Three Sermons I. The Wrath of GOD against Sinners II. GOD'S Eternitie and Mans Humanitie III. The Plantation of the Righteous By T. H. ROM 1.18 The wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodlinesse and unrighteousnesse of men who hold the truth in unrighteousnesse LONDON Printed by M.P. for Iohn Stafford dwelling in Black-Horse-Alley neere Fleetstreet 1638. THE VVRATH of God against SINNERS ROM 1.18 The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodlinesse and unrighteousnesse of men who hold the truth in unrighteousnesse IN the fore going verses the holy Apostle by way of Preface prepareth way for ãâã truth that hee would deliver and the doctrine he purposed to dispence of and that all cavils might be removed and that the Word of God might take deeper root and better acceptance heâ⦠uses these three particulars and first hee cleares the authority of his challenge hee came not before hee was sent of God and therefore being called it concerned him and was his duty to do good He discovers the tendernesse of his love and his marvellous readinesse to do them good in the 12 13 and 14 verses It was a deâ⦠the Apostle ought the Rââ¦ââ¦ans therefore hee ougâ⦠to pay it and now way bââ¦ing made he comes to ãâã ââ¦aine point that is That a ââ¦an is not justified by doing ââ¦ut by beleeving and this ââ¦e confirmeth first by the ââ¦estimony of Scripture that ãâã man is justified by faith and ââ¦ot by workes ye shall live ââ¦y faith Secondly by force of Argument and that after this ââ¦anner If all men by the ââ¦orkes of the Law cannot ââ¦unne the wrath of God ââ¦en a man cannot be saved ââ¦y the workes of the Law This hee propounds in the words of the Text and proââ¦ecutes it in the Chapter following and affirmes that neiââ¦er of them can be saved by ââ¦e works of the Law First In the Text observe ââ¦ese two particulars first the dealing of wicked mâ⦠with the truth of God thâ⦠hold the truth of God in uââ¦righteousnesse Secondly Gods dealiâ⦠with them they dealt rougââ¦ly with the truth they laâ⦠violent hands on it and Gâ⦠he deales as rigorously wiâ⦠them And the reason wâ⦠they hold downe the trutâ⦠is because of some lustâ⦠their soules that is beloâ⦠of them Secondly The Apoâ⦠shewes against whom Gâ⦠wrath commeth Thirdly The universalâ⦠in these words All. Gâ⦠doth not deale partially ãâã all that misprison the trâ⦠in unrighteousnesse sâ⦠have the wrath of God deââ¦ounced against them Fourthly The place from whence it shall come from ââ¦eaven First we are here to know what is meant by truth For ââ¦e better understanding of ââ¦e Text Truth carries two ââ¦ings with it First The rule of righteousnesse which is that hoââ¦age and obedience we owe ââ¦nto God and this rule of ââghteousnesse is the most ââ¦xcellent rule that is Secondly Truth carrieth ãâã it selfe the efficacy and ââ¦ower of truth and therefore ââ¦e Apostle Paul sharply ââ¦proves Peter Gal. 2.14 ââ¦rse that though he obââ¦ved the Gospel in the maine yet he did not walke with a straight foot Secondly What is meant by holding the truth of God in unrighteousnesse To hold the truth of God in unrighteousnesse is by a kind of violence and strong hand to hinder the operation and passage of it that the Word cannot performe that worke which otherwise it would in the hearts of them to whom it is sent Thirdly What is meanâ⦠by the word unrighteousnesse In some places it signifiesâ⦠sinne that is committed against the second Table onely but here in this place ãâã implies all sinful distempers and corruptions of heart anâ⦠this word in unrighteousnesse It carries the cause and authority as when a man sayes stop such a man in my name 1 Doct. The truth of God is operative 2 Doct. That wicked men are enemies to the Word of God 3 Doct. That the corruptions of mens hearts is the cause of the hinderance of the word But I will draw them all into one Doct. That carnall and corrupt hearts hinder the power of the truth from working upon them or prevailing with them as much as in them lies It is true that truth is powerfull and will prevaile ãâã when he sends his truth to worke upon any corruptâ⦠heart he doth not stand to aske our wils whether we will receive or not but hee will make it effecââ¦uall hee will shake off all oppositions and he will drive all before him but let the Lord do what he will yet the carnall heart will resist and stand out and as much as in him lies labour to keep out the Word Rom. 2.14 15. Though Heathens be strangers from the life of God and from the Covenant of Grace yet this little remainder of the Law of God in their hearts which remaines will be a working in them so that murder and uncleannesse they will punish with death The truth is discovered ââ¦ree wayes First when a man is about ãâã commit any sinne as to ââ¦eale c. his conscience wil ââ¦mite him and so in other ââ¦innes Secondly the power and efficacy of God