light of the Gospel JOHN 3. 20. For every man that doth evill hateth the light neither cometh he to the light least his deeds should be reproved p. 331 Gods Impartiality in his Judgements ISAIAH 42. 24. Who gave Jacob to the spoile and Israel to the Robbers Did 〈…〉 I the Lord 〈…〉 The great dignity of the Saints HEB. 11. 28. Of whom the world was not worthy p. 363. The time of Gods grace is limited GEN. 6. 3. And the Lord said My spirit shal not always strive with man because he is but flesh and his days shall be an hundred and twenty years p. 377. A Sermon for spiritual Mortification COLOS. 3. 5. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth fornication uncleannesse inordinate affection evill concupiscence and covetousnesse which is Idolatry p. 393. The sinfulnesse and danger of Hypocrisie ISAIAH 58. 58. 4. the later part Ye sha'l not fast as ye do to day to make the voyce to be heard above p. 407. Reformation under Correction the way to prevent desolation JOB 34. 31. 32. Surely it is meet to be said unto God I have borne chastisements I will not offend any more That which I see not teach thou me if I have done iniquity I will do it no more p. 417. A SERMON OF The use and benefit of Divine MEDITATION HAGGAI 1. 5. Now therefore saith the Lord of Hosts Consider your wayes THe Prophet reproveth the people because they could find in their hearts to mind their own houses and yet were careless of the house of the Lord the Lord had sent a drought a famine and sundry punishments upon them for this thing and yet they laid it not to heart and therefore he sends Haggai the Prophet unto them to call them to repentance and which is an admirable course and little thought of in the world he begins with holy meditation and consideration Now therefore thus saith the Lord consider your wayes that is both in regard of the course of them your wicked wayes and also in regard of the bitter fruit of them your wretched and unprosperous wayes Here be two things very remarkable according to the Text 1. The repetition and inforcing of it again for he urgeth it again Consider your wayes in the seventh verse 2. The benefit that came by it it brought them to repentance for they all obeyed the voice of the Lord and the words of the Prophet verse 12. So that the Doctrine from hence is this That Serious meditation of our sins by the Word is a speciall means to make men repent Meditation is a setled exercise of the mind for a further inquiry of the truth and so affecting the heart therewith and therefore their be four things in meditation The first is an exercise of the mind not barely closing with the truth and assenting unto it and seeing it and there rests but it looketh on every side of the truth I thought upon my wayes and turned my feet unto thy testimonies Psal 119 59. saith David that is I looked on my wayes on both sides above and beneath it 's taken from curious works which are the the same on both sides so that they which work them must often turn them on every side used Exod. 38. 33. as being works with two faces as one well observes so it was with David I turned my wayes up-side down and looked every way upon them thou never meditatest unlesse thou look on thy wayes on both sides with all circumstances An elegant phrase we have Dan. 12. 4. Many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall abound and be increased Run to and fro what is that It is not the bodily removing of man from one place to another so much as busie stirring of the mind from one truth to another so that it seeth the whole selvedge and compasse of the truth thou wilt never get the truth to be meditated of till thou run to and fro in it meditate it on this side and meditate it on that side look on it in every nook of it Meditation is like perambulation when men go the bounds of the Parish they go in every part of it and in every skirt of it so meditation is the perambulation of the soul when the soul looks how far sin goes how far the flesh goes how far the wrath of God against it goes Secondly as it is an exercise so it is a setled exercise it is not a sudden flash of a mans conceit but it dwels upon a truth When a man is in a deep meditation upon a thing he neither sees nor hears nor attends any thing else the stream of the heart is setled upon the truth received The word of God abides in you and you have overcome the world 1 John 2. 14. How came these young men to overcome Satan not by looking into the word or only thinking of the word but by letting the word abide in them When a man hath been offered an injury his heart is alwayes setled upon it when he eats his mind runs on the injury when he walks and talks still his mind runs on the injury so thy heart must go on the truth 2. Tim. 3. Continue in things thou hast learned that is take up thy mansion house in them A wicked man may turn into the word sometimes to think of it but it is as a man goes into another mans house there is not his dwelling Thirdly it is to make a further inquiry Meditation doth not only settle upon the truth known but it also would fain know more of those truths that are subject to it as a man without may see the out-side of the house but he cannot see the rooms within unlesse he come nigh and draw the latch and come into the house and go into the rooms and look about them Meditation pulls the latch of the truth and looks into every closet and every cupboard every angle of it Here is my sin here is my uncleannesse and here is Gods anger here is the woful evil that will follow upon it and here is a remedy against it Meditation searches into all the lofts and closets of the truth The entrance of thy word giveth understanding unto the simple Ps 119. 30. The ingress as one expounds it or going into thy word gives understanding the wicked stand looking upon the truth without the doors but it is the ingresse or going into the truth that gives understanding Indeed the truth is like a neat Palace saith Chrisostome the Spirit of God is like the light of the Sunne that shineth into it the wicked they stand without like fools peeping in at the windows and there be many thousand of pearls that are not manifest unto them the house seems dark to them that stand without Thou must enter into the word and into every particular truth in it and go up stairs and down stairs and have an eye into every room There thou shalt find humility there contrition there
the world Fourthly from the strangenesse of it Dare any of you He speaks interrogatively verse 1. It is a strang thing that you should come to that impudency against the Gospel of Christ one would think that you would tremble and quake at such a thing as this is What is there never a wise Christian amongst you never an understanding Professor that is able to take up a controversie or decide and judge between his brethren what a strange thing is this Then he backs it with four Arguments 1. Because they were brethren verse 6. Brother go to Law with brother 2. Because it was about things of this life What hath God made you Judges of heavenly things of Angels and are you unfit to judge of the things of this life 3. It was about smal matters verse 2. whereas you shall sit upon men and Angels and the weightiest matters in the world the greatest things of Gods Law judging them to the greatest penalty and punishment even to eternal damnation and are ye unworthy then to judge even of the smallest matters 4. And lastly Because it was about such things as the meanest Christian in the town might have taken up and have ended Set up them that are least esteemed Do you not know that the Saints shall Judge the world I need not go far for a point the word affords it The Doctrine is That the Saints shall judge the world It is an old truth yea as old as the World it self you may read it in the fourth verse of Judes Epistle That Enoch the seventh from Adam prophesied saying Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his Saints God will not only come to judgement himself but he will come attended with all his Saints even with all the godly to execute vengeance upon all the world So our Saviour told Saint Peter and not only him but all that follow him in the regeneration They shall sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel Matth. 9. 18. They shall judge the Nations and have dominion over the people Wis 38. And now because doubt is the best way to attain unto knowledge let me answer a doubt that may creep in by the way How shall the Saints judge the world Ans Not by pronouncing of judgement upon the world for that Christ only shall doe Then shall the King say to them on his left hand Depart ye cursed Matthew 25. But the Saints shall judge the World these four wayes 1. They shall judge the world by their consent unto Christs judgement God trains up his children in this world and educates them and teacheth them how they may judge the world hereafter he teacheth them in this life how to assent with his proceedings in the world to that they are able to say Righteous art thou O Lord and just are thy judgements Psal 119. 