worthy persons and to shew such grace to the more vnworthy is the respect that he hath to his owne glory For whereas wee are apt to thinke thus O if Nobles and men of degree and credit were religious and zealous what good might they doe What honour might they gaine to God In very deed it is nothing so God receiues more honour by calling these meane persons then he should doe if he called the other That is the cause why our Sauiour giues thankes for this I thanke thee ô father Lord of heauen and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast reuealed them vnto babes Matth. 11. 25. And reioyced in Spirit at this Luke 10. 21. Gods power and mighty hand is best discerned therein my strength is made perfect in weakenesse saith he 2. Cor. 12. 9. And the freenesse of his grace and the glory of mans saluation is by this meanes wholly ascribed vnto God which otherwise it would not be and this reason the Apostle giues of the Lords dealing thus in this case that no flesh should glory in his presence 1. Cor. 1. 29. The second concerneth the persons that take this offence For all naturall men are proud and thinke best of themselues and do enuie that any other should be in better state then themselues specially such as they iudge to be their inferiours Doe you thinke that the Scripture saith in vaine the spirit that dwells in vs lusteth vnto enuie Iames 4. 5. And aboue all that any should be thought to serue God better or to be more in Gods fauour then themselues This is the chiefe cause of the hatred that the wicked haue borne to the godly in all ages Wherefore did Caine hate and slay Abel because his owne workes were euill and his brothers righteous saith the Apostle 1. Iohn 3. 12. Because Abel offered vnto God a more excellent sacrifice and more acceptable to God then Cain did Heb. 11. 4. The third concerneth the persons themselues against whom this offence is taken For there is neuer a one of these foure sorts whom the Lord is wont to haue most respect to in this case but they haue for the most part such infirmities and faults in them as cannot choose but giue some occasion to the naturall man to thinke that it is no credit at all to Gods truth to be professed by such 1. The multitude and common sort of people are for the most part voide of iudgement carried by affection rather then by good reason easily lead this way or that vnconstant and vnstable this is plaine in the example of that people that flocked after Christ A little before his apprehension they honoured him exceedingly a very great multitude spread their garments in his way as he was riding towards Ierusalem and cryed Hosanna vnto him Matth. 21 8 9. And when he was come thither all the people were wont to come into the Temple early in the morning to heare him and that daily also Luk. 21. 37 38. yea they were wont all of them at that time to heare him with that attention and affection that they are said euen to haue hanged on him Luke 19. 48. But so soone as they saw how he was apprehended and vilifyed by the chiefe Priests and Rulers the same men that had honoured him so much a little before and seemed to take so much delight and comfort in his doctrine did all with one consent cry let him be crucified let him be crucified yea they preferred Barabbas a murtherer before him and said His bloud be vpon vs and vpon our children Matth. 27. 22 23 25. 2. Young men for the most part are 1. Proud and highly conceited of themselues that made the Apostle to say 1. Tim. 3. 6. A Minister must not be a nouice least being lifted vp with pride he fall into the condemnation of the diuell 2. Rash and void of iudgement as appeares by the example of Rehoboam himselfe and his young Counsellors 1. King 12. 8. 10. I discerned among the youth a young man void of vnderstanding Pro. 7. 7. 3. Inconstant which made the Apostle to exhort Timothy 1. Tim. 4. 16. To take heed to himselfe and to the Doctrine and to continue in them And the experience the World hath of many that in their youth were zealous and afterwards haue growen cold and worldly makes them to thinke all will do so 3. Such as hauing beene of scandalous and lewd life grow to be professors seldome prooue sound and constant Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spotâ—… then may yee also doe good that are accustomed to doe euill Ier. 13. 23. This is the reason of that speech 1. Tim. 3. 7. He must haue a good report of them that are without For Sathan will be busier with such then with any other Matth. 12. 44. he saith I will returne vnto my house frow whence I came out 4. Women are 1. Weaker in iudgement then men and more subiect to passion 1. Pet. 3. 