with grace our actions and conversations guided with spirituall wisedome and unfained sinceritie After David had thus in the former Portion layd downe unto us and confessed what excellent knowledge he had got out of the Word of God and the precious fruit and benefit he had reaped and enjoyed by it Now In the first Verse of this present Portion hee makes as it were a protestation and profeâ—â—ion that he is wholly and onely enlightened and led in all his wayes by this holy Word of God as by a Light or Lanterne The brightnesse thereof doth not onely bring him into the wayes of righteousnesse and blessed estate of Christianitie but doth also conduct and guide him in all the paths and particulars of his life and actions in all the parts and passages of his speciall calling For he saith Thy Word is a Lampe unto my feet that is whereby I see and discerne the way to Heaven and the narrow path through the Kingdome of Grace and a Light unto my paths that is a guide to direct me in every particular step at every turning that so I may keepe a straight course and the readie way to the Kingdome of Glory That David had thus wholly yeelded and resigned up himselfe to be guided and governed by the glorious Light of Gods holy Word appeares in the Verses following First in Vers 106. by a solemne Oath and sacred resolution to keepe Gods righteous judgements and an unfained and constant purpose to performe the same I have sworne and will performe it that I will keepe thy righteous judgements Secondly in Vers 107. by his patiencie and sufferance of wrongs disgraces and afflictions which the wicked and prophane World heaped upon him for his profession of holinesse and sinceritie For except he had loved and followed the Light of divine Truth whensoever the fire of persecution and tribulation because of the Word had beene kindled against him hee had shrunke backe and fallen away I am afflicted very much quicken me O Lord according to thy Word Thirdly in Vers 108. by the offerings of his mouth and calves of his lips that is the spirituall sacrifices of prayers thanksgiving and gracious Vowes for Gods service which with a free and fervent spirit and earnest desire of acceptation he continually offered unto the Lord O Lord I beseech thee accept the free-will offerings of my mouth and teach me thy judgements Fourthly in Vers 109 110. by his stedfastnesse and sticking to the Law and Word of God though hee was beset and strongly incompassed with snares with dangers and with death it selfe His soule was continually in his hand that is hee was ready and resolved every houre rather to part with his life than with a good Conscience to shed his bloud rather than to forsake the Truth and Commandements of God My soule is continually in my hand yet doe I not forget thy Law The wicked have laid a snare for me yet I erred not from thy Precepts In the two last Verses upon the former reasons hee concludes the Point That his heart and inward affections do dearely embrace Gods blessed Word as a most rich and lasting Inheritance as his sweetest and greatest joy and that hee bends all the powers of his soule and best endevours to be led with and to follow the Light thereof even unto the end untill it bring him to immortalitie and Light that no man can attaine unto Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever for they are the rejoycing of my heart I have inclined my heart to performe thy Statutes alway even to the end Thus you see in generall the meaning of this Portion Before now I descend unto particulars and come to gather Notes severally from the Verses in order let vs take notice I beseech you for our instruction and examination of our owne soules of sixe notable markes and signes by which a true Christian may be discerned from a Temporizer a sincere server of God from a carnall Gospeller The first I gather out of the first Verse Every sonne and servant of God doth with humilitie chearefulnesse and obedience yeeld and submit himselfe to be wholly and onely directed and guided by the Light of Gods Word in all his wayes both generally of Christianitie and particularly of his speciall calling as David here did But the naturall man that is not yet entred into or acquainted with the state of Grace is led and guided in his courses onely by the Light of Reason and worldly Wisedome by good Meanings without ground and warrant out of the Word by a blind and ignorant Devotion by the Multitude Examples Custome of the Times and such like blind Guides But if he take any advice and direction out of the Word of God it is but in part by halfes and for a time A second ariseth out of the second Verse Every Child of God doth not onely promise vow and purpose to forsake and abandon all his knowne sinnes to watch carefully and conscionably over all his wayes to delight in and to sort himselfe with godly and gracious companie to have a respect to all his Commandements and to keepe his righteous Iudgements but hee doth also truly and throughly performe it hee goes through-stitch with his spirituall affaires and with constancie and courage walkes in a setled course of Christianitie But the unregenerate man not yet soundly seasoned with the power of Grace howsoever he hath sometimes good motions and purposes arise in his heart to forsake his former evill wayes and to fall to godlinesse howsoever in the time of Sicknesse of some great Iudgement or when his Conscience is terrified by the Ministerie of the Word when he seriously thinkes upon the day of his death and of that great and last Iudgement or the like hee makes Vowes with himselfe perhaps that hee will be a new man and change his courses But when he is once out of danger againe when he comes to the point and practice he is not so good as his word he doth not pay and performe his former Vowes and purposes hee is presently choaked againe with worldly Cares and drowned in earthly Pleasures And so all his goodnesse is as a morning Cloud and as the morning Deaw it goeth away The third marke lyeth in the third Verse Every Child of God doth with contented patience with strong dependance upon Gods providence with rejoycing in his sufferings beare and endure many miseries and pressures layd upon him for his profession and practice of sinceritie He well knowes out of the Word of God and feeles by his owne experience That all which will live godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution 2 Tim. 3. 12. And therefore he makes up his account with the World and is at a point with all that is under the Sunne hee is perswaded that all the afflictions of this life are not neere worthy the
But notwithstanding the prophanenesse of the Preacher is no priviledge to the hearer either of negligence or disobedience He that turnes his eare from hearing of the Law truly preached though by a Pharise even his prayer is abominable Prov. 28. 9. Hee that despiseth the Word shall be destroyed Prov. 13. 13. Hee that obeyeth not the Sonne in his Ministers lawfully sent though not sanctified themselves shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Christ himselfe in the Gospel bids his followers to observe and doe whatsoever they were bid by the Scribes and Pharises which sate in Moses Chaire but not to doe after their works for they said and did not Every Minister is to be heard received and followed so farre as he followes and delivers to the Church the Truth of God and Doctrine of the Apostles For therein he is an Angel of the Lord of Hosts and Embassadour in the stead of Christ. And all the parts of the Ministerie in his hand he following the Word shall as certainely be accomplished as if an Angel or Christ from Heaven should presently and potently execute them If hee denounce Iudgements against sinne it is as if the voice of God himselfe should be heard from Heaven as if the Lion of the Tribe of Iudah should roare If he poure the Oyle of comfort into a wounded and distressed Conscience it is as sure and certaine as soft and sweet to the beleeving soule as if the Angels should comfort him as they did Christ in his Agonie or as if Christ himselfe should mercifully reach out his glorious hand through the Clouds and binde up his broken heart and bruised Conscience with a Plaister of his owne precious Bloud If hee instruct admonish reprove exhort perswade from ground and warrant out of the Word it is all one as if Christ himselfe should doe it who hath said He that heareth you heareth me Let men therefore pretend what they will if they will not heare beleeve and obey the Lord speaking in the Ministerie of the Word though the meanes and Messengers be never so base and vile fraile weake and sinfull Let an Angel come from Heaven a Devill from Hell or a man from the dead yet would they not beleeve For if a man were truly humbled hee would tremble at Gods Word of whomsoever hee heard it If hee had a spirituall taste hee would relish the heavenly food whosoever ministred it If hee had Gods holy Spirit hee would know and acknowledge his Sword which is the Word of God in whose hand soever he saw it And untill he have this spirit a spirituall taste and an humble heart hee will not beleeve especially with effect fruit and practice let him pretend whatsoever he will neither Angels nor men dead nor living Moses nor the Prophets Peter nor Paul not Christ nor God himselfe if the one were living againe upon Earth or the other would be pleased or it were possible to speake immediately to him For conclusion of this Point let us know That the Ministerie of the Word is Gods Ordinance which dependeth not upon the worthinesse of him who delivereth it neither is it made void and uneffectuall by his weakenesse and wickednesse but it hath it vertue force and power from the blessing of God and from the inward operation of his Spirit who applyeth it to the hearts and consciences of men and thereby illuminates their understandings begetteth faith in them and all sanctifying and saving graces I but will