the Apostle exhorteth Ephes 4. and loue one another â—phes 4. 15. yea euen our enemies as our Sauiour in my Text commandeth and be no waies partakers of those fornamed grosse sinnes of craft and cruelty which proceede from hatred malice couetousnes and enuy but be euery way abundant in good workes which are the fruits of true Christian loue and liberalitie Vse 3 And now lastly for our instruction sith loue is not onely a necessary implement but also an excellent ornament for a Christian and therefore by our Sauiour so earnestly required at our hands let vs know that it is our duety by humble and hearty prayer to seeke it at his hand let vs therefore beseech him to grant by grace that true loue vnto vs which nature cannot giue let vs humbly intreat him so to shed his Spirit abroad in our hearts that wee may loue his seruants as wee ought that those which are neere and deere to him may be so to vs and where he loueth most wee may there be most inlarged in our loue and kindnesse also that our very soules may fully rest themselues in the liking and embracing of Christians not looking to their present wants and imperfections but to their future perfection and glory not considering what they be in themselues but rightly conceiuing what they be in Christ this prayer this meditation will be an effectuall meanes to make our loue abound wherevnto if we shall adioyne the commendable practise of other Christian duties and in our often meetings conferre and discourse charitably and conscionably of holy things and make one another partakers of the benefit of our reading and hearing especially on the Sabboth day surely this would be as fewell and towe and bellowes too to blow and stirre vp this grace of loue in our hearts and to make it flame in a great measure to our mutuall comfort and commodity 2. Tim 16. Wherefore as euer we would haue louing hearts and bee loued of him that alone knoweth our harts let vs alwaies striue to haue our companies and societies seasoned with holy and religious exercises and in steed of prophane talking ripping vp of other mens faults scoffing and iesting which are things vncomely Ephes 5. and Ephes 5. 4. faults too common in our priuat meetings and as it were the puddle water to quench loue and the incentiues to prouoke hatred Let vs on the contrary vse godly conference and delight in the practise of prayers and singing of Psalmes the like duties of Christianity as often as our company in any place is thereto required whereby occasions of hatred may be preuented whereby Christians perceiuing the spiritual excellency which is in ech other may be the faster glewed and linked and obliged in their iudgements wills and affections one to an other Finally to shut vp this point with the exhortation of the Apostle Ephes 5. 1 2. Beloued be ye followers of Eph. 5. 1 2. God as deare children and walke in loue as Christ hath loued vs. And Let euery man please his neighbour in that which is good to aedification Rom 15. 2. and the Ro 15. 2. God of peace and loue grant that in the eternall peace-maker Christ Iesus wee may loue each other aeternally And thus much of the first doctrine and of the seuerall vses and reasons thereof And so the time cutting off the intended handling of the two other points following in the feare of God I commend you all to the grace of his word which is able to build you Act. 20. 32. further and to giue you an inheritance with those which are sanctified and commit that which hath been spoken euen this little graine of loue to the ground of your hearts the blessing thereof to him who is able to make an handfull of corne to proue like the top of Lybanus Psal 72. 16. and the Psalm 72. least graine of mustard-seed to ouertop the trees of the forrest Matth 13. Math 13. though he which sowed the same depart Euen to God the Father the inexhaustible fountaine of goodnes the Sonne the incomprehensible wisdom of the Father and the Holy Ghost the indivisible power of them both To whom being three in persons one in essence the same onely wise immortall and invisible Diety we ascribe and desire to be ascribed all praise power might maiesty and dominion now and for euer Amen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVL AND worthilie regarded Sir ROBERT CHICHESTER Knight of the noble Order of the BATH c. increase of all grace and true happinesse heere and the blessednesse of immortality hereafter SIR Beeing often sollicited by the earnest entreaty of men of no meane quality to publish these slender fruits of some few daies labour and to let them passe to the eie of this censorious world as things in their iudgement worthy longer life then to fade with the houre or two to which they were destinated I haue at length after much reluctancie yeelded consent to satisfie their importunity addressing my selfe with the more alacritie to the businesse because I saw oportunity offered thereby to let the world see how I reuerence your person regard your place and vnfeignedly desire to make publike acknowledgement of my bounden seruice