Eight Sermons on Ecclesiastes, Sermons · Sermon 8
The eight Sermon.
Eccleſiaſtes. Chap. 4.
TAke heede to thy feeteVerſe. 17. when thou goeſt vntounto the houſe of God, and be readie to heare, rather then to offer the ſacrifice of fooles, for they perceiue not that they doe euill.
Chapter 5.
BE not raſh with thy mouth, neither let thy heart make haſt to vtter a thing before God, for God is in heauen, and thou art vponupon earth, therefore let thy wordes be fewe.
2 For as a dreame commeth foorth by the multitude of buſineſſe, ſo the voice of a foole by the multitude of wordes.
3 When thou voweſt a vow to God, be not ſlack to pay it, for he is not delighted with fooles: perform that thou haſt vowed.
4 It is better not to vowe, then that thou ſhouldeſt vowe, and not performe it.
5 Suffer not thy mouth to cauſe thy fleſh to ſinne, and ſay not before the angell that it is an error, why ſhould God be angrie at thy voice, and deſtroy the worke of thy handes.
6 For as in the multitude of dreames there be vanities: ſo in the multitude of wordes, but feare thou God.
Eccleſiaſtes Chap. 4. 5.
TAke heede to thy feet, &c. I did ſhew you (beloued in Chriſt) that the purpoſe of king Solomon in this book is to teach mē how to come to true bleſſednes. I did alſo note that it conſiſteth of two partes. For firſt he laboureth to draw men out of the wrong way, that is, from ſetting their heartes vponupon any thing vnderunder the ſunne, to ſéeke good therein. And this hath he dealt in from the beginning of the book vntounto this place, as we hauehave ſéene.
Now by way of digreſſion cutting of that, he toucheth the other, that is, ye right courſe vntounto bleſſedneſſe, which is in the true worſhip and feare of God. Our miſeries be many and great, we féele it ſo: here is a holeſome medicine to eaſe and cure▪ vsus, if wee take héede and applie it well. There is none of vsus ſo dull, but knoweth that f…licitie is in god, he is the fountaine of happines. We hauehave this alſo engrauen in our mindes, that ſuch only are bleſſed as be in Gods fauor, and therfore he muſt be worſhipped, and his diſpleaſure muſt be appeaſed.
Theſe pointes Solomon doeth not touch at all, for he néeded not: but how to ſéeke God aright, and to worſhip him as he may accept and be pleaſed, that is the thing. For when it cōmeth to this, men faile and are fooliſh: they ſéeke him, they worſhip him, faine they would hauehave his anger appeaſed towards them, and be in his fauour, but they doe it ſo fondly, that they be neuer the better but the worſe. Let vsus therfore be taught here by Solomon, how to auoyde ſo intollerable a miſchiefe, which we be all ready is run into.
Take heede to thy feet (ſaith he) whē thou goeſt to the houſe of God. When thou goeſt to ſéeke God, o… to worſhippe him. For God did appoint a ſpecial place for his worſhip, the Temple in Ieruſalem. There he did ſo rea…ale him ſelfe, that hee was ſaide to dwell in it among his people: it was called his houſe. Here they were to offer gifts & ſacrifices vntounto him. This Temple, and all the worſhip in ceremonies which was … vntounto it are taken away. For they were ordeyned but while Chriſt ſhould come and finiſh our redemption, and therefore he ſaid to the woman at the well, Iohn 4. Woman beléeue me, the hower commeth and now is, that neither at Ieruſalem, neither in this mountaine ye ſhall worſhip the father. And againe he ſaith, that the true worſhippers ſhall worſhip in ſpirite and truth. God reuealeth himſelfe in all nations of the world, and men are to worſhip him eueryevery where.
But yet neuertheleſſe theſe words do ſtand ſtill vntounto vsus. We hauehave Gods houſe where he is chiefly to be ſought and worſhipped, euen the publike aſſembly. For God hath ordeyned ſhepeheards and teachers to call the flocke together, & to …éedEpheſ. 4. them, Epheſ. 4. There is ſpeciall promiſe made of a bleſſing in the publike aſſemblies. Where two or thrée are gathered together in my name, there am I in the middeſt of them. Matth. 19. The holyMath. 19. prophete of God did ſtagger when he beheld the proſperitie of the wicked, and the affliction of the iuſt, Pſalm. 73. He couldPſalm. 73. not tell how to be ſatiſfied, vntil he went (as he ſaith) into the ſanctuaries of God, there God reſolued him of his great doubt. We muſt therefore goe to Gods houſe to ſéeke ſuch bleſſings, and to worſhip and praiſe God together. No man can be a right worſhipper of God in priuate, that doeth not frequent the publike aſſemblies, where God ſpeaketh to his people. We muſt all of vsus, if we be wiſe, goe to Gods houſe: but that is not enough, marke what he giueth in precept: take heed to thy feete. This muſt néeds be a borowed ſpéech: for wée may not be ſo ſimple, as to vnderſtand it of the bodily féet. He doeth not ſet downe a charge to will men to looke how they ſtep in the way when they goe to the Church. It is to be vnderſtood of the hart and mind, approaching to ſéeke and worſhip God.
