him to be any way one of Gods principall secretaryes or meete to be entrusted with this rare jmployment of penning any part of scripture especially considering that he was brought vp in Pharaohs court as a Pagan for the first forty yeares of his life But for the cleare manifestation of this matter and for the justification of the authority of this sacred booke against all accursed cavills we answer and doe acknowledge that howsoever every thing reported therein by Moses were acted long before his birth yet neverthelesse all things written therin are as absolutely true as if Moses had beene borne had seene and heard each passage in his owne person The Lord made choyse of a man living so long after these things were done that he might honour himself and this his sacred historie aboue all humane histories vnder heaven For wheras no profane writer is able infaillibly to report any thing for matter of fact but what was done in his owne dayes and came to passe in his owne ceartayne knowledge the Lord is able to instruct such as he will set a worke to report the proceedings of his churches in all ages in the incontroleable truth of all things that came to passe though they that recorde it were vnborne when they were acted And who knoweth whether the Lord hath not done this and of purpose made vse of such persons who had not a being in the world till long after the time wherin the things themselves which they relate had their being that soe he might shew himself an alsufficient instructor of his servants in those things which were done long before their time and declared long after It is not my purpose to digresse into any generall discourse of those evidences that doe authorise and warrant the whole scripture which are discovered at large by many worthy judicious and learned Divines only that it may manifestly appeare that this booke is no lesse scripture then any other let vs take into our harts the due consideration of those things which may as vnreproveably argue God to be the author as Moses to be the penner of the same and they are among a multitude that might be produced these few that follow 1. Moses doth tell vs of some passages concerning God before the creation which no creature could heare or vnderstand as that of the first creature all the rest when he sayd of every of them Let there be light c. who could tell what God spake touching every of these seing as yet they were not when they were yet till man was created all other were voyd of vnderstanding 2. Hee relates to vs touching the creation of man what God sayd of his making to wit the matter and forme of his body and the infusion of his soule as also of the manner of the making of the woman when the man was in a deepe sleepe and perceived it not and what the man sayd of the woman when the Lord brought her to him 3. After the creation he report's the passages of mans fall and discover's the subtiltyes of Satan in seducing the first man and the first woman which relations must needes be of God for we cannot conceit that the divell would soe detect himself in the evill both of his grosse sin and great punishment 4. After mans fall he tell 's vs of divers secret passages as of Adams knowing his wife of Cains anger conceived inwardly and vnjustly against Abel his brother before it brake out of Noahs drunckenes and nakednes of Lots fayling and the manner therof how he was abused by his daughters with their close carriage of the matter how he knew not what was done when he had slept with them both of the close conveyance which Rebecca vsed to obtayne the blessing for Iacob with the most private circumstances therof and a multitude more of the like to these things soe secret that no flesh could know or relate but they must needes be recorded by the Lord himself 5. He make's narration of the sins of the most holy men and women either that which was common in those times to most of them as the Polygamie of the Patriarchs or such offences as any one of them particulerly fell into not sparing Abraham the freind of God nor any of the sincerest of his servants which a good man would have done had he beene guided but by his owne spirit Nay which doth absolutely seale the truth and authority of his writings to be of God Moses spare's not himself in his owne sins but make's a manifest discovery of his owne infidelity and vnadvised anger and the just punishment of God vpon him for them both This impartiality argue's a supernaturall spirit to guide it when a man cannot spare his freind nor himself but will leave both vpon everlasting record to be blamed and blemished to all posterity A thing not vsuall if at all vsed in humane history wherin men speake and write the best they can and many times more then they should of themselves those whome they favour It must be God that must make men thus to doe therefore this is one of the prerogatives royall of his writings 6. And lastly he tell 's vs of the most secret things that can be imagined nothing can be conceived soe close as the counsell of heaven what God speaketh there who can heare especially when he speaketh not in any such sort or soe openly where Angell's may heare but in his owne private closet nay which is yet more in his owne breast or bosome yet Moses can tell the world not only what God sayd in heaven but what he sayd in his hart how he was jnwardly affected Soe we finde in one chapter of this booke where Moses make's knowne how God repented and was greived at his hart at mans wickednes and in another how he was graciously disposed for the continnance of the constant course and succession of all the affaires of this inferiour world saying And the Lord sayd in his hart I will not againe curse the earth c. See Moses is privy to Gods hart and can make vs know what were his most jnwarde resolutions And who could give him the least light or acquaintāce of these things but God himself who made him his secretary and so made these secrets knowne to him And thus by all these evidences which are common to all other scripture as well as this but coummunicable to no bookes but the booke of God we see that there is no reason of doubting or debateing any thing in this parte of holy writ or any parcell of it because it was penned by Moses and he borne so long after all things written and recorded in the same were gone and past He had a singuler and all sufficient tutor even the most wise God and he himself did endite all that he taught and enabled Moses to write so that every jot and tittle of this booke of Genesis must be of absolute
