conceale a thing secret Nay in this many miracles on an heape concurre together Is it not a miracle in the body to open the eyes of the blind Math. 10.8 11.5 Act. 26.18 2 Cor. 7.1 Eph. 2.1.5 to restore hearing to the deafe to raise the dead to clense the Lepers The penitent person hath received all these in his soule his eyes are opened his eares are boared he is clensed from his filthinesse and restored to life for being naturally borne dead in sinnes and trespasses he is quickned O how great a change and alteration is this But here a question may be asked Object whether this be a worke and effect of the Law are the threatnings thereof able to do it Answ or is it a fruit of the Gospell I answer the Law helpeth it forward it cannot worke it or bring it forth It prepareth to repentance but produceth it not so that the law is not excluded or quite shut out Rom. 3.20 Gal. 3.24 It serueth to bring us to the knowledge of our sinnes and miseries and thereby fitteth us to receive grace and mercy like eating salues that make way for curing medicines or like the sharpe needle that maketh way for the threed But it is the Gospell that hath the promise of pardon and forgivenesse and worketh repentance from dead workes and therefore it is a fruit of the Gospel The Law knoweth no remission of sins but is a letter that condemneth it promiseth no mercy but threatneth the curse against the transgressors Gal. 3.13 Vse Vse 1 1. This condemneth such as forsake and forget the ordinary way that God hath left to bring us to saluation and gape after miracles or revelations This is all one as if when the Lord heareth the Heauens and they heare the earth Hos 2.21.22 and the earth heareth the corne and the corne the people they will not feed thereof as base food but looke for Manna and bread from heaven are not such worthy to perish Hence it is that Abraham is brought in Luk. 16.31 answering the rich man that would have the dead sent to his brethren to reclaime them and bring them to repentance If they heare not Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded though one rose from the dead How vainely then and idlely doe they prattle who to disgrace the Ministery of the word and the high ordinance of God to teach man by man alledge that they know not whether men speake the truth because all men are lyars and they are not able to try their doctrine but if they should heare the Lord himselfe speake or an Angel from heaven they would beleeve Iudg. 6 2â— 13.22 Gen. 16.2 Esay 6.3 These men neither know their owne weakenesse nor the power of God Not their owne weakenesse that are not able to endure the glory of him that speaketh from heaven nay this was the common voyce of such as heard an Angel We shall surely dy alas because I have seene an Angel of the Lord face to face not the power of God because he is infinite the Angels cover their faces before him the heavens are not cleane in his sight the earth trembleth when he sheweth his glory When the Israelites saw the lightnings and heard the noise of the thunder and sound of the Trumpet waxing lowder and lowder in the mount Exod. 20.18.19 so that Moses himselfe said I exceedingly feare and quake they sayd unto Moses Speake thou unto us and we will heare Heb. 12.21 but let not God speake unto us lest we die Deut. 5.25.26.28.29 If we heare the voyce of the Lord our God any more then we shall die for who is thereof all flesh that hath heard the voyce of the living God and lived This they spake and the Lord said They have well spoken all that they have spoken O that there were such an heart in them that they would feare me and keepe my Commandements alwayes that it might goe wel with them and with their Children for ever If this were wisedome in them to call for Moses to speake to them and not God what a foolish choise doe they make that call for God to speake to them and not Moses But of this also else where Secondly their case is fearefull and dangerous that are without the word there is no vision and therefore the people must needes perish Pro. 29.18 There the sheepe are without a sheepheard See examples Exod. 32.1 2 King 12.2 and none to have compassion upon them Math. 9.36 Neither is their state any better who albeit they are not without it yet regard it not but despise it in their hearts These are both alike saving that the latter is worser and more fearefull then the former The one are without the ordinary meanes the other without the use of the meanes and therefore without hope to come to repentance It was a fearefull judgement when our Saviour commanded the twelue saying Go not into the way of the Gentiles Math. 10.5 and into any City of the Samaritans enter ye not And when the Apostles went through the Cities to preach the Gospel Act. 16.6.7 they were forbidden by the holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia and afterward when they assaied to goe into Bithynia the Spirit suffered them not Was not this in effect as much as if the Lord had sayd give them no bread let them be famished I will not have these converted and consequently saved He that taketh away the meanes of life it is plaine he would not have that man live Woe then to all such retchlesse and carelesse persons as set light by this high ordinance of God that neither have it nor desire it but doubly wretched are they that despise it and wish in their hearts to be without it Can these perswade themselues they have attained to repentance What without the meanes but such is the necessity of repentance that without it we must perish for ever I may therefore say to such as the Apostle doth to the Iewes Well spake the holy Ghost unto our fathers Esay 6.9 Act. 28.26 Go unto this people and say hearing ye shall heare and shall not understand and seeing ye shall see and not perceive for the heart of this people is waxed grosse and their eares are dull of hearing and their eyes have they closed least they should see with their eyes and heare with their eares and understand with their hearts and should be converted and I should heale them Thirdly behold the happy condition of such if they knew their owne happinesse to whomsoever God hath vouchsafed the preaching of the Gospell It is a manifest proofe he hath a people there whom he would have converted For as he shewed the Disciples to whom they should not goe Math. 10.6 Act. 18.9.10 so he sent them to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel Thus also he spake to Paul Act. 18. Be not afraid but speake and
and dissimulation This was the sinne of Eli other wise a good man 1 Sam. 1. Christ our Saviour conversed much with publicans and sinners to the end he might do them good and draw them from the kingdome of sinne and Satan and make them inheriters of the kingdome of heaven a worke in all respectes most holy and righteous yet the Scribes and Pharisees judged him to be a friend and favourer of them and of their sinnes Lue. 7.34 And albeit he castout Devils by the power of his divine Majesty for the confirmation of his doctrine and edification of the weake in faith yet they said he did it by Beelzebuh the Prince of the Devils Math. 12.24 So in our dayes religion and the zealous profession thereof are reputed no better then counterfeit holinesse Let the examples of the faithfull be before us continually whensoever we find the same measure offered untous and comfort our selves with this that it hath no otherwise befallen us then to many Prophets of God and faithfull seruants of Christ Math. 5.12 who must not looke to be greater then there Master neither to finde better entertainment in the world then he did The second kinde of judgment forbidden is when men commit evill things worthy in themselves to be condemned and thereupon are judged not onely dangerous but desperate offenders past hope of repentance and recovery This is to execute indeede a right Lordship over their soules and Salvation and to step up into the seate of God 1 Cor. 4.5 Of this the Apostle speaketh Iudge nothing before the time untill the Lord come who will lighten things that are hidde in darknesse and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts and then shall every man have prayse of God and we are charged to instruct with meeknesse the contrary minded 2 Tim. 2.25 to bring them to God and not leave them in the snares of the Devill No man therefore ought to passe their doome of the everlasting estate of any man and to pronounce peremptorily and absolutely that they shall perish and cannot be saved as if they were Lords of one anothers life and death salvation and damnation or had power to bring them to heaven or cast them into hell This is beyond our reach and commission and to usurpe the office of Christ to whom all judgment is committed No man dare make himselfe a judge and sit downe in the judgement seate to give sentence of absolution or condemnation in matters of this temporall life without the Princes speciall appointment and shall any dare doe it in things of the life to come to pronounce any to be forlorne reprobates and vessels of wrath For who knoweth what one day may bring forth Pro. 24 1 He runneth farre that never returneth We see many notorious wicked men suddainly and mightily called and changed 2 Chr. 33. Act. 9. Luk. 23. We read of some standing idle all the day long called at the eleventh houre to labour in the vineyard Math. Math. 20. 20. The theefe repented and was converted at the instant of his death Let us remember that we are all brethren one no better then another and therefore we ought not presumptuously to chalenge this superiority to judge and condemne one another Christian love hopeth well of all men and so long as they live there is some hope The third kind is when we doe things which in themselues are indifferent which may be done either well or ill either with a pure or a prophane heart with faith or without faith to judge such an action wicked which indeed is to be accounted good or evill according to the intent purpose and affection of the doer whereof God alone is the discerner because he alone is the searcher of the heart he alone is the Iudge of the heart This corruption we read to have beene in Eliab the brother of David Why camest thou downe hither 1 Sam. 17 2â— and with whom hast thou left those few sheepe in the wildernesse I know thy pride and the haughtinesse of thy heart for thou art come downe to see the battell This the Apostle forbiddeth Rom. 14. Rom. 14.3 Let not him that eateth judge him that eateth not c. The faithfull servants of God are hardly delt withall in all these respects their good things are not good or at least it is shrunke up and contracted their indifferent things are pronounced to be starke naught and if they fall into evil it is stretched and made a thousand times worse even by those of the worser sort Lastly it standeth us upon to labour to see the grieuousnesse of sinne in our selves and to feele the waight and burden thereof For commonly we are blinde and see not at all or else we are purblind and cannot see them in their right colours we be hold them as motes or strawes not as beames or if we doe ever judge them as beames How we may perceive the neinousnesse and greinousnesse of sinne Luc. 12.48 it is in others not in our selves Now that we may discerne of sinne in the nature thereof we must consider these few particulars First