SAint JOHN being banisht into the Isle of Patmos, though the persecuters of the Gospel thought to doe him a dis­pleasure, yet the Lord turned it unto his great good: For the place of his exile was like Pauls third Heaven unto him, he was ravisht in the Spirit on the Lords day, and had abundance of revelations vouchsafed unto him, of the things that should occurre in the Church, and out, from thence unto the end of the world. Before which he hath a charge given him to write to the seven Churches of Asia, chap. 1. the Church of Ephesus, the Church of Smyrna, and of Pergamus, and of Thyatira, these foure are written unto in the second Chap­ter; the other three are written unto in this: the Church of Sardis, and the Church of Philadelphia, and the Church of Laodicea. Now that which I have chosen to handle, and if God afford liberty, I desire to goe through it, is the [Page 2] Epistle unto the Church of Sardis; wherein we may con­sider foure things.

First, The Inscription, containing a specification whom the Epistle is specially directed unto. And to the Angel of the Church in Sardis, write.

Secondly, the Subscription, containing a description of the Lord Jesus Christ, the King of the Church: These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven Starres. I call it a subscription, because in our letters we use to subscribe our names, or to write our names beneath at the latter end. But it may be called rather a suprascrip­tion, as Kings write their names above for honours sake, so does Christ the King of Sion, write his Name above.

Thirdly, the substance or matter of the Epistle, I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. Be watchfull, & strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found thy works perfect before God, &c. vers. 1, 2, 3, 4.

Fourthly, the conclusion, He that overcommeth, the same shall be clothed in white raiment, &c. v. 5, 6.

First, I say, the Inscription, And unto the Angel of the Church in Sardis, write. In which words Saint John is di­rected whom to inscribe this Epistle unto, and that is, unto the Church which is in Sardis: but especially unto the Angel of it, that is, the Minister, or Ministers of it: for that's the meaning of Angel in this place.

Secondly, for the Subscription, or rather suprascription, that contains the description of the Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the Epistle is sent, and he is described by two Royalties, the first is, in having of the seven Spirits of God. These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, that is, that hath power to send the holy Ghost unto all the Elect: for so the holy Ghost is called the seven Spirits that are before the Throne, Rev. 1. 4. He meanes there the [Page 3] holy Ghost, not as though there were seven holy Ghosts, but he is expressed in the plurall number in regard of the abundance of graces that he infuses into his Churches; and the number seven is rather taken then any other number, partly because this number is put for a perfect number, as implying the perfection of his influence, & partly because of the present businesse in hand, for here he writes to the seven Churches of Asia. Now the Lord Jesus Christ hath Spirit enough to send forth into them all. This is his first Royalty, that he hath the seven spirits of God. Another Royalty of his is, that he hath the seven Starres, that is, the seven Pastors of these Churches, Christ hath them all in his hand, it is he that preserves those Ministers that are faithfull; he hath power to raise them up, to gift them, to protect them, to defend them; and they are called Stars, because they are to shine in the firmament of the Church.

Thirdly, for the substance and matter of the Epistle, it containeth three parts.

First, a Reproofe, and the reproofe is in these words, I know thy works; that is, I know them all, and they are stark naught for the most part, what ever they seem; they may seem to be very good, but I tell you plainly, I know them all what they be, q. d. generally they are stark naught; and then he instances in particular, as for example, thy dead­nesse of heart in Religion, Thou hast a name to live, but thou art dead; that is, thou goest for an excellent Minister, and and excellent Church, ye doe professe Religion very fair­ly, and in a goodly manner, that to see to thou art alive, and thou art taken so too of all thy Neighbour-churches, they all think and hope thou art alive; but the truth is, thou art dead, the grace of life is hardly in thee at all. This is the first, the Reproof.

Then secondly, here's a remedy annexed: for he does not reprove them out of any ill will, but for their good, [Page 4] and so he prescribes them a remedy, and the remedy is twofold. The first is, To strengthen the things that remain, that are ready to die. q. d. as many of you as are not quite and clean dead, stirre up your selves, quicken up your hearts: and this is amplified by shewing how they should doe thus: O, be watchfull, sayes he, q. d. that is the reason why ye languish in this fashion, and yee will languish more and more because yee are not watchfull: therefore Be watchfull: and also by rendring a motive to presse this re­medy; For I have not found thy works perfect before God; that is, thou art hardly sincere a jot, thou art full of hypocri­sie, and rottennesse, and formality, and thou wilt lose all thy labour if thou dost not look well about thee: there­fore shake up thy selfe, and strengthen the things that re­main. This is the first remedy.

The second remedy is, to repent, and this is amplified by shewing how, and that is two wayes: First, Remember how thou hast received and heard; that is, consider how thou hast been taught, and bewaile thy declinings: for thou art hor­ribly departed from what thou hast learned in the Mini­stery of the word.

Secondly, Hold fast, that is, so bewail thy warpings, & wa­nings, and degeneratings, that thou mayst get up againe, hold thee fast there when thou art up. Now lest they should neglect the using of this remedy, the Lord Jesus sharpens his speech with a threatning, telling them the danger, if they will not be awakened: If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thiefe, and thou shalt not know what houre I will come upon thee. This is the second part of the matter of this Epistle, the Re­medy.

Thirdly, another part of the matter of this Epistle is, a commendation of some particular persons in the Church, that were not carried away in the deadnesse of [Page 5] the times, and these he does praise very much, and he gives them an excellent promise; the praise is in these words: Thou hast a few names even in Sardis, which have not defiled their garments; that is, there be some among you, though they be but a few, that have not been sutted and soyled with others bad examples; though others be dead, yet they are not dead too for company: and then the promise is to them in these words, They shall walk with me in white; that is, I will give them the grace of repentance, and I wil keep them unspotted unto my heavenly Kingdome and glory. And he addes a reason in these words: For they are worthy, not as though they did merit repentance and glory; no, but they are worthy in Christ, and Christ hath made them meet to be made partakers of this mercy. Thus you see the matter of the Epistle.

The fourth and last thing is the conclusion of the Epi­stle; and that is in the fifth and sixth verses, He that over­cometh shall be cloathed in white raiment, &c. In which words we have the conclusion of the Epistle, and it con­sists of two parts:

First, a promise to every one that overcometh, He that overcomes, &c.

Secondly, a precept to command every gracious Saint to attend to these things. The promise:

First, it is to be considered to whom it is made; it is made to him that overcometh: that is, ye know there is to be a holy warre against all manner of sin, and all temptati­ons, and all the policies of Satan, and all the alluring baits of the world, and all the inclinations of the flesh. Now he that overcomes all these, which is no other but one that is born of God, who alone is able to overcome, He that o­vercomes, this is the party to whom it is promised.

Secondly, what it is that is promised. Here bee three things that are promised to him that overcomes: First, [Page 6] White raiment; He shall be clothed in white raiment; that is, he shall be preferred to everlasting blessednesse, and hee shall walk in triumph in a conquerours robe. Secondly, a permanent and lasting name in the Booke of life, I will not put out his name out of the Book of life, that is, there be many hundreds that are written in the book of life in the judgement of men, and in the hope of men; but in the end the Lord blots them out, he makes it appeare, that their names are not there: But this man shall never bee blotted out thence. As he hopes his name is enrolled there, so it shall for a certain appeare to be enrolled there, and it shall never be crossed out. Thirdly, Christs con­fessing of that mans name before his Father and his holy Angels: And I will confesse his name before my Father and his holy Angels; that is, I will acknowledge him to be mine. Thus you see the first thing, the promise which is made to him that overcomes.

The second part of the conclusion is a precept to com­mand every gracious Saint to attend to these things, and that is in the sixth verse; He that hath an eare to heare, let him heare what the Spirit saith unto the Churches.

Of these in their order, and first of the Inscription.

And to the Angel of the Church of Sardis, write.

By the Angel he means not the Angels of Heaven, noSome trās­late it so too, Which have recei­ved the law by the disposition of Angels, and have not kept it. Acts 7. 53. And so 1 Cor 11. 10. Because of the An­gels. nor the Angels of the bottomlesse pit: he does not mean the Angels of heaven, because they are perfectly holy, they have no sinne in them. Now the Lord Jesus speakes of such an Angel here as hath much sinned; for he re­proves him exceedingly. Neither does he mean any An­gel of the bottomlesse pit, because they are perfectly evill, they have no spirituall goodnesse at all in them. Now the Lord Jesus speaks of such an Angel here, whom though he reproves for many things amisse, yet he commends him too for some gracious things; and therefore he can be [Page 7] Angell of the bottomlesse pit. It remains then, that a Metaphoricall Angel is here understood, and that is the Minister of the Church. Now as the Angels are called Ministers, Blesse ye the Lord all ye his Hosts, ye Ministers that doe his pleasure, Psal. 103. 21. So the Ministers are called Angels, An Angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to Bochim, &c. Judg. 2. 1. that i [...], a Minister, Phinehas, or some Pro­phet or other, as it seems, came and preached unto the people. The point then is this,

That Ministers are to be Angels, as it were. Observ.

They are Angels in some sense.

1. Angels are Spirits, yee know they are spiritual sub­stances,1. as the Psalmist speaks: He maketh his Angels spirits, Psal. 104. 4. they are spirituall creatures, their commu­nion is spirituall, their food is spirituall, their delights are spirituall, their affections & minds are spirituall: so a Mi­nister though he be a Body as well as his people, yet he should be a spiritual man. I confess every true Christian is spiritual, as the Apostle sayes: If any man be overtaken in a fault, ye that are spiritual, restore such a man in the spirit of meeknes, Gal. 6. he speakes to every true Christian, he is a spirituall man: But a Minister should more especially be spirituall; nay, our own phrases will rise up in judge­ment against us, if we be not spirituall. Doe not we call our selves the Spiritualty, as though the people were car­nall in comparison of us? Now if we should be more carnall then they, out of our own mouthes the Lord will condemne us. The truth is, many of us may be called spi­rituall men, if we will: but we are mad spirituall men, as the Prophet Hosea speakes, The spirituall man is mad, Hosea 9. 7. Mad spirituall men indeed, when we are nothing lesse then what we professe our selves to be, when we are spiri­tuall men in a mockery: yee know what a mock is brought up upon this name; people call a spirituall Pig, that is, the [Page 8] poorest of all the ten, that hath no substance in it, that is given to the Minister: so many of us are spiritu­all in a mockery, having no reason why we should be so tearmed, but onely because there is no substance in us, no goodnesse, no holinesse at all in us; whereas we should ex­ceed others in it. We should be spiritual in a special man­ner, we should be like animae separatae, like spirits seque­stred from bodily things, taken up with spirituall affaires, holding forth the fruits of the spirit; we should be as An­gels in our Parishes, labouring to draw people from all their carnal courses, endeavouring to breed in them a sa­vour and a relish of all the things of the spirit of God: our Sermons should not be onely moral, but spiritual; our carriage should be a spiritual walking; where we come, our discourse should be spirituall, we should be like a com­pany of spirits, for so the Apostle calls us, Try the spirits whether they be of God, 1 John 4. 1. that is, try your Ministers whether they be of God, yea or no; whether their doctrine be the doctrine of life, that wil make the soul live: whether their conversation be after the spirit, lest ye follow a false guide: whether their Ministery be the Ministery of the spirit. If any man think himselfe to be a Prophet, or spirituall, 1 Cor. 14. 37. We cannot think our selves Prophets, ex­cept we be spiritual men. When our courses are carnal, we sin against our callings: for we are to bee as Angels by our places in this sense, lest our own profession hit us in the teeth at the last.

Secondly, the Angels are creatures of another world, not of this world, though they walk up and down on Gods errands here, yet they are creatures of another world; and therefore they are called the Angels of Heaven, Matth. 24. 36. Heavenly souldiers, Luke 2. 13. True, every child of God is a heavenly creature, but a Minister should be in a more special manner, a creature of another world, cruci­fied [Page 9] unto this, as Paul sayes, I am crucified to the world, and the world unto me. The preaching of the word is called the Kingdome of heaven, so we that are the Preachers of it, should be of heaven too, not only in regard of the news we bring, but we our selves that bring it, should be heaven­ly ones. When our Saviour Christ had told Nicodemus, that he must be begotten from above, O, sayes hee, art thou a Teacher in Israel, and knowest not these things? How beautiful upon the mountains! The Ministers of the Gos­pel should be men aloft, the world should bee a vally to them beneath, they should not bee Secular men. What care Angels for fine houses, or great livings? They had rather be in the prison with Peter, then with Herod at the Court. Doe Angels care for outward things? No, no more should Ministers. Paul was all for Jesus Christ, I determined not to know any thing among you, but Jesus Christ and him crucified, 1 Cor. 2. 2. He cared not though the great Philosophers of Corinth took him for a Dunce in all hu­man learning; Jesus Christ and him crucified, Paul inclu­ded all his learning in that.

Thirdly, the Angels stand before God, as Daniel sayes, Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him, Dan. 7. 10. So the Ministers of God are to stand before God, as God saith to Jeremy, Thou shalt stand before me, Jer. 15. 19. The Ministers of God are to stand before God, to know what his pleasure is unto the people, what message he hath for them. Again, the Angels are Ministring spirits, sent forth for the good of them that are heirs of salvation, Heb. 1. 14. So Ministers, they are to minister unto them that are the heires of salvation, to watch over their souls, to be usefull unto them in all their wayes. Again, the Angels pitch their tents round about them that are good, as the Prophet speaks; so the Ministers, they are the Churches Angels. Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, all are yours, they are not their [Page 10] own: But as they are Christs, so next under him, they are theirs that are Christs, they are Ministers by whom they beleeve, helpers of their faith; they are Gods servants to bring Jacob again to him. Angels are Gods messengers, they never come but when they are sent from God: so it is said of Ministers, There was a man sent from God, whose name was John, John 1. 6.

The use of this is, First, Here we see that the MinisteryUse 1. is no base Office; the world makes a matter of nothing of Gods faithfull Ministers; vile men will Sirra them at their pleasure, and take them up as if they were their dish­clouts. But beloved, here we see they are as it were An­gels of God. Christ himselfe the Apostle makes bold to call him a Minister, Rom. 15. 8. Now I say (sayes he) that Jesus Christ was a Minister: the Apostle knew it was no dis­paragement unto him. Solomon when he would chuse him his Title, and might have called himselfe, The King of Is­rael and Judah, yet he rather takes this as honorable e­nough, The Preacher; Thus saith the Preacher, Eccles. 1. 1. The office of a Minister is an Angels office. When Za­chary perceived that his child should be a Minister, though yet he were a little babe lying in the cradle, he admires him: And thou child shalt be called the Prophet of the High­est, for thou shalt goe before the face of the Lord to prepare his wayes, to give knowledge of salvation for the remission of sins, to give light unto them that sit in darknesse, and in the shadow of death, to guide their feet in the way of peace, Luke 1. 76, 77. The Angels of heaven never go on greater errands then these. When they came to the Shepheards, what did they doe? they did but tell them of the birth of Christ, of peace on earth, and good will towards men. Now this is the Ministers duty, let the world think what they will of us, as though our calling were mean, and they care not much whether they heare us or no, they will not regard [Page 11] what we preach. O beloved, consider what an office we have, we are Gods Angels unto you, to declare unto man his righteousnesse, Job. 33. 23. to pray men in Christs stead to be reconciled unto God, 2 Cor. 5. 20. to gather together the saints, Ephes. 4. 12. These are no small things, no mean im­ployments to treat between God and Man about eternall life, to be Christs Paranymphs, and the friends of the Bridegroom, to deale about the getting of a wife for the Lamb, to cater for heaven, to bring in custome for the Kingdome of God. The whole world hath not a greater office in it; yee cannot despise neither our persons nor our message and be saved, as Paul sayes, Let a man so esteem of us, as of the Ministers of Christ, and the stewards of the my­steries of God, 1 Cor. 4. 1. q. d. O take heed how yee slight us, or our Ministery, yee cannot have the mysteries of grace without us, yee cannot have saving knowledge, nor regeneration, nor faith without us. I doe not speak what God may doe extraordinarily; but this is Gods ordinary way: How can they beleeve on him of whom they have not heard? and how can they heare without a Preacher? Rom. 10. 4. and therefore our office is no mean office, we are as the An­gels of God unto you, and people should honour our Mi­nistery when a Minister comes into the Pulpit, even as if an Angel did appeare. It is said when Samuel came to Bethlehem, the Elders of the town trembled at his coming, 1 Sam. 16. 4.

Secondly, are Ministers Angels? then they must be ho­ly;Use 2. ye know the Angels are holy: When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all his holy Angels with him, Matth. 25. 31. They are holy all of them: so should the Ministers be holy; otherwise they may be Angels indeed, but they are evill angels, angels of darknesse; they are Devils if they be not holy. Every ignorant, gracelesse, and unconscio­nable Minister is ready to presse the dignity of his cal­ling, [Page 12] and what an honorable office he hath; but hee never considers what a Minister then he must be. If we be An­gels, brethren, why then as we like this honorable Title, we must have a care to be holy, or else, I say, we are De­vils. Those Angels that are not holy, are Devils. Nay, our very calling supposes us to be holy, Let thy Urim and thy Thummim be with thy holy one, Deut. 33. 8. so that our very calling will testifie against us, if we be not holy: We of all men should labour to be holy; What, a Minister, and yet a drunkard? a Minister, and yet a whoremonger? a Minister, and yet without the feare of God? a Minister, and yet have a dead heart? O consider what God sayes, What hast thou to doe to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldst take my covenant within thy mouth, seeing thou hatest instru­ction, and hast cast my words behind thee? Psal. 50. 16, 17. With what face can we here stand in a Pulpit, and preach against sin, and teach our hearers to make conscience of all their wayes, and denounce the judgements of God a­gainst them that doe evill, if we that condemne another do the same things or as bad? How inexcusable are we, if we can preach the straitnesse of heavens gate, and the nar­rownesse of the way, and the strictnesse of the account the people shall be forced to give at the last day, and lay heavie burdens on other mens shoulders, and we our selves not touch them with one of our fingers? Teach precisely, and live loosely, teach graciously, and walke broadly? This is grosse hypocrisie; act zeal and goodnes in the Pulpit, and be heartlesse and luke-warm in our pri­vate duties unto God.

Again, we can never look to doe good, if we be not ho­ly; as Jet will not draw if it be not clean: For how can we hope our people will follow our exhortations, if they see we doe not follow them our selves? When S. Luke had shewed how Barnabas exhorted the Christians to cleave [Page 13] close unto God, Acts 11. 23. presently he gives a reason why he might well exhort them to do so, For he was a good man, full of the holy Ghost and of Faith, v. 24. When our hea­rers are met with for any of their sinnes, when wee rub their consciences with our Sermons, presently their eye is at us, and if they see us to be vain and worldly, this heals them again; though the word wounded them, yet this is an ease to them, O think they, he is as bad himselfe, and we see no such holinesse in him, and we are as faire for hea­ven as he, he loves his peny as well as we, he is as ready to quarrell as we, he is as proud, and ambitious, and fearfull, and idle, as we; he loves to sleep in a whole skin, what wil not hee doe rather then lose his living? hee'l break the Sabbath, and teach others to doe so. Now, my brethren, how should we abhorre this! O it should prick and spur us up to study holinesse of life, that so our Ministery may be powerful.

Thirdly, are Ministers Angels? Then they should beUse 3. apt to teach, ready to preach, and to labour in Word and Doctrine. It is said of the Angels, that they have wings, One of the Seraphims came flying unto me, Isa. 6. 6. They are ready prest to doe any thing that the Lord gives them in charge; so should we be, or else how should we beare the name of Angels? We must labour, that we may be fruit­ful in our labour among our people. You know the An­gels are called Reapers, and so are Gods Ministers▪ I sent you to reap, John 4. 38. When a man reaps he gathers; nay, Christ chuseth good Ministers for this end, that they should bring forth fruit in their places, I have ordained you that yee should goe and bring forth much fruit, John 15. 16. Nay, our Saviour Christ supposes that all his true Mini­sters are fruitfull upon some. Every sower though heMatth. 13. 3. 8. have some high-way ground to sow in, and some thorny ground, and some stony ground, yet he hath some good ground or other.

[Page 14]For first, a good Minister it is the desire of his soul to see1. the fruits of his labours; As a Hen, many a Hen will hardly ever off from her egges, till she see a young chic­kens bill peep; nay, she will sit stil till she die before she will off. What made Paul so desirous to come to the Romans? Was it onely to see them, and to be among them, or to take his tythes or his maintenance? No, it was that he might have some fruit, Rom. 1. 13. And certainly, this is the study of every true Minister, that he may see his preaching fruitfull in the conversion and salvation of some, that some are awakened by his means, that some are quickned, some are made to leave their sinnes, and to be­come new creatures unto God.

Secondly, does not every man count it a misery to be2. unprofitable? The Lord names it as a brand upon wicked men, that they are unprofitable, Rom. 3. 12. What a wofull brand is this, when we can live two, three, seven, ten, twen­ty yeares in a place, and our services are unprofitable, no man delivered out of ignorance, no man purged from his filthinesse by our means; when our Ministery is a dead let­ter, we preach without life, and no man is translated from death unto life by it? I say, this is to bee unprofitable, like salt that hath lost his savour. I confesse the best Mi­nisters may have little takings, as the best tradesman may have little vent for his wares when his trading growes dead.

Nay thirdly, this is the end of our gifts, that wee may3. profit with them; as the Apostle sayes, The manifestation of the Spirit is given unto every man to profit withall, 1 Cor. 12. 7. Hath he given us knowledge? He hath given it us that we should profit others with it. Hath hee given us skill in the opening and applying of the Scriptures? He hath given it unto us, that we may doe good with the same. And therefore, O how earnest should we be that [Page 15] our Ministery may profit, that our pains may be profi­table and successfull, that we may say with the Prophet Esay, Lord, behold I and the Children whom thou hast given me.

Fourthly, this is the best argument that God hath of a4. certain called us to bee Ministers in his Church. If we have called our selves, and run without sending, then no marvell if we be fruitlesse, and doe little or no good. But if we find that God blesseth our labours, this is the best seal of our ministery: as if the arrow hit, it's a good sign it was sent out of the bow; it may fall out of the bow of it own accord, but then it never hits: but when it is sent out of the bow, ye know he that sends it, will aim; and there­fore now when it hits, that's a signe it was sent indeed: so when a Minister converts peoples soules, this is a good signe that God sent him; when a Minister can say to his people, as Paul to the Corinthians, The seale of mine A­postleship are ye in the Lord, 1 Cor. 9. 2. though I be not an A­postle unto others, yet doubtlesse I am unto you: For the seale of my Apostleship are ye in the Lord. So the seale of us Mini­sters are yee in the Lord: though I have not converted o­thers, yet doubtlesse I have converted you unto God, as he sayes, Truly, the signes of an Apostle were wrought among you, 2 Cor. 12. 12, &c.

Fifthly, this is that which will give us comfort, when5. we lie upon our death-beds, when we can say, we have been faithfull in our callings, and can shew a token of it too, by blessing of our faithfulnesse in the gaining of foules, as Paul saith to the Thessalonians, What is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoycing? Are not even yee in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? For ye are our glory and joy, 1 Thess. 2. 19, 20. This is a pledge of our glory. The pro­mise is cleare, They that turn others unto righteousnesse, shall shine as the starres, Dan. 12. 3. I doe not deny, but a wicked [Page 16] Minister that hath parts, and is gifted of God with an Art of speaking to the conscience, may convert; and therefore it is not a naked argument. But when a man hath had▪ this successe by his faithfulnesse, and hath set himself to doe it in Gods way indeed; what an unspeakable comfort is this! He is not the wisest Minister that can plot most for prefermet, or can preach best for applause, or the like: No, no; but he that can most compose himselfe to doe good, He that winneth soules is wise, Prov. 11. 30. that is, as he had need to be a wise man, and to goe wisely to work, that would doe it: so he is a wise man, he is wise to himself, he layes up to himself a good foundation of comfort against the world to come.

Sixthly, and lastly, if we can endure to be unprofitable,6. not to stirre up our selves, not to point and sharpen our Ministery that it may pierce into mens consciences, nor never study how to doe good, what a heavie woe will lie upon us? You read what was done to the unprofitable servant, he was bound hand and foot, and cast out into utter darknesse, where is weeping and gnashing of teeth, Matth. 25. 30. O then how carefull should we be to doe good, and to be effectual Preachers, that we may say, these and these I have been an instrument of good to; by the mercy of God these and these I have begotten through the Gospel, then are we Angels indeed, that are sent out for the good of Gods elect. I confess it is good to civilize our people, to abate their wickednesse, to make them Professors, and I would to God we could see more of these effects rather then none. But to gather in Gods elect, this is an Angels work, the conversion of one soule is better then the civi­lizing of a thousand. And therefore let us be diligent and industrious, and preach in season and out of season, let us con the skill of preaching, not to tickle mens itching [Page 17] eares, not so much to make our people say, our Minister is a fine Scholar, a good Churchman, as to rouze up the consciences of our hearers, to pull down their hearts be­fore God, to feed their souls with divine meat, with the good knowledge of the Lord, to shew them the severall wiles of Satan, as Paul sayes, Speak thou the things which be­come sound doctrine, that the aged men be sober and grave, &c. Tit. 2. 1. that is, so preach, as to good, to old men, to old women, to young men, to young women, to Masters, to servants, to all, as it follows there; wee must look unto our life, that we defile not our Angels place, that we doe not undoe what we preach. Alas! if we doe not sincere­ly practice all that we doe deliver, if our lives doe not an­swer our teaching, we are like unto kine that give very good milk, but then put their feet into the paile, or throw down the paile when they have done. This is to make our preaching of no effect: and therefore as the Apostle says to Timothy, Take heed unto thy selfe, and to thy doctrine, con­tinue in them, for in doing this, thou shalt both save thy selfe and them that heare thee, 2 Tim. 4. 16. They are the best Mi­nisters, that carry people unto heaven; when men think to send people to heaven, and not goe themselves, suppose this should doe the deed, yet what will it profit us, if our people goe to heaven, and we stay behind, and never come there? Nay, we cannot look they will go, except they see us goe before them; and therefore let us do nothing that may hinder the fruitfulnesse of our Sermons. Thus shall we be Angels indeed.

Fourthly, another use is, If Ministers be Angels, thenUse 4. let us know that we are mainly for Gods elect, as the Psal­mist sayes of every elect person, God shall give his Angels charge over thee▪ to keep thee in▪ all thy wayes, Psal. 91. 11. Mark, the Angels have the charge of the elect, they are their main charge; may be they are to doe many things [Page 18] towards others, but these are their principall charge; so it must be with Gods Ministers, their chiefe charge is to­wards Gods elect, as the Apostle sayes, I endure all things for the elects sake, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus, which is eternall glory, 2 Tim. 2. 10. Wee that are Gods Ministers, have all our gifts and graces for their sakes; He gave some Apostles, and some Prophets, & some Evangelists, and some Pastors and Teachers. For what? For the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the Ministery, for the edifying of the body of Christ, Ephes. 4. 11, 12. And there­fore if wee have any that feare God in our Parishes, wee should bend our main Ministery unto them, and for the adding of more to them; wee should not bee like those wretched Ministers that count such persons the worst of their flock, and they doe most hate them, and oppose them, and jeere them: No, no, we should most dearly love them, and tender them, and bend our selves unto them; nay, we should not altogether in these bad times, stand de­claiming against drunkards, murtherers, and so leave the Lords Saints without their portion. The truth is, yee that live in your ungodly courses, yee that walk after your wicked lusts, and wil not be gotten to forsake your cur­sed doings, we could bee content to lay hell here before you in every Sermon, and spend our shot on you, all the houres that we have of preaching in the week, are little e­nough to tell you what a damned condition yee are in. But if yee wil not enter in into the strait gate, we must not neglect them that wil; if yee will be filthy, be filthy still, and if yee wil to hell, and we cannot perswade you to live out of your sins. Though there be but two or three that are wel-minded in our Parishes, we are to bend our selves chiefly unto them. Indeed as long as we have any hope of adding more to their company, we must preach points for them too. May be some of Gods elect are among [Page 19] you, and if there be, the Word wil find them out. I say, this is our main charge, to be groping for Gods elect, and when any of them appeare, to tender them most, so shall we shew our selves Angels indeed for the good of Gods chosen. More uses I might make, and very many too.

But I will content my self with one more, and that shalUse 5. be to you that are hearers. If Gods Ministers be Angels, then how should you come to the hearing of the word of God? Even as if an Angel should drop down from hea­ven unto you. How should you receive the Ministers of God that desire to be faithful? Even as the Galatians re­ceived Paul, even as an Angel of God, Gal. 4. 14. yea even as Christ himselfe; yee must not look up into the Pulpit, as seeing nothing but a poor mortal man there, but as though an Angel of God were standing there. How grave should our meetings here bee? how reverently should yee sit in your Pewes? how sacredly should we stand in our desks? how graciously should we deliver Gods errands, and you heare them with feare and trembling? When a good Mi­nister appeares in the Congregation, it is as if an Angel of heaven appeared unto you to speak unto you. O what a homely manner doe we come to Churches? the Majesty of the Word is not seen; nay, we may speak it with shame, neither by us the speakers, nor by you the hearers; we do not come to the Word as if an Angel from heaven had spoken it. But generally most people see little more then a poore mortall creature in the Pulpit, and so they deal with the Word accordingly, &c.

Thus yee have heard the first Doctrine; To the Angel of the Church in Sardis, write. I should now speake of the sin­gular number, he does not say, To the Angels, though there were many Ministers in Sardis, yet he speakes to them all as if they were all one. From whence we are taught The unity that is between true and right Ministers, they are all as [Page 20] one man. And then whereas he inscribes the Epistle, To the Angel of the Church, though he write to all the Church, and blames and condemnes all the Church, yet he names none but the Angel; here we are taught, That a Minister shares in the good and in the evill of his Parish: if they bee good, it is to his praise; if they be evill, commonly he is guilty of it.

I Have made an entrance into the words: yee have heard the Analysis of the whole Epistle, and a short expositi­on, or a paraphrase upon all the verses. Unto the Angel of the Church in Sardis, write. This is the inscription or su­perscription of the letter that Christ would have written to the Ministers and Christians in the town of Sardis: Where first yee heard this point of Doctrine, That Mi­nisters are as the Angels of God unto their Parishes. When God sends his Ministers unto a people, it is as if he sent his Angels from heaven unto them. But I will not trou­ble you with any repetitions.

The next point I foretold you of, that ariseth out of these words, is this, That all the true Ministers of the Church are all one as it were, there is or ought to be an unity be­tween them all, even as if they were all one Angel, Unto the Angel of the Church in Sardis, write, and yet the Town was a great Town, and there were many Ministers in it; so we may see it was in Ephesus, the text sayes, that Paul called all the Elders of the Church of Ephesus together, and said unto them, Take heed unto your selves, and to all the flock over the which the holy Ghost hath made you overseers, Acts 20. 28. [Page 21] he speakes to the Ministers there as to many, and yet S. John is to write to them all as to one Minister, Unto the Angel of the Church of Ephesus, write, Rev. 2. 1. noting thus much unto us, That Ministers should be all as one Mi­nister; there should be a sweet harmony and a glorious a­greement, and consent and unity between them all, even as if they were all one Minister; so that the doctrine is plain. So again, John prophecying of John Husse, and Je­rome of Prague, and other godly Ministers in succeeding ages, that should mightily strive against the primacy and domineering of the man of sin, sayes, There followed another Angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, Babylon is fallen, Rev. 14. 8. he calls them all one Minister, intimating unto us how that they all agree in one.

I do not mean, first, that if one Minister be a drunkard,1. that all others should be so too; if one be a man-pleaser and a dawber, that all others should be so too; that if one be an ignorant Sir John, all others should be so too; eve­ry unity is not good, there is unity as our Saviour Christ shewes, even among the very Devils in Hell. For if Satan be divided against Satan, how can his Kingdome stand? Mat. 12. 26. There is a unity among rogues and theeves, Come, say they, cast in thy lot among us, and letus have one purse, Pro▪ 1. 14. There was unity among Ahabs foure hundred false Prophets, they all hung together in a string, Go up and pro­sper. All the Prophets prophesied so, 1 Kings 22▪ 12. as the messenger said to Micaiah, All the Pophets prophesie good to the King with one mouth, let thy word be like theirs; be not thou singular, be not thou an odde fellow by thy self, they all agreed in one. There was unity among the Priests that were met together in a Synod for the condemning of Christ, they all were in one note, That he was worthy to die. The Prophet observes that there was unity amongst all the blind watchmen of Judah: They are all ignorant, [Page 22] sayes he, they are all dumb dogges, they cannot bark, sleeping, lying downe, loving to slumber, they all look to their own way, every one for his gain from his quarter, Isai. 56. 10, 11. This is an unity the world is full of, nay and hell is full of, like the unity of Sodom against Lot, the men of Sodom com­passed his house round, both old and young from every quarter, Gen. 19. 4. This is a Devillish unity, this is no true unity. True unity is in Bono, no matter how many are of one mind, and of one heart, and of one accord, if it be not an union in good, it is faction and no union, as Ter­tullian told the Marcionites when they brag'd of their Churches, forsooth they were the Church, saith hee, Wasps have their swarms: so when wicked Ministers shal cry, The Church, the Church, I say, these are swarmes of Wasps, I doe not mean such a unity; when it is not in good, the greater the unity is, the lesse union is indeed.

Secondly, I do not mean neither, that Ministers should2. thus hang together in one, that if one be a Boanerges, a son of thunder, another should be so too. For Ministers may be different in different auditories. Husband-men sow their seed according to the diversity of their ground; the Physician tempers his Physick according to his patients constitution: as long as people are of sundry dispositions, so certainly the Ministers manner of preaching may be various. And therefore I doe not mean such an unity nei­ther, that all Preachers should be moulded alike; nay, the same minister may and must differ from himselfe, some­times come with cordials, sometimes with corrasives, to sing of mercy and judgment, to preach comfort to whom comfort, and vengeance to whom vengeance be­longs, to some hee must give milk, to others strong meat, Heb. 13. 14. Paul had a rod as well as the spirit of meeknesse. Zacharies Pastor was to have two staves, the one called Beauty, & the other cal'd Bands, & so he was to [Page 23] feed the flock, Zach. 11. 7. A Chirurgian hath aking tents as well as suppling oyle. The Apostle Paul when he was to deale with Elymas the Sorcerer, he set his eyes on him, and called him the child of the Devil; but when he was to deale with Sergius Paulus, he was mild with him. Our Sa­viour Christ preach't the acceptable yeare of the Lord to some; and to other some as though he were not the same Preacher, he had nothing but woes in his mouth. There were two mountains in Canaan, there was the blessing on mount Gerizim for some, and the cursing on mount Ebal for others.

Again thirdly, we doe not mean that all ministers3. should be the same in gifts and parts, and measure of knowledge and sanctification; for that can never bee loo­ked for, every Parish can never be provided for alike. Starres are of different magnitudes, some starres are greater, some lesser: The Angels are not all of one rank, some are ordinary Angels, some Arch-angels, some are Principalities, some are Dominions, some are Thrones, Coloss. 1. 16. and may be, those that are meanest, so they be godly, and sent of God, may doe as much good as those that are more excellent; nay more, convert more, awa­ken more, settle more: for it is not they that work, but God by them, who is not tied unto Organs, unity is not hindred by disparity. Paul calls Epaphraditus who was much inferior to him, his brother, and companion in labour, and fellow▪ souldier, Phil. 2. 25. Though Clement were a mi­nister much meaner then he, yet he calls him his fellow­labourer, Phil. 4. 3. Though Tychicus came never so much short of him, yet he terms him his fellow-servant, Col. 4. 7. So that there may be unity for all this, and a gracious sympathy and agreement betweene ministers, though of never so different parts, so they be sincere and cordially minded to doe good.

[Page 24]You will say then, What is that unity that must be a­mong ministers?

I answer 1. They must be all competently endued1. with ability for the work of the ministery, all must agree in this, that they be able men in some measure. Hee hath made us able Ministers of the new testament, 2 Cor. 3. 6. able to preach to the conscience, able to doe it with power and might, able to divide the word aright, able to give every one his portion in due season. They are none of Gods ministers that are not able men, that are not able to teach and to apply, to be the mouth of God unto the people, and the mouth of the peo­ple unto God, that are not able to seek that which was lost, to bring again that which is driven away, to bind that which is broken, to strengthen that which is sick. Those that are not able to doe this, they are blind guides, Idol-shepheards, and no ministers. Paul sayes, that a mi­nister must be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers, Tit. 1. 9. Faithfull men, able to teach others, 2 Tim. 2. 2. This was one of the ends that Christ as­cended upon high, that he might give gifts unto men for the mi­nistery, as one Apostle speakes, Eph. 4. 8. and so as it fol­lowes, He gave some Apostles, and some Prophets, and some E­vangelists, and some Pastors and Teachers. All Ministers should agree in this, that they be able.

Secondly, they must be all sent of God, though a man2. be never so able, yet if he be not sent of God, he is not a Minister. Private Christians many of them have excel­lent abilities, as the text sayes, I am perswaded of you, my bre­thren, that ye are full of goodnesse, filled with all knowledge, able to admonish one another, Rom. 15. 14. he speakes of private Christians: I say, they are able many of them, and there is very great use of their abilities too, for the good of their families, for the good of Christian communion, and [Page 25] the like; yea, it is a shame that privat Christians living under good means of grace, doe not grow able to teach. When for time yee ought to be teachers, yee have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the Oracles of God, Heb. 5. 12. Mark, he shames privat Christians that doe not grow able to teach. But yet this is not enough to make ministers; true ministers agree all in this, that they are sent of God. How shall they preach except they be sent? Rom. 10. 15. I have not thrust in my selfe for a Pastor, sayes Jeremy. They are intruders and not ministers that can­not prove their commission from God, as the authour to the Hebrews sayes, No man takes this honour to himselfe, but he that is called of God as was Aaron, Heb. 5. 4. Christ himselfe alledged this to beare out his ministery, He hath sent me to preach deliverance to Captives. Woe be to those of whom the Lord shall say, I have not sent these Prophets, and yet they run. It will be sayd to them one day, as to the man without a wedding garment, Friend, how camest thou in hither? The want of this is the reason that so many mi­nisters make no more conscience of their duty, they make no conscience of taking paines, of strict preaching, of pressing the word upon peoples hearts, of using all man­ner of means to root out sin in their Parish, because they have no dispensation from God committed unto them: if their consciences were charged with this, it would make them doe otherwise then they doe. The want of this is the cause that the ministery of many is impotent, they may preach all the dayes of their lives, and not one soule turned unto God, but themselves and their workes perish together; whereas Ministers that are sent, make the Devils roare, and flesh and bloud chafe, their Sermons are links of iron to bind Nobles and Princes, and stub­born hearts. The want of this is the reason why so many ministers are vile in the peoples eyes, people care not a [Page 26] whit for them, dare drink and be drunk in their company, dare talk of their roguery before them; as Amnon before Jonadab, Jonadab ask't him what he ailed he was so sad: O, sayes he, I would fain lie with my sister Tamar, 2 Sam. 13. 4. He knew before whom he was; if Jonadab had been a godly man, he durst as well have eaten his own tongue, as have told him his base lust. A godly man the very pre­sence of him would have made him ashamed, and to have bitten in his lips. When a minister is unsent of God, no body does respect him out of conscience, they care not for his words: whereas when a minister is sent, this makes him as an Angel of God when others call him all to naught, the conscience of many will plead for him, as we see there of Jeremy, O this man is not worthy to die, for hee hath spoken unto us in the Name of the Lord, Jer. 26. 16. There's never a sent minister, but if he come in trouble, except peoples consciences be seared with a hot Iron, they wil speak for him in their bosomes: Alas! why is he put down? Why is he imprisoned? Why is he opposed? He hath spoken to us in the name of the Lord. So that this is the second wherein all ministers should agree, they should be all sent of God, not contenting themselves with the calling of man, without being also called of God.

Thirdly, they must all agree in the matter that they3. preach; the same word is delivered unto all ministers to preach. Preach the word, 2 Tim. 4. The same Gospel, the same Truths, the same Duties, the same Commandments, the same Promises, the same threatnings: Ye know there is one God, and one Faith, and one Baptisme, one Lord Jesus Christ; there is but one way of life, one gate to hea­ven, one salvation, one Bible: Now every minister must agree in this: You know all men are by Nature the children of wrath, in a damned estate; now all Pulpits [Page 27] should agree in this, every minister labouring to bring their people to a sight of their misery by sinne; every mi­nister should shew his people what cursed creatures they are, untill they be converted and renewed; every Minister should presse the evill of sin, and open the wiles of Sa­tan, the guilt of the conscience, the spiritualnesse of the Law, the necessity of humiliation, and repentance, and amendment of life, that there is no mercy but in Christ, no salvation but by Christ; except people take him to live in their hearts by faith. All ministers should let their people know the terror of the Lord, the strictnesse of Gods judgements, the inseparable connexion of mer­cy and a godly life, that no profane person can enter into Gods Kingdome; no hypocrite, no meer civill man; that a form of godlinesse will not serve turn, that none but Saints shall stand at Christs right hand at the last day. All ministers should preach what a narrow path there is to Paradise, & how few there bee that find it, that saving grace cannot stand with the reign of the least lust, that people must be pure and holy, what ever the world think of purenesse, and precisenesse, and strictnesse, yet without this no flesh shall be saved. If all pulpits sounded with these truths, and all ministers cried those aloud, & would lift up their voyces like a trumpet, and not spare, what a land should we have? The want of unity in this matter, is the cause that wickednesse does so much abound: a drun­kard, a whoremaster, a muckworm may come to a Ser­mon, and goe away with hope that he shall have peace. When ministers make the pulpit a scaffold, in which like Masters of Defence they play their prizes, blazon their own wits, descant upon their text, as though the Scrip­ture were a Rattle for children and fools to sport with, tossing it to and fro, hither and thither, as boyes at a Ten­nis: when they go about to amaze their hearers, to mount [Page 28] aloft, to be in their high phrases, and coyned words, more like Mimicks and Comedians then Ministers; when they search into moath-eaten Friers, affect allegories, would fain be thought Linguists, and interlace a many of allega­tions of Latin and Greek sentences, which a School-boy might doe with a Polyanthea: or if they speak plain, they skim the truth of the Scriptures, and never dive deep to the edifying of the soule. May be they will preach good morall matter. But a man may goe to hell, though he doe as they teach; people may heare them a thousand times, and no man made to cry out, What have I done? They preach of repentance, but then they open it so slightly, that a man may repent as they say, and be damned: they preach of faith in Christ, but they make it so broad, that thousands have it and sink into the bottomlesse pit with it: they preach that sin must be forsaken, and a good life must be led, but they handle it in that wise, that their hea­rers may doe as they say, and yet have no more grace then a reprobate, nor so much neither. Now beloved, the uni­ty among brethren should be this, to agree in the right matter of preaching, that the word may be carved to all, as their need is, that they may see their own cases, that they may understand the wiles of the Devil, the fallacies of their own evill hearts, the counterfets of faith and repen­tance, and new obedience, and that they may not be couse­ned with them. This is the third thing.

Fourthly, they should all agree in the true manner of4. preaching. That which our Saviour sayes of hearing, Take heed how yee heare, Luke 8. 18. he means of preaching too, let your Ministers take heed how they preach. Beloved, we that are the Ministers of God, we are to labour to turn Lions into Lambs, and to transform the heart of man, to breed new creatures unto God: and therefore it is not every kind of preaching will serve the turn.

[Page 29]1. Then Ministers should agree in preaching with the1. demonstration of the Spirit, and of power, as Paul sayes, not with the wisdome of words, lest the crosse of Christ be made of no effect, 1 Cor. 1. 17. q. d. If we should preach wit, and learning, & eloquence, then the death of Christ would be of no effect, that is, no man would be converted, Christ would be offered to none; therefore we must preach na­kedly, to flash the naked word into mens consciences, that they may see, Thus saith the Lord against their sinful courses, thus saith the Lord of their estates, this reproofe is from the Lord, this threat is from the Lord, thus saith the Lord, you are a wretch, this is thy sin, and this is thy cursed condition, and it is the Lord and not I that does af­firm it. It is said of Christ that he preacht with authority, and not as the Scribes, Matth. 7. 29. What is it to come with authority? When a man speakes from God to the consciences of men; as when a Constable comes in the name of a King, I charge you in the Kings name; this is to come with authority. Therefore we should not come with the affectation of wit, or of reading, of fine and filed speaking. You wil say, What, would you have us be foo­lish in our preaching? I answer, Never object so, for it is the foolishnesse of preaching, that saves them which beleeve, 1 Cor. 1. 21. as one sayes, we must preach Christ crucified in a crucified phrase. The world would have gewgawes, and garish garnishings: and why so? because the naked Word is contrary to flesh and bloud; like some eyes, they must have their silks & their cypresses to look upon the Sun by, forsooth the Sun beams are too glorious and shining otherwise. Pedestris oratio, as Jerome speaks, a Mi­nister must have a foot-speech, and not speak a horseback, with trappings, and tassels, and deckings. Though this be foolishnesse unto some, yet it is wisdom to them that are of God. We speak wisdom to them that are perfect, 1 Cor. 2. 6. [Page 30] Mark, they that are perfect will accept it to be wisdome it is foolishnesse onely to children and sots, and such as are not able to discerne. God will have his mercies hidden under homely out-sides, that men that will stumble at them, may; as men hide treasure under straw; as the wo­man of Baharim hid the two Worthies of Israel in a well under a course sack. Can gallant preaching make people pluck out their right eyes, and deny their own selves and wayes? No, no, when the heart sees it hath to doe with God, nothing but this will pull it down: away then with our own affections, let us labour to come with God into our pulpits, that people may see God dealing with them.

2. Ministers should agree to preach differencingly, to2. distinguish between the pretious and the vile, the clean and the unclean; as we must not bruise the broken Reed, but deal gently with it: so we must not give childrens bread unto dogges, Matth. 15. 29. we must not cast our seed into fallow ground: but wee must let the fallow ground feele our ploughes tearing: we must not fling pearles before swine, nor bitter arrowes against Christ his Lambs. This were as if we should call for snow in Summer, and rain in harvest. No, no, a whip for the Horse, and a bridle for the Asse, and a rod for the Fools back, Prov. 26. 3. If people be like Mules, that will not understand, we must put in a Bit into their mouthes: If people will have their own wayes, our word must be fires, and hammers, and axes, and chesils, and swords, and speares, that their bel­lies may tremble, and rottennesse may enter into their bones.

You will say, Why then belike we must have nothing in our mouthes but hell and damnation.

I answer, No, nothing but hell and damnation for the naught.

You will say, that will drive them to despaire.

[Page 31]Why then let it: it were well if wee had our people there, they must despaire before they come to mercy, as Hezekiah sayes, O Lord, I am oppressed, doe thou comfort me, or undertake for me, Isai. 38. 14. People must bee oppressed with our Sermons, we must lay load and burdens on their consciences, or they will never bee fitted for comforts and Christs undertakings. True, the servants of the Lord must be gentle unto all men, 2 Tim. 2. 24. and suffer the wic­kednesse of all very patiently, praying if at any time the Lord will give them repentance, that the Devill may let them goe. Nothing but hell and damnation is not good; we must not be like James and John, that would needs bee calling for fire to come down from heaven to consume the Samaritans: no, we must be long-suffering, but yet we must not let a wicked man live, but we must give him his deaths wound by the stab of the Word, lest his bloud be required at our hands.

3. Ministers should agree in preaching with all their3. strength constantly, and duly, not quadragesimall Ser­mons onely, or the like: but the Apostle commands Mi­nisters to preach in season, and out of season, 2 Tim. 4. 2. It is a wicked cavill of some, and it is the Devill that doth sug­gest it, It is not good to cloy the people, is it not faire to preach once a Sabbath? must we have two, and a week daye, too? This is overmuch, this is unseasonable, that people should trudge and trot to Sermons when they should be at their callings. Well, bee it so, that it is out of season, wee must preach out of season too, all will be little enough. I am sure the Prophet Haggai the word of the Lord came to him twice in one day, Hag. 2. 10, 20. Austin used constantly to preach twice a day, as appears in his 2^d Sermon upon the 88. Psalm, nay in one place he sayes he preached thrice. Doe not won­der my dear brethren, si hodie ter sermonem, that I have preached three times this one day. And he addes this be­sides, [Page 32] that it was not without cause, in his 33. Sermon to his brethren in the Wildernesse. Nay, the ancient Fathers preached every day in the yeare, as it is well known to them that are used to read them. Chrysostome in his Homi­lies upon Genesis, shewes this almost in the beginning of every Homily. And one time perceiving his hearers somwhat few: O (says he) every houre in the day is seaso­nable for you to heare, nay the night is not unseasonable. Paul prolonged himselfe unto midnight, sayes he, Acts 20. I pray did the time hinder him? No though he were for a journey the next day, yet hee would not think much to break his nights rest. Another time preaching by candle­light, O, sayes he, doe you see this same lamp? take away the oyle, you put out the light; even so it is with the gifts of the Spirit, the dulnesse of our hearing, the littlenesse of our profiting at once, our readinesse to decline except we be pricked forward, our aptnesse to forget God, the com­mandment of having the word to dwell richly in us, the duty of meditating in it day and night, do plainly enforce this preaching.

You will say, If Preachers should preach often, it would be but prating; we cannot preach often & soundly.

I answer, it is false: for all that I see, the ablest Divines have preached the most often, as Calvin, and Luther, and Wickliff, and others, and Mr. Greenham; nay, Austin prea­ched extempore that Sermon of his upon the 95. Psalm; it seemes that he expected his brother Severus to come and preach for him: but his friend failing to come, hee prea­ched himself, as D^r Don relates the story: So Basil also preaching two Sermons upon the works of God that hee made in the six dayes, Genes. 1. confesses he had no more premeditation, then that very morning when he began to preach them. Thus many holy men by setting themselves to be instant in Gods harvest time, have had such a doore [Page 33] of utterance opened unto them to speak the mystery of Christ, that like wise Scribes, they could, as occasion was offered, bring forth out of their Treasuries, new and old. Who are they that cry down often preaching, whatever colour they would seem to have, be such as would cover their own shame by backbiting the diligence of any of their brethren. Like the Fox in the Fable, that because he wanted a taile himselfe to hide his own filthinesse, perswa­ded the other beasts to cut off theirs too, pleading for­sooth, O it is cumbersome, and weighty, and ye were bet­ter be without; but the truth was, it was onely to hide his own deformity, which were it once in fashion to bee without tails, should never be espied. A worthy Divine cites an excellent admonition of Hierom to Calphurnius, upon the like occasion to this, That if he wanted teeth himselfe, hee should not bee envious against them which were able to eat. Beloved, I doe urge an equality of la­bour upon all; but this is most certain, that we are bound every one of us, to honor the Lord with all our strength, and to study the edification and salvation of our peoples souls with all our might. It is a shame that ever our peo­ple should meet together at Church, and wee not take compassion upon them, to quicken them with some word of exhortation or other. The Evangelists note of our Saviour, that when he saw a company about him, he had compassion on them and taught them, Mar. 6. 34. Where­upon was his Sermon in the mount, but because hee saw a company about him? Whereupon was that Sermon of our Saviour, Matth. 13? It was because there was a com­pany of people before him. Certainly, if we had com­passion on our people, we would doe so too: If we were not too worldly and dead hearted our selves, as we are, we would never plead against it. Many talk much of the Fa­thers, O the Fathers, the Fathers, and they doe not love [Page 34] these upstart Divines, but it were well they would learn of the Fathers. Tertullian sayes, there was never any publick meeting in his dayes, but before the Congregatiō was dis­solved, they were fed with a Sermon. Nay, Babington, a reverend Bishop among us, That a Minister can no more enter into the Congregation without a Sermon, and not be guilty, then Aaron could enter into the Congregation at any time without death, in case hee sounded not his Bells when he entred. I might adde many other particu­lars concerning the manner of preaching, wherein all Mi­nisters should agree, but these shall suffice for feare I want time. 1. They should preach in the demonstration of the Spirit, and of power. 2. They should preach differen­cingly, putting a distinction between the pretious and the vile. 3. They should preach constantly and to the utmost of their endeavours. This is the fourth thing wherein all Ministers should agree.

Fifthly, they should agree in seeking of the Lord for a5 blessing on their labours, they should be earnest with God in the behalfe of the people. Alas! how else doe they ex­pect to convert any men unto God? For when we preach, what doe we doe? We doe but as Gehezi, who brought Elisha's staffe to raise the dead child. Poore man! he could not raise it: for though he had Elisha's staffe, he had not Elisha's spirit: So, my brethren, we do but bring our Ma­sters staffe, and therefore we should intreat him to send down his Spirit; otherwise the dead cannot stand up. We trim up a Sermon, & put we trim it well, nevertheles what is this? but as the rigging of the sails, and what will that doe except the wind blow? So we should pray that the wind should blow upon our sails, & then the ship shall goe indeed, as our Saviour Christ sayes, The wind bloweth where it listeth, Joh. 3. 8. The wind is free. When we have preached all that ever we can, yet the wind is free, whether [Page 35] it will blow or no. The Spirit of God is not tied to blow upon our endeavours, that they may have good successe. What are Organs without breath? What is Pauls plan­ting, or Apollos his watering, without Gods giving of the increase? The Apostle tels us it is just nothing, 1 Cor. 3. 7. As a Divine makes the similitude; when one heard what admirable victories Scanderbegs sword had wrought, he would needs see it; and when he saw it, sayes he, This is but an ordinary sword: alas, what can this doe? Scander­beg did him word, I have sent thee my sword, but I have the Arm that did all by it: So, beloved, we have Christs sword, but we have not Christs arm, and therefore let us pray him, that he would together with our preaching, reach forth his arm, and that will doe our people good; without this, poore Preachers are we all, wee may cut at mens sins, but they will never off without him: wee may shew people the great things of the Gospel, we may in­vite people to come in, to lay hold on eternall life; but O for Christs arme! and therefore we should study as much how to pray, as to preach. The want of this is that which marres all. May be we preach well, but we are not earnest with God to give a blessing, we doe not bewail the sins of our people, we doe not lay to heart the things that provoke Almighty God, wee doe not get into the case, wherein God may prove all our pains.

Sixthly, Ministers should all agree in the watching o­ver6. the souls of men. Preaching to, and praying for our people, is not the whole of a Ministers duty; but wee should observe our people, & watch over them, as the A­postle sayes; Obey them that have the rule over you, & submit your selves, for they watch for your souls, Heb. 12. 17. And in­deed how can we preach unto the purpose, except we watch them that are committed to our charge? as Solo­mon sayes, Be thou diligent to know the estate of thy flockes, and [Page 36] look well to thy Herds, Pro. 27. 23. This was Pauls course to enquire into the estate of people, how it fared with them. This was the newes that he asked after, his desire was to know how grace went forward in the Ephesians hearts. I heare of your faith, sayes he, Eph. 1. 15. It seems he had been asking of it. Thus Epaphras told him of the Colossians e­state. Thus he learned by some of the house of Chloe, the state of the Corinthians. Nay, all men will enquire and hearken after the health of their friends; parents, if their children be at the University, they will listen after them how they goe on in learning. So should the Angels of e­very Church, they should listen what courses are in their Town, what sinnes break out, what corruptions appeare, what proficiency the good ones make, who grow, who de­cline, who stand at a stay, who goe aside, and wax worse and worse, that they may shape their preaching accor­dingly, that their words be fitted in their mouth, that they may apt their rebukes, their exhortations, their uses answerably. For then will their Sermons be like Apples of Gold in Pictures of Silver. It is no curiosity in Ministers to be inquisitive into their peoples courses. It is the Ob­jection of ill-minded ones, say they, What need Mini­sters busie themselves? they must have their tell-tales, we can doe nothing but they must heare of it. O beloved, we can never preach fruitfully if we stop our eares with wax, and will not listen what our hearers do.

7^ly, Ministers should agree in ordering their own conversations aright, it is but a folly else to be a Mini­ster, we doe but make repentance dearer, and at a higher price. A Bishop must be blameless, as the Steward of God, not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, nor to silthy lucre, Tit. 1. 7. It is a double wickednesse for a Minister to be wicked, to be a company-keeper, to be a pot-companion, as God said to Aaron, Whosoever he be of thy seed in their [Page 37] generation, that hath any blemish, let him not approach to offer the bread of his God, Levit. 21. 17. We can never doe good, if we blemish our selves with vice. True it is, the effica­cy of the Word and Sacraments doe not depend upon the quality of the Minister; the seed sown in good ground may grow, though the sower had a dirty hand. Gold is gold, though it be in the hand of a thiefe; yet such is our weaknesse, that they are weak to us. People are apt to re­spect the Word and Sacraments the lesse, when they see the Minister is not holy, as we see in Elies wicked sonnes; for men abhor'd the offerings of the Lord, 1 Sam. 2. 17. Their eyes must be taught as well as their eares. Those things, sayes Paul, which ye have heard and seen in me, do. Phil. 4. 9. Except with Thomas in another case, they see, they will not beleeve. Let a Minister be never so godly, he shal doe good little enough. The Prophet Esay, though a holy man, yet he complains he laboured in vain. Now if a god­ly man can doe but little good upon the most, much lesse can a wicked Minister. A true Minister must be able to say as Gideon, Look on me, and doe likewise, as I doe, so shall yee doe, Judg. 7. 17. Ministers must be examples unto the Flock, 1 Pet. 5. 3. First cast the beam out of thine own eye, & then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the moat out of thy brothers eye. As it is said of Ezra, Ezra had prepared his own heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to doe it, and to teach in Israel, Ezra 7. 10. Our Saviour Christ did & taught, as Luke speakes. This is the course of a Minister indeed, to doe his own Sermons. When a Minister does not do what he teaches, this makes him a vile person; nay, this makes him ridiculous. Like L [...]ians Apothecary, who had medicines in his shop to cure the cough, and told others that he had them, and yet was troubled with it himself. With what a forehead canst thou stand in a Pulpit, and publish the lawes of God, and to undertake the charge of souls, that when thine own na­ked nesse [Page 38] appeares, when thy tongue is of a larger size then thy hands, thy ministery is divided against it selfe, thy courses gives thy doctrine the lie; thou sayest that men must be holy, and thy deeds doe declare thy mouthes hypocrisie, thou dost more mischiefe then an hundred others, as `Peter sayes of wicked Ministers, Many will follow their pernicious wayes, 2 Peter 2. 2. one Minister shal have many followers. A good Minister shall hardly get two or three to follow him. But when a Minister is wic­ked, he shall have many that will follow him. From the Prophets of Jerusalem, prophanenesse is gone forth into all the Land, Jerem. 23. 15. If the springs bee tainted, that taint runnes forth into all the streames. People think them­selves safe on an Ale-bench, when they have gotten the Parson with them; this hardens their hearts a thousand times more. But a true Minister is a godly man. Now when Ministers agree in godlinesse, this is another branch of this unity.

Eighthly and lastly, Ministers should agree in concord8 and in amity, even as all deare fellow-servants, as Paul sayes of Epaphras, the Minister of the Colossians, As yee also learned of Epaphras our deare fellow-servant, who is for you a faithfull Minister of Christ, Coloss. 1. 7. Being to write to the Colossians, yee see what a tender care hee hath of Epaphras, he labours to commend him to his people, that they may regard him the more. It is an horrible sin when one Minister will gird at another that is faithfull, and that in the presence of some of his people. This helpeth the Devill to harden peoples hearts against him, that hee cannot doe the good that otherwise hee might doe; when other Ministers will revile him, and traduce him, and speak filthy words, such as their malice doth prompt them with, Paul did not thus. When he knew Timothy was to goe to Philippi, he does most dearly [Page 39] commend him unto them. O, sayes he, I have no man like minded, who will naturally care for your estate, Philip. 2. 20. So our Saviour Christ, how much did hee countenance and back John the Baptists Ministery, to the encoura­ging of all that heard him? Among them that are born of women, there hath not risen a greater then John Baptist, Matth. 11. 11. O it is an excellent thing when Ministers doe not envie one another, when they love one another, and will live together in blessed Harmony: Thus yee see what this unity should be.

The Reasons of this point, why Ministers should all agree thus, and be all as one, are:

First, because this makes Ministers amiable in their1. peoples eyes, it commendeth their Ministeries unto the consciences of their hearers, as the Prophet Isaiah sayes, How beautifull upon the mountaines are the feet of him that bringeth glad tidings, the publishers of peace, &c. Isa. 52. 7. You will say, How is that? How comes his feet to bee beautifull? It followes in the eighth verse, Thy watchmen shall lift up their voyce, with a voyce together shall they sing. Mark, that was it that made his feet beautifull; because all the watchmen were of one note, they sung with one voice together: look as one preach'd, so preach'd another, one did not pull down what another built up, one did not preach more pleasing doctrine to the flesh then another; but they all sung in one Tune, they all were of one heart.

Secondly, as it makes the Ministery more beautifull2. and comely, so it makes it the more powerfull, when the Ministers are all of one mind in the Lord, when they all draw one way, all walk by the same Rule, all set themselves to doe good, and to promote one anothers good. I say, this makes the Ministery the more powerfull and profitable. The Apostle speaking of an ignorant man [Page 40] coming into the Church to heare the Minister preach, hee shewes how powerfull the Word may bee unto him, 1 Cor. 14. 25. O sayes he, the secrets of his heart are made manifest, and so falling down on his face, hee worships God; that is, the Sermon is made effectuall unto him, and turnes his wretched heart. But observe now, how this comes to passe, the Text shewes in the foure and twentieth verse, it is by reason of the unity of the Mini­sters, He is convinced of all, he is judged of all; that is, all the Ministers were of one note, they all were in one con­sent, one did not preach looser doctrine then another, one told him he was a very wretch, and another told him hee was a very wretch, and a third convinced him hee was a very wretch; all had a blow at him: O thought he, I, I, I am a very wretch indeed; this burst his heart. If he could have heard any one of them preach easier doctrine, may bee that would have given his conscience some foolish ease, and so the man had gone away never the better, but when hee was convinced of all, and judged of all, this strikes him dumb. So, beloved, when a man can goe into no Church, but every where hee is met with, all the Ministers condemn him, all their lives condemn him, and all their Sermons condemn him to the pit of hell, and he can scramble comfort no where; if the man belong to God, this is the readiest way to beat him down, and subdue his heart. On the contrary side, when a man is wounded at one Ministers Sermon, by and by he drops into another, and there hee catches hold of some ease: this makes him goe on in his sinnes, and to blind his eyes against the truth. It is a great stumbling block unto the people this very thing.

Thirdly, as it makes the Ministery more powerfull,3. so it brings more glory unto God. As it is said of John the Baptist, that when our Saviour did commend him, [Page 41] and made the people see, that hee was of Johns minde, and that he held the same Tenets, and that hee would not speak against a tittle that John had delivered, but testifyed his u­nity with him; And made it appear what a reverend e­steem hee had of him: saith hee, Hee is a Prophet, and more then a Prophet. Yee shall see how this brought glory to God. The Text saith, When the people heard this, and the Publicans, they justifyed God, being baptized with the Ba­ptisme of John. Luk. 7. 29.

The use of this is, first, to condemne such as envy theirUse 1. fellow-Ministers, and will not bee in the unity of minde, and heart, and life with them. In the most, the Proverb is too true, Figulus figulo invidet. One potter hates another, one Tradesman envies anothers custome, so, one Minister, another: if there bee a Minister that desires to powre out his soule in the doing of good, in the taking of paines, in the discharging of his Conscience, there are some that will envy such a one, their hearts rise up against him; nay, not onely so, but the worst Enemy that Jeremy had, was Pashur, one of his own Coat, Jer. 20. 2. The sorest adver­sary that Amos had, was Amaziah, a Priest of Bethel, who would never leave heaving at him untill hee had gotten him away, Amos 7. 12. and why so! because hee would not preach such pleasing Doctrine as hee. Forsooth, the Land was not able to bear Amos his words, hee Preaches as if hee would scare people out of their wits. Hee prea­ches Schismatically, and as if hee loved to bee singular. The cheif Priests were furious against our Saviour Christ, because his Ministery was more blest then theirs was, nay, they hated him more then Pilate, Pilate a very Pagan, his Conscience told him hee found no fault in him, Why what evill hath hee done? Their envy against Christ was so pal­pable, that hee did discover it. Hee knew that for envy they had delivered him unto him. So when all the Coun­try [Page 42] know in their Consciences that such and such teach the waies of God sincerely, set themselves to roote out sin, and to save soules, nay, the very Drunkards you shall hear them say, I, I, hee is a good man, Gods blessing on his heart, hee tels us our faults, wee may doe what wee list for all such and such, but hee tells us of our faults, and God help us to amend them, and when they are sick, they would rather have such a Ministers prayers, then twenty of other Ministers, that will soothe them up, and bee haile­fellow with them: Whereas there bee many of our own Coat, that are implacable against a Minister, that labours to bee faithfull. How contrary is this unto the Rule? The Ministers of God should bee all one, and if one bee godly, all should bee, if one painfull, all should bee so, if one preach home to the conscience, all should doe so, they should all live as Brethren. What saies our Saviour Christ? Yee are the Salt of the Earth, but if the Salt hath lost its savour, wherewith shall it bee salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to bee cast out, and to bee trodden under­foot of men, Matth. 5. 13. That is, Salt may season others, but if it have lost its savour, nothing can salt it.

A Minister is of an excellent calling, appointed to season mens hearts, but if hee have lost his savour, hee can ne­ver truely bee seasoned again, nothing can doe him good. An evill Minister, is a more desperate forlorn man than any else.

Secondly, Another use is, that all that are the MinistersUse 2. of God would bee hence stirred up to be all of one minde, all drawing one way, all bending our forces to one and the same end, the glory of God, and the salvation of our peo­ple. Its a fine comely thing to fee any Brethren in unity. Behold how good and how pleasant it is for Brethren to dwell together in unity. It is like the precious ointment upon the head that ran down upon the beard, even Aarons beard, that went [Page 43] down to the skirts of his garments: as the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountaines of Zion, for there the Lord commended his blessing, even life for ever­more, Psal. 133. 1, 2, 3. I say this is a very comely thing, to see any brethren to dwell together in unity, it is like the perfume of Aaron, that made all his garments fragrant­sweet, it is like the dews of Hermon and Zion, that made all the ground fruitfull, this is that which hath the Lords blessing annexed to it, it is an excellent meanes unto eter­nall life. As the Apostle saith, If there bee any consola­tion in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies: Fullfill yee my joy, that yee bee like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one minde, Philip. 2. 1, 2. if it be so necessa­ry for Brethren to bee united; how much more for Brethren in the Ministery? of all men, Ministers have most reason to bee of one minde, because wee are to teach union unto others. Besides, if wee desire to doe what wee are com­manded to doe, wee shall have enemies enough in the world. Our Tribe is a hated Tribe. Of all Offices, the office of a reprover is the most unwelcome. Paul was coun­ted an enemy, because hee told the Galatians the truth. Micaiah was hated because hee dealt truely with Ahab: people love their lusts, as their members, yea, as themselves: Ergò of all men wee are most hated. Every man is be­leeved in his own profession but wee; People do not hate Taylors that make them a good garment, nor a Shoo-ma­ker that makes them a good Shooe, nor a Cook that makes them a good Feast, nor a Phisitian that makes them a good potion, nor a good Lawyer that makes them a good suite, though these doe but provide for the body, and yet wee that provide for peoples soules, if wee make them a good Sermon that would save their soules for ever, so they would obey it; wee are hated for our labour. Ergò, [Page 44] when Moses came to speak of Levi, that were the Ministers of Israel, hee prayes God, that God would deliver them out of the hands of their enemies, Lord smite through the loynes of them that hate him, Deut. 33. 11. I say wee have many enemies in the world, and therefore wee had need to hang together, who ever bee at oddes, wee should stick close. Our message is hardly beleeved, and therefore wee had need to bee all of one minde. The word which wee preach is adverse to flesh and blood, and therfore wee had need all joyntly to obey it, otherwise how doe wee think that wee shall perswade any others?

Force, the more united the more strong. O if we would all joyn forces in one, wee might make all our Parishes quake! all the wicked round about, their very hearts would bee ready to faile them, if every Pulpit did rowze them. If they could come in no Church, but they were made to sit upon thornes, I verily beleeve, few would have any heart to goe on in their evill doings.

Thirdly, another Use is, how wee see it is a very usefullUse 3. and a profitable thing, that one good Minister should now and then come and help another, and preach for another, that our people may see our consent, that wee all preach the same thing, and that is not our private preaching, but all the Ministers that are of God, are just of the same mind: This made the Apostle, whensoever hee was to write to a people, that hee knew would bee somewhat backward to beleeve them, hee would joyne other Ministers with him, as consenting together with him. Indeed when hee wrote unto Timothy, he would not doe it, for hee knew that hee did not need, hee knew the faithfulnesse of his heart. But when hee writ to the Corinthians, where false Apostles had been, and had made many of them to doubt, hee joyned Sosthenes with him, as it were confirming the same thing, 1 Cor. 1. 1. when hee wrote to the Galatians, [Page 45] hee told them hee had Peter on his side, and Barnabas and Ti­tus, and James and John, and how the Apostles gave unto him the right hand of Fellowship, Gal. 2. 1. 9. Hee writing to the Philippians, hee joynes Timothy with him. Phil. 1. 1. And so writing to Philemon, about a thing, that though hee hoped Philemon would doe, yet because hee knew he might have many carnall reasons against it, hee joyns another with him, Philem. 1. This is of very good use, when one good Minister comes and backs anothers Ministery. For as it is with men-pleasing Ministers, that make as if the way to hea­ven were easier than it is, people hope that other Ministers will come, and confirming it, make it good. Ezek. 3. 6. O they love such a Doctrine alife, and they hope there will be moe of that minde: So when they heare a strict Minister, that delivers the Word to them as it is, and as they shall finde it at last day, tush, this is so uncooth, that they hope that it is but the opinion of their precise Minister, and that no body else is of his minde. Now when God shall bring a cloud of witnesses, it is I say, of very good use. I confesse that when a Minister speaketh the truth, though no body else come to set it on besides him, hee shall bee a witnesse against all the people that will not beleeve, and vext at the voyce of his preaching. Noah condemned all the world, albeit there were none but hee. But yet symphony and agreement, and the consent of the Ministers of God, is an Ordinance of God when it may conveniently bee had.

Thus I have spoken of this second point of Doctrine, of the unity of Ministers, To the Angell of the Church in Sar­dis. I acknowledge this point is not so much for the gene­rall profit of you all. But you must bear with me, for hand­ling of it. Wee shall come now to you ere long. For I am sure, if any portion of Scripture may doe us good, in these dead times, the Treating of this Epistle may. And yet it is not lost time, to speak unto the Ministers, if by any meanes I may provoke my self, and my Brethren, to the abound­ing [Page 46] in the unity of the Spirit, and of Faith, and heart and minde, for the further spreading and enforcing of good.

YEE have had two Doctrines from hence, concerning Gods Ministers: I told you there is one more, and then I have done, and so will proceed. The Doctrine is this:

That a Minister may bee in fault, that the people are dead, that they have no more heart to good things, that they are so ig­norant, so cold, so ungodly, so worldly, so vain as they are.

I say the Minister may bee in the fault; The point is very clear from this place. The Lord being to reprove the people here of Sardis, for their deadnesse in Religion, he directs his reproof to their Minister. To the Angel of the Church in Sar­dis, write: I know thy works, that thou hast a name, that thou livest and art dead.

Hee accuses the Minister for the deadnesse of the Church, that was committed to his charge, hee meanes the Church, but hee speakes to the Minister. You will say, how doe yee prove that hee means the Church? I Answer, there be three places that doe manifest the same. The one is Revel. 1. 4. There John tells us, that hee indeed writes to the Churches, for that in the inscription of every Epistle, the Minister onely bee named. John to the seven Churches in Asia. So that this latter is sent to the Church that is in Sardis. John meanes it to the Church, and not onely to the Minister. A second place is Rev. 1. 11. what thou seest write to the seven Chur­ches [Page 47] in Asia, to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamus, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and Laodicea. The third is, the conclusion of every Epistle. Where it is said thus: Hee that hath an eare, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Chur­ches, Rev. 3. 6. and so it is at the closure of every Letter, to all the rest of the Churches, and therefore the Holy Ghost there accuses the Church of Sardis of deadnesse. I know thy works that thou art dead, and yet hee directs it to the Minister of the Church, as a thing that concernes him, and that may bee laid to his charge, and that hee is faulty in. To the An­gel of the Church in Sardis write. I know thy works that thou hast a name, that thou livest and art dead. That is, thou hast a dead-hearted people, and thou art the cause of it: Thou dost not doe thy duty, thou dost not doe what lies in thee for to quicken them. But thou art too remisse in thy Ministery, and therefore their deadnesse may bee imputed unto thee. Thus you see the Doctrine is very plain from the words. The good or bad estate of a people dependeth much upon the Mi­nister. Commonly wee see it so fall out, as the Prophet Hosea said, Like people, like Priest, Hos. 4. 9. Like sheepherd like sheep. Such as the builder is, such is the building, as is the Husbandman, so is the husbandry. This wee may finde throughout all these Epistles, where the Minister is commen­ded, the people are commended. Where the Minister is tax­ed, the people are taxed. And therefore they stand and fall together, they swim and sink together, a wicked Minister, a wicked people, an ignorant Minister, an ignorant people; and so a good Minister, the people either are a good people, or else they are Monsters; nay, if the Minister bee good, though the world in his Parish bee never so wretched, yet hee hath a good people, the Church of God in his Parish, is very good, commonly.

Well then, wee have gotten our point out. The Minister may bee in fault, that the people are dead, I doe not say, it is alwaies thus. For first, the Minister may bee lively, and yet [Page 48] the people dead. The Lord tells us that Ezekiel had a stiffe­hearted people, Ezek. 2. 4. and yet hee was not to bee bla­med, themselves were in all the fault. So Isaiah had a dull­hearted people: All the day long have I stretched out my hands to a disobedient and gain-saying people, Rom. 10. 21. and therefore I doe not say it was alwaies thus.

Nay, Secondly, sometimes the people are the cause of the Ministers deadnesse. The Jewes hardnesse of heart under the Ministery of Jonas, was the cause why Jonas had no heart to goe unto Niniveh. O thought hee, if Israel will not heare mee, much lesse will Niniveh heare mee. Thus the people deaded Jeremiah at one time, that hee had little or no heart to preach for a fit. Then I said, I will not make men­tion of him, nor speak any more in his name, Jer. 20. 9. Thus Ezekiel was deaded a while, by his people too. I came to them of the Captivity at Telabib, and I sate where they sate, and remained there astonisht among them seven daies, Ezek. 3. 15. The Lord was fain to rowze his heart up, and to tell him hee would require their blood of him, before hee could pluck up a good heart to Preach livelily among them; The people deaded him. Nay more,

Thirdly, sometimes the Lord locks up his good Ministers, and suffers them to bee straitned in their utterance, and other gifts. May bee the people are ready to lay all the blame upon their Ministers. O how tongue-tyed are they! and it is their negligence, and torpor: Whereas it is for the peoples sinnes, thus the Lord lockt up Ezekiel, for the peo­ples sinnes. I will make thy tongue cleave to the roofe of thy mouth, and thou shalt bee dumb, and shalt not bee to them are­prover, for they are a rebellious house, Ezek. 3. 26. Nay,

Fourthly, Sometimes peoples sinnes are the cause why their Ministers are quite dead, and have no life at all in them, the Lord sends foolish Ministers among them, meerely be­cause of their sinnes. So it was in Hosea's time. The Pro­phet is a foole, the spirituall man is mad, for the multitudes [Page 49] of thy iniquity, Hos. 9. 7. Mark, they had fooles for their Ministers; fooles, besotted Ministers, giddy Ministers, Mi­nisters that were wilde, and like mad men; you will say, these were the causes of much sin to the people: No, saith the Text, the peoples sinnes were the cause of such Mini­sters. The Prephet is a foole, the spirituall man mad, for the multitude of thine iniquity. These foure exceptions then there been of the point. Otherwise the point is too too true, that the Minister may bee in fault that the people are dead.

You see here the Church of Sardis was grown dead, and the Lord faults the Angel of the Church for it. I know thy works that thou art dead. The like is said of Laodicea. Loa­dicea, was grown horrible lukewarme, no zeale of God, they were neither hot nor cold, and the Lord imputes it to the Angel of Laodicea: I know thy works, that thou art nei­ther hot nor cold, and therefore I will spue thee out of my mouth, Revel. 3. 14, 15, 16. The same is said of the Church of Ephesus, that they had left their first love, and yet the Lord hits the Angell in the teeth with it. I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love, Rev. 2. 4. Be­loved, the last day I spake of the Ministers concord and uni­ty, to the Angel of the Church, all the Ministers should bee as one man, as if they made up one and the same Angel. And therefore our Saviour Christ made choyce of Brethren, and Kinksfolkes. Simon and Andrew his Brother, James and John his Brother. St. Peters bark is a fisher-boat, not a man of Warre, it is not furnisht with mortall Engines, but onely with nets to catch fish. If Peter were reproved for drawing upon Malchus, what reproofe had hee been worthy of, if hee had drawn upon any of his fellows? this was the Theme, that wee spake of the last day. Now then let us speak of the influence that a Minister hath in his people, hee may bee the cause of his peoples deadnesse, if hee doe not take heed. And this hee may bee three waies; first, by his not preaching; se­condly, by his dead manner of preaching; thirdly, by [Page 50] his dead manner of Life, and Conversation.

