The Saints Qualification, Sermon 7
CERTAINE SERMONS VPONUPON HVMILIATION. The Seventh SERMON.
ROMANS 1.19, 20.
Forasmuch as that which may be knowne of God, is manifest in them, for God hath shewed it unto them.
For the invisible things of him, that is, his eternall power and God-head are clearly seene by the creation of the world, being considered in his workes, to the intent that they should be without excuse.
WE have purposed still to goe on in this point of Humiliation, and then, God willing, we will proceed to that of Iustification, which we promised to handle.
These words doe second the former, which we have gone thorow, The wrath of God is revealed from heaven, &c. The Apostle having set this downe, hath two things to prove: First, that there is such a Truth revealed. Secondly, That they with-hold it in unrighteousnesse: Both which he proves in the sequele of this Chapter.1That there is such a Truth, proved foure wayes.
First, there is such a Truth revealed to men, for (saith he) That that may be knowne of God is manifest in them; that is, there is a certaine portion of Truth, a certaine measure of knowledge which God hath made-knowne to every man; indeed there be different measures, but to every one some measure is given, set forth by the Author thereof, God (saith he) hath shewed it to them. Secondly, it is set forth more particularly by the thing that is revealed: And thirdly, by the meanes whereby it is revealed: Fourthly, by the end.
Secondly, the thing that is reavealed, as if he had said; if you will know more particularly what this knowledge is, it is the knowledge of Gods eternall Power and God-head.
Thirdly, will you know the meanes how it is revealed? It is revealed by his workes, and chiefly by the creation of the world.Object.
But, you will object, his eternall power and God-head are invisible, shut up from the view of men, how shall men doe to see and understand these things,Answ. seeing they are so remote?
(Saith he) They are knowne by the things that are seene: You may see the world, you may see the workes of his providence; these things run into the senses, and by these they are knowne: As the soule of a man is a thing in it selfe invisible, but yet you may see it by the motions of the body, the effects of the soule in the bodie, this the senses are capable of; so the invisible things of God are knowne by the things that are seene.
Last of all, this is set out by the end, wherefore GOD hath done this, the end is, that they may be without excuse: And so far he proves the first part, that there is a Truth revealed to men.
In the next words he comes to prove,2That they with-hold the Truth in unrighteousnesse. That they with-hold the Truth in unrighteousnesse; For they knew God, but they glorified him not as God, and not negatively only, but affirmatively also, Their foolish hearts are full of darknesse, they became vaine in their imaginations.
But,Object. they were wise men, Grecians, Athenians, men excelling in wisdome all other, how did they detaine it, one would thinke they did enlarge it? It is true, they were wise in their owne conceit; but thinking themselves wise, they became fooles, how doth that appeare? They turned the glory of the incorruptible God, into the image of corruptible man, &c. So much for the scope of the words.
Wee will not runne to every particular, because this is a place of Scripture on which wee meane not to dwell, but these three points we intend to handle out of these two verses. In the handling of which, you shall see all these particulars will be brought in:
The first is, That that Law, or Truth, or Knowledge, by which every man shall be judged, is made manifest by God himselfe.
Secondly, The workes of God, or the Creation, are the meanes by which he hath made it knowne.
Thirdly, They are so much made knowne to every man, as will make him inexcusable.
