out and in t 1. King 3.7 before the people and to beare the shock and brunt of the first grapling If they be sound and sincere instant and resolute in the cause of God oh what life and courage shall they put into the multitude which doe euen depend vpon their conduct if they be cold and dastardly and giue ground in the day of battell how will they make the hearts of the people euen to die within them and what hope will Sathan haue to set vp his standard in the midst of Gods church But as the egernes in this combate is required of Magistrates and Ministers more then of others so of vs who be Ministers most of all In the old Law things in the sanctuarie were double to that which was common the Shekell of the sanctuary twice so weightie as the common shekell u Ex. 30.13 the cubit of the sanctuarie twice so long as the common cubit * Compare 1 Kin. 7.15 with 2. Chro 3.15 The Minister had neede to wish as Elisha did of Eliah his spirit x 2. King 2.9 that the spirit of vnderstanding and courage may be doubled and trebled vpon him If he be the man as he should be Sathan oweth him a double spite and in many combates with the Church of God he seemeth to giue like charge to his Instruments which the king of Aram gaue to his souldiers y 1. Kin. 22.31 Eight neither with small nor great saue onely against the King of Israel For he thinketh that if he can smite the shepheard with a spirit either of Error or of drowzines or of ambition or of avarice the sheepe of the flock shall be quickly scattered z Math. 26.31 He knoweth by long experience that from the Prophets of Ierusalem wickednes goeth forth into all the Land a Ier. 23.15 and that if the Light which God hath set in his Church be darkenes the darkenes cannot but exceede b Math. 6.23 Thus I haue shewed you the particulars of Pauls Fightings and the necessitie of the same Fight in euery one of vs that would be as we are called Christians nowe let vs come to the next points the Inquirie how on our parts this Fight hath beene performed viz. how we haue fought against Corruption how we haue fought against Sathan how we haue striuen and fought for the vpholding and maintenance of Gods Truth An enquiry how we haue fought this fight And here in the very first entry of my Meditations when I did in my thoughts compare together those which doe Fight this good Fight vnder the banner of the Lord of Hostes with those who whatsoeuer their profession is doe indeede and intruth fight against him it brought into my minde that which the spirit of God reports touching the Israelitish troupes and the armies of the Aramites their adversaries c 1. Kin. 20.27 The children of Israel pitched before them like two litle flocks of Kids but the Aramites filled the Country the very like comparison may be truely made betwixt those which fight on the Lords part and those which fight against him or at the least which by our sauiours rule d Luk. 11.23 is all one fight not with him the one side the better part I meane are but even a handfull in respect one of a citie two of a Tribe e Ier. 3.14 the other a numberlesse number and may well be titled with the name of the possessed f Marc. 5.9 Legion for indeede they are Many And therefore true will that be which was spoken of old by Isaiah g Is 10.21.22 and hath beene since renued by Paul h Rom. 9.27 Though the number of the children of Israel men professing Religion were as the sand of the Sea yet shall but a remnant be saued It will not be inough to haue said thus vnlesse it be confirmed also I will therefore shew you how true it is by degrees Touching fighting against mens owne personall corruptions there are that out of many I may cull out the cheife three things which doe shew the number of such Fighters to be but small The first is the generall Ignorance of this point of holy doctrine concerning the combating together of these two Corruption and Holines nature and grace in euery true Christian I am not so well acquainted with your spirituall estate that are here present as to be able peremptorily to determine ought yet perhaps if a man should deale with the particulars of this assembly by polle and should examine them as straitly as the Gileadites did the Ephraiimites touching shibboleth and sibboleth i Iud. 12. demaunding of each this question How fareth it with thee touching the Rebellion of thine owne heart preuaileth it or yeeldeth it to the power of Gods spirit How goeth on the quarell betwixt the lawe of sinne and the law of God perhaps I say this demaund would be quitted with such an answer as was that of Pauls to the lately conuerted disciples at Ephâ—sus k Act 19.2 Haue ye receiued saith he the Holy Ghost since ye beleeued And they said Wee haue not so much as heard whether there be an Holy Ghost So in this case they would say you make a straunge motion we haue not so much as heard whether there be any such contention And it may be also such as haue some better vnderstanding then the multitude if in this particular they were well pressed would but make such a confused answer as Ahimaaz did to Dauid