not in the change of the minde but know it that no time is thine but the present and it is little better then Poperie to professe free will in this matter it is too much thou hast beene deceiued in the time past deceiue not thy selfe also in time to come Well said one God hath left man time past to repent of and time present to repent in but the time to come he hath reserued in his owne hands Doct. 3. The manifestation of saluation is to be sought for in the preaching of the word Which point is plaine in that the preaching of the word is an ordinance of God 1. to make Christ knowne in whose name alone saluation is to be had 2. to beget and confirme faith in the heart by which alone as by an hand we apprehend and applie him with his merits to our saluation The former the Apostle affirmeth Ephes. 3.8 the vnsearcheable riches of Christ was by preaching made knowen to the Gentiles and Coloss. 1.27 God would make knowne what is the riches which riches is Christ in you whome we preach For the 2. that faith is wrought by the word preached see Rom. 10.14 and 1. Cor. 1.21 By the foolishnesse of preaching it pleaseth God to saue such as beleeue in that herein he both offereth Christ vnto vs and giueth vs faith by which we receiue him 2. This truth appeareth in that wheresoeuer the Lord had a people to call to saluation there he sent his Prophets and Apostles whom he appointed so long there to stay till his worke was finished and then sent them elsewhere when Paul was resisted and blasphemed by the Iewes at Corinth he pronounced them guilâ—ie of their owne blood and purposed to turne to the Gentiles but the Lord suffered him not but caused him to staie there a yeare and six moneths longer because he had many people in the cittie so Paul and Timothie hauing gone through Phrygia and Galatia were forbidden by the holy Ghost to preach in Asia and by a vision were assured that the Lord called them to preach in Macedonia Which direction of them by the spirit to some places and restrayning them from other argued that they carried with them the meanes of conuerting such as whom the Lord at that time purposed to call In this ordinance is it called the word of faith 1. Tim. 4.6 deliuered by exhortation and doctrine vers 13. in this embassadge is it called the the word of reconciliation and thus preached is called the Gospel of the kingdome of God Mark 1.14 Iohn came preaching the Gospel of the kingdome of God powerfully raysing vp men thereunto and the Gospel of our saluation Ephes. 1.13 Vse 1. The preaching of the word is the greatest blessing that the Lord bestoweth vpon any people and such a one as God in his anger depriues that people of against whom he intendeth a plague the former appeareth in that great care of Christ himselfe who before and after his ascension prouiding for the good of his bodie the Church as the speciall gift and loue-token he could leaue behind him appointed Apostles Euangelists and after them Pastors and teachers to continue to his comming againe The effects also shew the power and price of the blessing which are reconciliation with God sanctification of the spirit mortification of the flesh the life of God all which are brought by the reuealing of Iesus Christ. The latter is euident in Amos 5.13 that when the Lord is about to bring euill times he maketh the prudent to keepe silence Both which shew vnto vs that the Lord hath opened vnto vs in this Church and land his chiefest treasure in that he hath put the barres into the rings of the Arke whereby his glorie is carried throughout our countrie and in that he hath lifted vp his cloud in the sight of all our people to direct vs in all our iourneies he hath not dealt so freely with euery nation neither haue they knowen his lawes Psal. 44. last Vse 2. Those people are bound to much thankfulnes and dutie among whom the Lord hath planted a preaching Ministerie by which men may be directed in the path of saluation It is a blessing we are to wish and pray for to all Gods people and bewaile their want that haue it not The former we are enioyned by the expresse precept of Christ considering the greatnesse of the haruest The latter by his example who mourned to see people as sheepe scattered without a shepheard Obiect But people may doe well inough if they haue the word read publikely and they can read it at home Ans. My purpose is not by establishing preaching to derogate from reading the manifold fruite which accreweth by reading the Scriptures hath otherwise taught mee together with the custome of the Prophets Apostles and Christ himselfe of which I haue elsewhere expressed the principall But the things which God hath ioyned together let no man separate In the old Testament the Levites must read the booke of the law giue the sence and cause the people to vnderstand the reading In the New after the reading of the law there was expounding Christ himselfe after the lecture of the law had a booke giuen him found the prophecie closed the booke sate downe expounded it so did the Apostles Paul and Barnabas Act. 13.15 Thus hath the Lord afforded his Church a further benefit and more full blessing a more ordinarie and principall meanes to beget faith and repentance and to lead men along vnto saluation by a more ful manifestation of the promise of life which is here said to be by preaching that is by explaning and applying things read to the heart and affection This is the labour in word and doctrine commended vnto vs that are the Lords builders and laborers who in raysing the spirituall walls must imitate Nehemiahs builders euery one of whom in repayring the walls of Ierusalem must hold the trowell in one hand and the weapon in the other in like manner should euery Minister exhort with whose some doctrine there is the vse of the trowell and improoue the gainsayer which is the vse of the sword to want which ordinance is to want that which the wisedome of the Lord thought most necessarie for the welfare of his Church who would not haue his people sticke in the outside but pearce into the depth of his wisdom reuealed neither content themselues with a bulk of corne but to get it troden out nor with bread in the lumpe but deuided Whether therefore their estate may be good in such a want or no we are not so much to sit as iudges vpon them as become petitioners for them that their want may be supplied seeing the word hath taught vs that where vision faileth people perish And for priuate reading would God men were better acquainted with it then they are yet although the Iewes had the law priuately at home the
