thinke our Saviours meaning should bee that therefore God should love him for a simple and bare intent of resuming his life again upon death for who would not desire to live againe in case he should dye that 's rather nature then commendation or matter of love but this is that that God did love him for that he was carefull and willing to dye with that abundance of zeale to the glorie of his Father and abundance of love to his Church and chosen that his life by no Law of justice or equitie could bee kept from him but must be restored to him againe §. 13. 13. So for us to part with any thing we have in such a manner as that wee cannot take it againe which is properly to play the Prodigals and to waste what wee have To part with our money libertie lives grudgingly unwillingly to serve our own turns c. The Lord regards it not but if wee part with them so that we may take them againe that God may with justice equitie and truth restore these unto us in due time with advantage this is that that he loveth and for which he taketh a holie delight and contentment in us §. 14. 14. Besides oft times when a man hath dealt basely and unworthily in this kinde with the Lord and his truth and hath loved the wages of unfaithfulnesse as for the most part God himselfe taketh no pleasure in such a mans person so is it a just judgement of his upō the man himself that he should take little pleasure in himself afterwards nor in what hee saves by this unfaithfulnesse unto the Lord. §. 15. 15. Sixthly and lastly consider that if wee will contend for the truth as wee ought whilest the brunt is not so sharpe whilest the dutie of contending is upon easier tearmes then bloud wee may bee excused from the necessitie of a more fierie contention our estates our liberties our prayers seasonably bestowed in this service may possibly excuse our lives I conceive this to bee the meaning of that promise made to the Church of Philadelphia Rev. 3. 10. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience I also will keepe thee from the houre of temptation which shall come upon the whole world to try them that dwell upon the earth Philadelphia it seemes had beene faithfull and stood close to the Gospel when it was opposed but not with so high or bloudie a hand of opposition as it was like to be afterwards generally and therefore Christ promiseth her in consideration hereof that when the sharp and fierie storm and tempest of triall should fall round about her upon the Christian world she should finde covert and shelter from it CAP. XIII Shewing in what manner and with what weapons the truth is to be contended for §. 1. IF you desire in the last place to know and to be directed how and in what manner and with what weapons this holie warre is to be under-taken and truth contended for I answer there are sixe things especially besides others of more obvious consideration to be done in it as time and occasion shall require First men must contend for truth by teaching and propagating it in the world the more copies wee write of it the like-lier it is to bee preserved if one or some bee lost others may remaine therefore every man according to his calling must be diligent this way to stampe the frame of the truth upon the judgements and understandings of those that are under their hand and committed to their charge §. 2. 2. A childe or a servant well grounded may be instrumentall in spreading the truth farre into the world Abraham had but one sonne according to promise and yet by him his seede was multiplyed as the starres in the heaven for multitude and as the sands upon the Sea shore innumerable what though thou hast no absolute promise no certaintie of so gracious and full a successe yet a possibilitie in this kinde especially quickned with some degree of probabilitie and hope should be a ground of incouragement and resolution to doe it true wee must not doe evill that good may come of it but we may and must doe good the rather when more good may come of it §. 3. 3. We finde the holy Ghost inforceth many exhortations to many duties upon this ground of possibilitie especially when it drawes one to a probabilitie or likelihood God would have us in some cases to live by charitie as it were as well as by faith and have us to expect and hope the best as well as beleeve that which is certaine Heb. 13. 2. 1. Cor. 7. 16. Therefore let not this means of contending for the truth be neglected at any hand As the Apostle in the Scripture cited Heb. 13. 2. perswadeth men to hospitalitie or intertainment of strangers upō this ground because some men unawares had received Angels so it is good still to bee seasoning of those in whom there is no great appearance for the present children servants c. with the principles of Gospel knowledge though it were upon this consideration alone that we may unawares have our hand in furnishing the truth and Church of God with such who may prove like Angels in their ministerie and service about the holy things of Jesus Christ afterwards §. 4. 4. Secondly men that be of abilitie for it when they meete with occasions and opportunities sutable to such actions and endevours must vindicate the truth as Paul did among the Galatians Gal. 2. 5. they must not give place or way to such as oppose it or will stand up to pleade for Baal If men of erronious spirits finde mouthes to open against the truth the children of light must finde mouthes to open for the truth As one said if theeves will rise at midnight to murther men shall not men bee willing to bee awakened to save their lives That promise was made long since to the Church that every tongue that should rise up in judgement against it it should condemne or as the Originall hath it should make wicked Isaiah 54. 17. The meaning of the promise may be that Gods people who should be all taught of him should have the spirit of wisedome given that their enemies should not be able to resist but they should confute and confound them we should therfore here live by faith and gather strength from such promises and doe as Cyrus is said to have done when the propchsies of Isaiah contained in the 44. and 45. chapters were read unto him hee went with great courage and resolution against Egypt therefore we should endeavour to be as so many Apollo's mightie in the Scriptures and gird on the sword of the spirit and cause the word of Christ to dwell richly in us that so wee may bee able to grapple with an adversarie when he comes in our way and not suffer him to make havocke and spoyle of the truth without contradiction §. 5. 5. Thirdly wee must shine as