137. Now if the Saints be trained in this life to assent unto Gods proceedings with the world much more then will they be able to know and consent unto Cstrists judgement when he shall come with his Saints to judge the world Now the Law saith that consenters are agents and therefore because the Saints shall consent to the judgement of Christ therefore they are said to judge the world 2. The Saints shall judge the world by their applause of Christs judgement they shall not only give consent unto the judgement of Christ but they shall also applaud it and commend it when God shall say to all drunkards swearers lyers Sabbath-breakers and to all unbeleeving impenitent and gracelesse sinners Depart ye cursed into hell fire then though it was his own father that begat him or his mother that bare him though it were his own brother or sister wife or child that hath been as dear as his own life and soul to him yet they shall clap their hands for joy and applaud the most righteous sentence of God upon them and they shall sing Hallelujah salvation and honour and power be to the Lord our God for true and righteous are his judgements Rev. 19. 1 2. Let them go accursed as they are for it is a righteous sentence passed on them 3. They shall Judge the world by their Majesty they shall not only stand against the wicked and consent to and applaud that sentence that Christ shall passe against the wicked but they shall be invested with robes of majesty and with a diademe of glory then shall the righteous shine as the stars in the firmament and the wicked shall be amazed and astonished at the sight of them as you may read in the platform of judgement Matthew 25. where Christ sets his Saints over against the world that so the world may look upon them and be confounded at their sight 4 They shall judge the world by their lives and conversation as Ambrose saith rightly then is the world judged by them when as the courses and manners of the world are not found upon them Therefore it is a pretty observation of Hilary if it be the meaning of the Text I will not say it is upon the 2 Ps Be wise ye judges God hath appointed you to be Judges to sit on his bench with his Sonne learn then to be wise get to be indued with spirituall wisdome and understanding and to shine in all integritie and righteousnesse and then turning his speech to the wicked he says Kisse the sonne leâ—t he be angry However it be yet this is a truth that by the lives of his Saints he wil judge the world their faith shall judge the worlds infidelity their repentance shall judge the worlds impenitency their accepting of and taking the Lord Jesus shal judge their rejection and neglect of Christ Jesus their zeal shall judge the worlds luke-warmnesse and their holiness shal judge the worlds prophanenesse 1. Because of the mysticall union that is betwixt Christ and his Saints He is the head and they are his members now that which the head doth we ascribe it to the whole body when the head speaks the whole body speaks when the head sees the whole body sees so when Christ judgeth the world the whole body of Christ may truly be said to judge the world In as much as you did it unto one of these saith Christ you did it unto me so in as much as Chhist passeth sentence even all the members of the mysticall body of Christ judge with him Secondly in regard of compassion I speak not of the word compassion as it signifies pity but of compassion of suffering with Christ seeing that Christ was reproached contemned hated misused and condemned by the world the Saints are likewise with him seeing they partake of the afflictions humiliations and debasements of Christ here they shall also be made partakers with Christ in his glory Here the wicked judge the Saints and call them hypocrites and dissemblers and laugh and scoff at them and wonder at them as the Prophet brings in Christ speaking Isaiah 8.
gaâ—ling his heart day by day let the minister enâ—er a reproof into his heart againe so it be but once or twice he cares not Why he thinks he can recover himself again from it but let the word of God come into him and gall his conscience continually that every Sabbath he is convicted for a condemned man if he live not otherwise every Sermon the Minister finds him out in his closest and dearest sinnes he can never goe to Church but he heares the Minister reprooving him for some sinne or other telling him that he must to hell for them unlesse he repent and leade a new life thus when the word followes him every Sabbath 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 sins Amaziah opposeth him ver 12. and saith unto Amos O thou Seer goe flye thee away into the Land of Judah and there eate bread and prophesie there but prophesie not again any more at Bethell for it is the Kings Chappel and it is the Kings Court He could like it well enough that Amos should prophesie once or twice but if he did prophesie any more he should spoile all theiâ—â—â—â—th he should gall all their consciences go saith he prophesie in Judah and eate thy bread there Amos should prophesie where he would so it were not there he might eat 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 wirty scholar 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 hear Ezeki l preach they did love to hear his pleasant words The Babylonians they did love to hear Davids songs it was fine melody to them though they hated the sense so the Phylistins they did love to hear Sampson speak 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 hear Christ preach and would flock 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 pertineut to him he loves that As the drunkard loves to hear the Minister preach against hypocrisie though never so sharply The prodigall person loves to hear 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 sinnes then he hates it Thirdly he may love preaching in â—anto though not in toto he may 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 hear of calling upon the Lord Jesus at his death the vilest whoremaster and prophane person the earthly worlding 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 lukewarmnesse hypocrisie worldlinesse that he cannot yeeld to and â—eâ—aine them then he thinks 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 goodnesse and mercy but they hated him as he was a Lawgiver The devils 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 sins hate Christ and hate his word First a wicked man hates the word because 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 destroy the Bible from being in it self 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 he 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 Book 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 Commandements of God yet when our Saviour told him one thing is wanting goe and sell all that thou hast and give it to
by his labours already published yet if any shall desire a further Testimonie of either these Sermons will give it in full measure pressed down and running over and therefore I subscribe their publication for common good Joseph Caryl The Authors Preface upon these ensuing SERMONS THe cause of that little Heavenlinesse which is in the profession of Christianity is the want of Meditation Many can meditate cursorily but that is not enough it must be a sticking meditation that must affect the heart That place in a Pet. 2. 8. is marvellous pregnant it was the meanes why Lot was so touched with the abominations of Sodom That righteous man dwelling amongst them in seeing and hearing their ungodly deeds vexed his righteous soul from day to day Many heard and saw too besides Lot and were not vexed Why Other matters stuck in their thoughts they ne're throughly meditated on it but he vexed himself that is the meditation of those evils and bringing them home to his Soul vexed him The word is a fit word implying two things First the searching and examining of a thing his meditating heart examined their sins how many they were how grievous how damnable how likely to pul down some vengeance or other upon them Secondly the wracking or vexing upon tryall so it was with Lot he observed all their evills and weighed them in his soule and then he wrack'd his spirit with the considertaion of them The Evangelist useth this very word for tossing this word that is here put for vexing he puts for tossing a ship on the seas Matthew 14. 