consider how God striveth with us by his manifold mercies and blessings to draw us to a love of Godlinesse and hatred of wickednesse now unto whomsoever much is given of him shall be much required and to whom men have committed much of him they will aske the more Secondly if we compare our sinnes with Adams first sinne considered in the fact doubtlesse we have as great in our hearts yea greater and yet by that one disobedience he brought destruction upon himselfe and all his posterity that is the first and second death Thirdly we may behold the grievousnesse of sinne by proportion with the punishment For what is the wages and reward of sinne a subjection to all woe and misery in this life to death it selfe in the end of this life and to eternall death after this life in hell with the Devill and his Angels Fourthly they were laid upon the person of our Saviour Christ who outwardly endured the torments on the Crosse in his body and inwardly apprehended the wrath of God in his soule due unto us and which we should have suffered This made him to sweat water and blood Lue. 22.44 Math. 27.46 and to cry out in the anguish of his spirit My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Math. 27. Are such sinnes to be holden as motes no doubtlesse they are great beames are they as little moul-hills no doubtlesse they be huge mountaines able to crush the sonnes of men in pieces under the heavy indignation of God Lastly the law of God is holy and perfect and forbiddeth the first thoughts and motions in the heart that arise against God or our neighbour yea though we never give consent of will to practise them Rom. 7. If then the first motions be sins in themselves deserving damnation Rom. 7.7 because the law saith
with him God hath made a faithfull promise to us to care for us and shall not we cast all our care upon him or shall wee thinke he will or can falsifie his Word True it is the chiefe promise that we lay hold upon is touching the remission of sinnes and eternall life but when by a true faith we lay hold upon the principall promise of God and beleeve it touching salvation in Christ we apprehend by vertue thereof the promise of God for temporall blessings also as food raiment health peace liberty all which depend upon the former maine promise of Christ so farre forth as God seeth them behoovefull for us This wee see in Abraham who beleeving in God and having his faith imputed unto him for righte-ousnesse doubted not of the particular promise that God would give him a Sonne Gen. 15.6 Heb. 11.12 and that his seed should be as the Starres in Heaven for multitude and as the sand upon the Sea-shore that cannot be numbred The heart that hath truely learned to say by faith God will pardon my sinnes and save my soule will easily also say by force of the same faith God will give mee food and raiment provide things necessary for my body and sufficient for this present life If we have not learned to beleeve in God touching his mercy in feeding and in clothing of us which are matters of farre lesser moment and importance we have not yet learned to depend upon him for the remission of our sinnes and the imputation of Christs righteousnesse which are of infinite more price and value then the other If we will not trust him for our bodies how should wee trust and rest in him for our soules And if we commit not to him the things of this life how can we credit him with heavenly things Wee must all therefore learne to say with the Apostle I know whom I have beleeved 2 Tim. 1.12 and I am perswaded that he is able to keepe that which I have committed unto him against that day Lastly seeing we ought not to feare at all touching earthly things we may be well assured hee will give us all things needfull for our soules which are of an higher nature and of a greater price If hee that sitteth in the Heavens vouchsafe to looke downe so low and to abase himselfe to order every creature serving for the safety of our bodies doubtlesse hee will not passe over the provision for our soules he I say who hath forbidden to tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbes Matth. 23.23 and then passe over iudgement and the waightier matters of the law If he will not deny us the lesser certainely he will bestow upon us the greater blessings without which it cannot goe well with us For as hee knoweth what we have need of so he knoweth wee may better bee without earthly then spirituall blessings What folly were it for a man to be carefull for the garment and carelesse of the body it selfe to respect the shoo and to neglect the foot Wee must therefore all of us from this fatherly care of God for our bodies which are transitory and must turne to dust learne to ascend higher to see his care toward our soules which beare the lively prints of his image and come neerer to his nature Earthly blessings indeed are speciall pledges of his loue whereby he taketh us by the hand and leadeth us farther to behold his eternall favour in his owne Sonne but if we doe not make this use of them his blessings cease to bee blessings to us whatsoever they are in their owne nature Flocke In this word we have the second point in the Counsell which is the appellation or title of the people of God being called the Sheepe of God Properly a Flocke is a company of Sheepe gathered together into one pasture A Flocke presupposeth a Shepheard a Sheepfold and the Sheepe themselves The Shepheard is God the Sheepfold is the Church the Sheepe are the faithfull Christ Iesus is the dore of the Sheepe by him if any man enter he shall bee saved Ioh. 10.7 9. Ephes 3.12 and shall goe in and out and finde pasture Ioh. 10.7 9. The wrath of God against sinne hath clozed up against us all entrance into Heaven and hath shut us up under sinne and damnation The death of Christ hath opened the dore and not onely satisfied the wrath of God but merited for us mercy and forgivenesse grace and favour for ever This is the preeminence of the passion of Christ Now they enter by him that beleeve in him The Sheepe of Christ are of two sorts one outward in the account of the visible Church consisting both of good and bad the other inward consisting onely of the Elect being members of the invisible or Catholike Church Doct. 2 Hence wee learne that all the Elect are the Sheepe of Christ and his Flocke beloved of him deare to him as his portion and possession and in the account of him his chiefe jewels and principall substance Cant. 1.7 Joh. 10.14 Heb. 13.20 many other testimonies doe follow after The reasons are plaine First Reas 1 Christ Iesus paid a deare price and gave his life for them for it cost him much to redeeme the same Act. 20.28 as Act. 20. He purchased the Flocke with his precious blood precious indeed because it was the blood of him that is God as well as man and therefore of infinite value and estimation sufficient for the whole world Secondly because they resemble Sheepe and that in many particulars First Sheepe are by nature straying and wandring out of the way and ready to bee made a prey to the Wolfe so it is with men yea even the Elect and such as are called in which respect the Apostle Peter saith 1 Pet. 2.25 Ye are as Sheepe going astray through ignorance of the doctrine of salvation and prone to be surprised by the Devill that great wolfe but are now returned to the Shepheard and Bishop of your soules Act. 20.28 29. Secondly Sheepe oftentimes wander out of the right way so that there seemeth small hope of their safety and in the judgement of man they are estemed to bee as good as utterly lost without any redresse or recovery so it is among such as are the Sheepe of Christ some doe so farre swarve and are so intangled in the snare of the enemy as a Sheepe in the brambles that their estate seemeth desparate and forlorne Hereunto commeth the parable Matth. 18. How thinke yee Matth. 18.22 Luke 15.4 If a man have an hundred Sheepe and one of them be gone astray doth hee not leave the ninety and nine which went not astray and goe after that which is lost till he finde it Such a Sheepe was Manasseh that filled Ierusalem with innocent blood 2 King 21.16 2 Chron. 33.6 and did much evill in the sight of the Lord to provoke him to anger yet he found mercy upon his
the cheefe Priestes Math. 21.25 the baptisme of Iohn whence is it From heaven or is it of men Is our ministery of God or is it of men For the hearer must confesse his treacher to be sent of God if his teaching beget faith and repentance in him and praise the name of God for it and acknowledge the blessing of God upon his labours to be an infallible token of his lawfull calling Ier. 23.21.22 Mal. 2.46 2 Cor. 3.1.2 On the other side God doth not convert men to himselfe or establish them in grace by false and Antichristian Ministers and meanes The holy martyrs were members of our Church I would likewise aske the Question of the holy Martyrs of our Church which accounted not their owne lives precious vnto them but laid them downe for the truthes sake are these martyrs of God or of the Devil were they members of a true Church or of a false and were they instructed in the faith by Christian ministers or by Antichristian nay doubtlesse they were not ashamed to professe themselues children of our Churches and reuerenced our ministers as their spiritual fathers and would have accounted it no small blessing if they might have beene suffered to heare them Thirdly they are reproued who thinke that above all other things the preaching of the word may best be spared and that the office of the Ministers is least of all usefull and necessary But is faith necessarie is repentance of any use is saluation out of request If these be giftes absolutely necessary then must the preaching of the truth and the publishing of the Gospel be necessary also without which they cannot be attained of us Christ Iesus is the greatest gift under Heaven after him the ministery of the word is the highest benefit whereby we come to know Christ and him crucified I say it is the greatest benefit which God hath given to the Sonnes of men Eph. 4.12 Eph. 4. for the gathering together of the Saints and the edification of the Church Whosoever therefore despiseth the preaching of the Word 1 Thess 4.8 despiseth not man but God and is guilty of his owne condemnation For as our bodies cannot live without food so our soules prosper not without the word Lastly it reproueth all drowsie and carelesse hearers that are a sleepe when they should heare these exclude and shut out faith that it should not enter But how should God open our hearts when we will not keep open our eares or how should he heare our praiers when we will not heare his Fastours Is it not all one altogether to be absent and to be thus present Secondly it serueth for information First it is a matter of great comfort for the lost sheepe of Christ straying from the sheepefold to understand that there is a way left to recover wandering sinners which is the hearing of the word and thereby to come to saluation Secondly it is a speciall blessing to live in such places and among such people where the word is taught and where they may be partakers of hearing Happy are they that hearken to the saving doctrine of the Gospell with a desire to understand it and care to obey it But wofull and feareful is their estate that live in such barraine places where