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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A20536	Ten sermons tending chiefely to the fitting of men for the worthy receiuing of the Lords Supper VVherein amongst many other holy instructions: the doctrines of sound repentance and humiliation, and of Gods speciall fauours vnto penitent sinners, and worthy communicants are largely and effectually handled. The six first, by I. Dod. The foure last, by R. Cleauer. Whereunto is annexed, a plaine and learned metaphrase on the epistle to the Collossians, written by a godly and iudicious preacher. There is also set before the sermons, a short dialogue of preparation: containing the chiefe points that concerne the worthy receiuing of the Lords Supper, taken for the most part, out of the sermons following: and collected into a method for the benefit and ease of those that desire direction in this matter.	Dod, John, 1549?-1645.; Cleaver, Robert, 1561 or 2-ca. 1625. aut; Winston, John, fl. 1614-1634.	1610 (1610)	STC 6945; ESTC S114601	221,900	292

feelingly to poure out his heart before the Lord in praier and in thankesgiuing for when the Princes and the people had offered very largely and very willingly Dauid reioyced with great ioy and blessed 1. Chron. 29.9.10.14.18 and praised the Lord before all the congregation saying Blessed bee thou O Lord God of Israel our father for euer and euer c. Who am I and who are my people that wee should offer willingly c. O Lord God keepe this for euer in the purposes and thoughts of the heart of thy people and prepare their hearts vnto thee Thus may wee obserue now the good affections and desires of the people doe stire vp and strengthen the hearts of their Rulers to pray for them whereas on the contrarie nothing doth so kill the hearts and discourage the spirits of Gods seruants from praier as when they see those that are vnder them to bee wilfull and heady froward and rebellious and vtterly voide of any good disposition vnto pietie and religious exercises They scarse dare speake a good word for them vnlesse it bee that God would humble them and conuert them they cannot pray as Hezekiah here doth The good Lord bee mercifull vnto him that prepareth his whole heart to seeke the Lord c. but the good Lord giue them hearts to prepare themselues and take away the stony and vnbeleeuing and carnall hearts out of their bodies Note And indeed many times it is a iust iugement of God vpon such wretched persons that his children should haue no heart to pray for them because as it is said of Elies sonnes God hath a purpose to destroy them or at least grieuously to afflict them And therfore little doe these stubborne and obstinate children and seruants know what iniurie they doe vnto themselues by entering into and continuing in their sinfull courses for they thereby not onely prouoke Gods heauie displeasure against them which is a burden importable but also hinder and it may bee vtterly cut off the praiers of those that would otherwise crie vnto God night and day for the obtaining of his fauour and the procuring of the light of his countenance to shine vpon them Thus much for the first point Now further marke who they bee that hee praieth for not prophane or carelesse persons but for those that prepared their whole heart to seek the Lord c. that is which laboured with a true sincere heart to be partakers of the mercie and goodnes of God which he made offer of in his holie ordinances In that Hezekiah neither doth nor dares pray for a blessing vpon any but vpon such as were true-hearted The Doctrine is that Whosoeuer would haue any mercie from God in the Sacrament Doctr. 2 Sincerity requisite in all communicants must come with a sincere and vpright heart thereunto That howsoeuer hee cannot put away all sinne for who can say his heart is cleane yet hee may and must put away the liking of all sinne and the purpose of sinning So far as any man hath a loue vnto iniquity and an intent of committing iniquitie he is tainted with hypocrisie and doth pollute and defile euery good thing that he medleth withall and so can haue no benefit but much hurt therefrom If then wee would haue God to meete vs in mercy we must meete him in sincerity and if wee would haue him to come vnto vs in goodnesse wee must draw neere vnto him in vprightnesse Agreeable to this point is that exhortation to the Hebrewes Let vs draw neere with a true heart in assurance of faith Heb. 10.22 sprinkled in our hearts from an euill conscience and washed in our bodies with pure water As if hee should haue said except you come fitted and prepared with a heart voide of guile and deceit as good not come at all For God will bee so far from giuing countenance or comfort vnto such that hee will assuredly plague them for their fraud and falshood that they haue vsed with him This wee may plainely see in that which befel the ill grounds there are three sorts of them mentioned all professors that came to the word of life and yet had no benefit by it and therefore by a necessarie consequent Note they could reape as little fruit by the Sacrament For the word must giue life and strength before the Sacrament can nourish and increase the same What was the reason why they profited not because they came not with a good and honest heart Luke 8.15 as the fourth sort of hearers did who receiued instruction and comfort and the power of godlinesse by the conscionable hearing of the word But what is that good and honest heart which they are commended for it is a heart that doth fullie purpose to doe well though it faile much in that which it performeth that resolueth before hand to auoide the euill that shall bee reproued and to doe the good duties that shall bee commanded and to beleeue and rest vpon the promises that shall be pronounced as farre as God shall giue abilitie c. Now wheresoeuer there is such a ready inclination vnto