were sent out into the World as Sheepe amongst Wolves There come after and drinke of the same Cup millions of blessed men and women under the primitive Persecutions Of which some were scalded some burned some broyled some hanged some beheaded some throwne downe from rockes upon stakes some stabbed in with forkes some racked and torne in pieces their tongues cut out their eyes bored out their flesh twitched off with Pinsons womens brests feared off with hot yrons pricked under the nayles with Needles and a thousand more wayes tormented with as great varietie and exquisitenesse as politike malice could devise and prophane crueltie execute If wee passe along from thence even to these Times yea and if our eyes were so enlightened that we could looke upon the state of Gods children and their way to Heaven even to the Worlds end we should ever be able to trace them along by the teares of Brine and bloud which are powred out and spilt for the profession of Gods Truth and practice of holinesse This then is was and ever will be the lot and portion of all those who are fitting and preparing for Heaven They are ever persecuted one way or other If by reason of the milde and peaceable Times they fight not unto bloud and passe the fierie Triall yet they shall have their troubles oppressions and disgraces at least they shall be ever sure to be payd home with the scourge of tongues they shall be loaden with slanders and false reports they shall be made a gazing-stocke a by-word and Table-talke a scorne reproach and derision to them that are round about them as David was Psal 79. 4. Which being so why should not a common case in the cause of God breed a common comfort in true Christians Why should any of them thinke much to drinke of the same Cup that the dearest Saints and soules now blessed with the Lord have begun to them in and of which all that will be saved even to the last day must taste and follow Why should any man that truly loves God or lookes for the joyes of the other World seeke or desire a priviledge above all the children of God that everwere and even above the Sonne of God himselfe Christ Iesus Most unworthy is hee of the glorious comforts of Grace of the inward Peace that passeth all understanding and of that Glory which is to be revealed who for a slanderous tale a lying tongue a reproachfull tearme or the feare and face of any mortall man slinkes back from a bold profession of sinceritie and from the true service of the living God In sufferings and afflictions for Gods cause there is not onely matter of patience but even occasion of glory They are like starres in the forehead honourable maimes conformities to Iesus Christ Liveries of a Christian souldier Fifthly let him consider that his momentanie crosses and afflictions cause an exceeding and everlasting weight of glory Let his vexation be never so grievous his persecutors never so great and mightie neither they nor that can last long For the life of man and all the glory thereof doth passe away like a Ship in the Water whose tract cannot be seene againe like an Arrow through the aire or a Weavers Shuttle through his worke like a fading Flower suddenly plucked up and withered like Grasse like Smoake like a Dreame like a Bubble of the Water Though a Christian therefore be never so deepely plunged into miseries he shall abide but a while under the waters of affliction the day of redemption cannot be farre off Though he should passe through the teeth of wilde Beasts upon the sword of the Tyrant through the flames of fire though his braines should be dasht against the walls his limbes lye scattered in the streets and his bloud runne downe every channell yet shall he ere it be long gloriously rise againe in despight of all the powers of Darkenesse and bloudinesse of cruell men Hee shall entirely be restored by the mightie and immediate hand of God hee shall be clothed with Light and immortalitie his bloud shall be revenged and all teares wiped from his eyes and there shall be set upon his head a Crowne of everlasting joy peace and happinesse Sixtly comfort unspeakable and glorious may spring up in the heart of Gods child amidst his sufferings for the cause of God out of a consideration That in all afflictions without exception Christ suffereth with him Paul was the mirrour and miracle of all Christians for the varietie and gloriousnesse of his sufferings you may see a strange and unmatchable Catalogue of them 2 Cor. 11. 23. c. He was in stripes above measure plenteously in prison in death oft Of the Iewes five times received hee fortie stripes save one he was thrice beaten with Rods he was once stoned he suffered thrice shipwracke night and day was he in the deepe Sea In journeying he was often in perils of Waters in perils of Robbers in perils of his owne Nation in perils among the Gentiles in perils in the Citie in perils in the Wildernesse in perils in the Sea in perils among false Brethren in wearinesse and painefulnesse in watching often in hunger and thirst in fastings often in cold and in nakednesse Yet all these and what other crosses and afflictions befell him he calls and accounts them the sufferings and afflictions of Christ Now saith Paul Col. 1. 24. now rejoyce I in my sufferings for you and fulfill the rest of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his Bodies sake which is the Church And 2 Cor. 1. 5. As the sufferings of Christ abound in us so our consolation aboundeth through Christ. Lazarus in all his povertie contempt sicknesse sores or what other miseries suffered nothing wherein Christ was not partaker of his griefe and sorrow So sweet and blessed a consent and sympathie is there betwixt Christ the Head and all true Christians his members that so long as the great mysterie of that mysticall Vnion stands true and sure which is for ever all holy men and servants of God in all their sufferings for the Name of Christ profession of his Truth and practice of sinceritie shall have Christ himselfe partner and partaker of their miseries which is able to refresh the heaviest heart in the greatest extremities I have stayed long upon this point to wit how Sathan labours might and maine by crosses and slanders to discourage Gods child and to stop his course in the wayes of righteousnesse and in laying downe some comforts against them because thousands at the very first entrance or after some small continuance are wofully turned backe from grace and sinceritie by temptations reproaches and troubles raysed against them by their owne rebellious flesh Sathan and prophane men Now in a ninth place if all this will doe no good if the heat of persecution inflame the zeale of the true Christian if reproaches and afflictions be so
The Reasons of this Doctrine may be these which follow The first may be taken from the insufficiencie and inabilitie of all other meanes to bring us to Heaven as 1 All the greatest Learning and deepest knowledge in the World will stand us in little stead in this businesse Otherwise it had gone well with many ancient Heathens and Philosophers of old who fadomed as deepe and reached as high in the depths and mysteries of all humane Learning and knowledge as the light of Reason and strength of Nature could possibly bring them And yet they were utterly strangers to the life of grace and without God in the World When they professed themselves to be wise they became fooles saith Paul Rom. 1. 22. They were puffed up with a little vaine-glorious knowledge here upon Earth and got them a Name amongst men But alas what was this When as for the want of the Light of Divine Truth they lost their Soules in another World and their Names never came in the Booke of Life Where is the wise saith Paul in another place Where is the Scribe Where is the Disputer of this World As if hee should have said All the knowledge of the greatest Doctors and learnedest Rabbins in the World without Grace vanisheth into nothing into vaine-glory emptinesse and aire nay casts them with greater horror and confusion into the Pit of Hell Every man saith Ieremie is a Beast by his owne knowledge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iere. 10. 14. Except besides all other knowledge he be enlightened from above and have that Divine knowledge sanctified unto him hee can come no neerer the happinesse of Heaven than a very Beast 2 Worldly wisedome and policie is so farre from making men wise unto salvation that it is not onely starke foolishnesse with God and good men but it doth strongly set it selfe and is at enmitie against God Therefore saith God I will destroy the wisedome of the wise and will cast away the understanding of the prudent 1 Cor. 1. 19. Ahitophel was so wise even in the affaires of Kingdomes and businesse of State that the counsell which he counselled in those dayes was like as one had asked counsell at the Oracle of God and yet all this great wisedome in the end ended in extreme folly for upon a little discontent and disgrace in the World he sadled his Asse and went home unto his Citie and put his household in order and hanged himselfe 2 Sam. 16. 