they are corrected for it And yet deale with these and such like men for the euil education of their children and they will answere doe not wee as much as is of vs required Wee send our children to the Church to be instructed of the pastor and to the schoole to be taught of the master if they learne it will be the better for them if not they haue the more to answere for another day what can wee doe more But remember O man consider O woman whosoeuer thus speakest that for thy sinnes sake and thy want of prayer there may be a plague vpon the pastors paines and a curse vpon the teachers trauaile If parents would haue their children blessed at Church and at schoole let them beware they giue their children no corrupt examples at home by any carelesnes prophanenes or vngodlines otherwise parents will doe them more harme at home than both pastors and schoolemasters can doe them good abroade For the corrupt example of the one fighteth with the good instruction of the other which is so much the more dangerous because that corrupt walking is armed with nature and therefore more forceably inclineth the affections of children to that side And further experience teacheth vs that children like or mislike more by countenance gesture and behauiour than by any rule doctrine precept or instruction whatsoeuer Some there be also that will not haue their children taught vntill they bee ten or twelue yeeres olde because as they say before that age they haue but an apish imitation To whom I answere that although indeede they cannot then deeply discerne nor profoundly conceiue things yet how many things before those yeeres both will they receiue and remember And I demand if children being apish in imitating euill whilest they be yong which they will haue the habit of when they be old why may they not much more better doe apishly good when they are young which they may doe carefully when they are old Besides let them so goe vntaught and they will grow so headstrong that they will sooner be broken than bended And sure it is that one stripe or two wordes will doe more good to a child in the beginning than an hundred stripes afterward And here let parents bee admonished of their vndiscreete correction who doe their children more harme in shewing a merrie countenance after their discipline vsed than they doe good by their chastising although in their anger they be corrected Neither doe I purpose to take away naturall affections and a Christian kinde of compassion in all our censures for it is my great complaint of the brutish vnmercifulnes of many parents herein but I would wish Christians to correct their vndiscreete affections herein by heauenly wisedome Neither am I so Stoicall as to denie a more milde and affable kinde of speech to bee both lawfully and conueniently vsed to children but yet I wish it to be voide of all vnseemely leuitie and without all shewe of foolish vaine and vnnecessarie behauiour To bee briefe how needfull household gouernement is towards our children it may appeare by the slender thriuing and smal profiting of religion and vertue either in the Church or Common-wealth For complaine men and preach they neuer so much abroade vnlesse they wil begin to reforme their owne houses and giue religion a roome at home especially in their owne hearts they shal trauaile much and profit little And surely if men were careful to reforme themselues first and then their own families they should see Gods manifold blessings in our land vpon Church and Common-wealth For of particular persons come families of families townes of townes prouinces of prouinces whole realmes so that conueighing Gods holy trueth in this sort from one to another in time and that shortly it would so spread into all parts of this kingdome Well I say let there be neuer so good lawes in cities neuer so pure orders in Church if there be no practise at home if fathers of families vse not doctrine and discipline in their houses and ioyne their hands to Magistrate and Minister they may but most vniustly as many haue done complaine that their children are corrupted abroade whereas indeede they were before and still are corrupted at home Alas if parents to whom the comfort of their children well brought vp is a precious crowne will not informe and reforme their children in the feare of God whom it doth chiefly concerne how should hope sustaine these men that others will performe this dutie to them for whom the charge doth farre lesse appertaine Lastly let parents remember that therefore oftentimes they haue disordered and disobedient children to themselues because they haue been disobedient children to the Lord and disordered to their parents when they were yong wherefore because they haue not repented the Lord punisheth their sinnes committed against others with the like sinne in others against themselues Wilt thou know then O father how thou maist haue that blessing to be the blessed father of a blessed seede wilt thou know O mother how to auoide that curse to be the cursed mother of a cursed seede then bring thy children within the couenant endeuour to make thy sonne by nature the sonne of God by grace and thy daughter by nature the daughter of God by grace and remember that God which on his part protested to our father Abraham that he was all sufficient for the accomplishment of his promise in giuing him a blessed seede required also of our father Abraham for his part that he should walke before him and be vpright Wilt thou then haue the one part of this couenant that is that God should blesse thee in thy seed then remember thou also the other part that thou walke before the Lord and be vpright Wilt thou haue thy children as the blessed seede of Abraham teach them with Abraham the commandements of God pray for them with Abraham that they may liue in the sight of the Lord be readie to offer them with Abraham that they may bee an holy sacrifice to the Lord It is thou O man O woman that maiest do thy child the greatest good and the greatest harme if thou praiest for him and repentest for thy selfe the Lord will blesse thy care the pastors paines and the teachers trauaile But if thou despisest these duties the Lord will denie thee those blessings and the curse of God will bee vpon thy childe at home in thy house abroade in the Church and in the schoole And seeing that the Lord hath promised that hee will bee thy God and blesse thy seede if thou bee faithfull thou maiest both hope that thou art of the faithfull if thou haue a blessed seede and feare that thou hast not as yet the blessing of the couenant when thy seede is cursed But some will say had not Iacob wicked children and Dauid godlesse sonnes And doth not daily experience teach vs that wicked men haue godly children Yes for besides
diuels yet God is vnchaungeable and maketh them white as snow and as he loueth vs not simply for any wel doing so he doth not cast off his loue simplie for any euil doing We must often listen to that sweete Eccho which is betweene the Lord and our consciences Sinner saith the Lord I am thy saluation Father saith the sinner thou shalt be my saluation That we may be assured hereof it pleaseth the Lord euen to admit vs into his Tabernacle of coÌ„ference and will not only let vs tread in the courts but also giueth vs a stoolâ— to sit in his owne presence before the Arke yea and not onely giueth vs a roome in his Church but also diuideth vs our portion of heauenly consolation by his Spirit truth whereby not only our soules and bodies be holden together but also we grow from glorie to glorie from pleasure to pleasure vntill wee be made perfit in his Syon 34 The heart is God his owne part and that which must goe to the Lord Now as nothing should runne to common vses which was sacrificed to the Priests vnder the Law so the heart which is the Lords title must not be freely giuen to any possession but onely in for and from him 35 As of all mercies of God this is not the least that the Lorde will not let vs thriue in sinne but vouch safeth to crosse vs and meete vs in our way as hee did with Baâ—â—â—m going into an euill way So this of all iudgements is the sorest when the Lord taking away his carefull hand from vs shall suffer vs to prosper and growe cunning in sinne so as wee can rode thorow and cut downe whole woods drie vp whole fountaines and drinke vp manie riuers and ouerthrowe euery mountaine that stands in our way And therefore God his children are quickly espied to be bungerlike workers of sinne that the Lorde may shame them in this life but the wicked knit so close a web that they goe away with art and peace vntill the Lord shame them in the day of shame 36 As many being much diseased in bodie are the more thereby distempered in their mindes So manie troubled in minde bring a disorder of nature euen vpon their bodies And none more then conteÌ„tious persons who not looking to the hand of God but to the weaknes of man doe fret too much which is only to be remedied with considering of the vilenes of our sinne of the wisedome of our God Iob did not fume against the Chaldeans but humbled himselfe before God Dauid fretted not against Shimâ—i but cast himselfe into a searching of his conscience And wee shall finde by proofe that they that are much humbled for their owne sinnes are most meeke to others as also that they who are most contentious with others are not much humbled with their owne sinnes 37 It is one thing to haue our hearts hardening and another to haue them hardened Our hearts are hardened when there is litle hope of repentance or at least hard comming to repentance our hearts are hardening when we are but in the way to the other and this commeth either by wholly refusing of good things or by some carelesse vsing of them or else by doing of euill and suffering our selues to be hardened through the deceitfulnes of sinne This deceiueablenesse of sinne is either an inarching vpon vs after some good fruite or Christian profession when hauing beene any long time well occupied wee haue not through want of feare and priuie pride the former iealouzie ouer our thoughts but wee are ready to giue some larger libertie to our first motions motions breeding consent consent producing the action the action iterated bringing a custome and custome casting vs into hardnes of heart or else it slâ— lie stealeth vpon vs by leauing our exercises of religion by little little when we can leaue off for once without any necessitie one thing and â—notâ—â—r time another vntill at the length our desire die and our good purposes lye buryed â—re we â—e aware 38 Wee may learne to suspect our wisedome in matters concerning a better life euen by the wise men of the world in things concerning this life The Physition whose Arte hath bene fruitfull to manie will not content himselfe being fallen into some sicknes with his owne knowledge but will ioyne in conference with the more learned in that facultie for his recouerie The skilfull Lawyer hauing coÌ„mendablie handled the causes and controuersies of many Clients will not in his purchase or proper case trust to his owne practise but prouideth better for the matter by taking the aduice of many men of experience in that profession and yet in the matter of saluation in the great sicknesse of the soule and purchase of eternall life wee thinke our selues wise enough and that sinne can soone be plaistered and Heauen gotten with ease as though saluation were not worth the labouring for 39 Manie are readie to doe duties and they will also require duties and though they haue not duties answered to them yet they must goe forward in duties Manie will doe no iniurie and they will suffer no iniurie yet they must learne to beare iniuries and bee readier to receiue the second then to reuenge the first It is also true that many see their owne infirmities and will not see other mens and yet they espie not so manie things as they may espie Manie thinke they doe many good things and they doe so yet they doe not many things which they may doe And one may doe many things good in their owne natures and yet corrupt them in the manner of doing and by some blemish in the affection corrupt the beautie of the whole action Manie leaue many sinnes and doe manie good things thinking that all others should leâ—ue many sinnes too and that euery one should goe foote by foote by them and yet God giueth not the like measure to euery one Many rebuke a thing rebukable and when the offenders see it not they growe impatient and yet in wisedome wee should waite for the turning of the sinner Manie will forgiue when they see a man relenting neither is it any great matter yet this is a Christian dutie in deed by faith in God to hope and waite for the conuersion of a sinner in the meane time supporting all infirmities The naturall affection of parents with their children doth by hope vse great longanimitie and why should not we then vse the same and more in Christianitie For Gods children are to put vpon them the affection of fathers of mothers and of brethren and sisters to heare out and sustaine the infirmitie of our brethren Many do duties forbeare want of duties looke to the least infirmitie in themselues not prie into the defects of others and yet cannot away to bee adn onished but if a man can sustaine the rebuke of his friend and the reproch of his enemie not looking so
serue Gods prouidence Rehearse the second Commaundement Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image nor the likenesse c. What euill is expressely forbidden in this Commaundement I am forbidden to make any Image either to represent God or to worship him by What euill is generally forbidden I must auoide all inuentions and deuices of men in the outward worship of God which be contrarie or besides the written word of God Which be the speciall euills forbidden Chiefly all corruption in the substance of doctrine prayer Sacraments and discipline of the Church What occasions of euill be forbidden There be some which wee must necessarily auoyd vnlesse wee will fall into superstition and idolatrie and they be these 1. First to ioyne the false parts of worship with the true worship of God 2. Secondly to be present in bodie at idolatrous and superstitious seruice 3. Thirdly the reseruation of some speciall monument of superstition and idolatrie Which bee the lesser occasions forbidden and yet so wee haue the speciall groundes of Gods worship we must and may tolerate them when we cannot helpe them 1. First all vaine idle and superstitious Ceremonies 2. Secondly all keeping companie with false worshippers Is not the euill in heart also forbidden Yea so farre forth as I lust in my heart to haue any of them preuaile or be established What good is generally commaunded All the outward meanes of Gods worship which be agreeable to his written word What is specially commaunded I must vse such doctrine prayers Sacraments and discipline of the Church as bee agreeable to Gods word in the substance What occasions of good be here commaunded 1. First to haue and vse good bookes of the doctrine and history of the Church written according to Gods word 2. Secondly erecting and maintaining schooles of learning as nurseries of the ministerie 3. Thirdly sufficient prouision to be made for the Ministers of Gods word 4. Fourthly building and maintaining Churches and all things belonging thereunto 5. Fiâ—ly I must vâ—â—â—ll good ceremonies and orders agreeable to the word of God 6. Sixtly 〈◊〉 famiâ—â—â— company with the true worshippers of God What good in heart is commaunded I am commaunded to vse the meanes of Gods worship not onely outwardly but also in spirit and truth What is meâ—â—â— by these words For I the Lord thy God am a iealous God c That God will punish false worship in the false worshippers and in their posteritie vnto the â—â—â—rth generation What is meant by these wordâ— And will shew mercie vnto thousands c Thâ— God will blesse his true worship in the true worshippers and their posteritie vnto the thousand desâ—ent Wâ—â—t is â—â—â—â—â—â—â—f these The vse is to make false worshippe more vile and his true worship more pretious in our eyes 〈…〉 third Commaundement Thou â—â—â—â— not takethâ— Name of the Lord thy God in vaine c. What 〈…〉 forbidden 1. First 〈…〉 â—â—â—ning or â—ursing enchanting or coniuring 2. Secondly all 〈…〉 by false Gods or naming them with reuerence 3. Thirdly 〈…〉 swearing or speaking of GOD without reuerence 4. Fourthly to câ—use Gods Name to bee dishonoured by false Doctrine or vngodlie life 〈◊〉 in my â—â—â—â—â—r in others Wâ—at good is herein commaunded 1. First in matters concerning Gods glorie I must sweare by GOD onely in Iustice. Iudgement Truth 2. Secondly I must endeuour from my heart to growe vp in true knowledge and a godly life that so Gods Name may bee praised in my selfe and by mine example in others What is meant by these words For the Lord will not holde him guiltlesse c That God will certainely punish the dishonoring of his Name in any sort What is the vse of this The vse of this is to make vs more fearefull to dishonour him and more carefull to glorifie his Name Rekâ—â—â—â—â— the fourth Commandement Remember the Sabbath day to keepe it holie c. What is here generally commaunded I am commanded to make it my whole delight to sanctifie the holie Sabbath of the Lord from morning to night What is 〈…〉 commaunded 1 First to vse â—ll the publike meanes of Gods worship in the congregation of Gods people 2. Secondlie to reioyce to vse all such priuate exercises as may make the publike meanes â—â—â—â—â—table to my selfe and to others W 〈…〉 bee those priuate exercises 1. First the examining of my sinnes and wants priuate prayer reading of the Scriptures singing of Psalmes conference with others and applying all things to my selfe with a care to profite others 2. Secondly relieuing the needle visiting the sicke and them that be in prison comforting them that bee in any miserie reconciling them that be at variance admonishing the vnruly and such like What is especially commanded The spirituall beholding of the Creatures of God thereby to prouoke my selfe and others to praise him What else is A diligent searching of my heart with a like care to finde it out and to reape some profite of the forenamed meanes so that I may be the better for and through them What is then particularly forbidden 2. All such labours and pleasures in thought worde and deede are forbidden as may hinder mee and others for vsing of or profiting by the same meanes 2. Secondly the leauing 〈…〉 of those publike meanes or priuate exercises What is here generally forbidden The vsing either of those publike or priuate meanes in ceremonie without some good fruite in my selfe or care of fruite in others Rehearse the fift Commaundement Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy dayes may be long in the Land c. Whom doe you vnderstand by father and mother By father and mother I doe not vnderstand onely my naturall parents but also those whom God hath set ouer me for my good as Magistrates Ministers Masters such like What duties doe children owe vnto their naturall parents Children ought reuerently and obediently to receiue the instructions commaundements and corrections of their parents to succour them and to pray for them What are they forbidden to doe To refuse or murmure at the instructions commandements and corrections of their parents or to neglect any dutie belonging to them How may they trie their loue by these duties They may trie whether their loue be right three wayes 1. First if they bee as desirous to doe all these duties to their parents as they would haue their parents to doe all duties vnto them What is the second 2. Secondly if they be as desirous to doe all duties to their parents as they would haue their children hereafter to honour them What is the third 3. Thirdly if they bee as willing to doe all these duties to their parents as they would receiue long life or any other blessing at the hands of God What duties doe parents owe to their children Parents ought to teach correct pray and prouide for their children How may they trie their loue by these duties They may
