wheresoeuer and in whomsoeuer True zeale loueth friends as they be Gods friends true zeale hateth aduersaries so farre as they be Gods aduersaries true zeale loueth a good thing in the most professed enemie true zeale hateth sinne in the most assured friend If wee be perswaded that our enemies bee Gods children howsoeuer wee disagree in some particulars yet wee must swallow vp manie priuate iniuries and more reioice in them as they be Gods seruants then be grieued at them as they haue iniuried vs. Indeed true Zeale is most grieued at the sinnes of the godly because so much are their sinnes more grieuous then the sinnes of others by how much they came neerer to the image of God then others The last rule is that wee keepe a tenour of zeale in both estates to wit of prosperitie and aduersitie Zeale must be constant in all estates Wee must especiallie looke to that whereunto wee are most readie that is whether wee be more zealous in prosperitie and fall away in aduersitie or whether we be more feruent in affliction and ouer-whelmed in abundance whether by the one we are not puffed vp with securitie and secret pride and whether by the other we be not too farre abased and discouraged or which is worst of all quite driuen out of the way for many in time of peace are religious who seeing persecution to follow the Gospell Luke 8.13 begin like those that are compared to stonie ground top step backe and at last vtterly to renounce their former profession Others so long as they may haue credit by embracing the Gospell will seeme to goe farre but when discredit comes they forsake all contrarie to the practise of Dauid who saith Psal 119.61 Verse 161. The bandes of the wicked haue robbed mee yet haue I not forgotten thy Law And againe Princes did persecute mee without cause Verse 141. but mine heart stood in awe of thy Word And for disgrace hee saith I am small and despised Verse 141. yet doe I not forget thy Word Others on the contrary part so long as God exerciseth them with any crosse are zealous professours who beeing set alost and comming once vnto promotion begin to grow secure and careflesse of all duties towards God or men as is to be seene in the Israelites from time to time We see manie in time of their miserie to bee much humbled Psal 68.34 c. Iudger and whiles they want liuings and preferments we see both Preachers and people in outward appearance very godlie who hauing obtained that which they sought for haue their zeale vtterly choked Doe not many pray for the continuance of the peace of the Gospell that they themselues might continue in peace and prosperitie Doe not manie mourne in the aduersitie of the Gospell because they are grieued for their owne aduersitie Oh great corruption of our hearts Oh bottomles pit of hypocrisie If wee were ashamed that wee are no more grounded on the word and that wee can bee no nore holie and vpright in our hearts surely the Lord will so gouerne vs that he would not suffer either prosperitie to quench our zeale or aduersitie to discourage our hearts This is then our triall herein if when we are in greatest prosperitie we can mourne with them that mourne in the Lorde and when wee are in greatest aduersitie wee can reioyce with them that reioyce in Christ This is a sure token wee loue not the Gospell nor fauour the word because wee haue a loue to prosperitie neither are zealous to see the word contemned because wee haue an hatred of aduersitie Daniel concerning outward things was an happie man as being neere to the Crowne and yet when hee saw the God of Israels glory to be defaced and his seruants and seruices to be trodden vnder foote hee could content himselfe with nothing so much as with fasting weeping and prayer Dan. 9. And Paul on the other side being in bonds for the testimonie of Iesus Christ and concerning his outward man in a miserable case reioyced greatly and was as it were reuiued when he heard that the Gospell flourished and that the faith and loue of the Saints was still continued 1. Thess 3.6.7.8 This zeale should we much labour for that in all estates we might be rightly affected towards God and men FINIS
yet haue neuer been able to effect and bring to passe their malicious enterprises against the same The Church is as a weake tent in it selfe not fortified with any wals and yet those that haue laid siege against it and sought vtterly to consume it haue not taken away so much as one stake or broken so much as one cord thereof as the Prophet Isaiah witnesseth and why Isa 33.20.21 because as he saith the mighty Lord was their defence Christians are euen as sheepe very impotent and feeble for the most part in regard of outward strength and withall few in number and their enemies are like raging Lions and besides for multitude very many yet the flocke of Christ still remaines the more the wicked rage against it the more doth it still encrease as we haue an experiment in the Israelites vnder Pharaohs tyranie Note Yea in many places where their Pastors seeke to make hauocke of them euen there are they couragious for the truth and though Christians dwel where Satans throne is and where hee seemeth to beare full sway yet it may be said to them as it was vnto the Church of Pergamus by Christ Iesus Reuel 2 13. Thou keepest my name and hast not denied my faith Yea further which is of all other things most strange the poore lambs of Christ are so far from being torne in pieces by those Lions that they become Lions themselues not for cruelty but for courage Mich 5.8 For so saith the Prophet Micah And the remnant of Iacob shall bee among the Gentiles in the middest â—f many people as the Lions among the beasts of the for rest and as the Lions whelpe among the flocks of sheepe The meaning of which place is that some few poore Christians standing in the cause of God and comming furnished with the grace and power of the holy Ghost should be able to daunt and terrifie the hearts of many sinfull persons and cause them euen to quake and tremble Act. 24.26 as Paul did Felix when hee reasoned powerfully and effectually concerning righteousnesse and temperance and the iudgement to come In so much that many who are hypocrites in heart will make a shew of religion and piety and seeme to conforme themselues vnto Christians whom they hate with a deadly hatred which plainly argueth that there is a kind of Maiesty of God Note shining forth in the faces and in the carriage of Gods seruants which the vilest reprobates are many times driuen to acknowledge though full sore against their wils This point ministreth vnto vs a double instruction Vse 1 First that wee should take part with righteous men for if God bee on their side they must needs be the better side and the stronger side and therefore it is good wisedome to ioine with them It was the ouerthrow of Achitophel that he forsook King Dauid to take part with Absolon And it was the ruine of Abiathar and Ioab that they withdrew theÌ„selues from Salomon to set vp Adonijah as king ouer Israel And why sped they so ill but because they were of a contrary side vnto God himselfe who stood for Dauid and Salomon and their adherents and certainly the Lord is as strongly with his church now as he was with Dauid and Salomon then and therefore it must needs be very dangerous for any to separate themselues from his chosen in which regard let vs be careful euermore to cleaue vnto them and to take part with them Oh Obiect but they haue many enemies that seeke to vndermine them and therefore it is not safe ioyning with them Feare not their aduersaries Answ Psalm 3. though they be ten thousand to one for God is their buckler and the lifter vp of their heads he will smite all their enemies vpon the cheeke bone and dash out their teeth that seeke to draw blood from his seruants All that hate Sion shall perish euen as the grasse that groweth vpoÌ„ the house top which though it make a bragging shew for a time yet suddenly withereth and commeth to nothing They that seek to root out the Israell of God doe as it were set their naked shoulder to remoue an huge rock that will fall vpon them and grinde them to powder Zach. 12.3 be they neuer so many and therefore wee haue litle reason to be afraid of them Another instruction hence to be learned is that seeing God is in the generation of the righteous therfore we should frequent their society and resort vnto the assemblies of the Saints for if the Lord be present with euery one of his by his speciall prouidence and by his grace then is he much more forcibly and effectually present with a muItitude of them that do worship him in sincerity and fill the heauens with zealous prayers and strong cryes Many are desirous to go to the Court in hope though they be not certaine to see the King only albeit he doe not looke vpon them or speake to them or they to him how much more desirous should we be to come vnto publike Christian meetings where wee shall bee sure to see the King of Kings in his glory and to haue him to take notice of vs to speake vnto vs to grant vs free liberty to put vp our suites vnto him and to estate vs in all the good things which his sonne Christ hath purchased for vs by his precious blood Are our hearts frozen in the dregs of our iniquities and so hardened that wee cannot mourne for the same let vs repaire vnto holy assemblies and there wee shall meet with the weapons of God that will pierce and wound our hearts and cause them to be dissolued into teares there shal we feele the vertue of the spirit effectually working vpon vs so that we shall be constrained to say of those that deliuer the message of Christ vnto vs 1. Cor. 14.25 that God is in them indeed Doe wee want faith in Gods prouidence and promises Do wee want power and strength against our corruptions In a word doe wee want any grace of God or any blessing of God let vs haue recourse vnto the congregations of the Saints and there we shal meet the Lord himselfe who will bee ready to supply our necessities whatsoeuer they bee and to grant vs aboue that that wee can aske or thinke And as for our owne priuate cases so for the publike state of the Church Commonwealth if we would haue the pestilence or famine or any other iudgement remoued the way to procure this is to repaire thither where wee shall meet with many of the faithfull that will bee readie to ioyne with vs in prayer and to wrestle with the Lord by feruent and earnest supplications for the remouing of his deserued strokes And this should much eucourage vs adde life vnto our praiers as often as we haue occasion to aske any thing in publike that God will vouchsafe vnto vs his gratious presence and they shew by good effects
answer of the tongue is of the Lord. As who should say When a man hath done so yet he shall speake not what he himselfe intended but what God hath decreed as is plaine in Balaam who came with a purpose to curse and if the Lord had permitted him he would haue vomited out horrible imprecations against the Israelites for that would haue made for his credit and commoditie Num. 23. but notwithstanding his intent the Lord made him to blesse his people in stead of cursing them And so Saul he would haue all men know that Dauid was a Traitor and therefore he pursued him to bereaue him of his life yet when he met with him he had no power so much as to rate him or to rebuke him but on the contrarie part is driuen to iustifie him O my sonne Dauid saith he thou art more righteous then I. And this we may obserue in our owne experience that oftentimes men contrary to their mindes doe vtter things which doe exceedingly grieue them and bury other things in silence the speaking whereof might haue beene very behoouefull vnto them whence do arise these and the like speeches How was I ouerseene in that which I said What an aduantage did I lose at such a time which doth plainly prooue that God hath the disposing of mens tongues Secondly God hath giuen Lawes for the tongue Ephes 4. how it should be ruled that men should not speake blasphemously nor filthily nor bitterly whence it may be concluded that it is Gods subiect for Princes make statutes for none but for their owne subiects Thirdly the successe and euent of mens speeches is according to Gods pleasure They say With our tongues we will preuaile yet doe they not preuaile for whereas they forespeake others destruction the wise man saith A fooles mouth is his owne destruction And whereas they say triumphingly Prou. 18.7 Micah 4.11.12.13 Sion shall be condemned and our eye shall looke vpon Sion they know not the Lords counsell to wit that they themselues shall be gathered as sheaues into the barne to be threshed beatē in pieces by Gods people Fourthly God will plague wicked men as well as reward godly men for their speeches Mat. 12.36.37 By thy wordes thou shalt be iustified saith our Sauiour and by thy wordes thou shalt be condemned And Wee must render an account for euery idle word which euidently sheweth that God hath the soueraigntie of mens tongues Now seeing that the Lorde hath the gouernement thereof this serueth First Vse 1 to teach vs that therfore wee should craue assistance from him for the well ordering of the same Euen as that holy Prophet doth where he saith Set a watch ô Lord before my mouth Psal 1.41.3 and keepe the doore of my lips God will haue the ordering of them by his prouidence whether we will or not but by his grace hee will not guide them vnles we sue vnto him in that behalfe therefore let vs beseech him so to sanctifie purifie our harts that out of the abundance thereof our tongues may speake vnto his praise and to our owne and others edification Secondly Vse 2 that we should not be afraid of performing any good dutie in regard of mens tongues for though they threaten and raile and slander and traduce vs yet they shall not hurt vs for God will hide vs from the scourge of the tongue Iob. 5.21 Isa 45.16.17 so that no such weapons shall preuaile against vs for the Lord made the tongue and the men themselues that speake therewith and there is no voice nor sound that proceedeth out of the mouth but the Lord hath the ordering thereof and therefore let vs sue vnto him Act. 4.29 as the Apostles did saying O Lord behold their threatnings behold their reuilings and doe thou iudge betwixt vs and them and thou which hast the disposing of all mens tongues preserue thy seruants from the hurt that may befall vs through the same The ende of the fourth Sermon A BRIEFE TRACT CONCERNING ZEALE wherein the properties of true Zeale are decsribed and the contrarie discouered GOdlie zeale is a vertue very requisite and necessary for all Christans not so rare and seldome found as precious and vsefull where it is found as being the verie life and soule of sound Christianitie and one of the principal Fountains Well-heads whence manie other vertues of the spirit doe spring and issue foorth The excellencie of this grace doeth appeare as by manie other arguments so by this that the Saintes are thereby described where they are saide to bee a people zealous of good workes this is the ende of their redemption Titus 2.14 and this is one speciall effect and marke of their iustification that they doe not onely desist from their for mer euill workes and fall to the practise of the contrarie good workes but that they are zealous both to doe them and in the doing of them they shake off the sluggishnesse of the flesh and striue for the feruencie of the spirit Rom. 12.11 in all duties that they owe either vnto God or men For this vertue amongst many others are the penitent Corinthians commended 2. Cor. 7.11 Behold this that yee haue beene godly sorrowfull saith Paul what zeale it hath wrought in you c. Till such time as the Apostle had rebuked them by an Epistle they were either not at all or very slightly touched with the sense of their owne sins and therefore they set light by the offences of others insomuch that when abominable incest such as had not beene heard of amongst the Gentiles was committed among them yet they tooke it not to heart nor at all mourned for it 1. Cor. 5.1.2 nay they let the offender goe vncensured who should haue beene as afterwards he was excommunicated and deliuered vp vnto Sathan for the healing of his owne soule the preuenting of the like sinnes in others and the stopping of the mouthes of wicked blasphemers who would be readie heereupon to speake euill of the holy name of God and of the professours and profession of Christianltie Thus cold and carelesse were they till the Apostle had sharply reprooued them but after that they had well disgested his speeches and thorowly considered of all matters they fell to lament for their owne corruptions and for the transgressions of others and were zealous against all wickednesse and for all manner of goodnesse in themselues and others This was the effect of holy griefe in them and this will be found in all that attaine to that repentance which is vnto life in which regard when the Lord would worke a cure vpon the luke-warme Laodicians Reu. 3.19 he biddeth them be zealous and amend That was their sinne that they were key-cold and euen frozen in the dregges of securitie exercising themselues in sundrie good duties for that must needes be because they were a Church but neuer regarding with what loue vnto God or men they
performed the same therefore the Lord vrging them to reformation willeth them to be zealous and amend implying that these two euer goe hand in hand to wit sound repentance and godly zeale yet so that as euery one is of greater growth in the body of Christ so this grace is of greater strength in him as is euident in Dauid who speaketh thus of himselfe and that by the inspiration of Gods holy spirit Psal 119.139 and therefore cannot but speake truely My zeale hath euen consumed me because mine enemies haue forgotten thy word Weaker Christians haue some good motions of griefe for mens offances but the Prophet was exceedingly wrought vpon by his zeale so that it did euen spend him and consume him in regard of the fearefull breach of Gods commandements which he obserued in his very enemies And the like we sind in another place The zeale of thine house hath caten me Psal 69.9 and the rebukes of them that rebuked thee are fallen vpon me Thus was the holy man of God touched yea tormented with the things whereby Gods glory was impaired as if he had beene laden himselfe with reproaches and disgraces But most admirable was the zeale of Moses and Paul Exod. 32.32 Rom. 9.3 who for that feruent desire that they had of aduancing Gods glory could haue beene content to haue had their names put out of the booke of life and to be separated from the Lord so that his great name might be magnified in sparing and sauing their brethren the Israclites Now because our hearts may easily deceiue vs in this matter of zeale either by perswading vs that we haue it when we are farre from it or that we altogether want it when in some good measure we haue attained vnto it therefore will it not be amisse to set downe some rules whereby we may trie whether our zeale be ourrant or counterfeit First Rules of true zeale therefore touching the matter about which this holy zeale is to be exercised it must be good according to the saying of the Apostle It is good alwaies to be zealous in a good matter The matter must be good Gal. 4.18 and it was before shewed that Gods people must be zealous of good workes otherwise if the matter be euill the more earnest any is the more sinfull neither is such earnestnesse worthy the name of zeale being nothing else but a diuellish and fleshly heate or rather a kinde of frenzie and madnesse Such was the zeale of I dolaters that would mangle and cut themselues and that would offer their children in the fire in honour vnto their gods Such was the zeale of the Scribes and Pharises 1. King 18.28 Ier. 7.31 who would compasse sea and land to make one a Proselite that is one of their owne sect With this violent and mad zeale was Paul carried before his conuersion as he himselfe confesseth in plaine tearmes Acts. 26.11 and Phil. 3.6 when he was enraged against Christians and spared no paines nor cost to make them denie and blaspheme the name of Christ Heere then is to be condemned the zeale of ignorant Papists and Brownists and such like who are very hotte indeed for he must needes runne whom the diuell driues but in euill causes as might easily be prooued and may hence if by no other arguments be probably concluded in that they vse the diuels owne weapons to wit lying slandering railing cursed speaking and the like in the pursute of the same But much more damnable and vile is their zeale to be esteemed who against their knowledge and consciences doe violently and maliciously oppose themselues against the Gospell and the professors thereof and stand for falshood and wickednesse and the practisers thereof as did those wretched Pharises that set themselues against our Sauiour and committed the sin against the holy Ghost We must know the thing to be good for vvhich vve are zealous A second rule is that as the matter in which we are zealous must be good in it selfe so it must be knowne vnto vs to be of that qualitie True zeale must begin where the word begins and ende where it ends Rom. 14.23 for otherwise it cannot bee of faith which is euer grounded on theword and whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne We must not therefore content our selues with an honest meaning and hope that wee haue a good zeale towards God when we haue no warrant for our hope but must so acquaint our selues with the Scriptures of God Rom. 10.2 that our zeale may be according to knowledge Which rule discouereth the corruptnes of their zeale whether close hypocrites or weake Christians who are led on meerely by the examples of good men whome they affect much to like of and earnestly to stand for such things as they perceiue them in their practise to obserue and to make conscience of and if there be but a word spoken against any of the things that they haue taken a liking of they are maruellously stirred with indignation thereat and grow passionate and vehement against the parties though they haue neuer so good a meaning in that which they speake Yet let them bee vrged to prooue out of the word the necessitie of those duties which they so earnestly presse they can say little or nothing to the purpose for them and so grow manie times either to dislike and forsake all if they bee hypocrites or at least to bee discouraged and to bee at a stand if they be weaklings in Christ Iesus And whence proceed these inconueniences but from this that they are zealous for things that in themselues and vnto others are good and holie but not thoroughly discerned of them to bee of that nature the consideration whereof should make vs to sit sure in matters of godlinesse not building vpon the example of good men but vpon the truth of the good word of God and then our foundation shall neuer faile vs. A third propertie of true zeale is that it beginneth in our selues and after proceedeth vnto others Zeale must begin at home for neuer can that man be truely zealous to others which neuer knew to be zealous to himselfe Those are the most skilfull Physitions and best able to deale with others that haue first wrought a cure vpon their owne soules Therefore our Sauiours aduice is Luke 6.42 Cast out the beame out of thine owne eye first and then shalt thou see perfectly to pull out the meate that is in thy brothers eye We must then first of all iudge our selues and cast the first stone at our selues that so finding how vgly and noisome a thing sinne is and that by experience in our selues we may be at defiance with it wheresoeuer we finde it and neither fiatter others in their euill courses nor yet too rigorously and vnmercifully rebuke them for the same Those that haue beene pinched with sicknesse and are recouered can by the smart which they haue felt pittie others in the