23. 17. 23. Although the end of all worldly wisedome be not so shamefull in the eye of the World yet undoubtedly it is most miserable and wofull in the World to come except their wisedome be sanctified and over-ruled by the Light of Gods Word Carnall wisedome can neither preserve a man from death nor prepare him to die blessedly it cannot stay his Life from going neither can it stop the Curse from comming it cannot deliver him from damnation in the World to come but rather encreaseth the grievousnesse of his punishment for in this life it hath kept possession against heavenly wisedome it made him uncapable of all good instructions it made him impatient of any rebuke and held him in ignorance and disobedience all his life 3 No good meanings or intentions without knowledge and warrant in the Word of God will ever serve our turne for salvation nay indeed they are abominable and hatefull in Gods sight Howsoever thousands deceive themselves in this point Vzzah had a good meaning in 2 Sam. 6. 6. when hee put his hand to the Arke of God and held it for the Oxen did shake it but notwithstanding the Lord was very wroth with Vzzah and God smote him in the same place and there hee died Iames and Iohn had good meanings when they called for fire from Heaven to consume the Samaritan that would not entertaine Christ but Iesus rebuked them and told them they knew not of what spirit they were Saul in 1 Sam. 15. had a good meaning when he spared Agag and the best of the Sheepe and of the Oxen to sacrifice them unto the Lord but notwithstanding Samuel tells him that he had done wickedly in the sight of the Lord and that the Lord had rent the Kingdome of Israel from him that day Peter had a good meaning when in Ioh. 13. 8. he would not suffer Christ to wash his feet but Iesus answered him and told him If I wash thee not thou shalt have no part with me Good meanings then are wicked missings of the true service of God except they be guided by knowledge warrant and ground out of the Booke of God Let no man then tell of his good meaning if he be ignorant in the Will and Word of God for certainely it will never serve the turne it will never hold out in the Day of Christ Iesus 4 No will-worship or will-service or voluntarie Religion as the Apostle calls it Col. 2. 23. which is forged and framed out of a mans owne braine humour and conceit without ground or warrant in the Booke of God though it be performed with never so glorious a shew of zeale and paines yet it is not any way availeable for our spirituall good and eternall happinesse nay indeed it is most odious in the eyes of God and ever lyable to a very high degree of his wrath and vengeance Baals Prophets 1 Kings 18. 28. were so hot and hastie in their will-worship that they cut themselves with knives and launcers till the bloud gushed out upon them The Papists they whip themselves they vow Continencie perpetuall Povertie and Regular Obedience and yet is the profession and practice of both bloudie and idolatrous When the Iewes worshipped God after the devised fashions of the Gentiles though their meaning was to worship nothing but God yet the Text saith they worshipped nothing but Devils Deut. 32. 17. And God there protests that therefore a fire was kindled in his wrath that should burne unto the bottome of Hell and set on fire the foundations of the mountaines So hated of Almightie God is all service and worship devised by the wit and will of man without warrant in the Word of God 5 Lastly not the Word of God it selfe in the Letter without the spirituall meaning and the finger of Gods Spirit to apply it powerfully to our soules and consciences is any sufficient rule of life or able to bring us into the Light of Grace This appeares in Nicodemus who was a great Doctor in the Law and the Prophets a chiefe Master and Teacher in Israel yet was a very Infant and Ideot in the power of Grace and mysterie of godlinesse For all his learning in the Letter of the Law he had not yet made one step towards Heaven for hee was not onely ignorant of but had a very absurd and grosse conceit of the new birth which is the very first entrance into
the Kingdome of Grace For when Christ told him hee could not be saved except hee were new borne hee strangely and foolishly replyes How can a man be borne which is old How can he enter into his mothers Wombe againe and be borne Thus you see there can no other meanes be named or thought upon not all humane Knowledge nor worldly Wisedome nor good Meanings nor Will-worship nor the Word it selfe in the Letter which can leade us into the wayes of Righteousnesse or bring us unto Heaven but onely the Light of Gods holy Word holden out unto us by a profitable Ministerie and the power of the Spirit A second Reason of my Doctrine may be this No man can ever see the Kingdome of God except he be borne againe except he be a new creature a new man as is plaine in Christs words unto Nicodemus For our new birth or regeneration is the necessarie passage from Nature to Grace from prophanenesse to sinceritie It is that whereby wee are wholly sanctified and set apart unto God from the sinfnll corruption of our naturall birth and the evill fruits thereof to serve God in our whole man both body soule and spirit Now you must conceive that this new birth must necessarily spring from the immortall Seed of the word of God for so it is called 1 Pet. 1. 23. It is the Seed of our new birth salvation and immortalitie And you may as well looke for Come to grow up in your fields without sowing without casting any Seed into the furrowes as to looke for Grace to grow up in your hearts or to reape the fruit of holinesse everlasting life except this immortall Seed the Word of God be first cast into the furrowes and fallow ground of your hearts and be there received with reverence and attention nourished with prayer and meditation and fructifie in your lives and conversations Hence it is that Gods Word is called The Word of Salvation Act. 13. 26. The Word of Grace Act. 14. 3. The Word of Life Phil. 2. 16. The Power of God unto Salvation Rom. 1. 16. For there is no power of Grace or spirituall life to bee had ordinarily upon Earth or salvation and eternall life to be hoped for in Heaven except a man be enlightened with the knowledge and enlived with the power of the holy Word of God There is no entring into the Kingdome of God except a man bee new borne except hee bee first renewed in his spirit soule and body And there is no new birth without the immortall Seed the Word of God And therefore without knowledge and direction in the Word of God no salvation The third Reason of my Doctrine is this The Word of God hath only the power and propertie to search into and to sanctifie the whole man even to the inmost thoughts and the secret cogitations of the heart All the devices and imaginations of mans heart lye without the walke of humane justice and censure no word or writing of man is able to bridle them or bring them within compasse no Law of Nature or Nations can affright or restraine the freedome and wanderings of thoughts onely the Word of God can amaze search and sanctifie them The weapons of our warfare saith Paul are not carnall but mightie through God to cast downe Holds casting downe the imaginations and every thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivitie every thought into the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. The Word of God saith the Apostle to the Hebrewes is lively and mightie in operation and sharper than any two-edged sword and entreth through even to the dividing asunder of the soule and the spirit and of the joints and the marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart Heb. 4. 12. The Word of God may be said to be living or lively in three respects 1 Because whereas we naturally live under the shadow of death and in the darkenesse of sinne it quickens us with a new and spirituall life it cheares and comforts us with heavenly Light 2 The Word may be called Living because it selfe is immortall and lasteth forever as doth the living and eternall God the Author of it 3 But most especially and agreeably to the place in the Hebrewes it is called lively because it enters with great power and secret insinuation into every part and power both of soule and body So that as our life is scattered and dispersed into every little part and least veine in us and we feele it both in paine and pleasure even so the vertue of the Word of God pierceth into every member into the most secret and hidden Closet of the heart either to breake and bruise with terror and astonishment the very bones crush the sinewes of the sinfull soule or to fill them with marrow and fatnesse and to refresh the affections of the truly penitent with joy unspeakable and glorious God tells us in Ieremy that his Word is like fire and therefore it can easily insinuate into all the creekes and corners of our corruptions it can fully and clearely enlighten our Consciences and discover unto us the sinfulnesse of the most lurking and secret thoughts Thus you have this first Doctrine plainely