preaching and Baptisme of Iohn the Sonne of Zachary his fore-runner This worthily hath the next place as the most speciall meanes of hallowing his Name In the third Petition thy will bee done in earth as it is Heauen we begge that the holy Will of God reuealed in his Word or by the euent may bee yeelded vnto of vs and all his people as vniuersally ioyously and constantly as it is of the blessed Angels and Saints departed who are at his becke in euery thing howsoeuer for the degree we come farre short of them And this we craue as a matter absolutely necessarie both because we are one Family r Phil. 3. 20. Common-wealth and Kingdome of Heauen as our Lord Christ commonly calleth his Church heere beneath with them and because our doing of the Will of GOD is the hallowing of his Name on our parts which otherwise is Å¿ Ezek. 36. 20. Rom. 2. 24. prophaned In the fourth Petition giue vs this day our daily bread we intreate God the authour of these our soules and bodies to support and comfort them both in the state of nature and grace so farre the ancient and some new Writers also stretch it by giuing food and foison bread and the staffe of bread euen all necessaries of this life and a better with his blessing vpon vs in the vse of them To the state of nature belongeth food rayment protection gladnesse of heart c to the state of grace belong the Word Sacraments Ministerie the inward operation and gifts of the Holy Ghost c. In the fift Petition forgiue vs our debts as wee forgiue our debters we request that though we still incurre his danger by our sinnes as it were so many debts yet hee would not withdraw his mercie from vs but settle our hearts in the assurance of pardon and withall spare his Rods. Whereof we professe our selues to be perswaded because euen we that are euill by nature haue learned at his bidding and by his example to shew mercie to our repenting brethren who haue wronged vs in what degree soeuer In the sixt and last Petition leade vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill we beseech God that though the Deuill desire to winnow vs as wheate and we deserue it yet that he would not leaue vs in temptation nor giue vs vp as hee doth many to Satans or our own lusts but assist vs euermore in our spirituall warfare and that t Rom. 16. 20. the God of peace would tread Satan vnder our feet shortly Finally in the conclusion for thine is the kingdome and the power and the glory for euer Amen which is the third part we learne that God alone is to be called vpon without fainting wauering or doubting any way and to be praysed incessantly because the absolute and independent souereigntie ouer all and power to doe all whatsoeuer he will by his onely word or becke and glorie for all to which glory of his he hath ioyned our good corporall and spirituall belongeth incommunicably to him How can he then but in due season and manner heare and helpe vs his poore subiects ayming at his glory and depending vpon him according to the tenour of the Petitions aforegoing In assurance whereof wee set to our seale as it were by saying Amen so be it yea so shall it most certainly be and therefore according to our bounden dutie we rest perswaded of it without taking any further thought about any of those things which at thine owne appointment wee haue asked Thus much briefly of the Lords Prayer onely there is added as it were a Post-script as an explaination of the reason of the fifth Petition u Verse 14 15. For if yee forgiue men their trespasses your heauenly Father will also forgiue you but if yee forgiue not men their trespasses neither will your Father forgiue your trespasses In which words he maketh our forgiuing of others though not the principall cause mouing our heauenly Father to forgiue vs for x 1. Iohn 4. 19. we loue him and our Neighbour in him because he loued vs first yet the certificatory cause if I may so speake as a necessary fruit and vnseparable companion of the loue of God towards vs. So that where one of them is either Gods forgiuing of vs or our sincere forgiuing one of another both are and where both are not neither is If my propensitie and readinesse to forgiue my Neighbour who hath wronged mee seuen times yea seuentie times seuen times and to doe what good I can to the wrong doer and that of conscience to God bring not comfort to my soule that my sinnes are forgiuen mee nothing can truly comfort And if I can truly comfort my selfe before God that I so forgiue and doe good then a figge for all that the Deuill or Man or mine owne euill and distrustfull heart can say to the contrarie I will euer stop their mouthes with this Euen I my selfe that am euill am taught of God and I thanke God haue learned to forgiue men their trespasses vpon their Repentance and to doe them what good I can much more then my good God and heauenly Father will vpon mine vnfeined Repentance forgiue me all my trespasses and doe mee all good And not without case is this point so much insisted vpon because he knoweth our propensitie to reuenge and to beare a grudge and loathnesse to be reconciled one to another as also because y Psal 32. 1 2. the forgiuenesse of sinnes is our maine freehold and inheritance wherein consisteth our euerlasting blessednesse Thus much concerning his directions for prayer let vs now at the length proceede to the description of fasting which wee may in some sort define to bee an z Leu. 23. 