then they shall be glad to be converted then they shall be glad to come out of their sins then they shall be glad to get grace and seek reconciliation with God but alas they saw not this then but God foresaw it well enough then shall they call but I will not answer they shall seek me early but they shall not find me Lastly here is the frustration of their hope which hath two things in it First in regard of themselves in regard of the flaw in their seeking it being not aright Secondly in regard of the Justice of God who rewards every man according to their works But I will not hear them Whence observe this point of Doctrine Those that will not hear when he calleth them God will not hear them when they call unto him Those that will not hear the Lord when he calleth upon them by the ministery of his Word and voyce of his Spirit the Lord will not hear them when in their misery they call upon him Thus the Lord dealt with the people in Ezekiels dayes the Lord called them to repentance and obedience but when they stood out and neglected the opportunity of grace and seasons of conversion see how God deals with them though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice yet I will not hear them saith the Lord. When men have gone beyond the time of Gods mercy and out rowed the tyde of Gods forbearance and will not returne the Lord sets it down with himselfe that his wrath shall return upon them he will no longer forbear they had a time wherein the Lord did pity them and offered grace and mercy unto them but they neglecting this season and withstanding this proffer of grace God resolves with himselfe they shall never have it again There was a time wherein God did pity them but now he will not pity them any more twenty five years he called unto them and sought to bring them home but because they stood out and refused the Lord saith I will love Ephraim no more Beloved there is a double day a white day and a black day there is a day of salvation Isa 49. 9. this is the day in the which the Lord said to the prisoners Come forth and to those that lye in their sins repent and beleeve Now if any man will come forth and humble his soul before the Lord let him come and welcome for it is a day of salvation But there is another day of damnation which is a dark day a black and a duskie day wherein the Lord will visit the sinnes of the world and revenge the quarrell of his Covenant Hos 9. 7. The day of visitation is come yea the day of recompence the people shall know it the Prophet is a fool and the spirituall man is mad Beloved we are fools and all the spirituall men under heaven are mad that lay not this day to heart For the day of the Lord is a day of visitation and all the world shall rue it though now men sleep in securitie If once mercie be rejected and God turn away his ear from a man then grace shall be no more the door of life shall for ever be shut up against him and when once this day comes he hath lost his own place and deprived himselfe of eternall happinesse Now there are three reasons of this point the first is the law of retaliation of rendring like for like which is the justest law that can be made with man for to give unto every man according to his works to make him take such as he brings as the Heathen calls it to give a man quid for quâ— Now if God call upon thee and thou wilt not hear it is righteousnesse with God yea equity with God that is more that when thou callest on him he should not hear thee For thus runs the tenor of Gods Word Prov. 28. 9. He that turns away his ear from hearing the Law euen his prayers shall be abominable He that turns away his ear from Gods Law God will turn away his eare from his prayer He that turns it is spoken in the present tense that is he that now turns away his ear his prayer shall be abominable in the future tense that is the Lord marks what master or servant what father or mother what husband or wife what man or woman it is that turns away the ear of his head or the ear of his heart from hearing his will and obeying of his Commandements the Lord takes speciall notice of it and sets it down in his Calendar and records it in his Memoriall keeping a strict account thereof as if God should say Well is it so I now call and will not this man or that woman answer Do I now stretch out my hands and will not they take care to obey me Well let them alone saith God there is a day coming that I shall be a hearing of them times of sorrow and misery will take hold of them and then they in their affliction will cry unto me but I will not hear they will beg for mercy but I will not regard they will seek me early but they shall not finde me It was one of the Articles of high Treason brought in against Cardinall Woolsey that he had the pox and a stinking breath and yet durst come into the Kings presence So it shall be an Article against thee of high treason before the King of heaven if thou come into his presence with the stinking breath of thy sins living in thy lusts and wallowing in thy filthinesse all thy prayers are but as so many stinking breaths in the nostrils of the Lord and every dutie that thou performest unto the Lord shall be as so many Articles of high treason against thee to condemne thee because thou livest in rebellion and a Traitor against God His prayer shall be abominable he doth not say I will turn away mine ear from hearing his prayer which turns away his ear from hearing my law that is the true exposition of the words no but like for like is sometimes injustice for if a man should strike a Magistrate a box on the ear it were not justice for him to give him another for it is a greater sin to strike a Magistrate than any other common person and therefore a greater punishment the Law requireth So God doth not say he will turn away his ear from hearing his prayer but will serve him in a worse kind he will count it abominable yea abomination in the abstract it shall be loathsome yea lothsomnesse it selfe in the worst manner Galat. As a man soweth so shall he reap if thou sow sparingly thou shalt sparingly if thou sow a dull ear to Gods Word thou shalt reapaâ—dull ear from God to thy praier for God will reward every man according to his works Secondly because of the time of Gods Attributes both mercy and justice VAIN THOUGHTS ARRAIGNED At the Barre of Gods JUSTICE SET FORTH In a
promises for thou hast a great work to doe and happily thou mayst goe six monethes and not see the face of a good Minister nor talk with a good Minister when there shall be no more Rogers Hookers Beadles and Cottons to talk with and you shall wander about in the woods your faith will support you then it will doe you some good When all the people had lost David Eleazer one of the Worthies arose and smote the Philistines 2 Sam. 11. 23. So when all Gods Ministers shall leave thee and then to fight it out against thine own lusts and the Divell and his temptations will be hard and this Faith thou hast need of when thy books and all helps shall be taken from thee What need hast thou of strong Faith when thou must fight against half a score Papists and an Army of temptations and a world of Divils from Hell then thou hast need of a stronger Faith then ordinarie When you shall take your leave of your children and never see them more then thou hast need of Faith to invest thee into the promises Hebr. 11. 21. By Faith Jacob blessed both the sonnes of Joseph when he was a dying so when thou art to leave thy wife and children and never to see them more what Faith hast thou need of to invest them into the Promises and to say I look to see you another day in Heaven the Lord be with you my deare wife and children I shall never see you any more here but I beleeve that one day we shall meet together in a world of happinesse where we shall be together in glory for ever and ever AMEN THE GREAT DIGNITY OF THE SAINTS In a SERMON By WILLIAM FENNER Minister of the Gospel sometimes Fellow of Pembroke Hall in Cambridge and late Lecturer of Rochford in Essex London Printed by E. T. for John Stafford THE GREAT DIGNITY OF THE SAINTS HEB. 11. 28. Of whom the world was not worthy COncerning the Author or Penman of this holy Epistle I will not now stand to discusse But this is certaine who ever was the Scribe the Spirit of God was the Inditer and all Scripture is given by Divine inspiration 2 Tim. 3. 16. For the Coherence the Spirit of God having exhorted the Believers how to continue in the Faith and with patience to undergoe those trials which accompany the profession of it and having back it with Arguments he cometh in this Chapter to professe the same And you shall find in this whole Chapter he layes down Arguments to back the exhortations which are taken from the Excellency of faith The holy Ghost discovers it two wayes First by a generall description in the three first verses and after by the worthy examples of the faithful in the Church of old First the generall description of Faith in the first verse Faith is the ground of things c. Faith makes things hoped for subsist to a Beleever Secondly he describes the essentiall properties of it It makes Beleevers to be well accounted of both of God and man verse second Thirdly he shews that Faith makes beleevers to understand and beleeve things incredible to reason Secondly he describes Faith by examples and patterns of Faith in the Church of old and those are set down severally one by one from the fourth verse to the 32 where he sets down the example of Moses and Abraham and then from verse 32. to the end of the chapter he sets down the example of the Saints together and that because the number of them was infinite Ergo he dispatches them and passes by them with bare naming of them as what shall I make mention of Gideon c and so he shews what great things they did by Faith and then he brings in this verse Of whom the world was not worthy To come to the words they are brought in by the holy Ghost to answer to a secret Objection that the holy Ghost did foresee that the wicked persecutors of the Church would conceive against the godly Viz. Why did they wander up and down were beleevers cruelly dealt withal yes for alas what were they they were and are baggage people not worthy to live in the world Now the holy Ghost takes away this objection as if he should have said you are deceived in them for the world is not worthy of them they were and are too good to live in the world But before I come to the main we will note something in general Viz. That it hath been the property of wicked men and is still to think whatsoever the godly have is too good for them Ye shall be hated of all men Matth. 