with his Text and not with vs. Iust like the Epicures and Stoikes Act. 17.18 who said of Paul What will this babbler say He will teach vs some strange things to day And by such scoffes Satan comes to many and hinders their faith saluation For as those Heathen Stoicks and Epicures counted that the strangest Doctrine which taught Iesus Christ so doe Christian Epicures that which most directly leads vnto Christ. The third generall thing proposed is the end of Satans comming which as we heard is three-fold 1. To steale the Word out of the heart 2. To hinder the Hearers faith 3. To rob him of saluation For the first As birds follow the Sower to picke vp the seeds and graines that lie vncouered so the diuell haunts the Assemblies of Saints to steale away the Word preached where it is carelesly heard The Action of Satan is to steale and carry away the Word which is not his but belongs to others But not as other theeues to conuert it to his owne vse but onely that the right owners should not enioy it not to profit himselfe but to disprofit others As for the manner of his Action he stealeth that is closely and secretly takes it away He is a slye and priuie theefe As a theefe onely feares to be seene and discouered so Satan is loth to be seene and therefore takes vs at aduantage when we can least espy him He that stealeth stealeth in the night as they that are drunke are drunke in the night 1. Thes. 5.7 He takes vs in the night of our ignorance and in the sleepe of security and spoyles vs most when wee can least discerne it But whence doth hee steale the Word Answ. Out of the heart Because of his sly and subtill nature who being a spirit can easily and nimbly enter into the most secret closet of our brest And although he cannot directly know our hearts and thoughts which is Gods priuiledge yet by outward meanes he can giue a great guesse at the temper of them and as birds can easily finde when seede is vncouered and as easily picke it vp so Satan can easily see where mens care is not to couer and hide the Word in their hearts when they haue heard it And if he cannot by himselfe and by violence take the Word away if the owners will hold it yet he can and doth take it away by themselues and with their owne consent and good liking who neither were willing to giue it roome or sinke it deepe into their hearts nor to couer it with gracious affections nor had any great loue to it to looke after it as thinking themselues not a graine the worse when all this seed is gone And why out of the heart Answ. 1. Because hee knowes that the heart is the right furrow in which the Word can become fruitfull therefore hee vseth all his skill to keepe it thence or fetch it thence Hee cares not how much of the seede lie in the head or on the tongue so he can keepe it out of the heart For as we say The minde is the man so the heart leades the whole man and is the lodge either of God or the diuell 2. Because nothing but the Word puts him out of possession of the heart The strong man holds the hold till a stronger come If the Word as good seede once roote in the heart he must away Where Christ by his Word takes the heart the Prince of this world is cast out The Disciples by their powerfull preaching saw Satan fall downe like lightening from heauen It stands him therefore in hand to bestirre him and to turne himselfe to all his stratagems One principall whereof is that if he cannot hinder thee from the Word he may hinder the Word from thee or if he cannot hinder it from the eare he may from the heart or if he cannot intercept it from the heart by catching it he may defeat thee of it by stealing Note this stratagem and doe thy best to preuent it His second end is to hinder faith lest they should beleeue And why First he knowes the Word is the parent of faith Ioh. 17.20 Christ prayes for the Elect that they might beleeue through the Word of his Disciples And the Iaylor and all his house beleeued by hearing Paul Act. 16.31 Secondly he cannot but be an enemy to our faith and therefore winnowes vs as the Disciples that our faith may faile because faith 1. Makes vs the sonnes of God Gal. 3.26 2. Marries vs to Iesus Christ Hos. 2.20 3. Makes our hearts temples of the Spirit purifying the heart Act. 15.9 4. Makes vs free entrance to God by prayer to aske what we will and wee shall obtaine Eph. 3.12 And 5. It is our shield to resist all the darts of the diuell the gates of hell shall neuer preuaile against it Thirdly if hee can keepe vs from faith the Word he knowes shall be altogether vnprofitable Heb. 4.2 and if he can keepe this weapon from vs he easily foyles vs and makes God also our aduersary because without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 Hence hee layes all his engines against our faith seeks by all means to root it out of the heart and out of the world if God would giue him leaue His third end is to rob men of saluation lest they should be saued First Satan knowes that the end of faith is saluation 1. Pet. 1.9 and that by preaching God saues them that beleeue 1. Cor. 1.21 If hee can keepe thee from faith he hath robbed thee of saluation Therefore if he cannot hinder the Word he will if he can possibly hinder faith Secondly Satan is a deadly enemy to euery mans saluation 1. Out of hatred for the euill angels by their fall lost the loue of God of his glory and of his Image and now hate whatsoeuer belongs to God 2. Out of enuie therefore hee is called in the Parable the enuious man Hee repines and enuies that man should stand in innocency which hee lost and therefore set vpon Adam and droue him by his tentation out of Paradise And he enuies more that any man should enioy the glory of heauen which himselfe can neuer recouer and therfore he layes all the blockes in their way that hee can deuise And as when Gods people were going to Canaan he stirred vp many armies of the Heathen against them to make them fall short of that good Land So now he raiseth armies of tentations and impediments to make vs fall short of that heauenly Canaan which hee knowes to bee a good Land and thinkes too good for vs. 3. Out of his contrariety to God himselfe He sees God carefull of his Church and children that as a good shepheard he vseth all meanes to saue and preserue them therefore hee cleane contrarily seekes to kill and destroy them and defeate them of that saluation which the Lord hath prepared for them And this seemes to be
the Apostles ayme 1. Pet. 5.7 8. He cares for you but watch for the diuell who as a roring Lion seeketh to deuoure Vse 1. In that the diuell comes learne not to content thy selfe with comming to Church but see thy ende bee better than his yea contrary to his Hee comes with a purpose to hinder the power of the Word in thy heart to hinder thy faith and saluation Come thou with a purpose to set forward the power of the Word in thy heart to set forward thy faith and saluation Quest. How may I know that the worke of faith and saluation is set forward in mee by the Word Answ. 1. If it haue brought thee to the sight of thy sinne and the sence of thy danger by it This is the first effectuall worke of the Word as Christ first conuinced the woman of Samaria of her adultery Peter tels the Iewes Act. 2. that they had slaine Iesus Christ. 2. If the Law being a Schoolemaster to Christ haue sent thee out of thy selfe to apprehend the remedy of the Gospell as the Iaylor being cast downe said Oh what shall I doe to be saued Beleeue in the Lord Iesus said the Apostle and thou shalt bee saued Act. 16.30 31. This is the method of sound Ministery first truly to humble then to raise againe 3. If thou findest it a Ministery of the Spirit conueying the Spirit into thy heart for the consumption of corruption and repairing thee to a new life of grace Gal. 3.2 Receiued ye the Spirit by the workes of the Law or by the hearing of faith preached 4. If thou carriest it into thy soule as a light into a darke place 2. Pet. 1.19 to follow the directions of it and to guide thy wayes according to euery precept of it If now thou intendest when thou commest to bee led further into the sight of thy sinne led neerer vnto Iesus Christ to draw of his fulnesse led further into the sanctification of the Spirit and led as a blind man by the guidance of the Word certainely the Word is of power to set forward thy faith and saluation notwithstanding all Satans malice Vse 2. The diuell knowes that faith is by heareing and saluation by faith 1. I would our Popish Recusants knew so much so they would make a better vse of this knowledge than to withstand both faith and hearing 2. I wish our formall Protestants knew it who will scarce step out of dores to heare but in policy will heare so much as they may bee counted no Atheists or Papists but indifferent men as they be too indifferent whether they heare or no. 3. I wish they knew it who by reading at home will beleeue and bee saued by their eyes which are vnsufficient to breed faith For God hath giuen the sence of hearing this preeminence Rom. 10.14 How can they beleeue vnlesse they heare The sight is a sence of discipline but hearing the sence of faith 4. I wish our Atheisticall scorners who think they know so much as they contemne the Ministery that they knew as much as the diuell then would they not barre and excommunicate themselues so wilfully from the meanes of faith and saluation they would not turne away the eare if they knew that faith were dropt in by the eare 5. I would our carelesse and sleepy hearers knew it who shut the dore of faith lest they should bee saued Neuer will God open their hearts as Lydias by the Word who shut their eares 6. I wish they also would learne a lesson from the diuell who content themselues to liue in dry and barren places destitute of the meanes of faith and saluation as Lot who chose Sodom for the fruitfulnesse of the ground before Canaan and delight in the hills of Samaria among idolatrous Papists rather than in Sion Hill among true worshippers I am sure thou wouldest chuse to dwell with the Lord hereafter then chuse to dwell now where the Lord dwelleth In a word Let vs all perswade our selues of that whereof the diuell himselfe doubts not 1. That God hath appointed hearing for the engendring of faith For as by hearing the diuels voice we lost our faith and happinesse so the Lord hath appointed by hearing his voice againe as the most conuenient meanes to recouer our faith and saluation 1. Cor. 1.21 It pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue them that beleeue And he hath tyed faith and saluation to preaching both by precept and promise and tyed vs to them though himselfe be free We haue no other ordinary meanes 2. We would rate our selues if we should carelesly or wilfully lose our money or gold or slip the meanes of getting and encreasing them But behold faith is much more precious than gold 1. Pet. 1.7 and saluation far more precious than faith If it were a small thing to lose faith yet it is something to lose saluation more to lose it so wilfully Vse 3. Seeing Satan comes to Church to steale the Word know that thou neuer commest to Church but Satan an enemy a theefe comes with thee to rob thee of the Word of the treasure of faith and bereaue thee of life euerlasting Therfore deale with him as with a theefe 1. Suspect him trust him not onely a watchfull eye preuents an vntrusty fellow 2. Locke that thou hearest from him keepe the Word in a safe place vnder locke and key hide it in the middest of thy heart Psal. 119.11 couer this heauenly seed Motiues 1. Thus wee doe for our money wee are carefull of our Euidences Iewels Plate and things of worth let vs also esteeme the Word as Dauid aboue thousands of gold and siluer 2. Naturall wisedome teacheth a man if hee haue some speciall Iewels and knowes he hath theeues about him not to leaue them abroad or lay them in the way of a cunning theefe from whom he can scarce by all his care keepe them 3. Satan cannot steale if thou leaue not thy wealth abroad Therefore doe for the Word as for thy seed in thy field the Husbandman so soone as he hath cast it couers it with the Plough or Harrow and so preuents the picking vp of birds so must thou couer the seed of the Word in the furrowes of thy affections lay it deepe in the ground of thy heart by serious attention meditation conference practice Else if the seed lie on the ground vncouered vncared for these birds presently picke vp all to thy losse and sinne 3. If thou perceiue that this theefe hath stolne away the Word from thee follow him with Hue and cry repent thy sinne lament thy losse complaine to God pray thou maist recouer the losse and preuent the like for time to come Quest. How may I know the diuell hath robbed me of the Word Answ. 1. If after much plaine and powerfull preaching and hearing thou hast learned little Many will commend Sermons where the diuell gets all from them Many commend the Preacher
hee is a good man neuer man spake so c. blesse God for him and blesse the time he euer came among them But what haue you learned Here they haue nothing to say but they hope they take good because he is a good man Now wee haue found an high-way ground hellish birds haue pickt vp all 2. If thou be capable in other things and vncapable heere as many are quicke in all their busines and can carry away difficult discourses of worldly matters which they are affectionate and attentiue vnto but cannot carry away either in their vnderstanding or memory a poynt of necessary doctrine because they haue no pleasure in it the diuell keepes them from profit by it 3. If being vncapable and silly in other things they are witty and subtill for maintaining of sinnes and lusts A plaine case the diuell is their teacher and will not permit them any other master Many come 〈◊〉 Church and after twenty yeeres hearing are very blockes hauing got nothing but some texts of Scripture wrested to maintaine their sinnes Vse 4. Seeing Satan layes all his plots to get the Word or keepe it out of the heart 〈◊〉 in comming to heare must especially labour to get and keepe it in our hearts Prou. 5.3 Write my words on the table of thine heart and chap. 4.4 Let th◠heart hold fast my words and vers 21. Keepe them in the middest of thy heart As Mary pondered Christs speeches in her heart Now that wee may thus lay the Word to our hearts and apply our hearts to it 1. Consider and meditate on the great Maiesty of God whose Word it is that we may heare it not as the word of man but of God 1. Thes. 2.13 spirituall and binding the conscience and one word or tittle whereof can neuer faile 2. Consider the matter of it Iesus Christ and saluation by him In the Word preached behold Christ crucified Gal. 3.1 3. Consider the power vse and end of it that it is the power of God to saluation and able to saue our soules if it be ingraffed 4. Consider that it is the same Word which binds or looseth vs for the present and shall iudge vs at the last Day Ioh. 12.48 5. Make roome in the heart before-hand by bewailing those sinnes which may keepe backe Gods blessing or stuffe the heart Thrust out all sinne and all purpose of sinning Put not sweet liquour into fusty vessels 6. Apply wee all to our selues in particular not to others as Adam posts it to Eue and she to the Serpent And so long apply till it be fastened in the heart And then it is fastened when the promises are beleeued the threats feared the precepts sincerely obeyed Vse 5. This shewes vs what is the reason why most men after long hearing continue ignorant and brutish as at first They can giue no answere to the Articles of faith can render no account of so many precepts deliuered plainly and profitably cannot remember of 500. Sermons scarce so many words Is not now the Word of power to teach and instruct them Yes but 1. The heart is a barren and high-way ground paued by Satan no seed can spere or sprout in it Yet these most boast of the goodnesse of their hearts 2. A flight of diuels hath lighted on our Congregations and almost pickt vp all A man that hauing laid vp money in a chest findes none when he comes againe will say Surely the theefe hath been heere So we may say The diuell hath bin heere 3. A iust reuenge of God it is on carelesse Hearers to set the diuell in their neckes to steale and catch away all the Word that they set so light by lest they should beleeue and be saued Wouldest thou auoid this reuenge of God Then be aduised As Abraham droue away the birds that troubled him in his sacrificing Gen. 15.11 So driue thou away these hellish birds that trouble thee in thy hearing by preparation attention meditation prayer practice And thus though thou canst not hinder these birds from flying about thy head yet thou shalt giue them no roome to nest or rest in thy heart So much of the first ground Now to the second Vers. 6. And some fell on stones and when it was sprung vp it withered away because it lacked moisture HEre consider three things 1. The kinde of soyle some fell on stones 2. The successe of the seed in it In the beginning hopefull and commendable it sprung vp In the end dolefull and lamentable it withered away 3. The reason of that vncomfortable successe it lacked moisture The soyle is the stones or stony ground vers 13. They which are on the stones are such as heare the Word c. A kinde of bad Hearers compared to stones or stony ground 1. For their naturall hardnesse which cannot be broken nor softened 2. For their coldnesse not warmed with the heate of the Sunne of righteousnesse nor the Spirit of God but abide cold as stones 3. For their heauinesse A stone will not easily be remoued out of his place his proper Center is the earth Cast him by maine strength as high as may be imagined and let him alone he will fall to the earth againe So these Hearers are not easily moued out of their naturall corruption but moue them and lift them violently vp by the Ministery long they stay not but downe they fall to the earth and earthly things which is their proper place and element 4. For their vnprofitablenesse and resistance of the fruits of the earth for as stoninesse of ground by the curse vpon mans sinne became very noysome to the fruits of the earth so the stoninesse of heart a part of the curse more hinders fruits of grace than any stony ground can hinder seed cast into it 5. As stony ground and common stones are little esteemed but reiected of men so this stony ground is as little respected of God Yet herein our hard hearts are worse than stones they increase not their hardnesse but ours is daily increased by wilfulnesse and peruersnesse Now to the successe of the seede in this stony ground and first the hopefull and commendable in the beginning it sprung vp Which implies that of Matthew chap. 13.20 He which heareth the Word and incontinently with ioy receiueth it Where wee haue foure things considerable 1. This bad ground receiueth the Word wherein they go beyond the former Hearers who onely heard the Word but left it assoone as they heard it let the diuell or any deuouring bird eate it and take it from them they care not The former gaue it hearing but cared not to vnderstand it these receiue it attentiuely and seeme greedily to digest it They did not one whit affect it these receiue it into their affections 2. This bad ground receiues it incontinently saith Matthew when God speakes they will heare and without delayes or excuses willingly receiue when God proffereth They seeme to know their season
and seed-time and is it not commendable in Christianity to know the day of visitation Or how can he expect a crop in haruest that sleepes and trifles away his seed-time And surely we cannot but commend such as esteeme the Word worthy of present entertainment and in comparison of it vndervalue inferiour things and occasions which would put off the present receiuing of it Where note by the way that bad Hearers may thinke the Word a matter of haste and waight and importance 3. These bad Hearers and stony ground receiue it with ioy They are no scorners or railers on their Preachers but giue their Ministers great reuerence as Herod did Iohn Baptist. They hate neither Micah nor his message but heare gladly but giue the Word good words and good welcome they reioyce in the Word and receiue it with good hearts conferre of it willingly reioyce in their trauell and paines to heare the Word conceiue great ioy in the remembrance of seuerall poynts as distinctly as they heare them are exceeding glad and desirous of meanes of sound instruction Alas that all this while these should be bad Hearers and neuer a whit neerer their saluation but in the state of damnation 4. This stony ground brings vp the seede sowne it sprung vp saith our Text. This seed of the Word riseth vp and appeareth and seemeth to tend toward heauen shooting vp from earth 1. It riseth to externall obedience and reformation of many perhaps most things as Herod did many things for Iohn Iudas receiued this seede it sprung vp in him that he not onely vnderstood and preached the mysterie of the Gospell but carried himselfe in an honest and reformed conuersation a long time so as the other Disciples could not detect him 2. The seed springeth vp to an outward profession as those that hope to be saued by it and so to an outward fellowship and Communion with the Saints in the Word Sacraments and many other godly exercises both publike and priuate 3. It springeth vp in this stony ground to a kind of faith which hath in it not an enlightning only but a taste of the heauenly gift and the powers of the world to come by which they are partakers of the holy Ghost that is something they haue so like true sanctification that both themselues others may think them truly sanctified And yet these so bad Hearers as they may and somtimes doe fall into that irrecouerable sin against the holy Ghost Heb. 6.4 5. and as our Text yet they withered away as some of the Israelites tasted of the fruits of the Land of Canaan and did thereby perceiue what a good Land it was and desired part in it conceiued good hope of enioying possessing it yet neuer enioied it but perished in the wildernes Learne hence how farre a bad Hearer may goe in Christianity A man may heare the Word with diligence receiue it with ioy beleeue with some assurance grow vp to high place in the profession of Religion bring forth fruits of commendable obedience and all this while be bad ground and in damnable estate See it more distinctly in these foure degrees 1. Reprobates may be forward Hearers hungry and desirous Hearers so glad to heare as if they haue not the Word at home they will with zeale and forwardnesse seeke it abroad Ioh. 6.34 The Iewes hearing Christ speake of bread from heauen and such as giueth life to the world flocked after him euery where and with earnest desire say Lord giue vs euermore this bread and yet many of them fell away from him vers 66. 2. They may be ioyfull Hearers receiue the Word with ioy as our Text hath it Act. 26.28 Agrippa hauing heard Paul deliuering the summe of the Gospell and of the strange manner both of his owne conuersion and of mans saluation by Christs humility and glory rauished with the excellency of it cries Almost thou perswadest me to be a Christian. And of Iohns Hearers our Sauiour saith Ye reioyced in his light for a season Ioh. 5.35 3. They may be beleeuing Hearers for a time so saith the Text which for a while beleeue and according to Matthew endure as beleeuers for a time They are verily perswaded of the truth of the whole doctrine of saluation that euery word shall be accomplished in the saluation of Beleeuers and iust condemnation of vnbeleeuers They beleeue it alone teacheth the right way to heauen Of Simon Magus it is said Act. 8.13 that he beleeued and was baptized not that he had true faith for euen then Peter saw him in the gall of bitternesse and band of iniquity but he yeelded to the doctrine of Christ which Philip taught and behaued himselfe as if hee had beleeued indeed and had been a Disciple of Christ. 4. They may bee growing Hearers 1. To a great measure of illumination Balaam a wretched sorcerer was enlightned so farre as to see the blessed estate of Gods people and desirous to partake of their happinesse he cried out in great passion Oh that my soule might die the death of the righteous Iudas a wretched Traytor and sonne of perdition could neuer haue preached the Gospell without a great measure of the illumination in himselfe 2. They may grow to a great place in the profession as Iudas to follow Christ himselfe at the heeles and call him Master 3. To a great measure of reformation of life and obedience to the Gospell being in the same pastures with the sheepe of Christ hee is taken for a sheepe when indeed he is a goat for a time in the same fold with the sheepe Reasons 1. Men may be drawne to heare gladly where faith is not for illumination sake or enlightening sake It is a pleasant thing saith Salomon to behold the light of the Sunne There is a great force and power in the light to draw all mens eyes after it So is there power and force in the Word soundly taught to draw mens affections of ioy and delight at least for a time And euen naturall men also who are of quicke apprehension can reioyce to heare deepe poynts learnedly and soundly opened and cases of Conscience or questions of Religion soundly discussed Math. 12.37 When our Sauiour disputed with the Scribes and Pharises and put them to silence it is said much people heard him gladly No maruell then is it if supernaturall illumination although a common gift bring men with much ioy to heare the Word For is it not a ioyfull thing to heare of the way of saluation and of so many promises and an eternall happinesse after this life Who would not come running as gladly as the young man to heare he should bee saued who not liking the conditions went away as heauily So who will not throng and thrust after a pleasing Preacher or so long as he dwels in Promises If a Preacher pipe the profanest will dance But if he come to the Law oh they cannot abide to heare of damnation and