so monstrous and among other one especially made them noted and hated of all the world namely that Iupiter the cheife of the gods was dead and that his graue was with them the which with other fables made them so ridiculous as that they became a proverb among the nations insomuch as to lie was to play the Cretian Neither did the Poet speake of some slipps of the tongues of some few or some falls seldome ouertaking them but of an habit and affected custome and exercise of lying and fayning which generally and continually they were so tainted with as little or no soundnes vprightnesse and faithfulnesse but trecherie guile falsehood appeared in their dealings Doct. Falsehood and deceit in word and deede is condemned not only by the light of the Scriptures but by the light of nature it selfe Which appeareth expressely not onely by the testimonie of this Pagan Poet but by other lights in nature for the naturall conscience of man accuseth and checketh for it yea in children thēselues it maketh them blush at the report of a lie Besides the most graceles men of men account it the highest disgrace to haue the lie giuen them the infamie of which vice is such as none wil take to it none wil confesse it And on the contrary the heathen so extolled truth in word in practise as of all other vertues it was sayned to be the onely daughter of Iupiter as whom most neerely it resembled Vse How should we who would be reputed Gods children abhorre that practise which euen the sonnes of men are ashamed of shall the sparkles of naturall light make the naturall conscience of a Heathen and gracelesse man accuse him of this sinne and shall not the cleare light of grace force the consciences of professed Christians to reprooue them Is it iustly reputed a disgrace to common men to be taken with a lie how disgracefull should it be to Christian men shall the Heathen professe truth to resemble God so expressely as that it is his deare only daughter and shall Christians who finde in the Scriptures the whole image of God stiled by the title and comprehended vnder the name of truth in their practise scarce expresse it as a part of that image And yet how many Christians are behind euen millions of the Heathen who although they be commanded euery man to speak truth to his neighbour yet shame they not to defend that they may lie and forsweare too for the advantage of themselues and others and therefore they say that though they dislike hurtfull lies yet see they not but they may as they do lie in iest or for the good of their neighbour especially to saue his life For this say they hurteth none nor is against the law of charitie and they find it commended to them in the practise of the Midwiues to saue the male infants of the Hebrewes of Rahab to saue the Spies and Michol and Ionathan to saue Dauid from Sauls furie and in the doctrine and writings of some of the Fathers as Origen Ierome who in regard of the profitable ends held these no sinnes To all which in few words I answer 1. That euery lie is hurtfull whether in iest or earnest for euill or for good because it is an enemie to truth and against the ninth commandement 2. For iesting or sporting lyes the threatning is generall Psal. 5.6 thou shalt destroie them that speake lyes vntruthes may not be spoken although they be not thought and Prov. 6. Thou shalt destroie the lying tongue he excepteth not if it be not in sport or for a good ende And many of the Heathen themselues saw the sillines and follie of this shift we reade of the Lacedemonians that they would not suffer their lawes to be gainsaid in iest and yet the law of the Lord may be controlled and gainsaied in iest of Christians When Thespis the first stageplayer was asked if he were not ashamed to vtter so many lyes in such a worthy audience he answered he did it in sport But wise Solon replied If we approoue and commend this sport wee shall finde it in earnest in our contracts and affaires and euen so by Gods iust iudgement it befalls Christians who vsing to lie in sport get an habit of lying in earnest and by his iesting lyes raiseth a suspition of his words that he cannot be beleeued be he neuer in such earnest 3. For officious lies so called there can be no such because in euery lie some office or dutie is violated But they hurt no man yes if they hurt not another they hurt a mans selfe many waies againe if they hurt not the parties for whom yet hurt they the parties to whom they are tolde who are abused and vrged to beleeue a lie and were not this yet they hurt and preiudice the truth which ought to preuaile But the end of them is good Yea but that which is euill in the nature and constitution may neuer be admitted let the end be neuer so good which is pretended The least euill may not be committed for the greatest good to helpe man we may not hurt God Moses would rather be blotted out of Gods booke then God should be dishonored Nay we may not tell the least lie for Gods greatest glorie and much lesse for mans good Iob 13.9.10 Will you make a lie for him as