24. And have not the saints of God found it so what a hard conceit had the Iews of Christ He is not worthy to live So of Paul Acts 22. They were accounted the off scouring of the world 2 Cor. 4. 13. And as it was in the Apostles times so it is now and would you know the reason First because God hath chosen them out of the world John 15. 19. For when Gods people were as she world is carnal and sensual c. then the world gave them the right hand of fellowship But when a change appeared in the godly then the world changed too 2. Because the wicked know not the godly viz. they know them not to be Gods children so saith the Apostle They speak evil of the things that they know not Jude 10. They know him as he is rich or as he comes of such and such a parentage but as he is a child of God they know him not This world knows him not because it knows not God 1 Iohn 3. 1. And hence it is that Gods children are called sirangers yea and are used strangely even because they know not God and Ergo they know not the child 3. Because wicked men measure others by themselves and because they runne not into the same excesse of riot ergo they speak evill of them 1. Pet. 3. 5. 4. Because there ever was and ever will be contrariety between the seed of the woman and the Serpent Esau will deale very hardly with Iacob they that are borne of the devil will hate them that are born of God 1 Iohn 3. 12. First This should teach the godly when they are hardly dealt with in the world in any kind not to be discouraged Think it not strange it hath alwayes been so neither must you look for better dealing with wicked men Secondly seeing the world deales so hardly with you see that you doe not measure like for like but pray ye unto God for them to open their eyes Now we come to the words themselves Of whom the world was not worthy The holy Ghost in this place would discover two things First the little worth of the world of wicked men viz. how that they are not worthy to come into the presence of the Godly Secondly the great worth of the godly Viz. They are
too good for the world First the world viz. the wicked in the world are very little worth not worth one godly man or woman in it whence observe that Gods Children are worthy persons But before I handle this point I will give the sence and meaning of the words 1. This word World is diversly taken Sometims it is taken for the whole Fabrick of Heaven and earth Iohn 1. 10. He was in the world and the world was made by him and the world knew him not So Acts 17. 24. God that made the world c. 2. Sometimes it is taken for all mankind good and bad So Rom. 5. 12. As by one man sin entred into the world viz. sin entred into the men which are in the world 3. Sometimes it is taken for the elect onely so Iohn 1. 29. Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sinne of the world viz. the elect in the world Again God so loved the world c. Iohn 3. 1. 16. viz. his elect in the world Again we beleeve this is the Saviour of the world Iohn 4. 42. viz. of the elect in the world But why are the godly called the world I answer first because the world was made for them and it is continued yet for their sakes Secondly they may be called the world because they are scattered through the world and that not onely among the Iewes but even among the Gentiles also Thirdly they may be called the world because in themselves they are a world of people but yet compare them with the Devils drove they are few even as the shaking of the Olive tree Isaiah 17. 6. yet in themselves they are as the Starres in number Genesis 15. 5. And Balaam said who can number the dust of Iacob Numb 22. 10. Sometimes it is taken for the reprobates in the world so John 15. 19. If you were of the world the world would love its owne It is plain also in the prayer of Christ I pray not for the world John 17. 9. And they may fitly be called the world First because they are the worlds Citizens they mind the things of the world they follow nothing but the world Secondly because they are the greatest part of the world Sometimes the world is taken for the things in the world those things wherewith the Devill uses to draw men from God as the lusts of the flesh the lusts of the eyes the pride of life 1. John 2. 16. Sometimes for the happy estate and condition the godly shall enjoy after this life So Luke 20 35. They which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world c. Now whereas the Apostle saith of whom the world was not worthy I take it he means wicked men in the world and those are they that are not worthy the company of the godly And because I intend to shew the unworthinesse of the world I will shew first that the things in this world are little worth Secondly that the men in the world are little worth First I will shew you that the things in the world are little worth as Riches Honours pleasures c. they are called deceitfull riches and Christ calls them the Mammon of iniquity Luke 16. 9. trash Luke 8. 14. Snares 1 Tim. 6. 9. They are called uncertain riches Now these base titles must needs argue that they are little worth for were they worth more God would set better Titles on them And Salomon who had best experience of them yet hee termes them vanity Eccles 1 2. and 11. Secondly they are little worth because they are very unprofitable they cannot pofit a man It is plain by the speech of Samuel 1. Sam. 12. 21. Vain things which cannot profit c. Thirdly they are little worth because they cannot further a man in the main thing at which he should aime they may further a man in some trifles but not in the maine thing There is no true good comes to a man by all the riches in the world neither can they free a man from the evill day neither can they make you better either in respect of God or your selves First in respect of God they cannot make you better esteemed with God for he regards not the rich more then the poore Job 34. 19. He doth not account of a man according to his greatnesse but according to his goodnesse Prov. 20. 7 8. Better is a poor man that walks in his integrity then a King that is perverse in his wayes Secondly they cannot better him in respect of God because they cannot assure him of the love of God Thirdly they cannot make a man more mindfull of God nay they corrupt mens hearts they make a man more forgetfull of God It is thus with the greatest part of men in the world that are worldly rich it is with them as it was with the Prodigall who while he had money in his purse never did he think on his Father Fourthly the things of this world cannot make a man more thankfull to God but rather the contrary ut supra Fifthly the things of this world cannot draw a man neerer unto God You see that the more men have the more negligent they are in Gods service Secondly in respect of our selves First all the things of this life cannot in rich a mans soule with grace they cannot make him humble nor mercifull nor constant in the profession of godlinesse and good duties nay it rather makes them the more unmeet to any goodnesse where there is gaine in the chest there is losse in the Conscience he that gets money apace may lose Faith and a good Conscience and they that most cover for abundance of the things of this life are most backward in Grace and this argues that the things of this life are little worth even in respect of a mans selfe Secondly they are not able to free a man from any spirituall evill they may promise freedome but when they come to the triall they will be like a broken staffe nay they cannot free thee so much as from an ague much lesse will they help in the day of the Lords wrath when the rich man shall be called to an account and the Lord will recompence every man according to his wayes So Prov. 11. 4. Riches profit not in the day of wrath True it is they may be as a wall of brasse to keep off the evil of this world yet when the houre of death approacheth they cannot free from that when you are affrighted with the accusation of your owne Consciences and with the apprehension of Gods wrath when the Devill shall set upon you and all your friends forsake you shall the things of this life then doe you any pleasure no no. You wil say to them then as Job to his friends miserable comforters are you all this argues their little worth For God will not examine you how rich you have been but he will consider you as you have honoured him and as
