Thus when in one and the same time Mercies and judgements are intermixed then is the most solemne season to call upon men for repentance If we felt nothing but fears they might make us despair if nothing but mercies they would make us secure If the whole year were Summer the sap of the earth would be exhausted if the whole were Winter it would be quite buried The hammer breaks mettall and the fire melts it and then you may cast it into any shape â—udgements break mercies melt and then if ever the soul is fit to be cast into Gods mould There is no figure in all the Prophets more usuall then this to interweave mercies and judgements like those Elegancies which Rhetoricians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to allure and to bring into a wildernes Hos. 2.14 And this of all other is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Physicians call it the Criticall time of diseased people wherein the chief conjecture lieth whether they be mending or ending according to the use which they make of such interwoven mercies I have cursorily run over the first part of the Context the Invitation unto Repentance as intending to make my abode on the second which is the Institution how to perform it Therein we have first a General instruction Take unto you words Secondly a particular form what words they should take or a petition drawn to their hands Take away all iniquitie c. Of the former of these I shall speak but a word It importeth the serious pondering and choosing of requests to put up to God The mother of Artaxeâ—xes in Plutarch was wont to say that they who would addresse themselves unto Princes must use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 silken words Surely he that would approach unto God must consider and look as well to his words as to his feet He is so holy and jealous of his worship that he expects there should be preparation in Our accesses unto him Preparation of Our persons by purity of life Iob 11. â—3 Preparation of Our Services by choice of matter Iob 9.1 Luk. 15.17 18. Preparation of Our Hearts by finding them out stirring them up fixing them fetching them in and calling together all that is within us to prevail with God The services which we thus prepare must be Taken from him They must not be the issues of our own private and fleshly hearts For nothing can go to God but that which comes from him and this phrase seemeth to import these three things 1. We must attend unto his will as the Rule of our prayers 2. We must attend unto his precepts and promises as the Matter of our prayers 3. We must attend unto the Guidance of his Holy Spirit as the life and principle of our prayers without which we know not what to ask And prayers thus Regulated are most seasonable and soveraign duties in times of Trouble The key which openeth a doore of mercy the slâ—ce which keepeth out an Inundation of judgements Iacob wrestled and obtained a blessing Hos. 12.4 Amos prayed and removed a Curse Amos 7.1.7 The woman of Canaan will not be denied with a deniall Mat. 15.24 27. The people of Israel will begge for deliverance even then when God had positively told them that hee would deliver them no more Iudg. 10.13 15. Ionah will venture a prayer from the bottome of the Sea when a double death had seised upon him the belly of the deep and the belly of the Whale and that prayer of his did open the doores of the Leviathan as the expression is Iob 41.14 and made one of those deaths a deliverance from the other O let the Lords remembrances give him no rest There is a kinde of omnipotencie in prayer as having an Interest and prevalence with Gods omnipotency It hath loosed iron chains It hath opened Iron gates It hath unlockt the windows of heaven It hath broken the bars of death Satan hath three titles given him in the Scripture setting forth his malignity against the Church of God A Dragon to note his malice a Serpent to note his subtiltie and a Lyon to note his strength But none of all these can stand before prayer The greatest malice the malice of Haman sinks under the prayer of Esther the deepest policy the counsell of Achitophel withers before the prayer of Daivd the hugest Army an hoast of a thousand thousand Ethiopians runne away like Cowards before the prayer of Asa. How should this incourage us to treasure up our prayers to besiege the throne of Grace with armies of supplications to refuse a deniall to break through a repulse He hath blessed those whom he did cripple he hath answered those whom he did reproach he hath delivered those whom he did deny And he is the same yesterday and to day If he save in six and in seven troubles should not we pray in six and seven Extremities Certainly in all the afflictions of the Church when