no better grace but to sell away their birthright Vse 2 A second vse hereof serues for an admonition to you all to take heed you harbour not this sin lest you come to see it with griefe shame when it is too late To thee then that art priuie to thine heart thou preferrest this day the selling of thy worldly commodities in thy shop or the working secretlie in thine house as too many of you doe of thy trade and occupation before the holy assemblies I tell thee accursed is that gaine so gotten Take heed of three dangerous enemies to draw thee to prophanenesse The first is carnal reason which will labour to withdraw thee from loue and delight in religion putting into thy mind that as there is nothing gotten by being religious so there is much danger gotten by being too forward The second is the world which will labour to perswade thee from being too precise and forward in running to Sermons for it will hinder thee of much pleasure and profit that otherwise thou mightest haue yea and if thou looke not to it in time it will bring thee to beggerie And that it is the propertie of an Infidell not to prouide for wife and children This is a dangerous enemie and doth preuaile with many The third enemy is irreligious friends the neerer the worse A religious young man cannot haue a greater enemie to draw him to prophanenesse then an irreligious father or mother or brother or sister A religious husband cannot haue a more pestilent enemie to coole his zeale and loue to religion then an irreligious wife Set downe this for a certaintie you that bee religious that your greatest enemies shall be those of your owne house that be irreligious Vse 3 A third vse hereof is to encourage vs all to goe on boldlie in our profession notwithstanding the scoffes and taunts wee shall haue of prophane men Oh let them alone this is their time for howsoeuer now they doe laugh at vs to see vs to lose so much pleasure and profit as they thinke we might get yet a day wil come the Lord himselfe will laugh at them to see their follie Prou. 1.24 To thee that scornest and mockest at such as serue the Lord in sinceritie of heart If a man should call thee villaine and foole thou wouldest be angrie Iob 30.8 but the holy man Iob saies thou art so and all such as thou art Of all the markes of a castaway one of them is to bee tainted with the sinne of scorning at a godly man for his seruice to God Gen. 21.9 It was the marke that Ismael was branded withall and sent him to hell because he was a mocker of Isaac I tell thee God accounts he hath no greater enemies then such As example of the messengers that came from Ahaziah 2. King 9.10.11.12 who in mocking sort flouted the Prophet calling him in scorne man of God but were punished with fire from heauen The like wee reade of 42. children that were deuoured of two beares for mocking Elisha the Lords Prophet But hearken thou what the Lord saith which is Deut. 32.41 That he will whet his glittering sword and his hand shall take hold on iudgement and execute vengeance on his enemies and will reward them that hate me Amongst which enemies in one of the chiefest number he accounts a scorner Text. He was reiected for he found no place c. Now followes the second degree of his punishment which is how he labours to obtaine it againe yea he goes so farre that he weepes for the losse of it yet all in vaine Doct. Whence wee are to obserue for our instruction that many a ciuill man may go very farre in outward signes and shew of repentance yet liue hated of God This lesson is well to be marked of vs because there be many at this day which liue amongst vs who if they can performe any outward shew of repentance as to sigh or grone and specially to shed teares doe thinke they haue waded farre in repentance But wee must learne that it is not outward shewes will serue for reprobates may goe farre in shewes of saluation yet shall come short and neuer obtaine it Gen. 37 34-38 Consider of Esau in seeking the blessing hee went to his father hee fell vpon his knees he cried out for very griefe he was ashamed hee had so lightlie and at such a rate passed away his birth-right hee wept hee shed teares Who would haue thought but this repentance had been sound Did either Marie or Peter or the theefe in outward shew goe any further or much beyond him Yet theirs was true repentance and accepted of God but his was counterfet and hee and it both reiected Example we haue of Orpah the sister of Ruth Ruth 1 7-14 how she went far in shew she leaues her countrie she trauels along she weepes aswell as Ruth yet in the end a few words and reasons perswade her to turne backe so there are many can make a faire shew in matters of faith and repentance but either carnall reasons or irreligious friends or one thing or other drawes them quite away This appeares in that vnpardonable sin Heb. 6.4 where is shewed how first they may be illightned with vs indued with knowledge and vnderstanding of the word that hath been preached vnto them Secondly they may taste of the heauenly gift that is Luke 8.13 they may gladly receiue the word and reioyce in it as our Sauiour describes in the parable of the seed cast into stony ground Thirdly they may be partakers of the holy Ghost that is of diuers graces of the Spirit as