THE three former chapters of this holy History being spent in the dis­covery of the worldes creation, and of the most wonderfull and glorious workemanship of God, as in every other creature, soe especially in Man, whose happy estate while he stood, and miserable con­dition when he fell, and most gracious recovery from his fall, with divers other divine occurrents (next and jmmediately following) being at large related vnto vs. It now pleaseth the holy Ghost to goe further in this sacred narration, and in the beginning of this fourth chapter, to acquaint vs with the multiplication [Page 2]of man-kinde. And here we have the story of the first two, that were ever borne into the world, to wit, the two first sons, of their, and our first parents, (I dispute not whether they were twinnes, the text seemeth to contradict it, though some doe weakely conceit it, neither doth it carry, or conclude any materiall con­sequence, whether they were or noe) concerning whome, we have a threefolde description.

• 1. of their birth, and naturall being. ver. 1.2.
• 2. of their busines, and civill being: ver. 2.
• 3. of their religion, and spirituall condition. ver. 3.4.

They were both borne into the world of their pa­rents: by them also were they both employed in the world; and these two are only named or mentioned without any further discourse: But the third thing, to wit, that which concerneth the matter of religion, is that which the Lord doth intend to treat off, and in­sist vpon. In the world, and affaires of the earth, men may lawfully be of divers professions, trades, & occu­pations and it is needfull they should be soe. But in religion it cannot be thus; piety cannot admitt a diver­sity, the blessed worship of God will beare no variety at all, it must be vniforme, as that one God is, who is worshipped. And soe was this of these two brethe­ren, so farre as the same appeared visiblely to men, in the externall act of sacrificing, which practise they had (doubtles) learned of their parents, who were (wit­hout question) taught of God how to excercise this duty, though the letter of the scripture be silent in both as it is in divers other excellent truthes, which yet we stand bound to acknowledg, by vertue of such evi­dent, and vndeniable consequence as doth clearely [Page 3]conclude the same, without litterall testimony in any expresse tearmes to avouch it.

Now concerning the sacrifice of the sons of Adam, Cain, and Abell, there is a double difference noted.

• 1. of the sacrifices they offred.
• 2. of the effect they found with God, to who­me they were offred.

That which is observable in their sacrifices, is this, that wheras Cain, carelesly and without choise offred [of the fruit of the grounde] not regarding what he of­fred, soe he brought some what, contrary to the law of those offrings, which required the first of all fruits: It is reported of Abell, & commended in him, that he was very regard-full and respective, to sacrifice to his God, of the first of his flock, and among the first, the best he could pick and chuse.

And according to the difference of these acts, the effect was also different with the Lord, who seemeth to suite and fit, his justice to Cain, that as he had no res­pect what offering he brought, soe had God no respect to him, or that he offered; and his favour to Abell, vnto whose person and sacrifice, the Lord had gracious re­gard, as he was most heedefull to present the choyse, and cheife, of all he had to the Lord.

And in this particuler doth Moses, the man of God, and pen-man of this part of Gods word, insist, & spea­keth much of the things that issued herevpon, both on Ahells part, and Cains.

But here (it may be) some will move a question, how Moses who was borne many hundred, and some thousands of yeares after the creation, could come to know these things, and to set them downe in such ex­act order vnto vs.

To moue this question, is to make question of Gods truth, and to bring into doubt, all that he hath recor­ded in this whole booke of Genesis, and all such other things as fell out before his birth and ripe yeares, in Exodus; for in his infancy we cannot conceive him to be any way one of Gods principall secretaryes, or meete to be entrusted with this rare jmployment of penning any part of scripture, especially considering that he was brought vp in Pharaohs court as a Pagan, for the first forty yeares of his life.

But for the cleare manifestation of this matter, and for the justification of the authority of this sacred boo­ke against all accursed cavills; we answer and doe ac­knowledge, that howsoever every thing reported therein by Moses were acted long before his birth, yet neverthelesse all things written therin, are as ab­solutely true, as if Moses had beene borne, & had seene, and heard, each passage in his owne person. The Lord made choyse of a man living so long after these things were done, that he might honour himself, and this his sacred historie aboue all humane, histories vnder hea­ven.

For wheras no profane writer is able infaillibly to report any thing (for matter of fact) but what was done in his owne dayes, and came to passe in his owne ceartayne knowledge; the Lord is able to instruct, such as he will set a worke to report the proceedings of his churches in all ages, in the incontroleable truth of all things that came to passe, though they that re­corde it, were vnborne when they were acted. And who knoweth whether the Lord hath not done this; and of purpose made vse of such persons who had not a being in the world, till long after the time wherin the [Page 5]things themselves which they relate had their being, that soe he might shew himself an alsufficient instructor of his servants in those things which were done long before their time, and declared long after.

It is not my purpose to digresse into any generall discourse of those evidences that doe authorise, and warrant the whole scripture, which are discovered at large by many worthy, judicious, and learned Divines only, that it may manifestly appeare that this booke is no lesse scripture then any other, let vs take into our harts the due consideration of those things which may as vnreproveably argue God to be the author, as Moses to be the penner of the same, and they are (among a multitude that might be produced) these few that follow.

1. Moses doth tell vs of some passages concerning God before the creation, which no creature could heare, or vnderstand as that of the first creature, & all the rest, when he sayd of every of them: [Let there be light, &c.] who could tell what God spake touching every of these, seing as yet they were not, & when they were, yet till man was created all other were voyd of vnderstanding.

2. Hee relates to vs touching the creation of man, what God sayd of his making to wit, the matter and forme of his body, and the infusion of his soule, as also of the manner of the making of the woman when the man was in a deepe sleepe, and percei­ved it not, and what the man sayd of the woman, when the Lord brought her to him.

3. After the creation, he report's the passages of mans fall, and discover's the subtiltyes of Satan, in seducing the first man and the first woman, which [Page 6]relations must needes be of God, for we cannot conceit that the divell would soe detect himself, in the evill both of his grosse sin, and great punish­ment.

4. After mans fall, he tell's vs of divers secret passa­ges, as of Adams knowing his wife: of Cains anger conceived inwardly, and vnjustly, against Abel his brother, before it brake out: of Noahs druncke­nes, and nakednes: of Lots fayling, and the manner therof, how he was abused by his daughters, with their close carriage of the matter, & how he knew not what was done, when he had slept with them both: of the close conveyance which Rebecca vsed to obtayne the blessing for Iacob, with the most pri­vate circumstances therof: and a multitude more of the like to these things, soe secret, that no flesh could know, or relate, but they must needes be re­corded by the Lord himself.

5. He make's narration of the sins, of the most holy men and women, either, that which was common in those times to most of them, as the Polygamie of the Patriarchs, or such offences as any one of them par­ticulerly fell into, not sparing Abraham the freind of God, nor any of the sincerest of his servants, which a good man would have done, had he beene guided but by his owne spirit. Nay, (which doth absolu­tely seale the truth and authority of his writings to be of God) Moses spare's not himself in his ow­ne sins, but make's a manifest discovery of his owne infidelity, and vnadvised anger, and the just punish­ment of God vpon him for them both. This impar­tiality, argue's a supernaturall spirit to guide it: when a man cannot spare his freind, nor himself but [Page 7]will leave both, vpon everlasting record to be bla­med and blemished to all posterity. A thing not vsuall (if at all vsed) in humane history, wherin men speake, and write the best they can (and many times more then they should) of themselves, & those whome they favour. It must be God that must make men thus to doe: & therefore this is one of the prerogatives royall of his writings.

6. And lastly, he tell's vs of the most secret things that can be imagined; nothing can be conceived soe close as the counsell of heaven: what God speaketh there, who can heare? especially when he speaketh not in any such sort, or soe openly where Angell's may heare, but in his owne private closet, nay (which is yet more) in his owne breast or bosome: yet Moses can tell the world, not only what God sayd in hea­ven, but what he sayd in his hart, & how he was jn­wardly affected. Soe we finde in one chapter of this booke, where Moses make's knowne how God [repented, and was greived at his hart, at mans wicked­nes:] and in another, how he was graciously disposed for the continnance of the constant course and succession of all the affaires of this inferiour world saying [And the Lord sayd in his hart, I will not againe curse the earth &c.] See, Moses is privy to Gods hart, and can make vs know, what were his most jn­warde resolutions. And who could give him the least light, or acquaintāce of these things but God himself, who made him his secretary, and so made these secrets knowne to him.

And thus by all these evidences, (which are common to all other scripture as well as this, but coummunicable to no bookes but the booke of God) we see that the­re [Page 8]is no reason of doubting or debateing any thing in this parte of holy writ, (or any parcell of it) because it was penned by Moses, and he borne so long after all things written and recorded in the same, were go­ne and past. He had a singuler and all sufficient tutor, even the most wise God, and he himself did endite, all that he taught and enabled Moses to write, so that every jot and tittle of this booke of Genesis, must be of absolute and infaillible truth.

And soe having now (by the way) cleared this scruple, we should proceede vnto our discovery of Abels sacrifice, as we have it here layd downe, in the words of the text which make report vnto vs what kinde of sacrifice it was, and wherof it consisted. But we must (first) take away another doubt, which may be made by some, how Abell could know the minde of God for these matters, and soe readily offer a sacrifice of this kinde, and doe it soe suitably to Gods prescrip­tion, considering, that as yet the law of the offering of first fruits, nor any other part of the morall, or ceremo­niall was not given. We answer, it was giuen, but not written, as we have it now, it was given in those dayes by divine tradition; originaly from God to man, and successively from man to man.

Then did the father informe the childe, & acquaint him with the dutyes that pertayned to piety, and the children they received it from their parents, & obeyed it as from God.

And this course and manner of revealing the will of God by this kinde of traditiō, endured all the dayes of the holy Patriarches, and such as lived after them, till Moses, and also during all the dayes of Moses, till that part of his life, wherin the Lord employd him [Page 9]about the penning of this booke, and that is diversly conjectured of; some suppose it to be written before he went into Egypt within the compasse of these four­ty yeares wherin he kept sheepe in Madian; others imagine he did it immediately after his departing out of Egypt, even in the first yeare therof. Howbeit this, (as the former) is no point of such importance, as that we must of necessity have an exact knowledge of the same.

But that Gods law was delivered by this kinde of tradition, till the time we speake off, we nothing doubt, and therefore the more foule is that slander layd vpō vs by the papist, that we acknowledg not, nor endure any traditions; judeede those that are popish and vn­written, we cannot abide, but doe abhorre them all, be­cause none of them can be defended but by blasphemy, and some of them (in particular) are apparantly blasphe­mous. But that there were traditions [...]ce, to wit, such as the Lord by himself, or by his Angells, made know­ne to man; & man beleeved & related to his posterity, we doe no more deny, then we doe that Moses penned this part of holy scripture, which (till his time) was a tradition and vnwritten, but can be none from that time forward. And if the Lord have ceased his owne, hath any man power to erect more, that are none of his? es­pecially now that his holy will is sufficiently revealed, in the writings of the Law, and Prophets, & the Gospell. That there were some traditions we freely confesse; that any are (of God) now we dirictly deny; those that are (being not of God) we detest, because they are the fruit of the Popes braine, who hath a very crazy head in heavenly things, though he be applauded to be the head of the church, and able to distill spirituall [Page 10]influence into it.

But to returne to Abel, it is probable, that he received the light and knowledge he had to offer sacrifice, from his father, who from God did instruct him how, and what to doe, in such duties as were to be required of him. And vpon this did he embrace, and obey the Lord in his ordinances; which course of his, and his forwardnes thus to doe, in those times wherin no scrip­ture was penned, nor every man that spake of the things of God traditionally, so infalliblely inspired, as were all they, by whome the Lord hath left his truth written to vs, shall rise vp against vs, to condemne our vntowardnes, who refuse to be taught of God, and to be obedient to him, though he hath left vs a more happy way to learne, then they had, who had but a part of his good pleasure manifested, and that not written, wheras we have the whole, and written, vpon such records as can never be razed. The saints, of those times, were most willing to take knowledge of the wayes of God and yeeld their obedience to them, by that meanes (which in comparison of ours) are but meane, and were but weake, (yet enough to bring them to God, who lived by faith in the truth thus revealed). The sinners of our dayes, to whome the Lord hath dispenced a more absolute, and most sufficient course, of comming neere to him, are farre from the Lord, and will not give him, neither such, nor soe much duty, as these did, whose knowledg and practise is not soe much magni­fyed, as ours shalbe manifested & plagued of the Lord, who looke's they should be the best schollers, who have the best teaching. Note. Miserable will it be with those men to whome the Lord shall say; these knew litle of my minde (in respect of you) yet have done much; I [Page 11]made it all knowne to you, yet have you done litle or nothing.

Let not this consideration be in vaine, but thinke we, how cheerefully Abel learned, & how conscionably he performed, the worship of his God, having but litle helpe to further him: that we by due ponderation he­rof, may be both ashamed for our faylings past, and en­force our selves, (as it were) by a holy violence for time to come, to be more faithfull and industrious, both to know, and to doe, what on our part, we owe vnto the Lord, what vnsepakeable shame is it? that we should lye behinde them, that have gone before vs in those du­tyes, wherin many of them, had but few to follow, nor any scripture to learne them: but we have both Gods whole booke to giude vs, and all his blessed saints are gone before vs, yet are we exceeding short of those holy ones who lived graciously in that age which may truly be called the infancy both of the world, and of the church; But I will not dwell here, we see the holy Ghoste beare's record of Abels offering: let vs now come to the words of the text which tell vs what man­ner of sacrifice it was. And Abel, he also brought of the [firstlings] or, first borne [of his flock, Exod. 22.29.30. cap. 34.19 26. Levit. 23.10.12. Num. 15.20.21. Deut. 12.17. cap. 18.4. cap. 26.1.2.11.and of the fate of them.]

