3. 17. Whatsoeuer ye doe in word or deede doe all in the name of the Lord Iesus giuing thankes to God Fourthly when all is done to the glory of God to the honour of our profession and to the prouoking of others seeing our good workes to glorifie our heauenly father 1. Cor. 10. 31. Whether ye eat or drinke or whatsoeuer yee doe doe all to the glory of God And thus shall euery good duetie in our hands be a step in our way to heauen Fourthly beware of turning to the right or left hand Prou. 4. 27. Turne not to the right hand seeking or stablishing our righteousnesse in our selues or in merits with the Papists for the way of inherent righteousnes leads from Christ who is the Way nor to any way of perfection of orders deuised by men as of Francis or Dominicke of Pouertie Chastitie and Counsel-keeping or of Iesuitisme which is the perfection of Rebellion and Treason Dauid in the 101. Psalme professeth that hee will walke in the perfect way diuers thousands of yeers before the Deuill had hatched any of these vncleane birds in the world Neither turne to the left hand turning grace into wantonnesse and imboldning our selues to sinne because grace hath abounded as profane Libertines doe Turne not to the world or earthlinesse these two waies can none walke in together vnlesse one man could serue two Masters or serue God and Mammon Our profession to God must be the same that the Israelites going towards Canaan made to Sihon King of the Amorites Num. 21. 21. Let me goe through thy Land wee will not turne aside into the fields nor into the vineyards neither drinke of the waters of the wells we will goe by the Kings high way vntill we be past thy Countrey Fiftly let vs be circumspect both to preuent and to recouer our selues out of our falls in this way By reason of Satans fierce temptations the weaknesse of grace and the frailty of the flesh many are the fals and knocks of the best In many things we sinne all saith S. Iames and Who knoweth his errors Psal. 19. 12. Now if wee will preuent these we must beware of occasions of sinne as a traueller steps ouer stones and rubs in his way Eue preuented not the occasion of her fall when shee entred talke with the serpent We must make a couenant with our eyes not to looke vpon a woman nor on the wine in a cup we must watch ouer our selues both alone and in company and not runne into bad company lest wee come home by weeping crosse as Peter did Secondly we must not lie in our falls a man in his iourney if hee fall and lie still shall neuer come to his wayes ende and if hee rise quickly though it hinder him a little it shall not much The Saints all of them recouered themselues out of their fals as Dauid in this Psalme by confession conuersion suing for pardon and renewing their faith and repentance A man out of his way must come backe againe the sooner he returnes the lesse is his labour Peter presently went out and wept bitterly and so was restored to Christs fauour Thirdly suppose thy falls bee grieuous and often into the same sinnes yet let them not hinder thee still out of the way For as the childe of God must neither presume nor purpose sinne so must hee not despaire of rising hauing fallen into sinne seeing the promise is that if a mans sinnes for hainousnesse bee as red as Scarlet vpon his true repentance they shall be made white as Snow and the parable teacheth that if a sinner offendeth seuenty times seuen times in a day and as often truely repent he shall bee as oft forgiuen Fourthly after such fals we must be more wary and careful lest we fall in the same manner A man yea a beast will be more carefull when it comes by the same place where it caught a fall yee cannot get it into the same hole againe Dauid no doubt would not count the Tribes againe after that fall in numbring them Sixthly hold on in this way constantly with perseuerance for the end of a worke crowneth it and the end of a way gladdeth and resteth the weary traueller and this rest is without end Many set foorth on this way but are discouraged by the hardnesse of the entrance whereas if they were a little entred the way would bee pleasant and the yoke of Christ easie and sweete Others haue gone yet further but at length looke backe yea go backe when a man would haue thought they had escaped the filthinesse of the world and these haue lost a great deale of labour and comfort Others yet farther then then they as the bad earth euen so farre as a man could perceiue no difference between them and sound Christians and apparent difference was there none but in perseuerance and yet wanting soundnesse haue suffered shipwracke euen at the hauen and so their former righteousnes is all forgotten a great deale of way they had gone and much worke had they ridde whereof they shall neuer see crowne nor comfort Oh beware of wearinesse and relapse as towards the end of his way the traueller is most cheareful so should wee and the rather because first euery one affects a good end euen Balaam and will we not endure a little difficultie for it Secondly Satan is most fierce in our end to hinder vs of the crowne and therefore wee should bee more watchfull and diligent to goe through Thirdly if we can labour a while wee shall bee euer safe neuer feare him any more neuer lose that crowne which the righteous Iudge shall giue vnto vs who loue his appearing I will instruct thee I will teach thee I will guide thee with mine eye These three particulars teach vs three properties of a good Teacher First to make a people to vnderstand their way Secondly to goe before them in good example in this way Thirdly to haue a watchfull eye ouer them to guide and gouerne them in that good way which they teach and walke in Dauid a good Instructer professing all these propoundeth himselfe a patterne for all good Pastours and Teachers First Teachers must make the people vnderstand the word of God and from thence their owne estate Nehem 8. 