know them you would not doe it for had they knowne the Lord of life they would not have crucified him 1 Cor. 2. 8. so if such as doe persecute Gods children did but know their worth and that they were his children they would not do it Let us esteem godly men and women as persons of great worth The Saints of God have alwaies done so Saint Lawrence being demanded by his persecutors wherein the worth of the Church lay the story saith he gathered a companie of poor people together and pointed at them and said there lies the worth of the Church so I have read of an ancient King who made a great feast and invited a company of poor people which were Christians and he bade his Nobles also now when the Christians came he had them up into the Presence Chamber but when the Nobles came he set them in his hall Being of the Nobles demanded the reason he answered I doe not this as I am their Kyng here for I respect you more then them but as I am a King of another world I must needs honour these because God doth most honour them and then they shall be Kings and Princes with me soe doe you esteeme of them according to their worth and shew it If they be persons of such great worth here you may be directed how to get a name of worth in the world to be honoured of God This is the way labour to be beleevers serve God and close with the godly be of one minde and of one heart with them Honour is the thing that all desire according to that of Saul to Samuel Honour me before the Elders of my people so we are all ready to say oh that I could be honoured in the heart of those that I converse withall I say then thou must labour to serve and honour God in thy heart let that be thine honour It is a meere folly for men to think to get honour by swearing by lying by cutting and slashing and drunkennesse c. The sweet ointment of a good name is not compounded of stinking ingredients That should serve to comfort the godly that seeing they are of so great worth what though they be disgraced here let this suffice thee God that knows the true worth of every thing he accounts thee worthy what though dogs bark and crie out against thee for thy holinesse let them alone and know thou this that the time will come when never a curre of them all but will wish oh that mine end might be like his and that they might goe as thy dogge to heaven with thee when they shall see thee sitte at his right hand where are pleasures for evermore Lastly you that approve your selves to be of the number of the godly labour to walke worthy of the Lord. Colos 1. 10. Doth God thus advance you then strive you to honour him with inward and outward worship God hath not done these things for you that you may live as you list no you are a chosen generation c. 1 Pet. 2. 19. Ergo you must shew forth the vertue of him that hath called you You that are parents of children the more you doe for them the more you look they should honour you the more God hath done for you the more you ought to feare him God hath drawn you out of darkenesse into a marvellous light and will you yet walke as vassals of Satan This was that kept Josoph from committing adultery even the favour of advancement and how then can I doe this great wickednesse saith he so thou art advanced to honour from a childe of the devill to be the son of God how then canst thou commit wickednesse Consider I say how God hath advanced thee from being a slave of Satan to be his adopted son and shall I now become a covetous person shall I be a companion of Gods enemies when you are enticed by the divell or wicked men to any sin say what shall such a man as I consent shall I flie from my colours what a Kings son and flie Consider this THE TIME OF GODS GRACE Is limited In a SERMON By WILLIAM FENNER Minister of the Gospel sometimes Fellow of Pembroke Hall in Cambridge and late Lecturer of Rochford in Essex London Printed by E. T. for John Stafford THE TIME OF GODS GRACE Is limited GEN. 6. 3. The Lord said My Spirit shall not alway strive with man because he is but flesh and his dayes shall be a hundred and twenty yeares IN this Chapter is continued the History of the decay of the World wherein is described Gods purpose of destroying mankind in which are these two parts First the meritorious deserving Cause wherein God gives an account what he doth how inexcusable the world is and how just God is unto the. 14 verse Secondly a direction unto Noah to make an Arke where we may see that God in his judgement remembers mercy The meritorious deserving cause is described first from the quantity of those persons in those evill dayes a great many verse the first men began to multiply in places populous where there are some good there are many bad Secondly by the quality of those persons the Sons of God when they saw the daughters of men the sonnes of God viz. the posterity of them that maintained Religion they began to be carelesse and carnally confident they did looke after the profits and pleasures of this life and then it was high time for God to enter into Judgement Thirdly by the kind of sinne They lusted after unlawfull Marriages c. and the root of this was originall corruption the Imaginations of mans heart were onely evill and that continually verse 5. These words are a Proclamation of Gods purpose to bring it to an end in which are four things First the Lords complaint in these words The Lord said Secondly the proclamation it selfe in these words my Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man Thirdly the reason because he is but flesh Fourthly the limitation of the time a hundred and twenty years in which time if they repent I will repent but if they will not my Spirit shall not alway strive As if the Lord had said I have tried all conclusions and used all means partly by Mercies to allure them partly by Judgements to terrifie them partly by my word to recall them and by all meanes possible to bring them to my selfe yet they remaine incorrigible I now am resolved to strive with them no more From the words thus opened there will naturally arise these two points First that the Lord of Heaven and earth doth strive mightily with a company of poore Rebells and all to bring them unto himselfe but on this I intend not to insist The seond is this viz. that there is a time when God will strive with men â—o more and that in this life The scope of this aimes at the whole world but what is said in generall may also be said
End 1. Thoughts are Meterially vain When the matter of them is vain ibid. Such are the thoughts of the world our calling or recreation these are evil 1. When we think of them primarily that is before we think of God 59. 2. When we think of them too usually too often ibid. 3. When we think of them too savourily 60. 4. When we think of them without counsel ibid. 5. When they are thoughts needlesly ibid. 2. Thoughts are vain formally when though the matter of them be never so good yet the manner of thinking them is evill 61. It is possible for a man to go to hell though he perform the same things for the matter of them that a godly man doth ibid. 3. Thoughts are vaine efficiently when the heart that thinketh upon them is earthly and vaine 62. 4. Thoughts are vain when the drift and end of the soul in thinking on them is vain 63. Wicked men will be thinking of God 1. To make God amends for their dishonouring of him by their wicked thoughts ibid. 2. To collogue with God and to flatter him 64. 3. To smoother and choak their own consciences ibid. The Contents of the fifth SERMON 1 Corinth 6. 2. 1. AN Explanation of the Text together with the veses foregoing and following 67. Doctrine The Saints shall judge the world 68. Objection How shall the Saints judge the world 69. Answer 1. By their consent unto Christs Judgement ibid. 2. By their applause to Christs judgement ibid. 3. By their Majesty then shall they shine as stars in the firmament and the wicked shall be amazed at the sight of them ibid. 4. By their lives and conversations their accepting of the Lord Jesus Christ they shal judge the worlds rejecting of him ibid. Three Reasons of the point 1. First because of that mystical union that is betwixt Christ and his Saints so when Christ judgeth the world the whole body of Christ may be said to judge the world 70. 2. In regard of their sufferings with Christ as they are judged by the world so they shall be judges of the world ibid. 3. For the greater terror to all wicked men at the day of judgement ibid. 4. Because the mouthes of wicked men may bee stopped and that they may have no excuse for themselves ibid. Use 1. For information in five particulars 1. Hence we may learne that the Saints by their now being Saints do now judge the world 71. Wherein Heb. 11. 7. is cleared from an Objection 2. Hence let the world learne that when any one sinner is converted there is one Judge more to sit upon them 72. 3. Hence we may learn that it concerns all the world to take notice of every grace in Gods children because there is never a grace in any of the Saints but it shall make for the condemnation of them that want it ibid. 4. Learne hence that if the Saints then much more the word that begets them shall judge the world 73. 5. Learne hence also that the Ministers of God by every Sermon they preach shall judge the world ibid. Use 2. For to condemn the world who see not an amiablenesse in the faces of the Saints who shall one day be their Judges who shall judge both Saints and Angels 74. 2. This sheweth the folly of the wicked who prepare not for these Judges ibid. Lastly it condemnes all those that do not see glory and majesty in the face of Gods Saints he that revileth the Saints revileth his Iudges ibid Who shall judge the World 1. God the Father by way of authority all judgement is originally from him 75. 