THE MISERY OF THE Creatures by the sinne of Man.

THe Heavens and the Earth and every creature in both, have a threefold goodnesse created in them by God.

First, they have a goodnesse 1 of end; God made every crea­ture for his owne glory, for the setting forth of his owne praise; the Lord hath made all [Page 71] things for himselfe, Prov. 16. 4. that is, that himselfe might be honoured and glorified by all.

Secondly, a goodnesse of nature; as God 2 made all things to a good end, [...]o he made them of a good nature, fit to attaine to that end for which h [...] made it. God saw every thing that he made, and behold it was very good, Gen. 1. 31. very good for that end, and fit for that purpose for which he made it.

Thirdly, a goodnesse of use: as God crea­ted 3 every creature for a good end, and made every creature fit for that end; so he hath given every creature to men to use them to that end, to have dominion over them, Gen. 1. 38. that is, take them for thy use and im­ployment: and according as I have made them to set forth my glory, and made them set forth that end; So, see thou use them to that end. God hath appointed man that he should be the creatures mouth, and their heart, and their reason, to praise and mag­nifie the Lord in them, and by them, and with them, and for them, that man being set in a course to serve God, should have the use of all the creatures as under-helps unto him: as, the Sunne to shine on him, the aire to breath in, the [...] to refresh [Page 72] him, the earth to beare him, the trees to feed him, the whole world for to be Gods Looking-glasse for him, wherein he might see the in [...]sible things of God. But, be­hold, man rebels against God his Maker, and brings a curse upon himselfe, Gen. 3. 19. and upon all his posterity, ver. 16. and upon all the creatures, vers. 17. and this curse lieth so heavily upon them, that they all groane unto this day under the burthen; namely, because man hath violently wre­sted them from the goodnesse of their end, 3 and villanously poysoned the goodnesse of their nature, and basely perverted the use of their service, as Jerome said concerning Arrianisme, the whole world groaneth un­der it. Yea, saith S. Paul, it travels in paine till it be delivered, for so the word signifieth, as much as a distressed woman in travell. It is a figure (which we call Pro­sopopeia) whereby a Person is feigned to the creature, as though it had will, desire, sor­row, groaning. It is a Metaphoricall speech, for we know that the whole creation groa­neth with us, and travelleth in paine unto this present.

The words now read containe in them these foure particulars.

First, the agony of the creature under the 1 [Page 73] slavery of sinne; the whole creation groan­eth.

Secondly, here is the agony of the Saints: 2 it groaneth with us; we groane together with it, and it with us.

Thirdly, here is the continuance of both: 3 till now.

Fourthly, here is the certainty of the thing: 4 we know it to be so [...] we know that the whole creation groaneth and travelleth in paine together with us till now.

There be foure severall evills saith Peter Martyr; under which every creature groan­eth under the hand of man.

First, the continuall labour the creature is 1 put too: you see the creature is put to a con­tinuall labour: the Sun is ever shining, the earth is ever bearing, the fire is ever bur­ning, &c. therefore as the Isralites groaned under the hard taske of Pharaoh, so the crea­tures groane under the continuall toyle they are put to by sinfull man.

Secondly, it groanes in that it doth some­times 2 partake of the plagues of the ungodly: in the destruction of wicked men the creatures have their share; as in the deluge of the old world, it drowned all the world, saving one­ly some few that were with Noah in the Arke: in the destruction of Sodome and Go­morr [...] [Page 74] the creatures were destroyed by fire and brimstone from Heaven. In the destru­ction of Egypt the Vengeance of God came upon their cattell, and many other creatures. Therefore as a childe groanes under his fa­thers rodde, so doth the creature under Gods plagues.

Thirdly, the creatures have a sympathy 3 and instinctive fellow feeling of mans wret­chednesse: therefore as a tender heart would screech to see another man breake his neck: so the creatures compassionately groane under our evills.

Fourthly, because they are distorted, rent and 4 torne from their proper Master; the creatures were made to set forth Gods Power, the wisdom, the truth, the goodnesse, and the glory of God; when therefore they art di­storted and carried another way, the crea­tures groane.

When the creatures are forced to give their service to the wicked desires, and lusts of the ungodly; as the Sun to give his light, the earth her fruites, the aire its breathing: therefore, as a good sonne would groane that another should violently compell his hand to stabbe his owne father: so do the creatures groane together with us, and tra­vell in paine unto this present.

Hence observe, That [...]uery creature groan­eth Doct. under the slavery of sinne: not onely un­der the slavery of sinfull man, but under the slavery of sinne: so that they groane under the Saints of God so as the Saints groane with them. So farre as they minister to the flesh of Gods people, so farre they groane under them: the creature groaneth under the slavery of sinne.

Are men swearers? because of swearing the Land mourneth. Jer. 23. 10. Doe men lye, steale, commit adultery? for this cause the Land mourneth. Hos. 4. 2, 3. Are wo­men proud, and do they brave it out in their apparrell? the very gates shall lament and mourne for it. Isay 3. 16. Doe men covet an evill coveteousnes, coveting more the gaine of the world then the glory of God? The stone out of the wall shall cry and the beame out of the timber shall answer it. Hab. 2. 11. Are men wrathfull, and cholerick, with Moab? then Moab groanes against Moab. Isay. 16. 7. The grounds and dwellings of Moab, groane under the hands of Moab; the walls of Moab, against the men of Moab.

But it may be demanded, did ever any Obje. man heare the creatures groane? did any heare any unreasonable creature groane? did ever any heare the heavens to groane, [Page 76] or the earth to groane, or the trees, or any such like creatures groane? how doe the creatures groane?

They may be said to groane five waies. Answ.

First, this is spoken hyperbolically, to de­clare 1 the great miserie the creatures are in to serve sinfull man: the creatures were made to serve with reference to a holy God. Oh what miserie then is it for them to be serviceable to sinefull and ungodly men? thus, saith Chrysostome, doth the Prophet bring in the vines groaning, the roofe of the temple and the very high-waies groaning upon mens sinnes, to signify the exceeding great desire that each of the creatures have to be redeemed from such a thraldome.

Secondly, this is spoken Analogically, in 2 regard of a naturall instinct of blinde rea­son that is in all the creatures: for they have all reason, as if it were reason indeed: they have all a shadow of reason: the grasse growes as right, as if it knew how to grow: the wheate sproutes forth, as if it knew how to sproute forth; every creature acteth by a rule, which it swerveth not from, as if it were endued with reason to act by. A stone falling findes out the straight line of de­scending, as if it had reason to pecke it out. Let a stone be cast up in the aire, all the rea­son [Page 77] under heaven cannot finde a straighter line then it will to fall downe by; so every creature, it hath such an obedientiall instinct to glorify God, as if it had reason to obey by; wherefore it is saide to groane to serve sinne; the Land shall mourne, every fami­ly a part: Zachar. 12. 12. As men mourne with reason at the crucifying of the Lord of life, so the Land it selfe mournes Analogi­cally at the same.

Thirdly, this is spoken supposedly or by 3 way of supposition. Every creature groaneth: that is, if they had reason, they would groane to be so misused.

Beloved, the liquor that the drunkard abuseth, if it had reason as well as a man to know how shamefully it is abused and spoi­led, it would groane in the barrells against him: it would groane in the cup against him, it would groane in his throate and belly against him; it would flie in his face, if it could speake, and crie out drunkard, out.

So if God should open the mouth of the creatures, as he did open the mouth of Ba­laans Asse: then, the proud mans garments on his backe would groane against him; there is never a creature but if it had reason to know how it is abused, till a man is con­verted, [Page 78] it would groane against man.

If the creature were conscious of mans abuse of it, then the Land would groane to beare us, the Aire would groane to give us breathing, our houses would groane to lodge us, our beds would groane to ease us, our foode to feede us, our cloathes to cover us, and every creature would groane against us to give us any helpe or comfort, so long as we live in sinne against God.

Fourthly, intelligently, there is an intel­lective 4 assistance which runs along in every creature, as the heathen and schoole-men tell us. The power, goodnesse and provi­dence of God, run along in them, giving being, quickening, preserving, leading and governing &c. So that a man cannot wrong the creature, but he wrongs God in the creature. And therefore because Paul wron­ged and persecuted the Church, Christ cals out from heaven to him, Why persecutest thou me? Acts. 9. 4. Why? because he per­secuted the Church, which was Christ his Church. As Christ is the head of his Church, so God hath made him the heire of all the creatures; all the creatures are de­livered up to Christ, and they are his: so that a man cannot wronge the creatures but he wrongeth Christ, and Christ groanes in [Page 79] the creatures, against the drunkard, Drun­kard, why abusest thou me? When the cove­tous man is coveting for the world, Christ cries in his barne, he cries in his Chest: Christ cries in his goods, Wretch, Wretch, why wrongest thou me? Doth a man abuse his apparrell to pride? Christ groanes a­gainst him, Wretch, Wretch, why abusest thou me? all the creatures are so inlivened, quick­ned, preserved by God, that a man cannot meddle nor lay his hand on the creature, but he meddles with God himselfe.

Fifthly, this is spoken specifically: not of 5 the blessed Angells as Origen would have it, nor of men in generall as Austin would have it, because man is a little world, and all creatures meete in him: But specifically, every creature groaneth: that is, saith Gre­gory and Hugo, and others, the goaly groan­eth: and it is therefore saide every creature groaneth, because the godly groane; every creature groaneth in the bowells of the Saints; they take the part of every creature, and come before God in the behalfe of the creatures, in their prayers, confessions, and humiliations, confessing how horribly and fearefully the creatures are abused, groan­ing and mourning in their hearts for it.

Thus you see how the creatures may be [Page 80] said to groane under the slavery of sinne; Come we to the reasons why the creatures are said to groane under the slavery of sin.

First, because it is distracted in its service: Reas. 1 all the creatures are Gods servants: Psal. 119. 9. that is, they minister to his prayse, they serve for the setting forth of his glory, they all conspire to Gods owne ende and purpose: all the creatures are Gods servants, the flesh and wicked men are Gods ene­mies; the creatures were made to serve God. Oh then how distracted are they, when they are made to serve the flesh and corruption? the earth was made to honour God, and therefore it must needs groane to carrie one that is a rebell against God: meate and drinke were made for Gods glo­ry, and therefore they must needs groane to feede a rebell: the Sun and Moone were made to declare Gods prayse, and therefore they must groane to give light to a rebell: they will see nothing by it but to dishonour God. Gold and silver, goods and cattle, corne and grasse, were made for Gods prayse, and therefore they must needs groan to maintaine a rebell; tongues were made to blesse God, therefore they must needs groane to be in the mouthes of swearing and lying rebells: eyes were made for Gods [Page 81] praise, to see the Word and Workes of God withall, therefore they must needs groane to be in the heads of lustfull wan­tons, that behold nothing but vaine and sin­full objects by it.

Needs must the creatures groane that is distracted in its service. God would have one thing, and the wicked another. When a wicked man thinkes of a creature, or med­dle with a creature, or useth a creature not to that end God hath appointed it for, the creature is distracted in its service, it knows not which way to goe, our Saviour tells us Matth. 6. 14. and No man can serve two Masters; If a servant should be compelled to have two Masters: the one bids him go one way, doe such a thing; the other commands the cleane contrary of him, and that upon life and death: how miserably should such a one be distracted, and how would it make him sigh and groane under such a slavery: so it is with the creatures: When God the true and proper Master of them commands and appoints one thing, and one end for them, and wicked men, usurping tyrants, shall forcibly carry them to another: needs must the creat [...]res groane in such distracti­on; the creatures continually gaspe to set forth the praise of God: they are continu­ally [Page 82] ministring of new occasions to glorifie God.

Secondly, they groane because of the unpro­fitablenesse [...]. of their service; they serve, and serve, and get nothing by it. Should a ser­vant do never so hard a taske, toyle and moyle himselfe never so much: yet if he should have good pay for his labour, it would not vex him; there would be some comfort in it [...] but when a servant hath toyled and laboured; if then he should have nothing but stripes for wages, and blowes for quarteridge, it would even breake his heart, and it would make him to groane to live under such a servitude. Thus is it with the poore creatures: they serve wicked men and have nothing but labour for their paines: nothing but woes, and curses, and the plagues of God upon them for their paines, Gen. 3.

Beloved, what are all those heaths, par­ched grounds, barren lands, &c. amongst us, but the groanings of the creatures under our sins? What are the tempests, inunda­tions of waters, strange snowes, earth­quakes, but the groanings and quakings of the creatures under our sinnes? What are all murraines, glanders, plagues and pesti­lences, but the groanings of the creatures [Page 83] under our sinnes? What are those strange unnaturall births, and mishapen monsters that are brought f [...]th daily, but the groa­nings of the creatures under our hands? it is loth to serve us.

Looke upon the Husbandman, the earth is loth to give him a harvest, he is faine to dung it and dresse it, and by his Plough to rent and teare up the very heart of it and sow and harrow it, &c. Its loth to serve such a hard Master. Looke on all the crea­tures, and see how backward, how dull and untoward they are to yeeld service to man, because they have such hard pay for their labour.

Thirdly, because of the uncessantnesse of Reas. 3 its service. It is ever toyling and labouring without intermission. Beloved, we were not able to live, unlesse the creatures were still in action, unlesse the Sea were alwaies in motion, the earth alwaies bearing, the fire alwaies heating, and all other things doing their part. What servant is there, but that sometime or other hath his holy day, his day of recreation? but the creatures are never at rest. By watering he wearieth the thicke clouds, Job. 37. 11.

Is not the Sun in the Firmament wearied by poasting up and downe from East to [Page 84] West? is it not strange to thinke what toyle it hath in its continuall circuits, when it runnes in one houre two thousand thou­sand miles. Those that have no knowledge in the working of the creatures may thinke it strange, but they that have learning and knowledge, know it to be as true as the Sun shineth. But when it hath gone thus farre, what good doth come from it? one seeth to drinke, sweare and swagger; ano­ther see to Dice and Card by it; another sees to Hunt and Hauke by it, another sees to trade and chaffer: but few see to glorifie God by it. Is it not a miserable thing that when the creature hath been at all this la­bour and toyle, yet it shall doe it for base sinfull man, that will not see to glorifie God by it?

Fourthly, in regard of the misery and woe Reas. 4 that the creatures lie under, so that it had been good for the creatures that they never had had a being: but that God meanes to deli­ver them. As it was said of Judas that betrayed Christ, good it had been for him if he had never been borne; So beloved, were it not that God keeps the creature un­till the day of redemption of the Sonnes of God, then to free them from bondage and misery, it had been good for the creatures [Page 85] that they had had no being. Better it were the creature were annihilated to its old no­thing, then that wicked men should thus cast an eye upon the creature, tread upon the creature, breath in the creature, live of the creature; better were it for the crea­ture to be turned to its old nothing.

I will make it plaine;

Every creature hath a double end, a speci­ficall, and an ultimate end. pray marke it.

First, a speciall or intermediate end, and 1 that is what the creature is made to doe, as of its owne nature; as, the specificall end of fire is to burne, of the Sun to shine, of the water to moisten.

Secondly, the ultimate and last end of the 2 creature, and that is Gods glory to glorifie God; every creature is then happy when it hath attained its end; but, the specificall cannot be its happinesse; for there is ano­ther end beyond that.

The ultimate end of a creature, as it is a creature, namely to set forth Gods glory, is more essentiall to it, then its owne speci­ficall end, because it hath this specificall end onely in reference to the ultimate end.

Therefore, if the creature be robbed of its last end, it is robbed of its being. The [Page 86] soule and heart of the creature is killed, and it is undone, when as it is taken from his ultimate end. It were as good that the world were no world, as that God have no glory by it: as good no earth, no corne, no cattell, as that God be not honoured by by it: A man no man, if he doe not ho­nour God: a creature no creature, if it doe not honour God: it is as much as if the creature were annihilated to its first no­thing, yea worse: for, there is no evill in nothing, all evill is founded out of some good.

Hence it followeth, that a wicked man Use 1 hath no right to the creatures. For if the creatures were now of right belonging to the wicked, they would not groane under their service: for every thing rejoyceth to be where of right it should be. And a thing groanes when it is not in his proper place.

I desire not to be misconstrued in this hard point: wicked men have a fivefold right to the creatures, which is as good as nothing without the sixth.

First, they have a civill right: so Nabals 1 sheep were said to be his sheep, 1 Sam. 25. 4. And he was a theefe that should have stolne them from him. A man is a thiefe [Page 87] before God and man that robs a wicked man.

Secondly, a providentiall right: that is, 2 God by his providence may cast the crea­tures in abundance upon a wicked man. Thus we see wicked men have lands, hou­ses, and great possessions, corne and cattell, &c. God by his providence casteth them upon them, Jer. 27. 5. God that made the Heavens and the earth with all creatures he distributes and disposeth of them according to his owne will.

Thirdly, a vindicative right from Gods 3 wrath: they may be instruments of his wrath, they may be able to execute the vengeance of God, as in the sixth verse of the forenamed place, Nebuchadnezzar was a wicked man, yet when the Lord would have him to execute his revenge upon Ju­dah for Judahs sinnes and rebellions against God, to this end the Lord delivered up all the Cattell, and all the Lands of Judah in­to the King of Babylons hand, though in the end he vomits them up againe.

Fourthly, a wicked man may have a crea­tures 4 right: a wicked man as he is a crea­ture, so he hath a creatures right to the crea­tures. For one creature depends on another, and helpes one another, and all joyne to [Page 88] maintaine the life of man. God hath com­manded man that he shall not murther; and therefore he is not to murther himselfe. Wherefore when he is hungry he must not starve himselfe, but must eate: when he is dry he must not choake himselfe, but he must drinke, be he never so wicked.

Fiftly and lastly, they have a filiall right 5 to them, for God will have his grace and the Gospel of his Son Christ to be offered unto them: he will have the wicked invi­ted to faith and repentance; now this can­not be unlesse they should live: they can­not be invited to faith unlesse they a natu­rall life: and a naturall life they cannot have, if they should have no naturall helps to uphold them therein, Psal. 115. 16. The Heavens aae the Lords, but the earth hath he given to the children of men. Chrysostome saith, he hath given all the creatures to men in common, I have given them my crea­tures here below, that they might trust in me above: that they may enter into the kingdom of Heaven at the last. This is a filiall right, when he that is not may be a Son of God: therefore God will have the Gospell preached to the wicked. Now, if the wicked might not have the creatures, how could they come to Church? Alas, you [Page 89] were not able to sit in your Pews and to heare the Gospell preached, if you might not have the creatures.

But beloved, all these rights are nothing without another right. The creatures may groane in their hands: these make their doome and damnation the greater, and the bondage and misery of the creature the greater, that the creature should help man to come to Christ, and then he will not have him: that the creature hath fed and nourished such a one that he might repent, but he will not: that the creature hath gi­ven him life, light and strength to lead him to faith, but he will no [...] believe: O, then, the creature fetcheth such a groane as that it makes all the world to ring with it, and God heares the groanes.

A wicked man hath no filiall right to the creatures, they have no Son-like right in Christ: they have a filiable right, because they are invited to be his Sons and daugh­ters; but as long as they live in their sinnes they are none of his sonnes, neither have they any filiall right.

Beloved, mans first Charter is out of doubt lost, by reason of sinne; all the crea­tures are fallen by lapse into the hands of God the owner againe. Now Christ is [Page 90] our chiefe Lord, he is made the Heire of all things, Hebrews 1. And the wicked that are not new creatures in Christ, in regard of filiall right, they are but incroachers; and therefore every creature groanes in their fingers, and every thing that they have, groanes to be theirs; their very meate groans in their bellies, their sleep groanes in their heads, their breath groanes in their lungs: yea, the very blood groanes in their veines, and woe is them that they have not eares to heare these groanes.

Though God give them Tables, and fill them with abundance, yet he raines his fierce wrath and vengeance upon their meate while they are eating, Job 20. 23. God will make them restore every creature they have; they shall make restitution as oppressors of the poore creatures, vers. 18. and their meat shall be turned into the gall of Aspes, vers. 14. for the very creatures shall rise up in judgement against them, and condemne them: we know that every crea­ture groaneth.

Secondly, this may teach us that the 2 wicked have little cause to be merry at any time, because there is nothing about them, nor in them, nor before them, but groaneth against them. Every creature that they have [Page 91] groanes because it is possessed by them: not some kinde of creatures, but every crea­ture, as Theophylact observes, every crea­ture groaneth against them.

Dost thou live in thy sinnes, and yet art merry? thou art madde. Dost thou live in thy carnall estate and condition, and yet canst rejoyce? thou art surely besides thy selfe. For who can be merry in the midst of thousand thousands of groanes? Thy Apparell groanes, thy Laces, thy Silkes, and thy Braveries groane, till either thou beest a new creature, or else beest in hell. Thy house and thy stuffe, thy barne and thy store doe groane, till either thou be a Convert or in Tophet. Every penny in thy purse, every ragge on thy backe, yea thy flesh and thy bones, yea thine owne soule and thy spirits as they are Gods creatures, and take his part, they all groane against thee till thou beest cut off.

Not onely all thy sinnes, all thy oathes, lies, vaine speeches; not onely every ab­sence from Church, every idle thought, every unprofitable word, every Sermon that thou hast heard without profit, every exhortation thou hast heard without bene­fit, every sicknesse thou hast had without reformation, every day of patience thou [Page 92] hast enjoyed without repentance, not onely all these doe groane against thee: but also every creature in heaven and in earth, they doe all groane and travell in paine to be de­livered out of thy slavery. Whatsoever thou doest, the creatures groane and complaine against thee. How then canst thou rejoyee, or have merry day? I have saide of this joy it is madde: and dost thou rejoyce? thy rejoycing shall be short. Job. 20. 5.

Beloved, needs must a wicked man have wrath and vengeance powred downe upon him; for all creatures groane to God for his vengeance and destruction. The creatures crie unto God, Lord, plague this man: Lord, shower downe thy curses on him: he hath abused and wronged me: Lord, let not such a rebell as that man is, escape, but in thy justice be avenged on him for his a­buse of us.

Weepe and howle rather then thou secure and impenitent person; let this be a Cora­sime to thy pleasantest lust, and as an Arrow shot into thy heart to let out the life and bloud of all thy sinnes and corruptions, to thinke of this. And in the feare of God take heede, how thou goest on in thy sinnes, in thy abuse of Gods creatures, least thereby thou forcing the creatures to groane for ven­groane, [Page 93] they pull downe the wrath and plagues of God upon thy head.

Oh what a terrour is this to the wicked; every creature groanes: not in compassion for thee, nor in fellow-feeling with thee, as with the godly, but in indignation against thee.

The horses, and the bridles, they should have written upon them holinesse in the Lord Zach. 14. 20. this is a Prophesie of the Churches holinesse under Christ, not as Theode­rit adplies it to Hellena, who adorned her horse-trappings with the nailes of Christ his crosse. Hierome refuits that; but, to shew that Christ he will have even the horses and bridles, and all and every thing for a ho­ly use; so the silly horses and even the bri­dles doe groane and pronounce woe unto the ungodly riders that feare not God.

Every pot in Judah, and every bowle in Jerusalem shall be holy unto the Lord, ver. 12. The drinking pots and bowles doe groane, woe be unto him that drinkes, and lives not a godly life: yea the very high­ways shall be called the ways of holines, I say 35. 8. the ways and the pathes groane under all that goe on them and are not holy.

There is no creature above or beneath as Porsper speaketh, which doth professe the [Page 94] praise of God, and therefore every creature contesteth against thee that praysest not God. The Angels and all the Hoast of Heaven prayse God. Psal. 148. the Sunne, the Moone and the starres prayse God, the heavens and the waters that be above the heavens prayse God: the earth, the dra­gons, and all the deepes, fire and haile &c. Kings of the earth, &c. all these sing forth the prayses of God. And therefore they all groane against him that prayseth him not.

Better were it for thee to have all the di­vells in hell against thee, then to have the groanes of Gods creatures a­gainst thee. I would rather have all the di­vells in hell, and all the wicked in the world against mee, then the least worme or dust of the earth to groane in the eares of the Lord against me. A thousand worlds can­not doe me so much good, as the least groan of the meanest of all Gods creatures can doe me hurt. Oh then how shall the wicked e­ver hope to escape the doome to come, that have so many millions of creatures groan­ing against them.

But what kinde of groanes are these?

• 1 They are upbraiding groanes.
• 2 They are witnessing groanes.
• 3 They are accusing groanes.
• [Page 95]They are judgeing and condemning 4 groanes.

First, they are upbraiding groanes, Give 1 eare Oh ye heavens, and I will speake, and heare Oh earth the words of my lips. Dent. 32. 1. as if God had said, marke O ye heavens, and let all the whole world heare what I testifie against this people: as if the heavens and the earth did upbraide them of their unthankfullnesse. God commands the Sun to shine and it shineth: the earth to fructifie and it obeyeth: But this wicked people he commands to repent and to forsake their sinnes, and they will not.