It is therfore as much as to ſay, when thou wilt ſéeke God & worſhip him, take héed how thy heart and minde do come, for thou mayeſt goe awry. There is a right way, and there is a wrong way: if thou goe in the right way, thou art bleſſed: if thou goe in the wrong way thou doeſt marre all, thou ſhalt kindle Gods wrath againſt thée. Then next he doeth in generall expreſſe which is the right way, and which is the wrong. The one is in theſe words, draw neare to heare. The other in theſe, rather then to offer the ſacrifice of fooles, for they perceiue not that they do euill. Solomon doeth in a worde ſet downe that which Moſes and the Prophetes doo ſo much and ſo often vrge, namely that the true worſhip of God hath for the ground & foundation, ſincere obedience. Harken to the voice of the Lord thy God in all that he commandeth thée: thou ſhalt walke in his commandements, his ſtatutes, ordinances and lawes. Thou ſhalt adde nothing vntounto his word, thou ſhalt take nothing therfro.
In this place he ſaith, draw neare to hearken: that is to be vnderſtood that we muſt giuegive eare vntounto yt which God ſpeaketh: for there ought to be no voice in Gods houſe but his owne. It is high ſacriledge for any other voice but Gods to be vttered there. And Chriſt ſaith hée is the true ſhéepeheard, his ſhéepe heare his voice, but a ſtranger they will not heare. The true and faithful paſtors, when they preach, vttering nothing but Gods word, it is not their owne voice, but his. There is one lawe giuer, which is able to ſaue and to deſtroy, wée hauehave then one ſoueraigne Lord and King, euen the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords: and firſt wée muſt begin with this, to giuegive eare vntounto his voice. We know not how to worſhip him: we may not worſhip him after our owne deuiſes, for of ſuch hée ſaith, they worſhip me in vaine, teaching for doctrines mens precepts, he hath preſcribed fully and perfectly in eueryevery point, how we ſhall worſhip him.
We are therfore willed to draw neare to heare. For if we faile in this, and will be worſhippers, not regarding to hearken, we faile in the foundation and goe awrie out of the waie in all that we doo. Therefore herein, take heed to thy feet when thou goeſt to Gods houſe: to heare and not to doo, is not worth ought. Be ye doers of the word and not hearers onelyonly, deceiuing your ſelues. Iam. 1. And our ſauiour ſaith, if any heare my words & doo them not, I will liken him to a man that buildeth his houſe vponupon the ſande▪ great is the fall of that houſe, Matth. 7. Math. 7.The holy Scripture doth not account it worth the name of hearing, vnles a man be a doer.
Moreouer, this is to be wel obſerued when he ſaith, drawe neere to hearken, for it teacheth that the true worſhippers muſt hauehave a readie and chearefull minde to hearken. LoueLove and reuerence to their God, doeth make them delight in his voyce, and not that onelyonly, but the benefit which we receiue by his worde, he doeth beget vsus by it, to be his children, as S. Peter ſaith. We are borne, not of mortall, but of immortall ſéede, the worde of God which indureth for euer. Of his owne good will (ſaith S. Iames) hath hée begotten vsus with ye word of trueth: therfore let eueryevery man be ſwift to heare. By hearing the holy word, wee become the ſonnes and daughters of God. If wée be ſwift to heare, and kéepe, happie are we. For our Sauiour ſaith, Bleſſed are they …hat heare the word of God, and kéepe it. To make this yet more plaine, why wée …hould drawe nigh to hearken, I will ſpeake ſome what more of the new birth which is wrought thereby. We are all dy nature the children of wrath, in as much as we be borne in ſinne. All that is in vsus is but fleſh, that is to be crucified with the luſts and concupiſcences. This mortification of the fleſh through the ſpirite, is called the putting off the old mā. This is wrought by learning, God hath appointed his worde for to purge vsus. All our vncleannes is to be cleanſed away by the pure word. Ignorance, hereſie, errors, darkenes, and vnbeléefe, are expelled by it.
