Eternall life Ich. 5.39 this is the most sure Word 2. Pet. 1.19 or that which can neuer faile vs all words of men may This onely pricketh the heart with Repentance which without it no miracles from Heauen nor wonders on Earth can doe Act 2.37 So Heb. 4.12 it is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart And therefore the heart being deeper then any Eye created can looke into it must needs be wonderfull to the sauing of a sinner aboue all words of men or Angells A great Propâ—ete had no other light of direction to his steppes in true godlinesse then that which was placed in the lanterne of the law Psal 119.105 and this he followed in all his way to heauen Herein the man of God himselfe the Minister may haue an absolute furniture of instruction for his owne wayes and the Peoples committed to him 2. Tim. 3.17 And so it is plain that no line can be iudged straight to the kingdome of God but this of the Word and they that are drawne by it The Reasons This word is called the word of Faith Rom 10.8 and none but this Now what wee may beleeue or put faith in is sure Secondly it is as a second Tree of life Prou 3.18 If Adam had eaten of the first hee could not haue dyed no more can they perish that feede vpon the Word the second tree of Eternall life Thirdly it is the sanctifying truth Iob. 17.17 Ps 1 19.9 That is that which which onely prepareth and begetteth vs for the holy Cittie into which nothing may come that is vncleane Apoc 21.27 Heb. 12.14 and therfore as fire it consumeth the stubble of our corrupt affections Matth. 3.11 as a sword it cutteth from vs our putrified parts and members of sinne Heb. 4.12 and as Salt that is sauory it maketh our words and whole conuersation in the Gospell sweetly torellish and well to sauour vnto edification among all that heare or liue with vs. Vse is against all itching after noueltyes Vse 2. not resting in that which is written Saul who would not heare Samuel aliue went to his graue to heare him there 1. Sam. 28.8 a very vnmeete pulpit for a Prophet to preach in Some would haue Angels to teach them and some looke for myracles and signes done to confirme them but Faith is begotten by the Word and nursed with it being once borne in a true beleeuer It is not giuen by voices out of the aire nor caused by Angell or Reuelation Ga. 1.8 The illusions of Sathan and his lying wonders come from the graues of the dead and they that will haue such Teachers put down the scepter of Gods prerogatiue in his Word written When God said This is my beloued Sonne heare him Math. 17.5 should the Disciples who heard the voyce haue said no but we would heare an Angell from heauen for hee will assure vs rather had not this beene to cast away the word of the Lord and our selues with it as did rebelâ—ious Saul 1. Sam. 15.22.23 Did not the working of Satan and rising of Antichrist stand vpon such a foundation and do they not go vpon such legs to this day 2. Thess 2.9.10 Therfore from the liuing to the dead is a foolish and sinfull progresse Esa 8.19 And those Pharisees that called for signes and neglected the doctrine and words of Christ were said by him to be an adulterous generation Math. 12.38.39 that is children born in idolatry of idolaters for the meaning is not so much of corporall as of spirituall adultery or whoring from God Further and again as that only is to be beleeued to saluation which is written first in the old Testament since by the men of God in the new so we secondly learne Doct. 2. that all refusings of this ordinance for grace is to make our conuersion impossible by any other meanes the text is plaine for it and Ieremy saith They haue reiected the word of the Lord and what wisedome is in them Ier. 8.9 as if he had said they will be wise but not as God hath commanded and therfore fooles they are in their own course or they will none of that that maketh a man wise to saluation therfore as vnwise they shall perish by their own inuentions But because this doctrine commeth fitly to be further prosecuted in the last verse and very last words of the parable I referre it thither So much for Abrahams answer in substance the vse hee propoundeth of it followeth Let them heare them If Moses and the Prophets must speake from God vnto vs theÌ„ we must heare him speaking by them in his word that is by Moses who shewed what wee should doe and by the Prophets who teach what wee should beleeue and doe Also mention is made of hearing them because in them there is worke for the eare to heare but none saue of reading for the eye to see In them wee heare a voyce but cannot see any shape or similitude Deut. 4.12 But this that is spoken of hearing Moses and the Prophets because no more was then written is to be extended to the whole word of Scripture as we haue it now and so the whole word is to be heard Apoc. 2.7 The doctrine from hence is Hearing is a necessary Doct. the principall meane for saluation in all Christian assemblies or all Christian Churches and people must heare if they will bee saued Therfore in Prou. 4.10 and many like Scriptures God offers his words requires our cares so Prou. 2.2 An hearkning eare and an vnderstanding heart must go together for the eare is the furrow that