conscience A. By no means a particular faith must be had for all our actions we must forbear a thing till we be perswaded and such ought to be born with that seek resolution A scruplous Conscience is when a man is inclined to think a thing lawful and yet hath some scruples and doubts by reason of many difficulties that he hath heard of which he knoweth not how to answer or resolve Here our rule is to labor to suppress all difficulties that make us doubt but if it cannot be done then its lawful to follow conscience notwithstanding those doubts and scruples as Deut. 13. when the people were setled in a true way of serving God if one should come and teach them a contrary way confirming the same by a sign this must needs breed some scruples in the peoples mindes nevertheless conscience enclining to the truth of the former Doctrine they are bound to stand to it Thus of these three Questions For the fourth There are good and bad consciences Mans conscience was onely good in the Creation since the fall all mens consciences are corrupted and perverted whereof some are renewed and sanctified from Heaven and so become good though not perfectly because of the remnants of corruption Whosoever is not sanctified hath an ill conscience of one kinde or other An evil conscience is either a still and quiet evil conscience or stirring either by accusing or excusing wrongfully for the true property of a good conscience is to excuse altogether for well-doing Now when the conscience is either num and dead and lies still or otherwise accuseth for sin or excuseth wrongfully this is an ill conscience Of a still quiet ill conscience there be three kindes namely sleepy secure and seared The first a sleepy drowsie conscience that lives and lies in many sins and yet accuseth not by reason of ignorance in the Word of God as the common sort neglect many a duty and commit many a sin that conscience never checks them for because they be ignorant of Gods Law for which another that knows the Law of God is humbled with them are omnia bene they hope to be saved by their good meaning and crying God mercy at last they are not troubled at wandring thoughts worldly talk on the Lords day to go to bed without prayer and the like They are like one that comes into a sluttish house in a dark night and sees nothing amiss but when the Sun shines perceives the foul corners yea the very moats that flye in the Sun-beams Some such have come under a lightsom Ministery and have wondred and been ashamed of themselves and have been humbled and converted Thus was it with Paul before and after his conversion The second A secure conscience that is stirred onely at foul and staring sins hates murther and fighting but in rash and unadvised anger is not moved at all is somewhat troubled at swearing by wounds and blood but makes nothing of By my faith truth this bread fire Sun that shines and the like such have wide throats that can swallow all small things So there are that make conscience of oppression cruelty in justice but none of neglecting the Word Sacraments and Prayer or prophaning the Lords-day which be greater then the former though they do not so think and partly the commonness of them makes their conscience not accuse in them or that they be never awakened for their sins till some great cross do befal them or after some rowsing Sermon then their consciences work therefore they cannot abide such Preaching though it were happy for them if they might hear such still till they were wearied out of themselves The third A benumbd brawny and seared conscience benumbd as a member in the dead Palsie brawny as a laboring mans hand seared as with an hot iron which is worst of all when men go on and make conscience of nothing but do what they list and their hearts scarce smite them being as Nabal like blocks and stones daring do any thing and committing most horrible foul sins and yet not being troubled thereat This comes by the custom of sin and refusing the checks of their conscience and Gods giving them up to a reprobate minde and an hard heart to work wickedness and that with greediness great sins also lyen in without repentance do harden and benumb the conscience as a part of the body that is seared is past feeling They not onely doing against the light of Gods Word but even against the light of nature and their natural conscience God gives them over and so they go on in sin without sence of any thing The cause of these especially the two first is chiefly the want of a faithful Ministery for where this is though they be not converted yet they be convinced and sin not so quietly as others or if they live under such a faithful stirring Ministery and yet have drowsie and secure consciences it s because they come not to the Word or regard not what they hear or understand it not or sleep thereat But there are some more notorious which will not lightly abide a zealous or powerful Ministery but will get away from it else if they tarry through long contempt of the Word and hardening their hearts they grow past feeling having set down with themselves they will never be moved with whatsoever is said This is a great plague it takes from a man the onely means under God of his repentance he is as one under a grave stone that cannot rise These are lusty and merry they think their case happy they say Peace peace they thank God they were never troubled in conscience and marvel at them that be thinking them out of their wits or else that they have been some great offenders c. but they are troubled not because they be out of their wits but because they now begin to come into their right minde as it s said of the Prodigal They be troubled not because they be greater sinners then the others but because they see that the others see not which if they saw as it were happy for them if they did they would see cause enough to be wounded to the purpose But do they think their conscience will ever lie thus still No let them be assured God will set all in order before them and their benumb'd conscience will prove a raging conscience A Bankrupt makes a great shew at first afterward breaks and is arrested and imprisoned many make fair promises unto Delinquents that they will speak to the Judge for them c. but do indeed prove their chief adversaries such are the consciences of these men If it be once awakened and stirred it will roar as a Lyon and tear out their throats a sleepy conscience is like a starcht Ruff that stands up brave in fair weather but falls quite down in a storm The peace of such a conscience is naught it
what colour soever it comes with the appearance thereof and occasions leading thereunto 441 26. Means whereby to eschew evil 442 27. Whoso avoids not evil cannot do good 443 28. Christians must be doers of good 444 29. We must do all the good we can ibid. 30. We must do all the good we can at all times in all places in all companies to all persons in our general and particular calling though it be hard and difficult and in a good maner 445 31. Christians must seek after peace 447 32. Covetousness pride frowardness tale-bearers the enemies of peace to be avoided 450 Verse 12. 1. THe prevention of an Objection 451 2. Why eyes ears c. are attributed to God ibid. 3. Whom we are to understand by righteous and why so called and whom by them that do ill 452 4. The Lord careth for the righteous ibid. 5. God hears the prayers of his Saints readily 453 6. What prayers prevail with God 454 7. How the same may appear ibid. 8. Why the Lord at some times hears not grants not the prayers of his children 455 9. Gods wrath and the fruits thereof always bent against the wicked 457 10. Why the wicked are not always plagued here ibid. Verse 13. PAtience and innocency of life are the way to escape harms from men 458 Verse 14. 1. SOme are so bad that they wrong the innocent 460 2. Some hate the godly meerly for their goodness ibid. 3. Such as suffer wrongfully or for Religion and conscience sake are happy 461 4. We must tarry till God call us to suffer ibid. 5. Whether we may flee from persecution ibid. 6. A godly man is happy in what condition soever 463 7. Fear is an Enemy to constant suffering ibid. Verse 15. 1. VVHat it is to Sanctifie the Lord God 464 2. Faith the mother of constancy in sufferings 464 3. As we must believe Gods truth with our hearts so must we profess it with our tongues 465 4. We must believe with our hearts before we can confess with our mouthes 467 5. Our speeches must be accompanyed with meekness and fear ibid. Verse 16. 1 VVHat conscience is 468 2. The offices of conscience to bear witness 470 3. To give judgement before our actions 472 4. To give judgement after our actions 473 5. An erroneous conscience what it is and a doubtful 475 6. Whether a man sinneth that doth according to his conscience ibid. 7. Whether a man may do any thing against his conscience being erroneous ibid. 8. Whether it be lawful to do a thing with a doubtful conscience 476 9. The several kindes of conscience ibid. 10. The kindes of a still quiet conscience drowsie secure seared 476 477 11. Means whereby the conscience may be awakened 478 12. The stirring ill conscience excusing accusing 479 13. A good quiet conscience wherein it differs from a bad quiet conscience 481 14. What a good troubled conscience is ibid. 15. Signs declaring the goodness thereof 482 16. The great benefits of a good conscience 483 17. How it is kept ibid. 18. A godly conversation is to accompany the zealous profession of our faith 484 19. A godly man will stand by the truth 486 20. The wicked are apt to speak ill of Gods servants ibid. 21. A godly conversation stoppeth the ungodlies mouthes 487 Verse 17. 1. VVHy we ought willingly to suffer for righteousness 488 2. It is better to suffer for well then evil doing ibid. 3. No afflictions comes to us but by Gods will 489 4. How far God hath an hand therein ibid. Verse 18. 1. CHrists sufferings an encouragement for Christians to suffer 491 2. How Christ was just and how we ibid. 3. Christ suffered for our good ibid. 4. The godly sow in tears but shall reap in joy ibid. 5. Several particulars laid down about Christs sufferings 492 6. Profit arising from the meditation thereof ibid. 7. All Christs sufferings make up one perfect suffering 493 8. The quality of the person that suffered and for whom he suffered ibid. 9. Why our Savior suffered and to what end 494 10. That Christ must have dyed and so did 495 11. The benefits ensuing by Christs death ibid. 12. Christ rose again from the dead 496 13. Why he rose again the maner of his resurrection the place the time 497 14. Why the Jews Sabbath was changed ibid. 15. The benefits hereof and duties to be performed 498 Verse 19 20. 1. A Further comfort to them that suffer for righteousness sake 498 2. Reasons against the Papists exposition of these words 499 3. That there are no such places as Limbus patrum and puerorum 500 4. Reasons against Purgatory ibid. 5. Why purgatory was devised 501 6. That Christ went not down to hel to preach to the reprobates 502 7. Gods Spirit preacheth in faithful Ministers ibid. 8. God will finde a time to right things when they are disordered 503 9. The woful condition of the wicked ibid. 10. Disobedience the cause of Gods judgement on the old world 504 11. Whether all those which were drowned were damned 504 12. Two necessary considerations 505 13. Disobedience the fore-runner of destruction 506 14. The sins of our times like those of the old world ibid. 15. Gods patience towards the disobedient aggravates their sin ibid. 16. The names of the godly mentioned to their honor 507 17. The old world then most disobedient when they should have been furthest from disobedience 508 18. Christians must use the means whereby to be freed from hell and destruction ibid. 19. Faith and Repentance an ark for the soul ibid. 20. How useful examples and ocular sermons are 509 21. Wicked men fear not Gods judgements 510 22. Weak means are sufficient through Gods blessing for our preservation 511 23. Righteousness shall not want its reward ibid. 24. It s good to be near the godly ibid. 25. No man can be saved by the goodness of another ibid. 26. The wicked though they escape bodily danger shall meet with everlasting judgements ibid. 27. There are but a few which shall be saved ibid. 28. The speech of an Arian at his death 512 29. Men and women be more excellent then other creatures ibid. 30. Noah and the old world a right picture of the good and bad in our age 513 Verse 21. 1. THe godly throughout all ages are saved by the same means 514 2. The uses of Baptism 515 3. Who is to baptize and who to be baptized ibid. Verse 22. 1. VVHat our Saviors ascension was that he did ascend why before whom and when 516 2. They that have charge over others must be careful to leave them in good plight ibid. 3. The place from which our Savior ascended with the benefits of his ascension 517 4. Three general Observations ibid. 5. The good Angels are subject to Christ who watch and guard us ibid. 6. The bad Angels are also subject to Christ 518 CHAP. IV. THe Contents thereof 519 Verse 1 2. 1. THe parts and meaning of
others are included and the first word may be taken very fitly for all naughtiness in general the rest being particular branches thereof elsewhere more are set down Therefore a Christian must not renounce onely some evils but all all being hateful to God he must cast away every thing that presseth down we must cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit The Spirit of God and the love of any one sin cannot be together in one heart and here he names onely those wherein they were most faulty and which were contraries to that love exhorted unto in the former Chapter Therefore wheresoever there 's the love and practise of any one sin assuredly the Spirit of God dwells not in that man neither is there any work of Regeneration in him 5. That most of those here mentioned be inward corruptions which we must as well avoid as the outward the sins of the tongue and the like It s not enough to pare away the outward sins but the heart also must be purged we must be sanctified throughout our whole Spirit Soul and Body must be kept blameless 1. This condemneth those that will look to the outside and yet in the mean time suffer their hearts to boyl full of Lusts and swarm ful of Corruptions of Pride Envy Impatience Unbelief the like making no conscience of these This is an ill sign These haply may bridle themselves awhile but they wil surely break out one time or other if they should not yet were they but painted Sepulchres in Gods sight 2. This may comfort Gods Servants who groan under their inward corruptions and when men think they have done well yet they shake their heads at themselves at their dulness to good at their Pride and Hypocrisie therein at their unwillingness thereto at their wandrings This is the minde of Gods true Servants and this also may much comfort them Wherefore laying aside Now of the vices themselves or corruptions rather as they are in the Regenerate I remember I requested in the beginning of the Chapter to attend to it because we knew not whether we should live to the end of it or no and is it not proved true Some that were at the first Sermon there being but a little intermission from the course of my Ministery here are now at their long home not Ancient alone but Yong and Lusty also that might have lived to see the most of us buried Therefore I see we had need take heed not to Chapters onely but to every Verse every particular Sermon this very Sermon accordingly making the best use and benefit thereof seeing no man knows whether he shall hear another so vain a thing is man and I pray God we may so do All malice The Word signifieth very properly all kinde of naughtiness and so may fitly here as the genus of the vices that follow and all others and accordingly speak we thereof Naughtiness What is that that is naught and what makes a thing naught That which is forbidden by God in his Word as that is good which he approveth for his will is the absolute rule of righteousness who doth not see a thing first good then willeth it but willeth and commandeth it and thereupon it becomes good and so on the contrary and therefore sin is said to be the transgression of the Law This teacheth us to examine all things and knowing any thing commanded to conclude that its good and thereupon to do it contrarily knowing any thing forbidden that thenceforward we know it to be naught and therefore abhor it for what good can come of that which is naught and what should we have to do therewith The Lords will is a rule of Righteousness all promises made to the obedience of it and all the threatnings and plagues upon the world have come because of disobedience that God would have his will and men will not but have theirs This is the trouble of the world and that which hath cost the world full dear yet how few knowing Gods will can be content there to rest and say Now I know this is forbidden I have done with it I know this prescribed I will therefore obey it O this were a happy world But if by this word we understand malice in particular It s an old grudge upon some wrong done or conceived to be done to a man whereupon he waits to do some hurt or mischief to him that did it Anger is like a fire kindled in thorns soon blazeth is soon out but malice like a fire kindled in a log it continues long This is often forbidden and yet as Esau hated Jacob and Haman Mordecai so the world hateth Gods Servants as being reproved of them and who run not with them into the same exceâ—s of riot 1. We ought to take heed of the beginnings of unadvised anger it rests in the bosom of fools whereas he that is so slow to wrath is of great wisdom God is slow to wrath and so should we be 2. If we be overtaken as a right good man may take heed it fester not grow not to hatred heal it quickly as we do our wounds The Devil is an ill Counsellor cast it out to night how can you else lie down in peace or pray prayers be lost and that 's a grievous loss Nay further Cast it out to night thou mayest dye ere to morrow and then shalt thou either dye in malice or else forgive per force when thou canst not retain it any longer nor any cares for it for what needs one care for thy hatred if thou be once dead Again thou art not fit to come to the Sacrament not fit to offer thy gift at the Altar And to be revenged what a madness is this It may be thou dost but imagine a wrong and then there 's no cause thou dealest unjustly but if there be wilt thou revenge It s the Lords office Take heed of perking up into Gods place as if he would not deal equally either not revenging at all or not sufficiently The Lord knoweth what is best let him alone else thou turnest off his hand from thine adversary against thy self Nay what is this but to be revenged of God as it were for hath not he a hand therein Is it not by his appointment And all guile It s meant of guile that is between men and men in their dealings each with other as in buying selling letting hiring borrowing lending paying wages doing work partnership and the like when men would seem to do well but do otherwise when one thing is pretended but another practised Guile in the buyer is naught as not to pay or to pay in ill coyn so also there may be many frauds in the seller These God forbids and he is an avenger of such things we are not born for our selves but for the good
