The Rousing of the Sluggard, Sermon 2
The Second Sermon.
AS this diligence and painfulnes in the Pismire doth reprooue those that liue idlie, for want of a calling, and negligently in their calling: so dooth it also speciallie and generallie condemne all of vsus for the contempt of the Worde,Contempt of the word reproued by the Pismire. and the neglect of the glorious meanes of our saluation, which the Lord offereth most kindly, and graciously vntounto vsus. Now is the market of our spirituall foode, and the haruest of our soules, wherein eueryevery one may and ought to prouide against the time of penurie. And that we should not thinke it a matter of libertie, God hath commanded vsus to redeeme the time, that is,Ephes. 5. 16 to raunsome the time that we hauehave lost, with some losse of pleasure, and profite, and ease, that wee might not alwaies be behind hand like bankeroupts in religion.
But we sell away the time, and trueth and al, in stead of redeeming it. And is not this worse prophanenes then that of Esaw? for he sold his birthright for hunger: wee sell away ours for a winke of sleepe, or a game at bowles, or cards, or tables, or any thing els. Nay, wee are more▪ base-minded then Iudas: for he would not sell Christ vnderunder 30. pence▪ wee are content to let him go for 30. halfepence, or three halfepence, or a peniworth of pleasure, or profite.
We are commanded to preach in season, and out of season, and yet some thinke they are not bound to heare so often, but thinke that wee ought to wait and attend their leisure: whereas indeed if we come at any time, they should leaue all, and come and heare in season, & out of season, as they account it.Exod. 16. 2…. 22. The Israelites were commended for gathering Manna in the morning, because if they tarried till the sunne was vp it did melt. If the sunne be vp once, I meane if hot persecution come, that wee can not, nor dare not goe to heare the Word, and will not heare it now while wee may in the coole of the day: shall not the Pismire stand vp in iudgement against vsus, & condemne vsus? Our Sauiour Christ sayd, I must worke the works of him that sent me, while it is day: Ioh. 9. 4.the night commeth when no man can worke. Then it were best for vsus to heare the word of God while it is day: for we hauehave more neede then he had, that is, while wee hauehave peace, for the night commeth, it is to be feared, when no mq̄ can heare: and as the night succeed…th the day, so persecution commonly succeedeth peace, to sco…re off the ruft that men gather in time of peace.
Some vse this as a reason to hinder reformation, and going forward in religion: for say they, the time may come when we shall be called to account for putting downe Images, for desacing idolatrie and superstition, and for going to sermons, &c. The feare of these men that doe thus reason, is like the hope of Esaw, if it bee not the very same: for Esaw sayd, The daies of mourning for my father Isaac will co… shortly, Gen. 27. 41.and then I will kill my brother Iacob. So say they, the daies of mourning for Queene Elizabeth will come one day, and then we may be called to an account for al the idolatrie that we hauehave defaced, and for all the profession that wee hauehave made of the Gospell. But as Iacob needed not feare Esaw, so long as his father Isaac liued: so (thankes be to God) wee neede not feare the threatnings of such ill affected men, so long as our mother Elizabeth raigneth. The Lord prolong her daies as the daies of heauen, (if it be his blessed will) to the vtter rooting out of all idolatri…, and impietie, and to the further aduancement of his Gospel. And happie are we, that hauehave such golden opportunitie. As Salomon therfore builded the Temple in his rest, so God giuegive vsus grace to build his Church in our peace.
Our Sauiour, the Lord Iesus, did not teach vsus to reason so. Yet if he had been of worldlings mindes, he would hauehave sayd, The night co…th when no man can work…: yea the night commeth when I shall answere that which I hauehave done, therefore it is best to let all a…ne & saue one. But he frameth his argument cleane contrarie: I must doe the workes of him that s…t me, while it is day: for the night commeth when no man can works. And if these daies should alter, what then? Yet then shall wee hau… comfort in the obedience of our faith.Pro. 15. 15. And a good conscience (sayth Salomon) in the daies of affliction is a continuall feast. Therefore in these matters, let vsus bee resolute with H…ster, who knowing the goodnes of her cause,Hester. 4. 16. sayd If I p…rish▪ I perish: so say we, If I lose, I lose▪ if I answere, I answere, I must looke to lose more then this, and to answere for more then this, but I shall lose nothing by it in the end Therefore now while wee may, let vsus bee gathering store of knowledge, and comfort, or els the Pismire shall condemne vsus: For she … go…ernor, nor ruler, gathereth her …, &c. Wee hauehave both guides, &c. God make vsus wise to take the benefit of them whil… we hauehave them.