proved and confirmed unto you No man can at first finde the entrance or after hit the way to Heaven except he be enlightened and led along by the saving knowledge of the holy Word of God No other meanes which the power of Nature Wisedome Learning or the whole World can afford will serve the turne in this businesse of Salvation It is the Seed of our new birth as I told you there can be no growing of grace or reaping of glory without it It hath onely power to shake ransacke and search into the inmost secrets of the heart It onely can sanctifie us both inwardly and outwardly both in soule and body both in thoughts and actions without which both inward and outward holinesse no man shall ever see the face of God Now I come unto the Vses of this Doctrine And in the first place it may serve for confutation of the Papists those great employsoners and murtherers of infinite soules of men Is the Word of God as a Lampe and a Light without which wee cannot see the first step or set one foot aright towards Heaven Why then sinfull and pestilent is their practice who hide this blessed Light from the people of God in an unknowne Tongue and by their bloudie Inquisition damme up the holy Fountaines of heavenly Truth which should spring up in every mans heart unto eternall life Whose cruell and craftie Religion for bloud of Princes and cursed Policie are the principall supporters of Poperie teacheth them to blindfold and hood-winke the poore Laitie in forced ignorance lest they should know Gods will or any way to Heaven but
theirs which indeed is the right direct and desperate downe-fall into the Pit of Hell So that millions of soules live no lesse without Scriptures than if there were none and wofully walke in this World through darkenesse of sinne shadow of death and ignorance both of God and his Word unto endlesse and utter darkenesse in the World to come The Prophet David tells us in Psal 19. That the Law of the Lord is perfect and giveth wisedome unto the simple The Commandements of the Lord is pure and giveth light to the eyes In this place hee tells us That the Word was a Lampe unto his feet and a Light unto his paths Christ himselfe Iohn 5. 39. bids us Search the Scriptures even all without exception so many as looke for eternall life Not lightly and at leisure to reade them but with diligence to dive into them for so the word signifies in the Originall To seeke for the right knowledge and true sense of them as for Silver and to search for it as for Treasures The Noblemen of Berea Act. 17. 11. searched the Scriptures dayly whether those things were so that were preached unto them Saint Peter 2 Pet. 1. 19. calls the Word of the Prophets a Light which shineth in a darke place to which wee should take heed But the Pope and his Factors teach other Lessons The Catholike Church saith one of their chiefe Champions out of the Councell of Trent forbids the reading of Scriptures by all without choise or the publike reading or singing of them in vulgar Tongues The wise will not here regard say the Rhemists in their Preface to their Testament what some wilfull people doe mutter that the Scriptures are made for all men And soone after they resemble the Scriptures to Fire Water Candles Knives and Swords which are indeed needfull c. but would marre all if they were at the guiding of other than wise men And this is indeed one of their principall reasons Many abuse the Scriptures by ignorance infirmitie or malice to Errors Heresies Schismes and their owne destruction therefore they are not to be read of all without choise I answer they might as well reason thus Many men abuse Meat and Drinke by surfetting and excesse to the destruction both of their soules and bodies therefore men are to be deprived of Meat and Drinke Some men are infected with the Pestilence by drawing in corrupted and empoysoned aire therefore the aire is to be taken away and removed But as those men which are deprived of Meat and Drinke presently languish and pine away and die a temporall death and those that enjoy not the benefit of the aire are presently stifled for want of breath even so all those that want the spirituall Food of their soules out of the Word of God and the holy inspirations of his good Spirit builded thereupon howsoever they be fat and flourishing in their outward estates yet they are full leane and lanke in their soules and if they so continue must needes die an eternall death and perish everlastingly Let us then learne to detest and hate the bloudie Policie of the Synagogue of Rome which cruelly keepes from many thousand Soules that blessed Light of Gods Word which should lead them to eternall life They indeed pretend other Reasons But the truth is if the Word of Truth should be permitted and published to all there would be old running out of Babylon all their Pompe and Policie would downe their shamefull Iuglings and Cousenages their strong Delusions and Impostures would be laid open in the sight of the Sunne The Princes of the Earth that have so long beene drunken with the wrath of her empoysoned Wine would no longer commit Fornication with her The Merchants would buy no more her Wares but would stand afarre off from her for feare of her torment weeping and wailing No marvell then though the Papists labour might and maine and to this end maintaine a bloudie Inquisition to suppresse this Light of Gods Word lest it should discover their darknesse and hasten their destruction A second Vse is for terror feare and amazement to all them that doe not live and delight in the Light of Gods holy Word but yet are walking in the darkenesse of ignorance and in the shadow of death The whole World and every man in particular lyes in darkenesse that is in ignorance under sinne and so subject and lyable to damnation and eternall death There is no way to come out of this state of Darknesse Damnation and Death but by the Knowledge Light and Ministerie of the Word Hence it is that Act. 26. 18. it is Pauls charge and hee is sent to this purpose to open the eyes of men that they might turne from Darknesse to Light And Paul himselfe Eph. 5. 8. speakes thus unto the Ephesians Yee were once Darkenesse but now yee are Light in the Lord walke as Children of the Light Out of 1 Pet. 2. 9. it appeares that all Gods Children are called out of Darkenesse into marvellous Light Why then fearefull and most wretched is the state of all those who by the Light and knowledge of Gods Word are not translated and guided out of this Darkenesse For as in Darkenesse 1 There is much feare horror and discomfort a man cannot enjoy the lightsomenesse of Heaven the comfort of the creatures the companie of men Even so ignorant men not enlightened with saving knowledge are utterly without all hope of Heaven they have no sight or taste of the endlesse joyes thereof they have no companie or conference in heavenly matters with true Christians they have no comfort or interest in the Covenant of Grace or Promises of Salvation But Feare Horror and Despaire are most justly treasured up for them against the Day of Wrath and of the declaration of the just Iudgement of God 2 He that walketh in the Darkenesse saith Iohn knoweth not whither he goeth He cannot discerne his way he seeth not what is behind or before him he cannot descry or discover the dangers which are round about him But especially if the wayes through which he passeth be slipperie steepe and rockie full of pits and holes he is in danger at every step by some grievous fall to crush his body bruise his bones or breake his necke It is just so with every one that lives in ignorance of Gods Word and Truth he cannot possibly discerne the way to Heaven amongst the many by-paths of iniquitie he cannot judge in spirituall matters betwixt right and wrong good and evill Light and Darkenesse Christ and Belial prophanenesse and sinceritie though there be behind him a Life spent in much wickednesse lewdnesse and ignorance before him Despaire Hell and eternall Damnation about him the World with a thousand baites and pleasures to intice and intangle him in sinne Sathan like a roaring Lyon readie every houre to seize upon his