all that are not as they should be whereas they should by a wise meek and moderate defence and kinde perswasions win credit to the truth which they defend and so do good they on the contrary cause them to speak evil and to think that it s but a preposterous hate and pride of heart in them so to speak and so do hurt Some sober Christians do much good and win on many that at first were opposite when they hear the wait of their reasons rather then the bigness of their words and seeing they do it in the fear of God and for conscience sake Some are not so milde as others but of an hotter nature this must in any wise be tempered with wisdom yet are not we to part from any part of the truth but to stick as close thereto as we may Verse 16. Having a good conscience that whereas they speak evil of you as of evil doers they may be ashamed that falsly accuse your good conversation in Christ. TO our constancy in the confession of our faith we must have a good conscience not so onely as it may be known to our selves but we must so walk that others even our adversaries may perceive the same that thereupon changing their mindes and being ashamed that they have spoken so evil of us they may cease to blame such as walk in so good a conversation as becometh the Servants of Christ Before I come to handle the points particularly laid down herein I will shew 1. What conscience is 2. The offices thereof 3. Resolve some questions about it and 4. Treat of the kindes thereof For the 1. Conscience is a faculty or power placed by God in the soul of a man which determineth of his thoughts desires words and deeds either with him or against him in the sight of God I say It s a faculty or power not a bare act for many actions are ascribed thereto as to accuse excuse comfort terrifie c. Placed by God for God being the creator of the soul he must accordingly be the creator of all the faculties of it In the soul called also the heart and the Spirit of a man Herein there be diverse faculties as the understanding whereby we conceive what is true and what is false what is good and what is evil the will whereby we will or nill choose or refuse any thing whereto are joyned the affections joy grief love hope fear c. and the memory whereby we hold fast things conceived or else call to minde and remember things past So also is conscience another faculty thereof whereby the soul reflects upon it self whereby I know that I do know such a thing that I think this or that that I affect or desire love or hate this or that for its one thing to know a thing think a thing remember a thing c. and another to know that I know it think it remember it Now in which part of the soul it hath its place as whether in the understanding or will or in every part of the soul I will not stand it s enough for us to know that there is such a faculty in mans soul. True it is it not only gives witness of all the faculties tels what I think desire affect c. but it useth and worketh upon all the faculties as the understanding for by it it directs and according to it it doth accuse so as if the judgement be well informed the conscience will give right witness if ignorant or ill informed then it gives wrong testimony So the memory accusing or excusing for things past so it worketh upon the will by provoking it to choose or refuse this or that so it worketh upon the affections raising up in us comfort and joy upon well doing fear and grief upon ill-doing Now though it have to do with all yet it may have its proper place in the understanding and minde according to the judgement of most Divines Of a man for no Creature on earth hath Conscience but man True the Angels are not without it the good having a good comfortable excusing joyful Conscience the evil a woful ill accusing and tormenting Conscience which is so much the worse for that they know so much and be so maliciously bent against it so that even when they be not in the place of torment but have leave to range the world yet they carry Hell with them even a tormenting Conscience whereof their trembling according to Saint James is an evident testimony But no other Creature hath it for having no Reason they have no Conscience therefore we say in our speech of a bad and unconscionable man he hath no more Conscience then a Dog or as much Conscience as an Horse whereby we mean none at all for these Creatures have none Man then hath a Conscience yea every man yet as the use of Reason may be lost by folly phrensie c. so the use of Conscience in such So by notorious wickedness a man may lose the use of his Conscience for a time whereupon we say of such a one he hath no Conscience yes every man hath a Conscience though as the use of Reason is taken from one deeply drunk so custom of sinning hath taken away use of Conscience so that it doth not admonish him before he do ill nor check and accuse him after or hath such an erronious judgement thinking good evil and evil good that he hath also an erronious Conscience But this benummed or beguiled Conscience will be awakened at one time or other in life or death or at the day of Judgement for no mans Conscience dyes but lives and shall meet him at the last day and though his sins be now as words written with the juyce of Lemmons nothing to be seen yet when their Conscience comes to the fire of Gods Judgements then every little dash idle words vain thoughts c. will be perceived Though men choak and smother Conscience though they strangle it or so drown it in their cups yet it will and doth abide still what made Joseph's Brethren troubled in Egypt but Conscience which told them of the sin committed by them twenty years before So Conscience told Pharaoh that he and his people were wicked which determined of his thoughts desires words and deeds or more briefly beareth witness either with us or against us in the sight of God It meddles not with other folks actions for that is science or knowledge but with our own and that is Conscience Conscience that is knowledge with another that is either another knowledge when I knowing any thing do know that I know it and so know my self and what is in me or another person that knows with me what I know and that as well as I or rather far better namely God who made the Conscience and will judge it and is privy to all that is in it for so is no other neither man nor Angel and accordingly the
his conscience he disswaded them therefrom so Davids conscience told him that he should do ill to kill Saul and thereupon would not give ear to those that perswaded him hereto Thus being tempted to Lye Deceive Swear Prophane the Lords day c. the conscience tells us that its evil so to do Again being called upon to any good duty the conscience tells us its good and provokes us to do it Why then Conscience is a Puritan if it do thus is not this corrupted as well as the other faculties O yes therefore it gives judgement very weakly and imperfectly in all but especially in the unregenerate and especially in the most ignorant and most wicked yet it retains some part of her office and power and will be doing as its enlightened and therefore it will give this judgement in foul and gross things in the worst of all as when they go to commit Murther Adultery c. or tell them on the other side they should go to Church c. but in the regenerate it doth much good work it s as a guide to conduct us in our way and whereby we shun all by paths It s a bridle to keep us from sin and a spur to goodness it s joyned in Commission with the Spirit of God they are obeyed or rejected together 1. Our duty then in token of our thankfulness is That we listen to the voyce of Conscience and be ruled by it we must take advice thereof ere we do any thing If we will not be ruled thereby but do contrary thereto it will one day exclaim against us when God shall judge us for our disobedience Why did not I give thee a Conscience to tell thee of these things will God say Yes Lord shall Conscience answer I told him it was naught and yet he would do it I told him such and such a thing was his duty and urged him to it and yet he would not give ear but put off the time from one day to another he would not repent have prayers in his family c. such shall then be stricken speechless Most are so eagerly carried after their passions and unruly affections as that they do not hear the voyce of their conscience the noise of those drowns the voyce of this 2. Even natural men have a light of conscience urging them to good and restraining them from evil None so evil but they have in them some light by which conscience is set on work to advise or counsel to the doing or avoiding this or that good or evil it s therefore no note or sign of grace in any because their conscience doth thus and thus This is in meer natural men from the light and knowledge that conscience hath of things good or evil yea oftentimes so forcible are those stirrings of conscience in them as that it keeps and restrains them from many sins which they are inclined to and would otherwise commit and puts them upon many good things which it urgeth them to which of themselves they have neither will nor power to do not from the love they have of the good or hatred of the evil but becaâ—se they would please Conscience which will not suffer them to be at quiet till it be obeyed this they may do and yet in the mean time may be onely in the state of Nature for though here they obey Conscience yet they do it not for Conscience sake Their obedience ariseth not from the purity and holiness of the Law of God but from fear of men from discredit or shame from hope of reward desire of ease or the like If there were no other cause to move them to enter upon good duties or to restrain them from doing evil but the Law of God they would not yield that obedience to Conscience which now they do And thus conscience gives judgement before things be done For its judgement after our Actions It then gives sentence This was well done This was ill done and not so onely but with an Absolution or Condemnation This was well done therefore you are innocent in it and deserve neither guilt nor punishment This was ill done therefore you are guilty and have deserved Gods wrath hereby Samuels Conscience spake for him Whose Ox have I taken c. Pharaohs against him I have sinned c. Thus is Conscience as a Judge acquitting or condemning us yea a little God as it were in the midst of man giving sentence beforehand as it shall be at the Tribunal seat of God on the last day If it acquits us then it worketh Peace Joy Comfort Boldness if it condemn us especially forcibly O then it causeth shame as in Adam when he fled and hid himself in the thicket after he had offended so also fear yea in the midst of all jollities as in Belshazzar and at small things as the shaking of a leaf so also sorrow which the world judgeth to be melancholy whereas it is far otherwise and yet both may and do often meet together yea desperation as in Cain and Judas and an universal distraction of body and minde the accusation of conscience are wounds to the heart Davids heart smote him A wounded Spirit who can bear They are as the gnawing of a Worm that never dyeth but lyeth continually gnawing at ones heart 1. If our consciences do excuse and acquit us bearing witness of the truth and integrity of our hearts of our hatred of evil our delight in Gods word and endeavor to please him above all things c. then may we rejoyce and be of good comfort the same being an infallible mark of our Salvation and may be bold in believing the same against Satan and all his discomforts There 's a great fault in many Christians though as the Apostle saith They know nothing by themselves but that their hearts bear witness with them of their care and faithfulness in all things yet are never the more comforted but are still cast down through Satans suggestions and lyes and their own unbelief If thine own conscience well informed according to Gods Word acquit thee why shouldst thou not be of good comfort you may be humbled for your failings yea deeply for your strong corruptioÌ„s yet for the main be of comfort if in any particular we have done well we may be comforted 2. Let us always keep our selves in well-doing that we may hear our consciences speak comfortably so may we keep a continual feast 3. If we have any thing lying on our consciences for which they boyl within us and accuse and pronounce judgements against us let us not make a slight matter of it but seek to God for mercy and to be discharged of it that so we may still conscience which then may be done not before Stop not the mouth of conscience as many do by mirth and toys this is but to delude thy self and delay time others let
it alone and think to wear it out in time O no conscience will still cry louder What if one should make the Bayliff drunk and so get away the debt is never the more paid he will come again though the evil Spirit in Saul went away by the Minstrels playing yet it returned to him again the like may be said of conscience I wonder at the horrible madness of some people though their consciences do already accuse them and condemn them for many things yet are so far from seeking to disburthen them that they daily adde more and more thereto How justly may these fear lest the terror of conscience come so fiercely on them as even to weary them out of their lives But howsoever they sleep now there will be a time when they will awaken and cry to the purpose 4. Let us take heed that from henceforth we do not burthen our consciences they will be Witnesses Accusers Judges Tormentors If this be against us what shall be for us and if this condemn us who who shall clear us If we have eaten too much or some unwholsom thing and it lye on our stomack we cannot be at rest till we be emptied thereof and accordingly thenceforth are more careful to abstain from the like so should we do in respect of sin yea in our places as Magistrates Ministers Husbands Parents Masters c. we must discharge our duties and for the same have the testimony of our conscience and enjoy the peace thereof then which what 's more to be desired which not gain pleasures honor c. can procure Because thy conscience doth not now accuse thee thou dost haply conceive that al 's wel but assuredly hereafter it wil though it may be twenty years hence and that when thou shalt be least able to undergo it as in sickness c. 5. This cleareth Gods justice he will nor needs not bring other witnesses or occasions against us then our consciences they will testifie with us or against us on that day Before I leave this Point consider we that the Word of God is that which tells us what is to be done and what left undone and that this bindes the conscience to obedience when any thing is done agreeable to the Word the conscience saith it s well and excuseth when any thing is done contrary to the Word the conscience saith its ill and condemneth As for them that have not the Word their consciences judge by the light and Law of nature which was left man after the fall for there remain some general notions in mans heart both of the first and second Table as appears by the Laws which the Heathens have made about the worship of their Gods and against perjury murther theft adultery c. These I say are judged by this It s true that mens Laws an Oath a Vow do binde the conscience but it s by vertue from the Word now if the minde be enlightened with the true knowledge of the Word of God then will the conscience give right judgement but if it be ignorant of the Word then it may make the conscience erronious or scruplous and doubtful An erronious conscience is when it accuseth where it should excuse or excuse when it should accuse which comes from an erronious judgement which judgeth good to be evil and evil to be good hence the conscience of some men excuse them in doing things that be flatly bad and accuse them for doing good things Thus a Papist thinks he doth well to go to Mass and that he should do very wickedly to come to Church with us A doubtful conscience is when a man is not perswaded of the lawfulness of a thing or the unlawfulness of it but is as a man that holds a Wolf by the â—ars he knows not whether he should let him go or hold him still whoso thus doth any thing sinneth both this and the former proceed from the want of the knowledge of Gods Word We must therefore labor to be well instructed in the Scriptures ignorant persons must needs fill their lives with swarms of offences and sins for they not knowing many things to be sins which be swallow them and never accuse themselves for them as we say the blinde cats many a flye and do many things which they have no faith of the lawfulness of but do them for custom example of others and the like and so sin in them people think if they be free from murther whoredom theft c. they be in a good case but being ignorant their lives abound with sins O therefore let the Word be a light unto our feet and a lanthorn unto our paths Thus of the offices of conscience For the third Three questions here offering themselves require resolution Q. 1. Whether doth a man sin that doth according to his conscience As a Papist thinks he serves God highly well in going to Mass one in the Primitive Church thought Fornication a thing indifferent and so committed it A man thinks he may lawfully travel homeward on the Lords-day being in a journey A. He doth ill that doth any of these or the like for his erring conscience cannot make that good which God hath before pronounced to be evil by forbidding it in his Word our conscience is not our rule but Gods Word Thus every one should be saved by his own devotion and it were lawful to go to a cunning man to sell as dear as we can to deceive them that deceive us to use the Creed and Ten Commandments as a Prayer c. which who can justifie Q. 2. Whether it be lawful for a man to do a thing against his conscience I mean though his conscience be erronious and deceived As if a Papist be perswaded that its a sin to come to Church with us and yet for fear comes an Anabaptist holds it unlawful to take an oath before a Magistrate and yet through fear he doth A. They do ill not simply for doing these things as being good and such as God requires but for doing them with an ill conscience against their conscience so that if they do not these things being required they sin if they do them they sin what then They must labor to be informed and perswaded of the lawfulness of them and then do them So that though as in the former question our perswasion of the lawfulness of a thing being indeed unlawful makes it not good so the doing of a good thing against ones conscience makes it unlawful If a man think himself bound in conscience to pray three times in a day he ought so to do though God hath left it indifferent An erronious conscience must be followed till it be better informed but how vile is it to commit an evil against the checks and light of conscience and yet what 's more frequent Q. 3. Whether is it lawful to do a thing with a doubtful