trie their loue two wayes What is the first 1. First if they be as carefull to doe all duties to their children as they would haue had their parents in times past to haue performed all good duties vnto them What is the second 2. Secondly if they bee as carefull to doe duties to their children as they would haue their children hereafter to be dutifull vnto them What be the duties of Seruants to their Maisters Seruants ought in feare and trembling to submit themselues to the instructions commandements and corrections of their Maisters and to doe no eye-seruice to them What if Parents and Maisters doe not their duties to their Children and Seruants Yet they must obey them for conscience to Gods ordinance What if they command vniust things Then they must obey God rather then men and submitte themselues to their correction Why are these words added That thy dayes c They are added to allure vs more carefully to keepe and willinglie to obey this Commandement And shall not disobedience bee punished Yea it shall be rewarded with a short and miserable life How may they trie their loue by these duties They may trie it three manner of wayes What is the first 1. First if they bee as desirous to doe all these duties to their Maisters as they would haue their Maisters to doe the dutie of Maisters vnto them What is the second Secondly if they bee as carefull to doe all these duties to their maisters as they would haue their seruants to be dutifull vnto them when they shall be maisters What is the third Thirdly if they be as willing to doe all duties to their maisters as they would be glad to receiue long life or any other blessing at the hand of God What duties doe Maisters owe to their seruants Maisters ought to teach and correct their seruants and to pray for them How may they trie their loue by these duties They may trie their loues two wayes What is the first 1. First if they be as desirous to doe all these duties to their seruants as they would haue their Maisters deale with them if they were seruants What is the second thing 2. Secondly if they be as carefull to doe all these duties to their seruants as they would be to haue their seruants to doe all duties vnto them Rehearse the sixt Commandement Thou shalt doe no murther How many things are here forbidden Foure especially 1. First is forbidden by weapon or poyson to kill our brother 2. Secondly by wound or blowe or anie other meanes to shorten the life or empaire the health of any man 3. Thirdly by word countenance or gesture to mocke grieue or contemne any man 4. Fourthly wee are forbidden all anger hatred or enuie whereby we may be brought to reuenge our selues vpon our brother What good is here commanded 1. First wee are commaunded to haue peace with all men as much as is possible and in vs lyeth 2. Secondly wee are commaunded in thought word and deede to seeke the preseruation of the health of our brother Rehearse the seuenth Commaundement Thou shalt not commit adulterie How many things are here forbidden Three things are forbidden Which is the first First all outward actions are forbidden whereby the bodie is defiled as Adulterie Fornication vncleannesse How many wayes is vncleannesse committed Two wayes First either against Our owne bodies which is vnnaturall or The bodies of beasts which is monstrous Secondly by marrying one 1. Of a false religion or 2. Of no religion at all 3. Within the degrees forbidden 4. Without the consent of parents 5. It is committed by vsing the marriage bed intemperately What is the second thing forbidden Secondly all instruments and occasions are forbidden whereby this sinne is raised vp or strengthened in vs and they bee all contained in this word Wantonnesse How is this wantonnesse seene In two things First when either 1. The whole bodie is abused in idlenes or vaine sports or 2. Any part of the bodie as the eye the eare the tongue the nose the hand or foote are abused Secondly when we doe intemperately abuse meate drinke sleepe or apparell or vse any inconuenient companie time or place What is the third thing forbidden Thirdly all inward setled lusts are forbidden wherunto the heart doth giue consent What good is cammaunded 1. First I am commaunded to keepe my selfe pure and chaste both in body and soule 2. Secondly to vse those meanes carefully which may keepe vs chaste Which â—ee the meanes of Chastitie Continuall sobrietie in meate drinke sleepe and apparell Continuall painfulnes in our calling Fasting and watching so often as neede requireth What if by these meanes wee cannot be kept chaste 3. Then thirdly wee are commanded to marrie and in marriage to vse those meanes carefully whereby the marriage bed may be kept pure and vndefiled Rehearse the eight Commandement Thou shalt not steale How many euils are herein forbidden 1. First all those outward acts are forbidden whereby stealth is committed How many wayes is stealth committed outwardly in acte Two waies either By our selues and this is three waies 1. First all secret filching and open robberie â—e it neuer so small a thing for neuer so great a neede 2. Secondly all extortion or violent wrong all oppression and vnmercifull dealing 3. Thirdly all deceit in buying and selling or exchanging in restoring things borrowed found giuen to keepe and such like By others either By commanding or counselling others to steale By keeping counsell By consenting any way to them when they steale Which are the second euills forbidden 2. Secondly all outward occasions of stealth forbidden Which be they All idlenes wastfull spending of goods liuing in an vnlawfull calling all false weights measures coynes and such like What is thirdly forbidden 3. Thirdly all inward stealth of the heart is forbidden What is that The setled will or desire of our neighbours goods although wee cannot get them or for feare â—hame or some other respect we doe not take them What is hâ— recommaunded 1. First to restore goods euill gotten or wrongfully kept 2. Secondly to labour faithfully in a lawfull calling to be sparing of that wee get and to helpe others as their neede requireth Rehearse the ninth Commandement Thou shalt not beare false witnes c. What is forbidden herein Wee are forbidden not onely to beare false witnesse our selues but also to be partakers with false-witnes bearers How many wayes doe mâ—n â—eare false witnesse Two waies 1. outwardly and against others and that is in iudgement or out of iudgement or 2. inwardly themselues When they denie that to bee in them which is indeed or When they take vpon them that which belongeth not vnto them whether it be good or euill In Iudgement when they giue or receiue false information pronounce or write anie false sentence Out of Iudgement 1. When anie raise vp spread abroad or listen after false
though babish things both in life and doctrine become vs being babes yet hauing past our child-hood the Lord looks for more manly ripenesse both in knowledge in holines of life though our perfect age be not consummated before the resurrection As little children whether in teachablenes to good or reformablenes from sinne are either woâ—â—e by a faire word or â—llured by a trifling benefit or awed by a checke or feared by a frowning looke or stiiled by seeing another beaten before them or else quieted by the rod so if we be children either the promises of God must affect vs or the mercies of God must allure vs or his threatnings in his word must awe vs or his angrie countenance must feare vs or his correcting of others must humble vs or else the corrections of God vpon our selues must pull vs downe But as those children are of most liberall ingenuous nature who are rather allured with faire words than driuen to dutie with the rod so they are most gracious which are most broken with the conscience of their vnkindnesse more prouoked by the promises of God then by all the curses thunderings and threatnings of the law but they that are affected with neither degenerate as yet from the affections of children Hypocrisie 1 HEe obserued some who outwardly liued an honest ciuill life yet lying hypocritically in some sinne were constrained in death or before to vtter it to their shame Which kinde of iudgements are most necessarie that God might shewe himselfe to be God and his threatnings to be true that the wicked might lesse reioyce in their exceeding impietie and that Gods children might be raised from their securitie Iudgement 1 IN our most earnest matters wee must be zealous ouer our owne heart and then especiallie examine and call to account our affections because that in such a case there is either some speciall worke of God or else it is some notable worke of the flesh or of Sathan And whereas it is a pedagogie of the soule that in all things we had neede to aske the gouernement of God by his word and spirit for that a man knoweth what hee is but not what he shall be in this or that action When wee cannot gage the depth of our heart wee must impute it to want of prayer and the not trauailing with our heart how to doe the things in wisedome 2 Though all exercises of pure religion purely vsed doe both strengthen iudgement and whet vp affections yet reading hearing and conferring do most strengthen iudgement and in part whet on affections But praying singing and meditation doe mosâ— chiefly whet vp affection but in part strengthen iudgement and vnderstanding 3 Being desired to giue his iudgement of a weighty matter hee answered Syr neither am I able to speake nor you to heare for that wee haue not prayed indeede I may talke and you answere as naturall men but wee are not now prepared to conferre as tâ—e children of God 4 Hee fatherlie exhorted men to labour for increase of iudgment first by reason then by example by reason thus without soundnes of iudgement it is a more difficult trauailing for the childe of God with his owne heart to any fruit Againe not being stayed in iudgement one shall be troubled to commit and afraide to doe many things which indeede he might lawfully and comfortably doe if he had knowledge Thirdly wee shall not without good knowledge satisfie our godlie desire in perswading or dislwading anâ—e for that we cannot doe so assuredly substantially and effectually as wee ought and would doe By example he exhorted men to consider of the Prophet Dauid in his Psâ—lme â—19 hee prayeth for knowledge hauing no one thing oftner then this Teach mee O Lorde thy statutes c. Sound ioy 1 THe more one tasteth of heauenly things the lesse is his ioy in earthly things the more one feeleth earthlie things pleasant the lesse ioy can hee haue in heauenlie Coloss 3. 1. Phil 3. 20. 2 Wee must in reading the iudgements of God obserue this rule If any man will trie conclusions against Gods conclusions hee shall prooue nothing in the ende but himselfe to be a foole And if hee faile in his triall by how much the more he might be admonished by so much the more hee shall be without excuse There are many that feare Psal. 14. 5. where no feare is but there are more which reioyce where no cause of ioy is 3 Some ioy euery man must haue either carnall or spirituall and therfore when Cain had lost his title and interest in heauen hee made himselfe a seate on earth and when hee had lost the harmony of a good conscieÌ„ce his nephew Tubal was faine to inuent Organs that hee might haue some musicke and solace in outward things And 2. Kings 11. when the people could not haue their owne fond delights Salomon causeth Apes Peacockes and such like to bee brought from Ophir for them Men will haue ioy â—t they cannot haue the more solemne melodie by Arte they will haue the common instruments of the Countrey But the reason is because the soule is mouldring and the heart is pâ—rching drie But let these sandie mouldring earthly hearts consider that there is no secure nor true ioy which either time may loose or death dismay or the iudgements of God make afraide It is no sound ioy that either will leaue vs or wee shall be glad to leaue it as an vnprofitable possession 4 Manie had rather part from all fauour of God then loose the grace of some wittie speech which they haue deuised but cursed bee that merriment which respecteth not either dutie to God or loue to our neighbour Knowledge THere are manie who haue a generall knowledge of the Truth but when it comes to particular practise they are hindred with profites pleasures and selfeloue 2 They whose knowledge is in swelling words and painted eloquence of humane wisedome being but a doctrine of the letter in their death they are as if they knew nothing of Christ crucified and whereof comes it that there is so much preaching and so little learning but because men preach and delight to heare plausible nouelties to please the eare rather then the simple power of the Word to pierce the heart they take the bone and refuse the marrow they are content with the shell but want the kernell and not onely the law killeth but also the Gospell that is the letter of the Gospell beeing ministred without the spirite Aske the wounded conscience what comfort it is to heare that Christ dyed for our sinnes Nay aske if this gall not as much as the lawe it selfe so long as it is rather conceiued by reason than receiued by faith 3 He said how after hee knew God hee desired by prayer two things principallie the one that hee might loue the Saints the other that hee might willingly and
profitablie beholde the iudgements of God on others which as God in mercie had graunted him so he confessed this fruite thereof that vnlesse hee had seene such iudgements he should haue fallen into many troubles which now through Gods grace he had escaped by seeing and hearing the causes of these miseries in others For when hee saw how God dealt with others hee searched his owne heart whether he had bene or was such a man hee perswaded himselfe hee might be such a one hereafter and therefore hee repented before Gods iudgements came on him if euer hee had done the like And so by prayer and good meanes hee was made more carefull for falling into it hereafter Loue of the creatures 1 THe loue of the creatures hindreth vs in good things but the vse of them furthereth vs therein Gods children looke to the spirituall vse of those things which the worldlings vse carnally 2 Then wee haue a sure testimonie of our loue to good things and of our hatred to euill when no punishment nor reward can either driue vs from good or drawe vs vnto euill Madnes 1 A Great cause of madnes is impatiencie of minde or else the sudden wrath of God vpon a man for doing some thing against his conscience Matrimonie 1 ONe may know whether his wife be brought vnto him of the Lord by these notes First if there be any agreeing or proportionable liking each of other and that in the gifts of the minde concerning their generall calling as zeale faith godlines and also concerning their particular calling Secondly if they being thus consonant do vse good meanes as the word prayer and consent of parents in their contracts and then the good order of the Church in their meetings and if they vse no charmes nor vnhonest or vnlawfull meanes Thirdly that their hearts be sincerely affected to Gods holy ordinance so that first they respect this end to haue a helper to Gods kingdome when each of them hath said in their soules I will seeke out one in whom I may see mine owne image of faith loue holinesse c. that will helpe mee to Gods kingdome Againe when they doe not marrie for riches beauâ—ie or such like outward things but haue a desire mutually to doe the duties which they owe one vnto another Besides they must haue a desire to hasten the kingdome of Christ by fulfilling so much as in them lieth the number of the elect and vsing it as a remedie against incontinencie And so we see condemned here all marrying of young men with old women when there can be no hope of procreation 2 Vnto a gentlewoman that was afraide that her good will was suspected to her husband being faâ—re from her in that he receiued not the letters she sent him he said If your conscience did excuse you he could not condemne you and God will make knowne your heart vnto him if your owne heart condemne you then can he not exâ—use you no not although he thought very well of you 3 As a louing husband will not take away his loue from his wife for some particular wants so long as she keepeth her loue wholy and truly vnto him so the Lord will not cast off his louing kindnes to vs for speciall wants or frailtie in particular commandements so long as we generally labour to please him 4 When one asked him concerning marriage whether it were good to marrie seeing sometimes when concupiscence pricked him he was moued to it and some other time when he felt no such thing he thought he might abstaine from it He answered many come hastily into that calling not vâ—ing the means of trying their estate throughly before as namely whether they by prayer fasting and auoyding all occasions of concupiscence haue the giâ—t of chastitie or no Many vse some of the meanes and not all many vse all the meanes but a small time therefore it is good to vse first the meanes not part of them but all of them not for a while but long If so be that all these things will not preuaile attend vpon the Lords ordinance and waite when the Lord shall giue iust occasion of vsing that estate to his glorie and our comfort 5 He thought it to be a good ceremonie for the father to giue his daughter in mariage before the congregation if she either be a virgin or a yong widow to shew that she made not her owne match but that she made it by her fathers consent And being asked how it should be â—â— tâ—â— father were dead he said then he would not haue the mother to doe it in the congregation but thâ—ught it good for the father in his testament wisely to appoynt some vicegâ—rent to doâ— his dutie If any man doe this rather at the appoyntment of the yong parties than at the appoyntment of the parents it is an abuse Now that there must be in all lawfull contracts the consent of parents he said first children are a part of mens goods as in Iob. 1. it appeareth in that Sathan hauing commission to set on the goods of Iob did seaze on the children of Iob. Secondly if in the law a damsell might not performe her vow vnto the Lord her father misliking it then much lesse as it is probable may a damsell performe promise of mariage to a man her father misliking it 6 He said he could not away with such as would marrie too soone after they had â—uried their wiues but that it were better for abstaining a time to shew themselues humbled vnderneath the hand of God in that crosse and to testifie that it was no light loue vnto the parties whom they loued in the Lord. For besides that it is almost vnnaturall to get another bodie in bed before the former be rotten in the graue it is a thing of euill report impugning common honestie in that it may offer offence vnto the friends of the parties departed and giue occasion to thinke that their loue was but light being so soone forgotten â—s also for that it may giue occasion of iealousie to the parties to be maried and to their friends in that they may feare that their loue will be as light and little to them as it was to the other before And although any set time for diuers circumstances cannot be prescribed yet vsually a yeere were but sufficient for this purpose of abstinence Meditation 1 MEditation is the very life and strength of reading hearing prayer and Sacraments without which they are made weake and vnprofitable vnto vs. 2 Meditation is that exercise of the minde whereby we calling to our remembrance that which we know doe further debate of it and applie it to our selues that we might haue some vse of it in our practise 3 In meditation two parts of the soule are occupied 1. The memorie Remembring some thing heard or read 2. The vnderstanding Gathering some other thing vpoÌ„ that which is remeÌ„bred