the truth and power thereof and their wayes and practises with the fairest and most plausible colours of love and peace It is Peters observation concerning Teachers that such as have their hearts exercised with covetousnesse and therefore are best seene in the art and method of fetching in the world apace unto them still forsake the right way of the Gospel because there is little good to bee done in that way for such a purpose the world will seldome give much for truth and go astray after the way of Balaam the sonne of Bosor who loved the wages of unrighteousnesse 2. Pet. 2. 14. 15. What was Balaams work for the doing wherof he should have beene so richly and royally paid It was onely the cursing the people and children of God with their wayes and courses and consequently the justifying and blessing of Balack and his people in their proceedings against them And what was this in effect but to undertake to reconcile Christ and Belial and to divide Christ in or against himselfe Balack and his rout must bee righteous and just men and approved of God Moses and his company must be children of the curse enemies of God and hated of him I beleeve the better halfe of the Popes Kingdome two thirds of the triple crowne would be given to any man that shall undertake and quit himselfe like a man by a semblable performance to overthrow the State government doctrines practices of all the reformed Churches by the Scriptures but by the same labour he shall compound and reconcile the rule government doctrines and practises of the Sea of Rome with the Gospel Wee know the base descent and pedigree of farre the greatest part of promotions and preferments in the world they are begotten by the base desire of an earthly greatnesse upon an earthly greatnesse vainely desirous of being thought to bee of the house and lineage of goodnesse Thus in one sence the poore oppressed and persecuted Gospel makes many rich in the world Againe the same Gospel notwithstanding the povertie of it nay rather because of such povertie makes many rich and sad is the consideration that it makes not many more in a better way As the world gives no greater wages of such a treasure as it hath for any worke then for the pulling downe the truth and power of the Gospel where it riseth up against them So neither doth God open his hand wider in his way of bountie to any service then to the faithfulnesse of those that will labour to build them up againe and trie it out by a deepe and solemne contestation with the world whether light or darkenesse shall rule whether God or Baal shall bee hee When our Saviour promiseth a Prophets reward to him that receiveth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet doubtlesse hee promiseth more then bare measure even that good measure which he speakes of in another case heaped up pressed downe shaken together and running over Now the service or worke of a Prophet is as to hold forth the word of righteousnesse to the world so in speciall manner to hold fast the same word to convince the gainesayers Tit. 1. 9. and not to suffer the world to destroy elude or make voide any part or parcell of it So Paul upon the thought and mention of that good fight hee had fought whereby hee had kept the Faith as hee saith viz. against the subtile and outragious malice of the Divell wherewith hee had inspired his Angels in the world to make all the havocke and spoyle they could of Evangelicall truth was fil'd with the hope and confidence of that his crowne of righteousnesse which hee said was laid up for him and should bee given him by the righteous Judge at that day 2. Tim. 4. 7. 8. So that if thou desirest to make something of nothing J meane to make the best earnings of thy times and dayes on earth which were they not capable of a spirituall improvement were but as light as vanitie as little as nothing there is no labour thou canst undergoe no course thou canst runne no service thou canst performe either to God or men like unto this to stand up in thy might for the Gospel and to set thy foote by it and so come men come Divels come friends come foes against it come honour come dishonour come liberty come prison come life come death come Heaven come Hell to stand to the defence of it to the last haire of thy head Jt is a signe that a man knowes not to what purpose he was borne into the world that will suffer the Gospel to receive a wound by him or die before him And being prevented with such an opportunity season as is now given downe from heaven unto us even above our expectations and commensurable with our desires for contending for the Gospel not to attempt the moving and removing of every stone which God hath not fastned bee it never so hot or heavie not to doe not to suffer not to speak not to pray not to crie both unto God and men not to give not to lend not to ride not to run not to watch not to studie not to continue not to execute whatsoever the peace