of sins But the truly godly man doth all with Life Spirit and Power as David when he danced before the Ark did it with all his might 2 Sam. 6.14 so what ever he doth for God he doth it with all his might Eccles. 9.11 As they that love the Lord so they that serve the Lord are like the Sun when it goes forth in its strength which consumes dispells those mists and clouds which hinder its light Iudg. 5. ult This Power of Godlinesse doth infinitely transcend all Forms for what is the shadow to the substance what is the Husk to the Kernell the Chaffe to the Wheat or the box to the Jewell what is darknesse to light deadnesse to life the picture to a man the counter to gold or Earth to Heaven 3. He comes short in all Ordinances if he Read Pray Hear or frequent the Sacrament 't is all pro forma God is nigh to their mouthes but far from their reines Ier. 12.2 they perform all the duties of Godliness without Godliness they do externally what the good man doth and yet like Iudas they are but Devills Ordinances may be frequented and yet no change wrought Let us therefore labour for the Life and Power of Religion in our souls Let 's not be slothfull in business but fervent in spirit serving the Lord. Rom. 12.11 Let us Hear the word attentively receive it beleevingly Practice it conscientiously Pray with Power communicate with sincere and earnest desires after Christ rest not in the outward baptizing with water but get the inward baptizing with the holy Ghost which may be like fire to refine and purify the soul. Rouse up your selves end shake off that spiritual dulness and drousiness which clogs you in duties le ts break through all those difficulties and dangers which lye in the way of Grace Like so many spiritual Sampsons we should break all those cords of Sin and Satan which would hinder us in our Christian course To this end consider 1. That formality and spirituall sloth is very displeasing to God it being directly opposite to his nature who is a spirit infinitely active and stirring and cannot endure dead services Seee how contemptibly he speaks of outward services which separated from inward obedience Isay 1.11 to 16. To what purpose is your Sacrifices I delight not in them who required this at your hands your Oblations are vaâ—n your Incense are abomination I caunot away with your Assemblies my soule hates them they are a trouble to me I am weary of them Scarce any sin hath harder terms given it in Scripture then this of formality 't is compared to Idolatry and Murder two crying sins to the offering of a dog or a swine in sacrifice which in the time of the Law had been a hainous offence Isay 66.3 4. A bare performance of duties is cheap and easie and is praised in the vvorld but inward obedience is hard and hateful to corrupt men Hence like Ephraim Hos. 10.11 men love to tread out the corn where they may eat at pleasure but they love not plowing that 's hard and hungry work 2. Consider formality and spiritual sloth loseth all a man may go a great way in Religion and yet for vvant of a little more paines lose all Prov. 12.27 The sluggard roasts not what he took in hunting he took some paines to hunt for it but for vvant of a little more paines he lost all The wicked and slothfull servant had his Talent taken from him Matth. 25.26 he lost not his Talent but because he did not improve it to his Masters advantage he lost all 't is not sufficient we do no hurt but we must do good else we are but like painted fire which as 't is heatlesse so 't is uselesse 3. He layes himself open to Satans Temptations by his carelessnesse he Tempts the Tempter and gives him great advantage against his soul like secure Laish which became a booty to its enemies Iudg. 18.10 we are like men upon a river if we row not against the stream we go down like the Smiths forge no blowing no burnig 'T is the seething pot which keeps off flyes as for the field of the sluggard it s growen over with nettles and the stone-wall thereof is broken down Prov. 24.30 4. Consider that formality and spiritual sloth is alwayes a fore-runner of ruine to a person or Nation where this sin raignâ—s destruction is at the heeles of it Isay 64.7 as soon as ever the Prophet had complained There is none that stirres up himself to call on God he presently addes Thou hast consumed us because of our iniquities There 's nothing hastens judgement and provokes the Lord to remove the Gospel like this Rev. 2.5 and 3.15 16. This ruined the Prelacy they were of late all for outward pomp and formall service in bowing to Altars setting up Images reading of Service c. but deadly enemies to the Power of Religion and for this God spued them out As zeal and favour is a meanes to turn away wrath Numb 25.10 11. So formality and coldnesse increaseth it Certainly if England go on to contemn Gods Ordinances despise his Ministers prophane his holy things and to slight the tenders of grace made in the Gospel God will slight us and give his Gospel to a people that shall yeeld him better obedience And since we will not awaken our selves God will awaken us by some dreadfull judgements and since we will not strip our selves of our sins he vvill strip us of his blessings Hos. 2.3 and consume us after all the good vvhich