Three Sermons, Part 3
2 Cor. 2, 16.
THe third Conviction followes, whereby it may appeare to your conſciences, that hetherto the Goſpell hath been but a dead and unſavorie thing upon your ſpirits, and that is by the little account of any ſpirituall good received by all that you heare; it hath left dead hearts, dead, unrenued affections, under an outſide profeſſion; you have not felt the experience of the things taught and heard, you doe not underſtand it feelingly; it affects not, it alters not the judgement, nor affections.
There is a twofold knowledge of matters in Religion the one is by rule, the other is by proofe, triall, or experience; the one is gotten out of the letter of the Scripture only, & ſo men have it but by rule; the other is learout of… the ſcripture too: but it is felt to be the ſword of the ſpirit for the bettering of us. As in all trades and ſciences, there is a knowledge, which one getteth by rule and inſtruction only, yet for want of experience, when, where, & how to buy, ſell, plant, &c. he may decay and grow behind hand: So the Chriſtian hath not only the rule, but the proofe of his knowledge, how it hath been effectuall to aſſure him of his own ſalvation, to change his heart, to comfort, to overcome temptations, how good God is in his waies, &c. He is the true Chriſtian indeed, (to the one it's a dead, to the other a lively ſavour). As for example, He that only reads in a booke, that he is miſerable by nature, and what his ſoule ſtands in need of, but never felt himſelfe miſerable, nor felt his ſeverall wants, is dead, while he liveth. He that reads in a book, or heares in a Sermon, what repentance is, what the cleanſing of the heart is, what ſtriving of the ſpirit againſt the fleſh is, &c. But never felt his owne heart purged, his owne conſcience ſtricken with feares, &c. This man hath a rule, but not the ſavour of life in the Goſpell. To read or heare of comforts is one thing, to feele them in the conſcience is another. 'Tis one thing to be of ſuch a judgement in matters of religion, to hold ſuch and ſuch principles, to be right in his tenets, and to hold that men muſt be religious. 'Tis another thing to be ſo, to feel our unkindneſſe to Chriſt, our deadneſſe of heart to him, our pantings and longings after Chriſt. A man by the light of Scripture may confeſſe, that God is the beſt portion, that he, that enjoyes God, hath all, that all earthly, things are periſhing contentments; yet will not for Gods ſake, for conſcience ſake, forſakeany thing. This man's judgement ſaies, that God is our chiefe God, but his heart and affections never ſaid ſo. But he that can take up a Croſſe to follow Chriſt, deny himſelfe, cut off a right hand for righteouſneſſe ſake, he ſaies indeed, and in heart, God is my portion, God is my chiefe good. The ſavour of Chriſt's knowledge doth import a ſenſitive expeperimentall feeling knowledge: ſuch as we have of fire, that it is hot, of honie, that it is ſweet, &c. Taſte ſweetneſſe in obedience.
Conviction. 4 Look what it is, that does moſt affect thee in a Sermon. What matter? what manner of preaching? There is much to be diſcerned by mens praiſes or diſpraiſes, liking, or diſliking in this kinde. Imagine a carnall and ſpirituall hearer conferring about a Sermon: was it a good Sermon? Yes. What was the doctrine? What was the reaſon, what have you learnt by it? My memory is ſhort. A good ſermon, and you get no good by it? What did moſt affect you, O'twas a deep ſermon. He did handle the Antinomians notably, or he did worthily confute the errours of the times. What elſe did you like? His manner of deliverie, it was delivered in good language, & a good ſtile, and I like it well to have good matter cloathed in a good dreſſe. Yea but what was there of Chriſt in it? that might cleanſe the heart, bring one into pardon of ſin, crucifie your luſts, build you up in holineſſe, make you ſound in repentance? Yes, it was a morall good ſermon.) O but ſaid the ſpirituall man, may not you heare ſuch preaching all daies of your life, and yet be never the wiſer for your ſalvation? If you ſavour that which is but the naturall frothy part, that which is leaſt worthy of notice in that work, are yee not carnall? if you commend and love that which you leaſt underſtand, and be pleaſed beſt with that which doth tickle the eare, and not rectifie the conſcience, are yee not carnall? your carnall judgement in this point bewraies, that the Miniſtrie is not a Miniſtrie of life and power to thee, but of forme and moralitie, of good order; that it has not carried you beyond placing your religion in Baptiſme, in Church Conſtitutions, in outward garbs, and the ſmaller matters or bark of religion; your ſoules all the while being unacquainted with the eſſentialls of Religion in power, & puritie, in joy, in righteouſneſſe, in peace, in aſſurance of ſalvation. Whereas for the matter, that ſermon is beſt, wherein we manifeſt the truth, and commend our ſelves to the conſciences of men in the ſight of God, 2 Cor. 4.2. And for the manner, that is beſt which is ſet forth not in the enticing words of man's wiſdome, but in demonſtration of the ſpirit and power, 1 Cor. 2.3. It is a curſe to have the Goſpell in a ſtrange tongue, and ſo in a ſtile & frame of words not eaſily underſtood by the people. 1 Cor. 14 9. Except yee utter words eaſie to be underſtood, how ſhall it be knowne, what is ſpoken? For, yee ſhall ſpeake into the ayre. The Apoſtle doth reprove their carnall judgement in this point, becauſe they ſo much admired the gift of tongues ver. 20, 21. Its a childiſh thing to be delighted with words, ver. 21. It is a judgement, to have the Goſpell in a way not underſtood; it is a ſigne God is not pleaſed to make the ſame a meanes of converſion. And therefore, foraſmuch as God doth make uſe of languages and tongues for a puniſhment; it is not fit matter of boaſting or glorying.