2. God the Son by way of dispensation ibid. 3. God the holy Ghost by way of conviction 76. 4. The Word of God by way of form it being the platforme according to which Christ will judge the whole world ibid. 5 All the Ministers of God shall sit as Justices in common 77. 6. All the Saints from one end of the world to the other shall assist the just Iudge of Heaven and Earth ibid. So that the wicked shall not be able to plead ibid. 1. Their Ignorance ibid. 2. Nor their Poverty ibid. 3. Neither their sinning at their masters command 78. 4. Neither Callings or Trade ibid. 5. Neither the sinfull times they live in ibid. Use 3. First for the just reproof of many of the Saints of God because they are not so circumspect over their wayes as they ought how will they be able to rise up in judgement against the wicked for such sins as they them selvs live in ibid. 2. It may serve to condemne some of the Saints of God in regard of that little difference that is to be found betwixt the wicked of the world and them in their lives and manners it is hard to tell which is a Saint and which is a Reprobate by their conversations 3. It may serve to condemn the scandalousnesse of many persons in their behaviour and actions 80. The Contents of the sixth Sermon on 1 Cor. 11. 30. Doct. 1. FRom the 18. v. that whosoever will come to the holy Communion they must examine themselves that so they may come warthily 83. The Apostle gives three Reasons of it 1. From the end of the Sacrament 2. From the wrong men offer to Christ if they come in their sins ibid. 3. From the wofull wrong that a man doth to his own soul that cometh without preparation ibid. The Uses of the point are these 1. For the reproof of those that coming unpreparedly get no spirituall strength thereby ibid. 2. For terrour to unworthy receivers 85. 3. To shew they make themselves liable to Gods temporary plagues ibid. 4. For instruction to examine our selves ibid. 5. He concludes with an use of exhortation 86. An Explanation of the Words Doct. 2. God doth most severely punish the unworthy receivers of the Lords Supper 87. Foure Reasons hereof 1 Because Christ himselfe instituted it ibid. 2. Because Christ is the matter of it and therefore the more heynous the defilement 89. 3. Because Christ is the forme of it wherein confirming grace is sealed to the soul 90. 4. Because Christ is the end of the Sacrament ibid. Use 1. For Instruction shewing whence sicknesse weaknesse c. come 91. From whence comes hardnesse of heart c. 92. Use 2. For comfort unto every poor afflicted soul c. 93. Use 3. For terror to those that come unpreparedly 94. Object Do all that come unworthily eat and drink their own damnation Answ A man may eat and drink his own damnation three ways 1. In regard of guilt and liablenesse to Gods wrath 96. 2. In regard of the seal and obligation in the conscience ibid. 3. In regard of the sigillation in heaven ibid. Lastly the conclusion denouncing terror to all those that dare rush upon this holy ordinance 205. But for comfort to all them who with all diligence set upon the preparing of their souls for this great Ordinance ibid. The Contents
duty 407. Three divine truths in the Text and context 1. Hypocrisie in a day of fasting and prayer takes away the life of the duty 408. 2. False and slight Hypocrites will be frequent in fasting and prayer 409. 3. Fasting rightly performed will put an edge upon every duty especially upo prayer ibid. Doctr. 1. Hypocrisie in any duty takes away the life of the duty ibid. Arguments to prove that it is so 1. Because all falsenesse and hypocrisie is directly against the nature of God 410. 2. Hypocrisie gives a blow to the ordinances of God 111. 3. Hypocrites do pervert the ordinance ibid. Use 1. For reproofe of those aery and outside duties that we performe ibid. Use 2. For information to teach us how to fast aright 412. Motives to fast in sincerity 1. Consider your selves as upon your death-beds when duties hypocritically performed will be corrosives in stead of cordials ibid. 2. Because if you bring any duty to God without sincerity it is nothing 413. Three Rules tending to this 1. Consider whether the work you this day come about do spring from living principles ibid. 2. Whether your opposition to sin be carried on strongly and unchangeably 414. 3. Whether you more mind how God accepts you then what he gives you ibid. The Contents of the nine and twentieth SERMON upon Iob 30. 31. 32. Doctr. REsolution to reforme should be upon the hearts of them that smart under the rod of the Lord. 417. In the prosecution of this doctrine three things are treated of 1. What kind of reformation it must be that we are to resolve of under the rodde 418. 2. What arguments should prevail with us to bring us to this resolution ibid. 3. What course we should take in reforming ibid. For the first we are to consider those six particulars 1. That our reformation must have reference to God who useth the rod ibid 2. Our work in reforming must be guided by God himself 419 3. We must reforme in one particular as well as in another ibid. 4. We are not only to reforme what we our selves know to be amisse but to inquire and be willing to be informed by others ibid. 5. We should so resolve to reforme as to binde our selves by solemn covenant for the future ibid. 6. We are not only to do it joyntly with a Family a Town a City but severally every one by himself alone 420. For the Second take these Arguments or Reason to perswade you to reforme and they are of two kinds Some in relation to God 1. Because God calls for Reformation under Correction ibid. 2. Because it is for our sins that God corrects us 421. 3. God is just and gratious in every stroke that he layes upon us ibid. 4. He knows our frame and how much we can beare ibid. 5. God is no respecter of persons 422. 6. Our reformation is the end that God aymes at in correcting us ibid. 7. God counts himself honoured in his peoples reformation ibid. Others in relation to our selves and they are either driving 1. Because not to reforme under the rod is a signe of unspeakable foolishnesse 423 2. It is a signe of extraordinary brutishnesse ibid. Or drawing arguments 2. Because to reforme is the way to gaine the comfort of the Lord 425. 3. If we reforme our sufferings will turne to our joy and everlasting comfort 425. For the third the course we are to take in reforming 1. We are to informe our selves from Scripture concerning the sinfulnesse and uglinesse of that from which we are to reforme 426. 2. We are to be deeply humbled for what ever we can discover to be out of order in our minds or actions ibid. 3. We must enter into a Covenant with God that having reformed we will sin no more 427. The Titles and Texts of the several SERMONS contained in this Volume THe Use and Benefit of Divine Meditation HAGGAI 1. 5. Now therefore saith the Lord of Hosts consider your wayes page 1. Another sermon upon the same Text HAGGAI 1. 5. The Danger of deferring Repentance PROVERBS 1 28. Then shall they call upon me but I will not answer they shall seek me early but they shall not find me p. 29. Vain Thoughts Arraigned at the Barre of Gods Justice PHIL. 3. 18. 19. For many walke of whom I have told you often and now tell you weeping that they are the enemies of the crosse of Christ whose end is destruction whose belly is their God whose glory is their shame who mind earthly things p. 43. The Judgement of the World by the Saints at the last day 1 COR. 6. 2. Know ye not that the Saints shal Judge the world p. 67. The Punishment of unworthy Communicants 1 COR. 11. 30. For this cause many are weake and sick among you and many sleep p. 83. The Duty of Communicants COR. 11. 28. But let a man examine himself and so let him eate of that Bread and drink of that Cup. p. 101. The Duty of Reprovers and Persons Reproved PROV 19. 1. He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy p. 121. The Misery of Earthly Thoughts ISAIAH 55. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him returne unto the Lord c. p. 139. The Necessity of Self-denial LUKE 9. 23. And he said unto them all If any man will come after me let him deny himself c. p. 151. The Efficacy of importunate Prayer LUKE 11. 9. Ask and it shall be given unto you seek and you shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you p. 163. Another Sermon on the same Text. LUKE 11. 9. The Necessity of Gospel-obedience COLOS. 1. 10. That you might walke worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing being fruitfull unto every good work p. 187. Another Sermon on the same Text. COLOS. 1. 10. A Caveat against late repentance Lu 23. 42. And he said unto Jesus Lord remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom p. 209. The Soveraigne Vertue of the Gospel PSAL. 147. 3. He healeth them that are broken in heart and bindeth up their wounds p. 223. A Funerall Sermon ISAIAH 57. 1. The Righteous perish and no man layeth it to heart and mercifull men are taken away none considering that the Righteous are taken from the evill to come p. 241. The Signes of Gods forsaking a People JEREM. 14. 1 And we are called by thy Name leave us not p. 251. The Sacrifice of the Faithful LAMENT 3. 57. Thou drewest nigh in the day that I called upon thee thou saidst Fear not p. 265. The Misery of the Creatures by the sin of man ROM 8. 22. For we know that every Creature groaneth with us also and travelleth in paine together unto this present p. 295. The Christian his Imitation of CHRIST 1 JOHN 2. 6. He that saith he remaineth in him ought even so to walk as he hath walked p. 313. The Enmity of the wicked to the
