Israelites hardning of their hearts in the wildernesse the crying sinnes of the Sodomites the haynous offences of the old world and the woefull disobedience of our first Parents in Paradise haue antiquitie for the maintenance of them if that would serue the turne but alas that is so farre from making any fault alowable that it causeth the committers thereof to be more in excuseable in as much as they haue not beene admonished by the falls of such as haue gone before them Therefore let vs neuer beare our selues in hand that we may warrantably take this or that course of life because others haue done so before vs vnlesse wee can euidently proue out of the scriptures that they haue done well in so doing Otherwise let vs rather feare as in this text wee are exhorted than presume to walke in their steps To God the Father to Iesus Christ his Sonne and to the holy Ghost be all honour and glory ascribed both now and for euermore Amen THE SECOND SERMON OF GODLY FEARE HEBREVVES 4. VERSE 1. Least at any time by forsaking the promise of entring into his rest any of you should seeme to be depriued LEast at any time These wordes doe shew the continuance of our watchfulnesse that it must be constant not at some times alone but at all times whence obserue this point that Whosoeuer vvould attaine to euerlasting life Doct. 4 Constant vvatchfulnesse required must stand constantly and perpetually vpon his guard euery Christian must keepe a continuall watch ouer his owne soule as well one day as another as well hereafter as for the present there is no time of intermission or of interruption granted Therefore is it that this same Apostle exhorteth saying Take heede brethren Heb. 3.12 least at any time there be in any of you an euill heart and vnfaithfull to depart away from the liuing God Pro. 28.14 And the vvise man saith Blessed is hee that feareth alwayes but hee that hardens his heart shall fall into euill Implying thereby that where this godly feare is at any time wanting there that partie is prone to fall into hardnesse of heart and so to proceed from one wickednesse vnto another The like caution is giuen by our Sauiour to his Disciples Take heede to your selues saith he least at any time your hearts be oppressed with surfetting Luk. 21.34 and drunkennesse and the cares of this life Neither is this vncessant watchfulnesse more than needes Reasons for First the diuell goes about continually at a roaring Lyon seeking whom he may deuoure 1 Pet. 5. Hee is as it were a strong and cunning thiefe that hath often marked euery place in our house where hee may breake in and if wee haue not a continuall eye vnto him hee is ready to take vs at an aduantage and to spoyle our soules of those good things vvhich the Lord hath vouchsafed vnto vs and when he is least suspected then is hee most industrious about his mischieuous practises Our warfare is different from that which earthly Princes doe exercise for they are some times altogether without danger but wee goe in continuall perill wee know not how soone Sathan will be vpon vs there is no moment wherein wee can secure our selues from his assaults and if we be not euermore in a readinesse to award off his blowes we are likely to receiue a deadly wound Yea vvee haue not onely our aduersary the diuell to encounter with but a more neere and dangerous enemy and withall very subtill euen our owne flesh which is ready vpon euery occasion to betray vs into the hands of Sathan haue we not then good reason alwayes to walke in feare If we had in our houses a theevish seruant albeit he did not lay waite for our liues nor were any way likely to endanger our whole estate but onely to defraud vs of some part of our substance vvould wee not haue an eye to such an one and that continually But especially if we had one within our doores that sought all opportunities to deliuer vs into the hands of our mortall enemy would wee not be euermore watchfull for the preuenting of such a mischiefe How much more vigilant then should wee be in matters spirituall seeing that our naturall corruption is exceeding treacherous and ready vpon euery occasion not to procure vs some slight inconuenience or small losse but to bring vs vnder the power and dominion of the Prince of darkenesse vvho is a vowed aduersary vnto all Gods elect Thirdly in regard of the Lord wee had need to keepe a perpetuall watch ouer our hearts for vvho knoweth how seuerely he may proceede against vs if vve for neuer so little a while doe wilfully shake off the yoake of obedience May not hee iustly giue vs ouer to a deluded minde and a profane spirit if we beginne to alow our soules in any knowen euill If vvee carelessely reiect his holy lawes may not his spirit iustly forsake our soule If wee conclude thus in our owne thoughts now will I take liberty for vvantonnesse and vncleanenesse for oppression and hard dealing and such like sinnes and hereafter I vvill become more chast and more mercifull c. May