poison and malice The way therefore to have fellowship with the Fathâ—r cannot bâ—â—y delighting in that which Metamorphoseth men into such monstrous shapes It is the prâ—per object of the Lords and ought to be the 〈◊〉 object of mans hatred Psal 5. 5. Thou hatest all workers much more the workes of iniquity 45. 7. Tâ—â—â— hatest wic 〈…〉 Rev. 2. 6. That hatest 〈◊〉 I also hate yea with such an utter 〈◊〉 that it makes him 〈◊〉 his owne creatures excellent by creation as Devils and wicked men his owne Ordinaâ—ces as New Moones and Sabbaths Isa 1. 15. And prayerâ— If therefore we desire fellowship with the 〈◊〉 we must 〈◊〉 and avoid it It 's directly 〈◊〉 to the honour and glory of God his will and workes being a transgression of his most holy Lawes In fine Who is the Father of it Sathan Ioh. 8. 41. Math. 13. 28. The workes of your father you will do What is the mother to conceive and bring it fortâ— Mans corrupt soule What is the fruit of it Separation from God What is the reward Eternall death Râ—m â— 2â— And can we imagine to enjoy fâ—llowship with the Father and iniquity Such who thinke so are deceived those who say so lye and the truth is not in them 1 Ioh. 1. 6. If we say c. Let us therefore who desire fellowship with the Father â—ave no fellowship with the fruitlesse workes of darknesse Ephes 5. 11. and cast we off the unprofitable workes of darknesse Rom. 13. 12. CHAP. VII The second meanes and duty Sinners Societie to bee shunned HAve we or desire we fellowship with the Father then 2. Meanes Duty avoid society with Gods enemies The blessed man consequently those of this association walke not in the way sit not stand not c. Psal 1. 1. The Citizen of Sion who is directly one of these consorts may and must thinke vilely of the vile person and with his eyes countenance and gesture declare it Psal 15. 4. affording no more then civill courtesie and that with some dislike declared towards equalls honouring authority vilely esteeming of the persons of superiours if the sonnes of Belial for these have two persons 1 their owne 2 anothers scil the Lords as they are his deputies Godly David hated such who hated God such are all wicked men Exod. 20. 5. Rom. 1. 30. either openly or secretly Psal 139. 21. yea with perfect hatred accounting them his enemies being enemies to his God And King Iehosaphat was sharply reprooved by the Prophet Iehu and severely punished by the Lord for helping the ungodly loving them which hated God 2. Chron. 19. 2. scil for ioyning in fellowship with wicked Ahab so that he would be as he was his people as Ahabs and would be with him in the warre 1. King 18. 3. Is it needfull O you blissefull goodfellowes to disswade you Dissw 1. from intimate society with wicked men I perswade my selfe you know full well their pestiferous pedigree what and whence it is you being well acquainted in the Word of life cannot be ignorant that they are 1. Children of this world Luk. 16. 8. and the friendship of this world is emnity with God Iam. 4. 4. 2. Children of disobedience Ephes 2. 2. therefore distastfull 3. Children of Belial 1. Sam. 2. 12. therefore loâ—thsome 4. Children of the divell Iohn 8. 44. therefore hatefull to God 5. Children of wrath therefore abhorred of the Lord. 6. Children of hell Matth. 23. 13. therefore fitter for fellowship with damned Divels then the associates of the Lord of Glory Yet view them well in the spotlesse Christalline glasse of Gods Word and there you shall see clearely deciphered in lively colours the loathsomnesse of those base companions 1. Would you see what beasts they be Scripture calls them a 2 Tim 4. 17. Lyons and they are savage b Isa 11 7. Beares and they are cruell c Ezek 29. 3. Dragons and they are hideous d Mat. 10. 16. Dogs and they are bloody e Mat. 10. 16. Wolves and they are truculent 2. Desire you a sight of their venemous serpentine nature have you ever heard of the sevenfeeted tormenting tayle-killing Scorpion such are they Rev. 9. 3. 5. 10. or the damme destroying Vipers such are they Mat. 3. 7. Have you ever heard of the dreadfull Basiliske killing man and beast with its breath and sight these are no lesse Isai 11. 8. 59. 5. Or of the poysonfull venemous Aspe these are such I need not tell you of the poysonous nature of the Spider it s knowne to all and these likewise are such Isa 59. 5. 3. Consider that the Word of truth stiles them 1. Thorns and 2. Briars Isa 10. 