against the limmes of Antichrist 2. Thes. 2.10 11. thē must thou receiue the truth in the loue of it 4. Sound conscience To which is required 1. Sincerity 2. Tendernesse The former when a man is inwardly a true Israelite nourishing no guile no deceit willingly Neuer was there hypocrite but became a withered reuolter The latter feares all sinne checks all sinne euen the least the dearest and closest bosome sinne Sound conscience allowes not his Master the smallest sinne but deales faithfully with him and giues him no rest till hee haue rid it away Which is an excellent meanes of vpholding in grace Whereas an euill conscience makes shipwracke of faith and this blasted and withered Hymeneus and Philetus 1. Tim. 1.19 And a sluggish conscience which swallowes small things easily growes by degrees to digest greater and at last falls from all to recoyle almost at nothing 5. Sound conuersation Fruitfulnesse in our life fastens our faith and a barren life hath little stability Our Sauiour Math. 7.24 shewes that he is the stable Christian built on a rocke that heareth the Word of God and doth it And God vseth to recompence practice of grace with increase of grace No surer strengthening of faith than by obedience to the faith Ioh. 7.17 If ye doe these things yee shall know my doctrine Psalm 15. vlt. He that doth these things shall neuer fall The more thou vsest thy Talent the more thou shalt gaine as the womans meale in a barrell the more they spent the more it increased 6. Sound fellowship in the communion of Saints in receiuing and communicating Christian admonition reprehension counsell comfort Euery member is made for the good and strengthening of euery one And we are commanded to stirre vp the gift of God in any 1. Thes. 5.11 Exhort one another and edifie one another Also to strengthen the weake knees Heb. 12.12 Now that we may be the more effectually moued to vse these meanes of not withering let vs consider 1. That Popery increaseth daily in all places in all degrees and our triall may be at hand wee know not how soone 2. This withering is fatall to Reprobates befalls them onely and cannot happen to the Elect of God who cannot bee deceiued Math. 24.24 3. Experience tells vs that wee may truly say of some great Professors as Christ said of the figtree How soone are they withered and come to nothing A manifest argument that the sentence of Christ is out against them Neuer fruit grow on thee any more Hauing spoken of the withering of the seede in this bad ground wee come now to the causes thereof as they are set downe by the Euangelists and first to the inward and positiue cause stoninesse or hardnesse It fell among stones Hence obserue that the seed of Gods Word brings forth no sauing fruite out of an hard heart or stony ground Now when I speak of an hard heart I meane not euery heart that hath some hardnesse in it for so hath euery mans heart euen the most softened but there is a threefold hardnesse of heart 1. Totall and finall as in the wicked and Reprobate 2. Totall and temporary as in one elect but not yet called 3. Partiall and temporary as in all the Elect now conuerted In the two former because there is raigning hardnes the seed of Gods Word is fruitlesse vnlesse by preparing one to condemnation the other to conuersion In the last it is fruitfull to saluation where the worke of it is daily to abate and mollifie the remaining hardnesse Now for proofe of the poynt Psalm 95.10 The Iewes being hardened in heart would not know his wayes Zech. 7.11 They refused to hearken stopped the eare pulled away the shoulder and made their hearts as an Adamant Ier. 7.25 The Lord complaines that euer since the day hee brought them out of Egypt he sent all his Prophets rising early but they would not heare nor encline their eare but hardened their necke and did worse than their fathers Ezec. 3.7 The house of Israel will not obey thee for they will not obey me the reason followes The house of Israel are impudent and stif-hearted The Reasons hereof arise out of the similitude 1. Stones resist the stroke and can endure a great strength of strokes before they will bee broken so the stony heart resists the stroke of the Word the hammer of the Law with all the strength and terrour of its iudgements and curses doe not a whit pierce it as the Leuiathan described by Iob chap. 41.15 his heart is as the nether milstone and he accounts iron as straw the stones of the sling are as stubble to him he laughes at the shaking of the speare he will not rise for y e sword or the speare or the dart ver 17 18. A notable resemblance of a wicked hard-hearted man as Pharaoh for example hee heard the Word saw the miracles and felt the mighty hand of God but at the end of euery plague the foote was But Pharaoh hardened his heart and would not let the people goe Of the same inuincible hardnesse were Steuens aduersaries Act. 7.51 Ye stif-necked and vncircumcised of hearts and eares ye haue alwayes resisted the holy Ghost as your fathers did so doe you 2. To bring forth fruits of grace and saluation the ground must be soft and the soyle must bee mellow for the seed But what way can you make a stone soft Let the Sunne shine or the raine fall on it yea cast it into oyle it is a stone still So the heart abiding hard no meanes can mellow or soften it the comfortable heat and light of Gods gracious Spirit which changeth other hearts changeth not this the raines of the Word and dewes from heauen continually distilled soften it not the oyle of gladnesse or of Gods bountifulnesse which leads others to repentance mollifies it not 3. Vnto fruitfulnesse in Grace is necessarily required a change and conuersion in the ground of the heart For all hearts naturally are so stony as no fruit can be expected no more than from an vnsteared ground And therefore as the ground must first bee rent vp with the Plough to soften the earth and then laid euen by the Harrow and Rollers So the ground of the heart must bee rent vp and cut with the Plough of Gods Law and laid euen againe by the Doctrine of the Gospell before fruits of grace can be produced Act. 2.37 The first preparation to fruits in those Conuerts was the piercing and pricking of their hearts But how can you cut a stone what compunction can you worke in it how can you pricke and pierce it while the natiue hardnesse remaines Hence the Lord by the Prophet Ieremy 5.3 expressely makes this hardnesse of heart the maine let and hinderer of this conuersion and change which is the first thing in this fruitfulnesse They haue made their faces harder than a stone and haue refused to returne 4. Vnto fruits of grace
sand and the fall is great how needfull therefore is it for vs to bee fully settled and rooted in our grounds of Religion Quest. How shall I know I am thus rooted in the Doctrine of faith Answ. By a spirit of discerning which enlightens the minde and supplies euen to simple ones a sharp insight and cleernesse of iudgement through vse of the Word in all needfull matters of saluation For faith brings in the Spirit which leads into all truth and the eye-salue still cleering the sight more and more 2. By building our hearts on this foundation and that is by beleeuing it for thus it is a foundation not in it selfe onely but vnto vs when by faith we are coupled and knit vnto it 3. By growing vp on that foundation and yeelding obedience vnto it This note our Sauiour giues Math. 7.24 He that heareth these words and doth the same is a wise builder that layes his house on a Rocke c. Secondly looke well to thy rooting in the grace or gift of faith Content not thy selfe with any thing but onely that faith which is called vnfained 1. Tim. 1.5 and the faith of the Elect Tit. 1.2 This is the faith by which the iust shall liue Hab. 2.4 Quest. What is the rooting in the grace of faith Answ. It is a sound worke of Gods Spirit whereby the heart attaines a true assurance and perswasion of remission of sinnes and the fauour of God in Christ. A worke of the Spirit because no man is borne a Beleeuer but new borne A sound worke for true faith is no empty or windy thing but a subsistence and ground without hollownesse and deceit as all the speciall workes of Gods Spirit in the hearts of the Elect are A true assurance and perswasion because many are deceiued by a temporary faith by blind hopes of mercy at the last by colours either of ciuill honesty or religious performances are misse-led with the example of such as they admire for wisdome place or power and mistake a conceit for faith that because they be not so ill as they were wont to be they be as good as they need be But this man out of good grounds riseth to good assurance Quest. How may I know my selfe soundly rooted in the gift of faith Answ. By fiue notable effects of it 1. Sound affection to Iesus Christ prizing him aboue all the world and counting all but dung in comparison in so much as our life is not deare vnto vs but as Paul wee dare dye for him And this affection is alway ioyned with affiance in Christ or holding fast our assurance by him For as God will still owne his people euen in the furnace in the deepest trouble so must they owne him Zech. 13. vlt. yea when Christ may seeme to withdraw and neglect them as the woman of Canaan Abraham rested in the naked promise and beleeued aboue hope Rom. 4. so must we not hasting to euill meanes in the want of good Esa. 28.16 He that beleeueth shall not make haste 2. If it purge and renue the heart from all kinde of sinnes especially secret and inward Till faith come the heart is full of raigning guile and deceitfulnesse and hollownesse cannot hold out but faith purifieth and garnisheth the heart as a Temple So faith and inward purity grow together 3. If it keepe the heart humble and hungring For it is a light in the bowels causing a man daily to see his sinne more cleerly and to seeke pardon for it in Christ casting it out daily by confession and godly sorrow and still it hungers after righteousnesse insatiably 4. If it be ioyned with good conscience These two goe vndiuided Now a good conscience being perswaded of Gods loue in Christ first excuseth the man that his sinnes are pardoned and then in way of thankfulnes hath respect to all the Commandements and endeuoureth obedience to all Also it hateth feareth and auoideth all sinne because it offendeth God 5. If it be a shield enabling thee to withstand the tentations of Satan and such as runne with thy owne naturall inclinations now it is well grounded That faith which shall stoutly withstand all sinne in time of prosperity shall preuaile mightily against all troubles in time of triall But if thy faith giue thee vp to bee led away to vanity or any ordinary preuailing sinne now in the time of peace suspect it trust it not for time of triall Such as fall from the Religion of God when times of change come being led away either by the seduction of deceiuers or persecution of Tyrants are such as shall finde by examination that the faith they pretended was neuer of power against some knowne sinne and so was neuer strongly rooted in Christ. This faith thus qualified is strongly rooted Cast it into the fire it will come forth purer than gold 1. Pet. 1.7 And when the best faith of hypocrites forsaken of carnall helps on which it stayed it selfe shall proue drosse and be consumed this faith shall set the Christian on a rocke safe in the middest of stormes and waues of aduersity Thirdly looke to thy rooting in the profession and holding forth of thy faith For faith well rooted will breake forth in confession profession and defence of Gods truth 2. Cor. 4.13 I beleeued and therefore I spake and Act. 4.20 We cannot chuse but speake say the Apostles Quest. How may I know I am soundly rooted in the profession of faith Answ. 1. If policy or feare hinder thee not from the profession of the truth by day Many cast themselues into the night with Nicodemus as if it were a worke of darknesse to professe the light Common faith holds it no wisedome to be so forward pulls in the tender horne if any scornes losses or oppositions be abroad Carnall reason swayes against it Master pitty thy selfe it shall not bee so vnto thee Carnall friends easily perswade a man not to bee too busie The feare of a chaine or the wrath of superiours quite blast it 2. If by these cold and pinching times thou abate not thy affection or loue to God his Word and his children 3. If thou gettest courage yea and aduantage by opposition as a strong tree is stronglier rooted for shaking winds Whereof we haue an example Ierem. 36.32 When the profane King had burnt the Booke Ieremiah caused the same to be written againe with many moe words The more euill men oppose holy Doctrine concerning holy life and the worship of God for matter manner time c. the more godly men will iustifie and maintaine it This confession is an acceptable thing to Iesus Christ and honourable and Christ lookes for it Math. 9.28 saying to the two blind men Doe you beleeue that I can doe it Not that hee was ignorant of their faith but for them that were present he would haue them confesse him plainly shewing that it is not enough to beleeue with the heart but confession
it selfe with some good seed springing vp vnlesse it kill the weeds No more content thou thy selfe with the rising and mouing of some good affections vnlesse thou mortifie the bad and noysome Ierem. 4.4 Plough vp the fallow ground of you hearts and sowe not among thornes Secondly the Husbandman ploughes it againe that if any weeds peepe out he may roote them vp so carefull he is for his earthly commodity No lesse carefull should wee be if after grace receiued lusts will be still stirring to root them out Heb. 12.15 Take heed that no root of bitternesse spring vp and trouble you according to that in Deut. 29.18 Let there bee no root among you that bringeth gall and wormewood If there be any lust be it neuer so secret and hidden as a root or neuer so fixed and fastened as a root is spare it not nip it not off but plucke it vp by the roots be not content to bridle lusts but kill them satisfie not thy selfe with an absence of fleshly operation as if it were sanctification but onely with a slaying of it for if there be a liuing root within it will shew it selfe when the seed springs and soone ouertake it too Thirdly if after all this there be any weeds growing vp with the seed the Husbandman will bring in his weeding hooke into the field hee will not see a weed or thorne peepe but he will weede it out 1. Because he would haue his corne grow alone Wouldest thou haue the Word to thriue in thy soule Let it grow alone How speedily should a man rise towards heauen if the Word had the onely roome in his heart But 2. Because that is impossible either in the earth or our hearts he will bee sure by his hooke to set the seed aboue the weeds labour thou also to set the Word aboue thy lusts and contrary motions Quest. How shall I doe that Answ. 1. By daily exercise in the Word reading and meditating this discouers the weeds thornes 2. By daily prayer and confession of knowne sinnes this is a getting of the weeding hooke into our hands 3. By Christian humility and fasting this is the cutting off of lusts by which they daily wither and dry away this crucifies the affections and lusts 4. By auoiding occasions of sinne and sinners especially watching narrowly our owne inclinations 5. Keepe vnder the lusts of the flesh by the lusts of the Spirit Gal. 5.17 The Spirit lusteth against the flesh that is both in curbing and restraining euill motions and ingendring good cogitations motions and desires agreeable to the will of God Rom. 13. vlt. By putting on the Lord Iesus represse the lusts of the flesh Prou. 12.5 A godly man is said to haue right thoughts and chap. 11.23 His desires are onely good not that he is without euill desires sometime but he resists and fights against them and God imputes not that which he hates and repents of We see the soyle Now let vs see the hopefull successe of the seede in it The thornes grow with it Though there be a further growth of the seed in this ground then in the former yet at length it is as fruitlesse 1. Here are soft and tender hearts brought to the Word better prepared for the seed than the former 2. Here is a deeper rooting a further measure of vnderstanding a more vehement carriage of the affection vnto it in motions of ioy loue and delight a more settled purpose to follow the Word 3. Here is a further shew of fruits a standing in a glorious profession an hopefull sprouting and springing in the fruits of good workes and a longer hope thereby than before Yet these so softned so rooted so farre growne aboue many zealous Professors are ranged in the ranke of bad and fruitlesse Hearers for as it is in vers 14. Afterward they are choaked Doctr. The fruitfull and commendable Hearer is he that heareth for afterward Esa. 42.23 A bad Hearer can heare well for the present but afterward all is lost Prou. 4.18 The way of the righteous shineth as light that shineth more and more vntill perfect day They adde vnto their knowledge as men doe to their stocke and saue what they get and so grow abundantly rich in grace whereas he that spends as fast as he gets and onely maintaines the present with his gettings must dye a begger Many are the exhortations to lay fast hold on the Word and to lay it vp safe in the midst of the heart and to keepe it as a mans life Prou. 4.4 As a man that hath a Iewell will bee carefull to locke it vp in the safest chest he hath 1. Tim. 3.9 Keepe the mysterie of faith Reu. 3.11 Hold that thou hast hold that thou hearest As many are the dehortations that we negligently lose not the Word Heb. 2.1 We ought diligently to giue heed to the things we haue heard lest at any time we let them slip a Metaphore taken from riuen vessels that let all the liquor run out But here the more precious the liquor is the more must be the care of the vessels soundnesse 2. Pet. 2.21 Better not to haue knowne the way of truth then after the knowledge to depart from the holy Commandement Many are the commendations of them that were Hearers for after-times as of Dauid Psalm 119.11 I haue hid thy Word in my heart and of Mary who pondered Christs sayings and hid them in her heart Luk. 2.51 And as many are the dispraises of such leaking vessels who like the women 2. Tim. 3.7 are alwaies learning yet neuer come to knowledge and those Iewes Heb. 5.12 who for the time might haue bin teachers yet needed to be catechized in the very Principles Reason 1. From the nature of the Word which is in it selfe a perpetuall truth an euerlasting Gospell Heauen and Earth are most stable and firmely founded by God but not so stable as the least iot of Gods Word which shall not fayle or fall to the ground for euer And to vs it is a certaine rule a constant law and binder not for the present only but for all time future yea and for all eternity 2. This is a mayne difference betweene a godly man and an hypocrite Many things may affect an euill man for the present hearing of the Word Sometime he may heare a noueltie with great affection but as children delight in a new toy for an houre but presently contemne and lose it Sometimes the power of the Word makes an hypocrite tremble as Felix and grow to some promise with himselfe and perhaps to some purpose and resolution of amendment So Israel hearing the Lord speake in so terrible a voyce promise faire All that the Lord our God saith by thee if he will no more speake by himselfe we will heare it and doe it But the Lord saw there was no such heart in them Deut. 5.27 29. Sometime some affliction prepares them to heare and now while the iron is
gather these worldly things together let him bee sure these distrustfull cares haue stuffed his heart Ordinary and warrantable care rests on good and allowable meanes But he that by lying swearing fraud iniustice deceit in measures or waights by vsurie or the like meanes can helpe himselfe his care and course is wicked and damnable 5. It is a choking care if a man neglect the seruice of God prosper not in grace profit not by Gods Word thrust the worship of God out of dores or seldome or slightly or coldly or formally performe these duties or if a man fall backe from good motions good purposes good beginnings he may iustly suspect himselfe that inordinate and inferiour cares haue seazed on his heart and waged warre and preuailed against the cares of heauen and a better life In a word when a man more imployes himselfe about them than will stand with keeping his heart vnto God now they are chokers These are the cares heere called thornes The effect of them is to choke the seed of the Word Where consider two things 1. How they choke the Word 2. The vse that is to bee made thereof For the first They choke the Word 1. Before 2. In 3. After hearing Before hearing two wayes 1. In that they hold men away and keepe them from the preaching of Gods Word Luk. 10.40 While Mary was set at the feet of Christ hearing his gracious words Martha incumbred her selfe about many things c. Her care and loue in entertaining our Lord Iesus himselfe was excessiue and immoderate and hindred her from hearing his Word out of his owne mouth The same was the cause why those vnthankfull ghests inuited to the Kings Supper Luk. 14.18 they all made excuses their inordinate care about Farmes Oxen and Families suffered them not to come when they were called So now especially on a weeke-day numbers keepe away from this Exercise because the desires after the world haue eaten out the desires and care of Gods Word They cannot let their businesse and seruants would bee idle and I know not what Whereas a man might name some places of idle resort where they let ten times so much in a weeke 2. If they doe come yet these cares hinder their prayers and preparation and therefore their profitable hearing They that cannot pray well cannot heare well Now prayer is a lifting vp of the hart vnto God but these presse it downe and are as so many heauie stones hanged on the wings of our prayers In hearing they hinder two wayes also 1. When men bring their businesse in their brests with them they are casting and tossing with themselues and plotting their owne imployments and this hinders both attention and vnderstanding and affection without all which the Word heard is vnprofitable 2. These inordinate cares keepe out and barre out the chiefe duties of a Christian that there can hardly bee entrance for them or at least very shallow rooting As we shall see in some instances 1. The Word in the daily preaching of it labours to confirme and increase faith and confidence in God it bids vs beleeue and trust in the Lord for all supplyes Psalm 37.3 5 7. But these cares lodged in the heart choke all these precepts will not suffer vs to trust God with our selues but will take his care into our owne hands and will beleeue and trust him no further than wee see him or haue a pawne from him 2. The vse of Gods Word as it is from heauen so it is to draw vs to heauen and lift vp the minde to heauenly things when it vrgeth vs to seeke things aboue where Christ is and perswades vs to pull our thoughts from things below and set them on things within the Vaile But these cares nourished in the heart choke all such exhortations for they wedge downe and stake downe the soule into earth and earthly things they will care for heauen when they come there but for earth while they are here 3. Gods Word in the powerfull preaching of it opposeth and beateth downe the vnlawfull and vnconscionable seeking and meanes of getting the things of this life It condemnes to hell all vniustice and fraudulent dealing and all heaping and holding the least piece of wicked Mammon But where these thornes are nourished all these denunciations are choked they will set the tongue on lying and swearing the hands on coozening and deceiuing the whole course on vsurie oppression and all is fish that comes to net Thus where the world is taken in the Word is shut out or choked After hearing also these thornes choke the Word so the Text saith and afterward or after they are gone the cares of the world enter in againe and as a wedge driues out all before it Many come from their earthly businesse and heare with affection and may hold it for a while but at last the throng of their businesse and cares of the world conquer the Word and driueth it both out of their memory and practice For the memory see Exo. 16.3 When Israel was without food in the Wildernesse and knew not how they should sustain thēselues their wiues children they begin to scorne and take on against Moses and Aaron Oh that we had dyed by the hand of the Lord in Egypt Why What was the reason Had they not many promises from the Lord of his care and prouidence for them Nay did they not see the hand of the Lord for them in that mighty deliuerance thorow the sea in the pillar of a cloud by day and of fire by night in that extraordinary sweetening of the waters of Marah not many dayes before chap. 15.25 Did not that promise yet sound in their eares vers 26 But these distrustfull and distracting cares choked presently the remembrance of Gods promises and of his great blessings bestowed on them For the practice we see it euidently in the young man who presently lost Christ and all because he had great possessions both in his hand and heart Vse Seeing these worldly cares doe thus choke the Word in vs let vs alwayes remember the counsell of our Sauiour Luk. 21.34 Take heed lest your hearts be oppressed with surfetting and drunkennesse and the cares of this life and that Day take you vnawares Then the cares oppresse vs when they dul the mind and make it heauie and vntoward to the loue and consideration of heauenly things We must striue in casting off these cares which our naturall loue of the world inuites and pulls vpon vs. Motiues to rid our selues of them 1. Because they are the cares of the world that is of worldly things and worldly men and Christians must haue another care This is our Sauiours reason Math 6.32 After all these things doe the Gentiles seeke Now there ought to be a great difference betweene the cares studies indeuours and delights of Christians and Heathens For we haue not receiued the spirit of the world but of God
wee would thanke him heartily and looke to our selues carefully Now the Lord in this Text telleth vs of a great deceiuer that aimes to spoyle vs of great things Why then should we not be thankfull to him and take warning Why should we not beleeue him but be willingly coÌ„tinually and senselesly deceiued not so much by the craft of the Aduersary as our own simplicity corruptioÌ„ And voluptuous liuing or pleasures The third sort of thornes which choke the Word are pleasures and delights Where two questions offer themselues to our consideration for the opening of the matter Quest. 1. Whether are all pleasures condemned or no Answ. Pleasures are of two kinds some heauenly others earthly In the former there is no danger but we are euery where in Scripture called to them as we shall see hereafter Our Text speakes of the latter Quest. 2. Whether are all earthly pleasures condemned Answ. No for 1. Adam in innocency was furnished aboue all men now liuing with pleasures and delights in that Garden of pleasure 2. Since the Fall the Lord hath still deckt the earth with most delectable flowres in their seuerall beauties and varieties of colours and smells to delight the senses of man And he hath filled the aire with sweet and melodious birds 3. The Lord that could now feed vs with one kinde of meate as Israel in the Wildernesse allowes vs much variety of the creatures for our honest delight And though hee could preserue vs with water yet he allowes vs more pleasant drink and in our feasts giues vs wine in varieties Yea himselfe hath giuen skill to workemen to make curious musicall Instruments to delight men with their sweet musike and harmony 4. Hee hath allowed men according to their estate and place to inioy many worldly pleasures It was the blessing of Assur Gen. 49.20 that hee should giue pleasures for a King that is his Countrey should abound with delicate fruits acceptable and fit for Kings In which phrase we see that Kings haue more right to inioy pleasures than ordinary men and Deut. 33.24 He shall dip his foot in oyle 5. The Lord himselfe appointeth some festiuities and solemne feasts in which a more liberall and delightfull vse of the creatures is requisite as Nehem. 8.10 Goe and eate of the fat and drinke of the sweet for this is a day holy vnto the Lord. 6. The Spirit of God concludeth though some learned otherwise expound it as the Atheists speech brought in by a Prosopopoeia Eccles. 3. vlt. that nothing is better than that a man should reioyce in his affaires for that is his portion And who is worthy to enioy Gods blessings about him in wife children family calling and estate that doth not reioyce in the same So as the thing which our Text and this whole ensuing treatise condemneth is not any lawfull and allowed pleasure of any kinde but that pleasure which choketh the Word of God as thornes doe seed whether vnlawfull pleasures or lawfull pleasures vnlawfully vsed Which I would haue obserued by the way to remoue a scandall cast vpon Religion and godly life that it is altogether vnpleasant and heauie and strips a man of all delight This is not so But first All the wayes of wisedome are wayes of pleasure Prou. 3.17 Secondly godlinesse takes not away any earthly pleasure nor the vse of Gods mercies but orders and moderates and sweetens them Doctr. The preuailing of earthly ioyes and carnall pleasures choketh the Word and hindreth saluation An example we haue in Eue whose pleasure of the eye choked all that Word of God which shee had learned and repeated but euen then to the Serpent And in Herod he heard Iohn gladly reuerenced him and did many things Mark 6.20 but the pleasure of his brothers wife made him cast Iohn in prison yea and behead him too which he added aboue all his sinnes Iudg. 16.17 Samson had vndertaken a most sacred profession of the Nazarites in which he was a most eminent type of Christ. While hee kept the law of his profession not cutting his haire the mighty power of God was with him and for him But that impotent and base lust and sottish attending his pleasure in Delilahs lap how did it make him forget the Law of God and so inslaue him as hee must needs tell her all that was in his heart till God was gone from him 1. Tim. 5.6 11. What made the widowes to breake their faith giuen to Christ but wantonnesse and liuing in pleasures Obiect These are dishonest and vnlawfull pleasures and lusts these must needs choke the Word But doe lawfull pleasures doe so too Answ. Yes wee shall see euen in those that had â—ound godlinesse how euen lawfull pleasures choked the Word and cast them backe in the way of God How the loue of pleasant meate set the loue of good Isaac vpon him whom God hated see Genes 25.28 And Salomon tells vs the danger of prouing the heart with pleasures Eccles. 2.2 they brought him to bee mad with them these were honest and lawfull pleasures but himselfe tells vs that as they entred into the heart so godlinesse decayed For as theeues set vpon true men to rob and bind them so pleasures assaulting good men binde them and rob them yea often wound them onely kill them not And hence it is that in the profession of Religion some are found louers of pleasure more than of God 2. Tim. 3.4 and holding a forme of godlinesse and proclaiming a defiance of vain pleasure are yet so moyled and intangled with them as they grow heauie in good duties and drawne on with the perswasions of these pleasing Orators Had not the Disciples renounced all for Christ Yes Master wee haue forsaken all and followed thee But yet doe wee not see them long who should be superiour and contend for greatnesse one with another and affect pompe and high place euen in the Kingdome of God where the smallest is the greatest Reasons 1. Pleasures make that men cannot attend the Word Some are so carried away with sports that neither weeke-day nor scarce the Sabbath can draw them away to any better duty Their delights are so fastened in their hearts as nothing can fasten on them Their thoughts doe so attend vpon pleasures that all other thoughts tending to the bettering of their estate are vnpleasing 2. They make that men cannot conceiue the Word aright The Word offereth pleasures at Gods right hand which is an obiect of faith But the man trampled on by pleasures becomes sensuall and iudgeth of all things spoken by his corrupt sense and carnall reason For his desire is to heare not what is best but what is sweetest 3. Pleasures where they doe preuaile make men securely contemne the Word They cast the heart on sleepe and make it vnwatchfull against the threats of God Amos 6.1 3. Woe to them that are at ease in Sion that put farre off the euill day and approch to the