one lyeth for a man surely he will reprooue you And if a lie would make to Gods glorie yet he is not vnrighteous to leaue it vnpunished Rom. 3.7 But they be not against charitie Yes for charitie reioyceth in truth and if they were not yet are they directly against pietie which two louing freinds may admit no diuorce 4. For the examples alleadged and all of that kind we must distinguish betweene the facts of the faithfull and the manner of them The facts of sauing the children and spies c. was commendable and argued the feare of God and loue of his children but the manner of putting these in execution was neuer approoued in the Scriptures although the facts themselues were Neither is it strange that faith and sinne should combate together in the same action in this condition of the infirmitie and imperfection of the dearest Saints of God vntill that perfect come 5. The verie heathens condemned all dissonance and dissent betweene heart and tongue thoughts and speaches the one whereof was bestowed on vs by God to expresse the other Let vs therefore who professe the loue and feare of the Lord shew our selues to be of the remnant of Israel by this in that we neither doe iniquitie nor speake lyes nor haue a deceitfull tongue found in our mouths And to helpe our selues in this dutie meditate on these reasons 1. All falshood and lyes are directly against God himselfe who is truth it selfe so as by them a man becommeth most vnlike vnto God and most like to the deuill who is the father and first founder
permit not a woman to teach Answ. The Apostle there speaketh of the order and comlines of publike ecclesiasticall assemblies wherein they were not allowed to take vpon them any power or function of teaching for the reasons propounded which are three 1. From their condition which is to be obedient vnto man and therefore in mens presence must not vsurpe the authoritie of teachers but content themselues with the place of schollers in all mixt assemblies of men and women 2. Their function which is to serue men for Adam was first created and Eue for Adam and not to exercise any function ouer them 3. From the weakenes of their sexe which lieth more open to Satans seducement for Adam was not deceiued first but Eue. It is not fit that any such function of teaching should be committed vnto them seeing Eue in innocencie taking vpon her to teach Adam was so easily preuailed against and the Apostle expresseth this his owne sense 1. Cor. 14.34 where from the same ground of the womans subiection vnto man he saith let your women keepe silence in the Churches As for the examples of Deborah and Huldas who were Prophetesses in the Church they beeing extraordinarie make nothing against this rule of Paul nor for that Pepuzian heresie for womens teaching in the Church nor that Popish heresie of midwiues baptizing of infants in case of necessitie as they call it Neither doth this place written by the same spirit and penne crosse the former seeing it speaketh of priuate teaching and instructing the family at home especially her children and maidseruants so the text it selfe seemeth to restrain them pointing them out their auditors namely young women in the next verse and the lectures they are to fit vnto them the most or all of which are priuate duties and the ende to make the younger women wise vnto all godly conuersation namely both those within the family and those that are without so farre forth as they shal be occasionally called to instruct them both by Christian speach and example Now that this dutie belongeth vnto matrons it will appeare if we consider them 1. as Christian women 2. as superiours in the family For the former it is not sufficient that a Christian woman liue vprightly and vnblameably in her selfe vnlesse she also endeauour to driue or drawe the younger women to the like godly course For 1. euerie Christian must gather with Christ and he or she that gathereth not scattereth whence are all those exhortations thou beeing conuerted strengthen thy brethren obserue one an other admonish and prouoke one another to loue and good workes 2. The rule of speach for all Christians is that for the matter it be good that is of good things and for the vse that it tend to edifie and who but elder Christian women should proceede in this duty 3. From the obseruation of this rule the godly are described to be such as whose lips feede many and they speake pleasant words which are health to the bones and sweetenes to the soule their tongues are trees of life vtter wisedome talke of iudgement of high matters c. And that women should not thinke that they are exempted from all this qualification of their speach Salomon ascribeth it in speciall to a vertuous woman that she openeth her mouth with wisedome and the law of grace is vnder her lips answerable to this text which requireth that she be a teacher of honest things As for the latter this dutie of teaching honest things belongeth vnto them as gouernours of their family wherein Salomons mother is a notable president who instructed her sonne what my sonne and what the sonne of my wombe c. and Timothies mother and grandmother Lois who acquainted him with the Scriptures from a child and what else proued these but rare men full of grace and pietie Vse 1. This reprooueth such as neither are able nor willing to call on others vnto the practise of Christian and honest duties the knowledge of God seateth not in their hearts nor the law of grace in their lips 2. Others are teachers but of dishonest things their mouthes are euer open but like the open vessells which in the Law were accounted vncleane nothing but idle and lewd speach nothing but impertinent or detracting speach proceedeth out of them all kind of language fitteth their mouthes but that which befitteth holines and honestie