Soule and to teare it in pieces while there is none to helpe all the creatures armed and in a readinesse with whole Armies of Plagues and Vengeance to be revenged upon him for dishonouring God by ignorance in his Word Yet hee sees none of all this Hee neither knowes feeles or suspects these many dangers with which he is incompassed but goes on plodding with ungrounded confidence and wicked securitie in the way of wickednesse and destruction hee passeth with much desperate boldnesse through many dangerous and fearefull wayes wherein at every step he wounds his Conscience with one sinne or other in the meane time and at length falls headlong and suddenly body and soule into the Pit of Hell This is certainely the miserable and wofull state of all those that live in spirituall Darkenesse and are ignorant in Gods Word and the wayes of godlinesse It may be they may flatter please and perswade themselves that their case is good enough that when they heare of Heaven and those everlasting pleasures at Gods right hand they thinke notwithstanding that they shall come thither at length though they know never a foot of the way take no direction by the Light of Gods Word nor set one step by new obedience towards that place of blessednesse But indeed and truth they doe very fearefully deceive and over-shoot themselves And their case is just as if a man should fall asleepe upon the edge of some high and steepe Rocke and there dreame that he is made a King attended with a glorious Traine of Nobilitie furnished with sumptuous Pallaces and stately Buildings enriched with the Revenues Soveraignetie and Pleasures of a whole Kingdome But upon the sudden starting up and leaping for joy falls irrecoverably into the mercilesse and devouring Sea and so loseth that little comfort which he had in this miserable life Many wretched men lye and â—leepe and snort in ignorance and spirituall blindnesse thinking that skill in the Booke of God and points of Religion belongs onely to those that are Booke-learned entertaining much vaine hope of salvation without all truth or ground But when upon their Death-bed their Consciences are awakened by the finger of Gods justice out of the slumber of sinne they then too late find and see that all was but a Dreame for they suddenly fall and sinke into despaire horror and endlesse desolation The state then of ignorant men though perhaps they little thinke upon it or take it to heart is most fearefull in this life and will be most horrible hereafter In this World because they are unacquainted and untaught in Gods Truth points of Religion and way to Heaven they neither know their owne miserie the great mysterie of godlinesse or meanes to salvation and therefore live as aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel strangers from the Covenant of Promise without hope and without God in the World Which is a miserie of all miseries They are condemned alreadie For as it is Iohn 3. 18. He that beleeveth not in him is alreadie condemned And Saint Paul saith Rom. 10. 14. How shall they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard and how shall they heare without a Preacher So that without knowledge in Gods Word there can be no faith and without faith there is no salvation You may further see a notorious Linke of many wretched mischiefes which arise from ignorance Eph. 4. 17 18 19. Vanitie of mind and darkenesse of understanding are naturally in all men for wee are all starke blinde and utterly dead in respect of matters of Heaven and spirituall affaires From thence comes grosse Ignorance of God and all godlinesse and this Ignorance if it be not removed and dispelled by the Light of Gods Word is the root and cause of strangenesse from the Life of God Hardnesse of Heart Searednesse of Conscience and want of Feeling an itching wantonnesse and eagernesse to sinne a committing of any sinne without remorse occasion being offered an unsatisfiednesse and greedinesse in the pursuit of sinfull pleasures and in fulfilling the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and pride of life These are the bitter and poysoned fruits of Ignorance and want of knowledge in the Word of God and way to Heaven And what is to be expected hereafter appeares 2 Thess 1. 7 8 9. The Lord Iesus will shew himselfe from Heaven with his mightie Angels in flaming fire rendring vengeance unto them that doe not know God and which obey not the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power Seeing then the comming of the Lord will be so terrible and fearefull to the ignorant so that they shall desire the Mountaines to fall upon them that they might hide themselves from the fierce wrath of the Lord and not behold his fearefull countenance and that they shall wish full many times they had never beene borne how ought every man which lives without the Light and knowledge of Gods holy Word feare and tremble And yet God knoweth hee cannot conceive the thousand part of those horrible torments which the ignorant and wicked persons endure for ever For as the heart of man cannot comprehend those blessed and glorious joyes which God hath prepared for those that love him so the woe torments and endlesse vexations which shall be poured with wrath and vengeance upon the head of the wicked infinitely passe the understanding of man None can conceive how horrible they are but onely he that feeles them It very deepely then concernes you Beloved in Christ Iesus as you tender the everlasting good and happinesse of your owne soules to labour by all meanes to be instructed and inlightened by the holy Word of God which is holden out unto you as a Lampe and Torch to leade you through this Vale of Teares and World of Darkenesse to the blessed fruition of the most glorious and everlasting Kingdome of Heaven Otherwise if you will needes continue in ignorance still marke what is your wofull state and condition howsoever you may seeme to shine outwardly to the eye of the World or in your owne conceits in pleasures in plentie in civill honestie in outward mirth and other worldly contentments yet in deed and truth your life is a life of darkenesse The god of this World the Prince of Darkenesse hath blinded the eyes of your mindes that your Vnderstandings are not onely darkened but you are Darkenesse it selfe Eph. 5. 8. Your workes are the workes of Darkenesse your way is the way of Darkenesse you are fettered and enchained in the power of Darkenesse Coloss 1. 13. In the darkenesse of crosses and afflictions of this life you shall be without any glimpse of true comfort and refreshing from the Lord upon your Death-beds you shall meete with nothing but darkenesse of despaire and horror in the Grave Sathan will guard you with the
comfort and confirme him in a godly course To prevent his falls and relapses because by it hee is furnished with Christian armour against temptations he is resolved in all doubts and cases of Conscience he is admonished of all crooked wayes occasions and down-falls to iniquity To reclaime him from back-slidings to rayse and recover him out of falls and to restore him to his first love by discovering unto him the foulenesse and danger of sinne the power of his owne infirmities the bitter root of Originall sinne the pestilent and impoysoned fruits thereof and by dayly urging the blessings of true repentance and the practice of a good Conscience Most absolutely to guide and conduct him in the way of righteousnesse and whole course of Christianitie to furnish him with zeale and uprightnesse in all holy duties and services of God with faithfulnesse and conscience in the discharge and executions of his calling with holy meditations when he is alone with harmlesse behavior and Light of good example in company and amongst others with wisdome and care ever intirely to sanctifie the Sabbath and to teach and pray with his family Marke now I beseech you sith the Ministery of the Word is ever graced with so glorious presence and such incomparable blessings as I have now reckoned up unto you he that turnes his back upon a Sermon for the injoying of profit pleasures pastime companie feasting or any other worldly and by-respect he wilfully forsakes the salvation of his owne soule he casts behind him all these happy blessings and comforts tendered unto him by the Ministery of the Word he throws himselfe desperately out of the presence of God Almighty Christ Iesus the Holy Spirit his blessed Angels the congregation of Saints into the power and clutches of Satan into the company of wicked and prophane men upon the just indignation and revenge of all the creatures upon the wrath and curse of God and the shipwracke of a good conscience Take heed then I beseech you how you bee drawne by any worldly affaires from the hearing of the Word especially on the Sabbath day lest thereby you make it plaine that you preferre your owne particular before the glory of God earthly gaine before a Crowne of immortality a little vanishing pleasure before the endlesse joyes of heaven and that yee yet lie and delight in one sweet sinne or other which keepes all saving grace out of your soules A sixth let and hinderance from hearing the Word of God are certaine prophane and unwarrantable perswasions and conceits which are entertained and harboured in the hearts of ignorant and wilfull people Some of them thinke with themselves that there is no such great need of following Sermons and frequenting holy assemblies especially if at the same time they be not ungodly bufied and exercised at home and therefore they aske What can we not save our soules and come to heaven unlesse we trudge and trot so often to Church Have we not the Bible and other good bookes at home to reade upon Can we not pray and praise God at home They might as well aske Can wee not have a harvest unlesse we have a seed time and raine yea both the former and the latter raine Or can we not live except we have meat Certainly no. No more can any man be truly sanctified and saved nor live either the life of grace here or expect the life of