32. afflicting of our soules before God by a holy abstinence from foode and all other comforts of this life so farre as may well bee for the space of foure and twentie houres * Ester 4. 16. or more according to the occasion to testifie and further our humiliation in repentance and zeale in prayer This afflicting of the soule before God can no more stand with vaine glorie and hypocrisie then fire and water light and darknesse can agree together And these true ends of fasting humiliation in repentance and zeale in Prayer are as directly opposite to all Pharisaiecall and Papistical opinion of merit ex opere operato by the worke done as any thing can bee for they consist meerely not in any vaine plea of the merit of our worke but in a most humble confession of our guilt and miserie Besides the true manner of fasting from food and other comforts of this life for foure and twentie houres or more confuteth plainely not ciuill abstinence from some kinds of meat at certaine times for politicke respects but the Romish abuses in their manner of fasting standing in abstinence from flesh and their Supper in lieu whereof they punish their carkasses many of them with such
and hypocriticall Guideâ— or Teachers but for the spirit of discerning and for abilitie to iudge and to that end with the wise and noble Beraeans g Act. 17. 11 receiuing the Word with all readinesse of minde to search the Scriptures daily whether those things bee so as wee are taught This of necessitie requireth much hearing reading reading meditation conference in all humilitie feare and reuerence an holy consociation with the Saints also left as straglers ftom the Campe of Israel wee bee surprized by the h Deut. 25. 18. Amalekitish Iesuites Seminaries Arminians loose and dissolute Pastors and Teachers This of necessitie requireth a speciall care in euery one of vs to bee well grounded our selues and to see our Families and Charges so much as in vs is to bee well grounded in the principall and fundamentall points of our most holy Religion by the publike and priuate exercise of Catechising For as an house hauing a good foundation saueth it selfe from windes and stormes contrariwise for want of such a foundation is ruinated so falleth it out in Christianitie a man well grounded and founded in Religion saueth himselfe from all Impostors and Seducers whereas others are cartied about with euery wind of Doctrine Lastly and aboue all this of necessitie requireth that we should beware of that most fearefull and regnant sinne which we may call Epidemicall as ouerspreading all some few excepted farre and heere which the Apostle maketh the breeder and bringer forth of this deadly plague by false Prophets i 2. Thes 2. 10. Because men receiue not the loue of truth that they might bee saued GOD shall send them strong delusion that they should beleeue lyes that they all might bee damned who beleeued not the truth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse so he calleth whatsoeuer is embraced insteed of the truth or Gospell beare it neuer so great a shew in the World This not receiuing of the loue of the truth but pleasuring in vnrighteousnesse is the very cause why God at this day giueth vp so many to be seduced by false Prophets Popish and others Wherefore not the profession onely but loue and delight in the truth with all due expressions of it is to be looked and laboured after infinitely more then we would doe for our life it selfe if it were any way hazardous The rather because false Prophets whatsoeuer they appeare outwardly yet indeed they are rauening Wolues if not in intent which they are commonly yet in euent All they that fall into their hands shall bee sure to finde them such at the long runne when it shall be too late to say Had I wist In the third place k Verse 16. 17. he directeth to the fruits whereby they are to be knowne Yee shall know them by their fruits which he illustrateth by a similitude drawne from trees Doe men gather grapes of thornes or figs of thistles So euery good tree bringeth forth good fruit and a corrupt tree c. These fruits which Christ here directeth vs vnto may as I take it be drawne to three heads first their Doctrine secondly their life and conuersation thirdly their scope ayme or end as the Apostle among other things mainly appealeth to to these three approouing himselfe thereby to Timothy's conscience that hee was an vncorrupt Teacher Thou hast fully knowne my doctrine manner of liuing purpose or ayme to which three heads may other vertues there annexed bee reduced And hereby may euery Teacher try himselfe and euerie hearer discerne his Teacher first whether his doctrine at the least in the fundamentalls bee agreeable to the holy Scriptures that he both can and doth bring Scriptum est It is thus written for it and concerning any other matter that is not of the foundation or essence of Religion but appertaineth to order and decencie that there bee no Scripture against it Secondly whether his life bee consonant to his Doctrine habitually or in a setled course for there are none so loose but that they stumble vpon some good words and actions sometimes and there are none so perfect but that they labour of some frailties and tread their foot awry somtimes Thirdly whether his aymes and ends be holy as his Doctrine and life seeme to bee Now they are to bee iudged holy when in the iudgement of Charitie which beleeueth all things hopeth all things wee cannot perceiue that his owne pleasure profit or glory or the pleasing or displeasing of other men in any thing is so much looked after as l 1. Pet 4. 