Then further, there is the true image of God to be ſet vp, which is called the putting on of the new man, which after God is created in righteouſnes and true holines. The bleſſed ſpirite of grace breathing life and all good thinges into our ſoules, doeth it by hearing the word. It is therefore the ſwéete foode of our ſoules, the Preachers are called Shepheards, which féede the Lords flock. We may well ſee there is no comming to ſéek God, and to worſhip him, but this way. This is the right way, take héede to thy féet for to walke in it, draw néere to harken. Learne by the word of the Lorde how thou mayſt worſhip him aright.
I will come now to the other parte, which is the worſhippe diſalowed, called the ſacrifice of fooles. In olde time, before the comming of Chriſt, God inſtituted many ceremonies & ſacrifices, which did ſhadow things to come. Theſe was the Church then to be exerciſed in. Not that he eſtéemed the doing of thoſe outward things ſo much, or accounted his worſhip to conſiſt therein: but he regarded the inward faith, and integritie of heart.
Thoſe outward ordinances were but for helpes to further faith: and true godlines. When they offered ſlayne beaſts in ſacrifice, Chriſt was repreſented, and withall, the offerer did declare his faith and repentance thereby. This was forgotten, or not regarded of many, and ſo they offered their ſacrifices, omitting the chiefe vſe, as though they had doone the Lord a pleaſure. This wee may ſée by the Pſalm. 50. And many are the complaintsPſal. 50. of the prophets againſt ſuch worſhippers. They neglect the holy doctrine of God, and be ignorant and vnſkilfull in his waies, for which he calleth thē fooles in this place. He doth wiſh men to take héed of it, becauſe theſe fooles doo nothing but ſinne, when they come to worſhip God. Al that they doo is accurſed and abominable, yea euen their praiers & whols worſhip, yet (he ſaith) they doo not perceiue that they doo euill. Their blind deuotiō to ſéeke God ſéemeth to themſelues a goodly ie well, and that is one great part of their follie. Thus we ſée the ſenſe of his wordes.
Now will I come to apply this doctrine more particularly, that wée may know who they be that erre, & how miſerable their eſtate is. And firſt I will beginne with the church of Rome and all Papiſts. This doctrine doth ouerthrow them, for this beyng true, they can not be the Church of God. There is no drawing néere to hearken to the word of God among them, they hauehave baniſhed it and buried it. God ſpeaketh not in their ſynagoges, but the deuiſes of men are ſet vp: therefore all their worſhip is the ſacrifice of fooles. They do ſinne, they be abominable and accurſed in all their doings.
It is a vaine excuſe when they alledge, wée worſhip none but the true God, we worſhip Chriſt. When ye ſée it plaine that a man may goe to Gods owne houſe where his worde is purely taught, and ſéeks to worſhip the very true God, and yet offer the ſacrifice of fooles, if he giuegive not eare to be taught in the holy doctrine. How much more then where God ſpeaketh not, but mens abominable inuentions are ſet vp. Let not this ſéeme harde, but marke our Sauiour doth cite out of the prophet Ieſay, Math. 15. This peopleMath. 15. draw néere me with their lippes, and honour me with their mouth, but their hart is farre from mée, in vaine doo they worſhip me, teaching for doctrines mens precepts. There be a thouſand abominatiōs among the Papiſtes, which make their worſhip to be the ſacrifice of fooles, but if there were no more but this, it doeth ouerthrow them.
I will come now to a ſecond ſort of men which denie poperie, & yet care not for drawing néere to hearken. They can not away with the preaching (at leaſt wiſe) with the true preaching of Gods word▪ I can not tel what I ſhould terme them, but our land doeth ſwarme full of them in all places. Theſe crie out for praier in Gods houſe. There is (ſay they) ſo much preaching that there is no time for prayer, good praiers are hindred. Yea (ſay theſe) the prayers be better then all their pratling, for ſo it pleaſeth them to terme preaching, by which God ſpeaketh vntounto vsus.
In déede prayer is a ſpeciall part of Gods worſhip, but if a man doe not pray aright, though the praier in it ſelfe bée moſt excellent which he vttereth, it is the ſacrifice of a ſoole, it is turned in to ſinne. Lette vsus conſider the cauſes. The holy Ghoſt willeth, draw néere to h…arken, when a mā will worſhip God. And great reaſon, God is our ſoueraigne Lord, whom we are to ſerue. He is our king & lawmaker, whoſe will wée are to obey and none other. He is our ſhéepeheard whoſe voice wée muſt heare and followIohn. 10. him. My ſhéepe heare my voice Iohn. 10. He hath appointed & giuen paſtors andEpheſ. 4. teachers to féede his ſhéepe, Epheſ. 4.