Time and of our own Nature 3. To affect heartily all good but especially those good things that the World and Times least regard and our selves be most untoward unto If by these notes we finde we be called then have we cause to rejoyce and to praise the Free-grace of God who for no desert but his meer mercy hath vouchsafed to call us that were vile as Abraham an Idolater Paul a Persecuter Zacheus a covetous person the Goaler a desperate Ruffian and hath now put a difference and that for no goodness in us rather then in others And hath he done so to all our companions No they abide in ignorance unbelief impenitency And now our work must be this even to study after holiness more and more being called out of the world that we should no longer fashion our selves according to the same having no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but reproving them rather As you would be loath to be put back with the world and have as they shall so be not as they no not in the least things and as our hope is in Heaven so have we our conversation there as being called of God to that high Priviledge If you be not effectually called and have had so long and so great means of calling it s a fearful sign that you hearken not because the Lord will slay you The earth that after much cost yet yields nothing but bryars and thorns is reproved reprobate ground near the curse whose end will be to be burned If the Gospel be hid it s hid to them that perish So many as were ordained to eternal life believed therefore if thou hast hitherto stopt thine ear against the Lords calling take heed thou provoke him not further but to day whilest it is called to day give ear and obey It s more then thou couldst have looked for that he should have all this patience abuse it no longer lest it turn into fury and the Lord in his wrathful indignation flying away from thee pronounce that he will never more speak to thee and either snatch thee from the Word and send thee to Hell or the Word from thee or if thou hear that he yet bid the Minister preach to harden thee and let thee alone agreeable to that He that is unjust let him be unjust still c. which is most fearful and curse thy heart as Christ did the Figtree never fruit grow on thee never good motion come in thy heart or if any do let them dye presently not live and give thee over to be more strongly tempted by Satan Devil take him and hurry him at thy pleasure lay down thine own corruption unbridledly which is the fearfullest curse under heaven O le ts seek to escape it and tremble to prevent this fearful judgement which lighteth on many that have long lived under preaching and are hardlier won at last then before Some of you haply having barren Trees in your Orchard and having resolved to cut them down have tryed one year more ere you cut them down We may fear there be sundry of us in this place going upon our last year who they be God knows If now you listen not the Lord will hew you down and cast you into the fire and then will you call and cry to God but in vain he will not answer you then When God shall cast such into their deserved place how shall they then fret and vex themselves What beasts were we that we did not yield to the Word of God which so often called upon us Others obeyed and they are well O that we had profited at such a time when such good motions came in our mindes O that we had yielded to them and not cast them off as we did but then all too late they may fret and gnaw their tongues for vexation but to no purpose Endeavor we therefore in time to prevent this Thus of the Exhortation Now follows the Reason of the Exhortation laid down in the 16 Verse Because it is written Be ye holy for I am holy where 's to be considered 1. That he urgeth still the matter in hand and cannot have done with it 2. How he urgeth it even by Scripture It is written 3. The Text it self Be ye holy for I am holy 1. I say he still urgeth the matter in hand much pressing his Exhortation unto holiness and is very earnest herein The Reasons may be these 1. Because the thing in hand is so excellent and necessary then which nothing can be more Holiness makes us like God and Angels unlike Devils and our selves without which there 's no seeing of God 2. Because we are altogether so untoward thereunto Who seeth not what a work we have to bring any to turn from their sins and to take an holy course how few such and with what a deal of pains and when converted and brought to a love of holiness and desire to please God yet who findes not what a stir he hath to bring himself to any good Duty Prayer Meditation Examination of his heart c. or when we are brought to do good things yet to do them in a right maner but the heart will be gone especially in all things and in our whole conversation therefore no marvel though the Holy Ghost dwell long upon it 1. This teacheth us Ministers in weighty points to dwell as it were upon them and not sliding from them too quickly to urge them again and again questioning their hearts whether indeed they will do so and so or not c. 2. People when they perceive their Ministers so to urge such and such a point they must consider it the more seriously so when we read any thing wherein the holy Ghost is more earnest or repeats it often as to search and examine our selves we must take knowledge of the weight of the matter and of our own dulness dwelling the more thereon in our observation and attention where the holy Ghost is earnest we must not pass it slightly over 2. He proves it by Scripture and so must we when we would prove any thing to the Conscience for Gods Word is the Judge of all truth and falshhood good and evil it s the Golden rule the Ballance of the Sanctuary Philosophers prove things by Reason in Gods School proof must be from the Scripture We must not look what this man or that man or twenty men say this stablisheth not the Conscience but the Word of God that bears meat in the mouth that is of weight and authority either to make to yield or at least to leave without excuse One Testimony of Scripture is of more weight then the testimony of a thousand men for that is the Word truth and all men are subject to error and thereto may people say indeed The voyce of God and not of man A number of people in Cities and great Towns
is not any dram of true grace in them and all the seeming good things they do are in hypocrisie and to no purpose for the love of evil and of good cannot be at one time in one heart O look to it will you lose all your comfort here and all your labor yea Heaven it self for some one sin 2. The end of our Sanctification is to be fruitful in good works and to set upon good duties Such therefore as profess themselves to be Sanctified must be more fruitful Touching the grace here exhorted unto speak we both in general and particular In general where consider 1. What Love is It s a Sanctified affection of the heart wherewith whoso is endued endeavoreth to do all the good he can to all but especially to them that be nearest unto him It s an affection seated as is said in the heart as the others of Hope Fear Joy Grief c. are They were all good and well ordered in Adam but ever since his fall wofully corrupted and utterly disordered and perverted as this of love is turned either into an hatred of that we should love or into self-love It s a Sanctified Affection For ere a man can love he must be Regenerate and Sanctified throughout which comes by being united to Christ by Faith whereby our affections are in some measure purged and restored to their former integrity as to hate evil and love good God and our Brethren for Gods cause Love is a fruit of the Spirit and must come from a pure Heart good Conscience and Faith unfained and therefore cannot be in an unregenerate person there may be indeed a shew and shadow of it but that 's no true love They do not love one another neither possibly can love the people of God There 's no trust in them they do but watch their opportunity when to do them mischief O the wretched condition of such how needful wert for them to be wearied thereof And for the people of God they must not trust them or too much open themselves to them He onely that fears God is to be trusted he dares not deceive Wherewith whoso is endued endeavoreth Though love be in the heart yet it must and will shew it self forth in the Life Words and Deeds to Soul and Body else it s like the love of bad men to God who yet keep not his commandments or like the worldlings Faith which is without Works To do good For it s the nature of love it can do no hurt but what good it can it will do to Soul and Body and wheresoever any true good is done to Soul or Body Goods or Name there was love love did it To all For though brotherly kindeness be to the people of God yet love reacheth to all whether near or far off to Strangers Enemies such as are not yet called under the Turk Pope Pagans c. for whom we are to pray and to do them all the good we can with the pitiful Samaritan But especially to them that be nearest So God gives leave nay commands that our love begin at our selves and ours and so go on forward to them that be nearest by nature Therefore they that prefer Strangers before Kinsmen and Kinsmen before Children are blame-worthy and to bestow upon any to the undoing of ones Family is not love but folly as in them which wil spend in lewd company their Wives and Children at home being in want So must it be to them that â—e nearest by grace This is often commanded and highly also commended in the Scriptures This is the bond of perfection It bindes up all the duties that we owe to our Neighbor which are many holds them together as the bond of a Fagot and makes every duty easie as where this is not every duty is irksome nothing comes well off hand It ties Societies together and Families O how it keeps out evil how it sets up good By it small things have become great and for want of it great things have come to nothing It s the fulfilling of the Law It s a most beneficial vertue other vertues benefit our selves but this doth good to others Faith draws all from Christ to us Love lays out it self for others good as the Sun that hath no light for it self other vertues be like the Bung of a Barrel Love like the Tap that sets it abroach to the benefit of them that need If a man be as full of gifts as a Tun of Liquor if he have no Tap others may starve so for Temporal things without this all gifts are nothing but as sounding Brass We are not born for our selves but the perfection of all we have is to employ This is the lasting vertue which when others as Faith and Hope shall end shall spring afresh abound and abide for ever that vertue that makes us like to God for he is Love and doth good to all even his enemies though he have a special affection to his Children O that I could paint out the face of this lovely vertue that every one of us might grow in love therewith 2. The properties thereof whereby we may try whether it be in us and in what measure They are laid down by the Apostle unto the Corinthians Charity suffereth long and is kinde Charity envyeth not Charity vaunteth not it self is not puffed up doth not behave it self unseemly c. Take we notice of a few of them 1. Love will interpret things doubtful to the best that is speeches or actions of men towards our selves or others and if they may be taken well will not take them ill Our nature is to take every thing in the worst part Love doth otherwise the Mother saith a pin pricks the Childe or it breeds teeth when it may be its of frowardnes that it cryes Thus Josephs Brethren sold him spitefully into Egypt afterward when by reason thereof they were afraid what construction made he thereof God saith he did send me before you to preserve life If a thing be plainly evil yet it will make it no worse then it is nor say it was done deliberately when it may be it was done rashly or maliciously when it may be it was done weakly and in temptation for one may do injury to a bad action in making it worse and its better to judge a little better of a thing then worse then it is Always provided this be understood not of palpable notorious foul evils nor of continued courses in sinning for what good or charitable construction can a man make of these Therefore such say foolishly when being informed hereof they Reply Oh ye must not judge what can be judged of this case but onely that there may be Repentance It s a fault in Ministers and others that will extenuate foul sins in bad persons and wicked livers in the mean time aggravating a
must settle 3. It teacheth us to search the Scripture laboring by all means that the Word of Christ may dwell in us plentifully that so we may be grounded If we hear God speaking in his Word we must sit down by it all mouthes must be stopt if not we must not be carried without it Again He alleageth the Old Testament as Christ and the other Apostles did for the Old was the same in substance with the New and of the same Authority Further In that he nameth not the place nor the Prophet it sheweth their skill and rebuketh our ignorance that have not the book of God clasped against us as in Popery but open if we can take our time for the place it self it s alleaged with some alteration of the words though not of the sence 1. He leaves out a word or two and takes that which fitteth his purpose 2. He turneth these words of the Prophet He that believeth shall not make haste into these He that believeth on him shall not be confounded The Prophet sets down the effect the Apostle the cause for unbelievers being ashamed it makes them run up and down in their misery for some other help seeing themselves disappointed and deceived The occasion of that promise there was to comfort the good in respect of the great threatnings against the bad and contemners namely that they should not be destroyed and cast off among the rest and that the wicked might not scorn them and think all Gods promises made to them fallen to the ground Behold This being a word to stir up attention implieth that What the Lord saith he doth He is true of his word the Almighty and who cannot be hindred He saith not Such a stone shall be laid but Behold I lay it whereby he confirms the good and puts them out of doubt who by reason of the threatnings were grown weak fearful and in doubt Here see our infidelity in Spiritual things especially if we see any things against us such was Zacharias So was not Abraham he looked not to carnal lets but rested on Gods Word had enough that God spake it so should we If we have any promise of Gods mouth we should be of good comfort and believe and not be dismaid at our sins and unworthiness Come unto me saith our Savior all ye that are weary and laden and I will refresh you c. What promise more comfortable and yet many seeing their sins and danger cannot be comforted and perswaded But we must give God the glory to believe him on his word and know that nothing can make him break promise or change his minde either any hinder him from performing what he hath promised I lay It s God that layes the Foundation of his Churches Salvation All the Men and Angels in the world cannot lay one stone in this building unto this Foundation Though God use the Ministery of his servants Men to this purpose yet its God that by his Spirit makes them fit and couples them hereto therefore much less could they lay this corner stone Paul saith he laid this Foundation By Preaching the same to the people not otherwise That Foundation which God had laid before the world and appointed to be Preached that he taught to the people and that was all he did If God gave Christ generally for his Church then for every humble soul that seeth his need of Christ and cometh with an heavy heart to him and desires him above all the world assuredly he will give him to such In Sion That hill in Jerusalem is put for the Church whereof it was a type and because the Gospel was first preached there Christ there revealed and from thence conveyed into all nations far and wide so that now by Gods mercy we have him no less preached unto us then the Jews had and have also our part in him as largely O unspeakable mercy A chief corner stone A chief stone a foundation stone This is the principal point in this first part of the Verse but of this on the fourth Verse where was shewed That he is not a stone as others be in the building but the foundation on which they are all built which sustains and holds them together there being no other foundation but he This the Papists overturn and that both in respect of his Kingly Prophetical and Priestly Office For his Kingly Office which is to rule over the consciences of his subjects by his Spirit and to have power to make Laws to binde their consciences they take it from him for with them the Pope may also make Laws of his to binde the conscience as much as any of Christs and doth and may repeal some of his at his pleasure For his Prophetical Office which is to be the onely Teacher of his Church and to reveal all his Fathers minde in the Books of the Prophets and Apostles this they take away by adding as if the Word were altogether imperfect unwritten Verities and mens Traditions which say they are of absolute necessity to be obeyed to Salvation For his Priestly they abolish both parts of it 1. His Sacrifice All sufficient and once offered on the Cross for all by their blasphemous Mass wherein they offer Christ daily as they say as a Propitiatory Sacrifice for the sins of the quick and the dead 2. His Intercession wherein they joyn many Saints with him What Salvation can there be for such le ts pray for and keep our selves far from them Elect Christ is chosen of God to the work of our Redemption and furnished for it therefore make we choyce of him for our portion wo to them that refuse him He that believeth on him shall not be confounded Hereby is meant a true particular justifying Faith Such as have this shall not be ashamed or seek at any time as confounded or deceived of sufficient help and Salvation therefore he shall never be put to make haste to seek any other The true Believer shall never be confounded but finde enough in Christ to satisfie him to the full to deliver him from all evil and make him partaker of all Happiness Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption and enough to make his minde peaceable and quiet and to stablish him against all that his own conscience or any yea the Devil himself can lay to his charge but he findes enough to answer all at large As Thou art a sinner and hast deserved Damnation and God is just R. I grant all but I have a surety able enough who hath born all Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect It s God that justifieth c. His heart is fixed he believeth in the Lord In his life he hath that wherein he may quiet himself and never be to seek but may draw new life and grace from Christ to enable him to
be done in a Spiritual maner They cannot tell what they would have A. Alas poor people they would fain hear all is well and peace that they might make an easie matter of being a Christian and go to Heaven with ease Therefore they cannot endure to be put out of their Byas especially being Ancient and having all this while thought their case good and withal having been somewhat civil now to be told all is out of the way and nothing as it should be and to hear such duties required and to be done in such a Spiritual maner and that it will not serve to huddle them over as they have been wont O this is such a disquieting that they cannot away therewith therefore they count Preaching harsh But better begin again then still go wrong and perish If any hath gone out of his way half the day for want of asking and at Noon one tell him he is out of the way will he say Nay seeing I have gone so far I will not go back now but go on Or though it be more grief will he not rather return then go further out and so never come to his Journeys end he were else mad Our case is such and it is best to be told of it and herein Ministers should deal faithfully laying this as the Foundation of all their Doctrine that in themselves men be utterly lost thereupon denouncing Judgement whereby they may be brought to seek mercy They must herein follow those which have gone before them the Prophets our Savior himself and his Apostles As they must take heed they break not the bruised Reed nor quench the smoaking Flax so they must not give Childrens bread to Dogs We must not give Pearls to Swine and lavish out the mercies of God to Proud Prophane Impenitent persons First the Law must Arrest mens Consciences and they must be rowsed up by it else they will never seek unto Christ for pardon It is necessary we should thus Preach that we may be free from mens blood and that their ignorance or slackness in repenting be not imputed to our coldness in reproving such as more like or approve others wil one day curse the day that ever they heard such sweet-tongued flatterers or unskilful dawbers and they shall finde most favor at the last that deal most plainly Howsoever thus we shall please God and keep a good conscience Neither must thou stumble at those many marks and signs that they lay down whereby to try Faith Love Repentance Sincerity and the like for Gold fears not the Touchstone And they that hear grievous things in the Word if they would tarry by it should hear as comfortable and joyful whereof in time they might have their part but they must taste of the bitter ere they come to the sweet Such as are otherwise would be as it were lulled asleep even to their final destruction If any shun and say we would bring them to desperation they nor we shall not need fear that people be not so easily moved if Preaching humble them we fear not but it will also comfort them Holy desperation I would we could help men to but there 's more fear of desperation and horror for not believing and regarding the threatnings of Gods Word 8. Some stumble at plain Preaching If there were any witty conceits or Eloquence of words or plenty of Quotations of Writers and that in divers Tongues or ancient Stories c. I could like it well will some such say which now I do not A. They that have itching ears to hear the painted words of mans wisdom rather then the plain evidence of the Word of God and seek to delight their mindes rather then edifie their conscience if ever they receive any good it s of Gods exceeding mercy not the course they take These be commonly such as get something into their heads to talk of but yet live licentiously and at large and hence it is that they love such Preaching as is fair and far off rather then that which comes home to search their Conscience and sift them like a sieve But whatsoever they would have Gods Ministers must learn to distribute the Word as becometh the Word and to give that which is most wholesom and profitable for the peoples Souls They must Preach Christ Crucified in a Crucified Phrase The foolishness of Preaching God hath Sanctified It s better to speak five words with understanding which may convince the Judgement and Conscience as it may search the heart and so edifie the Soul in true godliness then Five thousand to no edifying but to fill the brain onely It s the true learned Preaching that open the Scriptures soundly and gather Doctrines naturally to confirm them strongly and apply them wisely and in all this to be so plain as that which is in the Teacher may be conveyed into the Hearer It s true Learning to make another Learn that 's Preaching which may pierce the Heart we may not deal Huckster-like with the Word as men do with their Wares rather to beguile then profit the buyer How little do most conceive when we speak the plainest Assuredly for the plainest Preaching people ought to be most thankful 9. Some take offence at us and our assemblies and refuse to joyn with us publikely and privately because they say our Church is not rightly governed our Ministers be not true Ministers and that there be many foul abuses among us and that we are no Church of God but an Antichristian company c. A. These are they that be too wise and over just that either would imagine a company more pure then is to be looked for on earth or condemn the Church of God to be none because of some wants and blemishes But That company that hath the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles soundly preached in all substantial Points and the Sacraments for substance according to Christs institution is a true Church of God though there be blemishes therein If it overturn the foundation it is none as if one want a head heart liver he is no man but a carkase who though he have scars and moles in his face yet having the other parts nay though he should want a leg or an arm yet he is a man Christ never forsook the Synagogues of the Jews though they were greatly corrupted and both Doctrine and life was foully faulty Sometimes two High Priests in one year sometimes others of other Tribes then of Levi came to the place by corruption yet seeing they held the foundation Christ forsook them not Again That Ministry which God hath used to convert many thousand souls is not Antichristian Ye are the seals of mine Apostleship We think a great deal more charitably of them then they do of us as that holding the foundation of Religion they may be saved And though we know that numbers of them be proud and idle persons and such as look not much to govern