unseasonable rains dangerous weather wars rumours of wars What are all the evils under the Sun They are the little finger of Gods justice Thou spiest them here and there in every Town and in every Parish in every Country do they not all witnesse that he is a just God Read Psalm 7. 11 12 13. God hath bent his â—ow already saith David the arrow is ready to flie out of the string It wil not be long before it hit thee if thou meditate not upon amendment God is angry with the wicked every day as an angry man useth to say I will be revenged on thee Wilt thou not give over thy sins I will be revenged on thee Read Psal 11. 5 6 7. Meditate on this he will neither spare King nor subject nor rich nor poor nor noble nor base nor Judges nor Justices yet Judges and Justices may spare but God will not spare they may be bribed to pardon but God will not be fee'd to spare them that go on in their wickednesse and do I think to escape Nay my soul thou canst never escape except thou obeyest The third ground is Meditate on the wrath of God O! what wrath is it Can I stand against it It burns like an oven and all the proud and all that doe wickedly shall be as stubble and the day of wrath shall burne them up Behold this saith the Text Malac. 4. 1. Behold it and meditate on it Can I goe naked in a hot fiery Oven Can I lift up my hands against it My hands will be scorched Can I kick against it My legs will be baked Can I blow upon it with my mouth My mouth is fiered Did I ever see lime burned were I in the limes room could I endure that boyling and yet if I live in my sinnes I shall be as the burning of lime I say 33. 12. Let thy heart meditate terror Who among us shall be able to dwell that is the meaning of it as Montanus sheweth who among us shall dwell with devouring fire who among us shall burn with everlasting burning verse 14. Gods mercie shall say Take him wrath I would have converted him but he would not Gods goodnesse shall say Take him wrath I would have been kinde unto him but he hath abused me Gods patience shall say Take him wrath I have suffered him a great while that he might have time of repentance but he repented not in that time God smote Aegypt in their first born Why For his mercy endureth for ever God overthrew Pharaoh and his hoast Why For his mercy endureth for ever Psal 136. 15. He smote great Kings Sihon a King and Og a King for his mercy endureth for ever So will God damn thee that art a drunkard Why for his mercy endureth for ever God will confound thee that art a worlding Why for his mercy endureth for ever God will be revenged on thee that art a Luke-warmling Why for his mercy endureth for ever This may well make thee â—eare the hair off thy head rather than let thee go on in thy sinnes See Ierem. 7. 29. Meditate on this The fourth ground Meditate on the constancy of God As the Lord was an enemy to wicked men so he continues the same God still a constant enemy to them still As the Lord would not endure sinne heretofore so he is constant he still will not endure it Did the Lord once say Weep and howl ye drunkards Joel 1. 5. he is constant so he saith still Did the Lord say he would burn up sabbath-breakers Jer. 17. 27. he is constant so he saith still Who ever hardned his heart against the Lord and prospered Job 9. â—4 as if he should say I put it to thee to meditate of it canst thou shew me a president did ever any man harden his heart against Gods Word in his sinne that prospered Did Senacherib prosper in his will-worship Did Judas prosper in his covetousnesse Did Jeconiah prosper in his stubbornnesse Where is the Scribe Where is the disputer Where is he that counted the towers Your fathers where are they saith Zachariah Did not my words take hold of them and are they not all now in hell that have ever lived and died in their sin from the beginning of the world Thou canst not shew me one drunkard or one mocker or one prophane person or one formall professor from the day that man was created upon the earth that is not now in hell if he be dead Meditate on this how canst thou expect to be the one onely in all the world that shall escape if thou livest and dyest in thy sins If hell were opened and the bottomlesse pit were lookt into thou shouldest see every soul that ever lived and died in their sins even every soul there is not one soul missing Meditate on this when I dye do I think I shall not be there nay I shall be there too unlesse aforehand I enter in to the strait gate and walk in the narrow way of newnesse of life The Second SERMON OF The use and benefit of Divine MEDITATION HAGGAI 1. 5. Now therefore thus saith the Lord of Hosts Consider your wayes NOw follows the manner how to follow Meditation home to the heart Here are four things to be practised First weigh and ponder all these things in thy heart It 's said of Mary she pondred Luke 2. 19. and kept all these sayings in her heart verse 51. The words signifie two things First she compared these things together Secondly she cast them in the scales together Dost thou know God is mercifull ponder it with his justice Dost thou know that Jesus Christ dyed for sinners ponder it with the true drift of it how that it is not to let men go on in their sins but to save them from their sinnes Dost thou obey God in this or that Commandement O ponder thy life with the rest Ponder the path of thy feeet and let all thy wayes be established Prov. 4. 26. A man that eats his meat well forty morsels well yet one crum going awry throttles him Thou walkest in these and these Commandements yea but there be other Commandments besides these dost thou walk in them too thou must if thou meanest to have thy ways to be established The Jews had their continers talents minaes sicles which were greater weights so they had also their gerahs and agarahs smaller measures and smallest of all so have thou greater and lesse weights great ones to ponder the great Commandements and less to weigh even the least of Gods Commandements and see thou make true Evangelical weight or else all will not be well Suppose a man were to pay a 100 pound of good and lawful money and in weight upon forfeiture of all that he hath if he weigh it not but the Creditor doth and finds it light he is undone If thou ponderest not thy wayes God will ponder them Prov. 5. 21. the word signifies he weighs and ponders them in a ballance or
and am overtaken with my infirmities yet I thank God he hath sanctified my heart For I think of God and of Christ and I oft call upon his name and let my thoughts runne on good things God and heaven are many times in my mind and I am sorry when I do amisse and the Lord hath blest me with a large portion of outward things Besides I see these and these signs of grace in me and therefore I think my case to be haphy And thus securely they live and so they go on and so they dye and so go to hell and perish for ever and ever Here is the misery of it many think of God and of Christ of death and of their last account of heaven of hell of faith and repentance of leaving sinne of crucifying their lusts and practising of holiness Now men think that their thinking of these things is a part of their discharge when indeed they are Additions to and pieces of their talents which increase their judgements God casts in a though of repentance holinesse of the remembrance of death and last account Dost thou find thy heart never the better and holier by them Then know it is only Gods haunting of thy heart and Gods calling upon thee and Gods inviting thee unto repentance to leave thy sinnes to come out of thy deadnesse and formality to prepare for thy death and judgement and therefore I say if thy heart now think not so if thy heart do not repent beleeve and grow more zealous and thou art not drawn the neerer to God I say then that the more of these good thoughts that thou hast had the greater thy doom will be if thou hast had ten thousands of them if they have been only Gods haunting of thy heart think thou then now of grace of God of thy poor soul which is not bettered by them nor made holy then know they are pieces of thy talent and it doth make thy torments in hell the greater Secondly thou hast good thoughts but the question is whether they be fleeting or abiding thoughts Many think of God of grace of heaven of the word of God and when they hear a Sermon they will think of God but these thoughts though they come into their minds yet they go away presently they are in and out at an instant in a trice they passe away and are gone Beloved there are two kinds of vain thoughts 1. vain because the substance and matter of them is vain and so all worldly thoughts are vain 2. or else for their want of durance and lasting and so are all thoughts of heaven of God and grace and of Christ if they vanish away they are all vain thoughts though they seem otherwise Hear what God saith Gen. 6. 5 God saw that the wickednesse of man was great upon the earth and all the imaginations of the thoughts of his heart were only evill continually all the imaginations great is the emphasis of this word all all the thoughts yea all universally are only evill continually But you will say unto me Doth not a wicked man think that there is a God why that is a good thought doth not he think that this God is to be observed and worshipped why this is a good thought doth he not think that sin is to be forsaken that is a good thought doth he not think of heaven and of Christ how then are their thoughts only evil and that continually I answer Because all the thoughts of a wicked mans heart are vain that is vanishing thoughts not vain for the matter which sometimes may be good and Holy but vain because they soon vanish away thoughts that come and carry â—ot that leave no impression in their hearts behind them these are all vain thoughts according to that of the Apostle The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise that they are vain 1 Cor. 3. 