prayers are strongest mercies are nearest And therefore let me humbly recommend to the Cares of this honourable Assembly amongst all your other pressing affairs the providing that those solemne dayes wherein the united prayers of this whole Kingdom should with strongest â—mportunities stop the breaches and stand in the gaps at which Iudgements are ready to rush in upon us may with more obedience and solemnity be observed then indeed of late they are It is true here and in other Cities and populous places there is haply lesse cause to complain But who can without sorrow and shame behold in our Countrey towns men so unapprehensive either of their brethrens sufferings or of their own sins and dangers as to give God quite over to let him rest that they themselvs may work to come in truth to Iehorams resolution Why should we wait upon God any longer to grudge their brethrens and their own souls and safeties one day in thirty and to tell all the world that indeed their daies work is of more value with them then their dayes worship multitudes drudging and moyling in the earth while their brethren are mourning and besieging of heaven I do but name it and proceed The second part of the Institution was the particular form suggested unto them according unto which their addresses unto God are to be regulated which consisteth of two parts a prayer and a promise The prayer is for two Benefits the one Remove all of sin the other Conferring of Good In the promise or Restipulation we have first their Covenant wherein they promise two things 1. Thanksgiving for the hearing and answering of their prayers 2. A speciall care for the Amendment of their lives Secondly the Ground of their Confidence so to pray and of their Resolutions so to promise Because in thee the fatherlesse findeth mercy My meditations will bee confined within the
Eyes what reason have we to be humbled for this unstedfastnesse of our Hearts from whence the diffluence and loosenesse of every other faculty proceeds 2 If we must bewail the falsenes of our Hearts that stand in need of Covenants how much more should we bewail their perfidiousnesse in the violation of Covenants That they take occasion even by Restraint like a River that is stopped in his course to grow more unruly Or as a man after an Agâ—e which took away his stomack to return with stronger appetite unto sin again To crucifie our sins and in repentance to put them as it were to shame and then to take them down from the Crosse again and fetch them to life and repent of Repentance To vow and after vows to make inquirie Prov. 20.25 This is a very ill requitall unto Christ. He came from glory to suffer for us and here met with many discouragements not onely from enemies but from friends and Disciples Iudas betrayes him Peter denies him his Disciples sleep his kinsfolks stand afarre off yet he doth not look back from a Crosse to a Crown and though he be tempted to come down from the Crosse yet he stayes it out that he might love and save us to the uttermost but wee no sooner out of Egypt and Sodome but we have hankering affections to return at the least to looke backwards again Engage our selves to be ruled by the Word of the Lord as the Jews did Ier. 42.5 6. and with them Ier. 43.2 When wee know his Word cavill against it and shrinke away from our owne resolutions O how should this humble us and make us vile in our own eyes God is exceeding angry with the breach of but Hâ—mane Covenants Ier. 34. 18. Ezek. 17.18 How much more with the breach of Holy Covennants between himself and us and threatneth severely to revenge the quarrell of his Covenant Levit. 26.25 and so doubtlesse he now doth and will do still except we take a penitent Revenge upon our selves for it And therefore Lastly having entred into Covenant we should use double diligence in our performance of it Quickning and stirring up our selves thereunto 1 By the consideration of the stability of his Covenant with us even the sure mercies of David Isa. 54.8 9.55.3 To break faith with a false person were a fault but to deceive him that never fails nor forsakes us increaseth both the guilt and the unkindnesse 2 By consideration of his continued and renewed mercies If he were a wildernesse unto us there might be some colour to repent us of our bargain and to look out for a better service But it is not onely unthankfulnesse but follie to make a forfeiture of mercies and to put God by our breach of Covenant with him to break his with us too Ier. 2.5 6 7.31 Numb 14.34 Ion. 2.8 3 By consideration of our Baptisme and the tenor thereof wherein we solemnly promise to keepe a good conscience and to observe All things whatsoever Christ commandeth us 1 Pet. 3.21 Mat. 28.19 20. From which engagement wee cannot recede without the note and infamie of greater perfidiousnesse To take Christs pay and do sin service to be a subject unto Michael and a pensioner unto the Dragon to weare the Liverie of one Master and do the work of another to be an Israelite in title and a Samaritan in truth this is either to forget or to deride our Baptisme 2 Pet. 1.9 for therein wee did as it were sâ—bscribe our names and list our selves in the Register of Sion and as it is an high honour to be enrolled in the genealogies of the Church so is a great dishonour to be expunged from thence and to be written in the Earth and have our names with our bodies putrifie into perpetuall oblivion Ierem. 