he would not permit to himselfe so neither would he deny to his permit to himselfe so neither would he deny to his children their liberty of feasting But especially the example of Paul is notable for the confirmation of this point for seeing that in some places he could not so conueniently liue of other mens charges 1. Cor. 4.12 1. Thess 2.9 as at Corinth and Thessalonica he would labour with his owne hands rather then be chargeable to any of them yet he would not that all men should be tied by his example to doe the like 1. Cor. 9. 1. Tim. 5.18 and therefore he laboureth much in his Epistles about this that Ministers ought to be prouided for so strict was he to himselfe such liberty left he vnto others Whence we may easily perceiue that it is rather a Pharisaicall pride then any Christian zeale to be too tetricall and rough in vrging men so farre that whosoeuer in euery point is not so strict and precise as our selues we cast them off as dogges and prophane persons and such as are vnworthy of any account or countenance The next propertie of true zeale is not to be blinded with naturall affection Zeale condemneth sin in friends as vvel as in foes Mat. 16.23 Gal. 3.1 1. Cor. but to discerne and condemne sinne euen in those that are neerest and dearest vnto vs. That was it that made Christ so sharply to rebuke Peter and Paul to deale so roundly with the Galathians and Corinthians Many offend against this rule who will neuer reprooue sinne in their friends till God reuenge it from heauen wherein they are farre from true friendship for whereas they might by admonishing them of their faults in time preuent the iudgements of God they do through a false loue pull the wrath of God vpon them whom they loue most dearely Hee loueth most naturally that hath learned to loue spiritually and hee loueth most sincerely that cannot abide sinne in the partie beloued without some wholesome admonition But doe not manie now adayes seeme zealouslie to mislike sinne in strangers who can winke at the same fault in their kindred in their wiues in their children in their parents as if the diuersitie of persons could change the nature of the sinne This blind zeale God hath punished and doth punish his children Isaac did carnally loue his sonne Esau for meat for a peece of venison Gen. 15.28 Dauid was too much affected to Absalon and to Adoniah for their comely personage so as his zeale was hindered in discerning sinne aright in them Now Iacob was not so deare to Isaac and Salomon was more hardly set to schoole and made to take paines but behold God louing Iacob and refusing Esau howsoeuer Isaac loued Esau better then Iacob made Esau more troublesome and Iacob more comfortable vnto him Absalon and Adoniah brought vp like Cocknies became corasiues to Dauids heart Salomon more restrained and better instructed was his ioy his crowne his successor in his kingdome This disease is so hereditary to many parents louing their children in the flesh rather then in the spirit that the holy Ghost is faine to cal vpon them more vehemently to teach to instruct and to correct as knowing how easily nature would coole zeale in this kinde of dutie Indeed many will set by their wiues children and kinsfolkes if they be thriftie like to become good husbands wittie and politicke or if they be such as for their gifts can bring some reuenue to their stocke or affoord some profit vnto them how deepe sinners soeuer they be against God that maketh no matter it little grieueth them whereby they bewray their great corruption that they are neither zealous in truth of Gods glory nor louers aright of their children because they can be sharpe enough in reprehension if they faile but a little in thriftinesse and yet are too too cold in admonition if they faile neuer so much in godlinesse Well let these fleshly zealous men lay to their heart the blinde affection of Heli 1. Sam. 2. 3. 4. who being the deare childe of God was seuerely punished of the Lord for that he was not zealously affected to punish the grosse and foule offences of his children but blessed are they that can forget their owne cause and euen with icopardie of nature can defend the quarrel of God labouring hencefoorth to know no man after the flesh nor suffering any outward league so to bleare and dazle their eyes as that they should not espie sinne in their dearest friends to reforme it or that they should not discerne vertue in the greatest aliens to reuerence it Now whereas many haue great courage to rebuke such as either cannot gainsay them Zeale opposeth it selfe against the sins of the mighty or gainsaying them cannot preuaile against them heere commeth another property of zeale to be spoken of and that is that it feareth not the face of the mightie neither is it dismaied at the lookes of the proud and loftie Such was the courage of Iob who besides that he made the young men ashamed of their liberty afraide of his grauity made euen the Princes also to stay their talke Iob. 29.8.9 and to lay their hands on their mouthes And yet heere we must beware of their hasty zeale who will not sticke to charge the children of God to be without zeale if presently and abruptly they rush not into an open reprehension of men that are mightie in authoritie as though no regard of time place or persons were to be had which opinion many by weakenesse of iudgement defending find neither fruit in others nor comfort in their owne consciences when they doe admonish in that presumptuous maner for that hunting after feruentnesse without the spirit of meeknesse and casting off all consideration of a godly opportunitie they rather exasperate then humble the parties admonished and they themselues rather depart with confusion and shame for such posting on without warrant of wisedome then with comfort of heart for any duty done Neither am I heere ignorant how great danger of trouble of minde commeth to many in that they being so curious obseruers and waiters of opportunity doe for some ease of the flesh vnder the cloake of this wisedome altogether leaue off that godly dutie Wherefore as we affirme that wisedome and loue mixed together do deeply enter into the most prefract prodigious spirits so we mislike their fearefull delay of duty who hauing a meane occasion offered them from the Lord doe not zealously and earnestly rebuke sinne though in some higher personages Out of this may issue another frutit of holy zeale namely when we are zealous in their behalfe who can neuer recompence vs againe and that in defending their right against oppressors that are craftier mightier then they Thus Iob deliuered the poore that cried Iob. 29.12 the fatherlesse and him that had none to helpe him He was the eyes to the blinde and feet
The soundnesse thereof both which are more fully laid open in that which goes before Thus much concerning the meaning and order of the words now let vs consider of such instructions as may thence arise for our learning Vers 11. And I will poure vpon the house of Dauid c. the Spirit of grace c. In that the Lord hauing promised that his Church shall bee brought to wonderfull excellencie doth set downe this as the meanes whereby he wil effect it that they shal haue the Spirit in great plenty powred downe vpon them this shall be the doctrine That the way to all happinesse and blessednesse Doct. 1 is to haue the Spirit of grace bestowed vpon vs. The Spirit of God is the author of all happinesse Whosoeuer hath not this though he bee neuer so great in the world hee is altogether wretched and miserable subiect to the curse of God and to continuall vexations and discontentments and on the other side whosoeuer hath this holy Spirit dwelling in his heart is an happy and blessed man though hee be neuer so much deiected and cast downe through outward afflictions and tribulations This point is euident in the prophecy of Isaiah Isa 32.13.14 c. where it is shewed that so long as the Spirit of God is withheld from men they haue grieuous ruines and desperate decaies among them and they still go from ill to worse being ill without and ill within but how long doth this continue Vntill the Spirit bee powred vpon them from aboue And what then The wildernesse shall become a fruitfull field That is those men and women that were like a wildernesse before bringing forth nothing but brambles and briars nothing but pride and worldlinesse and such like fruites of the flesh euen those men and women shall be as a fruitfull field being beautified and adorned with the vertues of Christ and with the graces of his Spirit and not onely so but likewise enriched with all good prosperity which the Lord seeth needfull for them Now the reasons why the Spirit maketh men so happy Reasons are these First Reas 1 because it doth mortifie and crucifie the flesh that is originall corruption Rom. 8.13 with all the lusts and fruites thereof It doth not lye still where it is suffering the soule of the party to be vnder the dominion of sinne but it abateth and consurneth it by little and little till at length his soule and body bee as cleare from sinne as Adams was before his fal So that looke how the Israelites did by degrees weare and wast the Canaanites out of the land till it was wholly brought in subiection vnto them so doth the holy Ghost destroy and root out the enemies of our soules not making them tributarie as Ioshua did some of the cursed Canaanites but spoyling them of their strength by little and little and at length vtterly consuming * This is to be vnderstood of the time of their dissolution as it appeareth by diuers other Doctrines of Master Dods as that on Isaiah Doct. 4. and Doct. 8. that God lookes not for perfection in this life See also the 3. vse of this Doct. Ephes 2.1 Rom. 8.11 1. Iohn 4.4 them so that they shall haue no place at all within vs. And as it killeth sinne so it quickeneth the dead soule and maketh the whole man apt and fit for euery good worke That Spirit which raised vp Christ Iesus from a naturall death doth also raise vs vp from the death of sinne to the life of grace and putteth more spirituall strength into vs then the flesh the world and the diuell can bring against vs. Further more in the third Chapter of the second to the Corinthians Reas 2 there are three speciall reasons to shew the happinesse of him that is endued with Gods Spirit the first whereof is this That whereas all men naturally are like the Iewes who as it is there said when they come to the meanes of saluation haue a voile vpon their minds 2. Cor. 3.14 so that they can see nothing to saue their soules to further their repentance to cause them to beleeue in Christ Iesus and to place their hope and happinesse in him as soone as euer the Spirit of grace entreth into them this blindnesse of minde and hardnesse of heart is remooued and then they are enabled soundly to vnderstand and truely to applie the word preached vnto their owne soules Verse 16. Againe it is said in the selfe same place That where the Spirit of the Lord is there is libertie Vers 17. Till such time as that doth set men free they are held fast in the cordes and chaines of iniquity and are miserable slaues vnto the vilest slaue that is euen vnto Satan himselfe who is an Apostata and a reprobate and in the most wretched slauerie that can be imagined viz. to serue sin in the lusts thereof and which is the most grieuous of all the rest they shall haue the worst wages that may be euen the curse and vengeance of God while they liue and eternall damnation of body and soule after they are dead Now when the Spirit of Christ taketh possession of vs it causeth vs to disclaime the seruice of Satan and to become seruants vnto the liuing God Rom. 6. it filleth vs full of good meditations of holy desires and spirituall affections it furnisheth vs with ability to performe the duties of religion of our callings in a word it maketh vs willing and able both to do all maner of good and to resist all manner of euill So that after wee haue receiued the holy Ghost into our hearts we shall not say This is my nature and I cannot doe otherwise but with the Apostle Paul I can doe all things through Christ that strengtheneth mee I wil neuer bee in bondage vnto my corruptions any more for grace shall haue the vpper hand of nature and the Spirit shall master the flesh and get the better of it Lastly it is added in the same place that by vertue of the Spirit wee see the glory of Christ in the Gospel and are changed into his image from glory to glory that is from one measure of knowledge and holinesse into another verse 16. Wee would thinke no price too great to be giuen for such a looking glasse as would make one that is deformed to become beautifull by the very beholding thereof how much then should wee esteeme the holy word of God which through the operation of the Spirit is made effectuall not to change the naturall visage which is a smaller matter but to alter the forme and shape of the soule and to make it very beautifull and amiable in the sight of God and of his holy Angels which was before time a most vgly and deformed creature This must needs be a maruellous great benefit for if the defacing of Gods Image be the cause of all our woe then the repairing thereof must of necessitie be the
neither shall they haue grace by drops but whole flouds thereof shall be poured vpon them for God can as easily ouerflow their soules therewith as the ground with waters when it stands in need thereof But what shall they be the better for this what benefit shall they find thereby The Prophet telleth vs in that very place Vers 4. They shall grow as among the grasse and as willowes by the riuers of waters No raine can make the grasse so fresh and greene no riuer can cause the trees that are planted thereby so to flourish and prosper as the Spirit of God will euery thirsty soule when it is plentifully poured thereupon A second meanes to obtaine the Spirit with a daily encrease of the gifts and graces thereof is to pray for it as euery one will that doth heartilie long for it and to beleeue that wee shall haue it and that wee may doe so our Sauiour maketh a notable argument for vs. Luke 11.12 Aske saith he and it shall be giuen you seeke and ye shall find c. Obiect Oh but I am vnworthie might some say both to aske and to receiue any thing at Gods hand Ans Why saith Christ If yee which are euill can giue good gifts vnto your children how much more shal your heauenly father giue the holy Ghost to them that aske it As if he should haue said You haue no matter of desert in you and therefore you are discouraged from prayer but what merite is there in one of your little children which are full of frowardnesse of brawling and vnquietnesse yet if they aske any thing of you that you conceiue to bee good for them you will presentlie grant it vnto them Now if you that are sinfull can passe by the infirmities of your children and giue them such things as are needfull though you haue made them no promise and you cannot relieue them without cost and paines vnto your selues nay many times not without pinching your selues and sparing from your owne backs and bellies if you I say that are euill can deale thus louingly and kindly with your children how much more wil your heauenly father who is the God of all goodnes yea goodnes it selfe deale fauourably with his children hauing made a promise vnto them it being no paines nor charges vnto him to bestow a plentifull measure of spirituall graces vpon them and especially seeing that the more liberall hee is that way vnto them the more glory shall thereby redound vnto his great name If then we desire the Spirit of grace in an aboundant measure let vs craue it at the hands of the Lord who giueth of the same liberallie and casteth no man in the teeth and we may the more comfortably and confidently do thus because we liue in those happy times wherein the Lord hath promised to poure his Spirit vpon all flesh Ioel 2.28 and to bestow as excellent gifts and graces vpon ordinarie Christians as the most worthy men had in the time of the law A third meanes to get and increase the vertues of the holy Ghost is with reuerence and conscience to hearken vnto the word for as the Apostle saith Gal. 3.2 the Spirit is not bestowed for any goodnesse in vs or through any workes wrought by vs but God of his free mercy giueth it and conueigheth it vnto his children by the preaching of the Gospell And againe the same Apostle perswading the Thessalonians not to quench the spirit 1. Thes 5. for that is the best fire in the house and without it men must needs freeze in woe and sorrow and misery he saith 1. Cor. 14.3 despise not prophecying that is the ordinarie ministery of the word when it is truly expounded and faithfullie and wiselie applied as may be most for the edification of the hearers This is as it were the fuel whereby the fire of God is continued and increased in our soules and as we are more carefull in this duty of laying vp the word in our hearts so shal we find the warmth or rather heate of the Spirit to bee more aboundant and more constant in vs. Lastly if we would haue the holy Ghost continually working in vs with great efficacie let vs labour euermore to keepe an humble and broken heart and beware of pride and all vaine conceipt of our selues as the very rocke against which the ship wherein the Spirit is carried doth as it were make shipwracke for God resisteth the proud 1. Pet. 5.5 and giueth grace to the humble If one haue a hauty heart though there be no body else that seekes his ouerthrow the Lord will bring him downe but if any haue a meeke and lowly heart there is a palace for the Lord himselfe Isai 57.15 who will dwell with him that is of a contrite and humble spirit to reuiue the spirit of the humble and to giue life to them that are of a broken heart In the last place here is an vse of comfort for all such as are endued with the Spirit of grace Vse 5 sith that is the foutaine of all happinesse therefore are they blessed people and shall bee blessed what crosses soeuer they meete withall And what oppositions soeuer they finde either from Satan himselfe or from any of his limmes those that are once ingraffed into Christ and are become plants of the liuing God haue the streames of liuing waters running through their hearts and therefore must of necessitie prosper and flourish though the beate of persecution or any manner of affliction beate neuer so violently vpon them Indeed if wicked enemies of the Church could withdraw and withhold Gods spirit from the hearts of his children then might they hinder their happinesse and make them truly miserable but seeing they can no more stay the operation thereof then they can stop the course of the wind from blowing whither it will Iohn 3. therefore shall they neuer be able to defeate Gods seruants of that blessed estate which in Christ Iesus hee hath promised vnto them and through his preicious blood-shedding purchased for them The Spirit of grace and of praiers From these latter words ariseth this second point that None can make any acceptable praier vnto the Lord Doct. 2 Faithfull prayers proceede from Gods Spirit vnlesse hee bee assisted and directed by the Spirit of grace Howsoeuer men imagine it to bee an easie matter to call vpon God yet the truth is that it is as hard for any of himselfe to make a faithful praier as it is to make a world Therefore it is said in the â—pistle to the Romans Rom. 8.15 Ye haue receiued the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba father So that none can confidently cal God father but by the helpe of his blessed Spirit If vnregenerate men will pray to their father Christ telleth them who he is when speaking to such kind of persons Iohn 8.44 he saith You are of your father the Diuell And how proueth he
that The lusts of your father yee will do As those that are willing to do the workes of God are assuredly the children of God euen so they that are ready to doe the workes of Satan are without doubt the children of Satan and if they will pray vnto their father they must pray vnto the Diuell Againe in that very place it is said that the Spirit helpeth our infirmities Rom. 8.26 for wee know not what to pray as we ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh requests for vs with sighes that cannot be expressed where it is euident that the best of Gods seruants without the helpe and assistance of the holy Ghost are ignorant both of the matter and manner of prayer but the Spirit doth informe their minds what to aske and frame their affections how to aske in an holy and acceptable sort so that albeit sometimes they want words to expresse their meaning yet they are ful of inward sighes heauenly desires But what are they the better for them will some say if they cannot poure them foorth before the Lord in an outward forme of prayer They are much the better because as it is in the 27. verse He that searcheth the harts knoweth the meaning of the spirit and he so knoweth it that he approueth of it and delighteth in it If there bee neuer so many good words and those vttered by the very Saints of God themselues yet if they proceede not from the Spirit but from the flesh as sometimes they may they are not pleasing vnto the Lord but abhorred of him And on the other side albeit there be no words at al as many times it fals out when the hart is oppressed through extremity of griefe yet if there bee a multitude of holy desires in the soule stirred vp through the powerful working of the holy Spirit they are accepted of him and shal bee rewarded by him for as it is added in the place aboue named The Spirit eueÌ„ at such times maketh requests for the Saints according to the will of God And therefore their suits according with his will he cannot but yeeld vnto the same Againe Iohn 16.8 it is the proper worke of the Spirit to conuince the iudgement of sinne and to humble the heart therefore without which there can no faithfull prayer be made vnto the Lord. Bring neuer so strong reasons to adulterers or gamesters or Sabbath-breakers or any that liue in the continuall practise of such dangerous and damnable sins and presse them neuer so forcibly to cause them to forsake their leaud and wretched courses and yet can they not see why they should leaue them but rather imagine that they may lawfully follow the same still And no maruell for till the God of heauen do set downe their carnall reason it can neuer be set downe and till he stop their mouthes they will neuer be silenced but still haue somewhat to say for their wretched and vile behauiour Seeing then it is euident Reasons collected from the former places that Gods Spirit alone can perswade vs of the loue and fauor of our heauenly Father towards vs that so we may be in case to pray vnto him and withal must furnish vs with the matter and helpe vs in the manner of our praiers and humble vs in the sight of our owne miserable wants that so we may bee more earnest and feruent in the requests that wee make the point now in hand may hence bee strongly concluded to wit that none can make a faithfull prayer without the speciall aide and direction of the holy Ghost which serueth First for the confutation of those senselesse people Vse 1 that will bee talking and bragging how they pray day and night They that know what it is to lift vp a feruent prayer vnto the heauens doe easily discerne that they are but meere braggers and boasters and that indeede they neuer made one faithful praier since they were borne because they are and still haue been sensuall and carnall and vtterly void of any sanctifying grace of Gods spirit and therefore so farre are they from hauing any cause of reioycing in regard of their good prayers as they cal them that they haue great cause to be humbled for them as being workes of the flesh and not of the Spirit such as doe rather prouoke the Lords displeasure against them then pacifie his anger or any way procure his fauour towards them Such are the prayers of all blind and ignorant Papists who pray in an vnknowne tong to whom it may bee said as it was by our Sauiour vnto the sons of Zebedeus Ye know not what ye ask They may speake what they list of their often praying and how readily they can go through with their stint and taske but they that vnderstand what it is to bring God and their owne soules together in earnest requests and feruent supplications cannot but iudge them to bee bragging Pharisees who thinke that the Lord is beholding vnto them and indebted vnto them for such prayers whereas in truth he may iustly condemne them vnto hell for the same and wil do so if they be not humbled for them as well as for the rest of their iniquities And therfore they that haue indeed the Spirit of prayer are of another mind for when they haue vsed the best preparation that possibly they can they find so many defects in their prayers that they are driuen to make a new prayer for the pardoning of those their wants and are stirred vp heartily to praise the Lord wheÌ„ they can in any poore measure powre out their soules before him as knowing that it is not from any strength that they haue in themselues but from the help and furtherance of his good Spirit Secondly let this be an instruction vnto vs that if wee would pray aright and speed accordingly wee labour as Iude exhorteth to pray in the holy Ghost Iude vers 20. For those be the petitions that pierce the heauens and bring peace and comfort vnto the conscience But how shall we know whether â—ur prayers proceed from Gods Spirit or not for our sinfull hearts are apt to deceiue vs on both sides viz. either to make vs thinke through Satans suggestion that wee doe not pray in the holy Ghost because we haue so many frailties when in truth we doe or that we pray as wee ought to doe because we haue matter and words at will when indeed there is no such thing but onely a naturall gift of vttering that which is in our mindes and memories in apt and fit tearmes and in a fluent manner of speech Therefore if wee would know what it is to pray in the holy Ghost it is this First Rules for prayer wee must haue a warrant for the things that wee aske and that from the word of God where the Lords will is reuealed 1. Iohn 5.14 according wherunto all our petitions must be framed In which regard we must acquaint our selues with
