visitation to be obserued 257 3. The Church more glorious since the comming of Christ than before 258 An obiection answered 260 4. Christs appearing in the law and Gospell glorious 263 5. Iesus Christ our onely Sauiour 265 6. Death by Christ is destroyed 267 In what sense it may be said that Christ suffered the second death 268 How we may destroy death 269 How Christs death killes death in vs. 270 Whether God could or not haue saued man without a satisfaction 272 How finite man may be said to suffer infinite torments 273 7. All spirituall life is procured by Christ Iesus 273 8. To preach the same things againe is warrantable 273 Acaution 274 9. The office of Christ chiefly cònsisteth in the abolishing of death and procuring of life 274 Rules to know if death be remoued from vs. 275 Trialls if we haue life by Christ Iesus 276 Motiues to get spirituall life 277 10. Life spirituall is eternall 278 Helpes to life spirituall 280 11. Though all grace come by Christ yet not without the meanes of the Gospell 280 Doctrines Page Vers 11. 1. The Godly take delight to dwell and discourse of holy things 283 2. The Gospell principally to be preached 284 3. The dignitie of our calling to be maintained 285 4. Preachers be cryers 287 Cautions for cryers 288 Rules for auditors 289 5. The word preached a principall meanes whereby sinners are conuerted 289 How reading may be said to be preaching 290 Whether preaching is to be preferred aboue praying 291 Sundry obiections answered 291 6. When God will call a people he raiseth vp fit instruments for that purpose 293 Paul sent principally to Preach to the Gentiles 294 8. Prayers made in faith are not alwayes granted at the first 295 Vers 12. Doctrines Page 1. The goodnes of an action cannot free the doer frō affliction 299 2. Neither learning wisedome pietie or externall priuiledge can prescrue a man from persecution and affliction 302 3. Good men suffer many things 303 4. A resolute Christian is not ashamed of the Gospell 305 Helpes to endure shame 306 5. The example of others sufferings should moue vs to suffer also 306 6. As the wicked haue pretended causes to afflict the faithfull so haue they good grounds not to be ashamed of their sufferings 307 7. It is an experimentall knowledge that will make the men of God resolute in good courses 308 Rules to procure experimentall knowledge 309 8. Knowledge of God precedeth faith in him 311 How God is to be Knowne of vs. 314 Rules to know God 315 9. It is the dutie of a Christian to settle his soule in the certaintie of his salvation 316 Signes of presumption 317 Hinderances of the soules setling 318 10. The best way to secure the soule is to commit it into the hands of God 318 Helpes to commit the soule to God 319 What times especially the soule is to be committed into the hands of God 319 11. God is a God of power 321 His power defined 321 Two kinds of impossibilities that God cannot doe 321 Particulars mentioned of the first sort 321 And instances of the other kind 322 The power of God distributed 324 Differences of this power 324 A subdiuision of his externall power 325 Actuall power hath two parts 325 From all which many conclusions especiallie against our aduersaries the Papists and others 326 Rules to get experience of Gods power 327 12. As power so will may be attributed to the Lord. 328 Gods will defined and explicated 329 Gods will seuerall wayes distinguished 331 Many Corrolaries from the former propositions 333 13. Faith hath distinct degrees 335 14. The greatest faith may grow 336 How faith and infidelitie are inseperable 337 Helpes of faith to the distressed christian 337 Vers 13. Doctrines page 1. Perswasion and disswasion are to be accompanied with direction 343 2. The best way to maintaine puritie in religion is to haue a patterne 343 Adam had the law writ in his heart at the creation 343 Adam broke the morall law 344 The law was writ in Moses time 345 3. All men guided by one and the same patterne 346 An obiection answered 347 Rules to direct vs in our callings generall particular 349 Briefe notes on the Decalogue 351 When the Sabbath begins 353 Why the Sabbath was changed 355 4. The patterne of a christian is to consist of words 355 5. The words must be sound words 356 Whether words may be vsed not found in Scripture 356 6. Apostles are onely to prescribe patternes 357 7. By faith and loue the patterne of sound words is preserued 358 Properties of loue 358 What is done in faith 360 What in loue 360 Why faith is put before loue 360 Why both together 361 Seuerall doctrines collected but not prosecuted 360 Vers 14. Doctrines page 1. The graces of Gods spirit are good and worthy things 363 2. Grace being got is to be preserued 366 3. Spirituall gifts are in danger of losing 367 How far a man may fall from his former grace 369 Signes of falling from former grace 369 4. The faithfull are the temples of Gods spirit 371 How may the spirit be said to dwell in man being infinite man finite 371 In what manner the spirit may be said to dwell in the reprobate 371 Signes if the spirit dwell in vs. 373 5. Where the spirit takes possession he dwels for euer 374 How Sathan may be sayd to reenter being once cast out 374 The spirit dwels in a new hart the which hath many properties 376 In what manner the heart is made new 376 6. The Spirit of God is an holy spirit 378 Why he is or may be called holy 378 How the spirit may be procured 379 7. The graces of the spirit are preserued by the spirit 379 Vers 15. Doctrines page 1. We are to put the faithfull in mind of others falling away 381 2. To fall frō our former professiō is a great sin foule offence 382 Helpes against reuolting 383 Causes of reuolting 1. inward 2. outward 385 3. Men of great note in the Church may sometimes fall away 384 4. God doth propertion mans shame according to the offence 386 5. Great wicked men vsually fall by couples 388 6. Many may fall away together 388 Whether all that fell away of Asia neuer returned 389 Vers 16. Doctrines page 1. One good mans example is to be preferred before a multitude of wicked men 392 2. In the time of persecution few haue bin found faithfull 393 3. A good gouernour may procure a blessing vpon the whole family 394 How a godly family may be knowne to be so 397 4. Loue is of a spreading nature 398. How farre loue spreadeth 400 5. The mercie of God is to be wished especially for our friends 401 6. Want may befall Gods dearest children 402 7. The faithfull are not once but often to be relieued 403 8. Gods children are a thankfull kind of people 404 9. Good men haue beene vsed like malefactors 405
