any Relations to wicked persons we must not presently forsake them or out-run them Some children have wicked Parents some husbands have wicked wives some servants have wicked Masters now these Relations must not be contemned or violated 1. The husband may not leave his wife nor the wife her husband for any cause but for adultery Matth. 19.9 no other cause can annull marriages and therefore those Sectaries that out-run their wives pretending they are carnall they are not Saints nor called nor spirituall such must remember what Christ saith Whosoever puts away his wife except it be for adultery and marries another commits adultery and if the husband be wicked yet the wife must abide still with him because she may be a meanes to convert him 1 Cor. 7.16 2. If a godly child have wicked Parents he must not out-run them but by Prayer and Patience and leading a convincing life he must labour to win them shewing all due Honour and respect unto them 3. If a Religious servant have an Irreligious Master he may not out-run him but must by a holy just religious walking labour to win him 1 Tim. 6.1 yea though they be froward and pervense yet must they be reverenced and obeyed as Masters We must obey evill men but not in evill Saul was a wicked man yet David gives him all due respect 2. Caut. When I say we must forsake communion with the wicked take heed of forsaking Sion instead of Babylon Many especially in these loose times call the Church of England Babylon a whore a false Church which yet the God of Heaven and his Churches acknowledge for a true Church This makes so many turn Separatists and instead of running from Babylon they run into Babylon they run from a supposed into a Reall Babylon of confusion and disorder 'T is ill to â—ast off communion with one good man without a cause but to un-church all the Churches of God in the world and to forsake the Assemblies of Gods people where he is purely worshipped is the high way to desâ—â—uction a member cut off from the body must needs dye I observe that â—he first Lesson which the Devill teacheth his Schollars is separation and after that comes a Troop of errors and miscarriages both in Doctrine and Practice Such Practices are very unseasonable especially now when all had need to unite against the common enemy Object There are Defects and corruptions in our Church Answ. And what Church on earth is free Had not the Church of Ierusalem the Church of Corinth and the seven Churches of Asia their defects and yet they were called Holy Segregatione because they were separated by God and set apart for his service and worship the name of God is called on there the Oracles of God are taught there and Religion is profest there and therefore they are called Holy 2. A parte praestantiori fit denominatio because there are some Saints there as we call a man a Rational creature from the soul which is the better part and a heap of corn is called Wheat though it have much chaff mixt with it 3. Iudicio charitatis When people make an externall profession of Holinesse in the judgement of charity we must hope they are Holy Thus 1 Cor. 1.2 the Apostle calls them Saints at Corinth such was his charity that he hoped they were such It were to be wished that all Gods people were Reall Saints but Christ tells us his Church is mixt it hath Tares as well as Wheat and will have do what we can Matth. 13.24 It 's a dangerous thing to think that there 's no Church where there is not perfect Purity such a man must separate himself from all societies and like Acesius find a new way to Heaven Erigito Acesi scalam solus in coelum ascendito or else joyn himself to a few Hypocrites and if our Churches and Ministers be not true ones I wish the Anabaptists would shew us where we may find better Oh say they the Anabaptistick Churches are purer there they are all Saints Answ. As Samuel said to Saul when he boasted of his sanctity and how he had kept the Commandements of the Lord What means then the bleating of the sheep and the lowing of the Oxen in my eares so say I if the Anabaptists be so pure what makes them raile on those that are pure indeed what means their railing on the faithfull Ministers and the true Churches of Christ yea do not many of them deny Scriptures Sabbaths Sacraments and all Ordinances c. If these be Zion who are Babylon 2. Were they Saints indeed they durst not call themselves so It savours strongly of spiritual pride for men Pharisaically and Donatistically to appropriate to themselves the name of Saints and the godly party and the spiritual people The language of Reall Saints is more meek and modest in Scripture Object We admit such as are openly prophane to the Sacrament Answ. This is easily said but not so easily proved To call a man a Drunkard is one thing but to prove e man a Drunkard is a harder matter Let them prove if they can that the Ministers of England do admit of such to the Sacrament