The Sinners Safety if Here He Look for Assurance, Title page – Dedication
THE SINNERS SAFETIE, If heere hee looke for aſſurance.
By Richard Barnerd, Preacher of Gods word, at Worſop in Nottingham-ſhire.
Coloſſ. 3. 1.
If yee then be riſen with Chriſt, ſeeke thoſe thinges which are aboue, where Chriſt ſitteth at the right hand of God.
AT LONDON Printed by H. L. for T. M. and Ionas Man, and are to be ſold at his ſhoppe at the Weſt doore of Paules.
Anno Dom. 1609.
To the Chiefe Officers, the Gentlemen domeſticall Attendants, and to the reſt of the Familie of the moſt Reuerend Father, Tobias, the Lord Archbiſhop of Yorke his Grace, the chiefeſt good is hartily wiſhed.
GEntlemen, I vviſh you vvell, I hope you doubt not; in my louelove to you all I offer this my labor: to ſome, as deſired, in lieu of good vvill and kindneſſe receiued. My beſt thoughts are tovvardes you in the beſt things. Naturall fauorits, vvorldly friends, wiſh good to the body: that doe I; but vvithall, the ſoules ſafety: vvithout vvhichwhich, no good.
You do heare the excellent truths of God, by one of whom it hath been ſaid, He doth regnare in pulpitis. I doe graunt it, vvho can deny thoſe gifts? yet let your louelove pardon my folly; and reiect not my well meaning, though I ſet before you a candle at noone. The matter is not amiſſe, if the rudeneſſe of ſpeech make it not diſtastefull: if ſo, it were a fault. LoueLove doth not loath vvhat is good: wholſome meat meanely cookt, is acceptable to a hungry ſtomacke. What hath been heard vvith the eare, may nowe bee ſeene with the eye: a double remembrance; the other leſſe, this of more continuance. I hope the fruit vvill bee anſwerable.
The text is a ſpeciall iewell, ſet forth with precious pearles. The argument is of weight, How a poore ſinner may hauehave aſſurance of the greateſt happineſſe. The exhortation ſheweth our ſlowneſs, but the neceſsity of the thing requireth our diligence: good reaſon therefore. What matter ſo vvoorthy our trauel? to gaine all vvithout this, is but loſs. We liue here in pleaſure and eaſe: is this our comfort? are vve at home then? is there not to come a weal vnſpeakeable, or a woe intolerable, vvith ſorrovve to liue in paine, both in time, and euer beyond all time? Sinners vve be: hence conclude vv…e muſt death, and that double. By this apprehenſion, is nothing but horror of Hell. Aſſurance of happineſſe, concludes ſafety, and ioy of Heauen: One of deſert; but this not vvithin compaſſe of merit: it is Gods gift in mercy, comfortable, a ioy vnſpeakeable.
Wee all ſhall ſee the Lord in the laſt day (albeit Atheiſticall Athenians mocke at the doctrine of the Reſurrection): but we al ſhal not alike behold him, as vvee doe not alike deſire his cōming. Some ſhall ſee him a lamb, and apprehend fierce vvrath, and ſay; Oh mountains couer vsus. Some the lyon of Iudah, and conceiue ioy; and in comfort, cry aloude, Hoſannah. Good cauſe vvhy: they hauehave peace by aſſurance of pardon and it is the day of their redemption; that did they ſeeke for diligently; this they expected, & deſired earnestly, and in the end enioy the revvard.
To ſtirre you vp heerevnto, is the drift of my preſent endeuour. VVe all need ſpurring; heauie harts, and leaden heeles, loaden we are with iniquitie: ſo ſlovve to goodnes, that all our daies vvee hardly get any grace permanent.
Gentlemen, accept I pray you my kindneſs: read vvith a mind ayming at the end which I propoſe. Serious meditation helps memory, and ſettles iudgement; but in practiſe ſtands the life, vvhichwhich getteth alſo commendations. You are in eminent place: tongues on both ſides talke at liberty; our defence is innocencie. No way can ye ſo glorifie God, as by practicall profeſſiō; nor advaunce, before the enemie, the honour of the moſt Reuerend your Lord and Maiſter more, then by a holy converſation: ſo doe, and it ſhall bee alſo your glory. If heerein my labor further any thing, it ſhall be my ioy: and if we continue in vvell dooing, it it doubtleſſe wee ſhall obtaine merciemercy. Which the Lord grant, euen ſo. Amen. From my Studie at Worſop. Nouemb. 12.
Your louing Friend euer in the Lord, Richard Bernard.
The Sinners ſafetie, if here he ſeeke for aſſurance.
2. PET. 1. 10.
Wherefore, Brethren, giuegive rather diligence to make your calling and election ſure: for if ye doe theſe things, ye ſhall neuer fall.