Chrysostome saith, wicked men although they have naturall reason in them, are more sencelesse then sencelesse creatures: the rocks, and the flints, the fly and the gnats may upbraide them; the rocks rent in sun­der, but this people wil not rent their hearts; swarmes of flies were hist for to come, and they yeelded obedience; and the livelesse creatures groane under the slavery of sinne: but they will not obey, they will not be brought to groane for their sinnes. How do all the creatures upbraide man! Doe ye thus requite the Lord O ye foolish people and un­wise.

Beloved, how doe the heavens and the [Page 96] earth upbraide thee for unthankfullnesse; wert thou ever in sicknesse, and God did not deliver thee? wert thou ever in misery, and God did not comfort thee? wert thou ever in any straight, and God did not di­rect thee? in sicknesse who was life unto thee? in poverty who supplied thee? in danger who delivered thee? was it not God that hath done all for thee? And shall the Lord command thee obedience, and wilt thou not grant it him? doth he com­mand thee to part with thy lust, and cruci­fie all thy corruptions, and wilt thou not obey him? doth the Lord command thee to be meeke, humble, patient, and dost thou refuse? then, heare O heavens, and hear­ken O earth.

Secondly, the groanes of the creatures 2 are witnessing groanes. I call heaven and earth to record against you; know that you shall shortly perish, said Moses to the Isra­lites. Dent. 4. 26. So beloved, let me say to you, I call heaven and earth to record a­gainst you, that woe and damnation shall be to that man that obeys not the comman­dements of God; Cursed be that man, that goeth on still in his wickednesse. The hea­vens write his curse, and the whole earth doe witnesse his vengeance, that will not [Page 97] give over his lust at the commandement of the Gospell of the Lord Jesus Christ.

As Joshuah said unto all the people, Josh. 24. 27. Behold this stone shall be a witnesse unto us, for it hath heard all the words of the Lord, which he spake unto us; it shall be a witnesse &c. so may I say unto you, the walls of this house shall cry, the timber of the Church shall answer, this Sermon that you have heard, this doctrine that hath beene preached unto you, if you will not re­pent, if you will not humble your selves and obey the voyce of your God, all these shall witnes against you another day, that you had a time, that you had a day to repent in, you had the word of God calling you to it, but you would not.

Dost thou commit a sinne? and none by, but the stonnes in the streets? even they see thee, like Joshuahs stone with seven eyes, and they shall witnes against thee. Dost thou pray thy lazie praiers unto God, thoughtlesse of God, and none by but the walls of thy Clofet, or thy bedde, or the hangings? they shall witnes against thee. Dost thou sweare, and blaspheme the King of Heaven? though none were present, but the fowles of the aire, they shall carry thy voice and declare the matter. Eccles. 10. 20. [Page 98] If the creatures groane against thee, then they are sensible in some sort, to witnesse a­gainst thee.

Beloved, mens hearts are so stubborne, that we the Ministers of God may doe as the Prophet did, 1 King. 13. 2. who cryed O Altar, Altar, thus saith the Lord. What? was the Prophet sent unto the Altar? had the Altar cares? No, he was sent unto Je­roboam, his message was to him; but he knew that he would not heare, nor believe, nor obey; therefore he turned from the King, and spake to the sencelesse Altar. So may we say for all the hearing some will afford us; O walls, walls, thus saith the Lord, cursed is the man that obeyeth not. O House of the Lord, witnesse against this rebellious generation.

So Jeremy, he cried out, O earth, earth, earth, heare the Word of the Lord, thus saith the Lord, write this man a castaway, that shall never prosper, Jer. 22. 29. he meant wicked Jeconiah the King; but because he was a dea [...]e Adder, he preacheth to the dead earth, as being more likely to listen then he.

O fearfull doome! When Jeconiah will not heare, God he roares so loud that he makes the dead and sencelesse earth to heare.

Beloved, in the feare of God, take heed, if there be any dead worldly-hearted Pro­fessour here, if there be any loose prophane sinner here, any impenitent wretch that hath not repented, if after the Lord hath sent his Ministers to thee, his Word and Gospell to thee, and thou wilt not heare; take he [...]d lest the Lord direct his speech to the dead earth, and say, O earth, earth, earth, heare the Word of the Lord; write these men, men that shall never prosper: they will still covet and lie, they will still fret and chafe, they will still content themselves with formes of godlinesse, they will still be lukewarme or key-cold; they do still pray as they did, rub on as they did seven yeares agoe; no more holy, no more zealous, no more heavenly, they will not be bettered; O earth, earth, earth, heare the Word of the Lord, write them a people that shall never prosper, a people that shall never be converted; write them men damned for ever; let them come and heare Sermon after Sermon, but write them men that shall ne­ver prosper; let them pray, and let their prayers never prosper; let them goe on in their dead-hearted profession, but write them men that shall never prosper.

Beloved, God forbid that it should so [Page 100] be written against you, but woe be to you if ever it be! for if once the earth hath wrote this eternall decree of God upon thy soul, it can never be altered; I will warrant thee thy damnation sure.

Thirdly, they are accusing groanes; they 3 shall accuse thee for casting thine eye up­on a creature, without taking notice of God. They shall accuse thee for thy touch­ing, tasting, handling, using any of the creatures without adoration of God. Dost thou thinke of a creature, speake of a crea­ture, meddle with a creature, or take pos­session of a creature? they shall accuse thee, if thou dost not live to the glory of God the Creator.

Fourthly, these groanes are judgeing and 4 condemning groanes. He shall call the Hea­vens above, and the earth to judge his peo­ple, Psal. 50. 4. The creatures groane; why then doest thou not groane? the creatures account themselves oppressed and sore affli­cted because they are constrained to serve sinne? why then dost thou injury them?

If the King should build him a stately Pa­lace, and one should willingly deface it, or abuse it, or pull it downe; would not the very Ravens judge him a Traytor? The creatures are Gods Palace, and thou demo­lishest [Page 101] their beauty, by making them the in­struments, or abettors, or matter, or incen­tives of sinne; thou shalt be adjudged of High-treason against the King of Kings, for we know that every creature groaneth with us and travelleth in paine together untill now.

Now we come to an use

Of Exhortation; doth the creature Use. groane to serve sinne? take heed then you doe not abuse the creatures of God. There is not any one of them but if it be abused to sinne or by sinne, but it will presently make its complaint (like a little childe to his Fa­ther) with groanes unto God.

Labour to be a true Convert unto God; otherwise, if thou beest not regenerate and a Convert, every creature that thou hast, is in bondage under thy hands, and it groanes unto God against thee, till God recover it out of thy hands againe.

I will recover my wooll and my flaxe saith God, Hosea 2. 9. the creature groaned un­der thraldome, because it was possessed by them that were carnall; and therefore God saies he would recover it.

Secondly, labour not to sinne against God, 2 for, if thou sinnest against God, thou canst not meet with a creature but it groaneth [Page 102] against thee. When Jonah had sinned a­gainst God, the Sea roared against Jonah, and he at last knew it well enough: for when the Marriners askt what he was, I am an Hebrew saith he, and I feare God, the God of Heaven, which hath made the Sea and the drie Land, Jonah 1. 9. as if he should say, I feare the Lord, for now I see the Heavens are black against me: and the clouds mourne at me: and the Sea groaneth under me, seeing I am fled from the pre­sence of the Lord.

Thirdly, labour never to set your hearts on 3 any creature; for, then, you abuse it to worldlinesse, and covetousnesse. What greater injury can we offer to the creatures, then by making them occasions of turning from God, which were given us the more to oblige us to God?

If you be covetous and earthly, the crea­ture must needs groane under this wrong. Covetousnesse is Idolatry, saith Saint Paul, Colos 3. 5. thou turnest the creature into an Idoll: every creature is the workman­ship of God, but an Idoll is a thing dedica­ted of Divels.

Fourthly, labour to use all the creatures in 4 humility and thankfulnesse. There is not a creature, but it hath this Motto engraven up­on [Page 103] it, it is the gift of God. In every thing then give thankes, 1 Thes. 5. 18. A thing and a creature are convertible termes: if in every thing, then for every creature must we give thankes; why? because every thing that God doth for us, or doth bestow upon us, it is a gift: and a gift groanes un­der unthankfulnesse: there is never a sicknesse that thou hast been delivered from, but it groanes against thee, if thou hast not had thine iniquity purged by it: never a blessing but it will groane aganist thee, if thou serve not God the better by it: never an ordinance of life and grace but it groanes against thee if thou art not sanctified and made holy by it.

Fiftly, use them all as so many Bookes, and 5 as so many Ladders or Rises to climbe up with the soule of God. When thou seest how kindely and favourably the Sun shineth on thee, think are Gods creatures so comfortable! how comfortable is the light of Gods counte­nance? When thou tastest the sweetnesse of any creature, thinke then, O what infinite sweetnesse is there in God himselfe! still, from the creatures, winde up thy soule to the Creator: use all the creatures as a rise to winde up thine heart to see and know to [Page 104] meditate and conceive of some thing of God.

Saint Anthony being found fault withall for want of Books, answered, My Bookes are Gods creatures, and in them I may read, as in the silent Oracles of God; this is my Book, and it hath three pages, and as many Letters: Heaven, Water, Earth: they are the pages of this booke: Starres, Fishes, Fowles, and all the Terrestriall creatures, they are the letters of this booke.

There are but three maine Books in the world to be read: all other books are but Commentaries upon them.

• 1 The Book of the Creatures.
• 2 The Book of the Scriptures.
• 3 The Book of every Mans conscience.

Read but these three, and meditate of them, and thou shalt have understanding in the waies of God, to know God in all thy wayes.

Beloved, this is rightly to use the crea­tures, and thus using them, thou shalt pre­vent their groanings against thee: to behold and see God present in them all.

It was the saying of an Ancient, that, that man is blinde, deafe, sencelesse, bru­tish, that knows not God. Thou canst not see a creature, but thou mayest see God: [Page 105] thou canst not feele a creature, but thou maiest feele God: thou canst not smell, not taste, nor meddle with a creature, but thou mayest smell and taste God in the creature: thou canst not behold a creature, but thou mayest behold God in the creature.

O saith one, if I could see God as he ap­peared to the Fathers, then I should obey him, and feare him, and trust in him, and love him.

I answer, God appeares now as he did then. How did God appeare to Abraham, Isaack, &c. and to all the holy Patriarches and Prophets? Did God appear to them in his owne Essence and nature? No, it is impossible that any should see God and live. When God appeared to them and shewed himself to them, he did it in a creature: And I pray you, doth not God appeare thus a­mongst us now? God having made man to behold by sence, by sight, hearing, smel­ling, tasting, handling; that all the know­ledge he hath, he must have it by these; God makes as it were an apparition of him­selfe; he takes the likenesse as it were of the Sunne, Moon, and starres, and therein ap­peares; he takes the Cattle, plants, &c. and therein appeares: therein he shews some­thing of himselfe: thou never seest any [Page 106] creature but it is the appearance of God to thoe: the whole world is an apparition of God to thee; God appears in the heavens, in the earth, and in every creature. If there­fore when thou lookest on any of the crea­tures, thou makest not an holy use of them, beholding God in them, using them as a rise to winde up thy heart and soule to God; then thou abusest the creatures, and ma­kest them to groane against thee. For, we know that the whole creation groaneth and travelleth in paine till this present.

THE CHRISTIAN HIS IMITATION of CHRIST.

THis our blessed Apostle in the beginning of this Chapter, doth declare these foure things.

First, a generall proposition 1 for the sinnes of the world; if any man sinne, we have an Advocate, vers. 11. 12.

Secondly, nd actuall application of this 2 to all true beleevers, who may all know that Christ is theirs, and that they are Christs, ver. 5. And hereby we know that we know him, if we keepe his commandements. We know and are acquainted with this princi­ple, that Jesus Christ is the propitiation for our sins, if we keepe his commandements.

Thirdly, here is the fantasticall presump­tion 3 of many men that hope and thinke and say that they are in Christ, when indeed they are not in Christ. ver. 4. He that saith I know him, and keepeth not his commandements, is a lyar, and the truth is not in him.

Fourthly, here is an universall direction 4 to all men, whereby to try and examine them­selves whether they be in Christ yea or no. He that saith he abideth in him, ought himselfe to walke as he walked.

These words branch themselves into a Thesis, and an Hypothesis.

The Thesis is this, He that abideth in Christ, must walke as he hath walked.

The Hypothesis is this, If any man be con­ceited of the subject, that he abideth in Christ, he must be assured of the predicate, that he walke himselfe even as Christ wal­ked. If he say he is in Christ, he must be sure to walke as Christ walked.

To walke as Christ walked; there is a life of a Christian: if he walke not as Christ walked, it is a plaine demonstration that he is not in Christ. He that saith he abideth in him, ought himselfe also to walke as he walked.

He that sayth; as if the Apostle had said, if there be any that saith he abideth in Christ, he must walke as Christ walked.

Hence observe, That a true Christian he Doct. walkes as Christ walked, if he be in Christ.

Before we make entrance hereupon, let me expound to you two things, lest we meete with rubs in the way.

First, the conditionall, IF. 1

Secondly, the exemplary, AS. 2

First, for the conditionall, if, it is not a 1 precedent condition of life as a condigne pre­paration unto, or a previall disposition for Christ: for a man cannot first walke as Christ walked, and then be in Christ. A graf [...] cannot live the life of the stocke, and then be inoculated into the stocke. No: but it is a subsequent condition; if ever a man be in Christ, Christ holds him to these termes, to live as he lived, to walke as he walked.

The first act is before the latter act: life before the actions of life; so walke as Christ walked, this notes the actions of life. Now, [Page 110] a man must first be in Christ, before he can walke as Christ walked.

Indeed this condition is first quoad cogn [...]s­ [...], to our knowledge: but it is not first quo­ad esse and in its owne nature. So then, to walke as Christ walked, being a necessary consequent of being in Christ: we cannot be said to be in Christ, if we walke not as Christ walked: for, take away the necessary consequent, and you take away the antece­dent; take away the walking as Christ wal­ked, and you take away the abiding in Christ? This condition is put in by our Saviour. John 15. 10. If ye shall keepe my comman­dements, ye shall abide in my love, as I have kept my Fathers commandements, and abide in his love. This was the walke of Christ, he kept his Fathers commande­ments, and abode in his love. This must be your walke too, that looke to abide in Christs love. If ye keepe my commande­ments, ye shall abide in my love. But if there be any commandement of Christ in all the Gospell that you will not conforme to, it is an evident signe that ye abide not in Christs love.

2 For the exemplary, As, even as he walked. 2

Can any man walke as Christ walked?Object. is it possible that dust and ashes, that is cor­rupt [Page 111] with sinne, can walke as he walked?

This word, as, hath a twofold significati­on:Answ. there is a two fold as; either such an as, as imports an equality: or secondly similitude.

As this as imports an equality, so it is impossible that any flesh can walk as Christ walked: so purely, so unspottedly, so stea­dily, so effectually as he lived. No, for our Saviour Christ was filled with the Holy Ghost: and of his fulnesse have we all re­ceived grace for grace. John. 1. 16. Marke, he doth not say that we receive his fulnesse: but, some of his fulnes: so that none can walk as Christ walked with an as of equality: but there is an as of similitude.

A scholer writes as his masters coppie directs him: he begins every line as his ma­ster begins, he ends as he ends, he sets him­selfe to frame every letter as his master fra­med it, to joyne letters and syllables toge­ther as his master joyned them together. Though there be no equality, he cannot write one stroke or dash with his penne so well as his master: yet he doth write as his master sets his coppie: his hand followes his masters hand. So it is saide of all that are in Christ. Revel. 14. 4. that they follow the Lambe whether soever he goeth: they fol­low Christ in all duties, in all holinesse, in [Page 112] all his commandements: they tracke Christ in all his stepps, though they cannot walke with such long strides, so steadily, so pure­ly, so constantly as Christ: yet they labour to tracke him with this as of similitude.

Doe all that are in Christ, walke as Christ walked? yea Beloved: this is a clause of the covenant of grace, so that a man cannot be in Christ, unlesse he walke as Christ walked. For, thus runs the tenour of the co­venant of grace: Math. 11. 29. Learne of me, for I am meeke and lowly of heart, and ye shall finde rest unto your soules. Marke, there is no rest to the soule, no grace to the con­science, no assurance of the pardon of sin: Christ gives no comfort to the heart, un­lesse the heart will learne of Christ, follow Christ his copy, be holy as he is holy, pure as he is pure, walke as he walked.

This will the better appeare, if we consi­der that Christ his life must be the example for our life, according to which we must live. Now, the exemplatum must be confor­mable to the exemplary, saith Aquinas; the draught must be according to the copy; so if Christs life be the patterne of our life, then our life must be conformable to his life; & therfore Christ declares his ways un­to us, as our samplers; Christ was humble, [Page 113] and serviceable to all in the days of his flesh, with this Motto, John 13. 15. I have given you an example that you should doe as I have done.

Thou art of thy master the devill, and his copy thou followest, if thou account it an indignity to stoope, a disgrace to conde­scend to thy brother. Christ was willing to suffer disgrace with this Motto, 1 Pet. 2. 21 Leaving us an example that we should follow his steps.

Art thou loth to practice Religion for feare of the crosse? loth to reproove sinne for feare of a flout, or of the displeasure of a great man: least thou shouldest procure his ill will? it is evident that thou follow [...]st not Christ, because he hath left us an example, that as he suffered, so also should we: Christ was obedient to the death of the crosse, not looking to his owne things so much as the things of others: so the Apo­stle warneth us, Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, 1 John. 2. 5. you that be in Christ, must have the same mind that Christ had. 1 John. 3. 3. He that hath this hope, purgeth himselfe even as he is pure. Howsoever the world nick-names and re­proaches purity, yet if any have this hope (indeed he may have other hopes, he may [Page 114] have vaine, rotten, dead hopes, and never seeke after purity) but he that hath this hope, a true saving hope to be redeemed by Christ, he purifyeth himselfe even as he is pure.

Thou then which art not pure, but ma­kest a mocke of purenesse and of consci­ence of every sinne: thou canst have no true sound faith in the Lord Jesus. Thou must be righteous even as he is righteous.

Thou happily saiest thou art righteous, thou doest this and that righteousnesse, this and that good action: take thou heede saith the Apostle, that thou deceive not thy selfe, thou must be righteous as Christ is righte­ous.

In a word, love is the fullfilling of the law, and Gualter carrieth it along through all the law which Christ walked in: Christ loved us, and gave himselfe for us with this injunction, a new commandement give I unto you, that you love one another as I have loved you, John. 13. 34.

This was one of the maine reasons of Christs comming into the world, to redeem us for our justification; and then to be an example of life to us for our sanctification, saith Saint Basil. Christ was set for a signe to all nations. Isay. 11. 10. A land-marke to all people, to take their aime, how to [Page 115] thinke, how to speake, how to walke, how to live.

As men [...]t Sea, if they see a Land-mark, or the Pole-star, therby know how to guide the Ship; so Christ he is a signe to all Na­tions, a signe of zeale in prayer, a signe of reverence in the Temple, of perseverance in holinesse, of piety in life. and of unspotted purity; and constancy in death.

Yea, to winde it up a little higher, to walk a [...] Christ walked, is an As of participation. We must not onely walke as Christ walked with an as of proportion; for so the beasts may walke; every creature, the Sunne, the Moone, &c. walke according to their rule wherein God hath set them, as Christ did walke in his course that God set him in: but this is not enough; he that is in Christ, must walke as Christ walked, with an As of participation; he must partake of the same life with Christ, and be led by the same Spi­rit of Christ, guided by the same grace of Christ.

Even as lesse white is like more white, though not alike in the same degree, yet in the same nature; there is the same nature in the lesser that there is in the bigger; So we must have the same life, obey the same commandements, be guided by the same [Page 116] rule, swayed by the same motions, led by the same Spirit that was in Christ. If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, the same is none of his, saith the Apostle, Rom. 8. 9.

What, saith one, can there be any man Obj. that is none of Christs? doth not he say that every beast in the field, and the cattell on a thousand hills, are his? Psal. 50. 10. and doth he say that there are some men that are none of his?

Yea, saith the Apostle, If any man be not Answ. led by the Spirit of Christs, the same is none of his. Indeed he is Christs as the beasts are his, by creation and preservation, &c. but thou art none of Christs by grace and re­demption, unlesse thou hast the same Spirit that was in Christ to live in thee.

What is it to walke as Christ walked? it is to contemne the same gaine and plea­sures and vanities of the world that he contemned; to yield to the same precepts that he obeyed; to yeild to the same re­proaches, hatred and persecutions that he endured; to take up the same duties, to preach the same truths, to live in the same rule, and in all to be led by the same Spirit.

Thus you see the explanation of the do­ctrine; come we now to the Reasons, which [Page 117] are principally these foure.

The first reason is taken from the scope Reas. 1 and end for which the Lord did send his Son into the world; as to justifie the ungodly, so also to conforme all those that are justified to the image of Christ.

You may read that this was Gods pur­pose, that he laid downe in himselfe from all eternity before the foundation of the world was laid; when he predestinated that his Son should come into the world, he predestinated that all that should be re­deemed by him, should be conformable to the image of his Son, Rom. 8. 29. whom­soever he did foreknow with the fore­knowledge of Love and predestination, them he did predestinate to be made like unto Christ; that looke what Christ was by nature, they might be by grace.

If this be the end of Gods predestinati­on; then it is impossible that any man should be in Christ, and not have the image of Christ; Chrysostome saith, that as Christ was holy by nature: so those that are predestinate, should be holy by grace.

God shall never be frustrated of his end and purpose. If God have purposed it, who shall frustrate it? Man indeed may [Page 118] be frustrated of his end, because of his weaknesse and inability to accomplish by himselfe what he purposeth; some other person or thing prevents him of his end. But God as he hath a purpose in himselfe, so he is powerfull and able to bring his purpose to passe.

We may conclude that that man that prayeth for mercy, and wisheth Oh that I might have redemption by Christ, Oh that I meght goe to Heaven, and yet lives in his sinnes and slavery to his lusts: he prayeth to have benefit by Christ, and to goe to Heaven in spight of God, against the will and purpose of God.

God hath predestinated that all that shall have life & glory, shall be made conforma­ble to his Son; that they shall be holy, pure, and [...]ighteous as Christ was; that they shall be lowly, humble, and mecke as Christ was.

Our owne consciences may tell us, that God cannot be frustrated of his end and purpose: but that thus we must be made conformable to Christ, or else we shall ne­ver have benefitt or salvation by him: or else Gods purpose would be frustrated and in vaine.

That thing must be frustrated, and in vaine, [Page 119] that attaines not its end: if this be the end that God hath purposed in himselfe, in the giving of Christ for life and salvation to the world, that all that are redeemed and saved by him, should be made conformable to him: either all such as are not conforma­ble to the Image of Christ, shall never be saved, but shall perish for ever without Christ: or else Gods purpose must be fru­strated and in vaine.

The second reason, is taken from the Reas. 2 practise of Christianity (saith Leo) in vaine are we called Christians, if we be not Imi­tators of Christ, and live as he lived. The Disciples, are called Christians, Acts. 11. 26. The very name tells us that we must be followers of Christ, or else, we are not in Christ: if any man be in Christ, he must really be a Christian.

As a man if he be of a trade, he must set up that trade, all his layings out and travell and paines must be in that trade: why? it is his profession: so, if a man be in Christ, all his conversation must be Christian, his labours and indeavours must be in the trade of Christianity, he must walke as Christ walked. He must be a Christian in all his courses, in all his ways, or else he is not in Christ.

As the Platonists are denominated from Pla­to, so are Christians from Christ. The Fran­ciscans from Francis, the Dominicans from Dominicke; these were bound to follow the rules of their order, or else superstition would not suffer them to be of that Order: much lesse canst thou be of the Order of Christ, if thou observe not his rules, if thou live not as he lived.

Christ hath given thee a law for thy mind, for to governe thy thoughts: Thou wilt not busie thy thoughts with holy meditati­ons: thy heart is not christian. Christ hath given a law to thy affections: thou wilt be fret [...]ull and impatient, malicious, proude, and ambitious, and carnall; thy passions are not christian. Christ hath given a law to thy life, that thy life may be holy; there­fore if thy life be not according to the Go­spell of Christ, thy life is not christian, neither will Christ owne thee for his, but will slay thee with curses, as an enemy of his crosse, and not as a follower of his death; these mine enemies that will not that I should reigne over them, saith Christ: Luke. 19. 27. Bring them hither and slay them before me.