17. 27. 4. 55. 13. Ezek. 2. 6. Micah 7. 4. 3. Thistles Matth. 7. 6. 4. Brambles Iudg. 9. 14. 5. Stubble Iob 21. 18. 6. Evill trees Matth. 12. 33. 4. No marvaile though such holy men as a Vpon Psal 6. Munâ—â— excreâ—enta Bucer called them the excrements of the world Scripture terming them 1. Sordid dirt of the streete Psal 18. 42. and no marvaile for 1. As dirt the more it is stirred the more it stinketh so these 2. As dirt is neither good for manure nor morter field nor towne so these are neither good for God nor men Church nor Common-wealth 3. As dirt is hurtfull and noysome to man and beast so these to all about them who fare the worse for their sakes 2. Vnprofitable Chaffe blowne away with the winde Psal 1. 4. and to be burnt with unquenchable fire Matth. 3. 12. For as Chaffe is light so are 1 These in weight Dan. 5. 27. found too light 2 In worth for they are little yea nothing worth 3 In conversation their mind will deeds words being inconstant 4 In condition for all their honour and pleasure c. is but vaine 3. Noysome dust swept away with the besome of Gods judgements Psal 18. 42. as the dust before the winde being 1 Vnstable and light 2 Barren of good workes 3 Dry devoid of grace and the sweet distilling dew of Gods Spirit as dust is light dry and barren 4. Contagious drosse Ezek. 22. 18 19. become drosse Psal 119. 117. and not undeservedly they 1. Labouring to darken and obscure the righteous as drosse doth gold 2. Striving to corrupt and infect them by mixing themselves with them 3. Falling from them in the fiery triall 4. Cast away into perdition when severed from them 5. Stinking smoake Psal 68. 2. Isa 65. 5. Hos 13. 3. and justly too for 1. They endeavour to climbe and mount aloft as smoake doth 2. They are soonest gone when they get to the highest as smoake is 3. They seeke to choake smoother and stifle the righteous as smoake c. 6. Should I say they are as the loathsome excrementitious scumme I have my warrant in sacred writ Ezek. 24. 6. Imagine wee a man compos'd of the naughtinesse of all hurtfull creatures give him the bloud-thirsty nature of a
and goodnesse as lovely in one as in another Doubtlesse it is and therefore if I love any one because he is is indued with saving grace because he is the child of God because he is a member of Christ I cannot but love all who are indued with saving grace c. Can there be any thing vpon earth more amiable then those of this assembly 1. If birth may allure who more noble Gods Sons Christs Spouse a heavenly of-spring 2. If vertue who more wise then these who are wise unto salvation who more couragious then these that overcome the world mortifie the flesh and quell the fierie darts of Sathan 3. If alliance who more neerely allyed then children of the same parents 4. If beauty who more amiable Insomuch that although the glorious sunne euer shining with such radiant splendour although the pompe and glory of the whole world could not allure the Sonne of God yet the inward beauty of the Saints Christs Spouse doth strike as it were his heart with a vehement affection passion of love Cant. 4. 9. Thou art faire c. 1. 14. all glorious within Psal 45. 13. Love therefore all those of this fraternity Ob. An. 1 Be it that they are of another nation yet all are one in Christ Be it they are poore ignoble and thou honourable God loves them not the lesse for their basenesse But he hath beene vngratefull to me Thou also hast bene more unthankfull to God and yet thou wouldst have him love thee But he hath many frailties So hast thou and yet thou lovest thy selfe and desirest the love of the Saints These proceed not from the spirit but the flesh Canst thou beare with faults in thy selfe beare with some in thy brother Let not hatred of his sinne hinder thy love to him hate the sinne yet love thy brother God hateth thy sinnes yet loveth thee But he is mine enemy then endeavour to make him thy friend Vice is taken away by vertue hatred by love Love But how Indeed and in truth 1. Ioh. 3. 18. Without dissimulation Rom. 12. 9. So as to lay downe our lives for the brethren 1 Ioh. 3. 16. Thus renowned Hester 4. 