powerfully never so terribly if it give him a reproofe and away so it doth not stand digging in his conscience and galling his heart day by day let the Minister enter a reproofe into his hearâ— againe so it be but once or twice he cares not Why he thinkes he can recover himselfe againe from it bâ—â— let the word of God come into him and galle his conscience continually that every Sabboth he is convicted for a condemned man if he live not otherwise every Sermâ—n the Minister findes him out in his 〈◊〉 and dearest sinnes he can never goe to Church but he hears the Minister reprooving him for some sâ—me or other telling him that he must to hell for them unlesse he repeâ—t and leade a new life thus when the word followes him every Sabboth that he hath no breathing time to recover his lust this makes him to hate the word Amos 7. The Prophet preaching the word of the Lord and denouncing the Judgements of God to the people for their sinnes Amaziah opposeth him ver â—2 and sayth unto Amos O thou Seen goe flye thee away into the Land of Judah and there eate bread and prophesie there but prophesie not againe any more at Bethell for it is the Kings Chappell and it is the Kings Court He could like it well enough that Amoâ— should prophesie once or twice but if he did prophesie any more he should spoile all their mirth he should gall all their consciences go saith he prophesie in Judah eate thy bread there Amos should prophesie where he would so it were not there he might eate his bread where he would so it were not there Lastly as it is an actuall affection of the heart whereby the heart riseth up against an union so in the last place it is against that that is dissonant and repugnant to his lust For as love is the consonancy of the affection to a thing that hath agreement therewith so hatred must needs be dissonancy of affection to a thing that is repugnant and contrary to it So a wicked man he hates the word because it disagrees and jarres with his lust Indeed a wicked man may love the word so long as it opposeth not against his lust Therefore a wicked man may love three kinds of preaching First Quaint preaching that savours more of humanity then of divinity As long as the Minister commeth with dainty phrases acute stories eloquent allusions and fine transitions they will like it well enough it jarres not with their lust and therefore you shall heare them when they come from Church commend him O he was a fine spokes-man a witty schollar what a learned and excellent Sermon did he make to day so farre as the word opposeth not his lust a man may love preaching The people they did love to heare Ezekiell preach they did love to heare his pleasant words The Babylonians they did love to heare Davids songs it was fine melody to them though they hated the sence so the Philistins they did love to heare Sampson speake they knew he was a witty man and could speake fine riddles to them but they hated his religion so the people they did love to heare Christ preach and would flocke after him they did wonder at his authority c. yet they hated his doctrine for they cried crucifie him crucifie him so if a Minister speake onely of witte learning and memory c. a wicked man will love it it opposeth not his lust Secondly they may love Impertinent preaching when though it be never so pertinent to some in the Church yet if it be not pertinent to him he loves that As the drunkard loves to heare the Minister preach against hypocrisie though never so sharply The prodigall person loves to heare the Minister preach against covetousnesse But if the word come to strike him under his fifth ribbe to discover his corruptions and the plagues of God due to him for his sins then he hates it Thirdly he may love preaching in tanto though not in â—oto he mav love so or so much preaching but not preaching altogether A wicked mans conscience tells him that he must have some religion that he must performe some service to God and therefore so long as the Minister onely calls for some preaching some hearing and some serving of God why his conscience calls for so much The vilest drunkard and blasphemer and swearer that is will be content to heare of calling upon the Lord Jesus at his death the vilest whoremaster and prophane person the earthly worldling c. will yeeld to some preaching and to some hearing and to some reading why otherwise their consciences would not be at quiet but would be as the divells band-dogge bawling and houting at him But if the Minister call for more religion then his lust will suffer for more religion then will subsist with his security deadnesse lukewarmenesse hypocrisie worldlinesse that he cannot yeeld to and retaine them then he thinkes there is too much of it then he hates it and cannot endure it Thus you see that wicked men hate the word of God I set it forth by three instances Rom. 1. 30. Haters of God They did not hate his being and essence his goodnes and mercy but they hated him as he was a Lawgiver The devills hate not God as he is God and hath a being but they hate him as he is a Lawgiver and as he is their Judge they cannot endure to be called by this God to be controuled and judged by him Thus was it with the Colossians before they were converted they were enemies to God Col. 1. 21. Our Saviour takes away the whole doubt and speakes it peremptorily and generally of all the world they hated me the whole world so long as they live in their sinnes hate Christ and hate his word First a wicked man hates the word because Reas 1 he hates the truth and the being of the word he is sorry that the word of God is true he would be glad that the Scripture might prove false that things may not be as the word of God saith they are he hates the being of the word A man loves the being of that which he loves and he hates the being of that which he hates and were it in his power he would destroy it Now though a wicked man cannot destory the Bible from being in it selfe yet he will destroy the Bible from being in his life For beloved the word of God should not onely be in the Bible but the Bible should be in a mans life A mans life should be a walking Bible but a wicked man destroyes the Bible from being in his life A civill man would be glad that Aristotles Ethicks were the Bible A worldly man would be glad that the Booke of Statutes were the Bible he is sorry that that is the Bible which indeed is the Bible The young man that came to Christ though he loved eternall life and said that he loved the