such as whose yeares calleth for grauitie and gracious sauorie speach euen in the presence of younger women are safe if they can chat away much time in ripping vp the loosenes of their young and wanton daies or the faults of this or that man or woman this is their table talk this is the speach wherewith they season the young and tender yeares of their children the which these new vessells easily and long after reteine who for most part by their gracelesse courses repaie their mothers barrennesse of gracious speach other speach then this if â—auouring of grace and pietie let it be offered it is as welcome as smoke to their eies Vse 2. How much more is the master of the family bound to the trayning vp of this familie in holy and honest things for the wife must herein onely helpe forward his paines The Lord wisheth the fathers to laie vp the memorie of his great workes for the instruction of their children and the master was the Prophet in the house and accordingly the children after them could say we haue heard our Fathers say thus and thus their bookes were their fathers mouthes But how carelesly is this great dutie neglected of most men that many children may say truely we haue heard our fathers sweare curse and lie backbite slander but seldome or neuer haue they declared vnto vs the great things which the Lord hath done for vs seldome or neuer haue they become teachers of holy or honest things vnto vs either in their word or conuersation Vers. 4. That they may instruct the younger women to be sober minded that they loue their husbands that they loue their children 5. That they be discreete chast keeping at home good and subiect vnto their husbands that the word of God be not euill spoken of It beeing required that the elder women should be teachers of honest things the Apostle in these two verses doth these three things 1. he sheweth who be their schollers namely the younger women as also the lecture they are to read vnto them namely sober mindednesse that is by their counsell and example frame them to become wise in the performance of all the duties of their seuerall places for the Greeke word howsoeuer it seemeth at the first sight to expresse one only vertue yet is it to be extended to the generall information of them vnto moderation prouidence modestie faithfulnes diligence and euery other vertue sutable to their age and condition of life For it is most properly and vsually ascribed vnto schoolemasters who haue youth committed
beast in this point vntill he went into the sanctuarie The third propertie is fooles are indocible and incorrigible so the naturall man put him to schoole he learneth nothing by the booke of the creatures nor of the creator in the Scriptures Let God the great schoolemaster whippe him and bray him in the morter of his iudgments â—e is a foole still he leaueth not his old wonts The fourth propertie fooles are so wise in their owne conceits as they will abide no counsell the naturall man is wiser in his owne eyes then seauen men that can giue a reason tell him sinne is a dangerous edgtoole he maketh a mocke of sinne he iesteth and playeth the foole with firebrands and deadly things so wish him to forsake and denie his owne wayes of sinnefull pleasures vnlawfull profits to take vp his crosse and followe Christ no he hath an easier and broader way he liketh no such precise courses In all these regards may we not truely say of euery vnconuerted man vaine man would be wise though man newe borne is like a wild asse colt for of such Zophar spake the truth though he wrong applyed it vnto Iob and too much of these follyes are bound vp in the hearts of Gods children themselues vntill the rods of correction driue it out Vse We are hence taught how to deeme and iudge of the estates of men look into their courses if they be wise for their soules and life eternall making that their maine scope and end then are they truly wise indeed Wise Merchants they only are that sell all to buy the field and the treasure hid in it wise virgins only are they that make sure of oyle of grace in their lamps and that in due time whatsoeuer come of other things True it is that men esteeme these of all other silly creatures and simple men void of all prudence and forecast in their affaires that conteine their thoughts within compasse and dare not stretch their wits and consciences for gaine as others can and do but yet they haue chosen the better part they haue gotten Christ who is made their wisedome in whom they haue all their debts discharged and all comfortable supplies yea such treasures as the richest Indian mines afford not treasures of wisedome of grace of life and happines euerlasting Oh thrice blessed is that Christian soule who hath attained this wisedome happie is that man that can say I was once vnwise but now with thankfulnes I cannot but acknowledge the good hand of my God vpon me in whose light I see light 2. Let this perswade euery man to breake from the bands of his own folly and vse the meanes to come by this wisedome get wisdome once thou hast gotten inough begge wisdome of God with Salomon thou shalt haue wisedome and wealth and euery good thing more then thou askest for riches and glorie are in her left hand and length of daies in her right and all her paâ—hes are prosperitie and hauing once attained this wisedome lay her in thy bosome and make much of this deare daughter of God And as for those who want it be a meanes if thou canst to communicate it vnto them at least by godly example and prayer and forget not our Apostles scope suffer with meekensse the contrarie minded and wayte when God will vouchsafe them the knowledge of his truth Doctr. 