that the other is better as having more comfort in themselves and being more fit to do good unto others and yet they may scape some checks the others may meet with as Peter yea God seems more to tender these then those as a Father having two Children both beloved of him the one sick the other in health is most careful of him that is sick that he may recover To have a tender conscience checking us for the least sin idle words vain thoughts and the like as Davids for curting off the lap of Sauls Garment is a singular blessing and therefore to obtain it we must both see the odiousness of sin judging aright thereof and must bring our hearts to mourn even for the smallest sins 1. Let every man examine himself whether he hath a good conscience or not whether art thou assured of the pardon of thy sins whether doth thine heart bear witness that thou hatest all sin and art truly desirous to please God in all things as well great as small secretly as openly at least in the deep sence of thy misery art thou wearied under it as an intollerable weight hearing of the onely remedy dost thou long after it above all the world art thou as willing to turn from sin as to have sin forgiven to take up his yoke as to be refreshed by him If not thy case is fearful What have we if we have not this It s our duty then to labor for it and not rest till we obtain it What may not incite us hereto It procures Joy Peace Comfort Boldness before God and men such are bold to pray unto God bold to crave others to pray for them It s comfortable in prosperity a sweet companion at home and abroad night and day it s a sweet companion in adversity like a good wife by her kindeness chearing her husband when he comes home who hath been much turmoild abroad another Simon to bear a piece of our cross yea in the greatest crosses this assureth us that yet God is our Father he visits us in love he will assist us and at last deliver us It s a Castle of comfort an armor of proof a continual feast an Heaven upon earth It makes a man embrace the flames kiss the stake and being in the fire accounts as if he were on a bed of Roses In death its comfortable when all things else forsake us then when our eyes are shut up yet through this we shall with Steven see Christ Jesus ready to receive us and shall say Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace In the day of judgement it will make us lift up our heads with joy when we shall see our Savior Christ come to receive us into his heavenly kingdom O they that have a good conscience should make much of it as of their jewel and labor to keep it It may be easily lost and is hardly recovered as may be seen in David and Peter The first part of it namely The assurance of our Salvation is kept by daily renewing our Confessions Supplications and Thanksgivings To this end we must labor to know the will of God and daily to grow in knowledge by our diligent perusal of the Scriptures The 2 part of it namely our care to please God is kept maintained by a daily and constant resolution not to offend God and so we must both strive and watch against our frowardness worldly-mindedness c. and covenant and vow to do the will of God to the uttermost of our power Hereupon we must walk carefully as in the presence of God avoiding all occasions of sinning using all good means to keep us in a good course publiquely and privately being diligent and careful in our particular calling to the glory of God and good of our brethren 2. This reproveth those that having a good conscience fail as much in laboring to keep it as the World doth in not laboring to obtain it How do Christians go on carelesly without renewing their exercises of Faith and Repentance and so their assurance is to seek or else hold it at a venture and coldly our worst day in the week might be better then our Sabbath had we but the grace to use our time aright O how many are careless watch not give way to their lusts therefore fall into many evils and so wound their consciences very often which is dangerous A place often wounded or hurt will not at last be healed We dishonor God much disquiet our consciences give evil example to others by our frowardness impatience worldliness hard dealings c. Hence it cometh that the Word pincheth us evil tidings amaze us we are loath to dye and the day of Judgement is fearful to us 3. This may encourage and comfort those that have good consciences though they be timerous What God shews mercy even to men unworthy and though thy sins be many and great yeâ— hast thou to deal with him that 's able to pardon them Lose not that thou hast when we lose good consciences all Gods graces diminish and vanish away neither can we thrive any whit as is seen by daily experience But nothing can do us hurt as long as our consciences hold good then are we fit to live and fit to dye fit for the Word and Sacrament fit for death and judgement Thus of the kindes of conscience and so of conscience in general Having a good conscience c. Now of the Words in particular whereof I have laid down their coherence with the former and from whence may be noted That a godly conversation in all things is to be joyned to a bold and zealous profession of our Faith to our knowledge and profession gifts utterance and the like we must adde