24. The ship was tossed with the waves so meditation did tosse his soule with vexation sometimes down to the deep O miserable wretches that we are or How brutish host beastly and how hellish are our sins Sometimes up O that the Lord would humble us and spare us Sometimes over head and ears in the storm O fool that I was to chuse my dwelling amongst such men These meditations vexed his soul Many have studied meditations and yet yet are not acquainted with this cordiall meditation many Ministers that study Divinity all the day that study the Word all the week that study their Sermons all the yeare may yet for all this be carnall Ministers why Because their meditation is but inventing and mentall meditation this meditation is a practicall meditation the thing meditated feeds the heart that meditation is like a fluttering Pheasant that flutters before their eyes it feeds their eyes indeed but never feeds the stomack as long as they neither catch or eat it The saving mystereis of God flutter before their eyes and before their understandings they feed their eyes with knowledge but never feed their soules unto everlasting life unlesse they fowl for it dresse and digest it in their hearts There is an apt word Genesis 24. 63. Isaac went out to meditate in the field the originall hath it to signifie â—â—â—nall conference his minde conferred with the truth and the truth with him a mutuall working he wrought upon the truth by meditating of it and it wrought upon him by leaving an impression upon his soule this is a rare practice in the world and yet as necessary as most it is the art of the soule in being heavenly it is the inuring of thee to every good duty for by meditation a man comes to have his minde and heart fixed upon every thing that he would would he pray he that hath inured his heart to meditate his minde is fixed in his prayer Would he receive the Sacrament He that hath inured his heart by meditation his minde is fixed in the Ordinance David that was excellent at meditation had a fixed heart Psalm 57. 7. Psal 112. 17. The Contents and Heads of the following SERMONS The Contents of the first SERMON Haggai 1. 5. THe Preface shewing the usefulnesse of Meditation together with the danger in neglecting it The opening of the Teâ—t in severall particulars page 1. Doctrine Serious Meditation of our sins by the word is an especiall means for to make us repent 2. The definition of Meditation in four particulars ibid. 1. It is an exercise of the mind ibid. 2. A setled exercise of the mind ibid. 3. It is to make a further enquiry into all the parts of the truth ibid. 4. It labours to affect the heart 3. Two Reasons 1. Because Meditation presseth all Arguments home to the heart ibid. 2. Because Meditation fastens sin close upon the soul and makes the soule to feel it 4. 1. Use For the reproof of several sorts of men that are loth to put in practice this so necessary a duty 5. Four le ts of Meditation 1. Vaine company 6. 2. Multitude of wordly businesse ibid. 3. Ignorance 7. 4. That naturall aversnesse that is in the heart of man unto it ibid. This aversenesse of heart consisteth in three things 1. In the carelesnesse of the heart ibid. 2. In the runnings and revings of the heart ibid. 3. In the wearisomenesse of the heart in meditation 8. 2. Use For terror unto all those that dare sit down in security never at all regarding this soule-searching dutie ibid. Four means or helps to Meditation 1. With all seriousnesse tell the soul that thou hast a message from the Lord unto it 9. 2. Observe fitting times for meditation viz 1. The morning ibid. 2. The night 10. 3. The evening ibid. 4. When the heart is after some extraordinary manner touched with Gods word or providences ibid. 3. Call to mind what evill thou hast done ever since thou wast born ibid 3. Rouse up thy heart and thoughts as high as heaven ibid. 3. Use For reprehension of those that meditate upon their sins and how they may with the more freenesse to commit sin 11. Four grounds upon which Meditation must be raised 1. Meditate on the goodnesse mercy and patience of God that you have oft abused by your sins 12. 2. Meditate on the justice of God that you have so oft provoked 13. 3. Meditate on the wrath of God that you have so oft kindled ibid. 4. Meditate on the constancie of God who is a constant hater of all sin 14. Four directions how to carry Meditation home to the heart 1. Weigh and ponder all the foregoing things in thine own heart 15. 2. Strip sin and look upon it stark naked and in it's own colours 16. 3. Dive into thine ownsoule and search thine heart to the quick ibid. 4. Prevent thine own heart by meditation and tell thy soule that it will one day wish that it had not neglected this so necessary a duty 17. Four duties to be discharged that we may put life to Meditation 1. Let Meditation haunt and dog thy heart with the promises and threatnings mercies and judgements of God 18. 2. Let Meditation trace thy heart in the same steps and run over all thy duties discharged 19. 2. Let Meditation hale thy heart before Gods Throne there to powre out thy complaints before
the creatures lye under ibid. Every creature hath 1. A specificall end 301. 2. An ultimate end ibid A wicked man hath no right unto the creature ibid. But he hath 1. A civil right ibid. 2. A providentiall right ibid. 3 A vindicative right 302. 4. A Creatures right as he is a creature ibid. But he hath no filiall right no son-like right in Christ ibid. 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 303. All creatures groane to God for vengeance to be poured upon the wicked ibid. And these groanes are 1. Upbraiding groans 305. 2. Witnessing groans ibid. 3. Accusing groans 307. 4. Judging and condemning groanes ibid. Use For exhortation 1. To take heed how we do abuse the Creatures of God ibid. 2. Take heed of sinning against God by the Creatures ibid. 3. Take heed of setting thy heart upon the Creature ibid. 4. Use all the Creatures in humility and thankfulnesse 308. 5. Use the Creatures as so many Ladders to helpe thee to climb up towards heaven ibid. The Contents of the two and twentieth SERMON on John 2. 6. THE opening of the words in foure particulars 313. Doct. A true Christian walkes as Christ walked 314. A man must first bee in Christ before hee can walke as Christ walked Object Can any man walk as Christ walked 315. Answ None can walk as Christ walked in regard of equality but in regard of similitude they may ibid. The life of Christ should be the Example of our life ibid. Christ came into the world to redeeme us for our justification and to be an example of life unto us for our sanctification 316. This Question answered viz. What it is to Walke as Christ walked 317. 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 ibid. 2. Because in vain we are called Christians if we be not imitators of Christ and live as he lived 318. 3. Because all that are in Christ are Members of his body therefore they must have the same life and bee quickened by the same Spirit 319. 4 Because of that neer relation that is betwixt Christ and every one of his Members 320 Use 1. To shew that all men that live not the life of Christ do blaspheme the name of Christ 321. Of all sins under Heaven God cannot endure the sins of them that take the name of Christ upon them ibid. Doctr. Every Minister is bound to preach home to men in particulars 322. Reas 1. Particulars are most operative ibid. 2. Particulars are most distinct and most powerfull 324. 3 Particulars are most sensible ibid. Doctr. Every Minister is bound to preach so as to make a difference betwixt the pretioas and the vile 325. Reas 1. Because otherwise a Minister prophanes the holy things of God ibid. 2. Otherwise he cannot be the Minister of Christ 326. 3. Otherwise he is like to doe no good by his Ministery ibid. The Contents of the three and twentieth SERMON on John 3. 20. THe Context opened in foure particulars 1. What mans naturall estate and condition is without Christ 331. 2. Gods gracious provision for mans salvation ibid. 3. The condition required viz. Faith 332. 4. The reprobation of the world if they do 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 own conscience ibid. 2. By experience ibid 3. By reason 333. In the words are two parts 1. The wickeds rejection of the word of grace ibid. 2. The cause of that rejection ibid. viz 1. First from the qualification of their persons ibid. 2. From the disposition of their Nature ibid. Doctr. A wicked man hates the word of Gods grace yea grace it selfe ibid. This hatred is 1. An actuall hatred ibid. 2. It is a passion of the heart ibid. 3. It causeth the heart to rise up against an union with the word 334. This union of the word is set in opposition 1. To generall preaching ibid 2. To mercifull preaching 335. 