without which nothing can please God Heb. 11.6 No action speech almes prayer hearing preaching all without it is defiled and sinne and the labour lost 4. Faith is the comfort and strength of Christian life no loue no ioy in Christ before he bee beleeued and apprehended 1. Pet. 1.8 No hope for hereafter if faith beleeueth not no peace with God till wee bee iustified by faith Rom. 5.1 No boldnesse in prayer till by faith wee can call God Father no strength in tentation no ioy in affliction no comfort in death till faith haue gotten Christ his victory his strength his life then the bands of tentations afflictions and deadly things dismay him not 5. Faith opens heauen and makes way to see things within the Vayle to obtaine by the prayer of faith the wealth of heauen yea and the glory of heauen for the end of faith is saluation Whereas an vnbeleeuer shuts heauen against himselfe Reuel 21.8 Without shall bee vnbeleeuers If weaknesse of faith shut Moses out of earthly Canaan much more must want of faith shut men out of heauenly Canaan Therefore a good heart labours for soundnesse of faith and the rather because much faith is counterfeit and many things are taken for it and there is no better argument of a good heart than to cast out deceit from faith lest it be mistaken in so great a commodity 1. It hungers and thirsts after righteousnes aboue all things in the world sighes and grones vnder his â—owne wants feeles a want of Christ who onely can giue a perfect righteousnesse couer his imperfect 2. It is in some measure satisfied according to the promise For clasping fast the promises it comes to a true perswasion of Gods fatherly affection beleeues the remission of sinnes and comes confidently into his presence as a father appeased as the poore Prodigall Luk. 15.18 comes to his father with shame in his face and sorrow in his soule for sinne but yet with confidence in his heart that hee should not bee cast off and so was satisfied aboue his desire he would haue been but as a seruant but lo he is accepted as a sonne 3. This good heart not only beleeues the Word but rests on it to bee happy as the onely good tydings and most thankfully accepting the promises bindes it selfe as fast to God in duty as God hath bound himselfe to it in mercy 4. It will haue a faith to liue by such as shall bring in a new life into the whole man For faith being an instrument to vnite vs vnto Christ by it as by the bond of our vnion we receiue life and motion from Christ that now the heart is purified the conscience pacified the spirit of our minde renewed the will changed the affections altered the whole man moued and quickened to all good duties So in all occasions it will expresse the life of faith which shall now gouerne the whole life First in our labour and actions it makes vs diligent in the worke but leaue the successe to God Secondly in suffering for well-doing it vpholds it selfe with a patient expectance of a good issue and waiting the Lords leisure makes not haste Thirdly in prosperity and the middest oâ— blessings it vseth them with blessing but swells not by them trusts not in them but furthers his reckoning Fourthly in aduersity and temporall wants it saith with Abraham God will prouide it will vse no vnlawfull courses to helpe it selfe and lookes more for the staffe of bread than bread it selfe Fifthly in tentation it will rest on the naked promise it will goe against sence and feeling and apprehending nothing but wrath will reare vp it selfe to trust in Gods mercy Iob will trust still if the Lord should kill him Thus in euery thing the good heart may say I liue not now but Christ liueth in me Galat. 2.20 5. As euery life must bee maintained in naturall things so also must this life of faith Therefore a good heart will bee very diligent in the meanes of preseruing and increasing faith It will bee much in hearing the Word by which it is begotten and fed much in meditation and conference by which it is excited stirred vp much in prayer Lord I beleeue helpe my vnbeliefe and as the Disciples Luk. 17.5 Lord increase our faith 6. It desires to come to the end of it and wisheth for the comming of Christ Reuel 22.17 The Spouse saith Come It waites for the hope of the glory of God Rom. 5.2 But an euill heart cares not for this faith vnfained 1. It contents it selfe with a name and supposition of faith not the thing or rests on knowledge hope or presumption of Gods mercy in stead of faith 2. It prizeth not remission of sinnes at a due rate thinkes it selfe neuer the richer for it holds it impossible to get assurance of it so neuer attempts it nay it sees the want of euery thing but faith 3. It cannot bee brought to labour seriously in the application of Christs merits and righteousnesse thinkes not application to be of the nature of faith or onely applies it for saluation not sanctification or change of the heart and life 4. It can talke of faith not liue by it cannot beleeue for lesser things as meate and drink but vseth vnwarrantable meanes much lesse for greater higher things caÌ„ thank God for prosperity but makes too much haste in aduersity 5. It dares make no profession of faith for feare of men like Nicodemus will doe nothing nor suffer nothing for Christ because it is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is no substance in it 6. It can boast of sound faith with the best but it was neuer begot by the Word nor founded in repentance nor cherished with the meanes nor conflicted with sence of vnbeliefe nor workes any change nor cares for any but feares to come to the end of it it loues not the Lords appearance c. Therefore all this is a fancy not faith a dead carcase not the body of sauing faith by which the good heart liueth The fourth spirituall grace which is a marke of a good heart is sound pacification or peace in the holy Ghost 1. with God 2. with it selfe 3. with others 1. Peace with God is next to iustification by faith Rom. 5.1 And this is first through absolution that is sence of remission of sinnes for sinne onely breeds enmity and separation from God who is neuer pacified till sinne be forgiuen and then they can walke friendly together Secondly through acceptation by meanes of Christ apprehended the Prince of our peace and our Peace-maker Esa. 9.6 Ephes. 2.21 Now a good heart knowing that all happinesse stands in peace with God in whose fauour is life and that the wrath of this King is the messenger of death and what an vncomfortable thing it is for a Tenant at will to liue in the displeasure of his Landlord is most carefull to make vp his
it selfe to God 3. It hath no care commonly of his grounds of Religion and so runnes 〈…〉 still is wauering and 〈…〉 in what Religion he meanes to 〈…〉 betweene God and Baal and sees no 〈…〉 betweene true Religion and Popeâ—◠〈…〉 of one trumpet would make them as forward Papâ—â—â—s as now they are Protestants 4. It can pretend Gods glory and Gods ends but intend the owne ends Herod pretends to come and worship Christ but intends to kill him Iezabel can make Religion a pretext for her foulest fact of murdering an Innocent so can Papists finely in ordine ad Deum and to promote the Catholike cause raise Massacres c. 1. Sam. 2.22 Women professing great sanctity by comming to the Temple polluted themselues with wicked Priests It were a sinne to say so of holy Popish Priests and their pure Nunnes 5. It will haue a Religion for fashion or shew but loue it not promote it not no not in their owne families scarce professe it for present reproach or after-claps but zeale and forwardnesse were madnesse as Festus said to Paul and to become an hatefull Puritan They frame not their actions to the rules of Christian Religion but are loose vnsauory earthly in all their courses they will lose nothing for it Christ shall lose the glory of Heauen for them and so farre they like their Religion but they will not lose crummes of earth for his sake 6. An euill heart can make a profession of Religion and scorne the Professors reuile them as a packe of hypocrites But our Sauiour packs such out of his number saying They that are with vs cannot lightly speake euill of vs Mark 9.39 Now of the markes of a good heart in respect of the meanes by which this true Religion is vpheld And first of the Word and Sacraments The equity of carefulnesse in these stands in these reasons 1. Because a good heart cannot heare God himselfe speake nor enioy such neere and immediate fellowship with him as it desires it is most glad to enioy him through the grates of the Word and Sacraments to heare him speake by his Messenger to reade his letters and be enriched with such pledges of his loue which therein he includeth to his sonnes and daughters Thus doth a faithfull Spouse to him absent whom her soule loueth 2. Because these Ordinances proceed from the holy Spirit of God and are meanes appoynted for the sanctification of the Elect a good heart will neuer heare or reade the Scriptures nor speake of them but with great reuerence It dares not profane the sacred Scriptures vsing them vainely or wickedly as in iests playes charmes neither dares it come to the Sacrament without due examination preparation instruction correction or strength and consolation in the course of Christianity 2. Tim. 3.16 3. Because the good heart sees his continuall need it is carefull in the continuall vse of the means of grace It sees hardnesse of heart still stealing on it It discernes spirituall weaknesse and fainting of soule It feeles many conflicts of the flesh against the spirit It is acquainted with the thrusts and temptations of Satan It sees the health of the soule stand in these refreshings and the strength of the heart decaying without them as the body doth without repayre And therefore it still relieues it selfe by the Word Sacraments Prayer and the like Psalm 119.28 My heart melteth for heauinesse raise me vp according to thy Word vers 92. Had it not been for thy Word I had perished in my trouble 4. Because it conceiues God a Spirit and his Ordinances spirituall therefore in performing these it neuer contents it selfe with the outward deed alone but especially aymes at soundnesse and sincerity in the manner of doing Psalm 119.80 Let my heart be vpright in thy statutes All is out of sence and conscience not for shame fashion custome law or vaine ostentation But now in speciall for the Word preached A good heart makes great conscience of it as is great reason 1. Because it sees the Word preached only able to bruise a stony heart to tame melt and cause to tremble a secure heart as Felix Esa. 66.2 that trembleth at my Word Acts 16.24 The Iaylor came trembling and shiuering as hauing a strong Ague in his conscience Also it is of power to open a shut conscience as Dauids by Nathan 2. Because the preaching of the Word reueales the vnsearchable riches of Christ Ephes. 3.8 and brings into acquaintance with him This is the hammer by which Christ standing at the dore of the heart knocks and if any open he comes in and suppes with him Christ not onely inuites him to a feast but feeds him with his owne flesh and blood and he with Christ that is a fruitfull Hearer of the Word entertaines Christ calls him as the Church Cant. 4.16 to a feast in his Garden to eate of his pleasant things Christ is feasted when he tastes the sweet fruits of repentance faith mortification and obedience wrought by the preaching of the Word Nay it makes vs of neere kindred with Christ his father his mother his brethren and sisters Luk. 8.21 3. Because the Word preached brings in the Spirit of God with his sauing graces being the chariot of the Spirit by which hee rides gloriously into the hearts of Beleeuers God who can giue his Spirit without it ordinarily doth not He could haue taught Cornelius without Peters so tedious a iourney but Cornelius must attend Peters Ministery and while Peter was yet speaking the holy Ghost fell on them all Acts 10.44 But see it in speciall sauing graces first illumination is by preaching Acts 8.31 The Eunuch cannot vnderstand without an interpreter he must ioyne himselfe to Philip. Secondly faith comes by hearing Rom. 10.14 and by the foolishnesse of preaching God will saue them that beleeue 1. Cor. 1.21 Neither can actuall faith be without some measure of actuall knowledge Thirdly the feare of God is wrought by preaching Rom. 8.15 the spirit of feare is wrought by the Ministery of the Law shewing sinne distinctly the curse due to it and our owne guiltinesse And by the Gospell is wrought that childlike feare by the spirit of adoption by which now we feare to offend God as before to be offended and reuenged on by him Fourthly peace of conscience and a sweete ioy in God is wrought hereby Psalm 51.8 Let me heare the voyce of gladnesse that the broken bones may reioyce Lastly the Word preached brings in not onely this life of grace but that of glory Act. 11.14 Send for Peter to Ioppa and he shall speake words whereby both thou and thy house shall be saued And therefore is it called the Word of life and saluation In these and other regards a good heart is a conscionable Hearer 1. It prepares it selfe as a fit casket or storehouse to lay the Word in conceiuing it the most precious iewell and richest pearle in all the world
Dauid hid the Word in his heart Psalm 119.11 2. In sence of it owne want and the worth of the Word it preserues an appetite and hunger after the preaching of it As the babe sucks greedily the milke so it will feed heartily on this Bread of life It will be at paines for it as a babe will cry after the brest It will heare diligently without omission intermission or delay It will waite at the gates of wisdome as Cornelius for Peter Act. 10.33 We are all heere ready to heare whatsoeuer is commaunded thee of God 3. Because God speakes not to the eare onely but to the heart this heart will heare as well as the eare If God say Seeke my face the heart will make eccho and answere Thy face Lord will I seeke Psal. 27.8 4. This heart makes the whole man heare and receiue the Word first the inner man shall delight in the law Rom. 7.22 The iudgement shall esteeme it aboue thousands of gold and siluer the minde shall attend it the heart shall beleeue it the memory shall keepe and treasure it the affections shall cleaue to it and the conscience submit to it secondly the outward man shall be as conformable The eare shall heare it with reuerence the mouth shall speake and professe it the hand shall practise it and the whole man be submitted to the obedience of it as in sound health the nourishment is carried to all parts 5. This heart embraceth the whole Word saying of all as the Prophet Mic. 2.7 Is not my Word good to him that walketh vprightly First it loues the Word which reuealeth sinne accuseth and condemneth it both because it discouers sinne to be repented of and forsaken as also because it leades the sinner to Christ and sets him faster to him Secondly it applies the whole Word to it selfe as well for conuiction as consolation You shall euer see a good heart more smitten with the sharpe threatnings of the Word than they to whom they belong Meate that must nourish must goe into the stomake and bowels so must the Word that must profit vs passe thorow our affections either to humble or direct or comfort vs. By this triall many that bragge of the goodnesse of their hearts may see themselues farre off For first an euill heart cares not how farre it bee estranged from God As it flies his presence and eye so his Word also which passeth sentence on him and iudgeth him afore-hand desires no acquaintance either with God or his Word Many say as the people to Ieremy The Word of the Lord in thy mouth we will not heare The Popish Recusant stops his eare and will heare no voyce The Atheist as hee denies God in his heart so hee denies his presence to the meanes Both of them refuse fellowship with God barre out the Spirit of God and his sauing graces and wilfully debarre themselues of faith which is dropt into the heart by the eare and of the life of grace and glory Secondly an euill heart can come to heare but brings not an hearing eare But it brings 1. an heauie eare or deafe rather as many who cast themselues asleepe who would be ashamed to sleepe if a man but a little better than themselues should speake vnto them An argument of a sleepy and dull heart And can we thinke God will open that mans heart who will not open his owne eare Or 2. it brings an itching eare that cannot abide wholesome doctrine Hardly can any Minister please them hee is either too Legall in his threats or too Euangelicall in generall promises or his life too austere or too remisse Iohn fasts and hath a diuell Christ eates and is a glutton Or if the doctrine be quicke and powerfull then inquire if he bee not a Puritan for if impure wretches once so stile him then may hee be aduised better than to trouble himselfe with such a mans doctrine Or 3. it brings a stopped eare when in hearing the heart goeth after lusts or is stopped with ignorant conceits as that no such good is to bee gotten in Sermons or it were pitty all should bee true that the Preacher saith or the world was better when was lesse preaching or few great men loue preaching or frequent it much or it is no great wisedome to bee so forward as some and none are worse than such as runne after Sermons Cares also and lusts and pleasures choke and stop the passage of the Word into mens hearts that they heare it as a story or a tale but are no more moued with it than if they were stockes and stones the most dreadfull threats of vengeance pricke them not at heart Thirdly an euill heart can heare sometime with diligence and delight but will heare to know not to practise delights in contemplation but hates reformation delights in the promises of the Gospell not in the precepts of the Law or if it doe yet not in an vniuersall practice inward and outward For it is an vnfailing rule An euill heart cannot delight in the Law of God touching the inner man Oh how hard it is to binde the thoughts to conformity with Gods Law Nay a loose heart cries out of too much precisenesse Fourthly an euill heart can heare sometimes carefully but neuer truly apply For the promises and comforts of God it is readyest to apply them to it selfe which belong not to it for God feeds the impenitent with iudgement this is the part of such an heart but it lets that alone As for rebukes it heares or abides none it is loth to bee drawne to a Sermon that rebukes his darling sinnes as the people of Israel was to come neere the Mount Heb. 12.19 While it heares it is filled with wrath and enuie Luk. 4.24 saying Physician cure thy selfe yea it is ready to burst for anger as Stephens aduersaries Act. 7.54 And for afterwards they hate him to the dâ—ath that rebukes sinne in the gate and abhorre him that speaketh vprightly Amos 5.10 Hee is their enemy that tells them the truth as Ahab said of Micaiah I told you he neuer prophesied good but euill and to Eliah Hast thou found me O mine enemie And if Christ himselfe should neuer so wisely rebuke them they would lay hands on him or runne to the Rulers as Ioshua to Moses Master forbid them to prophesie In one word An euill heart pretending sound loue to preaching is an vtter enemy to sound preaching To whom I say Is Gods Word an aduersary to thee So is God himselfe Doth the Word iudge and condemne thee So shall the Lord for euer condemne thee except thou timely repent And thou that canst not endure the threatning of iudgement goe on in thy sinnes thou shalt indure the iudgement threatned eternally stop thine eare against the cries of Gods Word against thy sinnes this Word shall take hold on thee and thou shalt cry out for euer against thy sinnes and selfe and thy cry shall not
3. It excites them to much thankfulnesse when being acquainted with their owne weaknesse and Satans daily assaults they see themselues set into so firme an estate of happinesse as they are armed against the dread of vtter foyling or forsaking Whence Bucer on Ioh. 6. saith Nothing is more profitable than to preach to Beleeuers that it is impossible for them euer to fall from grace Vse 1. Let all this moue vs to the earnest desire of so permanent a condition and so to labour for truth of grace which onely shall continue Content and please thy selfe with no seeming or vnsound grace which shall leaue thee in thy greatest need In earthly things men desire such as are most durable and lay about them for long estates of life or liues or fee-simples And why not heere in so great necessaries and expectations 2. Let this prouoke vs to perseuerance in the state and measure of grace receiued And hereunto let vs consider 1. The end of Redemption to serue the Lord in righteousnesse and holinesse all our dayes Luk. 1.75 2. That righteousnesse departed from is vaine and forgotten Ezek. 18.24 All labour prayers hearing yea all sufferings are lost as the Galatians suffered many things in vaine Chap. 3.4 3. Thou shalt bee iudged as thou art found when the Lord comes the question shall not bee what thou wast once but what thou art As the tree falls so it lies If of straight it bee growne crooked so it shall bee iudged 4. This makes Election sure and is a note of the saued of the Lord to continue to the end Math. 24.13 Glory and immortality is the part onely of such as by continuance in well-doing seeke it Rom. 2.7 And our Sauiour is expresse Luk. 22.28 To you which haue continued with me in tentations haue I appoynted a Kingdome as my Father hath appoynted me a Kingdome The Lord make vs vpright that by continuing in his Word wee may manifest our selues Disciples so following our Lord with patience and perseuerance in holinesse vntill he bring vs vnto an vn-discontinued happinesse purchased by his owne blood Amen Prima perit perit altera altera quarta perennis FINIS THE ALPHABETICAL TABLE OF THE MOST REmarkable poynts inlarged in this Treatise ABuse of things lawfull is damnable as well as the pursuite of things vnlawfull Reasons 3. 164 Abundant measure of grace is the strength of a Christian in a foure-fold afflicted estate 395 Sound Affection to the truth vpholds men from withering 107 Of Affections renewed foure instances 347 Apparell abused how 166 Apostates in dangerous estate three reasons 397 Not to be Ashamed of the afflictions of the Gospell sixe reasons 417 The ayme of euery good hearer must be to bring forth an hundreth fold 392 B Behold what it noteth 16 Booke of nature to be translated into the vse of grace 18 Brutish ignorance after long hearing three reasons 61 C Callings abused how 168 Calling of God without repentance 430 Care of the family abused 169 Cares of the world are great chokers of Gods Word 1. Before hearing two wayes 180 Word 2. In hearing two wayes 181 Word 3. After hearing 182 Foure true Causes of the worlds hatred of God and his truth among many false pretensed ones 134 Church not to be defined by multitude 259 Christ the Author and matter of true wisedome 292 Christians must aspire to the highest pitch and measure of grace for fiue reasons 393 Circumstances necessary to doe good duties well seuen 359 Cleannesse of heart wherein it is 349 Comming to Church Satan euer comes with thee 58 Comforts in persecution three 135 Companions of holy desires sixe 78 Companions of true Illumination foure 82 Companions of sound Ioy 1. Holy affections three 86 Companions of sound Ioy 2. Holy graces fiue 87 Company and society abused 169 Comforts for a Minister who seemeth to lose much labour among a rude people foure 258 Conscience if sound hath 1. Sincerity 2. Tendernes 108 D Dangers in enioying earthly pleasures foure 227 Deceitfulnesse of heart in the matter of repentance in seuen particulars 370 Defects of an euill heart in the matter of his Religion in sixe things 319 Delicacy in Christianity condemned by fiue reasons 411 Holy Desires examined in their 1. ground 2. matter 3. ends 4. companions 76 Sound Desire of the Word tryed by three things 77 Differences between sound knowledge and hypocriticall three 81 Differences betweene Christs sowing and his Ministers 4.19 Despisers of Gods Word in fearfull case two reasons 36 E Earnest of the Spirit what 283 Effects of true Religion fiue 316 Effects of sauing knowledge three 123 Elect how farre they may fall in fiue conclusions 422 Ends to aime at in our pleasures 3. 250 Examination whether we are gotten beyond hypocrites in foure things 75 F Faith especially impugned by Satan many reasons 54 Tēporary Faith is raised on tēporary causes which they be 69 Iustifying Faith necessary to a good heart for 5. reasons 294 Faith gouerneth the whole life fiue instances 296 Forwardnesse to heare the Word of God vrged by 4. reas 5 To Fruitfulnesse in grace foure things required 20 Fruitfulnesse necessary to Christians fiue reasons 388 For our Fruitfulnesse the Lord hath done fiue things 399 Sweet Fruits of patience foure 414 The better the Fruits the more need of patience 415 G God glorified by ioyning of the Crosse to Christian profession foure wayes 129 Gods glory is the ayme of a good heart in all his parts and in all his actions 276 Godly men are most peaceable and yet none more troubled than they foure reasons 299 Godly man keepeth the whole Sabbath with the whole man 332 God esteemeth the goodnesse of our workes by the goodnesse of our hearts 372 Goodnesse of heart is a full Sea of comfort in all afflictions 1. Inward 2. Outward 375 Good ground bringeth forth fruits answerable in kinde to the seed 386 The thing hated in Good men is goodnesse 134 Goodnesse of hearers esteemed by goodnesse of heart for foure reasons 264 Grace if sound groweth still fiue reasons 307 Graces of the Spirit compared to water in 4. things 120 Graces speciall and sauing are wrought by the Word preached fiue 323 Sound Grace is blessed with perseuerance 418 Grounds of perseuerance in grace 6. cleered frō exceptions 424 Growth in Grace tryed in the 1. Root 2. Fruits 3. Measure 4. Affection 5. Continuance 88 In naturall Growth persons are higher but in spirituall they grow lower 91 Growth of hypocrites deceitfull in sundry things 98 Some Ground on which the seed of the Word falleth is good ground fiue reasons 252 True Growth is in all graces sixe instances 307 The good heart onely Growes 311 H Heart called good in two respects 261 An Heart qualified by grace is beyond an euill heart in sixe things 262 The Heart is softened by a threefold moysture 270 A good Heart hath fiue properties in regard of God 272 Hath fiue excellent properties in