2 Carnall judgement; Come we to their diſpraiſes; How doe you like the ſermon? I doe not like it, 'twas nothing but ordinary matter, yea ſcarce fit for a Sermon; he reproves ſuch petty faults, as ſleeping and playing with children, and dreſſing our ſelves, &c. There's nothing of ſtudy of learning in it. He may preach after that rate all day long, &c. 'Tis dead and unſavorie matter. Well, view it againe, ſuch matter was delivered, upon what occaſion? Why his doctrine from the Text was, that many heare the word to their hardning; and what think you, is it not true? Yes, goe on, what kinde of hearers were they that did ſo? Why they were the ſloathfull, careleſſe, cuſtomary hearers, that doe not examine and apply the Truths taught, or elſe heare it as an exerciſe of wit, or elſe be offended at the reproofes, &c. And what think you of it? Is not all this true? Did he not prove it? Yes; there is ſpirituall matter in it, much morall evill and danger diſcovered, not ſo much in the action, as in the heart; Res parva, magnum indicium; others ſee ſpirit and life in that matter, an evill heart of unbeliefe to lie at the bottome, if you doe compare the doctrine with the reproofes, and your ſoules with both, you will be found to be in a wrong courſe, you will be guided into a ſaving way, to walke in all well pleaſing before God. In their counſell, you will finde mercy and peace, their paths are paths of peace to deliver you from death
You cannot ſlight, Note.nor deride religion, and yet at the ſame time live under the ſaving operation of the word.
The fourth doctrine followes, to the one-to the other.
But to which of theſe is it a ſavour of life, & to which of death. In them that are ſaved we are a ſweet ſavour of God unto life; in them, that periſh, a ſavour of death.
Doctrine. 4 Men are to be reckned in a ſtate of being ſaved, or of periſhing, according as they doe, or doe not receive the Miniſtry of the Goſpell, according as it is ſavorie and fruitfull, and good unto them, or a dead and unſavorie thing upon their ſpirits, (ſo are the perſons here diſtributed) God is glorified, and our Miniſtry accepted, both when people periſh, and when they are converted.
Unto the ſaved ones, we are a ſavour of life, to the other a ſavour of death, and an occaſion of their hardning, Joh, 8.46.47. If I ſay the truth, why doe you not believeme? He that is of God, heareth Gods words; yee therefore heare them not, becauſe yee are not of God. Here our Saviour diſtinguiſheth them that be of God, from them that be not, by their different reſpect and reliſh of God's word; they that are of God, and led by his ſpirit will hearken & endeavour to doe his will, the reſt who are not of God, but of Satan, hate and reſiſt the truth. So doth Chriſt mark out his own ſheep, Joh. 10.27. My ſheep heare my voice and follow me, and I know them, and give unto them eternall life. So Mat. 7.24, 26. He compares his hearers to wiſe and fooliſh builders of their owne ſalvation; the one who heareth and doth them is bleſſed, is ſafe from danger. Bleſſed are they, that heare the word and keep it. When people relliſh life in it, they are in the rank of bleſſed and ſaved ones; when they remaine dead under it, hardned in their ſins, it is a ſad fore-runner of their everlaſting deſtruction. How can this be ſo ſure an evidence of life and death ſeeing Hypocrites goe far, yea doe all in this kinde that a ſound Chriſtian may doe?
They may doe much, as Herod did to John Baptiſt, and Ezekiel's hearers, cap. 33. 31. But herein they fall ſhort, they doe not yeeld the word a ſincere univerſall reſpect & obedience; they heare, but doe it not; they heare, & are offended at the word. It is the honeſt heart, that heares & brings forth fruit with patience; an hypocrite, may do much, but he cannot do this; he may make many prayers, heare many ſermons, uſe faſting, cleave to the beſt ſide, approve of a ſound miniſtrie, forſake ſcandalous ſins, and be reformed in ſome meaſure by the word, &c. Yet this he cannot doe, he cannot with an honeſt heart bring forth fruit with patience; he doth not in all things give the word a divine power over his heart; he cannot yeeld univerſall obedience thereto out of love to God; Therefore ſlight not this doctrine, the power of it expreſſed in your conſciences will witneſſe your ſoundneſſe, & true fellowſhip with Jeſus Chriſt againſt all temptations.