some say it is a very wearisome tyring and tedious thing to be tyed to the hearing of so many Sermons to meditate of them conferre of them with our neighbours teach them our families and practise them which are urged upon us as necessarie Christian duties It is a strange thing and sore case that some men will not be perswaded to take halfe so much paines to goe to Heaven and eternall Rest as many thousands to goe to Hell and everlasting torment How many tyre and torture themselves with carke and care with much toyle and travell to heape up those riches which in the meane time are matter of much vexation unto them and hereafter will be witnesses against them and eate their flesh as it were fire as Iames speakes How many spend their wits their spirits their time that they may become some-body in the World and climbe by indirect and unlawfull meanes and steps unto those high places from whence hereafter they must be hurled with greater confusion and a more fearefull downe-fall into the Pit of Hell How many waste their wealth weaken their strength consume their marrow fill their bones with rottennesse and their bodies with diseases with lust and uncleannesse with following the Whorish woman whose paths lead unto the dead with tarrying long at the Wine and pouring in of strong Drinke for which at length they shall be sure to be filled with drunkennesse and with sorrow even with the Cup of destruction and trembling they shall drinke of it deepe and large and wring it out to the dregges How unwearied have Idolaters ever beene in the wicked worship of their false gods And many Heretikes in the false worship of the true God In thrusting towards Hell they neither spared cost nor charge losse nor labour They have beene prodigall both of lives and living of bloud and children You know amongst the Iewes some mingled the rufull cryes of their dearest children with Musicke and melodie lest they should be moved to compassion while they were cast into the fire to be burned up in sacrifice unto the Idoll Moloch Scribes and Pharises compasse Sea and Land to make a Proselyte Baals Priests lanced and cut their flesh before their Idoll untill the bloud gushed out The blinded Papists at this day whip themselves waste their goods and consume their bodies with wearisome Pilgrimages to see some counterfeit Reliques and rotten Bones or to visit accursed Idols and Popish Saints Nay some of them transported with a more bloudie rage and furious spirit of Antichrist suffer as it were with senselesnesse with desperate and damned boldnesse most horrible and exquisite torments for butchering of Kings for which they hope to merit Heaven and to sayle through a Sea of Royall bloud to the Haven of endlesse rest though indeed and truth they justly light short and sinke before they are aware into the deepest Lake of the hottest fire and most consuming flame of Hell Now I pray you shall these services of Sathan be followed and pursued with such heat and eagernesse with such paines and patiencie of all miseries and vexations and shall not the Lords owne Ordinances and the true worship of the true God have power to make us step out of our doores with patience and pleasure to heare the Lords will revealed unto us to receive salvation to our soules and a Crowne of immortalitie to our heads Can some be
theirs which indeed is the right direct and desperate downe-fall into the Pit of Hell So that millions of soules live no lesse without Scriptures than if there were none and wofully walke in this World through darkenesse of sinne shadow of death and ignorance both of God and his Word unto endlesse and utter darkenesse in the World to come The Prophet David tells us in Psal 19. That the Law of the Lord is perfect and giveth wisedome unto the simple The Commandements of the Lord is pure and giveth light to the eyes In this place hee tells us That the Word was a Lampe unto his feet and a Light unto his paths Christ himselfe Iohn 5. 39. bids us Search the Scriptures even all without exception so many as looke for eternall life Not lightly and at leisure to reade them but with diligence to dive into them for so the word signifies in the Originall To seeke for the right knowledge and true sense of them as for Silver and to search for it as for Treasures The Noblemen of Berea Act. 17. 11. searched the Scriptures dayly whether those things were so that were preached unto them Saint Peter 2 Pet. 1. 19. calls the Word of the Prophets a Light which shineth in a darke place to which wee should take heed But the Pope and his Factors teach other Lessons The Catholike Church saith one of their chiefe Champions out of the Councell of Trent forbids the reading of Scriptures by all without choise or the publike reading or singing of them in vulgar Tongues The wise will not here regard say the Rhemists in their Preface to their Testament what some wilfull people doe mutter that the Scriptures are made for all men And soone after they resemble the Scriptures to Fire Water Candles Knives and Swords which are indeed needfull c. but would marre all if they were at the guiding of other than wise men And this is indeed one of their principall reasons Many abuse the Scriptures by ignorance infirmitie or malice to Errors Heresies Schismes and their owne destruction therefore they are not to be read of all without choise I answer they might as well reason thus Many men abuse Meat and Drinke by surfetting and excesse to the destruction both of their soules and bodies therefore men are to be deprived of Meat and Drinke Some men are infected with the Pestilence by drawing in corrupted and empoysoned aire therefore the aire is to be taken away and removed But as those men which are deprived of Meat and Drinke presently languish and pine away and die a temporall death and those that enjoy not the benefit of the aire are presently stifled for want of breath even so all those that want the spirituall Food of their soules out of the Word of God and the holy inspirations of his good Spirit builded thereupon howsoever they be fat and flourishing in their outward estates yet they are full leane and lanke in their soules and if they so continue must needes die an eternall death and perish everlastingly Let us then learne to detest and hate the bloudie Policie of the Synagogue of Rome which cruelly keepes from many thousand Soules that blessed Light of Gods Word which should lead them to eternall life They indeed pretend other Reasons But the truth is if the Word of Truth should be permitted and published to all there would be old running out of Babylon all their Pompe and Policie would downe their shamefull Iuglings and Cousenages their strong Delusions and Impostures would be laid open in the sight of the Sunne The Princes of the Earth that have so long beene drunken with the wrath of her empoysoned Wine would no longer commit Fornication with her The Merchants would buy no more her Wares but would stand afarre off from her for feare of her torment weeping and wailing No marvell then though the Papists labour might and maine and to this end maintaine a bloudie Inquisition to suppresse this Light of Gods Word lest it should discover their darknesse and hasten their destruction A second Vse is for terror feare and amazement to all them that doe not live and delight in the Light of Gods holy Word but yet are walking in the darkenesse of ignorance and in the shadow of death The whole World and every man in particular lyes in darkenesse that is in ignorance under sinne and so subject and lyable to damnation and eternall death There is no way to come out of this state of Darknesse Damnation and Death but by the Knowledge Light and Ministerie of the Word Hence it is that Act. 26. 18. it is Pauls charge and hee is sent to this purpose to open the eyes of men that they might turne from Darknesse to Light And Paul himselfe Eph. 5. 8. speakes thus unto the Ephesians Yee were once Darkenesse but now yee are Light in the Lord walke as Children of the Light Out of 1 Pet. 2. 9. it appeares that all Gods Children are called out of Darkenesse into marvellous Light Why then fearefull and most wretched is the state of all those who by the Light and knowledge of Gods Word are not translated and guided out of this Darkenesse For as in Darkenesse 1 There is much feare horror and discomfort a man cannot enjoy the lightsomenesse of Heaven the comfort of the creatures the companie of men Even so ignorant men not enlightened with saving knowledge are utterly without all hope of Heaven they have no sight or taste of the endlesse joyes thereof they have no companie or conference in heavenly matters with true Christians they have no comfort or interest in the Covenant of Grace or Promises of Salvation But Feare Horror and Despaire are most justly treasured up for them against the Day of Wrath and of the declaration of the just Iudgement of God 2 He that walketh in the Darkenesse saith Iohn knoweth not whither he goeth He cannot discerne his way he seeth not what is behind or before him he cannot descry or discover the dangers which are round about him But especially if the wayes through which he passeth be slipperie steepe and rockie full of pits and holes he is in danger at every step by some grievous fall to crush his body bruise his bones or breake his necke It is just so with every one that lives in ignorance of Gods Word and Truth he cannot possibly discerne the way to Heaven amongst the many by-paths of iniquitie he cannot judge in spirituall matters betwixt right and wrong good and evill Light and Darkenesse Christ and Belial prophanenesse and sinceritie though there be behind him a Life spent in much wickednesse lewdnesse and ignorance before him Despaire Hell and eternall Damnation about him the World with a thousand baites and pleasures to intice and intangle him in sinne Sathan like a roaring Lyon readie every houre to seize upon his
