and a drop of this wine like Ionathans honie should it not open the dimme eies of our mind 4. And to omitt many things and to apply it to the purpose do we send for our friends let it be to pray to conferre of good things and to tell what God hath done for vs as well as to eat and drinke and make great mirth What a pittifull thing is it to enioy such abundance of Gods good creatures the societie one of another and yet neuer speake of Gods bountie or for the edification of our faith what salt better to season and sanctifie the creatures to vs vs to the Lord than gracious words prayer singing of Psalmes I wish this were the generall custome of our country men I may be filled with ioy Also we gather from this sentence that There is ioy to be found in the course of a Christian Doct. 6. What if few thinke so is it therefore not so know this that as there is a smell in euery flower so euerie action in Religion produceth comfort Are not all her wayes waies of pleasure Pro. 3. 17. the Prophets and Apostles haue they not published the word with ioy is it not their meate and Ioh. 4. 34. drinke to doe the will of their heauenly father haue not the people heard with ioy vnderstood with ioy search Neh. 8. 12. and see And there 's reason for 't first from their present portion 1. For are not their sinnes remitted the band of their debts Reas 1. cancelled and shall not the remembrance of this breed ioy 2. Are they not reconciled to God at one with him and may not such eat their meat with gladnes and drinke with a cheerefull heart 3. Be they not enriched with the graces of the spirit and is not one of them Ioy haue they not Gal. 5. 22. the earnest of life eternall and shall not that produce ioy 4. Is not the curse of the creature remoued and shall not bread dipped in the blood of the Lambe cause ioy doe not the blessed Angels attend them pitch their tents about them and is not that matter of great ioy Secondly From future promises 1. Shall they not haue food and raiment fit and convenient Need such to feare a deere yeare 2. Crosses shall turne to their comfort death be their advantage and the day of iudgement the time of their marriage coronation 3. Shall they not iudge Men Angels and the world 4. And is not heauen prouided for them Shall they not anon take possession of it if these things minister not ioy what can O but mee thinkes I Obiect 1. heare the worldling fume and chafe and say none more sad to see to none more heauie harted than these forward professors of the Gospell I tell him thats false such haue meat to eat thou knowest Resp not of bread thou neuer tastedst a treasure hid from thine eie May not the hart be merry vnder a sad countenance I tell thee againe they be Gods first borne and therfore partake of a double portion I but for all you can say sir their very lookes bewray Obiect 2. them their deepe silence makes against them But ô thou foole when wilt thou be wise doe not empty Resp vessels make the greatest sound shallow waters runne with most noise When full barrels ring not deepest riuers haue the stillest streame is it not one thing to bee rich another thing to say so can a man haue no coyne in his possession except thou enter into his Closet peepe into his Chest and finger into his treasure I trow yes I thinke you would make me beleeue that seeing is not beleeuing Obiect 3. haue I not heard such cry beheld thē weep bitterly Now I perceiue thou hast spet thy venome said thy Resp worst vnderstand me if thou canst Did not Ioseph weepe greatly was it for ioy or for heavinesse may not mirth and sorrow like sweet and sowre bee mixt together what if the sunne for a time be Ecclipsed shall it neuer appeare as in times past thou art to know that there is a Misterie in godlinesse the which none can read but they of the bride chamber How euer it be I am sure of this that there is ioy to be found in the course of a Christian Obiect 4. Well well but are not such euery day in ieopardie subiect to crosses death too Resp Grant it be so what of all that though the bodie be in bands may not the spirit be at libertie what if they haue outward trouble may they not haue inward peace that passeth all vnderstanding What if men forsake them shall not Angels minister vnto them grant they should dye for the Gospell can they doo 't in a better cause for a better thing Obiect 5. But I shall neuer beleeue that such crosses can stand with sound comfort Thou Didimist full of vnbeleefe they haue what thou Resp wantest to wit faith which is all in all by it they know that crosses come from a father and hee hath giuen them Davids charge handle the yong man gentlie that like haile on a tyled house they rattle more than hurt that they shall tary but for a time and at their departure as the ouerflowing riuer doth rich mudde leaue a blessing behind them I see you can set a good face on a bad matter you make Obiect 6. the best of an ill thing but for all you haue said I am not of your minde Of my mind for thine owne sake I wish thou werst Resp But alas as yet this secret is hid from thine eyes yet let me aske thee a question in sad earnest what is thy ioy whence doth it spring how long shall it continue or wherein doth it excell the ioy of a Christian hast thou health of body Why that he hath with a sound mind Hast thou goods so hath hee and grace too Hast thou friends For one hee hath a thousand Hast thou many things laid vp for many yeares I tell thee he hath all things laid vp for euer and euer This then may serue at once to stop the mouthes of such men as speake euill of the truth of God and course of a Vse 1. Christian who crie with open voice turne puritane become a precisian then farewell all mirth and welcome Melancholie These bring an ill report on the path to heauen as the people did on that to the land of Canaan they commended the countrey spake fairelie of it but complained of the passage as of walled townes fenced Cities and they saw great Giants sonnes of the Anakims so the carnall men of our times speake well of heauen thinke its worth the hauing but there be blacke stormes raging tempests and violent persecutions to passe thorow and therefore with Ruben and Gad they resolue to pitch their tents on the hether side of Iordan These muck-wormes reioyce in and feed on earthly vanities as Curres and
neuer heard of all the daies of their life Is there not a woe denounced against them that speake good of euill and is hee Isa 5. 20. not culpable of Iudgement to honour those the Lord neuer did I would haue men to iudge charitably rather then to speake too confidently yet God is wise for such praise without iust desert stirres vp men to rippe vp that whereby their names rot and so that is effected they neuer intended And may not this giue vs some glimpse what to deeme Vse 3. of them whose faith to this day was neuer heard of may not such feare their present condition and we mourne to consider their wofull estate wa st thou neuer a noted person reputed singular or entertained of the Saint surely thy faith is dead and thou art dead the Lord quicken thee Let this in the last place bee a comfort to those whose Vse 4. sound goeth through the world and whose names are famous too amongst the faithfull For it argueth some good thing to be in thee when good and bad haue some words about thee Crowes doe not flocke and houer and cry but it s about some thing nor Eagles soare and gather themselues together except there be a carkase yet take this also with thee be sure thou art such in truth as good men report of thee and contrary to what the world daily dischargeth against thee For otherwise thou maist haue a name to bee a liue and art dead and defamed but of desert And by the way take this as a note of faith vnfeigned viz. a care to Note become better when either the good commend thee or the bad condemne thee It may here be demanded how Paul came to know that these three had one and the same faith It s not to be doubted of but by the effects that flowed from these persons though he had an extraordinary gift of discerning too From the which this will arise that Faith vâ—feigned is to be iudged by the effects We cannot see Doct. 8. it in its selfe or in its cause But we omit this and collect another doctrine which is that Faith workes like effects in diuerse subiects Doct. 9. The Grandmother the mother and the mothers sonne had the same faith and the like fruits proceeded from them else Paul would neither haue called it vnfeigned or said that it dwelt in them or giuen them all three one and the same testimony All three had faith and vnfeigned faith For the likenes of actions were in them and proceeded from them by the which it was called vnfeigned and equally appropriated to each particular person And it is an vndoubted position that faith produceth the like effects in all Gods children in truth it must bee vnderstood not in degree For as faith increaseth the effectes are bettred Many Lanternes with seuerall Candles will all giue light but in proportion to their diuerse degrees and quantities Euery peece hath his report but according to the bignes and each instrument will sound but variously as they be in proportion and that for these reasons Because faith differs not in kind but in degree and like Reas 1. causes produce like effects Euery Bell hath its sound Each stone its weight and seuerall planets their diuerse influences yet not in the same measure though they may varie in kind Againe faith is diffused into subiect though seuerall yet Reas 2. they are the same in nature and consist of like principles Fire put into straw will either smoke or burne let the bundle be a thousand life in the bodie will haue motion though not in the same degree and measure and reason in euery man acteth but not so exquisitely The constitution may not be alike therefore a difference may be in operation naturall and also from the same ground in acts spirituall A darke horne in the Lanthorne dimmes the light somewhat Faith is begot and increased by the same originals the Reas 3. spirit and the word be both the principall and conseruing causes of it If one woman conceiue and bring forth a child and another nurse it varietie of foode might somewhat alter the nature and disposition of it but that spirit which begets faith doth also preserue it therefore it cannot be but that the like effects should proceed from it Here by the way we may see that those mothers if a forced necessity compell not who bring forth