this therefore be a mean rather to draw men on to Religion then set them off from it 2. Some say They make a great shew and be very hot for a while and after they fall off and become as others as bad as who is worst which we think is because having begun they see nothing in it and so they return to their old courses as that which is better A. You might have guessed many truer Reasons It s not that a true Christian is fallen away or one that hath truly tasted of the goodness of the Lord and finding no sweetness in it returns to his old byas as the better state but it is that he that was but an hypocrite though he made a shew is discovered now he hung to the bark but was never ingrafted went out from us but was not of us and Christ coming as is foretold shal make the thoughts of many hearts to be opened It s the easiest thing in the world to be deceived and few build sure and God will have some such Revolters both for the good of his servants which are thereby made the more wary to build sure and look to themselves better then otherwise they would and for the just falling of the wicked that they which will take no benefit by any thing as by Preaching and by the godly lives of the servants of God but rather seek for lets may meet with such blocks falling in their way to their Destruction If some fall away what then The Word hath foretold there shall be hypocrites in the Church yet there be some have held out constantly yea to the death in Prison and flames and loved not their lives so well as the Truth who have found indeed the sweetness of that Christian life from which they would never part Let us therefore begin in Truth and we shall never fall from it as the hypocrites do le ts look to our selves there may be times of tryal wherein many will fall away 3. Some stumble at the falls of Professors We see not say they but they be as bad as other folks and seeing they make a shew of forwardness more then others I would have them shew it by their lives but they are as Covetous as others as Froward Hasty and Furious if they be stirred A. I see you can tell how others should live though you have no minde to it your selves True they should lead their life answerable to their Profession and do not a great many so even their Neighbors that live by them with Eagles eyes yea even their Adversaries being Judges Why doth not this provoke them and you and what if some having boisterous natures and strong corruptions which for want of heedfulness and care prevail over them for a time and so they fall to do something uncomely yea and for a long time walk not so watchfully as they ought is this matter enough for you to mislike Religion The Gospel teacheth not this but the contrary therefore is it not in fault that you should fall out with it Doth any man dislike a Trade because some of the Trade be bad persons and are at sometimes overshot therein Christianity and the denying of our selves is not so easie a matter as that it should be expected a man should straightway as soon as he hath entred upon the profession of Religion be perfect although we ought to look and labor thereto diligently 4. Some stumble at the great humiliation of some Professors who by going to Sermons have been even at their wits end and so troubled as that all their friends could not comfort them yea some have been in such dispair as they have been almost besides themseves and some have made away themselves by drowning hanging or otherwise and they that have not been so yet though they were as merry before they went to Sermons as one would wish after have been so dumpish and heavy as that they would never be merry and I would be loth will some such say to come to this pass therefore I do not mean to trouble my head about such matters A. Many through Gods goodness be truly humbled and yet in short time finde comfort others more deeply cast down and longer held without comfort whom though they walk heavily as they have cause yet God sustains and in due time they get comfort who if they should be held under all their life and yet obtain it at last were much bound to God and their estate infinitely more happy then to live as before in security Yea if any should be so deeply cast down and for want of means of comfort living in desert places wanting publique and private helps or having them be troubled also with the humor of melancholy and the Devil subtilly watching his advantage when both these meer should draw them into some temptation to lay violent hands upon themselves yet I had rather a thousand times be in the case of such a one that being lost hath sought after mercy and salvation and had it in chase and yet were held off by unbelief Satans temptations and their own distemper Being in seeking of it their state could not but be good what ever became of the body For Blessed are they that hunger and thirst c. Better I say is the case of such a one though it be somewhat grievous then either of prophane ones or civil persons that never make question about their salvation but God be thanked such examples are few and very rare Many indeed there be that make away themselves by hanging drowning cutting their throats c. of whom we hear ever and anon but not one of a thousand of those upon any such cause but upon Covetousness Pride Discontent Worldly grief meeting with such Afflictions and Persons as cross their Wills and having no Grace nor Faith to bear them up in them they sink under them and yield to the Devils temptations as Achitophel So that you need not keep away from Sermons lest you should be troubled in your wits and make away your selves but rather hear the Word and labor for Faith or else you may be more likely a thousand times for want of Faith when Afflictions come to hang your selves then otherwise And is it not strange that if one of an hundred upon trouble of Conscience come to such an end that should be a stone to stumble at and all the other should be leapt over and be no means to provoke people to the Word and to Faith a sign they are willing to stumble And whereas there are some that are upon some occasion or naturally distracted in their Wits and craized in their brains and so miscarry people must be so wise as to know that this is no trouble of Conscience yet a number are so foolish that they put no difference Therefore never fear being troubled at the Word for if thou beest not troubled in this World for thy sins thou shalt howl in Hell for them eternally And where
counsel of Daniel to Nebuchadnezzar even that they would break off their sins by repentance O turn ye why will ye dye acknowledge I beseech you all your rebellions and treacheries against God and that you have deserved hereby to be cut off entreating yet for pardon and mercy through Jesus Christ Turn to God with your whole hearts and learn to know that sin is odious bringing dishonor to God and destruction upon your selves O shun all evil little and great shun it at all times in all places how gainful or pleasing so ever and whosoever commands it or whomsoever you see practice it together with all the appurtenances and occasions of the same Means to evil may be these 1. Labor to understand the ten Commandments and so what is good and what is evil 2. Labor for faith which purifieth the heart from evil even the assurance of Gods love to us which may work in us love to his Majesty and so an hatred of all evil 3. A sanctified heart the inseperable companion of true faith 4. Attend on Gods ordinances publikely the Word and Sacraments and in private use meditation conference prayer c. 5. Watch and pray that we enter not neither be led into temptation 6. Make we a Covenant against evil as Job and David 7. Call to minde the fearful wrath of God and the wages of sin and the examples thereof on many both in Scripture and our own experience as also the hour of death when it will trouble us and lie heavy on our conscience and the day of Judgement when and where we would be loath to meet with it 2. This also rebukes them that eschew some evil but not all nor at all times or in all places Being commanded what will they not do What not for profit pleasure preferment The sins of their complexion and trade they will in no wise leave they run upon things because lawful though they cannot use them lawfully If they can sin secretly they make no conscience thereof 3. This may serve for instruction with rebuke to most Christians and to us that be most ancient professors that though we have a general purpose against evil yet we neither hate it so deeply nor shun it so carefully as we ought nor are so much humbled when we have been overtaken and have fallen thereinto as we ought we complain of our crosses but grieve not so much that we have fallen into sin If one should threaten to run at us with a naked sword or shoot at us whensoever he could finde an opportunity we would be wary and watchful upon our going abroad having an eye in every corner c. O do we thus against sin which watcheth but an opportunity to do us mischief If we would thus do we should not be so often overtaken as we are we should see better days scape numbers of crosses have more peace to our consciences more joy in our death and a freer passage to Heaven But alas we judge even that which is a great evil to be but a little one it pleaseth us if we have any colour for the same as that we have but once committed it that others do so and so c. Thus do we prophane the Lords-day despise his Ministers and run upon all sorts of evils 4. This affords consolation to all such as do indeed eschew evil and that out of an unfained hatred thereof rejoycing in nothing more then when they prevail against it grieving at nothing more then when they are overcome thereby such do indeed love God such fear him in truth and so are beloved of God and shall be everlastingly blessed these shall live happily here in joy and bliss hereafter O go on in this Christian course though the world hate you because ye do not as they do though they call you precise fools because ye dare not swallow such goblets as they do yea though hereupon ye pull danger upon your selves yet must ye eschew evil and so let us It s no matter though we have the worlds frown as long as we have Gods favor and what if we shall miss many a sweet morsel of profit pleasure and promotion if we be free from the gripes and vexations of conscience and the wrath of Almighty God they that now have their sweet meat would one day vomit up their morsels if they could as Judas did who though he rid himself of the money yet could not be rid of his wound of Conscience nor of the Judgement of God upon him were they ever the worse or had they any cause to grieve that they had not a share with him in the thirty pieces And do good This necessarily followeth on the other No man can have his heart truly nor aright set to do good whose heart is not first purged of the love of all evil for they cannot stand in one heart and at once and that man that lives and bears himself in the practice one sin never did good aright in his life neither ever pleased he God Who can serve God in one thing that serves the Devil in another This may serve to rouse up some that fain would do well and many good things they do but some one old accustomed sin which they know is a sin they cannot leave Well there 's no hating sin it will not do well the end will not be good it s but to be almost Christians Some will say Such a Preacher hath prevailed much with me and done me much good but as long as one known sin is lived in all is nothing worth to Salvation It s true a childe of God through strong temptations may be overcome of the same evil which he hates but he both covenants against it is careful that he may not fall into it having fallen he is much grieved He that is not grieved but doth again upon the next occasion fall to it is indeed in a grievous condition Thus from the order To do good is sometimes taken in a strict sence for the performance of the works of mercy whether for body or soul or both Here more largely for that good we are to do to our neighbor enemies that do us hurt or yet more largely for whatsoever God hath commanded in his Word Whose will is a perfect rule of Righteousness and makes that good which he requireth Whosoever would see good days here and hereafter must set himself in body and soul to the obedience of Gods will in doing good No other shall be saved good is the way leading to this end To come to this end we must walk in this way Reasons 1. It s good and amiable of it self as the Lord is 2. God commands it who is our Soveraign Lord and King Thou shalt do thus and thus saith he often throughout the Scriptures for I am the Lord thy God 3. All promises in Scripture of good things here or
Apostles Paul and John joyn both together Great is the force hereof as both being within us and so more able either to comfort or terrifie us then any other thing as the wind that gets within the earth shakes it most terribly and likewise so inseparable that a man cannot get from it 1. This sheweth plainly that there is a God who hath set Conscience on work thus to admonish warn comfort accuse terrifie c. Having done evil why should a mans Conscience accuse or terrifie him but that God hath ordained it should so do and accordingly it doth cite him before God and judge him before hand for not man or Angel can take the accusation of Conscience it bears record in the sight of God Why have the most unbridled despisers of God when any token of Gods wrath hath appeared run into holes and cellars under the ground yea and such wicked monsters after some foul offence though so secretly done as that they needed not to have been afraid of men yet been so much vexed and disquieted but that their Consciences informed them of God against whom they did sin and that his wisdom and knowledge did far surpass that of men or Angels as knowing not onely what is done and spoken in the world but what is in every mans heart 2. This confuteth those which affirm That we cannot be assured of our Salvation and why because we cannot know whether we believe or not c. But as we may know a Tree by the fruits so may we our Faith God gives us not grace that we should not know whether we have it or not wherefore serves Conscience but to witness what is in us Thus what Conscience is For the second The Offices of Conscience they are to bear witness and to give judgement First I say To bear witness and that 1. Of our thoughts whether they have been proud distrustful unclean wandering at the hearing of the Word or in Prayer worldly on the Lords day c. for the understanding hath two faculties one whereby it conceives or thinks this or that the other whereby it doubles upon it self and knows that it did think it The minde thinks a thought the Conscience goes beyond the minde and knows what the minde thinks so that if a man would hide his thoughts from God his Conscience can bear witness of them Thus it discovers the very bent and sway of our hearts 2. Of our will and affections whether the same be set on good or that which is evil 3. Of our speeches whether they be agreeable to Gods Word or not 4. Of our actions though never so secret Thus Davids Conscience told him that he had sinned in numbring the people but that he had not conspired against Saul howsoever he was by him persecuted so Jobs Conscience witnessed against him that he had spoken somewhat impatiently but for him that he had not eat his morsels alone c. 1. This setteth out the great mercy of God to man God hath not here left us alone but besides his Word and Ministers every man hath a keeper still going along with him who is to pry into our actions and to bear witness of them all and when we have done amiss to tell us secretly thereof that so we may ask pardon and amend and may not complain that we had none to tell us of our faults c. and that is our conscience Hereby such as belong unto God are stirred up to have recourse unto God for mercy and thereupon are pardoned after their conversion they are also hereby kept from many evils and through the checks of Conscience we are driven to repentance Happy are they that have tender Consciences and turn not the deaf ear thereto Doth our conscience tell us of any thing amiss if we do thereupon amend we make good use thereof but if we do not whereas it now speaks softly between it and us in our ear it will roar out one day when it will be heard whether we will or not namely Both at the hour of our death and on the day of Judgement Most men count their conscience a common Barretor one that troubles them as Ahab said Elias did Israel therefore is it just with God to give them benumb'd consciences that they go snorting to Hell 2. It setteth out the Equity and Justice of God that condemns no man till he hath given him both a law to guide him and a conscience to admonish him yea to accuse and condemn him When God judgeth every mans conscience shall justifie God for so doing when God shall awake the conscience then it will speak true give a righteous verdict and condemn the civilest for want of Faith in Christ and not performance of the duties of the first Table 3. It teacheth us to beware we sin not whether in thought word or deed either out of hope that none shall know it or that we shall scape for lack of witnesses or that we may alledge that we knew not that so and so to do were sins Thus we should but deceive our selves for there be witnesses enough thine own conscience is as a thousand and God as ten thousand Le ts do no other thing but that whereof we would hear again for conscience will bear witness do not we bless our selves for our sins done in secret as if none saw them or could witness any thing against us The bird in the breast knows and God knows hang down thine head then and ask mercy of God and confess thy self to him if not even thine own conscience may break it out in this world as Judas's in accusing himself whereas he was not taxed by others and many have confessed Murther Adultery Theft c. some with repentance others in hellish horror Do not any thing in hope of secrecy unless you can keep God and your consciences from being present neither be we careful for eye-witnesses of our well doing in the performance of duties It s enough if our conscience tells us we have done well yea if we be taxed for Hypocrites or otherwise be slandered its sufficient that God and our own conscience can bear witness of our sincerity and uprightness it s more then if every one should speak well of us excepting our own conscience Thus was Job thus Hezekiah comforted 2. To give judgement and that whether things be good or bad whether they be well done or ill done and this judgement is given either before our actions or after them before Conscience gives judgement thus it tells us what is good and what bad and not so barely but with some furtherance This is good therefore do it This is ill therefore do it not so Pilate knowing Christ to be innocent his conscience moved him to seek to loose him so Reuben when his brethren would have killed Joseph apprehending that to be ill and that from