Doct. 1.To begin with the first, I say, That truth, or that Law, That Truth or Law, or knowledge, by which every man shall be judged, is made manifest by God himselfe.or that knowledge, by which every man shall be judged at the last day, is made evident to him by God himselfe. In this proportion you must marke three things:
First, what it is that is made knowne; It is that Law or Truth,1What this Truth is. foreign. by which every man shall be judged, the word in the original…, is, foreign, That which may be knowne of God, that is, there is a certaine measure and portion of Truth, which God disposes and reveales to men, to some one measure, to some another measure, and according to the measure of Truth he must conforme himselfe, and for breaking that rule onelyonly, hee shall be condemned at the last day: The Gentiles have one measure of Truth, the Iewes have a greater measure, but Christians, to whom the Gospell is revealed, have the greatest measure of Truth given them: Againe, some Christians that live under better Ministeries, they whose education is better, they have more Truth than others: Now seeing he saith it is made manifest, the meaning is, every man hath a measure, and that is to be made manifest; as light when it comes into a roome, it showes all the glory, all the beauty and deformity round about, it showes the right way and the wrong way, if you come to the light, all things are made manifest now, which were covered, when you were in darknesse: thus God enlightens men, he kindles a certaine light in their minde (for so the word signifies) he puts a light into their hearts, by which they are able to judge of that which is good and evill, of that which is agreeable to his will, and contrary to his will; of that which is the way to happinesse, and that which is not; and this is made knowne.
The second thing to be marked in this proposition,2How it is made knowne. is, to shew, how it is made knowne; you see that the thing is made knowne to us: Not it is made knowne to us these foure wayes:Foure wayes.
First,1By the light of Nature. it is made knowne to us by the light of Nature, God hath written the Law in their hearts, Rom. 2.15. They show the effects of the Law, which Law is written in their hearts, that is, God hath implanted it there, God hath written it there, he hath fastned it there, he hath revealed to men some Truths: but the question will be how it shall be knowne that God hath done so; why (saith he) you shall know it by the effects, every man, even Heathens, though they have not come to the knowledge of the Scripture, ye… they have the Law written in their hearts, fo… they doe the things contained in the Law, their actions show it, they could not doe these things, if they had not the Law written in their hearts. Againe, their consciences accuse and excuse. Againe, it is seene by their judging of others, for in judging of others, they judge themselves, and make it evident, that they doe know, though they doe not practice, and so it is revealed by the Law of Nature.
2By Gods workes.Secondly, God makes it knowne by his works, specially, by the creation of the world, by his workes of Providence, which be ordinary, and extraordinary, as miracles, that is, when a man lookes on the great volume of the world, there those things which God will have known, are written in capitall letters, and such letters as every one may understand and reade; so as that which the Papists say of Images, they are Laymens bookes, and ignorant mens bookes; so (and in a much better sense) this Booke of the world is the Heathen mans booke, wherein he may see there is a God, and his eternall power, and wherein all men may see what they ought to doe to this God.
3By the Scriptures.Thirdly, it is manifest by the Scriptures, Ioh. 5.39. saith Christ, Search the Scriptures, for therein you thinke to have eternall life, and they testifie of me: This is out of question, that the Scriptures testifie of GOD, they make GOD knowne to men.
4By the Saints.Lastly, it is made knowne by the Saints, as in the same Chapter, Ioh. 5. Iohn bare witnesse of me, and what is said of Iohn, may be said of others, the Saints beare witnesse of God. Therefore in the second to the Philippians, they are said to shine as lights in the world, that is, they make God knowne to men: So by these foure wayes God makes it knowne, namely by the Law of Nature: Secondly, by his workes. Thirdly, by the Scriptures. Fourthly, by the faithfull that live in the world. The two first make it knowne to the Heathen; the two last to them within the Church, that is, the faithfull, and these be the meanes by which it is evident.
Now the third thing to be observed,3It is God that maketh this Truth evident. is, That it is God that maketh this Truth evident; This is enough to prove that it is God, because it is universally done, goe to all Nations, to savage men, that seeme to be most remote from the light, that come not neare any meanes of the knowledge of the Truth, yet these men beleeve there …s a God, every man, without exception, doth so; now where there is an universall effect, it must needs come from an universall cause; therefore from God himselfe.
Now this is not added in vaine,Hence these Consectaries may be deduced. but this you may observe in that it comes from God.
First, if it come from God, it is not a deceiveable rule, it is not a fancie, but a firme Truth which you may build on.
