardon But if thou haue felt no griefe no sorrow no humbling no teares but made account all is well and healed by mariage know thou and know thou againe God will one day call thee to a new reckoning and will take vengeance on thee in the depth of hell Vse 3 A third vse hereof is to such Magistrates as be put in trust for the punishing of this sinne that they looke vnto it better then they haue done and that they let it not goe so slenderly punished or not punished at all as many of them do It is to be lamented at this day to heare what winking what bribing there is to maintaine this sinne Yea it is to bee feared that there bee many frenchhoods and veluets coates maintained by this sinne Yea experience doth shew vs and by experience I speake it how readie many will bee to ride and run to Iustices of peace and Ecclesiasticall courtes to speake and to countenance out a common fornicator and an adulterer when the same parties in case of wrong done to an honest man will not set their foote out of the dore to speake a word to doe him any good Can the Lord forbeare long to punish vs when this sinne amongst other sinnes cries loud in the Lords eares for vengeance No no as the Prophet saith Ierem. 5.9 Hee will visit for these things and his soule will be auenged vpon such a nation Or prophane person as Esau Text. Now followes the other sinne he dehorts and drawes them from which is prophanenesse And because there were diuers did make light account of it and many others that did not know what it meant he sets downe an example of a man hated of God before he was borne and being dead is as it were hung vp for a spectacle for all prophane men to looke on set out in the booke of Genesis the 25.27.28 Chapters And hence before wee proceed to the opening of the storie we are to obserue something in that the holie Ghost sets before vs the example of a prophane man Doct. 3 A principall end and drift why the holy Spirit of God sets before vs examples in the old Testament as well as in the New is not so much that men should read them as stories or therein see the seueritie of God to others but for spectacles and examples to vs that wee should take heed of their sinnes that moue the Lord to lay such punishments vpon them The Apostle to the Corinthians hauing set downe the rebellion of the Israelites together with their punishment 1. Cor. 10 6-11 presently telles the end and vse of such examples which was his seueritie to them and to bee warnings to vs as appeareth in the eleuenth verse So the Apostle Iude telles vs that Sodom and Gomorah and the cities about them which the Lord destroyed for following strange flesh were and are set foorth for a warning and example to all filthie and beastly minded men So that so long as there is a people vpon the earth so long hath the Lord set downe in scripture examples of his wrath to forewarne them of the like seueritie against them And wee see that diuers for some horrible offences are hung vp in chaines not onely to shew the kings seueritie against them or for men to stand gazing vpon them but for warnings to all his subiects to take heed they runne not into the like offence lest they incurre the like punishment And therefore for murtherers the Lord hath Gen. 4. as it were hung vp Cain for prophanenesse Gen. 27. Numb 16. Esau for murmurers against God and his Ministers he hath proposed Coreh Dathan and Abiram Iudas to all Traitors Lots wife for all Apostataes These and many more are set forth for examples to vs. These and many more are not pictures of Gods anger onely hung vp to be gazed vpon but to warne vs by their examples of the sinnes Reason There are diuers reasons to bee shewed of this doctrine but in that my time is so neere spent I will content my selfe with one which is Because God is not mutable but the same God to vs as to them and as hee hath left them for examples to vs so he can leaue vs for examples to others If hee doe not wee are the more bound to him and not to abuse his patience and long-suffering to vs but rather to meete him in time by repentance The vse hereof serues to teach vs what vse we should make in reading the stories of Gods iudgements vpon others in the booke of God not so much to wonder at them that they had no better grace or to admire the seueritie of the Lord against them but to applie it to our selues and to say in our hearts This example is set out to warne me to teach me that if I commit the like sinne I may feare the like punishment or worse Which reprooues specially two sorts of men at this day 1. Sort. The one is such as in reading diuers chapters of the Lords iust iudgement against diuers nations cities Kings Priests men women children for their sinnes committed against him make light account of them as if it no whit concerned them though their consciences condemne them of the like sinne They read the storie of Esau Gen. 27. and of Gods wrath against him for his prophanenesse yet though they know in their hearts they set more by their pleasure then by preaching by their gaine then by godlines by their pottage then by religion yet it neuer so much as mooues them at al. So againe how many doe read the storie of Lots wife Gen. 19.26 who for her looking backe was turned into a monument of Gods anger yet themselues are priuy of the decay