and bearâ— children yet haue no care to nurse them are to be blamed for so doing in that they differ from Gods manner of proceeding And in the last place if faith had not like effects in all Gods children Reas 4. then could they not attaine to one and the same ends as iustification sanctification saluation c. And so should it be in vaine the Lord failing and man too of their chiefe scope and purpose Hath not God made euery eie to see and hand to worke and shall we then iudge that faith shall not act but be idle away with that From this point we may learne how to iudge of the faith in our times which so many boast of they cry haue Vse 1. not we faith Doe not wee beleeue aswell as the best but where be the fruits of faith vnfeigned hast thou an humble and purging heart dost thou call vpon God at al times tary his leasure and rely vpon his promise art thou bold and resolute for good causes canst thou resist Sathan cleaue to God and shunne the appearances of euill will neither pouerty ouerpresse thee by despaire or prosperitie by presumption Why it s well and we beleeue that Faith is to be found in thee but if not thou hast it not rooted in thee For the tree is knowne by the fruit Will not the flower smell the candle giue light and the fire heate and shall true faith be without her effects boast not too much lest thou deceiue thy selfe taking the shadow for the body and that which is not for that which should be And this doctrine is of great comfort for them that often call the truth of faith into question But hast thou the true Vse 2. signes of it then thou hast it What if it worke not so mightily as in others will it follow that thou art without it suppose thou wert carried to the toppe of some high tower and casting thine eye vpon seuerall chimneyes of the which number thine is one and all smoking wouldst thou not conclude that fire in is thine house aswell as in thy neighbours there is the like effects therfore the same cause of certaine When men in heart and life are like the Godly let them be assured they haue the same faith It may differ in some degree yet the quantity greater or lesser alters not the kind of it Leauen is leauen though neuer so litle and if the meale bee seasoned it is to be found in the lumpe This must teach vs to take heed how we rashly
seeke Saluation What was Pharaoh the better in being a King Athaliah a Queene or Iudas an Apostle and cast out of heauen Where be now the Fooles great barnes Nebuchadnezzars Babel or the rich gluttons purple fine linnen and dainty fare What is now become of dancing Dalilah painted Iezabel or drunken Nabal whose eares would not tingle and hearts tremble to treade in their steps and to thinke at what a doleful haven they be landed wherefore cry and cry againe with the Iailor Syrs what shall I doe to be saued Master how may I inherite eternall life Oh thinke and thinke often that salvation is the greatest good that can befall a man for without that wee shall perish for euer and then woe to vs that euer we were borne Vs. That which hence I gather is that One good Christian reioyceth in the salvation of another Doct. 7. Paul envieth not that Timothy was partaker of the same blessing Againe we note that Certainty of Salvation may be had if it bee rightly sought Doct. 8. for Yet some thinke that Paul vnderstood this by extraordinary Reuelation Yet the poynt is a truth though it were not drawne from this Text. 2 Cor. 5. 1. 1 Io. 3 1. 2 Cor. 13. 5. 1 Ioh. 3. 19. For in the vse of the meanes we may get faith and that wil Reas 1. assure our hearts of salvation Againe God giueth his spirit to such as seeke aright and Reas 2. Eph. 1. 13. it will beare witnesse with our spirit that we be the sonnes of God and if sonnes we shall be saued This confutes the contrary doctrine of the Papists who Vse 1. leaue a man like a Meteor hanging in the ayre alwayes doubtfull But they obiect that faith is not felt by sense 1. What if it were not yet repentance is sensible and hee Obiect 1. Sol. that repenteth truly shall be saued 2. He that beleeueth is sure that hee beleeueth for as the eye doth see and knoweth it seeth so doth faith beleeue is assured it beleeueth by that faculty it hath in it selfe But the best doubt Obiect 2. Sol. True but 1. Doubting comes from the flesh and diuers causes produce contrary effects 2. Varying the minds obiect varyeth the act for the present and 3. Faith and doubting Causes of doubting may stand together when as they be neither of them in the highest but in a remiâ—se degree And as limping is a signe of life halting of motion so is doubting of beleeuing for as without life there can be no limping so without faith no doubting though I grant there may be despairing We may try by this doctrine what good vse wee haue Vse 2. made of Gods ordinances Haue we got assurance that our names are writ in the booke of Life are wee sealed by the spirit of promise are we certaine we shall be saued Why then we are good profitients in Christs schoole else not Doe we still hang all vpon seeming saying thinking and conceiting why then we are much amisse and must labour for assurance We would haue our Lease sure hold our Lands sure and make all sure and shall we take no paines to make our salvation sure Well we through the goodnes of God haue time and meanes to doe it and if we omit the opportunity the day of had I wist will ouertake vs. What is of greater estimation then the certainty of salvation and what lesse regarded more neglected Some thinke it s a doctrine impossible others cannot stand about it and many desperately in a blindfold manner cast themselues on the secret and vnsearchable mercy of God Art thou any of this number then in the feare of God amend this thing I can tell thee it will prove worth thy labour at the length though it seeme labour in vaine for the present season And hath called vs. From the copulation of these two together it is to be obserued that Effectuall vocation accompanieth Saluation Doct. 9. None shall be saued but such as be effectually called Adam was called no doubt when the Lord came in the coole of the euening and said Adam where art thou Gen. 3. 9. See Math. 9. 13. Rom. 8. 28. 1 Cor. 1. 9. Gal. 5. 8. Col. 3. 15. 1 Thes 2. 12. 1 Tim. 6. 12. Heb. 5. 4. 1 Pet. 1. 15. Iude 1. Because we by Nature are in darknesse and spirituall bondage Reas 1. we lye like Adam hidden in the bush vntill the Lord call vs out and set vs at liberty The bondage in Egypt of Israel vnder Pharaoh prefigured this and as they were called corporally so must we spiritually before wee can come to the heauenly Canaan Againe the Lord hath set downe a most sure path that Reas 2. leadeth to heauen he therefore that will come to his iourneies end eternall salvation must travell the Kings high Exod. 14. way Rom 8. 30. Israel did so to Canaan Besides if we be not called we cannot be iustified and Reason 3. consequently saued For effectuall vocation in order at the least doth precede iustification And if wee haue not this linke of the chaine we lose the other also Rom. 8 30. And last of all No vocation no true title to the promises Reason 4. for they belong to as many and no more as the Lord shall call Act. 2. 39. And he that hath not right to them but is still vnder the Law cannot be saued for we come to heauen by no other way but by the promise And here we taske the carelesnes of many that neuer haue Vse 1. care by prouing the truth of their calling to make their salvation certaine Some cry they are not assured of heauen what marvell seeing they be not called for the one is or the other can be neuer Who will expect wages when the Master of the house hath not called him to worke This teacheth vs how to get assurance of salvation viz. in Vse 2. making our calling sure Get the one and thou shalt haue the other And because thou maist the better try the truth of thy calling we will stand a litle to shew the order and manner of it We must know that preparation goeth before this effectuall The order of Gods proceeding with whom he calleth vocation And it hath 2. parts 1. A cutting off 2. A fitting This cutting off is done by the knife of the law which like an axe loppeth vs off from the wild oliue tree Adam For though we be not called by the law yet we are fitted by it In this cutting off we may obserue 1. The time when What time the Lord calleth and 2. The manner how The time is ordinarily when wee are the best able to doe the Lord service in his vineyard which is in a middle age seldome are children and rarely be old men called for the one is not of age to worke the other almost past age to worke Yet we read of some children as
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 Could not God haue saued man Quest from death and pardoned sinne without a satisfaction I answer No. For 1. It s against his nature Iustice in God Ans is not a quality as in man but his verie essence therefore it must be satisfied or no flesh could be saued 2. His word was passed forth At what time thou eatest thou shalt dye the death Yet the Lord sheweth the liberty of his iustice in sauing some by Christ and condemning others without him So that we see sinne must be punished Gods infinite iustice satisfied either in vs or by another But it will be obiected that man being finite cannot satisfie for infinite iustice It s true that man is finite in respect of place or a geometricall quantity but infinite in regard of duration of time or Arithimetical enumeration so that though no created nature at an instant in one act of it selfe is able to vndergoe the infinite wrath of the reuenging God yet in regard of continuance or times succession his torment may be said to be * Viz a parte post infinite What he cannot doe at once hee must be doing euer How can God be iust in this his proceeding 1. Because man hath offended an infinite God Now the Quest Ans dignitie of the person offended aggrauates the offence as we see a word against the king is death to a subiect pardonable 2. The sinner hath had a world of sinning here therfore must haue a world of suffering hereafter 3. The sinner sinnes continually neuer comes to a period therefore the punishment as the shadow doth the body when the Sunne shines followes the sinner continually And 4. The sinner would haue sinned in a greater degree had it beene in his owne power or if he had not beene by a necessity restrained Therefore its iust with the Lord to punish him with eternall torments And brought life We haue handled the like doctrine in Doct. 7. the first verse that ariseth out of this place viz. that All spirituall life is procured by Christ Therefore we passe to this Doct. 8. Phil. 3. 