receyueth the doctrine of the word and it works not but by hearing Christ sayth and the same sayth the Spirit in diuers Texts of the Reuelation He that hath eares to heare hee sayth not hee that hath eyes to see and what must hee doe not see a Stage furnished for a Play in the Masse but heare what the Spirit will say to witte by his Word and Ministers to the Congregation Math. 13.9 Apoc. 2.7.11.17.29 3.6.13.22 The Apostle S. Paul teaching the beleeuing Iewes and Romanes how sauing faith may bee gotten sayth Faith is by hearing not by seeing and Hearing by the Word Rom. 10.17 to wit preached as ver 8.14 not by gaudes and Images called by the Papists Lay-mens bookes And he that turneth away his eare sayth Salomon from the Law Hee doth not say his eye from seeing but his eare from hearing it refusing to bee instructed by it or from it by Gods ordinance as the Masse Priests of Rome who do nothing in the seruice of God to common vnderstanding but what may more properly be seen then heard his prayer I may say his good prayers which hee so much trusts vnto will proue abominable that is odious to God and plagues to himselfe Prou. 28.9 Hearing therefore is the most necessary and most important meane for saluation in all the Churches of Christ The Reasons As
we vnciuilly carry our selues and shall we forget our holy calling in the worthy presence of the Angels shall we make their waiting vpon vs tedious vnto them by behauing our selues otherwaies in their sight then beseemeth their high persons and the honorable birth of a Christian And now that we are all of vs before God in the Ministery and at prayer let vs specially take heede how we demeane our selues lest the Angels that grace our assemblies with their presence when they returne to heauen complaine of our vnchristian inciuilitie in this holy place As if they should say to God we were in such an assembly professing thy name and worship but whiles thou wast speaking to them by thy word and Minister some were talking some girding at the Preacher some laughing and fleering some making gaudes and mouthes some flat along not in prayer but in a slouenly rudenesse perhaps in their drousie drunkennesse and some were fast asleepe Is this a good report and should we not dread to be thus spoken of to God Further let them consider this who when they are priuate care not what they say or doe and what steames they send vp of a corrupt and vnsauory dunghill within in all their talke to their priuate acquaintance without any grace to the hearers Such forget that the Angels are neare who want not eares as they be full of eyes that is are not slowe to heare as they be quicke to see and how can they then be hidden This is to grieue the Angels and to make the God of Angels to grieue them So farre for the persons that caried the soule of Lazarus the place followeth to which they caried it Into Abrahams bosome The place of comfort to which the Angels brought the soule of Lazarus is here called Abrahams bosome by a trope or figure because as the fathers bosome is the place of the childes rest so heauen is that bosome of eternall rest into which Abraham the father-beleeuer with all the children of promise which are beleeuers are receiued in their soules till the day of the resurrection And it is no other but the bay or hauen of repose from all stormes mortall whereinto Abraham hath put long since and all shall who walke in the steppes of his faith Indeede some of the fathers haue spoken doubtfully of it and the Papists tell vs that it is the Limbus or brimme of hell where all our fathers were till Christ descended to bring them out But can that which is a place of ioyfull and happy rest be the brimme of hell can that which is and is called a glorious kingdome be hell Math. 8.11 Can it be a prison or place of custody that is called so often in the Scriptures the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God Can that be so neare vnto and border vpon the place of torments into hell which by Abrahams speech of it in the 26. verse following is so farre remoued that there is a great gulfe or gaping pit betweene and can Abrahams bosome which is simply good be taken for that which as a father saith is neuer taken for good Chrysâ—stome saith It is the poore mans paradise In honoâ— de Diuite Is paradise hell and Austen in the place before denies it to be hell or any part of hell and how then can it be the skirt of hell And Tertullian in his fourth booke against Marcion saith that hell is one thing and Abrahams bosome another Then Abrahams bosome cannot be hell nor the canopie of hell What shall I further say this already spoken is sufficient to cleare this Scripture from sending the soule of Lazarus to hell or to any part of hell and therfore Abrahams bosome in this text is no other then heauen the seate of God and of the blessed Saints in light an harbour of rest from the waues and Sea of this troublesome world vnto it is the soule of Lazarus brought presently after his death from whence learne that after this life of paine and labour there is nothing but ioy and peace to the righteous so saith Esay He that is the righteous person of whom he spake in the former verse shall enter into