17.13 Nehem. 7.64 65. 4 Consider the seale and witnesses whereby this Covenant hath been confirmed Sealed in our own consciences by the seale of faith beleeving the Holâ—nesse of Gods wayes and the excellencie of his Rewards for he that beleeveth hath set to his seale Joh. 3.33 mutually attested by our spirits feeling the sweetnesse of dutie and by Gods spirit revealing the certainty of Reward Rom. 8.16 and this in the presence of Angels and Saints into whose communion wee are admitted 1 Corinth 11.10 Hebr. 12.22 so that wee cannot depart from this Covenant without shaming our selves to God to Angels to men and to our own consciences Yea the Font where we were baptized and the Table where we have sacramentally eaten and drank the body and blood of Christ the very seats where we have sate attending unto his voice like Ioshua his stone cap. 24.22 27. will be witnesses against us if we deny our Covenant though there be no need of witnesses against those who have to do with the searcher of hearts and the Judge of consciences that consuming fire whom no lead no drosse no reprobate silver no false metall can endure or deceive no Ananias or Saphira lie unto without their own undoing Lastly let us consider the estate which these Covenants do referre unto and our Tenure whereunto these services are annexed which is eternall life After we have had patience to keep our short Promises of doing Gods will he will performe his eternall promises of giving himself unto us And who would forfeit an inheritance for not payment of a small homage or quitrent reserved upon it If we expect eternall life from him there is great reason we should dedicate a mortall life unto him Let us not pay our service in drosse when we expect our wages in gold THE THIRD SERMON HOSEAH 14. VER 2.3 2. So will we render the calves of our lips 3. Ashur shall not save us we will not ride upon Horses neither will we say any more to the works of our hands ye are our Gods for in thee the fatherlesse findeth mercy HAving handled the generall doctrine of our entring into Covenant with God I shall now proceed unto the particulars which they here engage themselves unto whereof the first is a solemne Thanksgiving We will render the calves of our lips All the sacrifices of the Jewes were of two sorts Some were Ilasticall propitiatory or expiatory for pardon of sin or impetration of favour others were Eucharisticall sacrifices of praise as the peace-offerings Levit. 7.12 for mercies obtained Psal. 107.22 With relation unto these the Church here having prayed for forgivenesse of sin and for the obtaining of blessings doth hereupon for the farther enforcement of those petitions promise to offer the peace-offerings of praise not in the naked and empty ceremony but with the spirituall life and substance viz. the Calves of their lips which are moved by the inward principles of hearty sincerity and thanksgiving From hence we learn that sound conversion and repentance enlargeth the heart in thankfulnesse towards God and disposeth it to offer up the sacrifice of praise And this duty here promised cometh
be firme stable constant unmovable in the Truth and in the work of the Lord as an house built upon a rock To stand fast and be rooted in the truth that wee may hold the profession thereof without wavering not being carried about with every winde of doctrine but knowing whom and what we have believed 1 Cor. 16.13 Eph. 4.14 Col. 2.7 Heb. 10.23 to stand fast and be rooted in the Love of God that we may be strengthned with might in his service and may with purpose of heart cleave unto him being established by his grace Eph. 3.17 Col. 1.11 Heb. 12.28.13 9. In the Civill Law till a tree hath taken root it doth not belong to the soile on which it is planted It is not enough to be in the Church except like the Cedar of Lebanon we cast forth our roots and are so planted that we flourish in the Courts of our God and bring fruit in our old age Psal. 92.12 13 14. Thirdly He promised that the Church should spread forth her branches and fill the earth and grow into a