euen then when hee punisheth sore whereby he seemes to frowne vpon them they can run to him in prayer and make their mone to him as example of Dauid who cries out O Lord rebuke me not in thine anger Psalm 6.1 neither chasten mee in thy displeasure though the Lord seeme to bee angrie by afflicting of them yet they runne to him as to a father It grieues them to see their father displeased being like to a louing sonne who grieues to see his father angrie yea euery wrinkle in his fathers browe makes him to feare yet so as that that is grounded on loue and therefore runnes vpon his knees to him for pardon So is it with Gods children though their father chastise them with heauie and bitter afflictions yet they run to their father with this perswasion that though they haue failed in the dutie of a sonne yet he cannot faile in the affection of a father Contrarie to this the hypocrite and vnregenerat man vnder Gods heauy hand vpon him or his wife children goods c. he runs from God fleeing from him as from a tyrant and betakes him to his monie friends sports merrie companions yea to witches coniurers wizards or any vnlawfull course if they haue hope of reliese The fourth is a ioy and delight to meete the Lord in those places and by those meanes hee doth vsuallie meete his in It is true Gods presence is in all places but yet he is said to be more ordinarie present in those places where is word is preached where there are holy and religious exercises of praver meditations conference of scripture singing of Psalmes or the like Indeede hypocrites will come to Church but it is not with ioy and with delight it is not of conscience to meete the Lord to hearken what hee saith vnto them and to put it in practise in their liues but rather some worldly busines driues them or for custome or neighborhood or to auoid the name of a Papist A second vse hereof serues for the reproofe of two sorts of hypocrites and first Those who take themselues good Christians and in good state if they liue a ciuill life especially if they can make a faire shew of louing religion and can talke of it though their conscience accuse them of some sin they doe liue in and they can say to themselues as Lot said by Zoar Oh is it not a little one Gen. 19. But hearken to me thou that thinkest it a small matter to liue in one I tel thee liue and die impenitent in the one and it will be thy destructiō Did not Herod make outward shew of many things yet because he would not leaue the one sin of incest God cast him off and reiected him I tell thee one hole in a ship will in a short time sinke the whole ship Tell me thou that with thy outward holines liuest an vsurer a drunkard a carelesse wreth darest drink but one dram of poison so one raging sinne will bring thee to hell The second sort are those who hauing sinned and liue in some raging sinne yet if they can now and then thrust out a few teares thinke it good repentance and haue repēted in an high degree But alas they be much peceiued for their teares bee but hypocriticall And that appeares in that either they bee shed in aduersitie as were Sauls Iudas Esaus or else in the congregation at the sermons as hypocrites do but in their closets or in secret they cannot shed one teare I tell thee deceiue not thy selfe for teares be no more signes of true repentance then are words Text. He was reiected Now followes the third degree of his punishment which is that hauing set the time of mercie so light hee is now denied though hee vseth meanes to obtaine it The date is out at the glasse is run therefore no meanes will preuaile Doct. 8 Whence wee doe learne that such as by their prophanenesse doe wilfully refuse the offer of Gods mercie and doe preferre their pleasures and profits before it may run so farre that all the meanes they can vse shal neuer obtaine mercie at the hands of God I say as there is a time in which the Lord will wooe vs yea he sends his Ministers to entreate vs Hosea 6.4 yea he will chide and expostulate the matter with vs why wee will not accept of his mercie so there is and will be a time that after the refusing of grace and contemning of mercie offered the Lord will shut vp and bolt vp the gate of mercie so as he will not be entreated at our hands any more Psalm 95.7.8 This is prooued to vs by the Prophet Dauid in one of the Psalmes where hee exhorts the people that they will take and accept of the time the Lord offers them lest it come to passe by their contempt and refusing the time of grace the Lord cast them off and reiect them I denie not but that in respect of vs til God haue manifested his wil there is hope but in respect of Gods secret decree the time of Gods mercie may bee out euen during this life therefore when mercie is offered we must take heed wee wilfully contemne it not lest we prouoke the Lord to be gone and vtterlie reiect vs. One of the fearefullest signes of a castaway is to delay and put off the Lords gratious offer of mercie as wee reade of Pharaoh Exod. 8.9.10 who when Moses offered himselfe to pray to the Lord for him he put it off till the next morrow so hee that hath the graces and mercies of God offered to him to day and puts them off from his youth to his age and from his old daies to his death-bed may iustly feare an vtter reiection euen then when he hopes of most comfort For the further pressing this doctrine on our consciences let vs obserue some places of Scripture And first let vs see what the Lord saith to such as despise Wisdomes call being of three sorts The first that like fooles content themselues with ignorance The second that scoffe at the Lords offer by his seruants The third which are carried away by their owne lusts Because I haue called and yee refused Prou. 1.24 I haue stretched out mine hand and none would regard Verse 28. And then shall they call vpon me but I will not answere they shall seeke me earelie but they shall not find me Noting that as they refused the time in which he called so they should call in hope of mercie but they should not obtaine The like we reade how the Prophet Esay calling Ierusalem to repentance in sackcloth and ashes for their sins Esay 22.12.13 she fell to sporting and feasting despising the Lords message and offer of grace by his Prophet what came of it you may reade presently that their contempt comming to the Lords eares he answeres Surely Vers 14. this iniquitie shall not be purged from you till yee die saith the