Of the first-lings, or, first borne] that is, the first en­crease of cattell that the Lord gave him; The Lord made a most exact law for the offerīg of the first borne, both of man, and beast, and of all fruits vnto him, and this law of his we finde to be very frequently repea­ted, in divers places of the foure bookes of Moses Exo­dus Leviticus Numbers, and Deuteronomie. And as it was often itterated by God to Jsraell, soe was it faithfully obeyed by Israell before the Lord, both before [Page 12]the captivity in Hezekiah dayes; 2. Chron. 31.1.51. Neh. 10.3.32.35. and after, in the dayes of Nehemiah, as appeareth in the storie of their lives: nay, from the begining, before this law was given (in writing) Abel (you see) is carefull to bring his first, and I nothing doubt, but Adam his father did it before him, as we noted before.

But here it way be enquired wherefore these things were offred, in those times, and among all the Jewes to the time of Christ, and are not soe now among vs, we­re they proper to their worship?

We answer, they were soe as the Iewish people were a people peculiar to God, and he taught them his min­de after such a manner, as never any nation but they had it, to wit, by shaddowes, types and ceremonies, such as were to endure for a season, and to dye when once Iesus Christ the Lord of life did appeare, and had fulfilled this law of Iewish rites, which perished and be­came frustrate (in Gods purpose) assoone as, his [con­summatum est] was out of his mouth.

But if these Mosacaill rites were shaddowes, what was the substance? what was the truth and signification of these types, and ceremonyes, and of these first frui­tes, and first borne, in particuler?

We answer; Heb. 10.1 all men must know that the whole ce­remoniall law was a type, or shaddow, the apoctle tells vs soe, & (in the generall) every ceremonie therein did some way respect Christ, who is the end of this law & hath abolished the same; one way or other, Christ was aymed at in each offering. Now for the matter meant and signifyed by these first fruits, and first borne they also had their reference to the Lord Iesus, who is entituled, 1. Cor. 15.1 [...]. both [the first fruits of them that sleepe] and, [the first borne of every creature. Yet not to him only, [Page 13](though principally) had they their totall relation, as if nothing else at all, were to be shaddowed by these things, but, as to him (to wit, to Christ) they were strictly, and properly assigned, soe, in a larger sence and vse, the perpetuall morality of this law was, that our choysest, and cheife, our first, and best, the prime and principall, (not of our fruits, or of our beast, but) of our lives, of our selves, should be given to the service of our God. That assoone as he pleaseth to enlarge and encrease the abilityes of our bodyes, and facultyes of our soules, that we can once discerne betweene good and evill, and are able to put a difference betweene these in our opinion, and practise, we should inconti­nently, and forth-with betake our selves to worship and obey the Lord, and from that time proceede in the same, during all our dayes.

But it is further noted here, in the text, that Abells sacrifice was [Of the fatt of his flock.]

Fatt in scriptures hath divers references, and (accor­dingly) divers sences, as the nature of things to which it is referred doth require. It retayneth his natu­rall signification, when it is referred to naturall things: we read of Fatnesse attributed to the earth; to oyle; Gen. 27.28. cap. 45.18 to wine; the best of which, God doth call the fattest, and the fattest of any thing is the best, as the fattest land, the best land; and soe of the rest. And soe we account the fattest beast, the best, (especially being young too,) as these first-borne were.

But when fattnes is affirmed of things spirituall (or things naturall, considered spiritually) it carieth contrary sences, and signifies both the best, and the worst. For we finde David where he would shew a most sinfull hart, to say, it is a [hart as fat as brawne,] [Page 14]and the Prophet Isaiah, Psal. 119.20. Is. 6. Mat. 23.14.15. Psal. 36.2. Psal 92. [...]0. and Christ after him, when they speake of a hart given over of God, say thus [make the hart of this people fatt.] On the other side, the most abundant and best blessings pertayning to the solacing of the saints, are called [the fatnes of thy house:] and those godly and well-growne christians, who have eaten, and fed freely, of those divine delicates, and by the benefit of them are come to some good measure of ability, in good things, are sayd to be [fatt and flourishing.]

But with this mysticall sence, or vse of the word we meddle not, in our text it is taken most properly, for fat beasts, [the fat of his flock] that is the best there. So that the summe of all that is sayd here of Abells of­fring is this: that he being made partaker of true grace and guided by God to shew it in the fruits therof, doth by faith offer vnto God such a sacrifice as was now required, namely, the first, & (among all the first) the very best of the flock he did attend.

I say now required, for after-ward God commanded and expected more, but as yet there was no temple, or tabernacle, no high preist, nor any Levite, no fire from heaven, (at least) that burnt continually, nor many other things, which came in, in succeeding times: some when the Arke and tabernacle was erected, more, when the Temple was builded, and all other things set in order, according to Gods prescription touching each particuler.

Note. Howbeit Abel (in the meane time) doth his best, and offers to his vtmost power, what his present state, and the present time may permit, shewing therby that true grace will doe what it can, though it cannot doe all it would, or should, in the seruice of God; [Page 15]others may doe more, in times & places which afforde more meanes, but sincerity will shew it self in the most that may be done for the time being; though we en­joy but litle meanes, or few helpes to further vs, yet a sounde hart will make some honest shift, to doe something that may be pleasing to God.

This is worth noteing (by the way) because it mee­te's fitly, with their fearefull jmpiety, who let all reli­gion and piety alone, because they cannot doe all: like to miserable and desperate bankrupts, who because they are not able to give every man all, will pay not­hing at all to any mā; which deceit who could endure? Nay, learne to doe better of good Abell (and all Gods saints who lived in the first times) doe something the most and best, thou canst, and the Lord will accept thee according to the willing minde thou hast, to goe as farre as weake meanes will further thee. Note. A man doth not more manifest weake grace, in not doing Gods worke compleatly, then he doth evidēce true gra­ce in doing what he is able to doe, conscionably. The Lord regarde's men according to his meanes, and their mindes, in his service. They that offred vprightly be­fore the preisthood was ordered, were as acceptable to God, and some of them had as much, and all of them had as true grace, as any that sacrificed after. Note. A wise christian, may employ much grace, vpon litle meanes, and (I thinke) the least meanes that ever the Lord doth give, may exercise the most grace the best of vs have, if we play the good husbands, & set it well a work. But this is by the way, let vs now make toward the mayne thing, Heb. 11.4 we meane to handle in this offring of Abel, which is soe commended in him, both here & in other places of scripture.

Doctri∣ne. And that is, that morall of this practise ceremoniall, which concerneth vs christians, to wit, That it is the vndeniable duty of every one, to giue vnto God the glory of his first abilityes, both of soule & body, & to bestow their first powers in the seruice of his maiesty.

This lesson Abell needed not to have learned of the first borne of his beasts, had not his father Adam fallen, and deprived him (and vs all,) of those first & best fruits of created grace, which the Lord gave him, when he filled him the first day of his life, with the per­fection of all knowledge, holynes, and righteousnes, and made him as holy, and as happy, as a creature might be on this earth. Had not these first fruits of this grace perished in the first Adam, soe, as that ne­ver man but he might taste them, they would have taught vs what to doe assoone as we could have done any thing, that grace &c, would quickly have carried vs to the fountaine of grace, from whence, as it came but lately, it would have returned naturally, as the ri­vers into the sea. For Adams graces were as naturall, as his breath, it was all one to him, to doe any duty to God, and to himself, both were alike easy vnto him.

But now the case is altred, it is nothing soe, but cleane contrary altogether, his first best lesson must be taught Abel (yea and Adam too) by his first best beast which he must now give to that God to whome he should have given himself from his first being, this be­ast must be sacrifised to shame him, who being once who­ly Gods, hath now made himself worse then the beast that perisheth, now must man have dumbe schoolema­sters that cannot speake, and vnreasonable yea sence­lesse also, which cannot vnderstand or heare his speech, and somewhat must be done to them, assoone as [Page 17]they are in the world, to shew man, what we once (when time was) could have done, and what for ever he ought to doe, from the time of his owne first being. The first of our flock, the first of our fruit, must teach vs to whome the first of our selves, doth of right apper­taine: even to the Lord, to whome a beast must be givē ceremonially, in stead of a man morally. And this being one morall and meaning of this ceremonie, it most needes be our duty thus to doe. Even this shad­dow shewe's vs, that as a substance and a shaddow, doe from the first instant goe together inseparably, and for ever; soe should we ha ve beene to our God, ever from our beginning to have followed him wheresoever he had gone before vs, and to have cleaved continually to him, in the obedience we owe him all the dayes of our life, both first and last.

And this truth of God of the early offering of our selves vnto the Lord, is not only typed out and signi­fied here, by these first beastes, and fruits, that must be sacrificed; but it is substantially confirmed in other scriptures, wherein the Lord doth more expresly, mani­fest his minde in this matter.

I will not, (for I neede not) heape vp many evidences; let vs consider only, to what end it may be (if this be not Gods truth,) that the Lord doth soe often call vpon parents, touching their duty to their children on this behalfe, to nurture, to tutor, & instruct them, in all holy informations, even in their childe-hood, non­age and minerity, so soone as they can be discerned to be capable and vnderstanding in any thing. [Teach a childe] saith Salom on. [Fathers, bring vp your children in the feare and information of the Lord] saith Paul, with moe that might be added. In any of which, dare any [Page 18]man jmagine that the Lord calls for any thing more then his due, and if he doe not, then doth the duty of our first dayes belong to the Lord, our first powers, & abilities, are his in all right, and he must have our ser­vice, soe soone as we can doe any.

Againe, why are many commended in scripture for being carefull herin, and their examples recorded for our jmitation? is it not because we should trace them in this truth which some of them have learned, more then we, with much lesse teaching then we have? For instance, Josh. 24.2.13. Gen. 18. Abraham, who in his owne first times, was tray­ned vp in jdolatry with Terah his father, and soe he gave not the first fruits of his owne life, yet for his posterity, God prefumeth on his fidelity this way, and saith, he knew his minde soe well for this matter, that he was fure [he would teach his children and command them] in the things of God, and therevpon acquaints him with his secret purpose concerning Sodome. We see Abraham did know this our doctrine to be his duty, yet he had neither his fathers example, nor his owne practise in his first yeares, nor Salomon, nor Paul, to call vpon him but the Lord himself taught him this truth, him a hart to doe it.

And have you not also read what is recorded of Hannah, [...]. Sam. 1. the happy mother of Samuell, and what her resolution was, when she went to pray for a childe be­fore she had ever a one, namely this, to give him to God, and that soe, as the Lord might have the first fruits of him, even [from the day of his birth to the day of his death,] and when the Lord saw her soe well re­solved, he quickly graunted what she desired.

It were as easy to instance many moe, as these two, who have hearkened to God herin, & honoured him with [Page 19]the first of these fruits of their body which he had given them, as of olde these did with the fruits of their beasts. But we will cease examples, and vrge the rea­sons of the point, which are these that follow.

Reason. 1 First, God is the best master we can serve, and there­fore we have reason to goe about his service the first thing we doe, when once we can doe any thing at all. That he is our best master, appeareth not only in his nature, he being every way infinitely good, but also in his infinite favour, which sheweth it self, both in that he gives vs the best worke, and the best wages in the world. Our worke is to worship and obey him, and to doe only those things which are best for our selves, whereby we may be most happy in our soules and bo­dyes, both being at peace with him, and enjoying all things in a sanctified and sweete estate. Our wages (besides his manifolde mercyes here) is all inconcei­vable blessednes, that heaven can afford vs, the glory of that kingdome, wherein we shalbe glorious kings with himself for ever and ever. Now what would any man doe first, that were guided but by naturall reason? even that which he might benefit most by, Beholde then here is.

• the best master that can be desired
• the best service that can be performed.
• the best wages that can be received.

Let any reasonable man judge whether he have not reason to set himselfe so soone as is possible to this truth.

Reason. 2 Secondly, they are like to proue his best servants, that begin soonest to serve him, for why? our first abilityes are freest from sin, and least taynted with evill, and soe much more apt, and able to good, then when once [Page 20]they have beene habituated, and soaked, and seasoned nay poysoned, with astuall impiety, aded to that natu­rall impurity, which is in vs, and by both these, made vt­terly vnmeete for the Lord, as they cannot but be, when once Satan hath got in, and had the first hansell of our harts, and soe posest vs of a childe, that we have beene his vassalls, in the base, and hellish bondage of sin and rebelliō against God: it is hard getting of him out, if he be once in possession, more hard, if he have beene in, longe. But if the Lord enter vs at first, we are his for ever, he cannot be gotten out by all the devills in hell, if once he have the happy possession of our harts, he will holde his owne. Seing therefore we are fittest for him in our first times, let vs know, it is goodreason we should then give our selves vnto him, especially considering we can never (at the best we can be) come any thing neere that fitnes which once we had, when we were full of that created grace wherof we spake before.