may be observed in the Creation yet ââ¦he darknesse of mens eyes ââ¦r the foggishnesse of their understandings do interpose themselves Thirdly by truth is meant the preaching of the Word when the truth is never so ââ¦pparant and prooffes never ââ¦o pregnant and arguments never so invincible yet their hearts will not yeeld nor ââ¦onsent when the light of ââ¦he Gospel is plainly dispensed and promulgated theâ⦠must needs be a marveiloâ⦠light and yet men will noâ⦠yeeld to it as Paul and Barnabas the word they taught the Jewes put it away wheâ⦠it gripes the heart and begins to worke effectually then they vomit it up againeâ⦠Act. 7.57 Yee stiff-necked in heart yee doe alwayes resist the Holy Ghost as your Fathers did so doe yee Gen. 19.9 so the Sodomites did to Lot when the old and the young were gathered about thâ⦠house and would have theâ⦠out and when Lot said I pray you my brethren doe not so wickedly Stand back say they we will doe worse with theâ⦠then with them As they did to Lot so you doe to Gods Ministers when Gods Messengers come and intreat you O brethren do not so wickedly profane the Sabbath and curse instead of praying be not so malicious against the wayes of God take heed of persecuting the servants of God Stand backe say they we will doe worse and thus they take up armes against the blessed truth of God when it comes to pull them off from their cursed practises c. For the discovery of the point give me leave to expresse three particulars First What is that worke which the truth would discover Secondly How wicked men hinder it Thirdly The reason why they doe so Quest 1. What is the power of the truth or what would it doe that wicked men oppose it Answ It appeares in foure particulars First it is a word of Information
that is the first worke to discover all things to us in their proper colours Prov. 6.23 the Text tels us the Commandement is a Lamââ and the Law is Light and the reproofes of instruction are the way of life as a Lamp in he night so the way may be discovered so it is with the power of the Word of Truth and he that hath a minde carefully to attend may be able to judge and see right from wrong a man cannot miscarry so long as he is directed by the light of truth as the Sunne shewes all the Moates in the house and the blemishes so this is like the Sunne to discover and shew every moate and blemish and to discover every privie and corrupt corner Ephes 5.14 All things that are reproved are made manifest by the light for whatsoever doth make manifest is light Thou canst not enquire to doe any thing but that will advise thee Secondly As it is of Information so it is of quickââ¦ing a word of power that not onely telleth the way but enableth us to walke in it it puts vertue and ability to walke on chearefully It is not onely as the Sun to shew us the way but as a streame to carry us in that way God would have uâ⦠walke Luke 24.22 there is not a light in the shining Sun Christ but is a warning to make nimble ouâ⦠benumbed joynts 1 Tim 6.3 He cals it the wholesomâ⦠word of Truth whereoâ⦠Saint Paul speakes Timââ¦thy was nourished up with Psalme 119 I will nevâ⦠forget thy Commandementâ⦠because that thereby then hâ⦠quickned me Thirdly In the third plaâ⦠it is a coard though thou ãâã dull it will plucke thee oâ⦠So in the fourth place it is a word of conviction with power to overthrow all the gaine-sayings of a man it meetes with every cavill it stoppes all the base trickes and devises of our sinfull mindes Luke 21.10 when the Disciples should bee brought before Magistrates saith Christ take no care what you shall speake in the 15 verse For I will give you a mouth and wisedome which all your Adversaries shall not be able to gainesay nor resist And in Acts 7. the Adversaries of Steven were not able to gainesay the wisedome of Steven the Word will convince thy minde though a cavilling and distempered mind 1 Cor. 5.25 Better speak one word in a knowne language then a thousand in unknowne And therefore said Saint Paul I was made manifest to your consciences Iob 36.10 He opens their care to discipline and commandeth that they returne from iniquitie though stubborne hee makes them give way to truth Fourthly In the fourth worke of truth there is a soveraigne supreame authority the word hath it beaââ¦es downe all and carries all and makes all to yeeld obedience when the Lord pleases to accompany it therefore there is such a power that iâ⦠is not carnall but mighty through God to cast downeâ⦠strong holds because hee takes place onely so this is the fourth worke it carries on a man and commands the soule 2 Cor. 10.4 The weapons of our warfare are not carnall feeble and weake but mighty through God to the pulling downe of strong holds His Commandements are mighty and what will yee doe when you set up strong mountaines of pride and bulwarkes of resolutions when yee are resolved yee