Contempt of the Gospel
FOE GOD 8 PEOPLE.
cursed in prosperity, cursed in adversity, cursed in honour, cursed in dishonour.
For all things work together for their destruction.
Nothing doth them any good.
They are not anything the better, either for God's mercies or judgments.
All weathers are alike unto them.
They are always the same, in prosperity and adversity: they are no changeHngs.
And, as we say, "a good year doth not mend them ; nor an ill year pare them."
CONTEMPT OF THE GOSPEL.
Phil. You have long insisted upon the point of covetousness'. Now proceed to the fourth sign of a man's damnation; which is the contempt of the gospel; and lay open both the greatness of the sin, and the danger of it.
Theol. This sin is of another nature than the former.
Ifc is a sin against the first table.
It toucheth the person of God himself.
For to contemn the gospel is to contemn God himself; whose gospel it is.
If to contemn the ministers of the gospel be to contemn God and Christ, as our Lord Jesus avoucheth, Luke x.
16, how much more, then, to contemn the gospel itself?
Therefore, it is dangerous meddhng in this sin.
It is to meddle with edged tools, to meddle with princes' matters—to touch the ark, to come near the holy mountain : which all were things full of great peril and danger.
Yea, it is to spill the sacrament.
It is noli me tangere.* It is to rail * A. sin too horiible to be touched.
CONTEMPT OP THE GOSPEL.
at a king.
It is to spit God in the face.
It is high treason against the King of Glory.
Therefore this sin, of all other, can never be endured; and may, at no hand, be borne withal.
For can a mortal king endure the contempt of his laws ? can he put up with the contempt of his own person ?
Can he abide any to spit at his sceptre, or to throw a stone at it ?
No, surely, he will not: therefore, the Holy Ghost saith, "He that despiseth Moses' laws, dieth without mercy, under two or three witnesses.
Of how much sorer punish, suppose ye, shall he be worthy which treadeth under foot the Son of God, and counteth the blood of the Testament as an unholy thing (wherewith he was sanctified), and doth despite unto the Spirit of grace,"
Heb.
" If they were punished which obeyed not the word spoken by angels, how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?" Heb. ii. 2, 3.
" If they escaped not which refused him that spake on earth, how X.
28, 29.
And, again, shall we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven?" Heb. xii. 25.
Therefore, our Saviour Christ saith, " That it shall be easier for Sodom in the day of judgment, than for the contemners of the gospel," Luke x. 12.
Moreover, he saith, "The queen of the south shall rise up in judgment against all froward despisers of his word," Matt. xii. 42.
For she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold a greater than
Solomon is here."
For Christ is greater than Solomon—his doctrineand wisdom far more excellent; and therefore their sin is the greater which contemn it.
They shall never be able to answer it; for the Spirit saith, "He that
CONTEilPT OF THE GOSPEL.
despiseth the word shall be destroyed,"
Prov. xiii. 13.
St. Peter also telleth us that the old world, and men of the first age, are now in hell-fire, because they both despised and were disobedient to the doctrine of Christ, which— though not personally, yet in his divine Spirit— he spake by ISToah,"
1 Pet. iii. 19; 2 Pet. ii. 5.
So, then, we see clearly God will never take it at our hands that his glorious gospel should be so universally and openly contemned as it is.
Phil. You have spoken most truly, and also shewed it out of the scriptures, that the contempt of the gospel is a most heinous sin ; yet for all that, it is most lamentable to consider how little men esteem it, and how light they make of it.
Many regard it no more than an egg-shell; they think it is not worth a gaily* halfpenny; they will not go to the door to hear it ; they take it to be but a breath from us, and a sound to them ; and so the matter is ended.
They esteem it but as a noise, or empty sound, in the air; or as a voice afar off, which a man understandeth not : they never felt the power of it in their hearts.
Therefore they prefer their sheep, their farms, their oxen, their profits, their pleasure, yea, everything, before it; they know it not to be any such a precious jewel as it is.
Although our Lord Jesus himself compare it to a hid treasure, and a most precious pearl ; yet these filthy swine of the world tread it under foot: for they know not the price of it, though Solomon the wise saith, Prov. iii. " All the merchandize of gold and silver, pearls and precious stones, are not to be compared imto it;" yet these beasts, these dogs * A bad or French hal^nny, not passable.
CONTEMPT OF THE
GOSPEL. and hogs of tlie world contemn it.