great compasse and extent and should send forth her boughs unto the Sea and her branches unto the River Psa. 80.9 10 11. Dan. 2.35 That his Church should be a universall Church over the whole world that as the whole world in regard of sinne lieth in mischiefe 1 Ioh 5.19 so the whole world should have Christ for its propitiation through faith 1 Ioh. 2.2 Totus in maligno propter zizania Christus propitiatio propter Triticum By one spirit we All are baptised into one Body 1 Cor. 12.13 and that one Body made up of all the Churches of the Saints 1 Cor. 14.33 even of all Nations kindreds people tongues Revel 7.9 no difference of persons neither Greek nor Iew neither Circumcision nor Vncircumcision Barbarian Scythian bond nor free but Christ All and in All Col. 3.11 no difference of places All that in every place call upon the name of Lord Jesus both theirs and ours 1 Cor. 1.2 no difference of Times Christ yesterday and to day and the same for ever Heb. 13.8 And as this is his promise so we should endeavour 1. To grow our selves in knowledge and grace to let our profiting appeare unto all men to abound in the work of the Lord to let our graces from the heart like leven from the middle of the lump spred abroad and finde their way to all the parts and powers of soule and body that the whole man may be filled with the fulnesse of God and grow up unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ Eph. 4.13.15 16. Phil. 3.12 13. 2 Pet. 3.18 Heb. 6.1 2. To labour and endeavour the growth and progresse of the Gospell in others This is the nature of grace to manifest it selfe and by that meanes to allure and gather others to its own quality It is set forth in Scripture by the names of light which shines abroad of oyntment and perfume which cannot be hid of leaven and salt which deriveth its own nature and rellish upon a whole lump Therefore the holy Ghost was given in Tongues fiery tongues and a rushing winde all which have a quality of selfe-manifestation and notifying themselves unto others There is an excellent place to this purpose in the Apostle Eph. 4.15 16. But speaking the truth in love may grow up into him in all things which is the Head even Christ. From whom the whole Body fitly joyned together and compacted by that which every joynt supplyeth according to the effectuall working in the measure of every part maketh encrease of the Body unto the edifiing of it selfe in love Where the Apostle sheweth the manner of spirituall increase in the mysticall Body of Christ by the proportion of the growth of members in the naturall Body And first there must be a fellowship between the Head and Members which in the mysticall Body is here twofold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Growing into him and receiving from him Looking in this work of growth upon Christ first as the end of that growth unto which it drives secondly as the fountaine from whence it proceeds That by growing we may have a more intimate and strong communion with him by that vertue which we receive from him So here are two necessarie requisites unto this duty of endeavouring the encrease of the Body to have Christ for our end unto which wee work and for our fountaine out of which we derive our ability of working Every true member of Christ is intent and vigilent upon the interest and honour of Christ and it belongs unto the honour of Christ to have a perfect body The Church is hi◠fulnesse he esteemes himselfe maimed and incomplete if that should be finally deficient in any thing requisite to the integrall perfection of it and hence it is that every true Christian puts forth the uttermost of his endeavours in his place to carry on the encrease of his Masters Body As every true-hearted Souldier that loves his Generall is exceeding desirous and to his power endeavours that every company and Regiment under his Generalls command may bee in all the offices and members of it compleat Againe every member of Christ being unto him united doth from him receive of his fulnesse grace for grace and so worketh unto the same ends as the head doth And as the water which first riseth out of the fountaine doth not stand still there where it began but goeth forward till it grow into a great River so those who are joyned unto Christ as a Fountaine doe by reason of that vitall Communion which they have with the Fountain carry on the growth of the whole Body and the more vigorous the life of Christ is in any part the more actively doth that part work towards the edification of the whole 2. Here is further required a fellowship and mutuall Communion of the members of the Body within and amongst themselves unto which is first presupposed the Organicall and harmonious Constitution and compacture of the