the Authour of sin not only of the action but also of the Ataxy Anomy Obliquity and Sinfulnesse of the Action Are there not some that accuse him of cruelty and unjustice in his Decrees 2. Are there not others that deny God in his Attributes with the Socinians and others that give out they are infallible and equall to God having no sin in them Thus Nailer Fox and the rest of that Heretical accursed blasphemous Quaking Crew Are there not such Ranters amongst us that by hellish cursing and swearing tear in pieces that great and dreadfull name of the Lord our God Are there not such amongst us as have reviled Jesus Christ and with the Arrians and Socinians make him a man whilest they publish to the world that themselves are Deified and become Gods they make themselves perfect and Christ imperfect Have we not those that speak basely of the sacred Scriptures Cry down Magistracy Rayle on the Ministery Revile Reall Saints Lastly is not Gods Name blasphemed and that in England by the loose lives and licentious Tenets even of Professors and this is one sad aggravation of the blasphemies of our time that many Professors are turned Blasphemers Those that have been nurst up in the bosome of the Church for 20 30 40. years and had a form of godlinesse and as in Charity we hoped some of them had the power of it yet now are turned blasphemous Apostates and have discovered their rottennesse by persecuting the Truth which sometimes they protest Had they been open enemies Turks and Tartars that had thus blasphemed it might have been easier born but lo these are the wounds wherevvith Christ vvas vvounded in the house of his seeming friends Zach. 13.6 they that eat of his bread and drink of his cup have lift up the heel against him Had he been thus blasphemed and derided in Egypt it had been no vvonder Hos. 7. ult but to be thus abused and abased in England vvhere the Gospel hath been preacht above 100. years for us vvhom the Lord hath made his darling Nation whom he hath loved and tendred above all the Nations in the world for vvhom he hath broken the Povver and Policy of mighty enemies and hath given such successe by Sea and Land that all the Nations round about us stand amazed for us after all these free and undeserved favours to blaspheme the God of our mercies and vvith the Beast to crop the tree that shelters us and bite the hand that feeds us is an Act of the highest ingratitude and basest rebellion in the world Deut. 32.6 Good turnes aggravate unkindnesses and our guilt is increased by our obligations Solomons Idolatry vvas far worse then that of his wives because he had better breeding and God had appeared twice unto him 1 Kings 11.9 As our Saviour said sometimes to the Jews Iohn 10.32 Many good works have I shewed you for which of these do ye stone me So may the Lord say to England O England I have been to thee a Rock and a Refuge a Sun and a Shield I have wrought wonders for thee in Church and State by Sea and Land for which of these favours dost thou blaspheme my Name deny my Word and overthrow the very Foundations of Religion hath the Lord been a barren wildernesse to us or what iniquity have we or our Fathers found in him that we should rebell against him Ier. 2.5 as the Apostle said sometimes to the Galatians am I become your enemy because I tell you the truth So is God our enemy because he hath given us his truth and all the tokens of his love what could he do more for England then he hath done if therefore instead of the grapes oâ— Faith and Obedience we bring forth the wild grapes of Heresy and disobedience what can we expect but to have our Vine-yard laid waste 2. A second Aggravation of our horrid blasphemies is this That they have broke forth since we have made a Covenant to the contrary and that in the most solemn manner that ever any Covenant was taken in this Land with hands lifted up to the most high God That we would extirpate Heresy Schisme and profanenesse and whatsoever shall be found contrary to sound Doctrine and the Power of Godlinesse But alas many of us act as if we had taken a Covenant to promote them 3. Instead of an extirpation of Schisme and Heresy there is too much connivence indulgence and toleration given them and that by some of them whose hands are at this day in Print set to the solemn League and Covenant Durst Hereticks and Blasphemers be so bold to Preach and Print