regard of Christ. 276 Reioyceth more in Christ than in all worldly ioyes 4. reasons 277 Giueth it selfe wholly to Christ who hath giuen himselfe wholly to it 278 Maketh in it selfe a sweet roome for Christ and how 279 Conformeth it selfe wholly to Christ. 280 Carefully embraceth Gods ordinances 4. reasons 321 Maketh great conscience of the Word preached 3. reas 322 Is very conscionable of the Sabbath sixe reasons 329 Honoureth the Ministers of God foure reasons 337 It will be helpfull to them foure wayes 341 It doth good duties wisely fiue reasons 359 It doth them humbly three reasons 360 It doth them heartily three reasons 361 It doth them abundantly foure reasons 361 It doth them vniuersally three reasons 362 It doth them constantly fiue reasons 363 It carryeth it selfe against sinne in fiue actions 365 It is a fruitfull heart foure reasons 383 It is the essentiall difference betweene a good man and an hypocrite 374 It is called an honest Heart and why 262 It seeketh approbation from man three wayes 273 An euill Heart affecteth God more in his gifts than in himselfe 275 An euill Heart for all his shewes groweth not 4. reasons 311 An euill Heart faileth fiue wayes in hearing 326 Senslesse Hearer his misery in fiue things 13 Hearers duty towards the seed of the Word in 4. things 28 Hearers and hearts compared to the highway-ground in three things 33 Carelesse Hearers the worst of hearers 34 Hearers compared to stony ground in fiue things 62 Bad Hearers may goe farre in Christianity as in foure steps or degrees 66 Bad Hearers moued to heare for foure reasons 67 A good Hearer heareth for afterwards three reasons 156 Foure sorts of Hearers reproued 161 Heauenly mindednesse discerned by sixe signes 310 Conscionable Hearing is in fiue things 324 Helpes to cast our care vpon God fiue 187 Helpes to the patient enduring of the Crosse sixe 416.418 To Hold out in grace prouide three things 122 Hinderances of spirituall growth 5 preserued by patience 408 Sound Humiliation looketh 3. wayes at once 289 Hypocrites why they goe so farre three reasons 71 Hypocrites fall from fiue things 136 Hypocrites why they fall from all goodnesse foure reasons 137 I Ignorance now excuselesse 18 Illumination necessary to a good heart for fiue reasons 291 Illumination tryed to be sound by foure rules 80 Instances of such as come short of them who fall short of saluation 71 Instances of most lawfull things vnlawfully abused seuen 165 Instances of most needfull cares thrusting downe vnneedfull fiue 188 Instances how riches hinder the practice of the Word sixe 196 Ioy examined in the 1. Ground 2. Matter 3. Measure 4. Companions 85 Ioy of Gods people in seuen things 240 K Kinds of good fruits sundry Inward Outward 380 Knowledge if sound hath three ends 81 Soundnesse of Knowledge examined by fiue rules of triall 88 L Lusts compared with thornes in fiue things 147 Lusts of any kinde cherished spoyle the worke of the Word for foure reasons 149 M Manna compared with the Word in sixe things 1 Manner of true prayer in foure things 303 Right Manner of vsing pleasures in foure things 244 Markes to know an hard heart by sixe 114 Markes of a man soundly rooted in the profession of faith three 128 Markes to know distrustfull cares by fiue 177 Marks of a man in whom the World choketh the Word fiue 199 Markes of a man in whom pleasures choke the Word seuen 231 Markes of a good heart in generall reduced to 7. heads 272 Markes of soundnesse of knowledge sixe 292 Markes of sound faith sixe 295 Markes of a good heart in respect of it selfe sixe 345 Marriage abused how 167 Marriage betweene God and man neuer broken 427 No certaine Marke of the child of God willingly and ioyfully to heare Sermons 121 Matter of spirituall prayer especially for three things 303 Meanes to lay the Word in our hearts sixe 61 Meanes of a soft heart fiue 116 Meanes of sound moysture fiue 126 Meanes to vphold vs in triall seuen 142 Meanes to keepe our hearts as good ground in good kilter three 153 Meanes to set the Word aboue the weeds of lusts fiue 154 Meanes to lay vp the Word for afterward foure 162 Meanes to heare for afterwards foure 163 Meanes to rid our selues of carking cares foure 186 Meanes to attaine goodnesse of heart two in generall 268 Meate and drinke many wayes abused 165 Ministery the dignity of it 25 Ministers must goe forth to sow three reasons 26 Ministers must sow onely their Lords seed and all their Lords seed 27 Ministers sent for foure ends 338 Meanes to keepe men from withering sixe 106 Motiues to carefull hearing foure 40 Motiues to watch against Satan in hearing three 59 Motiues to labour for soft hearts foure 116 Motiues to lay vp the Word for afterwards foure 162 Motiues to rid our selues of worldly cares fiue 183 Motiues to moderation of mind in seeking and hauing riches fiue 203 Motiues disswading the pursuit of pleasures sixe 225 Motiues to carry our selues Christianly through our pleasures three 251 Motiues to sincerity of heart three 354 Motiues to get the goodnesse of heart fiue 371 Motiues to aspire to the highest pitch of grace fiue 398 Motiues to prouide our selues of patience three 411 Moysture of grace the kinds 120 Moysture of grace is of 1. Vnction 2. Compunction 123 N Newnesse of heart in foure principall faculties 345 Notes to know whether Satan hath robbed thee of the Word or no three 60 Notes of a man withering in grace sixe 101 Notes of sound knowledge foure 122 Notes of a man rooted in the doctrine of faith three 125 Notes of a man soundly rooted in the grace of faith fiue 126 Notes of a good heart in respect of the Spirit of God reduced to foure kinds 281 O Obiections against diligent hearing the Word answered foure 4 Obiections against the persâ—uerance of Saints most of them preuented and answered 438 Obiect of perseuerance 420 Occasions of doing good to be apprehended 7 Many Offended at the Word sundry wayes 138 Offence not to be taken when we see great Professors offended at the VVord 141 Outward effects of a good heart in respect of true Religion fiue 317 P Patience necessary to fruits of grace sixe reasons 407 Patience what 405 Patience strengtheneth a Christian three wayes 412 Parables what with their distinction 9 Parable of the seed hath a twofold scope 16 VVhy our Sauiour spake so much in Parables 4. reasons 10 Peace with God and man a fruit of the Spirit 298 Persecution differeth from other sufferings in three things 128 Persecutors in dreadfull estate three reasons 38 Persecution inseparable from Christian profession if sound foure reasons 128 Persecution compared to the scorching of the Sunne in foure things 131 Persecution distastfull to nature 136 Persecution tryeth who are sound 140 Perseuerance what it is 419 Pleaders for some one sinne or lust answered 153 Pleasures earthly not all condemned sixe reasons 218 Pleasures
sowing as wee shall see through the Parable His seede the seed is the Word of God contained in the writings of the Prophets Apostles vers 11. which by Christ and his Ministers is cast into the furrowes of the heart as seed into the furrowes of the earth by the Husbandman It is true that he cast some seed among the Heathens For the law of nature written in their hearts the summe of which is that what wee would not another should do to vs we should not do to thē euen this was the seed of this Sower for he enlightneth euen with naturall light whosoeuer commeth into the world Ioh. 1.9 But here is meant that seed which he casts into the field of the Church which is partly the Law Morall written with the finger of God and deliuered to the Church by Moses who was faithfull in all his house as a seruant but especially the Doctrine of the Gospell sowed in the hearts of Beleeuers both by himselfe and his seruants His seed This Seedsman sowed no fables no traditions no vnwritten verities no Canons of Councels or Decretals of Popes which are but chaffe nay he often condemned the decrees of the Elders and traditions of Pharises and all seede fetched out of mens Granaries Ioh. 7.16 My doctrine is not mine but his that sent me and chap. 8.26 The things that I haue heard of him those speake I to the world Doct. Gods word preached is the sowing of Gods seed into the earth of mens hearts For sixe reasons or resemblances 1. As seed is a small and contemptible thing altogether vnlikely to bring such a returne and encrease so the Word preached seemes a weake and contemptible thing 1. Cor. 1.23 We preach Christ crucified a scandall to the Iewes and foolishnesse to the Gentiles Yet by the foolishnesse of preaching God hath ordained to saue his and not without it as without seed without haruest 2. As the seede in the barne or garner fructifies not vnlesse it be cast into the earth so the Word vnlesse cast into the eares and hearts of men is fruitlesse regenerateth not produceth no fruits of faith Keepe the Word in thy Bible or thy Bible in thy chest and not in thy heart couering and hiding it thou abidest fruitlesse and barren Rom. 10.14 How can they beleeue vnlesse they heare or how can they heare without a Preacher 3. As the sower prickes not in his seede nor sets it but casts it all abroad and knowes not which of his seede will come vp to encrease and which will rot and dye vnder the clods or comming vp into the blade and eare will wither away so the Minister Gods Seedsman speakes not to one or two but casts the seede abroad to all in generall neither knowes he which and where the Word shall thriue to encrease and where not but where it doth encrease it riseth with great beautie and glory as the graine of Mustard-seed becomes a tree in which the birds of heauen may build their nests 4. As seed hath a naturall heat life and vertue in it by which it increaseth and begetteth more seeds like vnto it selfe so the Word cast into the good ground of a beleeuing heart hath a supernaturall heat in it being as fire Iere. 5.14 and a liuely power to frame men like it selfe to make them of fleshly spirituall of blinde quicksighted of dead in sinne aliue in grace And as one graine quickned brings sundry tillowes and many graines in each so one Christian conuerted and receiuing this power in himselfe gaineth many vnto God desiring that euery one were as he is except his bands and sins Philip being called findes Nathaniel and brings him to Christ. And the woman at the well calls all the Citie Ioh. 4. 5. As seed cast into the ground liues not vnlesse it dye first 1. Cor. 15.36 so the Word preached brings no fruite or life vnlesse it kill first and worke mortification yea and by continuall sense of frailty and acquaintāce with the crosse it keeps vnder such naturall pride and corruption as resist the worke of it Ioh. 4. Christ brings the woman at the well to know him by bringing her to the knowledge of her selfe And the Conuerts Act. 2.37 then bewrayed heauenly life when being pricked at heart they cried out Men and brethren what may wee doe to bee saued 6. As seed cast neuer so skilfully into the earth is not fruitful vnlesse God giue it a body 1. Cor. 15.38 so neither is y e Word vnlesse God adde his blessing 1. Cor. 3.6 I haue planted and Apollos watered but God giues the increase verse 7. Neither is he that planteth any thing nor he that watereth but God that giueth increase What would plowing sowing harrowing or any husbandry on the earth auaile if God should not by the raines windes and warmth from heauen prosper and cherish the seed Thus haue wee compared the Word of God to seed and preaching to sowing But still remember that this seed of the Word is farre more excellent then all other seed in foure respects 1. That is from earth this from heauen My doctrine saith Christ is from aboue 2. That serues to preserue naturall life receiued of God this both to begin and maintaine spirituall life 3. That is mortall and corruptible seede this immortall 1. Pet. 1.23 an eternall Gospell Heauen and earth shall perish but the Word of God abides for euer 4. The fruit is like the seede All corruptible seede brings fruit corruptible like it selfe but this brings Immortality and life it is a seed sowne for continuance and eternitie so is not other Vse 1. This concernes Ministers in whose function there is both honos and onus Dignitie and Dutie For the first The Ministerie though despised in the world is a most glorious office and an honourable function which Christ came from the glory of heauen to vndertake The Sonne of God himselfe vndertooke to be a sower of the Word and shall great Clerkes and Diuines thinke it too base a thing to be diligent Preachers Or shall that which honoured Christ be a barre to preferment namely to be diligent sowers Or shall any man thinke his sonne too good and of too high birth for that office which the Sonne of God himselfe despised not For the second the burthen or charge We reade not that Christ said Masses or anoyled or sprinkled holy water but was all in sowing Popish Priests are quite contrary all in these and seldome or neuer doe preach As if our saluation consisted in ceremonies or an haruest could be brought in by gestures without sowing But our charge stands in foure things 1. Learne wee of our Lord Iesus Christ to goe foorth to sow Christ went foorth to labour and hee that goes into the Lords field to loyter or stand idle gets no thanke from his Lord. What need is there of a loyterer in seed-time or in haruest And Ministers must consider 1. That
hath sowne and husbanded these wicked seeds vvhich hauing found a fit and friendly soyle come vp so fast But the end of this blessed seede sowne amongst vs is that vve might be set and grow vp in that blessed seede that vve should become the seed of Abraham and the seed of the blessed of the Lord. 4. As a small seede encreaseth of small becomes great of a little becomes more the season cherisheth it time dilates it and it growes stronger firmer and whiter to the haruest so must Hearers labour that the Word rooted and quickened in their hearts may prosper and ripen and by the gracious season may receiue daily encrease and strength as the yeere and the haruest drawes on that is they must grow higher toward heauen euery day than other Vse 3. See hereby the necessity of the Word and Ministery as of seed and husbandry for the haruest 1. A madnesse it is to looke for an haruest without a seed-time so it is as great a folly to expect saluation without the Ministery As well maiest thou expect an haruest without labourers as a Church without Preachers No seed no haruest For the haruest is potentially in the seed so is eternall life potentially in the Word of God preached Rom. 1.16 It is the power of God to saluation 2. No care of seed no care of haruest so no care of Gods Word no care of saluation except thou wilt be so mad as thinke to reape where thou hast not sowne 3. Hee that sparingly sowes his seed must expect a sparing haruest so slacke thou thy hand and care in the vse of the meanes thou shalt come short in the comfort and fruition of saluation 4. He that refuseth to be sowed vpon refuseth to be found fruitfull in the haruest and seeing the heart yeelds no good fruits of it selfe needs must that heart bee an accursed ground that refuseth the seed of grace faith and goodnesse to bee cast into it An euill man out of the euill treasure of his heart bringeth forth euill things 5. He that hinders the Word or resists it either in himselfe or others withstands the Lords Husbandry in his owne saluation and in the saluation of his people as those that hinder sowing must needs hinder reaping and haruest And as he sowed some fell by the way-side and it was troden vnder foot and the fowles of heauen deuoured it vp Here begins the euent following the former action Where first note that hee saith not The Sower sowed by the way-side for no Sower would doe so because he knowes it were but lost labour and seed but in sowing some seed fell by the way-side beside the intentiō of the Sower who desires to lose none of his seed Secondly the same seed in it selfe as good as any fals by the way side in it selfe as fit for fruitfulnesse as any but altogether fruitlesse by the hardnesse of the soyle it fals into As the heart is into which the Word comes so is the fruit Suppose Christ the Seeds-man and his owne Word from his gracious lips the seed yet in many Hearers it shall not profit and yet neither the Sower nor seed is to be blamed but the indisposition or bad disposition of the heart Let vs therefore enquire 1. What is the nature of this ground 2. The reason of vnfruitfulnesse twofold one inward the seed was troden vnder foot the other outward the fowles came and deuoured it vp For the kinde of soyle it is the high-way side Our Sauiour plainly interprets it vers 12. They that are besides the way are they that heare but the diuell comes and takes it away out of their hearts and Math. 13.19 When a man heareth the Word and vnderstandeth it not This first sort of Hearers is compared to an high-way for these reasons 1. As an high-way lieth carelesse neglected vnbounded common not seuerall but is trodden and beaten with the feet of all sorts of passengers so these Hearers hearts are not inclosed and made seuerall for the seed of Gods Word for heauenly things but lie common and open to all tentations and suggestions of Satan to the couetous and carnall desires of earthly things which eate vp heauenly to vaine wandring idle cogitations and thoughts all which make a thorow-fare and beaten path in the heart 2. As in an high-way if any seed fall no man lookes to couer it no man respects it as looking for no good at all of it but leaue it to be trodden of beasts and eaten vp of birds so with these Hearers when the Word is preached they heare it carelesly without all attention or affection they care not to vnderstand it neuer couer it by meditation nor receiue it further than by giuing it the hearing they expect no good from it let errours and lusts come and tread it downe let the diuell by suggestions and tentations deuoure it vp they care neither to vnderstand nor receiue nor remember it 3. As high-way ground can neither receiue nor couer the seed or if it should it is so hard and padded that it cannot affoord it the least rooting at least to come vnto fruit the crop will neuer fill a mans hand Euen so these Hearers like hard and paued earth continually trodden and trampled with wandring thoughts and fruitlesse cogitations and tentations of the diuell heare the Word sometimes but without heart minde affection A little seed may lie on the superficies or top of their braine or tongue or may make a little shew on the outside but nothing of it gets within them nor takes any root and consequently yeelds no fruit of faith of Gods feare of piety or Christian conuersation Now for the causes of this vnfruitfulnesse The former is in their owne disposition they tread the seed vnder foote that is despise and vnderualue it It is the carelesse hearer who vnderstands not nor attends Doct. The carelesse hearer is the worst hearer of all as this first ground is the worst ground of all The other two are bad both yet they giue the seed some couer and receiue it in but these hold it out and leaue it where they found it Both the other giue some regard and bestow some affection vpon the Word but this treads it vnder as a most despised and dis-affected thing Both the other while in some sort they affect the Word are drawne aside by some profit pleasure feare or persecution but these by the immediate worke and malice of the diuell at whose will they are giuen vp to be ruled are so robbed of the Word and meanes of grace as they will neither make nor meddle with it further than the hearing Lastly the other bad grounds are farre from saluation in the end but the diuell suffers not these so much as set foot in the way and therefore their case is most hopelesse This carelesse Hearer is he that not only doth not vnderstand but he that doth not attend or apply his minde to
highes him to these places at this time because he knowes now being at so good an exercise men least feare him and thinke him farthest off but indeed now he is neerest for he knows that then is the time for an enemie to work his greatest stratageme when hee findes his aduersary most secure and least expecting it Therefore our text saith Whensoeuer a man that is any man heareth then comes Satan he is busie with euery one but so as thou maist not conceiue him so busie with others as that he will passe ouer thee Vse Take notice hereby of his diligence and vigilancy who is not onely busie and stirring in euill and wicked actions to thrust them forward but euen in the best actions which if he cannot hinder he will corrupt and depraue if it may be Most will confesse being detected of some euill action Oh it was the diuell who was busie with me he ow'd me a spight but few discerne how busie and spightfull hee is in good actions to hinder God of so much glory and the godly of much comfort in such actions as he cannot hinder 3. How commeth Satan to take away the Word Answ. The Word shewes that Satan is not alwaies present nor alwaies tempting Not because he wants will but because God suffers him not alwaies But hovvsoeuer he vvill sure be vvith vs in the hearing of the Word aboue all other times And so he comes sometimes inwardly sometimes outwardly Inwardly 1. In many rouing by-thoughts which filling the phantasie turne the minde quite from the businesse in hand Hee casts into the minde some thoughts of profit some of pleasure or some vaine and idle cogitations that runne vp and downe the minde and all to draw the heart away from the Word Now is the diuell come and hath catcht the Word from thee A iust recompence of him that in Gods seruice will not giue God his heart and mind the diuell must haue them 2. In drowsinesse sleepe and heauinesse which steale away the minde from attention A fearefull snare of the diuell in which hee hath taken many who scarce sit downe to heare but presently are cast on a dead sleepe and we may as well speake to dead men or the pillars they sit by as to them and say as the Apostle doth in another abuse in the Church of Corinth Haue ye not houses to eate and drinke in so Haue ye not beds at home to sleepe in See you not how the diuell hath cast you into a nap lest you should heare and beleeue and be saued or that you haue taken some graines too many of that hellish opium which makes you sleepe vnto death Obiect But doe you thinke the diuell casts me asleepe I am heauy by nature and cannot helpe it and I sleepe not long Answ. If thou wert at some other exercise as a Play or a game at Cards or Tables or perhaps in thy Counting house thou couldst wake well enough or not be halfe so heauy or if thou wert in the Kings presence to receiue a charge from his mouth though thou wert very heauy naturally Assure thy selfe therfore that Satan adds his weight and workes with thy corruption And it is not the sleepe of thy body he intends but the sleepe of thy minde and of thy soule vnto death 3. He comes in many inward suggestions which stirre vp naturall corruption against the Word that if it must be heard it may not be beleeued as 1. It is but a man that speakes a simple ordinary weake and poore man and if he speake well I can speake well too saith one 2. Thou knowest as much as thou needest and what can hee teach me which I know not Am not I as able to iudge what is fit as he Nay I doubt not but I am as good as all the Sermons in the world can make me Now the diuell is come apparantly for Gods Spirit euer lets a man see his ignorance his nothing 3. What good is gotten by all this preaching My father liued honestly without it And what care many of our Noble men and men of great account for it And if I goe to Seruice and obey the Kings law and doe as my neighbours do and as my forefathers did what need more precisenesse Here now the diuell is come For no suggestion of Gods Spirit can extenuate the Word of God 4. But this man saith Ahab neuer speakes good to me I would heare any man but this Micah 1. King 22.8 But here the diuell is come he that set foure hundred false prophets to deceiue Ahab would haue him heare any beleeue any but Micah lest he should be saued If thy heart were vpright the words of God would be good vnto thee But thou hast a path-way of lusts and thou wilt walke to the end of them thou must sweare and blaspheme must drinke and swagger must prophane the Sabbath must be an Vsurer must vse deceit in trading lyes in selling must scorne zeale and grace and runne in the excesses of sinne after the fashion of the world and the diuell within tels thee Why maist thou not who shall hinder thee 5. But I know many good Preachers and good men of another minde of another practice and though this man be earnest against it they would not doe thus if it were so bad Heere the diuell is come who out of the opposition of corrupt Teachers and Libertine doctrines which he by them broached would falsifie the truth in thy minde dealing as a cunning Fisher who by one fish will catch another that hee may feed vpon both And hee would bring thee from a straite rule to a crooked example Thus the diuell comes inwardly Outwardly hee comes three wayes 1. By drawing the senses to outward obiects as the eye on this or that person or obiect to diuert the minde from the one thing necessary which we must watch against and as Christs Hearers fixe our eyes vpon our Teacher which greatly helpeth attention 2. By the euill counsell of carnall Politicians You are a man whose conuersation will be obserued you are rich you haue an Office you haue respect If you should be led away by Sermons you will be noted for a Puritane and a fauourer of such as will make little for your credit But heere the diuell is come in one of his children Act. 13.7 Sergius Paulus called Paul and Barnabas to him and desired to heare the Word of God but Elymas sought to turne the Deputy from the faith Paul spyed the diuell now come and said O full of all subtilty and mischiefe the child of the diuell and enemy of all righteousnes that ceasest not to peruert the straite waies of God! 3. By scoffes and reproches of wretched men who scorne the Word and wayes of God What will you beleeue all that he saith Nay wee must not let him make fooles of vs What hath hee to doe with such and such poynts our gouernment our callings Let him meddle
