imputation of the Church of Rome against our doctrine who beare the world in hand that our religion is a destroyer of good workes and an enemie vnto all charitable actions whereas we call for them as fruits of the Gosspel as ornaments to our calling as pledges of our election as witnesses of our sound faith and graces and as the very way which God hath appointed to walke to heauen in Our religion permitteth not any to stand idle in the vinyard we say let him not eate that will not worke yea we teach a necessitie of good workes iâ— beleeuers as well as the Papists do howsoeuer not as causes of saluation and iustification yet as inseparable companions of liuely and sauing faith only let Christ hold his place and they shall not set them higher then wee and let them giue them no more then the Scriptures doe and we will giue them neuer a whit lesse Vse 2. Seeing by good workes we glorifie God edifie our brethren and doe our selues so much good let vs be prouoked to the diligent practise thereof Neither let any man thinke himselfe exempt from this doctrine be he neuer so poore for we are not of the Popish beleefe who thinke that only such great and glorious workes as building Churches Colledges high-waies or giuing goods and Lands to the Church or almes deeds and such like deserue the name of good workes but euery man hath a double calling namely the generall calling of a Christian and the speciall calling of life wherein God hath set him and there is neuer a dutie of either of these be it neuer so base or seruill if performed in saith and obedience but it is a good worke and pleasing vnto God But what shall we say of them who by open wicked life professe contempt of God and his word hatred of the light and the bringers of it that cast backe yea pull backe many others who might be brought on and so accustome themselues to graceles courses as they can no more change them then the Ethiopian his skin certainly these although they also will bragge of a good faith to God-ward yet is it no better then the deuils haue who shall as soone be saued by their faith as these by this if timely they repent not That they be not vnfruitfull These words containe in them the reason of the former precept wherin by an excellent metaphor or borrowed speach he prouoketh Christians to the practise of good workes The metaphor implieth that as the Church is Gods orchard or garden and his Ministers are his planters and waterers so the faithfull are the trees euen trees of righteousnesse the planting of the Lord and planted by the riuers of waters that they might bring forth their fruits in due season And teacheth that true Christianitie is not a barren but a fruitfull profession vnto which Christians are euery where called In Ezech. 47.12 we haue a notable resemblance of those manifold fruits which by the power of the Gospell should be by beleeuers produced in the Church of the new Testament The vision was of waters which runne from the Temple and from vnder the threshold of the sanctuarie And wheresoeuer these waters should runne they should cause admirable fruitfulnesse in so much as on both sides of the riuer shall grow all kind of fruitfull trees whose leafe shall not fade and their fruite shall not falle These waters are the Gospel which issue from vnder the threshold that is from Christ the doore typified by that bewtifull gate of the Temple from the Temple at Ierusalem these waters were with swift current to runne not only ouer Iudea but all the world in a short space hence was the Church mightily increased for though these waters runne into the dead sea wherein if we beleeue Histories abideth no liuing thing yet such a quickning power they carrie with them as euen there euery thing shall liue such as were dead in trespasses and sinnes are hereby quickned and become trees of righteousnesse greene and flourishing yea and constantly fruitfull in all godly conuersation And this is the same which our Sauiour noteth Ioh. 15.1 that his Father is the husbandman himselfe is the vine Christians are the branches of that vine who if they be sound his Father purgeth that they may bring forth more fruite teaching vs hereby that it is the Lords scope and ayme that Christians should be abundant in fruits beseeming their profession The Apostle Paul accordingly exhorteth the Philippians to be much in goodnesse to abound in loue in knowledge and in all iudgement yea to be filled with fruits of righteousnesse which are by Iesus Christ vnto the glorie and praise of God And the same Apostle calleth rich men to be rich in good workes Now this beeing so necessarie a dutie to which euery Christian is euery where called we will for the further clearing of it consider these three points 1. The conditions of this fruitfulnesse 2. the reasons to prouoke vnto it 3. the hindrances of it vnto which we will adde and annex some profitable vse First the conditions of this fruitfulnesse are these 1. Euery Christian must be fruitfull for euery fruitlesse branch is cut downe and made fewell for the fire not only Churchmen or the Clergie as we say nor only rich men nor men only of lesser imployment but euery man high and low rich or poore learned or vnlearned must testifie himselfe a Christian by answerable fruits this word euery branch admitteth of no exception but is as a bush which stoppeth euery gap 2. Euery Christian must bring forth good fruite Matth. 