a good life these two be two Twins St. Paul often joyns them together neither must they be parted saying and doing the tongue and hand must accompany one another Reasons hereof may be these 1. God expecteth of us that where he reveals the knowledge of his will that we adde obedience or else we shall be beaten with more stripes Where God findes this he delights in it as in Abraham who is called The friend of God in David whom he calls A man according to his own heart so in Joh in Zachary and Elizabeth c. we finde the same commended The contrary God loaths as in his own people whom he did again and again advertise hereof 2. This will prove our profession sound and not hypocritical for hypocrites go a great way but its onely Faith that purifieth the heart and that our knowledge is not swimming in our brain but sound and saving knowledge purging both heart and life when we dare compact with any other and say Shew me thy Faith by thy works as I can 3. This not onely Gods children look for when we have got knowledge and come
but our Savior bids us not cast them away but make friends of them even employ them well to the glory of God the giver thereof and our own and others good Obj. But our Savior calls them thorns which choak the good seed snares to entangle and drown us in Perdition and riches of iniquity and sheweth that its an hard thing for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God Ans. He speaks not of riches as they be in their own nature nor as they be well used by godly men but as they be wickedly abused by wicked men either in the ill getting of them or wicked using of them to pride and such bad purposes and our Savior explaineth himself That its hard for a man that trusts in riches or sets his minde upon them as indeed most do to be saved It s certain that few rich men be saved but it s not the fault of their riches but the abusing of them Obj. We must do as Christs Disciples who forsook all and followed Christ. Ans. 1. We are not bound to do as they did for they were called to a special and extraordinary calling to follow Christ and go into all the world preaching him which could not stand with worldly business 2. They left not these things in respect of their right to them but onely in the use of them They took off their mindes from them and were content to part with them for Christ and the Gospels sake and so ought we but they retained the right of them Matthew after he followed Christ feasted Christ and with him many Publicans in his own house So Peter had a Boat and Nets and went a fishing a little after our Savior Christ was taken from him So that a Minister is not bound to spend that which his friends hath left him much less are private persons Obj. But the yong man was willed to sell all Ans. It was but a particular tryal of that rich yong man that thought himself so righteous whereby our Savior would let him see how far off he was of that he thought was in him in that he had not profited so far as to prefer God and his Kingdom before his wealth but would rather forsake God then his riches if he must needs part with one that so he might be humbled Though riches in themselves are good yet 1. They are not so in an high degree but in a very mean and low degree in respect of God Spiritual Graces and the Kingdom of Heaven In comparison of these they are but dross and dung The leavings of the love we bear to those is too much for the world fervent love to these lukewarm to the world is good enough 2. They are not good absolutely but as they are used to the godly they be good when they use them well else not but they are at no time good to the ungodly because they cannot use them well Therefore concerning riches its required 1. That the party who would use them must be in the favor of God a Regenerate person restored unto Christ by a right thereto which we lost by our sin in Adam Else we shall taint Gods blessings by our sins we shall be ready to use them to bad purposes if we be bad our selves and the things which be good in themselves shall be turned into sin to us for unto the unclean all things are unclean Extreamly foolish is their practice that labor to have all good things about them House Land Corn Cattle Houshold-stuff Money c. they themselves remaining bad for these be never good to them till they themselves be sanctified and hence it is that as most men go to work they use riches to the hurt of their souls yea to their own destruction which could they have sobriety in them they might easily avoid 2. That he use them a right even with sobriety For sobriety in riches It s either in the desire and seeking them or using and employing them we must seek them soberly we must also use them soberly when we have them Sobriety in seeking or getting them is in many things 1. We must seek them according to their worth first Heavenly and Spiritual things then these we must not in our judgement value them equal much less above Grace the favor of God and Heaven we must not in our affection so love them nor in our practice seek after them so earnestly as for grace every thing is comely in his place and time A Servant whiles he keeps his place is a comely necessary help but if he begin to control his Master to usurp his Masters Chair to woo his Mistris c. it s