1. 2. Pet. 1. 12. that Repetition of the same thing is warrantable profitable Paul doth so here and all the rest who preached and writ as we may see elsewhere Compare Mat. 5. 1. with Luk. 6. 20. and you shall see that Christ preached one sermon twice In Mathew he is said to sit in Luke to stand the one saith it was in a Valey the other in the Mountaine Yet some seeke to reconcile them Because we vnderstand not all we heare at the first deliuery Reas 1. 2. 3. 4. What if we doe yet we may not beleeue it But grant we beleeue may we not forget it I am sure we doe not practice it though we vnderstand it beleeue it and also remember it Therefore to repeat the same things may be profitable And a man may be in a different disposition so that hee 5. panions to thee thou hast iust cause to feare thy present condition and to labour for these things For when the spirit sauingly applyeth to the Christian the vertue of Christs death these forenamed effects or properties will be in some measure felt in that person And wouldst thou also know whether life be by Christ Trials if we haue life by Christ Iesus procured for thee then examine thy selfe by these rules 1. What knowledge hast thou of Christ what vnderstanding of the Gospell For its eternall life to know Christ and his doctriue Hagar had her eyes opened before shee could see the well so must thou the eye of thy minde before thou tast of the water of life 2. What power hast thou to do good How often doth the pulse of prayer beate in thy closet and in the secret roome of thy heart What strength hast thou to runne the pathes of Gods commands Canst thou like the creeple rise vp leape and be glad in the praises of God 5. What care hast thou to preserue the life of grace in thee and to come to eternall glorie Men that loue their liues will make choyce of their food Physician and aire And he that loues the life of grace will eate vp the good word of God depend on a skilfull Preacher and plant himselfe where the pure ayre of holinesse is sensible found and felt breathing mouing 4. And in conclusion how dost thou imploy thy life what be the ends of all thy motions Dost thou spend thy strength that God may haue glory by thee and his children receiue good from thee then thou hast done well For as all fire that comes from aboue will tend vpward againe the heate that comes from the heart will disperse it selfe to euerie member so that life which is receiued from Christ will alwaies incline and moue that hee may haue praise and benefit by it Are these things also within thee and proceed from thee then hast thou participated of the first resurrection and shalt neuer tast of the second death And if thou want them striue for them or else Christs life will profit thee nothing See thou defer no time omit no oppertunitie neither neglect any meanes but seeke this life while it may be found purchase this field though it cost thee all thy treasure Thou hast now a price in thy hand want not an heart For the tyde and season to saile to this land to buy this commoditie serues but once not euer And to moue thee thus to doe let these things be well weighed seriously thought on 1. Consider the excellencie of this life the least degree of Motiues to get spirituall life it is of more worth than all other life what euer therefore it s called the life of God Eph. 4. 18. How many kindes of life be there and amongst them how many degrees yet the neerer it approcheth to the fountaine of life God the more excellent it is The subiect hath a life aswell as the King the sicke as the whole but what is it in comparison of this but a kind of death now the better a thing is is it not the more to be desired 2 Without this life we can doe no action acceptable to God or profitable to our selues and what a misery is this alwaies to be doing yet all in vaine A naturall life can doe but naturall actions therefore such as be in the flesh cannot please God Rom. 8. 7. 3. This life will make vs acceptable and well pleasing to God and man yea the Angels shall reioyce and the father say with delight This my sonne was dead but is now aliue Luk. 15. 24. We ioy to see the trees budde the corne peepe the graftes flourish and shall we haue no care to obtaine that life wherein all beautie consisteth 4 Finally he that hath not the beginning of this life here cannot possesse eternall life hereafter for they onely shall escape the second death that partake of the first resurrection to life The
suffer now shall be denyed of Christ hereafter at his appearing Such as are found halting must be turned out of the way And as the words stand in way of argument we may gather that The sufferings of others should moue vs to suffer also Doct. 5. What a cloud of witnesses haue we Christ example is propounded to this purpose and many more in the booke of God that we with patience might endure the crosse and despise the shame Heb. 12. 1. 2. For its a good thing to follow a multitude in the way of Reas 1. righteousnes as it is evill to tread in the lewd steppes of vngodly persons Againe if their example moue nothing then they shall Reas 2. rise vp in iudgement against vs For are not they recorded to this purpose Let vs in time of trouble then cast our eyes on those that Vse 1. haue gone before vs for like a liuely picture they will giue vigour to our faint spirits when we are ready to faile Examples are of great force in all things and shall so many worthy patternes prevaile nothing No I ade so dull but will follow a free and forward leader And here we are instructed to giue good examples to others Vse 2. Let vs learne some incouragement by our practise to future posterities that they may be pricked forward to tread in our footesteps For vndoubtedly the best way of teaching others as we see is not by precept onely but by example also For I know whom I haue beleeued We haue heard of two causes why Paul suffered the one in that he preached the Gospell the other that he preached it vnto the Gentiles and now followeth a double reason why he was not ashamed of so doing but resolutely did goe on in the fulfilling of his Ministery Whence this poynt will truly arise that As the wicked haue pretended causes to afflict the faithfull so Doct. 6. haue they good grounds not to be ashamed of their sufferings Heb. 11. 24. 35. 2 Cor. 4. 16. Acts 5. 29. Aske Moses why he would not be called the sonne of Pharaohs daughter enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a season but chuse rather to suffer affliction his reason is at hand he hath respect to the recompence of reward Why would not Heb. 11. the Saints in their greatest tortures by vnlawfull meanes be comforted they looked for a better resurrection Wherefore did not the faithfull faint in their suffering they did account that the momentany afflictions of this life were not wâ—rthy 2 Cor. 4. 17. of that eternall weight of glory that should be revealed What reason had Christ that he would not come downe from the Crosse and saue himselfe that saued others Hee must doe the will of him that sent him finish his worke and performe his promise And he knew that his death and resurrection would be a greater miracle then to haue deliuered himselfe another way For the Children of God goe by a sure rule they ground Reas 1. their proceedings and sufferings vpon Gods precepts and promises when as the prophane haue false rules fained causes And if it were not thus they could haue no comfort in Reas 2. their suffering for blessed are those that suffer persecution for righteousnes sake Therefore they ground the cause of their affliction vpon Reason Vse 1. Wonder not then ye men of this world why the Saints in all ages haue resisted unto bloud and not counted their liues deare vnto themselues but haue carried them in their hands For they know that though man frowne the Lord will fauour though Antichrist bind with a curse Christ will lose with a blessing though Sathan tempt and terrifie the Spirit will strengthen and comfort if the flesh be weakened the spirit shall be renewed if death goe before that life shall follow after and if the world loose them heaven shall find them For so it s said that if their earthly house of 2 Cor. 5. 1. this Tabernacle be destroyed they haue a building giuen of God an house not made with hands but eternall in the heauens of the possession whereof they be assured after their dissolutions A wonderment riseth from the ignorance of the cause or the rarenes of the event and these be the proper grounds why many men admire and are astonied at others sufferings for the Gospell But surely the seruants of God haue had great reason for their courses whatsoeuer blinded men doe deeme of them For I know c. The next Instruction wee obserue from these words is this that It is an experimentall knowledge of God that will cause a Doct. 7. man to bee resolute in good courses and to suffer afflictions See this in David and in the wife of Manoah for notable are these two places for this purpose 1 Sam. 17. 34. 35. c. Iudg. 13. 23. Rom. 1. 16. 17. Because it is a great meanes to strengthen our weake faith Reas 1. Now as our faith encreaseth so is our resolution and patience bettered Christ would call his Disciples Men of little faith when they were troubled and dejected in small matters so that weakenes of faith must be remoued to beget resolution and that is done by the experience we haue had of the Lords proceedings Againe the former performance of Gods promise doth Reas 2. not take away the efficacie force of it for future time but rather confirmes it For when God loues once hee loues euer so to whom he performes his promise once hee will performe it for euer The often setting and rising of the Sun doth assure vs the more both of the one and of the other for we haue had long experience of the stability of it in its course and motion In the first place here we may see why men are faint impatient Vse 1. vnder the Crosse and vnsetled irresolute to any good word or worke they haue no experience of God and his proceedings For experience will cause tribulation to bring foorth patience as many little acts doe make a great habit Rom. 5 3. And in the next place this poynt serueth for our direction Vse 2. and teacheth vs what to doe that wee may patiently beare the Crosse and manfully fight the battels of the Lord namely to get experience of Gods manner of proceedings And for our direction the better to gaine this obserue Rules to procute experimental knowledge these Rules following I. Obserue Gods dealing with vs. 1. In temporall 2. In spirituall things 1. Hath he not fed thee clothed thee lodged thee since he gaue thee a being and is his hand shortened and not stretched out still When the Disciples of Christ were troubled in minde about these matters What sayth he haue ye not remembrance how I fed you with a little bread and a few fishes When I sent you forth without money in your purse meate in your scrippes and all other prouision wanted you any thing they
