is the very formalis ratio the quintescence of zeal to be intense and increased to the utmost 'T is not every degree of Affection for a formalist may have some cold Vellieties and Luke-warm desires and a carnal man may have some joy and fear But zeal is another thing 't is a boiling over again with extremity of heat 'T is sacra ebullitio a holy heat and rising of the heart against sin It makes a man fervent or seething hot against sin Rom. 12.11 Water may be hot in some measure and yet not seeth seething hot is the highest degree of heat But the Hypocrite is affraid of being too zealous and active for God whereas we can never be too zealous in that we know to be good in it self and good for us to do We cannot exceed in our love to God nor in our obedience to him No vertue in its formal reason can be too much intended a man cannot be nimis liberalis tho he may be nimius in largitione Keep the horse under the bridle and in the right way and keep the stream within its banks let it run in a right channel and then the stronger the better 3. It will make us sharp and severe against our own sins but pittiful and compassionate to others As charity so zeal begins at home no man can speak so sharply against him as he doth against himself though others may excuse him yet he 'l not excuse himself 2 Sam. 24.10 But the Hypocrite he 's parcus sibi severus aliis High and harsh in his censures of others but indulgent to himself Matth. 7.4 the worst men are usually the greatest censurers Acts 28.4 4. It makes a man more zealous in great matters then in lesser In great causes he sheweth great zeal and in lesser causes lesser zeal He calls not for a Sword to kill a Flea nor for an Axe to crack an Egge He well knows that the same fire is not requisite for the roasting of an Egge as is for the roasting of an Ox. But the Hypocrite he 's magnus in minimis he 's fiery in small matters and cold in weighty ones With Saul he kills the lean but spares the fat And with the Pharises he Tythes Mint and Cummin but neglects obedience in the great things of the Law Matth. 23.23 5. He 's more zealous in Gods cause then in his own Moses how meek and quiet in his own cause Numb 12.3 Yet how hot in Gods Exod. 32.9.19.27 Hezekiah mourns more for Senacherib's blasphemy then for the Sword that was drawn against himself 2 Kings 19.3 4.16 David when himself was persecuted became as a deaf man but when Gods Law is transgressed his zeal consumes him and rivers of tears run down his eyes Christ himself in his own sufferings was as a Sheep before the Shearer dumb but when Gods house is profaned he doth not onely by words but blows drive them out with an holy violence Nehemiah how silent when himself was reproached but when Gods Sabbaths are profaned he contends even with Nobles about it Ioshua 7.8 is more tender over Gods Name then his own he doth not say what shall our names estates and lives do but what wilt thou do for thy own name The Church of Ephesus could bear any suffering but not sin Rev. 2.2 But the hypocrite is hot in his own case and key-cold in Gods let any wrong him or rob him he 's all on a flame but let Gods Name Sabbaths Servants be wronged he cares for no such things 4. True zeal may be known by it's concomitants and companions which are 4.1 'T is ever attended with wisedom and discretion 'T is not a rash ungrounded zeal but a wise sober well-grounded fervour As a good dish may be spoiled in the dressing so a good reproof for want of observing due circumstances of persons time and place may loose it's due operation Hence Solomon commends a word that 's spoken Beophman super rotis suis running on the wheels of all due circumstances Psal. 25.11 Fire on the hearth is good but fire in the top of the house is dangerous Love allows us to be warm and plain but not scalding hot in our reproofs A well-ordred zeal will teach a Nathan to catch a David in a parable Caut. Yet must we beware least under pretence of discretion we destroy zeal of which see more in the Objections 2. It keeps the bounds of its calling It dares do nothing without a call from God Simeon and Levi were good men and the cause was good but the prosecution of it was ill for they assumed the Magistrates power without a call Gen. 3.4 Excessive heat or excessive cold is poysen 3. He loves to see and to make others zealous It 's the nature of fire to multiply one livingâ—coal kindles another zealous Abraham will not keep his goodness to himself but he 'l communicate it to his family So Moses Numb 11.29 and Paul Acts 26.29 4. 'T is of a growing nature we must grow in zeal as well as in other graces A grain of mustard seed though it be little yet 't is lively Fire on the Altar might not be suffered to go out Levit. 6.13 As natural strength so this is increased by exercise To him that hath true zeal shall be given more Lastly this must quicken us all to an holy zeal and emulation in well-doing Most men seek to excell their Neighbours in riches fine houses fine fare but who labours to excel in vertue The living God delights not in dead hearts dead spirits become not his servants cold wishes and faint desires please not him we must be active and stirring if we desire that God should be with us for our God is not the God of the dead but of the living Who should be zealous and active for God if we be not as Nehemiah said in another case Neh. 6.11 Should such a one as I fly I that am under such special promises special protection special providences should I dishonour my profession and in a fearful manner fly so should such as we be cold and dead who live upon the bread of life and drink the water of life who have lively Oracles and lively Ordinances and all meanes to make us lively Let us therefore do what we do with all our might as David did when he danced before the Ark. 2 Sam. 6.14 Let us oppose sin with all our might Preach Pray and praise God with all our might Iudge 5.12 Psal. 103.23 Rom. 12.11 We should burn and boyl up in our spirits in duty By this meanes we shall prevent aboundance of dangerous temptations which seise on Luke-warm professors When Honey is cold every Fly and Wasp robs us of it but when 't is boyling and scalding hot they dare not come neer it When men are cold and indifferent in Religion every Sectary and Seducer which are the Devils Flies and Emissaries makes a prey of us but when we are hot
