to fall away neither ought we to be discouraged at it if wee haue true faith our selues as though we must needes fall away too for such were neuer setled in beleeuing neither euer had sauing knowledge though they haue bin zealous Thirdly such as haue long prized the pearle and yet are now dazeled againe with pleasure and profit let vs bewaile them whether they be ministers or people Many learned men haue bin such who had the Gospell in an high account sometime Oh they haue profitted fairely Note and be come about commendably are they not thinke we that they bee turned to their first sottishnes when God had done so much for them as to reueale himselfe so farre vnto them All this danger they are come to seeing they did not nourish their sparkles of good desires which gaue good hope but they quenched them and suffered them goe out Therfore it followes that the wise Merchant went by and by and solde all that he had and bought that pretious pearle And here I will passe to the third point and shew how the good hearer is herein like to the merchant man as he hath resembled him in both the former that is in seeking good pearles and finding one of great price Now because the excellēcy of this pearle doth yet more appeare heerby that this hearer doth as the marchant go and sel al that he hath buyeth this pearle I wil first speak of this last action of his and then make vse of it It is said he went his way and sold al that he had and bought that pearle This going away first sheweth that he did not stand still to muse doubt and linger out the time but as a wise marchant soe soone as he seeth a penyworth to be bought which may inrich him he leaues all other things and sets himselfe about that busines And this teacheth vs that we are not to linger nor deferre the time when God reueileth any excellent fruite or benefit that the Gospell bringeth vnto vs but presently goe our way and endeuour to make it our owne But how rarely shal we finde this to be done when for the most part euery where men practise the contrary Many see and will confesse that there is in the Gospell most precious treasure and worthy to be imbraced but they thinke the time too soone as yet to goe about it when they haue followed their other pleasures and delights in their youthfull dayes or when they haue obtained these or those purposes of theirs then they will entertaine the Gospell and sell their other delights for it euen as he who would first goe bury his father which Christ reproued and then he would follow him And thus it comes to passe vsually with these men as it doeth with careles and vnthrifty marchants that slacke defer and driue off the time of their commodity whiles it is to be had and repent them after when it is too late So these men they defer and delay the time in which God setteth out the pearle of the Gospell as it were to sale that they may buy it at a small and easie reckoning vntill the market of God be done and the day of grace be past that they cannot then haue it would they neuer soe gladly For as wisdom calleth and crieth vnto men a long time and cannot be entertained of them for their owne good Soe wisdome threatneth that she will refuse to heare them in the middest of their trouble and in the day wherein affliction and anguish shall like a whirlewind come vppon them Though they cry neuer so loude and seeke her neuer so earnestly she will not answer nor be found of them Wherefore it is good for vs to follow the counsell of the holy Ghost while it is called to day to heare the voice of God and to hearken to wisdom whiles she calleth vnto vs for we know not how long the day of grace will last with vs. It may be not a yeere or a day or an houre and if that be past then it is too late for vs to seeke after it we must haue our lamps ready burning with the fiue wise virgins if we wil enter in with the bridegrome but if we linger and deferre the buying of our oyle till hee come wee may knocke and call but shall finde no entrance nor ingresse for vs as they in the Gospell that were bidden to the supper and refused of all other they were debarred from it So wee see then the wisedome of this marchant commended vnto vs. Hee doth not foreslacke nor foreslowe any time but presently goes about the purchase of this pearle So that in earthly delights we see we soone resolue but twenty lets are in the way to hinder vs in heauenly Let vs next see what course he takes to get it He sels all that he had and buyeth that pearle By selling and buying here we are to vnderstand not such a marchandise as Papists make that say by their goods and substance they thinke to purchase heauen to themselues For there is no equality betweene all that we haue or can haue and betweene the kingdome of heauen but in things that are bought there is some equality betweene the price and the thing that is bought So that if they by their almes or good works whatsoeuer be able to purchase heauen at Gods hand it followeth that they are as profitable to God and benefit him as much by their almes and other good workes as he by heauen doth benefit them But we know the doctrine of our Sauiour when we haue done all we can do though we giue al our substance yea and our owne life for Gods glory we must say and acknowledge as the truth is we are but vnprofitable seruants vnto him For we haue done no more then duty required at our hands And therefore marke how the Apostle Paul calleth death the wages of sinne but life eternall the free gift of God For the wages saith he of sinne is death but life eternall is the free gift of God in Christ Iesus our Lord. So that death and condemnation we may deserue for it is the wages of sinne but life eternall we cannot deserue because it is the free gift of God But to proceede by selling all he meaneth the same that he doth in other places by forsaking and leauing all and by buying the pearle and getting the right possession and assurance of it to our selues he meaneth that we should be sure of it euen as those things which we haue bought and paide for are our owne As for that which he saith first he selleth al this is not ment simplie as if the possession of our goods and the enioying of the Gospell would not stand together but he speaketh comparatiuely that rather then we will not get the Gospell when we may haue it we will abandon al whatsoeuer beside and retaine it The like speech is vsed by our
himselfe that as he is made the adopted sonne of God so he endeuoureth to resemble his father in purity of the which more shall be said afterwards by a fitter occasion And this of their preaching And this which I haue said of the preaching of Paul and Silas to the Iailer doth likewise instruct vs that the same doctrine is to be preached to all such as are in his case and they must know it who heare that if at any time God exercise them as he did him with a troubled conscience for their sinne and an vnfained desire to be saued they may long for the same promise of life and as they see what need they haue of it may be readie to embrace it and by faith to rest vpon it that so all teares may be wiped from the cheekes of their soule and they may be soundly comforted or at least stayed for the time as their weaknesse will permit For this is the first and especiall fruit of preaching to such as groane vnder the burthen of their sinne and lament after God longing for pardon there is nothing able to ease their consciences and to giue rest to their soules besides this namely that they beleeue that Iesus Christ is as readie to release them of their sinnes as they be desirous of it and that they hold this as confidently as they beleeue any article of their faith Note But the chiefe difficultie about this matter is to be fit and prepared for this faith that is to feele indeed that they staÌ„d in need of it For hereby the Iailer was before many a thousand Protestants at this day euen before he beleeued in as much as he saw in what woe he was and earnestly deâ—ired to be deliuered out of it which is not only wanting in the greatest part of hearers but as hard to perswade them to