the holy Scriptures and often exercise our hearts in the meditation thereof That is as it were the wood whence wee must fetch timber for this building and the mine out of which wee may take many golden arguments to bring before the Lord in our prayers which hee cannot deny because they are his owne hand writing whereby hee doth grant vs liberty to aske and assurance to obtaine al needfull things So that spirituall graces wee may aske simply without any exception or limitation and for outward blessings we may craue them so farre as they may bee good for vs and for crosses wee may lawfully desire either to haue them kept from vs or sanctified vnto vs so that we may haue strength and patience to beare them and grace and wisedome to make a right vse of them Secondly we must be touched with an inward longing and earnest desire of the things which we aske for it is said Rom 8.26 that the Spirit maketh request for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed As we see in Hannah who came with a heart full of heauenlie meditations and of holy desires which shee did not expresse in words but made them knowne vnto the Lord with whom her heart was labouring all the time of her prayer Now if we would obtaine this inward affection wee must ponder much on Gods goodnesse and readines to heare and to helpe vs and of our owne miserable wants which moue vs to become suiters vnto his Maiestie and then if we can get a good perswasion of God and a due estimation of the things which we beg at his hands we shall not chuse but be instant and earnest in our prayers not taking vp the time in words of course and in making vaine and idle repetitions or drowsie and lumpish petitions as if we cared not whether we lost or found but wee shall bee able to crie feruently vnto the Lord and then cannot he deny our requests Ps 145.19 Iames 5. For he heareth the cry of them that feare him and fulfilleth their desires and the prayer of the righteous auaileth much when it is feruent Thirdly if we would haue this testimony vnto our soules that wee pray in the holy Ghost See M. Dods Sermon on Iames 4.3 then must wee propose a right end in our suits not asking any thing with an intent to spend it vpon our lusts but with a purpose to vse it vnto the glory of God the furtherance of our owne saluation and the good and comfort of mankind especiallie of such as are of the houshold of faith Fourthly we must beleeue that we shal obtaine that which we aske according to that of our Sauiour Mar. 21.14 Whatsoeuer ye desire when yee pray beleeue that ye shall haue it Which faith of ours will bee vnto vs a sure argument that we pray in the Spirit which stirreth vs vp to make such requests alone as it assureth vs shall be performed But by the way let vs obserue that sometimes spirituall men may make carnall prayers as Iob and Elijah and Ionah did when they desired that God would take away their liues which proceeded from the pride of the flesh and from the rebelliousnesse of their wils in that they could not content themselues to liue in that estate wherunto the Lord had brought them Such fleshly petitions may wee sometimes put vp before the Lord but we shall haue checks and rebukes in our hearts for the same and no assurance that they shall be granted but when our suits are spirituall the holy Ghost which moueth vs to aske will also perswade vs that God is able and willing to heare vs and to relieue vs and that therefore we shall obtaine a blessing sooner or later Let vs therfore labour to aske in faith as the Apostle Iames exhoreth and not wauer Iames 1.3 for hee that wauereth and maketh question whether God will heare him or not is like a waue of the sea tost with the wind and carried away being neuer at quiet in himselfe but sometimes imagining that the Lord wil helpe him he runneth vnto him and then hauing a conceit that such and such men will doe somewhat for him hee leaueth prayer and betaketh himselfe vnto them but finding no reliefe there he will to prayer againe and yet hauing not a present answer nor faith to wait vpon the Lord he fals to shift for himselfe by vsing of ill meanes and so is altogether vnstable and vnsetled euen as the waues of the sea that are neuer at rest euerie vaine cogitation euery slight tentation tossing and turmoyling and disquieting his hart Thus it ought not to be neither will it be thus with those that aske in faith for they know that they shall obtaine and that it shall be vnto them according to their faith that either they shall haue the particular thing that they aske or a better in stead thereof and therefore they pray still and waite Gods leasure and herein they much honour the Lord in that they cast themselues vpon the truth of his promise and do not trouble their hearts with vnnecessary feares and cares about the successe which is Gods worke and not theirs Men will be glad to bee rid of importunate suiters that they should not be stil hanging vpon them especially if their suite bee weighty and the things that they craue of some importance But the Lord would in no case haue men to let their suits fall nay he takes delight in such as will not haue a repulse but still depend vpon him and daily renew their petitions for they shew euidently that they haue a liuely and strong faith they would not presume to ask vnlesse they had a warrant and hauing a warrant they dare not make question of obtaining for that were to make doubt of Gods truth and fidelity Thus wee see what it is to pray in the holy Ghost viz. to haue a good ground for that which wee aske a good end and a good affection in asking and faith to beleeue that we shal obtaine whatsoeuer we aske in such a maner A third vse of this point Vse 3 is for a singular consolation to such as can pray in that sort howsoeuer the Diuell would perswade them that they haue not the sanctifying Spirit of God in them but onely such flashings as hypocrites sometimes haue yet hereby they may be assured that the holy Ghost dwelleth in them indeede because they constantlie powre out strong cries and faithfull supplications before the Lord which no hypocrite can doe Iob 27.10 for as Iob speaketh He cannot set his delight on the almightie nor call vpon God at all times For that is a speciall gift of God and peculiar vnto the Saints and as any one maketh more such holy praiers so may he be more confidentlie perswaded that hee hath the Spirit of grace in a greater measure And they shall looke vpon mee whom they haue pierced that is vpon Christ and that by the eye
of husbands and wiues that they shall lament apart euen they that are linked in the nearest bonds and might with most conueniencie lay open their harts each before other yet they should not content themselues with those seruices which they performed together vnlesse God and their consciences might somtimes meete in secret And as our Sauiour chose for himselfe priuate and solitary places where he might with more freedome pray vnto his Father so doth he giue the like aduice vnto others Matth. 6.6 When thou prayest saith he enter into thy chamber and when thou hast shut thy doore pray vnto thy Father which is in secret Whereby chamber hee meaneth any secret place where a man may freely lay open his wants before the Lord. Hence was it that Peter after the deniall of his master is said to goe out and there to weepe bitterly Now the cause why we must do thus is First because it wil be a witnes vnto our soules that we do duties in truth and not in hypocrisie for in secret albeit we shed teares aboundantly for our sins none can accuse vs of vain-glory neither will our owne hearts charge vs therewith whereas in publicke there may be some such suspicion in others or doubt arising in our selues And as our sorrow wil thence appeare not to be hypocriticall so will it also bee cleare vnto vs that it is not naturall nor for company such as may be in a ciuill man who seeing a great many weeping and mourning can hardly refraine himselfe from teares but will bee apt and readie to lament with them Secondly there is no man or woman but hath some sinne or other which is not meere for them to acknowledge before their nearest friends because such is the corruption of their nature they will be ready to thinke the worse of the party The most louing and wise husband that is if his wife should discouer vnto him all her thoughts and ill affections would entertaine somewhat a harder conceit of her then before he did and therefore God would haue many sinfull cogitations and motions laid open onely vnto himselfe who is infinitely mercifull and pittifull and not vnto any creature in the world beside This doctrine serueth for the iust reproofe of many professonis Vse 1 who are all in the Church and nothing in the familie or if they haue prayer and reading of the Scriptures twice a day publicke with their whole family they imagine that they haue gone as farre as they need to do though they neuer throughout the whole week performe any seruice vnto the Lord in secret neuer conscionably meditate on the word neuer earnestly bewaile and confesse their hidden corruptions neuer feruently cry vnto the Lord for the sauing graces of his holy Spirit nor performe any such duty apart as all Christians are bound to do Such kind of persons may assure themselues that their hearts are not right with God and that they are not led by the Spirit of grace which drawes those in whom it reigneth vnto the performance of good duties apart as well as with companie in their closets in their chambers in the fields or in some such priuate places or other as well as in the Church or with the whole societie where they liue How much more are those to be condemned who are so farre from seruing the Lord in secret that they either refuse to do it in publike or if they affoord their bodily presence yet they are idle or profane or wanton in their lookes and in their gestures letting all that are neare them see the vile disposition of their hearts by their leaud and abominable carriage These sinfull wretches are so farre from being excused by being at religious exercises that they are much to bee condemned for that in the land of righteousnesse as the Prophet speaketh they worke wickednes and in the places where they should shew al manner of holines they expresse such notable profanenes These are euen like Iudas who was plotting to betray his master euen then when he was at the Lords table to bee partaker of the holy Sacrament and they shall speede euen as hee did for when affliction and misery seazeth vpon them as come it wil sooner or later if they preuent it not by hearty repentance then shall they not bee able to stand before the Lord nor before the face of their accusing consciences but shall be ouerwhelmed with horrour and amazement and be moreready to lay violent hands on themselues then to seeke vnto the Lord for mercy whom they haue so hainouslie and presumptuously offended Secondly let vs hence learne to bee the same alone for matters of godlinesse as we are in company and to do duties when no body sees vs euen because God beholds vs as well as when many eyes are cast vpon vs. This will be a testimonie vnto our soules of great sincerity and vprightnes and these priuate exercises of religion wil maruellously fit vs for the publike And thence it comes to passe that many are so loth to appeare before God in the congregation or in the family and do feele the seruices of God so tedious and wearisome because their hearts haue not been exercised therewith in secret for he that deales with his owne soule alone shall find so many defects in himselfe that he will be very desirous of the helpe of the Saints in publike assemblies Therfore let vs tie our selues euery day to spend some time in meditating on the word in searching our harts in hūbling our selues for our offences past presēt in praying to the Lord to strengthen vs where we are weake to resolue vs where we are in doubt to shew vs our errours and to direct vs in the right way to let vs see our wants and to supply them of his rich grace let vs I say constantlie performe these and the like duties in secret and then shall it bee plaine vnto our soules that wee are guided by Gods good Spirit And howsoeuer the diuell will obiect that wee are not sincere because we haue many times more in shew outwardly then wee haue in substance inwardly yet hereby shall we be able to approue the sinceritie of our hearts that albeit we haue not that within vs which wee seeme to haue yet wee desire to haue it and striue to attaine to it and he only is an hypocrite which neither hath nor desires to haue that which he maketh semblance to haue The end of the first Sermon vpon the twelfth of Zechariah THE SECOND SERMON VPON THE SIXTH OF LVKE LVKE 6.47 c. Vers 47. Whosoeuer commeth tome and heareth my words and doth the same I will shew you to whom he is like 48. He is like a man which built an house and digged deepe and laid the foundation on a rocke and when the waters arose the floud beate vpon that house and could not shake it for it was grounded vpon a rocke 49. But he that heareth and doth not is like a man
that built an house vpon the earth without foundation against which the floud did beate and it fel by and by and the fall of that house was great IN the words immediatly going before is declared how Christ rebuked those that would call him Lord Lord and make a profession of religion and yet not doe the things that he commanded them for if they would speake to their Lords they must speake to their lusts for to them they are in subiection Hauing bestowed such a reproofe vpon them he leaueth them not so but directeth them what they should do exhorting them to a conscionable practise of the word to which that hee might more throughly perswade them hee vseth two forcible reasons 1 One is taken from the great commodity that will redoune vnto those that doe practise it namely that they shall be inuincible against all temptations and vnmoueable in all the stormes and tempests that shall arise Vers 47.48 2 Another is taken from the great danger that will ensue vpon the contrary which is this that let men heare as much as they will if they doe not yeeld obedience vnto it they shall haue a desperate and feareful and vnrecouerable fall and therfore are they compared to an house that hath good stone and timber and workemanship bestowed about it but it is built on an il foundation on sand or on a quagmire which is shaken by euery blast of winde and if there arise any blustering stormes is vtterly ouerthrowne Verse 47. Whosoeuer commeth to me In that Christ sheweth that some haue recourse vnto him to heare his word and are builders as well as others 48 and yet are but dissemblers Doct. 1 which appeareth by their end Hypocrites in many things agree with Christians the doctrine hence to bee learned is that hypocrites may go as farre as Christians in many things They may come to Christ in the hearing of the word in the receiuing of the sacrament in publike prayer and yet bee false-hearted all the while A true Christian heares the pure word of God without mixture of popish or humane inuentions so doth an hypocrite A true Christian is a builder he edifies himselfe in knowledge and vnderstanding so doth an hypocrite Iudas as well as Peter can carry away many good lessons and yet the one go to hell for his falshood and guile when the other hath heauen for his portion because he had an vpright heart and a spirit without guile Thus farre wee see in the text wherein true Christians and hypocrites doe agree now 〈…〉 what difference there is betwixt them The one when he is to build digges deepe and casts out the loose earth that so his foundation may bee firme and sure implying thus much that the seruants of God know their hearts to bee hollow and false ground and therefore when they haue heard a Sermon they suspect their owne guiltinesse and so search their hearts and lament their corruptions for searching is digging and lamenting is casting foorth of the rubbish and loose earth They thinke their labour euen lost vnlesse their hearts can meete with such a promise with such a threatning or with such an instruction to make a right vse of the same Now on the other side an hypocrite makes quicke work all his building is aboue ground and therefore when hee hath talked a little of the Sermon he is well and thinkes all his worke is dispatched he spends no time in digging and searching nor in grieuing and lamenting for his corruptions nay hee censureth Christians as too melancholy and pensiue that will goe aside into a corner and there deale by praiers and teares betwixt God and their owne hearts what need all this adoe saith the hypocrite is not God mercifull Hee is so indeed yet will he haue vs to be seuere and vnmercifull towards our corrupt and euill lusts and therefore stil to be digging at them and casting of them foorth of our hearts And as in this place we may perceiue how farre true Christians doe both agree and differ so there are other Scriptures to cleare the same as the eighth of Luke the parable of the grounds wherein it is euident that the stonie ground did heare the word of God and that with vnderstanding yea with ioy nay which is more the thorny ground did not only receiue the seed but brought foorth both the blade and the eare that is did not onely with readinesse receiue the word but also did somewhat in their manner which the word commanded thus farre the ill grounds agreed with the good ground But herein the good ground went beyond them that those that were signified thereby came with a good and honest heart and had patience to vndergoe persecution for the truth and contempt of the world that they would not bee choaked with the cares and pleasures therof wheras the other sort if they saw in likely hood that they might get more profit and ease by following the world then by cmbracing Christ they were gone Another place fit for the proofe of this point Matth. 25. we haue in the parable of the Virgins where we may obserue 1. That they were all Virgins that is such as did professe to separate themselues from worldly lusts and did not go a whoring after the common corruptions of the times but kept themselues within the bounds of outward sobrietie as Iudas and Saul for a time did who could not be charged with grosse couetousnes or cosenage or the like 2. Further they had all lampes that is an outward shew of good things And 3. Oyle in their lampes so much as could make a blaze to get them the credit of professors they could speake well and doe diuers works that were glorious in the view of the world 4. They all went to meete the Bride-groome that is all of them frequented the means of saluation as if they expected fauor and fellowship with Christ Iesus 5. Lastly it is said they all slumbred and slept that is those that were true Christians hauing sound fruits of pietie and sinceritie in their hearts and in their liues knew their estate was good and therefore waited for their Sauiour with quiet and peaceable hearts Hypocrites also seeing that they went beyond Atheists and prophane persons thought their case was good and thereupon they grew secure and neuer troubled themselues about the assurance of their election Thus farre the wise and foolish Virgins accord But here is the difference that the foolish Virgins haue no more oyle then they carry in their lamps the world may easily see al that is in them but the wise Virgins haue a lampe to carrie oyle and an heart to carrie oyle they haue two vessels one for practise and another for store that though the oyle in the lampe should be spent yet there might be a new supplie made Thus we see in how many things false-hearted dissemblers come neare the sincerest of Gods seruants Which serueth Vse 1 first for the reproofe
5. There they shall be taken with feare because God is in the generation of the iust 6 You haue made a mocke of the counsell of the poore because the Lord is his trust IN the former part of this Psalme is set downe the iust complaint of the Prophet concerning the sinfull and corrupt nature and conuersation of all vnregenerate persons where is declared their horrible impietie against God in that they said in their hearts there was no God as also their bloudy crueltie against his seruants in that they deuoured them as greedily as an hungry man doth eate bread Both which their impietie and crueltie are sufficiently proued first by their abominable practise and behauiour both in committing euill and in omitting good vers 1.3.4 Secondly by the testimony of the Lord who tooke a suruey of their disposition and cariage v. 2. Thirdly by the euidence of their own consciences Do not the workers of iniquity know c Now in these words the holy Ghost sheweth what will bee the end and issue of such vngodly courses and what iudgement will fall vpon such irreligious and cruell persons describing it 1. Verse 5. First by the manner of it There they shall be taken with feare that is in the mids of their sinfull practises horrible terrours shall take hold of them so that they shall be full of trembling and amazement 2. Secondly by the principall causes for which this iudgement is sent which are two 1. One in respect of God viz. his fauor and loue vnto his people which he manifesteth by being in the congregation of the righteous that is among all righteous persons and that not with an idle presence but standing with them and for them to vphold direct and comfort them according to their need and to confound all such as lift vp their heads against them 2. Another cause is in regard of the enemies of God and of his people to wit their malice and sinfulnesse against which the holy Ghost inueigheth by way of insultation You haue made a mocke c. q.d. You shall assuredly be met withall Verse 6. and will you know why You haue made a mocke of the counsell of the poore that is at their resolute purpose to seeke God and their constant endeauors to depend vpon him as the words following seeme to imply Because the Lord is his trust q.d. You are so farre from taking good waies and resting vpon the prouidence and goodnesse of God your selues that you disgrace despite those that will do so and therefore without doubt woe and and misery shall ouertake and ouerwhelme you when you little imagine any such matter Vers 5. There they shall be taken with feare Wee may reade in the former part of the Psalme how forward these men were vnto al vngodlinesse and vnrighteousnesse Doct. 1 and now see how they are affected and thence learne this doctrine Boldnesse in sinne brings dastardlinesse afterward that those that are most bold to commit sinne are most cowardly when dangers doe approch Hardinesse and venturousnes in euill courses hath commonly dastardlinesse attending thereupon when any occasion of feare is offered There they shall bee taken with feare saith the Prophet that is in the very height of their impiety against the Lord and of their cruelty against his seruants euen there they shall bee surprized with horrour and astonishment albeit they in their follie say There is no God and therefore rush into all abominations vtterly casting off the yoake of obedience and delighting in nothing more then in deuouring Gods people yet will hee make them know that there is a God in heauen that takes notice of their workes and of their waies and if nothing else wil cause them to beleeue it the very torments and tortures which hee suddenly and strangely inflicteth vpon their consciences shall make them wil they nill they to confesse it For when they presume of all manner of safety and doe not so much as dreame of any perill that is toward because of the weakenesse and basenesse of their aduersaries then some vnexpected euill shall ouertake them and anguish shall come vpon them Psal 48.6 Euen as trauel vpon awoman that is with-child that is suddenly grieuously and vnauoidably This is denounced as a part of the curse to bee executed vpon those that would not obey the lawes of God nor feare the glorious and fearefull name of the Lord Deut. 28.65.66 That he would giue them a trembling heart and a sorrowfull minde that they should feare both day and night that in the morning they should say Would it were euening and at euening Would God it were morning Which very curse is expressed in other tearmes in the booke of Leuiticus where the Lord threatneth those that would not bee reformed but would walke stubbornely against him Leuit. 26.36 that he would send a faintnesse into their hearts in so much that the sound of a lease shaken should chase them and they should flie as flying from a sword though none did pursue them This point may bee made yet more plaine by examples 2. Chron. 18.23 King Ahaz was maruellous bold in his idolatrous and wicked courses reiecting the ordinances of God and bringing in heathenish abominations in stead thereof without any feare of God or of his iudgements But how was hee affected when danger was neere The Prophet Isaiah telleth vs that when the King of Aram and the King of Israel came against him Isa 7.1.2 his heart together with the hearts of his people that were like vnto him was moued as the trees of the forrest are moued by the winde That is both he and all his souldiers were euen as Aspen leaues or some such like that in a great tempest of boisterous winds are maruellously tossed and shaken the feare of their enemies that were neare at hand did make them hauing no faith in God exceedingly to quake and tremble The like whereunto the same Prophet foretelleth concerning the vnbeleeuing Iewes speaking of that which should bee as if it were already done The sinners in Sion were afraid Isa 33.14 saith he a feare is come vpon the hypocrites When Gods iudgements doe flie abroad in the world this is the vse that sinfull persons will make of them they will vexe their hearts with hellish and desperate feares and cry out Who among vs shall dwell with deuouring fire Who among vs shall dwell with euerlasting burnings For so they conceiue of God that hee is a consuming fire as indeed hee is vnto such as they are and that hee will not onely torment them presently but euerlastingly We may reade of Saul in what wofull perplexity he was when hee must part with his kingdome and his life at once In the time of his prosperity hee was a man of great courage and too too boysterous against Dauid yet when newes came vnto him that hee must die the very report of it caused him straight way to fall