First, I say, by his not preaching, yee know the Word of God is the word of life, Phil. 2. 16. The Word is that which quickeneth the heart, as David saith, Thy Word hath quickned mee, Psal. 119. 50. Now when Ministers doe not preach it, this deads peoples hearts. Wee see this in those places where the due preaching of the Word is wanting, people are dead to all goodnesse; nay, they that had some quicknesse in them before, doe lose them more and more: As Solomon saith, Where there is no vision the people perish, Prov. 29. 18. that is, where preaching is defective, the people die, they are spiritually dead in trespasses, and in sins. Can a man live without bread, or without food? no more can peo­ple live without constant preaching. The Word is the bread of life, now when this is not broken unto people, they must needs dye. Mark, how Zachary describes them that are without preaching, They are such as fit in darknesse, and in the shadow of death, Luk. 1. 79. that is, they are blinde and ignorant, and livelesse, dead while they live, they are wick­ed, and abominable, in the power of Satan, under the wrath of God, strangers from the life of God; such Ministers as doe not preach constantly, they are soule-murtherers, they are guilty of their peoples blood, they doe not give them that which should quicken them up unto eternall life, they should quicken them up unto newnesse of life, but they doe not; they should powre in the words of eternall life into their hearts, but they doe not; people are naturally dead to Prayer, and dead to communion with God, and dead to all holinesse, they have no heart to purenesse and righteous­nesse of walking, and such Ministers doe not study to revive them.

Secondly, as a Minister may bee the cause of his peoples deadnesse by his not Preaching, so he may be the cause of their deadnesse by his Preaching, when the manner of it is dead. Preaching may be dead in the manner of it, 7 waies,

[Page 51]First, When it is too generall, when they preach onely in generall. That which wee say is very good, for the gene­rall, but wee doe not apply our selves, to every particular mans Conscience, this [...]eads peoples hearts. Beloved, it is particular Preaching that does people good. When Nathan told David, Thou are the man, 2 Sam. 12. 7. this stirred Da­vids heart. When Peter had said to his hearers, Yee have crucifyed Christ, Act. 2. 36. This prickt them to the heart. Generall preaching cannot quicken. First, because gene­ralls cannot act. Actio est singularium, as wee say. Its one­ly a particular, works. Let a man preach home and in par­ticular, and this will work on the hearers. This made Michah a powerfull Preacher, when hee preached particularly to his peoples Conscience. Truely, I am full of power by the Spirit of the Lord, and of judgement, and of might, to de­clare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin, Mich. 3. 8. this made him a powerfull Prophet to quicken up his people, because hee told every man his sin, and smote every man conscience for his transgression. No man is stirred till hee feeles his case laid open, till hee sees the Minister beates upon him, and hit him; till the Minister treads hard upon his toes, hee will never cry out.

Secondly, Generall Preaching leaves the Sermon to the people to apply it; now the people will never apply it while the world stands. Nay, David himself would not apply, as long as Nathan dealt with him in generall, as long as Nathan was speaking of a man in the clouds, a rich man that had wronged a poore man, Davids heart was as whole as a fish, till hee came to Thou art Him. Now hee cries out, I have sinned. Nathan was fain to make application. For David would never have done it else: Will a truantly Boy ever whip himself? the Master may lay the rod before him, but except the Master lay it on, hee will goe scot-free if hee can. The words of the wise are as goods and as nailes fastened by the Masters of Assemblies, Eccles. 12. 11. Mark, the Masters of [Page 52] Assemblies must fasten them into the post, lay the nailes by, the post it self will never knock them in; So, though the Sermon bee never so good a naile; yet hee must knock it in, the people will never doe it. The Prophet Jehu must come and say to Jehosaphat, Shouldst thou help the ungodly? Wrath is upon thee from the Lord, 2 Chron. 19. 2. Hee fastened in the naile; though Jehosaphat were a good man, yet the Pro­phet knew he would not do it. Nay, people are so farre from applying the word unto themselves, that they will apply it to any body else rather than to themselves, the Minister met with such a one to day, there was a lesson for him: But none will say, this was for mee, and I am a vile wretch, and vengeance hangs over mee, unlesse I doe amend, and there­fore certainly generall Peaching, is a dead manner of preach­ing.

Thirdly, Generall Preaching is confused, when Mini­sters tell people they must repent, and beleeve, and serve God, and bee godly, and carry themselves well, in all their places and callings. When they doe thus in generall, this is like, as if the trump should give an uncertain sound, like the noise in a battle, a confused noise, as the Prophet speaks, Esa. 9. 5. Like the confusion in Ephesus, Great is Diana of the E­phesians, they kept a great stirre, Act. 19. 32. the Text saith, The assembly was confused, and the more part knew not where­fore they were come together, so while wee preach onely in the generall, Great is the Lord Jesus Christ, and wee are great sinners, and great is the need of repentance, but wee neither tell the people how, nor when, nor who, nor what: may bee our Sermons may keep some pudder in mens Con­sciences, but people have no distinct edification, they goe a­way and say, O it was a very godly Sermon, I pray God give us grace to follow it! But no man is the better. They heare admirable things about repentance, but they are not taught how to goe about it, there they are at a losse. They remember gracious things about the serving of God, and a­bout [Page 53] a good Conscience, and the like. But they know not how in the earth to set about these things to any purpose, if ever wee would quicken our peoples hearts, wee must let them see distinctly, the will of God concerning them, the particular means, and helps, and signes of it, the particular motives, and Arguments to it, the particular circumstances of it, the particular hinderances; lets, and impediments of doing of it, and you can never doe the will of God, as long as yee doe thus and thus, and this course will break your neck, this practise of yours will bee your utter undoing: when people heare distinct Preaching, this doth them good, if any thing will. Generall Preaching is like the setting of good Physick before the Patient, without giving him directi­ons for the taking of it.

Fourthly, Generall Preaching is deceitfull, Est dolus in generalibus, as wee say, there is deceit in the generalls, wee Preach that people must love God, and feare him, and thank him, and they must bee new men, and they must leave their sinnes, and they must Pray, and hear the Word, and they must doe every thing to Gods glory. Now mark what de­ceit there is in such preaching as this; this is in the generall: People goe away, and deceive themselves in the particular. They think they serve God, and they love God, or else they were not worthy to live; they think they say their Prayers every day, and that they are thankfull unto him, they never eate their meat, but they say Grace, they never recover out of si [...]knesse, but they blesse God; Whereas if we should deale with these men in particular, it would appear, they are haters of God, they are gracelesse and unthankfull wretches; they never prayed true Prayer to God in all their lives: hence it is that people generally like a generall Minister, Why? they can goe along with such a man and be heart-whole. But now if a particular Minister should come and tell them they are worldly, and mockers of God and all goodnesse, as they are in very good deed; they cannot abide him, they would [Page 52] [...] [Page 53] [...] [Page 54] say wherein? Such were the Jewes under the overly Mini­stery of the Priests. When Malachy dealt particularly with them, saith hee, Yee have despised the name of the Lord: Wher­in say they? Mal. 1. 6. Yee have wearied the Lord with your words: Wherein, say they, have wee wearied him? Mal. 2. 17. Yee have robbed God: Wherein have wee robbed him, say they? Mal. 3. 8. Your words have been stout against the Lord, yet their answer was, Wherein have wee spoken so much against the Lord? Mal. 3. 13. Alas, alas! their Priests had taught them onely in generall, and therefore when the Prophet was to deale particularly with them, and told them what vile courses they took, they cryed, wherein? and whereof? and why doe you say so of us? hee was forced to come to par­ticulars. Otherwise they would have gone away and bles­sed themselves.

Fifthly, Generall Preaching lets people see their sinnes if they will. But beloved this will doe no good, if wee let you see your sins, if you will; wee must make you see your sinnes. Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations, Ezek. 16. 2. Wee must not onely let you understand, if yee will, it is said of the good Priests, that they caused the peo­ple to understand, Neh. 8. 8. Naturally people love their own selves and their lusts, and they will not see them till they needs must, they doe not love to bee precise, they will not willingly yeeld that they must bee so strict, and so mortifi­ed, as the Lord Jesus will have them, if they mean to bee saved, and therefore if they can put it off they will; shew them there is a difference between people and people, some are the people of God, and some are the children of the de­vill, some are the redeemed of Christ, and some have no­thing to doe with Christ, some are clean, and some are un­clean; though wee show them the difference between these two, they will shut their eies if they can. Generall preach­ing does no more, it shews them these things. But may be neither the Minister nor they will see for all that, now wee [Page 55] must cause them to discern whether they wil or no, if we can. They shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, & cause them to discerne between the uncleane, & the clean, Ezek. 44. 23. that is, tell them this is unclean, and this is clean; such and such persons are prophane, and such are holy: Hold it before their eyes, cause them to discern; this is the way to quicken mens hearts. Now Generall preaching does not doe thus. It onely puts the truth before men, that they may see if they will, but if they will not, it does not urge them, this deads our people, and does them no good, for people will not bee awakened, as long as they can shift it.

Sixthly, Generall Preaching is a-loft and a-loofe off, par­ticular preaching is the most close, and the most plain, and the most sensible preaching of all, if any Preaching will sink into peoples heads, this will: it makes the truth even sensible after a sort, as King James said of a Reverend Bi­shop of this Land, that is now dead and gone: This man, saith hee, Preaches as if death were at my back. So a presse Preacher preaches, as if death were at a mans back, as if judgement and hell were at a mans back, hee brings the point home to the soules door, [...].Arist. Me­taph. l. 1. Generalls are not plain. Ignorant people are most led by sense. People may live seven yeers under a generall Teach­er, and bee never the nearer, such a Ministery breeds onely swimming knowledge, it does not lay the Truth at every mans doore; may bee they get knowledge, but their know­ledge does them little good: it is said of the good Levites, that they taught the people the good knowledge of the Lord, 2 Chron. 30. 22. That is, such a knowledge of the Lord, as made the people good, they laid the Truth at eve­ry mans doore, they preacht to the people as if [...] were at their backs. They did livelily teach them, [...] informe them, this did them good. Generall preaching is like an Arrow shot at rovers, that does not hit the mark, as if [Page 56] the Minister would lay his Sermon on his Cushion, and ne­ver dart it into his peoples bosomes. Alas Brethren! if peo­ple doe not feele our points at their backs, and like speares in their sides, and swords in their bellies, they will feele no­thing, it is naked preaching, when wee make mens estates even visible before their eyes, when wee preach so of Gods wrath, as if they saw it, when wee so set out Christ, as if hee were palpable to mens senses, this quickens and no o­ther, as Paul saith: O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that yee should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, and crucified among you? Gal. 3. 1. Mark, how sensibly hee had preached Christ to them, even as if hee had held him before their eies, and ther­fore hee saith, they were even bewitcht that they could not see them; q. d. how is it possible that yee should not see him, that yee should not obey the truth, where it hath been so sensibly preached unto you, and painted to the life, even before your very eyes! If any Preaching will quicken, this will, and therefore Generall Preaching, that will not doe the deed.

Seventhly, Generall Preaching is against the nature of Preaching, for wherefore is preaching, but to take the word of God, and apply it unto people in particular, it is called the dividing of the word of truth aright, 2 Tim. 2. 15. When the Minister is a good carver, to divide to every man his por­tion: Conviction to the ignorant; reproofe to the offender; terrour to the obstinate; comfort to the broken heart; judge­ment to the wicked; mercy to the Saints, and true penitent soules; Then the Minister applies it unto every man. Prea­chers are Gods Harvest-men, as our Saviour Christ saith: Pray yee the Lord of the Harvest, that hee would send forth la­bourers▪ [...] his Harvest, Matth. 9. 38. Now Harvest-men, what▪ [...]? Doe they onely bring a sithe or a sickle into the field, and give a slash, a generall slash, at one Corn of the field, as though that would fetch down all the Corn? No, [Page 57] they apply it to the Corn, to reap it down. The preaching of a Generall Sermon is but a sickle, now except it bee ap­plyed to all the people, it is not the way to reap in Gods harvest. Preachers are called Christs seed-men: The sower went out to sow his seed, Luk. 8. 5. Now what does the seeds­man? does hee onely bring in a sack of seed, and powre it all on a heap in the field? does hee think that every spot of ground will draw it unto it self? No, hee sprinkles it, and disperses it abroad, that every Lea may have its part. Whence comes that foolish conceit, that reading is Preaching, a te­net which many hold? the truth is, it comes from hence, because Generall preaching is made by most Ministers to serve the turn; Now, if this were Preaching, reading were Preaching indeed: But this is no preaching, preaching is the opening of the Word of God, and the applying of it, according as every man hath need. The not doing of this leaves poore people in their hardnesse and deadnesse of heart. This is the first. Generall Preaching is such a manner of preaching, as leaves the heart dead.

Secondly, Morall Preaching is a dead manner of preach­ing. When Ministers preach honest matter, but doe not goe to the quick, they strike at the boughes: They preach a­gainst Drunkennesse, and intemperance, and malice, and ha­tred, and tale-bearing, and lying, and covetousnesse, and making of shews, it is very good to preach against these things, and wee must too, and let them know they are farre from the Kingdome of God that live in these or any other such lusts. But alas! this is onely to strike at the boughes. If we would awake the Conscience indeed, wee must preach deeper then so. The axe is laid at the roote of the tree, Mat. 3. 10. John the Baptist was a lively Preacher; now the Text shews hee did not onely strike at the boughes, but hee laid his axe at the roote of the tree. When Ministers preach onely good morall matter, this kinde of preaching does not quicken.

[Page 58]First, Because Morall preaching does not hit all, many are very Morall people, that have not one whit of grace in their hearts. True, this may hit some. Paul told Felix of his intemperance, and how that there was a day of Judgement to judge all such persons, this made him tremble. Felix trembled, saith the Text, Act. 24. 25. I say, morall preaching may startle some, but it does not startle all. Many Heathens have been sober and temperate, and true in their speeches; and just in their dealings; and loving in their carriages; and painfull in their callings; as Paul saith, they have done by Nature, the things contained in the Law. Now yee know the Heathens are without grace, and are not acquainted with God, neither have they any communion with God, Powre out thy wrath upon the Heathen, that know thee not, Jer. 10. 25. Mark, they have no communion with God, they doe not know Jesus Christ, nor the mysteries of saving Grace. So that a man may bee very finely morall, and yet bee without grace. Now then, if a Minister should content himself with good morall teaching, many would goe away, and conclude well of their own estates, though they have no grace.

Secondly, Morall preaching, those that it does hit, it does them indeed some good, but it does them not the good, it never quickens them up unto eternall life; it seemeth to ci­villize their lives, and to reforme them a little, but it never reneweth them, neither does it put them into Jesus Christ: Let a Drunkard heare hee is a damned wretch, if hee do not give over his drunkennesse, if this Sermon hit him, what does hee say? why then I will bee sober, and I will never bee a drunkard more. And I can tell you, this is very rare too. But suppose it bee, hee may goe to hell for all this. Suppose wee doe make all our people morall, which were a fine thing if wee could, but grant wee could, this does not quicken them together with Christ; No, no, a man must see his vile nature, and loathe himself, and bee made to de­ny himselfe, to mortifie his carnall reason, to put off his cor­rupt [Page 59] will, to feele his cursed condition in himself, to bee em­ptyed of himself, that Christ may bee all in all to him, that hee may bee led by the Spirit of Christ, and guided by the word of Christ, that hee may hang onely upon the promi­ses of God in Christ, that his minde may bee taken up with Christ, and his thoughts and affections daily bee laboured to bee fixed upon the things above, none are alive unto God, but such, Now Morall preaching will never doe this.

God-forbid, I should speak against Morall preaching ab­solutely, or against Morality it self, it is a very good thing; Who will not commend Abimelech for the integrity of his heart, that hee pleaded before God? Gen. 20. 5. Yee know how the Lord himself liked of it; who will not say but that the young man in the Gospel, was a very commendable man, that had observed all these from his youth: Nay, the Text saith, That Christ, in some sense, did love him, Mark. 10. 21. Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar what an excellent thing Morality was. O! saith he, If thou wilt break off thy sins, and bee righteous, hee means Morall righteousnesse towards man; if thou wilt shew mercy to the poore, it may bee God will lengthen thy tranquillity, Dan. 4. 27. The Prophet E­say tell the Moabites, what a deale of good they might doe to themselves, if they would but bee morally honest: saith hee, Take Counsell, execute Judgement, hide the outcasts, let mine out-casts bee with thee, Esa. 16. 3. Q. d. If thou wilt bee kinde and loving to my people, thou shalt fare the better. When the King of Babylon punished the wickednesse of Tyre, the Lord rewarded them very richly for it. I have given him the Land of Egypt for his labour, saith God, because he wrought for mee, Ezek. 29. 20. Morall goodnesse is commended of God, as well as spirituall goodnesse in Jesus Christ; Nay, it is needfull that Ministers should insist very much in pres­sing of morall duties, and the godly are to bee willing to hear such Sermons, to look to just dealing, to Civill hone­sty, to justice between man and man; How aboundant is [Page 60] the Scripture in urging this Theme! it is thought by some, there is no Divinity in this, and such a Minister is not deep enough, and why does hee stand so much upon such things as these, which the light of nature calls for. But these doe greatly erre, the Holy Ghost is carefull to urge such duties as these, to bee honest. Walk honestly towards them that are without, saith the Apostle, 1 Thess. 4. 12. Let us walk honest­ly as in the day, saith hee, Rom. 13. 13. Provide things honest in the sight of all men, Rom. 12. 17. Nay, honesty, civill honesty between man and man is a sweet thing; the Apostle himself brings it among other things, as a testimony of his sincerity: Wee trust wee have a good conscience in all things willing to live honestly, Heb. 13. 18. O it is an excellent beau­ty to a servant of Jesus Christ, when his Moralls are sound, and exemplary, and there cannot bee any thing that will make the profession of Religion odious in the eies of the world, then want of Morality, when Christians faile palpa­bly in their Moralls. May bee such a one thou wilt think, comes farre short of thee in grace, in the knowledge of good, in the beleife of the Truth, in a spirituall in-sight into the mystery of Christ; O then count it a shame that hee should goe before thee in the keeping of his Word. There cannot be a greater dis-honour unto God, than when a naturall man shall bee able to accuse thee of any dis-honesty in any kinde. The Spirit of God sets it down as a great shame upon Sarah, that Abimelech, a Heathen man should be able to reprove her; Thus was shee reproved, saith the Text, Gen. 20. 16. When Jacob perceived that his sonnes had sinned against morall honesty, there in the matter of Shechem: O, saith hee, yee have made mee to stink among the Inhabitants of the land, Gen. 34. 30. Yee have troubled mee, saith hee, it was a great griefe of heart to the good man, hee knew this would bee a great dis-honour to God, as well as a shame unto himselfe; and therefore God forbid I should speak against a Ministers speaking for morality.

[Page 61]Yet, Beloved this know, that this is not enough, a man may professe the name of Christ, and thinke verily that hee Beleeves in Iesus Christ and be a very admirable morall man and yet never quickned up to the grace of life. Saint Paul shewes this plainly in himself. I might have confidence in the flesh, if any other man might trust to that, I might be circum­cised the eighth day: of the stocke of Jesse: of the Tribe of Benjamin: an Hebrew, of the Hebrews: as touching the Law, a Pharisee: Phil. 3. 4, 5, 6, 9. if any fine-carriaged man under heaven could hope he is right; I could before my conversion. I was admitted into the Congregation of Christ by the Sa­crament of Circumcision: I was borne in the true Church of God, I had godly Parents, I was of the Common-wealth of Israel, Nay, I was a Pharisee, which was so admirable a strict order, that after his conversion, he was not ashamed to be still called a Pharisee. I am a Pharisee, and the sonne of a Pharisee sayes he. Act. 23. 6. He cals himself a Pharisee still: Nay he was zealous, and concerning the righteousnesse of the Law, he was a very blamelesse man, so that if any faire cariaged man under Heaven were right, hee was right. But the truth is S. Paul Confesses that when God came to opon his eyes, he finde that he was a dead man, a vile wretch he shews, he had gone sheere to hell for all this, if God had not converted him. So that morality is a poore thing. And yet people makes it their Idoll and trust to it, and thinke certainely they are the children of God, certainly they shall have mercy, certainly they shall to heaven. And how many Ministers make this to be true Religion, and preach nothing but this? This then is another way, whereby Mini­sters doe leave a dead Congregation by morall prea­ching.

Thirdly, A flat preaching, is, when there is no keennesse in our Sermons, when we do not strive to stagger mens con­sciences that are to be staggered. When a man goes on in a track, Preaches true doctrine, though it were to be wished [Page 62] that more Ministers would do thus: This does not hunt the heart out of its owne starting holes: this Ministery leaves people dead. It is said of our Saviour Christ, that the people were astonisht at his Doctrine. Matt. 7. 28. he stun'd their consciences: he set them at a stand, so if a Minister would quicken, hee should labour to set the wicked at a stun. Yee know every wicked one gets somewhat or other to hang on, to hope they shall not be damned for all they are no better. Now when a Minister sets himselfe to put his hearers to a stun; still to startle truth in an astonishing manner, that may flash the bare truth into the soule, and to make them see their bad estates, this is quickning preaching. But when a mans Ministery is cold, there is nothing to stun the heart, their heart may have its starting holes for all it, his Ministery does not labour to meet with them, this leaves people dead, a Minister that still goes on in a track, can never looke to quicken.

First, Because a good Minister must make Conscience to bring out new things, as our Saviour Christ speakes: The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto an Housholder, that bringeth out of his treasure things new and old, Mat. 13. 52. that is, though he bring none but the old things that were brought before; Yet still he brings them forth as new: He labours to keepe the Word stil new unto the heart, the reason is this, when people have once been convinced of the truth, presently it growes stale to them, and so they are subject not to be quickned by it at all. O this we knew before, and so the heart makes little or nothing of it. I knew this before. Now when the Mini­stery of the Word darts it in a-new, and makes it looke still with a fresh looke upon the Conscience; this is a quickning Ministery. Like a man that keeps his Barrell still fresh, when a man gives the drinker still fresh from the Barrell: so when a Minister preaches still fresh from the Word, But when a Mi­nister does not do thus, he is like a man that gives one liquor that hath stood a great while in the Cup, it growes dead.

[Page 63]Secondly, Because a good Minister must goe further and further, or else he cannot quicken. My meaning is this, the more people are convinced by the Word, the more subtle­ties still the heart does devise; the more word is in the Con­science, the more wiles the heart mints, the Devill also prompting thereunto: so that if a Minister doe not follow mens hearts still further and further, this will leave the peo­ple dead. The reason is this, Because when the heart hath once invented a wile to maintaine its owne hopes for all the same truth, we may preach the truth all the dayes of our life, it will never quicken that mans heart: because still when he heares that truth, he hath a wile lying by him that still de­fends himself from it: so that there is a necessity for a Mini­ster to go further and further. The Word of God is a deepe mine, there is no Bottome, a man may still dig deeper and deeper, Thy judgements are a great deepe., Psal. 36. 6. When the Minister besieges the heart, he is to dig round about it, and dig deeper and deeper. Still as the heart beares it selfe, he is to come with more and more supplies out of the Word, against it. It is a strange thing to see how deepe Ministers have gone, and yet people arme themselves against the Word of God and are not converted by it. Tell them they must be new Creatures, they confesse it, and though they be none, yet they have many faire colours to hope they are. Tell them of Communion with God, and fellowship with his sonne Iesus Christ, and Heavenly-mindednesse, and hatred of all sin, love to universall obedience, plucking out their right eyes: looking at the Glory of God: not to trust in their performances to go out of themselves; People make a shift to have something to answer all. All these things they hope they have done, in some measure. Now when Mi­nisters goe on and on, and do not goe further and further, this leaves such people dead. It is said of a Preacher that is wise, that he still teaches the people knowledge. Because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge. [Page 64] Eccles. 12. 9. That is, people could never come to him, but still hee made them know more and more. You will say, how can a Preacher doe thus?

I Answer, if a Preacher bee well studied in his own heart, and in the Book of God, this will help him to doe it. For still as hee sees further into his own heart, still hee will see further into the Word of God, and let out more and more light. It is said of Christs Ministery, That in it the light did spring up, Matth. 4. 16. So, this is a true Ministery indeed, when the light springs up in it. Yee know in a Spring, the water springeth up more and more; now when a Minister goes on in a track, and does not doe thus, this is a deading Ministery. This is the third thing, Flat Preaching leaves people dead.

Fourthly, Cold Preaching too, when a Minister prea­ches coldly, when the Word floweth coldly from his mouth. When a man hides the affectionatenesse of the Word, from the people, by the coldnesse of his uttering of it. Beloved, the Word is full of affections: what a deale of affection is there in all the Truthes of the Gospel; they are all steept in the warm blood of the Son of God, there is affection in the promises, they proceed from the tender bowels of God: Affection in the threatnings, they all issue from the infinite wrath of God against sin. The Word of God is as fire, Jer. 23. 29. Now when a Minister shall preach the Word cold­ly, hee preaches the Word otherwise then it is: Hee does as much as in him lies, to hide the affectionatenesse of the Word from the peoples hearts. Suppose the Town were all on fire, would yee not count the man a ridiculous man, that should come to us, and tell us a cold story? Sirs, let mee tell you a thing, there is a great fire in the Town, and I verily think it may burn all the Town, and you should doe well to goe and quench it: This man tells us so indeed, but would not you count him a fool, for telling us such a thing, in a cold carelesse manner, as if it were a small matter? Na­ture [Page 65] teacheth us another course in such a case. Fire, fire, help, O help, for the Lords sake, water, water, in all haste. Alas, alas! wee are undone, quickly, quickly, run for lad­ders, run for buckets, run for wet cloathes; ah, you lazie villaine, run apace for iron hooks, and the like: Thus na­ture teaches to deliver such a truth that does so neerly con­cern us, affectionately: So it is here, Brethren; what weigh­ty things does the Word contain? Truths that our very bowels should yern, and wee should powre out our affecti­ons in the Pulpit, that wee may shew by our delivery, what they are. Now, when this is not done, this deads peoples hearts. They fit as quiet at a Sermon, though they heare of matters of life and death, eternall life, salvation and dam­nation: Yet they sit like blocks in their seats, as though it were no great matter. Why, they hear one standing in the Pulpit, as though hee were saying his lesson; wicked peo­ple will not beleeve they are going to hell, though wee tell them, they will not beleeve the waies of Jesus Christ are so good as they are, though wee tell them. It is a pretty story of Demosthenes, when one told him that hee was beaten and mis-used by such a man; it seemes hee told it very dream­ingly, and coldly, shewing no affection at all; Why, saith Demosthenes, hath hee beaten thee? I doe not beleeve it, No? saith the man: and so the man was as it were in a great passion: I am sure thus and thus hee did to mee, and doe not you call this beating? Nay, saith Demosthenes: now I beleeve hee hath beaten thee indeed. Now you speak as yee had been beaten, as yee say. So when a Minister preaches unto peo­ple in a dreaming manner, though the things bee never so weighty, yet they will not beleeve them. He saith in a cold manner, that Drunkards are in a bad case, and such and such persons are in a sad condition, and saith, yee must repent, or you will all perish. But people heare him speak so frigid­ly of these things, that they will not enter into their hearts. If these things were preached as they should bee, it would [Page 66] make people quake. It is said of our Saviour, That when hee was teaching, the Disciples hearts burned within them, Luk. 24. 32. Did not our hearts burn within us, when, &c. Kecker­man makes that to bee the meaning of St. Matthew, where hee saith that our Saviour Taught with Authority, and not as the Scribes; that is, saith hee, hee did not preach coldly, but with life and zeale, and this went with Authority.

Now the manner of Preaching is cold, two waies, and, so dead.

First, When it flowes not from the heart, for then it is unlikely that ever it will goe unto the heart, Pectus facit esse disertos. The heart is the best Oratory, as Paul saith, What doe you weeping and breaking my heart, Act. 21. 13. they spake so heartily, and affectionately, and meltingly to him, this burst his very heart. In the 17 of Acts the 16 verse, it is said, Pauls spirit was stirred in him, to see all Athens given to I­dolatry: Hee was inwardly moved in his own heart, in his preaching unto them. Now if you look into the 34 verse of that Chapter, how this quickned some there; Diony­sius, and Damaris, and some others cleaved unto him: that is, hee preached so movingly, that he made their very soules cleave unto him. Why? hee spake from his heart. There bee many clamorous Preachers, saith Galvin, who de­clame against the sinnes of the people, and thunder against them, make as though they had a great deale of zeale, and yet never move a jot, because themselves have a dead heart, and a secure heart, the people see through their actings, that they are not moved themselves, and therefore this does not move them neither: when people can see through a Mini­ster, that hee does not preach out of his owne heart, this deadeth their hearts; God bade Ezekiel eate the Book, &c.

Secondly, The manner of preaching is cold, when the Sermon is not delivered in a lively manner; when hee prea­ches dully and bluntly. The Apostle shews in the first of the Colossians, that Epaphras did a great deale of good in his [Page 67] Ministery at Colosse. Now in the fourth of the Colossians, and the 13 verse, the Apostle saith, hee was a zealous Prea­cher; I bear him record, saith hee, that hee hath a great zeale for you. But when a Minister hath a cold delivery, this is a great hinderance to the Word.

You will say, how can this bee? Is it not the same word whether preached coldly, or with heat? Yes, it is: But the Word hath two things in it; first, the bare naked truth: secondly, the fatherly affectionatenesse of God in the same. Now a zealous Minister; lets the people, in some measure, see both. But a dull Ministery holds out the one, and hideth the other. Again, though the Word onely convert, it is not the Minister that works, but the Word, yet the Minister is appointed of God to bee a meanes to draw peoples atten­tions to the word. Now when hee does it in a cold manner, the people are the more apt to let fall their intentions, and not mark it▪ Thus you see how a Minister may bee guilty of the deadnesse of his people two waies, first, by his not preaching at all. Secondly, by his dead manner of preach­ing.

There is one more yet remaines, and that is, Thirdly, by his dead life and conversation; an evill life in the Minister, makes preaching seem vile: When hee makes it appear by his course, that hee makes no conscience of framing his life according to his own teaching: Is strict in the Pulpit, and dissolute in the street: I confesse many are ready to quarrell with the lives of their Teachers without cause, as the false Apostles, with Paul, as though hee were carnall, 2 Cor. 10. 2. But when a man will bee a Minister, and yet walk like men hating to bee reformed, and running into the same excesse of riot with others; how doth this harden peoples hearts, and deadeth the Doctrine it self? it makes preaching seem but a [...]oy. When a man will seem to perswade to that which hee neglects himself, and to cry out against that, of which himself doth make a common practise. Let no man despise [Page 68] thee, sayes Paul unto Timothy. You will say, how shall that be? Be you an example unto them that Beleeve. 1 Tim. 4. 12. But I am prevented of time. There is nothing that more deads a mans Ministery then this, when the people know in their Consciences, that the Minister is as vile as one of them. Let him preach never so excellent things; they will say, alas, alas! wee know hee loves his penny, hee loves the pot, hee is not right, no more then one of us. But I am forced to give over.

The use of this is. First, Is it so, that a Minister mayUse 1. be the cause why the people are dead? Then here we see the reason why the Devill is so busie to poyson Ministers. He knowes, if he, can poyson Them, he can quickly poyson all the Parish well-neare. Simon, Simon, Satan hath desired to sift thee. Luc. 22. 31. when Joshua was exercising the office of the High-Priest, Satan stood at his right hand Zach. 3. 1. The Devill is like the Syrians. O sayes he, fight neither against small nor great, save only against the King of Israel: If they could slay him, they knew they should quickly take his Armie; so if the Devill can take the Minister, he cares not. If he can make him a worldling, or a drunkard, or a Drone, or a Pluralist that is it he desires. The deading of one Minister, deads a 100. others, if he can be a lying spirit in a Ministers mouth, he is able to deceive 200. at once.

Secondly, Here we see that Ministers, of all men, shouldUse 2. have a care to be quickned. For if we be not quickned, Bre­thren, our guiltinesse is very great, we shall involve many others in our sinne: It will go hard with every private person that is dead to all goodnesse: He cannot be saved, he cannot escape the second death. How then can a dead Minister escape, that hath not onely his owne deadnesse to answer for, but also the deadnesse of all his people? What sayes the Lord to the Ministers of the dead Churches of Sardis Repent, Repent sayes he, lest I come against thee, as a theefe, in an hower before thou art aware. Rev. 3. 3. And therefore let [Page 69] vs be awakened, that wee may be quickned. Beloved, the times now are very dead, and it is wee that are the Mi­nisters of the Church, have let this deadnes in, our not being watchfull, our not being lively and stirring in our places, our not being quickened. O what wrath hangs upon us, if we doe not labour for life, that we may communicate it unto our people! The common deadnesse up and downe should be an argument unto us to excite us. When Elisha saw the badnesse of the Church in his dayes, he was very earnest to have the spirit of Elias doubled upon him. 2 King. 2. 9. We have need of a double spirit of the good Ministers of God that were before us, the dayes doe require it, never was there more deadnesse then now is. There are not many that professe holinesse at all, but of them that doe; O how many are dead, and without life! now who should bee a meanes to quicken people but wee?

Thirdly, This should teach good people to pray for theirUse 3. Ministers: the more quickned the Ministers be, it is the better for them. But if they be dead, the infection will descend downe into you. When Paul and Silas went out to preach, the Text sayes. They were Commended by the Brethren to the grace of God. Act. 15. 40.

Fourthly, This should be an exhortation to us of the Mi­nistery,Use. 4. that wee would take heed unto our selves and to all the Church of God that is committed unto our charge: that we would rouze up our selves, and specially now, when there was never more need. When the children of Israel were about to goe backe againe into Egypt, the Text sayes, how Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the Con­gregation of Israel, to beseech them to forbeare. Num. 14. 5. They were so mightily affected with the peoples sinne, that they fell upon their faces before them, q. d: For the Lords sake, and for your own soules sake, Take heed of this sin. What! will you pull all Heaven about your eares? Will you provoke the living God against you? O my Brethren [Page 70] take heed what yee doe, so wee should doe, we should la­bour to be affected with our own and our peoples dead­nesse. Wee should call upon them to be quickned. O be quickned, the Lord will not endure a dead people, get life if yee be wise, it is but a folly to have a name to live, except yee be alive indeed.

Now the way for us to quicken our people, is, First, If we be good our selves. When Jehosaphat would encourage the Levites to quicken up the people; Sayes he, The Lord shall be with the good. 2 Chron. 19. 11. Hee will blesse your labours, hee will strengthen your Sermons to doe good, though not to all, for the greatest part are not of God, yet unto his people. Nay if we were good indeed, wee might have hope do too much good, as it is said of Barnabas he was a good man, and much people were added to the Lord. Act. 11. 24.

Againe, Secondly wee should bee earnest with God to quicken all our hearts, that so we may the better quicken our Brethren, as Christ sayes to Peter, when thou art con­verted, strengthen thy Brethren, so we should desire God to quicken us, that we may quicken our Brethren, that wee may wash our hands of our people. What an excellent com­fort was that unto Paul, When hee could take his people to record, that hee was pure from the bloud of all men! Act. 20. 26.

Thirdly; We should marke which of our people are dead, Ezek. 8. 6. And then thinke, what, are not we guiltie of his deadnesse?

Fourthly, Let us lay about us soundly, that we not may be guilty of their sinnes in any kinde.

Fifthly, Another Use is to let us see, What a great dangerUse. 5. Ministers are in, they may be guilty of all the evill in their Parish, if they doe not their duty, which is a great thing to doe, they have all the sinnes of their Parish lying at their doore, This should keepe us from security and from [Page 71] pride, many grow proud that are Ministers, but alas! they know not what an Office they have, that doe so. Our very Calling should make our hearts tremble and quake to think what a charge is imposed upon us. This made Moses and Aaron and many a good man more, so fearfull to enter upon this function. No man takes this honour unto himself, saith the Apostle (meaning no godly man, no man in his right wits, no man that is well-advised what hee does) but hee that is called, Heb. 5. 4. as our Saviour Christ saith, Pray yee the Lord of the Harvest that hee would send forth labourers into his Harvest, Matth. 9. 38. [...], so it is in the Originall, that hee would thrust forth labourers into his Harvest, q. d. God will have no good labourers, otherwise those that are good are not over-forward to enter into the Ministery, as a Father sayes, it is a burden that the very Angels shoulders would tremble under, as the Apostle said, Who is sufficient for these things? If there were no other Argument but this in the Text, it might sway all Ministers hearts in the world, lest wee bee guilty of our own deadnesse, and of others too.

Another Use should bee to the people, that they would bee forward, and willing to hear, and greedy to drink in the word of life. The want of this is the deading of many a Ministers heart. I was in much bitternesse, saith Ezekiel, but the hand of the Lord was strong upon mee, Ezek. 3. 14. that is, I had had no heart at all to preach, but that the hand of the Lord was exceedingly assistant unto mee; whereas the forwardnesse of people, is a great meanes to quicken up their Ministers. When the whole City flocked in to heare Paul, though the wicked were mad at it; The Text saith, Hee grew bold, Act. 13. 44, 45. When the people crowded in upon our Saviour, that hee had not so much as time to eat bread, Mark. 3. 20. the Text shews that he so be-stirred him­selfe there, that his own Kinssolk thought hee had been mad, Vers. 21.

WEE have done with the Inscription, And unto the Angel of the Church in Sardis, write. Wee come now to the Subscription, and that is in these words. These things saith hee that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven Starres; Which words contain a description of the Lord Jesus Christ, from whom this Epistle is sent unto the Church, and hee is described very gloriously, to the intent that what hee saies, may bee the more reverently and seri­ously regarded. The Description sets forth two admirable properties and royalties of our Lord Jesus Christ. First, That hee hath the seven Spirits of God, that is, hee hath the Holy Ghost, to give to whomsoever hee please. Secondly, That he hath the seven Starres, that is, the Pastours and Mini­sters of the Church. Christ hath them all in his hand, to send them, to gift them, to assist them, to preserve them, to vouchsafe them to a people, or to take them away, as hee lists: and the Ministers are called Stars, because they are to shine in the firmament of the Church.

First then, the first royalty of our Lord and Saviour Je­sus Christ, is, that hee hath the seven Spirits of God: by the seven Spirits of God, hee meanes the Holy Ghost; you will say the Holy Ghost is but one Spirit. By one Spirit wee are all baptized into one Body, 1 Cor. 12. 13. There is one Body and one Spirit, Ephes. 4. 4. Through him, wee both have an accesse by one Spirit unto the Father, Ephes. 2. 18. The Spirit of God is but one. Yee know there is but one God, in three per­sons: one Father, one Sonne, one holy Spirit. There bee three that bear record in Heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one, 1 Joh. 5. 7. there is but one Father, and one Sonne, whom the Apostle there calls the [Page 73] Word, for so hee is often called in the Scripture. The Word was made flesh, that is, the Son of God was made flesh: so there is but one Holy Ghost, one Holy Spirit. Why then does the Text here say of Christ, that hee hath the seven Spirits of God?

I Answer, yee may know that the Revelation uses peculi­ar phrases, august, and mysticall. Now the reason why John speaks thus in the plurall number, is.

First, because hee alludes to the manner of his Visions, now in his Visions, the holy Ghost was thus represented un­to him, as yee may see, Rev. 4. 5. where he saw seven Lamps of fire, burning before the Throne, which are the seven Spi­rits of God. So, again, Rev. 5. 6. where hee saw a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven hornes, and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent forth into all the earth. So, that this is one reason why hee calls the Holy Ghost, the se­ven Spirits of God, because hee speaks after this manner, of the Vision that hee saw.

Secondly, another reason is, because hee was to write to the seven Churches of Asia. Now hee speaks of the Holy Ghost in the same number, because that one and the same Holy Ghost, is severally and intirely powred upon them all. The Spirit of God was in Ephesus, and the Spirit of God was in Smyrna, and the Spirit of God was in Pergamos, and so in Thyatira, and so in Sardis, and Philadelphia, and Laodicea: and therefore hee calls him the seven Spirits of God, though hee bee but one and the same Spirit.

Thirdly, hee calls him the seven Spirits of God, by a common Metalepsis, of putting the effects for the cause, be­cause there bee many and sundry gifts and graces, of the ho­ly Spirit of God; the number seven being put to signifie the perfection of them, and the universallnesse of them.

Now that the seven spirits of God, are nothing else, but that one and the same holy Spirit of God, is plain, out of Rev. 1. 4, 5. John, to the seven Churches in Asia: Grace bee [Page 74] unto you, and peace from him, which is, and which was, and which is to come, and from the seven Spirits which are before his Throne, and from Jesus Christ, which is the faithfull witnesse. Which words are Saint Johns saluting of the seven Chur­ches in Asia, wherin hee wishes them all grace from the bles­sed Trinity, q. d. Grace bee to you and peace from God the Father, and from the holy Spirit of God, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the faithfull and true witnesse: Calling the Father, which was, which is, which is to come, and the Lord Jesus Christ, the faithfull and true witnesse, and the Holy Ghost, the seven Spirits of God. It is the very self same salutation that Paul uses in all his Epistles, in effect; saving that this is more full, and more lofty and august. Now then by the seven Spirits of God, hee cannot mean any crea­ture or creatures, as Angels, or so: but hee must needs mean the Holy Ghost, because hee prayes for grace from the seven Spirits of God, which no creature is able to give. Yee know God onely can give grace, God onely, is the Authour of all grace: Hee onely can justifie, and sanctifie, and quicken, and give a man eternall life, as James, Every good and per­fect gift commeth from above, Jam. 1. 17. It were Idolatry in John, to wish to the Churches, grace from the seven Spirits of God, if hee meant by them any Angels, or any other creatures. Wee might worship the Angels, if they were able to give us grace, wee might pray to them, and serve them, and feare them and adore them, if they could bee the Au­thours of grace to us. Now this is Idolatry. Thou shalt wor­ship the Lord thy God, and him onely shalt thou serve, Matth. 4. 10. Of him, and through him, and to him are all things, to whom bee glory for ever, Amen. Rom. 11. 36. Yee know it is the glory of God to bee the Cause of all grace. Now what saies God? I am the Lord, that is my Name, and my glory will I not give to another. Isa. 42. 8. Well then, you see what is here meant by the seven Spirits of God, even the holy Ghost himself, that one & the same holy Spirit of God. [Page 75] These things saith hee, that hath the seven Spirits of God, that is, these things saith Christ, that hath the holy Spirit of God, to give him to whomsoever hee pleases.

Not as though that were all, that Christ hath the holy Spirit of God, for so Paul had the holy Spirit of God, I sup­pose also that I have the Spirit of God, 1 Cor. 7. 40. so Peter, and David, and all the Saints, all the people of God have the holy Spirit of God, nay, a man is dead in trespasses and sins, and is a meer carcasse, like a dead body without a soule, that hath not the holy Spirit of God, therefore that is not all the meaning of it, that Christ hath the holy Spirit of God; for so all the children of God have him, and are quickned by him up to all goodnesse: But Christ hath the holy Spirit of God, that is, hee hath him to give to whomsoever hee pleases.

But it may be objected, is it not God the Father that gives the holy spirit to all his poore children?

I Answer, Yes, it is very true, Hee hath him to give to whomsoever hee is pleased to give him, for the Holy Ghost is his Spirit as well as Christ, hee flowes from them both. And therefore saith our Saviour, How much more shall your Heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him? Luk. 11. 13. so that the Father gives the holy spirit to whom hee will, but it is in Christs name, Christ is the store-house of this gift. When the Father gives his holy spirit unto any man, it is onely in Christs name, as himself speaks: The Comforter which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, Hee shall teach you all things, Joh. 14. 26. Mark, it is onely in Christs name.

Well, now wee see the point, That Christ onely hath the Holy Spirit of God to give to whom hee pleases: If any poore creature would fain have the holy spirit of God to be in him, hee must come to Christ for him. Though the barrell bee never so full of good Wine, yet when it is hoopt round a­bout, if one would have any, hee must draw it at the tap: so, [Page 76] Beloved, the Lord hath hoopt himself up from men, hee hath closed himself up from all men, by reason of mens sins, hee hath shut himself up, no man can have any of his holy spirit, but hee must come and draw it at the tap: hee must come to Jesus Christ, the Lord vents himself onely in him, as Christ saith, hee that beleeveth on mee, as the Scripture hath said, Out of his belly shall slow rivers of living water. What is that? this spake hee of the spirit, which they that beleeve on him should receive, Joh. 7. 38, 39. Mark, Christ is the tap, yee must come to him by true beleeving, or yee cannot receive any of Gods holy Spirit. Hee only hath him to give to them that doe imbrace him. From him proceed all the graces of the Spirit, that any men doe injoy. This is his Roialty, as being the only King and Head of the Church, and the opened fountain, that all that would bee saved must repaire unto. Hee is the beginning of the Holy Ghost, the Holy Ghost proceedeth from him, as hee is the Son of God, and as hee is man, hee is anointed with him. The Spirit of the Lord is upon mee saith he, Luk. 4. 18. Ho, every one that would have him, come unto mee for him. Away with your sins, and take mee, abhorre all your own waies, see what damnable creatures yee are in your selves, whether your lusts and corruptions carrie you, what will become of you, if yee goe on in your own paths? if yee would have grace, and mercy, and life, and salvation, come to mee, The Spirit of the Lord is upon mee, to powre him upon you, that yee may bee saved. I say Christ is anointed with him, the Lord hath given him his Spirit in abundance, hee hath enough spirit to infuse into all that lay hold upon him, as John saith, God hath not given the Spirit by measure unto him, Joh. 3. 34. No, hee hath the holy Spirit without measure, hee hath all store of spirituall graces, to afford to them that lack; a Trea­surie of all heavenly blessings, to inrich all his poore distres­sed Members.

The Reasons of this Point, why Christ onely hath the [Page 77] holy Spirit of God, to give where hee will, are three.

First, Because there is none but hee, that God is well-plea­sed in. God is out with all the sonnes of men, by reason of sin and wickednesse, they are all hatefull unto him, they are odious in his sight, and the whole world cannot make him and them friends again, that ever hee should give them grace and favour, much lesse his holy Spirit. There is none in whom God is well-pleased but in his Son. This is my well­beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased. Father, and Holy Ghost, Both came and rested upon him, saying, This is the onely Hee, in whom I am well-pleased, Mat. 3. 16, 17. q. d. If yee get him to bee your Advocate, take him, and come unto mee with him, then I will bee friends with you, hee may help you with reconciliation with mee, hee may get mee to give you my holy Spirit, I am well-pleased in him, and in none but him. This is one Reason, so that Christ onely can put his holy Spirit into thy heart, and so send thee to his Father. As Paul put a loving mediating letter in One­simus his pocket, and so sent him to his Master: then hee will bee well-pleased with thee, when thou haste Christs Letter of commendation about thee, then thou mayest goe to God from day to day, and bee accepted with him: None can doe this for thee but onely Christ, hee onely can put a me­diating Letter in thy hand, hee onely can give thee the in­tercessions of his holy Spirit. Thousands goe to God in mans duties from day to day, and because they are without this, Christ hath not given them his holy Spirit, therefore they are not accepted. God is not pleased with them, they pray without his spirit, they cry God mercy without his spirit, they seek to enter in without his spirit, and so they are not admitted. Now when a soule comes to Christ, God is well-pleased with Christ, and therefore Christ can give him this love-token, Christ can give him the holy Spirit, and so hee shall bee admitted into favour with God. God is well­pleased in him. As Pharaoh was in Joseph, and therefore [Page 78] Joseph could present his Brethren unto Pharaoh, Gen. 47. 2. If any bodie else had presented them, they should never have found favour, but Joseph could put acceptance upon them. Pharaoh was well pleased in him. So God is well pleased in his Son, and therefore he can doe it and none but He.

Secondly, Another Reason is, Because the Holy Spirit of God will never enter into man more, except Gods Justice be satisfied. God is resolved he will not put up those in­dignities that men offer unto him, except they bring with them one, in whom his wrath is appeased. As Saint John sayes, The Lambe slaine hath seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God. Rev. 5. 6. That is, hee hath satisfied Gods Justice, and therefore he hath the Holy Spirit of God so gi­ven, the Holy Spirit of God will goe to those men that he hath satisfied Gods justice for, I say the Holy Spirit of God will not goe to any man, without satisfaction, if any one will shew him satisfaction, then the Spirit of God will say, I will goe where you will have mee, onely let mee have satisfaction. Now, Beloved, Christ onely can say to the Holy Spirit come a-long with me to this man, here's a satisfaction unto Justice, Therefore he only hath the Spirit at his dispencing. And therefore if any man would have Gods Holy Spirit, he must bring the Lambe Divine slaine, with him to God. Lord here I have the Lamb slaine, and now let me see thy face, now let mee have thy Spirit, as David said to Abner, bring me Michol, or never thinke to see my face. 2 Sam. 3. 13. q. d. never come to me, except thou bring mee my Michol with thee. The bringing of Michol with him, this might helpe him to see the Kings face. So, Beloved, when a man getteth the Lord Jesus Christ, and brings him with him to God, this may helpe him to Gods Holy Spirit. Bring him along with thee, and thou shalt see my face, thou shalt have my holy Spirit. Neither will God send thee his Holy Spirit, neither will the Holy Spirit come to thee otherwise. Christ onely hath him to give. Have Christ and have him.

[Page 79]Thirdly, another Reason is, why Christ hath the Holy Spirit to give, Because he is flesh of our flesh, and Bone of our Bone, and wee may goe to him: hee is the fittest to have him to give, because he being man aswell as wee, wee may make bold to goe to him: My Brethren, wee are not able to goe to God for any thing, much lesse for his Spirit, wee are not able to looke upon him immediately, as a man is not able to looke upon the Sun-Beames in their strength, specially if hee have sore eyes: But let him get a Scarfe, or a Cypresse, and now hee may. Now the Sun-beames will shine upon him through the Cypresse, and not hurt him. The Scarfe is able to convey unto him the Sunne­beames, without dazling of him. So, beloved, Christ is able to convey the Holy Spirit of God into any man, our sore Consciences may look up to God through him, he moderates Gods looke, hee can make us looke God in the face, in a comfortable manner. Now we may aske any thing of him, even his Holy Spirit, and he will give him, as the Apostle sayes: By him we have boldnesse, Eph. 3. 12. O, beloved, they are great things that we need. We have need of such great matters, that when the Conscience is awakened, it can have no hope to obtaine, that God should pardon such vile wrecthes as we, that he should accept of such poore services as ours, that he should love such filthy ones as wee are, that he should give us a Kingdome, and his owne Holy Spirit to enliven us, to establish our hearts, to be an earnest of Heaven to us: how can we hope he will give us such in­finite mercies? Now the Lord hath put all these Blessings into the hands of his Sonne Jesus Christ, that is flesh of our flesh, and bone of our bones. Now we may boldly goe to him for them. As Moses when his face shone, Aaron was afraid to come neare him, Exod. 34. 30. Therefore hee put a vaile over his face: Now Aaron and others were able to come nigh him; so before, none were able to come to God for any thing, but now the Lord hath put a vaile of flesh [Page 80] upon himselfe by incarnating his owne Son, now we may make bold.

The use of this, is, First; Is it so that Christ hath the sevenUse 1. Spirits of God? Then, what hath he not? He is an all suf­ficient Saviour. He is Gods Steward, God hath put all his goods into his hands. No man can be assured of any thing that is good, but by comming unto him. All things are deli­vered to me of my Father. Mat. 11. 27. That is, I have all my fa­thers goods in my hand: Favour, Pardon, Mercy, Grace▪ Comfort, Heaven it selfe, yea and his holy Spirit and all, I have the distributing of them all. He is the store-house whither all needy soules are to goe, He is full of all man­ner of good things, as John saies, Of his fulnesse have we al re­ceived. Joh. 1. 1 [...]. Looke what grace any of the Saints have▪ they have it all of him, he is Gods Conduit-pipe, the Lord opens himselfe only in him; he is the tap, he lets out Gods Blessings, and Graces, and Spirit, like a sluce. Hee is the Lord Treasurer of Heaven and Earth: As Joseph in Egypt, if any one would have Corne; they must goe to Joseph for it, if they came to Pharaoh but for a pecke, or a gallon, presently he sent them to Joseph, so the Lord sends all that will have any drop of mercy, to his Sonne, if yee will not goe to my Sonne, yee shall not have one drop, yee shall dye in your sinnes. This is my welbeloved Sonne, sayes hee, looke yee heare him: hearken to him: obey him: be ruled by him: bow down unto him: doe as he bids you: if ye an­ger him, and will not stoop unto him: if your hearts will not burst, if your minds will not off from the world, and other things, and be wholly intent unto him, if yee slight him, and suffer vain things to draw away your affections and thoughts and meditations from him; there is no redemption for you. No Salvation but onely by beleeving in his name, he hath all the seven Spirits of God, no Spirit of Grace at all can be had but onely of him, he was the Rocke, that Moses must stand on, that the glory of Gods goodnesse might passe be­fore him.

[Page 81]Secondly, Another use is, hath Christ the seven Spirits ofUse 2. God? then wee are without excuse: if wee be without the Holy Spirit of God, Christ hath him to give: and yet how few will seeke him of Jesus Christ! as Christ sayes, Yee will not come unto me, that yee might have life. Joh. 5. 40. That is, if yee would come unto me, I would make your dead hearts to live, I would quicken you to all goodnesse, I would powre my Holy Spirit upon you: But you will not come unto me, for it. This makes us without excuse, That Christ hath the Spirit in him, for all that have a minde to him, and wee have no minde. How few among you to this very day have gotten yet Gods Holy Spirit? Yee pray, but yee have not the spirit of supplieation, to pray by, to lift up your hearts, to enliven your desires, to be able to wrestle with God to any purpose, no Spirit of grace stirring in you. When ye come to the house of God, ye heare Sermons but the Holy Ghost does not fall upon you to make them effectu­all and mightie in operation, to convert you to God, to knocke off your base lusts: yee are dead in all holy duties, voide of all Heavenly graces, dull to every good thing, even as the Body without the spirit is dead. Nay the Spirit of the world dwelleth in most men tying and glving them to the things here below, and will not let them savor and rellish the things of Heaven. Whereby they cannot cease from sinne nor work the works of God. Rare is that man, now-a-dayes, that hath the Holy Spirit of God remaining in him in any measure: nay if people were asked, whether they have the Spirit of God, yea or no, their owne Consci­ence could answer. No they have not: they never felt any such Divine ghuest; their earthlinesse and lumpishnesse of heart in all the ordinances of God, their unaquaintednesse with God, their unsettlednesse, and nakednesse, and blindnesse in all the wayes of peace, plainely does declare it; and yet they will not come unto Christ that they might have life: he hath the seven Spirits of God, and yet they cannot finde in their [Page 82] hearts, to be instant and earnest with him, when Pharaoh appointed Joseph to distribute corne to all comers; Goe to Joseph, sayes he, Gen. 41. 55. the Text sayes, all Countries came to Joseph for Corne, because the famine was sore in all lands. But God hath appointed his own Sonne to be a dis­pencer of the Spirit, and there is a sore want of the spirit every where in all Townes and Parishes, and yet hardly any will come in. Certainely, this is the condemnation, that men intend their pleasure, and their profits, and every out­ward thing, and never seeke to Jesus, to have the Holy Spirit of God.

For First, many of us have hard hearts that cannot melt at our owne sinnes, nor the publike provocations whereby God is provoked, nor the generall calamities of the Church: our hearts are like a stone, and wee are not affected, nor can be affected, no relenting at the Word, no bleeding in any other good dutie, nothing moves us: the spirit could soften, yea, and take the stone away, and Christ saies hee would give him unto us, if we did desire him. I will put a new Spirit within you, and take the stony heart out of the flesh. Ezek. 11. 19. Hee hath spirit enough in him to doe it, and yet we will not sue to him but in a feigned manner, and so a hard heart possesseth us still, which marres all our familie-duties, and all that wee doe in the publike assem­blies: nothing comes of all that wee doe. If our foolish hearts would come downe to be fervent after Christ, this might be be remedied. He hath the seven Spirits of God for the nonce. But a spirit of slumber bewitches us, and and nothing can awaken us to this very day. Never was there a more hard-hearted time, never more hard-hearted Christians, nummed, and past feeling, wishing indeed the things mought be mended, but never putting forth our hand to have them mended.

Secondly, scarce any of us can pray, but in a blunt-hear­ted-wise: our prayers never stirre Heaven, never give so [Page 83] much as a lift to any of our lusts, neither are they any whit answerable to the miseries that are on us, whether Personall or Nationall, the spirit could helpe us, and enlarge us, as Paul saies of the good Romans, Yee have received the Spirit of A­doption whereby yee cry Abba Father. Rom. 8. 15. and Christ hath this Spirit in his hand, to give. But we would rather sit woulding and yawning then be downe on our knees before God. Every one almost hath heavy things that he is consci­encious of: terrible guiltines, horrible mis-givings, self-condē ­nings, uncertainties about his later end, doubtfulnesse whether any thing be sound, yea or no; and yet no heart of prayer, no strainings after Christ to have the Holy Spirit of him. Nay, tittle tattle is preferred before comming about Christ: and every idle busines more takes up our thoughts, then how we may injoy Jesus Christ.

Thirdly, where is the man well-neer, that is holy? some indeed are civill, and not very many, no, not of them that would bee held for Professers. For what Civility, Honesty is there, when people are palpably proud, and palpably covetous, and palpably malicious, and spightfull, and envious? but, put case many be Civill; yet holinesse is hardly any where to be seene. Where are any that are morti­fied unto sin? Crucified to the world? Pilgrims on earth, Heavenly-minded? taken up with God? The Spirit indeed, is a Spirit of Holinesse, Rom. 1. 4. And Christ hath him to give but hee cannot have our custome: We are not thirstie after such matters.

Fourthly, Where is the Communion of Saints? a Theme I spake of the last Sabbath day. We are all like unto Ephraim. Ephraim hath mixed himself among the people. Hos. 7. 8. that is, they had no Communion of Saints there among them. They were a mish-mash people; there was a Chaos and a confusion and a medly among them. If there be any that beare the name of Saints; They are like Lambs feeding all alone in a large place. Like Israel when they are scatterd. Hos. 4. [Page 84] 16. Lambes withour flockes: Birds without mates: As if they were all frighted asunder: No Communion of Saints, no Communion of graces, nor duties, nor hearts, nor affections. I confesse if we had the Holy Spirit of God, we would make a communion among us: As Paul sayes. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the Communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all, Amen. 2 Cor. 13. 14. He would make a Commuinon among us, and Christ hath him too, and there we might have him, but we care not for him: which is a most fearefull thing: a signe of horrible deadnesse and livelesnesse in good: as it is with the boughes of a tree, when they are dead, they fall off, but they hang together as long as they are alive. Though communion of Saints, be an Article of our faith, yet we let it dye. We see in nature, if we sling any meat to a Hen, presently shee cluckes for all her Chickens to have part: So, looke what graces we get, we should impart what we can: the Lord hath appointed mutual­giving good example unto one another, edifying one another, exhorting one another, admonishing one another, comforting one another, conferring one with another, supplicating one with and for another. As it is said, Luke 5. 10. That Simon and James and Iohn were partners in their fishing, looke what fishes they caught, they divided among one another; so Christians should be partners. What they get at a Sermon, they are to impart, What they get in prayer, or at Sacraments, or in affliction; there be others that should be partners with them: as the Apostle sayes, Looke not every man on his owne things, but every man also on the things of others. Phil. 2. 4. O sayes he, if there be any fellow-ship of the Spirit, thus it must be, that is, the Spirit would breed this fellowship and com­munion among you. Now, Beloved, where is this holy Spi­rit to be had but in Christ? I say wee are without excuse, if we doe not get the Holy Spirit of God, Because Christ hath him for us, if we would resort to him, and therefore wee can have no plea.

[Page 85]First, Wee cannot plead, wee have no need of the holy Spirit of God: what need wee have him, as long as wee be­leeve there is such a one? Is it needfull wee should have him? I, that it is; why else did God make his Son to bee the dispenser, and the distributer, and communicater of him? O, Beloved, the Lord hath done this, because wee cannot bee saved without the holy Spirit of God: would wee bee regenerated and born again; wee cannot without the Spirit: That which is born of the Spirit, is Spirit, Joh. 3. 6. Wee can never bee spirituall without the Spirit of God: none but spi­rituall men and women shall enter into the Kingdome of God. Drunkards, and adulterers, and lyers, and muck­worms, and better men than they, are carnall men. Now to bee carnally minded is death, but to bee spiritually minded, this onely is life and peace: so that wee cannot plead that.

Again, Wee cannot bee justified without the Spirit of God, Yee may say, O, wee hope to bee justified onely by Faith in Christ; True, but if yee have not the Spirit of God, yee have no Faith, none have true faith in Christ, till first they have the holy Spirit of God, and therefore it is called the spirit of Faith, that is, a spirit inclining a man un­to Christ; bowing of the minde, and heart, and soule, to all heavenly things in Christ, no man can bee justified without this, as Paul tells the Corinthians, But yee are sanctified, yee are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of God, 1 Cor. 6. 11.

Again, Yee cannot have free-will to doe the will of God without the holy Spirit of God. I confesse, by nature no man hath free-will: I, but if yee bee not more then nature, yee cannot bee saved. Yee must have free-will to all the waies of God, or yee cannot bee saved. Now yee never can have this without the Spirit of God. Can yee mortifie every wicked lust? can yee resist the devill every day? can yee keep out the world, and ward off the temptations of the flesh, yee can never doe it while the world stands in a holy [Page 86] course, without the holy Spirit of God. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty, 2 Cor. 3. 17. Mark, there is free­will to all these things, that man hath liberty to doe super­naturall things, that hath the Spirit of the Lord, and no man else.

Again, Yee are none of Christs, if yee have not the holy Spirit of Christ; that is the Mark hee brands all his sheep with, as a man saies, when hee heares tydings of any of his sheep; saith hee, if they bee mine, they have such a mark: they have an A. and a B. on the left side, or so: so saies Christ, if they bee mine, they have my Spirit, if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, hee is none of his, Rom. 8. 9. Hereby wee know that hee abideth in us, saith John, by his Spi­rit which hee hath given us, 1 Joh. 3. 24. so that wee have need of the spirit, and therefore this cannot bee our plea, that wee have no need: wee have such need of Gods holy Spirit, that wee cannot bee saved without the having of him.

Secondly, wee cannot plead, wee know not where to have him. For Christ saith, hee hath him to give to all that will receive him. The Spirit of the Lord is upon mee, saith hee, Esa. 61. 1. that is, hee is powred upon mee, that hee may run down upon all them that come to be my members. If Christ indeed had not come, if God had not made him Vehiculum Spiritus, if God had not put his spirit upon Christ, like wa­ter in a Fountain, to run out upon all that will hold their hearts under him; then wee might have some excuse: Lord [...] wee know not where to have the Spirit. But the Lord hath told us where wee may have him. Wee may have him in his Son Jesus Christ.

Thirdly, Wee cannot plead, wee cannot tell how to have him: For as yee know where to have him, so yee may know how to have him too: and yee all doe know, if wee had a heart wee may have him foure waies.

First, By the hearing of the Word: you will say, yee have heard the Word many times; yet yee never received the [Page 87] holy Spirit yet. I answer, that's certain, but it is because yee doe not come to it with a greedy yerning heart, with an o­pen eare, and a willing minde to bee guided by it. For if ye came thus with this minde, yee would quickly have the spi­rit. Lord tell mee any thing, I doe unfeignedly desire for to doe it; reprove any thing in mee, I doe sincerely desire to leave it. Come thus to the Word; I dare say, thou shalt not bee one quarter of an houre without the spirit, as Christ saith, Turn yee at my reproof: behold, I will powre out my spirit un to you, Prov. 1. 23. You will say, this is strange, and have I heard so many Sermons, and never got the spirit yet? I, you never heard Sermons with an honest heart: You shall see, Cornelius and his company got the spirit at the first Sermon that they heard, when Peter Preached, the Holy Ghost fell on all those that heard the Word, Act. 10. 44. How so? yee may read there in the Context, O saies Cornelius, Wee are all here present before God, to heare all things that are com­manded thee of God. Ver. 33. Now, if wee have the Word daily preached, and wee get not the holy spirit of God; wee are without excuse.

Secondly, By Prayer, if wee did pray faithfully unto God, wee should have the holy spirit, as Christ saies: If ye that are evill, can give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him? Luk. 11. 13. You will say, yee have pray­ed many a time and often, and yet yee finde no such thing, and no marvaile; when a mans heart prayes onely by the by: but if yee made it your businesse, from day to day, if yee would seek for him as for life, and look upon it as more necessary then life it self; then yee should quickly speed: But when yee will give God the blinde, and the lame, and your hearts run a whoring after other things; Heaven is not the main of all your care, and study: the Lord knows a hollow heart, and can tell how to deny it: none shall have his spirit, that doe not desire him above all things, and labour after [Page 88] him above all things, and use all manner of meanes for him. The Spirit of God is a great gift, and wee must know its an infinite mercy to obtain him, and therefore wee must seek him accordingly. They that get him, doe not goe dreaming­ly to work.

Thirdly, By repentance; this is another means to ob­tain the Holy Ghost, as the Lord saith, Rent your hearts and not your garments, and turn to the Lord your God, &c. Joel 2. 13. what followes? And after that I will powre my Spirit upon you, saith hee, ver. 28. Never think to have Gods ho­ly Spirit, and live after the flesh, or goe on in a forme, or a carelesse way: not onely drunkennesse and whoredome, and capitall sins, keep him out, but any other lusts and corrupti­ons, that the heart clings unto; Rent your hearts then, let your drowzie doings pain you at the heart, let all your se­curity, and unbeleef, and luke warmnesse, whereby yee part stakes with God, let all these bee a burden unto you, and you heavy laden with them: this is the way-making for the Spirit of Gods comming in.

Fourthly, Take no deniall, let not ill-successe beat you off; this is that which thrusteth back thousands: They find little successe at the first, and so they give over. But, Belo­ved, this is it, howsoever wee finde cold successe in our holy labours, at the first, yet wee must goe on, though wee doe not finde our lusts die, though wee doe not finde that spee­ding in Prayer that wee could wish, that prevailing in our endevours, that wee doe desire, yet still wee are to goe on, and still wait upon God, in abounding in our care, untill the Lord grant us better successe. The hard successe that we have, must not hinder us, as the Apostle saith, Let us not bee weary in well-doing, for in due time wee shall reap, if wee faint not, Gal. 6. 9. That is, let us not bee discouraged with hard successes, or any other such like thing: certainly, if wee goe on wee shall speed. When the Wisemen came seeking for Christ at Jerusalem, they had no good successe there, they [Page 89] did not finde him there, yet they would not return back with­out him; But they went down to Bethlehem, and sought for him there. When the Church had sought Christ in her bed, shee had no successe for that time. I sought him, sayes shee, but I found him not, Cant. 3. 1. What, would shee give o­ver because of her bad successe at the first? No, shee trudged out into the Lanes and the streets, she enquired of the watch­men and still shee had little or no successe. But the Text saith, shee would never give over, till she litt upon him. Be­loved, wee must take heed of this. It is the impatience of mens hearts, if they cannot finde a blessing at first dash, they will seek no further, then they strike into a former, or a worse condition: In the first of Haggai, yee may read, that when the Jews had been hindered by Cambyses, from build­ing of the Temple for a fit, they gave over: Because they had no successe, they would build no more, but fell a build­ing their own houses, ver. 4. yee know it was their sin, and the Lord plagued them for it. Therefore, Brethren, it must bee our care, although wee doe not speed at the first, not to slacken, or give in: As Isaac would still bee building▪ Wells, hee built one, and that had no successe, hee built another, and that had as bad; still there fell out strife, what then? did he give over so? No, hee never would have done, till the Lord gave him a Rehoboth, a Well that there was no striving a­bout, Gen. 26. 22. so, wee should never bee quiet, untill the Lord give us his holy Spirit; though wee doe not feele his workings in us at the first, no bad successes though never so many, should make us weary: But still wee should goe on, a seeking of the holy Spirit of God. Thus, as wee know where to have the Spirit of God, namely in Christ, so, wee know how too, and therefore wee are without excuse, if wee suffer our selves to bee void of Gods holy and blessed Spirit; this is the second use.

Thirdly, another Use, is, to you that doe indeed complainUse 3. of great want of the Spirit: here you see where yee may [Page 90] have supplies even from our Lord Jesus Christ, hee hath the seven Spirits of God. They labour to know Christ more and more: this is the way to have more and more of the Spirit, as the Apostle saith: That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdome and revelation in the knowledge of him, Ephes. 1. 17. Get the knowledge of Christ more and more, and thus the spirit shall come to thee more and more. It is said of the Indian Gymnosophists, that they would lye all the day long, look­ing upon the Sun in the firmament, so should Christians doe, they should lye looking upon Christ, the more spirit still they shall have, if they doe so.

First, May be ye want spirit to make you know the Lords will, you finde your selves backward from day to day: little or no heart to Gods Commandements; look up to Christ, and say, Lord there is enough spirit in Christ, and hee hath it for all them that doe want, and would have the same; O give mee some together with him, as hee sayes, I will put my Spirit into you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, Ezek. 36. 27. q. d. look up to mee, I will doe this for you.

Secondly, May bee yee want strength, yee have many temptations, and you have no strength to resist them, they come in upon you like the breaking in upon you; may bee yee are tempted to deny all, and to say yee have nothing in you; sometimes yee are tempted to give over all, saying, it is but a folly, I shall one day bee damned, and I were as good give over now, as to doe it afterwards, when it will bee worse, and yee have no strength to hold out; sometimes yee cannot meditate; yee cannot pray, yee are fain to break off in the midst; with base feares; with security, and vain hopes; you are tempted to doe as the world does, and yee have no strength to oppose them: Look up to Christ, yee know the Spirit of Christ, is a spirit of power, and strength, 2 Tim. 1. 7. and hee hath him for you: Look up to him then, and cry for his strong spirit. Who knowes? may [Page 91] bee, you may bee able to say in the end, as Paul does: I can doe all things through Christ that strengthens mee.

Thirdly, May bee, yee want boldnesse to call God your Father: yee are in a quandary, whether yee should call him so or no: yee are afraid, hee is none of your Father, and that yee are none of his adopted ones: yee shall but blaspheme him to call him your Father, or to expect of him a childes portion; Look up to Christ, hee hath such a spirit in him, whereby yee may cry, Abba Father, Gal. 4. 6.

Fourthly, May bee yee want life and quickning, you finde your selves very dead, even as the Church of Sardis in this place; I know thy works, that thou art dead. Look up to Christ, as here hee does bid thee, hee hath the seven Spirits of God, and hath that which will quicken thee. Christ himself, when hee was naturally dead, hee was quickned by his own spirit, 1 Pet. 3. 18. That very spirit can quicken thy spirituall deadnesse, to every good word and work. His spi­rit is life, and that will make thee lively, though thy heart bee little better then a Timber-logge in duties, yet if that spirit get within thee, it will make thee agile, and active in every good thing. It is a horrible thing to see, how little, Christians know of Jesus Christ, though they have been thought to know Jesus Christ so long a time, yet they doe not know him. Christ takes this very ill, as hee told Philip: Have I been so long time with you, and hast thou not known mee, Philip? Joh. 14. 9. Christ could bee even angry with him, for learning him no better: what little spirit is there in Chri­stians now adaies! a signe, though they have been a long time a learning Christ, yet they hardly know him: For if wee knew him, Brethren, wee could not bee at enmity with the holy Spirit. Wee doe not look up to Christ.

You will say, what is it to look up to Christ in all your wayes?

I Answer, It is to follow Christ, as where John said, Be­hold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world.

[Page 92]The Text sayes, That two of his Disciples went away and fol­lowed after Jesus, Joh. 1. 36, 37. O thought they, is hee the Lamb of God, does hee take away the sins of the world, wee will follow him then. John bade them look at him, and they followed after him, that is, they lookt at him in­deed, as a man looks at one whom hee follows: when a man so looks up to Christ, that hee follows him: when a man sees him his onely meanes to bee happy, and godly, and in the favour of God, the onely meanes to doe well, and to bee well, and desires indeed to follow after him, this is to look up to Christ, when a man labours sincerely to fol­low the counsell and direction of Christ, in all his wayes; Hee bids him to deny himself, and that is the thing that hee labours for; Hee bids him to repent of all his sins, and to ply himself to all Gods holy paths, and to rely upon him for strength and acceptance, and mercy and pardon, and every blessing. What-ever thing hee looks for at the hands of God, hee sets himself to follow Christs counsell, and to expect it in him. If hee see his sins, hee looks up to Christ, and there hee sees his death to defray them; when hee sees what power they have over him, hee looks up to Christ for his Spirit to subdue them, in the use of all those meanes that hee hath appointed; Prayer, Meditation, Watchfulnesse, Striving, Purposing, Endevouring, and Fighting against all the lusts of his flesh. And wherein soever hee failes, hee la­bours to bee humbled, and yet to look still up to Christ, for forgivenesse, and more help against another time: This is to see the Son of God. Every one that sees the Son, hath ever­lasting life, Joh. 6. 40. This is to look up to Christ, to be­leeve in Christ, to have Christ, to bee in Christ, to dwell in Christ, and Christ in him.

But you will say, I am afraid I never lookt up to Christ then, I never yet had him, for I have not his holy spirit, how shall I know whether I have the holy spirit? I Answer, first, I will tell thee, what bee not signes; and then secondly, what bee signes.

[Page 93]First, What bee not signes, there are foure signes that peo­ple take to bee signes, and are not: First, a civill Life, when a man is a mercifull man, kind to the poore, quiet and peace­able among his Neighbours, gentle, affable, courteous, well­conditioned; These are no signes of having Gods holy Spi­rit: True, they are very commendable, and they that have the Spirit of God, must have them, and better than them. But a man may bee without the holy Spirit of God, and yet have all these; Paul shews that the very Barbarians shew­ed him no little kindnesse, they kindled him a fire, though they were meer naturall men, Act. 28. 2. Our Saviour Christ shews that some are chaste by nature, that are born so; so, many are temperate by nature, and loving by nature, and meek by nature, patient by nature; therefore, these are no supernaturall graces, these are no signes of the holy spirit.

Secondly, the profession of Religion▪ This is no signe of the Holy Spirit neither for many professe they know God, and yee are reprobate to every good work. Tit. 1. 16. that is, many professe Religion, they will heare the Word, they will have prayers in their families, they will be of the better side in their Parish where they are, if there be any godly ones, they will be of their Company, if they can, and seeme to to doe as they doe, and yet they have a carnall heart, they doe very good workes every day, but they have a Reprobate and unapproved heart in them. They doe not doe them right.

Thirdly, Every kinde of repentance is not a signe neither, we read that Pharaoh Confessed, his sin, and desired the prayers of Gods people. Exod. 9. 27. Saul wept for his sinnes. 1 Sam. 24. 16. Judas made restitution: Esau bought repentance with teares. The world think certainly these were times of Gods Spirit; no, no: They were onely Common effects of the spirit. The wicked may in a sort repent of their sinnes and beat them downe too, but the truths is, they doe not mortifie them. Like as if a man should come into a garden, and see how a mole hath cast up the earth, and made a [Page 94] fowle stirre in the Alleyes, and in the Garden knots, if hee tread it onely downe with his foote, and doe not kill the Mole, anon after it will be as bad as before, so many wic­ked men may doe, they may beat downe their sinnes every day, but they rise up still as bad as before; now they beat them downe, and so their lusts like the Mole cast up againe. Thus the Mole is not killed. This is no signe of the Spirit. But a godly heart, he kils the Mole, he mortifies his sin, indeed new Moles may breed, and cast up again; but he riddes his soule more and more.

Fourthly, Every kind of faith neither, is not a signe of Gods holy Spirit, yee know the stony ground Believed, Luk. 8. 13.

Secondly, Now, for those signes that be▪ First, When a man is soundly convinced of his sinnes; This is an act of Gods holy Spirit, Joh. 16. 8. When a man hath the unction from the Holy one, The Text sayes, that abides for ever, where it is, The anointing which yee have received of him abideth in you. 1 Joh. 2. 27.

Secondly, When a man hath had a sound prick for his sins, this lets in the Holy Ghost▪ as Peter told his hearers, That were prickt in their hearts. Act. 2. 37. he told them they should receive the Holy Ghost.

Thirdly, When a man hath had an unsatisfiable desire of reconciliation with God, as it is said of Paul, that when hee was rightly toucht by the spirit indeed, hee could neither eat nor drink▪ Act. 9. 9. hee could not be quiet, till Ananias came and told him hee was reconciled with God.

Fourthly, When a man is another, and a new creature, Whosoever is in Christ is a new creature, 2 Cor. 5. 17. the Spirit of God, where▪ ere Hee is, Hee is a new spirit, and Hee carries with him a new heart▪ Ezek. 36. 26. Hee works a thorow change, and hee renews minde▪ will, and affections, inclinations, memory, appetite, members and all: Hee does not onely new-plaster them over, but hee pulls a man quite down, and builds him up a new habitation of God, as Christ [Page 95] told the Centurion, if I come, I will heale thy servant, so, if Christ doe once come with his spirit into any mans heart, hee heales it, hee works a mighty mutation in that man into an­other man, as Paul tels the Corinthians, Yee were drunkards, but now yee are washed, yee were railers, yee were adulterers, yee were covetous, yee were unrighteous, But now yee are washed, 1 Cor. 6. 9, 10, 11. As Paul sayes, I was a blasphemer, and I was a persecuter, but blessed bee God, now I have obtained mer­cy. Now I am not the man that I was; I was a lyer, but now, blessed bee God, I have the lip of Truth; I hated them that were godly, but blessed bee God, now they are the dea­rest people to mee in the world.

