our hearts forgive not our brothren their trespasses And therefore whosoever prayeth for forgivenes se in this prayer doth not only oblige himselfe to forgive all others but even curse and bring downe imprecations upon himselfe and desire God in effect never to pardon him if he be not thus qualified by pardoning of others 'T will therefore be most absolutely necessary for every man that takes this prayer into his mouth first to put all malice desire of revenge or grudge out of his heart or else his prayer shall be truned into a curse to him S. § 3 You have past thorow the second period of this chapter the weighty duty of prayer together with the cautions and directions belonging to it Let us now by your leave advance to the third reaching thorow the next three verses 16 17 18. Moreover when thou fastest c. where first I pray what is the importance of the phrase Moreover because that was not formerly used in the second of the three C. It noteth 1 this duty to be not so ordinarily and frequently taken notice of as the former and therefore a note of remarke is prefixt to it 2. that this is also a duty necessary to be superaeded to the practice of the other two if we will be Disciples of his it being a part of the worship of God also when it cometh in conjunction with them S. Well then I shall presume you will continue the same method of handling this which in the former two you have observed by takeing notice of 1. a duty supposed 2. a caution interposed I shall desire to receive first what you will recommend unto me for the Duty which is here supposed thou when thou fastest What kind of fasting is here spoken of C. Not the solemne prescribed fasts of the Jewes for those were not to be concealed or dissembled such as the great day of expiation called the Sabbath which God had chosen described Is 58. in those expressions which are ordinarily thought to belong to the weekely Sabbath day Nor those other three added to that under the time of the second Temple But daies of private fasting that every one prescribed themselves as a free-will offering some once some twice some oftener every weeke denying themselves their lawfull ordinary food commonly not eating till the going downe of the sunne and then very moderately also Which exercise as Christ disliketh not but rather approveth it by his mention here so he desires to free and rescue it from the vaineglorious designe of Pharisaicall hypocrites in the using of it But before you will be well capable of hearing and assenting to your duty in this of fasting or denying your selfe your lawfull food it will be necessary by way of preparative for you to know your duty in respect of sobriety or what eating or drinking abstracted from the superaddition of this duty offasting is lawfull for Christians For as he which is not advanced so farre in the schoole of nature as to observe rules of justice will scarce be a fit auditour of the doctrine of almes-giving premised So certainely he that hath not submitted himselfe to the rule of sobriety will be hardly brought to heare of fasting and besides the truth is that the unjust mans almes will availe him little and as little the drunkards or gluttons fasts And therefore it will not be amisse a while before we proceed to take in the consideration of this duty of sobriety S. I acknowledge the reasonablenesse of the proposall What then doe you meane by Sobriety C. Temperance in eating and drinking which whatsoever may be said of it under the Old Testament among the Jewes who being allured to the service of God especially with the representation of temporall promises of plenty c. could not so fitly be interdicted the liberall use of meates and drinkes but might be allowed somewhat in that matter which is not allowable to Christians at least might be so farre permitted the exceeding of those strict termes of sobriety without danger of punishment is now strictly commanded Christians in the New Testament and that under threat of damnation to him that frequently of willingly and indulgently offendeth herein Thus 1 Cor. 6. 10. 't is said of drunkards that they shall not inherit the Kingdome of God where the word is not to be restrained to those who drinke to bestiality to the depriving themselves of the use of their reason that drinke drunke as we say but belongs to all that drinke wine or strong drinke intemperately though through their strenght of braine they be not at present distempered by it So Gal. 5. 21. among the workes of the flesh which they that doe shall not inherit the Kingdome of Heaven there is mention of Revellings or comessations or excesse in eating So Rom. 13. 13. both together forbidden surfetting or excesse in eating and drunkennesses or excesse in drinking And so 1 Pet. 4. 3. Excesse of wine revellings and drinkings And on the other side is sobriety commanded 1 Thes 5. 6. 8. And Tit. 2. it is mentioned as a speciall designe and end of the appearing of Christ that we should be instructed to walke justly and piously and soberly in this present world The first of those three referring to our duty to our neighbour the second to our duty toward God and that of sobriety to our duty toward our selves nothing tending more to the preservation of our selves then that and nothing more hurtfull and unagreeable with that charity which we owe to our selves then intemperance and so in those three the whole duty of man comprized S. How many sorts of excesse in eating and drinking be there to which sobriety is opposed C. The excesse is of two sorts one in the quantity when we eate or drinke to the overcharging of the body and the sobriety contrary to that is when we eate and drinke no more then agrees with the health and good temper of it though we doe allow our selves the pleasures and delights in choice of meates c Another excesse there is in the quality or delicacy of meates or drinkes and a studied care and pursuit of such as are thus most delightfull And the sobriety contrary to this is when we content our selves with that meate and drinke which is necessary or usefull to the health and strength of our bodies and neglect or despise all other delicacies S. Are both these kindes of excesse condemned and sobrieties commanded us Christians C. Some difference there is in this matter The former of those excesses is so forbidden that he that useth it is excluded from the Kingdome of God 1 Cor. 6. 