much in effect Wilt thou learne sincerely to worship me according to that substance manner and end which I haue prescribed and wilt thou truly trie thy loue to mee by exercising the duties of loue to thy brethren then forget not to keepe holie the Sabbath wherein I shall teach thee both how thou shalt walke vprightly in the worship due vnto mee and also liue obediently in duties concerning man Againe the nature of the word remember importeth thus much that this law was not only grauen in the hearts of our forefathers as were all the other but also in expresse words inioyned vnto Adam and Eue in Paradise and manifestly practised of the Israelites in the wildernes Exod. 16. and that therefore in this common promulgating of the Law they should especially remember this which is not newly giuen as are the rest but rather renued as being giuen out before True it is that before this solemne publishing of the Law in mount Sinai this and all other Commandements were written in the hearts of our fore-Fathers as we may see in the booke of Genes For the first we reade how the Lord said vnto Abraham Gen. 17. I am GOD all-sufficient walke before mee and be vpright Concerning the second Gen. 31. 19. Rachel is saide to steale her Fathers Idols Genes 35. 2. Iacob reformed his household and cleanseth it from Idolatrie For the third we may see how religious they were in swearing Concerning the fift what authority exercised Iacob towards his children what duties they yeelde to him both in life and death How they hated murther it is manifest in that historie Both Iosephs continencie and the punishment threatned to Abimelech declare how hainous a thing adultery was vnto them Concerning theft Laban his quarrelling with Iacob and Ioseph his accusing of the brethrē doe shew that it was a thing vnlawfull Lastly Abimelech the king reprehendeth both Abraham Genes 20. and Isaak Genes 26. for bearing false witnesse in denying their wiues Thus we see what efficacie is couched in this preface in that it sheweth both by the precept and practise giuen and yeelded of our first fathers how this commandement alone was giuen in expresse words as also that this one precept is the schoole of all the other Commandements But to what end to keepe it as ceremoniall No to sanctifie it as morall for the end of the Sabbath consisteth in these two things first in the morall secōdly in the figuratiue ceremoniall or shadowish obseruation of it as wee take the word shadow here for a figure because a ceremonie is more then a shadow That I call morall which doth informe mens manners either concerning their religion to God or their duties vnto man that I meane figuratiue which is added for a time in some respect to some persons for an helpe to that which is morall as Deut 5. 15. Remember that thou wast a seruant in the land of Aegipt Howbeit that this first morall ende is here vnderstood the first words declare where it is saide Sanctifie the Sabbath day For where mention is made of the ceremonie it is saide keepe and not sanctifie the Sabbath Now what is it to sanctifie the Sabbath day but to put it apart from all other dayes for a peculiar vse of Gods worship for otherwise wee must know that all other dayes are sanctified so that to sanctifie it is to do that thing on the Sabbath for which it was commanded but of this we shall speake more largely by the grace of God in the last reason In the meane time let vs briefly obserue this that as our first parents did sanctifie the Sabbath in viewing the creatures of God for to praise him so wee sanctifie it in vsing the means which hee hath appointed for his worship So that first wee vsing the exercises of religion whereby we may be sanctified and then ioyning with them the spirituall vse of the creatures whereby wee may be furthered in our sanctification should after vse the exercises of loue whereby we may shew that wee are sanctified Our first Fathers needed not ordinarily the ministrie of the Word but had the great bookes of Gods workes We haue need of the Word both publike and priuate and therefore must learne it that hauing learned it wee might the better exercise the duties of loue So then that which was first to Adam is now the last to vs to wit the beholding of God in his creatures and the praising of him for the same In the Psalme 92. which was appointed to be sung of the Church on the Sabbath is set downe as the chiefest vse thereof the singing of Gods mercie the shewing of his righteous iudgements in rewarding the godlie though afflicted in punishing the vngodlie though here they be aduaunced as also in learning to know God in his worship and in his workes Againe Psal 95. we shall not see any ceremoniall vse of the Sabbath but that it should be vsed in praying to God in praising of God and hearing of his Word This is confirmed Exod. 31. 13. Speake vnto the children of Israel and say Notwithstanding keepe my Sabbaths for it is a signe betweene mee you in your generation that yee may know that I the Lord doe sanctifie you As also Deuteron 5. 12. Keepe the Sabbath day to sanctifie it as the Lord thy God hath commaunded thee And Ezechiel 20. vers 12. I gaue them my Sabbaths to bee a signe betweene mee and them that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctifie them In which places as the reason is adioyned of keeping the Sabbath So wee must vnderstand that where it is called a signe it is meant a document and not a figure for euery figure is a signe but euery signe is not a figure as we may see in the sacraments which are not figures or shadowes of things to come So that in that the Lorde saith My Sabbath is a signe betweene mee and you it is as much in effect as if he should say my Sabbath is a common instruction betweene you and me of mee as the Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier of you as created redeemed and sanctified so that the Sabbath is a document pledge of Gods will whereby we should know what hee is vnto vs and wherein wee should learne what we should do to him In which respect this commandement is no more ceremoniall then the first where the Lord propoundeth what he is to vs and secretly includeth what wee should be to him No maruell then though this be the principall ende which was not begun to the Iewes but first inioyned to Adam and Eue. Wherefore we may thus reason both safely and soundly Whatsoeuer is the first ende is the chiefest ende but to sanctifie the Sabbath is the first end because it was ordained so to Adam in time of his innocencie at what time it could not bee a figure because by the iudgement of
not so doe for the great ignorance carnall securitie of people For the administration of Baptisme although there be no expresse places of the scriptures shewing the practise of it on this day yet there are many good reasons agreeable to the word which will proue the same First we know Circumcision was vsed on that day therefore Baptisme which is come into the place of Circumcision is to be vsed on the Sabbath day Againe Baptisme is a publike action of faith wherby a member is to be receiued into the Church and therefore the prayers of the whole congregation ought to be made for it all must be hereby put in minde of the benefits which they haue reaped by Baptisme and so make a double profit of their presence hereat Now seeing old and young men women masters and seruants fathers and children cannot so generally conueniently meet on the weeke daies by reason of their callings as they can on the Lords day their busines set apart it seemeth by good reason that the Sabbath is the fittest day for this Sacrament Againe if the Lord in his infinite wisedome and goodnes commanded Circumcision to be vsed on the eight day both for the auoyding of superstition if any tied the grace of God to the outward signe as also for a sufficient time wherin the children might gather some strength to the cutting off of their flesh why were it not a thing requisite that Baptisme should be deferred to the Lords day both for the remouing of their superstitious opinion who think the childrē dying vnbaptized to be but damned and also for the better enabling of the child to be dipped in the water according to the ancient maner and pure nature of Baptisme Wherefore for these causes Baptisme cannot be denied to be a publike dutie of the Sabbath Cōcerning priuate exercises on the Sabbath they are either going before the publike or following after or comming betweene The duties going before are either in examining our selues or stirring vp of our selues The examination of our selues consisteth partly in surueying our estate past and partly in considering of our present condition in surueying our estate past we are to call to minde either what sinnes the weeke before we haue committed to the more humbling of our selues in prayer or we must remēber what graces of God in our soules what benefits of God on our selues or in our friends we haue receiued to the better prouoking of our selues to thanksgiuing in considering of our present condition we are to examine how we stand affected whatmeasure of faith repentance and godlines is in vs if there be any special want or occasion of publike prayer we must craue the prayer of the Pastor and congregation if any peculiar cause of a solemne thanksgiuing be offered we must giue the Preacher and people word of it as also if there be occasion of some want we are to pray for the Minister that his mouth may be opened to make some happy and holy supply by the word of it How requisite this examination is our ciuill practises may declare We see worldly thriuing men if not euery day yet at the least once in the weeke they search their bookes cast their accounts conferre with their gaine their expences make euen reckonings whereby they may see whether they haue gained or whether they haue lost whether they are before hand or come short and shall not we much more if not once a day which were expedient yet once in the weeke at the least call our selues to a reckoning examining what hath gone from vs what hath come towards vs how we haue gone forward in godly proceedings or how we haue gone backward that if we haue holy increases we may giue thankes and glorie to God if we come short we must humble our selues and endeuour the weeke following to trauaile with our selues the more earnestly to recouer our former losse This examination had we are further to stirre vp our selues before we come to the publike exercises This consisteth in reading meditating and praying whereby we may prouoke a spirituall appetite the more hungerly desirously and louingly to resort to the congregation How necessarie this is the long and wofull experience of non-proficients in the schoole of Christ doth lamentably shew For what is the cause why in the prayers of the Church we so little profit What causeth the word to be of so small power with vs whereof commeth it that the Sacraments are of such slender account with vs Is it not because we draw neere to the Lord with vncatechised hearts and vncircumcised eares without prepared affections and vnschooled senses so that we come vnto and depart from the house of God with no more profit than we get at stage-plaies where delighting our eyes and eares for a while with the view of the pageants afterward we vainely depart If we at any time are to entertaine some speciall friend or stately guestes it is ciuilitie to auoide all things noysome and to procure all things handsome in our houses and shall we not thinke it Christianitie at such times as the Lord hath made speciall promise to visit vs and to become our friendly guest to purge the loathsome affections of the heart dispose our soules in some holy order for his entertainement Are we so diligent to present our selues on the Sabbath in our best attire because then we shall come before the whole congregation and shall we be negligent to attire our soules seeing we are to appeare before God and his Angels Doe we outwardly professe this day to be a more solemne time than any other day of the weeke and shall we in inward practise denie the same Wherefore in this holy preparing of our selues we are to imitate the wisedome of worldly men who hauing a suite to the Prince or some noble personage which hath not that happie successe and issue which was hoped for by and by beginne to call themselues to account to consider with themselues in what circumstance they failed whereby lesse circumspectly and lesse aduisedly they attempted their enterprise accusing themselues of folly and vnconsiderate dealing in their cause whereby a◠wofull experience teacheth them their request fell to the ground Vnto these men herein we must not be vnlike when in dealing with the Lord we profit not so much by hearing reading praying or any other publike exercise as we should neither must we sticke to reason with our selues and to contemne our selues as faultie either in omitting something to be done or committing something to be vndone before we addresse our selues to our publike duties Now that this examining and stirring vp of our selues may the better be done it is requisite contrarie to the long and loathsome practise of the most part of men that we rise earely on the Sabbath day We see young men will rise earely to resort to matiages to feastings to goe a maying to ringing
conuey themselues vnto warmer climates vntill the spring time and man alone either vnsensibly doth not foresee or vnaduisedly will not auoide the perillous times to come To conclude Matth. 16. 2. 3. our Sauiour Christ reprehendeth the follie of Pharisies saying When it is euening ye say Faire weather for the skie is red 3. And in the morning ye say To day shall be a tempest for the skie is red and lowring O hypocrites yee can discerne the face of the skie and can ye not discerne the signes of the times True it is that this spirituall vse and holy meditation of the creatures of God should be our whole life howbeit because our distractions in our lawfull and ordinarie callings will not permit this so fully in respect of our finite nature we must remember on the Sabbath day to vse a recouery and by Christian diligence to make recompence for our former negligence herein And in so heauenly a varietie which both by precept and practise we haue receiued of our forefathers for this purpose we shall much profit and set forward this exercise if in wisedome of the spirit we endeuour to frame our meditations especially about those things whereof by reason of our callings in respect of our countries in consideration of the season of the yeere we haue most speciall occasion offered Now if by reason of some dulnes or deadnes by the corruption of nature and secret punishment often incident to the dearest children of God we cannot so reuerently cheerefully and comfortably doe these duties required by our selues alone we may humbly vse the remedie which by the communion of Saints the Lord in this case hath prouided that so frequenting the holy companie of the godly learned and zealous vnto whom the Lord hath giuen greater libertie both of graces and of spirit we may be humbled in regard of our owne wants and take the supplie by them in them that if we cannot either for ignorance or blockishnes reade the things heard compare the places by publike ministerie receiued pray for the fruite of them if we be not able to refresh our selues with considering the workes of God then we must attend vpon the reading conferring and praying thanksgiuing singing and meditations of others that so at the least we may either haue our iudgements cleered or our affections better stirred vp Neither must we blush or be abashed to acknowledge our wants vnto our brethren but with all humilitie earnestly deale with them and enquire of them how they can compare and reconcile the places deliuered how they can amplifie it by meditation how they feele their affections renued how they can frame a prayer of it how they can gather of the creatures and workes of God some fruitfull matter of thanksgiuing that by their godly participation we may haue either our ignorance helped or our infirmities relieued For vndoubtedly this is the cause why so many doe rather in ignorance and deadnes beare the Sabbath as a burthen euen in that they are ashamed by asking the helpe of others to bewray their ignorance or display that corruption of nature which indeed they see and seele in themselues Against which worldly and carnall shame we must fight if euer we will triumph ouer that endlesse shame of the wicked and prouoke our selues by that wholesome and mutuall societie which becommeth the children of God either for the increase of spirituall gifts or for a charitable supporting of the infirmities one of another And these briefly be the exercises of faith and repentance whereby we may either stirre vp our selues or be stirred of others Now it remaineth to intreate of the duties of loue because the Lord his Sabbath is not a day of knowledge alone but of loue not onely of hearing the word by preaching but also of doing the word by practising and these duties either respect the persons of our brethren or they concerne such things as are about our brethren The things concerning their persōs are either in regard of their soules or of their bodies the exercises respecting the things that are about them are either appertaining to their goods or to their credite The duties vnto the soules of our brethren are to teach the ignorant to bring sinners to repentance to bind vp the wounds of them that are afflicted in spirit to comfort the weak to strengthen the hands that fall downe and the knees that are readie to faint to stirre vp them which be dul to admonish the vnruly to confirme the faith of them that beleeue to encourage them in weldoing which haue begun well and to rebuke the wilfull offenders And though these should be the exercises of euery day yet especially they belong to the Sabbath wherein we make a supplie of the wants which we haue on the weeke daies The duties of loue required to the bodies of our brethren are the visiting of the sicke the relieuing of the imprisoned the helping of the poore and miserable the feeding of the hungrie the cloathing of the naked the comforting of the distressed the bestowing of our goods on them that are needie In the primitiue Church as they did euery Sabbath receiue the Sacrament so they laide something downe to the vse of the poore which they did both to giue some thankefull testimonie how the Lord the weeke before had blessed them as also to shew some godly token of their pittie to their afflicted brethen Concerning the exercises of loue towards the credit of our brethren if we shall heare of any secret reports tending to the discredite of others wee must not onely carefully suppresse it but wisely endeuour to recouer their former credite This requireth heauenly wisedome both to admonish the author of euill reports as also to signifie vnto the man euill spoken of what hazard and shipwrake of his good name is pretended yet still concealing the person and vrging the report that if the partie be guiltie he may the sooner step out of his sinne the Lord hauing discharged such a warning peece against him or being guiltlesse that he rather seeke to proue by the rumor than to pursue the author But alas the sinne of our age hath not onely brought in the ignorance and banished the practise of this Christian dutie but also which more is in stead of healing we would the credite of others and it is hard to discerne whether there are more willing to report euill or not vnwilling to heare euill reports of others Who seeth not the common profession of our Sabbath to be a table talking and vaine babling of the infirmities of others tossing to and fro the credit of our brethren as a tennis ball and this not onely vsed among brainsicke and vnstable women whose tongues labour of some greater infirmitie but also of men who vndiscreetly either set abroch or draw out to the full measure and past measure the discredit of their neighbours so that they are so farre from saluing such sores