intollerable So while riches be content with the place of Servants to be at their masters appointment to good uses it s well but when they shall perk up above Spiritual graces and heavenly things and get away the heart from God and our heavenly Husband Christ Jesus then they are to be turn'd out of doors and stampt under foot for in comparison of these they are as the basest pibble stone to the most precious Stone or Diamond 2. We must not set down with our selves that we will be rich for then if lawful means should fail we would use any other transgress even for a piece of bread they that will be rich fall into divers temptations and snares but herein shew a moderate minde 3. We must not make haste to be rich but must be content to stay our time and wait the Lords leisure till he bless our labors with fruitful encrease A man must not run out assoon as he seeth a booty lest there be Enemies by in ambush which may make us a booty but must consider well ere we go about it haply it was onely held out as a tryal from God or a trap by the Devil to catch us They be thorns if we rush upon them hastily unless we be well fenced and prepared we shall hereby harm our selves 4. We must seek them with a quiet and contented minde and not with an unsatiable appetite such as can never be satisfied but thirsteth continually after more 5. We must seek them onely by lawful means and not otherwise not with the neglect of good duties to God our Souls or Families c. or hudling them up much less by committing evils as by Lying Swearing Sabbath breaking Deceit Oppression c. nor by Gaming c. This were to seek them with the dishonor of God and loss of our souls for trash 6. We must not affect seek or desire after abundance and superfluity but for things necessary not for necessity of nature but for necessity of a mans estate condition and calling Thus a Prince Nobleman or Magistrate requireth a greater Portion to maintain their Estate and those that depend on them So a Minister to maintain himself and his and that he may follow his Study and buy Books and herein we
2. Take heed therefore you be not ashamed of God here lest he be ashamed of you another day Do as Abraham Isaac and Jacob they built here and there Altars and were not ashamed to call on the Lord neither was he ashamed of them to be called their God Art thou called Puritan Answer I am not so pure as I should be I pray God make me pure you must be pure else you shall never see God we must also take heed that we esteem not basely nor be ashamed of them that suffer for Christs sake shunning and avoiding their company lest forsooth it should be known weare friends to Puritans to those the world so calls and counts and that for their goodness wo be to us if we be not friends and favorers of them this being indeed a main mark of our Regeneration But let him glorifie God on this behalf As sufferings for God are a benefit for which we are to praise God so they be a great honor which the Lord vouchsafeth his Hereby we are tryed made Partners with Christ the Prophets Apostles and Martyrs that be now in Heaven are like our head in suffering and so shall be in glory and shall rejoyce at his coming and for ever This is an argument we are none of the world but chosen out of it yea that we are blessed and have the Spirit of God in us hereby also we glorifie God And might not God have left us to our selves and brought shameful sufferings upon us for foul sins as upon many others yea might have cast us to Hell to have most just and woful torments for ever and ever Now seeing he vouchsafeth to change our shameful sufferings here and hereafter for our sins into a few glorious sufferings for his names sake it is a priviledge Therefore though there be some tartness in the afflictions themselves yet consider how they might have been and now the cause why they be what Partners we have what good they will do us here and what an happy end we shall have hereafter we have great and unspeakable cause to praise and glorifie God which I pray in Gods name let 's labor by faith to bring our hearts unto Verse 17. For the time is come that judgement must begin at the house of God and if it first begin at us what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel of God HEre are more Reasons to the same purpose 1. From the time God will now since Christs coming exercise his Church with greater tryals and trobules then the ages before his coming in the flesh 2. The necessity of it Judgement must come 3. By making comparison between the state of Gods children persecuted and their persecuters yea and all the wicked for though these be chastened a while yet the end of the ungodly will be most fearful which he sets not down affirmatively but with much more vehemency and earnestness by interrogation What shall the end be c For the time is come c. The Church is appointed to more crosses and tryals since Christ under the Gospel then before True it hath been persecuted even from the beginning and every true believer hath had crosses and tryals and the people of God have been persecuted both of the prophane among themselves and of others yet never so sorely nor commonly as since Christ witness the ten bloody Persecutions with those which the Church hath since suffered by Heathen Turks