THE Apoſtles deſire The Apoſtles drift, with the coherence.is, that with Profeſſion, men ſhould ioyne Sanctification: & therfore in the 5. verſe he exhorteth thoſe, to whom hee writ, that they ſhould giuegive all diligence to fly the corruption which is in the world through luſt; & this is the maine propoſition or leſſon intended. And to bring thē therunto, he firſt teacheth them the meanes how to attain to a holy conuerſation, by adding vertue to vertue, one grace to another, as hee ſheweth in the An inſtruction to miniſters.5. 6. and 7. verſes. A duetie of a miniſter who is a ſpirituall Phyſiciā of the ſoule, not only to ſhew the malady, or aduiſe his Patient to hauehave care to his health; but alſo to preſcribe the meanes how diſeaſes may bee remoued, and health preſerued. Salomon commendeth the feare of God. Pro. 1. 7. The feare of God is the beginning of Wiſdome: and in Chap. 2. preſcribes the meanes to come to the vnderſtanding thereof, in the 1. 2. 3. and 4. verſes: My ſonne, if thou wilt receiue my words, and hide my commandements within thee, &c. In the fifth verſe hee concludeth, and ſaith, Th…n ſhalt thou vnderſtand the feare of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. In like manner Peter, (in Act: 2) after he had accuſed the Iewes for putting Chriſt to death, reſteth not in manifeſting their miſerie; but readily teacheth them how they may acquite themſelues, and eſcape the deſerued, iudgement for ſuch a ſinne.
To ſhew miſerie, without remedy; is to lodge the heart in ſorrowe, without reliefe: meanes muſt be ſhewed with the matter; the way with the appointed iourney: the minde poſſeſſed with the one, teſteth not content without the other. Therefore muſt miniſters after the Apoſtles example obſerue this order; as both reaſon and neceſſity it ſelfe requireth.
After the Apoſtle hath preſcribed the meanes, hee vrgeth reaſons to inforce the practiſe of the doctrine, by vſe of the meanes: the reaſons are, becauſe wee ſhould not be idle and without fruit in our profeſſion, verſe 8. becauſe elſe we are blinde, and cannot ſee afarre of, and alſo forgetfull of a great and incomparable benefite, that wee are purged from our old ſinnes, verſe 9. becauſe otherwiſe wee cannot hauehave aſſurance of our ſaluation; which reaſon is in my text, verſe, 10.
In which againe to vsus miniſters is An other inſtruction to miniſters.commended with the Apoſtles wiſedom (to be able to ſhew meanes to attaine to that he would hauehave them doe) his godly care alſo, to hauehave them to vſe and not to neglect the meanes which hee hath preſcribed vntounto them. Therefore doth hee preſſe them with ſo many reaſons, and vrge them with ſuch arguments, leaſt they ſhould bee wanting in this duety. For indeed men are loath to lay good things to heart; and more loath to practiſe.
Wee are like Balaam; heauen can we wiſh, O that we might die the death of the righteous: but wee would not liue their life. Fleſh ſeeketh after eaſe, & the way to life is ſtrait: we would not be as Lazarus here, but like Diues fare deliciouſly eueryevery day, and yet like Lazarus looke for heauen at our ending. Therefore it is needfull for miniſters to vrge and to ſet vsus on forward, & to follow our ſluggiſh nature with reaſon vponupon reaſon, as ſo many goades pricking our conſciences, to cauſe vsus to ſtirre our feete, and ſo go on in the way of ſaluation.
Bare narrations to ſlowe diſpoſitions are of no force. And, if words take place without waight of reaſon, it is either the worke of faith, which is rare; or leuity of affection, which is too common; and to which agreeth well the prouerb, Soone ripe, ſoone rottē: A Iewiſh intertainment of Chriſt, to day Hoſannah, to morrow Crucifie.
Let vsus then ſay, & ſhew why: that vnderſtanding may be informed, & iudgement ſetled with reaſon.
Suſpect the ground ſandy, where the houſe is built with ſound of words: a little ſtorme will ſhake it, and eaſily ouerthrow it.
Such as are won ſoūdly (as a diſeaſed mēber perfectly healed) will abide conſtant. And thus much for the Coherence.
The words diuide themſelues into The diuiſion of the Text.two generall parts:
1. An exhortation: wherein note,
1. The ground of it, in the word; Wherefore.
2 The parties exhorted; Brethren.
3 The matter of the exhortatiō, in the words following;
GiueGive diligence to make your calling and election ſure.