Thou canst not looke for a Saviour to have mercy on thee, if thou wilt not be ru­led as a Disciple of Christ, but thou shalt [Page 121] be damned in the presence of Christ. Slay them before me, saith Christ; Christ Jesus which is the Saviour of the world, will damme thee, and see thee confounded be­fore his face; he himselfe will see thee in hell: thou mayest cry for mercy, and for the bloud of Christ; yet if thou wilt not live as Christ lived, but wilt rebell and sin against Christ, Christ will see thee in hell, and though he looke on thee, yet he will destroy thee without mercy.

If ever thou beest in Christ, thou must walke as Christ walked; thou must be a Christian like to that good Martyr, who to all demands answered that he was a Chri­stian. When they asked him what his name was, he answered it was Christian; his thoughts were Christian, his words and a­ctions Christian; his countrey, his hopes, his aime, all that ever he did, they could get nothing out of him, but all was Christi­an, and so he gave testimony to the Lord Jesus. So I tell thee, thou must be a Chri­stian all over, a Christian in thy thoughts, in thy words, a Christian in thy calling, and in all thy imployments, being swayed by the Gospell of Christ, or else thou art not in Christ.

The third reason is taken from the essen­tiall Reas. 3 [Page 122] or rather from the integrall union that is between Christ and all these that are in Christ; they are all members of his most gracious body. Ye are the body of Christ, and mem­bers in particular, 1 Cor. 12. 27. now, we know that all the members have the same life, and are quickened by the same soule: the soule is whole in the whole body, and whole in every member of the body: so if Christ be our head, we are his members, and the christian life of Christ must be diffused tho­rough us, so that one man cannot be a drun­kard, another a worldling, another an Epi­cure, another a swearer, another a whore­master, another a lyar, another a luke­warmeling, another a mocker, another a vaine Jester, another a man-pleaser, and yet be a member of Christ. All the members of Christ must have one life.

As in a mans body, there be veines, arte­ries, and nerves, that are the channells to convey life, and motion and sence to every member, that all the members may have the same life dispersed through the body. So it is in the body of Christ: every mem­ber of Christ hath fayth for his veines, to convey the same life, and the same spirits, and the same gratious motions to all the body, that it is not now the member that [Page 123] lives, but Christ that lives in it. Gal. 2. I live not, saith the Apostle, but Christ liveth in me. As in the body, it is not the eye that seeth, if we speake properly, but the man that seeth with the eye: so it is not the knife that cuts, but the man that cuts with the knife; it is not the eare that heareth, but the man that heareth with the eare: so in the body of Christ, it is no more the man that speaketh, but the truth of Christ speaking in him. We have the minde of Christ, saith the Apostle: 1 Cor. 2. 16. if we be in Christ, Christ thinks in us, Christ speaks in us, Christ walkes in us, Christ doth all in us: As in the same body, the soule rules and quickens every member. The body of Christ cannot be a monster, like those Lo­custs spoken off Revel. 9. 7. that had shapes like horses, heads as it were like Crownes of gold, and their faces like the faces of a man, and had haire like women, and teeth like Lyons; this is a monster, and not a sim­ple body: such a one cannot the body of Christ be; a mocker for one member, an ignorant sot for another, an hypocrite for another, a carnall gospeller for another, a covetous worldling for another.

As in the body of a man, every member in this mans body, must be this mans mem­ber, [Page 124] and not the member of another man: As for example, Peter must have Peters legs, and not Simon Magus his legs: Peter must have Peters eyes, and not Alexanders eyes: Peter must have Peters hands, and not Judas hands: you cannot take the eye of an Horse, the leg of a Dog, and the paw of a Beare, and put them together, and say here's a man: no, this would be a monster: every perfect body must have its own mem­bers.

So it is in the body of Christ: every member in Christ his Body, must have Christ his Members: every member in a mans body acts with reason, so every member of Christ acts with direction of Christ it is informed by Christ, his minde is quickned by Christ his life: so that a man cannot be a member of Christ, but he must walke as Christ walked.

I know, the best Christian may fall seven times a day, though he be in Christ: it doth not therefore follow that every particular action savours of Christ: but, as every member in the body lives the life of the whole body, or else it is a dead member: so thou must live the life of Christ, or else thou canst never be saved.

You know that all the actions of a man [Page 125] are guided by reason: yet there are some particular actions that he doth, and not by reason: as it may be he shakes his head, or moves his hand, and jogs his foote, and considers not what he doth: they are the a­ctions of a reasonable man, though not rea­sonable actions: so, there may be many acti­ons that are the actions of Christians, though not Christian actions. The sinnes of the godly, they are the actions of a Christi­an, but they are not Christian actions: there may be stoppings in the body: though the same life and quickening runnes through the whole body: yet through the stopping of the liver and the pipes, distempers and ill humours may be raised in the body; so it may be in the body of Christ: and so many a Christian may fall through infirmity; but, the course of a Christian, the life of a Christian, the ordinary trade of a Christian, the walke of a Christian is to live with the same spirit that lived in Christ, to walke in the same way that Christ walked in.

The last reason, is taken from the neere Reas. 4 relation that is to be betweene Christ and every member of Christ. They are not onely the Servants and Disciples of Christ, but they are the children of Christ, by his begetting [Page 126] of them. If all that are in Christ, are the children of Christ, they must needs walke as Christ walked. Like begets the like. In­deede a godly man may beget a wicked childe, a gracelesse sonne; the reason is, be­cause he begets his sonne not as he is a god­ly man, but as he is a man corrupt by na­ture with sinne: but Christ begets as he is God, and therefore as he is without sinne in himselfe, so he never begets any but by an eternall spirit, and therefore they cannot but be like him. Be ye followers of God as deare Children. Ephes. 5. 1. The Apostle grounds his exhortation upon a necessity in grace. Consider, if you be the children of God, it can be no otherwise but you must be followers of Christ as deare children. The begetter communicates himselfe to the begotten: if the begetter be flesh, he beget­teth flesh: so Adam begot a sonne after his owne likenesse: that that is borne of the flesh, is flesh. John. 3. and is of a fleshly nature. That that is borne of the spirit is spirit. If we are begotten again by the Spirit of God, then are we spiritualized of God; so that a man cannot be in Christ, unlesse he be the childe of Christ, and walke as Christ wal­ked. Christ was perfect, Christ was merci­full; be you so, saith Christ, Math. 5. Be [Page 127] you perfect as your Heavenly Father is per­fect; as if he should say, you cannot be the children of your Heavenly Father, unlesse you be perfect as he is perfect, mercifull as he is mercifull, holy as he is holy, righte­ous as he is righteous, walke as he walked.

Is it so that all that are in Christ, walke Use. 1 as Christ walked? then all wicked men blas­pheme the name of Christ, that doe not live the life of the Lord Jesus.

These blaspheme the holy and sacred name of Christ. Oh saith one, I hope I am a Christian: yet the man is a drunkard, or a whoremaster, or a gamester, or a world­ling, a proud man, a covetous man. What? was Christ a drunkard? was Christ a whore­master? was Christ a gamester, a worldling, proude, covetous? it were blasphemy for any to say so of Christ: and it is also blas­phemy for thee who walkest not after the Gospell, to say thou art a Christian. As I am a Christian, saith another: yet the man is a filthy speaker. Was Christ such a one? a swearer, &c.? Thou blasphemest the name of Christ. I hope we are all Christi­ans, saith a third; and yet they are men that live in security and prophanesse. What? was there security in Christ? was propha­nesse in Christ? Oh, what blasphemie is it for thee to stile thy selfe by the Name of [Page 128] Christ, to say thou art in Christ? Revel. 2. 9. saith Christ, I know the blasphemy of them that say they are Jewes and are not: that say they are the children of Abraham, but doe not the workes of Abraham. If a man did blaspheme God to stile himselfe a Jew, or a childe of Abraham, that did not the workes of Abraham: what blasphemy then is it for thee to say thou art a Christian, and yet dost not the workes of Christ? could not a man take the name of Abraham, but he did blaspheme, unlesse he did the workes of of Abraham? how then durst thou take the name of Christ upon thee, and not doe the workes of Christ, not walke as Christ walked?

Beloved, is any man a Christian? he hath holinesse engraven in his forehead to the Lord, in his heart, in his thoughts, in his words, and in all his wayes: he is one that gaspeth after holinesse.

Art thou a Christian? of all sinnes under Heaven God cannot endure the sinnes of a Christian that hath the name of Christ put upon him. When Gods materiall tem­ple was defiled by buyers and sellers, Christ whippes them out, and after told them that the days would come wherein there should not be left of it one stone upon another. [Page 129] God would not endure the Temple because it was dedicated to his Name, called his house, when it was made a den of theeves. Doth God care so much for stocks and stones, that are dedicated to his name? will he not endure an unholy stone, and will he endure an unholy Christian? Thou that art dedicated unto God, and unto his ser­vice, thou that art dedicated to prayer, to hearing, thou that art dedicated to an holy conversation, thou that art called the Tem­ple of God, and the House of God, wilt thou make it a denne of theeves, a denne of vaine thoughts, a denne of wicked words, of dead and ungodly workes? wilt thou defile the Temple of the Lord? then know, the Lord will not let one stone lie upon a­nother, but will cast thee downe and damn thee body and soule in hell for ever.

Thou saiest thou art a Christian; how so? thou saiest thou wast christened: thy condemnation is the heavier, if thou saiest thou hast beene baptized into the Name of Christ, and hast not put on Christ. Exa­mine thy selfe: hast thou put on Christ? o­therwise it is no matter for thy bap­tisme.

Can I say that man hath put on his cloths, that hath not a ragge on his backe, nor a [Page 130] shoe on his foote, nor a hatte to his head, nor a ring on his finger? so, when there is never a Christ in thy thoughts, never a Christ in thy speech and conference, ne­ver a Christ in thy walke, never a Christ in thy calling, in thy buying and selling, never a Christ shining forth in thy life and conversation, canst thou say thou hast put on the Lord Christ?

Can any man say that a beggar hath put on Royall robes, when he hath nothing but ragges and patches▪ upon him? so, if I see a man with ragged thoughts of the world, with ragged speeches of the flesh, and a ragged course and conversation, according to the course and conversation of the world, I can never say that such a one hath put on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Dost thou say thou hast put on Christ? why then, shew me the signes of Christ in thee. Shall I see it by thine apparell? it may be that is garish. Shall I see it by thy speech and conference? it may be that is earthly and carnall. Shall I see it by thy thoughts? it may be they are vaine, sin­full, and worldly. Shall I see it by thy company? it may be they are wicked and gracelesse. Shall I see it in thy course and conversation? it may be that is loose and [Page 131] prophane. How canst thou then demonstrate that thou art a Christian? it may be now and then thou wilt give a prayer unto Christ, turne up the white of thine eye to Christ, it may be thou wilt looke into the Temple of Christ, and lend an eare to Christ. Is this to be in Christ? if thou be in Christ, then thou must live the life of Christ in all thy wayes.

The life of a man is a continued thing. A man is not alive at his dinner, and dead when he hath done: alive at his worke, and dead when his worke is done; so it is not enough for thee to prove that thou art in Christ, that thou art alive at prayer, or at preaching: life is a continued thing: thou must be alive after prayer as well as be­fore, alive after the Sermon as well as whilst thou art at it, if thou hast the life of Christ in thee; it is a standing life: it will not make thee alive at prayer, and dead when thou hast done: it will not make thee holy and spirituall at a Sermon, and leave thee dead and carnall when it is done: not holy and heavenly in a discourse and conference, and worldly and prophane when it is done: not to be holy and lively &c. in a good moode, and leave thee dead­hearted, secure and loose afterwards; this [Page 132] is not be in Christ. no; the life of Christ is a standing and a continuing life: it will make thee alive after all thy services; after every duty as thou wast before or in the duty.

He that sayth he abideth in him, &c.

In this word He, there are three uses.

• 1 Of Indignation.
• 2 Discrimination.
• 3 Scrutiny.

First Indignation. The Apostle doth as 1 it were point at a certayne man in his con­gregation, as if that there had beene some man that he knew was not in Christ. What man soever, whether in this pewe, or in that pewe, whether on this forme, or on that forme, if he abide in Christ, he ought to walke as Christ walked.

Hence observe, That a Minister is bound De [...]t. 1. to preach home in particular, so that he may summon this man and that man in the Church, as the Apostle doth here; (he that sayth) if there be any one amongst the whole multitude, that sayth he abideth in Christ, he ought also himself to walk as he walked. And this commission God gives unto all his Ministers: Marke. 16. 15. Goe, preach the Gospell to every creature: he doth not say preach the Gospell before every crea­ture [Page 133] so they may doe, and preach in gene­rall: but to every creature, that every crea­ture may feele the Gospell beating on his heart, that every creature may see his sins, that so the Gospell may be applyed to his heart.

All the names given to Ministers, shew thus much. They are called Seeds-men: now, a Seeds-man doth not take a whole coppe, or a whole bushell of corne and throw it in a heape in his field; but he takes it and scatters it abroade, that every place may receive some.

So, they are called Builders; now, a buil­der doth not onely frame the whole buil­ding, but he layes every particular bricke, and every particular stone in his building.

So, they are called Shepheards; a Shep­heard doth not onely looke to his flocke in generall, but to every Ram, and to every Lambe in his flocke.

So, Preachers must not onely preach the word of God in generall, but they must preach in particular.

The ground of this will appeare, if we consider three things in particular.

First, particulars are most operative; it is 1 not fire in generall that burnes, but is this or that fire: so it is not sinne in generall, that [Page 134] will humble a man: it is not repentance in generall that will turne a man: it is not fayth in generall that will save a man: but, this sinne and that sinne: this repentance and that repentance: this fayth and that fayth.

All actions they are of singulars. A uni­versall man cannot reason, a universall man cannot dispute, a universall man cannot see, nor heare. No, it is this man, and that man that seeth and heares, and disputes. Parti­culars are most operative: preaching to men in particular, is powerfull preaching: that workes upon mens consciences. How came the Prophet to preach powerfully to the people? He declared to Jacob his sinne, and to Jsraell his transgression: Micha. 3. 8. I am full of power, by the▪ Spirit of the Lord, sayth the Prophet; here was the way wher­by the Prophet preached powerfully; so that the Spirit went and rent mens hearts and consciences, and made them tremble; how? why he made every soule see his sinnes: so, that Minister that would preach powerfully to the consciences of his peo­ple, he must make every one of them to see their sinnes against God, and his comman­dements, so that they may confesse I see I have beene a greivous sinner, and I am in [Page 135] the state of damnation: and I must repent, or else I shall be damned.

Secondly, particulars are most distinct; 2 when the preacher preacheth only in gene­rall, it workes a confused knowledge, knowledge of sinne in generall: a confused repentance, a confused humiliation, and a confused fayth in the generall; it may be, it may make a man see he is a sinner in the generall: but there are many thousand thousand sinnes in particular that he takes no notice of, but swallowes them downe in the generall: it may be his sinnes may be discovered in the generall: but alas, there are many yea multitudes of deceits, of turnings and windings of the heart in particular, that are never discovered to them. All the religion of these men, is on­ly generall: I love God with all my heart, sayth one: and yet the man is grossely igno­rant of God. Aske him any particulars, how he can prove his love to God, and the man cannot shew any. So, I serve God with all my heart: but goe to particulars, and bid him manifest what he speakes; so, I feare God, I worship God: but bring them to the particular w [...]orkes of these gra­ces, and they are gone presently, they are lost, and know not what to answer.

Thus the people in Malachies time, they thought they had much knowledge while the Preist preached thus overly to them; but when the Prophet came to preach home, and to come with particulars to them, they thought the Prophet was madde, they knew not what he meant. You have despi­sed the Lord, saith the Prophet; wherein? say they: Malac. 1. 6. You have prophaned the worshippe of God, You have polluted the table of the Lord, sayth the Prophet: ver. 7. wherein? said they. You have wearied the Lord with your words, said the Prophet. Chapt. 2. ver. 17. wherein? said they. You have robbed God. Chapt. 3. ver. 8. wherein? said they. See, your words have beene stoute against the Lord, said the Prophet; yet they said what have we spoken? ver. 13. they could not tell wherein, till the Prophet told them, herein have you robbed God, herein have you despised the Lord, herein you have prophaned the worshippe of God &c.

So, should the Minister of God come to men, and tell them in particular, thou art an enemy to Gods grace, thou hast abused Gods patience; wherein? sayest thou. Thou art one that scornest the word of God, and thou defilest all the Ordinances of God. Wherein? sayest thou. Thou art one that putst [Page 137] farre from thee the evill day, wherein? sayest thou.

Now, when the Minister of God can come to particulars, and shew men where­in; then they crye out against them, and thinke they tell them lies, and preach false things to them: but the Ministers of God are bound to preach so as they may disco­ver mens particular sinnes, not so as people may point one at another, but so as every conscience may feele its owne sinnes.

Thirdly particulars are most sensible. If 3 the Minister preach home in particular, there is not a false heart then in the congre­gation, but he will finde it out; if he preach in particular, he will discover every mans corruption, [...]ling wilde-fire in every wick­ed mans face, and throw balme of com­fort into every godly troubled spirit.

As King James saide well of a reverend Prelate of this Land, Me thinkes this man preacheth of death as if [...] death were at my backe; so should Ministers preach as if Hea­ven were at mens backes, or as if hell were at mens backes. When he preacheth of mens sinnes and corruptions: he must preach so that their consciences may see that the word of God lookes into the very thoughts and hearts; when he preacheth of the wrath [Page 138] of God, and of condemnation &c. he must preach so, that the conscience may feele e­ven the fire of hell flaming in it; this is the way to teach the people the good knowledge of the Lord, as it is called: 2 Chron. 30. 22. every Minister may teach the knowledge of the Lord, but not the good knowledge of the Lord.

There is great difference betweene teach­ing of the knowledge, and of the good know­ledge of the Lord. Men may know God and his word, and their sinnes: but if they goe on in their sins, it is not good know­ledge: then indeede a Minister teacheth good knowledge, when he makes his peo­ple so to know sinne, as to loath it, and to come out of it; so to know repentance as to repent indeed.

Secondly, Discrimination. As if he should 2 say there are some that are in him, and some that are not in him: if any man say he abi­deth in him, he ought himselfe to walk even as he walked: so that here the Apostle would put a difference betweene the sound and the rotten-hearted in his congregation.

Hence observe this point, That every Doct. 2 Minister is bound to preach so, as to make a difference betweene the precious and the vile.

Saint John preached so as that his hea­rers [Page 139] might say, the Spirit of. Christ is in me: or, the Spirit of Christ is not in me: that themselves might know whether in­deede they were true members of Christ, or but hypocrites. This is the duty of Mi­nisters: Ezek. 44. 23. They shall teach my people the difference betweene the holy and pro­phane, and cause men to discerne betweene the cleane and uncleane.

Here is two things.

First, they shall teach them the difference 1 betweene the holy and prophane.

Secondly, they shall not onely shew it 2 before them: but if they will not see it, they shall cause them to see it; that is, they must beate it into them, and rubbe it into their consciences; it may be when men may see, they will not: then, he must make them to see. If there be any prophane person, a­ny lukewarme or dead-hearted professor, or close hypocrite in the congregation, the Minister must make him see his prophanesse, his deadnes, and hypocrisie in Gods wor­shippe: or if there be any godly soule, or broken heart, the Minister must make them to see that they have a broken heart.

First reason, because else, a man defiles the Reas. 1 pulpit, and prophanes the holy things of God. Ezech. 22. 26. Her Preists have violated [Page 140] my law, and prophaned my holy things: they have put no difference betweene the holy and prophane, neither have they shew­ed difference betweene the cleane and un­cleane. Those Ministers prophane the holy place of God, when they make not mens consciences know which is holy and pro­phane; when prophane persons may come and goe from Church, and have not their prophanesse discovered to them: a drun­kard, a swearer &c: and hath not his sinnes laide open to him. Is there any prophane person here, that hath not an arrow shot in­to his heart, but he can goe away and not take any comfort from the Sermon? these men prophane the holy things of God.

When God gave Benhadad into the hands of Ahab, and Ahab spared him, and let him goe. 1 King. 20. the Prophet tells Ahab ver. 42: Thus sayth the Lord, because thou hast let goe a man whom I appointed to utter destruction, therefore thy life shall goe for his life, &c: so, if there be any Minister over any congregation, in which there is any drunkard, any swearer, or whoremaster, or worldling, or lukewarmeling, or any o­ther that lives in such sinnes, which God hath appointed and decreed to eternall de­struction in hell; if we tell them not their [Page 141] sins, and make their consciences feele them, then our life shall goe for their life, our soule for their soule: for we might have given them such a wound as might have beene a meanes to have cured their soule.

Secondly, We are not the Ministers of Reas. 2 Christ, if we preach not so as that men may know that they are not converted, if they are not &c. God sayth to the Prophet Jeremi­ah, if thou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth: Jer. 15. 19. Jeremiah could not be Gods mouth to the people, unlesse he would divide betweene the precious and the vile. Vnlesse Mini­sters preach so as to make the consciences of their hearers feele in what state they live in, they may be Ministers of Sathan, Idoll shepheards, but they are not the Mi­nisters of Christ.

Thirdly, because otherwise they can doe Reas. 3 no good: Ezek. 34. 17. and as for you O my flocke, thus sayth the Lord God, behold I will judge betweene cattell and cattell, &c. as if he should say, woe unto the shepheards; will they not preach so as to make a diffe­rence betweene cattell and cattell? woe unto the Preists: will they not preach so as to feede my flocke? I will require my flocke at their hands: and now sayth God, [Page 142] will not the shepheards of my people doe it? I will now doe it my selfe, I will con­vert those that are to be converted &c. I will feede and provide for my flocke my selfe.

Austin notes, that after that Peter had smote off Malchus his eare, Peter came to be a shepheard, and an Apostle of Christ; after Paul had persecuted the Church, he came to be a Preacher, and an Apostle of Christ: so after Moses had killed the Egyp­tian, God made him the Captaine and De­liverer of his people. Austin observes from this, that God appoints none for his Mini­sters but Smiters, such as be men of blows, men that will smite men home to the heart, men that will wound the consciences of their hearers.

This I speake that you may not be offen­ded at the Ministers of Christ, when they apply the word of God to your severall consciences: and whensoever you have the truth of Christ preached to your soules, let your hearts make use of it: for if thou apply not the word of God to thy soule as it is preached, thou art guilty of thine owne bloud. If you apply not the word, you put off the word of God: and then, what sayth the Apostle? Acts. 13. 46. It was necessary [Page 143] that the word of God should first have beene spoken to you: but, seeing you put it farre from you, and judge your selves unworthy of ever­lasting life &c.

Yo [...] that have heard the word of God, apply it to your soules, it is a blessed plai­ster: let it lie on your soules: goe home, and say, Lord, I have beene told of this and that sinne, of my pride, hypocrisie, deadnes, and distraction in thy worshippe and service, &c. I see they are against thy will, and thou commandest mee to come out of them, and to leave them; Lord, I beseech thee inable mee to leave them all; so, Lord, I have beene told this day of such and such graces, which thou hast commanded mee for to have, of such and such dutyes that thou wouldest have mee to take up and performe; Lord, subject my heart to the power of grace, and to every commande­ment of thy word.

Take heede, if thou doest put off the word of God or any tittle of the word, and wilt not walke according to the same, thou puttest off eternall life from thy selfe. Doe therefore as Gods people did, who when Moses had preached the Law and Will of God to them, it is sayd, Exod. 12. 50. Thus did all the Children of Israell as the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they. [Page 144] So doe you goe home and apply the word to your soules, it was spoken for your good, make use of it, and the Lord be with you.

Thirdly, Scrutiny, it is not onely an out­ward word, but a word of the heart: if any 3 man say, that is, if any man thinke, that he is in Christ, he ought to walke as Christ did. Hence we might observe, That a Mi­nister is bound to preach to mens thoughts. But time cuts us off.

THE ENMITIE OF The Wicked, to the light of the GOSPELL.

THis is part of Christ his parly with Nicodemus concerning regeneration: wherein our Sa­viour doth declare foure main points.

The first is, Mans naturall estate and con­dition 1 without Christ. It is impossible that [Page 146] ever he should be saved, that ever he should get grace or come within the list of eternall life. Christ sayth it, and bindeth it with an oath: ver. 3. Verely, verely, I say unto thee, except a man be borne againe, he cannot see the Kingdome of God: much lesse inherit it.

Secondly, here is Gods gracious provision 2 which he hath taken with the world, that though man were in a way of damnation, invincibly; yet now he is put in a way of probability of salvation: ver. 16. though he were unsalvable by nature, yet now he is salvable by Christ.