as they do if they had not too indulgence from some in Authority Oh that they would no longer bear the sword in vain but as they are a Terrour to Drunkards Swearers Thieves and Vagabonds so the Lord make them a Terrour to those that are Drunk with Heresies and Blasphemies That Magistrate which hath power to punish such offenders and yet spares them becomes partaker with them Men post the punishment of such offenders one from another the Magistrate saith Let the Minister reprove it the Minister sayes Let the Hearers reform it and they say Let the offerder answer it Thus when the Sea breaks in all the Borderers contend whose right it is to mend the damme but whilest they strive much and do nothing the Sea hereby gets further in and drowns the Country The Application is easie 'T is long since observed that England hath golden Lawes but leaden executioners and that we yet want one Law viz. A Law to bind Magistrates to put all the rest of the Lawes in execution Vse Let us be deeply affected with the blasphemies and dishonours that are done unto our God in the land of our Nativity Let 's mourn for all the abominations and specially for the prodigious blasphemies which are found in the midst of us Let them deeply affect and afflict our hearts if we love God they will do so for Love is very tender of any wrong that is offered to the party beloved Thus Moses burnes with an holy zeal when he heard that one had blasphemed God he puts him in Ward and at last stones him to death Levit. 24.11 12. David hated such persons with a perfect hatred and counts them as his enemies Psal. 139 20 21 22. Hezekiah hearing of Rabsheka's blasphemies Rent his cloathes Isay 37.1 So did Paul and Barnabas Acts 14.14 when they heard the blasphemy of the Lystrians crying them up for Gods they rent their cloathes to expresse the rending of their hearts with grief and indignation at what they heard And wicked Iezabel's proclaiming a Fast upon the false accusation of Naboth for blasphemy 1 Kings 21.10 may teach us to be zealous against Reall blasphemy So the High Priest rending his clothes for conceited blasphemy Matth. 26.65 if every one of us should do so when we hear God and his Gospel blasphemed we should have more
is taken out first 't is all black bâ—t stay till it 's finisht and furbisht and then it 's beautiful The Lord hath been doing a great work in England for many years past his wayes have been in the clouds and where we are yet whether at the borders of Canaan or going into the Wilderness again we cannot tell it will be our wisedome by Prayer and Patience to wait on the Lord and then in the conclusion we shall see that all things shall work together for good unto Gods people Rom. 8.28 VERSE 10 11 12. But thou hast fully known my Doctrine manner of life purpose Faith Long-suffering Charity Patience Persecutions afflictions which came to me at Antioch at Iconium at Lystra what persecutions I endured but out of them all the Lord delivered me Yea and all that will live godly in Iesus Christ shall suffer persecution WEE are now come to the Second Part and Period of this Chapter wherein the Apostle prescribes the Meanes how Timothy and all the godly may be preserved against Seducers and their Seducements viz. 1. By imitating aâ—d confirming thmselves to Pauls 1. Doctrine 2. Conversation 3. Purpose 4. Faith 5. Long-suffering 6. Love 7. Patience 8. Persecutions 9. Afflictions 2. By considering Gods sore judgements on Seducers how they are given up to a Reprobate sense increasing still in all kinds of wickednesse Verse 13. 3. By a constant adhering to the Scriptures Verse 14 15. But thou hast fully known my Doctrine Lest Timothy should be drawn aside by the subtleties of seducers Paul propounds his own example to him as a pattern for his imitation and so much the rather because Timothy had experimentally known the truth of his doctrine and the sincerity of his conversation both in Doing and Suffering for Christ. Now since we are more easily led by Presidents then by Precepts the Apostle propounds his own example for our imitation wherein we have the lively pattern and Pourtraiture of a faithfull Pastour whose office it is not only to preach sound doctrine but also to practise what he preacheth in his own life that so he may be able to speak from the heart to the hearts of his people and may not bring his food as birds