answered No Lord. When a poore man hath beene alwayes in his want relieued by his rich friend will it not make him the more boldly to rely on him for helpe in time to come 2. Consider how he hath giuen thee knowledge when thou wast ignorant infused faith into thine heart being before an infidell and preserued his graces in thee from perishing For the calling to minde the dayes of old is a notable helpe for this thing Is it possible that he who hath begun to doe well will now waxe weary in so doing What man planteth a tree and will not labour to preserue the same from withering And shall the Lord suffer his pleasant plants after he hath so often pruned watered and dunged them to dye and perish for want of dressing II. Call to minde the many dangers from the which he hath deliuered thee Why mightest not thou haue beene buried in thy Mothers wombe beene drowned in the waters or deuoured on the land the theefe might haue slaine thee some crumbe choaked thee or a thousand diseases beene thy death And shall not the fresh remembrance of these things worke powerfully in thee When our Apostle had beene deliuered out of the mouth of the Lyon he gathered strength thence that the Lord would deliuer him from euery evill worke and preserue him vnto his heavenly Kingdome 2 Tim. 4. 17. 18. III. Take a view how in times past he hath dealt with his children run to and fro through the stories and acts of holy Writ and as he hath done to his servants of olde so will he doe to thee assuredly I wish that this were well thought on for its a notable remedie Psal 37. 25. IV. Conferre with grounded Christians Demand of them how the Lord hath dealt with them in some particulars for they can teach thee by experience their comforts will comfort thee also A timerous patient will be encouraged to swallow the bitterest pill when another standeth by that hath beene cured of the like disease that he now is annoyed with telleth him the experiment V. Take a view of the vanitie of all other things Our Ioh. 6. fathers ate Manna in the wildernesse and are dead For in so doing thou shalt get experience of Gods constancy the Creature is changeable sometimes killing another whiles curing But the Lord is one and the same for euer VI. Finally and aboue all Consider how the Lord dealeth with thee in the vse of all his ordinances Marke what power the Word hath in working in thy soule how it weakeneth corruption strengtheneth the new man Obserue how the Lord hath heard thy prayer in time past and now how he enableth thee to call vpon him being in the like condition Dauid from this ground cryeth out The Psal 6. 9. Lord hath heard my petition for grace the Lord will receiuâ— my prayer and therefore as one refreshed biddeth the workers of iniquitie be gone Canst thou pray at this present as in times past when he heard the voyce of thy weeping then doubt not but he will deale fauourably with thee For when the Lord intendeth to conferre a fauour vpon his children he will alwayes giue them hearts for to vse the meanes whereby he doth ordinarily convey the same vnto them and wherevnto he hath annexed his promise If Hannah prevaile for a sonne or Abraham either they shall first be enabled a long season to powre out their soules by prayer vnto the Lord. And so it is in all other things whatsoeuer I wish that every one had but the experience of this engrauen in their mindes for it would be profitable for them every manner of way And true it is that this experimentall knowledge of God is the very food and spirit and life of a Christian from which all faith patience and resolution in the times of trouble spring and flow as from their proper fountaine and roote Then striue for it in the vse of the forenamed meanes and when thou hast obtained it wonderfull and vnspeakeable are the effects that it will produce and thou shalt taste of Againe in these words wee see Paul placeth knowledge before beliefe whence we may collect this doctrine that The knowledge of God precedeth faith in him Doct. 8. How can they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard And for this cause Knowledge in Scripture is many times put for faith Rom. 10. 14. Ioh. 17. 3. Io. 4. 10. Reas 1. Because the act of faith in beleeuing followeth the act of the vnderstanding rightly guided Knowledge is like the needle which maketh the way faith the threed that tyeth and vniteth things together And as whatsoeuer by ordinary working is in the inward senses was first in the outward so whatsoever comes to the will the proper seate of faith must first be in the vnderstanding And if this were not so then might an ignorant man be Reas 2. saued and haue faith the which the whole current of Scripture runs against As My people are cut off for want of knowledge and God shall come in flaming fire to render vengeance on them that know him not Hos 4. 6. 2 Thes 1. 8. and many more to that purpose This confuteth Bellarmine and his adherents who say Vse 1. A man may better beleeue things whereof he is ignorant then those which he knoweth If he had spoken it of the things recorded in their leaden Legend I should easily haue consented with him for I thinke that when men haue heard them they more doubt of them then when they were ignorant of them To name some of thâ—ir ridiculous fables we read of one that was sicke his stomacke would vomit vp whatsoeuer he receiued so that he being willing to receiue the Sacrament yet doubting he should not retaine it if he receiued it by ordinary course it was put the consecrated Hoste I meane to his side the which opened and after the receipt thereof closed as before And there is mention made of a woman whose Bees were sicke of the Murraine who tooke also an Hoste put it into the hiue and marke this they within a few dayes were not onely cured of the danger of the disease but there was a miraculous encrease of them in number and they had built a Chappell and steeple and bells and an Altar and layd the Hoste thereon and the Bees sung their Canonicall houres about it iust as the Monkes vse to doe in their Cloysters I could relate the like of the Lady of Loretto for ther 's bookes of her too in Folio It s reported that shee sometime vnderstand the house too being discontented displaced her selfe and passing by a wood all the trees in reuerence bended and stooped with their heads to the very earth vnto her wonder it was they had not rent themselues vp by the rootes and proffered her their standings Also the Booke sayth that one being prisoner in Turkey and there having his bowells ript out by the ayde of a prayer that he made
be The Iudge of all the world But in regard the most little consider this day or dreame of their latter end or if they doe vsually like Agrippa put it off vntill it be too late let these following Motiues somewhat preuaile with thee to practise it speedily 1. Remember that he may come suddenly in the dead of Motiues to prepare for the day of iudgment the night when thou little dreamest of such a matter Was it not a dreadfull summoning to the rich foole This night shall thy soule be fetched from thee Suddennes makes an evill a double curse We may die in our sleepe and what a fearefull thing would this be if we be tooke away in our sinnes for as death leaueth vs so shall iudgement find vs. 2. We cannot hide our selues or the least of our sinnes from his all-seeing eye For all things are naked and bare before him with whom we haue to deale 3. Consider his power he can send his Angells to fetch vs before him from the foure endes of the world be we neuer so strong in might or potent for number 4. Call to minde that he is strict and iust in all his proceedings not one can escape death if sinne be found vpon him 5. That there shall be no delay or bayle when he commeth iudgment shall be executed speedily 6. And last of all let it be well thought on what the iudgment is where the torments shall be with whom and how long The paine shall be in soule and body the place that darke and infernall pit the persons Sathan and all the damned from the presence of God and the spirits of iust and perfect men and the continuance for all eternity What heart so hardened conscience so seared or person so desperate reprobate weighing these things in the equall ballance of his owne minde and consideration that would goe on in a sinfull course and not amend Yet if this will moue nothing I say no more but the Lord haue mercy vpon thee for thy case is fearefull dreadfull The fourth Note we obserue is that The best man is not to rely vpon the merit of his workes but Doct. 4. the free mercy of God at the day of iudgement Math. 25. 37. 38. c. For he hath many falls into euill If we say we haue no sinne Reas 1. we deceiue our owne selues and the truth is not in vs And There is none that doth good and sinneth not no not one Even in many things we sinne all Besides our sinnes the best workes we performe be imperfect Reas 2. For as chaffe groweth vp with the corne so doth sinne cleaue to our perfectest actions Grace and corruption like fire and water mixed hinder the acts one of another from absolute perfection Away then with the Merit Mongers that plead through Vse 1. desert for saluation Had Onesiphorus neede of mercy that did so many good workes shal the Papist hold workes of supererogation We might say of Supererogation Canst thou stay the Sunne in his swiftest motion gather the wind in thy fist remoue the earth out of its center or stoppe the hot burning fornace with straw and stubble then plead afterward for merit yet these things be easier to mortall man then the other yet both impossible But they obiect Why then doth Daniel exhort the King Obiect 1. to Redeeme his sinnes by righteousnes Dan. 4. 27. 