by faith by hearing the Word preached ſ Rom. 10. 17. Fifthly Meditate wee must that as the rayne doth not fall upon the earth in vaine t Heb 6. 7 so this divine dew these drops of the Word the Sermons we heare wee are the better for them or the worse for the word of God if it be not the savour of life unto us it will bee the savour of death it is a two-edged sword with one edge it cuts away all sinne from the good with the other all excuse from the bad Sixthly Meditate wee must that the Word wee heare shall Judge us at the great day The second helpe to be used is 2 Meanes is Prayer Prayer to Almighty God that he would be pleased to blesse us in hearing Wee have all of us eyes and eares by nature but in regard of these Divine things they are shut Hence it is that our blessed Saviour saith in the Gospell Let him that hath eares to heare heare It is an excellent thing to have a seeing eye and a hearing eare therfore David prayed open thou my eyes that I may see the wondrous things contained in thy Law u Psal 119. 18. I it is the Lord that opened the heart of Lydia w Act. 16. 14. Now pray we also must for our Ministers that the Lord would bee pleased to assist them in speaking that hee would give unto them the dore of utterance the more the Minister is assisted the greater will our benefit be We are carefull to pray for the Pilate on the Sea for if he miscarry wee lose our lives for the Physitian that he mistake not the disease wee pray for Kings and Princes that under them we may live a quiet and a peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty x 1 Tim ◠2. and shall we not pray for our Teachers And thus much for that that is required before we heare some thing there is required when wee heare What is required in the act of hearing in the act of hearing There are many things required as First Reverence and this 1 Reverence either inward or outward the reverence of the soule and body the inward reverence may bee seene in Cornelius y Acts. 10. 33. we are all said he here present before God to heare all things that are commanded thee of GOD with all inward reverence the outward reverence you may see in the eight of Nehemia where the people all stood up and lift up their hands and bowed their heads and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground a Nehe. 8. 3. 4 5 6 7. Secondly Attention Heare we must and hearken b Isa 1. 2. Wee must hearken what the Lord our God will speake not a word but we must heare c Psa 85. 8. Judgment as well as mercy but here is the misery whilest GOD hath the eare the Divell hath the heart The third duty is submission 3 Submission A yeelding and captivating of our judgements thereunto and that this may bee the better done we must search the Scriptures whether the things wee heare bee warranted Thus did the men of Berea they searched the Scriptures whether the things were so d Acts 17. 11. Wee must not beleeve every spirit but trie the spirits whether they are of God e John 1. 4. 1. If the things delivered bee the Word of God wee are bound to beleeve them and submit our selves unto them The next duty is Feare Whilst we heare there must be a holy awe feare 4 Feare in the affections to him will I looke that is of an humble spirit and that trembles at my Words f Isa 66. 2. Serve the Lord with feare saith the Psalmist and rejoyce with trembling g Psal 2. 11 If the Lyon roare all the beasts of the Forrest tremble JESVS CHRIST is the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah hee it is that speakes unto us let us therfore feare hee is a Lion and a Lambe a Lion to those that will not tremble a Lambe to those that will The last duty is cheerefull Cheerefull alacrity Alacrity Which quickens the languishing stomacks of our soules that wee loath not the Word this Alacrity you shall finde in the people in the eight of Nehemia who were attentive and cheerefully attentive from morning untill mid-day g Nehe. 8. 3. This also may be seene in the people that followed CHRIST and continued with him three dayes Here was their alacrity but alas wee are not tied to follow CHRIST three dayes together but one day in seven and that not in the desart but in the Temple and what doe wee wee sleepe and talke and looke about us and oftentimes are gone before Sermon bee ended If one should bring Commendation from a great friend wee would never bee weary of hearing him speake but the Minister may speake againe and againe from the Lord JESVS CHRIST the cheife friend and how coldly are wee affected this argues that wee love others more then CHRIST earthly things more then Heavenly whereas if there were this alacrity in us wee would love the Word above all things then Gold fine Gold it would bee sweeter to our mouthes then the Hony and the hony Combe Thus much for the second meanes to come to the true knowledge of God The third followes Conference But how is this neglected Conference some are ashamed like those who had rather die then tell the Physitian of their Disease others hate it and had rather doe any thing then confer whereas the Scripture calls upon us to exhort one another dayly whilest it is called to day h Heb. 3 13. Two are better then one if one fall the other may helpe him up if one bee ignorant another may instruct him two eyes are better then one looke into the booke of God you shall finde this commanded the word shall be in thy heart and thou shalt teach them and shalt talke of them i Deut. 6. 