it Euen so it was more then common and ordinarie in the most hearers that he so soone and easily beleeued in Christ that is to say while they preached to him For although faith come by hearing yet it is not alwayes attained at the time of hearing especially in such a measure that a man can affirme and professe that he beleeueth and so is able to crie Abba that is to call God Father No nor immediately after neither for the most part doth a broken hearted sinner receiue such light to beleeue but is holden in doubting and feare and troubled with the greatnesse of his sinnes and with many other obiections For though Lydia Zaccheus and some other by Christs and the Apostles preaching beleeued by and by yet with many it was otherwise euen a harder matter and namely with Paul himselfe who was not comforted nor released of his sinnes and burthen of griefe by Christ at Damascus gates wheÌ„ he was cast downe terrified by him but sent into the citie to receiue further light and satisfaction to his heauie heart from Christ by the ministerie of Ananias a disciple in the same citie he was his instructer who if Paul had not now by Christs gratious goodnesse been conuerted should haue haue bin his prisoner And this I thought good to say which may be in stead of an answere to such as obiect in these our dayes that many lie in sorrow and feare many daies and some whole yeeres before they beleeue and receiue comfort and seldome at the same time when they are wounded and troubled first for their sinnes I say God doth not alwaies keepe one and the same time in raising vp such as are brought low in themselues by the sight of their sins but sometimes doth it sooner sometimes later euen as the seed that is sowen commeth not vp alwaies together And some are stayed and eased of their feare and griefe before other both because they are not fit nor able to go vnder it any longer and also that their example may encourage other not to be dismaied and that they themselues being set at libertie may the sooner helpe their brethren out of bondage And some are holden vnder a longer time other because they haue not been touched deepely but only in a passion nor in good aduisednesse but in a rash heate and zeale whose hot pangs are soone cooled without any comfort or if they haue been truely humbled yet for example to others or some other end best knowne to God And yet this I say for the auoiding of scruple and doubt about this matter that he is kindly pricked who is kindly healed namely who is partaker of faith vnfained and prooues the same by a godly and repentant life after come it sooner or later And this be said of the meanes both further off and nearer by the which the Iailer was brought to beleeue and of his faith it selfe THE THIRD SERMON VPON THE SAME TEXT HAuing spoken of the points of the diuision that is of the meanes by which he was brought to beleeue and of his beleeuing it selfe Before I proceed to speake of the fruits of his faith I will note briefely such particular things beside as both the text offereth fit occasion of and also will illustrate the storie of his conuersion more clearely from the 28. verse to the 33. Paul seeing this miserable Iailer in this extremitie that he was at the point to haue killed himselfe what doth he It is worthie our marking He doth not suffer him to kil himselfe but cals to him to spare himselfe Paul might haue had a good pretence to haue let him go on to lay violent hands on himselfe For God had shaken the earth to shew himselfe angrie with the Iailer for his crueltie against his innocent seruants and now as it might haue seemed he would make this man a spectacle to persecutors and Paul if he had been many a man would haue said let him kill himselfe I shall the more easily escape But he shewed that his mind was farre from reuenge and readie to requite euill with good And therefore he cals aloud to him least through distance of place or his passion he should not haue been able to heare him Whereby we must learne not only to do no hurt but to loue our enemie according to Christs commandement euen as if he were our friend Therefore Moses saith If thine enemies oxe or asse fall vnder the burthen thou shalt helpe him vp againe And as the Apostle saith be not ouer come of euill but ouercome euill with good Also Paul takes away his feare saying we are all heere which he did that the Iailer might stay himselfe from hurt and be fit to attend further vnto good instruction for in great feare a man is fit to do no good thing Thus gratiously God doth deale with vs to release vs when we are bound fast and when we are as it were running vpon the swords point and rushing to our owne destruction Note he holdeth vs backe and in the extremitie of feare deliuereth vs that we may
before the world was drowned with waters which times were fraught with all impietie and iniquitie with contempt of Gods word and all abomination Saint Paul agreeth with our Sauiour Christ herein and saith In the last dayes as these are wherein we liue shall come perillous times yea and know saith he that it shall be so But if yee would know how perillous hee answereth such as wherein men shall be louers of themselues couetous boasters proud cursed speakers disobedient to parents vnthankefull vnholy without naturall affection truce breakers false accusers intemperate fierce no louers at all of them that are good trayterous high minded headie louers of pleasures more then louers of God And if all these with the like do now flow is it not true that iniquitie aboundeth But for that let experience from which the second reason is to be drawne declare what is found in this part of the latter age in which we live and whether the times be so bad as it was foretold they should be Consider it by the ages of men as yong or old by the sexe as men or women and by their estate and condition as the rich and the poore the mightie and the meane To say a little of euery one what stoutnesse pride disobedience is to be seene euery where in youthes who being but as the flower that to morrow withereth yet lift vp their crest as though they were riuited into a long life and had a promise of eternitie heere which if it were yet had they but an estate in miserie But I may not stay to make large discourses of euery one What ignorant senselesnes to conceiue knowledge of heauenly things is in the aged and as much vnwillingnes to learne And what else but frowardnes malice and an insatiable desire of getting while yet they haue more then one legge in the graue In so much that he who should hope of the saluation of the most of them must stretch out his charity beyond his warrant and ground As for the wealthie what is their occupation and practise but to seeke with might and maine to grow more wealthie minding that labour as if they sought after heauen it selfe In the meane while not regarding the multitude of those that want to serue the necessitie of them with their superfluitie neither embracing the Christian life euer the more for all the goods they haue but turning aside from it rather and as little longing after heauen it selfe which kind of life while they so please themselues in what wise man would iudge any otherwise of them but that they thinke they shall neuer die or that they shall come againe when they be dead to take the benefit of that which they haue But what say we then of the poore The Prophet Ieremie saith of them surely they are foolish they know not the way of the Lord nor the iudgement of their God And experience proueth it to be so For who doth not see that the poore sort take themselues to be priuiledged that they should not seeke after knowledge For these are their speeches Sermons are for rich folke as though they had no account to make to God and therefore we see they are rude and brutish for the most part contemning instruction speaking ill of the wealthier sort shifting stealing idle further then necessitie driueth them to worke and labour And by this that hath been said of them it is not hard to iudge of the rest namely how miserable as our Sauiour hath heere