Pet. 2. 1. A worke of Sathan Gen. 2. 1. Of the Gentiles Rom. 1. 29. Of darknesse Rom. 13. 13. Of the flesh Gal. 5. 21. Opposite to charity â— Cor. 13. 4. And abdicated by holy men Titus 3. 3. Let him feed and foster this selfe-tormenting envy saith holy Salvian Invidia sola authorem persequitlâ—r Sa v. de Gub. Dei lib 3. pag 7â— doth onely persecute the author viper by selfe-love impatience and selfe-conceitednesse making himselfe a foole Pro. 10. 18. An unprofitable hearer 1 Pet. 2. 1. Rotting his owne bones Prov. 14. â—0 And slaying himselfe Iob. 5. 2. Like the Mountaine Aetna scorching himselfe with his owne â—â—mes What though the wrathfull man flâ—shâ—th himselfe in bloudy and barbarous cruelties acting that which is Sathans proper worke doing contrary to Gods nature he being mild and mercifull precept and practice Quid siulti propriâ—m non posse veâ—â—e nocere â—â—as 49. What and if the furious irefull revenger proceed in his uncharitable and unwarrantable wayes thereby exasperating to more hurt doubling his owne griefe losiâ—g tranquillity and peace of conscience good will with men and favour with God by usurping his regall right and robbing him of his authority Yet let every member of this concrete communion freely fully soundly and sincerely forgive each other Mot. 1 To this end consider The Divine precept of our great God Math. 5. 39. His sacred practise Gracious promise Math. 6. 4. And dreadfull judgements against all such who will not forgive Mat. 7. 1 2. 6. 15. Iam. 2. 13. Secondly our owne pronesse to offend Gal. 5. 17. Our flesh lusting against the Spirit Either against the same person which we should forgive some other and God himselfe But we offending would willingly have forgivenesse Thirdly that the person offending did it either ignorantly unawares by some inducements or through the violence of some prevailing temptation It was not the man therefore but his weakenesse which did offend Lastly consider the commodious advantages we shall reape by forgiving are many and great 1. We shall hereby become like to God Math 5. 44 45. We shall gaine comfort which while the boisterous sâ—rges of angry passions tempestuously trouble our cholericke nature we are senslesse of yet afterwards we shall find to our more then ordinary consolation witnesse 2 Sam. 25. 31. â—3 We may with a hopefull assurance sue unto God for a full remission of all our enormities and with a blessed confidence graspe and hold fast a firme perswasion that our sinnes are done away grounding upon Gods unchangeable promise Mat. 6. 14. By freely forgiving we shall make our foe our friend Rom. 12. 20. heape coales of fire on his head 1. He will repent and embrace us friendly or else if he continue in his malice he shall be fired with his owne conscience and consumed with the wrath of God And hereby we are made fitter for all pious duties 1 Pet. 2. 1. Ob. An. 1 Say not therefore I cannot forgive because the matter is so great Thou hast offended the Lord farre more yet he is willing to forgive thee But he ought not to have dealt thus and thus with me Neither oughtest thou to have wronged God But I meant him no harme Neither did the Lord thinke thee any harme yet hast thou offended him But thou art his superiour God is thine He is thy inferiour Thou art Gods But thou carest not for his favour thou livest not by his friendship The Lord our God needs none of thy helpe thou livest by him not he by thee yet he is willing to remit thee thine offences Be not we rigorous for a hundred pence lest we be bound to pay upon paine of everlasting Math. 18. damnation a thousand talents Let not us provoke the Lord to mete out to us condemnation by our not forgiving Let not us send up Vriahs letter in our prayer forgive not us because we will not forgive But let us freely forgive each other seeing we all have fellowship one with another Now before I enter upon the second braunch of our Society I intend to speake somwhat of the word Father not in the largest extent thereof as how he is Father to all creatures men Angels c. But onely how is the Father of these good-fellowes afterwards I purpose to shew how he and we have fellowship each with other OF THE SOCIETIE OF THE SAINTS the second Booke CHAP. I. GOD is the Saints Father Doct. 2 THE LORD of heaven and earth is not onely Father to men Angels creatures but also of all goodfellowes or the Saints after a speciall manner with the Father Iohn 1. 12. Rom. 8. 14 15. 1 Thes 1. 5. And a cloud of witnesses of Scriptures testifie this truth To the confirmation whereof I will use onely two Reasons it being as apparant and generally assented to as that the Sunne doth shine at noone day Reason 1 He who is Father to the Saints any some or all those wayes whereby one man is father to another he is the father of these goodfellowes But the Lord of heaven and earth is Father to the Saints all some or most of those wayes whereby one man is father to another Therefore the Lord of heaven and earth is the Father of these goodfellowes He who is Father to the Saints in regard of direction paternall procuration instruction imitation image and adoption is Father to the Saints most of those wayes whereby one man is father to another But the Lord of heaven and earth is Father to the Saints in those regards viz. 1. Man is father unto man by direction Gen. 45. 