the curtaines and removed the vaile from our deceitfull hearts I now desire that you all especially such as have the highest employments for the Publike may now take a serious view of your own hearts and truly consider what spirits you are of Let me intreat you for your owne comfort to apply these few rules to your own lives and try your publique actions by this touch-stone of sincerity and then aske your consciences that question which Luther commended to the Christians of Argentina to be the first and last question in their Disputations which was this Whether have I that by which I may know that I am a Christian or no A second use we may make of this point is of exhortation and first in generall to all If it be every godly mans duty to serve his generation then let me exhort you every one to be forward and zealous in this work at this time when the Common-wealth is in so sad so bleeding a condition by reason of a Kingdom-sincking civill warre and the Church so out of order by those wide divisions and distractions that are among us Chrysostome to move compassion and to quicken up our dead hearts to works of mercy adviseth this as a good way Namely to goe to the Lazar-houses or Hospitalls where some are lame some blind some maimed some wounded these sad spectacles of humane misery if any thing will put our hearts into a melting frame The most places of this Kingdome are now such Hospitalls where wee may see war and desolation poverty and palenes and garments rolled in blood where we may hear the wofull groanes of dying men and the bitter lamentations of children for their parents and parents for their children because they are not And who then would not bee a Samaritan to help on the cure of such a wounded Kingdome that hath any bowels in the world But perhaps some will say What should we doe we are in no such places of authoritie as have a calling to make up publique breaches I answer there is no member in Church or Common-wealth so mean but hath some talent to serve his generation withall Some have wealth some wisdome some authority but all have parts or grace or strength or time or prayers to serve the publique with If thou beest of the meanest forme of Christians and hast small worldy endowments yet there be two wayes to make thy services very usefull to the Publique and comfortable to thy selfe First the lesse power thou hast with men labor to have the more power with God and then make use of that David did more with his sling then Goliah could do with his spear because he went against his enemy in the Name of the Lord Israel were as much beholden for their safety to Aaron and Hur that held up Moses hands as the men of war that fought their battells Secondly thou mayest make thy Little Much with much Love which will be much Comfort to thy Soul God accepts not onely the will and the deed but the will for the deed and they that have much will to do though little doers are of great account with God The rich men in the gospell of their aboundance no doubt cast in abundance into the treasury of God and yet our Saviour saith of the poor Widow that cast in but two mites she cast in more then all Vincentius Ferrer reports a story of one Sophia a gracious woman in Constantinople who when there was a Church in building there a cart laden with stones and drawn with oxen for the building of it came by this womans house the cattell by reason of the heat of the weather began to faint and stayed at this womans door which she perceiving went and fetched some hay to refresh the oxen which she did with so much affection to the work in hand that after the Church was built there was found written over one of the doors in golden letters Sophia built this Church The truth of this sto - I leave to the author but this is unquestionably true Though wee cannot do much service to Sion yet much love to Sion will do much good unto our selves Psal. 122. 6. Pray for the peace of Ierusalem they shall prosper that love thee It is further observable out of these words of David that he puts prayer for the Church love of the Church both together and not without cause The best argument to prove we bear much love to the Church of God is to be much in prayer for it Of all the meanes we have to serve the Publique with there is none so effectuall as this of prayer Luthers own experience made him think there was a kinde of Omnipotency in it Ask and it shall be given you Matth. 7. This promise receives no other limitation but this what and when it shall be good for you to receive Prayer charms the wrath of God opens and shuts his hands extorts mercies removes judgements and never will away without its errand As David said of Goliahs sword when Ahimelech told him there was none but that Give me that there is none like unto it So say I of prayer whosoever is to deal with an enemy can finde no such conquering weapon as prayer is Alexander the bishop of Constantinople had many disputes with Arrius the heretique but never could silence him at length he spent an whole night in prayer to God beseeching him to vindicate his owne truth the next day after as Arrius was coming to the conference a pain tooke him by the way and going aside to ease himselfe he voided his bowels together with his excrements and so died Marcus