Ministeriall function was counted a great grace in the Parents honor to the person but in all contempt and bitter derision let the Minister and true Christian know that his Master thought it no shame to become a Preacher Heb. 2. 3. And Salomon higher esteemed the dignitie of a Preacher than a King Eccles 1. 1. By the will of God The Apostle in this phrase declareth the ground way and lawfulnesse of his calling as if he had saâ—d I ran not before I was moued I came not of mine own mind by men or by money in at the window or the like but the prime and chiefe cause was the will and good pleasure of God whence ariseth this instruction that 〈◊〉 It is necessary for such as preach the Word to iustifie theiâ— lawfull Doct. 4. calling there vnto from God What Paul did as a Preacher we ought to doe also Timotheus knew from whom Paul received his calling and he addâ—th this for the respect he had to future times and persons Iohn the Baptist did this and Christ himselfe having Mar. 2. 19. Matth. 3 3. to deale with the Pharisees and Reason will confirme it Otherwise they can haue no assurance of protection from Reas 1. God by his Angels they must keepe their limits and but preserue vs in our wayes they dare not attend vs if we runne Psal 91. 11. Mat. 4. 6. a crooked path Sathan vnderstood this well therefore falsely alledged the Scripture leauing out in all thy waies And what became of the young Prophet that wandred Was he not destroyed 1 King 13. 22. And the certaintie of our calling from God will make Reas 2. vs bold in the execution of our function and in the hottest opposition to say with Nehemiah Shall such a man as I flee Nehem. 6 11. Luk. 13. 32. Or with our Master Goe tell that Foxe that I will heale to dâ—y and tomorrow and the next day I shall be perfected Absalom bids his servants sinite kill feare not but be bold and 2 Sam. 13. 28. play the men Why For he had commanded them This needs no application Againe then may we expect a blessing of our indevours Reas 3. 1 Sam. 1. 2. 15. otherwise not He that will runne before the Lord bids him goe may speede like him that brought tydings to David that his sonne was slaine and his Sermons proue to himselfe like the Letters that Vriah caried What if Israel be not 2 Sam. 11. 14. gathered yet thy reward is with the Lord. If the Master bid the servant cast seed in a barren soyle what if he haue no Isa 49. 4. good crop at harvest It s not the servants fault he did his dutie and would haue beene glad the ground had beene better the crop greater but he relyeth on the command of his Master not the successe in vsing the meanes so must Ministers also And last of all assurance that a man is sent of God will Reas 4. giue him to beleeue that he shall never want a word to comfort others in due season such a man may certainly expect a supply of gifts from the Lord. Wee haue some that like Ruth after Boos reapers gleane here and there and pull an eare from the sheaues of others yet much adoe to make one loafe in many dayes to feed the flocke of God And what 's the cause Sure God never sent them to sow for if he had they should haue beene supplyed with seed Doth not this doctrine reproue those that take vpon them Vse 1. this high calling without any assurance they be sent of God Some Preach that are neither sent of God nor man as the Anabaptists others of man but not of God these are Ieroboams Apostles a third pretend they are sent of God but not of man like some new vpstart spirits I passe to nominate which if it were true their calling were Apostolicall but who shall one day pay these their wages The Lord but in wrath Let Ministers then looke to this it stands them in hand Vse 2. so shall they haue protection by the good Angels boldnes to reproue sinne and not to be scared like boyes with the humming of Bees and Flies a supply of grace on each new occasion and their labour shall not be in vaine in the Lord. 1 Cor. 15. vlt. And men may know by these markes 1. If in some measure Trials if we be truely called to Preach the Gospell Isa 6. 8. Rom. 9. 2. 3. Eph. 4. 12. Ier. 23. 32 they be fitted with gifts 2. If they finde in themselues a readie and willing mind 3. If they be approued thrust forth by graue learned and religious persons of great note and government in the Church 4. When they ayme at the gathering of the Saints the edification of the bodie of Christ the glory of him that sent them and not at some sinister and private ends as prayse promotion or the like 5. If the Lord in some measure blesse their endevours This 1 Cor. 9. 2. last is not the least but as a Signet to seale the truth of their calling And I could note further from these words that Promotion to high places commeth from the Lord. Note Doct. 5. Preferment comes not from the East nor from the West Little did Paul thinke either of his sudden conversion or advancement to this honorable function a few houres before he was called this is the worke of God and ought to be marveilous in our eyes Psal 75. 6. Mat. 21. 42. Learne hence to envie no man that is advanced for that Vses 1. were to resist the will of God And let this direct thee to 2. prayse God if aboue many thou be promoted And it must 3. teach all men to be content with their present condition and not to repine for the will of God depends on no other and is the Rule of all truth and goodnesse To Preach according to the promise of life I adde to Preach and that I trust without wrong to the Text for the end of his Apostleship was to Preach the promise of life the glad tydings of salvation out of these words I gather this Conclusion that Eternall life is not to be had in the precepts of the Law but Doct. 6. from the promises of the Gospell The life of grace and glory is since Adams fall derived Gen. 3. 15. Gal. 2. vlt. And 3. 21. to man by another meane the old way in this respect is not the best way we must find out and walke too in the new way which is the everlasting way And thus it comes to passe Because the precepts of the Law exacts a perfect righteousnesse Reas 1. both in regard of mans entire nature and the whole conversation for cursed is every one that continueth Gal. 3. 10. not in all things of the law to doe them now if the Lord should marke what is amisse within vs