Againe, if God make it knowne, it is not done sleightly; whatsoever God doth, if he make it knowne, it is done to purpose, and effectually, if he have blessed any, he shall be blest, so farre as it is his will to reveale, so farre it is to purpose, and this makes men more without excuse.
Againe, if God have made it knowne, then it is a thing you must take heed to, you must not neglect it, because it is God that is the Author of it; if it had beene made knowne to us by accident, or any creatur… you might have given the lesse heed to it, bu… God having made it knowne, it is of speciall moment, you must in a speciall manner attend to it.
Lastly, in that God hath made it knowne, then you may know it is the rule of perfection that is given to every man, in observing of which he shall finde happinesse, in breaking of which consists his destruction and ruine; when God gives a rule, in the keeping of it man shall be made happie, as in the breaking of it he shall be made miserable; so you see these three things: First, what is made knowne, A certaine measure of Truth divided according to Gods will. Secondly, how it is made knowne by nature, by his works, by Scripture, by the faithfull. Thirdly, it is God that makes it knowne, therefore not a deceiveable truth, not a fancie, or dreame, but to purpose, therefore you must not neglect it, in observing of it is happinesse, and in breaking of it, you shall finde there will come ruine, and destruction, and misery upon you.
Vse 1.Now we will come to make use of it: First, if there be such a Truth made knowne to men by God himselfe;To shew the hainousnesse of mens sinnes against this Truth. then learne hence to aggravate your sinnes, to know the greatnesse of the guilt of your sinnes: Hence we may learne to know, that the loosenesse and licentiousnesse men take to themselves against this Truth is more desperate, and hainous, and inexcusable: for God himselfe hath made it known to them: For every precept of men is of more or lesse moment, according to the quality of the Author, the Law is to be valued according to the person that gives the Law, therefore mens Lawes are of some moment, but Gods Lawes are of more moment: This Truth is most pressed in Scripture, when CHRIST preacheth the Word, he saith, every sin is encreased that is committed against this Word: When Ionas came to Niniveh, it had beene a great sin if they had not repented, God would have visited them for neglecting the word of Ionas, but a greater than Ionas is here, saith Christ: So the Queen of the South came to heare the wisdome of Salomon, but a greater than Salomon is here: That is, every sin committed against this Truth, is out of measurable sinfull. Therefore, if they that breake Moses Law shall die under two or three witnesses, how shall they escape that neglect so great Salvation, which began to be preached by the Lord himselfe? He hath made it knowne; therefore it is a fearefull thing to neglect it. Therefore you may see what an Emphasis God puts on that, Hast thou eaten of the tree, of which I bade thou shouldest not eat? As if he had said, the thing is a small matter in it selfe, yet it being the Commandement of the great GOD, I have commanded it, and thou didst neglect it, therefore thou shalt die the death.
And there is good reason for it, if we consider it, if God giveth the Law it is his; now Gods name is taken in vaine, when his Law is now observed; fro though the disobedience be immediately against the Law, yet it is terminately against God himselfe; for whatsoever is done against the Scripture, is done against God himselfe: Therefore, saith God to Saul, In that thou hast cast me away, I will cast thee away. And so siath Christ to his Disciples, Whatsoever is done against you, is done against me; it is terminated in me: Therefore, thinke when you shall come to die, or to any case of extremity, and God shall speake to your consciences and tell you, Thou hast broken the Law I gave thee, thou hast rebelled against me, thou hast given thy members as weapons of unrighteousnesse against me, now I will be avenged of thee, thou shalt know I am Iust, thou shalt know who it is that thou hast offended, this is no small matter. If we Ministers come and tell you, you must not sweare, but your yea, must be yea, and your nay, nay, and whatsoever more is evill; you must sweare no kinde of oathes, if we tell you, you must not dissemble, not lye, not keepe vaine company, not mispend your Talents, not restrain prayer from the Almighty, if we tell you this, it is no small matter to neglect it, it being the Commandement of God; doe not say of sinne as you were wont, Indeed it is a fault, and I would I could doe otherwise, but seeing they be sinnes against God, know what it is to sinne against the Iudge of all the world, this wil make thee thinke of sinne in another manner. Therefore in your sinnes labour to fix your eyes on God, and it will aggravate sinne. As David in the one and fiftieth Psalme saith, Against thee, against thee onelyonly have I sinned, repeating it twice in that place; he composed that Psalme to set forth his sin, but that which wounded his conscience, that made him see the hainousnesse of his sinne was this, Against thee I have sinned: So the Prodigall sonne, this is the circumstance by which he aggravates his sin, Against heaven and against thee I have offended: So learne to know that your sinnes are against god, and therefore to presse this Truth a little more.