the children of God for consolation the vngodly for reprehension all men for instruction Vse 1 And first for the saints the sons and daughters of God it cannot be but exceeding happy comfortable to them who have harts convinced of this truth and lives that have expressed it since the first day it was revealed to them from the Lord before whome they have sincerely endeavoured to give him the first fruits of their knowledge of this lesson though either through their owne personall ignorance therof or through the error of parents in their education they have not given him the first fruits of their practise while they were in their non-age It is a most happy thing to be rightly convicted of a divine truth because many are superficially perswaded an will give a slight consent lesse the Divell if he be put to it wil not doe to many holy truthes of God but they whome the Lord convinceth a right as he doth all his owne he cōforteth in giving them a harts resolution setled in their very soules to say within themselves this is the vndoubted truth of the euerliving God thus we must doe endeavour to stire vp others to doe the same and if it be a truth which we should haue practised before we must repent for neglect past be vpright with God for the time remayning and goe the faster because we began soe late and doe our best to draw others after vs to that way which both they and we should have gone long before He that is thus convicted shall not goe long vncomforted It is a simple impossibility that men called at their ripe yeares or in their age should give their first fruits to the Lord those dayes are gone and past but to give the Lord at what time it pleaseth him to call vs the glory of this truth in our sounde perswasion that it is thus and singleharted humiliation because it had not place in our practise before now most carefull provocation to our vtmost possibility that it may be thus in ours and all others with whome by any good meanes we can prevayle this is to be truly happy and in a most comfortable condition we are accepted of God thus doing as if we had done it our selves from the first day of our life How famous is Abraham few men soe much renowned in religion as he none more yet from his childe hood he had not done service but to Satan in jdolatry and such other jmpiety as vsually accompanieth that jniquity But at the first call he came and assoone as he heard he did obey and perceiving that the Lord had lost such duty by him as in his former dayes he should have received from him he is cōvinced hereof and resolved that his children shall give it though his owne childe-hood was given to sin And the discerning of this in him was that that gave the Lord content and Abraham comfort Is not Moses a man abundantly magnified and that of God himself as if he had beene as indeede he was some extraordinary servant of his yet for forty yeares of his life what was he so farre as we finde but such as others were that lived in the court of that Pagan Prince who was the oppressor and adversary of Gods people it may be he might be lesse grosse then some of his fellow courtiers who were inclined to egregious jmpiety but that he was good or savoured of any saving grace is more then appeareth to me Howbeit inasmuch as he freely and resolutely cast off all the creddit and profsit of his high dignity preheminence in court when the Lord would summon him to serve him it was well taken that from that age and time he wayted on the worke of God though neither his childe-hood nor youth were the Lords in time past What should I multiply more as I might of many other most worthy saints who in the same case have had the same comfort what is over-past and cannot be actually recovered and performed if it be rightly repented of in our selues and reformed in others to our best power it is all one as if we had done it in our owne person Let vs bewayle our owne want of duty and Gods want of glory by vs and doe as Hannah did for such as may come within our possibility to dispose off or perswade namely give them to the Lord from the first instant that we have any interest in them and it shal be well with vs. And this I doe of purpose insert here because Satan is malicious and hungry to gnaw vpon the very harts of Gods saints when once he gett's a truth by the end wherin their time for performance is past then doth he come with his pearceing temptations to wounde and rende the soules of such as are single harted and to lay it in their dish that this and that they should have done long since God should have had their whole lives for his service now many yeares be gone and there can be noe recalling of them and can they thinke which way to make all well when it is an vtter jmpossibility to recover one moment much lesse many yeares with these and the like spight full and greivous suggestions he doth teaze and torture their gracious mindes to breede despayre in them But now we are armed I hope to answer him and that we may doe and pay him double both for himself to whome we may say with joy and scorne better once then never for thy part thy first dayes were as due to God as mine but he will never call but ever accurse thee Note and for our selves but for my part though I have lost my first dayes my God will not lose me ever seing he call's once and be that come's then comes time enough for