the dearth of the word pineth away the soule we may say of them in deed and in truth Num. 13.32 They are lands that eate up the inhabitants thereof and in that day shall the faire virgins and young men faint for thirst Thirdly it teacheth that the sense of hearing is a great and necessary blessing of God and therefore fitly called the sense of understanding and of beleeving True it is God can worke without and no doubt he doth true it is also that our other senses are good helpes of many notable things especially the eyes are speciall furtherers of knowledge God hath two bookes whereby he teacheth us and wherein we reade his marueilous wisedome the one Psal 19.1 Rom. 1.19.20 1 Cor. 1.21 the great booke of his Creatures wherein we see his eternall power and godhead and learne to give him the glory the other is his written word inspired of God and iâ— profitable for doctrine for reproofe for correction and for instruction in righteousnesse that the man of God may bee perfect throughly furnished unto all good workes 2 Tim. 3.16.17 Fourthly where the word is not taught according to the Ordinance of God there ordinarily sinners are not converted to God For there is no other ordinary meanes under heaven to conuert sinners and to worke faith in us than the Ministery of the word How then can we learne what true faith and true repentance is without the word Without which we must perish and be condemned Hence it is that Salomon saith Where vision failâ—th Pro. 29.18 the people perish Behold therefore the misery of the people who are as sheep dispersed and scattered without a Sheepheard and without such leaders as may shew them the good and right way wherein they should walke and so come to the kingdome of heauen Fiftly all such as through negligence carelesnesse contempt and wilfulnesse refuse the hearing of the word doe cast from them the meanes of their salvation and forsake their owne mercies nay they renounce faith and turning to God and account themselues unworthy of eternall life Such were those Iewes which are spoken of Act. 13. who resisted the word Act. 13.46 railed at it and spake against those things that were spoken contradicting them and blaspheming and therby renouncing their part in Christ Iesus Such are many carelesse and dissolute persons among us little better than Atheists who are never touched with any love of the word or desire of it but cast it behind their backe and set it after all the vanitie and pleasures of this life Lastly Mar. 4.24 Luk. 8.18 it is our duty to take heed how we heare For it standeth us vpon to regard not onely what we heare but how we heare and to looke to the manner as well as to the matter For we may perish as well by not hearing aright as by hearing that which is not right and consider that it is not enough to heare the truth but we must heare truly That we may attaine to this we must performe these seuerall duties to attend unto it to marke it to understand it to hold it fast and lastly to apply it The first point required of us The first duty of hearers is that we attend hearken unto it diligently It is not sufficient to heare It is one thing to heare but hearkning and giuing eare is another thing To heare requireth no more but the eares of the body to hearken requireth the eares of the mind Hence it is that Christ saith Math. 13. He that hath eares to heare Math. 13.9 let him heare Where he sheweth that there is a double hearing outward and inward or else he would never charge
godlinesse and honesty Ier. 29.7 So the Prophet chargeth the Captives of the people Ier. 29.7 Seeke the peace of the City whither I have caused you to be carried away Captives and pray unto the Lord for it for in the peace thereof shall yee have peace Fourthly it is their duty that are seruants to make wise choise of their Masters and Governours where they may be soberly gouerned and godlily instructed But what do such for the most part hunt after and under what roofe will they rest Doubtlesse in their choise they regard nothing they ayme after nothing but where they may serve for greatest wages where they may make most gaine profit and worldly commodity where they finde most liberty and where they may speake as they list doe as they list and live as they list Nay they affect and preferre above all other the houses of prophane persons where themselues may live as prophanely also without feare of God or man and without checke and controlment that it may be said like master like seruant which notwithstanding is the common but corrupt custome of the common sort who have more care to provide for the body than for the soule But they have chosen the better part who are carried with a desire and love of godlinesse where they may learne the best things that shall not be taken from them remembring that 1 Tim. 6.6 1 Tim. 6.6 Godlinesse is greate gaine if a man be content with that he hath True it is there may be one Lot in Sodome one Ioseph in Pharaohs house one Rahab in Iericho one Paul in the ship and one Obadiah in Ahabs Court but this is very rare and falleth out seldome For where the heads of the family be prophane what shall ye see in the rest of the household but Prophanenesse Worldlinesse Wantonnesse Drunkennesse brawling and contention Where they be lukewarme it may be observed that their children and seruants for the most part that attend upon them are Neuters neither fish nor flesh neither hote nor cold such care not which end goe forward where they be faithfull and zealous zeale will oftentimes be found in the lowest seruant that looketh to the doore Act. 12.5.14 as we see in Rhoda who reioyced to heare Peters voyce and was glad to carry that newes when he was brought out of prison for whom prayer had beene made by the Church without ceasing to God 7 And he caused it to be Proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the King and his Nobles saying Let neither man nor beast heard nor flocke tast any thing let them not feede nor drinke water 8 But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth and cry mightily unto God yea let them turne every one from his evill way and from the violence that is in their hands The example and precedency of the King hath beene considered in the former verse His repentance was the repentance of all the rest and his humiliation was the laying of the threatning to heart by all the rest For they followed his example and he knew that repentance was the only meanes to appease the wrath of God Now touching the Kings edict he consulteth with his Councell or Nobles joyntly together they publish a decree the summe whereof is that there should be fasting and prayer 1 King 12.6 2 Sam. 16.23 declared by the reason vers 9. Who can tell if God will turne from his fierce wrath that we perish not Here are sundry points offered that might be handled that the King had his Councell without whose advise direction he would do nothing This hath ever beene the manner of Princes to have their wise Councell about them in regard of the waightinesse of their charge Two eyes see more then one and two eares heare more then one In this respect Solomon teacheth that two are better then one and so have a greater fruit of their labours Besides the dangers are greater if they erre and goe astray their errors are oftentimes irrevocable and had I wist commeth too late But because this better fitteth another place I will passe it ouer And touching fasting it selfe I have spoken of it before and therefore I passe that also Onely it may seeme strange that the commandement runneth indifferently to man and beast that they must be covered with sackcloth and fast and that man and beast must cry mightily unto God For some may say seeing these things may seeme strange what have beasts to doe with repenting and turning to God have they or can they sinne The good Angels the Devils the beastes cannot repent Why the bruit beastes are commanded to fast The elect Angels neede it not the Devils cannot the beastes are not capable of it This then was not commanded for the beasts sake but to stirre up the Ninevites themselues the more when they should heare the crying of children the neyghing of horses the lowing of bullockes the bleating of sheep all making lamentation and all sending up their cries to heaven themselues might be provoked to double their owne mourning who were the causes of all the other The common danger it selfe might seeme all-sufficient to provoke the people to this humiliation but besides this they had the example of the King and his Councell the force of an edict or proclamation yea the very sight and hearing of the beasts put them in minde of their duty Doct. We must use all occasions to stirre up our selues to repentance Thus they must take all occasions to stirre up themselues to turne every one from his evill wayes This teacheth that we have all neede to use all meanes and take all occasions to stirre up our selues and one another to repentance and amendment of life and all little enough yea too little Hereunto come the many warnings and jnvitations to godlinesse found every where in the word of God as do charger us to remember to take heed to come to looke to our selues and such like Deut. 4.23 Luk. 11.34 Psal 34.11 And no marueil For we have neede to be often put in remembrance of our duties Exod. 20.8 Deut. 9.7 Eccl. 12.1 1 Tim. Reason 1 1.15 3.1 4.9 6.17 2 Tim. 4.1 What meane these so often caveats and Commandements but to teach us that we have great neede to be stirred up to all good things Secondly we are very dull and untoward to all good things To evill we neede no teacher nor instructer nor inciter we are forward enough and too forward but to good we are backward and have neede of spurres We are by nature slacke and untoward to that is good Hence it is Iob 11.12 that man by nature is compared to a wilde Asses colt Iob. 11. Vaine man would be wise though man be borne like a wilde Asses colt that is untamed and untractable Ier Ier. 2 24. 2. to a wild asse used to the wildernesse that snuffeth up the winde at her pleasure