Thirdly, here is a generall proclamation 3 upon the condition of fayth, that this salva­bility may be attained if a man beleeve. In the same verse, God so loved the world, that he gave his onely begotten Sonne, that whosoever beleeveth in him, &c. It is a condition of faith, put to all, none excep­ted. Whosoever he be that beleeveth in Christ, he shall be saved.

Fourthly, here is the reprobation of the 4 world; he that beleeveth not, is condem­ned already. The cause whereof cannot be cast on Christ, for, God hath not sent his Son to condemne the world, but that the world tho­rough him might be saved: It was Christs primary purpose, and the first end of his [Page 147] coming, to save the world: it is an acciden­tall end or rather an event of his coming, that the world is condemned. Christ is not the cause of it: he is not the efficient cause, for he is a Saviour: nor the deficient cause, for he is a sufficient Saviour.

That the cause of their condemnation, is from themselves, and not from Christ: is proved by three arguments.

First, from their owne consciences: he that 1 beleeveth not, is condemned already. He cannot here speake of the condemnation of hell, for he is not in hell already. But he speaks of an apprehensiall condemnation in their owne consciences: as Chrysostome observes, he meanes the condemnation of their owne consciences; he that beleeves not, his conscience tells him that it is his fault that he beleeveth not: though it be not in his power to beleeve, yet God hath gone so farre, he hath so farre strugled with mens consciences, that there is no default on his part: They cannot excuse them­selves, saying, I have no power to beleeve: their owne consciences will tell them that God hath knocked at their hearts, and of­fered them power to beleeve, but they re­jected it They cannot say I know not how to beleeve; his owne conscience will tell [Page 148] him that God hath offered instruction to him, whereby he might have beene taught, but that he refused it: so that he that be­leeves not, is condemned already; his own conscience riseth within him, and tells him that it is his owne fault that he doth not.

Secondly, it is proved by experience; ex­perience 2 shews that men are the cause of their owne condemnation: ver. 19. This is the conde [...] nation that light is come into the world, but men loved darkenesse rather then light; the meaning of it, is this, This is the cause of condemnation to the world; not Gods predestination, not their fatall destiny, not their breach of the first covenant, nor any other impiety, but this sinne of Infidelity.

If the world stood guilty of never so ma­ny sinnes: yet, if it did beleeve in the Lord. Jesus, it should be saved. So that it is not all the other sinnes that a man commits, that damnes him: but his infidelity that that layes all his former sinnes that ever he committed upon him; here is condemnati­on, that though light be come into the world, to pull men out of their darkenesse, and sinnes; yea though Christ, though grace come to them, yet they will not come out of their sinnes: men will not have [Page 149] Christ, men will not have grace, men love darkenesse rather then light.

Thirdly, It is proved by reason, ver. 6. 3 the verse now read unto you. For, every man that doth evill, hateth the light: neither cometh to the light, least his deedes should be reproved.

It is a strong argument to prove that if men be damned, themselves are the cause of it: for if light come into the world to in­struct men, if Christ come into the world to plucke men out of their sinnes, if Christ come with his bloud and spirit to cleanse and sanctifie men, and men will not be sanctified: Then, if they perish in their sins, they are justly guiltie of their owne con­demnation.

The words comprehend in them two things.

First, the wickeds rejection of the word of 1 grace: which is set forth both positively, he hates the light: and then privatively or ra­ther negatively, neither commeth to the light.

Secondly, the cause of the wickeds rejection 2 of the word of grace: which is twofold.

First, the qualification of his person, he doeth evill.

Secondly, the disposition of his malepart­nesse, [Page 150] that cannot endure to be reproued.

From the first of these, we observe this.

That a wicked man hates the word of Gods Doctr. grace, yea he doth not onely hate the word of Gods grace, but he hates grace it selfe: he doth not onely hate the Lanthorue that beareth the light, but he hates the light it selfe.

I choose not to stand to shew you how the word is called a light: but that which I take to be more necessary for this place, I will first shew you what this hatred of the word of grace and of grace it selfe is, and I thus define it.

It is an actuall affection of the heart, where­by [...] a man riseth up against an union with that which seemes to be opposite and contrary to his lust.

So that there be foure things in a wicked mans hatred of the word.

First, it is an actuall hatred: for there is an habituall hatred of the word, even in them that never heard the word; they doe not actually hate it, because they never had it; but they would hate it if they had it; as sore eyes hate the light of the Sunne even when it is downe; for if they had it, they would twinckle at it. Thus all wicked men hate the word, and may be condemned for despisers of the word, though they doe not [Page 151] actually hate it, because they have it not; yet habitually they hate it; they would hate it if they had it. I speake not of this hatred, but of that which is actuall hatred, where­by though they have the word, yet they hate to be controled, and reformed by the word: Prov. 1. 22. O yee fooles, how long will ye hate knowledge?

Secondly, it is a passion of the heart, and 2 so I distinguish it: for I know a wicked man may love the word of God with his understanding and conscience; his under­standing may love the word and say it is good; his conscience may love the word and say it is gratious; yet if he cutts not off his sinnes for the word, he hates it. Psal. 119. 70. Their heart is as fat as grease, but my delight is in thy law; as if he should say, my heart is a leane heart, an hungrie heart, my soule delighteth and rejoyceth in and loveth thy word: I have nothing else to fill it but thy word, and the comforts I have from it: but their hearts are as fat as grease, their hearts are fat hearts, fat with the world, fat with lust, they hate the word.

As a full stomacke loatheth meate and cannot digest it: so wicked men hate the word, it will not goe downe with them, it will not fetch up their lusts.

If thou partest not with thy sinnes, thy heart hateth the word: yet thou thinkest thou lovest the word: thou fayest thou lo­vest to heare the word, and thou lovest good Ministers, and good discourses, &c. it may be that this is nothing but the assent of thine understanding, and the approbation of thy conscience, and so a man may love the word in his understanding and consci­ence, and yet be a hater of the word of God.

The Devills have attained to so much di­vinity as this, they like the word in their understandings, and assent to the truth of it in their consciences; but though their un­derstandings and consciences tell them that it is a good word: yet they hate it. This is a damnable and a most unnaturall hatred.

Indeed if a mans mind and conscience were against the word, it were naturall for him to hate it: it is naturall for a man to hate that which is against his mind: but when thy conscience shall tell thee, this is the word and the will of the Eternall God; and thy conscience shall tell thee, that it is a most true word, a righteous, a just, an holy commandement that commands thee to serve thy God onely, and so to part with all thy sinnes; if yet thou wilt not obey, [Page 153] but goe contrary to his word, thy hatred it is unnaturall and diveli [...] As it was said of [...] his dogge, he had a divell lyed to his collar: of another that he had a divell signed on his swords pummell▪ so I may say to every one that hates the word and to be ruled by it, and yet knowes it in his own understanding and conscience to be [...] [...]e and good word; I may say it is a [...] Hatred, and he hath a divell tyed to his heart, a divell in his heart.

Thirdly, this hatred is that whereby the 3 heart riseth up against an union with the word: hatred is a shunning of an union with a thing. A man doth not hate any evill natu­rally, but he hates an union with it. A man doth not hate poison it selfe, he hates no poison in a toade: let it be there as much as it will, he cares not; so the shepheard, he hates not the wolfe in the Forrest, but in the Flocke. A wicked man hates not the word so long as it keepes within it selfe; he loves Epistles and Gospells, the first and second lesson: so long as the word keepes in the Scriptures, he likes it; but if the word be­gin to take union with him, if the word be­gin to plucke sinne from him, to pull his cupps from him, to plucke his pleasures and delights from him, and his lusts from him, [Page 154] then he hates the word, when it comes in this union to his heart.

I put this union of the word in opposition to foure things.

First against generall preaching; a wicked 1 man loves generall preaching, though it be of all the truthes in the Bible, while they take no union with his heart; he may heare a thousand Sermons and like them all well enough; so long as the word closeth not in with a mans conscience, so long as it grap­ples not with his heart, so long he may love and like it. But let the word come in parti­culars to him, and tell him this is thy sinne, and thou must to hell for it, if thou givest it not over: this hath beene an old lust of thine which will be thy bane if thou repent not: This thy old corruption, it will be thy breake-necke if thou part not with it: if the word come in this union with his soule, then he hates it.

So long as John Baptist tooke his text, and dwelt on the reasons, and went no fur­ther, Herod heard him gladly: but when John came to his use to apply it, and told him in particular, this reproves thee Herod, and all the evills that ever thou hast done, and in particular for thine unlawfull marri­age with thy brother Philips wife: when [Page 155] John came thus, then Herod claps him up in prison; before he heard him with joy and gladnesse: but when he comes close to his conscience, and tells him that his marri­age would condemne him, and his other sinnes would damme him, if he repented not; Herod cannot endure this preaching any longer.

Secondly, in opposition to mercifull Prea­ing. 2 A wicked man loves mercifull Prea­ching; why? it takes no union with his heart, it is like a Plaister that will never sticke. A mercifull Sermon can never sticke on a prophane heart; it is likened to a grea­sie paper that will never fasten, so merci­full Sermons, they will never fasten: on his heart, they cannot take away his sinnes from him.

Ahab he loved his foure hundred meale­mouthed mercifull Preachers well enough; but when Micaiah came to him, O, I hate him, for he never Prophesieth good unto me but evill, he is alwayes upon hell-strings, he is alwayes preaching judgement unto me: I cannot claw off one of his Sermons in a month scarse, I cannot catch hold on any of his Points to comfort my heart; there is not one sentence in all his Sermons to re­fresh my conscience, he never prophesieth [Page 156] good unto me but evill; I hate him.

When a Minister comes to the consci­ence of a man, and tells him this is the truth of God, and this is thy sinne and damnation, and makes his Sermons sticke as a burre on his conscience, and as an arrow shot into his bowells, his heart risith against it, and hee cannot endure it.

Thirdly, in opposition to Preaching when the Minister is dead. A wicked man loves the word when he that preacheth it is dead. Why? then there is none to urge a union of the Word with his conscience. A wicked man loves to read Saint Paul, Saint Peter, and Saint John, &c. why? these men are not alive to urge a union of the word with their consciences; but if Saint Paul, or Saint Peter, &c. were alive to tell them, if this be the word of God, then thou art a damned man, if thou doest not obey it: if this be a grace, then thou art a cursed man, if thou have it not: if these men were alive now, their Sermons would cut to the quicke. So when the Ministers are dead, men love to buy their bookes, and to read their Ser­mons.

Now Master Perkins is dead, all the world honours him, and men buy up his bookes; but when he was alive, the drun­kards [Page 157] made ballads of him, and profane Belials would make songs of him: why? they could not endure this union of the word. If the Minister be by, he cannot be drunke, but the Minister will preach con­demnation to him for it, if he repent not; he cannot sweare, or lie, or deceive, but the Minister will tell him that this will be a core to his conscience another day. Men cannot endure this. Saint Paul and Saint Pe­ter, &c, being dead they like well enough; but if they were alive, they would hate them: why? they cannot endure an union with the word.

This was the religion of the Scribes and Pharisees: Math. 23. 29, 30. they built the tombes of the Prophets, and garnished the Sepulchers of the righteous, and said if they had lived in the dayes of their fathers, they would not have bin partakers with them in the bloud of the Prophets. You are the children of those men that killed the Pro­phets, sayth Christ: ver. 31. Are not you the children of those men? doe not you doe those sinnes which the Prophets cried out against, and for which the Prophets de­nounced such fearefull judgements upon them? I tell you if the Prophets were now alive, they would crie hell and damnation, [Page 158] to you: if the Prophets were now alive, and did see those sinnes you commit, they would denounce woe and vengeance to you as they did to their fathers.

Oh saith one, if I had lived in the Jewes time, I would never have opposed Christ and his Apostles, I would have kissed the very ground that they trod on; then, wretch why doest thou not doe that which these men preached? looke in the writings of these holy men, of Paul, of Peter, &c. Dost thou doe that which Paul and Peter have wrote thou shouldest doe? doest thou look in their writings, and not obey what they have wrote? I tell thee, if Peter and Paul were alive, they would tell thee thou shoul­dest be damned, if thou repentest not. if John and James were alive, they would tell thee that the wrath of God will take hold on thee, if thou yeeld not obedience to that word they preached to thee.

If Paul were alive, he should have many a Tertullus to oppose him: if John were a­live, he should have many a Herod to im­prison him: if Amos were alive, he should have many an Amaziah to banish him, and to silence him; but now they are dead, men can like them well enough.

A righteous man in the way, is an abomi­nation [Page 159] to the wicked. Prov. 29. 27. he doth not say an upright man when he is dead, [...]s an abomination to the wicked: for when he is dead, they may praise him, and love him, and love to have his picture amongst them: then they will speake well of him, and commend him. I speake that, because I would not be misconstrued.

Let a man be a godly man indeed, a Saint indeed, as long as he lives, the men of the world will hate him. I have chosen you out of the world, saith Christ, and therefore the world hates you, &c.

It hath beene an old haunt and custome of the world to hate and maligne the righte­ous, to reproach them, to call them Puri­tans, &c: though very heathens have ac­knowledged that there is no religion with­out purity. Cicero, Horace and others de­scribing a man that is religious, say that he is an intire man, a man pure from sinne.

If any man will not beleeve it, let him trie it: let him be holy and gratious, and shew forth the power of religion in his life, let him contemne the world, &c. and see whether wicked men will not hate him, re­proach and disgrace him what they can: not as if a godly man could not be godly and religious, unlesse he be hated and re­proached [Page 160] by the world: for it may be.

First, when a man that is truly religious and godly is a great man, and all the Coun­trey are loth to lose his favour, or to pur­chase his ili will▪ then he may be free from hate and reproach.

Secondly, when he is a man of admirable witte and knowledge, that the world admires him for his learning, and for his understan­ding, and for his parts: such a one men will rather admire then revile.

Thirdly, it may so be that God may give a godly man favour in the eyes of the world: howsoever the world would hate, and re­proach them, yet God may so strike their consciences that they cannot doe it. Other­wise, a godly man, especially if he be such a one by whose godlinesse and purity a wicked man is judged and condemned in his conscience for his ungodlinesse and pro­phanesse, the wicked will hate him.

Lastly, I put it in opposition to now and then preaching: a wicked man loves prea­ching, though never so sharpe and terrible, so it come but now and then: if the Mini­ster preach never so powerfully, never so terribly, if it give him a reproofe and away: so it doth not stand digging in his consci­ence, and galling his heart day by day; [Page 161] let the Minister enter a reproofe into his hear [...] againe, so it be but once or twice, he cares not. Why? he thinkes he can recover himselfe againe from it: b [...] let the word of God come into him, and galle his con­science continually, that every Sabboth he is convicted for a condemned man if he live not otherwise▪ every▪ Serm [...]n the Minister findes him out in his [...] and dearest sinnes; he can never goe to Church, but he hears the Minister reprooving him for some s [...]me or other, telling him that he must to hell for them unlesse he repe [...]t; and leade a new life; thus when the word followes him every Sabboth that he hath no breathing time to recover his lust; this makes him to hate the word.

Amos 7. The Prophet preaching the word of the Lord, and denouncing the Judge­ments of God to the people for their sinnes, Amaziah opposeth him: ver. [...]2. and sayth unto Amos, O thou Seen, goe flye thee away in­to the Land of Judah, and there eate bread, and prophesie there, but prophesie not againe a­ny more at Bethell, for it is the Kings Chap­pell, and it is the Kings Court. He could like it well enough that Amo [...] should prophesie once or twice▪ but if he did prophesie any more, he should spoile all their mirth, he [Page 162] should gall all their consciences go, saith he, prophesie in Judah, & eate thy bread there. Amos should prophesie where he would, so it were not there; he might eate his bread where he would, so it were not there.

Lastly, as it is an actuall affection of the heart, whereby the heart riseth up against an union: so in the last place, it is against that that is dissonant and repugnant to his lust. For, as love is the consonancy of the af­fection to a thing that hath agreement there­with: so hatred must needs be dissonancy of affection to a thing that is repugnant and contrary to it. So, a wicked man he hates the word, because it disagrees and jarres with his lust. Indeed a wicked man may love the word so long as it opposeth not a­gainst his lust. Therefore a wicked man may love three kinds of preaching.

First, Quaint preaching that savours more 1 of humanity then of divinity. As long as the Minister commeth with dainty phrases, a­cute stories, eloquent allusions, and fine transitions, they will like it well enough: it jarres not with their lust: and therefore you shall heare them when they come from Church, commend him, O he was a fine spokes-man, a witty schollar: what a lear­ned and excellent Sermon did he make to [Page 163] day? so farre as the word opposeth not his lust, a man may love preaching.

The people they did love to heare Ezeki­ell preach, they did love to heare his plea­sant words.

The Babylonians they did love to heare Davids songs: it was fine melody to them, though they hated the sence; so the Philistins they did love to heare Sampson speake, they knew he was a witty man, and could speake fine riddles to them, but they hated his re­ligion: so the people, they did love to heare Christ preach, and would flocke after him, they did wonder at his authority, &c. yet they hated his doctrine, for they cried cru­cifie him, crucifie him; so if a Minister speake onely of witte, learning and memo­ry, &c. a wicked man will love it, it oppo­seth not his lust.

Secondly, they may love Impertinent 2 preaching: when though it be never so per­tinent to some in the Church, yet if it be not pertinent to him, he loves that. As the drunkard, loves to heare the Minister preach against hypocrisie, though never so sharply; The prodigall person loves to heare the Minister preach against covetousnesse. But if the word come to strike him under his fifth ribbe, to discover his corruptions, and [Page 164] the plagues of God due to him for his sins, then he hates it.

Thirdly, he may love preaching in tanto, 3 though not in [...]oto▪ he mav love so, or so much preaching, but not preaching altogether. A wicked mans conscience tells him that he must have some religion, that he must per­forme some service to God: and therefore so long as the Minister onely calls for some preaching, some hearing, and some serving of God, why, his conscience calls for so much.

The vilest drunkard, and blasphemer, and swearer that is, will be content to heare of calling upon the Lord Jesus at his death: the vilest whoremaster, and prophane per­son, the earthly worldling, &c. will yeeld to some preaching, and to some hearing, and to some reading: why, otherwise their con­sciences would not be at quiet, but would be as the divells band-dogge, bawling and houting at him. But if the Minister call for more religion then his lust will suffer; for more religion then will subsist with his se­curity, deadnesse, lukewarmenesse, hypo­crisie, worldlinesse, that he cannot yeeld to, and retaine them: then he thinkes there is too much of it, then he hates it, and cannot endure it.

Thus you see, that wicked men hate the word of God. I set it forth by three instan­ces: Rom. 1. 30. Haters of God. They did not hate his being and essence, his goodnes and mercy, but they hated him as he was a Lawgiver. The devills hate not God as he is God and hath a being, but they hate him as he is a Lawgiver and as he is their Judge, they cannot endure to be called by this God, to be controuled and judged by him. Thus was it with the Colossians, before they were converted: they were enemies to God Col. 1. 21. Our Saviour takes away the whole doubt, and speakes it peremptorily and generally of all the world, they hated me; the whole world so long as they live in their sinnes, hate Christ, and hate his word.

First, a wicked man hates the word, be­cause Reas. 1 he hates the truth and the being of the word: he is sorry that the word of God is true; he would be glad that the Scripture might prove false: that things may not be as the word of God saith they are; he hates the being of the word. A man loves the being of that which he loves, and he hates the being of that which he hates, and were it in his power, he would destroy it. Now, though a wicked man cannot destory the [Page 166] Bible from being in it selfe, yet he will de­stroy the Bible from being in his life.

For, beloved, the word of God, should not onely be in the Bible, but the Bible should be in a mans life. A mans life should be a walking Bible: but a wicked man de­stroyes the Bible from being in his life. A civill man would be glad that Aristotles E­thicks were the Bible. A worldly man would be glad that the Booke of Statutes were the Bible; he is sorry that that is the Bible which indeed is the Bible.

The young man that came to Christ; though he loved eternall life, and said that he loved the Commandements of God, yet when our Saviour told him one thing is wan­ting, goe and sell all that thou hast, and give it to the poore, saith the text of him, he went away sorrowfull; as if he should say he was sorry that there was any such truth in the Scripture: he would have beene glad that there had beene no such text in the word of God.

The Prophets prophesie falsely, and my peo­ple love to have it so. Jer. 5. 31. they hated to have it so as the word would have it. But when the false Prophets told them it was otherwise, O, they loved that.

Beloved, the men of the world would be [Page 167] glad that God would make another Bible, that drunkards and whoremasters might be saved: another Bible, that earthwormes and worldlings and proud persons might be saved. If God would raine downe a new Bible, another Bible, I feare there are ma­ny thousands amongst us, that now say they love the Bible, yet would love to heare of it, and come from all places to seeke af­ter it, after another Bible that would shew the way to heaven a little wider; men are loth to heare of so much holinesse, so much precisenesse: they love not to be beaten on that string, a signe that they hate it.

Can a man that is nothing but flesh and bloud, love the text of Saint Paul that flesh and bloud cannot inherit the Kingdome of God 1 Cor. 15. 50? Can an old filthy sinner love that text of Isaiah, an old sinner though he be an hundred yeares old shall be accursed. Isai▪ 65. 20? Can a Usurour love the 15 Psalme? Can a lukewarmeling love Rev. 3. 16? no, he would be glad that there were no such truth in the word, and therefore he hates it. Rom. 8. 7. A wicked man is such an enemy to the word, that all the Ministers in En­gland cannot reconcile him to it.

Secondly, wicked men hate the word, because they doe hate the nature of the word. [Page 168] If men did love the word of God, they would will what the word of God wills, and nill what the word of God nills. It is a good proverbe amongst us, It is the property of lovers to will and nill the same things.

If men did love the word, then looke what the word sayth, they would doe: what the word commands them, they would obey. If men did love the word, they would conforme their hearts and lives to the rules of the word. But the carnall minde is enmity a [...]ainst God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. Rom. 8. 7.

A wicked man hates the law of God; why? the heart of a wicked man conceives the word of God to be against him: he can not thinke a thought but the word is against it: he cannot speake a word, but the word of God is against it; he cannot pray his dead hearted prayers, but the word of God is against him &c. And as the word of God is against him, so his heart is against the word: he is of one mind, the word of ano­ther: he is of one minde, and the word of the cleane contrary minde against him.

Lastly, as a wicked man hates the being of 3 the word, and the nature of the word in it selfe, so he hates the being of it in his understanding; [Page 169] he [...] o [...] [...] the knowledge of the word: therefore they say unto God, depart from us, we desire [...]o [...] the knowledge of thy waves. Jab. 21. 14.

A wicked man would [...]aine keepe this and that lust [...] he is loth to depart with his old corruptions, his old sinnes▪ he hath li­v [...]d [...] them so long, that he is loth to part with his old freinds; he would faine go [...] on in his lust and therefore he hates the knowledge of the word that would strippe him of his lust, saith Aquinas. Now he cannot be free for his sinnes, and be curbed by the knowledge of the word.

I will tell you, once it was my happe to preach a Sermon two or three hundred miles from this place, and when Sermon was done, I heard a man say, O what a beast was I to come to this Sermon; what a beast was I to come to it!

When the word of God comes to men, and tells them that their state is damnable if they live in their sinnes: when the word of God comes to the heart, many are sorry that they ever heard the word of God, that ever the word made such a thing knowne to them.

The drunkard, the wanton, the Usurer, and the worldling, how glad would they [Page 170] bee that the Minister could prove by the word of God, that these sinnes were law­full, that usury were lawfull; that covetous­nesse were lawfull? &c. But when the word goes flat against them; then they cannot endure that word: why? their conscience beginnes to penne them in, it puts their hearts in the stocks as it were, they can­not have freedome in the pursuite of their lusts and sinnes: an evident signe that men hate the word.

Austin saith of a wicked man, He loves the truth shining, but he hates the truth repro­ving. As much of the word as you will, to make him skillfull in knowing: but he hates the word every dramme of it, check­ing and rebuking, girding and controuling him for his sinnes.

Beloved, what is all our preaching? doth it not shew that men hate the word? neede any goe to the field and exhorte the Hus­bandman to plough and sow his ground? neede we goe to your houses to perswade men to feede, to eate and drinke, and to cloath themselves? neede we goe to the Alehouse and perswade the drunkard to drinke, the swearer to sweare, the gamester to play? no; men love their backes, and their bellies, men love their profits and [Page 171] their pleasures; men love their lusts and sinnes. But they must be exhorted and in­treated, and commanded to obey, and to love the word of God, and all little e­nough.