mercy though he should have came sooner in duty and moreover know the Lord hath made many a happy man for his best service among those who in their first dayes have beene fouly misled I greive that I gave him not my childe-hood or youth but if he please to accept of my age I joy and will joy and doe my best to offer all that I can prevaile withall assoone as I should haue offered my self These and the like answers will confound his cavills and make him weary of vs and he being thus resisted our God and we may be the more intimate and familiar in the sweetest passages of his singuler favour And see we see there is sounde comfort for such as are perswaded herof and would have done it and are humbled because God hath beene robbed of his right in their minority Againe for such as have offered their first fruits to the Lord there comfort cannot be behinde if it exceede not theirs that went before Our A bell here who was soe carefull to give the Lord the first of his flocke and I cannot easily doubt but that he gave the first of himself also how doth the Lord magnify
which is soe commended in him both here in other places of scripture Doctri ∣ ne And that is that morall of this practise ceremoniall which concerneth vs christians to wit That it is the vndeniable duty of every one to giue vnto God the glory of his first abilityes both of soule body to bestow their first powers in the seruice of his maiesty This lesson Abell needed not to have learned of the first borne of his beasts had not his father Adam fallen and deprived him and vs all of those first best fruits of created grace which the Lord gave him when he filled him the first day of his life with the perfection of all knowledge holynes and righteousnes and made him as holy and as happy as a creature might be on this earth Had not these first fruits of this grace perished in the first Adam soe as that never man but he might taste them they would have taught vs what to doe assoone as we could have done any thing that grace c would quickly have carried vs to the fountaine of grace from whence as it came but lately it would have returned naturally as the rivers into the sea For Adams graces were as naturall as his breath it was all one to him to doe any duty to God and to himself both were alike easy vnto him But now the case is altred it is nothing soe but cleane contrary altogether his first best lesson must be taught Abel yea and Adam too by his first best beast which he must now give to that God to whome he should have given himself from his first being this beast must be sacrifised to shame him who being once wholy Gods hath now made himself worse then the beast that perisheth now must man have dumbe schoolemasters that cannot speake and vnreasonable yea sencelesse also which cannot vnderstand or heare his speech and somewhat must be done to them assoone as they are in the world to shew man what we once when time was could have done and what for ever he ought to doe from the time of his owne first being The first of our flock the first of our fruit must teach vs to whome the first of our selves doth of right appertaine even to the Lord to whome a beast must be givē ceremonially in stead of a man morally And this being one morall and meaning of this ceremonie it most needes be our duty thus to doe Even this shaddow shewe's vs that as a substance and a shaddow doe from the first instant goe together inseparably and for ever soe should we ha ve beene to our God ever from our beginning to have followed him wheresoever he had gone before vs and to have cleaved continually to him in the obedience we owe him all the dayes of our life both first and last And this truth of God of the early offering of our selves vnto the Lord is not only typed out and signified here by these first beastes and fruits that must be sacrificed but it is substantially confirmed in other scriptures wherein the Lord doth more expresly manifest his minde in this matter I will not for I neede not heape vp many evidences let vs consider only to what end it may be if this be not Gods truth that the Lord doth soe often call vpon parents touching their duty to their children on this behalfe to nurture to tutor instruct them in all holy informations even in their childe-hood nonage and minerity so soone as they can be discerned to be capable and vnderstanding in any thing Teach a childe saith Salom on Fathers bring vp your children in the feare and information of the Lord saith Paul with moe that might be added In any of which dare any man jmagine that the Lord calls for any thing more then his due and if he doe not then doth the duty of our first dayes belong to the Lord our first powers abilities are his in all right and he must have our service soe soone as we can doe any Againe why are many commended in scripture for being carefull herin and their examples recorded for our jmitation is it not because we should trace them in this truth which some of them have learned more then we with much lesse teaching then we have For instance Josh 24.2.13 Gen. 18. Abraham who in his owne first times was trayned vp in jdolatry with Terah his father and soe he gave not the first fruits of his owne life yet for his posterity God prefumeth on his fidelity this way and saith he knew his minde soe well for this matter that he was fure he would teach his children and command them in the things of God and therevpon acquaints him with his secret purpose concerning Sodome We see Abraham did know this our doctrine to be his duty yet he had neither his fathers example nor his owne practise in his first yeares nor Salomon nor Paul to call vpon him but the Lord himself taught him this truth him a hart to doe it And have you not also read what is recorded of Hannah ◠Sam. 1. the happy mother of Samuell and what her resolution was when she went to pray for a childe before she had ever a one namely this to give him to God and that soe as the Lord