goodnesse there will be a bringing foorth of fruit though not in all alike yet euery one will doe somewhat and God will acknowledge them for good ground and honest-hearted Christians that yeeld him but thirtie fold as well as those that yeeld him sixtie fold or an hundred fold for a lesse measure of fruitfulnes is an argument of truth as well as a greater measure and therefore shall bee respected and rewarded but as for those that haue naughtie and deceitfull hearts they shall goe away as bad or worse then they came and whatsoeuer faire colours they set vpon their profession for a time yet sooner or latter their hollownesse shall appeare to their shame and punishment Now the reasons that make for the confirmation of this doctrine That if we would finde acceptance with God we must bring sinceritie with vs are these First without this wee can haue neither remission Reasons 1 nor sanctification and therefore are so farre from hauing interest in Gods mercies through Christ his merits Without vprightnesse there is no remouall of sin Psal 32.1.2.3 that wee are liable to his wrath and lie open to the stroks of his reuenging hand None are pardoned and blessed but those in whose spirit there is no guile Secondly except there bee vprightnesse wee can haue no hope of good successe in any seruice of God that wee take in hand Iohn 9 31. Psalm 66.18 there being no promise made vnto vs for as God heareth not sinners in praier so he doth not helpe sinners by the word or Sacrament This is for the terror of those Vse 1 that when they come to the Lords Table Against vnprepared receiuers neuer examine themselues nor looke into the state of their soules at most they come but with a Pharisaicall washing of the outside of the cup and of the platter As if

1.9 and heale our natures when we haue done our part he should forfeite his truth and his iustice and so he should be a greater looser then wee And forsaketh them This must and will follow vpon the former and this offereth vnto vs another point of doctrine namely that It is not sufficient to confesse sinne Doct. 3 but wee must also leaue and forsake it Wee must renounce and abandon the allowance of euery infirmitie Sinne must bee renounced as well as confessed Isa 55.7 and the practise of euery grosse sinne This as it is commanded by the Prophet Isaiah who saith Let the wicked forsake his waies and the vngodly his owne imaginations c. So was it practised by those worthy and excellent conuertes Acts 19. mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles who did not onely acknowledge their vile and naughtie practises but to shew their thorow detestation of them and their resolution to forsake them brought their curious bookes and burnt them openly Note though the price of them amounted to a great value that so those that had beene witnesses of their sinne might also be witnesses of their repentance and that neither themselues nor others might be infected by them afterwards and that those whose harts were not yet touched with remorse for that sinne might by their example bee drawne to a dislike of it and to hartie sorrow and repentance for it And that a sound confession and a holy reformation goe together might bee further prooued by the examples of Dauid of Peter and of Paul which were formerly alleged who hauing once made acknowledgement of their sinnes neuer fell to the committing of them any more And reason will shew the same more fully and clearely for 1 First Reasons if there be not a leauing of sinne sure it is there is no sound repentance Without reformation there is no sound repentance for if there were the thorow hatred and vnfained sorrow for sinne before mentioned would kill the same at the very roote and then it would die also in the branches 2 This redressing of a mans waies as well as confessing of his faults No saith is very needfull because otherwise one can haue no assurance that hee hath faith for that purifies the heart and if the heart be cleane Acts. 15. all that proceedes from it will bee answerable thereunto A pure fountaine cannot send foorth impure streames 3 Further hee may bee certaine that the spirit of Christ dwels not in his heart for wheresoeuer that takes possession There is not the spirit it expels sinne and will not suffer such filthy ware to rest in that roome where it doth remaine and if it bee not in the warehouse it cannot be brought forth into the shop This serues for the reproofe of those Vse 1 that say and will stand to it that they haue repented and doe repent daiely and why they confesse their sinnes euery daie But haue they mended their faults that they haue so often confessed nay they cannot say so though they repent euery day Note they mend no daie then let them looke for no mercy But to come more neerely to such kind of men they affirme they haue acknowledged their swearing and blaspheming their drunkennes and swilling their brawling contending their rayling reuiling of such as are better then thēselues they haue confessed these the like to be great faults and haue been sorrowfull in their hearts for them but haue they left these foule sins Oh no flesh blood is weake and all haue their infirmities so haue they infirmities Nay these are grosse presumptuous euils and such as howsoeuer being weighed in the ballance of the flesh they seeme light yet being weighed in the ballance of the Sanctuarie they will be found sufficient to presse them downe vnto the pit of hell if they cease not from the practise of them And as for flesh and blood which they say is weake What should Christians talke of that in the sense that they doe if they be but flesh and blood they can neuer enter into the kindome of heauen They that are Christs Iohn 3.3 haue crucified the flesh with the lusts and affections thereof neither are wee any longer debiters to the flesh to liue according thereunto Rom. 8. but me must mortifie the deedes of the