20. Beloved in a godly mans heart when a good thought comes it abides and dwells a good while in him and when it goes away it leaves a good impression behind it it leaves a sweet smell and favour in the heart after it is gone it s made more holy and sanctified by it When a good thought comes into a godly mans heart it leaves the print of it behind when a wicked man hath a good thought he â—osseth it up and down and suffers it not to stay but presently puts it away let a thought of the world come in and he can give it entertainment for seven days yea for seven years yea all his life he sets his heart as a wide gate open to receive them and to entertain them but if a thought of God or of repentance of holinesse and salvation come into his mind he is tyred out with it and it soon vanisheth away therefore so long as thy thoughts are thus vain though for the matter good if thou hast never so many of them yet if they abide not but thou thinkest and unthinkest them again if they come and give thy Soul a jog and so away the more I say thou hast of them though thou hast many millions the greater will be thy doom at the last day Thirdly Thou thinkest of God but the question is whether thy good thoughts be studied or accidental thoughts A wicked man that runs gadding in his thoughts here and there over the whole world upon this and that and I know not what in the midst of a lottery of thoughts he cannot chuse but stumble upon some good he thinks on God he thinks on Christ he thinks on Heaven but it is by the by-gone these thoughts of his are not naturall but if he think of the world of his pleasures of his outward delights and contentments these thoughts arise naturally out of his heart they are his own Now it may be a thought of God comes by the way But a godly man not only thinks of God but he stadies how to think of God it is his continuall endeavour to bring his mind to be fixed upon God it is his whole care to have good thoughts to dwell habitually in him There is an excellent phrase used to set it forth Malac. 3. 16. They that feared the Lord spake one unto another and the Lord hearkned and heard it and a book of remembrance was written before him of all them that feared the Lord and thought upon his Name Where I pray you to mark that thinking upon Gods Name and the fear of God are joyned together for thinking on God comes from the fear of God a godly man thinks upon God and fears him he thinks that God is alwayes with him in every place and he trembles before him he thinks God beholds all his thoughts and affections and trembles at him he thinks as he walks up and down in his way as he he is imployed in his calling as he is performing of any duty of Religion that Gods eye is upon him and beholds him and therefore he fears to offend
bridle to restrain a man from vain thoughts than this consideration that he is to goe to God I speak not this to the men of this world Carnal men who can rush into Gods presence hand over head without any fear or reverence they can set upon any duty without any preparation but I speak it to the godly man whose heart dreads and stands in awe of God Wilt thou let thy mind rove and run all the day on worldly things how then wilt thou call upon God Dost thou not know that this is the cause of thy dulnesse thy deadnesse and wandrings of thy heart when thou art about any good duty namely because thou sufferest thy heart to be lashing out and roving abroad on the world all day no marvell if it keep his haunt at night and therefore thy heart being vain God will never hear thy prayer Job 35. 13. God will never hear vanity Comest thou to God with a vain prayer God wil never hear it Comest thou with a vain ear to the hearing of the Word God will never hear it or with a vain heart to the Sacrament God will not regard it Lay this seriously to thy heart if ever thou wouldesst have thy heart to the duty thou art about busie thy mind upon good things for if thy heart be accustomed to vain and worldly things all the day it is no marvell if it return to its hau nt again at night Thirdly consider that you have not so learned Christ It is the Apostles argument Ephes 3. consider then what you have learned of Christ hath Christ taught you so hath Christ taught you such a love and given you such a liberty that you should love the world more than him and imploy and bestow all your thoughts wholy in seeking after vain things Hath Christ taught you such a faith as this Hath Christ taught you such a repentance as this to have your thoughts more upon the world than upon Christ to repent of sin and yet never forsake sin Have ye so learned Christ Hath he not taught you such a faith as purifieth the heart such a sanctification as cleanseth the soul and the mind such an obedience as bringeth every thought into subjection unto himself Therefore if now thou shouldest still retain thy vain dead earthly and carnall thoughts it is not to learn Christ Christ teacheth thee no such doctrine nor giveth thee any such licencious liberty but thou learnest of the Devil and of thine own heart for all evil and vain thoughts arise from these three heads First from the variety and abundance of the thoughts of the world which our Saviour calls the cares of the world Secondly from the fountain of corruption in mans heart the heart of man being alwayes like a sink naturally running with filthinesse or like a living quickset always bearing so it is with the heart of man always imagining vain thoughts Thirdly from the damned malice of the Devil and his fearful suggestions and temptations both within and without the Devil is fitly called a tempter and tryer for by his suggestions and temptations he feels and tryes mens hearts and thereby knowing to what they are most inclined and which way they are soonest overcome accordingly he fits his temptations to intrap them Now these thoughts are infinitely variable according to the constitutions place quality passions affections and conditions of men as of the poor man in his beggary of the rich man in his abundance of the Minister in his calling of the Majestrate in his and so of all other men Now the whole world is not able to fill the heart how then shall we number the thoughts of it But for the better understanding we will rank them into these four heads to shew how thoughts become vain 1. Materially mens thoughts are vain when the matter of them is vain 2. Formally when though for the matter they are never so good yet the manner of thinking them is evil 3. Essentially when the man that thinks them is vain 4. When it is a thought that might become the best Saint upon the earth or a glorified Angel in heaven yet the drift of the soul being carnall and vain the soul thereby becomes vain also First then material vain thoughs are all thoughts of the world of the works of thy calling of thy recreations eating drinking sleeping thoughts of thy wife and children and the like they are vain thoughts not sinful necessarily yet they may come to be sinfull five manner of ways First when we think of them primarily that is in the first place when we think of them before we think of God Tell me then what are thy first thoughts in the morning Hereby a man may know his thoughts whether they be good or evill Consider I say what is that first presents it selfe unto thy thoughts certainly that which the heart is most haunted withall and most taken up with is most naturall unto it If the heart be carnall and earthly it will have carnall and earthly thoughts if it be a godly and gracious heart it will labour to make God the first in his thoughts I know the godly man fails in many things and many unruly thoughts in him may rebell but it is the very grief of his soul and he will never rest nor be at quiet till he hath got Balme from Gilead strength from Christ for the subduing and crucifying of them even of those vain and sinfull thoughts that stick closest unto their hearts and are most prone unto them naturally so that it is the practice of a godly man first in the morning to lift up his heart with his hand unto God and when he is up his thoughts are wholly upon God See this in David who considering that the Lord was present every where made this use of it When I awake I am present with thee Psal 139. 18. His heart was lifted up to God he did endeavovr to shake hands with God as it were in his holy meditations worshipping and adoring God with his first thoughts he would be sure to give God the flower and Maiden-head of his first service and thoughts as soon as ever he was awake his heart was in heaven This shews that the thoughts of men that live in their sins are damnable thoughts Thou that art a drunkard a swearer a prophane person a carnall worlding that never hast repented I tell thee that the very thinking of thy meat and drink is damnable the very thoughts of thy recreations and of thy sleep are damnable thoughts to think of the works of thy calling yea of setting thy foot upon the ground or of any thing that God hath commanded thee to doe are all damnable thoughts Why Because thou givest not God thy first thoughts Wilt thou think of thy belly and back before thou thinkest of God and how to be converted unto him Wilt thou think of thy Markets and Faires before thou thinkest of thy reconciliation with God The first