might have the first fruits of him even from the day of his birth to the day of his death and when the Lord saw her soe well resolved he quickly graunted what she desired It were as easy to instance many moe as these two who have hearkened to God herin honoured him with the first of these fruits of their body which he had given them as of olde these did with the fruits of their beasts But we will cease examples and vrge the reasons of the point which are these that follow Reason 1 First God is the best master we can serve and therefore we have reason to goe about his service the first thing we doe when once we can doe any thing at all That he is our best master appeareth not only in his nature he being every way infinitely good but also in his infinite favour which sheweth it self both in that he gives vs the best worke and the best wages in the world Our worke is to worship and obey him and to doe only those things which are best for our selves whereby we may be most happy in our soules and bodyes both being at peace with him and enjoying all things in a sanctified and sweete estate Our wages besides his manifolde mercyes here is all inconceivable blessednes that heaven can afford vs the glory of that kingdome wherein we shal be glorious kings with himself for ever and ever Now what would any man doe first that were guided but by naturall reason even that which he might benefit most by Beholde then here is the best master that can be desired the best service that can be performed the best wages that can be
and that houre of our life which fall's out to be soe neere death that a man cā neither serue himself nor the world nor Satan because of extreme imbecility of body is reserved for God to serue him in though it be but in saying Lord have mercy vpon me And this they dreame to be enough to bring them to heaven that or their Pater noster if they can but have time to say it will make them happy enough they care for no more and soe poore sooles they goe like oxen to the slaughter conceiting that two or three words speaking will purchase Gods glorious kingdome and posesse them of it without any more a doe Which jmagination is more blasphemous then ever came into a Papists apprehension for as grosse as they are in the matter of merit yet they are not soe foule as to say that glory may be gotten with soe slight desert nay they exhort men to doe good works betime and abundantly I never read any of them that helde heaven might be had for a few bare words especially proceeding from a minde and soule more sicke then at the pangs of death the body can be And this pestilent conceit of prorogeuing time with God is a vniversall disease and hath slayne many that are gone and infected desperately millions of men that yet liue in the christian worlde Every one throwe's off the day of this duty breake 's that commandement in the substance which they were bound to obserue in the shaddow Exod. 22.29.20 where God saith Thou shalt not delay to offer thy first fruits whether of oxen cattell of liquor or any other thing Delay is a thing that the Lord still detested in any thing that he had for vs to doe he would never endure protraction of time he hath ever pleaded with his people for haste and expedition and for priority before all things yea to be put in the first place before all things as well he doth deserue to be in the conscience of the corruptest man among christians And albeit that both these be soe that the Lord hath soe loved to be first served and loathed in his soule to be set behinde yet as if prolonging and poasting off the piactise of piety were a thing that would rather make vs acceptable to the Lord then detestable in his sight the divill who is both Gods and our avowed adversary herin doth not only perswade jmpious persōs to stay rejourne whatsoever is required of them in true religiō but also he puts into their mindes and mouthes what to plead against God their owne best good but they litle know it in the truth of this point which we now vrge arme's them to opē their mouth with strange insolency against heaven to defend their double jmpiety in devising damnable shifts to support them therin that they may be still and for ever holden fast in the cordes of their jniquity and linger soe long in their sinfull courses and accursed carriage till time shal be no more and it be too late to wish for the day of grace the day of Gods patience and our repentance which being now past gone we are to beare for ever the righteous vengeance of the wretched neglect of that happy opportunity It is a sure thing that Satan never helpe's man to a jmpious hart to doe an evill but he also help 's him to an jmpudent mouth to defend the sin he doth Pretences for putting of Gods service and because his pretences are such and doe seeme soe plausible as that they doe misleade the most part of men in the worlde let vs looke into them a litle and try whether they be currant or counterfeit pure or hase by the truest touch-stone even the word of God which is truth it self But before we come to any particulers let vs premise a few words in generall to all such as doe plead any thing in this particuler to the end and purpose afore sayd let them therefore know and receive for a memorandum thus much That all that they speake is against God and their owne eternall good and that it is for the Devill and his advantage to their owne everlasting evill In all this plea what are they Adversaryes to God and themselves and Advocates for the Divell against themselves But let vs heare them speake although all they speake be not worth the hearing They say though God say the contrary and themselves confesse it too that though men should begin betime and it were well if they would yet there is no such necessity lying vpon it that we should be soe nice vpon it And why Plea 1 1. Because as they cursedly conceit a man may make too much haste too much a doe and what neede one be soe curious