11. Iohn 7. 18. Phil. 3. 19. that God in all things may be glorified in Christ Iesus Contrariwise it is many times found in experience that some Teachers howsoeuer they preach generall truths and leade peraduenture a ciuill life free from scandall yet doe so distaste the power of Religion without which what deniall of our selues can there be and are so fallen out with zeale that they turne the edge of their Doctrine against all such as are not of the Laodicean temper When the Lords fences and pales are thus broken downe and all laide common that euery one should be alike and no one more strict then other but all to liue in a kind of carnall good fellowship and worldly iollitie what becommeth I pray you of the strait gate and narrow way before so earnestly commended and commanded vnto vs Questionlesse either our Lord Christ was mistaken when he added and few finde it meaning the strait gate and narrow way or else are they all mistaken who imagine that all or the most part finde it The similitude followeth drawne from trees m Verse 17. Doe men gather grapes of thornes and figs of thistles euen so euery good tree bringeth forth good fruit but a corrupt tree bringâ—th forth euill fruit A good tree cannot bring forth euill frnit neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit Euery tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewne downe and cast into the fire wherefore by their fruits you shall know them The effect and purport of all is this As a good tree bringeth forth good fruit and cannot bring forth euill and an euill tree bringeth forth euill fruit and cannot bring forth good so a true Prophet teacheth holsome doctrine leadeth a life answerable and propoundeth none other end then to serue and glorifie God and to winne others to the loue and obedience of the truth and can doe none otherwise habitually whatsoeuer befall him through infirmitie because the holy Ghost is his teacher quickner and as it were the sappe of the tree Contrariwise a false Prophet like a corrupt tree bringeth forth the fruit of false doctrine leadeth a scandalous or at the best but a ciuill life and would faine haue all others as bad as himselfe Neither can hee doe otherwise habitually howsoeuer at a start hee may seeme to doe pretily well standing as hee doeth in the state of corrupt nature vnder the power of Satan the Prince of this world And
especially requiring contrarie or if but diuers seruices at one and the same time but either he will hate the one and loue the other or else hee will hold to the one and despise the other No more can any man possibly serue God and riches requiring offices not onely diuers but directly contrarie The seruice of God as wee know calleth for truth and plainenesse in all our dealings the seruice of riches for cunning courses colloguing and out-stripping one another with the oddes of wit The seruice of God mainely vrgeth mercie liberalitie and laying vp of treasures in heauen the seruice of riches will haue sparing pinching niggardlinesse and laying vp treasures vpon earth God and Christ our heauenly Master absolutely command all his followers to cleaue to him and his Gospell with the losse of all yea euen of their very liues on the other side riches bind their vassals to cleaue close to them whatsoeuer become of religion or of their owne soules The holy taske which God layeth vpon his seruants is prayer the exercise of the Word and Sacraments due obseruation of the Sabbath holding of an holy correspondencie and communion with the Saints setting their affections vpon heauen and heauenly things and such like on the contrarie part riches will giue their poore slaues no time to minde or attend vpon such matters all such workes are blacke-workes yea loathsome to the seruants of Mammon Finally God delighteth to finde in his seruants an earnest lingring and longing after his owne presence not onely of grace but of glorie that they should desire according to his will to bee loosed and to bee at home with him but Mammon the great God and master of this world cannot abide that he lulleth and singeth his seruants asleepe by giuing them with the rich glutton their consolation in present So that the wise man breaketh into this exclamation not without cause O death how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that liueth at rest in his possessions c. In these and many other respects the seruice of God and riches cannot stand together A man may serue God and vse riches as also all honest purueyance for them but serue them that is to set his heart vpon them making them if not the onely yet the principall obiect of his desire hope confidence loue ioy feare sadnesse anger c. This thraldome cannot stand with the seruice of God iustly stiled perfect freedome Hence may wee learne most worthy and necessarie lessons first that except God haue our whole seruice hee will haue none of it The old saying is Loue and Lordship will indure no Partnership hee professeth himselfe to be our husband and that a iealous one hee cannot beare not onely grosse idolatrie as it were spirituall Spouse-breach but mentall idolatrie by ouer great loue of the creatures and affiance in them He in like manner is our absolute Lord to whom alone belongeth all honour and seruice because he alone hath made vs for himselfe and ransomed vs most miserable captiues out of the hands of all our enemies bodily and ghostly Further wee learne that then God hath our whole seruice when forsaking all other wee loue and cleaue vnto him alone For to this end is mention made of f Verse 24. louing and cleauing or holding to one Master Now thus to loue and cleaue to our heauenly Lord and Master is as we know the tenour of the whole Law g Mat. 22. 