Fifthly, when a man does supernaturall good things; na­turall good things, a naturall man may doe, without the ho­ly spirit of grace: when you see a man list up a hundred, or two hundred pound weight, you will say. I, this hee may do by nature; But if you should see a man lift up five thousand pound weight, you will say▪ there is more then nature in him: so, beloved, when you see a man loves sin and comes to bee vaine, and cannot abide to bee strict; if hee bee strict a little, hee is soon weary of it, and layes it aside; you may know this man hath not the spirit of God in him, but if yee see you love holinesse, and hate every evill thing, that nothing hum­bles you so much as sin, nothing takes you up so much as how to please God; now yee may know the spirit of God is in you, Why? This is above Nature. This then is ano­ther Use.

Lastly, Hath Christ the seven Spirits of God, to give them to all that will come unto him? then what may Christ say to them that are contented without him, that have no care at all to come at him, that like not his government, that will not draw water at his Well? Hee hath taken paines to procure a stock of grace for them, to provide Merits enough for them, a salve broad enough for all their sores, spirit e­nough to powre into all their hearts; and when hee hath done [Page 96] all this, they regard other things more than him. Truely, he may say as David did, when he was told of Nabals chur­lish answer, Surely, in vain have I kept all that this fellow hath, in the Wildernesse. 1 Sam. 25. 21, Even so may Christ say: surely, in vain have I suffered for these men; in vaine have I come out of my Fathers bosome for them; in vain did I die upon the crosse: They will have none of my ware, they respect not my graces, they will not come at mee for my holy Spirit, &c.

THese words contain the Description of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom this Epistle is sent unto the Church in Sardis, and in particular to the Minister there, who is here called the Angell of the Church in that place. And the description does instance in two royalties of our Sa­viour Jesus Christ.

First, That hee hath the seven Spirits of God, that is, he hath the Holy Ghost, and all his spirituall graces in his hands, to give to whomsoever hee pleases, for the quickning of them, and the sanctifying of them, that if any of his mem­bers want spirit, or any spirituall good, hee hath it for them: These things saith hee that hath the seven Spirits of God: This wee handled the last day.

Now wee proceed to the second Royalty of our Lord Je­sus Christ, That hee hath the seven Starres, hee speaks of the seven Churches of Asia, Christ hath all their Ministers in [Page 97] his hands, and hee calls them starres.

First, because the starres doe direct: Its a great help when Mariners can see a starre in a dark night. When Paul and they that sailed with him could see neither Sun nor Starre, the company were without all hope of comming safe to Land, Act. 27. 20. they knew not what to doe, when there was not a starre to bee seen: The starres serve for direction in the night. So good Ministers are for direction unto people, they serve to direct people to Christ. Like the starre in the East; When the Wisemen saw the starre, they rejoyced with ex­ceeding great joy, Matth. 2. 10. that starre directed them to Christ, it went before them all the way, and shewed them where to finde Christ: so a poore soule rejoyces to finde a godly Minister; O thinks hee, he is a starre to direct mee to Christ.

Secondly, Because the starres doe shine, so good Ministers doe shine forth, and hold out a light, to give light to them that sit in darknesse, and in the shadow of death. Yee are the light of the world, sayes Christ, Matth. 5. 14. when a man sits in a dark house, hee cannot see to doe any thing, but if one come and open a window, or a casement, and letteth in light, now hee may see to goe about his businesse: so, Be­loved, people that dwell in dark Parishes, where no sound Ministery of the Word is, they know not what to doe to bee saved: they erre, they wander, they grope, they stumble and fall, they see not how to bee godly, and happy for ever­more. But when a faithfull Minister comes, now light is let in, and those that have a minde to goe to Heaven, now they may see the way thither, so that in this sense too, Mini­sters are starres.

Thirdly, Because starres have influence upon these infe­riours bodies, as God sayes of the Pleiades and Orion, which are a company of starres in the heavenly Orbe. Canst thou binde the sweet influences of the Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion? Job 38. 31. the starres have influences into things here [Page 98] below. The Pleiades open the earth, they make herbes and flowres grow, the spring is when they arise once, Trees begin to sprout, and the plants do waxe green; Orion, it pro­duces cold, the Winter comes when that shews it self; the starres have a great influence into sublunary bodies, so it is with Ministers. Bad Ministers are like the starres of Orion, they serve to coole peoples hearts, and dead them to all goodnesse. But good Ministers are as the starres of Pleiades, no soule can have any minde in him to that which is good, but they doe exceedingly help and further, they quicken the heart, they warme and fructisie the soules of Gods Elect.

Againe, the Starres doe hang high, so the Ministers of Christ are set high; they hang high, that all the people may have the benefit of their glistering. Zachany calls them the Prophets of the most High, And thou childe, shalt bee called the Prophet of the most High, Luk. 1. 76. But I have handled this Point in effect, when I spake of Ministers being Angels, and therefore I will omit it now. Thus yee see the Ministers are starres. Now hee calls them seven, because hee speaks of seven Congregations, Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thy­atira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. Seven Churches, seven Congregations, and every one had their severall stars. Whence wee see that every Parish should have a particular faithfull Minister. Paul appointed Titus, to ordain Elders in every City, Tit. 1. 5. The Apostles ordained Pastours, and El­ders in every Church, Act. 14. 23. So it was in the time of the Law, as the Text sayes, Moses of old time hath in every City them that Preach, being read in the Synagogues every Sab­bath day, Act. 15. 21.

The Reason is, first, because those Towns that have not a faithfull Ministery in it, generally doe all perish. I doe not deny, but some soules in such blinde places may come other­wise to bee converted and saved, but generally they perish for ever, that live in such places: as the Evangelist sayes of Galile. True, they had sorry Priests, but they had not a [Page 99] faithfull Ministery. sayes hee, The people sate there in the region and shadow of death, Matth. 4. 16. that is, till they had a better Ministery, they were in a damnable estate. So that it is a pitifull thing, when any Town or Parish are without a faithfull Ministery, no starre of Heaven shining among them.

Secondly, because when people have no faithfull Mini­ster of their own, generally they care not for removing of their dwelling, neither will they goe a mile or two for the meanes, they content themselves with what fare they have at home, though it starve them to death: Like the people under the false Prophets, they liked them well enough. My people love to have it so, Jer. 5. 31. Nay, they love such pro­phets better than them that would deale plainly with them; Nay, there bee many, that when they have a faithfull Mini­ster at home, will bee sneaking out, to a drunken Minister abroad, they would rather live under such a one.

Thirdly, Another Reason why every Church should have its particular Starre; every congregation had need of a faithfull Ministery of their own: Because, if there be any godly Soule, or any one that desires the salvation of his Soule, and lives under a blinde guide, hee cannot goe out, without giving very great offence, it will bee thought a gid­dinesse, and a flighting of their own Minister at home; now if every Parish had a sound Ministery in it, this would not bee: When people came out of every Parish round about un­to John, they had no Pastour of their own, but they came flocking unto John, no question but this bred heart-burning against John: I, and ill-will against those people, that would not bee satisfied with what teaching they had in their own Synagogues. Now, I say, if every Parish had its severall shining Starre, this would not bee.

Fourthly, When some Parishes have their Starres and ma­ny have not. This casts in a bone of discord between Mi­nisters, for they that are idle, and vain, and scandalous, will [Page 100] envy them that spend themselves in giving light. Again, the people of such Parishes have many times occasion of con­versing together, and falling into one anothers company. Now, how will this harden one anothers hearts, when peo­ple shall say, Gods blessing on our Ministers heart, hee does not meddle or make with us, wee may doe what wee will for all him! who would dwell in such a Parish as yours is? wee hear hee keeps a horrible stirre with you, hee will not let you alone, you cannot bee merry now and then, but you are sure to heare of it: hee is so strict forsooth, and so precise, you must have preaching, forenoon and afternoon, and there is such adoe to get precise Constables, that you cannot bee quiet. What a wofull thing is this? how does this harden the Countries hearts?

The Use of this is; first, this shews what a miserable thingUse 1. it is, when a Land is darkened, that hath but a few starres; May bee here one and there one, but most places are in dark­nesse, and have none: Beloved, this is a sign of the wrath of God. God is wroth with such a Land, and powres his wrath upon such a people, as the Prophet sayes. Through the wrath of the Lord of Hoasts, is the Land darkned, Esa. 9. 19.

Again, secondly, you that have your stars shining amongUse 2. you, how are you to blesse God, when there are so many places in the world that have none! Suppose the Harvest should bee comming, and the earth hath great need of rain, to plump up the eares, the Corn is quite spoyled for want of rain: if it doe not rain; Alas! our Corn will bee burnt up, and prove little worth. Now if God should rain upon your fields, and not upon your Neighbours: Your Closes, and Leizes have raine, but on the other side of the hedge there is none; What a speciall mercy is this unto you? As God sayes, I have caused it to rain upon one City, and caused it not to rain upon another, one piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not, withered, Amos 4. 7. is not this a great [Page 101] mercy to the owner of that ground where the rain falls, and does not fall else-where? so, my Brethren, you that have the spirituall rain in your particular parishes, what a mercy of God is it unto you? when so many Parishes have not one drop of it.

Again, thirdly, let us take heed lest those few starres thatUse 3. yet bee, set upon us, and so wee bee all in darknesse, wee have a little rain yet, here and there some. O let us repent and be more forward to bring forth more fruit, if wee continue to provoke God with our unfruitfulnesse, as wee doe, that little shall be taken away from you. When Gods Vineyard in Judah became barren, and brought forth no grapes, but wild ones; What sayes God? I will command the clouds, that they rain no rain upon it, Esa. 5. 6. q. d. I will take away all the rainy clouds: yee shall have clouds still, but they shall be clouds without rain, starres without light and heat, Mini­sters that shall doe you no good, this is a fearfull case, and yet God will bring it upon us, for a certain▪ if wee doe not take heed.

There be six signs of all the starres vanishing away, that God will take away those few starres, those few godly Mi­nisters away, that are left.

First, when people will not walk in the light, while they have the light. As our Saviour Christ sayes: Yet a little while is the light with you, walk while yee have the light, lest darknesse come upon you▪ Joh. 12. 35. q. d. yee have the light; a little while the Lord lets you have it, hee lets it stay with you a little while longer, but if ye will not walk in the light, the light shall bee gone, and yee shall bee in darknesse, this is an evident signe that the light will surely away from us: what a deale of light is yet held before our faces, and scarce any have a heart to walk in it! When servants are idle, and will not mend their cloathes, in the day time at spare houres, why should the Master allow them any candle? so, we have a day among us, and people will not bestirre themselves, [Page 102] they goe all rent and tottered in their garments, they care not for doing of their businesse, therefore, the Lord will al­low them no candle, he will put out all the lights.

Secondly, when people grow deader and deader, when they forsake their first love, they were once more earnest for heaven, more tender in Conscience, more eager for good things, more lively in Prayer, more zealous in holy duties, but now they abate, and slacken, they are told of it, and yet they doe not amend, when it is once come to this passe, the Lord will remove the faithfull Ministery of his Word. To what end should he let it stay any longer? as Christ sayes to Hphesus, Remember from whence thou art falne, and repent, and doe the first works, or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy Candle-stick out of its place, except thou repent, Rev. 2. 5. this is another signe of the Ministeries departing away from us, Candle and candle-stick will away, for wee will not amend. Wee have been told of our formality, we have heard whole Sermons against our luke warmnesse, and against our declinings, and yet nothing wil fetch us up again. Wee will not think soundly from whence wee are falne, we will not bee perswaded to doe our first works, our hearts are grown senselesse, and nothing can pluck them up, therefore how can wee hope but our candlestick will bee removed, and quickly too.

Thirdly, when people wax weary of Gods Ordinances, they are even cloyed with them, like the Israelites there in Amos, when will the New Moon bee gone that wee may fell corn? when will the Sabbath bee over, that wee may set forth Wheat? Amos 8. 5. q. d. here is such adoe with Lectures, and Ser­mons, wee can hardly have time for our Markets: such adoe with the Sabbath, it is so tedious, so irksome, wee are not a­ble to hold out, Prayers in the Family come so fast about, and duties come so thick, wee have hardly any space for our other businesses. Ministers require so much of us, Sermons are so strict, Sacrifices are so often, we can have no breath­ing: [Page 103] thus people are cloyed, they are full fed, they care not much if they had lesse, nay, some will not stick to say it, and others that in their hypocrisie will not say it, yet they have no stomack, no appetite, there is so much Word, that they are not able to digest it, neither have they any minde to con­coct it; therefore mark there what follows. Behold! the daies come, saith the Lord, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord, ver. 11. that is, you are more afraid of a famine of bread, yee would bee more troubled if you had no Bread to eate, nor liquour to drink, you care not so it bee not that famine. But think what you will, I will send you a worse famine than that, a famine of hearing of Gods Word. Yee shall have Preaching little enough. Little enough food for your soules, seeing yee will bee filthy, yee shall be filthy; seeing ye will be heartlesse towards heavenly things, ye shall bee heartlesse; yee shall be hardned, yee shall be let alone; and the blinde shall lead the blinde, and both shall fall into the ditch; the wicked shall lead the wicked, wicked Mini­sters the wicked people, and both shall perish together: and then though yee would never so fain have a Sermon that may come to the Conscience, yee shall be long enough be­fore yee shall hear it: Yee shall starve for want of spiritu­all knowledge: starved to death for want of life: Seared in your sins; yee shall have no Sermons to dispossesse you of Satan, no teaching to purge your hearts, to humble your soules before God, or to minister the Spirit unto you, yee are weary of the sound Ministery of the Word, therefore ye shall not bee troubled with it. This then is another sign that God will take away those few Stars that are yet remaining. And then woe bee to you.

Fourthly, when there are hardly any sonnes of peace, that the Ministers peace may light upon, then the Lord bids them pack away: Like the Market folkes, when they see their Commodities lie upon their hands, they take up their [Page 104] Commodities lie upon their hands, they take up their Commodi­ties, and goe home. O say they, people will give nothing, they will not give our price, wee and our children will have them for our own selves, rather then wee will part with them for nothing. So they goe away, so, Gods Ministers goe away, when the Market is dead, no Customer will come to their stalls. So Paul and Barnabas went away from the Jews, Yee put off the word from you, and therefore, lo, wee turn unto the Gentiles, Act. 13. 46. q. d. yee will have none of it, wee have offered it to you, and we were bid to doe so, but ye put it off from you, therefore fare yee well. Die in your sins. So people now put off the word of God, our Doctrine sinks no where almost; one puts it off from him, another puts it off from him: Like as the Cities of the Philistims did with the Ark. The men of Ekron, they cryed out, and doe you bring it to us? and so the men of Ashdod, said, and it shall not abide with us. 1 Sam. 5. 7. Every one put it off, they would have none of it.

Fifthly, when people oppose, they are so farre from re­penting at the preaching of the Word, that they fall to op­pose, and to mis-use the bringers of it, as the Jews did Saint Paul. The Text sayes, Hee shook his rayment at them, and told them, your blood bee upon your own heads, and away hee went, Act. 18. 6. when people lay their heads together, how they may heave out the Minister, many times God gives them leave for to doe it, that they may bring evill on their own heads, the Lord lets them have their cursed wills, to their own utter destruction and condemnation.

Sixthly, when God hath sent all his Ministers that ever hee means to send: Hee sent one Minister, and they would not hear him, hee sent another after him, and they would not hearken to him neither, a man would wonder, surely God will send no more, well, may be God in his great goodnesse sends another good man, and he does what he can, but the people will doe wickedly still. Yea, but when God hath sent all that Hee means to send, now he will send no more; [Page 105] as God did with Judah. I have sent unto you all my servants the Prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, return from your evill wayes, but yee have not inclined your eare unto me, Jer. 35. 15. when God had sent all, then hee would send no more.

You will say, how can this bee a signe? when God hath sent all that he means to send: who can tell that?

I Answer, Beloved, God may shew it plainly, that God hath sent even all that he means to send; when he blocks up the way, that more cannot bee suffered to come to us, then those that are come, when such courses are laid, that ne're a faithfull one more is permitted to enter; when Gods faith­full ones are forbidden to Preach, as Paul sayes, They forbid us to Preach. When people will have Pashur's, and not Je­remiah's: When there be Laws made, Look yee speak no more in his name: When they say to the Seers, see not, and to the Prophets prophesie it. When the good Levites are made to goe away, and to leave their own places, as it was in Jero­boams time, 2 Chron. 11. 14. Again, when the shadows wax long, it is a signe that the Sun is going down.

The reason why God will take away all his Starres, when matters are come to this passe, is,

First, because it is but lost labour, and Cost cast away, to administer phisick to such patients whose diseases are despe­rate: my Brethren, God is a wise phisician, and he knows whom hee hath to deale with: when hee sees men rend in pieces his Prescripts, and pull off his plaisters, and vomit up his wholesome potions, that he gives them for their good; he gives them up for gone, hee will bee their Physician no lon­ger. This was the reason why God did leave Judah, Thy disease is incurable, Jer. 30. 12.

Secondly, because it is not only lost labour, but it is worse then lost, to let such people have the Ministery of the word: it makes them much worse. Why should yee bee smitten any more? yee will revolt more and more, Esa. 1. 5. why should [Page 106] yee bee preacht to any more? yee will, &c.

Thirdly, Because if men will needs goe on in their sins, God would rather they should doe so without his word, then with it: as a husbandman, if the ground bee stark barren, he would rather never plough it, and sow it with seed, then to have it barren after the seed sown; when people will needs bee wicked, God would rather have them doe all their wick­ednesse out of his sight, then in it, I will cast you out of my sight, Jer. 7. 15. God cannot abide to look upon a people, that will have their own wayes; they anger him more, when they commit all their wickednesse under his Word; God looks towards a people when hee sends them his holy Word, hee looks upon them to doe them good, hee looks towards them in pity, and calls them to repentance, that they may finde favour with him, and therefore, if they doe evill now, this provokes him more a thousand times. A drunkard where the word is truely preached, an adulterer there, a muck-worm there, a proud person there, a profane wretch there; I say, this angers him more a thousand thousand times. The times of ignorance, God wincked at, Act. 17. 30. If your sins were committed in blinde Parishes, God would winck at you, in a manner, that is, your damnation should bee lesse. God would excuse you himself, in some measure. Alas! poore creatures, they know not what they doe; let them have lesse hell, they do not deserve so many plagues; he wincks at the wicked that live without his Word: But you that live un­der the word, he cannot winck at you. Hee will punish you to the full. O! Beloved, above all things, the Lord cannot abide that people should bee wretched and vain under his Word: But I will passe over this point. Thus yee see they are seven Starres, every Congregation had its Starre, every Church had its Minister.

Now in the next place, we see here that Christ hath these seven Starres. These things saith hee that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven Starres. Christ hath the seven starres. [Page 107] Christ is said to have the seven starres, in five respects.

First, in respect that they have their mission from him, se­condly, in respect they have their Commission from him, thirdly, in respect they have their abilities from him, fourth­ly, in respect they have their successe from him, fiftly, in re­spect they have their Protection from him; of these in their order.

First, they have their Mission from him. It is Christ that sends forth all true Ministers: As my Father hath sent mee, so send I you, Joh. 20. 21. it is Christ that sends Ministers to the Church, as hee told Jerusalem: Behold I send unto you Prophets, and Wisemen, and Scribes, Matth. 23. 34. Hee called the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two, &c. Mark. 6. 5. So hee called the seventy and sent them also, Luk. 10. 1. so it is Christ that sends Ministers to this day. True, the Church does ordain them; I, but if they be not sent by him too, they are intruders. Now when hee sends them, they are his Ministers, though it bee the Church that puts them into Orders. As it is with a true Constable, though the Parish choose him, yet hee is the Kings Officer, and does things in the Kings name; so it is with every true Minister, Christ hath the sending of him, he is the Minister of Christ, as the Apostle sayes, Let a man so account of us as the Ministers of Christ, 1 Cor. 4. 1. and therefore look what wee doe in our Office, wee doe it in his name. As hee said, in the name of Jesus Christ rise up and walk. So we say unto Gods Elect, in the name of Jesus Christ, rise up and walke. In the name of Jesus Christ Repent of all your wicked wayes, and Beleeve, and though the world will not stirre at our speech, yet they that are elected of God doe stirre: they are none but the Reprobate, that lie still in their sinnes, sometime or other wee get all▪ the Elect for to heare us.

The Use of this is; first, for comfort to us that are true Ministers, Christ hath the sending of us, therefore certainly [Page 108] hee will bee with us in all his errands, the world may bee against us, we may meet with many wolves: Behold! I send you as sheep among Wolves; people may threaten and speak their words against us, a foot and a half long; what need wee care for all their great speeches, as long as Christ sends us? Christ will bee with us for the good of his Elect, in all the course of our Ministery, be it short, or be it long: Wee shall bee usefull to them what ever the world doe: if there be any that belong to God, wee shall finde them out, no matter for others. Christ will bee with us in the Pulpit, in the prison, in the dog-hole, if yee would put us into it, as Christ told his Ministers, Goe and teach all Nations, Baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Ghost, and lo I am with you to the end of the world, Matth. 28. 19, 20. this is our comfort that Christ will bee with us, and this is the Elects comfort, they shall bee sure to finde him with us in our Ministery.

Secondly, if Christ hath the sending of us, wee must beeUse 2. sure wee doe his message, that we perform the work he sends us to doe, every messenger should doe thus, nay, Christ himself did thus. I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent mee; Joh. 5. 30. If a Merchant should send a servant beyond Sea, to bee a Factor for him, if that servant should goe and trade for himself, to get monies for himself, and an estate for himself, and neglect his Masters businesse; hee may look for a cold welcome home: so when Christ sends us to bee Factors for him, to see what Soules wee can gain unto him; if wee should now seek our selves, how to be rich, how to bee some-body in the world, how to get preferment, and so leave his businesse undone; wee may look for a cold welcome home, when wee shall bee brought before God. Certainly, if Christ sends us, we should minde his work, glorifie Christ, labour to reveale Christ, to win Soules to Christ; this is our businesse to doe. When David sent Hushai to Absalom, to bee a factor for him, wee see how [Page 109] well hee did the message, hee turned the counsell of Achito­phel into foolishnesse, hee marred all that wicked wretches plots, he did all for David: so we should doe all for Christ, wee should labour to turn the devils plots into foolishnesse, to undermine Satan, and where God hath any to save, wee shall prevaile.

Thirdly, If Christ hath the sending of us, wee must giveUse 3. him account when wee have done. When Christ had sent his Disciples to preach, they returned again, and gave him account of what they had done, Luk. 10. 17. Lord even the Devils are subject unto us. Lord I have done thus and thus, I have declared all thy whole counsell, I have kept nothing back: I have done thy message, and such and such have heard mee, but such and such will not hear me. A messen­ger is bound to give an account unto him that sends him: nay, the devill himself returned to give an account: when the Lord sent him to tempt Job, hee came again, and told what hee had done, Job 2. 1. when the children of Dan sent spies to search the land, they came and gave up their account. The very devill may teach us this lesson, to goe and give Christ account of what wee have done. Wee see there how they that had received the Talents, how they came and gave in their accompt, Lord thy pound hath gained ten pounds.

Fourthly, another Use is to you; what a great mercy isUse 4. this, that Christ should send unto such as you bee? If Christ had sent unto you, when yee had sought him and turned un­to him, it had been very much, but that hee should dispatch messengers to you, when yee had not a thought of him; nay, when yee sinned against him, O what a great mercy is this! It was a great kindnesse, that Joseph would send unto his Fa­ther, and his Brethren, and bid them leave all, and come in­to the Land of Aegypt, and willed them that they should not care for their stuffe, for the best of the Land of Egypt shall bee yours, yee know his brethren were unkinde unto him. Beloved, Joseph was never so unkindly dealt with by his [Page 110] Brethren, as Christ hath been by us, and yet that he should send to such wretches as wee are: O leave all, and come unto me, regard not your stuffe, regard not your profits, ne­ver trouble your selves with this thing and that thing, for all the best of heaven shall be yours; O what an infinit kind­nesse is this! when hee will send such treasures of his to us, by his Ministers. As Joseph filled his brethrens sacks with corne, which they carryed to their fathers house, in Canaan, to preserve them alive till they came over to Egypt; So the Lord Jesus Christ, hath put his spiritual treasures into a sack, and given them his Ministers to dispence them to their bre­thren, to nourish them, and preserve them, untill they come home to him: hee fills his Ministers sacks every week for us, they come with sack-fulls of heavenly and divine truths eve­ry week to us, with sack-fulls of food to feed our soules un­to eternall life, and when that is spent, hee sends us every Sabbath more; and therefore how should we esteem a true Minister that comes to us from Jesus Christ! He is one of a thousand, as Elihu speaks, if there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, one of a thousand, to declare unto man his righteousnesse, then hee is gracious unto him, Job 33. 23, 24. that is, then is God gracious to us indeed, such a one is one of a thousand, such a one declares to us our righteous­nesse, he brings to us the righteousnesse of Jesus. This the Lord Jesus Christ sends unto us, when hee sends us a true Minister, hee sends us an excellent present, even his own righteousnesse and merits, and the glad tidings of peace, how we may live and be saved: So that we should be thankfull unto God, that Christ sends to us his Ministers, with such precious things. If the King should send to any one of us but five pound, O how would we wonder at it, who ever were the messenger, we would bid such a one welcome, and, what! does the King take notice of mee? such a poore man as I? who would have thought that ever hee should send such a token to me? what a condescending is this! I tell thee, if [Page 111] thee, if the King should do thus for thee, thou wouldest make very much of it, I, and talk of it too, where ever thou com­mest; nay, it would make thee glad, and a very joyfull man, and it would make thee think thy self highly preferred. O Beloved, and what a horrible shame is this, that the King of Kings, and the Lord of Lords, should send a messenger to us every day almost, not with five pounds a-piece to every one of us, but with all the riches and treasures of heaven, to en­rich us for ever, to make us happy for ever, Blessed that ever wee were born, and yet that we should not be affected hard­ly! My Brethren, we that are the Ministers of God, wee come with heavenly and glorious things, every day from our Lord Jesus Christ: though wee have them but in earthly vessels, yet they are things that the whole world is but drosse and dung in comparison of, and therefore think how yee should come to Church; think how ye should come to hear Sermons: Now I come to hear a message from Christ, now shall I hear an Embassadour from heaven, that will break o­pen Christs Letter to me, a reproofe from Jesus Christ, a counsell from Christ, Directions from Christ concerning the framing of my life, Lessons from Christ, how I may come to glory. O, sayes the Apostle, He hath given to us the Ministery of reconciliation with God: to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not impu­ting their trespasses unto them, and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then wee are Embassadours for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us, wee pray you in Christ his stead bee reconciled unto God, 2 Cor. 5. 18, 19. 20. q. d. Ah yee poore creatures, God and you are out, yee are enemies of God, by your evill works, the wrath of God hangeth over you, wrath for all your sinnes; wrath for your drunkennesse; wrath for your covetousnesse; wrath for all your carnall courses; yee lye under the wrath of God, wrath that will damne you, and undoe you for ever. Now the Lord of Heaven and Earth hath sent us as Heralds of Peace, [Page 112] wee come Embassadors from the Lord of all glory, we have the word of reconciliation, the word that wee preach, will make God and you friends, if ye will beleeve it. O, wee pray you in Christ his stead consider of it, and bee reconciled un­to God, heare our message, imbrace our Embassage: O doe not slight what wee say to you, we speak to you from Christ, doe not receive it as a word onely from our mouthes, but as indeed it is, the Word of the great God. This is the onely Word that can make God and you friends, O how highly does it concern you to submit hereunto!

How will this judge the world, that the Ministery of the Word, is no more regarded or heeded! When God sends his Ministers unto people, and because forsooth, their flesh and blood does not like it; they look little after it: Where­as this containes eternall life, and if ye reject this, ye reject eternall life. I beseech you judge what I say: Doe you meet with a reproofe, that crosses your corrupt lusts? I pray you reason the case thus with your own Soules, O let me not put off this reproofe, it reproves me of my drunken doings, it re­proves me of my security, it reproves me of my sins: if I put it off, I put off the word of reconciliation: This is one of those truths, that comes to reconcile me to God: I stand out in rebellion, and desiance against God, if I doe not take it home. So of any other passage of the Word. Still when the Prophets would speak unto the people, this was their voyce, The Lord sent mee: so sayes Isaiah, the Lord sent mee; and Je­remiah too, the Lord sent mee. When they refused to hear what he said: O, sayes hee! Surely the Lord sent mee to speak thus unto you. One would think it were enough to strike ter­rough into the hearts of men, to put off any Sermon, any re­buke, any exhortation, of Christs Ministers, when they know the Lord sends them. May bee, the Minister is as poore a creature as one of you; O, but remember who sends him, as Christ sayes, hee that heareth you, heareth mee, and hee that de­spiseth you, despiseth mee, and hee that refuseth mee, refuseth him that sent me, Luk. 10. 16.

I Have begun to handle this Epistle, wherin I noted foure things:

First, the inscription, declaring to whom this Epistle is sent, To the Angel of the Church in Sardis, write: that is, to the Minister of the Church, and to the Church it self.

Secondly, The Subscription, declaring from whom it is sent: These things, saith he that, &c.

Thirdly, The Substance, or subject matter of the Epistle: I know thy works, &c. Usque ad, ver. 4.

Fourthly, The Conclusion, He that over-commeth, &c. ver. 5, 6.

I have already Analysed all this whole Epistle, and Pa­raphrased upon every part of it, and shewed you the mean­ing of it, and the scope of it; and have made some entrance upon it; namely, to reprove their deadnesse and coldnesse in Religion, and to quicken them up unto life, lest the judge­ment of God fall upon them. I have dispatcht the Inscripti­on: And to the Angel of the Church in Sardis, write: and so I passe on to the second: Namely, the Subscription, These things saith, &c.

These words, as ye heard, contain a description of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom this Epistle is sent. The Description is not a whole and an entire description of him, but only accommodated to the businesse in hand. And there­fore it describes him onely from two admirable Royalties that are in him. The first is this, That he hath the seven Spi­rits of God, that is, he hath the Holy and quickning Spirit, to give him to whomsoever he please, q. d. if ye would be quickned, hearken unto me, come unto me, I have all the graces of the Spirit to quicken you withall.

[Page 114]Secondly, That he hath the seven Starres, that is, as I told you, he hath all the Ministers of the Church in his hand, and at his dispose, These things, saith he that hath the seven Spi­rits of God, and the seven Starres, That is, Christ hath all the Starres, all the Ministers of the Church, they are all in his hand. I told you, he is said to have them in five respects: 1. They have their Mission from him. 2. They have their Commission from him. 3. They have their Abilities from him. 4. They have the successe of their labours from him. 5. They have their protection from him, he opens their mouths as long as he lists, and shuts them, when hee seeth fit so to doe.

I have spoken of the first; The Ministers of Christ have their Mission from Christ, he hath the sending of them, As my Father hath sent me, so send I you, Joh. 20. 21. it is Christ that sends Ministers to the Church, as he told Jerusalem, Behold! I send unto you Prophets, and Wisemen, and Scribes, Matth. 23. 34. He called the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two, Mark. 6. 7. So he called the seventy and sent them also, Luk. 10. 1. so, it is Christ that sends all true Ministers, to this day. True, the Church does Ordain them, I▪ but if they be not sent by him too, they are intruders. Now when he sends them, they are his Ministers, though the Church put them into Orders. As it is with a true Con­stable, though the Parish choose him, yet he is the Kings Officer, and does things in the Kings name. So it is with every true Minister, Christ hath the sending of him. He is the Minister of Christ, as the Apostle sayes, Let a man so ac­count of us, as of the Ministers of Christ. 1 Cor. 4. 1. And therefore look what▪ we do in our Office, we doe it in his name. As Peter said, In the name of Jesus Christ, rise up and walk. So we say unto Gods Elect, rise up and walk, in the name of Jesus Christ repent of all thy wicked wayes and be­leeve, and though the world will not stirre at our speech, yet they that are elected of God doe stirre, they are none but the [Page 115] reprobate that lye still in their sins. Sometime or other we get home all the Elect, they hear us, they obey us, they sub­mit to our Doctrine, in the name of Jesus Christ.

The Use of this is; first, for comfort of the poore Mini­stersUse 1. of Christ, may be we meet with many wolves in the delivery of his errands. We meet with sowre faces, and wry lookes, suspensions, oppositions, and such like wolvish dealings, for doing of our message; what need we care for all these, as long as Christ sends us. Certainly, if he send us, he will be with us, as God said to Moses, I send thee, cer­tainly I will be with thee, Exod. 3. 12. he will be with us for the good of his chosen, in all the course of our Ministery, be it short, or be it long. We shall be usefull unto them, though the reprobate world will not obey any of our words. Christ will be with us in the Pulpit, in the prison, in a dog-hole, if the wicked put us in it, as Christ said, Goe and teach all Nati­ons, and loe I am with you to the end of the world, Matth. 28. 19, 20. This is our comfort, Christ will be with us, and this is the Elects comfort, they shall be sure to finde him with us in our Ministery: if we be in the Pulpit, there they shall hear us teaching of them; if in the prison, there they shall have us sealing of the truth to them.

Secondly, if Christ hath the sending of us, wee must beUse 2. sure to doe his message, that we performe the work he sends us to doe. Every messenger should doe thus. I seek not mine own will, saith Christ, but the will of the Father which hath sent mee▪ Joh. 5. 30. if a Merchant should send a servant beyond the Seas, to be a Factor for him, if that servant should goe and trade for himself, to get money for himself, and an estate for himselfe, and neglect his Masters businesse, he may look for a cold welcome home: So when Christ sends us to bee Factors for him, to see what Soules wee can gain unto him, if we should now seek our selves, how to be rich, how to be some-body in the world, how to get preferment, and so leave his businesse undone; wee may look for a cold welcome [Page 116] home. Certainly, if Christ sends us, we should minde his work, we should glorifie Christ, labour to reveale Christ, to win Soules to Christ▪ This is our businesse to doe.

Thirdly, If Christ hath the sending of us, wee must giveUse 3. him account when wee have done. When Christ had sent his Disciples to preach, they returned again, and gave him account of what they had done, Luk. 10. 17. Lord even the Devils are subject unto us. Lord I have done thus and thus, I have declared all thy whole counsell, I have kept nothing back: I have done thy message, and such and such have heard mee, but such and such will not hear me. A messen­ger is bound to give an account unto him that sends him: nay, the devill himself returned to give an account: when the Lord sent him to tempt Job, hee came again, and told what hee had done, Job▪ 2. 1. So wee should come again, and tell God what wee have done. When the children of Dan sent spies to search the land, they came and related what they had done, so should we doe. Lord, behold, here am I, and here are the people that I have begotten by thy Word, and here are the rebells that I could never get to reforme their wicked wayes. Wee see how they that had received the Talents, how they came and gave in their accompt, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. O what a case shall wee be in, if wee cannot give up a good account at the last day, of what wee have done in our places and callings!

Fourthly, If Christ send us unto you. O, Beloved, whatUse 4. a great mercy is this [...] that Christ should send unto such as you bee? If Christ had sent unto you, when yee had sought him and turned unto him, it had been very much, but that hee should dispatch messengers unto you, when yee had not so much as a thought of him; nay, when yee sinned against him, This was a mercy indeed! It was a great kindnesse, that Joseph would send unto his Father, and his Brethren, and bid them leave all, and come into the Land of Aegypt: O, saith he, regard not your stuffe, for the best of the Land of [Page 117] Egypt shall bee yours, yee know his brethren were unkinde unto him. Beloved, Joseph was never so unkindly dealt with by his Brethren, as Christ hath been by us, and yet that he should send to such wretches as wee are: O leave all, and come unto me, regard not your stuffe, regard not your profits, never trouble your selves with this thing and that thing, for all the best of heaven shall be yours; O what an infinit kindnesse is this! when he will send such treasures of his to us, by his Ministers. As Joseph filled his brethrens sacks with corne, which they carryed to their fathers house, in Canaan, to preserve them alive till they came into Egypt; So the Lord Jesus Christ, hath put his spirituall treasures, as it were, into a sack, and given them his Ministers to dispence to their brethren, to nourish them, and preserve them, untill they come home to him: hee fills his Ministers sacks every week for us, they come with sack-fulls of heavenly and di­vine truths every week to us, with sack-fulls of food to feed our soules unto eternall life, and when that is spent, he sends us every Sabbath more; and therefore how should wee e­steem a true Minister that comes to us from Jesus Christ! Hee is one of a thousand, as Elihu speaks, if there bee a messenger with him, an interpreter, one of a thousand, to de­clare unto man his righteousnesse, then hee is gracious unto him, Joh 33. 23, 24. that is, then is God gracious to us in­deed. When God sends us a messenger from him, such a one is one of a thousand, such a one declares to us our righte­ousnesse. Yee know wee cannot stand before God without righteousnesse. Now such a one declares to us righteous­nesse. He brings us the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ. So that we should be thankfull to Christ that he sends us any of his true Ministers. O my Brethren, we that are the Ministers of God, wee come with heavenly and glorious things, every day from our Lord Jesus Christ: Though wee have them but in earthen vessels, yet they are things, that the whole world is but drosse and dung to; and therefore think how [Page 118] yee should come to Church; think how yee should bee affe­cted with our message, think with what affections ye should heare our Sermons: Now I come to heare a message from Christ, a Letter from Christ, a Direction from Christ, a reproofe from Christ, counsells from Christ, for the fra­ming of my life, now I shall be told, what I may doe to in­herit glory. O, sayes the Apostle, He hath given to us the Ministery of reconciliation with God: to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespassesunto them, and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then wee are Embassadours for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christ his stead bee reconciled unto God, 2 Cor. 5. 18, 19. 20. q. d. Ah yee poore creatures, God and you are out, yee are ene­mies of God, by your evill works, the wrath of God hang­eth over you, wrath for all your sinnes; wrath for all your drunkennesse; your covetousnesse; worldlinesse; wrath for all your carnall courses; your slighting of heaven and hea­venly things, the wrath of God abideth on you. Now the Lord of Heaven and Earth hath sent us as Heralds of Peace, we come as Embassadors from the Lord of all glory, we have the word of reconciliation, the word which we preach, will make God and you friends again, if yee will beleeve it, and imbrace it. We pray you in Christ his stead to consider of it, bee reconciled unto God, heare our message, doe not slight what wee say to you, we speak to you from Christ, This is the onely Word that can make God and you friends.

O how will this judge the world, that the Ministery of the Word, is no more regarded nor heeded! When God sends his Ministers unto people, and because forsooth, their flesh and blood does not like it; they look little after it▪ Wher­as this containes eternall life, and if ye reject this, ye reject eternall life. I beseech you judge what I say: Doe you meet with a reproofe that crosses your corrupt Iusts? I pray you reason the case thus with your own Soules, I am reproved [Page 119] for my loosenesse, and my vain wayes, my fashioning of my self according to this world, my fawning, my flattering, my gaming, my scandalous courses, my sinning against light, I have had good education, I have lived under good meanes, but I am very gracelesse, if I put off these reproofes, I put off the word of reconciliation: This is the word that comes to reconcile me to God, if I have faith to apply it, but if I put it from me, and doe not regard it, I refuse all recon­ciliation with God. So, when the Word shewes you your duty, how to beleeve, how to live, how to walk, in all holi­nesse and true righteousnesse. Consider, if yee put it from you, yee put away from you the onely word of reconcilia­tion. These are the truths that are sent unto me, to reconcile me unto God: O, if I will have none of them, I cast off the Son of God, and everlasting life. Still when the Prophets would speak unto the people, this was their preface, The Lord sent mee: so sayes Isaiah, the Lord sent mee, Esa. 48. 16. so sayes Jeremiah, the Lord sent mee. When they refused to hear what he said: O, sayes hee! Truely the Lord sent mee, of a truth the Lord hath sent me unto you, to speak all these words unto you. Jer. 26. 15. One would think it wore enough to strike terrour into the hearts of men, to put off any Sermon, any rebuke, any exhortation of Christs Ministers, when they know the Lord sends them. Of a truth the Lord hath sent mee to speak all these words unto you. May bee, the Minister is as poore a creature in himself, as one of you; O, but remem­ber who sends him, as Christ sayes, hee that heareth you, hear­eth mee, and hee that despiseth you, despiseth mee, and hee that de­spiseth mee, despiseth him that sent me, Luk. 10. 16. So much shall suffice to have been spoken of the first way, whereby Christ is said to have the seven Starres, that is, the Ministers of the Church, namely, he hath the sending of them.

Secondly, Hee hath them, that is, hee hath the giving of them their Commission, as they have their Mission from him, so they have their Commission from him too. They are not [Page 120] onely messengers but Embassadors. This Commission hath two things; first, the heads of their Embassage, that Christ sends them to treat of. Secondly, the authority of their Em­bassage, that Christ invests them with.

For the first, the heads of their commission, Christ hath the appointing of them, what they shall treat of, and they are five. First, they shall preach the Word. Goe and preach the Gospel to every creature, Mark. 16. 15. Secondly, to remit the sin of all them that doe embrace the Gospel, Joh. 20. 23. that is, to pronounce all the promises of the Covenant of Grace, and in particular, forgivenesse of sins to all true peni­tent and beleeving Soules. Thirdly, to administer the Sa­craments of the New Testament, to all the said persons, to whom the promises of eternall life doe belong, for the assu­ring of their hearts, concerning all the things of the King­dome of God to them in particular, Matth. 28. 19. Fourth­ly, To build up the Church of God, for the perfecting of the Saints, and the edifying of the body of Christ, untill they all come, &c. Ephes. 4. 12. Fifthly, to shut the Kingdome of Heaven upon all that have an evill heart of unbelief, to goe on in their sins, and not to stoop to the Scepter of Jesus Christ, Mark. 16. 16. and in divers other places. These are the heads of their commission, that Christ will have them treat of in their Embassage unto men.

Secondly, now for the Authority that hee invests them with, it is not any carnall or earthly authority, to jet, and to vaunt, or to domineere, as though they were Lords, and Gods heritage, 1 Pet. 5. 3. no, sayes Christ, it shall not be so with you. But hee that is greatest among you, hee shall bee as the least, Luk. 22. 26. and therefore I doe not here speak of any earthly authority: No, the Authority that Christs Mi­nisters have, and they have it from him, is a spirituall Autho­rity: uamely, not onely to preach, and to declare forgive­nesse of sin, and to administer the seales of the covenant, and to build up the Saints, and to denounce wrath and damnati­on [Page 121] to all that continue in their unregenerate estate through impenitence & unbelief, but to do all these things with a hea­venly Power and Authority, to have an Office under Christ for the doing of them, so as to be the very mouth of Christ, and that which they doe according to their commission from him, to stand firme and good, for ever and ever. I will give power to my two witnesses. Rev. 11. 3. The Lord hath given me power and authority sayes the Apostle, 2 Cor. 10. 8. You will say this is great power indeed, all the Kings & Potentates of the earth have not so great power as this, this is a power of life and death, not naturall, nor temporary, but Spirituall and eternall, this is a power not oven mens Bodies but over their soules, not in small matters▪ but either for salvation ordamnation. This is a great Commission, how come they by such a great one as this is? O sayes Christ, I am able to in­vest them with as much as this comes to. For all power is given unto me in Heaven and Earth. Matth. 28. 18. q. d. I am able to furnish you with all authority and power, goe you in my name, and preach you in my name, in my name bid people repent and beleeve, in my name open heaven to all that doe obey, and shut it upon all that doe disobey, and I will make it good.

The use of this is. First, have the Ministers of Christ suchUse 1. a Commission from Christ? then they are the greatest Em­bassadors, that ever were, or can be. Embassadors of earthly Kings, have a great Commission, they represent the Kings person from whom they come, Alas, what are they to these? they come about petty things, about civill peace, or warre and yet they are Lord Embassadors, they are Lords by their places, they are much respected among men. O then what great Embassadors are the Ministers of Jesus Christ, that represent the King of Kings person, that repre­sent the person of the Lord of Lords, that came to Treat of peace betweene God and Man, or of open Hostility be­tween the Creator and the Creature? as Paul sayes now then [Page 122] wee are Embassadours for Christ, As though God did beseech you by us, wee pray you in Christs stead be reconciled unto God, 2 Cor. 15. 20. that is, we have a very great commission, we represent the person of our Lord Jesus Christ, we come to treat with you about eternity, according as you heare us, or heare us not, so it will be with you unto all eternity. O con­sider what we have to do, you are enemies unto God from the womb, as long as your sins doe remain, ye are enemies still, we come to set you at one again. Yee know the condition, yee know what the heads of our commission bee, if yee will not hearken unto them, and submit, yee are damned for ever; if ye doe, blessed and happy are yee for evermore, was there ever such a great Embassage as this? as the Apostle sayes, To make known the mystery of the Gospel, for which, I am an Embassadour in bonds, Ephes. 6. 19, 20. q. d. though the wic­ked and blinde world, look upon me as a Schismatique, and a malefactour, and cast me into the prison, and here I am in bonds, they see no such thing in me, as an Embassadour of the great God, yet the truth is, though I bee in bonds, they shall know it one day to their cost, who I was, and what a commission I had, and what it is to slight it, and put it off. I am an Embassadour of the mystery of the Gospel, though I be in bonds.

Secondly, Have some Ministers, such a commission fromUse 2. Christ? then let them learn how to behave themselves in their function. My Brethren, Christ hath committed unto us the custody of his own power, and authority, and therefore we are to exercise it in his name, our commission is to charge the great men of the world, Charge them that are rich in this world, that they bee not high-minded, 1 Tim. 6. 17. True, we are your servants for Jesus his sake, and wee are to be hum­bled, and to wait upon men of lowest degree, and to conde­fcend unto men of meanest capacity, and there is a time when wee should for loves-sake intreat, but the truth is too, wee have power to charge and command, These things command [Page 123] and teach, 1 Tim. 4. 11. These things speak and exhort, and re­buke withall authority. Tit. 2. 15. We must not betray the power and majesticall simplicity of the Gospell of Jesus Christ. We have Christs owne power and authority in our ministery, and therefore wee are to command you in his stead: as ever you will answer Christ, before his Tribu­nall at last day, neglect not those things, which we preach to you from him. Now we command you, Brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that yee withdraw your selves from every brother that walkes disorderly, and not after the Tradition which hee received of us. 2. Thes. 3. 6. True, we are inferiors to Kings, and Princes, and Magistrates, and the Nobility and Gentry of the land: There be thou­sands and thousands that are our Betters, in all civill respects; but our Embassage is above all.

The Lords own Power and Authority goes through the ministery, as a Trunk. As, the King may send a Command to the greatest▪ Nobleman of the Kingdome by the hand of a meane man▪ and he is to hearken to it: though the messen­ger in himselfe be his underling, yet his message is above him, and he looses his head if he despise it. So, beloved, we are over you in the Lord, that is in regard of our message. Though we be your inferiors, and some of you be our bet­ters, and wee are to stand with Cap in hand to you; yet ye loose your soules; if ye will not heare us, and obey our Embassage. We must not bow to your humors, nor make the Spirit of Christ in the Gospell to bend and comply with human lusts. If Princes and Potentates were by, we must not spare their sins. Nathan deales roundly with King David. Thou art the man. Jehu, with King Jehosaphat, wrath is upon thee from the Lord, because thou hast helpt the ungodly. We must let all the world know that Christ whom wee preach, is above them all, wee must not prostitute Christs Scepter, no not at a Monarchs foot. If we be men-plea­sers, we are not the servants of Christ. We must not suffer [Page 124] Christs word to be bound, whosoeuer is our hearer, whether high or low. We defie popish Divinity that exalt their An­tichristan Clergy, above the civill Magistrate. Belar­mines Martin is but a foysted story. But yet in this sense we are above all the Kingdomes of men, as God sayes, Behold I have put my words in thy mouth, and loe I have set thee this day over Nations and Kingdomes, to plant and to root up, to build and to throw downe. Jer. 1. 9. 10. Let no man thinke we are saucy, though we reprove the greatest of you all, as long as we doe it in Christ, and from Christ, we are the mouth of the Judge of quick and dead, and he will make our words good; The meanest Sergeant in the Kings name dares arrest the greatest Duke. So, my Brethren, we come in the Kings name, in Christ his name, and therefore we must not be afraid of your faces, As Paul told Philemon, I have great authority in Christ to command thee, that which is convenient. Philem. 8. We have great authority to com­mand every one of you, to doe your Duties towards God, and man. We have Christ for our Author, and therefore he will be a wall of Brasse to us. We are his Embassadors, and therefore our Message is with great power.

Thirdly, Have we this Commission from Jesus Christ?Use 3. then this may serve to condemne all such as doe not obey our Ministery. Though wee have all this authority, the ve­ry power of Christ himself in our mouthes, that equally binds King and Begger; Yet who obeys our commands? who stirres? who repents? who submits himself unto our commission? we have called for humiliation, but no man will humble himself▪ We have cryed for reformation, and amendment of life, but no man relents; wee have read our commission every week unto people, we shew them our Let­ters Patents from the Lord Jesus Christ, and they are coun­ted as idle tales by the most. O what an indignity is this un­to our Lord Jesus Christ! we are his Embassadors, and your standing out against us, is not against us, but against him, [Page 125] and he will repay it. O, sayes the Apostle, if any man obey not our word, By this Epistle, note that man, 2 Thess. 3. 14. q. d. note him with a brand of infamy, note him as a Rebell against Jesus Christ, look upon him as a wretched misera­ble creature, take heed of him, avoid him, withdraw your self from him, point at him, yonder goes a wretch, that will not obey the voyce of his teacher, excommunicate him from your company, have as little to doe with him as you can. Be ye shie of such a man, certainly there is great wrath hangeth over him. So, Beloved, if any obey not our word, note such persons, note such parishes, note all such families, the wrath of heaven hangeth over them, their stubbornnesse, and hard­nesse of heart is not against us, but against the Lord. These are notorious Townes, notorious people, that have Christs Embassadors among them, and yet will not be obedient, and yet how is our Embassage made nothing of! if Kings onely, and Princes, and Lords, and great men should make nothing of it, we should not so much wonder, because they are greater men, then those that God sends his Embassage by, and yet if they were wise, and knew what they did, they durst not doe as they do, but every base fellow stops his eare, and hardens his heart, against the God of Heaven and earth, and will not obey our word: nay, men can hear their sins ripped up, and the Anathema's of Christ spread before their faces, and not blush. They can heare that those very sinnes they live in, doe separate from God, do adjudge them to hell, and shew them to be under the blacknes of darknesse, and the sentence of damnation, they can see it showne them out of the word, which they cannot deny for their hearts, though they would never so faine, and yet they will not repent nor returne that they may have mercy. Not one drunkard will leave, nor one Mocker leave, nor one Covetous person, nor one gracelesse wretch leave, they will have their owne wayes, doe the Ministers of God what they can. We can get none to be awakened, none quickened, none stirred, none start­led [Page 126] to any purpose. Setting aside here one and there one that truely obeys the voyce of Gods servants, the whole countrey lying in ignorance of God, in the privation of his Spirit, unreconcilednesse with heaven, voydnesse of faith, emptinesse of grace and life, the nakednesse of an outward profession, having no true quickening within, nay the most in grosse wickednesse, drunkenesse, company-keeping, unruli­nesse, disorder, uncleanenesse, lasciviousnesse, covetousnesse, mocking at the pure in heart, malicious alienation of spirit against the holy wayes of God. Nay since we have spoken to them in the name of the Lord, yet none will hearken to any effect that their soules may live.

Fourthly, therefore, I pray you let me adde one use more;Use 4. doe but consider, how the Lord taketh this at our hands, that his Ministers are thus vilipended. They are in more danger of their liberty for reproving, then the wicked for committing of their sins. Are his Ministers, his Embassadors? then he will never endure that his Embassadors shall bee abused. When the King of the Ammonites had abused Davids Embassadors, that he sent him in love. 2 Sam. 10. Ye know what it cost, it cost above 40. thousand mens lives. The Ro­mans slue the Illyrians and the Tarentines, for mis-u­sing of their Embassadors, and as Cicero sayes, our Ancestors sayes he, for this very thing destroyed all Corinth. For alas how could Princes deale with one another, if Embassadours should not goe safe, and be hearkened unto? Therefore Em­bassadors must be regarded. When Scipio Africanus tooke a ship full of Carthaginians, though he meant to rifle all they had, yet when they said they were Embassadors, he would not meddle with them. True, they were not, they did but counterfeit, that so they might escape. But yet you may see how inviolable Embassadors were, the least indignity offe­red to them, was punisht as if it had beene offered to the person of that Prince, that they did sustaine. Well then, how doe we thinke will the Lord take it at peoples hands, [Page 127] that his Embassadors are abused, and disobeyed, that people will not diligently come to them, and acknowledge their er­rands, and yeeld obedience to him, no Nation under heaven hath had more Embassadors from Heaven then we have had, and though some have hearkened to them, yet for the most part they meete with Ammonitish dealings they are disfigu­red, and mocked, and laded with indignities, denyed to de­liver their message, every paltry rascals complaint admitted against them, none walke in so much danger as they, none more shot at, then they; scarce any will heare them and sub­mit to their Embassage, and those few that doe, are counted the only factious people, and pestilent fellows in the land, O, what wrath is there against us for these things▪ For this very cause, the Lord plagued all Judah even because they would not listen to Gods Embassadors that he sent to them earely and late, as the Prophet speakes. Jer. 29. 17, 18, 19. Thus sayth the Lord of Hoasts. Behold I will send upon thee the sword, the famine and the Pestilence, and will make them like vile Figges, that cannot be eaten they are so evill, and I will persecute them with the sword, with the famine and with the Pestilence, and I will deliver them to be removed to all the Kingdomes of the earth, to be a curse, and an astonishment and an hissing and a reproach, among all Nations whither I have driven them. Mark now; what is the reason, why God would doe thus? Because they have not hearkened to my Word, saith the Lord, which I sent unto them by my servants the Prophets, rising up early and sending them, but yee would not heare sayth the Lord. This was the reason, why God would plague them so grievously, because they would not listen to his Embassadors that he sent them for their good. The like we reade of the ten Tribes: the Lord powred his vengeance on them too for this very reason, because they would not heare his Embassadors, there­fore the Lord cast them out of his sight, and flung them away from being his people and hee would never be their God more, the place is 2 King. 17. 13, 14, 15. The Lord testified [Page 128] against Israel & Judah, by all the Prophets & Seers, saying, Turne ye from your evill wayes and keepe my Commandments and my Statutes, according to all the Law which I commanded your fathers notwithstanding they would not heare, but hardned their necks, like to the neck of their Fathers, and did not beleeve in the Lord their God, and they rejected his Statutes and his Cove­nant, that he made with their Fathers. Mark, this was the cause why the Lord was so angry with them, and removed them out of his sight. Because they would not doe as his Embassadors did command them in his name. Now as God hath let out his fury upon them for not attending to his Em­bassadors, so he hath done, and daily doth and will yet more doe upon us. For though for temporall Judgements, God be patient and forbearing, beyond all admiration, we feele yet no Sword, no Famine, no Pestilence, we may be astonisht to see how long suffering he his, O if we had the grace to con­sider of it, neverthelesse the Lord is effusing out upon us the very dregges of his Cup, he fats us up for his eternall ire, he hath done converting of our hearers, he hath done blessing of our Sermons, he hath made us Loammies, and Toruha­mahs, & turned us into a generation of his wrath. You whose eyes God hath opened, whose hearts God hath inclined unto him, whose Consciences God hath purged and Sancti­fied and made you Saints. Blesse him and praise his holy name, and make more of his infinit grace and goodnesse. For it is to be feared God will now adde no more to your mumber, he delivers people now to a reprobate sence, he re­solves to be revenged on our land in fire and Brimstone, for the contempt of his glorious Gospell, that hath beene preached so long a time. He lets men fill up the measure of their sins, that those that are filthy may be filthy still, those that are drunkards may be drunkards still, those that are led with their lusts, shall be so still, to the intent that he may bring upon the world, all the fiercenesse of his spirituall and everlasting wrath, and that he may revenge the quarrell of [Page 129] his Covenant, and the labors of so many Embassadors, whom he hath sent unto you, and ye would not heare. O that this might move some of your soules, that so ye might prevent this dreadfull judgement and be plucked out like Brandes out of the Burning.

Fifthly, Another Use is, are Gods Ministers, his Embas­sadors?Use 5. then they must Preach no mercy at all, unto such as wilfully stand out against Jesus Christ. When Antony was a Rebell, O sayes Tully, it is not fit to send him Embassa­dors of Peace, to treat with him of Peace; as Theseus said once: Goe, sayes hee, and tell Creon, Theseus offers thee a gracious offer; Yet I am pleased to bee friends, if thou wilt submit. This is my first message: But if this offer prevaile not, look for me to be up in Armes. So, Beloved, Gods of­fers of peace have been made already, again, and again, and they have been rejected. Now his Embassadors must cry. Armes, Blood, and fire, and pillars of smoak. At the first God dealt with us, as Tullus with his Enemies, Quae verbis componere potuit, armis non decrevit: as long as hee could reconcile them with his word, they should not have his blows: So the Lord hath dealt with us, at the first he per­swaded us with the promises of his Word, now seeing no more can be gotten in that way, hee will have his Ministers lay the axe at the rootes, to hew down, and to destroy, and to slay people with the sword of his lips. Doe not wonder, when we preach hell and damnation to all rebellious soules▪ You will say, here is nothing but judgement, Preachers send us all to the devill, they preach, as if they would drive us to despaire: they should put in, except wee repent.

I Answer, it is enough now to understand it; when the Gospel hath been a long time in a place, Gods Embassadors must hold out the black flagge: when Tamberlane had hung out his White flagge, and that would not doe, and his Red flagge, and that would not doe neither; then he hung out his Black flagge. Now look for no mercy. So, Christs [Page 130] Embassadours should doe. When Paul knew that the Gospel was contemned in Corinth, the white and red flagge had cea­sed to doe good; You see how hee hung out his black one. Know yee not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdome of God. Bee not deceived, No idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effe­minate, nor railers, nor covetous, shall ever inherit the King­dome of God, 1 Cor. 6. 9, 10. He does not put in, now except yee repent; no, no, now look for no mercy. So the Apostle John. The fearfull, and unbeleevers, and whoremongers, and lyers shall be cast into the Lake that burnes with fire and brim­stone, Rev. 21. 8. hee does not put in, except ye repent: if we should bee ever putting in, except yee repent, and conclud­ing with mercy upon condition of repentance, what would hard-hearted people say? O wee had a terrible Sermon to day, but the Preacher gave us comfort in the closure, he had a sweet bit at the last, and thus they heale all again. Nay, when people grow once to be stubborn, then Prophets have been so farre from putting in except yee repent, or any other tearm of mercy, that they used to meet with the peoples pre­sumption of repentance. So Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, and o­thers, they threaten destruction to the wicked, and they adde this above all, though they cry for mercy, nay, though they fast, and could get Noah, and Samuel, and Job and Daniel to pray for them, yet they shall have no mercy: q. d. ye think to avoid these judgements, by repenting another day; no, no, when yee cry for mercy, yee shall not have it. When a Na­tion, or a Parish, or any people grow perverse, and have re­jected the sweet tenders of mercy, Gods Embassadors are to look upon such wretches as rebels; no indenting with them more, no tearms of peace more, as the Law sayes, with Pi­rates, and Traytors, and Rebels, the Law of Armes is not to bee observed, as Baldus speaks, they have broken the league, as Florus speaks: when Spartacus the Rebell, desired an Em­bassage of peace, hee would faine have Crassus contract a league with him, Crassus scorned the motion; when Talfari­nas [Page 131] that egregious Robber and Traytour, sent an Embassa­dor with treaty of Peace to Tiberius the Emperour, Tiberi­us took it with indignation, that hee should bee so sawey with him. No Embassage of peace is to be made with rebellious wretches; wee need not put in, except yee repent, when we are to deal with such; No, no, when ye grow once to despise reproof, see you to that. True, if yee doe repent, who knows what God will doe? Though Crassus would not parlee with Spartacus about peace, yet when hee did repent indeed, hee received him to mercy. So will God doe with you. But in the mean time, know that the God of Heaven is at defiance with you, and all the curses in his Book, are directed against the face of you. Yee have played the deaf Adder, against the gracious tenders of mercy from day to day, and there­fore see your damned condition. The Embassadors of Christ have not one tittle of mercy of you, if we could see you melt, and cry out, and down on your knees, and your hearts turn, and your spirits sink down before God, then wee might say something unto you; therefore, Brethren, if the Ministers of the Gospel doe daily preach more and more judgement, doe not think much, they ought so to doe.

Sixtly, and Lastly, one Use to you that feare God, andUse 6. beleeve his Embassadors, and are besought by them. Let me say to you, as the Prophet Isaiah said, Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voyce of his servants, that walketh in darknesse, and hath no light, let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God, Esa. 50. 10. that is, bee of good comfort, though all the world, and all the devills in hell bee against you, yet bee of good cheare; what, although yee meet with never so many temptations, and feares, such a fogge of them, that ye can see no light, yet it shall assured­ly goe well with you. Though others have not come in at the preaching of the Word, ye have. Howbeit others will not reform, will not see the Lords hand lifted up, they will not acknowledge their sins and sinfull doings, and damned [Page 132] case, yet ye have. Yee have seen it, and felt it, and run to the throne of Grace, and have sought the Lord, according as Gods Embassadors have directed you out of his Word, yee have feared God, and obeyed the voyce of his servants, though others make a mock of such as will be ruled by Prea­ers; tush, they shall not curb mee, sayes one, and they shall not controll mee, sayes another. What, does hee think to lead mee in a string? Yet yee doe fear God, and yee dare not stand out against the preaching of his servants, yee de­sire that yee may ever practise their Word, and lead your lives according to it, what ever others doe. Bee of good chear, sayes the Prophet, The Lord is your God, and doe yee stay your selves on him. the Doctrine that God hath sent un­to you by the Ministery of his servants, is the only Doctrine of Salvation, and therein yee shall finde eternall life.

THese words are the Subscription of the Letter, unto the Angell of Sardis, containing a description of Christ, from whom the Letter is sent. Now Christ is here descri­bed, according to the matter in hand, from two royalties of his; first, That he hath the seven Spirits of God, that is, he hath the giving of the Holy Ghost, and all his gifts and graces to whomsoever he pleaseth; Secondly, that He hath the se­ven Starres, that is, hee hath the disposing of the Ministers of the Church. And this, I told you, is to bee meant divers wayes. Christ is said to have the Ministers of the Church five wayes. First, hee hath the sending of them, they have their Mission from him. Secondly, hee hath the delegating of them, they have their Commission from him. Thirdly, bee hath the gifting of them, they have their abilities from [Page 133] him. Fourthly, hee hath the prospering of them, they have the successe of their labours from him. Fifthly, he hath the keeping of them, they are put into a place, continued, or re­moved, they have their liberty from him, and when they are put downe or silenced, it is he that does doe it.

The two first I have handled already; first, that he hath the sending of them; Secondly, that he hath the delegating of them. I come now to the third, Hee hath the gifting of them; look what good gifts and abilities they have, they have them all of him. As Paul sayes, Hee hath made us able Ministers of the New Testament, not of the Letter, but of the Spirit, 2 Cor. 3. 6. and this was one of the ends of his Ascen­sion, as the Apostle sayes, Hee ascended up on high, and led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men, Ephes. 4. 8. that is, this was one end of his ascending up to Heaven, that hee might send down gifts unto his Church. Now what gifts does hee mean? True, hee sends gifts to all his true Mem­bers, but he meanes the gifting of his Ministers, as it fol­lows: And hee gave some Apostles, and some Prophets, and some Evangelists, and some Pastours and teachers, for the per­fecting of the Saints, for the work of the Ministery; and so forth, ver. 11, 12.

And the truth is, it is not without cause, for of all men, wee that are the Ministers of Jesus Christ, have need of sin­gular and rare gifts and abilities.

First, To open the Scriptures: the Scriptures are a great deep, and they have under the Letter, much admirable spi­rituall matter encouched, and many things are hard in them as Peter sayes, And a Minister is to open them, and to give out the sense, as it is said of the Priests, They read the Law distinctly, and gave out the sense, and made the people to under­stand the Reading, Nehem. 8. 8. Now if a Minister have not gifts from Jesus Christ, what madde work will hee make? the Scripture will bee a clasped book unto him, and a Foun­tain sealed up. Like the Philistines, that in three daies could [Page 134] not expound Sampsons Riddle. It is said of Christ, that he opened the Scriptures, Luk. 24. 32. The Scriptures are shut, and contain Mysteries folded and lapped up, now the Mini­ster had need of abilities to open them.

Secondly, To Teach; as a Minister is to open the Scrip­tures, which requireth great gifts: so, he is to teach the peo­ple out of them, to draw Doctrines out of the same, and this requireth great gifts too, to informe the judgement, to let out the light of the Word, to scatter the beames of the Sun of righteousnesse abroad, to dispel the darknesse of mens minds, to shine round about them in spirituall knowledge. This is a work of much ability, as the Apostle speaks to Timothy, the things which thou hast heard of mee, the same commit thou to faithfull men, who shall bee able to teach others, 2 Tim. 2. 2. and therefore it is called Prophecying. Despise not Prophecying, that is, despise not Teaching, a man had need of a speciall gift, to be able to Prophesie, so, if a man would be a Teach­er; when Nicodemus would expresse what an able Teacher Christ was, sayes hee, Thou art a teacher come from God. A man had need to be one that hath been with God, that would teach aright. There is a gift of fitnesse and aptnesse, with­out which a man cannot doe it. The servant of the Lord must bee apt to teach, 2 Tim. 2. 24. the Apostle tells us, there bee heapes of naughty teachers in the world, a good teacher is a rare man, it cannot bee without all wisdome, as hee sayes, Teaching every man in all wisdome, Col. 1. 28. we are to teach people the learning of the holy, how to know God, how to fear him, and love him. Wee are to teach people how to pray, how to walk in all holines and righteousnes of living: the great things of Gods Law, the deep things of the Spirit, the mysteries of eternall life, to open the wiles of Satan, the mistakes of the hearts of men, the many by-wayes of the soule, ye know sin is covered over with pleasures, and pro­fits, and carnall reasons, and evasions, and we are to lay it out naked, as indeed it is. Gracious and godly courses, seem [Page 135] grievous, and irksome, and uncouth, and vile, and needlesse, and we are to discover the inward pleasure, and commodity, and necessity and glory of them, and therfore wee have need of abilities.

Thirdly, to Convince, yee know how the heart does use to put off the Word, and if it meet with a doctrine, or a re­proof, or a precept, that it does not like, it will deny it, it will cavill and carp, O, it is false, as Johanan and others said to Jeremiah, it is false you doe not say true, wee will never beleeve it. When wee paint out a drunkards damned estate, he is ready to gainsay it, or an adulterers, he is ready to except, people contradict such passages of the Word, as are against their lusts, and they give us very little better then the lye, many times, therefore a Minister should bee able to convince, that he may be able by sound doctrine, both to ex­hort, and to convince the gain-sayers, Tit. 1. 9. when peo­ple are subject to condemn us for harshnesse, and hard say­ings, and that we doe not preach placentia enough, we must be able to use some speech that cannot be condemned, Tit. 2. 8. when a Minister preaches weakly, Sermons like wide nets, or rotten threads, that the Birds may get through or break, this is not able preaching, as Zwinglius said of Carolostadius, when he heard him disputing weakly against consubstantia­tion, O, sayes he, I am sorry that so good a cause should have such a weak defendant. It is said of Apollos, that hee mightily convinced the Jewes. Stephen, the University-men there, that came huddling about him, they were not able to withstand the Spirit, and the wisdome by which hee spake, Act. 6. 10. it is the promise of our Saviour, I will give you a mouth and wisdome, which all your adversaries shall not bee able to gainsay, or resist, Luk. 21. 15.

Fourthly, to move the affections, Ministers have need of abilities to move the affections of their hearers; not only to informe their judgements, but also to work upon their affe­ctions, not onely to illighten their understanding, but also [Page 136] to stirre up their hearts, as Peter sayes, I think it meet as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stirre you up, 2 Pet. 1. 13. a Mi­nister is to stirre up his people, to stirre their hearts and af­fections: hee may preach a wholsome Sermon, and the hear­ers bee like Mill-posts, and not stirred a jot: Paul laboured to stirre affections too: Knowing therefore the terrour of the Lord, we perswade men, 2 Cor. 5. 11. that is, wee labour to work upon your affections, and therefore Christ sent a Sera­phim with a live coale unto the Prophet Isaiah, to touch his lips, Esa. 6. 6. he had need of live coales in his lips, to fire the affections of his auditory; So, hee sent the Holy Ghost down upon his Apostles in fiery tongues, without this the in­formation of the judgement is little worth. Religion con­sists more in the will and the affections of men, then in any other faculty of the soule. I confesse the Minister must shine too; I, but he must heat too. John the Baptist was a burning and a shining light.

Fifthly, To speak Pro re natâ, a Minister hath need of ex­temporary abilities, sometimes hee shall bee called before Councills, hee preaches such doctrine as angers the world, and therefore he is in danger to be had before Councills, and therefore hee had need to have an extemporary facul­ty, that he may answer as hee sees cause, as Christ sayes, When they deliver you up, take no thought, how or what yee shall speak, for it shall bee given you in that same houre, what yee shall speak, Matth. 10. 19. sometimes to preach upon short warn­ing, as Augustine did, when hee relyed upon his Brother Se­verus, to Preach for him, hee not comming, hee was faine to goe up extempore himself, and so hee preacht upon the 95 Psalme; So; when there was a suddain judgement of God that fell out there in Hippo, though Augustine had preacht twice that very day before, yet he went up again, and preach­ed the third time: O, sayes hee, doe not wonder, my deare Brethren, Si hodie ter Sermonem, &c. doe not wonder that I preach thrice this same time, it is not without cause, &c. A­gain, [Page 137] a Minister may be put upon it as Philip was by the Eunuch, concerning the meaning of a place of Scripture to speake of it at first sight, & a Minister must not only have this knowledge in his note-book, but in his lips; that is, to be in a readinesse upon every occasion. His lips must preserve know­ledge. Mal. 2. 7. Sometimes he may come among his people, he may light upon their company by chance, now if he have not good abilities, he cannot doe the part of a Minister. As Paul sayes, I long to see you, to impart unto you some spirituall gift, Rom. 1. 11. A Minister when he sees his people, he should be a well-stored man, to impart some spirituall thing or other to them, a word of instruction, a word of exhortation, a word of admonition, when he does but see them, he should be able to drop something among them.

Sixtly, to observe seasons, to be able to make choice of speciall Texts for speciall occasions. For howsoever all Scrip­tures are full of divine and Heavenly truths; yet some Scrip­tures sit some persons and some occasions better than other­some. Aarons bells must be wisely rung, sometimes in one tune, sometimes in another as the occasion serves. A Minister is to change his note, as the circumstances do require. A Steward in a family must have aswell wisedome to Minister every owne his portion in due season, as fidelity to dispence his Masters goods. A word fitly spoken in due time, is like Apples of Gold in pictures of Silver, Pro. 25. 11. The very Heathen man Commends much [...] When a man speakes in due season. S. Paul had this gift, in all his prea­ching to ponder all circumstances, who, and what, and where, & when, & how. I made my self a servant unto all, saies, he that I might gain the more, To the Jewes I became as a Jew that I might gain the Jewes: to them that are under he Law, as under the Law, that I might gaine them that are under the Law. To the weak I be­came as weake that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. 1 Cor. 9. 22. To Be­loved, we are the ministers of God, and we have need of abi­lities [Page 138] to fit our doctrine to the present time and occasions and persons, that we may profit hearers. When the Apostle came to Athens, he tooke his Text according to the present hint. He found an Altar with this inscription, To the unknown God, and so he spake of that. Act. 17. 23, 24. He tooke occasion from thence to speake of the God of Heaven and Earth to them. When our Saviour Christ saw the woman of Samaria come to draw water, hee tooke opportunitie to preach unto her of the living water. Joh. 4. 10. Ministeriall gifts are for this very purpose as the Prophet sayes. The Lord hath given me the tongue of the learned that I should know how to speake a word in season. Isa. 50. 4. It is noted of John Baptist, that when he saw the Scribes and Pharises came in to heare him, he had about with them. O generation of Vipers, who hath forewarned you to slie from the wrath to come, q. d. What do you make here? yee are Hypocrites, ye are vile wretched persons; repent or else you'l to hell. This was now in due season. So when a Drunkard comes in, we should let fly at him. Weepe and howle yee drunkards. See what God saies of you: to whom is wo but to you? See what the Scripture sayes of your courses, yee shall never inherit Gods Kingdome, none of you, as the A­postle speaks. So, when Whoremongers step in, we should give them their doome, O ye Whoremongers & Adulterers, God will judge you one day. This is like the former and the lat­ter Raine. Then it comes, when the ground hath need of it. So when a Minister observes seasons, then the word comes, when the soule hath need of it. It comes pat, as we say, Then people may see a speciall providence in it. I see a speciall provi­dence of God that the Minister should speak of such a Theme this day, that he should hit so right upon my sin; when a man hath beene cozening, then to come to Church and there heare of it againe: When a man hath beene swearing and lying, then to turne in to the preacher, and heare of that very sinne, and the danger of it, and the damned estate of the commit of it: When a man hath beene thinking to do evill, then to sit [Page 139] in his seat and heare his evill ript up, and all his secrets laid open, and wo to you wretch, that devise evill, the Lord knowes your devilish intentions, ye are thinking to be reven­ged, but God will be revenged on you, ye are minding to go by-and-by to such a piece of villany, but the Lord will find you out. This is preaching in season. So when a soule can­not be cast downe, but when he comes to a Sermon, there he meets with his owne case, his temptations are treated of wine and oyle is powred into his wounds, this is to preach in due season. O what gifts had a Minister need to have! He had need of daily inflvence from God: Daily instincts, that God should guide his tongue and his heart. Now, Belo­ved, it is Christ alone that gifts all his true Ministers. I will be with thy mouth, saies he to Moses.

The use of this is. First, here we see that a Minister had notUse 1. need be a foole, no; no, he that winneth soules, is wise, Pro. 11. 30. he must be a wise man that would be a Minister, it re­quires more then humaine wisedome to catch soules, when the heart hath so many put-offs, so many deceits, so many strongholds, so loth to obey the word, so subtill to invent excuses, so crafty to thrust away the truth; There is some wis­dome required to catch fishes, and birdes, and vermine; how much more, to catch men! who is sufficient for these things? The best of us all may blush to thinke how unfit we are to be Ministers. O how should we blesse God, if he fit any of us in any suitable measure! and when we have done our best, we had need to goe home, and downe on our knees, and cry shame on our selves for not doing better.

Secondly, Then they are none of Christs Ministers that areUse 2. not gifted for this mighty worke. Will he send a foole on such a waighty Message as this is? He that sendeth a Message by the hand of a foole, cutteth off the feet and drinketh dammage, Pro. 26. 6. That is, if a man have a businesse of any great impor­tance, He had not need to imploy a foole in it, lest he suffer great dammage. It is all one as if one should chop off ones [Page 140] feet & then bid him go on our errand. O, Beloved, preaching of the Gospell is a worke of infinit importance, the humbling of mens hearts, the convincing of consciences, the converting of mens Soules, these are great businesses, doubtlesse they are no Fooles that Christ sends on such errands. True, all Christs Mi­nisters are not alike gifted, some have meaner gifts then other­some have, but he that hath least, he is fitted in some measure to dispence divine mysteries, to call home Gods elect, to build up the called, to judge all his hearers, to stop the mouthes of gain­sayers, to hew down the obstinate, to shew unto men the things belonging to their peace, to give the Saints their due, and the wicked their due. That a good man cannot come, but he shall have heavenly meat to feed on: Nor a wretch neither, but his Ministery wil single him out & give him his bit to chew upon. He that cannot doe this in any measure, he is none of Christs Ministers. Surely he will not send such a Message by a fooles hand, but either he makes him a wise able man, or else he runs without his sending.

Thirdly, then my Brethren, hence we learn whether to go forUse 3. gifts, if we would be enabled to our calling, let us goe to Jesus Christ that hath the seven stars in his hands, he can make our inflvences strong, and our light & heate mighty, he can give us a gift of boldnesse to feare no mens faces. He can unty our stammering tongues that we shall have liberty in speaking. He can make our tongues a sharpe sword. He can make us sons of consolation unto some, & of thunder, unto others. If we want knowledge in the mysterie of Christ, let us make our wants knowne unto him, & he will instill into us. If we want words, he can make them flow in unto us. If we want affections, he can purge away our iniquities & fire our hearts & lips. While the Apostles were together at prayer. Act. 1. 14. suddenly the Lord Jesus sent them the gift of the holy Ghost in fiery cloven tongues Act. 2. While Paul and Silas were praying in the prison, the Lord backt them from Heaven, & made them instruments of turning the heart of the Goaler. Let us pray, then, not only in our [Page 141] Pulpits before our Sermons, but also in secret, God giveth the greatest gifts in secret, and like man revealeth himself a­part: as secret meales make a fat body, so does secret prayer, it makes a well-liking soule.