he hath shevved us Iosh. 24.20 that as vve have been famous for Priviledges Victories and Successe so novv vve shall become infamous to the Nations round about us for our abuse of these mercies If any sinne ruine Eugland ' t vvill be the Formality Hypocrisy and unfruitfulnesse under those rich meanes vvhich wee enjoy which will certainly doe it Now if the state of those that have but a form of Godlinesse be â—o dangerous how sad is their condition that have not so much as a form that have neither shadow nor substance but are open Godlesse Gracelesse worthlesse men that are hardned habituated desperate sinners such as from top to toe inwardly and outwardly are nothing but sin as 't is said of Antichrist that he 's a man of sin 2 Thes. 2 3. So are these men composed anâ— compounded of it they draw on iniquity with the cords of vanity Isay 5.18 and are so set on sin that they use all means and provocation to draw theâ—selves to a violent acting of it and continuance in it He that hath but a form of godlinesse is an Hypocrite but he that hath not a form is an Atheist An Hypocrâ—â—e is a masked Devill and an Atheist is a Devill unmasked such are our Quakers an Atheisticall generation of prophane men that neither fear God nor Reverence man Gods Sabbaths they profane they neglect their callings contemn the
distress so oft plead the Covenant to move the Lord to pity them Exod. 32.13 have respect unto the Covenant Psal. 74.20 21. Now that we may Covenant Rightly We mst do it 1. Judiciously 2. Sincerely 3. Unanimously 4. Affectionately with Feare Love Joy 1. Judiciously in judgement and Understanding what we do Nehem. 10.28 Ier. 4.2 such weighty matters must not be undertaken rashly rudely or unadvisedly but with serious grave and mature deliberation 2. Sincerely with all plainness and simplicity of spirit without doubling or dissembling 2 Chron. 15 12. Ier. 4.2 Thou shalt swear in truth i. e. Sincerely without equivocation mentall reservations or any base and sinister Ends as to save your land from sequestration to get in favour with some great ones or to get an office c. for such kind of swearing the land mournes if we will swear it must be in Righteousness Ier. 4.2 i. e. Just and Righteous things The subject or matter of a Covenant must be just and righteous things such as are agreeable to the Word of God and tend to his glory as to serve feare obey him Gen. 28.20 Take heed of putting what sense you please on the Covenant we may not take it with such limitations and qualifications as are against the Letter scope and drift of it Such may deceive men but God they cannot deceive We should therefore have a Jealousy over our selves and say as Iacob did in another case Gen. 27.12 My Father peradventure will feel me and I shall seem as a deceiver to him and I shall bring a Curse upon me and not a blessing If our hearts be not right with God they will never be faithfull and stedfast in his Covenant Psal. 78.37 Let your hearts chuse the things that please God and then you will take hold on his Covenant Isay 56.4 First give a bill of divorce to your Lusts say to them as to a menstruous clout Get you hence Isay 30.22 Hos. 14.8 Till our old Union with sin be broken God will not match with us no sober man will marry with a woman so long as her husband lives but when her husband is dead she 's free Rom. 7.2 3. 3. Unanimously God loves to see his people from the highest to the lowest to joyn themselves to him like one man Deut. 29.10 11 12. Zeph. 3.9 Ier. 50.5 Ezek. 37.17 2 Chron. 15.12 13.15 Nothing stronger then such Unity Si erimus inseparabiles erimus insuperabâ—les 4. Affectionately 1. With Fear we must come to this duty with Reverence and godly feare considering that vast disproportion which is between God and our selves We have not to do with men but with the Almighty and that in his Excellency and Greatnesse So that as an holy fear must be an ingredient in all our services Heb. 12.29 19. So especially we must bring it when we come to swear by his Name Deut. 6.13 2. With Love Get your Judgements convinced of the Excellency of a Covenant-condition and what a high priviledge 't is to have God for our God this will make us in love with the Covenant and Love is strong as death Cant. 8.6 7. There is nothing so ennobles us what ever the Esaus of the world say to the contrary as to be in Covenant with God 'T was a greater honour to Isaac to be in Covenant then to be the Seed-Royall and to have Princely issue Gen. 17.20 21. Esay may have Princely issue but my Covenant shall be in Isaac So Isay 43.4 This will make us remember our Covenants what we love we 'l never forget Psal. 119.16 if David love Gods Law he 'l never forget his word 'T is not the making but the minding and keeping of a Covenant which makes us happy and we cannot keep it unlesse we remember it One reason why the Iewd woman forsakes the guide of her youth is because she forgets the Covenant of her God Prov. 2.17 Hence God so oft commands that we forget not his Covenant Deut. 4.23 2 Chron. 