flesh by the spirit that howsoeuer sinne will still remaine in vs yet it may not raigne in our mortall bodies that we should obey it in the lusts thereof or that our members should be weapons of vnrighteousnesse for the execution of euill any more And this wee may boldly say Rom. 6. that whosoeuer liueth in those forenamed sinnes neuer yet knew what repentance for sinne and sound confession of sinne meanes And therefore what good conceite soeuer such haue of themselues they doe but flatter and dissemble with a double heart If they haue had some gripings for their scandalous and sinnefull manner of liuing and thereupon haue cast forth some peece of a confession the best that they can make of it is but this Dogsicke that they haue been dogge-sicke as was shewed before and so disgorged their stomackes of that that pained them not in any hatred of the things for they returne to their vomite againe but in desire to be exempted and freed from those bitter pangs and hellish tortures which they finde in their soules At most they are but as the sow that hath been washed seeing that they returne to their old filthines There hath beene onely a change of the outside none at all of the inside for if their nature had beene altered and renewed their words and workes would haue beene reformed and that not for a fit but for euer in the whole course of their cariage afterwards They might indeed now and then meete with a rubbe and stumble sometimes but their walke for the most parte should be in the waies of godlinesse and though they did fall they should rise againe Psal 37. because the Lord would put vnder his hand Therefore let all men carefully looke vnto themselues if they were swearers before the Sacrament Note and be swearers still if idle persons vnthrifts scoffers c. before they come to the word and continue to be such still their case is fearefull Let them be afraid how they stand in the courts of Gods house to heare and how they draw neere to the Lords table to receiue the holy things of God For if they come not to be helped against those grieuous sinnes which heretofore they haue liued in let them know they shall find no mercy and if they finde not mercy Note they shall be sure to meete with iudgement they shall not misse of one And howsoeuer they may bragge that they trust to be saued as well as the best when their liues are as bad as the worst yet they shall finde at the time of death and when the horrible terrors of their guiltie consciences shall

seale of the eternall couenant and come to the word to heare the promises of life and yet depart without all comfort and assurance of Gods fauour because they came not with teares for their transgressions and rebellions against the Lord nor with that piercing sorrow which would goe as neere them and bee as effectuall in them as if they shed abundance of teares because wee will not doe the lesser which belongeth to vs God will not doe the greater which pertaineth to him Secondly Vse 2 seeing God would haue all to wash the best as well as the worst let vs be instructed if wee would haue fellowship and communion with God to search our hearts to the intent wee may finde out the hidden corruptions thereof and bewaile the same with a sound and earnest lamentation And then if wee doe but aske mercie wee shall haue it otherwise not For if one of our children haue fallen into some great and grieuous fault wee will not forgiue him till he first humble himselfe as the Prodigall sonne did if there bee in him no remorse for the offence committed but hee continue proud and stubborne still the father should spoile his child if hee should shew him fauour the best course hee can take with him then is to carrie a heauie countenance towards him and a strait hand over him that so hee may recouer him and saue his soule and euen in like sort will God deale with vs where hee loueth most hee will checke and rebuke most till they grow to that reformation which hee requireth and aimeth at in their correction Now to the end wee may the better get this holie affection of sorrow into our hearts Meanes wee must vse all helps needfull for this purpose And first because it is a supernatural worke Pray for it we must intreate the Lord according to his promise Zach. 12. to put his spirit into vs and thereby to mollifie our stonie hearts as hee hath couenanted Ezek. 36. otherwise wee may toile out our selues in vaine and after a long and tedious strife bee as farre nay farther from a tender heart then wee were at the beginning Secondly as wee must craue assistance from heauen so wee must vse the meanes that God hath appointed namely 1 First to call to minde our many and great offences against his maiestie Aggrauate our sinnes and to lay before our eies in as particular manner as we can our corruptions both originall and actuall before and since our callings considering how grieuous they haue beene many of them being commited against our knowledge and consciences yea and couenants made vnto the Lord for the resisting and forsaking of them Further we are to recount with our selues of how long continuance they haue beene how offensiue how pernicious and infectious to others how many we haue poisoned by them of whose recouery wee are altogether vncertaine some of them for ought wee know to the contrarie being already in torments in hell fire for the sinnes whereinto wee haue drawne them and others perchance likely enough to goe the same way after them if the Lord doe not in mercy preuent them by his grace c. These and the like meditations will cause our hearts if they bee not past sense and feeling somwhat to relent Thus did Nehemiah aggrauate their sinnes that liued in his time Neh. 9. and so did Dauid his own corruptions endeuouring in many words to make them odious in his owne eies Psal 51. acknowledging that hee was conceiued in sinne which was the fountaine of all and brought foorth