They esteem a cow more than Christ's most glorious gospel.
They are like ^sop's cock, which made more account of a barley-corn than all the precious stones in the world ; they are like little children, that esteem their rattles more than a bag of gold; they are like the Gadarenes, which esteemed their hogs more than Christ and his gospel; they make nothing of it.
They think it not worth the while.
Many of them sit idle in the streets even upon the Sabbaths.
While the gospel is preached in their ch^irches, many are at cards, and tables, in ale-houses.
Many, upon the Sabbaths, sleep upon their beds, all the sermon while, in the afternoon. Many will hear a sermon in the forenoon ; and they take that to be as much as God can require at their hand, and that he is somewhat beholden unto them for it; but as for the afternoon, they will hear none ; then they will to bowls or tables.
These men serve God in the forenoon, and the devil in the afternoon; some run after whores and harlots on the Sabbaths ; some run to dancing and bearbaitings ; some sit upon their stalls ; some sit in their shops; some by the fire-side; some sit idly in the streets ; some go to the stool-ball, and others look on, miserable wretches ! cursed caitiffs ! monstrous hell-hounds, which so grossly and openly contemn the gospel of Christ !
What will become of them in the end ?
Assuredly their damnation sleepeth not.
A thousand deaths wait for them : they lie open on all sides to the wrath of God.
And we may wonder at his marvellous patience, that he doth not throw down balls of fire from heaven, to consume and burn up, both them, their shops,
COITTEMPT OF TnE GOSPEL.
and houses, and even make them spectacles of his vengeance, for so notorious contempt of such sacred, holy, and high things.
Theol. You have spoken very truly, zealously, and religiously; and I do greatly commend you for it. And I must needs affirm the same things.
For they cannot be denied.
And for mine own part, I think the gospel was never so openly contemned in any age—of a people living under the profession of it, and under a godly and Christian prince—as it is in this age.
For howsoever some make a shew of religion, yet thev have denied the power thereof.
" They turn the the grace of God into wantonness," as St. Jude saith, ver. 4.
They make the gospel a cloak for their sins.
They receive it and embrace it, as it will best stand with their profits and pleasures, their lusts and likings, their credit and poUcies, and not a jot further.
They will practise it at their leisure.
" These men profess they know God; but by their works they deny him, and are abominable, disobedient, and to every good work reprobate,"
Tit. i.
16.
This age is full of such carnal Protestants.
Phil. This age, indeed, aboundeth with many hollow-hearted hypocrites, dissemblers, and timeservers; which howsoever they make a face, and bear a countenance as though they loved the gospel, yet their heart is not with it.
Their heart is with atheism; their heart is with popery.
Thev have a pope in their belly ; they be church papists.
Howsoever, now and then, they come to the church, and hear a sermon, and shew a good countenance to the preacher; yet their heart goeth after covetousness.
The Lord complaineth of this, by his prophet Ezekiel, saying, Ezekiel
CONTEMPT OF THE
GOSPEL. xxxiii. 31-32, " This people will sit before thee and hear thy words; but they will not do them.
For, with their mouths they make jests ; and their heart goeth after covetousness."
God complaineth of this also, by his prophet Jeremiah, .Ter. vii.
9-11, "Will you steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and stand before me in this house, whereupon my name is called, and say we are delivered, though we have done all these abominations?
Is this house become a den of thieves, whereupon my name is called? " Where we see how the Lord doth chide his people, and sharply reprove them for abusing of his temple, woi'ship, and sacrifices; making them a cloak for their sins, and making his house a den of thieves, which should be an assembly of saints.
Now all this is a livel}'^ description of our time; wherein many use the exercises of the word, prayer, and sacraments, not to kill and mortify sin, but to nourish and shelter their sins.
For they blindly imagine, that if they come to the church and pray, and hear the sermon, they are discharged of their sins, though they leave them not.
They imagine they have given God his full due; and that, therefore, they may be the more bold to sin afterward.
These kind of hypocrites ai'e like rogues, which use medicines, not to cure sores, but to make sores.
These are like the papists, which think if they hear mass in the morning, they may do what they list all the day after.
Theol.
I see now, you have very well profited in the knowledge of God, and true religion.
You have spoken soundly, and like a man of knowledge in God's matters.
For the common sort of people think indeed, that all religion consisteth in the outward service of God, though their hearts
CONTEifPT OF TEE GOSPEL.
be far from him: to whom God may justly say, "This people draweth near me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me," Matt. xv. 8.