Hence then is a reproofe to all the wicked Use. amongst us. O beloved, it is too true that abundance of us doe hate the light. Did wee not hate the light, we would have sha­ken all our hands of our sinnes sheere ere now; did we not hate the light, we would have crucified our anger, and our wrath, and our pride ere now; we would have subdued our security, and our selfe-love, and our lukewarmenesse in good duties: did we not hate the light, we had all beene children of the light ere now. Plato sayth, He loves that hath a similitude of that he loves: but we have not a similitude and a likenesse of the light, and therefore we doe not love it.

Beloved, let me come a little neerer, and convince all that heare me of this point.

They must needs be said to hate one another 1 whom no intreati [...]s nor beseeches can possibly reconcile. That is irreconcileable hatred which cannot be taken off by all the intrea­ties of the world. Herod hated Tyr [...]s and Sidon, but his hatred was taken off by Bla­stus [Page 172] his intreatie. Acts. 12. 20. but that ha­tred is irreconcileable hatred that no in­treaties can [...]ke off.

Oh, how often have Gods Ministers in­treated you and beseeched you to give over your sinnes, and yet you will not! how of­ten have they besought you to be zealous, and meeke, and holy, and you will not; thou art tichie and revengefull in speeches, how often hast thou beene sought to leave it? thou art proude and stout-hearted, how oft hast thou beene sought for to be hum­ble? thou art carnall and worldly, how often hast thou beene besought to be spi­rituall and heavenly?

Thou hast no assurance of Christ in thy soule: how oft hast thou beene besought for to get him? Ministers beseech thee eve­ry Sabboth, Ministers intreate thee every weeke: They breake their braines, and breake their sleepe, and spend their lungs, and all to invent and speake acceptable words to prevaile with your soules: with heart-cutting intreaties they beseech you; if notwithstanding all this, you will not be intreated to part with your sinnes, rhen it is evident you hate reformation.

If we did not hate a thing, we would doe it, though we were never besought to doe [Page 173] it; if thou didst not hate a reformation of thy sinnes, thou wouldest have beene refor­med without these beseeches: but if beseeches and intreaties cannot woe thee, thou hatest it indeed: that is hatred indeede which be­seeches cannot reconcile.

The Lord Jesus sent his Ministers in his Name; we are Gods Embassadours in Christ his stead, we pray you to be recon­ciled to God.

We have besought you by the bloud of Christ, we have intreated you by the Bow­ells of Gods mercies to become new men: we beseech you in the Bowells of the Lord Jesus Christ to give over your sinnes. We beseech you as you love your soules, give over your sinnes: we beseech you as; you are men, as you know what is what, give o­ver your sinnes: we beseech you, let the drunkard give over his drunkennesse, the swearer his oathes and blasphemies, the Idolater his Idolatry and wilworship, let the idle talker give over his fruitlesse communication, the covetous person give over his covetousnesse, the secure Christi­an and lukewarme professor and deadheart­ed server of God come out of his security and dead-heartednesse, &c. I beseech you by the mercies of God saith Saint Paul, present [Page 174] your bodies a living sacrifice, holy &c. Rom. 12. 1. Sacrifice your tongues unto God we beseech you, and speake holy conference, sacrifice your hearts we beseech you, and use holy meditations; sacrifice your hares unto God, and suffer not idle language to be spoken in your hearing: we beseech you doe this; yea by all the mercies of Christ, we beseech you as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christ his stead; and will you not yet? Certainly, you hate the light, if all these beseeches cannot recon­cile you; we have besought you that there be no disorders in any of your families, and yet there are: we have besought you that there be no losse of time in your meetings, that there be no roote of bitternesse in your hearts, and yet there is: we have besought you to mende your repentance, and to bet­ter your obedience, and to repent of your rotten formality, and to come out of your sandy and quagmire bottomes, and not to content your selves with this beggarly form of religion onely, but as ever you love your soules and would be loved, to get the power of grace: and a thousand more things have we besought you. Is it done? no, God knowes: all the beseeches and intreaties under heaven have not yet done it. Now [Page 175] therefore you must needs stand convinced in your consciences, that you hate the light, if all these beseeches cannot bring you to it.

They must needs be sayd to hate one another, 2 when neither money nor price nor any thing can make freinds. That is inveterate can­kerous hatred which can never be out­bought, which can never be hired to cease. I make no question but that the Damosels Master at the first did hate that his Maide should be possessed with a divell: but when he saw that it brought him in great gaine, he tooke off his hatred: he would then be content that the divell might have stayed in his house, so he might have gained by it: and therefore we reade that he was angry at the Apostle for dispossesing the divell out of her; Act.. 16. 19. It must be a greivous hatred that profit cannot mollifie.

Brethren, you know that God offereth you pardon of your sinnes: he offers you mercy, he offers you a Kingdome, if you will come out of your sinnes. If thou woul­dest rather lose father, mother, wife and children, houses and lands, goods and li­vings, rather then shake hands with such a one as thou art fallen out with, I am sure thou hatest him with a witnesse: and if thou wouldest rather hazard thy owne mercy, [Page 176] hazard the love and favour of God, ha­zard the Kingdome of heaven, lot Christ goe, and mercy goe, and heaven goe, [...] ­ther then let thy sinnes g [...] ▪ surely thou hatest to be reformed. I will give you a king­dome saith God, if you will be new men: I will give thee a Kingdome, if thou will take up Christ his Croffe and be pl [...] I will give thee a Kingdome, if thou wil [...] walke precisely and circumspectly. But you will not, though you might have a king­dome for it. Repent faith Christ, for the kingdome of heaven is at hand: Math. 3. 2. Repent, and here is a Kingdome a [...] hand for thee. Downe with thine old lu [...]t▪ thou knowest what I meane, and here is a Kingdome at hand for thee. Repent of your formall repentance, repent of your fashio­nary prayers, repent of your overly perfor­mances of holy duties, and behold here is a Kingdome for you. Wilt thou hazard the very Kingdome of grace, and of glory, ra­ther then thou wilt steppe out of thy old wont? thou hatest repentance if a Kingdome cannot hire thee to love it.

They must be sayd to hate one another, whom 3 all the dearest love in the world can never [...] ­nite and soder together. Love is able to burst all the hatred in the world if the divell [Page 177] be not in it: love is more forcible then ha­tred; and therefore that hatred is most can­kerous that love cannot overcome. What is so pleasing or delightfull to the [...]lesh of a man but love may command it? the love of God hath given thee the bloud of his owne Sonne: if thou wilt part with thy corrupti­ons, thou mayest have it. That is hatred in­deed which the bloud of thy owne Saviour cannot disswade thee from.

The Apostle Peter thought he had used an excellent argument to perswade men to holinesse, when he setteth forth the love of God to us. 1 Pet. 18. 19. For asmuch as you know, that you were not redeemed with corrup­tible things as silver and gold from your vaine conversation, received by tradition from your fathers: but with the precious bloud of Christ, as of a Lambe undefiled and without spotte. What doth Christ give his bloud to thee, to redeeme thee, from thy vaine conversa­tion? hath he given his bloud for thee, that thou shouldest part with thy sinnes, with thy drunkennesse, with thy oathes, thy pride, security, luke warmenesse, earth­linesse, prophanesse, from thy vaine thoughts, thy vaine words, and thy vaine lusts, and wilt thou not? if God had re­deemed us with silver, and gold, that were [Page 176] [...] [Page 177] [...] [Page 178] but drosse: no, he hath redeemed us with the bloud of his Sonn: if now thou wilt part with the bloud of Christ, rather then with thy sinnes that the word of God com­mands thee to part with, how great is thy hatred of the word?

Bloud it is necessary to the life of every living creature. I am sure the Bloud of Christ is necessary to the life of a Christi­an; without it, a man can never be washed, nor never be sanctifyed, nor made accep­table to God. That man that will rather part with his bloud, rather then lay downe his hatred of such a one whom he hates, he hates him for ever, he hates him to the death. Thou that rather then thou wilt part with thy evill courses, from those sinnes that Gods word would have thee to give over and forsake, wilt part with the bloud of Christ, I say thou hatest the word, and thou hatest a reformation of thy wayes for ever, with an everlasting and damnable hatred.

That man that had rather be damned then leave his sinnes, that had rather goe to hell, then be a new creature, he hates the parting with his sinnes, he hates to be a new creature.

It is truth, man is a reasonable creature, and therefore cannot reason so in expresse [Page 179] words, as to say I had rather be damned then to give over my drunkennesse, my ly­ing, my swearing, my lust; I had rather goe to hell; then be so pure, and so holy &c.

But every wicked man is so unreasona­ble in very deed▪ for the word of God tells that wicked men that live and dye in such sinnes, and such sinnes, shall be damned; yet, they will not give over their sinnes.

Doth not your owne conscience tell you, that as long as you pray no better, as long as you walke no better in your profession, God abhors you, and all that you doe, and will damne you? doth not thy conscience tell thee, that yet thou hast no assurance of salvation, that as yet Jesus Christ was never given to thee, that as yet you never had the Spirit of Christ to kill sinne in you? if that thou wilt goe on in thy sinnes, and not get Christ and his Spirit into thy heart, as the word of God commandeth thee, and thy owne conscience perswadeth thee: I say if yet thou wilt goe on in thy sinnes, then thou choosest to be damned rather then to part with sinne.

Doe we not say such a rogue will be hanged, that such a hasty furious man will undoe himselfe? doe we not say of a rebel­lious child that he will be disinherited? not [Page 180] that any man reasons so in words, I will doe thus and thus and undoe my selfe, I will steale and be hanged, I will be a rebel­lious childe and be disinherited, I will goe on in my sinnes, let the world say what it will, and be damned. But, when a man knowes that the wages of sinne is death, that the end of drunkennesse, of swearing, of lying, of pride, security, hypocrisie, formality in religion &c. is death; When a man knowes that the end of that sinne which he lives in is damnation, and yet will goe on in those sinnes, he wills to be dam­ned. Ezek. 18. 31. Turne you, turne you, why will you dye O ye house of Israel? why? were any so madde as to be willing to dye, to perish for ever? yet sayth the Prophet, why will you dye, as if he should say why will you sinne? that man that wills to sin, he wills to be damned; that man that will be damned rather then part with his sinne, that man loves sinne for ever, and so hates the light.

Beloved, be ashamed to carry so many plague tokens upon your hearts, so many sinnes in your soules, so many oppositions and rebellions against the word. That man that hates and rebells against the word, can never be saved by the word. You that [Page 181] have had the preaching of the word, looke that you give way to it; take heed that you withstand not the breath of it.

I could tell you one thing, and I pray God to send it home to your hearts: com­monly when God sends his word to a peo­ple, those that are wrought upon, for the most part are wrought upon at the begin­ning: generally it is so, I will give you a convincing place for it: Acts. 13. 48. And when the Gentiles heard this, they glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were or­dained to eternall life, beleeved. Paul and Barnabas were come to Antioch, and had preached one Sabboth day, and now had preached another: The Gentiles glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were or­dained to eternall life, beleeved; as if he had said, all that were ordained to eternall life, beleeved at those Sermons; as if he should say againe, all that beleeved not at these two Sermons, were reprobates.

Those that did belong to God, they did beleeve, and hearkened to the preaching of the word to them, on those two Sabboths; All that were ordained to life▪ they beleeved at these two Sermons: the rest that beleeved not, are branded and marked out for despi­sers and wonderers, Heare O despisers, and [Page 182] wonder and perish, &c.

Agree with thine Adversary, whilest thou art in the way. Math. 5. Beloved, you are now in the way of salvation: your Adver­sary is the Lord himselfe, till he be recon­ciled unto you; you are in the way while you are under the preaching of the word: you know not how soone God may take you out of the way: you know not how soone God may take his word away: or, if that continue, yet he may withdraw his Spirit▪ and then, if God once take away his Spirit, then you may seeke to be con­verted, but shall never finde it; you may seeke for grace, but shall never get it: you may seeke for Christ, but never obtaine him; if men stand out against the Word and Spirit of Christ, while it is beating upon their hearts, and offering them grace, then Christ will be a swift witnesse against them. Malach. 3. 5. Doth Christ come to thee? now obey, now beleeve, now give o­ver thy sinnes. Doth he bid thee now re­pent? &c. O give way to the Words of Christ, give way to the Spirit of Christ; otherwise, Christ will come swiftly: I will be a swift witnesse.

I tell you, the Covenant of grace will not stay long: God is about to put up his [Page 183] wares. When no Customers come, the Merchant puts up his wares; so God will even close up all his graces; then Preachers may preach, but none shall be converted: People may heare, but none shall be con­verted: People may heare, but never be turned; which the Lord deny from ever being amongst us; therefore, while it is called to day, hearken, and the Feare of God be with you.

GODS IMPARTIALITY.

THE Lord in this Chapter by the Prophet Isaiah doth fore­tell heavy things against the people; and by the way marke the Lords dealings, he ever gives warning before he sends any plagues: he lightens before he thunders; that the people might not say they did not heare of it, and and that the wicked might be the more inexcusable, and that the godly might make an Arke to save themselves in.

These words containe in them five seve­rall things.

• [Page 185]First, the Author of this destruction or judgement.
• Secondly, the Causes of it.
• Thirdly, the Judgement it selfe.
• Fourthly, Who they were on whom this Judgement was inflicted.
• Fifthly, The effects of it.

Now by Gods permission I will open these words in order unto you. And for the first, the Author of it.

It is laid downe by question and an­swer.

Question, Who gave Jacob to the spoyle, and Israel to the robbers?

Answer, Did not I the Lord? was it not I the mighty God, which am able to order every thing according to my owne will.

But indeed we are ready to ascribe things to chance and fortune and lot; to pre­vent this saies God, who did these and these things? did not I the Lord?

Now, by Jacob and Israel is meant the people of the Jewes, which were called by the name of Jacob. For, his peculiar people, when they sinned, he gave them over. God [...]ais, who gave this people of mine to the enemies? did not I the Lord? therefore God he is the Author of all punishment.

Secondly, the Cause why the Lord did [Page 186] this: for, some might say, why did the Lord overthrow this people, whom he did so tenderly respect for his, which were as the apple of his eye, and the strength of his right arme? because they sinned against the Lord, and would not walke in his waies.

He sets downe the Causes.

First, in generall, they have sinned.

Secondly, in particular, they would not walke in his way, nor be obedient to his Lawes.

Thirdly, here is the Judgement it selfe, therefore hath he powred upon them the fiercenesse of his anger, the strength of the Battell and fire round about them. He calleth it the anger of the Lord: not of a King, or of a great man, but the anger of the Lord, the fury of his anger: shewing the ex­tremity of it he doth not say that God doth drop downe his anger; but, he poures out the fury of his indignation. Moreover he saith, the strength of battell; the Lord commeth like an armed man to fight against them, and to destroy them, as men in warres doe when they s [...]ay both young and old, and make no bones of it, and are glad when they have done it; And, as an armed man to slay them; so likewise, he hath set a fire round [Page 187] about them▪ the Lord hath inclosed them in with indignation, so that they could see no way to get out of it, or to escape it. So then this shews the unavo [...]dablenesse of Gods Judgements.

Fourthly, who were these that were de­stroyed? Jacob and Israel, a praying and a professing and a fasting people.

Fifthly, the effect of all this, how it did worke upon them. Yet, saith the Lord, they know it not, neither lay it to heart. Oh Lord, what monstrous stupidity is this! though God did doe it; in his anger too; yet this poore Nation saw it not, neither regarded it, till the plague came; and when it came, they never laid it to heart, neither were they humbled by it, but did beare the plague, and afterwards went downe into hell, and never minded it.

Even so, beloved, stands the case with us; The Lord plagues us, and we see it not: his anger burnes round about us, and the fiercenesse of his wrath sustaineth to battell: and yet we perceive it not.

From the first of these observe: namely,

That God is the author of all plagues and Doct. judgements that befall a Nation. It was he that drowned the old world, and delivered the Children of Israel to the spoylers. Shall [Page 188] there be any evill in the City, and the Lord hath not done it? saith Amos in his third chap. and 6 verse. From whence, observe this, That God ordaines all punishments before they come. Acts. 4. 28. for to doe whatsoever thy hand and counsell determi­ned before to be done. And as God or­daineth all things before they come; so he ordereth them and the time when they shall come; and they cannot come one moment of time before the Lord would have them. The Jewes could not lay hold on our Savi­our, because his houre was not yet come. John. 8. 50. The wicked cannot pull downe punishments upon a Nation when they will; As its he ordaineth them: and the time when; so thirdly, he doth appoint them how long they shall lie upon men. Revel. 2. 10. There the Lord had appointed the Church of Smyrna ten dayes tribulation; and there is measured how much God appointes us. The devill could goe no further then his commission in afflicting Job. As he doth order all, so he doth order all for the good of his people, and for the confusion of his enemies; all things worke for the good of those that feare God, and for the hardening and overthrowing of the enemies of the Church that are incorrigible.

This may stay and comfort the hearts of Use 1 Gods Children, in any heavie crosse that befalls them.

Is God the orderer and disposer of all? then this may comfort thy soul O thou poore childe of God; I say comfort thy soul with this, that the Lord is the temper­er of all things, and the Physician that stands by and sees how many drammes the Apothecary putteth in. The devill indeed may afflict thee, and wicked men may pu­nish thee; but thou shalt have no more then the Lord sees good for thee. There­fore though thine enemies take thee and kill thee, and Rabshekah raile on thee, and Bonner burne thee, yet the Lord is a sweete loving Father, and ordereth all things, and cannot finde in his heart to hurt thee. Though they be the Instruments, yet God he is the Author, and hath appointed how long and how much and for what they shall afflict thee. Therefore though the sword finde thee, and faggot come: yea though thou beest banished or sawne asunder, yet the Lord ordereth all things: and though he correct thee, yet he cannot finde in his heart to hurt thee. Therefore he saith to the sword and to the plague as David said to Jacob, have a care of my deare sonne: one­ly [Page 190] subdue the rebell▪ but doe not hurt my sonne. So saith God, use my servants kind­ly for my sake: onely bring under their proud hearts, but doe not hurt them. There­fore have an eye to Gods love, and let faith in him over-rule thy heart in spite of all that can come against thee.

This may terrifie the hearts of all wicked Use 2 men that are out of Gods favour.

Is God the Author of all punishments▪ then this may make their haire to stand up­right upon their heads. That God whom thou hatest, is the punisher of thee: even he whose-Sonne thou despiest, and whose Sabbaths thou prophanest; He is able if his wrath be kindled, to consume thee in a moment. Oh, if thou haddest not an ada­mant heart, this would daunt it, and dis­solve it into teares of bloud. God will infi­nitely punish thee, who is a consuming fire: but if thou wilt not be daunted, there is no­thing but fearefull looking for of fire and brimstone for ever in hell. When God pu­nisheth his children, it is in mercie: but to the wicked his wrath is punishments, and his Judgements is anger and great wrath: and therefore when he punisheth thee, thou mayest say a just Judge brandeth me in the hand.

Is it so? Then when Calamities come, Use 3 let us not so much stand upon men, or upon the helpe of them: but let us looke to God as David did: it may be the Lord sent Shi­mei to raile on me; and so did Job, the Lord gives, and the Lord hath taken away. The Caldeans did it: but they were Gods Instruments. We should not doe as doggs that gnaw the stones that are throwne at them. God takes stones as it were, and throweth them upon mens heads: and sometimes whips them by wicked men. Now, the wicked are but Gods rod, and when he hath scourged thee, he will cast the rod into the fire. Therefore goe unto the Lord, make peace with him, and he will remove it. The wicked I confesse are in fault, but God is the Author of all: and he will deliver you in his good time.

Secondly, wherefore will God deale thus with Israel, because they have sinned with a rebellious spirit, not by infirmity but in disobedience? Whence you may learne this point of Instruction, That sinne and disobedience against Gods Law is that which brings downe punishments and judgements upon a Nation or a people or Church. Sinne is the brooder and hatcher of all judgments, and the very spawne of all punishments. [Page 192] Ah, this sinne and disobedience, and will­full rebellion against God, it will bring sw [...]rd and famine amongst us, and let in the enemie, and send out God from amongst us, and stoppe the mouthes of his Mini­sters, and breake off the Parliament.

Another cause why God sends punish­ments amongst us, is this, because Kings will not be subject to the Lawes of God, and Queenes will doe what they list: when Bishops and all people will have elbow roome to doe that which seemes good in their owne eyes: as giving toleration for the prophanation of Gods Sabb [...]ths, that the people may dishonour the Lord, and runne headlong to hell: this and such like, sets up wickednesse, and brings the wrath of God upon us, and his vengeance upon our Land and Kingdome, when thus sinne gets the upper hand and day of the word, for which I cannot chuse but pittie our poore Land, neither could you doe lesse if your hearts were not as hard as an adamant, and your eyes glued together. Ah poore Nation, now thou liest a bleeding and drawing to an end, and the bell now tolls for this Na­tion, and the Lord is a going from this Land: and her punishments and judgments are comming on apace, so that all Nations [Page 193] may say, Wherefore hath the Lord done this unto this Land, what meaneth the heat of his anger? then shall men say, they have forsaken the Covenant of the Lord God of their Fathers, and served other Gods. Judges. 4. 2. When they forgatte the Lord their God, then he sold them into the hand of Jabin King of Canaan: this was the ground why the Lord drowned the old world. Genes. 6. 12. be­cause they had corrupted all their waies; this was the cause why the Lord burned S [...]dome and Gomorrah with wild-fire from heaven: this was the cause the Lord de­stroyed Jerusalem forty yeares after Christ, because they would have none of the offers of Christ, and of grace and mercie. And thus much for proofe.

Good Lord, what a poore weake Land Use 1 have we! if sinne and rebellion be the cause of all punishments, then in what a poore case is England? how weake are we? our hearts may shake within us, and our knees may knock together to consider of it, ha­ving so many sinnes of all sorts, of all de­grees, and committed with so high a hand, and in most fearefull manner.

We are sicke from the Crowne of the head to the soale of the feete, there is no soundnesse in us: we are sicke in head, sicke [Page 194] in heart, sicke in stomacke; we have had peace, and that hath surfeited us: and now we have gotten the plurisie, and nothing but letting of bloud will cure us. God grant the Lord let us bloud in our hearts also: God must purge and physicke us, and fetch out the drosse which we have gathered by our dis­obedience. If sin and rebellion will doe it, we have given God cause enough so to plague us.

Is it so? Then we see who are the great­est Use 2 traytors in the Kingdome, and what they are that pull downe punishments upon a Kingdome; they are disobedient rebells and traytors, full of sinne.

I protest the greatest traytors King Charles hath this day, are the prophaners of Gods Sabboths, and such as doe give liberty to prophane them, and to sweare and be drunke: these are the plague sores of this Kingdome, and bring downe heavie judge­ments upon us; yea, of what place or dig­nity soever they be. It is not onely poore drunkards, but silver and velvet Coate drunkards, even the Lordly men of this Kingdome, who give libertie to sinne: for the greater the men are, the greater are their sinnes, and they are the most dangerous, e­ven as great Cut-purses doe more harme [Page 195] then little ones; for as Haman was hanged before the Jewes saw good daies, and the seven sonnes of Saul were slaine before they could have any peace in Israel: So while these rebells be not hanged, what peace can be expected? while Jonah was in the ship, there could be no qu [...]etnesse: so whilst these rebells and vile wretches live and have favour, and are respected, and goe on still unpunished, they are in the Land, as Jonah was in the shippe: and so long there can be no quietnesse in the Land.

One Achan did plague a whole Land▪ but here are many Achans in this Land. Oh poore Land; thou art wonderfully laden by every ungodly person, both in Countrey and City. O let us begge of God that these may be hanged and dispatched, or that God would turne their hearts.

Is it so, that sinne is the brooder of all Use 3 punishments? O then let it teach every one of us to s [...]t heart and hand and all to worke, to joyne all our forces of prayers and teares against these enemies, and labour for the reformation of these. When Jonas was in the shippe, the Marriners, came about him and asked him, from whence comest thou? So if ever we would see good dayes, we must joyne our prayers and all our powers [Page 196] against our sinnes and the sinnes of others.

When the Philistins saw that the Arke was the cause of the punishments that befell them, then they never rested till they had sent it away; so let us ship and packe a­way our sinnes, if ever we would have our punishments removed from us. Say, Oh mine enemie, have I found thee, thou art the enemie of King, and Countrey, and Parliament, and Gospell, and, thou art he that brake the last Parliament, thou art he that lost the day at the Isle of Ree, thou art he that sent so many poore Rochellers to the grave with famine, and thou art he that makes division betweene Kings and Com­mons. The Lord give us power and cou­rage: for if ever we had neede, now we have; and let us bestirre our selves, and pray that God would be pleased to stirre up the heart of the King and other Magistrates against these sinnes. O that Magistrates in their places, would set their hearts and hands against all these sinnes; but light execution is done, and most Magistrates stand for ciphers in their places, and onely take up a roome, and doe nothing. We cannot draw them with all the arguments we can use to punish these sinnes. We have cause to mourne: for they stand like scare-Crowes, [Page 197] with a peice in their hands, but never shoote: and the birds may picke the straws from their heads; so that Magi­strates doe nothing.