Thirdly it is a very difficult and hard worke to attaine to any good Vertue is planted groweth upon the top of an high hill it is painfull to climbe up unto it or upon a steep rocke to which we can hardly ascend we shall be driven to creepe up on all foure 1 Sam. 14.13 as Ionathan and his armour-bearer did to the garrison of the Philistims This is that which the wise Solomon teacheth Pro. 15.24 The way of l fe is above to the wise that he may depart from hell beneath Hence it is also Psal 15.1 Phil. 3.19 Col. 3.1 that the Rrophet David compareth heaven to an high hill Psal 15.1 We should clime and get up nearer and nearer unto it euery day So our Saviour teacheth that the way to life is narrow Math. 7.14 and the gate strait it is not wide and broad as the path that tendeth to death and therefore much striving and strugling much fighting and wrastling is needfull for us Math. 11.12 that the kingdome of heaven may suffer violence and the violent take it by force The way is onely one that leadeth to life and we must make straight steppes unto it but the by-pathes and crooked lanes and crosse turnings that tend to death are many nay infinite This instructeth us to admonish one an other Vse 1 to consider one an other to provoke to love and to good workes to exhort one an other and so much the more Heb. 10.24.25 because we see the day approching This the Saints have practised thus the Prophet foretelleth it should be in times of the Gospel under the kingdome of Christ Esay 2. Esay 2.3 Mic. 4. â— many people shall goe and say Come let us goe up to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob he will teach us his wayes and we will walke in his pathes So the Apostle chargeth us to exhort one an other to reprove and comfort We see in the things of this life how ready men are to helpe one another and to doe good to the body nay we are commanded to shew our love and compassion to the beast yea of our enemy Exod. 23.5 If he lye downe under his burden wilt thou forbeare to lift him up thou shalt surely helpe him up how much more then should we doe good to the soule which is more precious than the body and further him in the matters of salvation which are of more worth a thousand times than a temporal possession Especially this duty is to be performed by parents and masters that are bound by a nearer and straiter band to their families than others are and so are charged with the same in a double respect and generally it is required of all to keepe watch and ward over others for their good For they that are truly religious must approve themselues to be so by seeking to draw others thereunto Where true religion possesseth the heart of a man The properties of true religion there also cannot but be a desire kindled and inflamed to bring others to it also This is not onely as a good tree that bringeth forth good fruit but it is also as a fire which having matter to worke upon will send forth light and heat to comfort and refresh others And who is he that knoweth and considereth from what misery he is delivered and to what freedome from sinne and Satan he is brought that can be so unthankfull to God and so mercilesse and hard-hearted to his brethren as to rest contented in his owne happinesse and be altogether carelesse to give glory to God for his happinesse Cant 1.4 Iam. 5.19.20 and to testifie his love to his neighbour and desire to pull him out of the state of damnation and make him partaker of the inheritance in the heavenly places We see in the examples of the Disciples how diligent they were so soone as they were brought to Christ to perswade draw others to the knowledge and feare of God When Andrew was brought to Christ he never rested till he had found his brother Simon Ioh. 1.41.42 and sayd unto him We have found the Messias and he brought him to Iesus and when the Lord Iesus had called Philip and willed him to follow him Philip findeth Nathaniel and sayd We have found him vers 45.46 of whom Moses and the Prophets did write come and see him The like also we see afterward in the woman of Samaria when once Christ had touched her heart and given her to drinke of the fountaine of living waters springing up into everlasting life she could not rest her selfe contented therewith to be partaker of so great a benefit alone Ioh 4.29 but shee lest her waterpot and ranne into the City and called them out to tast of those waters whereof she had drunke Indeed he asked of her but he gave unto her waters of life Let us be therefore like to those Lepers who being almost affamished and ready to dye and finding a rich booty meat and drinke silver and gold in great abundance would not nay could not keepe such a benefit long to themselues but they accused themselues and reproved one another 2 King 7.9 saying We doe not well this day is a day of good tidings and we hold our peace if we tarry till the morning some mischiefe will come upon us now therefore come that we may tell it abroad So when God in great mercy hath opened himselfe unto us which is better than to find siluer and gold should we then hide his mercy as the unfaithfull seruant did his talent and not rather put it out to the exchangers Math. 25.27 that the Lord at his comming might receive his owne with usury And should we not say with those Lepers This day is a day of good tidings and should we hold our peace and not communicate this good to others This is the charge that the Lord layd upon Peter Luk. 22. I have prayed for thee Luk. 22.32 that thy faith faile not when thou art converted strengthen thy brethren Thus the sheepheards after the Angels were departed into heaven encouraged one another to see the thing that was come to passe and to make that knowne abroad in the City which the Lord had made knowne to them in the field Luk. 2 1.5 Secondly it reproveth sundry sorts that offend against this doctrine First such as shake off this duty The first reproofe as too heavy a burthen from their owne shoulders and lay it upon the Ministers of the word and it is posted over from one to another as Adam laid the blame vpon the woman and the woman upon the Serpent whereas every private man ought to be a meane according to his calling to perswade others to the hearing of the word that they might be saved If every one would perswade himselfe that it is his duty to perswade others then would the Church be enlarged
the Gospel be more generally entertained and the places of our assemblies be better replenished But we will not learne this lesson or at least we will not practise it This is a generall fault among us all if we come to the house of God our selves we thinke we have done enough and many will not doe so much whereas in the meane season we neglect the rest of our families never considering that our children and our servants must keepe the Sabbath as well as our selves not remembring that we must give an account to God for them what they doe when they are in the house of prayer that they doe not abuse themselves the holy place of Gods worship and hinder the edification of others that they do not turne the house of God into a play-house and his service into a may-game And if any proceed so far to have an eye to their families we must know that God hath given yet a farther charge even of our neighbours except we will be like to wicked Caine who said Gen 4.9 Am I my brothers keeper As he dealt cruelly toward his brothers body so doe we unmercifully to his soule when we shake and shift from us all care therof as if we were not made keepers one of another There is a mercy to be shewed the soule as wel as the body If a man should escape the hands of theeves be brought out of danger ought he not to give warning to others that trauail that way to look to themselues if he do not is he not guilty of the losse he sustaineth So it is in this case And certainly when we see the coldnesse backwardnes of all persons we should sharpen whet up one another Pro 27.17 according to the precept of Salomon Iron sharpneth iron so a man sharpneth the countenance of his friend and say Come neighbour come friend let us go to the house of God let us go to the Sermon there we shall heare that will doe us good and be to our soules health I have found much comfort and benefit by being there and so I doubt not you may If it be to sporting and playing to a drunken feast or to a prophane meeting we see how ready men are not only to call their neighbours to goe with them but also if they were not there with them to set it out to the full at their returne as largely as they can And doth not God looke for as great care for the soule salvation of our brethren But some will say Ob. I could be content to doe so but alas I shall doe no good Solut. I were therefore as good sit still and let all alone Pro. 18.13 and looke well to my selfe I answer or rather let Solomon answer He that answereth a matter before he heareth it it is folly and shame unto him Againe be it 2 Cor. 2.13 it were so that which is said to the Minister belongeth to all We are the sweet savour to God in them that perish Let it be with us as it was with Peter Luk. 5.5 he said Master we have toyled all the night and have taken nothing neverthelesse at thy word I will let downe the net Thus ought we much rather to fish for mens soules and leave the successe to God God sent his Prophets to the people and telleth them before hand they will not hearken unto them yet they went and obeyed Ezek. 3. Math. 13. Object Others likewise pretend that it is a thanklesse office we shall be accounted busi-bodies and medlers in other mens matters What thanklesse thou wouldest Solut. I am sure thou shouldest say thankfull yea doubly thankfull Thou shewest thankfulnesse toward God for thine own conversion Can we better shew it toward God than this way And do we not owe him more seruice than this for our calling who might have left us in blindnesse and ignorance as he hath done many thousands in the world Yea doubtlesse we should do more good hereby 2 Thess 3.2 than we can imagine For as the Apostle saith All men have not faith so all men have not a love to religion they must be perswaded and provoked to it As then the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 7.16 1 Pet. 3.1 What knowest thou O husband whether thou shalt save thy wife or what knowest thou O wife whether thou shalt save thy husband So may I extend it farther and say what knowest thou O man whether God hath ordained thee to be the meanes to convert thy neighbour thy kinsman thy acquaintance and familiar friend that is contrary minded at least use the meanes and then thou hast delivered thine owne soule whereas otherwise thou maist be guilty of his blood Never say therefore thou shalt loose thy labour God that commandeth this duty Dan. 12.3 will reward thy seruice and labour of love as Dan. 12. They that turne many to righteousnesse shall shine as the starres for ever And if ever it shall please God to open their eyes to see their owne misery 1 Sam. 25.328.33 it will be with them as it was with David toward Abigail who had advised him well and kept him from doing evill who said to her Blessed be the Lord God of Israel which sent thee this day to meet me and blessed be thy advise blessed be thou c. Neither can there be a better property of a good neighbour than to wish well and to doe good to the soule and if any desire to be accounted a good neighbour in the sight of God and man let him shew it this way Secondly The second reproofe it reproveth all such as are come to this passe that they cannot abide to be admonished much lesse reproved but are like to the Israelite Exod. 2. when Moses reproved him for smiting his fellow and put them both in mind that they were brethren he that thus did the wrong thrust him away Exod. 2.13 Act 7.27 Gen. 19.9 saying who made thee a ruler and a judge over us or like the men of Sodome Gen. 19. This fellow came in to soiourne with us and he will needes be a judge But let such remember the saying of Solomon Rebuke a wise man Pro 9.8 and he will love thee If God require it as a duty at the hands of every one to exhort to admonish and to rebuke he requireth it by the rule of relation that others suffer the word of exhortation and admonition Psal 141.5 and Psal 141. the Prophet saith Let the righteous smite me and it shall be a kindnesse and let him reprove me it shall be an excellent oyle which shall not breake my head Therefore it is no matter of unkindnesse Thirdly The third reproofe it reproveth such as being pressed to this duty doe it indeed sometimes but it is never in love or in the spirit of meeknesse but in rage and choler or else it is in a taunting disgracing and deriding manner and