precise at present there is time enough for these matters heareafter This is their first Plea Wherin I must be bolde to aske these men first whether they speake when they thus speake as they thinke or not If not what hellish hypocrisy is it in any man to belye his owne minde with his owne mouth what wofull impiety is it to vtter that in others hearing which a man 's owne hart doth contradict within himself If they doe thinke as they say which I thinke every man would be well advised before he would doe if he knew all then let vs see if we can shew them what blasphemy is wrapped vp in this speach inasmuch as the scope therof is guilty of the fearfullest fellony that almost may be committed Note God is robbed by them of his right in the duty of their owne and the first dayes of such other as they doe thus delude They are robbed by Satan but with their owne consent for they plead for the theife of that right which Christ Iesus hath purchased for such as are obedient to his truth Others also are robbed of the same good by vttering these vngodly sayings to seduce them sinfully to sett off the time of their turning to the Lord. And I thinke the man that knew this would not be so free of these words which are soe wofull as we see were there noe more to be sayd against them But let vs come neerer The evill of it and pry more narrowly into this plea and the further we goe the more foule abhomination shall we finde and detect therin and that in divers respects a few wherof we will notify before you Evill 1 1. This plea supposeth an absolute cearteinety of more time yet to come and to be remayning vnto our lives why should any man in common sence say it is time enough heareafter if he were not as he thinks assured of more time to come after-warde Now thus to surmize is grosse sin inasmuch as the Lord hath taught vs to know that we cannot expect much lesse warrant one instant of time or a moment more to breath in then we doe already enjoy Tro. 27.1 Iam. 4.14 Doth not the wise
two things to be true 1. that God may be served too long 2. that the Divell may be served too litle Both which doe as naturally flow from their foule and jmpure mouthes as water from a fountayne for wherto els can their sayings tende seing as we sayd before either God or the Divell must be served of vs at all times and vntill we have sacrificed our selves to the Lord the Divell hath all our dayes And may we thinke that heaven can or will heare and beare the hydeous blasphemy of both these or either of them what may we serve the Lord too soone and too soone give over the service of Satan is the divell become the better master and God the worse that our last time may serve his turne and all the rest litle enough for the other who hath heard such things among the heathens or such speeches as doe as directly and plainely inferre and conclude them as if they did speake them How vnreasonable how irreligious are both nay how excecrable is either of the two by it self the one applaude's the Divell aboue God the other abases the Lord below the divell will either can both be sufered were not the patience of the almighty infinite these sinners would sink into hell yea into the nethermost hell but let them know forbearance is no acquittance he that doth endure this soe long will in the end avenge it with the heaviest justice and wrath that is revealed from heaven or reserved in hell as against all other soe especially against this mighty vngodlines of men then which what can be more monstrous or provoking to draw swift damnation vpon their soules that thus speake for what can be spoken to the greatest disgrace of him that is most glorious if this be not and can we once surmize that the Lord will suffer such indignity and disparagemet at our hands not power out his indignation vpon vs Especially if withall we well consider our owne jujury we doe our selves besides this jmpiety against the Lord because the lesse service we doe the Lord and the more we doe the divell the more wofull is it for vs in both respects for that litle we would give God is rejected and all that we doe for Satan is plagued and so by both we are wrapt vnder the eternall wrath of his dreadfull majesty Thus and no better then we have sayd but much worse then we can say is the sequell of this first pernicious apologie which men make against God and their owne soules in the procrastination of the power and practise of this truth Now if a man should summe vp all these together would not the totall be terrible thinke you to the soule that is guilty in the Items to assure our selves of more time of life to presume that some of that shal be time of grace to take vpon vs to dispose of that time what we will doe therin to jmagine God may have too much and the divell too litle of our service Is any one of these answerable before God much lesse are they all excusable noe noe every of them is high treason against his honour who order's all time his favour who gives all time of grace his excellency and worthines who deserues the duty of all our dayes These words must be eaten and recalled and that with more then ordinary humiliation greife and detestation or nothing can remayne but his just vengeance vpon the transgressors it is most true of this plea 1. King 1.23 which Solomō spake of Adoniahs desire that he had spoken this word against his owne life and was thervpon instantly slayne and soe might they be who have spoken these words against their owne eternall life and if the Lord should now seize vpō them to everlasting death how righteous were it vpon these vngodly wretches against whome the Apostle Iude saith the Lord will come in great glory and dreadfull power even among other things for their hard and cursed speakings of which number who can jmagine that these are not what neede such hast there is time enough heareafter for these matters wofull man that vtterest these words is there soe litle neede that God should have his