and his company Numb 6.16 they thought to have levelled all but God levelled them they would destroy both Magistracy and Ministery but God destroyes them they made a rent in the Congregation and the Earth rent and devoured them all this is done for a memoriall to succeeding Ages that they take heed how they make rents in the Church of God verse 40. So Cain the first Separatist that we read of Gen. 4.16 he went from Gods presence i. e. from Gods Church and Ordinances and then he becomes a Vagabond He that would see more against this Sin let him peruse Mr. Perkâ—ns on Iude 19. Mr. Robert Bolton's Saints Guide p. 126. Mr. Pagits Arrow against Separation Mr. Rutherfords Plea for Presbytery p. 120. Mr. Bernard against Smith D. Hill's Fast Sermon 1644. on 2 Cor. 6.17 18. Mr. Blake on the Covenant chap. 31. p. 228. c. and on the Sacrament chap. 8. Sect. 3. p. 314. Camero Praelect de Ecclesia mihi p. 322. and above all Mr. Brinsly of Yarmouth His Arraignment of Separation A fourth Observation That the doctrine of the Millenaries is a meer fancy The Text is clear against it for it sayes expressely The last dayes shall be perilous times Many dream of peace and joy and I know not what golden glorious flourishing times wherein they shall be free from Sin and Sinners and live in this World without tentations and troubles But do not you deceive your selves with such vain conceits for I tell you saith the Apostle the last dayes shall be very perilous wherein all manner of Sins and Sinners shall abound men shall be Covetous Proud Blaspemers c. verse 23. Now whether shall we believe Paul or these Dreamers that say Christ shall come from heaven and shall reign visibly and personally in Ierusalem a thousand yeares as an earthly Monarch in outward glory and and Pompe putting down all Monarchy and Empires Then shall the Church of the Iewes and Gentiles live without any Trouble or Enemy without Sin or Sorrow without Word Sacraments or any Ordinances They shall passe this thousand yeares in great worldly delights eating drinking building houses planting vineyards and eating the fruit of it Marrying wives getting children and enjoying all the lawful pleasures which all the creatures then Redeemed from their ancient slavery can afford In this earthly happiness shall the Church continue till the end of thousand yeares and then comes the day of Judgement Upon this point I find so many men so many opinions 't is a harder thing to find out certainly what they hold then 't is to conquer them Piscator saith The Martyrs shall rise a thousand yeares before others and shall reign with Christ in heaven Alsteed comes and he saith it shall be on Earth yet after the day of judgement Mr. Mede with his new light differs from all the rest affirming That this reign shall be in and during the day of Judgement which shall continue a thousand yeares Chimaera Chimaerâ—ssima a very fiction without foundation in the Word of God Thus these builders of Babel are divided and confounded amongst themselves The first opinion I find to be most generally received hy the Millenaries Indeed such carnal Doctrine suits well with such carnall Saints This is some of the new light of our times being nothing but an old errour broached by Cerinthus the Heretick in the first Century 1500. yeares agoe He was a loose Libertine and therefore he invented this loose Opinion to uphold his riotous practises S. Augustin opposed it It hath layen dead for a long time till some some Libertines and carnall Anabaptists of late have revived it and put a new gloss upon it The vanity of this opinion will appear by the arguments in my Chiliasto-Mastyx against Doctor Homes VERSE 2. For men shall be lovers of themselves Covetous Boasters Proud Blasphemers disobedient to Parents unthankfull unholy c. THe Apostle having told us verse 1. in General that the last dayes should be perilous he comes now to particulars verse 2 3 4 5. and sets forth in their proper colours the Sins and Sinners the Men and Manners of the last times I wish they were not a true Map of our times I may truly call these 19. sins Englands Locking-glasse wherein we may plainly see the true cause of all our miseries and what it is that hinders the work of Reformation and turnes away good things from us These are the 19. Weeds which deface Gods Garden the Church the good Lord root them out of all our hearts that our names may never be found in this black Bill and cursed Catalogue to be such as make evill times bad and bad times worse 'T is worth our noting that the Apostle doth not place the Perill and Hardnesse of the last times in any externall calamity or penall evills as Sword Plague Famine Persecution but in the prodigions sins and enormities of such as professe Religion Let the times be never so successfull and prosperous in other respects yet if Sin abound they are truly perilous and pernicious times for 't is Sin that sets God against us and the Creatures against us and conscience against us Sin is the Fundamental Meritorious cause of all our miseries and perills as appears Deut. 28.15 16 c. Sin is the evill of evills and brings all other evills with it Let the times be never so miserable and the Church lye under sad persecutions yet if they be not sinfull times they are not truly perilous times but rather purging and purifying times From the Connection of this verse with the former Observe That nothing is so perilous and pernicious so hard and heavy to a gracious soule as the Sins of the times he lives in This I have cleared in the opening of the last clause of the first verse As nothing is dearer to Gods people than Gods glory so nothing goeth nearer their hearts than Gods dishonour As Gods soul is said to be afflicted and his heart to be broken with the Idolatries and Apostasies of a back-sliding people Ezek. 6.9 so 't is a great grief and heart-breaking to the people of God to see their God dishonoured Hence Lots righteous soul is said to be vexed or tormented as the word signifieth with the abominations of the Sodomites 2 Pet. 2.7 8. The Mourners sigh and cry for all the abominations of the times they lived in Ezek. 9.4 Ieremy 13.17 weeps in secret for the sins of the people Davids eyes run down with rivers of teares becâ—â—se men forget Gods Law and his soul was grieved because of the Transgressors Psal. 11.9.53.136.158 Christ wept over Ierusalem because she knew not the day of her Visitation Luke 19.41 42. Paul is troubled at the Idolatry of the Athenians Acts 17.16 and weeps to consider the sad condition both of the Seducers and the Seduced Phil. 3.18 the two Witnesses mourn to see so many bewitcht with Antichrists delusions Revel 11.3 'T is true we ought
