conscience A. By no means a particular faith must be had for all our actions we must forbear a thing till we be perswaded and such ought to be born with that seek resolution A scruplous Conscience is when a man is inclined to think a thing lawful and yet hath some scruples and doubts by reason of many difficulties that he hath heard of which he knoweth not how to answer or resolve Here our rule is to labor to suppress all difficulties that make us doubt but if it cannot be done then its lawful to follow conscience notwithstanding those doubts and scruples as Deut. 13. when the people were setled in a true way of serving God if one should come and teach them a contrary way confirming the same by a sign this must needs breed some scruples in the peoples mindes nevertheless conscience enclining to the truth of the former Doctrine they are bound to stand to it Thus of these three Questions For the fourth There are good and bad consciences Mans conscience was onely good in the Creation since the fall all mens consciences are corrupted and perverted whereof some are renewed and sanctified from Heaven and so become good though not perfectly because of the remnants of corruption Whosoever is not sanctified hath an ill conscience of one kinde or other An evil conscience is either a still and quiet evil conscience or stirring either by accusing or excusing wrongfully for the true property of a good conscience is to excuse altogether for well-doing Now when the conscience is either num and dead and lies still or otherwise accuseth for sin or excuseth wrongfully this is an ill conscience Of a still quiet ill conscience there be three kindes namely sleepy secure and seared The first a sleepy drowsie conscience that lives and lies in many sins and yet accuseth not by reason of ignorance in the Word of God as the common sort neglect many a duty and commit many a sin that conscience never checks them for because they be ignorant of Gods Law for which another that knows the Law of God is humbled with them are omnia bene they hope to be saved by their good meaning and crying God mercy at last they are not troubled at wandring thoughts worldly talk on the Lords day to go to bed without prayer and the like They are like one that comes into a sluttish house in a dark night and sees nothing amiss but when the Sun shines perceives the foul corners yea the very moats that flye in the Sun-beams Some such have come under a lightsom Ministery and have wondred and been ashamed of themselves and have been humbled and converted Thus was it with Paul before and after his conversion The second A secure conscience that is stirred onely at foul and staring sins hates murther and fighting but in rash and unadvised anger is not moved at all is somewhat troubled at swearing by wounds and blood but makes nothing of By my faith truth this bread fire Sun that shines and the like such have wide throats that can swallow all small things So there are that make conscience of oppression cruelty in justice but none of neglecting the Word Sacraments and Prayer or prophaning the Lords-day which be greater then the former though they do not so think and partly the commonness of them makes their conscience not accuse in them or that they be never awakened for their sins till some great cross do befal them or after some rowsing Sermon then their consciences work therefore they cannot abide such Preaching though it were happy for them if they might hear such still till they were wearied out of themselves The third A benumbd brawny and seared conscience benumbd as a member in the dead Palsie brawny as a laboring mans hand seared as with an hot iron which is worst of all when men go on and make conscience of nothing but do what they list and their hearts scarce smite them being as Nabal like blocks and stones daring do any thing and committing most horrible foul sins and yet not being troubled thereat This comes by the custom of sin and refusing the checks of their conscience and Gods giving them up to a reprobate minde and an hard heart to work wickedness and that with greediness great sins also lyen in without repentance do harden and benumb the conscience as a part of the body that is seared is past feeling They not onely doing against the light of Gods Word but even against the light of nature and their natural conscience God gives them over and so they go on in sin without sence of any thing The cause of these especially the two first is chiefly the want of a faithful Ministery for where this is though they be not converted yet they be convinced and sin not so quietly as others or if they live under such a faithful stirring Ministery and yet have drowsie and secure consciences it s because they come not to the Word or regard not what they hear or understand it not or sleep thereat But there are some more notorious which will not lightly abide a zealous or powerful Ministery but will get away from it else if they tarry through long contempt of the Word and hardening their hearts they grow past feeling having set down with themselves they will never be moved with whatsoever is said This is a great plague it takes from a man the onely means under God of his repentance he is as one under a grave stone that cannot rise These are lusty and merry they think their case happy they say Peace peace they thank God they were never troubled in conscience and marvel at them that be thinking them out of their wits or else that they have been some great offenders c. but they are troubled not because they be out of their wits but because they now begin to come into their right minde as it s said of the Prodigal They be troubled not because they be greater sinners then the others but because they see that the others see not which if they saw as it were happy for them if they did they would see cause enough to be wounded to the purpose But do they think their conscience will ever lie thus still No let them be assured God will set all in order before them and their benumb'd conscience will prove a raging conscience A Bankrupt makes a great shew at first afterward breaks and is arrested and imprisoned many make fair promises unto Delinquents that they will speak to the Judge for them c. but do indeed prove their chief adversaries such are the consciences of these men If it be once awakened and stirred it will roar as a Lyon and tear out their throats a sleepy conscience is like a starcht Ruff that stands up brave in fair weather but falls quite down in a storm The peace of such a conscience is naught it
hath given us many means to subdue them therefore will be angry if we keep them not under and grow especially against our strongest corruptions they offend God hurt us glad Satan defile the Temple of the holy Ghost were the cause of Christs death are of long continuance and therefore must be put away And as we must labor daily to mortifie our lusts and old man so to grow in all graces 8. The perfection of a Christian There 's none here in this life we know but in part there be still remnants of sin in us we are indeed perfectly Justified not but in part Sanctified Sin and Grace is mingled in every part not sin in one part and grace in another as heat and cold in lukewarm water light and darkness in the twilight God will have it so to be 1. That we might be saved of mercy and by Christs merit and not by any merit of our own for if we were perfectly Sanctified here then should Christ seem onely to make us fit to merit our own Salvation 2. That his power might be made known in our weakness whereby we are enabled to overcome such mighty enemies of our Salvation 3. That continually we might be kept humble ever thankful to God for daily pardon 4. That there might be continual use of the Word Sacraments Prayer and one of another 5. That there might be something to weary us hence and make us long for Heaven where we shall attain that which here we can never But though these Corruptions remain yet they reign not they are indeed troublesom and hurtful as the Canaanites to the Israelites or Rebels that make Insurrection in a Kingdom but have not the Scepter in their hand but are subdued in time and they dwell in us as unwelcom guests There is always a Civil war in a Childe of God two men in one man the old and the new two laws the law of our members and the law of our minde the Flesh and Spirit fight each against other now the one prevailing then the other yet so as the old man grows weaker and the grace of God stronger It had a deadly blow at first and still languisheth and is in a Consumption as a Serpent that is deadly wounded in his head yet wrigles with the tail or a Soldier deadly wounded in his brain yet thrusts with his weapon The Scripture speaks of the old man in Regeneration as if it were crucified and wholly destroyed because it s so wounded that it can never recover his former strength 1. This condemns all Anabaptists and others that dream of a purity in this life 2. It teacheth us to bear with one another The husband though godly must not look the wife should be without fault nor the wife the husband so the Master the Servant or the Servant the Master there are none without Imperfections we never read of any but noted with some weakness Christ alone excepted therefore think it not strange neither neglect the graces that be in any for one or more infirmities so as they grow to no height 3. Here 's comfort to those that doubt of their Conversion because they meet with temptation and feel sin rebelling in them and their corrupt nature lusting after evil It s not so much a sign you are not converted because you have sin for that 's common to all as that you are because you feel it strive against it and grieve for it This is indeed a sign you have the Spirit in you The godly and wicked sin both but there 's great odds in the maner the wicked sin willingly and advisedly yea delight in it are loath to be hindred from it when they have done are not humbled but go on therein whereas the Regenerate sin not with full consent but haled thereto by force of temptation and strength of corruption being thereafter humbled ashamed grieved If it be thus with thee be of good comfort be still constant in resisting use means to subdue the old man and cherish the new so shall you every day get the victory more and more and when you be overtaken thus it shall not be laid to your charge but pardoned in the Death and Obedience of Jesus Christ Neither shall your corruption recover it self again to rule over you as before but shall still languish and this is the cause why the Scripture speaks as if our Regeneration were perfect our old man destroyed And at last by death we shall get a final and perfect victory and never feel sin more for with laying down our bodies we lay down our sin and not before Not of corruptible seed c. Here is set down 1. The efficient cause of our Regeneration both Negatively where 's shewed what it is not and Affirmatively what is not 2. The instrument thereof the Word of God 3. A description of God that he liveth and abideth for ever Not of corruptible seed Of mortal seed we are born not born again by it we are made Creatures not new Creatures we are not born holy but by being born again we are made holy The godliest Saints of God cannot convey grace into their Children but sin and nature whence it is that even Abraham had an Ishmael Isaac an Esau As we are born of our Parents we are altogether corrupt our understanding seeth little in heavenly things and our Reason is an enemy thereto as that there is one God in three Persons Christ God and Man born of a Virgin the world made of nothing Man saved by the imputed righteousness of another the near Union between Christ and a Believer the Resurrection and last Judgement c. Reason sees them not yields not to them nay being much urged laughs thereat and that which it doth understand it conceives not as it ought the will desires nothing that good is or at least as it ought for it is defiled and so the whole man Again mortal seed begets that that is mortal onely and not immortal but when we be once Regenerate we never dye more but live the life of grace here and shall that of glory hereafter a final fall or the second death can never befal the new Creature Let none therefore trust in this that they were born of godly Parents but desire God as their Father to beget them anew But of incorruptible Namely by the Spirit of God which is the true efficient cause who doth alter and change our hearts and conveys power to kill sin in us and to quicken us to a good life Usually these words and the next are put together and understood of one thing namely that the Word is the immortal seed of Regeneration and after a sort it may be so called but properly the Spirit of God is the seed the Word is the instrument and we know the Word of it self can do no such thing no more then a Tool can