peace that is presently after his death enter or make his entry vpon it Esa 57.2 God reckened with those in their death who had receiued their Lords money The account came not till they died and therefore saith the text When the Maister of those seruants returned who is said to returne when dust returneth to the earth as it was and the spirit to God that gaue it Eccles 7 he said to the good seruant and faithfull Enter into thy Maisters ioy Math. 25.21.23 That is into ioyes vnspeakeable and glorious 1. Pet. 1.8 or such as the Maister hath prepared for all his faithfull seruants after they haue serued their course and time here He saith not enter first into the fire of paine and when that hath well purged thee I will take thee to ioy But without any more adoe receiue that ioy whereof as the fountaine had no beginning so the riuers that come from it shall haue no end Receiue thy Maisters ioy in that and in these So that there is no pause or stay made by the Lord at the deaths of the godly but presently they passe from death to life not painfull but truly ioyous and full of pleasures for euer The voice from heauen said the same and the Spirit sealed to it for so saith the Spirit that is speaketh so and no otherwaies then the voice spake which is Blessed are the dead in the Lord that is the godly dead and the reason is they to wit immediately after such a death rest from their labours Apoc. 14.13 not in the purgatory of Papists where is no rest but in the paradise of God where is true ioy and the plentifull redemption of the Saints The Apostle Paul saith Those that sleepe in Iesus God will bring with him 1. Thes 4.14 His meaning can be no other but that assoone as they sleepe in Christ or die in him God hath them presently in his hand and keeping who will keepe them till the time come that he hath appointed to deliuer them vp to testifie whoÌ„ he hath receiued Thus it is plaine that the godly enter vpon happines presently so soone as they goe henceby death The reasons The voice from heauen saith so and so saith the Spirit Apoc. 14.13 Two witnesses without all exception which being so doth not the law say that in the mouth of two or three witnesses euery word shall be established Mat. 18.16 Ioh. 8.17 But these two from heauen are more and more sure then a thousand on earth and therefore what they say is sure and must stand Secondly how shall the day of death be better to the righteous then the day in which they are borne as the Scripture speaketh if they who goe hence come not out of paines but exchange them nor end their misery but continue
not be but all this auayled him nothing since they onely are Abrahams children who doe the workes of Abraham Where wee learne Doct. 2. that it displeaseth God and will not profite vs to glory in the bare name of a Christian except we be Christians indeed They that came to Ichus Baptisme sayde as much but because they sayde and did not Math. 23.3 he called them a generation of vipers Math. 3.7 Hee might haue called them a generation of toades more truly then true Abrahamites And what sayd Christ to those who prophesied to others but not to themselues and did great workes in his name but would do nothing for his name Depart sayth hee or hence farre from mee yee that worke iniquity Math. 7.22.23 That is ye that call your selues Christians and doe not like Christians to hell with yee So he that would be a Christian and had not on the wedding garment of a true Christian receyued this sentence Binde him hand and foote and cast him into vtter darkenesse Math. 22.13 As if Christ had sayde Deale with him as with a prisoner whose hands must bee bound that hee may not resist and feet shackled that hee may not runne away And because he loued darkenesse the darkenesse of a subtle heart let him passe from that darkenesse of his to the darkenesse of hell from one darknesse to another The like we reade of those who pretending to bee of the houshold of faith with right beleeuers knocked at the doore to wit by glorying vainely in that which they had not after the good man of the house had shut the doore of hope against all such vaine and vaine glorious talkers but what was the answere I know not whence yee are Luk. 13.25 That is yee are meere strangers to my Fathers house and to me or yee came to mee for a night but yee continued not with mee as mine doe but they replyed Wee haue eaten and drunke in thy presence and thou hast taught in our streetes v. 26. their meaning is we haue beene at thy table there wee â—ate and drâ—nke in the Sacrament with thy houshold people and wee haue heard in many Sermons of thee by thy teachers in Church and Chappâ—ll To this Christ reioines in the next verse I tell you I know you not whence ye are v. 27. As if he had said I said it be ore and I say it againe that ye are none of mine Ye did indeed dip with me in the Sacrament there yee did eate and drinke the blessed bread and wine but doing so with no good affection nor simple heart yee are and dranke your greater condemnation Yee were baptised with the baptisme of water but not of the spirit and yee wore my linery but in it yee did seruice to my enimie Also yee heard or seemed to heare many Sermons but yee alwaies