7. The weaker vessell That is the cause why Sathan assaulted Eue rather then Adam Gen. 3. 1. they are more easily deceiued and corrupted then men 2. The Scripture to the disgrace and humbling of them ascribeth the sin and corruption of mankind to that sex rather then to the other Adam was not deceiued but the Woman being deceiued was in the transgression 1. Tim. 2. 14. What is he which is borne of a woman that he should be righteous Iob 15. 14. How can he be cleane that was borne of a woman Iob 25. 4. In sin did my mother conceiue me Psal. 51. 4 5. In which respect vnder the Law she was accounted vncleane and inioyned a time of separation from the Sanctuary after she had brought forth a child and that time also was to be double as much when she had borne a female as when a male Leuit. 12. 4 5. And that curse of God threatned I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception In sorrow shalt thou bring forth children Gen. 3. 16. remaineth vpon that sex as a reall demonstration of this 3. Experience sheweth that where they are wicked they are farre worse then men for cunning and hypocrisie for vncleannesse and beastlinesse for cruelty and hard-heartednesse for prophanesse and impiety Iesabel was worse then Ahab Herodias then Herod And Salomon speakes this from experience Eccles. 7. 28. One man among a thousand haue I found but a woman among all those haue I not found For to exhort all men to take heed they stumble not nor take offence at the basenesse or vnworthinesse of any person whom the Lord hath called Take heed that yee despise not one of these little ones Matth. 18. 10. Despise not any Professor for their sex pouerty age or former lewdnesse but labour to be of the same mind that was in Christ himselfe reioyce in that wisedome and goodnesse of God that appeareth in this as he did Matth. 11. 25.
is not onely a sinne but a mother-sinne a cause of many other sinnes it drawes men to many other sinnes yea to other most hainous sinnes Pro. 23. 28. She increaseth the transgressions among men Doe not prostitute thy daughter saith the Lord Leuit. 19. 29. to cause her to be a whore least the land fall to whoredome and the land become full of wickednesse 2. It is not onely a sin but a punishment of other sinnes I might alledge the punishments that God hath beene wont and will certainely inflict on this sin But I reserue that to another place Salomon in Eccles. 7. 26. speaking of the woman Whose heart is as nets and snares and whose hands are as bands he addeth He that is good before God shall be deliuered from her but the sinner shall be taken by her Pro. 22. 14. The mouth of a strange woman is as a deepe pit he with whom the Lord is angry shall fall therein So Rom. 1. 24. Speaking of such as God gaue vp to their hearts lusts and to vncleannesse and verse 26. to vile affections and verse 28. to a reprobate sense hee names the sinnes that prouoked God to deale thus with them verse 28. they regarded not to know God and verse 21. when they knew God they glorified him not as God nor were thankefull And therefore God gaue them vp to this sin Many speake much how this sin abounds in such townes where the Gospell hath beene most plentifully and powerfully preached and thinke they haue great aduantage against religion for it but indeed this makes much for the honour of the Gospell that the Lord cannot indure the contempt of it but vseth to punish it in this fearefull manner And who are they that in such places fall into this sin Surely such as either regard not to know God Rom. 1. 28. Or if they doe know him haue not glorified him as they ought Rom. 1. 21. but haue beene hypocrites and nourished vnder the profession of Religion some grieuous sinne Whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her saith Salomon Eccles. 7. 26. but the sinner shall be taken by her Wonder rather there be not more tainted with this sinne seeing there are so many that regard not to heare and of those that doe heare so many that make no conscience of any thing that they heare 3. There is no sin that is so directly opposite to sanctification and holinesse as this sin Therefore as the Spirit of God is euery where called the Holy Ghost because there is no one worke wherein he shewes himselfe wheresoeuer he dwells more then in holinesse So the wicked spirit is called the vncleane spirit Matth. 12. 43. because there is no one sin whereby it may be better knowne where he dwells and raignes then vncleanesse Of all the sinnes that man committeth there is no one that hath more force to quench the Spirit to dull and banish all grace out of the heart then this sinne hath See the proofe of this 1. Thess. 