do to their young ones in their Beakes not in their Breasts The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is emphaticall and signifies not a a simple single notionall knowledge but a singular peculiar intimate experimental knowledge of the secrets counsells and conversation of a man So the word is used Luke 1.3 it seemed good to me having had perfect understanding of things Luke being guided by the speciall instinct and direction of Gods Spirit had full and infallible knowledge of the things which he writ So Timothy did not barely know but as our Translations render it he fully knew the doctrines vertues of Paul and therefore none more fit to follow his Example q. d. O my beloved Son Timothy there is none that knoweth me better then thou Thou throughly knowest not onely what I have taught did and suffered but also how I was minded and disposed Thou knowest what my will and desire was my Faith Love Patience and Perseverance are not hid from thee thou being an Eye-witnesse and inseparable companion to me in many of my afflictions wherefore since the time of my departure is at hand and I must shortly be offered up as a sacrifice by my Martyrdom for Christ I now expect all those things from thee which a tender Father may expect from his beloved Son or a carefâ—ll Master from his obedient Schollar 1. Observe In that Paul propounds his own Example for Timothy to consider and follow That the Pious Example of the godly must be imitated by us Younger Ministers especially must observe the doctrine and conversation the pious wayes and walking of the elder and graver Ministers and must follow them Aged Paul propounds his vertues to young Timothy for imitation Many young men praise the gravity solidity wisdome industry mortification and self-deniall of ancient Ministers but they do not follow them They deal by them as the world doth by Honesty they praise it but they never practise it Probitas laudatur alget Juven As Gedeon said to his souldiers Iudg. 7.17 look upon me and do likewise so you that are young and unsetled rash and conceited look upon the Doctrine Discipline Haire Habit wayes and works of the Holy and the Grave follow them now you are young and then you will be good long Great is the power of the Example of superiours when one praised the Lacedemonian souldiers for being so orderly who before had been so injurious one of them answered No the praise is not ours that we are thus changed for we are the same men still but we have now another Captain and he it is that ordereth us How oft doth God command us to follow our faithfull Guides Heb. 13.7 1 Cor. 4.16 Philip. 4.9 Iames 5.10 and commends it 1 Thes. 1.6 As we must follow Christ so we must follow all the Saints Prophets Apostles Martyrs c. So far as they follow Christ. God hath set them before us as our Copy to write by and our Pattern to live by and we must answer not only for sinning against the light of the word but against the light of good Example also It will be one day said you had such and such to go before you in Paths of Piety and yet you would not follow The faithfull are called witnesses Heb. 12.1 Rev. 12. now if we walk contrary to their light they will witness against us as Noah and Lot did against the sinners of their age but if we walk answerable to their Light they 'l witnesse for us Their practice may comfort and confirm us in Gods way they declare the possibility of obtaining such a grace and make it thereby the more easie when we have seen it done before us If a man have a Torch to light him in a dark and dangerous path how glad is he the godly shine like lights in the midst of a crooked generation Phil. 2.15 16. their life is a Commentary on the Scripture Now since the nature of man is apter to be guided by Example then Precept and to live non ad rationem sed ad similitudinem therefore God hath prepared abundance of glorious examples for our imitation and thus the Saints that are now at rest and triumphant in glory their lives are to be our Looking-glasses to dresse our selves by our Compasse to saile by and our Pillar of a cloud to walk by Object But doth not the Scripture propound Christ as our pattern for our Imitation Matth. 11.29 1 Pet. 2.21 Answ. Christ is a Pattern of Patterns he 's instead of a thousand Examples he 's an Example that had no sin in him so that we may and must follow him in his Morall Vertues absolutely other patterns be imperfect and defective but Christ