glory that thou shouldst by giving it be truly happy if thy whole time were given to God were it enough nay can any time be enough for his duty suppose one man might live from one end of the world to the other from the first day to the last of all time to see both the creation and consummation of all things yea and admit that man could live without sin too and not miscarry one moment but be evermore doing that which might honour God could this man say he had given God enough I trow not for what time can be in equity enough for him whose least glory to his saints shal be infinite and eternall beyond all time and yet these accursed mouthes dare stint the Lord to the last and least and worst time of their life and thinke it enough to The Lord deliver vs saith the apostle from vnreasonable and wicked men which if these be not who are or can be Oh then let vs revoke recant and cancell presently what we have spoken wickedly byte that tongue that vttered them smite that hart that thought them accurse and excecrate that divell that suggested them least our not revoking of them rende vs from God send vs to Satan the author of them Let vs lay our hands vpou our mouthes and resolve never to open them againe to such jmpious purpose wherin the Lord of heaven is damnifyed the soules of men are damned the divell only is advantaged God is dishonoured we are vndone the divell goe's away with all the gaynes from both which he could never doe if he could not thus line the lips and tip the tongues of some prophane persons to become his trumpets to gather men to damnation by such delusions This is the first infernal plea that is devised and vrged to deceive the Lord of his first fruits of our time but have they done when they have sayd thus noe they have yet a second pretence and a third too to come Let vs exanime the former Preten ∣ ce 2 2. They plead that in age this worke may be done well enough and time enough then men are stayed and know what they doe is it not fit for young giddy heads to meddle with such matters Then there wil be more leasure when those dayes come wherin men have given over the proffits pleasures and vanityes of the world and have nothing to doe but to goe to church and serve God This they pretend The Evills of it Well but though in the former there was much in this latter there is much more presumption we will try it then we shall see it in the particulers which are the apparant consequents of this pretence which vpon due search we shall finde not to be soe seemingly plausible as they are
really pernicious damnable Evill 1 1. It doth directly contradict the Lord in that which he saith for he will have the first of our dayes as we have heard these say noe it is not fit for young heads to intermeddle Is not this to give God the lye yea to make him a lyar who will therefore have the first because they are fittest for him is not this to charge folly vpon him that is only wise as if he had not wisdome enough to chuse that part of our dayes for his duty wherin we are most meete to doe it but we will take it vpon vs to be wiser then he and assigne him a season better suiting this busines He saith he will have our first we will give the last time to him doth not this inferre that he is farre wyde of the marke and wonderfully over-seene and that we only are in the right So then these two to make the most true and wise God I tremble to vtter it a foole and a lyar these two I say doe make vp the first jmpiety of this second plea the vengeance justice due to either of which much more to both is beyond myne or any creatures ability to expresse Evill 2 2. This presumeth vpon olde age and make's no question to live to see those dayes and yeares wherin men are soe accounted And this thwarteth all Gods truth touching the vnceartaniety and shortnes of mans life soe often taught vs every where noe the lives of these men must be no vanityes dreames or vapours nor compared to windes to smoake to nothings they are during and permanent for 60.70 or more yeares Howbeit how many have not lived so many houres as they dreamed yeares nor soe many dayes as they accounted scores the sun hath shyned clearely vpon some in the morning who were become carcases er'e the evening and others have seene it set in the evening whose eyes were sunke er'e morning and yet they thought themselves as likely to live as long lyved as any that thus speake Even moments have swept away millions of other men yet these must live many yeares at least to be olde how or when should God have them els and as if God himselfe were bounde and had bounde all his creatures to their good behaviour that they must be saved harmelesse from any meanes of short life or suddaine death either they must be aged or God must not have them and sure I am perswaded he is most willing to lose them But of this presumption we sayd something before therefore the lesse shall serve here Evill 3 3. Admit you might live to age and were sure not to dye till you were very olde are you sure either to have a hart to giue your self to God then or that God hath a hart to take you then Assuredly if it be well look't into there is no reason for either but very much against both for why consider first for our owne harts what aptnes what ability nay what possibility will or can there be in vs vnto good who have beene soak't and steep't many yeares In all sin and jmpiety what holynes what purity in those parts of our bodyes and powers of our soules which hell hath poysoned and envenomed all our dayes are now full of deadly poyson the hart hardened the conscience vnconvinced the judgment blinded the affections earthly the will rebellious all benummed and vtterly voyd of any sparke of that quickening spirit which must turne a man to God wherwith will ye come to the Lord if you pray it must be with a mouth furr'd with blasphemy with a minde fraught with all other jmpiety whereto you have beene affected what will yee giue him