ever he intend to attaine the end of his journey This unproper speech is very proper to expresse the nature of repentance because we are all traveylers toward heaven we are all gone farre out of the way like sheepe going a stray from the fold therefore we must turne backe againe and as we were going to hell so we must turne our feet toward heaven and as we have turned our backes to God so we must set our faces toward him This is repentance And touching the manner of turning we must obserue there are foure sortes of substance of quantity of place of quality Change of substance is when one substance is changed into an other as Lots wife was turned into a Piller of salt Gen. 19. Gen. 19.26 Exod. 4.3 Ioh. 2.9 The rod into a Serpent and the Serpent into a rodde Exod. 4.3.4 And water into wine at the feast in Canna of Galilee Ioh. 2. But repentance is not such a change because before and after repentance our substance is the same we have the same bodies and the same soules Change of quantity is either by encreasing or diminishing as when Christ fed five thousand men with five loaves and two fishes Math. 14.15 and 15.32 and foure thousand with seven loaves and a few little fishes but repentance is not such a change by encreasing from few sinnes to moe or from lesser to greater neither contrary wise a diminishing from moe to few or from greater to lesser but rather this is a turning from one sinne to another whereas true repentance is a turning from all sinne to God in our whole life Change of place or local mutation when we passe out of one place into another as Peter out of prison into a place of liberty Act. 12. But repentance is not such a change because a sinner may change his soile and not his soule he may go from place to place yea from Countrey to Countrey and change ayre yet not let go one of his sinnes as a sicke man doth he may change his chaire and his Chamber and be carried from bed to bed but this cannot free him from his sicknesse and restore him to his former health so it is with sinne Change in quality is when things change from once condition to another as when the leper was clensed or the dead raised Such a change is repentance when new qualities or properties or put into the soul and body when they are altered from unrighteousnesse to righteousnesse from all sinne to the living God In this the nature of true repentance consisteth as Hos 6.1 14.2 Ezek. 18.30.32 36.26 Ier. 4.1 Luk. 1. Act. 26.20 in which places repentance is expounded to be a turning to God a doing of workes meete for amendment of life In this turning obserue these particulars first it is a turning of the whole man both of soule and body both of the outward man and the inward Iam. 4. Secondly it must be constant and continued not flitting or starting backe like a deceitfull bow or vanishing like the morning dew Hos 6.4 Thirdly It must be a turning from all sin to God for one knowne sinne wherein we live without resistance separateth from God as well as many Devâ— 30.2 Ier. 4.4 This appeareth first because the word here used importeth that we are gone out of our way Reas 1 we would travail toward heaven and we take the right course that leadeth to hell we would seeme desirous of Salvation but we go in the broad way that bringeth to destruction Math. 7.13 we make as though we would go to God and we follow after the Devill Math. 7. Secondly we were made according to the image of God in holinesse and true righteousnesse Eph. 4. and had fellowship with God man delighting in his Creator the Creator in his creature but sin hath turned all upside down man had no sooner fallen transgressed Gen. 3.8.10 but he fled from the presence of God as an evill servant from his Master or a malefactor from the judge for feare of punishment and was afraid of his comming into the Garden Thus we became the children of wrath Eph. Eph. 2.3 4.18 2.3 But when once we have grace to repent then we begin to repaire and recover the image of God and to be reconciled to him againe Repentance therefore is as a miracle of the Gospel the quickning of a dead man and the raising of him up from death to life or as the reedifying and repayring of a royall Pallace that was fairely builded but foully battered and decayed The image of God is as a faire Pallace the transgression of man is as the ruine thereof repentance is nothing else but a raising again of that image which is to be done all the dayes of our life This is in a manner a miraculous worke in regard of the greatnesse of our fall that in regard of our spirituall estate which we recover we may say as Math. 11.5 Math. 11.5 The blind receive their sight the lame walke the leaprs are clensed the deafe heare and the dead are raised up to life Happy are we if this spirituall miracle be wrought upon us Let us apply these things to our selues First Vse 1 hereby it appeareth The first reproofe that many men are greatly deceived both in the doctrine and practise of repentance in the doctrine because they thinke that to be which is not repentance and in the practise because they perswade themselues that they have it when indeed they want it Some are so silly and sotish that they presume they need it not and that it belongeth not at all to them no more then physicke to a whole or sonnd man or a plaister to him that hath neither wound nor hurt like the young man in the Gospel Math. 19.20 All this have I done from my youth up what lacke I yet or like such as suppose Christ came not to call them but other notorious sinners Others slight and slubber over this matter with a little sorrow and sighing with Esau Ahab and Iudas and if they live and have leisure to say Lord have mercy upon us like those that in the end of the world shall say Lord Lord open unto us they thinke they shall undoubtedly be saved never remembring the words of our Saviour Not every one that sayth unto me Lord Math. 7.21 Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heaven but he that doth the will of my father which is in heaven Secondly The second reproofe it condemneth all wretched and prophane persons that lie wallowing and weltering in their sinnes like Swine in the mire or dogges in their vomit who as they were once so they are still They were horrible swearers and common blasphemers so they are still They were scoffers and scorners mockers and deriders of all good things and all good men so they are still they are no changelings They were contemners of Gods word and prophaners of his
fighting and quarreling chalenging and provoking others contrary to the earnest persuasion of the Apostle As the elect of God Col. 3.13 holy and beloved put on tender mercy and kindnesse hum blenesse of minde meekenesse long suffering forbearing one another and for giving one another if any man have a quarell to an other even as Christ forgave you even so doe ye And doubtlesse if the spirit of the Lord were in us and we had any feeling of his love in sparing and forgiving us we could not but expresse the power thereof and the spirit of meeknesse would mortifie in us more and more this thirst after revenge and we would learne of our Saviour Math. 11.29 who hath said I am meeke and lowly in heart and ye shall finde rest unto your souleâ— Thirdly to procure any way the death of others and the shortning of their dayes What cruelty is shewed in infectious times This may be done many wayes either by the sword or by famine or by false accusations and such like But not to speake of all these meanes it is done in these infectious times when the pestilence walketh in darknesse destruction wasteth at noone day three wayes especially by such as restraine them by such as are restrained and by such as are appointed to attend them that are restrained First they offend that restraine them but doe not relieve them that are very carefull to shut them up and then shut up their compassion from them and their farther care of them like those that bind a man hand and foot and then beate him This is extreme cruelty that a naturall man would not shew to his bruit beast If a carnall man have any of his cattell sicke and he shut them up he will use all meanes to recover them and ought we not much more to supply the wants of our poore brethren made after the jmage of God and for whom Christ Iesus died shall we adde affliction to them that are afflicted and make the heavy burden they beare more heavy and cause them to breake out into unlawfull and ungodly courses which may not be warranted Secondly when such as are infected goe about to infect others These are unruly persons the very sons of Belial that breake all lawes of God and man that cry out shall we be restrained cooped up as it were imprisoned like malefactors we will breake their bands and cast away their cordes from us We will have our liberty and who shall hinder us we will have what we list or else we will make those rich grubbers repent it These are impatient under the hand of God and will not stoope downe at his correction but as refractary beasts lift up the heele against him whereas they should consider that it is God which restraineth them and not man Hence it is that the Lepers in the law were shut up Levit. 13.46 and dwelt apart by themselves as Levit. 13. All the dayes wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be defiled 2 Chro. 26.21 he is uncleane he shall dwell alone without the campe shall his habitation be yea even Kings and Princes dwelt in sever all houses and were cut off from the house of the Lord. This rule holdeth by proportion in contagious diseases Therefore when God visiteth us and striketh us we must not strike others and when we are infected we must not infect others for then we make our selves guilty of blood in Gods sight Be it that we may goe away scotfree and not be accounted as murtherers in the courts of men yet we shall be arriagned as guilty in the high court of heaven and albeit the lawes of men should not take hold upon us yet the law of God will find us out wherein we are commanded to preserve life and therefore much more forbidden to shorten the dayes of any bring them to an untimely death This is an heinous crime and horrible cruelty and bringeth a blot upon our own soules True it is we may hurt their bodieâ— but we hurt our own soules wound our consciences more then we can annoy others and we may carry the plague into their bodies but we admit a greater plague into our owne soules Thirdly when such as are appointed or hired to looke to such as are infected doe not only shew no mercy but rather cruelty and rather regard to enrich themselves then recover the diseased The properties required in Church-widdowes that were to attend the sicke and the poore ought to be found in these that they be such as be well reported of for good workes and have relieved the afflicted washed the Saints feete and have diligently followed every good worke 1 Tim. 5.10 This is a glasse wherein such should behold themselves and their office that are called to looke to others in their extremity to exhort to counsell and comfort them to support them to feed them that are not able to helpe themselves An other branch of cruelty is by using any of the creatures of God hardly This doth Salomon reprove Pro. 12.10 a righteous man regardeth the life of his beast how much more ought he of his servant though he be never so meane poore or simple In the institution of the Sabbath the Lord had regard and reference to the servant Deut. 5. Deut. 5.14.25 That thy man-servant and thy maid-servant may rest as well as thou and remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt c. And wherefore did the God of all mercies forbid in the law to kill the damme when they had taken her young ones away Deut. 22.6 but that he would have it known that he alloweth cruelty wrong to be offered no not so much as to the seeliest birds or beastes It is true that the mercies of the wicked are cruel and it is true that many wicked men regard the liues of their beasts and provide plenty of fodder for them but wherefore doubtlesse it is not simply in mercy and love to the creature but in love to themselves covetousnesse and desire of their owne gaine either that they may doe them the more worke or carry them the better on their backes or live the longer to doe them service or be more sailable to yeeld them mony and not to obey God therein that made them The mercies of the wicked how they are cruell True it is the wickedst man will pretend mercy but their mercy pretended is cruelty extended for first they are or would seeme to be very carefull that their people and families should have their recreation and refreshing their liberty from their labour and times for their sports and delights yea they pretend necessity and plead their cause that they must have it What say they would you not have them take any pleasure what nothing but droyling and moyling and never be at rest But when shall this be if at any time I warrant you upon the Lords day