10. Gal. 5. 21. And consequently the contrary sobriety strictly commanded under that heavy penalty But the second kind of excesse is not so forbidden or the contrary sobriety so commanded under penalty of exclusion from the Kingdome of Heaven to him that useth that excesse onely in the choice of meates that are most delicious
not onely to be praised but rewarded also S. I conceive you have now gone through the first of the three things and fully satisfied all my scruples God grant my obedience and practice and observation of your directions may be as perfectly compleate and universall I shall call upon you now to the second beginning at the fifth and extended to the 16th verse In all which I expect what you will observe unto me C. § 2 The same generall parts that before A Duty supposed and a double Caution interposed The Duty supposed is prayer that great prime branch of the worship of God required of all that acknowledge God to be God and most reasonable for all that acknowledge 1. The world to be ruled by his providence 2. Themselves to have any need of his grace or pardon Or 3. That hope for any reward from him in another world S. I shall desire your direction in divers particulars concerning this duty And 1. How many sorts of prayer are there C. 1. Prayer of the heart when the soule sighs out it's desires unto God and of the tongue added to that which is then vocall prayer 2. Either publicke or private Publicke of two sorts 1. In the Church or meeting together of all that will joine with us called together by tolling of a bell c. which is very usefull and necessary 1. For the publicke testimony of our piety 2. For the stirring up and enflaming of others 3. For the making of those common publicke requests wherein all that meete are concerned as for all men the whole Church the Rulers and Magistrates of that Community wherein we live for pardon of sinnes gift of grace preservation from danger and all other things that as Fellow-members of a Church or State we may stand in need of 4. For the prevailing with God the union of so many hearta being most likely to prevaile and the presence of some godly to bring downe mercies on those others whose prayers have no promise to be heard especially if performed by a consecrated person whose office it is to draw nigh unto God i. e. to offer up prayers c. to him and to be the Embassadour and Messenger betweene God and Man Gods Embassadour to the people in Gods stead beseeching them to be reconciled and the peoples Embassadour to God to offer up our requests for grace pardon mercies to him 2. In the family which is a lesser Congregation the Master or Father of which is to supply the place of the Preist and to provide this spirituall food for all that are under his power and charge as well as their corporall food and aske those things which in that relation of members of the same family are most acknowledged to be needfull for all there present And then private prayer of two sorts againe either of husband and wife together who are as it were one flesh and have many relations comnon to one another and yet distinct and peculiar from all others Or of eveey man or woman single and private from all others in the closet or retirednesse S. Having mentioned the sorts you will please also to mention the parts of prayer C. Those are set downe by Saint Paul 1 Tim. 2. 1. Supplications prayers intercessions giving of thankes The first seemeth to referre to Confession and acknowledgement of and beseeching pardon for sinne A necessary dayly duty both in publike and private for our selves and others only in private fit to be more distinct and particular by way of enumeration of the kinds and acts and aggravating circumstances of sinne The second is the petitioning or requesting of all things necessary for our bodies or soules in all our capacities either as single or double persons as members of families of Kingdomes of Christendome of mankind it selfe The third is the interceding or mediating for others offering up prayers for freinds for enemies for all men especially for our lawfull Governours Kings and all that be in authority spirituall or civill The fourth is the returning our acknowledgements to God for all benefits received by us or others being bound by the rule of gratitude to be mindfull of what we have received of piety to acknowledge God's hand in bestowing them of charity to be sensible of what ever good any part of mankind hath beene partaker of from that great spring of goodnesse as well as our selves and by all these to expresse all in our prayers and addresses to heaven S. My next inquiry must be how often this duty must be performed C. This great duty consisting of these so many parts must be performed frequently by all and every Christian without any slacking or intermitting of it but how frequently there is no precept in this place or any other of scripture which argues that though the substance of the duty be under particular precept yet the frequency is left after the