3. To preaching when the minister is dead ibid. If the World doe not hatâ— a righteous man it is either 1. Because he is a great man 337. 2. Because he is a man of admirable wit and knowledge ibid. 3. Or because God gives him favour in the eyes of the world ibid. 4. This hatred causeth the heart to rise against that which is repugnant to its lust ibid. A wicked man may love three kinds of preaching 1. Eloquent preaching that savours more of humanity then of Divinity 2. Impertinent preaching ibid. 3. Now and then some preaching to satisfie the cravings of his Conscience ibid. Reason 1. A wicked man hates the word because he hates all truth even the very being of the word 339. 2. Because he hates the very nature of the word 340. Because he cannot endure the knowledge of the word ibid. All naturall men hate the word 1. Because no entreaties no beseeches can possibly reconcile them 341. 2. Because neither money nor price can make them friends ibid. 3. Because all the love in the World cannot unite them together 343. 4. Because neither the love of God nor the bloud of Christ will soder them together ibid. Every naturall man had rather be damned then leave his sinnes rather go to Hell then be a new creature 344. The Contents of the four and twentieth SERMON on Isaiah 42. 24. THe words contain five things 1. The Author of the destruction 350. 2. The causes of it ibid. 3. The judgement it self ibid. 3. The people on whom it was inflicted ibid. 5. The effects of it ibid. Doctrine 1. God is the Author of all judgements that befall a Nation 351. Use 1. For comfort to Gods children seeing God is the orderer of all events ibid. Use 2. For terrour to the wicked that God whom they hate shall be their judge ibid. Use 3. To learne in all calamities to look up unto God 352. Doctrine 2. Sinne and disobedience against the Law of God is that which brings down punishments and judgements upon a Nation Church or People ibid. Use 1. To discover the weaknesse of our Land in what a poor condition it is by reason of sinne 353. 2. To shew who be the greatest Traytors to a kingdom ibid. 3. To teach all of us to set hand and heart Prayer and tears on work against sinne ibid. Especially it concernes thâ—se that are in places of Authority 354. Doctrine 3. The Lord often times brings fearfull and unavoydable judgements and punishments upon his own professing people 335. Four signes of Judgement a coming 1. When the Ministers of God with one voyce foretell judgements to come 856. 2. When sins of all sorts do abound ibid. 3. When the Divell and wicked men cast in bones of dissention ibid. 4. When all mens hearts begin
see a pill but his stomack riseth against it Behold I wil hedge up thy way with thorns Hos 2. 6. I wil not be so precise saith the heart I wil go on as I have done I wil go after these and these courses I will hedge up thy way with thorns saith God meditation is Gods instrument and sets a thorn in the way to every sin to bring the heart back again Would the heart lash out into luke-warmnesse Meditation sets a thorn in the way God will spue thee out of his mouth Would the heart sally forth into any sin Meditation sets a thorn in the way Cursed art thou if thou dost err from Gods Commandements The heart cannot step forth into any lust but meditation meets it with a thorn this curse and that curse this plague and that plague Would the heart reach at mercy in its sin Meditation pricks it mercie is vengeance unto thee so long as thou hankrest after sin Would the heart reach after Christ in his sin Meditation pushes it back with a thorn no Christ for thee but a severejudge so long as thou itchest after thy vanities What shal we think of them then which are loth to practice this duty Most men are loth though they be willing enough to meditate on their worldly affairs The Mariner meditates and considers his course by his Compasse or else he might soon runne on the quick-sands a Pilgrim is full of thoughts what am I in my right way He never comes to a doubtfull turning but he stands in a study and muses O which is my right way The Merchant meditates and his mind runs on his Count-book or else he is soon bankrupt The voluptuous man his thoughts run on his pleasure the drunkard on his cups the proud man on his credit But it is one thing to look to that which is thine and another thing to look to thy self Take heed to your selves saith the Lord Deut. 11. 16. Deut. 12. 30. Deut. 4. 9. Exod. 34. 12. as if he should say think on thy self of thy poor soul let thy Meditation run on thy poor soul The heart is untoward unto this duty and as unwilling as a Bear to be brought to the stake the Bear would rather be rambling abroad then be baited so men had rather let their hearts ramble about any thing then bait them for their sins yea men scoff at it saying shall we alwayes be poring on our sins shall we run mad shall we drive our selves to despair cannot men keep themselves well while they are well The poor man he hath no time for this tedious duty the rich man he needs it not the wicked they dare not so no man will No man repented him of his wickednesse saying What have I done Jer. 8. 6. no man would meditate and think with himself what is my case how stands my condition before God what evil have I done in the Ark and in the old Law if there were any beast that chewed not the cud it was a sign of an unclean beast the word implies the bringing up of their meat into their mouths again and sitting down to chew it again But now men like unclean beasts swallow down the food of their souls unchewed and will not meditate thereof that it may turn to good nutriment but like Cormorants they take it down by whole-sale and are never the better So the Word is to them as the Quails to the Israelites while the flesh was yet between their teeth ere it was chewed the wrath of the Lord was kindled against them and smote them them with a very great plague Num. 11 33. So the Word of God sticks in their teeth ere they chew it or meditate upon it the wrath of God falls upon them and strikes them with a very great plague of hardnesse of heart and leanness of soul But the truth is you that will not now see your sins nor meditate on them you shall see them and meditate on nothing but on fear Lord when thy hand is lifted up they will not see but they shall see and be ashamed Isaiah 26. 11. Now the Lets of serious meditation are First vain company When Peter saw the people touched Acts 2. 37. he said unto them Save your selves from this untoward generation verse 40. as if he should say If you love your selves God hath touched your hearts suffer not Satan and these wicked instruments to steal away these impressions of terrour from your Souls If ever you love your souls sort not your selvs with this untoward generation See as it humbles you so let meditation follow upon it so that it may still humble you Ill company brings a man to the gallows as the proverb is and ill company will bring a man to hell say I and meditation cannot be admitted to it David would not have a wicked man to abide in his sight when he was to meditate he wisht that there were never a wicked man in the world much less would he keep company with them My meditation of him shall be sweet let the sinners be consumed out of the earth and let the wicked be no more Bless thou the Lord O my soul ps 104. 35. The second Let is multitude of worldly businesses A dream saith Solomon comes through multitude of businesses Eccles 5. Multitude of businesses causeth the mind so to run on them that they do even dream of them in their sleep as Lucretius Seneca Claudian and many others of the hearthens haue observed He that over-imploys himself his meditations of heaven are dreaming meditations his thoughts dreaming thoughts he can never seriously meditate on the good of his soul Many ingrosse businesses into their hands never thinking they have enough they are so greedy after the world and so carelesse of heaven So they make their hearts like high-way-ground the word sown in their hearts is like seed sown in the high-way where is such a throughfare and a broad Carriers road of earthly affairs that all the word and meditation thereof is trodden down as the grasse in the high-way which cannot grow so neither meditation in a busie-bodied heart For a good meditating mind Nemo ad illam pervenit occupatus saith Seneca no man ever came to it surfeited with imployments David although he had abundance of State-affairs both his hands ful yet he would not to be over-charged but that he might meditate in Gods word My hands also not all down to businesse only in the world but also up to thy Law will I lift up to thy commandements which I have loved and I wil meditate on thy statutes Psal 119. 48. Take not too much upon thee like those grasping worldlings that wil have a finger in a hundred things Martha Martha thou art cumbred about many things but one thing is needfull and Mary hath chosen the better part Luke 10. 41. and what was that one thing Mary was sitting and meditating in and pondring Christs words not