saith the Prophet Zephany Zeph. 1.14.15 In the great day of the Lords wrath the strong man shall cry bitterly Now crying is an argument of great perplexity and anguish and of basenesse of mind when it proceedeth from outward causes and yet the Prophet saith that the strong men and such as did professe fortitude should cry and that bitterly and the more couragious they had been in sin the more cowardly they should bee when the Lord did visit them for sinne Lastly Obiect there are others that thinke to cary out their vile practises by reason of their noble parentage their high places the multitude of their attendants the largenesse of their substance c. If they say the word who can hinder the deed who dare controll them or crosse them If any thinke himselfe wronged say they let him take his aduantage and seeke his remedy c. See the haughtinesse of flesh and blood when once it is set on horse-backe Answ but suppose that men dare not encounter them doe they imagine that the Lord will be afraid of their bigge words and bigge lookes if they do they are much deceiued Pharaoh Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzer were as great and as proud as most of these braggers yet did not the Lord strike them with horrour and amazement and make them see and know that hee was the King of Kings and Lord of Lords Satan hath all that worldly men can haue and a great deale more both of wit and wealth and company and courage and command and yet for all this the very consideration of Gods indignation maketh him to tremble according to that of the the Apostle Iames Iam. 2.19 Thou beleeuest that there is one God the diuels also beleeue and tremble And how then can they thinke to escape the terrours of the Lord who though they be great in the world yet come farre behinde the Prince of the world in greatnesse Let experience speake in this point Note when the Lord tooke away our gracious Queene and there was likelihood either of a ciuill dissension or forren inuasion howbeit the Lord miraculously deliuered vs from them both who were then least troubled with feares those that were great in the world or such as were great in Gods fauour And now that the Lord doth visit our cities and townes and villages with the pestilence who are they that are most couragious surely those that truly feare the Lord they think it the safest course to exercise themselues in the workes of their callings and not to runne hither and thither and to come vnto the publike assemblies of the Saints and not to neglect the feeding of their soules for feare of endangering their bodies whereas the wealthie and great ones of the world hide their heads in a corner being very vnwilling to aduenture vpon any good work that either God or man calleth them vnto if there bee but the least appearance of any perill Therefore in the second place if we would be void of those terrours that wicked men are subiect vnto Vse 2 and be able with boldnes to hold vp our heads when Gods iudgements are abroad in the world then let vs obserue these directions following First Remedies against hellish feares 1. Feare to offend See M. Duds booke Com. 1. Psal 112. let vs beware of all manner of sinnes that no iniquitie haue entertainment with vs and labour to bee at one with the Lord that so our consciences may be at one with vs which if wee can attaine vnto we shall be strongly fortified against all vnnecessary feares According to that in the Psalme Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord c. He shall not be afraid of euill tidings c. Where the Prophet sheweth that hee is an happie man that is truly religious and sheweth it forth by fearing of God and delighting in his commandements and by performing the duties of loue and mercy towards his brethren for as hee shall bee freed from all hurtfull euils so shall hee bee exempted from all passionate feare thereof Note Many wicked men haue not the plague in their houses and yet are plagued with the feare of it and many godly men haue their families visited therewith and yet are not perplexed with such terrors and the reason is yeelded in that place because their harts are fixed and established and beleeue in the Lord. That is the foundation whereupon they build their courage and confidence euen the Lord himselfe who is a sure stay to those that relie vpon him His children know that nothing can befall them without his prouidence that nothing shall betide them but he will support them vnder it and make them to profit by it and what cause then haue they to be distēpered If therfore we desire to haue stil quiet harts when others shal be euen at their wits end then let vs get the brestplate of righteousnesse and innocencie for the righteous is bold as a Lion Let vs feare sin before it be committed Prou. 28.1 and when we are tempted therunto say with Iob Are there not strange punishments for the workers of iniquity Iob 31. Will not the Lord be angry with me if I should commit this wickednesse will not mine owne heart be discomforted will not my spirit be made sad within mee how shall I bee able to looke the Lord in the face if hee should lay his hand in any feareful manner vpon me or mine when I haue so prouoked him to his face c Thus if wee could fright our hearts from offending the Maiestie of God wee should bee as bold as Iob was when the waues of aduersity flow in vpon vs on euery side The Lord saith he hath giuen Iob 1.21 Iob. 13.15 and the Lord hath taken blessed be the name of the Lord. And in another place Though the Lord should kill me yet will I trust in him He feared sinne which is the sting of crosses and therefore were his crosses lesse terrible vnto him when they came and so will they be vnto vs if we carefully eschew those corruptions which otherwise will enuenome and poyson them vnto vs. this is the first means to arme vs against feares viz. to take heed of sinne before it bee committed But if it be committed Repentance for offences committed the next remedie is to stand in awe of Gods iudgements due vnto the same and so to be led on to true repentance The best way to escape desperate feare is to fright our soules with an holy feare For if we iudge our selues we shall not be iudged of the Lord. Excellent for this purpose is that answere of Huldah the Prophetesse vnto good Iosiah Because thine heart did melt saith she and thou hast humbled thy selfe before the Lord 2. King 22.19.20 when thou heardest what I spake against this place and against the inhabitants of the same to wit that it should bee destroyed and accursed and hast rent thy cloathes wept before
that he is in the generation of the righteous Vers 6. Ye haue made a mocke of the counsell of the poore In that the holy Prophet doth lay this vnto wicked mens charge as a hainous crime and as the cause of his strokes that were to bee inflicted vpon them this doctrine offereth it selfe for our learning Doct. 3 that Iesting and scoffing at Gods children Mockers are grieuous persecutors Heb. 11. is a grieuous kinde of persecution and such as the Lord take speciall notice of In which regard the Apostle Heb. 11.36 speaking of the wonderfull great trials which sundry of the Saints did by faith vndergoe reckoneth vp this as none of the least of them that they had been tried by mockings In like sort when the holy Ghost yeeldeth a reason of the vtter ouerthrow of the kingdome of Iudah and of their long and wofull captiuity he setteth downe this to bee one of the principall causes thereof 2. Chro 36.26 viz. That they mocked the messengers of God and despised his words and misused his Prophets vntill the wrath of the Lord arose against his people and till there was no remedy This kind of persecution Ismael vsed against Isaac as the Apostle witnesseth for which hee was cast out of the Church of God Gal. 4.29 Gen. 21.9 And this was one of the meritorious sufferings of our Lord Iesus Christ Mat. 26. 27. Psal 22. that they spit vpon him and nodded their heads at him and vsed taunting and disgracefull speeches vnto him and put as it were a fooles coate vpon him to disguise him and called him in mockage the King of the Iewes c. This I say was not the least part of his bitter passion through which he purchased eternall saluation for all his elect namely that hee endured much contempt and reproch both in the course of his life and at the time of his death Now the reason why Satan maketh choice of this weapon aboue others therewith to fight against Gods seruants is First Reasons because mans nature is subiect greatly to abhorre contempt and therefore cannot easily endure to bee vilified and disgraced by scoffing and reproachfull speeches and gestures Secondly Note the diuell knoweth that hee can get many souldiers to be employed this way Euery limme of his cannot imprison nor spoile Christians of their goods or of their liues but there are few or none but they can frame scoffes and iests against the members of Christ Iesus Euery boy can quickly grow skilfull at this as we see in Ismael 2 King 2. and in the two and fortie children that were torne in peeces of two beares for their mocking of the Prophet Elisha the very scumme of the people the vagabonds and rogues that run vp and downe the country can doe their master the diuel good seruice this way those that were the children of fooles and the children of villaines Iob. 30.8.9 as Iob speaketh who were more vile then the earth it selfe could make Iob their song and their talke Psal 69.12 Psal 35. and in like sort did the drunkards and pot companions deale with Dauid and the theefe vpon the crosse with our Sauiour Mat. 27.44 euen at that time when the fierce wrath of God was manifested vpon his body hanging on the crosse for that hee had been a notorious and hainous malefactor First Vse 1 this doctrine must teach vs to beware of deriding and taunting at good men for taking of good waies lest by so doing we become persecutors and bee proceeded against as enemies vnto God and his people It is not so safe for vs as many take it to be to exercise our selues in such kind of scoffing he is commonly held to be a sillie fellow that cannot gird at a Minister and at such as vsually resort vnto Sermons But let vs take heed of such nipping and biting speeches as tend to the defaming of any of Gods seruants or seruices lest we be cast out from hauing any communion and fellowship with God as scoffing Ismael was and be exposed to such plagues and punishments as the wicked Iewes were who mocked the messengers of God and reuiled our blessed Sauiour in such an opprobrious and disgracefull manner as the Scriptures doe record Secondly Vse 2 for as much as contemptuous and reprochfull scoffes and girds are such weapons as Satan putteth into the hands of his instruments let vs prepare for them and arme our selues against them Christs Disciples must not looke to be aboue their Master if wicked sinners reuiled and derided him wee must not imagine to escape their virulent and venemous tongues and therefore the Apostle exhorteth vs Heb. 13.12.13 that seeing he hath borne our reproch wee should beare his and for the ioy that is laid before vs Heb. 12.2 endure the crosse and despise the shame and so at length wee shall receiue the crowne of glory which is prepared for all those that in patience doe waite for his glorious appearing Now that wee may bee better inabled to beare these taunts and reproches How we may be inabled to beare contempt 1. Labour against pride let vs take this direction following 1. First labour against that inbred pride that is naturally in euery one of our hearts which maketh vs vtterly vnable to vndergoe disgrace therfore was it that though many of the chiefe rulers of the Iewes beleeued in Christ yet they durst not confesse him because of the Pharisies who would haue excommunicated them and disgraced them to the vttermost and the reason is rendred in that place viz. That they loued the praise of men Ioh. 12.43 more then the praise of God they stood vpon their carnall credit and reputation among their neighbors and countrimen more then vpon that true credit and estimation which they might haue had with the Lord and his children and therefore was it that they were so loth to expose themselues for Christ his sake vnto the shame of the world whereas if they had had humble and lowly hearts they would haue denied themselues in their estimation among men and haue taken vp the reproach of Christ as an honourable crowne let this therefore bee our first worke to labour against the hautinesse of our fleshly hearts Secondly Consider what scoffers are to the intent that wee may more patiently endure to be vilified and disgraced let vs consider what manner of men scoffers bee viz. the most abiect vile and contemptible persons that are as we may see in those before mentioned who in this sort pursued Iob and Dauid and our blessed Sauiour Oh but will some say they are men of great wealth of great place of great parentage Obiect of great wit and learning that do mocke vs and gird at vs for our religion and for our profession Grant that they be great men in all the former respects Answ yet if they bee wicked and vngodly the holy Ghost accounteth them vile and contemptible men and so
that in their distresses doe make flesh their arme and withdraw their hearts and hopes from Almighty God vsing sinfull shifts and vnlawfull courses for the relieuing easing of themselues or such as are neare vnto them and seeking vnto Witches and Coniurers in very deed to the diuel himselfe for helpe rather then vnto Almighty God that whereas in extraordinary crosses they should vse extraordinary good meanes of fasting and prayer and humbling of themselues they vse extraordinary ill meanes and so prouoke the Lord to inflict more grieuous plagues vpon them these shew themselues to bee impious persons and men of very ill consciences so should wee esteeme of them and so ought they to thinke of themselues in that they forsake the Lord who is the fountaine of all helpe and comfort and sue vnto his vtter enemie by vsing diuellish and abominable practises Secondly if wee would haue a contrary testimony vnto our selues and among Gods people to wit that wee are men of sincere and vpright hearts because we seeke vnto the Lord in our miseries and that in a religious and holy manner then let vs labour for good consciences in the time of our prosperity and for faith in the promises of God and then wee shall not bee driuen to those wretched and chargeable helpes which carnall men rely vpon but we shall be able to runne vnto God who will relieue vs freely and speedily Wee neede not bee such drudges as these Iewes were to toyle and trouble our selues in getting of money and then to take a long and tedious iourney to obtaine the fauour of our aduersaries but hauing true and faithfull hearts wee may make a better shift with a few words Hos 14. then these hypocrites did with all their Camels and Asses and with all their riches and treasures for the Lord is neare to all that call vpon him in truth Psal 145.18.19 yea hee will fulfill the desire of those that feare him hee also will heare their cry and saue them and that both from their sinnes and miseries Vers 7. For the Egyptians are vanity and shall helpe in vaine In that disswading them from resting vpon the Egyptians he telleth them that they were vanity and therefore such as they were such must bee their helpe either they should not doe their best to defraud them or if they did it should not turne to good because Gods blessings went not with them hence ariseth this doctrine that all the comfort and helpe that worldly things can afford vs Doct. 3 Worldly help◠vaine is vaine and of no worth The reasons hereof are these First because the meanes themselues are vaine Reasons 1 for such as the fountaine is such must be the streames and such as the tree is such must be the fruit If the Egyptians be vanity their helpe must needs be vaine And the like may be said of all other particulars Doe we rest vpon our friends they may die or their good affection may die Doe we rely vpon riches they are subiect to rust subiect to fire subiect to theeues neither can they helpe vs in the euill day Prou. 11.4 Doe wee trust vpon men and munition or any warlike force A King is not saued by the multitude of an hoast Psal 33.16.17 neither is the mighty man deliuered by great strength An horse is a vaine helpe and shall not deliuer by his great strength The same conclusion may we make of all other earthly things Eccl. 1.4 for of them al the Wise man pronounceth that they are vanity vexatiō of spirit Secondly no worldly meanes can helpe the soule against sin and therefore there is no sound comfort to be expected from them Euery mans ruine is from himselfe and bred in his owne bosome helpe that and helpe all and except that bee helped when a man hath done all hee can he hath done nothing for let a man haue neuer so many friends neuer so much wealth neuer so great credit or whatsoeuer else can bee named if his soule bee vncured hee is a miserable creature there is no peace to the wicked one vile lust or other will bee raging in his heart and disquieting his soule Psal 1. and hee will still bee tossed vp and downe as the chaffe that the winde driueth too and fro A sinful heart is euermore a restlesse heart and whosoeuer doth not beleeue whatsoeuer his outward props bee hee shall not bee established Isa 7.9 as the Prophet Isaiah auoucheth Thirdly no earthly helpes can keepe off the plagues of God from a man or remoue them where they are already Suppose that the Lord intend to shoote his arrow of pestilence to strike a man or a family a towne or a city what buckler can beare it off what wit or wealth or friends can shelter vs from his strokes and keepe vs from the graue when he calleth for vs surely there are no worldly meanes that can doe it and therefore we may wel conclude that all the helpe that commeth from them is altogether vaine Which should cause vs not greatly to seeke after Vse 1 nor much to rest vpon these outward things for though we haue them in neuer so great abundance we shal find them to be but miserable comforters when we stand in most neede Most men are of another mind namely that the treasures and promotions of the world and the countenance of great men are the onely things to bee looked after and that the promises of God and the comforts of his word are vaine and friuolous but when they haue made triall as Salomon did they shall finde that to feare God and keepe his Commandements is the only happinesse and that whatsoeuer the world can afford is meere vanity and vexation of spirit Secondly let this teach vs in all our griefes to say as the Prophet Dauid doth Lord helpe in trouble for vaine is the helpe of man q. d. I haue depended much vpon the arme of flesh but now I am growne to this resolution that if I had all worldly helpes I would not trust in them because they are vaine and if I want them all I would relie vpon thee that doest neuer faile such as seeke vnto thee Thus if we can doe we shall neuer bee disappointed of our hope Iohn 14. but God will giue vs such peace and comfort as neither the diuell nor the world can take from vs. Their strength is to sit still That is if they would be fortified and sensed against their enemies their best course was to put away all vexation and vnnecessary feare to tarry at home in their owne countrie euery one in his vocation and so to rest on the Lord for defence Whence the doct is that The best way for men to haue safety and protection is Doct. 4 All men are safest in their owne places to keepe in their owne places and callings He that would be freed from all hurts and dangers let him not runne hither
these rules First beware of vsing any ill meanes for the relieuing of our selues for euery finfull shift is as it were a sword drawne out against our selues or as a Canon that is to be discharged vpon vs. Secondly bee sure to vse all good and lawfull meanes that God hath appointed for our comfort in trouble or our deliuerance out of trouble Thirdly as we must vse the meanes lest we bee found tempters of God so must wee commit the successe wholly vnto the Lord and with a quiet and peaceable heart rest vpon him Many will bee content to be industrious in their calling and vse all diligence for the relieuing of themselues and their families but herein they faile exceedingly that they vex and disquiet their hearts and do not labour with that cheerefulnesse as they should this and that I doe say they to the vtmost of my power but alas all will not maintaine mee and mine wee know not how to bring the yeare about Now you do not sit still as God would haue you but you take his burthen vpon your shoulder for doe you that which God biddeth you and he hath said I will care for you The reason why there is such carking and caring such tumbling and tossing is because men thinke there is none to care for them but themslues now if that were true it stood men vpon indeed to bestirre themselues and to busie their thoughts day and night about the matters of the world but seeing that the Lord doth protest that hee cares for vs what need haue we to perplexe our harts with some necessary vexations and distractions surely it argues great corruption in vs when we giue way to such distrustfull thoughts for either wee doe not beleeue that God doth care for vs or at least wee imagine that his care is not sufficient for vs both which should bee farre from the hearts of all true Christians Let vs therefore striue against our vnbeleefe and giue vnto God the praise of his truth of his mercy and of his al-sufficiency and then fixing our hope vpon him wee shall neuer be ashamed but according to our faith it shall be vnto vs. THE FIFTH SERMON ISAIAH 30. Vers 8.9 Vers 8. Now goe and write it before them in a table and note it in a booke that it may bee for the last day for euer and euer 9. That it is a rebellious people lying children and children that would not heare the word of the Lord. WE heard in the words immediately going before how sharpely the Lord doth reproue and threaten the vnbeleeuing Iewes for that they hearing of rumors of warres did not goe vnto God by prayer but vnto the Egyptians by gifts as if Pharaoh were more able or more willling to helpe and succour them then the Lord himselfe as also how the Prophet Isaiah was sent vnto them to assure them that the Egyptians would not helpe them or if they would they could not nay that they should be so farre from helping them that they should doe them all the mischiefe that possibly they could and therefore he proclaimes vnto them that their strength was to sit still that is to keepe themselues at home in their places and callings and to rest vpon God whose strength they should finde to bee euery way sufficient to defend and maintaine them against all their aduersaries Now because they were drunken with passion and feare and would not harken to the proclamation of peace therefore doth the Lord send out against them a proclamation of outlawrie and chargeth them with rebellion and high treason against his Maiesty and that it might bee of more force with them he commandeth the Prophet to write it before them in a table that so euery one might take notice thereof yea not onely in a table to shame them for the instant but in a booke that it might be for the time to come euen for euer and euer that is that it might stand in record for their perpetuall desgrace and reproach Now because they would hardly yeeld vnto this charge to wit that they were traitors against God in seeking vnto the King of Egypt for aide but would obiect that they did it in policy and in good meaning for the benefit of the Church and Common-wealth and did rest on God neuerthelesse he puts off that by faying that they were lying children ful of hypocrisie and dissimulation pretending to send into Egypt in godly wisedome whereas it proceeded indeed from their wretched vnbeleefe and because it was not safe for him to say this in generall vnlesse he could proue it therefore he alleageth against them this particular that they would not heare the law of the Lord. They were driuen to heare now and then but they did it not willingly nor with a good affection and therefore they are iustly condemned as rebels against the Lord. In all these words then is set downe a grieuous complaint against the nation of the Iewes wherein we may obserue 1. First Gods charge that hee giues vnto the Prophet that he should preferre an inditement against them not onely for their present but for their euerlasting shame if they did persist in their euill course 2. The reason why he takes this round course with them viz. because they were rebels against him which rebellion of theirs was so much more grieuous in that they were full of craft and cunning to defend their viie practises Vers 8. Now go and write it c. In that the Prophet is commanded to proclaime vnto all men that these vnbeleeuing Iewes were rebels against God this is the point hence to be obserued that Open sinnes must haue open rebuke and dis Doct. 1 grace Though the parties bee neuer so many Open sinnes must haue open shame and the persons neuer so great yet that must not stop the mouthes of Gods Ministers and seruants but they must the rather be rebuked that thereby if it be possible they may be truly humbled As in this place we see the Noble men and Embassadours were very busie in raising large summes of money to send vnto the King of Egypt for helpe yet though it were the sin almost of the whole land and the hand of the rulers was chiefe in it the Prophet is charged to speake against them and to write against them and to shame them not onely for the present but for euer if they did not turne to the Lord by sound repentance The like is enioyned this same Prophet chap. 58. vers 1. Cry aloud Isa 58. spare not lift vp thy voice like a trumpet and shew my people their transgression and the house of Iacob their sinnes They pretended great zeale and forwardnesse in religion they would seeke the knowledge of Gods word they would enquire after the ordinances of iustice they would fast also and vse much strictnesse in outward shew yet because they were full of hypocrisie of cruelty and oppression of impiety and Sabbath breaking and such like