6. 7. This is made a marke of those that feare the Lord that they spake one unto another and it is said that the Lord heard them I and there was a Booke of remembrance k Mala. 16. 17. The last meanes to come to the true knowledge of God is Prayer earnest Prayer For what is all without Prayer this to reade the Word in private to heare it publikly preached to confer nothing without Prayer this is that that fetcheth a blessing all other meanes must bee helped out by this this is therefore placed in the last place that wee may see all the rest without it will doe no good And know we must that all our Prayers must bee sent up to God in the Mediation of CHRIST Nam quid dulcius quà m genitorem Aug. in nomine unigeniti Pray in the name of Christ invocare What is sweeter than to call upon the Father in the name of his onely begotten Sonne And
the Father draw him g Joh 6. 44 2 To the second Person where the Apostle calleth Jesus the Author and finisher of our faith h Heb 12. 2. 3 To the third Person where the Apostle reckoneth Faith amongst the fruits of the Spirit i Gal. 5. 22 Secondly God works faith God in mercy workes faith of his meere good will So saith our blessed Saviour it is so Father because thy good pleasure was such k Mat. 11. 26. Now the end at which God aymed in working Gods ends in working faith this grace is two-fold First The setting forth of his owne glory Secondly The salvation of mankinde and therfore Saint Peter calleth salvation the end of our faith Now the Knowledge of this will First Humble us in letting of us see that it is not in our power that Faith is not hereditary God beginneth it and increaseth it and finisheth it The Apostles prayed Lord increase our faith l Luke 17. Now the meanes to get this Faith is double 1 Outward Meanes to get faith 2 Inward First Outward 1 Outward The Word The outward meanes is the Word hereupon saith the Apostle how shall they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard Rom. 10 14. and thereupon thus concludeth Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the Word preached n Rom. 10 8. And hereupon it is called the Word of Faith o Eph. 1. 13 and Paul saith of the Ephesians that they beleeved after they heard the Gospell and finely saith S. Chrysostome Acc enditur S. Chrysoâ—t fldei lampas igne Divini verbi the Lampe of our Faith is lighted by the fire of the Divine Word And this Faith is wrought in us both by reading and preaching of the Word and both are commended and ordained of God The Word a meanes p Deut. 3. 9. 1. For reading God himselfe commandeth it P and by reading S. Augustine was converted for hee confesseth of himselfe that being inclined to the heresie of the Manichees he heard a voyce saying Tolle lege take up and reade meaning the Booke of God which hee presently did and so by reading was converted for surely the reading of the Word is a meanes appointed of God to the begetting of faith and raising up the kingdom of God in the hearts of men so that to say that bare reading is bare feeding and a thing unable to worke faith in us is to avouch a great untruth Secondly For the Word The especiall meanes ordinary is preaching preached This is the especiall ordinary meanes and the most powerfull usuall meanes this is that which the Scripture layeth downe how shall they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard how shall they heare without a preacher q Rom. 10. 14. and againe it pleased God by preaching to save r Gal. 3. 1. reading is profitable but preaching doth profit more than reading doth Spice when it is whole smelleth sweetly but when it is broken and bruised by the hand of the Apothecary it smelleth a great deale more so is the Word read of us or to us sweet as the hony and bringeth the light of life to many but if the spirituall Apothecary breake it and bruise it cut it and divide it as the Lord hath appointed by preaching then reacheth the savor of such heavenly sweet to many moe in a fuller measure by reason of the blessing God giveth unto it The Eunuch read but he understood not but when Philip preached unto him the sweet brake out to his lasting good Å¿ Acts 8. Secondly the meanes is The inward meanes for faith the Spirit of God inward whereby faith is wrought in us and this is the blessed Spirit of God which softneth and openeth our hearts and maketh them as good ground that when the seed of the Word is cast into them it taketh deepe rooting and bringeth forth the blessed fruit of faith The Apostle saith that his preaching was in demonstration of the Spirit that their faith might 1 Cor. 2 4. 