4. 3. 4. 5. For this is the will of God euen your sanctification that yee should abstaine from fornication That euery one of you should know how to possesse his vessell in sanctification and honour not in the lust of concupiscence euen as the Gentiles that know not God verse 7. For God hath not called you vnto vncleanenesse but vnto holinesse See how sottish Salomon became after he had giuen himselfe to fleshly lusts his nines turned away his heart after other gods saith the Holy Ghost 1. King 11. 4. and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God Yea it puts out the light and iudgement that was in man by nature they that liued in lust were giuen ouer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Apostlâ—… Rom. 1. 28. in a minde voide of iudgement 4. There is no sinne that is committed with such delight and pleasure as this is and therefore it must needs bring in the end more bitternesse and anguish to the soule then other sins doe For the more pleasure men haue found in sin the more bitternesse shall they finde in their consciences one day for sin Luke 6. 25. Woe be to you that laugh now for yee shall waile and weepe and 16. 25. Remember thou in thy life time receiuedst thy pleasures now therefore thou art tormented Therefore the Scripture speakes so oft of the bitternesse of this sinne Heb. 12. When he had said verse 15. Let no roote of bitternesse spring vp and trouble you He adds verse 16. Let there be no Fornicator Iob 13. 26. When in the beginning of the verse he had said that the Lord wrote bitter things against him charged him with bitter sinnes he adds what those bitter things were Thou causest me to possesse the sins of my youth These tricks of youth will be bitter to men one day Pro. 5. 3. The lips of a strange woman drop as the hony combe verse 4. But the end of her is bitter as wormewood and sharpe as a two edged sword Eccles. 7. when he had said ver 25. That he had compassed about to know wickednesse and folly the foolishnesse of madnesse he adds verse 26. I finde more bitter then death the woman whose heart is as nets and snares c. Lecture the sixteenth Iune 13. 1609. IT followeth now that wee come to the Vses that are to bee made of the Doctrine we haue heard touching the hainousnesse of the sinne of Fornication which the last day being preuented by the time wee could not deliuer And this Doctrine serues To conuince the iudgement and conscience of them that liue in this sinne without feare For it is euident and all honest men complaine of it that this sin abounds euery where Yea many that esteeme themselues Christians reade the Word heare it come to such assemblies as this sit before vs and looke vs in the face when we speake against this sinne doe yet liue in this sin and liue securely in it as if all that is said out of Gods Word against it were but a Fable And what is the cause of this Surely somewhat there is that deceiues them that they cannot perceiue it is so dangerous a matter to liue in this sin as indeed it is It may truely be said of all sin that Sathan drawes a man to it and hardeneth him in it by some errour of his minde or other whereby he deceiueth him How drew he our first Parents first to sin 1. Tim. 2. 14. The woman was deceiued and found in the transgression 2. Pet. 3. 17. Beware least ye be plucked away with the errour of the wicked and fall from your owne stedfastnesse What is that that hardens a mans heart in sin The Apostle will tell vs Heb. 3. 13. Least any of you be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sin What are those strong holds that keepe the Word and grace of God from entring into and conquering the heart of man The Apostle will tell vs that there are certaine imaginations
and thoughts which Sathan puts into the minde which till they be cast downe we can neuer be brought to the obedience of Christ 2. Cor. 10. 4 5. And as this may be said of all sin so specially of this Sathan puts many erroneous conceits and imaginations into the minds of men whereby he deceiues them and makes them thinke it can be no matter of great danger to liue in this sinne Therefore the Apostle speaking of the danger of this sinne saith 1. Cor. 6. 9. be not deceiued neither Fornicators nor Adulterers nor Wantons c. and Ephes. 5. 5 6. When hee had said this Ye know that no whoremonger nor vncleane person hath any inheritance in the Kingdome of Christ and of God he addeth Let no man deceiue you with vaine words And thus Salomon describes the man that is drawne to it Pro. 7. 22. 