to you for all such beneficiall fauours as haue bin at any time vouchsafed vnto me in that place and calling wherein by Gods grace I stand Sentinell for the soule-sauing good of you and many others I hope whom the Lord of grace hath ordained to glory beeing in duty and conscience obliged so farre as the nature of my ministeriall functioÌ„ shall guide me and the power of my poore ability can reach to returne vnto you the interest of spiritual bles sings the comforts of a better life eternall in lieu of such corporall benefits as vnder Gods prouidence your patronage I do enioy for the maintenance of this fraile life temporall As a pledge of which duty I doe here humbly present vnto your eies that funerall sermon which lately you heard with your eares presuming that by your fauorable acceptance and benigne countenance you will giue vnto the same a kind of second life especially because it was penned preached vpon the occasion of your much esteemed friends death at the solemnising of his buriall In the which if there bee any sentence of instruction rule of direction example of religious resolution whereof your christian wisdom according to the pregnancy of your wit apprehension shall make a conscionable and comfortable vse to the furtherance of your saluation the matter occasioÌ„ of my thanksgiuing to God for his blessing on my poore labours shall hereby greatly be enlarged and my respectfull readines vpon your encouragement to vndergo the like employment shal be much augmented Thus humbly beseeching your Worship to rest assured that how weake and meane soeuer my counsels and endeauours bee my vowes and praiers for your truest happines and honour
so farre forth as the trueth of my loue may not preiudice the loue of truth only this betwixt shame and sorrow I must say that for want of the Lawes iudicial execution both the vnbrideled lusts of mans corruption in spirituall consistories remaine vncorrected and the wicked attempts of mans presumption in temporall courts remaine vnrepressed and the originall of both defaults and defects is this that some officers in eyther doe too much resemble the Idoll Molech Leuit. 18. 21. liuely described or are Leuit. 18. 21. not much vnlike those Giants which called themselues Rephaims Phisitions and reformes of vices whereas they were Zanzummims Deut. 2. 20. most distempered vicious and flagitious themselues as in the 20. verse of the second of Deuteronomy it is plainely and pregnantly noted O that my words were in an Apostrophe auncients mouth that gray haires might giue grace vnto them then would I the more boldly beseech you right reuerend Father in God that according to your wisedome grauity place and dignity power and authority being armed with the compleat armour of temporall and spirituall iurisdiction you would with vndaunted courage and resolution strike at the very roote of those enormities And sith in this course of reformation you haue the prayers helpe and approbation of all good men and the assured assistance of God himselfe who will reward your care and crowne your diligence O goe on with the spirit of fortitude well tempered zeale and godly constancy to brandish the sword of iustice against the faces of presumptuous idolatrous Papists of miscreant irreligious Atheists of prophane Neutralists and seditious Priscillianists and alother enemies of God and his Church and with the speare of reproofe and seuerest castigation run through as I may say the very heart of farre spreading Popery of whoredome drunkennesse bribery extortion contempt of the Ministery periury blasphemy sacrilegious Church-robbing and of other grosse corruptions wherof the Church wardens whom I againe and againe aduise to make conscience of their sacred oathes shall make presentation Magna quidem est in illa seueritate piet as per quam tollitur peccandi Sen. libertas O make the truth heereof to appeare by your seuerity in giuing a downe-right blow to those offensiue euills which cry for a mighty stroake that they may no more stalke by you much lesse stare vpon you vncontrolled but that by your two staues of bands and beauty in imitation of the great shepheard of Israell Zachar. Zach. 11. 7. 11. that is of doctrine and discipline of coactiue correctiue iurisdiction either with an oportet haec facere or decet haec fieri with a prohibe or cohibe a caueat or a capias with an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 2. a cut Tit. 2. 