l 2. Sam. 18.29 Is the young man Absalom safe said Dauid I sawe a great tumult but I knewe not what said Ahimaaz so they would be forced to say Truth is I haue heard or read something of such a matter but I doe not distinctly and experimentally vnderstand it Thus as it was m Math. 26.73 said to Peter mens very speech bewrayeth them and their dumbnesse when they are asked the Word as the souldiers call it sheweth them to be but straglers and hangbies vpon the Lords campe and no good Fighters well without iudging I leaue you to to the accusing or excusing of your owne Thoughts n Rom. 2.15 Onely this I say that he which is vnacquainted with this point of doctrine can no more be said to be a Fighter in the good Fight against corruption and sinne then he can be reputed a partie in a case of difference betwixt two who hath not so much as heard of the quarel The 2. proofe that the Fighters on this side against corruption are but few is the vniuersall yeelding of the most vnto corruption When men come with bended knees offring vp their weapons yeelding themselues to be ordred by those whom they should withstand there is no likelyhood that they haue an intent to Fight So in this case when men generally haue as it were booked their names and entred into pay and euen as a man would thinke sworne their seruice to grosse
some sweetnes in it All these are gifts and graces of the spirit of God but yet they are not those graces which Christ meaneth by water here in this place because these be such as may befall those who notwithstanding shall neuer be saued Many a reprobate is gifted with admirable skill in crafts and sciences Demetrius seemed to be a cunning workeman yet was he no small enemy to the preaching of the Gospell Secondly the Apostle seemeth to make it a thing possible to be once enlightened and to a Heb. 6.4.5 haue tasted of the heauenly gift yet so to fall away as to be past all hope of being renued againe by repentance Thirdly at the day of Iudgement b Math. 7.22 Many will say to Christ Lord haue we not by thy name prophecied yet it shal be said to them c ver 13. Depart from me Fourthly many wicked men haue power to conforme themselues and to bridle many sinnes and to cary themselues in an outward ciuility so Abimelech the heathen d Gen. 20.6 abstained from committing folly with Abrahams wife and many a-among the gentiles excelled in morall vertues and diuers we see whom we call ciuill men demeane themselues in the eies of the world vnblameably who yet giue small hope of any true conuersion Lastly Christ in the parable sheweth that many hearers for a time belieue e Mat. 13.21 but as soone as tribulation commeth because of the word by and by they are offended Now there are besides these other speciall graces of the spirit which are proper onely to Gods children Paul saith that f 1. Tim. 4.10 God is the sauiour of all men specially of those that belieue so it may be said he giueth graces to all but in speciall manner to elect Christ is pleased in scripture to terme the church his loue his spouse The day of Iudgement is the mariage day and the time present is the wooing time in which he is as it were a suter to his church and the ministers are appointed to prepare the church for her husband g 2. Cor. 11.2 and to present her as a pure virgin vnto Christ Now he which is a suter to a woman himselfe being a man of worship and ability howsoeuer to testifie his bounty and to make knowne his loue to his beloued he will bestowe gifts vpon the seruants of the family yet if he haue any â—ewell of worth and price that he reserueth for her on whom his loue is fixed so Christ Iesus conferreth common fauours euen vpon the reprobate to make knowne his riches and withall for the good of his chosen but the speciall and choise and selected graces these he keepeth onely for the true members of his church And these are the graces meant by christ in this place they are in order these which follow 1. The gift of regeneration which is that whereby a man of a Limme of Sathan is made a member of Christ of a childe of the diuell The proper gifts is become the sonne of God That this is a worke of Gods spirit appeareth by Christ his words Except a man be borne of water and of the spirit h Ioh. 3.5 c. And therefore fitly is the holy Ghost compared to Water because as water doth moisten that which is hard So the holy Ghost doth supple and soften and put the sappe of Grace into the drie and dead and rotten Heart of Man So that where the spirit of God is there the Heart is renued the nature changed the delight in sinne asswaged and a loue of holines and godlines as it were a new iuyce begunne in the soule This is the first proper gift 2. The knowledge of a mans owne Reconciliation to God by the meanes of Christ Iesus Hereof speaketh the Apostle The spirit beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the Children of God It is true i Rom. 8.16 the nature of man cannot attaine to this knowledge But we k 1. Cor. 2.12 haue receiued the spirit which is of God That we might know the things that