and safety thereof shall require and to professe that wee love not we regard not we desire not the Gospel are but expressions of one and the same interpretation Onely J must crave leave to touch thy conscience it shall bee gently with one caveat about thy contending and then the discourse it selfe take it thee and make thee a souldier in this warfare When thou contendest for the Gospel let it not bee grievous unto thee to looke very narrowly and to consider seven times over that thou contendest for nothing of thine owne for nothing of men instead of the Gospel and matter of Faith It is a thing not to bee passed over in our thoughts without much sadnesse and sorrow that there is not one of many that takes hold of shield and buckler for the truth that stands forth with zeale to pleade the cause of the Gospel but suffers this dead flie to lie putrifying in this box of so precious an oyntment he is not carefull to separate the vile from the precious but takes his owne and other mens opinions into part and fellowship of the same defence with that which is Faith and Gospel indeed Great pittie it is that darknesse should share in the priviledges of light or that error and truth should be joyned together in the same protection I easily apprehend how cutting and painefull it is to flesh and bloud to see those opinions which were long since begotten and bred within them and have for many yeeres beene tenderly nursed and cherished in their bosomes yea and happly have beene their glory and reputation in the world yea and perhaps that which is yet more part of their comfort and confidence in God to see these J say cast out upon the dunghill and reputed as good for nothing
but with salt hath lost the savour to be trodden under foote by men cānot but be as grievous in the eyes of men as it was to Abraham to cast his sonne Ismael with Agar his Mother out of doores Gen. 21. 11. Our Saviour that perfectly knew the wayes of the hearts and spirits of men put his finger upon this sore in that passage Luke 5. 39. No man having drunke old wine straight way desireth new for he saith the old is better Mens opinions and thoughts with their semblable practises in matter of Religion may well be compared to wine because they are the great cheerers of their soules and consciences And our Saviour affirming that men that have drunke old wine seldome or never love to change their diet suddenly seemes to imply these two things besides what lieth in the plaine superficies of the letter First that men that never dranke old wine that is that were never principled nor grounded in any way of Religion at all as that never were ingaged or interressed in their judgements touching any particular controversie in Religion may sooner be brought to drink new i. e. may with lesse reluctation and trouble with lesse reasoning and disputing and for the most part with lesse shame and sorrow bee perswaded to embrace and professe the truth then those that have beene built up and comforted in a false way of Religion and beene fast tied to the wrong end of a controverted point by their credits and reputations in the world Jn which respect that saying of Epiphanius takes place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A man had better beleeve nothing then that which is contray to the truth Secondly that many who are for a time extremely opposite and averse from entertaining better thoughts and opinions in things appertaining unto God then their owne are because of the newnesse and strangenesse of them may yet in time after they have conversed a while with them and look'd them in the face againe and againe bee brought to relent yea and espouse them and open the bosome of their affections judgements and consciences unto them with joy and gladnesse But this by the way My advise therefore for the present is onely this that when thou risest up as a man of zeale and courage to plead the cause of the Gospel in any kinde against any enemie thereof thou shewest thy selfe a man of wisdome and judgement also making a difference in thy zeale betweene things that differ in their nature as much as light and darknesse as Heaven and Earth Take heede of binding up hay stubble wood in the same bundle of defence with silver Gold and precious stones And know this that as the Apostle speakes of a knowledge amongst professors in his dayes that was falsely so called 1. Tim. 6. 20. it had the name but not the nature worth and substance of knowledge So hath it beene found in all ages that where ever the body and substance of the Gospel hath come it hath in time still gathered much drosse and refuse and loose matter about it and that not onely by the malice of enemies but by the weakenesse and injudiciousnesse of the best friends of it which hath still beene counted treasure too and gone under the name of the Gospel as well as the truth it selfe But I must not now prosecute this caution any further I feare J have over-prefaced my discourse already Jf I have transgressed the rule of discretion J will be sure to observe the rule of charity in the close and cordially pray for the building up in the knowledge of the onely true God and him whom he hath sent Jesus Christ by the reading of this and all other peices consecrated to that high and glorious service Thine in all thou desirest in the Lord. I. G. Coleman-streete 1640. THE CHRISTIANS INGAGEMENT for the Gospel Jude verse 3. That you should earnestly contend for the Faith which was once delivered unto the Saints CHAP. I. The scope and coherence together with the sense meaning of the words cleared and the Doctrine to be handled raised and propounded 1 AS David speaketh to the securitie comfort and joy of Israel the Church of God Behold he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleepe Psal 121. 