16. If I perish c. Thus a Bishop answered a judge commanding him Firmus Pagastensis episcopus Mentiri nesâ—â—â— prodere nolo Aug. de mend pag 19. Au bros de virgin lib. 2. p. 81 82. to disclose his fellow Christians I know not how to lie I will not betray Thus Didymus to save the chastity of Theodora condemned to the stewes changed apparell safely dismissed her died for her and with her And greater cause have we thus to doe then had Pylades for Orestes or those Pythagorean Philosophers Damon and Pythias CHAP. V. Vse 3. Saints must relieve others Vse 3 WEe having fellowship each with other ought to See M. Boulton walking with God pag. 257. c. communicate such gifts and graces God hath given us to the benefiting one of another In a body all members have not the same vigour neither are the same gifts granted to all in the mysticall body Bodily members intrude not into each others office neither in the mysticall body should they thrust themselues into one anothers calling All the members of the body doe whatsoever they doe to the common good or profit So likewise should Christians referre all their actions to the utilitie of the whole body 1. The Church We should therfore relieve one another as members of the same body This duty is so perspicuous that it needs no large discourse to procure credence for not onely diverse undeniable confirmations which might be drawne from Gods sacred truth and many unanswerable reasons declare its necessity but even experience the mistresse of more wisedome then folly teacheth us that stones in a building support each other That branches of a tree doe so draw nourishment from the stocke that each hath sufficient sappe and proportionable to its necessity That members of our bodies are not onely carefull of themselves but of their fellowes Insomuch that the eye is busie to adorne the body yet not it selfe the hands to cover the whole themselves remaining naked That faithfull friends are in prosperitie a pleasure a solace in adversitie and in griefe a comfort yea such who account a mans mishap their misery the pricking of our finger the piercing of their heart And this Doctrine I have now in hand doth tell us that all comforts of this goodfellowship are stones of the same building then which there cannot be a more firme connexion Branches of the same vine then which there cannot be a more inherent inoculation Members of the same body in the which there is a most sweet concordance Are all in an inviolable league of friendship in which fellowship there ought to be no falshood where simpathy of manners should make conjunction of minds and therfore those of this consociation cannot but relieve the distresses each of other Instead therefore of proving the point which is undeniable let me perswade you to practise the duty so tragicall to many men To this end consider that 1. by relieving our fellow-members we become creditours to the worlds Creatour Prov. 19. 17. 2. By succouring Gods Saints we take the way to enrich our selues Prov. 11. 25. 3. And we do a worke acceptable to God Heb. 13. 16. 4. Which shall be rewarded Eccl. 12. 1. Psal 41. 1. Mat. 25. 35. If we come short in this duty God will not heare us Prov. 21. 13. Dives could not get a drop of cold water to coole his tongue 6. The poore Saints haue right to our substance We say not give me my bread but give us our dayly bread And therefore one of the Fathers Famelici panis est quem tu tenes nudi tunica quem in conclavi conservas discalceati calceus qui apud te marcescit indigentis argentum quod possidemus inhumatum Eslote vos divites primi in conferendo qui estu primi in discernendo estote primi in larguate rerum Salv. lib. 5. pag. 153. saith It is the starvelings bread which thou dost keepe back it is the garment of the naked which thou lockest up it is the shooe of the unshod which corrupts by thee it is the mony of the needy which we possesse unburied with us Give therefore 1. But who should give All of this society Be you rich men saith holy Salvian first in giving who are the chiefe in judging be you the chiefe in bountifulnesse of substance which are chiefe in liberalitie of words You who have this worlds good 2 Tim. 6. 17. For you are best able David sent therefore to Nabal for succour Lazarus lay at the rich mans gate 2. You have received most from the boundlesse sea of Gods mercy and therefore by distributing to the poore you must send backe most againe Eccl. 1. 7. Be not you therefore like those rich usurers Neh. 5. Nor those rich oppressours Iam. 2. 6. most cruell
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