Christian because hee knowes that without faith nothing is pleasing to God lookes especially to grow in faith And knowing that pure loue must flow from faith vnfained hee seekes to grow vp in feruent loue of God of his Word of his Image of his children and all holy things And because humility is the foundation of all good graces he layes a good ground there and builds all vpon it And because he cannot be zealous as Iehu who still followed the vile sinnes of Ieroboam his father he growes most in most inward hatred of his most inward and secret corruptions Thus whereas a barren tree stayes in leaues and showes hee as a good tree growes to bring the best fruits euen the best and most sound and shining graces 3. Examine thy selfe in what measure thou growest A sound growth is filled with fruits of righteousnesse laden with the fruits of the Spirit Ioh. 15.8 Herein is the Father glorified that ye bring much fruit And sound growth is in euery part in euery affection and in euery grace But the growth of an hypocrite is two wayes peccant 1. It is delicate 2. It is partiall It is delicate He will professe and reforme so farre as he list but will keepe a brothers wife or spare some Agag or hold some sweet morsell vnder his tongue He may and will amend many faults but some one or other he reformes not nor wil reforme Whereas were the growth sound it would conscionably respect all the Commandements it would somewhat reforme all sinnes it would striue to bee vnblameable in spirit soule and body 1. Thes. 5.23 Againe it is partiall and so the hypocrite deceiues himselfe two wayes 1. Sometimes hee growes in the profession of faith not in the grace of faith as it is noted by Christ of certaine Disciples that they beleeued not Ioh. 6.64 Many pretend faith when they are without feeling without application 2. Sometimes on the contrary he rests in a supposall of faith without the profession of faith Now his policy is his Religion Against both these deceits see thy faith and profession grow alike and bee able to say with the Prophet Psal. 116.10 I beleeued therefore I spake and with the Apostles We cannot chuse but speake what we haue heard Indeed somtime the child of God may haue faith in the heart and not profession in the mouth but that is either in the beginning of grace as Nicodemus or in tentation as Peter for feare or Gods desertion till Christ looke backe againe 4. Examine thy affection in growth Growth in grace is vnlike the growth of nature In nature the more a thing growes the higher it is in grace the lower the further thou growest the more humble thou art And why 1. Because no grace outgrowes humility which is planted before any other 2. He that is more growne sees more cleerly his want of growth and is humbled in his want as the poore man Mark 9.24 I beleeue Lord helpe my vnbeliefe and as the Apostles Luk. 17.5 Lord increase our faith 3. This spirituall pouerty keepes him hungry and he will grow still till hee be best at last Contrariwise vnsound growth sees not his vnproficiency in growth and so is proud of that hee hath and quickly growes to saciety and security and thinkes himselfe growne farre enough 5. Dost thou continue in growth euen in opposition and to the conclusion As 1. Doth grace grow against nature whē nature pleads peace profit and perswades it is no wisedome to be meddling when flesh and blood saith Master pitty thy selfe This is a signe of soundnesse when nature takes one part and the Word another now the Commandement preuailes for an hypocrite abides no thorow-mortification 2. Doth thy faith grow against thy feeling An hypocrite may bee perswaded of Gods fauour for the present while hee feeles a flash and sudden gleame but if that flash be gone his faith is gone because his feeling is But faith is sometimes at defiance with feeling It is the euidence of things not seene and will hold his perswasion against sence If Iob feele God killing him yet his faith will trust in him And Abraham will hope against hope Rom. 4.18 3. Doest thou grow in this frozen and wintrous time so stormie and blustering against sincerity Doest thou flourish like a greene Bay-tree in the winter of this age in want of encouragements and example This is necessary For an hypocrite may seeme to grow in the Sunne and peace of the Gospell but hardly shares in the scorne and contempt of it Some selfe-respect may hold him in a while but hee hardly growes in the want of Discipline and in termes of liberty Lastly doest thou continue in growth and fruits A whistling winde makes rotten fruits come tumbling downe though they seeme beautifull so is tribulation to glorious Christians it makes all the fruits of hypocrites fall off and come to nothing But in sound growth of grace not so much as the leaues wither or fall off Psalm 1.3 because there is a continuall supply of moisture of grace a Well flowes in his belly to eternall life Iob for all his trials will perseuere in his vprightnesse And if Satan shall winnow as wheate Christ shall pray that thy faith and fruits faile not These are sure notes of triall whether our growth be sound and gotten beyond that of hypocrites noted in the Text. It stands vs all in hand to try our selues whether we be sound in faith and not to content our selues with profession or outward reformation If Reprobates be before vs where is our comfort what our portion If Herod heare and bee damned if he doe many things reuerence Iohn and the like and thou heare not reforme little or nothing contemne the meanes c. what canst thou thinke will become of thee Lastly what comfort can it be to come behinde the diuell who beleeues and trembles or Iudas who confesseth his sin makes restitution and seemes to be gracious It withered away because it lacked moisture HAuing spoken of the successe of this seed cast into the stony ground in the commendable hopes it gaue in the beginning Now we proceed to the lamentable and dolefull successe in the conclusion with the reason of it both in the words now read vnto you 1. It withered away 2. Because it lacked moisture But that which our Euangelist here shortly setteth downe as the reason of this withering wee haue more at large in the other Euangelists who being laid together affoord vs the causes in this order Some are Inward 1. Positiue hardnesse stoninesse 2. Priuatiue want of 1. Moysture in Text. 2. Earth Mar. 4.5 3. Roots vers 6. ibid. Outward Persecution Math. 13.21 Tentation Luk. 8.13 First of the withering of these glorious Professors then of the causes This withering is a falling away but not all at once but by little and little as a leafe loseth his greennesse and flourish and withers by
2. It is one branch of Gods Couenant which he ratifieth to the Elect and by which he begins his mercy I will put a new Spirit within their bowels I will take away the stony heart and giue them an heart of flesh Ezek. 36.26 3. Neuer canst thou bee framed to grace no fashion of the Word can be seene on thee till thou attaine a soft heart You cannot cast a stone in a mold as you can metall because it cannot melt 4. If thou bring an hard heart the very Word a meanes of softening others shall by thy malice be peruerted to thy further hardening The same Sunne that softeneth waxe hardeneth clay Therefore vse all good meanes to get thee a soft heart One is the Word of God the Law which is as a Plough to breake vp our fallow grounds and the Gospell which is as the warme Sunne to thaw our hard earth Be diligent in hearing and reading the continuall drops of this raine by often falling pierce the stone of the heart and breake it 2. Another meanes is in outward prosperity to meditate much and often on our inward misery For ease plenty and prosperity harden the heart Deut 32.15 and chap. 9.6 7. Thou art a stiffe-necked people remember and forget not how thou prouokedst the Lord. A third is in time of affliction to set in seriously with God who now intends the softening of our hearts Wisely apply vnto thy selfe the afflictions not of thy selfe onely but of others See Gods displeasure in the cause of them which is thine owne sinne Be not as Esau that lift vp his voice and wept but still kept reuenge within but put away a froward heart giue sinne a bill of diuorce hate it and put it away Fourthly looke much and often vpon the death of Iesus Christ and apply it to thy owne soule Goats blood warme they say softeneth the Adamant being put in it Get this Adamantine heart of thine broken by serious application of Christs death to thy owne soule The Gospell shewes sinne in a more ougly face than the Law can shewing it to bee the speare that went to Christs heart and that God is now offended by me whom he vouchsafeth in Christ to call a sonne Lastly pray often yea continually that the Lord would giue thee a soft heart which may be fashioned by the Word to his owne liking and likenesse Depend vpon the promise Ezek. 36.26 And praise him if thou hast receiued such a soft and sanctified heart wherein the seede of Gods Word shall rise vp with abundant increase of grace heere and of glory hereafter Because they haue no roots HAuing spoken of the inward positiue cause why the seed falling on this stony ground withered which was stoninesse or hardnesse now wee are to proceed to the inward priuatiue causes both heere and in the other Euangelists namely want of Moystnesse Earth Roots Now all these proceede from the former hardnesse For the heart being rocky and stony vnderneath it cannot affoord either earth or roots or moysture to the seed Which wee must not vnderstand as if there were no earth or roots or moysture For wee haue seene this ground bring forth much hopefull fruit which without all these it could not But as Marke saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it had not much earth but as a rocke couered with a little crust of earth aboue all stones below It wanted depth of earth Mark 4.5 So it had no roots that is no deepe roots no roots to feede the stalke and blade that was come no roots which could saue it from withering in time of heate This is implied by all the Euangelists who say Because it wanted roots it lasted but a while Againe for the same reason it wanted moysture that is sufficient moysture For the property of stony ground is 1. To be hot and dry and so drinkes vp moysture apace 2. It suffers not the moysture to descend deepe so as the externall heate soone drawes it and licks it vp Hence note what it is that makes many goodly Professors fall short of saluation after they haue gone a long time in a glorious profession to wit want of sufficient earth roots and moysture By sufficient earth I vnderstand a particular and distinct knowledge of the Word and of their owne part in it For they content themselues with a kinde of generall knowledge and agree to it in their vnderstanding that it is the Word of the Kingdome that saluation is by these glad tidings c. and reioyce in the taste of some sweetnesse of it But they giue it not entrance enough by applying their minde vnto it nor receiue it as a distinct direction in all things nor will trouble themselues with carefull examination of their whole way by it and much lesse with application of the signes of faith toward God or of Gods fauour toward themselues And so are iustly guilty of their owne withering for want of sufficient earth All their graces at length become like seeds sowne on the top of a rocke which sprout suddenly but wanting depth of earth to feede them wither as certainly By rooting here I vnderstand stability certainty and sincerity of faith and other graces which these Hearers want For although there bee some earth on the top yet it is but shallow and the shallower the root lies though the blade may sprout more speedily yet want of depth makes root and blade and all faile together So although there be some faith and ioy for a time with some other comely graces yet are they superficiall they giue not their whole hearts to the Word there is no sincerity in the bottome and consequently no rooting no stability Their care is more for the blade than for the root which beares it Their vnsettled faith is set not in sound inward apprehension but on outward causes which being changeable so is their faith themselues also carried about with euery waue of doctrine and with wheeling of times and at last led away with the sins of the times of their callings or of their owne hearts By moystnesse heere I vnderstand both the moystnesse of Vnction and of Compunction The former is a sound supply of sauing grace which continually feedeth and cherisheth the root For as the seed in the earth is brought to fruitfulnesse by continuall showres so is the seed of grace in the heart by continued and renewed acts of the Spirit whose graces are compared to water and said to be shed on vs in regard 1. of mollification 2. of ablution 3. of refrigeration and 4. of fructification Now this sound supply of grace these Hearers want and iustly though they want not all moysture but they goe not to the fountaine they draw from some spouts or some streames which are dryed vp in the summer heate Whereas were they by faith carried to the Fountaine it selfe Iesus Christ their waters would be indeficient and could not be exhausted for these waters
and cast the truth to the ground Then the Text addeth Thus shall he doe and prosper Loe Antiochus who is mad furious against the Church hath prosperous successe Doth this agree with Bellarmine And by this proposition Cain should haue beene the true Church not Abel whom he slew and Ismael of whom were twelue Dukes Gen. 25.16 not Isaac whom hee scoffed and persecuted My Lord Esau that hath foure hundred men at his heeles Gen. 33.1 and not Iacob who dares not looke his Lord in the face nor come neere him till he had bowed seuen times What outward prosperity had the Church in AEgypt in Babylon in the ten Persecutions for 300. yeeres together before Constantine Or how stands that assertion with our Sauiours prediction that true Christians should be appointed as sheepe for the slaughter Yea with our Sauiours condition who was the Head of the Church to whom the members are conformable He was borne in an obscure place liued despised among his owne a man of such sorrowes as neuer was any sorrow like his his pouerty such as he had not water to put in his head not a cottage to put his head in his death painefull shamefull accursed And such is ordinarily the afflicted and despised estate of his Church on earth Vse 2. Dreame not of a Religion pleasant to flesh if we will be truly religious for this is to deceiue our selues but make account of hatred and trouble in the world if thou meanest to keepe the Word For the Church being seated in the world which is the Kingdome of Satan it cannot be other then a very AEgypt or Edom to the Israel of God where that hellish Pharaoh raiseth all his power to pursue vs into the red Sea of terrors temptations and a thousand deadly dangers on euery side if we indeed set forth to Canaan Let vs therefore wisely cast our costs and recken our charges and weigh whether wee can contentedly suffer so much losse for the Word as it may cost vs. Vse 3. This shews vs the true cause why the world hates and persecutes godly men It will be ready to tell you they are pestilent fellowes and as seditious as Paul was as great enemies to Cesar as Christ was no good subiects as factious and schismaticall as Micah who will not speake as the 400. false Prophets The wicked of the world clamor against them as euill doers for so did they against their Head If he were not an euill doer we would not haue brought him to thee And what are they but a packe of dissemblers and hypocrites and neuer a good of them all But what Can the world that lieth in wickednesse hate and prosecute wickednesse indeed Why then doth she not hunt out open and outragious euils in any other sort of men Or doth she not loue her louers and reward most bountifully most prodigious euill men But if we will beleeue our Lord who was best acquainted with the worlds hatred he tels vs here that persecution is raised against them for the Words sake and that is the proper cause whatsoeuer other colourable cause be pretended for 1. The Word hath brought them to Christ whom they hate and therefore his members 2. The Word hath called them out of the world which loues onely her owne and hates them Iohn 15.19 3. The Word hath freed them from the conformitie and fashions of the world that now they cannot runne into the same excesse of riot therefore it speakes euill of them 1. Pet. 4.4 Contrary courses cause contrary affections 4. The wicked Cains of this World see their their owne workes euill and theirs to be good and therefore hate them 1. Iohn 3.12 The thing then which is hated and persecuted in good men is goodnesse the Name of Christ the Word of God soundly held out and stucke vnto And this must be so farre from discouraging good men whether Preachers or Professors who are most extremely hated as they must rather suspect themselues that their hearts are not sound or their courses not sincere when all men speake well of them Sound profession and persecution are inseparable and Luke 6.26 Woe to you when all speake well of you Vse 4. Not to condemne a Religion or refuse a Doctrine because it is persecuted and gaine said by many and by Great ones for this is a marke of true Religion and the condition of the Word of Christ Persecution saith our text comes because of the Word So as neither is that Religion which is so plausible to the world to be therefore embraced nor that which the world hates to be refused multitude being as false a note of the Church as the former externall prosperity Straite is the way that leads vnto life and few there be that finde it Therefore looke not on the blacknesse of the Church though the Sunne looke on her Cant. 1.5 for within she is comely Vse 5. To comfort those that are persecuted for the Word and well-doing First that the cause is good which the world persecutes so eagerly 1. Pet. 4.14 If ye be railed on for the Name of Christ blessed are ye for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth on you and is glorified by you Secondly behold Christ a partner and companion in thy suffering In all thy troubles he is troubled Hence it is called the reproch of Christ. Thou helpest Christ to beare his Crosse and he helpes thee Col. 1.24 I fulfill the sufferings of Christ. And conformity with him in the Crosse brings conformity in the Crowne If we suffer with him we shall also raigne with him Thirdly this fire of persecution may seeme to burne thee vp but shall not consume thee but onely purge and perfect thee Euery Christian resembles the bush which burned with fire but consumed not Exod. 2.3 Nay waite with faith and patience and according to Moses his prayer for Ioseph The good will of him that dwelt in the bush shall come on thy head Deut. 33.16 So much of the first Doctrine I proceed to the second namely that When persecution for the Word commeth many glorious Professors who ioy in it in the time of peace renounce and forsake it so the Text hath it In the time of tentation they goe away and Matthew They are offended immediately that is euen those Hearers which readily attended ioyfully receiued willingly beleeued and hopefully sprang vp these now goe away And whence goe they Answ. 1. From their affection and loue of the Word in the heart the root within is dried vp with this heat of the Sun 2. From their profession and confession of mouth their leafe also falleth 3. From externall reformation many of them losing their greennesse and apparantly withering and falling to earthlinesse or profanenesse and some to distaste the good way knowne 4. From their fellowship and communion of Saints for as they were neuer knit by faith vnto the Head so were they neuer by loue to the
members nor are they further members of this body than a woodden legge which is no member but in appearance For Had they been of vs saith Iohn they had continued with vs 1. Ioh. 2.19 5. From their faith ioy zeale in a word from all they formerly tasted sweetnesse in they vtterly and wholly depart from their faith comfort c. now blade and roote and all is gone And why doe they thus fall off from all goodnes Answ. 1. Persecution is so distastfull and contrary to nature as where nothing is but nature it shuns it vitijs modis by all meanes whatsoeuer Nature will suffer nothing for Christ or for saluation by him And no maruell seeing tribulation for the Gospell danteth many good Hearers who being conuerted and hauing attained to a sound and sauing faith but hauing yet also flesh as well as spirit and too much loue of flesh easily shrink from Christ and profession at least for a time as Peter did till Christ looked graciously backe vpon him And who can deny but that the rest of the Disciples were graced with a true faith yet after many warnings and much confirmation of their Lord so soone as euer he was apprehended before themselues were sought for they all left him and fled euery one willing to shift for himselfe and saue his skinne So as persecution makes sound and vnsound fly off but with great difference For the sound Christian goes away as Onesimus for a season Philem. 15. that God his Master may receiue him for euer the hypocrite in persecution vtterly and wholly and for euer departs from the faith from the comfort and Profession of it One flies the field and comes no more the other returnes and is more valiant In one word the difference is the faith of the one is temporary in the other not his faith is temporary but his fayling 2. These faire professors in persecution goe away because they neuer gaue the Word sound rooting in them and therefore as a blustering winde easily ouerturnes the tree that is but shallowly rooted so doth the storme of persecution throw vp him that wants firmenesse Or to insist in our Sauiors instance As we see the scorching heat of the Sunne burne vp and wither the corne that is not deeply rooted though it come vp neuer so goodly in shew so the sunne of persecution dries vp the greenenesse of these shallow and vnrooted Professors The same thing our Sauiour expresseth in a cleane contrary Metaphore Luk. 6.48 comparing persecution or troubles for the Gospell to water when the waters rise and raine falls and flouds beate on the house it falls by and by because it was not strongly founded on a rocke 3. They are offended at the Word saith the Text and so goe away Math. 13.21 by and by hee is offended Two wayes 1. When the Word puts them to this choyce whether they will leaue Christ or their temporals whether they will forgoe their goods liberty friends and life or forgoe Christ. This choyce offended the young man who rather than hee will part with his possessions bids Christ farewell This choyce offended the false apostles Gal. 6.12 who would confound Law and Gospell together because they would not suffer persecution for the Crosse of Christ. This choyce offended many forward Professors in the dayes of King Edward the sixth who in the dayes of Queene Mary were by and by offended and fell off And if times should turne and this choyce should offer it selfe vpon many forward ones experience of former times sheweth plaine enough what they would doe They that the day before while Christ rides in triumph cry Hosanna Hosanna the next day after when hee is apprehended will cry Crucifige crucifige so immediately are they offended Persecution and affliction for the Gospell is like the worme that smote Ionas his flourishing Gourd and that so suddenly will put but a little time betweene their freshnesse and fading 2. When the Doctrine pursues them within followes them home to their consciences and seekes to set in the light their inward corruptions presently these glorious Professours are offended Ioh. 6.60 When Christ powerfully taught the Iewes that hee was the Bread which came from heauen and the Fathers ate of him and themselues must feed on him to eternall life this was an hard saying What are they all this while out of the way to heauen vnlesse hee bring them in Now they murmure from thence goe to opposition and from thence goe quite away and refuse to heare him longer Euen so not a few that boast sometimes of their faith and loue to Religion of their settlednesse and resolution to die with Christ rather than denie him of their reuerence and good affection to his Ministers Let the Gospell begin to meddle with their Herodias or bosome sin let it call them from seruice of the world and pull them from their lusts let it be busie with their vsury their pride wantonnesse malice let it seeke to pull them from their disordered customes their vnlawfull pleasures their profane courses let it lay nothing but the yokes of Christ vpoÌ„ professed Christians let it discouer to them their inside and leade them to that filthy sinke which is within and stirre a little in that mud A wonder it is to see how many suddenly fall off by degrees Now they are angry at the Word and he is the greatest enemy that tâ—â—s them the truth Now they distaste the Word then picke quarrels then begin to shake it off and at last openly to resist it 4. Those must needs fall off who neuer receiued the Word purely for it selfe but for other sinister respects as either of glory and praise if they see the profession in credit or for profit so long as they may gather with Christ and be gainers by him they would stand on Mount Tabor with Christ and while hee is in his glory Oh it is good being heere but are loth to goe with him to Mount Caluary Or they receiue it onely so farre as may stand with their ease delicacy and slothfulnesse but will put themselues to no hardnesse at all Now all these that loue themselues better than their Religion must needs faile when the ends faile that put them on their profession He that professeth for praise of men when the world being inconstant withdrawes her applause he is gone Gods Word shall haue no further credit with him then it hath from men If Demas for loue of profit shall professe the loue of this present world shall cause his Apostasie 2. Tim. 4.10 If they of Asia receiue Paul onely because they may with ease and safety doe it they shall turne away from Paul when he is in prison And he that receiues a Religion without further ground then is the generall custome of the world namely to bee of that Religion which the King and Parliament is of let this man goe neuer so farre yet hee shall fall off and his fall