strictly meant that grace of hope which proceeds from Faith which is that whereby we wait patiently for that which by Faith we believe but it s here meant of both faith and hope even assurance of Salvation Hereunto saith he they were begot again Whence note That We have not the assurance of Salvation of our selves by nature or by our first begetting no by nature we are the children of wrath enemies to God dead in sins and trespasses having no hope and without God in the world Nay to have Faith and hope of Salvation is the onely work of God as our Savior unto Peter upon his confession of him Flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee but my father which is in Heaven So may we affirm about this particular See to this purpose Joh. 6. 29. Acts 16. 14. Eph. 2. 8. Phil. 1. 29. Heb. 12. 2. The titles given unto Faith shew as much as precious Faith the Faith of Gods elect most holy Faith have we any such thing in our selves The means whereby he works this Faith are 1. The outward Ministery of the Word 2. The inward working of Gods Spirit preparing us by the Law then working it by the promises of the Gospel Father Son and Holy Ghost work Faith God that brings light out of darkness made all of nothing and raiseth up the dead to life he only works Faith in us and puts life into these dead hearts of ours it s a great work of God that we can do nothing toward it To be humbled truly in the sight of our sins is a great work hardly brought to pass yet this no part of Faith but a preparation Then when we see them it s a great work of God that we are not swallowed up of desperation but that God upholds and works by the Gospel longing after mercy and so by degrees gives power to apply it many that long seek and cannot lay hold or having yet quickly let go finde faith a great work of God What shall we say then to the hope that 's so common in the world almost at every hand Go through a Parish and you shall finde few but hope to do well to be saved making no doubt of it having no fears asking no questions about it yea thank God they have been of this perswasion ever since they can remember Surely this is but a false hope a presumptuous conceit of their own heads without ground or bottom in Gods word an illusion wherewith the Devil seeks to undo them getting them to bear themselves fair in hand that they might not be troubled till wrath overtake them without help yea it may appear they are not begotten again to it for being asked how long it hath been thus with them they thank God they have ever been of a good belief and they have no ground for it but because God's a merciful God c. not considering that God is as Just as Merciful and that his justice must first be satisfied ere he can shew any mercy Besides they cannot say it hath been wrought as God worketh Faith in his viz. First he humbles and brings to the Gates of Hell and then lifts up this is not with them They also cannot say nor remember when it was wrought nor how they came by it nor that it hath been otherwise with them at any time Besides true Faith purifieth the heart and he that hath it purgeth himself as he is pure which is not in them but they abide in their sins at least in the love of some and have no Faith for outward things but use unconscionable shifts Therefore whereas true hope makes not ashamed but in the needful time and great day will make men lift up their heads with joy this will be like Aegypt a deceitful and broken Reed to lay them under feet that do trust to it Contrarily know we that Faith and Hope are not so easily gotten they must be wrought from Heaven herein both Father Son and Holy Ghost must joyn therefore wofully do they deceive themselves that trust to any blinde conceit in stead of the true work of God as they do desperately that put off Conversion and Faith till the latter end as if they had them at command we must in time labor for this true work of grace But if any can prove themselves begotten truly to this hope they have great cause of thanksgiving whereinto the Apostle here breaks out Oh what a thing is it not only to give his only Son to the death for us but to reveal it to us in his word and thereby to assure us that we have our part in the same and we poor sinners may come to know our sins forgiven and that we shall be saved Oh unspeakable favor I What is like this Or what can make a man miserable that hath this prize we this as a Jewel nourish we it by all good means especially by keeping a good Conscience rejoyce in it as being of more worth then all the world let not a few wants or afflictions daunt us or take away this joy It 's a fault in Christians that they will be heavy if they want something they would have Oh! Is it not enough that God loves thee Again a little cross casts us down and quells us as if we had nothing to comfort us Oh no earthly thing should daunt us while we know this He that said I could be content to lie as a fire-block in Hell till the day of Judgement so I might be sure to be saved then would have been glad of assurance in this life though with many crosses If any have not yet this hope let them give no rest to themselves till they have attained it there 's no peace without it Sin lieth at the door a wounded conscience will arrest us though we may still it for a season pacifie it we cannot till our sin be taken away and forgiven Assuredly their estate is most dangerous which neither have it nor seek after it A lively hope so called not only for that it is the hope of life but because it doth exceedingly cheer and comfort the heart of him that hath is and puts more life into him then any other thing can do Herein it is opposed against all other vain hopes of the world in outward and transitory things which yield no sound contentment to them that have their part deepest in them Herein also from the forged hope of Salvation that the world fain to themselves which also hath no life in it no heartning in it But true Faith and hope do exceedingly revive the heart which before was dead without any true comfort yea being stung by the Law and so full of terror and discomfort joy and gladness comes from perswasion of pardon Neither comforts this only in prosperity when the world can be merry but even in adversity and trouble when they
purgeth scoureth and weedeth us that his graces in us may shine in their perfect colours As the Vine-dresser shreds his Vine and cuts off much which one would think were against the Vine yet makes it more fruitful so doth the Lord deal by afflictions with his servants which are his Vine branches Though the outward man decay by sickness poverty disgrace imprisonment and the like yet is the inner man Faith Hope Comfort c. increased daily for Faith the more its cut the more it grows the more it s trodden on the thicker it comes up And by afflictions there 's purged away a great deal of pride self-love worldliness hypocrisie and the like which long peace gathers whereof Jonah had experience when he was cast into the Sea those tame us also A man that was conceited against his neighbor for smal causes in prosperity in sickness and affliction will be glad to take every one by the hand therefore are the most afflicted for the most part fullest of Faith and Grace and purer then others and a man is never better then when he is in or newly come out of affliction Hence it is that we are willed to be thankfulfor them yea to account it exceeding joy when they come those being blessed that are so affected Being much much more precious c. He sets out tried Faith by comparing it with the most precious mettal we have even gold preferring it by far before the same which is elswhere termed also precious and much more precious is it every way 1. Gold comes out of the earth Faith from Heaven whence every good and perfect gift is 2. Faith is more rare termed therefore the Faith of Gods elect whereas most even of the most wicked are not without gold 3. Faith cannot be purchased with all the gold in the world 4. It s hardly gotten and hardly kept and hath many and strong enemies our own nature the world and the devil are all against Faith but not so against getting of gold 5. It apprehends Salvation and life eternal and so is the instrument of our happiness so is not gold but the instrument of many a mans damnation by unconscionable getting and covetous keeping the same many cast away their souls 6. It will comfort a man with true comfort in his life carry him strongly through troubles and boldly through the gates of death 7. Gold perisheth here canker and rust consume it we may be taken from it as it from us but Faith endureth till Christs appearing to our full Redemption as the fruit thereof for ever The uses hereof are 1. To them that want gold and yet have Faith know that thou art rich richer then he that hath thousands of gold and hath not Faith thou hast enough that hast Faith it assures thee of eternal life and entitles them to Christ yea hath the promises even of this life Seest thou a worldly rich man and wouldst thou change states with him Oh but both would do well Thou canst not tell if both would do so with thee besides God divides his gifts they that have much of the one have less or none of the other therefore as long as we have of the best kinde let us think our selves well dealt with 2. To the rich Rejoyce not that thou art rich but that thou hast Faith Again think all your pains to become you well and well bestowed in getting this precious Faith If any should say What you such wealthy men it s a disgrace to you to toil so in hearing Sermons which few do but mean persons do not these exclude themselves with their own mouthes But do not rich men travel to London and to Markets and Fairs to enrich themselves and take great pains and is it a shame then or a disgrace for them to travel for that which is much more precious then gold Hereat if any wonder tell them You seek that which is more precious then fined gold and that you are so far from thinking your selves too good for this that you highly thank God for vouchsafeng you this favor yea that you are so far from thinking that you credit the Gospel and its beholding to you that you confess freely that its your credit and that if you have any thing in you worth the commendation you may thank the Gospel for it for as for wealth it commends not a man even reprobates are not without it 3. To them that have not Faith poor souls labor after it that you may be made inwardly rich seek for it in the means appointed the preaching of the Word But O poor miserable creatures that regard it not for the most part but think their poverty here shall serve for all but worse in the highest degree remaineth behinde if not prevented in time could any look into your souls they might perceive them more empty of grace then the poorest houses are of provision 4. To rich men that have toiled for gold seek this that is so much better Many toil by Sea and land and undergo no small perils to get gold and to wax mighty but as for Faith they will scarce stir over the threshold for it But will your gold procure a pardon for your sins Alas it s no payment with God for any thing especially sin Will it shelter when Death and Judgement comes Alas no it bears no sway in the other world see Job 36 18 19. Prov. 11. 4. Zeph. 1. 18. No it will not abate your pains in Hell one jot O once consider your folly and labor for that whereby you may have comfort when you draw away and your friends are thinking of a Coffin to bestow you out of the house and thereafter you may enjoy life everlasting May be found unto praise and honor and glory The farthest end of our affliction that our Faith thereby tryed may come forth to our honor at the great day Tryed Faith is better then any thing that can be set by it for all else vanisheth but our Faith will be crowned at the last day Then will it be said Well done good and faithful servant enter into thy masters joy and Come ye blessed of my Father c. They that confess him before men he will confess them before God which shall be no small honor They which followed him in the regeneration shall sit upon twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel and The Saints shall judge both the world and Angels what pains soever we have taken to come to our Faith and to keep it it shall not onely comfort and honor us here in the Church but hereafter also in Heaven What an encouragement is this to them that have Faith and a provocation to all to labor for it It will not onely comfort us now and make us please God but will give us boldness also at the great Day when the fearful and unbelievers