in iniquitie that God requireth truth in the inward parts but hee had beene hypocriticall and false-hearted that God had taught him wisdome in the secrete of his heart but hee had put that out of his consideration and cast it behind his backe when it should haue restrained him from all those ill courses that hee tooke These and many other circumstances are either plainely expressed or by consequent necessarily implied in that 51. Psalme whereby hee labours to set out the hainousnesse of his offences that his own soule might abhorre them and all the world might see his vtter detestation of them Another excellent meanes is not onely with patience to endure Suffer admonition but with earnestnesse to intreate the admonitions and reproofes of those which haue beene and are acquainted with our courses for wee are so full of selfe-loue that others may easily discerne more euill in vs then wee can espie in our selues and those of all other are the best and most faithfull friends that will mercifully and wisely though sharpely and roundly tell vs of our faults as Nathan dealt with Dauid when his heart had beene a long time hardned by lying in sinnes vnrepented 2. Sam. 12. which priuate admonition of his as wee may obserue was a more effectuall meanes for his rousing out of that dead slumber then any or all the publike ordinances of God as the sacrifices of the Law and Sermons of the Prophets c. which all that while hee had frequented And sometime it is found by experience yet still that a wholesome Note and sound and wise reproofe of a Minister of God or some Christian friend in priuate throughly set on and effectually applied hath done that through Gods blessing that many holy and excellent Sermons could not effect and bring to passe for the reclaiming of diuers from the by-paths of iniquitie wherein they had a longtime wandred and gone astray Which is not spoken as if this priuate dealing were to bee preferred before Gods publike ordinances but that wee may haue each of them in due estimation that as we should not despise Prophecying 1 Thes 5.10 Heb. 13.22 but suffer the words of exhortation in the assemblies of the Saints so we should admonish one an other and be admonished one of an other Heb. 3.13 dailie in priuate lest any be hardned through the deceitfulnes of sinne 3 In the next place Meditate of Gods infinite mercy in Christ when wee by our owne searching and examination and by others plaine and faithfull admonition haue found out a great sea of our corruptions then let vs inwardly and seriously ponder vpon the infinite mercie of the Lord our God in giuing vs his dearely beloued sonne and the inconceiuable loue of the sonne in submitting himselfe to become a ransome for vs and that without any intreaty desert or desire on our parte yea euen then when wee were his mortall enemies This was it that caused them in the 12. of Zacherie so to mourne and lament because they considered what Christ had suffered in their behalfe And this should breake and melt our hearts as it did theirs that wee wounded and pierced our deere Sauiour by our transgressions for the Chastisement of our peace was vpon him Isa 53.5 and by his stripes we were healed If he would shedde his precious blood for vs why should we thinke it much to shedde

their maisters eie is cast vpon them will bestir them very busily and doe much but when his eie is off them and hee absent from them they will either doe nothing at all or very little in comparison of that they might and ought to doe Such must remember that they should serue the Lord Christ in their places whose firie eies are still vpon them to reward them if they bee industrious and paineful and to punish them if they be carelesse idle and wasteful Fourthly and lastly for our recreations which being lawfull and warrantable in themselues Recreations yet seeing they are mingled with many horrible corruptions by the vsers or rather by the abusers of them we must be likewise carefull to put away the euils of them as First Corruptions thereof the euill end that is propounded by those that are much addicted thereunto and what is that for the most part not to refresh themselues but to gleane mony from their companions vnto which they haue no right at all The euill end of them either by Gods Law or by mans neither shall they euer be able to answer the loosing or getting of such money before Gods iudgement seate Yet that is the deuils sauce whereby their recreations are vsually sweetned which els would not be so wel pleasing vnto their fleshly taste which is a sufficient argument to confirme the vnlawfulnesse of such exercises to those that so vse them because that this mixture with all Note or most of their games and sports is that which the worst doe most delight in and without it count their recreation but an idle thing nay a meere vexation and torture A second mischiefe that vsually accompanieth such exercises Mispending of time is mispending of too much time in their vaine delights which may well be called vaine when they either wholly or for the most part hinder men from Gods seruice and from the works of their callings and make them altogether vaine idle vnprofitable burdēs of the earth Satan that old serpent whom they serue that are thus in bondage to their fond and wretched lusts hath many cunning wiles and craftie fetches both to allure them into his snares and to hold them fast when hee hath intangled them and this is one amongst the rest Note that when one gets and feeles it comming hee stirreth vp in him such a lust after gold and siluer or whatsoeuer they play for that they cannot make an end in any time And if any one loose hee perswades him though indeed there needes not any great adoe to perswade them their owne corruptions carrying too great a sway ouer them in this respect to play one game more to trie if they can recouer that which they haue lost and not to let the