cast out Devils out of others and yet the Devil may dwell in their hearts and they be workers of iniquity whom Christ will never own Matth. 7.21 22 23. Nothing but sincerity can preserve us from Apostasy Let us therefore especially at our first setting forth Dig deep lay a good foundation consider what the truth may cost us and ask our selves whether we can deny our selves universally for Christ if we cannot or will not we are not fit to be Christs disciples we shall shrink in the wetting and start aside like a broken bow when a tentation comes 2 Thes. 2.10 11. 2. Be familiar with the Godly one living coal sets his fellow on fire Two lamps or torches joined together burn the better The Godly by their example prayers and counsel will better us good exhortations are a special preservative against Apostasy Heb. 3.12 13. When men delight in evil company they will forsake the Law Prov. 28.4 If Solomon delight in Idolatrous women they will soon entice him to Idolatry 3. Take heed of spiritual Pride and self-conceitedness which is oft punisht with a fall as we see in Peter and in Q. Maries time 4. Be not bare Hearers but be Doers of the Word and then you have a promise that you shall never fall from grace here nor from glory hereafter Psal. 15. ult 5. Improve all the means of grace be much in Prayers Hearing Meditation c. God will be found in the use of means Ezek. 36.37 6. Consider the Iudgments of God on Apostates There is a wo gone out against them Hos. 7.13 Psal. 125. ult God loaths them Heb. 10.37 If any draw back his soul will take no pleasure in them It is a Meiosis .i. he greatly abhors them Iulian the Apostate died blaspeming Lucian a Professor turns a scorner is torn in pieces by dogs Spira dies despairing Henry the third King of France turning Papist thinking thereby to get the Monks on his side a Monk killed him he became contemptible to his people Paris and all his great Towns revolted from him So true is that Such as despise God shall â—e despised 7. Consider that Apostates are Idolaters they forsake their Creator to follow the creature and so make it their God they forsake the fountain of living waters and go to broken cisterns that can hold no water This is so great a sin that God calls on the inanimate creatures to stand astonisht that ever any people should be so mad Ier. 2.12 13. These bring an evil report on Gods wayes as if there were more comfort to be found in sinful wayes then in them We see many fall one falls into poverty another into sickness a third into disgrace but none falls so fouly as the Apostate for he falls from God and goodness to the Devil and wickedness yea God complains of such as being worse then Idâ—laters who are constant to their Idols Ier. 2.10 11. Yea they are perjured persons who have broken their baptismal Vow and are fled into the tents of Gods professed enemies Wo then to England for Apostasy Never was the Nation so grosly guilty of this sin as at this day how many have forsaken their first love and are growen old and cold How many with Demas have preferred the love of this present world before the love of God yea how many professors have turned blaspemers And such as would formerly have pulled out their eyes to have done Ministers good Gal. 4.15 16. now they are ready to pull out the eyes of those Ministers Those that formerly could have gone ten miles to a Sermon now will not go ten strides to hear one formerly the Kingdom of Heaven suffered violence and the violent took it by force now the Kingdom of Heaven offers violence to us and we run from it Never such palpable Apostasy both in Doctrine and Manners all things considered since England was a Nation It is easier now to write a book of Apostates then a Book of Martyrs Oh foolish ungrateful England dost thou thus requite the Lord for all his cost and care over thee Is this the fruit thou givest him for above an hundred years Preaching He comes now to look for grapes and dost thou give him such wild grapes Is this the Thanks thou givest him for answering all thy Prayers for breaking the Plots and Powers of so many potent enemies for giving thee so many glorious Victories and such undeserved success both by Sea and Land He hath blest us with Peace plenty and the Gospel of Peace for which of these mercies do we thus dishonour