as have been convicted by two competent witnesses at least of Drunkennesse Adultery c. 2. Admit this were so yet another mans sin cannot hurt me if I no way partake with him in it He that eats and drinks unworthily eats and drinks judgemeut to himself and not to me Suppose I could have no meat for my body unlesse I would eat in the company of wicked men must I famish my self rather then to eat with them much lesse may I reject my spirituall food because some wicked men without any fault of mine eat and communicate with me Object The Apostle forbids us to eat with such 1 Cor. 5.11 Answ. The Apostle speaks not there of the Sacrament as the scope and context clearly shew v. 9 10 11. he forbids us intimate private voluntary familiarity with wicked ones for though in respect of publick communion and commerce in Church and State I cannot avoyd society with such yet in respect of private intimate familiarity 't is in my power to avoyd them The Apostle speaks here of civill familiarity saith Reverend Mr. Blake in his Treatise on the Sacraments Chapt. 7. Sect. 16 the Apostle speaks not at all of the Lords Supper in this Chapter and 't is clear in the Text that the Apostle gives direction about the common course of our life to shun all voluntary and free converse with wicked men So he Let us not then forsake the Assemblies of the Saints as too many do Heb. 10.25 forsake not the Lords barne because there is some chaff there If once the Devill get you to swallow this errour you know not where you shall stop As that great Grand-mother said sometimes Rise up daughter and go to thy daughter for thy daughters daughter hath a daughter So will you say in a
unto Caesar saith Christ what is Caesars due give it as willingly as if it were a free gift so saith Paul Rom. 13.7 render to all their Dues Tribute to whom Tribute is due Hence Christ though he might have pleaded Freedom as being of the blood yet for Peace-sake and to avoid Scandall he paid Tribute Mat. 17.29 They have right to their Tributes both by the Law of God by the Law of the Land and by the Law of Nature We enjoy great blessings under them both Temporall and Spirituall we sit queitly under our owne Vines no Plundering Fireing Crying nor Killing in our streets Now to preserve all these there is a Necessity of Taxes which are the sinews of a State and without which no State can be long kept in Peace Nor can the Church Common-wealth Armies Navies Counsellors Schooles Universities Hospitalls c. be maintained without Taxes and therefore there is a great deale of Equity and Necessity in their payment 2. You that groan before you are sick and murmur without a cause must know that your Blessings are far greater then your Burdens We enjoy Houses Lands Wives Lives Children Peace and above all the Gospel of Peace the Token of Gods speciall presence amongst us for this mercy alone many of our fore-fathers would have given twenty times our Taxes and have thought it nothing if one should give us a 1000 l. per annum provided we would pay a Pepper-corn every yeare to testify our Thankfulnesse we would count him unworthy of so great a gift who should deny so small a favour 3. Suppose superiours should lay unjust Taxes on us yet must we patiently undergoe them remembring that 't is the sins of a people which give strength to Tyrants Things that cannot be remedied must patiently be borne When the Lord told Israel what their King would do to them all that they must do was to cry unto the Lord and acknowledge their sin 1 Sam. 8.11 c not that God approved of such doing but shewing them what the might of a King would draw him to do 4. Especially when Taxes are imposed on the Subject by Authority of Parliament the best and highest Court in the Land they should cheerfully be paid This is the fundamental and most proper Government in the Land 'T is indeed the glorious priviledge of our Nation above all other Nations 'T is that Government which the Lord hath wonderfully owned in all their set battles and miraculously preserved in despight of all opposition 'T is observed by a great Master of the Law Sir Edw. Cook that no Prince ever prospered that did oppose Parliaments and those that have been ruled by Parliaments have flourished wonderfully as King Henry the Eighth King Edward the Sixth and Queen Elizabeth Tacitus observes that the Romans vanquisht the ancient Brittains for want of Parliaments Object Parliaments have done very little good Errors and Disorders still abound c. Answ. Omne invalidum naturâ querulum Weak men are full of complaints when men faint in time of triall it argues their strength is but small 1. Know Parliaments have done much very much considering the Mountaines of opposition which they have met with 2. Had not my sins and thy sins hindred them they had done more We oft murmur at Moses and Aaron when 't is our own Rebellion that keeps us in the wildernesse 3. The Parliament