the rule forenamed and remembred and having done so the vnderstanding takes a strict and exact view of their agreement or disagreement Now if there be a iust proportion betwixt the acts and the rule then there is excusation the effect of a good Conscience For Faith resteth on the promise for reward from the Law-giuer But if there be a disagreement then followeth accusation the attendant of a bad Conscience For beleefe giues credit to the threat and expects a penaltie And thus you see how a good Conscience excuseth a bad accuseth by reason of faith being interposed Neither need we to doubt but the Gentile had a kinde of faith the which produced these effects Rom. 2. 15. The King of great Brittaine giues a iust law for the well gouerning of his subiects promising a reward to them that obserue it threatning a penaltie to them that transgresse it I my selfe being one of the number heare vnderstand and beleeue it Well a day is appointed when my obedience must be tryed The Law is read and I giue eare vnto it If now my actions answer the Kings command I am not afraid my Conscience doth excuse me Why For I beleeue he will iudge me according to my workes But if they disagree from his Precept then I feare and my Conscience doth accuse me because I giue credit that answerable to the threat I must be rewarded But suppose I were ignorant of my Princes pleasure or knowing it did not yet credit it should I then haue excusation or accusation Not and the reason is in that I want faith to beleeue the promise or threat which are of force to accuse or excuse being credited Let vs apply it God the King of all the world hath giuen man a Law writ without him or within him that skils not to gouerne his actions he also hath passed his vnchangeable Word that the observers of it shall liue the transgressors dye All this I giue credit to Now when I apply mine actions to the Law and they are proportionable to it then my Conscience excuseth me for here is a good seeing together Notwithstanding all this Faith must credit the promise and threat for producing of these effects and is in truth the first and remote cause though Conscience be the second and nearer of accusation and excusation When the hand doth amisse we vse to say can yee not see Yet it is not the eyes fault And so in this we doe the like appropriating that vnto Conscience the which properly and immediatly springs from faith And tell me why doth the Devill tremble Is it not from faith Why are the profane fearefull Is it not from faith Why is a good Christian chearfull Why He hath kept the patterne and hath faith and why doe we sometimes doubt sometimes beleeue But from partiall obedience and an imperfect faith Yet as wee haue said Conscience doth accuse and excuse cause ioy and feare as the Precepts of Grammar the boyes Latine but not without faith And I pray you would a Scholler care at all whether his Latine answered the rule or no had he not faith to beleeue the truth of it and his Masters promise threat And thus you see our opinion let the learned iudge 2. The second effect accompanying a good Conscience is Ioy ioy I say vnspeakeable vnvtterable Davids Harpe was nothing to this yet made full pleasant Musicke A good Conscience will make the heart to leape the face to shine fill the breasts with milke and the bones with Marrow It s Prov. 15. 15. Iudg. 9. 13. a great a continuall feast Irke Wine it cheareth the spirit of God and man Let Saul want it his kingdome will augment his feare Naball may make a feast like a King Belshazzar carowse in Bowles but having not this dish their thoughts will trouble them and their hearts in the middest of all their mirth dye within them This this is the ground of all true and solide ioy the best musicke will it make that ever was heard What caused Iob to laugh at death Peter to sing in prison Paul to comfort himselfe in the angry Adriaticke Sea And Stevens face to shine like an Angell when the stones came flying about his eares Any thing but a good Conscience The gallants of these daies may seeme the onely merry men but without this they are all base wretched miserable 3. Shall we thinke that Conscience goeth alone or with one single attendant or two as Iacob to Padan-Aram Ionathan with his Armor-bearer or Nehemiah to view the walls of Ierusalem No no Ioy is on its right hand and contentation runnes with it Cast a world into the heart of man he is not satisfied when as Paul not having a penny shall rest contented If thou canst but see the face of a good Conscience in the closet of thy soule engrauen on the Tables of thine heart thou maist cry with old Israel when he saw Ioseph his sonne aliue I haue inough or with Mephibosheth when the King returned safe let the Zibaes of the world take all For Conscience is a rich Treasure a Cabinet full of precious Pearles a costly banquet I say that Bread nourisheth Drinke refresheth but a good Conscience is all in all 4. Doth not Conscience also walke with Hope and giue good evidence for time to come It s like a rich Merchant who keepeth Factors in a farre Countrey and forreigne Land Doth it not send hope to trade and barter in the India of heaven from whence she returnes with comfortable tydings and supporteth Conscience vntill all things be had in perfect vision Were it not for this the heart would burst and good mens spirits faile them for feare Hope will still be whispering Conscience in the eare bid it be of good comfort and not faint for the time of its visitation is at hand Truely a Consciencelesse man is a hopelesse man and he that wanteth that shall perish 5. Also Conscience is alwayes armed and attended with courage boldnesse And is not that worthy the right hand of fellowship A man of Conscience dares stand before Princes plead his owne cause and force Faelix a bribing Iudge to tremble What made the Prophet to giue King Ahab the lie The Apostle to call the high Priest painted wall And Iohn to tell Herod he was an Adulterer But the force that floweth from a good Conscience He that hath a good Conscience may quench the fiery darts of Sathan conquer the King of feare and shake off all terrible tydings Keepe it and it will keepe thee safe amidst ten thousand dangers Sayle thou in this ship and it will land thee in safetie when they that want it shall split the barke of their soules vpon the rocke of condemnation 6. Conscience as thou hast worthie attendants in this thy Pilgrimage on earth so thy reward shall be great in heauen For thou shalt haue thy seat in the noble house of the soule till the day of iudgement Peace shall be thy