2. Out of the second degree of the corruption of mind we learne that it is a marke of a mâ—n out of Christ not to beleeue and assent to the word but rather to stand out in reasoning against the euidence of it for so soone as euer a man is become the sheep of Christ he cannot but presently heare his voyce And hence Christ himselfe prooueth the carping Pharisies not to be of God because they could not abide to heare his sayings and who be they to whom the Gospel is hid euen they that perish and if we would haue a more euident marke to know them by it is added that they be such as the eyes of whose minds the God of this world hath blinded wherein is implied a wilfull ioyning with Satan to blind themselues further by their mallice then they were by corrupted nature Quest. But are there any so monstrous as will resist the word of God it were pittie that any such should liue Answ. Yea many moe then will be acknowne of and let vs looke a little nearer the thing and we shall find too iust occasion to pronounce against many in our congregations that which Stephen did of the Iewes that they were resisters of the holy Ghost For 1. whose words be these to the almightie Depart from vs we will not the knowledge of thy waies and who is the almightie that we should serue him Oh these be blasphemous speaches you will say and we abhorre them in our hearts But howsoeuer men would be loath to let such speaches passe the doore of their lippes yet the thing sticketh closer vnto them then to be so easily wiped off for how many of vs who heare the word receiue the Sacraments and goe for Christians resolue yet not to leaue our sinnes till they leaue vs nay the obstinate purpose of our hearts is to practise them still and what is this else but with the seruants in the parable to send word into a farre countrie after the King that we will not haue him to rule ouer vs but our owne lusts shall still prescribe laws vnto vs 2. Who be they that say the word and doctrine of the law and Gospel is foolishnesse this you will say was and is the conceite of the Iewes and Heathen ones but we are Christians and hope to be saued by it But how comes it to passe then that Christians hearing their personall sinnes daily reprooued and the terrible curses of the law denounced against them yet hide and hold them as so many sweet morsells vnder their tongues and will not let them goe do they not plainely manifest that they assent not to the word that either their sinnes are so haynous or hell so hoâ—e as the word speaketh Be they not Christians that make leagues with hell and death and say when the sword passeth through the land I shall be safe and out of gunshot be they not Christians that thus blesse themselues in their iniquitie for how hath the Lord both denounced and executed his iudgements and made them as cleare as the light and yet euery man cryeth peace to his soule We seeme in denouncing them from the Lord as Lot to his sonnes in law euen as if we mocked and therefore the Lord taketh our part and executeth as fast on the other hand and yet no man setteth the iudgement vnto his heart a fearefull forerunner of the whole lands desolation if timely repentance preuent it not They be Christians also at least in name that account the gladde tydings of their deliuerance by Christ as the Israelites reputed their
sort of men as farre deceiued as the former are secure persons who beeing baptized into the name of Christ as yet neuer came vnto him but plod on in all dirtie and sinnefull waies with many pretenses vnderpropping themselues but neuer examining duly whether they be right or no. And because the waies of this error are infinite we shall not do amisse in discrying some few of them and tracing them we shall not find them so vnfrequented but that infinite numbers of secure men and women shall be found in euery of them who all of them are still deceiued and as they were borne so they liue in errour Of these I will mention fiue sorts all in seuerall pathes but neuer one in the right 1. Are superstitious persons who take vp a voluntarie religion which hath some shew of wisedome and humblenesse of minde worship God they thinke they doe but it is vncommanded deuout they are but resist the truth as those deuout women who resisted Paul What a number of Popish minded men wander after vanitie they looke at antiquitie at consent of numbers and multitudes of men who are readie inough to betake them to their owne inuentions Hence is it that you shall ouertake hundreths that are set forward on their Pilgrimages and see thousands who are set downe or kneeling before their Idols besides numbers that are wilfull prisoners cheined in their own bands and wicked vowes of pouertie single life abstinence and such like And what ground haue they for all this they haue learned the protestation of the Iewes We will doe whatsoeuer goeth out of our owne mouth we will offer to the Queene of heauen as we haue done euen we our Fathers our Princes and our people for then we had store of all things and euery thing was cheape Nay as though the truth were impropriate vnto them they are so zealous in their way that if Peter or Paul should stand against their traditions they would thinke they did God good seruice to kill them as Christ foreprophecied a pregnant marke of a Popish and Antichristian spirit to hate and cast out the brethren for the name of Christ and yet to say Let God be glorified yet sit they downe here most securely as in a good way whereas alas all is deceit this beeing the way which is good in a mans owne eyes but the issues of it are death and the end of it is foreprophecied in the place of Ieremie alledged that the Lord will watch ouer such persons for euill and not for good and consume them with sword and famine and sundrie destructions 2. Sort are generall or Catholike Protestants of all any or no religion these content themselues with the Iewes to say the Temple the Temple the