4. So on the other hand may it also be said for the awaking of Israel himselfe that hee may neither slumber nor sleepe either more or otherwise then may stand with his safety that hee that seeketh the destruction of Israel neither doth he either slumber or sleep your adversarie the Divell saith Saint Peter what sitteth still or sleepeth no but like a roaring Lion walketh about seeking whom hee may dovoure Hee cannot come at all to devoure them some keepe themselves that the evill one toucheth them not as Saint Iohn speaketh they have an eye upon him as well as he upon them they carefully avoid all occasions of evil which are as it were medium tactus to the Divell meanes without which the Divell can hardly come to touch any man in this kinde or to fasten either pawe or teeth upon him The Lion though he rageth and roareth never so terribly cannot come to prey upon all the beasts in the wildernesse § 2. 2. Now because Sathan would not willingly runne thus up and downe for his living to pick out here a man and there a man to devoure or prey upon Hee counteth this but small gaine and little better then losse of time an allowance altogether unproportionable to the vastnesse of his devouring greedinesse hee therefore spreads his nets to take whole companies and congregations of soules at once to destroy men by whole Townes Cities Nations and Kingdomes §. 3. 3. To bring to passe a designe of this nature a project of such an accursed and dismall consequence as this there is no way more direct and compendious then to procure the fountaines of living waters of which all joyntly together drinke or the bread of life upon which all feede to bee poysoned to convey death into the pot this is a way of quick dispatch with the poore soules of men if hee can procure such a project as this to be advanced in any part of the world where there is any necessity or occasion for him to desire to doe it I meane where God hath a Church or where truth of religion is planted Hee needs not now runne up and downe seeking whom or which man he may devoure he may sit still and devoure whole multitudes at once without seeking further for them If the waters be poysoned the Fisherman needs not be carefull of his bait how he may deceive the fish they will come to his hands alone and lie dead upon the top of the waters hee may take them up as he please §. 4. 4. When in any place the truth of God is universally tainted with pernicious and damnable errours the soules of men are there unto Sathan as the Figge trees with their first ripe Figges Nahum the 3. 12.
others except such as are willing to bee destroyed and as Salomon saith love death Prov. 8. and this destroying which Sathan feares from the Gospel is the true fountaine of that implacable enmitie he beares against it he knowes except hee can some wayes destroy it it will destroy him §. 3. 3. It is said Heb. 2. 14. That Christ suffered death that by such suffering he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devill It is a new or further destruction to the Devill to bee throwne out of mens hearts and lose his interest in the precious soules of men this is his tumbling downe from heaven like lightning Luke 10. This was a secōd heavē to him after he was throwne downe from the third heaven and the best hee was now capable of to bee honoured and served like the most Highest in the hearts of sinfull blind and miserable man Now as it was the power of God to throw him down from the third heaven so it was the weakenesse of God the death of God being made man that fetched him downe from the second heaven out of the hearts of men And it is as much against his nature and inclination as tormenting a destruction to him to lose this second heaven as it was his first and therefore he is said to fall from this heaven like lightning That is fully against his nature and inclination with the greatest reluctancie and torture of spirit as it is the greatest naturall torment as wee may say to fire whose naturall inclination and motion is constantly upwards towards the circumference to bee compelled and forced downewards towards the center and the more pure the fire is as lightning is of the purest kinde it includs still the greater repugnancie to the nature of it to be forced downewards §. 4. 4. Now if it bee the death of Christ indeed that fetcheth Sathan downe like lightning from this heaven off his power and throne that hee hath gotten in the world yet doth it not this immediately without some other advantage as it is not a bullet or powder that batters the walles of the Citie or Castle at such a distance or cuts off the lives of so many men but by the advanrage of the enemie or Cannon so is it this same Gospel of truth that utters as it were and vents the death of Christ up and downe the world in that effectuall and saving manner according to which it worketh this is as the Hysope that sprinkles that bloud upon the consciences of men §. 5. 5. So that Sathans aimand project is to disable the Gospel from the performance of such a service to make it wholly unusefull for the dispencing of the death of Christ unto men in a saving way This hee knowes well enough will be done by corrupting the truth of it if the straight wayes and paths of it bee much perverted and made crooked the holy spirit will bee grieved and take offence at it and being a spirit of truth will refuse to goe forth with a lie or to worke by it as the Lord told the people by Ezekiel 28. 