fine conceits and I know not what witty sayings out of Heathen Writers to garnish the same but handle Spiritual things spiritually not being ashamed of the simplicity and plainness of the Gospel for this foolish and plain preaching shall be blessed and be the wisdom and power of God when that wisdom shall remain unprofitable and vain What is the chaff to the wheat all that vain Ornament doth but disgrace the Word and it may be seen that God is displeased therewith for that he blesseth it not to win Souls as he doth that other which is despised of many of the world and counted plain English preaching a good English Sermon 2. It teacheth the people to avoid all vain and humane corrupt mixtures accepting onely that which is sincere milk For the matter They must take no erroneous Points for truth but be able with the Bereans to try all things by the Scripture and so rejecting the rest keep that which is good they that through ignorance slap us all together will be poisoned in stead of being nourished It is the safest and best dyet which is most simple and therefore some render this as a reason why our Forefathers were stronger and lived longer then we do even because of the simpleness of their dyet this Spiritual mixture hath been the cause of all Errors wherein some truth is used to help away the falshood So for the maner They must affect a plain and Spiritual kinde of preaching when the Text is clearly opened aptly divided into his parts the Doctrines maturely gathered strongly confirmed for the setling of the judgement and lastly Uses are made of Admonition Reprehension Consolation Confutation together with Exhortation all applyed to the consciences of the hearers Oh this is sweet Many simple people desire to hear Sermons stuft with sentences out of Authors and that in a strange tongue and highly commend it though they understand it not and is not this a great folly and judgement of God upon them A number of idle and vain curious heads had rather hear fine witty conceits ancient stories pleasant discourses serving rather to tickle the ear then to edifie the Conscience such are like those that desire sawce and leave the meat But Preaching was never ordained but to work upon the Conscience and in such teaching the true Servants of God finde no favor but grief when its kindely naturally and spiritually handled then its sweet to them That ye may grow thereby The end of our desiring after the Word of our Hearing Reading Meditating Conferring thereof is not that we might get some knowledge to tip our tongues with and make our selves the better thought of in some companies as some do or that we may be able to discourse haply eavil against it but that it may work effectually in our hearts to humble us to work in us true Faith and Repentance and being wrought may be increased and set forward more and more and hereat we should aim at all times when we read a Chapter or hear a Sermon we must come with this minde that we may be the better thereby For the Word is ordained and is apt and able not onely to convert and beget us but also to nourish us that we may grow up from strength to strength 1. This rebuketh the common sort that come with no such minde and resolution as appears by their continuance in their sins They wil be brought to reform nothing though they hear never so oft never so plainly They come onely for fashion and what Hypocrisie is this Yea also if those that have some goodness in them came with this minde and cast with themselves to go away gainers and it would grieve them as much to make an ill market at Church as at London or elsewhere surely they would grow and thrive faster in Grace They could not then fit and sleep for who sleeps at his Market while profit drops It s said of Agustus Caesar that he thought that day lost or ill spent wherein he had done no good to others so we should moan our losses and think that Sermon lost whereby something hath not been added to the stock of our Faith Knowledge and Repentance 2. Seeing the Word serves as well to build up as to convert us men oâ—ght to attend on the Word Preached as long as they live yea though already they be full of knowledge and able also to admonish of others Therefore they that think they have profited enough and now may take their ease and let others hear they have indeed got nothing as they ought Christians must daily grow in grace For this as the Church of Thyatira was commended even because their works were more at the last then at the first So the Church of Ephesus reprehended for revolting from her first love For hereby as greater glory to redound unto God So more comfort to our selves more good to others 1. For those that are fallen away and now are nothing so good as heretofore let them consider that relapses are very dangerous let them weigh with themselves whether ever they began in truth or not If not then to begin to lay the foundation though they may be ashamed at themselves and say Shall I that seemed to be so forward begin in a new again yet better so then to perish if yea then let them endeavor by all means to recover themselves 2. For those that grow slowly or not at all many things may be in fault as 1. Pride when men think too well of themselves 2. Worldliness which the faster it goeth up Religion goeth down like a pair of scales or as a Dog that is following the chase hard and lights on a piece of carrion 3. Ill Company wholly addicted to their Sports and Pleasures 4. Neglect of the means or careless use of them as those that have slack Markets prove Bankrupts O finde out those and use the means constantly and conscionably both publique and private whereby being freed thou must grow in some good measure If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious The Reason They had tasted the goodness of the Word already therefore to desire it more and more By tasting he means not such as in Heb. 6. with the top of the tongue as it were and tip of the lips which Hypocrites may have but an experimental taste upon good proof as if he should have said Seeing you have found by good experience that the Word hath been effectual to enlighten convert comfort and sanctifie you and the instrument working wonderfully for the Salvation of your Souls you are the moreto desire it and continually shew your affection thereunto Therefore Who so have at any time found the Word of God powerful to their Salvation as to humble them who before saw no danger to comfort them when they were in woful distress to change their hearts to be a word of
I le look after no other he will do his good will and I can desire no more of a man The like might be instanced in a Physitian for our body nay a Shepherd or a Keeper for our Cattel Nay will men take it well if such as through want of skill have spoiled their work should say Why we did our good will and you can have no more But will you not say You should not have taken it in hand except you could have done it If I had known it I would have sent it five miles or sent five miles for a Workman rather then had my Stuff spoiled Thus there is no end of devices that the Devil hath to put in mens heads to keep them from regarding the word and matters of Salvation nay that people will seek out for themselves even to wrong their own souls And this is one main cause why so few people be saved because none so simple but he can finde a shift nor none so worldly wise but he can suffer himself to be held back by one of these or the like hinderances In our earthly journeys we love smooth and plain way and finde fault with the contrary but as if the way to Heaven were too plain men seek out blocks to lay in their own way but all these things will no more serve their turn when God shall come to judge them then a Breast plate of brown Paper against a Musket-shot For alas they be but devices and false causes in stead of the true For the very reason indeed that people have no minde to Religion is because it crosseth their humor 1. Discovering their sins which they would have still hid and rebuking them 2. Striving to pluck them from their sins wherewith being in love they are unwilling to part 3. Laying duties upon them which they have no minde to stoop to but count it a being tyed and shortened to yield obedience to the same which is indeed the main reason and true cause If it were not for such and such things will they say we would you should know we would be as forward as the best Well let us as many as have been thus foolish learn to be wiser and devise no blocks No though we meet with some things otherwise then ought to be let not that make us fall out with Religion In worldly things people be so eager as if they have a minde to a thing it s no small matter shall beat them off as from a Lease Farm Purchase or Bargain but in Heavenly things not a cause but a shadow of a cause will keep men back O how happy might we be here in England and in these parts if we were wise that have the Gospel so graciously Preached unto us Many Nations have it not and they cannot be happy and we have it and yet through our own froward hearts deprive our selves of the benefit thereof If we have been weak le ts labor to be strengthened against these and lift up our feet over these logs that the World layeth in our way neither rest we content therewith as too many are In our ordinary ways if any Lewd and Drunken Companions in the Night should tumble Logs or lay stumbling Blocks to stop our passage by horse or foot we finde great fault and that justly but we are content to have Logs laid in our Spiritual way lest we should be happy And le ts labor to strengthen others and help them over and let none of us be any longer hindred hereby much less let there be a mischievous heart in any of us to lay them in others way to hinder them but go on our selves roundly in the way to Salvation and help as many others forward as possibly we can Notwithstanding these lets we must not be loth to enter this way but labor to bring our hearts to this to see and confess and forsake our sins and be content in every thing to be ruled by the Word And what thankfulness owe we God that have passed over these Blocks and are in our way to Heaven whereas so few scape them It was of him alone O pray we him to help us also against all those that yet remain Being disobedient Here he proceeds to shew the bad estate of unbelievers They are disobedient to the Word of God which is given them for a rule and light to guide them to Salvation And this is indeed the very Reason of their much stumbling at the Word because men have no minde to be ruled by it They think it tyes them too short therefore they have no minde to stoop to it therefore they are willing to take any occasion against it for if men had a minde it s not those idle pretences should keep them from it as in worldly things we see The lesson we learn from hence is That God hath therefore left his Word amongst us not that we should onely hear it or make an outward profession thereof but that we should take it as our Rule and Law to guide us and in all things make Conscience to yield obedience thereto what it forbids to count as a cursed thing what it commands to esteem as holy and good and necessary to be obeyed This is that which God evermore requireth in his charges This keeping is not a Legal Observation which no flesh can attain Christ hath fulfilled that perfectly for us but an Evangelical which is when believing in him that hath done it perfectly we do our unfeined endeavor constantly to be obedient thereto and that 1. In one thing as in another having with David Zechary and Elizabeth respect to all 2. Freely and not by constraint not as Pharaoh let Israel go 3. Not outwardly but inwardly with the heart and minde ayming at Gods glory 4. Constantly and to the end Yet more particularly 1. We must not give good words onely but follow Christ as the Apostles who forthwith at his call left all to wait on him 2. Our obedience must be shaped after Christs willing in all things to do Gods will as do also the Saints and Angels in Heaven 3. It must be like Abrahams as he left his Country and all when God called contrary to all temptations and that readily and simply without reasoning or indenting so must we forsake our sins though never so natural and never excuse it thus It s my nature my Predecessers have done so I have been long accustomed hereto He left his Countrey so natural to him and that in his age We must obey against all temptations of Profit Pleasure Ease Father Mother Wife Children though all these hang about our necks we must yet readily obey 4. Throughly not as the Devils who if they must needs out of the man yet would tarry in the coast The obedience of the wicked is like their Fathers the Devil it s but in part as the Devil entred into the Swine so they will tarry in some sin
We are to labor altogether against these corruptions of ours against our pride self-love unbelief hypocrisie earthliness weariness of well-doing and the like All that are Christs have crucisled the er flesh with the affections and lusts We must mortifie our earthly members and by the Spirit mortifie the deeds of the flesh These things become not us that are set at liberty from sin and be eudued with the Spirit If we live in the Spirit let us walk in the Spirit For us that are Christians to be led and overcome of our lusts is base as for a Prince to be led of a base person and here is the power of Religion and proof of a Christian that denyeth himself and crucifieth his lusts that not onely keepeth his hand but purifieth his heart that hath it at command in some measure We must labor to know these corruptions and our own hearts and which of these we are most prone unto and discern of them which many do not but are most strangers at home and have many corruptions which they discern not for the heart is deceitful Know both the ugliness and danger of them then repent of them be humbled for them crave pardon heartily unfeignedly seek to mortifie them apply the edge of the word against them even any thing we read or hear out of the Scriptures to this purpose Apply also the benefits of God as means to subdue them so also afflictiont put on the whole Armor of God and on every occasion set against them pray against them also especially when we humble our selves upon occasion of the Sacrament c. always be baiting at them hacking at the roots of them grieving we can prevail no further crying and making our moan to God to help us so shall we get mastery more and more dealing faithfully even over those that we thought sometimes we should never have prevailed against In the mean time le ts not be dismaid that we can get no more mastery be humbled and yet comforted that we strive But here is the great fault of many Christians that suffer their corruptions to bear such sway in them as they break out shamefully and often to Gods dishonor their own shame and the Gospels infamy where is our Christianity when we be so proud that we will contend and being out will never be reconciled but break out into bitter speeches so being so covetous so lazy also in goodness that either we neglect duty wholly or slight it over carelesly Fleshly lusts Hereby are yet further meant all evil thoughts and the least rebellings of this