Consider well with your selves, what is the reason that God hath required such a vast punishment against sinne, that is, eternall death; thinke what eternity is, it is that which swallowes up your thoughts, it is a punishment, the length, and depth, and breadth whereof you cannto comprehend. Thinke why God hath appointed such a vast punishment, and you shall find, it is because you sinne against an Immense, a great and Almighty God, the length, and breadth, and depth of whose greatnesse you cannot comprehend.
Againe, what is the reason God should appoint such a Mediatour to take away the sins of the world, that the Son of God must needs take flesh, which the Angels themselves wonder at; it is such a wonderfull action, that they cannot but admire, and in heaven we shall stand amazed at it; which evidences the greatnesse of sinne: Learne to know this, put al these foure together, and see how these doe hold correspondencie one with another, and you shall finde out the nature of your sinne.
First, consider the greatnesse of God his infinitenesse, the greatnesse of his Authority, the wonderfull vast Soveraignty he hath over all creatures; from this greatnesse of God, comes the second, the greatnesse of sinne, I have made knowne this Truth, but thou hast with-holden it, thence it comes that sinne is so great, that the least sinne which thou makest nothing of, is a thing of so great moment. That is the second, which followes on the greatnesse of God.
Thirdly, upon the greatnesse of sinne, you see the greatnesse of the punishment; if such an one as Aristotle, or a stranger from the Truth should heare of this punishment (the greatnesse whereof appeares herein, that the worme dieth not, and the fire is not quenched,) how would he wonder at it? but knitting these together it will not seeme strange.
Last of all, the greatnesse of the punishment causeth the greatnesse of such a Mediatour, to take away this punishment and sin: So there is a correspondencie in them, come from God to sin, from sinne to the punishment, from punishment to the Mediation or redemption, by which this sinne is taken away. Learne therefore to know what sin is, I know not a truth of greater moment. And to all adde that, 1 Cor. 15.56. The sting of death is sinne: If you look on death, it is the most terrible thing in the world: You know what the Philosopher said of it, of all terrible things, it is the most terrible, the most fearfull, but sin is the sting of death: As if he had said, Death is a small thing in comparison of sin; let a man want sin, and death is nothing, it is but sleepe, it is nothing to have the body and soule separated. Againe, suppose there were no death, but let body and soule remaine together, yet sin is a terrible thing, it is above all the Terrours in the world, as in Iudas, see his Terrours, though there was no death on him; see Adam when he was not in Hell, but in Paradise, yet how was he Tormented with his sin. Therefore weigh not sin in a wrong ballance, looke not on it with a wrong light, take heed of being deceived, for in this of all other things men are most apt to be deceived: That is the corruption of Nature, that strange darknesse is brought on men by Adam, that in the thing that most concerneth him, which is sin, in that he is most ignorant, most apt to be deceived: Therefore when the Apostle speaks of sin, he comes in still with this caution, Be not deceived, 1 Cor. 6.9. Be not deceived, neither Fornicatour, nor Idolaters, nor adulterers, &c. shall inherit the kingdome of God; as if men in that were most apt to be deceived: So Ephes. 5.6. Be not deceived, for, for such things the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience: And observe when Christ goeth about to show to any man, or to any Church what their sins are, or what their danger is, he addes this, Let him that hath an eare heare, what the Spirit saith to the Churches, his end being to tell them of their sin, still that comes in, He that hath an eare to heare, let him heare: As if he had said, when I come to speake of matter of sin, there be many here that can tell what I say, that can understand me well, but few have eares to understand indeed. As when the Prophet came to Ieroboam, he heard the Prophet so as it anger'd him, he knew what his sin was, but he heard it not to purpose: So when Christ pronounceth a woe to the Scribes and Pharisees, they heard it well enough, but they had not an eare to heare it to purpose: Men may heare what flesh and common reason, and common men say of sin, but not what the Spirit saith of it, there is another kinde of sinfulnesse in sin, which is the spirituall evill of sin, and what the Spirit saith of this they doe not heare: Therefore