Again, this should teach us to stirre up the gifts that heeUse 4. gives us: Wee should labour to put them forth, a man may lose the benefit of Christs gifts, for want of rouzing up him­self, and putting of them forth, as Paul sayes to Timothy, I put thee in remembrance that thou stirre up the gift of God, which is in thee, by the putting on of hands, 2 Tim. 1. 6. wee must stir up the gift in us. When Father Isaac would prophecy to his Sons, hee stirred up his spirit with savoury meat. When E­lisha would Prophecy before the three Kings, hee called for a Minstrell to stirre up the spirit of Prophecy in him. Debo­rah cryes, awake, awake, Deborah; Awake, O my soule, sayes David. When Christ would pray to his Father, the Text shews, how hee stirred up himself, These things spake Jesus, and lift up his eyes unto heaven, Joh. 17. 1. He lift up his soule and his spirit, as Sampson went and shook himself, if his spi­rit had been in him it had been well, but like a foole he had driven him away. But it should seem, when hee had the spi­rit in him, this was his wont, hee shooke himself as at other times, hee used to stirre up the Spirit in him, so wee should stirre up the Spirit in us, wee should rouze up our gifts, like sparks out of the ashes, and bestirre our selves soundly, re­misse using of them, lets them warpe and wane.

Again, wee should labour to relye more upon Christ, weUse 5. trust too much to our notes; but, O if wee could trust more to Christ, thats warmest matter that comes down from hea­ven in the speaking, not that wee should leave all without study, till wee come into our Pulpits: No, prepare as much as wee can. But then if we would trust in Christ for his pre­sent assistance, and yearn up to him for prompting, it would make our Ministery more lively. When a Sermon is an ef­fect of Faith, thats it that does most good: then Christs Spi­rit [Page 142] Preaches, and not wee, as the Prophet David sayes, The Spirit of the Lord spake by mee, 2 Sam. 23. 2.

Again, this should teach the people of God, if they would have their Ministers inabled indeed, to doe their soules good; that they should pray for them, that Christ would mor fur­nish them. How often does the Apostle tell the people, that Ministers might have greater gifts, if they had a heart! O sayes hee, Pray for mee, that I may have utterance, and that I may speak boldly, to make known the mystery of the Gospel, E­phes. 6. 19. q. d. if yee have a heart to pray, I doe verily think that I shall bee the more assisted, a great deale. Our Chariot drives the more heavily, because it wants the wheels of your Prayers, and the truth is, God uses to punish people thus, that because they are dead and dull, and have no heart, and are weary of the Word; therefore hee with-holds from the Minister on purpose, to plague them back again; as God told Ezekiel, Son of man, thou shalt bee dumb, and when thou wouldst reprove, thou shalt be tongue-tyed, thy tongue shall cleave to the roof of thy mouth: now mark the reason; why? for they are a rebellious house, Ezek. 3. 26. Mark, it was long of Judahs sinnes that the Prophet Ezekiel was tongue-tyed and locked up: An excellent Minister, and yet straitned for the peoples sinnes.

O, Beloved, I will tell you what would enlarge our hearts and our gifts towards you. First, if you would more flock to the Word, and attend. It is said in Matth. 5. 1, 2. That Christ seeing the multitude, Hee opened his mouth, that is, he was the more inlarged to Preach, upon the sight of such a great auditory. Who would not cast his net amidst multi­tudes of sishes? The Text sayes, When Christ saw the multi­tude, hee had compassion on them. So, if Ministers could see all their Parish come in, all that might hear; the sight of such a multitude would stirre up pity. O would wee think, O what a goodly company is here! O it is pity but they should have somewhat, O if I could win some of you. There may [Page 143] bee a lust in this thing, and wee must take heed of it too, lest we be tickled with flockings, or discouraged with thin Pewes. This is pride, but yet there is a truth in this. What a shame is it, that there should bee fewer of our own Parish every Lecture-day, than of strangers? is it not just with God to make the brests dry, when the Children care not for suck­ing?

Secondly, if God had more among you to bee saved, as God said to Paul, concerning Corinth, Bee not afraid, speak, hold not thy peace, I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee, I have much people in this City, Act. 18. 10. this opened Pauls mouth, this made him finde abundance of as­sistance from Christ, because God had much people there.

Thirdly, if you would hear with alacrity, and with a rea­dy and a greedy minde. When Cornelius and his company were all listening, and earnest to hear, and to hearken, O say they; Speak Peter, wee are all here before God, to hear every thing thou speakest. Then Peter opened his mouth, Act. 10. 33, 34. But when people look dully, and blockishly, and sit sleepily and drowsily, as though they were weary of hearing, and cared not whether they heard or no; Nay, this is the reason why the Devils instruments are so bold to oppose the Ministery of God, they see they are not much cared for, none but here one, and there one, a sort of precise fooles: whereas, if peo­ple would bee eager to hear over all the land, they durst not meddle with them, as it is said of our Saviour, the Chiefe Priests, and the Scribes sought to destroy him, but they could not finde what they might doe, For all the people were very attentive to hear him, Luc. 19. 48.

Fourthly, if yee would bee fruitfull in obedience, and in learning; this would put life into our Prayers at home, this would quicken our labours and paines in the Pulpit. The ve­ry hope of having fruite, made Paul very eager to come to Rome, Rom. 1. 13. The very thought that the people are gra­cious, and godly, and fruitfull, carries the Preacher beyond [Page 144] himself. Nay, its strange to consider, how, when the Mi­nister knows hee hath but one understanding judicious hear­er, one gracious Soule in his Parish, it provokes him very much, it makes him look about him the more, a great deale: How much more, when there be many such? But when a Parish is senselesse, and heavy, and froward, it is unspeaka­ble to consider how it straitens a Minister. Let a man be to pray in a meeting, where they bee gracelesse, and dull, and hardly any almost godly, hee cannot tell what to say almost, hee is not himself. Whereas, if he were to pray among them that hee knows can savour gracious things, there hee hath more liberty to let out himself.

THe Doctrine we continue yet in, is, That Christ hath the seven Stars, he hath all the Ministers of the Church. I told you he is said to have them five wayes. First, hee hath the sending of them; they have their Mission from him. Se­condly, hee hath the delegating of them; they have their Commission from him. Thirdly, hee hath the gifting of them; they have their abilities from him. Fourthly, hee hath the prospering of them; they have the successe of their labours from him. Fifthly, he hath the disposing of them, either for placing, or removing, for freedome, or restraint.

The first three I have handled already; the last whereof was this; That Hee hath the gifting of his Ministers; As Paul sayes, Hee hath made us able Ministers of the New Testa­ment, 2 Cor. 3. 6. This was one of the ends of his Ascension; Hee ascended up on high, hee led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men, Ephes. 4. 8. Thus the Text sayes of the A­postles, [Page 145] they preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signes following, Mark. 16. 20. So Paul had great gifts, and abilities, which he calls the signes of an Apostle. Truely, the signes of an Apostle were wrought among you, in all patience, with signes and wonders, and mighty deeds, 2 Cor. 12. 12. they that are not competently, at the least, gifted for the Ministery, they shew no signe that they are the Ministers of Jesus Christ. Christ gives all his Ministers a gift of utterance, a gift of speaking to the Consci­ence, a gift of dividing of the Word aright, mighty deeds. They may all say to the people, Truely, the signes of a Mini­ster of Jesus Christ hath been wrought among you. These gifts are the witnesses, whereby he gives witnesse to a man, that hee comes from God to a people, as Paul sayes, God al­so bearing them witnesse, both with signes and wonders, and with divers Miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will, Heb. 2. 4. I confesse such wonders and Miracles are now ceased; I, but the gifts of the Holy Ghost, are powred out still upon all the true Ministers of Christ, and these are Gods witnesses, that people may know they are sent of Je­sus Christ.

I shewed you how Ministers have need of excellent and rare gifts; I, and you have need that they should bee well­gifted, that so they may be able to doe you good:

First, for the interpreting of the Scriptures, they are a sea­led and a clasped booke, they are shut up naturally to a man. It is said of Christ, that He opened the Scriptures, Luc. 24. 32. So, a Minister had need of gifts to open the Scriptures; to give out the sense, as the Priests in Nehemiah did, St. John wept, when no man could open the sealed book. When a Pa­rish hath a Minister that cannot open the sealed Book, it is enough to make good people weep and lament.

Secondly, they have need of gifts to teach. He that would teach, had need to be an able man, as the Apostle sayes, that are able to teach, 2 Tim. 2. 2. The servant of the Lord must bee [Page 146] apt to teach, 2 Tim. 2. 24. there is a gift of fitnesse and apt­nesse, without which a man cannot be a good teacher.

Thirdly, they have need of gifts to be able to convince, it requires a great art to speak irrefragably to mens mindes. Many truthes the hearts of men doe not like, and therefore they labour to put them off. And therefore a Minister had need of a gift of convincing, That he may be able by sound Do­ctrine to convince the gainsayers, Tit. 1. 9. as it is said of Ste­phen, they were not able to withstand the spirit, and the wisdome by which he spake, Act. 6. 10.

Fourthly, to move the affections; a Minister is not onely to informe mens judgements, but also to work on their affe­ctions, as Peter sayes, I think it meet as long as I am in this ta­bernacle, to stirre you up, 2 Pet. 1. 13. a Minister is to stirre up his people, to stirre their hearts and affections: as Paul sayes: Knowing therefore the terrour of the Lord, we perswade men, 2 Cor. 5. 11. that is, wee labour to stirre your affe­ctions, Christ sent a Seraphim with a live coale to touch Isaiah his lips, Esa. 6. 6. we had need of fire coales in our lips, to heat your affections. Religion consists in the will and affections of men, more then in any other faculty of the soule.

Fifthly, To speak Pro re natâ, a Minister hath need of ex­temporary abilities, to bee able upon short warning, when Severus, Augustines Brother, failed him one day, hee was faine to goe up extempore into the Pulpit himself and Preach. A Minister may come into the company of his people, now if hee bee not habitually furnisht, how unprofitable will hee bee? Saint Paul sayes, when he came among his people, he would impart unto them some spirituall gift, Rom. 1. 11.

Sixthly, A Minister had need of abilities to observe sea­sons, that Aarons bells may be wisely rung, sometimes in one tune, sometimes in another, as occasion serves, A word sitly spoken in due time, is like apples of gold, in pictures of silver, Prov. 25. 11.

[Page 147]The use of this was First, here we see that a Minister hadUse 1. not need be a foole, no; he must bee a well-gifted man. He that winneth soules is wise, Pro. 11. 30. hee must bee one that may winne soules, and therefore he must be a wise man, when the heart hath so many wiles, and so many put-offs, and so many evasions, and distinctions, and excuses, and strong­holds, hee had need bee a wise man that will goe about to catch it. There is some wisdome required to catch birdes, and beasts, and fishes, and vermine; because they are all sub­till in their kinde, how much more, to catch the heart? This is Onus humeris angelorum for midandum, as Chrysost. speaks. Who is sufficient for these things, sayes the Apostle? 2 Cor. 2. 16. The best of us all may blush to thinke how unfit we are to bee Ministers: and therefore how should wee blesse God, if he fit any of us in any suitable measure?

Secondly, another Use was, Then they are none of ChristsUse 2. Ministers that are not gifted for this mighty worke. Will he send a foole on such a weighty Message as this is? Hee that sendeth a Message by the hand of a foole, cutteth off the feet and drinketh dammage, Prov. 26. 6. There is great dammage in the Church, because so many fooles have the handling of Gods message. But I let this passe.

Thirdly, Hence we learn then, whether to goe for gifts, ifUse 3. we would be inabled to our callings, let us goe to our Lord Jesus Christ, that hath the seven Starres in his hands, he can make our influences strong, our light mighty; he can give us a gift of boldnesse, to fear no mans face; Hee can untye our stammering tongues, that they shall have liberty in speak­ing, that words may flow in; Hee can make our tongues a sharpe sword; Hee can fire our hearts and lips. While the Apostles were together in prayer, Act. 1. 14. the Lord Jesus Christ sent down the Holy Ghost on them in fiery tongues, Act. 2. 1.

Fourthly, This should teach us to stirre up the gifts thatUse 4. hee gives us; we should strive to put them all forth, as Paul [Page 148] sayes to Timothy, Stirre up the gift that is in thee by the putting on of hands, 2 Tim. 1. 6. we must stirre up the gift that is in us: when father Isaac would Prophesie to his sons, he stir­red up his spirit with savoury meat: when Elishah would Prophecy before the three Kings, he called for a sacred Min­strell, to stirre up the Spirit of Prophecy in him: so Samp son used to goe and shake himself, when he went against the Phi­listims; as Deborah, while she was at her work in Gods wor­ship: Awake, awake Deborah, sayes shee; shee shook up her self; wee should labour to use all our gifts to the full, as the Apostle sayes, Make full proof of thy Ministery, 2 Tim. 4. 5. so, wee should make full proof of every one of our gifts, put them out to the utmost. Ministers should be able to say, as Paul does, I have fully preached the Gospel of Christ, Rom. 15. 19. to preach fully, to convince fully, to exhort fully, fully to terrifie the hearts of the wicked, not to use our gifts by halves. O, how shall wee answer it, if we let our gifts rust for want of sound using of them?

Fifthly, Wee should rely more on Christ, we may trustUse 5. too much to our notes; but, O that we could trust more in Christ, that is warmest matter that comes down from Hea­ven in the speaking, not that we should leave all without stu­dy, till wee come into our Pulpits, and then hope to have it given us in that moment; No, we must prepare as much as we can: as Solomon sayes, Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thy self in the field, and afterwards build thy house, Pro. 24. 27. So, we must prepare our Sermons, and make them fit for our people in our studies, and then come and preach them, Give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to Doctrine, sayes the Apostle, 1 Tim. 4. 13. God gives gifts by meanes, but then if we would trust Christ for his present assistance, and [...]erne up to him for prompting, it would make our Ministe­ry more lively. When a Sermon is an act of Faith, that's it that does most good, then Christs Spirit Preaches, and not wee, then, then God speaks, and not our notes, as the Pro­phet [Page 149] David sayes, The Spirit of the Lord spake by mee, 2 Sam. 23. 2.

Sixthly, this should teach the people of God, if theyUse 6. would have their Ministers inabled indeed, to doe their soules good; to pray for them, that Christ would more furnish them. How often does the Apostle tell the people, that Mini­sters might have greater gifts, if they had a heart! O sayes hee, Pray for mee, that I may have utterance, and that I may speak boldly, &c. Ephes. 6. 19. q. d. if yee have a heart to pray, I doe verily think that I shall bee the more assisted, a great deale. The truth is, God uses to punish people thus, because they are dead and dull, and have no heart, and are weary of the Word; therefore hee with-holds from his Mi­nister on purpose, to plague them; as God told Ezekiel: Son of man, thou shalt bee dumb, and when thou wouldst reprove, thou shalt be tongue-tyed, thy tongue shall cleave to the roof of thy mouth: now mark the reason; why? for they are a rebellious house, Ezek. 3. 26.

But I will recapitulate no more of what I have delivered. Thus ye have heard the third thing, how Christ hath the gifting of his Ministers? They have their gifts and abilities from him. Now I proceed on to the fourth. That he hath the prospering of them: They have the successe of their labours from Iesus Christ. Christ bids us preach, Repent, repent, but it is he that must give the Repentance; So, Paul preached to Lydia, and had good successe, for the text shews how she was converted by his Ministery: But, it was God that opened her heart. As Rebeccah cookt the Venison, but Isaac gave the blessing. So we may cooke the Word for you, but the bles­sing is in Christs hands, as the Apostle sayes. We are Mini­sters by whom ye Beleeved, even as the Lord gave to every man, 1 Cor. 3. 5. that is, when wee preached among you we had good successe, you beleeved. What? as we would our selves? No, Alas we would faine have had you all to Be­leeve but even as the Lord gave to every man, the successe was [Page 150] as he would; soto some he gave only conviction by the word to some onely knowledge, to some good reformations, to some a true faith. It was as he was pleased to give to every man. So when he preached unto other Gentiles he confesses, looke what good successe he had, he had from Jesus Christ. I will not dare to speake of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient by Word and deed. Rom. 15. 18. that is, as who should say, that the Gentiles did heare me, that they were brought to obedi­ence in word and deed, that I had so good successe in my la­bours; God forbid I should say or thinke it was my doing. I dare not say so for a world. No, no, It was Christ, and hee alone that did worke by me as his poore Instrument. I have all my good successe from him. The successe is meerly as he will. If he will be pleased to give so good successe, Peter shall convert 3000 at one Sermon. But if he be pleased to deny a good successe, the Prophet Esay shall preach in the reigne of 4 Kings, about fourescore yeares and convert hardly one, as he sayes to Israel, as the Apostle quotes him. All the day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and a gain­saying people. Rom. 10. 21. All successes are of God, and therefore much more successe here. Let it be in any calling. As for example, fishing; that when a man goes a fishing, he sindes good successe, this is of God. Simon and his com­pany toyled all night and tooke nothing. But when Christ came and gave them good successe, then they inclosed a great multitude of fishes, two shipfull of fishes at one draught, Luk. 5. 5. So when a man runnes, who shall get the Goale; the man may runne, but whether he shall get the Goale, that he cannot tell. When a man fights, the man may fight, and be the better man of the two, but whether shall overcome, that is uncertain unto them; the successe is of God, as Solomon sayes, The race is not to the swift, nor the battaile to the strong, nor riches to the wise, time and chance happens to them all, Eccle. 9. 11. that is, not as though the swift doe not sometimes get [Page 151] the race, and the strong the Victory, and wise men riches, yet they doe many times; namely, when God gives successe, otherwise they doe not. How many times doe men goe a­bout businesses, and in all likelihood, they might hit well, yet how often doe they not? the Lord will have us see that successe is from him.

Now if it be so in outward things, how much more here, in other things, the work is more in the mans hands, and the thing is traceable to him, but it is not so here: VVee may labour to convert Soules, but this work is not in our hands, the using of the meanes, the Lord Jesus Christ puts that into our hands; but the doing of the deed, the successe is onely from him.

First, Because we are nothing in this worke. We may be something at other workes, we may study, and in an or­dinary providence we may make a Sermon. But when we come to preach, it is not an ordinary providence that will make us to convert soules; no, here we are nothing, Paul may plant, and Apollos may water, Now marke what followes, he does not onely say, it is God that gives the increase. Paul may plant, and Apollos may water, but God gives the increase. 1 Cor. 3. 6. that is, all their successe and all the fruit of their labour is from God. That is not all he sayes. But in the seventh verse, sayes he. Neither is he that planteth any thing, nor he that watereth any thing, but God that giveth the increase. As if he should say, as excellent gifts as these men had, they did nothing in this worke, the whole successe is of God. Be­loved we can but set before you, life and death, we can but tell you thus ye will be damned, and thus and thus ye may be saved. But it is God that must blesse this unto you. Other­wise we can doe nothing. We may preach our hearts out; and yet you'l to hell, doe we what we can, except the Lord break your careere. Elisha's man could lay his Masters staffe upon the child, but the child stirred not, till Elisha came him­selfe, and then the child was raised. So we can but lay our [Page 152] Masters staffe upon your dead soules, But except our Master come himself, ne're a dead soule will stand up: what is all our preaching, and dressing up of our Sermons, like the rig­ing of the sayles, thats nothing except the wind blow. The Spirit of Christ is the winde, except hee blow upon you, we are nothing: the tampering on the Organs is nothing, but when the breath comes, then there is musique; So, we may keep adoe to turne your hearts, but till God breath into you, there is nothing done. True, the preaching of the Gospel is a very powerfull thing; I, when Christs arme goes along with it, it is the sword of the Spirit, but if the Spirits arme be not with it, we may brandish it here every week, and doe little; as Scanderbagge said: One hearing what mighty feats Scanderbagges sword had done, sent for it, and when he saw it, he made nothing of it: Is this the Sword that hath done such great exploits? whats this Sword more than other swords? O, sayes Scanderbagge, I sent thee my sword, but not my arme, that did handle it. So, my Brethren, the word which wee preach, is but Christs sword; God sends you his sword many times, when he keeps his arme to himself, and so nothing is done. So then, we are nothing, and there­fore all successe is of Christ. First, our wills are nothing to doe it, we may will to doe you good, but Converts cannot bee made by our wills, as the Evangelist sayes, Joh. 1. 13. Secondly, our paines and labours are nothing; we may la­bour and take paines, but look Esa. 49. 4. Thirdly, our gifts are nothing; who had better gifts than Christ had, as hee was man? and yet that would not doe it, Joh. 12. 38. Fourth­ly, our Prayers are nothing, they may doe something, some­times, but except God be pleased to give successe, they are nothing, Jeremiah prayed, Jer. 14. 7, 8, 9. yet the Lord told him, that should not doe it, ver. 11.

Secondly, the Conversion of Soules, is a supernaturall work; we that are Ministers, preach to make men new crea­tures, to turn Leopards into Kids, as if we should preach to [Page 153] make Blackamores white, the dead alive, which is a work for God alone to doe, and therefore the successe must needs be from him, Alas, what are we able to doe? as the Apo­stle sayes, You are Gods wormanship in Christ Jesus, created to good works, Ephes. 2. 10. we are his instruments, that's true indeed, but yee are his workmanship, you are the Epistle of Christ, administred by us; Writen, not with Inke, but with the Spirit of the living God, 2 Cor. 3. 3. The Epistle of Christ, but ministred indeed by Christ, his is the hand, wee are but the pen; when we bid you repent, and beleeve, and be holy, and godly, and heavenly minded men; deny your selves, be dead to the world, and alive to God, come out of Satans power, come into Christs Kingdom: it is like Ezekiels bid­ding of the dead bones to gather flesh, and stand up living men. All the successe must needs be of God.

And therefore what does this teach us? The Use of it is:Use 1. First, That we that are the Ministers of God, can but make tryall whether we can convert our people, or no; as the A­postle speaks, proving, if at any time, God will give them repentance, 2 Tim. 2. 25. so it is in some of your Bibles, so, we must make proofe: we must try; come into the Pulpit every week, and try, sharpen our nailes as sharp as we can, and strike them as farre in as we can, and so try, often try, as the wiseman speaks in another case, In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening let not thy hand rest, for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, this, or that, or both, Eccle. 11. 6. So Jeremiah did, hee would try; first, hee went to the poorer sort, to see whether they would hearken unto him; when he had no successe there, then thought he, I will try the great men, I will get mee to the great men, Jer. 5. 5. we should make assayes, we doe not know, may be God will give us good successe, we must make assayes, as it is said of Paul and Si­las, That they assayed to goe into Bithynia, but the Spirit suffe­red them not, Act. 16. 7. O, thought they, here bee a great many soules in this Countrey, we will try, whether there be [Page 154] any for Christ, yea, or no. Indeed, they found that they had no successe in their attempt. But they made an assay though.

Secondly, This teacheth us to wait, though we have notUse 2. successe presently, yet we should wait, all successe is from Christ, and therefore it is fit we should wait for it, and there­fore a Minister is commanded to be patient. The servant of the Lord must be gentle to all men, apt to teach, patient, 2 Tim. 2. 24. q. d. he hath not the successe in his own hands, to have it when he will; no, though he doe no good yet, nor yet, hee must be patient. He is not apt to teach poore people else, ex­cept he be patient, as he is not fit to teach a dull Schollar, that is over-hasty. And therefore, my Brethren, though we have lost all our labour hitherto on the most of you, yet now again we speak to you, come, will ye yet go to heaven? come are ye yet in the minde to hearken and obey? wee come to you once more, will ye yet, &c. as Jeremiah sayes, Woe un­to thee, O Jerusalem, wilt thou not bee made clean? when shall it once be? Jer. 13. 27. Beloved, wee are dull Schollars in Religion, and people are hard to take their learning in this kinde, and therefore if we would be apt to teach, wee must be patient, what though we see no good yet, this must not make us out of heart, or to grudge our paines, we must bee patient still, wee are to think, may be the next time I preach God will give me good successe, Isaiah and Paul gave not over, though they had cause to complain.

Thirdly, This may serve to condemn all the world, whe­therUse 3. the Gospel comes, and specially us hereabouts, that doe not let Ministers have any good successe, you will say, how doe I make this use of it? If all the Ministers successe be from Christ, then one would think, this were an excuse unto peo­ple.

I answer; no, the meaning of the Doctrine is this, that the people are so contrary to the Word, such enemies to the wayes of Jesus Christ, that a Minister can look for no successe, [Page 155] except the Lord turn their hearts: This is the meaning of the point. Does this excuse any? what, does your enmi­ty against Christ and all goodnesse afford you any excuse? nay, this aggravates your sin. Now this is the meaning of it. As Saint Paul, when he spake, how little successe he and all the rest of his fellow-Apostles had, hee layes the blame upon the people; All the day long, I have stretched out my hands against a disobedient and a gainsaying people, Rom. 10. 21. So the Prophet Isaiah, from whom these words are taken, complaines of the unfruitfulnesse of his Ministery, as being the peoples fault, and therefore he complaines of them unto God; Lord who hath beleeved our report, Esay. 53. 1. The conscience of man knows this to bee true, for hee knows hee sinnes willingly, and hee knows hee would not doe other­wise, hee daily feeleth Gods Spirit haling him to good, and telling him he ought to live thus and thus, and yet he is loath and will not, he inclines the other way, and rather would do as he does, then as he knows God would have him: what is this but contempt? and indeed this is the great sin of this Land, the contempt of the Gospel, people count it not a pre­cious, but a tedious thing. Never merry world (sayes some) since we had so much Preaching: as if the Sun shone too bright; like the Israelites who stumbled at the plenty of Manna: Nay, they are akin to the Devils, who asked Christ if hee were come to torment them; they account the Gospel a torment, because it crosseth their lusts, and lets in so much light. These can spend dayes and nights in vanity, but an houre at a Sermon is tedious, if they had any delight in the Word, they would not care though their Minister stood somewhat long. Though Zachary stayed long in the Tem­ple, yet the people waited for him till hee came out, Luk. 1. 21. they marvelled indeed he stayed so long; but the Spi­rit of God notes, that they waited for him. But our people sit upon thornes at a Sermon, but they can lye soaking at an ale­bench as though they sate upon soft cushions. The Onions [Page 156] of Egipt have a better taste with them, than the Quailes of the Wildernesse. They had rather live at the Hogs-trough, than in their Fathers house. With the Gadarens they parfer their Pigges before our Saviour Christ. O say they, we can­not live by Sermons; Sermons are too holy and strait for them. Bid them take up Christs yoake, they care not for it except it were wider. The Ministery hath no successe at all with them unto any purpose. What a thing is this Brethren! Whence is it that wee regard the Gospel no more? The sooth is, people know not their damned estate, neither will they beleeve it, though we tell them; nay, they care not whe­ther they hear it or no. But if they knew the goodnesse of it, they would run from East to West for it, if drunkards, and worldlings, and such rabble, knew their fearfull estate, the Minister should be as welcome to them, as bread to the hun­gry, or a pardon to a Theif; So that yee see this condem­neth them deeply, that the Word hath no successe with. Thus yee see the Ministers of Christ have all successe from Christ, if any one soule come in at their teaching, it is an evident signe, it is of Jesus Christ; for otherwise people hold off, some hold off altogether, others yeeld a little way, but will not yeeld full out; if a man yeeld to us indeed, it is meerly by Jesus Christ.

Now I will shew you, that as a Minister hath all his good successe of his labours from Jesus Christ. So if he be a true Minister of Christ, Christ uses to give him good suc­cesse. When Christ put Peter into the Ministery. He told him from hence forth thou shalt catch men. Luk. 5. 10. That is, as I have made thee a Minister, So thou shalt have good successe. They shall have some good successe, as we see in the sence though three parts fell into hard ground, yet some fell into good ground, Mar. 4. 8. Nay, though Christs Ministers come into the most Desperate places that can be, as we read in the Acts of the Apostles, notwithstanding the places they went to, were deepely rooted in Idolatry and full of persecuting [Page 157] Jewes, and they were ready to be stoned to death, the people were so madde against their Doctrine; yet they never Preached any where, but they had good successe with some. When Paul came to Thessalonica, the text notes, some of them beleeved, and joyned in Company with him. Act. 17. 4. When he came to Athens, though some mocked, and some hung in suspence, like Neuters, that were neither fish, nor flesh, howbeit certaine men clave unto Paul, and beleeved Act. 17. 34. So when he came to Rome. Though some stood out, yet some were perswaded, Act. 28. 24. Yea when Philip came to Sama­ria, though it was a Towne, that was bewitcht, full of sorcery and witchcraft, and they had even given their soules to the Devill. A Minister could hardly come into a worse Towne, yet the people gave heed to those things that he spake. Act. 8. 6. Nay, the context shewes he had marveilous good successe, the Lord maketh that precious account of the Mini­sters of the Gospell, that he never bestowes it upon any place, where he hath not some elect; other blessings God be­stows more promiscuously, Reprobates have as great plenty as others. All things come a like to all. But this blessing he gives to no place, where he hath not some to save. Either some in the Towne, or some there abouts.

The use of this is, first, Here we are to enquire then whatUse 1. may be the reason that Christs Ministers have so little suc­cesse now adayes. First, Some Ministers have the lesse suc­cesse by raysing up of others that have greater. As Calvin af­ter Luther. Luther had admirable successe for a time, and then when Calvin came, he did increase, and Luther did decrease. So John observed of himselfe, he had admirable successe for a time, but when Christ came, John had the lesse. He must increase but I must decrease. Joh. 3. 30. Againe, it may be peoples unthankfulnesse, for the Ministry of the Word. When people have had the Word along time, and yet they will not obey it, may be God sayes to them as he did to the Fig-tree, Never fruit grow on thee more, while the world [Page 158] standeth. Then God sends Esay to make the heart of the people fat. Then Jeremiahs errands most an end to plucke up and to pull downe. Then John is to say, He that is filthy let him be filthy still. Then Hosea cryes, Ephraim is joyned unto Idols; let him alone.

Thirdly, Some Ministers may be have the lesse successe, for their owne fault in not speading of the net, when their preaching is little better then reading. True, it may be a man may be converted by reading, as Luther sayes he was. And John Husse by reading Wiclefes bookes. Austen sayes he was converted by reading the 13. of the Romans and the 14. vers. There is a Blessing that may be looked for by reading. Bles­sed is he that readeth Rev. 1. 3. But this is very rare. There may a fish or two hang on the net, being let downe on a heape, but that is a chance. No, no, it is not the net lapped up together that bringeth in the draught, but hayled out at length and spread all abroad, this closeth in the fish. So it is the spreading of the Word, the stretching of it out upon every soule present, this is the way to catch some: When a Minister labours to hit all.

Fourthly, some Ministers may be unsuccessefull for not preaching roughly enough. Beloved our times are knotty times. Rough hewing is needful. Now people had need heare of hell and damnation, and wrath and vengeance, against their sins, Some save with feare, as the Apostle speaks, plucking them out of the fire, Jude 23.

Fifthly, Again, May bee a Ministers successe is not seen, may be he is successefull, though he shall not live to see it, as Christ sayes, One sowes and another reaps, Joh. 4. 37. as the Prophets sowed, and the Apostles reapt: So, Beloved, we may sow now, and those that come after us, may bee they shall be the reapers. The present age, now may sow seed for the succeeding. Arbores serit, quae alteri prosuit saeculo. As the Chinah make their dishes: the Fathers lay them into the fire, and the third generation after takes them out. Though [Page 159] we doe not see our seeds to come up; may be we meet with no harvest, this may be our comfort, if we can but sow, for others afterwards to reap. Let us have a care of sowing, many a man that now hears the word, and now is brought up under a good teaching Ministery, though yet he doe not obey it, who knows what God will doe? may be God may cast him into some horrible affliction yet before he dyes, and sling terrour into his Soule, and then what we have delive­red may doe him good: And therefore we should never lin sowing, though wee never see the Harvest: this should bee our comfort, that the ground hath the seed. Let us still powre in good examples into our people; Parents into their chil­dren, Masters into their servants, Ministers into their hearers, let God alone with it, when, and what, and where the Har­vest shall bee.

Lastly, Some Ministers are not godly, and then how can they looke for good successe? as God sayes, If they had stood in my Counsell, and caused my people to heare my words, then they should have turned them from their evill way, Jer. 23. 22. I dare not say absolutely, that a carnall Minister shall never have good successe in his Ministery. As if a Minister should conclude hee were a good man, because God hath blessed his labours; No, that is not a good argument: for,

First, It is the Word that converts, and not the person of the speaker, I dare not tye God to the goodnesse of any mans person. God, as he is a Creator he is a wise God, and can write well with a bad pen, and cut well with a blunt naugh­ty knife.

Secondly, Such may bee sent of God, and gifted for the Ministery, and therefore for all that I know, they may bee an Organ of conversion sometimes.

Thirdly, Paul rejoyced that Christ was preached by the false Apostles, though it were but of envy, Phil. 1. 15, 16, 17, 18. you will say, how could he rejoyce in that? that was a wicked manner of Preaching. Why surely hee could not [Page 160] rejoyce in it, but that hee did think that it might doe some good.

Fourthly, This may bee thus, or else, no man can be assu­red of his salvation: For, if a carnall Minister cannot be the meanes of conversion, &c.

Fifthly, They may say at last day, Lord, Lord, wee have Prophesied in thy name, and in thy name have we cast out devils, and yet Christ will say unto them, I know you not, &c.

Sixthly, Why else does our Saviour Christ bid people heare the Scribes and Pharisees, but that he implies, they may be a meanes of good to them.

Seventhly, Judas was sent out to Preach, Matth. 10. 4. Christ said to him as well as the rest, When yee goe Preach, saying, the Kingdome of Heaven is at hand, ver. 7.

Eightly, Experience hath found this to bee true; some godly soules have confessed this very thing, that such as now they see to be palpably carnall, have been the means of their conversion, &c. Many helpt Noah to build his Arke that perished in the waters. God may make the crowing of a Cock, to be a meanes of a wakning Peters Conscience. The temptations of the Devill, to be the means of Luthers quick­ning: and therefore, I doe not simply affirm that carnall Mi­nisters cannot convert. But this I say, it is a very rare thing, as Christ sayes, If the blinde lead the blinde, both shall fall in­to the ditch, Matth. 15. 14. So, if a Hypocrite lead a hypo­crite, the Drunkard lead the drunkard, &c. It is a woe to a Parish, when their Ministers are not godly: Woe to the City sayes God, Zeph. 3. 1. why so? Her Prophets are light per­sons, ver. 4. Woe to such Townes whose Ministers will goe to the Alehouse, whose Ministers will keep company, and bee haile fellow with every vain fellow, whose Ministers will embrace this present world, whose Ministers are proud, and envious, and malicious, that give a bad example to the people, that depend upon their charge. Woe to them, sayes God. The curse of God is upon such Parishes. God hath [Page 161] hardly any intention to save such peoples soules. Or, if he have any of his Elect there, God will save them some other way; as God told the naughty Shepheards. I, even I will search out my sheep and seek them out, Ezek. 34. 11. that is, I will search them out some other way, I will not do it by you. and therefore when he hath a minde to save a poore people, he sends good Ministers among them, or them to good ones. Turn o backsliding children, sayes God, and I will take you, one of a city, and two of a family, and I will give you Pastors according to my heart, Jer. 3. 14. &c. God would have none but wise-hearted men to work in his manuall Tabernacle, Exod. 35. 10. how then doe we think he will let fooles, as all carnall Ministers are? &c. Saint Paul said, it was a part of the hope that he had in the presence of Christ, at his com­ming, that God had made him the instrument of gaining soules to his Kingdome. For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoycing, are not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, at his comming? 1 Thess. 2. 19. and hath made a pro­mise to such as convert soules; so runs the Promise, They that turn others to righteousnesse, shall shine as the stars, Dan. 12. 3. indeed this is but a secondary evidence of Salvation, &c. O, Beloved, if we could convert any of your Soules, what a comfort would it be? whereas, if a man be a wicked man, what hope can he have that God will blesse his labors? nay, he hath said expressely, that if a man will not obey the voyce of the Lord: cursed shall he be in the field, and in the house, and so in the Pulpit, in his studies, he cannot look for Gods assistance, as God told the wicked Priests: I will curse all your blessings, if ye will not lay it to heart, Mal. 2. 2.

Secondly, Another Vse is, does Christ use to blesse andUse 2. prosper his true Ministers? then let us labour to get this bles­sing of him. Let us seek to him to give us good successe, O how eager is Paul every where in prayer to God for good successe?

Thirdly, Another Vse is, if we have not the successe thatUse 3. [Page 142] we could wish, let us not bee discouraged; as the Prophet Isaiah sayes, My labour is with the Lord: though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious, Esa. 49. 4, 5. The Husband­man looseth by an ill crop; I, but if wee bee faithfull, wee shall not loose, though our crop be never so ill, if we have plowed well, and sown well, no matter what the crop bee, wee shall have our pay. If I preach and you repent not, it shall never repent me of my paines, I will preach still. For though my preaching be not a sweet savour, yet it shall bee to God, even in thee, and thou shalt smart for it; and there­fore let us not cease working, many a draught the poore fish­er man makes and takes nothing, yet hee leaves not off; ma­ny a time is the net of Preaching shot forth, and yet none converted thereby. So it pleaseth God to exercise the pati­ence of his servants. Yet still the work must bee followed, and the Lords leisure must be waited for. Oftentimes the net taketh fish, and they slip out again; So, there bee many that seem to be pulled in by the Gospell, neverthelesse they slide away again. Again, there is oftentimes brought in in­to the net, that which is yet good for nothing when it is got, there comes in frogges, and weeds, and a great deale of trash, which in the end are cast away, and yet for love of the fish, the fisherman is content to hale all in that hee can; So, Be­loved, wee draw in many hypocrites, many that prove nought, and yet for hope of good fish, wee must still bee a labouring, and may be wee may have a good Harvest yet, though yet wee see little likeli-hood. Bee not weary of well­doing, sayes the Apostle, for mee shall reape if wee faint not. Gal. 6. 9.

Fourthly, another Vse is to you, that you doe not wilful­ly stand out, to deprive us of good successe. The shrewdest turn you can doe your poore Ministers, is to deprive them of the joy of their labours; the way to rejoyce them, is to imbrace the Gospell they preach, it will bee heavy for you when wee shall groane to God, that we could not perswade [Page 143] any of you. If thou wilt not now hear that which may pro­fit thee, thou shalt heare one day that which shall make thy heart ake. Goe ye cursed into everlasting fire. O, remember Sodome, and do not stand out against the Ministers that come from Jesus Christ to you.

HAving done with the inscription of this Epistle, To the Church that is in Sardis write, wee came to the Sub­scription, containing the person from whom the Epistle is sent. The Lord Jesus Christ, who is here described from two Royalties of his, First, that he hath The seven Spirits of God, that we have handled already. Secondly, that he hath the seven Starres, or the Ministers of the Church. This we have almost finished too; wee shewed you that Christ is said to have the Ministers of the Church five wayes.

First, hee hath the sending of them; they have their Mission from him.

Secondly, hee hath the delegating of them; they have their Commission from him.

Thirdly, hee hath the gifting of them; they have their gifts and abilities from him.

Fourthly, he hath the prospering or not prospering of them; they have their successe from him.

All these foure I have spoken of already. Now remains the fifth and the last, hee hath the disposing of them, the placing of them in a Town, the continuing of them, or re­moving of them, the holding of them up, or the pulling of them down, as the Apostle speaks, Hee hath the key of Da­vid, hee openeth and no man shutteth, and he shutteth and no man openeth, Rev. 3. 7. that is, he hath all power in the Church, [Page 164] to place it or displace it. To settle it or to transplant it, to prescribe or not prescribe, to absolve or to condemne, to save or to destroy, to give Ministers liberty or to take it a­way. As Christ telles the Minister of Philadelphia, I have set before thee an open doore, and no man can shut it. Rev. 3. 8. good Ministers shall have Liberty to preach in their stations, as long as he pleases, and they never can be hindred, till he is pleased so to permit it, or appoint it. So when Paul was at Ephesus though he had never so many adversaries there, that would faine hinder him if they could, Yet as long as Christ gave him an open doore, to preach and to do good, none of them all could withstand him. A great doore and effectuall is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries, 1 Cor. 16. 9.

First, Christ hath the placing of his Ministers. As he saith to Ieremiah I have set thee. So Christ sayes to all his true Mini­sters, I have set you. God hath set to all men the bounds of their habitations. Act. 17. 26. that one man shall dwell here; another there, one in this Parish, another in that Parish. How much more does he appoint unto his Ministers their habi­tations, that John the Baptist shall be in the Wildernesse of Judea, Titus shall be in Creete, Epaphras shall be at Colosse, Epaphroditus at Philippi, Timothy at Ephesus, and the like. Nay, he is no Minister of Christ that is not of Christs pla­cing. As the Apostle speakes. Take heed unto your selves and to all the flocke, over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers. Act. 20. 28. Over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers. He is a true Minister to this or that Congre­gation; that can say that the Holy Ghost hath made me an overseer to them.

The Reason is, first, Because no man is a Pastor or a Shepheard to any sheepe, that did not enter in by the doore into those sheep. He that entreth in by the doore, is a shep­heard of the sheep. Joh. 10. 2. Now who is this doore but Je­sus Christ? I am the doore saith he, By me if any man enter in, [Page 165] he shall be saved. As it followes there in the ninth verse. As he is the doore, no man can enter into the Ministery rightly but by him. He must have his Letters of Orders from him. So he is the doore into any flocke, and if a man have not institution and induction from him, he is no Shepheard of the flocke. Nay, Christ tells him flatly, he is a theefe and robber, and a hyreling. When the Danites askt the Levite in Mount Ephraim, who brought thee hither? What makest thou in this place? Judg. 18. 3. ye know he put himselfe there, he sought for the place himselfe, and it was maintenance that brought him thither. His owne conscience told him he was a Hyreling. He could not say, the Lord brought me hither. He came not in by the doore; Now every true Minister comes in by the doore into a Parish, and there­fore he comes in by Jesus Christ.

Secondly, No Minister can be placed in any Parish, but by the Bishop of the Diocesse. Now Beloved, who ever be Christs substitute, Christ is the maine Bishop of every Diocesse, Christ is the Shepheard and Bishop of our foules, 1 Pet. 2. 25. Indeed there be other Bishops under him, other Shepheards under him, I but he is the great Shepheard of the sheepe, Heb. 13. 20. the Arch Shepheard. [...] 1 Pet. 5. 4. The chiefe Shepheard. When the chiefe Shep­heard shall appeare. Well if he be the chiefe Shepheard, it is fit that he should institute and induct into Pastorall charges. Its fit that his word should be followed, in every ones comming into a living, to go no where, but where his word doth allow. To take no care of Soules, but of such as he commits to our custody. All true Ministers are his Curats, and therefore if they be not of his placing, they came not in right.

Thirdly, If it be he that must pay them their wages, then reason good, that he should set them on worke. If a man thrust himself into a Parish, it was not Christ that moved him to come there, but forsooth he wanted a Living, he would [Page 146] faine have maintenance, there is so much Per annum, this was his motive, Christ never moved him, this man can look for no wages from Jesus Christ. When he hath gathered in his Tithes or his quarteridge, Christ will tell him as he told the foolish Pharisees, Ye have the record. He that set you on work, he wil pay your wages. I never set you on work, and therefore ye can look for nothing at my hands. Certain­ly if Christ must pay a man his wages, good Reason that he should have the putting of a man into this or that Vineyard. He called in the Labourers and payd them their wages that gave them their taske. Matt. 3. 20. 8.

Fourthly, How can they looke for his assistance and Bles­sing, if they be not placed by him? when the Lord had placed Jeremiah a Prophet in Judah, the Lord undertooke to assist him. I have made thee this day a defenced City and an iron Pillar, and Brazen walles, I will be with thee Jere. 1. 18, 19. A Minister hath need of Christs assistance, where e're he is, his Preaching else will doe little good, his Ser­mons will be of no effect, Christs assistance and Blessing is all in all. Moses prayes for Levi, Blesse Lord his substance, and accept the worke of his hands. Deut. 33. 11. No man hath more need of Christs blessing to go along with him then a Minister. Now when a Minister is not there where Christ would have him to be, How can hee expect that Christs blessing should be with him? if he can say, Christ would have me here, Christ hath placed me here, then he may looke for Christs being with him.

Fifthly, what peace of Conscience can they have, when they lye on their death-beds, except they can comfortably say, Lord thou didst place me in this Parish, Lord I came in by the doore, and by no other way. It was not by-ends, nor filthy lucre, nor gaine, as Jeremiah sayes, I did not thrust in my selfe to be a Pastor, Lord thou madest me a Minister to this Congregation, I have faithfully tended those Soules, that thou gavest me to feed, this is a sweet thing. Ye know [Page 147] people are apt to say, who sent for you, who made you our Minister? we will not acknowledge you to be our Mi­nister. As Shemaiah said of good Jeremiah; Thou hast made thy self a Prophet to this people, Jer. 29. 27. Now if Jeremiah had not his own Conscience to prove his Institution from God, what a taking had he beene in?

Sixthly, And lastly, what comfort else can the people of God have to live under such a mans Ministery, unlesse they can say, this is my Minister, set over me in the Lord! This is so needfull, that without it, he were as good have no Minister at all. As the Apostle tells the good people of Colosse, Epaphras is for you a faithfull Minister of Christ, Col. 1. 7. This is their comfort indeed, when they can truely affirme that this man is for us a faithfull Minister of Christ. This Minister is our Minister in Christ. This is the ground of their Consciences, submitting to his Ministery, and of their receiving of him, as an Embassador from Christ unto them. Now when a man is not placed by Christ in a Parish as their Minister, what joy can they have to heare him? What hope that God will sanctifie his labours among them?

The use of this is, first; For us that are Ministers, that weUse 1. looke we be of Christs placing, that we may be able to con­clude to our people, as Paul to the Corinths, Though I be not an Apostle unto others, yet doubtlesse I am an Apostle unto you. So that we may be able to conclude to our people, doubtlesse I am Christs Minister unto you. As our Saviour Christ sayes. Who is the faithfull wise Shepheard, Whom his Lord shall make Ruler over his houshold? Luk. 12. 42. Hath the Lord made us Rulers over his houshold? We are all shepheards in such and such Parishes. But did the Lord put us there? We are Spirituall Rulers over such and such housholds of God, but did the Lord make us Rulers over them? otherwise we are not Starres in his hands; No, We are blazing Co­mets out of his Orb, if we be Starres in his hands, wee can prove our placing from him.

[Page 168]Secondly, This serves to condemne them that are theevesUse 2. and intruders into Gods Heritage, that never came in by the doore, but by some other way, that are hirelings and will leave the sheep, for their own advantage; Gain makes them take livings, gain makes them chop and change, that never went to Christ for his approbation, it is said of the Apostles that the Rulers and Elders perceived that they had been with Jesus, Act. 4. 13. Those are Ministers of Parishes indeed, that have been with Jesus, But these men, no man can per­ceive that ever they have been with Jesus Christ, that ever they had any allowance from him, and yet they will bee crowding in into Livings. But I let this passe.

Thirdly, Hath Christ the placing of Ministers? then thisUse 3. is of use unto you, that have Ministers of Christs placing a­mong you. Take heed how ye carry your selves under your Ministery. If you doe not obey their Doctrine, you sin a­gainst Christ. O reject not their reproofes, put not off the Word of God in their mouthes, if ye doe, ye doe not put off men but God. It was an excellent exhortation of that god­ly King, Jehosaphat: Heare me, O yee inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem, beleeve the Lords Prophets and ye shall prosper, 2 Chron. 20. 20. O, if Kings and Princes would do so now, call upon people up and down, O Sirs, beleeve the Lords Prophets and ye shall prosper: Ye that have Gods Ministers among you, beleeve them, may bee when they threaten a­gainst all your sinfull courses, they tell you of hell, and dam­nation, and heaven and salvation, ye hardly beleeve any such thing: O beleeve them, that it may goe well with you. Remember they be of Christs placing among you. He put them into your Pulpits, he gives them the Themes that they preach to you from day to day. Beleeve them.

Fourthly, Hath Christ the placing of Ministers? then ne­verUse 4. complain of gracelesse Ministers; O, ye have gracelesse Ministers, and our Minister is not as he should be, he is not a good liver, he does not preach to the Conscience. People [Page 169] are apt to complaine of Patrons, and such and such causes, but let mee tell you, you murmure against Jesus Christ, every Parish in England might have a good and a godly Minister, a Minister after Gods own heart, for all that I know, if they would goe to Jesus Christ, he hath the pla­cing of Ministers.

Now what is the reason that there are no more able worthy Ministers every where?

Answer, Surely if Christ were sought to, this would quickly be holpen, when Judah had no Ministers in the Captivity, their soules starved for want of good feeding, thousands perisht, and their soules were quite lost for lack of Vision. What sayes Christ to them. Turn ye back­sliding children, saith the Lord, for I am marryed unto you, and I will take you one of a city, and two of a Family, and I will bring you to Zion. And I will give you Pastours accord­ing to my heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding, Jer. 3. 14, 15. people are subject to mur­mure, and this is long of such and such, that wee have no better Ministers, whereas the Truth is, it is long of our selves, iniquity abounds every where, the love of many waxes cold, people grow weary of wholsome Doctrine, they have itching eares, they are full fed, any Ministery is good enough for them, if a man prophesie of Wine and strong drink, hee shall even bee the Prophet of this peo­ple, Mich. 2. 11. that is, any Prophet is good enough for them, fitter than a better. One that would shew peo­ple how to get Bread and Drink, and Wine, and profits, and pleasures; People would rather hear such a one preach, than to hear of Repentance and Mortification; and Faith, and Holinesse, and the wayes of God, they care not for these things. The true Preaching of the Word, is as con­trary to the disposition of men as can be. Nothing is more [Page 170] irksome unto them, as the Word rightly taught. It goes against their lusts, it crosses their wicked wills. They are weary of it, they say unto God depart from us, they will not let Christ reigne in their hearts, therefore we may rather wonder that there is any good Minister in the King­dome any where, wee are to blesse God, and pray for our Governours, that wee have any good Ministers at all, the truth is wee deserve not any. There is so little Religion every where, so much hypocrisie, so much profession with­out any power of godlinesse, such a deale of vanity, and unsoundnesse, and hollow-heartednesse; nay, among such as have gone for good Christians, so much falsehood and rottennesse, and apostacy, to what end should Christ let us have any more Preaching. Wee give the world occa­sion to think, that Preaching is the cause of all this wretch­ednesse. What a dishonour is this to Jesus Christ? and therefore no marvaile we have no more, wee may admire the patience of God that wee have any.

Fifthly, Hath Christ the placing of Ministers? thenUse 5. see whether to goe for good Ministers. Christ is the ge­nerall Patron of all Livings▪ Hee can present whom hee will to a Parish, and therefore we should pray unto him. When our Saviour Christ preached here and there, and saw how the people came out of all Parishes to him, it seems, though they had Levites in their own Synagogues, yet they did not know how to feed their flocks; they were as sheep for all them without a shepheard▪ there was hard­ly ere a good Minister among them all. Mark, what the Text sayes. Jesus had compassion on them, because they were scattered abroad as sheep having no shepheard: O sayes he, Pray yee therefore the Lord of the Harvest that he would send forth labourers into his harvest, Mat. 9. 38. so much for the first.

[Page 171]Secondly, Now as Christ hath the placing of Mini­sters, so hee hath the continuing of them, as long as hee pleases. Hee continued the Prophet Isaiah in his Ministe­ry during the Reigne of foure Kings. Hee kept the Pro­phet Hosea in his function, during the reign of five Kings, though the times were very bad. When it was told Christ that Herod sought his life, that hee would not onely put him besides his Ministery, but also his very life; sayes he, Goe tell that Fox, Behold I cast out Devils, and I doe cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall bee perfect, Luk. 13. 32. Christ had his time appointed him by his Father himself, and hee would Preach all that time out, and all the devills in hell, and all his Enemies on earth should not hinder him. So, Beloved, it is with all his Ministers, hee hath set them a time, and hee hath power to continue them all that time. I shall preach to day, and to morrow, and such a day, doe the world what they can, they cannot hinder his ministers from preaching, till Christ please, as hee told his people: Though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy Teachers bee removed into a corner any more: But thine eyes shall see thy Teachers. Esa. 30. 20. q. d. though thy Ministers have been put by, yet I will restore them againe, and they shall not be put by any more. I have power to continue them as long as I will; when he called Noah to preach to the old world, he appointed him 120. years, and hee continued him all that while, whether the wicked world would or no.

And the Reason is, first, because Ministers are his Em­bassadors. Now a King it is in his choyce, how long his Embassadors shall lye Lieger in a forain Country, he hath so many businesses for them to doe, and so long they shall continue there. So, true ministers are the Embassadors [Page 172] of Christ, as the Apostle Paul speaks, Now then we are Embassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us, wee pray you in Christs stead, be reconciled unto God, 2 Cor. 5. 20. we are Christs Ambassadours, and therfore he will continue us as long as he list; as long as he hath any busines to doe; as long as he hath any soules to save, any men or women to reconcile to his father, or to build up, so long he will continue us. Its a dolefull signe when Christ takes away his Ministers from a place, its a signe he hath no more soules to save; if he had, he would let his Ambassadours lye beseeching still: so that this is one great reason, because, Ministers are His Ambassa­dours.

Secondly, Because Christ hath all power in Heaven and in Earth, as he told his Apostles, when he sent them out to preach, All power is given to me in Heaven and in Earth, Math. 28. 18, q. d. I have power to send you, and I have power to continue your Ministery as long as I thinke fit­ting, and I have power to take you away, I have power to ordaine you either for salvation or the damnation of men. Whom I will I can convert by your Sermons, and whom I will I can deliver up to the counsell of their own hearts, that they shall not be converted by you. Now: if Christ have all power in Heaven and in Earth, then he hath power to continue his Ministers as long as his will is. I need not stand to prove this, it is too evident: he hath power to lengthen his Ministers lives, to prolong their li­berties, when he takes away one, he hath power to put in another as good: when he meant to take away Elias, he a­noynted Elisha in his roome. If their enemies be never so many, he can tye up their hands; he deliverd Paul from the mouth of the Lyon: though fortie men had vowed to take him away by death, he diverted their plot, and conti­nued [Page 173] him still: nay, when he was in Bonds, yet he was a­ble to get him liberty to go abroad with his keeper, and to preach the Kingdom of God to as many as came. Suppose the world be never so mad against Christs Ministers, yet as long as he hath any more worke for them to doe, he can hold off their singers from meddling with them, till they have finished the Taske that hee hath given them to doe.

The Use of this is; first, That Ministers should not fearUse 1. to bee deprived of their liberty, so long as they doe well; indeed if they doe ill, if they bee wicked or idle, or un­worthy, such Ministers should fear they doe deserve to be put down. But if wee bee godly Ministers, it is our base­nesse to feare any such thing. Christ hath the continuing of us, our times are not in mens hands, but in his. What a horrible thing is it, that wee should goe against our con­science in any thing, or bee afraid to speak what God bids us, to bee mealemouthed, to bee discouraged with ru­mours, or dangers, wee should keep nothing back of the whole counsell of God, wee are starres in his hands, and hee hath the continuing of us; though men fight against us, they cannot prevaile against us, till our businesse is all done. As the Lord told the Prophet Jeremiah: They shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevaile against thee, for I am with thee, Jer. 1. 19. Let us then be afraid of nothing but sinne. Let us bee afraid to doe any evill, either towards God or towards man; let us be harmlesse in the midst of a crooked, and a perverse generation. Let us deale faithfully with our people, let us undauntedly Preach, Rebuke, Exhort, with all long suffering and Doctrine, make our faces hard against the wickeds faces, no matter for their railings, their threatning speeches, their [Page 174] malicious accusations, and not feare, the Lord Jesus hath the continuing of us.

Secondly, Here we may see the reason why the GospelUse 2. continues in any place, a man would wonder it should continue any where, because the world cannot abide it. Which of the Prophets have not your Fathers persecuted? saves Stephen, Act. 7. 52. They that doe evill, hate the light, it cuts them to the heart; Every one hates mee, sayes the Prophet, hee was reproached for the Words sake. Report, say they, and wee will report it. One time they put him into a dungeon; Another time they would have killed him. Shemaiah writ Letters to the high Priest against him, Jer. 29. 25. And yet hee con­tinued his Ministery, untill the day of the Captivity. Nay, hee had liberty, when others had their liberty ta­ken away. Yee know Christ himself Preached dayly in the Temple, and they took him not, though they gnasht their teeth at his Doctrine, and sometimes were in the minde to throw him down headlong and break his neck, sometimes to stone him; yet till his houre was come, he had his liberty.

And the truth is, a man would wonder how any of Gods Ministers have their Liberties continued; when there bee so many Drunkards, so many Enemies of all goodnesse, so many that follow their own ungodly lusts, and the Gospel is an eye-sore unto them, and yet in ma­ny places it stands still. This is Gods doing. You see here Christ hath the continuing of his Ministers; they shall have their liberty, as long as God hath any use for them.

Thirdly, Is it so, that Christ hath the continuing ofUse 3. [Page 175] his Ministers? then this is of use also unto you; Now you heare whence to have your good Ministers continu­ed, even by seeking to Jesus Christ, hee can lay a charge upon all the world where they are, to let them alone. He can say, Doe my Prophets no harme, Psal. 105. 15. you will say, why? what shall we doe?

I Answer; first, let us repent of our sinnes, it is our sins that removes the Ministers of God, if we would repent us of our sins, and turn from our wicked wayes, and let the Word work upon our hearts, this would continue the mi­nistery of the Word, as God told Judah, when they should repent of their sins, O sayes hee, I will bee your God, and you shall be my people, and my Sanctuary shall be among you for evermore, Ezek. 27. 27, 28. that is, by Sanctuary he meanes his publique Worship, the preach­ing of his Word, and other of the meanes of grace, when they repented of their sins, then these should be continu­ed: So, Beloved, if yee would repent of your sins, I do not mean one or two, or a few, or so; But if there might be a generall Reformation among us, this would fasten the Word among us, as in a sure place.

Secondly, Let us prize the Gospell, the Gospell loves to stay there where it is welcome: it will never goe a­way, if it might have good entertainment, if wee would honour it, and glorifie it, and pluck up our affections, in the dearest manner to it, this would preserve it among us for ever. The Church of Philadelphia, that used the Word best, had it longest, &c. Our Saviour Christ hath a say­ing, Into what soever Towne or City yee enter, enquire who is worthy, there abide, Matth. 10. 11. And as hee sayes, Luk. 10. 7. Goe not from house to house. The Go­spell does not love to change houses till it be urged; so it does not love to change Townes, if it may have good u­sage; [Page 176] So, Beloved, if wee would give the Gospell good usage, the Lord would continue it; like a Guest that is the willinger to stay when he sees he is among Friends.

Thirdly, Let us bring forth the fruits of it. The Hus­bandman will ever continue ploughing of his ground, as long as hee sees it will give him a good crop. But when hee perceives it will not quit charges, then hee layes it Fallow. So Christ would have stayed his word still in Judah and Jerusalem, if they would have brought forth competent fruite. But when once they grew barren, hee said hee would take his Kingdome away. The Kingdom of God shall be taken away from you, and given to a Nation that will bring forth the fruites thereof, Matth. 21. 43.

Fourthly, Let us bee earnest with God, to have his Gospell continue. Importunity may doe much: Impor­tunity held Christ a night longer with the Disciples, Luk. 24. 29. Importunity held the Levite three or foure dayes longer then otherwise hee would, Judg. 19. 4, 5, 6, 7. O If wee would bee importunate with Christ to stay his Go­spel still; as Jacob did the Angell, Thou shalt not goe till thou blesse mee, Lord thy Gospell shall not goe till it con­vert me; and it shall not goe till it convert mee, and it shall convert mee first; if every one would hang upon Christ, to stay his Gospell still, and thou shalt not let it goe till it hath done my soule good, till it hath illightned mine eyes, and quickned my heart, this would obtaine much; may bee some doe doe thus! as Jeremiah did: O thou hope of Israel, Why shouldest thou bee as a stranger in the Land, and as a wayfaring man, that turneth aside to stay for a night, Jer. 14. 8. Alas! that would not doe, if there had been many Jeremiah's▪ to doe thus, then they might have gotten him to stay longer. So, may bee some doe cry importunately thus, O thou hope of Jerusalem, &c. And [Page 177] so I fall upon the third thing: ye have heard; first, how Christ hath the placing of his Ministers; secondly, he hath the continuing of them.

Thirdly, Now it followes, hee hath the removing of them too. People are prone to look upon second causes, But Christ is the supreame, hee is the principall cause of this judgement upon men, to take away his Ministers, as the Prophet Isaiah speaks, The Lord of Hoasts doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah, the mighty man, and the Judge, and the Prophet, Esa. 3. 1, 2. Whether it bee by death, or removeall, or imprisonment, or suspending, or any other way: It is he that deprives a people of his faith­full Ministers, whosoever be the instrument.

First, He can take them away by death out of the world, Thus the Lord took away the Prophet Enoch, Genesis 5. 24.

Secondly, He can take them away by removeall, thus he took away Jonas from Israel, and sent him to Niniveh, Jon. 3. 1. Ye know he was a Prophet in Israel, and the Lord removed him thence to the Land of Assyria.

Thirdly, He can take them away by letting them bee imprisoned, thus he took away John the Baptist, by let­ting Herod put him into prison, for telling him of his sins, Mark, 16. 17. So, Ahab imprisoned Michaiah for telling him the truth.

Fourthly, Hee can take them away by letting them be suspended, and inhibited from Preaching, by letting wic­ked men have their wills, That say to the Seers, see not, and to the Prophets, prophesie not, Speak to us smooth things, prophesie deceits. Esa. 30. 10. Thus King A­maziah silenced the Prophet that reproved him, 2 Chron. 25. 16.

Fifthly, He can take them away by silencing them him­selfe, [Page 178] this is as bad as taking them away for the time, thus himself stopt Ezikels mouth, and made him dumb.

Now the Reason why Christ does doe thus, is; first, because of the wicked, they will not receive their Do­ctrine. Thus the Lord Jesus took away Paul out of Je­rusalem. Make haste, get thee quickly out of Jerusalem, for they will not receive thy testimony concerning mee, Acts 22. 18.

Secondly, The Lord does it in regard of his own peo­ple, because they begin to forsake their first love. This was the reason why the Lord threatned to take away the Ministery of the Word out of Ephesus, I will remove thy Candlestick out of its place, except thou repent, Revelations 2. 5.

Thirdly, The Lord does this sometimes in regard of the Ministery it self, that it may be more precious afterwards, as it is said there in Samuel, when the Lord had deprived Israel of his Prophets, for a matter of fourescore yeares together, O sayes the Text, The Word of God was preci­ous in those dayes, because there was no open Vision, 1 Sam. 3. 1.

The Use of this is, first, Is it so, that it is Christ thatUse 1. removes Ministers? then this should teach us to mourn before him, if ever any of our Ministers bee taken away by any meanes, wee should see whose hand is upon us, the hand of the Lord is gone out against us, it is hee that in­flicteth this judgement, and therefore wee should mourn unto him, as the Church did. When all their Prophets were gone, and all Religion went to wrack, and the ene­mies had burnt up their Synagogues, and broken up all their godly Assemblies: O how they mourned unto God for it. O God, why hast thou cast us off? Why does thine anger smoak against the sheepe of thy pasture? Remember [Page 179] thy Congregation, which thou hast purchased of old. Remem­ber mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt, Psal. 74. 1, 2. this was a heavy judgement indeed, they felt the Lords anger smoake against them then. Why? What was the mat­ter? Wee see not our signes, there is no more any Prophet, Ver. 9.

Secondly, Another Use is, Let us look into the meri­toriousUse 2. cause, which is nothing but our sins. If Gods Mi­nisters be put down at any time, it is our sins that put them down. For if Christ be the inflicting cause, certainly our sins are the deserving cause; wee can blame none but our own sins, if any thing stop any good Ministers mouth, it is they, it is peoples drunkennesse, and disorder, you are the cause, your unfruitfulnesse, and security, and hypocri­sie, and formality, you doe not learn goodnesse and godli­nesse under the Word, yee remaine vaine and blinde, and hardned in your hearts under the same. What Parishes more disorderly, than those where most preaching is, where is more hatred of word, and vertue, and piety then there? where is more railing at a good life, and holy walking, and such as desire to doe well? the more preaching people hear, for the most part, the worse they grow. People come to Church it may bee, but they make it a cloake for their villanies, they will give us the hearing, but no obedience, no practise, no Reformation, no signe of amendment, no love, no truth, no faithfulnesse, no communion at all, wel­aneare, where most Preaching is! if any thing stop our mouthes, this will doe it. And indeed what may men think of us, but that wee are a company of hypocrites, and teach­ers of vanities; what are these Preachers, wee see little good they doe, what becomes of all their Preaching, fa­ctions and odde opinions, in one Towne, and dissolute­nesse and all manner of licensiousnesse in another. If the [Page 180] whole world should let us alone, I verily feare God him­selfe would put us down immediately, in the end. So ma­ny scandals, so many thousand offences are given every day, that its a wonder wee stand as we doe. That the Lord of heaven lets any Minister in England, come into a Pulpit more; nothing but pride, and self-conceits, and self­trustings, and feared consciences, dead hearts, and pro­fanenesse; unlesse it be a very little handfull; O Beloved, if where preaching is, it were honoured as it ought to bee, and obeyed as it should, if people would doe as we teach, I dare be bold to affirme wee might Preach long enough. If our Townes would sweetly reforme, set up good Go­vernment, root out all disorders and cursed abuses, live like Christians indeed, be humble, and sober, and loving, and dutifull to God and Man; Giving to Caesar the things that are Caesars, and to God the things that are Gods. If we would feare God, and honour the King: Reverence Gods Courts, obey the voyce of his servants, love Christ and his word, above our appointed food, this would leng­then the Ministery of the Land, this would bee a meanes for the establishing of Gods Kingdome among us, Christ would never repent that ever hee sent his Gospell unto us, where wee have some, wee should have more, where we have more, wee should have a hundred times more, as the Apostle Peter sayes, Who is he that will harme you, if yee be followers of that which is good, 1 Pet. 3. 13.

Thirdly, Another Use is, is it Christ that takes awayUse 3. Ministers, either by death, or restraining, or by any other way? Then let it bee a meanes to exhort us to repent of our sinnes, that Christ may still give a doore of utterance to his Ministers, that they may still speak in his name. This should move us to seek God. When Peter was cast into [Page 181] prison. O what fasting, and crying, and praying was there to God for him, till hee was restored again, Act. 12. 5. they did not goe to Herod to restore him; No, they knew Christ was hee that tooke him from the Church, whoever were the instrument, therefore they sought to Heaven for him again, if any peoples Mini­stery bee gone, this is the best way to fetch them again. Paul knew this to bee true, and therefore when hee was in prison at Rome, hee writes to Philemon thus. I trust that through your prayers, I shall be given unto you. Phi­lemon v. 22. Nay, hee is so confident that if people would but cry hard for him to God, that hee should quickly bee enlarged. Nay, sayes hee, prepare mee a lodging, for I trust that through your prayers I should be given unto you. q. d. I make no question but I shall out of prison, if you will but bee earnest with God. So, also it seems the Authour to the Hebrews, was re­strained from Preaching. Now mark what an exhorta­tion hee uses, Pray for us, sayes hee, and I beseech you the rather to doe this, that I may bee restored unto you the sooner, Heb. 13. 18, 19.

Thus I have finished this part of the Description of Je­sus Christ, That hath the seven Starres in his hand, and the whole Subscription too: These things saith hee that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven Starres. I come now to the Epistle it self. I know thy works, that thou hast a name, that thou livest and art dead, but of this more, &c.

YE have heard two things concerning this Epistle. First, the Inscription, that declareth the person to whom it was sent, To the Angel of the Church in Sar­dis write. That is, it was sent principally to the Mini­ster of the Church in the Town of Sardis, and also to the Christians that were in that Church.

Secondly, the subscription that declareth from whom it was sent, These things saith hee that hath the seven Spi­rits of God, and the seven Stars: that is, it was sent from Jesus Christ.

Now we come to the third thing, and that is the sub­ject matter of this Epistle, which consists of three things.

First, a Reprehension of the sins of the Minister, and the body of his congregation.

Secondly, a Direction, or the shewing of the remedy, for the curing of their sins.

Thirdly, a Commendation of some particular persons in that Congregation, that were not carryed away with the sins of the times.

The reprehension is either in generall, I know thy works, that is, I know them all, and I know them to be stark nought for the most part, what-ever they seem, they may seem to be very good, but I tell you plainly, I know them all what they be, q. d. Generally they are stark nought.

And then in particular hee instances in two: first, the sin of hypocrisie, or seeming to be good, Thou hast a name that thou livest. Secondly, the sin of deadnesse of heart; But thou art dead. This is the reprehension, or the reproof.

Then follows the Direction, or the shewing of the re­medy, [Page 184] for he does not reprove them out of any ill will, but for their good. And therefore he prescribes them a remedy, and the remedy is twofold: The first is, to strengthen the things that remain, that are ready to dye. v. 2. q. d. as many of you as are not quite and clean dead, stir up your selves, quicken up your hearts; and this is, first illustrated by shewing how they should doe thus. Be watchfull sayes he, q. d. thats the reason why ye languish on this fashion, and ye will languish more and more, be­cause yee are not watchfull, therefore be watchfull: and then it is urged by rendring a motive to use this remedy: For I have not found thy workes perfect before God, that is, thou art hardly sincere a jot, thou art full of hypocrisie, and formality, and thou wilt lose all thy labour, if thou dost not look well about thee; therefore shake up thy self, and strengthen the things, &c. this is the first remedy. The second remedy is to repent, v. 3. and this is amplified by shewing how, and that is two wayes, 1. Remember how &c. i.e. consider how thou hast been taught, and bewail thy declinings, for thou art horribly departed from what thou hast heard out of the Word. 2. Hold fast. i.e. so be­waile thy warpings and degeneratings, that thou mayest get up again, and hold thee fast there, when thou art up.

Now lest they should neglect the using of this reme­dy, the Lord Jesus sharpens his speech with a threatning, telling them the danger if they will not be awakened, if therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know, &c. Thus you see the remedy.

Then the next thing is the commemoration of some slain persons, raw Birds, that were not carryed away with the sins of the times, and in the common deadnesse of the Congregation, where they lived, and these hee does commend very much.

[Page 185]And then an incouragement to give them an excellent pro­mise. The commendation is in these words. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis, which have not defiled their gar­ments, vers. 4. That is, there be some among you, though they be but a few; and he commends them for two things. 1. From the place, that they could be in Sardis, and yet keepe their quickning. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis. Even in Sardis, q. d. in dead Sardis, even there be some lively Christians, that are not dead. 2. from the quality of their care expressed by a metaphor of keeping their garments cleane, which have not defiled their gar­ments, that is, they have been very carefull indeed, that they are not sooted and soyled with so many ill examples; though others be dead, yet they will not be dead too for company.

And then their promise followes for their encourage­ment in these words. They shall walke after me in white, in the same verse; that is, I will give them the grace of presence, and will keepe them unspotted unto my Heaven­ly Kingdome and Glory; and hee addes a reason why hee makes them such a promise, in these words. For they are worthy; not as though they did merit presence and glory; no; but they are worthy in Christ, and Christ hath made them meet to be made partakers of this mercy. Thus you see the matter of the example.

Well, now to come to the reproofe, and first in gene­rall,Doct. 1. I know thy workes, that is, I know them all, and I know them to be starke naught for the most part, what ever they seeme; they may seeme to be very good and godly; but be it knowne unto you, I know them all, what they be, q. d. generally they are starke naught. The first point wee hence gather is that the Lord knowes every mans ill courses; hee is privy to every mans sinnes, though men carry them never so cleverly & closely, yet he knows them.

[Page 186]First, he sees mens sinfull workes; they can do nothing,1 but hee sees it, as Elihu speakes, his eyes are upon the wayes of men, and hee seeth all their goings. There is no darknesse nor shadow of death, where the workes of iniquity may hide themselves, Job. 34. 21, 22. what ever evill men doe, they cannot hide it from him; they may go into a house, and thinke to shut out all men from seeing of them, but they cannot shut him out; they cannot get out of his sight be they never so private, and who sees them? yet the Lord sees them.

Secondly, hee knows every syllable that men speake2 at any time, as David sayes, There is not a word in my Tongue, but lo O Lord thou knowest it altogether, Ps. 13. 4. The Prophet Elisha could tell what the King of Aram spake in his privy chamber, 2 Kings 6. 12. the Lord can tell what words people speake under the Rose; what they say in their beds, what they whisper in their close meetings, what they belch out on their Alebenches. Enoch sayes he wil have them all up at the day of judgment, nay if a word be but at the Tongues end, hee hears it.

Thirdly, hee knowes every thought in mens hearts, as3 Moses sayes, and God saw that the wickednesse of man was great upon the Earth, and the very imagination of the thoughts of his heart was onely evill continually, Gen. 6. 5. Though mens thoughts be sly things, and are out of mens eyes, and Divells eyes, and Angels eyes, yet they are not out of his eye, he sees what men think.

Fourthly, he knowes all that ever a man hath done in4 times past; he revealed unto Moses what Adam did in the Garden, what Cain in the sield, what bragges Lamech used before his Wives, what villany Lots Daughters did in the night time, many 100 years after they were done. He knowes what was done yesterday and tother day, and tother day, seven hundred hundred yeares agoe. Hee [Page 187] hath a Kalender of all the sinnes of men ever since the beginning of the World; what people did in their child­hood, what in their youth, what in their manhood, though they themselves have forgotten, yet he remembers; Ther's no time out of minde unto Him: as Solomon sayes, God requireth that whch is past, Eccl. 3. 15.

Fifthly, he knowes what sinnes men will commit here­after;5 Christ told his Apostles before hand, what wicked dealings they should meet with; the Lord told Moses what Pharaoh would do, before he went to him, I know he will not let you go, Exod. 3. 19. So likewise when the chil­dren of Israel were in the Wildernesse, the Lord told them even then that he knew all the wickednesse that ever they would doe when they came into Canaan. I know their imaginations even now sayes he, before I have brought them into the Land which Isware, Deut. 31. 21.

Sixthly, Hee knowes not onely what sinnes they have6 committed heretofore, nor onely what they will commit hereafter, but also he knowes what they would commit, in such and such cases. Hee knew Abimelech would have taken Sarah, if hee had not hindred him. He knew that the men of Keilah would betray David, if hee should stay there, 1 Sam. 23. 12. He knowes what a rich man would do if hee were poore; what a poore man would do if he were rich; He knowes that such a one would play the apostate, rather then loose all his living; Hee knowes that such a man would do mischiefe, if hee had where­withall; hee sees what is in every mans heart, what lies particularly in every mans nature; It may be her's one that dyes in his infancy, the Lord knowes what hee would have done, if hee had lived till hee was a man; here's one that dyes at 40, the Lord knowes what a wretch hee would have been, if he had lived to twenty or thirty years longer; here's one that dwells now in a good family, it [Page 188] may be now hee conformes to good duties, he does not flye out, but the Lord knowes how he would be a very rakeshame; if hee lived in another place.

Seventhly, the Lord knowes what men are and what they have beene, and what they will be, as he knowes all their thoughts, words and works, He knowes all their dis­positions, their persons, their natures, their qualities, their affections, and ends and aymes, and motives and estates; hee knowes how many are rotten though they professe never so much, how many are unfound though they be never so well esteemed in the Church; Hee knowes in what estate every man stands in. He knowes vaine men, he feeth wickednesse also; will not he then punish it? Job. 11. 11. The reasons of this point, that God knowes all mens sinnes and sinfull courses, hee knowes all that they ever have done, or doe doe, or will doe, or can doe or would doe are:

First, because God is infinite in knowledge, as David 1. sayes, his understanding is infinite, Psal. 147. 5 as the Pro­phet Esay sayes, ther's no searching of his understanding, Isa. 40. 28. well, if he be infinite in Knowledge, what can a poore Creature keepe close from him? who can hide his iniquities from him? who can set such a colour upon his wicked devises that hee can not discover them? let a man excuse himselfe, may be his excuses may passe currant among men, but God must needs know the falsenesse of his excuses, and that they are but Fig leaves: men may pretend what they will, and deny what they will with an impudent forehead, and set a good face upon what they will and this may goe unperceived among men; but Gods understanding is infinite, and therefore hee knowes all that men do, he knows how every man stands affected unto him, he knows how people come to Church, and whether they meane to doe what they have been taught, whether they [Page 189] meane to reforme what they have been reproved for; for, He is infinite in Knowledge, and therefore he is privy to all the sins of men.

Secondly, as he is omniscient, so he is omnipresent; he2 is present every where; whether can any Creature goe from his presence? if hee goe into Bed, or Chamber, or Closet, or Street, or high way, or Alehouse, or Drab­house, home or abroad, hee can go howhere but where God is, and how can hee doe ought, but God must needs see him? God himselfe argues on this manner, Can any hide himselfe in secret places, that I should not see him▪ [...] not I fill Heaven and earth? sayth the Lord, Jer. 23. 24. q [...]d if I be every where, I must needs be able to see every where.