as tend to the preservation of the land both in its Being and Well-being I have insisted the longer on this Point that the world may see Religion is no enemy is to Caesar. I come now to remove those more especiall Pretences and Fig-leaves under which the Covetous would hide themselves 1. Obj. 'T is but a small sin say some 't is Frugality Thrift Good-husbandry c. Answ. Is Idolatry and spirituall Adultery a small sin Is the root of all evill and the breach of all the Commandements a small matter is it a matter of nothing that brought the Leprosy on Gehazi and his posterity stoned Achan and brought Iudas to the haltar 2. Know that the Devil puts the finest names upon the fowlest Vices Heresy is New-light Sottishnesse is Sanctity Pride decency Drunkennesse good-fellowship and Covetousnesse good-husbandry though it brings men to beggery Prov. 11.24 there is that withholds more then is meet and it tends to poverty 2. Object I do but make the best of mine owne and that is no sin Answ. 'T is true in just and honest wayes we may make the best of our own but if you go about by Usury Oppression c. to raise your self and yours then you make the worst of your own Hereby you get care to your selves envie from your neighbours become a prey to theeves bring perill to your persons curses on your children Law for your Heires and damnation to your Soules 3. Object We have a great charge of children and many to provide for now Parents are commanded to lay up for their children and he that provides not for his own is worse then an Infidell 2 Thes. 4.12 Answ. Some have no charge but themselves yet they drudge and are never satisfied Solomon tells us there is one alone and not a second yet there is no end of his labours Eccles. 4.8 2. Suppose thou hast children yet how dost thou know what thine heire may be he may be a spend-thrift and wast that in a short time which thou hast toyled for all thy dayes Eccles. 2.18.19 3. Though Parents may must provide for their own yet it must be in a moderate prudential manner not with a carking vexing distrustful care pious education is the best Portion that can never be lost Piety hath the promise the promise virtually is every thing this is the riches which God commands Parents to provide for their children Psal. 75.5 6 7. Deut. 6.6 7. to teach them Gods Statutes and bring them up in his feare Ephes. 6.4 We may love our children but it must be In and For the Lord we may not to raise them ruine our selves nor to make them rich make our selves poore nor to get Temporalls for them loose Eternalls for our selves 4. Suppose you do get riches for your children yet how knowest thou whether ever thy children shall enjoy them for as riches are uncertain in getting and uncertain in keeping so when we dye 't is uncertain to whom we shall leave them Thine enemies may be thine heires for ought thou knowest many rich men of late have found it so in many parts of the Land Many times the riches of the wicked iâ— laid up for the just whom they most hated Prov. 13.22 as Nabals was for David Hamans for Mordecai and the Canaanites for the Israelites Hence Christ makes it the note of a â—oole so to mind Temporalls as to lose Eternalls Luke 12.16 c. That rich fool like a secure Epâ—cure sings a requiem to his soule and promiseth himself many years when he was not sure of one day But what saith God to this covetous Caitiff with his new Barns when he might have laid up his corn more safely in the poors bellies v. 20. First he 's called a fool for his paines The World accounts such wise men but in Gods Dictionary their name is Fool and their folly appeares in that they never think on the shortness of their lives the uncertainty of riches and the great account which they must give for them 2. God comes sudenly and unnexpectedly upon him This night shall thy soule be taken from thee Thou dreamest of many yeares behold in this night of thy ignorance and darkness in this night of thy security and negligence whilest thou art glorying in thy riches Bags and Barnes comes a Feaver Plague Sword c. and sweepes thee and thine away 3. The devill fetcheth his soul against his will a rich worldling is loth to dye a good man patiently and quietly commits his soul to God 1 Pet. 4.19 but a wicked mans soul is required of him This night they viz. the Devills whom thou hast served and obeyed shall require thy soule for as the good Angels do carry the souls of the godly into Abrahams bosome so the evill Angels carry the souls of wicked men into hell Lastly his folly appears in heaping up riches when he knew not who should gather them Then whose shall these things be which thou hast provided q. d. thou labourest and toylest for thou knowest not who whether for a Friend or Foe a Kinsman or a Sranger a Wise man or a Fool a temperate man or a waster if thy Friends have them they may do them good and they may do them hurt they may help and they may hinder them they may be blessings and they be curses to them How many have been undone by the estates that have been left them and had been happy if they had not been so happy they might have been rich in Grace if they had not been so rich in goods 4. Obj. We are Religious and therefore not Covetous Answ. It doth not follow for a man may practise all the duties of Religion and yet be a covetous wretch as we see in Iudas and the Scribes and Pharisees who fasted made long prayers gave alms yet Christ taxeth them for covetousness Mat. 23.14 So Ezekiels Hearers Ezek. 33.31 32. covetousness is a secret sin and cleaves close to the natures of the best Hence Christ warnes his own Disciples to beware of it Luke 12.15 21.34 Yea the more pious any man is the more the Devill will tempt him to this sin This made St. Iohn write to those that were strong in grace and fathers in Christs Schoole to take heed of loving the world 1 Ioh 2.15 5. Obj. Men praise me and therefore I am not so bad as you would make me Answ. Yet God abhorres them Psal. 10.3 and though all thy fellow-prisoners praise thee yet if the Judge condemn thee thou art undone for 't is not he whom men commend that is commendable but he whom the Lord commends Rom. 2.29 He that would see any more let him peruse M. Capel on Tentat Part. 3. Sect. 8. p. 329. Edit ult Quest. But what Meanes must I use to overcome this sin Answ. You must first remove the Causes as Physicians use to do and then the effect wâ—ll cease Now the