winners giue ouer with such dammage vnto them and aduantage vnto themselues and so let slip many a precious houre wherein if they were well busied they might get moregood vnto their soules then all the world is worth And as in gaming so in other pastimes as they call them they are so excessiue in respect of time that in steed of the right end of them which is to quicken and reuiue the spirits and to fit men for matters of greater importance they peruert them to a quite contrarie end and make them meanes to wearie and tire out themselues so that they are for that day vtterly disabled for any worke of religion or of their callings Yet it is strange to heare how those that carry the name and profession of Christianitie will shift off euerie wholsome admonition and rebuke that is brought against them with this what will you not allow vs recreation but it might be demanded of many of them to their shame what is your vocation that talke so much of recreation what sore labour haue you vndertaken so to wearie you that you should stand in neede of so much refreshing In truth if things were well examined we should finde that such make their sports to bee their vocation if they haue any at all not their recreation For they doe nothing else or very little else but eate and drinke and sleepe and play and so consume their daies and spend the greatest parte of their life like Epicures that dreame of no other happinesse but of following their delights and giuing themselues ouer to beastly voluptuousnes and sensualitie And whereas recreation should bee vsed onely as physicke they make it their ordinarie diet If wee should heare a man alwaies inquiring after skilfull Physitions Note and calling for nothing else but Physicke Physicke we would presently conclude certainely this man hath a very sickly body and what els can we think of those men that are stil following after vain delights and in whose mouthes there is nothing so vsuall as recreation recreation what else I say can wee thinke of them but this surely these men haue very sickely soules There is very little inward ioy and spirituall contentment in that heart where so much is sought for from these externall things A third euill in recreations is inward fretting and outward chasing especially when they breath out monstrous oathes Fretting and chasing blaspheming and fearefull blasphemies against the God of heauen and horrible imprecations and cursed speeches against his creatures which are too too vsuall in their carding and dicing c. For there are none more outragious people then those that are caried away with the streame of those vnruly lusts And whereas many of them will confesse that these things are amisse and should be mended but they know not how to doe it let such know that how lawfull soeuer such recreations are vnto others it 's sure they are vnlawfull to them Note For how can they either comfortably pray for a blessing vpon that they go about before they set forth in the morning whē they rush on such occasions vnto them at least of dangerous falling and fearefull prouoking of the Lord or how can they returne at night to render thankes and to looke their father in the face with any comfort when they haue beene all the whole day so busilie imploied in the seruice of the deuill and of their owne sinfull flesh what lawfull vse then can they haue of that which they can neither craue a blessing on before they vndertake it nor giue thankes for when they haue finished it seeing that wee are commanded Whatsoeuer we doe in word or deede Coloss 3.17 doe all in the name of the Lord Iesus giuing thankes vnto God the Father through him If such men therefore cannot remoue the euils of this worke Note it were farre better for them to remoue the worke itselfe which they may well doe and yet haue many other honest and Christian refreshings sufficient for their comfort contentment rather then so to misspend their mony and time and strength and to cast away their own soules in the pursuite of such base trifles and alluring vanities that doe so

are grosly ignorant of their owne vilenesse and wretchednesse and of the worth and excellency of heauenly things For instruction though we find no maner of goodnesse or worthinesse in our selues yet that shall bee so farre from being any hinderance vnto vs that we shall haue the sight of it and humiliation for it it will rather further vs then hinder vs for blessed are the poore in spirit Matth 5. God is not like one that keepes an ordinarie where euery one that sitteth at table must buy his shot but hee is a royall feast-maker that keepeth open house for all commers and goers and hee paies best that seeth hee hath nothing at all to pay and is thereby brought out of all conceite with himselfe And this should put an answer into our mouthes against Satans obiection that wee haue nothing to satisfie God for our offences against his maiestie nor for his mercies offered vnto vs wee neede not any such matter of satisfaction because God would haue vs buy and eate freely without mony or mony worth and our humble and thankefull acknowlegement of this his bounty and liberalitie is all the satisfaction that he looketh for at our hands Why doe you lay out your siluer and not for bread c. That is about such things as for which you are neuer the better which will not breed any good blood or good nourishment hee followeth the former Metaphor still reprouing them for their folly that whereas the Lord doth offer them such good things so good cheape they would neglect and passe by them and rather chaffer with the world and spend their thoughts and paines about things of no worth that would no way satisfie them but when they had toiled out themselues in the pursuite of them they should bee as restles and voide of true contentment as euer before Nothing can satisfie Doct. 4 and content the minde but grace Many things there bee that make