36. Thou shalt loue the Lord thy GOD with all thine heart soule strength h Deut. 10. 20 and 13. 4. thou shalt cleaue to him c. It is also the condition propounded in the Gospel to euery Disciple of Christ Iesus i Luke 14. 26. If any man come to me and hate not in comparison of mee father and mother wife and children yea and his owne life hee cannot bee my Disciple It was the exemplaric k Ioh. 8. 29. practice of our Sauiour Christ so to loue his heauenly father cleaue vnto him and please him in all things not doing his owne will And this and none other is the end of our being in the state of nature and grace and of all Gods benefits in hand and in hope The summe of all and the maine scope or ayme of this parable is that for men to set their hearts vpon riches is plainely to renounce God for his peremptorie conclusion is Ye cannot serue GOD and Mammon or abundance It lyeth euery man in hand therefore very strictly and narrowly to examine himselfe whose seruant he is lest being suddenly surprized while he is in the seruice of riches he perish vnrecouerably with the louers of this present world And whereas for the most part men are onely afraid of pouertie which they dread more then sicknesse infamie yea then dishonestie and death it selfe our wisdome is to feare riches as l Prou. 30. 8. Agur did as much if not much more knowing the danger of them which few escape Whereof Christ himselfe giueth warning m Mat. 19. 23. How hardly doe rich men enter into the kingdome of heauen Because it is a most hard thing to haue riches and not to trust in them not to reioyce in them more then in the liuing God howsoeuer the heart of man deceitfull aboue all things will not bee brought to see and confesse it In the next place followeth the second branch of couetousnesse or worldlinesse consisting in solicitude and ouer-great carefulnesse about necessarie supplies what to eate drinke or put on which tractate holdeth to the end of this sixt Chapter Wherein as in the former branch hee both dehorteth from the inordinate seeking of the very necessaries of this life and also exhorteth n Verse 33. to the seeking with might and maine of the things of a better life His dehortation is first propounded Verse 25. and to driue the naile home to the head notwithstanding our toughnesse and knottinesse it is repeated againe and againe Verse 31. 34. Secondly it is vrged by sundry reasons of great importance which wee will take as they lye in order He propoundeth it with very great earnestnesse in manner of a conclusion or inference vpon his former doctrine concerning couetousnesse striking heere at the very roote of that sinne putting vpon it also as his manner is the weight of his authoritie o Verse 25. Therefore I say to you take no thought for your life what you shall eate or what you shall drinke nor yet for your bodie what you shall put on In which words also is implyed an answer to a common obiection I looke not for great things my care is onely for foode and raiment Yea but saith Christ I forbid you to haue your mindes distracted euen about these necessarie things meate drinke apparell walke with God in your callings let all your workes be done with all possible diligence faithfulnesse and fore-cast and there an end trust God with the rest It is he alone who
persecution of the truth yet by circumstance they became infinitely more abominable because they liued therin vnder an hypocriticall shew of sanctimonie that was in them as it is in all other double iniquitie And this vehemencie of our Lord Christ in reprouing who vsed not to be stirred but for very great cause sheweth not onely how detestable this shamelesse selfe-loue pride and hypocrisie is in the eyes of God and ought to be in our eyes but alsowhat propensitie is in euery one of vs to hood-winke our selues and passe by our owne fouler corruptions and in the meane season as if wee had no worke at home to cast our eyes abroad vpon other folkes and to take their actions and intentions nothing so much out of square as our owne to doe as if Lazars all ouer-spread with botches and blaines should haue their fingers itching to turne Physicians for the healing of other mens pushes and pimples But let vs now come to the remedie here prescribed d Verse 5. Hypocrite first cast out the beame out of thine owne eye as if he should say Thou whose grace consisteth in disgracing thy betters first relinquish and that with detestation thine owne villanous actions and intentions and then thou shalt clearely see to cast out the mote out of thy brothers eye The mending of thine owne greater faults will get thee both experience and authoritie also to redresse other mens lesse faults This