comes not after humiliation nor proceeds from apprehension of Gods love but from a false imagination having no true reformation of life accompanying it Now that the consciences of such may be awakened here whilest there is help though usually most shun the same they must 1. Labor to be acquainted with Gods Law wherein they shall as well see the smallest as the greatest sins Therein they shall perceive their own error as who thought that they did love God above all and their neighbors as themselves that they did ever serve God and put their whole trust in him that it was lawful for them to swear so it were true that it was lawful to go to wizards that on the Lords day they might walk about their fields and do their other businesses and yet serve God as well as they that went to Church that they might do with their own what they list c. 2. Labor to know and believe that the least sin is damnation yet do most bless themselves in their evil courses and are not a whit moved by all the threatnings of Gods Word that thereupon they may be humbled and terrified and flie out of themselves to God for mercy which is the onely way to come to good To this end let them make use of the most stirring sermons meditate of Gods judgements go to such as are afflicted or lie on their death beds consider that there be thousands in Hell which have not committed the tithe of their sins and that if they themselves should dye suddenly this night their condition were miserable If any shall say My conscience hath been quiet all this while I do not mean to call my estate into question let such know that many go snorting to Hell and that a troubled conscience is better then a drowsie secure conscience for that may come to good the other is out of all possibility of mercy Indeed to stay in terror of conscience is fearful yet not worse then to have a benumb'd conscience there 's hope of them that be troubled of the others but a little Physitians prescribe their Patients sometimes to go to sea to be sea sick and that to purge away some ill humors for the health of the body no less needful is it to be soul sick for the welfare of our souls yet is it a common speech of most at the visitation of the sick Oh I pray do not trouble him he is in a very good minde c. but the Prodigals condition though he had ragged cloaths and a rent heart was better then his elder brothers and the Publican justified not the Pharisee Thus of the quiet ill conscience The stirring ill conscience is either when it stirs by excusing or by accusing Excusing upon the doing of some evil whereof John 16. 2. or the omission of some duty as the hearing of the Word Prayer and the liâ—e Thus was it with Saul when he was questioned by Samuel for not obeying Gods Commandment thus hath it been with some Papists when they have practiced Treason against their Prince and Countrey A good conscience doth excuse indeed but rightly not amiss in all things not in some onely for the maner as well as the thing it self Accusing and that 1. When it should not as an Idolator is troubled in conscience for leaving undone some piece of idolatrous service 2. For trifles and not for matters of weight as the Pharisees made great conscience of going to meat with unwashen hands but not of murthering Christ as Papists make great conscience of eating flesh on a fasting day who yet make no conscience of Whoredom Swearing so Civil persons would be much troubled if they should be but accused for wronging their neighbors who yet are no whit moved for prophaning the Lords day not coming to the Sacrament neglect of Prayer and the like 3. When it is forcible and violent causing horror and fear gastliness terror in the dark or at the sight of any of Gods Judgements trembling at the ratling of a leaf yea and desperation it self This though it be not good of it self yet turns to the good of the godly God brings them this way onely he leaves them not here but by the voyce of the Gospel doth relieve their mindes and perswades them to seek mercy upholding them with the hope thereof Some have checks of conscience but so as they can bear them out some again so as they cannot endure them Who so finde their consciences accusing them for their sins and know no pardon but their consciences still tell them of their sins and that their course is bad let such know that they have evil consciences which being let alone will accuse them worse If their consciences accuse them God is greater and knows more Therefore let them seek to pacifie God and their consciences too To this end consider That God hath provided in his infinite mercy an all-sufficient remedy in the death and bloodshed of Jesus Christ then which there is no other way to satisfie Gods displeasure nor to stanch the terrors of conscience let such bewail and lament their state to Almighty God confessing their sins and judging themselves as the Prodigal for the same thereupon craving of him with strong cryes and humble prayers the pardon and forgiveness thereof To such as thus come in the truth of their hearts God hath made many gracious promises Thus suing to him he will in his own good time send down a comfortable answer This is the onely course to come to good to still conscience with forgetting our sins and mirth is but to deceive our selves to wear it out by head and shoulders it s but as the putting away of the tooth-ake with cold water which will still it for a little but after it reboundeth more violently this is the way to get peace After this will our consciences begin to be quiet and thereupon excuse and comfort Then will Faith purifie the heart and work an hatred of all sin with a continual care to please God in all things Then shall we be quite altered and changed from that we were I cannot but wonder at a number of men whose consciences witness against them who yet seek not to pacifie them by assurance of pardon but adde more daily unto their sins whose consciences bear witness That they have no care to please God but their way and works be naught assuredly their consciences will one day cry louder O lay up no new matter of accusation all the profit and pleasure that comes of it will be dear bought It s as to drink pleasing poyson it goes down pleasantly but afterward wounds the bowels If a man had never so much wealth yet if he have an ill conscience what shall it profit him It were as if a man had a costly banket rich apparel and attendance c. and one with a sword drawn were standing ready by
that the other is better as having more comfort in themselves and being more fit to do good unto others and yet they may scape some checks the others may meet with as Peter yea God seems more to tender these then those as a Father having two Children both beloved of him the one sick the other in health is most careful of him that is sick that he may recover To have a tender conscience checking us for the least sin idle words vain thoughts and the like as Davids for curting off the lap of Sauls Garment is a singular blessing and therefore to obtain it we must both see the odiousness of sin judging aright thereof and must bring our hearts to mourn even for the smallest sins 1. Let every man examine himself whether he hath a good conscience or not whether art thou assured of the pardon of thy sins whether doth thine heart bear witness that thou hatest all sin and art truly desirous to please God in all things as well great as small secretly as openly at least in the deep sence of thy misery art thou wearied under it as an intollerable weight hearing of the onely remedy dost thou long after it above all the world art thou as willing to turn from sin as to have sin forgiven to take up his yoke as to be refreshed by him If not thy case is fearful What have we if we have not this It s our duty then to labor for it and not rest till we obtain it What may not incite us hereto It procures Joy Peace Comfort Boldness before God and men such are bold to pray unto God bold to crave others to pray for them It s comfortable in prosperity a sweet companion at home and abroad night and day it s a sweet companion in adversity like a good wife by her kindeness chearing her husband when he comes home who hath been much turmoild abroad another Simon to bear a piece of our cross yea in the greatest crosses this assureth us that yet God is our Father he visits us in love he will assist us and at last deliver us It s a Castle of comfort an armor of proof a continual feast an Heaven upon earth It makes a man embrace the flames kiss the stake and being in the fire accounts as if he were on a bed of Roses In death its comfortable when all things else forsake us then when our eyes are shut up yet through this we shall with Steven see Christ Jesus ready to receive us and shall say Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace In the day of judgement it will make us lift up our heads with joy when we shall see our Savior Christ come to receive us into his heavenly kingdom O they that have a good conscience should make much of it as of their jewel and labor to keep it It may be easily lost and is hardly recovered as may be seen in David and Peter The first part of it namely The assurance of our Salvation is kept by daily renewing our Confessions Supplications and Thanksgivings To this end we must labor to know the will of God and daily to grow in knowledge by our diligent perusal of the Scriptures The 2 part of it namely our care to please God is kept maintained by a daily and constant resolution not to offend God and so we must both strive and watch against our frowardness worldly-mindedness c. and covenant and vow to do the will of God to the uttermost of our power Hereupon we must walk carefully as in the presence of God avoiding all occasions of sinning using all good means to keep us in a good course publiquely and privately being diligent and careful in our particular calling to the glory of God and good of our brethren 2. This reproveth those that having a good conscience fail as much in laboring to keep it as the World doth in not laboring to obtain it How do Christians go on carelesly without renewing their exercises of Faith and Repentance and so their assurance is to seek or else hold it at a venture and coldly our worst day in the week might be better then our Sabbath had we but the grace to use our time aright O how many are careless watch not give way to their lusts therefore fall into many evils and so wound their consciences very often which is dangerous A place often wounded or hurt will not at last be healed We dishonor God much disquiet our consciences give evil example to others by our frowardness impatience worldliness hard dealings c. Hence it cometh that the Word pincheth us evil tidings amaze us we are loath to dye and the day of Judgement is fearful to us 3. This may encourage and comfort those that have good consciences though they be timerous What God shews mercy even to men unworthy and though thy sins be many and great yeâ— hast thou to deal with him that 's able to pardon them Lose not that thou hast when we lose good consciences all Gods graces diminish and vanish away neither can we thrive any whit as is seen by daily experience But nothing can do us hurt as long as our consciences hold good then are we fit to live and fit to dye fit for the Word and Sacrament fit for death and judgement Thus of the kindes of conscience and so of conscience in general Having a good conscience c. Now of the Words in particular whereof I have laid down their coherence with the former and from whence may be noted That a godly conversation in all things is to be joyned to a bold and zealous profession of our Faith to our knowledge and profession gifts utterance and the like we must adde a good life these two be two Twins St. Paul often joyns them together neither must they be parted saying and doing the tongue and hand must accompany one another Reasons hereof may be these 1. God expecteth of us that where he reveals the knowledge of his will that we adde obedience or else we shall be beaten with more stripes Where God findes this he delights in it as in Abraham who is called The friend of God in David whom he calls A man according to his own heart so in Joh in Zachary and Elizabeth c. we finde the same commended The contrary God loaths as in his own people whom he did again and again advertise hereof 2. This will prove our profession sound and not hypocritical for hypocrites go a great way but its onely Faith that purifieth the heart and that our knowledge is not swimming in our brain but sound and saving knowledge purging both heart and life when we dare compact with any other and say Shew me thy Faith by thy works as I can 3. This not onely Gods children look for when we have got knowledge and come
see no filthiness therein so are there others which are so far from seeking to be purged that they wallow still in the mire of their lusts By this Sacrament also there 's an inward and Spiritual thing sealed and grace conveyed though an unbeliever seeth it not contrary to the opinion of the Katabaptists which teacheth it to be a badge onely of a Christian profession and no further yet are not the sign and the thing signified always and necessarily tyed together and so Baptism doth not save by the work wrought as the Papists would Even Reprobates may have the outward Baptism which yet doth them no good but rather is a witness against them For not the putting away of the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good conscience towards God doth save us To believers indeed both sign and thing signified go together and they may receive much comfort from their Baptism as by it make a confident demand of Salvation from God for they believing and desiring to obey God there was sealed up in their Baptism the pardon of their sins and sanctification both which they may confidently challenge at Gods hand and therewith eternal life This Sacrament also is our badge and livery of God and of our holy profession whereby we differ from Pagans Turks Jews c. This is also an instruction to us to lead a holy life as we did profess and promise when we were Baptized This is an help to keep us from sin for the time to come being provoked thereto we may answer that we cannot in respect of our Baptism yea this also is useful to raise us up to repentance after we be fallen and as no doubt it did Noah good every time he saw the Ark so seeing Baptism saveth us that is is a sign to us of our Salvation we should often meditate thereof and be glad to be put in minde of the same For those which are to Baptize they must be lawfully called hereunto and for those which are to be baptized they are not all men but they that be within the pale of the Church neither are beasts or dead things to be Baptized The Popish Baptizing of Bells is an horrible prophanation of this Sacrament Baptism is a sign of Regeneration neither doth it profit without Faith therefore none may have it but they which be capable of Regeneration and Faith but of these particulars as also of the Baptism of Infants the time of Baptism who are to be present thereat who to present the childe to Baptism the witnesses the name the form and maner whether Baptism be of absolute necessity to Salvation whether Johns Baptism and Christs were all one or diverse with divers the like I have largely spoken by way of Catechizing By the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Here he sheweth that we are not to rest in one Baptism to finde Salvation in it but to look to the death and resurrection of Christ whereby our Salvation is purchased and procured though it be sealed up by Baptism He puts one for both his Resurrection being the accomplishment of our Salvation and Testification thereof containing his death under it Verse 22. Who is gone into heaven and is on the right hand of God angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him HEre follows another Reason to comfort Christians in suffering for Christs sake namely that he for whom they suffer and who is their head is advanced into most high dignity being ascended into Heaven and there at the right hand of God c. that is hath all power in Heaven and Earth committed to him in his Church all Angels Principalities and Powers both good and bad being made subject to him who therefore can make the good to serve our turn and can repress the bad much more can he repress the violence and rage of men that persecute his people Touching the Ascension of Christ I have shewed you what it was namely that our Savior having sufficiently manifested the truth of his resurrection and confirmed his Disciples by the power of his Godhead and partly by the supernatural property of a glorified body he left the Earth and was taken up into the highest Heaven and there is and so shall continue till his coming to judgement 1. That he did ascend the Scriptures declare unto us He himself foretold it first more darkly afterward more clearly then most clearly when it was at hand Neither was it without cause partly because as his Manhood had suffered the lowest abasement so it might be advanced into the highest glory and partly that he might also perform such things as were to be performed for the good of his Church namely the Application of his death and merits to those for whom he suffered and the sending of the holy Ghost c. 2. The persons before whom be did ascend were not the Scribes Pharisees and Jews but his Disciples those had seen enough already but not profiting thereby they were left to themselves these were to Preach his ascension to all God having ordained men rather by hearing then seeing should be saved 3. The time not till he had sufficiently proved his resurrection Gods goodness appearing herein that would have all main points so clear that they that will not stop their own eyes and ears might believe Neither did he ascend till he had comforted his Disciples against all the troubles they were to meet with and instructed them in the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God hereby teaching that all which have charge of others must be careful to do all the good they possibly can to them that be under their charge while they be with them and after to provide to leave them in as good state as possibly they can Thus should Magistrates with Moses who trained up Joshua to succeed him Thus should Ministers with the Apostles Paul and Peter Thus also should Housholders Parents Masters do that when they themselves shall dye others may succeed them which may do as much if not more service in the Church of God then they did But who do thus employ their talents for the good of souls O what a fearful answer have most to make 4. The place from whence he did ascend Bethany or the Mount of Olives both which were close together that which was often the place of his mourning and most sorrow was now the place of his greatest comfort Even there where Steven had such mighty adversaries he had a most clear sight of Heaven open and of Christ standing at the right hand of God Even on the bed of sickness in Prison in strange countreys c. where Gods people have powred forth most supplications and groans God hath revealed himself to them more plentifully and clearly then at any time 5. The benefits are 1. To lead captivity captive 2. To give gifts to men 3. To prepare a place for us 4.