are giuen to vs of God And indeede it cannot be but that if God haue beene pleased of his goodnes to make any man or woman his Child he will likewise make knowne the same fauour 〈◊〉 him or her especially seing it is so greatly for our comfort For as on the one side it is the greatest miserie for a man to be in continuall suspense not knowing whether his sins are forgiueÌ„ him so what greater coÌ„fort can there be to a man to be assured of Gods fauour toward him 3. The gift of obedience for as a man that dwelleth in a house as the owner of it ordereth it and gouerneth it at his pleasure so the Holy Ghost gouerneth all those in whome he abideth l Rom. 8.14 they are all ledde by the spirit which are the Lords The spirit represseth all badde motions drawing vnto sinne springing from the Corruption of our Nature suggested by Sathan and occasioned by the beguiling entisements of this euill world and withall it stirreth vp good desires holy Thoughts inclining to Pietie and godlines 4. Praier that is a will and abilitie in some good measure to haue recourse vnto the Lord by Praier vpon all occasions and to poure out a Mans wants and necessities before him For this is a generall and a certaine rule that as naturally euery child being pinched with want acquainteth the Father with his necessities building vpon his loue and willingnes to doe him good so he which is the child of God hath alwaies this Property to make Prayer vnto God his first meanes whereby to obtaine that which he doth desire and to be freed from that wherewith he is oppressed Now that which worketh this in vs is Gods spirit For seeing wee of our selues doe neither know our necessities nor knowing them can tell how to bemoane them therefore Gods spirit is giuen to helpe our Infirmities to assist vs in the framing of our suites that so our prayers may be pleasing vnto God and comfortable to our soules And for this the spirit of God is called the m Zach. 12.10 spirit of supplications because it furnisheth a man both with will and knowledge also to powre out his soule vnfeinedly to the Lord. 5. Comfort in distresse For whereas the children of God are subiect to manifold greeuances partly in regard of inward conflicts with sinne and the terrors of their owne Conscience partly in respect of outward annoyances the spirit of God is giuen vnto them to releeue them to minister comfort vnto them to vphold them to make them able with cheerfulnes to hold out in the midst of the greatest extreamities whatsoeuer For this cause the spirit is called the n Ioh. 15.26 Comforter and o Psal 45.7 Oyle of gladnes because he doth refresh and cheere the poore distressed soules of Gods children 6. Strength There are many things which the profession of
Three SERMONS 1. The good Fight Preached at the Funerall of Henry Sommaster of PENS-FORD in the County of Deuon Esquire Ian. 1606. 2. The worth of the water of Life 3. Dauids Longing and Dauids Loue. Greg. in Ezech. Hom. 3. The Preacher should be like the Smiths burning Iron which not onely heateth those that are neere but casteth sparkes farre off By SAM HIERON HINC · LVCEM · ET · POCVLA · SACRA ALMA MATER CANTA BRIGIA AT CAMBRIDGE Printed by IOHN LEGATE Anno 1607. ⧠To the right Worshipful Sir WILLIAM STRODE of Newingham in the Countie of Deuon Knight SIR what and how great my debt is to your Worship it is very meet for me to remember though it be not necessarie to acquaint the world with particulars My desire hath bene and is to giue some testimonie of thankefulnesse Rich presents such as in this crauing and catching age do as the Wiseman saith a Pro. 18.16 Enlarge a man and leade him before great men as you need not so I know you expect not sure I am I for my part am very vnable to bestow But as S. Peter said to the cripple at the temple gate b Act. 3.6 Such as I haue I giue euen a few blotted leaues such perhaps as in this itching-eared c 2. Tim. 4.3 generation wherin the most do more affect toyes then truth and a flourish of words rather then substance of matter few will take notice of yet such as I doubt not but you out of your loue to me but chiefly out of your affection to Gods holy truth will vouchsafe kindly to accept For me to commend as deceitfull hucksters do their wares either to you or to others that which I here make tender of were to proclaime to the world mine owne vanitie Let another man praise thee and not thine ovvne mouth saith the Scripture d Pro. 27.2 neither yet will I any way disparage it for that might be thought a secret begging of commendation I submit it to triall if either to your selfe or to any other of the Israel of God e Gal. 6.16 it shall bring any litle encrease either of sound knowledge or sweet feeling in the mystery of Christ f Eph. 3.4 I haue my reward and shall thinke my labour well bestowed And so heartily wishing the true good vnto your Worship your good Ladie your whole line and family I take my leaue Modbury in Deuon Your Worships respectiuely SAM HIERON 2. TIM 4.7 I haue fought a good fight THE beginning of this chapter a v. 1.2.3.4 presents