7.17 Euery good tree bringeth forth good fruite and euery tree which bringeth not forth good fruit shall be hewen downe and cast into the fire and therefore the fruits which are called for at our hands are called in respect of the efficient fruits of the spirit in respect of the instrument fruits of faith and in respect of their qualitie good fruits acceptable to God and profitable to men 3. This fruitfulnes must proceede from good causes for first the tree must be good for men gather not grapes of thistles 2. he must haue a good roote that is he must be set and abide in Christ Ioh. 15.4 abide in me the branch cannot beare fruit of it selfe vnlesse it abide in the vine 3. he must draw thence good sappe and iuyce through the fellowship and communion of Christ his death and resurrection without which we can doe nothing 4. he must haue the spirit of the Sonne to be a principall agent in the setting and ripening of these fruites for they must be fruites of the spirit 5. he must haue the loue of God within him constraning him which will be as the sunne helping on these fruits to their perfection 6. he must haue good endes in his eie namely Gods glorie and mans good Philip. 1.11 4. Euerie Christian must bring forth much fruit and not for clusters
pleased not himselfe but others Whatsoeuer then it is of this ranke which either would weaken or not edifie our brother be it neuer so lawfull neuer so profitable to our selues neuer so powerfully by earthly authoritie enioyned Christians who are not borne to themselues but vnto Christ vnto his Church and vnto the fellowe members must not dare to meddle with it seeing the higher commandement of God bindeth to giue no offence neither to Iew nor Gentile nor to the Church of God And herein let vs propound Daniels example for our imitation who to many might seeme not only too strict but verie vnwise for so small a thing as he stood vpon to forgoe the Kings fauour and his owne aduancement yet because he could not vse his libertie in the Kings meat without the offence of himselfe and others he would not doe the least euill for the greatest good it was not frowardnesse in him nor disobedience to the King but conscience and obedience to God which made him keepe himselfe pure from it Thirdly although we vse things indifferent in faith and loue and yet forget sobrietie we impure them vnto our selues Then we vse them in sobrietie 1. when we vse them as helpes in our callings generall and speciall The former when in the vse of meates drinkes apparell sleepe recreation riches c. we still preserue in vs a fitnesse vnto the duties of pietie and Gods worship The latter when we exceede not our abilitie but square and stint our selues in them according to the most sober of our age degree condition and trade of life And both of them when no vse of these is any hinderance to any dutie of the first and second Table so as we neither be drunke with the pleasures of them nor oppressed and made heauie by them and so the day come on vs vnawares 2. When in regard of our affections we haue the command of these things and not they of vs 1. Cor. 6.12 all things are lawfull for me but I will not be brought vnder the power of any thing The cheife point of Christian libertie is to vse the creature as not vsing it reioyce in it as not reioycing to buy as not buying to haue a wife as not hauing one to vse things a while rather then to enioy them and much lesse to be enioyed of them Vse Now to drawe this doctrine into our best vse it will be worth our inquirie to consider how grieuously men offend against al these rules in which that men may better take notice of their continuall failings I will stand somewhat the longer and manifest how men impure these things 1. in generall 2. in speciall and both according to the former rules In generall men impurelie vse them two wayes 1. in not sanctifying their persons 2. in not sanctifying the creatures For the former vnsanctified persons and vnbeleeuers receiue the creatures and comfort of them onely as the fruits of Gods generall prouidence and power whereby he sustaineth all the creatures the bruit beasts the sensles creatures nay the verie substances of the deuills themselues but not as the gifts of God become in Christ a prouident Father nor as tokens of his speciall loue as towards his children And therefore although the wicked man and cruell oppressor beare himselfe vpon the loue of God because all things succeede with him and he thriueth in his designes yet in truth he hath no more cause then the deuil himselfe hath because he is the God of the world and Prince of the aire mightily preuailing against the children of disobedience for these are so farre from beeing speciall loue tokens that they are signes of a fearefull future wrath because by them they haue thrust and heaped vp the measure of their condemnation Secondly the creature not sanctified by the word and prayer is impurely vsed and therefore generall is the sinne of the most who profanely and brutishly receiue them without prayer and thanksgiuing by which both the creator and the creature is blessed The former obtaineth a blessing which is the applying of the goodnesse of the creature to our comfort without which we may haue bread and want the staffe