manner of other free-will-offerings to every mans owne conscience and prudence as occasions and circumstances shall direct Yet from the commands and examples of Scripture some speciall directions we may take with us As 1. that one day in seven is to be set apart for this purpose though not to be all spent in the performance of this one duty yet for this duty to be carefully performed both in the Church the familie and in private and that with more solemnity then ordinary 2. That other times taken notice of by the Church either by way of commemoration of partticular passages in the story of Christ of his Saints c. or by way of commemoration of some notable benefits received or on occasion of particular urgencies c. be by us solemnely observed also according to the rule of the Church wherein we live in like manner as the Jewes observed their dayes appointed them by law 3. that no man omit to performe this duty at least morning and evening every day this being solemnely required of the people of God directed by the law of piety to begin and close all with prayer which the very heathens could judge necessary and being the least that can be meant by that precept of the Apostle of praying without ceasing or continually which is thought by many to extend no farther then in proportion to the dayly sacrifices among the Jewes which were constantly every morning and evening but by none interpreted or conceived interpretable to any lower proportion But then 4. the examples of holy men in scripture do adde unto this number some more some lesse David in one place specifies the addition of a third at morning and at evening and at noone day will I pray and that instantly i. e. in a set solemne intense earnest addresse Ps 55. 17. and so Daniel c. 6. 10. and this of noon-day is the same with the sixth houre which is a time of prayer Act. 10. 9. used by Saint Peter Others againe observed the ninth hour i. e. about three of the clocke in the afternoone
as Peter and John Act. 3. 1. which is there called an houre of prayer it seemes commonly observed and by going up to the Temple it is likely that publicke prayers were used at that time and this superadded to the former is a fourth time And there is little doubt but that the third houre i. e. nine in the morning was an houre of prayer also though there falls not out to be any mention of it in the new Testament and then that is a fifth time And the evening prayer being answerable to the morning and so used at six in the evening as the other at six in the morning the custome of Godly men hath beene to shut up the evening with a Compline or prayer at nine of the Night and so that is a sixth time To which David seemes to adde a seaventh Psal 119. 164. seven times a day do I prayse thee where praysing being the fourth part of prayer may be a denotation of the whole duty although the truth is the phrase seven times may possibly be taken not strictly to signifie that number but as a phrase or forme of speech to denote frequency These directions put together and pondered and compared with the leasure that every man hath from the duties of his calling and with the great unvaluable benefits of prayer and with the power of importunity i. e. frequent comming to God in prayer acknowledged by Christ and with the conâ—â—rnance of those things which we may aske and obtaine by prayer above most other things which we spend great part of our time on and with the reasonablenesse of giving God a liberall portion out of our time as well as our estates who hath allowed us so much besides to our owne uses will be very helpfull to you that you may judge discreetly what is to be done in this businesse and then still resolving that what is well done and well weighed for circumstances being for the substance a duty commanded the more of it is performed it will be the more acceptable to God S. From these Scruples satisfyed give me leave to proceed to another what kind of formes my prayers may or must be presented in C. In this there are two questions couch ed 1. whether any set forme of prayer be lawfull to be used 2. If it be whether any other may be used And then what directins may be had for that To the first I answer positively that set formes of prayer are lawfull both as the word set signifies premeditate limited formes as opposed to extemporary and as it signifies prescribed and for some occasions and uses commanded That it is lawfull to use a set determinate forme of words either written or fastened in our memory is apparent both by the example of Christ who in Saint Luke bids us when we pray say Our Father c not only pray after this patern as the words in Saint Matthew may be interpreted but use these very words When you pray say Our Father c. Luk. 11. 2. and of John Baptist who taught his Disoiples to pray in some forme though we know not what it is Luk. 11. 1. As also of the Preists that used set formes of blessing the people Numb 6. 