13. off a put downe or shut vp the authors and actours of these ranging raging roaring sinnes in Cleargy Laity may be seuerely censured and as much as in your Lordship lieth vtterly suppressed For the better accomplishing of which needfull worke to returne to that from which I haue a little digressed it is of vs all Deare Christians to bee heartily wished and by all good meanes to bee endeuoured that such alway bee placed in the Magistracy and Ministery as may not onely by the duty of their calling seeke earnestly the reformation of those things which are amisse but also may by their well-ordered holy liues be lanternes spectacles of vertue and godlines patternes and presidents of well-doing grace and goodnes to all others That the people by them as by a glasse euen as the youth of Greece did by Epaminondas may learne to timme and adorn themselues with al vertuous ornaments This this is the most hopefullest course to rectifie things that are depraued to vnite things that are diuided to set in order and reforme things which had neede to bee amended I doe not deny but that multi multis prosunt dicendo quae non Aug. tract 46. in Ioh. faciunt but I also auerre with Saint Augustine that longe pluribus prodessent faciendo quae dicunt and without taking this course of making our lippes and our liues our hands and our hearts our wordes our works our profession and practise to agree together in a competent commendable manner little amendment in publique or in priuate is to be expected though the complaints of Ministers concerning their hearers prophanesse and ignorance of Magistrates concerning their peoples stubbornnesse and disobedlence of Parents and Masters concerning their children and seruants wantonnesse faithlesnesse and negligence bee neuer so much aggrauated neuer so often reiterated For when I pray will a leaud seruant bee dissuaded from his drunkennesse and whoredome by the words of a luxurious and licentious Master when wil a handmaid be reclaimed of her folly by the perswasion of a loose Mistresse when will disordered people and dissolute parishioners be reformed of their vaine and vile courses by the counsell or threatnings of vnruly rulers and carnall careles Ministers But it is high time for mee to shut vp this poynt for I haue a long way to goe and but lirtle time to spend and therfore I humbly beseech you all Men Fathers and Brethren beloued in Christ that you would seriously meditate on so necessary and profitable a Christian duety as hath now by way of doctrine of generall exhortation and particular application been commended vnto you Vse 2 let it haue its due entertainment in your soules and take deepe impression in your hearts for the amendment of whatsoeuer is amisse eyther in your own persons or in your publique assemblies or priuate families Againe and againe I say vnto you all Take heede vnto your selues and more especially to you my brethren in the ministery who by your callings are captayns of Gods army dispensers of Gods mysteries stewards of Gods houshould builders of Gods Church sheepheards of his flocke and therefore should bee couragious faithfull skilfull watchfull Take heed to your selues and looke to your families that there be not sound in them an Hophue or Phineas to make the Lords sacrifices abhorred as it fell out in the time of Eli 1 Sam. 2. beat 1 Sam. 2. downe the body of sinne in your selues and others that you may grow vp in the spirituall strength of your soules be much in conference with God and practise of holy duties pray much reade much meditate much preach often and earnestly and least by any meanes after you haue preached vnto others and prepared an arke for their safety you your selues should be reproued and perish with Noahs carpenters in the floud of your owne iniquity Take heede abandon all impiety and scandalous irregularity and as S. Paul exhorteth Timothy 1 Tim. 6. Flee couetousnes 1 Tim. 6. and noysome lusts and follow after righteousnesse loue patience meekenesse and labour alwaies amongst all persons to manifest a laudable congruity correspondency betweene your good teaching and godly liuing Let that prophane
cannot reuerse Vse A consideration R. W. and beloued in Iesus Christ by the miscreant Atheist much contemned by the temporizing Politician greatly neglected by the carnall gospeller slightly regarded by the Popes pardon purchasing and pickpurse Purgatory beleeuing Papist corruptly intertained and by very few of the best professors so sincerely and seriously thought on and embraced as it ought to be For it is the great fault not only of great men whose greatnes maketh them too often forgetfull of goodnes but euen of vs all high and lowe rich and poore great and small that wee neuer thinke on death or prepare to dy till wee finde and feele wee can no longer liue Yea we so imbrace admire adore and doat vpon this glittering world and are so loath to leaue the ruinous tabernacle of our corruptible flesh that we are not content or willing to goe to heauen till we see there is no remedy we can stay no longer on earth For the reforming of which carnall and worldly affection and for the better inciting and stirring of vs all vp to a more frequent meditation and Christian consideration of our soone expiring life and speedy approaching death let vs now in the name of God descend to some further vse and application of that which hath beene so largely deliuered And seeing we haue beene euery way sufficiently taught what through the frowardnesse of our carnall disposition we are otherwise dull ynough to learne that in this wicked world which is nothing else but a shop of vanity a theater of iniquity whordoms stewes oppression slaughterhouse thefts refuge and for euery sinne a sinfull sanctuary there is no sure rest or residence for vs and that here we haue no continuing City but liue euery day in such incertainty that the highest healthiest holiest happiest among men cannot promise to themselues to morrow O let vs I beseech you by the tender mercies of Christ Iesus as wee tender the good of our owne soules heare and know this for our selues as Eliphaz saide to Iob Heare this and know it for thy selfe Iob 5. 