Answ It is spoken Hyperbolically to declare the great misery the creatures are into serve sinfull man p. 76. 2. Analogically in regard of a naturall instinct of blind reason that is in all the creatures ibid. 3. It is spoken by way of supposition if they had reason they would groane p. 77. 4. Intelligently because a man cannot wrong the creature but he wrongs God in the creature p. 78. 5. Specifically because the Godly come before God in the behalfe of all the creatures and mourne for the abuse of the creatures p. 79. Foure Reasons why the creatures groane 1. Because they are distracted in their service p. 80. 2. Because of the unprofitablenesse of their service p. 82. 3. Because of the uncessantnesse of their service p. 83. 4. Because of that misery and woe the creatures lye under p. 84. Every creature hath 1. A specificall end p. 85. 2. An ultimate end ibid. A wicked man hath no true right unto the creature p. 86. But he hath 1. A civill right ibid. 2. A providentiall right ibid. 3. A vindicative right p. 87. 4. A Creatures right as he is a creature ib. But he hath no filiall right no son-like right in Christ p. 89. Use To shew that wicked men have little cause to be merry at any time because there is nothing neare them but groaneth under them p. 90. All creatures groane to God for vengeance to be powred upon the wicked p. 92. And these groanes are 1. Upbraiding groanes p. 95. 2. Witnessing groanes p. 96. 3. Accusing groanes p. 100. 4. Judging and condemning groanes ibid. Use For exhortation 1. To take heed how we doe abuse the Creatures of God p. 101. 2. Take heed of sinning against God by the Creatures ibid. 3. Take heed of setting thy heart upon the Creature p. 102. 4. Use all the Creatures in humility and thankfulnesse p. 102. 5. Use the Creatures as so many Ladders to help thee to climb up towards Heaven p. 103. The Contents of that Sermon 1 JOHN 2. 6. THE opening of the words in foure particulars p. 108. Doct. A true Christian walks as Christ walked p. 109. A man must first be in Christ before he can walk as Christ walked p. 110. Object Can any man walk as Christ walked p. 111. Answ None can walk as Christ walked in regard of equality but in regard of similitude they may p. 111. The life of Christ should be the Example of our life p. 112. Christ came into the World to redeeme us for our justification and to be an example of life unto us for our sanctification p. 114. This Question answered viz. What it is to walke as Christ walked p. 116. Foure Reasons of the point 1. Because as Christ came into the World to justifie the ungodly so he came to conforme them to his image p. 117. 2. Because in vaine we are called Christians if we be not imitators of Christ and live as he lived p. 119. 3. Because all that are in Christ are Members of his body therefore they must have the same life and be quickned by the same Spirit p. 121. 4. Because of that neere relation that is betwixt Christ and every one of his Members p. 123. 1. Use To shew that all men that live not the life of Christ doe blaspheme the name of Christ p. 127. Of all sinnes under Heaven God cannot endure the sins of them that take the name of Christ upon them p. 198. Doct Every Minister is bound to preach home to men in particulars p. 132. 3. Reas 1. Particulars are most operative p. 133. 2. Particulars are most distinct and most powerfull p. 135. 3. Particulars are most sensible p. 137. Doct Every Minister is bound to preach so as to make a difference betwixt the pretious and the vile p. 138. Reas 1. Because otherwise a Minister prophanes the holy things of God p. 139. 2. Otherwise he cannot be the Minister of Christ p. 141. 3. Otherwise he is like to doe no good by his Ministery ibid. The Contents of that Sermon on JOHN 3. 20. THE Context opened in foure particulars 1. What mans naturall estate and condition is without Christ p. 145. 2. Gods gracious provision for mans salvation p. 146. 3. The condition required viz. Faith ibid. 4. The reprobation of the World if they doe not believe ibid. But Christ is neither the efficient nor deficient cause thereof ibid. But the cause of their damnation is from themselves proved 1 By their owne conscience p. 147. 2 By experience p. 148. 3. By Reason p. 149. In the words are two parts 1. The wickeds rejection of the word of grace ibid. 2. The cause of that rejection ib. viz. 1. First from the qualification of their persons 2. From the disposition of their nature ib. Doct A wicked man hates the word of Gods grace yea grace it selfe p. 150. This hatred is 1. An actuall hatred ibid. 2. It is a passion of the heart p. 151. 3. It causeth the heart to rise up against an union with the word p. 153. This union of the word is set in opposition 1. To generall preaching p. 154. 2. To mercifull preaching p. 155. 3. To now and then preaching p. 156. to p. 160. If the World doe not hate a righteous man it is either 1. Because he is a great man p. 160. 2. Because he is a man of admirable wit â—nd knowledge iâ—id 3. Or because God gives him favour in the eyes of the World ib. 4. This hatred causeth the heart to ris e against that which is repugnant to its lusts p. 162. A wicked man may love 3 kinds of preaching 1. Eloquent preaching that savours more of humanity then of Divinity ib. 2. Impertinent preaching p. 163. 3. Now and then some preaching to satisfie the cravings of his conscience p. 164. Reas 1. A wicked man hates the word because he hates all truth even the very being of the word p. 165. 2. Because he hates the very nature of the word p. 167. 3. Because he cannot endure the knowledge of the word p. 169. All naturall men hate the word 1. Because no entreaties no beseeches can possibly reconcile them p. 171. 2. Because neither mony nor price can make them friends p. 175. 3. Because all the love in the World cannot unite them together p. 176. 4. Because neither the love of God nor the bloud of Christ will soder them together p. 177. Every naturall man had rather be damned then leave his sinnes rather goe to Hell then be a new creature p. 178. The contents of that Sermon on ESAY 42. 24. THE words contain five things 1. The Author of the destruction p. 185. 2. The causes of it ibid. 3. The judgement it selfe p. 186. 4. The people on whom it was inflicted ibid. 5. The effects of it p. 187. 1. Doct. God is the Author of all judgement that befalls a Nation ibid. 1. Use For comfort to Gods children seeing God is the Orderer of all events p.