and displease him A wicked man will swear and blaspheme the Name of God and by and by it may be he will cry God mercy and so he thinks of God The man breaks out it may be into wrath and malice fury and passion and then it may be a thought will come into his mind to cry God mercy for it and thus he thinks of God The man is carelesse earthly dead and lukewarm in the performance of good duties and because his Conscience tells him it is not good he will aslo God forgivenesse he will be proud vain and rotten in his speeches and then it may be a thought will come into his mind to ask God forgivenesse and so he thinks of God he will think of the world of his pleasures profits of his lusts and sins and then it may be a good thought will come into his mind and then it may be he will think a little of God too Beloved this is carnal and devillish thinking of God thy thoughts then of God must be joyned with the fear of God Fourthly and lastly thou thinkest of God but the question is whether thy thoughts of him be profitable or unprofitable thoughts a godly man thinks of repentance and repents upon it he thinks of calling on God more faithfully and fervently then he did before and he accomplishes his thoughts for he goes a bout it and his heart is the better for it Thus it was with David when he said I thought on my way ways and turned my feet unto thy testimonies Psalm 119. 59. I thought on my wayes there was his good thoughts and turned my feet unto thy testimonies there was the profit of his good thoughts but on the contrary thou thinkest of God but God hath never the more service of thee thou thinkest of leaving of thy good fellowship and merry companions but for all thy thought thou retainest them still thou thinkest to give over all thy deadnesse and luke-warmnesse and so get more zeal fervency yet day after day and year after year thy heart is as dead vain and secure as before as ever before Examine thy self and see thou hast good thoughts thou saist but where is the profit of them thou thinkest of leaving thy wrath and of bridling thy filthy passions but art thou enabled by thy thoughts to put up an injury the better it may be thou thinkest of death but is thy life the more holy and sanctified by it Thou thinkest of Christ and his blood but is thy heart purged by it Oh the wretched misery of the most men in the world because of the unprofitablenesse of their thoughts they have many good thoughts but they want the profitable use of them they get no good by by them There is an excellent description of the thoughts of wicked men though it be Apocrypha The heart of the foolish is like a Cart-Wheel and his thoughts like the rowling Axeltree As the Cart-wheel goes round all the day and yet remains on the Axeltree so is it with wicked men their thoughts wheel and wheel them up and down a thousand thousand times their thoughts run upon this thing and then upon another thing and so they rowl up and down continually yet their heatt is at the same passe it was still an earthly heart it was and so it is still a prophane heart it was and so it is still a carnall proud heart it was and so it remains still But let these know that the time hastens wherein God will judge them even for their very thoughts Where are they then that say thought is free It is true indeed it is free from mens knowledge and from mens Courts but not from Gods they are not free from Gods all-seeing eye and knowledge Thou hast tryed and known me saith the Prophet thou understandest my thoughts afar off Psal 139. Beloved as you are in the Ale-house or gaming house as you walk abroad in the fields as you are imployed in your callings or about any holy duty God seeth all thy thoughts what is going in and what is coming out there is never a thought in thy heart but God sees it how then can thoughts be free God will weigh the thoughts of men Prov. 16. 2. Beloved what a fearfull day will that be when God shall take his Scales and weigh not mens bodies and estates for then in may be that rich men and fat and grosse men will out-weigh them that are better but he will take mens thoughts and weigh them he will weigh their souls he will take mens good thoughts and put them in one scale and their bad earthly carnal and unprofitable thoughts into another scale and to try which weighs heaviest Now if thy earthly and sinfull thoughts weigh heaviest then down thou goest into eternall damnation Secondly as thoughts are not free from Gods knowledge so are they not free from Gods Word for Gods Word can meet with them for it is lively and mighty in operation and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Heb. 4. 12. Doth the word of God discern the thoughts of mens hearts Then much more doth the God of this word and therefore how can thoughts be fee Thirdly and lastly they are not free from the condemnation of hell and and damnation I am he saith God that search the heart and reins and I will give to every one of you according to his works or as some translations have it according to your thoughts Revel 3. 23. Now if God will so severely punish thoughts take heed then how thou retainest any evil thoughts I should here give you some meanes in the use that so you might rid your selves from vain thoughts First love the word of God if ever thou wilt come out of them prize the truth of God and labour to get thy mind and thoughts to be set on better things and then the thoughts of the world and all vain things will vanish away This course the Prophet David took Psal 119 113 I hate vain thoughts but thy Law do I love How came it to pass that he hated vain thoughts namely by loving Gods Law if he had not loved Gods Law and those excellent things therein and set his heart on them he could never have hated vain thoughts The way then to break off thy league with vain thoughts is to be in league with good thoughts Dost thou complain of vain thoughts in prayer in hearing the word in receiving of the Sacraments and art thou stuffed and filled with them that thou canst not think upon God and holy things thou dost hereby bewray thine own rottenesse and corruptions And therefore know that if thou lovest the Lord and his Word and didst set thy thoughts upon him thou wouldest never have them so much imployed about such base things Secondly if ever thou wouldest rid thy heart of vain thoughts especially when thou art in holy action thou must go unto God by prayer there is no greater
and it becomes sinfull not regarded and abominable in Gods eyes For hearing of the Word of God the godly manâ— hears and the wicked man hears the matter in both is the same the godly man he casteth the Word into a godly mould he hears the Word and he trembles at it he hears the Word and beleeves it he hears the Word and his heart bowes to it and resolves to practise it a wicked man he hears the Word too but he casteth it into a dishonouraâ—le mould he hears it with deadnesse and dulnesse without trembling without faith and obedience So a godly man may think thoughts of God and so may a wicked man think thoughts of God the matter of both is good yet the thoughts of the wicked are vain though he thinks of God yet because he casteth it into his dishonourable frame he fears not God his heart trembles not at God but his heart is as full of dead earthly affections as before he thinks of hearing the Word but it is after this own fashion he thinks of praying but he prayes with his own spirit and not with the spirit of Adoption The Psalmist tells us that the whoremaster the drunkard and the thief thinks of God it is after his own fashion Psal 50. 21. These things hast thou done saith God and I held my tongue and then thoughtest that I was even such a one as thy self A wicked man goes on in his sins and thinks that they are not so devillish and abominable as some say they are and he thinks that God thinks so too he is earthly carnall luke-warm and dead-hearted and if he repent at the last he thinks all will be well and he thinks God is of the same mind too he goes on in his drunkennesse swearing pride and hypocrisie and he thinks if he do but remember to ask God mercy and to cry Lord receive my soul when he is going out of the world he thinks he shall not go to hell but be carried to the joyes of heaven and he thinks God is of his mind that God thinks so too But mark what the Lord saith I will reprove thee and set thy sins in order before thee O consider this you that forget God lest he tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver you Thirdly mens thoughts are vain when the heart that thinks upon them is earthly and vain wherefore if all the wicked men in the world should lay their heads together to think a good thought yet they cannot for their hearts are vain hearts sinfull hearts they may think of excellent propofitions concerning God his worship his word and service but so long as the heart that thinks upon them is carnall and vain they cannot speak that which is good as saith our Saviour Maithew 12. 