Ios…ph being warned before hand of a dearth that should come vponupon the land of Egypt,Gen. 41. 47. 48. 54. made prouision before the dearth came:Psalm. 105. 16. 17. so would we doe also to saue our bodies: but the soule which is the most precious thing▪ yea the Ladie and mistris of the bodie, as though she were dead, and liued not in vsus, is not regarded, no m…n makes any prouisiō for her: although the Prophet Amos hath told vsus that we must look …or a famme,Amos. 8. 11 and that of the word of the Lord, in so much as men shall goe from sea to sea, that is, from one part of the world to another, and shall not finde it. Ioseph proui…g in time of plentie had to serue his turne, and to comfort many moe withal in time of scarcitie, and what did Ioseph lose by that? So if we prouide foode for our soules now in time of plentie, we shall hauehave comfort in store both for our selues and many others when scarcitie come, or when persecution come, or when temptations come, or when olde age come, or whe… sicknes come, or when death come, or when al come▪ and what shall we lose by that? … sayd,Psam. 119. 50. 92. The word of God was his comfort in his affl…ction, or els he had perished: So let vsus say, (for we may bee sure of it) if the word of God bee not our comfort, when affliction come, or whē sicknes, or death, or persecution come, we …hal perish, we shall despayre, and goe to hell. And how shall it bee our comfort then, if we prouide not store of it now while we may? Therefore let vsus prouide, and gather, and lay vp now as much as we can, & all will be little enough, if not too little: for as there is a time of …, so there will be a time of spending, and we cannot gather so much doe what wee ca…, as we shall spend.
But seeing as wee are now come to … with the spiritual Sluggard, who hath as much neede to bee to wsed as any other, that he may be awakened indeed, we will take this cours…: first, I wil shew what must be gathered for the soule: secondly, when it is to be gathered.
But what is it that wee must gather in summer,What is to be gathered. which cannot be had in winter? The Pismire telleth vsus, it is meate, or food, that is, matter of nourishment for the … to feed vpo…, and to prese…ue the life of God in the soule, and that is another poynt to bee obserued in … Emmots Lecture to the Sluggard. Many gather, but it is not meate …, but not of foode for the soule: which … the Prophet Esay found out and condemned in his time:Esay. 55. 2. 3 Wherefore doe y… lay out … and not for bread? and your labour without be…g satisfied? he arken diligently vntounto me, and … which is good, and let your soul… delight …. Encline your …ares, and come vntounto me: … your soules shall line. To shewe that a man may labour and be neuer the more satisfied, he may eate and his soule bee neuer the fatter, but lye pining and languishing for all that in the shadowe of death. S. Paul sheweth Titus in what things the Minister must chiefly labour,Titus 3. 8. 9. and the people must bee most carefull to follow…, and that is faith in God, and good workes amongst men. His reason is, because these things are profitable. But foolish questions, page missing page missing page missing want her meate and food. There be many that be masters in Israel, and will take vponupon them to knowe much, as the Laodicians tooke themselues to be rich, and to hauehave need of nothing, when in trueth they were poore, and blind, and naked: & in many grounds of Christian religion, are as grosse as Nicodemus, Ioh. 3. 4.who thought that a man could not be borne againe; except hee went into his mothers wombe againe. And deale with them in any of the Principles, as of regeneration, or mortification, or sanctification, or iustification, or faith and repentance, or about the vse of the lawe, or the meaning of any Commaundement, or Article of faith, and many things more most necessarie to be knowne and practised; and they are to seek, yea so strange they are vntounto them; that sometime they are driuen to answer, as the Disciples at Ephesus answered Paul, Act. 19. 2.when he asked thē if they had receiued the holie Ghost: they sayd, We hauehave not so much as heard whether there be an holy Ghost.