Apostle plainely declareth Iam. 4.4 that the friendship of the world is enmity with God but these spirituall adulterers and adulteresses as he calleth them will have no enmity at all betweene them but will have the friends of God and the world shake hands and kisse one another The Prophet asketh the Question Amos. 3.3 Can two walke together except they be agreed that is they cannot but these answer otherwise they can walke hand in hand together or else they must needes confesse they are themselves at an agreement with hell We must learne to avoyd these sinfull practises know that danger alwaies commeth to the better part by the evill seldome or never any good to the worse sort For when the good and bad are ioyned together the evill man is hardly made better by the good but he that is good is rather corrupted by the evill It is an easie thing to defile and make uncleane but the a matter of great difficulty to clense and purifie And the reasons are first because the wicked are wholly carnall and a lumpe of flesh and runne one way without any resistance Why the wicked sooner corrupt the godly then the godly can correct the wicked but the Godly are onely in part spirituall and regenerate the wicked therefore being altogether unregenerate are but as one man so that they draw and pull the Godly with all their might and with full swinge of will whereas the Godly being partly carnall and partly spirituall as consisting of two men have their power and strength divided the flesh drawing one way and the spirit another and consequently cannot have such force and vertue Againe the ungodly are as men that runne downe a steep hill or swimme downe a swift streame and therefore if they catch hold on us or we one them it is a thousand to one but we are carried smoothly away with them on the other side the Godly are as men that climbe up an high hill or that swimme up against the streame and therefore must put to all their strength and yet they creepe but softly forward because the flesh striveth to carry them another way Moreover besides that the ungodly are apt of themselves to infect and corrupt we must consider that we are by nature apt to be corrupted and to receive infection as when fire and tow meete together Psal 106.34.35.36 Thus it was with the Israelites as the Prophet teacheth They did not destroy the nations concerning whom the Lord commanded them but were mingled among the beathen and learned their workes and they served their Idols which were a snare vnto them Such then are justly condemned that thinke they may have usuall and familiar company with prophane persons a rash presuâ—ptuous desperate course whereat they dash themselves as against a rocke and suffer shipracke both of soule and body Secondly observe that many others of all sorts doe fare the worse both in soule and body for the wickeds sake who are disobedient to God We see this evidently in Lot living in Sodome Gen. 13. He was first allured to so journe there by the richnesse and ranknesse of the soile when he saw all the coast fruitfull as the land of Egypt and beautifull as the garden of Eden Gen. 13.10 14.14 he made choise to inhabit there but what followed First he was taken prisoner in the sacking of Sodome and his goods made a pray to the enemie so that he lost both his substance and himselfe yea after he was recovered againe by the strength and power of Abraham out of their hands and returned together with the Sodomites 2 Pet. 2.8 they vexed his righteous soule from day to day by their unlawfull deedes but was this all no he ranne into a greater danger for it had well neere cost him his life had not God beene mercifull unto him and pulled him as a brand out of the fire Amos. 3.12 or as a sheepheard taketh out of the mouth of the Lyon two legges or a piece of an care See this yet farther in the example of the Israelites going to battel against their enemies the host of the Lord could not prosper or prevaile but turned their backes and fell by the edge of the sword so long as Achan was among them the Lord said I will not be with you any more Iosh 7.12 except ye destroy the accursed from among you Numb 16.26 1 King 22.22 2 Chro. 20.37 But when he was taken out of the way then they had the upper hand See more in other places The wicked oftentimes speede the better for the righteous seeke so did Laban for Iacob Gen. 30.27 So did Potaphar for Ioseph Chap. 39.3 so did the passengers in the ship for Paul Act. 27.24 Yea God would have spared Sodome and not destroyed it if ten righteous persons had beene found in it Gen. 18.32 but the faithfull evermore speed the worse for the society of the wicked Thirdly it is our duty to come out from among them and not to be unequally yoked with them to be separated from them and to touch no uncleane thing then he promised to receive us to be a father unto us and to account us as his sonnes and daughters 2 Cor. 6. 2 Cor. 6.17.18 For certainly they are very pestes and they have plague-sores running upon them Nay no sicknesse so contagious and noysome as sinne and the sinners are We shunne infected persons and places for feare of bodily harmes but let us learne to shunne prophane and wicked persons and places no lesse nay rather much more The other may corrupt the body but these endanger the soule here the commandement of our Saviour taketh place Math. 10.28 feare not them so much which can but kill the body and doe no more but feare especially those things and persons which will be able to cast body and soule into hell fire I say unto you feare them They are like to the spreading leprosie which beginning in one house proceedeth to another untill it have infected the greatest part of a towne or City or as the Lepers that were were put apart for feare of their infection Psal 119.115 Therefore the Prophet saiâ—h Depart from me yee evill doers for I will keepe the Commandements of my God 1 Cor. 5. and the Apostle Purge out the old leaven that ye may be a new lump and afterward put away from your selves that wicked person Lastly it is the duty of all such as have the oversight of others to looke to their charge that they foster not nor entertaine those within their gates or jurisdiction that are knowne wicked persons they will infect and poyson the rest One scabbed sheepe will annoy the rest of the flocke Psal 101.3.4.6.7 This made David to say I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes I hate the worke of them that turne aside it shall not cleave to me I will not know a wicked person he
1 Cor. 15.55 all things fall out alike to the godly and ungodly to him that sweareth and to him that feareth an oath so that no man knoweth love or hatred by these outward things yet the venome and poyson is pulled out from these Scorpions so that albeit they may hisse at us yet they shall never hurt us Gen. 2.17 Rom. 6.23 Death is of it selfe the wages of sinne Gen. 2. Rom. 6. It came into the world by sinne and is the last enemy that shall bee subdued howbeit it hath already received his deaths-wound and the nature of it is quite changed to the godly Indeed death remaineth as a cup that all must taste off but behold the difference to the ungodly it is the reward of sinne the suburbs of hell the separation of the soule from God and the guide that conducteth them into everlasting torments To the godly it is no punishment of sinne but the abolishing of sinne the path and passage to a better life the haven of our rest the end of all our labours and the way by which we must come into the presence of Christ He is become the death of death so that they are bold in him to looke death in the face because they looke beyond death For he that will not feare it must cast his eye further then it as they feared not the fiery Serpents that lifted up their eyes to the brazen Serpent Thirdly if any meanes to uphold their life be wanting the Lord doth strengthen arme those that are his with patience contentednesse and inward comfort and consolation that he maketh them able to beare them he layeth heavy burdens upon them yet he supporteth theÌ„ with his hand that they sinke not under the waight thereof Albeit famine doe pinch and presse hard upon their bodies hee feedeth their soules with the precious food of his Word to eternall life and they are ready to answer with their Lord and Master Ioh. 4.32 I have meant to eate Iohn 4 32. that yee know not of Albeit they be vexed with warre yet he giveth them peace of conscience that passeth all understanding even peace with himselfe which the world cannot take away from them Albeit they fall into times of perils and dangers yet are they made to dwell in the secret place of the most high Psal 91.1 and to abide under the shadow of the Almighty Psal 91.1 The name of the Lord is a most strong tower and place of refuge the righteous flie unto it and are preserved Albeit they be sometimes enforced to endure nakednesse yet even then hee clotheth them with the precious robes of Christs righteousnesse Psal 45.8 all whose graces smell of Myrrhe Aloes and Cassia whereby they are more adorned then with all the silver and gold in the world Lastly if he take away this temporall life he recompenseth the losse thereof with eternall life and happinesse We learne from hence first of all Vse 1 what need we have all of us of faith to lay hold on the promises of God made in Christ Iesus to such as are in him and have him dwelling in them For what is there can drive us out of this feare 1 Tim. 4.8 6.6 but faith Indeed godlinesse is profitable to all things and hath the promises of this life as well as of the life to come Of this life with condition so far as it shall be good for us of the life to come without any condition This godlinesse is great gaine nay the greatest of all other But what of all this if wee have not the hand of faith to receive them Offer meat never so much to the hungry soule yet if the hand be closed and the mouth stopped hee can receive nothing Powre water upon a Vessell all the day long it remaineth empty if the entrance thereof bee shut up so let us heare of the promises of God to sustaine us in times of famine want losse and necâ—ssity yet it is all one as if you spake to a dead man except wee have faith to quicken us and to put life into the soule For as the Apostle concludeth from the suffring of the Saints Hebr. 10.34 who endured with ioy the spoyling of their goods knowing they had a better inheritance reserved for them in the Heavens that we have all need of patience that after we have done the will of God wee may receive the promise Hebr. 10. So from this consideration that wee are ready every foot to faint and to feare want and beggery or else this dehortation were vaine and needlesse we are to gather that we may not cast away our confidence in God which hath great recompence of reward The just shall live by faith Hebr. 11.1 which is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seene Take heed therefore and beware of infidelity For as covetousnesse is the root of all evill 1 Tim. 6. 