Get your Graces quickened 1. Let your faith be a lively stirring operative faith Gal. 5.6 Iames 2. by this wee conquer the world to conquer the material world with Alexander is not so great and so glorious a work as to to conquer the malignant world 2. See that your Hope be an active lively hope doth it make thee contemn both the worlds promotions and persecutions its frowns and favours canst be content to perish so Christ may flourish to be nullified that he may be glorified then hast thou cause to blesse God 1 Pet. 11.3 Blessed be God who hath given us a lively hope 3. Let your Repentance be sound and saving even Repentance unto life a turning from darknesse to light converted men are quickened men Ephes. 2.1 3. Get all the Powers of your soul quickened and enlivened 1. Get your understanding enlightened with saving knowledge this is the life of the mind Psal. 119.144 Give me understanding and I shall live 2. Get your wills conformable to Gods will 'T is the happinesse of the Creature to resemble the Creator The will is the man get this bended rightly byassed and reformed and all is done 3. Get your affections quickened they are the feet upon which the soul runs the way of Gods Commandements Eccles. 5.1 Psal. 119.32 and the wings by which we fly in his service they shew what we are and do denominate the man that we are that we Love and Desire to be Object But methinks I hear some gracious souls bemoaning themselves and groan under that formality dulnesse deadnesse heavinesse and indisposednesse which they still find within them notwithstanding all their stirring and striving and praying against it Answ. This hath been is and will be still the condition of Gods servants whilest they are in the world Heavinesse and Holinesse weaknesse dulnesse and dutifulnesse may subsist together in the same soul as we see in David Asa Iosiah Iob Peter Luther no Saint on earth Sine omni macula Iames 3.2 In many things we offend all David was a man after Gods own heart yet how doth he beg for quickening and for life which implies a sensiblenesse of dulnesse and deadnesse in himselfe Psa. 73. and 119. and yet he had an intensive love to God to his Saints his truth and worship what bitter lamentation did Paul make on this account Rom. 7. the purest gold hath yet some drosse the best corn some weeds the finest wooll some moaths the best wine some lees The best man whilest he is in the Vale of Tears will have cause to cry A necessitatibus meis libera me Domine Deliver me O Lord from my invincible infirmities viz. Faintness Drowsinesse Indisposedness c. the best here are like Prisoners which though they be got out of prison yet have bolts on their legs still so that they cannot run so fast as they would Like a bird with a stone tied to the leg of it that fain would ascend and be gone but cannot Though they find sometimes a loathnesse and indisposition to duties yet have they no loathing of Duties or decrying of Ordinances There may be a wearinesse in but not a wearinesse of Duty Grace is still predominant and so denominates We call it a Corne-field though there be some weeds mixt with it and white paper though it have some spots on it Hence Christ excuseth his sleepy and heavie disciples Matth. 26.41 the spirit i. e. the regenerate part is willing ready chearfull to watch pray do and suffer for me but the flesh i. e. the unregenerate part is weak impotent and unwilling to spirituall duties till grace subdue it and bring it into obedience Christ in much love and pitty doth pass by and pardon the weaknesses and infirmities of his people A bruised reed he will not break Matth. 12.20 he that will not have us to reject such as are weak in the faith will not reject them himself Rom. 14.1 See how gently he deales with Peter Iohn 21.15 to put him in mind of his threefold deniall he doth not harshly upbraid him with it but only in a mild manner ask him thrice Peter lovest thou me He takes no notice of the sins and infirmities of the people so as to impute them to them or condemn them for them Numbers 23.21.22 Cor. 5.21 As a Father pitâ—eth his children so doth the Lord pitty his Psal. 103.13 he spares them as a man spares his Son that serves him Mal. 3.17 and will not reject their Services though mixt with many weaknesses Zach. 3.3 4. we have a mercifull High Priest full of compassion who is touched with the sense of our infirmities Heb. 2.17 and 4.15 In all our afflictions he is afflicted Isay 63.9 he knowes whereof we are made and remembers that we are but flesh To expresse his Pastorall and Paternall affection towards them he hath promised To gather the Lambs with his arm and to carry them in his bosom to bind up the broken and strengthen the weak to seek that which is lost and bring again that which was driven away and to punish their stout and strong enemies Isay 40.11 and Ezek. 34.16 Christ will have none to despise his little ones Matth. 18.5 Be humbled then but be not dejected or discouraged for these invincible infirmities of weaknesse passion forgetfulnesse c. which clog us here Every Christian carries his clog with him saith Luther God hath reserved perfection for Heaven there our hearts shall be alwayes in tune here our greatest perfection is to bewayle our imperfections and our greatest Righteousnesse to lament our Unrighteousnesse We are apt to have hard conceipts of God and to judge of him by our selves but his thoughts are not our thoughts nor his wayes our wayes Isay 55.8 There is no God like our God for pardoning and passing by the sins of his people Exod. 34.6 7. Micah 7.18 our distempers cannot distemper him nor our infirmities interrupt his favour The marriage knot is not broken by every falling only nor the League between Princes broken by the wrongs done by Pirats The sicknesse or weaknesse of the child doth not make the Parent reject it but rather makes him more pittifull and tender towards him Caut. Yet lest any should mistake and take his Enormities and grosse sinnes for infirmities I will give you foure differences between them 1. He that sins through infirmity hath the life of Grace begun in him so Paul Rom. 7. there is not weaknesse but deadnesse where there s no life 2. That 's a sin of infirmity which is committed against the bent purpose and resolution of the soul when we suddenly fall into sin without deliberation either through Passion Feare c as Peter did This is called a falling by an occasion Gal. 6.1 he doth not run himselfe into sin but accidentally he stumbles at sin and catcheth a fall so that when a man fully resolves against a sin Prayeth against it strives against it groans