Papists Reasons 1. Because this time hath clearer promises and a more fuller revelation of Gods will and Heaven as it were set open and Christ and all his benefits so set before our eyes as we have much more means of comfort and believing and so of love to God and courage and therefore may well undertake greater tasks the time of the Law was the time of the infancy of the Church the time of the Gospel the time of the maturity thereof Therefore well may God require and look for more obedience and not in doing onely but suffering for God will not have the graces of his Spirit in his Servants to rust 2. The Lord hath promised great things of the people in time of the Gospel He will pour out his Spirit upon them knowledge shall abound yong men shall see visions c Now seeing its foretold we should be holy in these times the Lord therefore must use the best means to effect the same whereof afflictions are one 1. This confuteth that opinion of the Papists that teach That the Church in the New Testament should always so prosper and flourish in wealth and be conspicuous and glorious and have victory over the enemies thereof which is rather the mark of the synagogue of Satan which is ever greater in number and more pompous for though God give his Church breathings to be gathered and to edifie themselves yet is it scarce at any time free from troubles 2. It rebuketh those among our selves that the Gospel should bring all peace and ease and therefore when they see any troubles come for it they are offended It s true God gives peace and plenty as handmaids to wait upon the Gospel yet either for chastisement for the contempt of the Gospel or tryal of his Servants profiting the Gospel hath troubles and men must be content and take the Gospel with whatsoever troubles and thank God too and think they be gainers But many would have the rose not the prickle follow Christ for loaves and in hope for preferment but hearing that he hath no where to rest his head they will be gone These be but Hypocrites and such as never tasted indeed of the Gospel for if they had they would part with all for it 3. It should teach us all in these days not to conceit of ease credit c. for the Gospel brings a Sword and therefore we must prepare for hardship yea the Gospel brings enough with it to make us willing to suffer for it The not thinking hereof causeth unpreparedness and both either a flying from God or else to bear them impatiently That judgement must begin By judgement is not meant plagues or punishments for sin as pieces of Gods wrath and forerunners of condemnation for such are those laid on the wicked but merciful chastisements and loving corrections whereby we are moved to judge our selves that we be not judged of the Lord and condemned with the world 1. These afflictions must begin with Gods-Servants Jacobs house first afterwards the Egyptians felt the Famine first the Israelites were oppressed but afterwards the Egyptians themselves plagued the Jews were first carried into captivity but afterwards the Assyrians were destroyed by the Medes and Persians 1. In respect of their sins they are full of terror and anguish of Spirit ere they can get any comfort and when they have obtained it it s often eclipsed and they go mourning 2. They are subject to many
the pure Word of God This hath many properties 1. It loves for some good actions which condemns the common love of wicked persons as of the Fornicator and his Harlot the Adulterer and his Mate the Drunkards and Thief though sworn Brethren To love any because they can rail against goodness or Dice well or are eager against the Servants of God c. this is cursed love True love rejoyceth not in iniquity a worse note cannot be then for one to love them whom as Rebels and Conspirators against God he sees fighting against God 2. Pure love is that which is grounded on Grace and Religion not on any transitory thing which condemns the carnal love of the world which love onely for worldly respects as strength beauty and the like or if it be for any inward gift of the minde not Sanctified that 's also but carnal as wit skill in Arts Musique c. these are worthy love but to love onely for these is not true and pure love for thus the Heathens loved as Isaac loved Esau for his hunting and many a man his wife for her beauty These are false grounds when they fail love fails 3. Pure love is in respect of the party himself whom we love and for no respect to our selves or commodity of ours which condemns the world which onely loves on such respects as because he is my Uncle my Friend loves me hath done this or that for me or may do me a pleasure therefore I will make much of him or for fear he may do me a shrewd turn This being shak'd out of the clowâ—s is indeed but self-love as having a respect onely to our selves Many a man shews kindeness to others to purchase credit The charitable deeds of the Papists were of self-love for they were done out of opinion of merit So the love of worldlings they have a reach at themselves 4. Pure love reflects chiefly on anothers Soul therefore hates his sin in him whom he loves most dearly advising him from all evil counselling him to all good This condemns all impure love So to love as not to tel our neighbor of his fault for angring or disquieting