But some have heard something, and doe knowe more then others, and bee as it were awakened, & a little enlightened: Like Agrippa that was almost a Christian: and now they thinke themselues safe enough, like Micah, Iudg. 17. 13who thought that he could not do amisse whē he had a Leuite in his house. And then they cast off all care of vsing holie meanes for the encreasing of their faith, or knowledge, or zeale, or rep…ntance: but giuegive their mindes to toyes and …anities, and to idlenes, and pleasures. But these men doe fearefully deceiu… themselues: for the house well built, will fa…l to the ground, except it be continually repaired: and the field well tilled and sowen, (if it be not still weeded, and manured) will proue barren: so will the soule proue ruinous & barren in the graces of Gods spirit, if it be not continually sed, with the solide… and wholesome meate of Christian doctrine: and the talent not vsed to encrease,Mat. 25. 28. shal be taken quite away▪ Therefore as Christ sayd,Math. 9. 23. 24. when he had reuiued Iairus his daughter which was dead, giuegive her meate:Luk. 8. 55. he sayd not▪ giuegive her musicke but … her meate, least she dye againe. So, when the Lord hath put his life into thy soule, which wa… dead before, and hath in some measure quickened thee in faith, in repentance, in louelove▪ in zeale, in patience, &c. giuegive thy soule meate … musicke; sound foode, not fond fancies. And as Paul sayd to Timothie, 2. Tim. 1. 6.Stirre vp the gifts of the holie Ghost in thee, least in the ende tho… leese thy store, with stock and all, till thy sou… proue bankeroupt in all the graces of the hol… Ghost. And withall let vsus know that there … in eueryevery one of vsus a maine streame of natu… corruption: against which if we doe not … continually, but stand at a stay, it will carri… … away, and all our marchandize: as a … standing loose vponupon the riuer is carried bac… ward, if it be not rowed forward.
Some are of minde,Seruants. that if they gather to encrease their owne store, they hauehave done well: but for their families they take no care, whether they sinke or swim, whether they knowe God or be ignorant of his waies, pray or pray not, or whether their soules be clothed or goe naked, goe to hell or to heaven, it is no matter, they neuer remember their wants: Like Pharaohs Butler, who thought himselfe safe when he was out of prison, but neuer regarded the affliction of Ioseph his fellowe prisoner. If a man should demaund the food of knowledge and vnderstanding at their hands for their seruants and children, or other their friends: they will answere as Nabal did, when Dauids seruants requested somethin… of him for Dauid and his companie when they were wearied with trauailing,1. Sam. 25. 10. 11. Who is Dauid? and who is the s…ne of Is…ai? there bee many seruants now a daies that breake away from their masters. Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I ha…e killed for my sheerers, and giuegive it vntounto men, whom I know not whence they be? So say many masters, and householders, who is my seruant, and what is my familie? there are many now a daies leaue their worke, and fall too much to the scriptures. Shall I then take my …nowledge, and my learning, and my notes, & giuegive to them? Shall I hinder my worke to feed their humour, who… I know not whence they are? or what reason there is for it? It should seeme that if Nabal had knowne Dauid, hee would hauehave giuen him some part with him. S… if thou knewest who are thy seruants, and children, or thy neighbour, or friend; or Christian acquaintance, it may bee thou wouldest giuegive them part with thee of thy gifts, and suffer thē to worke by thy pattterne, and to light their candles at thine. But doest thou not knowe, who they be? Are they not thy brethren aswel as thy seruants? Are they not fellow members of Christ his body with thee, aswell as they are thy seruants? HaueHave not they and thou all one father, all one master, and all one Sauiour in heauen? Hath not the Lord Iesus shed as many drops of his precious heart bloud for them as for thee? and d…est thou not knowe what they are, that thou shouldest hauehave a care to prouide meate for their soules? If thou keepest a beast, thou wilt giuegive him that which is necessarie for this life: and are those of thy familie no better then beasts, that thou shouldest prouide no more for them then thou doest for thy beast? When the Disciples wished (without all merciemercy) to hauehave fire come from heauen vponupon the Samaritanes;Luk. 9. 54. the Lord Iesus told thē that they knewe not of what spirit they were▪ So when men (without all merciemercy and co… passion) suffer their families to runne into th… fire of hell: saying, if they perish▪ they perish what is that to me, so I hauehave my worke don… ▪ We may say they know not of what spirit they are. If the Disciples were … reproued, the… these are most iustly condemned: for they had yet some …loake for their desire of so seuere a reuenge, because the Samaritanes refused …ost v…kindly and cōtemptuously to let their Lord and master, the Lord Iesus our Sauiour▪ into their citie; But for the careles crueltie, & cruell carelesness of these men, there is no pretence: for their seruants doe not shut them out of their doores, as the Samaritanes shut Christ out of the citie: but they receiue them, and labour for them. And if they did offer thee such vnkindnes (which God forbid) yet is it not lawfull for thee so to be reuenged, by suffering them to perish in their sinnes, but to pray for them rather. The spirit of God doth not vse to speake on that manner: for that is a spirite of louelove,1. Cor. 13. 5 and l…ue (sayth the Apostle) seeketh not her owne things: that is, it is not all for it selfe: but as it is carefull to edifie it selfe in the most holy faith, by vsing such meanes as are appointed by God to that purpose: so hath it also cō passion of others,Iude. 22. 23 as S. Iude saith, labouring in all holie wisedome to pul others out of the fire. But these are all for themselues, therefore they hauehave not true louelove: they hauehave not true louelove, therefore not true faith: for faith worketh by louelove, as Saint Paul teacheth the Galathians. If they hauehave neither faith not louelove, thē hauehave they not the spirit of God in them▪ if they hauehave not the spirit of … them, th… are they … children of GOD, but hypocrites, … themselues, and so consequently they neither prouide for their own soules, … of other: but as they suffer their … soules to perish for want of the meate & … which they should hauehave; so doe they suffer their owne soules likewise to perish, for want of that which they suppose they hauehave, but hauehave it not indeed.