1. The Hebrew phrase is not truly turned Sol. 2. It s but an exhortation to repentance inducing him for to breake off his former cruelty he had committed the which is needfull for all persons 2 Tim. 2. 25. Christ bids the people to Make them friends of their riches Obiect 2. of iniquitie that when they want they may receiue them into everlasting habitations Luk. 16. 9. Sol. 1. They is not to be referred to the riches but to the persons as is plaine by the parable's application 2. No other thing is meant but that they would testifie of their goodnes and charitie towards them and pray for them Why then doth God command good workes Obiect 3. Sol. 1. To manifest that he approueth and alloweth them 2. That we might be prouoked to doe them 3. To comfort vs in the assurance of the truth of our faith 4. To strengthen the weaknes of our beleefe that often staggereth But God hath promised a reward to them Obiect 4. True but 1. It s of his free mercy not for our merits Sol. 2. He crownes his owne graces in vs. And we cannot Merit for 1. He workes both the will and deed of his good pleasure 2. There is no equall proportion betwixt our workes and salvation For they be finite imperfect temporall it is infinite perfect eternall 3. A worke of merit must be aboue that which is required at our hands aboue Gods due we haue none such For God hath created redeemed sanctified vs freely 4. We confesse that God might condemne the best for if he should Marke what is done amisse no meere man could abide it And he of his mercy can saue the worst Let the best therefore not presume neither the worst vtterly despaire 5. And we read of a threefold promise of reward 1. Vnder the Couenant of workes 2. Of faith 3. After we beleeue in Christ But this is all out of the Lords mercy and dignity not for our merits or desert 6. And if that be a truth that Christs merits doe not proceede from him or are procured by him without relation to the free promise of his Father the which some hold how then can man merit condignely Yet the Protestants maintaine good workes and no barren faith doe they allow as the lying Aduerâ—aries know well enough though they send vs all to hell with our fruitles faith Onely we say that by faith we are iustified without the workes of the law for were it otherwise Christ had died in vaine And this is our firme position that as fire cannot be without heate ayre without leuity water voyd of humidity or the earth be abstracted from all gravity No more can a true liuely faith be without some fruites worthy amendment of life Good workes are the way to heauen and a necessary condition if man haue time and meanes to be obserued yet they are not the sole cause of raigning When the Figtree saith our Lord puts foorth his leaues ye know that the spring draweth neere But is that a cause of the spring or the spring of that So when we bring foorth good workes we know we haue a true faith but faith is the cause thereof not the contrary and so consequently of mans salvation Bellarmine himselfe saith that in regard of the vncertainty of mans workes and our owne presumption the safest way is to depend on the mercy of God Thus by the ouerruling hand of God a second Caiphas hath once againe prophecied aright And let this doctrine reach vs to practise Christs lesson Vse 2.
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
conceiue that the Preacher speaketh out of spleene not of affection and therefore they regard not their words And they are wise for the world to come and louing to their children therefore they doe this For herein consisteth Reas 4. true affection and the principall dutie of good Parents to their children What then be those Parents that neuer practise this Vse 1. point Nay who neuer so much as once minde it may we not from the rule of contraries conclude that they are profane and impious they will prune their plants breake their horses and traine their hawkes to the lure yet neuer dresse the plants of the Sanctuary instruct their Sonnes or take the least toyle to make them faithful of the Lords family Doe they not rather by rotten speech lewde example and wicked courses make them two-fold worse than children of the Devill If they procure them a competent portion a profitable calling which be good we grant they thinke they haue done their dutie but what haue they done all the while for their soules and to make them the Lords sonnes the vnreasonable creatures will feed their yong till they can prey of their own wing so that thus farre they are equall to them Let them then that would bee accounted religions shew Vse 2. it in the imitation of these Godly parents Prouide food raiment for the body but especially a spirituall portion for their soules Worke faith in their hearts grace in their persons and in thus doing thou shalt saue thy selfe and thy children Let their eares heare not thy trickes of youth but what God hath done for thy soule in the daies of old Let thy practise be a Patterne worthy their imitation say to thy sonne doe thus aswell as this that it may be said of thee a Godly father a Godly childe And doe not deferre the time but take the season teach them while they are yong and let these reasons moue thee 1. For then they will remember it when they are old Pro. Children to be taught yong why 23. 13. dye cloth in the wooll not in the webbe and the colour will be the better the more durable 2. To deferre this dutie is dangerous For thou maist bee tooke from them Who then shall teach them after thy departure or what if they dye in that condition must not thou answere for their bloud 2. Kin. 2. 24. 3. Besides what if they come to faith will it not be with the more difficulty fallow ground must haue the stronger teame great trees will not easily bend and a bad habit is not easily left and a better come by If their memories bee stufft with vanity as a table-booke the old must bee washt out before new can be writ in 4. What shall I more say God workes strangely in children 1 Kin. 14. 13. and rare things haue beene found in them and what a comfort will it be for parents in their life to heare their children speake of good things and at the last day when they can say to Christ here am I and the children thou hast giuen Heb. 2. 13. me And here children must attend to their fathers instruction Vse 3. and not despise their mothers counsaile least the Rauen of the valley plucke out their eies and the yong Eagles eate it Pro. 30. 17. Some care not for the instruction of their Parents other can out-runne them but can they escape the hand of God and hee that obeyeth not his Parents speech shall certainely be destroyed 1 Sam. 2. 25. We reade here of good women but there is no mention made of their yoke-fellowes the mothers bee commended not the fathers whence let be noted that Faithfull wiues may haue faithlesse husbands Good women Doct. 6. may be vnequally yoked 1 Sam. 25. 3. 1 Cor. 7. 13. And this comes to passe through beauty for that being Reas 1. in a man may much preuaile with the weaker sex For why did the sonnes of God take the daughters of men to their wiues Was it not because they were faire So might it fall out with the daughters of God Gen. 6. 2. beauty preuailes much in this matter Gen. 12. 12. Couetousnes also may be a cause Honest maides be often Reas 2. poore haue but small portions wicked men sometimes rich and mighty and that may worke mightily Hester 2. 16. And if there be but such a motion how will carnal Parents presse their daughters to it Sometimes men affecting and knowing the person to be Reas 3. religious will like the Shechemites serue the true God to gaine fauour By this diuellish dealing many haue beene deceiued Iosh 9. 4. Gen. 34. 9. 14. It often falleth out that when persons marry they are Reas 4. both faithlesse and so the Lord calling the wife and passing by the husband that woman becomes vnequally yoked 1 Cor. 7. Whence we are taught not to iudge wiues by the cariage Vse 1. of their husbands neither husbands by their wiues For in so doing wee may commend or condemne without cause or reason Nabal the foole may haue a wise Abigail and Hester a good Queene an vnbeleeuer All wiues that haue good husbands must first praise God Vse 2. for such Secondly Make much of such Thirdly Pitty and pray for those that haue not such and fourthly In their liues endeuour to walke worthy of such else they may receiue the greater condemnation in being yoked to such And good wiues that haue bad husbands are 1. to seeke Vse 3. out the true cause if some carnall respect did not make them to marry such if it did they must acknowledge their sinne with great sorrow if not be patient For it is but a fatherly correction and God may worke great good out of it aiming at another end they are not aware of Hester 4. 14. for the present 2. They must be subiect to their husbands that though they obey not the word yet they may without the word by their good conuersation be wonne to the word 1. Pet. 3. 1. The wiues good actions must be their husbands instructions 3. Let this teach them to loue Christ their first husband the more perfectly For by the badnes of the one you may iudge the better of the goodnes of the other This is to draw good out of euill and worthy to be remembred 4. Such must admire the mercy of God to them that they had not themselues beene bad their husbands good and liue in hope that through the blessing of the Almighty they may proue instruments to saue their soules And if this fall out how would that man affect then his wife more than euer he disliked her From this doctrine the women maids or widowes that Vse 4. intend to marry may learne a lesson to beware in their election least they fall into the like condition And the better to direct thee let these rules be obserued in the choyce of an husband In the choyce