them These are those that poysen not bodies but soules as the harlot so these hunt for the precious soul. Prov. 6.26 they hatch the Cockatrice egges he that eates of their egges dyes and that which is crusht breakes forth into a Viper Isay 59.5 These are those that make rents and divisions in the Church whose Peace should be very deare unto us for though Unity be not the very being yet it tends much to the well-being of a Church These hinder the progresse of the Gospel when people should be praying weeping and humbling themselves together these set them to disputing wrangling and malicing one another 'T is Unity that spreads the Gospel and makes mountains to become a plain even the seven hills amongst the rest Were there that sweet Synceretismus or rather Synchristianismus that harmony of hearts and wayes as ought to be amongst the people of God how terrible would the Church be to her enemies 'T is these that breed tumults in the Church commotions in the Common-wealth that imbitter mens spirits one against another waste mens estates bring men to a morsell of bread and at last bring themselves to some untimely end Oh consider the sad Ends of many Hereticks and let their falls make you to feare Arrius voyded his bowells Iulian died blaspheming Simon Magus an Arch-Heretick who by his sorcery and feined miracles deluded many people who took him for a God Acts 8.10 attempting on a time to fly in the ayer in the sight of many people his divelish art failing him he fell to the ground and brake his leg which was his death Servetus was burnt for his blasphemies at Geneva Gibraldus the Heretick was swept away by the Plague Blandrate Physician to the King of Pâ—land a great Patron to Socinus and his followers was strangled in his bed by his Brothers son Alciat a Socinian died despairing Paleâ—logus an Arrian was burnt Francis David a proud Socinian died mad and was distracted with the sight of the Devill Lismanninus an Arrian drowned himself in a well Olympius that denied the Trinity was burnt to death with three Lightnings Beâ—old that Anabaptist King with his companions was tortured and put to death Humber was burnt Muntzer and Pheifer beheaded So let all thine enemies perish O Lord. Consider Gods hand on Nayler a Quaker and Sundercomb a Leveller and Mistris Hutchinson in New-England who was banisht for her Heresies and destroyed both she and her family by the Indians Parnel a Quaker famisht himself in Colchester Jayle trying to fast 40. dayes as Christ did Poole a Quaker in Dorcester drowned himselfe Quest. If any desire to know the Reasons why God suffers Seducers to abound he may find good store in Doctor Boltons Arraignment of error Pag. 5. to 55. in Mr. Brimslyes Spi. Vertigo p. 37. c. and Mr. Sherlock against the Quakers In fine cap. 6. p. 205. c. Vse 1. Since false Prophets are such Pestilent persons the Magistrate must not Tolerate them Who will Tolerate such as have Plague-sores running on them to go up and down infecting others or that have poyson to go up and down selling it instead of food Seducing Hereticks are worse those kill but the body these with their damnable Heresies destroy the soul. 2 Pet 2.1 and if such as steal away but their bodies must die Exod. 21.16 what shall be done to those that ruine the better part These are called Foxes Vipers Wolves Thieves troublers of the Church and therefore to be cut off not tolerated Galathians 5.12 Christ blames the Church of Thyatire for giveing a toleration to Iesabel Revelations 2.20 and commends the Church of Ephesus for not bearing with such as are evil Revelatâ—ons 2.2 and Iosiah is commended for compelling men to the worship of God 2 Chronicles 34.33 The Magistrate is the Minister of God and must be a terror to them that doe evil Romans 13. especially if they be compounded blasphemous seducing Hereticks they must be put to death Leviticus 24.14 Exodus 22.20 Deuteronomy 13.6.8 9. and 17.2.5 2 Chronicles 5.16 Ezra 7.26 Iosiah slayes the false Prophets 1 Kings 23.20 Elâ—jah commands the Priests of Baal to be slain 1 Kings 18.40 Object Lest any should think to evade these Proofs as Legall the prophet Zachary 13.3 prophesing of Gospel times tells us that if any shall be so bold as to teach lies that his father and mother shall cause him to be put to death alluding to that Deuteronomy 13. The equity of which Law still remains under the Gospel Better and with lesse danger is a Thief an Adulterer a murderer a Witch and Sorcerer tolerated then such an Heretick and Seducer As our large Annotations have it 'T is observed by a learned Divine That as in things of practice so of perswasion that are impious either in themselves or in their naturall unconstrained consequences the Plea of conscience is an Aggravation of the crime if mens consciences are â—eared and themselves given up to a reprobate mind to do those things which are not convenient there is no doubt but they ought to suffer such things as to such practices are assigned and appointed Thus he And if any shall object that these are tolerated but in corners The answer is easie if it be truth they teach why should it not have Churches if errour why should it have Chambers See more against Toler Mr. Ant. Burges on Iohn 7.21 Serm. 115. Mr. Gee on Prayer cap. 4. Sect. 7. p. 358. Mr. Iohn Clerk Ser. on Leaven p. 24.36 See 9. wayes by which the Magistrate may stop the flood of Heresies Mr. Obad. Sedgwicks Serm. on Revelation 12.15 p. 37. Preacht 1646. Iames 27. Mr. Edwards against Toleration Calvin contra Serv. inter Opuscul p. 694. Beza de Haert puniend Epistol contra Deditium Prins Treatise in defence of the Magistrates coercive power Mr. Rudderfords Treatise against Liberty of Conscience Doctor Taylor on Titus 3.1.10 p. 347 715. 2. Ministers must come forth to the helpe of the Lord against these daring Goliahs Even a Dogge will barke when hee seeth his Master wronged And a Craesus sonne that hath been dumbe all his life yet will speak when they offer violence to his father We are the Lords Watchmen and when we see the Wolf or the Theif approching we must give warning seducers are subtle and people can not easily discover their plots we must do it for them One great cause of so many abounding errors amongst us springs from Ministers 'T was whilest the watchmen slept that the enemy sowed his Tares Matthew 13.25 1. Some are ignorant dumb dogs and cannot bark 2. Others are scandalous and dare not for fear of being questioned themselves 3. Others see which way the times go and like dead fish they go down the stream they dare not displease they love to sleep in a whole skin and say as the great ones say But let us be the Lords witnesses against a perverse people this