and it becomes sinfull not regarded and abominable in Gods eyes For hearing of the Word of God the godly manâ— hears and the wicked man hears the matter in both is the same the godly man he casteth the Word into a godly mould he hears the Word and he trembles at it he hears the Word and beleeves it he hears the Word and his heart bowes to it and resolves to practise it a wicked man he hears the Word too but he casteth it into a dishonouraâ—le mould he hears it with deadnesse and dulnesse without trembling without faith and obedience So a godly man may think thoughts of God and so may a wicked man think thoughts of God the matter of both is good yet the thoughts of the wicked are vain though he thinks of God yet because he casteth it into his dishonourable frame he fears not God his heart trembles not at God but his heart is as full of dead earthly affections as before he thinks of hearing the Word but it is after this own fashion he thinks of praying but he prayes with his own spirit and not with the spirit of Adoption The Psalmist tells us that the whoremaster the drunkard and the thief thinks of God it is after his own fashion Psal 50. 21. These things hast thou done saith God and I held my tongue and then thoughtest that I was even such a one as thy self A wicked man goes on in his sins and thinks that they are not so devillish and abominable as some say they are and he thinks that God thinks so too he is earthly carnall luke-warm and dead-hearted and if he repent at the last he thinks all will be well and he thinks God is of the same mind too he goes on in his drunkennesse swearing pride and hypocrisie and he thinks if he do but remember to ask God mercy and to cry Lord receive my soul when he is going out of the world he thinks he shall not go to hell but be carried to the joyes of heaven and he thinks God is of his mind that God thinks so too But mark what the Lord saith I will reprove thee and set thy sins in order before thee O consider this you that forget God lest he tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver you Thirdly mens thoughts are vain when the heart that thinks upon them is earthly and vain wherefore if all the wicked men in the world should lay their heads together to think a good thought yet they cannot for their hearts are vain hearts sinfull hearts they may think of excellent propofitions concerning God his worship his word and service but so long as the heart that thinks upon them is carnall and vain they cannot speak that which is good as saith our Saviour Maithew 12. 34. How can you speak good things Why may some men say â— may not a wicked man read a Chapter in a Bible are the words so hard to be understood and pronounced cannot a wicked man take a Sermon and read it and hear a Sermon and repeat it What are Letters and syllables so hard to be pronounced I answer beloved that is not the meaning of our Saviour How can ye that are evill speak good things no no a wicked man may read Gods word and propound good questions as well as a true Christian but he cannot speak good words that is he cannot speak them from a good heart and therefore his heart being carnall and vain good words in his mouth are as a Jewell in a swines snout it is a word indeed but not a speech when he reads or pronounceth Gods word Aristotle saith that speech is nothing but the expression of that that is within the heart Now then if the word and truth of God be not ingraffed in thy heart if thy heart be not heavenly when thou speakest of heavenly things thou dost pronounce them but not speak them But when thou speakest of earthly things then thou speakest to the purpose because thy heart is set upon them and thy mind and thy tongue go together there is no jarre not discord betwixt them but if thy heart be not pure though thou speakest good things or holy things yet in Christs sense thou speakest them not For say I how can a vain evill corrupt heart think good thoughts An evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit saith our Saviour he doth not say that an evill tree cannot be made good for it may be grafted into another stock divers ways there are to make it good but so long as it is a corrupt tree it cannot bring forth good fruit Do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles Dost thou go to a drunkard and thinkest there to find any religion in him or to a whore-master to find grace in him Dost thou go to a swearer or a prophane person and thinkest thou to finde any fear of God in them Indeed sometimes there may be some morall good found in them but they are as a pearl in a dunghill out of its place Fourthly all mens thoughts come to be vain when the drift and end of the heart and soul in thinking of them is vain But thou wilt say unto me The end of my thoughts is Gods glory What is it not to Gods glory that we go to the Word and Sacrament that we pray and give almes I Answer The end of every good work in it selfe is Gods glory but is it the end of the worker speaker or thinker I make no question but the end of a good action in it selfe is the glory of God so the end of prayer is the glory of God the end of all preaching and Sermons is the glory of God the end of giving of almes and of all good thoughts is the glory of God but the end of the man that prayes and preaches what is that the end of the hearer and giver of almes what is that the end of him that speaks well what is that Beloved most men have false and corrupt ends which we will branch out into these three heads For the first men will be thinking and plodding from morning till night of their wordly businesses Now because they know they must think on God to make God amends perhaps they will think on him at night when they have dishonoured him all the day So men will swear and swagger drink and be drunk and when they have done say Lord have mercy upon me and so they think to make God amends What beloved will yee swear swagger drink be drunk and lye be secure and worldy and and then ask God forgivenesse to make him amends This is to break Priscians head that you may give him a plaister Will you trespasse your neighbour that you may ask him forgivenesse This is a damned and devillish religion yet this is the religion of many men in the world you shall have them keep daies and weeks and years in the observation of the times of Gods
father or a mother God having converted any of thine owne children that childe shall bee thy Judge and condemne thee if thou repent not It may be God hath converted thy brother and sister and thou art not not converted thy own brother and sister shal condemn thee ifthou do not repent and come out of thy sins Thirdly we may learn that it concerns all the world to take notice of every grace in Gods children There is never a grace of God in any of his Saints but it shall condemn the world if it be voyd of it The wayes of the Lord are all judgements because they judge them that will not walk in them Every grace yea the very thoughts of the righteous are called Judgements by Solomon Prov. 12. You may know a crooked thing by laying it to a straight line and by that it is judged to be crooked so the thoughts of the righteous which are right holy and pure shall judge the impure unholy and crooked thoughts of wicked men Is the child of God humble His humility shall judge thy pride Is the child of God meek and patient in suffering wrong and injuries His meeknesse and patience shall judge thy choler and revenge Hath the child of God faith given him to beleeve in the Lord Jesus his faith shall judge thy infidelity Hath the child of God the Spirit of prayer given him it shal condemn thee that prayest only with thine own spirit Hath he zeal His zeal shall judge thy lukewarmnesse Doth his speech and communication administer grace to the hearers It shall condemn thee that speakest of vain and idle things Yea all the actions of thegodly shall judge the wicked and hence the Saints are said to do Gods judgements Zep. 2. 3. that is they do according to Gods judgements whereby he wil judge the world Thus they that do mourn do judge them that do not mourn they that bewayl their wickednesse and the sins of the times judge them that do not they that fast weep pray and humble themselves for the miseries of the Church in these dreadful daies they judge them that make no good conscience of their duties Fourthly learn hence that all the texts of Scripture all the whole word of God that is it that begets these Saints and therefore they must needs judge the world the word of God begets mens hearts unto sanctification and holinesse whereby they become Saints and therefore if they then much more shall the word it self judge the world and hence it is that all the words of God in the Scripture are called Judgements Psal 105. 5. And our Saviour saith The word that I have spoken the same shall judge you in the last day John 12. 