23. Hee goeth after her straight-way as an oxe goeth to the slaughter or a foole to the correction of the stocks till a dart strike thorow his liuer As a bird hasteth to the snare and knoweth not that it is for his life If his vnderstanding were not blinded if he knew well what he did if he were not a foole and as void of the true vse of his reason as the bruit beast is he could not doe as he doth I will therefore endeauour by the weapons of our warr-fare such as I haue receiued from the Lords Armory the holy Scriptures to cast downe those thoughts and Imaginations whereby Sathan deceiues men in this case and hardens them in this sinne And these weapons if you will receiue them and learne to vse them you shall finde will be mighty through God to cast downe strong holds as the Apostle speakes 2. Cor. 10. 4. This is the soueraigne Preseruatiue to keepe vs from all Sathans Temptations By the words of thy lips saith Dauid Psal. 17. 4. I haue kept me from the paths of the destroyer Now the meanes whereby Sathan deceiues men and drawes so many into this sinne I finde to bee principally foure 1. The generality of this sinne 2. The hope of secrecy 3. The hope of impunity 4. The hope of repentance and so of pardon 1. The generality of this sinne deceiueth many How can this bee so great a sinne thinke they that is so common in all places and among all sorts and conditions of men How vsuall is this among such as are of chiefe credit yea are not many professors faulty in this yea are there not Preachers and good Preachers too that will doe as bad as this commeth vnto and worse too This errour hath of old deceiued many The example of some persons doth strangely comfort and harden men in sinne The Prophet saith Ezek. 16. 54. that the Iewes by their Iewdnesse and euill example were a comfort vnto them of Sodome and Samaria When a sinne is become common and growne into fashion it is presently counted no sinne or no great sinne at least See how this hardned them Ier. 44. 17. Wee will burne incense to the Queene of heauen And why we haue done it and not we onely but our Fathers our Kings and our Princes in the Cities of Iudea and in the streets of Ierusalem And surely these times are such and this sinne is growne so common as men shall haue much adoe to preserue themselues and their families from it As when the Plague is in a towne if but some one or two houses be infected a man may without danger goe to the towne and liue in it but if the infection grow generall all men are afraid of it so is it in this case This made the Prophet complaine so Esay 6. 5. Woe is me for I am vndone because I am a man of vncleane lips apt to offend in my speech and how can I chuse but be so For I dwell in the midst of a people of vncleane lips So that there is small hope I shall any more preuaile in speaking against this sinne now then Lot did when he sought to oppose himselfe to the multitude in the like case Gen. 19. 4. All the men of Sodome from the young to the old euen all from all quarters had compassed his house and he verse 7. sought to perswade with them but verse 9. see their answer He is come alone as a stranger and shall he iudge and rule Yet because Gods sheepe will heare his voice Ioh. 10. 27. I will giue you out of Gods Word some soueraigne preseruatiues against this temptation No mans example should be the rule of our conscience that were to preferre man before God And it is a poore excuse a poore comfort for any to say such a mans example drew me to this What helpe found Adam in this excuse when he said Gen. 3. 12. The woman gaue mee of the tree and I did cate Nay it is a token of Gods wrath vpon thee to lay such stumbling blocks before thee Matth. 18. 7. Woe be to the world because of offences And it is a certaine signe of reprobation in thee that thou stumblest and takest occasion to fall by such examples Those whom God hath ordained to destruction he will lay stumbling blocks before them that they may perish as he threatneth Ier. 6. 21. Behold I will lay stuâ—…bling blocks before this people and the fathers and the sonnes together shall fall vpon them the neighbour and his friend shall perish No sinne is the lesse odious nor the danger of it the lesse because it is common for as it is certaine the greatest part shall be damned Matth. 7. 1â—… Broad is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there be which goe in thereat God hath made Tophet wide and large as the Prophet speaketh Esay 30. 33. So though with men many times it be a meanes of immunitie from punishment to a lewd man that hee hath many that ioyne with him in that sinne yet with God it is not Though hand ioyne in hand saith Salomon Pro. 11. 