Of whom also God may justly take up all his just complaints of his people Israel and Judah
; which are so frequent in all the prophets: to wit, that he did abhor their sacrifices, loathe their oblations, detest their incense, despise their new moons, disdain their rams, lambs, and goats; accounting them all but as man's blood, dog's blood, swines blood; and all, because their hands were full of blood; because they executed not justice and judgment in the gate; because they were not obedient to his wUl; because their hearts were not with him: because they used or rather abused all these things, as shelters for their sins,
Isa. Ixvi. 3.
JPhil. The great contempt of the ministers of the gospel in this age, doth strongly argue the contempt of the gospel itself.
For a man cannot love the gospel, and hate the faithful ministers thereof.
But we see, by lamentable experience, that the most grave, go^y, and learned ministers are had in derision of very base and \i\e persons.
And as Job saith, ch. xxx. 1, "They whose fathers I have refused to set with the dogs of my flock;" they were the children of fools, and the children of villains, which were more vile than the earth, for now every rascal dares scoff and scorn at the grave and ancient fathers and pastors of the church, dares flout them as they walk in the streets, and as they ride by the highways.
And though the Holy Ghost giveth them glorious and lofty titles, as the stewards of God's own house, disposers of his secrets, disbursers of his treasure, keepers of the broad seal, keepers of
CONTEMPT OP THE GOSPEL.
the keys of heaven, Grod's secretaries, God's ambassadors, angels; yea, the very glory of Christ,"
Tit. i. 7; 1 Cor. iv. 1
; Matt. xvi. 19; 2 Cor. v. 20; Eev. iii. 7; 2 Cor. viii. 23; and all this, to express the excellency of their calling, yet these vile varlets and venomous vermin of the earth, dare call them proud prelates, pild* parsons, peltingt priests.
O monstrous and intolerable impiety!
Now it is come to pass, that this most sacred function, which is glorious in the sight of God, and his angels, and in itself most honourable is had in greatest contempt of all callings.
For now the earth is full of rank atheists, and mock gods, which scoff at the gospel, and blare out their tongues at all religion.
These kind of fellows never dissemble for the matter.
They make no shew at all, they are no hypocrites, they hide not their sins, but declare them openly,like Sodom.
They care not if they never come to the church: they are too full of it.
They live like brute beasts.
They think the scriptures are but fables.
They rail at the ministers and preachers.
They make flat opposition against them, and are notorious mockers and past-graces.
Theol. Of such the apostle St. Peter foretold "that in the last days should come mockers, and such as would live after their own lusts,"
&c.
Pet. iii.
3.—Of such a godly writer, Calvin saith, Verhum Dei secure contemnitur, promissiones inanes esse creduntur, mince pro fabulis habentur; that is, the word of God is carelessly contemned, his promises are counted vain, and • Bald, alluding to the shaven crowns of the Catholic priests.
+ From pelt, a sheep's skin.
Shepherds loving to shear or skin their iiocks, rather than to feed them.
COITTEMPT OF THB GOSPEL.
his threatenings fables.
Of such the poet smth, "Heu vivutit hamines, tanquam mors null* sequatur.Aut velut infemusfabula tanafcn-et."
"Alas, men live, as they should never die:
Or as though all speech of hell were a stark Ue."
Now is also the time wherein the world swanneth with papists and atheists; and most men live as if there were no God.
For now religion is hated, true godliness despised, zeal abhorred, sincerity scoffed at, uprightness loathed, preachers contemned, professors disdained, and almost all good men had in derision.
For now we may justly complain with the prophet, Tsa. lis. 14, "Judgment is turned backward, and justice standeth far off.
Truth is fallen in the streets, and equity cannot enter.
Yea, truth faileth; and he that refiaineth from evil, maketh himself a prey."
The prophet Micah bewaileth the times, saying, Micah vii. 2, "The good man is perished out of the earth, and there is none righteous among men.
They aU lie in wait for blood: every man hunteth his neighbour with a net."
The prophet Jeremiah complaineth of the same evil in his time; namely, that the people were come to be past shame in sinning, Jer. viii.
12, "Were they ashamed, saith he, when they had committed abomination?
Nay, they were not ashamed, neither could they blush."
This is a lively picture, and a very coimterpane of our time.
For now we have put on a brow of brass: we are become impudent in sin.
"We cannot blush: we cannot be ashamed.