Body into one out of which ariseth the forme and beauty the strength and firmnesse the order and fitnesse that is in it unto those works that are proper to it intimated in those two words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fitly joyned together and compacted It is a metaphor drawn from Carpenters and other Artificers who by severall joynts do so coaptate and fit the parts of their work unto one another that being put together and fastned there may one whole structure or body grow out of them in that body this accurate fitnesse intimatenesse of the parts with one another produceth an excellent strength a beautifull order and a readie serviceablenesse of each part to the other of all to the whole So Ierusalem is said to be a City compacted within it self Psa. 122.3 as the Ark a Type of the Church had the ribs
of theirs brings it to passe and when by their owne intentions they are enemies to it by Gods wonderfull ordering and directing they are executioners of it Romans 9.19 Psalme 33.11.115.2 Proverbs 19.21 Esay 46.10 Ioshua 24.9 10. 5. According unto this distinction of Gods will wee are to distinguish of his Call Some are called voluntate signi by the will of his precept when they have the will of God made knowne unto them and are thereby perswaded unto the obedience of it in the ministry of the Gospel in which sense our Saviour saith many are called but few chosen Matth. 20.16 and unto those who refused to come unto him that they might have life he yet saith These things I say that you might be saved Ioh. 5.34 40. Others are called voluntate beneplaciti ordained first unto eternall life by the free love and grace of God and then thereunto brought by the execution of that his decree and purpose in the powerfull calling and translating of them from darknesse unto light And this is to bee called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according unto purpose Rom. 8.28 namely the purpose and counsell of shewing mercy to whom he will shew mercy Rom. 9.18 6. They who are called only as the Hen calleth her chicken with the meere outward Call or voyce of Christ in the Evangelicall Ministry may and doe resist this Call and so perish Corazin and Bethsaida and Capernaum were outwardly called by the most powerfull Ministeriall meanes that ever the world enjoyed both in Doctrine and Miracles and yet our Saviour tels them that they shall be in a worse condition in the day of Judgement then Tyre Sidon or Sodom Matth. 11.21 24. So the Prophet complaines Who hath beleeved our report or to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed Esay 53.1 which the Evangelist applies unto the argument of conversion Iohn 12.37 40. for so the hand or arme of the Lord is said to be with his Ministers when by their Ministery men doe turne to the Lord Act. 11.21 And the same Prophet againe or Christ in him complaines All the day long have I stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainesaying people Esay 65. 2. Rom. 10.21 So disobedient and gaine saying that wee finde them resolve sometimes point blank contrary to the Call of God Ier. 44.16 27. Ier. 18.11.12 Ier. 2.25 Matth. 23.27 7. They who are called inwardly and spiritually with an heavenly Call vocatione altâ secundum propositum with such a Call as pursueth the Counsell and purpose of God for their salvation though they doe resist quoad pugnam and corruption in them doth strive to beare up against the grace of Christ yet they doe not resist finally and quoad eventum unto the repelling or defeating of the operation of Gods effectuall grace but they are thereby framed to embrace approve and submit unto that Call God himselfe working a good will in them captivating their thoughts unto the obedience of Christ and working in them that which is pleasing in his own sight Phil. 2.13 2 Cor. 10.5 Heb. 13.21 And this is done by a double Act. 1. An act of spirituall teaching and irradiating the minde and judgement with heavenly light called by the Prophet the writing of the law in the heart and putting it into the inward parts Ier. 31.33 2 Cor. 3.3 and by our Saviour The Fathers Teaching Iob. 6.45 and the holy Spirits convincing of sinne righteousnesse and judgement Iohn 16.8 11. and by the Apostle a demonstration of the spirit and power 1 Cor. 2.4 A spirituall revelation of wisedome out of the word unto the conscience Eph. 1.17 For though we are to condemne fanatick revelations besides the word and without it yet wee must accknowledge spirituall revelation or manifestation of the divine light and power of the word by the holy Spirit in the mindes of men converted for the word of God being a spirituall Object doth unto the salvificall knowledge of it require such a spirituall quality in the