you must even be brought to Christ, as the deafe man was, who being both deafe and dumbe, was brought to Christ, that he might lay his hands on him, now Christ put his finger into his eares and saith, Ephata, be thou opened, and then the man heard and spake; so of all men that heare this Word, there is not a man but he is deafe, according to this inward kinde of hearing: therefore you must be brought to Christ, and beseech him to give you eares to heare; for few hath eares to heare what the Spirit saith unto the Churches, when it discovers their sin and misery: Therefore, let not this Doctrine be in vain to you, but learne from hence to humble your selves, to come to God, and say to him, Lord, I am now amazed and confounded, I thought before losses and crosses were great matters, but now I see they are but flea-bitings to sin, I was heretofore troubled at a small crosse, but little or nothing at sin; Lord, I confesse, this was my case, but I see now sinne is another thing: Thus we should learne to humble our selves before God.
But, if any object;Object. This is the way to discourage men, to make them desperate, to make them fly from Religion by telling them sin is so terrible?
I answer,Answ. it is not the way to discourage men from comming to Christ, but to encourage them and drive them to him; This is the way to Salvation: Indeed, if there were no remedy for sin, it were a desperate case, but there is a remedy, if you will but see this sinne of yours, and mourne for it, for all that mourne in Sion, and are broken hearted, shall be comforted: Therefore you must know, there is a passive sorrow for sin, when God shall affright a man with the Terrour of his wrath, and that is a flash of hell fire: if our end were only to kindle these sparks, it were indeed to breed Torture in the soule; but there is an active humiliation, when a man labours to be convinced of his sin, to know all hee can against himselfe, and this is it which leads to life; for this is the end of our preaching, the end of our discovering of sin. And this use you may make of the hainousnesse of sinne; and so much shall serve for the first use.
Vse 2.Secondly, if there be such a truth, such a knowledge made evident by God himselfe,Be thankfull for the Truth. then men should learne hence to be thankful to God for it: for whereas all men might have perished as the Devils did, as the Angels that fell did, yet God hath shewed this mercy to mankinde, he hath given them Secundam Tabulam post naufragium, and that is this light, which is the thing which you have cause to be thankfull for; for this light is worth all the world beside, nothing is so precious, because it shewes the way to escape Hell and damnation; therfore you ought to be thankfull to God for it: You specially that live under the Sun-shine of the Gospell; you must thinke you might have beene borne in other ages, when darknesse covered the world, or in another Nation, and not in Goshen, where the light shines; and if in the Church, you might have been ignorant, as many of our Countrey people are, even almost as ignorant as Turkes and Iewes, but when God hath discovered light in great measure, and hath given a great portion thereof to you; you must know all this is not come to passe by accident, but by Gods providence; you are to take notice of it, and learne to be thankfull, not in show only, but indeed and in truth, that is, by practising according to the knowledge you have, for it is a thing most precious, Mat. 7.6. An Admonition is compared to a pearle, whereas the admonition is but one part of this light, and what is said of a part, may be said of the whole. Salomon could not finde a fit thing to compare this Wisdome to: It is more precious than pearles, nay all that can be named or desired cannot be compared with it: Therefore seeing it is a precious thing, trample not these pearles under your feet: know that God hath put a price into thine hand, and that is thy light, and it is a price that will buy heaven, it will bring thee to salvation; but if thou wantest an heart (as the foole hath a price, but he wants an heart) it will do thee no good: take heed thou doe not neglect it, doe not abuse it, take not the grace of God in vain, but see thou use this light; When the great promise of Christ his comming was made, what was it but this, that they should have a new light, that the people that sate in darknesse and in the shadow of death, should see a light they never saw before: you that live in this light, that enjoy that which was so many yeares ago promised to the Gentiles, and is now fulfilled; take heed of abusing it, use it to the purpose for which it is given, that is, to guide your feet into the way of peace.