him this is hatred So Parents that love their children so well as they will not nurture rebuke or correct them do indeed hate them slay them in following their ways He that spares the rod hates his childe It s as if any should be so tender over a childe as not to suffer the wind to blow on it and therefore holds their hand before the mouth of it but holds it so hard as they strangle the childe or as the Ape which hugs her yong one so hard that she strangles it Again friends perswade a man to do this or that for preferment which he cannot do with a good conscience Oh they love him they would fain see him prefer'd woful love to the body by destroying the soul A neighbor hath his Childe or Cattel strangely handled one comes in of love perswading to send to such a Cunning-man or good Witch one of the Devils worsts instruments Is this love Is he a friend that will do that whereby a peny may be gained but many hundred pounds lost So when a Christian is ready to suffer for a good Conscience and a friend comes and says Oh I pray cast not away your self I wish you well do as the times are and as others do This was the tormentors love to Martyrs tormenting love indeed that by saving their bodies their souls might perish Thus would Peter have perswaded our Savior O Master these things shall not be unto thee but if Christ had not suffered we had all perish'd in our sins yea the Saints in Heaven must have come out from thence for they went to Heaven by Christ who was to be crucified What love was this our Saviors Answer shews that he gave him no thanks for that counsel Fervently This stands in two things Earnestness and Constancy 1. For the Earnestness of our love we must stretch it to as many persons as we can and to as many duties as giving forgiving c. and therein we must not be sparing as in giving For he that gives sparingly shall reap sparingly So for forgiving it must not be onely an offence or two Charity covers a multitude thus is God to us in giving for Soul Body Goods Good-name to us to ours day and night never weary never upbraiding us So in forgiving how merciful is he to pass by our many offences and that daily should not we then herein resemble him Again a little love is soon quench'd soon hindred but we must love so as if we meet with many temptations from our selves or the parties whom we are to love our love notwithstanding must last still yea we must not onely do these things when we can well do them or there 's nothing to let us but even forget our ease pleasure and profit to do our neighbor good Love seeks not her own things is laborious we love our selves fervently and therefore must so love our neighbors This condemns the cold frozen love of the world wherein there 's no heat or fervency a little thing lets We are so full of self love that we will not speak so much as a good word in defence of the very best whether man or cause if thereby we may be prejudiced never so little so did not Jonathan so did not Hester when she adventured her life for her people 2. For the constancy thereof Unity must be kept we must seek Peace and follow after it and its a part of fervency when it will not easily be broken off Gods love is constant ours must be so the Devil will assay to break it off we must therefore the more stand in it Oh it s the easiest matter in the world to break off love but we must not embrace any occasion moving hereunto This rebukes the inconstancy of many men that are won with an Apple as we say and lost with a Nut that will upon every slight occasion break friendship I loved him as well as could be will some such say till such and such a thing fell out and what are you now broke off what can worldings do more If God should so deal with us how miserable were we but his love is constant yea he loveth us in our adversity and low estate nay best then and is then nearest with his comforts so it ought to be with us for then our Neighbor hath most need of us and then our love will appear most free not mercenary But how contrary this is daily experience sheweth while men be in prosperity they have many friends which in their affliction forsake them as Doves that come to fair houses not to low cottages whereof Job often complaineth Verse 23. Being born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by
to believe the truth and be bolder to defend it Again if we look to the state of the Church and faithful Servants of God in former ages we need not think it strange for its the way that they have all gone Abel Isaac Jacob the Prophets Christ his Apostles the Primitive Church thousands under the Roman Emperors not a few even in this our Land in the Reign of Queen Mary c. Indeed the Devil is ready to make us believe that our case is worse then any bodies and that there were never any as we which is that he may make us murmure and drive us to desparation or to flinch whereas its a very lye for we are in no such case but the Saints of God have been in as bad in the same in worse This duly considered will be a means that afflictions shall be better born Which is to try you Here 's the Reason of the Exhortation The end of persecution is not to destroy the good but to make them better as the gold is tryed by the fire afflictions persecution chiefly are sent to try what