2 A reaſon, wherin is contained a promiſe: wherein note,
1 The condition thereof: If yee doe theſe things.
2 The thing promiſed, in theſe words; Ye ſhall neuer fall.
Doctrine. Of theſe, as the words lie in order. But firſt it is not to bee omitted, that the Apoſtle vſing, in this verſe, a reaſon to enforce the embracing of vertue, as is aforeſaid, doth not barely ſet it downe, as the former, but deliuereth it by way of exhortation: which argueth the Apoſtles affection in ſpeaking; deſiring that this reaſon might not onelyonly bee vnderſtoode, but alſo embraced with affection. For exhortations are to enflame the affection to make men zealous, as doctrine is to make them iudicious; both neceſſarie to feede the ſoule. Vnderſtanding without feruencie of affection is cold entertainment: ſuch growe ſooner full of policie, then pietie, the beſt is luke-warmenes; a burthen that God cannot beare, but muſt needes ſpue them out of his mouth: Vſe. for either the Lord or Baal. And if affection be alone, it is but folly, running into ſchiſme or ſuperſtition. Therefore muſt men be vrged to affect that which is taught.
Doctrine. But in that the Apoſtle is ſo earneſt in this reaſon, that they may get aſſurance of ſaluation, he commendeth vntounto vsus, the waight of this argument, chiefly of all other to bee affected: And indeede, if wee conſider that without aſſurance wee are altogether comfortleſſe, who would not hereby be moued to embrace vertue, and exerciſe himſelfe therein?
Without aſſurance, though we hauehave poſſeſſion of the beſt good, wee are not in perfect ioy. Vncertainty of cont…nuance of happineſſe in a happy eſtate, maketh the ſame leſſe comfortable, the minde often charged with feare of too ſodaine an end. No man hireth, but hee ſeeketh to know a certaine terme: and hee that hath a Leaſe for many yeares, would alſo make it his owne by purchaſe for better aſſurance.
Aſſurance is a ſalue to cure feare, it is a ſtay in wauering and diſtruſt, & the beſt ſafety againſt deſperation, that dreadfull ſoules miſerie.
Vſe. Therefore let it moue vsus to be vertuous, that ſo wee may get aſſurance.
For aſſurance of Land, wee will be at coſt to pay money: for certaine gaine, wee do trauell farre: to bee ſure of promotion, wee will ſerue long, euen hard Maſters, in drudgery; great men, & not without ſlauerie. And is a vertuous life, a ſeruice to the Almightie, the father of mercy, nothing worth? is it ſo loathſom or irkſome that we cannot indure it, to hauehave aſſurance of heauen, the gaine of Glory, and the honour of Angels with Chriſt for euer?
Oh! hearken and conſider the one and the other. What is the aſſurance of all the world without hope of heauen? The bodies bliſſe; caryon: the ſoules death; damnation. Now to the words.
Wherefore: that is, becauſe, vnles you foreign. Paraphraſe, explaining the word, for to raiſe the doctrinehauehave theſe vertues, you ſhall be but idle profeſſors, fruitleſſe, blinde, vnthankfull to God, and without any aſſurance of ſaluation: therefore giuegive diligence to liue vertuouſly, and to make your calling & election ſure. It is a word, ſhewing how that which followeth, doth depend on that which goeth before: from which we learne, That the diſcommodities The doctrine.of the want of theſe vertues, and the good inſuing by them, ſhould make vsus ſeeke to be endued with them.
To auoid danger bodily, and to get Reaſons to inforce it.aduantage to our ſelues in earthly commodities, wee are moued to ſeeke after thoſe things, by which wee may eſcape loſſe, and gaine ſome good.
Men ſtudie to become learned, men labour for friends, they trauel for riches, and ſeeke for promotion, onelyonly for that the benefite of them is ſo much for mans welfare; and the want thereof held ſo greatly hurtfull, as without them, men are but iudged miſerable: and yet learning and friends, riches and honour, are nothing at all either ſo auaileable to make him happy that hath them, as hee that hath grace; or ſo miſerable, that wanteth them, as hee which is without grace.
Holy vertues are a pledge of Gods louelove, the fruits of the ſpirit, the hand writing The benefit of ver…he benefit of vertues & heauenly graces & what they …re.of God in our hearts, witneſſing his louelove, and confirming his couenant with vsus. They be ſo many ſtaies from ſlyding in ſlippery proſperity; ſo many potions, purging out vices; ſo many pull-backs from vanity; and ſo many comforts in aduerſitie. They be marks of Gods children, and pleaſant flowers to decke vp ſweetely our Temples the dwelling of the holy Ghoſt.