in the fire and the hammer vpon it it may bee wrought to some fashion till it be cold againe so Pharaoh sometime will confesse his sinne and acknowledge Gods righteousnesse and begge Prayers of Moses but onely so long as the plague is vpon him Sometime some naturall motion or some spirituall motion may stirre them and for a flash they are earnestly resolued for Heauen so the yong man comes hastily and heares gladly but not purposing to doe all that is required goes away heauily The hypocrite in all these motions is like Ephraim whose goodnesse was as the morning dew suddenly dried vp Hos. 6.4 The Word comes into a bottomlesse heart wherein is a bottomlesse gulfe of guile and deceit and all is lost at length But the godly man by the Words dwelling plentifully in his heart attaines the commendation pronounced vpon the Church of Thyatria Reuel 2.19 I knowe thy works thy faith c. that they be more at last than at first He hath on him a marke of one that is planted by the Lord in the House of the Lord he is more fruitfull in his age more fat and fresh dayly and exceeds his former times in feracity and fruitfulnesse in good works and graces In a word whereas all other things are common to all the Heauens the Earth the Creatures yea the Ministery of the Word Sacraments Prayer and many common graces wrought by them this alone is the speciall right of Beleeuers incommunicable with hypocrites to haue the Word of God euerlastingly fixed in their hearts Esa. 8.16 Seale vp the Law among my Disciples now a seale is a meanes of secrecy from them whom the matter concernes not and of assurance to them whom the businesse concernes This is the second reason 3. The best of Gods Word is after the hearing Our Parable compares hearing of the Word to sowing now the best of sowing is long after in the reaping Elsewhere it is compared to food and the best of eating is after eating in the nourishment and strength For let men eate and drinke with great appetite good taste and much pleasure yet if after the eating bad humors in the stomake suffer it not to stay or not to digest if it doe stay it doth much hurt in stead of nourishing So in the state of the Soule where many wicked humors resist the worke of the Word heard But to shew in speciall that the Word is best after the hearing consider 1. That it frameth a man to the life of faith and vpholdeth that life It is a means to make a man good and continue his goodnesse Because it both storeth a man with graces and preserues him from vngracious courses through all his life which those that make no vse of the Word beyond the hearing are wrapped in Prou. 2.10 When wisdome enters into thy heart then shall counsell preserue thee and vnderstanding shall keepe thee that is both in the good way and from the euill way so Psalm 119.11 I haue hid thy Word in my heart that I might not sinne against thee 2. The Word kept in the heart makes a man a notable patterne of piety to others and a fruitfull Christian vpholding him in a readinesse to euery good word and worke If the heart keepe knowledge the mouth will speake of wisdome Psalm 49.3 He is fit and ready to counsell exhort rebuke and comfort others For the Word of God which is able to make the man of God ready and absolute to euery good worke is much more able to fitte priuate Christians thereunto 3. Our greatest businesse is behinde to which the Word kept in the soule can onely fit vs as namely to fit our accounts to store our lampes with oyle to hold on our repentance and finish the good worke begunne with perseuerance 4. Our greatest sufferings and trials are behinde dayes of sicknesse the day of temptation the day of death wherein Sathan will bee most furious and raging and the day of Iudgement Now as Dauid said of himselfe If thy Word had not been my comfort I had perished in my trouble so if the Word be not thy sword in the day of temptation if it be not thy health in sicknesse thy life in death if it pleade not for thee in iudgement thou art euerlastingly lost because thou hast wilfully lost thy part and portion of that blessed Word 5. Our marke is still before vs euen that euerlasting happinesse and great saluation which the Word of God faithfully retained in the heart not onely reuealeth but putteth vs in possession of Thus as the pillar of the cloud and of the fire neuer left Israel till they came into Canaan no more doth the Word of God cease to be our constant direction for our motion or station till it hath set vs into that heauenly Canaan no nor then it being a surer pillar then that of the cloude for as the Prophet saith O Lord thy Word endureth for euer in Heauen Psalm 119.89 that is although neuer so many things in earth seeme to cloude and crosse the gracious promises that thou hast made to thy children yet in Heauen shall they taste the sweetnesse of thy Word more then euer they did in earth when they shall enioy all the fruits of that eternall loue and decree which they beleeued in this world Besides that the same Word of God which now the Saints lay vp in their hearts is the Law and Charter of heauen by which being fully conformed to the obedience of it we shall walke eternally before God in the perfection of that obedience which is heere begun And thus it is our eternall direction in heauen also Vse 1. To reproue many Hearers who are affected in the act and time of hearing or while the Doctrine is deliuering but presently lose the matter the motion affection and all Some come as our Sauiours Hearers Math. 22.22 When they heard they maruelled and left him and went their way we heare no more of them Many heare desirously as with open and erect eares but both being open it goes in at one and out at the other it stayes not for after-vse but a little present admiration as in those Hearers of our Sauiour Others heare and the Word smites them workes a little on their conscience wounds them and tells them as Nathan did Dauid Thou art the man Now were a fit season to worke with God but they goe away other distractions meet them at home the motion dies and they are as men sea-sicke while the Word tumbles them and makes their conscience wamble within them but are all well againe so soone as euer they come to land Others heare with soft hearts and the Word comming home they begin to melt can resolue into teares so mellow seemes the ground they see their vnworthinesse of the promises and how lyable they be to all the threatnings which they conceiue their owne portion But as the metals are onely soft and pliable while they are
in the fire so these in the hearing but shortly after lose all the efficacy of the Word and become hardened as before Others stirred vp by the power of the Word to some good duty formerly neglected now grow to some resolution that no Lion in the way shall hinder them and purpose a man would thinke and themselues doe so vnfainedly a great change in themselues but shortly after proue like the sonne in the parable Math. 21.30 whom his father commanding to goe worke in the Vineyard he promised and likely he purposed he would but some other motion preuailing went not So wee haue many hearers many times in good moods but corruption of nature not subdued nor mastred which is not alwayes stirring alike watcheth the fittest time to resist the Word so as present purposes are seldome or neuer followed to practice and future performances Vse 2. Looke well to thy hearing for after-times that with knowledge thou mayest ioyne obedience and by the Word grow in grace as thou doest in dayes Content not thy selfe to heare with a soft heart or with a ioyfull heart if it bee hollow and rimie to let it slip Consider for motiues heereunto 1. That as God hath made our blood a carryer and conueyer of life thorow all the body so his Word to carry spirit and life thorow all the soule And lesse dangerous it is to breake a veine to let out all the blood and life of the body than to admit a clift in our soules that the doctrine of life and saluation should run out 2. The world casts nothing vpon him that is a waster and spend-thrift nor can hee be ruler of much that is not a faithfull keeper and sauer of little If thou sauest not that thou hearest nor layest it vp thou shalt neuer bee a rich man in knowledge faith comfort or experience 3. Nature teacheth to saue somewhat against a rainy day Consider what dayes thou hast to passe if prosperous if aduerse if sicke if sound if tentations on the right or left hand if life or death if whatsoeuer thou art naked without the Word without strength counsell comfort 4. A godly man will be a Christian at home as well as at Church and as Dauid walke vprightly in the middest of his house Meanes to heare for afterward 1. Be abundantly couetous to lay vp a good store for thy selfe against time to come Enlarge thy affections insatiably to gather all thou mayest This is a gracious and commendable couetousnesse 2. Esteeme it aboue all keeping more worth than much fine gold Psalm 119.127 Account it thine heritage and the ioy of thy heart vers 111. 3. Let it be in thy heart first treasure it there A man reserues his barne for his crop of wheat or other corne Wilt thou fill thy barne and garner with chaffe and stubble or wilt thou in stead of gold or pearles pester thy best cofer with drosse and pibbles which are heauie and cumbersome but of no price or value 4. Binde it on thy fingers Prou. 7.3 as a Ring that is euer in sight Practice is the best keeper of the Word The thornes sprang vp and choked it Now we are to intreat of the failing of the seed in this ground wherein because there is but little difference from the withering we spake of in the former grounds but that it proceedeth from other causes wee will therefore inquire into those causes as they are particularly and in order set downe in the 14. verse Cares Riches Pleasures These are described as the speciall thornes which choke the seed of the Word Whence note in generall what it is that lets vs from heauen not only the pursuit of vnlawful things but the abuse of lawfull It is not whoredome adultery theft murther Sabbath-breaking and the like that heere are said to choke the seede and hinder our haruest but the abuse of lawfull profits pleasures cares and desires Math. 24.38 As in the dayes of Noah they did eate and drinke and marry and giue in marriage vntill the day that Noah entred into the Arke c. What was it a sinne to eate to drinke to marry were these the things for which they were destroyed No but the abuse of these things they were so wholly in these as they securely cast off all admonitions and all prediction of iudgements these became thornes and choked all counsell and all the preaching of Noah and so their destruction was sudden not because it was not foretold but it was not beleeued or regarded Luk. 14.16 What was more lawfull than to buy a Farme and a yoke of Oxen or to marry a Wife But yet these shall neuer taste of the Supper not because they did these things but because they were so inordinate and intent on them that they refused the call to the Kings Supper And these three sorts of inuited ghests refusing the Kings gracious inuitation doe notably resemble and expresse these three sorts of thornes choking the Word the Farme noteth riches Oxen the cares of life and the Wife voluptuous liuing All which or any of them hinder men from the heauenly banquet So 1. Cor. 10.7 The people sate downe to eate and drinke and rose vp to play Reason 1. Sinnes in lawfull things are both more ordinary and lesse sensible both for the auoyding and preuenting as also for the recouery and repentance from them What a number of naturall and indifferent actions doth euery man goe ouer euery day into which creepe a number of sinnes because men take themselues free to doe as they list in them and onely content themselues in their liberty vnto the thing vnwilling to heare of any of Gods restraints or impositions in the manner or fruition of that liberty This poynt is very vsefull and therefore wee will giue some instances to shew how men doe infinitely abuse their lawfull liberties with the great hazard of their soules 1. In eating and drinking which is not onely lawfull but necessary Yet heere Christians offend exceedingly many wayes 1. When they eate not their owne bread 2. Thes. 3.12 2. When they eate without feare Iude 12. not before the Lord. 3. When they corrupt themselues in the creatures losing sobriety modesty chastity health and reason as the drunkard drownes his soule senses body and all 4. When they neuer taste the sweetnesse of God in the creatures more than beasts nor sanctifie themselues after feasting as Iob his sonnes 5. When they waste the creatures not remembring the afflictions of Ioseph Amos 6.6 2. What is more necessary than apparell decently to couer nakednesse to fence the body from iniury of weather and to put vs in minde of sinne But what a number of sinnes doe men and women put on with their apparell 1. For the matter which is not skinnes as Adams but stately and costly 2. For the manner while they take liberty to disguise themselues in strange attire and monstrous fashions shewing no other
well as any Ephes. 2.2 But as stiffe and bad ground becomes good by good husbandry and manuring so do our harts by the husbandry of the good Husband-man He alone changeth the heart He takes away the stones and stifnesse of it and makes it a soft heart So the Apostle Paul speaking of himselfe conuerted saith By the grace of God I am that I am 1. Cor. 15.10 He onely can create a cleane heart and renew a right spirit in a man Psal. 51.10 and put his feare into his heart that he shall neuer depart from him Ier. 32.40 Doctr. Some seed falls on good ground Though there be but a small parcell of good ground in comparison of the bad yet some there is where the seed is cast It is true that where the Word is preached it is to most in vaine as here three to one lose their parts in it But yet some good there bee the seed falls into some good ground in some though very few it is successefull When the whole world was a field of brambles fit for the fire of Gods wrath yet of Noah he saith Thee haue I found righteous and he being a Preacher of righteousnesse shall make an Arke if it be but for eight soules Gen. 7. When all Sodome was as a cursed Heath and a dry Wildernesse yet Lots family was as a little pikle exempt in which the Word became fruitfull Gen. 19. In the Ministery of the Prophets much of their labour was lost as themselues lamentably complaine Esa. 49.4 and 53.1 Who will beleeue our report or to whom is the arme of the Lord reuealed shewing that very few will beleeue the doctrine of Christs humiliation and abasement to which that place leades vs in Ioh. 12.38 and yet there was one of a City and two of a Tribe and still a small remnant whom the Lord would saue Our Lord Iesus while himselfe preached the doctrine of the Gospell most cleerly and confirmed it powerfully by many miracles yet but one heere and there receiued it scarce one of a thousand so as himselfe laments their hardnesse of heart and weepes ouer Ierusalem and saith plainly that few shall be saued and that the way which leads to life is narrow and the gate straite and few finde it But yet he hath a little flocke Feare not little flocke Luk. 12.32 When many tooke offence at his doctrine concerning the eating of his flesh Ioh. 6. yet his Disciples acknowledged that hee had the words of eternall life Ioh. 10.20 When some said he was mad and had a diuell others said These are not the words of him that hath a diuell nor yet the workes for can the diuell open the eyes of him that is borne blinde When the multitude decreed to excommunicate whosoeuer should confesse him yet the blinde man will iustifie him in the Synagogue Ioh. 9. When the whole Councell and body of Iewes assemble against him there is a Simeon a Zachary Hanna and Elizabeth which adore him yea at his Crosse his mother his Disciple Iohn and many other good women The Disciples of our Lord when they preached after him some raised vp persecution but some beleeued sometimes one of a City as Lydia Act. 16.14 And sometimes a few more as at Athens Act. 17.32 some mocked at the Resurrection but some claue vnto Paul as Dionysius the Areopagite and Damaris and some other see Rom. 10.16 And euer since the smallest number receiue the Gospell yet some doe who are as the gleanings to the haruest and as the Grapes to the vintage and but an handfull to the rest Reasons 1. From the similitude in our Parable such is the wisedome and care of the Husbandman that he will not bestow his seed where is no hope but that all the seed and labour will be lost though there be many stones and many thornes in a field he will sowe because all is not so but if it were all so hee would not lose his seed so the Lord the wise Husbandman of his Church will much lesse bestow his labour and husbandry on a soyle altogether hopelesse and fruitlesse but hee will see some good ground intermingled for whose sake he doth bestow his seed Againe doth the seed belong to any but good ground or doth the Word properly belong to any but the true Beleeuers No it hath an effect in others but it is the portion onely of these 2. The proper end vse of the seed is to gather in an haruest and the proper end of the Word is to gather and preserue a Church vnto Christ. God hath sanctified a Ministery for the gathering of the Saints Ephes. 4.11 Christs owne Ministery in Ierusalem was to gather them to life and safety as the Hen gathers her chickens Math. 23.37 and to worke faith in so many as are ordained to eternall life Act. 13.48 And therefore where God sends and continues his Word faithfully preached there are some to gather some to bee brought to the faith one time or other The grace of God hath appeared bringing saluation Tit. 2.11 And therefore ordinarily where God affoords this grace it brings saluation to some though neuer so few ordinarily the Word attaines euen this end in some 3. As the Lord when hee will prosper a people and maintaine their naturall liues blesseth the seed sowne to increase and thereof giues them an haruest but on the contrary when hee will send a famine to consume hee affoords them no seed or no haruest Euen so where hee hath a good purpose to preserue any to eternall life hee sends the Word to this purpose Paul must goe to Corinth and stay there a yeere and sixe moneths because the Lord had much people in that City Act. 18.10 11. For their sakes it is sent and for their sakes continued insomuch as the Apostle 1. Thes. 1.4 5. doubts not to make it a note of the election of some where God sendeth a powerfull Ministery And contrarily where God hath no delight in a people and none to call by the ordinary meanes he sends a famine of the Word Amos 8.11 When the Nation of the Iewes proues so barren as the labour is not worth the while then the Kingdome shall be taken from them and giuen to a better people Math. 21.43 As in the times of ignorance and darknesse of Popery for many hundred yeeres together when was no preaching no ordinary meanes which times God hath now ouer-passed and now admonisheth all to repentance So as wee doubt not but where Christ vttereth his voice he hath some sheepe to heare him Ioh. 10.27 see Act. 22.18 4. Those many epithites and titles giuen to the Scripture shew the same The Word is called The ministery of the Spirit of life of righteousnesse 2. Cor. 3.8 because it ordinarily findes out some in whom it is effectuall and vpon whom it bestoweth the Spirit and life and righteousnesse It is a Word of wisedome subiectiuè effectiuè it will finde
the shew of hearing the Prophet when the heart goeth after couetousnesse 3. This Hearer is onely approued of God because it must bee a good and honest heart indeed that must yeeld to all the parts of Gods Word It must bee a good and honest heart that will indure mortification of all lusts and suffer the very heart of his dearest sinnes to bee broken that will for the Word indure cutting off of hands and parting with eyes It must be a good and honest heart that with Paul can set vp the excellency of the knowledge of God aboue all aduantages that can bee content to sell all and buy the Pearle that with the Disciples can leaue all and follow Christ. It must bee a good and honest heart that must yeeld obedience to the whole Law of God without reseruations especially in difficult costly or dangerous duties It must be a good and honest heart that is not offended at the basenesse of Christ and simplicity of his Gospel but can for his sake suffer with ioy the spoyling of goods yea and resist vnto blood And which is the chiefe goodnesse of it to resolue to yeeld vniuersall obedience not by starts and fits but with constancy to the end 4. Onely this Hearer is approued of God because this heart onely can mingle the Word with faith receiuing specially the Word of promise with distinct and particular application and affiance of the soule drawing the man neerer vnto God whereas any heart but this is an euill heart and vnfaithfull makeing a man depart from the liuing God Heb. 3.12 This heart only cleaues vnto the Word and holds it fast so as the Word of God abides in it and lodgeth not as a stranger but dwelleth in it whereas a bad heart is like a bad stomake which receiues meate but retaines it not and casts vp all againe so as all is lost as precious liquor put into a leaking vessell Vse 1. To frame our iudgements to Gods and account them that are the best Hearers to bee honest-hearted men But our iudgement generally is cleane contrary For if we see men addicted to the hearing of the Word commonly they are esteemed a few hare-braind men a packe of hypocrites all alike and neuer a good Aske any man almost of the state of one of his neighbours who is diligent in good duties frequent Sermons c. you shall heare him say Oh he is a reasonable honest man but that he is so forward to heare Sermons and so precise c. Thus that which Christ made a marke of an honest man is now a barre or hinderance to his honesty hee were an honest man if hee were not an honest man It was said of old by Heathens Oh a good man wise and learned but a Christian so in these dayes by heathenish Christians He is a good man but a Precisian but a Puritan What is this but to giue the Son of God the lye who saith here that he is the honestest man that heares the Word most carefully And as we condemne the righteous so how generall is it in our iudgements to passe our voyces in iustifying the wicked Inquire of such a mans estate as cares more for a Pigge than a Sermon a right Gadaren and worldling hee will tell you He is a right honest man a substantiall man a iolly house-keeper a quiet neighbour a well-dealing man and well beloued of his neighbours a man good to the poore c. All this is well But how loues he Religion how followes he the Word for hearing and practice how affects he the Ministery and Ministers Oh as for that hee is well enough giues the Church and Church-men their due and payes his Tithes well but he cares not for these runners to Sermons hee is none of them he keeps his Church and heares Seruice and a Sermon if there be any and is a very honest man Now you see a difference of honest men Christs honest man runnes after and followes the Word this honest man so generally commended for honesty is no such and cares for no such Such honest and substantiall men were they that put Christ to death as good house-keepers as good and as iust Tyth-payers euen in Mint and Anise but they hated him and his Doctrine to the death If he be an honest man that loues a Play better than a Sermon or he that affects a paire of cards or tables aboue the Scriptures our Lord verily was deceiued in describing honest men But accursed be such honest men and such as call them so without timely repentance Vse 2. In comming to heare looke most to that which God lookes most vnto namely the goodnesse of thy heart Thy care is to make thy selfe handsome to come honestly and seemely in apparell But if thou commest with a foule nasty sluttish hart God cares not for thy comming God accounts him the best Hearer that hath the best heart Prepare therefore thy heart first and then and thence offer seruice to God Vse 3. Let euery man that would bee esteemed good ground and get the commendation of a good and fruitfull Hearer looke that his heart bee a good and an honest heart Here for our further direction in so waighty a businesse we will consider three things 1. Meanes wherby to attaine a good and honest heart 2. Marks to know when it is so 3. Motiues to the attaining of such an heart The Meanes are generally two 1. Let vs see our defect in nature that our hearts are not good by nature but stiffe and stubborne as the stiffest ground little worth Prou. 10.20 So the Iewes Ezek. 2.4 are called impudent stiffe-hearted and exceedingly voyd of all goodnesse And which is worse they are stuft with deceitfulnesse and guile All the imaginations of the heart of man are onely euill continually Gen. 6. No ground so stony as our hearts by nature no soyle so full of thornes as they no ground vnder heauen carries such apparant markes of the curse of God as our hearts doe 2. Let vs therefore seeke a supply by grace This grace is twofold 1. Of Action 2. Of Acceptatiō The grace of Action is threefold 1. Preparation 2. Of new Creatiō 3. Of Irrigation First there must be the grace of Preparation Bad ground must be well prepared by the Plough before it can become good Our ground is prepared by mortification and repentance being in it selfe as hard as an Adamant vnmoueable by any meanes of God Now by hearing the iudgements of God denounced against sinne and sinners it growes more soft and fitter to worke vpon the Fallowes of the heart are plowed vp The Law as Gods Plough rends vp hearts and vnroots the weeds and rots the stubble of our corruptions Secondly there must be the grace of new Creation Psal. 51.10 Create in me a cleane heart O God This is a worke of God who onely can create and a framing of something where nothing was and a worke
bee heard pitied nor ended Lastly an euill heart can heare but not pray before-hand and so loseth all the power of the Word and the blessing which depends on prayer for Paul planteth Apollos watereth but God giueth the increase 1. Cor. 3.6 And Pauls preaching was fruitfull to Lydia because the Lord opened her heart Act. 16.14 The second meanes whereby true Religion is maintained are the Sabbaths and assemblies In respect whereof a good heart hath many markes and qualities 1. It knowes God hath appoynted both a certaine time and place for the publike exercise of Religion both for the preseruation of his worship which else would speedily run to ruine as also that the Church might be knowne and discerned as a City on the top of a Mountaine by the meeting of his people and that such as forsake it might iustly and inexcusably be damned it being so visible and sensible among them Now this being a morall and perpetuall Commandement written in Tables of stone a good heart dares not bring the guilt of violating it vpon it selfe by forgetting what God would haue vs remember or profaning what hee commands to keepe holy or vnhallowing the time or place which he hath blessed to holy vses Leuit. 19.30 Yee shall keepe my Sabbaths and reuerence my Sanctuary I am the Lord. 2. It knowes that the strict keeping of the Sabbath is a fashioning of vs to Gods Image who did all his worke in the six dayes and rested the seuenth To the Image of Adams holinesse in his innocency who obserued the seuenth day holy vnto God And to the image of the second Adam The Lord of the Sabbath who most absolutely kept the Sabbath fulfilling all righteousnesse And the good hart though it cannot attaine this perfection yet striues to recouer this Image 3. It knowes that as it is the Pale and preseruatiue of Religion and the heart of the Commandements as it is placed betweene the two Tables so it is the triall of Religion Whence it is vsuall in Scripture to put keeping of the Sabbath for the whole worship of God and the Prophets mentioning the decay of all Religion say the Sabbaths are polluted Lam. 1.7 and that hee that is an ordinary Sabbath-breaker is a man of no religion without God in the world The Iewes could say If this man were of God he would keepe the Sabbath Ioh. 9.16 And enemies and hinderers of sanctifying the Sabbath are called vnbeleeuers vagabonds and wicked fellowes Act. 17.2 5. 4. It knowes that fearfull iudgements linger and waite vpon that person or people that negligently or wilfully profane Gods holy Sabbath Neh. 13.18 Did not your fathers thus and our God brought all this plague vpon vs Yet ye increase the wrath in breaking the Sabbath Ezek. 20.13 God thinkes on such to powre out indignation vpon them Which is a fire that cannot be quenched Ier. 17. vlt. The bodily death for the breach of the Ceremoniall part did figure the death of the soule for the breach of the Morall part See Exod. 31.14 and 35.2 5. It knowes that God showres downe blessings spirituall and temporall of this life and a better on the heads of conscionable obseruers of the Sabbath Esa. 56.2 5. Blessed is the man that doth this that keepeth the Sabbath and pollutes it not Chap. 58.13 14. If thou make the Sabbath a delight thou shalt delight in the Lord that is in the sweetnesse of his Word and Ordinances thou shalt mount on the high places of the earth that is be exalted aboue all people in true honour and be fed with the heritage of Iacob that is enioy all the good things of the promised Land of heauenly Canaan Here are blessings internall externall eternall 6. It knowes that the carefull sanctifying of a Sabbath heere is the beginning of that euerlasting Sabbath hereafter when we shall be gathered vnto the Congregation of the first borne written in heauen and enter into that eternall Rest of which this is a shadow which who so begins not here God hath sworne he shall neuer enter into his rest Hence a good heart first remembers the Sabbath day to sanctifie it It will all the weeke prepare for the Sabbath and doe all his owne worke in the sixe dayes as God did his that hee may rest on the seuenth It will remoue all things that may hinder the sanctifying of it either in himselfe or in his family that all worldly businesse may bee buried for that day as Iacob buried his Idols before he went to Bethel the House of God It will remember it is a day of rest from all bodily labour which necessity or holinesse command not for Adam himselfe in innocency could not both keepe the Sabbath and walke in his vocation And that it is a Day of holy rest not of idlenesse a Sabbath of the Lord. If God had liked idlenesse saith Athanasius he would not haue commanded so many things to be done nor all the parts of his worship to bee doubled on the Sabbath as Numb 28.9 10. nor so many duties of it as the longest day is short enough for them Therefore euery good heart will rest from all his speciall calling and waite on the generall Master or seruant young or old the buyer and seller Neh. 10.31 All Carryers and Porters Ier. 17.21 Beare no burthen on the Sabbath day no not the Husband-man in haruest Exod. 34.21 Yea the Prince himselfe is not exempted but must be among them Ezek. 46.9 Secondly a good heart will keepe the whole Sabbath day which is the seuenth in respect of the sixe following namely the first day of the weeke as the Iewish was the seuenth in respect of the sixe going before namely the last of the weeke If thou hirest a seruant or labourer to worke a day doest thou not meane a whole day When God allowes thee sixe dayes are they not whole and is not the seuenth so too When God rested the seuenth day was it not the whole Therefore a good heart thinks not it hath sufficiently kept a Sabbath to heare Seruice or a Sermon in the fore-noone or after-noone and all day else doe what hee list No it will giue him the morning and giue him the euening too Psal. 92.2 It selfe would not accept of another the labour of one or two houres for a dayes worke and dares not offer it to God but will keepe the whole Sabbath either in Gods House or it owne in duties publike or priuate Ier. 17.22 Ye shall doe no worke but sanctifie my Sabbath Thirdly a good heart will make the whole man keepe the Sabbath For as man stands of two parts body and soule so the sanctifying of the Sabbath is twofold inward and outward which a godly heart is carefull not to diuorce and therefore 1. Preserues the outward man from seruile workes of the calling but specially from committing sinne which is the most seruile worke and most contrary to the sanctification of the