we be and in what state not but that God knows it already but he would have us also and others to know to our comfort or humbling They are of great use As 1. To try whether we have any truth of grace in us whether we be any thing or nothing sound or hollow true friends or hypocrites such as are built on the rock or sand Many that now think well of themselves will never be able to stand and many mean in their own and others eyes would hold out A man is never tryed till adversity comes as a Soldier is in the Battel a Marriner in a Storm a Friend in time of need Who would have thought the seed in the stony ground would have flincht few so good as they in most Parishes If these would not abide what shall we think of most amongst us persecution as the fan of one heap makes two and as the fire separateth the gold from the dross Labor then for a true faith of the right stamp who knows but that God will send a tryal let 's labor to be so provided as we may be good wheat to abide by it and not chaff that will flie away that we may be gold fit to be Vessels for the Lords use not dross to be burnt up with unquenchable fire Onely true believers will hold out all others will flinch le ts now look to our selves lest we making a fair house not onely in the sand it fall and our fall be great and we having begun a piece of work leave it in the mid way to our perpetual shame But they that are proved to be sound and to have true Faith it s a great Comfort and Crown to them Who would not have his Sword or Gun tryed ere he went to the field A little tryed Faith is better then much tryed Gold then much Faith in mens tongues and conceits 2. To try what measure of grace we have whether as much or more or less then we thought for some over-prize themselves and some do on the contrary Who would have thought Peter had been so weak after such bold protestation Who would have thought Abrahams Faith so great as it was or Jobs both Faith and Patience Though the Lord would kill him yet would he wait on him What do thine afflictions bewray If more grace then thou thoughtst be thankful if less be humbled and apply thy self to the means more carefully 3. To purge purifie and refine that measure of true grace that 's in us In the days of Peace and Prosperity the best men are subject to gather soil as standing waters putrifie bodies without exercise prove full of gross humors In prosperity we gather pride security teachiness self-love too much love of the world these God purgeth away that our Faith and Grace may shew themselves in their bright colours as the Vine having the superfluous branches cut off proves the more fruitful Never do Christians shine so bright as in affliction or presently after it But rejoyce Here 's the second Exhortation We must be so far from thinking it strange when we are persecuted as that we are then to rejoyce But how can this be will some say To rejoyce in mockings imprisonments cold irons tortures c. seems impossible and the rather for that no affliction for the present is joyous but tedious To the flesh these things be tedious yet there is cause to make us rejoyce in them Though a natural man cannot do this as being impossible to flesh and blood yet grace and a good measure of faith and an heart mortified to the world and taken up with the desire of a better life will do the same A man may both grieve and yet rejoyce in the same thing in diverse respects as them that saw the Temple re-edified some wept namely the ancient men some again rejoyced namely the yong men the one because it was no better the other because it was as it was both which might have been in either of them As a man may be glad that he hath a childe departed in a godly maner and yet grieve at the loss of his childe so if at the fall of a Scaffold where many lost their lives we have had a childe that broke his Arm we are sorry at that but glad that he scaped with his life Thus the Apostles rejoyced thus Paul and Silas thus the Thessalonians thus the Christian Hebrews thus the Martyrs throughout all ages Such a thing is Faith it s not a Conceit but that that makes things absent so present as that we can be content to endure present pain for joy to come and to lose things present for happiness hereafter Thus have many of Gods Servants done so that God requires nothing of us but that he hath enabled many to do yea ordinary Christians like our selves nay not a few even of the weaker Sex 1. This rebuketh the woful unbelief and hypocrisie of most of the world which though they profess the Word in prosperity yet in adversity they shift for themselvs make friendship with the world and will suffer nothing for Christs sake or his Religion they are ashamed of Christ here of them will he be ashamed hereafter now saving their lives with an ill Conscience they shall lose life eternal 2. It rebuketh even the Servants of God who are so loath to suffer or abide any hardness We can hardly abide a frown of our Superior or an hard word or a railing speech but we are cast down and disquieted about it yea many pull in their heads and step back and think it s not good to be forward and so come to Jesus by night How will we suffer imprisonment and loss of all we have how endure the fire and especially with joy This is too much tenderness it