We are almost past shame, and past grace.
Lord, what will this gear grow to in the end!
Phil. We may justly fear some great judgment of God to be near us; yea, even to hang over our
CONTEMPT OF THE GOSPEL.
heads.
For the Lord will never leave the contempt of his gospel and his ministry unpunished.
Theol. You 'have spoken a truth.
And we have heard before how the old world was plagued for it.
And we read how grievously the Jews were afflicted by the Romans for this sin: as our Lord Jesus did plainly foretell.
We read also, that after the Lord had broached the gospel himself, and spread it abroad by his apostles, conquering the world thereby (which thing was signified by the white horse, his rider, his bow, and his crown, Rev. vi. 2), and yet shortly after saw that the same began to be contemned in the world and made light of; then he did in most fearful manner plague the earth with wars, bloodsheddings, tumults, dearth, famine, and pestilence: which all are signified by the red horse, the black horse, and the pale horse, which did appear at the opening of the second, third, and fourth seal.
So likewise undoubtedly, God will severely punish all injuries, wrongs, and contempts, done to his faithful ambassadors, as appeareth. Rev. xi. 5; where it is set down, that if any would hurt the two witnesses with their two olives, and two candlesticks, (whereby is signified the faithful preachers of the gospel, with all their spiritual treasures and heavenly light) fire should proceed out of their mouths, and devour their adversaries.
That is, that the fire of God's wrath should consume all that had oppressed them, either by mocks, flouts, railings, slanders, imprisonment, or any other kind of indignity.
Of this we have a plain example or two in the scripture.
First, we read how fire came down from heaven, and consumed the contemptuous captain and his fifty, at the threatening and calling for of Elijah," 2 Kings
CONTEMPT OF THE GOSPEL.
i. 10.
Secondly, how two bears came from out of the forest, and tore in pieces forty-two younkers which mocked Elisha the prophet of God; calling him bald-head, bald-pate, 2 Kings ii.
23.
So then, by these examples, it is manifest that howsoever the Lord may wink at these things for a time, and make as though he saw them not; yet the time will come, when he will rain fire and brimstone upon all the scoffers of his faithful ministers, and contemners of his gospel.
All this is plainly declared in the first chapter of the Proverbs: where is shewed how the wisdom of God, even Jesus Christ the highest wisdom, doth cry aloud aU abroad in the world, and manifest himself in the open streets; but yet is contemned of wicked worldlings and scoffing fools.
Therefore, saith Christ, verse 24-28, "Because I have called, and ye refused, I have stretched out my hand, but none would regard: ye have hated knowledge, and despised all my counsel ; therefore will I laugh at your destruction, and mock when your fear cometh upon you hke sudden desolation, and your destruction hke a whirlwind.
Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me."
Here, then, we see is terrible wrath and vengeance threatened from heaven, against all profane contemners of Christ, and his everlasting gospel, or any of the faithful publishers and proclaimers thereof.
Behold therefore, ye despisers, and wonder: consider well what will become of you in the end.
Do not think, that the most just God will always put it up at your hands, that ye should so manifestly contemn both his word and the most zealous preachers and professors thereof.
Xo, no; assure yourselves he will be
CONTEMPT OF THE GOSPEL.
even with you at last.
He will smite you both sidelings and overthwart: he will dog you and pursue you with his judgments, and never leave following the chase with you till he have destroyed you, and consumed you from off the face of the earth.
For remember, I pray you, what he saith in Deut. xxxii, "If I whet my glittering sword, and my hand take hold of judgment, I will execute vengeance on mine enemies, and I will reward them that hate me ; I will make mine arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall eat the flesh of mine adversaries."
Phil.
Truly, sir, you may justly fear, that for our great contempt for the gospel, and general coldness both in the possession and practice thereof, Grod will take it from us, and give it to a people that will bring forth the fruit thereof.
Theol. We may well fear indeed, lest for our sins, especially our loathing of the heavenly manna, the Lord will remove our candlestick, take away our silver trumpets, let us no more hear the sweet bells of Aaron, cause all vision to fail, . and our Sabbaths to cease, and bring upon us that most grievous and sore famine of not hearing the word of the Lord, spoken of by Amos the prophet, viii.
Then, shall all our halcyon days, and golden years, be turned into weeping, mourning, and lamentation.
God, for his infinite mercy's sake, turn it away from us!