How canſt thou without contempt of Gods maieſtie, yea without rebellion againſt the king, and renoūcing thy ſhepheard, neglect to heare his voice? Thou art a blinde foole, thou art ſo ignorant, that thou dooſt not vnderſtand the Lords prayer. Thou wouldeſt hauehave God heare thée ſpeaking thou knoweſt not what, & thou wilt not heare what he ſaith. What reaſon is it that God ſhould regard thoſe which regard not him? Reade the firſte Chapter of the Prouerbes, and there yée ſhall ſee how wiſdome complayneth againſt theſe ignorant fooles, and denounceth vengeance, I cried, and ſtretched forth my hand, and yee regarded not, but deſpiſed my counſell, ye ſhal crie when your deſtruction commeth, and I will not heare.
If this doctrine doe ſéeme hard, heareProu. 28. what is written Prouerbs 28. Hee that turneth away his eare from hearing the law, euen his prayer ſhalbe abhominable. Is not this plaine inough, to ſhe we that God abhorreth the prayers of blind ignorant perſons, which care not for his word? What ſhall we ſay then of perſecuters of Gods word? they muſt néedes be worſe, Our Lord and Sauiour doethMath. 7. call them dogs. Such as doe not regarde the precious and heauenly doctrine, hee doeth liken vntounto ſwine which care not for pearles, but tread them in the mire. Such as hauehave the holy things of God offered them, and doe perſecute the bringers, he compareth to dogs which turne againe and rent them.
Conſider now beloued, how woful is the ſtate of all theſe? The men which do not hearken to Gods voyce, but to ſuperſtitio…s inuentiōs, thoſe that deſpiſe and ſet light by the preaching of the word, or heare, and doe not obey it: ſuch alſo as bée perſecuters of the ſame, all their praiers are turned into ſinne, they offer the ſacrifice of fooles, God doth abhorre them, and all their doings. Deſtruction and miſerie come vponupon them, they crie vntounto God but he doeth not heare them, they be neuer the better: yea, they doe increaſe their ſin by praying. For (as he ſaith here) they doe euill.
I know it will be here replied, that the Scripture doeth promiſe, that he which calleth vponupon God ſhalbe heard, and at what time ſoeuer a ſinner doeth repents him of his ſinne, all his wickednes ſhall be done away. This muſt néeds be true, but yet wee muſt vnderſtande, that the prayer and repentance which are allowed before God, procéed from faith, which is Gods gifte, the work of the holy ghoſt, and not in a mans owne power. WhatſoeuerRom. 14. is not of faith is ſinne, Rom 14. which is all one with that which our ſauiour doeth teach Iohn 15. Where heeIohn. 15. compareth himſelfe to the true vine, and the faithfull to the branches. The brāch can bring foorth no fruite except it abide in the vine, no more can we do any thing except we abide in Chriſt. All that is of our ſelues is corrupt, yea euen prayers. Nothing pleaſeth God but that which procéedeth from ye ſpirit of Chriſt, which thoſe only hauehave that are graffed into him by faith. And this is by the worde, as he ſaith in the ſame place, if ye abide in me, and my word abide in you, aſke what ye will, and it ſhall be done vntounto you.
Wherefore brethren, receiue this inſtruction of Solomon, Take heede to thy feet when thou goeſt to Gods houſe, & drawe neere to hearken, rather then to offer the ſacrifice of fooles. Bow down with reuerence, with feare & trembling, to heare the voyce of your God, and to know and obey his will: then crie, & he will he are you, your prayer ſhal come vp before him as ſwéete incenſe. Otherwiſe yée ſhall be but fooles. Let vsus procéede to that which followeth. Be not raſh with thy mouth, neither let thy hart make haſt to vtter a thing before God: for God is in heauen and thou art vponupon earth, and therfore let thy words be few. The former verſe did giuegive vsus inſtructiō, that in ſéeking to worſhip God, we muſt giuegive eare and hearken to his voice.