16.15 and 29.18 The heart of man is exceeding prone to back-sliding now a Covenant is a bond that binds us to God happy those bonds which bind us to be holy It 's like a hedge to baâ— us from going astray It 's a good answer to a Tempter I have sworne and I will perform it How can I do such wickedness and break my Covenant with my God 3. With joy and chearfulness We must not come with dead hearts to such lively work As God loves a chearfull giver so a chearfull Covenanter is prized by him 2 Chron. 15.14 15. Iudah All Iudah Rejoyced in the Covenant which they had sincerely made with God to worship him onely in the purity of Religion See the good issue 1. The Lord was found of them 2. He gave them rest round about so that albeit they were encompassed with enemies yet none did hurt them and if it be matter of joy to come to the Ordinances Isay 30.29 2 Chron 29. ult and 30.13.21 32.26 Psal. 122.1 much more should we rejoyce in this extraordinary high service At marriages joy is seasonable this is the soules marriage day Hos. 2.19 20. I will betroth or marry thee unto me It 's thrice repeated for certainty 1. 'T is a spirituall Covenant or marriage and so far more excellent then carnall marriage 2. 'T is perpetuall not for a day but for ever when God loves once with a conjugall love he loves for ever 3. In righteousnesse and judgement he 'l cloath us with the wedding garment of Justification and Sanctification 4. Though we deserve no such favour yet of his own free-loving-kindness and mercy he will do it and is not this matter of exceeding joy 2. As for Covenants and compacts with men there were never greater complaints of falsenes and prodigiousness a man can scarce tell who to trust or where to find a faithfull man Righteousness is perisht from the earth and faithfulness from the sons of men A simple just plain-dealing man is a black swan if a man buy but a piece of land he scapes well if he be not made to buy it a second it may be a third time What lying cosening cheating in buying selling bargaining What falfe weights false wares false lights false measures in every place Men sell deceit to purchase Gods wrath 1 Cor. 6.9 and 1 Thessal 4.6 they take money not for wares but for cosenage such may boast of their profession and call themselves Saints but God accounts them worse then Scythians they are an abomination to him Deut. 25.13 14. Levit. 19.13 Some are first Table-men others second but both miscarry the one for his unrighteous Holinesse the other for his unholy righteousnesse Christ hath redeemed us that we might serve him not in Righteousnesse or Holinesse but in Righteousnesse and Holinesse Luke 1.75 such unrighteous men usually die beggers treasures gained by such wicked Practises profit not Prov. 10.2 3. Iob 20.15 Plain honesty is the
it we may as the Traveller doth his Staffe but love it inordinately we may not unlesse we will renounce the Love of God 1 Iohn 2.15 Our love cannot stand in intense degrees to two such contrary Masters 3. Evil company is a great extinguisher of this Holy Fire scarce any thing more Hence zealous David commands evil company to depart Psalm 119.115 We must therefore be very choyce of our company for it hath great operation upon us either to good or evil As iron sharpens iron and one edged tool helps to sharpen another so God hath ordained the society of men to quicken men Conference and communication of experiences hath incredible profit in all Sciences Hence the Saints that lived in dead times did by conference excite and quicken each other in the wayes of God Mal. 3.16 17 4. Formality in Religion is a great enemy to zeal When men rest in a bare performance of duties without any power of godlyness this is the bane of Religion when ever we come to duties we should stir up the graces of Gods Spirit in us 2 Timothy 1.7 If fire be not blown and stirred up it will decay and goe out We must also dayly be adding fuel to it for where there is no fuel the fire goeth out Proverbs 26.20 Pray much men of much Prayer have been men of much zeal as we see in David Daniel Paul Bradford Frequent the Preaching of the Word Accede ad hunc ignem there is a hidden Vertue in this Ordinance to kindle this fire in our breasts which maketh the Devil so busie in drawing men to separation for he well knowes by long experience that if he can but get men out of Gods way they will soon decay in grace the body may assoon live without food as the soul can live without this bread of Life If any would see more let him peruse D. Corn. Burgess Treatise of Zeal Master Henry Hall's Sermon on Matthew 11.12 and Master Loves 4. Sermon on Matthew 11.12 Master Fenner on the Affections Sermon the ninth tenth eleventh Hildersham on Iohn 4.32 Lect. 56. Doctor Sibbs Beams of Light Sermon on Matthew 11.12 Master Ash his Sermon of Zeal 5. Observe Ministers must take all occasions to preach the Word They must preach on the Lords Day and on the week day in publick and private at home and abroad In prosperity and adversity In War and Peace In Prisons and Palaces We must not be Strawberry-Preachers as Bishop Latimer calleth them which come but once a year and are quickly gone again Not long since the Church was troubled with Canon-Preachers who preached according to the Canon once a moneth or once a day insteed of these we have State-Preachers who preach such stuffe for quality as may please the State and so much for quantity as will