Land Jonah 1. 9. as if he should say I feare the Lord for now I see the Heavens are black against me and the clouds mourne at me and the Sea groaneth under me seeing I am fled from the presence of the Lord. Thirdly labour never to set your hearts on any creature for then you abuse it to worldlinesse and covetousnesse What greater injury can we offer to the creatures then by making them occasions of turning from God which were given us the more to oblige us to God If you be covetous and earthly the creature must needs groane under this wrong Covetousnesse is Idolatry saith Saint Paul Colos 3. 5. thou turnest the creature into an Idoll every creature is the workmanship of God but an Idoll is a thing dedicated of Divels Fourthly labour to use all the creatures in humility and thankfulnesse There is not a creature but it hath this Motto engraven upon it it is the gift of God In every thing then give thankes 1 Thes 5. 18. A thing and a creature are convertible termes if in every thing then for every creature must we give thankes why because every thing that God doth for us or doth bestow upon us it is a gift and a gift groanes under unthankfulnesse there is never a sicknesse that thou hast been delivered from but it groanes against thee if thou hast not had thine iniquity purged by it never a blessing but it will groane aganist thee if thou serve not God the better by it never an ordinance of life and grace but it groanes against thee if thou art not sanctified and made holy by it Fiftly use them all as so many Bookes and as so many Ladders or Rises to climbe up with the soule of God When thou seest how kindely and favourably the Sun shineth on thee think are Gods creatures so comfortable how comfortable is the light of Gods countenance When thou tastest the sweetnesse of any creature thinke then O what infinite sweetnesse is there in God himselfe still from the creatures winde up thy soule to the Creator use all the creatures as a rise to winde up thine heart to see and know to meditate and conceive of some thing of God Saint Anthony being found fault withall for want of Books answered My Bookes are Gods creatures and in them I may read as in the silent Oracles of God this is my Book and it hath three pages and as many Letters Heaven Water Earth they are the pages of this booke Starres Fishes Fowles and all the Terrestriall creatures they are the letters of this booke There are but three maine Books in the world to be read all other books are but Commentaries upon them The Book of the Creatures The Book of the Scriptures The Book of every Mans conscience Read but these three and meditate of them and thou shalt have understanding in the waies of God to know God in all thy wayes Beloved this is rightly to use the creatures and thus using them thou shalt prevent their groanings against thee to behold and see God present in them all It was the saying of an Ancient that that man is blinde deafe sencelesse brutish that knows not God Thou canst not see a creature but thou mayest see God thou canst not feele a creature but thou maiest feele God thou canst not smell not taste nor meddle with a creature but thou mayest smell and taste God in the creature thou canst not behold a creature but thou mayest behold God in the creature O saith one if I could see God as he appeared to the Fathers then I should obey him and feare him and trust in him and love him I answer God appeares now as he did then How did God appeare to Abraham Isaack c. and to all the holy Patriarches and Prophets Did God appear to them in his owne Essence and nature No it is impossible that any should see God and live When God appeared to them and shewed himself to them he did it in a creature And I pray you doth not God appeare thus amongst us now God having made man to behold by sence by sight hearing smelling tasting handling that all the knowledge he hath he must have it by these God makes as it were an apparition of himselfe he takes the likenesse as it were of the Sunne Moon and starres and therein appeares he takes the Cattle plants c. and therein appeares therein he shews something of himselfe thou never seest any creature but it is the appearance of God to thoe the whole world is an apparition of God to thee God appears in the heavens in the earth and in every creature If therefore when thou lookest on any of the creatures thou makest not an holy use of them beholding God in them using them as a rise to winde up thy heart and soule to God then thou abusest the creatures and makest them to groane against thee For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travelleth in paine till this present FINIS THE CHRISTIAN HIS IMITATION of CHRIST 1 JOHN 2. VER 6. He that saith he remaineth in him ought even so to walke as he hath walked THis our blessed Apostle in the beginning of this Chapter doth declare these foure things First a generall proposition for the sinnes of the world if any man sinne we have an Advocate vers 11. 12. Secondly nd actuall application of this to all true beleevers who may all know that Christ is theirs and that they are Christs ver 5. And hereby we know that we know him if we keepe his commandements We know and are acquainted with this principle that Jesus Christ is the propitiation for our sins if we keepe his commandements Thirdly here is the fantasticall presumption of many men that hope and thinke and say that they are in Christ when indeed they are not in Christ ver 4. He that saith I know him and keepeth not his commandements is a lyar and the truth is not in him Fourthly here is an universall direction to all men whereby to try and examine themselves whether they be in Christ yea or no. He that saith he abideth in him ought himselfe to walke as he walked These words branch themselves into a Thesis and an Hypothesis The Thesis is this He that abideth in Christ must walke as he hath walked The Hypothesis is this If any man be conceited of the subject that he abideth in Christ he must be assured of the predicate that he walke himselfe even as Christ walked If he say he is in Christ he must be sure to walke as Christ walked To walke as Christ walked there is a life of a Christian if he walke not as Christ walked it is a plaine demonstration that he is not in Christ He that saith he abideth in him ought himselfe also to walke as he walked He that sayth as if the Apostle had said if there be any that saith he abideth in Christ he must walke as Christ walked Hence observe That
ambitious and carnall thy passions are not christian Christ hath given a law to thy life that thy life may be holy therefore if thy life be not according to the Gospell of Christ thy life is not christian neither will Christ owne thee for his but will slay thee with curses as an enemy of his crosse and not as a follower of his death these mine enemies that will not that I should reigne over them saith Christ Luke 19. 27. Bring them hither and slay them before me Thou canst not looke for a Saviour to have mercy on thee if thou wilt not be ruled as a Disciple of Christ but thou shalt be damned in the presence of Christ Slay them before me saith Christ Christ Jesus which is the Saviour of the world will damme thee and see thee confounded before his face he himselfe will see thee in hell thou mayest cry for mercy and for the bloud of Christ yet if thou wilt not live as Christ lived but wilt rebell and sin against Christ Christ will see thee in hell and though he looke on thee yet he will destroy thee without mercy If ever thou beest in Christ thou must walke as Christ walked thou must be a Christian like to that good Martyr who to all demands answered that he was a Christian When they asked him what his name was he answered it was Christian his thoughts were Christian his words and actions Christian his countrey his hopes his aime all that ever he did they could get nothing out of him but all was Christian and so he gave testimony to the Lord Jesus So I tell thee thou must be a Christian all over a Christian in thy thoughts in thy words a Christian in thy calling and in all thy imployments being swayed by the Gospell of Christ or else thou art not in Christ The third reason is taken from the essentiall Reas 3 or rather from the integrall union that is between Christ and all these that are in Christ they are all members of his most gracious body Ye are the body of Christ and members in particular 1 Cor. 12. 