Now in this he giueth rules how we are to ſpeake vntounto him. For in Gods houſe, the Lord God ſpeaketh vntounto vsus, & againe we ſpeake vntounto him. He ſpeaketh when the faithfull ſhéepheards doo declare his word. We ſpeake in prayer, in thankeſgiuing, in making promiſes & vowes. Looke what he ſpeaketh it is to be accepted, becauſe he is moſt holy, and nothing can come from him but that which is pure and good. Cōtrariwiſe we be corrupt, and all that we ſpeake is fooliſh and vile, vnleſſe it be ordered by his holy ſpirit. Therfore we muſt be taught of him how to ſpeake: we may not come at aduenture before the Lord to ſpeake vntounto him, for he is a great king, and wée are poore and baſe wormes. He is full of glory, power, and heauenly maieſtie, we are duſt & aſhes. We ought to conſider therefore into whoſe preſence we come, and vntounto whom we ſpeake: and this is it which he ſaith, God is in heauen, and thou art vponupon the earth.
Our Sauiour▪ preſcribing vntounto vsus a forme of prayer, leadeth vsus vntounto ye ſame, when he willeth vsus to ſay, Our Father, which art in heauen. The neceſſitie of this precept is to bee eſtéemed from our diſpoſition, how rude, how vnreuerent, & how vnmannerly our hearts be, when we ſpeake to the Lord. We dore not in ſuch ſort ſpeake vntounto an earthly prince, no no… to a man of meane worſhip. But to auoide this rudenes, and to come with due reuerence, yea euen with feare and trembling▪ before ſo high a Maieſtie, hée willeth each man not to be raſh with his mouth, nor to let his heart make haſte to vtter a thing before God, where reuerence is ſet a part of him to whō he ſpeaketh, a man dooth haſtely and raſhly babble whatſoeuer commeth into his mind. But when he doth carrie great reuerēce, hee doeth not ſpeake but with feare and trēbling, aduiſedly waying whatſoeuer he doeth vtter. When we come to ſpeake vntounto ye God of glory, how wicked a thing is it to come vnreuerently, and yet men doe it, and as boldly as it were to come before the meaneſt man vpō earth. Nay there is no man would take it well, but thinke he were mocked and deſpiſed as a foole, if men ſhould ſpeake ſo vntounto him, as they do vntounto God. It is true that there be ſome outward ſignes of reuerence, as knéeling or vowing, which is méete, but God doth looke vponupon the hart. They babble and vtter wordes with their mouth which they vnderſtand not, or ſpeaking them, their mind is vponupon other matters. This is a foule contempt of Gods maieſtie, a ſinne which ſhall be puniſhed with the vengeance of eternall …re. He that is raſh with his mouth, & doeth let his hart make haſt to ſpeake vntounto God, doeth not reuerence his glorious maieſtie: and yet ye ſée how ſuch blind & groſſe hypocrites doo glory in their vaine babbling, euen when they know not what they ſay.
Let vsus cōſider beloued how to eſchew this euill; how ſhall a man frame himſelfe, that he may not vnaduiſedly & raſhly ſpeake vntounto God, but with reuerence which is due, yea with feare & trembling? I will ſhew ye. Firſt conſider déepely, of that he ſaith, God is in heauen. Conſider I ſay what a great and glorious God hee is. His maieſtie and power are aboue the heauens. He is iuſt, holy and good, a hater of all iniquitie and vncleanneſſe: the fountaine and giuer of all good things: louing to the faithfull, and a moſt terrible God to the wicked. Then looke vponupon thy ſelfe, remember that he ſaith here, thou art vponupon earth. Thou art weake, baſe, ſinfull and miſerable. What art thou to come before him? how wilt thou ſpeake vntounto him? wherein ſhalt thou be regarded? conſider thine vnworthineſſe, caſt downe thy ſelfe in humilitie, with ye ſenſe and féeling of thy ſins and beggerlineſſe. Looke what he doeth promiſe to giuegive, craue it earneſtly with ſtedfaſt faith, and with a groning ſpirite. Not thus when they come to ſpeake vntounto God, are raſhe & fooliſh, they imagine that the very babling of words is a ſeruice of God, and as the blind Papiſtes thought, if a man did one day ſay more then his ordinarie ſtint, God was in his debte: and wée ſée how the fooliſh pardons are granted from the biſhop of Rome, with condition that a man ſhall ſay ouer ſeuen or ten Aue Maries, and ſo many Pater noſters.