demand is granted Alas alas all our cryes to God hauing no eie to Christ are but as so many drops of water spilt vpon the ground Wherefore let all good Christians blesse God for their knowledge and mourne for such mens ignorance let vs conuert Noahs petition and say Gen. 9. 27. God perswade Shem to dwell in the tents of Iaphet 4. Finally this being thus let vs first learne to know Christ secondly to put our confidence in him thirdly and neuer dare to approch before the throne of God without him no comming to Ioseph without Beniamin to God without Note Iesus Wouldest thou haue euill remoued from thee thinke on his passion which speaketh better things than the bloud Heb. 12. 24. of Abel Wouldest thou haue all good conferred vpon thee remember his actiue obedience for thereby hee hath purchased all blessings But take heed of the Romanists errour who maintaine that Christ is mediator according to his humane nature for the humanitie without the deitie profits nothing they vnderstanding not how the distinct persons in the God-head haue their proper operations and that Adam sinned immediatly against the first person though mediatly against the other haue fallen into this slough and haue defiled themselues by whose harme learne we to beware Being inabled by the spirit As no man can come vnto the IV. 1 Cor. 12. 3. father but by the sonne so can no man say that Christ is the Lord but by the holy Ghost how often are wee commanded to pray in the spirit 1 Cor. 14. 15. Eph. 6. 18. Iude 20. vnderstand by Spirit either the holy himselfe or his graces within vs for these two are put indifferently one for the other as grieue not the holy Spirit the holie Ghost fell on them and quench not the spirit he hath giuen vs his spirit neither may they be separated in any action of a Christian For as the spirit doth worke grace in vs so doth he cooperate stirring it vp and mouing it as an instrument in the hand For so good a cause will not be absent from its owne building And this ability consisteth First in direction leading vs into all truth Iohn 14. 26. And secondly in power for hee helpeth vs against all our infirmities Rom. 8. 26. First For the wisdome of the flesh is enimitie against God and is not subiect Rom. 8. 7. to the law of God neither can be Spirituall actions must proceede from spirituall principles else they are base contemptible Secondly Againe euery good act must be gin in God and end in him as the father through Christ to be desired in regard of number or perfection of degrees Now carnall things are such as are for necessitie or for delight the one makes for our being the other for our well-being and all things are to bee desired petitioned for Things euill be either sinne or the fruits of it to wit affliction And sinne is either originall or actuall we must pray that the first may be abolished cleane wasted Actuall sinne is that either we haue committed or may commit For the former we must pray it may be pardoned for the latter that it may be preuented As for afflictions they are either temporall or eternall We are to pray the Lord that they may be put from vs totally finally Thus haue you a briefe of the particulers or materials about which we are to be exercised in prayer all which for matter and method are laid downe in that exact paterne recorded in the Gospell Mat. 6. And all these must we beg for First because the Lord hath giuen vs a promise his word is gone out that whatsoeuer wee shall aske he will heare vs. Secondly againe without the fruition of good and the remotion or preuention of euill we cannot liue the life of grace ne not of nature here much lesse escape death and possesse life eternall hereafter 1. Here is an error confuted of them who hold that we may aske spirituall but not corporall or carnall things at the hand of God because Christ saith Seeke yee first the kingdome of God and these things shall be giuen you Mat. 6. 33. this was not the Lords scope in that place but to disswade his Disciples from a distracted care about foode and rayment For they vsed to cry What shall I eat and wherewith shall wee be clothed as also giue them a sure rule and sound direction to auoyd the one and procure the other For if we could exercise our selues about heauenly earthly things would be banisht out of our mindes and should wee speede in the former we might haue better hope to preuaile in the latter And doth he not in the same Sermon teach vs to craue our daily bread and haue not all the people of God vsed this in practise Gen. 28. 20. Pro. 30. 8. 2. And this serues to reproue a whole world of people some pray for corporall but not for spirituall things Others desire common but begge no speciall gifts from God or if they doe they neither regard number nor measure A third sort entreat that sinne past may be pardoned but not corruption for the present wasted nor the effects of it for future time prevented And there be millions of men and women who onely craue that affliction may be remoued in this life but make not one petition that the causes of it may be abolisht or death eternall put farre from them in the world to come May we not say of all these They aske not or Iames. 4. 2. 3â— if they doe they aske amisse 3. Let vs be of a contrary practise and sue to God for all things What Shall he promise and not performe Shall we seeke good and not desire evill to be remoued from vs Begge common graces speciall gifts all that 's good at the hand of God Open thy mouth wide and he will fill it Craue Psal 81. 10. pardon for sinne past prevention for time to come Pray that originall sinne the seed of all wickednesse may be daily wasted punishments remoued all kinde of afflictions sanctified God is rich in mercie he giues liberally to them that aske him Princes giue gifts according to the dignitie of their persons not the desert of the receiver so doth the Lord therefore aske what thou wilt and he shall conferre it on thee in due time And as there be many sorts of prayers vse thou all Publike private set conceived mentall vocall Ephes 6. 18. simple compound in verse in prose and as the Apostle inioynes the Ephesians Pray all manner of prayer Imitate the Gamsters of our times who if they gaine not by one game fall to another this doe and thou shalt prosper Having finished the description of Prayer we come in the second place to giue particular directions for the better performance of it Where note that some goe before some with and some after Prayer 1. Before thou prayest meditate 1. Of God 2. Of thine What is to