1 Tim. 6.10 so is infidelity the root of covetousnesse What is the cause that we feare the lacking of earthly things which the greatest sort doe more feare then the lacke or losse or lessening of the feeding of the love and favour of God Doubtlesse this is nothing but the want of faith Let them lose but a trifle or the least pinne and profit that commeth to the purse what crying and complaining have wee how much adoe have wee to perswade them to bee contented to bee resolved to submit themselves to the pleasure of Almighty God and to beleeve that hee is able to give them more then that All the armor and furniture that wee can bring out of the Store-house of the Scripture is too little to settle their unbeleeving hearts upon the promises of God But these men can bee content without any scruple or touch of conscience to absent themselves from the house of God to lose many Sermons and much wholesome doctrine which is according to godlinesse many exhortations many instructions many comforts nay they may apparently feele their decaying and declining in knowledge in faith and in obedience yet it troubleth them no more then it did that prophane Esau Gen. 25.34 who when hee had sold his birth-right contemned and despised it The true cause of our carnall and corrupt feare is this want of a true lively faith when we dare not believe him that hath promised who yet is able to performe and is not as man that he should lie or as the sonne of man that hee should deceive Hence proceedeth feare of the losse of life and living that we are afraid to commit our state and standing to the safe garding of God as manifestly appeareth by the contrary Psal 27.1 2. Psal 27. The Lord is my light and salvation whom shall I feare The Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid Though an host shall encampe against me my heart shall not feare though warre should rise against mee in this will I
God therefore feed it for hee maketh the Church of God and the Flocke of God all one So when the Lord Iesus ascended and led captivity captive hee gave gifts to men and appointed Vnder-pastors and Vnder-teachers Ephes 4.11 for the worke of the ministery and the edification of the whole body This is the charge hee gave to Peter To feed his Sheepe as if he should say Feed them because they are my Sheepe 2 Tim. 2.2 Now as Paul speaketh to Timothy The things that thou hast learned of me the same commit to faithfull men who shall bee able to teach others also so Peter having received so earnest a charge himselfe is carefull to deliver the same to others himselfe an Elder to the Elders 1 Pet. 5. 1 Pet. 5.2 Feed the Flocke of God which is among you taking the oversight thereof not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a ready minde c. And that we may performe this the better we must consider that we are sundry wayes provoked to our duties by this title For as wee have shewed that the people must resemble the Sheep Wherein the Minister is to resemble a Shepheard Matth. 18.12 so we must remember that spirituall Pastors and Teachers must be like to other Shepheards bestowing great labour and paines among the sheepe for that is not an idle calling First the Shepheard overseeth the whole flocke in generall and every part in particular forasmuch as to overlooke one and overslip another is the part of a loose and carelesse Shepheard Thus must the Minister of God looke to all and exempt himselfe from instructing of none that are of his fold For as the soule quickneth every member of the body from the highest to the lowest from the greatest to the least so must he seeke the good of all both high and low great and small one and other so farre as lyeth in him to the utmost Hence it is that Paul willeth the Elders to take heed to all the flocke Whosoever scorneth in his deeper skill to stoope downe to teach the least the lowest the poorest the simplest to be familiar with them to win them to God serveth not his Master Christ neither savoureth of his Spirit Comment on Numb pag. 699. but rather of the spirit of Antichrist But of this more at large elsewhere Secondly the Shepheard looketh to the lambes as wel as to the sheep which are as the hope of the flocke as we see in Jacob Gen. 33.13 So is the Minister to teach the youth that he may have comfort of them in their age as Moses would not goe out of Egypt without their little ones to offer sacifice to the Lord Exod. 10.9 Exo. 10.9 As Christ willeth the Disciples to suffer little children to come unto him Mark 10.14 because to such belongeth the Kingdome of God Mark 10.14 And he willeth Peter to feed his Lambes as well as his Sheepe Ioh. 21.15 Prov. 22.6 Joh. 21.15 If a child bee taught what trade to take when he is young he will not forget it when hee is old as a vessell retaineth the taste of that liquor wherewith it was seasoned when it was new Thirdly wee see that as the Shepheard feedeth the flocke so it feedeth him againe whereby the Minister of the Word hath warrant to live of the Gospell as he preacheth the Gospel This similitude is pressed by the Apostle 1 Cor. 9. Who goeth a warfare any time at his owne charges 1 Cor. 9.7 who planteth a vineyard and eateth not the fruit thereof or who feedeth a flocke and eateth not of the milke of the flocke If we feed the flocke we have warrant to be fed therewith but we have no power and authority given us from God to eate thereof if we labour not 1 Thes 3.10 For he setteth us to worke he calleth us not to idlenesse Fourthly the Shepheard looketh to the sheepe that are weake and feeble and laboureth to cure them and therefore is never without his remedies and medicines to heale them so the Minister of God must receive the weake restore such as are fallen warne them that are unruly comfort the feeble-minded support the tender-hearted and be patient toward all men 2 Tim. 2.26 proving if God at any time will give them repentance that they may come out of the snares of the Devill of whom they are holden captive to doe his will These doe especially stand in need of the helpe of the spirituall Shepheard Fiftly as the Shepheard preserveth the sheepe from the violence and invasion of the Lyon and the Beare 1 Sam. 17.34 of the Wolfe and the Fox that would prey upon both the sheepe and lambes so must the Minister keepe his hearers from the infection and contagion of seducers and false teachers who oftentimes come in sheepes clothing Matth. 7.15 but inwardly are either crafty Foxes or ravening Wolves To this purpose it is said Cant. Cant. 2.15 2 Take us the Foxes the little Foxes that spoile the vines for our vines have tender grapes Thus wee must give all diligence earnestly contending for the faith Iude 3. which was once delivered to the Saints Sixtly as the Shepheard is to give an account of his sheepe Gen. 31.39 as appeareth in Jacob so is the office of the Minister an office of account and therefore woe unto us if we preach not the Gospell because a necessity is laid upon us 1 Cor. 9.16 Ezek. 34.2 1 Cor. 9. Eze. 34. Thus saith the Lord God unto the Shepheards Woe bee to the Shepheards of Israel that doe feed themselves should not the Sheepheards feed the flockes On the other side if wee feed the flocke willingly and readily wee shall receive a crowne of glory that fadeth not away 1 Pet. 5.4 Dan. 12.3 when the chiefe Shepheard shall appeare in glory If this great Day of the Lord were alwaies before us it were suâ—ficient to make them that are idle to be diligent and such as are diligent to be yet more diligent and such as are faithfull to bee yet more faithfull Lastly conclude from hence that the faithfull cannot want any thing that is good for them The title given to the faithfull that they are Christs Sheepe belonging to their All-sufficient Shepheard serveth to assure them of his never-failing care toward them For albeit they be simple and innocent yet their Shepheard is wise and full of discretion to search and see into their wants as Esay 40.11 Esay 40.11 He shall feed his flocke like a Shepheard he shall gather the Lambes with his arme and carry them in his bosome and shall gently lead those that are with young They are his chiefe treasure a royall Priesthood a chosen generation they are chosen of him to life and distinguished from all people of the world Revel 2.17 graven in the palme of his hands They have a new name set upon them which no man knoweth