who mourne rather in themselues possessing their soules in patience thā murmur against others as labouring in a secret disdaine of them and of this sort of mourners the Lord Iesus hath pronounced this iudgement Blessed are the meeke for they shall inherit the earth Neither must we be of too abiect a spirit as they that will patiently suffer all things because they would be troubled with nothing for that were rather a stoicall and vnchristian sottishnes than an heroicall and Christian meekenes but willingly submitting our necks to the yoke by the Lord his appoyntment imposed vpon vs we are rather patiently to waite for the time of our deliuerance and by labouring to keepe a good conscience we are to hunger and thirst after righteousnes where with vpon the credite of the Lord his owne word we shall in his good time be satisfied Now that wee may continue sanctification with mortification as wee ioyne together Christ his passion and resurrection let vs adde somewhat of those quickening graces of the spirit wherin some effects of Blessednesse doe appeare most euidētly the first is peace of conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost Rom. 5. 2. wherby we finde both truce with God and are at league with his creatures so as both for our comfort in the promises of God we haue accesse to him to reioyce vnder the hope of his glorie and for our confidence in the promises of God we can lie downe and sleepe in many perils because God hath either meanes to deliuer vs out of them or else is readie to sustaine vs in them Psal. 3. 6. and 4. 8. Of this thus speaketh the Prophet Blessed is the people that can reioyce in thee they shall walke in the light of thy countenance O Lord Psal 89. 13. Now least we should deceiue our selues with some false peace and illuding ioy we put vnto this peace of minde sinceritie which the holy Ghost hath linked together Psal. 32. 2. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquitie and in whose spirit there is no guile And Psal. 119. Blessed are those that are vpright in the way and walke in the way of the Lord. Beware least this vprightnes of minde be boysterous and voide of loue without which all is as nothing but a swelling pride so with this we make knowne our faith by fruites and our feeling by sweete effects For loue the enemie of securitie is carefull to please God and fearefull to displease him and blessed is the man that feareth alwaies Prou. 28. 14. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord and walketh in his waies Psalm 128 1. Lastly this feare is ioyned with a care to please God in the obedience of his word Luk. 11. Blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it Those effects which concerne not onely our selues but others are of two sorts and comprehended Matth. 5. The first a Christian care to worke in others a taste of that sweete reconciliation which is from God to man or from man to man whereof it is said Matth. 5 9. Blessed are the peace-makers for they shall be called the children of God Many may vndertake this dutie but vpon some sinister affection and therfore we require a fellow-feeling of the euils of others mourning both for their inward defects outward necessities of whom Christ hath said Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercie Of the other the Psalmist speaketh Psal. 40. 2. Blessed is he that iudgeth wisely of the poore c. And when wisedome ioyned with compassion pitie mixed with policie doth worke such a moderation in our affections as that wee may vse such a mercifull seueritie where it is needefull and a seuere lenitie where the matter so requireth it this causeth vs to auoide on the one side taking of offence for Blessed are they saith the Lord Iesus that are not offended at me and on the other side it teacheth vs to reach out our hand to the needie for it is a blessed thing to giue rather than to receiue Act. 20. 35. The outward effects are prosperitie as a signe of God his loue and aduersitie as a thing sanctified vnto vs in the crosse of Christ Psal. 128. Many temporal blessings are propounded not vniuersally but as restrained to them that feare the Lord because indeed they haue the surest interest in them right vnto them The like felicitie falleth out Psal. 144. but to such as haue God for their Lord. And much more is a certain gain and handsell of happines ariseth euen out of the bitternes of affliction to them that feare God in that thereby the Lord strippeth them from some sin wherewith they might haue rotted or whetteth them vp to some actions of godlinesse wherein their zeale began to freeze for cold or to trie their faith which else would haue beene drosse or for the good of others that might make their profit thereby The Prophet his testimonie of this is Psal. 99. 12. Blessed is the man whom thou chastisest O Lord and teachest him in thy law Herevnto may be ioyned that beatitude of the Lord of all blessings Matth. 5. 10. Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousnes sake for theirs is the kingdome of heauen To draw at the last to the consummation of all this we make the full heape of all happines after this life to be filled with the Lord of life and with the sweetnes of his presence who is happie aboue all that can be thought and counted happie This is foreshewed Matth. 25. Come ye blessed of my father possesse the kingdome prepared for you And Reuel 14. Blessed are they that die in the Lord c. For thus shall we be ioyned to God the Father the Sonne and the holie Ghost then shall all teares be wiped from our eyes then shal our infirmities be taken from vs then shall we dwell with the Angels with all the hostes of heauen in most happines and blessednes it self We see now by this chaine not forged by our own braine but framed out of Gods his word that he is indeed blessed whom God chuseth whom Christ redeemeth whom the Spirit renueth whom faith staieth whom the Word Prayer Sacraments and discipline build vp in the Lord in whom faith breedeth peace peace sinceritie sinceritie loue loue a feare of displeasing and a care of pleasing God in whom this care striueth to a mortification in pouertie of minde this pouertie comming from a mourning heart possessed in a meeke spirit which hungreth after righteousnes all these things being ioyned with that sanctification which lamenteth the sinne of others and relieueth the wants of others knowing to vse prosperitie and aduersitie as pledges of God his fauour and vndoubtingly looking for the kingdome of heauen in the life to come If any of these linkes be missing the chaine is broken if any of these members be wanting the bodie of blessednesse is vnperfit FINIS
murmuring and grudging nature whensoeuer our flesh by any occasion is prouoked thereunto FINIS OF ZEALE THE THIRD SERMON Reuel 3. 19. Be zealous therefore and amend AS Zeale can neuer be sufficiently commended so much lesse may it effectually be perswaded to many howbeit that wee may shadow out some Anatomie thereof let vs first see how God commendeth it then how hee rewardeth it that so wee may the more freely with greater authoritie speake of the thing it selfe What is the vse of the first foure Commaundements but that wee should with zeale worship the Lord The first precept chargeth all men charwith the matter of God his worship shewing what it is The second geth vs with the manner prescribing how wee must vse it The third imposeth on vs the right end of his worship and teacheth why we must doe it The fourth commaundement pointeth the time and instructeth vs when wee must solemnely professe and exercise this worship of God Concerning the large promise offered to pure zeale what is greater than that the Lord should binde himselfe to aduance them into the chaire of honour before all the world who will honour him Againe that he will defame them most surely with some notable marke of infamie that dishonour him yea and he will vomit them vp as a loathsome burthen to testifie his vtter misliking of them First now let vs consider how true zeale beginneth in our selues and taketh his proceedings to others For neuer can that man be zealous to others which neuer knew to be zealous to himselfe And as zealous men in their ascendent begin at themselues and goe to others so in their retrograde they come from others end in themselues If we consider the zeale of Abraham Moses Iosua Samuel Daniel Iehosaphat Ezekiah we shall neuer see expressely in the word that at any time they were more zealous to others than to themselues We see on the contrarie how it hath beene a fearefull note of hypocrites and such as haue fallen from the liuing God that they haue waded very deepely into other mens possessions gored very bloodily into the consciences of others who neuer once purged their owne vncleane sinkes at home noâ— drew one drop of blood out of their owne hearts How zealous as wosull and late experience still crieth in our eares were some great reformers of the Church who were readie to burst their bowels with crying against disorders abroad and yet neuer reformed their owne consciences at home noâ— found themselues any whit grieued for their owne sinnes These men being so zealous to others but onely through some secret loue of the world when they had that they sought for made knowne their hollow and rotten zeale in that without any griefe of conscience they could rush into a profound worldlinesse and without all godly sorrow could aâ—ter they had satisfied their greedie and fieshly zeale nâ—t onely more hardly â—eare vp their owne consciences but also be so chaunged that they sowe vp theiâ— lippes and â—pare their words from speaking in the like manner againe to others and so are neither zealous to themselues nor others True zeale casteth the first stone at our selues and plucketh the beame out of our owne eyes that we may the better draw the more out of anothers eye And this is the condemnation of the world that euery man can prâ—e and make a priuâ—e search into the wants of others but they account the same wants no wants in themselues The father saith thus the child dâ—th so the child saith in this dutie doth his father faile the husband knoweth what the wife should doe the wife seeth the duties of her husband we thinke in this particular another should behaue himselfe but yet the father repenteth not of the sinnes which he did being a child the child repenteth not of his sinnes being a father we call not in our consciences for those things which we dare challenge and one out for in others Here offereth it selfe the second propertie of zeale that it is sincere and in the truth it vrgeth our selues more than others it maketh vs the most seuere censurers of our owne soules it is strictest to our â—elues offereth libertie to others and this simplicitie appeareth either in inward corruption or in the liberrie of outward things the first whereof doth so humble vs in the wants present and in those corâ—uptions which hang behind vs that we are zealous of those secret â—uils which are not onely vnespied of others but euen vnknowne also to our selues Although the whole world cannot charge vs with want of dutie yet considering our priuie corruptions wee daily declaime against our selues and say with the Apostle though our consciences do not oppresse vs yet herein we are not iustified Yea such ought to be ouâ— familiaritie and acquaintance with secret infirmities in ourselues so grieuous ought they to be in our eyes in our eares to our faces that where we shall see heare and behold the sinnes of others they may be more tollerable and so learne by the sense of our owne sores to deale more mildly and mâ—ekely with the sores of others Neither doe I meane that we should make other mens sinnes no sinnes and that wee should haue no kinde of censure vnto others but that there should be that holy mixture in vs of the zeale of Gods glorie and sight of humaine corruption that for the one we may not spare to rebuke any sinne and for the other wee may moderate our rebukes with mildnes and meeknes Abraham was so strict to himselfe that he would not take of the King of Sodom so much as a threed or a latchet and yet he would not deny Aner Echol and Mamre their libertie Iob would not permit to himselfe nor denie to his children their libertie of feasting so that it is rather a Pharisaicall pride than a Christian zeale to be too tetricall in vrging of others so farre that whosoeuer in euery point is not pure and precise as we we cast them off as dogs and prophane persons and such as are vnworthie of any account or countenance This then must be our pedagogie in this point that as for the glory of God which is deere vnto vs we are not to leaue the least sinne vnespied or the least meanes vnattempted to aduance the glory of God So for the grieuousnes of sinne for the easines to fall into sin for the vilenes of corruption which we haue obserued in our selues for the knowledge of the wrath of God for sinne in vs we are loth for loue to see our brother either so vilely infected so perillously endangered to goe without our louing admonition both to draw him out of his sinne and to rescue him from the wrath of God due to his sinne Further this attribute of true zeale maketh vs as willing to be admonished as carefull to admonish and that not onely of our superiours which is
an easie thing because it is a thing whereto of necessitie wee must yeeld but also of our inferiours whom we may seeme to contemne For all men will graunt that a child ought willingly to be admonished of his father or a seruant ought obediently to be repreheÌ„ded of his master but few will in practise giue this that a father should listen to the aduertisement of his sonne or that the maister should receiue an admonition of his seruant Howbeit Iob saith he durst not contemne the iudgement of his feruant or of his maide when they did contend with him because in a dutie of pietie he looketh to them not as seruants but as brethren he looked not to the speaker onely which in respect of his calling was his inferiour but vnto the things spoken in the ordinance of God vnto whom Iob himselfe was an inferiour and before whom Iob knew there was no respect of persons Howbeit to correct the preposterous boldnes of some we rather adde this much that inferiours must rather aduise than admonish aduertise rather than reprehend their superiours that so still they may offer their pure zeale of the glorie of God in vnfained humilitie least through their corrupt zeale they doe not onely not profit their superiours but most iustly exasperate them against them For as Magistrates Ministers and maisters by God his ordinance are to admonish rebuke and reprehend so subiects inferiours and seruants by the same rule are to aduise obey and aduertise Thus zeale goeth from respect of the person to the truth of the cause Another propertie of zeale is to be constant not to be hot by fits cold in the end and onely so long as the world fauoureth it must not be earnest in the beginning and secure in the ending but keepe a continuall tenour and temperature Iobs wife seemed to goe farre so long as she could wash her paths with butter Saul and Pharaoh had some good motions by fits vpon some occasion could play fast and loose being of a strange complexion that they could be hot cold in a moment This propertie of zeale teacheth vs how to be affected in the prosperitie and afflictions of the Church namely that the publike prosperitie of Sion should comfort vs cause vs to reioyce when our priuate crosses might make vs sad As Paul being imprisoned was not so grieued at his owne bonds as he reioyced at the libertie of the Gospell of Christ. Againe that the affliction of the Saints should moue vs to a godly griefe euen when in respect of our selues we might greatly reioyce As Daniel could not finde coÌ„fort in his priuate prosperitie though he were in great authoritie and exempted from the common calamitie because he knew the Church of God to be in miserie But to goe forward pure zeale is not blinded with naturall affection but it discerneth and condemneth sinne though it be neuer so neerely resident in our kindred Many offend against this rule who neuer will rebuke sin in their friends euen vntill God reuenge it from heauen where they are farre from true friendship for whereas they might by admonishing them of their faults in time preuent the iudgements of God they do through a false loue and manifest hatred pull the iudgements of God vpon them whom they loue most deerely He loueth most naturally that hath learned to loue spiritually and he loueth most sincerely that cannot abide sinne in the partie loued without some holesome admonition But doe not many now adaies zealously mislike sinne in strangers who will not mislike the selfe-same sin if it come to kindred if it be in our wife in our children oâ— in our parents as though the diuersitie of subiects could make the selfe-same thing sinne in some and not in other some This blinde zeale God hath punished and doth punish in his children Isaac did carnally loue his sonne Esau for meate and for a peece of venison Dauid was too much affected to Absolom for his beautie and to Adoniah for his comely stature so as his zeale was hindred in discerning sinne aright in them Now Iacob was not so deere to Isaac and Salomon was more hardly set to schoole and to take paines But behold God louing Iacob and refusing Esau howsoeuer Isaac loued Esau better than Iacob made Easu most troublesome and Iacob more comfortable vnto him Absolom and Adoniah brought vp like cooknies became corosiues to Dauids heart Salomon more restrained of God leâ—le set by of Dauid was his ioy his crowne his successour in his kingdome This â—â—sease is so hereditarie to many pareÌ„ts louing their children in the flesh rather than the spirit that the holy Ghost is fame to call vpon them more vehemâ—â—tly to teach to instruct and to correct as knowing how easily nature would coole zeale in this kinde of dutie Indeed many will set by their wiues children and kinsfolke if they be thriftie like to become good husbands wittie and politike or if they be such as for their gifts can bring some reuenue to their stocke or affoord some profit vnto theÌ„ how deepe sinners soeuer they be against God that maketh no matter it little grieueth them whereby they bewray their great corruption that they neither are zealous in truth or Gods glorie nor louers aright of their children because they can be sharpe enough in reprehension if they faile but a little in thriftines yet are cold enough in admonition if they faile neuer so much in godlinesse Well let these fleshly zealous men lay to their heart the blind affection of Helâ— who being the deare child of God was seuerely punished of the Lord for that he was not zealously affected to punish sinne against God in his deere children but blessed are they that can forget their owne cause and euen with ieopardie of nature can defend the quarrell of God henceforth labouring to know no man after the flesh but to endeuour spiritually by faith to see and know Christ Iesus so as no outward league doe bleare and dazell our eyes as that we should not espie sinne in the neerest kindred to correct it or that we should not discerne vertue in the greatest aliens to reuerence it Casting off then this vaile of fleshly loue we must labour to loue most where the image of God appeareth most there shew our affections in lesse measure where sinne may be as a marke whereby God restraineth our loue euen to them where nature may soonest deceiue vs. Now whereas many haue great courage to rebuke such as either cannot gainsay them or gainsaying them cannot preuaile against them here commeth another propertie of zeale to be spoken of and that is that it feareth not the face of the mightie neither is it disâ—aied at the lookes of the proud and the loftie Such a courage was in Iob who besides that he made the yong men ashamed of their libertie and afraid of his grauitie made euen the Princes also to