left them where yee found them and therefore the more yee heard because yee so heard them that is formally and not in obedience the more yee haue to answere for I tell you therefore I know yee not whence yee are That is yee are as strange to me as they that neuer heard of me in the Gospel nor sawe my face in the Sacrament The reasons They who be Christians in face and not in heart and deede Christians are but hypocrites and being hypocrites they are hated of God his soule abhorreth such Esa 1.14.15 Secondly they are but bastards in Israel or sonnes of the bond-woman that may not be heires with the sonne of the free-woman Gal. 4.30 Some priuiledges belong vnto them and for the true Churches sake they receiue man 〈◊〉 â—utward good things here but being bastards they cannot inherit by lawe And what shall it profit a man If he winne the whole world and destroy himselfe or â—ose himselfe Luk. 9.25 Thirdly they haue to doe with that God that will not be mocked Gal. 6.7 And then what good will it doe them to say they are children when they are not if they could deceiue God that looketh into the heart as they can man that seeth not as God doth they might haue some hope but seeing God himselfe is iudge how can they be hid A terrour to those who putting trust in lying vanities haue nothing of the Church or of true baptisme in them Vse 1 but the name in their mouths Ier. 7.4 Such though they say father Abraham with this damned person yet because they walke not by holinesse in the steppes of the faith of Abraham Rom. 4.12 they are the children of their father Ioh. 8.44 There is an Israel in the couenant and an Israel out or an Israel in Christ and an Israel that is none of Christs as there is a circumcision in the spirit and a circumcision in the letter or a circumcision of the heart and circumcision of flesh Rom. 2.29 Now they that haue no more in them then the Israel of an outward profession or the baptisme of water howsoeuer iudging as men we cannot denie them the name and account of Christians yet when hee commeth to see his ghests who is of pure eyes and iudgeth otherwaies then man doth hee will turne them out as intruders command them to be taken away to wit from all communion with him his blessed Angels and glorified Saints and send them to their owne place where is weeping with gnashing of teeth that is sorrow and griefe mingled with desperation Math. 22.13 This is the portion of their cup. This should stirre vs vp to walke with more conscience in our professions Vse 2 For we may as with some veile couer our sinnes in them from men but no profession nor figge-leafe of profession can hide vs from him whose eye is vpon all his ghests Math. 22.13 He that searcheth Ierusalem with lights Zeph. 1.12 but neither with torch-lights nor candle and can see without them can find vs out in our darkest hypocrisie to whose eyes of knowledge and prouidence all things are naked or as it were vnquartered Hebr. 4.13 His eyes are a flame of fire and with these lights he pierceth and looketh through euery mans heart conscience and conuersation nothing is hid or can be from them And therefore though we be admitted by the Minister and allowed by men to goe for Christians yet if we be not Christians in life and in the testimonie of our owne consciences so their testimonie will little uaile vs against Gods examination and the witnesse of our owne hearts If we condemne our selues and if God condemne vs what matter for the praise of men or their good word whose eyes we haue bleared with our seemings Let vs therefore approue our selues to God and our owne consciences by true repentance truly and indeede to be Christians If we haue not repented thus let vs now beginne and if we haue let vs doe it more Let vs breake off our sinnes euen in the purpose of our hearts and not thinke to say or thinke we haue done inough because we can say We haue
with mee to wit as my wife helper Gen. 3.12 Thus also most vile reprobates impute their damnation to Gods will that cannot be resisted Rom. 9.19 And that reprobate that hid his talent sayde I knew that thou wast an hard man Math. 25.14 speaking against Gods seuerity but nothing of his own sinne So they sayd that Gods wayes were not equall who themselues were equall no way Ezech. 18.29 The like we reade of Cain for he when God reproued him for the bloud of his brother speakes not of his great murther but of his ouer hard punishment Gen. 4.13 He thought that God was too sharpe and spake too seuerely to him for it It is plaine therfore that it is the nature of the wicked to blame God and not blame worthy man The Reasons Wicked men are proud by nature and proud men will bee in no fault Secondly the Deuils children such as the wicked bee are contrary to Gods children and therefore where they iustifie the Lord these iustifie themselues Thirdly the wicked beeing his children who abode not in the truth and whose name is slaunderer must needes do his works and say as hee will haue them Iohn 8.44 Fourthly such men are the vowed enemies of God and what care such what they say of him and how they charge him Here then we see whose children Vse and children of what stocke and parentage they are who complaine of