18. They had defiled their Sanctuary by the multitude of their iniquities defiled it that is made it unfit for an habitation for him so great and holy a God and therefore hee would prophane it too as hee saith in another place that is hee would dwell no more there nor delight to manifest his presence any more to them there then in any other prophane and common place in all the world so if the Gospel bee defiled with mixture of errours and tenets and opinions of men the holy Ghost will loath and abhorre it and prophane it also and doe no more towards the salvation of men by the Gospel so corrupted then by any other prophane learning and writing whatsoever Sathan I say knowes this better then men doe or indeed care to doe and therefore hee is still busie to wring and wrest Gospel truths and because Sathan is still the Author of this worke the primus motor when any thing is stirr'd or shaken of the simplicitie and truth of the Gospel though the immediate actors above ground bee men hence it was that Paul with that severity Acts 13. 10. Set a black brand upon Elymas the Sorcerer calling him the child of the Devill because he still perverted the right wayes of the Lord those in the Scripture are called the children of the Divell that resemble him in his disposition and worke as all confesse therefore it is the indeavour and worke of Sathan to oppose the truth §. 6. 6. A second sort of enemies to the Faith in this sense given that is the truth of the Gospel are all wicked men in generall without exception That of our Saviour is not onely true here and there but it is a universall truth and layes hold upon the foure corners of the world hee that doth evill hateth the light Iohn 3. one said well that verbum Dei was lucerna ad quam fur deprehenditur the word of God was a light or candle by which the thiefe was taken no thiefe that meanes to steale but hates the light that should discover him true this evill affection against the truth doth not breake out in all some mens hearts are not so full as others It doth not ruine over our of every vessell neither hath it alwayes that malignancie in it to breake out at the lips and hands of men nay it is not at all to bee doubted but many evill men may and doe support it for carnall ends CAP. 3. A further discovery of the enemies of the truth §. 1. But there are some sorts of wicked men that are more dangerous enemies to the truth in this sense then others and from whom the ruine and subversion of it is more to bee feared men that have ends of their owne and not simply so for all carnall men have these but further are much intent and zealous in the advancement of such ends men whose motions eccentricall to the course and motions of the Gospel and yet are active and vigorous in their motion These are men who threaten great danger to the truth of God §. 2. 2. The reason is cleere because the bent and inclination and levell of the Gospel is in the straightest line that can be imagined to bee laid for the advancement of God and his glory and his Christ and not at all for the carnall ends and purposes of men It was never framed to serve turns The high-way of the Gospel lyeth through the midst of mens fruitfull and pleasant fields through their Gardens and Orchards and Vineyards yea many times through the middest of their palaces and stately houses through the middest of mens honours and preferments estates pleasures reputations c. and so if it bee sufferd to goe forth in its owne spirit and take the way it selfe desireth and chuseth it will make great spoyle of mens carnall advantages It will tread and
more solemne are the ingagements that lye upon the wicked to doe all homage and shew all height of respects to the Gospel being in it selfe lovely and beautifull beyond all admiration and with all lineally and immediately descended from that great King as himselfe speakes in Malachi who is Lord both of heaven and earth Secondly the tendernesse and high respect as it were that God had of it while it was with him hee scarce suffered it so much as to looke out into the world neither into heaven nor earth but reserved it for companie and socieitie to his owne Sonne when hee should be borne that then it should goe forth and not before it was a mysterie saith Paul kept secret since the world beganne Rom. 16. 25. These same signata or things sealed up and kept close are ever matters of greatest worth God as well as hee loved his Angels who stand continually in his presence and behold his face yet kept them fasting from the knowledge and contemplation of this transcendent mystery at least from the cleere and perfect knowledge of it from the day of their creation till the fulnesse of time came wherein it was to be revealed in the world Thirdly the maine ingredient whereof it is made which runnes in every veine of it and wherein the whole vertue and efficacie of it consist is the bloud of Christ so precious that gold and silver are scarce foile to it 1. Pet. 1. 18. Therefore to neglect this Gospel in any kinde not to bee jealous over it with a jealousie as strong as death is to prophane the bloud of Jesus Christ and count it as an unholy thing and so to tread under foote the Son of God himselfe Heb. 10. 29. Fourthly and lastly the vertue and efficacie it selfe that rules in it The Gospel is the life of the world Deut. 32. 47. it is not a vaine thing for you because it is your life and through this thing yee shall prolong your dayes c. and Salomon often speaking of wisedome still presseth this argument upon men to imbrace it because shee is their life Pro. 3. 18. 22. Prov. 4. 