8. Ezra read the booke of the Law distinctly and gaue the sense and caused them to vnderstand The summe of a good Teachers office is in teaching pure doctrine purely first hee must chiefly tye himselfe to the word of God his principall scope must be not to make men vnderstand Latine or Greeke or the sayings of men but the word of God Ierem. 23. 28. The Prophet that hath a dreame let him tell a dreame and he that hath my Word let him speake my Word faithfully what is the chaffe to the wheate saith the Lord 2. Tim. 2. 2. The Word that thou hast heard of mee deliuer to faithfull men Secondly these words must hee propound to a plaine and
not Gods glory and good of the Church for its end but a mans owne glory for many vpon slight occasion will confesse their faults that themselues may bee better thought of for it and to conciliate a good opinion of themselues Therefore in thy confession to others take these rules with thee See the ground affection the manner and ends be good and iust else thy heart is not eased but burdened the more Secondly we may hence note that a guilefull security may hold the conscience of a conuerted person in a slumber of soule so as hee shall be hindred from repentance till God by some forcible affliction waken him This wee may see in Dauid here So Iosephs brethren held a long time the sinne of selling their brother till the affliction wakened them before which time they could tell their Father and their Brother Wee are twelue brethren and one is not and One is dead as if they had not sold him Ionah sleepes vnder the hatches though the stormes rise the waues beate and the ship be troubled and the goods lost till God by the Mariners bid him Vp sleeper and the lot finde him out So Professors often leaue their first works and slack their first loue till God come against them c. A reason hereof is First ignorance and blindnesse in the best which suffers them not to see sinne in the nature and degree of it onely light discouers darkenesse and therefore being light but in part euen the best cannot but faile in finding out their owne sinnes Secondly a kinde of hypocrisie and guile in the heart of the best which Dauid here acknowledgeth for the best would often seeme better then they are and would rather bee sinners then so reputed Thirdly an affection to sinne through an old acquaintance with it for euery mans nature so farre as it is vnregenerate is in loue with sinne Iob calls it 20 12. a sweet morsell which the wicked hold vnder their tongue and will not let goe And the regenerate themselues part with sinne indeede but as our Sauiour implieth as from their eies and right hands Fourthly because of the effect of it for sinne discouered brings shame What fruit had yee of those things whereof ye are now ashamed And to auoid this shame men would hide their sinne which is a filthinesse and a nakednesse Fifthly a security and negligence in the heart men are loth to dig so deepe to search narrowly their hearts to finde out sinne a tedious worke it is of mortification and so are loth to trouble their sinne or themselues Sixtly and lastly because the nature of sinne to which the best giue way is to dead the heart to quench the Spirit and to extinguish his graces And therefore first beleeuers must not flatter themselues but bee still awaking themselues to seeke after God we must enter into our hearts and consider our waies we will keepe reckoning what we runne on the score with men but rare are they which thinke how deepe they are in Gods bookes such bad husbands are we for our soules Secondly wee should vse meanes against this guile which preuailes against the best first the counsels of the Word must not be neglected Secondly the motions of the Spirit must be entertained and cherished for that is a monitor in the eare and sets before vs the way and our aberrations Thirdly the checkes and prickes of conscience which attended vnto would often awake vs and saith Thou art the man This and that sinne lies at the doore Thirdly we must not bid adieu to the remembrance of sinnes past and pardoned but euer beare them in minde so farre as to work out godly sorrow holy bashfulnesse and lowlinesse of minde and so farre as may be a spurre to more fruitfull obedience for time to come Thus Dauid though his sinne was forgiuen him as Nathan told him at first yet euer remembred and set before him his murther and adulterie Thus Israel acknowledged the desire of a King to be their sinne Thus Paul often remembred his blasphemy and persecuting For this let vs be often opening and looking on our wounds seeing the neglect of them and hiding of them is