foretold their whole course of life is And the like may be said of Minister and people and of one and other What faithfulnes to God is in the most of them who take vpon them to bee guides to Gods inheritance What loue is there in them to their flocke what diligence in preaching and priuate studie and reading And for their liuing with thē if so be they do liue with thē what is their conuersing with them but either in hollow peace and fained loue in gaming and carnall merrie making or else they liue among them in strangenes hating one another and in sutes and controuersies but what fellowship haue the people with them for their instruction and edification but that they feare or flatter them for a peniworth in their tithes and for their priuate commoditie And thus by laying open the particular kindes of persons it is too manifest that iniquitie aboundeth and that Christs prophecie of our age is most true in fortelling that it should be so What remaineth therefore seeing scripture and experience proue it to be thus and yet that the workers of iniquitie shal be driuen from Gods presence and are accursed what remaineth I say but this First that it be proued by plaine demonstration who are they that cause it to increase for as much as few or none will applie this to themselues but will shift it off one way or other Secondly when it shall be seene who they be that they make all possible haste to repent and seeke mercie And to finde out who they be that fill the world with iniquitie it is no hard matter and they may all fitly be brought to foure kindes The first are notorious sinners and such as cannot be hidden as adulterers drunkards idolaters oppressors reuengers and such like These as they cannot be ignorant that their doings are odious and horrible so they goe not alone but haue their attendants and handmaides waiting vpon them as the Apostle describeth them in the Epistle to the Romanes saying walke not in gluttonie and drunkennes in chambering and wantonnes in strife and enuying These therefore whosoeuer they be whose sinnes may be written in their foreheads with great letters for the appearance and certaintie of them these I say fill the world with sinne and cause iniquitie to abound they cannot bee excused they haue nothing to cloake them The second sort are such as are counted honest townes men who looking after nothing for the most part but how they may liue are as forward in and as fit for one religion as another Who partly for law sake partly by example and custome seeing what others doe come to Church indeed but for any knowledge or goodnesse they get thereby all is one whether they goe or not And if it were no more but this that they haue neither zeale nor knowledge to worship God by it may easily bee gathered what their liues be towards men These although for want of better they must beare office in townes yet all disorder is where they dwell seeing they are as bad themselues as others vnlesse perhaps some of them haue a little more ciuilitie then the worst and rudest And who doubteth in the meane while but that all kinde of sinne swarmeth there as the bold prophaning of the Sabbath drunkennes whoring contention vniust dealing scorning of those that bee better then themselues cauilling reuenging stoutnes to reiect all good admonition with
they shall see in the world One of these reasons I haue handled and that is seeing it shall be the case of many to do so The other is this because they whose loue waxeth cold to God to the preaching of the Gospell and to his people they fall also from the duties which by that loue they should performe or which is all one with it they do them to no purpose so that God accepteth them not According to the words of the Apostle If I giue all my goods to the poore and my bodie to be burnt and haue no loue and though I speake with the tongues of Angels I am as sounding brasse or a tincking cymball So then if the best things which we do be sin without this loue it followeth that if that grace of loue be cold and dead in vs all that we do is abhorred of God I haue now spoken of the second sort prophes ied of by our Sauiour whose loue waxeth cold by the abundance of iniquitie which they see in the world and this I haue done as briefely as I might with any edifying I passe to the third namely of those who continue vnto the end in a godly life such he saith shall without question be saued Which words of Christ must wisely bee considered for hee doth not exclude from eternall life all such as haue left their good beginnings for a season if they do bethinke themselues better afterwards and returne againe to the Lord by true repentance for else none of the last mentioned sort could be saued neither doth he exclude such as haue a long time led a wicked race if they find mercie in their life time at Gods hands to be conuerted for if it were so then none of the first sort could obtaine eternall life But though he meane such as continue to the end in the good course in which they begun long before their death of which there is no question yet he meaneth also such who at their death shall be found penitent whether they begin then or whether long before and reuolted or turned aside againe so as in the truth of their hearts they returne at the last But let not this be taken as though it were a small matter to do the one or the other nay rather they doe both boldly and dangerously which dare tempt God after such a manner yet if any dare aduenture in that sort it is true that no man ought to debarre them of this libertie that if they confesse and forsake their sinne they shall find mercie Now to come to the words seeing they only who continue to the end shall bee saued and are blessed the chiefe point heere to be debated is who is he that continueth and how he groweth to it The answere whereto is at hand that they who begin well and daily go forward shall continue to the end and thereby and no other way we come to it that being excepted that I said before that they must not be denied mercie who repent at last Of both these therefore somewhat is requisite to be said which briefely shall be done And of the first the lesse seeing in shewing before in the first point how they who haue caused iniquitie to abound should repent I haue declared that such repenting is the right way to make a good end Therefore this onely I will say of a good beginning that it is requisite that all that intend and go about it be stedfast and stablished therein I meane in faith in loue in patience c. not flitting and inconstant This Saint Peter requireth when he saith Take heed that ye be not led away from your stedfastnesse in knowledge and grace This requireth truth care and wisedome therefore doe the fewer attaine to it to be builded and setled in their most holie faith but the most professors are off and on cheaping but not buying therefore in euery temptation or affliction for the most part they are doubting that they haue not repented aright and that they haue no faith neither euer had whereas a foundation well laid stands in stormes and tempests and is not throwne downe with wind nor weather And in speaking of this so worthie a point I cannot but bewaile a common and dangerous practise amongst people and those of the better sort that few by all their hearings and readings are able to collect and lay together a plaine path-way to saluation and a direction to a godly life but by halues or by shreds and pieces for either they faile in knowledge and so they are farre from the right way so that if they would neuer so faine enioy the benefit of both they know not how to go about it or else they seeke not with all their hearts to follow that which they know if their iudgements be sound and that maketh all that they pretend or go about as farre from a good foundation as the former And should men thinke we begin in faith and repentance in such a maner Is such a confused and raw entrance into it like to profit it This is all that I will say of the first of the two things that lead to a perseuering in a godly course to our end and that