first Bring forth fruit and multiply so now creating him againe in Iesus Christ he begets them that they may goe forth and bring fruit and glorifie him 3. Because the Beleeuer is now led by the Spirit who is not barren or idle in him but fruitfull in all variety of fruits of grace as they are described Gal. 5.22 23. A tree must liue before it beare fruit Now we are quickned by the Spirit The same spirit plants vs in Gods House and adds his blessing to that plantation Psal. 92.14 The same Spirit waters vs with the waters from vnder the Sanctuarie Ezek. 47.12 and so makes vs fruitfull by a spring of liuing waters The same Spirit purgeth vs to be a peculiar people zealous of good workes Tit. 2.14 4. There is the same reason of the parts and of the whole But the whole field the whole Church is a fruitfull ground Cant. chap. 4. vers 13. The Church is compared to the goodliest Garden that euer was heard of stored with the most precious plants vnder heauen most delectable fruits and the chiefest spices shadowed by Pomegranats Camphire Spikenard Calamus Saffron Cinnamon c. It is not a Waste an Heath a Wildernes but a new Paradise of God planted by his hand A Garden of greatest pleasure and God takes pleasure no where else A Garden in which the Tree of life that is Christ Iesus is to be tasted and fed on to eternall life A Garden in which a Riuer runnes foure wayes from the same Fountaine that is the Gospell runnes freely streaming from the foure Euangelists A Garden in which man was placed to til and dresse it so in the Church men are gathered to exercise duties of piety and loue A garden furnished with all manner of trees for fruit or delight Cant. 7.14 A Vineyard in which are all kindes of sweet fruits old and new Whence euery member being a part of the whole must also abound and flourish in all holy vertues and the sweet fruits of faith and loue Vse 1. Let vs try as men doe the goodnesse of our ground by the fruitfulnesse of the crop it yeelds If it be good ground it brings fruits answerable to the seed The Rules of triall are these 1. If barrennesse be a signe and a true informer against bad ground how many that haue long professed Christ and been long Hearers are conuinced to be bad and cursed earth because of their barrennesse and fruitlesnesse Numbers of carnall gospellers content themselues with a forme of godlinesse denying the power like the cursed Figtree they haue leaues but no fruit vnder the meanes they liue voyd of faith voyd of Gods feare voyd of loue to the Word voyd of obedience scorne to reforme any thing are as loose and disordered as at first as hatefull and scornfull of the meanes as euer Are these good ground No no their fruits bewray them what they are Let them beware in time at their own perill This barrennesse in the Gospell is accursed with cutting downe and with euerlasting fire Math. 25.41 2. Rule If good ground bring timely fruits so soone as euer the seed falls on it are they good ground that are so slowe and heauie to any good fruits as somtime they are resoluing seuen and seuen yeeres to giue vp some vnwarrantable lusts or vndertake some commendable duty Nay some neuer resolue to doe good till they die but then they will repent and be better c. But what darest thou liue so neere the curse of God as that ground on which the raine often falleth Heb. 6.8 which yet is not seen on thee Diddest thou marke in the Theefe conuerted what a number of excellent fruits presently appeared Seest thou not the commendation of the Colossians chap. 1.6 that the Gospell was fruitfull among them from the first day they heard it and truly knew the grace of God For thou neuer truly knewest the grace of God who abidest vnfruitfull takest dayes with God Considerest thou not what a singular praise yea and mercy of God it is to haue the Word worke speedily and to hasten our fruits were it possible from the day that we heard it How many sinnes should then be cut off how many good duties vndertaken and the reckoning furthered Oh heare at length Christ knocking resolue presently to open If thou hearest his voyce this day harden thy heart no more How long shall he be with thee how long shall he suffer thee Take heed of that sentence Pro. 1.24 Because I haue called and you would not answere behold it shall come to passe that you shall call and not be heard yea I will laugh at your destruction c. 3. Rule Good ground bringeth fruits in kinde answerable to the seed and the fruitfulnesse in Christianity is a godly conuersation beseeming the Gospell Phil. 1.27 It bringeth not weeds not Thistles not brambles But how comes it that the seed being so pure holy yeelding the fruits are so contrary Did not the Master allow the seruants cast in good seed Whence then are these Tares of generall profanenesse ignorāce swearing lying Sabbath-breaking in most vnconscionable maner cōtempt of Magistracy of Ministry iniustice vsury slandring scoffing at goodnes drunkennes gaming hatred of the light bringers of it repining at their prosperity and the like Whence I say are they Are these fruits beseeming good ground Or are they any way like the seed I dare say a man may finde as good fruits as these among the Turks and barbarous Heathens where the seed neuer came nay in hell it self where is no other ground but such as this Let no man deceiue himselfe such rotten fruits argue rotten hearts God wil reape no such haruest he will owne no such ground 4. Rule If good ground bring ripe fruits with constancy and continuance euen in their age Psal. 92.14 what goodnesse is in that ground that hath giuen ouer his fruits that hauing had leaues and shewes of profession and some goodnesse hath euen cast away the leaues farre worse than the cursed Figtree which had leaues yet escaped not the curse These were neuer planted into Christ for had they been so the Father had purged them to haue brought forth more fruit Neuer members of the Church for had they been of vs saith the Apostle they would haue continued with vs Neuer good in deed and in truth for a good mans leafe shall not fall Psalm 1.3 And if euery man shall receiue according to his fruits Ier. 17.10 these men shall one day know feed vpon the bitter fruit of their declining Apostasie whē they shal beleeue or feele what they will not now beleeue that it had beene better for them neuer to haue knowne the way of truth then haue departed from the holy Commandement Vse 2. Labour to be fruitfull Christians content not your selues with leaues and the forme of Religion but as trees of righteousnesse shew forth your Grapes and Figges
will easily say Surely he will neuer come to bee a man So may I say truly of those that will still bee children in knowledge faith obedience They shall neuer attaine the measure of the age of the fulnesse and talnesse in Christ Ephes. 4.13 Yet those are in more fearfull estate who in stead of growing to an hundreth fold fall backe from the measure they once had as the grasse or corne that growes on the house-top which was greene and flourished a little while but incontinently withers away and falls to nothing Bee it knowne vnto all these 1. That they neuer had a graine of true grace for that would bee rising if not to an hundreth fold yet to sixty or thirty 2. Let them be assured that no man euer went to heauen backward but whom God hath a good purpose to saue hee bringeth forward 3. If any withdraw himselfe the Lords soule hath no pleasure in him that is hates and abhorres him Therefore looke to it and awaken thy selfe in time who haddest begun to set thy hand to the Plough but hast looked backe and haddest set out of Sodom but hast looked behinde thee and out of Egypt but runnest backe againe Thou couldest and diddest see and sorrow for sinne now thy conscience is feared Thou couldest and diddest pray priuately and in thy family now hast giuen vp this duty Thou diddest reade the Scriptures redeeme the time durst not sweare nor breake the Sabbath nor neglect the preaching of the Word now Cards and Tables eate vp thy time thou canst sweare and swill and drinke and scorne the preaching of Gods Word on the Sabbath day or on other dayes canst disdaine and wrong the Preachers and Professors of the Gospell To thee I say Better thou haddest neuer seene the light of nature or grace than haue proued such an Apostate such a dog such a swine 2. Pet. 2.20 21 22. Know for a certaine the trees of Gods Garden shall not lose their leafe Psal. 1.3 Remember whence thou art falne repent and doe thy first workes Reuel 2.5 Vse 2. To moue vs to striue to the highest pitch of grace to get beyond others yea our selues daily towards the hundreth fold fruitfulnesse Motiues 1. Consider thine owne weaknesse and wants Thou that knowest most knowest but in part beleeuest but in part the most holy is holy but in part and one of the first and best effects of faith is to see the weaknesse of faith It lets thee see how farre thou art from the perfection of Gods Law and Image from the marke and high calling from the pitch and stature of the Saints whose praise is in the Scriptures It sees naturall fulnesse a step-mother to the desires of grace for increasing it And if thou hast not attained a sence and strife against imperfection thou art not yet in the way to Christian perfection 2. Consider the nature of true grace the least taste whereof is so sweet as hee cannot but desire a full draught as the taste of the fruits of the Land of Canaan quickened vp Israel in the wildernesse to go forward to take full possession so the sweetnesse of the first fruits in grace exciteth an earnest desire for the full fruits in glory Our Sauiour compares true grace to a Leauen which a woman hides in meale till all be leauened Math. 13.33 It will season euery part and the least fulnesse in parts desireth and endeuoureth to fulnesse in degrees He that findes a small measure so sweet and ioyous assures himselfe if he can attaine a greater measure he shall attaine greater ioy and out of a full measure a full ioy as Christ promised 3. Consider the worth of grace how precious a thing it is If men could see the worth of it as of gold and siluer they would as eagerly desire it and be as restlesse till they had a large measure of grace as of wealth wherof no man saith he hath too much Or if they were of Pauls minde to esteeme all the world drosse and dung in comparison of the least drop of faith and holinesse wee should see them lay about them otherwise than now they doe But till this time they will content themselues with a small shew and lay aside this heauenly couetousnesse 4. Consider the effect of true grace which is as the most precious liquor the more of which thou canst attaine and containe the more honourable a Vessell thou becommest for the Lords vse 2. Tim. 2.22 If any man purge himselfe he shall be a Vessell of honour that is not onely be so but knowne so to be both separated from the common vses and courses of the world and sanctified to an holy vse as also inwardly furnished and enriched with grace as base earthen vessels that is wicked and earthly men are not 5. The Lords expectation is that wee bee not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not fruitlesse but very fruitfull For vnto whom much is giuen of them much shall be required Luk. 12.48 Euen a man will looke where hee sowes liberally to reape liberally If he bestow much seed and costs he lookes for a large crop much more the Lord Esa. 5.4 Quest. What hath the Lord done for vs that hee may expect so much Answ. What hath he not done what could hee doe more 1. He hath made choyce of vs that we should be fruitfull and that our fruit should abide and abound that is we should perseuere and daily adde to our fruitfulnesse As once he knew the Iewes aboue all families in the earth Amos 3.2 to make them precious a peculiar people a chosen generation We were branches of the wilde Oliue but now he hath set vs into the right Vine that wee might bring forth much fruit Ioh. 15.5 2. He hath regenerated vs by his Spirit and made vs his owne workmanship by the effectuall calling of grace and created vs to good workes to walke in them Ephes. 2.10 which phrase implyeth both diligence and constancy 3. He hath giuen vs his Gospell which bringeth forth and increaseth Col. 1.6 not onely in it selfe and the spreading of it but in the effect and operation of it Our Sunne of righteousnesse is in it selfe seuen times brighter than in the shady time of ceremonies Nay neuer since the Apostles dayes was Christ so liuely described and crucified in the powerfull plaine and pure preaching of the Gospell as now to vs. And for the effect these being the sweet waters from vnder the Sanctuarie refreshing the people of God with new comforts produce new fruits euery moneth that is continuall fruits of renouation and so grow to their height euery day more than other Haue we the Gospell which is a wisedome full of good fruits and shall we not shew the fruits of it 4. He hath sent his seruants among vs to call vs on to bring forth fruits of amendment of life He hath raised vp of our sonnes for Prophets and our young
dayes Now patience alone keepes the soule at peace and quietnesse waiting for God vnto succour or issue It holds the heart in expectation of the accomplishment of Gods promises and our happinesse in Christ. Though the vision tarrie yet it waites for the appearing of Gods face and the healing of the soule and is not disappointed Fourthly there are enemies without which hazard our fruits How easily and suddenly are wee ouercome of euill and drawne to returne iniurie with iniurie being prouoked follow our owne reuenges But now Christian patience steps in holds the bridle and turnes the course Now the Christian can blesse being cursed and do good for euill and ouercome euill with goodnes which is a singular fruit of grace Fifthly infirmities of brethren with whom wee conuerse were a great meanes to shake off our fruits as Barnabas lost his sincerity for a time by Peters dissimulation if patience did not vphold to discerne and beare the infirmities of the weake Rom. 15.1 2. and not please our selues But this will put an hand to helpe them vnder their burden and from vnder it as 2. Tim. 2.24 The seruant of God must be gentle to all suffering euill men patiently prouing if at any time God will giue them repentance And much more it endures and if it can couers and cures the infirmities of brethren That is the fift reason 6. Patience is necessary in respect of the Haruest of fruits the gathering and full reaping of all the seed sowne And thus the good ground brings forth with patience that is with patient expectation of the full fruits the first fruits whereof are already attained Rom. 8.25 It patiently abides for that it seeth not And in this respect the Apostle saith Wee haue neede of patience Heb. 10.36 that after we haue done the will of God we may receiue the promise And thus we now inherit the promises as did the Saints namely through faith and patience Heb. 6.12 How strong the expecting of the recompence of reward is to vphold the heart vnto fruitfulnesse see in Abraham Heb. 11.10 and in Moses vers 26. And that this Haruest is only promised to patient enduring our Sauiour noteth Mat. 10.22 He that continueth to the end shall be saued And the Crowne is giuen only to the Conquerour not to him that forsakes the field III. The Vse of all now followeth 1. This serues to reprooue the delicacie of our times For generally men professe a faith seuered from patience For what Haue they suffered for Christ or good conscience any thing all their life long Nay they resolue to suffer nothing not a word of disgrace not a frowne of a Superiour not the least trifling losse or inconuenience for Christ but rather farewell Christ and his profession Let these men know 1. that sound grace neuer comes without a sound burden of crosses to bee taken vp dayly 2. Refuse to suffer with Christ refuse to raigne with Christ Reu. 1.9 Iohn a companion in the Kingdome and patience of Iesus Christ neuer expect to be a companion in the Kingdome if not in the patience of Iesus Christ He need no such companions as flie away when hee hath most need of them 3. Refusest thou to suffer a Flea-biting in comparison a blast of words a frowne of bad times now in dayes of the peace of the Gospell what wouldst thou doe in the stings of Scorpions and the fiery trials of former times but shame both thy Lord and thy selfe 4. Didst thou euer look so high as the hope of the high calling Phil. 3.14 or euer poyze the eternall weight of glory 2. Cor. 4.17 that thou wouldst forgo them by auoyding a light moment any affliction not worthy the glory y t shall be reuealed Lastly shal Christ suffer so much for thee wilt thou suffer nothing for him 2. Let this stirre vs vp to get vnto vs so needfull and vsefull a grace as patience is so great a preseruer and continuer of fruitfulnesse and furtherer of saluation And consider some Motiues hereunto 1. The act of suffering for Christ is an higher degree of Christian excellency then beleeuing onely Phil. 1.29 First because it aduanceth the glory of God whose power can make Christians as Salamanders not onely liue but thriue and be glorious in the fire of persecution and suffering The same power is dayly put forth in his seruants by which the three children walked in the midst of the fire and onely their bands were loosed Secondly because it conformeth vs vnto God our Father who in his admirable patience endureth wrongs at mens hands which men and Angels could not put vp vnto Christ our Head while we follow him in his sufferings and by bearing his crosse goe on to the Crowne and to the blessed Spirit of God who for his meekenesse and patience is resembled by the Doue 2. It is a maruailous great strength to a Christian first for the setting and ripening of his fruits for how comes it that sinne wastes in him and corruption abates yea consumes which still raignes and swayes the most or that grace thriues and prospers in him which is scorned and trampled by the most but because he is patient to haue his lusts mortified so are not they he is patient to endure the labour of faith and loue so will not they An heauie Christian when he is to goe about duties of mortification or sanctification is soone discomfited as were the ten spyes there were so many enemies so high walls to scale so many Lions in the way But where patience preuailes it comes in like the two hearty spyes Caleb and Ioshua Tush it is nothing to ouercome these Canaanites why they be but men in Gods displeasure the Land is ours already and what if we abide a brunt or two or endure some difficulty the good Land is worth it Secondly what great strength doth it fortifie our faith withall then which no one nor all graces are more assayled Patience as a shield steps in and beares off such thrusts and blowes and shot as otherwise would foyle Faith vtterly It is a preseruing vertue and is for the conseruation of the soule Heb. 10. vlt. Cyprian in his booke de bono perseuerantiae saith that as Faith is the foundation of Christianity so patience is the roofe and couer that keepes the whole worke whole and dry and therefore is said to hold our soules fast to our selues as Faith holds them to Christ. Hence it is called the Anchor of the soule without which Faith and all graces in the soule as in a ship doe totter and reele as a ship without an anchor Thirdly what great stability affords it to a Christian when it makes him and holds him constant and himselfe in all the changes of his outward condition and externall occurrences Let what stormes can bluster abroad he possesseth his minde at home His heart is settled by patience which frameth his minde to his estate when
Christ is sanctified and seasoned in the shame of Christ for thee 6. He that is ashamed of Christ while he was in his lowest abasement Christ will be ashamed of him in his glory And besides thou that oughtest not to be ashamed of him in his abasement darest thou now in his glory and aduancement 4. Meditate much and often on the comforts of another life and that Christ makes it a signe of blessednesse when wee suffer persecution for well-doing and Math. 5.12 Reioyce and be glad for great is your reward in heauen euen so great as the afflictions of this present life are not worthy the glory that shal be reuealed 5. Accustome thy selfe to conquer thy lusts as 1. ignorance which hinders from seeing the excellency of the Gospell 2. pride lest the disgraces of Religion cast thee off as we see in men vnmortified 3. passion and head-strength of naturall corruption which makes men impotent and impatient see Heb. 12.1 4. earthly and couetous desires that thou maiest still be easily weaned from the world the desire and vse of it 6. Labour for the helpes of patience as 1. sound iudgement in the truth allow it a deepe rooting 2. sound faith which ministers boldnesse Psalm 116. I beleeued therefore I spake 3. true hatred of sinne to indure any sorrow rather than sinne and admit the greatest sorrow rather than commit the least sinne So much of the first Doctrine The second is this The blessing of the fruitfull Christian is because hee brings forth fruit with patience hee shall perseuere vnto the end Or Truth of grace is blessed with continuance Wherein this good ground is distinguished from all the three former whose best fruits at last came to nothing Esa. 40.31 They that waite on the Lord shall renew their strength as the Eagle they shall runne and not be weary they shall walke and not faint Psalm 112.6 The righteous shall neuer be moued Hence the Scripture compares the faithful to trees planted by riuers of water whose moysture being indeficient their leaues fall not off which liuing Water is Christ apprehended by faith of which whosoeuer once drinketh he neuer thirsteth more because there is in him a Fountaine springing vp to eternall life Ioh. 4.41 This Doctrine being both of old and of late opposed we must 1. open the nature of perseuerance which the Aduersaries at this day would obscure and 2. confirme and prooue it by arguments which they would elude The former by a short description of it Perseuerance is a singular or speciall gift of God by which the sauing grace of Christ is so preserued in the heart of the true Beleeuer as that he neither wholly nor finally falls from it but abides vnchangeable in that estate of grace It is a speciall gift of God Ephes. 3.14 16. I bow my knees vnto the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ that ye might be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man Phil. 1.6 He that hath begun the good worke will performe it vntill the Day of Christ. Heb. 12.2 He is the author and finisher of our faith Where note the errour of Arminians who denie perseuerance to bee truly and properly called the gift of God but the sole action of man and the proper cause of it the will of man for so they write Voluntas proxima sola est perseuerationis causa physica as if the will doth not therefore perseuere because God maketh it so to doe who is the God of all grace 1. Pet. 5.10 and worketh in vs both to will and to doe Phil. 2.13 By which the sauing grace of Christ is preserued in the heart of the true Beleeuer Where are three things considerable 1. The obiect sauing grace 2. The subiect a true Beleeuer 3. The meanes of perseuerance preseruation of grace 1. The obiect of perseuerance is the sauing grace of Christ for the question is not of seeming graces or common graces as illumination externall reformation temporary faith and the like but of true and sauing faith loue holinesse fruits of election and of effectuall vocation wrought by the Spirit not restraining but renewing Arminians denie that Gods Election is any cause or foundation of perseuerance yea or of calling to saluation they denie any such principle of heauenly life by effectuall vocation they denie that there is any substantiall difference betweene the faith holinesse righteousnesse of them that shall be saued and that temporary which damned Apostates had but onely induration and continuance Quite contrary to the Scripture which tells vs of semen manens 1. Ioh. 3.8 9. seed remaining in vs of an ingraffed word Iam. 1.21 of an oyntment which abideth 1. Ioh. 2.21 of an immortall seed 1. Pet. 1.23 and a fountaine of water springing to eternall life Ioh. 4.14 2. The subiect of perseuerance is the true Beleeuer one truly iustified and sanctified for looke what grace soeuer an hypocrite hath he may and shall lose it totally and finally We doubt not but hypocrites may fall from the whole profession of faith and afterward persecute it as Iulian But the question is of true Beleeuers and all the examples of hypocrites falling away touch not the question 3. The meanes of perseuerance is that sauing grace is preserued in the heart of the true Beleeuer Wee denie not but grace in respect of it selfe as in Adam and in respect of the subiect the Elect is subiect to change and may as easily be quite shaken out of the heart as the grace of creation out of Adams But this sauing grace is preserued not by the Beleeuer himselfe by his owne watch and care though not without it but partly by the priuiledge of spirituall life flowing from Christ who is risen from death and dieth no more partly by the promise of God who is faithfull in his whole couenant Ierem. 32.40 partly by the protection ayde and custody of God whose power preserueth his to saluation 1. Pet. 1.5 partly by Christs intercession and prayer and partly by meanes appointed to preserue that sparke of heauenly life the Word Ministery prayer exhortation c. For these are certaine rules 1. That neither the promise of perseuerance on Gods part nor the assurance of it on mans doe hinder the meanes or make exhortation and prayers vnfruitfull as Arminians teach vs but rather imply and include them Luk. 22.46 Christ had told Peter hee had prayed his faith should not faile but yet exhorts him withall to watch and pray who dare say it was idle though Peter might be certaine of perseuerance Marke the same argumentation in 1. Ioh. 2.27 28. 2. Conditions hinder not the certainty of the promise For the Lord will vphold them to all conditions requisite Hee that makes them perseuere to the end makes them perseuere in the meanes 3. Conditions hinder not the absolute both promise and performance For the same thing may be both absolutely promised because it shall certainly be accomplished and with