lewd carelesnesse and mortally dangerous It is no newes that a souldier is shot or wounded but to see him goe with it neuer regard nor dresse it is a forelorne negligence and condemned as a desperate folly so for vs fighting in this world to come by knockes and maimes is no maruell but to hide them and let them goe and ranckle and fester not complaining of them not vncouering them to the Surgeon Phisicion of soules is spirituall frensie and madnesse See we not that our soules in their swaruing from God are like bones beside the ioynt the longer they go they prooue more painefull therefore take them betimes they are set more easily Thirdly note in that Dauid is said to bee silent and not confesse his sinnes of murther and adultery almost of an whole yeere that a man euen Gods child may hold some outward parts of godlinesse and yet for a time by a slumber of conscience lie silent and not indeed come to see and confesse sinnes All this yeere Dauid came to the Temple there prayed and praised God and confessed sinnes he laid not aside all his family-duties but out of doubt performed some or the most of them yet he confesseth he was silent for while a man lies in sinne his prayer is as no prayer his confession is no confession first his prayer is not accepted before God Psalme 66. 18. If I regard wickednesse in my heart the Lord will not heare my prayer Secondly the Sacraments doe him no more good then they did Iudas Thirdly Gods word because it is not mingled with faith is vnprofitable it is as pure liquor put into a fustie vessell and lastly sinne separateth betweene God and him Isai. 59. 2. Thou commest to heare the Word to pray to keepe the Sabbath in the publike seruice of it and thou thinkest thou hast done a great matter but if thou commest with an impenitent heart a sleepie and slumbring conscience thy prayer and confession is all silence God heares nothing if thou speakest to God speake with thy heart else he heareth thee not Thinke we not that Iosephs brethren held on a forme of Religion while their sinne troubled them not for so many yeeres and what was all their prayers and confessions all that while but silence and so many Christians who fall from many goodly beginnings will take such order that they will keepe so much religion as they may bee thought to haue some feare of God in them but either couetousnesse or some other sinne holds them which they repent not of as hindreth for the timely seeking of reconciliation with God Many also goe on in a forme of Religion confesse their sinnes in the Church and ioyne in other good exercises in priuate yet
the vnderstanding and the mind to the things that are offered and makes the minde intent vpon them it is a candle held to the minde to giue it light in the thing to be done and in the manner of doing it Secondly it informeth the iudgement the chiefe office whereof is to trie and compare things together which hath euer been the circumspection of the wise as Dauid compares his present estate with the former It is the definition of a mad man to bee without iudgement to follow his fancie and to be led by appearances without triall so the prodigall sonne when he began to consider is said to come to himselfe Luk. 15. 17. till which time he was as a mad man out of or besides himselfe therefore Elthu counselleth his friends Iob 34. 4. thus Let vs seeke iudgement amongst vs and know among our selues what is good that is Let vs trie Iobs speech how true and iust it is Thirdly sound consideration inclines and determines the will according to the light of the mind and the sound informing of the iudgement and accordingly perfecteth the action He were a mad man that knowing he hath apiece of poyson in his hand would incline his will to eate it Now when consideration hath soundly enlightned a mans minde informed his iudgement according to that light and determined his will according to that iudgement it must needs bring forth sound resolutions purposes and actions Againe see the truth of this doctrine in sundrie instances First a man that is to goe a small iourney will consider whether he be in his right way what time hee hath to go through in what places are most dangerous how neere he is to his iourneyes ende what is the vse of his iourney and accordingly hee resolues for his furniture and expedition So if a man consider of his iourney to heauen of the difficultie of the way the danger by theeues or robbers of the shortnesse of his time how neere his waies end is c. he would speedily resolue of repentance and amendment of life which without this consideration is not onely deferred but also vtterly neglected Secondly a man that considers of the haruest of the returne and profit of his husbandrie will also consider of the seed-time and of the sowing of his ground he wil not spare his seede as distrusting the haruest or fearing to lose it So whereas many are bad husbands because they neuer consider of the haruest others expecting an happy haruest in the Kingdome of heauen sow to the spirit consider this their seede-time and while they haue time will sow their seede cast it liberally on the ground or waters distribute to the necessities of the Saints and after many daies they finde it with increase an hundreth thousand fold Thirdly