27. He that knoweth not what hee should know is a beast among men hee that knoweth no more then he must needs is a man among beasts but he that knoweth all he may know and that for himselfe and his spirituall aduantage is a god among men Let vs study and striue to bee such gods and euer remember that wee must die like men Let vs esteeme of euery present day as of the day of our death and make such conscience of all our waies words and works as if wee were presently to giue an account of our life q Greg. in Moral Qui considerat qualiter erit in morte pauidus prouidus erit in operatione He that thinketh alwaies of dying will be circumspect in his doing The meditation of death is a Christian mans Philosophy O let vs as carefull christians be continually exercised in this study and as cheerefull and faithfull professors bee alwaies busied in performing those righteous and religious duties which wee would doe if wee were dying and because that death in all places wayteth for vs let vs expect it euery houre suspect it euery where and be at all times prepared for it And now at this time especially let the dreadfull spectacle of death before our eies be as a shrill trumpet sounding aloud that message of Isaiah to Ezekiah in our eares that it may sinke deepe into our hearts r Isa 38. 1. Set thy house in order for thou must dy and shalt not liue Dispose of thy temporall affaires leaue not thy lands intangled thy substance intested to be a cause of variance to thy posterity make thy will doe it in time whilst thy thoughts are free thine affections staied and thy reason not distracted with feare or senses disturbed with paines so shall thy testament be testatio mentis a witnesse of thy mind Whereas on the contrary if thou put ouer the disposing of thine estate to that troblesome time of sicknes when thine head aketh hand shaketh thy tongue faltreth thine heart fainteth and euery part is pained it may iustly bee feared that neither thy words or writing will so expresse thy meaning but that thou shalt be easily drawn to make a will after anothers mind rather then thine owne Set therefore thine house in order now that thy soule bee not wearied then with secular affaires when it should be wholly busied in making it selfe ready for God Yea set thine heart in order also and forthwith dispose of thy soule to cast vp her reckonings turne thy selfe as Ezekiah did Å¿ 2. Kin. 20. 2. to the wall that is from the world to God Silentium a mundo est susurrus cum deo consider what thou hast beene examine thy selfe what thou art premeditate what thou shalt be Cogita vnde venis erubesce c. Thinke on thy Bern. naked natiuity and blush for shame on this worlds wretchednesse misery c. Sigh for griefe on deaths approaching tyranny and tremble for feare or rather that thou mayest bee freed from feare griefe and shame make soone thy soules peace with God and the world and by faithfull repentance turne from the worlds vanities to Gods seat of mercy and weepe as t 2. Kin. 20. 3. Ezekiah did bewaile thy sinnes past keepe a narrow watch ouer thine heart for the time to come Sow in teares that thou maiest reape in ioy Psa 126. And lastly not to leaue so good a patterne in any point vnfollowed pray too as Ezekiah did though thou canst not in the same manner Lord remember how I haue walked before thee in sincerity and truth yet to the same effect for mercy as Dauid did u Psalm 25. 7. Lord remember not the sinnes of my youth Lord for thy goodnesse sake remember mee And as D. Ambr. in Psal 38. Ambrose did on the 38. Psalm Lord forgiue mee my faults heere where I haue sinned for else where I cannot be releeued except I haue my pardon heer it is in vaine to expect the restfull comfort of forgiuenesse hereafter Now is the acceptable time as St. Paul speaketh x 2. Cor. 6. 2. now is the day of saluation This world is for thy repentance the other for thy recompence y Chrys in Heb. cap. 2. hom 4. Hic locus luctae ille coronae Hoc cunaeorum tempus est illud coronarum as D. Chrisostome speaketh This is the time and place of combatting that of crowning this of working that of rewarding this is for thy patience that for thy comfort Now God is helping to all them which repent and forsake their euill ways but then he will be a seuere examiner iudge and reuenger of all our wicked workes This is our day wherein the Gospell of peace and remission of sins is preached that is Gods day wherein all that haue receiued this grace in vaine shall be punished They that will not now receiue good counsell at