will have your sinnes as drunkennesse covetousnesse c. though yee perish for it So that the truth of God carries the heart and eye and foot A mighty operation The Apostle 2 Cor. 13.8 said Wee can doe nothing against the truth so that when God will make good his truth wee can doe nothing against Gods truth Company comes provocations comes friends wife though life comes his resolution stands firme hee sides with the truth thus you see that truth will worke Secondly for the second particular And that is how a carnall man doth hinder this workeâ⦠of the Word that it may noâ⦠prevaile the soule would have the sinnes and the word would have the soule now a corrupt heart opposes the truth in foure particulars First A carnall heart is marvellous unwilling to listen to the truth of God so as to be informed and instructed in those things that would be too tedious first it is not willing to know what it should doe lest it should doe what it would not therefore it keepes a loofe off he is a stranger to the truth of God nay if it be brought home to their doores and God set open his mercies the truth is they will not so much as take notice of his mercies To examine every thing what need a man thus tediously trouble himselfe thus they hinder the first worke of the truth it is a Schoolemaster but they stop their eares Carââ¦all hearts when they see it comming towards them comming to tie them to obedience if he heares the Word comming hee slides away he is loth to heare the cause and loth to be perswaded he will not be at home on that day Esay 30.10 The people say to the Seers see not and to the Prophets prophesie not right things speake to us smoothe things prophesie deceits Get yee out of the way turne aside out of the path cause the holy One of Israel to cease from before us They say to the Seers see not to the Prophets prophesy not right things Doe not speake that they cannot heare but speak faire and smooth things Iob 21.14 Therefore they say unto God Depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes The covetous oppressors cannot endure to heare of the gringding of the faces of the poore Actes 28.27 They stop their eares and winke with their eyes least they should see with their eyes and heare with their eares and understand with their heart and should be converted and I should heale them I beseech you observe it as carnall men that are loth to know the truth but if they search they seeke after the Word ââ¦s a Coward doth after his enemy with a hope he shall not finde him and a feare lest he should finde him So a carnall man is loth to finde and feares to know and if ââ¦e doe know and search hee will search no more theâ⦠shall serve his turne hee will not suffer truth to have the whole sway as a prisoner in chaines so carnall hearts keepe truth in Chaines and no more then he doth know he would know Luke 4.42 And when it was day heâ⦠went into a desart place aâ⦠the people sought him anâ⦠came unto him and stayeâ⦠him that he should not depaâ⦠from them Hee made ãâã though hee would goe further but they stayed him bâ⦠a morrall kinde of perswaâ⦠on so carnall men doe thâ⦠truth of God they stop aâ⦠stay truth Rom. 12.1 2 vâ⦠ses Fashion not your selvâ⦠after the world and in tâ⦠Law Ye shall not take tâ⦠name of an idoll in your mouth The meaning is ye should not give honour to them but
God canst thou say in good earnest and uprightnesse before the Lord is there any more truthes and more good will of thine of thy worship good Lord let me know it that I may love it and practice it Brethren is it so take then this in you and answer it is ãâã Lord. Brethren if there ââ¦e a sight of God in heaven ââ¦nd thou doest truely subââ¦it to the word it is a true ââ¦gne that if any under heaven hath the worke of grace ââ¦ought in him thou hast it ââ¦hn 8. If any man love the ââ¦th and obey the Commandeââ¦ents the truth will make him ãâã Dost thou then love and obey the truth it will make thee free it will make thee a freeman of heaven hold this truth Heaven and earth shall passe but that work of grace cannot passe This was the joy of the Apostle Iohn 5.4 I have no greater joy in the world then that my children walke in the truth in the light comfort and power of it If the Apostle Iohn could have no greateâ⦠truth what great joy will it be to thy selfe no greateâ⦠joy have I saith some maâ⦠not that my sonne is ricâ⦠but that he is upright Hoâ⦠mayest thou joy then ãâã ever thou see the face ãâã God with comfort try ãâã thou beest upright if thâ⦠lovest the truth the Saint can see no greater joy then this Oh goe your wayes you blessed Saints ye walke after the truth you that have this can have no more God himselfe loveth truth in the inward parts hee is a spirit and will be worshipped in spirit and truth Dost thou love the truth of Christ then it will say as well of thee as of Demetrius Iohn â⦠12 Demetrius hath a