Reason. 3 Thirdly, our first fruits must of necessity be besto­wed, and employed one way or other, to good or to evill; to God or to the Devill, it cannot be avoyded but one of the two, must have the vse of vs from the first time we are fit for any thing. We must needes belong either to the one, or to the other; religion tell's vs we cannot belong to both, and let reason speake to which of the two, it is best belonging: I say let reason speake, for no man can be soe vnreasonable, as to make any doubt, or the least demurre vpon it. If the Lord have vs, it is that he would have, if the devill get vs, woe vn­to vs, we must account with God, for all the service we have done him, even for every act, & when this heavy account is made vp, we must vndergoe Gods eternall [Page 21]curse for our service, and receive the hire of our worke with him (whome we have served) in hell, where the worme never dyeth, and the fire never goeth out.

Soe that, inasmuch as our first fruits must goe to one of these, and that it will be soe miserable with vs, if Satan seize vpon vs, let vs beleeve the truth of our doctrine and doe accordingly.

I, (will some say) that is a good motion, Objection. and well it were with vs if we could doe as you say, but we can­not, it is not in our power now, true it is, that once it was, but it is as true, that now it is not, and that is well knowne, yea too well, to our selves, and to God; how then would you have vs doe herein? doth God re­quire what he knowe's we cannot doe? doe his pre­cepts contayne jmpossibilityes? will he have vs vnder­take that which we are not able.

I answer, Solution. all that can be pleaded (though never soe truly) cannot on our part nullify any truth of God taught vnto vs, any precept of God imposed on vs: soe long as all that we would excuse our selves by, is long of our selves, and that whereby the Lord may accuse vs most justly, because (of our selves, without him) we fell from our perfection, and power we had, to give all duty to him at all times.

True it is, and too true, that we cannot give our selves now from our first, as we could have done in our created state, but what of that? doth our jmbecility weaken the necessity of this duty? is Gods comman­dement ever the weaker because we are worse then we were, whan he gave his? can our corruption cancell or abate any jot or title of his truth? Noe, it doth, and will stand in full power, force, and [Page 22]vertue against vs: we have enfeebled, and vnfitted our selves for God, but his law, his will is as absolute and as strong as ever, his counsell must stand though we fall, he is all one in commanding, though we be not soe in obeying; it is we with whome the case is altred, not he, for he is [Iehovah and changeth not.] He neede not, vn­lesse he please (for he is noe way tyed by any necessi­ty) to take notice of our inabylity, if he doe, he may the more righteously reprove, and vpbrayd vs; if he doe not soe, it is his greater favour, not to cast it in our teeth. He may to this day expect, (and therefore much more command) that every one of vs should be as Adam was at his best, & condemne and plague vs for our vnfruitfullnes, if we be not: as Christ did curse the fig tree for want of fruit, Mark. 11.13. though it be ex­presly sayd by one Evangelist that [the time of figs was not yet] that is, that time which ordinarily, now vnder nature corrupted, it did vsually beare fruit; it see­meth (nay it is more ceartaine) that before the earth was cursed, all fruits should have beene more frequent and abundant, yea, almost continuall (as some have con­ceived) like the trees in the paradice of God. Reu. 22.2 And soe our Saviour to shew, not only his power, but his righte­ousnes, cursed it, because it was not soe fruitfull, as it was by creation, taking no notice of the vnfruitfullnes of it, or of the want of fruit which came to passe at this time of the yeare, by reason of the curse through our corruption. Note. And thus may he deale with vs, for that we are not at all times fruitfull in those graces, of his good spirit, wherewith once he furnished vs, and made vs, meete and able (at any time) to honour him. What hath he to doe with our falling, and insufficiency to doe his will? that lyeth betweene the devill, and vs, to [Page 23]answer, the Lord hath no hand in it, nor cannot be taxed with it in any respect, he commande's no more then he made vs fit for. So that there is no objecting this, to any good end, vnlesse it be (as it ought to be) to humble vs, for that we are not, as we were once (and should have beene ever) and therevpon discerning our inability, to doe the Lord all the duty we owe him from our first breath; as also, seing by absolute right, he may as well challenge it of vs, as of the first Adam; we herevpon bestirre our selves the more, and the better, to hasten both our selves and others, vnto the practise of this instruction, and soe turne all this (by the power of grace) into a provocation, which cor­rupt nature (perversly) vrgeth as an objection.

And thus the point is proved, and this scruple, (or cavill rather) removed, let vs now come to the vses of of the point, which are three, and doe concerne all sorts of men: to wit.

• the children of God, for consolation.
• the vngodly, for reprehension.
• all men, for instruction.

Vse. 1 And first for the saints, the sons and daughters of God, it cannot be but exceeding happy & comforta­ble to them, who have harts convinced of this truth, and lives, that have expressed it, since the first day it was revealed to them from the Lord, before whome, they have sincerely endeavoured, to give him the first fruits of their knowledge of this lesson, though, either through their owne personall ignorance therof, or through the error of parents in their education, they have not given him the first fruits of their practise while they were in their non-age.

It is a most happy thing to be rightly convicted of a [Page 24]divine truth, because many are superficially perswaded, an will give a slight consent, (& lesse, the Divell, if he be put to it, wil not doe) to many holy truthes of God, but they whome the Lord convinceth a right, (as he doth all his owne) he cōforteth, in giving them, a harts resolution setled in their very soules, to say within themselves; this is the vndoubted truth of the euerliving God, thus, we must doe, & endeavour to stire vp others to doe the same; and if it be a truth which we should haue practised before, we must repent for neglect past, & be vpright with God for the time remayning, and goe the fa­ster because we began soe late, and doe our best to draw others after vs, to that way which both they, and we should have gone, long before. He that is thus convicted, shall not goe long vncomforted.

It is a simple impossibility, that men called at their ripe yeares, or in their age, should give their first fruits to the Lord, those dayes are gone, and past: but to gi­ve the Lord (at what time it pleaseth him to call vs) the glory of this truth, in our sounde perswasion, that it is thus, and singleharted humiliation, because it had not place in our practise before now, & most carefull provocation to our vtmost possibility, that it may be thus in ours, and all others, with whome, by any good meanes, we can prevayle, this is to be truly happy, and in a most comfortable condition, & we are accep­ted of God (thus doing) as if we had done it our selves from the first day of our life.

How famous is Abraham, few men soe much renow­ned in religion as he, none more, yet from his childe hood, he had not done service, but to Satan in jdola­try, and such other jmpiety, as vsually accompanieth that jniquity. But at the first call, he came, and assoo­ne [Page 25]as he heard he did obey, and perceiving that the Lord had lost such duty by him, as in his former dayes he should have received from him, he is cōvinced here­of, and resolved, that his children shall give it, though his owne childe-hood, was given to sin. And the discer­ning of this in him, was that, that gave the Lord content, and Abraham comfort.

Is not Moses a man abundantly magnified, and that of God himself, as if he had beene (as indeede he was) some extraordinary servant of his, yet, for forty yeares of his life, what was he, (so farre as we finde?) but such as others were that lived in the court of that Pa­gan Prince, who was the oppressor, and adversary of Gods people; it may be, he might be lesse grosse, then some of his fellow courtiers, who were inclined to egre­gious jmpiety, but that he was good, or savoured of any saving grace, is more then appeareth to me. Howbeit inasmuch as he freely and resolutely, cast off all the creddit, and profsit of his high dignity, & preheminen­ce in court, when the Lord would summon him to ser­ve him, it was well taken, that from that age, and time, he wayted on the worke of God, though neither his childe-hood, nor youth were the Lords, in time past.

What should I multiply more (as I might) of many other most worthy saints, who in the same case, have had the same comfort, what is over-past, and cannot be actually recovered, and performed, if it be rightly re­pented of, in our selues, and reformed in others (to our best power, it is all one, as if we had done it in our owne person. Let vs bewayle our owne want of duty and Gods want of glory by vs, and doe as Hannah did, for such as may come within our possibility to dispose off, or perswade, namely, give them to the Lord from [Page 26]the first instant, that we have any interest in them, and it shalbe well with vs.

And this I doe (of purpose) insert here, because Satan is malicious, and hungry, to gnaw vpon the very harts of Gods saints, when once he gett's a truth by the end, wherin, their time (for performance) is past, then doth he come with his pearceing temptations to wounde, and rende, the soules of such as are single harted, and to lay it in their dish, that this, and that, they should have done long since, God should have had their whole lives for his service, now many yeares be gone, and there can be noe recalling of them, and can they thinke which way to make all well, when it is an vtter jmpossibility to recover one moment, much lesse, many yeares: with these, and the like spight full, and greivous suggestions, he doth teaze, and tor­ture their gracious mindes to breede despayre in them.

But now we are armed (I hope) to answer him, and that we may doe, and pay him double, both for himself, to whome we may say with joy and scorne; better once then never, for thy part, thy first dayes were as due to God as mine, but he will never call, but ever accurse thee; Note. and for our selves; but for my part, though I have lost my first dayes, my God will not lose me ever, seing he call's once and be that come's then, comes time enough for mercy, though he should have came sooner in duty: and moreover, know the Lord hath made many a happy man for his best service, among those who in their first dayes have beene fou­ly misled: I greive, that I gave him not my childe-hood, or youth, but if he please to accept of my age I joy, and will joy, and doe my best to offer all that I can prevaile withall, assoone, as I should haue offered my self.

These and the like answers, will confound his ca­vills, and make him weary of vs: and he being thus resisted, our God and we, may be the more intimate and familiar; in the sweetest passages of his singuler favour.

And see we see there is sounde comfort for such as are perswaded herof, and would have done it, and are humbled because God hath beene robbed of his right in their minority.

Againe; for such as have offered their first fruits to the Lord, there comfort cannot be behinde (if it excee­de not) theirs that went before. Our A bell here, who was soe carefull to give the Lord the first of his flocke, and, (I cannot easily doubt but, that he gave the first of himself also) how doth the Lord magnify him in this his service and duty? Did he not most graciously regard him and his offering? hath he not put it here into his owne booke to his perpetuall prayse, Heb. 11.4. 1. Joh. 3. and not only here, but else-where in the new testament once and againe, that from the beginning to the end of the world, he might be famous, wheresoever either this, text, or those, should be preached, that which he hath done, should not be forgotten? Did he not most dee­ply avenge his innocent blood vpon his jmpious bro­ther, and made him the first and most fearfull spectacle of his justice, and malediction, to the terror of all succe­ding generations? And (which is more then all this) hath not the Lord crowned him with glory and immor­tality in the heavens with himself, as well as renouned him for holynes, and piety here on earth?

He is the first, whose soule every saw the face of God, noe man ever went from earth to heaven before him, among the innumerable spirits of just and perfect [Page 28]men who now, and for ever live there with the Lord in glory. He was the first martyr, & had the first crowne none every dyed for the Lord before him, none could liue with the Lord before him: he was the Lords first witnes, & among all the Lords worthyes this righteous Abel (as Christ call's him) stood in the fore-frunt of the battell, & shed the first blood for the faith, & testimo­ny of Iesus, before there was any to back or abett him.

And as the Lord tooke great notice of this first, soe also, hath he done in like manner of the rest, who have began betime to be acquainted with him, in his servi­ce. How came Samuell to be soe rare a man, and to be numbred among the most speciall favourites of God, Moses, Iob, Daniell, Noah, &c? Why; doe you not remember what we have sayd of his mother, how she gave him to God (in resolution) before she had him and was as good as her word, assoone as he was wea­ned; doe you not remember what is sayd of himself [the childe Samuell ministred before the Lord] the childe Samuell; this was worthy to be acounted wonderfull, that a childe should minister before the Lord, especi­ally being so yong, that; as yet) he knew not the voyce or call of God, from Elyes, but ranne to Ely, once and againe, when the Lord called vpon him, about the first busines he had to doe for him.

What may be the cause that Iosiah is soe mightily cō ­mended, that, as if he were matchlesse it is sayd of him, [that there was none like before him] nor any to succee­de that should be such a one, as this peerelesse prince was; true it is, that never any king, either of Jsraell or Iudah (no not among the good kings) before or after him, went soe farre in the worke of Godfor the purga­tiō & purifying of his worship, as he did; this king did [Page 29]surmount them all: but how is it that he came to doe, what none had done, more then they all? why; he be­gun to worke the worke of God betime, & that may be a mayne reason why he did so much: at eight yea­re olde (saith the scripture) [he sought the Lorde, 2. King. 23.1.] and that is but in childe-hood, all men know.

What should I tell you of Solomon, of Timothie, and such others as I might mention to this purpose; no­thing is more sure, then this, that they have beene the rarest, and most excellent men, in piety, and religion, and the most able instruments of Gods honour, who in the beginning of their dayes, have begun to doe good, they must needes be neerest heaven, who set out on their way, soonest, & continue going on thither-warde.

Only, it is seldome, that we see any enter vpon re­ligion soe early now a dayes, they are very few, that be­gin to be soe soone faith full. Note. The more are they to be admired of godly men, and the more to be comforted of God, who are founde sucklings in grace, assoone as they are weanelings in nature, and hang vpon Gods breasts, when they have given over they mothers.