23. Alas what were the world but a place of darknesse and as the shadow of death were not the light of the countenance of God in the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ lift up upon it If this beautifull gate of the Temple of Heaven were shut up against it would not the precious soules and consciences of men bee amongst Lions continually I meane amongst devouring feares and terrors and horrid expectations of wrath and vengeance to come Therefore let this reason also be considered if wee do engage our selves never so deepe for the Gospel and the truth of it the worth and excellencie of it will beare us out and justifie all our undertaking in this behalfe yea and will condemne us with as high a hand if it ever mis-carrieth through any degeneratenesse any base and accursed fearefulnesse on our parts CAP. VII Foure generall rules or directions whereby to discover and judge what opinions are most like to bee contrary to the truth §. 1. BEfore we come to the use and application of things that wee may not contend with our owne shadowes or bee stricken with any panick feare like the wicked who feare where no feare is as David speakes i. e. where no cause of feare is or contend for that which is no part of our Faith I shall lay downe a rule or two by which we may be able in part to discerne and judge when it is time to looke about to lay hold and to contend or when Sathan is about to beguile us of our Faith let mee by the way give this one Item that our Faith or truth of the Gospel may bee two wayes indammaged or suffer waste upon it as the holy Ghost implyeth either first by adding or putting too or secondly by incroaching or taking away Rev. 22. 18. or indeed as oft by a certaine composition of both together by a kinde of exchange as by either alone for there is never any truth taken away but there is an errour in one kinde or other given or left in the stead of it As the Harlot pleaded before Solomon 1. King 3. 20. against her fellow that whilest shee slept her fellow tooke her living child from her side and laid her dead child in her bosome instead of it So may it bee said of Sathan and of those that are the men of his right hand for such a service they never take away any living truth from us but they lay some dead errours in the bosome of our soules in the roome of it But such charging as this is the most hatefull and accursed robbery of any other This briefly by the way §. 2. 2. Now to give some rules of direction whereby wee may bee able to judge whether at any time there be any speciall cause more then at an other to stand up in this case and to practise this duty of contending for the Faith at least they will serve to give aime they will serve to intimate when there is speciall cause to looke about and to consider and to suspect the worst as touching the losse and dammage of your precious Faith §. 3. 3. First that tenet or opinion in Religion which is assaulted and we perswaded to let go under pretence of being an errour contrary to our Faith if it hath beene established by men that have beene sober minded holy religious and no sinister cause known or suspected which would intangle their judgement but probable and sufficient reasons for the corrupting of their judgements by whom it is opposed as time serving covetousnesse ambition superstition c. This I say is a strong presumption that such a tenet is the truth and to be well considered before wee give it up or take exchange for it I only goe so farre in this rule as to say it is a strong presumption of truth because I know its possible that godly mens eyes may be held in respect of some particular truth and other mens may be opened and that there is no point of faith simply to be embraced upon the authoritie of men one or other nor simply to be rejected upon the prejudice of men yet this difference both reason and religion will countenance as meet to bee put between the judgement of holy and humble minded men and of men sensuall or sinfully addicted namely not to reject the judgement of holy men without very apparent cause against them nor to receive the judgement of the other without apparent reasons and grounds for them §. 4. 4. The equity or strength of the rule lyes in this naturall axiome that where there is a concurrence of more causes and these equally efficacious tending to the same effect greater likelihood there is that the effect should be produced then where the causalitie is weaker as for example in going a journey where a man is ignorant of the right way the
§. 7. 7. Thirdly consider if we will contend earnestly for the truth as we have beene directed we shall have assured successe our enemies shall never say in triumph against us behold wee have prevailed wee shall bee able to rescue the truth out of the hands of all gainesayers and of all the powers of darknesse If we will buy the truth at Gods price no man shall have it out of our hands if wee bee willing to cleave to it and live with it God will never put us asunder by a strong hand hold fast saith our Saviour to the Church of Philadelphia lest another take thy crowne implying that holding fast will prevent it thy crowne shall alwayes stand upon thy owne head if thou wilt keepe thine owne as wee say if thou wilt set thy foote to the foote of the adversarie and not let him carry away the truth except hee carry away thee too or something of thine with him §. 8. 8. Continue saith St. Paul to the Philippians in one spirit and one minde striving together for or with the Faith of the Gospel and in nothing feare your adversaries Philip. 1. 27. 28. if wee will not contend if wee will make no resistance against Sathan then will he tyrannize over us and impoverish us of our great treasure and bring us to a morsell of bread hee will triumph in the ruines of the truth and of oursoules together but if wee will resist him in this case we know what the holy Ghost promises who knowes Sathans depths and tels all his secrets that he will flee from you Iames 4. 7. if hee findes resistance so that hee cannot speede presently or suddenly as he desires hee stands upon thornes as we say he must not lose time hee hath but a little left hee will away to others where he hopes to bestow his time and temptations to better purpose §. 