vnto vs a very graue and soleme charge giuen as in the name of God and his most glorious presence by the Apostle vnto his Sonne b ver 5. Timotheus The occasion of the words that considering the euilnes of the times the aptnes of men to turne their eares from the truth vnto Fables he should shew forth an extraordinarie and vnwearied industry in the faithfull execution of his publique Ministry The reason inducing Paul to be at this time especially so vehement in this kind of perswading and which should also moue Timothie to be as apt to entertaine the aduise was the neeere approching of the time of his finall dissolution I am now readie to be offered c. c v. 6. as if he had said I am vncertaine how soone the thred of my life may be cut eff sure I am it cannot be stretched out long and therefore whilest I haue time and for ought I knowe this may be the last time I cannot but advertise thee And seeing that which I now speake I speake as one readie to lay downe this Tabernacle in the depth of my affection to thee and in the sinceritie of my heart to God before whom I exspect hourely to appeare thine cares ought with the greater greedines euen to drinke in these my last words they should so farre forth affect thee that thou shouldst lay them vp and hide d Ps 119.11 them and keepe them in the midst of thy heart e Pro. 4.21 Now the mentioning of death albeit it worketh little with Euill men vnlesse it bee either to the deading of their hearts like Nabals he was like a stone f 1. Sam. 25.37 saith the Text or to the making of them more desperate secure Let vs eate and drink for to morow we shall die g i. Cor. 15.32 yet in such a fleshy h Ezech. 11.19 melting i 2 Kin. 22.19 renewed k Ps 51.10 heart as Paules was it could not chuse but leaue some impression For how could it be that Paul knowing that when man returneth to his earth l Ps 146.4 his spirit is eftsoones either receiued into euerlasting Habitatiōs m Luk. 16.9 or else dismissed to be reserued in chaines vnder darkenes vnto the iudgement of the great day n Iud. 6. should not also cast with himselfe which of these two should be the finall issue of his soule Now then beholding with the eies of his minde the Glory that shal be shewed hereafter o Rom. 8.18 on the one side and the Burning Lake which is the second Death p Reu. 21.8 on the other side and knowing that each of them is by the ordinance of God as with a chaine of Adamant tyed to the holynes or profanes of the former course therefore for the securing of his owne soule for the encouraging his pupill Timothy and for a sauing and comfortable directiō to vs all he ioyfully lookes back into his life by past that from thence he may deriue a hopefull inference for the time to come I haue fought a good fight c From henceforth is laide vp for me c. Thus with as much fidelity and plainenes as I could I haue let you see the course and order and dependance of this Text. It is a notable and a pregnant proofe of the saying of the wise man q Pro. 14.32 The wicked shal be cast away for his malice but the Righteous hath hope in his death That Pauls Hope was not in this life onely r Cor. 15.19 appeareth by the folowing verse what were the grounds of his hope by which it became a Hope not making ashamed ſ Rom. 5.5 is declared in this verse It is borne vp with three supporters 1. A Good fight well discharged 2. a holy Course well finished 3. a sound Faith well preserued This is like Salomons threefold cord t Ecc. 4.12 which is not easely broken It may be compared to that Skarlet cord u Ios 2. by which Rahab let downe the spyes and which shee left hanging in her window For as that was the marke by which her house was knowne and shee saued from the destruction of Iericho so this holy Twine is a pledge to that soule where the Lord hath tyed it that it shal be freed from the wrath that is to come Time will not giue leaue to
is the effect of the Prophets reproofe If he were aliue now he would as he well might vse the same words There is indeede much to doe in the world at this day much travailing much plotting much contending we do all bestir our selues as though the Dust of the earth were not sufficient for euery man to take a handfull one man buyeth and purchaseth and g Isa 5.8 ioyneth House to House and Field to Field that he may be placed by himselfe to be a litle King in his owne Territories another couets h Mic. 2.2 fieldes and taketh them by Violence houses takes them away so oppresseth a man his house euen a man his heritage a third he i Am. 2.7 ca. 3.10 gapeth ouer the Heades of the poore and doth euen store vp violence In a word each man almost hath enlarged his Desire as the Hell and is as Death cannot be satisfied and is neuer well in his Conceipt till he hath euen k Hab. 2.5 laded himselfe with thicke Clay and we are all trudging like this woman with l v. 6. our pitchers in our neckes to some one well or other and if it be neuer so deepe it shall goe very hard but we will get it out But alas fooles that we be when we haue done all we doe but euen weary our selues m v. 13 