Thirdly, the Lord is omniprovident, as I may so speak,3 hee hath a hand either in the making of all things, or at least in the permitting and disposing of all things. All that is good, hee does it himselfe, or else it cannot be done. All that is evill, hee must permit it to be, or else it cannot be committed; nothing is done without his con­currence or sufferance; therefore he must needs know all mens sins he knowes what hee hath suffered to be▪ or does suffer, or will suffer; not so much as the sinnes of men can fall out without him; as Peter speaking of Judas his sinnes, and the Iewes, and Pilats, and Herods, they did nothing but what he knew they would doe; why they did nothing, but what his Hand and Counsell determined before to be done▪ Acts 4. 28. therefore he knew the Jewes would be betray Christ; he could tell the Prophet Zachary diverse hundred yeares be­fore, that hee would take 30 pieces of Silver to doe it. He could tell the Prophet Esay that they would fmite him, and buffet him, that they would reck on him among trans­gressors; he could tell the Prophet David that they should pierce his hands and his Feet, and that they should offer [Page 190] him Vineger to drinke, the Lord knew all these sinnes of yours; why? because hee had decreed them. True hee did not decree that hee would make them commit them, but he decreed that they themselves should be the agents of them▪ it should be meerly their fault, their covetousnes, their malice, their men-pleasing, their wicked disposition; I but he ordred these things, and therefore he must needs know them. The drunkard could not hold up the cup to his mouth, if God had not intended to preserve his armes, and his mouth, at that time; hee could not goe to the tipling house, but that God intended to continue him his feet, and his health; no man could thinke a wicked thought, nor speake a naughty word, but that God up­holds his heart and his tongue in the interim; if God should forbeare his goodnesse to them, he would be speechlesse, and not able to thinke so much as any thought at all, and this aggravates mans sinnes, that hee hath need of Gods goodnesse at the same time▪ and yet that he should sin against his Maker.

Fourthly, the Lord knowes every mans sinnes, because4 he hath a Candle in every mans bosome; hee hath made mens hearts on that wise, that he hath a Candle in them all. Yee know there is a spirit in a man, that we call con­science, that is Gods Candle, as Solomon sayes, The spirit of man is the Candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly, Pro. 20. 27. well, if he have a Candle shin­ing in every mans bosome, what can there be hidden in the darke? nay he knoweth mens hearts and wayes better then they knew them themselves, as the Physitian can better judge of his Patients body then himselfe; Christ knew Peters unbelieving heart, when he knew it not him­selfe, though all men be offended in thee yet will not I; Christ knew he would be offended in him that very night; so hee knew Hazaels wicked life, when the man that [Page 191] owned it, would not believe it; is thy servant a Dogge sayes he, that I should be so wicked? yet he knew he would be so wicked and cruell; and therefore God can bring to a mans minde a thousand things that he never dreamt of before; many a man deceives himselfe all his life time; But when hee comes to sicken and die, then God shewes him what he is, and what he hath done, and now he sees he is a damned wretch, and yet before though all the Mi­nisters in England had told him so much, hee would not have believed it.

Fifthly, he must needs know every mans sins, because5 he is the Judge of all the World, and he is to judge every sinner according to his deeds; now if hee should not know all his sins, he could not judge righteous judgement. The Judge must know all secrets, otherwise he cannot well judge. Now beloved God is a righteous Judge, and there­fore no sin can scape him; God shall bring every work into judgement with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evill, Eccl. 12. 14. True it is, he shall not want witnesses in the day, for conscience shall be a thou­sand witnesses; yet it is needfull that himselfe should have perfect knowledge of all the actions of men. For why is conscience so ready to accuse a man, when it is awakened? it is onely because it is conscious that God knoweth all its doings; now if God had not perfect knowledge him­selfe, conscience would not witnesse all then, neither could it make a sinner confesse all. But Gods knowing all, this is it that will make conscience to speake truth.Jeremy hath a very excellent saying, let. 11. 20. The Psalmist being to dispute against a company of Athei­sticall people that sayd, tush God shall not see, Psal. 94. 7. marke how hee reasons against them. He brings an argu­ment from Gods judging of men to prove that God must needs see; O sayes he, it is he that chastiseth the hea hen, shall not hee correct? hee that teacheth man knowledge, [Page 192] shall not he know? vers. 10. q. d. yee deny God to be judge; if hee say hee does not know, how can he correct them? will he judge men for that he knowes not what? no, if he be the judge of the whole World, he must needs know all that men doe.

The use of this is, First, is it so that God knowes allVse 1. mens sinfull courses, if men be dead-hearted, he knowes it; if they be heartles in good duties, he knowes it; though they would be loth that men should know what they are, and doe keepe it from them, yet they cannot dawb it be­fore God; he knowes it; then this may serve to confute them that say God does not know sin. This was Averroes his opinion, who sayes God does not know sin; God knows all that ever he knowes by knowing of himselfe, and how can hee know sin, because hee can see no such thing in himselfe? I answer this is to derogate from the know­ledge of God, and to deny the perfection of it. True, sin is an evill, yea the greatest evill of all evills; yet the know­ledge of it is good: nay, it were strange to say that God does not know who sin against him; that were a pity; if men be abused, wee say it were pity but that they should know of it; and if wee doe love them, wee tell them who they be that abuse them, and what the abuses are. Certainly God knowes who doe abuse him, and how people carry themselves towards all his Commandements and worship; it is a part of his perfection to know it. Againe we our selves may know sin, and may know sin by the contrary, as wee know what darknesse is by the contrary, which is light; and shall we say that God doe not know it? God damnes all the wicked one after another for it, and therfore he does know it, nay we see that God brings secret things to light here in this World, when people had thought that no body should ever come to know it, yet hee does often bring secret sinnes to light here in this [Page 193] World, how much more at the last day? And though God knowes all that ever he knowes by looking upon him­selfe, and sin be not there, but nothing but good and good­nesse it selfe, yet hee can know it as a Medium to bring good out of it; And so it is good as he wils it, and therefore hee decrees it, and therefore he must needs know it and know it in himself. For the permission onely of it is in him­self, and the acting which is evill is out of himselfe, neither does it follow that Gods understanding should become vile by knowing so many vile things, as Vorstius and others do blasphemously astirme, & thence they would conclude their cursed Atheisticall axiomes; we indeed may make our selves vile by looking upon vile and base things, be­cause we cannot keepe our hearts from savouring of them; whose end is damnation, &c. who minde earthly things, Phil. 3. 19. that is, their minde becomes vile by so doing. Hereby people come to be unacquainted with God, and with Heavenly things. They know how to buy and sell, how to earne and get gaine, how to plough and sow and such earthly things, and they do so savour their minds, that they make their minds base with them, and therefore we are commanded to ennoble our minds and understandings, for these things make them vile, and therefore we should think of them no oftner then needs must, for our minds are debased by base objects; This is to be meant in regard of us, not as though any thing that God hath made were vile, but our corruption makes us vile; when we looke upon vile things, we are apt to run a whoring after them, and our affections to bee hampered by them; but God can daily and every howre see and looke what vile things men doe; for he keepes a continuall and an uninterrup­ted hatred of them, as the Psalmist sayes, he is angry with the wicked every day, so hee hates their courses every day.

[Page 194]Againe does God know all mens sins? then this con­futes the Anomists, that say God cannot see the sins of his people, God sees no sin in his people say they; abusing that place there of Balaam. Hee hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seene transgression in Israel. Numb. 23. 21. what's this but to pervert Scripture, hee speakes there of the eye of his Justice, He does not speake of the eye of his Knowledge; He speakes of such things as is in the wicked: That indeed God doe not see in his people; for it is not there to be seene; otherwise, if Gods people sin, God makes them know and confesse that hee sees it; as David sayes, O God thou knowest my foolishnesse, and my sinnes are not hid from thee, Psal. 69. 5. The garments of salvation that God puts upon his people, are not to hoodwinke Gods Al-seeing Knowledge, but to keep of the destroying Angell.

Secondly, another use is to condemne the most sorts ofVse 2. men, that doe not consider of this truth; they little thinke that God sees all their doings. I feare there is hard­ly any among us, that will seeme to deny but that God can see all his wayes; and yet we see it is too apparent by mens lives, that few men do believe this indeed. There is this vile Atheisme sculking in all our hearts naturally (otherwise we durst not doe as wee doe) that either God is such a God as the Epicures made him, that sits in Heaven and regards not what men doe here below, or at least we doe not charge this truth on our hearts, that God sees us; this is the cause of all the sinnes that are among us; That there is so much luke warmenesse in the better sort, so much heartlesnesse in holy performances before God, so much wickednesse among others; for why? if men did seriously consider that Gods sees all and markes all, nay hee markes all that men do, so curiously that hee can set them in order before them, all that ever [Page 195] they have done, Psal. 50. 21. in the same order that they committed them; marke he can set before us in order all that ever we doe from day to day; this sin then, and that sin then; such a sin wee did at such a time, such sins in the morning, such at noone, such the last night, such lusts were in our hearts in such a place, and such in such a place; hee can set them in order before us, he knowes them so well, and will too before he hath done; I say if wee did charge this upon our soules, we could not live so loosely as we doe.

You will say, yea, but we are Christians, why do you tell us such a known truth? what need so many arguments to prove that God knowes all our sinnes? wee know that already and no body will deny it, we are Christians. I answer, this is the hypocrisy of men hearts; their hearts will confesse it to be a truth, but in their workes they do deny it. The Prophet David speakes of men that were in the visible Church of God aswell as we, and that would confesse this truth aswell as we, and yet he sayes of many an one of them; He hath said in his heart God hath forgot­ten, he hath hid his face, he will never see it, Psal. 10. 11. And the truth is, this is the cause of all the boldnesse of people to goe on in their sinnes, or to yeeld to sinne at any time; they put this out of their bosomes that God sees them; As Ezekiel speakes, the land is full of blood, the City is full of perversnesse, for they say the Lord hath for­saken the Earth, and the Lord seeth not, Ezek. 9. they say so in effect; they put God afar of, and they doe not consider that hee sees them. Beloved there's none of us all but hath need that this truth shoud be urged upon us, that God beholds all iniquity and evill; we can never doe amisse, but he takes notice of it.

Thirdly, another use is; is it so that God sees all mensVse 3. sins? Then this is a terror to all that goe on with a selfe [Page 196] condemning heart. O consider what the Apostle sayes, if our heart condemne us, God is greater then our heart, and he knowes all things, 1 Joh. 3. 20. q. d. if we have a selfe con­demning heart, how much more shall we find a selfe con­demning God? If our own heart can find us out, if that can find out our worldlines, or our irreverence, or our careles­nesse of God, how much more wlll God find us out? He knowes all our sins better then we our selves; and there­fore, O let us quake all of us to goe on with a selfe-con­demning heart; it is a bad badge, it is a prodigious token of the fearefull judgement of God; if wee doe not get our sins done away, by the blood of Jesus Christ, and by his sanctifying Spirit, God will finde us out; for hee knowes what we are, and what wee doe daily, and how we live every day and howre. Againe, this is a terror to them that are Hypocrites; If God could not see a rotten heart, he should speed as well as the best. O but sayes God, I the Lord search the heart, J try the reynes, even to give every man according to his wayes and according to the fruit of his doings, Jer. 17. 10. and therefore wo be to such as are otherwise within then they seeme to be without; without they are painted sepulchers, but within they are full of rottennesse, they professe godlinesse, but they suffer within a Worldly spirit, a guilty conscience, a vaine minde, an unbelieving heart, no love of God, no zeale to his glory, no feeling of the Churches misery, no compassion with the Saints, no delight in them that feare God indeed; and yet they will goe for Christians forsooth. God sees all their workes, and will unmask them in his due time, either in this world, or in the world to come, and will poure everlasting contempt on them.

Fourthly, this is comfort to good people, for if God see4. all mens sins, then he sees all mens goodnesse much rather; what a comfort is this in prayer to consider, that he that [Page 197] searcheth the heart knowes what is the minde of the spirit? Rom. 8. 17. Hee knowes all thy groanes, Hee knowes all thy desires; what a comfort is this when ever an ho­nest soule is put to it soundly in temptation, when the soule is accused by Satan, hardly thought on by men, and God lets bitter temptations to come on? I say what a comfort is this, that God knowes all the good things that are in man? all ones affections, all ones endea­vours, ail ones combats against sinne, all ones griefes for corruption, as Peter sayd, Lord, thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee, Joh. 21. 17. Peter was put to it soundly at that time; But yet this was his comfort that God did know all things. Hee had many tokens of Gods gracious goodnesse about him, hee had love to Jesus Christ, hee had deepe desires to doe all that hee bade him. O sayes hee, and thou knowest it. A­gaine this is an excellent comfort in time of affliction. When Iob was in affliction, and his friends scorned him, then did hee goe and poure out his Teares unto God, and this was his comfort, Behold my witnesse is in Heaven, and my record is on high, Job. 16. 19, 20. Againe this an excellent encouragement to serve God in these bad and sinnefull times; people generally never looke after God, nor holinesse; the World lookes after their pleasures and their profits, and preferments, and friends, and the like; but Religion and Devoutnesse, and God­linesse of living, few people looke after that as though God did not regard what people doe. Now beloved, when wee heare that God sees all that men doe, and markes it, and will call all men to accompt, what an encouragement is this to serve God, as David sayd to Solomon, Know thou the God of thy Fathers and serve him with a perfect heart, for the Lord searcheth all Hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts, [Page 198] 1 Chron. 28. 9. Againe, what a comfort is this against false accusations? Hee knowes all our innocency, when our Neighbours say all manner of evill of us. Hee knowes wee doe that in simplicity, which others thinke wee doe out of a sinister respect, or out of pride, or popularity, or for applause. What a comfort is this, when wee can appeale to God, as Paul sayes, the Lord knowes that J lye not, as David sayes, I have not refrain­ed my lips from Preaching thy Righteousnesse O Lord, thou knowest, Psal. 40. 9. Hee knowes the uttermost endea­vours and desires of our hearts is to be as good as wee seeme, though the World take us for Hypocrites Hee knowes wee be true men, that reverence every power that is of God, though the World esteeme us factious and humorous. Little does the World thinke what the Saints doe every day, what wrastlings with God, what con­flicts in their mindes they indure; this is sufficient, the Lord knowes.

Againe, what a comfort is this? if wee desire to know our sinnes, God is able to shew them unto us▪ Hee can open our eyes to behold them for our humiliation, that wee may say with the Prophet, I know mine owne iniquities and my sinne is ever before me; if we want a right sight of our sinnes at any time, it is but going to God, Hee knowes them all, hee can helpe us to see them a­right.

Fifthly, does God know all mens sinnes? then this should make us afraid to doe evill at any time, or in any place, yea in the secretest; wee can never do any e­vill, but God will spy us out; wee cannot have a thought in our heart, but hee does discerne it; nor omit any du­ty but hee does perceive it; nor slubber over any good duty, but hee stands by and lookes on; may be when yee are among your selves, yee can shoot out your Ar­rowes [Page 199] even bitter and malicious words, may bee no body can tell what yee said, tush it shall never come to such a ones Eare; Who can tell that you did say so? Who? why God can Thus yee sayd and thus yee said, sayes the Lord; That have you sayd O house of Israel, for I knew the things that came into your minde every one of them, Ezek. 11. 5. Hee knowes thy adultery and with whom and in what Bed; neither Curtaines, nor Doores, nor Lock and Key can hide from him. Hee knowes how thy heart hath risen up against the Word, Hee knowes how many times thou hast smothered thine owne conscience, and gone against it, and outwrestled it; He knowes how thou lettest thy minde rove in Prayer, how many times thou hast come to the Lords Table unworthily, omitted Family duties or hudled them over without due regard; Hee knowes what trickes thou hast to put off conviction, what a base esteeme thou hast of the strictnesse that Gods Word doth re­quire, when thou hearest it layd open. O I say, this should make thee to feare God, this should make thee to feare everywhere as the Psalmist sayes, Thou com­passest my paths and my lying downe, and art acquainted with all my wayes, Psal. 139. 3. Thou hast beset mee behind and before, within and without; thou possessest all my reines. O what an awe should this breede in us! But I let this Use passe. This Use will better come in the next Doctrine.

Well then, the next Doctrine is this. The knowingDoct. 2. that God knowes all our workes, is the powerfull meanes to all Gods elect, to do them good, and to quicken them, and to make them take heede of all manner of sinne; when the Lord would quicken his people here in Sar­dis, hee uses this as his first meanes to doe it by, I know thy workes; wee may see this in David. I have kept thy [Page 200] Precepts and thy Testimonies, for all my wayes are before thee. Psa. 119. 168. when Solomon would confute a whorish heart, hee uses this for his argument, Why wilt thou my Son, bee ravisht with a strange Woman, and embrace the bosome of a stranger? for the wayes of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and hee ponders all his goings. Prov. 5. 20. 21. why wilt thou doth us? q. d. thou art madde, thou art desperate, if this argument will not prevale with thee.

The reasons of this point are, First, because the Lords1. knowing of our workes is not onely a meere knowing of them, but also a marking and a pondering of them too; Hee diligently observes what wee doe, hee ponders and considers whence it proceeds, and whether it tends, as the Prophet sayes, The Lords Throne is in Heaven, his Eyes well consider, his Eye-lides try the Children of men, Psal. 11. 4. And therefore when the Scripture would tell us that God knowes mens hearts, it sometimes expresses it thus, The Lord pondereth mens hearts, Prov. 24. 12. if God did onely see what we doe, it were another mat­ter, but when the soule shall heare that hee markes, and that hee ponders, and considers mens sinnes, and weighes them how haynous they are, what punishment they deserve, and how horrible it is that they do, how much it is against his glory; its a signe of a desperate heart, when this will not work.

Secondly, because when God sees all our sinnes, it2 is with a most holy and pure Eye, and such an Eye as cannot abide such an object before him, as the Pro­phet Habakuk speakes, Thou art of purer Eyes then to behold evill, thou canst not looke on iniquity, Hab. 1. 13. if God saw our sinnes with such an Eye as men see them now and then, it were no such great thing; for wee know that most men can endure to see our sinnes well enough, and like us little the worse; but they [Page 201] are infinitely offensive unto God, he sees them with such an eye, that if ever the conscience be a wake but to per­ceive how he lookes, it will burst the very heart of a man.

Thirdly, because when God sees our sinnes, he records3 them, he notes them in a booke, that he may never for­get them; as he told the people of the Jewes, behold it is written before me, I will recompence and render it into your bosome, Isay. 65. 6. if God did see our sinnes, and ther's an end, then indeed this doctrine of Gods seeing would doe little; may be God would forget them againe; yea, but when he sees, he registers too, nay he layes it up in record to be in store by him against another day; nay, he seales them up in his treasure; is not this laidup in store by me, and sealed among my Treasures? Deut. 32. 34. now when the Soule shall come to marke this, this will wound it to the quicke, this must needs doe a man good, and strike an awe into him of God.

Fourthly, because when Gods sees our sinnes, it is e­ven4. all one as if all the world should see them too; as O­rigen notes; for let our sinnes be never so secret, our in­ward unsoundnesse never so unknowne, yet if God know it, it is as bad and worse then if all the world knew it; for all the world shall know it one day, God will lighten all things that are hid in darknesse, and will make manifest the secret counsailes of mens hearts; then shall every man have praise of God, 1 Cor. 4. 5. that is, whosoever have been godly, God will bring all their godlinesse forth, and every one of them shall have praise of God; this shall be an honour to them before all the world: so if a man have been evill, then God will produce all his naughty courses forth, then shall he have shame from God, God will shame him before all the World. There is nothing now covered that shall not then be revealed, nothing [Page 202] hid that shall not then be laid open; what a shame then will this be for thee, that thou which hast gone so many yeares for an honest man, and may be hast been some bo­dy here in this world, when all the Saints shall see thee standing as a wretch, as a hell-hound as a limme of the Divell, on Christs left hand? what a shame will it be, if we that are now earnest Preachers, if any of us shall then be found among the goats? what a shame to any of you, that would count it a sore disgrace to be called a wicked man, to be led forth with evill doers, and sholed among the damned? well then, if Gods seeing of mens sinnes be such a kind of seeing as this is, no marvell it worke so effectually on them that are of God.

Fifthly, an other argument may be taken from our5. disposition; our disposition is such, that we cannot a­bide that our wickednesses should be seen of any body that we know can't abide them; Which among us when we pray and have base roving thoughts, would not be a­shamed that a man should see our thoughts rove? which of us, that are unsetled and dead-hearted, would not blush that men had a casement to see how dead he sits at a Ser­mon, and how dead at a Sacrament, how dead in other of Gods Ordinances; what base and impure thoughts some­time doe arise in his minde; if he did thinke that any man should see them, he would not hardly be able to shew his face among men. Let but an adulterer that is naught with a whore, have but a few men, or but one man come and take him in the act, O how it will gall him and vex him to be seen [...] as Iob speakes, if one know them, they are in the terror of the shadow of death, Job. 24. 17. they abhorre the light, they cannot abide to be brought out to be knowne. Now beloved if this be our disposition by nature, that we cannot abide that so much as a man should know us; nay, not a child of six or seven yeeres of age, then O what [Page 203] a terror is it that the God of Heaven and Earth should know us, that he should see all our lusts, all our sinnefull and vile thoughts, all our uncleane and noy some affecti­ons, all our by ends and carelesnesse of God! O what a powerfull thing is this to worke upon the heart, except it be delivered up to a reprobate sense, to sleight God, and care lesse for him then for a little Boy, or a mortall man? so then yee see, this is a powerfull meanes to work upon a soule, to know that God knowes all his workes; though the Woman of Samaria stood jesting, and playing, and contesting with our Saviour a good while: yet when she perceived that he knew all her villany, this burst her heart; O saies she this is no other then Christ, he hath told me all that ever I did, Joh. 4. 29.

The use of this is. First, here we see they are despe­ratoVse 1. that this point cannot worke on; its certaine they are gracelesse that can heare that God sees all their workes, and yet it does not purge them from day to day; its an evident argument that a man contemnes God, and makes nothing of him. When David had shewed that the wic­ked care not for Gods eye, they make a matter of nothing of it; tush God does not see, Psalm. 19. 11. say they; that is, they knew he saw indeed, but they made nothing of it; as long as men did not see them, they counted Gods seeing as nothing; now marke what followes, wherefore doe the wicked contemne God? Psalm. 13

Secondly, is it so, that this is such a powerfull meanesVse 2. to worke upon our hearts? let us not harden our hearts, but let us consider of it, that it may cut between the bone and the marrow, and devide between the soule and the spirit; God sees all our workes. This point should fall upon our hearts, like the almighty hand of God, as it did upon Job, I know thou canst doe every thing, and that no thought can be hid from thee, Job, 42. 2.

WE are come to the subject matter of this example; and First, we meet with the reproofe that Christ gives to the Church of Sardis; the reproofe is either in ge­nerall; I know thy workes, i e. I know them all to be starke naught for the generall; and then in particular, first, their hypocrisie, thou hast a name that thou livest; secondly, their deadnesse indeed, and art dead. The generall reproofe we spake of the last day, I know thy workes, and there ye heard that God knowes all the sinfull courses that any man takes; he is privy to every mans sinnes: though men car­ry them never so closely and cleverly, yet he knowes them.

First, he sees all mens sinfull actions, as Elihu speakes,1 his eyes are upon the wayes of man, and he sees all his goings; there is no darknesse or shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves, Job. 34. 21. 22. people can­not get out of his sight, they cannot sinne so in private but he seeth them; they may goe into a secret roome, and shut every living creature out, but they cannot shut God out.

Secondly, he knowes every syllable that men speake,2 I have heard what the Prophets said, they prophecy lies in my name, Ier. 23. 25. the Lord can tell what men speake un­der the rose; looke what the King of Aram spake in his bed▪ chamber, he could tell Elisha. As Enoch speakes; he knowes all the speeches that wicked men speake, and will have them up at the day of judgement against them.

Thirdly, he knowes every sinfull thought that is in mens3. [Page 205] hearts, as Moses sayes; God saw the wickednesse of man was great upon the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually, Gen. 6. 5. though mens thoughts be slie things, and are out of mens eyes, and Angels eyes, and Devils eyes, yet they are not out of his eye, he sees what men thinke.

Fourthly, he knowes all that ever a man hath done as4. the woman said of Christ; come see one that hath told me all that ever I have done, Joh. 4. 29.

Fifthly, he knowes all the evill that ever men will doe5. hereafter; the Lord told Moses what Pharaoh would doe before he went to him; I know he will harden his heart and will not let them goe, Exod. 3. 19. while the Children of Israel were in the wildernesse, he knew what they would doe when they came into Canaan; I know their imagina­tions even now before I have brought them into the Land which I sware to give them, Deut 31. 21.

Sixthly, he knowes all the evills that men would doe6. in such and and such circumstances; he knew Abimelech would have taken Sarah, if he had not hindred him; he knew that the men of Keilah would betray David, if David should stay there, 1 Sam. 23. 12. he knowes what a rich man would doe if he were poore, what this or that poore man would doe if he were rich; one dies in his infancy, he knowes what he would have done if he had let him live to be a man: her's a man that lives in a good fami­ly, and may be carrieth himselfe very squarely, but the Lord knowes what he would doe, if he lived in ano­ther place.

Seventhly, the Lord knowes mens dispositions, their7 natures, their qualities, their projects, their intentions; he knowes how many are rotten, though they professe ne­ver so much; he knowes mens persons, he knowes vaine men, Iob. 11. 11.

[Page 206]I told you the reason of this, First, because he is omniscient and knowes all things, his understanding is infi­nite, Psal. 147. 5. let a man set as good a colour▪ as he can upon his wicked devices, God can discover him, let a man have never so many excuses; though they passe for currant among men, yet God sees what they are; men may pre­tend what they will, and deny what they will, and set an1. impudent forehead and face on the matter, and go unper­ceived among men, but they cannot goe unperceived by Allmighty God, his understanding is infinite.

Secondly, as he is omniscient, so he is omnipresent, he2. is everywhere; whether can any creature goe from his presence? if he goe into the street, or ale-house or drab­house, or his house or his closet, or his privy chamber, he can goe nowhere but where God is; and therefore how can he doe ought but God must needs see him? can any hide himselfe in▪ secret places, that I should not see him? doe not I fill Heaven and Earth, saith the Lord? Ier. 23. 24.

Thirdly, the Lord hath his providence in every thing,3 nothing is done without his concurrence or sufferance, if it be good, it is done by his assistance; if it be evill, it can­not be done without his permission and disposition; there­fore he must needs know every thing. He knew whether the Devils should enter into the herd of swine, for they could not enter in, untill he suffered them: he knew all that Iudas, and Pilate, and Herod, and the Jewes and the High Priests did against Christ, because they did nothing but what his hand and counsell had determined before to be done, Act. 4. 28.

Fourthly, the Lord knowes every mans sinnes, because4 he hath a candle in every mans bosome. The Spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly, Prov. 20. 27, that is a mans conscience, that's the [Page 207] Lords Candle; well, if Hee have a Candle standing in every mans bosome, what can bee done there in the darke?

Fifthly, because He is judge of the whole World; O Lord 5 of Heasts that judgest righteously, that tryest the Reines and the Heart, Jer. 11. 20. Hee could not judge every man righteously else. A man may doe well, and yet seeme to doe evill; againe a man may doe very evill, and yet seeme to doe well; yee know the heart is all in all; now if God did not know all mens hearts, all mens lookes and aymes, and intents, and meanings, the circumstan­ces, and every thing that men doe, Hee could not judge every man according to his workes, as hee will for a certaine. Hee will judge every man according to his works, and therefore Hee knowes what every mans workes bee.

The use of this was, First. To confute Averroes and o­thersUse. 1. that say that God does not know mens sinnes; O say they, God sees all things by looking on himselfe; now there is no such thing to be seene in himselfe. Beloved, here you see that this is a blasphemous Doctrine; for God knowes what ever men are▪ or thinke, or speake, or doe, or have done▪ or shall doe, or would doe in any case; and though sinne be not in God, yet the suffering of it is in God and Hee may suffer it in his just judge­ment and wisdome; though the commiting of it be wicked, yet his suffering of it is good, and just. The Eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding the evill and the good, Pro. 15. 3. But I let this passe.

Secondly, to condemne the most sorts of men that doe2 not consider of this truth; for though men will grant that God knowes all the evill that they doe, yet this vile Atheisme is lurking in mens hearts, they either make God as the Epicures hold, that hee sits in Heaven, and [Page 208] regards not what men doe, or at least God will not require it, Psal. 10. 13. they doe not charge this truth on their hearts; This is the cause that men are so daring to doe evill.

Thirdly, this is a terror to all that doe evill. This3 is a terror to them that have condemning hearts, as John sayes, if our heart condemne us, God is greater then our hearts, and Hee knowes all things, 1 Joh. 3. 20. a­gaine this is a terror to all Hypocrites; if God could not see a rotten heart, then a Hypocrite should speed as well as the best. But God sees what men are; seeme they what they will, He sees what they be.

Fourthly, this is comfort to good people, for if God4. see all mens sinnes, then Hee sees all mens goodnesse; what a comfort is this in Prayer to consider, That Hee that searcheth the Hearts knowes what is the minde of the Spirit? Romans 8. 27, Hee knowes all thy groanes and sighes; though thou canst not utter what thou wouldst in Prayer, yet Hee knowes what thou wouldst have. What a com­fort is this in temptation, in the midst of the accusati­ons of Satan, when a man is pitifully put to it in spiritu­all conflicts, that God knowes what is in us? all our secret affections, our mournings after him, our private seekings of him, all our hidden meanings to him, all our combats against sinne, all our griefes for corrupti­ons; as Peter sayes, God thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee, Joh. 21. 17. Peter was put to it soundly at that time, yet this was his comfort that God did know all things; and as Hee knowes more evill by us then our selves, so He knowes more good by us then our selves.

Againe, what a comfort is this against the nick-names and false judgings of wicked men? Hee knowes all our innocency, when men say all manner of evill of us; [Page 209] Hee knowes wee doe that in sincerity, which men thinke wee doe in Hypocrisy; Hee knowes our. simplicity, when men judge that wee doe it out of by and sinister respects; what a comfort is this when wee can appeale to God as David sayes, the Lord knowes that I lie not; as David sayes, I have not re­frained my lips from preaching thy Righteousnesse, O Lord thou knowest, Psalme 40. 9. little does the World think what the Saints doe every day, what wrestlings with God, what goings out unto him they have; this is a comfort; the Lord knowes. Againe, what an encourage­ment is it to serve God in these bad and sinnefull times? People generally never looke after God, nor holinesse, as though God had forsaken the Earth; most people are of the minde, that if a man bee precise, hee is little the better; and if hee be not so precise as some be, hee shall never be the worse for that, as though God cared for no such matter. Beloved, when wee heare that God sees all that men doe, and markes and will call all men to an accompt, what an encourage­ment is this to serve God? as David sayes to Solomon, Know thou the God of thy Fathers, and serve him with a perfect Heart, for the Lord searcheth all Hearts, and under­standeth all the imaginations of the thoughts, 1 Chron. 28. 9. This was the first pont.

And then the Second point was this. The conside­ration of this that God knowes all our workes, is a powerfull meanes to all Gods elect, to doe them good, and to quicken them and to make them take heede of all manner of sinne; when the Lord would quicken his people here in Sardis, hee uses this as his first meanes to doe it by; I know thy workes; wee may see this in David; I have kept thy Precepts and thy [Page 210] Testimonies; for all my wayes are before Thee, Psalme 119 168. when Solomon would convert the whorish man, hee uses this for his argument, why wilt thou O my Son be ravisht with a strange Woman, for the wayes of man are before the Eyes of the Lord, and He ponders all his goings, Pro. 5. 20, 21.

The reasons of this point, are. First, because theReas. 1. Lords knowing of our workes is joyned with a mark­ing and a pondering of them too. Hee diligently observes what wee doe; Hee ponders and considers whence it proceeds, whether it tends; what light we goe against, what checks of conscience wee meete with, what mer­cies wee abuse, what prickes wee kick against; Hee does not barely see what wee doe, but Hee considers what wee doe, how hainously wee sinne, what a vile thing it is that wee doe; Hee considers how cursed wee are, what a great One wee offend. The Lords Throne is in Heaven, his Eyes doe consider, and his Eye­lids trie the children of men. Psalme 11. 4. Hee ponders mens hearts, Prov. 24. 12. if God did only see what wee doe, it were another matter, but when the soule shall heare that He markes and considers, and that he ponders mens sinnes, and weighs them how horrible they are, how much against his glory, what punishments they de­serve, how inexcusable they be, how just it is to damne them, its a signe of a desperate heart when this wil not work.

Secondly, the Lords seeing of our sinnes is with most2 holy and pure Eyes, and such Eyes as cannot abide such an object before Him, as the Prophet Habbakuk speakes; Thou art of purer Eyes then to behold evill, thou canst not looke on iniquity, Hab. 1. 13. If God saw our sinnes with such an Eye as men see them with, it were no such great [Page 211] thing; many men can endure them well enough, and like us little the worse; nay may be they will like us the better; but they are infinitely offensive to God. Hee sees, them with such an Eye, that if the soule did but see how God lookes, it would burst the very heart of it; as when Peter had denyed Christ, Christ look't upon him; But it was such a looke, that burst his very heart and made him goe out with shame, and weepe bit­terly.

Thirdly, the Lords seeing of our sinnes is joyned3 with recording of them; Hee notes them in a Booke that hee may never forget them, as hee told the Iewes, Behold it is written before mee, and I will render it them into their bosome, Isaiah 65. 6. if God did see our sinnes and there's an end, then indeed this Doctrine of Gods see­ing of our sinnes would doe little good, may be God will forget them againe; yea, but when hee sees them, hee registers them too, and hee will never forget them; now when a soule shall come to consider them, this will wound it to the quick. O hee will never forget them, hee sets them on our score, and wee shall heare of them another day, except we make our peace with him.

Fourthly, when God sees our sinnes, it is even all4 one as if the whole World saw them; nay hee will shew them before all the whole World, Hee will bring to light things hidden in darknesse, 1 Cor. 4. 5. wouldst not thou bee loth that all the World should see all thy thoughts, and heare every word that thou speakest, and know all the evill thou hast done; would it not much bridle thee, if thou couldst doe nothing, not thinke a thought but all the whole World should see it? why man, the Lord sees thee, and that is all one and more [Page 212] too; for hee will open it before all the World, before hee hath done.

Fifthly, another argument may be taken from our4. disposition; our disposition is such that wee cannot a­bide our wickednesse should be seen by any body; which among us when wee pray, would not be ashamed that any body should see how our thoughts rove? which of you that are unsetled and deadhearted would not blush that men had a casement to see how dead hee sits at a Sermon, how dead and blockish at a Sacrament, how dead at other of Gods Ordinances? What base and uncleane, and blasphemous thoughts doe sometimes come into our hearts? if a man did thinke that any man should see them, hee would hardly be able to shew his face among men: should an Adulterer be but ta­ken in the act by any Man or Woman or Child, O how it would gall him and vex him to be seene! as Job speakes, If one know them, they are in the terrour of the sha­dow of death, Job. 24. 27. now beloved if this be our dispo­sition by nature, that wee cannot abide that a man should see us doe something that wee doe, nay not a child of seven yeares old, then O what a terrour is it that the God of Heaven and Earth should see us and know us; that hee should see all our lusts, all our noysome and uncleane affections, all our vile and hide­ous thoughts! O what a powerfull thing is this to worke upon the heart, except it be delivered up to a reprobate sense? The Woman of Samaria shee was briske and frolique a great while, till shee perceived that Christ knew all her villany, this made her ashamed, and brake her very heart.

The use of this was: First, here wee see they areUse 1. desperate that this point cannot worke on; its certaine [Page 213] they are gracelesse that can heare that God sees all their workes, and yet it does not purge them from day to day, its an evident argument that a man contemnes God, and makes nothing of him.

Secondly, is it so that this is such a powerfull meanesVse 2. to worke upon our hearts? O let us not harden our hearts, but let us consider of it, that it may cut be­tweene the bone and the marrow; God sees all our workes. This point should fall upon our hearts, like the Al-mighty hand of God; so it did on Jobs. I know thou canst doe every thing, and that no thought can be hid from thee, Job. 42. 2. so much shall suffice to have spoken of the reproof in generall.

Now wee come to the particulars. And the first is in these words, thou hast a Name that thou livest, and the other is, and art dead.

That thou hast a name that thou livest; This is the first particular whereby the Lord Jesus, proves that which hee had implyed before, viz. that the works of Sardis were all starke naught, because they had onely a name to live, they rested in a meere outward name to bee Religious and good Christians, and people of God, and believers and a Church of Jesus Christ; they had the name, and that was all; they had a name to live; well, sayes hee, for this very thing, I know all thy workes, (i) I know them to be all starke naught. Some thinke this is an allusion to the Minister of Sardis his name, who (they say) was called Zosing, that is Living. Thou hast a name that thou livest, but the truth is, thou art dead; whether that be so or no, I know not; but this is the meaning of the words, that both the Mi­nister and the Church seemed to be alive towards God; hee to be a very good and godly Minister, and they [Page 214] very good and godly hearers, they were all professors, they were all very devout and forward in all their du­ties of Religion to see to; Thou hast a name that thou livest.

By name is meant a meere name, as wee see by the clause following, and art dead; for when a man is dead, the name to live must needs be a meere Name.

First, a Name in regard of themselves, they tooke1 themselves to be alive; as Paul had a name to live before his conversion, while yet hee was a Pharisee, hee had then a name to live, I was alive without the Law once, Rom. 7. 9. That is, I had a name to live then, I taking my selfe to be alive; I thought verily in those dayes that I had true Grace, true Faith, and true Hope, and true Love, and the true feare of God before my eyes. So this Church had a name to live, they thought themselves to be alive.

Secondly, a name in regard of other godly Churches;2 others in the judgement of Charity conceived they were alive; as the Scribes, the Pharisees, our Savi­our Christ told them they had a name to live, Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees, Hypocrites; for yee are like unto whited Sepulchers, which indeed appeare beautifull out­ward, but are within full of dead mens bones, Matthew 23. 27. that is, yee seeme to be alive, yee have a name to live, but indeed yee are dead; They had such a great name to live that our Saviour Christ had much a doe to keepe his owne Disciples from over-ween­ing of them; beware of them sayes hee, q. d. what ever yee may thinke, they have a meere Name to live.

Thirdly, a name among poore ignorant and simple3. people; yee know there be abundant of poore simple [Page 215] people that are led away with shewes, that know not what true Religion is, nay may be hate it, but yet they are led away with the shew of it; now they that seeme to be religious, they are the onely Men and Wo­men with such; they are held for the only good people in a Country, they are admired, poore silly people take them for their Ghostly Fathers, if they can have but their Prayers, they thinke their Prayers can do much; when they are sick, they love a life to have such by their bedsides, they give them a great deale of com­fort, like Absulom that comforted the people that came to him, O your matters are good; so the Apostle shewes that they that had a sorme of godlinesse, had a name to live among a company of poore silly people, 2 Tim. 3. 5. 6.

Fourthly, a name among the persecutors of Religi­on,4 and so they are persecuted too among them that live indeed; for mockers take them to be of the same number. So Alexander the Coppersmith, had a name a great while, and the enemies of goodnesse persecuted him even as Paul; so Demas for a time had a name, and was persecuted as well as the Apostle, till afterwards hee was weary and forsooke him. This is one of your Precisians, this is one of you purer people, this is one of them that call themselves the people of God, These are the people of the Lord, Ezek. 36. 20. as a Bat hath a name to be a Mouse, and so the Birds persecute it, and cannot abide it.

Now the point of Doctrine is this, that it is a horribleDoct. 1. thing to rest in a meere name of being Religious; it is the argument that Christ uses, to prove that Sardis workes were all starke naught, because they had a meere name to live; so when the Lord would de­clare [Page 216] how the Jewes were growne to be starke naught, hee layes this to their charge, that they had onely a name to bee his people; They call themselves of the holy City, and stay themselves upon the God of Israel, the Lord of Hosts is his name, Isaiah 48. 2. that is, they got themselves a name to bee his people, and there was all; they had not the thing it selfe, but they tooke the name; thus hee proved them to bee starke naught.

The reasons are; first, because this is to be farthestReas. 1. off from Religion; religion is a reall thing, and there­fore he that rests in having the name of it, is farthest off from it; as Christ sayes of Nathaniel, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile, Ioh. 1. 47. so when a man is re­ligious indeed, humble indeed, feares God indeed, this is religion; when a man is freed indeed from his sinnes, and from the power of them, this is religion: if the Sonne shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed, Joh. 8. 36. Now when a man hath only the name, he is farthest off from this; Religion is a reall, solid, and a substantiall thing; as Iohn sayes, my little children let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth, 1 Joh. 3. 18. what though a man have the name to love God and goodnesse? how farre is this off from doing of it indeed? a man may goe for one that is converted; but he is con­verted that is converted indeed; so he is godly that is godly indeed; the name is nothing where the thing is wanting; all religion is in deed, to believe indeed, to deny a mans selfe every day indeed, to be sensible of God indeed in all ones waies; not to say ones prayers, but to pray indeed; to give God thankes indeed; to worship him indeed; as Paul sayes, when a man can say God is in us indeede, 1 Corinthians 14. 25. when [Page] a man hath onely the name, this is a meere fancy and conceit.

Secondly, it is a very blasphemy to get the name2 for good people, when wee are not good people; indeed the reason is this, Religion hath an inward dependance upon God, it unites a man to God, it hath an internall relation unto God, it puts a man in a propriety with God, that God is his God, that hee is borne of God, it puts the very Name of God upon a man; now if a man take the name with out the thing, it must neede bee a very blas­phemy as hee sayes, I know the blasphemy of them that say they are Iewes, and are not, but are the Sy­nagogue Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine. of Satan, Revelations, 2. 9. as if a man should say hee were of the blood royall; yee know the blood royall hath such a dependance on the Crowne, that that man that should say hee were of the blood royall, and is not, hee must needes blaspheme the King. So beloved, Religion hath a neere dependance on God, and therefore hee is a blasphemer of God, that gets the name of it, and lets the thing alone; and therefore how shoud wee take heede, how wee have the name for Religi­ous people, except wee bee Religious indeed, and holy indeede, and Heavenly indeede, as Ambrose sayes; nam [...]it nomen inane, & crimen immane, a bare name is a horrible blame unto any man, whosoever he be.

Thirdly, it is a flat lie; when a man hath the3 name for a good Christian, and hath not the thing signified by the Name, this is a flat lie; as God sayes, Note it in a Booke that it may be for time to come, for ever and ever, that this is a rebellious people, [Page] lying children, children that will not heare the Law of the Lord, Isaiah. 30. 8. 9. that is, they had the name of his children, but they had not the thing signifi­ed by that name; they would not doe as children should doe, they would not bee ruled by their fa­thers Lawes, therefore they are lying children, they lie in bearing such a name; the Lord notes it in a Booke, that it might stand for ever and e­ver against them at the day of judgement; this was nothing else but to lie before God; you goe for my children, what? and will not doe as I bid you? you lie in haveing the name of my children; when a man shall have the name of a child of God, or the name of a Minister of the Lord Jesus, or the name of a Christian baptized into Christ, hee had need to take heed what hee does; for if he doe not answer this name, hee does but play the Ananias to lie to the Holy Ghost: Looke into thy generall calling; looke into thy particular, looke into thy carriage; looke into thy manner of good duties, whether thou doe behave thy selfe answerably to this holy name whereby thou art called, knowing thou dost but lye to God, if thou dost not.

Fourthly, it is an unreasonable thing; when a4. man hath not the thing, there is no reason that hee should have the name; when God gave Abram the name of Abraham, hee told him there was a rea­son why hee should bee called by that name; thy name shall bee called Abraham, for a Father of many Nations have I made thee, Genesis 17. 5. so it is an unreasonable thing why wee should have the name of Gods servants or Christians, unlesse there bee [Page] some reason why wee should have the imposition of this name; now when wee make it a bare title, and doe not obey Christ, nor make conscience of all his holy waies, this is very unreasonable; as Abigail reasoned about her Husbands name; as his name is so is hee, Nabal is his name, and folly is with him, 1 Samuel 25. 25. So my brethren, as our name is so should we be; if Christian be our name, true Christia­nity should bee with us; humility, love, meeke­nesse, patience, faith, holinesse, and all other parts of Christianity should be with us; now if we have the name without these things intimated by the name, this is a very unreasonable thing; nay, it is not onely unreasonable, but also ridiculous; who will not count the names that the Papists give to their blockish Friers ridiculous? subtilissimus Doctor, Doctor Angelicus, Seraphicus, these are ridiculous, as a drunkard a Christian, a whoremonger a Christian, a worldling a Christian, a vaine man a Christian? what a ridiculous thing it is to call such the Saints of God? strangers here on earth, such as have their conversation in Heaven, such as are buried together with Christ in his death; such as are men of ano­ther World; mortified, justified, sanctified, cruci­fied to themselves, loving the things above, and not the things that are here beneath; If these things doe not agree with us, what a ridiculous thing is it that wee should bee termed good Christians; here bee Christians indeed? this is a meere mock­ery.

Fifthly, it is an impudent thing; when we have a5 name to live and to be wrought upon by the word, what an impudent thing is it if we doe not looke to [Page] it that wee be so indeed; one would thinke wee should blush to thinke what a name wee have, and how little wee make good our name, between God and our owne soules. When the men of Bethlehem said, is not this Naomi, O how she was ashamed of her selfe; call me not Naomi, call me Marah, for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me, Ruth. 1. 20. so when wee are named Christians, we should even blush, call me not a Christian, call me a wretch, call me a vile creature, a hell-hound, a limme of the Devill, a cursed sinner; for the Almighty never yet turned my heart; he never yet purified my Soule and life, I never yet have resembled Christ to this very day; I say the most of us should even be confounded to thinke what a name wee have. I a Christian, and doe no more good, and live no better life? I a Christi­an, and not humbled, not abased yet before God, so dull to all goodnesse, so carnall, so dead to all Gods Ordinances, so voide of all grace, so sence­lesse of my sinnes? how can this be? wee are im­pudent, if wee have our name for naught, our name may upbraide us; the good opinions that others have of us, may fill our faces with shame to thinke how short we come of it.

Sixthly, it is an inexcusable thing; if we have a6. name to be alive, wee are without excuse if wee be not.

First, because now out of our owne mouthes God1 will judge us; wee said wee were his people, wee tooke the name of his servants; why then he will say why had I not your service? why would you doe no more for me? why were you cove­teous, why were you proud, why were you hard­hearted, [Page] why were you so carelesse of me? you wore my livery, you shrouded your selves under my name. So the Lord did with the Jewes that had the name of his children and servants; see how he judges them out of their owne mouth; a Sonne honours his Fa­ther, and a servant his Master; if then I be a Father, where is my honour? and if I be a Master, where is my feare? Malachi. 1. 6. q. d. you say I am your Fa­ther, and I am your Master, and I am your God; well, out of your owne mouthes I will judge you; why then did you honour me no more? why did yee regard mee no more? yee cared not for mee, yee did not looke after mee, you had little or no heart after me; your owne mouthes have even cast you.

Secondly, ye can have no other excuse; can you2 say you could not beleeve in my name? ye could not forgoe such and such lusts at my command? why then would you goe for my servants? you should have said so plainely, and not daily have come into my Courts, as if you would obey me; nor taken up the profession of my Worship as if you would goe through stitch with it; why would you come to my Table, as though my promises belonged unto you? if ye could not doe as I bade you, you should not have borne me in hand as though you would; now yee have played the Hypocrites and drawne neere to me with your lips, and taken my name in­to your mouthes, whereas yee would not be refor­med by me; What had you to doe with my Covenant, that you must needs he medling with it? Psalme. 50. 16. if yee would not obey it, yee should have let it alone; so that ye see, that to have a naked name to live, is an inexcusable thing.

[Page]Seventhly, it is an unprofitable thing; a naked7 name will doe us no good; when the Jewes trust­ed in the name that they had, O they were the children of Abraham, they were Gods onely peo­ple, they had his Covenant, and his Oracles, and his Temple; O the Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord; they hoped well, have­ing thus much to say for themselves; but marke what God tels them, behold you trust in lying words that cannot profit, Jeremy. 7. 8. this would not pro­fit them one jot, because they did not verifie the name they had. So the Galathians they presumed mightily on this, that they were Christians; as for making good this holy name, that they gave no heed to at all; they would have the Ceremonies; when Paul told them of their faults, they would not listen unto him may they counted him their Enemy; they would have the Ceremonies of the Law; well, the Apostle told them plainly, that if they would not be ruled, their name would doe them no good. Behold I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. Galathians. 5. 2, q. d. you beare your selves upon Christ, and yet will not doe as he would have you doe, yee will doe what yee list; but let me tell you, if yee will not reforme, Jesus Christ shall profit you nothing; you say you beleive in Jesus Christ, I but it shall profit you no­thing: So when the people there in Isay rested in this, they came to Gods house, they gave him Sacri­fice every morning and evening, they did thus and thus, and so they had a name for his peculiar people; the Prophet assures them, this should not profit them one whit. I will declare thy righteousnesse and thy workes, [Page] for they shall not profit thee, Isaiah. 57. 12. Thou prayest and doest many good duties, and so thou getttest thy selfe a name; yea but if thou dost not soundly and throughly answer that name, God will declare all thy righteousnesse and all thy profession, and all thy good duties, and none of them all shall profit thee; in that day he will declare what rotten things they have been, how heartlesse, how livelesse, how dead-hearted all thy duties have been, and they shall doe thee no good; and indeed what good can a name doe a man? true faith alone does justifie, not the name of it; true peace of conscience does comfort, not the name of it; true interest in God gives a man a chearefull accesse to God, not the name of it.

Eighthly, it is not onely unprofitable, but also8. it is hurtfull. It is hurtfull unto others; a bare name I say without substance and truth is hurtfull unto others. It is hurtfull unto them that are without; for when they see how lazy such as goe for professors, be, how they have little else in them but talking and professing, and prating and hear­ing, otherwise they are as vaine and as covetous and as having as other men, no strictnesse no pure­nesse, no holinesse, no humblenesse of minde, no love, no forgiving one another, no forbearing one another, no brotherly Kindnesse, no Union nor Communion, no power in their Prayers, no gravity non authority in their speeches, no Heavenlinesse in their conversation, no brokennesse of heart, this hardens the hearts of them that are without, and makes them all thinke that Religion is a matter of nothing; thus they doe a great deale of hurt unto others; the [Page] professing Wife to the prophane Husband, the pro­fessing servant to his profane Master, the professing Neighbour to his prophane Neighbour; whereas if they were godly indeed, and humble indeed, and as their name does import, indeed they would doe a great deale of good, but now they doe a great deale of hurt.

Againe, they doe a great deale of hurt unto com­mers on; many a man that is smitten at the Word, that begins Reformation and amendement and gives good hopes that hee will come to something in the end; when hee lights upon such Sardian Saints, that are so in name, but there is no life at all in them, these put him backe againe, and make him set up his staffe before hee sees halfe way, like the dead body of Amasa that made the people stand still.

Againe, they doe a great deale of hurt unto the Saints of God, sometimes by deceiving of their hearts and cooling of their zeale and fervour, or if they cannot doe that; then they hate them, and prove very shye of them, and gird them be­hinde their backs, and doe them much mischiefe, as Paul complains, hee was in perils among false Brethren, 2 Corinthians 11. 26. that is, those that had a name to be Brethren in Christ, but were not so indeed, hee was in perils many times and often by them; againe they increase the disgraces and sufferings of Gods true Saints and Children; for while they seeme to be Saints good enough themselves, the other that are Saints indeede, are rejected of all, and thought to be besides their wits.

Againe, they do a great deale of hurt to themselves, [Page] for it had beene better for them they had never had a name, then having a name not to be as the name does require.

The use of this is, First, let mee tell what use yee must not make of it; namely, to beate downe the having of a name, for all the Lords people should be carefull of having of a name. I will give them a name of Sonnes and Daughters, nay a better name then so, Isaiah 56. 5. yea, and the people of God should make conscience of a name before men; A good name is betier then pretious Oyntment, Eccles 7. 1. and the servants of God have had a name; Demetrius had a good report of all men, yea of the truth it selfe too; and therefore they are blacke mouths of Hell that object against good people, that they are Hypocrites, they doe thus and thus to have a name. This is no newes, for the World hath alwayes dealt thus with the Saints in all Ages; Paul was counted the great imposter of the World; O sayee hee, wee are deceivers and yet true, 2 Corinthians 6. 8. that is, the World gives us a name for deceivers, and yet wee are true; Yee know what was sayd of Christ Jesus himselfe, some sayd of him hee was a good man, others sayd nay, Hee was a deceiver of the people; it was sayd of David, that Hee was a subtle man, a crafty Fox, and that Hee was a meere Politi­tian, it was Sauls judgement of him. Thus the Saints have a nick name put on them; the World thinkes they are Hypocrites, and that they have sinister ends in what they doe, and whereas they make such a shew, it is but in Hypocrisy, that they may deceive, and that they may have a Name for Religious people; so that the World would faine [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] put downe the having of a Name. But that is a Devillish use; wee must not make such a use of this point, No; the Lord does not finde fault with Sardis for having of a Name that they lived, but that they had this Name when as they were dead; if they had beene alive, the Name to be alive had beene well; well then what use must wee make of this point?

The First Use then is this, to shew the miseryVse 1. of the Church of Rome, which hath a Name to live, and in their owne judgement and a great part of Christendome, is the onely true Church, but in the judgement of God it is dead, and therefore starke naught; some say its a body full of dis­eases, and whose throat is cut, but yet the heart pants, and life is therein; But the truth is, its starke dead, and hath no manner of spirituall life, What though they have the Sacrament of Baptisme? so had Edom circumcision, and yet they were never counted a Church of God; And what's a Seale to a blanke? what though they have the Scriptures among them and the Articles of our Creede? that does not make a Church; for Ptolomy and all Aegypt had the Bible, and yet that did not make them a Church; if the Scriptures might have their owne sense, it were another matter; but they o­terturne it with their exposition, and make it in their sense to be a fardell of Doctrine of Divels; and what though Antichrist bee said to sit in the Temple of God? yet his Body is a Synagogue of Satan. There is no life in that Church. But to come neerer to our selves.

This may bee said of them, of our Churches too, [Page] and of our Congregations; they have onely a Name to live, though wee might live well e­nough; for wee have the Doctrine of Life, in ma­ny places, yet in regard of our conversations for the most part, wee may say it is but onely a Name. For how does sinne reigne among us everywhere, Coveteousnesse, Profanesse, fulnesse of Bread, Lust, Security, as it were in Noahs time, deadnesse of heart, Formality; now where such sinnes doe a­bound, there the power of godlinesse must needs bee away; generally our Assemblies content them­selves with an outward profession, if they goe so farre, they have but a Name to live. True, wee are a Church, so was Sardis though shee had hardly any thing but a Name, yet shee was a Church, as Saint John shewes, washed in the Bloud of Jesus Christ, Revelations, 1. 4, 5. for they had a few Names that were so, but the body had onely a bare name; so it is with us, wee are not nullifyed from being a Church, for God hath his chosen among us though they bee very few, here one and there one that live indeede and in truth; yet the Bodies and Bulkes of our Con­gregations, have onely a Name, if that; no Disci­pline, no good Order, no thorough Reformation nay Cages of uncleane Birds; nay such as professe better then the multitude, little better then titular and morall Christians.

Nay, are not all things almost growne to bee a sole Name? What is the Preaching almost but the bare Name of Preaching? For conversion of Soules where is it? the pulling people out of the King­dome of Satan where it it? a thousand Sermons may be, and hardly one wrought upon? wee may be sayd to [Page] be fishermen; but it is turned only into a name, for when doe we catch any?

So for hearing of the Word. True, it is very com­mon, and yet not so common as it ought to bee, for many care little whether they heare or no. But that that is, there's hardly ought left but the Name; for who heares with trembling, who mingles his hearing with faith, who drinkes the Word, as the Earth doth the Raine, who does what hee heares, without which all hearing is no better then an empty Name?

So for comming to the Sacrament, is not that made a name too? setting a side the Name of a Sa­crament now and then, what have wee else? who feeds upon Jesus Christ? who comes to the increas­ing of his Faith? who hath Faith at all, that it may bee increased? Who comes to it with preparednesse? who sits at the Lords Table with a Wedding Garment? who goes away nourish­ed up any more unto eternall Life? without the which all our Sacraments are but naturall things.

So for holy Conference, unlesse it bee the Name of it, what is there of the thing it selfe left? may bee a few cursory words of goodnesse, be­fore wee part, but no quickning of one another up, no exhorting of one another, no comfort­ing of one another, or admonishing one another; nay wee are growne to bee ashamed of these du­ties; and for Prayer, but that wee take Cushi­ons and fall downe on our Knees, and say a com­pany of Confessions, and Petitions, there is little else done.

[Page]Come wee to the Graces of Gods Holy Spirit, without the which a man is Dead in trespasses and in sins, &c. as Faith, Repentance, peace of Conscience, and Love, &c.

Secondly, another use is of terror against us;Use 2. doe wee thinke that the Lord will endure this at our hands? Hee hath endured it too too long, but Hee will not suffer it alwayes. Hee hath a Spirituall thunder-clappe that Hee lets slye against this sinne; The vile person shall bee no more called liberall, nor the Churle bee said to bee bountifull, Isaiah, 32. 5. That is, the Lord will unmaske all such persons, Hee will plucke of all their Names, and they shall have a Name fit for their natures, and Hee will doe this.

First, in their owne Consciences, if wee will1. not bee awakened to bee as wee have a Name to bee, the LORD will make our owne Consci­ences to call us Reprobates as wee are, and then what will our Name doe us good, when our owne Consciences shall tell us wee are naught, and con­demne us in our Bosomes? what shall wee bee the better for our Neighbours judging well of us? Our Neighbours may bee thinke wee Pray well; what a poore thing is this, when Conscience shall say no? our Neighbours may hope wee stand up­on good ground, when Conscience shall say no; Men call us godly, and Conscience shall say nay but yee are not. What a shame was it to the Iewes when they were convicted by their owne Consciences? Joh. 8. 9. It is not the Name of joy and holi­nesse that will give their Consciences true Peace, no, no; Conscience knowes another name is sit for [Page] us. Unbeliefe, and Ungodlinesse, and Hardnesse of Heart.

Secondly, againe Hee will doe it in the judge­ment2. of others; if wee rest in a Name, the Lord will detect us at last before others; and then what a shame will this bee? as David sayes of Doeg, the Lord would discover him; Hee would make all the good people round about say of Him, Lo this is the Man, that tooke not GOD for his strength, Psalme 52. 7. So hee will doe with us. Lo, this is the Man, that had such a Name to Live. Lo, this is the Man; now wee see here's a wretch, now wee see how hee deceived his owne soule; hee never truely sought GOD in all his life; hee was not the Man that wee tooke him for; hee built upon the Sand, hee did not lay a good foundation, and therefore now hee is tum­bled downe, and what is become of his name? Now hee shewes himselfe in his Colours, now wee see hee is an Enemy of GOD, hee can side with the Times, hee can embrace this pre­sent VVorld, hee hath no eternall life abiding in him.

Nay, the Lord will not onely doe thus with us, if wee rest in a Name, but also hee will pour his Wrath upon us otherwise too; yee may read how that this was the reason why the Lord drowned all the old World; not onely the wickednesse of them that were without; for if they that professed Religion, had beene sound, they might have prevented the Deluge, and prayed it away. But they that professed Religion, had on­ly a Name. The Sonnes of GOD saw the Daugh­ters [Page] of men that they were faire, Genesis 6. 2. That is, the Sonnes of God, they were onely so in Name, their workes plainely shewed that they were onely so in Name, therefore the Lord swept them all away; So the Lord will pour bitter things on us, if wee bee Christians onely in Name, and the servants of CHRIST onely in Name, if wee bee not so indeede; nay, this is not all, but wee shall have a deeper Portion in Hell too then Pagans or Papists, or any in our owne Land; the more wee have borne of his Name, the su­rer shall our damnation bee, if wee doe not really answer the Holy Name wherewith wee are called. Wee may see this in the Man in the Gospell; Friend, how camest thou in hither? Binde him hand and soote, cast him into utter darkenesse where is weeping, &c. Matthew 22. 12. 13. Come Friend, how came you in hither? marke, hee had the Name of a friend of Jesus Christ; therefore the Text sayes hee was speechlesse, hee had nothing to say for himselfe, his damnation had nothing to les­sen it; other people shall have something to say for themselves to lessen their damnation; but those that have a Name to live shall not have the least syllable.

Thirdly, then let another use bee to humbleUse 3. our hearts, let us goe to God in humiliation of heart, as the poore prodigall Sonne did, and downe on the knees of our soules and bodies, and say, Lord, I have sinned against Heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy, to bee called thy Sonne, Luke 15. 21. So as many of us as are guilty of this sinne, (as who almost is not and that in a horrible manner?) let us say, [Page] Lord, I have beene called a Christian, I have beene called a child of thine, I have had the Name a good while; but O what a Wretch have I beene! I am not worthy of this Name, I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight, I have not answered the Name I have had, and therefore it were just with thee to cut mee asunder with Hypocrites, and so fling mee downe to Hell.

THese words are a part of the Epistle, that Christ sent to the Ministers and Church of Sardis. Ye have heard the inscription, to the Angel of the Church in Sar­dis write. Ye have heard too of the subscription, These things saith he that hath the seven spirits of God, and the seven Starres. We are come to the Subject matter, and there­in first to the reproof in generall, I know thy workes: and secondly to the partculars of the reproof. The first particular was this, Thou hast a name that thou livest: all these have been delivered already, now followes the se­cond particular reproof, And art dead. Here the questi­on is, what Christ meanes by dead. By dead, he does not mean dead in errors and heresies, though these be called deadly poysons, and may make a Church dead. For the truth is called the word of life, Phil. 2. 16. and wholesome Doctrine, as the Apostle cals it, and ergo er­rors and heresies, these poyson & dead any people that drink them in. But this cannot be the meaning here, for we see no such thing here laid to their charge, it should seeme this Church was an orthodox Church; nei­ther by dead does he meane prophane wicked manners, though they make a people dead too, as we see the pro­digall Sonne that had been given to prophane and disso­lute courses, his Father sayes, he was dead in those dayes, Luke 15. 24. Yet this cannot be the meaning neither; for this Church had a name to live, and it had this name among the Churches of Jesus Christ, which had more wit, then to Judge them to be alive, if they had been so [Page 220] palpably wicked; no, it seemes they were an excellent Church to see to, a good Ministry to see to, but both dead; so then this is the meaning. For all their seeming to be alive, they were indeed dead; as the Apostle sayes of himselfe, before he was quickned by Christ Jesus, He was dead▪ sin revived, and I dyed Rom. 7. 9. yet he was as jolly a good man as any other, and yet he confesses he was dead; so they were dead for the most part; and those that were not all out dead, yet they were dead­hearted, and without life in Gods wayes. For as it was with the Moraller Heathen they did the things contained in the Law, yet they were dead; so a people may doe the things contained in the Gospell too, and yet be dead; people may beleeve; yet as Iames sayes, their saith be dead saith, Jam. 2. 26. namely when their faith is with­out works, so people may have goodly works, for the morall part of them, and yet doe them with a dead heart; to be sober and temperate, and loving, and chaste and civilly humble, and meek and diligent in their cal­ling▪ and known to frequent all the ordinances of God, in publik & in private, these are outwardly good works▪ and yet may be in the number of those works that the Apo­stle cals dead works, Heb. 6. [...]. namely when there is no life of God in them. Thousands deceive themselves in this, when they have a kinde of faith, and a kind of particu­lar faith, and such works as these flowing from their faith, they think this to be a lively faith▪ no, no, a man may be dead for all that. This truth will not sink into mens minds; fancies, fancies say they▪ these are nothing but the whimses of a company of giddy [...]raines; what would they have? if this be not true religion we wonder what is; thus they jear these things but beloved tis certain; for it is not enough to beleive, except we do it with life, he [Page 221] that liveth, and beleeveth in me Joh. 11. 26. faith without life is but equivocally termed faith; so it is not enough to hope in God, except we doe it with life; he hath begetten us againe to a lively hope says Peter. So it is not enough to be a member in Gods Church, a Stone in Gods build­ing, except we be lively Stones, Ye also as lively Stones sayes he, 1 Pet. 2. 5. The like I may say of all the duties of Religion, it is not enough to doe them, but we must doe them with life, as to pray, to pray with a dead heart is nothing; no sayes David, Lord quicken us and we will call upon thy name, Psal. 80. 18. In a word not to heape par­ticulars; we cannot walk in any of Gods wayes aright as long as we walke in them with a dead heart, as the psalmist sayes; Lord quicken thou me in thy way, Psal. 119. 37. it is a poore thing to walk in Gods wayes onely for the matter of them; That indeed a dead heart may doe, there's no duty that God bids a man doe, un­lesse it be them that consignifie life, but flesh and blood may doe it, for the matter of it, if there be matter and forme in it. True, some duties are simple that flesh and blood cannot doe, as to love God, to delight in God, to have communion with God himself; to take God for ones Portion and Lot, and inheritance, & to be all in all to him, these are simple acts, they are not compounded of matter and forme. But when a duty is compounded of matter and forme, flesh and blood may doe the matter of it, whatsoever it be; now then as the essentiall forme is the life of the matter, so the matter without it is a dead matter; and the doing of it dead.

Well then now we see what is meant by dead; the next is, what is the meaning of Thou? Thou art dead, the word hath a double relation, the one to the Minister of the Church in Sardis; thou art dead, thy Ministry is [Page 222] dead; the other to the Church in Sardis it selfe: thou art dead, thou art a dead people. First it hath relation to the Ministry, thou art dead, thy Ministry is dead, there's no life in it at all; hence the Doctrine is this, that a dead Ministry is as good as no Ministry at all, for this our Sa­viourDect. meanes, in regard of the Angell of the Church in Sardis q. d. thy Ministry is little better then no Ministry; it is stark dead well neare, it is not lively at all, there is little or no warmth to be had by it. Like the Ministry of the Scribes that had no authority nor power at all in it Mat. 7. 29. As Luther said when he heard a cold Sermon, cold, cold, cold, sayes he, this is cold Preaching, here is no heat at all to be gotten; as God sayes of the Ministry of Laodicia; Thou art luke-warme, Rom. 3. 16. that is, as there was no heat in his people, so there was no heat in his Ministry; this is little better then no Preaching at all, it is even as good as nothing. First, because true preach­ing is lively preaching when the Minister is a stirring Mi­nister, as Peter speakes, I think it meet to stirre you up, a Pet. 1. 13. when the Minister is earnest to save the peo­ples soules; as the Lord sayes, I earnestly protested to your Fathers, Jer. 11. 7. He speakes of the Ministry of Moses and the prophets down along untill the Prophet Jeremies time; they did not onely witnesse the word of God unto the people, but they did it in a lively and earnest manner; as Paul did, I have striven to Preach the Gospell, Rom. 15. 20. marke he belaboured him in the Pulpit, he lay about him soundly, that his Ministry might have life in it. Saint Luke shewes, that he had sweaty Handker-chiefes, Act. 19. 12. [...], as Hugo sayes upon the place, it seemes he swet much in preaching, and so Christ compares Ministers to Harvest men, that labour in Gods Harvest; ye know Har­vest men are hot at their worke, so Ministers should be [Page 223] Harvest men, they should be hot at their worke. Thus ye see dry and dull Preaching is little better then no preaching at all, it is contrary to the manner of preach­ing, contrary to the practice of all true and right prea­chers.

Secondly, a dead Ministry is called no Ministry; the2 Scripture calls it no Ministry in effect. The Scripture is the best Judge what is a true Ministry, and what is not? now the Scripture makes a dead Ministry, and no Mini­stry all one: the Scribes and the Pharisees, ye know were partly morall men most of them, as we may see by Pauls Testimony of himself, and they were orthodox Mini­sters, as our Saviour witnesses of them in the maine, for our Saviour bids people heare them, yet their Ministry was little better then no Ministry; as the Text shewes, the people that sate under their Ministry, are said to be as sheep having no Shepheard, Mat. 9. 36. they preacht as if they did not preach; people might come to their Sermons and be neere a jot moved; nay, such as came with a de­sire to be quickned, could get no quickning at all under them, Matthew sayes they sate under darknesse yet for all them. These are Idoll Sheepheards; wo to the Idoll Shepheards, Zach. 11. 17.

Thirdly, a dead Ministry does doe little or no good;3. though it be never so true, yet it is very unfruitfull; it does not awaken any of the auditory, it does not startle any of the hearers, it does not rowze up mens hearts, it does not grapple with the obstinate, it does not pull down the proud, neither does it carry life at all with it, neither is it sitted to work upon the conscience; you may see an example of this in the Angell of the Church of Sardic. a dead Minister, a dead people, as he was dead himselfe, so his people were dead too; a live­ly [Page 224] Ministry does a great deale of good, it even is the sa­veur of life unto life unto those that be of God, or else the savour of death unto death, unto those that be not of God, 2 Cor. 2. 16. it ever workes one way, either it makes people rage, or it fats people up, or else it drives people home unto God; which way so ever it works, it is a sweet savour unto God, it glorifies God; but a dead Ministry does neither, it is a flat weapon and cuts not, it is a blunt Sword and wounds not; may be it hath the true words of God, but they are not in a wise work mans hands to make them as Goads and sharp Nayles; partly good points, but not pointed to prick any bodies heart; it is said when Paul Preacht, some went away converted, others went away blaspheming, Act. 13. 45. 48.

Fourthly, a dead Ministry, God seldom goes along4. with it, nay, that's the life of a Ministry, when the Mi­nister seekes God to goe along with him; now a dead Ministry God goes not along with it, a lively Ministery Christ goes along with it, So I am with you to the end of the world, Matth. 28. 20. if there be any of Christs sheep in the parish, a lively Ministery does assuredly one time or other finde them out; those that are not Christ his sheep, a lively Ministry hewes them all downe, slayes all their Souls, ripens them apace for hell and for the pit. But a dead Ministry, the Lord does not goe along with that, the Lord does not Crowne it.

Fifthly, a dead Ministry prophanes the word of God, it makes it seeme nothing worth; it does not hold forth5. the glory of the Lord, nay, it hides it, & keeps it from be­ing seen, either by dwelling upon Generals, and whats that but hiding? for people will confesse the word in generall, they see it the generall, all their blindnesse is in particulars, there they slip away, like Fish out of a [Page 225] broad Net; or else by delivering it so coldly, that peo­ple think it no great matter; a lively Ministry holds forth it lets out God into the conscience, it gives people to understand they come upon life and death, it makes people looke about them, it makes people consider all that ever they have done, it slashes the word of God into their hearts, as a light to discover all their wayes; it gives them a view of their Christian estate, either one way or other; as it is said of Pauls Ministry, The word of the Lord was glorified by it, Act. 13. 48. But a dead Mini­stry prophanes it, it vailes the glory of it, it lets people sit quiet under it; it diseases no sinner, where as if it glo­rified Gods word, it would either trouble them, or turne them.

The use of this is, first here we see the reason why aVse 1. dead Ministry is not houted at but applauded in the world; why, it is as good as no Ministry at all; it does not make the devill roar, it lets people sleep in their sins; whereas a lively Ministry can hardly come into a pulpit but presently he is halfe a martyr, Briers and Thornes were with Ezechiel, Ezek. 2. 6. lively Ministers cannot give the world any good content; they fought against Jeremy, they played the wolves against the Apostles of Jesus. Iohn the Baptist was counted too sterne and austere, and Luther sayes it is impossible for a man to be a true lively preacher of Gods word and not be persecu­ted; there's an utter antipathy between the world and such a one, the world and such a Minister can no better agree together then light and darknesse; such a Ministry stands in the worlds light, it makes the world see their works are evill, it detects, it shames, it opposes their sinnes that the world tumbles in, as Christ sayes, I have given them thy word, and the world hates them because they [Page 226] are not of the world, Joh. 17. 14 & therefore there cannot be a lively Ministry any where, but the world hath a sling at it; but now let a man have a dead Ministry, thats let alone, that may stand long enough; that never comes home to men to shew them their ill estates, the devils dawbers, the devils upholsters, that doe not pluck mens pillowes away from under their arme­holes, that deale gently with men, and they may do what they list for all them, these are the worlds mi­nions, and applauded at all hands; what a thing is this? whereas a dead Ministry is the undoing of mens soules; it lets men perish and never drawes them back.

Secondly, this may serve to reprove us, that areUse 2. the Ministers of Jesus Christ, I desire to speak to my self, especially that we are no more lively in our Ministry; that our Ministry hath no more edge upon it to enter in­to this horny thick skin age: we complaine of much dead­nesse now a dayes; alack how if we be found guilty of it, that we preach no more quickningly! I confesse, blessed be God we have so much lively preaching left yet among us, that woe be to them that are dead and have to grace of life. But O that our Ministry had more lively-hood in it; that it were more exciting, and provoking. Is the Apostles of Christ complained of dull hearers, Heb. 5. 11. how many dull hearers have we! why then shall we make our soules guilty of their dul­nesse? the deader people be we had need to be the quicker in our Ministry, or else we cannot say we are pure from their blood don't we see how many people are very neer the Children of wrath; how they cannot be saved except they be justified and sanctified in Jesus Christ; how few are so; how hard a thing it is to awaken mens hearts; nay, the world and the cares of this life, carry their [Page 227] minds quite and cleane away; how scarce any almost seriously consider their latter end? don't we see how the devill tempts, how the flesh and the world reigne in most, and how little religion we have up and down? the Saints scarce, the wicked many; times very bad, the shortnesse of life, the irrecoverable estate after death? the immortality of the soule, the paines of hell, and the joyes of heaven, and how that without holinesse no man shall see God, how should we bestirre our selves to beat these truths into mens minds, that they may be bethinke themselves and flee from the wrath to come? The cold preaching of such weighty things cleane cozens the world, so that they hardly conceive any great matter in the businesse; live and dye, & perish for ever in their sinnes, and we give them such faint warnings, that no wonder so few do take any warning; we found the trum­pet too too low, that scarce any almost prepare them­selves; we come into the pulpit, but we doe little or no thing there, may be we preach good doctrine, but we doe not presse it to the quick, that the conscience may feele; we doe not bleed for our peoples security, and though they do not heare, how little does our soul weep in secret or melt in publik? Bucolcerus that admirable live­ly preacher, was wont to say, that a Minister should preach flebiliter, obsecratorie, anxie, humiliter, expectore, cum gemitu; that is, a Minister should preach mournfully over peoples soules, beseechingly, anxiously, hum­bly, heartily, groningly; as it is said of our Saviour Christ, he groned for the peoples unbeliefe; now when our Ministry is deadish, as though we cared not much whether people doe our doctrine or no, whether they be damned or no; this is a lamentable thing. The poore soules of our hearers may say to us, as the disciples of [Page 228] Christ said to Christ, and more justly, they said it un­justly to him, Master carest thou not that we perish? Mark 4. 38. he was asleep, and they awakened him, Master carest thou not that we perish? more justly may our people say so to us, O sirs, doe not ye care that we perish? they may even come and awaken us, Sirs, Care ye not that we perish? doe not you see how dead we are, how heardned, how Ignorant of God, how empty of grace, how backward to that which is good; how prone to loose our soules; and doe not you care that we perish? why doe not you labour more to quicken us, and move us, and to drive us out of our by wayes, that we may come into the right way and live? when Archippus was some­what dead in his Ministry, Saint Paul bids the people of Colosse to goe and awaken him; say to Archippus, Take heed to the Ministry which thou hast received in the Lord that thou fulfill it, Col. 4. 17. well then.

Thirdly, another use is an use of exhortation, that weUse 3. labour for a quickning Ministry, that our Ministry be a reviving ordinance of God; that we may as Esay say, though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious, Isa. 49. 5. so though our people be not quick end yet shall we be glo­rious, we have done what in us lyes for to quicken them.

Consider first, this is the end of all true Ministers1. preaching, that they may bring life into the hearers hearts; as the Prophet sayes, Heare, and your soules shall live, Isa. 55. 3. wherefore else doe we preach, but that the dead may heare the voyce of the Sonne of God and live? people are alive to that which they should be dead unto, and they are dead to that which they should be alive unto, they are alive to the world, and the things of the world, and dead to God and all goodnesse, dead to the humbling of their soules, dead to the seeking [Page 229] of God, dead to Prayer, dead to the holy communion of the Saints, dead to holy comfort and meditation, and what ever else may doe their soules good? now wherefore doe we preach, if not to quicken up your hearts, that your soules may live for ever; they have knowledge already, more knowledge then they are quickened up to; our maine intention then should be to quicken them up to doe what they know; are we not sowers of seed? why then we should most labour so to plow and harrow and till the ground, that our seed may quicken; this is the very end of preaching, that our hearers may heare and live.

Secondly, as it is the end of all true Ministers preaching2. so it is the nature of all true and right preaching; either to quicken, or to be a fitted instrument of quickening; when David heard the word, it quickened his heart, thy word hath quicken me, Psal. 119. 50. and indeed it is never heard nor preacht aright, unlesse it be in a quick­ning way; & therefore let us not think it is only the tak­ing of a Text, and the speaking of good and wholsome truths, but let us ever remember what right preaching is, that our Ministry be quickning, that God may af­fect our soules, and accompany our words, and teach us how to go beyond the policy of mens hearts, and direct us how to drive the truth home to the quick, to answer the evasions of flesh and blood, and so put his live coale into our speeches, that our Sermons may be warming.

Thirdly, let us consider this is onely profitable preach­ing;3. we may preach all the dayes of our life, and our people stird no more then a mill-post, unlesse our Mi­nistry be quickening; they may heare what we say, but unlesse we could quicken their hearts, they will forget all again; it may be they may remember the doctrin, but [Page 230] I meane they will forget to doe what they heare; it is the quickening that makes any remember to practise; as David says, I will never forget thy precepts, for with them theu hast quichened me, Psal. 119. 93. we can never for­get that friend whom our hearts doe most dearely affect; so when our Ministry doth quicken and affect peoples hearts, they will never forget what they have heard; The quickening of the come in the earth, makes it the faster in the earth, it twists about the earth, it gets a rooting if it quicken; so it is with our Sermons, if they be quickening, they get about peoples soules, and will not out againe; otherwise they are never the nearer.