bring in their Angmentations no Catechizing of the flock no preaching on the week day unless Angels or Nobles call them No baptizing of Infants no fitting of the flocke for the Lords Supper but all lies at random and in confusion surely such Halving-Preachers should have half-pay Doth not he that commands us to Preach command us to Baptize also and to dispense the Lords Supper often Surely this is either not Scripture or els some of us do not doe our duty Let us therefore either do our duty or else cast off our Ministery and give place to such as will As the woman said to the King either do me justice and act as a King or else put off the Title so either let us do the whole work of our Ministery or put off the Name For nomen inane crimen immane Let us preach in season and out of season so did our Saviour he took all occasions to preach sometimes he preached in the Synagogues anon in a Mountain Matth. 5.1 sometimes in a ship Luke 5.3 and anon in a desert Luke 4.42 when the heart is willing it will find out opportunites of doing good So Paul preacheth in Synagogues in Houses by a Rivers side Act. 16.13 in prison Philem. 9. and on other occasions We are Gods Husbandmen and in the morning we must sowe our seed and in the Evening not be idle for some may prosper when we consider the great price that was paid for souls Acts 20.28 it must quicken us to redeeme all opportunities to gain them to Christ. Love is active but lazy persons have a thousand excuses either their bodies are unable the place unfit the company inconvenient c. Many Lions ly in the way of the sluggard but willing minds know no difficulties 6. Observe We are exceeding backward to the best things and have need of many admonitions and exhortations in season and out of season to quicken us in Gods work It 's much adoe to make us begin and when we have begun we are ready to look back on every discouragement Were there in us that Tractableness and teachableness which ought to be how easily might Ministers lead us in good paths 'T is prophesied of Gospel times that so meek and teachable men shall be that even a child with Scripture reason shall lead them Isay 11.6 A wicked man though you bring an hundred plain Scriptures yet he will not be convinced but a gracious soul if he have but a little hint from Scripture that what he holds or doth is displeasing to God he presently casts it off We should therefore lament the sad depravation of our Natures that have need of so much quickning to the best things Many wonder why we are so fervent and frequent in reproofs why our necessitie requires it and God in this Text injoynes it Many love us whilest we comfort them but when we come to cutting reproving and launcing their soares then they look upon us as enemies See more before on 2 Timothy 3.16 7. Observe Application must be joyned to Doctrine The Foundation and the building must go together for a foundation without a building argues the folly of him that laid it and a building without a Foundation will soon fall 'T is not sufficient that by sound Doctrine we inform the judgement but by Application we must work it on the Affections This is the very life of Preaching Doctrine is the whole loaf as 't were but Application is the dividing the word aright and distributing thereof to every one according to their several conditions For these very ends and uses God hath given us his word 2 Tim. 3.16 VERS 3 4. For the time will come that they will not endure sound Doctrine but after their owne Lusts shall they heap to themselves Teachers haveing itching eares 4. And they shall turne away their Eares from the Truth and shall be turned to Fables IN these words we have an Apostolical Prophesie of the petulancy and peril of the last times when men will grow weary of sound Doctrine and fall to the embracing of fabulous and vain opinions insteed of truth The words are to be considered Relatively as depending on
Haggards such Coppingars and Colliars as are famous for nothing but Ignorance and Impudence but malice and wickedness is a great burden But it may comfort us that Christ himself was thus exercised before us He endured the contradiction of sinners Heb. 12.3 If we be contradicted by wise men we can the better bear it but to be contradicted by foolish rebellious sinners goes hard yet such is the vanity of the Vulgar that one such an ignorant and brazen faced sot especially if he have liberty and a little success is cryed up by them as the onely man and one such a Demetrius though but a Smith pleading for gain shall be heard before a Paul pleading for Christ and Heaven Acts 19.24 25. Hath shewed me much evil 4. Observation 4. Wicked men that oppose Gods truth and people do but labour in vain They do but Shew what they would do they cannot bring their wicked desires into acts according to their intents Their intent is to root up the Name of Israel and to destroy the Gospel and by opposing them they increase the one and spread the other Acts 8.1 Wicked men serve Gods will though against their own wills Their designs Accidentally though not Intentionally fulfil Gods will Iosephs brethren little thought to have advanced him by selling him yet God had so decreed it their selling him furthers it