21. the wicked shall not be vnpunished Nay the more common a sinne is the more odious it is to God and the more dangerous for them that liue in it For nothing will hasten Gods vengeance so much as that It was the generality of sinne in the old world that brought destruction vpon it Geâ—… 6. 12. And vpon Sodome likewise Gen. 19. 4. See a notable proofe of this Ier. 5. 7. How should I spare thee for this and verse 9. Shall I not visit for these things Shall not my soule bee auenged on such a nation as this And marke the reason why the Lord must needs be auenged vers 7 8. They committed adultery and assembled themselues by companies in Harlots houses euery man neyed after his neighbours wife And yet though the generality of sinne doe hasten and increase Gods vengeance vpon men in this life if it would be any mitigation to the torments they should endure in hell that they shall there haue so many
he gaue himselfe too much to sleepe 2. Sam. 11. 2. When it was toward euening he rose from his bed and walked on the roofe of his house Idlenesse is dangerous for any man and will breed much corruption in the heart as the land vntilled will grow full of weedes and the standing poole full of filthy and noysome things That made Salomon speake thus of the idle person Pro. 6. 14. Lewd things are in his heart he imagineth euill at all times But especially it is dangerous for such as whose condition and estate forceth them to leade a single life The Apostle hauing spoken 1. Tim. 5. 11. of wanton young widdowes verse 13. He notes this a cause of their wantonnesse that they were idle and went about from house to house as they that had nothing to doe To conclude this point if any single person can fare plentifully and liue idly neuer doing any worke neuer taking any booke in hand seldome rising before tenne a clocke and yet keepe himselfe chaste in body and mind I dare be bold to say he hath more strength in him then euer Dauid had 6. He that would keepe himselfe from vncleanenesse must exercise himselfe in the duties of piety with an vpright heart When the Apostle had said 1 Tim. 4. 7. Exercise thy selfe vnto godlinesse He adds a reason verse 8. Godlinesse is profitable vnto all things And if for all things then will it preserue a man from this tentation also This we shall finde prescribed by the wisedome of God Pro. 23. 26 27. My sonne giue me thy heart and let thine eyes obserue my waies For a whore is a deepe ditch and a strange woman is a narrow pit The Word of God if a man exercise himselfe in it and heare and reade and meditate in it with an honest heart hath this vertue in it to preserue a man from this sinne Pro. 6. 23. 24. The commandement is a lanthorne and instruction a light corrections for instruction are the way of life But how prooues he that verse 24. To keepe thee from the wicked woman And Pro. 2. 10. 11. When wisedome entreth into thy heart and knowledge delighteth thy soule then shall counsaile preserue thee and vnderstanding shall keepe thee And vers 16. It shall deliuer thee from the strange woman If any man shall obiect that there are many that haue professed Religion that yet are knowne to haue liued in this sin I answer That such were hypocrites and professed Religion with an irreligious heart Eccl. 7. 28. He that is good before God shall be deliuered from her but the sinner shall be taken by her And on the other side he that despiseth Religion let him vse neuer so many meanes to keepe himselfe chast yet can he haue no assurance to be preserued from this sinne Because God hath threatned to punish the contempt of Religion in men by giuing them vp to this sin Rom. 1. 28. As they liked not to retaine God in their knowledge hee gaue them ouer to a reprobate minde to doe those things that are not conuenient being filled with all vnrighteousnesse fornications c. Now as all men that desire to keepe themselues free from this sinne had need to pray much to heare and reade the word much so specially such young men as by their condition and estate of life are enforced to leade a single life Psalme 119. 9. Wherewith shall a young man cleanse his way By taking heed thereto according to thy word So that if such single persons as doe fare plentifully liue idly seldome or neuer pray seldome or neuer heare or read the Word yea despise and hate piety should keepe themselues chast it were one of the greatest wonders that euer God wrought 7. He that would keepe himselfe from vncleanenesse must not despise or willfully neglect the benefit of lawfull marriage True it is all are not bound to marry For 1. Such as God hath giuen the gift of continency vnto may vse that gift and liue single all men cannot receiue this saying saith our Sauiour Matth. 