joyned with it in all that are saved Some upon the Minister as if it were in him to convert the heart he soweth the seed as the spirituall Husbandman but he cannot make it grow as also he washeth the body Matth. 3.11 13 19 20. but cannot baptize with the holy Ghost clense the soule But the Parable of the Sower serveth to rectifie and reforme our judgement and understanding that the fault is not in the Seedman nor in the seed nor in the sowing but in the ground of mens hearts so that wee may say with the Prophet Hos 13.9 The fift reproofe Thy destruction O Israel is of thy selfe Fiftly such as will stay till all men be agreed For if the number of the sheepe be few we may looke long enough before all will meet in the unity of the Spirit Woe then to such as waite for the comming in of all to joyne together and will resolve upon nothing so long as any remaine unresolved as if they strove to be the last that should be added to the Sheepfold When all men thinke one thing then will they joyne and jumpe with them in practice and opinion but in the meane season they will hang and hover in the aire in suspence and expect a generall agreement And that they may doe untill their eyes fall out of their heads and be never the wiser but rather the worser and the wickeder For this is to looke for Heaven upon earth Thus indeed it shall bee when wee come to know even as we are knowne then wee shall have and heare a perfect harmony of all voices singing with one minde and with one mouth Hallelu-iah Revel 19.1 3. but here our musicke hath many jarres and we meet with sundry rubbes in our way for wee know onely in part 1 Cor. 13.9 10. and we prophecy in part but when that which is perfect is come then that which is in part shall bee done away Howbeit it availeth little to speake to such of spirituall things being wholly carnall themselves and therefore set us deale with them in their owne language that is speake to earthly-minded men of earthly things and so keepe our selves within their owne element If these would never buy or sell untill all men be agreed of the due price and just value they should never have any doings or dealings in the world that now overburden themselves with the world If they would never purchase foot of land neither husband their ground or plough or mow or sow untill all men were consenting about the matter or manner or time when to begin and where to make an end or other like circumstances their fields would bee all growne over with thornes and thistles and nettles would cover the face thereof How then are these so sencelesse and sottish as not to consider that there never was nor never will be a generall concord in any thing under the Sunne If then there will never be a full agreement no not in temporall things wherein notwithstanding the sences of carnall and worldly men are expert and wholly exercised how much lesse is it to be looked for in heavenly things which are supernaturall and cannot bee conceived of meere naturall men I may therefore say unto such according as our Saviour reasoneth Iohn 3.12 Ioh. 3. If I have told you earthly things and yee beleeve not how shall ye beleeve if I tell you of heavenly things If these had lived in the dayes of Christ when some spake one thing of him and some another according to their severall fancy and folly Iohn 7.12 40 41 43. some said he was a good man some of a truth hee is a Prophet some this is the Christ but others nay for he deceiveth the people so that there was a murmuring and a division among them because of him doubtlesse they would have denied and refused him at least till they had seene the Scribes and Pharisees and other learned Lawyers among the Iewes wholly to receive him But how many among them thinke you were damned for this device albeit they had fully as much to plead for themselves as these men have And if Noah had never set upon the Arke to build it untill the whole world of the ungodly had consented unto him and counselled him he had perished with them in the waters The sixt reproofe What good thing ever was there that all men allowed and approved Lastly another sort the worst of all the rest are here reprooved who make a scoffe and derision at these Words of Christ as Pilate did when Christ Iesus shewed that he came for this cause into the world that he might beare witnesse unto the truth he said What is truth Iohn 19 20. So doe prophane persons upbraid the faithfull servants of God with this title as with a taunt O you are of the godly ones O you are one of these holy folke you have the Spirit of God and are one of the little flocke thereby scorning and deriding such as honour the Word and frequent the hearing of it nay mocking at the preaching of Christ and bringing the Word it selfe into contempt and as it were flouting God to his face But he that sitteth in the Heavens shall laugh at them Psal 2.4 the Lord shall have them in derision nay in detestation For this differeth not from open blasphemy nor these from wretched blasphemers who make scoffes and jests at Gods Word whereby they shall be judged nay condemned at the last day except they repent It is ill jesting with a sharp two-edgedsword that cutteth as a razor Heb. 4.12 which in the end shall cut them in pieces These raise a nick-name upon the Word Psal 138.2 which He hath magnified above all his other Names and are come to the height and top of sinne and take the name of God in vaine in the highest degree not onely walking in the counsell of the ungodly Psal 1.1 and standing in the way of sinners but even sitting downe in the seat of the scornefull whereby they fill up the measure of their sinne that God may fill to them the full viall of his fierce wrath and indignation These doe notoriously belch out their owne shame and manifestly renounce their owne salvation and prove with their owne mouthes that they looke for no other but the portion of reprobates together with the Devill and his angels For I would gladly be informed and receive answer from them whether they beleeve in their hearts that themselves have any true holinesse in them and are in the number of this little flocke or not If they doe then their owne words convince them and by their owne mouthes as the evill servant they shall be condemned If they doe not then they must bee foule and filthy goats that shall stand at the left hand as damned creatures and receive an horrible curse denounced and executed against them and all this by their owne verdict and
of sinne then the former This is the sinne of our time the common sinne of every place yea almost of every person The light is come among us but we love darknesse more then the light and are luke-warme Revel 3.16 as retchlesse men that care not which end goeth forward God will spew out such out of his mouth as evill humours out of the stomacke Salomon teacheth us in the Proverbes that he which is sloathfull in his worke Prov. 18.9 is brother to him that is a great waster so is it with such as are sloathfull in the Lords worke and in their owne duty they are companions and brethren with such as are open and obstinate contemners of the Word and make haste a pace after them they follow them close at the heeles and in short time will overtake them There is such carelesnesse and security every-where in the matters of God among us as if every man were left to doe what he list as if the soule were the least matter of a thousand as if Religion were last of all to be regarded or as if there were no day of account to come hereafter Among those that come to the place of Gods worship many indeed are kept in awe and in order but how and wherefore Is it by any conscience of their duty or by love to the Word Nay nay but for sinister ends some by force of the Law because they feare to be presented some by awe of their Superiours because they would not be thought stubborne some come for custome and fashion sake because it is Sunday some for company of others because they would doe as their honest neighbours doe and love not to be singular some for that they would not be accounted Papists because the State fauoureth them not some lest they should bee esteemed Atheists and so be pointed at with the finger some to please their Parents because they should leave them a better portion some to content their Masters lest they should be thrusted out of their dores or because they hope to gaine by them some to passe away the time because they have nothing else to doe some to meet with their friends and acquaintance because they are loth to spare another day some to meete with their debters because they would demand their money but the fewest number to meet the Lord in his owne Ordinances because they love the habitation of his house and the place where his honour dwelleth Psal 26.8 who hath promised to be in the middest of them that are gathered together in his Name Matth. 18.20 Happy are we if we be in the number of these few If such retchlesse men were left to themselves without any bridle of Law or feare of Superiour and authority of whom we spake before and suffered to doe what they pleased without any checke or controlment we should have our thinne Assemblies a great deale thinner and our streets and fields and houses and Ale-houses fuller-stuffed and thronged then our Churches And this may appeare hereby that notwithstanding we have Lawes and Magistrates and Officers and good examples of the chiefest and principall among us yet they are few a very few in comparison of the rest that are constant and conscionable in their hearing some if their presence and absence were ballanced together the waightier scole would be given to their absence and would waigh downe their presence as being found too light Others albeit they dwell neere enough are starting away at every turne and when they make shew of going to the Churche turne aside another way Others are more carefull to fill the body then to feed the soule who take every even the least occasion to feast with their friends forgetting the feast that God hath prepared in his house and not regarding it though they even starve their owne soules Others are gadding yea madding in a manner after every vanity and doe delight much more in the pleasure of the body then in the profit that commeth to the Spirit Others are weary of the Word as the Israelites that loathed Manna Numb 11.6 Others have hired ground and they must needs goe see it others have bought five yoke of Oxen Luk. 14.18 19. Matth. 22.5 and they must goe to prove them others must visit their Farmes or attend their Marchandise and yet every one must be holden excused though all set light by the Word and runne after their owne wayes like the guests in the Gospell that were bidden to the wedding and to the great Supper God sendeth out his Servants to invite them Come for all things are ready I have prepared my Dinner my Oxen and my fatlings are killed but they neglect the Lords sending to them and his calling of them But what followeth The Lord pronounceth Luke 14.24 I say unto you that none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my Supper These are they that are araigned as guilty of the neglect of heavenly things who will sometimes seeme to beare some affection to the house of God but partly their profits and partly their pleasures carry them another way of all which the Prophet speaketh Ier. 48.10 Cursed is he that doth the worke of the Lord negligently or deceitfully All these stand under this heauy curse of the Lord and therefore I counsell them to looke to it betimes to seeke the Lord while he may be found and to meet him by unfained repentance while he is here Lastly Contempt of the Word another hinderance to the Kingdome touching the contempt of the Word who seeth not how common it is which notwithstanding is the top of impiety and that many have filled the measure of their sinnes till it be full that the cry of them is come up to heaven If any aske the cause I answer Our great negligence and generall coldnesse have brought this evill upon us and God doth hereby in his deepe and yet just Iudgement revenge our carelesnesse in his Service by giving us over into all prophanenesse The Word of the Lord by which wee shall all be judged at the last Day is so farre from holding men in awe and from having their lives and hearts in subjection that they reject it from them as a needlesse thing and regard it no longer The Minister may teach what he will and threaten as long as he list but these Gallants like Gallio in the Actes of the Apostles Acts 18.17 care for none of those things The time hath beene when the Word hath beene reverenced even by such as were not converted by it nor transformed into the obedience of it yet it hath held them in some awe but now in these our dayes loosenesse and licenciousnesse have generally prevailed in every place and sinne is growne to such an head and height as if the Word were but a Scare-crow and all Religion but a fable We are come to this passe to mocke at zeale and Religion and to contemne the