So that by all that hath beene sayd, it appeareth to be a happy thing, and they to be most happy men, who have learned this lesson of the Lord, and walked accor­ding to the light therof, which leade's on directly in the way of life, wherin howsoever a man may (possibly) meete with some molestation, and misery, yet the end of it will (vndoubtedly) be endles, & infinite glory, with him, who wil make those most glorious beyond all time who betooke themselves to glorify him betime.

Much might be spoken to enlarge their consolation who have harts, to doe according to this instruction. But of this more hereafter: we now passe to our 2. Vse.

Vse. 2 And that concerneth all vngodly persons, who howsoever they will (because they must, and cannot for starke shame, say otherwise) after a sort acknowledg this our doctrine to be true; yet walke (most wickedly) in a course farre wyde of it, nay, cleane contrary to it: their mouthes cannot be soe monstruously finfull, but they must confesse it to be a truth, howbeit, their hel­lish harts, and lives, doe deny it in their most jmpious practise all the dayes of their life: yea they have taught their tongues to lye herin notoriously, and that not to men alone, but to the Lord, of whome and of whose service they vse to say, it is not yet time, it may be time enough heareafter.

O yee impious children of the father of lyes, can you say it is true, that every one shoulde begin betime, and it were not amisse if it were soe, and yet tell God and men to their faces, that any time is time enought hereby, you shew your selves to be the very jmps of the devill, who hath taught you such a language, as one part of your speech confutes, nay confound's another, and such a practise, as overturnes Gods truth which you dare not deny, and confirmes that falshood which none ought to affirme: Miserable soules, how are yee given over of God into the hands, nay into the bands of Satan, who if you speake or breath out but one true word, can make your life, both to bely, and abolish that, and to ratify every jot, and tittle of those infernall falshoodes, that he suggests into your soules.

Doe yee not sin presumptuously, and against the light of your owne knowledg, and conscience, that can thus speake, and dare thus doe? and is such a sin a light mat­ter, or easy to answer to the judge of the whole worlde? know; you will not finde it soe, in the day of [Page 13]the great and vniversall assize, when all flesh shall at once, stand before him to give account, and receive re­compence, according to what they have done.

Notwithstanding the world hath beene ever full (& hell wilbe one day full, of soe many of them as repent not) of such, as either turne God out of all time, or bring him in the tayle of all the time they live, and that houre of our life which fall's out to be soe neere death, that a man cā neither serue himself nor the world nor Satan, because of extreme imbecility of body, is reser­ved for God, to serue him in, though it be but in saying Lord have mercy vpon me: And this they dreame to be enough to bring them to heaven, that, or their Pater noster, (if they can but have time to say it) will make them happy enough, they care for no more, and soe (poo­re sooles) they goe like oxen to the slaughter, concei­ting that two or three words speaking, will purchase Gods glorious kingdome, and posesse them of it, wit­hout any more a doe. Which jmagination, is more blas­phemous then ever came into a Papists apprehension, for as grosse as they are, in the matter of merit, yet they are not soe foule, as to say that glory may be gotten with soe slight desert, nay they exhort men to doe good works betime, and abundantly; I never read any of them that helde, heaven might be had for a few bare words, especially, proceeding from a minde, and soule, more sicke, then at the pangs of death the body can be.

And this pestilent conceit of prorogeuing time with God, is a vniversall disease, and hath slayne many that are gone, and infected desperately millions of men that yet liue in the christian worlde. Every one throwe's off the day of this duty, & breake's that commande­ment [Page 32]in the substance, which they were bound to ob­serue in the shaddow, Exod. 22.29.20. where God saith [Thou shalt not delay to offer thy first fruits] whether of oxen, & cattell, of liquor or any other thing.

Delay, is a thing that the Lord still detested in any thing that he had for vs to doe he would never endu­re protraction of time; he hath ever pleaded with his people for haste, and expedition, and for priority befo­re all things yea, to be put in the first place before all things, as well he doth deserue to be, in the conscien­ce of the corruptest man among christians. And albeit, that both these be soe, that the Lord hath soe loved to be first served, and loathed in his soule to be set behin­de, yet, as if prolonging, and poasting off the piactise of piety, were a thing that would rather make vs accep­table to the Lord, then detestable in his sight: the divill (who is both Gods, and our avowed adversary herin) doth not only perswade jmpious persōs to stay, & re­journe whatsoever is required of them in true religiō; but also, he puts into their mindes, and mouthes what to plead against God, & their owne best good, (but they litle know it) in the truth of this point which we now vrge, & arme's them to opē their mouth with strange insolency against heaven, to defend their double jmpie­ty, in devising damnable shifts to support them therin, that they may be still, and (for ever,) holden fast in the cordes of their jniquity, and linger soe long in their sinfull courses, and accursed carriage, till time shalbe no more, and it be too late to wish for the day of grace the day of Gods patience, and our repentance, which being now past & gone, we are to beare for ever, the righteous vengeance of the wretched neglect of that happy opportunity.

It is a sure thing that Satan never helpe's man to a jmpious hart to doe an evill, but he also help's him to an jmpudent mouth to defend the sin he doth: Preten­ces for putting of Gods service. and be­cause his pretences are such, and doe seeme soe plausi­ble, as that they doe misleade the most part of men in the worlde, let vs looke into them a litle, and try whether they be currant, or counterfeit, pure or hase, by the truest touch-stone, even the word of God, which is truth it self.

But before we come to any particulers, let vs pre­mise a few words in generall to all such as doe plead any thing in this particuler, to the end and purpose afore sayd; let them therefore know, and receive for a memorandum thus much.

That all that they speake is against God, and their owne eternall good: and that it is for the, Devill and his advantage to their owne everlasting evill.

In all this plea, what are they? Adversaryes to God, and themselves; and Advocates for the Divell against themselves. But let vs heare them speake, although, all they speake, be not worth the hearing.

They say (though God say the contrary, and them­selves confesse it too) that though men should begin betime, and it were well if they would, yet there is no such necessity lying vpon it, that we should be soe nice vpon it: And why?

Plea. 1 1. Because (as they cursedly conceit) a man may make too much haste, too much a doe, and what neede one be soe curious, & precise, at present, there is time enough (for these matters) heare­after.

This is their first Plea. Wherin, I must be bolde to aske these men first, whether they speake (when they [Page 34]thus speake) as they thinke, or not. If not, what hel­lish hypocrisy is it in any man to belye his owne minde, with his owne mouth? what wofull impiety is it, to vtter that (in others hearing) which a mans owne hart doth contradict within himself? If they doe thinke as they say (which I thinke every man would be well advised before he would doe, if he knew all) then let vs see if we can shew them, what blasphemy is wrap­ped vp in this speach, inasmuch as the scope therof is guilty of the fearfullest fellony that (almost) may be committed.

Note. God is robbed by them of his right, in the duty of their owne, and the first dayes of such other, as they doe thus delude. They are robbed by Satan (but with their owne consent, for they plead for the theife) of that right which Christ Iesus hath purchased for such as are obedient to his truth.

Others also are robbed of the same good, by vttering these vngodly sayings, to seduce them, sinfully to sett off the time of their turning to the Lord. And I thin­ke the man that knew this, would not be so free of these words, which are soe wofull as we see, were there noe more to be sayd against them.

But let vs come neerer, The e­vill of it and pry more narrowly into this plea, and the further we goe, the more foule abhomination shall we finde, and detect therin, and that in divers respects, a few wherof, we will notify be­fore you.

Evill. 1 1. This plea, supposeth an absolute cearteinety of more time yet to come, and to be remayning, vnto our lives: why should any man (in common sence) say it is time enough heareafter, if he were not (as he thinks) assured of more time to [Page 35]come after-warde.

Now thus to surmize is grosse sin, inasmuch as the Lord hath taught vs to know, that we cannot expect much lesse warrant, one instant of time, or a moment more to breath in, then we doe already enjoy. Tro. 27.1. Iam. 4.14 Doth not the wise man tell vs, [we know not what a day shall bring forth?] Doth not the Apostle say as much for to morrow? [you know not what shalbe to morrow?] Was it not the fooles saying in the Gospell [soule take thy ease, eate, drinke, and be merry, then hast enough in store for many yeares] loe, he dreamed of many dayes, nay yeares, yea he presumed vpon both, when he had not one day more to live out of hell, fulfilling that of the Prophet. [Destruction shall come vpon the wicked, and he shall not know the morning therof] yet will these vngodly persons be presumeing of more time, and of time enough, hea­reafter. Noe, noe, we have not spent our time past, soe well, as that we may vndertake for more to come; had any man dealt with vs as we have dealt with God, I assure my self he should not live a day to an end, if we had power to hang him vp: the more wickedly doe they carry themselves against the Lord, who having long since, deserved to hang in hell fire, for not hono­ring him heretofore, dare yet say, there is time for that hearcafter: as if we were Gods, to fore-see, & had fore­knowledg of future things; the which to arrogate, is extreame jmpiety. This is the first, but not the worst, of this plea, Let vs survey a second.

Evill. 2 2. This plea supposeth, nay presumeth, not only that there wilbe more time simply, but (which is more) more time of grace, more and better opportunity of repentance, & turning to God, then the present is.

And this is worse then the former, and much more egregious in the sight of God: for howsoever every dayes experience doth witnesse in the course of natu­re, and all things naturall, that have life doe testify, that the Lord is pleased to bestow life & being vpon creatures, and that (amonge men) as well vpon the vnjust as the just, the infidell, as the faithfull: Yet that together with this, time of grace should be presumed vpon, and taken for granted by any mortall man (that is willingly gracelesse), and thrusts off, the call of God, and his heavenly proffer of the same; is a thing soe vn­reasonable and sencelesse, soe sinfull and presump­tuous, and an act of such arrogancy against the Lord, as he will severely punish, and noe way cherish, in the hart of man.

What? doth the naturall sunne in the firmament, & the sunne of righteousnes, keepe both one course every day and houre? are the holy and precious things of God that pertaine to our best being, & the common benefits of the earth, both at one rate? and to be had alike at all times? The sunne in the firmament hath beene rarely interrupted in her course; but the sunne of righteousnes hath many a time beene darkened in divers places, nay quite remooved from some places: The former is for all times and seasons, the latter is for seasons only, not tyed to all times.

Therefore is the Lord still lying at vs and calling eagerly vpon vs, touching our awaking out of sin, and betaking ourselves to holynes, vpon this ground [And that considering the season] For now the season is come. [This is the day of salvation, this is the acceptable season To day: if yee will heare] while it is called to day with many more of the like every day in the yeare, is not [Page 37]the day of grace, every time, not the season fit for this purpose.

The Lord is not tyed or bound in duty, to give vs one day or season, but if in mercy he please to offer so­me few, no men may looke for many; this gate is not ever open to every one, it is often shutt, nay, Mat. 25.10. it is ever shut to all such as were not ready to goe in, when it was open. Gods calender and ours differ much, our dayes are constant, we can ceartainely foresee a yeare (or more) before vs, when such a time will come; it is not soe he­re, the Lords almanacke gives noe such light or fore­sight, his happy times, are hid from their eyes who were shewed them long since, but would not then, and shall not now, see them. Well may a sinfull wretch fin­de some saints dayes there; that is, to his confusion, he may looke vpon the blessed seasons, they have ma­de vse of, to give themselves to the Lord, but his owne dayes he can finde none, but such as be past, and all written in red letters, in letters of blood, for his blood is vpon himself, who hath neglected soe great salua­tion, in the season therof, and let the worke of God alone, till it be too late to goe about it. But let vs yet see something further, what more will follow hence.

Evill. 3 3. This plea is yet more foule in this third, then in both the former: for why? it doth not only presume vpon time, and vpon time of grace, (and both without God); but more, it presu­meth to dispose this time, and to order it to re­pentance at our pleasure.

And herein, what doe we? (surely we are not well advised, in it) is not this to vsurpe Gods place and prerogative?

We make our selves masters of the time, and of that which is to be done therin, as if we might not only take the time when we will, but also doe therin what we will, and as if it were now in our power, and at our pleasure, to give our selves to God when we thinke good. Which apprehensions are most proud in vs, and most vnpleasing to him, being apparantly prejudiciall, to his wisdome and providence wherby all our dayes, and all our wayes are ordered.

In his goodnes we live and move naturally: in his mercy we live and move spiritually: in his power & assistance, we doe any thing we ought that is heavenly: and shall we arrogate all three to our selves, without any colour of ground or reason, and take these things soe high­ly, (or rather soe hellishly) vpon vs, as if we were equall with God, yea, aboue him, rather, to dispose that time to our selves, and in that time, to dispose our sel­ves to that service, which (for our owne former con­tempt) the Lord doth, and wil, deny vs in both? that neither we shall have time to breath, or if we have, that yet no breath of spirituall life shalbe in vs, to move towards any thing that is acceptable in his sight.

Our betters have had better mindes, who have con­fessed that without him, we could be nothing; without him, we could have nothing; without him, we could doe nothing: and vpon these thoughts, have cast all good things vpon his wisdome to dispose, his power to bring to passe, his loving kindnes and favour to encrease, and encourage in vs: acknowledging both themselves, and their times to be in his hands. It would well become these that thus plead, to practise the same, which be­cause they doe not, we see what jmpiety they incurre herin; yet is not this all, more remayneth.