and resolute we dis-hearten them in their attempts and dismay that great Belzebub the Prince of these Flies Let therefore this salt season all our services Christ calls for such Worshipps Matth. 22.37 38 39. Christianity is a work of activity we must ask seek knock strive wrastle run and work out our salvation with the greatest accuratness care and diligence Philip. 2.12 We must not rest content with the beginnings of grace but we must work it up and increase with the increasings of God Colos. 2.19 We must be filled with the Spirit and with the fire of zeal we must have fiery-heads and fiery-hearts fiery words and fiery works that what in us lyeth we may set the whole world on fire with the love of Christ. If we be to hear the Word we should be swift to hear and gladly embrace the opportunity flying as the clouds and flocking as the Doves to their windows When we come to the Sacrament we must earnestly desire it as Christ did Luke 22.15 With a desire have I desired to eat this Passover with you i. I have earnestly and heartily desired it Hezekiah kept the Passover with joy 2 Chron. 30. If we be called to Covenant with God we must do it with joy and with all our hearts as Asa and the people did 2 Chron. 15.12 15. If we be to Pray it must be fervent operative energetical praying Iames 5.16 We must strive in our prayers Rom. 15.30 and stir up our selves that we may lay hold on God Cant. 3.4 Isai. 27.5 and 647. That 's the way to have peace with him When we see a man angry those that are friends lay hold on him to prevent a danger so when we see God angry with his People we should compass God about like an Army one lay hold on him and another lay hold on him till he be pacified with his people But then we must be holy men else if a Rebel or Traitor should come to the Princes Chamber and lay hold on him it would be accounted Treason before we come to reason with God we must wash our selves and then come and welcome Isai. 1.16 17 18. We must get a spiritual induration and holy impudency let God do what he will with us let him oppose delay deny us yet we will not let him go till he bless us As Pharaoh had a cursed Induration and a plerophory of hardness so that no plagues could work on him so we should get a blessed induration and fulness of assurance resolving though God should crush and kill us yet that we will trust in him Iob 13.15 And when we find our spirits flat then cry because thou canst not cry and be in an agony because thou canst not be agonized Formality in duty is the bane of duty and Religion There 's little difference between a careless performance of duties and a total omission of them since men loose both wayes Let us then rouse up our selves remembring that the more zealous any are here the more glorious they shall be hereafter Let us all in our several callings be active for God Let Magistrates and Rulers rule for him as Nehemiah did Let them not bear the sword in vain nor tolerate such things as are intolerable There 's no Precept or President in the whole Book of God for any Toleration of one Error much less of all but promises that God will give us one heart and one way If Magistrates suffer Gods Name to be despised he 'l make them to be despised 1 Sam. 2.30 Ahab lost his life for not punishing blasphemous Benhadad with death 1 Kings 20.42 I Plead not for Cruelty but Iustice as Magistrates must be clement and merciful when occasion requires so they must be just sharp against incorrigible incurable offenders If Abishai out of love to David would have slain Shimâ—i who reviled him saying Why should this dead dog curse my Lord the King let me goe to take off his head 2 Sam. 16.9 and shall the Magistrate be silent when the King of Kings is blasphemed and reviled to his face if men will still bear with such yet God will not Objection If we punish them we shall loose a partie Answer Such a partie as I now speak against are better lost then found They cannot long prosper with them who ever hath them But by punishing such we shall make God our friend who hath promised to defend those that defend his Truth We have a notable instance in the City of Geneva which from the beginning of the Reformation to this day have punished Sectaries and Hereticks and yet God hath kept them safe and sound Many create to themselves needless fears 2. Governours of Families should be zealous against sin in all their Relations hate it in father mother wife children Asa punisheth his own mother for her idolatry 2 Chronicles 15.16 The Lord taketh notice what every man doth in his Family he observes who prayes who reads who supresseth sin in his Family who acts for him and who for themselves Mal. 3.16 Our zeal is the best thing we have and therefore to be given to God who is the best of beings But yet there is nothing that the world so much opposeth as zeal the Devil and his Agents can bear with any man save the zealous man The Hypocrite Formalist Civilian Temporizer c. All pass through the world with praise 'T is onely these Zelots that oppose the sins of the time which are counted the troublers of the places where they come though they be never so peaceable To discourage men from this course the world hath raised many Cavils 1. Objection I am but one and what good will my zeal doe Answer One zealous man may yea and hath done much good to a whole Land One Phinees by executing Justice turned away Gods wrath from all Israel Numbers 25.6 7 11. One faithful Hushai by his Counsel spoyled Achitophels policy 1 Samuel 17.14 One poor man saved a Citie Eccles. 9.15 and the Prayers of One righteous man availeth much Iames 5.16 When Gods judgements were falling on Ierusalem he sought but for a man that he might spare it Ieremiah 5.2 A carnal man dares not stir without company especially the company of great ones they enquire whether any of the Rulers and learned Pharisees have gone that way Iohn 7.47 Jades will not go unless some lead them the way and Cowards stand still to see who will go first but a gracious soul is content to fit alone Lam. 3.28 and go alone in the way to Heaven 1 Kings 19.10 He stayes not for company but if the cause be good rather then it shall fall he will endeavour to uphold it himself Hester will venture all for Gods people and if she must perish she will perish in this cause Let nothing discourage you if God have called thee to a good work and none will joyne with thee in it yet remember he that called thee alone will bless