What compariſon betweene humane learning, and heauenly vertues? betweene riches of the world, and this wealth of the ſoule? betweene theſe friends here, and Gods good fauour? between earthly greatnes, & ſpirituall grace? none at all. And is there any equality in the loſſe? nothing leſſe. A man that hath grace and vertue, may be and is happy, though he want learning, riches, honour and friends: But enioy all theſe without grace; ſee the ende. Hamans honour occaſioned his hanging: Abſoloms beautie was his bane: the young mans wealth held him from Chriſt: Achitophels learning and wiſedome was his deſtruction; and all this came to paſſe through want of grace and theſe heauenly vertues. To conclude, when men are wicked, yea in a high degree of vngodlineſſe, we ſhewe the cauſe in one word, when wee ſay they are graceleſſe.
Therefore, if the feare of the greateſt The vſe with exhortation.diſcommoditie, or deſire of the benefit of the greateſt good in anie thing may moue vsus to ſeeke for it, to auoide the one, and poſſeſſe the other; let then the goodnes of vertues moue vsus to ſeeke after them, to attaine vntounto them: let vsus embrace them, and euermore liue in the holy practiſe of them: for, nothing worſe then to want them; and nothing more profitable then to hauehave them. It followeth;
Brethren; The parties exhorted: all thoſe hee meaneth as had attained foreign Fratres vterini.to faith in Chriſt, and did make profeſſion of the Lord Ieſus, verſe the firſt, whome here hee calleth by The meaning.the name of brethren; as vſuallie the Apoſtle Saint Paule alſo doth in his Epiſtles, who tearmeth thoſe to whom he writ (euen the Gentiles) brethren; not by nature, not by nation, nor by kindred, but by profeſſion.
Doctrine. The Prophets before Chriſts comming (a thing to be noted) though they ſpake vntounto their owne nation, and people of one ſtock; yet in their prophecying Note well.they did call vponupon the people by the name of Iſrael: Children of Iſraell, Inhabitants of the land, and ſo forth: but neuer by the name of brethren, as Peter begun in the Act. 2. 19. and the Apoſtles elſewhere: to ſhew a difference of the lawe and the Goſpell euen in the meſſengers: the one ſort, meſſengers of the lawe, were ſeuere, and ſpake further off from affection of louelove: the other, publiſhers of glad tydings, were louing meſſengers of peace, & ſpake as to children of their father, and brethren in Chriſt, as the Apoſtle doth here. In which hee ſheweth firſt his louelove to them whome hee wrote vntounto: In which grace, miniſters muſt Inſtructiō for miniſters.teach, if euer they will do good.
Rancor and malice are not fit for preachers of peace: neither cholerick paſſions, in proclaiming ioy by the promiſes of the Goſpell: louelove abandoneth the one, & bridleth the other; yet ſo as there remaineth a godly zeale to rebuke ſinne, as we ſee the Apoſtles did.
Doctrine. Secondly, he declareth his great humility, equalizing the ſaints all of them, the meaneſt as the greateſt, with himſelf; an other vertue for miniſters: a vertue A pattern for miniſters.of incomparable eſtimation: It is the ſtadle where God will cock vp his graces; a cheſt for his ſecrets, his owne lodging place, there delighteth he to dwell. It is Humility commended. Eſa. 57. 15 Mat. 11. 29the grace which hath the promiſe of grace; and one of the vertues by which Chriſt himſelf commended himſelfe vntounto his diſciples, & therein to bee followed of them. It procureth louelove, it allureth mens hearts to hauehave a good liking of ſuch, yea and winneth reuerence: for he that humbleth himſelfe ſhall bee exalted.
This is not ſpoken to take away order Preuentiō of an obiection.in ſuperiority; but onelyonly to beate downe pride, that men may walk in humility. Neither may hence the inferiour preſume to chalenge equalitie, becauſe the ſuperiour deſcendeth lower then his place. It is humility in the better, when he maketh himſelfe meaner then hee is: but it is arrogancie in the other to aduance themſelues thereby beyond that they are. If men in authority finde any ſo preſumptuous; let them claime their due, to ſuppreſſe that pride: which they may doe with commendation.
Doctrine. Againe, hence may bee noted, that men by profeſſion of Chriſt become cō ioyned Iam. 1. 18.in a fraternity and brotherhood. They hauehave God to their father, who hath begotten them by his word; the Church is their mother that bare them, for ſhe is called his wife: they hauehave all one elder brother the Lord Ieſus, & al in him taught by Chriſt to call God, father.
Mat. 6.Therefore let vsus acknowledge this brotherhoode, not onelyonly by calling ſo Vſe and exhortation.one another, as the cuſtome was in the primitiue Church, but by liuing as brethren in the dueties of louelove. Let vsus not be called Rabbi, for wee are brethren: Mat. 23. 8Let there be no diſſenſion amongſt vsus, as Abraham ſaid, for we are brethren: Be Gen. 13. 8.at peace one with another: O how amiable Pſal. 133. …a thing is it for brethren to dwell together in vnity!