Evill. 4 4. This plea of time enough heareafter, & of making too much hast yet, argueth that these persons doe thinke these two things to be true.

• 1. that God may be served too long.
• 2. that the Divell may be served too litle.

Both which doe as naturally flow from their foule, and jmpure mouthes, as water from a fountayne; for wherto els can their sayings tende, seing (as we sayd before) either God, or the Divell, must be served of vs at all times, and vntill we have sacrificed our selves to the Lord, the Divell hath all our dayes.

And may we thinke that heaven can, or will, heare, and beare, the hydeous blasphemy of both these, or either of them? what? may we serve the Lord too soone? and, too soone give over the service of Satan? is the divell become the better master, and God the worse, that our last time, may serve his turne, and all the rest, litle enough for the other? who hath heard such things among the heathens, or such speeches as doe, as directly, and plainely inferre and conclude them, as if they did speake them? How vnreasonable, how irre­ligious, are both? nay, how excecrable is either of the two by it self? the one applaude's the Divell aboue God, the other abases the Lord below the divell, will either; can both be sufered? were not the patience of the al­mighty infinite, these sinners would sink into hell, yea, into the nethermost hell, but let them know; forbearan­ce is no acquittance; he that doth endure this soe long, will in the end avenge it, with the heaviest justice and wrath, that is

• revealed from heaven, or
• reserved in hell

as against all other, soe especially, against this mighty [Page 40]vngodlines of men, then which what can be more monstrous or provoking, to draw swift damnation vpon their soules that thus speake: for what can be spoken to the greatest disgrace of him that is most glorious, if this be not? and can we once surmize, that the Lord will suffer such indignity and disparagemet at our hands & not power out his indignation vpon vs? Es­pecially, if withall, we well consider, our owne jujury we doe our selves, besides this jmpiety against the Lord: because the lesse service we doe the Lord, and the more we doe the divell, the more wofull is it for vs, in both respects: for that litle we would give God is rejec­ted, and all that we doe for Satan is plagued, and so by both, we are wrapt vnder the eternall wrath of his dre­adfull majesty.

Thus and no better, then we have sayd, but much worse, then we can say, is the sequell of this first perni­cious apologie, which men make against God, and their owne soules, in the procrastination of the power, and practise of this truth. Now if a man should summe vp all these together, would not the totall, be terrible (thin­ke you) to the soule that is guilty in the Items?

• to assure our selves of more time of life.
• to presume that some of that, shalbe time of grace.
• to take vpon vs to dispose of that time, what we will doe therin.
• to jmagine God may have too much, and the divell too litle, of our service.

Is any one of these answerable before God? much lesse are they all excusable: noe noe, every of them is high treason against

• his honour who order's all time.
• [Page 41]his favour who gives all time of grace.
• his excellency and worthines, who deserues the duty of all our dayes.

These words must be eaten, and recalled, and that with more then ordinary humiliation, greife, and dete­station; or nothing can remayne but his just vengean­ce vpon the transgressors; it is most true of this plea, 1. King. 1.23. which Solomō spake of Adoniahs desire, that [he had spo­ken this word against his owne life], and was thervpon instantly slayne: and soe might they be, who have spo­ken these words against their owne eternall life: and if the Lord should now seize vpō them to everlasting death, how righteous were it vpon these vngodly wretches? against whome the Apostle Iude saith, the Lord will come in great glory, and dreadfull power, even (among other things) [for their hard and cursed speakings] of which number, who can jmagine that these are not? what neede such hast? there is time enough hea­reafter for these matters: wofull man, that vtterest these words; is there soe litle neede that God should have his glory, that thou shouldst (by giving it) be truly happy? if thy whole time were given to God, were it enough? nay can any time be enough for his duty? suppose one man might live from one end of the world to the other, from the first day to the last of all time, to see both the creation and consummation of all things, yea, and admit that man could live without sin too, and not miscarry one moment, but be evermore doing that which might honour God? could this man say he had given God enough? I trow not: for what time can be (in equity) enough for him, whose least glory to his saints shalbe infinite, and eternall beyond all time? and yet these accursed mouthes, dare stint the Lord to the [Page 42] last, and least, and worst, time of their life, and thinke it enough to. The Lord deliver vs (saith the apostle) from [vnreasonable and wicked men,] which if these be not, who are, or can be?

Oh then, let vs revoke, recant, and cancell presently, what we have spoken wickedly; byte that tongue that vttered them, smite that hart that thought them; ac­curse and excecrate that divell that suggested them; least our not revoking of them, rende vs from God, send vs to Satan, the author of them. Let vs lay our hands vpou our mouthes and resolve never to open them againe to such jmpious purpose, wherin.

• the Lord of heaven is damnifyed:
• the soules of men are damned:
• the divell only is advantaged.

God is dishonoured, we are vndone, the divell goe's away with all the gaynes from both; which he could never doe, if he could not thus line the lips, and tip the tongues of some prophane persons, to become his trumpets, to gather men to damnation, by such delusions.

This is the first infernal plea, that is devised, and vrged to deceive the Lord of his first fruits of our time, but have they done? when they have sayd thus? noe they have, yet, a second pretence, and a third too, to co­me. Let vs exanime the former.

Preten∣ce. 2 2. They plead, that in age, this worke may be done well enough, and time enough; then men are stayed and know what they doe, is it not fit for young giddy heads to meddle with such matters.

Then there wilbe more leasure, when those dayes come, wherin men have given over the proffits, plea­sures, [Page 43]and vanityes, of the world, and have nothing to doe, but to goe to church, and serve God. This they pretend. The E­vills of it.

Well, but though in the former there was much, in this latter there is much more presumption: we will try it, & then we shall see it, in the particulers; which are the apparant consequents of this pretence, which (vpon due search) we shall finde, not to be soe see­mingly plausible, as they are really pernicious, & damna­ble.

Evill. 1 1. It doth directly contradict the Lord in that which he saith, for he will have the first of our dayes (as we have heard,) these say, noe, it is not fit for young heads to intermeddle,

Is not this to give God the lye, yea to make him a lyar, who will (therefore) have the first because they are fittest for him? is not this to charge folly vpon him that is only wise? as if he had not wisdome enough to chuse that part of our dayes for his duty, wherin we are most meete to doe it; but we will take it vpon vs, to be wiser then he, and assigne him a season, better suiting this busines.

He saith he will have our first, we will give the last time to him: doth not this inferre, that he is farre wyde of the marke, and wonderfully over-seene, and that we only are in the right?

So then these two, to make the most true and wise God (I tremble to vtter it) a foole, and a lyar, these two I say, doe make vp the first jmpiety, of this second plea: the vengeance & justice due to either of which, (much more to both) is beyond myne, (or any creatures) ability, to expresse.

Evill. 2 2. This presumeth vpon olde age, and make's no [Page 44]question to live to see those dayes and yeares wherin men are soe accounted.

And this thwarteth all Gods truth touching the vnceartaniety, and shortnes of mans life, soe often taught vs every where; noe, the lives of these men must be no vanityes, dreames, or vapours; nor compared to win­des, to smoake, to nothings; they are during and per­manent for 60.70. or more yeares. Howbeit, how many have not lived so many houres, as they dreamed yeares, nor soe many dayes, as they accounted scores? the sun hath shyned clearely vpon some in the mor­ning, who were become carcases, er'e the evening: and others have seene it set in the evening, whose eyes were sunke er'e morning, and yet they thought them­selves as likely to live, as long lyved, as any that thus speake. Even moments have swept away millions of other men, yet these, must live many yeares, at least, to be olde, (how, or when, should God have them, els) and as if God himselfe were bounde, and had bounde all his creatures to their good behaviour, that they must be saved harmelesse from any meanes of short life, or sud­daine death, either they must be aged, or God must not have them: and sure, I am perswaded he is most willing to lose them. But of this presumption we sayd some­thing before, therefore the lesse shall serve here.

Evill. 3 3. Admit you might live to age, and were sure, not to dye till you were very olde, are you sure either to have a hart to giue your self to God then, or that, God hath a hart to take you then.

Assuredly (if it be well look't into) there is no rea­son for either, but very much against both: for why? con­sider first, for our owne harts: what aptnes, what ability, nay what possibility will, or can, there be in vs, vnto good, who have beene soak't, and steep't many yeares [Page 45]In all sin and jmpiety; what holynes? what purity? in those parts of our bodyes, and powers of our soules, which hell hath poysoned and envenomed all our dayes, & are now full of deadly poyson, the hart hardened, the conscience vnconvinced, the judgment blinded, the affections earthly, the will rebellious, all, benummed, and vtterly voyd of any sparke of that quickening spirit, which must turne a man to God: wherwith will ye come to the Lord? if you pray, it must be with a mouth furr'd with blasphemy, with a minde fraught with all o­ther jmpiety, whereto you have beene affected? what will yee giue him, but a soule, and a body that have both combyned to be rebells your whole life, against him, and is there any power in these to be given to the Lord, who have solde themselves like Ahab, to sin, and whome the Divell (the true owner now) will come, & clay­me as his owne, long since due vnto him, & therefore will not ēdure they should be givē to any other from him.

It is against all humane reason, and common sence, that a man soe jnvred to sin, soe accustomed and habit­uated to corruption, who hath consumed his dayes in nothing but in dishonouring & disobeying the Lord, and never knew what belonged to the savour of saving grace, or to the beginning of any god worke, should now be able to begin and finish, that great worke of gi­ving himself vp to God, and that at and in, his owne set time. Noe, there goe's more to it then soe: it is no such short worke, no mā can be soe quick at it, especially, those that have beene so slow all their dayes before: it will aske longer time, and more a doe, before it be wel begun, then these sotts doe conceit, doth belong to the middle, and both ends of it.

God sayth that no man can come to him except he he be drawne; these men (it seemes) will come to [Page 46]God, whether he will or noe, as if it were in their power to draw God to themselves; but as he will not have his goodnes, and power soe much abused, as to be drawne to them; soe neither, wil he endure, to have their rebel­lious and debauched life so much honoured, as now at last cast, to draw them to him: but even let him alone with them, who hath had their childehood, and youth, to take their age too, and soe to have all to himself. Customary sin is not soe lightly cast off, it is bred in the bone, it will not be easy to get it out of the flesh, and that soe, as Gods spirit may instantly enter, as these doe most idlely apprehend.

Againe consider the second, what hart can God have to accept of the divells reversion, or the leavings of our lives? the doteage, the dog-dayes (as it were) of all the time we live. Let olde age be well considered, and the state therof pondered, in our selves, and all other crea­tures that serve vs: is it not the only time, wherin we cast off, our servants, or cattell, to baser vses, as being vnfit for ours? An olde servingman, now overworne and decrepite, and not fitt to attend his Lord any lon­ger, ha's a license to keepe an ale-house, or become's some tapster, and soe is made servile to every base pot­companion: An olde horse, of good pace, of great price, before, for the saddle, the coach, now to the myll, to the harrow, to any meane drudgery, and at last, to the dogs. And can this age, wherin one man is not fit for anothers service, nor any beast for mans vse, be the meetest time for the most high, to be served in of vs? what shall we then thinke to become his, when we are a burden to the world, 2. Sam. 19 35. and to our selves, and both weary of one another as Barzillai spake to David, of himself?

What man would be soe vsed by his beast, as these [Page 47]men (more vnreasonable then beasts, herin) would vse God: Admitt a manns beast (like Balams asse) could speake, if he should say to his master (as these doe to the almighty.) While I am yonge and strong, I must fol­low my pleasure, you must give me leave till my olde dayes, and then I wilbe yours to command, and give my self wholy to your service. What would the owner ans­wer, thinke you? would he yeeld to his beast, & thin­ke well of the motion, and take him home to house, and make much of him, when he were aged, and diseased, and both vnfitt, and vnable, to doe busines; surely noe; if he could not be broken, and brought to worke before, he should be beaten out now, though he did offer himself. And must God take that from vs, which we will not endure from beasts? the last, the worst, the dregs, and reffuse of our dayes, must they fall to his share? the only vnfit time for any thing, must that be his only time, and all he shall have at our hands? Can we hope of acceptation and entertaynement in heaven, then, when, men refuse, and the world refuse's our ser­vice?

Wofull men, who hath bewitched you, that you should not beleeue the truth? Even Satan, who becau­se he would have you wholy his owne, doth therefore witholde you from being Gods, till you be vnable to honour him, and it be impossible, he should receive you; it is he that doth abuse you herin, he knowe's, it is with men in respect of God, as with beasts in respect of men, in their aged dayes they are more fit for slaugh­ter, then for service, so olde men (who have deferred their duty) are now more like to be adjudged of God, for neglecting it in time past, then accepted for time to come.

What doth not every, thing weare, & grow worse with age? all olde things are accounted litle worth: olde cloa­thes to put on; olde houses to dwell in; & the same we might say of all other things in their kinde, no man care's for, or regared's any such. But this is wonderfull, that men who see, that the fruit of our sin in other crea­tures make's them vnserviceable to vs, yee see not, sin it selfe abiding, and encreasing in vs, (for soe long ti­me) should make vs soe to God. Time, vse, age, doth corrupt all other things to vs, but sin, (the only veny­me and poyson of all things) make's men (by this rec­koning) most fit for God, for the only time they chuse for him is, when sin hath had his greatest sway, all their lives before: as if the corruption of our nature, and life, had noe power at all, to enfeeble, or vnfit vs, for our God. Is not sin our spirituall sicknes, and the only desperate disease of our whole man? hath it not a corroding quality, to eate quite through all the parts of our bodyes, all the powers of our soules, to pollute, infect, and annoy vs, in all respects? and who (I pray you) would entertayne, an aged, diseased, and infected man into his house, as more fit for his turne now, then in his former times, when he was free from these con­tagious maladies? thinke, (by your owne reason) what hart the Lord of heaven can have, to take in these late commers, being in farre worse case, to serve him, then the most disabled man, may be to attend a Prince.