then is the rule of our Lord Iesus euer to bee remembred of all that desire to doe good in their places and not much harme to themselues and others That whosoeuer goeth about to mend others must first mend himselfe and he that taketh vpon him to redresse his neighbours lesse faults must goe through-stitch in the redressing of his owne greater faults Is it probable that he who is fast set in the quagmire of grosse wickednesse and hypocrisie should worke his brother out of the slough or ordinarie frailties and infirmities It is a rule in oratorie that to moue others a man must first bee moued himselfe hee must feele the part which hee acteth this holdeth in preaching reprouing instruction admonition or whatsoeuer other dutie of that kinde which necessarily call for an affectionate reformation of our owne liues with an intestine hatred and loathing of whatsoeuer sinnes wee formerly liued in And as for authoritie wee know it is vtterly lost and insteed thereof contempt and irrision commeth in place when it may bee said Physician heale thy selfe Naturally men are led rather by the eye then by the eare as hath beene said so that when they heare good words and see euill deeds they will incline rather to what they see then what they heare In summe Christ teacheth vs thus much that it is a most fearefull thing for Ministers Magistrates Parents Masters or seeming Zelots of any kind to haue the place and to take vpon them the office of reformers if their practice hold not correspondencie in all points with their place and profession Not but that hauing a calling thereto men are to admonish reproue and correct others as neede requireth though themselues labour of many frailties and infirmities so brethren in Christ to exhort one another and edifie one another though there bee weaknesses on all sides elsewhere there an end of this duty for euer since the poore Saints of God vpon earth shall neuer be fully freed of them But it is to bee vnderstood that Christ heere speaketh of regnant sinnes when there is also little or no care vsed for the repressing or reforming of them but onely a face of holinesse set vpon it borne vp by most vnconscionable censuring of othets Whereas if there bee in men an vnfeined purpose of heart to turne from all vnrighteousnesse if there be a continuall strife indeuor to keep a good conscience in all things that the duty of admonition be performed out of Charitie Humilitie and fellow-feeling at the least there appeareth nothing to the contrarie in this case notwithstanding all wants and imperfections as sickly folkes vsing all the meanes they can for recouerie louingly communicate their counsels and medicines one to another we must euery one of vs so much as in vs is be our Brothers keeper obseruing considering one another to reclaime so much as may be from all euill to prouoke to loue good works And we must euery one of vs e Ephes 5. 21. be subiect one to another in the feare of GOD and then not onely the beames of grosser vices but the motes or strawes of smaller offences come within the compasse of our Brotherly consideration and admonition The second caueat followeth concerning iuordinate zeale in dispensing of holy things Wherein howsoeuer hee f Chap. 5. 19. taught before that Righteousnesse consisteth in doing and teaching the Commandements of God euen to the least of them euery one according to his gifts and calling yet for all that hee willeth vs in teaching to haue respect to the persons with whom we deale to the sacred subiect whereabout we deale and to our owne safetie and comfort so much doe his words intimate g Verse 6. Giue not that which is holy vnto Dogs neither cast yee your Pearles before Swine lest they tread them vnder their feete and turning againe all to rend you Where he instructeth vs First for the persons whom we take in hand to teach admonish or reproue that they be not Dogges for their inueterate hatred and enmitie against the doctrine of the Gospell or Swine for their contempt of holy documents and delight to wallow in the pleasures of sinne as Swine in the mire For if vpon good iudgement and experience we find them to bee such and to be habituated therein then though we haue cast the beame out of our owne eye through Gods grace see in part how to pull the mote out of our Brothers eye yet are they none of those Brethren to whom this dutie of priuate instruction and admonition belongeth They put a barre against themselues by their dogged snapping and swinish grunting and wallowing in the mire The Holy Ghost forbiddeth h Prou. 9. 8. to rebuke a Scorner that is a desperate wicked man that is readier to iarre or to geere then to receiue good counsell Secondly he willeth vs to haue due respect of their maiestie and worth which he tearmeth holy things and Pearles to shew how reuerend precious and inualuable good counsell and instruction out of Gods most holy Word is That we might learne to make more account of these heauenly treasures and iewels bee more thankfull to Almightie God for them rest in them with mote contented minds whatsoeuer our outward estate be rich or poore noble or ignoble and finally which is the scope of this place to dispense them with more care and conscience that so much as in vs is they may be glorified by all meanes and no way abased and abused by malicious and filthy wretches Thirdly hee