word of God were we pricked by it then haue we profited Haue wee not bin pricked thereby then as yet are we not a sacrifice for the Lord. For as was said before Christ comforteth them that are troubled hee helpeth them that doubt he easeth them which are in distresse hee setteth their feete in the way of peace and gladnesse that haue long been in darknes and sorrow Haue ye not been sorrowfull and will ye learne a salue for this sore be sorrowfull that ye were not sorrowfull be pricked in your hearts because you were not pricked Haue wee heard the word let vs examine our selues if our knowledge be the better if our affections be the holier As hauing heard the exposition of the law of God doe we feare God doe we know how to loue God doe we pray to God doe we worship God in our soules and in our bodies more carefully and in greater conscience than we haue done heretofore Are we not now as prophane and carelesse still in giuing the right worship to the true God as before wee were too superstitious in seruing Angels Saints and other false gods neither sorrowing for our Idolatrie nor caring for true religion Haue wee not blasphemed and prophaned the name of God in vnreuerent hearing his word in vnprofitable talking of his workes and abusing his owne maiestie with swearing and cursing as much as euer wee did before we heard his word Haue wee kept holy the Sabbath or haue we not prophaned it by open neglect of the word by playing sporting drinking and other vanities Doe wee not still send forth our seruants to dispatch our busines on that day as if it were the market day when they may doe such things most lawfully Are not parents householders and gouernours as slacke in prouoking obedience and children seruants and subiects as slow in yeelding obedience as euer they were parents in the meane time not seeing that children therefore rebell against them because they rebell against God nor householders perceiue that seruants doe not their duties to them because they doe not their dutie to God Are we lesse wrathfull and more mercifull Are we lesse riotous and filthie defilers of our flesh and are wee more sober chast and holie Are we lesse giuen to oppression to hard dealing one with another and more iust righteous and carefull to maintaine the good estate of our brethren Are wee not backbiters slanderers or sowers of discord causers of contention among our neighbours being farre off from maintaining loue vnitie and the good name of our brethren The cause why wee cannot see further into these things is because wee flatter our selues and because we compare our selues with our selues and with others but not with the rule of Gods word Let vs then learne to accuse our selues and to iudge our owne consciences For if God see vs condemne our selues hee will not condemne vs if we accuse our selues God will not suffer Satan to accuse vs if wee iudge our selues God will acquite vs from the fearefull iudgement to come if wee bee displeased for our sinnes God will be pleased with vs in Christ his righteousnesse On the contrarie whilest we lie in our sinnes we lie in our owne blood if wee iudge not our selues God will both iudge vs and bee reuenged of our sinne he will set our house on fire he will send enemies hee will send earthquakes he will send famines to consume our goods he wil make friends foes he wil send sicknes and sorenesse vpon our bodies a troubled spirit into our soules he will send vs an ill name thus will he bring plague vpon plague vntill we repent and come to a feeling of our sins And why doth God all this because we will not come to iudge our selues For this cause saith the Apostle 1. Cor. 11. 30. that is because wee iudge not our selues many are weake and sicke among you and many sleepe 31. For if wee would iudge our selues wee should not be iudged 32. But when we are iudged we are chastened of the Lord that wee should not be condemned with the world Likewise the Prophet Psal. 89. and 30 31. 32. 33. But if his children for sake my law and walke not in my iudgements if they breake my statutes and keepe not my commandements then will I visit their transgression with the sword and their iniquitie with strokes yet my louing kindnesse will I not take from him neither will I falsifie my truth For as a father withdraweth from his childe sometimes his loue and whippeth him with the rod of correction so the Lord dealeth often with his children and scourgeth their naked conscience God doth iudge his heere but his enemies will hee iudge in the world to come if we bee not punished here the punishment will be as thunderbolts in the day of iudgement Hast thou been afflicted and not profited Will not a little crosse serue thee a greater shal come to thee Will not a few troubles turne thee to God then many shall come vpon thee If a man be not troubled for sinne here it is the way to hell if hee bee troubled here it is the way to heauen And as they which haue not bin troubled hauing had a little ioy shall haue eternall paine so they which here haue had a little paine shall after haue euerlasting ioy They that are corrected and haue profited by it are afflicted of the Lord in mercie but they that bee vexed and amend not receiue a token of Gods further wrath Wherefore we must not looke to feele comfort in the remission of sinnes vnlesse wee also haue sorrow for committing our sinnes For neuer any of Gods children were comforted throughly but they were first humbled for their sinnes To the working of which humiliation wee must remember Gods iudgements shewed on others Hath God destroyed the whole world for sinne and can hee not or will hee not destroy thee for sinne Hath hee ouerthrowne whole nations and will hee suffer thee to lie still in thy sinnes See how full hell is alreadie and yet daily wee runne headlong thither Consider also how great thy sinne was that could not be cleansed but by the blood of Iesus Christ Oh how foule was that sinne that nothing else could wash it but Christ his heart blood Oh how great was our guiltinesse that was raunsomed by such a price How great was the sore that needeth such a salue how deepe was the wound that needed such a medicine O louing kindnes and vnspeakable loue towards vs Shall Christ â—ee slaine for our sinnes and wee not labour to slay sinne in our selues Shall Christ dye for our sinnes and sinne as yet is not dead in vs Shall Christ bee crucified for vs and will wee not crucifie sinne in our selues Shall Christ haue his heart pricked with a speare and shall not wee haue our hearts pricked with sorrow This is the true vse and meditation of Christ his passion
saluation vntothe children of God thus God by little and little conueigheth his graces into vs. But now whether for remission of our sinnes whether for omission of certaine duties whether for our barrennesse in spirituall graces whether for our humbling or triall of our faith or neglecting of the inward meanes or for the setting foorth of the glorie of God it hath pleased him a little to frowne vpon vs and to withdrawe his smiling countenance from vs He which found vs when we sought not him euen hee doth now leaue vs to the intent that we might now learne to seeke after him God hee gaue vs those things which were profitable for vs before we knocked to the intent that receiuing them at his hand we might hereafter learne to knocke for them for we must know that our cloathes must not alwaies be put vpon our backes the teares must not be alwaies put into our mouthes wee must not alwaies be fed with milke and be young children wherefore seeing that there is an infancie and a nonage and a time of discretion as it is in Hebr. 5 and seeing the Lord hath a long time fed vs with milke as babes we must not now murmure if he feed vs with stronger meate as men Fathers will nurture their children and giue them corrections wheÌ„ they abuse their louing kindnesse and will make their children to seeke vnto them and craue of them those things which they want And shall the fathers of our fleshe doe thus shall they nurture their children and by discipline correct their sinnes and offences and shall not wee suffer the father of our spirits to deale thus with vs Seeing that we haue offeÌ„ded the Lord not glorified him as we should seeing we haue been barren in goodnesse haue not brought foorth fruites of repentance worthie the Gospell is it not now good for vs that the Lord should deale somewhat sharply with vs is it not meete that now the Lord should take his blessing from vs when we abuse them is it not meete that the Lord should with hold his goodnesse when wee are not thankfull for it and when the beholding of it doth doevs much harme If God shall now deale somewhat more strictly with vs it is to the intent that wee might the better learne to doe our duties for surely now wee are not in our nonage but euen come to yeeres of discretion wee must not therefore looke still to bee dealt withall as yong children but we must fast and we must pray and vse those good meanes which God hath appointed We must knocke and we shall finde wee must bee important with the widow and we shall obtaine we must seeke earnestly and then I dare bee bold to say that the graces of God which now seeme in some sort to be withdrawne from vs shall be restored vnto vs in as great measure as euer they were before Wherefore seeing the Lord heretofore hath bestowed his graces and blessings vpon vs in more amplesort than euer wee could haue looked for and that now hee seemeth as it were to be absent from vs let vs bewaile and mourne for his absence and then he will returne otherwise let vs neuer looke for his presence againe wherefore let euery man beware that he make precious account of the word of God and let euery one consider and examine himselfe whether he hath in him a readinesse to seeke this treasure or no yea let euery one prouoke himselfe to this for the kingdome of heauen from the time of Iohn Baptist vnto Christ suffered violence and must suffer violence vntill the end of the world And none euer did or shall enter into it to haue fruitioÌ„ thereof but those who with all feruencie violence and zeale haue sought after it Wherefore if we haue not cleerenesse in knowledge purenesse in affections if we finde not in vs ioy in the holy Ghost zeale and boldnesse in good things loue meekenesse patience and such like fruites of the spirit wee are to know that this is for want of fasting praying knocking seeking and due estimation of the Word and Sacraments Wherefore if wee finde in our selues the want of these things wee must haue recourse to the vse of the meanes It followeth And for ioy thereof departeth c. It is a thing incident to treasures when they are found to worke ioy and great is their ioy which haue found pleasures but greater is the ioy of him that findeth the treasure of saluation then his ioy is that findeth earthly treasures Shew vs saith the Prophet Psal. the 4. the light of thy countenance thy fauour and thy grace and thou shalt make our hearts more cheerefull and ioyfull than rich men are when their Corne Oyle and Wine increaseth Great is the ioy that ariseth of abundance of riches but greater is the ioy which ariseth of the loue and fauourable countenance of God The man of God saith in Psalme 1â—9 the ninth part and the 72. verse of the Psalme The law of thy mouth O Lord is better than thousands of gold or siluer That man which loueth gold hee taketh great pleasure and delight therein but yet saith the Prophet Thy word is sweeter and better esteemed and liked of by me than thousands of gold and siluer And in the sixteenth part of the same Psalme verse the â— I loue thy commandements saith he aboue gold yea aboue most fine gold And in the 21. part of the same Psalme and 2. verse of that part he saith I reioyce at thy word as one that findeth a great spoyle Pleasures breede ioy profits breede ioy honour and glorie breede ioy by a good haruest with increase of Wine and Oyle commeth pleasure by riches as gold and siluer ariseth profit by victorie conquest and spoyle of the enemie honour and glorie is gotten Now all these things being laide ioyntly together must needes bring a great ioy to a man but the man of God preferreth the ioy which proceedeth from the Word before all these and that not without good cause for greater is the ioy of the kingdome of heauen and of eternall saluation in heauen than the ioy which ariseth of all these things And what is the ioy of Wine and Oyle to this that mens hearts are refreshed with the refreshed Wine and Oyle of the countenance of God is it not more than to possesse much gold and siluer What greater ioy can be than to be perswaded of the loue of God in Christ Iesus the eye hath not seene neither hath the eare heard neither can the heart of man conceiue of this vnspeakable ioy of the kingdome of heaueÌ„ To liue and remaine for euer with God the Father the Sonne and the holy Spirit in eternall glorie is not this better than thousands of gold siluer To subdue Satan sin the world the Diuell and the torments of hel is not this a great victorie and a great ioy yea is it not greater than the triumph ouer our
build timber hay or stubble whereby is meant all curious and vnprofitable questions and vaine ostentation but he must build gold siluer and precious stone by which precious substance is noted the most excellent and pure doctrine of the Gospell And hereby shall you knowe his argument if hee beate downe the stâ—â—fenecked and obstinate sinners by threatning the rigor of the law and the terrible iudgements of God against the violaters thereof and on the contrarie by healing the bruised and wounded consciences with sinne with the sweete promises of the Gospell If any man therefore shall labour to lay any other foundation and vse any other order of doctrine than this he is an Antichrist that is to say against Christ and no Christian. He must teach them all the counsell of God and keepe nothing backe but whatsoeuer concerneth the saluation of his flocke that must he teach them yea so absolute must his doctrine be that there must be no point of the will of God pertaining to the saluation of his children but the Minister must be both able and diligent to declare Therefore it is requsite and needfull that a rare gift of God be added who onely openeth their vnderstanding that they might vnderstand the scriptures wherein the most holie will of God is reuealed and nothing that is needfull for our saluation omitted so that whosoeuer knoweth not the scriptures must needs erre and be deceiued but the Minister who must declare all the counsell of God vnto his children must be very perfect therein Moreouer he must improue rebuke exhort and stirre vp first himselfe to a great care of doing his duty faithfully then must he also by all meanes spurre forward the godly gently louingly exhorting to hold fast the profession of their hope in the assurance of faith making their election more surely knowne vnto themselues by their godly life and the rather to bring them forward herein with willingnes and great readinesse he ought to set before them the wonderfull mercie of the Lord God shewed towards them in that he hath out of all the world elected them to be heires of his kingdome where they shall â—aigne for euer in such vnspeakable ioyes as neither eye hath seeâ—e eare hath heard neither hath at any time entred into the heart of man He must not be ashamed to rebuke reproue such as will not be obedient to the Gospell but remaine still wallowing in their sinne if that wholesome admonitions will not serue hee must not spare to thunder out the iust iudgements of God against them vntill he hath beaten them down to hell with the terrors therof and after true repentance to raise them vp euen to the heauens and daily strengthen them more and more so that to the impenitent hee must pronounce damnation because he is still vnder the law and vnder the curse of the law and that hee shall be sure to be tormented euerlastingly if he doe not repent but the penitent that labour with a burdened conscience for sinne and are wounded with griefe for the same he shall comfort with blessed promises of the Gospell declaring vnto him that hee is not vnder the law but vnder grace and so build him into a liuely faith in Iesus Christ. This must the Minister doe both openly and priuately for it is not sufficient that hee preach the word of God openly in the pulpet but hee must goe to euery mans house and there diligently instruct both him and his house in the feare of God and not as the manner of some is to goe to folks houses to tell them a tale and flatter them with faire words and glozing speeches to the end they might fill their bellie sat another mans table or get some other benefite which hee hunteth after These be hirelings and time-seruers which thrust themselues into the Ministerie for lucres sake and because they would liue idlie and take no paines for their liuing but contrary to the commaundement of God to liue of other mens labours these are not true Ministers but such as the Prophet Malachy speaketh of in the first chapter of his Prophecie The true Pastor must not haue any such purpose but as it is his dutie to labour to winne the soules of his people vnto Iesus Christ so must he vse all meanes both publikely priuately which may further his ministerie and make it profitable We might proue out of diuers places of the word of God this his dutie both by the example of our Sauiour Christ the perfect patterne for al meÌ„ to follow who did not onely preach openly in the Synagogue but priuately in mens houses The Apostles did so likewise and S. Paul witnesseth the same in the 20 chapter of the Acts with these words I kept backe nothing that was profitable but haue shewed you and taught you openly and throughout euery house This is the dutie of a good Pastor The reason hereof is very good because that which is spoken generally to all is regarded of very few or none so wonderfully hath Satan stopped mens eares and blinded their vnderstanding that either they will not hearken at all or else hearing will neuer applie the same to their consciences and therefore to preuent this the Minister shall not sticke to instruct them priuately when as they shall haue no such occasion to apply that to other meÌ„ that is spoken particularly to themselues By this meanes if the Lord hath appointed so they may be brought home or else haue the testimonie of his word in their consciences euen to make them vnexcusable at the latter day Furthermore this must he not seldome now then once in a moneth or euery quarter â—â—â— he cannot so discharge his conscience before the Lord who hath appointed him to feede his flocke continually but this cannot liue and continue without foode no more can the soule liue vnlesse it be coÌ„tinually fed and nourished with the milke of Gods word He must therefore feede them continually as we reade that carefull shepheard S. Paul did when he tooke his leaue to depart from Ephesus after he had committed the keeping of Gods flocke vnto the Elders of the Church and giuen them warning of false teachers which would be busie with them after his departure and therefore exhorted them to watch Remember saith he that by the space of three yeeres I ceased not to warne euery one both night and day with teares This diligence must be in Ministers to be euermore teaching that if the Lord doe not blesse at one time yet he may at another they know not the time wherein the Lord will call any of his flocke he must therefore vse the meanes diligently at all times both in season and out of season as S. Paul writeth to Timothy I charge thee therefore before God and before the Lord Iesus Christ which shall iudge the quicke and the dead at that his appearing and in his
in the word make him that hath taught him partaker of all his goods The reason is very good if the schoolemaster taketh paines in teaching the schollers owe to him other necessaries Such is the subtiltie of Satan which rageth and stormeth at the Gospell of Iesus Christ the reaching whereof he seeth is the decaying of his kingdome when as by no other meanes he can ouerthrow the same yet doth he mightily heaue at it by drawing the peoples harts from nourishing and maintaining the Preachers thereof that they being oppressed with penurie might be constrained to forsake their ministerie So that it is no marueile though the Apostle giueth so straight a charge thereof seeing so great danger might ensue If they sowe vnto you spirituall things is it a great thing if they reape of you carnall things If the Ministers giue vnto the people gold is it much for them to giue chaffe againe yet there is a greater difference betweene that that the Minister distributeth among the people that which he receiueth of them than is betweene gold and chaffe For he giueth vnto them by the preaching of the word the kingdome of heauen what treasure may be compared vnto it and will not they giue him of their worldly commodities to maintaine his liuing Truly it were a token of too too much infidelitie and a manifest argument that we are not Christians but very Heathen if we should refuse to nourish the Minister that laboureth for our profit It is manifest in the law that the Priests which waited on the Altar liued of the Altar Euen so hath the Lord appointed that they which preach the Gospell should liue of the Gospell Naturall reason teacheth vs this and yet is it written in the Scripture also that no man goeth on warfare at any time of his owne cost for the souldier receiueth his stipend Neither doth any manplant a vineyard and eateth not of the fruite thereof for to that end doth he plant it because he would enioy the fruite And againe No man keepeth a flocke and eateth not of the milke thereof But if the case standeth so in earthly matters that euery man enioyeth the fruite of his labour and is maintained by the same how much more ought the Ministers and Pastors liue of their flocke to whom they are so profitable and for whose sake they take such paines If therefore you will haue such an one placed ouer you that shall refuse no paines in studying night and day in preaching the word in season and out of season in exhorting and trying all meanes to doe you good and that shall loue you so tenderly that his owne life shall not be deare vnto him for your sake you must know it is your dutie to prouide all things necessarie for him for you must not make him your slaue but you must so minister vnto him that he may giue himselfe wholy vnto the faithfull doing of his dutie that he may not be drawne away with other cares from the same If the Lord hath commanded not to mousell the mouth of the oxe that treadeth out the corxe much lesse to withhold the Minister from things necessarie to preserue his life The labourer is worthie of his wages How wonderfully forward were the Galathians in fulfilling of this dutie when as they would not haue refused to pull out their eyes if it had beene possible and haue giuen them to the Apostle Which words although they be of supererogation yet doe they expresse such loue and readines in administring of their worldly commodities that they would haue pluckt out their owne eyes and giuen them vnto him also if by that meanes they might haue pleasured him Truly there is good cause why they should thus loue and prouide for their Minister which laboureth faithfully for if the childe cannot recompence the paines kindnes of his parents in bringing him into this world and prouiding things necessarie for his education neither the scholler the paines of his maister which hath garnished his breast with wisedome and knowledge much lesse can the childe of God recompence his spirituall father who hath begotten him vnto the Lord. Refuse not them to bestow part of thy worldly commodities vpon him that hath brought thee such heauenly treasure without the which thy estate were more miserable than the condition of brute beasts But because it may seeme very much to the worldly minded man who respecteth nothing but temporall things to thinke that he must be so liberall toward his Minister as to prouide him all things that he hath neede of although the children of God which are alreadie called and haue tasted how sweete the Lord hath beene to them by the Ministers meanes whom the Lord hath vsed as an instrument to bring them home will not thinke it much to do their dutie that very liberally in prouiding for their Pastor you shall vnderstand in what sort you ought to prouide for him First you must see that he hath sufficient for to finde himselfe and his familie necessarie foode and apparell for their bodies Secondly you must giue him wherewith to keepe hospitalitie that hee may be able honestly and decently to entertaine strangers which come vnto him to aske his counsell in matters of conscience concerning their faith and saluation Thirdly you must prouide him bookes for his studie and all such as may enrich his knowledge whereby he may the better hee able to answere and helpe all their doubts which come to him Thus must you prouide for him that he may not be troubled with any cares that may with draw him or hinder him in doing of his dutie And whereas the Apostle saith make him partaker of all your goods it is nothing lesse meant than that your goods should be at his pleasure or that you should make him abound in superfluitie wherewith he should be filled vntill he burst as they say there is no such thing but to prouide for him for those causes aforesaid Heere may they aske a question whether they ought to pay tithe vnto such Ministers as bewicked liuers because we haue spoken onely of the dutie which they owe vnto the true Ministers and faithfull labourers in the Lords busines You shall therefore vnderstand though he be a wicked liuer if he teach true doctrin hold nothing back from him but let him haue his dutie that if it shall please the Lord to conuert him from his wickednes hee may loue you the more dearely and haue the more care ouer you but if hee teach false doctrine not the word of God purely but his owne braines yet because you haue a conscience of disturbing the common weale and seeke rather peace than trouble let him haue his dutie that your diligēce in doing your duty may moue him to a more care of his or else if the Lord doth not giue him that grace yet thereby shall you leaue a testimonie in his conscience to his condemnation Moreouer where any such