8. Thus God is Father to the Saints directing them by his Word which is a light to their feet and a lanterne to their paths And his Spirit leading them thereby Rom. 8. 14. so that they walk after the Spirit 2. Man by paternall procuration is father to man thus Iob was a father to the poore Iob 29. 16. And so is God a father of our society defending us from cursed calamities plucking us out of the jawes of the Lion and providing for us necessaries at the least so that we have Sufficient for our good if not satiety to give us contentment 3. Man is father to man in regard of instruction or doctrine 1 Cor. 4. 15. Gal. 4. 19. Thus is God much more pouring grace by his Spirit into the heart for Paul may plant Apollo water but God onely gives the increase 4. Man in regard of invention is father unto man who in regard of imitation is his sonne Gen. 4. 20. Iabal the father of such as dwell in tents The Divell thus is the father of all wicked ones Ioh. 8. 44. Thus is Abraham father of all godly persons who walke in the holy steps of Abraham Rom. 4. 12. Thus is God our Father we being followers of him as deare children Math. 4. 45. Eph. 5. 1. 5. Man is father to man in regard of image Gen. 5. 3. Some
For truly our fellowship is with the father and with his Sonne Iesus Christ CHAP. II. Doct. 3. Saints have fellowship with the Father Doct. 3 AS the Saints have fellowship one with another so have they also communion with the Lord of glory or with the father our fellowship with the Father Ioh. 14. 23. We will make our abode with him 1 Cor. 14. 25. That God is in you 1 Ioh 4. 12. 13. If we God dwelleth in us we dwell in him and he in us ver 16. dwelleth in God and God in him Reason 1 Those who are link'd unto the Lord in the nearest and most intimate ties and bonds of society have fellowship with the Lord of glory or the Father But all the Saints of God are link'd unto the Lord in the nearest and most intimate ties of society Therefore The latter proposition I make evident thus Those who are link'd unto the Lord in the ties of servants which are the greatest favourites of friends who are best beloved are link'd to the Lord in the most intimate ties of society But al the saints of God are link'd unto the Lord in the tie of 1. Servants which are the greatest favourites The Lord is pleased to grace them with this title of being his servants Isa 44. 1 2. Iacob my servant Iob 1. 8 my servant Iob Num. 12. 7. my servant Moses is not so Let none object and say Is it any honour to be a servant for it 's a title of the greatest dignity to be stiled Gods servant Or if so is there sociall communion betwixt Master and Servant For there is intimate society betwixt Masters and beloved favourites though servants Witnesse the sociable association of Ionathan and David 1. Sam. 20. yet was David his servant ver 7 8. Witnesse the friendly fellowship twixt David and Hushai â— Sam. 15. 37. 16 17. yet was he his servant 15. â—4 16. 19. and Witnesse these servants of God who are his greatest favorites Exod. 4. 23. Let my sonne goe that he may serve mee yea so deare and tender in his sight are they that he would not have the least hurt or violence offered to them Psal 105. 15. touch not mine annointed esteeming them his speciall treasure iewels Mal. 3. 17. and the apple of his eye Zach. 2. 8. 2. Friends Isa 47. 8. the seed of Abraham my friend 2. Chron. 20. 7. and gav'st it to the seed of Abraham thy friend Cant. 5. 1. Eate O friends drinke yea drinke abundantly O beloved Iam 2. 23. called the friend of God Can any fellowship be more firmely cemented or intimately indeerd then that of Viservet animae dunidium meae lib. 1 Odâ— 3. friends surely no. The Poet Horace wishing a prosperous journey for his friend Virgill calleth him halfe his soule Saint Augustine bewailing the death of his friend Hebridius saith he thought his soule and the soule of his friend had bene 〈◊〉 ego sensi ani 〈◊〉 â—â— animam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in daâ—buâ— corporibâ—â— c. lib. 4. Cons cap. 6. but one For I thought that my soule and the soule of my friend had beene but one soule in two bodies he therefore being dead life was dreadfull to me because I desired to live no longer yet therefore I feared to die least he should wholly die And the sacred Scripture affirmeth that a friend is as a mans owne soule Deut. 13. 6. that he loves at all times Prov. 17. 