good report of the truth So I say doth the truth report well of thee Doe not feare what the world thy friends enemies or adversaries say of thee that will bring thee comfort when all false witnesses shall lye aside but all you wicked of the world you are they that bend your selves against the Saints of God It is true the poore Saints of God as poore as they be they shall lift up their heads when you shall hang downe and turne aside because they have the truth for them when you shall see the poore dispised Saints of God poore Goodman such a one c. You that have made no care of Gods Commandements when yee shall see them ye shall wonder to see them lift up thither when the Divell shall say Lord how comes such a man to such a place he was a finner I Lord saith the poore soule I know I have many weaknesses Lord thou knowest that many a sad spirit I have carried about yet never a truth was made knowne but I entertained it never a sinne was made knowne but I entertained it never a sinne was made known but I loathed it then comes the blessed Truth I beare witnesse Lord he loved me and entertained mee though with many groanes and teares and persecutions hee would have me saith the truth hee is a blessed Saint of God You that are willing to receive every truth oh get you to heaven then you will be past the worst the Devill himselfe confesses and the damned spirits He is a holy and sincere hearted man Why Brethren who would not labour for the truth I say God and Christ ãâ¦ã good spirit shall ãâ¦ã such a soule God ãâ¦ã of truth Jesus Châ⦠ãâ¦ã Word of truth ãâ¦ã Ghost is a spirit of ãâ¦ã they will embrace ãâ¦ã God and Christ ãâ¦ã Spirit all bids you ãâ¦ã so you shall have ãâ¦ã pinesse the Lordâ⦠ãâ¦ã you to it and you ãâ¦ã it hereafter FINIS A GODLY AND PROFITABLE SERMON Of Gods Eternitie and Mans Humanitie OR The striving of the Lord with Sinners By T. H. LONDON Printed by M.P. for Iohn Stafford dwelling in Black-Horse-Alley neere Fleetstreet 1639. THE STRIVING of the LORD with SINNERS GEN. 6.3 My Spirit shall not alââ¦ayes strive with man for that ãâã also is flesh yet his dayes ââ¦all be an hundred and twenty yeares THe scope of this Chapter discovers it selfe in two parts first the divers conditions of them before the Floud Secondly the carriage of God towards thâ⦠in the second part of ãâã Chapter First the carriâ⦠of the people is double ãâã their wicked and sinfull liâ⦠from the first verse to ãâã end of the seventh Secondly the holy dâ⦠meanor of Noah in the 8 aâ⦠9 verses But Noah fouâ⦠grace in the eyes of the Loâ⦠Noah was a just man and pââ¦fect in his generation and wâ⦠ked with God Noah in thâ⦠wicked time in that wickâ⦠place and among those wiâ⦠ked people was a holy maâ⦠saith the Text. Secondly we have the ââ¦vers dealing of God wiâ⦠them First he threatens desââ¦lation to the wicked secondly he promises to preserve Noah and for the ââ¦guise of the wicked First consider the haiââ¦ousnesse of their sinnes that they broke all the Lawes of God and lust was their Law in the first ââ¦nd second verses the Text sayes When men began to multiply on the face of the ââ¦rth and daughters was borne unto them that the sonnes of God saw the danghters of men that they were faire and ââ¦ookt for wives of all that they ââ¦hose The sonnes of God the ââ¦eaning of that is they that professed the truth Secondââ¦y they saw the daughters of men they saw Caine and they that were of God did what they list and chosâ⦠crosse way and so caâ⦠strange generations as ãâã ants they were growne ãâã the height of sinne Secondly in the 3 6 aâ⦠7 verses is the sentence ãâã God against them hee sâ⦠they come to this and thâ⦠sets downe a sentence ãâã doombe as it were he sayâ⦠My Spirit shall not alwayâ⦠strive with man in that ãâã is but flesh yet his dayes shâ⦠be an hundred and tweâ⦠yeares The Lord wâ⦠strive no longer with theâ⦠from whence by the wâ⦠we may note Object That when theâ⦠is a mingling of diuers maââ¦riages it makes way to ãâã struction prooved in Solâ⦠mon when hee tooke him ââ¦ange wives then his ââ¦owne was taken from ãâã so this old World ââ¦en they gave themselves ââ¦strange marriages First In the sentence there ãâã two things first the ââ¦rds resolution second ãâã the reason of Gods deterââ¦nation First the resolution and ââ¦t is first generally hee ââ¦th strove but will strive no ââ¦re Secondly particularly he ââ¦l not strive and will strive ãâã hundred and twenty ââ¦res here is the resolutiâ⦠of God though he strive ãâã hee will not strive alââ¦yes Secondly the reason of Gods determination hee is also flesh In the Text two things are to be observed First what is meant by spirit secondly what it is to strive first Gods Spirit we may understand to be the holy Ghost the third person in Trinity hee is said to strive not miraculously but mediately by his meanes the Word of God Ministers he is said to strive with