But to you I speake that are Chiefe in Townes, and chiefe Officers: you should all joyne hand in hand and heart in heart to pull downe these al [...]houses, hell-houses, and nurseries of the devill, and to supplant wickednesse. We must not be one for them, and another against them: for in so doing, we shall never see good dayes.

And you Gentlemen, where are your hearts and hands against them? when did you ever speak or write against them? when did you ever set foot in striving to have them supprest? men stand with their fingers in their mouthes, and their hands in their pockets, and dare not stand for God and good cau­ses. The Lord be mercifull unto us: we doe not joyne our forces, prayers and pow­ers that we can make for Gods glory. Oh that the Lord would be pleased to put his Spirit into our hearts, that we may be all of one minde. So you Gentlemen, in your places, and we Ministers in our places, and all of us, we are with all the strength and courage and mettle that the Lord hatth put into us, to crie, and pray, and preach downe [Page 198] sinne. And all you Masters and Dames, you are to reforme your Families: for these sinnes bring downe punishments upon the Land. Therefore labour to finde out the wickednes of your Families, and admonish them, and reprove them plainely, and shew them from Gods word the punishments that are due to them. If you would doe these things, then there might be something done: and if reproofe and admonishment will not serve the turne, then expell them and banish them, as Abraham did Hagar and Ismael. You Christians, mourne for your sinnes, and joyne your hearts and prayers against the sinnes of the place where you live.

If any house be on fire, others will come with water to quench it as if it were their owne: so here is a flame of fire kindled in this Kingdome of England, and the wrath of God is like wild fire comming downe upon us from heaven: therefore let every one of us bring some water or other to quench this fire that is round about us in e­very place, and almost upon all hearts.

Let every man sweepe his owne doore, and the streetes will be cleane; so if every one would purge his owne heart, what re­formation would there be in every place? [Page 199] then God and Christ and Gospell might be here still, and the enemies might be kept out still: which if we doe not, who knowes how soone the enemie may rush in upon us? but alas, we harbour these tray­tors in our bosomes.

I protest against every man that harbours sinne in his owne house or soule, that he is a traytor to the Kingdome, whatsoever he be; if I knew the man, I would fasten mine eyes on him▪ and tell him, Oh thou vile Achan, doest thou harbour these sinnes, and traytors, and keepe these sinnes, and then crie out of the dangerousnesse of the times?

If a man did know certainely, that the dogge that he keepes in his house, would one day pull out his throate, would he keep him fatte that he might the better doe it? no sure, he would rather hang him. Or if a man did know that the fire that burnes upon the hearth, would burne him, would he blow it? or if a man did know that the knife which he hath, would one day cu [...]e his throate, would he sharpen it? no sure­ly.

Beloved, this is the case of all us poore wretches that live in sinne: they will be the cause of all the punishments that God sends upon us all. Now therefore, I charge you [Page 200] all, men and women, and every one of you, to make a Covenant and enter into an Oath and a curse, to search out every sinne, and finde them out in your families, wife and children and servants; and doe what you can to quench them. These Townes and Countreys are on fire, O that the Lord would be pleased to send his word home to every one of your hearts: you I meane that I love as well as mine owne soule, my deare people. I would spend and be spent for you, if God would give me strength: and though I speake plaine, it is for your everlasting good.

What are those punishments that he threatned to poure upon them in the furie of his wrath? He poureth full battails, and the strength of battails; all this was upon his owne deare people Israel; even those people the Lord so severely threatens.

Hence, observe this Doctrine, That the Doct. 2 Lord often times brings fearfull and unavoyd­able judgements and punishments, even upon his owne professing people: even they that offer sacrifice, and that pray, and call him Father, and fast and pray: even upon these people, he doth often times bring these pu­nishments. Amos 3. 2. You onely have I knowne among all the Nations of the earth: [Page 201] therefore will I punish you for all your iniquities.

See the whole currant of Gods word: did not the Lord punish the Children of Is­rael in the time of their Judges? they had many sore enemies, as Eglon and Sisera. The ten Tribes they sinned, and were car­ried into captivity: and these were Gods professing people. And afterward the other two Tribes, Iudah and Benjamine, were carried away captive into Babylon, and there they were seventy yeares.

Forty yeares after Christ, the Romans came against them, and burnt all their Ci­ties. And these were Gods owne professing people.

The Churches of Asia were famous Churches, but now they are overthrowne with Turkes. Now, our sinnes give God just cause to make him come against us, with punishments and judgements upon this Land.

If a man lie sicke, and they see death in his face, they call it the foretelling signe: so the Ministers of God may foresee the death and destruction of a Kingdome. I am sure we have better grounds, then the Phy­sicians can have. And therefore, why may not the Ministers which are Gods Physici­ans, doe it?

The signes of Gods punishments that are comming upon us, are these.

The first is of Gods Ministers which with one voice doe foretell judgements to come.

Then, this is a signe that God hasteneth to battell, Am [...]s. 3. 7. Surely the Lord will doe nothing but he revealeth his se­crets to his servants the Prophets: but e­specially when they agree all in one thing; then the Kingdome is dangerously gone▪ Luke. 1. 70. The Lord giveth one mouth, as he spake by the mouth of all his holy Prophets.

I will say nothing in this, but let me ap­peale to your owne consciences, whether all good Ministers in the Church of Eng­land, have not declared by Gods word that judgements are comming out against this Land and us for many yeares together: And as our Saviour saith, Whatsoever ye shall binde on earth shall be bound in hea­ven.

Secondly, when sinnes of all sorts doe abound frequently, and with a bold face, and a whorish forehead. For when the har­vest is ripe, then commeth so many sickles to cut it downe: so when the sinnes of a Kingdome are ripe, then it is time to cut [Page 203] that Kingdome downe. Gen. 6. 12. The earth was filled with violence, all flesh had corrupted their waies: therefore, make an Arke: for the end of all flesh is come. God will wash away their filthienesse. Consider whether it be not thus with England or no. Was ever drunkennesse and blasphemie, and scoffing at religion, and prophaning Gods Sabboths, nay liberty given so to do, was it ever come to that height that now it is? were ever great ones, as Bishops and Ministers, so defiled, as now they are? our Land hath often beene overcome: when men were growne desperately wicked, then they were destroyed. Now, what sinnes, what blasphemies, what hating of God ly­eth raging in our times? I thinke there is none in this Congregation but sees and heares, how Citie and Countrey are ve­nomed and benummed, and defiled with sinnes of all sorts.

Thirdly, when the devill and wicked men cast bones of dissention, that is a signe of ruine. When there was a disse [...]tion be­tweene Rehob [...]am and the people, then God pulled away ten Tribes, and much bloud was shed. So when King and Commons, and all are divided, Ephraim against Ma­nasses, and Manasses against Ephraim, but [Page 204] both against Judab, then it is a fearefull signe that that Nation shall be destroied.

I say, to apply this, if ever a Kingdome were divided, then this is; if we could all accord, then we might expect something: but, now, our best bloud is gone, and our hearts are gone: the Lord in mercie raise us up from dead ashes.

O consider this, I beseech you, and lay it to heart. Will God deceive his Ministers, and make them all blindefold? no no. When God puts his Spirit into his Mini­sters, and makes them all with one mouth to call and crie desolation, and when all manner of sinnes so fearefully abound, and when there is such divisions in the State, then let us looke for desolation.

Fourthly, the fourth signe of Gods an­ger on a Nation is, when all the hearts of men faile then it is a signe that vengeance is at the doore; when there is a kinde of Cowardise through the guilt of the conscience. Josh. 2. 11. It was a certaine signe of de­struction when the peoples hearts failed them: thus it is with every man almost a­mongst us: every mans heart is faint and sicke. Judges 7. 13. When Gideon was to goe against the Midianites, being a wonder­full Army, one dreamed that a cake of [Page 205] barley bread tumbled into the hoast, and overthrew them: Then Gideon said, be of good courage: for I see that the Lord hath given them into our hands, because their hearts were fearefull; so he tooke three hundred men, and put a Trumpet in every mans hand, with empty pitchers and lamps, and they all cried, the Sword of the Lord and of Gideon; and in the twelfth verse see what followed, All the hoast ran and cried and fledde. Even so it is with us▪ we faint upon every occasion, Gods Spirit is gone from England.

While Sampson had the Spirit of God upon him, he was too hard for the Phili­stins: but when the Spirit of God was gone from him, he had no heart, no spirit, no courage; then every man was too hard for him, and then he was taken, and had his eyes pulled out. So when the Spirit of God was with this Nation, we had courage and got the day; but now alas, every sla­vish Nation is too hard for us, and every bug▪ beare scares us. O poore England, heavy is thy case, therefore we may expect nothing but miserie one way or another.

Now I might set downe a Comment or Theame with many teares for this cause, that every one may reade his owne destru­ction [Page 206] from this point. I am not a Prophet, nor the sonne of a Prophet: but from the word of the Lord I speake this thing unto you, and upon these grounds I can say so; That where these signes are, destruction and calamities follow at the heeles of them. We having all these signes in our State, certainely destruction is at our heeles; therefore let me give you some directions what to doe in these dangerous▪ times.

First, let every man knocke off the love of the world, of houses, of lands, and corne, and flockes; they shortly shall leave thee, or thou them. O therefore cast them quite out of thy heart. I would to God I could bring my heart and yours to this pitch, that we could give wise and children and all as lost. I confesse it is hard so to doe: but God will sire us out shortly from these things, if we part not from them, in these our deepest afflictions. Jer. 45. 5. Baruch was so much glued to the world, that he began to feather his nest: and there­fore the Prophet said, seekest thou great things for thy selfe? seeke them not; for behold I will bring evill upon all flesh. So let me say to you as the Prophet said to Gehazi, is it now a time to build? There­fore at night when thou goest to bed, take [Page 207] thy leave of thy wife and children, and of thy houses and all, and say, this house may be mine enemies before the morning, or may be set on fire; this is not my wife: these are not my children: As Doctor Taylor said when he was going to his execu­tion, when he saw his wife and children, he embraced them and blessed them in the name of the Lord, and set them downe a­gaine, and made no bones of them: and so doe you, plucke away your hearts from all these things here below, and give them all for lost: let thy heart be contented that God should doe with thee what he will, and submit thy selfe to God in the hardest blows, and say, good Lord, if thou seest no remedy to purge this Land and Church, but by desolation, and the removing of the Gospell, good Lord doe what thou wilt; if thou wilt have my liberty, take it, if thou wilt have my children spoiled by the enemy and pitched upon speares points, doe it: Lord, if there be no remedy to purge a sin­full Land but by taking the Gospell out of it, even I Lord submit my selfe unto it: good Lord, sacrifice us, or burne our Ci­ties; doe what thou wilt with us, onely save our soules at the last.

I have knowne some could have no qui­etnesse [Page 208] at all, till they came to this pitch, and then they had peace in their mindes. When Isaac saw that he was to be bound, then he yeelded to it: and our Lord Christ did this in the garden when he did bear the wrath of God, then he said if it be pos­sible, let this cuppe passe from me: and this he did three times: yet not my will but thy will be done; if thou wilt have me to drinke of the cuppe, I will sucke off the dregges and all.

Also come and lay thy head upon the blocke, and let God doe what he will with thee, Ezek. 16. 36. They shall loath them­selves for all their abominations; and this is the practise of an humble soule, and this will beare through all.

Thirdly, pray and crie mightily to God before thou dyest, even all the time tho [...] hast to live, for mercie and for the peace of the Church of God, and for the poore peo­ple and posterity. Esay. 62. 16. I have set watchmen upon the walles of Hierusalem, that never hold their peace day nor night. You that make profession of the Lord, keepe not silence; let not God rest till he helpe and shew mercie unto our poore Land, wives and children.

I am perswaded if dumb [...] Zachary were [Page 209] here, he would open his mouth to pray and crie for this miserable Land. But, alas, poore soules, many of you are so bound in the chaines of your sinnes, that you cannot finde any leisure to pray; you save your prayers and teares till you come to hell, and then they will doe you no good; Oh, thy Mother lies a dying, and wilt thou not mourne for her? O dead and drie hearted wretches, me thinkes the poore Church of England is like the shippe of Jonas, and he fast asleepe in it; the Gospell and all are drawing into a sea of troubles: and thou poore wretch art asleepe and canst not pray. The Church is like a sicke man upon his bed: and the Parliament is like a Col­ledge full of Physicians, they cast the State of the Kingdome, and then give it over for lost. The Lord knowes how soone the bell may ring out; and yet thou canst not pray nor weepe. Ah, the Lord be mercifull to the hardnesse of our hearts. Hast thou but one teare in thine eyes? but one prayer in thy heart? then spend them now for the poore Church of God. Make all sound within, and get sound faith in the bloud of Jesus Christ, that may support▪ and hold you up as the Arke did Noah in the floud▪

O my deare people of this Parish, a feare­full [Page 210] floud is come upon this Land: there­fore make you an Arke of Gopher, and pitch it within and without: get in it, hang not about it; but, get into your Lord Christ, and shut up your selves in him, as Noah did in the Arke, and never come out. This is your safegard, if you be in him, you shall be supported against all troubles, and so shall the case goe well with you. For as the Prophet said to Ahab, high thee hence, for here is a sound of much raine: and there came a shower indeed. So say I, high you away to Christ: for it may be you shall not heare many Sermons more: there is a sound of many punishments and stormes falling downe upon us. Oh thrice happy are we that have got Christ upon good termes and good grounds: if a floud come, it doth me good to see how safe I am: for the higher troubles arise, the higher the Arke will arise, and the higher your faith and comfort will arise, and you shall sit like Noah in the Cabin. Isai. 26. 20. Come my people and enter into the cham­ber, and shut the doores about thee, and hide your selves as it were for a little mo­ment, untill the indignation be overpast.

What? would Noah have beene hired to come out of the Arke? no by no meanes: [Page 211] nothing would have got him out. I may even pitty you my people, that have no Faith. What will you doe and whether will you flie? all you that have not got­ten into the Arke, and have not made sure worke, if the flood should come to mor­row, you must certainly be drowned. If you looke to God, he is your Enemy; if you looke within, there your Consciences dogg you; and if thou lookest for comfort to the Minister, there is none for thee in all Gods word; if thou hang on a Minister, he must say as Samuell said to Saul, since the Lord hath forsaken thee, I can doe thee no good. Oh thinke on this, and get all thy friends into the Arke with thee, as Noah did. Let [...]e begg this at your hands; get a poore husband into the Arke with thee, with thy poore children, and shut them all up into the Arke with thee. Would it not grieve thee when thou sittest in the Arke, to see a poore husband or a child a drowning in the flood, and going to Hell? For the Lords sake, o my deere Brethren, spare no paines to doe them good.

Fifthly and lastly, get a more strong Faith then ordinary; deep dangers must have a stronger Faith; a man cannot row upon the maine ocean in a paire of scullers; but [Page 212] hee must have a good ship well ballaced, and a good Pilot; so doe you thinke to rowe upon the maine ocean of Gods wrath in a paire of scullers? therefore labour to strengthen your Faith, and to get a good ship well pitcht and ballasted, and substan­tiall Faith; for the winde will trie it whe­ther it be so or not; a Summers dublet will not serve the turne in a Winters frost; so a little strength and comfort will not serve the turne in the stormes that are comming on us; but we must get winter garments; the East winde will trie a mans clothes. Though a weak Faith may carry thee to Heaven, yet not with so much comfort as a stronger; especially if it be but a little be­fore the downefall of the Pope; for then there will be the greatest combustions that ever was or ever shall be; and by all likeli­hoods, the time is now at hand. Then, thy Faith had need to bee greater then ever it was. As the Angell said to the Prophet, up and eat, for thou hast a great journey to goe; so say I to thee, thou fainting soule, make a good meale of Faith, strengthen thy Faith upon the promises, for thou hast a great worke to doe, and happily thou mayst goe six monethes, and not see the face of a good Minister, nor talke with a good Minister, [Page 213] when there shall bee no more Rogens, Hookers, Beadles and Cottons to talk with; and you shall wander about in the woods; your faith to support you then, it will doe you some good. When all the people had lost Dauid, Eleazer one of the Worthi [...]s, arose and smote the Philistines, Sam. 2. chap. 11. ver. 23. So when all Gods Mi­nisters shall leave thee, and then to fight it out against thine owne lustes, and the Di­vell, and his temptations, will be hard. and this Faith thou hast need of, when thy bookes and all helps shall be taken from thee. What need hast thou of strong Faith, when thou must fight against halfe a score Papists and an Army of temptati­ons, and a world of Divells from Hell? then thou hast need of a stronger Faith then ordinarie. When you shall take your leave of your children and never see them more, then thou hast need of Faith to invest thee into the Promises. Hebr. 11. ver. 21. by Faith Jacob blessed both the sonnes of Joseph when he was a dying; so when thou art to leave thy wife and children, and never to see them more, what Faith hast thou need of to invest them into the Pro­mises, and to say, I looke to see you ano­ther day in Heaven? the Lord be with [Page 214] you my deare wife and children, I shall never see you any more here, but I beleeve that one day we shall meet together in a world of happinesse, where wee shall be together in glory for ever and ever.

Amen.

THE GREAT DIGNITY OF THE SAINTS.

THE TIME OF GODS GRACE Is limited.

IN this Chapter is continued the History of the decay of the World, wherein is de­scribed Gods purpose of de­stroying mankinde; in which are these two parts:

First, the meritorious deserving Cause, wherein God gives an account what he [Page 28] doth, how inexcusable the world is, and how just God is unto the 14. vers.

Secondly, a Direction unto Noah to make an Arke, where we may see that God in his judgement remembers mercy.

The meritorious deserving cause, is descri­bed, 1 first, from the quantity of those per­sons in those evill daies; a great many; vers. the first, men began to multiply in places populous; where there are some good, there are many bad.

Secondly by the quality of those persons; 2 the Sons of God, when they saw the daugh­ters of men: the sonnes of God (viz.) the posterity of them that maintained Religion, they began to be carelesse and carnally con­fident, they did looke after the profits and pleasures of this life, and then it was high time for God to enter into Judgement.

Thirdly, by the kind of sinne; They lust­ed 3 after unlawfull Marriages &c. and the root of this was originall corruption; the Imaginations of mans heart, was onely evill and that continually. verse 5.

These words, are a Proclamation of Gods purpose, to bring it to an end; in which are foure things.

First, the Lords complaint in these words, the Lord said.

Secondly, the Proclamation it selfe in these words, my Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man.

Thirdly, the reason, because he is but flesh.

Fourthly, the limitation of the time, a hundred and twentie yeares, in which time if they repent, I will repent; but if they will not, my Spirit shall not alway strive. As if the Lord had said, I have tried all conclusions and used all meanes, partly by Mercies to allure them, partly by Judge­ments to terrifie them; partly by my word to recall them, and by all meanes possible to bring them to my selfe; yet they re­maine incorrigible; I now am resolved to strive with them no more.

From the words thus opened there will naturally arise these two points.

First, that the Lord of Heaven and earth Doct. 1 doth strive mightily with a company of poore Rebells; and all to bring them unto him­selfe, but on this I intend not to in­sist.

The second is this, viz. that there is a 2 time when God will strive with men no more, and that in this life; The scope of this aimes at the whole world; but what is said in generall, may also be said in particular. [Page 30] well then, there is a time in this life, and not when we are dead and gone; for then it is certaine there is no more comming un­to God; but, in this life there is a time when God will strive with men no more, neither for their good here, nor for their e­verlasting happinesse hereafter. For, unto every thing there is an appointed time. Ec­cles. 3. 1. Now the Lord calls lovingly to allure us; but there will come a time of goe yee cursed; the good Spirit of mine which thou hast abused, shall never come to thee more; this is a marvailous trouble­some truth: yet most true; for men now will have their wills, and God must be at their leisure, and come (forsooth) when they please. They will live as they list, doe as they list, and God must shew mer­cy on them as they list, and when they list &c. So there is a time when God will strive; but when that time is gone, God will will strive no more.

To make this plaine I will lay downe these six things.

First, I will let you see that it hath been so, by Testimonies of Scripture.

Secondly, I will shew in or after what manner God deales with a soule in giving it over.

Thirdly, I will shew who they be that God gives over.

Fourthly, I will shew the grounds of it.

Fifthly, the objections against it.

And lastly, we will come to the uses.

For the first; Testimonies of Scripture, 1 you beleeve them, and you doe acknow­ledge that the things delivered there are certaine; see it in Saul, because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, the Lord hath also rejected thee from being King &c. 1 Sam. 15. 23. The Lord had striven with Saul many wayes; by giving him pro­fits and Honour, in making him King; he had given him gifts of the Spirit, he was not wanting unto him in any meanes; yet he not regarding all this, but neglecting that which his Conscience told him should be done hereupon the Lord tooke away; that good Spirit from Saul, and gave him an evill Spirit, as himselfe confessed to the Witch of Endor. And as some Divines understand that saying of David, Psal. 51. 11. Cast me not out of thy sight or presence, is not to be understood of Government, but of the Church of God; Cast me not out of thy presence as thou didst my Predeces­sor Saul; Ergo, it is evident that Saul was [Page 32] given over even in this life.

Secondly, that of the Heb. 12. 16, 17, 2 18. saith the Text, Let there not be a pro­phane person among you as Esau; marke that man is a prophane man, that for one morsell of profit or pleasure, will cast off the favour of the living God; let there not be any such among you (saith the Text.) The Apostle meanes not the out­ward inheritance onely, but that which is of the Son-ship of God, which the Birth­right then was.

Thirdly, Luke 19. 41, 42. where our 3 Saviour weepes over Jerusalem, Oh Jeru­salem &c. oh that thou hadst knowne in this thy day of visitation! &c. but now they are hid from thine eyes. Why? because thou didst not know thy time; God visits us from day to day, either in Mercies, or Iudgements; in mercy when he performes that which he hath promised; In Judge­ments when he brings on men those Judge­ments which formerly he denounced; So our Saviour tells them they had a day, oh that thou hadst knowne in this thy day! &c. But now they are hid from thine eyes, and thou shalt see them no more: thus you see it is plainly proved by evidence of Scripture.

Secondly, I will shew you how the Lord deals with such rebellious & stubborn crea­tures who after the Lord hath tried al con­clusions on them, yet cannot bring them to amendment, but that still they will goe on in their sins, then the Lord changeth his minde, and he repents him of the good he hath done unto them. And so he repented that he had made Saul King.

But how can God repent? Object.

I answer, there may be a change of the Answ. thing, though not of the person. The Lord repents that ever he set a Minister over a soule to convert it, if it despise his Mini­stery: though Moses and Samuel stood be­fore me, yet my mind could not be tow­ard them: The Lord then had a minde; he loved the young man in the Gospell, that is he kindly invited him, but yet saith the text, he went away sorrowfull, he would not sell all to follow Christ: so the Lord of heaven and earth strives with men, he hath a good minde to winne them, he sends his Ministers to them, and when will it be that that uncleane lust of thine will be reformed: The Lord calls the first, second and third time, and when he sees it will not prevaile, at last he gives thee over. 2

The Lord gives over that man to the [Page 34] power of that sinne which he never did be­fore when he strove with him; we must ei­ther lose our sinnes or our soules: and er­go if no meanes will serve to bring a man home, then the Lord gives him over to commit his old sinne; see Psal. 82. 11. 12. the Lord tells there what he had done for Israel, how he had brought them out of E­gypt: but my people saith he would not heare: Israel would none of me, none of my holi­nesse, none of my purenesse, none of my waies; but their owne waies, wills and witts were best: ergo saith the Lord, I gave them up to their owne hearts lust. He doth not say he gave them up unto the Syrians to plague them, nor to the enemies of the Church to ride upon them; but to their owne lusts. The incestuous person received good by his excommunication: but when a man is given over unto rebellion, it is hard for him to be recalled backe; it had beene better for that man if he had never beene borne. For as the skinne of a Rabit comes well off till it comes to the head, and then there is haling and pulling; so a man can crucifie many lusts, and performe many good duties; but when once he is come to the head, to his dareling sinne, to his Dali­ [...]ah, then there is tugging and pulling, and [Page 35] the Lord will either breake that mans neck or his heart: he will either pull him from sinne, or give him wholy over unto his sinne. See Psal. 78. 30. they must have Quailes, they had a daintie tooth and that must be satisfied; well, I will give you Quailes saith God, yea and my displeasure with it also.