many years after he is dead and gone He tells what Iosiah will do before he is born and it came to pass 1 Kings 13.2 and 2.22 17. What is to be done a thousand years hence is as present to him as a thousand years that are past which are but as yesterday Psal. 90.4 His knowledge is like himself infinite he perfectly knows all things past present and to come nothing is hid from him Heb. 4.13 He calls the things that are not as if they were Rom. 4.17 and knows us before we had a being Ier. 1.5 This is Gods prerogative royal whereby he is distinguished from all false Gods Isai. 41.23 1. He knows all things to come in himself as able and willing to have them done if good or else to suffer the doing of them being evil and to order them to his own ends 2. He sees them in their causes by which they shall be done 3. He knows them in themselves altogether not successively as we do by reasoning and searching out the causes but by one eternal act of understanding Acts 15.18 This will further appear 1. If we consider how he made all things and therefore he must needs know all things As an Artist that made an Instrument knows all the secrets of it God that hath made the eye must needs see and the heart must needs know what is in it Psal. 94.11 He knows all by way of caâ—sality 2. He rules and governs all things and therefore must needs know all things 3. He 's the righteous Judge of all the world yea he 's both Judge and Witness Mal. 3.5 which he could not be if he did not know the thoughts words and works of men 1. This reproves these Atheistical Antinomians which say God sees not the sins of his people when he sees them more perfectly then our selves see them and sets even our secret sins before him Psal. 90.8 He saw David's adultery and Solomons idolatry and punisht them for it He saw the sins and his Churches and reproves them for them Rev. 2 and 3. 2. This must teach us to walk sincerely with our God who sees even our secret vices as well as our duties He sets a print on our heels and spies out all our paths Iob 13.17 He knows our thoughts before we think them our words before we speak them and our works before we do them Psalm 139.2 to 16. He knows more by us then we know by our selves we know but in part but God knows us thoroughly and if our consciences do accuse us of some things yet he is greater then our consciences and knoweth all things 1 Iohn 3.20 3. It may serve to convince us of the truth of the Scriptures and that they are the very Word of God in that all its Predictions have been fulfilled See B. Vshers Body of Divin p. 9. and M. Baxter's Saints Rest. p. 2. c. 6. Sect. 1. p. 250. 4. It serves for singular comfort to the Godly and that many wayes 1. In point of weakness it may be thou canst not pray nor do as thou desirest yea but the Lord knows onr desires before hand and hath promised to answer them Neh. 2.4 Psal. 10.17 he knows the intents and bents of our hearts and will deal with us accordingly 1 Cor. 4.5 2. It may comfort us in all our troubles that our God knows them before they come upon us When we know not how to deliver our selves yet he doth 2 Pet. 2.9 And therefore to comfort his Churches he tells them more then once that he knows their sufferings Rev. 2.2 3 9 13. and the plots of their malicious enemies Ier. 18.32 Exod. 3.9 2 Chron. 16.9 He knows thy strength and thy parts and will not suffer thee to be tempted above what thou art able to bear 1 Cor. 20.13.3 It may comfort us in case of reproach cruel witnesses may rise up against thee and lay to thy charge things which thou knowest not I but the Lord knows thy innocency and will one day clear it before all the world this comforted Iob 16.19 4. It may comfort us against Apostasy many good souls fear they shall never persevere I but the Lord knows who are his 2 Tim. 2.19 and he 'l not lose one of his Iohn 10.27 28 29. and 17.12 5. It may comfort us against inordinate cares he 's an Heavenly Father that knows our wants and out of the riches of his goodness will supply them Math. 6.30 32. 6. It may comfort us against the ingratitude of the world here oft-times the more we do for men the less they do for us the more we love the less are we beloved But our comfort is that our God who seeth in secret he will one day reward us openly Matth. 6.6 Observat. 2. The more perfidious the world is and the more false Teachers abound the more careful must Christs Ministers be to oppose them by preaching sound Doctrine The badness of the Times approaching must make us to redeem the present season The Sun will not alwayes shine tempests will arise aud the night will come when no man can work Besides the affections of people are mutable they that at first seem to love the Gospel after a time will loath it they that to day are ready to adore us as Gods to morrow are ready to stone us as Devils Acts 14.12 13 18 19. Those that reverence Moses to day to morrow are murmuring against him Exod. 14. ult and 15.14 So unconstant are the affections of this ungrateful world to Gods faithful messengers especially when they apply sound Doctrine to their soars Observation 3. Saving Doctrine is sound Doctrine 'T is pure and sound in it self and 't is sound effectively it cures and heales the soul which is sick of sin and brings it to salvation hence it 's said to save the soul James 1.21 and it 's called healthful and wholesom words 1 Tim. 1.20 and 6.3 and 2.1.13 Titus 1.9 and 2.1 Observation 4. Vnsound persons cannot endure sound Doctrine 'T is salt which searcheth mens sores and puts them to pain 'T is light which these soar eyes cannot endure nor these Thieves abide They do evil and therefore they hate the light Iohn 3.20 They are sick of a Noli me tangere and had rather perish in their sins then part with them They imprison the Truth in unrighteousness Rom. 1.18 There is in them not onely a fâ—rmido but a detestatio lucis they do not onely fear but hate the light They cannot endure to have the Law preacht their consciences searcht nor their sins discovered The light to them is as the shadow of death as Iob 24.17 speaks in another case This made Ahab to hate plain-dealing Micajah 1 Kings 22.8 and Asa to imprison the Prophet 2 Chron. 16.7 20. and Herod Iâ—hn the Baptist. So Ier. 11.21 Amos 7.12 Micah 2.6 Light is an unwelcom guest to evil consciences Wholesom instructions will not down with them they must have