is it to giue vs his truth to enrich vs with his Gospell and to blesse vs with such abundance of temporall things Oh that this were knowne of vs oh that euery man would say Oh Lord what am I that thou shouldest shewe mee such mercie to giue mee the enioying of thy word and Gospell more than any other and giuing it to mee makest me to vnderstand it aboue many oh what am I that thou shouldest offer to mee this goodnesse I was borne and conceaued in sinne I haue multiplied and enlarged my corruptions both before since my calling my vnthankfulnes is great my vnworthines therefore greater and yet thou hast not ceased to preferre me in mercies before many If we consider the fearefull iudgements of God in consuming all hypocrites who will not say that many haue beene called and few chosen When we shall see I say in the day of the Lord his seuere iudgements to tread downe these hypocrites and cause them to goe from his presence to hell oh how wil we esteeme that we are in Christ and say Oh how loue I thy law For I see thy iudgements are equall and thou dealest not with me in iustice but in mercie not in anger but in loue not in wrath but in pittie therfore they couenant is sweete because I haue deserued thy iudgements and thou hast spared me Vers. 120. My flesh trembleth for feare of thee and I am afraide of thy iudgements HEre may seeme at the first to be some contrarietie betweene feare and loue sith loue causeth not but casteth out feare For he had saide in the verse going before that hee loued the testimonies of the Lord and here he saith that his flesh trembled for feare Wherefore at the first sight here is some shew of contrariety but indeed there is none For he saith My flesh trembleth c. whereby he sheweth that as he loued the law of God in his inward man and with his part regenerate so it is the outward and olde man and the part vnrenued which is full of corruption that did feare So that as hee had Gods spirit to renue his minde hee had this witnesse in him that he did loue the promises of God but because his flesh rebelleth against the Spirit and hee found many corruptions of nature remaining in him and threatning him that after hee was like to fall againe if the Lord yea but a little should leaue him he saith I am afraid least for my vnthankfulnes and vnworthie refusing of thy mercie thou shouldest leaue me to my selfe and so shouldest make a way to thy iudgements Thus there is an harmonie in the Prophet for because as the flesh hath a trembling feare so the spirit reioyceth Thus as wee haue often heard Gods children finde to their comfort in themselues faith in Gods promises and a delight in his word sometime they are grieued for the absence of this sweetnes of faith in the same For as the presence of Gods spirit bringeth ioy so the absence thereof feare as faith breedeth a loue of Gods promises so infidelitie maketh vs afraid of his iudgements Although Noah had great cause to loue the promises of God for his wonderfull deliuerance so he had great cause to feare himselfe that he might haue fallen afterward Lot also hauing good cause to beleeue and embrace the couenant of God for his safegard had iust occasion also to haue suspected himselfe that he was subiect to falling It is said Prou. 28. 14. Blessed is the man that feareth alwaies but hee that hardeneth his heart shall fall into euill For where feare is not there is securitie securitie breedeth hardnesse of heart and hardnes of heart bringeth Gods wrath Wherfore the Apostle writing to the Philippians shewing that God worketh in vs both the will and the deede of doing good least hereby they should draw to themselues security addeth that they must fill the course of their saluation in feare and trembling For if wee doe only well by Gods grace working in vs wee are much to feare the absence of it Wherefore wee see how the man of God did iustly feare his part vnregenerate This feare of Gods children differeth much from the feare of the wicked for it bringeth vs to the Lord and driueth vs not from the Lord it helpeth and hindreth not our prayers it hurteth not but furthereth our duties For it maketh vs to feare least wee should lose Gods grace it causeth vs to waite more and more to haue it and hauing it moueth vs by prayer to continue it When Noah had Gods fauour he feared and being warned of God as Heb 11. 7. of the things which were as yet not seene moued with reuerence prepared the Arke c So Habacuk hearing of the iudgement of God which should fall vpon the faithfull by the Chaldeans saith Hâ—b 3. 16. My bellie trembled my lips shooke at the voyce rottennes entred into my bones and I trembled in my selfe Paul said he preached with feare and trembling Thus wee see how the good Saints of God did feare because they knewe that if the Lord should enter into iudgement with vs no flesh should be saued and that there was nothing in them but of mercie and therefore they acknowledge their weaknes vnworthinesse and wretchednesse Wee see also that Gods children haue diuers affects according to their diuers estates and though sometimes they are quickened through faith other times they are most ready to sinne if they doe not sinne No maruell then though the children of God feare when they see that God restraineth their will the greater their feelings are yet are they mixed with a reuerent feare of Gods maiestie and sight of their own corruptioÌ„s least they should not abide his glorie and least they should not continue in their good things We see moreouer that this feare humbled Noah that the Prophets Apostles spake in feare which the Lord gaue vnto them either to prepare them to some grace which they should receiue or else more zealously to keepe some grace which already they haue receiued And where it might be obiected that loue casteth out feare wee must vnderstand of that seruile and excessiue feare which driueth vs away from God And seeing though wee feele Gods loue by faith wee will feare then much more had we neede so to doe when by infidelitie wee feele not this loue So wee must haue both feare to prepare vs to grace and wee must haue loue to continue vs in this grace And surely onely they with whom this thing hath been familiar doe knowe how loue and feare doe dwell together For as blessed experiencâ— hath taught some that by this feare they haue attained to speciall graces and continued in them by the same so also by wofull experience some haue found that for want â—f this they either haue not tâ—sted of the grace of God or else not continued in the same PORTION 15. AYN. Vers. 1â—1 I haue executed iudgement and iustice
leaue me not to mine oppressors THe Prophet goeth on praying for the increase and continuance of Gods fauour vsing two arguments the first by shewing his afflictions which hee suffered the seconde by declaring his affection to the word whereunto is added a reason drawne from the nature of GOD that it is his time to helpe in affliction His generall desire then is to haue a further loue of Gods word to this end hee sheweth his miseries and afflictions and with what affection hee longed for helpe trusting that God would now come to doe right His prayer is that the Lord would not suffer him to bee ouercome with ouer-much afflictions but that as it is Psal. 125. 3. that the rod of the wicked shall not rest on the lot of the righteous least the righteous put their hands vnto wickednesse and that the hands of the oppressors should not preuaile God then giueth vs this libertie that wee may pray against our and his enemies but wee must withall consider these two reasons I haue executed As if the Prophet said Thou hast promised to helpe all them that hold causes and maintaine them well through thy grace I haue vsed a good cause well performe therefore oh Lord thy promise in me So the Prophet prayeth Psal. 41. Heare me when I call O God of my righteousnesse c. where hee sheweth that as God doth promise to helpe in afflictions so he requireth of our parts that wee should suffer as weldoers and as doing well in a good cause as if hee had expressed his minde in these words O God the cause which I maintaine is iust and I haue maintained it well let them fall then that haue an ill cause against me who hauing so righteous a cause As we haue to learne that we shall not be without oppressors if we doe well so must we learne how to behaue our selues therein It seemeth monstrous to some that we should by weldoing purchase such enemies as if when ye do well ye suffer wrong and take it patiently this is acceptable to God 1. Pet. 3. 13. Who is it that will harme you if you follow that which is good Yet it is a thing in the secret iudgement of God either to the triall of the faith of his children or the fulfilling of the sins of the wicked Who would thinke a man should haue enemies but by desert True it is if the world were aright but because wee liue in such a world wherein Christ himselfe executing iudgemēt and righteousnes did suffer because it hated him much more must we looke for it as Christ himselfe hath also fore warned because the seruant must not be aboue his maister and because we labour and cease not to hinder the kingdome of Sathan hee enarmeth the world with hatred against vs also We must not think that we can be here quiet For although we be sometimes troubled because we haue not done somewhat which we ought yet often we must be oppressed as righteous doers although not so as our enemies finally shall preuaile against vs. We see the Prophet desireth God to be the patrone of a righteous cause and of a righteous cause rightly handled we must then if we will assure our selues of Gods protection first consider if our cause be iust and hauing such a cause whether we haue rightly dealt in it Let vs therefore when we are oppressed search our cause if we feele that our conscience be guiltie then no maruell though wee suffer because the Lord correcteth either our euill cause or our ill handling of a good cause Wee must see that in the equitie of our request our cause be iust and true and being good that our dealing therein bee also iust and right Let vs see this now in particulars Our Sauiour Christ saith he came to put dissension betweene the father and the sonne the mother and the daughter and that the father in law should bee against his son in law and the sonne in law against his father in law True it is if it be for the Gospels sake and we withall haue done our duties and obedience which nature our callings require that we be hated yet must we not be dismaied although we haue the enemies of our own familie of them which by nature are ioyned to vs we are not to be discouraged if it be righteousnes which we must maintaine and vnrighteousnes which they maintaine if thē our cause being good we vse all obedience loue and dutie and yet be grieued we must recouer our selues with that which Christ hath said but if our cause bee ill or being right wee shewed not our selues humble and dutifull in the defence of it then we haue deserued iustly to be euill entreated of them If wee shall obserue this to happen either among Magistrates to their subiects or Landlords to their tenants or any other gouernours to their inferiours when they shall deale ill with vs in debts fines and exactions we must consider that if we haue done righteously we haue the libertie to comfort our soules in prayer Lord I haue done the part of a faithfull subiect or the dutie of a good tenant Lord helpe me against this man which oppresseth me wrongfully But if we haue discouraged their hearts either simply by ill doing or in a good thing by ill dealing we must know that the Lord by them doth take some good thing from vs who from them did take some good duties We must see then whether we haue done our duties in loue or not this will keepe vs from fuming and will make vs rest in prayer The ignorance of this doctrine maketh vs fret and fume who neuer consider whether our cause be good or whether in a good cause wee haue vsed good dealing or no. If Gods children looke thus into their consciences it will humble them as surely I did not well to him God suffereth him to doe the like to me againe and meateth out vnto mee the like measure with mine owne meat-yeard Where wee must learne that Gods children neuer deale so earnestly with their enemies as with their God And as this holdeth in superiours so must wee marke this doctrine in all troubles with our inferiours or equals Now if our seruants or our children doe not deale dutifully with vs we must enter into our selues on this sort Lord I haue brought vp these sonnes or seruants in thy nurture and feare I haue instructed them and prayed for them I haue vsed all meanes wherby I might bring them to good yet for all this they deale ill with me and in this case wee must knowe that God wil heare our prayers But if we haue not done our parts in cloathing feeding or teaching them or in praying for them it is the iudgement of God in that we haue not done the dutie of godly parents Christian householders in making them the children of God and seruants of the Lord neither can we say Lord release me in this case
will take order they shall not fall out And to this end we must labour to haue a good iudgement at the first to esteeme all sinnes as beames in our selues 5 To recouer brethren from their faults belongeth to priuate and publike to Minister and Magistrate Dauid Psal. 101 saith it was his mornings worke to cast out the workers of wickednesse what case are they in then whose morning and euening work it is to keep them in This is now the first sin of the Magistrate to leaue beames as motes vnpunished as Iâ—roboam would let them commit idolatrie so he might haue his kingdome Secondly it is their fault to punish motes and to let beames passe as Saul put the holy Priest to death for Dauids cause but Abner for whoredome was not punished because he was a beame of his kingdome Thirdly they offend in punishing beames as motes and motes as beames as Dauid in diuiding the in heritance betweene Mephibosheth and Ziba For the Minister he must reproue in the light before all men and if they be slow-bellies he must reproue them sharply Priuate men must also admonish There is not only a healing of eyes in the Chirurgians shops but euery man msut haue a care of his brothers eye If we looke for a commandement Leuit. 19. 17. Thou shalt reproue him plainely is as vehement a speech as God could vse Now they say if a manreprehend he is an hypocrite but assuredly he that performeth not this dutie when and where he may let him know his silence is a seruile hypocrisie 6 The holy men of elder ages haue been in the dutie of reprehension and admonition most careful Esay for this cause was counted a man in his time so contentious as that nothing in the land could please him Iâ—remie saith he was borne a man of contention Ezeâ—hiel was called a finde-sault Christ himselfe both commanded Matth. 18. and practised this dutie he is often curning the eyes of the Pharisees Sadduces high Priests Matth. 23. Herode Luk. 4. his owne countrimen his owne disciples most sharpely calling Peter Sathan and saying to Iames and Iohn ye know not what yee aske and his owne mother he reproues roundly Ioh 2. The holy Ghost is a reprouer also Ioh. 16 and this he prâ—ctiseth euen at his first comming Acts. 2. 22. Ye haue slâ—ine the Lord of life Paul reprooued Peter and Peter Iames. All their Epistles command this dutie 1. Thes. 4. 15. Ephes. 5. 11. They which will not perform this dutie to reprehend the wicked fall often to â—euile good men When there was but one Miohaiah to performe this duty there were 400. Prophets which stood by to preach peace to the people As often we reade in the booke of Kings There came one of the Prophets there came not many to performe this dutie and so it is to this day and this maketh this dutie as bitter as wormewood for that it is so little put in practise 7 That we may suffer rebuke these three things must we doe First as Psalme 141. we must esteeme it as a balme and make profession that we doe so Secondly men must feare themselues more now euery man presupposeth himselfe innocent when as we should be fearefull to haue offended when we haue not offended 1. Sam. 22. I am thy fathers death sâ—â—â—h Dauid when he was not indeed Iob was afraid of his children when he knew not they had sinned Thirdly though the accusation be false we must performe thankefulnes Iosh. 22. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16 But contrarie waies if one espie a mote in our eyes we straightway looke into his and then ours is whole 8 If yet we desire more reasons to perswade vs to the practise of this most Christian dutie let vs remember we are to admonish because they are our brethren If two strangers walke together and a mote fall into one of their eyes the other will blow it out or wipe it out this nature teacheth vs. Paul goeth a note higher If there be a thorne in the foote the head stoopeth but if any thing be in the tender eye it laboureth to ease it much more But we reproue commonly when we fall out with our brethren and therefore in veritie we be enemies and not brethren for this is a good argument wiâ—h â—s he is thine enemie therefore reproue him And this is an Aegyptians tricke to reiect a iust reproofe and to say who made thee a ruler who made you a Preacher Augustine faith if thou dost not helpe his eye God will plague thine eye and his too And againe though thou saiest not euge yet because thou saiest not apage there is saith he a mutuall approbation as well as a mute commendation 9 Three things ought to moue vs to this dutie First least men thinke it an indifferent thing to offend and so we nourish him in his sinne and thereby his eye will gather more filth and scales and in time goe cleane out Secondly if thou pitie not him that offendeth yet pitie him that standeth by least he be offended or any way indangered by thy silence or by the sin past or both as we see in Barnabas by Peter Gal. 2. 13. Thirdly pitie thy selfe and deliuer thy selfe from the guilt of this sinne for if thou be prâ—sent be est not grieued for the offence it is in account laide vpon thy score Neither let that hinder vs that we shal not preuaile for Nichodemus also performed this dutie when he had no hope to be heard Ioh 7. 50. Again by rebuking thou shalt deliuer thy selfe from cotempt for by thy silence the wicked will giue thee the same reward they giue vnto God Psalm 50. 21. They will conclude that thou art in the sâ—me league of impâ—â—tie with them Finally so doing thou shalt free thy selfe from the punishment of sinne Ely for not reprouing his sonnes perished with them in the same calamitie but Lâ—t escaped in the destruction of Sodome Saint Peter rendreth this reason because he was vâ—xed with the vncleanly conuersation of the wicked continually preaching righteousnesse and reclayming them from their sinnes 10 This dutie of reprehension is onely to be done to a brother of whom there be two sorts the naturall and the beleeuing brother for the faithfull haue one spirituall Father and one Holie mother euen the heauenly Ierusalem the mother of vs all As there be beames so great that we caÌ„â—ot moue them at all so thâ—re be some men whom we must not touch with any reproofe We must not reprehend theÌ„ whom the Church acknowledgeth not for childreÌ„ for they be not our brethreÌ„ Such aâ— deserue to â—e reiected by the Church I am not bound to performe this dutie vnto them for holy things must not be giuen to dogges Againe the scorner must be smitten and cast forth as Ismael was he is not worthie a christian reprehension nor a barker or biter of the religious godly as prophane Esau for these