Aurelius having had experience of the power of the Christians prayers that were in his army wrote to the Senate of Rome to permit the Christians to have their liberty gave this reason for it He would have no such weapons aâ— the Christians prayers to be used against him {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Before I passe from this duty and pretious priviledge of prayer I desire to engage both my self and you to the more frequent and zealous exercise of it by shewing some of the excellencies of prayer that may remaine as indeleble Characters upon our hearts of the benefit thereof First we can undertake nothing either of publique or private concernment with comfort without prayer The blessing of all our actions depends on this we are commanded to endeavour the supply of all our wants by prayer Gal. 4. 9. In every thing by prayer and supplication with thankesgiving let your requests be made knowne unto God Secondly there is no blessing that is good for us to enjoy but in Gods time prayer will obtaine it 1 Iohn 5. 14. If we aske any thing according to his will he heareth us this is that golden Key that can open the locks of all the treasuries of Gods mercies and remove all the impediments in heaven and in earth that stand
Love endureth all things is bountifull seekes not her owne nothing will adventure like Love Cant. 6. 8. Love is stronger then death The Ancients were wont to paint Love with many Crownes upon the head because this rules all our affections and commands all we have The good Centurion in the Gospel builded the Iewes a Synago gue a pious and a costly worke the reason is given in those words before He loved our Nation Luke 7. 5. David did many excellent and glorious services to the Church of God and the reason was his Love Psal. 16. 2. All his delight was in the Saints that were on the earth A greater work then the Creation of the world was mans Redemption and the cause of this was Love Iohn 3. 16. Love is that which will never be bribed to desert the Publique as Tully though but a Heathen could say I would not accept of immortalitie for a reward to bring any detriment to the Common-wealth Publique service many times meets with the most grating ingratitude of any other as a Heathen told his son that much desired to have a publique employment he took him and shewed him the antiquated plancks of a weather-beaten ship and said Thou must looke to be contemned like one of these If therefore you think to beare up your spirits in publique service you must get much love to the publique good Fourthly good servants are couragious to preserve and defend what their Masters commit unto their charge When David kept his fathers sheepe he fought with a Lion and a Beare 1 Sam. 17. 34. And so publique servants must be men of courageous spirits Courage is a grace of God whereby wee are enabled to performe such actions as are full of difficultie and danger and such for the most part are actions of publique concernment The Prophet Zachary compares them to the levelling and making plaine of mountaines Zach. 4. 7. in the 91. Psal. v. 13. they are compared to the treading on the Lion and the Adder And therefore when God set Iehoshaphat about the Reformation of the Church of Iudah it is said that his heart was lifted up or incouraged in the wayes of God 2 Chron. 17. 6. his heart was raised above the fear of any opposition When Ioshua was called to fight the battels of the Lord God gave him this Commandment over and over 1. Iosh. 6. Be strong and of a good courage and verse 7. Only be strong and very courageous That spirit onely is fitted for publique service that dares encounter with any difficulties or dangers in the world Musculus approved himselfe to be of a courageous spirit upon an accident that put him to the triall f A Nobleman one Reinard that much loved him knowing that hee was gone abroad to preach in a village disguised himselfe and taking many of his horsemen with him came rushing in at the Church dore and in a threatning manner bad him come out of the pulpit Musculus desired hee might have leave to finish his Sermon and then he would goe whither they would carry him hee then went on without any signe of feare exhorting the people to constancy in the Faith when the Sermon was ended the Nobleman embraced him and admired his courage which indeed was fit for his employment Eusebius Samosetanus was of the like spirit who when Constantius threatned to cut off his right hand because he would not subscribe to an unlawfull thing as he desired he held up both his hands to the messenger that was sent to him and told him he should take them both rather then he would doe it g Fiftly good servants are wise in ordering their masters affaires to the best advantage so publique servants must be men of wisdome When Moses was to direct the children of Israel in the choice of Governours he saith Deuteronomie 1. 13. Chuse ye wise men and knowne among your tribes And when our Saviour sent out his Apostles he bade them Be wise as Serpents Matth. 10. 16. This is required in all Magistrates Psal. 2. 10. Be wise O ye kings be instructed ye that are Iudges of the earth This wisedome is First to discerne betwixt good and evill It is a wofull thing in any to call evill good or good evill Isai. 5. 