shew as if they could doe it Grace onely contents the mind 1. Tim. 6.6 but the truth is all will come to short and bee found too weake for the effecting of it Therefore the Apostle saith that Godlinesse is great riches with contentment Other riches are of that nature that the more wee haue the more wee desire and the more our hearts are disquieted with the care of keeping them and the feare of loosing them But true pietie is of that force that it drawes the soule vnto God and makes it to relie on him and one his treasures and there is a sure stay indeed for hee will neuer faile nor forsake such as cast their cares vpon him Psalm 4. Phil. That made Dauid so to reioice when God lified vp the light of his countenance vpon him and that made Paul in whatsoeuer estate hee was Reasons therewith to bee content And the reason of the doctrine is because grace onely repaires the image of God the losse whereof was the cause of all our woe according to that saying of the Apostle 2. Cor. 3.18 We all behold as in a mirrour the glory of the Lord with open face and are changed into the same image from glorie to glorie Note as by the spirit of the Lord. This is the vertue of the word that whereas looking into other glasses we shall see our owne faces therein wee may behold Gods face and not onely so but seeing and misliking our owne deformitie shall insteede thereof receiue by degrees a glorious visage and be transformed into the image of God himselfe which there wee doe behold and this image was it which wee lost by Adams fall and with all sond contentment and this may we recouer againe in Christ through the hearing of the word and with it true peace and setled comfort Let a man haue the command of all the world before he haue Gods image stamped vpon his soule hee shall haue a restles heart because hee hath a wicked heart he shall bee like a beast nay worse then a beast Adam after his eating of the forbidden fruit had his abod in Paradise for a while but he found that a hell which was formerly as it were an heauen vnto him and why because hee had lost Gods image and consequently the sweet apprehension of his fauour which before made all comfortable vnto him Secondly nothing can take away sinne but grace now wheresoeuer sinne taketh vp the place it expels all quietnesse from thence There is no peace to the wicked saith my God Isa 57.21 For when the mind is full of error and the heart full of lust there must needes bee a great confusion and distemper in the whole man Thirdly vntill grace enter into the heart and rule there Satan hath the dominion and ruleth there as a tyrant at his owne will and pleasure If hee doe but stirre a wicked man to any sinfull practise hee is foorthwith readie to yeeld vnto him if hee doe but bid him spue out the venome of his poisoned stomacke hee presently breaketh foorth into cruell and bitter swearing or cursing or railing c. so that it may truely bee said that wicked mens tongues are set on fire of hell and what rest then can there bee in that soule Iames 3.6 which is so possessed by Satan who will neuer suffer his members to desist from inuenting or executing some mischiefe or other Fourthly there can be no contentednes in a gracelesse person because God and he are at warre for vntill such time as men be iustified by faith they haue no peace with God Rom. 5.1 and therefore non with their owne consciences and what ease or rest can bee vnto them that haue such a worme as is a guilty and accusing conscience alwaies gnawing within them and such a racke euer and anone when God will torturing and tormenting them surely if grace and peace doe euer goe together as the Scripture manifesteth then where grace is absent peace cannot bee present and so the soule must needes be destitute of all true contentment Forthe reproofe of those that as the Prophet saith disquiet themselues about a vaine shaddow Vse 1 in pursuing this pleasure and that commoditie and such promotions and other the like matters as best please their seuerall fancies If they had gained all that they seeke for it could doe them no good for all is but vanitie and vexation of spirit a bruite beast is farre happier then they and well had it beene for them if they had neuer beene borne for what shall it profit a man to winne the whole world and to loose his owne soule to bee a drudge to euery base lust to waste and consume his wit and strength and al and then to haue hell for his paines yet how busie are most men in digging for drosse and refusing gold in seeking earthly things and despising heauenly but what will be the euent Such as trust in lying vanities forsake their owne mercies For instruction that wee should not follow after chaffe

good tearmes vnto repropates that are to be cast into hel fire then surely hee will much more vse mildnesse towards his people if Gods enemies haue good wordes from him then what may his friends expect at his hands And hee was speechles Doct. 5 Doct. Though sinners haue many excuses and colours Sinners shall to be put silence when they are to deale with men like themselues yet when God commeth to examine and sift their consciences they shall haue nothing to say for themselues This is to bee obserued in Iudas that though hee were very suttle and a notable cunning hypocrite yet when the Lord wakened his drousie conscience he brake foorth into a plaine confession I haue sinned betraying innocent blood Hee had no manner of defence or Apologie for himselfe in the world The reason of this point is Reason 1 because the conscience is the Lords officer and it cannot but speake truth when God will haue it through the light of knowledge which God hath put into euery mans soule by nature and that is the sorest and sharpest accuser that can be Further the Lord can set all their works in order before them and write them as it were in great letters that a man may runne and read the same If then we would be