Solomon giueth warning to beware of this: Be not raſh with thy mouth, neither let thy heart make haſt to vtter a thing before God. To performe this there is néede of déepe meditation before a man pray: the vnſkilfull and vntaught in Gods holy word, can not meditate any thing but corruptly, and after the rotten braine of fleſh and bloud in vaine imagination, and therefore they can not pray aright: they caſt forth their words and deſires vnaduiſedly, they come rudely before God, becauſe they know not him nor yet themſelues. By his heauenly word, the Lord doth reueale himſelfe vntounto vsus, by the knowledge and light thereof we behold his glory, we are caried vntounto a wonderment and admiration of his excellencie, we reuerence him, we tremble before him. As by the worde we behold God, that in him is life and all good things, ſo by the ſame wée ſée and know our ſelues, that we be very corruption & miſerie: we be poore, naked, and void of all good things. He is the bottomles fountaine of holines, life and ioy: if we will hauehave ought, we muſt draw it from him.
This may lead vsus to humilitie, to hunger & thirſt for his heauenly gifts: hunger and thirſt be ſuch things as no man can endure, but will ſpéedily crie out for reliefe. The hungrie and thirſtie ſoule doth make as great haſt vntounto God, and doth vehemently crie out to be refreſhed: ſuch doth God call for, ſuch onelyonly doth he heare, all other doo not pray, but babble. The prophet Ieſay chapt. 55. doth in theIeſay. 55. name of the Lord proclaime, Come to the waters all that be a thirſt. The bleſſed virgin in her ſong, ſaith, that he filleth the hungrie with good things, and the rich he ſendeth away emptie. Thoſe be called rich which féele not their miſerie. And Chriſt ſaith, Come vntounto mée all yée that trauaile and be heauy laden, and I will refreſh ye, Math. 11. Againe by the wordMath. 11. of the Lord, we ſée what he hath promiſed vsus. For we muſt aſke according to his will, and not after our owne fantaſies & deſtres: we muſt alſo aſke in faith & not wauer, or elſe we ſhall receiue nothing, Iam. 1. Which can not be but where weIam. 1. hauehave his promiſe: wée muſt giuegive him thankes and praiſe with vnfained harts.
All this is to be done as he willeth in fewe words, for it followeth after he had ſaid, God is in heauen and thou art vponupon the earth, therfore let thy words be few. The faithful ſoule doth crie continuallie vntounto God: for being in continuall néede, it watcheth vntounto prayer. But yet the words are fewe. On the other ſide, the blinde and fooliſh, as our Sauiour ſheweth Mat. 6. vſe many words, much babbling,Math. 6. and vaine repetitions, for which they thinke to be heard. They wiſh and deſire euen as their blinde fantaſie doeth leade them: they ſpeake they knowe not what, they multiplie words vpō words, babbling vponupon babbling, ſuppoſing that they do a great good thing to pleaſe God. We are warned ye ſée, to take héede of ſuch raſhnes.
What are now all the prayers, the vowes and thanks geuing of the Popiſh Church? What is all the babbling of long prayers, either publike or priuate, where the word of the Lorde is not opened to the people? Can they hauehave thoſe former things which I noted? Is it poſſible that they ſhould not be raſh in ſpeaking vntounto God? They think if they hauehave tumbled ouer their ſtinte and full number of prayers, all is well, they laye on tongue, they cannot tell what, neither doo they much care, their heart is blind and wicked. When they hauehave caſt behinde their backes the word of the Lord, & hauehave filled themſelues with luſtes and vayne pleaſures, forgetting God, yet they muſt for faſhion ſake, hauehave halfe an hower to …umble ouer a ſort of prayers, when the heart is drowned in ſecuritie.
Theſe be fooles, yea theſe bewray thē ſelues to be fooles, for he ſaith, that like as a dreame commeth foorth by the multitude of buſines, ſo the voice of a foole by the multitude of words. Looke how a mans minde which is earneſtly buſied in the day time, doeth dreame of it in the night▪ and ſo out of the multitude of buſines the dreame doeth diſcloſe it ſelfe, euen ſo by many words the voice of a foole is bewrayed. We doe account thē fooles which are full of words, and prattle vnaduiſedly of eueryevery matter: and what reaſon is it that we ſhould not, as it is here ſaid, take them to be fooles which doe ſo vntounto God? What ſhall we ſay then of al the popiſh worſhip, and of the Papiſtes which do bable many words which they do not vnderſtand? what ſhall we thinke of thoſe alſo which wil hauehave praier with ſo many words, & ſo many turnings in & out in the publike aſſembly, when thou voweſt a vow to God, &c. This is another part of Gods worſhip, about which he doeth inſtruct. We ſpeake to God in praier, & in thankeſgiuing: ſo do we alſo in vowing vowes: for we make a ſolēne promiſe to God either to doo ſome good thing, or elſe to forſake ſome euill.