glory hereafter unlesse he follow the ordinary meanes appointed and sanctified by God for his salvation Except he submit himselfe to that policy and order which God with great wisdome hath established in his Church Would a man be taken for a good subject who should peevishly oppose himselfe against a law agreed upon and commanded by the King and State for the great good of the Common-wealth God himselfe hath appointed a publike Ministery in the Church Pastors and teachers for the gathering of the Saints and all that belong to life and is it fit that any private exercise should crosse Gods publike ordinances No It is both inconvenient and wicked and Gods blessing is never to be looked for upon any action and exercise though never so good in it selfe if his will be not obeyed I but some will say It is good indeed sometimes now and then to heare a Sermon but what needs so much preaching and Sermon upon Sermon Would they have us Saints and Angels upon earth Wretched is that man which is weary of the Word of life And hee hath no true taste of holy things which loaths this spirituall Manna though never so often reigned from heaven There is no saving and true knowledge of God in that man who desires not to grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Iesus Christ Would we not thinke him mad and distracted that should thus reason against his owne life I hope I have eaten meat enough heretofore and furnished my selfe with sufficient strength so that I now need no more and therefore I will neither eat nor drink more while I live Even just so doth he reason and plead against the life of his soule who complaines of too much preaching and too many Sermons David that blessed King and holy Prophet who was advanced both in knowledge and holinesse above the ordinary reach and perfection of men and lived as an Angell upon earth yet he acknowledgeth himselfe greatly to stand in need of stirring up by meanes ordained of God for that end As we may gather out of Psal 84. and in many other places In that Psalme he makes a most grievous and mournfull complaint that he is debarred and banished from all accesse unto the publike worship and service of God holding himselfe in this respect more miserable than some of the bruit creatures which had liberty to build their nests and lay their young neare the Altars of the Lord which benefit he could not now enjoy Now if this man of God so longed and laboured after the meanes of grace and comfort what ought those to doe who are of little or no faith who are but Novices and petties in the Schoole of Christ who are but babes in Christianity or utterly without grace I but our fore-fathers will others say were never troubled with so many Sermons and yet we hope they are well and in Heaven Our fore-fathers wanted the meanes and that full glorious Noone-tide of the Gospell of Iesus Christ which we by the grace and mercy of God enjoy And therefore whosoever of them perished without them shall certainly be beaten with fewer stripes than those that shut their eyes against the faire and blessed Sun-shine of Gods holy truth which is shed round about us and if it be hid it is hid onely to those that perish in whom the God of this world hath blinded the eyes of their minde Besides if it so pleased the Lord in his just
and secret judgement to suffer some of our fore-fathers to live and die under the tyranny and darknesse of Antichrist how much are we bound to blesse God that we are borne and brought up in the light of the Gospell and what heavie plagues and great damnation doe wee bring upon our selves if wee neglect or despise so great salvation I but yet further will some say wee have lived some of us fortie some thirtie some twenty yeares without so much preaching and yet have holden good credit and reputation in the world and prospered in our wayes would you now have us so forward in running to Sermons Strange it is to see how wise the simplest are in matters of the world about their temporall state but how simple and blinde the wisest worldlings are in the affaires of Heaven and about their greatest spirituall and eternall good Let us suppose a man to have lived long in a poore Cottage and now at length to have some great and rich Lordship befallen him doe you thinke hee would reason thus Why I have lived some thirtie or fortie yeerâ—â— now alreadie in this low estate with good conteâ—â—â—ent and credit amongst my neighbours and therefore here I will rest the rest of my dayes I am too old now to change my former estate Would such a foole as this be found in a whole Countrey And yet many Countries are full of such fooles in respect of spirituall advancement and the salvation of their soules Me thinkes those that have long lived in ignorance and blindnesse should rather conclude thus Have I thus long and so fearefully lived without God in the World without knowledge of his Truth faith in Christ and Conscience of my wayes Oh then it is more than high time now at length to awake out of sleepe and to open mine eyes and to imbrace this glorious Sun-shine of the Gospel which the Lord of his great mercy hath brought unto me that so I may be enlightened to eternall life As for prospering in the World that is no marke of a good soule nay it is commonly the Let of the wicked not to be plagued like other men but to bring their enterprises to passe Psalme 73. Nay yet further There is no greater Curse can befall any man than to prosper in the World and be out of the way to Heaven I but will others say to the attaining of eternall life what needs so much adoe so much preaching catechising expounding conferring meditating teaching and praying with our families which are so much and so often urged upon us When all comes to all this is the summe and end of all To feare God and keepe his Commâ—â—dements That we love God above all and our neighâ—â—â— as our selves And we hope we can doe this without all this adoe To feare God and keepe his Commandements which is the whole dutie of man as the Preacher speakes in his last chapter and to love God above all and our neighbors as our selves upon which hangeth the whole Law and the Prophets as Christ tells us Math. 22. are indeed soone spoken but not so easily truly learned and most hardly sincerely practised Is it enough thinke you to make a man a good Carpenter or Mason to say That that is soone learned and I know as much as the best workman can teach or tell me To build an House is nothing but to lay the foundation to reare the walls and cover it with a Roose Is it enough to make a good Husbandman to say I know as much as the best Husbandman can teach me for Husbandry is nothing else but to sowe and reape Is it enough to make a good Preacher to say It is no such great matter to make a Sermon I know as much in that point as the best Scholler amongst them can tell me To preach is nothing else but to expound the Text gather Doctrines and make use and application to the hearts consciences of the hearers But it would be long before these idle and emptie vaunts would build Houses fill Barnes or save Soules There is farre more required to these businesses than so There is to be undergone much toile and labour much care trouble expence and exercise before any of these workes can be rightly accomplished It is even so in the great worke of salvation and the attainment of Heaven The state of grace and trade of Christianitie is not so easily purchased practised There goes more to saving of a soule than bold ignorant brags than to say If that be all I hope I can quickly and easily learne to love God above all my neighbor as my selfe For before these there goes many things as knowledge of Gods will and Word a thorow view of our owne misery corruptions in the glasse of the Law strange agonies and sore pangs in the new-birth and sorrow for sinne refreshings and coolings by the mercies of God and merits of Christ faith repentance sanctification a blessed holy change in the whole man both body soule and spirit And then follows new obedience which consists in the uprightnesse and sinceritie of our owne hearts a conscionable and charitable carriage towards our neighbors and a zealous constancy in all religious duties and right service of God which must be universall in respect of the object that is we must walk in all his Commandements totall in respect of the subject that is we must serve him in all the powers of our soule and parts of our body in our thoughts words and actions In all which things and holy courses if a man be not particularly instructed experienced practised his love of God and his neighbour is but in word and tongue not in deed and truth A man if he be disposed may quickly perceive and discerne the truth or hollownesse of his heart in this point God hath straitly commanded an entire sanctification and keeping holy of the Sabbath Let a man then consider if he suffer himselfe to be drawne away from holy Exercise on that day by pleasures profit pastime companie ease idlenesse or other worldly occasions why then he preferres meere vanities and the desires of his owne heart before the glory and honour of God and so doth not love God above all The true love of a mans selfe doth chiefly principally consist in furnishing himselfe with saving knowledge sinceritie of heart godlinesse of life a good Conscience and spirituall comfort against hee come to Iudgement Now if hee love his neighbour as himselfe he is not still talking with him of worldly matters but especially labours with him for his conversion entertainment of grace and encrease in godlinesse If these be not his cares both for himselfe and his neighbour he truly loves neither Thus may a man examine himselfe through all the Commandements in particular and see whether it be so easie to love his neighbour as himselfe and God