se spiritu repletos cum inani vento distenti sunt turgidi Davenant in Colos. 2.18 p. 241. How to know the Spirit of Truth from a false spirit See an excellent little Tâ—act called the True Guide by R. H. Printed 1646. Totus eorum Sermo est de Spiritu Calvin V. D. Reynolds de Lib. Apochr Praelect 214. V. August de Haeres See more against them on v. 16. See Mr. Sherlocke against Quakers p. 73. to 168. and M. Clapham against the Quakers Sect. 8. p. 44. Initia peccati sunt verecunda Progrediendum à facilioribus Sibâ— Concio ad Cleâ—um p. 49. V. Mâ— Edwards Gangreen Part. 1. Coral 13. p. 100. and Mr. Young his Câ—re of Mesprision Sect 40.44 Incipientibus morbis si quid videtur movendâ—m mâ—ve Hippocrates Sceptici Philosophi quasi quaesitores consideratores qui omnia in suspenso relinquentes nihil definiunt Aul. Gellius Noct. â—ttic l. 15. c. 5. V. Tactica S. l. 2. c. 2. S 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 insano deltrans amore vel instar faeminae picâ laborantis quae neglectis sanâ— eduliâ— vel nâ—xia vel minus sana deperit They make queries and utrums of every thing See more before on v. 7. See Mr. Viner on that Text. p. 17. Diobolus in Specie non ovis non Asini sed Serpentis tentavit Adam à Lap. See Mr. Gournall on Ephes. 6.11 p. 106. a wicked cause needs a smooth Oratour and bad were a pleasing Chapman Idem ibid. Great wits and great gifts are the stock which the Devil desires more especially to graft on As Austin said of Liciniùs a young man of great abilities Cupit abs te ornari Diabolus The Devil desired to be credited by him V. â—urroughs his Irenicum Chap. 2.3 * Mr. â—lake on the Covenant cap 31. in â—â—ne V. The Assemblies Answer to the discenting Brethren p 61. in fine See more of the sleights of False Teachers in Master Wells his Preface to the rise and ruine of the Antinomians in New-England Eâ—pedit belluas adeò perniciosas nâ—tâ aliquâ insigniâ—i ut dignosci possint ab uno quoque nec quisquam non monitus damnum aliquod reciptat Calvin contra Libertin Beza epist. 1. ad Dud. p. 10. See more in Clerks Mirror cap. 63. See many Reasons against Toleration in Mr. Pryns Tract against the Quakers p. 15. Error cui non resistitur approbatur veritas cum non defenditur opprimitur V. Mr. Fords â—ssise on Psal. 75 4. p. 6 7. Nullum latrocinium adeò scelestum nec venenum adeó pernicrosum quà m haeresis Calvin See the danger of Heresies Mr. Obad. Sedgewick on Rev. 12.15 p 15. to 35. Magistâ—ates must not be like the Heathen Godâ— Patrons and Protectours of Villany He that commits sin is of the Devil bâ—t he that connives commands commâ—nd it when he 's intrusted to punish it is not onely of the Devil but is a Devil and a great one too Si Haeretici sint manifestè blasphemi in illis blasphemiis pertinaces pâ—ssunt affici supplicio capitali Ames CC. l. 4 c. 4. q. 6. See in Vines his Seâ— on 2 Pet. 22. p 64. c. Dâ— Owens Ser. on Dam. 7.15 p. 54. 'T is observed that the Authours of errors have been Church-men either grosly weak or proudly wilful who take up new methods of Language and Doctrine Dâ—câ—m annis laboratur antequam Ecclesiola rectè piè instituta paratur ubi parata est irrepit aliquis fanaticus quidem Idiota qui nihil novit nisi contumeliosè loqui contra sinceros Verbi Doctores in uno momento evertit omnia Luther Intellectus est Veritatis sponsa est quaedam castitas judicii hic major cura adhibenda est quia ubi non bene creditur non bene vivitur vitium primae concoctionis non corrigitur in secundâ Debile fundamenuum fallit opus hinc Diabolus Princips tenebrarum tenebras primè â—ffundâ—t intellectum ut cum lucem eripuerit ducat quò velit D. Sibs concio ad Clerum p. 39 Ubi Plura Mr. Obad. Sedgwick Ser. on Rev. 12.15 Error intellectu parit errorem in affectâ— V. Gelaspy's Miscelan c. 12. Digus est mun dus cui scelest nebulones illudant quandoveâ—am sanctitatem vel contemnit vel ferre non potest Calvin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non dicit mittet Deus illis errorem sed efficaciem erroris Mascul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 V. M. L. Critic S. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diligenter custodite Spiritus titulo mendaâ—ia sua venum expâ—nunt See more Preâ—servatives in Mr Brinslyes spirit Vertigo p. 123. and 190. Mr. Sherlocke against the Quakers 2 P. cap. 8. and Mr. Gournall on Ephes. 6.12 p. 127. c. and Mr. Clapham against the Quakeâ—s Sect. 13. V. Tactica S. l. 2. c. 2. S. 10. V. Mr. Strong 31. Ser. Colos. 2.5 Ordinem non constituimus in illis nugatoriis pompis quae nihil habent praeter evanidum splendorem Calvin Lib. Institut 4. Cap. 10. Sect. 27.28 Omne ordinatum pulchrum V. Plura apud Piscat in Praefat ad Numeros He that hath integrity fears no Inquisition he that hath none requires it Rulers are not a Terror to good works but to evill The Interests of England by Constantine 2. P. p. 37. Non dubit amus caeteâ—is paribus majorem pleniorem mensuram communicaâ—i publicis Ecclesiae ministâ—is quà m singulâ—s privatis qui neque tâ—â— donis sunt instructi neque tot oculis vident neque privatâ simplici meditatione aequaâ—e possunt multorum collationem disquisitionem Rivet Isagog cap. 19. Animalia gregalia non sunt nâ—civa sed animalia solivaga sunt nociva Aristot. How great is their sin then that fight against Gods Ordinance V. Paget against Ainsworth cap. 2. See Mr. Cawdry against Independency cap. 3. p 97. See Mr. Paget against Ainsworth in defence of Presbytery c. 2. p. 2. See Mr. Edwards his Gangreen 1. Part. Corol. 14 p 102. That is proved before Heilyn's Geography Edit ult q. 266 in Brittaine V. The Attestation of the Cheshire Ministers p. 13. Synods have not Potestatem absolutam sed conditionalem ministerialem viz So far as their commands agree with Gods commands Spanheim V. Testimony of the London Ministers p. 24. Note There is variety of senses but no contrariety in the Scriptures See my Schools-Guard Rule 48. They shall proceed no further viz. in esteem with men to seduce them thereby although they shall increase in wickedness Dutch Annot. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amentia ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 priv 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mens i e. sinâ— mente amentes Madness i. e. their foolish and false doctrine or their Hypocrisy and shew of holiness Butch Annot. Hypocrisis suâ sponte sese aliquando prodit non potest per omnia sui esse dissimilis deprehensa exploditur Aretius Ea est erroris natura omni licèt ex parte