Pharaohs daughter thought little to Nurse up one that should be so signal an opposite to her father Thus God catcheth the wise in their own craft he makes their Plots to become their plagues and their own doings to become their undoings he snares them in the work of their own hands Iob 5.12 13. Psal. 9.16 The Lord reward him according to his works 5. Observation 5. Imprecations against the malicious and incurable enemies of the Church are lawful David a man of Prophetical Spirit frequently used them against such men Psal. 69.22 to 29. and 10.9 6. to 22. So did Moses and others Deut. 27. Iudg. 5.23 Ier. 17.18 Lam. 3.64 65 66. So did Paul 1 Cor. 16.22 Gal. 5.12 These men had a Prophetical Spirit and saw into the final estate of those whom they cursed and so might better do it then we who want that extraordinary gift of the Spirit Object Christ commands us to bless our enemies and not to curse them Matth. 5.44 and so doth Paul Rom. 12.14 Answ. We must distinguish of enemies 1. Some are Private enemies and onely wrong us 2. Others are Publick enemies and such as oppose the truth of God of these also there are two sorts 1. Some are Curable and they are such as persecute the truth and people of God out of Ignorance and blind superstition for such we must pray so did Christ Luke 23.34 and Steven Acts 7.60 Many have been converted by such Prayers as those Iews Acts 2. and Paul by Stevens Prayers 2. There are malicious and incurable enemies who wittingly and wilfully oppose the truth of God out of malice so did Alexander here and therefore the Apostle curseth him and such we may pray against Yet least any should offend in Imitating the Saints in their Imprecations these Rules must be observed 1. Imprecations against particular persons must be rarely used We must not with the men of the world fly presently to curses 1. Because we now want that Spirit of Prophesy to discern who are incurable enemies which the Saints then had 2. It is very hard to keep a right measure in these Imprecations and not to mingle our own private affections with them 3. It is safer to pray Indefinitely against the enemies of truth in general as against Antichrist the Turk and those profest enemies of Gods truth and people 4. It is safer praying against the Plots of wicked men then against their persons So did David 2 Sam. 15.31 he prayes against the plots and counsel of Achitophel so Peter and Iohn pray against the threatnings of wicked men Acts 4.29 Now Lord behold their Threatnings 5. Pray not absolutely but conditionally 1. That if they belong to Gods Election he would be pleased to call them 2. If this will not do but they persevere in their persecuting the people of God then beseech him to correct them and to lay some temporal chastisement on them for their amendment so David Psal. 83.17 Fill their faces with shame that they may seek thy Name 3. If it appear to us that they are incorrigible and incurable enemies to God and his truth then we may desire as Paul doth here that God would glorifie his Justice in their destruction It is not for us by open force and violence to resist them Prayers and Tears are our best Weapons and therefore Paul goeth to God by Prayer for aid The Lord render to him according to his works This is the best revenge when we call on God and bring him in to our help committing our cause to him who judgeth Righteously 6. Observation 9. God observes all the wayes of wicked men and first or last he will reward them according to their works So much is implyed in this Apostolical Imprecation He eyes all the wayes of men and they shall have according to their doing Psal. 28.4 5. Ier. 32.19 2 Cor. 11.25 Rev. 18.6 Be not then offended at the prosperity of wicked men for though a sinner do evil an hundred times and his dayes be prolonged yet in the end it shall not be well with him Eccles. 8.12 13. VERS 15. Of whom be thou ware 1. Observe WE must shun the society of incurable sinners Whilest men are hopeful and curable we must try all means to win them But when we perceive that men are obstinate and incurable we must leave them least we be infected by them Rom. 16.17 Tit. 3.10 2 Iohn 10. But of this at large on 2 Tim. 3.5 For he hath greatly withstood our words 2. Observation 2. Opposing of the truth is very grievous to a gracions Soul Paul doth not complain of any personal trouble though he were now in Prison but that which afflicted him was that Alexander should thus maliciously resist the truth and hinder the Gospel God hath but two things which are dear to him in this world viz. His Truth and his People and these should be dear to us Our Zeal for them should consume us as it did Christ Iohn 2.17 Gods people are baptized with fire as well as with water and must be hot and not luke-warm or indifferent in the things of God 3. Observation 3. Wicked men do not so much oppose our persons as our Preaching They hate us not as men but as Ministers because we publish the truth that condemns their wicked practises The truth hath many opposers 1. Sometimes Learned men oppose it by their wit disputing and writing against it 2. Tyrants labour to suppress it by cruelty and great men by their authority Never was power yet in the hands of men but for the most