above all I but where there is so much preaching there is much disquietnesse and discontentment for men are abridged of their former ancient pastimes and pleasures and urged unto more strictnesse of life When as all was well before in much quietnesse and peace the preaching of the Word breeds new stirres and contrary affections in men No marvell though there be much struggling and striving great noyse and stirre before the strong man in the Gospel can be dis-armed and dispossessed of his Holds that is before Sathan having long reigned in the hearts and sat in the Consciences of ignorant and prophane men will be cast out by the Preaching and Power of the Word This conquest costs full deare it will not be had without the losse of our dearest delights without shedding the very hearts-bloud of our beloved and bosome-sinne which flesh and bloud will not yeeld unto without blowes and bloudshed You may assure your selfe where the Light of Gods Truth begins once to peepe out and the power of grace to worke for the driving away darknesse and subduing prophanenesse you shall be sure ever there to have three fierce and implacable enemies and opposites to start up Sathan wicked men and a mans owne corruptions While men lye in sinne ignorance and under the shadow of death Sathan lets them alone meddles not much with them never troubles or disquiets them but procures them all temporall happinesse and carnall contentments that can be for he knowes full well if they so continue they are sure his owne and children of endlesse perdition But if once by the power of the Word they be enlarged out of the slaverie of sinne and death and lay hold upon salvation and the glorious libertie of the Saints why then he begins to bestirre himselfe like a madded enraged Lion and labors with all his malice and policie to hinder and dash such proceedings And in this Conspiracie hee joynes unto himselfe wicked and reprobate men to rayle revile and rage against sinceritie I and besides a mans owne corruption and sinfull flesh doth fret and fume when it feeles it selfe curbed and snaffled by the Law of the Spirit The Gospel indeed is a Gospel of Peace But of what Peace Of Peace with God with good men and a mans owne Conscience of the Peace that passeth all understanding But it ever proclaimes open warre against wickednesse prophanenesse and corruptions it will have no peace with impietie carnall securitie and rebellion unto the Lawes of God Hence it is that our Saviour tells us in the Gospel that he came not to send Peace into the Earth but rather Fire Debate and the Sword that is Wheresoever his Word is published powerfully and conscionably with fruit and effect upon the soules of his elect there by accident as they say it stirres up much rage and bitter opposition against Gods children For as there is no true inward peace unto the wicked so in this World there is no outward peace unto the righteous but commonly they are still exercised with one crosse and temptation or other either the Devill or wicked men are still plotting or practising mischiefe and miserie against them But you must conceive that the disquietnesses and troubles that arise at the preaching of the Word are not caused by it but by mens corruptions Would any man thinke that Saint Paul or his Preaching were in fault because there was much adoe and an hurly-burly almost wheresoever he came and not rather the wicked Infidels which could not endure to have their sinnes reproved Neither the Sower nor the Seed Math. 13. are to be blamed that it doth not prosper and fructifie it is the ground that is onely in fault which is either stonie or thornie or barren or else it is the envious man that soweth Tares The Sower doth onely his dutie and the Seed is pure and precious it is mens corruptions and prophane hearts that causeth all the stirre Amongst foure kinds of Grounds there is but one at the most as appeares in the Parable of the Sower Math. 13. in which the immortall Seed of the Word takes root prospers and fructifies Onely the good and honest heart profits by Preaching to all others it is the savour of death unto death And whom it doth not humble it hardneth whom it makes not so meeke as a Lambe and like a little Child in humilitie it makes as fierce and furious as a Lion against the power of grace wrought in others and against the profession and practice of sinceritie No marvell then though where the Word of Truth begins to beare sway there be many times much adoe and resistance by carnall and prophane men I but will some say this Word is brought unto us by weake and fraile men sometimes by those who are of notorious and infamous life and conversation and therefore wee have lesse heart to beleeve and obey them If wee had the Word published by an Angel or an Apostle or some more excellent and powerfull meanes and Embassadours wee should more easily and willingly heare beleeve and obey them It is Gods great mercie unto us that it pleaseth him so farre to condiscend to our infirmitie as to open unto us the rich Treasures of his heavenly Word by men of the same condition and frailtie and subject to the same passions with our selves Hee might by terrible and astonishing Voices out of Lightnings Thunders and Earthquakes able to breake the hardest Rocks and stony Mountaines as he did in the giving of the Law force us to obedience Or he might send his Angels armed with power and puissance to execute present vengeance upon all those which doe not presently submit themselves to the Scepter of his Christ and Soveraigntie of his Word But in great mercie and compassion unto us hee chuseth rather to teach us by a still and soft Voice by a more faire familiar and fit instruction for us even by such as our selves of our owne nature frailtie and condition Here in he shewes his great love unto us in that he vouchsafeth to put his fearefull and glorious Word into the mouth of a mortall and sinfull man What an honour and advancement is it unto mans nature unto mankind that the high and mightie God of Heaven and Earth should single them out for so glorious a service sanctifie their Tongues to deliver his good pleasure and newes of salvation unto the sonnes of men That hee should acquaint and put them in trust with such high mysteries and heavenly matters of so soveraigne and saving use both to themselves and others But it may be besides common frailtie and infirmitie the Minister and Messenger of the Word is of lewd and prophane life and condition If he be more is the pitty the scandall of the Ministerie is the greater and his owne damnation more smarting and terrible See Psal 50. 16 17 c.
may be they may heare attend and understand what is delivered but it breedes no more reverence impression or spirituall reformation than an ordinarie Tale or humane discourse As though that holy toyle and sacred breath were spent onely to entertaine the Time and busie mens eares for an Houre and not as Christ tells Paul To open their eyes that they might turne from Darkenesse unto Light and from the power of Sathan unto God 4 Vpon some the Iudgement and Curse of comming without Conscience and due preparation doth so farre prevaile and hath such power that they become scorners and raylers against the Minister or his Doctrine or both at every Sermon they catch something that they may cavill at deprave and calumniate And so wickedly and wretchedly oppose their discourse wit and spirit of contradiction against the face of Heaven and heart of Divine Truth They wrangle and repine in deed and truth whatsoever their pretences or protestations may be to the contrarie against that Great Majestie whose Message it is against that Holy Spirit which should sanctifie them and the Word of Grace which should save them 5 Others there be even of good hearts and affections Professors and in some good measure practisers of the power of godlinesse yet because they are carelesse and neglective of this needfull Christian dutie of preparation are possessed with much deadnesse of heart and dullnesse of spirit at those holy Exercises Their zeale and fervencie which should be quickened and inflamed at every Sermon is dulled and benummed with senselesnesse and satietie They doe not so tremble or are cast downe with Divine Comminations and denouncements of Gods Iudgements against sinne or so refreshed with the gracious promises of Life and Salvation as they ought to be They doe not enjoy and reape the thousandth part of that delight comfort and benefit as they well might by the Ministerie of the Word because their hearts are not purged and prepared They doe not with that chearefulnesse receive with that sweetnesse taste and rellish with that life and vigour disgest the Food of Life The eye of their minde for want of premeditation doth not so clearely see and discerne the infinite beautie of that sacred Majestie represented unto them or that glorious grace shining unto them in the face of CHRIST IESVS Their hand of Faith doth not with that feeling and fastnesse lay hold upon and claspe about the rich Treasures revealed in the Gospell In a word they bereave themselves of much good blessing comfort and growth in grace which they might and ought to have by hearing of the Word for want of due preparing and disposing the heart thereto This dutie of Preparation then though that it be not much thought upon or ordinarily practised yet it is of great necessitie and speciall use for all those which looke for benefit or blessing by the preaching of the Word There is no great Affaire or of weight and consequence eyther in Nature or Art in necessarie businesses and civill Negotiations or in matters of Complement Ceremonie and Enterview but there is required some bethinking preparation and prae-dispositions for the more happie and successefull accomplishment execution and performance how much more in the affaires of God matters of Heaven businesses of eternitie and salvation of mens soules The Ground must be manured and prepared for the Seed if wee looke it