Pliil. Amen, amen; and let us all pray earnestly, night and day, that those fearful judgments may, according to Grod's infinite mercies, be held back, which our sins do continually cry for; and that his most glorious gospel may be continued to us and our posterity, even yet with greater success.
CONTEMPT or THE GOSPEL.
Asun. Xo doubt, it is a verj great sin to despise the word of God ; and I think there is none so bad that will do it : for we ought to love God's word; God forbid else.
He that loveth not God's word, it is a pity he liveth.
Theol. These are but words of course.
It is an easy matter to speak good words: and very many will say as you say; but both you, and they, in your practice, do plainly shew that you make no reckoning of it: you esteem it no more than a dish-clout.
I think, if the matter were well tried, you have scarce a bible in your house.
But though you have one, it is manifest that you seldom read therein, with any care or conscience; and as seldom hear the word preached.
How else could you be so ignorant as you are?
Asun.
I grant that I and some others are somewhat negligent in the hearing and reading of the word of God; but you cannot say therefore we do contemn it.
Theol. Yes, verily.
Your continual negligence, and carelessness, doth argue a plain contempt.
Sure it is, you have no appetite nor stomach to the holy word of God.
You had rath^* do any thing, than either read or meditate in it.
It is irksome unto you.
Y'ou read not two chapters in a week.
All holy exercises of religion are most bitter and tedious unto you.
They are as vinegar to your teeth, and smoke in your eyes.
The immoderate love of this world, and of vanity, hath, taken away your appetite from all heavenly things.
And, whereas you shift it off with negligence, as though that would excuse you, the apostle hits you homewhen he saith,"How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation? "
Heb. ii. 3.
Mark that he saith, "if we neglect."
CONTEMPT OF THE GOSPEL.
Antil. Belike you think men have nothing else to do but read the scriptures, and hear sermons?
Theol.
I do not say so.
I do not say ye should do nothing else.
For Grod doth allow you, with a good conscience, and in his fear, to follow the works of your calling: as hath been said before.
But this I condemn in you, and many others, that you will give no time to private prayers, reading, and meditation in God's word; neither morning nor evening, neither before your business nor after.
And, although you have often vacant time enough, yet you will rather bestow it in vanity, and idle prattling, and gossipping, than in any good exercise of religion.
Which doth plainly shew, that you neither delight in holy things ; neither is there any true fear of God before your eyes.
Antil.
I tell you plainly, we must attend our business; we may go beg else; we cannot live by the scriptures.
If we follow sermons we shall never thrive.
What, do you think every man is bound to read the scriptures ?
Have we not our five wits?
Do we not know what we have to do?
You would make fools of us belike.
But we are neither drunk nor mad.
Theol.
That every man, of what condition soever, is bound in conscience to hear and read the word of God, hath been shewed, and proved in the beginning of our conference.
But as for your five wits, they will not serve your turn in these matters ; though you had fifteen wits.
For all the wit, reason, and understanding of natural men, in God's matters, is but blindness, and mere foolishness.
The apostle saith, " That the wisdom of the most wise in this world, is not only foolishness with God; but indeed very en-
CONTEMPT OF THE
6K)SPEI.
Ill mity against God," 1 Cor. iii. 19; Eom, viii. 7.
And again, he saith, that "The natural man (with all his five wits.) understandeth not the things of the Spirit of God; because they are spiritually discerned," 1 Cor, ii. 14.
Most prudently to this " There is a spirit ia man; but the inspiration of the Almighty point speaketh EUhu, saying, giveth understanding," Job xxxii. 8.
Antil.
I understand not these scriptures which you do allege; they do not sink into my head.
Tkeol.
I think so, indeed.
For the Holy Ghost saith, "Wisdom is too high for a fool," Prov. xxiv. 7.
Antil. What, do you call me a fool?
I am no more a fool than yourself.
Theol.
I call you not a fool; but tell you what the scripture saith; which calleth all men, though otherwise never so wise, polite, and learned, very fools, till they be truly lightened, and inwardly sanctified by the Spirit of God; as appeareth, Titus iii. 3, where the apostle affirmeth that both
Titus and himself, before they received the illuminating Spirit of God's grace, were very fools, without wit, and without aU sense in God's matters.
Phil.
I pray you, good Mr.
Theologus, let him alone ; for he will never have done cavilling.
I see he is a notable caviller.
Let us therefore proceed to speak of the fifth sign of condemnation, which is swearing.