for very vanity when we haue drunke of this Well againe and againe yet in the End our desire is as it was rather stretched out to receiue more then filled with that which it hath obtained when we haue reached euen to the vtmost of our first desires we are then but like the n Is 29.8 Hungry man who dreameth and behold he eateth and when he awaketh his soule is empty or like the thirstie man who dreameth and loe he is drinking and when he awaketh behold he is faint and his soule longeth So it is but an imagination of comfort which commeth by all these things and no true contentment I beseech you let this short and yet full discouery of our common folly who for the mpst part doe nothing but o Hos 8.7 sow the wind and if we so continue shall reape nothing but Corruption make vs to say as Iohn Baptists hearers did when they perceiued by his preaching they were cleane out of the way p Luk. 3.10 what shall we doe then If hitherto we haue aimed at a wrong Marke in our desires shew vs I pray you how to reforme it and let your hearts I pray you say now to me as Cornelius said to Peter q Act. 10.33 We are all here present before God to heare all things that are commaunded thee of God which I doe wish so much the rather because that which I am now next to speake of is that which Salomon in one place calleth r Prov. 8.18 Durable Riches in another Å¿ Ecc. 12.13 the End of all which Christ termeth the t Luk. 10.42 One needfull Thing for which the soule of Dauid panted u Ps 42.1 in comparison whereof Paul * Phil. 3.8 counted all things but as Dung. Marke first the wordes then see the order of them But whosoeuer drinketh of this water c. The points to be in order opened in the handling of this verse are these 1. What this water is 2. that there is both power and will in Christ to bestow it 3. by what meanes he conferreth it 4. to whom he giues it 5. the Benefite of enioying it 6. the meanes by which each man may know himselfe to haue receiued it All these pointes as they are needefull so in the seuerall handling of them you shall finde them to arise directly from the Text. what is meant by the water which Christ giueth First what is meant by the water here mentioned It is a true saying that the Scripture is the best interpreter of it selfe and one place must be expounded by another We see the Light by the Light and we doe vnderstand the true meaning of the scripture by the scripture We can therefore haue no better exposition vpon this place then Christs owne words els where to which the Spirit of God hath annexed an explanation of the true meaning x Ioh. 7.38.39 He that beleeueth in me as saith the scripture out of his belly shall flow riuers of water of life This spake hee saith Saint Iohn of the Spirit which they that beleeued in him should receiue so that by water here are vnderstoode the gifts and graces of the spirit which the Lord is pleased to bestow vpon his children It is not inough for me to tell you thus much in generall Termes but I must proceede a litle further least I should leaue you vncertaine in that which my cheife desire is to resolue you This therefore I must tell you that though it be true that by water are here meant the gifts of the spirit yet there are certaine gifts graces of the spirit which a man may haue Some gifts oâ— the spirit are common some proper onely to Gods children and yet be a Reprobate So that you must learne to put a difference betwixt the common gifts of the spirit and those gifts which are proper onely to Gods children The world is as it were Gods great House in which there are both seruants and sonnes the one as Christ saith y Ioh. 8.35 to be cast out the other to abide euer Now in a family we know there be some coÌ„moÌ„ fauours which the seruaÌ„ts drudges doe enioy as well as the heire so some graces there be which eueÌ„ the reprobate haue which is meet we should know least we be deceiued and they are these The first is The common-gifts the gift and dexterity of practizing a particular calling For whatsoeuer men careleslly and profanely doe imagine that the skill and art which they haue in any knowledge as husbandry marchandize c. is from their owne industry yet certaine it is that the cunning which any man hath in any faculty whatsoeuer is the sole and onely gift of Gods spirit and therefore the power which Bezâ—aleel and Aholiab had to worke in blue silke and purple and carued worke is called a z Exod. 31.3 filling by the spirit of God The second common gift is the gift of enlightening whereby a man being naturally ignorant in the things of God is enabled to conceiue the will of God reuealed in the scripture yea euen the sweetest points thereof as of saluation and grace in Christ Iesus A third common gift is the power of preaching and expounding the scripture for the common good behoofe of Gods Church A fourth is an ability to restraine and temper the affections so that they shall not breake forth into outrage and notorious euils in the behauiour A fift is a power to heare the word with ioy and to seeme to take some delight and to finde