Thirdly, as God gives a man over to the 3 power of his lusts, so he doth blast a man in re­gard of all abilities and gifts that formerly he hath had. Looke into the world, and you shall see this plaine: great schollers, learned Doctors and Preachers, their lear­ning hath beene blasted: they were bright candels, yet in the end they became snuffes, men of corrupt mindes &c. Looke upon o­ther common Christians, who have given hope of comming unto God, when they were in sickenesse, or necessitie &c. Yet at last it turnes to nothing: He sent leanesse into their soules. Psal. 106. 15. He gave them their request. One aimes at honour: well, God gives it unto him: another will have profit; well, saith God, and thou shalt have it: but my Spirit and th [...] [...]xcel­lency thereof thou shalt never have.

Fourthly, the Lord hardens that man: he 4 repents of the good that is done unto him, [Page 36] he gives him up to the power of his lusts: and blasts all his parts, so that he hardens up his heart; and looke by what meanes God sought to bring him unto him, those meanes harden him; afflictions harden him, which should have beene the meanes to have recalled him. God braies a foole ten times in a morter, and yet he is the harder, harder and harder. Men live in the Sunne­shine of the Gospell, yet many are harden­ed by it. Those that have professed the Gospell, forsake their first-love, and are become like the Smiths dogge that lies at the Anvill and sleepes though the sparkles flie about his eares: so let the sonnes of thunder say what they will, yet it shall not trouble them.

Fifthly, The Lord lets that man build up­on 5 false bottomes, live by false principles: that man which hath beene enlightned, must have somewhat to hold upon; else he would be in a little hell, and ergo a man hath his shifts. Saul saith I have performed the will of the Lord, I have done that which he commanded me. Have you so saies Sa­muel? What then meanes the lowing of the oxen? Oh saith he, it is to do [...] sacrifice unto the Lord, &c. Some cunning hypo­crites will have heaven: but when a Sa­muel [Page 37] comes with a discerning spirit, and tells them that grace and lust cannot stand together; yet they would faine be saved. See Luke 15. 16. the young prodigall would faine have filled his bellie with the husks: the meaning is, every unregenerate man having lived after his owne lusts, his con­science being mette withall and terrified with Gods wrath, he would leave his sin, yet he would faine fill his belly with the husks, (viz.) with his lusts: he intends to be drunk no more, to be prophane no more, to be loose no more: but now he will fast it out, pray it out: and yet saith the text he would faine fill his bellie. There is never a natu­rall man but he would faine rest upon some­what; but where the Lord hath a minde to bring a man home, he will not let him rest upon outward performances. One saith he hath beene counted a professour these twenty yeares, and ergo he saies his case is good. Another saies he prayes in his family, and doth many good duties: another saith God hath blessed him divers wayes, and ergo his case is good: but those the Lord pur­poseth to doe good unto, he will not suffer them thus to deceive themselves.

Sixthly and lastly, The Lord gives a com­mission to all meanes for merly used that they [Page 38] shall never come to him more: the Lord bids those judgements and mercies wherewith he sought to humble him before, never more to meddle with him. Ephraim is join­ed to Idols, let him alone, Hos. 4. 17. viz. his heart and his sinnes are joined toge­ther. Isai. 5. 6. God speakes of his Vine­yard, saying, what could be done more? yet because it brought forth wilde grapes, when I looked it should bring forth good, ergo saith the Lord, I will lay it wast, I will take away my former protection, and I will command the cloudes that they raine no more upon it. viz. The meanes of grace and salvation shall be offered no more unto it. I will heare such a man no more, I wil take away my Ministers from him. You know that Paul and Timothy would have gone in­to Asia, but the Spirit suffered them not: this is a hard condition when the Spirit will not suffer good to be done unto a man, a Citie or a Nation. And thus much for the testimonie of the Scriptures.

Thirdly, I will let you see what persons 3 they are. I will not say this and this parti­cular person; but you shall see what the scripture and the word of God says, They are foure kinde of persons, and you shall know them by these foure things.

First Those that have lived a good while 1 under the meanes of grace, but are still unpro­fitable, and no good is wrought upon them, it is likely such men are given over. See Math. 23. or 13. and the last. And a man that hardens his necke when he is rebuked, shall suddenly be destroyed, and cannot be cured Prov. 29. 1. Looke unto this you that live under good Ministers, Fathers and Masters &c. For if the Lord sees you will not come in, he gives you over. I li­mit no time: yet what saith the Spirit of God? Forty yeares was I greived. Heb. 3. 13. He swore that they should not enter in­to his Rest. Forty yeares was a great time: but what say you to three yeares? Luke 13. 7. These three yeares have I come seeking fruite, and I have found none, cut it down &c. But what say you to one yeare? Lord, let it alone this yeare &c. But what say you to forty dayes? yet forty dayes and Nineveh shall be destroied. But what say you to some few houres? Math. 10. 14. Whosoever shall not receive you, &c. shake off the dust, &c. You know what commission the Lord gave to his Messen­gers, how they should preach the Gospell, and if the house be worthy, well: and if not, shake off the dust &c. As if one should [Page 40] strive with you this day, but if you will not heare nor obey, who can tell whether the Lord will strive any more or no? Ca­ve ergo.

Secondly, Those that have much calling 2 and meanes, and also many secret workings of the Spirit on them, that when they have gon out of the House of God, have determined never to be drunke more, never to sweare, lie, nor steale more &c. and yet these come to nought. He that hath had many Pro­clamations, as Ezek. 24. 13. Because I have purged thee, and thou wast not pur­ged, I tried thy wayes what might do thee good, and thou seemedst to be good, but thou wast not good in earnest, ergo thou shalt not be purged. Such a man who hath lived under the Gospell, and hath had his heart shaken, yea and the world hath good hopes of him, but the devil sees it & tempts him, so that on the sudden this man wan­ders away, and his hopes are vain. Heb. 10. If any man draw back, my soule shall have no pleasure in him. verse 38. He speakes of holding out in a Christian course unto the end: looke how it was with Lots wife. Gen. 19. she looked backe, as if she were loth to goe from that pleasant garden, fine hou­ses, such and such gold in such a corner; [Page 41] what thinks she shall I leave all this? ergo the Lord turned her into salt: (viz.) He left such a remarkeable note upon her, that it remaines unto this day. Now if he dealt so with her, how will he deale with thee and others? some it may be have a good minde to come home: but what say they, shall we leave all our pleasures and profits? will not a little profession of Religion and a great deale of the world goe together for currant? Take heede, the Lord may justly turne thee into salt.

Thirdly, Those that have much greived 3 the good Spirit of God, in bringing in some sinne contrary to the light of conscience, and the suggestions of the good Spirit of God, as did the children of Israel, who re­sisted the good Spirit of God, and ergo he sware &c. The Minister bids thee cut off thy long haire, and the word saies it is a shame for a man to weare long haire: yet for all this saiest thou, I will not: what will the world say of me then? away with these fashions, leave off cards and dice &c. saies the Spirit of God, and whatsoever is of evill report: yea but I will not, for what will Sir John and my Lady say then? Turne you unto me saith the Spirit of God; no I will not saith the stubborne walker. [Page 42] Put him on in a good course, yet he wil not walke therein; speake the truth saith the Spirit of God, for all liars shall be turned out: yea but not yet, I have got thus much wealth by lying, and I will not yet leave it.

Fourthly, Such as have a common, base 4 vile and contemptible esteeme of the Go­spell and Ministers thereof. They mocked the Ministers till the wrath of God broke out against them, and there was no remedy. 2 Chron. 36. 16. A Minister cannot be plaine but wicked men will abuse him in their hearts. I called and cried saith wise­dome, but you set at nought all my coun­sell. Prov. 1. 24, 25. and going away they make a tush at it. I, saith one, Master Minister, you mette with mens hearts to day, but I beleeve yours is as bad as ano­thers, else how could you have hitte them so right? see what the Spirit of God saith of such Esay 22. 21. In that day did the Lord call to weeping &c. the text told them of a judgement, and nothing to be expected but miserie: but they make a tush of it, and say, come, we shall all die, ergo let us eate and drinke and be merrie while we may; the Minister tells us we shall all to hell, then let us have the other [Page 43] pot and the other pipe, if it must needs be so. Oh my beloved, can the God of hea­ven indure to be thus disgraced in his Go­spell and Ministers? Another saies, care I what the Minister saith? I will goe and drinke at every Ale-house, and see whe­ther these judgements will come or no.

Now I come to the fourth thing, which 4 is the grounds of it, (viz.) Why the Lord in this life doth give men over, and strive with them no more. This truth is trou­blesome, and cursed hearts cannot abide it.

The grounds of this point arise from these two Attributes of God, his justice and his wisedome.

First, from the justice of God: God is a 1 just God; and is it not just that those who have rejected him, that he should reject them? I have called, but you answered not. Jer. 7. 13. ergo &c. Now as it is just with God to fulfill every word that he hath spoken, and to fulfill all his promises to the faithfull, so is it just with God to bring judgment on them that have slighted him.

Secondly, From the wisedome of God 2 and his long suffering; and this is because his compassions faile not: else, the first [Page 44] day of our sinning had beene the first day of our rejection: yea it is his goodnesse that we have any favour; but Oh our God is a wise God. A man that knocks at the dore, if he be wise, will not alwaies lie knocking, if none answer: so the Lord knocks at our hearts by mercies to allure us, by judgements to terrifie us: yet he can finde no entrance. Is it not wisedome then to be gone? Why should I smite you any more, saith God? E­say. 1. 5. As if he should say tis to no pur­pose: for my life I know not what to doe with you: it is wisedome to give over, when there is no good to be done on you: What could I have done more for my V [...]neyard &c? Esay 5. There is no wise man that will alwayes water a dry stake. And doe you thinke that God will always be sending Paul to plant, and Appollos to water? no, our God is a wise God, and our mercifull God is a just God: you that will have your wayes and wills, take them, and get you to hell & perish everlastingly.

Now in the fift place we come to the 5 Objections.

Some say, If we shall be damned, then we Object. 1 must be damned: if we shall be saved, then we shall be saved; why then neede we pray and keepe such a quoile as the Minister [Page 45] speaks off?

Secret things belong to the Lord, butSol. revealed things to us, and to our children. Deut. 29. 29. ergo doe thou use the meanes, and be thou humbled according to the word of God, and thou shalt be exalted according to the word of God: see what God hath said to thee in his word: for neither I nor thou, nor the Angels of hea­ven can tell what the will of the Lord is concerning thee, if not revealed in the word.

Another saith, Why doe you limit God? Object. 2 you take too much upon you you sons of Levi. The Lord saith at what time soever a sinner doth repent, &c. yet will you li­mit God.

Tis true at what time soever a sinner dothSol. repent: but thy heart may be given over as Rom. 2. 4. 5. &c. and what if thou then livest twenty yeares or more, and have not a heart to repent?

Another saith, but I hope my time is not Object. 3 past: for the Lord hath given me a tender heart.

Hath he so, it is well, and wilt thou thenSol. harden it? thou mayest repent when it is too late, and ergo I tell thee, that good and holy desires are joyned with honest en­deavours: [Page 46] neede makes the old wife trot, as we say; so a soft heart will make thee use all good and honest meanes.

Seeing that God strives with many, and Ʋse. 1 at last gives over, goe thou home, and blesse God that he hath not dealt so with thee; it is enough that the Lord hath brought thee home to himselfe; many may say with Paul, I was a persecutor, I was injurious, &c. 1 Tim. 1. 14. but, I re­ceived mercy; so thou mayest say, the Lord knowes what a deale adoe he hath had with me; this heart was as hard as the neather milstone, but the Lord in some measure hath mollified it; this heart was as proud as the devill, but blessed be Gods name, he would let me see it at the last; goe home and say who am I and what is my Fathers house that the Lord hath brought me hither? Oh that God should thus stoope to man; the Lord hath stood and knockt thus many yeares, and he might have gi­ven over, but blessed be his name, I have received mercie. I lived under the meanes, but that prevailed not with me: the Lord sent such and such sicknes, but that wrought not on me: at the last I went to heare a Minister, and me thought that Minister spake nothing but what he spake to me: [Page 47] and then the Lord set conscience on worke, and that affrighted me. Looke to it: the Lord will either breake thy necke, or thy heart: doe not thinke to goe to heaven by good meanings: no, it will cost thee some­what more before thou come there. Another time the Lord set on me, and then I set on good duties: I would have Christ to justi­fie and sanctifie me, and blessed be his name he was not wanting unto me in any meanes; the Lord make me thankfull &c. I tell thee thou wilt be in deede, and God shall have all: let the voluptuous man have his pleasures, &c. what is that to thee so thou have Christ?

For the just reproofe of all such as are Use 2 yet in the gall of bitternesse and in the bonds of iniquitie; there will come a time when God will strive with thee no more; the old man thinks he hath time enough to re­pent in, and the young man thinks he need not so much as enter into a Parley with godlinesse. Esau went away when he had eate and drunke, he esteemed not his birth­right; I have heard some goe away with this resolution, when they are married then they will live thus and thus. &c. suffer me first to goe bury my Father &c. Master Minister, you speake well, I like your coun­sell; [Page 48] but I have a rich Unckle, and he hath no childe, and I am likely to be his heire; but he cannot abide a Puritan of all the men in the world, and if I doe not humour him I shall never have a foot of his Land; let me bury him first; when Father and Friends are dead, then the children must provide for themselves; and then they will seek after God and repent; and by this time they grow old, and though they cannot make so good a shew as others, yet their hearts are as good as the best, but soft a while; all is not gold that glisters; alas poore soules, they were given over ma­ny yeares agoe; this is also the sinne of young men and women for the most part, and this is the great sinne of England, the sinne of many Gentlemen and Gentle­women; God must pardon when they call, and that must not be till they be old, and then in all post-haste send they to and for master Priest, and he must bring God to them, or them to God; but the God of Heaven and earth cannot endure this moc­kerie.

For terrour to all wicked and ungodly men; Vse 3 woe woe, woe, that ever they were borne that are thus given over; and of these there are two sorts;

Some are insensible and some sensible. The insensible are they who die like stones as did Nabal; We have many King Har­ry Protestants. Others are sensible, God hath opened the eye of their soules, and hath let them read the red letters of the Gospell; It is a heavie thing for old friends to part, so Acts 20. 38. They grieved most in that he said you shall see my face no more; so when soule and bodie part, it is heavie; but when the soule and God part, it is lamentable; when God takes his leave never to be seene more, then whether thou looke upward or downeward, there is no­thing but amazement, and astonishment. If thou looke upward, there is the anger of God; if downeward, there is the bot­tomlesse pit; if on the right hand, thou shall see all his mercies, which could not allure thee; if on the left hand, all his Judge­ments which could not terrifie thee; if be­fore thee, the black day; if behind thee, the Devills; this will be fearfull.

I remember a Storie of an adulterate woman, her Conscience pricking her, she determined to repent, but God in the meane time did visit her so sore that she lay crying out, oh my time my time!

Another time, a covetous woman her [Page 50] House being on fire, she to save her goods, left her child in the Cradle; but a neigh­bour of hers hearing it crie, tooke it a­way; she afterwards remembring her child, ran about crying oh my child, my child, and would not be comforted.

So when the fire and indignation of the Lord breaks out, if not now, yet at the last day it will, then the parties against whom it breaks, will crie oh my soule, my soule, what will become of thee my soule? It had been better I had never been born; for neither Mercies, Judge­ments, nor the Word could allure mee; oh woe is me.

Now the condition of such is miserable in three respects.

First, because if God forsake thee, then all 1 forsakes thee; when thou liest a dying, thou sendest for the Minister, and thou would­est faine have a word of comfort from him; but alas if thou dost not receive comfort from Heaven, how can the Mini­ster comfort thee? If thy outward Estate faile, Friends may help; but if they faile, there is a God in Heaven and he will help; but if He goe away, then all help is gone.

Secondly, when God goes, restraining 2 grace goes; this was Sauls case, and you [Page 51] may observe that such as have been en­lightn [...]d and fall away, fall into one of these three sinnes; either into the hands of the world, and that is their Master, or else into the sinnes of uncleannesse, or into the spirit of Malice to persecute them that are holy.

Thirdly, if God leave us, then common 3 protection leaves us; we are left to the clutches of all things both in Heaven and earth; Ergo, your houses are left unto you desolate. Matth. 23. 38. All the creatures are up in armes against us; the stiles we goe over, look up to Heaven, and say, Ma­ster, shall we breake his neck? the Horse we ride on, says, Master shall I throw him downe to destruction? thou knowest that he hates thee and thine. So the ayre we breath in, and all Creatures, are readie when the Lord gives the watchword to lay us in the goale. Conscience will witnesse against us; then fight Dogg, fight Beare (as we use to say) oh what will become of such men? I will tell you, either the world heales them up; or else some carnall com­panion saith, you have been a good neigh­bour, you have kept a good house a­mongst us &c. tush, tush, man, it may prove a lye for all this: I but the Minister [Page 52] tells me so; pish, pish, as if all were true the Minister speakes. I but the Scripture sayes it; Is all true that is in the Scripture? the Lord have mercy upon us; and thus like fooles they build with untempered morter. Ergo, I exhort all such as are yet in the gall of bitternesse, to listen to what I say.

Redeeme the time, yeild to the motions of The Au­thors Exhor­tation. Gods Spirit, and blesse God for Mercy offered unto you in the meanes, and if any affliction be laide on you, intreat the Lord that he will doe you good by it. If thy Conscience speak, or the Spirit worke, doe as Joseph did, who got him into a corner and there wept his belly full; so intreat the Lord that he will breake the Heavens and come downe on thee to thy comfort; put not off till thou art old. A gentleman will not alwayes waite at the gate; neither say thou as Fe­lix to Paul, I will send for thee at another time, but say with Samuel, speake Lord, for thy servant heareth.

Meanes.Meanes.

First, consider the fearfull condition 1 of such as are given over; Suppose one should come from Hell with the fire a­bout his eares, you would aske what is the newes; the cry is, my time, my time. [Page 53] Oh my people sayes the Minister. Oh my Minister saies the People. The young man cries, oh my time. Doe not make a tush at this, lest thou say the word was preached but I scorned it; the Spirit said this is the way, walke in it; the meanes of grace was sent unto me, but I refused Mercie, and now for ever I am in Hell to be torment­ed.

Secondly, consider the great danger of 2 putting off; If thy will be stubborne to day, it will be worse to morrow.

Thirdly, consider the time, 1. Pet. 4. 3. 3 It is enough for the time of our life we have lived that we have wrought the workes of the Gentiles, let us live no lon­ger in sinne, it is too much that you have resisted the Gospell so much; say then oh that the Lord would break this heart of mine.

Fourthly and lastly, though God should 4 be calling and egging you all the day long; yet your lives are but short, and Ergo, crie out with David, teach me o Lord to num­bet my dayes that I may apply my heart unto wisedome; doe not say it is too late, as one did once say of Prayer, doe you thinke that I can pray now, which never prayed in all my life? I am sure it will be [Page 54] too late when God comes to Judgement; for then the Devill will stand on tip toe, and say what dost thou now thinke to goe to Heaven? the Lord did waite on thee un­till he was weary; but here is a company of Drunkards, I did but hold up my finger, and they presently followed me. Heaven came downe to them, but they would none of it, they could not heare of that eare, and would you now goe to Heaven?

Ergo, goe for now the Lord Jesus Christs sake, and when Mercie is offered, refuse it not, but blesse God for it.

A SERMON FOR Spirituall Mortification.

THE Apostle having in the Chapter foregoing shewed that the Colossians were bu­ried together with Christ in his death, and that they were also risen with him, maketh two speciall uses thereof.

First in regard of the resurrection, if then yee be risen with Christ, seek those things that are above;

The second is in regard of their buriall with Christ, in these words; Mortifie there­fore your members, &c.

There be many men that looke for parti­cipation in Christ, yet notwithstanding wortifie not themselves; they would faine live with Christ: yet are loth to dye to sinne; but we may say to these men as Paul to the Atheist, thou foole, that which thou sowest is not quickned unlesse it first die: so unlesse the seed of the word be sowen upon thy heart, thou canst not be quickned unlesse thou first die.

The things to be mortified, are described two manner of waies; either in generall, the members; or else in particular, For­nication, uncleannesse, evill affections &c. or as in the tenth verse, all the fruites of the old man.

The words containe in them these threeParts. parts, or truths.

First, He that ever meanes to have 1 Christ, must have him with a therefore. As if he should say, if you looke to have be­nefit by the death of Christ, looke to have a therefore with it; for no man can have [Page 57] Christ without a Condition.

Secondly, this condition consists in mor­tification; 2 we must mortifie our earthly members; this is the qualification of all those that partake of the death of Christ, even mortification.

Thirdly, those that are made partakers 3 of the death of Christ, are enabled thereto; so as the Apostle may well put this exhor­tation unto them, mortifie therefore your members &c.

He doth not say civilize your members; many there be that civilize their earthlie members; as from mortifying to purify­ing of them; they come out of prophane­nesse and enter into Civility, and a formall kind of profession; but the Apostle saith mortifie, and not civilize your members; doe not pare the nailes of your corruptions, but cut them quite off and give them their deaths wound, that so your sinnes may breath out their last breath in you.

Sin may be civilized five waies.

First, when it is laide asleepe. Pharaohs 1 sinnes were asleepe, but not dead. Many mens sinnes are asleepe in them, though they seeme to be dead in them for a time: A man while he is asleep is like a dead man, yet he is alive, yea and his sinnes are alive [Page 58] in him also; but when temptation comes to awaken him out of his sleepe, though before he seemed to be patient and meeke, and hardly to be provoked: yet let a temp­tation come and rouze him, then he will finde his old wrath, anger and impatiencie. So likewise for a covetous man, though he seeme to mortifie that sinne, yet it is but asleepe in him; for let a temptation come, and he will quickely finde out his cove­tousnesse againe▪ so that here sinne is not mortified; but it is with these men as it was with Sampson, all the while he was laide to sleepe, the coardes and fetters held him: but when they saide Sampson, the Philistins are upon thee, and awaked him out of his sleepe, the Pinne and Webbe was not strong enough to hold him. Thus it is with many men, when temptations are downe, and they are not provoked, all this while they seeme to have their sinnes mortified; and thus the devill is of a good temper when he is not stirred; so it is with many whom you would thinke to be good Christians, while the windes are downe, and the stormes doe not beate: but let them heare with Sampson that the Phili­stins are comming upon them, that there is such a gaine, such a profitt and reputation [Page 59] to be had in the eves of the world, then all the Pinnes and Webbs are broken, all their resolutions and all the strong coards of their former purposes are but as fire and towe; they breake them all in peices: so then they are but asleepe not mortified.

Secondly, Sinne may be saide to be ci­vilized 2 when it is laide in a swound; a man lying in a swound, is dead for a while, and you would thinke he could hardly be re­covered; for he can neither heare, nor see, nor goe, nor speake; and yet notwithstan­ding he is not dead; onely his vitall heate is gone from his outward members, un­to the inward powers of the heart. Even so a mans sinnes seeme to be dead, when the spirit of his lust is conveighed into a higher lust; as for example, Sup­pose here is one that is a covetous world­ling, this man peradventure is very mode­rate and temperate; he is not given to ga­ming, dicing, carding, wenching: he is not given to building or glorious apparell: but what are these sinnes dead in him? no, but the strength of them is carried up into a higher lust: for if he should follow whoring or gaming &c. the lust of his covetousnesse would be curbed, and his gaine would not come in with such a full [Page 60] Carreere unto him. Now all these sinnes forenamed are but attendants and slaves unto this one lust: so many men it may be will give over a thousand sinnes, yea all except this one, yet all those thousand sinnes are not mortified: nay it may be he scarcely thinkes upon any of them. Why? because they are taken up with a higher lust. Even so it is with many civill formall professors: they will come to Church, misse never a Sermon that they can come unto; they will talke of heaven, they will not omit any holy communication, they will reade the scriptures, pray in their families, neglect no holy duties. Why then what is their sinne? It is not the o­mitting of these things, but the carelesse practise of them in their lives and conver­sation; for although these sinnes be in a swound, the strength of them is gone up to maintaine a higher lust; for suppose he went not to Church, how should he maintaine his profession? and if he could not now and then speake of heaven, it were impossible he should have his depth of selfe-deceipt; therefore we conclude these sinnes are not mortified, they onely are civilized.