many are thus called but not chosen the latter according to purpose which is euer effectuall to the change and renewing of the heart Are without repentance That is are not changed repentance a cause of mutation put by a Metonymie for change it selfe for in God whose wisedome and power attends all his counsels can be no shadow or change therfore gifts of this kinde are vnalterable And this is the intent of the place namely to shew that though the Iewes became enemies of the Gospell and vnworthily abused the gracious blessings afforded them by God yet the Election and promise of God of calling many of them and leading them to saluation is stronger than to bee made voyd by such their vnworthinesse and the reason is because these gifts which belong to Vocation and Election are such as God cannot repent of So Augustine the Apostle speaks de donis vocatione Dei secundum propositum And the Papists themselues as Suarez the Iesuite Dona Dei sunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est dona illa quae proficiscūtur ex electione vt verba proximè praecedētia indicāt Now for the reply This exposition meets with two errours of Arminius First that this place is not meant of Gods immutable Decree of Election nor of the gifts of faith perseuerance but of the Iewes restitution and calling to the communion of the Gospell whereby they take in the effect and quite iustle out the cause Secondly that these gifts and calling proceed not from Election cōtrary to the second verse of that Chapter Hath God cast away his people whom he knew before and to the 5. verse Euen so now a remnant is reserued through the election of grace and to the 7. verse The election hath attained Thompson hath two answeres to this place 1. He saith These gifts are so called in respect of the euent and end eternall life but so as in the meane time God may repent againe and againe Cleane contrary to the constant nature of God and the constant tenor of grace the characters of which are indelible 2. They are saith hee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in respect of God promising not of man receiuing Vaine man who will make the gifts according to purpose to reele and stagger according to the wauering and flexible will of man What Shall Gods stable counsell depend on the leuity and temerity of mans will The Remonstrants answere that though God repent him not doni sui of his gift yet man may repent doni accepti retenti of the gift receiued and held besides that God doth repent of his gifts if man abuse them as Gen. 6. 1. Sam. 15. so as though God take not away his gifts yet man may cast them away though God reuoke not yet man may reuolt and scatter those gifts Answ. 1. Thus Gods mighty power is made subordinate to the power of the creature 2. The promise of God faileth for the tentation exceedeth their strength 3. Gods wisedome giues not such gifts to such as will cast them away or to none but such as know the excellency of them The new name is not knowne but to him that hath it and hee that hath it knoweth it 4. God not onely not takes away the gifts he thus giueth but preserueth them for this is the difference between the grace of Creation and Regeneration God frames our will and makes it willing to perseuere that all the glory may be his Nothing is ours therefore boast of nothing 5. It is true that all conditions required are easily broken on our part our worthinesse being like Israels Deut. 9.6 But the Lord worketh all conditions for vs and in vs Psal. 61.7 Hee shall dwell before God for euer O prepare mercy and faithfulnesse that they may preserue him Which may better be seene by comparing these places together Exod. 19.5 with Ezek. 36.27 2. Chron. 15.2 with Ier. 32.39 Ioh. 15.7 with Ioh. 17.11 15 17. 5. Ground Whatsoeuer our Lord Iesus prayeth shall certainly come to passe Luk. 11.41.42 But Christ prayeth for the perseuerance of the faithfull Luk. 22.32 Ioh. 17.15 therefore they shall perseuere To the Proposition they answere that it is not true alwayes for Christ prayed for his enemies that his Father would pardon them but was not heard But how rash and dishonourable to Christ is this answere beside the falshood of it For 1. Was there not absolute conformity betweene the will of God the Father and the Sonne Could Christ aske or desire any thing which stood not with the will of his Father 2. Did Christ pray for all and euery of his enemies as if hee had not said that some of them sinned against the holy Ghost for whom he must not pray Math. 12.31 32. And if hee prayed for some was he not heard seeing by vertue of that prayer so many thousands were conuerted at one Sermon Act. 2.41 Surely he prayed for all his owne and was heard 3. This their answere is a meere cauill for our question is of that which Christ asketh for the Elect and not for his enemies And here they expresly graunt that whatsoeuer he prayed for for the Elect he is heard in and obtaineth Then they answere to the assumption that Christ prayed not absolutely for the perseuerance of the Saints but conditionally To this I say 1. Wee neuer read of this condition in petitioning perseuerance 2. Their Champion Thompson cha 19. denieth it saying Oratio Christi pro Petro proculdubio ex absoluta voluntate processit fuit efficax exaudita Christs prayer for Peter proceeded no doubt from his absolute will and was effectuall and heard Therefore they answere againe that it was made for Peter vpon speciall occasion I answer no 1. Christ intends his speech and prayer further then Peter Peter saith he Satan hath sought to winnow not thee but you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though as a good Phisician he applies the playster to the part affected but neglects no part of the body so Christ turnes him to Peter now most distressed and diseased hereby putting him in mind 1. of his fall to humble him 2. of his rising to comfort him 3. of his duty to quicken him Thou being conuented strengthen thy brethren 2. Christ prayed the same for all the Disciples Ioh. 17.11 Holy Father keepe them in thy Name And not onely for these but such as shall beleeue in their Word to the end of the world vers 20. Obiect But Peter failed in faith for the present for all that and so may Beleeuers and by that word failing in faith wee say Christ signified onely actum finalem and so notwithstanding the prayer of Christ Petrus mortaliter peccare potuerit he might sinne vnto death Itaque defecit fides non defecit Thomps ibid. Answ. 1. Augustine vnderstood better then hee what it is to faile in Faith namely not to perseuere vnto the end And therefore hee that is wholly cut off for a time perseuereth
not 2. Christs prayer was heard which was not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not that his Faith should not faile in part but not vtterly and altogether vanish So Chrysostome non dicit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For by Christs care and fauour it was that Peters Faith did not altogether vanish He failed in confession not in affection His Faith was not ficta fayned therefore not fracta broken It was concussa non excussa shaken but not shaken off Corde tenuit illum quem voce denegauit saith Gregory He denied Christ with his mouth but held him still in his heart Wee graunt Peters Faith wounded not dead his confession oppressed with feare not wilfully reiected his sinne miserable not mortall or deadly in Thompsons sense 6. Ground taken from Gods continuall being with the Elect their in-being in Christ and the Spirits in-being in them First the presence and ayde of God in trials will not suffer them to bee tempted aboue that they are able 1. Cor. 10.13 God is continually present with his Esa. 46.4 in sixe troubles and in seuen in their passage thorow fire and water and to this end that they be not drowned and ouercome but to supply both strength and euasion Obiect In that place God promiseth say they sufficient strength to ouercome all temptations but onely to them that are waking yet God abides faithfull in forsaking them that forsake him Answ. 1. But the question is Whether is God faithfull in this promise of preseruing them in Faith and in not suffering any tentation to befall aboue their strength or whereof he will not giue a good issue And if he be whether they shall forsake him whom hee forsaketh not 2. The whole Word is giuen not to them that sleepe but them that wake But who is it that makes vs awake and keepes vs waking but the Lord Psal. 121.4 Or who calls vs out of our beds but he Cant. 5.2 Secondly their in-being in Christ preserues them as liuing members of a liuing Head who therefore is called the sauiour of his body Eph. 5.23 Obiect This is true of his members so long as they be liuing louing dutifull obedient members Answ. 1. There is no elect person and regenerate but is a liuing member for the Head preserueth life in euery member 2. He that made him a member being no member can and doth restore and recouer him though sicke vnsound and hurt dealing with his members as wee doe with ours who tender and wrap and make much of sore and weake members not considering them as full of corruption but as members Ioh. 6.37 Whatsoeuer the Father giueth me commeth to me and he that commeth to mee I cast not out Obiect True if hee alway come to Christ but hee may depart and goe away of himselfe Answ. No Christ shewes in the 40. verse what he meanes by not casting out namely hee shall euer abide in my fellowship and family for I will effect that hee shall haue eternall life Againe Ioh. 17.12 Whom thou hast giuen mee I haue kept that not one of them is perished and Iude 1. Such as are called and sanctified are also preserued of Iesus Christ. But how is he preserued that departs and goes away Thirdly in whomsoeuer the Spirit dwelleth hee must needs perseuere in grace so long as hee dwels there but the Spirit dwels alway in the Elect after conuersion Ioh. 14.16 17. I will pray the Father and he shall giue you another Comforter that hee may abide with you for euer Which cuts off their thred-bare answere of So long as the Spirit dwels and also their distinction of abiding for a time and for euer Whosoeuer hath the Spirit of God is borne of God and whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not that is so as sinne recouer his raigne and power The reason is because the seed of God abideth in him 1. Ioh. 3.9 that is either the Spirit of God whose vertue is a principall efficient or the Word whereby as an instrument we are regenerate and begotten to God Obiect True so long as they are borne of God and so long as the seed abideth in them they sinne not Answ. So Bellarmine answereth Non potest lethaliter peccare quamdiu perseuerat filius Dei changing the casuall particle of the Apostle quia into a conditionall quamdiu So Thompson also cha 20. But the Apostle is expresse against their absurd euasion He is alwayes borne of God because the seed of God abideth in him and is in him for euer Nay his natiuity of God keepes him that he cannot fall from God finally and returne into the Kingdome of Satan againe so chap. 5.18 Hee that is borne of God sinneth not but preserues himselfe and the wicked toucheth him not that is hath power giuen him of God whereby to preserue himselfe that Satan touch him not in his Free-hold or snatch him backe againe to death and destruction These are some of the grounds by which this comfortable Doctrine is confirmed with which to auoyd prolixity I will content my selfe Now for the manifold Obiections which are made against it I will endeuour to preuent them all in some fewe Conclusions The first is this No precept to beware of falling away no promise to perseuerance no commination or threatning against Apostates doth proue that a true Beleeuer can fall away wholy or finally For the former where we are exhorted to beware of falling away from the grace of God Heb. 3.12 and to take heed that standing we fall not 1. Cor. 10.12 and where blessednesse is promised to him that feareth alwaies Pro. 28.14 none of these exhortations to so great diligence and feare and watchfulnesse argue such an absolute defect in all them to whom they are giuen and in whom they are found but agree with certaine perseuerance as meanes with the end the cause with the effect Because 1. They are deliuered to hypocrites as that in 1. Cor. 10.12 Let him that thinks he stands take heed lest hee fall because they wanting Faith deceiue themselues with a vaine presumption and opinion of Faith and fall away But what is this to the sound Beleeuer 2. If they be deliuered to the godly who may also grieuously fall from Faith and other graces they proue not they can fall from true sauing grace at least in the habit and gift but onely in the measure degree and parts all which they ought to maintaine and preserue But one thing it is to fall another to fall away One thing to fall from the first loue another from all loue 3. No feare of falling impeacheth the certainty of not falling away Our Lord Iesus himselfe feared and fasted and prayed forty dayes and forty nights before his temptations that in his example we might see that our feare is not then frustrate when perseuerance is certaine 4. Meanes of perseuerance and not falling away cannot be certaine proofes of falling away but rather against
treateth whereby we destroy so farre as is in vs and plucke him from Christ but if hee be a true Beleeuer the mighty hand of God vpholds him perhaps not from falling but from falling away 2. Christ is said to dye for a man two wayes 1. Improperly and generally for the whole visible Church for whom his death is sufficient 2. Properly truly and specially for the faithfull and Elect to whom it is effectually applyed in the vertue and merit of it Many of the former may bee destroyed none of the latter 3. Members of Christ are so two wayes 1. In the iudgement of charity and of the Church all outward members of the Church are to be reputed redeemed and iustified till by their Apostasie they declare themselues hypocrites for whom Christ neuer dyed 2. In the iudgement of certainty he dyed not for all and euery one Now the weaknesse of the argument appeares euidently That because some fall away for whom Christs death is sufficient therefore they may to whom it is effectuall or because some who in the iudgement of charity onely are redeemed fall away therefore such as are certainly redeemed by his death may 2. Pet. 1.9 We reade of one who was washed but forgets he was purged from his old sinnes Answ. There is a twofold washing One outward by the water of Baptisme by externall profession and outward reformation as Simon Magus The other inward true and reall by the blood of Christ applyed by the Spirit and faith by meanes of the Word and by the waters of sanctification And accordingly there is a twofold purging one reall and existent the other in opinion profession and iudgement of ones selfe and others The former being truly washed cannot forget their purgation as the latter may One drop of that water springeth vp to eternall life But it is no good argument Some professing cleannesse and purity fall away therefore such as are cleane indeed some washed with outward water therefore such as are baptized with the holy Ghost and fire Heb. 6.4 and 10.26 Some that are inlightened and taste of the good Word of God and are partakers of the holy Ghost and are sanctified by the blood of the Couenant fall away and cannot bee renewed by repentance Therfore Elect persons may fall away finally Answ. 1. In generall None of all these phrases implyeth true Regeneration Besides the Apostle speakes of hypocrites and such as sinne against the holy Ghost not of any true Beleeuer 2. In speciall and to the particulars Some that are inlightened fall away But this is of knowledge in iudgement not in affection of knowledge in the braine not in the heart of bare illumination without thorow-renouation or reformation of science without conscience experience practice What a great measure of knowledge had Demas Iudas and Iulian attained by which they seemed to haue cleane escaped such as are wrapped in errour And yet they were againe intangled in errour the greatest errour being to know and not to doe Now what argument is this It is possible for some truly inlightened to fall away therefore for some truly regenerate They taste the heauenly gift and the good Word of God and yet fall away Answ. By tasting may be vnderstood two things 1. An approbation in iudgement seeing in some measure the excellency of the gift Ioh. 4. but this in generall not in speciall in others not in himselfe as Balaam and Agrippa 2. An inclination in the affection rauished with that excellency as the bad ground receiued the seed with ioy and hearing and seeing the happinesse of the Saints wish and desire to partake of it if by wishing they could winne it but deale as hard Chapmen who see a commodity and their owne need of it and prize and cheapen it but will not giue so much as it must cost them and so goe away without it Balaam wished to dye the death but would not liue the life of the righteous And the young man in the Gospell was loth to sell all and so went away without saluation Whereas a sound Beleeuer will sell all with the Disciples and account all but losse or dung with Paul and exchange the treasures of Egypt with the Crosse of Christ as Moses Thus the hypocrite onely tastes the gift and feedeth not but the Elect feed on the Bread of life and drinke of the water of the Well of life vnto life eternall Now this is no good argument because some that taste doe fall away therfore so may he that feedeth on Christ. They that are partakers of the holy Ghost and sanctified by the blood of the Couenant fall quite away Hypocrites are sanctified by the blood of the Couenant 1. in respect of profession not of the power of holinesse 2. in respect of externall communion with the members of the Church in the Word and Sacraments not of inward society or sanctification 3. in respect of the application of the blood of the Couenant not by the Spirit but by the meanes but diuersly from that to the Elect To the Beleeuer truly by faith and to his saluation To the hypocrite in outward shew and appearance in opinion in the iudgement of charity onely and to his greater condemnation 1. Cor. 11.27 They are also partakers of the holy Ghost that is excellent gifts of the holy Ghost as 1. the spirit of feare howling for sinne and sorrow wishing the sins had neuer been committed as in Cain and Iudas but alwayes want the Spirit of loue 2. Externall reformation in great measure as Herod did many things but kept one Herodias 3. Feruent zeale for the Lord as in Iehu 2. King 10.16 but for a start at the beginning and for the sinnes of others not the owne 4. Holy motions with which the Spirit inspires them and often purposes and promises to follow them as Saul had many But 1. they neuer haue any but common gifts not the speciall gifts of faith charity true repentance proper and peculiar to the Elect 2. Though they haue the gifts of the sanctifying Spirit yet not the gifts of Sanctification 3. They neuer come to be sanctified throughout in body and soule and spirit 1. Thes. 5.23 nor to be throughly changed into the Image of God 2. Cor. 3.18 Now this is a weake argument Because some hauing the gifts of the sanctifying Spirit fall quite away therefore some also that haue the gift of sanctification They that taste of the powers of the life to come fall away This tasting also is incident to hypocrites and standeth in two things 1. Thoughts and meditations of the life to come 2. A powerfull working and forcing of the heart to looke somewhat that way and to doe something seeking to enter Yet they shall neuer enter 1. Because they onely taste not digest these meditations to follow them home 2. Because if they performe any thing they doe it not purely not for Gods glory but themselues not for loue of God but selfe-loue Gods glory and seruice
to carefull hearing 4. Simplicity no excuse for bad hearing for 5. reasons Nor a bad memory can excuse carelesse hearing Heb. 4.2 4. Notes of true vnderstanding the Word Reasons why wicked spirits are compared to fowles of heauen 4. 2. Cor. 12.2 Matth. 4.5 Why Satan comes wheÌ„ men heare the Word 3. reasons Satan commeth inwardly 3. wayes 1. Cor. 11.22 Mic. 2.7 Satan commeth outwardly 3. wayes Luk 4.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. End of Satans coÌ„ming to steale away the Word 2. End of Satans comming to hinder faith 3. End to rob men of their saluation That the Word hath been fruitfull foure notes Gal. 3.24 Thou neuer commest to Church but Satan commeth with thee Motiues to watch against him three 3. Notes to know that the diuell hath robbed thee of the Word 6. Meanes to lay the Word vpon and in our hearts Why most men continue brutishly ignorant after long hearing 3. Reasons Bad hearers compared to stony ground in 5. things Stony ground coÌ„mendable in 4. things Note The seede springeth vp in stony ground to sundry degrees Doct. A bad Hearer may goe far in Christianity Temporary faith raised on temporary causes 2 Tim 4.10 Phil. 2.21 3. Reasons why hypocrites goe so farre Numbers 〈◊〉 com◠〈◊〉 of many that come 〈…〉 4. instances Luk. 12.29 A serious examination whether wee haue gotten beyond hypocrites in 4. things I. Jn holy desires For 1. Their ground Act. 17.11 2. Their matter 3. Their ends 4. Their companions sixe II. Illumination For 2. Pet. 2.18 19 20. 1. The matter Iob 19.25 Gal. 2.20 1. Cor. 1.30 2. The end Col. 3.10 3. The companions foure Psal. 25.9 4. The growth Pro. 4.18 III. In ioy For 1. The ground 2. The matter 3. The measure 4. The companions 1. Holy affecâ—â—ons 2. Holy graces fiue Pro. 14.10 IV. In growth For 1. The root Esa. 61.3 2. The fruits Heb. 11.6 1. Tim. 1.5 3 The measure Psal. 119.6 Act 4 20. 4. The affection 5. The continuance Heb. 11.1 What withering is Men wither in the Church 4. wayes 1. In Iudgement Gal. 1.6 Instances of Apostacy or withering in sound iudgement Opera tincta sanguine Christi 2. In affection 3. In practâ—ce Gal. 4.15 4. In vse of meanes Iosh. 24.15 The danger of this withering in respect of 1. God 2. The church 3. The sinne it selfe Heb. 10.26 4. The Iudgement 6. Notes of a man withering in Grace Ioh. 5.35 6. Meanes to keepe vs from withering in grace 1. Thes. 5.19 20. Eph. 2.20 Esa. 4.4 1. King 17.16 Motiues to beware of withering Mat. 21.20 Vers. 19. Doct. Seed of the Word not fruitfull to saluation in an hard heart Tot verba tot verbera nihil profuêre Pharaoni Rom. 1.16 Heb. 4.12 Gutta cauat lapideÌ„ non vi sed saepè cadendo Six markes to know an hard heart by Exod. 9.27 Motiues to labour for soft hearts Meanes of a soft hart Psal. 101 4 Incidit gemmas at non inciditur ipse Hircino tantum sanguine mollis erit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mark 4.5 Doct. The cause why many goodly Professours fall short of saluation Humor vnctionis compunctionis Psal. 6.6 Mark 6.20 Three things must be prepared to make vs hold out 1. Sauing and distinct knowledge Notes of sound knowledge foure 2. Deepe rooting in 3. things 1. In the doctrine of faith Notes 3. 2. In the grace of faith Where 1. What it is Heb. 11.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 The notes and signes of it 5. Act. 15 9. Psal. â—19 6 3. In the profession of faith 3. Markes Sound moysture of compunction Zech. 12 1â— Ier. 9.1 Sound moysture of vnction Ioh. 7.38 Knowne by 4. markes Iob. 8.11 Meanes of this moysture are fiue Ioh. 1.16 Rom. 1.4 Doct. Persecution and Gods Word vndiuided Reas. 1. 2 The crosse inseparable from Christian profession 4. Reasons from Gods glory Phil. 1.13 Acts 20.23 Pro. 15.10 Gal. 1.13 Persecution compared to the scorching of the Sunne in 4. things Mat. 24.24 Mat. 10.16 Luk. 14.28 4. True causes of the worlds hatred of the godly The thing â—ated in good men is goodnesse Comforts in persecution Doct. 2. Many glorious professors fall off in persecution They fall from fiue things Reas. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 3 4 Mat. 17.4 1. Kin. 14.2 2. Tim. 2.19 7. Meanes to vphold vs in triall Phil. 1.29 2. Thes. 2.10 11. Method of this part of the Text. Carnall lusts compared with thornes in 5. things 1. Tim. 6.10 1. Cor. 7.30 Heb. 6.8 Bad hearers aptly compared with thorny gâ—ound Lusts of any kind cherâ—shed spoyle the worke of the Word Iam. 1.22 2. Chron. 16.10 Reas. 1. 2 3 Gen. 3.18 4 Raigne of lusts thrust downe the raigne of the Word many waies Meanes to keepe our hearts as good ground in good kilter 5. Meanes to set the seed of the Word aboue the weeds of lusts A good Hearer â—eares for afterward Reu. 14.6 Psal. 92.14 Gods Word is best after the hearing for 5. reasons 2. Tim. 3.17 Foure sorts of hearers hereby reproued 2. Sam. 12.7 4. Motiues to lay vp the Word for after-vse Psa. 101.2 4. Meanes of this duty Doct. Abuse of lawfull things damnable as well as the pursuit of vnlawfull Note Instances of most lawfull things vnlawfully abused 7. 1. Eating and drinking Iob 1.5 2. Apparell 3. Recreation Phil. 4.8 Sports become vnlawfull being immoderate vnseasonable profane vncharitable 4. Marriage 1. Cor. 7.39 5. The calling 6. Care of family 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 7. Society 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Pet. 2.8 Luk. 14.20 5. Rules of moderation in naturall and lawfull desires Deut. 25.3 Iob 1.5 The first sort of thornes are worldly cares Non dicit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sollicitudo diligentiae diffidentiae 5. Markes of distrustfull cares Cura interdicta non officii sed euentus Doct. Worldly cares great chokers of Gods Word 1. Before hearing 2 wayes 2. Jn hearing two wayes Three instances Col. 3.1 2. 3. After hearing Num. 14.2 Mat. 19.22 5. Motiues to rid our selues of worldly cares Hag 1.6 4. Meanes to rid our selues of thâ—se â—arking cares To cast our care vpon God siue helpes Psal. 145.18 Tertull. contra Esau Instances of needfull cares consuming vnneedfull Mat. 6.33 Peace if it run from vs to bee followed Heb. 12.14 The second sort of thornes is deceitfulnesse of riches Greg. Mag. in Lucae 8. Riches aptly compared to thornes in 4. things Doct. Riches great enemies to Religion and saluation Riches good blessings in themselues 3. Reasons August in Psal. 51. Riches choke the Word 1. before 〈◊〉 3. waies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Tim. 6.17 2. In hearing 3. After hearing 1. Hinder profession Mat. 11.6 2. Hinder practice as in sixe instances 5. Markes of a man in whom the Word is choked by wealth Act. 26.18 Sincerum est nisi vas â—uodounque infundis acessit 4. Remedies against choking thorns Luk. 12.48 Psal. 62.10 Gen. 32.10 Pro. 17.1 Phil. 4.11