20. When this is but the peoples sinne you may see the fruit of it Ier. 4. 20. Destruction upon destruction the whole land is spoiled and why ver. 22. My people is foolish they have not knowne me they have no understanding they are wise to doe evill but to doe good they have no knowledge Now if ignorance of good and evill be so dangerous in any much more in Rulers and hence it is that Solomon saith Woe to thee O land Eccles. 10. 16. when thy King is a childe and Proverbs 28. 16. The Prince that wanteth understanding is also a great oppressour Rulers have the power of rewards and punishments which are the greatest outward meanes to draw a people either to misery or happines These have power to enact lawes to be other mens rules and if these set up iniquitie by a law how will this hasten the destruction of such as shall obey the laws by which Christ must be crucified and Barabbas released prognosticate a desolation and therefore God was exceedingly pleased with Solomons choice and Solomon happy in making that choice when being called unto the Kingdome of Israel and being bidden to aske what he would hee said Give thy servant an understanding heart to iudge thy people that I may discerne betwixt good and bad 1 Kings 3. 9. Secondly the wisdome requisite in publique persons is to act seasonably Matth. 24. 45. Hee is a faithfull and wise servant that giveth the houshold meat in due season Opportunitie is the winde and tide to carry on all affaires and makes that feazable which at other times is not possible to man When Daniel understood by Bookes Dan. 9. 2. That the seventy yeares of Jerusalems desolation were accomplished he presently set his face unto the Lord God to seek deliverance by prayer and supplications with fasting and sackcloth and ashes A wise heart as Solomon saith Ecclesiastes 8. 5. discerneth both time and judgement Thirdly this wisdom is to act orderly that is to file businesses for dispatch according to their weight necessity or consequence to preferre the publique before the private to build Gods house before we build our own to secure the rootes of happines Religion and Lawes before the branches as peace and wealth and case and plenty and the like If the publique ship of common safety perish no man can ever save his own cabbin Thus you have the qualifications of the persons Now of the manner of their acting This in two things First We must serve the publique sincerely that is herein seeking primarily the glory of God and the advancement of the publique more then our private benefit which may be involved in the publique interest This is Gods rule
one star in the firmament Those that are exalted starres in the firmament of earthly power if like that star in the East they lead to Christ thousands will be induced to follow by their example Assoon as Constantine the Emperour was converted and became a Christian all the Roman Empire became Christians also Assoon as the king of Nineveh repented all the city turned from their evil ways Jonah 3. 10. Secondly because Publike persons have opportunity to do most good their wisdom justice piety and zeal make thousands happy Magistrates and Ministers are the great wheel of a Kingdom and if they move in the Sphere of true Religion and the power of godlinesse all the lesser wheels must outwardly at least conform to their motion A good father may make a good family a good minister may make a congregation good but a good Magistracy and a good ministery may make a whole Kingdom good Thus I have shewed you why the godly serve their generation now I come to shew how this service must be performed And this I shall give you in two particulars First how the persons must be qualified and secondly in what manner they ought to act First how the persons must be qualified Those things that are requisite in good servants to their masters are requisite in such as rightly serve the publique First good servants are obedient to their masters just commands and none are fit servants for the publique but such as are obedient to Gods commands such as have a true interest in God through the Covenant of Grace in Iesus Christ All godly men are serviceable and none but godly men can be truly serviceable to their generation Without true Grace we can neither act throughly comfortably nor succesfully for God First Not throughly Many acts of this service are higher then we can be carried either by the hopes or helpes of Carnall reason Sometimes it will be necessary to employ all adventure all expend all we have and upon this very condition Christ gives admission into Gospel Service Luke 14. 33. but this a wicked man will never come up unto for God The world is his All which by his own Principles he cannot leave but be undone And therefore as the king of Navarre said to Beza That he would lanch no further into the Sea of Religion then he might be sure to return safe into the haven so these will accompany a good Cause as far as they can carry their worldly profits and contentments with them But Grace that doth elevate the heart above all the feares and flatteries of the World that might any way stop us in that service God calls us to Hence Saint Paul Phil. 4. 