namely lightned with knowledge and ioy in their vnderstanding as also of gifts of preaching of tongues and the like Fourthlie they may taste of the good word of God that is they may not only know God by the law which is fearefull to the sinner but by a more sweet vnderstanding of the Gospell which saith Come vnto mee all yee that trauell and be heauie laden so calling it the good word of God as that glad tidings of saluation Fiftly they may taste of the powers of the world to come that is they may know and confesse that the end of the Gospell is eternall life to all that faithfully beleeue and liue in it Thus may wee see how farre such a one as may commit the sinne against the holy Ghost may goe and make shew in the way of saluation Mark 6.20 Another example wee haue in Herod who is said to heare Iohn Baptist yea farther he heard him gladlie yea hee did reuerence him yea which is more hee reformed many things by his preaching to him that before were amisse yet cast away and forsaken of God So a verie castaway may goe farre in many things As first in his calling he may heare the word he may vnderstand it assent to it ioy in it practise some duties commaunded by it yet to be
in their liues as talke of it with their mouthes And this the Apostle Peter labours to exhort those he wrote vnto 2. Pet. 1.5 that with the knowledge of faith in the Gospel they would ioyne vertue by which he meanes holines of life exhorting the they that beleeue wel should liue wel that so their liues might beautifie their profession It seemes diuers of the Church sent to Paul to know his iudgement touching such seruants as were conuerted to the Gospell how they should behaue themselues to their Infidell masters 1. Tim. 6.1 To this he sends an answere to Timothy commanding that being bound to thē they should not depart or vse them vnconscionablie but rather to be more carefull in their seruice and to vse diligence and faithfulnesse to them that so the name of God and his Gospell be not euill spoken of A good lesson for such seruants in this citie as professe the Gospell and serue irreligious masters not hereby to take a liberty to be idle carelesse and false in word and deede but so much the rather to be the more careful in their seruice lest they giue their Masters occasion to speake euill of the name of God and his Gospell Now if seruants must be thus carefull towards their masters that be Atheists how much more then should euery one that hath giuen his hand and name to the Gospell be carefull who hath many to ouerlooke him and would be glad to take a small occasion to discredit his profession There are many reasons may be added to presse this doctrine the more vpon our consciences but I will content my selfe with these three Reas 1 The first reason is because a holie life ioyned to an holy profession will gaine credit in the consciences of Gods people Yea 1. Pet. 2.12 it will gaine credit also in the consciences of such as be yet vncalled To which end the Apostle exhorts them to haue their conuersation honest among the Gentiles that they which speake euill of them as of euill doers may by their good workes which they shall see glorifie God in the day of visitation By which all you that be Fathers Mothers Masters and Mistresses are exhorted though you haue vntoward sonnes vnfaithfull seruants lyers swearers yea such as scorne at your comming to Sermons and vse of holy exercises in your families as giuing thanks at meales prayers reading of Chapters c. yet should your carriage in your liues be such as that they seeing your Christian behauiour in your shops in your words in your dealings c. may haue cause to praise God Yea if euer the Lord call and conuert them they shall praise God that they euer dwelt in such a family and that euer they came within thy dores The experience hereof God hath shewed dailie amongst vs of many who in their seruice were deriders of holy duties and stopped their eares at the instructions of their gouernours yet the Lord hauing opened their eares and softned their hearts by his word and spirit they haue so praised God for his mercie to them that their parents by whom they were begotten and borne haue not been so deare to them in their hearts as their Master and mistresse in whose Christian familie they were conuerted Reas 2 The second reason is because it will gaine credit to our profession The contrarie opens the mouthes of Atheists to slander and discredit the same One prophane Gospeller doth more harme in the Church then an hundred Atheists Wherefore saith the Preacher Eccles 10.3 Dead flies cause to stinke and putrisie the ointment Yea one dead flie will putrifie a whole boxe of ointmēt where as a thousand falling into a barrell of pitch will do no such harme So the Gospell is so pretious a thing that the euill example of one professor doth more harme to it then the example of many Athiests a thousand drunken companions neuer discredit the Gospell so much as one that professeth well and liueth ill For is it not a thing common amongst vs that when men see a professor commit any sinne yea though of infirmity and of weakenesse with no purpose to liue in it doe but marke how they presently labour to discredit not so much the person of the man as his profession For are