cry for mercy and pardon and if it be possible turn from this base vice renounce hate detest vow covenant swear against it pray also to be kept therefrom avoid all company of lewd ones which will either by flattery allure you or if you yield not to them reproach and mock you But what do I speak to them that have lost their wits Is there any hope of repentance for such Well yet nothing is impossible to God The harder it is labor the more and weep and lament for that is past redeem the time to come give your souls and bodies to please God in all good life and sober conversation you have spent your goods and time hereon do so no more If thou wiltst not be perswaded but go on still and hate to be reformed thou mayest look for some one or other dreadful judgement to be here inflicted on thee and at thy death to be cast into utter darkness who hast wallowed in the works of darkness and for thy drunkenness to drink off the full cup of Gods judgement for ever and ever Neither are common drunkards onely to be rebuked but such also as will now and then drink with their friends and sit so long talking and bibbing or gaming and drinking that they be caught and are scarce wise enough to finde the way home they may count themselves wise men but Solomon saith nay to it they shall not be counted innocent Nor are those only to be condemned that be so drunk as they be like beasts but even such as take delight to quaff and to carouse and spend their time in swilling having yet strong brains to bear it and herein they glory that they can drink others under-board and because they be never so drunk but they can carry it away therefore they think themselves no such persons but they are as bad drunkards and as guilty as the other they waste as much time as much wine or strong drink as the others they waste also their substance and delight in this course nay haply they drink much more then the others for some are so weak brained that a little tâ—rns them over There 's a wo denounced against such their brain was not given them for this end but for the service of God they should prove their strength in good things and strive to exceed others in goodness not in dishonoring God by abusing his Creatures There are also that delight to see others drunk that allure or enforce them so to do to delight herein how horrible is it how ill a sign no childe can delight to hear or see his father misused he is else a bastard not a son Gods Children delight in his Commandments in his Sabbaths in his Saints in the publike performance of his worship contrarily they are grieved and vexed as David and Lot at the dishonor which is done unto him so are not the wicked but God will laugh at their destruction and mock when their fear cometh when judgement cometh those mourners for sin shall scape when as these rejoycers therein shall not go unpunished and who indeed could laugh to see a man running on his own sword or casting himself in the fire To make others drunk enticing them hereto and to this end under colour of kindeness to drink to them often as is usual in Gentlemens Butteries and Cellars in Inns and Taverns c. where men will be at great cost to dishonor God this also is fearful these be zealous Servants of the Devil But if one should allure another to go in such a way where he were sure to fall into a pit or be drowned or be robbed c. would not every one cry out of such a treacher no less treacherous are those which make others drunk We are willed indeed to provoke each other to love and good works to call one another to the house of God to exhort and edifie one another but in no sort to destroy one another as those allurers and enticers do To compel others to drink till they be drunk or to drink more then they can bear is usual to refuse is accounted of sundry ruffians in our days a matter of great disgrace which they will not put up and therefore stab or challenge to the field those that will not drink as many and as big carouses as they that have begun them What inhumanity is this what folly hath nature made all alike can one of low stature reach as high as he that is far taller can a weak man bear as heavy a burthen as a strong man Besides what greater wrong then to force a man to do that which will hinder his health shorten his life wound his conscience and destroy his soul But especially what an outragious wickedness is this against God cannot we our selves be content to do wickedly but as ringleaders we must enforce others whosoever scape such traytors shall not What woful wretches are those have they not sins enough of their own to answer for but they must needs desperately pull other mens sins on their heads whereof they themselves are the principal cause For those they shall answer on that dreadful day Against such shall Ahasuerus his injunction though an Heachen rise up for their condemnation It s the duty of all those which as yet are free from this sin to be truly thankful to God for keeping them therefrom They must also endeavor for the time to come to avoid the same with all the occasions inducing thereto God gives us his benefits to provoke us to well-doing we must not use them to sin like the Mastiffs that flies in his face that gives him meat Wiltst thou so foully dishonor God shall thy body and soul appointed for Gods service be for the service of the Devil in this base sin Wiltst thou thus make thy self unfit for any good in danger to run into any evil Wiltst thou so disguise thy self as to make thy self a scorn so abuse Gods creatures to hazard thy health bring diseases and untimely death on thy self Wiltst thou so wound thy conscience and provoke the Lords judgements against thee here and hereafter O God forbid Be earnest always with God to keep thee see the ugly face of sin think of the judgements denounced and lighted upon many that are past help how pleasant soever it be at the first in the end it will bite like a Serpent Flie from Alehouses and Taverns as from infected houses think it an odious disgrace to be seen in any such house except in travel or for necessity flee the company also of such as are addicted to this vice as infectious and dangerous together with their enticements and provocations follow also your calling diligently whereby both this and other sins may be prevented together with the judgements due thereto 4. It s the duty of all those which are in Authority to set themselves against this sin whether Ministers Magistrates
glorious before God and man that be endued therewith it makes them shine more gloriously then the Sun And this the Apostle opposeth to the ignominies and reproaches wherewith the world doth besmear them It s as if he should say Though the world reproach you as vile yet know that you are glorious in Gods account because of his Spirit that dwells in you 1. Therefore be not dismaid though the world stain us and accounts us vile yet are we glorious to God 2. We must esteem of the Servants of God in whom we see the Spirit of God as of glorious persons yea though the world disgrace them and count them as off-scourings and not worthy to live we must count them as Gods worthies and Warriers as his principal Servants we must count them such as the world is not worthy of They that esteem basely of them do not consider that Gods Spirit is in them and resteth on them Contrarily they that have not the Spirit of God in them are base and vile let the world make what reckoning of them it will 4. That there 's no small difference between the common gifts of the Spirit that the Reprobates have and the Spirit of Sanctification which is bestowed on Gods Elect those may be lost this cannot it resteth on them yea abideth and continueth with them On their part he is ill spoken of Here note that They that rail upon and revile the Servants of God for their well-doing they speak ill of the Spirit of God they think they have but to do with the men and them they will be bold with to speak their pleasure of but they deceive themselves in speaking ill of Gods Servants they speak ill of the Spirit of God as the Israelites when they murmured against Moses and Aaron murmured against God He that despiseth you saith our Savior despiseth me Therefore when TURKS and JEWS mock and reproach us for believing in CHRIST they reproach both the Word that so teacheth us and the Spirit that thus guideth us and assureth our hearts herein as he that reproacheth a Servant for doing that his Master commands or a Schollar for speaking as he is taught reproacheth the Master and Teacher So when the Papists call the Doctrine which we preach and profess Heresie and us Heretiques do they not reproach the Word that so teacheth and the Spirit that so assureth us So they among our selves that rail on men for their zeal and forwardness in hearing the Word keeping the Sabbath shunning some sins and corruptions that the world swallow up c. What do these but reproach Gods Spirit We do not these things of our selves but by the warrant of the Spirit Take heed therefore that that be evil which thou speakest against else whilest thou reproachest goodness in thy Servant Childe Neighbor Tenant c. thou art a caviller against God The common sort that cannot abide the true obedience of Gods Commandments nor that any should be more precise then they list to be despise the Word and Spirit they be like Ahab to Micaiah Wouldst thou have God to make new Scriptures more loose to serve thy turn or to be like thy self No know these Scriptures shall stand firm as to the comfort and salvation of all that are willing to be guided thereby so to the confusion of all that kick against the same or hate to be reformed If therefore you list not to be ruled by the Word and Spirit yet speak not against the same for so you shall encrease your sin and make your judgement greater which howsoever will be great enough If you will not walk in obedience to Gods Laws yet suffer others that would On your part he is glorified Another Reason to move us to joyfulness in persecution Thereby we glorifie God we honor the Spirit when undaunted we stand constantly against all our enemies Hereby we shew that the Spirit of God is of puissance and force to make the weak strong We glorifie him also when we so love him as we will suffer for his sake so we give glory to him when we trust him of his word who hath promised eternal life to them that hold out so when we obey him and do that willingly he calls us to so many praise God for our constancy whereby they be strengthened and God is honored that they cannot prevail against us but though they take away our lives yet they cannot make us yield to them We should therefore willingly and joyfully suffer that so we may glorifie God we may think our selves happy if by any means whether in life or death we may effect this Verse 15. But let none of you suffer as a murtherer or as a thief or as an evil doer or as a busie body in other mens matters Verse 16. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed but let him glorifie God on this behalf LEst any should think that he commended suffering in respect of it self so that all suffering should be blessed and were to be rejoyced in he tells us That there 's another kinde of suffering then that he hath been speaking of which is not to be rejoyced in namely when men suffer reproach and punishment or whatsoever else for evil doing for their just deserts Those sufferings are base and shameful whereof Christians must beware but for the sufferings which are for Christ for Righteousness sake for a good Conscience there 's no shame belonging to them but rather glory and rejoycing Here then are two kindes of sufferings laid down the one forbidden whereto shame belongs namely to suffer for ill-doing which is to be avoided the other enjoyned and wherein we are to rejoyce namely in suffering for well doing But let none of you suffer as a murtherer c. Not that if any be a murtherer or thief c. he should not suffer the punishment due thereto but flie from it for that herein he resists the Magistrates Sentence on his deserts sets himself against God but he would not have men do any such evil as to procure or deserve any such sufferings Obj. But none can walk so circumspectly but that he may and shall do evil and so deserve punishment at the hand of the Lord. A. True but he speaks of foul vices and punishable by men which Christians should be far from and for the frailties of Gods Servants he will not impute them to them The words afford this Doctrine that Sufferings for ill-doing are not glorious but shameful Sufferings are good onely in respect of the cause if that be good then they be good if that be evil then they be shameful The same sufferings for kinde and measure may be to one person glorious to another infamous the one may have cause of joy the other to hang down their heads Both Abel and Jezabel were killed but he for his goodness she for her badness both Joseph