may be they may heare attend and understand what is delivered but it breedes no more reverence impression or spirituall reformation than an ordinarie Tale or humane discourse As though that holy toyle and sacred breath were spent onely to entertaine the Time and busie mens eares for an Houre and not as Christ tells Paul To open their eyes that they might turne from Darkenesse unto Light and from the power of Sathan unto God 4 Vpon some the Iudgement and Curse of comming without Conscience and due preparation doth so farre prevaile and hath such power that they become scorners and raylers against the Minister or his Doctrine or both at every Sermon they catch something that they may cavill at deprave and calumniate And so wickedly and wretchedly oppose their discourse wit and spirit of contradiction against the face of Heaven and heart of Divine Truth They wrangle and repine in deed and truth whatsoever their pretences or protestations may be to the contrarie against that Great Majestie whose Message it is against that Holy Spirit which should sanctifie them and the Word of Grace which should save them 5 Others there be even of good hearts and affections Professors and in some good measure practisers of the power of godlinesse yet because they are carelesse and neglective of this needfull Christian dutie of preparation are possessed with much deadnesse of heart and dullnesse of spirit at those holy Exercises Their zeale and fervencie which should be quickened and inflamed at every Sermon is dulled and benummed with senselesnesse and satietie They doe not so tremble or are cast downe with Divine Comminations and denouncements of Gods Iudgements against sinne or so refreshed with the gracious promises of Life and Salvation as they ought to be They doe not enjoy and reape the thousandth part of that delight comfort and benefit as they well might by the Ministerie of the Word because their hearts are not purged and prepared They doe not with that chearefulnesse receive with that sweetnesse taste and rellish with that life and vigour disgest the Food of Life The eye of their minde for want of premeditation doth not so clearely see and discerne the infinite beautie of that sacred Majestie represented unto them or that glorious grace shining unto them in the face of CHRIST IESVS Their hand of Faith doth not with that feeling and fastnesse lay hold upon and claspe about the rich Treasures revealed in the Gospell In a word they bereave themselves of much good blessing comfort and growth in grace which they might and ought to have by hearing of the Word for want of due preparing and disposing the heart thereto This dutie of Preparation then though that it be not much thought upon or ordinarily practised yet it is of great necessitie and speciall use for all those which looke for benefit or blessing by the preaching of the Word There is no great Affaire or of weight and consequence eyther in Nature or Art in necessarie businesses and civill Negotiations or in matters of Complement Ceremonie and Enterview but there is required some bethinking preparation and prae-dispositions for the more happie and successefull accomplishment execution and performance how much more in the affaires of God matters of Heaven businesses of eternitie and salvation of mens soules The Ground must be manured and prepared for the Seed if wee looke it should fructifie and prosper how much more should our dull and dead hearts bee stirred up and furrowed as it were with humiliation reverence and repentance that by the grace of God and the sanctifying power of the Spirit it may lodge and take deepe root in them and spring up to eternall life The Body must be fitted with a Preparative and the humours as it were gathered unto a head if wee desire the Physicke should worke forcibly and kindly and rid us of their noxiousnesse and superfluitie how much more ought our Soules with an impartiall and narrow inquisition to be searched and layd open before they receive the Water of Life and spirituall Manna that so they may more seasonably and soundly be washed and purged from corruptions and imperfections preserved in spirituall health and prepared for eternall life The Ground must be layd and some imperfect Draughts Shadowes and resemblances premised before a Picture can be done to the Life or a full proportion and lively representation pourtrayed or presented to the eye how much more ought the ground of our hearts to be fitted and prepared that by the preaching of the Word the Image of Christ Iesus may with a lively and fresh impression be stamped upon them Were a man the next day to goe about a businesse that mainely concerned eyther his life or livelyhood the state of his Lands or danger of his life Would not his minde be troubled before-hand Would it not breake his sleepe the night before Would he not be musing and plotting by what meanes he might worke out his deliverance and safetie what behaviour and carriage might be fittest to winne favour and grace in so weightie an affaire How much more ought wee before wee intrude into the House of God where matters of our greatest and highest interest are proposed handled and debated by the Minister of the Word even life eternall and everlasting estate in another World I say how ought wee to thinke with our selves how wee may make our soules fittest to understand and accept the Covenant of Grace to receive the Seale of the Spirit and to get assurance of that glorious and royall Inheritance in the Heavens Nay yet further even in matters of complement and enterview there is wont to be preparation especially if the presence and persons were the greater Ioseph when he was sent for to goe before King Pharoah hee shaved his head and changed his rayment because hee was to appeare before so high and royall a presence Queene Hester durst not presse into the presence of King Ahashuerosh before shee had prepared her selfe How much more ought wee to fit and prepare our selves base and miserable wretches Wormes and no men as wee are with feare and trembling when wee come into the House and presence of the mightie Lord of Heaven and Earth before whom the Seraphins hide their faces the Nations are as a drop of a Bucket and the inhabitants of the Earth as Grasse-hoppers especially sith there hee offers and tenders unto us enlargement from the slaverie of sinne purgation from our pollutions and a Crowne of life upon that condition that wee repent forsake all our sinnes and resigne up our selves in sincere and humble obedience unto all his Commandements Inducements we have and Motives many both from Precept and Practice in the Booke of God for the performance of this Christian dutie of Preparation Take heed to thy foot sayth the Preacher when thou enterest into the House of God and be more neere to heare than to give the sacrifice of fooles for
heard that is more than remembring There is a great deale of difference betwixt the possessing of goods and the using and imploying of them for our benefit betwixt the laying up of garments in our Wardrobes and the wearing of them upon our backes to keepe us warme this latter is done by meditation Prov. 6. 22 23. My sonne binde the Commandements continually upon thy heart and tie them about thy necke It is a phrase of speech borrowed from garments that are bound about the body for meditation bindes the Word close to the heart It is said of Mary Luke 2. 19. that shee pondered the words of the Angel in her heart and David was frequent in this dutie Psal 119. 15. I will meditate in thy Precepts saith he And it was Pauls advice to Timothy 1 Tim. 4. 15. Meditate upon these things give thy selfe wholly to them that thy profiting may appeare to all First this is the way to make men profit by the Word of God and that so evidently that all may take notice of it this is one great benefit of the Word meditated upon Iosh 1. 8. Thou shalt meditate in the Booke of the Law day and night To what end That thou mayest observe to doe according to all that is written therein Secondly this course will argue unfained love unto the Word Psal 119. 97. Oh how I love thy Law it is my meditation all the day Thirdly this will greatly encrease our comfort in the Word and cause us to feele much more sweetnesse in it even as the chewing of our meat makes us to taste much more sweetnesse in it Psal 119. 