24. and of our Saviour himselfe who used a part if not the whole of the 22 Psalme upon the crosse My God my God why hast thou forsaken me c. And of the Church of the Jewes and Christian Churches through all times who have had their Liturgies as wayes and formes of serving of God publickely and as meanes to preserve the true Religion from all corruptions in doctrine And to these arguments may be added one more of common observation even when the Minister or who ever is the mouth of the rest prayeth though in a forme of his owne present extemporary effusion yet at that time all others present are limited to his conceptions and pray in as stinted a forme as if what the Minister prayes were read out of a booke or dictated by his memory That it is also lawfull to use a set as that signifies a prescribed forme of prayer is apparent also 1. By Christs prescribing which he would not sure have done if it had not beene lawfull to have used it being prescribed And so also 2. By the other examples mentioned which are most of them prescriptions 3. By the non-objection against the use of them for sure if it be lawfull to use them 't is lawfull to prescribe them at some time and for some uses for that a thing in it selfe acknowledged and proved to be lawfull should by being commanded by lawfull authority become unlawfull is very unreasonable unlesse lawfull Magistrates be the onely unlawfull things and at other times to use other liberty is not forbidden and so no tyranny used upon our Christian liberty 4. By the great benefit that accrues to the Congregation in having discreet well-formed prayers and so not subject to the temerity and impertinences of the suddaine effusions and the same still in constant use and so not strange or new to them but such as they may with understanding goe along with the Minister and by the helpe of their memory the most ignorant may carry them away for his private use and generally those that want such helpes are by this meanes afforded them And lastly that by meanes of prescribed Liturgies the unity of faith and charity is much preserved S. Well then supposing these set-formes to be lawfull in themselves and lawfull to be prescribed another question you taught me whether any other may be used but such C. Yes doubtlesse For the Church being obeyed in the observance of the prescribed Liturgy in publike gives liberty for other sometimes in the publicke Congregation so it be done prudently and piously and reverently and to edification and so also in the family or in visitation of the sicke if the particular condition of one or other doe require it And in private in the closet 't is not supposed by our Church but that every one may aske his owne wants in what forme of words he shall thinke fit which that he may doe fitly and reverently 't will not be amisse for him to acquaint himselfe with the severall sorts of addresses to God that the Booke of Psalmes and other parts of Holy Writ and all other helpes of devotion will afford him either to use as he finds them fit for the present purpose or by those patternes to direct and prepare himselfe to doe the like S. What qualifications be required in our prayers to make them acceptable to God or prevalent with him C. Three sorts of qualifications One in the person that prayeth and that is that he lift up cleane hands without wrath or doubting 1. That he be purified from all wilfull sinne bring not any unmortified wickednesse with him for God to patronize 2. That he have charity to his brethren and humility the two contraries to wrath 3. That he come with confidence
frequent fasting and withall by that meanes much advance his spirituall ends have greater vacancy for holy imployments greater store for workes of mercy c. and then sure in this case the commands of praying and mercifullnesse will be also tacite commands of fasting So that though there be not any particular explicite precept obligeing every man whatsoever under paine of sinne to fast simply thus or thus often yet tacite commands there may be to them that are by any of these circumstances fitted for it and even to those that for the present are not it will yet be fit to be considered and counted of as a duty that they may be concerned in and that if in no other respect yet in this that they are Christians who aspire to an angelicall life and invisible joyes and should therefore deny and by that weane themselves of those sensuall corporeall pleasures of eating or drinking so farre as to preservation of life and health and to their duty to themselves may be agreeable S. How often then should a Christian fast C. By what hath beene said you will guesse it unlikely that I should undertake to prescribe set rules for this the duty I shall leave to you as a voluntary oblation for you to offer as frequently as prudence joyned with due care of your health and as piety and the spirit of God shall prompt you and onely tell you these three things 1. That the Pharisee fasted twice every weeke and that never censured in him as a peice of Pharisaisme or hypocrisie or fault of any kind but as commendable if he had not boasted of it 2. That every Christian ought to have his solemne set dayes for the performing that great and weighty duty of humiliation in calling himselfe to account for all his wayes and confessing his sinnes to God more particularly and those dayes should not be too slow in their returnes lest his soule be too deep in arreares and so unwilling to come to accounts at all 'T is very reasonable for every man or woman of leisure to set apart one day in the weeke for this turn if the whole day or any other part of it may not thus be spared from the businesse of his calling yet the dinner time that day may be borrowed from eating and thus more usefully emploied without any disturbance to his other affaires And he that useth not some such constant course which yet on speciall occasions may be altered will be in great danger to be found and censured a neglecter of the duties of a Disciple of Christ 3. That over and above this common duty of all men some other wants there are or may be in this or that man to the repairing of which fasting may be very instrumentall as hath beene shewed and so proportionably is to be more frequently used by them who have this need of it Of which their owne conscience in the feare of God is left the judge All this hath beene said of private fasting because that is peculiar to this place For publicke fasting