this or that fortune or chance but cast our eye on our former dealings to others and peraduenture we shall spy out the true cause why in that particular wee are afflicted And if in so doing we find out the roote from which this branch sprouâ—eâ—h why plucke it vp and let it no longer grow in our ground Lay the fault where it is for feare a worse thing follow And is this true then let vs all learne Christs lesson Doe Vse 2. as we would be done vnto another day Would the servant haue done obedience by his when hee is a Master then let him be seruiceable when hee himselfe is in subiection And they that are children must obey their parents else they shall finde theirs to prooue but vntoward tooles Speake ill of no man for if thou doest its iust with God to let one loose that shal pay thee home in the same kind And in briefe wouldest thou be releiued in want comforted in misery haue the faithfull to pray for thee and in the houre of death to close vp thine eyes then giue to the poore pitty the weake comfort the feeble minded pray for thy brethren and visit them that are a dying And though this point by me be short in pressing yet I would haue it of thee to be long and often in practising Neither of me c. Where we note that We are not to be ashamed of such persons as by suffering beare Doct. 5. witnesses to the Gospell 1. For God is not they are precious in his eyes Reas 1. Reas 2. 2. If we be we doe not as we would haue others to deale with vs. And from this branch we note one thing more that Doct. 6. Corporall bondage doth not depriue Gods seruants of Spirituall freedome For Paul saith he is the prisoner of Christ both prisoner for his cause and also respected of him in prison as his servant This is a poynt that hath or may haue his vse and is comfortable Vse to all that shall at any time suffer for the Gospell in Turkey Rome or nearer home for though such be mans bondmen yet they be the Lords freemen From this very 1 Cor 7. ground Paul comforted the poore servants of infidells But be partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel Having finished the dehortation we come to speake of the Exhortation where we first collect that We that professe the Gospell are patiently to suffer all afflictions Doct. 7. that accompany the same So haue the faithful done in former time not counting their liues deare vnto them for the truths sake For we loose nothing by it 1. If friends forsake vs Angels Reas 1. shall pitch their tents about vs. 2. If we want liberty of body we haue freedome of spirit 3. If there be no outward peace yet we haue in ward that passeth all vnderstanding And â— though our outward man perish notwithstanding the inner man is renewed daily Herein we are the likest to Christ and what greater honour Reas 2. to man then to be made conformable to his Lord and Master And is not the Gospell and the obedience of it the best Reas 3. things that we haue or can doe what were wealth without the word one drop of this balme is to be preferr'd before all the riuers of pleasure and profits in the world And one act of beleeuing in Christ will restore a man to all more too then that he lost by one offence in Adam his Father We must once die and neuer in a better cause besides all Reas 4. this Christ he hath suffered for vs and we haue the Lord on our side And heere we might reprehend some that will suffer nothing Vse 1. for the Gospels sake they neuer respect candle or candlesticke The Preacher and the Gospel are the onely things that best may be spared in the parish A word will make them cast away their weapons and be gone And like little children they hang their heads clappe their hands on their faces set their hatt in the brow and runne away at the very humming of Bees and flies In the next place let vs all in wisedome and resolution Vse 2. confesse the Gospell and professe it and partake of the smal afflictions that be in these dayes Beloued wee haue not resisted to fire and fagot neither hath our purple bloud coloured the stones in the streetes then shall wee not suffer the tongue with patience to smite vs I cannot prescribe what kind or measure we may suffer But it is the voice of heauen that in the world we shall haue many tribulations All that Act. 14. 22. 2 Tim. 3. 12. Ioh. 16. 33. will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecutions But let vs be of good comfort for our Captaine Christ in whom we are more then conquerours hath ouercome the world Againe we obserue hence that The Gospell whether preached or professed is alwaies attended Doct. 8. with sufferings and afflictions Psal 22. 2 Chron. vlt. 15. 16. For some doe imprison the very word and would not Reas 1. haue it to run and be glorified 2 Thess 3. 1. And it must be so For 1. God hath glory by it 2. His Reas 2. children get good by it And 3. hereby the devill is proued a lyar for Iob serues not God for nought Yea and 4. The basenes of the Gospell as some esteeme it bringeth sufferings as to trust in a crucified God Those then that are Ministers must arme themselues with Vse 1. patience and resolution Private Christians must doe the same Yet here is a wonderfull mercy of God that no power or policy can prevent the liberty of the word or hinder Mat 24. 24. the salvation of one soule for its impossible that any of the elect can be deceiued condemned And this must teach vs not to thinke the worse of that Vse 2. Gospell that is accompanied with troubles or of such as doe embrace it Some cry Oh! the dayes of old were good when we had lesse Preaching we had more peace and plenty What maruell for â—ow Sathan seekes to put out the Candle that directs to heauen and wicked men labour to put out that light that doth discouer them Let Popery bring peace with it for the present yet perdition shall follow it in future time According to the power of God Taking these words in that sense we haue mentioned the doctrine to be collected is that The Lord proportioneth the sufferings of his children according Doct. 9. to their power He will not suffer them to be tempted aboue their ability 1 Cor. 10. 13. Christ would not deliuer many things for the people for the present were not able to beare them Timothy escaped prison it seemes when Paul a stronger man kist the stockes Act. 16. for God had an eye to his weakenes First he would haue vs suffer according to our power because Reas 1.
few doe this and the fewer that doe this the worse the more the better Another poynt we collect is this that Doct. 7. Paul was sent to preach principally to the Gentiles Act. 22. 21 Gal. 2. 8. From which it will necessarily follow that Peter was not B. at Rome for then he should haue to deale in Pauls Diocesse And Peter was appointed to the Iewes therefore dedicates his Epistle to the dispersed Iewes Besides an Apostle could not be strictly tyed to any one Diocesse as they write Peter was to Rome And if he was there shame was it for him not to assist Paul but to forsake him This we but touch by the way for many worthy Clerkes haue scanned this at large Besides we know when Noah prayed for these people it was many a hundred yeeres agone yet now it came to passe according to his desire whence we note that Doct. 8. Prayers made in faith are not alwayes granted at the first Ionah was not cast on the shore so soone as he showted neither Paul at the first request had an answer return'd him David waited long Ieremiah fainted in expecting and Christ himselfe stayed some time before the Angells came to comfort him We sometime meet the poore with a penny in our hand and at another time we suffer them to cry run and weary themselues before we heare them so dealeth the Lord with his children Reas 1. Because that as God hath appointed all things to be done so hath he set downe the very precise time wherein they shall be effected and not before This is the principallest Reason of the poynt Gal. 4. 4. Reas 2. And the Lord doth so sometimes that we may cry the more earnestly and feruently vnto him Let the Infant fast it will know the dug the better and seeke it the faster stop the Lure and the Hawke will mend her pitch and fly the higher and if the Lord deny the faithfull their requests for a season their prayers will pierce the deeper be heard the better Dauid in one Psalme vseth one petition thrise and marke how he did grow in feruency First saith he Turne vs Psal 80. 3. ver 7. againe O Lord c. the second time he addeth saying O Lord of hostes c. and the third time he proceedeth further and ver 19. praieth Turne vs againe O Lord God of hosts cause thy face to shine and we shall be saved Thus by iteration he gathereth the more heate fervency like a stone by often tumbling Mervaile not then if the vnfaithful be not heard at all shal Vse 1. the Lord deny his children long and will he giue bread instantly vnto Bastards shall the good man of the house sleepe at the discharge of the greatest Cannon and will he awake and cry Who is at the window at the report of the narrow-mouthed peice or pistoll No neuer respect it If Noahs prayer be put off 2000. of yeares Let the drunkard Fornicator Blasphemer and such as regard iniquitie in layd downe the obiect of Pauls faith which is God secondly his knowledge of him and that is not a bare vnderstanding of him but a knowledge of experience or practise and thirdly an act that accompanied this experimentall knowledge which was his beleeuing or faith This is the first ground why Paul suffered afflictions without being ashamed And I am perswaded That is I am confident and certaine and fully assured That he to wit God Is able to keepe Gods power is twofold 1. Absolute 2. Actiue that is a power ioyned with his will and is here meant for else Pauls reason had not beene good for his will must accompany his ability in the preserving of what was committed to him That which I haue committed to him Some interpret the thing he committed to God to be his person others his grace faith salvation the difference is nice or none at all the Originall word signifieth both that which is committed to vs of God and that we commit to him The Pp ' on the Rhem. expound it of good deedes sufferings but absurd for that how euer a truth yet not from this place Against that day Either the day of trouble or of the last iudgement I rather vnderstand it of the great day of the Lord. For Paul was put to death and it s vsuall with faithfull men in great tryalls and tribulations to cast their eye on the day of iudgement It may seeme strange but it is a truth that I am afflicted The Metaphrase for preaching the Gospell vnto the Gentiles yet for all that I goe on resolutely in the execution of my function and am not ashamed Neither is it without reason for I haue had experience of him in whom I put my confidence and besides that I doe verily beleeue that the Lord is not onely able but also willing to preserue my soule in safety against the great and last day of iudgement For the which cause I suffer these things Out of the ground Doctrines deduced Doct. 1. of Pauls sufferings we may gather this conclusion that The goodnes of an action doth not alwaies free the deer from affliction Abel was slaine because his workes were good Ioseph 1 Ioh. 3 12. Gen. â—7 20. Amos 5 10. Ioh. 7. 