34. How can you speak good things Why may some men say â— may not a wicked man read a Chapter in a Bible are the words so hard to be understood and pronounced cannot a wicked man take a Sermon and read it and hear a Sermon and repeat it What are Letters and syllables so hard to be pronounced I answer beloved that is not the meaning of our Saviour How can ye that are evill speak good things no no a wicked man may read Gods word and propound good questions as well as a true Christian but he cannot speak good words that is he cannot speak them from a good heart and therefore his heart being carnall and vain good words in his mouth are as a Jewell in a swines snout it is a word indeed but not a speech when he reads or pronounceth Gods word Aristotle saith that speech is nothing but the expression of that that is within the heart Now then if the word and truth of God be not ingraffed in thy heart if thy heart be not heavenly when thou speakest of heavenly things thou dost pronounce them but not speak them But when thou speakest of earthly things then thou speakest to the purpose because thy heart is set upon them and thy mind and thy tongue go together there is no jarre not discord betwixt them but if thy heart be not pure though thou speakest good things or holy things yet in Christs sense thou speakest them not For say I how can a vain evill corrupt heart think good thoughts An evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit saith our Saviour he doth not say that an evill tree cannot be made good for it may be grafted into another stock divers ways there are to make it good but so long as it is a corrupt tree it cannot bring forth good fruit Do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles Dost thou go to a drunkard and thinkest there to find any religion in him or to a whore-master to find grace in him Dost thou go to a swearer or a prophane person and thinkest thou to finde any fear of God in them Indeed sometimes there may be some morall good found in them but they are as a pearl in a dunghill out of its place Fourthly all mens thoughts come to be vain when the drift and end of the heart and soul in thinking of them is vain But thou wilt say unto me The end of my thoughts is Gods glory What is it not to Gods glory that we go to the Word and Sacrament that we pray and give almes I Answer The end of every good work in it selfe is Gods glory but is it the end of the worker speaker or thinker I make no question but the end of a good action in it selfe is the glory of God so the end of prayer is the glory of God the end of all preaching and Sermons is the glory of God the end of giving of almes and of all good thoughts is the glory of God but the end of the man that prayes and preaches what is that the end of the hearer and giver of almes what is that the end of him that speaks well what is that Beloved most men have false and corrupt ends which we will branch out into these three heads For the first men will be thinking and plodding from morning till night of their wordly businesses Now because they know they must think on God to make God amends perhaps they will think on him at night when they have dishonoured him all the day So men will swear and swagger drink and be drunk and when they have done say Lord have mercy upon me and so they think to make God amends What beloved will yee swear swagger drink be drunk and lye be secure and worldy and and then ask God forgivenesse to make him amends This is to break Priscians head that you may give him a plaister Will you trespasse your neighbour that you may ask him forgivenesse This is a damned and devillish religion yet this is the religion of many men in the world you shall have them keep daies and weeks and years in the observation of the times of Gods
a man to be drunken this is abundance of sins for it is an abuse of Gods creatures a spending of his substance a weakning of his parts a scandall to others c. Sin in deed is a sin with an addition sin in deed is an impudent sinâ— see Isaiah 65. 2 3. c. that man is impudent with a witnesse that will commit sinne in deed for he is neither ashamed of Gods nor mans presence if any man be a desperate sinner this is he But it may be objected how then can thoughts be said to be such sins even sins of the highest part of a man I answer a Thiefe or Rogue hath burnt a mans dwelling house yet he may proceed further and burn his stable too a 1000 pound and a shilling are more then a 1000 pound Sins in thought are included within sins in deed The souls part of sinne is the greatest part of sinne Now thoughts are the souls part of sin yet sins in deed must needs be worse in regard of the progresse of sinne and also because thoughts are included in them thoughts and deeds are more then thoughts alone I exhort and desire you therefore to consider First what great reason you have to set your thoughts on God God himselfe merited this dutie at your hands God hath taken a number of thoughts for us Innumerable are thy thoughts O God to us ward Ps 40. 5. the Lord thinks on us from the Cradle to the Crosse If the Lord should have intermitted his thought of thee thou couldst not subsist when thou wast up the Lord thought how to feed thee when thou wast in bed he thought how to preserve thee he doth not use to think of thee at one time and not at another but he thinks on thee when thou art sick and when thou art in health asleep or awake the Devill else would seize on thee I am poor and needy yet the Lord thinks on me saith the Psalmist Psal 40. 17. And Nehemiah saith O Lord think on me shall we call to God to think on us then surely it is our duty to think on him yea and he may call to us for that duty Secondly consider with your selves what thoughts they are which God calls for my son saith he give me thy heart Prov. 23. 26. He would faine have thy heart he lets thee labour with thy hands for thy living and he lets thee have thy feet to walk and the rest of thy members for thy severall uses but the Lord requires thy heart and therefore give him the thoughts of thy heart for if thy neighbour come to thee for fire thou canst not give him fire if thou take away the heat thereof so give the Lord thy heart and the thoughts of it will follow The Devill calls for thy heart also ergo reason as Joseph did when he was tempted how can I doe this and sinne against my God my Master hath delivered into my hands all that he hath thee only excepted and shall I take thee how can I doe this So the Lord hath with-holden nothing from thee but thy heart my sonne saith he give me thy heart yet wilt thou deny it him with the thoughts thereof Tell me you that are rich would it be any disparagement unto you to be Gods servants to set your thoughts on God True it is the greater ill men of this world thinke it some disparagement to think on these things But I tell thee thou that art a Gentleman if thou have grace it makes thee more than a Gentleman grace takes not away mens honor and riches but if he be a Knight it makes him more than a Knight And as Paul said to Philemon receive him now a servant and more than a servant he was a servant when he was carnall but now being a Christian he is more than a servant if you have grace it is an addition to your riches riches and more than riches ergo give your hearts to God and it will be the better for you Thirdly the Lord hath made thy thoughts thy Jewels thy thoughts are precious the Lord keepeth them under lock and key he will not let any see them if all men should observe a man and look into him yet they cannot see his thoughts no God hath lockt them up and made them thy Jewels wilt thou then cast them into the myre wilt thou preferre Haukes and Hounds in thy thoughts before God canst thou sit at dinner and not once think of God but alwayes on base pelfe why thy thoughts are thy Jewels Again A man that is wise will be wary what companions he keeps your thoughts are your only companions you never go out nor in but your thoughts go along with you and for this cause Solomon would have us place the word of God in our thoughts Prov. 6. 22. See Psal 139. 15. 