a man to be put into possession of an house but no assurance to enioy it had hee a good lease and could read it then hearing it he reioyceth otherwise not Now the sonnes of God may be glad For they haue a lease in their hands and by the eye of faith reade it continually So that they neuer feare dispossession 3. When is faith made perfect in earth or heauen What then becomes of it is it annihilated by whom either by vs or he that wrought it But shall we conceiue that when so excellent a worke is perfected that on the sudden it shall be turned to nothing by its owne author and if it be not so then it abides for euer 4. I would demaund from what our good actions proceede as from their proper cause is it not from faith why are we no more holy is it not want of faith let this then be granted and faith must of necessitie continue For else holinesse would cease also And if we hold as some doe that faith is the essentiall forme of a Christian and that euerie good act comes from it as naturall acts from their proper formes then who can deny the proposition But against this it will be obiected that now abideth faith Obiect 1 Cor. 13. l. hope and loue but of these the chiefest is loue 1. The scope of the Apostle is not to declare the continuance Resp of loue but the excellency of it 2. Loue is commended aboue faith and hope but wherein why they two worke inwardly and their effects are more secret according to that saying hast thou faith haue it with thy selfe Rom. 14. 22. before God Loue doth declare her selfe outwardly and manifesteth by her effects that wee are Christians indeed otherwise faith is the cause of true loue and therefore more prayse worthy For that which produceth such a thing must needes be better than that it effecteth because it cannot communicate its whole nature to its effect or what it hath not in it self This is that excellent way to demonstrate to the Church that I am a true member of it when I am louing and charitable to my brethren 3. Many boasted of faith yet wanted workes if they had workes yet they did them out of sinister respect and not in loue therefore Paul commends it 4. The word now doth not denotate alwayes an adiunct period or any part of time but a kind of asseueration or affirmation and the like and when it doth yet the Greekes vse it sometimes for time future and not for the present And so much for this obiection But it will be further obiected that wee haue no neede of Obiect 2. faith hauing all things in perfect vision It is true we haue not for the beleeuing of any further Sol. degree of glory yet it is necessary to assure vs for the continuance of what we haue And though the blessednes wee possesse be present yet eternity is not Wherefore faith runneth on holding the promise by the end to eternitie It beleeueth no more but keepeth fast what it hath A man going vp many steps when he commeth to the highest seat of his wished desire hath neede of somewhat to hold him there so faith hauing passed all the promises now onely secureth the soule of what it hath in possession Some may yet obiect that hope than abideth also but Obiect 3. that cannot be seeing we enioy the things we hoped for We haue the things yet time and eternitie is not in vision Sol. Againe God gaue man hope to sustaine faith being weake and the promises being afarre off but now faith being perfect needs no supporter But is it not said that wee receiue the end of our faith Obiect 4. 1. Pet. 19. True but by end is ment that for the which faith was Sol. giuen vs to obtaine viz. saluation Moreouer saluation hath in it two things possession and continuance If this seeme a paradox to any I would haue him know that it is not without authority and besides were there the least danger in holding this as I see not any then by me it should neuer haue beene mentioned Wherefore receiue it or reiect it so you once haue faith it skills not Which dwelt first in thy Grandmother Loïs Here is faith laid out by its subiect in whom it dwelt from the which we gather that Weakenes of sex hinders not soundnes of faith Doct. 4. Reas 1. Doe we not read that women are the weaker Vessels and are not here two mentioned who had vnfeigned faith so that the point is plaine the weaker sex may haue soundnesse of faith Iudg. 5. 21. Mat. 15. 28. Heb. 11. 35. Rom. 16. 1. c. 1. For they are capable of it hauing vnderstanding affection Reasons will memory c. 2. All the ordinances of God are as freely offred to them as to the other sex and they haue asmuch priuiledge to vse them 3. They knowing their owne weaknes and Sathans malice are moued and stirred vp thereby the more carefully to seeke it 4. And is not the spirit of God the author of it doth he respect any persons may hee not doe what and worke faith where hee pleaseth This may comfort the weaker sex and encourage them Vse 1. to vse the meanes for the enioying of this precious treasure It should also make them thankfull to God that hee doth vouchsafe so great grace vnto them Many doe reioyce that they in somethings resemble man but let this not be counted a small thing in that thou art like to him in this thing For faith is the first foundation that God layeth within vs of our felicitie This also should teach the man to haue the woman Vse 2. though the weaker vessel in honour and not too basely to esteeme of her For hath not the Lord looked on her Wee must whom it concernes indeauour to make them by calling on them sound in the faith Sowe the seede of the word in this soule for there is hope that it may prosper Where we read that faith was first in the mother then in the child it may be noted that Faithfull Parents will endeuour to make faithfull children Doct. 5. Who doubteth but that these mothers here practised this dutie and might be instruments for the begetting faith in their children Gen. 18. 19. 1 Chro. 28. 9. Psal 44. 1. For they know they haue giuen them but a miserable being Reas 1. made them by nature the sonnes of wrath and therefore they striue to make them through grace the children of Eph. 2. 3. blessing Againe this is the way for them and their seede to escape Reas 2. the reuenging hand of God and to receiue all good things from him For make thy sonne the sonne of God and hee can want no manner of thing that good is Godly Parents know by experience that children will take instruction better at their hands than from others They wil