wise men thinke theeues and fellons to bee mad men that seeing euery Assises so many hanged for theft yet will steale and rob and this is because they consider not the ende but hee that considers the vnauoidable danger of the law the seueritie of it the eye of the Iudge vpon him the irreuocable sentence of death and the shamefull execution of it resolues to depart out of the way of such danger So what makes the wicked to be accounted mad men in wise mens eyes but their foole-hardy rushing into a thousand rebellions and treasons against God they know that one sinne is able to damne them had they ten thousand soules and bodies and yet they rush into thousands of sinnes it being with them as it is with him that knowes one or two graines of poison will kill him and yet eates a pound of it because he considers not the ende Whereas if men did consider the danger of sinne the curse of the Law the torment of conscience here and of hell hereafter durst they so aduenture vpon sinne But I speake of a sound consideration for it is true that most men in grosse beleeue an heauen an hell a iudgement an account and a punishment but not not digesting it with due meditation and application to their owne soules it doth them no more good then Phisicke put into a mans pocket can helpe him to his health all this knowledge is lockt vp in the braine and brest and is as insensible as fire in a flint-stone if it bee not beaten out by sound consideration All this serues to stirre vs vp to consider of our waies and of our estates and of the actions that wee doe for these respects First inasmuch as without it no state of life can bee rightly ordered the Mariner if hee consider not his compasse continually and his course by it runnes into remedilesse dangers and so it with vs in our voyage to our hauen of Heauen The Marchant if he consider not his affaires by his count-count-booke of gaines or losses his debts and wares will soone proue banquerupt so we in our spirituall traffique without sound consideration shall soone be blowne vp If Eue had considered of the Serpents words had she and had we by her been such losers Had Adam considered of Eues gift had hee been so deceiued If Abraham had considered the counsell of Sarah would hee haue taken Agar into his bosome What doth all this proue but that if we were as rich as Adam in innocencie yet wants of considering our estate would lay vs to spoile Secondly it is a prerogatiue that man hath aboue all creatures to haue a facultie of examining his actions by consideration and yet how little doth man respect this priuiledge without which hee were to be sorted with beasts or mad men especially in sound consideration for the good of his soule the beast liues by things present man should consider the end before he beginne Thirdly without consideration no action can bee done well or succeed happily no spirituall action because it is not in faith if it be done without consideration as for example First we can neuer heare the Word well if first before-hand we consider not whom we come to heare and to what ende namely to further our saluation without this we come but as to a play Secondly in hearing if wee consider not our selues to bee in Gods presence Thirdly after hearing if wee consider not of what wee haue heard and that God will iudge vs by it Secondly in prayer we are commanded first to consider and then to pray as Eccles. 5. 2. Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thine heart be hastie to vtter any thing before God For this consideration must offer both matter of prayer and also stirre vp affection and desire else it will be but a dead and cold prayer Thirdly in the Sacraments we must first examine and consider our selues of the Couenant of the seales of it of our faith worthinesse and repentance and afterward we must consider the fruite of it else all is but hypocrisie and vnsound By all which we see that it is onely sound consideration that brings
they say if there were no sauour of life in their worke and if that of the Prophet were not true Isai. 55. 10 11. The Word of God who euer brings it returnes not in vaine but accomplisheth the worke whereunto hee sent it and if the ministerie of vnregenerate men were alwaies without efficacie We deny not but hee may prepare to conuersion and build the conuerted and condemne the wicked but to winne men to saluation wee are not perswaded of his abilitie What is the Word in his mouth strong meate and cannot it be milke too and why should God vse him in the one chiefe ende of his calling and not in the other no reason can be giuen Fourthly the Apostle Paul seeing many false Apostles preach 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not purely but of enuy and pride Phil. 1. 15 18. disdained not but said I reioyce that Christ is preached any manner of way Gaudet in re non in modo saith one He knew that if Christ were preached some would lay hold on him and be called out of their estate of Heathenisme and Gentilisme and that though the preaching of these euill men did not themselues good yet it was good for the Church They were like the builders of Noahs Arke who built an Arke for others and perished themselues And why was Paul so carefull lest while he preached saluation to others himselfe should be reprobate 1. Cor. 9. 