13. I can abound and I can suffer want I can do all things through Christ that strengthneth me Gods people feare not to make Beneficence their Patrimony because they have the best Assuring house in the World for their adventures the promises of God Their hopes of heaven make them willing to sacrifice all they have on earth in Christs cause Heb. 10. 34. They took ioyfully the spoyling of their goods knowing in themselves they have in heaven a better and more enduring substance Secondly wicked men they cannot act comfortably that is acceptably The prayers much more the cares of unregenerate men are an abomination to the Lord Prov. 28. 9. God may use unregenerate men to do good offices to his Church yet this will bring no true comfort to themselves because they seek not Gods glory in what they do God made use of Cyrus to deliver his people out of captivity and to repaire the decayed estate of the Church and Common-wealth of the Iewes Ezra 1. Of Balaam to blesse his people Of Nebuchadnezzar to command all Nations Countries and Languages to worship the God of Daniel Of Hiram to prepare timber for the building of his Temple Of Marcus Aurelius the Emperour to enjoyne the Senate of Rome to make an Edict that they should be burnt quick g that accused a Christian because of his Religion But all these were but like Noahs carpenters that built an Arke to save others while they were destroyed with the flood Thirdly wicked men cannot do publique service so succesfully as the faithfull they have no right to Gods promises which are onely made to those that are in Christ to those that are sanctified and in covenant with God They cannot call in Gods wisdom to direct them nor Gods goodnesse to assist them nor Gods power to strengthen them in great undertakings as the children of God may do A petition preferred to a Prince would not speed when of necessity the petitioner must subscribe himself a Traitour to his Majestie The countrey of Tyre and Sidon having need of Herods favour made suit to Blastus his chamberlain that was gracious with him And Themistocles being to make a great request to Philip king of Macedon took with him young Alexander Philips beloved son We can onely then speed with God when we can by faith take Iesus Christ with us to be our intercessour And hence it is that one Moses can doe more with God then a thousand Pharaohs one Eliah more then a thousand false prophets one Abraham more then a thousand Sodomites They that would do much with God must be men of much faith and holinesse in the sight of God Secondly good servants are such as know their masters busines that so they may leave nothing undone which their duty calls for So good publique servants must be such as acquaint themselves with the true state of those affairs they are trusted with that so they may be alwayes ready to perform those offices that publique necessity will impose upon them Nehemiah enquires exactly of the state of the Church and Common-wealth of Iudah by Hanani and others that came from thence Nehemiah 1. 2. And Ioseph examined his brethren very strictly concerning the affaires of his father Iacob and his family when they were sent to Egypt Gen. 45. There is no such way to get on the bowels of compassion and to oyle the hinges of all our abilities and to make us act to purpose for the Publique as to be well verst in the calamities of the times and to read often over the booke of Sions lamentations Wee must know the wounds of Church and State and be able to search them before wee have either skill or will to heale them Thirdly good servants love their Masters And that wee may rightly serve the Publique we must get a tender affection to the good of Church and Common-wealth in which we live There may be many tall Cedars in Church or State yet if they do not beare this fruit of the Spirit Love they more shadow then shield the plants that grow under them and doe but cumber the ground they stand on There is nothing will be at so much paines and cost and therefore nothing makes a man so serviceable as Love 1. Cor. 13. 4.
1 Cor. 10. 31. Do all to the glory of God No actions please God wherein our chiefe aimes are not at his glory and he that acts not thus acts not as a Christian Actions may be Morally good such as the vertuous actions of the Heathen were good for the matter of them as the acts of Fortitude Magnanimity Compassion or actions about Religion as meditation reading hearing of the word and prayer but none are Theologically good warranted by Gods word or pleasing to God but such as proceed out of love to God and intend especially his glory Such actions onely are the true fruits of Gospel grace and Christian obedience according to that rule of our Saviour Iohn 7. 18. He is true that seekes the glory of him that sent him Though our publique actions be never so specious and beautifull yet God lookes at them as painted flowers that have no sweetnes and empty shadowes if this bee not their end if we do but make the publique a stalking horse to our own advancement and use it but as the Creeples did the poole of Bethesda to cure their owne sores we are but like Israel Hosea 10. 1. Israel is an emptie vine and bringeth forth fruit unto himself Secondly we must serve the Publique thorowly faithfully or zealously that is with all our abilities according to our places and callings As David set himselfe with all his might to build the Temple 1 Chron. 