faculty which must know it as may be able to passe a right judgement upon it for spirituall things are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2.14 It is true that hypocrites and other wicked men may have very much notionall and intellectuall knowledge of the Scriptures and those holy things therein revealed Heb. 6.4 2 Pet. 2.21 But none of that knowledge amounteth unto that which is called the Teaching of God and a spirituall demonstration for the mysteries of the Gospell were unto this end revealed that by them we might be brought unto the obedience of Christ and therefore the knowledge of them is never proportioned or commensurate to the object till the mind be thereby made conformed unto Christ till the conceptions which are framed in us touching God and sin and grace and heaven and eternall things be suteable to those which were in the minde of Christ 1 Cor. 2.16 Evangelicall truths are not fitted unto meere intellectuall but unto practicall judgement It is such a knowledge of Christ as may fill us with the fulnesse of God Ephe. 3.18.19 A knowledge that must work communion with Christ and conformity unto him Phil. 3.10 A knowledge that must produce a good conversation Iam. 3.13 He that saith he knoweth him and keepeth not his Commandements is a lier and the truth is not in him 1 Ioh. 2.3 4. We doe not know Christ till wee know him as our chiefest good as our choycest treasure as our unsearchable riches as Elect and precious and desireable and altogether lovely and the fairest of ten thousand and worthy of all acceptation in comparison of whom all the world besides is as dung The knowledge of Christ is not seeing onely but seeing and tasting Psal. 34.8 Psal. 119.103 And therefore they who in one sense are said to have known God Rom. 1.21 are yet in the same place verse 28. said not to have God in their knowledge It is an excellent speech of the Philosopher That such as every man is in himselfe such is the end that he works unto and such notions he hath of that good which is his end And therefore it is impossible that a wicked frame of heart can ever look upon any supernatuall object as his last end or as principally desireable If I should see a man choose a small trifle before a rich jewell however hee should professe to know the excellency and to value the richnesse of that jewell yet I should conclude that hee did not indeed understand the worth of it a right And therefore unto the perfect and proper knowledge of supernaturall things there is required a speciall work of the grace and spirit of Christ opening the heart and working it to a spirituall constitution proportionable to such kinde of truths about which it is conversant The Scripture every where attributeth this worke unto God and his Spirit It is he that giveth a heart to perceive and eyes to see and eares to heare
man knowes them But in such things the knowledge whereof is ever in order unto a further end there is required besides the knowledge it self a faculty of wisdome and judgement to apply manage that knowledg respectively to that end for the advancement of it Now we know â—hat Theologicall learning is all of it practicall and hath an intrinseall respect and order unto worship and obedience therefore it is called the knowledge of the truth which is after godlinesse Tit. 1.1 The feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisedome and a good understanding have all they that doe his Commandements Psal. 111.10 keep his judgements and doe them for this is your wisedome and understanding Deut. 4.6 therefore besides the bare knowledge of truth there is required wisdome and spirituall understanding to direct that knowledge unto those holy uses saving ends for which it was intended The doubling of the sentence is the augmenting of the sence to note that it is the supreme and most excellent act of wisedom and prudence so to know the word and the wayes of God as with a practicall judgement to ponder them in order to salvation By the wayes of the Lord we are to understand 1. The wayes of his judgements and of his wonderfull providence towards men which however to the proud and contentious spirit of the wicked they may seeme perverse and inordinate and are to the eye of all men unsearchable are yet by spirituall wisedome acknowledged to be most righteous and holy to have no crookednesse or disorder in them but to be carried on in an even and strait way unto the ends whereunto his holy counsell doth direct them His workes are perfect and all his wayes are Iudgement Deut. 32.4 When Ieremy had a minde to plead with the Lord concerning his Iudgements yet he premiseth this as a matter unquestionable That God was righteous in them all Ier. 12.2 2. The wayes of his will word and