not God euen at this time deliuerws vp as prisoners vnto Sathan as hee hath dealt vvith sundry others and cause him so to manacle our hearts and affections that it shall cost vs many a bitter teare ere wee recouer our former libertie and freedome of spirit Nay further how if God should take vs with the manner and at that time strip vs of life it selfe Surely albeit wee being the seruants of the Lord and dying in repentance cannot perish vtterly yet shall we depart hence very vncomfortably and not leaue so good a report behinde vs as otherwise vve might haue done The doctrine thus confirmed serueth First Vse 1 for the sharpe reproofe of such aspropose vnto themselues set times vvherein they will giue their flesh the swing and let loose the raines vnto too much licenciousnesse And as at other times so especially vpon the Lords day when God would haue them wholy to attend vpon him then they take liberty for their vile and sinfull lusts giuing themselues ouer either to idlenesse at home or which is worse vnto profanenesse abroad For the weeke dayes many containe themselues ordinarily vvithin some good compasse being imployed in the workes of their vocation but on the Sabbath which the Lord hath set apart as holy vnto himselfe they runne violently vnto all manner of sinnefull recreations and base exercises and sports and so of Gods day they make that the Diuels day in so much that hee then knowes whereabout hee shall finde them euen busily imployed in his worke for they at sundry seasons openly professe and that a twelue moneths before Ryot and Drunkennesse and Carding and Dicing and dalliance and such like horrible abuses and make it knowne that then they minde to keepe open house for sinne and Sathan when they should set
cary away all the preferment and yet when the question is concerning the chiefe preferment of all which is to be a found Christian they put euery body before themselues they are content that others shall be Kings but they will be vassalls vnto sinne and Sathan What folly or rather madnesse is this Doe they imagine that they shall not come to iudgement as well as others Doth not experience manifest vnto them that age creepeth vpon them as well as vpon others That sicknesse taketh hold of them as well as of others That horrible vexations and terrours doe sease on them as vvell as on others And why then doth it not enter into their hearts that damnation belongs vnto them as well as vnto others if by speedy repentance they doe not preuent the same Now as some doe fondly and falsly conceiue that they shall be boren vvith in regard of their greatnesse so doe others hope in regard of their meanenesse to be dispensed with We are poore day-labourers and seruants say they who are to be imployed in worldly affaires and to spend our whole time that way I hope it is not required of vs that wee should be skild in the scriptures be able to conceiue prayer able to admonish offenders c. And therefore either they absent themselues from the Church altogether or els are carelesse and negligent and sleepie when they are there and if they be called to an account and examined vvhat they remember they make answere that they are wearied out with labouring in the weeke dayes and therefore they must haue rest vpon the Sabbath day That they were hired for their worke and that they will doe and no more they will not be examined nor catechized nor be held to any such strict orders But doth not the Lord in his holy word require obedience of poore men and of seruants as farre forth as of any Doth not he in the fourth commandement enioyne them to obserue not a bodily rest alone as beasts doe but an holy rest And whereas they say that they are so toyled out with worke that they cannot listen to Gods word that is but a fleshly and diuellish excuse for vvhen the Sermon is ended they are fresh and liuely enough to follow after their sports and sinnefull recreations if they may haue libertie so to doe and can take more paines that way than they haue done in their callings all the weeke before and therefore these vaine shifts shall not serue their turnes Gods threatnings are denounced against them and his iudgements haue beene executed vpon such as they are heeretofore and so shall they be still profane seruants and sinnefull poore men were not spared in the destruction of the olde world and of Sodom and Gomorra and wee reade in the Gospell that at the comming of Christ those that are labouring in the Field Mat. 24.40.41 and women that are grinding at the Mill shall be some of them cast off vnto destruction as well as others are receiued vnto saluation But all seruants are not of so meane a condition as some but there are a second sort that haue another pretence for their casting off of Christ his yoake and they are such as are followers of great men who alledge that it is not for their Masters honour for them to be religious or as they tearme it precise but to be proud and quarrelsome