hainous crimes he must openly exclaime against their ill courses and as the trumpet spares none but wakens all both great and small so must hee deale letting euery one heare of his faults of what state and condition soeuer This was also laid vpon Timothie 1. Tim. 5.20 Them that sinne rebuke openly that the rest may feare saith the Apostle and it was practised by our Sauiour who seeing that the Scribes and Pharisies made more account of their owne traditions then of Gods commandements and that they sought themselues in ambition and filthy lucre he doth sharpely and openly reproue them Matth. 23. and disgrace them and pronounce woes and curses against them The like doth Iohn Baptist Matth. 3. calling them a generation of Vipers and Paul meeting with Ananias a notorious hypocrite who commanded him to be smitten on the face for the disgrace of his person and of his cause Act. 23.3 hee boldly sets vpon him saying God will smite thee thou painted wall Now the reason why publike offences should haue open rebuke is First that others hearing it Reasons 1 may bee terrified from the same and so such sinnes may be lesse infections according to the place before alleaged Them that sinne rebuke openly 1. Tim. 5.20 that the rest may feare and so consequently bee restrained from the like courses Secondly that if it be possible the parties offending may be conuerted according to that of the Apostle The Cretians are alwaies liers euill beasts Tit. 1.12.13 slow bellies wherefore reproue them sharpely that they may bee found in the faith For when men are set vpon the stage and exposed to open shame they will take it to heart and if any thing will worke vpon them for their reformation this will and if they proue incorrigible notwithstanding this yet this benefit will come of it that they shall bee more inexcuseable in the day of the Lord in that they heard their sins so much disgraced and the vengeance of God denounced against the same and yet would not breake off the practise of them by sound repentance Thirdly it makes greatly for the glory of God when hee executeth his iudgements vpon them in this world for those that haue heard their grosse and hainous offences inueighed against and withall are witnesses of their wilfull continuance therein they cannot but in their consciences iustifie the Lord in his proceeding against them That was it especially that caused Dauid to shame himselfe publikely after that hee had committed adultery and murther that God might bee pure when hee iudged Psal 51.4 Otherwise men might haue thought the Lord too seuere in inflicting such punishments vpon him as afterwards he tasted of Here then in the first place is an instruction for Ministers Vse 1 and such as haue cause and calling to deale with offenders that they suffer not their mouthes to be shut by reason of the multitude or greatnesse of the persons that are faulty but according to the nature of the offence so to apply their reproofes accordingly if they dishonour God openly let them heare of it openly and if they will set their sinnes vpon the stage let vs set their shame there also that those that are witnesses of the one may be also witnesses of the other otherwise we shall be iniurious vnto God and vnto men vnto the offenders and vnto our selues because their blood shall bee required at our hands Therfore let vs carefully looke vnto this duty and the more opposition we finde against the performance thereof the more let vs pray for strength and courage to go through with the same knowing that it is a great deale better that men should be offended with vs for doing our duty then that God should plague vs for omitting our duty Steuen knew that most of those vnto whom hee was to speake would not take a reproofe at his hands yet he saw that he had a calling to giue it Acts 7. and they had need of it and therfore he tels them roundly of their faults saying Ye stifnecked and of vncircumcised hearts and eares ye haue alwaies resisted the holy Ghost as your fathers did so doe you c. Indeed hereupon they gnashed their teeth at him and stopped their eares that they might not heare him and so running vpon him with great violence and outrage stoned him to death but what lost hee by that hee parted with a fraile and miserable life and went presently to enioy an euerlasting and most blessed kingdome in the heauens Let vs therefore be resolute and couragious as he was and neuer feare the faces of mortall men knowing that there is no greater danger then for a man to neglect his duty nor greater comfort then to performe it though it bee the losse of his life Secondly is it so that open sinnes must haue open rebuke hence then let vs learne that if wee would not haue Gods Minister to lay open our shame before the congregation wee must take heed of grosse and foule and scandalous offences For if we liue in continuall swearing or Sabbath-breaking or brawling or whoring or stealing or any the like inordinate courses so that by our ill conuersation we cause Gods glorious name to be ill spoken of wee must looke to heare of it to our iust disgrace and if wee set light by Gods glory there is no reason that his seruants should make any reckoning of our credit Let men therefore be carefull to auoide publike euils or else prepare themselues for publike rebukes which are the best medicines for the recouering of their sicke and sinfull soules 8. Now goe and write it before them in a booke that that it may bee for the last day for euer and euer Hence ariseth this doctrine that That testimony shall abide with euery man Doct. 2 Gods testimony is euerlasting which God giueth him in his word Looke what the Lord saith of any one that shal stand firme and tarrie with him till death yea after death euen for euer and euer As here the Prophet Isaiah from the Lords mouth chargeth these cowardly Iewes to bee dissemblers and rebels this hath stood in record against them many hundred yeares and doth still their names are not yet healed nor euer shall be but all that liued and died in their impenitency shall haue their shame encreased in the day of the Lord and that shall tarrie with them for euermore This is also euident in the Scribes and Pharisies who though they carried away all the praise and commendation among men our Sauiour doth disgrace to the vttermost calling them painted sepulchres Mat. 23. that had faire outsides but within were full of corruption and withal denouncing many curses and woes against them now who are more odious then they what name of greater infamie among men then the name of Pharisee and what is the reason hereof surely this the word of God doth disgrace such kind of people and therefore it stickes so
fast vnto them and shall doe for euer So on the other side Paul was much slandered and reuiled counted a pestilent fellow a troubler of the world and the ringleader of heretickes Act. 24. and Tertullus made such a bitter oration against him and brought such witnesses to confirme his speeches that a carnall man would haue thought his name almost vncureable yet who more honourable then Paul his very name doth carrie a wonderful reuerence with it and that in the very hearts of wicked men But how commeth it to passe that hee that was then so shamefully traduced should now bee so highly magnified this is the true reason of it he did that which the word of God did commend though men did condemne it and therefore hauing a good testimony from heauen all the calumniations and slanders of men could nothing at all impeach his credit but did rather cause it to shine out more clearely The Scriptures abound with examples of this kinde but I hasten to the reasons which are these First Reasons 1 the word of God doth giue men neither more nor lesse then their due it passeth a righteous sentence and therefore it must needs stand The world commonly calles good euill and euill good light darkenesse and darkenesse light and therefore the testimony therof is little worth and of small or no continuance but the word of God pronounceth none good or bad vnlesse they bee so If the course of a mans life be such as the Scriptures doe commend though all the world speake against it it is commendable and if it bee such as the word discommendeth though men and Angels should speake for it it is to bee disliked and condemned Psa 12.6 for the words of the Lord are pure words as siluer tried in the furnace of earth fined seuen fold Secondly as the Scripture giues a sound testimonie so the Lord himselfe will backe it and make it good The word denounceth shame vpon all sinners therefore must God of necessity powre it vpon them for else hee should not bee true in his threatnings Earthly Princes doe enact penall lawes and statutes and yet many times doe not see them executed but God deales not so but whosoeuer doth persist in his wickednesse is sure to meete with disgrace in the end as godly men shall inherite glory Prou 3.35 though they bee vilified and debased for a time so shall sinners inherit dishonour as the Wise man affirmeth though they be exalted for a season Durable sinnes shall haue abiding shame and constant obedience shall haue euerlasting glory euery man shall receiue according to his workes whether good or euill This then may serue to discouer vnto vs their follie and madnesse Vse 1 that would faine haue credit in the world and yet seeke not for it in the word but are proud and ambitious vaineglorious and couetous full of hypocrisie and of all manner of iniquity is this the way to get good estimation and lasting credit nay the Lord saith Psal 119.21 that the proud are cursed which erre from his commandements Prou. 10.7 and that the name of the wicked shall rot Doe they thinke that if they can goe beyond others in wealth in command in outward dignity and the like that then they shall carrie away the reputation from them nay they are farre deceiued if they so imagine God makes no promise of commendation to them in the Scripture and therefore it is a vaine thing for them to expect it 2. Cor. 10.18 for none is praiseworthy but hee whom the Lord praiseth and therefore though men magnifie vs as they did Herod Act. 12. yet let vs thinke neuer the better of our selues for if we bee impious persons as he was the time shall come when the Lord will cause vs to bee abhorred and loathed Secondly if wee desire to haue a good name while we liue to leaue it behind vs when we die and to haue euerlasting honour before all the Saints and Angels for euer then let vs take such courses as God himselfe doth approue and commend Let vs get faith and loue in our hearts and let vs manifest the fruits thereof in our liues let vs be truly religious towards God and zealous in his seruice let vs be righteous towards men and carrie a liberall heart and a bountifull hand for good and mercifull vses Iam. 1.27 for these things God himselfe doth commend and therefore wee may assure our selues that they will procure vs eternall praise And though sinfull men may try vs by reproaches and slanders and seeke by all meanes to blemish our names as they dealt with our Sauiour and his Apostles and followers in former times yet shall our memoriall be blessed and our goodnesse bee had in euerlasting remembrance Pro. 10.7 Psal 11â— Psal 37.6 God shall bring forth our righteousnes as the light and our iudgement as the noone day Vers 9. That it is a rebellious people This is the crime that is charged vpon them being full of infidelity and disobedience they are indited of high treason against the Lord which was the heauiest imputation that could bee laid vpon them Whence note this point that They are the most miserable and wretched rebels Doct. 1 Those that rebell against God are the worst rebels that are rebels against God Though it be an offence very grieuous and odious for a subiect to shew himselfe disloyall to his earthly Soueraigne yet this shall stand as a sure conclusion when heauen and earth shall fall that the greatest Sinner is the greatest Traitor Hence it is that when the Prophet Samuel would set out the hainousnesse of Sauls sinne in sparing Agag the King of the Amalekites and the best of the sheepe and oxen and of the things that should haue been destroyed Eâ—â—d 22.18.20 1. Sam. 15.22 hee compareth it with those crimes that were most hatefull and most punishable by Gods law saying Rebellion to wit against the Lord is as the sinne of witchcraft and transgression is wickednesse and Idolatrie and therefore Saul must needs bee a notorious malefactor that was found guilty thereof Isa 30.1.9 So dealeth Moses with the stifnecked and peruerse Israelites Heare yee rebels saith he shall wee bring you water out of the rocke Numb 20.10 as if more could not be spoken for the shame and disgrace of impious persons then to brand them with the note of rebels against the Lord of heauen and earth But that this point may be yet more cleare and perspicuous let vs weigh these reasons that follow for the confirmation thereof First Reasons 1 the lawes that they breake which notwithstanding they are more strictly tied to obserue Rom. 7.12 then any subiect in the world is the statutes of his Prince are most equall and iust and meet to be kept and therefore the presumptuous breach thereof must of necessity argue the most indigne and vnworthie rebellion that can be imagined It was no small fault
in the Israelites to renounce their alleagiance to Rehoboam and to stand vp in armes against him being their lawfull King and Gouernour albeit hee threatned to impose vpon them rigorous and sharpe lawes 1. King 12.14 to make his yoake more grieuous then his fathers so that whereas Salomon had chastised them with rods hee would correct them with scourges how hainous then is their offence that doe refuse to submit their neckes vnto Gods yoake who is a more absolute King then euer any was or shall bee to the end of the world whose lawes are perfectly good and righteous all of them tending not alone to his owne glory but to the present and eternall benefit and comfort of such as doe obey the same Secondly those are the most vile traitors that doe rebell against their Soueraigne that hath bin very bountifull and gratious vnto them which was it that made Achitophels treacherie against Dauid more inhumane barbarous now what Kings fauours can stand in the ballance against Gods fauours which he vouchsafeth to the basest of the sonnes of men for he it is that giueth them life and being Acts 17. and all things in him they liue and moue and haue their subsistence and without him they could not continue to breath so much as one houre nay nor one minute of an houre much lesse enioy the comfortable vse of any creature vnder the Sunne and therefore seeing the bounty and kindnesse of the Lord is so exceeding great their rebellion that doe lift vp themselues against him and cast of the obedience of his lawes is of all men most worthy to bee condemned and abhorred Thirdly their case doth hence appeare to bee very wofull and miserable that the punishment appointed for them is both very grieuous and withall vnauoidable First the grieuousnesse thereof is euident by this that whereas earthly Monarches can proceed no further against the most notorious malefactors but to the torturing and killing of their bodies the confiscating of their lands and goods and the defaming of them and theirs for a season so that if there bee vnfaigned repentance in the parties offending as there was in the good thiefe on the crosse their soules may be saued and their names healed and both body and soule eternally glorified iâ— is otherwise with the great King of heauen who will plague those that are traitors against his Maiesty with all manner of iudgements in this life and when hee hath done with them here will call them to a reckoning againe at that great Assises at the last day and there expose them to perpetuall shame and infamie and inflict vpon their bodies and soules such torments as shall bee easelesse endlesse and remedilesse Secondly for the vnauoidablenes of these punishments we must know though rebels against worldly Princes when they haue cast themselues into danger may by flying or hiding of themselues escape or if they bee apprehended make notable defences and apologies to serue their present purpose and so winde themselues out of troubles it is no boot to deale in that sort with the Lord for whither can they goe from his presence Psal 139. but hee will finde them out and what wittie and cunning deuices can they haue for the colouring of their treacherous practises but hee will descry and discouer the same and that to their greater shame and punishment Which being so Isaiah 29. the vse shall be First Vse 1 for the conuicting of many to bee notorious rebels that esteeme themselues as honest men as any in the countrey and will defie him that shal charge them with treason what say they to this Doe they not vsually take the holy name of God in vaine Doe they not prophane his Sabbaths doe they not defile their soules and bâ—dies with many horrible pollutions And whe as they haue been often told of these faults and sharpely rebuked for them doe they not for all that continue still in them and vndertake the defence of them Yea doe they not fret and fume and chafe at such as seek to reclaime them from their leaud courses If their consciences doe accuse them of these and the like crimes vndoubtedly they are guiltie of high treason against the Lord of heauen and earth they carrie the diuels badge and fight vnder his banner as professed enemies vnto God and his truth and whatsoeuer they thinke of themselues such the Lord will esteeme them to be and proceed against them accordingly Secondly let this teach vs to bee most fearefull of transgressing the sacred lawes of our heauenly King and if we be at any time put to that straite that wee must either violate the commandement of our earthly gouernours or of God himselfe let vs chuse rather to obey God then men and with a meeke spirit and peaceable cariage submit our selues to their censures rather then incurre the Lords displeasure and so become liable to his iudgements Thirdly this is for singulas comfort vnto Gods people who are charged to be factious and seditious vnquiet and vndutifull persons yet so long as their consciences tell them that they are willing to attend to holy and wholesome doctrine whereby their sinnes may bee reproued and their hearts and liues reformed and bettered they may be sure that God accounteth them good subiects and those that are such vnto him are of all other most loyall and dutifull vnto their rulers and gouernors neither indeed can any be truly faithfull vnto men that hath not first learned to be faithful vnto God Let vs not therefore be dismaied at the clamors of those that doe vniustly charge vs with disloyalty Athaliah cried out treason treason 2. King 11.14 but in truth she was the traitor her selfe and the like may be said of many that are so ready to traduce others in that sort whatsoeuer their outward behauiour towards Magistrates and such as are in authority be they are miserable and wretched rebels before the Lord and such they shall appeare to be in the end if they doe not in time submit themselues vnder his gratious gouemment THE SIXTH SERMON ISAIAN 30. Vers 9.10 Vers 9. And children that would not heare the law of the Lord. 10. Which say vnto the Seers see not and to the Prophets prophecie not vnto vs right things but speake flattering things vnto vs prophecie errours WE haue heard in the former words that notwithstanding the Iewes did professe themselues to bee the onely people that stood for God and for his worship yet the Lord doth proclaime them wicked rebels against his Maiesty Now in these words the Prophet goeth forward to proue them to be such and that hee doth by two maine reasons viz. First from their ill affection that they had both to the word of God which appeared in this that howsoeuer they did by occasion heare it yet they would not haue heard it Vers 9. if they could haue done otherwise for shame and also to the Prophets of God which brought
his message vnto them Vers 10. They said vnto the Seers see not and to the Prophets prophecie not vnto vs right things they could not endure that they should take notice of euery thing that was amisse in them and that they should presse euery part of Gods will vpon their consciences this they thought to bee too much strictnesse and precisenesse 2. Secondly he proueth them to be rebels by their great affection that they carried vnto that which would doo them most hurt 〈◊〉 flatteric and errours Thus much to dâ—ing the 〈◊〉 and order of these words the meaning whereof shal by Gods assistance be 〈…〉 fully laid open in the handling of the seuerall doctrines 11 18 〈◊〉 Vers 9. And children that world not heare the lâ—â— of the Lord. In that the Prophet do the 〈…〉 ment proue them to bee traitoâ—s against thâ— most high This is the doctrine 〈…〉 Doct. 2 viz. that It is a marke of an impious person to reiect the word it is an infallible note of an impious and rebellious person to be vnwilling to heare the holy word of God Although men doe ordinarily resort vnto the assemblies where the Gospell is pursely preached yet if they wish in their hearts that they were from vnder those droppings and if they might haue their owne choice they would bee from vnder them they are carnall and vngodly men what appearances soeuer there bee to the contrary The same marke of wicked sinners is giuen by Iob Iob 21.14 where he saith They say vnto God Depart from vs for wee desire not the knowledge of thy waies not that there is any such wicked monster that will directly vse those tearmes vnto the Lord but his meaning is that their liues and practises doe prone so much viz. that they would not willingly haue any thing to doe with God which appeareth by this that they desire not the knowledge of his maies Let them say what they will those that care not to bee acquainted with Gods will nor to learne from thence what is their dutie doe in effect bid the Lord depart from them and therefore must needs bee very impious and irreligious persons To the same purpose it is said in the Psal Psal 81.11 My people would not heare my voice and what of that Israel would none of me If one should haue said to them You are Apostaes and hate God in your hearts they would haue thought it the greatest wrong that could be but wee see what the Lords testimonie is concerning them they would not attend to my voice therefore they would none of me they reiected my word therefore they reiected mee Besides these places and many moc that might bee alleaged the causes and effects of this vnwillingnesse to heare the Lords message will euidently proue those to be sinfull persons that are possessed therewith First then for the causes thereof Reason The causes there shall two onely bee named though many other might bee brought One of them the Prophet Ieremy maketh mention of saying Vnto whom shall I speake Ier. 6.10 and admonish that they may heare behold their eares are vncircumcised and they cannot hearken In the words going before hee had denounced heauie plagues against them in regard of their horrible and fearefull transgressions which did continually flow from them euen as waters from a fountaine vers 7. Now hereupon some man might say If their offences be so grieuous wherefore doe not you tell them thereof Why faies the Prophet vnto whom shall I speake whom shall I admonish their eares are vncircumcised that is fleshly and carnall so that albeit good instructions be brought vnto them yet they 〈◊〉 hearken thereunto but will bee gazing hither and thither and haue their minds taken vp with other matters Let a debter of theirs come vnto them to pay theÌ„ money and they will not be looking on this thing and on that when they should receiue it at his hands but when the true treasure is offered vnto them freely they are either idle or ill imployed so that they haue no mind to accept of that Tell them a tale of lucre which they may get or of some iniurie done vnto them whereof they may take aduantage and their eares are wide open for such matters but let there bee any speech vsed tending to the glory of God or the saluation of their soules they are altogether deafe and cannot with any life or cheerfulnes listen to such things Now how comes their eares to be thus vncircumcised because their hearts are vncircumcised which is the second cause of their vnwillingnesse to attend to the words of wisedome And this appeareth in two things the first is that as Ieremy speaketh they delight not in Gods voice Ier. 6.10 The second that they doe take pleasure in vnrighteousnesse as the Apostle witnesseth 2. Thes 2.12 And looke how much delight any one taketh in sin so much hatred will hee beare against the word that checketh him for his sin and in what measure any man dislikes the word in the same measure will he take pleasure in all manner of iniquity which is condemned by the word And thus much for the causes of this vnwillingnesse The ill effects follow 2. The effects which to mention but a few of a great many are three The two former in respect of men them felues the last in respect of God Concerning themselues first they are neuer able to meditate on the word For whatsoeuer a man comes vnwillingly to hearken vnto that will quickly slip out of his minde neither can he possibly get it to take any deepe roote in his heart Hence is it that when couetous or malicious or vnchast persons repaire vnto Sermons to please their masters or to satisfie the law or for some such by respect they neuer seriously thinke of that which they haue heard to make any application thereof vnto themselues they cannot bring their hearts vnto it for a sinfull conscience will not endure to be tied to the word of the Lord. The Prophet Dauid saith Lord how loue I thy law Psal 119.97 my meditation is in it continually What will follow then if a man doe not loue Gods law Surely he will not at any time meditate theron which he that doth not must needs be a very sinfull creature Secondly as hee will neuer ponder vpon it so neither will he practise it Hee that is vnwilling to heare his dutie will bee much more vnwilling to doe it If wee see a seruant that cannot endure to be informed what is his masters will and pleasure we presently conclude that such an one will not proue a faithfull and trusty seruant and so may we do without any breach of charity when wee perceiue a man to be altogether carelesse or contemptuous in listening to the charge of his heauenly master he that cannot abide to heare of the duties of the Sabbath nor of the exercises of religion that he is