able to stand before the Lord at the last dreadfull day of iudgement Vse 1 when the bookes shall bee laid open and euery man shall bee iudged according to his works then let vs take that course which will make vs able to doe so and that is to get holy and sound loue and to testifie our louing heart by our louing behauiour not to loue in word alone but in deed Iob. 3.18.19 Chap. 5.17 Thereby shall wee assure our hearts before him and haue boldnesse in the day of iudgment so that pure and Christian loue with the fruites of it is the best meanes to make vs with confidence and comfort to hold vp our heads in the day of accounts Secondly Vse 2 this is for comfort against al the false clamors and accusations that are raised against Gods seruants the wicked here haue great matters to charge them with and haue much to say for their vnrighteous proceeding but at the day of the Lords reckning they that haue most to say now shal haue least to say for thēselues little doth any know how soone he may b called vnto the bar Therefore let Gods children commend thēselues vnto God in wel-doing he is the great Iudge of the whole world and with him righteous men shall haue good hearing in their iust and righteous eauses and all euill men shall be put to silence Godly men shall lift vp their heads with glory and wicked sinners shall stop their mouthes with shame Vers 13. Binde him hand and foot Hitherto of the examination conuictiō of him that had not on a wedding garment Now followeth this sentence well befitting the partie offending bind him hand and foot hee had abused his hands his feet and dishonoured God by his whole body and therfore iust it is that he should be punished in that take him away because hee had onely beene in the Church but not of the Church at the meanes but not profited by them therefore must he now be separated from all communion with God or his Saints And cast him into vtter darkenesse Seeing he loued darkenesse more then light therefore he shall haue enough of it Hee must be cast into a hell of darkenesse Doctr. 6 Out of all which this generall point may bee noted that the speciall time and place of the punishment of wicked men is after this life in hell fire heere vngodly men haue libertie both of hand and foote When and where wicked mens punishment shal be and the Saints of God are in greater restraint but why is that Because sinners shall neuer haue their full measure of woe till they be cast bodies and soules into hell fire at which time they shall be made capable of the extremitie of all miseries because their iniquities are growen to a full height Therefore let vs neuer enuy their prosperitie Vse 1 nor thinke that God taketh no notice of their sinnes because he delaieth to inflict punishment vpon them for the same Iudges doe cause notorious malefactors to be repriued sometimes but it is in no great fauour vnto them though in the meane time it may be they sharply correct their owne children so doth the Lord deale seuerely chastising those that are of his owne familie but letting reprobates thrine in their sinfull waies that in the end he may pay them home for all Secondly Vse 2 sith wicked mens punishment shall be principally in hell and the Church shall neuer be fully ridde of them till then Therefore let vs not be discouraged though for a while tarres be mingled with the wheat there is some vse of them and God seeth that wee haue need of such launders now and then whilst wee remaine vpon the face of the earth but when wee come to heauen wee shall be quite freed from them and therefore in the meane time let vs not take such offence at them as Brownists doe but wait Gods time when he shall command his holy Angels to separate them from amongst vs and to giue them their due in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for euer Thirdly Vse 3 let vs obserue this from the contrarie that as wicked mens full iudgement so godly mens full paiment is deferred till the last day They haue many comfortable refreshings here but at that day they shall be bathed in a whole sea of comforts As sinners at that time shall be depriued of all good things and bee vexed with all manner of euils so the Saints on the other side shal be exempted from all euill and be brought to the enioyment of all good things as sinners shall bee perfectly miserable so shall the Saints be perfectly happy as the one shall be sensible of their wretchednes so shall the other be of their blessednes and as the one shall be euerlastingly misesarable so shall the other be eternally happy in a word there shall bee euery way as much ioy and felicity in heauen and more too then there shall be woe and anguish in hell Which should stay vs from fainting vnder our crosses and sorrowes our temptations and corruptions Note wee can easily thinke that wicked men haue an ill bargaine though they enioy the pleasures of sin for a season because they must come to such torments in the end and why should not we iudge that we haue a good bargaine though wee passe thorow the fire and be in the Lords furnace for a while sith wee shall attaine to such ioies at last as farre furpasse the reach of any mortall man THE SEVENTH SERMON PSAL. 119. vers 1. c. 1 Blessed are those that are vpright in their way and walke in the law of the Lord. 2 Blessed are they that keep his