That wee may bee throughly moued with that which hath been sayd, and touched with compassion towards our owne soules, and the …oules of others that depend vpo… vsus: it shall not bee amisse to hearken a little vntounto the piteous moane and crie of the godlie, in behalfe of their soules.Psal. 42. 1. Dauid …ayth, his soule … after God, as the Hart braieth for the riuers o… water: to shew that our soules are as it were i… a continuall chase, and therefore must hauehave prouided for them the liuing waters of Gods word, or els they will perish. In another place he sayth, that his soule thirsted after God in … drie and barren land where no water was. This moane did Dauid make to God for his soule, and yet he had more abundance of Gods g… ces then ot hers hauehave: to shew, that if we had a… good prouisiō for the keeping, and strengthening, & defending, and cōforting of our poore soules, as Dauid had, yet all is too little: for still they lie thirsting and panting for more grace, for more …aith, for more zeale, for more repentance for more louelove, for more knowledge, and for more vnderstanding, &c. for the temptations and assaults of the soule are so many, so continuall, so strong, so mightie, and so hot, that it is not a little prouision of knowledge, or vnderstanding, or …aith, or patience, that will serue the turne to make resistance: for the … …ell shooteth his darts thicke, and burning for they befierie darts. But as souldiers in a ca…tle besieged, must hauehave day …e a newe supplie of powder and sho…, of men, and munition, of money and victuall, or els they will yeeld vp the castle: so must our soules hauehave a daily supplie of the graces of Gods spirit from the word of God, or els they wil faint, and yeeld vp their h…ld: For the soule fighteth aswell as the bodie. And therfore Deborah sayd,Iudg. 5. 21. her soule had marched valiantly: to shewe that there is a marching, and a fighting of the soule aswell as of the bodie: and therefore there must be good prouision made for that as well as for the body, or els it will not march valiantly, but fight faintly, and yeeld most cowardly, and perish most miserablie. Which daily and wofully appeareth by that fearefull staggering and yeelding of so many, when any scoffing Papist doth but as it were breathe vponupon them. And what els doth this shewe but a great emptines in the knowledge? there is no preseruatiue of the word against the infection.
Besides that, in regard of thy brethren thou shouldest labour to store thy selfe with the co forts and counsels of Gods word, and to bee strong in the heauenly graces of Gods spirit▪ for such a famine of the foode of soules may come, that one man may bee glad to seeks to another for counsell and comfort. And if thy house be emptie, or hauehave but a little, thou wilt bee readie to say to thy neighbour, as the widowe of Sarepta sayd to Eliyah, when he asked, a morsell of bread of her in the great famine that was in Israel,1. King. 17. 12. I ha…e not a cake but a handfull of meale in a barrell, and a little …yle in a cruse, and beholde I am gathering of stickes…to dresse it, for me and my sonne, that wee may eat… thereof, and die. So if any man troubled in conscience, come to thee for comfort and resolution of his doubts, thou wilt say, Alas, I hauehave not for you, I am no Diuine, I am troubled aswell as you, I hauehave nothing but the Lordes prayer, and the Beleefe, and the Commaundements by heart, but I vnderstand none of thē, and some good prayers and lessons I hauehave in a booke beside: And if those will not serue my turne when the tempte… commeth, I may goe hang my selfe, or despayre, I must die, or do… as it please God.