27. now we know that all the members have the same life and are quickened by the same soule the soule is whole in the whole body and whole in every member of the body so if Christ be our head we are his members and the christian life of Christ must be diffused thorough us so that one man cannot be a drunkard another a worldling another an Epicure another a swearer another a whoremaster another a lyar another a lukewarmeling another a mocker another a vaine Jester another a man-pleaser and yet be a member of Christ All the members of Christ must have one life As in a mans body there be veines arteries and nerves that are the channells to convey life and motion and sence to every member that all the members may have the same life dispersed through the body So it is in the body of Christ every member of Christ hath fayth for his veines to convey the same life and the same spirits and the same gratious motions to all the body that it is not now the member that lives but Christ that lives in it Gal. 2. I live not saith the Apostle but Christ liveth in me As in the body it is not the eye that seeth if we speake properly but the man that seeth with the eye so it is not the knife that cuts but the man that cuts with the knife it is not the eare that heareth but the man that heareth with the eare so in the body of Christ it is no more the man that speaketh but the truth of Christ speaking in him We have the minde of Christ saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 2. 16. if we be in Christ Christ thinks in us Christ speaks in us Christ walkes in us Christ doth all in us As in the same body the soule rules and quickens every member The body of Christ cannot be a monster like those Locusts spoken off Revel 9. 7. that had shapes like horses heads as it were like Crownes of gold and their faces like the faces of a man and had haire like women and teeth like Lyons this is a monster and not a simple body such a one cannot the body of Christ be a mocker for one member an ignorant sot for another an hypocrite for another a carnall gospeller for another a covetous worldling for another As in the body of a man every member in this mans body must be this mans member and not the member of another man As for example Peter must have Peters legs and not Simon Magus his legs Peter must have Peters eyes and not Alexanders eyes Peter must have Peters hands and not Judas hands you cannot take the eye of an Horse the leg of a Dog and the paw of a Beare and put them together and say here 's a man no this would be a monster every perfect body must have its own members So it is in the body of Christ every member in Christ his Body must have Christ his Members every member in a mans body acts with reason so every member of Christ acts with direction of Christ it is informed by Christ his minde is quickned by Christ his life so that a man cannot be a member of Christ but he must walke as Christ walked I know the best Christian may fall seven times a day though he be in Christ it doth not therefore follow that every particular action savours of Christ but as every member in the body lives the life of the whole body or else it is a dead member so thou must live the life of Christ or else thou canst never be saved You know that all the actions of a man are guided by reason yet there are some particular actions that he doth and not by reason as it may be he shakes his head or moves his hand and jogs his foote and considers not what he doth they are the actions of a reasonable man though not reasonable actions so there may be many actions that are the actions of Christians though not Christian actions The sinnes of the godly they are the actions of a Christian but they are not Christian actions there may be stoppings in the body though the same life and quickening runnes through the whole body yet through the stopping of the liver and the pipes distempers and ill humours may be raised in the body so it may be in the body of Christ and so many a Christian may fall through infirmity but the course of a Christian the life of a Christian the ordinary trade of a Christian the walke of a Christian is to live with the same spirit that lived in Christ to walke in the same way that Christ walked in The last reason is taken from the neere Reas 4 relation that is to be betweene Christ and every member of Christ They are not onely the Servants and Disciples of Christ but they are the
things to them but the Ministers of God are bound to preach so as they may discover mens particular sinnes not so as people may point one at another but so as every conscience may feele its owne sinnes Thirdly particulars are most sensible If the Minister preach home in particular there is not a false heart then in the congregation but he will finde it out if he preach in particular he will discover every mans corruption â—ling wilde-fire in every wicked mans face and throw balme of comfort into every godly troubled spirit As King James saide well of a reverend Prelate of this Land Me thinkes this man preacheth of death as ifâ— death were at my backe so should Ministers preach as if Heaven were at mens backes or as if hell were at mens backes When he preacheth of mens sinnes and corruptions he must preach so that their consciences may see that the word of God lookes into the very thoughts and hearts when he preacheth of the wrath of God and of condemnation c. he must preach so that the conscience may feele even the fire of hell flaming in it this is the way to teach the people the good knowledge of the Lord as it is called 2 Chron. 30. 22. every Minister may teach the knowledge of the Lord but not the good knowledge of the Lord. There is great difference betweene teaching of the knowledge and of the good knowledge of the Lord. Men may know God and his word and their sinnes but if they goe on in their sins it is not good knowledge then indeede a Minister teacheth good knowledge when he makes his people so to know sinne as to loath it and to come out of it so to know repentance as to repent indeed Secondly Discrimination As if he should say there are some that are in him and some that are not in him if any man say he abideth in him he ought himselfe to walk even as he walked so that here the Apostle would put a difference betweene the sound and the rotten-hearted in his congregation Hence observe this point That every Doct. 2 Minister is bound to preach so as to make a difference betweene the precious and the vile Saint John preached so as that his hearers might say the Spirit of Christ is in me or the Spirit of Christ is not in me that themselves might know whether indeede they were true members of Christ or but hypocrites This is the duty of Ministers Ezek. 44. 23. They shall teach my people the difference betweene the holy and prophane and cause men to discerne betweene the cleane and uncleane Here is two things First they shall teach them the difference betweene the holy and prophane Secondly they shall not onely shew it before them but if they will not see it they shall cause them to see it that is they must beate it into them and rubbe it into their consciences it may be when men may see they will not then he must make them to see If there be any prophane person any lukewarme or dead-hearted professor or close hypocrite in the congregation the Minister must make him see his prophanesse his deadnes and hypocrisie in Gods worshippe or if there be any godly soule or broken heart the Minister must make them to see that they have a broken heart First reason because else a man defiles the Reas 1 pulpit and prophanes the holy things of God Ezech. 22. 26. Her Preists have violated my law and prophaned my holy things they have put no difference betweene the holy and prophane neither have they shewed difference betweene the cleane and uncleane Those Ministers prophane the holy place of God when they make not mens consciences know which is holy and prophane when prophane persons may come and goe from Church and have not their prophanesse discovered to them a drunkard a swearer c and hath not his sinnes laide open to him Is there any prophane person here that hath not an arrow shot into his heart but he can goe away and not take any comfort from the Sermon these men prophane the holy things of God When God gave Benhadad into the hands of Ahab and Ahab spared him and let him goe 1 King 20. the Prophet tells Ahab ver 42 Thus sayth the Lord because thou hast let goe a man whom I appointed to utter destruction therefore thy life shall goe for his life c so if there be any Minister over any congregation in which there is any drunkard any swearer or whoremaster or worldling or lukewarmeling or any other that lives in such sinnes which God hath appointed and decreed to eternall destruction in hell if we tell them not their sins and make their consciences feele them then our life shall goe for their life our soule for their soule for we might have given them such a wound as might have beene a meanes to have cured their soule Secondly We are not the Ministers of Reas 2 Christ if we preach not so as that men may know that they are not converted if they are not c. God sayth to the Prophet Jeremiah if thou take forth the precious from the vile thou shalt be as my mouth Jer. 15. 