to performe in his familie and the like we may boldly say except the Lord conuert this mans heart certainly he will neuer make conscience of performing these duties Now for the effect which they shall find from the Lord it is this that he will deale with them as with wicked and vngodly ones both in this life and afterwards 2. Thes 2.10.11.12 for because they receiue not the loue of the truth that they might be saued therefore God wil send them strong delusions that they should beleeue lies That all they may be damned that beleeue not the truth but take pleasure in vnrighteousnesse This doctrine maketh First for the terror of Papists Vse 1 and all such as are popishly affected as being liable to this iudgement and heauie stroake of God because they refuse to heare the word of the Lord and will rather hearken to erroneous and heretical doctrine then to the truth of God contained in the holy Scriptures and rather lie in prison amongst malefactors then bee in the Church amongst true Christians But though they doe not heare the word preached Obiect 1 yet will some say they pray very much What of that Answ doe they imagine to haue any benesit by their prayers if they doe they will bee much deceiued Prou. 28.9 for Salomon saith He that turneth away his eare from hearing the law euen his prayer shall be abominable Let them pretend what they will for their wilfull absenting of themselues from our assemblies as namely that wee corrupt the word and misinterprete and misapply the same yet they shall finde that they haue refused to embrace the loue of the truth 2. Thes 2. and haue beleeued lies and that therefore the Lord hath iustly giuen them vp to bee deluded by Satan and so to bee damned with him euerlastingly Secondly for the iust reproofe of many among vs who will come vnto the Church and sit before the Preacher as men and women desiring to obtaine the knowledge of Gods waies whereas in truth the Lord and their owne consciences can witnesse that they are altogether vnwilling to receiue any wholesome admonition and instruction and that no charge is or can bee more vnpleasant and distastfull vnto them then that of the God of heauen when he straitly enioyneth them with all speed to get out of their sins and to turne their feet into the way of his testimonies And because they will bee very loath to acknowledge thus much but are ready to harbour too good an opinion of themselues as if none were more forward hearers then they are let their owne hearts bee iudges what preparation they make before hand for the fitting of themselues for such a great worke what attention they vse when they are present and what meditation and conference they haue concerning it when they are departed Of which points if they would without partiality examine themselues they should easily discerne a great deale of backwardnesse in their nature and in their practise If a man should protest that hee goes to the market with a great desire to buy food for himselfe and his family yet if he alwaies played the vnthrift with his money and neuer brought home any prouision we would not giue credit to his words but account him a meere dissembler and the like censure may wee passe on such as pretend they are willing to reape benefit by the word to the intent they may bee able to helpe both themselues and their families and yet neuer carrie away any thing to the purpose but if they aske them what points were handled they can say nothing but this surely wee heard a very good Sermon God be thanked but my memory is very short or I cannot vtter all that I haue in my mind my heart I hope is as good as the best though I cannot talke of the Sermon as others doe what is this but to deceiue their owne soules with vaine words for certainely hee that hath a heart willing to heare will haue a tongue readie to vtter in some tolerable sort that which hee hath heard though not all of it yet a good part of it as God hath giuen to euery one the measure of grace Another sort are here to be reproued who doe in a more palpable and grosse manner manifest their vnwillingnesse to heare in that they wil take euery sleight occasion to absent themselues and that not onely on the weeke daies but on the Lords day also so that when the Lord commeth euen to their dores and offereth to powre downe his graces abundantly vpon them they refuse his gracious offer Act. 13.46 and so iudge themselues vnworthie of eternall life Thirdly this is for our instruction if we would be freed from the accusation and condemnation of impious and prophane persons then let vs labour to be willing and well affected hearers and come with a better appetite to the food of our soules then wee doe to the food of our bodies and be more desirous to get an encrease of spirituall graces by the one Remedies against vnwillingnesse to heare the word then of naturell strength by the other Now to the intent that we may do so we must vse these remedies following First purge our hearts by true and vnfained repentance from the venome of all grosse and presumptuous sinnes yea from the allowance and liking of the least infirmities for otherwise if our soules bee clogged with poysoned humours of sinne wee shall find no manner of appetite or affection to our spirituall food Wherefore the Apostle Iames exhorting the twelue tribes to receiue the word with meekenesse prescribeth them what course to take for the preparing of their hearts thereunto Iam. 1.20.21 viz. to put away wrathfull and violent affections to lay apart al filthinesse and superfluity of malitiousnes And the like direction the Apostle Peter giueth in his first Epistle and second chapter vers 1.2 thereby implying that it is in vaine for men to imagine that they can bee profitable hearers and receiuers of the doctrine of Christ till they haue done their best endeauour to cleanse their hearts and their hands from all manner of iniquitie Secondly let vs consider of the excellency of the word and meditate on the strange and admirable effects that it worketh as namely how pure and holy and perfect it is euery way Psal 19.7 c. how it enlighteneth the mind and giueth wisedome to the simple how it conuerteth the soule and frameth the affections vnto obedience 2. Cor. 10. Act. 26.18 how it casteth downe the strong holds of the diuell setteth men at libertie from the power of darkenesse Iam. 1.21 and translateth them into the glorious kingdome of Iesus Christ and in a word is able to saue their soules that doe in a conscionable manner attend thereunto and treasure it vp in the secret of their hearts Which things being well considered will set an edge on our affections Psal 119. and cause vs
to haue as great delight in Gods statutes as in all manner of riches Thirdly and lastly when wee feele within vs a great vnwillingnesse to hearken to the word as the flesh will alwaies bee vnwilling to that which will mortifie and kill the sinfull lusts thereof let vs say with the Prophet Dauid Psal 119. part 5. Lord encline my heart vnto thy testimonies Neuer discourage our selues by thinking surely I shall neuer bee able to master my affections and to bring my heart with cheerefulnesse to listen vnto holy things but goe vnto the Lord that is greater then our hearts and stronger then our sinnes and beseech him to giue vs a good affection to his testimonies and if wee aske in faith and humility wee shall bee sure to obtaine our hearts desire Psal 25. for the Lord hath promised to teach the humble his way and if hee vndertake it it is neither our sinfull nature nor Satans malice that can hinder his worke but he will by degrees accomplish the same in vs aâ—â—ee hath done in all his elect from the beginning of the world euen vnto this present time And thus much for the helpes that wee must vse that wee may become willing and cheerefull hearers of the word of the Lord. Vers 10. Which say vnto the Seers see not c. THe Prophet had charged them that they were vnwilling to heare Gods word but they might obiect Wee are as forward to heare as any other yea saith he you heare indeed but what doctrine are you most desirous of would you not be flattered rather then reproued would you not haue falshood preached vnto you rather then the truth Doe you not say vnto the Seers see not and to the Prophets prophecie not vnto vs right things but speake flattering things vnto vs prophecie errours not that they were so brutish as in words to say thus much vnto the Seers that is to their faithfull teachers which had an insight into Gods will but their actions testified so much for they would vilifie and persecute such as dealt faithfully with them Whence obserue Doct. 3 that the more wholesome and holy any doctrine is The most holy doctrine is most distastfull vnto vnholy persons the more grieuous is it vnto the wicked sinners As any man of God preacheth more soundly and commeth nearer the conscience so is hee more abhorred of vngodly men This we may see euidently in sundry examples of Scripture as first of all in those of whom mention is made in the Reuelation where it is said Reuel 11. that there were two witnesses that is a competent and sufficient number of faithfull Preachers which were like Oliue trees Vers 4. to distill the oyle of grace into mens hearts and like Candelstickes to hold forth the light vnto those that liued in darknesse and ignorance but what was the effect of their preaching Vers 10. It is said that these two Prophets vexed them that dwealt on the earth that is all earthly minded men all such as were ignorant and proud vnchast and couetous so that they could neuer be well till they had killed them and cast out their corpses into the streets of the city but then they were glad and reioyced and sent presents one to another in token of their ioy hoping that now these two witnesses were dispatched out of the way they should go on merrily in their leaud courses and liue at hearts ease So Ahab professeth that hee hated the Prophet Micaiah and could not abide him how came that to passe he could like well enough of those foure hundred false Prophets that were entertained at Iezabels table this was the very true cause Micaiah neuer prophecied good vnto him 1. King 21.20 but euill Hee would deale faithfully in deliuering Gods message and not flatter him either for feare or fauor but when God proclaimed warre against him as hee must needs being an impious Idolater hee would let him heare of it and giue him no allowance in his wicked enterprises whereas those foure hundred dissembling hypocrites had learned to frame themselues to the Kings humour and to speake not true but pleasing things vnto him and by that meanes they insinuated themselues into his fauour And as he was affected towards Micaiah so was hee also towards Elijâ—h Hast thou found me O mine enemy saith he 1. King 21.20 Now what was the reason he should professe such emnity against him euen this that the holy Prophet of God came euer furnished with sharpe rebukes and terrible threatnings from heauen which hee was to denounce against him for his monstrous impiety against the Lord and cruelty against his seruants The like may be seene in Paul who for deliuering the holy and powerfull doctrine of the Gospell was counted a pestilent fellow Act. 24. and a troubler of the whole world not of the Saints that were in the world but of such as were men of the world who could not endure to haue their ignorance their Idolatry their hypocrisie the ill gouernment of their tongues of their affections and of their families laid open and disgraced and the reformation of these corruptions vrged and pressed vpon their consciences To this same purpose we may obserue further how mad and outragious they were against Steuen Acts 7. when hee came with sound doctrine to their vnsound hearts Act 7.54 c. it is said when they heard the things that hee deliuered their hearts brast for anger and they gnashed at him with their teeth and so giuing a shout with a loud voice and stopping their eares that they might not heare him any longer they ranne vpon him with great violence and carrying him out of the city stoned him to death Reasons The reasons why pure and holy doctrine is so vnpleasant and vnwelcome vnto impure and vnholy persons are these First because it doth maruellously crosse their wretched lusts and goes against those euill affections and actions which they are determined to follow they would bee proud but the word tels them Iam. 4. that then the Lord will resist them and at length confound them bodies and soules they would bee alwaies rooting in the earth and scraping together the pelfe of this world Reuel 22. but the word tels them that such swine shall be without that is excluded from the heauenly Ierusalem and haue their portion in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for euer Now when they are resolued to bee proud still and to bee rooters still and the Ministers of God are euer and anon grating vpon their consciences for the same they are much imbittered and incensed against them and their doctrine and if they can worke them any mischiefe they shall be sure not to misse of it Secondly such kinde of doctrine doth much disgrace both their courses and persons for it is the square whereby such crooked peeces are discerned and the touchstone wherby wicked mens vnsoundnes is discouered Hence is it
God saith he we thank thee and praise thy glorious name But who am I and what is my people that we should be able to offer willingly after this sort c. O Lord God of Abraham Isaac and Israel our fathers keepe this for euer in the purpose and thoughts of the hearts of thy people and prepare their hearts vnto thee From which words it is apparant that it is an admirable and supernaturall worke to haue a well disposed minde and a well affected heart vnto any thing that concernes the worship of God and his glory to bee franke and free-hearted in bestowing ones substance vpon sumptuous buildings costly apparell great house-keeping setting vp Lords of misrule and the like is a thing not worth the speaking of because a meere carnall man in arrogancie and vaine-glory may bee very lauish and prodigall to such ends and purposes But to haue a liberal heart for good vses either for the furtherance of Gods seruice or for the reliefe of the distressed Saints is a matter that we should take speciall notice of and be carefull to magnifie the name of the Lord for it and earnestly to entreate the continuance of it as Dauid doth in this place And though we be not alwaies alike but now and then dull and heauie and lumpish and drowsie when it pleaseth the Lord for our humbling to let the flesh play it part yet if wee sometimes and for the most part finde spirituall motions and affections and from thence proceed to holy speeches and actions as occasion and ability is offered wee haue great cause to blesse the name of God for his singular fauour and goodnesse towards vs in that behalfe THE SEAVENTH SERMON ISAIAH 30. Vers 19. Vers 19 Thou shalt weepe no more hee will certainely haue mercy vpon thee at the voice of thy cry when he heareth thee he will answere thee THe purpose of these words is to comfort the elect Iewes against those sorrowes and miseries that should fall vpon the Church and Common-wealth Wherein is declared 1. First what fauour the Lord would shew them viz. 1. That albeit they should tast of the common distresses which befell the rest and so be in heauinesse for a time yet at length they should be comforted and refreshed Thou shalt weepe no more 2. More generally the Prophet affirmeth that hee will haue mercy vpon them not naming the particulars because he intended to inrich them with euery good blessing needfull for their soules or bodies 2. Secondly what duty they were to performe namely to craue this fauour at the Lords hands and that not coldly and sleightly but vehemently and earnestly and then at the voice of their cry God promiseth to heare them yea so to heare them as to answere them in granting that which they should desire of him hee could no sooner heare their crying voice but they should feele his helping hand Vers 19. Thou shalt weepe no more Whence obserue this doctrine that All the sorrowes and teares of Gods Children shall end in ioy Doct. 5 All the afflictions of the Saints shall end in consolations Isa 30.20.29 Psal 30.5 As they haue their times of feeding vpon the bread of aduersity and the water of affliction so haue they also seasons of reioycing and of singing Psalmes of praise for their happie deliuerance out of troubles and miseries Heauinesse may abide at euening but ioy commeth in the morning They may sow in teares for a time but they shall reape in ioy Eccles 2. vlt. This is the very patrimonie and inheritance of the Saints as the Wise man saith Surely to a man that is good in his sight to wit through Christ God giueth wisdome and knowledge and ioy this he may build on and make full account of euen in the middest of all his sorrow and anguish And there is good reason why it must needs be thus First Reasons 1 because the afflictions of the Saints do exceedingly humble them for they looke vpward in their distresses and behold Gods righteous hand smiting them and thereupon descend vnto themselues and diue deepe into their hearts to search what corruptions doe lurke there whereby the Lord is incensed against them that so those being remoued by sound repentance his heauie displeasure may bee turned away from them and his louing countenance may shine vpon them This is it that Gods children will sooner or later come vnto albeit for a fit they bee passionate and discontented they will at length turne their eies from looking vpon their crosses to see the true cause thereof and so be grieued for their offences against God Ier. 31.19 and smite vpon their thighs in a holy indignation against themselues in regard of their pride and vnbeleefe and vnthankfulnesse and other the like corruptions They then leaue off musing on other mens iniuries and begin to bethinke themselues of their owne transgressions that so casting downe themselues by godly sorrow 1 Pet. 5.6 the Lord may raise them vp to pure and holy ioy which he will certainly doe in due season neither shall all their sinnes and sorrowes bee able to keepe them downe when once they are thoroughly humbled vnder the holy hand of God It is his promise then to lift them vp and Christ his office to comfort them that mourne Isa 61. and therfore as those that in their miseries are passionate and desperate full of murmuring against God and of fretting against men cannot expect any ioyfull issue out of their troubles so on the other side they that are lowly and broken harted much deiected and abased in the presence of the Lord and milde and peaceable in their carriage before men they may be assured that all their sighs shall end in songs that all teares shall bee wiped away from their eyes and that in stead of the spirit of heauinesse they shall in due time be clad with the garments of gladnesse Secondly Gods seruants doe pray in their afflictions which is the very high way vnto sound comfort Psal 50. Call vpon me in the time of trouble saith God and I will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me This Asa and Iehoshaphat had good experience of for when they being in a great straite 2. Chron. 14. 20. had humbled themselues by fasting and prayer their hearts were full of ioy and their mouthes full of the praises of the Lord for their wonderfull deliuerance from their enemies And the like may be said of Hester and Mordecai Hestor and the rest of the Iewes in his time Iohn 16.20 And our Sauiour telleth his Disciples Verily verily I say vnto you that yee shall weepe and lament but your sorrow shal bee turned into ioy But by what meanes should they attaine vnto this the words following doe make it manifest Ask saith he and ye shall receiue Vers 24. that your ioy may bee full When Christians doe enioy wealth and credit and ease they are oftentimes made so dull and
naturall child loueth his father naturally and though his father beate him yet he beareth it and still loueth him 2. Pet. 1.2.3.4 They haue powred and infused into them a godly nature so that they doe freely loue God their father and though hee afflict them or crosse them in their desires yet they loue him and in loue performe their obedience vnto him continually Iob 13. Therefore Iob saith Though hee kill me yet will I trust in him And this is the third marke or rule whereby to proue and trie our selues The last rule is in considering the effect of Gods mercies receiued For herein do the wicked shew their wickednesse two waies First on the right hand the mercies of God do worke in them a wonderfull contentation but not such as causeth them to returne the glory vnto God but rather to ascribe it vnto themselues for the graces of God do puffe them vp make them conceited in themselues Hereof there ariseth a great security which bringeth first neglect and after contempt of all good meanes On the left hand others offend being neuer pleased nor contented with that they haue nay indeed forgetting or lightly esteeming that they haue and still desiring new These men besides that they are vnthankfull they doe also murmure and grudge against God and are neuer pleased with him Betweene these two doe the children of God hold a middle and euen course and therefore wee shall see these things in them First a sight and acknowledgement of their wants which cause them to long for the sincere milke of the word that thereby their wants may bee supplied and their graces encreased and so farre are they from being lifted vp with pride that they reioyce when their pride may bee pulled downe whether by rebukes or threatnings or corrections from the Lord. For they know that if Paul needed meanes of humbling 2. Cor. 12. much more doe they Besides as they desire the word so they waite vntill it please the Lord to worke further in them thereby and this waiting is as earnest as theirs who hauing watched all night do wait and looke for the dawning of the day Secondly as they see their wants Psal 119.10 so doe they also see the graces they haue receiued and are for that time well apaid and contented therewith and therefore as their wants doe humble them so Gods graces doe comfort them and as their wants do call vpon them to seek more so the gifts they haue prouoke them to be thankfull for that they haue receiued And thus much for the last rule of triall These forenamed properties whosoeuer can find in himselfe he may bee assured that the spirit hath wrought in him so effectually as that it shall neuer be taken from him But what then may such cast off all care No the Apostle saith vnto such Quench not the spirit And not without cause for though the spirit it selfe can neuer bee vtterly taken from them yet doubtlesse if pride security or any other sinne begin to take place in them the graces of the spirit may decay and their cleare vnderstanding and comfortable feelings may be gone so that in their own and others iudgements the spirit may seeme to be quite extinguished Neither must this seeme strange for if the Image of God which was more perfectly placed in Adam might be quite lost then no maruell if the graces of the spirit bee drowned in vs for a time The Galathians were truly regenerated and had receiued Christ into their hearts yet their graces were so choked and quenched that hee was as it were without fashion or forme so that the Apostle did as it were trauell againe Gal. 4.19 vntill Christ was fashioned anew in them Dauid also vpon the committing of his sinne was brought vnto that case Psal 51. that he prayed God to create in him a new spirit What was the spirit quite gone No for by and by after he prayeth that God would not take his holy spirit from him but the graces thereof were wonderfully decaied and therefore he desireth that they might be renued But that none may abuse this doctrine Euils that follow vpon quenching of the spirit let vs consider what punishments doe follow vpon the quenching of the spirit in this sort First of all we must know that though the spirit bee not gotten by our labour yet that is required for the obtaining of it and it must cost vs much paines ere we can get it into our hearts all which seemeth to be lost when the graces of the spirit are withered Secondly all that peace and ioy before spoken of is gone with how great griefe and woe they know that in any measure haue tasted of it Thirdly for that time they haue no heart to do good but are made vnprofitable burthens to the earth Moreouer such are in danger of falling into reproachfull euils and so to procure the sharp correcting hand of God vpon themselues who hath said that though hee will not take his mercies vtterly from his children yet hee will visit their sinnes with the rod and their iniquities with scourges as he dealt with Dauid Last of all when the graces of the spirit of God are once decayed they cannot bee repaired but with very much sorrow for what a griefe will it be to call to mind our former transgressions to aggrauate them by all circumstances to apply the terrible threatnings of the law to our stonie harts and the like The consideration of all which discommodities should cause vs to beware how we quench the spirit Yet here is matter of comfort also for though we may suffer a great decay of Gods graces yet by the rod or by the word or by both they shall be renued in vs againe A Discourse of murmuring in the time of affliction MAny men hearing of the often murmurings of the Israelites doe iudge them the worst people vnder the Sunne but such doe little consider either the temptations whereby they were prouoked to murmure or the corruption of their owne hearts which will as bitterly murmure vpon lesse occasion For albeit they were an obstinate and stiffe-necked people yet heerein they were vehemently tempted that they came from plenty in Egypt to scarsity in the wildernesse hauing neither meate nor drinke for all that multitude being sixe hundred thousand men besides women and children Wherefore let vs cease to wonder at this people and in them see our owne corruption For do not many amongst vs beholding the abundance which the Lord hath bestowed vpon Magistrates or Ministers for the discharge of their duties doe they not I say rather murmure at it then shew themselues thankefull for troubles that they are freed from and for sufficiencie that the Lord hath giuen them to liue vpon True it is that notwithstanding the greatnes of this peoples temptation their sinne was very hainous for Gods mercies had been wonderfull towards them euen immediatly before and that the vnthankfullest of them