the alarms either of mercies or judgements He sees not one step of the way to Heaven nor the danger he is in Though he wallow in the mire of foul sins that a good man will stop his nose at yet he smells nothing he cannot taste good and evil asunder but calls sweet sower The Word good Counsel good Company c. wherein Gods people take most delight are bitter to him Though the word hit him never so hard blows he feels not as neither though he wound his own conscience with never so foul sins And 2. As a man asleep loves not to be awaked so a natural man out of his sins and to be called upon to repent 3. As in sleep men dream of that they have not so a natural man dreams he is in a very good case hath faith repentance love c. when it s nothing so and when he awakes he confesseth it 4. As a man in sleep speaks some good words but knows not what and by and by is out so a natural man in good company will speak good words but hath no feeling of them and will again be quickly out of them 5. As a man before he sleeps gives direction that none awake him and turns from the one side to the other sleeping now on the one then on the other so a natural man will not be called upon to repentance having slept long enough on the one side in prodigality will haply turn on the other and lie as long in covetousness 6. As a man that hath been in a long deep sleep can hardly be awakened though it thunder though the winds be ready to blow down the house he hears nothing so it s hard to awaken any out of sin especially when they have lain long and lived therein no Preaching or calling on no Judgements of God though never so apparent can awake them from their security 7. As sleep is an image of the first death so is sleep in sin of the second Therefore we must endeavor for faith and set upon a good life we must learn to watch and keep us well while we be well To this end we must make use of the Trumpet of the Word daily sounding in our ears and take notice of Gods Judgements both on our selves and others What may not induce us hereunto Reasons are many 1. We are of the day and the light of the word shines in our faces It s enough for them in the night of Popery and where the word is not to sleep in sin he is a sluggard indeed that sleeps when the Sun shines his face Some of you have slept till nine a clok till high noon till three in the afternoon for shame awake 2. He that sleepeth in Harvest is the Son of confusion This is the plentiful harvest of the Gospel Now there is good to be done good gathering of faith knowledge repentance and such other graces 3. It s a shame to sleep when others be at work Many through Gods grace be awakened by the word and are busily working out their Salvation laboring for grace and using the means diligently and will you lie snorting in sin then will they be provided of necessaries when you will perish 4. It s a shame to sleep when all one's work lies to do but many among us have done just nothing of that that God hath set them here for nothing done towards their Salvation but all against it awake therefore ere night come when you cannot work 5. It were strange if a man should sleep when he were in great danger the house burning over their heads or in an hideous Tempest ready to be cast away but every natural man hangs as it were over the pit of Hell by a twined threed 6. It were strange if one should still sleep having many Messengers sent to awake him Some will say If any had called me I would have awaked with all my heart we are called by Sermon after Sermon by this Preacher that Preacher the other c. to whom the Lord will say Did not I send you and you to awake such a man c. you are now come under the means of awakening O that it might please God to bless his Word in piercing the ears of your soul to this end And be not half awaked and afterward when you be gone hence fall asleep again as a man in a deep sleep being called upon he begins to stir and lift up an eye and it may be his head from his pillow but hearing no more he lies down again and falls again as fast asleep as before let it not be so with us Some I doubt not begin to think with themselves about awaking and that it were good for them so to do but beware when you be gone hence you lay not your head down again but come and hear again and again till you be soundly awakened that you may not hereafter sleep any more if you be not awaked you must perish for ever A man would be loath to dye in his Natural sleep having gone well to bed and thinking of no such thing yet this cannot hurt a good man but to dye in the Spiritual sleep is damnable And I beseech you yong men and women be awakened betimes defer no longer the longer the worse Come to a man newly gone to bed ye may easily awake him come an hour after more hardly but come at midnight and then though you call and shout you can scarce awake him Sleep not till your middle age you can hardly be awaked then but if till your old age with exceeding difficulty if at all But of this also I have spoken before Because your adversary the Devil as a roaring Lyon walketh about seeking whom he may devour A Reason of the forementioned Exhortation By yielding thereto we shall take away advantage from the Devil who else will draw us into manifold temptations He is here described by all things that make a dangerous Enemy as Malice called therefore Our adversary the Devil Strength called therefore A Lyon A roaring Lyon Subtilty That he walketh about seeketh by all ways and means as by violence and craft to draw us into evil Diligence That he walketh about c. His malice is exceeding against God and man especially Gods people and against all goodness It hath been so from the beginning from his fall he was filled with malice against God laboring by all means that no reasonable creature might praise him on earth His envy also against mankinde continueth he is still a most deadly enemy against all goodness and means thereof against good persons good duties good meetings the Word Sacraments Prayer Fasting c. laboring to hinder these and the good success of them as the good Angels are filled with love and zeal to God and goodness rejoycing at the conversion of a sinner so is the Devil on the contrary yea his malice is deadly nothing will content him but our
2. 37 and 16. 29. Simile The stirring ill conscience Excusing Accusing Use. 1 Iohn 3. 20. See Psal. 32. 5. Prov. 28. 13. Isa. 1. 18. Ezek. 33. 16. Mat. 11. 29. Simile A good quiet conscience Heb. 9. 14. Ionah 1. 15. See Act. 16. 30. 2 Cor. 1. 12. Ioh. 30. 20 21. 1 Iohn 3. 21. Acts 23. 1. Wherein it differs from a bad quiet conscience A good troubled conscience Signs declaring the goodness thereof Simile 1 Sam. 24. 5. Use 1. The great benefits of a good conscience See Pro. 14. 10 Heb. 13. 18. Acts 7. 56. How it is kept Use 2. Use 3. A godly conversation is to accompany the zealous profession of our Faith See Iosh. 1. 8. Mat. 5. 16. Iohn 13. 17. Iam. 1. 22. Reasons Luke 12. 47. Isa 41. 8. 1 Sam. 13. 14. Isa. 1. and 58. Ezek. 14. 33 Acts 15. 9 Iames 2. 18. Gen. 13. 7. Iob 31. 35. 2 Sam. 12. 14. Use 1. Use 2. Use 3. A godly man will stand by the truth The wicked are apt to speak ill of Gods servants Use 1. Use 2. Use 3. Use 4. Isa. 5. 20. Prov. 17. 15. Iude verse 14. Heb. 12. 4. A godly conversation stoppeth the ungodlies mouthes See Acts 16. Use 1. Use 2. 1 Iohn 3. 12. Gal. 4. 29. Why we ought willingly to suffer for righteousness It s better to suffer for well then evil doing Reasons Mat. 5. 10 11. Acts 5 41. Phil. 1. 29. Luke 23. 41. Use 1. Use 2. No affliction comes to us but by Gods will Acts 2. 23. and 4. 28. Mat. 10. 17 18. Acts 21. 11. How far God hath an hand therein Mat. 16. 23. Iames 1. 12. Rev. 2. 10. Use 1. Mat. 10. 31. Simile Use 2. Acts 21. 15. Use 3. Use 4. Christs sufferings an encouragement for Christians to suffer Iohn 13. 16. Acts 3. 14. How Christ was just how we Use. Another help in our sufferings Christ suffered for our good Use. The godly sow in tears but shall reap in joy 1 Tim. 4. 8. Use 1. Iames 4. 4. 2 Cor. 10. 18. Use 2. Particulars here laid down about Christs sufferings Profit arising from the meditation hereof 2 Tim. 1. 12. Iohn 3. 16. Eph. 2. 4. 1 Pet. 1. 3. Use. All Christs sufferings make up one perfect suffering Heb. 9. 26. Use 1. Use 2. The quality of the person that suffered Heb. 7. 26. For whom Christ suffered Use 1. Matth. 11. 29. Isa. 1. 17. Use 2. Why our Savisuffered To what end he suffered Use 1. Use 2. Isa. 2. 2. Iohn 1. 40 45. Iohn 1. 14. 1 Tim. 3. 16. That Christ must have dyed and so did Isa. 53. 9. Dan. 9. 26. Rom. 4. 25. The benefits ensuing by Christs death 1 Iohn 1. 7. Rev. 1. 5. See Rom. 3. 25. Col. 1. 21. 1 Iohn 4. 10. Hosea 2. 18. Psal. 91. 13. 1 Iohn 3. Use. Christ rose again from the dead 1 Cor. 15. 5. Why he rose again Acts 2. 24. Rev. 1. 28. The maner of his Resurrection The place from which he rose When he rose Psal. 16. 10. Why the Iewish Sabbath was changed The benefits hereof 1 Cor. 15. 17. Use. The duties to be performed Eph. 5. 14. Heb. 11 35. Col. 3. 1. A further comfort to them that suffer for Righteousness sake The meaning of the words How the Papists understand them Reasons against the same That there are no such places as Limbus patrum and puerorum Iohn 8. 5 6. 1 Cor. 10. 3. Eccles. 12. 7. Isa. 57. 2. The Popish opinion about Purgatory Reasons against it Luke 2. 29. Phil. 1. 21. 2 Tim. 4. 8. 2 Cor. 5. 1. Iohn 17. 24. Luke 23. 43. Rev. 14. 13. Why Purgatory was devised Iohn 3. 18. Use 1. Use 2. Use 3. Eccles 11. 3. That Christ went not down to Hell to preach to the Reprobates Gods Spirit preacheth in faithful Ministers 2 Pet. 1. 21. Luke 10. 16. Use 1. 1 Cor. 2. 4. Use 2. See 1 Cor. 14. 25. Use 3. God will finde a time to right things when they are disordered Use. The woful condition of the wicked Matth. 25. Use 1. Use 2. Use 3. 2 Cor. 5. 11. Disobedience the cause of Gods judgements on the old world Whether all those which were drowned were damned Use 1. See Act 12. 23 Ibid. 20. Dan. 4. 5. Simile Use 2. Psal. 5. 4 5. Leut. 26. 14. Deut. 28. 15. Two necessary considerations Disobedience is the forerunner of destruction Use. Iohn 3. 36. 1 Iohn 3. 8. The sins of our times like those of the old world Gods Patience towards the disobedient aggravates their sin Use 1. See Psal. 50. and 55. Isa. 57. 11. Heb. 2. 13. The names of the godly mentioned to their honor 1 King 15. 34. See Prov. 10. The old world then most disobedient when they should have been by Noahs making of the Ark feared therefrom Christians must use the means whereby to be freed from Hell and destruction Faith and Repentance an Ark for the soul. Use 1. Gen. 19. 14. 1 Kings 6. 7. Use 2. How useful Examples and occular sermons are See Luk. 17. 32 1 Cor. 10. Ezek. 12. 3â— Iam. 5. 10 11. Use. Dan. 5. 22. Wicked men fear not Gods judgements Prov. 14. 16. and 22. 3. and 28. 14. See Mr. Dod on Psal. 14. Weak means are sufficient through Gods blessing for our preservation Righteousness shall not want its reward 1 Tim. 4. 8. Use. It s good to be near the godly No man can be saved by the goodness of another Ezek. 18. 20. The wicked however they escape bodily dangers shall meet with everlasting judgements There are but a few which shall be saved The speech of an Arrian at his death Matth. 7. 21. Use. Gen. 46. 27. Rom. 13. 1. Men and women be more excellent then other creatures Use 1. Use 2. Noah and the old world a right picture of the good bad in our age The godly throughout all ages are saved by the same means 1 Cor. 10. 3. Baptism what it is c. The uses of Baptism Use. Rom. 6. 4. Who is to Baptize and who to be Baptized See Rom. 4. 25. and 8. 34. What our Saviors ascension was That he did ascend Luke 24. 51. Acts 1. 9. Iohn 6. 14. 19. 20. 17. Why he did ascend Before whom he did ascend The time when he did ascend They that have charge over others must be careful to leave them in good plight The place from which our Savior ascended Acts 7. 56. The benefits of his ascension Eph. 4. 8. Iohn 14. 2. Three observations in general Isa. 49. 23. The good Angels are subject to Christ. Use 1. Use 2. They watch and guard us Use 1. Use 2. Use 3. The bad Angels are subject to Christ. Col. 2. 15. Use 1. Use 2. Use 3. The contents of the Chapter The parts and meaning of these two Verses Doctr. The passion of Christ is an especial means to stir us up unto mortification Tit. 3. 7. 2 Cor. 5. 15. Use. Rom. 8. 7. 1 Pet. 2.