19. Jeremiah could not be Gods mouth to the people unlesse he would divide betweene the precious and the vile Vnlesse Ministers preach so as to make the consciences of their hearers feele in what state they live in they may be Ministers of Sathan Idoll shepheards but they are not the Ministers of Christ Thirdly because otherwise they can doe Reas 3 no good Ezek. 34. 17. and as for you O my flocke thus sayth the Lord God behold I will judge betweene cattell and cattell c. as if he should say woe unto the shepheards will they not preach so as to make a difference betweene cattell and cattell woe unto the Preists will they not preach so as to feede my flocke I will require my flocke at their hands and now sayth God will not the shepheards of my people doe it I will now doe it my selfe I will convert those that are to be converted c. I will feede and provide for my flocke my selfe Austin notes that after that Peter had smote off Malchus his eare Peter came to be a shepheard and an Apostle of Christ after Paul had persecuted the Church he came to be a Preacher and an Apostle of Christ so after Moses had killed the Egyptian God made him the Captaine and Deliverer of his people Austin observes from this that God appoints none for his Ministers but Smiters such as be men of blows men that will smite men home to the heart men that will wound the consciences of their hearers This I speake that you may not be offended at the Ministers of Christ when they apply the word of God to your severall consciences and whensoever you have the truth of Christ preached to your soules let your hearts make use of it for if thou apply not
light Secondly the cause of the wickeds rejection of the word of grace which is twofold First the qualification of his person he doeth evill Secondly the disposition of his malepartnesse that cannot endure to be reproued From the first of these we observe this That a wicked man hates the word of Gods Doctr. grace yea he doth not onely hate the word of Gods grace but he hates grace it selfe he doth not onely hate the Lanthorue that beareth the light but he hates the light it selfe I choose not to stand to shew you how the word is called a light but that which I take to be more necessary for this place I will first shew you what this hatred of the word of grace and of grace it selfe is and I thus define it It is an actuall affection of the heart whereby â— a man riseth up against an union with that which seemes to be opposite and contrary to his lust So that there be foure things in a wicked mans hatred of the word First it is an actuall hatred for there is an habituall hatred of the word even in them that never heard the word they doe not actually hate it because they never had it but they would hate it if they had it as sore eyes hate the light of the Sunne even when it is downe for if they had it they would twinckle at it Thus all wicked men hate the word and may be condemned for despisers of the word though they doe not actually hate it because they have it not yet habitually they hate it they would hate it if they had it I speake not of this hatred but of that which is actuall hatred whereby though they have the word yet they hate to be controled and reformed by the word Prov. 1. 22. O yee fooles how long will ye hate knowledge Secondly it is a passion of the heart and so I distinguish it for I know a wicked man may love the word of God with his understanding and conscience his understanding may love the word and say it is good his conscience may love the word and say it is gratious yet if he cutts not off his sinnes for the word he hates it Psal 119. 70. Their heart is as fat as grease but my delight is in thy law as if he should say my heart is a leane heart an hungrie heart my soule delighteth and rejoyceth in and loveth thy word I have nothing else to fill it but thy word and the comforts I have from it but their hearts are as fat as grease their hearts are fat hearts fat with the world fat with lust they hate the word As a full stomacke loatheth meate and cannot digest it so wicked men hate the word it will not goe downe with them it will not fetch up their lusts If thou partest not with thy sinnes thy heart hateth the word yet thou thinkest thou lovest the word thou fayest thou lovest to heare the word and thou lovest good Ministers and good discourses c. it may be that this is nothing but the assent of thine understanding and the approbation of thy conscience and so a man may love the word in his understanding and conscience and yet be a hater of the word of God The Devills have attained to so much divinity as this they like the word in their understandings and assent to the truth of it in their consciences but though their understandings and consciences tell them that it is a good word yet they hate it This is a damnable and a most unnaturall hatred Indeed if a mans mind and conscience were against the word it were naturall for him to hate it it is naturall for a man to hate that which is against his mind but when thy conscience shall tell thee this is the word and the will of the Eternall God and thy conscience shall tell thee that it is a most true word a righteous a just an holy commandement that commands thee to serve thy God onely and so to part with all thy sinnes if yet thou wilt not obey but goe contrary to his word thy hatred it is unnaturall and diveliâ—â—â— As it was said of 〈◊〉 his dogge he had a divell lyed to his collar of another that he had a divell signed on his swords pummell so I may say to every one that hates the word and to be ruled by it and yet knowes it in his own understanding and conscience to be â—â—â—â—e and good word I may say it is a 〈◊〉 Hatred and he hath a divell tyed to his heart a divell in his heart Thirdly this hatred is that whereby the heart riseth up against an union with the word hatred is a shunning of an union with a thing A man doth not hate any evill naturally but he hates an union with it A man doth not hate poison it selfe he hates no poison in a toade let it be there as much as it will he cares not so the shepheard he hates not the wolfe in the Forrest but in the Flocke A wicked man hates not the word so long as it keepes within it selfe he loves Epistles and Gospells the first and second lesson so long as the word keepes in the Scriptures he likes it but if the word begin to take union with him if the word begin to plucke sinne from him to pull his cupps from him to plucke his pleasures and delights from him and his lusts from him then he hates the word when it comes in this union to his heart I put this union of the word in opposition to foure things First against generall preaching a wicked man loves generall preaching though it be of all the truthes in the Bible while they take no union with his heart he may heare a thousand Sermons and like them all well enough so long as the word closeth not in with a mans conscience so long as it grapples not with his heart so long he may love and like it But let the word come in particulars to him and tell him this is thy sinne and thou must to hell for it if thou givest it not over this hath beene an old lust of thine which will be thy bane if thou repent not This thy old corruption it will be thy breake-necke if thou part not with it if the word come in this union with his soule then he hates it So long as John Baptist tooke his text and dwelt on the reasons and went no further Herod heard him gladly but when John came to his use to apply it and told him in particular this reproves thee Herod and all the evills that ever thou hast done and in particular for thine unlawfull marriage with thy brother Philips wife when John came thus then Herod claps him up in prison before he heard him with joy and gladnesse but when he comes close to his conscience and tells him that his marriage would condemne him and his other sinnes would damme him if he repented not Herod cannot endure