(Pſ. 119.161.) My heart ſtands in awe of God's word: you dare not reſiſt any truth, that yee heare, but you will yeeld unto it, make conſcience of it, deſire and endeavour to obey it, and put it in practiſe. This I ſay will witneſſe with you and for you, 1. Th. 1.5. For, the Goſpell came not unto you in word only, but alſo in power.
Of Exhortation; Therefore come to the Miniſtrie; as to an ordinance wherein life and death are ſealed. Take theſe Motives. You muſt live for ever in heaven, or in hell: and the queſtion muſt be reſolved upon our obeying, or not obeying the Goſpell. Therefore bethinke thy ſelfe, what thou wert beſt to doe? Is not heaven worth all the ſins, which the word would crucifie in thee? And will thy unſubdu'd luſts, and the pleaſure thereof make amends for all the torments, which the diſobedient are ſure to endure in hell? Is thy conſcience convinced of this truth? If it be, how dareſt thou now goe on in thy common careleſſe courſe againſt the light of the word in thy own conſcience? How dareſt thou live as looſely? heare as careleſly? Spend the Sabbath as profanely? ſlubber over the worſhip and ſervice of God as ſlightly, as formerly thou haſt done? To have this queſtion reſolved on thy ſide, me thinkes thy heart ſhould breake through all oppoſitions, ſcornes and temptations, and forthwith ſet thy ſelfe wholly about the worke, and to caſt off every weight, and with full reſolution of heart to lay thy ſoule at the feet of Chriſt, and his Miniſtrie, and ſay, Lord, here I am, what wilt thou have me to doe? Doe with my heart, and mould it to thine owne minde will.
Motive 2 Conſider the terrour of the Lord againſt all wilfull people, that deſpiſe the ſavour of life: depart from mee yee workers of iniquitie into the place of torments; you know, the Sodomites are in an ill caſe in hell; yet it ſhall be more tolerable for Sodom then for thee, they ſinned againſt the light of nature, thou againſt the light of the Goſpell; they againſt the Law, thou againſt the Remedie, againſt the mercy of a Redeemer, Heb. 10.29. Of how much ſerer puniſhment, ſuppoſe ye, ſhall he be thought worthy, who hath troden under foot the blood of the covenant &c. Woe to poore ſinners for their madneſſe againſt their own ſoules. Conſider your caſe; art thou able to beare the wrath of God for ever? When he ſhall come in flames of fire, taking vengeance on them that know him not, and obey not the Goſpell of his Son. 2. Theſ. 2.10. Thou canſt not endure the voice of the Cock, of a poore Miniſter, that awakens thy conſcience; How then wilt thou endure the voice of the Trumpet, Ariſe yee dead, and come to judgement? Death is terrible, & ſickneſſe is painfull; thou canſt not endure thy finger in the fire one houre, how then wilt thou endure everlaſting fire. The tooth-ake, the ſtone, the Gout make thee roar, and cry out, O Lord help me: the torments of hell made Dives cry out, Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water to coole my tongue: you that will cry out then pity, pity a poore tormented ſoul, ſhould doe well to pity your ſelves now, when we cry out unto you to pitty your own ſoules; if thou wilt be entreated to pity thy ſelfe, thouwilt need no man's pity then; but here's your miſery, & our infelicitie, you will not believe your own miſerie, you will not believe our report, if you did believe it, you would ſoone caſt away every ſin that hangeth on ſo faſt, you would no longer ſtand off, but deliver up your ſoules into Chriſt's doctrine to be transformed, renued, and moulded by it; you would preſently enter into a ſtrict covenant with God to be his people, you would never content your ſelves with a cold, formall, liveleſſe profeſſion, but labour for the life of grace, and that too, while the day of grace doth laſt, Heb. 3.14.
Motive. 3 It will torment you one day, to remember, what yee have loſt, what bleſſed opportunities, which cannot be recalled; to remember how eagerly the world was purſued, when your ſalvation lay at ſtake, & if you had ſpent but one of thoſe yeares to get the knowledge of Chriſt unto unfeined converſion, you had been for ever happy, whereas now your miſerie is paſt recoverie, and all through your owne fault and doings. It will cut you to remember, how often did the Miniſter call upon me; how faine would he have had me to be ſaved, to be converted, and eſcape theſe torments, but I would not: I counted him mine enimie, I made a jeſt of his compaſſionate beſeechings; when he told me 'twas not well with me, and ſhewed me my own heart; I thought him too buſie with other mens eſtates; though he were more willing to ſave me, then I my ſelfe to be ſaved: How freſh will theſe things come into thy minde & gnaw thy heart, like a worme; thou wilt be a terrour to thy ſelfe. What will yee doe now upon theſe Motives? reſolve for life, before God take you away in his wrath.
FINIS.
End of the text · William Lyford, Three Sermons (1654)