15 16. he saith I will meditate on thy Precepts and have respect unto thy wayes I will delight my selfe in thy Statutes Meditation ever brings with it delight Fourthly this will greatly encrease our knowledge Psal 119. 99. I have more understanding than my teachers Why because thy testimonies are my meditation Now if this be required after hearing how is it possible that they should profit by the Word that never scarcely thinke of it afterwards It is noted of the Disciples that though they had seene Christs mightie power in the miracle of the Loaves yet because they considered not the miracle their hearts were hardened i. because they did not meditate upon it they were never the better for it And thus it usually speedes with those that are carelesse in the performing of this dutie 3 Wee must conferre of that wee have heard and repeat it amongst our selves and examine the Scriptures about the truth of that that is delivered I joyne them all together for so they may well be in the practice of them For conference David saith Psal 119. 172. My tongue shall speake of thy Word for all thy Commandements are righteousnesse This was ordinarily practised by the Disciples of our Saviour Christ when he had taught how hardly rich men shall be saved Mark 10. 26. They were astonished out of measure and said amongst themselves Who then can be saved So they conferred about another Sermon of our Saviour Ioh. 16. 17 18. Now repetition of Sermons is especially required of them that have families to repeat the Word unto them Deut. 11. 18 19. You shall lay up these my words in your hearts and you shall teach them your children speaking of them when thou sittest in thy house yea it is said to be the chiefest thing that the Lord had respect unto in giving us his Word and the knowledge thereof that we might instruct our families in it Deut. 4. 10. Gather ye my people together and I will make them heare my words that they may learne to feare me and may teach their children And this if it were practised carefully would both make children and servants more carefull to heare and to attend unto the publike Ministery and better our memories that wee may be much better able to retaine that which we heare and it will also worke an inward feeling in us and our children of that which we have heard Therefore Deut. 6. 6 7. it is called the whetting of them upon our children repetition doth set an edge upon their dulnesse Yea further for the searching and examining of the Scriptures we are commanded 1 Thess 5. 21. to try all things and to hold fast that which is good And the example of those noble Beraeans is commended unto us Act. 17. 11 12. that searched the Scriptures dayly concerning those things that were delivered by Paul Therefore many of them beleeved Therefore it is a grievous neglect that people in these dayes are guilty of that neither conferre concerning the Word they are ashamed of it and which is a fearefull reproach unto them the Word of God is a reproach unto them Ier. 6. 10. nor yet repeat Sermons in their families they are like Martha Luke 10. 41. troubled about so many worldly occasions nor yet examine and search the Scriptures And therefore are easily carried about with every winde of Doctrine and never established and setled in the Truth 4 Wee are to put in practise whatsoever wee heare till that our hearts and lives are quite changed by it Iam. 1. 22. Be ye doers of the word and not hearers onely deceiving your owne soules i. they cozen themselves by false reasonings and arguments or by sophisticall Syllogismes reasoning after this or the like manner He that heares the Word is a good Christian. But I heare the Word c. Or thus He that heares not shall be damned But I heare the Word Therefore I shall be saved But how doth this follow For though the neglect or contempt of the Word is sufficient to condemne a man yet the hearing of the Word is not sufficient to save a man Well obedience is the end of hearing Deut. 5. 1. Heare O Israel the Statutes which I speake in your eares this day that ye may learne them and keepe them and doe them The like ye finde Iam. 1. 25. Yea obedience to the Word must be speedie without any delayes or procrastinations as it is said of the Colossians Col. 1. 6. that the Gospel brought forth fruit in them from the very day they heard it and knew the grace of God in truth And the Prophet David resolved Psal 119. 60. I made hast and prolonged not the time to keepe thy Commandements And this is a singular frame of heart because the putting of the Word in practise immediately is a great advantage to the hearer seeing then the affections of the heart are quicke and lively which with delayes dye and decay very suddenly Now alas for the wonderfull paucitie of such obedient hearers for very few doe practise any thing they heare leave any sinne or doe any dutie and therefore they must needs prove like the House built on the Sand when the time of tryall shall come they must needs fall Math. 7. 27. Againe there are many that in hearing have good motions and purposes but they are like
surely be avenged of them for this sinne as we may see in the denunciation following Fifthly Ier. 7. 4 8 9 10 11. Trust not in lying words saying The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord c. They rested upon the outward formes of Gods worship without reformation It is just our case Many amongst us satisfie themselves and thinke it will serve the turne for salvation if they rest upon the Sabbath heare the Word receive the Sacrament and conforme to the outward exercises of Religion though they abide in their sinnes and have no acquaintance at all with the power of the Word the Mysterie of Christ conversion to God or holy conversation Sixtly Isa 6. 9 10. Goe tell this people Heare yee indeed but understand not see yee indeed but perceive not make the heart of this people fat and make their eares heavie and shut their eyes lest c. Oh this is heavie that a Minister should be sent to a further hardening of a people And yet it is just with God and they shall feele it on their Bed of Death The Theefe on the Crosse was converted with a piece of a Sermon they are not wrought upon after many yeeres therefore it is just with God as an act of judgement because they would not come in after so long a time to give them over to such judiciall hardnesse Consider these things and tremble all yee that have any wayes strucke at the face of Christ by contempt of his Ministerie For the humbling of your soules into the dust for this horrible sinne peruse in bleeding hearts in secret that blacke and bloudie Catalogue of fearefull provocations which are ordinarily to be found in and certainely set upon the Score of such as hate to be reformed under a conscionable Ministerie Which made Christ say Ioh. 15. 22. If I had not come and spoken unto them c. 1 Despising it shutting their eyes against that glorious Light erected in their faces to leade them to Heaven See Math. 10. 14. Whosoever shall not receive you nor heare your words when yee depart out of that house or Citie shake off the dust of your feet Here is a notable place to affright all those that are unworthie partakers of the Ministerie For the understanding whereof take notice of these five points 1 It is as if they should say Here I have gone a long journey and have contracted dust and sand by my travell and taken a great deale of paines and loe here I shake off this dust in witnesse that you had Christ offered you and you would not accept him 2 To intimate unto them I care not for any of you or yours but onely I seeke the good of your soules I respect not so much as the dust I prize more the conversion of any of your soules than all yours and this dust shall witnesse it 3 They shooke off the dust as a witnesse I will have nothing to doe with this Citie for I know the Plagues and Iudgements of God will seize on this place as it was with Sodome and Gomorrah I will have no communion and societie with these wicked people 4 They did shake off the dust to intimate that destruction should come upon them For it is said Psalme 1. That they should be driven away as the dust As that is shaken with the winde so shall they be with the wrath of God 5 In testimonie and witnesse against them This very dust shall be witnesse against them Doe you thinke then that their Sermons and Catechising shall not If the dust that they gathered by their paines will be witnesse what will all their Sermons and praying and such paines be Now this sinne of despising the Word is a sinne above that of Sodome Vers 15. Verily it shall be more easie for Sodome and Gomorrah in the Day of Iudgement than for that Citie 2 Murmuring against it Iob. 6. 41. Luk. 15. 2. 3 Cavilling against it Act. 13. 45. 4 Contemning it Ier. 44. 16. Act. 17. 18. What will this Babbler say They accounted Pauls precious preaching vaine babbling 5 Mocking and scorning it 2 Chron. 36. 16. Act. 2. 13. 6 Persecuting it Math. 10. 