Commandements of God yet when our Saviour told him one thing is wanting goe and sell all that thou hast and give it to the poore saith the text of him he went away sorrowfull as if he should say he was sorry that there was any such truth in the Scripture he would have beene glad that there had beene no such text in the word of God The Prophets prophesie falsely and my people love to have it so Jer. 5. 31. they hated to have it so as the word would have it But when the false Prophets told them it was otherwise O they loved that Beloved the men of the world would be glad that God would make another Bible that drunkards and whoremasters might be saved another Bible that earthwormes and worldlings and proud persons might be saved If God would raine downe a new Bible another Bible I feare there are many thousands amongst us that now say they love the Bible yet would love to heare of it and come from all places to seeke after it after another Bible that would shew the way to heaven a little wider men are loth to heare of so much holinesse so much precisenesse they love not to be beaten on that string a signe that they hate it Can a man that is nothing but flesh and bloud love the text of Saint Paul that flesh and bloud cannot inherit the Kingdome of God 1 Cor. 15. 50 Can an old filthy sinner love that text of Isaiah an old sinner though he be an hundred yeares old shall be accursed Isai 65. 20 Can a Usurour love the 15 Psalme Can a lukewarmeling love Rev. 3. 16 no he would be glad that there were no such truth in the word and therefore he hates it Rom. 8. 7. A wicked man is such an enemy to the word that all the Ministers in England cannot reconcile him to it Secondly wicked men hate the word because they doe hate the nature of the word If men did love the word of God they would will what the word of God wills and nill what the word of God nills It is a good proverbe amongst us It is the property of lovers to will and nill the same things If men did love the word then looke what the word sayth they would doe what the word commands them they would obey If men did love the word they would conforme their hearts and lives to the rules of the word But the carnall minde is enmity aâ—ainst God for it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be Rom. 8. 7. A wicked man hates the law of God why the heart of a wicked man conceives the word of God to be against him he can not thinke a thought but the word is against it he cannot speake a word but the word of God is against it he cannot pray his dead hearted prayers but the word of God is against him c. And as the word of God is against him so his heart is against the word he is of one mind the word of another he is of one minde and the word of the cleane contrary minde against him Lastly as a wicked man hates the being of the word and the nature of the word in it selfe so he hates the being of it in his understanding he 〈◊〉 o◠〈◊〉 the knowledge of the word therefore they say unto God depart from us we desire â—oâ— the knowledge of thy waves Jab 21. 14. A wicked man would â—aine keepe this and that lust â—â— he is loth to depart with his old corruptions his old sinnes he hath livâ—d â—â— them so long that he is loth to part with his old freinds he would faine goâ— on in his lust and therefore he hates the knowledge of the word that would strippe him of his lust saith Aquinas Now he cannot be free for his sinnes and be curbed by the knowledge of the word I will tell you once it was my happe to preach a Sermon two or three hundred miles from this place and when Sermon was done I heard a man say O what a beast was I to come to this Sermon what a beast was I to come to it When the word of God comes to men and tells them that their state is damnable if they live in their sinnes when the word of God comes to the heart many are sorry that they ever heard the word of God that ever the word made such a thing knowne to them The drunkard the wanton the Usurer and the worldling how glad would they bee that the Minister could prove by the word of God that these sinnes were lawfull that usury were lawfull that covetousnesse were lawfull c. But when the word goes flat against them then they cannot endure that word why their conscience beginnes to penne them in it puts their hearts in the stocks as it were they cannot have freedome in the pursuite of their lusts and sinnes an evident signe that men hate the word Austin saith of a wicked man He loves the truth shining but he hates the truth reproving As much of the word as you will to make him skillfull in knowing but he hates the word every dramme of it checking and rebuking girding and controuling him for his sinnes Beloved what is all our preaching doth it not shew that men hate the word neede any goe to the field and exhorte the Husbandman to plough and sow his ground neede we goe to your houses to perswade men to feede to eate and drinke and to cloath themselves neede we goe to the Alehouse and perswade the drunkard to drinke the swearer to sweare the gamester to play no men love their backes and their bellies men love their profits and their pleasures men love their lusts and sinnes But they must be exhorted and intreated and commanded to obey and to love the word of God and all little enough Hence then is a reproofe to all the wicked Use amongst us O beloved it is too true that abundance of us doe hate the light Did wee not hate the light we would have shaken all our hands of our sinnes sheere ere now did we not hate the light we would have crucified our anger and our wrath and our pride ere now we would have subdued our security and our selfe-love and our lukewarmenesse in good duties did we not hate the light we had all beene children of the light ere now Plato sayth He loves that hath a similitude of that he loves but we have not a similitude and a likenesse of the light and therefore we doe not love it Beloved let me come a little neerer and convince all that heare me of this point They must needs be said to hate one another whom no intreatiâ—s nor beseeches can possibly reconcile That is irreconcileable hatred which cannot be taken off by all the intreaties of the world Herod hated Tyrâ—s and Sidon but his hatred was taken off by Blastus his intreatie Acts. 12. 20. but that hatred is irreconcileable hatred that no
he given his bloud for thee that thou shouldest part with thy sinnes with thy drunkennesse with thy oathes thy pride security luke warmenesse earthlinesse prophanesse from thy vaine thoughts thy vaine words and thy vaine lusts and wilt thou not if God had redeemed us with silver and gold that were but drosse no he hath redeemed us with the bloud of his Sonn if now thou wilt part with the bloud of Christ rather then with thy sinnes that the word of God commands thee to part with how great is thy hatred of the word Bloud it is necessary to the life of every living creature I am sure the Bloud of Christ is necessary to the life of a Christian without it a man can never be washed nor never be sanctifyed nor made acceptable to God That man that will rather part with his bloud rather then lay downe his hatred of such a one whom he hates he hates him for ever he hates him to the death Thou that rather then thou wilt part with thy evill courses from those sinnes that Gods word would have thee to give over and forsake wilt part with the bloud of Christ I say thou hatest the word and thou hatest a reformation of thy wayes for ever with an everlasting and damnable hatred That man that had rather be damned then leave his sinnes that had rather goe to hell then be a new creature he hates the parting with his sinnes he hates to be a new creature It is truth man is a reasonable creature and therefore cannot reason so in expresse words as to say I had rather be damned then to give over my drunkennesse my lying my swearing my lust I had rather goe to hell then be so pure and so holy c. But every wicked man is so unreasonable in very deed for the word of God tells that wicked men that live and dye in such sinnes and such sinnes shall be damned yet they will not give over their sinnes Doth not your owne conscience tell you that as long as you pray no better as long as you walke no better in your profession God abhors you and all that you doe and will damne you doth not thy conscience tell thee that yet thou hast no assurance of salvation that as yet Jesus Christ was never given to thee that as yet you never had the Spirit of Christ to kill sinne in you if that thou wilt goe on in thy sinnes and not get Christ and his Spirit into thy heart as the word of God commandeth thee and thy owne conscience perswadeth thee I say if yet thou wilt goe on in thy sinnes then thou choosest to be damned rather then to part with sinne Doe we not say such a rogue will be hanged that such a hasty furious man will undoe himselfe doe we not say of a rebellious child that he will be disinherited not that any man reasons so in words I will doe thus and thus and undoe my selfe I will steale and be hanged I will be a rebellious childe and be disinherited I will goe on in my sinnes let the world say what it will and be damned But when a man knowes that the wages of sinne is death that the end of drunkennesse of swearing of lying of pride security hypocrisie formality in religion c. is death When a man knowes that the end of that sinne which he lives in is damnation and yet will goe on in those sinnes he wills to be damned Ezek. 18. 