but when wee knowe that wee haue to deale with God before whom no wickednesse will stand this will humble vs. 3 The people of Israel would not heare Moses though hee did sharply rebuke them wherein we learne to pray that our affections be masâ—red betime for many are so heady in their affections that they will giue no eare to admonitions and as it is said of the belly to haue no eares so it is of such headstrong affectioÌ„s Some giue so much place to their grief that they will not receiue comfort of the promises noâ— be rebuked by the threatnings of God in his word This griefe is carnal and dangerous and therefore euery man is to search his heart to see how such corruption is setled in him let him in time stâ—iue against it suffering himselfe to be rebuked by the word and so grace assisting him he shal ouercome it 4 Many see Gods workes with Moses but cannot profit by them because the Lord hath not giuen them the affections of Moses According to our affections so wee profit both by workes and word of God let vs therefore euer pray vnto God to fill our hearts with good affections CHAP. V. Of Affliction WHen we are in affliction we are not so wise of our selues as to see the cause of it or if we see the cause we cannot see the mercy of God that his hand which is vpon vs is not a destroying hand but a deliuering hand 2 Afflictions worke much in men but most when they come with the word of God to giue vs a more liuely sight of sinne and to manifest the rich mercies of God in Iesus Christ to deliuer vs from sinne Iehosaphat was more humbled by the speech of Iehu the Seer than he was being compassed with an host of enemies round about 3 When affliction commeth to Gods children not so much the sinnes themselues as the not auoiding of the meanes which procured their sinnes and not the vsing of the meanes which might haue preserued them from sinne will torment their consciences for as a man falling into some sicknesse if it come whilest he is walking in his calling is then lesse grieued than if through surfetting hee had procured and haâ—ched the disease in himselfe euen so it commeth to paâ—â—â—m in the other By vsing the meanes of godlines in simplicitie of heart we shall be either freed from sinne wherein we haue lyen or else be confirmed in some good things begun in vs. 4 Although the godly shaâ—l escape hell in the world to come yet they shall be punished in this world and though the wicked be not punished in this world yet shall they not escape hell in the world to come 5 When Sathan doth descaâ—t vpon our afflictions we must be comforted being Gods children because we suffer no more than Gods childreÌ„ before haue suffered and the Lord himselfe doth suffer with vs. 6 It is the Lord which sendeth crosses to his children to saue them that they freeze not with the wicked world in their dregs 7 When Moses was rebuked of the Lord for the not circumcising his sonne his faith was weake and his wife in performing that dutie was almost without faith yet the Lord saith and that if any affliction lie vpon vs it is for want of faith and if it depart without effect in vs then a sorer punishment is like to light vpon vs because we haue not profited by the crosse of Christ but if we effectually profit by it and still it lie vpon vs let vs then patiently abide for it is to trie our faith 8 If we would so prouide for our selues that no afflictions make vs quaile let vs in the time of prosperitie and quietnes cut off all headie affections as griefe sorrow and such like and then shall they not in our trouble preuaile against vs. 9 When our afflictions doe not driue vs to God nor cause vs more humbly to heare and seeke his word but rather to stoppe our â—aâ—es and to runne from it and to seeke vnlawfull meanes let vs then mourne secretly and heartily vnto God for the direction of Gods spirit for that case is dangerous 10 It is the Lordes mercie that wee are not destroyed Lamenta Chap. 3. But when we are freed from punishments and others are afflicted it is either to shewe his further mercie or his further iudgement if wee waxe better and bee more thankefull then it is of mercie but if wee waxe proude and thinke our selues better then others then is it assuredly to confound vs And heereby wee may gather comfort or griefe when wee escape punishments If hee puâ—ish not in this worlde eyther GOD is vniust or else there is a hell to punish them euerlâ—stingly But his children if they profite not by one he sends another to condemne them in this worlde that they may escape in the worlde to come 11 We must denie our selues and our owne reason that we may continue with Christ we must take vp our crosse and follow him and if wee will be glorified with him wee must also suffer with him and if we will rise againe with him we must first die with him and if we will partake of his benefits we must also drinke of his cup. But many would willingly haue in Christ forgiuenes of sinne yet would they not beare his crosse 12 We must faithfully remember Gods corrections and though our trouble be past yet still with feare to remember the hand of the Lord not to attribute our crossâ—s to Fortune complexions or humours nor health to Physicke but only to God glorifying him continually and making our daily profite by all his louing chastisements vpon vs. 13 The deliuerance of the people of Israell is often repeated in the Scripture And it is not without great cause for it serues notably for the comfort of the godly and the terrour of the wicked for if we would thinke that hee were not able to helpe vs we see that he diuided the mighty Seas If we should think our selues vnworthy of helpe he then did miâ—htily deliuer the vnworthie So that if wee being in any danger can be perswaded that the Lord is able to helpe vs and that he will helpe them that are vnworthie it wil be a notabâ—e stay vnto vs that we fall not away vnder the crosse by the vehemencie of temptations 14 Curses are turned into blessings through Christ as by sinne blessings are turned into curses The benefices of God being in themselues good yet by our corruption wee make our table a snare vnto our selues and so in other of his mercies 15 Iob serued God in trueth and yet punished and so Lazarus but this was not so much for their own sin as for the trial of their faith and that after them the Church might receiue great coÌ„fort by their examples For as it hurts not the gold to be put into the fire
depriueth himselfe of this meditation weakeneth his faith For it is to our comfort and humbling To our comfort that albeit we be in danger and no man with vs yet God and his Angels be with vs. To humble vs that in euill doing they both see vs and can hurt vs as also the euill angels which still houer ouer vs. And therefore we must knowe that as the good Angels haue appeared to good men for speciall defence so the foule spirits doe appeare also to some men for speciall sinnes And when euill spirits so appeare we may not with the Papists and the Iewes beleeue they be soules departed but the euill spirits in the ayre about vs Epes 6. 11. 12. 13. CHAP. VIII Of Baptisme BAptisme is a pledge of our washing in Christs blood Act. 2. 30. of our iustification Gal. 3. 27. of our ingrafting into Christs body Ephe. 4. 16. of our dying to sinne Rom. 6. 3. of our resurrection 1. Cor. 15. 26. of our vnitie of spirit with our brethren Ephe. 44. of not seeking our owne 1. Cor. 10. 1. 2. 24. 2 Of Baptisme in Papistry this we may say for as much as they euer kept the foundation the substance of the institution of Christ that Sacrament was effectuall for more preuaileth the institution of Christ vnto good than the corruption of man vnto euill 3 The example of Zipphorah cannot be followed amongst vs that women should baptize though Papists abuse that example to proue it for the ministration of the Sacrament is ioyned to the ministerie of the word which office none can take except he be called as Aaron was and it is a most waightie and most honourable office to haue the word and seales of our reconciliation committed vnto vs. 4 It is obiected that it is a dangerous matter to want Baptisme it causeth death I answere The child saith the story was not punished but Moses through whom that contempt came for when as it is said Gen. 17. that the man not circumcised shall be cut off the reason is this because he despiseth the couenant of the Lord. Now a child caÌ„not so do therefore the negligent father is punished and if the child come to yeeres continue in his fathers steps he is in the same state of rebellion contempt against God and so it is in our Baptisme Againe this popish opinion of the necessitie of Baptisme is confuted by the Lords institution of Circumcision the eight day for if this necessitie had been in Circumcision which they affirme to be in Baptisme all that dyed before the eight day were condemned The Lords meaning was in appointing this conuenient time to prouide that the child might haue more strength to beare the wound and this regard of time is fit to be obserued also with vs that this holy worke might be done on the Sabbath day in the congregation because it is a publike action by diuine institution 5 Concerning promises in Baptisme and the office of the witnesses which be called Godfathers and Godmothers looke in what things the Scripture giueth general rules the Church may vse the particulars so all be done decently and to edification the law giueth this generall instruction to a man in authoritie to defend the good and to offend the euill he may to this end take some godly man to him for an assistant The law commanding generally to distribute to the poore a man is not able to helpe all particularly therefore he endeuoureth the relieuing of some speciall persons The law commanding generally to helpe one another with godly instructions and no greater need to any than to a father in helping him for the education of children surely this dutie of loue to be an assistant in Baptisme may not be denied Againe to professe ourselues enemies to Arrianisme we vse Glorie be to the Father and to the Son c. all one with that so often in the Psalmes Praise yee the Lord So may we in like manner to auoid Anabaptisme haue witnesses to testifie to the Church that we are Christianly baptized And as we are to renounce all friuolous ceremonies so to keepe the peace of the Church we may not refuse such orders as tend to edification to loue and comelinesse in the Church 6 It is good to teach children while they be young that whereas they haue been baptized and blessed in the name of the Trinitie they should be taught forthwith some questions concerning their creation redemption and sanctification CHAP. IX Of Couetousnesse and the desire of Riches THere are manie which can be content to make Iacobs vowe that is if they haue meate drinke and cloathing they will serue God but they goe vpwards still in their worldlike accounts and downwards in heauenly things they rise from tens to scores from scores to hundreths they will not goe downeward with Abraham they will haue thousands of sheep els they be but poore they will haue Nabâ—oths vineyard with Ahab and dwell alone els they be sicke Thou hast set vp the heauens high saith the Prophet else surely rich men would haue all the vse of them leese them too So nothing can satisfie mans desire which is infinit but God who infinite And if he haue all the riches in the world he will desire more A very vnnaturall desire is this as the dropsie in desiring drinke when the desire proceeds from fulnes for a man should desire that which he wanteth The minde of a man is not filled with corporall things no more then a chest can be filled with wisdom or spirituall things But presuppose that riches could fill a man if wee had all wealth all riches all apparell wee put not our wealth in our mindes our clothes do vs no good but wheÌ„ they are vpon vs. The possessing of riches doth not so fully possesse the heart but that it can desire a thousand things more 2 Riches are in question whether they be good or no When the Scripture speaks of riches they ioyne alwayes somewhat to them to take away our hearts from them as the deceitfulnes of riches the vncertainty of riches the riches of this world and therfore like the world now here now gone they either haue their own end or our end They make no man good but they are euen like a penie purse which is worth as much as the money that is in it but the money taken out it is nothing worth euen so is the man that hath his good in his riches When they are takeÌ„ from him he is worth nothing he hath no good in him God hath them not and yet he wanteth no good thing It is the common complaint that the worst men doe most abound with them Dauid was faine to goe to Nabal for them Esau had foure hundred men when Iacob lay downe at his feet with a few Sometimes indeed they doe good but that is not sufficient to ground a Maxime they
sonnes of the Prophets not as Prophets by oracle their bookes were tried by offering them to the view of other of the Prophets and of the Priests who asking counsell of God for the wâ—râ—ant of them were answered by oracle from God 10 Another scruple is yet to be answered whether the Prophets did speake these things being in themselues or as rapt out of themselues True it is the Heathen Prophets did speake things to others onely the Prophets of God did otherwise as they that were themselues rauished and affected with the things giuen out to others The promises of God by them deliuered were as honey in their owne mouthes so sweetly were they mooued with them the threatnings denounced abroad left a sharpe sting in their owne bowels and made themselues to tremble the word of obedience taught to others bound them as straightly as if others had been the teachers of that word and they to be taught by it Seeing then this is the certaintie and dignitie of the writings of the Prophets is it not strange that the Prophets at whose doores and thresholds stood Princes and Gouernours in times past to aske counsell should now of euery meane person be either wholie contemned or reâ—chlesly receiued wheÌ„ they are read or interpreted Though the greater thing is to do yet the first thing is to learne For as hearing without doing addeth to our confusion so doing without knowledge is neither acceptable to God nor profitable for vs. Let vs not therefore heare only or heare vanitie let vs not heare the Preachers as we heare Minstrels least that when we should be old men in knowledge and children in malice wee become old men in malice and remaine as children in vnderstanding 11 It is a greater thing in a Pastour to deale wisely and comfortably with an afflicted conscience and soundly and discreetly to meete with an Heretike than to preach publikely and learnedly 12 He said to some dwelling in a place where the word was preached Oh consider it is the easiest thing to heare it is the painfullest thing to preach the Gospell The sitting of one houre receiueth a fruite vnto immortalitie for howsoeuer men thinke the Ministers of God to speake euen whatsoeuer commeth into their mouthes it is not so they speake that which many yeeres they haue studied for earnestly they haue prayed for which by experience they haue bought and by a painfull life dearely payed for If a Prince should giue out by portion a mint of money for the fetching who would spare to goe The Lord offereth the mint of his mercie to bee deuided to them that will but heare and beleeue it and no man almost regardeth it 13 We must not so presse the Law that we suppresse the Gospell in mens consciences 14 All applications of doctrine must be referred to one of these heads 1 To teach and establish true opinions 2 Or to consute false opinions 3 Or to correct euill manners 4 Or to frame good manners 5 Or to comfort withall The first foure are set downe in this text the whole Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable First to teach Secondly to conuince Thirdly to correct Fourthly to instract inrighousnes c. 2. Tim. 3. 16. The fift and last in this text Whatsoeuer things are written afore time are written for our learning that we through Patience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope Rom. 15. vers 4. These thigns are profitable saith the Apostle to Timothie And these things are written for our learning saith the same Apostle to the Church of the Romanes therefore by these things we must onely profit and onely learne by these for as application is a concluding of one thing out of another so these are the fiue heads from which all application must flow and he that thus speaketh attaineth to the purpose of S. Paul as elsewhere â—e noteth He that prophecieth speaketh vnto men to edifying to exhortation and to comfort 1. Cor. 14 3. That is to say applieth the vse of his doctrine to edification exhortation and comfort 15 The meanes to increase our faith is the word preached prayer the Sacraments and the discipline of the Church The word crucifieth thee a new in thine heart Prayer giueth thee a feeling of thy faith The Sacraments confirme both thy faith and feeling and discipline continueth vs in obedience both of the word and prayer and the Sacraments and consequently is a meanes to continue in vs al those comforts which by the other meanes are to be found in Christ. 16 The word of God is as a Glasse it blusheth not to tell our faults yet great infirmities haue beene in them that should carrie this glasse Moses foreseeing his cold entertainment in the faith saith Exod 4. Mitte quem missurus As Ionah when he should haue carried the Glasse of Gods word and of the peoples sinnes sayled from Niniuie flat East to Tharsis flat West Nathan 2. Sam. 12. Though Dauid was a man easie to be spoken to made off notwithstanding a good while vntill the king had made the premises himselfe he would make no conclusion To come to our times some there be that doe not onely sow pillowes but draw Curtaines and spread Couerlets ouer mens sinnes Others there are that for gaine will runne apace and yet with Balaam will neither blesse nor curse Some there are that doe conceiue and are readie to bring forth yet they cannot be deliuered Others there are who very softly and easily doe their dutie as Elie did to his children 1. Sam. 2. Others there be that speake with some courage but keepe a loofe and in a generalitie Lastly some there are who can and will particularize duties but when they spare some either rich or noble these can be very hot vehement against those that be absent CHAP. LVII Of Gods prouidence EVery one that leadeth a godly life and trusteth in God his Prouidence shall finde that in extreame dangers he will put such things into their mindes that they shall be cheered and comforted when others shall be disquieted and deiected This we may see in the parents of Moses because they beleeued and led a godly life Heb. 11. This is the blessing but the wicked shall want this good issue for the Lord will punish their wickednes in such a case as appeareth in the time of the glorious Martyrs who liued well before and in their deaths were crowned but Apostataes had their former hypocrisies punished and in such danger they shall not know what to doe but the godly trusting in Gods prouidence if they haue a way to escape shall haue their life for a prey but if they want this way yet they will offer themselues a sacrifice to the Lord. 2 When Moses and the rest of the children of Israel had receiued some good handsell of the goodnes of God in his prouidence ouer them they gathered thereupon that the Lord