Now then, if we see reason to conceive, (as we can­not but doe, if the Lord enlighten our eyes) that our wilfull, and wofull deferring of our duty till our olde dayes, doth deprive vs of harts to goe vnfaynedly to God, and debarre him from having a hart, graciously to accept of vs, then this plea is pernicious to vs, and [Page 49]we (now we know it) most jmpious in vrging it, as we have done. But let vs come to the fourth & last, plea, for this proroguation, of piety.

Plea. 4 4. It is pleaded, that there is mercy with God at any time, even at the last cast, as the theife on the crosse did well finde, and soe shall we, we hope, why should we not, even at our last breath.

This pretence is put vpon vs daily; vpon all occa­sions we heare of it, at all times it is layd in our dish, to bolster vp rebellion against God, and to barre re­pentance vnto life. Noe word of God soe much abused, no worke of God more. This president of the Lords extraordinary mercy, is made the ordinary packhorse to carry all mens jmpiety: and seing he was pleased to be soe gracious to one, he shall fare the worse with many, for millious of men doe builde their gracelessues, vpon this grace of his.

But because we finde by pitifull experience, that this holy worde, and this holy worke of God, (both being right worthy, to be thought vpon with all the admiration, and honor of our harts) is become the commō hackney wheron every hell-hounde rides poast, to his owne perdition; and as he goe's kicks and winces, at Gods long suffring, and loving kindnes: I will the­refore endeavour the vttermost that I am albe, to see if some may yet be recalled, that are gone farre, and ot­hers may be stayed, that are comming after, and some preuented, that are setting out, to run this reprobate race.

Vndoubtedly, did men deliberate at all, or could any wise consideration enter into their soule's, they could not thus plead, they would not produce, this rare and matchlesse example of favour and grace, to support [Page 50]their owne vngodly prophanes & jmpiety. Yea, and to adde another evill to all the rest, in the very vse and vrging of it; to wit, to peruert, and abuse the sacred word of God, and to abase, and prostitute this glorious worke of his; either of which, whosoever doth, he doeth it to his owne destruction, he destroye's himself in the very deede, 2. Tet. 3.16. 2. Cor. 4. 3.4. if the apostle say true in one place; and in another too, where he tell's vs, that if the Gospell be hid (and soe it is to them, that can see to doe nothing with it, but to abuse it) it is hid to them that are lost, who are hud winckt by the divell, that they discerne not the true sence, & vse of the same, but vrge it, & argue from it, to such ends as God doth abhorre, that now his word must wounde himself, and nothing shall be made such an occasion of his dishonour, as that which he once did, to renowne himselfe, and the glory of his goodnes, The E­vils of it and favour for ever. And how doe we jmagine the Lord will take it, that his owne acts should be thus mistaken, as to be made weapons against his owne majesty, which he ordayned to destroy our jm­piety. Doubtlesse, that theife, that malefactor, never did halfe the robbery, or any villany comparable to that which these men doe, who thus abuse his example, to wrong the Lord, and their owne soules (and the sou­les of others) soe vnspeakeably as they doe. And that they may see and vnderstand, (as they shall, if the Lord have a purpose to save them,) we will crave your patience and attention, to open in par­ticuler, the heavy and hydeous evills, that are com­mitted when this instance of Gods grace, is soe aledged.

Evill. 1 1. This is to make that common and ordinary, which God hath made peculiar, and extraor­dinary.

Is it not thus? observe, and you shall see: what the Lord did at one time only and never before, nor since, (that we read off,) to one man only, & not to any other but he, (for a second example of such favour is not to be found in all the revealed will of God;) and vpon a cause, and consideration which shall never be seene againe, Christ being but once offred for vs. This doth every man vrge as his owne at all times, and in all cases, without all consideration of these perticulers before mentioned.

Is not this to eclipse, nay to cancell, the glory of the living God? and to cast this most precious pearle befo­re all swyne, and trample this most holy thing vnder the feete of every prophane person, that the greatest riches of his grace should be reached out to the veryest wretches in the world, who build nothing but contempt vpon this loving kindnes of the Lord? If it be such a wofull thing to darken the counsell of God by words without knowledge (as it is sayd in Iob?) must it not needes be a thing more damnable, to darken the kindnes of God, with words against knowledge, as these cannot but be, to every one of those that thus abuse them?

Note. Againe what an absurd, senselesse & sinfull collection were this, or the like. Once, Balaams asse did speake, the­refore every asse, should expect to doe the same. Once the sea went back, and the water stood vpright as a wall on either hand to Israell, therefore every man might looke for the like passage: I thinke they that presumed vpon it, and followed after them, found it not soe.

Once, God sent manna, and Quayles from heaven, and [Page 52] water out of a rock, why should any man care to get meate or drinke, he may hope to have the same mea­nes to feede him.

Once, Naaman washed in Iorden and was cleane: On­ce, men were throwne into a fiery oven, and not burnt; Once, a bush did burne and not consume; Once, Christ smote all his enemyes downe with a word or two. Why doe's not all the world depēd vpon these perticulers, and resolve to be releived in the same miseryes, by the same meanes? It were a thing soone done, to deliver a multitude more of the like instances, wherin and from every of which, we might argue as warrantably, as from this of the theife. But the world is wise enough, not to be soe befooled, in these things that belong to the body, they can see, and say, these were all extraor­dinary, & miraculous &, not to be looked for againe: And are ye not blinded by the prince of darknes (yee sinfull soules) that yee should not more clearely see the same, in this that concern's soule and body too, and the eternall state of both? Is there absurdity in those, & sence in this? doe those instances seeme extraordinary, and may this seeme soe common? cannot you hope to have the benefit of those, being miraculous, and must this be for all men, which is matchlesse? Vndoub­tedly, either you must looke on them all alike, with a single eye, and discerne them to be equally impossi­ble; or acknowledge that eye to be sinfull, which can see odd's in things of the same kinde and nature, es­pecially, such odd's as shall give God the honour of his favour and power in the one, and rob him of both, in the other.

But the spectacles wherwith they thus see, are Satans, he make's them and putts them on and teache's them [Page 53]to looke thus asquint, on the things of God; If for foo­de, for physike; for passage over sea, for victory over enemyes, or any such things we should thus reason, the world would [...]sse at vs, as most witles fooles, nay our owne bellyes, our bodyes, our dangers, would teach vs to doe better, he must famish that gapes for quailes out of the cloudes, and he must perish that looke's for Naamans cure, & he have his throat cut, that waites to have all his enemyes layd flat with a word: men will say there is no proportiō of reason in these things, & the same doth the Lord (and the truth of his religion) say, in this instance, if thou hadst an eare opened, a minde sanctifyed, to heare and see it; as litle reason would appeare in this one, as in all the other, & thou wouldst as plainely see the jnevitable perdition of thy self, in soule and body here, as in any of those things named there.

Doe but consider well, whither this doe not spo­yle, & vtterly make voyd, the verry marrow, and pith, the sap, and juyce of Gods sacred word, I meane the true application of the same, wherin consisteth the, life, and vertue, of all that God reveale's, and he that shall dare

• either to abridge
• or, to enlarge

this, that it either fall short of Gods boundes, or doe exceede them, shall finde heavy (yet just) measure at Gods hands.

The everlasting rule, Act. 10.15 and expresse canon of the scripture is this [That which God hath sanctifyed, doe not then make common] this is Gods mynde; that things be not made otherwise then he meant them, that every thing be let alone, as he left it, and not once meddled [Page 54]withall, to any other ende. Who is he that shall now against the clearest light of knowledg and conscience, violate, this absolute law of the eternall God? But doth not every soule doe soe, that, vrge's this word of God, and suffers Satan to be his interpreter vpon it, re­ceiving his glosse, and embracing the divells commenta­ry vpon Gods text.

He it is, that make's this pearle, (even this peerelesse, and pricelesse pearle,) as ordinary as any pibble stone that lyes in the high way. I call it a pearle, and I acount it no lesse then peerelesse, because it cannot be parale­led, in any place, but was a president of wonderfull pe­culiarity in all respects, as namely.

• to the party by whome.
• to the partys before whome.
• to the party to whome; it was done

For the first, to wit the party by whome, it was pecu­liar to Iesus Christ, who was God, & so could give gra­ce, and forgive sin, and convert a man in one moment, fully and extraordinarily: I thinke it would trouble the whole world, to finde an jufallible instance, that ever ordinary minister, or any meere man, hath done as much.

For the second, it was peculiar to the partyes before whome, that the adversaryes, and excecutioners of the Lord Iesus, might see the power of his diety shyning (at this time) through all the reproach, and misery of his humanity: and soe be convinced (as some of them were) that he was the true messiah, and son of God, able to goe himself (at that time) to heaven, and carry anei­her with him, by the vertue that was in him.

For the third, it was peculiar to the party to whome it was done, & that in regard of his rare, and extraor­dinary [Page 55] repentance, expressed in many particulers: the suddaine chang of his hart, and tongut (for he, as well as his fellow, did at first blaspheme Christ) now he rebu­ke's him, and condemnes both himselfe and his fellow justly: the excellent confession he made of Christ befo­re them all, & that now, when he was vpon the torture, where he could also, (not withstanding all paynes) pray instantly; Did ever any barren dry tree, beare soe much fruit in an instant by any ordinary course? The fig tree was very strangely and miraculously cursed, which so soone withered with a word of Christ mouth; and was not this tree miraculously blessed, which so soone did yeeld such abundance? nay, was it not a greater, even a double miracle, that such a bramble such a rebell, should become an olive, and beare plentifully the first day, & houre, of his being soe?

Now then if all this be thus, that in each of these, and divers other instances, this particuler were soe peculiar, and extraordinary, what is it that any wicked man nay conclude hence for himself, more then this, (and note it well, thou godles, and gracelesse person, as thou readest it. Note well.) That when Iesus Christ shall come againe in the flesh, and fall into the hands of men to be cru­cifyed, and that two other must be hangd on either side of him, & it come to thy turne to be one of those two, & the better of the twayne that hang's by him, vpon whome he will shew his diety to convert thee miraculously, & vnto whome againe, thou shewest the fruits of repentance ex­traordinarily, then, mayst thou be assured to spede as this theife did.

Other warrantize I can give none, vpon any other tearmes then these, in any common case: howsoever it is most true, that there want not evidences, nor expe­riences, [Page 56]at any such time as the Lord shall please to excercise his speciall patience, and grace; yet, by ver­tue of this example, or president, (every way thus extra­ordinary) no such matter can be concluded, as most men would make of it: To delay what is due to the Lord, and to rejourne what he commands, hath no colour of ground or reason here, to doe soe is more then this theife himself did, who having (in all likelyhood) lived all his life without God, or any meanes of good, doth now come at the first call: which is more then thou hast done, nay thou being daily called vpon, by the Lord, doest poast off thy comming to him, by his example, that came assoone as he was called: & if thou doe worse then he, doe'st hope to fare as well? nay rather, how righteously may the just God take this allegation out of thy mouth, and retort it vpon thee, who pleadest the putting off, of thy service to the Lord, by his pretence, that made more then ordinary haste to come to Iesus Christ, and went so fast, towards him, that he got to heaven, the same day, with him.

Beholde now wherevnto it is come, that every vn­godly man (that presse's this president to this purpo­se) is condemned out of his owne mouth, and the mouth of jniquity is stopped by that very evidence, whe­reby it did open it self against heaven. Note. And this is the first of the mischeifes that ariseth from the misaled­ging of this example, when men will soe vnreasonably and without all sence, presse, and plead, the last fruits of christs mercy to one malefactor, to prevent the first fruits of that duty, that all men owe to god their creator; and make that ordinary to every one, which he was pleased to jmpropriate but once, and but to one alone. and if they be soe deepe at the first step, let vs [Page 57]looke a litle further how in going forward this way, they plunge thenselves past all recovery into perdi­tion.

Evill 2 2. The perverse; & perverted pressing of this thei­fes particuler, to that end which vngodly men vrge it, doth breede most evident and jrrecon­cileable contradictions in the scriptures, & make bate, betweene one part of Gods blessed word and another.