him Ierusalems Apostasy was Ierusalems ruine Isay 1.4 7 8. and if England go on thus to render evil to the Lord for all his kindness unto us a man that is no Prophet may see and say that Englands ingratitude and Apostasy will be Englands ruine when Bethel becomes Bethaven God will makâ— it a Beth-any a place of sorrow and affliction God may bear with other sins but he cannot he will not bear long with this Ier. 5.7 8 9 10. Ezek. 9.9 Against Apostasy see Dr. Prideaux on Rev. 2.4 Mr. Baine on Rev. 2.4 Mr. Venning on Rev. 2.4 Barlow on 2 Tim. 1.15 pag. 210 211. Gatakers Ser. on Watching p. 69. folio Burroughs Hos. 2.7 Lect. 5.6 Church his Treasury pag. 73. Trapp's common place on Apostasy at the end of his Commentary on N. T. fol. pag. 1076. Pembles Ser. on Heb. 3.12 13. pag. 563. folio Observation 4. The inordinate love of this present world is the high way to Apostasy It is not the world or the creatures which are good in themselves but the excessive and inordinate love of them which ruines men Other sins have slain their thousands but this it 's ten thousands Hence the Scripture so oft condemns it Matth. 6.24 to the end of the Chapter and 13.22 Iames 4.4 1 Iohn 2.15 How many wise and seemingly holy men hath this Witch deluded How do these damps of the world extinguish the light of grace in the Soul The hatred of the world is not so dangerous to us as the inordinate love of it Persecutions quicken us when the delights of the world lull us asleep and the Devil rocks the cradle till we snort again in security and then he cuts the throat of the Soul Why are so many like Nebuchadnezzars Image they have heads of gold but feet of clay Dan. 2.32 33. In youth they were gilded Christians and seemingly ful of spirit and life but now they are old and liveless The reason is the world and these present enjoiments have besotted them This will keep men either from professing Religion as the young man in the Gospel or from the power of it as Iudas or else it will draw us from the profession and power of it as Apostates So that this may be the backsliders Epitaph Here lyes one that forsook Christ to follow the world that hath parted with Spirituals for Temporals gold for dross
422 Truth hath many Opposers Page 440 Traditions vain p. 298 Traytors of three sorts Page 115 Truth abideth p. 187 V. VErtues are concatenated Page 21 Vnholy who P. 73 74 Vnrighteous dealing dangerous Page 81 82. Vnthankefulnesse How Vile Page 68 69 Vnitie its Excellency Page 392 W. WAlk with God Page 361 The weakest may be helpfull Page 427 The World inordinately loved breeds Apostates p. 417 Weak things must not be despised Page 464.469 Women some good ones p. 469 Wicked men grow worse and worse p. 229 230. They draw others to wickedness p. 232 Witches must be put to death p. 228. Many seducing Quakers Witches Page 225 226 The Word to be Preacht on all occasions p. 326 Y. YOuth must be given to God Page 247 Z. ZEal becometh the Ministers of the Gospel p. 223.333 What zeal is p. 337 338. Signes of it p. 336. Cavils against it answered p. 341. Motives to it p. 343. Zealous men must expect opposition p. 203. The godly are zealous p. 332. They are the Pillars of a Land Page 336. FINIS Books Printed for and sold by Iohn Starkey at the Miter at the North-door of the middle Exchange in St. Pauls Church-yard A Martyrology containing a Collection of all the Persecutions that have befallen the Church of England with the lives of ten of our late famous English Divines by Samuel Clark in Folio Justification justified or a Treatise of Justification by Faith by a learned Divine in the West of England in Quarto Master Thomas Gataker Gods eye on his Israel being an Exposition on Numb 23 21. and two Sermons on the same Authors in Quarto The life of Christina Queen of Sweden translated out of French by I. H. Letters of affairs Love and Courtship written in French by the Exquisite pen of Mounsieur de Voiture and Englished by I. D. Master Thomas Halls Beauty of Holiness or a description of the Excellency Amiableness Comfort and content which is to be found in wayes of Purity and Holyness in Octavo Master Thomas Halls Homesius Enervatus or a Confutation of the Millenarian Opinion Plainly shewing that Christ will not raign with the Saints for 1000. years on earth with a word to our fifth Monarchy men 8â— Masters Thomas Halls Phaetons folly or the