is a right manner of beginning For he that hath made a good entrance is halfe the way to a good end but he that begins erroniously and amisse shall the further he goeth the further go out of the way let this therefore be well regarded and looked to The second which being adioyned to the former wil most certainly bring continuance in a Christian course is a daily proceeding in and according to such a good beginning as I haue said to be required that is to build proportionably to it that as some true measure of knowledge faith hope patitience the feare of God and other grace is attained and stedfastnes therin so that they be vpholden maintained and preserued daily as precious things worth the cost and labor that is bestowed vpon them I meane that they who haue beleeued and repented do so still and endeuour aboue all things to hold out therin from day to day As the Fathers mentioned in the Epistle to the Hebrewes were said to liue by faith that is set it a worke after they beleeued and they that repented at Iohns baptisme were exhorted by him to bring forth the fruits of amendment afterward that so they might well testifie that they went on in repentance still And therefore must watching praying hearing and such other good meanes be vsed daily with as good appetite as at the first beginning that we may grow thereby The which course being obserued we cannot faile but be found of the Lord in peace whensoeuer he shall come for our deliuerance out of this vaile of miserie and happie shal that seruant be whom his master when he commeth shall find so occupied he shall bid him enter
euen the thing which they thirst for for the Lords answere is that he will quench it If they thirst therefore for remission of their sins and cannot be satisfied without it they shall partake that If for faith to apprehend it and by which they may know they are forgiuen that shall bee granted them also If for eternall life they shall enioy it in due time when they haue waited a while patiently and the same I say of the manifold graces of the Spirit which are here resembled by this bodily refreshing which quencheth the thirst thereof namely milke water and wine And to tarrie a little in this second branch to prooue the same as somewhat hath been said of the first I will beginne with that which worthily deserueth the first place namely how God promiseth the remitting of all sin and consequently saluation for euer to all that thirst for it The word of God is plentifull in prouing that he doth so As that of our Sauiour in Saint Iohn where he saith If any thirst let him come to me and drinke Why then if his thirst be for this euen this hee may take by Christs free grant and comfort himselfe therewith In the eleuenth of Matthew he meaneth the same in other words where he saith Come to me all ye that trauell and be loaden and I will ease you Now search out his meaning how can he ease burdened consciences troubled for the feare of Gods wrath which is due thereto but he must take away the guilt of their sinne and the punishment due to it by pardoning and remitting it as if it had neuer been committed And by these meanes he doth ease the greatest torment that euer vexed the soule of man Therefore the afflicted person may be bold with reuerence to take this and such like Scriptures to the quieting of his distressed mind and to the putting away of his intollerable vnquietnesse which before oppressed him And euen so do the faithfull seruants of God declare his mind and will to people in the like case As Peter in the second of the Acts when certaine men were pricked in conscience for their sinne and came to him and the other Apostles saying in the anguish of their hearts men and brethren what shall we do he answered in effect thus Seeke to haue your sinnes forgiuen you and to know that it is so by the signes which Christ hath left therof ye may rest quiet But how could they seeke that if Christ had not giuen them libertie both to do so and also to find it By all which it is cleare that our Sauiour hath prouided a most gracious helpe and remedie to all afflicted consciences and which is all one therewith that I may keepe in your remembrance the manner of speech set downe in our text doth promise vpon his faithfulnesse that he will quench this thirst of longing for Gods fauour and the pardon of sin in whomsoeuer it shall be found Obiect 1 But whiles I am setting downe this me thinkes I heare some obiecting thus oh this is too good to be true for we say they haue deepely smarted for that we could neuer fasten vpon this truth who yet haue sought it with teares and haue made bitter complaints for that we could not beleeue it and therefore we thinke that there is no such comfort for vs. Answ To such therefore I answere that they ought not to conclude against themselues vpon such weake grounds but wait still for this doctrine hath bin strongly proued and further may be to such as are not satisfied as well by other testimonies as by that which hath been set downe and therefore they are not farre from the grace whereby they may be able to applie it to themselues and the vnliker it seemeth to them to be true because it is so good and comfortable they must know that it commendeth the more the great kindnesse of God to man and so to them in the depth of their miserie when it seemeth to them to be vnauoidable and the more highly hee is to bee praised for his vnspeakeable loue and goodnesse And it is true that nothing doth more set fourth the loue of God to vs then this as being the gift of greatest price that he may or can bestow vpon vs. Obiect 2 Others obiect that they can hardly thinke that God will so easily and for nothing on our behalfe offer so largely vnto such as haue so sore and so many waies prouoked him namely that if we do but thirst for the best things we shall haue our thirst quenched when yet they do not see they say that there is required so much as a dislike and abhorting of sinne with this great offer of mercie without which yet they know no mercie can be shewed Answ 1 To the first part of this obiection this answere is to bee made that it is to the greater honor of God that he will ouercome mens euill with good leauing to vs an example therein that we should follow and be like to him and that he sent his Sonne into the world for them that be vngodly and vnworthie And for the second part of the obiection that so large and precious a promise is made to the bare thirsting after the loue of God and eternall life without any leauing and forsaking of sinne to this point I require diligent obseruing of mine answere I say therefore that all things cannot be mentioned at once in handling some points of holy doctrine lest we should thereby fall into confusednesse Neither in handling plainly this of thirsting is it necessarie to speake of the renouncing or purposing against sinne otherwise then in the way of preoccupation that is the answering of an obiection as heere I do Therefore to this part of the obiection I answere that he who thirsteth truely for saluation cannot do it without the abhorring of the sin which hath been most delighted in For while we desire grace we abhor sin which is contrarie to it and this thirsting after the water of life shal drie vp the heate of sin by little and little no otherwise then the hot and scorching sunne doth the moist and soft puddle I meane so farre as the similitude serueth for this purpose And therefore let any make this good that he thirsteth and I will make it good by the word of God that his thirst shall be quenched and his sinnes pardoned Now therefore where are they which say oh Preachers vrge vs so hardly that we shall neuer be able to follow the doctrine they teach vs of the way to eternall life I say if the way that we set downe be hard it is through the hardnes of your hearts For otherwise who would desire the way to be easier then it is heere set downe to be he that thirsteth after it shall haue eternall life And yet seeing it is so easie let all who desire to be partakers of life looke well and carefully to this