17. and stickes closer then a brother Prov. 18 24. If all the love of Pylades and Orestes Damon and Pythias Pyramus and Thisbe Scipio and Lelius and of all other renowned heathen friends unheard of or recorded If the most melting affectionatenesâ—e of Ionathan and David David and Hushai Augustine and Hebriaius and all other the dearest friends prophane and pious could possibly inhabit within any two created beings yet might there not be so much as any comparison betwixt such an imagined friendship and this reall of Gods to his Saints For for these his friends sakes it is that there is a continued course of summer winter that the world enioyes the comfortable aspect of all his excellent creatures that the world is not wholy consumed in the twinckling of an eye 2. Cor. 10 6. yea for them he gave his owne Sonne to suffer a shamefull death to them he gives his sanctifying Spirit and for them he reserves an everlasting crowne of glory Reason 2 He who takes that as done to himselfe which is done to the Saints hath fellowship with them But the Lord of heaven and earth takes that as done to himselfe which is done to the Saints Witnesse that sweet straine in the heavenly hymne of Moses the man of God Deut. 32. 10. He kept him as the apple of his eye Witnesse that faithfull petition of Israels sweet singer Psal 17. 8. Keepe me as the apple of thine eye Witnesse the Prophets reason of Gods heavy judgement upon the nations which spoiled his Church Zach. 2. 8. For he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye Witnesse that consolatory saying of our Saviour Math. 10. 40. He that receiveth you receiveth me and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me Witnesse that heavenly speech of Christ Iesus to that enraged persecutor of Gods people Why persecutest thou me Acts 9. 4. And witnesse that irreversible and irrevocable sentence of the most upright Iudge of men and Angels at the last and dreadfull day of judgement Math. 25. 40. 45. You did it to me You did it not to me Therefore they have fellowship c. 3. Those who are joyned to the Lord with an undissoluble bond of an everlasting love which can never be broken have fellowship with God But the Saints are joyned to the Lord with an indissoluble bond of an everlasting love which can never be broken Ieremiah 31. 3. I have loved thee with an euerlasting love hence is it that the gates of hell shall not prevaile against them Math. 16. 18. So he loveth them that nothing can separate them from the love of God Rom. 8. 39. So that they are sealed with the Spirit of God unto the day of redemption Eph. 1. 13. 4. 30 So that he hath purposed with an unchangeable decree to have them saved 4. Those who dwell each in other have fellowshippe one with another But the Lord of heaven and earth and the Saints dwell each in other 1 Ioh. 4. 12. 13. 15. 16. 1 Ioh. 3. 24. Ioh. 14. 23. CHAP. III. Vse 1. Comforting the Saints from this fellowship Vse 1 THis inestimable transcendent consociation affoordeth copious matter of consolation to every true-hearted Nathaniel 1. Against Bellarmines unsound and uncomfortable doctrine Consol â— Tom. 4. de ustificat lib 3. cap. 14. pag. 897. c. of finall and totall falling from grace the love and favour of God It 's possible I know for these goodfellowes to fall in part and for a time from some graces some measure of grace
and from former signes and sense of Gods favour Of graces some are principall and absolutely necessary to salvation as faith hope love these may be lessened decayed and covered in regard of operation Psal 51. 10. Create in me a new heart Some are lesse principall yet requisite and very profitable as the feeling of Gods favour chearefulnesse in prayer joy in the Holy Ghost which lesser graces may be quite lost for a time Me thinkes such like considerations as these following may sufficiently incourage all of this society against feare of not continuing in the love and favour of God 1. Such are the gifts of God the Father to his onely Sonne Christ Iesus Which Donatives he will not lose Iohn 6. 39. Neither shall any take them out of his hands 10. 28. 2. Such are the precious purchase of the invaluable bloud of the immaculate Lambe the Sonne of God more worth then millions of worlds Acts 20. 28. Things dearely bought are dearely beloved dearely beloved are carefully kept and not willingly lost 3. Such have Christ Iesus praying for them Luke â—â— 32. That their faith faile not Iohn 17. 9. That his Father would keepe them Verse 11. from the evill one Verse 24. Heb. 7. 25. That they may be with Christ 4. Such are kept by the invincible power of God through faith unto salvation 1 Pet. 1. 5. 5. To such the Lord hath promised and his promises are yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1. 20. eternall life 1 Iohn 2. 24. 6. Such are sealed by the Spirit of God to the day of redemption Eph. 4. 