Downfall of Pride being a Translation of the second Book of Ovids Metamorphosis Paraphrastically and Grammatically with an Essay of Ovid de Tristibus in Octavo A Sermon of the Passion of Christ by William Cartwright in Octavo The Mystery of the two Witnesses unveiled by Iohn Robotham Minister at Dover in Octavo A Silver Watch-bell to awake to repentance with a Treatise on the Sacrament by Tho. Tymme in Octavo The Art of Giving or a guide to Charity by Thomas Cooper in Octavo A Magical description of the Soul by Agricola Carpentar in Octavo The Synopsis of Christianitie in an Exposition of the Commandements Lords Prayer and Creed by Richard Sedgwick in Octavo Master Tho. Hooker of N. England his pattern of Perfection with other Treatises in twelves Tho. Gataker De Iustificatione in twelves De Dipthongis in twelves A Christian Alphabet containing grounds of Knowledge unto salvation by Iohn Phillips Gildas his Description of the State of great Brittain written 110. years since in twelves Mr. Adam Harsnets Gods summons unto a general Repentance in 12â— Mr. Henry Beachams Truth of times revaled in twelves Becons display of the Popish Mass in twelves The Compleat Tradesman or a Guide for the true stating of any question touching Interest of six per Cent. per Annum with other useful Tables by I.H. in twelves Tertullians Apologie or Defence of the Christians in quarto An Abridâ—ement of the New Testament in Welch in octavo Mr. Shepherds Catechism in octavo Mr. Crawshers Catechism octavo * Magistrates may see their duty in the Treatise it self on 2 Timothy 3.2 p. 26.27 * The excellency of a zealous Magistrate you may see on 2 Tim. 2.4 * Si eritis inseparabiles eritis insuperabiles Erat fidelium cor unum anima una non Physicè sed Moralitèr q. d. Ita animis sensibus erant concordes ac si omnes unum idemque habâ—issent cor à Lapide in locum Ubi plura See Motives to Unitie Burroughs Irenicum Chapter 31. c. Gournall on Ephes. 6.15 c. 13. p. 422. Fenner on Rev. 3.1 p. 10. to 21. folio V. Mr. Blake on the Covenant Chap. 31. p. 240. V. The Answer of the Assembly to the dissenting Brethren In fine p. 60.61 See Master Gage his Defence of Parish Churches See Master Cawdry Independency a great Schism To cull out ten or twenty and make them the Church excluding two hundred or two thousand in some places as dogs and swine doth exceedingly puffe up the one so that Ministers can scarce tell how to please them but in a short time they picke quarrels and fall all to pieces and discourageth the other and so prejudiceth them against their Ministery that it loseth the operation it should have upon their hearts * See 20. considerations to quicken you in 2 Tim. 3.15 Civitatis eversio morum non murorum casus Aug. Boni cives civitatis maenia Spartanis multis seculis Civium virtus Vrbis murus fuit Pezel Mellif Histor. P. 1. p. 234. edit ult * See 20. considerations to quicken you in 2 Tim. 3.15 To incourage you to the Dutie See an excellent little Tract of Master Cawdry called Family-Reformation and of Mr. Philip Goodwins Treatise on the same subject In tenui labor est Vocum Phrasium enodatio tenuis gloria at non tenuis Vtilitas Scultetus * Though the lively voice more pierce the heart and be apter to move affection yet men seldome take the paines or time to lay down things in speech as they doe for publick writings Robinsons Essayes Observat. 23. Vbi plura And Master Philip Goodwin in his Epistle Dedicatory to his Family-Religion * Non omnis moriar multaque pars mei Vitabit Libitinam Horat. Ode 30. Lib. 3. Emanuel Sa was nigh fourtie yeares in composing his Aphorismes In hoc opus per Annos ferè quadraginta diligentissimè incubui Em. Sa Praefat. in Aphorism p. 2. * Lucilius saepè Ducentos versus dictabat stans pede in uno Horat. Serm. Lib. 1. Sat. 4. * Saepè caput scaberet vivos roderet ungues l. 1. Sat. 10. * Carmen reprehendito quod non multa dies multa litura coercuit atque perfectum decies non castigavit ad unguem Horat. de Arte Poet. Ducentis viginti Annis à tota Asia factum fuit Munsteri Geograph Lib. 5. Page 983. * It was Reprinted 1628. * Sandersons History of King Charles page 1116. * I mean the better half not in Quantitie onely as bigger but in Qualitie as better done then the former part by Mr. B. who though he were a good man a good 〈◊〉 and a good Preacher was yet in Scholastical faculties and furniture abilitie