5 be in the power of God and the preaching of the Gospell is tearmed a ministration of the Spirit u 2 Cor. 3. yea hee useth this phrase the Spirit of faith w 2 Cor. 8 15. because that faith is wrought inwardly by the spirit Thus yee see that faith is wrought inwardly in us by the spirit outwardly by the Word Now to propound a question and answer it Quaes How the Gospell How the Gospell works faith works faith Resp When the Gospell is preached First That commands us to beleeve in Christ and promises salvation and when wee come to heare the Spirit of God moves us for to heare and hee opens our hearts as hee did the heart of Lydia Secondly Vpon diligent hearing the Lord inlightens the minde to conceive and understand the way of salvation Thirdly Vpon this inlightning the great God perswades us to beleeve x Act. 15. 7 1 Cor. 3. 4 Fourthly After this God inclines the heart to be affected with the goodnes of the things promised which is salvation and to hunger and thirst after righteousnesse Fifthly The Lord perswades the heart to trust in the Lord Jesus for salvation Now as this knowledge serves to humble us so it will bring us to this knowledge that faith is not common this confutes the Atheists confuted Atheists that think and say so all of them say that they beleeve but faith is a gift yea a most rare gift of God God sent his Patriarchs in the ancientest age of the world and could finde no faith he sent his Prophets in a latter generation and could finde no faith last of all he sent his owne Sonne a man approved of God and approved his doctrine with miracles and signes following and could finde no faith and when the Sonne of man shall come shall he finde faith on the earth y Luk. 18. 8 We reade but of two beleevers in the hoste of Israell a Num. 14. But of eight in all the old world b 1 Pet. 3. 20. But of one family that beleeved in all Asia c 2 Tim. 1. 26. But of a hundred and twentie in all Christs time d Act. 1. 15 But of a few in all Sardis e Rev. 3. 4. Caro sanguis non dant fidem sed Pater in Coelis Flesh and blood give not faith but the Father in heaven Many boast of faith but if they have any it is the Divels faith Nay many beleeve not so much as the Divell doth but say with the foole non est Deus non est Daemon non est infernus non est Coelum there is no God no Divell no hell no heaven And in that some few beleeve it is by grace not by nature Secondly it is said in the description wrought in the heart of a sinner and this must not bee understood indefinitly of any sinner or every sinner for First
reformed it will bee easie to reforme the words and workes n Math. 23 26. In the particular duties of Gods worship it concemes all to be carefull of the heart 1. In Preaching 2. In Hearing 3. In Praying 4. In Singing First in Preaching In Preaching the heart is to be looked to That wee may be able to say with Saint Paul God is my witnesse whom I serve with my spirit in the Gospell of his Sonne e Rom. 1. 9 Secondly in hearing Heare with the heart The heart must also be looked unto the heart must bee drawne up unto the eare like Lidia our hearts must bee opened that we attend to the things which are spoken Thirdly in Prayer Pray with the heart The heart must bee looked unto Praying alwayes with all Prayer and supplication and how it is said in the spirit p Eph. 6 8. Fourthly in singing of Psalmes Sing with the heart The heart also must be ready that we may sing with grace in our hearts unto the Lord q Col. 3. 16 Quaest But is there no hypocrisy in the godly Hypocrisy in the best man is there no want of this inward truth of heart in his obedience Res There is hypocrisie in the best all the sonnes of Adam are infected with this contamination some more some lesse whosoever goeth about to cleere himselfe in this hee is the worst hypocrite of all and this wee must know that though all are infected with it yet here is the difference all have hypocrisie hypocrisie hath some aliud habere peccatum aliud haberi à peccato it is one thing for a man to professe sin and another thing for sin to possesse a man Now though a regenerate man may finde this in him yet may hee comfort himselfe in it First That this is a matter of greife and humbling unto him feeling this in him and having his heart away in any outward service Secondly That his care and desire in obeying God hath ever been to doe it heartily and so could never hypocrite say This must all know for by the knowledge of this that it is not First Hypocriticall obedience Hypocriticall Obedience not regarded Secondly Constrained sincerity that will serve the turne First For hypocriticall obedience eye-service may bee pleasing unto men because they know not the heart but to God it can not The proud Pharisee may make a faire show but God can pull of the maske and discover him All outward workes an hypocrite may doe onely he failes in the heart and because of that hee is lost every where it is man that judgeth the heart by the workes but the LORD judgeth the workes by the heart O therefore take heede of hypocrisie least you have your portion with them in Hell Men and women solace your selves in your devotions heare read pray receive but looke you have the heart along with you for without the