Againe,Vse 3. thirdly, to joyne that with it: As you must be thankful,Doe nothing contrary to the Truth. so in the third place, you must take heed of doing any thing contrary to this Truth, it is a very dangerous thing to neglect it. There is not a sparke of it, not a beame of this light, which is conveyed to you by the ministery of the Gospell, which shall be in vaine, Though you doe not prize it, it shall set you a steppe nearer heaven or hell, even every sparke and beame of this; and this is it which may make men afraid, and looke about them, seeing that when this light is made knowne, it is so dangerous to neglect it: Therefore thinke this, when God hath sent a right Ministery, Consider who hath sent this light; God hath done it, and will GOD send a vaine m…ssage? A wise man will not doe so; if then God send it not in vaine, it is to some purpose, to doe either good or hurt; Now suppose that this light have done you no good, that you have lived long under this light, but have attained no good, you have knowne much, but practised little, then know this shall exceedingly encrease your condemnation. Paul saith, We thanke God that he hath caused us to triumph in IESUS CHRIST, in making manifest the savour of his knowledge in every place. What is the reason he should rejoyce that this was made manifest, seeing to some it did no good? Yes (saith he) it shall encrease their condemnation, it shall be the sweet savour of God in them that are saved, and in them that perish. So when wee preach, if the light doe you no good, it doth you hurt: As Isaiah his Commission was, Goe, preach to this people, and shut their eyes, lest they should see with their eyes, and heare with their eares; If we are not sent to enlighten men, we are sent to make their hearts fat, and their eares heavie, Thou shalt doe no good by thy ministery, yet I have sent thee, that they may know there was a Prophet among them. Therefore take heed, you to whom this is sent, that it be not sent onelyonly to this end, that it may be knowne there hath beene a Prophet among you: Those to whom God hath revealed much, let them know it shall not be in vaine; If the King send a Message, and men will obey it, so it is, if not, if they make his authority worth nothing, he will elevate his Authority, and will inflict a Penalty: So God sends not in vaine, if you will not obey him, God will not suffer any to sleight his Authority, but he will be surely revenged. Therefore take heed how you detaine this Truth in unrighteousnesse, that when GOD hath discovered this knowledge, you doe not practice it.
But,Object. every man will be apt to say, (and indeed they that are most guilty) but I hope we doe practise it, and not detaine it?
Therefore I will set downe (though not all,Answ. yet) many of the Cases wherein they detaine this Truth and with-hold it in unrighteousnesse,Seven Cases, wherein men detaine this Truth in unrighteousnesse. wherein they doe not practise according to this knowledge, and these are seven in number.