But ah alafle! hath our profeſsion brought vsus to any ſuch practiſe? where is any thing leſſe then louelove? ſeeke for vnity, and behold enmitie. LoueLove is not EueryEvery man for himſelfe, as we now vſe: but it is carefull for other, whom wee little regard.
The life of louelove is brotherly kindnes: but what ſhall I ſay more? we hauehave loſt this goodnes: kind to none, no not to our owne kindred; carefull for none, but for our ſelues.
Selfe louelove hath withered vp all brotherly compaſsion, that we cannot ſhew forth any workes of mercy with cōmiſſeration. But where louelove is wāting, there God is loſt, for God is louelove: where this brotherhoode is neglected, there the commandement of louelove is not regarded; and where this is out of vſe, there is nothing rightly performed.
Therefore let vsus better bethinke our ſelues hereof, remembring our profeſsion, to minde this duetie: beleeue wee cannot our vnion with Chriſt, without communion of his Church: and pray wee cannot to GOD, but with regard of brotherhood, ſaying, Our father. If then wee hauehave either truth in profeſsing, ſoundnes in beleeuing, or a right minde in praying, wee muſt walke in louelove towards our brethren for preſeruation of this holy fellowſhip, e…en vntounto the end, Amen.
GiueGive rather diligence. This word rather foreign. The expoſition. Luk. 11. 28is not here a note of choiſe, as if men might chooſe whether they would bee diligent or no: but it is a preferring of one thing before another; and is alſo a ſecret correction of the ill diſpoſition of na…ure, which hath a rather, that is a will and deſire to the things of this life, then to ſeeke diligently after heauenly vertues, the good things of the life to come. And it is, as if hee had ſaid; Though by A Paraphraſe.nature you be apt to bee diligent for the things here, for bodies welfare; yet I aduiſe you for ſoules ſafetie, to giuegive rather diligence to get heauenly graces. Doctrine. In which hee teacheth, that men naturally make an ill choiſe preferring things of the world which hauehave an end, before things ſpiritual which hauehave no end. And this we ſuck from the breaſts of our firſt parents Adam and Eue, who beleeued Satan before God, in hope of earthly good; & aduentured the Lords diſpleaſure, and the loſſe of Paradiſe for the gaine of an apple. Eſau would deſpiſe his birth right, for a meaſe of pottage: the Gadar…s would want Chriſt, rather then their ſwine: Iſraelites deſire the fleſh pots in Egypt, before the heauenly Manna: Demas biddeth adue to the Goſpell, and embraceth the preſent world: And the Rulers louelove the praiſe of men more then the praiſe of God.
Thus hold wee byaſſe in this courſe, as we hauehave a naturall inclination: but to heauenly things wee may finde altogether in vsus an indiſpoſition: yet ought we rather to giuegive diligence vntounto that which may better our eſtate hereafter for euer, as Abraham did, who reſpected Heb. 11.not the world; and therefore obeyed he the voice of the Lord, and went hither and thither as a ſtranger and a pilgrime whither God thought good. And aſſuredly, till we can preferre heauen before earth, grace before goods, happines before honour, we neither will nor can be zealous in profeſsion, nor vpright in practiſe.
This Rather giuing diligence to heauenly things, and nothing elſe, made Enoch walke with God, Noah to liue righteouſly, Moſes to refuſe his honour, to fly the pleaſures of ſinne, and to ſuffer rather affliction with the people of God.
This preferring of ſoule before the Dan. 3.bodie, and eternitie before mortalitie, made Daniel reſolute without daunt of ſpirit to ſerue his God; and the three children not to bee fearefull to anſwere the king boldly, euen when his countenance was changed for anger againſt them. And therefore let vsus here take The exhortation and vſe.the Apoſtles counſell, and follow after a true and perfect good, rather then that which is falſe and but deceiueable.
The more wee louelove that which is aboue vsus, the leſſe ſhall we like that which is belowe. Encreaſe in the ſpirit, killeth the fleſh: and a deſire to bee with Chriſt, worketh a cōtempt of the world. Chuſe rather the better, and it will withdraw eaſily affection from the worſe. Affect to be with the faithfull, and thou wilt ſoone hate the ſociety of the wicked. Light wil not indure darkeneſſe, truth falſhoode, vertue vice: Chriſt will not ſuffer communion with Beliall: where the Arke commeth, Dagon …alleth downe.
We ſee then to conclude, If we be ill; why we are no better, the cauſe is, for that we care not to bee diligent for the beſt things: the vertue whereof is ſuch, as it euer forceth men to amend that which is amiſſe, more or leſſe, at one time or another. And of this, thus much.