as he saith to the like purpose in another place Harlots and publicans shall enter into the kingdome of God before the chiefe Priests and the Elders of the people which yet was nothing likely in the sight of men So we reade that they who were mockers and railed on the Apostles so farre were they from sauouring their heauenly doctrine yet when the Lord in his mercie towards them caused them to attend to Peters sermon reproouing their sinne they were so pricked in their consciences that they came to him and the other Apostles for further instruction and comfort and obtained it Samaria that had long been bewitched by Simon Magus the sorcerer yet at the preaching of Philip a thing very vnlike to come to passe was conuerted to Christ so as the fruit thereof appeared not to be small namely that it brought great ioy into the citie so they who were notorious offenders came flocking about Christ to heare him when the Scribes and Pharisies not only did not so but scorned that they should And therefore it may iustly bee lamented that the preaching of the Gospell is not with credit and authoritie in a sound and plaine manner planted in such places where it is wanting and where it were like to do much good as our Lord Iesus bewailed it when he saw the people scattered as sheepe without a shepheard and willed that prayers should be made to the Lord of the haruest that he would scud labourers into his haruest For it is very probable if it were so that numbers would embrace it ioyfully who now for that they know not the power and worth of it passe by it and scorne it as nothing or little worth Obiect And whereas some will bee readie to say wee may easily guesse what good it is like to do if it were in such places by the small account that is made of it where it is Answ I answere that where the Gospel is with due reuerence beseeming such an holy ordinance of God preached it doth not returne in vaine but draweth them which were dispersed to one bodie of the Church And doubtlesse if the Prachers themselues be men of sinceritie loue grauitie and will put on the person of the people to consider their ignorance forgetfulnesse loosenesse vnsetlednesse and other infirmities and applie themselues vnto them as their needs do require and would seeke to winne them rather then set vp themselues none need to doubt but that they should perswade many to become true Christians and to bee tractable to good duties when they be kindly and wisely aduised and directed Oh they that haue not experience will hardly be perswaded how much vnfained loue and labour in the Minister is like to preuaile with the people to winne them from folly vanitie ignorance and the common sinnes which through custome and company they haue been drowned in And what maruell when they shall by wise and friendly dealing be made to see how they were deceiued and that very dangerously whiles they following the desires of their euill hearts walked after the sinnes of the times in which they liued and when other manner of pleasures and delights shall be offered them which they neuer had tasted of before I meane heauenly I may speake the more boldly because I know I speake the truth that almost fortie yeeres agone when I came yong from the Vniuersitie to a people blind and farre gone in the sinnes that were then commonly committed in the world sauouring no whit of pietie and I had little in mee to commēd me vnto them my knowledge being not much though my desire I may say was feruent in seeking it and to do them good and my authoritie small as being then vnder another which was Pastor to them but resident in another charge hard by euen so long ago I say I remember that which is not vnworthie the mentioning and speaking of in this place And that is how maruellously God wrought among vs that when there was no president nor example in the corner thereabout of diligent repairing to the place of Gods worship on the Sabbath in the afternoone but all disorder in dancing playing haunting the Ale-house and other like and little power of godlines to be seene or heard of round about it pleased God by care and diligence in example giuing among them and labouring in that weake manner that I was able to teach and exhort them with familiar conuersing with them in priuate who were more teachable then the rest in good communication drawing them on that in two yeeres space I might haue perswaded them to any good thing that I saw meet the bodie of them I meane and a louing consent might haue bin seene among them to that which was good neither can I say any worse of them for the time that I could stay amongst them which was full six yeeres Which I say not for vaine glorie God is record and well nigh fortie yeeres is a reasonable time to despise that and yet I would haue said more but for auoiding the suspicion of it but I speake this to moue some of my fellow brethren in the Ministerie such as in an honest and good heart desire to see fruit of their labours to thinke of the way of obtaining the same And that is no doubt to such as hartily seeke it to labour for the gift of perswading the people and familiar applying the Scripture to the persons particularly in a right and wise manner as well as to teach them the truth generally and to vse diligence and constancie in both and withall to take all occasion to commune and confer of good things in companying with them and not to spend the little time that they are with them in play nor to vse to talke of worldly things to them whereto the people be so readily carried nor idlely and vainly to keepe them company which dulleth and maketh blunt the edge of their Ministrie amongst them and raiseth a meaner conceit of the persons themselues and by consequent of their Ministerie which had little need to be This manner of liuing amongst them with an especiall care to auoid iust suspicion of couetousnesse and loue of this world and other offences which are too common is like through Gods blessing to knit them so in firme and true loue together that they shall call home to true repentance such as God hath in those places ordained to eternall life and they shall by such manner of liuing with them be like with loue and readinesse to receiue their doe at the peoples hands about the paying and requiring of the which the greatest pritches are taken and the sorest conceits arise betwixt them which are the beginnings and occasions of continuall broiles and contentions afterwards or at least of strangenesse or hollow and hauerly loue betwixt them whereby it commeth to passe that preaching doth little good vnto them And thus by occasion of answering this obiection I haue
then be earnest and harty as we see this our Apostles was he stirreth them to it againe and againe and in many places that it may worke the like impression in them that it had in his heart Begin with thy selfe to say I haue repented and hate my sinne therefore I exhort and call vpon others to repent I haue left my swearing and therefore cannot abide it I reioyce in God and am filled with ioy and therefore I exhort others vnto it This then being a duty required of all that are to exhort obserue what speciall duty it layeth vpon the minister and publike teacher of the word of God for he being by his place and calling to exhort to euery good duty and to dehort from euery vice he had neede to take more especial and extraordinary paines with his owne heart that he may himselfe be wanting in nothing but his mouth may speake from the abundance of that which his heart hath wrought in it that there be not any vice but his heart hath both expelled it out and setled in it the hatred of the same not any vertue of faith of repentance of ioy but he hath had them already wrought in his heart Doct. 2 Againe secondly for the person that giueth this exhortation cōsider that it is Paul an Apostle that exhorteth vs as an Ambassadour sent from God and speaking from God as the preface of the Epistle sheweth Which consideration as it setteth an edge vpon the exhortation so ought it to sharpen and whet vs on to be the more eager to follow it And thus