nature of ours against the holy commandments of God These are fruits of this concupiscence and evil nature of ours and of the flesh and are sins against God But here know that evil thoughts be of two kindes 1. Such as be cast in by Satan as into Judas 2. Such as arise from our own corrupt nature as Christ said to his Disciples Why do thoughts arise in your hearts For the former they either fasten upon our nature and tarry to tickle us with a kinde of pleasure or else are immediately cast out with deep detestation If they tarry never so little to parley with our corrupt nature they are our sins as well as Satans but if cast out immediatly they are not then are they our crosses not our sins but the Devils and shal also be laid to his charge not ours for so he cast in thoughts into our Savior Christs minde of distrust presumption idolatry c. but they fastened not at all on his nature therefore he was never the worse so for us for if any shall come and entice me to Murther or Treason and I detest the very first motion thereof Shall I be counted guilty This is needful to be known lest we be too much overwhelmed with grief for these the Devil troubles every one withal at all times and no man alive is free from many of them daily if he did take notice thereof but some men are troubled extraordinarily this way God lets Satan loose at some time and for some space to buffet them most grievously and cast in bad thoughts of all kindes but especially against God most foul unholy prophane and blasphemous thoughts not to be named as that God is not holy just good or deals hardly with some men cannot do this or that with other more vile then is meet to be named which is sometimes the state of civil persons sometimes of the true children of God which are cast into their mindes as thick as hailstones and are by some called the foul Temptation by some the Temptation of Blasphemies This doth so wonderfully perplex the parties that it fills them not onely with fears but even drives them almost to despair makes them weary of their lives that they could wish themselves as far under ground as they are above yea many to think of making away themselves haunting them in all places night and day that they cannot rest so weakening their body and minde exceedingly concerning this state we must know it comes to pass by Gods providence and permission to Satan thus to torment them The cause may be either to humble them to repentance for some coldness or slackness they are fallen into in the worship of God and their course which God thus punisheth or else he punisheth the barrenness of their hearts and idleness of their mindes that care not how they spend away their time their mindes roaving unprofitably which God often chasteneth the way for these to take is 1. To examine themselves if there be any sin lies unrepented of or not throughly repented of to confess and crave pardon of it and repent of it from the heart If any coldness or slackness or declining in care or idleness of minde and unprofitableness then are we to pray against them and keep our hearts still in hatred and detestation of them and therein comfort our selves that the Lord knoweth our hearts and will not lay them to our charge 2. Set light by them let them go as they come for the more we strive with them the more we snarl and trouble our selves and if we make a great matter of them the Devil will still delight to vex us but if we set light by them he will the sooner be weary 3. Let them avoid solitariness which yet they so much desire and keep in company rather wherein the time may be spent in holy conference singing of Psalms and the like but if they be alone they must be very earnest in doing something that 's good 4. Though some may come after all those means used yet we are to comfort our selves that God will not lay them to our charge as if our Childe should be about our business and some unhappy Wretches would not let him alone but throw stones at him pluck him away trip up his heels and he cry and complain to us he cannot do our
punishment of evil doers and for the praise of them that do well The second Reason of the foregoing Exhortation It s taken from the end of Magistrates appointed for the great benefit of a Commonwealth even to punish evil doers commend and defend the good without which no Kingdom could stand as there could be no garden if all the Hogs in the Town were suffered to root it up no orchard if Cattel were suffered to eat it off the buds and bark of the trees c. so that unless we be vipers and seek the ruine of our Countrey we cannot but acknowledge the benefit we get by Magistrates and accordingly perform our duties towards them As they are to make good Laws both for the worship of God tending to his glory and the Salvation of their peoples Souls and the preservation of Justice and Peace wherein Mercy and Judgement are to meet together and are to justifie the Righteous and condemn the wicked as good gardiners pull up the weeds but cherish good herbs whereby vertue may flourish by due encouragement and vice may be suppressed by due punishment So must we accordingly behave our selves towards them for their encouragement For the punishment of evil doers God is a just God who both hates and punisheth sin so must Magistrates do they have not the Sword for nought It must not be as a childes Dagger never drawn out or rust in the scabberd as those hanged up in our houses in the times of Peace Samuel hewed Agag in pieces Joshua put Achan to death Moses was zealous this way Magistrates must be men of courage and must punish the wicked according to their fault This is the ready way to bring them to repentance as the rod and correction gives life to a childe and keep others from the like faults Thus was the stubborn son to be stoned that all Israel might hear and fear Hereby also they stay the cry of sin and so provide for Gods glory and safety both of Church and Commonwealth If they smite not God will as Elies sons and Agag 1. This rebuketh the wonderful coldness of most Magistrates that care not whether they have any ill doers brought before them if they can shift it off or if they be brought yet handle them so gently that not onely that are not the more reformed but the more emboldened in their wickedness and such as complained of them quite discouraged a fearful thing Thus under colour of mercy sin is encreased God dishonored the Commonwealth marred Thus whereas they might do much good they do much hurt to others they hurt also themselves as Saul in sparing Agag and Ahab in sparing Benhadad How will Magistrates answer this God calls Who is on my side Who he looks who will help him against the mighty assuredly it s now time for him to work O let Magistrates look to this they shall provide well for themselves against the time of need they may look for help from God and say as Nehemiah Remember me O Lord my God in goodness according to all that I have done This is also the sin of Headboroughs and Constables that are not zealous to finde out such and complain of them but rather cold loath to stir for being counted medlers c. so that we may say men have no courage for the Truth and no man calleth for Justice And thus they make themselves work while they shun it for so sin encreaseth and will set them on work whether they will or not 2. This rebuketh also all such as take part with persons and causes There 's no Town but hath vile persons in it there 's none so vile but lightly one rich man or other that should joyn to punish him takes part with him If they cannot scape the curse that help not the Lord against the mighty what shall become of them that help the mighty against the Lord and all that seek to punish them a threefold curse waiteth for them and where shall they appear And for the praise of them that do well God loves and rewards well doing so should Magistrates they must defend and advance such their eyes must be upon the faithful in the Land and with Cornelius they should have such wait on them as fear God 1. This rebukes those that hearten not good persons when they come with complaints to them neither shew any countenance to such 2. Much more them that set themselves against those O it s a sickly time when the best be most afraid and punisht As Micaiah imprisoned by Ahab Eliah feign to flie from Jezabel and Jeremiah put in a Dungeon Mephibosheth deprived of his means Daniel cast into the Lyons Den c. Magistrates should not be feared of them that do well yet it s often so so it was in Queen Maries time the godliest hid their heads in Woods and Dens were Imprisoned put to Death whereas Idolaters were in request In such cases we had great need to pray for redress Verse 15. For so is the will of God that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men A Third Reason of the foregoing Exhortation Its Gods will that we submit our selves that by this means we may stop bad mens mouthes that would if we did not obey speak ill of Professors and of the name of God and the Gospel it self For so is the will of God That Gods will ought to be that which should lead and binde us I have heretofore proved at large on the third Petition of the Lords-Prayer which as it should upon all other particulars so ought to prevail with us in this duty of obedience That with well doing ye may put to silence c. Of good works what they be and how needful they are I have spoken on verse 12. adde we here one end more Namely that Good works or a godly innocent life in obedience to Magistrates and all things else is of necessity to stop up the mouthes of bad minded persons that wait for offences Every one that professeth must know that he hath many eyes on him that watch him narrowly and some very badly minded our duty is to take away all matter of ill talk from them as if the wood be taken away the fire goeth out and if the water run not the Mill goes not By well-doing we stop up their mouthes as David did Sauls and Daniel his accusers Or if we cannot stop their mouthes but that they will needs talk yet that they may have no just cause to speak ill of us but though in general terms they make a railing yet being urged in particular to tell what we have done or with what they can chargeus or what sin we live in or what corruption we yield to which we strive not against they may be driven to silence This rebukes the wonderful
They hate men for their goodness and the better they be the worse they like them whom whil'st they were prophane companions with them in disorder they were the onely men with them Why were Abel David our Savior himself hated but for their goodness If they pretend that they mislike them and speak against them for this or that fault it s but for a colour for why then do they like and nourish the same things in themselves and those like themselves Neither can such things be found in Gods people as are daily palpable in them and their companions It s therefore because the light of the godlies good conversation discovers their ill deeds which were the others like them would not be seen or taken knowledge of O the fearful condition of such If he shall dwell in Gods Tabernacle in whose eyes a vile person is contemned but he honoreth them that fear the Lord where shall they dwell that honor vile persons and contemn them that fear the Lord Such 〈◊〉 not of God are not translated from death unto life As Ishmael was cast out of the Church God will for ever Excommunicate all ouâ— of Heaven that continue to be Enemies to his people Though ye have no minde to be as they are yet misuse them not for he that loveth them and will take their part is mighty and hath been revenged of Kings for their sakes But if you will be wise indeed labor to be such who are therefore set up either that you should follow them or else that they should be your Judges as Noah in condemning the old world If you will needs continue to despise them yet know that the time shall come when you shall desire to be as they but it shall be far from you Haply even in this life when you shall be visited with sickness or in some other extremity and misery you may with Balaam wish this but howsoever on the great and terrible day of Judgement when they shall stand on the right hand and you on the left they be received up into everlasting glory your selves cast out into eternal torments you would be glad hereof But you must not think to be as Dives in this world and as Lazarus in the world to come O then love ye the grace of God wheresoever ye see it and the people of God though never so poor and mean yea more then them that are in gold Chains without grace Shew your inward affection towards them by rejoycing in their welfare grieving at the contrary living peaceably with them doing them all the good you can or they stand in need of whether in soul or body 2. This rebuketh such as break this near knot of love for toys and trifles not worth the speaking of welfare Abraham that would rather yield to his Inferior then thus do Many wax hollow and strange and conceited one against another and live at odds in heart-burning even with them whom they cannot they dare not but think to be Gods people Is not this monstrous wrong to Christ to pull one member from another and is it not a great distemper when one member of the body will hurt another O that these days of peace should produce such an effect If God should send days of trouble we would be glad one of another O that wicked pride and covetousness the main causes hereof or any thing else in this world should be of such force as to sever those whom God by his Spirit hath joyned together