should fructifie and prosper how much more should our dull and dead hearts bee stirred up and furrowed as it were with humiliation reverence and repentance that by the grace of God and the sanctifying power of the Spirit it may lodge and take deepe root in them and spring up to eternall life The Body must be fitted with a Preparative and the humours as it were gathered unto a head if wee desire the Physicke should worke forcibly and kindly and rid us of their noxiousnesse and superfluitie how much more ought our Soules with an impartiall and narrow inquisition to be searched and layd open before they receive the Water of Life and spirituall Manna that so they may more seasonably and soundly be washed and purged from corruptions and imperfections preserved in spirituall health and prepared for eternall life The Ground must be layd and some imperfect Draughts Shadowes and resemblances premised before a Picture can be done to the Life or a full proportion and lively representation pourtrayed or presented to the eye how much more ought the ground of our hearts to be fitted and prepared that by the preaching of the Word the Image of Christ Iesus may with a lively and fresh impression be stamped upon them Were a man the next day to goe about a businesse that mainely concerned eyther his life or livelyhood the state of his Lands or danger of his life Would not his minde be troubled before-hand Would it not breake his sleepe the night before Would he not be musing and plotting by what meanes he might worke out his deliverance and safetie what behaviour and carriage might be fittest to winne favour and grace in so weightie an affaire How much more ought wee before wee intrude into the House of God where matters of our greatest and highest interest are proposed handled and debated by the Minister of the Word even life eternall and everlasting estate in another World I say how ought wee to thinke with our selves how wee may make our soules fittest to understand and accept the Covenant of Grace to receive the Seale of the Spirit and to get assurance of that glorious and royall Inheritance in the Heavens Nay yet further even in matters of complement and enterview there is wont to be preparation especially if the presence and persons were the greater Ioseph when he was sent for to goe before King Pharoah hee shaved his head and changed his rayment because hee was to appeare before so high and royall a presence Queene Hester durst not presse into the presence of King Ahashuerosh before shee had prepared her selfe How much more ought wee to fit and prepare our selves base and miserable wretches Wormes and no men as wee are with feare and trembling when wee come into the House and presence of the mightie Lord of Heaven and Earth before whom the Seraphins hide their faces the Nations are as a drop of a Bucket and the inhabitants of the Earth as Grasse-hoppers especially sith there hee offers and tenders unto us enlargement from the slaverie of sinne purgation from our pollutions and a Crowne of life upon that condition that wee repent forsake all our sinnes and resigne up our selves in sincere and humble obedience unto all his Commandements Inducements we have and Motives many both from Precept and Practice in the Booke of God for the performance of this Christian dutie of Preparation Take heed to thy foot sayth the Preacher when thou enterest into the House of God and be more neere to heare than to give the sacrifice of fooles for
their callings into the House of God to heare and to performe the Exercises of Religion Truly though they be never so diligent in hearing yet their hearts will goe after their covetousnesse Ezech. 33. 31. 3 A third dutie before the hearing of the Word is Prayer no good thing can be expected from God as a blessing if it be not sought by prayer Deut. 4. 7. and wee finde it layd downe as a condition required Prov. 2. 1 2 3 c. My sonne if thou wilt receive my words and encline thine eare to wisedome and apply thy heart to understanding yea if thou cryest after knowledge and liftest up thy voice for understanding then shalt thou understand the feare of the Lord and finde out the knowledge of God The reason is Vers 6. For the Lord giveth wisedome and out of his mouth commeth knowledge and understanding Because the Lord gives knowledge therefore you must crie for it unto him What is the reason that you do pray for your daily Bread and a blessing upon it Why Deut. 8. 3. Man lives not by Bread onely c If this be so much more ought you to pray for a blessing upon your spirituall food Now for the particulars First you ought to pray for the Teachers That they may so speake as they ought to speake Col. 4. 3 4. so they are to pray for the power and peace of the Ministerie 2 Thess 3. 1 2. Secondly you must pray for your selves that through Gods assistance you may heare profitably and be blessed in the hearing Ioh. 3. 27. No man can receive any thing except that it be given him from above Therefore David prayed Psal 119. 18. Open thou mine eyes that I may see the wonderfull things contained in thy Word Isay 48. 17. God sayth I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit Therefore no profiting by the Word without seeking unto the Lord for it Now the prophanenesse of people in this case is the generall cause that our Ministerie doth no more good Few pray at all before they come to Church either for the Minister or for themselves nay few even when they are in the Church have any heart to joyne with the Preacher in the prayer that he makes before the Sermon But the complaint of the Prophet may be taken up in this case Isa 64. 7. There is none that calleth on thy Name that stirreth up himselfe to take hold of thee 4 You must be sure to goe with an open heart readie to receive every truth that God shall teach you in this Ordinance Act. 17. 11. it is said of those noble Beraeans that they received the Word with all readinesse of minde i. readinesse to receive every truth And Cornelius said Act. 10. 33. Wee are all here present before God to heare all things that are commanded thee of God It is well added that are commanded thee of God not what any Minister shall teach be he never so good or so learned nay were he an Angell from Heaven yet his Doctrine must be examined Gal. 1. 8. But when there is such a disposition in us as to receive both in judgement and practise whatsoever God shall reveale unto us out of his Word this is a precious disposition But alas the most come to heare with prejudicate and fore-stalled hearts they beare a secret grudge and quarrell against some strict Truth or other as against the sanctification of the Lords Day or Family-duties or secret communion with the Lord by prayer dayly c. And these imaginations seeme as strong Holds to keepe Christ and his Truth out of their hearts 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. And thus men that in their hearing doe limit the Spirit of God would if it lay in their power say as those wicked men Isay 30. 10. to the Seers see not and to the Prophets prophesie not right things unto us speake unto us smooth things And those that said so the Lord calls them despisers of his Word These are the maine and principall duties before the hearing of the Word Secondly let me proceed briefely to those duties that are required in the hearing of the Word Which wee must the rather stirre up our selves unto because wee have naturally uncircumcised hearts Ier. 6. 10. and are dull of hearing Heb. 5. 11. Now the principall duties in hearing are five which I will briefely set downe as may be 1 You must set your selves in Gods presence whilest you are hearing of his Word and consider with your selves that it is God that you have to deale withall in this businesse and not man and that it is Gods Word and not mans It is the great commendation of the Thessalonians 1 Thess 2. 13. that they received the Word as the Word of God This was that whereby the Lord would prepare his people to receive the Law Exod. 20. God spake all these words And hee not onely gave the Law but the whole summe of the Gospel with his owne voice Mat. 3. 17. Loe a voice from Heaven saying This is my beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased Yea it is the Lord himselfe that speakes unto you in our Ministery Luke 10. 16. So the Lord is present in a speciall manner where his Word is preached to observe and marke how it is received or delivered and either to blesse or curse the hearers or speakers accordingly So that of this and such like places it may be said as Iacob said of Bethel Gen. 28. 16 17. Surely the Lord is in this place and How dreadfull is this place This is no other than the House of God this is the Gate of Heaven And truly this apprehension of Gods presence in the Assemblies of his people will worke three things in us First keepe us in that awfull and reverent disposition of body and minde that is meet Secondly it will preserve our hearts from â—oving and wandering thoughts which are great impediments of hearing Psal 119. 113. I hate vaine thoughts but thy Law doe I love Thirdly it will make us to receive and obey that that shall be taught us for so God hath beene wont to prepare his people to receive his Word yea he said of his people when they were thus affected Deut. 15. 29. Oh that there were such an heart in them to feare me and keepe my Commandements alwayes Now the want of this is that which hinders abundance of benefit that the Ministerie of the Word would otherwise doe us This is the root of all the mischiefe the Devill doth to poore soules in the hearing of the Word the practice thereof is the fountaine of all our good Many gracelesse wretches there are in our Assemblies like him Luke 18. 2. that neither feared God nor regarded man that despise the Church of God yea contemne the presence of the holy Angels 1 Cor. 11. 10. and of God himselfe in the Assemblies who hath layd such a speciall charge upon us Lev. 26. 2. to keepe his