not these their verie words See these are our professours and holy men hee is wise that will beleeue what they say here is a profession indeed Yea they wil not sticke to curse the very Booke of God and blaspheme his Gospell Therefore if you will be professors looke to your shops your families your counting houses your weights and measures else if you bee faultie in these you will bring more discredit to religion then euer you did good with your outward profession Reas 3 The third reason is because by your ioyning an holy life to a holy profession it wil gaine comfort to your conscience especially in the time of the departure out of this world Esay 38.3 An example wee haue of Ezekias who hauing receiued the message of death is said to turne to the wall and to put the Lord in mind of the integritie of his life wherein he tooke great comfort Yea it will put a man in more comfort then all the treasures of this world For what consolation can a man take in worldly things when he is priuie that hee doth lead a vicious wicked life and is in danger of Gods wrath Vse 1 Now let vs see what vses we are to make of this doctrine And first it may stop the mouthes of our aduersaries the Papists who falselie charge vs that wee teach doctrines of libertie to sin and that the sum of our doctrines is that so a man beleeue in Christ it is no matter how he liues And beloued I appeale to your owne consciences how true this is when wee teach that an outward profession seeme it neuer so sanctified without a holy life is odious in Gods sight And we returne the doctrine of libertie vpon themselues For be Iudge men and brethren in Christ whether this bee not a doctrine of licenciousnes to teach that ignorance is the mother of deuotion that their holie father may dispense with any sinne be it neuer so great and heinous that allow the Stewes euen at their Popes nose for the nourishing of whoredome Yea they teach that all their veniall sinnes as they terme them are put away and forgiuen by knocking themselues on the breast and by saying God haue mercie vpon me c. If this were true and this libertie granted to sinne who would make conscience to commit sinne But let vs know that these are doctrines of diuels and hee that hath not care to ioyne an holie life to an holie beleefe Mat. 22.12.13 shall one day with the man wanting the wedding garment be cast into vtter darkenesse where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Vse 2 A second vse of this doctrine serues to teach vs that be present
TWO SERMONS VPON THE XII CHAPTER OF THE EPISTLE TO the Hebrewes the sixteenth and seuenteenth verses PREACHED IN THE CITIE OF LONDON the twelfth day of Iune 1608. By THOMAS HOPKINS Minister at Yeardley in the Countie of Worcester HEBREVVES 13.4 Whoremongers and adulterers God will iudge COLOSS. 3.2 Set your affections on things which are aboue and not on things which are on the earth AT LONDON Imprinted for WILLIAM WELBY dwelling in Pauls Churchyard at the signe of the Greyhound 1609. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL WILLIAM HANCOCK MAYOR THE Worshipfull Iustices and Aldermen his brethren with my Christian countrimen of the Citie of Couentrie be all grace mercie and peace from God the Father and from our Lord Iesus Christ Amen RIght worshipfull and my louing Countrimen hauing some occasion this last summer to trauell vp to the Citie of London and being there I was entreated by a godlie friend to bestow my labours on a Sabbath day in preaching at the Parish Church in which hee dwelled to whom I willingly agreed Whereat there were some contrary to my knowledge or priuitie that tooke the paines to take the notes of the Sermons and before my departure out of the Citie made me acquainted therewithall and shewed them vnto mee and reading part of them I did greatly maruell thereat and worthie was the Author to be commended for his paines and skill hauing neuer seene the like so largely taken by any whatsoeuer for scarce could I finde any word of substance wherein hee failed Here upon certaine of my friends who were hearers thereof laboured with me to commit them to the Presse and in hope I would satisfie their earnest sute sent downe after mee their notes faire copied out to my house which after some paines taken in setting the same in order and some things though not much added for the more plaine opening of that which time preuented me in the preaching I haue sent it vp againe to them to vse at their pleasure The which hauing by Gods helpe finished I doe make bold to dedicate the same to your fauorable view The reasons moouing mee thereunto are speciallie these three The first is because of the experience I haue had of diuers of your godly zealous and sincere loue to the Gospell The second is being bound by nature to leaue it as a testimonie of my vnfained loue to my natiue Citie Thirdly in regard of the vndeserued kindnesse and beneuolences I haue often receiued from you In some liew whereof I thought it a part of my dutie to dedicate these my poore labours vnto you as thereby to manifest my humble thankefulnesse Now if any censorious disposition shall say that these Sermons are too meane to be put in print for this ripe and exquisit age I would wish them to consider that at the