Diligence. The Apoſtle vſeth a foreign foreign. Expoſition. Paraphraſe.word of great emphaſis; Study, do your endeuour, and ſeriouſly: as if hee had ſaid, bend your wits to bring this matter about, ſet your mindes vponupon it, bee muſing of it, and do your endeauour, go about it as much as lyeth in you, and that in good earneſt, attending thereto; conſidering it not as a light thing, but as a matter of great weight and importāce. Doctrine. Whēce he would teach vsus; that eueryevery kinde and manner of going about the matters of our ſaluatiō, is not inough: but God requireth therin our earneſt endeuor. He commandeth vsus to louelove him, but alſo vvith all our Heart, with all our Deut. 6. 5.Minde, with all our Soule, and with all our Strength. Dauid ſaith: O my ſoule, Pſal, 103. 1.praiſe the Lord: and hee addeth, and all that is within me praiſe his holy name. Deut. 4. 9Moſes commandeth to keep our ſoule, but addeth with diligence. This Apoſtle willeth vsus to fly the corruptions which are in the world, verſe 4. and he exhorteth to doe it with all diligen…e, verſe 5. ſo as our beſt endeuour is required. Vſe. And therefore let vsus be diligent herein; let vsus ſeriouſly be emploid in the holy exerciſes of religion. All that thine hand ſhall Eccleſ. 9. 10find to do, doe it with all thy power: and the reaſon is giuen, becauſe there is neither worke, nor inuētion, nor knowledge, nor wiſedome in the graue whither thou goeſt. Bee not lither, ſaith the Apoſtle, in thy buſines, Rom. 12. 11but feruent in the ſpirit ſeruing the Lord. Curſed, ſaith the Prophet Ieremie, is hee Ier. 48. 10.that doth the worke of the Lord negligently.
We ſee then that we are bound, vponupon a great penalty, to bee diligent in the Lords buſines. Wee ſhould ſo louelove the houſe of God, that the zeale thereof (with Dauid) ſhould eat vsus vp. It ſhould, (as Chriſt ſaid of himſelfe) be foode vntounto vsus, to doe the will of our father. We muſt not only deſire, but hunger after righteouſnes.
We are not onelyonly to take occaſions to ſerue God, when they are offered, but ſeeke till we find the meanes. Seeke the Mat. 6.kingdome of God, ſaith our ſauiour: labour for the foode that endureth to eternall life. Ioh. 6. 27Seeke thoſe things, ſaith the Apoſtle, which are aboue: ſo as wee are to take great Col. 3. 1paines to go to God, and ardently affect good things without weary ſomeneſſe, Therefore Salomon, in exhorting men to get the feare and knowledge of God, Prou. 2.doth vſe words of great force, with inſtances of likeneſſe in things wherein men do vſe the greateſt endeauour to attaine thē, Pro. 2. 2. 3. 4. he ſaith not Heare, But cauſe thine eare to hearken; not hauehave a liking, but incline thine heart, force it with violence & might; not pray for know…edge, but call for it; not ſpeake, but cry for vnderſtanding: not get wiſedome, if thou maiſt careleſly ſtumble vponupon it, but ſeeke her as fil…er and ſearch for her as treaſure: then ſhalt thou vnderſtand the feare of the Lord, and come to the knowledge of the moſt higheſt.
Wherefore, hence iuſtly are reproued Vſe of reproofe to diuerſe worldlings.diuerſe ſorts of ill diſpoſed perſons. Firſt thoſe that are vp earely and do go to bed late, eating the bread of carefulnes for the world: to it, they are violent in affection; for it they neglect no time, they omit no ſeaſon▪ they muſe vponupon it; they, like moles, make their habitation in the earth, and can ſauour nothing but it; day and night theſe wormes doe worſhip this their God Mammon, and in their trauell they hauehave all their wits about them (as we ſay) to manage their buſineſſe: But for their future beeing in bliſſe hereafter, they hauehave no care, they thinke all time miſſpent that way; of religious dueties they make no conſcience at all: If they ſpeake of religion, it is but by the way, no point of ſet purpoſe; If they pray, it is but in words, their hearts are farre from it, faſt a ſleepe in their bed-ridden prayers, before they hauehave halfe made an end; wander they doe in their thoughts, no ſtabilitie of minde towards GOD. They are ripe of tongue in worldly affaires: and for witte therein, can none go beyonde them; but in matters of religion, they bee as Idols, or as the people that hauehave eies and ſee not, eares Mat. 13. 14. 15.and heare not, and hearts but perceiue not: But why is all this? Leaſt they ſhould ſee with their eies, and heare with their eares, and ſhould vnderstand with their hearts, and ſhould returne, that God might heale them. So then, if wee be ſuch, it plainly appeareth, that wee runne the way of death, and walke in the path of perdition, except we do amend.