In old time ſome of the kings of Iuda did cauſe the people to ſweare, that they would ſerue the Lord & cleane vntounto him, and renounce the worſhip of idols. Holy men of God in their afflictions did vow and promiſe to God, that when he ſhould deliuer them, they would openly declare his praiſe. We hauehave in baptiſme vowed to conſecrate our ſelues, euen our ſoules & our bodies to God, by renouncing the diuell, the world, and the fleſh. If we goe backe from this our vowe, how can we come rightly to Gods table? for there we doe alſo renew the ſame: wée bind our ſelues with promiſes vntounto God. There be alſo particuler vowes & promiſes, as eueryevery man hath cauſe. If we féele our ſelues ſlacke vntounto good duties, we are to ſtirre vp our ſelues, & to bind our ſelues by ſome earneſt promiſe to God. If we be inclined to any vice, we are to doo the like When we be in diſtres & ſéeke helpe at Gods hands, we promiſe vponupon our deliuerance to be thankefull and obedient. We muſt take héed in al theſe that we be not raſh with our mouth, nor let our hart make haſt to vtter a promiſe. We muſt be well aduiſed what we ſweare & promiſe to God. What a fault is it accoūted in ſuch as will promiſe much vntounto men, & performe little? do not all deſpiſe ſuch perſons? the fault is much greater when there is promiſe made vntounto God and not performed. He willeth therefore that he which hath vowed be not flacke to performe his vow: they be vaine fooles which make promiſe and pay it not: & God is not delighted in fooles, God is delighted in his true worſhippers.
Vow therefore and performe. For he ſaith, it is better not to vow, then to vow and not to performe: we are to vow vntounto God, and therefore it is euill not to vow: but it is a greater euill to vow, & not to doo that we hauehave vowed. Men are raſh & afterward doo repent, then ſéeke they to excuſe the matter that they did ignorantly: but this will not ſerue, for he ſaith, Suffer not thy mouth to cauſe thy fleſh to ſinne, and ſay not before the Angell that it is an errour: why ſhould God be angrie at thy voice & deſtroy the worke of thy handes. He that raſhly maketh vowes to God, may very well be ſaid to ſuffer his mouth to cauſe his fleſh to ſin, that is himſelfe, a part being put for the whole. As often on the contrary, the ſcripture doth vſe to put ye ſoule for the whole man. There is no excuſe before the Lord Chriſt, who is the Angel he here ſpeaketh of, when he ſaith, ſay not before the Angel it was an error, for he is called the Angel of the couenant, Malach. 3. MakeMalach. 3 what excuſe thou canſt to excuſe thy raſhnes, yet Gods wrath ſhal be kindled againſt thée, he will plague & puniſh thée: he will (as it is here ſaid) deſtroy the worke of thy hands.
It is a lamentable caſe, why wilt thou caſt thy ſelfe into it? againe he vſeth a cō pariſon: In the multitude of dreames (ſaith he) there be vanities, ſo in the multitude of words. Wee ſée he likeneth thoſe fooliſh vowes made to God, vntounto dreams, which are but vanitie, but feare thou God. Know thou well vntounto whom thou ſpeakeſt, and be wel aduiſed, & kéepe thy promiſe. Thus we ſée briefly what is to be obſerued in our vowes which wée make vntounto God. Let vsus conſider in ſome particulers who breake theſe rules.
And firſt for our generall vow in baptiſme, we hauehave promiſed to conſecrate both our ſoules and bodies to the ſeruice of God in true holineſſe, by renouncing the deuill and all ſinfull luſtes. Then all ſuch as deſpiſe Gods truth and walke in darkeneſſe after the fleſh, hauehave beſides al other there ſins, this great burthen vponupon them, that they be vowbreakers, they hauehave broken their faith, & promiſe made vntounto God. It had béene better for them neuer to hauehave vowed, then thus to deale, they be in a bad caſe.