9. 9. Consider that if we will come forth and shew our selves men in this conflict for the truth and partake in this most noble and honourable quarrell of the Gospel against the world wee shall share with Jesus Christ in his glorie and triumph in the day of his great victorie against Antichrist and his Angels and followers yea that which mee thinkes should bee the most sutable incouragement under heaven to the spirit of a Christian right bred the successe and glorie of that great victorie of the Lambe over the Beast shall bee divided between the Captain and the Souldiers and is in part ascribed to the faithfulnesse of those that bee with him in the battell Rev. 17. 14. these shall fight with the Lambe and the Lambe shall over-come them for they that are with him are called and chosen and faithfull Cast but an eye upon this glorie and it cannot but fill us with the highest courage and resolution for this service That which yee have already hold fast till I come saith Christ to the Church of Thyatira Rev. 2. 25. 26. For hee that overcometh and keepeth my workes unto the end to him will I give power over Nations The world is at his feete whose heart will but serve him to looke the Devill and his terrible ones in the face when they goe forth to battle against the truth §. 10. 10. Fifthly consider that if wee will therefore decline this warfare because it must bee undertaken at our owne cost and charges wee may sustaine losse in our estates losse of friends credit in the world our liberties our lives c. Consider I say and consider it againe it is a waighty and most important truth that all these may may yea must lose and part with it may be upon harder and worse termes a thousand-fold upon better and more honourable and with more advantage to our selves then in this warfare impossible it is that ever wee should Mee thinke this motive should cut off all reasonings and gaine sayings of the flesh If the flesh in any kinde should plead to bee spared or excused from this warfare it should not onely plead against the spirit but against it selfe also Therefore for such stuffe as this regard it not loe the whole Kingdome of heaven is before us and is ours §. 11. 11. Suppose that God at any time should cal for thy service herein thou seest thou canst not serve without expence of thy estate abridgement of thy libertie it may be danger of thy life and thou makest answer no thou wilt see what will become of the truth otherwise It may be the verie next day for ought thou knowest within a shorter space God will suffer that great extortioner death to spoyle thee of thy life and then as God saith to the foole Luke 12. 20. whose shall all these be Where is thy estate Where libertie Where credit Where friends Where life all is lost for ever whereas if thou hadest beene willing to have made over these things by such a Deed of gift as hath beene spoken of into the hands of God they had beene safe for thee for eternitie There is no way else in the world for these mortall comforts to put on immortalitie the outward and corruptible good things to put on incorruption but only to make a consecration of them to him that is immortall as the Scriptures every where teach If thy goods be otherwise spoyled thy libertie restrained life taken from thee God will not regard thee nor take compassion on thee It may be he will value thee and thy life at as little as thou doest him and his truth hee will sell thee for nought and take no money for thee as David speakes that is hee will not so much as punish or shew any judgement upon those that shall oppresse thee or destroy thee §. 12. 12. A Father that hath given an estate to a sonne that is improvident and wastes it with riotous living as the Prodigall did regardeth him not casts him off and suffers him to taste of want and all extremitie But if hee so layes out his stocke to make still a returne and increase the Father delights in him so doth God with men those that will wisely and providently dispose of such mercies as hee hath given them so that though they be out of hand for a while yet they are still returning and comming in againe such are his delight and men of his affection but for those that so order and mannage their present estates and comforts in the world that they wholly perish at last and are never heard of more nor seene in any returne of good his soule abhorreth hee loveth to see his children wise in their generation And in this sense I conceive that of our Saviour to bee understood Iohn 10. 17. therefore doth my Father love mee because I lay downe my life that I might take it againe that is because I lay it downe so in such a way upon such tearmes of obedience and submission to his will that I may in equitie and justice receive it againe wee cannot
wrath and vengeance of God for ever As Michal said unto David when time was concerning the imminent danger of his life natural If thou savest not thy selfe this night to morrow thou shalt bee slaine so it may bee the case of the best and greatest and youthfullest of us that if wee deferre it a day longer if wee will not even this now be perswaded to lay hold on eternall life to morrow our soules may bee slaine with eternall death Thirdly and lastly to perswade you to raise your labours and indeavours for heaven to the highest and to abhorre and tremble at all loosenesse and low-spiritednesse that way consider that heaven is a prize that is not to be gotten with dallying or by looking another way or minding other things he that makes it not the great standing businesse of his life will never carry it Thy bread will never bee eaten but in the sweat of the brow There is a kinde