16. when I am awake I am present with thee Men will be carefull what meat they eat because such meat as they eate such is their blood and as their blood is so is their body now as the body feeds on meat so doth the soul on thoughts if we look not to our thoughts they will be subject to abundance of corruptions a man must give an account of every idle word he speaks and thoughts are the intrinsecal words of the heart now if men must give an account of every idle word then of every idle thought also Let this then teach all and every one of us in the fear of God to consider our thoughts else our end will be destruction A SERMON OF SELF-DENIAL LUKE 9. 23. And he said unto them all If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his crosse daily and follow me THis Text contains the first action performed of every Christian viz. to deny himself concerning which you may here see First the grounds of it Secondly the reasons of it Thirdly the occasion of it Fourthly the parts of it Fifthly and lastly the necessity of it I intend to handle these words as they are in relation to the context First the grounds of this truth viz. that every man must deny himself And it is here expressed to be twofold viz. the contrariety that is between Christ and a mans self me and himself these two terms are contradictory one to the other if any man will come after me let him deny himself these two cannot stand together Secondly the contrariety that is between self and self if a man be in Christ he hath two selves he hath a self in himself and a self out of himself the self in himself is old Adam the other in Christ which is the new man there is the self-denying and self-denyed if a man will find himself he must lose himself Paul must not be found in Paul having his own righteousnesse but he must find himself in Christ for salvation belongeth unto the Lord Psal 3. 8. And ergo let him deny himself Secondly you may see
in the congregation but he will find it out if he preach in particular he will discover every mans corruption fling wilde fire in every wicked mans face and throw balme of comfort into every godly troubled spirit As King James said well of a reverend Prelate of this Land Me thinks this man preacheth of death as if death were at my back 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 looks 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 between 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 go on in their sins it is not good knowledge then indeed a Minister teacheth good knowledge when he makes his people so to know sin 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 between the sound and the rotten-hearted in his congregation Hence observe this point That every Minister is bound to preach so as to make a difference between 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 indeed 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 between the holy and prophane and cause men to discerne between the cleane and unclean Here is two things First they shall teach them the difference between 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 beat 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 luke warme or dead-hearted professor or close hypocrite in the congregation the Minister must make him see his prophanesse his deadnesse and hypocrisie in Gods worship 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 pulpit and prophanes the holy things of God Ezek. 22. 26. Her Priests have violated my law and prophaned my holy things they have put no difference between the holy and prophane neither have they shewed difference between the cleane and unclean 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 go from Church and have not their prophanenesse discovered to them a drunkard a swearer c. and hath not his sinnes laid 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 saith the Lord because thou hast let goe a man whom I appointed to utter destruction therefore thy life shall go for his life c so if there be any Minister over any congregation in which there is any drunkard any swearer or whoremaster or wordling or lukewarmling or any other that lives in such sinnes which God hath apointed and decreed to eternal destruction in hell if we tell them not their sinnes 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 been a means to have cured their soule Secondly We are not the Ministers of Christ if we preach not so as that men may know that they are not converted if they are not c. God saith to 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 between the precious and the vile Unlesse Ministers preach so as to make the consciences of their hearers feele in what state they live in they may be Ministers of Satan Idoll-shepheards but they are not the Ministers of Christ Thirdly because otherwise they can doe no good Ezek. 34. 17. and as for you O my flock thus saith the Lord God behold I will judge between cattell and cattell c. As if he should say woe unto the shepheards will they not preach so as to make a difference between cattell and cattell woe unto the Priests will they not preach so as to feede my flocke I will require my flocke at their hands and now saith 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 feed and provide for my flock 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 Captain 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 wil wound the consciences of their hearers This I speak 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 the word of God to thy soule as it is preached thou art guilty of thine own bloud If you apply not the word you put off the word of God and then what saith the Apostle Acts 13. 46. It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you but seeing you put it farre from you and judge
person he doth evill Secondly the disposition of his male partnesse that cannot indure to be reproved From the first of these we observe this That a wicked man hates the word of God grace yea he doth not onely hate the word of Gods grace but he hates grace it felfe he doth not onely hate the Lanthorne 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 self is and I thus define it It is an actual affection of the heart whereby a man riseth up against an union with that which seems 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 eys hate the light of the Sunne even when it is down 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 speak not of this hatred but of that which is actuall hatred whereby though they have the word yet they hare to be controled and reformed by the word Prov. 1. 22. O ye 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 cuts 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 far with lust they hate the word As a full stomack loatheth meat and cannot digest it so wicked men hate the word it will not go down 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 sayest thou lovest to hear 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 divelish As it was said of Agrippa his dogge he had a divell tyed 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 a true and good word I may say it is a divelish 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 be hates not the wolfe in the Forrest but in the Flock A wicked man hates not the word so long as it keeps within it self he loves Epistles and Gospells the first and second lesson so long as the word keeps in the Scriptures he likes it but if the word begin to take union with him if the word begin to plucke sin from him to pull his cupps from him to pluck 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 been 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 Iohn Baptist tooke his text and dwelt on the reasons and went no further Herod heard him gladly but when Iohn 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 Iohn 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 damn him if he repented not Herod cannot endure this preaching any longer Secondly in opposition to mercifull preaching A wicked man loves mercifull Preaching why it takes no