Secondly thoſe offend (as we ſée it vſually come to paſſe) which in great affliction make promiſe if God deliuer thē they will glorifie him, but are falſe. For God doeth will vsus, Pſal. 50. Call vpō mePſal. 50. in the day of affliction, I will deliuer thée, and thou ſhalt glorifie me. When a man hath lewdly ſpent his time, in riot, in drunkennes, in wantonnes, in enuie, hatred, and malice. If God ſtrike him with gréeuous ſicknes, that his bones ſéeme to rattle in his ſkinne, and that hée feareth death, then doth he tremble, then doeth he deſire that God wil hauehave mercy vponupon him, and then doth he make vowes and promiſes: If God doe reſtore me to health againe, and geue mee life, I will neuer be the man I hauehave béene. I hauehave liued a naughtie life, I hauehave diſhonoured God, I hauehave deſpiſed his worde, I will harken to his voice, & leaue my naughty vices, and liue to Gods glorie. How wel were this, if men did as they ſay. But marke, and ye ſhall finde the moſt part… ſo ſoone as euer they be recouered, & can but crawle out, fall againe to their former wayes, and be as euill, or worſe thē euer they were before. What ſhall wee ſay of theſe men, are they not gréeuous offenders? I hauehave obſerued ſome very wicked liuers: God hath ſtricken them, and terrified them, ſo that with teares they hauehave confeſſed their vngodly behauiour. They hauehave promiſed and vowed, if God would reſtore them, to become new men. They hauehave recouered, and become as vile in ſinne as before. God hath ſtricken them againe, and they hauehave died in fury and rage, without any apparance of grace, or remorſe. Doth not this ſhew that Gods wrath is heauie againſt ſuch faithleſſe vow breakers?
Let men (as he ſaith) feare God. Let them take héede how they dallie wt him, for ſure God will deſtroy ſuch, and al the worke of their handes.
Moreouer whē he ſaith pay that thou voweſt, hee condemneth all thoſe raſhe vowes which are not agréeable to ye rule of Gods word, which be not to his glory, or that be not in our power. For ſuch vowes are not to be performed. King He rod promiſed with an oath to the daughter of Herodias, yt he would geue whatſoeuer ſhe ſhould aſke, to the halfe of his kingdome. She aſked the head of Iohn the Baptiſt, it had béene much better for him to hauehave repented of his raſh oath, & not hauehave performed it, then to ſhedde the innocent bloud of ſo great a ſeruant of God. Iephtha vowed when hee went to warre, that if the Lord ſhould geue him victorie, at his returne that which ſhould firſt come out at his dores to méete him, ſhould be the Lords, or els he would offer it for a burnt offering. Meaning, that if it were ſuch as might be offered in ſacrifice, it ſhould: if not, it ſhould be conſecrate to the Lord. What warrant had he to make ſuch a vowe? how ſhould it be to Gods glorie? He was puniſhed, for his daughter (being his onelyonly child) firſt met him, and though it were gréeuous, he did with her as he had vowed: ſhe was let go a time to bewayle her virginitie, & then put a parte to the Lorde, and reſtrayned from mariage, for ſo they thought it muſt be, and it is ſaid ſhe knew no man: and by a decrée the daughters of Iſrael went yere by yere, foure dayes in the yere, to talke with the daughter of Iephtha: for it is too hard to charge a faithfull man wt ſlaying his daughter in ſacrifice. Many hauehave béene deceiued in ſo thinking, the Church of Rome wil hauehave men and women vow virginitie. Our Sauiour ſaith all men are not able to doe ſo, to liue vnmarried, but thoſe to whom it is geuen. To the ſame effect teacheth Saint Paul, 1. Cor. 7. They againe replie and ſay, let1. Cor. 7. a man aſke, and he ſhall receiue.
But this is true againſt them, that he which receiueth that he doeth aſke, aſketh that which God hath promiſed to geue him: or els, if hee take vponupon him yt which God doeth not promiſe to make him able to performe, he may aſke, & not receiue, for he tempteth God, and committeth a gréeuous ſinne. And we may ſée by lamentable experience, how God hath puniſhed ſuch raſh vowes: when the ſtink of that horrible filthines which was committed eueryevery where by monks, friers, nunnes, & prieſtes, is not yet out of our noſes. All ſuch vowes are abhominable. Vow according to Gods holie wil, to his glory and praiſe, in yt which he hath promiſed to inhable vsus by his grace to performe, and pay it.
It is a ſinne not to vow ſuch things: it is a greater ſinne, to vowe and not to performe them. I will here end, not entring into that ſea of fooliſh, raſh, and vndiſcrete vowes, which vponupon eueryevery occaſion both men and women doo take vponupon thē, not conſidering to whom they ſpeak. God of his mercy open our eyes, & kéepe vsus frō this raſh dealing with him.
Amen.
FINIS.
End of the text · George Gifford, Eight Sermons on Ecclesiastes (1589)