much it shall suffice to haue obserued of the party exhorting Expressed in the repetition of the exhortation I say Now I come to the persons exhorted and they are the Philippians as I said faithfull and righteous whom the Apostle in the first verse called beloued and longed for brethren and so to those who are such this exhortation in many places is expressely limited In the 32. Psalme be glad yee righteous and reioyce in the Lord and be ioyfull all yee that are vpright in heart and in Psal 33.1 Reioyce in the Lord O ye righteous for it becommeth vpright men to be thankefull here we see the wicked are shut out haue no part nor portion in this ioy and that is wel seene for what ioy haue worldly men in God or heauenly things but in pleasures profits But another duty belongeth vnto thē which the Apostle S. Iames exhorteth them vnto bidding thē to weep howle though they be rich men if they be oppressors and wicked be not rich in God And againe chap. 4. vers 9. Waile and sorrow ye sinners and weep let your laughter be turned into mourning your ioy into heauines The reason of the restraint and limiting of it to the faithfull is easy and yet very worthy to be stood vpon for as for the righteous they haue both great cause to reioyce and great neede to be stirred vp to this duty whereas the wicked haue neither any true cause of sound ioy neither feele they any need of it That the faithfull haue need to be stirred to this duty we cannot be ignorant if we consider that which the Psalmist writeth Psalme 34.19 and the whole Scripture accordeth with that Many are the troubles of the righteous And whosoeuer will follow Christ he must forsake father mother goods lands brethren sisters life al and take vp his crosse daily follow him for such is the rage of Satan the malice of the wicked as against the whole Church in generall so against all the godly that they neuer can haue as it were peaceable houres but so soone as they haue giuen their names to Christ and are entred into his schoole they haue one trouble and vexation or other to wrestle withall They see matter of griefe sorrow within them without them and round about them Within them they haue wicked rebellion of their owne harts to be as it were pricks and thornes in their flesh to gall and vex and disquiet them they haue Satan continually casting his deadly and fiery darts of tentations into their soules And all the world in a manner they shall see to be as it were banded and combined together against them in mocks in taunts in slanders in whatsoeuer iniuries and ill turnes and mischiefes they can doe vnto them Alas any one of these were cause sufficient to make the children of God heauy pensiue and sorrowfull for their strength is not the strength of stones nor their flesh of brosse as Iob speaketh of himselfe in the sixth of his booke but these pearce and wound them deepely to their very soules great need therefore the faithfull haue to be raised vp from this sorrow and heauines of heart to reioyce and be made merry in the Lord. for should they haue no ioy to help to counteruaile their sorrowes Note the life of the Christian were too tedious and grieuous to be endured by any the most patient sufferer in the world the troubles that accompany it are soe many and the sorrowes soe grieuous that they would eate out the very heart of the faithful quickly if it were not that ioy mixed and intermedled withall did mittigate the sense and ease and lighten the burthen of them As for wicked men they haue no such burthen of trouble and sorrowes to be eased of The diuell is not grieuous vnto them with his tentations be the tentations what they wil be they like them well they entertaine them they make much of them they are the welcomest guests that can come vnto them for their is no suggestion of Satan but it is euill there is no kinde of euill but the heart of a wicked man is prone vnto it If the diuell prouoke him to wrath and anger the heart is before straying after it If to vncleannesse to prophanesse to swearing c. these are all pleasing motions vnto the vnregenerate person Sin also and corruption that dwelleth and raigneth in him is not troublesome and grieuous vnto the wicked man Nay he is so farre from sorrowing because of this corruption that it is his darling and his delight It is as his right hand as his vse as his life and soule so deare is it vnto him yea rather he can endure to haue his goods his delights yea his very life taken away rather then to forgoe this sinne and corruption of his heart As for the world they and it are in a very quiet and friendly league for because they are of the world the world cannot at but loue it own as our Sauior teacheth vs Ioh. 15.19 So that the wicked haue no such enemies no troubles nor sorrowes as the righteous haue but they liue at peace with their sinne at peace with the deuill and at peace with the world They haue mirth enough and too much for them They neede not as they thinke neither care they
for God or any godly mirth to make them merry No neede therefore to exhort the wicked to reioyce that are euen surfetted already with ioy and pleasure but the righteous that mourne the righteous that be heauy these haue need to haue God and his seruants to comfort and cheere them vp Obiect 1 But here it may be replied the righteous man hath indeed need of this ioy whereunto the Apostle exhorts them but how is it possible that the righteous so beset and compassed with troubles can reioyce for this seemeth to be a strange paradoxe and opinion to the world that the righteous can in the midst of so many troubles and crosses finde any matter to take ioy in Answ But yet if we will but open our eyes wee shal easily see that the righteous man and he alone hath cause euen in his greatest troubles to reioyce and be merry and euen to triumph for ioy of heart for what though the world be bent and banded with all the spite and hate it can against him yet euen in this hath he more cause of ioy then of sorrow Reade and marke to that ende the words of our Sauiour Christ who is truth it selfe Matth. 5.2.12 Blessed are yee whē men reuile and persecute your and say al manner of euil against you for my sake falsely Reioyce and be glad for greate is your reward in heauen For so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you To be hated of the world to be reuiled persecuted slandered marke it is a signe y t we are blessed and therfore a cause to make vs to reioyce Nay we see that all the hatred reuiling persecution and slander they can raise do helpe to increase our reward and the brightnesse of our glory and the waight of our crowne in heauen Nay hereby are we assured that we are in the straight and beaten way to heauen For thus saith our Sauior they hated they reuiled they persecuted the Prophets which were before you as though he should say by this you may know that you are in the direct way to heauen For thus haue all the Prophets before you passed thither and so we see since our Sauiour Christ to haue passed this way into glory and by the same to haue carried to the same glory al his Apostles Martyrs and holy men that haue liued and died vnder the Gospell Behold then in a word what ioy euen the hatred of the world and wicked men affordeth vnto vs and that is that our heauenly reward of glory is both increased and confirmed and sealed vnto vs. And to this precept of our Sauiour wel agreeth that of the Apostle Iam. 1.2 my brethren count it all ioy when ye fall into diuers afflictions meaning as I take it of such as were inflicted by the world which then was most vsuall we must then reioyce and that withall ioy in the greatest measure we are able because thereby we attaine to be patient and so shall be perfect and compleate men in Christ An example of this precept we haue both in the example of all the Apostles Act. 5. in the ende who being beaten for professing Christ went away reioycing from the counsel taking it as an honour done to them And so of this our Apostle 2. Cor. 12.10 I take pleasure saith he in infirmities in reproches in necessities in persecutions