Verse he dehorteth his sonne from being ashamed and that first of the Gospell of Christ and secondly of him his prisoner Also he exhorteth him to suffer afflictions for kinde such as accompanie the Gospell for measure according to the power he had from God Both of which also he presseth from the forenamed grounds in ver 7. And likewise from the certaintie of his saluation and the holinesse of his vocation vers 9. Of which favours he remoueth a false cause his owne workes and setteth downe the true the fountaine Gods mercie the conduit of conveighing it Christ Iesus affirming further that it was purposed and given in Christ before the world beganne but now manifested by his bright appearing And by the way he describeth our Saviour Christ from two notable effects viz. the abolition of death the reduction of life adding the meane whereby they are applied to vs and that is through the Gospell vers 10. Concerning which Gospell Paul testifieth two things the one that he was appointed to preach it the other and that vnto the Gentiles vers 11. Then he proceedeth to declare first his intertainment for so doing he suffered afflictions 2. His cariage that he was not ashamed Where he annexeth a double ground of his resolution the former flowing from an experience of God the latter from a confidence he would keepe that he had committed to him vers 12. In the succeeding Verses Paul exhorteth Timothie to a twofold dutie first to hold fast the forme of sound words he had receiued of him which would direct and preserue him as from errour in doctrine so from sinne in his conversation the second to keepe safe the good things committed to him prescribing him the way which is by the assistance of the holy Ghost in him vers 13. 14. The Apostle having finished the former exhortations complaineth he was forsaken and that generally of all Asia particularly he nominateth two eminent persons Phygellus and Hermogenes For the truth whereof he appealeth to his sonne Timothie vers 15. In the conclusion of this Chapter vers 16. 17. 18. He mentioneth a good man one Onesiphorus whom he prayeth for with his whole houshold That which he petitioneth for them is mercie the time when is the day of iudgement The motiues whereby he was induced thus to doe are taken from the kindnesses Onesiphorus had shewed him At Rome he refreshed him not ashamed of his chaine And at Ephesus he also had ministred vnto him many things as Timothy knew very well Thus you fee the distinct Heads in this Chapter vnfolded discovered VERS 1. Paul an Apostle of Iesus Christ by the will of God according to the promise of life which is in Christ Iesus IN these words the Pen-man of this Epistle The Logicall resolution is described and that 1. by his name Paul 2. by his office an Apostle amplified by the person who sent him Iesus Christ 3. By the ground or lawfulnesse of comming to it the will of God 4. By the end of his commission which is to Preach the promise of life The which life is explicated from whom it proceedeth and that is Christ Iesus Paul We must here note that the Pen-mans name was also The Theologicall exposition Saul as well as Paul that many men are of many and different opinions why he had both and yet in all his Epistles maketh but mention of the one Briefely to omit all others he was a Citizen of two Provinces of the Iewes by birth and of the Romanes by prerogatiue therefore was named Saul being an Hebrew of the Hebrewes Paul being a Romane of the Romanes and he now called to be a Preacher especially to the Gentiles reserues that name which was most familiar to them best accepted of them An Apostle The word in the Greeke tongue is vsed either as an Adiectiue or a Substantiue and that generally for any one sent but more particularly for a legate of Christ having 2 Cor. 5. â—0 a peculiar charge to Preach the Gospell And many be the properties and priuiledges of Christs beyond any other Apostles For 1. they saw the sonne of God manifested in the flesh 2. They were immediately called to their office by him 3. Extraordinarily fitted with gifts to execute their function 4. They spake all languages 5. Had power to worke Miracles 6. Write as they were caried of the spirit last of all their commission was to Preach through the world Of Iesus Christ Iesus comes of an Hebrew word which signifieth to make safe and imports as much as a Saviour Now Saviours are either principall or instrumentall Iesus as he is God is the Saviour of all men as God-man and Mediator 1. Tim 4. 10. specially of them who beleeue This notation was given him by the hand of an Angell Thou shalt call his name Iesus for he shall saue his people from their sinnes Mat. 1. 22. Christ This word springs of a Greeke roote that signifieth to annoint so that Iesus Christ in our English dialect is as if we should say An annointed Saviour Of Christs there be two kindes true or false Of the former sort they be either Mat. 24. 24 typicall or reall Now this Christ is true reall not false not typicall And it may be he assumed both an Hebrew and a Greeke name closely to teach he was Saviour both of Iewes and Gentiles For vnder these words are his offices comprehended He was anointed in respect of his Man-hood not the God-head For that is holines it selfe and cannot admit of any ambiene or created vnction By the will of God Here the Apostle layeth downe the true ground of his calling partly to stop the mouthes of his carping adversaries partly to remoue false causes as Symonie and the like and partly that his doctrine might be accompanied with the greater maiestie making way for acceptation Here obserue that Will is ascribed to God the Father as Mat. 6. 20. Prov 8. 22. 1. Cor. 1. 24. Luk. 1. 35. Wisedome elsewhere to God the Sonne and Power to God the holy Ghost Will is the beginner of the act Wisedome the disposer and Power the effecter The first person willeth the second disposeth the third effecteth Thus distinct actions are appropriated to the distinct persons in the Deitie And the reason is in that the Father worketh from himselfe having none in order to precede him the Sonne from the Father being in order after him and the holy Ghost from both both being in order before him And hence it is that Election is given so often in Scriptures to the Father Ephes 1. 3. 4. 1 Cor. 1. 30. 1 Cor. 6. 11. 2 Thes 2. 13. Redemption to the Sonne and Sanctification to the holy Ghost though all externall acts which passe vpon the creatures by the three persons may be said to be indivisible as the worke Gen. 2. 26. of creation Where by the way we gather a strong argument against the Arminians who