Now what crueltie is this so carelesly to neglect the meanes of thy soules health, who was bred and brought vp with thee from thy conception, and hath in thy seruice spent her selfe, ministring strength and reliefe to thy bodie, to eueryevery part of thy bodie, yea to eueryevery member, to eueryevery ioynt, to eueryevery vaine and sinew in thy bodie. And more seruice then that too: for it hath made thee to differ from the beast, in that it hath ministred to thee▪ both reason, and vnderstanding, and iudgement, & memorie, and affections, (for it is a reasonable soule) which the beasts want: it hath taught thee to speake, and to speake sensible, & wiselie, and to conceiue things quicklie, and to vse all other of Gods creatures comfortablie, and to rule ouer them all, which the beasts cannot doe: And wilt not thou oh sluggard finde so much leisure as to gather heauenly meate and foode for thy soule, that in the day of affliction and iudgement, it may saue both it selfe, and thy bodie too? Nay further consider, how the Lord hath shut it vp in thy breast, that it might bee alwaies in a readines to supplie thy wants, and wilt not thou be readie againe to supplie her wants? If it should depart from thee but a foote, for a minute of an houre, it were present death vntounto thee, how canst thou then misse her? nay, how canst thou not in pi…ie & compassion prouide for her safetie? Nay further, that it might be alwaies readie to minister vntounto thee, the Lord hath made her which is immortall, and diuine, and spirituall, and heauenly, and the most principall commander of all, nay all in all, and all in eueryevery part of thee, to be enclosed within thee, as thy close prisoner, and art not thou then bound to looke vntounto her as her keeper? Say not as Cain sayd, Am I my brothers keeper? So, am I my soules keeper? for thy soule is thy prisoner, therefore thou art her keeper: & if thou either driue her out of thee▪ or suffer her to perish within thee, for want of good keeping, her bloud shall be required at thy hands. Take pitie then, O sluggard, vponupon thy poore prisoner: which maketh as pitifull a crie for her prouision, if it bee wanting, as any prisoners in the world. In London, and other such places, it would moue a stonie heart to heare one crying vp and downe the streetes. Bread and meate, Bread and meate for the poore prisoners of Newgate, for Christ Iesus sake, & the prisoners crying out of their grates and holes, one penie or halfepenie, for Christ his sake, to buy some bread, to buy some bread▪ But thy poore soule lyeth in a worse prison thē Newgate, there is no Gatehouse, nor Colehouse, no Bocardo, no Little ease, no Dungeō, no channell, nor Duckpit is so vile a prison for thy bodie, as thy bodie is for thy soule: for it is neither lightsome nor beautifull, but darke, and most dirtie, disquiet and …ustie, fraile, and filled vp with much venome, and venemous vipers, I meane it concerning our affections. By reason whereof the soules of Gods children hauehave been constrained to crye, lament, and bewaile their long being in it. Oh (sayth Dauid) ha… long shall I lye in this prison?Rom. 7. 24. Oh wretch that I am (sayth Paul) who shall deliuer me out of this bodie of sinne? Oh that I were dissolued, Philip 1. 23and had out of this earthly and fraile tabernacle. Luk. 2. 29.Now let thy seruant depart in peace, sayth Simeon. Take me vntounto thee, (sayth Dauid againe) and bring my soule out of this prison, that it may giuegive thankes unto thee O Lord. For so long as it is in this bodie it cannot see the Lord, yea it is an heauy habitation, and presseth downe s…re the spirit from that familiaritie, which els it should … with God.
Now al this while there are none that go about to gather for these poore prisoners, but as the preachers crye out to men to remember their soules: but oftentimes they speake but to the bellie which hath no eares. Oh that thy poore soule had but a grate to looke out at▪ and leaue to speake for her selfe to those that passe by thee, then would it appeare how thou hast kept her, nay how thou hast starued her, oppressed her, and robbed her of her spiritual exercises, her heauenly comforts, and christian conference with her godly friends & acquaintance: nay, that she hath not been allowed a good meale in a yeare, but now and then a few colde, idle, sluggish prayers, or a little blowen milke from the breasts of an old Homely: and when any good matter was in hand indeede, thy poore soule was so oppressed with surfeting & ryot, that it was not able to receiue any comfort: And yet thou wilt say, thou hast as good a soule to Godward as any bodie. But thy soule may say to thee, as Queene Elizabeth sayd to Sir Henry Bennifield her layler (as she called him) from such a keeper good Lord delitier me.