worship so the word is often taken in Scripture to signifie the Doctrine which men teach as Math. 22.16 Act. 13.10 Act. 18.25.22.4 and damnable heresies are called pernicious wayes in opposition to the way of truth 2. Pet. 2.2 and the rites or rules of corrupt worship are called by the Prophet the way of Beersheba Amos 8.14 And these wayes of God are likewise very strait which carry men on in a sure line unto a happy end Psal. 19.8 whereas wicked ways have crookednesse and perversnesse in them Psal. 125.5 and this way seemes here chiefly to bee meant because it followes The Iust will walke in them that is they will so ponder and judge of the righteous wayes of God in his word as to make choyce of them for their way of happinesse wherein they intend to walk as the Psalmist speaks I have chosen the way of thy truth Psal. 119.30 Psal. 25.12 Whereas wicked men being offended at the purity of divine truth do stumble and fall into perdition as the Chaldee Paraphrast expresseth this place The words are a powerfull and patheticall stirring up of the people of Israel unto the consideration and obedience of the doctrines taught by the Prophet in his whole Prophecie The arguments which he useth are drawn first from the character of the persons Who is wise he shall understand c Secondly from the nature of the doctrine taught for the wayes of the Lord are right Thirdly from a double use and fruit of it made by different sorts of men To the Iust It is a way of happinesse they will walke To the wicked it is an occasion of stumbling They will fall therein Touching the persons we observe two things the one intimated their paucity the other expressed their prudence From the former consideration we may note That there are few men who are wise unto salvation and who doe seriously attend and manage the ministry of the word unto that end If there be any kind of accidentall Lenocinium to allure the fancies or curiosities or customary attendances of men on the ordinances elegancy in the speaker novelty and quaintnesse in the matter Credit or advantage in the duty upon such inducements many will wait on the word some to heare a sweet song Ezek. 33.32 others to heare some new Doctrine Act. 17.19 some for Loves to promote their secular advantages Ioh. 6.26 having one and the selfe same reason of following Christ which the Gadarens had when they entreated him to depart from their coasts But very few there are who doe it propter se and with respect to the primary use and intention of it Our Prophet seemes to doe as the Philosopher did who lighted a candle at noone to find out a wise man indeed to 〈◊〉 to and fro through the streets and in the broad places to finde a man that seeketh the truth as the Lord commanded the Prophet Ieremy Ier. 5.1 How doth the most elegant of all the Prophets complaine Who hath beleeved our Report Isa. 53.1 Isa. 49.4 How doth the most learned of the Apostles complaine that the preaching of the Gospel was esteemed foolishnes 1. Cor. 1.23 Noah was a Preacher of righteousnesse to a whole world of men and yet but eight persons saved from the flood and some of them rather for the families sake then their owne 1. Pet. 3.20 Paul preached to an whole Academy at Athens and but a very few converted Act. 17.34 some disputed and others mocked but few beleeved the things which they were not able to gain-say Hezekiah sent messengers into all Israel to invite them unto the true worship of God at Ierusalem but they were mocked and laughed to scorne and a remnant only humbled themselves and came to Ierusalem 2. Chron. 30.10 11. whereunto the Prophet seemeth to allude Isai 17.6.24.13 Though a gun be discharged at a whole flight of birds there are but few killed Though the net be spread over the whole pond but a few fishes are taken many thrust their heades into the mud and the net passeth over them and so most hearers doe busie their heads with their owne sensuall or wordly thoughts and so escape the power of the word In the richest Mine that is there is much more earth and drosse digged out then pure mettall Christs flock in every place is but a little flock Luk. 12.32 Few chosen Math. 20.16 few saved Luk. 13.23 few that finde the narrow way which leadeth unto life Math. 7.13 14. The basest creatures are usually the most numerous as flies and vermine those that are more noble are more rare too The people of the God of Abraham are in the Scripture-stile Princes and Nobles Psal. 47.9 Act. 17.11 1. Pet. 2.9 and how few are such kinde of men in comparison of the vulgar sort They are â—ndeed many in themselves Heb. 2.10 Revel 7.9 but very few and thin being compared with the rest of the world We must therefore learne not to be offended or discouraged by the paucity of sincere