Fourthly, let us consider this kinde of preaching onely4. will yeeld us true comfort; when our Ministry is lively in our parish, as Paul was at Ephesus; when we can say to our people, You hath God quickened by us, as he sayes, you hath he quickened, who were dead, Eph. 2. 1. I dare say it was a great comfort to his soule, to see that his Ministry was quickening; nay, if our Ministry be quickening, though none be quickened by it, but two or three, nay, though none at all, yet we shall have comfort; whereas when we have preacht 1000 times in a dead hearted manner never labouring to creep into mens consciences, nor to be Ministers of life, we shall have no comfort on our death-beds; nay our owne hearts will tell us, we have preached often indeed, but we never preached Christ Jesus, we never flung our hearts among our people, as one said of the good Bishop E [...]lt [...]n, he flung his heart among his people. But when our consciences can say, we are not hearty for God, we are not earnest to save our peoples soules, we did not goe the way to doe them good; this will lye as lead up­on our bosomes when we dye.

[Page 231]Fifthly, a dead Ministry, is but the bare name of a5 Ministry, it is little better then meer voyce; as the Lace­demonian in Plutarch said, when he heard how sweetly the Nightingall sang, O thought he, surely that Bird is good meat if I had it; and so when he took it, and eat it, and found but little meat in it, he said, voxes & praete­rea nihil; now I see thou art meere voyce and nothing else; so a dead Ministry it may have a great name of a good Ministry, and a man may desire to live under it, O let me live under such a Ministry, but when he comes to it, and thinks to receive much benefit by it, he finds it to be little better then a name.

Sixthly, a dead Ministry is not a signe to our people;6 Ministers should be signes to the people, thus Ezechiel is unto you a signe, according as he hath done, so shall ye doe. A voyce, Ezek 24. 24. true, Iohn the Baptist was a voyce, Isa. 40. 3. I but he was more then a voyce, he was a burning and a shining light, there was life and heat in his Ministry, he was not a meere voyce. But when ones Ministry is but a meere voyce, little good comes of such a Ministry.

Fourthly, another use is for direction; to shew whatVse 4. a lively Ministry is, and how we may have a true lively Ministry, that is in one word to preach with affection; as Quintilian says of Eloquution, affections are the soule and life of Eloqution; so I may say of preaching, affections are the life of preaching; now by affections, I doe not meane feigned and forced affections, they are no affe­ctions indeed, but when a man preaches so for the mat­ter and manner indeed, affectionate matter, and with a true affected heart, that he may move the hearts of men; as one says the world is now full of knowledge, as a drunkard is full of wine, that his stomack is not able to [Page 232] digest; so I say, people have more knowledge, then they can well digest, the stomack wants heat to concoct it for their good; as Rodolphus Agricola speakes, any man that hath learning may teach; but to move the heart and affections, it requires more a great deale. This is lively preaching, when a Minister sets himself to be in mens bosoms; what alively preacher was the Apostle Paul, you may see by his dealing with Agrippa, he made the Kings heart even yearne againe with his speaking; the King confest how his speaking worked within his bosom, almost thou perswadest me to be a Christian, Act. 26. 28. so you may see by the Galatians, his preaching did not onely convert many of them, but those whom he did not convert, he did wonderfully work upon their hearts, that they could have be contented to have pluckt out their eyes, & have given them to him, Gal. 4. 15. such a lively preacher was he in the second of Judges, that when he preacht, he set all the people a melting, a weeping, like little chil­dren that had been beaten Judg. 2. 4. 5. I grant it may be the best and liveliest Ministers under heaven cannot do so now, peoples hearts are more hardned. But yet though we cannot undertake to move any one mans heart, that's the worke of God, yet our Ministry may be lively.

First, by labouring to make the things that we preach1. as it were lively before peoples eyes; as the Apostle preached Christ crucified, even as if he were crucified be­fore his peoples eyes, Gal. 3. 1. so Moses had a very lively Ministry; the Text sayes, he set before them life and death; he laboured to preach with that evidence, as if he had set before their eyes life & death, heaven and hell, good and evill; when a Minister preaches in the evidence, and the demonstration of the Spirit, 1 Cor. 2. 4. when he [Page 233] labours to bring the Gospell plainly to mens hearts; a man may teach the Gospell, but it is not preaching, ex­cept he set it lively forth, and labour to make people see it, this is the truth, and this is your sinne against that truth, this is the doctrine, and thus you faile in the doctrine, this is the threatning of God, and thus you lye under the threatning; otherwise they heare a Sermon, as if it did not concern them.

Secondly, coming to particulars; generals are but2. dead; we see they leave people dead, people have a hundred tricks to put them off; but when a preacher comes to particulars, he either quickens or slayes, he convinces either to life or to death; when a Minister layes the truth at every mans doore, he presses it upon every mans heart, he meets with many a put off, he makes every conscience, say I am the man, except they be asleep or their minds are a wooll-gathering, he darts into his hearers faces, a view of their particular estates; he toucheth their copy-hold, he confutes their false pleas, and knocks off the fingers that would be applying of a promise when it does not concern them, & puts it onely upon the soule to whom it does belong. This is lively preaching, that gives to every soule his due, terror to whom teror, comfort to whom comfort belongs; milk to the Babe, strong meat to the grown, oyle to the bruised, and a sword into the hard heart, a whip for the Horse, and a Bridle for the Asse, and a rod for the fooles back, Prov. 26. 3. application is the life of preaching; this serves to condemne such a one, this serves to confute such a one, this serves to comfort such a one, when a Mi­nister does as Paul sayes, divide the word aright, 2 Tim. 2. 15.

Thirdly, by worrying of people out of their sinnes,3. [Page 234] when a Minister will not let people be quiet in any of their sinfull courses, when he labours daily to vex their guilty consciences, and to turne them from day to day, as the two witnesses did, Rev. 11. 10. that they may say, we cannot be quiet for this man, he makes me sit upon thornes; when a Minister labours to make hell to have every vile wretch, and heaven and the promises to have every honest heart, &c.

Fourthly, by being pittious and affectionate towards the4 poore people, to let them see how we pity their conditi­on, as we should doe what we can to make them feele their damned estate, as also with bowels, and compas­sion, labour that they may see we doe pity them, & there­fore preaching sometimes is called lamentation in Scrip­ture, Ezek. 19. 1. it may be people then may say, what a beast am I; how does our Minister pity us! he mourns over us, and bewayles us; what a wretch am I, that I doe not bewayle mine own case? O beloved, what a wo­full thing is it, that any of us should perish, to be damned for ever in hell! to lye in eternall paines! what a pity is this? is it not much better ye should embrace the good word of God and beleeve and take Jesus Christ, and be willing to doe any thing he would have you to doe, then to lye by it for ever in the paines of hell, for the pleasures of sinne for a season? alas it is for want of bowels, that we doe no more good.

Fifthly, by being deeply affected with the word of5 God, laying nothing on peoples backs, but what we lift up upon our owne shoulders; speaking the truth from the bottom of our hearts, uttering the word of God with feeling and with a contrite spirit. O if we could drop our Sermons as dew down from heaven on our people; this would be lively preaching indeed as the Prophet Ezekiel [Page 235] did, he dropt the word of God upon Ierusalem, Ezek. 21. 2. so if our Sermons did come droping downe from us, as if they dropt downe from heaven. O how coldly doe our Sermons come from our mouthes, we doe not preach as if the word came downe from heaven, as if our hearts were no higher then our pulpits.

Lastly, by getting the Lord to goe along with our Ministry; for it is not our preaching it self that hath any life; no, it is but a dead letter, as Micha sayes, I am full of power by the Spirit of the Lord, Mich. 3. 8.

THese words as ye heard, have a twofold relation; one to the Angell of the Church in Sardis; thou art dead, thy Ministry is dead; there's no life, nor heat at all in thy Ministry, it is no stirring Ministry; thou art dead; another to the Church it self; thou art a dead people, a dead congregation. For the first thence we had this point of Doctrine; that a dead Ministry is little better then no Ministry at all. By a dead Ministry I meane though the matter preached be never so sound & orthodox, yet when the preaching of it is dead, this is a dead Ministry; as a Prayer may be dead, though the things prayed for, be never so honest and godly; now such a Ministry is little better then no Ministry; there's no warmth hardly to be had by it at all; like the Ministry of the Scribes, that had no power nor authority in it at all, Matth. 7. 29. as Luther said, when he heard one preach very cold; cold, cold, sayes he; this is cold preaching; here's no heat at all to be gotten.

[Page 236]First, this is nothing like a true Ministry indeed; a true Ministry indeed is lively; it is a Ministry that warmes and heats; it is a very earnest Ministery; as when the1. Lord let the Jewes have a true Ministry, he sayes they had a lively Ministry, I earnestly protested to your Fathers, Jer 11. 7. he speakes of the Ministry of Moses and the Prophets; it was a very lively Ministry; they preacht in good earnest to the people; so Paul was earnest in his Ministry, I have striven to preach the Gospell, Rom. 15. 20. he belaboured him hard in the pulpit, he laid about him soundly; so that a dead Ministery, is nothing like a true Ministery.

Secondly, the Lord counts a dead Ministry, even as if it were no Ministry at all. The Scribes and the Phari­sees, were very morall men most of them, as ye may see2. by Paul's Testimony of himself, and they were orthodoxe Ministers for the maine, as our Saviour sayes of them, for he bids people heare them, yet he counted their Mini­stry even as no Ministry at all; he cals the people that sate under their Ministry, people having no Shepheard, Matt. 9. 36. true they had Shepheards, but as the Pro­phet sayes of the Shepheards of Judah, they were Jdoll Shepheards, Zach. 11. 17. they were very Idols; ye know Idols are dead Images.

Thirdly, a dead Ministry does little or no good; it is very unfruitfull; it does not awaken any of the auditory; it does not stir any of the hearers; it does not rouze up3. mens hearts; it does not grapple with the obstinate, nor pull down the proud, neither does it carry life at all with it; as Ieremy sayes of many of the Priests and the Prophets of Israel, they did not convert any; God tels them, if they had stood in his counsell, they should have turned many, Jer. 23. 22. But as the matter [Page 237] went, they turned none, they converted none; a lively Ministry doth a great deale of good; but a dead Ministry is a flat thing.

Fourthly, a dead Ministry God seldome goes along4. with it; nay, that's the life of ones Ministry, when the Minister seekes God to goe along with him; now a dead Ministry, God goes not along with it; a lively Ministry God gos along with that; as Christ sayes, Lo I am with you to the end of the world, Matth. 28. 20. such a Ministry God blesses, it gathers up Gods Jewels, it builds up Gods Church it helps to perfect the Saints. But a dead Ministry, the Lord does not goe with it, he does not worke with it.

Fifthly, a dead Ministry prophanes the word, it makes5. it seeme nothing worth; it makes people thinke there is no great matter in it; a lively Ministry glorisies the word, it lets out God into the conscience, it givs people to understand they come upon life and death, it makes peo­ple looke about them, it makes people heare over all that ever they have done, it flashes the word of God in­to their hearts, as a light to discover all their wayes; it gives them a view of their eternall estate either one way or other; it is the savour either of life unto life, or of death unto death; as it is said of Pauls▪ Ministry, the word of the Lord was glorified by it, Act. 13. 48. But a dead Ministry prophanes, hides the glory of it; it lets people set quietly under it; it diseases no sinner.

The use of this was first, here we saw a reason why aVse 1. dead Ministry is not houted at, but applauded in the world; Why? it is as good as no Ministry at all, it does not make the devill roar; it lets people sleep in their sins; such Ministers are dawbers, they are the divels upholsters they doe not pluck away mens pillowes from under their▪ [Page 238] arme-holes; people may doe what they list for all them. The world will let such alone, they may sleep long en­ough; whereas a livelie Minister can heardly come into the pulpit, but presently he is halfe a Martyr; as the Lord said to Ezekiel Briers and thornes are with thee Ezek. 2. 6. The world fought against Ieremy; they played the wolves against the Apostles of Jesus Christ. Lively Ministers cannot give the world any good con­tent; there's an antpathy between the world and such; they cannot more agree then light and darknesse; such a Minister stands in the worlds light; he makes the world see their works are evill, he detects & shams, and opposes the sins that the world wallows in; such a Ministry is a dissering Ministry, it makes a division among men. There cannot be a lively Ministery any where, but the world hath a sting at it. But a dead Ministry may goe Scot­free, it does not torment them that dwell upon the earth.

Secondly, this may serve to reprove our selves thatUse 2. are no more lively in our Ministry. That our Ministry hath no more edge upon it to enter into this horny thick­skin age; we complaine of much deadnesse now a dayes, alas how if we be found guilty of it, in that we preach no more quickeningly? if the Apostles of Christ complained of dull hearers, Heb. 5. 11. O how many dull hearers have we! The Lord awaken our hearts! The deader people be, we had need to be the quicker in our Ministry, or else we cannot say we are pure from their blood. Don't we see the damned estate that our people are in by nature? the carelesnesse of getting to be deli­vered out? the necessity of faith, of repetance, of holi­nesse, the danger of sinne, the multitudes of them that perish, and the fewnesse of them, that strive to enter in [Page 239] at the straight gate? the deceitfulnesse of the heart, how the world and the cares of this life, carry almost all eleane away? the badnesse of the times, the shortnesse of this life, the irrecoverable estate after death, the immortalitie of the soule, the paines of hell, the joyes of heaven? O how should we bestirre our selves, to beat these truthes into mens hearts, that they may bethink them, and flye from the wrath come? The cold preach­ing of such weighty things quite cozens the world; we give them such faint warnings, that it's no wonder that so few doe take any warning; we sound the Trumpet too too low, that scarce any almost prepare themselves; we preach as though we did not care much, whether our people be damned or no; this is a lamentable thing, people may say to us, as the disciples said to Christ; they said it unjustly to Christ, but our people may say it just­ly to us. Master carest thou not that we perish? Mark. 4. 38. he was asleep, and they awakened him; Master carest thou not, &c. O Sirs, don't you care that we perish? awaken, awaken, don't you see how dead we are, how hearned, how Ignorant of God, how emptie of grace, how back­ward to that which is good! how prone to lose our soules! and don't you care that we perish? why don't you labour more to quicken us, and move us; why don't you rub us, and pull us, and prick us, and drive us out of our security?

Thirdly, another use is, that we labour for a quick­ningVse 3. Ministrie. This is the end of all true Ministers preaching; that they may bring life into their hearers hearts; as the Prophet saies, heare and your soules shall live, Isa. 55. 3. wherefore else doe we preach, but that the dead may heare the voyce of the Sonne of God and live? people are alive to that which they should be dead unto; [Page 240] and dead to that which they should be alive unto; dead to God and all goodnesse, dead to reformation and amendment, dead to Prayer, and the communion of the Saints; dead to holy conference and meditation and what ever else may doe your soules good: now where­fore doe we preach, if not to quicken up your hearts, that your hearts may live for ever? are we not sowers of seed? why then we should most labour so to plow and harrow and till the ground that our seed may quicken.

Fourthly, now another use is how to get a MinistrieVse 4. to be quickening. First let us consider the worth of a soule, our Saviour Christ saies, its of more worth then the whole world, Matth 16. 26. if one soule be of such worth, O then what is the worth of so many soules as God hath given us the charge of▪ wherefore doe we stirre up our selves no more in our Ministrie? its a plaine signe, we don't consider the worth of soules, that we have the care of; the blood of the Sonne of God was shed for them. O if we would but consider this, this mought whet us up if by any meanes we might gaine some soules to Gods heavenly Kingdome.

Secondly, as we must consider the worth of the soules2. of our people, so we must get bowels to tender their soules. The Apostle Paul sayes, he had the bowels of a Father towards the soules of the Thessalonians, you know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father thes his Children, 1 Thess. 2. 11. nay, as a Mo­ther to the Babe of her womb; nay, sayes he, we were ready not onely to impart the Gospell of God to you, but also even our owne soules, because ye are deare to us; as it is there in verse 8. Is a Father dead-hearted to­ward his deare childe? or a kinde Mother toward her deare babe? no; if we were set to doe our people good, [Page 241] if our bowels did yearn after their everlasting good, it would appeare in every Sermon we make, yea, it would appear in our delivery, in our faces, in our carriages, in our earnest endeavour for their comfort; the earnestnes of a true Ministers preaching, Saint Iude compares to the snatching of a childe, that is fallen into the fire; other some with feare, plucking them out of the fire, Iude. 23. if we did see our poore children fallen into the fire, how would we bestirre our selves quickly to pluck them out againe? would we goe about it coldly? nay, would we not runne, and snatch and pull, and cry out, and alas my poore childe, nay, we would schriek out, O woe is me my childe will be burnt; O how our bowels would yearne, so we should doe to our people, this would quicken our Ministry, and so I full upon a third.

Thirdly, then as we should dearely love our peoples3. soules, so we should be pitious and affectionate towards them; we should let them see how we pity their condi­tion; we don't onely tell them their sins, and threaten against them the Judgements, but with pity and com­passion; lamenting their condition, as Ieremy said, O my howels, my homels, I am pained even at the very heart, Jer. 4. 19. we should not mouth hell and damnation and roare out against their sinnes in a stirdy manner, as if we had Iron sides, but in a relenting pittious wise, be­wayling their case. Preaching sometimes is called la­mentation in Scripture; take up alamentation for the Prin­ces of Israel, Ezek. 19. 1. that is, goe and preach to them; this is to quicken in our Ministry; may be peo­ple now will say; what a beast am I! how does our Mi­nister pity us? he mournes over us, and bewayles us; what a wretch am I, that I doe not bewayle mine owne miserable condition! O beloved, what a wofull thing is [Page 242] it that any of us should perish! to be damned for ever in hell? to lye in everlasting burnings; what a pity is this? Is it not much better, we should embrace the good word of God, repent and beleeve, and take up Christs Yoke, and to be willing to do any thing, to part with any thing, then to lie by it for ever in the paines of hell for the pleasures of sinne for a season? alas brethren it is for want of bowels; that we doe no more good; O we should fling our hearts among you, as was said of that good Bishop, the People said of him, he flung his very heart among them; so should we doe, we should even melt over you, the Lord give us tender bowels for you; this is a quickening Ministry.

Fourthly, We should worry our people out of their4 sinnes; we should not let our people be quiet in any of their sinfull courses; we should daily labour to disease them, to make them set upon thornes, as is said of the two witnesses, they tormented the earth, Rev. 11. 10. so we should torment and vex guilty consciences, gall them, and peirce them, and make our Sermons haunt them; we should be eager and earnest with them to let goe their sinnes; we should be like the importunate wid­dow, that would have justice, she would never let the Judge be quiet for her; as God sayes there, returne re­turne, O Shulamite, returne returne; compell them to come in, Luke. 14. 23. repent repent, O wretch, repent repent; O doe not goe on, thou'lt perish, turne back, turne back, thou'lt be in hell in a moment else; it is not enough to deliver a good doctrine, and then to say thus and thus ye are guilty of sinning against this good doctrine; but we should labour to lay it home, and to impose it firmly on their conscience, to haunt▪ them with the danger; O how dull, and blockish and secure in their [Page 243] heart how apt are people to forget any thing that is good, to put off any thing that should pull them downe before God? and therefore we should labour to help our poore people, that if▪ it be possible, we may stop them from going downe into the pit.

Fifthly, we should labour to make the things that we5 preach as if it were lively before peoples eyes; as the Apostle preacht Christ crucified to the Galatians, even as if he were crucified before their very eyes, Gal. 3. 1. so Moses had a very lively Ministry; the text sayes he set his points before their very eyes. I call heaven and earth to record against you this day, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and crusing, Deut. 30. 19. marke he set before their eyes, life and death, heaven and hell; he preached so evidently, that the people might see, as it were with their eyes, the things that he preached; this is lively teaching; as the Orator sayes Hypotyposis is an excellent meanes to perswade; when the speaker does as it were point before the hearers eyes, when he represents the things he speakes of, this is preaching in the evidence, and the demonstration of the spirit, 1 Cor. 2. 4. [...] when a Minister demonstrates his points, and this it is, this is the sinne, and this is the case, and this is the misery, and thus it stands with you, when he la­bours to make people see it, and they must needs see it, unlesse they be wilfull and shut their eyes; otherwise people heare a Sermon as if it did not concerne them; there's a man in the pulpit, and they heare what he says, but they never consider how deeply it concernes them.

Sixthly, we should be truly affected with the word of6 God our selves; laying nothing on our peoples shoulders, but what we lift upon our owne; we should speake the truth from the bottom of our hearts, uttering the word [Page 244] of God with feeling and with a contrite heart; we should be heavenly as the word is; that lip and heart, and word may be all a like. O if we did drop downe our Sermons as dew downe from heaven on our people, this would be a lively preaching indeed; as the Prophet Ezekiel did, He dropt the word of God on Ierusalem, Ezek. 21. 2. if our Sermons did come dropping downe from us, as if they dropt downe from heaven. O how homely doe our Sermons come from our mouthes, as though they never were higher then the pulpit; we doe not preach, as if the word came dropping down from heaven; and there­fore people doe not look up to heaven, while they heare, their mindes are no higher then our pulpits: whereas if we had heavenlier hearts and lippes, it would more quic­ken a thousand times, or at least be a sitter instrument to quicken.

Seventhly, and lastly, we should get the Lord to goe7. along with our Ministry; for it is not our preaching it selfe, that hath any life; nay, it is but a dead letter as it issues from us; if we were such men, that had the Lord going along with us throughout all our Ministry, what a deale of profit would there be in our Ministry? as Micha sayes, I am full of power by the spirit of the Lord, Micha. 3. 8. But I let this point passe; thus ye have heard the words as they have relation to the Ministry of the Church in Sardis. Thou art dead; that is, thy Mini­stry is dead.

Now I come to the words, as they have relation to the Church it selfe. Thou art dead. Thou art a dead people; though thou hast a name to live, yet, thou art dead; that is, thou art outwardly reformed, thou hast goodly or­der'd congregations, good sober, civill and faire car­riaged people, all professing the true religion, and [Page 245] frequenting the good Ordinances of God, yet, thou art dead; that is, thou art even as good as nothing; the doctrine hence is, a dead Christian is as no Christian at all. Ye know we are all dead by nature, in trespasses, and in sins; that is, we are alive to the workes of the flesh, and to the world, but dead towards God. And a true Christian is he that is made dead unto sinne and the world, but alive unto God; as the Apostle Paul sayes. Likewise reckon ye your selves to be dead unto sin, but alive unto God through Iesus Christ our Lord, Rom. 6. 11. this is a true Christian, that so leaves his sinnes, and so takes up the worship and service of God, that he is dead to his sinnes, and alive towards God; now when a man it may be leaves his sinnes after a manner, and takes up the pro­fession of Gods Service, and yet he is alive still unto the flesh, and dead towards God, this is just nothing.

By dead I meane things; first, deadnesse of guilt; when a1. man is guilty of any offence, that is death by the Law, he is said to be a dead man; therefore every man hath sinned against God, which is death by Gods Law, so that eve­ry man is dead by nature; when a man is pardoned of God, then he is alive again; and therefore it is called justi­fication of life, Ro. 5. 18. now when a man is not pardoned of God, he is dead, though he have never so many hopes and conceits of forgivenesse, thought to apprehend himselfe to be pardoned, yet as long as God hath not pardoned him indeed, he is a dead man.

Secondly, deadnesse of minde, when the minde is2. Ignorant of God, in regard of saving knowledge, when a mans minde is without saving understanding, then his minde is said to be dead; true saving understanding is the life of so many mindes; as David sayes, give me under­standing and I shall live, Psal. 119. 144. then my minde shall be alive sayes he, then I shall know thee [Page 246] aright; now let a man have never so much knowledge and learning, yet, in divine things is otherwise, and have nothing; his minde is still dead; he is a dead man to all the things of God; he cannot see God in all his wayes no more then a dead man; he cannot minde God; he may minde earthly things; but he cannot minde God; nay, though he can mind learning & divinity, learning & learn­ing about God, yet he cannot minde God; his minde is dead to such savoury knowledge; even as dead as a dead man; he knowes not how to pray to God, as a childe to his Father; he knowes not how to doe any duty, in a godly gratious manner; his minde is as dead to these things, as a simple Country-mans is to Latin, or Greeke or Hebrew.

Thirdly, deadnesse of heart when the heart is not3. inclined towards God, then we say it is dead towards God and all goodnesse; though he goe to good duties every day, yet as long as the heart is not inclined to them, it goes about them in a dead manner; when a mans heart is once inclined towards God, now it begins to be alive to­wards him; as David sayes, the heart shall be alive that seekes God, Psal. 69 32. that is, you whose hearts are incli­ned to serve God, your hearts are alive; now when a man hath no divine inclinations to all heavenly duties and courses, though he doe never so much professe the fol­lowing of them, he followes them with a dead heart.

Fourthly, deadnesse of conscience, when the consci­ence4 hath no force; it may be it finds fault with such and such wayes, but it hath no power over the man, to make him to leave them; perhaps it approves such and such holy performances, yea, but it hath no power over him, to cause him to buckle to them indeed; this is a dead conscience; it hath no life at all in it; when the consci­ence hath life in it once, then it hath power; it hath a [Page 247] mighty force over a man; as the Church, my soule made me like the Chariots of Aminadab, Cant. 6. 12. that is, my conscience was very forceable and powerfull in me, it made me not onely to goe after God, but it carryed me as it were in a Chariot very willingly. But when the conscience can whisper onely and finde fault, and hath no power at all with it to make one obey from day to day, this is a dead conscience.

Fifthly, deadnesse of affection; when the affections5. are clumbzie, and will not stirre towards God, and all heavenly things; when a man is like a block in good du­ties, he hath no affections to them nor in them; when the affections are all alive to earthly things, when they are still out of order; as the Apostle Paul sayes, mortifie your inordinate affections, Col. 3. 5. that is, your affections must not be out of order, if they be alive to other things ye must kill them, that way, that they may be alive to­wards all the things that are above; now when the af­fections will not move that way at all, then they are dead. But I will speak no more of this; well then let us come to the doctrine; a dead Christian is even as good as no Christian at all; goe through all Christianity, and we shall see this to be true in every passage; should a man have all Christianity in him, and yet be dead and dull and without life, it is even all one, as if he had just nothing.

First, for conversion; should a man seeme to be con­verted.1. O what a changed man is this, he was a drun­kard, and now he is sober; he was a whorer, and now he is chaste, he was a Prophane beast, and now he is cleane another man; this is well; I, but if thou beest dead to the wayes of God; if thou beest not quickened up to them, this is magnum nihil; conversion is a quick­ning; when we were dead in sinnes, he hath quickened us [Page 248] together which Christ, Eph. 2. 5. conversion is not onely a turning of a man from wicked wayes to good, but to be quickened up in them; conversion puts another life into a man; a man may be converted from prophanesse to civility; from not praying constantly to praying constant­ly, from not hearing to hearing, from not preaching to preaching, from not professing to professing. True, this man shall have the lesse hell, yea, but this is nothing towards heaven; except a new life be put into this man; to be alive in all these good ways; except he be quickened together with Christ.

Secondly faith; should a man leane himselfe upon2. God, and upon Christ, should a man apply all the pro­mises of the Gospell to his soule, and beleeve all that's contained in the covenant of grace; alas what of all this? if this man be dead still, without such a faith as produ­ces life; it is little better then nothing; as Christ sayes, He that lives and beleeves in me, Joh. 11. 26. true faith carries life with it, wheresoever it is; and therefore if a mans faith be without life, it is but equivocall faith. faith it may well be, But true faith it cannot be; for if thou wouldst be able to say thou beleevest in Jesus Christ, thou must be able to say that thou livest too in him; it's impossible a man should rightly beleeve in Christ and be dead; [...]o, he lives that beleeves in me, sayes Christ.

Thirdly, as ye heard heretofore, to be a member of3. the visible Church of God, to be a stone in Gods build­ing; were a man the finest and the most carved stone of all, put in by Baptisme, kept in by profession of the Christian faith; this is a poor thing, if this man now be not a lively stone; ye also as lively stones are built up a spiritu­all house, a holy Priest-hood, &c. 1 Pet. 2. 5. The right [Page 249] stone; in Gods spirituall house are all lively stones; if thou beest but a logge, a heartlesse, dull, dead mem­ber, thou art none of Gods spirituall house, house, no part of his holy Priest-hood, thou art no more a Christi­an then a dead man is a man. Thou art but a sit roome, thou hast nothing but a name of a true Christian; The body of Christ, is all full of life, derived from him the head; all the branches that are in him, have the life of the root in them; if thou beest but a dead branch, thou hast no communion with Christ at all, though thou beest in the body.

Fourthly, for hope; it may be thou hast hope that4. thou art a good Christian, that thou hast a part in the re­demption of the world by Jesus Christ, thou hast a hope of the heavenly inheritance, that thou shalt be saved in that day; now if thy hope be a dead hope, if it doe not quicken thee up to trample on the world, to beat down thy worldly lusts, to scrue thee up to a gratious life more and more, to carry thee on through thick and thin, this is not a gratious hope; no, no; the grace of hope is a lively hope, as the Apostle speakes. Blessed be God, & father of our Lord Iesus Christ, which according to his abun­dant mercy, hath begotten us againe, to a lively hope, 1 Pet. 1. 3. this grace of hope it quickens up all them that have it, it is not a dead hope, that lyes sluggishly and blockishly in the soule, and does not stirre it up every day; no, it revives him towards God, it makes him eager af­ter the best things; if thy hope be a dead hope, that lies like a carcase in thy heart, to little or no purpose, it is no good hope through grace, but a hope in a dreame.

Fifthly, for repentance; what ever thou hast to say5. for repentance, canst thou plead a 1000 changes and reformations, yet if thou hast not gotten out of a dead [Page 250] temper, thou art yet under an impenitent heart. That repentance that is the gate of heaven, the Evangelist cals it repentance unto life, Act. 11. 18. true repentance it rends the heart, it shewes sinne to be the greatest evill, and it rowzes a man up daily to take heed of it; it makes us see what a God we have dishonoured, and there­fore it awakens the soule to be earnest to please him in all things for the time to come; the soule was dead and carelesse, and drowzie, and neglectfull of obedience, goodnesse, holinesse, humility, purenesse, strictnesse, precisenesse of walking, it cared not for these things afore, but when true repentance comes in, it wheeles about the life of the soule towards God, now the cares shall be to him, now the endeavours make af­ter him; paines, labours, cautious, watchfulnesse, consi­derativenesse, studious striveings, and all's active that way now; so that if a man be still dead, his repentance is false.

Againe to goe over all the duties of religion; they all must be done with life; to doe them with a dead heart,1 is as good as not to doe them at all. First prayer, suppose we pray at Church, and pray in our families, and pray in our closets, is this all? to pray with a dead heart, as if we cared not whether we sped or no, no pullings of our heart downe before God; no wrastlings with God for what we aske, no liftings of our soules up, no fastnings of our minds upon his presence, no cryes, no mournings, no importunity, but the heart as lumpish and unweldy as a stone; is this praying? no, sayes David; quicken us O Lord that we may call upon thy name, Psal. 80. 18.

Secondly, for hearing of the word: It is not thy hear­ing of it so many times a weeke, though thou must heare it as often as ever thou canst, and those that will [Page 251] not no hearing as frequently as they may, are high despisers of God & his Ordinances; but yet if thou hearest the word with a dead heart, thy hearing is made as no hearing; it is said of those primitive converts that they were pricked in their hearts as they were hearing, Act. 2. 37. they onely got good by their hearing, they heard the word with life; so it is said of many of Christs hearers, they did [...], they laye upon him, they preased upon him, Luk. 5. 1. in another place, it is said that they hung upon him, they were attentive and eager to him; our Saviour Christ says, it is a very great judgement to be dull of hearing, Matth. 13. 15. when people set as if the word did not concerne them, when they heare without any motion or affecti­on, the word hardly joggeth their hearts, it hardly shaketh their conscience at all, the word does neither delight them, nor wound them, nor pierce them, it heales none of their sinnes, it cannot get betweene them and their lusts; when they have heard a Sermon, they goe away just as they came, they sinde nothing now to doe, it does not dragge them one jot more out of the world, nor an inch neerer heaven; their carriage is much at one as it was; when they come home, it cannot be perceived that ever they were at the word; as earthly as ever; as carnall as ever; as backward to all goodnesse as ever; this is no hearing at all.

Thirdly, for sanctifying of the Lords day; it is said of 3 the Sabboth, that we should call it our delight, Isa, 58. 13. that is, we should keep it with life it should even quick­en up our hearts to think it is coming, we should be re­vived to consider Gods goodnesse, that he would give us such a day, seeing we have so much need of it; when we have been six dayes about our owne businesse in the world, that we should have a seventh given us of God, [Page 252] lest we should be over head and ears in the world to take off our hearts; now when this is no delight to us, our hearts are dead to it, we doe not sanctifie it indeed but prophane it, as though it were not honorable and the house of the Lord.

Fourthly, for taking hold of an opportunity to doe4. good; this is a duty too to be done with all life; how glad should we be; if there be any opportunity for us to shew our love to God, or our hatred to sin; we should be willing to ride or goe, or be at charges, nay we should deny our selves, and lay downe our gaines and credits, and goods, and friends, and all that we have at Christs Foot, and blesse God that gives us such a price in our hands; but now we have a dead heart to this; what a horri­ble thing is this? though we doe take the opportunity, yet to goe about it as though we were sorry that God hath given it unto us; this is meere folly; as Solomon sayes; Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a Foole to get wisedome, seeing he hath no heart to it? Proverbs 17. 16.

Fifthly, In one word for all the wayes of God, there's5. neere a one of them all, that can be walkt in aright, with­out a live heart as the Prophet sayes. Lord turne away mine eyes from beholding vanity, and quicken me in thy way, Psal. 119. 37. now when we goe dreamingly on, as though we could not doe withall, though the way be God's, yet our going in it is stark naught, and little bet­ter then not going in it at all; and therefore the Lord accepts not of it, when we humble our selves before God, to hang downe our [...]eads [...]ike a bull-rush, it's naught, it's naugh, the Lord cannot away with it; when we conferre about the word, or any gracious and Godly theme, to speake as if we had no saveur of it, no plea­sure in it, when our hearts would rather be on another [Page 253] subject, and never lin till they have wound all good talke out; if we speake one word to edification, there shall be twenty to that one, that shall serve to no other end, but to the hardening of one another; when Christ and the two disciples were communing together, their hearts burned in them; did not our hearts burne within us, while he talked with us by the way? Luk. 24. 32. that was talking with life. But when our hearts are as cold as a flint, this we may call talking, but holy conference it cannot be termed

Thus ye see a dead Christian, is as good as no Christi­an at all, no grace is without life, no duty can be done without life; the reasons of this are.

First, because this is all one as to have no grace at all;1. though a man be a member of the congregation of the Lord, though he have the seales of the covenant, and professe the faith of Jesus, and be as morall in his life as ever any of the heathen, and as full of good duties as ever any hypocrite was, and more too, yet if he have not life yet, he is but a tinckling cymball; he hath no grace at all. I meane no saving grace at all; saving grace the Apostle cals it the grace of life, 1 Pet. 3. 7. It is the grace of life, it breeds life in him that hath it, it makes him alive towards God, it lets out the life of his heart in every good word and worke; it makes him pray with life, heare with life, use the ordinances in publike and private with life; the naturall life that is in the soule it turnes it to God, it turnes the man about, as a ship is turned on the Sea; that sayled before towards North, now it sayles towards South. So when grace comes in­to the soule; ye know the man had life afore, but it sayled towards the world, and the things of the world, but when grace does come in, it makes it row and sayle and steere towards God; so that when a Christian is dead, he is as no Christian at all.

[Page 254]Secondly, a dead Christian hath not Christ dwelling in his2. heart by faith; he is no Christian indeed, that hath not Jesus Christ dwelling in him by a truly and a lively faith. It is the indwelling of Christ that makes one a true Christian; now when Christ does dwell in any man, Christ is a quickening spirit; as the Apostle speakes, the second Adam was made a quickening spirit, 1 Cor. 15. 45. that is Christ; he is the second Adam; he is a quicken­ing spirit where ever he dwels; he quickens all the soule. He makes it dead to that, which by nature it was alive to; and alive to that which by nature it was dead to; he inclines the soule unto God▪ he infuses a principle into it to shine with life towards God, he does more and more hale the strength of the soule towards him; though he doe not doe it at all once, yet he does it more and more; now when a man is still dead to God and all goodnesse, he hath not Christ dwelling in him by a lively faith; for if he were in once, though the soule may complaine still of deadnesse, as commonly those that are alive complain most of deadnesse, yet it hath a supernaturall quicken­ing, and it shall have more and more.

Thirdly, a dead Christian was never yet soundly3. wrought upon by the word; the word of Christ is a word of life, and it quickens where it doe effectually work; and therefore though such a one have heard a 1000 thou­sand Sermons, he never fed upon them in all his life; as Christ sayes, If any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever, Joh. 6. 51. it is better then ordinary bread; ordi­nary bread indeed, if a man have a naturall life, it will feed it and preserve it. But if a man be dead, it will not revive him. But the word of God is such a bread, that as it feeds a spirituall life in them that have it, so it is able through the eternall spirit, to quicken the dead; it [Page 255] is able through God, to put life into men, that never had any; and it does so to all that are of God, sooner or latter; now when a man is dead, it's a plaine signe that the word hath not yet wrought upon that man; it may be it hath shaken him many a time; yea, but if he be yet dead, it never wrought upon him soundly; the oracles of God, are lively oracles, as Steven cals them, Acts. 7. 38. they make their hearts lively that they come to worke soundly on; though they were never so dead to God and good things afore, yet now they waxe lively, they make their hearts to receive a divine strength, that now they waxe able in some measure to live towards God, to hunger and thirst after God, to delight in the seeking of him; be their lusts never so mighty, now they can compose themselves to oppose them, and to swimme against the streame; now they can pray, and they cannot abide to have blockish hearts in that nor in any other duty, they have a life that resists that same deadnesse that dwelleth in them. So then this is ano­ther reason, that a dead Christian is as good as no Chri­stian at all, the word hath never wrought soundly on that Man.

The use of this is; first, if the dead Christians in SardisVse 1. be as good as nothing, what are the riff-raffe in the Towne, that are not so much as Christians in name? if a dead Christian be rejected of God, what's a dead drun­kard? a dead whormonger, a dead prophanling▪ if one that walkes in good courses be refused▪ because he is dead in them, then what shall become of them that will not fol­low good courses at all? if such that are Saints to them, cannot be saved, where shall they appeare? it is said that Christ loved the goodly fine carriaged young man, Mark. 10. 17. Christ is never said to love a drunkard; a pro­phane [Page 256] wretch; no, he regards one that carries himself in a sayre civill honest way, more then all the world be­sides, except onely his own children; and therefore if he counts meer civill men stark naught, how much more does he thee, that art a very beast compared with them? thou art so vile, that we that are men doe know thou art in a fearefull estate; nay, the Lord pronounes a woe up­on them that dare speake well of thee; these sinnes are to be punished by the Iudges; if thou hast lived in Isra­el, thou shouldst have been put to death; a drunken Son should have been stoned; an adulterer, a fornicator should be burnt; a blasphemer should be brained to death. Thy sinnes are so palpable, that pillaries, and stockes, and prisons, and gallowes, should be thy fare, if thou wert well served. Thou art not onely dead, for the manner of thy life, but for the matter too; not onely the Saints doe abhorre thee, but all that have any civi­lity in them, doe loath thy filthy doings; and would not doe as thou doest; no, no, for a world; as Solomon sayes such as thou art, are not onely dead but in the depth of hell, Pro. 9. 18. There be many though they be not right, yet they are so much reformed that the Saints of God cannot say but that they may be good Christians; But thou art so foule, that he that hath but one eye may see the devill leads thee; there be some that a man may be to blame for judging them wicked, but he that judges thee other wise, hates his own soule; poor creature, does thy foolish heart promise thee hopes to finde mercy? alas the devill does but lead thee in a string, he knowes well enough, though he will not let thee see it, there is no mercy for them that goe on still in their wickednesse. Thou hast not so much as a name that thou livest, how dead then art thou? Thou art dead and rotten, and stin­kest [Page 257] not onely in the nostrils of God, but of all that have any common grace in them. Others may be in a damned condition for all their profession, but to be sure thou art in a damned condition, there's nothing between thee and hell, but onely the poore thread of thy life; How canst thou keep out of hell, that canst hardly keep out of the Ale-house. O heare this ye that have not so much as any face of Religion. See the word of the Lord, and thinke upon it for your good, if ye have any eare to heare before it be too late.

Consider first, thou art farre from the Kingdome of1. God; such as are sober and morall and frequenters of the ordinances of God, & professe godlines, though they be not alive, yet they are not farre from the Kingdome of God; as Christ said of the discreet Scribe, Mark. 12. 34. But thou art a hundred hundred degrees farther off; thou art so farre off, that thou hast need to hasten quickly, thou hast a 1000 degrees of reformation to passe over, before thou canst get so neere as some of them that are short.

Secondly, thou art altogether become unprofitable, as the2. Apostle speakes, Rom. 3. 12. thou art good for no­thing, but to doe mischief in a parish, to infect, to spoile youth, to trouble thy wife, and thy poore Chil­dren; to corupt thy servants and thy neighbours, to spill the good creatures of God, to be a very slave to thy fleshly-lusts; others that are well governed in their lives, though they be dead, yet they doe a great deale of good, they help the Saints, they are I say gotten to stand for good order; but thou art a very burden to all well disposed people, the very shame of the Towne, the disgrace of the family where thou art; what will people say yonder's a drunkard, yonder goes a fornica­tor [Page 258] a dissolute fellow, though he be a gentleman, yet he is fit for none but rogues, and raseals, and tinkerly companions, a man that hath but a spark of honesty would be ashamed of him; a Christian? no, he is a very beast, he cannot govern himselfe. But what doe I stand spending of time to speak against such wayes which the Apostle sayes should scarcely be named in Christians mouthes? The very heathens shall judge thee; the Lord open thine eyes, to see what a cursed creature thou art, that thou maist come out of the snare of the devill.

I have hindered my selfe from going on; I should shew you, first, a reproof of those that are Christians and yet dead.

Secondly, I should shew you the danger of being a dead Christian.

Thirdly, what it is to be a lively Christian.

Fourthly, how we may know whether we be dead Chri­stians or no.

Fifthly, how farre forth a childe of God may be dead.

Sixthly, what is the reason that so many are dead.

Seventhly, how we should all come to be lively.

Eighthly, what motives there be to induce us to la­bour for life in our Christian course. But of these at another time.

THe last doctrine that we gathered out of these words was this, that a dead Christian is as good as [Page 259] no Christian at all; though a man be orthodoxly con­verted, baptized, reformed, though a man professe the true faith towards God, repentance and amendment of life, and follow all manner of good and honest cour­ses for the matter of them, yet if he be dead to them, he is even as good as nothing.

I told you what I meant by a dead Christian. I shewed you this in five things.

First, deadnesse of guilt; when a man is guilty of any1. offence, that is death by the Law, he is said to be a dead man; so every man hath sinned against God which is death by Gods Law, and therefore every man is dead by nature; when a man is pardoned of God, then he is a­live againe; and therefore it is called Iustification of life, Rom. 5. 18. now when a man is not pardoned of God he is dead; though he have never so many hopes and conceits of forgivenesse, yet as long as he is not forgiven indeed he is but a dead man. Let a man have never so much Christianity about him, if he be not forgiven in­deed▪ he is a dead Christian.

Secondly▪ deadnesse of minde; when the under­standing2 of man is dead; my beloved ye must know it is not bare knowledge that quickens the minde; a man may have the knowledge of all Christian divinity, and yet have a dead understanding; it is said of Christ, & every true Christian, that he is of a quick understanding in the feare of the Lord, Isa. 11. 3. then is the understanding quick, when it is quick in the feare of God; when it feeles the weight of all divine truth; we may see this in worldly minded men, their understandings are quick in the things of the world, if there be any booty to be had, presently they feele it, you may lead them any way, so you doe but let them see profit and gaine, there [Page 260] is weight in such reasons. But now shew them divine reasons, why they should beleeve the sacred writings of the holy Prophets and Apostles, and yeeld obedience un­to the form of wholsome words delivered in the Gospell, though they understand well enough what we say, yet they feele no weight in these reasons; whole Sermons doe not stirre them; their understanding is here dead; so that this is a dead Christian, who though he have ne­ver so much knowledge, yet his understanding is dead, he feeles not the weight of divine things; he hath divine things in his speculative understanding, and carnall in his practicall; gracious truths in his fore dictats, and carnall in his last; when he knowes heavenly things, but mindes earthly; my meaning is this. O sayes his understanding, I should live thus and thus, this is the rule, this is the will of God. But then his owne corrupt will suggests unto him for to doe otherwise, and His un­derstanding does not hinder.

Thirdly, deadnesse of heart, when the heart is not3. inclined towards God. The life of the heart, consists in the inclinations and bents of the heart; as David sayes, Incline mine heart to thy Testimonies, Psal. 119. 36. what followes? quicken thou me in thy way, This is the quicking of my heart to thy Testimonies, when it is inclined unto them; now though a man goe to good duties everyday, yet as long as the heart is not inclined unto them, it is dead to them all; it goes about them in a dead manner; as a Boy that is not inclined to his Book, though he doe goe to Schoole, it is with a dead heart. This then is another expression of a dead Christian; he is a man though he be a professour of Holinesse, yet his heart is not inclined towards God, and all goodnesse; and therefore he goes on in good duties with a dead heart.

[Page 261]Fourthly, deadnesse of conscience; when the consci­ence hath no force; it may be it finds fault with such and such wayes, but it hath no power over a man, to make him to leave them; it approves such and such holy courses, yea, but it hath no power over him to make him to buckle to them indeed. O sayes the conscience, I should not doe thus; I should be more mindfull of God, I should not be so vaine, I should not spend my time as I doe, I should make another use of Gods warning then I doe; I should be better. But it hath no force over the man whose conscience it is; this is a dead conscience; there's no life in it at all; when the conscience hath life in it once, then it hath power over a man; as the Church sayes, my soule made me like the Chariots of Ami­nadab, Cant. 6, 12. that is, my conscience was very for­cible and powerfull in me; it made me goe after Je­sus Christ, nay, it carried me freely like the Chariots of Aminadab. But when the conscience can whisper and onely finde fault, and hath no power at all with it to make one obey from day to day, this is a dead consci­ence.

Fifthly, deadnesse of affection, when the affections are5. clumbzie, and will not move towards God, and all su­pernaturall things; when a mans affections are lively e­nough in other things, and too lively; But hee's like a block in good duties, he hath no affections to them nor in them. These are affections out of order; mortifie your inordinate affections sayes the Apostle, Colos 3. 5. that is, your affections must not be out of order; if they be alive to the things here below, ye must turne the life of them another way; ye must kill them that way, and let the life of them run out towards God, and his service and worship; now when the affections will not move this way [Page 262] at all, then they are dead. Thus ye see what I meane by a dead Christian. Now that such a one is as good as no Christian at all, is very plaine; goe through all Christi­anity, and you shall finde this to be true in every pas­sage.

First, for conversion; conversion is not onely the1. turning of a man from wicked wayes unto good, but so as to be quickened up in them. Conversion puts another life into a man; when we were dead in sinnes, he hath quickened us together with Christ, Eph. 2▪ 5. that is, con­version is the quickening of a man, not onely the turning of a man from not praying to praying, from not hearing of the word to hearing of the word; from not sober to be sober, from not chaste to be chaste, from not pro­fessing Christian religion to be a professor of it, but also it is the quickening of a man up in it; it is the putting of a new life into a man; and therefore to be converted meerely from the one to the other is just nothing; as long as a man is dead-hearted to the same.

Secondly, for beleeving; should a man leane himself2. upon God, should a man apply all the promises of the Gospell to his soule, and credit all that's contained in the Covenant of grace, alas what of all this? if this man be dead still. True faith produces life; as Christ sayes, he that liveth and beleeveth in me▪ Joh. 11. 26. True faith carries life with it, wheresoever it is; and therefore if a man have such a faith as lets him be dead still, it is as good as nothing; faith it may be, Put true faith it cannot be; if thou wouldst be able to say thou beleevest in Jesus Christ, thou must be able to say that thou livest in him too▪ it is impossible that a man should rightly beleeve in Christ, and be dead.

Thirdly, for hoping in God; it may be thou hast hope3. [Page 263] that thou art a good Christian, that thou hast a part in the redemption of the world by Jesus Christ, thou hast a hope of the heavenly inheritance that thou shalt be saved in that day; now if thy hope be a dead hope, if it doe not quicken thee up, to beat downe thy worldly lusts, to serue thee up towards God more and more, to carry thee on through thick and thin, thy hope is not worth a rush. True hope is lively; he hath begotten us again to a lively hope 1 Pet. 1. 3. it is not a dead hope, that lies sluggishly and blockishly in him that hath it, not stirring him up every day, but it lies like a carcase in the heart to little or no purpose; no, no, this is as good as no hope at all. True hope is a lively hope; it revives a man up to the King­dome of God, it beares a man aloft in good duties, it fortisies a man against daily temptations.

Fourthly, for repenting; what ever thou hast to say4 for repenting, canst thou plead never so many teares for thy sinnes, a thousand changes and reformings, yet if thou hast not gotten out of a dead temper, thou art yet under an impenitent heart, true repentance is to life, Act. 11. 18. True repentance rends the heart, it shewes sin to be the greatest evill, and so it rowzes a man daily up to take heed of it; it makes us see what a God we have dishonour'd and therefore it awakes the soule to be ear­nest, to please him in all things for the time to come. The soule heretofore was dead to all holinesse and pure­nesse, and precisnesse, and humblenesse, and mortified­nesse of walking, it was dead to such things heretofore, but when true repentance comes in, it turnes about the life of the soule towards God, now the cares shall be to him, now the endeavours make after him; paines, la­bours, cau [...]elo [...]snesse, watchfulnesse, circumspection, consideration, all are active now towards him; so that [Page 264] if a man be still dead, his repentance is false.

Fifthly, for praying; suppose we pray at Church and5. pray in our Families, and pray in our Closets, is this all? alas if we pray with a dead heart, no pullings of our heart downe before God, no wrastlings with God for what we aske, no heaving of our soules up, no fastnings of our mindes on his presence, no favouring of Jesus Christ, no yearnings to the throne of grace; this is as good as no praying at all; no; sayes David quicken us O Lord, and we will call upon thy name, Psal▪ 80. 18.

Sixthly, for hearing of the word. Though thou heare6 it never so often and duly, yet that is not it; if thou hearest it with a dead heart, thy hearing is little better then no hearing; our Saviour Christ sayes, it's a great Iudgement to be dull of hearing, Matth. 13. 15. when the people sit as if the word did not concerne them, when they heare without any motion or affection, the word hardly joggeth their hearts, the word does neither de­light them, nor warme them, nor pierce them, nor touch them, it heales none of their sinnes, it cannot get between them and their lusts; when they have heard a Sermon, they goe away just as they came, it does not drag them one jot more out of the world, nor an inch nearer heaven; the carriage is much at one as it was, when they come home, it can hardly be perceived, that ever they were at the word; as earthly as ever; as car­nall as ever; as backward to all goodnesse as ever. This is as good as no hearing at all.

Seventhly, for taking hold of opportunities to doe7 good. This is a duty too to be done with all life. How glad should we be if there be any opportunity for us, to shew our love unto God, or our hatred to sinne, we should be willing to ride or goe, or be at charges, nay, [Page 265] we should be willing to deny our selves, to lay downe our names and goods, and friends, and respects, and all that we have at Christs foot, and blesse God that gives us such a price in our hands. But now to have a dead heart to this, what a horrible thing is it? though we doe take the opportunity, yet to goe about it, as though we were sorry that God hath given it unto us; This is meere folly; as Solomon sayes; wherefore is there a price in the hand of a foole to get wisdome, seeing he hath no heart to it? Prov. 17. 16.

But I will not repeat any more; you see now that a dead Christian is as good as no Christian at all; I shewed you the reasons of this point: but I will let them passe. I come now to the uses.

And first this is for the reproof of the deadnesse thatVse 1. is now among us; the Lord may say to us, as he did un­to Sardis, I know thy workes, thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead; for notwithstanding the great means of life, that the Lord hath placed among us, O how does deadnesse of heart reigne; we are like them the Prophets speakes of, that drew nigh to God with their mouth, and honoured him with their lips, but their heart was far from him; Matth. 15. 8. they had no heart to his holy worship. So it is with most of us; we draw nigh to God with our outward man, but our heart is farre from him; no heart to prayer, no heart to the word; we heare it peradventure, but no heart to it at all; how ordinarily doe we come to Gods house, but heartles­nes hath dominion over the most of us; the doctrine of the Gospell does not quicken up our hearts, we deale with it as Phinehas his wife did with her Sonne, when the women about her told her she had a Sonne, the text sayes she did not regard it. So what little regard have [Page 266] we of the Gospell of God! I stretched out my hands and no man would regard, Prov. 1. tell us of our damned estate by nature, how cursed we are from the wombe, what infinite need we have to be sensible of it, we know it, but how dead is our knowledge of it? it does not stirre up our hearts to consider of it; neither does it prick us so much as the pricking of a pin; tell us of the the redemption of the world by Jesus Christ, his preci­ous bloud, his passion and merits, whose heart is enlive­ned and quickened up by them? nay, our soules are hardly moved at all at the hearing of them. Tell us of the Kingdome of heaven, the marriage Supper of the lamb, his Oxen, and his fatlings; O they are all ready, come Sirs, come to the marriage; we are even as they in the parable, they made light of it, Matth. 22. 5. these things are made as if they were of no moment, as if they were light matters, they finde poore entertaine­ment at our hands; what little irk somnesse do we feele in sinne, what little dejectednesse of heart, what little remorse of conscience nay, few know by experience, what humiliation meanes; we can confesse in our prayers, how vile we are, and how unworthy and how wretched and sinnefull but as though these were words of course, our hearts are so dead, that there is lit­tle or no relenting at it; we can say we are undone if God doe not heare us, our prayers are all nothing except they be with faith and life, and yet who strives to awaken and rowze up himselfe? we can say, O how are we be­holding to God, for life, for health, for his daily good providence, for his patience, his bounty? and we can say it is not the bare naming of his Blessings before him that is counted thanksgiving without being affected with his infinite goodnesse; and yet who does unseignedly la­bour [Page 267] to be affected with them from day to day? no body of us dares deny but that we should set the Lord alwayes before us, tthat he may be at our right hand, and yet who hath the heart to provoke this hereunto? The devill may be of their right hand & not God for all the pains that they take to have him there. So that dead-heartednes is a com­mon evill, now a dayes; as Christ saies of the last times. Because iniquity shall abound, The love of many shall waxe Cold, Matth, 24. 12. so it is now; because iniquity abounds the most are prophane, and dissolute, and licentious and loose, therefore many that profession love to Jesus Christ, their love does grow cold; and dead no life heard­ly at all, no signe that they are alive from the dead; if they doe beleeve after a manner, there's all, they doe not live in Jesus Christ; if they have any hope of mercy or heaven, that's all they have, it is not a lively hope, that may quicken them up in Gods holy wayes, if they doe see their sinnes, there's the utmost, it is a dead sight, that does not excite them up unto strictnesse and precise­nesse of living, if they doe follow good and godly duties, alas there be few that doe so, but if they doe goe so farre it is cleane without heart and life; as though any thing would serve Gods turne well enough; what a horrible thing i'st when a dead Christian is as good as no Christian all. No matter how many Christians we have, alas none of us are true, but such as are alive from the dead.

Secondly, is it so that a dead Christian is even as good2. as no Christian at all; then learne hence my Brethren, what a dangerous thing it is to be a dead hearted Christi­an.

First, all that we doe with a dead heart, 'tis as good as1. nothing; as Paul sayes of love; had we all faith, and all [Page 268] knowledge; yet if we have not love▪ we are nothing, 1 Cor. 13. 2. Whatsoever we doe, if we doe not doe it out of love, all's nothing; so I may say of life, whatsoever good duty we doe, if we doe not doe it with life; it is but a dead worke; and therefore it is no more then no­thing; when the prophet David would doe good duties, so as to doe them to good purpose indeed, you shall see how he labours against a dead heart, Quicken me after thy loving kindnesse, so shall I keepe the Testimony of thy mouth, Psal. 119. 88. so we may say too, Lord quicken me after thy loving kindnesse, so shall I preach, so shall I heare, so shall I doe thy holy will, so shall I goe up and downe doing good; now as long as a man does it with a dead heart, it is even all one as if a man had not done it at all; a dead man is no man, as the Apostle sayes; God quickens the dead, and calls things that are not; marke, dead things are no things; so dead workes are no workes, as Solomon sayes. There is no worke, and no devise, and no wis­dome, and no purpose in the grave whether thou goest; that is, when men are dead, then they can doe nothing, so it is here; as long as we are dead, we can doe nothing. True, because we have the life of sense and of nature, and of a naturall conscience in us; we may counterfeit good workes as a painter may make a man. True he cannot make a living man; so as long as we are dead­hearted, we doe but paint out good duties before God; all our Prayers are but painted prayers, all the good workes we doe, are but paint; there's none of them to the life; as God sayes of the Jewes; you will say they did very many good workes; they fasted and prayed, and sacrificed, and many other things they did. But what sayes God? they are vanity, their workes are nothing, Isa. 41. 29. as a dead Corps; there be eyes, and nostrils [Page 269] and eares and mouth; But when the life is out, they are as good as nothing; so it is with a dead heart; we may thinke we preach much, and study much, and heare much, and professe much, and doe much; the truth is, we doe nothing.

Secondly, all that we doe with a dead heart, it does2 not please God; God sayes, my Son give me thy heart, Prov. 23. 26. ye know the heart, that is primum vivens that's the first living thing in us; now if we give God never so many performances, yet if all our heart be not with them, what cares he for them all, when they are a com­pany of heartlesse things? when the Apostle had said, that to be fleshly minded is death, by and by he con­cludes; so then sayes he, they that are in the flesh, cannot please God. Rom. 8. 8. would that please any of us, that one should come and rake up a dead stinking carcase, and lay it before us? no more can it please God, to lay a dead duty before his heavenly Majesty; ye know a dead cari­on it is loathsome, as long as life remaines in it, that's a sweet thing, and it preserves it from stinking; and there­fore the heathens called the soule the salt of every li­ving thing; because the life is a preserving thing it pre­serves a thing sweet; but when the life is gone out, pre­sently it becomes odious; so is all that we doe, when we doe it with a dead heart, it is odious with God, it cannot be accepted of him; as the Apostle Peter speakes; Ye also as lively stones are built up a spirituall house a holy Priest­hood, to offer up spirituall Sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ, 1 Pet. 2. 5. that is; the Apostle had com­pared true Christians unto stones, now he correcteth himselfe, did I call true Christians stones? I pray doe not mistake me, I doe not meane for deadnesse, but for firmenesse; a stone is a dead livelesse thing. O sayes he, [Page 270] ye must be stones I, but ye must take heed of dead­nesse, ye must be lively, otherwise ye cannot offer ac­ceptable sacrifices unto God; this is even as if a Jew should have taken a dead sheep out of a dich, and laid it on Gods Altar. This is abomination to God; even so are dead doings to Almighty God; as Vinagar to the teeth, and smoke to the eyes. so is a sluggard to him that sends him, Prov. 10. 26. that is, when a Master sends a ser­vant on his errand, if he goe dully about it, even as if he had no life nor heart in him at all, to doe his Masters busi­nesse; this will not please him, nay, it will offend him, as smoke does the eyes; or as Vinegar does the teeth. it will make him looke with a sowre looke upon such a servant, so beloved when God bids us serve him, in all our wayes may be we are not so grosse, as not to goe about it at all. But we goe about it with a dull and a dead heart, this does not please God one whit, nay, he takes it ill that we should thinke he will accept it at our hands; as when the Jews had no heart to Gods holy and pure worship, it was too chargeable to them, it put them to too much charges; what a whole sheep, and a whole lamb every morning, besides many whole ones at other times, whole Bullocks, whole Oxen, and whole Goates, this was even as death to them, they went up to Gods Temple with a dead heart, nay, they thought much to give him of the best, they gave him the torne & the maimed, now mark what he says; should I accept this at your hand, saith the Lord, Malac. 1. 13. He took it ill, they should thinke he would accept it, so when we thinke much to be so precise and so strict, to pray so much, to heare so much, to minde him so much, and to deny our selves so much, to watch so much over our hearts, to humble our selves so much, what? may we not keep one lust? may we have no more [Page 271] liberty then so? may be we doe some thing this way, but God knowes how with a dead heart it is, the Lord takes it ill, that we should hope he will accept this at our hands.

Thirdly, all that we doe with a dead heart, it cannot3. yeeld us any comfort true if we were quickened up to­wards God, if we served God with all our heart and soule and life, this would comfort us indeed; to seeke him daily in a lively manner, to goe into his presence with all our minde; if we went eagerly a dayes to the throne of grace, if we were earnest in prayer, earnest against sinne, earnest for all goodnesse, this were a signe of his favour, and a Testimony of the true grace of life this would comfort our hearts exceedingly; this would breed peace in our conscience as the Apostle speakes. To be spiritually minded is life and Peace, Rom. 8. 6. there's life, and therefore there is peace. The reason is thus; because lively works alone can truely pacifie conscience; when a man hath beene a professour all his dayes, and done never so many things; yet if the conscience can say, yea, but all these are dead workes, all this while I have gone on with a dead-heart, this fowles the conscience; it can never have true peace. How much more shall the blood of Christ purge your conscience from dead workes, to serve the living God, Heb. 9. 14. it shall purge the consci­ence from dead workes; dead workes foule the conscience; whether they be dead for matter or manner; sinne is a dead worke for matter, and good duties heartlessely done are dead workes for manner; now both fowle the conscience; the conscience remaines under guilt; conti­nues without peace; it is an ill conscience; why? because the conscience knowes it hath the living God to serve that will not like of such workes; when a man payes in [Page 272] his rents onely by halves, or by dribblets or with light money, the Kings receiver will not give him an ac­quittance; my brethren, conscience is Gods receiver, no wonder it does not give you an acquittance, when ye pay in onely wash duties, clipt obedience; if ye served God with life, conscience would give you an acquit­tance; when ye have prayed, it would give you an ac­quittance; when ye have done a dayes worke in his harvest, it would acknowledge the receipt of it, well done good and faithfull servant; it is well done in some measure. This made Paul full of life every day. Herein doe I exercise my selfe to have always a conscience void of offence towards God, and towards men, Act. 24. 16. that is, I doe not onely goe on in good duties both towards God and towards men, but this I doe always, I do even exercise my selfe, that I may have an acquittance from mine owne conscience when I have done; that my conscience may give me a true discharge; well done, I have done well in some measure; now as long as we are dead-hearted and hollow in Gods wayes, our conscience can never give us a discharge, no marvell, that so few of us have Peace of conscience, when we are so dead-hearted as we are; if we would stirre up our selves to serve God with all heart and life, we should have Peace; but till this will be once, we can never looke to have Peace and comfort.

Fourthly, Though we have comfort in time of pro­sperity,4 yet we cannot have comfort in affliction, if we be of a dead heart; how many are there that seeme to have comfort while they are well, but when they come to be sick, and at deaths doore, then they are all to peeces? then they see they have no grace, no faith, no good cards to shew; then they are stript stark naked, then [Page 273] their conscience sees what they are; O, I am a wretch; how have I deceived my self; so beloved, though we have comfort in time of prosperity, yet if we be dead­hearted, we can have no comfort in affliction. As Da­vid sayes, this is my comfort in affliction, thy word hath quickened me, Psal. 119. 50. when the word of God hath quickened our hearts, and made us lively in all manner of goodnesse, this will yeeld us comfort in affli­ction. But if we be dead to all spirituall wayes, though we scramble up hopes now, they will not hold when affliction comes; now what a fearefull thing is't we shall all come to affliction ere long; for man is borne to trou­ble as the sparks that fly upward, as Job speakes; nay we know not how soone; man knoweth not his time as So­lomon speakes; but as the Fishes are caught in an evill Net, so are the Sonnes of men snared in an evill time, when it falleth suddenly on them. And God onely knowes what sore afflictions we may have; the Cup of affliction is in Gods hand, and he tempers it and powres it out as his pleasure is. I say what a fearfull thing is it not to have comfort then; then we have most need of comfort, and if we have not comfort then, we are ut­terly undone; now my brethren it is not a dead dull pro­fession will yeeld us comfort then? Let us thinke of this; as God sayes, What will ye doe in your day of visitation? to Whom will ye flye for helpe then? Isa. 10. 3. so may I say, though ye can be quiet and comfortable enough now, in the dayes of health and peace, your deadnesse does not trouble you now; but what will ye doe in the dayes of visitation? doe but consider what a sorry comfort ye shall have then; assuredly a dead heart will assord not a syllable of true comfort then.

Fifthly, we can never blesse God with a dead heart; a3. [Page 274] dead heart is not able to affirme upon any good ground that God is his, or that the promise is his; or that Christ is his; the soule knowes Christ is a quickening spirit, and they that have him, are quickened up by him, the promise is a promise of life, and they cannot be dead that are the possessors of it, we cannot blesse God either for love or mercy or grace, or any thing else, when we would blesse God for any of these things, the deadnesse of heart, it will be objected to us, O I am so dead, that how can I hope that these things belong unto me? Let my soule live, and it shall praise thee, Psal. 119. 175. when the soule is alive towards God, then it can praise God; then it knowes all the good it hath, it hath it in mercy; doubt­ing and deadnesse doe ever goe together, or it's a great marvell. And indeed what is deadnesse of heart towards Christ, and all his holy Gospell, but a secret doubting whether it have any part in it or no; as when a poore man sees a rich treasure, it does but dead him the more, because he sees no interest he hath in it; if he could see he had an interest in it, this would quicken up his heart, and put it out of it's dumps. And is not this now a mise­rable condition when a man cannot praise God? if he pray, it is but in a sorry manner, no life, no heart at all. But for blessing and praising of God, that he cannot doe at all, except he be in a fooles paradise; and dreame of a false gift. This is a dreadfull condition, when we are hindred from that which God most delighteth in; what is there that more delighteth God, then to blesse him and praise him? The Lord sayes we never honour him otherwise, who so offereth me praise, he glorifieth me, Psal. 50. 23. now we can never offer God praise, except our heart live

Sixthly, Religion is a very irksome thing unto us, as6 [Page 275] long as we are dead-hearted; what is it that takes away the grievousnesse of it, but a lively heart? when the heart is dead, it must needs be very tedious; very tedi­ous to be thinking of God, to be meditating of death or the world to come; to be imployed in prayer, to be constant in the humbling of the soule, or the abstaining from our naturall inclinations, to be discoursing of re­pentance, or studying of Gods heavenly Kingdome; to be imployed in the word, or to goe through dirty and frozen wayes to it, to goe and repeate it in our Families or to urge it upon our hearts, O what weary tedious duties are these, when the heart is a dead heart! This is the reason why the world lets them all generally alone, and never troubles their hearts with them at all, because they have no life in them; and many that are better minded, fend them very tedious, because they are dead-hearted; as Solomon sayes, correction is grievous to him that forsaketh the way, Prov. 15. 10. now as long as we are out of the way of life, while we are dead-hearted, we forsake the right way, and therefore correction is grievous unto us, nay, all the commandements of God are grievous unto us; does a dead heart rejoyce to goe to Prayer? nay, generally he is loth to goe to it; is he glad that the Sermon Bell rings; is he glad at an oppor­tunity to doe good? nay, does he not shrinke, and winch, and draw back? we see thus in the Jewes, how irksome the Sabbath was to them, when they were held from buying and selling; O that the Sabbath were over, Am. 8. 5. it may be men doe not finde the Sabbath so te­dious now, because they help themselves by talking of the world, by taking liberty that way; but if they were held to it, as they ought to be, would they not wish it to be over, The like we may see in the young [Page 276] man, what an irksome thing was it to him, to heare that he must fell away all? the Text sayes, he was sad at that saying, Mark. 10. 22. now is not this too a very hideous thing to be dead-hearted, when it makes all the wayes of God tedious? nothing should be more delight­full unto us then they; they are perfect freedome; there is great reward in them, they are the best wayes in the world; all his wayes are wayes of pleasantnesse, and all his pathes are peace; and if we were quickened in our hearts, we would say so too; as the Apostle speakes; when he had said, that none of Gods Commandements are grievous; 1 Joh. 5. 3. in the next words he gives a rea­son of it; O sayes he, He that is borne of God over­cometh the world; that is, he that hath the life in him that cometh from above, he hath gotten above the world, he hath past all the irksomnesse of them. The irksome­nesse of any commandement, does not lie in the com­mandement, that is sweet and pleasant, but it lyes in the deadnesse of the heart; a dead heart will ever count them grievous.

Seventhly, as religion is an irksome thing to a dead 7 heart, so a dead heart, if it should take it up, it will in the end be weary of it; as we see in the example of Israel when they grew to be dead-hearted towards God, at last they were weary of his worship, they went and de­vised othergets worships, an easier kinde of religion, they were weary of his. Thou hast beene weary of me, O Israel, Isa. 43. 22. we see this in Judah too. Behold what a wearinesse is it? Mal. 1. 13. this is too plaine and pal­pable; how are we growne weary of God, and of his pure service? we have had the Gospell so long, till we are even weary of it; weary of sanctity, weary of spirituall truth; whence are all innovations but because people [Page 277] are weary of the old way? many that have been very forward in preaching, and in hearing, and very zealous of good courses, they begin to abate, to side with the times, to remit of their former strictnesse; whence is all this? whence is it that we see so many apostates, that once loved good people, now doe not; once were very ze­lous against disorders, now are not; once were against humane devises, now are not; now they can brook any thing well enough; they are weary of their first pitch, they were wound up too high, now they let themselves downe againe; all this is because men have no life in them; they are dead to what they did professe; you shall see many a man smitten at the word, and there he is knockt downe, and sees what wretched courses he hath taken that will lead him to hell; well, he goes and reformes and growes very precise, and now there shall not be a Sermon but hee'l heare it. There shall not be any good Christian duty, but he will take it up, hee'l leave his old acquaintance, hee'le joyne himselfe to good people, hee'le have very good orders in his Family; all this is well; if't would hold; I but if this man doe not goe on to get the grace of life, in the end hee'le be weary; a dead heart be it never so forward, it will end in wearinesse. It is meerely for want of quickening, that any man growes weary of well-doing; as the Apo­stle sayes; Be not weary of well-doing, for in due time, ye shall reap, if ye faint not, Gal. 6. 9. take heed ye doe not let quickening goe; if ye let your quickening goe, di­rectly you'le grow weary; if ye suffer your selves to faint, if ye doe not get aqua-vitae, to cure your fainting sits; you'le be weary of well-doing; now beloved what a pitifull thing is this, that we should be weary of well­doing? if any of us have begun to doe well, O how [Page 278] should we labour, that we may never grow weary; how ever things goe, though persecution arise, what ever dealings we meet with at the hands of the wicked world, yet never to give in; what ever flesh and bloud say, what ever discouragements we meet with, from without or from within, we should earnestly labour, that we may never be weary of wel-doing; never weary of preaching to their conscience, never weary of attending on the word, or of preaching of our hearts, or of resisting of sinne, or of redeeming our time, or of keeping our garments, never weary of washing our hands in innocency, and keeping of our selves, that the wicked one touch us not; and therefore what a dangerous thing is it to be dead­hearted? for that's the high way, to be weary of well­doing at the last. This then is the second use, that we are to make of this point; to see what a dangerous thing it is to be a dead Christian.

I Come now to the fourth thing, and that is this; what it is to be aliving Christian. First, I will describe it by the efficient cause. Secondly, by the Instrumentall cause. Thirdly, by the parts of it.

For the first, the efficient cause that makes one a live­ing1. Christian, is God; as the Psalmist sayes, he is the foun­taine of life, Psal. 36. 9. He is the fountaine of al life; it is he that makes one a living man. He giveth life and breath to all, Act. 17. 25. if he should take away our na­turall life, we dye and turne againe unto our earth; as [Page 279] long as he breatheth on us we live; as Elihu speakes, the breath of the Almighty gives me life, Job. 33. 4. yea all the world would be a dead Chaos, if he did not quicken it; there's a kinde of life in every thing that hath being. But it would be a dead Masse, if he did not concurre with it; what is money, and meat, and clothes, and friends, and life, and health it selfe? men thinke they are well to live when they have them all. True, if he blesse them and quicken them unto us; but if he be wanting to them, they are dead things, and can doe us no good; nay, the word of life it self, it is but a dead letter without him, all the ordinances of God, we see they Minister life to some, because God puts life into them, but if he doe not put life into them, they are sappelesse and cadaverous things; so that God is the author, even of our naturall life; as John sayes, in him is life, and his life is the life of men, Joh. 1. 4. in him we live, and move and have our being; and therefore it is a great sinne not to be thankfull to him for our naturall life; David blesses God for his naturall life very often; life is a very great bles­sing, a poor thing that hath life, a living dog, is better then a dead Lyon. A man will give skinne for skinne, and all that he hath for his life: I am sure many of us may be very glad of life, for if it were gone now, we should be in hell; and therefore we had need to make much of our naturall life, yea, every houre of it, least we dye before we be converted, and brought home to God.

But this is not the life that we doe speake of; we speak of spirituall life, and God is the author of that more especially; when a man is alive towards God, he is the onely cause of it. He spiritually moveth our hearts by the holy Ghost, and begets us againe after a strange, and an inessable manner; by joyning his spirit to our spirits, [Page 280] his minde to our mindes, and his will to our willes, he revives all the powers of the soule with his presence; and therefore this life is called the life of God; which the world are strangers to and aliens from; being alienated from the life of God; Eph. 4. 18. so likewise it is called the life of Iesus. 2 Cor. 4. 11. He onely is the author of it. Thus ye see the efficient cause of it.

Secondly, the Instrumentall cause of this life, is true2. faith; this is the ligament that couples this life and a man together; that now he is said to be a living man; ye know God is the onely living God; they that are not united unto him, remaine in the congregation of the dead; now faith unites a man unto him; faith is the having of him; He that hath the Sonne hath life, and he that hath not the Sonne hath not life, 1 Joh 5. 12. when a man cleaves unto God, by a true and lively faith, this man hath life; as Moses sayes, That thou mayst love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayst obey his voyce, and that thou mayst cleave unto him, for he is thy life, Deut. 30. 20. Though a man hath not that strong faith that some have, whereby he hath a cleare evidence of Gods love and fa­vour in Jesus Christ, though a man have not this faith, yet if he have a faith of adherence, and cleaving unto God, this man is a living Christian; this man is joyned unto the true life; This is the true God, and even life, and therefore whosoever cleaves to him, hath life; if he will not away from him, he will still seeke him, still pray unto him, still make him his refuge, though he have no feelings, that is not it; if a man will never give over seeking of God; He beleeves God is the fountaine of all life and peace, and grace and comfort, and Gods way, is the onely way; he beleeves himselfe is a cursed wretch in himselfe, and that all hope is in Christ, now [Page 281] if this man have such a faith whereby he adheres, though with never so much weaknesse, this man is a live. This is the faith whereby a Christian lives; as Paul sayes, the life that I live, I live by the faith of the Sonne of God, Gal. 2. 20. Thus ye see the Instrumentall cause of it.

Thirdly, now for the parts of it. The parts of it are3. three.

The first part is the life of Justification; ye know eve­ry1. man by nature is a dead man; as a malefactour that hath committed an offence that is death by mans Law, we say he is a dead man; so we have all offended God from the womb which is death by Gods Law; and there­fore we are dead men; now when God hath justified a man freely by his grace, when God hath given him a pardon in Christ Jesus; now he is a live man; and there­fore Justification as ye heard, is called Iustification of life, Rom. 5. 18. now beloved this life is not in the man that does live, but in Christ that he lives by; this life suppo­seth no life in this party; no, it lookes upon him as a dead man in himself. But God counts him alive in Jesus Christ; as the Apostles sayes, Christ is our life; Col. 3. 4. q d this life is not in us, but in Christ; so that this life de­nominats aman alive; as Christ denominated the demosel alive, that was yet dead. The Damosell is not dead, sayes he Matth. 9. 24. ye know the Damosell was dead at that time, when Christ said so; and yet he said she was not dead, because he had life for her; she had life in him; now when he raised her up, then she had life in her too.

And so I come to the second part of this life; and that2. is the life of Sanctification, and this life is in him that doth live; for though he were dead before to all goodnesse and holinesse, and alive unto sinne, yet now he is made [Page 282] dead unto sinne, and alive unto God; as the Apostle speakes, likewise also reckon ye your selves to be dead indeed unto sinne, but alive unto God, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Rom. 6. 11. this life is called the life of grace, and new obedience, when a man is quickened up to all the wayes of God; you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins, Eph. 2. 1. and this is the quickening that I would faine open to you.

The third part of this life, is the life of joy and com­fort;3. ye know when a mans eyes are opened to see his sinnes, and his damned estate, by reason of them, the Law comes and that kils him, his very heart dyeth in him; now when God propounds to him a Saviour, and causes him to beleeve in him, this revives his heart againe; this yeelds him some joy and comfort so that true joy is a life too; we may see this in the Children of God, let their joyes and comforts be all gone, this makes them all amort, this makes them very heavy and sad, as if they had no life at all in them; as the Church sayes; Wilt thou not revive us againe? that thy people may rejoyce in thee, Psal. 85. 6.