19. 11. saue they to whom it is giuen and verse 12. Hee that is able to receiue it let him receiue it 2. All such are bound to seeke of God and vse all meanes to obtaine that gift as by reason of their outward estate cannot see how they shall be able to liue in wedlocke without much trouble and distraction I would that all men were euen as I my selfe saith the Apostle 1. Cor. 7. 7. and verse 26. I suppose that this is good for the present distresse I say that it is good for a man so to bee that is to be single and vnmarried 3. There is no faithfull man whom the Lord hath by necessity restrained and with-held from the benefit of marriage as the childe that cannot obtaine consent of parents the married persons who by sicknesse or necessary absence are separated for a time but if by all good meanes with an honest heart he seeke it of God hee may bee assured to obtaine this gift For that grace without which they cannot chuse but liue in sinne the faithfull may be assured by vertue of that promise Luk. 11. 13. If you being euill know how to giue gifts vnto your children how much more shall your heauenly father giue his holy spirit to them that aske him to obtaine if they seeke it But the person whom the Lord hath not thus restrained from marriage if he cannot by the vse of all good meanes obtaine the gift of continency is bound to marry to auoid fâ—…rnication let euery man haue his owne wife and let euery woman haue her own husband saith the Apostle 1. Cor. 7. 2. Yea and say he could containe himselfe from any filthy act if he cannot containe from inward burning he is bound to marry if they cannot containe let them marry it is better to marry then to burne saith he 1. Cor. 7. 9. For this is the chiefe meanes ordained of God to preserue men from this sin Yea this is now the chiefe end and vse of this ordinance of God though at the first institution before the floud propagation of the Church and mutuall helpe and comfort was the chiefe end Wherefore did God at the first ordaine marriage and made for Adam but one Woman because he sought a godly seed saith the Prophet Mal. 2. 15. And the Lord said in the first institution of wedlocke Gen. 2. 18. it is not good for man to bee alone I will make him an helpe meet for him To preserue vs from vncleanenesse to auoid fornication let euery man haue his owne wife c. saith the Apostle 1. Cor. 7. 2. Neither is it possible for any that wants the gift of continencie to keepe himselfe chast if he doe wilfully neglect marriage either for that he iudgeth that estate lesse holy then the single life or more chargeable and more subiect to trouble Nay though he doe marry if he be not therein carefull to marry with
with God for the recouery of their credit with men Who thinks the worse of Dauid or Paul for the publishing of their sins nay who thinkes not much better of them for it and it must needs be so because of the promise of Christ He that humbleth himselfe shall be exalted saith our Sauiour Luke 14. 11. For as he that looseth his life for Christs sake shall finde it Matth. 10. â—…9 So he that of conscience towards God can be content to neglect his credit and estimation with men shall be sure to loose no credit by it On the other side he that hides his sinne shall not prosper Pro. 28. 13. Either the trouble of his guilty conscience shall be increased thereby Psal. 32. 3. When I held my tongue my bones consumed when I roared all the day Or 2. he shall be further hardened and made more prophane and more gracelesse more vnable to repent Therefore Salomon when he had spoken of the benefit of confessing and danger of hiding sinne adds immediately Pro. 28. 14. Blessed is the man that feareth alway that hath a tender conscience as he hath that is apt to confesse his sinne but hee that hardneth his heart as he vsually doth that vseth all the wit and learning he hath to hide his sin shall fall into mischiefe For 3. nothing that he takes in hand shall prosper not his prayers not his meditations Gods graces shall not prosper nor thriue in him See an example of this in Dauid who though doubtlesse he vsed to pray and frequent Gods worship during the space of that yeare which passed betweene his sinne and his repentance yet all did him no good till he had confessed his sinne To exhort vs that we therefore would seeke to get our selues this testimonie of our vnfained conuersion that when we are reprooued for our sinnes we can confesse them When the Lord in the Ministery of his Word meetes with thee particularly and thou hast such secret sinnes discouered vnto thee as neither the Minister himselfe nor any other can charge thee with as oft it falls out for the Word is liuely in operation and of a searching nature as the Author of it is Heb. 4. 