of it put on cloathes and not be warme get riches but want the fruition earne wages and incomes but put them in a broken bagge be diligent in our callings but not thriue by them for this blessing and comfort of the creature commeth meerely and more immediatly from the band of God how is it not then most meete that we should begge it at his hands This would the Lord teach when he commandeth his people to sanctifie their verie houses and dwellings so in Abrahams seruant and Paul who prayed for prosperous iourneys Act. 25.5 The like ought we to doe in all our recreations and hauing receiued our comfort from any thing we must turne vs to the other part of our prayer which is thanksgiuing not onely for enioying the creature but that we haue it by vertue of the promise neither onely for the vse but for the right and holy vse of it which is the portion but of a fewe The two precepts of the Apostle are worthy our continuall meditation and practise Pray continually In all things giue thankes How many are so farre from this as that they either cannot or are ashamed to pray and praise God for their liberall prouision in meate and drinke a man cannot imagine the bruitishnesse of numbers of men and perhaps reputed Christians in this behalfe who no more lift vp their hearts or hands vnto the Lord then the bruit beasts themselues which deuoure the food but cannot consider that they are fedde by some other thing without the foode it selfe such persons as little conceiue that in Adam all the creatures and the right in them was lost so as there is no right left in them but by leaue from God through Iesus Christ as little doe they depend vpon God for his blessing which is the staffe of their liues but rather in the midst of Gods mercie they grow vp into securitie and forgetfulnes of him yea lift vp their heeles against him and corrupt themselues in the things they vse giuing vp themselues vnto intemperance idlenes filthie lusts speaches and actions and all because God is not at their tables but is driuen thence Now that I may convince this generall sinne to be an high kinde of impietie and not so indifferent as many account it I will vse some reasons to shewe that no man ought to presume without turning to God to vse any of his creatures For first whose are the heauens and earth and the furniture of them the birds of the aire the beasts of the field the sheepe on a thousand mountaines they are mine saith the Lord. Who is it that openeth his hād and filleth all things who spreadeth our cloath for vs who filleth our cups who maintaineth our tents who laieth our liues the Lord doth
this any idle promise or God not so good as his word No surely for he was in daily derision euery one mocked him hee heard raylings and reproaches of many on euery side yea and which was his cheifest greefe his word was a reproach and derision to the profane so that he was euen determining to speake no more in that name But how did he vphold himselfe in this temptation But the Lord is with mee like a mightie gyant therefore my persecutors shall be ouerthrowne Obiect But for all this good men are preuailed against exposed to reproach wants imprisonment banishment and death it selfe Answ. As the Apostle speaketh of themselues they were killed but not ouercome so the enemie preuaileth against the person of a poore man and Ieremie himselfe may sticke and starue in the dungeon but neither against his faith and constancie and much lesse against his doctrine and the truth which beeing strongest of all shall preuaile against them to their confusion so are the Saints in suffring made conquerers Vse 2. Let none be discouraged if any times bring opposition to good Ministers as though it were a strange and vnvsuall thing if some one age onely should bring forth such a monstrous birth it would be more burdensome but no age is barren yea not fruitfull herein as might be made plaine in all historie Neither may any conceiue worse of the religion whose teachers are opposed by great ones for whereas men loue their owne deuises and what man affecteth not the child of his owne braine neuer were any so maligned by men as the Lords owne inventions Vse 3. Euerie hearer must set to their hands to helpe their teachers and euerie way to strengthen them against their withstanders I meane not by outward strength and power but especially by their prayers that they may be deliuered from euill and vnreasonable men and preach the word boldly which was both the commandement of the Apostle Paul 2. Th. 3.1 the practise of the Church for Peter Act. 12.5 ad 12. And further in that we stand not for nor to our selues but for the truth and Gods people they must by other incouragements be helpes to the truth for if the captaine be in fight is it meete that the common souldier should stand onely idly looking on nay his safetie they must account theirs and striue for him as for themselues if he suffer they must suffer with him as knowing that if the Pastor be smitten the sheepe are like to be scattered Notably doth the Apostle vrge this dutie vpon the Philippians wishing them to continue in one spirit and one mind fighting together in the faith What doth the Apostle proclaime armes or stirre them vp to contention yea surely but such a one as becommeth the Gospell of peace he would haue them them to fight not one against an other but one with an other yea all of them with one minde Neither with a cruell fight with carnall weapons as one enemie against an other but with such a fight as they heard in him and saw in him alas he was fast inough bound to the peace for he was then in bonds at Rome for the Gospel he fought by suffering so must they by their prayers for him by their patience by all manner of ministerie to the Saints in trouble shewe that they partake and fellow-feele in the afflictions of the Gospel Doctr. 