Baruck And Christ would haue vs to pray onely for our daily bread which also was Iacobs prayer Gen. 28. that he might haue food and raiment wherewith the Apostle would haue vs to be content 1. Tim. 6. Let vs first seeke the kingdome of heauen c. and then if the Lord giue plenty let vs be more thankfull and seruiceable if not his fauour is sufficient of it selfe and we shall bee more comfortable with a little Psalm 4. then other are in great abundance without that But if we caÌ„not rest in the fauour of God though wee want these outward things it is certaine wee doe not truly esteeme it neither haue wee at that time any comfortable assurance of the remission of our sinnes The second property of a patient mind is simply to giue vp it felfe vnto God and to commit it selfe into his hand waiting at all times for helpe from him who onely is the author of all goodnes yet neither prescribing the meanes nor appointing the time nor in any case indenting with him for the Lord will haue the disposition of his mercies free vnto himselfe to giue and bestow when and where and how it pleaseth him and as it may most make for his glory and therefore wee must wholly resigne vp our selues vnto him Which if we can doe so mercifully doth God vse to deale that when we least desire outward things then we shall haue them and when wee freely giue them vp to him he will giue them to vs againe Abraham gaue vnto the Lord Isaac his sonne which when the Lord did behold hee quickly gaue him his sonne againe and so will hee deale with vs still The readiest way to retaine life goods c. is to yeeld them vp wholly into Gods hands not with this condition that he shall giue them to vs againe for that were to mocke the Lord but without all care to haue them we must giue them to him being heartily well content for his glory to forgo them and then if they be good for vs wee shall receiue them againe if not wee shall receiue some spirituall grace which shall better supply the want of them Yea the infinite wisdome and mercy of God doth wonderfully appeare herein that sometimes hee keepeth vs long without these things because that if we had them he seeth that we would abuse them and preferre them before spirituall blessings And sometime the Lord seeing our small regard of spirituall things will by the want of these outward things bring vs to make greater account of them that when wee can well want the one and highly esteeme the other we may haue both together FINIS TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE ANNE LADY WAINTVVORTH increase of all true honour and happinesse c. RIght Honourable may it please you to take in good worth my bold attempt in presuming to recommend vnto your fauourable patronage these SermoÌ„s following Your honours vndeserued respect of me made me desirous to testifie my vnfained thankfulnesse which I could not imagine how with greater conueniencie to expresse and manifest then by taking hold of this present occasion especially considering that your constant and more then ordinarie pains-taking to heare such holy instructions is a sufficient argument to euince your loue and liking of the matter therein comprised and your good regard of the authors well knowne vnto me gaue me â—ccasion to thinke that their labours in this sort offering themselues vnto your eye would be no lesse welcome then formerly they haue beene being in another manner presented vnto your eare Concerning the Tract of Zeale annexed to these Sermons it is a collection of diuers rules which I heard read touching that subiect principally of such as were scattered heere and there in Maister R. Greenhams Workes which being exceeding vsesull I thought good to gather them into one with an addition of sundrie prooses of Scripture for the ease and helpe of those that are well affected especially of such whose abilitie will not reach to the price of that great volume of M. Greenhams labours And thus humbly beseeching your Honour to pardon my boldnesse and to beare with my manifold defects which shall be found in the penning of these Sermons I recommend you to the gratious protection of the Almightie Your Honours according to my poore abilitie readie to be commanded IOHN WINSTON THE POINTS OF DOCTRINE HANDLED IN THE SERMONS following SERMON I. DOCT. I. THe first steppe to true and sound repentance is to be wounded and disquieted in our hearts for sinne 2 Lawfull things must be done lawfully and good things in a good manner 3 With confession of sinne must be ioyned earnest requests for pardon thereof 4 The more sinfull any one is the more foolish he is 5 It is a wonderfull hard thing to take downe the pride of mans heart 6 The more speedily we iudge our selues the more mercifully the Lord will deale with vs. SERMON II. DOCT. I. SInne brings men into maruellous straits 2. Gods seruants neuer find so great fauour as with God himselfe 3 God maketh his iudgements sutable to our sinnes 4 When God sets in with his iudgements they shall be farre dispersed in a short time 5 As God appointeth iudgements to be inflicted on his people so he himselfe will see execution done 6 A good man will lay a greater burden on himselfe then on another SERMON III. DOCT. I. ALthough humane helps and earthly friends do faile Gods people yet they are not helpelesse nor hopelesse 2 No outward thing comes neerer the hearts of Gods children then the decay of good men 3 Deceitfull friends are worse then openfoes SERMON IIII. DOCT. I. THe more skilfully and artificially any contriues his ill purposes the more fearefull destruction shall fall vpon him 2 The more wicked men boast of their mischieuous intents the neerer mischiefe is vnto them 3 No man hath the royaltie of his owne tongue nor the ordering of his owne speech FINIS The first Sermon 2. SAMVEL 24.10.11.12 Verse 10. Then Dauids heart smote him after that hee had numbred the people and Dauid saide vnto the Lord I haue sinned exceedingly in that I haue done therefore now Lord I beseech thee take away the trespà sse of thy seruant for I haue done very foolishly 11. And when Dauid was vp in the morning the word of the Lord came vnto the Prophet Gad c. IN these words is set foorth the repentance of Dauid for his sinne committed in numbring the people wherin the holy Prophet sheweth 1. What meanes hee vsed to be reconciled vnto God Namely 1. First that he was touched with inward remorse and hearty griefe for his offence Then Dauids heart smote him after that hee had numbred the people 2 Secondly that he made a particular and very earnest confession of his fault I haue sinned exceedingly in that I haue done 3 Thirdly that hauing bewayled and acknowledged his sinne he instantly craued pardon for the same therefore now Lord I
and crushed in peeces with the vnsupportable weight of Gods vengeance heereafter Thirdly Vse 3 sith this inward touch for sinne is a thing so necessarie let vs hence learne to labour for it and to keepe tendernes of heart when we baue obtained it for that sorrow which breaketh the heart doth withall breake the necke of sinne and therefore when the Lord doth checke controle our consciences let vs esteeme it as a great mercie and not let such stroakes passe without their right vse but let vs goe to God and to his children for helpe and direction and then that little sparke of the fire of God in our soules being fed nourished will grow in the end to a great flame Now that our harts may be kept alwaies tender sensible of those checks which Gods spirit giueth vs let vs vse these meanes that follow First let vs in our hearts the weapon of God Meanes to get tendernes of heart euen the sword of the spirit whereby our hearts may be wounded as often as need requireth for vnregenerate persons wanting that weapon will rather defend then smite themselues when they haue offended and euery childe of God hath somewhat of old Adam in him in which regard he must be more carefull to vse the sword of the spirit for the piercing of his heart when any sinne is committed by him Iohn 16.8 withall praying for the spirit of grace which will conuince the conscience when it is guiltie so that it shall haue nothing to say in defense of it selfe but very much for the condemnation of it selfe as is euident Ezec. Ezeck 36. 36.27 whereby we may obserue that when God hath giuen his spirit vnto his elect and as it is in Ieremy Ier. 31. 31 33. withall written his lawes in their hearts then they shall remember their owne wicked waies and their deedes that were not good and shall iudge themselues worthy to haue beene destroyed for their iniquities for their abhominations What is the reason they should passe such a heauie sentence vpon themselues one would thinke they should rather reioyce now allow of themselues and of their workes so they doe reioyce at and approue of themselues and their workes so farre as they are spirituall but they proclaime war against themselues and their workes so far as either they are or haue beene carnall and sinfull and that because the word of God and the spirit of God doe beare sway in their hearts they are at vtter defiance with their pride and hypocrisie and all wretched lusts that fight against their soules being neuer so much tormented with those sinnes as when they haue attained to a great measure of humilitie and of sinceritie He that is most lowly is euer most vexed with his pride and he that is most vpright and true hearted is most of all troubled with the guilefulnes and deceitfulnes of his owne heart because the word and the spirit working together doe cause him both more clerely to see and more throughly to hate those corruptions than euer hee did before he had attained to that measure of grace Secondly we must not content our selues when once we haue gotten the word and spirit of God within vs but we must still striue to keepe our hearts humble and lowly for otherwise we shall not feele the strokes of the word and spirit of God therefore it is said Isay 30.20.21 Isa 30. that when the Lord had dieted his people a while giuing them the bread of aduersitie and the water of affliction and thereby taken downe the pride and stubbornenesse of their hearts that then their eares should heare a word behind them saying this is the way walke in it c. that is when they were thus humbled as soone as euer they had committed any offence they should presently haue a blow vpon their hearts for it and be full of feare and anguish though no man in the world tell them of it yet the word in their hearts will be like a good guide that is still following a little child and telling him this is not the right way leaue it there is the right way walke in it but many haue hearts pestered with pride and lust and couetousnesse and yet goe a whole moneth nay many monethes and yeares together and neuer feele any rebuke in their consciences How comes this to passe that others are full of griefe and full of teares for their sinnes and they are neuer troubled for them is it beause there is greater vprightnes in them then there is in others No surely it is because they haue a more blind minde and a more proud and senselesse hart then others haue for the more humble any one is the more often shall he heare the voyce of the spirit checking him when hee goeth out of the way moouing him to turne again into the right way Thirdly we must especially beware of presūptuous sins for if we liue therein our hearts will cease to smite vs or at least we shall be senselesse of these strokes as may be seene in the case of Dauid when he had cut off the lap of Sauls garment and numbred the people which were but infirmities forthwith his conscience rebuked him and he was humbled before the Lord but when he had committed adulterie and murder either the checkes of his conscience were none at all or else they were so weake 2. Sam. 12. that hee had no sense nor feeling thereof so that Nathan was driuen to fetch about as it were and to vse all the art that might be to make him see his offences and passe sentence against himselfe for the same Let vs therefore by his example learne to beware how we presumptuously sinne against our consciences especially in palpable and grosse offences least our mindes being by degrees blinded and our affections by little and little corrupted we become in the end very blocks and stones and haue our consciences so darkened that they will not accuse vs or our hearts so benummed that they will not be mooued with the stroakes of God and with the checks of his holy spirit After that he had numbred the people Heere is his speciall sinne that he numbred his subiects which may seeme to be no such great matter for which God should so plague the land and if there had bene that measure of hypocrisie in Dauid as there is in many of vs he would haue pleaded thus for himselfe What need I to be so troubled for this and what reason is there why God should proceede so seuerely against me for the same did not Moses and Ioshua holy men of God number the people in their daies and that warrantably and why then may not I doe the like hauing more absolute authoritie ouer them then they had but his heart staied him from all such reasoning of the matter and told him that though hee did the same action which they did yet the manner of doing thereof was
substance so much high-mindednes there is in the parties so addicted The more men trust in God the more humble they will be but the more they trust in their wealth the more high-minded they will bee If men would trie themselues by this touch-stone they should easily discerne abundance of pride in themselues for who almost is there but doeth thinke himselfe the better and safer for the very hauing of earthlie things and who doth not iudge his case more miserable meerly for the want of these deceitfull vanities Let vs therefore sifte our owne hearts and by these and the like fruites of pride learne to iudge what abundance of this poysoned sappe there is within vs. And then perceiuing how liable wee are vnto many fearefull stroakes of God by reason thereof let vs carefully vse these remedies following against the same First let vs often search and trie our owne hearts and workes by the right rule Remedies against Pride that is by the holy law of God for none are lifted vp but such as doe not knowe themselues for if wee rightly considered what we are and what our actions are it would take downe all that foolish conceitednes that is naturallie ingrafted in vs and cause vs to say with the Publican Lord bee mercifull to mee a sinner and with Paul Miserable man that I am who shall deliuer mee from the bodie of this death Luke 18.13 Rom. 7.24 hee was aliue that is thought himselfe aliue and in verie good case before the law came coÌ„uinced him of his wretched corruptions hee was euen as a blinde man that feares nothing though a man came running vpon him with a sharpe sword or he were ready to fal down violeÌ„tly froÌ„ an high and dangerous rocke he would neuer be daunted at the matter nor one whit moued because hee sees not that hee is in any danger such was Pauls case and such is the state of euery vnregenerate man but when Gods law is once pressed vpon the conscience by the liuely working of the holie Ghost it inlightens the minde and makes men see their owne sinfulnes as Paul did which is an excellent meanes to kill all proud and loftie conceits If therefore we desire to be ridde of this hatefull and hurtfull companion I meane pride let vs often and earnestly examine our selues by this straight rule of Gods law we are giuen to try our selues often by examining whether we be not better than such a man or such a woman but this is a false and a deceitfull rule for a man may be better than such and such and yet be starke naught But the proud flesh will be readie to obiect and say Obiect I doe not onely goe beyond these and these wicked ones but I am better than diuers that are esteemed godly and religious Are you so you may easily be deceiued Answer and the better conceit you haue of your selfe the worse you are likely to be but grant for the time that you excell others in some things doe not they goe before you in some other you haue a better gouernement of your tongue than many of your neighbours but are you not more grosly tainted with couetousnes than they are You haue a better gift of chastitie than another but doeth not he lesse offend in violent distempered passions than you doe and the like might be said in other particulars If you consider your owne goodnes and others badnes you may easily growe to thinke better of your selfe than of others but if you would withall set before your eyes their goodnes and your owne badnes it would happily make you to haue a better opinion of them than of your selfe and cause you to conclude that all things considered their graces are more excellent than yours But let that be yeelded that you are indeed beyond many others in pietie and godlines doe you not yet come farre short of that which the law requireth for those gifts that you haue whence proceeded they are they not bestowed vpon you out of the Lords meere bountie and if you haue receiued them why are you puffed vp as if you had not receiued them If you did aright consider that you are no more worthy of the least blessing of God than the vilest creature in the world and that not your goodnes but Gods goodnes is the cause that you excell others there would be no place left for ouer-weening coÌ„ceits of your selfe but you would conclude as the truth is that the better you are gifted Rom. 1.14 the more you are indebted and the more talents you haue the more thankes you owe vnto God Math. 25. and the more seruice vnto his people And thus much for the first remedie against pride which is to try our selues and our actions by the true touchstone of Gods word The second is often to bring our hearts into Gods presence by prayer thanks-giuing for that will make vs acquainted with that holines which is in the Lord and then we cannot but see and acknowledge that vilenes which is in our selues This was it that made AbrahaÌ„ the father of Beleeuers and the most excellent of all the Patriarks Gen. 18.27 to confesse that he was but dust and ashes this was it that caused Isaiah a maruellous holy prophet Isa 42.6 to cry out that he was a man of polluted lips and this was it that made Iob that worthie and renowmed seruant of God Iob. 42.6 euen to abhorre himselfe and to repent indust and ashes And assuredly if we constantly and zealously accustome our selues to come before Gods glorious throane it will make vs much ashamed to stand vpon our owne worth and frame vs to a very lowly conceit of our selues And on the contrarie we may boldly conclude that they that doe not vse reuerently and faithfully to call vpon the Lord are proud and hautie and arrogant persons and neuer yet knewe what true lowlines meant where there are many and feruent prayers there is much humilitie where there are fewe and weake prayers there is little humilitie where there are no faithfull prayers at all there is no humilitie at all A third helpe against pride is diligence in some lawfull calling Eccl. 1.13 for labour and trauell as the wise man saith are appointed vnto the sonnes of men to humble them thereby As for idle persons they are alwaies proud and conceited A sluggard is wiser in his owne eyes Prou. then ten men that can render a reason for such kind of people hauing nothing to busie their heads about are very readie Sathan helping them forward to thinke of their owne worth to imagine high things of themselues and so to build â—astles in the aire besides that idlenes nourisheth in them all manner of vile lusts and the more sinfull any one is the more proud he is and therefore is the diuell more proud than any because he is more sinfull than any If then we would not be in bondage
men into straits neither will God spare his owne people when they take libertie in prouoking his maiestie but either they shall be straited in their owne hearts or else in regard of outward calamities or both and though the Lord will not condemne them yet will he afflict them Iehoshaphat was so foolish that he would make affinitie with Ahab and lest he should breake off that league of friendship that was betweene them he would aduenture contrary to the expresse word of the Lord to goe against Ramoth Gilead to battle with him now was not he in an exceeding great straight when the maine force of the battle was bent against him being supposed to be the King of Israel concerning whom a command was giuen to the Captaines by the King of Aram 1. King 22.31.32 that they should fight against none neither small nor great but onely against the King of Israel Yet would not Iehoshaphat take warning by this but after that he had beene rebuked by Iehu the Prophet 2. King 3. for helping the wicked and louing them that hated the Lord he yet ioyned with Iehoram the King of Israel against the King of Moab but was his successe any better then before No surely for howsoeuer they had the victorie ouer the Moabites with much difficultie yet before that was effected he was in a greater straight then when he went against Ramoth Gilead for there his owne person onely was endangerd but heere both he and his people together with two Kings and their armies besides were like to perish for want of water A further proofe of this point we haue in Ionah who discoursing with his owne reason thought it would be to no purpose but very dangerous for him to goe to preach at Niniue and therefore refused to yeeld to the Commandement of the Lord. But what wofull distresse did this disobedience bring him into when being in that sore tempest the sea did roare his conscience accuse him men were against him God was against him and there was no way for him but to be throwne into the sea and there to remaine three daies and three nights in the belly of a whale Iudges 16. The like may be seene in Sampson who being carried with boisterous lusts and immoderately and sinfully affecting that vile strumpet Dalilah could hide nothing from her but discouered vnto her very foolishly wherein his great strength lay namely in his haire and so that being cut off as a recompence of his folly and sinfull dealing he was betraied into the hands of his most deadly enemies the Philistims who puld out both his eyes bound him in fetters made him grinde in the prison house and besides made him a laughing stocke vnto those into whom he had formerly stricken a great terrour and amazement by his admirable valour and the strange enterprises atchieued by him Thus we may in part perceiue into what narrow straits sinne doth bring Gods owne children but this is especially verified in wicked men of whom it is said Psou 22.5 that thornes and snares are in the way of the froward they are hedged in with thornes and all their walke is vpon brakes they run to hell with great vexation they are intangled in snares continually and are neuer out of them they are caught in Sathans net and held fast by hardnesse of heart which neuer leaues them till either conuersion or vtter confusion doe befall them But this will more fully appeare in particular sinnes as first to giue instance in drunkards whose appetite doth prouoke them vnto that beastly abuse of Gods good creatures the wine delights their eye and pleaseth their taste and goeth downe merily Pro. 23.32.29.30 but in the end it will bite like a Serpent and hurt like a cockatrice for to whom is woe to whom is sorrow c. Euer to them that tarrie long at the wine to them that goe and seeke mixt wine for they ruinate and ouerthrow their estate they blemish and staine their names make their wiues to fall out with them their children to contemne them their companions to quarrell with them their best friends to loath them and after all this they are a burden vnto themselues hauing their wittes crackt and their bodies diseased and beeing fit for no place but onely for hell The same may be said of proud men doth not their sinne throwe them into great miserie Let vs consider a little of Hamans fall which was procured by his insolencie God knewe what crosse would most vexe his proud heart and that he sent him for whereas all Hamans honour could doe him no good vnlesse Mordecai would rise vp before him and doe him reuerence that was a thorne vnto him when hee could not make him doe it but when hee must honour Mordecai and be as a seruant vnto him that was a snare vnto his soule and therein was hee helde fast with horrible vexation and monstrous shame till death and damnation seazed vpon him The like may bee seene in riotous and voluptuous persons who are whollie addicted to followe sporting and gaming and surfetting and chambering and wantonnesse with such like sinfull delights of the flesh the world thinks that such liue a merrie life but iudge not too well of them they haue not paid all their shot as yet they haue miserie enough behinde that still pursues them and at length will ouertake them for hee that loues pastime shall be a poore man and hee that loues wine and oyle shall not bee rich Pron 21.17 and a Whore will bring a man to a morsell of bread pouertie shall followe at the heeles of such Prou. 6.26 as a swift Post and shall set vpon them as a strong armed man they shall be ouercome and vanquished and downe shall their estate goe euen to the ground Another instance may be in couetous persons who haue wealth in wonderfull admiration so that it is made the common god and most vsuall Idoll of the world and when they haue gotten it they and manie others thinke they shall haue great credit with it and manie times it so falls out that they are men of great place because they are of great substance they haue manie to attend vpon them manie to flatter them and to crouch vnto them and by their riches they may procure almost what they list doth not this now seeme to be an easie a pleasant and happy life Yet the Apostle telleth vs 1. Tim. 6.19 that they that will be rich fall into tentation and snares and into manie foolish and noysome lusts which drowne men in perdition and destruction so that when wealth together with the loue of it flowes in on euery side men are as it were cast headlong into a sea of miserie and therefore it is added that the desire of mony is the roote of all euill for it doth not onely poyson mens hearts make them erre from the faith and bring them into the snares of the diuell to be