building of the Temple as well they were accepted that brought Goates haire and Rammes skinnes as they that brought Silke purple and skarlet But howeuer it be I doe more then hope you will both kindly accept of this from me and entertaine it as a testimonie of my louing affection to you all The God of all comfort multiplie his gratious blessings vpon you all and grant all peace and prosperitie to all those that vnfainedlie loue and seeke the peace of the Church and prosperitie of the Gospell From my house at Yeardly the 20. of December 1608. Your Worships in all Christian duties to be commanded Thomas Hopkins TO THE CHRISTIAN READER CHristian Reader the searcher of all hearts doth know that at the preaching of these Sermons it was farre frō any thought of mine they should euer haue been committed to the Presse to bee set out in print confessing my great inabilitie that way But forasmuch as some of the hearers tooke the paines to gather the notes thereof without either my knowledge or consent and thereupon seeming to haue some liking thereof were earnest with me for my consent to commit them to the print whose godly desire I perceiuing to proceed from a speciall willingnesse to make others partakers of that profit they seemed to haue receiued themselues gaue them my promise if they would copie them faire out and send them downe into the countrie to me I would take some paines in the viewing them ouer and setting them in order and so would send them vp to them againe to vse at their pleasure which they so did and accordingly by the Lords helpe I haue performed to them as my leasure in my charge would permit me Now then if these my simple labours shall bee thought worthie the view of the world I doe humblie entreate thee Christian Reader to beare with me which I know thou wouldest willinglie doe if either thou didst know my weakenes in gifts my small leasure for vndertaking any such worke or speciallie the marke and end I aime at I pray thee construe all in good part and what is amisse for want of skill correct it and if any thing haue ouershot me in ouerzealous carriage impute it to my infirmitie But if there happen any thing that shall worke to humbling for sinne either generall or particular for the land or for thy owne self giue all the praise to God and as I haue endeuoured to benefit thee and others which is the maine end of my labours so doe I entreate thee to assist me with thy prayers vnto God that hee will assist me with his blessed spirit in the worke of my Ministerie And thus hoping I may entreate for a friendlie acceptance at thy hands and to affoord me thy good word for my good will and a fauourable construction for my paines I doe commend it to the blessing of the Almightie and thee to his gratious protection wishing to thee as to myselfe viz. the mercie of God in Iesus Christ December 20. 1608. Thine in the Lord Iesus Thomas Hopkins TWO SERMONS VPON THE XII CHAP. OF THE AVTHOR TO THE HEbrewes the 16. and 17. verses thereof HEBREVVES 12.16.17 Let there bee no fornicator or prophane person as Esau which for one portion of meate sold his birthright For yee know how that afterward when he would haue inherited the blessing hee was reiected For he found no place to repentance though he sought that blessing with teares I Mind not beloued in Christ to stand vpon more circumstances then I take fitting for the opening of my Text. Although to haue shewed you my simple iudgemēt both as touching the occasion the Author the time and the argumēt of this Epistle could not but haue bin profitable for sundrie respects but then must I spend more ◅e then is allowed mee and I feare should abridge you of some things which I am willing to open vnto you Wherefore omitting all these Vers 5. know you that the Author of this Epistle hauing in the former part of this chapter encouraged them patiently to vndergoe the crosse of afflictions assuring them that they were no signes of Gods anger Vers 6. but rather
and all that haue taken the profession of the Gospell vpon them to haue care to frame their liues answerable thereunto And this must bee speciallie three waies The first in their words and speeches which must bee such as may either conuey good to others else draw good from others Secondly in their workes and that not only in their generall places but also in their particular callings whether Magistrate Minister Father Husband Master Seruant c. The third is in their recreations being carefull they vse lawfull things lawfully As you that bee Gentlemen in your bowling shooting hawking hunting which though they bee lawfull recreations yet that you take heed lest you abuse them and not to be mirthmongers making euery day a day of pastime and pleasure Vse 3 A third vse serues to reprooue many who haue taken vpon them the holy profession of Christ Iesus yet in their liues deny the power of it And to come home to this citie and to this place in which are assembled such as make shew of loue to the Gospell Answere me in your consciences where are the signes and tokens of a holy life doe your liues answere your profession is it not with Ioab 1. King 2.28 to murther and then to runne and take hold of the hornes of the altar Nay with the Iewes to sweare Ierem. 