a great signe of grace to heare the Word gladly Psal 119. 162. I rejoyce at thy Word as one that findeth great spoyles David had beene a souldier and ye know that they that have lyen at the siege of a Citie a long time and at the last take it will rejoyce exceedingly in the spoyle of it therefore he rejoyces in the Word as they that doe divide the spoyles And truly whereas common people complaine of the badnesse of their memories this would be a marvellous helpe to their memories if they would heare with delight therefore David sayth Psal 119. 16. I will delight my selfe in thy Statutes I will not forget thy Word This delight he meanes will strengthen our memories Now contrarie to this are a great number that heare without all delight and account it a great wearinesse Mal. 1. 13. and those the dullest houres that they spend in hearing Well the Lord hath threatned that the Word shall never doe us good unlesse that wee attend to it with love and delight 2 Thess 2. 10 11. Because they received not the love of the Truth that they might be saved therefore God shall send them strong delusions to beleeve Lyes A fearefull threatning much to be considered in these dayes For this is the reason that Popish trumperies and hellish delusions have such entertainment because God in his just judgement gives up those to such strong delusions that love not the strict Truth of the Word of God 5 You must heare the Word with application of it to your owne hearts and lives apply every truth to your selves for your owne use and comfort and terror and instruction as it is Iob 5. last Heare this and know it for thy selfe carry this truth home to thine owne heart And First there is no truth of God taught out of his Word but it concernes every one of Gods people and was intended for our use Rom. 15. 4. Whatsoever is written is written for our learning Secondly there is no truth can be taught to doe us good unlesse that wee apply it as no Plaister can doe the Patient good unlesse it be applyed no meat is able to doe us any good be it dressed never so curiously unlesse it be eaten and digested This comparison is applyed by the Prophet to this purpose Isa 55. 2. Hearken diligently unto me and eate ye that which is good unlesse we eate it it will doe us no good Thirdly the faithfull have been wont to apply all to themselves as every member of the body drawes nourishment from the stomacke to make it his owne to which the Apostle alludes Eph. 4. 16. So the Disciples of our Saviour did Math. 26. 21 22. When our Saviour had said that one of them should betray him they were exceeding sorrowfull and began every one of them to say unto him Lord is it I And surely the want of this application is one great cause that the Word profits not because they beleeve it not nor apply the Word unto themselves Heb. 4. 2. The Word preached did not profit them because it was not mixed with faith in them that heard it Now one principall worke of faith is to apply those things that are delivered in the Word But this the most hearers doe exceedingly faile in either not applying or mis-applying of the truth shifting off all upon others and taking little or nothing to themselves As wee have a notable example of this Rom. 1. ult compared with Rom. 2. 1. In the former place the Apostle speakes of some that knowing the judgement of God That those that doe such things are worthy of death yet not onely doe such things but take pleasure in those that doe them yet in the beginning of the next Chapter you find the same men judging and condemning of others yet thinking and perswading themselves that they being guiltie of the same sinnes shall escape the judgement of God Why but because they apply not to themselves but mis-apply to others the things they heare Many such hearers there are in these dayes which are very cunning in shifting off the threatnings of God against their owne Drunkennesse and Whoredome and Swearing c. yet very apt to pinne the same Word upon others Well these are not wise for themselves and all their hearing shall doe them no good Thus much of the duties required in hearing Now follow those duties that are required after hearing And these are chiefely thus 1 Wee must be very carefull to remember and keepe that which wee have heard Prov. 4. 4. My sonne let thine heart retaine my words and Vers 21. Keepe them in the midst of thine heart As a man that hath a Iewell will be carefull to locke it up in the safest Chest hee hath lest it should be stolne away Which is the very comparison of the Wise-man Prov. 6. 20 21. So Mary Luke 2. 51. kept all the sayings in her heart and David Psal 119. 11. hid the Commandements in his heart and hee gives the reason That hee might not sinne against the Lord. And the truth is that as meat that is eaten if it remaines not in the stomacke it will never doe us good so the best spirituall food that can be except it be retained by us will not profit us Luke 8. 15. The good Ground are they which with an honest and good heart having heard the Word keepe it c. Many there are that are very carelesse of this dutie They thinke they have discharged themselves abundantly if they heare the whole Sermon attentively as though there were nothing more required at their hands Like our Saviours hearers Math. 22. 22. When they heard him they marvelled and left him and went their way but wee never heare more of them So many heare desirously and with open and greedie eares but as wee say it goes in at one eare and out at another it stayes not for any after-use but a little present admiration Others heare and the Word smites them a little on their Consciences and wounds and one would thinke some good thing would be wrought upon them but they goe away and the motion dyes They are as men that are Sea-sicke whilest the Word humbles them and makes their Consciences to wamble within them but they are as whole as a Fish when as they are once landed at the Church doore Or like unto Mettals which are soft and plyable whilest they are in the fire so these are in the hearing but shortly they loose all the efficacie of the Word and become harder than before Well let us in the feare of God hearken diligently to the words of the Holy-Ghost Heb. 2. 1. That wee ought to give the more earnest heed to the things that wee have heard lest at any time wee should let them slip or runne out like riven Vessels Why what is the danger How shall wee escape if wee neglect so great Salvation 2 Wee must meditate and seriously thinke of that that wee have
heard that is more than remembring There is a great deale of difference betwixt the possessing of goods and the using and imploying of them for our benefit betwixt the laying up of garments in our Wardrobes and the wearing of them upon our backes to keepe us warme this latter is done by meditation Prov. 6. 22 23. My sonne binde the Commandements continually upon thy heart and tie them about thy necke It is a phrase of speech borrowed from garments that are bound about the body for meditation bindes the Word close to the heart It is said of Mary Luke 2. 19. that shee pondered the words of the Angel in her heart and David was frequent in this dutie Psal 119. 15. I will meditate in thy Precepts saith he And it was Pauls advice to Timothy 1 Tim. 4. 15. Meditate upon these things give thy selfe wholly to them that thy profiting may appeare to all First this is the way to make men profit by the Word of God and that so evidently that all may take notice of it this is one great benefit of the Word meditated upon Iosh 1. 8. Thou shalt meditate in the Booke of the Law day and night To what end That thou mayest observe to doe according to all that is written therein Secondly this course will argue unfained love unto the Word Psal 119. 97. Oh how I love thy Law it is my meditation all the day Thirdly this will greatly encrease our comfort in the Word and cause us to feele much more sweetnesse in it even as the chewing of our meat makes us to taste much more sweetnesse in it Psal 119. 15 16. he saith I will meditate on thy Precepts and have respect unto thy wayes I will delight my selfe in thy Statutes Meditation ever brings with it delight Fourthly this will greatly encrease our knowledge Psal 119. 99. I have more understanding than my teachers Why because thy testimonies are my meditation Now if this be required after hearing how is it possible that they should profit by the Word that never scarcely thinke of it afterwards It is noted of the Disciples that though they had seene Christs mightie power in the miracle of the Loaves yet because they considered not the miracle their hearts were hardened i. because they did not meditate upon it they were never the better for it And thus it usually speedes with those that are carelesse in the performing of this dutie 3 Wee must conferre of that wee have heard and repeat it amongst our selves and examine the Scriptures about the truth of that that is delivered I joyne them all together for so they may well be in the practice of them For conference David saith Psal 119. 172. My tongue shall speake of thy Word for all thy Commandements are righteousnesse This was ordinarily practised by the Disciples of our Saviour Christ when he had taught how hardly rich men shall be saved Mark 10. 26. They were astonished out of measure and said amongst themselves Who then can be saved So they conferred about another Sermon of our Saviour Ioh. 16. 17 18. Now repetition of Sermons is especially required of them that have families to repeat the Word unto them Deut. 11. 18 19. You shall lay up these my words in your hearts and you shall teach them your children speaking of them when thou sittest in thy house yea it is said to be the chiefest thing that the Lord had respect unto in giving us his Word and the knowledge thereof that we might instruct our families in it Deut. 4. 