purpose withall the Lord promiseth Verse 15. that he would be with him and keepe him So Psal 34.15 it is set downe as a great consolation vnto the Saints that the eyes of the Lord are vpon therighteous Instruction Vse that we should labour not onely to be in Ierusalem but to be of it and then when Gods iudgements are abroad we shall be in no danger God will command his faithfull Angels to doe vs no hurt wherein if they should refuse to obey they must needs become diuels and reprobate spirits which is impossible Let vs labour therefore to be of the number of those that mourne for the abominations of Ierusalem that so we may be saued when others are destroyed Let vs grieue for the impietie and blasphemie and crueltie and impuritie that is in our Land so shall we haue a testimonie vnto our hearts that we are Ierusalem but as for those that are Babels Egyps Sodomes whose houses are full of voluptuousnesse pride gluttony drunkennesse worldlinesse and the like the Lord is likely to command his Angell to smite at them with a ful stroke for where should his sword light but vpon his enemies Verse 17. And Dauid spake vnto the Lord and said Behold I haue sinned Whereas indeed the people had prouoked the Lord most yet Dauid thought himselfe most guiltie and therefore he would haue Gods hand to haue beene on him and not on the people A good man will lay a greater burden on himselfe then on an other and passe sentence against himselfe Doct. 6 A good man is most seuere against himselfe 2. Tim. 1.15 rather then against another So doth Paul Christ came into the world to saue sinners saith he of whom I am chiefe And as for matter of guilt so also for matter of punishment We see in Moses Exod. 32. that because the people were many and he was but one he intreated God that he might be wiped out of his booke rather then all his people should be destroyed But especially this point is verified in our Sauiour who when mankind was vtterly insufficient either to put in sureties Philip. or to discharge their debt did humble himselfe to take on him the state of a seruant and abased himselfe that he might bring vs vnto glory and endured a shamefull and painefull and cursed death that he might bring vs vnto eternall life And this commeth to passe Reasons first because good men are endued with that amiable grace of brotherly loue which causeth them not so much to seeke their owne ease 1. Cor 13. as the benefit of others but to lay the more vpon themselues that others may be the ratherspared Secondly they are adorned with that admirable vertue of Christian humilitie which directeth their eyes to other mens graces and their owne corruptions they hope the best of that which is in their brethren and finde out the worst of that which is in themselues This serueth Vse 1 first for reproofe of those that are readie to shift off all from themselues and though they be wholy or most in fault yet will lay the blame altogether on others Heere also are those hypocrites to be reprehended that will lay heauie burdens and require strict obedience of others especially of Ministers and yet they themselues make no conscience of any sinne be it neuer so contrarie to the Lawes of God or of man Others there are also that may iustly come vnder this reproofe that care not who want so they haue plentie nor who hunger so they haue sufficient nor who sinke so they swimme though it be by thrusting others vnderwater Secondly this is for consolation to them that can goe from their owne commoditie and ease credit so God may haue glory and his people good they are of the same spirit that Moses and Dauid and Paul were and therefore their reward in heauen and their praise on earth shall be sutable Mercifull men lose nothing if Nehemiah had gotten together all the money in that country and had attained to be King of Persia Nehem. 5.14.15.16.17.18 he could not haue procured himselfe so much true honour as he did by not taking all the stipend that he might haue done being a man of his place and by entertaining a great many that were in want at his table which he needed not to haue done and besides the good and deserued estimation that he got he could with comfort and so may all that are like him intreate the Lord to remember him in goodnesse which the Lord neuer failed to do The end of the second Sermon The third Sermon PSALME 12.1.2 Verse 1. Helpe Lord for there is not a godly man left for the faithfull are failed from among the children of men 2. They speake deceitfully euery one with his neighbour flattering with their lips and speake with a double heart THese words containe in them a prayer of Dauid when hee himselfe was pursued by Saul and the Church of God was in great distresse when his friendes withdrew themselues from him and fewe continued in that holie profession of Gods name which formerly they had made Now in this prayer of his wee may obserue 1. First a petition Helpe Lord Seeing mens helpe failed and their power was bent against equitie and Iustice which should haue vpheld maintained it therefore hee appeales to an higher power and intreateth reliefe and succour from the Lord. 2. Secondly a complaint and that 1. Of the decay of good men and of goodnes in them There is not a godly man left c. Whereas superiours should haue ministred refreshing vnto the distressed or at least inferiours borne a burden with them they were now taken away when there was greatest need of them not that there were no good men at all for Gad and Nathan and Ionathan were now in the Church but in comparison of the aduerse part they were so fewe that they did scarce appeare to be any at all 2 Of the deceitfulnes of bad men They speake deceitfully euery one with his neighbour c that is euery one of the contrarie side was full of craft and cunning vsing faire words but intending much mischiefe speaking with a heart and a heart as the Prophet saith that is a heart that made shew of one thing but meant the quite contrary seeming to be for Dauid when in truth they plotted against him Helpe Lord here we see his refuge Verse 1. he betaketh himselfe vnto God when he is forsaken of men Whence obserue this Doctrine that Although all humane helpes and earthly friends doe faile Gods people yet they are not helplesse Doct. 1 Gods childrē neuer helples nor hopelesse Albeit in regard of mans assistance they be vtterly destitute yet the Lord will be euer with them and alwaies stand for them Dauids argument here is not this Lord helpe for there be many that will ioyne with thee but this Lord helpe for there is none else that will helpe so that
the earth shall bring foorth her increase Psal 67.5 and God euen our God shall blesse vs. If there be but ten righteous men and women in a Citie or some few in a whole Country all the rest shall speed the better for their sakes how much more then if there be multitudes of them What a griefe therefore must it needs be to the wise and godly when these props and pillars of the Church and Common-wealth are taken away Which serueth First Vse 1 for the iust reproofe of those that doe carrie a deadly enmitie against the multitude of Christians that now are and doe much grieue that there should be so many that resort vnto the word in publike that read it in priuate that haue praier and singing of Psalmes in their families c. they grudge and murmur at it as if some conspiracie or mutinie against the State were towards and as if the good of mens soules and the peace of the common-wealth could not stand together These are of another spirit then Dauid was who lamented that there were so few such and these are indeed vtter enemies vnto God who esteemes his people to be his chiefe treasure vnder heauen and therefore they shall beare their iudgement whosoeuer they be that doe thus malice the seruants of God and endeuour to peruert them or to diminish the number of them Secondly Vse 2 heere is matter of cōfort for thē that are of the same disposition that Dauid was that crynight and day Helpe Lord for the godly perish c that labour with God by fasting and weeping praying that he would vphold the state of his Church If the praier of Dauid being but one man were effectuall for the continuing of Gods people how much more forcible shall the requests of many thousands be who doe vncessantly intreate the Lord with great earnestnesse to be fauourable vnto Sion and to build vp the walles of Ierusalem to saue his chosen and defend his owne heritage against the malicious plots and practises of all their enemies They speake deceitfully euery one with his neighbour Heere he sheweth what manner of enemies were against him not such as would professe themselues open aduersaries for though he had many such yet heere he dealeth not against them but such as would make shew of good will whereas indeed there was in them nothing lesse Now in that his chiefe complaint is against them the doctrine is that Deceitfull friends are worse then open and apparant foes Doct. 3 Fained friends worse then open foes Dauid had diuers professed enemies as Saul and such as were neere him yet none of their practises went so neere his heart as these mens that would pretend to be friendly vnto him To this purpose it is said by Salomon Prou. 27.6 that The wounds of a louer are faithfull and the kisses of an enemie are to be praied against for so the words must be read When a faithfull friend doth rebuke vs and seeke to wound our hearts for sinne that is exceeding profitable for vs but when an enemie vnder pretence of loue whereof by kissing they then made shew doth come against vs Indas Matth. 26.49 and seeke to vndermine vs that is exceeding dangerous and the hurt thereof much to be praied against The waters that runne smoothly and mildly are commonly most deepe and dangerous whereas that which roares is more shallow and safe The reasons of this doctrine are Reasons 1 First that such craftie foxes doe more easily come within a man and sooner deceiue him An open enemie commeth as it were before ones face and so his blowes may be better warded off but a false friend commeth behind ones backe and fasteneth a deadly blow ere a man be aware and therefore Ioab when he would speed Abner and Amasa did not bid open defiance vnto them but being therein more crafty and subtill then either godly or manly gaue them kind salutations and vnder pretence of loue most cruelly murdered them both And as it is for the outward man so is it also for the soule The most dangerous temptations are those that proceed from fained friends vnder the colour of loue and desire of our good If Sathan had come vnto Eue and told her I charge you eat of the tree in the midst of the garden whatsoeuer the danger be stand not vpon that for I will haue your husband and you to be damned she would neuer haue hearkened vnto him but when he perswaded her that he was her friend and meant her good namely that by eating thereof she might be made like vnto God himselfe knowing both good and euill then was she ouertaken by him and so being ouercome herselfe she became the instrument of the diuell to deceiue her husband in like sort And so it is with many that haue held out well against raging and violent temptations and yet haue beene foulely drawne aside and shamefully foiled by milder temptations vnto profit or pleasure or credit Secondly the false dealing of such counterfeit friends doth much more afflict the heart of a man then any iniurious actions of manifest aduersaries as we may see in that Psalme of Dauid where he saith Surely mine enemie did not defame me for I could haue borne it c. Psai 55.12.13 but it was thou ô man euen my companion my guide and my familiar c. When his words were smooth and softer then butter and yet prooued deceitfull they went thorow his heart euen as swords and this was iust vpon him because he had dealt in that sort with his faithfull subiect Vriah seeming to fauour him by imploying him in speciall seruices when he went about to take away his life that he might couer his owne iniquities First therefore let this instruct vs to take another course if we haue inward dislike let vs professe it Vse 1 if we carry a louing affection let vs make shew of it and loue not in word alone but in deed as the Apostle exhorteth Especially let vs looke vnto this in matters betwixt God and vs let vs not play the hypocrites with him pretending a loue vnto the Church of God and to the word of God when there is no such matter and drawing neere vnto him with our lips when our hearts are farre from him for in so doing we shall offer great iniury vnto the Lord and doe more hurt at length then those that are profest Papists or Atheists for such as flatter with their lips and dissemble with a double heart in things that concerne the holy religion of God if any persecution come will quite renounce their profession and betray the cause of God and grieue the seruants of God and harden the hearts and open the blasphemous mouthes of the enemies of God and make many to fall by their reuolting and backsliding Therefore let euery one that taketh vpon him the profession of Christianitie be a true not a fained friend of the same and
yet did they set their tongues to schoole as it were that they might be artificiall in their leaud practises carry out their lies vnder a colour of truth and so sinne with lesse disgrace which was a thing that the Lord could not abide and therefore he threatneth to plague them therefore And good reason is there that it should be so Reasons 1 for First such persons are extreamely hurtfull Neuer is euill practised with such mischiefe as when it is contriued by craft and polished with deceit The Apostles were neuer so troubled in dealing either with the idolatrous Gentiles or with the superstitious and malicious Iewes as they were when they had to doe with those that pretended to be Christians to be Ministers of the Gospell yea to be Apostles and therefore Paul expostulateth the matter with the Galathians saying O foolish Galathians Gal. 3. who hath bewitched you c. As if he should haue said No man could deale so dangerously as these false Teachers who haue as it were charmed your affections and bewitched your mindes And in the Epistle to the Corinthians he greatly complaineth of such deceiuers 2. Cor. 11.2.3 I am iealous ouer you with a godly iealousie for I haue prepared you for one husband to present you as a pure Virgin to Christ But I feare lest as the Serpent beguiled Eue through his subtiltie so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicitie that is in Christ Vers 13.14.15 For such false Apostles are deceitfull workers and transforme themselues into the Apostles of Christ And no maruell for Sathan himselfe is transformed into an Angell of light Therefore it is no great thing though his Ministers transforme themselues as though they were the Ministers of righteousnes Paul had taken great paines to make a match betwixt Christ and them and to fit them for such a glorious husband but he was much afraide lest it would be broken in regard of manie of them and that as the Diuell deceiued Eue so the false Apostles would deceiue them and that by transforming themselues into the Apostles of Christ making shew as the Diuell doth of the greatest loue and care of their good and of their eternall saluation when the truth was they intended no such thing but onely the seruing of themselues in their carnall credit and commoditie Secondly albeit such kinde of persons doe worke much mischiefe yet they seldome passe vnder the censure of men for the same and therefore it stands the Lord vpon to rebuke and punish them Nay they are so farre from being condemned by men that they haue great thankes many times for their wise counsell and good aduice though it be most vile and diuellish in incensing mens mindes against such as haue wronged them and putting it into their heads how they may bee auenged of them which is a thing most detestable before God and therefore shall not goe vnpunished Thirdly their hearts are maruellously hardened for when they can fetch ouer men according as they list they intertaine an opinion of singular witte and vnderstanding of a deepe reach in themselues and so begin to contemne others and will not admit of a reproofe or admonition from any and therefore being growen to this height of pride and this exceeding hardnesse of heart they are the more fit for Gods iudgements to be executed vpon them Fourthly Gods wisedome is much magnified by proceeding against such they are fit aduersaries for him who scattereth the deuices of the craftie Iob. 5.12 so that their handes cannot accomplish that which they enterprise as Iob speaketh and that taketh the crafty in their craftinesse causing those that are cunning hunters and fowlers to fall into the pit that they haue digged for others and to be insnared in the works of their owne handes Psal 7. 9. so that when they goe about to take others it falleth out by the righteous and wise prouidence of God that they are taken themselues Sith it is so dangerous to haue a crafty and cunning head Vse 1 closely to plot and contriue mischiefe let this admonish vs to beware of that vice for assuredly it will bring shame vpon the fauourers thereof The wise man saith Prou. 24.8 Hee that imagineth to doe euill men shall call him an authour of wickednesse All men shall point at such a one There goeth a crafty fellow a subtill Foxe c so that the name of a vagrant is not more odious then his euery one hath such in detestation euen the most contemptible of the people Doe you see yonder man will they say he is a perillous fellow able to set a thousand together by the eares If any haue an euill cause hee is a man for his turne Let him make him his Soliciter and hee will goe as farre as diuellish and craftie wit can reach And as it is a blemish to the name so it is the bane of ones estate to bee a fraudulent dealer The bread of deceit saith Salomon is sweete to a man Prou 20.17 but after-terward his mouth shall be filled with grauell Howsoeuer deceitfull persons doe snatch heere and there and get much from others yet few of them thriue but the curse of God lighting vpon that which they haue makes hauocke of all And therefore as wee tender our estimation and good estate in the world let vs beware of such practises Secondly Vse 2 let vs hence learne not to be discouraged at crafty aduersaries that haue winding wits plotting heads and flattering tongues and acceptance with great ones euen as they would wish let vs not bee dismayed heereat but let this be our comfort when they fawne and flatter and lie and traduce vs most shamefully that the Lord will cut off the lying lips Grant that we haue not libertie or skill to encounter them yet the Lord hath There is no wisedome nor vnderstanding Prou. 21.30 nor counsell against him that is none of these shall take any effect against him and therefore the Psalmist saith Psal 33.10 The Lord breaketh the counsell of the Heathen and bringeth to nought the deuices of the people Though all the wisedome of all the nations in the earth were laide together yet God would bring all their consultations to nothing if they made against him When Achitophel fell from Dauid to take part with Absolon it much troubled Dauid for his words were as Oracles and none could speake more in matters of policie then he and he knew all Dauids heart and the state of the whole kingdome and therefore he turneth himselfe vnto God O Lord saith he I pray thee turne the counsell of Achitophel into foolishnesse and God heard his request and did so insomuch that no creature could deale more foolishly for the procuring of his owne euerlasting woe and shame then he did in hanging himselfe The diuell is still labouring to worke mischiefe and he wants not craft nor subtiltie besides the experience that he hath had
from the beginning of the world hitherunto yet for all this he hath neuer beene nor shall be able to procure the ouerthrow of one of Gods elect The Church hath beene nothing the worse though he haue beene still warring against it And why is this but because Gods wisedome is infinitly beyond all the subtilty of the diuell And what cause haue we then to feare crasty men seeing their Captaine hath had no better successe and seeing that the Lord hath a quarrell against them as well as against their head And the tongue that speaketh proud things In that the Prophet denounceth iudgement against such kinde of persons the doctrine is that The more wicked men boast of their mischieuous intents Doct. 2 The vvickeds boasting a torerunner of their ruine the neerer mischiefe is vnto them When they bragge most how well the world goes with them and what hope they haue of effecting their badde purposes some great euill is euen at their doores When men boast in their talke and swords are in their lips as Dauid speaketh then the Lord will haue them in derision Psal 59.7.8 and laugh at their destruction When they fall to bragging God fals to laughing and when their swords are drawne out against others the Lords hand is stretched out against them WheÌ„ Pharaoh in the pride of his heart said Who is the Lord God made him know who he was Exod. 15.9 And when the enemie said I will pursue I will ouertake them meaning the Israelites I will diuide the spoile c then the Lord set in against them and made the Sea to couer them so that they sanke as lead in the mighty waters So when Saneherib insulted against God 2. Kings 18. and against his people and bragged what his forefathers and himselfe had done and what now he would doe if they would not yeeld vp the Citie and themselues into his hands Chap. 19.28 then did the Lord put a hooke into his nostrils and a bridle into his lips brought him backe againe the same way he came and caused him to fall by the hands of his owne sonnes And the reasons why it must needs be so Reasons 1 are these First when vngodly men do most vaunt of their malicious intents against Gods people then is the Lords compassion most stirred towards them euen as it is with earthly parents when any one threatens their children that if hee take them hee will knocke out their braines this will cause them to preuide for the safetie of their children and that such leaud persons bee punished and restrained This was Dauids comfort against Doeg Psal 52.1 Why boastest thou thy selfe in thy wickednes ô man of power saith hee The louing kindnesse of God endureth daily If the stocke of Gods goodnes were all spent then his children had reason to hang downe their heads but seeing that is and will be as much still as euer it was they neede not feare the insultations of their wicked aduersaries Secondly at such times Gods seruants begin to looke about them when their enemies speake of wonders that they will worke against them then they are wakened and stirred vp to crie vnto the Lord as in the 94. Psalme O Lord God the auenger O Lord God the auengâ—r shew thy selfe cleerly And why are they so instant and earnest with God The reason is yeelded verse 4. The wicked prate and speake fiercely all the workers of iniquitie vaunt themselues As if they should say Lorde if euer thou wilt awake and stand vp for our defense now doe it when vngodlie men doe so insult and triumph ouer vs. Thirdly such proud persons doe bid defiance to the Lord himselfe and therefore hee hath a quarrell against them All the proud in heart are an abomination vnto him But if their pride appeare in a more notorious manner in their tongues and in their behauiour they are much more hatefull vnto him Psal 10. for in making boast of their owne hearts desire they doe contemne the Lord and in speaking against the Church Psal 73.9 they set their tongues against heauen it selfe as the Prophet speaketh Which point thus prooued ministreth vnto vs First an vse of instruction Vse 1 that seeing the Lord is so incensed against proud boasters therefore wee should containe our selues within the compasse of modestie and neuer boast at all but let others mouthes and our owne workes and Gods voice at the last day praise vs and not our owne lips but especially let vs take heede of vaunting our selues against the people of God and against the Maiestie of God himselfe for that will least of all be endured Secondy Vse 2 here is an vse of consolation against all the insultations of malicious enemies if wee can with patience and modestie endure and stand it out for a while not returning like for like nor vsing any sharpnes and bitternesse against them we shall see that the Lord will cut them off If a man had knowne the day before what should haue befallen Haman notwithstanding all his boasting of his greatnes and of his honour and of that fauour which hee had with the King and of all the cuill that hee intended against the Iewes and against Mordecai especially if I say a man had knowen besore hand what should haue befallen him would it not haue made him laugh at his pride and follie Yes certainely and yet the case of all boasters against Gods Church is little or better then his And if we could with the eye of faith behold Gods purpose concerning their ruine and ouerthrow all their bragging would seeme vnto vs and it is indeed euen exceeding ridiculous And this in particular should comfort vs against the blasphemies of the Church of Rome and against all her insultations ouer the Saints for the Lord hath set downe her sentence Reuel 18.7.8 In as much as she gloried her selfe so much giue ye her torment and sorrow for she saith in her heart I sit being a Qucene and am no widow and shall see no mourning But what saith God Therefore shall her plagues come at one day death sorrow famine and she shal be burnt with fire c. Verse 4. With our tongues wee will preuaile our lips are our owne In that they are heere found fault with for thus speaking because they affirme that which is directly contrary to the truth the point hence to bee obserued is that No man hath the royaltie of his owne tongue Doct. 3 nor the ordering of his owne speech No man hath the ordering of his ovvne tongue Euery mans tongue is in Gods hand and his wordes at Gods disposing hee is Lord ouer all mens tongues which will euidently appeare by this that First men cannot speake what they would Reasons 1 but what the Lord will according to that of Salomon The preparations of the heart are in man that is Prou. 16.1 a man determineth and prepareth what to vtter but the