2. Those that oppose themselues to good Ministers and men are euer speaking euill and opening their mouthes with reproaches against them and their godly courses Moses was charged and that not in corners but to his face that he tooke too much vpon him whereas hee was vnwilling to vndertake all that the Lord laid vpon him It went currant in court and countrie that Elias troubled all Israel Amaziah accuseth Amos to the king that the land is not able to beare all his words Diorrephes not onely withstood the Apostle Iohn but pratled against him Quest. But what is the reason of all this haue they any cause giuen them Ans. The reason is partly positiue in themselues partly negatiue in the other In themselues 1. the malice of their heart is such as cannot but continually out of the abundance thereof set their tongues a worke the fire within sendeth out such smoake abroad 2. With this malice is ioyned exceeding pride and swelling which mooueth them to seeke the raising of themselues although with the fall of others and make the reproach of others as a ladder for themselues to climbe by for this ende did the false Apostles account of Christs Apostles as the filth and offscouring of the world that is most base and abiect persons 3. With this malice and pride is ioyned exceeding subtiltie and pollicie in their generations well knowe they that they haue gotten euer more conquest by the stroaks of their tongues then of their hands and seldome haue they failed of their purposes For 1. hauing a notable facultie to insinuate into great mens fauours as Rehum and Shimsai they would not hinder the kings tribute nor see the kings dishonour they make no bones of letting fall two or three vntruthes in a fewe lines to the king for what hinderance had it beene to the kings tribute what impeachment of his honour to haue builded the Temple and established Gods true worship in Ierusalem but thus got they their purpose by insinuation and lyes which by their owne force they could not doe 2. As they can coyne of their own so they haue a notable dexteritie to depraue euen innocencie it selfe Is it not wonderfull that the famous harbenger of Christ then whome in his time a greater was not borne of women no nor yet Christ himselfe could so carrie themselues but that the one must needes be counted a demoniake and the other a glutton drunkard and friend of sinners Who then can looke to escape and if they hereby obtaine not their whole purpose yet loose they not all hauing learned that cursed rule of Machiauel that if they speake their pleasure some ill conceit will sticke in the mindes of men which will be worth their labour Now the negatiue reason in good men themselues why their withstanders speake euill of them is set downe 1. Pet. 4.4 Because yee runne not with them to the same excesse of riot therefore speake they euill of you dissimilitude of manners causeth the vngodly by all meanes banish the faithfull out of the world they may seeke a newe world for themselues to liue in if they will if they should walke in such courses as the Apostle Peter reckoneth vp in the 3. verse of the cited chapter and in such a blacke darkenesse as did not reprehend theirs they could well enough giue them the right hand of fellowship but if men will be so precise as that the high way cannot hold them they cannot away with such singularitie Vse 1. Take here a note of a false religion which
three respects 79 Some wants in the Church to be borne with for 3. causes 83 Rules whereby a man may be kept vnreprooueable 6. 94 Why the Popish Church resisteth the marriage of Ministers 3. reasons 97 Rules to be obserued in beholding the examples of the Saints 2. 108 In designing men to offices the first respect must be had of the place and then of a fit person reas 3. 123 Ministers called Gods stewards for 3. causes 124 Faithfulnesse of Ministers standeth in 3. things 125 The wisedome of the Minister standeth in 2. things 126 Such as come neare vnto God in profession must be carefull to bewtifie it for 3. reasons 130 Great schollers must be taught by meaner then themselues for 3. reasons 132 Meditations to bridle rash anger 4. 138 Practises to the same purpose 4. 139 Arrowes of Gods wrath shot against drunkards 4. 143 Directions to avoid couetousnesse 151 Filthy lucre brought to 3. heads 152 Symptoms of an heart infected with couetousnesse 4. 156 Meditations to bridle couetous desires 4. 158 Practises to the same purpose 3. ibid. Reasons to be hospitable to strangers 3. 164 Reasons to be readie to distribute 4. 166 Meanes of temperance 2. 180 How some things are difficult in the Scriptures 3. Rules 192 Rules to know whether we haue beene as fit to learne as the word to teach 3. 195 Notes of him that resisteth the truth 3. 200 False teachers deceiue mens mindes 4. waies 209 Properties of errour 3. 