31. Turne you turne you why will you dye O ye house of Israel why were any so madde as to be willing to dye to perish for ever yet sayth the Prophet why will you dye as if he should say why will you sinne that man that wills to sin he wills to be damned that man that will be damned rather then part with his sinne that man loves sinne for ever and so hates the light Beloved be ashamed to carry so many plague tokens upon your hearts so many sinnes in your soules so many oppositions and rebellions against the word That man that hates and rebells against the word can never be saved by the word You that have had the preaching of the word looke that you give way to it take heed that you withstand not the breath of it I could tell you one thing and I pray God to send it home to your hearts commonly when God sends his word to a people those that are wrought upon for the most part are wrought upon at the beginning generally it is so I will give you a convincing place for it Acts. 13. 48. And when the Gentiles heard this they glorified the word of the Lord and as many as were ordained to eternall life beleeved Paul and Barnabas were come to Antioch and had preached one Sabboth day and now had preached another The Gentiles glorified the word of the Lord and as many as were ordained to eternall life beleeved as if he had said all that were ordained to eternall life beleeved at those Sermons as if he should say againe all that beleeved not at these two Sermons were reprobates Those that did belong to God they did beleeve and hearkened to the preaching of the word to them on those two Sabboths All that were ordained to life they beleeved at these two Sermons the rest that beleeved not are branded and marked out for despisers and wonderers Heare O despisers and wonder and perish c. Agree with thine Adversary whilest thou art in the way Math. 5. Beloved you are now in the way of salvation your Adversary is the Lord himselfe till he be reconciled unto you you are in the way while you are under the preaching of the word you know not how soone God may take you out of the way you know not how soone God may take his word away or if that continue yet he may withdraw his Spirit and then if God once take away his Spirit then you may seeke to be converted but shall never finde it you may seeke for grace but shall never get it you may seeke for Christ but never obtaine him if men stand out against the Word and Spirit of Christ while it is beating upon their hearts and offering them grace then Christ will be a swift witnesse against them Malach. 3. 5. Doth Christ come to thee now obey now beleeve now give over thy sinnes Doth he bid thee now repent c. O give way to the Words of Christ give way to the Spirit of Christ otherwise Christ will come swiftly I will be a swift witnesse I tell you the Covenant of grace will not stay long God is about to put up his wares When no Customers come the Merchant puts up his wares so God will even close up all his graces then Preachers may preach but none shall be converted People may heare but none shall be converted People may heare but never be turned which the Lord deny from ever being amongst us therefore while it is called to
to be drunke more never to sweare lie nor steale more c. and yet these come to nought He that hath had many Proclamations as Ezek. 24. 13. Because I have purged thee and thou wast not purged I tried thy wayes what might do thee good and thou seemedst to be good but thou wast not good in earnest ergo thou shalt not be purged Such a man who hath lived under the Gospell and hath had his heart shaken yea and the world hath good hopes of him but the devil sees it tempts him so that on the sudden this man wanders away and his hopes are vain Heb. 10. If any man draw back my soule shall have no pleasure in him verse 38. He speakes of holding out in a Christian course unto the end looke how it was with Lots wife Gen. 19. she looked backe as if she were loth to goe from that pleasant garden fine houses such and such gold in such a corner what thinks she shall I leave all this ergo the Lord turned her into salt viz. He left such a remarkeable note upon her that it remaines unto this day Now if he dealt so with her how will he deale with thee and others some it may be have a good minde to come home but what say they shall we leave all our pleasures and profits will not a little profession of Religion and a great deale of the world goe together for currant Take heede the Lord may justly turne thee into salt Thirdly Those that have much greived the good Spirit of God in bringing in some sinne contrary to the light of conscience and the suggestions of the good Spirit of God as did the children of Israel who resisted the good Spirit of God and ergo he sware c. The Minister bids thee cut off thy long haire and the word saies it is a shame for a man to weare long haire yet for all this saiest thou I will not what will the world say of me then away with these fashions leave off cards and dice c. saies the Spirit of God and whatsoever is of evill report yea but I will not for what will Sir John and my Lady say then Turne you unto me saith the Spirit of God no I will not saith the stubborne walker Put him on in a good course yet he wil not walke therein speake the truth saith the Spirit of God for all liars shall be turned out yea but not yet I have got thus much wealth by lying and I will not yet leave it Fourthly Such as have a common base vile and contemptible esteeme of the Gospell and Ministers thereof They mocked the Ministers till the wrath of God broke out against them and there was no remedy 2 Chron. 36. 16. A Minister cannot be plaine but wicked men will abuse him in their hearts I called and cried saith wisedome but you set at nought all my counsell Prov. 1. 24 25. and going away they make a tush at it I saith one Master Minister you mette with mens hearts to day but I beleeve yours is as bad as anothers else how could you have hitte them so right see what the Spirit of God saith of such Esay 22. 21. In that day did the Lord call to weeping c. the text told them of a judgement and nothing to be expected but miserie but they make a tush of it and say come we shall all die ergo let us eate and drinke and be merrie while we may the Minister tells us we shall all to hell then let us have the other pot and the other pipe if it must needs be so Oh my beloved can the God of heaven indure to be thus disgraced in his Gospell and Ministers Another saies care I what the Minister saith I will goe and drinke at every Ale-house and see whether these judgements will come or no. Now I come to the fourth thing which is the grounds of it viz. Why the Lord in this life doth give men over and strive with them no more This truth is troublesome and cursed hearts cannot abide it The grounds of this point arise from these two Attributes of God his justice and his wisedome First from the justice of God God is a just God and is it not just that those who have rejected him that he should reject them I have called but you answered not Jer. 7. 