Couenant Abrahams seed c. so these finde a religion established and they loue it because it is crowned and bringeth in abundance of prosperitie with it they hate Poperie also because the lawes hate it but neuer knew nor care to know what the power and life of godlinesse euer meant to whom the Lord may say as to them Say not the Temple the Temple trust not in lying words we haue the Word Sacraments Prayer Peace c. but get the power of godlinesse if you would not beguile your owne soules Amend your waies and workes execute iudgement oppresse not the stranger fatherlesse and widowe follow not after other Gods 3. Sort are a rable of idle Protestants whose carnall hearts turne the grace of God into wantonnesse Charge his conscience with his sinnes strike him downe for his vnlawfull courses or neglect of good duties he can saue his head with the doctrine of free iustification without works or tell you that the best man sinneth seauen times a day or that we are concluded vnder sinne that God might haue mercie on all or that where sinne aboundeth grace aboundeth much more and that we are not saued by the workes of the law but O vaine man saith Iames dost thou imagine a sauing faith without repentance and works of pietie and loue dost thou professe an holy religion and by the loosenes of thy life makest that holy way of God euill spoken of did not the latter end of the former Chapter teach vs that Christ died not only to set vs free from the curse of sinne but from the courses of iniquitie that we should become zealous of goodworkes Christ saueth no other and therefore deceiue not thy selfe The fourth sort may well carrie the title of craftie Christians as also of free-will Protestants who for the present walke in a secure path and will not yet be acquainted with repentance for their sinne they thinke it fit to be knowne and practised and so they meane hereafter but in the meane time because their sinne is not vnpardonable and God calleth at all houres and they may as well afterward repenting find forgiuenesse therefore are they deafe against all our doctrine of repentance all the meanes we vse auaile not for their good but by Gods iust iudgement to their hardning blinding and further damnation and this is as fearefull as flie and as generall a deceit as any of the former What meane those many exhortations seeke the Lord while he may be found and to day if yee will heare his voice harden not your hearts and this is the acceptable time the which gratious inuitations while men haue put off how hath the seueritie of the almightie cut them off suddenly by strange deaths and this most deseruedly in that they had so long abused the time of his patience Rev. 3.21 The Lord gaue Iezabel a time to repent but she repented not and what was the issue of it Behold I will cast her into a bed of sorrow and great affliction So the Lord would haue purged the impenitent Iew but he would not be purged therefore saith the Lord Thou shalt not be purged till I haue caused my wrath to come vpon thee The fifth sort of secure persons may be called sensible Protestants who by outward things iudge themselues highly in Gods bookes and many both rich and poore tread in this path Rich men need not seeke for further ground of Gods fauour then that their hand hath found out riches and they are increased in their possessions and prospered in their labours And how can it be other seeing vengeance must pursue the wicked and if they were so they could not be prospered so long and diuersly as they are Thus Dauid obserued of wicked rich men their houses were peaceable without feare and because they are not in affliction like other men pride compasseth them as a chaine they seeke not after God nor sound and setled peace in him but little knew they the end of that fat pasture he learned at the sanctuarie that they were lifted vp aboue other as fellons on the ladder to come downe with a greater mischeife and breaknecke But more merueilous it is that corrections and afflictions should
of their owne displeasure and sometimes out of their sonnes misdemeanours doe disinherit their heires but the Lord cannot growe into such displeasure with his children as â—ueâ— to cast them out whome in his Christ he hath once admitted into his house If his sonnes sinne against him he will visit their sinnes and scourge them with the rodds of men but his mercie and truth will he neuer take from them Now of the tenure by which we hold life eternall namely of hope I haue spoken twise before in this Epistle at large chap. 1.2 2.13 to which the reader may looke backe onely in a word note that it is a mark of a man set into this new condition to hope and wait for the blessed inheritance in heauen 2. Cor. 5.2 We sigh desiring to be clothed with our house from heauen 2. Tim. 4.8 the description of the godly to be those that loue the appearing of Christ. And if all creatures groane with vs for the time of their deliuerance how ought we much more for whom such things are prepared Hence it followeth 1. that it will not stand with a conuerted heart to linger after the things of this life or to make his heauen vpon earth or to haue equall affection to earth as heauen 2. nor to neglect the meanes whereby this hope is confirmed whether outward offring as the Gospel ministerie word Sacraments or inward receiuing as faith vnfained working in obedience Ver. 8. This is a faithfull saying and these things I will thou shouldst affirme that they which haue beleeued in God might be carefull to shew forth good workes The first words of this verse beeing as it were a finger pointing to some excellent matter some take to be a preface making way and winning attention to the sequel of the verse others thinke it to be an epiphonema or graue shutting vp of that matter which immediately