and are not our imperfect actions perfected by the Lord Iesus Wee seeke and doe not finde because Iam. 4. 3. wee seeke and aske amisse Let me exhort thee to preach and pray read and heare propound and resolue profitable questions and then if thy labours be in vaine count me a false Prophet curse me at thy death Who euer did sow good feed in its season but had a rich and plentifull croppe at haruest If Peter cast in his nette at his masters command though in former time he hath laboured hard and caught nothing yet at the last he shall encompasse many great fishes hale them to land and be sufficiently recompenced satisfied It s not a trade but the well vsing of it not a farme but the well husbandry of it that will enrich the one and the other Wherfore be stedfast immoueable and abundant in the worke of 1 Cor. 15. vlt. the Lord knowing that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. What did Paul and the people fast pray and lay on hands without obseruing the effect of their actions No he and they saw how the gifts of Timotheus were augmented increased in so doing whence it will follow that In the vse of Gods ordinances we are to obserue how hee dealeth Doct. 8. with vs. Haue not the Prophets Apostles and all the Lords people done thus Should we make a collection of each particular wee should be exceeding large When they did offer sacrifice did they not obserue the successe Fast and pray what effects did follow reade and preach how people were conuerted comforted or hardened In administration of the Sacraments that Many were sicke and weake and slept others healed reioiced and receiued the holy Ghost Gen. 4. 3. and 10. 20. 21. Nehem. 9. 9. c. Psal 106. 23. and 107. 6. c. Mat. 7. 28. Acts 4. 31. and 28. 23. 24. 29. 2 Chro. 30. 20. c. 2 Kin. 22. 19. Io. 13. 27. 1 Cor. 11. 30. For in so doing we come to haue an experimentall knowledge Reas 1. of the truth and fidelity of Gods promises than the which nothing is better If any man will doe his will hee may be assured that the doctrine we deliuer is not sensuall earthly Ioh. 7. 17. Iam 3. 17. or diuellish but pure peaceable good and profitable For all the Lord speaketh shall come to passe Iosh 21. 45. And will it not yeeld matter of thankesgiuing Why are we so barren in blessing of God haue our mouths so empty Reas 2. of his praises doe not continually sing songs of gratefulnesse Is it not the neglect of this obseruation Could we with the Prophet register the many mercies wee receiue in the vse of Gods ordinances we should crie as he did What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits Psal 1 16. 12. Would it not also constraine vs to be more frequent in Reas 3. good duties prouoke and pricke vs forward to preach and pray will not men spend much time without wearinesse in that calling that affordeth great commoditie with constancie Who euer casteth off a profitable art or waxeth dull in doing that which his owne experience makes sure hath recompence of reward Suppose we found no fruit in thus doing but all our actions Reas 4. of this kind were blasted Yet would it not cause vs to looke out the cause why God with-holdeth a blessing Should we not finde some Babilonish garment in our tent some Ionah a sleepe in the shippe one sinne or other that hinders the good successe of our spirituall indeuours and were not this worthy of our paines Hence comes to be reproued many a person who though Vse 1. they performe holy duties yet neuer haue eye to the euent Are not these worse than Cain For he obserued the successe of his sacrifice Or Balaam Did not hee perceiue how the Lord answered him Doe wee not read that hypocrites marked what fruit they reaped in fasting and afflicting themselues Isay 58 3. Are not Christians then blame worthie who come short of such in this thing True it is that in nothing the best faile more than in not ioyning watchfullnesse in the vse of Gods ordinances Want of this one thing breedeth doubting staggering in the promises with-holdeth matter of thankfulnesse causeth slownesse dulnesse in good duties and keepeth sinne close from being reuealed discouered What shal we then do Why we must imitate men in other Vse 2. vocations recreatious When the husbandman hath cast good seede into his soile will hee not haue an eye to its rooting sprowting growing Who planteth or grafteth but obserueth how the tender blades budde shoot forth and spread themselues will not the fisherman hauing cast in his net or angle into the riuer expect whether any fish be catcht by the gill or intangled in the meshes What fowler spreadeth pantels setteth his ginne dischargeth his piece but will haunt the spring view the scrap and looke with a stretched out necke to see if any bird be caught fast insnarred or wounded Shall Physitians giue pils administer potions and grow carelesse how their Physicke workes Learne then by their examples what successe accompanieth the Lords ordinances Preacher people Sow the seede of the word in season out of season and marke which doth prosper 2 Tim. 4. 2. Eccles. 11. 6. this or that In thus doing peraduenture thou maist finde some person strucke with the shot of the word who like a wounded Pigeon will single himselfe from his former companions fall in some obseure corner of a field spread the wings of his armes and with a drouping conscience call and cry to God for mercie for pardon Pray and watch what the Lord will say vnto thee Reade and heare and take notice how thy heart waxeth hot corruption is cooled and grace kindled Yea in all holy actions looke to the successe and experience will let thee see that as the shadow followeth the body the blessing of God doth accōpanie his ordinances Aboue all things thinke thou on this so shall thy faith grow strong in the promises of God thou shalt find them a sure word that neuer faileth Also thou maist haue matter of prayse to God-ward and tell thy brethren what he hath done for thy soule And how will this experimental Psal 66. 16. knowledge encourage thee to preach pray read heare and neuer grow wearie in wel-doing At the least or if I may so say at the worst this benefit will accrue how that there is some sinne in vs not repented of one corruption or other not mortified or iust circumstance in Gods service omitted which causeth our indeuours not to prosper our best fruite to be blasted From the words diuersly considered might many more doctrines be collected as that 1. There may be increase of grace in the best Christian For Timotheus was an excellent man before this time and were not his gifts now augmented 2. That a Minister hath neede