13. ergo c. Now as it is just with God to fulfill every word that he hath spoken and to fulfill all his promises to the faithfull so is it just with God to bring judgment on them that have slighted him Secondly From the wisedome of God and his long suffering and this is because his compassions faile not else the first day of our sinning had beene the first day of our rejection yea it is his goodnesse that we have any favour but Oh our God is a wise God A man that knocks at the dore if he be wise will not alwaies lie knocking if none answer so the Lord knocks at our hearts by mercies to allure us by judgements to terrifie us yet he can finde no entrance Is it not wisedome then to be gone Why should I smite you any more saith God Esay 1. 5. As if he should say t is to no purpose for my life I know not what to doe with you it is wisedome to give over when there is no good to be done on you What could I have done more for my Vâ—neyard c Esay 5. There is no wise man that will alwayes water a dry stake And doe you thinke that God will always be sending Paul to plant and Appollos to water no our God is a wise God and our mercifull God is a just God you that will have your wayes and wills take them and get you to hell perish everlastingly Now in the fift place we come to the Objections Some say If we shall be damned then we Object 1 must be damned if we shall be saved then we shall be saved why then neede we pray and keepe such a quoile as the Minister speaks off Secret things belong to the Lord but Sol. revealed things to us and to our children Deut. 29. 29. ergo doe thou use the meanes and be thou humbled according to the word of God and thou shalt be exalted according to the word of God see what God hath said to thee in his word for neither I nor thou nor the Angels of heaven can tell what the will of the Lord is concerning thee if not revealed in the word Another saith Why doe you limit God Object 2 you take too much upon you you sons of Levi. The Lord saith at what time soever a sinner doth repent c. yet will you limit God T is true at what time soever a sinner doth Sol. repent but thy heart may be given over as Rom. 2. 4. 5. c. and what if thou then livest twenty yeares or more and have not a heart to repent
the word of God to thy soule as it is preached thou art guilty of thine owne bloud If you apply not the word you put off the word of God and then what sayth the Apostle Acts. 13. 46. It was necessary that the word of God should first have beene spoken to you but seeing you put it farre from you and judge your selves unworthy of everlasting life c. Yoâ— that have heard the word of God apply it to your soules it is a blessed plaister let it lie on your soules goe home and say Lord I have beene told of this and that sinne of my pride hypocrisie deadnes and distraction in thy worshippe and service c. I see they are against thy will and thou commandest mee to come out of them and to leave them Lord I beseech thee inable mee to leave them all so Lord I have beene told this day of such and such graces which thou hast commanded mee for to have of such and such dutyes that thou wouldest have mee to take up and performe Lord subject my heart to the power of grace and to every commandement of thy word Take heede if thou doest put off the word of God or any tittle of the word and wilt not walke according to the same thou puttest off eternall life from thy selfe Doe therefore as Gods people did who when Moses had preached the Law and Will of God to them it is sayd Exod. 12. 50. Thus did all the Children of Israell as the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron so did they So doe you goe home and apply the word to your soules it was spoken for your good make use of it and the Lord be with you Thirdly Scrutiny it is not onely an outward word but a word of the heart if any man say that is if any man thinke that he is in Christ he ought to walke as Christ did Hence we might observe That a Minister is bound to preach to mens thoughts But time cuts us off FINIS THE ENMITIE OF The Wicked to the light of the GOSPELL JOHN 3. VER 20. For every man that doth evill hateth the light neither cometh he to the light least his deeds should be reproved THis is part of Christ his parly with Nicodemus concerning regeneration wherein our Saviour doth declare foure main points The first is Mans naturall estate and condition without Christ It is impossible that ever he should be saved that ever he should get grace or come within the list of eternall life Christ sayth it and bindeth it with an oath ver 3. Verely verely I say unto thee except a man be borne againe he cannot see the Kingdome of God much lesse inherit it Secondly here is Gods gracious provision which he hath taken with the world that though man were in a way of damnation invincibly yet now he is put in a way of probability of salvation ver 16. though he were unsalvable by nature yet now he is salvable by Christ Thirdly here is a generall proclamation upon the condition of fayth that this salvability may be attained if a man beleeve In the same verse God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Sonne that whosoever beleeveth in him c. It is a condition of faith put to all none excepted Whosoever he be that beleeveth in Christ he shall be saved Fourthly here is the reprobation of the world he that beleeveth not is condemned already The cause whereof cannot be cast on Christ for God hath not sent his Son to condemne the world but that the world thorough him might be saved It was Christs primary purpose and the first end of his coming to save the world it is an accidentall end or rather an event of his coming that the world is condemned Christ is not the cause of it he is not the efficient cause for he is a Saviour nor the deficient cause for he is a sufficient Saviour That the cause of their condemnation is from themselves and not from Christ is proved by three arguments First from their owne consciences he that beleeveth not is condemned already He cannot here speake of the condemnation of hell for he is not in hell already But he speaks of an apprehensiall condemnation in their owne consciences as Chrysostome observes he meanes the condemnation of their owne consciences he that beleeves not his conscience tells him that it is his fault that he beleeveth not though it be not in his power to beleeve yet God hath gone so farre he hath so farre strugled with mens consciences that there is no default on his part They cannot excuse themselves saying I have no power to beleeve their owne consciences will tell them that God hath knocked at their hearts and offered them power to beleeve but they rejected it They cannot say I know not how to beleeve his owne conscience will tell him that God hath offered instruction to him whereby he might have beene taught but that he refused it so that he that beleeves not is condemned already his own conscience riseth within him and tells him that it is his owne fault that he doth not Secondly it is proved by experience experience shews that men are the cause of their owne condemnation ver 19. This is the condeâ— nation that light is come into the world but men loved darkenesse rather then light the meaning of it is this This is the cause of condemnation to the world not Gods predestination not their fatall destiny not their breach of the first covenant nor any other impiety but this sinne of Infidelity If the world stood guilty of never so many sinnes yet if it did beleeve in the Lord. Jesus it should be saved So that it is not all the other sinnes that a man commits that damnes him but his infidelity that that layes all his former sinnes that ever he committed upon him here is condemnation that though light be come into the world to pull men out of their darkenesse and sinnes yea though Christ though grace come to them yet they will not come out of their sinnes men will not have Christ men will not have grace men love darkenesse rather then light Thirdly It is proved by reason ver 6. the verse now read unto you For every man that doth evill hateth the light neither cometh to the light least his deedes should be reproved It is a strong argument to prove that if men be damned themselves are the cause of it for if light come into the world to instruct men if Christ come into the world to plucke men out of their sinnes if Christ come with his bloud and spirit to cleanse and sanctifie men and men will not be sanctified Then if they perish in their sins they are justly guiltie of their owne condemnation The words comprehend in them two things First the wickeds rejection of the word of grace which is set forth both positively he hates the light and then privatively or rather negatively neither commeth to the