the direction must be had from the lawes where we live which so farre at least oblige every one that he offend not against them either contemptuously or with scandall S. I shall now desire Gods direction and grace to incline me to the performance of this my duty so as may be acceptable to him and to pardon me for my former omissions of it which truly have hitherto beene very great You may please now to proceed to the caution interposed wherein I shall presume it superfluous for you to say much having twice already insisted on it in order to prayer and almes-giving C. The caution is it selfe in plaine intelligible words When you fast be not as the Hypocrites of a sad countenance for they disfigure or discolour their faces that they may appeare to men to fast but rather then so doe thou when thou fastest anoint thy head and wash thy face for thy outward guise appeare in thy ordinary countenance and habit for the Jewes were wont to anoint themselves daily unlesse in time of mourning that thou appeare not to men to men to fast that no man out of thy family be witnesse of thy private fasts but to thy father which is in secret that thou mayest appeare desirous to approve thy selfe to him onely who onely is able to reward thee S. You have now past through those three great Christian duties which by their so neare confederacy here and by what you have said of them I find so linked together that it is very reasonable we should set apart some time for the joint practice of them alltogether for though it may be fit to give almes when I pray not nor fast not and to pray when I neither give almes nor fast yet sure my fasts wherein the expence of a dinner is saved should be joined then with almes-giving to wit giving to the poore that which is thus spared and allwayes with prayer God give me a heart thus to practice it § 4 Having thus farre advanced you may please to proceed to that that followes which I perceive to be a new matter Lay not up for your selves treasures upon earth c. And so on in one continued thread to the end of the Chapter Of all which what is the cheife summary importance you may breifely tell me C. There are two things to which all the ensuing sixteene verses belong and the second of them appendant to the former unto which the discourse insensibly glides The former is for the mortifying of all desire and love of wealth the latter for the moderating our worldly care or secular providence The former in the six ensuing verses 19 20 21 22 23 24. S. Why doe you referre these words Lay not up c. to the mortifying of desire and love of wealth C. Because a treasure is a metaphoricall word to signify that which men desire and love most importunately and set their heart upon and so the prohibition of laying up our treasure on earth is in effect the forbidding to love or desire or set the neart upon any earthly riches as a possession but onely to use them so as may most improve our future account i. e. by liberall dispensing of them to raise a banke which may enrich us for ever in another world For the enforcing of which prohibition and exhortation he mentions 1. The vanity and uncertainty of worldly riches which evidences how unfit they are for our hearts to be set upon One kind of them that which consists in costly vestments the moth a poore despiseable creature can and doth destroy and make uselesse another kind our corne and other the like fruits of the earth which the foole so applauded himselfe that he had store of for many yeares earing for so the word rendred rust doth signify whether of men or the ordinary attendants of granaries vermin bringeth to nought or if you will retaine the word in our
promise of this life as well as of another S. What is the seventh inforcement C. Because the time to come for which we desire to lay in before hand and by that meanes lay a double burthen on that part of our life which is present to provide for it selfe and that other also will when it cometh be able to take care and make provision for it selfe The Manna that came downe from heaven to the Israelites fell every day and therefore there was no need of laying up in store and if it were done it putrified of reserving any part of the present portion for for the time to come they were sure to be as plentifully provided as for the present they were and so the providence of God that hath brought us in a present store will be able and ready to do the like for the remainder of our lives when it comes and therefore all that we shall acquire by this sollicitude before hand is only to accumulate trouble and disquiet upon our selves besides that due labour and industry which we owe to God as subservient to his providence and to our selves for our present subsistence so much more as will secure us for the future also which what is it but to multiply toyle upon our selves above the proportion that God hath designed to us Whereas the trouble that belongs to every day for the maintaining of it selfe i. e. the labour and sweat that we eate our bread in is sufficient for that day without our artifices to increase it and requires too much rather then takes up too little time of divertisement from the duties of piety to these so vile inferiour offices The duty being thus largely enforced and our hearts by so many engines and pullies raised from this earth of ours to that principall care of Celestiall joies it may now be thought reasonable to hearken to Christ in a prohibition which was never given to men before and so this hard saying be softened this circumcision of the heart amputation of all those superfluous burthensome cares of the worldling or Mammonist be found supportable to the Christian I shall need adde