Thus of their persons For their fellowship and company This follows upon the former for that which we love we desire as much to enjoy as may be as the Husband the Wives company and she his so Parents their Children one Friend anothers They therefore love not the people of God whatsoever they say or pretend that care not for their company But whose fellowship are we to love The Brethrens even the people of God we are to honor all even bad men but are not to have society or keep company with such Enter not into the way of the wicked saith Solomon and walk not into the way of evil men I wrote unto you in an Epistle saith the Apostle that ye should not company together with fornicators c. and again We command you Brethren in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye withdraw your selves from every brother that walketh inordinately and not after the instruction which he received of us Reasons 1. We shall hereby make them aâ—â—â—â—â—ed and so be a means of their Repentance When they shall see themselves after a sort excommunicated out of the society of the people of God they will begin to take notice of the ground thereof namely Their sins and thereupon thus question with themselves If for these and these sins I am thus rejected of men how much more will God reject me otherwise we shall strengthen them in their sins 2. We shall provoke others by our example not to have any fellowship with them who else might continue therein to their destruction 3. Lest we be defiled for who can touch pitch and not be defiled therewith or walk in the Sun and not be tanned A companion of fools shall be afflicted Their company is like an east wind to blast the tender plant of the grace of God in us If we shall use the same they will soon rob us of our good qualities as Hamor did Dinah of her chastity we shall quickly lose our good name quickly learn their works A little leaven leavens the whole lump Sin is of an infectious nature the infection thereof far worse then the plague Solomon the wisest man yet was wonderfully carried away and defiled thus and David with being a little among the Philistines learned to dissemble making as if he had been willing to fight against his own people Peter being but a while in the high Priests Hall fell foully Lot having sojourn'd in Sodom did so far forget himself as that he proffered his two daughters to be lyen with and they learn'd to be monstrous unshamefast Ahaziah did evil in the sight of the Lord saith the Text like the house of Ahab for he was the son in Law of the house of Ahab He was unequally yoked had the company of an ill wife and ill friends 4. Lest we partake of their punishments The curse of God is in the house of the wicked They are cursed abroad and at home and in all they put their hands unto It s dangerous to be in their company Lot being in Sodom was at first taken prisoner and afterward if he had not been pluckt away by the Angel had been there burnt Jehoshaphat hardly escaped his life for going with Ahab St. John would not enter the bath where Cerinthus was Lest saith he the bath fall upon us where this wicked enemy of God is This rebuketh the monstrous wickedness of our
evil slubber over this or that duty up starts the fear of God and saith Nay that must not be yielded to O the marvellous priviledges and sweet promises annexed hereunto Such as fear God need fear neither Hell Death Devil nor Judgement they need not fear Poverty Sickness or Persecution for either they shall not befal them or be sanctified to them O how should we labor to encrease herein by considering Gods greatness and our base poverty together with his justice against sin throughout all ages yea considering his wonderful goodness in himself to the Land to our selves both for soul and body who is not to fear such a glorious such a merciful God but notwithstanding both of his mercies and judgements plentifully manifested who doth truly fear him There 's indeed little fear of God in the world in England in most of our Towns O the fearful condition of such they have cause to fear all things they see as if all did conspire their ruine which also sometimes falls out as the Lord threatned by Moses Were not people hardened bold nay desperate they would not thus shake off Gods fear O let such haste out of this case O labor to get assurance of the pardon of your sins and so turn to God and walk in his fear Go not away hence to live loosly any more as heretofore you have done but fear the great Lord of Heaven and earth who is able to plague you both in Body Mindes Goods Children here and hereafter rear him that hath made thee fed thee and kept thee out of Hell and hath been so good to thee every way yea and will yet do more to thee if thou turn to him Honor the King For the coherence of these words with the former Note we 1. That the duties to God and our Neighbor the duties of the first and second Table are to accompany one another they must not be sundred God hath knit them and they must go together He that loveth God must love his brother also The second is like the first promises are annexed to the performance of both punishments threatned for the breach of either He that commandeth the one enjoyned also the other 1. This rebuketh such as make shew of great zeal in the duties to God and of his worship but in the mean time make no conscience of Deceiving Oppression Falshood Backbiting Idleness and the like break their word and promises wrong men in their bodies goods chastity good-names whatsoever such make their Religion is vain The Prophets cryed down such hypocrites in their times there 's now no less cause so to do Let men joyn both duties together and justifie the truth of the one by the other else as we commonly say He that will swear will lye he that will lye will swear he that makes no conscience of his duty towards his Neighbor makes no conscience of his towards God This rebuketh also such as are very civil and just in their dealings sure of their word and kinde neighbors and yet make no conscience of the duties of the first Table regard not the Word Sacraments Prayer publike or private the observation of the Lords-day and the like O they delight not in these they savor not of such things Howsoever the world count such right honest men yet is God little beholding to them What though they give men their due if they defraud God of his what though they steal not from men if they rob God of his Sabbaths and times of worship which he challengeth as his converting the same to their private uses Let the world think as well and as highly of these as they will wherein they do well they are to be well thought of they are not such as can abide the tryal of the Word neither shall be able to stand before God on the great day but as they have sundered that which God hath coupled so will he if they repent not sunder them for ever from his Kingdom 2. That the knowledge and fear of God is the fountain of all our duties to men in their several places none can be a good servant indeed a through good servant one to be trusted with business of weight with hope of blessing and success as Eleazer Abrahams servant but such a one as feareth God So according to the Text no man can truly honor the King and be an absolute good subject except he fear God no man will honor him from his heart as he ought nor obey him for conscience sake nor pay duties chearfully venture his life for him faithfully and pray for him heartily but such as fear God This is the onely sure bridle all others of credit fear c. will break to keep people in duty where this hath been wanting there have been mutinies and risings yea what else can be expected where this bears not sway 1. Let all that fear God shew it in their several places by the performance of their duties to men especially of subjection to their Governors that so they may bring the same in esteem and procure credit thereto 2. Would any be good Subjects let them begin at the right end perform their duties in the right maner even for conscience sake as being required of God Thus shall the Prince be much the better for them and they themselves have comfort in the performance of the same Thus shall not they dare fail herein for fear of the highest whereas worldly men perform theirs meerly for fear of men 3. Magistrates are to trust those most which do most fear God and accordingly to use them kindely and countenance them as being indeed their most loyal Subjects yea to further the Gospel what in them lies whereby people may be brought to fear God that so they may prove true and loyal to themselves and so adde strength to the Kingdom Thus of the coherence For the words themselves Honor the King I have already spoken at large of the duty contained herein Know we onely that by the King here is meant Caesar who was an Heathen Emperor one that intruded himself ruled tyrannously and was an Idolater and by Honor not Divine and Religious honor for that is due to God alone but Civil worship and honor The difference between those is not in the outward gesture of the body or bowing the knee but in the intention of the minde Divine is when we bow both knee and heart and soul to God and that for his own sake as the Lord of Heaven and Earth and the Author of all good to us to whom we pray when we want it and whom we praise as the Author of any mercy for soul or body Civil is when bowing the knee yea and the affection of the minde to men we do it yet for the Lords sake and as the Lords instruments and whom he hath set over us for good as excelling us in gifts and graces to whom we
do yet live in foul sins Again some one hath deceived them or wronged them and they can speak very hardly against falshood and ill dealing who yet can see foul faults in others but such as have not touched them and not speak against them at all Some make great account of their truth and honesty and Oh they would not deceive their Neighbor nor carry away any thing out of his house and why fie on it hath not God forbid it who yet will rob the Lord of a great part of his day which he saith is his Some also make conscience to give their Servants victuals enough but make no conscience to give them any good instruction or to pray for them and with them c. These things they ought to have done and not left the other undone 2. If a man have a care of all Gods Commandments hate all sin and do all good always endeavoring to keep a good conscience in all things He hath an ill conscience that nourisheth any sin He that bears with himself in one sin shuns none for conscience Some are very forward to the Word Sacraments good Company ask why Because say they God requireth the same but why follow they not their calling pay every man his own deal justly doth not God require these also He is an Hypocrite that doth the former but makes no conscience of the latter Contrarily some follow their calling pay every man his own c. who yet robs God of his due and the times of worship Requireth not the Lord as well these as those Again such a man dares not do such and such a sin rob kill steal c. Why because of God and his Word who yet will swear lye rail break the Sabbath hate their Neighbors c. Why hath not God as well forbid these as those 3. If a man be careful to do his duty zealously as in Prayer not to bow the knee onely but the heart also at the Word not to hear onely with the outward ear but from the heart to reverence the same with a purpose to be ruled thereby He that slubbers over duties coldly it s a sign he looks onely to men not God 4. If a man be as careful to do his duties in private as he is in publique as in private to pray as he is in publique to hear so to meditate to be oft making moan for sin begging mercy and grace wrestling against his corruptions c. Every Hypocrite doth outward duties true Christians are in secret the same How many froward husbands will shew much kindeness to their Wives before company whereas he that makes conscience of his ways is most kinde in private So a man must make as much conscience of secret sins as of open sins of private sins in a corner of secret corruptions pride hypocrisie distrustful impatient and lustful thoughts so of wandring thoughts in Prayer and at the Word and Sacraments and of worldly thoughts on the Lords-day He must be grieved for them pray against them 5. If a man be not for a brunt but hold our constantly and continue yea and that in persecution as well where wind and tide is against him and he meets with ill will and hard measure for so doing as when he hath good countenance and may so do without control Thus David Daniel and the three Children though Princes both spake sate and did against them most part do contrarily Some make a shew a little while but quickly through love of the world through fear or favor fall away as questionless if Religion should alter most would go with the strongest side and many which now come to the Gospel would as readily go to Mass yea carry a faggot to burn them that now sit with them in the same seats These be they that know not the truth that receive not the love of the truth that live as they list and will not obey the truth Examine your selves by these Notes and as you are to repent and ask mercy and pardon for all that 's past even your best actions and the maner of your performance thereof so for the time to come do not any duty in Hypocrisie but all for conscience unto Gods Commandment Verse 20. For what glory is it if when ye be buffeted for your faults ye shall take it patiently but if when ye do well and suffer for it ye take it patiently this is acceptable