30. Therefore it is as possible 1. For Iesus Christ that invincible Lion of the Tribe of Iuda victoriously conquering sinne Sathan death and damnation 2. For the Lord of Hosts whose hosts and armies are all creatures from the most contemptible flyes and lice to the mightiest Angels whose omnipotencie is such that he effecteth what he will all things being alike possible to him It 's as possible I say for the Sonne and Father to be overcome as for the Saints being kept and preserved by them both 3. It 's as possible for Gods decree to suffer mutation and change and so for that Lambes Booke of Life for so is the Decree of Gods Election called continually to be mutilate subject alwayes to defacing by having the names of some of Gods Elect blotted out of the same and yet there is no variablenesse with the Lord nor the least shadow of changing Iam. 1. 17. 4. For the ingraven seale of Gods sanctifying Spirit to be blotted out and so to be more uncertaine then those of the Medes and Persians 5. For the inestimable bloud of the immaculate Lambe Christ Iesus to be as water spilt upon the earth 6. For the purest and most prevailing prayers that ever ascended to the Lord of Sabbaths the meritorious petitions of Gods owne Sonne to be of no force and yet the Prayers of one righteous man availeth if it be fervent Iames 5. 17. 7. For Gods promise to be unfaithfull as for those who have fellowship with the Father to fall from grace finally totally But the one therefore the other are altogether impossible I know the Prophet Ezek. 18. 24. saith when the righteous Ob. c. But as Mr. Yates and others say well Those words are a commination or warning to keepe the elect from falling to make the reprobate inexcusable 2. The words are generally spoken to all in the Church therefore the worser part may fall away â—his ad Casarem pag 110. Zanch. Tom. 7. page 340 341. Contra Rem in Collat. Hagien Thes 5. 3. They are conditionall like Rom. 8. 13. Luke 19. 40. Scriptures and reasons against this are learnedly answered by Mr. Bernard in his Rhens against Rome When therefore that roaring Lyon who seekes by all meanes to devoure shall use such like temptations against the assurance of thy perseverance as these following O thou who hast fellowship with the Lord and so furnished with true saving faith thou art mutable fraile and weake 2. Thou art uncertaine of thy salvation 3. Thy first parents in Paradise could not stand 4. Their strongest Children have fallen witnesse David Salomon Paul Peter c. and dost thou thinke to continue Thine enemies are not few but many not meane but mighty not malecontent alone but also malicious not tractable but truculent not lither but laborious not simple but subtile not negligent but vigilant and dost thou dreame of perseverance Enliven thy selfe after this or the like manner I confesse mine owne imbecillitie the fall of my first parents in Paradise in their innocency and their posteritie neither am I ignorant of the number nature and properties of mine enemies What then Must I therefore of necessitie fall away No such matter 1. I am weake and seeble True But I doe not rest upon my selfe but upon the Lord who keeps me who is greater then all neither is any able to pluck me out of my Fathers hands Iohn 10. 29. 2. I am uncertaine But how In regard of my selfe but God hath established me in Christ 2 Cor. 1. 21. 3. Neither did Adam stand in innocency nor Sathan in glory True they stood by their owne strength so do not I by Christ I stand and am kept by the power of God to salvation 4. The strongest of Adams posterity have fallen yet not finally Peter was winnowed Paul buffeted But they rose againe their faith did not faile Gods grace was sufficient for them Winnowed I may be buffeted I may be overcome can I not be for my life is hid with Christ in God 5. Mine enemies are many yet more with me then against mee 2 Reg. 6. 6. They are malicious But God is mercifull They are not so strong but God is more strong and although they are watchfull yet I know to my comfort that he that keepeth Israel doth neither slumber nor sleepe and therefore I shall continue Moreover 1. Since it is Gods will to save me Iohn 6. 39. 2. And Gods will shal be done Psal 115. 3. For he can do what he will although he will not doe all he can 4. Since the faithfull formerly beleeved this 2 Tim. 1. 12. For I am perswaded that he is able to keepe that which I have committed to him against that day 4. â—8 Will preserve me c. 5. And warrantably The Apostles and Prophets preaching it 2 Tim. 2. 10. The foundation of God standeth sure having this seale the Lord knoweth who are his 6. Since the gifts and callings of God are without repentance Rom. 11. 29. And so the graces of God are irrevocable in regard of the seed substance and habite of them although not in regard of the actions fruits feeling measure and degrees Psal 51. 9 10 11 12 1â— 7. Since the Lord will finish and perfect his workes of grace once begun Phil. 1. 6. 8. Since in a word I have fellowship with the Father and so intimate that he vouchsafeth to dwell