48 The word that I have spoken where mark he doth not say The word which you have heard No there are many swearers and drunkards and prophane ungodly wretches that will not come to Church to hear the word there are many wicked men and dead-hearted worldlings and rotten livers that will not be brought to heare Gods word it may be at this present there are many whore-mongers drunkards and wicked persons that wallow in their filthinesse in the Ale-house Game-house or Drab-house or in the fields or beds or at their sports Well this word that is now a preaching whether they will hear it or no shall judge them at the last day Now all the wicked in Ashford that hear the word of God calling upon them to repent and to come out of their sinnes but will not or out of contempt of Gods word will absent themselves from it this word shall judge and condemn them There is never a drunkard swearer or prophane person though his pew be empty but this word of God that denounceth the eternal wrath and vengeance of God upon them if they come not out of their sins this word shall rise up in judgement against them and condem them eternally Oh that they could but hear it but the word that I have spoken shall judge you whether you hear it or not Fifthly and lastly hence it followes that all the ministers of the word of God shall also judge the world Son of man saith God to the Prophet Ezekiel wilt thou judge the bloody City Yea thou shalt shew her all her abominations Ezek. 22 2. as if he should have said Sonne of man they are drunkards wilt thou not tell them of it They are whoremasters wilt thou not tell them of it They are filthy idolaters wilt thou not tell them of it They live in their sins and in their abominations and wilt thou not tell them of it Son of man tell them of all their abominations and tell them that they shall goe to hell if they repent not tell them that they are damned men if they go on and come not out of their sinnes Wilt thou judge them son of man Beloved there is never a Minister in England nor ever a Sermon that is preached by them but it judgeth every Parish and every man and woman in the congregation that do not labour to do what is commanded them and leave undone what is forbidden them I say it judgeth them or else it is a judgement unto them This then serves to condemn three sorts of men in the world First All those that despise the Saints and that see not amiablenesse in their faces All the Countrey doth reverence the face of the Judge when he rides his circuit Let the Judge come into the Countrey and all the Knights Justices and Gentlemen in the Countrey will go out to meet him and bow unto him yet these Judges are but Judges of a few rogues malefactors and peasants in the Country Alas they are far from the dignitie of the Saints for the Saints shall judge Saints and Angels All the world Kings and Queens Lords and Nobles and Captains of the Earth the poorest Saint in Christendome shall judge them The Apostle or rather our Saviour saith To him that overcometh and keepeth my words unto the end to him will I give power over the Nations Rev. 2. 26. Whatsoever he be if he do the works of Christ and walke in the ordinances of Christ he shall have power over the Nations not only to condemn their pomps and vanities their lusts and corruptions but also to convince their consciences and to condemn their souls for ever 2. Shall the Saints judge the world Then what fools are the wicked that prepare not for these Judges When the Judge comes to an Assise all men prepare for him the Constables make ready their Presentments the Juries are warned and the Clerks make ready their Bills c. lest the Judge should clap a fine upon them and shall the Saints be Judges and dost thou not prepare thy heart by grace Dost thou not get purity and holinesse against that day Surely if thou dost not the very Saints will judge thee unmeet for heaven and fit only to have thy portion in hell When Christ
you have made good use of your riches if you have been faithfull you shall enter into your Masters joy He will not consider you as you are or have been in great Offices or places in the world but as you have been faithfull in them not as you had crouching and bowing to you but as you have faithfully and frequenly bowed your knees unto the Lord in Prayer God will not account of you a straw the better for your wealth but he will passe sentence on you as you have used or abused your talent Thirdly they can give no content He that desires Riches shall not be satisfied therewith Eccles 5. 9. Object O but I desire but a competent living Sol. It is well done A little spring running from the head runnes shallow at the first but at the last many other falling into it it is become great so you may say you desire but a competency but the world comes on you then there is craving and having till your desires are as large as hell Habbac 2. 5. riches make men sick of a dogs disease what is that why dogs are alwaies eating but never satisfied so if a man immoderately love the things of this life he shall not be satisfied Lastly the things of this world are nothing worth because we have no assurance of them they are of no continuance they either leave us or we them doe you not see that after a man hath risen earely and late eating the bread of carefulnesse and hath gotten a little pelfe is he not thereof deprived in a moment of time Prov. 12. 27. The slothfull man viz. the worldly man rosteth not that which he tooke in hunting viz. after all his travaile he is swept away and taketh not the profit of them Is not this then a worthlesse world but suppose it doe stay with you yet one day you must part with it Psalm 49. 6 7. and you must carrie nothing with you naked you came and naked you must returne even like a sumpter-Horse which carries all the day abundance of Treasure but at night it is all taken from him and he is put into a stable for his labour all the benefit he gets by the Treasure is he onely feeles the weight of it Even so many rich men are Sumpter-horses to carrie the things of the world who either for ill-useing or ill-getting them are put in a filthie stable viz. Hell and their pay is everlasting torment These things shew the little worth of this world Now you shall see that worldly men are little worth First it appears that they are little worth because of the names and titles that the Spirit of God laies on them it calls them Sonnes of Beliall 1 Sam. 2. 12. Vile persons Psal 15. 4. Children of iniquity Hosea 10. 9. 11. A reprobate stock John 8. 44. Children of wrath Ephes 2. Now if there were any great worth in them think you that the Spirit of God would not better stile them Secondly they are little worth in respect of their actions their best actions are but glittering sinnes Isaiah 66. 3. If they pray or heare c. God accounts of it no better then the sacrificing of Swines flesh they stink in Gods nostrils Isa 1. 13. If then the men of the world and the things of the world be little worth how doth this discover the madnesse and folly of men in these dayes who so much mind the world no paines nor travaile too great or too dangerous to get the world nay they will hazard life and health even to the back-bone to get the world goe to bed late rise early not caring if they lose both body and soule to get the world and when their consciences are thus set on the tenters to get it they set their hearts on it and keep it as their God Secondly let this informe our Judgements that seeing the world and the men of the world are so little worth let us judge of them no better then they deserve it is a false glasse or crooked rule that men goe by who judge themseves men of worth if they be rich and we use to say there is a man of good credit let us see our folly in thus judging I will discover it thus The things of the world are given to the worst men wicked men have many times the greatest share in them Esau hath foure hundred at his heeles when Iacob had but a few The Scribes and Pharisees sate in Moses chaire when as the Disciples of Christ were carried before Rulers so for Riches proud Dives fared deliciously every day when poor Lazarus was faine to snap at a crust so the false prophets were fed at Iesabells table when Elias was in commons with the Ravens Now if the things of this life were of such great worth think you that God would keep his children so sparingly with them no no they are but gifts of Gods left hand Prov. 3. 16. Length of dayes are in his right hand and in his left hand riches and Honour Instruction to teach us to take off our hearts and affections from pursuing things of this life You see they are little worth doe not in affection love the world nor yet in action too much seek the world but when Heaven and earth are laide in the ballance esteem earthly things as dung in respect of Christ and shew your little esteem of earthly things by your seeking them in the second place and Gods Kingdome in the first place Let wicked men account the things of this life as their summum bonum but let us be crucified to the world let us be as dead men to the world and the world as dead to us not that I would have you utterly to reject the things of this life but not to set your affections on them we must use the things of this life as Travailers doe their provision if they have too much it will hinder them so let us be content whether it be much or little it is best to lay up treasure in Heaven as Christ told his Disciples Thus of the first point the second follows OF whom the world was not worthy as if he should have said they are too good to live in the world hence observe That true Beleevers are persons of very great worth The world is not worthy of them I need not spend much time to prove this they are called excellent persons Psal 16. 3. Againe the righteous is more excellent then his neighbour Prov. 12. 26. againe they are called the glory of God Isaiah 4. 5. They are called a chosen people a Royall Priesthood 1 Pet. 2. 9. Now wherin lies the worth of a godly man not in the outward man for alas the outward man of a child of God is the same with another man Their chiefe worthinesse lies in the inward man which after God is created unto righteousnesse and true holinesse Ephesians 4. 24. The Kings daughter is all glorious within Psalm 45.