with God THat which the Apostle said in the foregoing Verse he doth in this amplifie by the contrary and then repeats in the end of this that he said in that In the first clause speak we first of suffering for faults then of patient suffering for the same For what glory is it if when ye be buffeted for your faults c. Here note That All suffering is not commendable nor comfortable to suffer for faults is a shame and matter to hang the head for all sin hath shame belonging thereto Therefore when our Savior saith Blessed are ye when men revile you he addeth for my names sake and falsly and Blessed are they that suffer persecution he addeth for righteousness sake Whoso suffereth deservedly for his faults is herein a companion with the Devil and Reprobates a companion of the old world Korah Achan Gehazi c. who were deservedly punished 1. This condemneth them that boast of their sufferings without cause The Papists keep a book of Martyrs executed here in England in the days of our late Queen and King Woful Martyrs the Devils Martyrs if they be any like those which be hanged with us every Assiz for Murther and Robbery and the vilest things they suffer for high Treason for their bloody and devilish conspiracies against their Prince and State They might be ashamed of such if they were not devilishly impudent it s the cause not the punishment makes the Martyr and as one saith None can dye the death of a Martyr but he that beforehand hath lived the life of a Christian so did they never they put to death hundreds yea thousands in former times both here and in other Countreys onely for not yielding to their blasphemous lyes but not one of these hath suffered for Religion but for their Treasonable facts who if they had suffered for their Religion yet had been no Martyrs for their Religion is lyes and it had not been for Christ and the Gospels sake and its possible for an Heretick to be as stubborn and impudent in maintaining a lye as the childe of God can be constant in the Truth yea to dye also for a lye though not with the like comfort as the other for the Truth 2. Among our selves some will say I think I have as many troubles as any body and have been as ill spoken of but if it was for thy faults thou hast no cause to boast Hast thou got an ill name for a Company keeper for suspition of uncleanness for an oppressor for an
of other in prosperity and adversity for body and soul and this is for the continuance and increase of love True it is the Husband may be absent from his Wife either by the commandment of his Prince being imployed in any service whether in Church or Commonwealth or upon his own necessary affairs as Merchants and Marriners or upon meer necessity as many dwelling in one place do yet work in another yet must not he fail in his absence to pray for her to keep himself chaste to have her as it were still present with him sending to her as often as he can and returning as speedily as he may Also if any contagious disease should be they may with mutual consent part for a while It must be matter of weight must keep them any time asunder not any unkindeness yea though both be willing to dwell asunder For whom God hath joyned together no man must sunder And as they may keep in one house so one bed and board must hold them therefore it is that she is said to lie in his bosom and Let her breasts satisfie thee at all times 1. This condemneth all unlawful parting 's of Husband and Wife as of the Jews which put away their Wives when they took dislike of them by giving them a Bill of divorcement This came of the hardness of their hearts but was not so from the beginning Of sundry in our times which live asunder as have been married yong through some sinister respects of their Parents or rashly or inconsiderately though come to years of discretion which afterwards they have disliked neither party loving the other according to Gods Ordinance of those Husbands that idly give themselves after marriage to travel to see Countreys and Fashions thus exposing as well themselves as their Wives to Satans temptations Of those that for the most part haunt Inns Alehouses and Taverns Gusling Gaming and Whoring being but seldom at home If the Husband is to leave Father and Mother much more such places to cleave to his Wife Of those which following their Recreations and Pleasures put all upon their Wives chiding them for whatsoever is done amiss by Servants or others those prove cruel taskmasters to their Wives like Pharaoh's to the Israelites were it not better for such their businesses being over to read confer and lovingly converse with their Wives and should not their company be better to them then all companies in the world 2. This condemneth those that part boards the Husband being either so proud as he thinks his Wife not good enough to sit with him at Table or she so unquiet that he eats by himself each Hog in his own Trough yea and beds too and that either continually or upon discontent for some time or upon surliness and overmuch coyness when the Husband will not be troubled with the childes crying c. as if he were not sometimes to bear such marriage troubles but lay all upon his Wife 3. This condemeth the marriage of Children who must be kept asunder many years This comes from the excessive haste of Parents which dare not trust God for a marriage rich enough till they come of years but thus prevent the Lord Such think they work wisely but for the most part it s but foolishly They think thus to build their houses but for the most part it proves their ruine such seldom loving one another According to knowledge Husbands must be men of understanding and knowledge in the Scriptures and grounds of Christian Religion that they may do good to their wives and whole family They are the head therefore must be able to guide the eye therefore must see If the eye be dark all must needs be dark as the oyntment on Aarons head ran down on his beard and thence to the skirt of his garment their knowledge must be exercised for the good of their wives and the meanest in their family They must be men of knowledge 1. To instruct them in the ways of God to pray with them and especially when through weakness or sickness their wives have been forced to stay at home to inform them of such Points as were publikely delivered by the Preacher 2. To comfort them in their heaviness of minde affliction of body loss of children and the like and that from the Word of God being able to asswage the bitterness of their grief 3. To advise and counsel them for the best 4. How to admonish and reprove them They must not do it without cause nor when there is cause in an ill maner before company or with carnal bitterness but rather in the terms of the Scriptures and in love 5. When to yield to their requests or perswasions Herein Adam Sampson and Ahab failed but Job in rebuking his wife shewed he was a man of knowledge 6. To bear with their weaknesses and infirmities meet to be born with 7. Not prescribing them to do any unlawful or unreasonable thing whether on the Lords day or at other times as to say They are not within when they are within c. 8. Not keeping such a number of Dogs as may be both loss and continual vexation to their wives or removing up and down till they have wasted all they have Thus bad wives may be brought on to goodness and good wives made better 1. This condemneth the common abuse of this Land How few husbands be men of knowledge able to instruct comfort advise govern or admonish their wives how few able to pray with them repeat a sermon to them or comfort them in any of their heavinesses Hence it is that they burthen their wives with needless things Hence many women of some good parts and towardness matching with such Worldlings and Ignorants have been undone Hence so many jars and contentions in families How many wives would perform their duties if their husbands would go before them in performing theirs O what evils might be avoided if husbands had but discretion but most are void of understanding cannot give a reason of their Faith cannot pray in their families scarce give thanks for their meat check and discourage their wives from goodness if they have any inclination thereto Alas in these days if they get a little hair on their faces and their portion into their hands they think themselves fit to marry though they have neither wit nor understanding or if they stay some years it s to get goods to set up with not that they may be furnished with knowledge Parents enquire after wealth and how their daughters shall live but do not much regard their living with men of knowledge 2. This condemneth the Papists which forbid the Layety to read the Scripture But where 's knowledge to be learned if not by them It s enough with them that their Priests have knowledge yet must not they marry 3. For those that are married and have failed herein let them redeem the
happy indeed but Moses had respect hereunto and did clearly discern the same Q. May we then offer our selves to trouble A. Ordinarily we must not If any in extraordinary times should feel an extraordinary zeal and desire hereto as it seems the Apostle Paul had when he would needs go to Jerusalem questionless they should have joy in their sufferings we must tarry till God call us Q. May we flee persecution A. If God make make us a way we may as who haply are not as yet so fully fitted and resolved to suffer as were meet or who know not whether God will have us scatter his truth further or remain to be as feeds thereof for afterwards but if we see that its Gods minde we should be sâ—ffer then it s our duty willingly and chearfully to put forth our selves This confuteth the foolish world that judging it to be a most miserable thing thus to suffer will therefore never come at it either not professing Religion at all or else revolting therefrom in time of trouble yet would they be happy but they take a contrary course they being ashamed of Christ here he will be ashamed of them hereafter In saving a transitory life they lose life everlasting yea how do we our selves shun sufferings as if they were miserable which do suffer whereas the Spirit of God hath pronounced them blessed Happy are they that suffer for a good cause for righteousness for Religion for conscience sake such as stick fastest to the truth provide best and most wisely for themselves what can their enemies do to us If they take away our goods we shall have a thousand fold more in this world and in the world to come life everlasting If they mangle our bodies God will raise up the same gloriously If they separate our souls from our bodies by death the Angels will carry them into Abrahams bosom If our cause be good we have cause to rejoyce in our sufferings so are we enjoyned so did the Apostles in their sufferings so also the holy Martyrs I might to this purpose alledge the story of Alice Driver of Priests wife in Exeter of the Christians in Edessa c. but that they may be read at large in the Book of the Martyrs O that we should be so discouraged at a mock at a frown of our betters O that we should be as soon ready to give over as to begin to do well though the more religious we are the more we esteem of the word the better both God his angels and people like us yet is it not so with the world they liked us better before but do not now approve of our course howsoever this is our duty hereof shal we have the benefit yea to be disliked to suffer for this will be our honor our advancement As David being mocked of Michol resolved to be yet more humble so should we be so much the more for goodness as we see the world oppose it and set themselves against us because of the same We must not be discouraged at the very greatest much less at small trials We know not what we shall suffer For yet we have not resisted unto blood onely let us be careful that we suffer for Righteousness and for a good cause for though we have some good things in us yet haply we may be brought to suffer for some fault in us and therein we can have small peace Beware we suffer not as Separatists that flie out against and from the Church that we suffer not for contempt or usual neglect of our Ministers if they preach the Word truly that we suffer not for rash heady hasty and violent carriage of our selves that we suffer not for our censuring for our meddling with things or persons wherewith we have nothing to do or for passing our bounds in things beyond our reach Servants must beware that they suffer not for their carelesness in their places as those which having liberty granted them to hear the Word upon their not profiting thereby are restrained therefrom so if they shall suffer for being negligent untrusty sloathful stout in answering again c. they suffer deservedly not for righteousness sake yea this their carriage makes the godly housholders to grieve and those that be not so well seasoned to think ill of the profession and it makes the name of God and his Gospel ill spoken of and hereupon many say Oh I le never meddle with these Bible-wenches c. fie upon it what a fearful thing is this The like may be said of the poor which neglect their callings and are caraless of their Families c. Note further That A godly man is blessed happy in what condition soever He is happy not onely in prosperity but even in sufferings even in the very lowest abasement nothing can make them miserable having God and a good conscience though they meet with affliction from God or persecution from men as here yet are they happy Imprison him fetter him let no creature come at him put Lyons to him c. yet he is still and shall be the childe of God the member of Christ the heir of Heaven a Kings son c. and how can he be miserable that hath the Comforter within For the wicked nothing can make them happy let a wicked man have Sampsons strength Absoloms beauty Ahasuerus his wealth Nebuchadnezzars stately Babel Dives his costly apparel c. yet is he miserable he is under the curse of God there 's but a step between him and Hell As Jonah was asleep whilest God was offended with him the winds raged against him the Whale was ready to swallow him so do the wicked eat sleep and are jovial while God is offended Heaven is shut up against them Hell gapes for them and the Devil waits on them as his prey Their security will end in a fearful wakening they shall be snatched from their beds of ease and cast into everlasting torments 1. This may encourage Gods servants to suffer for righteousness They shall not be the less happy let the world do its worst it cannot make them miserable They are every way happy in poverty sickness persecution and the like O who would not labor to attain this honor and happiness 2. It may disswade the wicked from their mischievous plotting against Gods servants For why do they pursue them To make them miserable its impossible They may indeed make them the more to shine forth through their constancy in Faith and increase their glory in Heaven and so make them more happy but to make them miserable they cannot O that they would break off this their course and be weary thereof for so long as they be wicked how rich soever or how high a pitch soever of honor they have clambered to they are miserable yea these and the like make them more miserable as being fuel to their lust being to
what is behinde we know not how little it may be and therefore must make use of the time present in turning to God and providing for our own souls 1. This rebukes those that have spent a great part of their life in sin and yet being called to repentance cannot afford this remainder to God as yong men that think it as yet too soon c. much more horrible and wicked are they that have spent half their life their yong time in pleasures and vanities and now are as mad of the world as ever with whom even yet it s too soon to turn to God 2. Let this be a provocation unto all sorts to turn unto God Let yong men repent they be called and invited hereunto O now it would be acceptable to God when their wit is fresh their memory good their body and minde able it would be like Abels sacrifice As for old torn lame Sacrifices God hath no regard to them If we begin betimes we shall prevent a number of sins and so a great deal of smart and sorrow Besides we shall learn goodness with much more ease if God should from our youth turn our hearts after it If we delay we shall thereupon see not onely how wretchedly we have spent our time and misused our wit memory and strength but how dull we be when we are old and unfit to learn it will much vex us an old Convert lightly never gets knowledge and sees but dimly the way as he that saw men like trees If one should defer to learn a trade till age he might easily perceive that his wit were dull his fingers and joynts stiff Let the middle aged repent nay let not even the oldest despair but hasten to repent that if possible they may crowd in And for those that have long walked in the ways of God let them hold out to the end do so still many of Gods servants have been tript in old age yea and then the Devil labors most to intrap them Should live in the flesh to the lusts of men but to the will of God We must neither live in gross actual sins wherein most men live that lust after them as a woman longeth after a thing when she is with childe nor give way to the inward corruptions of our hearts proceeding from that old man Lusts Original sin concupiscence that is in us we must not live after the lusts of carnal natural and unregenerate men called in the next Verse The lusts of the Gentiles of which as being enemies to God and to our own souls and bringing death along with them I have already spoken It s an argument that they which live after them be not Christs To those now living after their pleasures and following their lusts it will be said hereafter as to Dives Thou hast had thy pleasure as Lazarus pain now is he comforted thou tormented But we must live after the will of God To whose will should the servant be obedient but to his masters the subject but to his Princes God is our master and soveraign His will also is a most holy pure and perfect will and a rule of righteousness he requires no uncomely no hurtful thing of us but that which is holy and profitable every way The Angels in Heaven they do the will of God our Savior came into the world to do his will In his passion he had respect hereto Not my will but thy will be done saith he all the Saints do it and the godly on earth are and ever have been careful hereof as being a note of such as shall be saved All creatures in their kinde obey the will of God and do that they were appointed for we are taught to pray that this may be done To do this in all things willingly brings comfort and peace along with it 1. This rebukes those that will not be brought in subjection to Gods will but of all things that 's most irksom to them Who made thee who gave thee this comely body and reasonable soul who hath preserved thee whose will shouldest thou be subject to art thou a masterless person such should be sent to the house of correction Whose will dost thou follow what fault findest thou with Gods will is it a better will which thou followest O no it s a most corrupt and sinful will 2. It rebuketh those which will be ruled by the will of God in some things onely and at their pleasure this is not to do Gods will but our own Such was Pharaohs obedience Sauls the Devils About this there 's no small stir in the world God would have his will and men would have theirs Ministers call for Gods will and people will have their own though they dye for it say who will against it And indeed oftentimes what is it but their will that they do oftentimes It s against their profit their credit prejudicial both to soul and body Why do men follow drunkenness and riot but because they will This is the cause why Preaching is so little regarded of most so much opposed by many even because it would set up Gods will and pull down mans If any Preacher shall speak against prophaning the Lords-day Oh he is a troubler of Israel hinders people from their wills and old wonts They enquire not what Gods will is in things but what their profit and pleasure leads them to not what is the way that God would have us increase by namely by diligence in our calling by equal and righteous dealing c. is Gods way askt after and followed No but shorter cuts are sought after as by deceit oppression and the like it s a sign that such shall never come into Gods Kingdom every Creature is better then they and have a better end except they repent If they will have their wills they must have that belongs to it they must pay dearly for them as many do Israel would have flesh in the Wilderness would have a King as other Nations had they had their wills but it had been better for them they had been without Ahab would have his will in going to Ramoth Gilead he had it and there perished God will have his will of such in their condemnation as who will resist his Soveraignty and he will not cease to be a King though they refuse to be Subjects O considering the filthiness of our own will and the the dangers thereof and the holiness of Gods will and the benefit that comes thereby that we would renounce our own and follow Gods will 3. It rebuketh the Servants of God that be not so careful of the will of God as they ought O how often do we suffer our own wills to bear sway in omitting many a good duty or doing it coldly so in doing that is evil in wrath impatience worldliness c It s his will that we should forget wrongs but we do often nourish and retain them
and then how will they answer that to God 2. It rebukes those also that living among their people yet care not thus but think themselves discharged that they meet them at Church on the Sabbath and then preach them a Sermon whereas all the week after they consider not of them nay scarce visit the sick but either are so entangled with cares and businesses of the world that they cannot or so addicted to their pleasures that they will not minde this Thus they are less fit for Preaching do the less good and receive all at a venture to the Sacrament which is a fearful thing 3. As people must be careful for their Ministers who had need of no worldly care hanging on them that they may attend on their care of them so they must be willing that their Ministers have a care of them and deal privately with them and theirs This many cannot away with but would that the Minister should content himself with seeing them at Church but not to look into their behavior in their Families or to pry into their lives or deal privately or particularly who yet if they have a shepherd look that he should diligently tend their sheep all day and look to them particularly as well as feed them they should be glad when the Minister will come to their Houses and sit with them conferring with them and theirs of heavenly things c. But if they should know when he would come they would be sure to be out of the way this is a sign of an ill conscience that they cannot abide the tryal and which is worse of a bad heart that is not willing to mend But there 's another extremity when people will expect too much at the Ministers hands as to visit them at their houses more often then the largeness of the place and his strength and time will permit which though it be a good fault and a rare therefore to be much born with for there is nothing more comely in the world then to see Ministers delight in their peoples company and people in theirs and thereupon to be much together yet it must be done as it may stand with the publique There must be convenient time to Preach that we may not come unpreparedly and if a Minister Preach also on the week days he cannot have much time for private especially in a great and wide Parish Not by constraint but willingly Now for the maner A Minister is not to perform the forementioned duties by constraint as for fear of Gods wrath mens Laws or shame c. but willingly To do by constraint is base and servile what any doth thus they do but homely no better then needs must and besides what hope of Gods blessing can they expect upon such work God loves a willing heart and a chearful doer There 's a constraint that is good whereof the Apostle writeth to the Corinthians The love of Christ hath constrained me c. namely because Christ hath pardoned my sins dyed for me hath called me to this high and holy calling to be his Ambassador to his people hath entrusted me with the souls of his People c. I will therefore in all and every these respects do my duty in the most faithful and careful maner that I can neither can I do otherwise other constraint is base A man cannot endure his Servant should thus do his work much less the Lord who hath no need of any man and if one do it not he can set up another at his pleasure 1. This rebukes those that never Preach but so often as they are bound by Law once a moneth or once a quarter as also those who for avoiding the shame of dumb idols step up and do a little but like hirelings who have no love to their work are at it in body their mindes being far therefrom 2. It may perswade all Ministers to readiness and willingnes in our duty private and publique when we finde any loathness to our study and drousiness therein le ts think what an honorable Calling ours is and that whereas others are employed on earthly things ours is in the Scriptures searching in the rich Treasures of the Word and dealing altogether in Spiritual and Holy things and again what a trust is laid up with us and what weight lyeth upon us and what a reward remaineth for us we serve a good Master in an excellent work in the assurance of most rich wages 3. People must learn also to do their duty not by constraint but willingly Thus must they reverence their Ministers hear them obey their Ministery allow them maintenance but how grudgingly do most pay their Tythes which is for want of finding good by the Word They should so take part of the Ministers Spiritual things as they may put themselves into his debt and see cause to allow him means O suffer not any of the tenth part to cleave to your fingers neither seek to enrich your selves hereby but by the remaining nine parts whoso think to enrich themselves by working on the Lords day or keeping back their Tythes deceive themselves they shall not prosper Be the Minister good or bad give him willingly all the Law gives him If he do not his duty he shall answer for it Be not you Trespassers also stoppage is no payment but if he be a sufficient and painful Minister your custom will not priviledge you from paying him his due by Gods appointment you must give him his due to the utmost and he is worthy of it But O the woful covetousness and corruption of men in this behalf They think any thing enough for a Minister though it be but from hand to mouth whereas they look to encrease themselves and think their Trade bad and themselves ill Husbands if they leave not store to their Posterity Not of filthy lucre but of a ready minde It s not enough to do our duty willingly for so we may do for filthy lucre and gain but it must be of a ready minde even the love of God and zeal of his glory and the care of the peoples Salvation and winning them to God It were a base thing that lucre should set us on work or any thing else but those high and holy ends Obj. None would preach but for their maintenance they look for it Sol. Suppose it to be so yet many preach and have not half the maintenance they spend where they live but either spend of that little God gave them by their friends or else rob other Churches as the Apostle speaketh to preach to them but it s one thing to be set on work for gain and another to expect an honest and necessary mainteinance which is a necessary help to the doing of the duty and without which it cannot be well done It comes in I say by the by as a necessary help to the duty not as the end that sets