God when they should giue him glory in his iudgements They are not of the house of Dauid neyther haue they Dauids spirit in them for he confessed his fault that God might be iustified in his sayings and pure when he iudgeth Psal 51.4 He blamed not God when he had told him by Nathan That euill should be raysed against him out of his own house that the sword of death should strike it that his wiues should be defiled that the child should die 2 Sam. 12.11 but cōfesseth as it was that he had deserued no lesse that God in so doing was holy righteous and iust v. 13. Nor did Eli charge God when he threatned the destruction of his house by young Samuel but subscribed that he might iustly do what Samuel had sayd 1. Sam. 3.18 for sayth he It is the Lord who can do nothing but wel And with him subscribed Hezechiah in a like message sent him from God 2 Kin. 20.19 But what did Herod when Iohn reproued him He could not beare the rebuke of his mouth but sent him to Warde for beeing so bolde with the King Mar. 6.17 So the Iewes when Steuen iustly charged them in stead of iustifying the Lord in that iust reproofe they rather iustified themselues in their wickednesse and in madnesse ran vpon him and with stones murthered him Act. 7.51.57 And what shall we say of our owne times when Gods hand lyes vpon vs in some generall or priuate strokes for sin doe we confesse our sins and that God in visiting for them is righteous or do we not rather murmur and take on in the affliction as if he dealt hardly or too cruelly with vs in smiting so for so small matters Doe we say as Daniel O Lord righteousnes belongeth vnto thee and to vs open shame or the confusion of our faces Dan. 9.7 or doe we not rather breake out by impatience and bitter cursing at the least by fretting against God and his righteous iudgments as too galling and rigorous The condemnation that is of themselues some haue learned here of a damned soule in hell to transferre not iustly vpon themselues but vniustly vpon God that they haue wrong to be damned for say they how can we chuse when God will haue it so Rom. 9.19 But this Rich man knew by himselfe that the loue of the word could finde no entrance where the loue of worldly pleasures had filled the heart so it had in his fiue brethren and therfore he was perswaded that all labor of teaching by the word should be in vaine and lost vpon them And here we secondly learne Doct. 2. that worldly couetousnesse and voluptuous life quench in natural men all desire of saluation by the Word for such will not come to the Assemblies with the bidden guests who absented themselues by their Farmes and yokes of oxen from it Luk. 14.18.19 or if they come they are sure to come without all affection of hearing thither their mind goeth after their couetousnesse Ezech. 33.31 Their wits are so exercised taken vp with thoughts about worldly things that they haue neyther leasure nor mind to attend to the word deliuered or hauing spēt all edge this way before they come being come they fall asleepe when they should heare or if they be awake and listen a little they haue neither loue nor liking to that which is taught The Reasons Worldly riches and voluptuous life are thornes Luk. 8.14 as therefore thorns make the sowne fields vnfruitfull so the thorns ofriches and voluptuous life make the word where it is taught vnprofitable Secondly these are enmity to God Iam. 4 4 and what enemy will not in corruption doe all he can to destroy his enemie Thirdly they that follow these lusts are called if they bee men adulterers and if women adulteresses I am 4.4 not corporall but spirituall which is farre worse for corporall adultery is against the second Table but this is against God in the first and a man may be a corporall Adulterer as Dauid and yet not hate God but hee that goes a whoring from him by a worldly and couetous heart cannot but stand vp against him as the hater of him and enemy of his couenant An instruction to emptie our mindes and hands of all thorns of earthly cares and pleasures Vse 1 before we come to the meanes of saluation in the assemblie lest as thornes in our sowen fields they make the word barren and without fruit in our hearing They that plough and sowe their fieldes will rid vp by the rootes all Bryers thorns and bushes So should they vse no lesse dilgence to free their hearts frō the thornes and bushes of bad affections that come to heare and this fore-skin of a couetous and wanton heart should likewise be circumcised by the spirit of God in a new creature if they will heare with pleasure and commoditie Ier 4.4 But they who come stuff with worldly lusts shall goe away emptie of heauenly fillings So saith blessed Marie in her thankfull song He hath filled the hungry with good things but the rich he sendeth away emptie to wit of things that are truely good Luc. 1.53 and so their hearing is made damnable and with sinne vnto them A like instruction to be contented with a meane Estate Vse 2 and to refrain from all desire of hauing much in the worldlie part For the world is a dangerous morsell 1. Tim. 6.9 Most men go a whering after it and the best men cast but too wanton an Eye vpon it Which maketh the Lord in these outward things rather