10. Gather ye my people together and I will make them heare my words that they may learne to feare me and may teach their children And this if it were practised carefully would both make children and servants more carefull to heare and to attend unto the publike Ministery and better our memories that wee may be much better able to retaine that which we heare and it will also worke an inward feeling in us and our children of that which we have heard Therefore Deut. 6. 6 7. it is called the whetting of them upon our children repetition doth set an edge upon their dulnesse Yea further for the searching and examining of the Scriptures we are commanded 1 Thess 5. 21. to try all things and to hold fast that which is good And the example of those noble Beraeans is commended unto us Act. 17. 11 12. that searched the Scriptures dayly concerning those things that were delivered by Paul Therefore many of them beleeved Therefore it is a grievous neglect that people in these dayes are guilty of that neither conferre concerning the Word they are ashamed of it and which is a fearefull reproach unto them the Word of God is a reproach unto them Ier. 6. 10. nor yet repeat Sermons in their families they are like Martha Luke 10. 41. troubled about so many worldly occasions nor yet examine and search the Scriptures And therefore are easily carried about with every winde of Doctrine and never established and setled in the Truth 4 Wee are to put in practise whatsoever wee heare till that our hearts and lives are quite changed by it Iam. 1. 22. Be ye doers of the word and not hearers onely deceiving your owne soules i. they cozen themselves by false reasonings and arguments or by sophisticall Syllogismes reasoning after this or the like manner He that heares the Word is a good Christian. But I heare the Word c. Or thus He that heares not shall be damned But I heare the Word Therefore I shall be saved But how doth this follow For though the neglect or contempt of the Word is sufficient to condemne a man yet the hearing of the Word is not sufficient to save a man Well obedience is the end of hearing Deut. 5. 1. Heare O Israel the Statutes which I speake in your eares this day that ye may learne them and keepe them and doe them The like ye finde Iam. 1. 25. Yea obedience to the Word must be speedie without any delayes or procrastinations as it is said of the Colossians Col. 1. 6. that the Gospel brought forth fruit in them from the very day they heard it and knew the grace of God in truth And the Prophet David resolved Psal 119. 60. I made hast and prolonged not the time to keepe thy Commandements And this is a singular frame of heart because the putting of the Word in practise immediately is a great advantage to the hearer seeing then the affections of the heart are quicke and lively which with delayes dye and decay very suddenly Now alas for the wonderfull paucitie of such obedient hearers for very few doe practise any thing they heare leave any sinne or doe any dutie and therefore they must needs prove like the House built on the Sand when the time of tryall shall come they must needs fall Math. 7. 27. Againe there are many that in hearing have good motions and purposes but they are like
surely be avenged of them for this sinne as we may see in the denunciation following Fifthly Ier. 7. 4 8 9 10 11. Trust not in lying words saying The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord c. They rested upon the outward formes of Gods worship without reformation It is just our case Many amongst us satisfie themselves and thinke it will serve the turne for salvation if they rest upon the Sabbath heare the Word receive the Sacrament and conforme to the outward exercises of Religion though they abide in their sinnes and have no acquaintance at all with the power of the Word the Mysterie of Christ conversion to God or holy conversation Sixtly Isa 6. 9 10. Goe tell this people Heare yee indeed but understand not see yee indeed but perceive not make the heart of this people fat and make their eares heavie and shut their eyes lest c. Oh this is heavie that a Minister should be sent to a further hardening of a people And yet it is just with God and they shall feele it on their Bed of Death The Theefe on the Crosse was converted with a piece of a Sermon they are not wrought upon after many yeeres therefore it is just with God as an act of judgement because they would not come in after so long a time to give them over to such judiciall hardnesse Consider these things and tremble all yee that have any wayes strucke at the face of Christ by contempt of his Ministerie For the humbling of your soules into the dust for this horrible sinne peruse in bleeding hearts in secret that blacke and bloudie Catalogue of fearefull provocations which are ordinarily to be found in and certainely set upon the Score of such as hate to be reformed under a conscionable Ministerie Which made Christ say Ioh. 15. 22. If I had not come and spoken unto them c. 1 Despising it shutting their eyes against that glorious Light erected in their faces to leade them to Heaven See Math. 10. 14. Whosoever shall not receive you nor heare your words when yee depart out of that house or Citie shake off the dust of your feet Here is a notable place to affright all those that are unworthie partakers of the Ministerie For the understanding whereof take notice of these five points 1 It is as if they should say Here I have gone a long journey and have contracted dust and sand by my travell and taken a great deale of paines and loe here I shake off this dust in witnesse that you had Christ offered you and you would not accept him 2 To intimate unto them I care not for any of you or yours but onely I seeke the good of your soules I respect not so much as the dust I prize more the conversion of any of your soules than all yours and this dust shall witnesse it 3 They shooke off the dust as a witnesse I will have nothing to doe with this Citie for I know the Plagues and Iudgements of God will seize on this place as it was with Sodome and Gomorrah I will have no communion and societie with these wicked people 4 They did shake off the dust to intimate that destruction should come upon them For it is said Psalme 1. That they should be driven away as the dust As that is shaken with the winde so shall they be with the wrath of God 5 In testimonie and witnesse against them This very dust shall be witnesse against them Doe you thinke then that their Sermons and Catechising shall not If the dust that they gathered by their paines will be witnesse what will all their Sermons and praying and such paines be Now this sinne of despising the Word is a sinne above that of Sodome Vers 15. Verily it shall be more easie for Sodome and Gomorrah in the Day of Iudgement than for that Citie 2 Murmuring against it Iob. 6. 41. Luk. 15. 2. 3 Cavilling against it Act. 13. 45. 4 Contemning it Ier. 44. 16. Act. 17. 18. What will this Babbler say They accounted Pauls precious preaching vaine babbling 5 Mocking and scorning it 2 Chron. 36. 16. Act. 2. 13. 6 Persecuting it Math. 10. 23. And so they become like mad Dogges throwne into a River or tyed up in a Chaine which doe snarle at bite and teare those that put out their hands to helpe and set them free fearing they come to torture and to trouble them more Iust so it is with many prophane wretches which lye drowned in sinne and chained in Sathans fetters If a man put out his hand by the Ministerie of the Word to save them from sinking into Damnation and to free them from the Snares of everlasting death they rage and rayle they barke and bite like mad Dogges holding themselves to be disquieted disgraced and tormented before their time Thus you have seene the sixe Curses and the sixe Sinnes that the not profiting by the Word doth bring upon a people 2 Now in the second place let me tender to your most serious thoughts some quickening Motives for the stirring of you up to profit by the Word 1 Some taken from the Word it selfe the Ministerie whereof you have slighted What then is the blessed thing you have so wickedly abused It is 1 The Word of Salvation Act. 13. 26. No other Word or created Power can save your soules from Hell 2 The Word of Truth Eph. 1. 13. There is error in all other Truths whether Naturall or Morall or Politicall and goe to any Art there is weakenesse and infirmitie in the braine of man that there can be no certaintie but here is all Truth and here is infallibilitie you need not doubt of any 3 It is called the Word of Life Phil. 2. 16. All other Learning whatsoever when it hath furnished you with ornaments and parts it leaves your soules starke dead in sinnes and trespasses But this is a Word of Life it inspires spirituall Life and brings eternall Life 4 It is called a Word of Reconciliation 2 Cor. 5. 19. Let the Sea runne nothing but Gold and let Heaven and Earth be turned into Gold and Silver and offered unto God it could not reconcile us If all the creatures would lose their being be annihilated and come to nothing yet this could not save Iudas or any one reprobate but the Word hath beene a blessed instrument for reconciling many soules to God 5 It is as it were an Epistle or Letter as one of the Fathers calls it written from God Almightie unto us miserable men wherein hee writes his Will and Word and sends it to us the Ministers are the readers of it and they bring the newes from Heaven And what is the matter of it Concerning eternall life or eternall death concerning the good of your soules Now if you had a private Letter come from the King concerning your advancement or your deliverance and forgivenesse for some dangerous Treason or both how