First,1In the Commission of knowne sins. in the Commission of all knowne sins, there you detaine this Truth, there you imprison it, whensoever you finde this to be your Case that you commit any knowne sinne, therein you are a detainer of the Truth, an imprisoner of it. As for example, when a man shall know that these duties ought to bee done, I ought to pray fervently, and frequently, I ought to sanctifie the Lords Sabbath, but out of an unlistinesse to it, out of love to ease and pleasure, that carries him another way, he neglects it, and so the dutie lyes undone: This is the Commission of a knowne sinne: So againe, I know I ought not to remember an injury, I ought to forgive mine Enemy, yet thou invitest him to doe thee a new injury, when this is knowne and not practised, in this case men commit a knowne sinne; so againe, dost thou not know that thou oughtest not to use any dalliance, any touch of uncleannesse, any chambering or wantonnesse? if a man know this, and yet will commit it, because his lusts intend his minde to such a sinne, and it is a thing to which he is strongly inclined, this is a knowne sinne; so in many other things, in cases of election, or in doing of businesses this man ought to be chosen, and businesses ought to be carried thus, but yet out of some by-respects, a man will have it carried otherwise, this is committing of a knowne sinne; so in case of Envie, this mans preferment may be profitable, but because his eminencie may be hurtfull to me, I cannot affect him, this is a knowne sinne; so in Case of the Sacrament, doe you not know you ought to receive often, and not to neglect it in the Congregation where you are? Are you not bound to that? You thinke it a sinne not to heare the Word, and is it not so, not to receive the Sacrament? If he shall be cut off that came not to the Passeover; shall not he be cut off that comes not to the Sacrament? So you know you must renew your repentance; are not these Truthes knowne? and yet will you commit these sins? Goe thorow any knowne sin, and in this Case you doe with-hold the Truth in unrighteousnesse. But what is it to commit a knowne sin, because it may be I am not convinced sufficiently of that? By this thou mayest know it if thou finde thy Conscience to give a secret intimation that it is naught, it is a signe it is a knowne sin, though thou hast got many Arguments for it, and canst dispute for it; for thy Conscience shall witnesse against thee: as in case of Vsury and inordinate gaine, and matters of the Sabbath, many of which things be in question; see what thy Conscience saith, and take heed of disobeying the secret intimations of thy Conscience, whatsoever thou hast to say for thy sin before men: Men think a sin not to be a knowne sin, because they are not willing to search it out: Now if thou finde this to be thy Case, that thou art not willing to search it out, to see all that can be said for it, or against it, thou shalt finde it a knowne sin: And this is a notable difference betweene the faithfull and others. A godly man whose heart is set to serve God with a perfect heart in all things; there is nothing that comes under the name of a sin, nothing that hath the shadow of a sin, but he is willing to search it out, to examine it to the full, he is willing to let all say, what they can against it, and when all is done, he desires God to try him: Another is not willing to search, because he is willing to lye in some sin, or because he will not have his Conscience troubled with it, This is a signe of a false heart, though they doe not know that this is a sin, yet it having the shadow of a sin, and they being unwilling to examine it to the full, it shewes it is no lesse.
Case 2.Secondly, the second Case wherein a man with-holds this knowledge,In unwillingnesse to increase a mans Knowledge. and detaines this Truth which God hath made manifest, is when he is not willing to enlarge it; a man that hath already some knowledge (as every man hath some) and is not willing to adde to this knowledge, to encrease it, that man properly with-holds the Truth in unrighteousnesse: For he that with-holds fewell, puts out the fire, as wel as he that casts water on it, and he that takes away food from a living Creature, kils it, as well as he that takes away its life with violence; so if thou dost not feed this with fewell, with that which may make it grow and encrease, if thou dost not labour to inlarge it, thou dost extinguish it.
Two sorts of those.And of these men there be two sorts.
First, such as doe not care for any knowledge at all, or if they doe come to heare, yet they recall it not, meditate not upon it, and so as good never a whit, as never the better, some things they must doe for fashion sake; but if they doe heare, they doe it in a negligent manner, they be ever learning, and never come to the knowledge of the truth: These be the first sort of men.