of Devill that will not out as our Saviour tels us but by prayer and fasting this Devill will not goe nor heaven come but upon great and high termes Know yee not saith Paul to the Corinthians that they which runne in a race runne all but one receiveth the prize So runne that yee may obtaine cleerely implying that running it selfe will not carry this prize except it bee a running indeed a running after the manner of those that out-runne their competitors in the race a man may go farre and yet come short we may doe much and yet to little purpose If a man strive for mastery saith the same Apostle elsewhere yet is hee not crowned except he strive lawfully i. except in striving hee observeth the Lawes and conditions propounded and injoyned by him that bestoweth the prize and maketh the race To say Lord Lord onely i. to make profession of the service of God and of subjection and obedience to Iesus Christ is not the Law or rule that God hath apointed for the races wherein heaven is to be obteined men must bee operative and active in doing the will of God which is in heaven otherwise they are no company for him in that holy habitation of his glory Men must quit themselves like men on earth or never looke to bee like Angels in heaven Those crownes of righteousnesse and life will never goe at the low and base rates of delicacie case and sloathfulnesse Hee that degenerates and corrupteth himselfe with any of these giveth hostages to the Divell that he will keepe him company and be his second in the midst of the torments of hell for eternity Therefore strive to enter in at the narrow gate yea I say againe strive to enter the entrance will abundantly pay for the striving but woe bee to him that shall not enter and the same woe will bee to him that shall not strive Yet a little while the world that is present will be the world that is past and the world that is to come will bee the world present all the dayes of eternity This for the third and last Motive Concerning the deceased a worthy Gentlewoman and precious piece of mortality shee was whilst she lived and doubtlesse her name and memory deserve imbalming with the sweetest odours and spices after the manner of the dearest and chiefest Saints of God Neverthelesse it is not much that I shall speake of her my custome in this case of speaking sparingly being as a thing consecrate unto me I must not violate or sinne against it neither was it the least of her commēdations of whom we now speake that shee affected that lesse then any which shee deserved above most I meane praise and commendation distinguishing spiritually in this point of her practice as the Apostle himselfe seemes to doe in his precept Phil. 4. 8. where hee injoynes men and women to thinke upon and to follow the things themselves that are of good report but for the report it selfe belonging as due to the things hee speakes no word of minding that Doubtlesse if ever there were either man or woman since Maries time that made Maries choyce shee was companion with them herein and did likewise the way of her spirit and tenour of her life being a close example of that great rule of the Apostle for using this present world as if wee used it not 1. Cor. 7. 31. The zeale of heaven and of the salvation of her soule had even eaten her up The delights and contentments of the world which are wont deepely to ingage the affections of the daughters of men especially of her ranke and yeeres being but about twenty sixe at her death and to steale away their hearts from their God and from the noble and blessed contentments of heven had little or no power over her they entermedled little with her spirit shee trod and trampled upon them with a foote of heavenly disdaine her heart was soft and tender upwards but downewards towards the world hard as the neither Milstone When God spake hee wounded her the world cryed and shee regarded not Those cages of uncleane birds the common Theaters or Play-houses the shame and reproach of the glorious profession of Jesus Christ amongst us so much hanted by uncleane spirits both of men and women to whom modesty and sobriety surely are a burden and thither they goe for ease and deliverance places where if a man sought for company in the way to hell hee may finde choyce of all sorts where I had almost said a man may read whole pages of Gods booke of reprobation these I say with all their execrable appurtenances the soule of this religious gentlewoman loathed and abhorred they were the first-borne of abominations unto her So for the costly vanity of apparell though shee sate by a fountaine where shee might have dranke her fill of these waters shee regarded it not her usuall saying was that shee did not love to bee talked of for her fine clothes But especially that great Goddesse of her sexworshipped with so much devotion both by young and old I mean Fancie or Fashion in apparell she blasphemed For richnes of furniture in her house another solemne temptation for her sex to adde drunkennesse to thirst superfluity to necessity non contempsit sed neglexit shee did not so much contemne as neglect it She did not affect or desire to have her face seene and beheld by others in the glasse of any such glory Shee was taken up with working out her salvation and making robes of immortality for her soule For the company and society of her delight her heart went hand in hand as it were with Davids heart in this All her delight was in the Saints on earth and in those that were excellent that way Those that could speak the language of Canaan and discourse the waies of life unto her and minister any wayes to her spirituall necessities though the gold ring were wanting and the costly apparell appeared not were they persons of never so meane ranke and