goeth before as giuing consent and acclamation vnto the most weightie and necessarie doctrine of free iustification by the grace of God in Christ which doctrine because the Apostle by the spirit of prophesie did foresee would be most strongly opposed he purposely by a vehement asseueration strengtheneth as also the doctrine of Christian hope which although it be not of things seene yet is it of things so faithfull and firme in respect of the promise as the Christian soule may without wauering and doubting relie and leane it selfe vpon the faithfull accomplishment of it But I take it the words may not vnfitly be referred to the whole doctrine propounded both before and after there beeing the same scope of both for what new thing is the Apostle to teach which he had not taught and vrged before and what particular is expressed in the verse which formerly hath not beene deliuered to young and old men and women servants and other all which estates after their conuersion vnto the faith are in speciall called to readines in euerie good worke vers 1. and to what other ende are those large descriptions of our twofold estate but to strike on the same string that howsoeuer we could not in the former attaine to any fruitfull conuersation yet now in the latter it were a shame not to adorne our profession and calling and what other end learned we of the appearing of grace but that vngodlines and wordly lusts beeing denied we should liue soberly and righteously and godly in this present world So as I say the Apostle setteth a seale vnto his whole doctrine that it is true and faithfull most vndoubted and certaine in it selfe and most worthie of all our credit and faith seeing nothing can be truelyer spoken nothing more profitably beleeued nothing more comfortably practised then the truth here deliuered vnto vs. Quest. But are not other doctrines true and faithfull yea as true as this and is not all Scripture of diuine inspiration Answ. Yes neither doth our Apostle oppose the truths of Scripture as though one were more or lesse true then another but in more necessarie or more questionable truths he setteth here and there a marke or pointng hand both to vrge the authoritie and necessitie of the one and also to force men more easily to yeeld vnto the truth of the other Example hereof we haue 1. Tim. 1.15 in such a fundamentall point as is saluation onely by Christ to be opposed by so many hundreth heretikes it is no maruell if we see some starre set by it or a light held ouer it that none may passe by it vntill they haue diligently waighed and fully resolued vpon the truth of it In like manner beeing to entreat of the difficult labour care and work of the ministerie from which women as not beeing capable of it are interdicted and of the excellencie of the function which no man might either rashly take vpon him or negligently execute beeing lawfully called and beeing further to set downe a certaine rule vnto which all the lawefull callings in the Church are to be conformed In such a waightie matter as is the preseruation of the Church and pietie he prefixeth a worthie preface 1. Tim. 3.1 This is a true saying if any man desire the office of a Bishop he desireth a worthie worke But where the Apostle doth all these things as in this place he could with lesse reason depart from his ordinarie manner Doctr. The Ministers of God must teach euerie truth reueale the whole counsell of God and keepe nothing backe but some truths must be dwelt vpon and more auouched then others and namely such as are either more necessarie or more contradicted This is the wisedome of the spirit of God himselfe who by his penmen distinguisheth of truthes and hath neither prefixed Behold in the beginning of euerie sentence nor affixed his Selah in euerie ones ende but onely in truths more observable and remarkeable then the rest Which point may receiue a generall confirmation from this obseruation that the penmen of Scripture beeing to write the historie of things past because they were of facts more vndeniable as things running into the sences of men they stand not so much vpon ratifications and asseuerations yea a number of historicall books there are the authors of which are not known to the church But when they come to write prophesies of things to come and things in reason more improbable then the authors name his kinred his calling with other circumstances of time place and persons seruing to confirme and conuince the truth of prophesies are registred And if these truthes were either more necessarily then ordinarie concerning the Church or more liable to opposition and exception then was much more caution and confirmation vsed To avoide multitude of examples whereby this point might be strengthened I will onely insist in that prophesie which more neerely concerneth vs that liue now in the newe Testament namely of the Reuelation The which booke because it describeth the state of the Church from the time of Iohn the last of the