Now my brethren, all this is onely by way of preface; to come then to the question, what is it to be a quickened Christian? a Christian that hath not onely a name to live, but is dead? dead towards God? dead to all good du­ties? no: But is quickened up to them. I answer, that as death is taken in a metaphoricall sense, when we say such a one is dead to God, dead to the holy ordinances of God, we doe not meane properly dead, as if he were na­turally dead, and had no soule in his body; but we take it in metaphoricall sense; so is life here to be taken too; namely for the activenesse of a thing; when a thing is not active, we use to say it is dead; as Sarahs wombe is [Page 283] said to be dead; he considered not the deadnesse of Sarahs womb, Rom. 4. 19. that is, her womb had no activity to conceive; now when a wombe is active this way, then we say it is quick; so a coale that hath sire in it, is said to be a live coale: There flew one of the Seraphins, having a live coale in his hand, Isa. 6. 6. we call it alive coale, be­cause it is active; it is able to burne; whereas if that fire were out, then it were not able to burne, and therefore then we call it a dead coale; so when a man is active to­wards God, Take him in prayer, there he can act now; take him in selfe deniall, in reconciling of himselfe, in humbling of the heart, in mourning for sinne, in hun­gering after righteousnesse, even as a man does after his appointed food, take him in any of the things of God, though he were like a dead coale afore, yet here he can act now; now he can move this way; when one is like a block in good duties, that man is dead; we call mo­ving things living things; Every moving thing that liveth, Gen. 9. 3. when a thing cannot stirre, that we call dead; when a man is not stirring in heavenly things, he is stirring enough in earthly, but he cannot stir in heavenly things; that man is a dead Christian, though he professe never so much, yet if he be not stirring towards God from day to day, he is dead; I thinke it meet to stirre you up, sayes Saint Peter, 2 Pet. 1. 13. that is, I think it meet to quicken you up. Now beloved, this being so, if ye would know what it is to be alive towards God, let us but finde out a little, what is the life of a man.

First, what is the life of a mans understanding; peo­ple1. thinke that bare knowledge is, and approving of Gods wayes, and thinking of them now and then; they thinke this is the life of their understandings. But you shall see these are not it; therefore we will search out what is the life of the understanding.

[Page 284]Secondly, what is the life of the will or of the heart;2. people are apt to thinke that wishings and wouldings, and velleities, if they have some volitions towards God and all holy courses, they thinke their wills are alive; no; these are not it; therefore we will search too, wherein the life of the will does consist.

Thirdly, what is the life of the conscience; people3. generally doe conceive that if their consciences doe check them for their sinnes, and smite them for evill, and excuse them in other things that are good, then their conscience is alive; now we desire to enquire, what is the life of the conscience indeed.

Fourthly, what is the life of the affections; I gave4. you a touch of these when I shewed you what it is to be dead; now let me speake of them more fully, to shew you what it is to be alive.

For the first, what is the life of the understanding; ye know there be many things in the understanding; know­ing, approving, studying; determining; now the world thinks that when the understanding is so far wrought up­on, as to know Christian religion, to approve it to study it to determine aright upon things; evill things to be evill, good things to be good; duties to be duties, sins to be sins: now they suppose their understandings are alive. But the truth is, none of all these are the life of your under­standings. The understanding hath another life besides these. The understanding may have all these, and be dead.

As first, for knowledge, I need not stand to prove that; the dead Heathens, the Apostle sayes they knew God; when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, Rom 1. 21. knowledge is not enough; as cur Saviour Christ speakes; is ye knew these things, blessed are ye if ye doe them, [Page 285] Joh. 13. 17. nay, literall knowledge does not so much as give them understanding, true light, much lesse life; a great learned divine that is wicked, his understanding is still in darknesse; nay, it may leave him more dead, then those that are groslely Ignorant; as the Prophet sayes of them that had knowledge; I will get me to the great men, for they have knowne the way of the Lord, but these have altogether broken the Yoke, Jer. 5. 5. they were more dead, their hearts were more averse from all goodnesse. Bare knowledge is a poore thing, and yet people are apt to glory in it, the Apostle makes a pish at it; we know we have all knowledge, 1 Cor. 8. 1. q. d. is that such a peece of matter? never tell me of your knowledge; I know ye all have knowledge; but that's a poore thing; nay, the greater is thy woe, if thou hast not a quickened mind; as Solomon sayes, he that increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorrow, Eccl. 1. 18. thou increasest thine owne selfe condemning, the more thou hast, the greater know­ledge in thy Bosome, thou knowest, the more thou feest to condemne thee; thy knowledge is like a sword in thy bowels, that daily galls thee, and wounds thee; and therefore little reason to thinke that knowledge is the life of the minde, it is not so much as the light of the minde; take heed sayes our Saviour, that the light that is in thee be not darknesse, Luk. 11. 35. that is, thou mayst have a great deale of light, and yet be in darke­nesse; nay, in worse darknesse, then Ignorant blinde people that have no light at all; if the light that is in thee be darknesse, how great is that darknesse, Matth. 6. 23. such people are more senselesse at the word, harder to be wrought on, they have the more distinctions to deceive their owne soules, they thinke to well of themselves; they are too wise to be fooles, that they may be wise, [Page 286] they are farther of from confession; if they had lesse knowledge, it may be there might be more hope to doe them good. But having so much knowledge in a car­nall minde, it is made a strong hold against grace; it is with such people as it was with Babylon; thy wisedome, and thy knowledge hath perverted thee, Isa. 47. 10. true knowledge is a good thing; but when a man is fleshed with it, that he takes himselfe to be some body, this marres all; but I will speake no more of this.

Secondly, for approving of the truth; that cannot2 be the life of the minde neither; when a man approves goodnesse, and good people, this indeed is an excellent mercy of God to make a man approve goodnesse, and good men, O how are such bound to be thankfull! few goe so farre. But alas if thou goest no farther, thy minde is not yet quickened up to God; as the Apostle shewes, that a man dead in his sinnes still, may yet ap­prove the best things. Thou knowest his will, and ap­provest the things that are most excellent, Rom. 2. 18. He­rod approved Iohn the Baptist, and his preaching. Achish King of Gath approved David and all his wayes; nay, the devill approved Christ. I know thee who thou art, the Ho­ly one of God; Mark. 1. 24. Suppose thou approvest all the wayes of Christ, O what good wayes they be, thou likest his promises, thou countest his Ordinances admi­rable good and lovely, O consider what the Apostle sayes, happy is the man that condemneth not himselfe in that he alloweth, Rom. 14. 22. so may I say to thee, dost thou allow of all strictnesse and purenesse and precise people? O sayest thou the preciser the better! this is well; now thou art a happy man, if thou doest not condemne thy selfe in that which thou allowest; thou allowest of the strictest Servants of God, but if thou condemnest thy [Page 287] selfe now; and thy conscience can tell thee, I but I doe not set my selfe to be as they are. I can lose my selfe; poore creature, thy allowings and approvings will rise up in Judgement against thee; so that this is a poore thing too; approving of goodnesse may be in a persecutor; Saint Paul tels us that the Jewes did allow of his Reli­gion; and yet they would not leave persecuting of him, Act. 24. 15. nay, Christs persecutors they allowed of all goodnesse, they professed so much at least; for a good worke we stone thee not; therefore approbation cannot be the life of the minde neither.

Thirdly, thinking of God and of the word, that is not3. the life of the minde; and yet many men hang upon this too; that they thinke of God, and of his wayes, and of their latter end. True some are so gracelesse, that they come not thus farre; God is hardly in all their thoughts, Psal. 10. 4. But though a man doe thinke of God, and of heaven, and of Gods Lawes, indeed it's a great mercy of God; thus far it might doe a man a world of good, and it did David; this made him return into the way wheresoever he went. I thought upon my wayes, and turned my feet unto thy Testimonies, Psal. 119. 59. yet if this be all, this is no argument of life. The wicked Jewes, Christ confesses they thought upon God and upon the Scriptures, nay, more they thought to have eternall life in them; Search the Scriptures, for in them ye thinke ye have eternall life, Joh. 5. 39. This is so farre from being an Act of life, as that if a man live in sin for all that, it aggravates a mans sinnes. The drunkard when he goes to the Ale-house, it may be he thinks of the word of God, that sayes a drunkard shall not inherit Gods Kingdome, and yet he will goe though; a lyer when he lyes, it may be he thinks at the same time, of the [Page 288] word of God, that sayes the devill is a lyer, and lyers shall lie in the lake that burnes with fire and brimstone.

Fourthly, studying is no [...] the life of the minde; this is4 that which bewitches many Ministers; they study all the day of God and his Kingdome and of eternall life; they are all the day studying of Jesus Christ, and of faith and repentance, perhaps they thinke this is heavenly mind­ednesse. O they love a life to study Divinity; as the Jewes said, we delight to know thy wayes, Isa. 58. 2. I grant studying is an intense act of the minde, but that it is a lively act of the minde, that I deny; that is not al­wayes so; nay, studying may be in the highest degree in a minde that is dead to what it studies, though never so eager to it, as it is scibile of divine things: for what is studying? studying is nothing else but the boulting out of the logique in the Scripture; now if a man rest there, he is never the neerer, if it doe not recoyle on his owne minde, when he studies of grace, if he doe not seek how to get it; when he studies the fall of Adam, and ori­ginall sinne, if he doe not get it mortified in himselfe, all this is nothing; we see the poore simple Ignorant people ran after Jesus Christ; who were the great students of Di­vinity, were so farre from doing so, that they sat and derided them for their labour, yea, and called them silly simplicians, as though it had been a giddy humour in them; therefore studying cannot be it neither.

Well then it remaines to shew you what is the life of the minde that if the minde doe give that unto God, it is alive towards God, I answer. All these are the dull acts of the minde, they may be in the minde concerning God and all his wayes, yea, in a very high degree, and yet the minde dead towards the same. The Apostle tels the Jewes in his second Epistle and the first Chapter, that [Page 289] they knew all these things before; I sayes he in the third Chap­ter and the first verse, I would stirre up your mindes, that is, I would quicken up your mindes; as we use to say, when a man lookes about him; when a man gives his minde to a thing, this is the stirrings of the minde, now the minde is quickened up.

Now there be six stirring acts in the mindes of men; now looke which way they stand, it's most plaine the minde is alive, whether to God, or to the things of the world.

The first, is the application of the minde.1.

The second, is the meditating of the minde.2.

The third, is the considering of the minde3.

The fourth, is the remembring of the minde.4

The fifth, is the devising of the minde.5.

The sixth, is the Judging of the minde. These are all6. the stirring and lively acts of the minde, and the minde does not let out these acts any way, but that way, that a man is alive to, whether it be to the world or the crea­ture.

First, I say the application of the minde; the minde1. hath this nature in it, though it know a thing never so much, or approve it, or thinke of it, or study it, yet except it doe incorporate with the thing, it doth not come to apply it; if it incorporate with the minde, then it will apply it; as we see in a worldling, whatsoever good hus­bandry he knows, if he know any way of getting of gaine, he applies it, and takes it to himselfe; why his minde is alive to the Profits of the world, he can rellish savour in them; so when the minde begins to be applying of divine things, now it is alive unto God; as Eliphaz said to Iob. Heare it and know it for thy good; Job. 5. 27. that is, doe not onely know it, but be quickened up to apply [Page 290] it to thy selfe for thine owne good; as the Prophet sayes; hearken diligently, and eat ye that which is good, Isa. 55. 2. that is, I would have your mindes not onely to attend, but let them be quickened up to apply, and feed upon what ye know; let it be your food; a quickened minde is like the Disciples of Jesus Christ; when Christ said, one of you shall betray me; they were all very sorry, and they began every one of them to say, Lord is it I? Matth. 26. 21. they all did apply it, you see how his speech stirred their mindes, they fell presently to apply; so when a man cannot heare any sinne ripped up; but presently he cryes out, Lord it is I: Is it I that am guilty of this sinne? O if it be I, let me see it that I may leave it; if he heare of any threatning; he sayes Lord is it I? O teach me, that I may be humbled; when he heares of any grace; Lord is it I, that have this grace? O if it be not I, O let it be I; a quickened minde, is an applying minde; now if the minde be yet dead, it cares not for applying, though it know never so much, yet it lets the word still be a stranger unto it, it does not take it home to it selfe; like the hearers there in Hosea; as God sayes, I writ to them the great things of my Law, but they were counted as a strange thing, Hos. 8. 12. they would not take them home, now a quickened minde takes them home; this reproofe is to me, this Commandement is to me; this reproof is to me; nay, when a reproof to ones thinking of all other should seeme least to concerne him; as when our Saviour Christ spake against rich men; O how hardly shall a rich man enter into the Kingdome of God! yet the Apostles took it to themselves; they were amazed sayes the Text, Matth. 19. 25. one would have thought the doctrine should little concerne them; alas, they were not so rich, but they applyed it though, fearing least that little that [Page 291] they had should draw their hearts away from God; this then is the first.

Secondly, the meditating of the minde; this is ano­ther2 stirring act of the minde; a naturall man may think of his eternall good now and then, but this is nothing, his minde is dead for all that. But when a mans minde runnes on such things, now it is alive; look what your mindes doe run on, that your mindes are alive to; Be­cause it is most certane, that that is it which you respect most; as David sayes; I will meditate on thy precepts, and have respect unto thy wayes, Psal. 119. 15. A dead mind may light on good thoughts, but when a man meditates of them, when his minde runneth upon such themes; this mans minde is alive to them, he gives his minde to them; as Paul sayes to Timothy; meditate on these things, give thy selfe wholly to them, that thy profitting may appeare, 1 Tim. 4. 15. you may see this in ungodly men, they doe not onely thinke of the world, for so a godly man may doe and must doe, but their mindes runne on the world; they give their mindes to it; it is the A­postles saying; they minde earthly things, Phil. 4. 19. it may be they know gracious things, I but they minde earthly; they cannot finde in their heart to give their mindes to Gods word and will, so that would you prove your selves and your mindes to be alive towards God? labour that your mindes may bend their meditations that way; let your mindes runne on him, and how ye may have his favour, and how ye may keep it, how ye take heed of offending of him; a man is yet dead, that does not give his minde to these things; whose minde does not runne on them daily. And therefore beloved as ever ye do desire to have a proofe of your life towards God, let your mindes runne on these things, give di­ligent, [Page 292] heed that they may not slip out of your mindes; as the Apostle sayes, ye ought to give so much the more di­ligent heed to the things which ye have heard, least at any time ye let them slip. Heb. 2. 1. if they doe slip away ye know not how, as the flesh will let them goe, if ye doe not take heed, call for them againe as God. sayes Bring it againe to minde, O ye transgressors, Isa. 46. 8.

Thirdly, the considering of the minde; when the3. minde lookes cursorily on things, what is this but the remissenesse and loosenesse of the minde? now when the minde comes to consider seriously of them, now it quickens up it selfe▪ now it lookes wishly and intentive­ly on them indeed; alas all our knowledge of the truth, all our approving of good courses, all is nothing without consideration; our knowledge and approbation are dead things without this; even as good, as if we had no knowledge at all, for all the good it will doe us, if we doe not consider; as God sayes; Israel doth not know, my people doe not consider, Isa. 1. 3. looke what our mindes doe consider from day to day, that our minds are lively on; consideration is the eagernesse of the minde, when the minde cares not for an object, it will not trouble it selfe to consider of, a lesse act will serve such a thing well enough; but looke what the minde is inclined unto, there it will not goe slightly and lightly to worke, there 'twill take paines, nay, it counts it no paines to per­pend and to weigh things as in a Ballance; as it is said of Mary, looke what she heard from Christ, she kept it and pon­dered it in her heart, Luk. 2. 19. she pondered it, and weigh­ed it in a ballance, O it was matter of great weight with her minde; where the minde is alive, there it will consider and ponder and weigh, nay, there is not a cir­cumstance, but the minde will take it to consideration. [Page 293] Take a man that is alive to the things here below, how considerative is that man, in all matters of that nature: As for example now, for his gaine; he takes every thing into consideration that may make for his gaine; He will have his wits about him, when he buyes or sels, when he sowes or reaps; he considers with himselfe; that he will not sow too soon, or too late in the year, or a grain that the ground will not beare, he considers how long it was since it was fallow, how long it will beare, till it be laid fallow againe; he considers when he may sell dearest, when he may buy cheapest; when is the best time to put off a commodity. This is the lively­nesse of his minde in these things. Take this man now for his soule, his minde is starke heavy, any loose thoughts shall serve turne for that, he does not consider here. But when a man is a live unto God, now his con­siderations runne out this way, now he is considerative this way, for his soule, for his spirituall and eternall good. Beloved consideration is a lively act of the minde; as you may see there in Moses. Know therefore this day and consider it in thy heart; that the Lord he is God in heaven above▪ and upon the earth beneath, Deut. 4. 39. that is, doe not onely know it, but quicken up thy minde to consider it; this will doe thee good indeed; this is a ve­ry perfect Act of the minde; as we see in David; when I consider the Heavens the worke of thy hands, the Moone, and the Starres which thou hast ordained; then I say, Lord what is man? Psal. 83, 4. you see how stirring his minde was, when he considered the heavens and the earth, it wrought mightily on him; it made him the more humble. Others see the Heavens every day, and it does not move them one whit to Humiliation before God. But when the minde comes once to consider▪ then it shakes off its dul­nesse [Page 294] and remissnesse, then it growes busie, such a man will not goe to Prayer, but he considers what he goes about, what a great God he is to speake to, what a vile creature himselfe is that is to pray to him; he will consi­der how he may pray with faith and hope and feeling of his wants; how he may rise up from his knees not without profit. Now he will not goe to the word, but he will consider what it is he repaires to, now all his mind is how he may get good, now he is busie in every duty; when he is tempted to doe as others doe, he considers what the issue will be, and this makes him forbeare. Be­loved, this is the life of our mindes, when they consider things; when we consider our latter end; when we consider Gods promises; when we consider his threaten­ings, when we take his commandements into our deep consideration, when we consider the danger of sinne, we doe not onely know all these things but we consider them. Though we know neere so much, yet except we consider what we know, our mindes are lumpish and dead; consideration is the activity of the minde; and therefore if we would prove our selves to be alive to­wards God, let us put on consideration a dayes.

Fourthly, the remembring of the minde; when the4. minde forgets it selfe every day, this is nothing but the deadnesse of the minde; for if it be alive to a thing, it will be sure to remember it selfe of that, if it oan; Can a maide forget her ornaments, or a Bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten me dayes without number, Jer. 2. 32. that is, my people are dead-minded to me; if they re­garded me, they would remember themselves every day, to serve me; looke what a man is alive to, the minde will be sure to remember us of that; we can have no journey to take, but our mindes remember us of it; [Page 295] no businesse to doe, to feed our Cattell, to milke our kine every morning, and evening, to sheare our sheepe every Lammas, if we forget any thing in this kinde, pre­sently it's a 100. to one, but we remember our selves; now when a man is alive to the best things▪ in some mea­sure, he will remember himselfe of them every day; so David did, I remembred thy name O Lord, yea, in the night too, and so I kept thy Law, Psal. 119. 55. I remembred my selfe, and I would be sure to doe what God bid me do; it may be his heart began to arise, but presently he remembred himselfe, and beat it downe againe; it may be some other lust began to be up, but by and by he remembred him, and checked his owne soule; when the minde is alive towards God, the knowledge of the word does not lie dead in that man; but still he remembers it at every need; when the Sabbath is coming; then thinkes he I remember what God bade me doe. Remember the Sabbath day to keepe it holy; when the Sacrament comes, then he remembers himselfe, O thinkes he, let a man examine himselfe, and so let him eat of that Bread and drinke of that Cup; now the minde thinkes, I will labour to remember God continually; what ever I for­get, I will not forget him; when I rise up, when I lie downe, still I will set my selfe to remember him; when I goe out, when I come home; what ever the Devill say, what ever the flesh whisper, I will labour still to re­member God; if I be tempted to wrath; then I desire to remember what God sayes; give not place to the De­vill; when I feel spirituall lazinesse, then I will unfeigned­ly endeavour to remember what God speakes unto me, cursed is he that does the worke of the Lord negligent­ly, &c.

Fifthly, the inventings or the devisings of the heart;5. [Page 296] where the minde is naturally bent and alive, there it is witty, if riches, if preferment, if pleasure, if learning be a mans lust that he lives, in there he is witty; so when a man is a live unto God, his wit will have that way it's vent; as Christ sayes, I finde out witty inventions Prov. 8. 12. he speakes not onely of himselfe, But of his grace in every one, that is this; when the minde is alive & set towards Christ, it will finde out witty inventions; nay, it's a strange thing though men have no parts, yet if they be worldly, how witty they are for such matters; and so for good people, whose mindes are turned to­wards God, though they be of very weake parts, yet how witty they will be in good things; what pretty ways they will have to doe good, to shunne offences; to break occasions of sinne; as a Minister in his preaching; as Paul sayes, I caught you with guile, 2 Cor. 12. 16. so let man have a liberall minde, the Prophet sayes he will devise liberall things, Isa. 32. 8. mercy and truth shall be to them that devise good; Prov. 14. 22. whence comes the bloc­kishnesse of our mindes; but from this, that our mindes are so dead; if our mindes were more alive towards God, it would make us more graciously witty, we should de­vise good things, finde out admirable inventions, it would teach us plots against Satan, plots against the flesh, as the wicked, their mindes are full of sinfull devises, fetches, stratagems, policies, a man would wonder to see how witty the devill is in them, to carry them headlong to hell, &c.

Sixthly, and lastly, the judging of the minde. But I6. spake of this not long agoe; and therefore I will let it alone now; thus I have shewed you, what a lively Christian is in regard of his minde.

Now the next is, that we shew you what a live Christi­an is in regard of the heart, &c.

[Page 297]And then in regard of the conscience, &c. and then in regard of the affections, &c.

THe point we are in, is this; That a dead Christian is as good as no Christian at all. First, we have opened the meaning of this point; and shewed you what is meant by a dead Christian. Secondly, we have shewed you that this is so, by going over all the graces of Gods spirit; a man hath near a one of them all that is dead; againe by go­ing over all the duties of Christian Religion; ye heard, a man does neare a one of them all, as long as he does them onely in a dead hearted manner. Thirdly, I shew­ed you the reasons of this point, why a dead Christian is even as no Christian at all; there be many reasons of it, it stands with good reason that it should be so. Fourthly, we began to shew you the uses of this point.

First, how wide then are they that are profanely wick­edVse 1. if they that are Christians, and do the things contained in the Gospell are rejected, because they doe them with a dead heart, where shall they appeare that will not doe them at all?

Secondly, another use was to condemne these timesVse 2. of ours, wherein for the most part people are dead. There be not many that doe live like Christians at all in outward appearance, and yet how many of that little number are even dead and without life? they draw neere unto God with their outward man, but their hearts are farre from him, Matth. 15. 8.

[Page 298]Thirdly, another use was to shew you the danger ofVse 3. being a dead Christian, I shewed it in seven things. But I will not name them againe.

In the fourth place we are come to shew you, what itVse 4. is to be alive Christian; a Christian quickened up towards God; and here I shewed you, First, who is the prin­cipall and prime cause of this life and quickening, and that is God, who quickeneth the dead; God the Father quickens whom he will; God the Son he quickens whom he will, and God the Holy Ghost, he is the spirit of life.

Secondly, I shewed you what is the Instrument of this life, and that is faith; this faith when it is a true and a lively faith, it makes a man adhere to the fountaine of life. That thou maist cleave unto him, for he is thy life, Deut. 30. 20. Faith is the having of God for our God, as the Apostle sayes, He that hath the Sonne hath life. Third­ly, I shewed you the parts of this life; and the parts of it I shewed you were three. The first is, the life of justi­fication, Rom. 5. 18. The second is, the life of sanctifica­tion. Eph. 2. 5. The third is, the life of consolation or comfort, Psal. 85. 6.

Now because the life of sanctification is here principal­ly intended, when a man is quickened up towards God, and all his holy wayes; therefore I descended downe to the branches of this life, and quickening in all the powers of the soule. The last day we began to search about the understanding, what is the life and quickening of that towards God.

And first, we shewed you that bare knowing is not it;1. a man may know God & all his ways contemplatively, & yet not be quickened up to them; as Israel said, my God we knowledge thee, Hos. 8. 2. and yet as it followes, they [Page 299] were not quickened up for all that; the Gentiles knew God, Rom. 1. 21. I but they did not glorifie him as God; it was dead knowledge; nay, we shewed you that bare know­ledge is not so much as the light of the understanding, much lesse the life of it; as our Saviour Christ sayes, if the light that is in thee be darknesse, how great is the darknesse, Matth. 6. 23. that is, a man may have that light, and yet be in darknesse, and therefore much more in deadnesse.

Secondly, I shewed you that approving of God and his2 wayes is not the quickening of the understanding neither. Saint Paul shewes that a man may approve the best things and yet be dead, Rom. 2. 18. The Devill approved admirably of Jesus Christ, I know thee who thou art, even the holy one of God, Mark. 1. 24. suppose thou provest and allowest of all goodnesse; O sayes the Apostle, Happy is the man that condemneth not himselfe in that which he alloweth, Rom. 14. 22. so may I say, thou mayest allow of strictnesse, and of all the strictest orders of God, and yet have a dead minde, and condemne thy selfe. I but, I am not strict though.

Thirdly, I shewed you that thinking of God and of hea­venly3 things; this is not the life of the minde neither; a man may thinke of them all now and then, and yet be dead to them all notwithstanding; nay, this may increase thy condemnation; therefore when a sinner sins, it may be he thinkes of Gods word at some time, Gods word forbids this, and yet he does it, though this increases his condem­nation.

Fourthly, I shewed you that studying of God, and of4 faith, and all the Doctrine of life; this is not the life of the minde neither; and this is that which deceives indeed; when a mans studying is practicall; this is an argument of life; the heart of the righteous studieth to answer, Prov. 15. 28. Schollers because their minds are not of the world, may be all the day long, but from morning till night, their mindes [Page 300] are about God, and all Divinity. And they think it may be they are heavenly minded; alas, no, their mindes may be as dead towards God for all this, as the worldlings, that is musing on his pelfe as long a time.

Then I came to shew you affirmatively what the life of the minde is; the life of the minde is, when it is stirred up towards God and all his gracious wayes; as Peter sayes; I will stirre up your pure mindes, 2 Pet. 3. 1. that is, I would quicken up your mindes; when the minde is stirring to­wards God, it was stirring towards other things before, but now it is stirring towards heaven, towards repentance and amendment of life, and Christ, and how to please God and the like, now it is quickened up towards him. I shewed you there be six stirring acts of the minde.

The first is, the applying of the minde; when the minde1. does not onely know a thing, but it applyes it to ones selfe; this is a stirring Act of the minde; looke where the minde of man is alive, if it be alive towards the world; if it▪ know any way unto profit, or preferment, or the having of what it likes, presently it will apply it; so when a man is alive towards God, now his minde hath a applying dispo­sition, looke what he knowes about God, he applyes it to himselfe, for his owne edification, instruction, humili­ation, direction and guide; as Eliphaz sayes; so this it is, heare it and know it for thy good, Job. 5. 27. that is, doe not onely know it, but be quickened up to apply it to thy selfe; hath thy minde an applying disposition, doest thou apply the word of God to thy selfe to make it thine owne. Thou knowest what God is, I but hast thou a disposition in thy minde, to apply him to thy selfe? this is a quicken­ed minde, a man will not let his knowledge lye swimming in his minde, but he turnes it upon himselfe, and makes it his owne.

2. The meditating of the mind; the minding of the minde2 [Page 301] a naturall man may thinke of God and his comman­dements as ye heard. I but doest thou minde them? if thou doest minde them from day to day, now thy minde is quickened indeed; carnall men think it may be of heaven­ly things, alas, that is nothing but frigus & socordia as Cal­vin speakes, I sayes as Saint Paul; but they minde earthly things; looke what a man is alive unto, his minde runnes on that, whether it be God or the creature; if thy minde be quickened up towards God, then thy minde runnes on him from day to day; how thou mayest approve thy selfe unto him, how thou mayest pertake of his favour, how thou mayest eschew the temptations of Satan, how thou mayest follow after Christ, be sensible of thy sinnes be af­fected towards holy duties, does thy minde runne on such things? this is it.

Thirdly, The considering of the minde; when the3. minde lookes cursorily on things, what's this but the lookes and remissenesse of the minde, now when the minde comes to consider seriously of them, now it quickens up it selfe, as Moses sayes; Know and consider that God he is God, Deut. 4. 39. that is, doe not onely know, that's but a dead thing, but stirre up thy selfe and consider wishly of it; hath the Lord turned about thy minde that now thou hast begun to have a considering frame in thy minde, to pon­der thy wayes; to weigh the Sermons that thou hearest, as it is said of Mary, she pondered Christs words in her heart; now thou considerest how to pray, how to come to Gods ordinances, how to carry thy selfe in thy cal­ling; now thou doest not goe haire-brainely on his before, but thou takest things into consideration.

Fourthly, the remembring of the minde, when the mind4. knowes how to doe well, but the man does it not, he for­gets himselfe every day, what's this but the deadnesse of the minde; if the minde be alive to a thing, it will be sure [Page 302] to remember it selfe of that. Can a maid forget her Orna­ments? but my people have forgotten me, Jer. 2. 32. there­fore they are dead-hearted towards me; can a man forget to put on his clothes in the Morning? Can the worlding forget to plough his fields in time; to reape his Corne, when it's ripe; to milk his kine at night; nay, certainely hee'le be sure to remember such things, why? his minde is alive to them; if he should chance to forget himselfe for a fit, by and by he remembers himselfe, so if the minde be alive towards God, it hath a remembring disposition towards him. O sayes David, I will not forget thy word, Psal. 119. 16.

Fifthly the inventing and devising, and plotting and5 ploding, and contriving of the minde; if the minde be alive towards God, these Acts goe towards God too, as the Prophet sayes, A liberall man will be devising liberall things, Isa. 32. 8. Let a man be of weake parts, that's all one, yet when it is alive to the world, it's a strange thing to see how witty some are for the world to gather pelfe, they have great reaches in these things; so when a man is alive toward God, though he be of weak parts, yet how witty he will be for good things; what pretty devises to do good, to understand evill, to shunne offences, to balke oc­casions of sinne; as Paul sayes, I caught you with guile, 2 Cor. 12. 16. whence comes the blockishnesse of our mindes to­wards the best things, but meerly of deadnesse, if our minds were more alive, they would help us to preach, help us to pray, help us with matters for edifying, discourse, they would help us from a 1000 snares, they would be the more active, they would sooner smell a lust, spy Satan, observe the dealings of God.

Sixthly, The judgement of the mind; when the minds lust dictate is for God; when a man is judicious, this is it that leads men a days, their judgements not all their knowledge [Page 303] nay, learning; you shall have many a learned man will use to play the foole, and does every day very foolishly, because his Judgement is foolish; the reason is a mannever takes any course, nor speakes any word, nor thinkes any thought, but first his judgement tels him, it is best to doe so at that time; never does the drunkard turne in at the Ale-house, but his judgement sayes to his will, choose to turne in; you will say, it may be he knowes he ought not to do so, I but it is not mens knowledge that leads men, but mens judgements; when mens judgement sayes, this is not for me, this is most pleasant, this is most profitable, this is most honourable, this is most delightfull; now when the judgement of the minde is in some measure set towards God, now the minde is quickened; as David sayes, I esteeme all thy precepts concerning all things to be right, and I hate every false way, Psal. 119. 128. that is, by the mercy of God, I have good judgement, be the way what it will be, though never so pleasing to the flesh, still my judge­ment sayes choose Gods way, that's ever more best.

Thus farre we proceeded the last day namely to learne or see what is the quickening of the minde; that ye may know whether our understanding be dead or alive; now what remaines but this that we all labour for such an un­derstanding; many of us understand much, so much that if it were quickened up to us, it would doe us a world of good; if we did use to apply it and make it our owne, if we would give our mindes to it, if we would ponder it and seriously weigh it, and remember it for our use in all our wayes, if we had a devising minde for good a minde plot­ting for heaven, and continuing how we may best glorifie God, and secure our owne soules. A judicious minde, a practicall minde. This is a good understanding indeed; as the Prophet sayes, a good understanding have they that doe thereafter, Psal. 111. 10. when what we understand does [Page 304] not lye dead in our heads, but our mindes are quickened up to it, this is a good understanding my brethren, this understanding is not to be had in Books, God onely can help us with it, as David sayes, O Lord give me understand­ing and I shall live, Psal. 119. 144 you will say what need he keep such a stirre for understanding? had not he the Law before his eyes? could not he read there, and get understanding: O but it will be all dead, Lord unlesse thou give me understanding from above, if thou wilt give me understanding, then I shall live.

Now I come to the heart, to search what the life of the heart is, every Act of the heart, is not an argument of life.

First, there be outside Acts of the heart; people thinke1. if they doe not dissemble before men; then they are no Hypocrites. O they are hearty they say; as there is an outside of the outward man, so there is an outside of the heart. Thou mayest be hearty in some sort in good duties, and yet be starke dead; namely if it be onely the outside of thy heart; my Sonne keepe my saying in the midst of thy heart, Prov. 4. 21. not in the outside of thy heart, no, no. I would have the inside of thy heart too; a man that is a­live to the world, the world hath not onely the heart, but the very inside of the heart, the word is deep in the heart; so if thou beest alive towards God, God is in the deep of thy heart, the word is deepe in thy heart, nor like the salt water in the Sea onely, on the Top. Ye know what became of the Seed, that wanted depth of the earth, Matth. 13. 5. so it is with the heart, when the word does not get into the depth of it, it never quickens in it. The heart may be so farre towards goodnesse, as to bring a man to good duties a dayes, it may bring one to Sermon or to Prayer, to others of the Ordinances of God, and other good courses, but what's all this, as long as it is dead; the [Page 305] life lies in the bottome of the heart, look what the bot­tome of the heart stands unto, that's a man alive unto, then thou art alive towards God, when the bottom of thy heart is unto him; when thou labourest to obey him from the bot­tome of thy heart, when thou callest upon him from the bottome of thy heart, like Sugar at the bottome of the Cup, stirre up the bottome, the best is at bottome, so thou must stirre up the bottome of thy heart, the heart is a deep thing, Psal. 64. 6. though religion be on the top, yet if the world be in the deepe, thy heart is dead towards God; as it is with a puddle, it may be cleare at the top, faire water at the top, but there's nothing but mudde at the bottome.

Secondly, there be flitting Acts of the heart, be they2 never so deep in the heart, yet if they doe not stay there, the heart is dead still. Solomon sayes of his Father; he said unto me, let thy heart retaine my words, keep my Commande­ments and live, Prov. 4. 4. though the word does stirre neere so much for the present, this is not life, except thou retaine it, and hold it fast, a man may have many flashes of life in him, but as long as the heart does not keep them, it remaines dead, they that seeke the Lord, the heart shall live, Psal. 22. 26. that is, when it is not a flash, but it is an Act that abides by a man, the heart is stedfastly set towards God, now his heart lives; now when people are moved onely by fits, they are humbled by fits, and startled by fits, their righteousnesse is like a morning dew, ye know there the dew is every morning, but all the day it is gone, may be when morning comes, there it is againe, but all the day it is gone. It is true there may be horrible offs and ons in the Children of God, to the confounding of their faces before God. But I doe not speake to discourage them. But let us take heed we may have admirable flashes of life, fits of humblings, fits of enlargements, fits [Page 306] of selfe-denyall, sits of great eagernesse after God, the heart may be towards God for a sit, a false heart; as the Land of Israel; their heart was firmely towards him for a sit, they remembred that God was their rock and that the high God was their redeemer, but their heart was not right with him, they were not stedfast in his Covenant, Psal. 78. 37. mark. it was but a fit; like Esays crying for a fit. This is a poore argument of life then; no, no; the flitting acts of the heart, may be no acts of life.

Thirdly, there be wouldings and wishings in the heart;3. and these cozen the world more then any other; these they thinke verily are effects of true life.

First, because these are not in the outside of the heart,1. but lye, or at least seeme to lye very deepe in the heart; it is very certaine, that many naturall men would give the whole world if they had it, as they doe verily conceive, that they had true grace, that they were Saints, that they could leave their sinnes, that they were in a childe of Gods case, they deeply wish it, it is a profound would in their hearts; and therefore now when they see such yearnings in their hearts, they doe verily apprehend, this is life cer­tainly. Hence it is that they will say they would from the bottome of their hearts serve God, they have nere a lust but they would full faine have God deliver them from that; indeed they confesse in their consciences, if they might have a 1000 worlds, they cannot give it over, I but they would faine they could, and thus they deceive themselves; because this act seemes to be from the depth of their heart; this fancy you may see to be in mens hearts out of Mich. 6. 6. 7. where ye see, though they could not finde in their hearts to walke humbly before God, to live justly and righteously, yet they would give thousands they could. O say they what would not we give for the sin of our soules? no question but they thought they were alive, but God told them they were not.

[Page 307]Secondly, another reason why they thinke this is a token of life is, because this is no flitting act neither; But they have these wouldings every day; nay, you can never come to them, but still they have these, they would doe well; nay, they would doe as well as the best; thus they hope they have a fountaine of living water in them that springeth up daily; thus it was with them in the Pro­phets, they seeke me daily sayes God, Isa. 58. 2. they thought it was their every dayes work to serve God, and where they did faile, they thought they could say, they would doe better, they sought the Lord daily.

Thirdly, because they finde that this is attributed to the3 Saints; as the Apostle sayes, ye cannot doe the things that ye would, Gal. 5. 17. nay, the Apostle Paul himselfe, speakes it of himselfe, the good that I would doe, that doe I not, and the evill which I would not doe, that doe I, Rom. 7. 19. So that thus they argue now, when they finde this same woulding in their hearts, and cannot doe as they would, O say they, I may say with the Apostle, the good which I would doe that doe I not; I cannot doe as I would. Thus they hood­winke their owne soules. It is very true these be the Saints groanes, and a part of their sighing towards God, that they cannot doe as they would, this makes them a burthen to themselves; and so againe when they finde themselves disturbed and limited and straightened by their flesh, this is a comfort to their soules, and an argument of Gods infi­nite goodnesse unto them, that they can unfeignedly say, they would doe better; they doe please him in some mea­sure through his grace, and they would please him better; they doe some good by his heavenly spirit, and they would doe more; they doe resist every sinne, and they would resist it more. This is very true. But yet how many a thousands lul themselves asleep in security, by the fancy of this thing. The heart may put forth daily wouldings, and [Page 308] be as dead as a carcasse to all the workes of grace; as our Saviour Christ sayes, Strive to enter in at the straight Gate, for many shall seeke to enter in, and shall not be able, Luke 13. 24. q. d. O stirre up your selves, quicken up your hearts, doe not onely seek to enter in; many seeke to enter in, O they would enter in, and they would feigne enter in, alas, alas, they are dead, they cannot therefore quicken up your hearts, and doe ye more then so; I acknowledge that woulding is an argument of life in the heart.

First, when a man does beleeve God in some mea­sure,1. and then would beleeve more, does oppose eve­ry knowne sinne, and would oppose it more; does follow all manner of goodnesse, and would follow it more, when a mans would is above the simple will, as when a man will reach as high as he can, and then streins himself to reach higher, he takes all the Stooles and Ladders that he can, and stands on tip-toes and would reach higher; this is an act of the will with some life; and therefore the Apostle when he says that Christians would more then they do, Gal. 5. 17. in the verse going before, he tels them they must walke in the spirit though. q. d. if ye should say, ye walke in the spirit and doe not, ye deceive your own selves; so that the woulding it selfe, is not a living act.

Secondly, a woulding is an act of a living heart, when2 it is a laborous woulding; so that there is another thing in the will, that is the living act and not woulding; namely, when the heart labours, and therefore the woulding is not it; I labour sayes the Apostle, yea, I laboured more abundant­ly then they all, 1 Cor. 15. 10. marke though he said in ano­ther place that he would; the good which I would doe; yet that was not all, that had been a dead act, if that had been all; therefore he laboured together with it. Well then; let us come to shew you, what the life of the will is. In a word, the life of the heart is, when the heart will doe a [Page 309] thing, it may be it is hindred a thousand times, but in some measure it will do it, cost it never so much, though flesh and bloud, and world, and devill, and all be against it, yet it will doe it; now the heart is alive it will beleeve, it will repent, it will strive against sinne, it will set God before its eyes, it will love him above all, feare him above all, regard him above all. I say though it meet with never so many hindrances without and within, pull-backes, rebel­lions, yet it will doe it, now it's alive; when the spirit in­deed is willing, Matth. 26. 41. as Paul sayes, To will is pre­sent with me, Rom. 7. 18. when a man can say it from the bottome of his heart, that a will is present with him. I will be ruled by God, I will deny my selfe; though the flesh be never so violent, and it may be many times, and of­ten beares downe all before it, yet there is a will present, that will stand it out, and that can never be borne downe, the act may be borne downe, now affections may be borne downe. I but this still is present, I will be for God, he is my best, his will is my rule, his Law is my line, and I will be at his dispose; when it is thus in generall, through all the wayes of God, this is a living heart; when to will is present with it, as the author to the Hebrewes sayes, his will was to live honestly, Heb. 13. 18. As soone as ever the prodigall Sonne was come to this passe, that he could un­feignedly speake, I will arise, I will goe to my Father, Luk. 15. 18. you see his father presently sayes he was alive; this my Sonne was dead, but he is alive againe; you will say, what if one had bound him hand and foot? that is all one; he will goe, he will wrastle, he will bite the cord a sunder, if he cannot doe that, O how he will cry out. O how they binde me here. I will arise; he will strive, he will not be quiet, he must goe, and he will goe; his will is absolutely to goe, stopt or not stopt, his will is simply to goe, if he can but get away, and leave an arme behinde, [Page 310] nay, a foot behinde, nay both; he will crawle, but he will to his Father; so when a man will leave his sinfull courses, and he will have God for his God, he will have Christ, and there he will hang; come death, come feares, come temptations, there he will hang. This is that which God accepts, when the hearts will is to God, if there be first a willing minde it is accepted, 2 Cor. 8. 12.

Now that this is the life of the heart I prove it thus.

First, because this is the prefectest operation of the heart,1 when it absolutely willeth a thing. There be many ope­rations of the heart, but none of them is perfect but this as David said to his Sonne; my Sonne know thou the God of thy Father; and serve him with a perfect heart, and with a wil­ing minde, 1 Chron. 28. 9. q. d. this is a perfect heart; when thy will is to serve him; how ever things goe, thou wilt serve him; then thy heart is absolutely set towards God, this is the whole heart; I eryed with my whole heart, heare me O Lord, I will keepe thy Statutes, Psal. 119. 145. what's all the deadnesse of men, but because either they have no heart to Gods wayes or but halfe hearts, as it is said of Ephraim, their heart is divided, and God hath but a peece; but when a man hath an absolute will hereunto, now he is alive, now his heart is perfect towards the Lord his God; as it is in sinne, when a man does nos onely goe on in sinne, but he will doe it, his will is absolute that way, this man hath a perfect heart towards Satan, so it is here.

Secondly, because this is the might and strength of the2 heart; while a mans heart puts forth inferior acts towards God, he is dead to every good word and work. If he have any heart at all, it is but so so, as God said of Iudah, how weake is they heart? Ezek. 16. 30. such a man the devill can easily take him off at any time for a need; such a one can never stand it out to the end. But he is off and on, be­cause the might of his heart is not towards God; now [Page 311] when the will is absolutely towards God, this man must needs be alive; for the might of his heart is towards God; as the Lord himselfe sayes, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soule, and with all thy might, Deut. 6. 5.

Thirdly, because this makes every thing possible; natu­rally3 a man cannot beleeve, he cannot resist his owne flesh, he cannot overcome the world, he cannot live godly in all his wayes, he cannot forgoe his beloved lusts. But now when the heart comes once to be willing towards God, now every thing is possible. I may say of him, as Christ saith of faith. All things are possible to him that beleeves, Mark. 9. 23. so all things are possible to him that willeth; as we use to say, there is nothing hard to a willing minde. And therefore godly men in Christ Jesus the Apostle cals them, [...], &c. 2 Tim. 3. 12.

Fourthly, because this takes in the manner of good du­ties4 too. as well as the matter; it is more a thousand times, then the bare doing of them; a dead heart will serve to doe them. Put when the heart is made willing, this is more then the bare naked deed; as Paul sayes to the Corinthians about Almes, ye have begun not onely to doe, but also [...], to be willing a yeare agoe, 2 Cor. 8. 10. as he sayes of his preaching; if I doe it willingly I have a reward; but if against my will, &c. 1 Cor. 9. 17. that is q. d. I may preach indeed, I may have so much heart to it, as to doe the deed alas that is nothing; because if I doe it willingly this is it; this is it brethren, this is the right manner too.

Fifthly, this is an argument that the heart hath an in­ward5. principle; what is the life of the heart but an in­ward principle of acting? looke where the heart is alive, there it workes from within; there needs no compulsion to a covetous heart, to have regard of his profit; no; he regards it most willingly; he hath an inward principle to [Page 312] regard it; and therefore he is alive to it; now when the heart puts forth its will towards God, now it hath an in­ward principle of agency; it needs no constraint, as Peter sayes to Ministers; feed the flock of God, not by constraint but willingly, 1 Pet. 5. 2. that is, doe it very lively; doe it with an inward principle▪ not because ye see others feed, not because ye see the disgrace, what will people thinke, if I should not preach constantly; not because ye dare not doe otherwise, conscience will flye in your face; alas, ye may doe it, that's with a dead heart. But doe it willingly; where note this is the hearts life, this is an inward princi­ple of the heart; now the heart will doe it, though no bo­dy else doe it, though he be hated for his labour, though he have no thanke for his paines among men. Thus ye see this is the life of the heart.

Now for your better understanding, we will open this more particularly this willingnesse of the heart you see in the life of the heart, and it containeth seven things. First, the inclinations of the heart. Secondly, the inten­tions of the heart. Thirdly, the Elections of the heart. Fourthly, the aversations of the heart. Fifthly, the appropiating of the heart. Sixthly, the savourings of the heart. Seventhly, the carings of the heart. Beloved, these are the living acts of the heart, if these be converted to God in you, now your hearts are alive towards him. These make up the whole willingnesse of the heart.

First then, the inclinations of the heart; it may doe a1. thousand thousand good things; with a dead heart. But marke if your hearts be inclined towards God; then ye serve God with a live heart, if the Lord hath inclined your heart to him; I have inclined my heart to performe thy Sta­tutes alwayes, even to the end Psal. 119. 112. Hath God made you doe thus, hath he inclined your heart to his name? once ye were without heart, but now he hath in­clined [Page 313] your heart to doe good, now ye finde sweet incli­nations to every good duty, ye doe not goe to them as a Beare to the Stake, but now ye have an inward disposi­tion to them, he hath given you a feeling of your sinnes and your wants, and that caryes you to Prayer; a feeling of your Ignorance, and forget fulnesse; and that carries you to Sermons, that ye may learne more of God, that ye may see more into your owne unworthynesse, that ye may be stirred up in all his wayes; ye doe not onely shunn your owne iniquities, in some measure, but your heart is inclined unto it, inclined to thinke of God, inclined to holy talke, inclined towards them that are Godly-mind­ed; ye had no disposition to the works of God, hereto­fore, but now the Lord hath not onely put you upon them, but inclined your heart towards them; ye [...]ele inward impressions, that bowes you; others may be have good talke, but you feele an unfeigned desire to be edisied, and that bowes you unto it. Others may be doe good things, but the Lord hath bent your heart to them; when you went to good duties heretofore, ye went against the hare, as a Stone does upwards; but now in some measure, the Lord hath put in a new nature, and ye feele an internall mover. This is life now.

Secondly, the intentions of the heart; we have a saying2 in Divinity voluntas sua natura vult finem; the heart natu­rally wils the end; now if God were our end, if communion with him, and sanctifying of God in our hearts and lives, were our end, our heart could not be dead towards his wayes, nay, we should be very eager after them all; all our deadnesse comes from this, that God is onely a matter by the by, with us: But if he were our end, then we would be mainely for him, and how to approve our selves to him. Would we talke as we doe, if edification were our end? would we keep such company as we doe, if mu­tuall [Page 314] helpe towards eternall life were our end? Looke what the heart does intend from day to day, the heart is very earnest after it; therefore those that intend to rise if they can in the world, they are very earnest in the pursuit after the same, flatter fawne, please, humor, they will doe any thing to the attaining of it; if it be to rid a 100 miles, it's nothing with them; if it cost them never so much, O how greedy are they! if a man intend to gather an estate if he can, or to live in pleasure if he can, all the world are eager in their intentions; the heart runnes na­turally on after it's ends. Now when the heart is alive to­wards God, these intentions are towards him, now the heart standeth thus, so I may obey God, so I may take heed of dishonouring God, so I may keep my heart close to him, this is that I doe desire; now I goe to worke, so I may keep the world from carying away my heart, I shall be glad; now I am going to Prayer, so I may draw down a blessing, and get some farther help to walke before God, this is the thing I ayme at; now I goe to be in such a com­pany, so I may discharge a good conscience, carry my selfe well, and not bring dishonour to God, and the like; you may see this in Paul, what was the matter, he was so ea­ger to deny himselfe, I count all drosse and dung? the in­tentions of his heart, were after Christ; O sayes he, that I might know him, Phil. 3. 10.

Thirdly, the elections and choosings of the heart; this3. is another part of the hearts life; no man is dead to that which he chooses rather then any thing else; now if we did still choose the wayes of God, we could not be dead to them; when we are dead to them at any time, it is be­cause we could even finde in our heart, to make another choyce; and therefore if we would know whether our heart is alive unto goodnesse, whether doe we choose the way of goodnesse every day before any other way? as Da­vid [Page 315] sayes, I have chosen the way of truth, Psal. 119. 30. as the Lord sayes of the good eunuches; they choose the things that please me, Isa. 56. 4. Beloved what ever we doe or thinke, or speake, still there be two wayes propounded to us one that is Gods way, another that is our owne way, now which doe we choose every day; what thoughts doe we choose rather of the two to thinke, what words doe we choose, what actions, what courses, when we are together, what conference doe we choose, when alone, what doe we choose, there be two kinds of eating, and drinking; which choose we? when we are provoked, there be two wayes to take, either to be impatient, and suffer our passions to arise, or to quell them, and beat them down, which doe we choose; doe we say as that good man said; Lord let thy han help me, for I have choosen thy precepts, Psal. 119. 173.

Fourthly, the aversions of the heart, ye know the4 heart it chooses what it likes, so there is some thing that it shuns; now if thou wouldst know whether thy heart be alive towards God, doe but thinke with thy selfe, what it uses to shun when thou art angry, is it disgrace or sinne; it ever shuns some thing or other; either what God dis­likes, or what thou, every day and houre, something it puts off; does it put off things that are offensive to thy flesh, or things that are offensive to God; Here lies thy hearts life; if thy heart be alive towards God, it is of this temper, to put off those things that are displeasing to God; I hate vaine thoughts sayes David, Psal. 119. 113. marke his heart was of this temper, to put of all those things that were contrary to God; it may be many of those thoughts, his own heart would have rather kept. I but when his heart was alive towards God, he put them off though; I have refrained my feet from every evill way, that I may keep thy word, Psal. 119. 101. now when good things shall be put to a [Page 316] man every day by the word, and by conscience, and a man hath a refusing heart to them, this is a dead heart; as God put to Iudah to returne, but they refused to returne, Jer. 5. 3. God put shame before them for their sinnes, but they refused to be ashamed, Jer. 3. 3. now my brethren, examine your bosonies, how stand the refusals of your hearts, doe you refuse good or evill every day? if thou canst refuse tem­porall evill and not spirituall, thou hase a dead heart.

Fifthly, the savourings of the heart; this is another5 peece of the hearts will; something there is that every heart savours most, and that it is which it is alive unto: now then if thy heart be alive unto God, it will savour the things of God most; it will not onely doe good duties but savour them too; not onely heare the word of God, but it will have an admirable savour with the heart, as the A­postle sayes it will have the savour of life unto life, 2 Cor. 2. 16. as the Church sayes to Christ, because of the savour of thy good oyntments, therefore the Virgins love thee, Cant. 1. 3. Oh how it will savour a reproofe, how it will relish; but if holy things have no sweet savour in thy heart; it may be thou canst not for shame of the world not seeme to stand for them, thy conscience will not let thee, but thou wilt give them a good word, and seeme to approve them, but there's no more savour in them, then in the white of an egge, nay, they are irksome, and untoothsome, they doe not goe merrily down with thee, like sweet conserves; assure thy selfe, thy heart is a dead heart.

Sixthly, the cares of the heart, this is another show of6. the hearts will; what the heart is alive to, it carketh and careth for it, and therefore if thy heart be alive towards God, how carefull will it be that it may not offend him? yea what care, 2 Cor. 7. 11. As the Apostle sayes to Titus; I will have thee affirme constantly, that they which beleeve in [Page 317] God, must be carefull to maintaine good works, Tit. 8. 8. there­fore if a Minister be alive towards God, he will be full of care for his people, how he may pull them from their sins, how he may draw them to God, how he may most doe them good; as Paul sayes of Timothy; he will naturally care for your Estute, Phil. 2. 20. True, a man hath many things to doe in the world, many cares how to live, how to pay rent at quarter day, what may become of his poore Chil­dren, &c. I but if the heart be alive towards God, it will labour to cast these cares upon God; cast all your care upon him, 1 Pet. 5. 7. But for heavenly things, for the having and keeping of a good conscience, it will be full of cares about these things▪ yea it how may get to be more afraid of sinne, how may I get a weaned heart from the earth? it will be caring how he may be provided for evill times, how he may stand in the wofull day.

Seventhly, the appropriating of the heart; the esteem­ing7 of the heart; what's the hearts jewell, that's the heart most alive to; now thinke, what does thy heart prize most of all; if it be alive towards God, he is dearest to thee; his will dearer then thine, his glory then thy credit, his word then thy life; as Paul sayes, I doe not count my life deare, so that I may finish my course with joy, Act. 20. 24. this was the Jewell of his heart, how he might doe the worke that God set him to doe, that he might finish his course; so likewise if thy heart be alive, love will be like a precious oyntment, Psal. 133. 2. heavenly wisedome more pre­cious then Rubies, Prov. 3. 15. a promise will be precious to the heart, 2 Pet. 1. 4. So also faith will be a precious thing; 1 Pet. 1. 7. But above all Christ will be precious to the heart, to you that beleeve he is precious, 1 Pet. 2. 7. these are heart Jewels; these it endeares most; it will rather [...]art with any thing then these; nay, it will morgage any thing to redeeme these againe. These things are lit­tle [Page 318] esteemed among men, in their consciences; indeed they say they are better then the whole world, I but their heart does not greatly esteeme them, nay, it slights them and seekes them accordingly; this is a dead heart.

Eighthly, thus ye see what is the life of the heart; it is the8. absolute will of the heart, when the heart is inclined to­wards, God when it intends God, when it maks choice of his wayes, and puts off whatsoever is contrary to them, when it prizes and endeares every one of them all, when it savours them, and is full of care for them. I might adde another, the cleaving of the heart, when the heart cleaves to the Lord, as it is said of Hezekiah, that he clave to the Lord, 2 King. 18. 6. when the heart closes in with God, and will not let him goe, no nor let his wayes goe, it sticks to a Godly course, all the world cannot pull him away, not firenor faggot; though it be never so much hindred, and interrupted by the flesh, yet now it hath a sticking qua­lity in it, as David sayes, I have stuck to thy Testimonies, Psal. 119. 31.

Now because when the heart is made willing on this fa­shion towards God, there is left still an adverse unwilling­nesse, by reason of the flesh; so that the heart can never put forth these acts, without horrible clogges; therefore now in a live heart towards God, there be other acts, that are not in a heart that is alive to the world. And the rea­son is this. Because when the heart is alive to the world, the hearts of it own nature is willing unto that, and there is no unwillingnesse mixed together with it; never was it heard, that the heart should be willing, and unwilling to the same thing, till saving grace came to divide asunder the will in two; ye know the regenerate are two men apeice, and they have two wills, one towards God, and another towards sinne and the world; nay, it's the same will; that hath both these branches in it, and this does [Page 319] much puzzle the hearts, when they finde such a deale of unwillingnesse in them towards God.

Therefore I say there be other acts of life in the heart towards God, aud they are five.

The first, is the preparing of the heart, whereby the heart prepareth it selfe towards God, 2 Chron. 30. 18. 19. 1 Sam. 7. 3.

The second, is the Combating of the heart, Gal. 5. 17. 23. [...] I beate downe my body, 1 Cor. 9. 27.

The third, is the endeavouring of the heart, it reaches forth it selfe Phil. 3. 13. it stirres up it selfe; it awakens it selfe; why art thou so sad, O my soule? Psal. 42. 5.

The fourth is the binding of it selfe by determinations, and purposes; so Paul bound his owne heart, with a deter­mination before he came unto Corinth, 1 Cor. 2. 2. Daniel knowing how unwilling his heart would be to abstaine from the Kings meat, though by grace he was willing; therefore his heart, bound it selfe with a purpose; he purposed not to defile himselfe with the Kings meat, Dan. 1. 8. So Act. 11. 23.

The fifth, is the groaning and sighing of the heart, as5. David though he were willing, yet feeling the unwillingnes of the flesh therewithall fetch a groane; O that my wayes were so direct, that I might keepe thy Statutes, Psal. 119. 5. So Paul groaned earnestly to be dissolved, 2 Cor. 5. 2. This is the putting of the heart more forward. These I have named you may; name more it may be. But thus if the heart be alive towards God, it will doe: because it feeles a great deale of unwillingnesse, it gets what advan­tage it can of it selfe, to make it selfe willing; as the Church, ere ever was aware, my soule made me like the Cha­riots of Aminadab. Cant. 6. 12. it sets it selfe right; as the soule when it's dead, it neglecteth this act quite and cleane from day to day, as the Psalmist sayes of dull Israel, he calls [Page 320] them a generation, that set not their heart aright, Psal. 78. 8.

WE are come to declare what it is to be a live Christi­an, quickened up towards God, and all his holy wayes, and after sundry passages we came to enquire what is the life of the soul; & here I propounded five things. First, what is the life of the minde. Secondly, what is the life of the heart. Thirdly, what is the life of the consci­ence. Fourthly, what is the life of the memory. And Fifthly, what is the life of the affections.

We have spoken of the first, what is the life of the mind; ye know by nature, the minde is alive to the things of the world, and dead towards God; and therefore we enqui­red what the life of the minde is; it cannot be the bare knowing of things; it may be dead to what it knowes; it cannot be the bare thinking of things, nor the bare appro­ving of things, nor the bare studying of things; the minde may performe all these acts to a thing that it is dead to; no, no; the life of the minde is, First, the applying of the minde. Secondly, the meditating, and minding of the minde. Thirdly, the considering and weighing of the mind. Fourthly, the remembring of the minde. Fifthly, the de­vising and plotting, and projecting, and contriving of the minde. Sixthly, the Judgement of the minde. The [...] of the minde; looke where the minde is alive, there it puts forth these dispositions; and therefore when the minde is alive towards God, it lets out these towards him.

Then in the second place, we came to enquire what is [Page 321] the life of the heart; and this we spake of the last day; we shewed you the heart, may be somewhat towards a thing and yet be dead towards it for all that?

First, there be shallow acts of the heart, the outside acts1. of the heart; there may be so much heart, as to bring a man to good duties, to constant preaching, and hearing, and praying, and the like; and civill carriage, and the like; and yet the heart dead to them all. This is not the life of the heart, The life of the heart lies at the bottome of the heart; not in the outside; no, it lies deep within; as Salo­mon sayes, my Sonne keepe my sayings in the midst of thy heart; Prov. 4. 21.

Secondly, there be flitting acts of the heart. Though2 they be never so deep in the heart, yet if they be such as doe not stay there; the heart is dead still; for if it were alive it would keep them. Let thy heart retaine my words; keepe my Commandements and live; Prov. 4. 4. Though the word doe stirre one never so much for the present; This is no life except thou retaine it and hold it fast; a man may have many flashes of life in him, but as long as the heart does not keep them it remaines dead; when people are moved onely by sits, humbled by fits, startled by sits, their righte­ousnesse is onely as a morning dew, a man may have sits of quickening, sits of awakening, sits of enlargements, and sits of humiliation, & remaine in a dead state; what a fine fit had Israel? they remembred that God was their Rock, and that the holy God was their redeemer; Yet their heart was not right with him; they were not stedfast in his Covenant, Psal. 78. 37. mark it was but a sit; like Esaus crying for a fit. Therefore, this is not it.

Thirdly, there be wouldings and wishings in the heart;3 and these cozen the world more then any other; these they thinke verily are effects of true life; I told you reasons why people thinke verily these are arguments of life; and [Page 322] then I shewed you reasons, why they are not; and then I shewed you the difference betweene the wouldings of a live heart, and the wouldings of a dead heart. But I let all these passe.

Then I proceeded to shew you what the life of the heart is; namely, when it puts forth an absolute will to a thing; so that when the heart puts forth an absolute will towards God and all his holy wayes, then it is alive towards God, when a man is at this passe, that he will beleeve, come what can come of it, he will beleeve, and he will repent and he will hate every sinne, love God above all, feare God above all, and he will set God before his eyes, though it meet with never so many hinderances without and within; pul backes, rebellions, yet it will doe it for all them; now it's alive; as Paul sayes, to will is present with me, Rom. 7. 18. when a man can say from the bot­tome of his heart, that to will is present with him; I will be ruled by God. I will deny my selfe, though the flesh be never so violent, and may be many times and often, beares downe all before it, yet he hath a will present within that will stand it out, and that can never be borne downe, the act may be borne downe, and affections may be borne downe. I but this will is still present; I will be for God; he is my chiefe good, his Law is my rule, his will is my will, and I wil be at his dispose; as the Author to the He­brewes; sayes, His will was to live honestly, Heb. 13. 18. As soone as ever the prodigall Son was come to this passe, that he could unfeignedly speake it; I will arise, and I will goe to my Father, Luk. 15. 18. you see the next newe; ye heare of him was, he was alive; his Father said he was alive. This my Sonne was dead, but now he is a live; you will say, what if one had bound him hand and foot, that is all one now, he will goe; he will bite the cord aforesaid if he can, if one should hold, he'ele wrastle, he ele bite, he will [Page 323] scratch, he'le spit in his face, if he cannot get loose, he'le cry out, O how they bind me here; O my father, my father, I wil goe to my Father, he cannot be quiet without his Father, he will goe to his Father; if they should cut off his Legges, he will crawle to his Father; I say▪ when the will is abso­lute once towards God, then it is alive towards God.

I gave you reasons of this, why this must needs be the life of the heart.

First, Because this is the perfectest operation of the heart; when it absolutely willeth a thing. There be many opera­tions of the heart, but none of them is perfect but this; as David said to his Sonne, my Sonne, know thou the God of thy Fathers, and serve him with a perfect heart, and with a willing minde, 1 Chron. 28. 9. q d. this is a perfect heart; when thy will is to serve him how ever things goe, thou wilt serve him; now thy heart is perfectly set towards him.

Secondly, because this is the might and the strength of2 the heart; ye know the heart is a very hard lusty thing, where it is absolutely set; and therefore when a man will goe on in sinne, what ever come of it, reprove him, threaten say what you will, he will still goe on; we say he hath a hard heart; nay, the Scripture cals his heart a Rock, or a Stone; I say the resolute will is the strength of the heart; now therefore, when that is towards God, his strength and might is to God; as God sayes, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy soule, and with all thy might, Deut. 6. 5. a dead heart gives onely a few sick and weake acts towards God; How weake is thy heart, Ezek. 16. [...]0. therefore that is not it; an absolute will that onely is it; for that's the might of the heart.

Thirdly, because this makes every thing possible; natu­rally3 a man cannot beleeve he cannot habitually resist his owne flesh, he cannot overcome the world, he cannot live [Page 324] godly in all his wayes, but now when the heart comes once to be willing towards God, now every thing is pos­sible, I may say of this as Christ sayes of faith; all things are possible to him that beleeveth, Mark. 9. 23. So all things are possible to him that willeth. And therefore those that are godly in Christ Jesus; are called [...] 2 Tim. 3. 12.

Fourthly, this takes in the manner of good duties too;4 as well as the matter, it's more a thousand times, then the bare doing of them, a dead heart will serve for to doe them. But when the heart is made absolutely willing, this is more then the naked deed; as Paul sayes to the Corinthians about Almes, ye have begun not onely to doe, but also [...] to be willing a yeare agoe, 2 Cor. 8. 10. as he sayes of his preach­ing, if I did it willingly, I have a reward, but if against my will &c. 1 Cor. 9. 17. q. d. I may preach, I may have so much heart, and so much will as to preach, alas, that is no­thing. But if I doe it willingly; that is, if my will be ab­solutely thereunto, this is it. Brethren: This is the right manner too.

Fifthly, this is an argument that the heart hath an in­ward5 principle; what's the life of the heart, but an inward principle of acting? looke where the heart is alive, there it workes from within; There needs no compulsion to a covetous heart to have regard of his profit: no; he regards it most willingly; he hath an inward principle to regard it; as a Stone hath an inward principle to tend down-wards; & therefore hee's alive to it; now when the heart puts forth its absolute will towards God, now it hath an inward prin­ciple of agility; it needs no complaint, as Peter sayes to Ministers, feed the flock of God not by constraint but willingly, 1 Pet. 5. 2. that is, doe it very truly, doe it with an inward principle; not because ye see others feed, not because ye see it's a disgrace not to feed, or because your conscience [Page 325] will not let you doe otherwise, alas ye may doe it thus with a dead heart; but doe it willingly, doe it out of an inward principle; no obedience is good without it be done with an inward principle; if ye be willing and obedient, Isa. 1. 19. that is, if ye obedient with an inward principle of obedience; I this is it indeed. Thus you see an abso­lute will is the life of the heart.

Now least any should be deceived, I shewed you what this absolute will of the heart is.

I shewed you, first it is the inclination of the heart; ye1 know the heart that is alive to the world, all its incli­nations are that way, and therefore the will runnes maine­ly out that way; but its averse from God, backward to all heavenly things; now when the will is absolutely set towards God, God inclines it towards him, and makes it in­cline it selfe; as David sayes; I have inclined my heart to performe thy statutes alwayes, even to the end, Psal. 119. 112. it may be the world may wonder that any man should be so strict as some are, to forgo the pleasures of the flesh as some doe, be so precise and so taken up with God as some are; the reason is this, their wills are absolutely set that way, the Lord hath inclined them.

Secondly, the intention of the heart; we have a saying2 in Divinity voluntas ut natura vult finem; the heart natu­rally wills it own ends; looke what men aime at, looke what they would have, what they beat at, what they drive at, that they will naturally, that they will eagerly; now when the hearts intentions are towards God, then the will is absolutely towards him. Beloved what is it ye would have, what doe ye drive at a dayes, what is the souls scop? if that be God, if that be to commune with him, if that be to please him, doubtlesse ye are alive towards God; for then the wills are absolutely to him. This is a rare worke, and therefore true grace of life is a rare thing; [Page 326] for how few doe attaine this? you come to Church, if God were your aime, certainly ye would heare otherwise then ye doe many: would ye set in your pewes so as ye doe, if your aime were to please God, or that the word should direct you? if this were your aime, ye would heare in a­nother gats manner; so when ye discourse, if your mean­ing and aime were, O now I will discourse to be edisied, would ye talke so loosely as ye do? nay ye would speake more to the purpose a great deale? you may see this in Paul what made him so eager to deny himselfe? I count all things drosse and dung sayes he; O sayes he, the intention of my heart is to Christ; that I may know him, &c. Phil. 3. 10. But I must hasten.

Thirdly, the election of the heart; ye know all our life3 is in Bivio. There be two wayes in everything; there be two wayes of thinking; two wayes of speaking; two wayes of doing; the one godly, the other not. There be two wayes in eating and drinking, in sleeping and waking; in studying, in praying, and in all our cariages, one gracious, and the other not; now which doe your hearts choose? if your hearts have such a disposition to choose the gracious way, then your wills are set absolutely that way; there ye are alive, as David sayes, I have chosen the way of truth, Psal. 119. 30. marke he had this disposition in him to choose the true way.

Fourthly, the conversation of the heart; the heart ever4 shunnes something, or other; every day and houre, the heart puts off something or other; now what does thy heart shun every day? does it shun things offensive to thee or things offensive to God? if thy will be set absolute­ly towards God, then thy hearts shunnings will run there, in things displeasing to him; as the Prophet sayes; I have refrained my feet from every evillway, that I may keep thy word, Psal. 119. 101.

[Page 327]Fifthly the appreciatings of the heart▪ or the estimations5. of the heart; what's the hearts Jewell, that the hearts will is absolutely to; now doe but thinke, what does thy heart prize most of all; what's dearest to thee? O sayes Paul, I doe not count my life deare; so that I may finish my course, Act. 20. 24. this was his hearts Jewell, how he might doe the worke that God set him to doe; how he might finish his course; Gods commandements were dearest to him, not his owne credit but Gods glory.

Sixthly, the savouring of the heart; this is another6. piece of the hearts will; something there is that the heart savours most. Now doth thy heart savour the things of God most; thou savourest a businesse, where there is pro­fit; I but doest thou savour Gods word most, canst thou finde the best relish of all in holy duties, canst thou savour life in them; as Paul sayes, there's the savour of life in these things, 2 Cor. 2. 16.

Seventhly, the cares of the heart. This is another signe7 of the hearts absolute will; worldly minded men are full of cares above the things of the world, but art thou full of cares about heaven; does heaven fill thy head full of cares about it, how thou mayst get it, &c. Thus ye heard what an absolute will is.

Now because when the will is made absolutely to be for God, yet there is an unwillingnesle in the same will in regard of the unregenerate part; therefore I shewed you there be other acts of life in the heart towards God, op­posing that unwillingnesse in the flesh. But I must of neces­sity breake off; so much for the heart.

The next thing to be inquired about is the conscience; what is the life of the conscience; and here the world is deceived too; for the conscience may be awakened very much, and yet never quickened indeed. First, à con­science awakened, may like all good things. Secondly, a [Page 328] conscience somewhat awakened, may oblige a man to all manner of good things. Thirdly, a conscience somewhat awakened, may be troubled about his sinnes. Fourthly, a conscience somewhat awakened, may urge one exceed­ingly to good things. Fifthly, a conscience somewhat awakened, may be very eager in this urging. Sixthly, a conscience somewhat awakened, may prevaile very farre with it's eagernesse. Seventhly, a conscience somewhat a­wakened, may make one looke at God, so farre as it pre­vailes; all this may be in conscience, and yet the conscience never quickened indeed, so that you see what need there is to enquire what the life of conscience is.

First, I say the conscience somewhat awakened, may1. like of God, and all his wayes; it may like of Gods judge­ments, be they never so terrible; as we see there in Pharaoh, when God plagued Aegypt; his conscience liked of Gods dealings he thought in his conscience the Lord dealt ve­ry righteously with him. The Lord is righteous, sayes he, and I and my people are wicked, Exod. 9. 27. So when Rehoboam was horribly beset with Enemies, his conscience justified God, O he deales very rightly with me. The Lord is righteous, 2 Chron. 1 [...]. 6. so Adonibezek, when the Lord brought that lamentable judgement on his head, his conscience lik [...] of Gods doings; as I have done, so God hath done to me; so againe the conscience awakened may like of Gods commandements; as Moses tels Israel, that God gave them no other Commandements but such as were right, and wise and good in the sight of the Heathen, Deut 4. 6, 7, 8. that is, they were such commandements that the Heathens thought in their conscience were good. Againe the consci­ence somewhat awakened, may like of Gods people that walke according to those Lawes and Commandements; you may see this in Balaane, O that I might dye the death of the righteous! Numb. 23. 10. his conscience lik't of their [Page 329] courses; so Sauls conscience did approve Davids courses. Thou art more righteous then I, 1 Sam. 24. 17. A conscience somewhat awakened, may like of the best preaching; and the strictest preachers; never man spake like this man; O how mightily they lik't him! Herod lik't Iohn admirably, he was glad for to heare him; profane Israel did wonder­fully like the Sacrament of Gods presence; when the Arke of God came into the Camp; they shouted with a great shout, that the earth rang againe, 1 Sam. 4. 5. now when a carnall man perceives this work to be in him, he is apt to conceive, this is true grace of life. Beloved, you see this is very false, Thou mayst like of Gods dealings with thee, yea, thou mayst thinke in thy conscience, he deales very rightly with thee, though it be never so bitter, thou mayst thinke in thy conscience, his commandements are good, though they be never so strict, thy conscience may like his Mi­nisters, and like his precepts, and like his Ordinances, and his Sacraments, and yet be a dead conscience.

Secondly, a conscience somewhat awakened, may ob­lige2. a man to all manner of good things; it may lay the commandements of God to his charge, conscience may make him say not onely that the commandements are good, but that it is his duty to doe them; we see this by experience in many carnall people; tell them of any com­mandement, what is their answer? Oh you say well, I confesse it is my duty; every drunkard will say thus, I it is my duty never to be drunken, the swearer will say thus, you say right, it is very true, I confesse I should not take Gods name in vaine; and therefore they are said to be under the Law, Rom. 3. 19. that is, they are bound in conscience to the Law; their conscience tels them they ought to doe it; their conscience layes it on them as a bond; as the mad Prophet said; must I not take heed to speake what God bids me speake? Num. 23. 12. conscience layed a must upon [Page 330] his soule. And this is the reason, why a naughty heart will put off a commandement of God, if he can, when he sees it goes against his profit, or his ease, or his credit, for he knowes if he yeeld it to be a commandement of God, his conscience will come over him and say, why then ye must doe it; as we read of the Priests and the Elders▪ they would not yeeld that Iohns Baptisme was from heaven; O if we should yeeld that, why then, Christ will say, why doe ye not beleeve? Mat. 21. 25. mark the conscience comes o­ver a man in all that he knowes God hath commanded, and it layes it to his charge; and you must doe this, and you must doe that, this is your duty; now when men see this, they are apt to conclude that their conscience is alive; they thinke this is the life of their conscience to lay Gods com­mandements to their charge. Alas brethren, the consci­ence may be dead for all this, you see this in people that are dead in trespasses and sinnes. All that the Lord speakes, that must I doe, Num. 23. 26. it was the speech of a very wretch; thou mayst have this principle in thy conscience, all that the Lord bids me, that must I doe; and yet be a dead man. O how does this beguile people: because they feele such a principle in their conscience a dayes! O thinkes one, all that the Lord bids me, that must I doe; when people feele such a principle as this, they thinke they are well; now if they doe offend at any time, they hold it to be but their infirmity; and there's an end. But this is very false; the conscience may have this principle in it and be dead.

Thirdly, a conscience somewhat awakened, may be3 troubled about his sinnes; he may be troubled before he commits, he may be very loth to commit them; as we see there in Herod, when he was betrayed with his rash Oath. and he was now tempted to behead John the Bap­tist, his conscience made him very loth to doe it; the Text [Page 331] sayes, [...] was exceeding sorrowfull, Mark. 6. 26. and the con­tempt shewes it was meerely, because he thought in his conscience, he should doe very ill to behead so good a man, and therefore he was very loth; he was troubled in conscience about it; so was▪ Darius, when the Prin­ces had wound him to cast Daniel into the Lions Denne, he was moved & troubled in conscience about it, he was ve­ry loth to doe it, he sought a good while how to put off the temptation by getting away▪ how to avoyd this great sinne, Dan. 6. 14. so was Pilot troubled in conscience about the condemning of Christ, he went to it with a heavy heart; and as a conscience somewhat awakened, may be troubled before the committing of sinne▪ so he may be troubled in the committing of it. An example of this we have in Saul, when he committed that sin, in sacrificing before Samuel came, he was troubled in conscience in the very act. I forced my selfe and offered a burnt offering, 1 Sam. 13 12. Marke, he did not commit the sinne hand-smooth, as some doe, but he felt a reluctancy, againstit. Againe, a conscience somewhat awakened, may be troubled exceed­ingly after the committing of sinne; when Iudas had be­trayed our Saviour, you see how his conscience was trou­bled after he had done. O sayes hee, I have sinned, in betray­ing innocent blood, Matth. 27. 4. especially at the hearing of a searching Sermon, or at a Fast also, then the consci­ence if it be onely awakened a little, will be troubled ex­ceedingly for his sinnes; when Samuel kept a Fast there at Mizpah, the Text shewes how they were smitten in con­science for their sinnes, in so much that they cryed out in the open congregation, we have sinned against the Lord, 1 Sam. 7. 6. and yet many of these very men, by and by shewed the rottennesse of their hearts, so that this is ano­ther gall; when men feele a lothnesse in them to commit sinne, trouble of conscience before, and at, and after, they [Page 332] thinke this is true grace doubtlesse; doubtlesse their con­science hath life.