but a soule and a body that have both combyned to be rebells your whole life against him and is there any power in these to be given to the Lord who have solde themselves like Ahab to sin and whome the Divell the true owner now will come clayme as his owne long since due vnto him therefore will not ēdure they should be givē to any other from him It is against all humane reason and common sence that a man soe jnvred to sin soe accustomed and habituated to corruption who hath consumed his dayes in nothing but in dishonouring disobeying the Lord and never knew what belonged to the savour of saving grace or to the beginning of any god worke should now be able to begin and finish that great worke of giving himself vp to God and that at and in his owne set time Noe there goe's more to it then soe it is no such short worke no mā can be soe quick at it especially those that have beene so slow all their dayes before it will aske longer time and more a doe before it be wel begun then these sotts doe conceit doth belong to the middle and both ends of it God sayth that no man can come to him except he he be drawne these men it seemes will come to God whether he will or noe as if it were in their power to draw God to themselves but as he will not have his goodnes and power soe much abused as to be drawne to them soe neither wil he endure to have their rebellious and debauched life so much honoured as now at last cast to draw them to him but even let him alone with them who hath had their childehood and youth to take their age too and soe to have all to himself Customary sin is not soe lightly cast off it is bred in the bone it will not be easy to get it out of the flesh and that soe as Gods spirit may instantly enter as these doe most idlely apprehend Againe consider the second what hart can God have to accept of the divells reversion or the leavings of our lives the doteage the dog-dayes as it were of all the time we live Let olde age be well considered and the state therof pondered in our selves and all other creatures that serve vs is it not the only time wherin we cast off our servants or cattell to baser vses as being vnfit for ours An olde servingman now overworne and decrepite and not fitt to attend his Lord any longer ha's a license to keepe an ale-house or become's some tapster and soe is made servile to every base pot-companion An olde horse of good pace of great price before for the saddle the coach now to the myll to the harrow to any meane drudgery and at last to the dogs And can this age wherin one man is not fit for anothers service nor any beast for mans vse be the meetest time for the most high to be served in of vs what shall we then thinke to become his when we are a burden to the world 2. Sam. 19 35. and to our selves and both weary of one another as Barzillai spake to David of himself What man would be soe vsed by his beast as these men more vnreasonable then beasts herin
a man to live by stealing all he eate's and to dye in eating all he steale's Let vs thinke on these motives which are the substance of those jnducements which the ceremoniall law did but shaddow We now proceede to presse a few other which may yet more move vs if we ponder them as we ought either in the benefit that come's by the obedience of this truth or the evill that issue 's from the neglect thereof I pray you note bath 1. First if we did give the Lord our first doe but thinke what a world of sin we might save which is committed and continued in by millions till we doe give our selves to God Did we throughly know the danger of one sin even the least we can be guilty of we would doe much to prevent it seing that everlasting pordition is due to it but here is a course that would spare a multitude nay all our trangressions for from the time we are the Lords he reckon's no sin to vs but account's vs righteous and accept's vs blamelesse in his beloved Now to avoyd sin with the dishonor it brings to God with the damnation it brings to vs yea to others too by our example who would not rēder the Lord his right most freely let him have his owne frō vs that Satā might never have us as his owne frō God Assuredly he that coulde ever conceive the Lords damage his owne disadvantage by sin what glory God wants what greife it is to his spirit what provocation it is to his patience how jniurious to his goodnes and favour how abusiue to his long suffering loving kindenes would never deny himself to the Lord from the first day he did vnderstand how he might acceptablely yeeld himself vnto him what a siranger should Satan be in vs what a familiar would God be to vs if we begin betimes with him 2. Consider that as we might save much sin soe this were also the only way to have much grace The more early any thing begins to be good the more goodnes is hoped from it the sooner any man sett's himself towards beaven the more heavenly must he needes be Oh what a most happy thing is it when grace begins to grow betimes in vs then is the Lord much honoured by vs then are men much bettered by vs then are we fitter for all duty then are we more safe from sin the cōtagion of sinners then are we more able to worke out our salvation and more sure to posesse the same A mans life is a heaven vpon earth when his graces are well growne in him his affection his conversation cannot but be in heaven such a man may be bolde with his God at all times and Satan can have no hope to prevaile against him whē it cometh soe to passe with a man in good as it did with him in evill in whome the divell had beene from a childe he was the more hardly cast out soe the more easily is he kept out and hardly nay never shall he possibly enter to posesse that person who of a childe and from the first hath beene gracious What have we in this worlde to doe or to busy our selves most about but to get that grace that may further vs to glory and what better way to get much then to fall to worke assoone as is possible 