Apostles vntill Christs comming againe and especially the proceedings pride and fall of Babylon the great whore with all the kingdomes of Antichrist the holy Ghost could not but foresee what labours and trauailes Satan and his instruments would take to weaken and impaire the credit and authoritie of this aboue all other books wherein he preuailed so farre as euen some true Churches called the truth and authoritie of it into question and therefore it is worth the marking with what a number of confirmations this booke aboue all other in the Scriptures is backed First the author of it is set in the forefront or face of it The Reuelation of Iesus Christ who professeth himselfe to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first and the last the beginning and ending which is which was and which is to come euen the Almightie so in the seuerall Epistles to the Churches in seuerall stiles he challengeth them to be his Thus saith he 1. that holdeth the seauen starres in his right hand 2. he that is first and last which was dead and is aliue 3. which hath the sharpe two edged sword 4. which hath eyes like a flame of fire and his feete like fine brasse 5. which hath the seauen spirits of God and the seuen starres 6. he who is holy and true who hath the key of Dauid who openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth 7. he who is Amen the faithfull and true witnesse the beginning of the creatures of God Secondly the instrument or penman his seruant Iohn the Euangelist the Apostle the Diuine who for the further and more full authority of it repeateth his name at least fowre times saying I Iohn Thirdly to omit many in the last chapter are fiue testimonies heaped together that if it were possible no man might be found so obstinately wicked as euer to doubt of it but that he that shold stād against the truth of it might euen gainsay the shining of the sunne it selfe 1. of the Angel 2. of God himselfe the Lord of the holy Prophets 3. of Iesus Christ Behold I come shortly c. 4. of Iohn I Iohn heard and saw all these things 5. the protestation of Iesus Christ vers 18. I protest if any man shal adde or diminish from these things of this booke God shall adde all the plagues of it against him and take away his part out of the booke of life Now had this booke neuer to haue bin oppugned there had not needed such strong and frequent confirmations neither would the holy Ghost haue bin so earnest in a needles matter The like we might teach out of particular examples How earnest is the Apostle in the poynt we haue in hand beeing the very foundation of Christianity not here only but elswhere in his writings when he saw that men would ioyne the law and gospel circumcision and baptisme Gal. 5.2 Behold I Paul say vnto you if ye be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing and vers 3. I testifie againe vnto you and 4. ye are abolished from Christ and fallen from grace he could not satisfie himselfe in his vehemencie against such a doctrine as this was Nay the sonne of God himselfe hath left vs his owne example in this point of wisdome who was wont in his teaching vnto diuerse more necessarie truths to prefix his Amen Amen I say vnto you which is in sence all one with this of our Apostle if we consider the speach though in the speaker and manner of speaking was wonderful difference himselfe beeing the author and Amen it selfe euen the faithfull and true witnesse and all other so farre only true as they testified from him And so he often shutteth vp his speach with he that hath eares to heare let him heare and then let him that heareth or readeth consider such sayings carrie salt with them and for such the Lord planted the eare more especially Vse 1. To teach Ministers in matters of weight to deale so soundly as the conscience of the hearer may be as firmely stablished in the truth taught and perswaded as if an angel from heauen should come and teach an other doctrine he may be held accursed so as the verie hearts of the hearers may say this is a faithfull doctrine and saying for thus as the Gospel is the word of truth so shall it be held in much certenty by the professors of it And it is a fault blame worthie in many Ministers who when they are occasioned by the place in hand to speake of some controuerted or most necessarie truth either for idlenes because they will not so much trouble themselues or for vnfaithfullnesse avoide by declining and shunning such truths the displeasure of the times which godly Ministers must swallowe that the truth opposed may be setled in the hearts of men not to speake of such as are infamously guiltie of some vices vnrepented of and vnreformed which maketh them balke and betray necessarie truths which in that regard they dare not mention 2. It is a great fault of hearers and worthie amendement who cannot well indure to heare of points in controversie especially betweene the Papists and our selues whereas their vnderstandings and iudgements are so farre from beeing stablished in the certaine truth of such things as euery winde or blast of the skulking Iesuite or Papist is able to vnsettle them in great matters and turne them off their grounds Now if it bee the teachers part to insist especially in such needefull points as are most opposed and hardlyest yeelded vnto it must needes be the hearers to provoke themselues to the right discerning of such differences for neither doe the contentions of the teachers so much concerne themselues as their hearers neither ende they in themselues but in the hearer See we not how if neuer so grosse or slender a point of carnall libertie be contended about it will carrie the applause almost of all men with i◠Is it meete then that any Saint of God be a looker on and not rather according to the commandement that euerie one should contend for the faith once giuen and can they contend vnlesse they be taught how and here instructed with weapons This admonition is the more needfull in these dayes so full of danger by the seduction of Papists separators libertines which swarme euerie where the daily encrease of all which is not more incredible then lamentable 3. We learne hence how to conceiue of the point and doctrine in hand seeing the wisedome of Gods spirit vseth to speake to the worth of the thing and by such prefaces and markes of speciall worthinesse pointeth to some weightie and needfull point vsing here another stile then if he should speake of mint and cummin and some smaller points of religion We meet not in euery precept with an oyes or warnword but where we do we must conceiue such not the motes but the beames of our religion