29. 2. God requires that our All should be sacrificed for the managing of his Cause and promoting of his Glory Mat. 10. 37. If Christ call for our time our strength our estates our parts our labours our graces our prayers our lives for the maintaining of his Gospell Cause and Honour wee ought to yeeld them Two Arguments there be that make this plea of God for our All to be imployed in his service unanswerable First Dominus dedit The Lord hath given us all we have What hast thou that thou hast not received at his hand and then it is all the reason in the world that God should be served of his owne Secondly Dominus auferet the Lord will take away his blessings if he cannot be served with them This Argument is used by God himselfe Hosea 2. 9. Ye have bestowed them upon your lovers Therefore I will take away my Corne and my Wine my Oyle and my Flax which I have given you If any blessings thou hast are thought too good to be employed in the Publique service for the honour of God certainly they are too good to be enjoyed by thee to be spent upon thy lusts It is a soul-destroying sinne to be all for wealth or all for honour or all for pride but to be all for God that 's our duty to improve our All for the publique good of Church and Common-wealth according to Gods command This is the service we ought to do unto our own generation Thus I have cleared the point of doctrine and shewed you both that and why and how we ought to serve our own generation I come now to make Application hereof unto our selves And first We may from hence take an estimate of our Spirituall condition what it is Godly men are serviceable sincerely thorowly faithfully zealously serviceable to their generation we may then judge by this whether we be godly men or no This is a question fit to be discussed at all times betwixt God and our soules but especially in these times when almost every mans godlines what ever his profession or actions be is put to the question by others and that upon this very point whether he be truely faithfull truely serviceable to the publique good or no Three sorts of persons may here be discovered to be ungodly men First such as are enemies to the publique good such as by secret plots or open violence subvert the happines of that Church and Common-wealth in which they live Valerius said of Varus that he came poore into the rich Province of Syria but at his going out he went away rich and left the Countrey poore Such as this Varus they are the Mothes and Cankers of the publique prosperity and their reward shall be answerable Their feet shall rot their eyes shall consume in their holes and their tongues shall consume in their mouthes Zach. 14. 12. Secondly such are ungodly men as be no friends to the publique Some there be that are like the Star Mercury of which Astronomers say that it is either well-affected or malignant as it stands in Conjunction with other starres Some on purpose will not know or own Christs cause like rich men that will not know their poor kindred for this reason because they shall cost them nothing Neutrality in reference to the cause of Christ is certain enmity to Christ himself The Logick of the Scripture makes but two divisions of all the men in the World Mat. 12. 30. our Saviour tells us he that is not with me is against me There be some that so minde earthly things that what condition soever the Church and people of God are in like Gallio they care for none of these things some are so intent upon their private profit as they will take no time to consider of the publique weal and as these take no care of Gods cause so God doth usually leave them without his protection and it fares with them as it did with Archimedes in Syracusa Syracusa was besieged by the enemie but Archimedes being a Mathematician continued making of figures and drawing of lines and would contribute nothing to the publique defence and when the enemy brake in a souldier knockt him in the head as he was making figures in the dust Thirdly such are ungodly men as are friends but not thorow nor sincere friends unto the publique such are wishers and woulders that would blesse the publique exceedingly if it would be done with good words they would serve God willingly if he would be content with such service as costs them nothing But when the cause of God or the Common-wealth calls for payments adventures such as hazzard the emptying of their private fulnesse then they murmure and repine and wish for their old Religion like those Jere. 44. 17. then they would gladly make a Captain and go back again into Egypt These are no godly men And further It is possible that men may bestow both pay and paines and be great agents in promoting the affairs of Church and Common-wealth and yet for want of right aimes in their undertakings if they be weighed in the ballance of the Sanctuary may want some grains of the weight a godly man must have It is possible to be very diligent in a publique office as Jacob was in keeping Labans sheep the drought t consumed him by day and the frost by night and yet this was not for Labans sake there were certain ringstraked among the flocks and there was a beautifull Rachel that were his chief Loadstones in that hard servitude There