meanes 15 Gods iudgements are most suddaine and when men are in greatest delight Euen in the Sun-shine Sodome was destroied and in the banquet time Iobâ— children were slaine therefore wee are to learne to bee most warie and watchfull and then most to suspect our selues when the world thinketh least of euill and is most secure CHAP. LXV Of Parents Education of children Gouernours of youth and Care of posteritie WHen children haue infirmities their parents are to see and consider whether they haue not receiued such sinnes from them If they haue they are rather to pray for their children than too much to correct them least they persecute their own sinnes in the persons of their children 2 When Moses was to goe at the commandement of the Lord into Aegypt he first returned with his wife to his Father in law Iothro to haue his leaue of him thereby shewing his dutie and obedieÌ„ce vnto him that so he might giue no occasion of offence and might auoid all appearance of euill so must all the children of God be carefull in the like case and not to excuse themselues by good meanings 3 The Lord is carefull that his workes should bee recorded and that not for his owne cause for he knoweth them wel not for the age present for that many remember it but for posteritie to whom he would haue it to come that in them thereby hee might bee glorified Therefore the Lord made choyse of Iosua to whom he would haue Moses to rehearse the victories which he had giuen the Israelites ouer Amaleck his people that he might not be proud thereof nor glorie in his owne strength but that hee might giue the glorie wholy and onely to the Lord that gaue it Secondly that thereby he might be prepared to helpe the people and to gouerne them after Moses departure And this must teach vs to pray that the Lord would euer prepare such as may be profitable to posteritie And therefore in the 78 Psalme God commaundeth that the workes of the Lord should bee taught to posteritie and so saith Paul to Timothie deliuer this to men which may be fit to deliuer it to others c. From whence wee may learne that when the Lord will haue a blessing continued to any people he wil also prepare instruments to conuey his blessings to posteritie But when the Lord will not continue his mercie then will hee depriue them of the meanes Seeing then in our time men are carefull onely for themselues and few care for them that shall come after and that so few regard to Catechise their families these things I say are signes that the Lord will not continue those mercies to our posteritie which we doe now enioy 4 Youth especially is to take heede of pleasure for though fire be good yet in flâ—xe or tinder it is not good so though pleasure be good yet pleasure in youth is not good We neede not plough for weedes they will grow fast enough in the fallow But some will take their pleasure in their youth especially and they purpose to become good and to liue grauely hereafter in their age This is to make a couenant with the diuell as the diuell said to Christ I will come out but the time is not yet come so we will leaue pleasure when the time comes and in the meane time he keepeth vs in a purpose Young men make their sinnes of a double die Crimzen sinnes they become a disease of the bones and custome is turned into a necessitie whereupon diuers say I would faine but I cannot leaue them of these if one recouer fortie rotte away 5 If Sathan can make our youth an vnprofitable age in all the ages following little good is to be looked for For if yee once nip the blossome where is the hope of the Autumne Where may we looke for fruite Well if we will needes vse our pleasure then must we set downe some measure The diuels rules neuer haue exceptions but Gods Saints must learne restraint we must neuer make our hearts the stewards of our affections that our thoughts wander not in them and least in desiring things too much we exceed when we haue them There must be the least lusting of these outward things because there is least vse of them If a man cannot want them he will abuse them when he hath them It is true that Ierom saith The beginning is honest but the greatnesse is deformed And that also sinne is very reasonable in the beginning very shamefaced Thamar went first to play the whore with a vaile before her face but now with an open face first honest recreation and then a pleasure of vanitie recreation before labour to play before we study we vse pleasure but to no good end 6 There is a generall rule wantonnesse is the beginning of sinne We see in Esau to what great prophanenesse his wanton pleasure in hunting grew So in the Scriptures there can be found none other beginning of Salomons fal but this that 1. Kin. 3. wheÌ„ he had spent seuen yeeres in building the house of God he speÌ„t thirteene after in building an house for himselfe This was scarce a good proportion to bestow thirteene yeers on his own house and seuen yeeres on God his house and the Apes and Peacocks that he brought into the land set the people in such vanitie that they vanished away in their wanton thoughts Idlenesse and trifling be the callings of Gentlemen now adaies as also needelesse expenses 1. Tim. 5. 7 If euer we would haue the Church of God to continue among vs we must bring it into our households and nourish it in our families 8 A certaine woman saying without pittie at the birth of a poore childe here is the mouth but where is the meate had this saying replied on her at what time she brought forth a child which died here is meate but where is the mouth 9 Wee are not to iustifie our selues before God onely by faith but wee must also iustifie our selues by good workes before men so that we must not onely labour for our selues but endeuour to stirre vp others also and looke one on another as the Cherubins did and tell things one to another as Iohn tolde his brother We must be carefull for one another and that not onely for the time present but for the time to come This we are bound to doe and our common dealings ought to bind vs thereunto We prouide for our children should we not prouide for the Church which is spiritually tied vnto vs Surely if we consider the plentie and peace which we enioy we shall see that it is not for our deserts for we abound in sinne and none iniquitie is wanting in vs but it is the bloud of the Martyrs who haue purchased this so dearely For these daies did they sowe with teares and we haue reaped them with ioy Now if we will not haue our
in death Three things to bee noted in this text The power of Gods word in the coÌ„uersion of sinners Three waies Note The first entry to godlines beginning of repeÌ„tance is a godly sorrow for sinne Psal. 4. 5. Esay 40. 6. 7. 8. Esay 66 and 57. 14. 15. Matth. 9. 13. The power of the plaine simple preaching of the Gospell The power of the word Heb. 4. 12. The word must pierce vs. Iohn 16. 8. 2. Sam. 1. 2. A false perswasion of the pardon of sins in many Signes of godly sorrow To be often touched with out amendment dangerous How foolishly many wold put off their sorrowes A true examination of our selues In our examination hee teacheth vs to follow the order of the commandements Note 1. Cor. 11. 30. 31. Simile Sorrow for sin the way to heauen Luk 16. True humiliation before sound coÌ„fort Rom. 6. 12. Zach. 12. 10. 11. Gal. 5. 24. 2â— Not to coÌ„tent our selues with sorrow for sin but to proceede to repentance 2. Cor. 7. 9 10 Note Repentance what it is Rom 6. 3 4. Phil. 3. 9. 10. 11. What is meant by the gift of the holy Ghost Act. 2. Sorrow for sin must be continued Note The scope of the text The loue of the Saints to the word 1 The diuers acceptatioÌ„ of these words kingdome of heauen 2 1 2 First it is taken for the meanes The keyes of the kingdom of heauen committed to all Ministers of the Gospell Looke to the translation Luke 17. 21. The Ministery of the word is the meanes to bring vs to the knowledge of Christ and so to his kingdome Graces bestowed on theÌ„ which vse the meanes well Obseru 1. He that will goe to heaueÌ„ must make an entrance into it on earth How to know where a treasure is Wherfore so few loue the Gospell and meanes of saluation Sacraments Meanes of least shewe may bring vs greatest graces Obseruation Few loue the word How to speak of a parable Sense of the place Doubts in our first conuâ—rsion The mindé may be deceiued the heart cannot so be being truly possest of the word How the word is found before it be sought God turnes away his couÌ„tenance from his children for a time God hath a different respect of yong and old Wherfore we waâ—t good things Ioy of saluatioÌ„ how great Gods proceedings with his children To labour for the ioy of our saluation Psal. 51. Two sorts of ioyes in receiuing the word The ioy of the minde of the heart note the difference Seate of faith An apt â—imilie A good triall of some ioy The fight of a Christian. Similitude of building Similitude of warfare Euery Christian a builder and a warrier Striue to enter in at â—â—e â—â—raite gate Premeditations before men be resolued to follow Christ. Christianitie a warfare To renounce reason first Anger To fight with reason and affections a hard battell To fight with penurie and want Satans practises in temptations Wherefore many are ouertakeÌ„ with temptations Ephes. â— Philip. 4. 14. Rom. 8. The wicked by faith purged made Gods childreÌ„ The summe of the two former Sermons Sense What must besold before wâ—â—aÌ„ possesse Gods kingdome Consider three things 1 2 3 Iames 5. The change of on sinne for another Secondly all sinne must be forsaken Herod Ananias Iudas 3 Sale of sia for euer Not sufficieÌ„t to leaue sin but meÌ„ must mourne for it vntill they come to souÌ„d griefe How many deâ—eiue theÌ„selues when they know their sinnes are pardonable not labouring any further for an assurance that they are pardoned To harbour some secret sins in our breast To be religious rather than so to seeme to be Of infirmities Inward corruptions To maister naturall corruptions Video meliora proboque de â—â—riora sequor Note The messenger of SathaÌ„ within vs. Pride How to carri-ourselues in a temptation Câ—rnall securitie feare dangerous Note A greater studie and care for the increasing of this inestimable treasure The necessitie of Ministers Pastors Docters and Elders in the Church of God 1. Thess. 5. 12. 13. This is not meant of ciuill Magistrates but of the gouernours of the Church Matth 9. 36. Mark 6. 34. The people of God without a shepheard for all the great learning of the Doctors Matth. 9. 38. Who be onely true Ministers The miserie of the people without a Pastor Matth. 23. 37. Luk. 13. 34. Ephe 4. 4. 5. 6. The ministerie of the word the most necessarie thing in the world 1. Pet. 1. 23. 1. Pet. 5. 8. Great danger of not hauing a godly Pastor The vse wher vnto God hath appointed ministers Rom. 10. 6. 7. 8. Rom. 10. 17. Preaching the onely meanes to worke faith in vs. Luk. 16 31. Matth. 16. 19. The Lord in his mercy wil haue his children certaine of saluatioÌ„ in this life to their vnspeak able comfort Exod. 20. 18. 19. If the Preaching of the word worke not faith in vs we could not beleeue though God spake to vs himselfe nor if one should come from the dead Iohn 10. 24 25. 26. 27. 28. Note Rom. â— â—â— Though their holines be neuer so great in the outward appearance they shall not stand in the end Certaine condemnation of the wicked The assured comfort of Gods childreÌ„ in Christ. Iohn 20. 23. The dutie of Ministers Ephes. 47. 8. Attendance in reading 1. Tim. 4. 13. 1. He must reade studie the worde of God diligently Malach. 2. 7. Iosh. 1. 8. To meditate in the word day and night Psal. 1. 2. To meditate in the word daily 2. He must teach the word The strait account of the Minister The order of his teaching is to build vpon the true foundation Iesus Christ. How to know onâ— that preaches with the power of the word He that â—uildeth not vpon that foundation is an Antichrist Acts 20. 27. Hee must teach all the counsell of God Luk. 24 45. 2. Tim 4. 2. Matth. 22. 29. Hee must pâ—icke forward the godly to increase in godlinesse beate downe the obstinate with the iudgements of God comfort the penitent with the promises of the Gospell To apply comfort to the penitent sinner The minister ought to go tâ— the houses of his charge Gen. 3. 19. Priuate meanes as well as publike must be vsed by the Minister Luk. 10. 38. 39 19. 9. Acts. 20. 20. That which is spoken to all is regarded of none or of few To admonish priuatly is to take all excuses away He must teach continually both in season and out of season Acts. 20. 31. Paul warned them with teares both night day 2. Timoth 4. 1. 2. Note He must pray both for himselfe and his people as wel priuately as openly 1. Cor. 3. 6. His office is to blesse the people in the Lords name Deut. 10. 8. Num. 6. 23. Psal. 118. 26. Iohn 17. Rom. 1. 9. 2. Tim. 1. 3. He must be circumspect in administring the Sacraments The minister ought to take account of their faith The sacrament pertaiâ—â—â—â—
commonly despised We may not loue that best which the world esteems best A good rule Depth of mystery in plainnes of words Heart seat of diuinitie Triall of heart Note Note Affections Note Popish doctors of reasoÌ„ A wit not huÌ„bled hinders vs in godlinesse Loue. Canticles Griefes Motions Mercie 〈…〉 nts 〈…〉 they 〈…〉 〈…〉 câ—p 7 7. 〈…〉 true sense A two fold iudgement the one in righteousnes another in mercie We are to follow the holy Prophets c. in their holy affections Note Note The name of the Lord. The word the onely glasse to see and know the Lord. Iohn 14. 23. Psalm 119. A mirrour of godlinesse Freewill Albeit wee haue the light of the word yet the Lord must opeÌ„ our eyes before we can see Affection Anger Watchfulnes Simile To meet with teÌ„ptations before sinne be perfected Simile Godly feare The dominion of sinne Rom. 6. 12. Not to bee tempted Heretikes 〈…〉 â—0 Note Simile The blindnes of sinnes Simile Note the louing mercie of the Lord couering our manifold infirmities Simile The ChristiaÌ„ warfare The end of all deliuerances Thankfulnes Two principall props in trouble Esay 5. Godlinesse Afflictions Gods countenance Godly sorrow Loue to Gods word Simile God iust in his prouidence Note Diues and Lazarus Matth. 5. Incredulitie in Gods children Beleeuing the word That the 119. Psalme concernes all the regenerate Iobs sinnes Note A true propertie of zeale Galath 6. 1. Zeale for the contempt of the Word Of Zeale Diuers kinds of zeale 1 2 3 The first propertie of true zeale The first rule of true zeale Toleration of many things for the peace of the church The second rule of true zeale Two obseruations The second obseruation Simile Conscience of thoughts The third rule of zeale The fourth rule of zeale Triall of our obedience To heare with the frailties of Gods children Duties of loue euen to Gods children The fift rule of zeale Sufficiencie for the ministery The sixt rule â—â— zeale Difference betweene fretting anger and pining zeale Admonition Our vnbeleefe and wherefore we see it not Triall of our zeale Our vnbeleefe is shewed vs in the often repetitions of the commendatious of the word No idle repetitions in this Psalme M. Bradford and holy Martyrs much lamenting euer fâ—r their vnbeleefe The word of God a tried friend in troubles Simile Dauid against Goliah Triall of our loue to the word Triall of our loue to the word How Christians differ much from heretikes Heretikes cannot abide the word Good notes for prayer 1. Importunate in praier with God Luk. 1â— 1. 2 Wherfore God delayes to graunt our requests 2. Wisedome of he spirit in prayer Our times for prayer Sabbath Luk. 10. 41. 42 Callings Diligence in hearing and prayer Note Sabbath two Sermons the mornings 〈…〉 eâ—es Note Preparation and meditation Preparation The minâ—sâ—eâ— Balaams witchcrafe Num 23. 22. 23. Meditation The morning meditation 1 2 3 Note 1. Cor. 7. Ierem. 7. 13. Iob. 8. 2. Matth. 21. 18. The third point cheerefulnes in prayer Spirite of cheerfulnes a singular grace Note The fourth propertie in prayer is Faith Faith and patience A iudgement of mercy and of seueritie Note Note Note Secret sinnes Note Witchcraft Zeale Anger Hypocrisie Note Note Rom. â— 3. 4. 5. Luk. 7. 47. Dulnes Esay 25. â— Feare Consulting with witches Is Gods feare be wanting there is no temptation so great but we faâ—â— inâ—o it Triall of our feare of God False feare Simile Witchcraft A true note of Gods child The true ioy of the faithfull howfor it exâ—â—â—des all carnall ioy Triall of our ioy Simile Sabbath Dulnesse in prayer and other holy exercises Feare and ioy tempered together Loue to good things and hatred of euill things may not slakâ— in vs. Prayer AdmonitioÌ„ Relapse Polygamie Heresie or profâ—â—â—nesse like to follow our securitie The true faith worketh by loue Iohn 17. Furies Application Waiting an effect of faith AsouÌ„d faith breedeth a good conscience Incredulitie hastie A patient faith Impatience True faith not without good workes To iustifie diuersly taken How we are iustified by workes Simile Simile Simile RepetitioÌ„s in prayer how reprooued Simile Promises are generall Prayer must bee ioyned with faith knowledge Ripenes of iudgement and quicknes of affections whence Thankesgiuing the end of Gods blessings Many thinke they loue God his word religion wheÌ„ indeed they doe not Simile How to holde fast true Wisedome The cause of forgetfulnes is carelesnes Two things to be auoided first vanitie of minde secoÌ„dly worldlinesse if wee will entertain and possesse wisedome What to be auoided Simile To auoyd the societie of the wicked Citò longè tardè Psalm 119. and 1â—0 1 The practises of the wicked against the godly 2 3 What euill examples doe No hope of Lucre or preferment must linke vs in any league with wicked men Reasons of the former precept The delight of the wicked A true marke of the wicked How we must endeuour to sâ—irre vp otâ—ers â—o â—â—ad neâ— â—â—â— be 〈…〉 we haue not performed any such autie Psal. 119. It is not sufficieÌ„t to flie the counsells anâ— companies of the wicked Wee must hasteâ— to the societie of the godly 〈…〉 〈◊〉 â—â—al â— 1. 2. 〈◊〉 16. â— Gen. 16. 8. Vaine and vnprofitable changes of places of callings c. Two marks of a righteous man 1 2 Notes of a good conscience 1 2 3 Simile Simile Simile Good cautioÌ„s to keepe vs from sinne How the wicked walke in sinne know it not Profit by reading preaching conferring of the word We must store vp the word in our heart by prayer meditations We must not rest in the vse of one good meanes 1 Two causes of watching ouer our hearts 2 The second cause of watching ouer our hearts In what respects the worldlings leaue sinne The triall of our hearts whether in sinceritie wee loue the Gospell for the Truths sake or because we get some gaine glorie by it Cause of all sinne in our owne selues SataÌ„ is made a chirurgion to cure the corruptionâ— of the Saints How the pure heart stadeth fast in temptations Our hearts tried two waies The first by afflictions The second triall of the hart by our ioy and griefe in good and euill Desire of saluation How to discouer a couetous heart Care for the prosperitie of the Church a speciall note of Gods children Psal. 122. True triall of our ioy and sorrow Paul afflicted yet great ly comforted wheÌ„ he heard of the peace of the church and prosperitie of the gospell Triall of the heart in prosperitie To loue and speake the trueth in the least matters How God chasteneth his children for lying To speake the trueth in iudgement Scorne True knowledge where and how to finde it Triall of our hearts whether we principally respect Gods fauour in all our actions Contempt of the word what causes breed it 1 We say the rich and the mightie estâ—eme it not 1. Cor. 1. 2 We say it is too hard