and be poor mourning sighing hungring c. obtain mercy with God They are fit objects thereof witness the poor Publican will be thankful and do any thing at Gods command 2. Such as acknowledge themselves unworthy of any mercy God honoreth with many as Abraham Jacob the Centurion the woman of Canaan with others 3. They that acknowledge that whatsoever grace or gift they have they have had it of God and refer it to his glory shall have more as he that had gained five Talents He is not worthy to be an Almsman that will not acknowledge the Donor 4. They that acknowledge their own insufficiency and inability to good or resist evil these will pray and God will keep them and give them the grace they want they shall be satisfied as the thirsty ground with rain David prayed to be taught and got more understanding then the Ancients to this end also they will hear read come to the Sacraments c. as knowing the need they have of help and so are holpen 5. They that humbly submit themselves to the obedience of Gods word them he will teach and they shall profit These shall save themselves from many a sin and sorrow which else with David Jonah and Peter they may bring upon themselves 6. When having sinned they humble themselves God is near them to receive them to mercy as to the Prodigal and to turn away evil as from Josiah 7. Them that humble themselves under Gods afflicting hand God graceth with deliverance as David from Saul from Absolom 8. Them that keep themselves humbly within their compass God teacheth and keepeth in their places to do good when others medling with matters above their reach run into some error or heresie and bring shame upon themselves So 9. Them that be humble towards men preferring others before themselves and being low in their own eyes God graceth with favor credit and a good report The Use followeth in the following words Verse 6. Humble your selves therefore under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time THe Apostle having shewed that Humility is an ornament to be labored for and given a Reason thereof he doth here press the same with an Exhortation teaching both us how to preach and you how to hear We must deliver sound Doctrine prove it strongly by Arguments and Reasons and then urge the practice thereof to the avoiding of evil and performing good else we do nothing People also must thus hear when they know a thing then must they yield to the obedience thereof else all is nothing We must be cast into the mold and shape of the Doctrine delivered we must follow the sample and patern of the Word we must write after our copy though haply we do it not so fairly as were requisite we must be like the eccho that answereth the same sound to the voyce though not perfectly Our lives must in some measure be answerable to the word Humble your selves therefore Humility is the way to Gods grace If in seeing our own vileness and sin we do humble our selves God will have mercy on us Shall not the grace of God allure us which is more worth then the whole world what else will But of this before Under the mighty hand of God Now follow two other Reasons to perswade to humility One from Gods power with whom we have to do the other from the preferment whereunto we shall attain in due time he will exalt us From the 1. The mighty hand of God either to lift us up being humble or cast us down being proud Note that The consideration of Gods Almightiness is a good mean to make us humble See this in Peter at the great draught of fishes Depart from me for I am a sinful man So Abraham I am but dust and ashes So Isaiah Wo is me I am undone c. Hence God gave his Law in such terrible maner and humbled his Servants whom he was to send unto his people with fearful visions so when God would somewhat take down Job he did it by shewing him his power in his creatures Gods hand indeed is mighty that made the world of nothing divided the Red sea opened the earth in sunder made the mountains to tremble and will raise us out of our graves in the last day This ought much to affect us that so we might seek to get into his favor stoop to his Word submit our selves under the cross and be humbled The want of this is the cause of pride and that we do not stoop before the Lord We think because we can make our part good one with another we can do so with God But O potsheard who art thou that strivest with thy maker What is the potsheard to the bar of iron whether it give or take the blow it breaketh into pieces the proudest Gyants have not stood before him when he hath been angry If the Lyon roar the Beasts tremble If a Gyant should take an ordinary man in hand what could he not do would he not fling him against the ground and make the earth to ring so doth God by many a proud man in a year he flings him on his back against the ground and makes all the Countrey ring of the fall O then consider this and humble thy self for thy sins past labor to get into Gods favor stoop to his Word when he speaks yield and bow under his afflicting hand lest he tear thee in pieces whiles there is none to help if his wrath burn but a little Oh Kiss the Son lest he be angry and ye perish in his wrath Little did Pharaoh Nebuchadnezzar and others think God had such a mighty hand Be wise by their harms stoop in time lest he make thee have woful experience of his Almightiness to thy confusion And he will exalt you Namely with grace here and glory hereafter This is the second Reason from which note that Humility is the way to glory This may be shewed in the forementioned properties of humility If a man confess and humble himself in the sight of sins God will exalt him with comfort so will he outwardly advance the humble and dejected Leah being despised God made her fruitful as David from the Ewes to be anointed and after he was humbled under many afflictions God exalted him to the Kingdom in his own time so were Joseph Esther Mordecai exalted so will he exalt to glory in Heaven all his that have humbly walked before him amidst their sorrows and the many afflictions of this life as Lazarus Labor we therefore for humility if we would be indeed exalted In due time Though Gods servants be not always advanced or delivered when they will yet shall they in due time God is not onely able and willing to exalt his humble servants but infinitely wise to know the fittest time He doth all things in due time If
it hath been to beget you to the faith Let us take heed of being removed from our Faith either in general or in particular let us take heed of being shaken and put from our good course and drawn into evil through prosperity or of being choked by preferment or daunted by affliction and persecution Q. If a man having begun in truth do use the means carefully may he be assured of perseverance A. Some think that no man can have any such assurance or hold out to the end considering what man is in himself what the Devil what the World c. but though we be subject to fall away every hour and if we should compare our selves with the oppositions of our Spiritual Enemies we might even utterly despair yet we are in a strong hand to be kept Our life is hid with Christ in God we are kept by the power of God through faith unto Salvation Those that are justified and sanctified though of mean parts yet are sure and safe The least measure of grace shall stand when the greatest gifts without grace shall fall away Verse 11. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever Amen HAving had occasion to speak of Gods mercy in Christ Jesus he cannot but break out into praise and thanksgiving Whence we may learn That Upon the consideration of our Election in Christ as also our effectual Calling c. we must at no time cease praising the Lord thus do the Saints and Angels in Heaven and it will be our work there which therefore we should begin here We must labor throughout our whole course of life to glorifie God yea seeing Dominion and Power belongs unto Christ herein is our comfort herein the welfare of the Church of God and every particular Christian Christ bears the sway else wo were to us Verse 12. By Silvanus a faithful Brother unto you as I suppose I have written briefly exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein ye stand ANother part of the conclusion namely A commendation of his Epistle 1. From the Messenger he sends it by Silvanus whom he commends for a faithful Christian and Minister and one that loved them well and was careful for them as he was perswaded and saw cause to move him so to think 2. He sets down the sum of his Epistle consisting of two parts 1. His testifying by infallible Arguments That that was the true Religion and way of Salvation which they believed and yet stood in though there were other false Religions yet was this the onely true Religion 2. His exhorting of them earnestly not to suffer themselves to be removed from the same by any means whatsoever so that he wrote not about trifles but about the main namely To signifie and prove to them the true Religion and to perswade them to constancy therein By Silvanus The Apostles had some to attend them and assist them to write and send to the Churches not for pomp but necessary use and furthering of the work This grew after to pomp and state under Popery but pomp and state beseems not the Ministers of the Gospel howsoever its meet that they should have necessary furtherance He sends this Epistle by this Silvanus whom he so highly commends he pickt him out of purpose for he would not commend such a jewel a prime piece of the Churches treasure to every ordinary person he also was fit to certifie them of the Apostles minde therein and preach out of it to them It s meet holy things should be in the handling of holy persons See 1 Eli's sons made the people loath the Sacrifice of the Lord Even the meanest Officer in the Church is to be of some understanding and of sober honest conversation not a base person Swearer Drunkard c. it s a loathsom thing to see such having any thing to do with Church-businesses A faithful Brother He was a good and faithful Christian and a faithful Brother in the Ministry good both in his general and particular calling the one is the ground and tryal of the other He that is no good Christian can be no good Magistrate Minister Housholder c. and he that is no good Magistrate c. is no good Christian In that the Apostle gives him such a good commendation 1. It teacheth every one of us to labor for a good name and report in the Church of God as Job Zachary and Elizabeth Barnabas Obadiah with others had This is better then good oyntment then much gold and silver What a blessing while we live and after death a fragrant memory 2. It rebuketh those that live so badly as the Church nor Charity it self cannot speak well of them as also such as live so doubtfully and suspiciously as in some things they give some hope in others they dash it again so that there 's none can give any full testimony of them Such provide ill for themselves Unto you He was very loving and faithful to them hereof the Apostle informs them that they might esteem the more of him and profit the better by him Such as are faithful in their Ministery draw their peoples hearts to them and their Ministery whereby they receive much comfort as their people profit 1. This rebukes the great unfaithfulness of numbers of Ministers they have little care or conscience for their peoples good But 2. If Ministers be loving and faithful to them then ought they again to regard them much lest else they discourage them in their Ministery As I suppose The Original word signifies more as by casting mine accounts I finde or by laying things together I can gather yet not such a confident word but kept within bounds whatsoever might fall out Here note 1. That we ought to think and speak as well of Ministers and others as we have cause and as we have grounds to warrant us not keeping from them their due regard and commendation much less speak evil of them that deserve well But herein great numbers fail with whom one infirmity in their brethren shall drown their many good graces yea are ready to hear ill reports and believe them though they be never so uncertain or ungrounded 2. That we ought to be wise and wary in our commendations Many have repented that they have so largely commended others when as they did not walk answerably much hurt hath come this way We had need be wary except we have more then ordinary experience for the heart of man is deceitful and many good beginnings to the eye have not proved so well yet if any should not prove well it can be no great disparagement to them that have spoke well of them so they have been moderate therein for all the Apostles were deceived in Judas as Paul of Demas I have written The Apostles great care of their good Having entred them he would confirm them and now that he could not