nothing to so plentifull a discourse of this subject but my prayers That we all be in this the true Disciples of Christ Schollers and practicers of this heavenly lesson LIB IV. S. I See there is yet after all the trouble that your charity to me hath cost you another occasion and opportunity still behind ready to tempt you farther to continue your favour to me in leading me through the 7th Chapter wherein this Sermon on the Mount is concluded You may please therefore to enter upon that And tell me what you finde especially considerable in it C. One strict particular Christian precept I find in that Chapter which before I told you will doe well to be added to those many that the former Chapters have afforded and then foure generall ones and then a conclusion of the whole Sermon S. What is the particular precept you speake of C. It is set downe positively in the five first verses and then a limitation or explication or caution added to it v. 6. The precept is Negative not to judge other men v. 1. S. What is meant by Judging C. 1. All rash and temerarious 2. All severe unmercifull censures of other men S. What meane you by Rash censures C. Such as are not grounded in any manifest cleare evidence of the fact but proceed from my jealous and censorious humour being still forward to conclude and collect more evill of other men then doth appeare to me As 1. When by some indifferent actions done by my fellow Christian and appearing to me I surmise some other evill thing not farre distant from that and which may possibly be signified by it but is not so necessarily Or 2. When an action of anothers is capable of two interpretations the one fastening evill upon it the other not I take it on the evill side and censure him for that action for which perhaps God the searcher of hearts will never judge him or in case God sees it to beevill but I doe not then however thus to judge is in me temerarious judgement Or 3. When any other man hath done any thing apparently evill yet from thence to inferre a greater guilt in him then to that action necessarily belongs as the action being perhaps capable of extenuation by circumstances for me to deprive it of those extenuations and passe the judgement which would belong to it absolutely considered Or 4. Upon the commission of one or more single actions not sufficient to build up an habit or argue a malignity in the agent to censure him as guilty of that habit or that malignity this is still temerarious judgement which commonly proceedeth wheresoever it is from pride ambition vaine-glory or from envy malice uncharitablenesse and selfe love from one or more of these and falls under the judgement due to the suspicious contumelious whisperer busy-body Quite contrary to that charity that hopeth all things beleiveth all things thinketh none evill to that humility that thinketh better of others then our selves that peaceablenesse which Christ commendeth to us that kindnesse and pittifulnesse in bearing one anothers burthens and so lessening them and not making them heavier by our censures S. What meane you by unmercifull censures C. Those which have no mixture of mercy in them Ja. 2. 13. The precept of forgiving those who have wronged me is by Christ improved in some kind even to those offences which are done against God so farre as that I be obliged by it to looke upon them in others in the most favourable manner as on the other side I should be most severe in the examining and judging my selfe and alwaies remit of that rigour and severity which the matter is capable of as knowing that my owne best actions must be lookt on favourably by God and not strictly weighed by him or otherwise they will never be accepted by him S. To what purpose is all that which in this matter is added to this prohibition in the rest of this period C. 'T is first A deterrement from this sinne 2. A direction how to avoide it The deterrement this to consider how fearefull a thing it were if God should judge us without mercy and how reasonable that he should so doe if we be so unmercifull to other men The direction to reflect our eies and censures every man upon his owne sinnes and there to busy them in aggravating every matter into the size that justly belongs to it by this meanes to pull downe my owne plumes to abate my proud censorious humours and then those will appeare but motes in another man which now doe passe for beames with me He that is truly humbled with a sence of his owne sinnes will be willing to winke at faults in another at least not to improve and enlarge them not to censure and triumph over them S. What is the limitation or
of digniâ—ies acts of Jewish Zelots c. to the favouring or authorizing of any kinde of lust of divorces forbidden by Christ c. to the nourishing of rash anger uncharitable either timerarious or unmercifull censuring envie emulation variance strife malice revenge contumelious speaking whispering backbiteing c. to the excusing or justifying of piracy rapine oppression fraud violence any kinde of injustice c. to the spreading of lies slanders defamations c. to covetousnesse unsatisfiednesse uncontentednesse in our present condition desire of change casting the crosse on other mens shoulders that we may free our owne from it to dealing with others as we would not be well pleased to be dealt with our selves or in a word if they tend to the discouragingor discountenancing any Christian virtue set downe in this or any other sermon of Christ or by his Apostles or to the granting any dispensation or liberty from that Christian strictnesse in these duties or in those other of repentance selfe-denyall meekenesse mercifullnesse peaceablenesse c. by these markes and characters