Thirdly, Sinne may be said to be civili­zed 3 [Page 61] when the sap of sinne is taken away, and no contrary grace infused; as for example, Suppose a man give over drunkennesse, yet if this man be not filled with the Spirit, his drunkennesse is not mortified, though he live soberly afterwards all the dayes of his life. Againe, suppose a man give over his intemperate anger, he is not touchy, nor cholericke, nor subject to passion; yet if he have not turned his anger against him­selfe for every one of his corruptions which breake out against God, his anger is not mortified. Suppose a man is not given o­ver to worldly greife, but hath given it o­ver; yet if his greife be not turned ano­ther way, as to greive for his sinnes, his greife is not mortified. Againe, suppose a man be not set upon a merry pinne, ever jesting or telling forth merry tales, but now he hath given them over; yet if he have not set his joyes on the wayes of God, and learned truly to be merrie in the Lord, it is impossible we can say his carnall mirth is mortified. For as the schoole-men say there is nothing corrupted till another thing be produced: there is no dissolution of wood untill it be turned into ashes: so sinne is never taken away nor utterly dissol­ved, untill there be contrary grace brought [Page 62] into the heart instead thereof; so then un­lesse therebe contrary graces wrought in the heart, as the contraries of all those sinnes foregoing, they are but onely civili­zed, and not mortified.

Fourthly, Sinne may be said to be ci­vilized, 4 when it is overwharted by a higher principle: as when a man is sensible of the wrath of God, and hath the flashes of an accusing conscience flying daily into his face, lying under the guilt of many horri­ble sinnes, it is impossible for him to goe on with rest and quietnesse in those his unholy courses wherein he useth to walke; he may forsake them for a while, but yet he cannot mortifie them: but as a schoole­boy that plaies the trewant, while he is under the rodde, he will confesse his fault, and promise to doe so no more, and he ve­rily thinketh so at that time, and desires heartily so to doe: but it is a desire that he is provoked unto for feare of the rodde, and not for love of dutie: for when once the rodde is gone, and the smart over, then he falls to his owne old trewanting cour­ses againe. So we reade in the first of Jo­nah that when the Marriners were in perill of their lives, then every one of them could call upon his God: but when the storme [Page 63] and danger was over, they quickly left off, and cared not for calling on God any lon­ger.

Fifthly and lastly, Sinne may be said 5 to be civilized by Gods giving of positive common grace, which he gives unto wicked men, as in Mat. 25. God gave unto the unprofitable servant a whole talent, which is supposed to be an hundred and sixty and odde pounds; so the Lord gives unto wicked men many good graces, as softnesse of disposition, lovingnesse or easie to be in­treated; and hereupon they come to Church, heare the word, and performe many other Christian duties: yet all these be but common graces, which a man may have and yet his sinnes not mortified, and therefore the Apostle saith, Mortifie your members &c. Whence observe,

That if we looke to have any benefitte Doct. by, or interest in Christ, we must mortifie all our sins, and all our corruptions; As if the Apostle had saide, make all your earth­ly members to be as a dead corpse: now we know in a dead corpse the eyes are there, but they cannot see: the feete are there also, but they want strength for to goe: it hath all the members, but it hath not life and power to set them on worke: [Page 64] so though sinne be in you still, yet let it be like a dead corpse wanting life, like a dead Tyrant that can no longer rage: and hence it is that the Apostle saith Let not sinne reigne in your mortall bodies: he doth not say let it not be, but let it not reigne. Sinne when it is mortified, is like a dead King that can call no more Parliaments: but a man may doe for him what he listeth, be­cause his strength lieth in the dust. If Christ be in you saith the Apostle, the bo­die is dead because of sinne, but the spirit is life for righteousnesse sake. Rom. 8. 9, 10. Againe, if a man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of Christs; now if Christ be in you, the bodie is dead, if you consider the bodie as it hath relation unto sinne. Againe, if you live after the flesh, you shall die. verse 13. as if he should have saide, if your flesh be alive in you, if your pride live in you, and if your infidelity live in you, if your hardnesse of heart live in you, if your wrath &c. live in you, and if you walke after these, you shall surely die: he meaneth not a temporall death; for so they must doe howsoever they live; but his meaning is they shall die eternally; but if you mortifie the deedes of the body by the spirit, you shall live; so then it is [Page 65] plaine there is no life of Christ to be had so long as you retaine your sinnes, and therefore sinne must be mortified.

First, because Christ is a Saviour, and Reason. 1 hence he is called Jesus Math. 1. 21. for he shall save his people from their sinnes; if therefore Christ doe not save thee from thy sinnes, and if by the power of Christ thou mortifie not thy sinnes, and give them a deadly blow, assure thy selfe he will ne­ver be a Jesus unto thee. It is true indeede Christ dyed for sinners, but it was not to let them goe on in sinne; and therefore if thou goe on in sinne, it is for thy damnati­on, and not for thy salvation; for he will first save thee from thy sinnes, or else he will never save thee from hell: so then consider if thy sinnes beare sway in thee; if they doe, then know thou art delivered up unto the power of thy sinnes, and to everlasting darkenesse. For Christ is the true Physitian of the soule: and you know that a Physician doth not bring a potion to put it unto deaths mouth to kill death, and so to save the sicke person alive: no, but he putteth it into the sicke mans mouth to kill the ill humours that are in his bodie, that so he might not fall into the hands of death: so Christ came not to quench the [Page 66] flames of hell by his spirituall Physicke, but to let his Physicke fall upon the heart and soule of man to save him from hell. Therefore unlesse the bloud of Christ doe mortifie thy sinnes, and crucifie thy lusts, there is no hope ever to get Christ to save thee from hell and everlasting damnation. This is a true saying saith the Apostle and worthy to be received, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. 1 Tim. 1. 15. This is a faithfull saying, and wick­ed men like it well indeede: For saith the drunkard, I am a wicked man, yet Christ came to save me. The whoremonger saith I am an uncleane person: yet Christ came to save me. The swearer will say, Christ came to save sinners, and therefore I hope he will save me to. No, no: Christ came to save sinners, that is such as were sin­ners, but now are none: they have and doe repent. Jesus Christ came to save sin­ners (saith the Apostle) whereof I am cheife. I was a blasphemer, & a persecuter, but now I am not. Hence then is the faith­full saying, Christ came to save sinners not still sinning. No, before, Paul was in­jurious, a persecuter, and lived in igno­rance, and unbeleife: but now the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ was wonderfully [Page 67] abundant through faith and love towards him: so that the grace of God hath ap­peared to draw men out of blindnesse and ignorance: therefore to say that Christ came to save such as live in their sinnes of drunkennesse, prophanesse or uncleanesse, is a rotten saying: and this onely is the faithfull saying that Christ came into the world to save sinners in whom the power of sinne is broken: therefore if ever welooke to have benefitte or interest by Christ we must mortifie our earthly members.

Secondly, because it is impossible for 2. Reason. sinne and grace to live and subsist in one sub­ject: it is impossible that they should ever stand together, and be in a man at one and the same time: it cannot be that one and the same creature can have the life of a swine and the life of a man: for if he have the soule of a swine, he cannot have the soule of a man: for they are two contrary distinct lives: and where the one is, the other cannot be. It is like hot water and cold: if it be cold, it cannot be hot; if it be hot; it cannot be cold. Even so, the life of sinne, and the life of grace are two contraries: and therefore they that walke in their sinnes, walke contrary to God. Now the Lord saith, if you walke [Page 68] contrary to me, I will walke contrary un­to you. Levit. 26. and two contraries we know cannot goe together. He that walks in sinne, walks contrary unto God: but he that goes on in the waies of grace, he walks towards God. Now, it is impossible to walke towards Dover and towards London at one and the same time: for every steppe he goeth forward to the one, it carries him backward from the other: so then if ever we will have the life of grace, we must for­sake our sinnes; as it was with the house of Saul and David, Sauls house grew weaker, and Davids stronger; so must it be with sinne and grace, as grace growes stronger, so sinne must grow wea­ker: as grace goes up, so sinne must goe downe; And as Saul told David he would not give him Michal his daughter to wife, unlesse he brought unto him an hundred fore▪ skinnes of the Philistins; Even so the Lord saith that he will not marry the Lord Jesus Christ unto any soule, unlesse he bring the fore-skinne of every lust: he must circumcise the fore-skinne of his pride, of his covetousnesse, of his prophanesse: this must be the offering and condition of marriage unto Christ; even the circumci­sion of the heart, and the mortification of all the corruptions.

Thirdly, because else it is impossible to Reason. 3 enter into heaven if we mortifie not our sinnes: a man can never be capable of glory here­after, that doth not mortifie his sinnes here in this life. Suppose a wicked man should enter into heaven, it is impossible that he should delight in heaven, if he were there. You will thinke this a strange point: but give me leave to explaine it a little; I say that a wicked man if he were in heaven, he could finde no delight there. As for ex­ample, take a beast, for so is every man by his owne knowledge, in regard of the life of grace, as saith the Prophet Jeremy, though a man take an Oxe or an Asse, and bring him unto the Kings table, and set be­fore him all the delicates which appertaine unto Kings: let him have a dinner before him that cost an hundred pounds: yet he had rather be in the fields among his fel­lowes eating grasse: or set a Crowne of gold upon a beasts head, he will not re­gard it, but cast it off into the mire: for so long as the beast is not transformed and made capable of the honour that is in a man, he cannot conceive of the pleasures and delights that doe belong unto man: Even so let a wicked man enjoy all the glory of heaven, and what will he say? [Page 70] We [...]ay perceive a little by bringing him to the Word and Ordinances of God: tie him to the constant use of them, to medi­tate on heaven, and to walke circumspect­ly and precisely in his whole course of life, and he will say, this is more then needes: this he thinkes is too precise, too austere a life for him, he cannot away with such purity and strictnesse; but if he thinke this so strange which is nothing in compa­rison, and is but a shadow or poore resem­blance of the holinesse and purity that shall be; what thinke you would he doe if he were in heaven where there is nothing but continuall praysing and glorifying of God for evermore, where there shall not be so much as one earthly thought or word per­taining to the world or the affaires of this life, but a continuall sounding forth of the prayses of God? there is nothing but grace and speaking of heaven, all their words are heavenly, their joyes are heavenly, and their whole delight is nothing but sound­ing forth uncessant Halleluiahs unto God for evermore. Now if a wicked man were there, what would he say? surely he would say they are all Puritans, and would ne­ver endure it. Alas in this life there is but a little praying, a little grace, a little holi­nesse, [Page 71] in comparison of that which shall be. Here we doe but as it were peepe into hea­ven: now then if this be so tedious that wicked men cannot endure it, how will they like to be in a place where there is perfection of all graces, where there shall be nothing but praysing God for ever and ever? Sure as I am the devill was once in heaven, and he cast himselfe out from thence: God did not though he did de­serve it, and God would have done it, had he not beene gone, as saith the Apostle Jude verse 6. They left their first habitati­on; the originall saith, they flung it from them, that is as soone as they had sinned against God, and changed their natures, away they went, heaven was no place for them, they thrust themselves out, and could not endure to stay there any longer▪ for having changed their natures, they changed their delights, and therefore to prayse and yeeld glory unto God, was death unto them, they being now corrupted through sinne, and of an impure nature, heaven became a hell unto them. Is any▪ man weary of grace and holinesse? wearie of well doing? wearie of praying and of hearing the word preached? Is any man wearie of good duties? of the worshippe [Page 72] and service of God? Let him know then that he can never endure the Kingdome of Heaven; for if he be weary of a little, what will he doe when he shall come into a place where there shall be nothing but continuall praysing of God?

Is it so that sinne must be mortified if ever Ʋse 1 we meane to partake of Christ? then this condemnes all those that goe on in their old courses, in deadnesse and in security, in ignorance &c. taking hand over head vaine hopes for true, feeding themselves with perswasions of salvation.

But the Apostle tells us that the founda­tion of God standeth sure, The Lord know­eth who are his, and let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. A wicked man cannot name the name of Christ till he depart from iniquity▪ much lesse can he looke for salvation, because he cannot be saved without Christ: nay he cannot be saved by Christ unlesse he de­part from iniquity.

You say you hope to be saved; it is well; but God knoweth who are his: God go­eth by his owne rule; the foundation of God standeth sure. But who then are his? onely those that name the name of Christ, and depart from iniquitie; those onely will [Page 73] he save, and none other: he will be no baud to thy sinnes or lusts, and wicked courses; for saith the Apostle, If any man be in Christ, let him be a new creature; as if the Apostle in more words had said: If any man hope he is a Chri [...]an, let him see that he is a new creature; for there is no expectation of being in Christ, unlesse he be a new creature. All old things are passed away, and behold all things are be­come new; if thou be in Christ, all thy old praying is gone, all thy old hearing is gone, all thy old receiving of the Sacra­ment is passed away, and all things are become new with thee; thou must heare a new, pray a new, receive a new, beleeve a new, thou must live after a new sort; for all old things are passed away.

Instruction to teach us that it is not e­nough Vse 2 for us to let our sinnes dye in us, but we must kill them; the Apostle doth not say let your earthly members die of them­selves; but, mortifie them; many there be that let their sinnes die in them; as for ex­ample when one is an infant, the sinnes of his Infancie naturally fall from him, when he is a child of more capacity; and when he is a youth, the sinnes of his childhood naturally drop away from him; so when [Page 74] he is a man, his youthfull sinnes fall from him▪ and when he is old and dieth, all his sinnes naturally drop from him: But he must not let sinne die in him, but he must kill it. Austin saith, if thou kill not sinne till it dyeth▪ of it selfe, sinne hath killed thee, and not thou thy sinne. It is with sinne as with a beast; if an Oxe fall into a pit and die of it selfe, it is good for nothing (the hide onely excepted;) but if it be kil­led, it is good meate, and becommeth pro­fitable unto the owner; even so if sinne die of its owne accord, it will doe thee no good, it is worth nothing, it may lessen thy condemnation somewhat; but if thou kill it, then it will be profitable unto thee.

In the fourth Chapter of Jeremy, we have a similitude taken from an Husband­man, where the Lord saith plough up the fallow ground of your hearts, and sow not a­mong thornes. Now, will a Husbandman say there are abundance of thornes and bushes in my ground, but I will let them alone till they die of themselves, sure I am that they will one day die? no, no; the Prophet gives other counsell, plough up saith he the fallow grounds and sow not among thornes; if thou dost not, they will [Page 75] grow up to that height and ranknesse that they will spoile the whole harvest. Even so if thou kill not thy sinnes, but suffer them to die of themselves, they will spoile all thy spirituall harvest, and quite banish thee out of Heaven for evermore.

The third use may manifest unto us that Vse 3 the worke of our Redemption is no ea­sie worke, as many men in the world thinke it to be. The Apostle saith mortifie your members; now can a man stab his owne arme through with ease? can he cut off his Legg or any other member without feeling any great paine? no more can a man kill his sinnes and mortifie his lusts with ease; it is called mortification to shew that there is a great deale of miserie and paine in it. The Apostle saith that those that are Christians, have crucified the flesh &c. Gal. 5. 24. and therefore Re­pentance is set out unto us by crucifying, which is the hardest of all kinds of mortify­ing. Can a man set his flesh upon the Ten­ter, peirce his hands and feet with nailes, laying his whole weight upon the Tenter, and yet feele no paine? Cicero a wise Hea­then saith, that crucifying was a torment that cruelty it selfe had invented to put a man to death, it being the soarest kind of [Page 76] death that could be devised. And the Apo­stle to set forth Repentance what it is, shews it by crucifying. It is an easie mat­ter to cut off the outward act of sinne, as of swearing or drunkennesse &c. this is an easie matter; but to crucifie a mans lusts and to mortifie daily the body of death▪ which he be [...]reth about him; this is a hard thing indeed. A Father saith it is the har­dest Text in all the Bible, and the hardest dutie in all Christianitie that we can goe about; they that doe it [...], an doe all things; and therefore let a man resolve with him­selfe that unlesse he attaine unto this, there is no Christ for him. How shall we saith the Apostle that are dead to sinne, live any longer therein? Rom. 6. 2. The Apostle makes it a Paradox, and wonders that men should be so unreasonable as to thinke that they are crucified with Christ, and yet live in their sinnes; Is it possible that you can be dead with Christ and yet live in your sinnes▪ no, no, it cannot be.

But some may object and say, what Object. doth the Apostle meane to exhort the Co­lossians unto Mortification? were they not alreadie mortified? did he not say a little before that they were crucified and buried together with Christ?

Yes it is true; but they that have morti­fied Sol. their earthly members, must goe on and persevere in this mortification, and that for three Reasons;

First, because the very same sinne that 1 hath been killed, will live againe unlesse it be continually mortified; for sinne is strong­hearted; it is not every blow that will kill sinne stone-dead; no, no we may say of sinne as some say of Catts, they have nine lives; kill sinne once and it will revive a­gaine; kill it the second time and it will yet live; kill it the third time, it will yet have life; unlesse it be continually mortifi­ed, it will never be starke dead; and there­fore the work [...] must be continued, as Christ said of his Disciples, if you conti­nue in my word, then are you my Disci­ples indeed: So if we goe on, in mortifica­tion, then verily are we Christs Disci­ples.

Secondly, suppose the sinne mortified doe 2 not rise againe; yet if we goe not on in the way of mortification, there will arise another sinne in the roome of it. Sinne is like the Monster Hydra; cut off one head, and ma­ny will rise up in its roome; Even so it is in the bodie of sinne; therefore thou must dayly mortifie it, or else it will grow again. [Page 78] There is a History that speaks of a Fig­tree that grew in a stone wall, and all meanes was used to kill it; they cut off the branches and it grew againe; they cut downe the bodie and it grew againe; they cut it up by the root and still it lived, and grew, untill they pulled downe the stone wall. Even so it is with sinne; lopp off the branches, it lives; cut downe the body, it will not die: digg up the rootes, and it will still revive, and will never leave growing untill God pull downe the stone wall of this our earthly Tabernacle, and lay it in the dust, and therefore we must still be morti­fying of it.

Thirdly, because as we mortifie, so we 3 mortifie but in part; as saith the Apostle in another case, we know but in part &c. so may we say of this dutie, we mortifie but in part; as we say of a man breathing out his last breath, he is adying, but not quite dead; so we may say of sinne, though it lie sprawling upon the ground, yet it is not dead, the last gaspe is not past. Nay, it may be sinne is more striving in the heart of a child of God converted, then it was before conversion. As an Oxe or an Asse when they have their deaths blow, will lash and struggle more then, then they [Page 79] did in all their life time before; but this is nothing but the panges of death, being giving up their last breath. Hence it is that the Apostle saith, that the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh. Gal. 5. So that they could not doe what they would verse 17. as if he should say sinne is so mortified that it hath his deaths wound in thee; else thou canst not be the child of God; yea such a deaths wound as it cannot possible recover a­gaine.

If a man that hath received his de [...]ths wound, should send for all the Phisitians in the world, and take all the Physick he could, and use all the meanes under Hea­ven, yet they can never recover him: So when a man is converted unto God, as soone as ever the worke is wrought in him, sinne hath his deaths blow; and although the Devill come as Physitian with all the Cordialls, Julips and Balmes under Hea­ven, and use all the shifts and devises in the world, yet he shall never be able to re­cover it againe; all will not doe, why? because it hath received its deaths blow; it may be with his industrie and cost he may make the face of sinne looke fresh and faire for a time, but it hath it deaths wound and [Page 80] it will downe at the last.

Now that we may know whether weMarks. have mortified our sinnes or no, let us ob­serve these markes following.

First, they that have mortifyed their 1 sinnes, live in the contrary graces. Hence it is that the Psalmist saith, that they worke no iniquitie, but walke in thy pathes, Psal. 119. 3. First, they crucifie all their sinnes, they doe no iniquitie; Secondly as they doe no iniquitie, so they take up all the waies of God, contrarie to that iniquitie as they give up all the waies of sinne, so they take up all the waies of Grace; they walke in all Gods waies. So that here is the question, if a man giving over hisNote. sinnes, doe take up all the graces contrarie to those sinnes. This is a rule in Divinity that Grace takes not away nature, that is, Grace comes not to take away a mans affecti­ons, but to take them up.

Suppose a man be subject unto anger, when he is a little moved, Grace comes not to take away his anger, but to take it up from a worldly thing, and to set it against sinne which is truly evill, that so he may be angrie and not sinne. Grace comes to qualifie his anger, and to take it from the waies of sinne, and to set it upon Gods wayes.

Againe, a man is subject to be merry; Grace comes to temper him, not to take a­way his mirth, but to set it upon a right object, as to delight in God, to be merrie in Christ, to rejoice in his Word and Ordi­nances, in his children, and in all the waies of grace.

Another is given to impatiency; Grace comes not to take away his impatiencie, but to set his impatience against his sinnes; so that when he sees his sinnes, he shall not be able to endure them, but his soule will groane for them, and his heart will rise against them.

Another is given to revenge▪ now Grace comes and takes him away from being re­venged on his neighbour, to be revenged on his sinnes; so that with the Apostle we may call revenge a peice of Repentance; therefore this is a true triall whether our sinnes be mortified, if our affections be taken away from the waies of sinne, and fast set upon the waies of Grace and god­linesse.

Secondly, if a man be mortifyed indeed 2 and in truth, then he is dead unto every sinne; if a man be killed, he is dead in every mem­ber; so if a man be dead to sinne, no sinne can ever raigne in him; not one lust nor [Page 82] bosome sinne, no not the sinne of his trade, no corruption though never so deare, though it be the sinne of his right hand, or right eye, yet it can never have dominion over him, if he be dead to sinne; therefore if a man live in any one sinne or sweet lust whatsoever, he is a dead man and hath not one jot of Grace; if there be but one knowne iniquitie in a man, that he lives and dies in without Repentance, that one in­iquitie shall kill him to the pit of Hell▪ Ezech. 28.

The Schoolemen say that if a Sow doe but wallow in one mirie or dirtie hole, she is fil [...]hie; so if a soule wallow but in one sinne, it is abhominable. If a man stab himselfe but with one knife so that he die, he is as truly killed as was Julius Caesar who stabbed himselfe with three and twenty knives. So if a man should be free from an hundred diseases, and should die of one, what would it benefit him to be free from the rest in respect of his life? surely no­thing at all. That man that hath his pride, his Covetousnesse, his usurie, hatred, ma­lice, deriding of Gods people, all these being dead in him; yet if selfe-love and se­curity &c. be not dead in him, these argue his case to be nought; he is not yet qualifi­ed [Page 83] for Christ; for there is no mortification at all in him.

There be many sweet meanes to allure us unto mortification, but time will not permit us to speake of them; but▪ this let every man take notice of, that so long as he liveth in sinne, he is altogether unca­pable of Christ. The Apostle saith, we know that the Law is not given unto a righteous man, but for the lawlesse and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sin­ners, for the unholy and prophane, and whatsoever is contrarie to wholesome Do­ctrine; the Law is for such men: But the first Doctrine of the Gospell of Christ, is, Repent of thy sinnes, deny thine owne wayes, take up Christs Crosse, and fol­low the Lambe wheresoever he goes. Here the Kingdome of Heaven is laid open to all the world; Let mens miseries be what they can be, and although their sinnes be never so great, Christ commeth to redeeme them; yea though they have a whole Hell of sinne in them, yet if they have a heart to entertaine Christ, his Grace is so rich and al sufficient, that it will save every man that entertaineth him.

There is a Proclamation openly made in the Market place, Hoe every one that [Page 84] thirsteth, come unto the waters, Esay 55. 3. As if he should say, Hoe, every one that hath a minde to Christ, come and have him; every one that hungers and thirsteth after Christ, let his sinnes be ne­ver so great, and the number never so ma­ny, here is hue and cry after him; Come unto the waters; He saith not come unto the water, but, waters; not a little low brooke or streame, which is not able to wash away all his sinnes, but there is an Ocean of waters indefinitely; waters in the plurall number, declaring the fulnesse and sufficiencie to cleanse the most leprous soule, be he never so much stained with corruption. It is said by the Prophet Oba­diah, that the Lord will send unto his Peo­ple Saviours, verse 21. not in the singular number, but Saviours in the plurall num­ber; not that there were moe Christs then one; but to manifest the fulnesse of Christ, he is a rich Christ, full of Salvation for all them that come unto him; Therefore if there be any man that mournes and laments for his sinnes, let him come; If there be any poore soule that is loaded with the weight of his iniquities, let him come unto Christ and welcome; for there is a Foun­taine laide open for Judah and Jerusalem [Page 85] to wash in: but let him know upon what termes he must come, if ever he meane to have Salvation by Christ; observe the strict Conditions, and walke by the strait rule of Christ: he must resolve with him­selfe come what will come, to stand or to fall with Christ; delivering up all his lusts and corruptions at his Command, when­soever he calls for them; he must not part stakes with Christ to delude him; but he must be true and faithfull unto him; he must wholy deny himselfe, and lie downe before Christ to let Christ doe what he will with him, and these onely are the termes he must expect Heaven upon; and thus doing, he may have Salvation accor­ding to the desire of his soule.