heart all is lost Know this that the ostentation of man shall meete with the detestation of God Secondly Now if hypocrisie Constrained sincerity nothing cannot content God what can constrained sincerity doe Hee that obeyeth God because hee cannot chuse would not obey the LORD if hee could The fourth Rule of Obedience Rule 4 is constancy And this must every receiver know That true Obedience is constant obedience True obedence is constant Whosoever obeyes God truely will obey God constantly there is scarce any good thing in Gods Child but may seeme to bee in the hypocrite save onely this constancy in obedience so that this teacheth us First That sound and constant obedience is in the regenerate Secondly That it is onely in the regenerate in no other First constant obedience is in the regenerate The righteous saith the wise man is an everlasting foundation r Pro. 10 25. I such as are planted in the house of the Lord will bring forth fruit in their age f Psal 92 13. 14. But it may bee objected Ob. 1. That in many regenerate men there are great intermissions and giving over of good duties the fruits of grace have been straightly intercepted and broke of in them Hee that had come to David when after his adultery he would have killed Vriah and Peter when he forswore his Master and that with curses he would have been able to discerne no more fruits of grace nor conscience of duty to God in them then in Saul or Judas Resp That though in the time of temptation or spirituall desertion the case may be thus with the godly for a time yet hee cannot continue so but shall recover himselfe and doe his first workes againe according to that saying hee will not suffer the righteous to fall for ever t Psal 55. 22. Ob. 2. There are many that have good hearts in whom there is great inconstancy often omitting of good duties which they should performe they have not alwayes that alacrity in Prayer and holy exercise as sometimes they have Res Certaine it is that many a good man may decay in the measure of his practise and good duties even through a naturall decay of his spirit by age or by sicknes Secondly Hee may loose that heate and fervency of spirit that sometimes he had this may bee seene in the Angell of the Church of Ephesus u Rev. 2. 4 The first love was lost and yet much grace was there Beloved without dayly watchfulnes and stirring up of our selves it will not bee possible to keepe our selves from this decaying in our love yet this wee must know that in every regenerate man ordinarily unlesse it bee in case of temptation or spirituall The godly performe good duties of conscience though not alwayes with the lâ—ke châ—erfulnes dissention you shall finde foure things First That hee doth still performe good duties of conscience towards God though not with that cheerefulnes as at other times he still keeps his way and goeth on though not so fast greiving for his decayes striving against his dulnesse and this the Lord takes great delight in and hee is not unrighteous to forget our worke and love w Heb. 6. 10. The godly goe on and persevere Secondly That the godly man doth not rest in any thing that hee hath done but goeth on and is carefull to persevere and continue unto the end and this may bee seene in David and Paul First in David I will praise the Lord saith he while I live and sing unto God while I have my being x Psa 146. 2. Thy Statutes Lord will I keepe even unto the end y Psa 119 112. The second in S. Paul Brethren saith he I count not my selfe to have apprehended but this one thing I doe forgetting those things which are behinde and reaching forth unto those things which are before I presse towards the marke a Phil. 3. 13. The godly feare falling Thirdly That the godly man lives in feare least hee should fall away before his death
first he be a lover of the truth Wee must love one another not for their riches honours greatnesse but for themselves their good must be sought not their goods we must not love one another as Dogges doe bones for the flesh that is on them or as men doe Trees for their fruite but wee must love them for themselves for this that they are men but especially for that they are vertuous and good men Lastly the Receivers love Constant love must be constant With some friends are like flowers no longer regarded then whiles they are fresh Many mens love is like the harlots love who love while there is lucre and when gifts goe hence their love goes hence they are like the puttocks in the fable that followed the old Wife bearing meate to the market but forsooke her homeward when her meate were sold En ego non paucis quondam munitus amicis A man shall bee loved in prosperity but in adversity as Rats forsake an house when it is ready to fall so his lovers and his friends will forsake him Thus our love should bee holy just true constant this is true Christian love wherein men should keepe themselves this is like unto the Sunne unto the World a Candle unto the house a light for our journey a line for our life and a rule for our reprehensions Si diligis fac quicquid vis if thou beest