23. And so they become like mad Dogges throwne into a River or tyed up in a Chaine which doe snarle at bite and teare those that put out their hands to helpe and set them free fearing they come to torture and to trouble them more Iust so it is with many prophane wretches which lye drowned in sinne and chained in Sathans fetters If a man put out his hand by the Ministerie of the Word to save them from sinking into Damnation and to free them from the Snares of everlasting death they rage and rayle they barke and bite like mad Dogges holding themselves to be disquieted disgraced and tormented before their time Thus you have seene the sixe Curses and the sixe Sinnes that the not profiting by the Word doth bring upon a people 2 Now in the second place let me tender to your most serious thoughts some quickening Motives for the stirring of you up to profit by the Word 1 Some taken from the Word it selfe the Ministerie whereof you have slighted What then is the blessed thing you have so wickedly abused It is 1 The Word of Salvation Act. 13. 26. No other Word or created Power can save your soules from Hell 2 The Word of Truth Eph. 1. 13. There is error in all other Truths whether Naturall or Morall or Politicall and goe to any Art there is weakenesse and infirmitie in the braine of man that there can be no certaintie but here is all Truth and here is infallibilitie you need not doubt of any 3 It is called the Word of Life Phil. 2. 16. All other Learning whatsoever when it hath furnished you with ornaments and parts it leaves your soules starke dead in sinnes and trespasses But this is a Word of Life it inspires spirituall Life and brings eternall Life 4 It is called a Word of Reconciliation 2 Cor. 5. 19. Let the Sea runne nothing but Gold and let Heaven and Earth be turned into Gold and Silver and offered unto God it could not reconcile us If all the creatures would lose their being be annihilated and come to nothing yet this could not save Iudas or any one reprobate but the Word hath beene a blessed instrument for reconciling many soules to God 5 It is as it were an Epistle or Letter as one of the Fathers calls it written from God Almightie unto us miserable men wherein hee writes his Will and Word and sends it to us the Ministers are the readers of it and they bring the newes from Heaven And what is the matter of it Concerning eternall life or eternall death concerning the good of your soules Now if you had a private Letter come from the King concerning your advancement or your deliverance and forgivenesse for some dangerous Treason or both how
would you take this Letter and how often would you reade it with what willingnesse of affection Now here is an Epistle sent from Heaven to advise you that you are all Traitors and Rebels against Heaven and yet here in this Letter God offers the bloud of his Sonne and you may be reconciled and will you neglect it This is the matter of this Epistle it brings matter of deliverance from the greatest Curse that can befall the creature and the greatest advancement 6 It is the bottomelesse Treasurie of all high sweet and excellentest things The Mysterie of the Trinitie the Majestie of God the Love of God and of Christ this sufferings the Spirits workings the happinesse of the Saints and the glory of Heaven c. 7 It must be our Iudge at the last day Ioh. 12. 48. Every honest Sermon is but the Word of God unfolded and a bunch of Arrowes wrapped up and unfolded are all one 8 It onely can cure a wounded Conscience the greatest calamitie that ever the heart of man was acquainted with and that which no Arme of flesh or created Power no man or Angel can ease at all 9 In it onely are to be had Deeds and Evidences to shew for eternall Life and Acquittances for discharge from eternall Death 10 It hath saved all the soules that are in Heaven Rom. 10. 13. 11 It onely is the object of divine and infused Faith Humane testimonies and authorities beget onely humane Faith Therefore you must reverence this Word 2 Some Motives taken from the most fearefull and cursed estate of those who neglect and reject the Ministerie of the Word hating to be reformed by it Marke and take to heart thine unspeakable miserie whosoever thou art that despisest the Ministerie Take a taste of it in these passages 1 They are deprived by this meanes of the love and favour of God the onely fountaine of all comfort peace and glory which is infinitely the dearest and most unvaluable losse that can be imagined 2 Of their part and portion in the bloud of Christ one drop whereof is incomparably more worth than Heaven and Earth men and Angels or the creatures of a thousand Worlds 3 Of the fatherly protection care and providence of the blessed Trinitie the glorious guard of Angels the comfortable communion of the blessed Saints and all the sweet contentments that follow thence 4 Of the quiet joy and tranquilitie of a good Conscience a Iewell farre more worth than the whole World were it all turned into one unvaluable Pearle of unvaluable price and of all the heavenly illuminations cherishments and comforts wherewith the Holy-Ghost is wont to visit and refresh the hearts of holy men 5 Of the sweet peace and true contentment in this life and of all comfortable right and religious interest to any of the creatures For without a good Conscience there was never found joy in any mans heart or sanctified enjoyment of any thing in the World and never shall any man have a good Conscience that gives allowance to any Lust or lives delightfully in any sinne 6 Of a Crowne of Life the unspeakable joyes of Heaven that immeasurable and endlesse comfort that there shall be had with all the children of God Patriarkes Prophets Apostles Martyrs all our Christian acquaintance yea with the Lord himselfe and all Angels with Christ our Saviour and Lambe slaine for us the Prince of Glory yea the Glory of Heaven and Earth and brightnesse of the everlasting Light c. To these privative consequents adde a serious consideration upon those terrible flaming places Deut. 29. 19 20. Prov. 1. 23 24. Isa 6. 9 10. 1 Sam. 2. 25. Act. 13. 46. By continuing thy contempt and rejecting the Light of the Gospel thou mayest come thou knowest not how soone to sinne against the Holy-Ghost as the Pharises did Math. 12. 24 31. For sinne against the Holy-Ghost may be committed as well 1 By those who although they doe acknowledge and confesse the Truth which they doe blaspheme yet they have not yet professed it or given up their names to it as were those Scribes and Pharises and there are many such in these dayes who have not as yet given their name to the Truth which yet notwithstanding being well knowne and acknowledged they doe blaspheme 2 As those who have not only acknowledged in themselves the Truth that they blaspheme but have professed the same before others that are the favourers of Truth as Iulian Porphyrius Alexander the Copper-smith and many others of which you may see Heb. 6. 10. So many amongst us at this day 3 Some taken from the survey of those judgements which contempt of the Ministerie may bring upon the place where it is planted 1 It may remove the Candlesticke and be plagued with the utter losse of the Ministerie Consider Math. 8. 34. 10. 13. 21. 41. 2 They may have Prophets but such as are fooles they may have men of the Spirit but those that be mad Hos 9. 7. By a foole is meant not a naturall but spirituall foole Prov. 1. 8. Ier. 4. 22. Isa 5. 20. By mad is understood not a man out of his wit or distracted in minde but he that like a mad Dogge rageth and rayleth against the Truth of God and sinceritie of his Saints which is a great judgement 3 They may enjoy faithfull Teachers but to their further hardening as the Israelites did Isaiah Isa 6. 9 10. Which of all other judgements that God can inflict in this life is the most fearefull 4 By this meanes they may make sad the heart and affections of their Teachers that they cannot with that chearefulnesse as they desire performe the offices of their Ministerie Which as it discourageth the Teachers and will one day light heavie on the causers and procurers thereof so it is unprofitable for the hearers and deprives them of much good they might otherwise enjoy as appeares Heb. 13. 17. 4 Some from consideration of those confusions and desolations which it pulls with great violence even upon whole Kingdomes Looke upon such places as these 2 Chron. 36. 16 17 c. Ier. 25. 3. c. Cap. 35. 15. Rev. 6. 4. c. The glorious Light of those seven Candlestickes in Asia mentioned in the Revelations was long since for their unfruitfulnesse coldnesse and contempt of the Word turned into the darke Midnight of Heresie Apostasie and Mahometisme Rome that was anciently the glory of the Westerne Churches lyes now drowned in Superstition soaking in damnable Idolatry and plunged over head and eares in the Doctrine of Devils Many strong and noble Limbes of the reformed Churches in high Germanie have lyen for some yeeres in their teares of bloud groaning under the mercilesse tyrannie of the bloudie Antichristians and have wofully received the marke of the Beast againe Now assuredly it was the loathing the heavenly Manna which made the Lord to utter his Voice before the Armie of the enemies at Prague