Temple onely the Devil will be sorry as who loseth all but your selves shall have the benefit both here and for ever Further Being converted we should still listen and stoop to whatsoever commandment we have thence of renouncing and forbearing this or that evil or doing whatsoever good without reasoning delays excuses saying Now I see what the Word saith I have done I will yield and become obedient Thus it ought to carry us contrary to our profit pleasure ease custom of our selves fashion and example of others which yet but few do Thus of the first sence For the second The duties of youth to the aged As the Apostle hath been before in hand with Subjects Wives Husbands Servants duties and now with Ministers so doth he proceed to inform the yonger of theirs towards their elders Gods Ministers must not onely teach things generally belonging to all but even special things belonging to every age sex and condition of persons They must not onely labor that people may become Christians but that they may be good in their special calling like good husbands they must be in every corner instructing each in their duties they must finde out what be the special faults of youth as rashness pride unconstancy speaking against them and laboring to prevent or cure them so what be most needful for them as sobriety humility discretion stayedness accordingly calling for these thus must they do with the aged speaking against their testiness and covetousness and calling upon stayedness and soundness in all good judgement and conversation So they must take notice of the faults most incident to women as niceness curiosity loquacity accordingly endeavoring to cure them thereof for even in those that be good Christians yet there may be some such particular and special failings as whereby the name of God and his Gospel may be ill spoken of Thus did the Apostles being herein good and wise stewards to give to every one of the Lords Family their portion of meat in due season workmen that needed not be ashamed The Scripture teacheth every man his duty wherein accordingly revealing every piece of Gods councel we are to instruct them for want of this the Gospel hears ill even of those that have some good things in them Therefore as Ministers must be wise prompt Scribes taught of God and careful herein so people must be content nay like well hereof not repining nor finding fault with their Ministers for such weaknesses and faults as our nature is prone to Neither must people dislike and say What cannot the Minister be content to open his Text and teach us general things but he must meddle how we Husbands live with our Wives we Wives with our Husbands how we behave our selves in our Families how we Servants should do our work c This is an ill sign a good hearer is desirous the word should come home close to him and tell him of his duty yea ere thou come to the hearing of the Word pray O that the Minister may come home close to my corruptions O that I may be so instructed in my duty that I may please God by performing the same yea if the Minister come not home so close as we would we should go and enquire of him of our duties and what shall we do In particular The yonger must honor their elders as it s in the fifth Commandment here called submiting themselves under which be these duties 1. They must reverence them inwardly in their hearts and declare it by countenance gesture and behavior and this they must do because old age is a piece of Gods image and of his eternity who is termed the Ancient of days If there be gray hairs alone they require reverence but if with godliness then double honor for that is a great piece of the image of God 2. They must haste towards them when they are called and looking on them reverently answer them soberly and dutifully 3. When they speak they must have their ears open c. for which the ancient is wisdom 4. They must be obedient to them to their good councels admonitions rebukes and follow their good example and thank God they have those that have experience and have trod the way before them and who it may be have bought it dearly to tell them their duty freely As if one that had passed a dangerous water with much difficulty should tell another Travellor which way to go safely through 5. To pray for them to have all graces increased in them and they fitted more and more to do good to many and that they may live long to that end and to help on yong ones Alas if all were Colts in a Plough or Cart what work would be there usually therefore old ones are joyned to hold in and guide the yong So doth God in wisdom and mercy by those that are old guide and direct them that are yong so that youths must not behave themselves rudely or sawâ—ily in countenance word or deed neither babble nor prate nor shake off their counsel and example which God hath given them to follow 1. For Elders If the yonger must honor and reverence them then they must be such as deserve it and procure it they must speak so wisely and profitably as yong ones may willingly lay their hand on their mouth and be silent they must also give them godly and good counsel and an holy example which the yonger may follow when they see you dissolute disordered given to this or that vice Sabbath-breaking lewd company riot they must advise and perswade them to beware telling them from their own observation how many have by such means brought themselves to ruine so about their matching that they are to be ruled and guided by their Parents so when they see any trifle out their time and defer their repentance and live riotously they must thus from their own experience expostulate with them O make use of your time while you have it This is your freest time if I had not got somewhat in my youth it had been bad with me now being so dull and forgetful or if we lost our time then and God hath since brought us to repentance let us tell them from our own miserable experience O take heed do not as I did I lost my time and spent it away foolishly when I should have learned goodness and now how dull am I Alas I shall never come to any great matters now I am past and have lost my youth if it had not been Gods unspeakable mercy I had perished and he lets in a little light into me but alas how slow of capacity am I what a bad memory have I So if we see them that will not be advised by counsel we must rebuke them yea carry such a gravity and godly hatred of sin as the wicked may stand in awe and not dare abide our sight when they do evil But the
most part of old folks are so silly and ignorant that they have no good counsel in them nay are blockish and unteachable they spent their own time badly and never made conscience thereof therefore do not they call on others not being converted how can they strengthen others Many also are so far from rebuking them for disorder and making the wicked afraid as they will sit still on their benches and look upon youths rioting dancing c. and laugh at them aud so they strengthen them in their naughtiness and if a yonger man reprove them whether Officer or other they do not make any reckoning thereof for why such an ancient old man will stand and look on us and when they see such coming they are so far from fleeing as were meet as they are the more emboldned because they know they shall be countenanced by them yea these do in effect as Saul who held the garments of those that stoned Stephen others there are who though they will not stand looking on them yet will pass by and say nothing to them but rather bid them God speed and so are partakers of their evil These also should give good example be paterns of piety godliness hatred of sin zeal for Gods glory love to the house of God c. as those that have had much time many means and now have but a while to live If their example be good it may do much good if ill then no hoe Abraham Isaac Jacob were godly old men so Noah Job Samuel Simeon their example did much good But Oh how vain frothy and unsavory are the words of some being so prophane as youths might rather open their mouth to reprove them then give any attention to hear them Some talk as filthily as if they had never repented of the whoredom of their youth some talk and tell to youths and laugh at the lewd pranks of their youth so reading their Lectures of evil they shew themselves zealous to do evil that not onely will do so themselves as long as they can but would that others should after them the contrary is a good sign Some also even aged are Swearers Sabbath breakers Alâ—househaunters c. some also though for the time they might have been Teachers though not publique ones yet of the youths had need to be taught even the easiest Principles of Religion they can onely tell you of old Stories they can remember since King Henry went to Bulloign and can remember the old learning and that they helpt the Priest say Mass many a time If they could remember that they had repented of it it were well or could remember of any good they did forty years ago or that they were greatly moved at a Sermon and ever since have made conscience of their ways took such and such pains to hear such delight to read in the Scriptures and other good Books have sate up half nights in doing good O this were well If they could talk of our Saviors birth life miracles death of his Apostles their acts of the Israelites carrying into captivity coming out of Egypt so of the Flood of the Creation c. these things indeed would become them as they can tel you how old they are and in what Kings Reign they were born so if they could tell you when they were born again and how old they are in Christ it were happy But alas in such things they have no more skill then Nicodemus had when he first came to our Savior They are dumb when they are put from their old Stories I knew his Grand-father his great Grand-father c. the older a man is the worse he is if he be not godly O that such would consider why they came into the world how near death is what good counsel or good example they have given whom they have kept from evil or furthered in good what good they have done for their own Souls how they should have served God in holiness and righteousness all the days of their life and that they have not thus served him for which they have a fearful answer to make Though there be no great hope in respect of your dullness as also that God will not accept such a lame Sacrifice and the Devils leavings who requireth the firstlings and lest the Devil will not be put out nor sin accustomed unto be done away yet nothing is impossible to God therefore despair not onely ply you with exceeding haste lest you be shut out and that you may turn to God get some assurance of his love redeem the time make some amends do some good ere you dye as the good Thief that rebuked his fellow If old folks would not live without being desired nor be a burthen nor dye without being mourned for let them live to good use and do good so shall their age be honorable and honored There be some good old ancient men but alas their â—umber is but small and they not so zealous as they should be old men also in Towns must use their power and place to the good of the yonger and Church wherein they live and not to ease their own bodies or purses laying the burthen on their inferiors and as old men so are old women also here meant who must give good instruction and do good also by example they must speak graciously and to good purpose not given to Tale-telling Malice idle Talking c. as most are 2. For youths it rebuketh the notorious pride and malepart boldness of the youths of our times in their gesture carriage speech to their elders whether in publique or private what a universal complaint do men make of their children what a complaint especially of Servants that there were never the like for pride idleness untrustiness c. never looking for more maintenance never less duty In former times when they had not the tythe of the means they now enjoy servants were plain diligent trusty careful to please painful c. What a shame is this Hereupon they that be ill minded blame us and the Gospel never good servants since so much preaching O woful mouth is our preaching or the Word of God in the fault Is there one word in the Bible or doth any one come from us at any time that teacheth them so to do Do not we teach them the quite contrary and do not you give God a good mends for the Gospel There are some which do even profess Religion that yet suffer civil servants to go beyond them in diligence and trustiness and gentleness and good behavior Oh what may we not fear upon the Land for the ungraciousness of this generation seeing they will not bear the easie yoke of Government of their Elders they may look for some heavy yoke or other God will set up houses of Correction for such How few youths make any account that it belongs to them to be Religious or that their youth should be otherwise spent then
those most respectively but even the bad for we must have peace with them though not with their faults and give them their due though if we have occasion to speak of their sins we must deal plainly except we know them to be Gods Enemies then ought we to give them no countenance Reasons hereof may be these 1. It s a good testifying of our love which we should do upon all occasions 2. It s a part of urbanity and courtesie 3. It s a good means to procure love from them whom we do salute so did Absolom c. 4. The neglect hereof as it cannot but bewray some defect in us so it breeds suspicions and thoughts of emulation in our neighbors and works in them no small discontent for our nature can abide nothing less then to see our selves despised 1. This rebukes not so much those that of rudeness or for want of good maners go by and regard no Salutations seeming so to minde their businesses as they regard none but themselves but those that of a prophane minde neglect it especially towards those whom they think not to be of their disposition as some prophane rude wretches that will come by a Minister or godly Christian after a scornful maner without shewing any courtesie This being done in respect of their Religion is abominable and vile and a very bad sign 2. Such as of pride If they have a little more wealth or gay cloaths or any gift more then another they are so puft up that they pass by others scornfully or carelesly What is one worm to lift up himself thus against one that is his own flesh that it may be is as good or better then himself The more God hath given any the more humble they should be 3. Such as of frowardness malice and old hatred cannot speak at meeting are tongue-tyed They have a tongue but the malice of their heart taketh away the use of it They look like Tygers on each other and would as readily kill them if they could as safely and easily This is seen to God before whom he that hateth his brother is a man-slayer 4. Let us labor to purge our hearts hereof that we may give every one his due With a kiss of charity The maner of saluting among the Jews was by kissing Thus did Jacob and Esau at their meeting Laban and his Children at their parting so Joseph and his Brethren Jonathan and David c. we finde it also practised in the new Testament See Luke 7. 45. and Acts 20. 37. It was a Custom in some Churches before the Communion to kiss each other signifying the joyning of hearts this we retain in part But men Salute by uncovering and shaking hands the joyning of our hands signifying the joyning of our hearts This was the use till courtly Congeys and Crouchings have put them by taking one another by the knees and by the elbows c. Of charity But be the Salutation what it will kiss or shaking hands or uncovering head it must be of love and thence proceeds for as we must not be content to have love in our heart except we shew it by outward signs so must all outward tokens proceed from love as the ground and root else its lying diffimulation Those kisses they are elswhere termed holy not a wanton kiss not a dissembling kiss much less a treacherous kiss but such a one as proceeds from a Sanctified affection of love seated in the heart 1. This rebuketh the customary and formal saluting which wants this ground Many do thus greet one another who yet have but small love to the parties they salute This is a taking of Gods name in vain it s a dissembling with our neighbors whereas love should be unfained without dissimulation 2. Treacherous courtesies and greetings when there are fair speeches How do you I am glad to see you well c. when mischief is in the heart as did Joab and Judas Thus the Devil pretended love to Eve this is the note of a wicked man Many after kinde salutations will straight rail gibe slander plot mischief c. Those should rather make known their malice that others might beware of them then cloak their mischief with the shew of love 3. Let every one of us labor to possess our hearts of true love that so we may not onely salute one another but in a right maner do the same O let us labor for this most lovely vertue of love so often commanded of us so highly commended to us It s the bond of perfectness that tyes up all together without which all duties shatter asunder It s the fulfilling of the whole Law It s that vertue which is so pleasing to God that which so long continueth that wherein the Angels and Saints now shine To this end let us labor to be more and more assured of Gods love to us which will make us not onely to love him but our neighbors for his sake the godly best but all because God bids yea our Enemies as who loved us when we were Enemies we must also strive against and purge out the cankers of love as namely 1. Pride which esteems so highly of ones self and basely of others offereth occasions of offence readily and taketh occasion for every thing 2. Covetousness for this also hinders love he that 's covetous cares not how he gets by right or wrong nor how much he wrongs his Neighbor 3. Frowardness and hastiness This also stirs up strife If there have any things fallen out otherwise then well between us and any as there may be even between good persons let us take notice thereof acknowledge and be sorry for the same seek reconciliation be pacified forgive and forget as we are required and expect forgiveness from God O an unappeasable minde is a fearful thing a note of a Reprobate Such are unlike God who is slow to wrath ready to forgive like the Devil who is irreconcileable O woful a poor mortal man to bear immortal hatred How can he look God in the face little doth he think what fearful things he hath done against God did he he would think how ever he could look up to God for pardon of 10000 Talents when he catcheth and holdeth his neighbor by the throat for 300 pence nay it may be if it be truly examined for nothing Peace be with you all c. Now he prays for them by Peace is usually meant outward prosperity as health conveniency of outward things welfare of our selves and ours freedom from grievous evils and a quiet estate and condition in the comfortable enjoying of Gods blessings in our bodies wives children goods names c. also that which is the fountain hereof namely peace with God and our own conscience But I will speak here first of outward blessings Where note That We may lawfully desire for our selves and ours or any other
a convenient portion of Gods outward favors so did both Jacob and Agur. True we have no warrant to pray for abundance that were a sign of a proud and earthly heart but if God send it we must crave much grace therewith lest we surfeit thereof and it make us like a Camel over-burthened that we cannot go So we may crave Peace in a Land in Towns in Families between particular persons so health a dutiful fruitful Wife religious and obedient Children c. These things are promised of God neither will he withhold any good thing from them that love him and therefore we may pray for them But because they be good but in a mean degree we must desire grace first more and more earnestly these things onely conditionally we must seek his favor forgiveness of our sins faith grace absolutely without taking nay for the outward we must submit our wills to his will and desire them onely so far as may stand with his glory and our best good for God seeth that though these blessings be goodly things over the contrary yet we abuse them and are the worse for them and therefore God is fain to take them away and send the contrary as see what an abundance of iniquity this our long peace and plenty hath bred so that though we may not pray as Elias did for a punishment on the Land yet surely we might rather be glad if God would scourge the Land one way or other to the amendment thereof then that it should thus go on to be destroyed and for our selves how do we abuse our prosperity if it do but continue some small time we must therefore pray for that which may stand with our best good and for grace to use it well we shall enjoy it the longer we must be content for our selves rather to have an healthful soul in a sick body then in an healthful body a surfeited soul with sin and security so a meaner Estate with some losses but with Spiritual gains in grace is better then abundance with a worldly and secure heart so for our Children we may desire that they may prosper in this world and have a competency and live to do good but must desire most that they may be gracious and rather so in a poor estate then to swagger it out or be worldings in great wealth It s found true from experience that such as be earnest and much in desiring these outward things they seldom or never crave Gods favor or seek grace for their souls If we be shortened in these things look we cause it not by our sin If we have we must repent and amend If we have not then may we think that the Lord knoweth this state to be best for us and thereupon to be content therewith That are in Christ Jesus Here 's the true fountain of all Peace namely to be in Christ Hence all Peace comes to us and without this there is nor can be no true Peace By nature we are the Children of wrath are at enmity with God are Rebels and Traytors and guilty of eternal condemnation so that there must be a peace made between God and us else we perish This is onely done by Jesus Christ who is our Peace-maker who by his All-sufficient Sacrifice of himself hath made an atonement when our sins is taken away in his death and his righteousness imputed unto us by faith then is God at peace with us and become our merciful Father when we be assured hereof by Gods Spirit and able to prove it by good Testimonies then have we peace in our own consciences even such as passeth understanding yea joy and that unspeakable and glorious Then being at peace with God all Creatures be reconciled to us the Angels to become our friends and attendants the Devils not to have their wills of us men to respect and regard us c. and thus have we right to all outward peace and prosperity for Christ hath purchased as Heaven so Earth for us and it s promised to the believers and they have right thereto though with exception of the cross when God seeth it best Thus we see how peace flows from Christ no peace in conscience till God be at peace with us no Creature at peace with us till God be reconciled yea without this peace we have no right to any outward peace so that a bad man can have no peace Obj. But the common sort of men prophane worldlings and civil ones will say We are none of those you think very well of for we are none of your precise fellows yet we have peace with God we doubt not nor see we any other cause and if he loved us not he would not do for us as he doth and for my conscience I thank God I am at peace therewith I was never troubled in my life and for outward prosperity I thrive I thank God well nay these precise fellows are most without peace for they are not in Gods favor its like for no body cares for them but hates them besides they be troubled in minde and sad and some of them are at their wits ends and for outward peace they be ever sickly a number of them and one cross or other is upon them so that I think you are quite wide Answ. How foolishly do these reason They are loved of God because of their outward prosperity This is but Esaus but Ishmaels Portion yea and Judas bare the bag The Lord maketh his sun to shine and the rain to fall even on the bad He casteth such bones to dogs and for their peace of conscience it s no peace but benumbedness and an hard heart for want of sight of their deadly danger which yet is never the less and will one day break out in most fearful maner they peace that were never humbled for their sins It s woful peace they peace that live in their sins what to do have they therewith had Zimri peace that slew his master For outward peace health welfare c. it s often the portion even of Atheists and contemners of God but what is it whilest they have no peace with God have it in wrath with a wo and secret curse There 's no soundness in this peace it cannot comfort the heart it s but flashing vanity if any contrary blow come they are dead in the nest as Belshazzar Besides how uncertain is it subject to be lost every moment The wrath of God is still ready to seize on them as on the Philistines sporting at Sampson Pharaoh Herod c. They pass away as a dream their rejoycing is as the crackling of Thorns How soon is their Candle put out They stand in a slippery place how suddenly are they gone leaving nothing but a stink behinde Their end will be eternal howling with Dives And are not the godly in Gods favor because men favor them not They are the more and for their trouble