never approved of those Errors and Disorders which are now so rise amongst us For 1. They did expressly Covenant against them 2. They have publisht Ordinances and Acts in Print against them 3. We hope this present Parliament will take further Order for the suppressing of them I have been the larger on this point that I may take off that scandal which the wicked in all ages have cast on the people of God viz. That they are enemies to Caesar Factious Seditious Turbulent c. Thus Haman accused the Jewes for Breakers of the Kings Lawes Hest. 3.8 Paul is counted a pestilent fellow and a troubler of the State Acts 17.18 12.26 24.5 and Christ himself was counted no friend to Caesar. But this I dare boldly affirm That Superiours have no better Subjects in the Land then such as fear the God of heaven These obey for conscience sake when others obey onely for Self and out of Fear These will sacrifice their Lives and Estates in just and Honourable wayes for their Governours when those that serve them for their own Ends will leave them forsake them These pray Pay and Preach for Caesar carefully obeying his just commands whilest the wicked are Cursing Swearing Drinking Murmuring at Taxes and Transgressing their Lawes The honour of Religion should be dear to us and we should walk so wisely that we should give no just cause of offence to any Colos. 4.5 1 Pet. 2.12 much less to our Superiours but by our wise inoffensive walking we should labour to win their hearts to a love of the truth As a wise and vertuous wife may be a means to win her husband 1 Cor. 7.16 So holy humble wise-walking Christians may be a means to convert or at least to convince such as are a verse to the Truth So did the Constancy Courage Patience and Piety of the Primitive Christians 2. We shall encourage the Lord to continue the Blessing of Government amongst us 'T is a great Government amongst us Take it away and you open the Floud-gates to all Licentiousness and Villany men would be like Ishmael wild men every mans hand would be against his Brother Gen. 26.12 when there was no King in Israel every man did what seemed good in his own eyes Iudg. ult ult Without Government one man would be but bread for another as in the Sea the greater fiâ—h devoure the lesser Hab. 1.14 15. Take away Government and what Rapes Rapines Tumults and Disorders would there be every mans lust would be a Law Better have Tyranny then Anarchy a Tyrant then no Government Better live in a State where nothing is lawfull then where all things are lawfvll to be done 'T is a very bad Government indeed that is worse then none at all where there is Magistracy some may be opprest and wronged but none can be righted where there 's none Better poor people should sit under a scratching bramble then have no hedge at all to shelter them from the stormes of popular fury Seeing then that the Magistrate is the Minister of God for our good both Temporall and Spirituall Rom. 13.4 Seeing he is a meanes under God to preserve our blessings to us and to increase them in our hands by a Peaceable enjoyment of them there is all the reason in the world that we should freely and fully contribute to his necessities in the promoting of such just and pious designes And they deserve to be branded for sordid Earth-wormes unworthy to enjoy any Priviledges in a Nation that shall murmur or repine at such just Assessements
2.1.20 and the Christians had their Love-feasts 1 Cor. 10.27 Iude 12. yet these Rules must be observed in our Feasting 1. It must be done seasonably 2. Soberly 3. Discreetly 4. Religiously 1. Our Feasting must be at seasonable times every thing is beautifull in its season Eccles. 3.11 and a duty not rightly circumstantiated is marred 1. 'T is unseasonable to feast and fare deliciously every day Luke 16.19 yea though we be rich and can afford it yet we may not do it we have callings to follow we come not into the world to feast loyter but to labour 2. We may not spend too much time of one day in Feasting To sit at dinner till night and at supper till midnight is unseasonable and an abuse of time God ordained the night for rest and not to riot The loss of time is far worse then the loss of money that cannot be regained this may To be prodigall of time is the worst prodigality and most dangerous Luther lamented the spending of so much precious time as too many do in Feasting 3. To feast at such a time when the Lord calls by his judgements to Fasting is exceeding unsuitable unseasonable Isay 22.12 13 14. Amos 6.1 to 7. 