12 13. if I say when thou art thus met with thou wouldst presently acknowledge thy sin vnto God in secret as he did of whom we read 1. Cor. 14. 25. when the secrets of his heart were made manifest vnto him by the Ministery of the Word he fell downe on his face and worshipped God no doubt thou mightest finde much comfort in it 2. Yea we should desire that we may be thus met with euen to heare that that particularly toucheth our selues as Iohn Baptists hearers did Luke 3. 10. 12. 14. That minde should be in euery one of vs that was in Dauid Let the righteous smite me saith he Psal. 141. 5. it shall be a kindnesse and let him reproue me it shall be as excellent oyle 3. When thy sin is knowne and is become offensiue vnto men thou must be willing to confesse it euen vnto men Remember the danger and curse of God threatned to them that hide their sinne and take heed of it Now there be many waies whereby men hide their sins 1. By iustifying and defending them As Ionah 4. 9. Doest thou well to bee angry for the Gourd he answered I do well to be angry to the death As many delight to shew their wits in defending many sinnes that the word condemnes 2. By denying them as Cain Gen. 4. 9. and Gehezi 2. King 5. 25. And Ananias Acts 5. 8. 3. By excusing and extenuating their sinne as Adam For saith Iob Iob 31. 33. Adam hid his sinne and that was onely this way he excused and extenuated it and so did Eue hers he laid the fault vpon the woman which God had giuen him and she vpon the Serpent Gen. 3. 12. 13. and thus did Saul seeke to hide his sin by excusing it and laying the fault vpon the people 1. Sam. 15. 21. 4. By senslesse silence not acknowledging them or being affected with them as Iudas did who though he heard our Sauiour in great trouble of spirit speake plainely of his sin Iohn 13. 21. and particularly pointed him out to be the man Iohn 13. 26. 27. though he had heard the fearefull words he denounced against him for it Mat. 26. 24. though he saw how much all the elect Apostles were moued and troubled with it Matth. 26. 22. yet could not he confesse his sinne nor seeke mercy nor was once moued or troubled with it for this Lecture the three and twenty August 22. 1609. IT followeth that we proceed to the second signe of grace and fruit of true conuersion in this woman she esteemed better of Christ after he had thus touched and reproued her then euer she did before She now in her heart esteemes him and with her mouth acknowledgeth him to be a Prophet of God and from hence we learne That he that is truely penitent will not hate or storme against him that shall admonish or reprooue him for sinne but loue him the better rather He that is poore in spirit and mournes for sin will be meeke also Matth. 5. 3 4 5. Pro. 9. 8. Rebuke a wise man and he will loue thee and 25. 12. As an earing of gold and an ornament of fine gold so is a wise reprouer vpon an obedient eare he counts it no disgrace but an ornament and honour to him to be thus faithfully dealt with Dauid esteemed better of Nathan after he had so plainely rebuked him then euer he did before see the reuerent respect he shewed vnto him when he came to speake with him he had present accesse to him 1. King 1. 23. and you shall find verse 27. that the King was not wont to conceale from him but to aduise with him about all his affaires of greatest moment so Acts 2. The same men that had mocked the Apostles before verse 13. when by their ministry they were plainely rebuked they esteemed reuerently of them Acts 2. 37. So did he also of whom we read 1. Cor. 14. 25. he reported to all men and vpon all occasions that God was of a truth in that Ministery Reasons 1. Because they know God is the Author of that reproofe that is giuen them according to his word whosoeuer be the instrument 2. Chron. 35. 22. Though Pharaoh Necho were Iosias enemy yet the counsaile and reproofe he sent him came from the mouth of the Lord and it was his ruine that he hearkned not vnto it He that reprooues me for any sinne according to the word speakes to me on Gods behalfe This is not his word but Gods and so to be receiued not as the word of an inferiour but as the word of God be that despiseth despiseth not man but God 1. Thess. 4. 8. And when we haue to deale with God the greatest must lay aside his dignity and thinke he can neuer be humble enough Iudges