Let ſuch worldlings conſider that the world they muſt leaue, going as they came, naked, with nothing; and thē receiue, not as they were in wealth here, a place there: but as they were religious, ſo ſhall they be rewarded. And therfore ſith this world vaniſheth, and cannot help, but euen as wee hauehave ſought the Lord, ſo ſhall wee find comfort; let vsus be more diligent in ſeeking after that, which will maks vsus euer happy without alteration euerlaſtingly.
Againe, the voluptuous liuer is nothing Voluptuous liuers.leſſe, then of this minde to ſeeke diligently thoſe things that are aboue: but hee, as a beaſt, maketh his bellie his God; and the ſatisfying of his luſt, his chiefeſt life. Nothing ſauours with him but pleaſures: therefore ſpendeth hee his daies in curſed delights, and ſaith as the careleſſe Rich man, Soule liue at eaſe, eat, drinke, and take thy Luke. 12. 19paſtime: when in his ſtrength, and in the midſt of his pleaſures hee thinketh of death, he thereby ſtirs vp his minde the more to his euils, ſaying as an Epicure and Atheiſt, Let vsus eate and drinke, for 1 Cor. 15.to morrowe vve ſhall die: hee maketh a league with death, and a couenant with the graue: if all die, he dreameth to liue; though God threaten damnation, yet he will preſume of merciemercy, vntill the verie daies of euill come, wherein he will be forced to ſay, I hauehave no pleaſure in them. When ſicknes hath ſommoned him, and feare of preſent death hath taken poſseſſion, then happely wil he ſay: Oh I hauehave ſinned, pray for me; I hauehave ſpent my daies leudly, what ſhall I doe? and if in this agony, conſcience ſeaze vponupon him, then he will roare for feare of hell, then houle and cry out in dread of damnation, oh ſaue; but none ſhall ſuccour: oh heare, but God will not hearken; woe is Pro. 1. 28.me for my wantonneſſe, wo is me that I hauehave wrought ſuch wickedneſſe: goodnes I regarded not, I therefore now feele no comforts of grace: oh that GOD would let me liue againe, how would I then ſeek after him? fie vponupon filthy luſt, curſed pleaſures a due, vanitie of vanities and vexation of ſpirit.
Beloued, if we but felt what men feele for ſinne in trouble of conſcience and without comfort, we would not for the world be in their place: wee eſcaping the danger would ſoone leaue ſinne, & giuegive all diligence to doe good, in which onelyonly reſteth all our comfort; then with gladnes and alacrity of ſpirit wee would ſet forward to the worke of the Lord, embrace goodnes and liue vertuouſly, that wee might not come into the like miſerie any more.
Therefore let the feare of it aforehād moue vsus to giuegive all diligence to do wel, that we may neuer taſte of that dreadfull torment, the apprehenſion of Gods wrathfull diſpleaſure, for which Chriſt ſinneles, for our ſinnes ſuſtaining, fell into ſuch an agony, as in the garden hee ſwet drops of bloud (wretched man remember thou this) and on the croſſe cryed, My God, my God, vvhy haſt thou forſaken Mat. 27. 46me? and ſhall we ſinne rebelliouſly, and preſume of merciemercy? ſhall hee (forſaken, as it were) feare, who was without ſinne, and that day and night ſought after good things? and may we be drowned in voluptuouſneſſe, and (careleſſe of religion) bee wholly without dread? O vaine imagination, Sathanicall deluſion, curſed preſumption! Let vsus bee otherwiſe minded I beſeech you, & think better of it.
There are alſo an other ſort (to conclude) Careleſſe profeſſours, cold Proteſtants.who though, as theſe forenamed▪ they bee not wretchedly addicted to their wils, running headlong into wickedneſſe, and wholy careleſs of religion to the very end: yet are they idle i… their profeſſion, and not carefull to vſe their time ſo well as they might, but will be content to let occaſions, offered, ſlip; and do thinke that men may be too curious, too preciſe, making more adoe then needeth, that they can ſerue God and heare not the word twiſe on the Sabbaoth: once a forthnight, or once a monethmonth may content them: that buſineſſes may withdraw from theſe too ſometime; ſo as a little liketh them well, yea and leſſe then nothing now & then ſhall not diſpleaſe them. But theſe worke not out their ſaluation with feare and trembling: theſe doe forget how the fiue fooliſh virgins let their lamps go out for want of watchfulneſſe, and did knock too late when the gates were Mat. 25. 11 12.ſhut.
The ſpouſe in the Canticles, loſing the Cant. 5. 3. 6. 7.preſent opportunity, in her ſluggiſh & careleſſe diſpoſition, had almoſt loſt Chriſt: who yet after ſought him, and found him; but not without ſtrokes and wounds giuen by the watchmen.