of things the which be impossible for him to effect And the Reason is because that contradiction includes vntruth and impotency the which be not to be found in God And the things which are impossible to be done by God be of two kinds The first is not to be found neither hath any place in him For then God in truth should not be God And to this rule these particulars following doe appertaine 1. God cannot lye deny himselfe or by any meanes commit The first kind of impossibilities sinne 2 Tim. 2. 13. Tit. 1. 2. Heb. 6. 18. Because he cannot will or doe contrary to himselfe the which he naturally willeth or doth neither can he destroy his owne nature In Arist 4. Topic. 5. this the Heathen foulely haue erred 2. God cannot dye suffer be hurt or vnder goe any kind of paine or calamitie for he cannot but be altogether perfect and blessed and these argue mutability misery and imperfection And though God be said to bee pressed as a cart with sheaues yet it is not really and truly but Tropically and Metaphorically to be vnderstood and not otherwise Amo. 2. 13. 3. God cannot in himselfe effect naturall actions such as belong to man and beast As to eate drinke sleepe digest generate c. vnderstand in kind and manner which is meerely proper vnto Animals Because these actions argue a defect and imperfection for they imply a passiue power to be in the subiect or cause 4. God cannot be extended or contracted grow old and decay c. For he is not compâ—ehended in any locall place composed of matter and forme neither is hee measured by the adjunct of time And these are the Species that we haue named which imply impotency or contradiction iâ— God the which he therfore caÌ„not do The second kind followeth 1. God cannot make a thing to be defined without a definition The Second sort of impossibilities for the thing defined and the definition in respect of the essence or quiddity be both one As a man not to be a reasonable creature or a body to be without his dimensions or a thing created to be infinite for the one cannot be without the other Yet this Caution is to be had that the definition be true consisting of the essentiall causes and not of the effects or adjuncts 2. God cannot cause that a subiect should exist without its essentiall properties Exa As that a man should be without the faculty of speaking or laughing fire without heate And though these doe not constitute the essence of the subiect yet they be so neerely and firmely knit to it yea doe so immediately flow from it that without them the subiect cannot exist no not for a moment For we are to know that more belongs to the actuall existence of a thing then are required to the simple essence 3. God cannot cause that opposites should be attributed to one and the same if so that all the conditions of opposites be observed As that a body should be sicke and sound at the same time visible and invisible and in diuers places at the same instant That blacke and white be in the same part of the subiect that very moment For then opposites should not be opposites whose nature is that if the one be granted Conf. Arist 6. Ethic. 2. the other is expelled for a season at the least as sight blindnes in the same eye for the one is a privation of the other 4. God cannot make things done not to haue beene done because being once effected they are not within the compasse of things possible For if they be once truly made now it s a necessary axiome that they were made for whatsoeuer is whilst it is is necessarily that that it is God hath created the world what if we grant that he hath power to destroy it yet it cannot be but that it was created and had 〈◊〉 And by this we may see how the Papists abuse this doctriâ—e holding that God can doe meere contradictions as a subiect to be without accidents a body to be in diuers places at the same time c. But they extend the power of God too farre not considering that they argue not from a posse ad esse but from an impossible thing to a necessary And this also refuteth the error of those who reason without iudgment from an impossiblity of being to a being as though this or that be true because God can doe beyond our apprehension But God cannot contradict as we haue said his owne nature or the truth of things In the second place it will follow from the definition that God can doe more then he hath or will doe He could haue raised vp children to Abraham of stones Christ could haue called for Legions of Angels but would not Math. 3. 9. 26. 53. Rom. 9. 18. From these places its manifest that God can doe the things he hath not neither euer will Also he doth those things the which he might wholy omit or doe other waies then he doth if he would if we regard his Power solely But whatsoeuer God willeth without impediment he effecteth According to that I will doe whatsoeuer saith All my will I will doe of the second it s said Who can Isai 46. 10. Rom. 9. 19. resist his will But because these things to the most are hard to be vnderstood we will say no more at this time Onely proceed we now to make vse of the doctrine the which is manifold First the knowledge of this point of Gods power doth Vse 1. confirme our faith very much in the creation of the world how that the Lord was able to forme all things of nothing how he hath power to preserue and gouerne all things that they be not destroyed or the order of them disturbed how he can preserue their seuerall kinds from vtter destruction how he is of ability to reward the Godly and reuenge the peccant persons to raise vp the dead giuing to each one according to the workes he hath done in the flesh good or euill to burne the whole world as he hath threatned and to make a new heauen and a new earth according to his promise And in the next place it serveth to confirme our confidence Vse 2. in the promises of God What if they be both mightie and many beleeue in his power and thou shalt credit them What if they seeme to Crosse nature Yet that 's nothing for his power is great infinite and not to be resisted When Abraham considered this he did not doubt of the Rom. 4. 20. 21 Gen. 12. performance of Gods promise but was made strong in faith this also made him willing to offer his only sonne for he beleeued that God could raise him vp againe Heb. 11. 19. Vse 3. In the 3. place this will support our weake mindes in all temptations afflictions What if Sathan seeke to deuoure vs the sea to be ready to drowne