7.9.10 lie steale commit adulterie c. and to come and stand in this house before me saith the Lord no more will the Lord allow either of your Bibles vnder your armes or your prayers in your families nor your running after Sermons if your liues be not reformed In the ciuill law it is well knowne a long protestation will not releeue a theefe if he be tainted and proued guiltie of the fact no more will your protestations and faire speeches releeue you when your shops your counting houses your houses your chambers wil condemne you For I appeale this day to many of you that heare me whether the Lord may not truely say to you as hee said by the mouth of his Prophet Micah Micah 6.10 Are yet the treasures of wickednesse in the house of the wicked and the scant measure that is abominable So say I to thee are the treasures of wickednesse in thy house Is the pooremans pledge his bed his gowne his axe his spade his coate in thy house liuest thou by briberie extortion oppression false weights in thy shop false ballance in thy warehouse and darest thou take on thee the holie profession of the Gospell I tell thee all thy prayers almes hearing of the word receiuing the Sacraments are abhorred of God In the time of the Law none might offer the blood of a dog or a swine yet were they both like the blood of a lambe and though the one was accepted yet the other was abhorred So let all thy outward profession seeme neuer so holy yet not ioyned with a holy conuersation God detests it How may the Lord complaine against this citie as he did against Samaria Come to Bethel and transgresse Amos 4.4.5 to Gilgal and multiplie transgressions and bring your sacrifices in the morning and your Tithes after three yeeres And for a thanksgiuing of leauen publish proclaime the free offerings for this liketh you O yee children of Israel saith the Lord. In which he taxeth them for that after many sinnes committed they would come in the morning on their Sabbath daies and bring an offering or a tithe and offer it vp and then think God was well pleased So how manie in this Citie all the weeke long spend it in swearing lying oppression c. and then on the Lords day come to Church in the morning and heare a Sermon make a shew of louing holy exercises Oh this likes them well but this likes not the Lord for he accounts them hypocrites and dissemblers Yea these are they that do more hurt to religion and professors with their running after Preachers with their carrying of Bibles with their holy protestations and their liues odious then the common drunkard whoremonger vsurer c. There is nothing more odious in Gods sight then that man that caries the lampe of profession and denieth and disgraceth it by an vnholy life I end this point with the saying of our Sauiour to his Disciples and in them to all that take on them the profession of his name Matth. 5.16 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father that is in heauen And so much for the generall doctrine drawne from the Apostles dealing with the Hebrewes Now it followes according as it is in the Text. Let there bee no fornicatour You heard before that these words containe a dehortation from such vices as he knew would bring a scandall to the Gospell whereof he sets downe two speciall sinnes The first is here fornication The reasons wherefore he sets this downe were before shewed vnto vs. As also we heard why he sets downe this sinne rather then the sinne of adultery being a sinne of an higher degree Then it resteth we gather what we learne hence which is in that he labors to dehort or draw them from this sinne of fornication we learne that amongst other sinnes all that liue in the Church of God and sincerely professe the Gospell of Iesus Christ must labour by all meanes to shun and auoide the sinne of fornication adulterie incest whoredome and all of that kind It is too true that many professing the Gospel make a light account of fornicatiō oh they take it but a trick of youth And it may bee one reason of the Apostles dehorting or drawing them from this sinne being of like account amongst them But howsoeuer they or we make light account of it yet the holy Ghost accounts it a grieuous sin especially amongst such as professe the Gospell For he speakes not to Atheists but to Christians and such as had taken on them the profession of Christ Iesus his Gospel So I knowing that I preach to such as professe Christ and outwardly make a shew of louing both him and his word dehort and draw you from the sinne of fornication being no small or light sin but an odious and grieuous sinne I tell you a man or woman that haue giuen their names to Christ and laid their hands to the plow of the Gospell and yet liue in fornication or adulterie c. do liue in a wofull and fearefull estate And that this sin is a great sin specially of professors we may see by the words of the Apostle to the Corinthians who saith Be not deceiued 1. Cor. 6.9 neither fornicators nor idolators nor adulterers nor wantons nor buggerers nor theeues nor couetous nor drunkards nor railers nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdome of God Where the Apostle amongst the rascall row of capitall Sinnes placeth fornication as a master-sin and ringleader to other sins and bids them not to be deceiued for as light