for Christs sake For when I am weake then am I strong He tooke pleasure in these because he found that euen by them God ministred greater strength and comfort to him Obiect 2 But here againe I know that many good distressed soules wil be ready to reply that if it were but for the world and for men and afflictions thence they would be cheerefull and merry in these regards we haue seene but now they haue not flesh and blood alone and these afflictions to wrestle against but against principalities and powers against Satan the prince of the world and against spirituall wickednesses which are in high places These are of great power and of great might these are continually laying siege against their soules to take them how can they be merry that be night and day besieged thus dangerously especially of legions of deuils of spirituall wickednesses that are diligent and watchfull night and day to surprize and take their soules Alas these are many and strong enemies and we are weake and in continuall combat with them Answ I answere true it is these enemies are many and of great power dilligence and subtilty ioyned with deadly hate and malice against vs. But consider againe bee they neuer so strong and powerfull yet if we doe but resist and stand out against them they will flie from vs. Resist the deuill saith the Apostle Iames. 4.7 and he will flie from you Resist him though he be neuer so strong Resist him though he haue his legions of diuels with him against thee and he shall flie from thee Marke it he shall flie and that from thee Note Thou shalt put him to flight be thou the weakest Christian in the world if thou wilt but resist him with the shield of faith the sword of the Spirit c. Heere therefore we haue greater cause of ioy and triumph then of sorrow For what cause hath he but to reioyce that may euery day so easily triumph ouer so great and so many enemies that being a poore weake man may put to flight whole armies and legions of diuels Obiect 3 But some man may except thus Indeed I haue a great promise from God I shall do this if I resist but alas many times through my weaknesse I am readie to slumber and to sleepe and cannot be euer as I should be watchfull to resist Nay I find such a cursed rebellion in my heart that carries me continually as a slaue and captiue to the will of the diuell Answ Indeed I must needs confesse there is a great cause of sorrow and lamentation Miserable man saith the Apostle Paul Rom. 7. the end who shall deliuer me from this bodie of sinne But yet we haue also by the mercie of God sufficient wherewithall to raise vs vp in this sorrow for we haue the Spirit of God within vs to helpe our infirmities we haue the Angels of God night and day to pitch their tents about vs to aid vs against the euill angels we haue God himselfe who neither slumbereth nor sleepeth that watcheth and careth for vs. Be we neuer so weake and the diuell neuer so strong God who is with vs will vphold vs and no diuell shall plucke vs from him or out of his hands If I should further enter to lay downe all the causes that may and ought to moue the faithfull vnto ioy I should not easily find an end of so large and long a Treatise I will therefore in a word only entreate euery man who is desirous to learne what cause he hath to reioyce being a righteous
worst sort is of them that reioyce in actions simply euill as in vncleane and filthy talking in swearing in drunkennes whoring and blaspheming of the name of God Reproue and rebuke those men for it Their answere is ready what may we not speake may we not bee merry Yes mirth is lawfull The Lord by the Apostle stirreth vp here children vnto it but marke to what mirth not that which is taken in the sore mentioned sinnes and other like vnto them but in the Lord. Complaine not therfore without a cause as if God were too strict and precise to thee to restraine thee from all mirth Here indeed is a restraint but it is from vngodly mirth from reioycing as I may say in euil thy ioy must not be vnchast dishonest sensual earthly beastly The Lord is bountifull enough to thee in lawfull ioyes vouchsafed vnto thee to take thy part in Learne therefore hence to try thy mirth for when thou art reproued for thy lewd mirth it is no sufficiēt excuse to say we were but merry For know that there is a double mirth a holy mirth and an vngodly mirth a mirth in God and a mirth in the deuill Try therefore and examine thy mirth of whether sort it is If it be in God First God is alwaies in the one ende thereof and the heart is lifted vp in praise and thanksgiuing to God but for other he wil bring thee to a straight account reckning Againe if thou wouldest know that thy mirth is in the Lord try and examine whether thou thy selfe art in Christ For none can reioyce in the Lord but he that is already in Christ Be the thing wherein thou reioycest neuer so lawfull obserue neuer so strictly the time and measure in it this thy ioy is but a prophane and carnall ioy and not in the Lord. Euen the very delight thou takest in moderate eating and drinking and recreation if it be not of faith as it cannot be if thou be not in Christ it is sinne and therefore not in the Lord. And by this we see that only the righteous man can be truly ioyfull The worldly and the carnall he may reioyce in lawfull things but he cannot reioyce lawfully but in a carnal and fleshly manner this ioy neither proceedeth from God nor tendes to God but resteth in the matter neither is it ruled by the direction of Gods words but is disorderedly carried by the sway of his profane and wicked heart And as I haue said that we must beleeue in Christ and know that our names are written in heauen before we can reioyce in the Lord so there are other signes whereby we may know it for it being a thing of such worth and excellency I thinke it good to set downe more euidences of it We shall therefore better know that our ioy is in the Lord if we loue God greatly that is more then all that is precious in the world for the perfection of loue is ioy and therefore be carefull to obey him and if we loue our brethren for his sake And further if we sigh to be vnburdened and long to be with Christ which is best of all for by our reioycing that we haue in Christ Iesus our Lord we die daily And therefore by daily growing more ready to die we doe well testifie the ioy that we haue in him Lastly if our ioy haue vnfained thankes and feruent prayer for the continuāce of it as her companions for so doth the Apostle require that it should be accompanied it shall well appeare that we reioyce in the Lord. And here an other thing shall not be out of season to signifie to the reader that while he is commanded to reioyce in the Lord he must know that it nothing derogateth from it to delight in the word of God which Dauid oft professed that he did and that it was more sweet to him then the hony to his mouth for the word and the preachers that bring glad tidings out of it are the instruments and meanes whereby we delight in the Lord. And when we are taught to reioyce in the Saints which are on the earth and such as excell in vertue it hinders nothing our reioycing in the Lord but furthereth it seeing they are heires of the promise of life with vs and therefore helpers of that ioy The same I may say of reioycing in a good conscience For that is a testimony of our reioycing in the Lord. These and the like concurre with our ioying in God and are all helpers of that ioy And so that remaineth still firme that he that will reioyce should reioyce in the Lord. Now I come to the time when and how long this our ioy is to be in God and that is alwaies the Lord so that we wil be contented but to limit our ioy within those bounds we haue seene is liberall and bountifull for the time he doth not stint and limit vs to any set and certaine time but he will haue vs to reioyce in him euermore Herein differeth the ioy of the faithfull from the ioy of the world that worldly ioy is neuer constant and perpetuall but euen in laughing as Salomon teacheth the heart is sorrowfull and the end of that mirth is