you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Iesus Christ And considering that the blessing of all labour dependeth vpon the Lord our beginning is with hearty prayer vnto God for the grace and fauour of God to be freely giuen together with all blessings both of this life and of that which is to come from GOD the Father and from our Lord Iesus Christ to you Colossians yet not all that dwell in that citiy but to those which by faith are Saints and brethren not in the flesh but in Iesus Christ Verse 3. We giue thanks vnto God euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ alwaies praying for you And that you may haue further testimony of our loue towards you know you that we do continually both pray giue thanks to God for you whom to separate from all false Gods I call the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ Verse 4. Since we heard of your faith in Christ Iesus and of your loue towards all Saints For the report of your profession and piety in Iesus Christ and of your loue towards all Saints is come vnto vs. Verse 5. For the hopes sake which is laid vp for you in heauen whereof ye haue heard before by the word of truth which is the Gospell Which both profession and loue we know to be sincere in that they are vpholden in you through the hope expectation of a treasure laid vp not on earth but in heauen which hope you haue conceiued not of your owne fantasie or of the word of any man but by the word of truth that is to say the Gospell Verse 6. VVhich is come vnto you euen as it is vnto all the world and is fruitfull as it is also among you from the day that ye heard and truly knew the grace of God And if you aske what is that truth or Gospell verily none other then that which is preached among you now which is not among you alone but is preached in all the world a certaine note of the truth therof there hauing neuer bin nor euer shall be any doctrine which hath leauened so great a lump of dow as is the world but only the Gospell And for further assurance that it is the truth of God I offer this to your consideration that as in other places of the world so among you it hath brought forth fruit euen from the first time you haue truly and sincerely acknowledged this grace of God Verse 7. As ye also learned of Epaphras our deare fellow seruant which is for you a faithfull Minister of Christ Where if you say we know not what doctrine is preached in all the world nor what fruit it hath brought forth although it be no other thing then the common constant report which many may bring vnto you yet to ioyne neare vnto you and to ridde you of all doubt which is the true Gospell of Christ it is euen the very same that you haue learned of Epaphras whom if you loue me you must loue as being my beloued fellow seruant in Christ yea if you loue your selues you must respect him as being a faithfull Minister of Christ for you Verse 8. VVho hath also declared vnto vs your loue which yee haue by the Spirit Who made manifest vnto vs your true loue not onely naturall but that especially which is spirituall whereof the Spirit is the author Verse 9. For this cause we also since the day we heard of it cease not to pray for you and to desire that yee might be fulfilled with knowledge of his will in all wisedome and spirituall vnderstanding And as we giue thankes for your good and so for the same cause that you haue well begun both because you should not go backe againe and for that you haue not attained to perfection euen from the first day we heard of you we neuer giue ouer praying for you making this suit that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisedome and vnderstanding whereof the holy Ghost is the Author Verse 10. That ye might walke worthy of the Lord and please him in all things being fruitfull in all good workes and increasing in the knowledge of God Not that you should content your selues with a bare knowledge and contemplation of heauenly things but that you walke worthy of those whom the Lord hath called to such honor to a full and whole pleasing of him both by bringing forth frunt in euery good worke and by being increased in the knowledge of God Verse 11. Strengthened with all might through his glorious power vnto all patience and long suffering with ioyfullnesse Wherein because there are many difficulties and hinderances laid in your waye our suit also is that you may be strengthened with all manner of strength according to that glorious power which being in God he is able to furnish you with that euen with ioy you may be able to beare all troubles how grieuous and how continuall soeuer they be Vers 12. Giuing thanks vnto the Father which hath made vs meete to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light And as we giue not ouer praying for you so doe we not cease to giue thanks to God the Father because that it is he that by his holy Spirit hath made vs fit to haue a part in the inheritance of Saints whom whether we consider as they are in this world by reason of the comfort and true knowledge of God or as they shall be in the world to come by reason of their perfect blessednesse may well be said to be in light Vers 13. Who hath deliuered vs from the power of darknesse and hath translated vs into the kingdome of his deare Sonne This parte of our inheritance standeth first in that God with a mercifull hand pulled vs out both of the present darknesse of ignorance and disobedience and from that which is to come euen the most fearful punishment of them both And secondly it standeth in this that the same God hath translated vs into the kingdome of his most deare Sonne which being here begun shall be accomplished in the life to come Vers 14. In whom we haue redemption through his bloud that is the forgiuenesse of sinnes In which his deare Sonne we haue a full redemption whereof one parte which is our iustification we haue already receiued waiting for that which remaineth euen the redemption of our bodies all which redemption is purchased vnto vs in the obedience of the Sonne which obedience was specially and most significantly declared in the shedding of his bloud Vers 15. VVho is the image of the inuisible God the first borne of euery creature This Christ that you may know what plentifull and rich redemption you haue in him to the end that you may rest in him alone is thus set forth vnto you as followeth As touching his person standing of two natures he is the most liuely and expresse Image and character of God not only of