you may know this to be a False Teacher Yet not so farre this as that whosoever is guilty himselfe of any of these sins shall be if he be a Teacher a false one for 't is possible his Doctrine and Actions may be contrary but that if these be the fruits and naturall effects of his Doctrine then shall his Doctrine be thus condemned otherwise an ill man he may be and yeta teacher of truth a wicked but not a false Prophet S. But is it not said of these False Prophets that they come in sheepes clothing which sure signifies their outward actions to be innocent How then can they be discerned by their fruits C. I answer first that the fruits of their Doctrine may be discerned though their owne evill Actions be disguised and varnished over 2. That though their Actions most conspicuous and apparent be good yet their closer Actions which may also be discerned by a strict observer are of the making of the wolfe ravenous and evill 3. That though they begin with some good shewes to get authority though they enter as sheep doe some specious acts of piety at first yet they continue not constant in so doing within a while put off the disguise and are discernible S. What now is the fourth or last generall Precept C. The summe of it is that it is not the outer profession of Christianity or Discipleship though that set off by prophecying doing miracles c. in Christs name i. e. professing whatsoever they doe to be done by Christs power which will availe any man toward his account at that great day without the reall faithfull sincere universall impartiall performing of obedience to the lawes of Christ S. But can or doth God permit any wicked man to doe such miracles c C. Yes he may for the end of miracles and preaching c. being to convince men of the truth of the Doctrine of Christ that may well enough be done by those that acknowledge that truth though they live not accordingly the miracles done by them being not designed by God to the commendation of the instruments but to the perswading of the spectators S. § 3 Having received from you the full tale of the precepts you proposed there now remaines onely the conclusion of the whole Sermon to be discharged and then you have paid me all that your promise hath obliged you to C. It is this occasioned by the last precept of doing as well as professing Gods will that the profession of Christianity lending a patient eare to those doctrines will if it be as oft as it is trusted to and depended on to render us acceptable to Christ prove a very fallacious and deceitfull hope Whensoever any storme comes any shaking disease or affliction which gives us occasion to awake throughly and examine our selves to the bottome we are not then able to retaine any hope or comfortable opinion of our selves although in time of quiet and tranquillity before we were thus shaken we could entertaine our selves with such flattering glozes Hearing of Sermons and professing of love to and zeale for Christ may passe for piety a while but in the end it will not be so 'T is true Christian practice that will hold out in time of triall and that hope of ours which is thus grounded will stand firme and stable in time of affliction and temptation at the houre of death and the day of judgement This doctrine of Christian duty and obedience is such that can never deceive any man that is content to build upon it Nor infirmity nor sin committed but repented of and forsaken nor Devill shall ever shake any mans hold that is thus built endanger any mans salvation that lives according to the rule of this Sermon nor shall all the flattering deceitfull comforters of the world bring in any true gaine to any other And it came to passe when Jesus had ended these sayings the people were astonished at his doctrine For he taught them as one having authority and not as the Scribes OHoly Jesu that camest downe from heaven and wert pleased to pay that deare ransome on the Crosse for us on purpose that thou might redeeme us from all iniquity and purify unto thy selfe a peculiar people zealous of good workes we beseech thee to write thy law in our hearts that most excellent divine law of thine that we may see it and doe it that we may know thee and the power of thy resurrection and expresse it in turning every one of us from his iniquities That we no longer flatter our selves with a formall externall serving of thee with being hearers of thy word partakers of thy Sacraments professours of thy truth knowers or teachers of thy will but that we labour to joine to these an uniforme faithfull obedience to thy whole Gospell a ready chearefull subjection to thy Kingdom that thou maiest rule and reigne in our hearts by Faith and that we being dead unto sinne and living unto righteousnesse may have our fruit unto holinesse may grow in Grace and in the practicall knowledge of thee Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and at last persevering unto the last attaine to that endlesse glorious end the reward of our Faith the fruit of our labours the perfection of our Charity and the crowne of our Hope an everlasting blessed life of love and holinesse with thee O Father of mercies O God of all consolations O holy and sanctifying spirit O blessed Trinity coeternall To which one Infinite Majesty We most humbly ascribe the honour glory power praise might majesty and dominion which through all ages of the world have beene given to him which sitteth on the Throne to the Holy Spirit and to the Lambe for evermore Amen FINIS Theologia est scientia affectiva non speculativa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Glem Al. in pedag Of the first Covenant Of the second Covenan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