It will bee iuſt with God to puniſh our careleſneſſe: we hauehave the word offered, we may enioy it: bee not loathing of this Mannah, be diligent in ſearching the ſoules ſafety. It may come to paſſe, that when we would, we ſhall not hauehave it: and whilſt we ſeeke and happily find, we ſhall hauehave no ſmall trouble before wee enioy againe our peace.
We ſhould followe religion and religious exerciſes (in the compaſſe of our calling) as Eliſha did Eliah; neither tarrie at Gilgall, nor at Bethel, nor at Iericho, 2 Kings. 2.though wee be entreated: that is, by no means, nor by any occaſion to leaue off, for feare of loſing the bleſſing, if wee be but a while abſent.
Let vsus, as Ruth proteſted to Naomi, Ruth. 1. 16 17.ſo ſay for religion, wee wil not be intreated to leaue it, nor depart frō it, whither it goeth wee will go; the Lord do ſo to vsus, and more alſo, if ought but death depart it and vsus. It is Eliah to double bleſſings vponupon thee: It is Naomi faire and beautifull to the ſoule, though ſometime Marah to the fleſh. Hence is it, that Dauid Pſa. 1. 2.ſaith, Bleſſed is he that meditateth in the lawe of God both day and night. He was not of the minde of theſe vaine profeſſours, nor of their practiſe: who, not content with the day, would riſe vp at midnight to praiſe the Lord. The ſpirit of God in godly men hath taught them to thinke, that they ſhould giuegive all diligence to be religious, & that they ſhould not content themſelues with formal and cuſtomarie ſeruice, nor at their leiſure now or then from worldly buſineſſe or carnall delights, to thinke of heauen; but daily were they in exerciſe of religion, what eſtate & calling ſo euer they were in. Dauid a King did not neglect it: Cornelius a Captaine was a deuout man, and Act. 10. 2. 30prayed God continually: Hannah was in the Temple day and night: Peter was in his holy meditation and prayers at noone: and Daniel a great States-man, Dan. 6.became ſo curiouſly preciſe in his holy deuotion and ſeruice vntounto God, that he would not, (in the perill of his life, plotted by all the Nobles of Perſia by an irreuocable decree) ceaſe off to pray, as he was wont to doe, three times a day: and yet was he not (as men religiouſly affected now are tearmed) a good plain ſimple man, one of Gods fooles, of a good meaning, but of no great witte; for by Ezechiel the Prophet, hee was called the wiſe Daniell. Indeede he imployed not wholly his wiſedome after the world, as men now doe: hee ſuffered religion to hauehave in him the rule; which men in theſe daies hauehave leaſt regard of: Hee would not be politick to loſe the peace of a good conſcience, which carnall men for honour and wealth care not to make ſhipwrack of.
If theſe examples be of no force to perſwade men to thinke that wee can neuer be religious enough, nor ouer-preciſe, ſo wee keepe within the compaſſe of the word for a warrant; let them conſider the Lord Ieſus, who was without ſinne, vncapable of euill, & prone to all goodnes, yet did hee addict himſelfe to holy exerciſes, praying whole nights thorow; then aſſuredly ought we to doe much more then wee doe, yea more then we can ſhould we doe, and as much as we can is too little: for when we hauehave done all that; yet ſtill are we vnprofitable ſeruants.
For the world, we thinke wee doe We keepe no meaſure in earthly things.neuer enough: to ſatisfie our wils, or our ſelues in wilfull pleaſures, wee iudge it not amiſſe to keepe no meaſure: delight draweth vsus to ſpend much time, to bee at much coſt; yet nothing too much, nothing too deare: …uſtfull appetites ſet vsus to labour, both long and tedious; yet to attaine the purpoſe propoſed, we can endure the paines: in a word, nothing after our corruption is at any time beyond that which is meete: where Will ruleth and the heart delighteth, there nothing for that is vntunable, nothing vnmeaſurable, though in ſuperſtition & ſetting vp of Idols. Iſraelites will giuegive their earerings, & appoint a day for coſt and expenſes, becauſe they will hauehave a golden calfe. Papiſts practiſe herein doth ſhewe this plaine: they go farre on pilgrimage; they burthen themſelues with infinit number of prayers; they are at great coſt to maintaine many Prieſts and many orders of their religion; they night and day ty themſelues to their taske; thrice a weeke they faſt; many daies in a yeare they keepe (after their faſhion) holie, and doe ſtriue to doe more then euer God commanded, that they might merit. And ſhall the pure religion of Chriſt, the truth of God be held ſo little worth, as wee wickedly ſhould imagine that wee therein can doe too much? that we may therein be too holy? Surely theſe enemies of God, this antichriſtian generation, ſhall riſe vp in iudgement againſt vsus, except religion be of more precious accompt, we better in practiſe, and ceaſe to be ſo too too prophane, as too many be; whom the Lord God of heauen amend in his due time, Amen.