But these our Sermons concerning that Evening now begun from this Evening doe here put an end to our words Chrysostome almost in all his Homilies upon Genesis saith in the beginning of his Sermon Heri c. Yesterday I handled this or that or the like See 1. Hom. 7. 2. Hom. 14. 3. Hom. 17. 4. Hom. 18. 5. Hom. 24. 6. Hom. 27. 7. Hom. 28. 8. Hom. 31. 9. Hom. 34. 10. Hom. 40. 11. Hom. 44. 12. Hom. 46. 12. Hom. 48. 13. Hom. 52. 14. Hom. 53. 15. Hom. 54. 16. Hom. 55. 17. Hom. 56. 18. Hom. 57. 19. Hom. 58. 20. Hom. 59. 21. Hom. 63. 22. Hom. 65. Austin preached twice a day Object Except perhaps they preached every day onely in Lent c. or besides the Lords day but onely upon holy-dayes and their Eves Answ Heare Chrysostome speaking generally It is necessarie that a Bishop should sowe his Seed every day as I may so say that at the least by that dayly custome of Teaching the mindes of his hearers may retaine his words Austin hath the like The Word of God which is dayly opened unto us and after a sort broken to us is our dayly Bread And as our bellies hunger for that Bread so doe our mindes for this Object If former and Primitive Times were so full of Preaching how commeth it to passe that our dayes will scarce downe with twice a Sabbath Sith the ancient Fathers preached dayly how happeneth it that many reputed great Schollers in these Times preach so seldome c. Answ First one Reason may be an affected humour of man-pleasing or selfe-preaching which is ambitiously pursued and mightily prevailes abroad in the World This King Iames out of his deepe and Princely wisedome conceived to be the cause of so many dayly defections from our Religion both to Poperie and Anabaptisme He calls it a light affected and an unprofitable kind of Teaching which hath beene of late yeeres too much taken up in Vniversitie Citie and Countrey In which saith he there is a mustering up of much reading and a displaying of their owne wits c. These are his owne words in the Reasons of his direction for Preaching Now you must know that to the scraping and patching together of the garish and gawdie paintings and unprofitable Pompe of a selfe-Sermon there is required and ordinarily expected such a deale of curiositie varietie of extraordinarie conceits and trickes of wit that it puts the Pen-man to a great deale of paines and tortures his wit extremely He dives with much adoe into the dung-hill of many a Popish Postiller and phantasticall Erier c. For such as Tully said of Anthony do magno conatu magnas nugas agere they sweat at it with much vexing anxietie And what then Parturiunt montes c. they detaine delude the itching eares of unjudicious hearers with a little ayrie nourishment as the King speakes in the fore-cited place The painfulnesse then of this unprofitable way of Preaching the irkesome tediousnesse of committing of it so punctually and precisely to memorie the fearefulnesse of deliverie and danger of being out vaine-glorious doubting that they shall not be applauded as they were wont feare lest the next time they should lessen their former reputation of wit and reading c. Secondly another Reason may be because Ministers doe not so much meditate and study divine and heavenly things but trouble themselves too much in the affaires of the World Therefore the ancient Fathers spending their time wits and understanding wholly upon heavenly things diving continually into the mysteries of Gods Booke and preaching dayly were able to preach often and excellently by their Ministeriall diligence and faithfulnesse they attained such a happie readinesse and habit and so enriched themselves with heavenly store that they were able as occasion was offered to bring forth out of their Treasure things new and old whereupon they were enabled to preach sometimes upon short warning So Basil preached his two Sermons upon the sixe dayes worke when he had but that morning for meditation Sometimes without any premeditation so it seemes he preached his second Sermon And so did Austin his Sermon upon Psal 95. It seemes there his Brother Severus failing to come he preached himselfe And I have told you heretofore of a Sermon which he made upon a sudden occasioned by an heavie accident And these Sermons were such that they have bin thought worthy by the Church from time to time to be conveyed and communicated to posterity For in all my discourse I am so farre from giving any allowance to idle impertinent or any way unsubstantiall Preaching that I hold it a very irksome and loathsome and wicked thing lyable to that heavie Curse Cursed is he that doth the worke of the Lord negligently But let a man be well grounded before he begin be godly himselfe ply faithfully and painefully his Ministeriall charge in season and out of season and it is incredible to what he may attaine in the Point I pursue by his much exercise and Gods blessing upon it But yet some say First That a man cannot preach well under a quarter of a yeeres provision See the truth hereof in the fore-going Reasons Secondly That often Preaching will make it too cheape and contemptible which to affirme is a base and carnall wrangling and confuted by the practice of the Fathers Thirdly That Reading is to be preferred before Preaching Wee doe not denie but that the Word read is the rule of holinesse may convert the Spirit accompanying companying his Ordinance and therefore is to have place and due respect in the Congregation but wee will not equall it to Preaching If Reading were more excellent and of greater force to convert than Preaching why are not the people converted that have a Reader To what end then serve Schooles of the Prophets Wherefore should men studie the knowledge of Tongues and Arts to divide the Word aright and to distribute to every mans present necessities And why should Sathan rage more against Preachers than Readers except the Word powerfully delivered did not the more batter and beat downe his Kingdome Besides why did not Christ send out his Apostles with this charge Goe readè but Goe preach to all Nations Wherefore doth Paul pronounce a Woe to them that preach not the Gospel And why did hee not charge his sonne Timothy before God to reade in season and out of season Yea but may some say The ancient Fathers were extraordinarie men and therefore no Patternes for our Preaching c. They were glorious Lights and wee but Glow-wormes they were Cedars wee but Shrubs c. Let them be what they were I as much reverence and respect them as any man alive if wee take truth and discretion with us And therefore at this time I will suppose I say so because I doubt not but our Age hath brought forth as worthy Divines if not worthier as any of the ancient
as Water spilt upon the Ground which cannot bee gathered up againe They are like those strong Holds of Sathan mentioned 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. which being set up in any heart will blunt the edge of this spirituall weapon that it will doe no good They be these that follow 1 In the first place and highest straine of impietie the depth of our corrupt nature desireth That there were no God The foole hath said in his heart there is no God Psal 14. 1. That is hee labours for a resolution and perswasion in his owne heart That there is no Tribunall in Heaven before which hee shall hereafter be arraigned no Treasurie of Plagues and Woes in Hell with which he shall hereafter be everlastingly fettered and enchained 2 But if it so be this spirituall foole cannot so abolish and extinguish those secret notions and apprehensions of a sacred and infinite Deitie which are naturally implanted in the bowels of the most desperate and damned miscreant but that the terrors of the last Iudgement and plagues of Hell doe eftsoones vexe and bite his Conscience with restlesse remorse and stingings Why then in a second place that hee may procure some ease and quiet to his wallowing in sensuall pleasures hee labours might and maine to harden his for-head against Heaven to make his heart like the nether-Milstone with his owne Soule-murthering hand to put a hot Iron to his Conscience that so if hee cannot blunder and blot out of his minde those naturall impressions of a God-head yet at the least hee may extinguish and banish out of his heart all feare of that God of his Iudgement-Seat and vengeance against sinne That so hee may rush like a wilde Horse into the Battaile furiously and desperately upon all villanies and vanities without all checke of Conscience and controlement from the terrors of the Iudgement to come In this desperate and furious mood he joynes himselfe with these Gyants of Babel Isa 5. who outragiously reare up Towers of Treason and defiance against Heaven and throw mountaines of pride and contempt one upon another that they may climbe up to the Seat of God and pull him out of his Throne crying aloud towards Heaven Let him make speed let him hasten his worke that wee may see it and let the counsell of the holy One of Israel draw neere and come that wee may know it 3 If this will not be and that he finde no successe in setting himselfe against Heaven Who ever opposed himselfe against God and prospered but that hee is crushed and confounded with the majestie and terror thereof Why then in a third place hee fastens the fangs of his malicious and wrangling wit and the furie of his prophane Atheisme upon his true and holy Word And that First Either by entertaining or harbouring a reprobate and blasphemous conceit that the sacred Word of God is but a politike invention and device of State to keepe men in order and moderation to maintaine Order and peaceablenesse in Cities and Societies and to preserve the World and mankinde from wildnesse and Barbarisme Secondly Or by proportioning his carnall conceit of Gods pure and undefiled Law to that which hee holds of the Decrees and Constitutions of men And if it be either so or so it is well enough hee can in the meane time therewith still the cryes of his Conscience and stop the mouth of that Worme that never dies that it gnaw not too eagerly and fiercely to the dis-sweetning of his carnall contentments and the making of his sensuall pleasures more unpleasant Now would it not vexe a man to have the meat pulled out of his mouth his chayne from his necke his clothes from his backe his limbes from his body his right arme