heauinesse But the ioy of the faithfull flourisheth at all times and in all seasons it is like to the Laurell tree that neither winter nor summer casteth the leafe For this ioy hath continuall meanes to feed it withall neither can the righteous man if he consider it euer want cause to ioy and be merrie in God We haue seene the righteous man hath cause to reioyce in affliction and so much more hath he in prosperitie Hee hath cause to reioyce when he prayeth because God is neere to heare his prayer and when he readeth because he seeth God to speake to him in his Word and to giue peace vnto his conscience And so in euerie thing the righteous go about they haue cause to go ioyfully about it their calling especially be it neuer so base yea euen the poorest labouring men if they be Gods children they are then imployed in Gods businesse when they are about their calling he hath set them in the seruant when he is about his masters businesse he may reioyce in doing it For reade Ephes 6.6 you shall see that which their masters set their seruants about is called the will of God and that in seruing their masters with care and in a good conscience they serue God and Christ. And God will giue them a reward and pay them their wages for it They reioyce also when they haue occasion to giue and distribute for they are assured that what they giue to the poore and needie brother they giue to Christ and that in feeding him they feed Christ in cloathing him that they cloath Christ yea they reioice in death it selfe For they know it is not to them
this must needs fall out rather that in the setling our minds vpon earthly pleasures we shall withdraw them from heauenly ioies For there is a far greater oddes cōtrariety betweene earthly pleasures and heauenly ioyes then is betweene one earthly pleasure and another The rule therefore is that we vse a temperancie and a moderation in the lawfull pleasures of this life and so reioyce as the Apostle teacheth vs 1. Cor. 7.30 as if we reioyced not And this rule we must remember is to be kept euen in lawfull pleasures and such as we haue good ground and warrant to vse from the word of God For as for pleasure in sinne be it in any time in any place or companie with what circumstance soeuer it hinders and quenches our reioycing in God But you will aske me how you may come to haue a predominant ioy in the best duties for it is not an easie matter to alter our affections set vpon these inferiour delights I answere we shall come to a predominancie of delight in good things if we be euer diligent in accustoming and exercising our selues in them Accustome thy selfe to earnest prayer and thou shalt delight in nothing more then in calling vpon God exercise thy selfe in repentance and mortification of sinne and this shall become euerie day more easie and lesse grieuous yea and in the end delightsome vnto thee On the contrarie doest thou find thy heart taken vp with ouer great delight in the things of the earth The daily and diligent exercise of holy and heauenly duties will slake and quench thy ioy in them And againe as by the practise of them thou hast taken that delight thou hast in them so if thou shalt disuse and vnaccustome thy selfe from them both from the practising of them the speaking of them with pleasure and the musing and thinking vpon them thou shalt lessen and diminish thy ioy in them For this experience can teach vs Note alwaies they take greatest delight in any thing that giue themselues most to the practise of it None so much giuen to the loue of drink or wine as they that are continually lying at it And it was a good precept giuen by a Heathen Philosopher which may well beseeme a Christian to learne that a man should make choice of the best life and custome would make it easie and pleasant vnto him We must not first looke for ioy and then to practise good duties but we must labour and sweat with exercising and accustoming our selues thereto and afterward we shall find true ioy from the continuall practise of them Practise sobrietie patience and mildnesse and a delight in them will follow of it owne accord Hence then we see it is very dangerous in regard of the losse of our ioy to omit for a time and to make intermission of good duties as also to giue leaue for a time to our selues to the practise of ought that hath been and is like to be a hinderance to the progresse and proceeding of our Christian ioy For omit a good dutie this day and thinke it is not long to the next it shall be done as well then thou shalt find lesse disposition in thy selfe vnto it and lesse delight in the doing of it by that intermission of thine And againe giue thy selfe libertie but at one time to practise that thou shouldest not and thinke thou wilt not be so farre carried with thy delight another time that one action of thine shall make thy delight stronger Note and thee lesse able to withstand it This men commonly see not and therefore if they haue had any ioy in any good dutie they quickly lose it Againe because they intermit it still and deferre from this day to the next the practise of it Or if they haue growne to some lesse delight or some dislike of something that were to be left yet by this taking of libertie now to do it and then vpō another occasiō to do it the delight returneth as great as euer it was If mē haue come to take pleasure in the Sabbaths of God in y e hearing of his Word in prayer in reading cōference and other holy duties vpon that day this delight many times groweth cold in them because they thinke yet they may take libertie and dispence with themselues for a day when either their profit calleth them away to worldly affaires or some ill custome to vanitie and pastimes draweth them away For this abādoning thy ioy which thou mightest take in the holy duties of the Sabbath but for one day will make thee the more vnfit to take any ioy in them for many dayes after This keeping of one Sabbath to the deuill Note will make thee thou shalt after take little pleasure in keeping any to God Let him therefore sue vnto thee but for one Sabbath in the yeare to be kept vnto him in wantonnesse vanity and let him labour to further it what he can and pleade old and ancient custome for it yet if I say thou feast him and makest him merry but one day in the yeare hee will so winde in himselfe and grow in one day into so familiar acquaintance with thee that thou shalt not be able to winde thy selfe out of it when thou wouldest The last meanes which I will note whereby we may both keepe and encrease our ioy is that whensoeuer the Lord shal call vs out to troubles and crosses that we submit our selues willingly and patiently to goe thorough them For this is a certaine and a sure position alwaies in Gods children that sorrowes and troubles sent vnto them of God are a direct way whereby the Lord intendeth to bring them vnto greater ioy and the greater and more continued troubles the Lord bringeth vpon them to the greater ioy doth he carry them if they willingly and patiently passe through them Reade 2. Cor. 1.5 As the sufferings of Christ abound in vs So our consolation aboundeth through Christ Marke As the sufferings abound so the consolation and ioy likewise doth abound And this is sutable and well agreeing to all the actions of God for the most part For when hee meaneth to exalt thee highest then he first humbleth thee by afflictions and casteth thee downe lowest None was euer so lowe abased and so deepely cast downe as was our Sauiour Therefore also as it is said Phil. 2.9 God highly exalted him Note gaue him a name aboue euery name that at the name of Iesus should euery knee bow both of things in heauen and things in earth and things vnder the earth The like we see in Dauid when God meant to exalt him to the kingdome he led him thither through many troubles and afflictions The Israelites God led them into a land flowing with milke and hony but he led them through barren and a terrible and feareful wildernes Ioseph was exalted to be next the King in Egypt but he was carried thorough pits and prisons and bondage vnto it On the