210 Professors not so well fenced against errour and seducers prooued by 4 reasons 211 Sundrie vses of circumcision both Ciuill and Diuine 213 Three sorts of plaine reproouers condemned 216 Popish teachers the right successors of Iewish prooued by three reasons 217 Why God suffereth seducers in the Church 2. reasons 228 Seauen witnesses wherby the Lord condemneth the wicked and hypocriticall professors of the Gospel 240 Cautions in vsing humane allegations in sermons 3. 243 Truth in speach vrged by sundrie reasons 247 Reasons to mooue to diligence in our caling 4. 254 An honest calling a schoole of Christianitie 3 reas 255 Reasons against intemperance 3. 257 Rules of direction against intemperance 3 ibid Ministers must patiently beare a froward people for three reasons 260 To be kept from spirituall sicknesse three meanes 268 Reasons to vse those meanes 4. 269 Iewish fables what and why so called reasons 272 Rules to preserue vs from beeing turned from the present truth 4. 280 Men sanctified in part called pure for 4. reas 282 Reasons to mooue to puritie in heart and life although the world scoffe at it 5. 284 Euery thing good in the creation 4. wayes 286 All impuritie in the creature commeth two waies 287 A thing in it selfe good or indifferent is spoyled in the doing three wayes 288 A thing good in it selfe is rightly vsed by the presence of 3 vertues 291 No man may vse any of Gods creatures without leaue and thankesgiuing 297 Sundrie rules to discerne how men offend against the 3. former vertues in 1. meats 299 2. Garments 301 3. Riches 302. 4. Sports 303 A man may not aske more wealth in praier then necessaries reasons 3. 303 Rules of direction by which a man may comfortably turne himselfe to the vse of any creature 305 Seauen maine differences betweene the godly and the wicked 314 Foure markes of an hypocrite laid downe in the text and largly prosecuted 320 The hypocrite fitly resembleth a stageplayer from whom he hath his name in 4 properties 327 Triall of such as professe they know God but doe not by 4. notes 327 Two sorts of hypocrites 329 Word called wholesome doctrine for sundry causes 333 Duties of hearers of the word prosecuted 4. 335 Meanes of practise of the former duties 339 Soundnesse of faith standeth in 4. things 348 Soundnesse of Loue standeth in 5. things 355 Soundnesse of patience standeth in three things 358 Patience necessarie for euery Christian but commended specially to old men for 4. reasons 358 Foure points for women to meditate vpon 365 False accusing committed foure wayes 367 Rules to auoide the sinne of false accusing 4. 369 Men yeeld themselues slaues to the creatures 4 waies 371 The husbands dutie towards the wife wherin it standeth 380 The offices of motherly loue 4. 382 Meanes of preseruing chastitie 388 Reasons to mooue vs to the care of not stayning our profession 399 Rules to be obserued that we staine not our holy profession 6. 402 Reasons moouing young men timely to order their waies 4. 405 Foure helpes to further young men in the former dutie 407 Reasons to enforce yong men to sobryetie 4. 410 Meanes of practise of the former grace of sobrietie 411 Reasons to stirre vp the men of God to the care of their liues 4. 415 Means to attaine an vnblameable life 416 Sundrie motiues to seruants to shew all good faithfulnesse 432 The Gospel called the doctrine of grace 4 reasons 433 The holy doctrine of God adorned 2 waies 434 Maine differences betweene the law and Gospel 437 A man may know whether he receiue the grace of God in vain or no by three notes 438 How to entertaine the Gospel aright 443 The light vnder the Gospel farre clearer then theirs vnder the lawe 4. reas 446 A triall whether we receiue the light by 3. notes 449 Motiues to entertaine the light whilest it is with vs 6. 450 Fiue sorts of men that refuse the light 451 Lusts called worldly for two reasons 456 The Commandement is possible to the beleeuers 3 waies 457 Vngodlines is branched into 4 heads 458 Lusts are to be resisted for sundry reas 463 Rules and motiues for the practise of sobrietie 469. Righteousnes 471. Piety 473 Hope called a blessed hope 3. reasons 480 Christ called a mightie God 3. reas 481 To the true waiting for Christ 3. things required 484 The qualities of the sound expectation of Christ 4. 485 The effects of the same expectation 4. 486 Motiues vnto it 4. 489 Circumstances gathered out of the historie that Christs passion was voluntarie 5. 504 To receiue Christ and his merits wee must doe 3. things 509 Christ redeemed his Church from the captiuitie of sinne 2. wayes 510 Sinne must be dealt with as a Tyrant in 4. resemblances 513 Christ purgeth his people 2. wayes 517 Meanes of our purging 5. 519 Motiues to vse the former meanes 6. 521 The Church is Gods peculiar sundrie waies 523 Rules to be set before their eyes that intend Gods glorie 2. 525 Three vertues must attend zeale to guide it aright 529 Effects of zeale in the effecting of good things are many 531 Fiue sorts of men discouered to want zeale 532 Why men remember not good things heard 3. causes 542 The Lord maintaineth the Magistrates authoritie 4. wayes 555 Notes of him that is readie to euerie good worke 3. 563 Rules of practise to set vs forward in euerie good worke 3. 565 Cases in which a man may speake the euill he knoweth by his brother 4.