the poor 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 been glad that there had been 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 down a new Bible another Bible I feare there are many thousands among us that now say they love the Bible yet would love to heare of it and come from all places to seek 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 years old shall be accursed I saiah 65. 20 Can a Usurer love the 15. Psalme Can a luke warmling love Rev 3. 16 no he would be glad 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 look what the word saith they would doe what the word commands them they would obey If men did love the word they would comform their hearts and lives to the rules of the word But the carnall mind is enmity against 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 cannot think 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 mind 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 cannot abide the knowledge of the word therefore they say unto God depart from us we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes Job 21. 14. A wicked man would faine keep this and that lust he is loth to depart with his old corruptions his old sinnes he hath lived in them so long that he is loth to part with his old friends he would faine goe 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 hap 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 sins 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 â—â—hing known to them The drunkard the wanton the Usurer and the worldling how glad would they be that the Minister could prove by the word of God that these sins were lawful that usury were lawful that covetousnesse were lawful c. But when the word goes flat against them then they cannot endure that word why their conscience begins to pen 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 shing 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 sins Beloved what is all our preaching doth it not shew that men hate the word need any goe to the field and exhort the Husbandman to plough and sow his ground need we goe to your houses to perswade men to feed to eate and drink and to cloath themselves need we goe to the Alehouse and perswade the drunkard to drink 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 amongst us O beloved it is too true that abundance of us doe hate the light Did we 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 lukewarmnesse in good duties did we not hate the light we had all been children of the light ere now Plato saith 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 intreaties nor beseeches can possâ—ibly reconcile That is irreconcileable hatred which cannot be taken off by all the intreaties of the world Herâ—d hated Tyrus and Sidon but his hatred was taken off by Blastus his intreatie Acts. 12. 20. but that hatred is irreconcileable hatred that no intreaties can take off Oh how often have Gods Ministers intreated you and beseeched you to give over your sinnes and yet you will not how often
if all were true the Minister speakes I but the Scripture says it Is all true that is in the Scripture the Lord have mercy upon us and thus like fooles they build with untempered morter therefore I exhort all such as are yet in the gall of bitternesse to listen to what I say Redeeme the time yeild to the motions of Gods Spirit and blesse God for Mercy offered unto you in the meanes and if any affliction be laid on you intreat the Lord that he will doe you good by it If thy Conscience speake or the Spirit work doe as Joseph did who got him into a corner and there wept his belly full so intreat the Lord that he will breake the Heavens and come downe on thee to thy comfort put not off till thou art old A gentleman will not alwayes wait at the gate neither say thou as Felix to Paul I will send for thee at another time but say with Samuel Speak Lord for thy servant heareth Meanes First consider the fearfull condition of such as are given over Suppose one should come from Hell with the fire about his eares you would aske what is the newes the cry is my time my time Oh my people sayes the Minister Oh my Minister sayes the People The young man cries oh my time Doe not make a tush at this lest thou say the word was preached but I scorned it the spirit said this is the way walk in it the means of grace was sent unto me but I refused Mercie and now for ever I am in Hell to be tormented Secondly consider the great danger of putting off If thy will be stubborne to day it will be worse to morrow Thirdly consider the time 1. Pet. 4. 3. It is enough for the time of our life we have lived that we have wrought the works of the Gentiles let us live no longer in sinne it is too much that you have resisted the Gospell so much say then oh that the Lord would break this heart of mine Fourthly and lastly though God should be calling and egging you all the day long yet your lives are but short and therefore crie out with the Psalmist teach me O Lord to number my dayes that I may apply my heart unto wisdome do not say it is too late as one did once say of Prayer doe you thinke that I can pray now which never prayed in my life I am sure it will be too late when God comes to Judgement for then the Divell will stand on tip toe and say what dost thou now thinke to goe to Heaven the Lord did waite on thee untill he was weary but here is a company of Drunkards I did but hold up my finger and they presently followed me Heaven came down to them but they would none of it they could not hear of that ear and would you now go to heaven Therefore goe now for the Lord Jesus Christs sake and when Mercie is offered refuse it not but blesse God for it A SERMON FOR Spirituall Mortification Delivered By WILLIAM FENNER Minister of the Gospel sometimes Fellow of Pembroke Hall in Cambridge and late Lecturer of Rochford in Essex London Printed by E. T. for John Stafford A SERMON FOR Spirituall Mortification COLOS. 3. 5. Mortify therefore your Members which are upon the earth Fornication Uncleanness Inordinate affection evill Concupiscence and Covetousnesse which is Idolatry THE Apostle having in the Chapter foregoing shewed that the Colossians were buried together with Christ in his death and that they were also risen with him maketh two speciall uses thereof First in regard of the resurrection if then yee be risen with Christ seeke those things that are above The second is in regard of their buriall with Christ in these words Mortify therefore your members c. There be many men that look for participation in Christ yet notwithstanding mortifie not themselves they would fain live with Christ yet are loth to dye to sinne but we may say to these men as Paul to the Atheist Thou foole that which thou sowest is not quickened unlesse it first die so unlesse the seed of the word be sowen upon thy heart thou canst not be quickned unlesse thou fist die The things to be mortified are described two manner of waies either in generall the members or else in particular Fornication uncleannesse evill affections c. or as in the tenth verse all the fruits of the old man The words containe in them these three parts or truths First He that ever means to have Christ must have him with a therefore As if he should say if you look to have benefit by the death of Christ looke to have a therefore with it for no man can have Christ without a condition Secondly this condition consists in mortification we must mortifie our earthly members this is the qualification of all those that partake of the death of Christ even mortification Thirdly those that are made partakers of the death of Christ are enabled thereto so as the Apostle may well put this exhortation unto them Mortifie therefore your members c. He doth not say civilize your members many there be that civilize their earthlie members as from mortifying to purifying of them they come out of prophanenesse and enter into Civility and a formall kinde of profession but the Apostle saith mortifie and not civilize your members doe not pare the nailes of your corruptions but cut them quite off and give them their deaths wound that so your sins may breath out their last breath in you Sin may be civilized five wayes First when it is laid asleepe Pharaohs sinnes were asleepe but not dead Many mens sinnes are asleepe in them though they seeme to be dead in them for a time A man while he is asleepe is like a dead man yet he is alive yea and his sinnes are alive in him also but when temptation comes to awaken him out of his sleepe though before he seemed to be patient and meeke and hardly to be provoked yet let a temptation come and rouze him then he will finde his old wrath anger and impatiencie So likewise for a covetous man though he seeme to mortifie that sinne yet it is but asleepe in him for let a temptation come and he will quickly finde out his covetousnesse again so that here sinne is not mortified but it is with these men as it was with Sampson all the while he was laide to sleepe the coards and fetters held him but when they said Sampson the Philistines are upon thee and awaked him out of his sleepe the Pinne and Webbe was not strong enough to hold him Thus it is with many men when temptations are downe and they are not provoked all this while they seeme to have their sinnes mortified and thus the devill is of a good temper when he is not stirred so it is with many whom you would thinke to be good Christians while the windes are downe and the stormes doe not