to be ruffians and roisters to be swearers and blasphemers to be drunkards and whore-Maisters these they thinke be for the credite of the house vnto which they appertaine and by these practises they hope to be-please their Masters But when they haue spent their daies in these courses can their Masters saue them from perdition which by their leudnesse they haue iustly deserued no surely the holy Ghost speaking of the mighty ones of the world sayth Psal 49.7.8 that they cannot redeeme their brother nor giue his ransome to God they cannot procure their naturall life to be prolonged one day nay nor one moment much lesse can they purchase the redemption of their soules that they should liue for euer and that in perpetuall blisse and happinesse Others there are that thinke they may haue a tolleration to be vaine and sinnefull because they are yong especially if they haue this resolution that when their youthfull bloud is spent and the vigour of their bodies gone they will betake themselues to more sober courses and repent for that which is past but till that time if they take their libertie vpon the Lords day and liue in idlenesse and profanenesse euery day you must pardon them but will God pardon them doth not he say Remember thy creatour in the dayes of thy youth Eccles 12.1 whiles the euill dayes come not nor the yeeres approach wherein thou shalt say I haue no pleasure in them And if they will not take his aduise marke what he sayth in another place Reioyce Eccles 11.9 O yong man in thy youth and let thine heart cheare thee in the dayes of thy youth c. This they can well like of be too ready to put in practise but what followeth But know sayth the Lord that for all these things thou must be brought to iudgement Dauid found that the sinnes of his youth lay heauy vpon him and therefore prayeth God would not remember them Psal 25.7 and shall we make so light of them Paul admonisheth Timothy a very sanctified and mortified yong man to flie the lusts of youth and shall we let loose the raines thereunto as if they were matters of nothing ah let vs not be so foole-hardie vnto our owne ruine and ouerthrow but considering how fearfully the Lord doth iudge many young men that giue vp themselues to fornication and adulterie and theft and all manner of vile and sinfull behauiour as namely that some of them die an vntimely death being either brought to the gallowes or some other way strangely cut off and that others hauing great reuenewes left vnto them are notwithstanding cast into extreme miserie and necessitie and that some others being well descended are for all that branded with egregious infamie and reproch considering I say these and the like extraordinary tokens of Gods heauie displeasure against sundrie lisencious yong men let vs take warning by their example and consecrate the first fruits of our yeeres vnto him by spending our time religiouslie and profitablie in some good course or other Secondly Vse 2 sithence the care of saluation pertaineth vnto all indifferently let Ministers hence learne to deale equally with those that are vnder their charge and not know any man after the flesh to respect him more or lesse for that hee is rich or poore high or low or the like but giue euery one their due portion of spirituall food which they in the wisedome of the Spirit iudge to be most fit for them let them not feare to administer an admonition or reprehension to the greatest and wealthiest neither let them
vnto vs out of the word of God that must wee take as proceeding from God and thinke that God euen then doth speake vnto vs himselfe from heauen as indeed he doth according to that in 2 Cor. 5.20 For this cause must we hearken with reuerence beleeue with stedfastnes and practise with obedience whatsoeuer the Lord our Gâ—d shall make knowne vnto vs. But now alas many doetake that which is spoken as the word of man and cast it behinde their backes as a matter not much to be respected but those that doe so doe despise God himselfe Lâ—k 10.16 As this may teach vs what to iudge of preaching of the Word so it may allure our soules to come vnto it For shall Christ like a Schoole-master come to teach vs and shall not we like good schollers draw neere to heare him If the Kings Maiestie should set vp a schoole and reade Lectures vnto men would not we flocke vnto him and presse vpon him with great companies But behold here is one greater then the King that doth come to teach vs it is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords euen the very wisedome of God it selfe And therefore let vs hasten vnto his house and attend at his gates to heare what he shall say vnto vs. In the last place wee haue here a caueat and a comfort for the Minister in that he is but the voice and mouth of Christ and the Word that he doth speake is not his owne A caueat that hee doe vtter nothing but what he is sure doth come from Christ A comfort in that he is so highly aduanced as that Christ is content to speake vnto men by him and in him Hee is no lesse honored hereby then an ambassadour is when hee is made the mouth of his King Yea much more honored then he But to leaue Christ teaching let vs come to the person whom he taught It was his Church My welbeloued spake and said vnto me Hee doth direct his words to her and not to others But why to her Was shee now at this time ignorant and so to be instructed Or was she in trouble and so to be comforted Or was she in a fault and so to be corrected or was shee negligent in her dutie and so to be quickned vp for which of these foure causes did he now speake vnto her for the last as the words following in the text it selfe doe shew where she is willed to Arise and to come away Here I might take an occasion in that Christ doth thus direct his words vnto her to shew vnto you that the word of God is a treasure bestowed onely vpon the Saints It is proper to Gods children onely and not common to the wicked For howsoeuer the sound thereof be gone through out the world and all people haue heard the same according to the letter yet the sauing fruit and benefit thereof hath redounded onely to them that are of the house-hold of Faith This I might easily confirme vnto you to be true in three respects The first is for the knowledge of it the second for the faith of it and the third for the practise of it For howsoeuer the wicked haue a certaine kinde of knowledge and a certaine kinde of faith and a certaine kinde of practise yet they haue neither the sanctifying knowledge of it nor the iustifying faith of it nor the vniuersall practise of it The God of heauen hath kept these three as proper and peculiar Iewels for his owne alone But this point I will passe ouer Doct. The onely thing that I will now vrge is this that the best that are are to be taught and schooled in the wayes of their good as the Church here was by our Sauiour Dauid was a man according to Gods owne heart yet Mathan must come vnto him to schoole him for his fault which hee committed with Vriahs vvife as it is in the beginning of the twelfth Chapter of the second booke of Samuell Asa was a reformed King ruling with his good and remaining faithfull with his Saints yet Azariah the sonne of Obed must come vnto him to stirre him vp to seeke the Lord as it is in the beginning also of the fifteenth Chapter of the second booke of the Chronicles Zerubbabel vvas a valiant Prince and couragious for the honour of his GOD yet Haygay the Prophet and Zachariah the sonne of Iddo must come vnto him to set him forward about the building of Gods house at Ierusalem as it is also in the beginning of the fift Chapter of Ezra In a vvord to pretermit many examples Timothie was a rare youth being more like an Angell descending from heauen then a man ascending from the earth hee did so spend himselfe like a candle for the good of Gods people yet Paul must vvrite vnto him two Epistles to admonish him of his dutie and to teach him how to behaue himselfe in the Church the house of God which is the ground and pillar of truth 1 Tim. 3.15 The reasons hereof are three First Reason because they are ignorant in many points and doe not know all those things that concerne the Lords vvorship and their owne peace Here we know in part and here wee Prophesie in part 1 Cor. 13.9 And howsoeuer Dakid was a deepe scholler knowing more then all his teachers Psal 119.99 yet hee was so blind in some things that hee was more like a beast therein then a man as hee doth confesse of himselfe in Psal 73.22 when he saith So foolish was I and ignorant I was a beast before thee Secondly because they are delinquents and doe not performe all that which they know but faile exceedingly therein In many things saith Iames Chapter 3.2 wee sinne all And although Saint Paul were a sanctified man farre aboue many others yet hee bewayleth his owne estate in this regard very much especially when hee saith in Rom. 7.9 I doe not the good thing which I would but the euill which I would not that doe I. Thirdly because they are faint-harted and are ready oftentimes to giue ouer their goodnesse chiefely in the time of presecution As for me saith Dauid Psal 7â— 2 My feete were almost gone my steps had wel-neere slipt And albeit Ehab was a rare man one of 1000. yet in the anguish of his soule hee desired that hee might die and said It is now enough O Lord take my soule for I am no better then my fathers 1 King 19.4 In all these respects they are to be taught and schooled that so they may not erre in iudgement but hold all things according to the truth that so they may not wander out of the path of righteousnesse but walke still in the same that so lastly they may not faint vnder any crosse or affliction but be constant therein to their dying dayes So that continuall teaching is necessarie for them in regard of determination in matters of faith of conuersation in matters of workes and of consolation in matters of triall The