7. 20. sold for the discouery of his Brethrens sinnes Amos hated for speaking vprightly David in danger for weldoing Christ did many good workes none evill yet they went about to kill him and they so went about that at last they kill'd him indeed Ignorance may be the cause and that of the person or of Reas 1. the thing 1. of the person For many of the Saints I shut vp in prison but I did it ignorantly The Princes of this world put to 1 Tim. 1. 13. â— Cor. 2. 8. Act. 3. 17. death the Lord of life but had they knowne him they would not haue crucified him I know that through ignorance ye did is as also your governours And Father for giue them for they know not what they doe And 2. of the action What new and strange Act. 17. 19. Mark 2. 24. doctrine is this He doth and teacheth things vnlawfull They thinke they doe God good seruice they erred in that they haue not knowne my wayes O that ye had knowne these things A second Reason may be drawne from the rage and malice Reas 2. of the wicked Ahab hated Micaiah therefore he must to prison if God prevent not Christ was sold of envy Away with such a fellow for he is not worthy to liue And Had he not beene an evill doer we would not haue deliuered him into your hands Not Iesus but Barrabbas All this smells of malice and sents of envy For which of them was ignorant that the one was a theefe and who could accuse the other of sinne And pride in the prophane causeth goodmen suffer for Reas 3. weldoing Master in thus saying thou rebukest vs also The Pharisees were
come to an end or the end of all things is at hand that is shall be 1 Pet. 4. 7. setled in that Condition wherein they shall without change continue for euer For as when time began things began so if time should end the things would For time and place doe inseparably attend all created things 2. Yet I must confesse that time in particular viz. this or Sol. 2. that houre or moment seemes to be a circumstance to the action for it may aswell be done the next houre as this present But on the contrary seeing all things are done in time that God hath appointed a particular time for all things to be performed in it may seeme not to be numbred amongst other circumstances or so direct a breach of the third precept For otherwise the breach of the Sabbath were a breach of the forenamed precept and I must acknowledge in a second relation it is so inded So that time and circumstance being distinguished and some relations rightly considered it is a breach of the third precept els not But before we passe this point I might come to giue solution to diuers Questions or obiections Some man may demand when he breaketh the first precept Quest 1 in the first Table Briefly I reply 1. When he setteth any thing in the roome Answ of God were it an Angell himselfe 2. When he giueth obedience to any as to God 1. By beleeuing in it and resting on it more then God and for this cause the couetous man is called an Idolater And 2. When he doth not make God the beginning and end of all his actions If the action run not so farre the thing whereon it rests for the present is that persons God When the second of the first Table Quest 2 Ans 1. When I invent any new way whereby to serve God 2. When I doe an action being not guided by Gods rule prescribed When the third of the first Table Quest 3. Ans 1. When I doe an action to God guided by his owne rule yet neglect the circumstances required Exam. I giue to the poore but not cheerefully rely on God but doubtingly 2. And here note that all actions that God commandeth whateuer may be a breach of this precept through the neglect of iust and lawfull circumstances When the last of the first Table Quest 4. Answ 1. When we doe an action of our particular calling except a necessity require it and then we may But as a dutie of charity not of commodity if done to another person 2. When we omit those duties the Lord requireth or spend not the whole time allotted in holy excercises When the Sabbath beginnes Quest 5. Answ Lev. 23. 32. Whence this Question ariseth viz. When the Sabbath doth begin Some haue begun it in the Euening as the Iewes and the Athenians others in the morning as the Chaldeans others at midnight as the Romanes and the Egyptians began their day at noone But since the Resurrection of Christ the most hold that it begins at that houre he rose which was about breake of day as we speake others be confident that it begins in the euening and yeeld these Reasons 1. When the Iewes Sabbath say they ended ours must begin for â—ls one of the seuen were not a Sabbath which they defend must be For take the last of the seuen and the first of the seuen then one of the seuen is still though changed a Sabbath Therefore Christ would die the sixth day that he might rest all the Iewes Sabbath which seemes to be typicall Now if the Iewes Sabbath ended at euen then ours must begin or else one of the seuen were not a Sabbath but part of the eight and ninth c. and the Remnant added to one or considered it selfe alone would ouerthrow the first order appointed of dayes 2. They say that when the Sun sets all creatures goe to rest and so should man for the Lord hath put out his candle to vs. 3. Heauen is compared to a supper not a dinner because after dinner they goe to worke but after supper to rest this seemes to haue some force in it 4. They argue that its the most agreeable to Reason For first if the Sabbath begin in the euening then we know wheÌ„ to begin it distinctly when to end Secondly We may the better be fitted for it for some who hold it begins in the morning toyle late that night and so are then more vnable to sanctifie the day Thirdly Wicked men are most prone to deferre the time rather then to redeeme it and what such affect we are to suspect Fourthly If we begin the Sabbath in the euening then we leaue the obiect of our particular calling behind vs and haue one simple subiect of the immediate worship of our generall calling in the eye of our vnderstanding the which is the most agreeable to reason breeds least distraction and is most comfortable so if at the Sun-set we end our Sabbath we may talke dispose of the duties of our particular calling for the morning following rise betimes without danger of the breach of the Lords day the which will not be so conuenient if it begin at any other instant in respect of the forenamed particulars But I leaue this and referre it to others onely let vs be carefull that 〈◊〉 haue regard to the duties of the Sabbath and the full time Yet there can be no danger at all to begin the sanctification of it betimes for delayes in all good duties breed danger Why was the Sabbath changed Quest 6. Answ 1. As the Father did rest after the Creation so the Sonne would imitate the Father and sanctifie a rest after the great worke of Redemption 2. If the deliverance of the Israelites out of Aegypt was typicall and must be the beginning of moneths c. Why not Exod. 12. 2. this great delivery then But we omit this Table and cease to resolue any more doubts either in this or the second but as in ordinary course though my Text seeme to allow me full scope because so many learned on this part of 〈◊〉 haue done worthily so we proceed to some other 〈◊〉 Of sound words From these words in one word â—â— may note two instructions the first is that A Christians patterne is to consist of words Doct. 4. Ioh 5. 39. How is it written how readest thou To the word Vnderstand that words are two-fold 1. Spoken 2. Written Isa â— 10. 8. 20. For God at the first put his truth into this vessell and Reas 1. Deut. 4. 2. Rev. 22. 19. we may not alter it and if we adde or detract either to it or from it It s written what fearfull iudgements are threatned for so doing Againe It s the onely way to avoyd idolatry for if wee Reas 2. were taught by pictures it were a breach of the second precept in the first Table Here the Papists are confuted
heare of revolters From this poynt we learne a twofold lesson first to take Vse 1. 2. knowledge of the Backsliders And next to make others that be professors or Preachers of the Gospell acquainted therewith For its warrantable profitable therefore we are to put this duty in practise and the neglect of it is or may be a wrong to thy selfe hurtfull to thy faithfull Brethren as experience hath taught many a time What if others know it already Yet it must be done for Timothy we here see knew this thing full well And often admonition in this kind cannot be hurtfull for as man is too incredulous of the best so too much prone to credit the worst Are turned from me We note here that To Revolt and turne from our former profession is a foule fault Doct. 2. and great offence For Paul doth complaine against it and sets it downe for a sinne to be abandoned of all men Ioh. 6. 66. 1 Tim. 1. 19. 5. 11. 12. For in so doing we dishonour God yea no way more Reas 1. For will not prophane men iudge that there is no profit or comfort in seruing the Almighty when such forsake their profession For thus they will reason If that Religion had beene good they and they would neuer haue cast it off Againe we weaken asmuch as in vs lies the Church of Christ for cut off a member will not the body be the lesse Reas 2. powerfull And it giues the Deuill and his instrument the more encouragement to tempt and persecute the righteous for hauing prevailed with some they haue hope to doe so with all Let vs then that embrace the Gospell be carefull to hold what we haue and neuer to revolt from our Religion For Vse we can no way more dishonour God scandalize the truth giue fewell to the rage of wicked men and Devills then in so doing Better had it beene that such had neuer made profession better for them selues better for all men For none but Sathan and hell make gaine of backsliding And that thou maist neuer revolt and forsake thy Religion doe these things 1. Before thou enter into Religion lay a sure foundation Helpes against reuolting be well grounded in the truth and worth thereof for ignoance of these two is the cause of backsliding Why was our Apostle so resolute Why would not Peter and others forsake Rom. 1. 