3. Consider that the Lord never gave any man a time of grace that would dare to set God a time to come for it The man that shal be soe jmpious and jmpudent as to prescribe and lymit the Lord at what time he will come never hath hart to come at all Is it not good reason that when we neglect yea and despise too so great salvation as is tendered nay commanded to vs in our tender yeares that he whome we have denyed in his time of grace should deny vs in our time of sin especially considering that he hath power to confine vs to the instant of his call but it is intollerable jmpiety in vs to bounde him to ours Shall God waite vpon the diuell and accept vs at that houre when our sin will let vs come we having cast of his day houre of mercy before How reade we in the scriptures for this what finde we nothing but thunder and lightening from heaven to peale these wicked wretches to perdition They that were bidaē were not worthy saith Christ And againe The dore was shut against them that were not prepared for the bridegrome at the instant of his comming and though at their owne time they came afterwarde with much jntreaty yet it could not be opened but they were banished thence and abandoned to hell Pre. 1.24.25.26 Zach. 7.13 And yet againe by the prophets Because I have called and you have refused therefore shall yee cry and not be heard So that you see God sett's noe time to him that setts God any nothing remayne's to such but disdayne from heaven damnation in hell 4. Consider that what extraordinary honour God ever intended to himself by any man or men whome he would make instruments of the same he meant to make all such persons gracious betime Doe but ponder it well in the first Adam in the second In the first all mankinde might have beene happy and God mightily honoured through all generations now to bring this about Adam shal be righteous from his first being and honour the Lord from the time of his creation In the second Adam all the elect shal be happy through him the glory of Gods infinite favour shall shyne vpon them to furnish him for this wonderfull worke he sanctifyed himself before he was borne and after in our infancy and soe throughout all ages of our life during the dayes he lived Indeede he attayned not our olde age I will not take vpon me peremptorily to determine why but it may be it was to shew that olde age doth not easily attayne him that soe these presumptuous olde fooles might be the more terrefyed and daunted from dareing to be so audacious as they have beene Did the Lord ever glorify himself in that man or glorify that man with himself that refusing to come when God called came when himself would name one instance if it be possible Noe he will sanctify all such as shal be glorious to him in earth or glorious with him in heaven I say he will sanctify all such in his purpose before time and in his practise in such time as wherin they shall come when he shall call be it more early as Ieremiah Iosiah John Baptist or more late as Abraham and such other as we have named before He gave them harts to attend his time not one of them ever dared to reject that and to cause the Lord to attend theirs These few inducements I hope shall draw and enforce vs to the Lord whose we are and whose all our dayes are and all our abilityes both of body and soule from him we have them in mercy if he have them not from vs againe in duty it had beene better for vs we had never beene borne Lay these holy considerations to hart offer not to presume vpon grace in thine owne time it is presumptuous sin to doe soe that man is extraordinarily gracelesse that dare's presume of grace in extraordinary time They that come to crave more then common kindnes of vs must be more then common freinds vnto vs litle reason hath God to be more then vsually good to them who have beene grossly evill to him as all they are who render him not his right in their first dayes If we would be the Lords for ever let vs ever resolve to be soe at the first Dearely beloved take these things into deliberatiō let them lodge in our harts rest and rooste in our myndes that soe the Lord our God may take vs into his favour and compassion Olde yonge middle-age all ages have this in good remembrance for it is a truth that make's vs happy if we hearken to it miserable if we doe not To the aged I say yet not I but the Lord looke backward see how much of your glasse is out and forward how litle remayneth to run and run apace to the living God to be received before all be gone and no hope be left thinke that voyce of God spoken to you 1. Pet. 4.2.3 It is sufficient that we have spent the time past after the lusts of the flesh c therevpon hasten towards heaven with all expedition it may be the Lord may take that litle time that is left and receiue you into everlasting habitations To the younge I say also Remember thy Creator thy redeemer too in the dayes of thy youth and jmagine that other voyce of heaven spokē to you for it is now time to a wake Ro. 13.11 c it is great reason that the flowre of your abilityes should be the Lords from whome you had them and to whome your account must be made for them In a word I say to you all and to every one of you Doe but thinke 1. how farre it is to heaven seing we must goe from sin to grace that we may goe thence to glory 2. how hard it is to finde the way because flesh blood cānot shew it then 3 how hard to enter goe on because the gate is so straight the enemy soe strong we soe weake wearied out with sin cōtinually clogging vs. And soe I end with that speech in Iob If thou wilt seeke vnto God early Job 8.3.6.7 and make thy supplication to the almighty if thou be pure and vpright surely he would now awake vnto thee and make the habitation of thy righteousnes prosperous and though thy begining be but small yet thy latter end should greatly encrease And that thus we may be and thus doe Let all sorts vncessantly seeke his face for ever Glory be to God on high