And he that doth thus, (if he did know what he doth) doubtlesse, would looke well about him er'e he would offer it: For why? to set the scripture together by the eares, what is it? Is it not (as was observed befo­re) to make God (who is truth it self, and whose word it is) a lyar, for if one peice be contrary to another, all cannot be true and sounde? Is it not to expose the sacred booke of God to contempt, in taking from it that incommunicable property, and prerogative royall, that it hath aboue all bookes vnder heaven, to be ever more at absolute vnity within it self, and making it like humane writings which are full of error, and fals­hood? Is it not to make our preaching vayne, and your faith vayne, and to keepe you still in your sins? for if the ground wher vpon we preach, and you beleeve, be vnsounde, and not such absolute truth, as may beare vp both, then is neither to any purpose? Nay, is it not to bring all to vtter and remediles confusion, by sha­king Gods foundation, and overthrowing the whole frame of his blessed building, vpon this infaillible truth of his owne, one title wherof, if it should be fal­se, noe worde of all the rest, would be thought true, and foe these (like those pagans) doe their best, to turne the truth of God into a lye. Rom. 1.26

Now is not the abusiue vrging of this scripture, a setting of one word of God against another? let vs weigh it well, and we will see it, and say it also. For why? It is a ruled case, and past all question, (as we have proved) that God will have the first fruits of vs all, we have made Gods minde vndeniably manifest for that, now if that be soe, is not the allegation of this exam­ple, as manifest a contradiction of this truth as may be; for why doe men stand vpon this scripture? why is it soe often vrged and itterated? why are we re­plyed vpon, when we reprove mens jmpiety, and have this evermore cast in our dish, from day to day? Is it not to plead for proroguation of piety till hearafter? do's it not make men say (through their owne jmpie­ty) that it is too soone yet? it is not yet time; there is time enough for these things in time to come?

Are not these words made the only refuge of all re­bellions against God, and a counterpoyson to that early, and timely duty, that we owe vnto him? doe not men thinke they have stop't our mouthes, and satiffyed their owne myndes sufficiently, when they have thus spoken; and done enough, to vndoe all, that we can say to the contrary.

And I pray you what call you this, but contradiction, when you oppose, & set this one word of God, against all the words of God spoken elswhere; when he soe often call's for the 1. fruits, you will choake all, with that favour which was once shewed to one man, at the last? This is to confute one peice of scripture by anot­her: to overthrow Gods worde, by Gods worke, and soe to divide God against God, as Satan against Satan, to make the Lord say a thing, in one place, and in anot­her to vnsay it: and (finally) to draw from the Lord [Page 59]himself a dispensation, and liberty of sining, that soe what he requires in soe many places of his law, he shou­le release, and cancell in one part of his Gospell.

Let any man whome God hath endued with any measure of sound vnderstanding, judge whether this be not to make a rent in the Lords revealed wil; and if soe it be, it is time for vs to judg our selues, for soe doing, for before the Lord will endure this, the soule that doth it, shalbe rent from him, & throwne among reprobates; the judgment and damnation of these dis­gracers of God, and depravers of his holy word, sleepeth not; and there is noe way to shun, or escape it, but by a through judging of your selves, in respect of this impiety, which if they doe not, whose mouthes have spoken it, and whose myndes have thought it; venge­ance shall surely overtake them, even that vengeance, which is due to such as doe this insufferable indignity, to God, and his word.

This is the 2. step they tread, who follow this way, & we see it sink's deeper then the former, toward that dreadfull confusion which cannot be avoyed, if this fearfull evill be not abandoned. Let vs yet see fur­ther, to the third.

3. the producing, and aleadging of this president of the theife thus, (that we may play the theiues with God, and rob him of his first fruits,) doth breede, and ingender many foule falshoods, and vile blasphemyes in our harts.

He that proposeth this president for his apologie, against the manifest light of truth we have proved, ma­keth this scripture, the patrone of such atheisticall principles as, are to be abhorred in the thought of every man, and not to be once vttered of any. Let vs see [Page 60]some few of those many monstrous vntruths which we might mention.

Evill, 3 1. it doth posesse vs with a perswasion that by authority of scripture, we may rejourne the obe­dience that long since we owed vnto the Lord.

Wheras the holy ghost is clearely opposite here­vnto: God calleth for nothing more, (as we have heard) then the first, and condemneth nothing more then putting off what he command's. His servants, (such as he hath effectually called) have made all the haste and expedition that was possible: So saith Da­vid [I will run the way of thy commandements] and againe [I made haste and delayed not to keepe thy righteous judgments] So saith Cornelius to Peter [Then I sent for thee jmmediately] and Paul saith the same of himself [jmme­diately I consulted not with flesh and blood &c.] The evi­dence of God, Psal. 119.32.60. Act. 10.33. Gal. 1.16. to hasten our duty is vndeniable: the sin of not doing soe, is in excusable: yet by these mens argumēts the same God that is soe eager for expediti­on, doth warrāt our delay. And can any thing be more false thē, that God should abet these two contraries.

Evill, 4 2. it doth patronage not only delay, but presump­tuous delay, such, as men are guilty of by presu­ming (against all good ground) they shall finde the same measure of mercy that this theife did.

Now to presume of pardon for a sin of presumption, is to presume of more favour then the theife found, for, (for ought we know) his sin was not of presump­tion; but either of meere ignorance if he were a Romane, (as some suppose him & his fellow, to bee) or of grosse ignorance if he were a Iew. Sure it is, he knew not Christ, for he reviled him at the first, as well as the other. And must you (by his example) presume of delay in Gods dutyes, which he never meant, and of mercy for pre­sumptuous [Page 61]delay which this theife never found? shall God become the prop of our presumtion, when it is a sin that his soule hate's, and he is soe farre from ha­ving any mercy in store for it, that he hath not greater store of justice heaped vp, scarce against any vngodly­nes; & they that befaulty are sayd to store, or treasure vp wrath, against the day of wrath, that is, Ro. 2.5. every day to aug­ment, enlarge, and adde vnto their owne damnation.

This jmpiety is next neighbour to that which is vn­pardonable, if once a man be soe jmpudent that he da­res offend presumptuously, he had neede bethinke him­self where he is, and what he doe's, the next leape may be into the bottomlesse pit, especially if he shall adde this vnto all, that he will father such offences vpon the Lords allowance, & soe turne his extraordinary mercy, into extraordinary jmpiety. Note David had another spirit when he prayed against presumptuous sin, that he might be free from the great transgression; & did not the spirit of the divell posesse these wofull men, Psa. 19.13 they would surely doe the same. But Satan ha's enough, even all that he would have, to make them build their pre­sumption vpon God, because he knowe's that by soe doing, he shall provoke God against them, to abhor­re them for ever. But let vs looke yet a litle further.

Evill 5 3. The vrging of this example thus, doth loose vs, & bynde God, we are enlarged for all our life till the last, his hands are tyed, & that with double bands.

Is not this vndeniably true, and a cleare conse­quent of this allegation? doe we not presse it to put off that wherevnto we are bound, not to give the Lord first of our lives, but to be free to come when we will, though at the last day, or houre, or instant? doe we not take it for graunted, that till we doe come, we must have health, peace, foode, [Page 62]and all other favours from God? and that we must be accepted also?

So we are free, God is bound: we are free from duty during our pleasure (and a great deale of kindnes we must have for many yeares, and doe him no servi­ce) but he is bound to mayntaine vs till we come, and entertayne vs when we come. And is it not fearfull and hydeous jmpiety, for vs to seeke to enslave the Lord to our sinfull lives, and to set our selves at liberty in them against him.

But perhaps you will say, God hath bound himself saying. [At what time soever a sinner shall repent him] and that Christ hath done the same saying [he that commeth to me I cast not away].

Well, if (touching the former) we graunt the truth of those words (though they are not litterally expressed in any text) that the Lord will refuse none, but is tyed to take them when they come, yet I hope it is with condition, of their comming as they ought to co­me; that is, with warrant from him, at his call: with abilitye of grace from him to repent: without both the­se, it is an jmpossibility to come; and if we come not thus, (as we are bounde to doe) God is free to refuse vs. Note. Now they that have refused to come at his call in their younge yeares, may feare whether they shalbe called in their olde dayes, and neglecting grace so long; how can they hope to have it at such short warning as a litle before death, or, (as the most of them say) at the last gaspe? and without these they cannot come.

If the word [whensoever,] or, [at what time soever &c.] Were in the text, I hope it must be vnderstood of Gods time, not of ours; it must be one of his [whens] not of ours; we must not be chusers to tye him to our [Page 63] time; noe, he is our commander and may binde vs to his: Note. now all [whensoevers] or [what times soever] are not the times that he calleth to repentance, for (besi­des what we sayd before) that they cannot hope of any time to be called, who have refused the time wherin they were called: we finde in the parable, that after the eleaventh houre, God sent not out to call any, it being a time too late, to begin; & too short, to ende, any busines of his, shewing that our last houre is noe time for vs to goe to God, or for God to regard vs.

The same is the sence of the latter, which Christ saith: soe that God is bound to vs in kindnes, when we have performed our part of obedience. Doe your duty, you shall finde mercy.

Note. Doe not make such wylde and vnlimmited propo­sitions, vnderstand what God saith with all reverence, wisdome, and sobriety, know, that every word of his flowe's from infinite and vnsearcheable wisdome, and therefore must be conceived warily, as doctrine of piety, not of liberty.

Beware of bynding God, and looseing thy felf, least (for soe doing) he bynde thee hand and feete, and cast thee into vtter darknes: doe not once dare to thinke that he that is only wise, could ever be soe vn­wise, as to reveale, or write any one word, that might jmbase himself, and give vs any occasion to abuse him, as in thus disputing from these propositions we doe.

Nay, we are bound, and he is free, it was his free grace, to make any such promises of grace, or glory to vs, vpon any tearmes, seing we brake with him and rebel­led against him at the first, he might have chosen whe­ther ever he would have given vs one good word or noe; now seing he hath, let that be acknowledged as his [Page 64]love, and let vs confesse our selves bound to every titt­le of his truth, that doth or may concerne vs, and give our best obedience we can to the same with joy, grei­ving allwayes that we can give no better. Be it farre from vs thus to captivate the Lord, soe much as in one thought it is abhominable, it is for malefactors (such as we are) to be bounde, not for him who is God almigh­ty, and to be blessed for ever. And be it as farre from vs to free our selves, but allwayes to confesse our sub­jection to the Lord with all humility, yea to accomt it our best liberty to be bounde to him, whose law is absolute liberty. The service of Satan is the basest bon­dage that can be, and to be (by him) witholden from God (as we are) till the last of our lives, is absolute slavery, and that whereby he meane's indeede (what soever he pretend's to delude vs) to pull vs into his ow­ne chaynes, to be bound vp with himself for ever, for refusing to come vnder Gods yoake, when he did call vs.

Thus we see in these few steps, how farre from hea­ven, how neere to hell these men goe, that make ac­count to make but one leape from earth to heaven, and that at last cast too; if we should follow them further, in such other most blasphemous and cursed consequences, as would as well flow from this exam­ple (as they aledge it) as any of those we have noted, & refuted; we might goe with them to hell gates, and see them shut in, to the rest of their fellowes, who ha­ve lived and dyed in the abuse of this word, and worke of God, because their, harts & lives, were shut against God, & they would not open to him, when he knockt seasonably to their salvation, but depended vpon the mercy shewed to this theife, without any consideration [Page 65]of these other things that are thervnto appertayning, noe the divell will not have them once dreame.

• Either of the extraordinary occasiō of his conversion, which was to expresse the power, & honor of Christs diety, even now, in the time of his greatest abasemēt.
• Or, of the extraordinary meanes of his conversion, which was Christ himself,
• Or, of the extraordinary manner of his conversion, which was in a small time, on the gallowes, or gibbett, or crosse; call it as you will.
• Or of the extraordinary manifestation of his cōver­sion, by the honour he gave to Christ, the shame he tooke to himself, before all Christes enemyes, and his owne, & that effectuall prayer of faith, whereto he had soe sweete an answer.

These things and the like, shall not once enter into the jmaginations of these men; they only remember he found mercy, without any further thought of any of the aforesayd particulers, that respected either what Christ did, or why; or what he did; no, Satan hy­de's these matters from them, least they should (seing soe many words, and deedes too, went to this bargaine) bethinke themselves better of it, and not rest in such a slight conceit of the matter as they have done. This president, the divell make's his pretended pick-locke to open heaven to all these that he can thus delude: but it proves intruth, his pitfall by which, millious of men tumble into hell, in that last moment of time, whe­rein all their life before, they made full account to goe to heaven: & soe before they are a ware, the bot­tomelesse pit hath swallowed them vp, & there they lye howling in endles, & easelesse misery, who thought verily, to have bene with this theife in glory.

Noe, noe, his conveyance was every way, and in all respects extraordinary, his passage is jmpossible (for ought we know) to any other; especially for those who would goe the same way, and yet regard not at all the way he went.

Thus we have waded through some few, of those many things, which, are ordinarily alledged to hinder the happy successe of this sacred truth of God in mens harts, and their happines by the obedience and practise of it. We will now goe no further in this way, the further we passe the fowler it will appeare, and our hope is that such as are not gone too farre, but are yet within call, may be recalled, by this voyce of God, which hath tolde them the danger of every step they have gone as yet, & the damnation that they will run into, if they (still goe on) & returne not, in due time, to save themselves, from the wrath to come, which is reserved for all such, as resist Gods revealed will, and labour to defend their protraction of duty, and their practise of jmpiety, by such plea's and pretences, as come from that hell originally, whervnto, (they that persist in them) must goe eternally.