from his shoulder his eyes out of his head So it is with every unregenerate man and such is his torture when that two-edged Sword the Word of God strikes at his sweet sinne and sensuall pleasures And therefore no marvell though hee strive and struggle shift and shield himselfe by any meanes Nay the Lusts of the unregenerate man are his very life For as every godly man liveth a double life one of Grace by the sanctifying power of the Spirit another of Nature So every wicked man hath a double life one of Nature and another of corruption by the cursed influence of Hell Nay the sensuall delights of the sinfull man are dearer unto him than his life Hence it is as wee may observe by experience that sometimes a covetous man losing the Life of his life the Wedge of Gold and Hoords of Wealth makes an end of himselfe That the Wanton because hee is rejected and discarded from the object of his lustfull pleasures findes no pleasure in life but cuts off himselfe by a violent and untimely death That Ahitophel being disgraced and over-topt in a point of Policie the crowne and pride of his worldly happinesse put his household in order and hanged himselfe Nay and yet further the prophane man preferres the sensuall pleasures of his heart before the losse of his immortall Soule For how oft may wee see the honour of God and everlasting blessednesse put as it were in the one Scale of the Ballance and a little transitorie Pleasure in the other And in this case the unsanctified man suffering one sweet sinne or other to weigh downe the exceeding weight of heavenly blisse the unvaluable treasure of a good Conscience the infinite glory of God and the salvation of his owne deare Soule in that great Day This groweth out of our corrupt nature For wee have all even in the best of us the source and seeds of all sinne If the Lord should leave and abandon us to the full swing and sway of our owne corruption and not either bridle us by his restraining Spirit or blesse us with his sanctifying Spirit wee might every one of us become as bad as Iulian the Apostata who did maliciously abjure Christ and as Iudas who did perfidiously betray him Naturally wee would wallow in sinne without checke of Conscience or controlment by the terror of the Iudgement to come 4 But if hee cannot arme himselfe against the terrors of God and truth of his Word but that he must needs acknowledge the one and beleeve the other Why then in a fourth place with much spight and malice he flyes in the face of Gods Ministers Embassadours which are his tormentors before his time And that First Either against his Preaching or against his Person as too obscure or too plaine too cold or too boisterous too particular too personall too precise too imperious too tart and terrible too full of Iudgement tending to Sedition against the State or the like And therefore he labours not onely with his owne heart to breed within himselfe a distaste and disconceit of it but also puts to his helping hand to stay and stop the free course and current of it from others He cannot abide to have his
the very thoughts and imaginations of his heart or that hee is more ingenuous and faire-conditioned than other unregenerate men for sometimes sweetnesse and lovingnesse of naturall disposition doth bridle men from raging against the power of holy Doctrine and sinceritie of an honest man Why then in a fifth place hee First Either resolves as many doe to give the Preacher hearing indeed and perhaps reverent attention too but with this secret reservation That hee shall not stirre and move him with all his Preaching That say what hee will hee shall never perswade him that this or that sinne is so hainous as hee makes it hee shall never drive him from the Fashions of the Times and Customes of his Fore-fathers hee shall never bring him out of conceit with good-fellowship So that as the deafe Adder stoppeth his eares against the Enchanter charme hee never so wisely so shuts hee the eares of his heart against the Word of Life and though it sounds dayly lowd and strongly in his eares yet will he by no meanes suffer it to sinke feelingly and powerfully into his soule Those men which rest upon this step of impietie and in this degree of prophanenesse though they heare Sermon upon Sermon yet are they still the same men They are Lyers still they are Drunkards still they are Vsurers still they are Swearers still they are luke-warme Professors still c. they are still as they were Though these sinnes have againe and againe been cryed against and many times reproved and their Consciences convinced yet the Word which is preached amongst them hath no more power nor wrought more alteration upon them than upon the Seats where they sit Though the glorious Light of the Gospel shine faire and bright upon them yet they lye still hard frozen in their dregs and starke blinde in matters of Heaven Though the Hammer of the Word beat often upon their hearts yet it doth not breake and bruise them but more and more harden and emmarble them like an Anvill and Adamant Though they be washed with many plentifull Showers from Heaven yet they still continue blacke Moores and Leopards still full of the blacknesse of Hell and spots and pollution of Sathan Let those that are such among you in the Name of God beware in time for assuredly the Damnation sleepeth not the Day of Reckoning and every mans particular Iudgement is very neere and then we must be answerable and countable for every Sermon wee have heard Every Sermon will then stand up either to witnesse for us or against us for every one wee heare either advanceth us a step neerer towards Heaven or throwes us a stayre lower downe towards Hell Secondly Or if hee cannot so fence himselfe against the keene edge of the Word that two-edged Sword which day after day is layd to the root of his corruption nor so hide his head from the heat of that glorious and sacred Sunne of Truth which every Sabbath shines on his face but that the sharpe Arrowes of the Word of Truth and Righteousnesse doe pierce his heart and Sword of Spirit gets so farre within him that it strikes and astonisheth his Conscience Why then hee First Either strives and struggles against it by shifting and shielding himselfe with Distinctions Exceptions Excuses carnall Reasons Restrictions Limitations false Glosses private and partiall Interpretations and opposing one place of Scripture in his owne false and enforced Sense against the true meaning and naturall power of the Word in another place as I have told you largely before So wretchedly and unhappily is hee wedded to the sinfull pleasures of this vaine World that hee will wrest his wit the Word of God or any thing to wrest out of his heart those piercing Arrowes of the Word of Truth shot by the hand of a skilfull Archer which if he would suffer to search and sinke would fetch out the poyson of his naturall corruption mortifie his lust and save his soule Secondly Or if hee have not wit and understanding to furnish himselfe fitly with probable Interpretations formall Distinctions and plausible Exceptions for this abilitie onely befalls prophane men of better parts and more understanding Why then being resolved not to submit to the power of the Word nor to forsake his carnall contentments hee takes this course hee surfets so immoderately and drinkes so deepe of sensuall pleasures of that bosome-sinne to which hee is so much wedded that hee casts his Conscience asleepe drownes his heart in earthly delights and so goes on at all adventures and throwes himselfe upon Gods mercies without all ground or warrant with such conceits as these That hee hopes hee shall doe as well as others who are farre worse and more wicked than himselfe That God no doubt will be mercifull to one sinne That all his other good parts and good deedes will countervaile and make amends for one infirmitie for so hee will call it and conceive of it though it be a grosse and grievous sinne That one sinne will not require so great repentance but that it may be well enough done on his death-bed and such like Thus I have acquainted you by the way with the steps of impietie and degrees of prophanenesse wherein unregenerate men which hate to be reformed and refuse to yeeld up themselves to bee mastered and guided by the Power and Light of the holy and heavenly Word of the true and ever-living God doe unhappily rest and repose themselves to the eternall confusion both of their soules and of their bodies Which you must take heed of if you would profit by the Word 6 Discover and defeat all those Snares of Sathan that wee have formerly mentioned to you in this Discourse pag. 83. under the fourth Vse 7 Deject and demolish those two strong Holds of Sathan first Carnall Reason secondly Corrupt Affection which I thus define It is the actuated strength and rage of originall pollution which furiously executes the sensuall and unreasonable determinations of corrupted Carnall Reason stands at open defiance and professes open hostilitie against Grace goodnesse and good men and courses of sanctification feedes upon so long and fills it selfe so full with worldly vanities and pleasures that growing by little and little incorrigible and untameable it breedes and brings forth as it naturall issue Despaire Horror and the Worme which never dies By Carnall Reason I understand the whole speculative power of the higher and nobler part of the Soule which wee call the Vnderstanding as it is naturally and originally corrupted and utterly destitute of all Divine Light and doth afterward through it owne sinfull working and sensuall discourse grow wise in the World and earthie affaires but disconceitfull and opposite to the wayes of God and heavenly wisedome by concluding and commending to it selfe false Principles from deluded sence and deducing false conclusions from true Principles and by a continued exercise and experience in contemplation of Earth and passages of worldly Policie By Corrupt Affection I