Lord of hosts Giuing them to vnderstand that seeing they set so light by the admonitions of the Prophet there should bee left them no time to repent in till hee had destroied them But of all the places of Scripture for this purpose let vs see what the Lord saies to Ierusalem by his Prophet Ezechiel Because saith he I would haue purged thee and thou wast not purged Thou shalt not be purged till I haue caused my wrath to light vpon thee Marke this place well which may terrifie our hearts if we carrie not the hearts of Tigres In which the Lord testifies not onely to them but to vs That when by al kind meanes and louing allurements he offers his fauour and wee obstinatelie refuse let vs bee sure of it when wee would haue mercie and fauour from him though we begge it crie houle he will denie it vs. Oh that the lamentable spectacles of some might bee warnings to vs who in their life time haue heard the Lord by his Ministers call to them and entreated them to leaue their sinnes chidden them threatned them but all in vaine they haue stopped their eares and hardned their hearts But being come to their bed of death and the time come they must depart this life I feare to a worse they haue cried houled yea knocked and beaten their heads to the bedposts my self being witnesse yet could not shew any signe of receiuing one drop of comfort from the Lord. And hauing been exhorted to pray and call on the Lord for mercie could not say so much as The Lord haue mercie vpon me And what know wee what our estate shall bee if wee weare out the time of mercie There is a time set vs in which we may repent but being despised and outrunne there is after no houre to obtaine mercie And the reasons hereof are specially three Reas 1 The first taken from God who because it proceedes from his loue to offer mercie it must needes stand with his iustice to punish the wilfull contempt of it with a perpetuall deniall of mercie Reas 2 The second from Satan who by contemning and neglecting the Lords gracious offer of mercie gets great aduantage of vs and hereby makes a way for such sinnes as hardly in time we can repent vs of Reas 3 The third is from the nature of this sinne which hatcheth three horrible sinnes for delay breeds custome custome breeds securitie and securitie breeds impenitencie A drunkard we see is more easily reclaimed from it at the first then when he hath gotten a custome of it And hence is it the Lord by his Prophet doth note it a thing impossible in respect of humane power to leaue those sinnes which are customablie committed saying Can the Blackmoore change his skinne Ier. 13.23 or the Leopard his spots then may ye also doe good that are accustomed to doe euill Oh beloued let vs take heed of despising the Lords louing and kind offer of mercie Psalm 2.12 lest he be angrie and so we doe perish in his wrath Now let vs come to the vses of this doctrine Vse 1 You cannot deny but the Lord hath long time offered conditions of peace And that he hath sent vs his seruants earelie and late to call vs to entreate vs to be reconciled to him hee hath stood long at the doore knocking to be let in But what of all this hath not custome of sin bred securitie and securitie impenitencie so that it is to be feared the date of Gods mercy is neere at an end How shall wee trie this Looke in the course of the Scriptures and you shall find it so when the Lord hath long continued the meanes of saluation and the people little or nothing profit by it And how may this terrifie vs who haue enioyed his word in peace at hand now of 50. yeeres and who sees not the little or no profit is come thereof And that this is so wil appeare if we examine it by these two things that will follow where the people doe profit by the meanes that is knowledge and reformation of life And first as touching knowledge Come to many in this Citie who haue liued some 20. some 30. some these 40. yeeres yet are very ignorant euen in the principles of religion You can say it may bee God made you Christ redeemed you c. But to what end did God make you or Christ redeeme you you know not but there are many as blind as beetles And as this is too true in your Citie so is it most lamentable in the Country where you shal haue in many places not one of twentie to yeeld a good reason why they shall not be damned yea they know no more the right way to saluation nor how they must be saued if euer they be saued then the veriest idiot that euer was borne And to say the truth how can they when they are content to be led to hell as a man leades a dog in a string according to the saying of our Sauiour Christ If the blind lead the blind they shall both fall into the ditch So for the second point which is reformation of life I pray you rouse vp your hearts and examine your liues what reformation there hath been sithence this last extremitie of frosts the like I thinke was neuer heard of hath any of you left your pride your drunkennesse your whoredome your vsurie your briberie and God be witnesse betweene you and your hearts of this And thinke you the Lord will continue wooing and entreating vs still No no If his word can doe little good amongst vs how can his iudgements profit vs The Lord in minding to ouerthrow a people doth commonly send before him three arrowes of destruction famine plague and the sword of two of them our land hath of late had her part And that wee charge not God foolishly if wee marke it wee shall find our land polluted in a high degree with the same sinnes for which the Lord hath punished both Israel and Iuda with the former punishments And first for famine Famine we find the sinnes that did bring it were speciallie these three The first rash swearing and breaking of their oathes 2. Sam. 21. Now if we take a generall surney of our state we shall find that because of oathes our land shall mourne Ier. 23.10 for the name of God in no age was so blasphemed either in Israel or Iuda as it is in this sinfull land Wee find that many times they would rent their garments in hearing the name of God blasphemed which if wee should do to heare the Lords name so rent and torne in the mouthes of prophane men in shops alehouses tauernes markets faires we should neuer haue whole clothes on our backes The second sinne brought famine Amos. 8.4 5-11 was oppression of the poore And how guiltie we are herein the crie of widowes fatherlesse and poore men do testifie yea if these should hold their peace the