4. So to Feast on the Lords day is unseasonable He hath given us six days for our own use he hath reserved but the seventh for himself how then can we do so great wickedness and sin against so good a God! This is a day for spiritual and not for carnal feasting 2. Soberly beware of superfluity and riot Christians should be famous for good works and not for revelling and costly banquets The art of Cookery hath killed many Variety of dainty dishes breeds Variety of diseases Whence come so many Dropsies Gouts Rheumes but from excess 3. Discreetly making choyce of our company not calling rich Atheists nor profane scoffers at Piety Psal. 35.16 Christ would have us call the poor rather Luke 14.13 14. not that Christ doth simply condemn the calling of our friends or rich neighbours but he would have the poor especially remembred q. d. Call not the rich alone but let the poor have a portion at or from thy Table Portions should be sent to those for whom nothing is provided i. e. who have nothing prepared for themselves Neh. 8.10 Hest. 9.22 Deut. 16.11.14 One rich man useth to feast another when in the meane time good David is forgotten 1 Sam. 25.10 11. 4. Religiously in the fear of God no drinking of Healths no taunting at Religion no mocking at such as are in misery Lam. 3.63 lest we be like to those that feast without fear either of God or man Iude 12. all our feasting must be as before the Lord and in his eye Exod. 18.12 Deut. 12.7 1 Chron. 29.22 The want of this holy fear is the cause why either in the time of feasting or presently after some cross or other befalls men as we see in Nabal 1 Sam. 25.36 37. at a feast Absolon caused Amnon to be slain 2 Sam. 13.28 and the breach was made between Ahasuerus and his wife at a feast Hest. 1.10 Iob was afraid lest his sons had offended in their feasting Iob 1.45 and the Lord complains of the Jews for their profane feasting Isay 5.12 The Harp and the Pipe was in their feasts but they regarded not the work of the Lord. See the fruits of profane musick it drives out the thoughts of God his works So Amos 6.5 6. See their punishment v. 7. Musick should be sent for said the Heathen when men are angry rather then when they are feasting merry Not but that musick in it self is good especially when we make that use of it which the Prophet did when he called for a Minstrill to raise up his heavie heart and make him cheerfull and the fitter to prophesy 2 King 3.15 The end of all our Feasting must be the glory of God 1 Cor. 10.31 it must not be to pamper the flesh or to get the praise of men as many do that by riotous feasting waste and weaken their estates that they may get a name for good house-keepers To what end is such waste The end which God would have us to ayme at in our Feasting is his praise and not our own Exod. 34.23 Levit 23.34 Deut. 16.25 Oh then let us shun all Intemperance and abuse of the creature An Epicure is fit for nothing but the service of the devill There was never any man that made his Guts his God that ever became famous in Church or State 'T is a sin that besots men it doth emasculate and weaken the powers of the soul. Hence our Saviour warnes his disciples to take heed of being over-charged with surfetting Luke 21.34 Peter calls such bruit beasts Spots and blots which blemish and disgrace religion 2 Pet. 2.12 13. A Scavenger whose living is to empty is to be preferred before him that liveth but to fill Privies If a man strive but for a corruptible Crown we see he 's temperate not onely in some things but in all things in eating drinking sleeping c. 1 Cor. 9.25 and shall not we that strive for an incorruptible Crowne keep under our bodies and be temperate in all things that we may be allwayes fit for our Masters service This sobriety of the body tends much to the furtherance of Grace in the soul therefore the Apostle joynes it with Godlinesse Titus 2.11 12. we should therefore eat and drink with perpetuall moderation alwayes taking less but never more then nature desires for that measure of meat and drink which serves to refresh nature and make us fitter for the service of God and man is allowed us of God and no more To arm you against Intemperance 1. Consider it hurts the body makes it dull diseased drowsy and unfit for service Temperance preserves health Tenuis mensa sanitatis mater 2. It wastes the Estate and brings men to Poverry Prov. 21.17 and 23.21 3. It unfits the soul for Prayer Hearing Meditation or any spirituall service it besots it and makes it stupid secure senselesse It brings destruction Phil. 3.19 it cast our first Parents out of Paradise Gen. 3.6 brought the flood upon the old world Matth. 24.38 fire on Sdom Ezekiel 16 49 50. and the sword on Israel Amos 6.4.7 and barres men out of heaven 1 Cor. 6.9 10. 4. 'T is a great incentive unto Lust. Whoring and Riot oft go together Rom. 13.13 when men make provision for the flesh and cater for cates and delicates they 'l soon fulfill the lusts thereof V. 14. We read of some that lived in wantonnesse and what was the reason why they nourished their hearts as in the day of slaughter or sacrifices when they fared deliciously Iames 5.5 Gluttony is the very Mother and Nurse of Lust. See more Trapps Common-place Abstinence in the end of the Epistles Amos c. l. 3. c. 15 Downams Guide to Godlinesse l. 3. c.