And to preserve soe many of them as is possible; now they have done pleading for sin, (against the ho­nour of God and the good of their owne soules) we will begin to plead both for God, and for them, and the happines they may have by this blessed truth of his, if they have such harts as may yet be mooved & perswaded to embrace the same. Vse. To which end, we now come to our third vse, wherin we shall make tender vnto them of such motiues, and considerations, as may jnduce any hart, (that is not wholy hardened and sealed vp, or seared by Satan, to a starke senclesse [Page 67]condition), to yeeld both acknowledgment & obe­dience, to that which (in this behalfe) the Lord re­quireth of them.

The thing the Lord expecteth, is the first fruits of our liues to be his, that assoone as we can vndertake any thing, we should betake our selves to his service; and can we conceit he doth this without right, or reason? Farre be such jmpious jmmaginations from our harts. Let vs pervse seriously, some few particulers that may be powerfull, and perswaaing with vs herein. And first we will begin with those grounds whervpon legally, the Lord required them, which if we ponder, and paralell according to their morall, we shall see enough to moue men, to doe as God would have them: Note then, that the first fruits were to be given to these ensuing ends,

1. That the Lord might be honoured in this fa­vour and power, wherby he gave Isarell that goodly land, by giving him his right in the first of every thing.

The first of all was the Lords right, and appropria­ted to himself, by his owne ordinance and decree: he that gave it not, rob'd God of his due, and was guil­ty of the higest sacriledge that could be committed.

Yea, the Lord was soe absolute herein, that all the first should be entyre to himself, that if it were not given him, Exod. 34.20. yet they might not reserve it to their owne vse, as is evident in that instance of the asse, which being an vncleane beast, it was to be redeemed by a lambe, but if the owner aid not redeeme it, he might not let it live; but must breake the neck of it].

Now then, who seeth not through this shaddow, that our first time is the Lords absolute right, and that we [Page 68]are theiues to our God, if we giue not our selves to him, and this fellony we may not jmagine to be easily answered; it is no slight matter to be false to the al­mighty, to be a robber of the most high, it is not our booke will save vs, yet his booke (if we wilbe ruled by it) will shew vs the meanes how to be saved. The re­proach of being a theife and a robber is great, but the punishment is greater, he that repent's not sincerely of it, will assuredly rue it.

2. God will have the first from vs, that we might have right to the rest from him.

Till he have his, nothing of all we have is ours, when we have given him his right in the first, then, (and not till then) he gives vs right to the rest, and this is as plaine as the former, in the law of Moses, in the places forealedged,

Wherin as we see the great & most gracious good­nes of God, in providing and caering for our interest, that what we have, we might holde it from him in a lawfull and comfortable tenure. Soe the greater and more heavy is the morall and meaning of this heaven­ly truth to them, who denying the Lord his right, doe thereby spoyle their owne, & by the jmpious neglect of giving the Lord his, doe proclaime to all men that nothing they have is theirs.

Every vngodly man that honours not the Lord with his first, is a theife and a vsurper of all he doth posesse, and lives vnder the just reproach of a fellon before God, and in the danger of that justice due to this offence, he is in perpetuall perill, every moment, & hath heavens indignatiō hanging over his head, ready at all times to be arrested, arraigned, cōdemned & excecu­ted by the high posessor of heaven & earth, the great [Page 69] Lord and owner of all that every man hath, who give's no man title to any thing he hath, vnlesse he himselfe first have his due.

A wicked mans foode, rayment, riches, his whole estate is stolen goods, wheresoever he goe's, whatsoever he doe's, how long, or litle soe ever he live's, every in­stant of his life is perilous, and may prove the very moment of his eternall death; his life is not his owne, himself is not his owne, he hath no right to the breath he drawe's, to the earth he treads on, to any thing appertayning to his being: all is for feit to the Lord of all, for none-payment of these first fruits.

And herof may we be well assured; if we well con­sider, that the Lord would not be soe vnwise, as to gi­ve vs any thing to serve Satan withall, noe, he ever gave vs, that we might enjoy it to his honour, and to our owne advantage. Now if he please to give vs harts to give him the first, he will graciously continue the same hart in vs, to give him the rest also: wheras if Satan set in first, it is great wonder if he have not the last too, for he vseth to holde hard for that which he once hath.

3. the Lord will have the first, that the rest may be not only ours, but sanctifyed to vs also, that the right we have in it, and the vse we have of it, may both be seasoned and sweetened to vs, when we have first given God that which is Gods.

And without a vse sanctifyed what is, or can any thing be to vs? Beasts, that want reason have a naturall vse of earthly comforts: Pagans, that want religion have a civill vse of that which they have, now there is no difference betweene their tenure and ours, [Page 70]but this (wherin we exceede them) that we have both the naturall, and civill, sanctifyed vnto vs. It is theirs in that state wherin sin left it, with the whole curse of sin vpon it: It is ours as Christ Iesus hath pu­rifyed it and made it holy to vs. So all is poysoned to him that is in Gods debt for this due: and to him that hath discharged it (to his best ability) all is blessed.

[If the first fruits be holy (saith the apostle) soe is the lumpe] if they be not, Ro. 11.16 the lumpe cannot be. Tye the­se two motives together, and see how strong they are to binde vs to the obedience of this instruction; if we have no right at all, then we steale all we have, if no sanctifyed vse, all we steale is envenomed to vs, soe that first, we are theives to God in vsing what we have no right in, and next, we are murderers of our selves, in the vnsanctifyed estate of that we vse. Now what migh­ty and vnmatchable misery is it for a man, to live by stealing all he eate's, and to dye in eating, all he steale's, Let vs thinke on these motives, which are the substan­ce of those jnducements, which the ceremoniall law did but shaddow.

We now proceede to presse a few other, which may yet more move vs, if we ponder them as we ought: either in the benefit, that come's by the obe­dience of this truth, or the evill that issue's from the neglect thereof. I pray you note bath.

1. First, if we did give the Lord our first, doe but thinke what a world of sin we might save, which is committed and continued in, by millions till we doe give our selves to God.

Did we throughly know the danger of one sin (even the least we can be guilty of,) we would doe much to prevent it, seing that, everlasting pordition is due to it, [Page 71]but here is a course that would spare a multitude, nay all our trangressions, for from the time we are the Lords, he reckon's no sin to vs, but account's vs righ­teous, and accept's vs blamelesse in his beloved.

Now to avoyd sin, with the dishonor it brings to God, with the damnation it brings to vs, (yea, & to others too, by our example,) who would not rēder the Lord his right, & most freely let him have his owne frō vs, that Satā might never have us as his owne frō God. Assuredly he that coulde ever conceive the Lords damage, & his owne disadvantage, by sin: what glory God wants, what greife it is to his spirit, what provocation it is to his pa­tience, how jniurious to his goodnes and favour, how abusiue to his long suffering & loving kindenes; would never deny himself to the Lord from the first day he did vnderstand, how he might (acceptablely) yeeld him­self vnto him, what a siranger should Satan be in vs? what a familiar would God be to vs? if we begin beti­mes with him.

2. Consider that as we might save much sin, soe this were also the only way, to have much grace.

The more early any thing begins to be good, the more goodnes is hoped from it: the sooner any man sett's himself towards beaven, the more heavenly must he needes be. Oh, what a most happy thing is it, when grace begins to grow betimes in vs; then is the Lord much honoured by vs, then are men much bettered by vs, then are we fitter for all duty; then are we more safe from sin, & the cōtagion of sinners; then are we mo­re able to worke out our salvation; and more sure to po­sesse the same. A mans life is a heaven vpon earth, when his graces are well growne in him, his affection, his con­versation cannot but be in heaven: such a man may [Page 72]be bolde with his God at all times, and Satan can have no hope to prevaile against him, whē it cometh soe to passe with a man in good, as it did with him in evill, in whome the divell had beene from a childe, he was the more hardly cast out, & soe the more easily is he kept out, and hardly, (nay never shall he possibly enter) to posesse that person, who of a childe and from the first hath beene gracious.

What have we in this worlde to doe, or to busy our selves most about, but to get that grace that may fur­ther vs to glory: and what better way to get much, then to fall to worke, assoone as is possible?

3. Consider, that the Lord never gave any man a time of grace, that would dare to set God a time to come for it.

The man that shalbe soe jmpious, and jmpudent; as to prescribe and lymit the Lord, at what time he will come, never hath hart to come at all. Is it not good reason that when we neglect, (yea and despise too) so great salvation, as is tendered, nay commanded to vs, in our tender yeares, that he whome we have denyed in his time of grace, should deny vs in our time of sin? especially considering that he hath power, to confine vs, to the instant of his call; but it is intollerable jmpiety in vs, to bounde him to ours. Shall God waite vpon the diuell, and accept vs at that houre, when our sin will let vs come, we having cast of his day, & houre, of mercy before?

How reade we in the scriptures for this, what finde we? nothing but thunder and lightening, from heaven, to peale these wicked wretches to perdition, [They that were bidaē were not worthy] saith Christ. And againe [The dore was shut] against them that were not prepared [Page 73] for the bridegrome, at the instant of his comming, and though (at their owne time) they came (afterwarde) with much jntreaty, yet, it could not be opened, but they were banished thence, and abandoned to hell. Pre. 1.24.25.26. Zach. 7.13. And yet againe, by the prophets: [Because I have called and you have refused, therefore shall yee cry and not be heard] So that (you see) God sett's noe time to him, that setts God any; nothing remayne's to such, but disdayne from heaven, damnation in hell.

4. Consider, that what extraordinary honour God ever intended to himself, by any man, or men, whome he would make instruments of the same, he meant to make all such persons gra­cious betime.

Doe but ponder it well in the first Adam, & in the second, In the first, all mankinde might have beene hap­py, and God mightily honoured through all genera­tions; now to bring this about, Adam shalbe righte­ous from his first being, and honour the Lord from the time of his creation. In the second Adam, all the elect shalbe happy, & (through him) the glory of Gods in­finite favour, shall shyne vpon them; & to furnish him for this wonderfull worke, he sanctifyed himself befo­re he was borne, and (after) in our infancy, and (soe) throughout all ages of our life, during the dayes he li­ved. Indeede, he attayned not our olde age (I will not take vpon me peremptorily to determine why; but) it may be it was to shew, that olde age doth not easily attayne him; that soe these presumptuous, olde fooles, might be the more terrefyed, and daunted, from dare­ing to be so audacious, as they have beene.

Did the Lord ever glorify himself in that man, or glorify that man with himself, that (refusing to come [Page 70]when God called) came when himself would? name one instance if it be possible, Noe, he will sanctify all such, as shalbe glorious to him in earth, or glorious with him in heaven, I say he will sanctify all such, in his purpose before time, and in his practise, in such time, as wherin they shall come when he shall call, be it more early, as Ieremiah: Iosiah; John Baptist: or more late, as Abraham, and such other, as we have named before. He gave them harts to attend his time, not one of them ever dared to reject that, and to cause the Lord to attend theirs.

These few inducements I hope shall draw, and enfor­ce vs to the Lord, whose we are, and whose all our dayes are, and all our abilityes both of body and soule; from him we have them in mercy, if he have them not from vs (againe) in duty, it had beene better for vs we had never beene borne.

Lay these holy considerations to hart, & offer not to presume vpon grace in thine owne time, it is pre­sumptuous sin to doe soe: that man is extraordinari­ly gracelesse, that dare's presume of grace in extraordina­ry time. They that come to crave more then common kindnes of vs, must be more then common freinds vnto vs; litle reason hath God to be more then vsually good to them, who have beene grossly evill to him; as all they are who render him not his right in their first dayes. If we would be the Lords for ever, let vs ever resolve to be soe at the first.

Dearely beloved, take these things into deliberatiō, let them lodge in our harts, rest, and rooste in our myn­des, that soe the Lord our God may take vs into his favour and compassion. Olde, yonge, middle-age, all ages, have this in good remembrance, for it is a truth that [Page 71]make's vs happy if we hearken to it, miserable if we doe not. To the aged I say (yet not I, but the Lord) looke backward, see how much of your glasse is out, and for­ward, how litle remayneth to run, and run apace to the living God to be received, before all be gone, and no hope be left; thinke that voyce of God spoken to you: 1. Pet. 4.2.3. [It is sufficient that we have spent the time past after the lusts of the flesh &c] & therevpon hasten to­wards heaven with all expedition, it may (be the Lord may take that litle time that is left, and receiue you into everlasting habitations. To the younge I say also, [Remember thy Creator (& thy redeemer too) in the dayes of thy youth] and jmagine that other voyce of heaven spokē to you [for it is now time to a wake; Ro. 13.11 &c] it is great reason that the flowre of your abilityes should be the Lords, from whome you had them, and to whome your account must be made for them.

In a word, I say to you all, and to every one of you: Doe but thinke 1. how farre it is to heaven, seing we must goe from sin to grace, that we may goe thence, to glory 2. how hard it is, to finde the way, because flesh & blood cānot shew it: then 3 how hard to enter, & goe on, because the gate is so straight, & the enemy soe strong, & we soe weake, & wearied out with sin cōti­nually clogging vs. And soe I end with that speech in Iob: [If thou wilt seeke vnto God early, Job. 8.3.6.7; and make thy sup­plication to the almighty: if thou be pure and vpright, surely he would now awake vnto thee, and make the habi­tation of thy righteousnes prosperous: and though thy begining be but small, yet thy latter end should greatly encrease.] And that thus we may be, and thus doe, Let all sorts vncessantly seeke his face for ever.

Glory be to God on high.