27. if a man might not himselfe miscarrie preaching saluation to others Oh but God hath promised no blessing to his labor but a curse Psal. 1. 3 4. the vngodly shall not prosper as the godly doe First the worke of an vnregenerate Minister that is called by GOD is Gods worke and not onely his Secondly his worke shall not prosper to himselfe nor he in it but I know nothing that can stop Gods mercy why it may not be prospered to another Thirdly those promises and threats in the first Psalme concerning the prosperitie of the godly and vnhappinesse of the wicked are not directly meant of outward things or earthly but of inward and spiritual thus the wicked neuer prospers in any thing he takes in hand and thus the godly neuer miscarry but all things are turned to their best Luke 22. 32. Christ said to PETER Thou being conuerted strengthen thy brethren therefore a Minister had neede be conuerted to doe good Not so but Christ onely promiseth Peter that when Satan hath sifted him he shal be raised againe and being restored out of his fearefull sinne he must by his example and experience confirme sinners against distrust and despaire as hauing knowne Gods speciall goodnesse in drawing him out of so great a gulfe as his deniall was But the reward of sauing soules and conuerting men belongs not vnto an vnconuerted Minister namely to shine as the Starres for euer and euer Dan. 12. 3. therefore he conuerts none The place is meant of faithfull Ministers who with desire faithfullnesse and in Gods manner and meanes conuert men as the former words of the verse intimate They that are wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament according to that of SALOMON Hee that winneth soules is wise Prou. 11. 30. that is he is wise first for himselfe and prouident for his owne good and the blessed reward and then for the Church discharging faithfull seruice vnto it Such a wise man the Apostle Paul would haue Timothie to be Take heede vnto thy selfe and vnto learning and continue therein for in so doing thou shalt saue both thy selfe and them that heare thee 1. Tim. 4. 16. But the vnregenerate man takes not heede to himselfe and therefore is not wise for himselfe neither shall shine as the starres besides hee that doth a good thing but not well doth vtterly lose his reward And thus I haue fully cleared this question Let none be so fond as to refuse the almes of the King because he giues it by an Amner or a pretious gift of his father for the lewdnesse of the carrier Elias refused not his meat because a Rauen brought it but looked vnto God who sent him with it so doe thou heare the Word as Gods word 1. Thes. 2. 13. not as mans that it may worke effectually in thee looke not so much to the messenger as the message To come now to the vses of the point First it shewes that it is great neede that a Minister be a good man both for himselfe and others and haue experience of God in his owne soule For if the Word be onely in his mouth it may doe others some good but himselfe none if in his booke alone then when his booke failes him the Word failes him but if with Marie he ponder things in his heart the word which hee keepes will keepe him For this purpose he must labour to finde the Word which he deliuers to be first effectuall to beget faith in himselfe and adde prayer for the Spirit who workes freely where he will else his Word which God makes powerfull in many of his hearers shall be a dead letter vnto himselfe And no maruell For many wicked men may and doe speake of great points of religion of the state of Gods children and of cases of conscience but without any taste or experience or comfort and certaintie in their owne hearts of the things they speake a forme of knowledge they haue attained which is meerely historicall and a booke-learning and speake as they that tell of strange Countries and wonders of which they haue read but neuer saw them Such men God often discouereth by letting them fal off euen from that they know their speech their practice bewraieth them to be Atheists as in heart they euer were as may be seene by experience of many great Lights that haue done much good Secondly let priuate Christians learne hence to obserue their owne hearts and Gods dealing with them that they may bee able to speake feelingly in teaching and comforting others Let them learne to obey from their heart the forme of doctrine deliuered let them bee transformed into the truth taught and professed he that doth this wil prooue an excellent Light and patterne of godlinesse in the Church bee his course of life neuer so priuate Thirdly we must all benefit the Church by our experience as Dauid did communicate this his experience of Gods goodnesse to all For first we receiue no gift but the whole Church hath a right in it Secondly by communication thereof we shew our loue which is liberall and communicatiue Loue edifieth saith the Apostle 1. Cor. 8. 1. Thirdly euery member being graced graceth the whole body as an ornament suppose a ring on the finger deckes not the finger onely but also the person Fourthly the ende of Gods giuing of his gifts is to traffique for him and his people did men thinke of this they durst not hide their talents and bee vnfruitfull as many are