Fourthly, conscience somewhat awakened, may urge4 one to good things, and no question but many of you that are yet in your sinnes have found this to be true, how of­ten have your consciences urged you to give over your sinnes? to looke after the getting of Christ, to lead a god­ly life? how many heaves have your consciences given at you? to hoyse you up out of the state ye wallow in, to make you more earnest for heaven, more strict in your walking, to provide for your latter end, when ye are at Prayer? how often does it urge you to dwell longer at it? As it is said of Doeg, he was detained before the Lord, 1 Sam. 21. 7. he was held there, he would have gone away afore, but he was held, now what should that be but his consci­ence? his conscience urged him to stay long; so your consciences urge you to be more attentive in hearing▪ more mindfull of preaching, more humble in your mindes, lesse worldly, more heavenly; you may thinke this is a lively conscience; no, no; it is not, the truth is, the more your consciences doe urge you a dayes, the greater is your sin▪ if ye yeeld not. But this is so farre from life, that it argues you to be the more dead, if ye doe not obey; and urging conscience is a great blessing, I, if men have eyes to see what the Lord does for them▪ to deliver their soules from the pit. This is the taking of men by the shoulders; now if thou pull away thy shoulder. They refused to hearken, and pull'd away their shoulder, Zach. 7. 11. that is, the Lord set conscience upon them, and urged them to obey, as if a man should take another by the shoulder, so dragge him and hale him, and yet they would not. So when Paul spake to Agrippa, he felt an urging in his conscience, O let me be a Christian, and he confest as much two, Paul, al­most thou perswadest me to be a Christian; it was almost [Page 333] done; he had a great heave; he was urged. But it would not doe, so that this is no argument of life neither.

Fifthly, conscience somewhat awakened may be very5 eager in urging, it may be very importunate, every day digging in his sides, every day whispering in his bosome; O thinke of God, O consider thy soule▪ O remember death; conscience may be earnest and wonderfull eager with a man, O doe not live as thou doest, O be not so carelesse of God; what wilt thou dye and be damned? wilt thou to hell? wilt thou never have done? away with thy sinne­full courses; away with thy dreamings; O be stirre thy selfe; or thou wilt perish; such a conscience had Pilat about Christ, it was eager with him not to condemne him. This conscience is an admirable blessing; & woe be to those that stand out against it; it is like Iacob with the Angell, He would not let the Angell goe till he blest him, Gen. 32. 26. like the man that was importunate with his friend, and knockt, and knockt, and would have no nay, Luk. 11. 8. I am in bed; never tell me of your being in bed; I pray let me have three loaves; my children are in bed, I pray trouble me not; that is all one, still he knocks, he will have him up; so when conscience is thus awakened▪ and is importu­nate and will not be answered &c. many a wretch hath such an impudent conscience as this. But this is so farre from an argument of life; as that it is a signe of a greater death.

Sixthly, conscience somewhat awakened, may pre­vaile6. very farre by its eagernesse, it made the King of Iury doe many things; it made the Heathens doe the things con­tained in the Law, Rom. 2. 14, 15. when the Pharisees came to tempt Christ, with the woman taken in adultery, conscience made them cease and goe out one by one, Joh. 8. 9. it made Paul live so unblameably as he did; ye know concern­ing the righteousnesse that is in the Law, he was blamelesse, Phil. 3. 6. now if ye looke into the 23. of the Acts and the [Page 334] first, you shall see it was his conscience, that made him doe so; men and Brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God to this day; as since his conversion, his sancti­fied conscience made him live godlily in Christ, so before his conversion his naturall conscience holpen by good edu­cation made him live unblameably; so that, what with one, and with the other▪ he could say he had lived in a good conscience to that day; that is either morally good, or spiritually good. And therefore it was conscience, that made him doe all that he did; people thinke, I indeed, if they did good duties for outward by respects, then they should thinke they were unsound, but conscience sets them a worke, and therefore they gather, they are sound and alive towards God; no beloved, conscience may make a carnall man goe against all outward by-respects, and doe very good dutie; this we see in Balaam, he went against all outward selfe respects, and followed conscience; for a house full of Silver and Gold, he would not goe beyond the word of the Lord to doe▪ lesse or more, Num. 22. 18. so Iudas went against his credit, and his profit, and all; ye know, when his conscience told him the money was unjustly taken, he went and threw it downe: so did Michah, the man was an▪ Idolater, and had stollen 1100 Peeces of Sil­ver from his Master, yet when he heard his mother curse, he restored all againe, O thought he, what shall I heare my mother curse, his conscience rose up against that and made him make restitution; why doe carnall men pray in secret, no question but it is conscience that makes them; may be when they are tempted to a sinne in secret, they will not doe it, and it is the conscience that with holds them; in this sense they doe good duties out of conscience; now is this Conscience alive? no, it does not follow, ye see this may be in naturall men and women.

Seventhly, conscience somewhat awakened, may make7 [Page 335] one looke at God so farre as it prevailes; you may see this in Laban. the man was a wicked man; yet he lookt at God in not hurting of Jacob; though it were in the choyse of his hand, yet he would not hurt Jacob; and he lookt at God in the thing. O sayes his conscience, the God of your Father spake to me yesternight, Gen. 31. 29. he abstained from hurting of Iacob, and he lookt at God in the abstaining from it. Because God had forbidden him, therefore he will not hurt him; so it was with King Cyrus, he was a naturall man too; yet when he tooke order for the build­ing of the Temple at Ierusalem his conscience made him look at God in the thing. O sayes he, the Lord God of Hea­ven and earth, hath charged me to build him a house, Ezek. 1. 2. so when Jehu destroyed Ahabs house, and Baals Priests, he himselfe sayes, how he lookt at God in the thing; come see how zealous I am for the Lord of Hoasts; so when the Philistines sent home the Arke of the Lord, they would send it home honourably, with a very rich present, and the Text sayes, how they lookt at Gods glory in the thing. O say they, let us give glory to the Lord God of Israel, 1 Sam. 6. 5. Thus you see how the world are deceived about the life of the conscience; when people have these operations of conscience within them, they thinke their conscience is alive and good towards God.

Now that these cannot be the life of conscience, I prove it.

First, because all may be in naturall men, as ye have1 heard in Laban, in Pharaoh, in Balaam, in Micah, in Saul, in Darius, in Iudas, which were dead in trespasses and sins; what life can be in a dead man? it is very true, the consci­ence is least dead of all the powers of the soule; the Pelagi­ans say▪ the will is a pure virgin; that's as false, a [...] the devill is false; if any faculty be a pure virgin it's the conscience; all the religion that is left in a naturall man, God hath [Page 336] planted there; there's the effect of the Law there, Rom. 2. 15. The whole nature of man is like a Countrey taken by the Enemy, except one little Fort; may be that's batter'd too▪ but it is not quite taken; so is the conscience, after the whole man is quite vanquish't by sinne, except onely that and that's batter'd too in a wofull manner. But it is not quite taken, the Lord will ever keepe a part in that, to have the man at controll when he pleases, and as farre as he pleases. But yet it is so farre taken too, that there is no spirituall life left at all in it; man is dead in trespasses and sinnes, and so is the conscience too.

Secondly, the conscience notwithstanding all these may2 be deader then ever it was. I confesse these are flashes of life, that God sparkles into mens consciences, but they use to goe out againe, and leave the conscience as dead, and deader then ever before they came; we see it in Pharaoh, that hardened his heart worse afterwards, Exod. 9. 34. so did Balaam, though his conscience were so quick for a spurt, yet within a while, he could goe and lay a stumbling block before the Children of Israel to make them sinne, Rev. 2. 14. and we see it to this very day, many smitten in conscience for a time, afterwards their smitings cease, and they grow more stiffe then ever they were; like water that hath beene heated, it freezes afterwards the more.

Thirdly, the conscience notwithstanding all these is soon3. pleased; though it seeme to be eager, and earnest, and zea­lous for God, yet any little thing will content it; if it were alive nothing would content it, but meerely indeed, the favour of God, the Image of God, sincere conforming to God. But this conscience is soone pleased againe; it is but angry a while, if but halfe the Lords due be brought in, this conscience is satisfied. Like the unjust Steward, that set downe 50 for a 100 Luk. 16. 6. When the man goes on praying, and doing good duties, may be, the conscience is [Page 337] whist, though it be but a forme; when he hath reformed a little, conscience thinkes it hath enough; we may see this in Balaam; when he had found that worke of conscience, that he could deny Balac's house full of Silver and Gold, to stand for God, presently he concluded that God was his God; if Balac would give me his house full of Silver and Gold, I cannot goe beyond the word of the Lord my God▪ Num. 22. 18. Like the wretched Jewes, they brought God the blinde and the lame, and the torne and the sick, and then they thought much that they should be called despisers of God, Mal. 1. 6, 7, 8. Saul was commanded to destroy all the Amalekites, now though he spared some, his conscience was content. I have done the will of the Lord sayes he; such a conscience as this is soone pleased, like little Children, it cryes, it takes on▪ it sets up its Pipes, but a little thing stills it; may be a Rattle, or an Apple, or a Brasse Counter; so my brethren though a mans conscience be thus as ye have heard, yet it is a very childe, it will be soone stilled; let him but be­stirre himselfe a little towards God, and goe on in a pretty handsome way, this conscience will quickly say it's well.

Fourthly, the conscience that hath but these stirrings, is4 so farre from being alive, that many times it will be a help unto ones lusts; which if it were a live it could not be▪ But thus it is though, when these works are reall, it will serve to help a mans lusts; when a mans lusts would faigne have some thing or other don, then steps in thy conscience, and will help the lame dogge over the stile; as we say Herod had a lust to make away Iohn the Baptist. O but he's a good man sayes his conscience, and thou must not cut off his head, Mark. 6. 20. O but he was urged now to doe it, by Herodius her daughter; and he had sworne to grant her hearts request; now see how his conscience helpt him to doe it. Thou hast sworne an Oath, and thou must make [Page 338] conscience of that; therefore cut off his head. So it was with the Iewes, when they have a lust to crucifie Christ, their conscience found out a trick for it; we have a Law say they, and by our Law▪ he should dye, because he mado himself the Sonne of God, Iohn 19. 7. mark, they made it a matter of conscience; what they murder Christ? they put him to death unjustly? no, God forbid; we have a Law, and are bound in conscience to keepe it; so when a man hath a lust, as to weare long haire; by and by he makes it a matter of conscience to weare it; forsooth his head will ake; and he is bound in conscience to have a care of that; so if a man have a lust of covetousnesse, and not to give where is need; forsooth his conscience findes a place in the Apostle to help it. He is worse then an Infidell, that provides not for his owne; and so he will make conscience of that; so when a man hath wronged him, he hath a lust of revenge, anon he findes out a trick, O it may tend to the dishonour of the Gospell, if he put it up, the matter is not so. But he is wil­ling to thinke so; and he will make conscience of that; is he revengefull now? no God forbid. It was a disgrace to religion, and he did it out of conscience of that. Thus men will have what lust they please, they can finde some Text or other, which they wrest to make conscience of that, O how common is this.

Fifthly, this conscience is not all, it cals out onely some5 particular sinnes to be violent against, and lets alone others may be as bad; like Ahabs for the Vineyard; and let his Baalisme alone; or if the conscience be against all manner of sinnes, it is but in a fume, cito redibit in gratiam. they are but like new Wine, in old Bottels; at last the Bottels break and the Wine is all spilt; so all these workes in an awaken­ed conscience, are onely then while the conscience cannot sleep. But when it can fall asleep againe, then the man can be quiet againe; the conscience is an old conscience [Page 339] and not renewed, and therefore it is not able to hold them; well then ye see these are not consciences life.

What then is the consciences life? for this ye must know. First, the conscience hath a Testimoniall life; a life whereof it lives▪ as the soul lives; for it is the reflexion of the soule, the soules privity to it selfe, betweene God and it selfe. And therefore if the soule be alive towards God, then the conscience is alive too; as the Apostle sayes; How much more shall the bloud of Christ, who through the eter­nall spirit offered himself, without spo [...] to God, purge your consci­ence from dead workes, is to serves the living God, Heb. 9. 14. marke, when a mans dead workes are purged away, the conscience is alive; when a mans selfe is alive, and his workes are alive, the conscience is alive; as we say of the goodnesse of conscience, though the conscience be never so good in it selfe, yet as long as the man is not good, his conscience can never be good; conscience is said to be good, as a Messenger is said to be good; namely when he bringeth good tydings; though he be never so good a man, yet if he doe not bring good tydings, we say he is an ill Messenger; he sent evill Angels among them, Psal. 78. 49. Calvin thinkes it may be meant of good Angels; yet said to be ill Angels, because they brought evill Plagues upon Aegypt; so stands a good conscience, that can bring good tydings of a man, that he is a good man; true, a wicked mans conscience may report well of him, as Absolon did of the people, O your matters are good sayes he, when they were stark naught; so thy conscience may flatter thee, and say thy matters are good. But when conscience can say truly, thy matters are good. The conscience is like a Register or a Bill; now then it is a Bill of good Items, when all thy sinnes are blotted out; ye know we call it a fowle bill, that hath fowle crimes written in it. Item this man stole a horse. Item he brake into such a mans house. [Page 340] Item he murdered such a man; when such a Bill as this comes in at the Assizes against a poore Prisoner, this is a black Bill; this is a fowle Bill; so as long as thy conscience is a fowle Bill; Item I was born in sinne; Item I have lived very loosely; Item I have heard so many Sermons, and got­ten litte good; Item I was at such a Sacrament and was nere the better, thy conscience is a fowle Bill, this is a fowle conscience; as the Apostle sayes, a defiled conscience, Tit. 1. 15. This is a bad conscience; now when the conscience is cleane, then it is a good conscience; so I may say of a live­ly conscience, the conscience is alive, when the man is a­live towards God, then it beares witnesse, but that is not all, the conscience hath other acts. Secondly, the con­science hath another life of it's own, namely the consci­ence is said to be quickened up to its duty, when it quic­kens up the whole man to doe his. As the conscience of the good people that offer'd to the Tabernacle, was a quick conscience; their conscience was quick to doe its duty, be­cause it quickened them up to doe theirs; their heart made them willing, Exod. 35. 29. that is, their conscience made them willing; though the conscience be never so eager, that is not it; it never does its duty with life, till it make thee doe thy duty with life. The conscience of the god­ly, may be is not so eager, neither does it keep such a doe, as many a wicked mans conscience. The eagerer consci­ence is faine to be, it's a signe the man is the more dead; when a man is alive, the conscience stirres him up with more ease; like a man that is willing to pay his debts, the creditor need no more then aske; whereas when the debter is a slye fellow, there needs the more Bawling; so that if thou would'st know whether thy conscience be quick, the question is not whether it be eager or no; But whether does it quicken thee up to doe thy duty or no.

This then is the life of conscience, when it makes a man [Page 341] doe his duty towards God and man; when it makes a man beleeve with all his heart, when it makes him love God with all his soule, and mind, to serve him in truth, to doe his holy will, to humble himselfe soundly before God for all his sinnes, to make his peace with God▪ daily to please him, and to walke before him in newnesse of life. This is a living conscience, this conscience hath the grace of life in it, whether it doe it by eagernesse or not, that is not it; whether with much a doe, or little, that is all one.

First, When the conscience does not onely check, but it1. checkes to some purpose, as when David had numbred the people, his heart smote him, 2 Sam. 24. 10. such checks there may be in a wicked heart▪ when a man is made to doe the Lords will for conscience sake.

Secondly, When it does not onely accuse for sinne, so a2 naturall conscience may doe, but it pulls a man downe be­fore God; and cites himselfe effectually before God. The just man first accuseth himselfe; as the Greek, and the Latin read it Prov. 18. 17.

Thirdly, when it does not onely condemne one for sinne,3 for so the wicked have condemning consciences; as the A­postle sayes, if our heart condemneth, 1 Joh. 3. 20. that is, if we be wicked; as Paul sayes; knowing that he that is such, is subverted and sinneth, being condemned ef himselfe, Tit. 3. 11. that is, he is a wicked wretch, so that a wicked mans con­science may and will, and shall condemne himselfe. But I meane, when the conscience does not onely condemne one for sinne; but it tramples upon ones self as a damned wretch in himselfe; to save God a labour; as the Apostle speakes, if we would judge our selves, we should not be Iudged, 1 Cor. 11. 31.

Fourthly, when it does not onely pull a man a dayes;4 so it may doe the wicked and the ungodly; they feele many puls every day, and may be their conscience makes [Page 342] them leave many particular sinnes. But when the consci­ence puls a man out of every known sinne, withall the de­testation and loathing; out of unbeleife, out of inpeniten­cy and heardnesse of heart, out of formality and all; this is a lively conscience; as Iob sayes, my heart shall not reproach me as long as I live, Job. 27. 6. These are the lively acts of conscience about sinne.

The lively effects whereof are three.

The first, is penitent shame that ever he hath done it;1 conscience makes him flye from it as a horrible shame and confusion of face before God; as the Apostle sayes, what fruit have ye of those things, whereof ye are now ashamed? Rom. 6. 21.

Secondly, another is penitent griefe, and compunction2. of heart; so ye may see this effect in the new converts. They were pricked in their hearts, Act. 2. 37.

Thirdly, another effect is penitentiall feare, whereby3. he is afraid to sinne against God againe, 2 Cor. 7. 11.

Fourthly, another is humbling despaire in himselfe, that4 he sees nothing in him, but death and damnation and so he lies at Gods Gate, as a man utterly undone in himselfe; having no hope but onely in Christ; for as God dealt with Paul in regard of his recovery out of his sicknesse, he brought him to despaire of life in himselfe, 2 Cor. 1. 8. so does a lively conscience in regard of misery.

Thus ye see for sinne.

Secondly, now for the lively acts of conscience, in re­gard2 of good; when the conscience hath life, it does not onely excuse in part, for so it may doe in a wicked heart, nay a wicked man hath such an excusing conscience when he does good for the matter of it; as we read in the Heathens; Rom. 2. 15. But it does sweetly excuse him, and tels him he hath done it unfeignedly in the truth of his heart, that he does beleeve, that he does truly repent, that [Page 343] he does in some measure, walke in new obedience from day to day; and that he stands guiltlesse before God through Jesus Christ.

When the conscience does not urge a man onely to that which is good. As it urged Agrippa, almost thou perswadest me &c. 26. 28.

Thirdly, approbation, when the conscience either may3 or does pronounce a man to please God.

The lively effects of these acts are 1 Ioy. 2 Cor. 1. 12.

The second, is boldnesse, & freedome from slavish feare. The righteous is bold as a Lyon, Prov. 28. 1.

Againe, a lively conscience is a sudden conscience. Se­condly a tender conscience.

THe point we are in, is, when is the conscience alive, when is that quickened up in a man ye have heard? First, what is the quickening of the minde? Secondly, what is the quickening of the heart? now I say it followes what is the quickening of the conscience? I shewed you how thousands are deceived here; for the conscience may be awakened very much, and yet never quickened indeed. First, the conscience somewhat awakened may like of good things. Secondly, the conscience somewhat awakened, may oblige a man to all manner of good things. Thirdly, a conscience somwhat awakened, may be much troubled about sinnes. Fourthly, a conscience somewhat awakened, may urge one to good things. Fifthly, it may be very eager in this urging. Sixthly, it may prevaile ve­ry farre with its eagernesse. Seventhly, it may make one [Page 344] looke at God in some sence, so farre as it prevailes. All this may be in conscience, and yet the conscience never quickened indeed; and we have shewed you all these, and cleared them unto you; so that you see what need there is to enquire what the life of conscience is.

After the handling of these seven particulars; we gave you five reasons to prove that these are not arguments, that the conscience is truly alive; that the conscience may doe all this, and yet not have the grace of life in it. First, because all these workes of conscience may be in a naturall man. 2. Because the conscience notwithstanding all these may be deader then ever it was. Thirdly, because such a conscience as this may be foolish, and childish and soone pleased; if the conscience were alive indeed, nothing would content it but the favour of God, and the Image of God, and true faith', and true peace, &c. But this con­science may be soone pleased; if it have but any colour of grace and goodnes, that's able to still it & quiet it. Fourthly, because the conscience though it be thus stirring as ye heard, it is so far from being alive, that it uses to be a help & furtherance unto ones lusts. Fifthly, because this conscience is not universall, it culs out onely some particular sinnes to be violent against, and lets alone others; it picks out some particular duties and good courses to be very eager for, and is carelesse of others.

You will say then, what is consciences life? when is the conscience said truly to be quickened? For the opening of this, ye must know there be two lives of conscience in a godly man.

The first is a relative life; whereby it's alive, when the man is alive.

The second is a simple life. The first I say, is a relative life, whereby it is said to be alive, when the man whose it is, is alive; for conscience is the reflection of the soule, the [Page 345] soules privity to it selfe, between God and it selfe. And therefore if the soule be alive towards God, then the con­science is alive too; as the Apostle sayes; How much more shall the blood of Jesus Christ, who through the eternall spirit offered himselfe without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead workes to serve the living God, Heb. 9. 14. Marke when a mans dead workes are purged away, the conscience is a­live, when a mans selfe is alive, and his workes are alive, the conscience is alive also; as we say of the goodnesse of conscience, so it is the life of conscience; though the con­science be never so good in it selfe, yet as long as the man is not good, his conscience can never be good; conscience is said to be good as a Messenger is said to be good; namely, when he bringeth good tidings; as David said of A­himaaz, he is a good man, and he bringeth good tidings, 1 Sam. 18. 27. Though a Messenger be nere so good a man, yet if he doe not bring good tideings, we say he'es an ill Messenger. He sent evill Angels among them, Psal. 78. 49. Calvin thinkes it may be meant of good Angels, yet said to be evill Angels, because they brought evill upon Aegypt; so that's a good conscience that bringeth good tidings to a man; that he does beleeve; that he is in Christ, that he is a good man. True, a wicked mans con­science may report well of him, as Absolon did of the peo­ple, O your matters are good sayes he, when they were stark naught; so thy conscience may flatter thee, and say thy matters are good; but when conscience can say truly, thy matters are good. The conscience is like a Register or a Bill; now when it is a Bill of good Items; when all thy sinnes are blotted out, and good things are written in; now it's a good conscience; ye know we call it a fowle Bill, that hath fowle crimes written in it; though the Bill be ne­ver so faire written, yet if it have fowle crimes written in it, it's a fowle Bill. Item, this man stole a Horse. Item, he [Page 346] broke into such a mans house. Item he murdered such a man; when such a Bill as this comes in at the Assizes a­gainst a poore prisoner, this is a black Bill; this is a fowle Bill; so as long as thy conscience is a fowle Bill, Item I was borne in sinne. Item I have lived very loosely. Item I have heard so many Sermons, and yet I have beene nere the better. Item I have beene at so many Sacraments, and yet I have gone on in my vile courses, thy conscience is a fowle Bill; this is a fowle conscience; as the Apostle sayes, a defiled conscience, Tit. 1. 15. now when the consci­ence is cleane, then it's a good conscience; so I may say of a lively conscience; the conscience is alive, when the man is alive; when his mind is quickened up towards God, & his heart which before was dead in trespasses and sinnes, now it's alive towards God; this mans conscience is alive. The reason is because now his conscience may say, I am alive; for conscience is the reflection of the soule on it selfe, and therefore if thou beest alive thy selfe, thy conscience is a­live too. This is the first life; the relative life of consci­ence.

Now that this is one life of conscience, is plaine, be­cause if a mans selfe be dead, conscience will say, I am dead; as Paul sayes, speaking of himselfe and the Ephesians before their conversion. O sayes he, ye were dead in sinnes, Eph. 2. 5. looke what a man is, if the conscience be in­lightened, it takes it on it selfe, when David had sinned. I have sinned sayes his conscience; so let a man be holy the conscience presently takes it upon it selfe; as we see there in David, when he was holy; I am holy sayes his con­science, Lord preserve my soule, for I am holy, Psal. 86. 2. So that if thou beest dead, thy conscience is dead; if thou beest alive, thy conscience is alive. But I let this passe.

I come now to the second life of conscience, and that is, it's simple life, conscience hath another life of its owne; for [Page 347] as when the man is alive, the conscience is alive so the con­science is quickened up to doe its duty, when it quickens up the whole man to doe his, as the conscience of the good people that offered to the Tabernacle was a quick consci­ence; their conscience was quick to doe its duty, because it quickened them up to doe theirs; their heart made them willing, Exod. 35. 29. that is, their conscience made them willing. Though the conscience be never so eager, that is not it; it never does its duty with life, till it make thee to doe thy duty with life. The conscience of the godly may be is not so eager, neither does it keep such a doe, as many a wicked mans conscience. The eager conscience is feigne to be, it's a signe the man is the more dead, when the man is alive, his conscience stirres him with more ease; like a man that is willing to pay his debts, the creditor need no more then aske; whereas if the debtor be a very slye fellow, there needs the more bawling; so that if thou wouldest know whether thy conscience be quick, the question is not whether it be eager or no, but whether does it quicken thee up to thy duty or no?

This then is the life of conscience, when it makes a man doe his duty sincerely both towards God and man; when it makes a man beleeve with all his heart, when it makes him love God with all his soule; and minde to serve him in truth, to doe his holy will, to humble himselfe soundly before God for all his sinnes, to make his peace with God, daily to please him and to walke before him in newnesse of life. This is a living conscience. This conscience hath the grace of life in it; whether it doe it by eagernesse or not; whether with a horrible stirre or a great pudder or no; that is not it if it make a man doe his duty aright, then consci­ence does its duty; this is Consciences life.

First, when the Conscience does not onely check, but it1. checks to some purpose, when it smites so that all the soule [Page 348] feeles it, and lies downe under it, when the Conscience does not onely doe duty in this thing, but it makes a man to doe his, it makes him smite himselfe as the Publican did, he smote upon his breast, Luke 18. 13. as Ephraim did, I smote upon my thigh, Jer. 31. 10. when a man is made to Check himselfe, what have I done? Jer. 8. 6. when Da­vid numbred the people, the Text shewes how his consci­ence was quick, his heart smote him, 2 Sam. 24. 10. Dull checks there may be in a wicked heart, yea, mighty checks, and mighty smitings, yea, greater for quantity then in any Childe of God, but all to little or no purpose, Davids Conscience smote him to purpose you see there, it made him doe his duty indeed, it was a Divine Check, it was a Check that put him into a right way againe, so except thy Conscience thus Check thee a dayes, may be thou forget­est thy selfe now and then, and then thy Conscience gives thee a Check, O what a beast am I, and so sets thee to rights againe, sometimes thou art over taken in passion, but then comes Conscience, and tels thee what God sayes, O why doe I give place to the Devill; and then thy passions goe downe againe. This is Gods Bit, that he guides his people by, as the Rider does his beast with a Bridle. The wicked are like your sturdy horses, that get their Bridle in their Teeth▪ God may pull hard at them, give them fiercer twitches, then he does his owne Children, but they get the Bridle in their Teeth, and so they are unrulier: But when it is Gods Bridle to lead a man by, now his Consci­ence is alive, when it Checks to purpose.

Secondly, when it does not onely accuse for sinne, so a2 naturall Conscience may doe, but it puls a man downe be­fore God; and Cites himselfe effectually before his Tri­bunall. I make this a different work, for the accusation of Conscience differs from its Checking; the Check is a spiri­tuall lash the Conscience gives the soule, now the accusa­tion [Page 349] gives the reason of its lashing. O thou hast sinned against God; ye know this is a duty of Conscience too in regard of sinne, to accuse. And then Conscience is alive, when it does this duty to purpose, to make a man to doe his; namely to goe and Confesse his sinne in a penitent manner. True a wicked mans Conscience does accuse, but that drives a man from God; as it's said of the Scribes and the Pharisees, when their Consciences accused them, they went cut, Joh. 8. 9. But when Conscience is alive, it accu­ses before God, it Cites a man soundly before God; and what a vile wretch am I! it so does its duty in accusing, that it makes a man to doe his; freely to accuse himselfe. The just man first accuseth himselfe, Prov. 18. 17. So it is in the Greek and the Latin▪ Hast thou such a Conscience as this? this is a lively Conscience; when thy Conscience does not onely doe its duty to accuse thee for every sinne that thou dost, but it makes thee to doe thine, freely to accuse thy selfe before God; a wicked Conscience may accuse, I but it does not mak the man to do his duty; he does not freely accuse himselfe; it is onely forced in him; it is with Coaction and Compulsion. But its free in Gods Chil­dren; when Daniel went to confesse his sinnes before God, the Text says, he set himself to do it; I set my face unto the Lord God, Dan. 9. 3. that is, his Conscience did not one­ly doe its duty, in this thing, but it made him to doe his.

Thirdly, when it does not onely Condemne one for3. sinne; for so the wicked have condemning Consciences, as the Apostles says; if our heart condemne us, 1 John 3 20. that is, if we be wicked; as Paul sayes; Knowing that he that is such, is subverted and sinneth being condemned of himselfe, Tit. 3. 11. that is, he is a very wicked Creature; so that a wicked mans Conscience does Condemne. But I meane when the Conscience does not onely condemne one for [Page 350] sinne, it does not onely doe its owne duty in this thing, but it makes the man to doe his; it makes him trample upon himselfe; as a damned wretch in himselfe, to save God a labour, as the Apostles speakes; if we would judge our selves, we should not be judged, 1 Cor. 11. 31. when Conscience makes a man freely to accept of damnation; thou shalt ac­cept of thy punishment, then I will remember my Covenant, Le­vit. 26. 41. 42. when it makes thee lay thy Neck on the block; Lord the worst place in hell is too good for me. I have often told you a story in the acts and monuments of the Church; when Edward the first, one of the Kings of England was a hunting, and one of the standers by had displeased him, the King rid after him with a drawne sword for to stab him, the man runne away for his life; the King rid over hedge and ditch to overtake him, and when the man saw he had no way to escape, he fell downe, and held up his throat to the King, if it please your Majesty here is my throat. The King melting towards him, shewed him mercy. So when Conscience makes thee say Lord here is my throat, here is my soule, if it please thee thou maist send Satan to take it, and carry it to hell with him. Thou hast no way to escape, therefore offer thy selfe unto God; may be thy Conscience does Condemne thee; alas that is not it, thy Conscience does not its duty with any life, till it make thee doe thine; doest thou freely Condemne thy selfe; accept of thy punishment, lay thy head on the block, does thy soule lye groveling before God? this is a live Con­science.

Fourthly, when it does not onely pull a man a dayes4 from sinne and Iniquity; so it may doe with the wicked and the ungodly; they feele many pulles every day, and may be their Conscience makes them leave many particu­lar sinnes, though that's very rare as the times now be, but when the Conscience pulles a man forth of every [Page 351] knowne sinne, when it so does its duty in this kinde, that it makes thee to doe thine; when thou pullest thy selfe withall detestation and loathing out of pride, out of secu­rity, out of unbelief, out of heardnesse of heart, out of formality and all; this is a lively Conscience; as Iob sayes, my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live, Job. 27. 6. that is; as my heart does its duty towards me, so it shall make me doe mine, I will yeeld to mine owne Conscience in every thing; whatsoever sinne it tels me off, I will be sure to set my selfe against it; it shall not lie heaving at me, and I never stirre; then it would reproach me, but it shall never reproach me so long as I live. These are the lively acts of Conscience about sinne.

The lively effects whereof are foure.

The first, is a penitent shame, that ever a man should sin1 against God; when Conscience does thus as ye have heard, then it produces this effect, that the man is ashamed be­fore God; as the Apostle sayes, what fruit have you of those things whereof ye are now ashamed? Rom. 6. 21. people are apt to be ashamed before men, Diodorus Cronus, when Stilpo askt him a ridiculous question, and he could not an­swer him; he was so ashamed, that he fell downe starke dead; he thought it was such a disgrace to be nonplust But if Conscience were alive, and did doe its duty indeed, it would make us ashamed for our sinnes before God; Ez­ra was ashamed before God for the sinnes of the people, I blush sayes he to lift up mine eyes unto thee; when a man is Ignorant of God in Jesus Christ, this should be a shame. I speake this to your shame, 1 Cor. 15. 34. that is, if there be any grace in your hearts, certainely ye will be ashamed that ye should have no more knowledge of God. I say when the Conscience is alive against sinne, it makes a man ashamed before God; It shewes him his nakednesse before heaven, it propounds God before his eyes, seeing all his [Page 352] uncleanenesse, and so it makes him ashamed before him; doest thou Count it a disgrace to doe evill, a disgrace to offend God, a confusion of face to doe iniquity, though it be never so secret? Canst thou not looke upon thy unworthy dealings with God, but it makes thee a­shamed in his sight? this is the effect of a living Consci­ence.2

Secondly, another effect is penitent griefe and com­punction of heart; ye may see this effect in the new con­verts; they were prickt in their hearts, Act. 2. 37. when their, Conscience began to be alive to smite them for their sinnes, to accuse them and Condemne them, it grieved them exceedingly; it went to the quick; it was like a Dagger in their heart; it prickt them; it made them mourn for all that they had done. True, a naturall Conscience pro­duces griefe; ther's nere a wretch but if his Conscience be awakened to Check him, and accuse him, and condemne him, it will make him to grieve for his sinnes. But this is onely legall and surly. Now when the Conscience is alive to doe its duty, as to make the man to doe his, now it makes him grieve out of love to God, out of love to grace and goodnesse; now he grieves because he hath broken those Commandements that he loves; he loves to obey God O it is the unfeigned desire of his soule to obey him and, therefore he grieves, that he hath done the Con­trary.3

Thirdly, another effect is, penitent feare. It makes a man afraid to sin against God againe; as the Apostle sayes; Yea, what seare? 2 Cor 71. 1. a natural conscience may cause a kind of feare too, nay, a horrible feare. The sinners in Zion are afraid, fearefulnesse saith surprized the Hypocrites, &c. Isa. 33. 14. for a guilty Conscience cannot but worke feares when its awakened, but this feare is meerely out of selfe love, and of Bondage. But when the Conscience hath [Page 353] done so its owne duty upon a man, that it hath made him to doe his, now it makes him filially afraid to sinne a­gainst God; as a true Childe feares to offend his Father, when a man hath this feare in him, this is a signe of a liv­ing Conscience.

Fourthly, another effect is trembling despaire in ones4 self, it maks him see nothing but hell and damnation in him­selfe; and it flings him downe at Gods Gate, as a man ut­terly undone in himselfe, having no hope in himselfe, for as God dealt with Paul. in regard of his recovery out of sicknes he brought him to despaire of life in himselfe, 2 Cor. 1. 8. so does a living Conscience in regard of mercy; a naturall Conscience the effect of that, is to despaire too. But that is to despaire in God. because when there is nothing but nature in the Conscience, how can it be otherwise? But when there is grace in the Conscience, grace in the heart, now though Conscience represent to him his damned estate, it represents withall the free grace of God in Jesus Christ, to all such as are heavy laden, and so it is onely de­spaire in himselfe; now hast thou such an effect in thee, to despaire in thy self; to fling of all thine own hopes, and thy own dependences, hangings, holdings; ye know the soule hath a thousand thousand such, wishes, wouldings, purposes dutyes, performances, these the soule hangs on. But now hast thou this effect in thee, that thou doest absolutely de­spaire in thy selfe? I meane selfe confidence with whatso­ever good is in thee, be it grace, or what ever; doest thou despaire in thy selfe? this is a signe of a living Con­science; now thou hang'st upon nothing, but the meere mercy and good will of God. And this is the best hold in the world, though the world cannot abide it. Thus ye see for sinne. The livingnesse of Conscience in regard of sinne.

Secondly, now for the livingnesse of Conscience in re­gard2. [Page 354] of good. Then is the Conscience alive to that which is good.

First, when it goes and it does not onely urge a man to1 that which is good; so it did Agrippa. Almost thou per­swadest me to be a Christian, Act. 28. 28. when Paul spake unto him, it seemes his Conscience tooke hold of Pauls words, and it did mightily urge; it had almost done the deed; alas this is not it; a dead Conscience may doe this yea, with admirable importunity; as it is in many. But when the Conscience doth not onely urge, when that does not onely doe its duty in this point, but it makes a man doe his duty too; the man freely urges himselfe; and freely sets himselfe to it and about it; as it was with David; when thou sayest, seek ye my face, my heart said unto thee, thy face Lord will I seek, Psal. 27. 8. that is, when thou sayest thus in my Conscience, seeke my face, my heart ecchoed back, I will doe so indeed; marke his Conscience did not onely doe its duty, but it made him to doe his; as his Conscience did urge him, so he tooke these urgings, and urged himselfe.

Secondly, when the Conscience hath life towards good,2 it excuses, and it does not onely excuse in part, for so it may doe in a wicked heart; many a wicked man hath such an excusing Conscience, when he does good for the matter of it, as we read in the Heathen, Rom. 2. 15. their Con­sciences accusing or else excusing; their Conscience did excuse in part. But it excuses full out; it tels him, he hath done it unfeignedly in the truth of his heart, that he does beleeve in God, that he does truly repent from dead workes, that he does in some poore measure, walke in new obedience from day to day; and that he stands guilt­lesse before God, by faith in Christ Jesus; or if it doe not excuse thus, it is meerly out of Ignorance of the things given him of God; a living Conscience is an excusing [Page 355] conscience; it does not onely say the thing that he does is good but that he does it unfeignedly withall his heart; true a naturall Conscience not awakened may doe thus, but that's a misprision; for when it comes to see its owne condition indeed, then it will be in another tale; ah I am rotten; I have beguiled mine owne soule to this very day; but a li­ving Conscience can never be confuted, as it excuses, so its excuses shall stand before God, because it is quickened by the grace that is in Jesus Christ, his bloud is sprinkled on it.

Thirdly, when the Conscience hath life towards good,3. it approves a man and his wayes; it either may or does pronounce a man to please God. As it was with Enech, he had a conscience that told him he was approved of God; before his translation, he had this Testimony that he pleased God, Heb, 11. 5. this is the nature of conscience, if it be alive, to do its duty, and so as to make a man to doe his, to tell a man that he is allowed of God; which is an admi­rable mercy, that a childe of God should have such an in­telligencer in his owne bosome, that can tell him he is ap­proved of God, no creature is able to expresse what com­fort this is; none but good people can have this, others may be approved of men, others may heare that such and such doe approve them, but they can never heare that God does approve them. These are the consciences one­ly towards good, which it can never doe except it be alive.

Now the effects of these be. First Joy, when the consci­ence4 does its duty towards God, and makes a man doe his duty too, this worketh Joy in his heart; as Paul says. This is our rejoyeing even the Testimony of our conscience, that with sincerity and godly purenesse we have had our conversation in the world, 2 Cor. 1. 12. There is no joy like this joy; wicked men may laugh, and seeme as merry as crickets, but in the [Page 356] of their laughter, their conscience gives them but cold comfort; now when a man hath such a conscience as this, that sets him about that which is good, this makes him have truer joy then all the world besides; for how­beit the world are besotted, that they doe not looke after God: Yet the conscience knowes it is goodnesse onely that will please God; and therefore when the conscience is privy to this, no tongue can speake what a joy this is un­to one.

Secondly▪ another effect is boldnesse and freedome from2 slavish feare: There's a deale of feare in a mans heart, as long as he does not serve God, and doe the things that are pleasing in his eyes though it may be people doe not feele this same feare as long as they are well and lusty; but let but conscience be awakened, or let death seize upon them▪ then a feare will appeare, O how afraid are they to goe be­fore God. But let a man have such a living conscience as this, this gives a man boldnesse. The righteous are as bold as a Lyon Prov. 18. 1. thy conscience is an admirable thing; without this all a mans boldnesse is nothing. Thou maist hold up thy head very high, and out face all the world for a time, as bold as can be; tush thou art well thought of among all thy neighbours, but what sayes thy conscience? if that cannot say thou art a gracious man, I tell thee thou canst have no boldnesse. But now if thou hast this same living conscience, now thou maist be as bold as a Lyon; though the world doe accuse thee, yet what sayes thy conscience? if that excuse thee, thou maist shew thy face, where thousands shall be confounded; when Austin was accused by Secundinus to have come from the Maniehees for feare of losse, and for hope of preferment, he com­forted himselfe with his conscience, I esteeme not sayes he what Secundinus thinkes of me, so long as my conscience approves me before God; so also Paul, when the false A­postles [Page 357] accused him, O sayes he, it is a very small thing with me, that I should be judged of you, 1 Cor. 4. 3. Thus ye see for good; what is the livingnesse of conscience towards good. This is the second thing.

Thirdly, now about Poth; both sinne and goodnesse,3. when is the conscience alive about both? namely when it does instruct a man, and not onely so, but it guides a man to shun the one, and to imbrace the other. This is a living conscience indeed, when it is a mans privy counsell from day to day. This is a Divine Counsell; its like a little privy Counseller in a Childe of Gods bosome, that the Lord in mercy hath placed there to direct him; as David sayes, I will blesse the Lord for giving me Counsell, my reines instruct me in the night seasons, Psal. 16. 7. By his reines he meaneth his conscience, now that did instruct him not one­ly in the day time, but also in the night; if he were tempt­ed to sinne, his conscience instructed him, nay, I must not yeeld to that▪ if he found himselfe backward to any good duty, nay, still his conscience advised him, nay, I must be forward to that. I confesse a dead conscience may give ad­mirable counsell▪ and Instruction to the wicked; I▪ their con­science proves it unto them. But it does not do its duty, for it does not make them to doe theirs. Thus ye see what a living conscience is, when it so does its duty, that it makes us to doe ours.

But it may be humbled conscience is paedagogus animae, it is the soules Schoole▪Master, as Origen cals it; now a Schoole-Master may doe his duty, though he doe not make his Scholler doe his; for if he be diligent in teaching and doing of his office, the Scholer may be a dunce for all him; the best Schoole-Master, may have a block head and a dunce in his Schoole. I answer, the reason is not alike.

First, a Schoole-master teacheth another. But consci­ence is a Schoole-Master not to another but to a mans selfe; [Page 358] and therefore if the conscience doe its duty indeed, it must needs make the man to doe his, because his conscience is a Schoole-Master to himselfe.

Secondly, againe a Schoole-Master is not alwayes by his2 Scholer, sometimes his back is turned; but conscience is ever by a man, and therefore if it did alwayes doe its duty it might make the man to doe his.

Againe, Thirdly a Schoole-Master▪ it may be his Scholer3 is duller then himselfe; and then though himselfe be never so learned, yet he cannot put his learning into his Scholer. But it is not so here, here the Scholer and the Schoole-Master is all one; one is no more dull then another, for looke how dull the one, so dull the other; look how active the one is, so active is the other, because conscience and the man is all one; it is very true, the conscience by accusation is eagerer then the man; for God may take a dead consci­ence, and sur it exceedingly, and he does so ordinarily in men; but these stirrings of conscience, are none of consci­ences stirring but Gods, my spirit shall not alwayes strive with man, Gen. 6. 3. they are his strivings with men. But the consciences own quick enings, and the mans are all one; you will say how shall I know whether the quickening that is in my conscience, be my consciences, or onely the Lords stir­ring in my conscience. I answer.

First, when thou art glad that thy conscience is so busie1. with thee, it is very welcome unto thee, then the Lord hath made thy conscience alive; then God does not onely strive in thy conscience, but thy conscience it selfe is alive; as we see there in David. I will blesse the Lord for giving me counsell, my reines doe instruct me, Psal. 16. 7. when his conscience did instruct him, he was glad of it, he blest the Lord for it; his conscience was alive. But now in a wicked heart, the more his conscience accuses, and condemnes, and checks, the more buisie it is with him, the more unwel­come [Page 359] it is, and therefore he labours to still it; may be he will stop it with some thing; may be some little reforma­tion for the time, may be with Prayer, or some yeeldings thereunto; nay, there be some labour to drown it out right, they will goe to the Ale-house, or to Cards, or among their boone companions, and so shake of those dumps; therefore my Brethren, if ye would have a signe, that your conscience is alive, be glad at its dictates, give them all their deare intertainement ye can. Blesse the Lord for them, and make very much of such, they are the sweet motions of Gods holy spirit, quench them not; doe not stop the mouth of them by halfe payments, let them have their full sway.

Secondly, when thou callest upon thy conscience to be2 buisie; when thou usest to stirre up conscience every day, wind it up as a man does his Clock, that it may be in conti­nuall motion. So the Prophet did; Why art thou so heavy O my soule? why art thou so disquieted within me, hope thou in God, Psal. 42. 11. marke he took his conscience and stir'd up himselfe with it, a wicked man does not thus; his con­science comes before it is sent for, it is like an unbidden guest. And therefore if thou wouldst know whether thy conscience be alive, doe but consider whether this be thy course, if thou doest daily awaken thy conscience, if thou doest set it a worke, this is a signe of life in it; as Paul did, here in doe I exercise my selfe, that I may have a good conscience, voyd of offence, Act. 24. 16. He laboured for his conscience, he called it up every day, he was active about it, so that the stirrings that are in wicked men, they are none of theirs; but Gods meerly to pull them out of the bottomlesse pit, if it might be; in the meane time, his conscience is as dead as himselfe. Thus ye see what the life of the conscience is. First, there is a relative life of conscience; the conscience is alive, when the man is alive. Secondly, the conscience [Page 360] is alive, when it makes duty so, that it makes the man do his duty too; when it does not onely check for evill, and accuse for evill, and condemne for evill, and prompt a man that he should take heed of evill, but it make a man doe his duty in all these; so also when it does not onely urge a man to that which is good, and excuse him and ap­prove him, but in all these, it makes him doe his duty too; so likewise when it counsels, it does not onely counsell and dictate what is to be done, and what not; but it so does all these particulars, that it makes the man to doe his du­ty, in sincerity from day to day. This is alive consci­ence.

Now that this is the live conscience, I prove it unto you by five Arguments.

1. Because conscience was made not onely to doe all these1 acts, but to make a man to doe his; so that when consci­ence does its own acts never so much, that's nothing to the life of conscience▪ does thy conscience check thee, and smite thee, does it whisper never so much in thee? this is no Ar­gument it's alive, except it make thee to be obedient unto God Conscience was given man for this purpose; and there­fore then onely is it alive, when it is for this purpose in thy Bosome: when David would get up out of his temptations, you may see how he got up by conscience; I communed with my owne heart, and my spirit sayes he made diligent search, Psal. 77. 6. that is, he communed with his conscience, what he knew about God, and so got himselfe up; this is thy consciences office to tell thee what thou hast heard out of the word, and that is not all, but to lead thee, guide thee as the helme does the Ship. It is given thee to be thy keeper, as he sayes, J was upright before him, and I kept my selfe from my iniquity. Psal. 18. 23. that is, this is my iniquity, this is the sinne that I am most inclined to, I must keepe my selfe from that. Thus his conscience was his keeper un­der God.

[Page 361]Secondly, another argument is, because this is the way2 whereby godly people doe their duties, their conscience makes them doe their duty, it makes them beleeve, it makes them feare God, it makes them eschew evill and doe good from day to day. Blesse the Lord O my soule, and forget not all his benefits, Psal. 103. 2. when the Prophet would doe this duty, he made his conscience presse it soundly upon him to doe it; so when he would waite up­on God, he set his owne soule and conscience upon him, to make him to doe it; waite on the Lord, be of good courage, he will strengthen thy heart, waite I say upon the Lord, Psal. 27. 14.

Thirdly, another argument is, this is the description of3 those that have a live conscience, they are such as make themselves doe their duties continually; as the Apostle sayes. He that hath this hope in him, purisieth himselfe, even as he is pure, 1 Joh. 3. 3. that is, he is a man that makes him­selfe doe his duty, his owne soule and conscience sayes thus unto him, Christ is a pure Christ, and I must be like him, as ever I hope that he will bring me into his kingdom; and this makes him doe his duty; he purisieth himselfe, even as he is pure; I could quote abundance of places to prove this.

Fourthly, another argument is; when God speakes to4 any that are alive from the dead, to doe their duties to­wards him, he bids them make themselves to doe their duties on this manner; so Saint Paul sayes, Having these promises, let us cleanse our selves from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holinesse in the sight of God, 2 Cor. 7. 1. that is, goe and aske your owne soule, and consci­ence, what have I not these and these promises? why then I must labour to be cleansed from all manner of sinne, I must perfect holinesse in the feare of God; now sayes he, let us make our selves doe our duties thus.

[Page 362]Nay fifthly, when God speakes to them which are yet5 dead, and would turne them home unto him, he bids them doe thus in regard of the meanes; turne your selves and live you, Ezek. 18. 32. that is, Let your owne soules and con­sciences consider this is the way to live, ye cannot be saved without turning; as ever I would live for ever, I must be turned from all my sinfull courses; make your selves doe your duties in this manner; that is, use all the meanes, that the Lord hath given you to use, make your selves goe a­bout it, not as though any man hath free will to turne him­selfe; But he speakes of the use of all meanes, that he puts into your hands; make your selves to use them; nay no soule can ever look to be saved, except he doe not onely let his conscience check him, and tell him thus and thus his duty is, but also let his conscience make him doe his duty too; so that this must needs be the life of the conscience; when it does not onely doe its owne duty, to check and to whisper but also it makes a man to doe his.

The use of this is; first, then we see here how few haveUse 1. live consciences, for people have consciences that doe onely tell them they should be more carefull; they should give over such and such sins, they should beleeve, and they should be zealous, and they should be more setled, but O how few have consciences that make them doe their duties? Numb. 15. 40. that ye may remember and doe all my commandements and be holy unto your God.

WE are come to speake of this necessary point when is a man quickened up towards God and all his holy wayes? We have shewed you three things concer­ning this already. First, what the life of the minde is, Se­condly, what the life of the heart is. Thirdly, what the life of the conscience is. Now there remaines two more, the one is the life of the memory; the other is the life of the affections.

Fourthly then, what is the life of the memory? for the4 memory too may be dead, and the memory may be alive.

First, the memory may be dead; when a man may be1. remembers, if ye aske him a thing, he can tell it; aske him of a Sermon, he can tell the Text and the points, and the particulars that were delivered in the Sermon, but here's all, it's a dead memory, he never remembers it to any purpose; this is to remember, even as if a man did not remember; as Moses sayes, remember and forget not that thou provokedst the Lord to anger in the wildernesse, Deut. 9. 7. that is, remember it, and doe not remember it with a dead memory. As Balaam remembred that God was an­gry with him in the way, no question but if a man had askt him about it a weeke or two after, he would have shewed that he did remember it, he could tell the place, the time, and the manner, and how it was in his journey, and how the Lord stood before him with a drawne sword. But alas this was a dead memory; for this practice shewed plainly that he had forgotten it in effect. I say there is a dead memory, a man may have an excellent memory to [Page 364] goe from point to point, nay, a better memory in this sense then many of Gods dearest Children, and yet this memo­ry be a dead memory.

Secondly, there is a living memory; a memory that2 hath life in it; as God sayes of penitent Ephraim; I doe ear­nestly remember him still, Jer. 31. 20. marke, God did not onely remember him, so he does remember all men, he remembers reprobates and all, but he did very earnestly remember him; so when a man does earnestly remember God; the remembrance he hath of him is earnest, he re­members his word earnestly, he is earnest in the remem­bring of his will, though there be never so many things, to put God out of his thoughts, he is daily tempted to for­get himselfe in some thing or other about God, but he is earnest to remember, when a mans memory is eager after a thing, now it is a live memory.

Now the question is, when the memory is alive, for the handling of this. First, I will shew you what the memory is. Secondly; what a great blessing of God it is that we have a memory. Thirdly, when the memory may be said to be alive. Fourthly, we will prove it, and then we will make some uses of the point.

First, what memory is. It is the conservation of what we apprehend, as a man hath many things in common with a beast, so memory is in his fancy and imagination, for look what a man hath seen, or heard, or tasted, or smelt, or felt, memory is the conservation of the same; some can remem­ber the shape of men, of towne; and creatures, we can re­member what colour things are of, what a taste such and such meats have, such a memory beasts have, as we see in the milch Kine, they remembred their Calves, 1 Sam. 6. 12. they went lowing as they went; thus the children of Israel remembred the flesh that they had in Aegypt, we remem­bred the flesh, which we did eat in Aegypt, Numb. 11. 5. and this we call a sensitive memory.

[Page 365]Secondly, memory, most properly, is a faculty of the2 minde, whereby it preserves the species of what it once knew and therefore when a man is said to remember he is said to be mindfull, as David sayes, be ye mindfull alwayes of his Covenant, 1 Chro. 16. 15. that is looke you alwayes re­member his Covenant, for when the minde once knowes a thing, memory is a certaine Paper of the minde, to retaine it and to keep it, and therefore it is called the soules store­house; it is the soules treasury, as our Saviour Christ speakes; a good man out of the good treasury of the heart, bring­eth forth good things; and an evill man out of the evill treasure of the heart, bringeth forth evill things, Matth. 12. 35. memo­ry is the soules chest, where it keeps all its Jewels; that look what a man knows, specially if he like it, presently he layes it up to keep by him, as it is said of Mary, still when she knew any thing of our Saviour, when she knew of any saying of his, she kept it in her heart; Mary kept all these sayings, Luk. 2. 19. properly I say memory is a faculty of the minde, whereby when it knowes a thing once, it is a­ble to keep it. This we call intellectuall memory.

Thirdly, by consequent, memory is in the conscience;3. for the soule of man being privy to it selfe▪ what it knowes, what its told of God, what notions it hath, what it does, what it hath done, or what it hath not done, it hath a Pa­per to record this; and therefore in this sense, we call memory the soules Register; for thus it is in the conscience; so when the Sonne, of Iacob were privy to themselves, that they had sold their brother Ioseph ye know how their con­science remembred what they had done, above twenty yeares after. O we are verily guilty concerning our Brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soule, when he besought us, and we would not heare. Gen. 42. 21. their conscience had re­gistred their fact up, and did remember it against them, so many yeares after. So Adonibezek being privy to himself, [Page 366] when he cut off the thumbes & the great toes of threescore and ten Kings, and made them to gather scraps under his Table, you see how his conscience had registred this, and could remember it against him another day, Judg. 1. 7. so that memory is by consequent in the conscience too. And this memory we call the Booke of a mans conscience. These three are all the proper memories that we have, because memory can properly be nowhere but where apprehension is; either sensitive apprehention as in fancie; or intellectuall appre­hension, as in the minde; or reflective apprehension as in the conscience; they understood not thy wonders, neither did they remember them, Psal. 106. 7.

Fourthly, memory in an improper sense, is in the will4. and heart of a man, because there is some retention too of what is past and gone; as let a man love or hate his brother, though that act be past and gone, yet there is some reten­tion of that act against another time, for when a man hath hated one heretofore, he is the more ready to hate him af­terwards; which is a signe that the heart does retaine what it did before; nay, sayes Aristotle, there is memoria in pe­dibus; there is memory in the feet; there is memory in the hand; as the Psalmist speakes; if I forget thee O Ierusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning, Psal. 137. 5. this is cal­led remembring too in the Scripture; but this is impro­perly so called; this we call a habit or faculty, or a dex­terity in acting, by reason of precedent actings. Thus ye see what memory is. Now this memory is of things that are past; for if things be present, we are said to see them, or behold them, or so. But when they are past, now if we can see them still, this is by way of remembring; indeed we may be said to remember things both present and to come, in regard that our knowledge of them is past; as the Apostle sayes, Remember them that are in Bonds; as being bound with them; Heb. 13. 3. that is, though the thing be [Page 367] now present, yet I would have you remember it; because your warning is past; this is a duty, ye have been told in times past, therefore looke ye remember it. So Solomon sayes, Remember thy creatour in the dayes of thy youth, Psal. 12. 1. That is, though thy creatour be not past, yet thy creation is past, and thou art not so yong but thou hast been told of thy duty in this thing in times past; O there­fore remember that; nay, thus a man may remember that which is yet to come, as for example the day of his death, that he must dye and come to Judgement; for though the thing be yet to come, yet he hath had warnings of it in times past; as Ieremy sayes of Ierusalem, her filthinesse is in her skirts, she remembred not her last end, therefore she came downe wonderfully, Lam. 1. 2. the Lord finds fault with her that she did not remember her time to come. The reason is, because she was told of it aforehand in times past.

Now for the second thing; that this is a great blessing,2 beloved it is a great blessing of God, that we have such a faculty in us as to remember; it was a naughty speech of Charoone that an excellent memory is needfull for three sorts of men. First, for great Trades-men, for they having many businesses to do many reckonings, many Irons in the fire, had need of a good memory. Secondly, great talkers; for they being full of words, had need to have a good Store-house in their heads to feed their tongues. Thirdly, for Lyars; oportet mendaeem esse memorem, for they telling many untruths, had need of a good memory, to be able to remember what untruths they have told, lest after­ward they be taken in their lying, contradicting them­selves. I say this a prophane speech, as though a good memory were of no other use, then for engrossers of af­faires, and talkative fellowes, and forging compani­ons; whereas memory is a great blessing of God, and the more we have of it, the more advantage we have unto [Page 368] our owne eternall good, if we have a heart.

First, it is a great blessing that what we once knew, we 1 may alwayes know; now this may be by memory; were it not for this, we should be Ignorant againe as fast as we learne; whence is it that ye still know how to read but because ye remember your letters and spelling; whence is it that ye still know your Trades and your callings, which ye were taught so long agoe, but ye remember how ye were taught. Ye once knew the grounds of religion, may be ye were taught heretofore; if ye know them still, it is because ye remember them; were it not for memory, we should be as much to seek, as if we had never learnt ought; as Iude sayes, I will put them in remembrance, though ye once knew this, Jude. 5. that is, as ye once knew it, so I desire that ye may know it still; that it may stick by you, that you may make it your own; what a mercy is this? we cannot undertake to have alwayes the meanes of knowledge, we may want preaching; God knowes how soone; now if we have memory to lay up some knowledge, we may have the benefit of it, how ever things goe; may be God gave us a warning, to take heed of such and such sinnes, now if we have a good memory, this warning may be still pre­sent with us; we have had such motions, such convictions, such sights of sinne, such stirrings, such manifestations of God to us, what a mercy is it that God hath given us such a thing as memory is? as we had them once, so we may have them still if we remember them.

Secondly, memory is a great blessing, to bring our know­ledge2 to act upon all occasions. How many thousand truths doe we know, that we doe not, neither can we actu­ally thinke of; now when we have use of those truths, it is a great mercy, that the Lord hath framed a memory in us, where we may have them upon all such occasions; e. g. we know we should be patient, may be we doe not [Page 369] thinke of this duty for a day together, but now when we have use of it, then we may remember it; So for meek­nesse we know it, and for forgiving of wrongs, to resist temptations, to deny our selves, to shunne the occasions of evill, we know all these things, but our knowledge cannot alwayes be in act; now when we have use of these truthes, what a mercy is it that we have such a thing as me­mory is to remember them afresh? did David actually think of Gods gracious judgements alwayes? no, but when he had use of them, when he was at a dead lift, then me­mory brought him to minde. I remembred thy judgements O Lord and comforted myselfe, Psal. 119. 52. may be Peter had no occasion actually to thinke of those words of Christ, that Iohn indeed Baptized with water, but ye shall be Baptized with the holy Ghost: but having a memory, that gave him the use of those words in due time; then I remembred the word of the Lord sayes he, Act. 11. 16. may be this truth is not thought of a 12. moneth together, that ones enemies may be they of our owne houshold; now perhaps all on a suddain; we have use of this truth, then we remember it: now is not this a great mercy, that God hath given us such a thing; that we may put up his truths, as a man does his memory in his purse, to take it out when occasion is.

Thirdly, it is a great blessing to have God alwayes with3 one; this memory is such a faculty, that if a man have a heart, he may have God alwayes with him, and heaven with him; ye know that most men are without God in the world, what is the reason of it? but because they will not remember him? how many doe know God very much? as the Heathens did, they knew him to be eternall, to be Almighty, to be every where, to be holy and just, they knew him, but they did not like to retaine him in their knowledge, Rom. 1. 28. that is, they let him goe away [Page 370] from them, they would not keep him in remembrance, as Nebuchadezer sayes of his dreame, when he had forgotten his dreame, it is gone away from me, sayes he, Dan. 2. 5. so people forget God, they let God goe away from them; now beloved this makes us without excuse, when God hath given us a memory, we might have God alwayes with us, if we had a heart; we need not let him goe away. The memory is a deep vault in the soule, where it may hide what it hath a mind too, that, nor men nor devils can take it away from us; as the Israelites hid their corne from the Midianites, so we may hide what ever our heart hath a likeing unto in our memories, that we may have it always with us, if we will; as it is said of the good Merchant, when he had found the rich Treasure he hid it, Matth. 13. 44. that is, he laid it up in his soules storehouse; as Solomon sayes, my Sonne if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my Commandements with thee, Prov. 2. 1. I say the memory is a deep vault in the soule, where a man hides what he hath a minde to, that it may never be taken away from him; so that memory is an excellent thing; a man may have God alwayes with him, and heaven and all heavenly things, if so he have a minde to them.

Fourthly, it is a great blessing, that if a man chance to4 goe out of his way, he may put himselfe in againe, seeing he hath a memory; I speake of a Christian, that hath once heard the wayes of God he cannot goe out, but by memory he may put himselfe in againe; memory is the soules Map; as David sayes, all the ends of the earth shall re­member themselves and turne unto the Lord, Psal. 22. 27. he speakes of all Gods Elect; marke how they get into the way againe, they shall remember themselves so when are a man steps aside by pride, thus he may come in againe by remembring himselfe; O, God resisteth the proud, the Lord sayes he will give grace to none but the humble; thus [Page 371] he may come in againe; so if he step aside by too much yeelding to the world, thus he may set himselfe to rights, O woe is me, what have I done? now I remember the love of the world is enmity with God; if he chance to have by­thoughts at the hearing of the word, let him remember himselfe, O what a beast am I▪ I forgot I was in Gods pre­sence with him, I remember my selfe, that I am before him; and thus he may correct himselfe; so the prodigall Sonne did, when he had fetcht his wilde vagary, at last he remem­bred himselfe; O how many hired Servants of my Fathers have bread enough? Luke 15. 17. he remembred what a good Father he had runne away from, this fetcht him home againe.

Fifthly, it's a great blessing to help a man to beleeve;5 though a man do not beleeve for the present; he heares the word of God, he hears that which might do him good, but for the present he does not beleeve; yet who knowes but this very word may doe him good another day, memory may bring it to minde, through the goodnesse of God, and then he may beleeve it; as the Disciples of Christ, ye may read how that Christ spake some words, that did them little good for the present. But the Text sayes, that when he was risen againe, then they remembred the words that he had said unto them, and beleeved, Ioh. 2. 22. many times we are untoward for the present, and then the word does us little good, I but it's a blessing that we can remem­ber; the same word may be represented by our memories to us, and may doe the deed; as we see in the second sonne in the Gospell; his Father said to him, goe worke to day in my Vineyard; ye know how distemper'd he was for the present, he answered and said, I will not, Matth. 21. 29. I but after­wards he repented himselfe and went, that is, he remem­bred afresh what his Father said to him, and that made him doe it.

[Page 372]Sixthly, it's a great help to better knowledge; it may be at the first, when we are taught, the word does not sink in­to our hearts, we do not understand it. But yet remembring what it was we were told, afterwards through the mercy of God some thing or other comes in, that now we can say, blessed be God, now I understand such a truth, such a pro­mise, such a commandement; and yet no new teaching, but remembring onely what we read or heard; as some­time one of the Iewish Doctors not understanding that place in the Prophet, where it is said, that God would sweep them away with the besom of destruction, isa. 14. 23. after­wards seeing a maide come with her besome to sweep the house, now he saw the meaning of the place; so when Christ said to Peter, that before the Cock crowed twice he would deny him thrice; that Peter had a poore weak heart, and that he had a horrible deale of faint-heartednesse in him, and that he would deny his own Master, Peter under­stood not his words, he saw no such thing in his heart, as to thinke those words to be true. But when he had been in the High Priests Hall and there had abjured his Master, and had heard too the Cock crow twice, and his Master look at him, now he remembred his words, and went out and wept hitterly, Matth. 26. 75. that is, now he saw the truth of Christs words, now he saw what a wretched heart he had, and lamented it. I say memory is a great help unto knowledge; as God sayes; O my people, remember now what Balak King of Moab consulted; and what Baalam the Son of Beor answered him from Shictim to Gilgal, that ye may know the righteousnesse of the Lord, Mieh. 6. 5. How many things have we heard and seene, when we were children, that then we never knew the meaning of? yet afterwards when we come to have more wit, then remembring what they were, we understand them; as Christ said to Peter, when he went to wash his feet; what I doe thou knowest not [Page 373] now, but thou shalt know hereafter, John. 13. 7. that is, when thou remembrest it hereafter, then thou shalt know my meaning in it.

Seventhly, memory is as excellent helpe for a man to7 preach to himselfe; Beloved we can but preach to you an houre or so, but seeing God hath given you memories, ye may preach to your selves all the day long; memory may help you to repeate the word every day in your hearts; as the Apostle says, speaking unto your selvs, Ep. 5. 19. so by rea­son of this blessing of God, ye may speake to your selves from day to day.

Nay eighthly, it's an excellent thing, for it may let you8 have the benefit of things before they be; your death is not yet, your last sicknesse is not yet, your salvation is not yet; the day of judgement, the Kingdome of glory, these are things that are not yet. I but, you having a me­mory, ye may have much Benefit by them in the meane time; ye may represent them to your selves as things present, and have a world of good by them; and so all the things that are past, no act of the soule can make them still present but memory; your childe-hood is past, all the Sermons that ye heard heretofore are all past. O how ma­ny sinnes have ye committed in times past! and how many dealings have ye had of God in the dayes that are past? now having a memory, except ye have gracelesse hearts, ye may doe your selves good by all these, even as if they were now before you; if a childe of God be at a losse for the present, he may helpe himselfe by memory; as Da­vid sayes, I remembred the dayes of old; I call to remembrance my Song that I have had, Psal. 77. 5. 6. so if any of you besecure, ye may remember some thing or other that is past, which may awaken you againe; hath God never shewed you your damned estate heretofore? were ye ne­ver sick heretofore, and did you not see that if ye had [Page 374] dyed in that case, ye had perisht; ye may remember that now, and awaken your selves; and how if God should take you away in such a case as that? It cannot be related what a blessing it is that we have a memory.

But let us come to the third thing; and that is this, when may the memory be said to be alive? I answer, there be two parts of the memories deadnesse towards God. The first is an aptnesse to forget God and all his commands. Secondly, an aptnesse to remember those things that are not so good for us; now when those two faults are rectified in some measure then the memory is alive towards God.

First, There's aptnesse in your memories to forget God1. and all his commands; ye know God commands us to remem­ber the Sabbath day to keepe it holy, Exod. 20. 8. how apt are we to forget it? how commonly is it out of our minds? so in the 78. Psalme, and the 7. verse, God sayes there, he would not have us sorget his workes, but that we should keepe his commandements; now O how apt are we to let them leake out of our hearts? we have a hellish art of forgetfulnesse; how often doe we forget our selves herein, and suffer the remembrance of God to be taken away from us? ye have forgotten the exhortation that speakes to you as to Children, Heb. 12. 5. how often doe we forget to keep our selves unspot­ted? though we be told of the will of God, yet any little thing is enough to put it out of our minds, stay them not least my people forget it; though we be told of our misery, and the infinite danger we are in, may be at the first it moves us a little, but how soon doe we forget it, and other things take us up? now when this aptnesse is rectified in some measure; when God hath a sound impresse on our minds that we must needs remember him, and all the things that concerne our peace; when there's a Law in our mindes, that we will not forget God; as ye may see there in David, [Page 375] Blesse thou the Lord O my soule, and forget not all his benefits, Psal. 103. 2. when our memory is sanctified, and is made the good Treasury of our heart; when the Lord hath lifted up our memory unto him, then it is alive.

Secondly, as by nature there's an aptnesse in our me­mory2 to forget God, so there's an aptnesse to remember other things that either are not good for us, or not so good; we are apt to remember injuries; nay, one injury will be thought one more then many good turns; so likewise idle tales, we are apt to remember them; whereas good things goe out in our hearts like sparkes in wet tinder. We may see this in the hearing of the word; the Apostle tearmes us forget sull hearers, James 1. 25. if a tale be told us in a Sermon, that we can remember; how many are apt to carry that way; whereas that which is wholesom, and might doe us more good, how apt we are we to forget that? as a Divine sayes, our memories are like strainers, all the pure milke runneth through, but if there be any drosse, that stayes behinde; or like a grate that lets the pure water run away, and if there be any strawes and stickes and filth and mud, and dregs, that it holds, so it is with our memories by nature trifles, and toyes, and worldly things, them we are apt to remember, like the Shepheard in York-shire, that could remember all his flock, he kept a thousand sheep, and if one should but change one Sheep and put in another, he could tell which it was. But for gratious things our memories does soon forget them; like Israel, they soon forgot all the workes of God, Psal. 106. 13. now what is this but the corruption & deadnes of our memories towards God? may be we are apt to excuse it, alas we have weak memories true, if we were as weake memoryed in other things, it were something; but when we can remember our plea­sures, and profits and tales, and any thing; when▪we goe to buy, weel'e be sure to remember our selves there, when [Page 376] to sell, wee'le be sure to remember our selves there, that we will have to the worth if we can. But in matters of God there we forget our selves; this cannot be excused. Now when this is rectified in some measure, then our memory is alive; when we will rather forget any thing else then God; rather forget our selves in all the world, then forget our duty towards God, when this study is once set up soundly in the soule in some measure, now the memory is alive. Thus ye see the third thing.

Now for the fourth, that this must needs be the life of the memory, I prove it by arguments.

First, because the memory hath hardly any other1 quickening, then the quickening of the man whose memo­ry it is, so that when the mans mind is quickened together with his conscience and heart, the memory is quickened too; as the Prophet sayes, I will never forget thy precepts, for with them thou hast quickened me, Psal. 119. 93. that is, my memory is quickened up to thy precepts, because with them thou hast quickened me; for we see commonly, that the faculty of memory is much at one after conversion that it was before conversion; if it were a weake memory be­fore; so it is after; onely this; as the strength of it was let out towards the world and sinne, and selfe before, so now the strength of it is in some measure let out towards the best things. And therefore what can the life of the memory be, but the aptnesse of a man to remember God?

Secondly, because this is the onely practicall memory;2 ye know a man may have an admirable memory, to re­member Sermons, whole Chapters in the Bible, and yet have a dead memory to God; a Sanctified memory, is a practicall memory; as the Lord sayes, remember the Sab­bath day, to keep it holy; q. d. ye may remember still when the Sabbath is come, I this is the Sabbath day; that is not it; that's onely a contemplative memory. But I [Page 377] would have you have a practicall memory; not onely to remember the duty, but remember for to doe it; for as the contemplative understanding hath a faculty of con­serving its species; so the practicall understanding, hath a faculty of conserving its species too; as long as a man hath not this practicall memory, it is nothing. Because he remem­bred not to shew mercy, Psal. 109. 16. marke, the Lord does not sinde fault with a man for not remembring of that duty, for may be he did remember that, I but he did not remember to doe his duty; this is a live memory, when a mans practicall memory is towards God and his wayes. Now when a man is made againe to remember God and all his holy wayes, now his memory must needs be made practicall.

Thirdly, because this is the onely memory that3. represents things lively to the soule. I say when a man is made in some measure apt and inclined to remember God, then and onely then does his memory represent God and his wayes lively to him; ye know reason sayes the life of the memory must needs be in this, that it represents things lively and powerfully unto us; when it does not onely shew us what we doe remem­ber, but it shewes it to the life; when it shewes it dully and bluntly and obscurely, that's with a kinde of forget­fulnesse; then a man remembers it to the full, when a man remembers to the utmost of what he once knew; so that if a mans memory be alive, it must remember to the full in a perfect manner; as David sayes, I have remembred thy name O Lord in the night, and have kept thy Law; Psal. 119. 55. that is, I remembred it, and remembred it to the full, I represented it powerfully to my selfe, so that I made my selfe to keep thy Law by it. I affected my owne heart by what I did remember; as the Church sayes, my Ieule hath them s [...]ll in remembrance, & is humbled within me, Lam. 3. 20. [Page 378] well then ye see, that a lively memory is it that repre­sents things lively to a man; now when a man is made a­gaine to remember God and his wayes, then and never till then does he represent God lively to himselfe. Those that have not this aptnesse wrought in them, may be they remember God now and then, and the duties now and then, but they never remember them in a lively perfect manner.

The use of this is, first, if this be the onely lively memo­ryVse 1. to be apt to remember God, then let us labour to get this same aptnesse into our mindes to remember God in all our wayes. Let us consider. First because without this memory, all mens other cryes are nothing. Israel had a memory to remember God; they remembred that God was their Rock, and at the high God was their redeemer, Psal. 78. 35. but that remembrance was nothing. So that if we be not thus mindfull of God, we are yet in our sinnes; as God tells Iudah. Because thou hast forgotten me, and cast me behinde thy back, therefore be are thou thy lewdnesse, Ezek. 23. 35. if a man were once pulled out of his sinnes, if he once had that true conviction, and godly sorrow, and reforma­tion, and faith and amendment of life that is in being con­verted, the soule would have the lively remembrance of it still, to make him goe on as he hath begun, and there­fore if we have not this blessed remembrance yet in us, it is most plaine we are yet in our sinnes.

Thirdly, thy heart can never retaine Gods commande­ments2 without this same memory; as Solomon sayes; My Sonne forget not my Law, but let thy heart keepe my Comman­dements, Prov. 3. 1.

Fourthy, The want of this remembring of God is the3 cause of all sinne; Moses speaking of all the sinnes of Is­rael, sayes he, they have forgotten the God that formed them, Deut. 32. 18. so againe in another place; they have perverted [Page 379] their way, they have forgotten the Lord, Jer. 3. 21. so againe it is said in the Booke of the Judges, the Children of Israel did evill in the sight of the Lord, and forgot him, Judg. 3. 7.

Fourthly, the want of this memory, is the high way to4 destruction, the Lord will destroy them, that forget him; that doe not remember to feare him, that doe not presse it upon their minds still to regard him; the Lord will in the end, destroy all such people; as he sayes, Israel hath forgotten his maker, therefore I will kindle afire, that shall de­vour them, Hos. 8. 14. Beloved how doe we looke that God should remembers us, if we will forget him. I will utterly forget you. Jer. 23. 39.

Secondly, another use is to shew you, how ye may get2 alive memory. There be seven causes of it.

The first, is a true knowledge of God. I told you re­membrance1. is most properly in the understanding; now looke how a man understands God, so he does remember; if a man know God onely literally, he remembers him no otherwise; but if a man know God aright, then he remem­bers him aright. The understanding can keepe no other species then it hath; if it have a saving knowledge of God, then it hath saving species of God; no man can have other money in his purse, then he puts into his purse. If he would have Gold in his purse, he must put Gold into his purse; so if we would remember God aright, let us la­bour to get a right knowledge of him. I will establish my Covenant with thee, and thou shalt know that I am the Lord, that thou mayst remember, &c. Ezek. 16. 62. 63.

Secondly, a new and a true heart; mens memories ever2 follow the nature of their hearts; they ever will re­member that their memory is set to; let a man be proud, he will ever remember his respect; let him doe any thing that seemes to deserve praise, he will ever remember to jet himselfe; let him be at any time disparaged, he will [Page 380] ever remember to be very much stirred; so let a man be covetous, he will ever remember his profit, he will re­member never to goe against his profit, if he can otherwise choose; what ever he forgets, he will not forget that; so let a man be Bookish, let a mans lusts be to have learning, he will be sure to remember that; now if a mans heart be set truly towards God, this will draw his minde towards God, now he will remember to please God, to have his heart in a sweet frame; if he sinde any distemper in his heart, he will remember to remove that if he can possi­bly; when the heart is upright, it runnes thus; we will re­member thy love more then wine, the upright love thee, Cant. 1. 4. so that if we would remember God with this alive memory, we must get an upright heart.

Thirdly, a cleare and a distinct estate before God; as long as a man is confused in his conscience, he knowes not3. what to make of himselfe; this breakes the neck of true memory; methodus est mater memoriae, distinctnesse is the mother of memory as we say. Let a man be confused in his notions, this spoileth all memory; so it is here, as long as we are confused in our consciences, we know not where we are; we cannot remember God; we know not what to call to minde; his justice or his mercy, his promises or his threatnings; as David when he was to seeke at one time, he could not remember God to any purpose, I re­membred God and was troubled sayes he, Psal. 77. 3. He was troubled horribly in remembring of him; like a man in his wooing, he is troubled to remember ought; now when a man hath cleared up his Estate, it's strange to see how cleare he is in his Prayers, how cleare in his consci­ence, cleare in his apprehensions, where as another man knows not where he is; so that if we would remember God in all our wayes, let us labour to cleare up our estates; this will help us to remember him a thousand times better [Page 381] then ever we did before; then we shall see his promises distinctly, and every thing distinctly.

Fourthly, a delight in good wayes; this is a very admi­rable help of memory; what's the reason, we are apt to4. forget any thing, but because we do not regard it; the more the mind regards any thing, the more it remembers it; as the Prophet sayes, I will delight my selfe in thy Statutes, I will not forget thy word, Psal. 119. 16. And so for hope too. Ps. 78. 7.

Fifthly, meditation is another cause of this remembring5 of God; meditationes salvant memoriam sayes Aristotle. the more a man thinkes of a thing, it is the deeper in his minde; when the good man had said, he would remember Gods workes, Psal. 77. 11. O sayes he, I will meditate of them, verse 12.

Sixthly, the rubbing up of our memories. The memo­ry6. is a very lazie faculty, if it be not every foot rubbed up, it will be forgetfull; therefore we should rub up our minds, if we see them ready to let his word slip, we must call it back againe; as the Lord sayes, remember this and shew your selves men, bring it to mind O ye transgressors, I sa. 46. 8. our memories are naturally exceeding slippery, they are apt to leake out that which is good; and therefore we should take paines with our mindes, as the Apostle speakes; there­fore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things that we have heard, least at any time we let them slip, Heb. 2. 1.

Seventhly, and lastly, which is the maine of all, and that7 is the holy Ghost. But the comforter which is the holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you, John. 14. 26.