in love doe what thou wilt speake or be silent exhort or rebuke call or cry so it be in love all is well Beloved much is gotten by love there is much comfort in love I love is the fulfilling of the Law Love is the fulfilling of the Law First Reductive Secondly Effective Thirdly Formaliter First Reductive Because love is the fulfiling of all the Commandements Secondly Effective For hee that loves the Love is beneficiall Lord is ready alwayes to obey him Thirdly Formaliter For all actions should be referred to the glory of God As the benefit is great The estate of those that love not miserable where there is love so the misery of such as love not is great also First They are children of darkenesse and all under the bondage of the first death and in danger of the second Secondly They can never enter into the Kingdome of Heaven every one can say a murtherer shall not bee saved now the Lord hates a man that loves not his brother as a murtherer and the Apostle saith that no murtherer hath eternall life abiding in him h 1 John 3 15. I will conclude with the saying of S. Peter the end of all things is at hand be sober therefore and watch unto Prayer this is good but not sufficient and above all things saith he have fervent charity for charity shall cover a multitude of sinnes i 1 Pet. 4. 7 8. It is love that hides the blemishes of our sinnefull nature and the same Apostle cals upon us to give all diligence to adde to our Faith vertue and to vertue knowledge to knowledge temperance to temperance patience and to patience brotherly kindnesse and to brotherly kindnesse charity k Pet 2. 1. 5 6 7 8 9. And the reason is given because if this be in us we shall not be barren and unfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord JESVS CHRIST but he that lacketh these things is blind and cannot see farre of and hath forgotten that hee was purged from his old sinnes l 2 Pet 1. 9 Wee have finished the first conclusion that whosoever would receive worthily must examine narrowly Come we to the second That the selfe examiner must bee a receaver Let The examiner must be a Receiver him eate of that Bread and drinke of that Cup. Doe this saith our Saviour m 1 Cor. 11 24. So that it is not left indifferent for a man to come or not to come but commanded I if that wee looke but into the Booke of God wee shall finde that such as were bidden to the Wedding and would not come made light of it were destroyed as well as hee that came without his Wedding garment n Mat. 22. 4. to 13. O that we would consider First Who it is that calls cries It is the Lord by the mouth of the Minister he it is that bids his guests shall he cry come and shall we not come shall hee call and shall not we answer he it is that bids and shall wee make excuses send his Messingers to prepare and shall not we come where all things are prepared Secondly Consider that besides calling bidding sending he offers himselfe and what a fearefull thing is this to contemne this blessed Sacrament When Moses called Dathan and Abiram to come up to the Lord they answered presumptuously we will not come o Num. 16. 12. When the King in the Gospell had invited many and sent his servants at supper time to say to them that were bidden come for all things are now ready they all with one consent beganne to make excuse p Luke 14. 16 17. 18. Beloved doth not the Lord call us as Moses Dathan and Abiram to come up and doe wee not as they did say wee will not this wee not only say but doe Doth he not invite us I the Table is covered the supper is ready yet how doe wee slight it Many will come but it is to looke on not receave what is this Beloved but to have the Minister of CHRIST in derision our Saviour did not say let a man examine himselfe and stay at home or examine himselfe and looke on but let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate of that Bread and drinke of that Cup. With what face then with what countenance or conscience can these come to the house and Table of God But it may be objected Ob. 1. That often receiving Of enreceaving no more then needes is more then needs Res Those that make this objection shew to the World what spirit they are of for besides the Word of God requiring of us often to receive have wee not our owne wantes crying out unto us I and that aloud that wee have neede to come and surely if ever any of these had tasted of any sweetnesse at the Table of God they would never have objected so absurdly or argued I have often received therefore neede to receave no more but rather I have often receaved therefore will receave againe There is almost none so absurd as to say I have been often at the Church therefore I will bee seene there no more I will heare no more because I have heard a little but as he that knoweth what it is to heare will heare often so hee that knowes what it is to receave the blessed Sacrament will not content himselfe with receaving but will receave often Ob. 1. It may in the second Often receiving without profit a signe we are not good place be objected we have often come and received but wee profit