16. Ioh. 6 68. Christ They knew that he had the words of eternall life 2. Cast vp thine accounts and prepare for the worst thing that can befall thee yea expect what euill the best are subiect vnto For want of this causeth many to reuolt in the least triall or temptation 3. Withdraw thine affections from the loue of all earthly things for we cannot follow God and Mammon these be contrary Masters commanding contrary things 4. Get experience of the comforts that be in the practise of the power of Religion so shalt thou neuer leaue it in the most fiery and hottest assaults 5. Be iealous of thy selfe especially when thou growest negligent in the performance of good exercises for this doth presage a fearfull reuolt 6. Consider that without perseuerance thou canst not be saued or if thou be that thy rising againe will cost thee more toyle and torment being once fallen then to hold thee in thy present good condition Let all these and the like be well thought vpon Of which number bee Phygellus and Hermogenes From the nominating of these two who in all likelihood were some principall persons we gather that Men of high place and much respect among the people of God Doct. 3. sometimes fall away Iudas did so and Demas with others Psal 55. 13. 14. Act. 1. 17. 24. 1 Tim. 1. 20. And here it is to be considered that there be diuers kinds of falling away 1. When men fall from the profession of Religion first either in respect of the precepts and that totally or in part or secondly in regard of power in the practice of Christian duties 2. When they maintain their former profession yet separate from their brethren 3. When men fall away for a time yet recouer themselues afterward 4. And last of all When it s done by some vrgent necessity or willingly In many of these respects the best haue fallen And God would haue it so First that the world may see that the Lord can support Reas 1. and maintaine his Church by weake instruments and meane persons For his power is the more manifest in thus doing he hath chosen the foolish things to confound the wise and weake to destroy the mighty That we may see how to stand fast and that by cleauing Reas 2. vnto him and in seeking his assistance for experience of our owne and others weakenesse like a childe to the wall makes vs to run to the Lord for supportance after by a fall we haue hurt our selues And if it fall out thus with great men sometimes then Vse 1. let it be no new thing in thine eyes to see the same in our dayes For what is there that hath not beene and what hath come to passe heretofore that may not fall out hereafter Say not as some doe that if one fall away cry out They are all no better this kinde of reasoning from some to the whole company is not sound What and may such Cedars shake totter and fall then Vse 2. let the weake willowes and poplar take heed of the winde For blessed is he whom other mens harmes doe make to beware And it shall not be amisse to lay downe here some causes of falling away And they be either 1. inward or 2. outward The inward be foure especially 1. Weakenesse thus many haue fallen of infirmity Inward causes of falling away 2. Some affection not mortified for one such a Ionah in the ship will vnsettle all 3. Infidelity when men want faith they are vnstable in all their wayes 4. Want of experience of that secret comfort which the Lord infuseth into the hearts of such as stand resolutely for his truth in an euill time The outward causes are principally these 1. Persecution this hath turned millions backward Outward causes of falling away who in the daies of peace had their faces to Sion-ward 2. Some wrongs or iniuries the Israelites from this ground thinking to be reuenged fell from Rehoboam vnto Ieroboam But they were carried away captiue and neuer returned 3. Scandall or offences taken at some doctrine From that time many of his Disciples went backe and walked no more with him Ioh. 6. 66. 4. The example of great men Doth any of the Rulers or Pharisees beleeue in him This is a cord that pulleth thousands from the true path and Rule Ioh. 7. 48. 5. When men haue expected great promotion but seeing their hopes frustrate they turne aside This is a great load stone to draw an iron heart from the path to heauen 6. Too much familiarity with
other ought not to be neglected And it doth teach vs a twofold lesson 1. To obserue Vse 2. learne who bee our principall and speciall friends 2. To pray to God in a particular and peculiar manner for them 1. Subiects here must remember their Soueraigne and the Lords annointed vnder whom they enioy peace and plenty Nebuchadnezzer must be prayed for for Sions sake for the members are much beholden to the head 2. Let children be mindfull of their parents who next to God haue giuen them a beeing and preseruation Wee haue too many Chams that discouer their fathers skirts but too few Shems who seek their honour Is not that eye worthy to be picked out by the Rauens and of the young Eagles to be deuoured that hand like to the wicked Kings to wither and that tongue to cleaue to the roofe of its mouth who be neuer opened lifted mooued to pitty desend and blesse their naturall begetters that haue suffered and done so much for them Let such take heede that Cain's curse doe not befall them 3. The people must not forget their Pastors For they be they that of the slaues of Satan children of wrath haue be got them to be sonnes of God heires of heauen But this is not the custome of our countrimen they of all others care least pray least for their Preacher and hence it often falleth out that God remoues their candlestick tyeth the the tongue of their spirituall Father that he speakes not to their comfort or sends some heauy iudgement vpon them for the omission of this dutie 4. And in conclusion Ionathan must be remembred of Dauid euery priuate friend must pray for another Pray I pray you for all men in generall but especially for Princes Preachers Parents and principall friends in particular for this is the Law and the Prophets Another point is this that Mercifull men shall obtaine mercy Doct. 9. No doubt but that Paul preuailed with God for his kind friend Onesiphorus And Christ confirmes the point affirming that Blessed be the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercy Math. 5. 7. Because the Lord hath so promised Reas 1. Againe hee loues his owne image and likenesse in his Reason 2. children and so crownes it with reward Art thou vnmercifull Then expect condemnation without Vse 1. mercy For to such shall be shame and confusion And as this may comfort the mercifull so it should moue Vse 2. all to shew mercy that they may bee comforted with the same comforts wherewith they haue comforted others and that of the Lord. But obserue these Rules 1. Let the glory of God be preferred aboue and before Rules in shewing of mercy to be obserued the reward 2. Let loue of our brethren and Gods command moue more than the reward 3. Confesse that it proceeds from Gods mercy if thou receiue a reward 4. Stay thou the Lords leasure in expecting the reward Finally we gather hence that They who would finde mercy in the day of euill are to shew mercy Doct. 10. in the day of euill One siphorus refreshed Paul in his day Christ shall reward him at his day he found out Paul in Rome amidst the prophane and he shall be found out in the aire not amongst the reprobate Compare Ier. 38. 9. with cap. 39. vlt. Iosh 6. 17. 25. Math. 25. 40. For God respecteth the circūstance of time such actions Reas 1. of all other are the best pleasing vnto him that be done in their season for all things are to be done in cōlines order God then doth declare the truth of his promise his fatherly Reas 2. compassion the more then at another season For fauours in their season are best apprehended most accepted And in so much as God will haue a time to reward euery good worke in why should he not picke the fittest oportunity the most acceptable season Let this assure thee that hast cōforted others in their greatest Vse 1. misery that God shall comfort thee in the time of thy greatest extremitie Thou maist build vpon 't And learne we hence to take knowledge when is the day of Vse 2. evill to others cōfort them at that instant that we may with boldnes expect the like at the Lords hands Refresh the poore afflicted needy in their need and God in mercy shall remēber thee in thine We would al haue cōfort in the houre of death day of iudgment why then here is the way take compassion on the members of Christ now and it shall be vnto thee as thou desirest But here a Question may arise why Paul praieth for mercy Quest at that day rather then at another time 1. Because it will be the greatest and most dreadfull day Answ that euer was to thousands 2. If he find mercy then for his friend he shall be blessed euer after 3. And if he should passe that day there could neuer be any hope of future fauour 4. Finally though the Lord should deferre mercy long in the requital of sauours yet then Paul knew was the day wh◠no good work should be forgot or go vnrewarded therfore he named that day From whose example reasons Let vs all learne to pray that all those whom we truly affect and from whom we haue receiued many kindnesses may all find mercy with the Lord at that day Amen It will be obiected that if Onesiphorus had once the possession Obiect of heauen the which he had long before that day he needed not mercy for he had it already 1. If he was sure of mercy then who doubteth but that he Sol. was certaine to haue it here also For he that ascendeth to the highest step of necessity must take the lower in his passage Therfore in this we see the Apostles great wisdom in praying 2. Paul prayeth for the manifestation and declaration of Gods mercy to him at that day For a man may haue a pardō for his offences be sure of it in respect of himselfe in particular yet it cannot be knowne to all vntill the king cause it in publike to be proclaimed And by the way learne we this lesson that God will take a particular knowledge of euery distinct person at that day for Paul prayeth that Onesiphorus in particular may haue mercy manifested to him Yea he knoweth all his children by name as he sayd of Moses the which were it truly beleeued and well considered would be no weake ground of reioycing to the faithfull person And in how many things he hath ministred vnto me at Ephesus thou knowest very well Because the same things for the most part haue beene handled heretofore that are to be obserued out of this appellation or testimony we will but name the doctrines and so omit them Where Paul was prisoner at Rome now as we fee at want as heretofore in Ephesus we note that Sometimes in great Townes and famous Cities it hath gone hardly Doct.