But there is a second sort, and that is those which have knowne much, have heard much, have gone very farre in the knowledge of this Truth, yet will not goe to the uttermost. I may resemble them by Felix (he went not farre, but I use it as a resemblance) when Paul preached, and began to know some measure of this Truth, when some of these sparks began to be revived and stirred up in him, he bade him goe away, and said, he would call for him another time, but he was not so good as his word; so when a man is loth to be brought to that strictnesse and exactnesse that is required as our duty, when he is not willing to be strait laced, that lives at liberty, and thinkes he will doe it before he dies, but puts it off, this man imprisons the Truth; when the Truth is brought to their doores, to such an high degreee that it is almost loose, yet they let it lye there still; when they shall come to Agrippa's Case, to be almost a Christian, this is to with-hold it, the uttermost end and finishing of the worke is all, and that is the reason men are so shie of it: So when we care not for admonition to live exactly and perfectly in all things, when there shall be little reservation, when we wil have a little liberty in this or that▪ I say, the not admitting of this, the not going through with the work, is an imprisoning of the Truth: When men shall come to be unwilling to be called on, it is as if a man shut the doore, and draw the curtens about him, it showes that he delights to sleepe, that he meanes to sleepe, and to continue so; when a man puts off the Truth, and will not be brought to the uttermost, this is the second way of imprisoning the Truth, when he is not willing to adde fewell, to give that which may strengthen and encrease it.
Thirdly, I will name but the third, and that is when a man is past this degree,Case 3. and is come to be willing to know all Truths,In not acting and practising the Truth, by the use of meanes. doth not desire to have any concealed from him, doth not say to the Prophets, prophecie not, but is willing to be informed to the full, yet when he hath it he acts it not, he doth not exercise, nor practice this Truth: That is another degree of with-holding it. And this is a frequent Case; for a man may know and be informed in all Truths, yet they may lye there unused, and unacted, they may lye there idle: Now when a man is not willing to practice the meanes by which these Truths are used, he doth properly with-hold the Truth in unrighteousnesse: As for example, the way to act the Truths we have to stirre them up, to blow up these coales, to bring them to present memory, so as they may be brought to present practise, is the Communion of Saints, the company of holy men, that when a man hath forgot, godly company may bring to minde againe; so frequent reading and hearing these doe act the Truth; for the end of our ministery is not onelyonly to make you to know these things, but to bring those things to minde which you have forgot; if we will not use, but neglect the meanes of acting the Truth, then we with-hold it. So for private prayer, whereas a man should bring his heart to God every day, should doe it throughly, should call himselfe to a reckoning for every sin, for all sorts, of Omissions, or of Commissions, this is a meanes to act this Truth, this good purpose and inclination, this sparke which God hath kindled, were it not for this, they would be raked up in the ashes againe; now performing prayer in a devout and fervent manner, doth liven them, whereas to doe things for fashion, or to satisfie naturall conscience, and not throughly, is to neglect them; so that when a man doth not practice, not exercise the Truths hee hath (as the very exercise quickens them againe) when he doth neglect any of the means by which these coales are blowne up, by which these Truths are to be stirred up, he properly imprisons the Truth.
Let no man say,Object. But when a man imprisons a thing, he barres the doore, but to let the Truth lye is a matter of negligence, how is it then an imprisoning?
Yes,Answ. it is an imprisoning, a surprising of it, as it is with fire, if it have not a vent, though you cast no water upon it, yet you put it out; as on the contrary side, if you give it vent, you encrease it; so you are guilty in this Case of murdering the Truth, of putting it out: As in any Art that a man learnes, if he let his Art or Trade lye still and unused, he forgets it, so these Truths are extinguished, when a man is not diligent in using all meanes of grace. The receiving of the Sacrament is a meanes to quicken and Act these Truths; fasting and prayer, when God cals for it, is a meanes to quicken them; goe through all meanes which God hath ordained to put us in minde of these Truths, and so farre as you neglect the meanes, so farre you detaine these Truths in unrighteousnesse.
The end of the Seventh Sermon.